Chapter 197: Being A Guest
The next two days were relatively peaceful. Mo Tan continued to play the game for As close to 24 hours As possible every night. During the day, he would browse forums at home, feed cats downstairs, haggle prices when out, and occasionally flirt with Shuang Ye through the secret channels mentioned before, or be flirted with by Shuang Ye. His life could be described As quite fulfilling.
The situation of his various characters in the game also didn't change much. Tan Mo was still on his way to Saramun, the Violet Imperial Capital, and continued to exchange information with Jun Wu during this process. He left the caravan in Fernan Territory within Violet territory and also increased his movement speed, gradually closing the distance between himself and Shuang Ye.
Mo became the strongest of the three characters. Due to continuously fighting in the Arena, he was now approaching Level 15 and had unlocked many new skills. His equipment also became more powerful after completing numerous Arena quests. Wang Wang Squad's team battle win rate in the Noob Arena was also getting higher and higher, especially in 2-person battles, where the combination of Mo and Ji Xiaoge achieved A win rate of over 85%.
Black Vatican, on the other hand, spent most of his time healing the infected with Yu Cheng. The temporary encampment, which was previously filled with wailing, was now full of life. The high proportion of seriously injured individuals had successively recovered their health. Although the Plague on these people was difficult to eradicate, it was already much better than before, and the probability of them mutating into Mutants became extremely low. In these two days combined, fewer than ten people turned into monsters…
However, despite the improvement in the local situation in Mida City, Black Vatican's situation remained the worst. The number of Mutants roaming outside was increasing. Although the internal crisis of the city had been resolved, it still faced A great threat. Tairo and the Holy Knights did train the conscripted civilians, but two short days could not show any significant results. However, the low-level professionals performed well, assisting the Holy Knights in eliminating multiple Mutant attacks, and got along very well with Mo Tan, who frequently acted As their commander.
Besides these, one more thing worth mentioning is that the number of players in Innocent World had exceeded three million in these short twenty-something days. This official announcement surprised many players who thought the game hadn't become popular yet. More people were looking forward to events like 【Over 3 Million Concurrent Online Players Gratitude Feedback!!】, but the official apparently had no such intention and wasn't excited at all. Even the announcement text about over three million concurrent online players exuded calmness and indifference, extremely perfunctory.
This caused dissatisfaction among many players, and then they would clamor about 'quitting the game' while continuing to fight on the front lines of the '7:30 PM Party.' Mo Tan would see A large number of 'true fragrance' posts every time he opened the forum…
In short, two days passed just like that~
January 27, 2049
Real-world time PM 19:05
A villa in Dexin District, B City
Mo Tan was having dinner with Yi Dong and his family of three. As mentioned before, he was quite familiar with his childhood friend's parents, so he would sometimes visit during holidays. He even lived here for A period during middle school until he harmed A black-hearted… I mean, until he accidentally won A lot of money in the lottery and moved out to live on his own.
In summary, his relationship with Yi Dong's family was quite good, so he came to visit today at the invitation of his friend A.
“How's Auntie's cooking, Tan Jiang~”
Yi Dong's mother put A salmon sushi on Mo Tan's plate and said with A smile, “You haven't been here for several months, have you? Your Uncle Yi and I really miss you.”
She was A woman named Gu Yan Yue who looked at least half her actual age. Standing next to Yi Dong, they looked like siblings. She had long, straight black hair that reached her waist and big eyes. From every angle, she looked like an energetic, cute young girl in her early twenties. Her hobbies included cosplay, her profession was making cosplay costumes, and her specialties were playing video games and making cosplay costumes. She was also the only person who was on par with Mo Tan in terms of gaming.
“Try to spend less time cooped up at home.” The middle-aged man, who had been quietly eating, also looked up and added coolly, “Come visit often when you have time.”
Yi Dong's father, Yi Nan, was A handsome uncle who looked absolutely dashing. He had A tall, well-proportioned figure and wasn't very expressive, appearing quite aloof, but his personality was actually very good. His work seemed quite mysterious, and even Mo Tan didn't know exactly what he did. He had never investigated this aspect, simply treating this handsome middle-aged man As an ordinary elder.
“Okay, Uncle Yi, I'll bother you often.” Mo Tan nodded to Yi Nan, then popped the sushi into his mouth and gave Gu Yan Yue A thumbs-up. “Mmm, Auntie's sashimi slicing is really quite professional, but isn't the nickname Tan Jiang A bit…”
Yi Dong, who was hunched over his rice, chuckled, “It suits you!”
“Winter Baby is right!” Gu Yan Yue happily patted her son's head and nodded seriously to Mo Tan. “Tan Jiang sounds very nice!”
“Well, Auntie, please do As you like.” Mo Tan smiled helplessly, then turned to Yi Dong with an even brighter smile. “Reckoning will come later.”
The latter immediately shivered. He almost forgot that Mo Tan was currently in his 'chaotic neutral' personality, just pretending to be well-behaved.
“Youth is truly wonderful. Our group was quite similar to you two back then.” Gu Yan Yue looked at the two young people in front of her and sighed leisurely, “Always tricking each other~”
Yi Dong blinked and asked curiously, “You mean the parents of people like Wan Yang?”
Gu Yan Yue nodded with A grin, “Yes, it was so much fun back then. Your dad was the second most devious one, and so handsome!”
Yi Nan, who had finished eating and was now fiddling with his phone, showed no reaction, As if he hadn't heard anything.
“My dad? Devious?” Yi Dong was stunned for A moment, then looked at his father with A particularly horrified expression, “Could it be that I'm still not very familiar with you!?”
The latter looked up and glared at him, then continued to play on his phone.
Mo Tan, meanwhile, asked with interest, “Second?”
Gu Yan Yue nodded vigorously, “Yes, Tan Jiang, are you curious about who the first one was?”
Mo Tan shrugged, “A little~”
“That's A scoundrel.” Yi Nan completed the Spirit Origin Ascension for his seventieth wife, then looked up and said in A deep voice, “A particularly scoundrelly, shameless, and unprincipled person.”
Yi Dong smacked his lips, “Although I don't understand, it sounds very impressive. Who is that person, Dad?”
At the same time,
Ji Xiaoge and Ji Xiaodao, who were watching TV on the sofa, suddenly heard A series of loud sneezes from behind them.
“Dad, are you okay?” Ji Xiaoge quickly turned around and leaned over the back of the sofa to look at her father, asking with concern, “It's A bit cold now, are you catching A cold?”
“No.”
“No.”
Her father and Ji Xiaodao, who was sitting next to her, said in unison.
“Huh?” Ji Xiaoge was stunned for A moment, then first tilted her head to look at her sister, “Why?”
Ji Xiaodao leaned lazily on the sofa and said softly, “Because idiots don't catch colds.”
“I'm not an idiot! I can catch A cold too!” Someone immediately began to protest loudly.
“Oh, is that so.” Ji Xiaodao nodded, then looked up at Ji Xiaoge, “Then, big sister, why don't you make Dad some soup to warm him up.”
Ji Xiaoge's face immediately lit up with A smile, but before she could even nod, she heard her father cough heavily A few times from behind…
“I'm sorry, my dear daughter, Dad really isn't sick because I'm A 100% pure natural big idiot, so making soup or anything like that isn't necessary, hahahahaha!”
Ji Xiaoge: “…”
Ji Xiaodao shrugged, “I told you so.”
…
Two hours later,
Outside Yi Dong's house
“Then I'll be off.” Mo Tan patted Yi Dong's shoulder and smiled, “I'll remember the thing about Tan Jiang very well.”
“Big brother, I was wrong.” Yi Dong let out two weak, dry laughs and shoved two boxes of sushi that Gu Yan Yue had specially made into Mo Tan's hands. “My mom prepared these for you. Why don't you cook A meal at my place sometime to give her A challenge.”
Mo Tan shook his head, “No, I'm afraid Auntie will keep me. Oh, right, you're sure that matter has been handled, right?”
“Didn't I tell you before? It's already taken care of, like A ghost movie set.” Yi Dong shivered, saying with lingering fear, “That place is A bit spooky.”
“Go find A mirror in the game and look into it more often. You're pretty spooky yourself.” Mo Tan narrowed his eyes and said to Yi Dong.
The corner of the latter's mouth twitched, “I'm not lying, that place is really spooky. If you don't believe me, ask Xiao Ai later… But I got A lot of benefits this time. I leveled up four or five times in one go, can you believe it? And I also got A lot of skills that sound awesome, like Spiritual Medium Secret Arts and Double Ghosts Slapping the Door. I hit the jackpot!”
“But your skeleton only went from being A team member to A group member level. Alright, if there's anything else, let's talk in the game. All my accounts are busy.” Mo Tan smiled playfully, then turned and walked towards the bus stop.
Yi Dong nodded, then shouted, “Come to my place for New Year's. Dad and Mom are supposedly going out to play, and I plan to call over Xiao Yu, Wan Yang, and the others, and Yu Cheng and Xiao Ge too.”
“None of my business.” Mo Tan said without looking back.
“So are you coming or not? Don't stay by yourself during New Year's.”
“Later~”
“It's A deal then!”
…
Yi Dong's master bedroom
Gu Yan Yue, while trying on contact lenses in front of the mirror, whispered to Yi Nan, who was in A chair nearby, “Husband, our son just mentioned Spiritual Medium Secret Arts.”
“I heard him.” Yi Nan replied distractedly.
“Double Ghosts Slapping the Door, wow!” Gu Yan Yue kicked the former with her small foot and laughed, “That talent is really powerful!”
Yi Nan shook his head, “It's just A game, it can't be taken seriously…”
“Hmph, you looked so excited just now!”
“Did I?”
“You did~ Yes, yes, yes~ You definitely did!”
“Alright, then I did.”
…
【Your mental connection has been detected, personal information is being synchronized…】
【Connection complete, character information is being read】
【Welcome back, Absolute Neutral Black Vatican, Innocent World will now load, good night】
Game Time AM 08:50
Mida City, Holy Church United Chapel
As soon As Mo Tan logged in, he saw A pile of friend messages. He quickly skimmed through them, then immediately went out, turned left, and knocked on Yu Cheng's door.
‘Coming~ (,,ω,,)’
After the message flashed, Yu Cheng quickly opened the door from inside and smiled sweetly at Mo Tan, “Come in first, I was just about to leave~”
“No need to rush, let's try it first.” Mo Tan smiled. After entering the room, he immediately asked Yu Cheng seriously, “Are you sure Luminescence will work?”
Yu Cheng nodded vigorously, “I think it will!”
The Luminescence that had been interfered with by darkness had no negative effects, she had told Mo Tan in her message.
Mo Tan stepped back A couple of paces, “Use it now.”
“Mm, I need to trigger the interference effect first.” Yu Cheng nodded, then began casting divine spells on Mo Tan, trying hard to trigger her Inconstant Divinity.
Two minutes later,
“Alright.” The girl clapped her hands, then, under Mo Tan's gaze, extended her smooth, fair hand and activated the skill.
One second…
Two seconds…
Three seconds…
Nothing happened.
Mo Tan blinked and asked Yu Cheng curiously, “Did you use it?”
“I did.” The little saintess smiled, then cast A Holy Healing on Mo Tan, “See for yourself.”
His health didn't drop at all, and A warm feeling filled his body. It was indeed an un-interfered Holy Healing.
“Strange, nothing happened at all.” Mo Tan scratched his hair and pondered, “Even your talent with its own light effect wasn't triggered. Did the skill just end?”
Yu Cheng nodded seriously, “Mm, Luminescence is already on cooldown, and I did use it continuously for three seconds before stopping. The dark interference state has also disappeared.”
“Although I don't know why this is.” Mo Tan withdrew his gaze, which had been focused on the girl's fingertips, and said softly, “But if that's the case…”
“Mo Tan Tong Xue doesn't have to keep accompanying me As A training dummy.” Yu Cheng, unusually playful, stuck out her tongue and chuckled, “This way you'll have more time to do other things~”
Mo Tan shrugged, “It does seem to be the case, but you could have pretended to be more regretful.”
“Hmm?” Yu Cheng blinked and asked curiously, “Why? I think it's A good thing that Mo Tan Tong Xue doesn't have to waste time As A training dummy. Many places need you.”
“Just call me by my name.” Mo Tan gave A dry laugh and spread his hands, “And I'm not that important.”
The girl was stunned for A moment, then softly ‘Mm-hmmed’, “Okay, Mo Tan.”
“Mm, that sounds much better.”
“Does it?”
“It does.”
Chapter One Hundred Ninety-Four: End