Holding On to My Man-Chapter 39 (2)
Translated by Elestrea
Edited by juurensha
This world was similar to the modern world where Gu Bai once lived, save for one difference: The development of game technology here was much more advanced.
Compared with the web games he was used to, the games here had entered the real simulation stage, and the gameplay was more or less similar to the old computer online games.
But using advanced game helmets, the players’ senses would be totally different, as there would be a kind of immersive feeling.
"Record of Immortal Cultivation" was a very popular online game. The content was similar to its name, people controlling mortals who were trying to cultivate into immortals.
As in the novel, the levels in the game were divided into Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Demigod, Soul Cleansing, Synthesis, and Immortalization, refining one layer at a time.
Because there was a helmet to simulate the real scene, the gamers were very addicted to the game. An update so people could feel it when the lightning struck them and the various secret areas that seemed very real also made a lot of players very obsessed.
The game "Record of Immortal Cultivation" was an adaptation of a novel, in which there were three races: humans, demons, and spirits.
The original host chose a human female character, whose nickname was "Shangguan Yu". It was very poetic and picturesque, but unlike the nickname that sounded very beautiful and cold, the character he chose was very beautiful and hot.
Well, Gu Bai had to admit that the original host chose such a character because he had no other thoughts except to hook up with Tang Linyi. Although he was speechless, in order to respect the original host, he decided to continue using the game character created by the original host himself.
It was summer vacation right now, and the original host had plenty of time in his freshman year. In the past, he would choose to travel and play all over the world. But now, in order to get close to Tang Linyi on the Internet, he didn’t go anywhere. He stayed at home and played games all day.
Since the original host's grudges were derived from the game to reality, Gu Bai decided that he would start from the game.
After he got up and told the nanny not to disturb him, Gu Bai went back to bed and put on his helmet to enter the game.
The clear music sounded in his head. When he opened his eyes again, he saw a very beautiful cave.
The whole scene, no matter the moonlight stone on the walls of the cave, the hot spring, or the fragrance in the air all looked very real. It couldn't be discerned that this was a game simulation at all.
Gu Bai’s first contact with this kind of real simulation game gave him a novel feeling.
No wonder even though the game developers had just released this a year ago, they had already become popular all over the world, and their company had become the world’s top technology company. This kind of technology was definitely a technological leap, ah!
This cave was the home of the original host’s game character, which could be carried around and had a strong defense. Generally, novice characters that just got into the game couldn’t have this kind of cave, most of them just had huts. This one was bought by the original host.
Back then, before Tang Dahai had started hating him, the original owner was well-liked at home. Tang Dahai gave him a lot of pocket money every month.
At least ten thousands, sometimes more than a hundred thousand, it was way more than the pocket money given by his mother. It could be seen how much Tang Dahai doted on him. If there had been no mishaps, the life of the original host in this life could be said to be very comfortable, so no wonder he was so unwilling after death.
After taking a leisurely walk around the cave to satisfy his curiosity, Gu Bai quit the game. He didn’t plan to practice and fight against monsters like everyone else; he was going to use his money to find someone to "help" him practice and boost up his achievements.
For others, this kind of game might be addictive, but for him, it was only a matter of curiosity, and he didn't want to indulge in it.
Next, in addition to occasionally entering the game to familiarize himself, Gu Bai chose a low-level cheat suitable for this modern type of world from the list of cheats available in his mind.
Other than doing the tasks in the game, he had a lot of dangers to deal with in reality. In order to avoid accidents, he must have a certain level of self-protection ability.
A month passed by quickly.
Because of the amount of money spent and someone else boosting it, Gu Bai’s game character was quickly upgraded to the Core Formation stage, and his Alchemy skills were also lit up.
According to the original plot, as soon as the Alchemy skill lit up, Tang Zihao would run to join Tang Linyi's faction as a priest.
But Gu Bai didn’t plan to do so this time, and in real life, he didn’t even let Tang Linyi know who his game character was, because originally, the real identity of the original host was revealed by Tang Linyi.
The original host’s wish did not include anything about getting Tang Linyi to fall in love with him. He had enough enemies from the other side, so Gu Bai left him behind temporarily.
…
On this day, after finishing his practice in real life, Gu Bai went back to his room, put his helmet and re-entered the game. He found that his field-of-view had turned gray.
He hadn’t quit the game when he left before. This was the safe zone for receiving quests. Generally, before leaving the safe zone, everyone wouldn’t take the initiative to attack people, so he chose to just leave his character and went idle.
But at this moment, his field-of-view was gray. It was obvious that someone had killed him when he was not online, breaking the rules. And the murderer had not left yet, as she was standing beside the corpse of his dead character and discussing things happily.
"Wow, so many top-grade equipments, and they're all useless for her current level. She must've bought it. This woman is really rich. Let’s pick it up quickly!"
"Is this a good idea? You aren't allowed to kill in the safe zone…"
"Well, there’s no one around now, and this person is idle anyway. Let’s leave after picking up the equipment. Nobody will know it's us, Xianxun. It’s just playing a game, anyway. Such good equipment, even our monthly's living expenses wouldn't be enough for us to buy these…”
"You have a point, hee hee…"
The two characters were very pure-looking human characters. One was in green, and the other was in purple. Their nicknames, "Blushing Beauty" and "Ningbo Fairy", were flashing on the top of their heads.
Gu Bai was very angry that someone had killed his character and violated the rules. As soon as he saw their nickname, he immediately laughed.
As the old saying goes, "Enemies and lovers are destined to meet". He didn't even take the initiative to find Song Xianxun to help the original host settle accounts, but this person actually provoked him first. In that case, we should let her know who's in charge first and talk later!
Thinking of an idea, Gu Bai immediately revived using a resurrection pill. This pill was very expensive. It cost 10,000 spirit stones, which, if converted to real-world currency, was equal to 100 yuan. It was rarely used by ordinary players since the safe zone could resurrect them after a period of time.
They were happily picking up his fallen equipment and didn’t notice that Gu Bai had been resurrected. Gu Bai got up and drew out his whip, then he ruthlessly hit them.
A notification sounded: You killed Blushing Beauty! You killed Ningbo Fairy!
After killing the two people, Gu Bai went to pick up the equipment he had just dropped and also picked up the things the two people had dropped, which made the two people anxious
[Human] Blushing Beauty: Hey, return our stuff! You can’t kill in the safe zone!
[Human] Ningbo Fairy: Yes, you give it back to us quickly!
Song Xianxun’s game character also quickly shouted out.
Gu Bai didn’t pay attention to them, but stayed leisurely in front of the bodies of the two, waiting for the moment when the two automatically got resurrected. At that time, he didn't hesitate to wave the whip again.
And another notification sounded: You killed Blushing Beauty! You killed Ningbo Fairy!
[Human] Blushing Beauty: …
[Human] Ningbo Fairy: …
They didn’t expect that Gu Bai was so evil that he deliberately stayed by their side and killed them all over again. This time, they had no equipment, and once they were killed, they lost one level of cultivation. They were so angry that they shouted directly in the world.
[World] Blushing Beauty: Shangguan Yu, you stinking bitch. This motherfucker is not even ashamed to kill in the safe area. Return our equipment!
Shouting in the world channel meant that the players in the whole area could see the scarlet letters in the sky and hear the sound.
All of a sudden, it attracted the attention of the players in the game. The players who didn’t know what had happened began to say that they despised Gu Bai for not following the rules and killing people in the safe zone.
Gu Bai laughed. He was not as stupid as the original host and would wait to be wronged. Every time before completing the task, he was more or less influenced by the original host’s own character, and Tang Zihao was an impulsive and simple character.
So he didn't hesitate to buy a set of speakers and began to also shout in the world channel.
[World] Shangguan Yu: Do I need a reason to kill you? When I went idle in the safe zone and was offline, you guys sneaked around and killed me. You deserve it!
Song Xianxun and her roommate sister wouldn't admit this and immediately refute it.
[World] Ningbo Fairy: You are a venomous slanderer! We wouldn't do such shameless things!
Gu Bai smiled. This kind of lying through one's teeth was a very powerful skill. He continued to shout in the world.
[World] Shangguan Yu: The one who slanders others knows the real truth in their hearts! To the many Daoist friends and fellows around the world who are listening right now, from now on, whoever kills Ningbo Fairy and Blushing Beauty, take a picture as proof. If they drop one layer, you will be given 1,000 spirit stones. If they drop one level, you will be given 10,000 spirit stones!!!
[World] Shangguan Yu: Kill Ningbo Fairy and Blushing Beauty, take a picture as proof. If they drop one layer, you will be given 1,000 spirit stones. If they drop one level, you will be given 10,000 spirit stones!!!
Gu Bai repeated this several times in the world. Not only did the game keep rolling the scarlet letters in the sky, but all the players in the game also heard the sound of Gu Bai’s pursuit order in their ears. It was hard to miss it.
Anyway, the Tang family didn’t lack the money to play games. The feeling of throwing money around is so cool!
Suddenly, this zone of the game world went into chaos.
[Human] Light Rain Fairy: Pursuit order! I haven’t seen such things for a long time!
[Human] Alluring Beauty: Whoa, one layer is 1,000 spirit stone? One level is 10,000 spirit stones?!! Sister, please accept!
[Human] Heishan Old Demon: Who are Ningbo Fairy and Blushing Beauty? I’m going to get the reward!!
Song Xianxun was still a novice and an unknown character in the game now, unlike later when he had Tang Zihao's resentment, and Tang Linyi's name had become known all over the world.
Not everyone who played the game was rich. There were not many people like Tang Zihao who threw money around in order to play the game. This kind of personal reward given by a player was easier to get than a reward from killing a monster.
Therefore, as soon as Gu Bai’s pursuit order was issued, the game world began to bustle, and all the people were looking for Song Xianxun’s game number to kill her for the reward.
After Song Xianxun and her sister got resurrected, before they could quit the game, they were suddenly welcomed by a group of PKers, then they were killed and their level dropped.
Song Xianxun was so angry that she had to go offline for a while. But for the next few days, she and her roommate would be welcomed by a PKer as soon as they went online.
After dying, they quickly switched places to respawn, found another PKer, died again, went offline, went online, switched places, died again, rinse and repeat to be beaten!!!
Although it was just the death of the game character, with the real simulation helmet, she didn't feel nothing. Every time she died, she would be electrified and injured once.
Several days later, Song Xianxun was traumatized by electricity. She didn't dare to enter the game under the nickname of “Ningbo Fairy”. She had to change the account and identity temporarily.
She was so angry, yet there was nothing she could do. After all, game helmets were new. Even the cheap ones cost hundreds of thousands, and the expensive ones cost tens of thousands. To be able to play the game, she spent months of living expenses, so to stop playing just because of this would be too much of a waste.
Gu Bai found that no one had sent him a picture of Song Xianxun’s character for reward in a few days. Anyway, there was plenty of time and opportunity to clean up the virgin bitch.
In the plot, the original host had resentment in his heart. In fact, he was very envious of Song Xianxun’s popularity in the game. Because he was not popular in real life, he wanted to find satisfaction in the virtual world.
Wanting to find satisfaction in the game world, of course it meant wanting to be a God of the game.
However, in the online simulation game “Record of Immortal Cultivation” one couldn't become a God by throwing money around, although they could use the money to rank up. But if they wanted to be granted the title of God by the game, they must complete some hidden tasks or kill a god player.
Gu Bai didn’t want to kill a god player. All players who could become god players were all pro players, which were not so easy to deal with.
So he had to do the hidden tasks honestly.