Mini World Game Console-Chapter 709 - 710: Don’t Be Surprised [Second Update]
The "A Different Life" ability has three uses.
The first doesn't require any Casting Materials. One can simply operate it manually, and the effectiveness entirely depends on the strength of one's imagination. Those with specific experience will achieve slightly better results, whereas beginners without experience may not achieve very good results. The first attempt is generally mediocre, but with practice, the speed might increase. However, due to the lack of a full set, the flavor is always somewhat off, no matter what.
The second requires Casting Materials, specifically a corpse—whether a single entity, a heap, a pool, or a vat. No experience is needed; it's ready to use immediately in a fool-proof manner, with no obstacles. This guarantees an exclusive experience that one will never forget. The only problem is obtaining a corpse.
The third also requires Casting Materials, and in this case, the other party has to be a living person. But since the other party is alive, when you want to cast the spell, you must obtain their full consent. This allows both parties to enjoy a perfect casting experience. If the other party refuses, then it's not possible.
So, if Ren Suo wants to become Ren Xingmei (physiologically), he must first obtain Ren Xingmei's full consent.
Ren Xingmei and Dong Chengling were both clearly bewildered. Only Lorifes, the alien who couldn't understand Earth's language, was applauding with an emotional expression, as if celebrating a couple becoming siblings.
"What does that mean..." Ren Xingmei asked, her face a mask of confusion.
"It means exactly what it says," Ren Suo said. "The only way to fool the Didra people without them suspecting anything is to give them a Sony and a Different Dimension Coordinate. As long as these two roles are provided, they won't particularly care about the whereabouts of others."
"My clone can take the role of Sony, but the Different Dimension Coordinate doesn't necessarily have to be either of you two. If I just become one of you and mislead the Didra people into temporarily mistaking me for the Different Dimension Coordinate, then as soon as an emergency occurs and others are too busy to pay attention to us, we can all safely leave the Didra Plane."
Yes, this was Ren Suo's real plan: to have his clone impersonate Sony and to impersonate the Different Dimension Coordinate himself!
Because it was impossible for Sony to escape. He was not only locked onto by the Imperial Sovereign Xides but also monitored by the Great Shadow Method Lanaya.
Lanaya needed to use Sony to threaten Xides, and Xides needed Sony to enter the "Nothing Yet Everything One Expects to Find" Ambition Aura form.
If Ren Suo dared to simply slip out of the identity of such an important Tool Person like Sony, he should expect to be pursued by Xides's entire imperial army from Luoyin City to Dark Descending.
Sony must die, and must even be crushed into dust by Xides.
But the Different Dimension Coordinate was different.
Because of Ren Suo's protection over Dong Chengling and Ren Xingmei, very few people actually remembered these two Earthlings. Even Lanaya, who had returned with Ren Suo, only knew that Sony the Great had brought back two Earthling-like females and was aware that one of them was a Different Dimension Coordinate.
From the perspective of the Didra people, all these Otherworlders from Earth seemed indistinguishably alike.
As for who the Different Dimension Coordinate was, Lanaya didn't quite understand, nor did she need to. If even Sony had a method to identify the Different Dimension Coordinate, then for the Great Shadow Method—who knew countless secrets and could appear anywhere at any time—not having a method to recognize the Different Dimension Coordinate would simply be a disgrace to her title.
Moreover, Ren Suo knew that the Marking Card Tape Xides had made Sony use had completely locked onto Dong Chengling and Ren Xingmei, which was why they were directly pulled into the Didra Plane.
Did Xides have a method to directly pull the Different Dimension Coordinate to him from a distance? If so, Dong Chengling and Ren Xingmei were not safe as long as they hadn't left Didra. Even if they left the Didra Plane, they could still possibly be pulled back.
The best method would naturally be to go there and smash Xides's head open, which would truly settle everything once and for all.
But the problem now was that Ren Suo wasn't sure if Xides could be defeated so easily.
The only game characters he could use were Ren Han, Truth Seeker, and Devouring the Spirit of the World.
Because this world's internet was incredibly strange, Ren Suo wasn't sure if the Virtual Sovereign Ilina had sufficient combat power here. The Black Coffin Demon King couldn't be summoned (5-star combat power), while the Moon Chanter could be summoned, but its combat strength was uncertain.
However, Ren Suo had previously summoned Ren Han to kill Sony, that naughty child. He had also called the Truth Seeker and Zhao Zili for expert consultation. And due to Zhao Zili being unable to do anything useful and shamelessly staying on Earth just to breathe its air, Ren Suo now had only about five minutes left of summoning time for "Rippling Spring Sounds."
However, the final boss Xides was not weak.
According to the game's scenario, if it hadn't been for Los's plot armor (locking his health bar), Los would have been brainwashed by Xides and turned into his pawn long ago.
And that was when Xides wasn't even planning to kill Los. Yet Los still struggled in the fight—consider that Los was always maintaining over two thousand times the critical hit output!
In the end, it was Ren Suo who utilized the advantage of the game's turn-based combat mechanics. He allowed Los to use "Within Reach, Worlds Apart - Blink" to deliver dozens of instant critical hits in just ten seconds, dodging all of Xides's attacks. This destroyed Xides's defense before he could react!
What if Ren Suo sent game characters to attack Xides? Let's not even talk about whether the characters would be brainwashed by Xides's Ambition Aura or whether they could defeat Xides in a mere five minutes, but...
Faced with a sudden and very powerful enemy, as the Imperial Sovereign, wouldn't Xides flee?
In the storyline, Xides's adversaries were Dragonborn Los and the Great Shadow Method Lanaya. Xides knew these two very well. He had the confidence that with a single display of his royal aura, his enemies would rush to submit, which was why he gave such a long speech hoping to subdue them.
But if Xides saw an alien who couldn't even speak the Didra language, would he try to subdue them? Would he engage in battle with them?
No, as an ambitious man, Xides's first reaction would surely be to run away immediately. He would escape to a No-Hunting Zone and then Teleport away, gathering his army to deal with the alien.
Facing a Xides who would run away, and could even Teleport, Ren Suo didn't think his game characters could defeat him within just five minutes.
He didn't dare to bet on it.
Moreover, defeating the Exiled Monarch was a goal Ren Suo had to achieve. Otherwise, Dong Chengling and the others couldn't use the Great Lord Cartridge to return to Earth.
And now, of the three Keys of Oblivion: one was in Los's hands, one in Lanaya's hands, and one in Xides's hands.
So, if Ren Suo wanted to use an unconventional method, even if he ignored Los, he still had to let his game character defeat Lanaya first. Then, he would have to go all out to defeat Xides within five minutes.
Of course, Ren Suo could invite Lanaya into his chambers and then signal by dropping a cup, allowing the game character hidden in the ceiling to instantly defeat Lanaya. However, there was only about a 50% chance of success. Lanaya most likely had an ability to save herself in a split second; as long as she reacted, she could escape using her shadow ability.
Assuming Lanaya was defeated, the game character would have to head straight for the Platinum Tower. This would cause countless disturbances along the way, which would also alert Xides quickly.
In such a scenario, would Xides really sit in the Platinum Tower like an idiot waiting for the game character to come and kill him?
The best method would be to wait until Lanaya and Xides were together before summoning the game character to defeat them.
Furthermore, Lanaya was indeed going to see Xides soon, but the problem was that she would bring two meager gifts: Sony and the Different Dimension Coordinate.
No matter how you looked at it, the Different Dimension Coordinate and Sony were indispensable.
And Ren Suo couldn't let Xides summon the Different Dimension Coordinate. Whether Xides chose one or wanted both, either outcome was unacceptable to Ren Suo.
Therefore, all Ren Suo needed to do was to become the Different Dimension Coordinate himself and present himself before Xides. That way, Xides naturally wouldn't summon any other Different Dimension Coordinates.
It wasn't like ordering takeout or shopping, where one might compare different options. Usually, a single set of spatial coordinates was enough. It was just Sony's itch to mark two when he saw them.
Most importantly, Ren Suo needed to stay in the Royal Court to control the Sony Clone anyway, so the most cost-effective method was naturally for him to stay and dress up as his sister.
In this way, with just him and the Sony Clone, they could keep the game plot moving forward.
Ren Suo briefly explained the situation. Ren Xingmei blinked and asked, "When you asked to 'have my heart,' is this what you meant?"
"Yeah, what else?" Ren Suo said. "You know, my ability allows me to become someone else completely. And this 'completely' is even more perfect than you can imagine. All the physical information, every bit of information about the soul, even the curse statuses you are under, will be copied onto me. I will become you completely."
"Therefore, I must have your consent, and your mind has to be completely open to me. If you resist at all, I can't copy your information—that's why I'm asking for your heart."
Ren Xingmei subconsciously glanced at Dong Chengling, who shrugged, sporting a calm expression that said, I've seen it all, and there are even more intense operations you haven't witnessed yet.
"Hmm..." Ren Xingmei pondered for a moment before suddenly asking, "But...why me? Couldn't Teacher Dong do it too?"
Ren Suo was somewhat surprised. "You don't agree?"
"I do agree, but I want to know your reasons for choosing me," Ren Xingmei stared into Ren Suo's eyes, her face slightly flushed yet very determined as she asked.
At this point, Dong Chengling also looked at Ren Suo curiously. "Suo, why not copy me? According to what you've said, once you copy someone, it's as if you've got their heart, you understand all their memories, grasp all their thoughts..."
"It sounds very intimate, like something couples would do, right? Wouldn't it be better to do it with me?"
Damn it, I shouldn't have said that, Ren Xingmei inwardly chastised herself for asking such a question. Ren Suo had probably not thought much about it and simply chose to copy her. Now, with Dong Chengling saying that, Ren Suo would certainly think she made a lot of sense, and then—
"No, that's not it."
Ren Suo shook his head at Dong Chengling. "I don't think it's an intimate act between couples."
Ren Xingmei and Dong Chengling were both slightly taken aback.
"Couples don't need to know every secret about each other," Ren Suo said. "Turning into Sony was actually the first time I used this ability. After trying it, I found out that using this ability wasn't as fun as I imagined."
"Gaining access to someone's heart, understanding all their memories, and knowing all their thoughts means not only seeing those beautiful memories and kind thoughts. It also includes all the sorrowful memories, sinister ideas, and the madness in the dead of night. I don't believe there are saints in this world. Cheng Ling, don't you have things in your heart that you wouldn't want to tell me?"
Dong Chengling slightly parted her crimson lips, then pursed them again, giving Ren Suo a slight nod as she looked at him.
She rarely had dark thoughts before, but recently that had changed.
Even though she really liked Gu Yueyan, valued her relationship with Qiao Muyi, and acknowledged Bai Ji's work capability, she couldn't help but harbor some unspeakable thoughts.
Dong Chengling was no Saint; she got angry, too.
But a person like Dong Chengling naturally could extinguish her own unsettling emotions immediately. In fact, this was quite normal. All friends have disputes and resentments, spouses argue, and even her parents had one or two cold wars. As long as interpersonal relationships are handled well, such thoughts won't affect daily life at all.
Naturally, Dong Chengling would not share these thoughts that wouldn't affect daily life with Ren Suo, not only because there was no need, but also because she didn't want to.
"During the time I became Sony, I understood all his frustrations, anxieties, yearnings, and sorrows," Ren Suo said calmly. "He's not a bad person, but he's not a good person, either. To be honest, this feeling of understanding someone else made me quite uncomfortable.
"I'm not curious about other people's lives, nor do I like people laying bare the darkness hidden in their hearts in front of me. Although very real, it's also too ugly—so ugly that I just want to forget everything about Sony as soon as possible. I don't dislike him, but I don't want to remember him.
"I can't even manage my own life, let alone judge someone else's.
"Cheng Ling," Ren Suo raised his head to look at Dong Chengling, "you may not believe it, but I have already tried my best to show you the best of me."
Dong Chengling replied, "I believe."
"Although I didn't know before, now that I think about it, I know you're changing—learning how to pair clothes, buying new outfits, learning makeup and using skincare products... and diligently cultivating," Ren Suo continued. "You are also trying hard to become a better version of yourself.
"Since you and I are both trying hard to show the best of ourselves to each other, why should I want to know about your past, understand the thoughts hidden in your heart, see the ugly side of you that you have never shown me?"
Ren Suo spoke earnestly, "I don't like the you from the past, nor do I like you with those ugly thoughts. I like you now, I like the you who is changing, the you who will walk into the future with me."
"I'm too late to be part of your past, but I'm committed to being by your side in the future," Ren Suo said with a goofy smile. "Let's both become the best versions of ourselves in each other's hearts."
Dong Chengling blinked, her gaze sincerely meeting Ren Suo's. She couldn't help but turn her head slightly and lick her lips lightly, responding softly, "Mm, okay."
And Ren Xingmei, who had been spectating the whole time and had ingested a major dose of public displays of affection, felt a mix of vinegar, chili powder, shrimp paste, and tom yum soup spilling inside her. She squeezed out a smile, saying, "So... that's why you didn't replicate Teacher Dong? Because you didn't want to see Teacher Dong's ugly side?"
"Yes!" Ren Suo nodded emphatically.
"And I don't matter?"
"Yes!"
Ren Xingmei couldn't help but turn her head and blink, trying to keep the tears welling in her eyes from showing—it would be too embarrassing.
It was also the first time she had heard Ren Suo express such a unique perspective on love. It was unexpected yet not surprising—Ren Suo had always been like this. He would completely boycott games from notoriously greedy companies. But if the company released a quality game, he would spend money to support it.
But Ren Xingmei hadn't expected that this kind of impartial approach would become Ren Suo's love philosophy. It didn't sound passionate or deeply devoted. His liking was very superficial, limited to the present and the potentially better future.
The darkness that Ren Suo couldn't see or hear, he wouldn't seek out, nor would he like it.
He was the kind of person who would never test human nature. He couldn't be sure if he truly could like that darkness. He could only be sure that he would try his best to embrace the other party in the best way possible, and to appreciate and like their shining aspects.
So it turned out, Teacher Dong was a practical realist with little need for romance. If it were another girl, they probably would have turned against Ren Suo on the spot. But those who liked Ren Suo were probably girls with little hope for romance anyway...
That's why Ren Xingmei felt so bereft inside: Ren Suo, with this viewpoint, resolutely chose to copy her, allowing her heart, her dark thoughts, and her sorrowful memories to be completely exposed to him...
Do I not matter to you at all?
Am I just a replaceable stranger to you?
"Thank goodness for you, little sis. I can copy your heart without any reservations," Ren Suo continued to twist the knife in Ren Xingmei's heart.
Ren Xingmei closed her eyes and, after a moment, opened them again, their watery depths glinting as she smiled slightly. "Mmm, thank goodness I'm here."
"Yes, after all, you're my sister who grew up with me since we were kids." Ren Suo chuckled. "If it's you, then I'm definitely not going to be hurt by your soul and memories."
Ren Xingmei was slightly taken aback.
"Someone else's memories can actually be quite terrifying: unfamiliar places, strangers for relatives, and even the food being strange varieties..."
Ren Suo tilted his head and said, "But with you, it's different. We grew up together, have the same parents, live in the same place, and eat the same food... It's just Mom who likes bitter melon and keeps telling us to eat it, sigh."
Unable to help herself, Ren Xingmei snorted with laughter. "Actually, Mom later made the bitter melon so it wasn't bitter anymore, and you still wouldn't eat it, right?"
"If bitter melon isn't bitter, then why eat bitter melon?"
Ren Suo said matter-of-factly, "I like eating crawfish, but she won't make it because it's too much trouble. She could have made garlic-flavored ones that everyone could eat..."
Ren Xingmei smiled as she listened to Ren Suo's rants about their mother, and then asked, "So, another reason you're copying my heart is because my memories highly overlap with yours?"
"Yeah," Ren Suo stroked Ren Xingmei's head. "You and I grew up together. I'm scared of everyone else's memories in the world, but not yours. Because your memories have already been witnessed by me."
Something stirred in Ren Xingmei's heart as she gazed at Ren Suo dumbly.
"To put it unpleasantly, I've even washed your panties stained with poop. Nothing in your memories can faze me..."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Ren Xingmei quickly interrupted Ren Suo. Dong Chengling also seemed to think of something, and her pretty face turned red as she glanced at Ren Suo.
But Ren Suo wasn't lying.
As much as he liked Dong Chengling, if possible, he didn't want to understand all the details of her life so explicitly—except for her taking a bath.
But it was different with his sister. Ren Suo, who had been forced by their mother to wash his sister's underwear when they were kids, and had even been kicked in the face by her, could now look at everything about his sister with an impassive expression.
Ren Xingmei looked at Ren Suo, feeling endlessly depressed in her heart. Just when she was beginning to feel moved, this guy managed to ruin it instantly.
"Besides memories, I also have some thoughts and ideas that I've never told you about," Ren Xingmei pouted and asked quietly. "Do those not matter to you either?"
"They don't matter."
"Why? Why do Teacher Dong's matter to you?"
"Because you're different from Cheng Ling," Ren Suo gazed into his sister's eyes and said. "You're my sister. Your quirks, your temper, your bad habits—which one of them don't I know about? Those unspeakable thoughts of yours, which one of them can't I understand?"
"This is our advantage as siblings! Just as you understand me, I also understand you very well!"
Ren Xingmei looked at Ren Suo with a strange expression. "Brother... are you that confident?"
"I am that confident!" Ren Suo declared definitively.
Meanwhile, the Sony Clone and Lorifes sat to one side, munching on salty snacks and watching the show.
Ren Xingmei fell silent for a moment, then said, "Alright then, I have no problems. Go ahead and copy me."
"Mhm," Ren Suo's hands rested on Ren Xingmei's shoulders. "Relax your body, let go of your mind. It might feel strange, but it shouldn't hurt. If it does hurt, you won't need to tell me—I'll stop immediately."
Ren Xingmei smiled slightly. "Then... brother, I'm entrusting my entire soul to you, along with its quirks, pettiness, fickleness, and a thousand and eight hundred kinds of bad habits, all for you."
"Good!"
"No matter what kind of me you see, will you accept it?"
"Of course!"
"Then don't be shocked."
