Chen Mian retrieved the game console from his system space. It was a black arcade cabinet, something he hadn't even been interested in back before he crossed over.
He set the game console against the wall, plugged it in, and the screen lit up.
“It actually works.” Of course, this was also thanks to the apartment's electrical system.
Chen Mian pulled up a chair, sat in front of the console, and scrolled through the game list.
Street Fighter, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, Pac-Man, Tetris...
Honestly, the goddess who gave him this system was quite thoughtful, stuffing it with so many “specialties” from his hometown.
Chen Mian pressed the start button, and familiar music filled the room.
The little character on the screen moved left and right, jumped, and fired bullets according to his controls.
After playing a couple of rounds, it got a bit boring. After all, how could a game compare to a real-life RPG experience in an otherworldly setting?
“I'd rather watch someone else play.” Chen Mian stood up, left his room, and walked downstairs.
In the living room, Flora sat on a wicker chair by the window, a book of poetry spread across her lap.
Loviki sat on the sofa, holding Advanced Magic Principles. Truly, although Loviki was a genius, the effort she poured into magic surpassed most people's. At the very least, she was much more diligent than he used to be.
Hearing footsteps, both of them looked up at the same time.
“Want to play a game?”
“What kind of game?” Hearing Chen Mian's question, the two of them were a bit curious.
Chen Mian turned to head back upstairs. “You'll know when you come up.”
He walked to his room's doorway, pushed the door open, and stepped aside to let them see inside.
The game console's screen was still lit, with pixelated letters flashing against a dark background.
“What is this?” Flora walked up to the machine and studied the screen. “A magic tool?”
“No, it's a game console.” Chen Mian pulled out a chair and sat down, patting the space next to him. “Come sit.”
Flora sat down on the chair beside him, leaving less than a fist's distance between them.
Loviki stood at the door for a couple of seconds before walking over and sitting on Chen Mian's other side.
“How do you play?” Loviki asked, looking at Chen Mian in confusion.
Chen Mian pressed the start button and selected Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, resting his fingers on the joystick. “This is for movement.”
He pressed a button, and the character threw a punch, forcing the enemy in front of him back a step. “This is to attack.”
“Let me try.” Loviki reached out to grab the joystick.
Her fingers brushed against the back of Chen Mian's hand.
She paused for a moment but didn't pull back. “Let go first.”
Loviki gripped the joystick and steered the little character forward a step.
“You have to wait until the enemy enters your attack range to punch,” Chen Mian said with a smile as he watched the screen.
“I know.” Loviki tried once, her fist landing a hit on the enemy, but the enemy's attack struck her character at the same time, draining a chunk of her health bar.
Watching from the side, the corners of Flora's mouth curled up slightly.
“Want to give it a try, Flora?” Chen Mian stood up and offered her his seat.
“Okay.” Chen Mian stood behind her and placed his hand over hers on the joystick.
Flora's ears instantly turned bright red.
“Don't use too much force when moving.” Chen Mian guided her hand, gently pushing the joystick.
Flora pushed the joystick as guided.
“The attack button is here.” Chen Mian tapped the button with his other hand. “Give it a try.”
Taking a deep breath, she steered the character in front of the enemy and pressed the attack button.
“I hit him!” Delight colored her voice. She turned to look at Chen Mian, their faces very close.
Flora's breath hitched. She quickly turned back to stare at the screen, her ears burning red.
Watching from the side, Loviki pursed her lips slightly.
Chen Mian stood up straight and crossed his arms, watching the two of them play.
Loviki grew increasingly adept at controlling her character, but she was often hit because she rushed in too aggressively.
“Dead again.” Unwilling to accept defeat, Loviki muttered, “Again.”
As it turned out, she played seven rounds in a row and failed to clear the first stage every single time.
Leaning against the windowsill, Chen Mian watched the two otherworldly mages take a pixelated game so seriously, a slight smile playing on his lips.
“This game has eight stages,” he said. “Each stage has a very strong boss, and it gets harder as you go.”
Loviki's movements paused. “What do I get if I win?”
“My praise?”
“Hmph!” Loviki huffed, staring at the screen as she pressed the start button again.
Round eight.
Footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Luolin walked up carrying a tray with three cups of tea and some pastries.
Walking to the door, she saw the three of them gathered around a glowing machine, her ears perking up. “What is this?”
“A game console.” Chen Mian took the tray and set the tea and pastries on the table. “Want to try?”
Luolin looked at the machine, then at Chen Mian, and shook her head. “I don't know how...”
“Loviki doesn't either.”
“That's because there's something wrong with this game!” Loviki's voice drifted over from her chair, dripping with clear embarrassment and anger.
The corners of Luolin's mouth ticked up slightly, but she quickly suppressed it. “I'll just watch.”
Miya had also come up at some point. Clutching her rabbit, she squatted by the doorway, peeking inside with half her head.
Chen Mian beckoned to her. Miya trotted in and squatted beside the game console with curiosity, her cat ears standing straight up.
Finally, on the tenth round, Loviki cleared the first stage.
“I won!” Loviki blurted out. Immediately realizing her slip-up, she cleared her throat. “Well, it wasn't that hard after all.”
Watching her struggle to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of her lips, Chen Mian found it highly amusing. “Right, right. You're a genius!”
A moment later, just as Loviki started on the second stage, Luolin gently tugged on Chen Mian's sleeve. “Mr. Chen Mian.”
“Hmm?”
“Could I speak with you in private for a moment?” Her voice was barely a whisper. Her white cat ears drooped, and her eyes were fixed on the floor.
Chen Mian glanced at her, stepped out of the room, and stopped at the end of the hallway.
Luolin followed him, her hands tightly clutching her skirt.
“What is it?”
“Could we let the other people from our village come here too?” She looked up, her eyes earnest yet filled with anxiety.
She spoke faster and faster, as if afraid she would back out. “They can build their own houses near the apartment; they don't have to live inside. They can also help take care of the farm.”
At this point, her voice trembled slightly. “There are many demi-humans like me who escaped from the village. When we were being chased by pursuers, our seniors from the village drew the enemies away for us. They might still be hiding in the Forest of Death with nowhere to go, and they could be killed by magical beasts at any moment...”
She lowered her head, her nails digging into her palms. “I know this is a lot to ask. You've already taken in Miya and me, Mr. Chen Mian. There's no reason for you to save so many others... But, but if it's possible...”
“Do you know roughly where the escaped demi-humans are?”
Luolin looked up sharply, her eyes wide. “Y-You're willing to?”
“Yes. Tell me about the situation.”
“When I escaped, I saw traces of other demi-humans near the edge of the Forest of Death,” Luolin said, trying hard to remember. “It was roughly southeast of the apartment, but I'm not sure exactly how many there are.”
Chen Mian nodded. “The Forest of Death is huge, and it's hard to search at night. I'll go take a look tomorrow.”
Luolin froze, her eyes slowly welling with tears. “Thank you, Mr. Chen Mian.”
“Don't thank me just yet.” Chen Mian turned to walk back to his room. “First, keep the vegetable garden in order. When the new people arrive, you'll have to teach them. I'm only providing them with shelter. I won't interfere with anything else.”
“Yes!” Luolin nodded vigorously, her white cat ears twitched. She could no longer hold back her tears, which finally spilled over.
She quickly wiped them away with her sleeve and jogged downstairs.
Chen Mian stood in the hallway, watching her figure disappear around the corner of the stairs.
This wasn't a difficult task for him, and Luolin must have hesitated for a long time before speaking up.
With more and more system functions unlocking, having people help manage things wouldn't be a bad idea.
He walked back into his room.
Loviki was still playing, with Flora now directing her from the side.
Squating on a chair while clutching her rabbit, Miya watched intently with her cat ears perked high.
“What is it?” Flora glanced up at him.
“Nothing.” Chen Mian leaned against the windowsill. “Luolin asked if I could take in the other people from her village.”
“You agreed, didn't you?” Flora said with a smile.
“Yeah, it'll be good to have more hands. I can barely manage my farm as it is.”
“Flora, he's just a classic case of having a cold exterior but a warm heart,” Loviki chimed in.
Hearing this, the corners of Flora's mouth curled up. She turned back to the game console's screen, her movements seeming a bit lighter.
“So close.”
“My turn.” Flora reached out.
Loviki reluctantly gave up the chair.
The two of them took turns playing like this, swapping whenever one of them died.
The night grew deeper.
Miya fell asleep slumped over a chair, cradling the rabbit in her arms, its ears twitching occasionally.
Luolin came upstairs and carried Miya back to her room.
Flora also yawned and went back to her room.
Loviki was the last to leave. Walking to the doorway, she paused. “If you need help in a fight, call me.”
“Think you can win?”
“Of course! I might not be able to beat you, but like you said, I'm a genius!”
Chen Mian chuckled. “Got it.”
Loviki closed the door, her footsteps fading away at the end of the hallway.
【Current Remaining Points: 3,540】
After a long while, he closed the panel and lay down on his bed.
Outside the window, the moonlight shone brightly, and the faint roars of beasts echoed from the forest.
Rate on N.U.
