Ever since Nan Zhi discovered that she could cultivate in the game and reality simultaneously, her leveling speed had been astonishing, soaring like a rocket.
Over the past two months, she had worked hard to complete missions in the game and cultivated diligently in reality. Finally, at the tail end of the Dragon Boat Festival, she successfully broke through to Qi Refinement stage 4, reaching level 15.
【Cultivator: Nan Zhi】
【Bone Age: 18】
【Cultivation: Qi Refinement stage 4】
【Level: 15】
【Constitution: 10 (+1+1) (You are now as strong as an ox)】
【Combat Power: 25 (+1+15) (Even if you encounter an evil ghost, you seem able to run away quickly)】
【Reputation: 80 (+2) (You are quite famous in Dingyuan County)】
【Planting: 3 (The plants you grow die easily)】
【Gathering: 5 (Not all green plants are called herbs)】
【Currently Equipped: "Butcher’s Daughter", "Nan Village Slaughtering Knife"】
Despite her rapid progress, Nan Zhi still had her doubts.
She wasn't clear on what her current state really was.
She wondered if she even counted as a proper cultivator.
After all, when she caught ghosts in the game, she relied entirely on physical attacks. Forget about drawing talismans or performing rituals; she couldn't even recognize all the names of the gods.
So, she pinned her hopes on the lottery.
【Heavenly Treasure Tree Lottery Ticket: 15】
【Would you like to perform a draw?】
The familiar ancient tree was there, as were the celestial pavilions shrouded in mist and the faceless girl.
“Draw, draw, draw! May all the gods bless me, may Lord Tushan bless me, bless me to pull a skill this time!”
Nan Zhi bowed repeatedly to the green ancient tree on the tablet, her expression sincere.
“This humble believer is willing to balance her meat and vegetables for the rest of her life in exchange for pulling a gold in this ten pull draw! No, as long as it is a skill book, even a green one would be fine!!”
Strange things were happening more and more frequently in reality. She couldn't wait until she actually ran into a ghost to go up and engage in hand to hand combat as a cultivator, could she?!
However, Nan Zhi felt as if the faceless girl in green on the draw interface was staring at her with a look of speechlessness while she spoke.
【Ten pull draw in progress—】
【Congratulations on obtaining: Yin Niangzi Brand Stinky Tofu x1, Wish Mission Scroll x1, Qi Supplementing Pill x1, Qi Supplementing Pill x1, Yin Niangzi Brand Stinky Tofu x1, Yin Niangzi Brand Stinky Tofu x1, Yin Niangzi Brand Stinky Tofu x1, Qi Supplementing Pill x1, Blood Supplementing Pill x1】
Nan Zhi was silent.
Nan Zhi chose to lie on the floor.
Nan Zhi tucked herself in with her blanket.
Nan Zhi looked peaceful.
Ten minutes later, Corn, riding in its hamster ball, rolled all the way over.
It climbed out of the hamster ball and plopped its bottom right onto its half dead owner's face.
“Squeak squeak squeak squeak?”
“No, I don't want to believe it. This definitely isn't reality! I must not be awake yet, I'll sleep a bit longer!”
“Squeak squeak!”
“I don't believe it. I don't believe I didn't pull a single green skill and only got a pile of useless stinky tofu!”
A hint of sympathy appeared on Corn's furry face as it patted Nan Zhi's cheek in a very humanlike manner.
“Squeak squeak squeak.”
Luck can't save the unlucky, and money can't change fate.
Besides, this garbage game didn't even have a top up channel.
Nan Zhi sat up and began to take stock of her gains.
“Stinky tofu, stinky tofu, Qi Supplementing Pill, Blood Supplementing Pill, stinky tofu... Hmm?”
The hand she was using to sort through things suddenly paused as she looked at the "Wish Mission Scroll" that had appeared in her inventory.
【Wish Mission Scroll: After use, the cultivator can accept a random mission. Upon completion, a mission reward will be granted.】
【The reward for this mission is influenced by the cultivator's wishes, with a certain probability of obtaining a skill book (below blue quality).】
What was this?
What kind of good stuff was this!
This was a prize custom made for her conscience.
Nan Zhi's dejected heart was instantly revived as she kissed the treasure tree in the game repeatedly.
“This isn't just some lottery tree; it's clearly my thoughtful darling! I declare that starting this year, you are my dear foster mother from another mother!”
What kind of title was that?
Perhaps thoroughly disgusted by Nan Zhi, the faceless girl on the screen nearly twisted her ankle.
With a wave of her sleeve, the mist once again obscured the treasure tree, and the lottery screen vanished.
...
With progress on the long awaited skill book in sight, Nan Zhi didn't want to delay for a moment and clicked to use it.
In the next second, a line of tiny script popped up on the screen:
【Random Mission: Ghost Chen Ping's Wish】
【Mission Introduction: Chen Ping was exactly as his name suggested—an ordinary birth, an ordinary job, and an ordinary life. However, a sudden fall from the building shattered that original tranquility. He doesn't understand why his death is merely a conversation piece for others. He also doesn't understand why, despite working as hard and living as diligently as the elders said he should, he still couldn't get everything that should have belonged to him.】
【Mission Requirements: Find Chen Ping and complete his wish.】
【Mission Location: Hongxing Mansion】
Before Nan Zhi could react, the tiny script began to dissolve, as if ink were bleeding out into water. Finally, it penetrated the screen and landed right before Nan Zhi's eyes.
“?”
Nan Zhi tried reaching out to touch it, but the text seemed etched onto her retina, refusing to disappear for a long time.
Does physics no longer exist? Are the Trisolarans going to attack Earth?
Also, isn't Hongxing Mansion where she works?
So, there really is a ghost in that building? It wasn't just a rumor?
Nan Zhi's pupils shook with shock.
...
Zhang Qiuyu returned to her workstation and found that Nan Zhi, who usually kept her head down and worked hard, was actually distracted today.
She couldn't help but tease, “Oh, what's wrong with our Comrade Xiao Nan today? Don't you usually act like you've been pumped with energy? Why are you so wilted now?”
“Nothing, I'm just thinking about something,” Nan Zhi replied casually. On her computer screen, the page was stuck on a certain news report.
【Game company employee took his own life. Is it related to high intensity work and the pressure brought by the work environment?】
【Reflecting on the modern overtime system: Is the pressure threshold of young people too low?】
This was news from last year.
To attract attention, the opening even used a pixelated photo from the scene as a gimmick.
Despite the heavy pixelation, one could still see the blood everywhere and the horror of the onlookers at the scene.
Zhang Qiuyu leaned over to take a look and happened to see the report.
She let out an “Ah” and said with a hint of regret, “You're looking at this report too? It happened at that game company on the 27th floor. This person was quite a shame. I heard he was only 45 years old, the same age as my older brother. I heard he had a wife and child at home. The child just started elementary school this year. After he jumped, the company sent 50,000 yuan in condolence money.”
“Only 50,000 yuan?” Nan Zhi couldn't help but frown. “A person died... a human life is only worth 50,000?”
“What else?” Zhang Qiuyu shrugged. “Although it's pitiful, he committed suicide. The company was willing to give condolences, so they've already been more than fair, right?”
Just as she finished speaking, the light above their workstations flickered, hurting their eyes.
It seemed the current was unstable.
“What a crappy light, it gave me a fright!” Zhang Qiuyu shivered and tightened her collar, muttering, “Is the office AC a bit too low? What temperature is it set to? I'll have Old Deng come over and fix this light later. Why is it flickering like that?”
Nan Zhi didn't say a word.
She had seen it clearly just now.
As the two of them were talking, a ghastly pale hand reached out from the ceiling and slowly covered the light.
Rate on N.U.
