As Wan Qianhong spoke, she handed a silver card to Bai Feifei.
The card was made of metal and displayed two lines of numbers: contribution points on top and cash balance below.
【Contribution Points: 6】
【Cash Balance: 5000】
Bai Feifei stared blankly at the card, unable to react for a long time.
“Take it. What's wrong? Not enough?” Wan Qianhong said with a laugh.
Given the personality “Bai Feifei” had just displayed, she might have actually said it wasn't enough, but the real Bai Feifei certainly wouldn't.
Snapped back to reality, she quickly took the card with both hands and said somewhat flusteredly,
“No, not at all. Thank you, Senior.”
Bai Feifei couldn't really refuse; after all, this was something “she” had asked for. She didn't dare let a high-ranking Scavenger discover there was an evil god inside her.
However, if she were actually required to imitate Xu Mo's outrageous way of communicating, it would be completely impossible for her.
So, as she held the card, even while trying to stay calm, she appeared quite lost. Moreover, she didn't recognize this thing at all!
Xu Mo seemed to sense her confusion and spoke in her mind.
“This is called digital currency. Hardly anyone in the Inner City uses cash; just keep it.”
“As for contribution points, they're a type of internal credit for Scavengers. You earn them by handling abnormal situations, and they can be exchanged for special items within the organization.”
In the setting of Old Ones' Awakening, civilization had regressed due to the emergence of ancient powers and the prevalence of aberrations.
Only small pockets of the Inner City, relying on an extreme concentration of resources and talent, maintained a sense of civilization, retaining basics like radio and the internet.
The civilization of the Outer City had long since degraded. Having lived in the Outer City all her life, Bai Feifei could hardly imagine that the numbers on this metal card could be called “money.”
Seeing her accept it, Wan Qianhong nodded and continued.
“You can go back and pack today. Come back here tomorrow, and a vehicle will take you to the final Scavenger assessment.”
“With your current strength, it’s basically just a formality. You’ll be a Rank 1 Scavenger by then.”
“O-okay. Thank you for the guidance, Senior,” Bai Feifei thanked her somewhat stiffly.
Becoming a Scavenger, fighting aberrations, and entering the Inner City—these had been her dreams since childhood.
But now that her dream was within reach, she couldn't bring herself to be happy. The possibility of an evil god living inside her made her feel like the whole world was spinning.
Wan Qianhong looked at Bai Feifei’s reaction with some suspicion and suddenly smiled.
“You little girl, why did you suddenly become so polite all of a sudden?”
“What, did getting the money immediately make you easier to talk to?”
“Haha! No need for that. I actually quite liked how you acted like we were old friends before. We’re on the same team now, so don't be shy!”
Bai Feifei: ...
So that Old-Timer’s way of speaking was actually more likable!?
She really didn't understand people from high society.
...
After the matter was settled, Bai Feifei returned to her home in a daze.
It was in a very inconspicuous shantytown within the Outer City. The dilapidated brick room looked like it would collapse at the slightest breeze; it was a miracle anyone could live there.
Xu Mo didn't communicate with her during this time; he was still worried about his own situation.
If he had really transmigrated into the game and had to fight his own character for control of the body, that would be a real hassle.
As for Bai Feifei, the “native,” she naturally wasn't in the mood to talk to an evil god. Her impoverished room didn't really have any luggage that needed packing anyway.
At that moment, she was clutching a pair of rusty scissors, standing before a black-and-white photograph.
The photo showed a young man and woman with determined gazes. They were Bai Feifei’s parents, though she had never actually met them.
She remained silent, the scissors in her hand trembling slightly.
“Oh? Thinking about your parents?” Xu Mo suddenly spoke in her mind. “Sigh, don't be too sad. Even if your parents were irresponsible, you can still have your own life.”
Xu Mo knew from the start that Bai Feifei’s character background was that of an orphan.
He felt they had a lot in common in this regard. After all, he was an orphan too—who would play games day and night if they had a happy life in reality?
“No, they weren't irresponsible. They just carried a greater responsibility, because they were both Scavengers.”
“Without the sacrifice of thousands like them, orphans like me wouldn't be able to survive in this world.”
Xu Mo: ?
This answer caught him off guard.
Wait, does a game character really have such high ideals?
Bai Feifei’s voice was full of nostalgia and even a bit of fear as she continued.
“I’ve received so much kindness from so many people to live until today. I want to be like my parents, to work hard to become a Scavenger, to fight anomalies and aberrations, and to protect everyone.”
“May I know your name?”
“I already told you, you can call me the Old-Timer,” Xu Mo said.
“I mean your real name.”
“Xu Mo.”
The moment his name was spoken, Bai Feifei’s hand holding the scissors jerked. Then, her eyes filled with confusion.
She had heard that knowing the name of a Great Old One would drive a person mad instantly, but nothing seemed to happen when she heard his name just now.
And, how strange... does an evil god's name sound... so human?
She had originally thought that if she really turned into something harmful, she would kill herself!
Even if she couldn't contribute to fighting aberrations, she couldn't become a mindless, harmful monster!
She didn't know what would happen to the evil god after her suicide, so she had chosen a place with few people, hoping the evil god's wrath wouldn't affect others...
“Why would an ancient evil god like you choose me?” Bai Feifei continued.
Only then did Xu Mo notice—why was this girl clutching a pair of scissors?
Holy crap!
Wait!
He suddenly remembered that when choosing a character at the start of the game, there was a description for Bai Feifei.
Her background evaluation was “a resilient flower blooming on tainted soil,” possessing an extremely firm resolve to resist anomalies, and perhaps having some hidden talents.
While other characters had various unique abilities in their backgrounds, she only had this useless description. Xu Mo hadn't cared at all at the time, thinking she was just a blank-slate character.
He didn't expect it to be foreshadowing for this moment! She wasn't planning to seal him, this “evil god,” by committing suicide, was she?
If she died now, what would happen to him!?
“Wait, sister, let's not talk about that first. What are you doing with those scissors?”
Bai Feifei’s pupils shrank instantly. She knew her time was running out; she had to make a choice now.
“Don't do anything rash! We can talk this out. I was just joking before; I'm just an Old-Timer, not some evil god.”
“Even if I am, then I'm a good evil god. How about we make a deal?”
Hearing this, Bai Feifei’s mind was shaken to its core.
Here it comes!
A deal!!
Is this... the evil god's temptation!?
Rate on N.U.
