Isn’t it?
The air seemed to plunge into silence at that moment; this silence was somehow even stranger than the one earlier with War.
The atmosphere was extremely awkward.
Because Lu Ce’s own movements were unusually fast, almost like teleportation, and his muscles had tensed in that instinctive action,
to everyone else he looked like he’d been sitting upright the whole time, quietly watching the person at the door.
What does this mean?
Why didn’t you speak when someone knocked just now? Are you possessed? Your stare is kind of creepy.
But from Lu Ce’s perspective, his somewhat dull and sleepy brain was racing, and he still couldn’t figure out what was going on.
This should be the real world, not the game.
Why did so many people come looking for me, and even barge in like this!
Did I break some rule?
But these people all felt so weak... are they planning to deal with me using those guys?
Wait... what crime did I commit?!
I’m not going to be the first to speak, am I? Can someone else say something?!
Lu Ce’s mind was a little foggy as he scanned the crowd. When he spotted a figure, he suddenly froze.
Wait...
In the crowd, he actually saw Xie Antong.
After the door opened, Xie Antong had felt the silence around her, like her heart had dropped into an abyss.
When her emotions grew confused and began to slip out of control, she opened her eyes...
Huh?
She locked eyes with that guy in the room who’d been sitting upright, looking a little dazed.
Somewhat dispelled calm instantly re-gathered inside her chest.
This shouldn’t be an illusion, right?
In her assumptions, she only hoped when the door opened it wouldn’t be empty.
Because that would mean he hadn’t returned from the game.
She didn’t know how she’d handle it if that were the case—if she could even bear it.
As long as it wasn’t empty, even if he’d gone mad, lost his mind, become a Divine Messenger, or even if there was only a corpse lying there!
It would still be okay!
There would still be ways, still future chances.
But she never expected he would truly be completely fine.
Huh?
A bit of an overused expression, maybe.
But...
So good.
Xie Antong slowly closed her eyes and exhaled, feeling as if something heavy had been lifted from her entire body.
“Oh! So it’s you, kid?!”
Suddenly, the silence was broken; an unexpectedly loud voice came from beside Xie Antong.
A Dragon Group member wearing a red robe strode into the room.
A tall silhouette blocked Lu Ce’s view of Xie Antong, forcing him to look at the newcomer.
For some reason, he felt this person looked vaguely familiar.
Tsk... haven’t I seen him somewhere before?
“You don’t remember me?”
“We’ve met before. So you’re Lu Ce—when the game first started, I already thought you were suspicious!”
The Dragon Group member laughed boisterously like an old acquaintance, patting Lu Ce on the shoulder.
“My name’s Zhao Jiacheng, I’m with the Dragon Group.”
He glanced at the cramped room and the scattered furnishings.
Under a messed-up pillow, something like an invitation card peeked out.
It was a business card.
“Heh, well, would you look at that—this card’s still here. Didn’t expect you to keep it.”
Zhao Jiacheng tapped the pillow and chuckled.
The memories from Lu Ce’s dead life started to stir, and he felt he had a faint impression of the man in front of him.
This Zhao Jiacheng seemed to be the first official person he’d encountered—back when people from the Heaven and Earth Society came to cause trouble at school, it was Zhao he’d run into.
At that time Lu Ce had concealed his identity and struck subtly, but this guy recognized him.
For a while after that he’d tried to avoid him.
“I thought you were off from the start. Looks like you were already a player back then.”
“Why join Divine Punishment? Why not think about joining the Dragon Group?”
“Seems like having a beautiful leader is more attractive than a rough guy like me, hahahaha!”
Seeing Lu Ce today gave Zhao Jiacheng a feeling of “case closed,” and he looked quite pleased.
But Lu Ce was more perplexed.
Lu Ce: ?
When exactly did I join Divine Punishment?
What does that even mean.
“Why so quiet?”
Zhao Jiacheng looked at Lu Ce and asked oddly.
Lu Ce: ......
“Your words are too few, I can’t get a word in.”
Zhao laughed; he was genuinely happy to see news that an old acquaintance survived this game after it ended.
“Do you live here? Are your living conditions rough? Where’s your family?”
“No one,” Lu Ce said flatly.
“Oh... is that so.” Zhao Jiacheng paused, didn’t press further, and glanced around the room’s furnishings.
“This place is pretty shabby.”
“You should’ve entered the game early, right? Want to move to a more centralized place to live?”
After thinking for a moment, Zhao took a step back, settled into a stance, and produced a gigantic light shield in front of him that looked brimming with energy.
“Come on, try attacking me with your full strength.”
Xie Antong: ......
Lu Ce: ......
Lu Ce was speechless for a moment, then said, “Are you sure?”
Most of the others had left to find other “rescue targets.” Only three people remained here now.
Xie Antong stepped forward and finally spoke—she didn’t want to see Lu Ce kill someone here.
She didn’t know Zhao Jiacheng’s true strength, but if Lu Ce really hit him, he’d definitely die...
“Why didn’t you reply to messages?” Xie Antong asked calmly.
Although Lu Ce hadn’t looked at his phone, he knew he’d probably missed a bunch of calls and messages.
“Exactly! Why didn’t you follow the rules Divine Punishment agreed on? Not replying made us all come all this way for nothing,” Zhao Jiacheng interjected.
Lu Ce thought this Zhao fellow was saying all kinds of nonsense...
His lips trembled, and he could only tell the truth:
“I fell asleep.”
Fell asleep...
Xie Antong almost couldn’t breathe.
That’s the reason?
She’d wasted so many expressions, applied for a flight to rush over, and arranged preplanned excuses and people.
You just fell asleep.
Well... fine.
Knowing this wasn’t the time to argue, Xie Antong nodded in acknowledgment.
Lu Ce felt the conversation was too dry, so he smiled and added,
“Uh, sorry. Thanks for your concern.”
Xie Antong: !
Huh?