Delicate, Yet Shamelessly Freeloading [Quick Transmigration] Chapter 34

Chapter 34: The Blind Widower in the Infinite Game (1)

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Five years ago, a system named [Infinite Game] bound a large number of players. Some were violent criminals, others insatiably greedy.

 

But once they entered the game, their only value was to act as gladiators—fighting and solving puzzles in various game instances for the entertainment of mysterious viewers watching from higher-dimensional live streams.

 

No matter who they were before, as long as they survived until the end of the game and ranked within the top 500, the Infinite Game system would grant them one wish—anything, with no restrictions.

 

Even those who didn’t meet the ranking requirements could still use the points they earned to purchase items from the system’s marketplace—items that followed the laws of the real world, like gold, silver, and treasure. These items remained effective even after returning to reality.

 

Many were drawn in by this allure, losing themselves in the arena.

 

By year five and six months of the Infinite Game, the system was still recruiting players, expanding its scale.

 

Late at night, on the player forums—

 

A post with a black-title font quickly gained popularity and shot to the top of the homepage.

 

[No.1’s name has gone gray??? Did they die???]

 

[Yes, I’m shocked too. No.1’s name turned gray. What the hell happened? How can a name just turn gray?]

 

[Probably means they’re dead… /lights candle]

 

[I was lucky enough to have them on my God Qian contact list. Ten days ago, their status said they had entered an instance—S-class. The instance name was censored, just garbled text. I didn’t expect to refresh the leaderboard today and find their name grayed out…]

 

[Holy crap, S-class! It’s a pity that S-class instances are confidential, so there’s no live broadcast… Sure, finishing one means you get a wish granted right away, but with God Qian’s abilities, there was no need to rush. If he had just waited a few more years—even without entering another instance—his accumulated points alone would’ve kept him in the top 500.]

 

[Foolish, God Qian, absolutely foolish!]

 

[Judging from your tone… do you know something? Spill the tea!]

 

[You all know this, right? Starting six months ago, God Qian had been teaming up with the same person for every instance—from an F-rank newbie instance all the way to B-rank. Back when God Qian descended into that first F-rank instance, it caused a huge stir. Everyone should remember that. But as for the person he brought along—no one could find a name, and there was no personal livestream. Once in a while, they’d appear on God Qian’s stream, but always blurred out with holy light. You couldn’t see a thing in the livestream.]


[Apparently, God Qian used more than half the points he’d saved up to redeem a special shielding function. It let him blur either himself or his teammates during joint instances, even block out the livestream signal entirely.]


[Oh, I know, I’ve been in his stream before. He kept calling out things like ‘Shui Shui,’ ‘Que Que’ at this glowing blob of light. God, it was so clingy it made me sick. Totally shattered my image of No.1 being this cool, aloof powerhouse—turns out he was just a lovesick fool. So disappointing.]


[Okay, but what’s this got to do with Shui Shui or Que Que? Get to the point already. This is annoying.]


[Alright, put it this way—the player named Shui Que was God Qian’s partner. They had a ghost marriage.]


[What the hell?! Did you just say ghost marriage? That sent chills down my spine in broad daylight!]


[…God Qian is dead now. You get it, right? His little lover probably wasn’t in good health to begin with, and after the ghost marriage, somehow got dragged into this game.]


[And apparently, he’s got some kind of eye condition—can’t see. It must’ve been something that blinded him later in life. He kept pestering No.1 to find a way to restore his eyesight.]


[Wait, so God Qian braved hell and high water, dove into S-rank instances just for love?! Who was this person—some kind of ethereal being?]


[You don’t understand. I once ran into them during a instance. God Qian’s partner… he was pale, really pretty, had a slim waist, not very tall but with long legs, fluttery eyelashes, and eyes that—even though they couldn’t see—looked like light brown glass marbles. Almost as if they could talk… Totally bewitched No.1. But yeah, his temper was awful.]


[With a description like that, are you sure he wasn’t a girl? I mean, they used ‘he’ earlier, but still…?]


[Ugh, that’s such a stereotype. Never seen a badass woman or a pretty boy before?]


[Enough bickering. I can confirm—his temper really sucked. When he got mad, he even slapped God Qian. Totally didn’t treat No.1 like a human being, just bossed him around like a servant. Felt like God Qian was more of a tool than a person. Can we even say this out loud?]


[And he tormented other teammates too, especially during that F-rank newbie instance. Made one teammate play horse so he could ride on him. When they had to jump into a cave, he said it was too high and refused to let God Qian carry him. Insisted the guy jump down first to be a human cushion. Totally messed with people. It was hard to watch.]


[You know that victim too. After finishing that newbie instance, he swore vengeance, pushed himself like crazy to climb ranks. He’s been in and out of S-rank instances three times now. His points are ranked No.2.]


[Oh, and once the one-week death notice for No.1 ends, he’ll officially be the new No.1.]


[Damn, I just checked—No.1 and No.2 entered the S-rank instance at the same time. Not sure if it was the same instance, but now No.1’s name is greyed out and No.2 is back with his name still lit… Creepy if you think about it.]


[…He’s entered another instance.]


[Wait, why is No.2 going into an A-rank instance this time?]


[If I remember right, following the usual sequence, God Qian’s little lover’s next instance should be an A-rank one, right…?]

 

Meanwhile, on another wildly active, mysterious forum where the online population numbered in the billions…

 

It was filled with viewers of the infinite game.

 

[Report! I found the livestream of No.1’s widow—sqve12134! No more holy light filter!]


[No way, you’re kidding, right? He’s actually that good-looking?]


[Alright, No.1… rest in peace. I’ll take over protecting your wife!]

 

[Welcome to the instance: Thousand Smoke.]


[You are the fiancé of Yuan Zhou, the most promising seaman on this island called Thousand Smoke Island.]


[You met at the National Maritime University, secretly pledged your lives to each other, then eloped and returned to his hometown—this island.]


[But good times didn’t last. Your fiancé went out to sea one night and never came back. After a week of searching, the fishermen returned your family’s boat—but there was no sign of Yuan Zhou’s body.]


[Your main quest: Survive, and uncover the truth of Thousand Smoke Island.]


[We wish you an enjoyable game.]

 

That was the automated announcement from the infinite game system.

 

Thousand Smoke Island was located at the southern tip of country L, far from the bustling central cities of the mainland. It had a total population of 8,600. People lived by fishing and growing crops.

 

The island sat at the mouth of the Bailu Bay, near the Shannan Peninsula. From the summit of Dongshan, the eastern mountain of the island, one could look back and take in the sweeping green coastline and the rivers pouring into the sea.

 

Rows of pine trees lined the mountain slopes, planted around the time the island came into being. The sea breeze kept the green a bit muted, but early summer temperatures—broadcasted from an old radio—already reached 26°C, with clear skies.

 

The main road on the island was an old asphalt one laid over a decade ago, stretching from town to the entrances of various villages. Asphalt wasn’t as tough as concrete, and with no money for maintenance, it had already started to dip and warp. Walking on it at noon with thin-soled shoes could practically cook your feet.

 

Around lunchtime, aside from students from the nearby newly built middle school who had just been dismissed, there weren’t many customers in the supermarket.

 

As the yellowed plastic curtain door was pushed aside, the door chimes jingled brightly.

 

“Hello…” A boy tapped his white cane and entered, standing at the doorway looking a bit unsure of himself.

 

The supermarket was family-run, operated by a mother and daughter.

 

The mother had already eaten and ridden off on her scooter to restock.

 

Behind the register sat a girl with naturally curly hair and yellow-tinted ends. She was swatting at flies and eating lunch. When she heard the voice and turned her head, she froze mid-bite.

 

She recalled the village gossip.

 

A few old uncles and aunties had said that Yuan Zhou came back from the capital city brainwashed. Didn’t achieve much academically, picked up all those “free love” ideas from the city, and even brought back a boyfriend.

 

They said the boyfriend looked like some kind of fairy—blind, useless, could only eat and do nothing. Yuan Zhou already had a little brother still in high school, and now he had to look after a fiancé too…

 

In short, people constantly belittled Yuan Zhou and his partner.

 

But Shen Xiaomei wasn’t into that kind of meaningless gossip. Her mom didn’t like it either.

 

Her mom always told her to learn from Cousin Yuan Zhou—not necessarily to get into the capital’s university, but at least to earn a seaman’s certificate.

 

But her mom had never mentioned…

 

That Cousin Yuan Zhou’s boyfriend was this good-looking.

 

Even in the hot early summer air, his skin was pale like winter snow. His face was small and flushed a soft pink.

 

He didn’t look like a student from the National Maritime University—more like a high schooler. He wore a thin white short-sleeved shirt and knee-length black shorts.

 

Maybe because no one replied for a while, the boy waved a slender, delicate hand—pale and smooth, without any calluses.

“Hello… Is anyone there?”

 

Shen Xiaomei dropped her chopsticks; the flyswatter clattered to the floor but she didn’t even pick it up.

 

She ran over in flip-flops, her footsteps loud and hurried. “An angel—no, Shui Que, right? Brother Shui Que?”

 

Shui Que turned his eyes toward her voice. A soft tea-colored hue sat in the whites of his eyes—bright, yet fragile and unfocused.

 

So, he really was blind…

 

Shen Xiaomei sighed regretfully.

 

In this world, Shui Que had inherited the identity of someone who lost his sight due to illness. The original character had vanished during a data disturbance. Shui Que took over the role early—right when the character’s family arranged the ghost marriage and the plot was just beginning.

 

System 77 had worried at first that he wouldn’t adapt, but starting early actually gave him time to settle in.

 

He had already gone through six instances with No.1. He’d gotten used to this partial vision—able to make out silhouettes up close, but blind to color—before reaching this, his most important plot-based instance: the A-rank instance, Thousand Smoke.

 

It was his first time being called “brother”, and he felt a bit embarrassed.

 

Shui Que shook his head. “Just call me Shui Que.”

 

He then reached into the chest pocket of his white shirt and pulled out a neatly folded note.

 

[Side quest: As instructed this morning by Yuan Zhou’s younger brother, Yuan Yu, purchase all items listed on the note (0/5). Reward: 10 points.]

 

Back in the earlier game instances, he wouldn’t have even looked twice at such measly rewards like this—what were basically mosquito legs in terms of points. After all, with Xie Qian around, it was easy to manipulate his ghostly fiancé. He barely had to say a word, and Xie Qian would find all sorts of ways to help him rack up points.

 

However, Xie Qian was fated by the storyline to die in an S-level instance. From then on, Shui Que would have to navigate the game on his own.

 

He handed the still-warm note to Shen Xiaomei, feeling awkward and a little embarrassed to trouble someone else. “Could you help me gather the things listed on this note? Yuan Yu wants to buy them.”

 

“Of course I can!” Shen Xiaomei perked up instantly, shedding all the sluggishness she’d shown earlier at noon. “Just wait for me at the checkout counter, okay?”

 

Saying that, she remembered Shui Que couldn’t see, so she guided him with his cane to the front of the register. “Just wait here. But, Brother Shui Que, how did you find our supermarket?”

 

She didn’t change the way she addressed him—after all, Shui Que and Yuan Zhou were technically of the same generation. She called Yuan Zhou “cousin,” so there was no reason to directly call Shui Que by name. On Thousand Smoke Island, people still cared a lot about respecting family hierarchies.

 

Shui Que lowered his head. “I asked for directions. The townspeople were very kind.”

 

He didn’t even need to explain much—the town only had one supermarket.

 

Well, calling it a supermarket was generous. It was really just a small store selling food and daily necessities. The storefront wasn’t large. Trying to follow the trends of coastal cities across the sea, they had rebranded the shop from “Shen’s Grocery” to “Shen’s Supermarket.”

 

While other kids were still picking seashells on the beach, Shen Xiaomei had already started helping out at her family’s store. She worked quickly and efficiently.

 

She bundled the items in her apron and carried them to the checkout counter. With a swish, she tore a red plastic bag and neatly packed everything inside.

 

She thoughtfully read out the list for Shui Que: “Four packets of Tianji Chicken Essence, Blue Sea Soy Sauce, five jin of mung beans, a stainless-steel water ladle, and sulfur soap. Yuan Yu told you it was these five things, right? That’s 21 yuan total.”

 

Yuan Yu hadn’t told him what was on the list.

 

But last night, Shui Que had mumbled something about the soapnut being ineffective.

 

He wasn’t sure if Yuan Yu had overheard.

 

“Okay…” Shui Que reached into his pants pocket for the coins Yuan Yu had left on the table before heading out.

 

Wrinkled purple and blue bills and some coins spilled out. He hadn’t held them well—several coins rolled onto the ground.

 

One of them rolled all the way to the doorway.

 

Laughing and chattering, a group of male high schoolers strolled in, arms slung around each other’s shoulders. “Sister Xiao Shen, is that fridge by the door plugged in? Don’t let it rust from sitting there all winter!”

 

“We want four bottles of ice-cold Coke!”

 

One of the boys slung his school uniform jacket over his shoulder with an air of indifference. His forehead was also sweaty from the sun, but unlike his noisy friends, he was calm. He felt something underfoot, stepped back, and said, “Huh?”

 

A nickel-silver one-yuan coin.

 

He picked it up.

 

Just then, Shui Que was straightening up beside the counter, and their eyes met.

 

Unfortunately, those eyes—clear as glass marbles—didn’t stay on him for long.

 

Shui Que lowered his head again, placed the coin on the counter, and carefully counted aloud, “One, two, three… five.”

 

He mumbled softly, “One’s missing.”

 

His voice carried a hint of grievance, like a child who had done something wrong.

 

“Here it is.” The boy who had picked it up flipped the coin onto the counter, Guan Yizhou said.

 

Shen Xiaomei chimed in, “Great, 21 yuan! Not a cent more or less—no change needed. Here you go, Brother Shui Que.”

 

She handed over the big red bag.

 

Shui Que reached out, misjudged the weight, and the bag dipped a little in his hand.

 

“No problem.” He gently pushed away Shen Xiaomei’s helping hand. “Thank you. I’ll be going now. Wishing your business prosperity.”

 

Very well-behaved, very polite.

 

Guan Yizhou stared at his back as he walked out the door.

 

He hadn’t heard of anyone like that attending their high school.

 

When he turned back, his friends were looking at him with teasing expressions.

 

“Brother Yizhou, don’t tell us you’re just like Brother Yuan Zhou?”

 

“That’d be risky. We better stop hanging out with Brother Yizhou!”

 

Despite their teasing, their own faces turned red first. Even after chugging two gulps of icy Coke, the heat didn’t go away.

 

“But seriously… never seen someone look like that before.”

 

“Are people from the city all that pale?”

 

“Was he wearing perfume? He smelled so good…”

 

Shen Xiaomei scolded them angrily:

“Hey, hey! You guys haven’t even paid, and you’re already drinking?! And quit gossiping like a bunch of old ladies! You’re supposed to be men!”

 

The unruly boys still had some respect for Shen family’s older sister. “Aww, come on, Sister Xiao Shen, don’t be mad! Here, four bottles, four yuan! It’s on Brother Yizhou today!”

 

Guan Yizhou paid, his expression turning a bit gloomy.

 

That guy just now… was he Brother Yuan Zhou’s?

 

He remembered the once-every-two-week computer class. They’d head to the school’s computer lab and fire up those slow-as-grandpa machines.

 

Just trying to play Fireboy and Watergirl would bring up shady pop-ups, full of tangled limbs and—

 

Disgusting.

 

Guan Yizhou felt a bit sick to his stomach.

 

So gross.

 

He downed the entire bottle of Coke, the cold drink gurgling down to suppress the nausea rising in his gut.

 

As he pushed open the curtain to leave, he casually tossed the Coke bottle into the trash bin at the supermarket entrance.

 

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Huge shoutout to @candycorns2 on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.

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