Matryoshka Off-Limits Chapter 76 Part 2

Chapter 76.2 Crazy Love Season

After returning to the hotel, Wen Shi took a shower and changed into fresh clothes.

Since the front desk hadn’t called, he had to continue waiting. With some free time, Wen Shi began reviewing the rewards for the special tasks and side quests.

【Burial Shroud: Approximately four meters long. After wrapping, defense will increase by 10.】

“……” Wen Shi shook his head and continued to check the delayed side quest rewards.

【Chip: Communicator compatible.】

He had once requested the game to replace the rewards for the returning to the village quest with recorded footage from his experiences in the rewind. Did the game compromise by offering this?

Wen Shi studied it briefly. After inserting the chip into the small slot on the communicator’s side, his phone’s screen went black.

After about two or three seconds, the communicator lit up again, and the screen flickered, with rather poor clarity. Amidst a crackling sound, the video finally became somewhat smoother, revealing a man in a white coat standing under a streetlight.

Unconsciously, Wen Shi sat up straight. He had initially assumed the video would capture events from the self-built house before the fire, but to his surprise, it was a clip of his father.

“How about a bet?” the man in the white coat muttered to the air.

“Let him also meet his parallel world self, face the choice of life and death in Mirage Landscape.…

“Of course, this child is different from me. I was already meant to die. You can’t expect him to sacrifice for a stranger. You have to let him experience unconditional help from others and develop emotions.”

In Mirage Landscape, life came from death. Choosing death resulted in life, and choosing life led to certain death.

Under the streetlight, an amulet appeared out of thin air, symbolizing the invisible presence’s agreement to the wager. The man picked up the amulet and headed towards the opposite dark alley.

The scene abruptly halted, the chip cracked within the slot.

“So that’s how it is…” Wen Shi instinctively touched his chest, realizing the safety charm was gone.

So, the luck-enhancing safety charm was something his father and the game exchanged as part of the wager.

His father truly was extraordinary. On the surface, he seemed to be catering to the game’s test of human nature, but in reality, he had secured help from his parallel world versions.

“But being a son isn’t too bad either.” Wen Shi smiled at the black screen of the communicator. “I didn’t take the lifeline you provided, nor did I follow the game’s path to death. I flipped the chessboard on its head.”

Before he could clean up the debris in the slot, the phone on the cabinet rang.

“Hello, Mr. Pei? Someone is looking for you. Please come to the hotel lobby as soon as possible.”

“Alright.”

Without wasting any time, Wen Shi took the elevator down and quickly rushed to the entrance.

“I’m here!”

The bodyguard waiting in the lobby didn’t expect this legendary strongest rookie to be so… lively.

Dressed in a suit and sunglasses, with a robust build, the standard attire of a bodyguard, Wen Shi couldn’t help but remark, “The virtual world is indeed full of danger, even the big shots need bodyguards.”

Along the way, he bombarded the bodyguard with questions, but the bodyguard remained silent throughout, leading him to the entrance of a club. “The president is waiting for you inside.”

The club was also under the umbrella of the Second Commandment. Here, it felt more like a money-making cave, where even during the daytime, very little light could shine through the distinctive glass.

Men and women of all kinds, players from various professions, shamelessly flirted without restraint here. The ground floor was just the most ordinary area, while the second floor held a card room, exuding an air of lavishness and extravagance.

“Wow, the legendary place of allure and temptation?” Wen Shi’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Another person approached and led him to the elevator, taking him down to the basement level.

“Just keep going straight.”

The headwaiter didn’t continue guiding, leaving Wen Shi to proceed alone along the empty corridor. As he neared the end, only one room emitted light.

It was an underground billiards room, devoid of customers today. Only a man wearing a mask with a comical smile stood by the pool table, wiping the cue with chalk. Hearing footsteps, he didn’t lift his head but said, “Nice to meet you for the first time, Mr. Aaron.”

His voice was deep and reassuring, providing a sense of groundedness, which contrasted with the mask he wore.

Accustomed to being addressed as Pei Wenwei, it was the first time Wen Shi heard a player refer to him by his in-game character’s name.

He also casually picked up a pool cue, not having played in a long time. Faced with the pool table, he felt an urge to give it a shot.

“Hello,” Wen Shi replied absentmindedly, lowering himself to find the right angle.

“Aaron, this name is also recorded in the Bible, meaning ‘bringer of light’.”

The movements of the masked man’s hands halted for a moment as he continued, “Coincidentally, the ten major guilds take their names from the Ten Commandments, similarly derived from the Bible.”

A clatter echoed.

The man was momentarily startled by the noise.

On the table, the balls were scattered all over. Wen Shi squinted at the numbers on the balls, his waist-to-hip ratio was near perfect, even more thought-provoking than an art piece. Under the lights, he adjusted his angle continuously, skillfully potting one ball after another.

Unlike his graceful physique, his gaze was icy. “I’m not interested in theology or religious studies. Currently, I’m only interested in one thing. Can the Second Commandment really pull people into the game?”

First, he would strike at Pei Hongxin’s industry in the real world, then he’d let the demon enter the game and witness real demons. Seemingly thinking of something amusing, Wen Shi quietly burst into laughter, his fluidly taut muscle lines slightly quivering.

At that moment, the masked man’s communicator buzzed. It was a message from Ji Yuanzhi. “Chat a bit longer.”

Feeling something was off, he called back. The other end of the line was quite noisy, and he heard complaints about difficulty in tying balloons. He asked, “What are you up to?”

“Pei Wenwei’s birthday is coming up in a couple of days. We’re planning to celebrate it in advance with a few other players.”

Ji Yuanzhi naturally didn’t miss the information in the data regarding Wen Shi’s birthdate.

Ji Yuanzhi seldom interfered in others’ affairs, but he offered a rare reminder, “Don’t go overboard. He’s been through a lot.”

A childhood that wasn’t good at all, and the only close relative died in the game.

Been through a lot?

The man behind the mask glanced involuntarily.

By the side of the pool table, Wen Shi had laughed enough. He stood up straight again, his fingers rubbing the end of the pool cue. The fierceness in his eyes made him appear both beautiful and twisted.

Been through a lot? Where?

Were they all blind or was he just not seeing clearly?

Faced with nonsense, the masked man ended the communication abruptly.

Returning to the original topic, he said, “Not all items are prohibited from being taken back to the real world. For example, players need to carry passes to enter or leave the virtual world. According to our research, some special items, if used by a person in the real world and if they have an effect on that person, there’s a high probability they’ll be pulled into the game.”

Wen Shi’s expression remained unchanged, but he was inwardly quite astonished.

Their conclusion was correct—he was the best example. The safety charm had brought him luck and successfully sent him into the game.

While his face didn’t change, Wen Shi’s mind was shaken. He held his breath and asked, “Do you have such special items?”

“Certainly,” the man replied without hesitation.

Wen Shi realized he had underestimated the depth of the major guild. He asked directly, “Conditions.”

The masked man: “I will contact you again.”

After meeting with Pei Wenwei, he had a preliminary understanding of him and was sure that he wouldn’t be willing to pay too much for this. If he had enough patience, he might even find such special items himself.

Therefore, the price wasn’t easy to determine. Too high, and people would refuse; too low, and the guild wouldn’t consider it significant enough. Perhaps it was better to exchange it for something else.

“I’ll be waiting.”

Wen Shi had a favorable impression of the guild leader. He was shrewd in his actions and didn’t nitpick over details.

The man began by explaining the method of pulling people into the game, showing at least some sincerity on the surface. Of course, Wen Shi believed that once he leaked this information, he would undoubtedly become the target of endless pursuit, and not even Ji Yuanzhi would be able to protect him then.

“How about a game?”

Wen Shi nodded.

This time, the man took the first shot. He left some room, not directly potting the ball on the break.

Both sides were cautious during the game, and it didn’t take long for the masked man to lose interest. He happened to be heading to the hotel and offered to give Wen Shi a ride.

“Someone upstairs is preparing a birthday surprise.” As soon as they arrived at the hotel, the masked man quite ruthlessly ‘revealed’ Ji Yuanzhi’s secret.

Shedding his previous shrewdness, Wen Shi scratched his hair in an awkward manner upon hearing this, making his hair a little disheveled. “That’s quite embarrassing.”

When he looked at the masked man, he suddenly extended an invitation, “Why don’t you join us as well?”

There was a hint of a scheming undertone in Wen Shi’s smile. The masked man’s curiosity was piqued, wanting to see what kind of tricks Wen Shi could pull off in the virtual world.

The two of them went upstairs together.

When Wen Shi used his room key to open the door to the suite, chaos greeted them: Zhou Xiaochun had blown up a balloon in surprise, Liu Yuan and Liu Yun were playfully arguing over latte art, Zhang Suihe and the others were there, arranging the food on the table.

The sound of crackling filled the air as colorful ribbons burst forth. In an instant, Wen Shi’s head was adorned with a mix of vibrant colors. Behind the door, Ji Yuanzhi calmly finished turning the flower tube. “Happy birthday.”

“People have come back early. We shouldn’t waste the food.”

With one hand, Wen Shi removed the ribbons in front of him and sincerely thanked everyone.

Liu Yuan finished the decorations and clapped his hands. “It’s quite a coincidence. Except for the year, the date of Sealed Coffin Village is the same as the outside world.”

Wen Shi smiled and didn’t say anything. It wasn’t a coincidence. It was deliberate. This was a special instance set up by his father for the Ghost Festival.

“Since we’re all here, let’s begin,” Zhou Xiaochun said, pursing his lips. With the Second Commandment Guild’s leader present, they couldn’t help but feel a bit constrained.

The cake on the table was ready. After Wen Shi took a seat, Liu Yuan divided the cake and poured champagne. Then, everyone brought out their gifts.

Zhou Xiaochun and the others had just found out about Wen Shi’s birthday. It was Ji Yuanzhi who had conveyed the message through someone else.

Surviving as a lone wolf in the game was difficult. Necessary exchanges of favors benefited Zhou Xiaochun and the others, and were even more helpful for Wen Shi. Players were brought together by mutual interests, and while their interactions weren’t without sincerity, like now, where despite the short time they had known Wen Shi, Zhou Xiaochun and the others had prepared gifts meticulously, knowing they owed him favors from their previous instance.

“Let’s not go for the showy ones, practicality first.”

They pooled resources to buy an item, which outwardly looked like a deck of playing cards.

When Wen Shi’s fingers touched it, there was a flash of system appraisal:

【King’s Card Box: A one-time use item that, when shuffled, can refresh side quests.

Keep in mind that special side quests cannot be refreshed.】

“Pretty amazing.” Wen Shi learned for the first time that side quests could be refresh.

In other words, if he encountered a side quest with no clue, he could swap it out by shuffling.

Ji Yuanzhi, well-off as he was, didn’t need to share expenses with others. He took out an adorable plush toy from under the table.

A chubby, curly-haired bear with button eyes that sparkled with gem-like colors.

Having never played with such things from childhood to adulthood, Wen Shi felt a bit unsure how to handle the plush bear when he picked it up.

“Come on, smile.” Liu Yuan helped him take a picture.

It didn’t capture Wen Shi’s happy expression but did capture the moment of surprise.

Wen Shi’s surprise stemmed from the game’s appraisal result.

Even a huggable teddy bear was considered an item, and it could barely be classified as a somewhat rare item.

【Huggable Teddy Bear: A faithful friend guarding your sleep. It will wake you up if it sees something filthy during the night.

Note: There are things it can’t see.】

Although not completely reliable, with it, the safety factor during nighttime in instances would significantly improve.

Wen Shi rubbed the chubby face of the teddy bear with his head. “I’ll rely on you from now on.”

With no filthy things around, the item showed no reaction, just like an ordinary little bear.

Liu Yuan pressed the capture button a second time, capturing Wen Shi’s childish expression. She felt a somewhat inappropriate maternal sentiment, understanding why some parents enjoyed endlessly buying gifts for their children.

Putting the item into his backpack, Wen Shi stood up and raised his glass. “Cheers, my friends, cheers to my Golden Dad.”

Everyone raised their glasses in succession, and then, including Wen Shi, they all suddenly looked at the masked man who was eating cake.

“……”

The spoon almost snapped in half.

The guild leader finally understood why Wen Shi had invited himself to the birthday banquet. It turned out this was all about asking for gifts.

The atmosphere unexpectedly quieted down. The furrowed eyebrows under the mask showed his annoyance. He couldn’t be bothered to care about these petty thoughts and was ready to rack up a hundred points and leave.

However, at that moment, Wen Shi couldn’t help but burst into laughter. A trace of childlike innocence appeared in his dimples, a far cry from his demeanor in the billiard room.

“Just kidding. I’ve been freeloading at the hotel all this time. It’s only right for me to offer you a piece of cake.”

The main goal was to play a little prank in retaliation for the leaked information. Otherwise, his birthday might have been even more surprising.

Glasses clinked in succession along the table. Wen Shi spoke earnestly, “I hope everyone stays safe and sound.”

The players wore varied expressions, their smiles tinged with a hint of helplessness and confusion. Finally, Ji Yuanzhi said, “Safety is hard to come by, so let’s drink to today.”

“Cheers!”

The sound of glasses clinking was crisp. The spacious floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the scene of Wen Shi leaning down to blow out the candles. In contrast to Fierce Ghost Highway, where extinguishing the candle marked the end of hope, this time his eyes held nothing but a joyful smile.

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