Chapter 2 Kidnap Play
Shoutout to nyanmaru for the commission!
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7:25
Tick, tock, tick, tock…
“Cousin… what do we do?”
Lin Lan nervously swallowed, it was his first time witnessing a live bomb. The bright red countdown was ticking away before his eyes:
“Only 34 minutes and 56 seconds left… until it explodes!”
Lin Lan bent down, crouching under the seat, carefully staring at the bomb strapped beneath.
Chu Feng sat on the bomb seat as if nothing was happening: “Take a picture and show me.”
“Cousin, don’t you want to crouch down and see it yourself?”
“My back hurts. I can’t bend down.”
Lin Lan hesitated for a moment, then glanced at all the Xies on the bus, understanding.
Click.
Chu Feng took Lin Lan’s phone, leaned back against the seat, and checked the photo. The bus, moving at 55 km/h, brought a slight chill in the air.
Lin Lan watched his brother, appearing so relaxed as if looking at a group photo taken during a spring outing. “Aren’t you nervous at all? It’s about to explode!”
“I am nervous.”
Chu Feng calmly handed the phone back.
Lin Lan took it, noticing how beautiful his cousin’s hand was, with long fingers and the tailored cuffs encasing his fair wrist. The taut muscles on the back of his hand now showed signs of tension.
Zzz…
Chu Feng’s phone vibrated violently again, the system sprite issuing a red warning:
【7:30, 30 minutes until explosion, please exit the game immediately!】
Cold sweat trickled down Lin Lan’s forehead.
Chu Feng, as usual, ignored the warning. With one hand, he typed on the phone’s keyboard, calmly commenting, “Looks like a pretty ordinary bomb, the kind you often see in movies. Can you defuse it?”
“I’m a police officer, not Conan!”
“Weren’t there bomb disposal courses at the police academy?”
“No such course! I didn’t attend a Hawaii training camp.”
Chu Feng sighed lightly, as if lamenting university education. After a while, he handed his phone over:
“First, dismantle the bomb casing and see what’s inside.”
Lin Lan looked at it, and on Chu Feng’s phone screen was a long screenshot → Bomb Disposal Guide:
Limited skills, please advise, hope it helps everyone.
“Oh my god, cousin, you’re amazing! Where did you find this?!”
“Player Forum.”
Lin Lan looked carefully and indeed, the screenshot was from the player forum of “Dream City.” However, judging from the style of the page, it should belong to an old version of the forum from a year ago. Currently, the forum has been updated, and the poster’s ID would come with a krypton gold name badge. But in the screenshot, the poster’s ID was just a single letter: X.
“D*mn! Great God X’s strategy thread that got deleted! Cousin, you can even find this?”
“It’s not me who found it,” Chu Feng said. “It was posted as a bounty.”
Lin Lan: ?
He returned to the player forum and saw a post prominently displayed:
【Reward】100,000 RMB, does anyone know how to defuse a bomb?
Satisfactory answers will be paid immediately.
Liars will have dead husbands.
Poster ID: Player CF4088
The ID was adorned with a krypton gold badge: 5.4 million RMB
2nd poster:
D*mn! 5.4 million krypton gold big boss! Oh my god!
3rd poster:
First time seeing a 5 million krypton strip, so shiny!! Blinding!
4th poster:
Oh my god, what has the big shot been spending 5.4 million on in Dream City! I really want to see!
5th poster:
…Am I the only one wondering why he said ‘dead husband’?
6th poster:
Is there anyone to help the big shot defuse the bomb?
7th poster:
Great God X has summarized the bomb disposal guide, big shot, just search for it, save yourself a hundred grand!
Although the big shot probably doesn’t care about this hundred thousand [kneel.gif]
8th poster:
He’s been deleted long ago, how could he still search for the post?
9th poster:
Don’t spread rumors upstairs, he didn’t delete his account, he was banned by the administrator, and all his posts were deleted.
10th poster:
Smell the scent of gossip! Upstairs, tell us more!
11th poster:
No gossip, word on the street is that X was too good at playing games, posting guides every day, attracted the attention of the game company, and was ultimately recruited internally. Then all his posts were deleted.
…
33rd poster:
Oh my god! I have saved every strategy post by Great God X! Bank Daddy, look at me!
[Bomb disposal strategy].jpg
Chu Feng replied to the 33rd floor, @PlayingwithyarnYaoYao:
Private message me your card number, I’ll transfer money to you.
Then he closed the forum.
Half a minute later, Chu Feng’s post exploded like a bomb. The replies skyrocketed to 5000 posts in an instant, constantly hanging at the top of the forum homepage in red. Opening the post, the screen was filled with:
Daddy! CF Big Boss is my dad!!
Daddy, next time you post, can you take a look at your child[tearful.jpg]
…
Lin Lan: “B-Big brother, five… five million four hundred thousand? Game krypton gold?!”
“He left too much inheritance,” Chu Feng, while transferring a hundred thousand to the person who replied, had a faint expression on his face:
“I’m troubled every day, not knowing how to spend it.”
After Xie Shiyu’s death, all the shares, bonds, properties under his name, including the huge insurance from the aviation accident, were all transferred to Chu Feng. These assets were constantly increasing in value every moment, and while spending, they were making the money back.
Lin Lan looked at his own microtransaction balance, 54.42 yuan:
“Cousin, I kind of want to call you dad now.”
Chu Feng: “Be a good son and defuse the bomb first.”
Countdown: 28 minutes and 32 seconds
With the bomb disposal guide in hand, Lin Lan felt much calmer. After all, bombs in games should be much simpler than in reality, and the guide was written by the legendary Great God X:
【First, check if there is an indicator light above the bomb countdown】
【If there is no indicator light, you need to be extremely careful. This means the bomb does not allow mistakes, one mistake and it explodes】
【If there is, then you are very lucky. This bomb allows mistakes. After one mistake, the indicator light turns red. After two mistakes, the countdown doubles. After three mistakes, it triggers an explosion】
Lin Lan hurried to check the indicator light.
Chu Feng: “How is it?”
“There… there’s an indicator light!” Lin Lan breathed a sigh of relief. “Mistakes are allowed.”
【Next, carefully remove the bomb’s casing and check the internal circuits】
Lin Lan glanced at Chu Feng for permission.
With the key to his cousin’s Dream City in his hand, in case of any accidents, he could eject himself and return to reality, but then his cousin…
“Go ahead, it’s okay,” Chu Feng sat on the seat, his expression serene.
Lin Lan cautiously recalled scenes from Detective Conan movies, his fingertips turning white from exertion, his wrists trembling, then suddenly—
Click!
Lin Lan was startled, the casing dropped off, revealing the internal circuitry. He had just breathed a sigh of relief…
Beep—!!!
The bomb indicator light immediately turned red, one mistake made!
“Why?!”
Lin Lan felt his heart collapsing: “Conan always dismantles it like this!”
—Twist your hand against the bomb, and the casing comes off, then start cutting the wires.
“Where did I go wrong?!”
“Don’t panic,” Chu Feng patted Lin Lan’s shoulder. “It’s only one mistake.”
“If we make another mistake, the countdown will double! We only have…”
Time to explosion: 24 minutes and 52 seconds
If it doubles, there will be 12 minutes and 26 seconds left.
Chu Feng: “Keep dismantling, don’t be afraid, it’s okay.”
Hearing Chu Feng’s calm voice, Lin Lan, who was panicking like a dog, was somewhat comforted. The one he cared most about here was his cousin, and the one truly in danger was also his cousin. But his cousin remained as steady as a rock. He couldn’t panic like this and drag his cousin down.
Lin Lan calmed his mind, steadied his hands to defuse the bomb, and continued to read the guide:
【Observe the circuitry, the bomb may contain 3-13 wires. Don’t worry, you only need to cut the correct one to defuse the bomb】
Lin Lan looked at the bomb in front of him, there were only three wires:
【If there are only three wires, congratulations, this is the simplest bomb. Please follow the mnemonic below to defuse it:】
“If there is red, do not cut it;
If there is blue and green, do not cut green;
Both red and blue, cut the third color.”
This bomb defusal guide is written in great detail. Even elementary school students can defuse a bomb following these steps. Lin Lan felt extremely relieved. He turned on the flashlight on his phone for illumination.
In front of him, there were three wires: red, blue, and green.
Lin Lan: “…?! This is contradictory!”
It says not to cut the green wire if there’s blue and green, but if both red and blue wires are present, the third color to cut is green. Isn’t it green then?
“There’s another picture behind,” Chu Feng reminded.
[Defusal Guide-2].jpg
“If you encounter a contradictory state where red, blue, and green appear simultaneously, carefully strip the green wire. Note: only strip the wire insulation, do not break it.”
Lin Lan gasped. This task requires precision. The countdown ticked away:
23 minutes and 15 seconds.
Lin Lan cautiously stripped the green wire and found a yellow one inside!
It’s a yellow wire disguised as a green one!
[Now you can cut the third color confidently according to the saying: ‘Red and blue, cut the the third color.]
[Best wishes for successful bomb defusal.]
— — X
Lin Lan felt immensely grateful to X. Nervously swallowing, he looked up at his cousin for the decision.
Chu Feng nodded at him.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Lan gripped the scissors and gradually approached the yellow wire. The sharp edge of the scissors caught the thin wire. One action determined life or death, and Lin Lan’s hand trembled uncontrollably.
Suddenly, his wrist was held in place.
Chu Feng reached out with his long arm, grasping Lin Lan’s hand holding the scissors.
Crack!
…
Like an eternity passing, time seemed to freeze. Lin Lan felt like his whole body had stiffened.
“I-Is it… safe?”
Before he could finish speaking—
Beep!!!!!!!!
The indicator light emitted a piercing sound! The red light flashed, indicating a second mistake!
“W-Why?!”
Lin Lan panicked. He followed X’s guide exactly! How could this happen? Did he overlook something…
At this moment, the countdown was accelerating at double speed! 22 minutes and 58 seconds, 56 seconds, 54 seconds…
They only have: 11 minutes and 27 seconds, 26 seconds…
“C-cousin!” Lin Lan trembled with fear. “We only… have ten minutes left!”
“I-I can’t! Cousin, you must exit the game!”
“And then watch them die?”
Chu Feng looked at the various ‘Xie Shiyu’ around him. The 18-year-old Xie School Bully leaned against the seat, his hand resting on the window, revealing the tattoo on his forearm. The stuffy school uniform made him a bit hot, and he aimlessly gazed out the window, sweat beads rolling over his Adam’s apple, handsome and wild. The 19-year-old Xie Shiyu, who was repeating a year, sat by the armrest, silently reciting “Shi Shuo,” the summer light outlining his profile outside the window.
The 26-year-old Xie Shiyu sat in the front, driving. Lacking the youthful energy of the 18 or 19-year-old, he’s matured. Wearing a thin holiday shirt, the fabric was so thin that the contours underneath were clearly visible, broad shoulders, sturdy back. Chu Feng knew that when hugged by him, the sense of security would overflow.
These Xie Shiyu were unaware of the bomb’s existence. They can’t see it, hear it, or respond to any actions related to it. They sat quietly and vividly in the bus, listening to the clangs of the bus as it moved.
And all of this would vanish with the roar of the bomb.
“Lin Lan, I didn’t come here to play a game,” Chu Feng stood up and said. “I didn’t come with the attitude of playing a game and then quitting.”
He looked at the Xie Shiyu around him and casually spoke the truth:
“I’m ready to live like this for the rest of my life.
“Cousin!!”
Chu Feng ignored him and continued, “I’ll spend some time in the game every day to see him. If possible, I would prefer the system to restore him [a singular ‘him’], but modern technology can’t do that.
“So none of them can die.”
If any one of him dies, he will be incomplete.
“Cousin…”
Chu Feng patted Lin Lan’s shoulder trustingly. “You won’t try to persuade me like others do, right?”
Lin Lan pressed his lips together, not saying anything. In his own dream city, his deceased mother still resided. He understood the feeling of losing a loved one.
“Now that you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say anything. So… what are you going to do about this bomb now? There’s only…”
10 minutes and 59 seconds left!
Chu Feng remained calm. “Do you have any other options?”
Lin Lan racked his brain and looked at the various Xie Shiyu in the car for help. “Cousin, since Brother Xie is so amazing, do you remember any Brother Xie who happens to know bomb defusal?”
“Are you treating him like a Hollywood hero?” Chu Feng pinched his brow and sighed. “We can only resort to Plan B.”
“… “ Lin Lan was stunned: “So, Cousin, you’ve always had a Plan B and kept it from me?!”
If possible, Chu Feng really didn’t want to execute this plan.
“You know about the regulators,” he says.
As a seasoned player, Lin Lan had naturally heard of the regulators, who were like the police of the gaming world. Whenever a player encountered danger and called for help, the regulators descend from the sky like gods to rescue the player from danger. They are the guardian gods of all players.
“Cousin… you can’t be thinking—”
Lin Lan suddenly comprehended Chu Feng’s Plan B.
In ordinary domestic disputes, the police came; in cases of husband murdering wife, the criminal investigation department comes. But what if the husband kidnaps his wife and installs a bomb on a public bus?
Chu Feng smiles faintly. “We’ll see what kind of regulator comes.”
Although it’s a smile, Lin Lan’s neck felt cold. If there were a real case of a public bus bombing killing a spouse, it would definitely cause a sensational uproar, leading to the establishment of a special task force and dispatching bomb defusal experts!
—It’s the same in the game.
For major malignant incidents, only the strongest regulators come.
The defusal speed will undoubtedly be the fastest.
“But Cousin, if that happens… Brother Xie will…”
Brother Xie would be treated as a bomber. After ensuring the safety of the players, the regulators would execute the character for the crime.
Chu Feng chuckled. “Why do you think I always insist on 100% character realism?”
Lin Lan suddenly realized it all.
He had previously advised his cousin to lower the realism, which was really foolish.
A 100% realism means the system cannot interfere with the characters. It cannot intervene in anything in Chu Feng’s City. Everything regarding how to handle it is up to Chu Feng alone.
Even the system cannot intervene, let alone the regulators!
In this moment, Lin Lan felt the brilliance of his cousin.
Almost no player would be as paranoid as his cousin, insisting on 100% realism, facing extremely dangerous accidents rather than lowering the percentage even slightly. Moreover, the system would constantly remind players to lower the realism to ensure safety in the game, and the vast majority of players would listen to the system.
When the renowned regulators start executing Brother Xie, they would find that they couldn’t execute him. Lin Lan wondered what expression they would have. His cousin was truly incredible, daring to manipulate the regulators?!
“Your account has been debited 134,500 yuan, successful microtransaction!”
At this moment, Chu Feng’s phone emitted a system notification sound. Lin Lan saw his cousin purchasing blood plasma, knives, ropes, firearms, clown masks…
Among them, the most expensive item was a super cool handheld expulsion cannon.
【Function】Can ruthlessly expel people who enter your dream city
【Target users】Including but not limited to annoying relatives, strange friends, all sorts of uninvited guests…
“Co… Cousin, are you thinking of…?!”
—After the strongest regulator helps them defuse the bomb, he’ll ruthlessly expel him!
“What else?” Chu Feng lifted the cool expulsion cannon with one hand, testing its feel. “Are we going to wait for him to fight back?”
Lin Lan was shocked beyond measure. The regulators were the guardian gods of the players! His brother actually dared to manipulate the regulator and even dared to expel him after playing!
“Co… Cousin, you’ll definitely be remembered by that regulator.”
Chu Feng tucked the expulsion cannon into his game backpack. “It’s a desperate situation.”
—In order to be with Xie Shiyu.
Countdown: 9 minutes and 46 seconds.
Chu Feng picked up a large bag of items, including blood plasma, ropes, knives, and guns, and walked towards Xie Shiyu and the others.
He unbuttoned his tightly fastened buttons, slightly loosening the collar of his white shirt, revealing delicate collarbones. Xie Shiyu, the school bully, raised his head and whistled.
Thud.
The bag of items was stacked in front of Xie Shiyu and the others.
“I’m tired of playing teacher-student roles.” Chu Feng smiled at them. “Let’s switch to kidnapper roles, shall we?”
***
Ding Ling—Ding Ling!!!
The piercing ringtone shattered the tranquility of the monitoring center.
“Hello, Regulator 5787 is at your service. What seems to be the issue… Hello?!”
—This was a video call.
The player in the video looked extremely distressed.
…
The high-pitched alarm sounded swiftly:
“Emergency! A player has been kidnapped, and there’s a bomb on a bus!”
“A bomb?! My goodness, what dangerous character did he import? Connect me to the highest regulator, X?!”
“… X just had surgery and is still in recovery. Send A.”
A: “I can’t do it! The bomb is about to explode! I definitely can’t defuse it, X—!!”
“What’s going on?”
The hoarse voice was somewhat enchanting.
A wheelchair rolled across the marble floor of the monitoring hall, and X sat quietly inside.
No player knew that the highest regulator, who was like a guardian deity in the game, was a man in a wheelchair in reality.
His face was wrapped in bandages, obscuring his features, but the vague contours hinted at his original extremely handsome appearance. Even though he was sitting in a wheelchair, his back was straight, and he was tall. If he could stand up, he would probably be over six feet tall.
But now, no one cared how tall he was. X sat in the wheelchair, tilting his head, looking at everyone with a gaze that seemed to search for something. He exuded a sense of brokenness from being crushed by a major accident, like the Venus de Milo with a broken arm, cruelly beautiful.
Every time other regulators saw X, who was as powerful as a god in the game, and then saw the X in reality, they would feel a blockage in their hearts, an indescribable feeling. A, who had just been clamoring about not being able to defuse the bomb, suddenly fell silent and asked timidly:
“Are you… okay? If not, I’ll go.”
X didn’t speak, quietly watching the video call for help.
—First, a pair of hands, tightly bound with ropes.
The fair wrists were red from being tightly bound, even chafing and bleeding, with long fingers intertwined.
Then came the sobbing.
A pleading cry like that of a kitten.
The screen lit up, revealing a young man with a gun pressed against the back of his head.
X squinted and carefully observed. It was a real gun.
The young man was kidnapped by several robbers, wearing masks, emitting chilling laughter, their faces obscured.
The next moment, the camera turned around, revealing his face.
—A very beautiful face!
A small beauty.
Beautiful and beauty were not words used to describe men, but at this moment, they were the only words that came to mind. X stood still, as if his brain had been struck by a heavy hammer.
This face, beyond its beauty, carried a kind of indescribable… longing.
This feeling was very strange to X. He couldn’t even remember his own name, so he shouldn’t have such emotions as “longing.”
The youth in the video was tear-streaked, his hands tightly bound, the buttons undone, the white shirt crumpled and stained with blood, the bound hands struggling, the slender fair wrists moving, exuding a fragile beauty.
It made people want to break him, but more importantly, to cherish him.
At this moment, the youth in the video turned his head, revealing the bomb tied in front of him, with the countdown:
4 minutes and 56 seconds
His tear-soaked eyes, like ink dots in the misty rain of Jiangnan, looked at X in despair:
“Please… save me…”
Everyone was waiting for X’s decision.
X pointed to the screen:
“Coordinates?”
A immediately reported: “45, 83, 79”
The blue brain waves interfaced with the game screen:
X entered the Dream City and sent a message to the coordinates of the youth:
“Wait for me”
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