I Am a Player

"What did you put down for your college application?"

On the path by the artificial lake on campus, the girl squinted her eyes, feeling the gentle breeze lift her long hair, her words as hesitant as the breeze, yet also uncontrollable.

Linton watched the classmate who had asked him out to talk, not answering immediately. Instead, he chuckled, "What, you want to go to the same school as me that badly?"

The girl gave him a charming eye-roll. "Don't you know I'm pursuing you! What's wrong with wanting to go to the same school? I even want to have eight kids with you!"

"Eight? We'd be fined into bankruptcy."

"Then let's have fewer! Hey! Don't change the subject! Tell me, tell me!"

Linton leaned against the railing and looked into the distance. The skyline was like a watercolor canvas, vividly painted with small couples scattering breadcrumbs and birds fighting over them.

After a long pause, he said uncertainly, "Jing University?"

"Jing University?!"

The girl's face instantly turned sorrowful. "You'll definitely get in, but even though my grades are okay, isn't Jing University a bit too far-fetched?"

She pinched Linton's shirt hem with her index finger and thumb, saying miserably, "Why don't you lower your target a bit? Let's go to our local Star University together. It's not as good as Jing University, but it's been an academy for thousands of years."

"But going to Jing University has too many benefits," Linton said. "With that stepping stone, any path you take afterward will be smooth sailing. Jing University's alumni network is one of the most valuable hidden assets for connections."

"That's true, but going to Star University has many benefits too!" The girl started counting on her fingers. "Look, I can wake you up on time so you won't be late for class; I can cook for you, saving us some expenses; I can supervise your studies, and... lots more!"

Linton was amused but said seriously, "Firstly, our relationship isn't at that stage yet. Secondly, even if it were, wouldn't it just be temporary? In the future, attraction during the honeymoon phase won't last. Finances are always the primary factor."

"Who says it's just temporary!" the girl said indignantly. "We'll definitely be happy forever. Besides, with your abilities, can't you succeed without going to Jing University? If worse comes to worst, you can come back with me and inherit the family fortune! Then, even if you stop working from now on and travel the world until you're eighty, it'll be enough for us to live on!"

"..."

Linton suddenly felt she had a point and was speechless for a moment.

They chatted for a while longer, and when the clouds in the sky gradually turned a fiery red, they finally said their goodbyes.

Back home, it was already time for dinner.

At the dining table, his father, sitting at the head, looked at Linton and asked casually, "I heard you're starting to fill out your college applications?"

"Mm."

"Any schools you're thinking of?"

"Jing University?" Linton repeated the answer he'd given the girl that afternoon.

"Jing University, huh? Jing University is good," his mother said, finishing her chores and sitting down at the table, wiping her wet hands. "It's just far away; we won't see each other much throughout the year."

Linton hesitated for a moment and said, "Actually... I've also considered Star University."

"Star University?" His father stroked his unkempt stubble and nodded. "Star University is fine. Although it's not as good as Jing University, the score requirement is lower, so you'll have a better chance. Besides, Star University isn't bad."

"Yeah," his mother smiled and looked at Linton. "If you go to Star University, you won't have so much pressure. You can relax more and don't have to be so tense all the time."

"I understand."

Linton nodded and then buried his head in his food.

Back in his room, Linton threw himself onto the bed, reflecting on everyone's suggestions and advice.

Maybe Star University?

He closed his eyes and silently made up his mind.

"Still working?"

Linton opened his eyes.

He felt delicate fingertips gently massaging his head, and his tired mind felt a little relieved.

"Yeah. I just graduated. If I don't put in more effort, how can I snatch a little soup from those old foxes?"

The woman, whose facial features were no longer boyish, showed a hint of heartache. "You don't have to push yourself so hard. You and I never cared much for material luxuries. Our financial situation is sufficient for living now. Any more is just numbers, meaningless."

"How can it be enough?" Linton smiled. "A house, a car, and unborn children – there are plenty of big expenses. It's far from enough."

"It's enough," the woman said without a doubt. "Desires can never be satisfied. The current state is completely enough for us."

She cupped Linton's face, her voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. "You've been dedicating all your energy to work these days, and you don't have time for me anymore."

"Sorry."

"So, put down what you're doing and let's enjoy our time together."

"I said, you can't go! You can't leave me!"

CRASH--

"Come back here!!"

Linton, who was about to turn the doorknob, froze. He turned back to see the woman's tear-streaked face in the white light of the broken porcelain.

"Do you... not love me anymore? Why are you leaving!"

Linton sighed softly. "How could I not love you? You were woven from my myriad thoughts, the things I desired most in my heart. How could I not love you?"

"What are you talking about?" the woman clutched him, trembling. "We're not fighting anymore. Please don't go, okay?"

Linton didn't struggle. Instead, he looked up at the ceiling. "If I were still my former self, I would definitely be willing to stay in this dream forever, even if I knew that spinning top that would never stop was an illusory falsehood. But the me now... is the Necromancer."

At this moment, Linton shed the shadow of a corporate drone, re-donning the aura of composure, calmness, and all that belonged to the Necromancer.

"I am an explorer who wanders the edge of life and death, a peeper who walks the boundary between reality and illusion. Someone like me would find your abnormalities far too easily."

"You don't want me to leave this city, you don't want me to continue striving upwards, and most importantly, you've made me feel like I don't want to play games anymore. You know, I used to want to die in a game pod!"

"Using family and love as shackles, trying to grind away all my sharp edges, to bind me forever in this 'happily ever after' dream world."

"Truly... a crude trick."

As his voice fell, the lights gradually dimmed, the walls began to turn transparent, the layered buildings outside the window started to collapse, stars with brilliant fiery tails fell from the sky, and the earth crumbled into a sea of flames.

"Don't go! Stop!!"

The woman's voice grew increasingly sharp, but Linton didn't look back again.

He watched this world gradually collapse, the door before him expanding, then transforming into an ancient, heavy, majestic bronze giant door, attempting to stop his advance.

Linton stood beneath the bronze door, like an ant gazing up at a giant, insignificant and unreachable.

Images flashed before his eyes: father, mother, wife.

The moment he reached out, all that was beautiful would be lost to him.

However...

"You think this will make me stop?"

The corners of Linton's lips curled slightly, his clean teeth appearing somewhat ferocious in the darkness.

"Our target is the ethereal stars and the boundless sea, our will is an unyielding tenacity that even steel cannot match, our aspiration is to explore the secrets of every corner of the world. Nothing but maintenance and server shutdowns can stop us from moving forward. That's us!"

"I was never an NPC, nor were you my natives."

"I am the most special in this world."

"--A game player!!"

Linton kicked open the bronze giant door.