Worms and Ghosts

"Greedy Bug?"

Feng Xue's face showed an expression like that of an "Subway Old Man Phone," making it hard to connect the previously Wrinkled Maggot that seemed covered in sharp teeth with the somewhat cute-sounding "Greedy Bug."

Seemingly anticipating Feng Xue's reaction, the Student Kid calmly nodded and said:

"There are two paths in Supernatural Game, which are literally 'spirit' and 'abnormal.' 'Spirit' refers to spirits, also known as ghosts, whether they are Yin Ghost or Yang Ghost, they are essentially the same; while 'abnormal' represents alienation, which refers to players like us who take the 'insect' route. However, because insects are not well-known compared to the deeply ingrained perception of ghosts, even if they appear in reality, they will only be regarded as some kind of special ghost."

"More than why it's not famous, I'm curious about the definition of this insect." Feng Xue wasn't interested in the Student Kid's opening remarks, and the Student Kid, didn't waste any more words and went straight to the point:

"If ghosts are the curse of the dead, then insects are the desires of the living."

"Three Corpse Worm?" Upon hearing this explanation, Feng Xue immediately thought of the "Three Corpse Worm" concept. While stating it directly, she also kept in mind the other person's casual remark that "ghosts are the curse of the dead," intending to consult the spirit medium later.

"Yes, the Three Corpse Worm are the choices one has to make when entering the worm system. My Greedy Bug was formed by 'Peng Zhi,' also known as the Middle Corpse, absorbing greed and leveling up."

The student carelessly revealed his true identity, and under Feng Xueming's keen perception, it was discovered that the other party was not lying.

Feng Xue softened her tone when Student Kid, and after a moment's thought, she said:

"The Upper Corpse loves finery, the Middle Corpse Likes Flavor, Lower Corpse Likes Excessive Desire? So there are also bookworms, Alcohol Worm, and Excessive Desire Worm?"

"That's roughly the idea, but what exactly it will evolve into depends on individual choices and circumstances. Although my Greedy Bug developed from Middle Corpse, its current characteristics are starting to lean towards Lower Corpse. If this continues, I'll probably lose control very soon, which is why I entered the game."

The Student Kid's simple words contained a wealth of information. Feng Xue immediately prioritized them and then asked:

"You mean, you really are a newcomer?"

"I'm a new player, but not a complete novice. Several of my elders are players in the game, and they started learning Worm Technique when they were very young." The Student Kid no attempt to hide the fact that he was Feng Xue "Second Generation Player," and before Feng Xue could ask any questions, he continued:

"Although the game has rules against actively spreading the power gained within the game, there are many ways to circumvent this, such as having family members spy on you. Although this would cause the spy to be pulled into the game, as long as it is spread a second time beforehand, the game will not pull in the person who was taught the knowledge by the spy."

Feng Xue wasn't surprised by this loophole. After all, this so-called game was essentially Supernatural Tale Transmission. In other words, its purpose was to disseminate the content. As for blocking information, it was ultimately just exploiting the inherent weaknesses of human nature.

After all, knowledge that can be freely shared is less likely to arouse curiosity and generate more motivation to spread than a secret that cannot be easily revealed.

Compared to a superficial "knowledge," the deeper pursuit of "wanting to understand" clearly provides more [knowledge].

However, this created a strange loop in the world's system. After thinking for a moment, Feng Xue decided to ask directly:

"According to you, it seems easier for insects to cultivate than ghosts. After all, insects are the desires of living people, and anyone can cultivate them, while to follow the Ghost Route, you need at least a ghost."

Upon hearing Feng Xue's question, the Student Kid's expression became noticeably strange, and he couldn't help but begin to doubt Feng Xue's identity. If the insect system itself was already considered rare, and the method of leaking the inheritance might be due to a lone traveler, then this understanding of ghosts was simply like that of an ordinary person.

"Could I have stumbled upon the legendary Super Newcomer?"

The Student Kid was somewhat speechless, but considering that even if the other party knew nothing, they could easily crush him, he felt it was better to follow his heart.

So he suppressed his restless thoughts and revealed the information he would know once he finished the game:

"Although ghosts are born from human souls, they are essentially a curse. With the right methods, it is easy to obtain new ghosts in modern cities. As long as they are nurtured step by step, they can basically reach the level of an average player."

"Following the established steps?" Feng Xue silently repeated this phrase to herself, but didn't delve deeper into the question. Instead, she posed a question that most online novel enthusiasts would likely consider—

Can two systems be practiced simultaneously?

Upon hearing this question, the Student Kid's expression became somewhat subtle, but he still answered:

"I can't give a precise answer to this question because, theoretically, there's no conflict between the two. However, in practice, there are many problems. As far as I know, no one can manage both simultaneously. The reasons are varied. Some people lose control because they can't multitask, while others simply experience an imbalance in the strength of the two systems, causing one to use the other as fuel for evolution. In short, human mental capacity is limited, and developing both simultaneously doesn't necessarily bring a stronger effect than a single system."

"I see." Feng Xue nodded, then said with an expression that said, "I'm too lazy to pretend anymore."

"Speaking of which, where will we go after this newbie mission is over? Back to reality? Or to some platform first? Or is there some special procedure involved?"

"The settlement process for each new player mission is slightly different, but it generally involves KP Settlement, providing some basic information, and then returning to reality. However, there is indeed a player gathering platform where you can exchange information, buy items, and so on."

The Student Kid's expression was slightly stiff; he found it hard to understand how someone who didn't even know the game's mechanics could acquire such immense power. However, he obediently revealed what he knew, even adding, "..."

"Although the beginner game is very simple, it's just to filter out those unqualified Reserve Player. Once you enter the Formal Game, the difficulty will immediately increase, so it's best not to start the game before you've used up all your resources."

"Understood." Feng Xue nodded, seemingly about to leave. Seeing Student Kid immediately spoke up:

"Hey bro, let's add each other as friends!"

Finally, another leave request! I'm skipping it for a day.

ps: Traditional Chinese Studies Classroom--The meanings of many words in flower gardeners' classics are different from the common understanding. For example, "When you lay down, you will be hungry for grain." The word "yin" does not refer to astringency, but is similar to the usage of "yinyufeifei". It means "excessive", that is, a desire that exceeds one's own needs.

Of course, engaging in sexual activity for pleasure outside of childbirth does fall into this category, but even buying a bunch of clothes that you may never wear in your lifetime is also categorized as sexual activity.

So don't think that glutinous rice is astringent.

Incidentally, while "ornaments" do indeed refer to luxurious items, they essentially encompass the desire to "show off," which is the so-called desire for self-expression, or more broadly, a psychological desire; while "taste" refers to physiological desire; anything beyond these two constitutes excessive desire, which falls under the Lower Corpse."