Real World (Please Vote)

After turning on the computer and checking the date and time, Xiao Hen discovered that while he had vanished for a month, only three days had passed in this world.

"So the time ratio is ten to one?"

He stroked his chin and thought for a moment. Back in his own home, he finally relaxed. He no longer had to remain on edge like he had in the Resident Evil world, guarding against zombie attacks day and night, or even attacks from other survivors.

This house was an inheritance left to Xiao Hen by his parents. Both of them had passed away. His mother had died of illness when Xiao Hen was still young.

After his wife passed away, Xiao Zhengjun resolutely sold their house in the countryside and brought Xiao Hen to the city to make a living. He worked to earn money for Xiao Hen's schooling while saving up to buy him a home. Unfortunately, housing prices rose every year, and each year's increase was greater than the money Xiao Zhengjun managed to save.

Eventually, Xiao Hen graduated and began working. Because of his grades, he had only attended an ordinary university. Such an ordinary degree offered little advantage in modern society. He had only found a planning job that paid a little over six thousand a month. He often worked overtime and had to endure his boss's contempt and dissatisfaction, but for his family and his increasingly elderly father, Xiao Hen persevered.

Unfortunately, disaster struck without warning. During Xiao Hen's first year of work, perhaps because the burden in his heart had eased somewhat, Xiao Zhengjun took out more than a decade of savings and bought this home for Xiao Hen. Soon after, he fell unconscious once and was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer.

Late-stage liver cancer!

The news had dealt Xiao Hen a severe blow. He knew his father had always enjoyed drinking. Everyone knew alcohol was bad for the liver. Yet because of the pressures of life, Xiao Zhengjun had no choice but to numb himself with alcohol. Only then could he sleep peacefully instead of tossing and turning at night, racking his brains with worry. Only then would he have the energy to work and earn money the next day, to support the family.

Xiao Zhengjun had always been a man of strong opinions. After being diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer, he firmly refused Xiao Hen's request to sell the house for treatment. He told Xiao Hen in a low voice that if he sold the house to save him, he would take his own life. Father Xiao knew that even if they sold the house he had spent most of his life struggling to save for, it still could not cure his cancer. Since that was the case, why sell it?

Half a year ago, Father Xiao passed away. Xiao Hen had become truly alone, living by himself in this busy, congested metropolis. Only he could understand the loneliness within it.

Xiao Hen walked to the bedside and picked up a photo frame from the cabinet. Inside was an old photograph. A young man, not very tall but smiling broadly, had his arm around an ordinary-looking young woman holding a child. The woman wore a happy expression and leaned lightly against the man's shoulder. The child in her arms gazed curiously at the camera. That moment had been forever frozen in the photograph, becoming a memory of Xiao Hen's childhood.

Xiao Hen sighed, picked up the frame, walked to the wardrobe, pulled open a drawer, and stuffed it into the bottom of the wardrobe.

Feeling the scorching weather outside, he grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom. After taking a shower, he changed out of the combat suit from the Resident Evil world.

Feeling refreshed, Xiao Hen left the house and checked the time on his phone. It was five thirty in the afternoon.

At this time three days ago, he had just gotten off work. The moment he returned home, he felt a heat on the back of his hand. Then space twisted, and he was already in the Resident Evil world, without even the slightest chance to resist.

As Xiao Hen went downstairs and left the residential complex, he inspected the Mechanical Mark on the back of his right hand. This Mechanical Mark was the main reason he had been taken into the movie world. It surely contained some earth-shattering secret.

A virtual panel appeared out of thin air before him. It contained information Xiao Hen could currently access, an introduction to the Mechanical Mark itself.

Hyperspace Shuttle: This vessel was manufactured by the Kroatia civilization. Its purpose was to search for and travel through major hyperspaces, allowing the civilization to gather endless resources for its own development.

Current Status: Damaged.

Damage Level: Seventy-three percent.

Machine Intelligence: Kroatia 01823512.

Xiao Hen communicated with the Shuttle's Machine Intelligence Program in his mind. "Can you hear me?"

"Of course!"

A light yet rigid genderless mechanical voice rang out.

During his days in the Resident Evil world, Xiao Hen had also figured out some information about the Shuttle. But perhaps due to its severe damage, he had not been able to obtain the most important information he needed. For example, why had this Shuttle suddenly appeared on his hand? There had to be some process behind it, right?

Whether it had come to Earth from outer space and chosen him, or whether he had obtained the Shuttle's carrier and then been acknowledged as its master, there should have been some trace to follow. What did it mean for it to suddenly appear on the back of his hand?

It made no sense at all!

Perhaps once the Shuttle is completely repaired, I'll be able to find the reason. Xiao Hen thought to himself.

"You said before that after completing the Resident Evil survival mission and returning to the Real World, there would be a huge reward. What exactly is the reward? I can know now, right?" This was what Xiao Hen most wanted to know. It could be said that the greatest benefit he had gained from this trip to Resident Evil was the G-Virus Serum in his Storage Space. He had already prepared himself to inject the G-Virus Serum that night with the assistance of the Shuttle's Machine Intelligence, thereby obtaining a tremendous enhancement to his body.

But those were benefits Xiao Hen had obtained from Resident Evil himself. The Shuttle's Machine Intelligence had said there would be an additional reward for returning after completing the mission.

"Would you like to claim the reward now?" the mechanical voice asked without a trace of emotion.

Xiao Hen was about to agree immediately, but his heart tightened. He calmly swept his gaze around. By then, he had already left the residential complex and arrived on the street. It was the evening rush hour. Pedestrians on electric scooters and others carrying grocery baskets walked everywhere. Vegetable vendors lined both sides of the road, while two middle-aged city management officers maintained order by the roadside. There was no sign of the rumored beatings.

"Forget it. I'll claim it later."

After receiving Xiao Hen's answer, the dialogue box disappeared.

He entered a small restaurant and saw the familiar owner bustling about inside and outside. A faint smile appeared on Xiao Hen's lips. He was not cold by nature; he had merely been tainted by this indifferent society and had no choice but to guard himself and put on a disguise. Only before people he knew would he reveal his true self.

"Hey, Xiao Xiao, off work?" The owner was a short, plump, slightly balding middle-aged man. When he smiled, his eyes nearly vanished. The moment he saw Xiao Hen arrive, he greeted him with a smile.

"Yeah. I'm not planning to cook today, so I came here for a meal." Xiao Hen smiled. The two could be considered acquainted. Since Father Xiao's death, Xiao Hen had lived alone. Whenever he got off work late or was too tired to cook, he would make do with a meal at this restaurant. Over time, they had become familiar.

Despite being short, plump, and balding, the owner was actually a decent man, easygoing and friendly. Even on a few occasions when Xiao Hen had come to eat without bringing money, he had trusted him to put it on the tab and settle it together next time.

"Give me a serving of rice with shredded pork and green peppers."

"Sure, wait a moment..."

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