An Acting Showdown

First Kill, rewards...

As an undercover agent among the NPCs, Lin Bai could always strike precisely at the players' most sensitive nerves.

To win the NPC's trust and keep the quest he had worked so hard to obtain, Long Xi felt he had to defend his dignity as a Chosen One.

And so.

Under Lin Bai's encouraging gaze, the level-one newbie picked up the kitchen knife once more and went off to challenge that impossible task.

"You little runt! I've gone easy on you time and again, and you still won't quit." Seeing Long Xi again, the male Ghost's voice was furious beyond measure.

Then.

Long Xi flew out faster than either of the previous two times.

Higher than either of the previous two times.

And farther.

This time.

The furious Ghost gave him no special treatment. Long Xi landed facedown, and by the time he got up, his face was battered, with blood streaming freely from his nose.

Lin Bai instinctively sucked in a breath of cold air. Thank goodness he wasn't the one who had gone inside. His little frame couldn't withstand a few falls like that.

The Ghost was vicious!

It was only because players felt no pain. Otherwise, that single fall would probably have made him quit the game.

I lost HP!

This Boss is vicious.

A quarter of my health bar vanished in one go.

Long Xi wiped away his nosebleed and once again felt like backing out. At his current level, he got thrown out the moment he went inside. What the hell kind of intel could he possibly gather?

"Young man, stop playing around. You're bleeding. Show your true strength. It's time to give them a taste of what you can do." Lin Bai's death-summoning voice rang in Long Xi's ears again.

Are you actually fucking stupid?

Or just pretending?

I think you're a tiger's ghost accomplice, working with the guy inside...

Long Xi roared silently. If I were a real person, you'd have gotten me killed several times over by now.

It was only because the Emotion System's current task was to collect Positive Emotions.

Otherwise.

Long Xi would definitely have helped Lin Bai farm a whole heap of mental energy points right then.

Stupid fucking system. Not flexible at all.

"Shopkeeper, I'm not in good shape today, and I don't have a suitable weapon. Give me two days, just two days, and I'll definitely come back and deal with him for you." Unable to last even a single move, Long Xi didn't want to waste any more time. He turned to Lin Bai as he spoke.

"I suspect the Ghost doesn't dare kill anyone." Lin Bai stared at the shop, seemingly oblivious to his words, and continued his own analysis. "If they were truly powerful, they ought to battle you for three hundred rounds, not simply toss you out. There are only two possibilities here. One, he can't beat you. Two, he doesn't dare kill anyone. Either way, we're in an invincible position."

"..." Long Xi froze, staring blankly at Lin Bai. An intelligent NPC giving a live walkthrough?

Is this guy really stupid, or is he faking it?

But he had to admit.

He had been persuaded again. He struggled to his feet and looked at the pitch-black doorway. "Should I go try again?"

"Go for it. Believe in yourself. You can do it." Lin Bai clenched his fist in an encouraging gesture. "The old immortal said every Chosen One has limitless potential. Unless you push yourself, you'll never know how outstanding you truly are."

He looked earnestly at Long Xi. "Young Chosen One, I can see it now. Perhaps because you're young, you aren't as powerful as the old immortal said..."

Long Xi's face reddened slightly!

"...Even so, when you heard I was in trouble, you stepped forward without hesitation. You didn't retreat, much less run away. Such righteousness puts the wandering heroes I've met to shame many times over. With such noble character, you will surely become a great figure standing atop the highest peak someday. Please allow me to express my deepest admiration." Lin Bai straightened up and gave Long Xi another deep bow, his sincerity overflowing.

In the dim surroundings, Lin Bai's heartfelt words carried tremendous emotional power.

At that moment.

Long Xi even forgot he was playing a game. He rubbed his eyes. Why am I suddenly so moved?

Am I really that great in an NPC's eyes?

Is this what it feels like to be needed, acknowledged, and respected?!

He had never imagined that the first time he was truly moved in his life would come from an NPC in a game.

Perhaps a game that pursued realism did have its merits.

Once the game was infused with new meaning.

The significance of playing it instantly rose to a higher plane.

[Moved feelings from Long Xi +1. Reward: Charisma 1 (granted)]

[Positive Emotions side quest unlocked: collect ten instances of positive emotions elicited by you. Reward: Charisma 3]

The system notifications that suddenly appeared startled Lin Bai. So positive emotions could be obtained by feeding people motivational chicken soup?

He knew all about that!

His parents' guidance, his teachers' instruction—he had grown up steeped in motivational chicken soup!

Players really were his lucky stars!

The extra point of Charisma took effect immediately.

In Long Xi's eyes, Lin Bai seemed a little different from before. He sighed. Fine. You can't dislike someone who praises you, even if he's an NPC!

He shook his head, shaking out the emotion the NPC had stirred in him. Looking at the pitch-black doorway, Long Xi sighed inwardly. Whatever. I'll go in another couple of times. I'll just treat it as farming NPC affinity!

All for the dungeon.

"All right, I'll go in and take another look." Long Xi shook his head, picked up the kitchen knife he had dropped, and slowly walked toward the shop. Even though he had been moved, knowing he was doing something pointless meant his attitude was no longer as enthusiastic as before.

At the entrance, Long Xi stopped and decided to try a different approach. "Ghost inside, don't attack yet. I want to talk to you."

"Sure." The male Ghost's voice was muffled.

Long Xi walked in confidently.

Whoosh!

Long Xi flew out even faster than before, accompanied by the Ghost's furious voice. "Talk, my ass! You just won't stop, will you? Get lost! Come in again, and I'll kill you."

Pfft!

He spat out a mouthful of blood.

Long Xi lay on the ground, gazing up at the moon. "No fucking martial honor at all. We agreed to talk. The NPCs are sneaky bastards, and the Boss has no shame either. This game is unplayable."

Lin Bai pretended not to hear Long Xi muttering to himself and came over. "Young hero, are you all right?"

Long Xi assessed his injuries and shook his head. "This time, I really can't do it!"

"Young hero, there are things I don't want to say, but I must. Don't give up. Give up once, and you can give up countless times. Keep going. The light of dawn lies just ahead." Lin Bai looked at Long Xi and kept pouring out motivational chicken soup. "Although I still don't know your name, I believe that when you stand at the summit someday, you will never forget the you who refused to retreat today..."

That bowl of poisonous chicken soup forced Long Xi's refusal back down his throat.

Long Xi stared blankly at Lin Bai. You really know how to fucking talk!

But once or twice is moving. Three or four times makes it way too deliberate!

Do you really take me for an idiot?

Long Xi's eyes went dull. This can't go on. I need to think of something. This game is clearly different from the others. The NPCs are too intelligent, too crafty.

He was certain.

The moment he left, this trap of an NPC would dare to turn around and find someone else. The dungeon's First Kill and its rewards would definitely have nothing to do with him.

If someone else beat him to it, all he would have to show for today was a lousy kitchen knife.

How could he leave safely while retaining ownership of the dungeon?

Long Xi looked at Lin Bai, who was waiting expectantly for him to eliminate the Ghost, and a sudden flash of inspiration crossed his mind.

Play on his feelings!

To NPCs, this world is real. I can absolutely play on his feelings!

Then it's time for an acting showdown!

"Shopkeeper, you're right. I won't give up." Long Xi clutched his chest, gave a bleak smile, and struggled to sit up. "This isn't just your business anymore. This is a war between him and me. It concerns the honor of a Chosen One. I must win. I cannot lose. I won't back down. Remember me. My name is Long Xi. Someday, that name will resound across the entire continent..."

"..." Lin Bai froze. You're a fucking player. What's with this sudden explosion of teenage grandiosity?

"Idiot! He's tricking you into getting yourself killed..." The Ghost inside couldn't listen anymore. After being harassed all evening, his patience had reached its limit.

"Shut your mouth, you evil spirit who plagues the mortal world! Stop trying to mislead me. Even if I die, I will destroy you today and cleanse the mortal world!" Long Xi abruptly raised his voice, glaring at the doorway as he roared with righteous indignation.

"Moron." The male Ghost wasn't good with words. After a pause, he squeezed the word through his teeth, exasperated by the man's hopelessness.

Long Xi ignored the Ghost in the shop and looked at Lin Bai, his gaze filled with desolation. "Shopkeeper, let me tell you the truth. Although I'm a Chosen One, I really am no match for him. Tonight, I may very well die here..."

"..." Looking at Long Xi's clumsy acting, Lin Bai's mouth twitched. "How about we stop fighting?"

"No. You were right. Retreat once, and you'll retreat countless times. Don't try to persuade me. Even if I die today, I cannot retreat." Long Xi's gaze turned resolute. "In these circumstances, death is my best choice. If I can uncover some information about the Ghost before I die, this life will have been worth it."

"..." Lin Bai.

Seeing Lin Bai suddenly fall silent, a flicker of smugness passed through Long Xi's eyes.

Be moved!

Weep!

Let that affinity climb!

What could move someone more than death?

Who doesn't know how to milk their misery?

After a cough, Long Xi squeezed a smile onto his battered face. "Shopkeeper, don't be sad. Don't forget, I'm a Chosen One. Chosen Ones fear nothing."

Which eye of yours saw me being sad?

Lin Bai silently watched the player put on this painfully awkward performance, utterly speechless.

"When I die in a bit, don't be afraid, and don't report it to the authorities. Help bury my body. I have a resurrection technique. When I return, I'll help you fight him again. Shopkeeper, for the sake of how hard I'm fighting, don't look for any other Chosen Ones. You must leave the Ghost inside for me, all right?

"This concerns my honor, the dignity of a Chosen One. If someone else destroys him, he'll become a thorn in my heart forever, tormenting me for the rest of my life."

Holy shit!

For a dungeon, you're even throwing your fucking dignity away!

Lin Bai was speechless for a moment, then decided to play along. "Can you really come back to life?"

"The price is steep. I may suffer severe damage to my vitality, but if I can restore peace to the mortal world, it's worth it." Like a warrior about to march onto the battlefield, Long Xi took two steps forward, then turned back and smiled at Lin Bai. "Believe in me. I am an invincible Chosen One."

"..." Lin Bai's face darkened. I'm a fucking man. Who are you trying to scare with that sleazy smile?