Dying

In a very luxurious hotel restaurant, Xiao Yu and Esmeralda sat facing each other, enjoying a delicious lobster feast while reminiscing about their past experiences fighting together in the game.

This is reality. Although we can eat together in a virtual restaurant, Xiao Yu always felt that talking in the virtual world was not very safe and lacked sincerity, so he made a special appointment to eat together.

Anyway, he's considered a rich man now. Spending a thousand or so yuan on a meal used to seem outrageous to him, but now it's just a normal thing for him.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the two had reminisced about their memories and the atmosphere had become more familiar.

Xiao Yu then prepared to get down to business.

"Speaking of which, I do have something I'd like to ask for your help with this time. I need to learn a skill at the Temple of the Goddess of Magic — Astral Plane Communication. Do you know this skill?"

Esmeralda was taken aback. "Are you still playing games? Wait a minute, that Undead army from earlier today wasn't led by you, was it?"

Xiao Yu sighed, "This matter is very complicated, and I'm afraid I can't tell you, but just know that it's very important."

Upon seeing this, Esmeralda didn't hesitate, "How do you want me to help you?"

"I need to use Astral Plane Descent to find someone in the Astral Plane."

"Yes, I can help you. I don't know this spell, but I can learn it. I have some reputation in the Church of the Goddess of Magic, and I can exchange some contribution points for it."

Xiao Yu thought to himself, "Holy crap? It's this simple. I should have known better than to send out such a large army." But this was too easy; he had a feeling it wasn't quite real.

Xiao Yu felt that something was off, but at that moment, Esmeralda suddenly spoke up, "Speaking of which, do you have a girlfriend now?"

Xiao Yu's heart skipped a beat. Why did she ask that? Could it be that she's interested in me?

By the candlelight, Xiao Yu looked at Esmeralda and saw her smiling at him. Her smooth cheeks flushed in the candlelight, and her eyes sparkled. She looked exceptionally charming and alluring. Xiao Yu couldn't help but feel a surge of desire. He thought to himself, "When did Esmeralda become so captivating? I never noticed before."

"Without a girlfriend, how can I have time to date other people?"

"I haven't found a boyfriend either. I always feel it's too much trouble, and it doesn't seem necessary," Esmeralda said with a sigh.

As she spoke, she held Xiao Yu's hand, seemingly to comfort him, or perhaps to give him some kind of hint.

Xiao Yu was taken aback, his heart leaping into his throat. Although he had met countless people in the virtual world, he was a complete novice in reality.

Esmeralda suddenly leaned closer to his face. "Would you like to come to my house for a cup of coffee?"

Even a complete idiot like Xiao Yu could figure out the meaning behind drinking coffee. He thought to himself, "Wow, I actually encountered such a good thing while having a meal. This Esmeralda acting a bit strange." But then he comforted himself, "We're all adults, there's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Of course, it would be my honor."

One hour later.

As the afterglow of passion gradually subsided, Xiao Yu looked at the girl sleeping soundly beside him, somewhat surprised. It seemed that passion in real life was no different.

Although he was experienced and a seasoned veteran in the virtual world, he was still a virgin in real life. He had originally thought his first time would be short, but he was surprised by his prowess, lasting a full half hour before it ended. Could it be that sex in the virtual world could enhance real-world experience?

As he pondered this, he got out of bed. Through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel room, he could see the city's dim twilight scenery. Suddenly, with a thud, something hit the glass of the window.

Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a crow. The crow seemed a little disoriented after the collision and landed on the balcony outside the window, its green eyes fixed intently on Xiao Yu.

"Caw!" the crow cawed, as if trying to express something.

"Are you trying to talk to me?" Xiao Yu asked, suddenly realizing he was being a bit foolish—why was he talking to a crow?

"Caw!" the crow cawed again and circled twice. Then, it stretched out a claw and beckoned to Xiao Yu in a very human-like manner.

Xiao Yu was startled. "You want me to go with you?"

Caw! The crow nodded, flapped its wings, and flew away. Xiao Yu pressed himself against the window and looked in the direction the crow flew off. He saw that the crow had landed on a street lamp in front of the hotel, its green eyes still staring at him, as if waiting for him.

"Damn it, I must be crazy!" Xiao Yu muttered to himself as he put on his clothes.

With a lingering look at the still-sleeping Esmeralda, Xiao Yu walked out of the room, gently closed the door, and then rushed out of the hotel. The crow seemed to have been waiting there all along. Seeing him come out, it circled above his head once before flying away into the distance.

Xiao Yu hurriedly followed. By this time, the sun had completely set, darkness had descended upon the city, and the streetlights had all come on one by one.

Following the guidance of the streetlights and crows, Xiao Yu ran all the way, crossing several roads and passing through a dark alley. Xiao Yu felt more energetic than ever before and didn't feel tired at all. He ran for a full half hour when the crows suddenly stopped. Xiao Yu stopped abruptly and found himself in front of a dark tunnel.

Xiao Yu looked around, but there was no one there; it was an unusually desolate place.

The crow spun around and flew into the tunnel.

Xiao Yu suddenly stopped. The pitch-black tunnel in front of him gave him a bad feeling, but he gritted his teeth, took out his phone, turned on the flashlight mode, and followed them in.

The tunnel was dark, and the light from his phone could only illuminate a meter or two around him. Xiao Yu walked along, his steps unsteady. A strange, foul odor filled the air, making him feel suffocated. He initially thought it was just because the surroundings were too oppressive, but after walking several dozen meters, the suffocating feeling became increasingly severe.

He felt a tightness in his chest, and it became difficult to breathe.

Suddenly, a hissing sound came from ahead. Then, using the light from his phone, he saw a pipe that was hissing out green gas.

Damn it, this gas is poisonous! Xiao Yu turned around and tried to back out, but it was too late. His legs gave way and he fell to the ground with a thud. He felt his limbs becoming stiff and weak, and all his strength was dissipating. The feeling of suffocation gradually made his vision go black, and his consciousness became blurred, as if he would disappear at any moment.

"It's over. Am I going to die here?" Xiao Yu thought in despair.