Chapter 66 Cloud City
The train in the game is running fast, and the carriages are separated at the end of the track, and below is a black world. Carriage No. 7 runs without tracks, ignoring gravity and passing through the dark clouds. Suddenly, the endless black turns into a vast blue sky, and a huge expanding cloud is in front of it.
The carriage slowly stopped in front of a spectacular three-layer cloud. Through the window, one could roughly see the general appearance of the three-layer cloud.
The carriage stopped at the first layer of giant clouds. As Xiang Liangyu stepped out of the carriage, he felt as if he had returned to the real world.
The system's congratulations came from not far away, but strangely, there were not many people in this area. Occasionally, there were players passing by, but they also walked by hurriedly with their heads down, making it seem very deserted.
Xiu Lu: "Welcome to the halftime break. This is the inner world of the game, and according to Earth, this is also the player's home."
"This is a one-to-one reproduction of the real world. Both the appearance and the interior are almost the same as the Earth. But this is only the first floor, where low-level players and anonymous NPCs hang out. Most of the purpose is to reduce their discomfort."
"Here, low-level players and anonymous NPCs will repeat their behaviors on Earth, such as going to work and studying. The boring and cyclical life will make them addicted to exciting games, thus increasing the length of their game time."
Xiang Liangyu was slightly surprised, thinking that this was too realistic. There were trees along the green belt, high-rise residential areas surrounding the garden, familiar shop signs on the street, and even the players on the street looked down and indifferent.
Xiu Lu looked at Xiang Liangyu's reaction and smiled silently: "It's very real, right? There is something even more real. The houses and transportation used by players here all have to pay off the mortgages, and during their rest time they have to work to earn time to barely survive here."
Xiang Liangyu was horrified and raised his voice: "What?! This is too outrageous. I'm here and I still have mortgages and car loans?! Are the players here really not going to collapse?"
Fang Zi went to the convenience store and bought a piece of gummy candy and put it in her mouth: "So, did you see anyone here? Those players who seemed to be in a hurry on the road are all people from the upper level."
Xiang Liangyu: "Go up one level?"
Xiu Lu pointed to the rotating cloud ladder that went straight to the sky not far away and said, "The second floor of the inner world, up the cloud ladder. It is a venue exclusively for high-level/experienced players and mission/plot NPC activities. You will live on the second floor. Before that, I will help you enter your information first."
Quan Shengyan grabbed Xiang Liangyu's arm and pulled her into his arms, separating the two of them. He said calmly, "Xiu Lu, the system has sent a notification."
Xiu Lu glanced at Quan Sheng Yan after hearing this, and opened her personal interface without saying anything. Sure enough, she saw the system's collective statement in the notification bar. She glanced at Xiang Liang Yu with a thoughtful look in her eyes: "Then we can only let Quan Sheng Yan take you to enter the information. Fang Zi, let's go."
Fang Zi chewed the candy and mumbled: "Bye-bye, Hunan cuisine."
Xiang Liangyu: “???”
How did it become Hunan cuisine?
Fang Zi opened her personal interface and clicked something. A colorful motorcycle appeared in front of her, which was out of place in this world. She put on a helmet of the same color and rode with Xiu Lu at lightning speed. After sending a circle of exhaust gas to the two of them, she drove away with a roar.
Quan Shengyan retracted his gaze and led the way consciously: "Let's go, it takes time to input the information."
Xiang Liangyu looked at the ladder that went straight into the sky and said with emotion: "How magical! This is the first time I have seen it in my entire life."
"The second floor will be even more amazing." Quan Shengyan slowed down his pace and accompanied her to watch slowly. Suddenly he asked, "How long have you lived?"
Xiang Liangyu didn't think about it and blurted out: "Four...why should I tell you."
Xiang Liangyu immediately shut up after noticing something was wrong. Quan Shengyan stood beside her, looking at her slightly relieved expression, with a warmth in his eyes that he himself had not noticed.
It is rare to see her in such a relaxed state in the game. Perhaps it is a kind of luck that there is a familiar corner of her in this fake world.
Arriving in front of a building, Xiang Liangyu looked at the tower that stretched as far as the eye could see , and his mind went blank for a moment. He saw the ladder surrounding the outer perimeter of the high-rise building, forming a spiral shape, and rising straight into the sky with the high-rise building.
Quan Shengyan entered his fingerprint at the door.
[The Life Tower welcomes the arrival of the plot NPC Quan Shengyan, and wishes you everlasting victory. ]
The glass door opened automatically, and Xiang Liangyu followed Quan Shengyan into the building.
Just one door away, Xiang Liangyu felt like she was in another place, because there were so many people inside! She even wondered if all the players outside were crammed into this building.
The building appears square from the outside, but is round and hollow on the inside. There are countless screens on the walls, with incomprehensible data and images on the screens.
Countless cables and mechanical objects were entangled in the hollow of the building, and they were mixed together, and from time to time, dazzling electric light burst out due to failure. Every time this happened, the NPC who was hurriedly looking down in the hall would curse loudly, then resignedly put on protective clothing and take the elevator up to repair it.
Everyone here has a blank expression on their face, working like robots. They wear gray-green vests with the game logo on the back, a little green man with his limbs spread out in a red circle with a striking "X" in the circle.
Quan Shengyan pinched Xiang Liangyu's earlobe and motioned her to follow.
I took the elevator to the 100th floor. The moment the elevator door opened, the noisy sound instantly subsided.
Quan Shengyan was the first to walk out of the elevator and said, "Codename Q."
This is a control room. A large screen replaces the walls, surrounding the huge room. Countless buttons and control devices are arranged in an orderly manner, unlike the chaos and disorder in the hall.
【Welcome Q. 】
The codes on the electronic screens on the entire wall were suddenly cancelled and replaced with the logo of a game that cannot be escaped. The computers made system sounds, but the operators around them turned a blind eye, as if they hadn't heard anything at all.
[Please go to the information door in the corner to enter information. The personal information of the quest NPC Xiang Liangyu has been checked and there is nothing unusual. ]
Quan Shengyan: "Go ahead."
Xiang Liangyu looked at the code running continuously under his feet, thinking about something in his mind. When he stood in the information door and put on his helmet, Quan Shengyan was in front of the control panel next to the door.
Operate the NPC to input the information transmitted by the system, and then press the [Recognize] button.
Xiang Liangyu felt something poking at his head, but after just a second, the sharp object was retracted, and the next second, his helmet loosened.
[Welcome to join us, NPC Xiang Liangyu, your code name is X. The information has been transmitted to the second floor, please take the ladder to the second floor world and activate your identity at the entrance. ]
[We have prepared transportation and a cozy residence for you. All consumption in the world comes from your game time. Your current consumption balance is: 600,000. ]
【Life Tower wishes you everlasting victory. 】
The slightly kind voice of the system made Xiang Liangyu's thoughts gradually clear up, and she seemed to know what the thing poking her head was.
Quan Shengyan glanced at the NPC who was operating the system and shook his head slightly, then calmly walked over to Xiang Liangyu and led her into the elevator. At the same time, two figures walked out of the elevator on the other side.
Xiang Liangyu entered the elevator without seeing their faces clearly.
[Unfamiliar face, please go to the information gate to register...]
The elevator door closed, and the two of them left the life tower and took the automatic ladder up. Xiang Liangyu asked, "Did you move the operating console just now?"
Quan Shengyan was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "To enter the second level world, you need to clear all your memories before entering the game. You should feel something like a needle poking at the top of your head."
Xiang Liangyu looked at her: "Is it just to clear the memory?"
Quan Shengyan held the handrail tightly, without giving a direct answer, and said: "In short, don't forget your name, and don't indulge in the gorgeous and cold world."
Xiang Liangyu was a little confused, but found that they had reached the top while talking. Before entering, the shining neon lights in the eternal night were already revealed, and the high-spirited system electronic music came into his ears.
[No one can stop him! Congratulations to player Chu Li for winning ten games in a row in the game world! He has successfully advanced to a senior player! ]
[Congratulations to the Salted Fish Team! In this novice competition! They won the final ranking of No.1! ! ]
Cheers and shouts rose one after another, and the crowd's enthusiasm reached its peak when a buzzing flying object flew across the sky, leaving behind the four colorful words "God of Salted Fish".
As soon as Xiang Liangyu stepped into the second world, the information was automatically activated, and then a chill rushed over her head. She did not realize that her body was undergoing slight changes.
Quan Shengyan glanced at the crowd gathered in the square and asked Xiang Liangyu: "Do you want to go over and take a look?"
There was a round platform in the center of the square, and a familiar pink-haired woman stood on it. Xiang Liangyu glanced at her and said, "No need."
"Xiang Liangyu~"
A lazy voice with a long voice came from not far away. Fang Zi stepped on the brakes, and a purple assembled car stopped in front of the two. Fang Zi rolled down the window and was stunned when she saw Xiang Liangyu, then said in surprise: "Okay, Xiang Liangyu, you even know to dye your hair on the first floor first. You also know that your black hair doesn't match here?"
Dyeing hair? Xiang Liangyu was slightly startled, and quickly moved to the rearview mirror. After seeing the person in the mirror clearly, Xiang Liangyu was completely dumbfounded.
Her hair and her face are exactly the same as the girl in the mountain behind Takishi.
Obviously her face was still the same face, and her facial features were still familiar, but under the flamboyant red hair, her originally cold and plain face was also tinged with a hint of coldness.
Xiang Liangyu looked sideways into the car and suddenly realized that their appearances had changed greatly. Fang Zi had long light purple hair tied into a high ponytail, and Xiu Lu, who was sitting on the passenger seat, had short green hair. Their clothes matched this world, and the smiles on their faces were also wanton and unfamiliar to her.
Xiang Liangyu seemed to realize something and immediately turned around. When he saw Quan Shengyan behind him with his usual black hair and black eyes, he subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
Fang Zi put her hand on the window and said, "Xiang Liangyu, get in the car. I'll take you to have some fun tonight. I'll pay for everything."
Xiang Liangyu looked at the calm Quan Shengyan in front of her. For no apparent reason, she turned around and said, "I'm a little tired. You guys go play. I'll let Quan Shengyan take me back."
Fang Zi smiled mischievously upon hearing this, and said with an expression of "I understand": "Okay, I wish you all a pleasant night, bye-bye."
The car hummed, and Fang Zi once again blasted exhaust fumes in their faces before driving away.
Xiang Liangyu clenched his fists and turned suddenly to look at Quan Shengyan.
In the deserted damp alley, far away from the noisy square, the CRT monitor secretly installed in the small shop kept flashing, and the sound of chaotic footsteps could be heard in the alley.
Xiang Liangyu grabbed Quan Shengyan by the collar and pushed him hard against the wall. Although there was a big difference in height between them, Xiang Liangyu was still full of momentum. She looked up and glared at Quan Shengyan: "Why did my hair turn into this weird color!"
Quan Shengyan held her waist with his hands, and the force on his chest was obviously restrained. He lowered his eyes and looked at Xiang Liangyu's angry eyes. Without saying a word, he sighed softly, put his hands around her waist, and hugged her tightly in his arms.
A warm head hung on his shoulder, and Xiang Liangyu was stunned. He only heard his voice ringing in his ears: "You will know, you will know everything."
Quan Shengyan raised his head, his hair was a little messy, and the neon lights shone behind him, casting a layer of warm tones around him: "Remember, your name is Xiang Liangyu, not X."
Xiang Liangyu was even more confused: "Why don't you just tell me directly? I'm not smart enough to understand."
Quan Shengyan smiled bitterly and opened his mouth to speak.
Xiang Liangyu was surprised and asked, "What? You didn't make any sound."
Quan Shengyan: "This is a secret. The world will automatically block everything related to the secret."
As if he had noticed something, his eyes gradually became serious: "Xiang Liangyu, if you want to leave this game world, then go and join the game. Ten consecutive wins, fifty consecutive wins, a hundred consecutive wins..."
He stopped halfway through his speech, as if realizing his own emotional instability. He pursed his lips and said nothing.
The flashing sign was completely cut off and went out with a "snap". Xiang Liangyu's eyes had become calm at some point.
Xiang Liangyu pointed a finger at his chest and said calmly, "Quan Shengyan, it's you who wants to leave this world."
