Chapter 43
There were still half an hour left before departure. Jiang Jitang wasn’t in a hurry to leave. He asked the three survivors, “Are you all okay?”
“Thank you, I feel alright.” The tall man was visibly moved, his joy at returning to the world of the living barely containable. “My God, I almost thought I was going to die in there. Damn it, fifth-tier games are completely different from fourth-tier.”
Jiang Jitang silently listened as the man volunteered information, and kindly healed the abrasion on the back of his hand.
“Thank you. You have no idea how damnable this game…”
It seemed the white man genuinely needed someone to confide in. With just a little encouragement from Jiang Jitang, he poured out information about the game non-stop.
While the two were talking, the red-haired young woman, who had recovered, stood with her arms crossed, observing the ‘External Aid’.
After watching for a while, the middle-aged woman dripping with jewels couldn’t help but join the conversation. It turned out she had entered the game with a team, relying, of course, on ‘monetary power’. Now, the player who brought her into the game was dead.
“I will still transfer the final payment to his account. I hope this can bring his family some comfort.” The middle-aged woman sighed. Then she looked at Jiang Jitang: “Perhaps we have a chance to cooperate?”
Jiang Jitang smiled: “Sorry.”
“Alright.” The middle-aged woman looked regretful but didn’t press further.
The two players continued complaining, sharing details about the instance. Information about this instance was almost laid bare before Jiang Jitang.
The red-haired young woman standing to the side remained silent, arms crossed.
It might have seemed like they were being careless, but even at his most excited, the man didn’t reveal any information related to reality. He also naturally inquired about Jiang Jitang’s situation.
When Jiang Jitang didn’t answer, he smoothly changed the topic without causing any discomfort.
The middle-aged woman was the same. They very much wanted Jiang Jitang’s personal information but also cautiously stopped where they should, showing politeness and an unwillingness to offend him.
“It seems I’m already a ‘celebrity’ starting to become known on the forums. They must be very curious about how I, as an External Aid, manage to assist players in the game, and they intend to intervene, replicate it, or at worst, cooperate,” Jiang Jitang thought.
If he were a player, he would also want to know how all this was done.
If they could replace him, they would be even more eager to sign up, because having it yourself is better than relying on others.
Regarding such a widespread probing effort, Jiang Jitang wasn’t too worried.
The External Aid role was currently irreplicable. With any sense, player factions wouldn’t pierce that layer of window paper before a second External Aid appeared, directly confronting him, this ‘anomaly’ who occasionally breaks the rules.
For example, what if they offended him, encountered trouble in an instance where the ‘External Aid’ could save them, but the External Aid saw it was ‘this old fool, I won’t save him’, and in a fit of anger refused? Who would compensate?
The outside world didn’t know Jiang Jitang couldn’t choose instances; his appearances were random.
Therefore, Jiang Jitang could still face small probes calmly, naturally join the conversation, and ask some caring questions.
Like in previous games, he was playing the kindergarten cartoon version, while others played the adult version. The difference between the two was like that between an attenuated/inactivated vaccine and a super variant strain.
There were nine players in the Death Apartment. Their identities were ‘security guards’, in groups of three, each group responsible for eight-hour shifts. The main task was to prevent ‘Impersonators’ from entering the apartment.
Once an Impersonator entered the apartment and a death occurred, the security guard who let the Impersonator in would directly face the upgraded non-human entity, basically resulting in the whole group being eliminated.
So the players had to constantly test and verify the residents based on the existing identity documents. But they had to grasp the degree carefully. If a tenant felt insulted, they would complain, and the security guard would be penalized. Accumulating three penalties meant elimination.
At the same time, there were also landmines buried, such as human fugitives who were also disguised – it was typical for the designers to include such confusing options.
“The three of us were randomly grouped as Security Group Three, responsible for the final eight-hour inspection shift on the first day.”
“As soon as the first day passed midnight, a tenant died. Security Group Two was chased and killed by the entering non-human entity. They were gone, and our duty hours changed from eight to twelve hours.”
“On the second day, everyone was trembling with fear, barely making it through. On the third day, something happened again. A tenant penalized us one point because the questions involved ‘unwillingly mentioned privacy’. But at least no one died.”
“On the fourth day, Group One also had a dispute, collectively penalized one point. But the key point was, right after midnight, another tenant death occurred. Group One was gone.”
Talking about the hardships, the man was almost in tears. For the next two days, the three of them endured desperately, taking shifts to ensure at least two people were on duty at all times, watching the door 24/7 without interruption.
But eight hours of rest wasn’t enough; no one could rest properly.
Even ancient eagle taming wasn’t this grueling. Not dying was thanks to good physical fitness.
On the last day, they simply couldn’t hold on anymore, which is why the External Aid came. After that was the situation Jiang Jitang participated in.
On that day, they finally didn’t have to be on tenterhooks because all the Impersonators were painted with a layer of colored paint. All in macaron colors: pink, blue, pink, pink green, from head to toe, not a single hair spared.
Never mind daytime, even at night, these painted Impersonators were as bright as lightbulbs – they were actually glow-in-the-dark!
By this point, the half hour was almost up.
Jiang Jitang looked at the countdown and asked one final question: “Why didn’t you choose to intervene when Security Group Two was attacked? If you had saved them, it would have been easier later.”
The white man was stunned, opening his mouth but not knowing what to say. The middle-aged woman was the same.
Actually, they were just acting on instinct for self-preservation; it couldn’t really be considered wrong. Only the red-haired young woman, who had been quiet before, laughed softly: “Most people who would do that are dead.” Players who are too eager to help others don’t live long.
Jiang Jitang nodded, indicating understanding.
Soon after, the white man and the middle-aged woman left the place. The red-haired young woman also prepared to leave.
“They are looking for you,” she said. “Don’t reveal any information related to reality.”
After saying that, she also logged off.
Just this one sentence, but goodwill could still be sensed.
Jiang Jitang took off his mask and also left the game.
The moment the red-haired woman logged off the game, she took off the wig on her head, washed off the heavy makeup, and removed the silicone patches stuck to the bridge of her nose, cheekbones, and chin. A delicate and pretty southern girl appeared in the mirror.
“Big Sister,” she hurriedly left the room and found the organizer handling business in the main hall. “I encountered the External Aid today.”
“What was he like?” The organizer closed her laptop.
“He really is from our C-Nation. I couldn’t tell his accent from his tone of voice. At least 1.8 meters tall, broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, fair and clean skin, and quite handsome.”
The young woman, a beauty blogger in real life, instinctively focused on appearance first.
“Didn’t you say he was wearing a mask? Could you still tell if he was handsome?” Zhuang Xiaomeng looked up and asked with a smile.
“Judging by his face shape, brows, eyes, and nose shape, he has very high facial structure definition. Definitely a handsome guy. Long neck, would suit long hair. Hair texture is slightly wavy. Natural eyebrows, probably doesn’t bother much with grooming his face in real life. Wears a sports wristband on his wrist, and his clothing style is very straight-masculine. Probably not very old, still a younger brother, quite naive.”
She patted Zhuang Xiaomeng’s arm: “He even asked us inside why we didn’t choose to cooperate. Ah, easier said than done?”
Different skin colors, different nationalities, hiding different intentions, and they were just strangers who met by chance. Moreover, Cube instances, frankly, often present the option of ‘better you die than me’. So mature players tend to be more aloof; they can’t risk their own lives for others.
“External Aid sir still doesn’t know the dangers of the world. He didn’t even disguise himself, went in with his bare face. What if someone finds him?” She felt quite worried for him.
“As long as he doesn’t wear clothes that obviously indicate his origin, doesn’t show his full face, and doesn’t reveal specific information, it’s fine. C-Nation is so big, and there are many young men in that age group who are around 1.8 meters tall.”
Zhuang Xiaomeng had another thought she didn’t voice: Unless the authorities are looking for him.
If the authorities are looking for him, comparing him against the database should make it easy to find this External Aid. But currently, there are too many and too mixed voices at the top. They need to consolidate internally first before they can free up hands to act.
By that time, private organizations like her ‘Butterfly Valley’ will have to consider ‘being recruited’. Although working independently is good and offers freedom, it’s obvious that the resources the authorities will have after integration will be more abundant and comprehensive.
She understood the difference between eating meat and drinking soup.
It’s just that there are also different voices within their organization. Regarding the pros and cons, everyone has their own thoughts and positions. She has to consider them, and even more, she has to see the future.
“Didn’t Zhao Jianming from Sun Glory say he wanted to cooperate with the authorities?”
After getting a definite answer, Zhuang Xiaomeng gently turned the teacup in her hand: “Then let’s observe them first before discussing further.”
As she spoke, she put down the teacup: “After all, the authorities haven’t settled on a unified voice yet. No need to rush.”
—
So what was Zhao Jianming doing at this time? Answer: He was directing movers to help him carry furniture.
The packing was done two hours ago, the moving company was just called, and as for the place to stay in Jin City, it was readily available.
As the young master of a real estate development family, Zhao Jianming had acquired quite a few properties during his idle, waiting-to-inherit life as a rich second generation. He had one in Jin City.
“My dad was really foresighted.”
“Bro, someone else sent a message asking what we were thinking.” An organization member ran over. Only he was free; the others were also packing their belongings.
“Thinking about what?”
“About cooperating with the authorities.”
“Huh? Aren’t they asking me about the bound healer thing? They’re not even asking the right questions.”
Zhao Jianming had just excitedly posted on the Cube World forum about preparing to move, and even left a comment in the section bragging that he was about to have a bound healer. Two hours passed, the post had countless replies, but his bragging comment received no attention.
“Bro, maybe we should just pin it. No one’s liking it.”
Zhao Jianming looked stubborn: Just won’t pin it.
“They don’t get it. What do they know?” He picked up the leader of the goose flock and sat in the convertible sports car, even putting on cool sunglasses. “Let’s go, Fluffy. We’re moving. Daddy will open up new territory for you.”
“Quack quack.”
—
By this time, Jiang Jitang had already returned home. He took a comfortable shower and changed into going-out clothes. The ingredients he had taken out earlier were put back, including the watermelon.
He decided to enjoy the convenient services this city could provide, like… eating out.
Actually, it was because he saw on a social media feed that the former head chef of a certain restaurant was receiving old friends today. On the counter were bright red beef brisket, tomatoes, carrots, and other items. He must be making tomato beef brisket soup, one of Jiang Jitang’s favorite dishes.
He felt he absolutely had to invite himself over.
Ms. Jiang liked exploring restaurants. Although limited by funds, she could only eat at places under 300 per person, he had still pretty much tried all the mid to low-tier restaurants in the city with her. After eating, Mrs. Jiang wouldn’t rush to leave. Being a social daredevil, she liked finding chefs to ‘befriend through food’, exchanging and learning from each other.
Through this process, they got to know many foodies and head chefs roaming the streets and alleys. The former head chef of ‘A Bowl of Freshness’ was also acquainted this way.
Counting it up, he was Mrs. Jiang’s half-day teacher, and also Jiang Jitang’s half-day grand-teacher. The two sides had kept in touch.
Now the restaurant had been handed over to his disciple and son-in-law to manage, but the former head chef would still come by occasionally to check on things. Sometimes he would get an itch to cook, and tomato beef brisket soup was one of his signature dishes.
Moreover, he saw other unfamiliar people in the photo. They might well be chefs of the same caliber. Would they also get an itch to show off their skills?
Relying on the friendship of his elder, he figured there should be no problem mooching a meal. But showing up empty-handed was impolite. Jiang Jitang rummaged through the kitchen, picked up a jar of salted lemons pickled for three years.
Speaking of summer special drinks, salty lemon seven up [1] and other salted lemon beverages were common choices, so he had pickled salted lemons himself.
Although this stuff could be bought on the market and wasn’t expensive, it’s the thought that counts.
Ding!
[The Young Legion Commander’s Last Wish has been settled, the Graduation Gifts order has been settled.
Total income: fifteen points, seventeen Wishing Stars, one gift.
Check details?]
The system just couldn’t stand his carefree attitude of carrying a small gift to mooch a meal, timely reminding him not to forget his main job.
“How many Wishing Stars?” Jiang Jitang suspected he misheard.
[Seventeen.]
The system even displayed them: one largest one from the Young Legion Commander’s Dying Wish task, and sixteen smaller ones from the Graduation Gifts order. They were called smaller, but each was still the size of a jujube. However, the star from the Dying Wish order was so large it made the others seem small.
The small stars orbited the large one like moons. Both the quantity and size were astonishing.
“How could there be so many, and so large?” Were the follow-up effects of these two orders so significant?
Golden Eye was even more excited than Jiang Jitang and swallowed them all in one gulp.
“Check settlement details.” Jiang Jitang put a rather useless headset around his neck, changed his shoes, and went downstairs.
Comment: The dying Young Legion Commander met the little fairy of her destiny…
This opening gave Jiang Jitang goosebumps: “Can you be normal?”
The Young Legion Commander’s dying wish was to see the ocean, but the tasker brought her a better gift: hope and the future.
After seeing the ocean, she returned to her original base, rallied her former subordinates, overthrew the higher-ups who had plotted against her, and seized military command.
In the future timeline, she will meet like-minded companions.
Their ranks will grow larger and larger, the safe areas they clear will expand wider and wider, ultimately laying a solid foundation for the birth of the first unified nation in the post-apocalyptic world, the ‘Tomorrow Republic’.
And the Young Legion Commander herself would be called the Republic’s God of War, conquering nearly two-thirds of the Republic’s territory.
Because of her influence, many people’s destinies changed.
The descendants of the two warriors from previously settled orders: one would have established a small base, the other would have become an architect. But in the current timeline, one will become a founding general, and the other will participate in designing and constructing several landmark buildings in the capital. And they are just representative examples of those whose fates were altered.
Because of this small change, the ‘rebirth’ of the task world was advanced by three hundred years. Humanity retained more of its original strength, and their civilization could continue more robustly.
Regrettably, in the third year of the Republic’s founding, the Young Legion Commander passed away due to illness, never seeing the flowers of hope bloom across the wasteland world.
At this point, the speech bubble paused.
On her deathbed, besides worrying about the newborn Republic, she also remembered the tasker. ‘Did I also become such a shining adult?’ She held onto this thought, wanting your acknowledgment until the end.
Jiang Jitang had long stopped walking. Holding the lemon jar, he looked into the distance:
“Very shining. As bright as a fixed star.”
Footnotes:
[1] Salty lemon seven up is a drink combining the soda 7Up with pickled salty lemons, popular in Hong Kong-style cafes and Vietnamese restaurants.
