Chapter 29: Communication Before Dawn
After returning to the cursed house at 1044, Han Fei didn't rush to exit the game. He simply tidied up the room.
"The beginner quests for sleeping and bathing haven't been completed yet. I'll leave those for the next login."
Han Fei had his own plan. Compared to hidden quests that needed to be triggered, the beginner quests were relatively low risk.
He had to complete a quest before he could log out. Since there were no more quests from Meng Shi, he had to save the beginner quests for future use.
Glancing at the electronic clock on the wall, it was now three fifty-eight in the morning. The sky outside the apartment building was still pitch black. The sun in this world seemed like it would never rise.
"It's time to leave. Being constantly on edge like this, I'll probably go crazy sooner or later." After experiencing the deepest fear, Han Fei realized that his simple and peaceful daily life was beautiful. This cursed game of a perfect life had given him eyes to discover beauty and love.
Opening the attribute panel, just as Han Fei was about to click the quit button in the corner, he suddenly noticed that among the previously greyed-out chatroom list, there was one chatroom that was illuminated.
In that vast sea of lifeless chatrooms, chatroom number 444 stood out with its brightness, seeming somewhat out of place.
"Can I enter?" Han Fei turned his head and glanced at the electronic clock on the wall. It was three fifty-nine in the morning. During the transition from night to dawn, something had changed in one of the 999 chatrooms.
He reached out and clicked on chatroom number 444, and a cold voice from the system echoed in his mind.
"Do you want to enter chatroom 444?"
"Yes."
"Please choose whether to speak anonymously."
"Anonymously," Han Fei chose without hesitation. Joking aside, in a place full of vengeful spirits and psychos, revealing his ID would be too risky.
Entering the chatroom anonymously, Han Fei waited a few seconds, but no one spoke in the chatroom.
He hesitated for a moment and sent the first message: "Is anyone here?"
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Is someone still online at four in the morning? Dude, are you filled with determination?
Filled with determination? Han Fei imagined the scene for a moment, finding it terrifying. He didn't understand the deeper meaning behind the other person's words.
To extract more information without exposing himself, Han Fei proceeded with caution.
The fact that the other person dared to reveal their ID indicated that they had some confidence. They were likely an experienced player.
Another possibility was that the person had obtained an item to modify their ID and was using a false name.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Hey, are you still here? You're so dedicated. What level are you now?
Trying to gauge his level through casual conversation? Han Fei frowned, then sent another message.
Anonymous User: What about you?
Without revealing any information, he threw the question back at the other person. Regardless of whether they would lie, if they provided an exact number, Han Fei would gain some understanding of the outside world.
This was the art of conversation, the psychological warfare between experienced players!
Han Fei focused his full attention, staring closely at the chatroom. This was the first time he had encountered another player in the game.
The fact that the other person could survive in this cursed game and send messages with such a relaxed tone meant they must have experienced many things.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): I participated in the testing project as a medical consultant. I'm only level 14 because I must work at the hospital during the day. I can only play the game at night, so my level isn't that high compared to you hardcore players.
Reading Huang Ying's message, Han Fei fell into contemplation once again. He had only asked about the level, but the other person revealed their profession, daily schedule, and gaming time.
"Is he trying to confuse me with all this information? He should know what I mean by asking about the level. I wanted to assess the level of threat he poses to me, but he cleverly used a lot of information to obscure it."
Anonymous User: Level 14? You're levelling up fast. How do you usually level up?
Han Fei didn't think the other person would reveal their levelling method, but to his surprise, shortly after he sent the message, Huang Ying replied.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Because I'm a doctor in real life, I went to the hospital directly. I started as an intern, completing daily learning tasks and helping doctors with miscellaneous work. I patrolled the wards at night and even pursued the nurses in the department. Unconsciously, I reached level 14. This game is indeed addictive. Without the troubles of real life, it gives you a sense of control over your life and creates a feeling of future happiness.
Reading Huang Ying's message, Han Fei's frown deepened. "Are this what a master's broad-mindedness looks like? Hospitals are more dangerous than ordinary residential areas. How could he dare to patrol the wards at night and do miscellaneous work for the doctors?"
Images of organ trafficking, operating rooms, and horrifying bloody scenes flashed through Han Fei's mind. The white coats of all the doctors were stained red, while Huang Ying pushed a cart filled with fresh organs through the dark hospital corridors at night.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): This game has no fixed gameplay. I'm a casual player. Buddy, what kind of life have you chosen. Staring at the messages in the chatroom, Han Fei didn't know how to respond. He wasn't even sure what strange life he had chosen. Until now, he hadn't even stepped out of the apartment building.
Han Fei was completely unfamiliar with the world outside the apartment, but he didn't want to reveal his vulnerability.
If the other person knew of his existence and realized how weak he was, they might see him as prey. After all, this was a realm of vengeful spirits and survival of the fittest.
Anonymous User: I'm a casual player too. Occasionally, I go to a neighbour’s house for a meal, and usually, I watch TV with a group of friends in the room. When I'm free, I play hide and seek with the kids in the neighbourhood.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Wow! I envy you. The feeling of having a group of friends to play games with is truly great!
Anonymous User: Yes, that feeling is really nice!
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Let's be friends in the game. Our game times are both at night, and our gaming philosophy aligns. Many testers are playing this game now, all in pursuit of exploring the deep gameplay. They have forgotten the original intention of the game.
Anonymous User: Deep gameplay?
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): I've only heard about it. It's rumoured that this game is designed around human nature. They compare human nature to an iceberg floating on the sea. The part basking in sunlight is only a small fraction, while most of the iceberg, representing human nature, is submerged in a deep, cold ocean.
"The beginner quests for sleeping and bathing haven't been completed yet. I'll leave those for the next login."
Han Fei had his own plan. Compared to hidden quests that needed to be triggered, the beginner quests were relatively low risk.
He had to complete a quest before he could log out. Since there were no more quests from Meng Shi, he had to save the beginner quests for future use.
Glancing at the electronic clock on the wall, it was now three fifty-eight in the morning. The sky outside the apartment building was still pitch black. The sun in this world seemed like it would never rise.
"It's time to leave. Being constantly on edge like this, I'll probably go crazy sooner or later." After experiencing the deepest fear, Han Fei realized that his simple and peaceful daily life was beautiful. This cursed game of a perfect life had given him eyes to discover beauty and love.
Opening the attribute panel, just as Han Fei was about to click the quit button in the corner, he suddenly noticed that among the previously greyed-out chatroom list, there was one chatroom that was illuminated.
In that vast sea of lifeless chatrooms, chatroom number 444 stood out with its brightness, seeming somewhat out of place.
"Can I enter?" Han Fei turned his head and glanced at the electronic clock on the wall. It was three fifty-nine in the morning. During the transition from night to dawn, something had changed in one of the 999 chatrooms.
He reached out and clicked on chatroom number 444, and a cold voice from the system echoed in his mind.
"Do you want to enter chatroom 444?"
"Yes."
"Please choose whether to speak anonymously."
"Anonymously," Han Fei chose without hesitation. Joking aside, in a place full of vengeful spirits and psychos, revealing his ID would be too risky.
Entering the chatroom anonymously, Han Fei waited a few seconds, but no one spoke in the chatroom.
He hesitated for a moment and sent the first message: "Is anyone here?"
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Is someone still online at four in the morning? Dude, are you filled with determination?
Filled with determination? Han Fei imagined the scene for a moment, finding it terrifying. He didn't understand the deeper meaning behind the other person's words.
To extract more information without exposing himself, Han Fei proceeded with caution.
The fact that the other person dared to reveal their ID indicated that they had some confidence. They were likely an experienced player.
Another possibility was that the person had obtained an item to modify their ID and was using a false name.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Hey, are you still here? You're so dedicated. What level are you now?
Trying to gauge his level through casual conversation? Han Fei frowned, then sent another message.
Anonymous User: What about you?
Without revealing any information, he threw the question back at the other person. Regardless of whether they would lie, if they provided an exact number, Han Fei would gain some understanding of the outside world.
This was the art of conversation, the psychological warfare between experienced players!
Han Fei focused his full attention, staring closely at the chatroom. This was the first time he had encountered another player in the game.
The fact that the other person could survive in this cursed game and send messages with such a relaxed tone meant they must have experienced many things.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): I participated in the testing project as a medical consultant. I'm only level 14 because I must work at the hospital during the day. I can only play the game at night, so my level isn't that high compared to you hardcore players.
Reading Huang Ying's message, Han Fei fell into contemplation once again. He had only asked about the level, but the other person revealed their profession, daily schedule, and gaming time.
"Is he trying to confuse me with all this information? He should know what I mean by asking about the level. I wanted to assess the level of threat he poses to me, but he cleverly used a lot of information to obscure it."
Anonymous User: Level 14? You're levelling up fast. How do you usually level up?
Han Fei didn't think the other person would reveal their levelling method, but to his surprise, shortly after he sent the message, Huang Ying replied.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Because I'm a doctor in real life, I went to the hospital directly. I started as an intern, completing daily learning tasks and helping doctors with miscellaneous work. I patrolled the wards at night and even pursued the nurses in the department. Unconsciously, I reached level 14. This game is indeed addictive. Without the troubles of real life, it gives you a sense of control over your life and creates a feeling of future happiness.
Reading Huang Ying's message, Han Fei's frown deepened. "Are this what a master's broad-mindedness looks like? Hospitals are more dangerous than ordinary residential areas. How could he dare to patrol the wards at night and do miscellaneous work for the doctors?"
Images of organ trafficking, operating rooms, and horrifying bloody scenes flashed through Han Fei's mind. The white coats of all the doctors were stained red, while Huang Ying pushed a cart filled with fresh organs through the dark hospital corridors at night.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): This game has no fixed gameplay. I'm a casual player. Buddy, what kind of life have you chosen. Staring at the messages in the chatroom, Han Fei didn't know how to respond. He wasn't even sure what strange life he had chosen. Until now, he hadn't even stepped out of the apartment building.
Han Fei was completely unfamiliar with the world outside the apartment, but he didn't want to reveal his vulnerability.
If the other person knew of his existence and realized how weak he was, they might see him as prey. After all, this was a realm of vengeful spirits and survival of the fittest.
Anonymous User: I'm a casual player too. Occasionally, I go to a neighbour’s house for a meal, and usually, I watch TV with a group of friends in the room. When I'm free, I play hide and seek with the kids in the neighbourhood.
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Wow! I envy you. The feeling of having a group of friends to play games with is truly great!
Anonymous User: Yes, that feeling is really nice!
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): Let's be friends in the game. Our game times are both at night, and our gaming philosophy aligns. Many testers are playing this game now, all in pursuit of exploring the deep gameplay. They have forgotten the original intention of the game.
Anonymous User: Deep gameplay?
Huang Ying (Test Account ID 0999): I've only heard about it. It's rumoured that this game is designed around human nature. They compare human nature to an iceberg floating on the sea. The part basking in sunlight is only a small fraction, while most of the iceberg, representing human nature, is submerged in a deep, cold ocean.
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