This piece of music is really beautiful.

 

If Xing Ye guessed correctly, this should be Xiao Hei's mental world.

He couldn’t explain the specifics, as it involved the mirror.

Xing Ye had always been puzzled as to why he couldn’t find the mirror that had been with him since the first world.

Until he saw everything that happened in the counselling room, a thought suddenly occurred to him: this was not the real world, and physical mirrors didn't exist here.

Cao Qian had a swan crystal on her, meaning they could bring physical objects in, so initially, the mirror followed Xing Ye into the mental world. But the mirror had the power to transfer bodies at will. To determine the situation of this world and assist Xing Ye in investigating, it transferred out immediately. By doing so, it accidentally exited the mental world.

There was probably a barrier between the mental world and the outside. The mirror entered with the help of the system’s power, but once it was out, it couldn’t re-enter on its own power.

Hiding the influence of the mirror, Xing Ye roughly explained his guess to the three: "As long as our thoughts slightly empathize with Xiao Hei, we fall into the collective imagination, which means this world is essentially Xiao Hei's mental world."

“So, we’re in the mind of someone with a mental illness?” Wei Miao asked. “Isn’t that a bit exaggerated?”

“The world’s owner suffers from severe depression caused by social anxiety and anxiety disorders, not conventional mental illness,” Xing Ye patiently explained. “And since the game of Challenging Fate exists, what’s to say this world can’t exist?”

His words convinced Wei Miao. After taking notes, Cao Qian kicked the wall hard, shattering it.

The three of them: "..."

Wei Miao, who was outside the team, said, “Are you trying to intimidate me?”

Cao Qian indifferently replied, “No, I’m feeling bad and needed to vent.”

She probably had mild social anxiety herself, which is quite common in modern life. People gradually dislike gatherings, prefer texting over calling, and sometimes feel fear when seeing unknown numbers. Compared to the real world, they prefer interactions in the virtual world, where they can talk freely without showing their face, but find it difficult to engage with strangers in reality.

This isn’t considered a disease, just a state, and is a common trait of this era, often referred to as being a “homebody.” But Cao Qian’s personality overlapped with Xiao Hei's condition, so she was the most affected in the mental world. If Xing Ye hadn’t found her in time, she might be dead now.

“Since we know what this place is, boss, have you figured out how to get out? We just need to leave to pass, right?” Guan Ling asked, worriedly looking at Cao Qian, feeling increasingly depressed.

Xing Ye shook his head. If only it were that simple.

Let's set aside the true ending for a moment. When simply guessing the whereabouts of the mirror, it became clear that this was not the entirety of the world.

If there was no real mirror in this world, then Lu Mingze's consciousness might not be able to get out. There must be a real world outside; this was just a simple internal mental world.

Guan Ling's mouth gaped open as he asked, "Are you saying this is like a Russian nesting doll, one world inside another? Wouldn't the outside world be safer?"

"No," Xing Ye shook his head, "it would probably be even more dangerous."

Wei Miao was stunned and puzzled. "That's not right. The worlds I've been through before, although I've failed many times, were never this difficult."

In this world, one's imagination could kill, the world's imagination could kill, and there was something unknown outside the world consciousness.

Guan Ling also expressed his doubts, "I've noticed this for a while. The puppet city in the school world was still normal since we worked hard to get the true ending. But the worlds after that have become increasingly perverse. It's like we've been wiped out right after entering the world. It seems like the difficulty of the worlds has qualitatively increased ever since I teamed up with the boss…"

Normally, Guan Ling would only think such thoughts and not say them out loud, but now he was so annoyed that the more unpleasant side of his personality was showing. Everyone has an ugly side, disliking others and wanting to shift responsibility. In a rational state, humans can overcome the shadows in their personality, but now, Guan Ling was finding it increasingly hard to bear.

"I think it's not because of teaming up with me, but rather the probability of the true ending," Xing Ye reassured Guan Ling. "We achieve the true ending in almost every world. If I were the game, I would also increase the difficulty for us."

Xing Ye understood everyone's thoughts and didn't want to get angry, but maintaining rationality in a depressed state was incredibly hard, like trying to look left and right at the same time—it was impossible.

At most, fast ones can minimize the time gap between the two.

Suppressing his urge to scold Guan Ling and Cao Qian, Xing Ye said, "We still need to find other players and move down layer by layer. Each floor is different, and we might find a way out. Also, Guan Ling, Cao Qian, you need to calm down. We need you to look for special QR codes.”

"This world is unique, and the QR codes here must be very powerful. Remember the 'Spike of Words' Randy used in Puppet City? That's a mental-type QR code that can deal a significant blow to the opponent with just words. Its effect is not to be underestimated. For future battles, we can't miss the QR codes in this world.

"Let's search the counselling room; we might find something."

His consistent calmness made Guan Ling and Cao Qian feel better, and they ran into the office to search while Xing Ye remained still.

"Two following Fate players?" Wei Miao squinted at Xing Ye, clearly misunderstanding Cao Qian as a following Fate player as well. "You're playing a good game, having following Fate players under a Fate defying player, using them as slaves to leech points. It's the best way to earn points."

With bloodshot eyes, he pointed at himself and said, "Do you see me as an ATM too? Kill me, and you get 1,000 points. Aren't you all the same? What's the difference between you and Di Kuang!"

Di Kuang, such a familiar name.

Xing Ye sneered, "The difference is significant. If you think so little of me, I feel insulted. In the last world, I earned 39,000 points. Your 1,000 points don't even catch my eye."

Normally, Xing Ye was not one to brag. He was low-key and responsible for every word he said, never using meaningless words to provoke others. But now, even Xing Ye was slightly losing control.

"Do you look down on me?" Wei Miao, enraged by Xing Ye's words, grabbed him by the collar and said, "I was in the provincial swimming team and have trained countless students. Some of them became world champions after joining the national team, and they were my students! You bunch of useless people, now that I'm old, you don't want me anymore, and you give me the second team. Do you look down on me or what?"

His face twisted into a grimace as he yelled at Xing Ye like a madman.

Xing Ye watched him for a moment, then suddenly reached out and started drawing in the air.

"What are you doing? Are you going to fight? I'm up for it!" Wei Miao also pulled out his phone to use the QR code.

Cao Qian had already noticed the commotion and, without a word, rushed over and twisted Wei Miao's arm. Normally, Cao Qian would only subdue enemies, but she wouldn't be so harsh with humans.

Seeing Cao Qian's actions, Guan Ling suddenly recalled that in the Campus World, Cao Qian had similarly sent him down to feed the brain demon with a decisive kick.

Wei Miao roared, "Do you think I only have one basic skill? Besides being a good swimmer, I also have the ability to teach and educate. I can control you, control—"

Guan Ling, in a daze, pulled out his sniper rifle and aimed it at Cao Qian, who was subduing Wei Miao. He thought to himself, ‘I need to kill Cao Qian, or else I'll be the next one she treats like this.’

In the midst of the extreme chaos, Xing Ye made the final stroke, and the sound of the "Requiem" echoed through the corridor.

"Requiem" was a rare QR code that only affected vengeful spirits and was ineffective against humans. However, its melody was very pleasant to listen to, and hearing it always had a purifying effect on the soul.

Xing Ye continued drawing, creating a small grand piano that was only half the size of a regular piano. Though small, it was still quite comprehensive and playable, just not as melodious as a regular piano.

Standing in front of the small piano, Xing Ye gently played a piece.

He did not hide his emotions but released all his feelings into the music. As they heard his music, everyone felt Xing Ye's worry, anxiety, restraint, sadness, and... madness.

He was more distressed than anyone else present. He wished he could kill everyone in front of him, whether they were allies or enemies, players or NPCs. He wanted to find the little mirror and keep it hidden in his embrace, away from everyone else.

He wanted to tear apart everything blocking his view, forget the game, the storyline, and the greater good. Anyone who obstructed his revenge or prevented him from finding the mirror would face his anger—he would slay gods and Buddhas alike.

But he couldn’t do that.

If being wilful could solve problems, then why think at all? If madness could achieve everything, what need was there for morals and laws? If everyone abandoned their responsibilities and only focused on their own sadness, how would society ever progress?

Rationality, rules, public opinion, interpersonal relationships... Living in the world, one was bound by various constraints; these constraints were both limitations and protections. Some lines should never be crossed.

"Guan Ling, tend to Wei Miao's injuries," Xing Ye said to Guan Ling as the sound of the "Requiem" played.

"Cao Qian, let him go and apologize to Wei Miao with me," Xing Ye said to Cao Qian.

Then, he turned to Wei Miao and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Wei. I could give countless reasons to explain my impulsive words earlier, but wrong is wrong. It was my arrogance, not respecting you as a partner. During our actions, I didn't seek your opinion and acted autocratically because we had more people. That was my mistake."

After Guan Ling silently treated Wei Miao's injuries, Cao Qian extended her arm and said, "I was too impulsive. You can break my arm too. If it hurts, I lose."

She didn't directly apologize, but her remorse was evident.

Guan Ling put away his sure-shot gun, knelt in front of Cao Qian, and slapped himself hard across the face, cursing, "What the hell was I thinking, even considering hurting my own teammate!"

His self-slapping was so practiced, and his kneeling was so fluid, it was clear he'd knelt countless times before his wife due to gambling.

After Wei Miao's arm was healed, the redness in his eyes gradually faded. He sighed and said, "Why are you all apologizing? You saved me and brought me through this. I would've been dead without you. And here I am, acting all high and mighty."

A near-fatal internal conflict was thus defused.

"This song is really beautiful," Wei Miao said. "It makes you want to cry but also feel comforted. What's it called?"

"'Requiem,'" Xing Ye replied. "A piece to soothe the dead and comfort the living."

"No wonder it made me think of my father, who passed away many years ago," Wei Miao murmured.

Both the "piano" and "Requiem" were QR codes Xing Ye obtained in the first chaotic world. Cao Qian and Guan Ling were with him then too. This piece introduced them to each other and now also calmed them.

"Requiem" naturally made people recall deceased loved ones but also had a comforting effect. It was both sorrowful and soothing, which was exactly the mindset they needed right now.

"As expected, you're truly a master, thinking of 'Requiem' in such a situation," a calmer Guan Ling said. "I almost thought we were done for. How could I say such things?"

That nonsense about the worlds becoming harder because they teamed up with Xing Ye—utterly disgraceful.

"I truly didn't mean it!" Guan Ling swore to Xing Ye with three raised fingers.

"It doesn't matter if you did," Xing Ye said. "Jealousy, resentment, impulsiveness—everyone has these feelings. It's okay to have some bad thoughts occasionally. We must learn to accept ourselves, accept our flaws, and confront our imperfections. Face our shortcomings and work to improve them positively. Suppressing them only leads to greater issues."

Through this emotional outburst, Xing Ye realized that he was, at heart, quite arrogant.

His high intelligence and social status had always given him a sense of superiority.

So, I have many flaws too, Xing Ye thought to himself. But that's okay, it means I can become even better.

He also realized that he missed Lu Mingze more than he had imagined and found it harder to be without him.

Guan Ling found out two QR codes, and Cao Qian found one as well. They handed them to Xing Ye, who memorized them quietly.

With his previous mindset, he probably wouldn't have been able to remember these QR codes.

After the fifteen-minute duration of "Requiem" passed, Cao Qian, reflecting on the peaceful melody, said, "I've heard this song so many times during battles and never noticed how beautiful it is. It's a gift from Lin Jingxue. We were saved by an NPC, and it wasn't even from this world."

"Let's go," said Xing Ye, who had memorized the QR codes. "Let's find the other players and all get out of this wretched place together."

 

Translator : DarNan