Chapter 99 I'll Do Anything, I'm Not a Puppet

Inside the tent, the lights were on.

As soon as Liang Jun entered, she felt the scorching heat from the burning flames, and sweat poured down her arms.

Xin Sang acted before them and was already sitting on her ever-present little stool.

A small pile of props that had just been brought in was stacked at her feet. Seeing the two of them approach, Xin Sang smiled and nodded, "It's fine to put them here."

As Liang Jun bent down and released the props from her arms, she caught a glimpse of another rather conspicuous object.

It was a machine that looked like a meat grinder—she had seen it before at Old Ren's pork shop.

The machine wasn't very tall, only reaching about halfway up Xin Sang's calf.

Its upper half has a funnel-shaped opening, as if something can be put into it; the main body of the device is a standard rounded cube, coated with a thin layer of silver shimmer, which is extremely conspicuous under the firelight; the lower half is still a funnel-shaped design, supported by the bottom bracket to provide some space for objects to leave the machine.

If I remember correctly, just now outside the tent, this machine was right next to Xin Sang's feet, just like it is now.

At the time, Liang Jun didn't notice and thought it was just one of the many props mixed in.

But when Xin Sang was moving, the first thing she instinctively grabbed was this relatively large machine—which shows how important it was to her.

Once Liang Jun realized this, she felt that it was not just an ordinary prop.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jiang Zhiling pushing Qi Zhixia toward them, and Liang Jun decided to take the initiative.

"Sister Xin, what is this?" Her gaze shifted to the machine covered in glittering silver, and as she asked the question, she reached out her hand over it.

It just has a metallic texture, nothing else unusual.

Xin Sang merely glanced down at Liang Jun's actions but did not stop her.

"This is an 'Item Reset Machine,' an item that comes with the system shop—"

Xin Sang casually picked up a golden padlock from the pile of props—Liang Jun recognized it as a multi-functional gold padlock—and tossed it into the funnel at the top of the machine.

A few seconds later, nothing happened at the bottom of the funnel, which should have produced something. Instead, it made a barely audible rustling sound, and then a faint, tiny halo of light exploded near the opening of the funnel. If Liang Jun hadn't been staring at it intently, she wouldn't have noticed this minor detail at all.

"This is the cheapest item in the store, but it's also the most useful."

it works?

What does this mean?

Before Liang Jun could ask her, Jiang Zhiling, who had already arrived, leaned over and stared at the machine with the same curiosity.

Jiang Zhiling waited and waited, but the scene she had imagined did not appear, so she asked, "Why is nothing coming out? Shouldn't it produce something?"

"That's right, but what it has transformed into has already appeared."

Xin Sang's eyes gleamed with smugness. She raised her hand and casually tapped her temple. "The points it generates have already been incorporated into my system."

"ah?"

Gu Keke glanced at Xin Sang in surprise, then stared intently at the mysterious machine, her voice rising slightly as she asked, "What does this mean? Items can actually be directly converted into points?"

"It shouldn't be."

Qi Zhixia, sitting in her wheelchair, finally spoke. Her voice was slightly nasal, and she mumbled at the end of her sentence, "Since it's called a 'reset machine,' does that mean it directly resets the items back to their original state?"

Xin Sang nodded in satisfaction, but then shook his head. "Yes, but not entirely."

While the group was discussing, Liang Jun kept staring at the item reset machine, as if she wanted to stare a hole through it.

After obtaining Xin Sang's permission, Liang Jun walked to the counter and took out a brand new bamboo bowl.

“Sister Jun, you…”

Gu Keke stammered, watching as Liang Jun threw the bowl into the funnel opening as well.

Before long, a sound similar to wood being pieced together could be heard coming from inside the machine.

Unlike when Xin Sang threw the gold lock into the funnel, this time there were actually items appearing at the bottom funnel.

A section of pale green bamboo, cut into a neat square, fell out. After hitting the ground with two muffled thuds, the bamboo section lay peacefully flat on the ground.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Liang Jun picked it up.

Inside the bamboo joint is a layer of creamy yellow bamboo core—this is an inherent part of bamboo, but it is polished away and no longer exists when making bamboo tube bowls.

Liang Jun placed the bamboo section on the side of the counter, and a fresh, unique fragrance of bamboo wafted out.

“The raw material for the bamboo bowl is a whole bamboo stalk, and this section of bamboo is just one of the stages in the production process that brings it closest to the finished product.” Liang Jun sat back down on the stool. “This prop can reset an object to its previous form, right?”

Xin Sang could no longer hide the joy in her eyes, "Baby, you're so smart!"

She longed to rush forward and give Liang Jun a big hug. But considering the distance between them, Xin Sang temporarily suppressed the thought.

This is an item that already exists in the system shop, so it's not exactly a secret.

Seeing Gu Keke's eager expression, Xin Sang generously shared the prop instructions with them as well.

[Unlock Item: Item Reset Machine.]

[Place any non-naturally existing item into this item to reset it to its previous state. Note: Wait until the item has finished resetting before placing other items in; otherwise, this item may become unusable.]

After receiving the item description refreshed by the system, Liang Xuan waited quietly for a few more seconds, but still did not hear the content that should have appeared next.

She was a little puzzled. "Could this prop be usable indefinitely?"

Xin Sang snapped her fingers at her, "That's right, as long as you follow the rules and don't break it, you can keep using it."

Even the usually calm Qi Zhixia was hard to believe, and even asked about the price of the item reset machine again.

After confirming that the item indeed only required 200,000 points, Qi Zhixia's eyes glazed over for once.

"This price-performance ratio is..."

She murmured, "How could the system make such a losing deal..."

With just 200,000, you can earn countless points.

This doesn't seem like something a system could do.

Xin Sang was about to say something when Liang Jun interrupted her.

"When the store was first set up, even the system probably didn't realize that people would use items to exchange for points, right?"

A smile lingered in Liang Jun's eyes as she looked at Xin Sang, their gazes meeting.

The two seemed like old friends who had known each other for many years; the moment their eyes met, they understood each other's thoughts.

Liang Xun shook her head helplessly and said, "Sister Xin, you're really smart to have come up with this idea."

"I'm just average. Compared to the babies, I'm really too ordinary!"

Xin Sang smiled and continued bending down, repeating the action of throwing the prop into the machine. "I don't really have any outstanding qualities; I've just always loved making money more than others since I was little. When I saw this prop in the mall, I subconsciously thought of exchanging points—who knew it would actually work!"

As he got into the conversation, Xin Sang's voice became rather loud, which displeased Jiang Chunhua, who had already gone to bed.

She tossed and turned in bed, seemingly frustrated. "If you guys aren't sleeping, you can't expect everyone else to stay up too, can you?!"

Only then did everyone realize the situation, and they all shut up and dared not utter a sound.

Only when Jiang Chunhua's breathing returned to normal did the group finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Jiang Zhiling stepped forward somewhat embarrassedly and explained in a soft voice, "I'm so sorry, my sister didn't mean to do that..."

"It's okay, it's okay," Gu Keke responded in a soft voice. "It was our fault, we shouldn't have made such a racket while she was sleeping."

Xin Sang, who was constantly exchanging points, seemed to sense that something was amiss.

She paused what she was doing and, like a leopard waiting to pounce, silently approached. "Baby, is your sister not feeling well? She seems a bit strange."

As an outsider, Xin Sang was unaware of the specific disputes that had occurred between the players.

So when she asked that question, Jiang Zhiling's expression seemed very unnatural.

An awkward, disorienting feeling.

Qi Zhixia, sitting in her wheelchair, glanced at her, then cleared her throat and spoke on her behalf: "Jiang Chunhua said she won't be going to the Ferris wheel with us tomorrow."

"ah?"

Xin Sang transformed into a bewildered cat, anxiously pawing at the person in front of her, "What's going on?"

Ultimately, they couldn't overcome this hurdle.

Jiang Zhiling clenched her fists and closed her eyes tightly. After making ample preparations, she sighed and, based on the information Xin Sang had gathered, continued to explain: "My sister means that they don't want to go find that little girl tomorrow, so their route is not the same as ours."

But clearly, Xin Sang couldn't understand this idea.

“Then they can rest in the tent first,” Xin Sang suggested. “Anyway, the NPC you mentioned is at the foot of the mountain. We’ll still have to go up the mountain and pass through here after we’re done dealing with him. We can go together then…”

Unexpectedly, Jiang Zhiling waved her hand helplessly.

"They don't want to waste any more time in the dungeon, so they want to head straight to the top of the mountain first thing tomorrow morning."

Xin Sang also sighed and tentatively asked, "Is there really no other way?"

Jiang Zhiling didn't say anything more, she just kept shaking her head.

Seeing that there was no way to turn things around, Xin Sang stopped dwelling on the matter.

She patted them on the shoulders reassuringly, "Alright, babies, you should go and get some rest too. I'll go to bed after I've exchanged most of these items, so don't wait for me."

-

On the sixth day after entering the instance, Liang Xun got up very early.

It means "early morning" in the literal sense.

When she woke up, Jiang Zhiling, Gu Keke, and Qi Zhixia were still fast asleep.

It was barely dawn outside, and the sparse stars had not yet completely set. Facing the rising rosy dawn, Liang Xun walked outside the tent.

Unexpectedly, Xin Sang was also there.

The other players who were originally stationed in the tent camp were also present. Xin Sang seemed to be explaining something to them, and his expression became more serious.

I wonder what time she went to sleep last night, and what time she woke up this morning.

Xin Sang's dark circles under her eyes took up a significant portion of her small face, causing Liang Xun to instinctively focus her gaze on them.

This time, instead of sneaking around and hiding behind others, she walked up confidently and greeted them.

"Sister Xin."

When Xin Sang was called, she turned around abruptly, and upon seeing the person who had come, her eyes immediately softened.

"Why are you up so early today, baby?" She continued handing out the remaining props to the others without stopping. "I haven't had time to make breakfast yet, please wait a moment~"

“That’s not the reason,” Liang Jun waved her hands repeatedly.

Worried that Xin Sang would misunderstand her, she picked up a small stool and obediently stood guard by the tent flap.

It wasn't until Xin Sang finished her work that she noticed Liang Yun sitting behind her.

Two big, watery eyes stared at her, and Xin Sang felt like she was being melted by their cuteness.

She couldn't help but smile, cupped Liang Yun's face in her hands, and rubbed it gently.

"Baby, is there something you need from me?"

Liang Xun's cheeks were almost devoid of flesh. The moment Xin Sang's palm touched hers, she could even feel her cheekbone rubbing against her palm through her skin.

A strange thought flashed through her mind—Liang Jun was a little worried that this might affect Xin Sang's touch.

But after meeting her doting gaze, Liang Jun gave up the idea.

Taking advantage of the moment when Xin Sang finally let go, Liang Xun seized the opportunity to ask, "Sister Xin, what were you doing just now?"

"Me..."

Xin Sang didn't mind not finding a stone bench. He crossed his legs and sat down neatly on the ground next to Liang Xun. "I've settled their wages. After all, I'm really leaving this place after today—I'm entering a rule-based world now, and I don't want to play the capitalist I hate the most, especially the kind who defaults on wages."

The morning breeze was chilly, and Liang Jun shivered from the cold.

Xin Sang, who was standing right next to her, naturally noticed this little action. She readily got up and patted the dirt off herself.

"Aren't they up yet?"

Xin Sang nodded slightly and looked in the direction of the girls' tent.

Liang Jun replied truthfully, "When I came out just now, they weren't awake yet. But now that so much time has passed, it's hard to say."

“Baby, go inside and take a look,” Xin Sang said, picking up a wooden stick and quickly coiling her long hair on it. “I’ll go cook first, and you can bring them out to eat later.”

“I can help you, Sister Xin!” Liang Jun instinctively reached out to grab Xin Sang’s hand.

But as if she had eyes in the back of her head, she turned around and easily dodged Liang Jun's hand, then used the momentum to push the other person towards the tent.

"This is such a challenging task, you'd better do your best to complete it!"

Liang Xun had no way to resist and could only let Xin Sang send her back again.

Before she could even lift the curtain, Liang Jun heard rustling voices coming from inside the tent.

Sure enough, as soon as she stepped into the tent, Gu Keke and Jiang Zhiling rushed over like little butterflies.

"Why are you up so early! Ling'er and I thought you were hiding something from us again!"

Liang Jun was amused by her and showed a genuine smile that she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Why would I hide anything from you!" Liang Xun and several girls her age playfully shoved each other, as if they were teasing each other. "I was just worried that the sun would be high in the sky and you guys still wouldn't be up, so I rushed back to wake you up!"

In this fast-paced, unpredictable world of dungeons, the most important skill they need to master is the ability to adjust their emotions and state of mind in the shortest amount of time.

Qi Zhixia looked much more energetic than yesterday. Her eyes were also much less swollen, and she was working hard to turn the wheels of her wheelchair, inching her way toward the crowd.

Seeing this, Liang Jun also warmly stepped forward.

Last night before going to bed, she and Gu Keke helped Qi Zhixia change the gauze. Now, the wound is obviously not as bloody as it was yesterday, but it will probably take some time before she can fully move around.

As if knowing what Liang Xun was thinking, Qi Zhixia patted her shoulder.

"I know my injuries will worsen after I leave the instance—but that's okay. Our login point is at the hospital, so no matter how bad things get, we can get treatment as quickly as possible."

All the potential difficulties at hand seem to have been swept away completely.

Several girls huddled together, full of anticipation for the upcoming rest period.

They've even made plans to go out for a clean and lively hot pot meal on a day when everyone is free, and then find a karaoke bar that's still open to reminisce about their good old days.

Just as they were lost in their daydreams, Jiang Chunhua walked past them with a livid face.

She walked without making a sound, and even her voice was light and airy.

"Spending time with you kids is definitely a waste of time."

These words were like a bucket of ice water, completely extinguishing the small flame that had been burning in their hearts.

One second Jiang Zhiling was still immersed in her grand ambition of "eating hot pot means eating lots of meat", but the next second she was caught off guard by her sister's sudden appearance.

She turned around blankly, her smile awkwardly frozen on her lips. "Sis, you're up..."

Even though she was his most beloved younger sister, Jiang Chunhua still didn't give her a kind look.

Jiang Chunhua first snorted coldly, and then refused to even spare a glance for anyone else, staring straight at Jiang Zhiling.

"Ling'er, I'm asking you, are you really not coming with us?"

"Sister, I..."

Jiang Zhiling stammered and couldn't give a clear answer.

Her hands were crossed and hanging down in front of her, and she kept rubbing the edges of her clothes.

Anyone could see her predicament, but Jiang Chunhua chose to ignore it and insisted on getting to the bottom of it.

Jiang Chunhua used both hands to forcefully pull Jiang Zhiling's shoulders, making her look at him in an almost coercive manner.

"Ling'er, I'm really worried about you going out alone."

Jiang Chunhua earnestly advised, "You're still young and haven't fully entered society yet. You're easily misled by people with ill intentions. I was against you being with Shao Feng before—you didn't listen to me then, and now you're..."

"Enough!"

Whether it was because Jiang Chunhua's grip on her shoulders caused her pain, Jiang Zhiling's arms were trembling uncontrollably.

"Sister, I said, that's enough."

Her obedient younger sister, who was always completely submissive to her, actually interrupted her in public—

Clearly, Jiang Chunhua had not expected the other party to act this way, and in a moment of weakness, Jiang Zhiling easily broke free from her grasp.

“Sister, you have the right to make your own choices, but I am also an adult, and I have my own rights. I can’t let you control everything, like a puppet on a string. I can’t do that. I have my own life, and I am not a puppet.”

"Life?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chunhua seemed to find it amusing, and a mocking smile appeared on her lips.

"Where is our 'life'? Here, we can't even control our own lives, so what right do we have to talk about 'life'?"

"So, you're even taking back my right to choose how I die?"

Jiang Zhiling held back her tears until her face turned red. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she still clenched her teeth, stubbornly refusing to let the tears that symbolized compromise fall.

"elder sister?"

Her cautious manner suggested she was using a completely unfamiliar term.

Jiang Chunhua stood there, stunned.

For some reason, she suddenly felt tinnitus and couldn't judge the distance in front of her. Jiang Chunhua staggered back a few steps.

After hesitating for a long time, she finally stammered, "You...you really aren't coming with my sister?"

Jiang Zhiling had already lowered her head. Her eyes were red and swollen, as if someone had applied a thick layer of eyeshadow.

Gu Keke couldn't bear it, so she shielded Jiang Zhiling behind her without saying a word.

They said nothing, yet it spoke volumes.

Jiang Chunhua knew she was powerless to change her sister's mind, so she left the tent in anger.

When she lifted the curtain and went out, Xin Sang was preparing breakfast that was about to be served.

She greeted him warmly, "Are you leaving now? Won't you stay and have a meal with us?"

But Jiang Chunhua seemed not to hear anything, and walked quickly to the edge of the camp, disappearing together with Tang Cailei, who had been waiting there for a long time, at the entrance to the mountain.

Seeing this, Xin Sang could only shake his head helplessly.

With limited ingredients left, breakfast was prepared simply.

After plating the food, Xin Sang shouted towards the two tents, "Come out and eat!"

Liang Jun naturally heard it all clearly.

She took out the tissues she had put away earlier and handed them to Jiang Zhiling.

Jiang Zhiling accepted the gift with her head down, and thanked her in a muffled voice.

After everyone had adjusted their status and stepped out of the tent together, the long stone dining table was already full of players.

Breakfast consisted of two simple eggs, a small piece of undercooked potato, and leftover bread.

There weren't many kinds, but they were enough to fill our stomachs.

After finishing their meal, no one rushed to leave the table. Instead, they gathered together and methodically confirmed the final plans.

"The plush toy that needs to be returned is with me."

Liang Xun took out the toy pony, which had become very clean, from her pocket, and then looked at Gu Keke beside her, "Have you confirmed the location?"

Gu Keke, whose name was called, shook the map in her hand to indicate that everything was fine.

Luo Chuange, Ge Lin, and Lao Ren all said that they had gone to bed early last night. With plenty of energy, they would be happy to step in and take on any task that needed them today.

After confirming that everyone was ready, Leung Yung took a deep breath and slowly stood up.

"In that case, let's set off."

-----------------------

Author's Note: This chapter focuses more on the two sisters; starting from the next chapter, the plot will accelerate rapidly!

It's almost the end of the month, so if you have any nutrient solutions that are about to expire, feel free to give them to Mint (shyly).