Spring 20th of the first year

Good news, you collapsed safely at home, without heatstroke or anyone searching your pockets.

The good news is that when I woke up the day after fainting, I didn't feel anything, which suggests that I've become a natural-born "all-nighter" (meaning someone who stays up all night).

Well, the farm work in Stardew Valley is the best way to train people. Whether it's watering the plants on tiptoe or casting the fishing rod with all your might, you have to run back and forth in just a few places every day. If you eat a Starfruit to replenish your energy, you'll become a strong farmer who isn't afraid of staying up all night.

It's one thing if the Stardew Valley savings don't go into your real-world bank account, but I wonder if the muscles you've built up these past few days will transfer to your body.

A shut-in, but a double-door miner, just thinking about it is incredible, hahaha.

You leave home full of energy, and first go to the chicken coop to pet the rabbit.

The Stardew Valley's specialty rabbits are very well-behaved, looking like small...big loaves of bread, and as soft and silky as clouds to the touch. However, the breeding density seems a bit too high, reminding you of a scene from an old horror comic where rabbits are overcrowded, which makes you feel a little scared. After petting them, you quickly open the door to the enclosure.

The rabbit jumped out of the chicken coop and soon ate up a large patch of grass. It's easy to imagine that before long, the huge open space would mostly be left with only the lightning rod responsible for pressing down the grass and a small clump of grass pressed down by the lightning rod.

Another patch of parsnip has matured. This time you've collected the 5 gold-star parsnip needed for the sacrifice. Take them to the community center and, while you're at it, continue upgrading your axe at the blacksmith—even though you're so obsessed with blasting trees that you don't really need an axe anymore, what gardener can resist the allure of a golden axe?

The main task on Saturday was still to make up for any missed gifts.

You found Xia Youjie and Wutiao Wu playing games together by the river. You gave them two gifts at once – nice! Their schedules are tight, so I won't say much, but it's worth checking what game they're playing – holy crap, they're playing Stardew Valley!

Is this even possible? Playing Stardew Valley in Stardew Valley??

A player whose worldview has been shaken once again peers out to try and figure out what's going on, only to be met with a cold, NPC-like rejection: "Wait, I can finish planting these starfruits before 2:00 am"—he's even faster than you in the game!

You opened and closed your mouth several times but couldn't come up with the right words. Finally, you earnestly said, "Friend, don't you think this game is a bit similar to where we are?"

Wu Tiao Wu was engrossed in the game and wouldn't talk to you, while Xia Youjie looked at you with melancholy eyes for several seconds before reacting: "Sorry, I didn't hear what you said. I was thinking about something."

【？？？】

[This is terrifying, everyone! What's going on?!]

[This is just a guess, and it might not be correct. They may know everything, but are simply unable to reveal it due to certain limitations.]

[Not necessarily. These characters from the cursed version are quite well integrated into the story. I tend to think this is some kind of Easter egg.]

Try to analyze this rationally: assuming Gojo Satoru knows he's playing as a villager in the game, he'd try to escape. The breakthrough is obvious: try to actively contact the most unique entity in the game—the "player" who came to Stardew Valley to inherit the farm. This explains why he altered the options a few days ago.

You didn't choose the options he changed back then, which is why Gojo Satoru is playing Stardew Valley in front of you today as a further test.

But this kind of probing feels very subtle. You are no longer a real player who can quit the game at any time and has a god's-eye view. Instead, you are a manipulated person who is deeply involved in the game and has no way of knowing whether the other party's behavior is due to the new settings added by the mod or because he or she has a similar situation.

Your thoughts were briefly confused, but eventually settled on the first answer. The reason was probably that if the mod's setting didn't include "Gojo Satoru trying to get the key back to the original world from the player," then Stardew Valley wouldn't even appear on this game console, since Gojo Satoru has six eyes, not Sharingan.

Sigh, spending too much time in the game world can lead to some strange thoughts. It's better to keep things simple and not over-analyze game characters... After all, you only want the normal end, not the true end.

You rubbed your temples, deciding not to dwell on these trivial matters. You remembered that Zenin Maki's affection level had reached 2 hearts, so you went to check it out.

It's that same dizzying feeling again. You find yourself outside a traditional Japanese dojo, where you see a little girl in a kimono hiding behind a door, peering intently through the crack as she observes the boys practicing kendo inside.

She didn't immediately notice your sudden appearance, but she was quickly spotted by a passing young man. He kicked her without hesitation, scoffing, "Where did this little rat come from, daring to peek... Hurry up and bring me some tea! I'm thirsty!"

The little girl was caught off guard and kicked to the ground, but she quickly got up again. After the young man left, she nonchalantly went back to the crack in the door to continue watching.

But this time she was out of luck. The young man was probably really thirsty. After pretending to practice in the dojo for a while, he slipped out to find some tea. When he discovered that the girl had actually ignored his words, he was furious and threw his bamboo sword, which he used for practice, at her like a kunai.

If he had hit her, the girl would have been bleeding from a head wound. You instinctively took a half step forward, and the huge Milky Way Sword appeared in your palm. With a gentle swing, you cleaved the bamboo knife in two and sent it flying.

The girl was startled by you, and the young man who threw the bamboo knife was also shocked by this eerie scene and turned to run back into the temple, shouting as he ran, "A ghost! Master, there's a ghost here!"

The angry shouts of a middle-aged man echoed from the dojo.

The girl outside the dojo quickly regained her composure, exchanged a glance with you, and asked in a low voice, "Who are you? Was that sword some kind of powerful cursed artifact?"

You know how to do this. The name is still Yoshino Junpei. As for the sword, according to the description, it is a special-grade cursed tool. But none of that matters. What matters is that when you try to take out the Galaxy Sword again, you accidentally pick up the rusty sword instead, and then you discover that this sword can be given as a gift.

So you decisively handed it to the little girl, thinking, "Since I'm already here, I might as well give it to her."

"What a broken sword..." The girl took your gift and exclaimed unconsciously, but she still seemed quite happy: "Is it for me? Thank you... and for the one just now too."

A few people came out of the temple and casually asked the girl standing outside if she had noticed anything unusual. After receiving a negative answer, they told her to get lost and not disturb their practice.

The girl pretended to bow her head in obedience, and after the group left, she made a face in their direction, took the sword you gave her, and turned to leave the dojo.

"They can't see you, and they can't see this sword." After walking to the corner, the girl suddenly spoke, as if talking to herself in a low voice: "But it's clearly me who can't see... How strange, what do you want to do?"

"Could this be the 'turning point in fate' that Granny Chiyo was talking about?" she murmured, raising her sword.

No one answered, and you left the world of magic before she turned around.

...

The viewers in the live stream are still seeing a different version of the Zenin Maki 2 Heart storyline. They are unable to see the young Maki, but they are also fortunate enough to avoid witnessing firsthand how the pile of scum in the Zenin junkyard treats her.

After finishing the story, there are still things to do. After delivering the gifts to the Zen sisters in the house, you find Elliot standing in front of a campfire on the beach, gazing into the distance.

"Good morning... good afternoon, Elliott." You stand beside him and look out at the azure sea with him. You intended to quietly contemplate your plans for the future, but as the sea breeze blows his long hair in front of you, you can't help but glance at the ends of his hair, your heart fluttering.

Elliot suddenly smiled slightly, a smile appearing in his emerald eyes, and asked gently, "Is everything alright at Lucky Star Farm? Have you remembered to decorate your room?"

He sighed, somewhat dejectedly, and said, "I should have invited you to come over, but you probably wouldn't enjoy staying in my hut. It's pitch black and full of spiders."

You, who treat Elliot's cabin as a haven for your soul: "...Don't say that."

It might be a bit simple as a residence, but it's definitely a good place to clear your mind and relieve stress! It's quite suitable for writers who want to create good works.

You comforted him, saying, "Once our relationship level is high enough, I'll put more lights and decorations in the little house so we can make do for now. We'll move in later when I've expanded my house here!"

This man, he loves him so much.

[They still say they're not obsessed with AIDS, but they're already fantasizing about married life.]

Wake up! You're only at one heart. I told you not to talk to your wife every day, your affection level isn't high enough, is it?

It's been so long since we've seen our feet talking to Elliot like that!

[After all, she's the Empress... no, I must accuse Yixing Rabbit Foot of causing chaos in the harem, a crime deserving of death!]

Who is that "Jianfu"?

[The chicken farm is grateful!]

[Basement 384!]

Emily, the fortune teller and seamstress!

Abigail, the bomb-deliverer!

Harvey delivers breakfast!

[And there's Sam in a band! Don't think we don't know just because it happened in other episodes; everyone's watching with their eyes open!]

When I clicked into his live stream that day, I was surprised to see what a huge bed it was!

Seeing the increasingly outrageous comments in the live stream, you couldn't help but clarify: "I haven't installed any multi-partner mods, it's just a regular double bed! Don't just spout nonsense without even following me!"

[Alright, alright, I got it, you pure love warrior, Rabbit Feet]

[The prophecy about a rabbit's foot means that this person will sleep with the entire world of sorcery.]

【What kind of devilish statement is this?】

【Tiao Wu: What?!!!!】

Watching the live stream made you sweat profusely, so you had to close the interface and start over.

Today is the birthday of the earliest marriageable villager, so don't forget to give them a birthday present, otherwise Stardew Valley players may face the embarrassing situation of being rejected by everyone when they are invited to dance at the Spring Blossom Dance Festival in the first year.

The dances at the Flower Dance Festival are so easy that even the most uncoordinated person with a stiff back can master them. They're incredibly beginner-friendly, making even a homebody like you yearn for them.

You bring the beer you just bought from Gus to Nanami Kento as a birthday gift, and sure enough, his favorability increases dramatically, instantly reaching 4 hearts.

Nanami Kento's expression was complicated. He asked in confusion, "You actually want to be friends with me... Haven't I been rude enough to you?"

Yes, Nanami-san, please treat me even more rudely!

Please, drag me by the hair and interrogate me!

[It's okay to grab him by the neck and lift him up!]

I can't stand you bunch of masochists!!! You're all vying for villainous treatment.

You'd be too embarrassed to tell Nana Ming that he's a bit more polite than Xie En in the original work, especially with that elite socialite look, which might make people wonder if they've done something rude.

Having just finished the Zenin Maki 2-heart storyline, you don't want to go to the Jujutsu World for the time being. Plus, it's still early, so you decide to put aside the Nanami Kento 4-heart storyline for now and catch up on your exploration progress in the mine.

There's nothing to be afraid of. Keep running and mentally preparing yourself. The Galaxy Sword will have no problem dealing with those little minions in the mine right now. Garlic oil should be enough to keep you out of the monster layer for now. Plus, with enough bombs to blow through the earth's core, you're guaranteed to be safe in the mine.

And that's exactly what happened. You bomb your way down, taking every exit you find without lingering, and soon reach the treasure chest level to obtain the new equipment, leather boots.

Leather boots are more comfortable than the ones you're wearing, but they look bulkier. However, you'll probably only wear them for a couple of days before switching to something else, so it doesn't really matter.

You kept blasting downwards, not bothering to collect anything, your backpack filled with all sorts of things, a very fruitful haul. Then, in your excitement, you forgot about sleepiness, and when you checked the time, it was already 1:20 AM!!!

You instinctively take off running, but after a few steps you suddenly realize that you don't really need to worry about fainting anymore. You have plenty of money and are in good health, so there's no need to rush.

Hesitating for a moment, wasting already insufficient time for the return journey, the result was that you collapsed regretfully beside the giant plush rabbit in front of your house, still able to smell the hot garlic oil on yourself as you lost consciousness—

That's it. Now everyone in town will probably know you're a garlic miner.

The only consolation is that you dream that night that a fairy flew into Lucky Star Farm, stopped above a strawberry field under the expectant gaze of the farmer, waved her magic wand, and made the strawberries grow instantly.