"Boss Xiang, since you're going to pretend to be an NPC, then go all the way."
Li Yuheng glanced meaningfully at Shu Bai, "Don't keep secretly flirting with my kid."
After observing for two days, Li Yuheng discovered that none of the NPCs in the town could see the player who was a ghost.
For example, the townspeople couldn't see the female player who ran past Li Yuheng while playing Temple Run, and the mayor and the little boy on the road also ignored Shu Bai.
Although the shop owner deliberately avoided looking at Shu Bai from the moment he entered the store, he secretly greeted Shu Bai when Li Yuheng turned his head.
However, when Li Yuheng pulled Shu Bai in and out of the fitting room to try on hats, the old shop owner's eyes followed the two of them the whole time, and his eyes clearly reflected the two figures.
This detail made Li Yuheng even more certain: Boss Xiang was no ordinary NPC. He not only knew Shu Bai, but could even see players in ghost form.
In this game, very few people can interact with Shu Bai, and Boss Xiang's unusual behavior undoubtedly reveals his identity—he is one of the bosses in this dungeon.
Upon hearing this, the old shopkeeper's lips twitched beneath the fox mask: "...When did I ever flirt with anyone, old man?"
Li Yuheng immediately began to exaggeratedly imitate the old shopkeeper's expression, raising two fingers to make a peace sign, blinking, and shaking his head as he mimicked, "Old man, when did I ever flirt?"
After performing this set of moves, he immediately dropped his funny expression, widened his eyes, and asked innocently, "Isn't this it?"
The old shop owner: "..."
"puff……"
Li Qiyang couldn't help but burst out laughing, then quickly pursed his lips and lowered his head.
He tried desperately to recall the saddest thing in his life to suppress his laughter, but when he actually remembered that he was on a plane to attend his ex-girlfriend's wedding but died in a plane crash, he couldn't laugh anymore and his whole face fell.
Shu Bai turned her face away, a slight smile involuntarily curving her lips, but she immediately tightened her expression as soon as she realized that her expression had softened.
He lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow beneath them, perfectly concealing the fleeting smile.
Li Yuheng caught a glimpse of the fleeting smile on Shu Bai's lips, and a tender feeling immediately welled up in his eyes.
He turned his head and continued to clown around at the old shop owner: "Boss Xiang, say something, won't you? What? Are you speechless because I'm so handsome?"
The old shopkeeper shook his head helplessly, but his eyes behind the fox mask gleamed with a kind light: "Young man, in all my years, this is the first time I've ever seen someone like you..."
The old shop owner suddenly choked up, unsure how to describe it.
Li Yuheng interrupted him, raising his chin smugly: "Of course, I'm one of a kind."
The old shopkeeper couldn't think of a good word for a moment, so he turned to Li Qiyang with a smile, intending to tease someone first: "This customer, does your mask fit?"
Li Qiyang froze, stammering, "It's...it's alright..."
The old shop owner nodded: "That's good. Oh, right, I forgot to tell you yesterday, that mask has a special function."
Li Qiyang's eyes lit up: "What function?"
The old shop owner lowered his voice mysteriously: "Wear it, and no one will recognize you."
Li Qiyang: "...?"
Isn't that obvious?!
Li Yuheng burst out laughing: "Boss Xiang, your sense of humor is quite unique."
The old shopkeeper smiled and stroked his beard: "You flatter me. This unique customer is right, I'm indeed not an NPC. I'm the boss of this instance, you can call me 'Mr. Xiang'. But—"
He gave Li Yuheng a meaningful look. "Even if you know I'm the boss, you've only completed your mission as a reporter so far. You haven't found the 'truth' about the town, have you?"
Li Yuheng remained completely calm, instead revealing a playful smile: "Who said I didn't find it?"
He strolled slowly to the counter and tapped the surface with his fingertip: "Isn't the 'truth' right here?"
He deliberately emphasized the word "相" (xiāng), staring intently at the old shopkeeper with a confident look in his eyes.
The old shopkeeper—who was also Mr. Xiang—paused slightly behind his mask, but quickly resumed his smiling demeanor: "Oh? What do you mean by that?"
Li Yuheng placed his hands on the counter, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice: "The condition for clearing this instance is to complete the mission and find the 'truth' of the town within three days. My journalist mission happens to be related to the truth of the town, but the system did not mark it as cleared after completion. Moreover, the word 'truth' was deliberately put in quotation marks, indicating that it does not refer to ordinary facts or concepts, but to something else."
He paused, then continued, "Also, the guide named 'Feng' said that each dungeon is guarded by a powerful boss, but the boss of this dungeon has not yet appeared. You just admitted that you are the boss, and your surname 'Xiang' and the name of this shop 'Zhenxiang' really make people think a lot."
Li Yuheng looked directly at the other person, his tone certain: "So I guess there are two bosses in this dungeon—the other one is your wife 'Zhen,' the old woman who can turn into a monster. You two are the real 'truth' of the town."
Finally, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Am I right, Mr. Xiang?"
Li Qiyang, who was listening from the side, was dumbfounded: "So... the 'truth' is just a combination of the two bosses' names?"
Mr. Xiang nodded with satisfaction: "Absolutely correct. However—" He changed the subject, looking at Li Qiyang who was wearing a mask, "You can't pass the level. As far as I know, your 'Wandering Doctor' mission is not yet complete."
Li Qiyang left the clothing store reluctantly, turning back every few steps before leaving, his eyes filled with the message, "Master, you must protect me!"
Li Yuheng waved to him: "Go on, go on, remember to drink more hot water."
After Li Qiyang had walked away, Mr. Xiang suddenly lowered his voice and asked, "Young man, who exactly are you?"
Li Yuheng blinked: "Me? A super handsome guy."
Mr. Xiang shook his head: "In all my years, this is the first time I've ever met someone as...special as you."
The old shop owner has finally found the right adjective.
"Extremely handsome?"
"Absolutely shameless."
Li Yuheng: "..."
Listen, old man, I'm taking back what I just said to you.
Shu Bai couldn't help but burst out laughing, but quickly straightened her face.
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