For Asuna, the forest at night was no stranger.

After all, when Fang Zheng first trained them, they basically rested in the safe area of ​​the forest every night, but at that time they were all together, so Asuna could still bear it. But now...

"Black, Black Cat, please stay next to me and say something."

Holding Kuroneko's hand tightly, Asuna looked around and spoke in a low voice. She didn't dare to look at Kuroneko, because Kuroneko was wearing a white mask with some strange patterns painted on it. If it were any other time, Asuna would just treat it as Kuroneko's second-year illness and laugh it off.

But now…

“Ding ding ding…”

"Black Cat, can't you just put your weapon away?"

Asuna couldn't help but complain when she heard the sound of Kuroneko's sickle clanging on the ground. Hearing Asuna's complaint, Kuroneko chuckled.

"That's what creates the atmosphere, isn't it? This happens in a lot of horror movies. You see, before killing someone, the murderers always drag a chainsaw or something on the ground..."

“Ahhhhh!! Stop it, stop it, stop it—!!”

Hearing this, Asuna finally couldn't hold it in any longer, and shook off Kuroneko's hand, squatting on the ground with her hands on her head. Kuroneko looked at Asuna with a smile, and then she seemed to have thought of something and deliberately lowered her voice.

"But speaking of which, Asuna, do you know a technique that is often used in horror movies?"

"W-what?"

Asuna instinctively didn't want to answer Kuroneko's question, but if Kuroneko didn't speak at this time, she would be more scared, so Asuna shivered and curled up into a ball, and asked anxiously. Kuroneko looked at Asuna who was trembling with fear and continued to speak.

"That's right. A group of people went on an adventure, and then they went looking for ghosts. But what they didn't know was that the ghost they were looking for was already among them. Just like now..."

At this point, Black Cat's voice became even deeper.

"…Do you know who I am? Do you really think I'm a black cat?"

"Black, Black Cat...?!"

Asuna trembled when she heard what the black cat said. She raised her head tremblingly and looked at the black cat in front of her. Then Asuna saw the black cat stretched out his hand and slowly took off the mask on his face, and then...

"Wow!!"

With a scream, Asuna suddenly shouted in fear, and the next moment, the black cat took off the mask and rolled on the ground, holding his stomach with a smile.

"Hahahaha, Asuna, you're too timid. It's just a story, but you're so scared?"

"Really? Why did you scare me like this? I'm getting angry! Do you know that scaring others can kill them?!"

"Sorry sorry sorry."

Looking at Asuna with puffed cheeks in front of her and angry, the black cat smiled and reached out his hand to pull Asuna up from the ground.

"If you continue like this..."

However, just when Asuna was about to say a few words of complaint, she suddenly stopped talking and stared at the black cat blankly.

No, to be exact, I was looking behind the black cat.

In the forest behind the black cat, a blurry figure was seen moving around and slowly approaching them.

"Then, then, what is that..."

Asuna's eyes widened in fear, and she stretched out her hand to point behind Kuroneko. Seeing Asuna's reaction, Kuroneko was stunned for a moment, and then he reacted immediately.

“What? Asuna, do you want to scare me too? Hahaha, this trick is too old-fashioned, it’s not even used in comics…”

However, when Kuroneko saw Asuna's expression becoming more and more frightened, she also became a little uneasy. Kuroneko tightened his scythe, then turned around and looked behind him.

“…”

There was no one in the dark forest.

"Huh... As expected, there is no one here..."

"Hello."

However, at this moment, accompanied by a sound, suddenly, the black cat saw a black shadow suddenly poking its head out from the bushes!

“Wa ...

This time Asuna couldn't bear it any longer, she screamed and turned around and ran away. The black cat was also frightened, she held the sickle tightly, looked forward carefully, and then...

"Sophie?"

"Ah... Black Cat... Sorry, please help me."

It was Sophie who poked her head out from the bushes. The silver-haired girl was lying in the bushes, swinging her arms helplessly. The black cat sighed, walked up to her and pulled her up.

"What are you doing?"

"Eri told me to be the one to scare you, but I haven't figured out how to scare you yet. I was planning to sneak up on you and call out, but I accidentally slipped..."

Having said this, Sophie blinked and looked around.

"Where's Asuna?"

"Asuna?"

Hearing Sophie's question, the black cat turned around curiously and looked around.

At this time, there was no trace of Asuna anywhere around.

At the same time, on another path, Fang Zhengzheng and Leafa were walking side by side.

Leafa was lucky. In the end, she drew the lottery and formed a team with Fang Zheng. Although several of her friends were jealous and wanted to switch with Leafa, she decisively refused.

You usually refuse to eat your chicken legs, but now you want to steal my man?

At this moment, Leafa was holding Fang Zheng's arm, walking silently on the road, her face slightly red, breathing softly. It was not that the two of them did something unsightly, but just now, they were frightened by a member of the combat team disguised as a ghost. Fang Zheng did not react, but Leafa was so scared that she hid in Fang Zheng's arms.

By the way, the one who dressed up as a ghost to scare people was the "good sister" who had previously asked for an exchange with me but failed!

It's really just a fake sisterhood. I'll break up with her when I get back!

While secretly cursing her "little sister" in her heart, Leafa grabbed Fang Zheng's arm and walked forward in silence. At this moment, Fang Zheng's voice rang in Leafa's ears.

"Your brother...still no news?"

“…”

Hearing Fang Zheng's question, Leafa's body stiffened for a moment, and then she shook her head.

It had been quite some time since Fang Zheng had suggested to Argo that he revise the survival manual. The revised survival manual had become an "electronic publication" as Fang Zheng had said. It not only contained strategies for monsters on each floor, but also a lot of missing persons notices. Although cases like Leafa's were not common, they were not uncommon. So Argo followed Fang Zheng's advice and opened a missing persons column for players to find their relatives and friends.

Leafa had naturally posted a missing person notice for her brother, but after two consecutive issues, she hadn't received any response...

There are only two possibilities: either her brother never read the survival manual, or her brother is dead.

Considering that almost everyone in the game world has a survival manual, the former is unlikely, so the only option left is...

"…When I was a kid, my brother and I had a pretty good relationship."

While holding Fang Zheng's arm, Leafa whispered.

"Although my brother is not my biological brother, we had a good relationship. But later, I don't know why, my brother alienated me. Although I wanted to ease the relationship with my brother, at that time my grandfather wanted me to practice kendo, so I didn't have time to communicate with my brother."

Having said this, Leafa lowered her head.

"It was from that time that my brother became addicted to the Internet and games. To be honest, I didn't understand what was so fun about online games. But this time, because my brother liked this game very much and even mentioned his experience during the closed beta test at the dinner table, I wanted to buy it and try it out. On the one hand, the experience of this game made me feel very novel, and on the other hand, I also hoped to have a common topic with my brother. If I could like what my brother liked, maybe our relationship would become the same as before..."

Leafa's voice began to tremble.

"But now... I'm very scared. In fact, I've thought that maybe my brother's name was among the names crossed out on the monument of life, but I didn't know his name, so I didn't notice it. Maybe... he has died a long time ago..."

“…”

Fang Zheng silently touched Leafa's head. Just as Leafa said, maybe her brother was already dead. Because of this...

"There's no one else here if you want to cry."

"Mr. Fang Zheng..."

Hearing Fang Zheng's words, Leafa raised her head and looked at him, and the next moment, she threw herself into Fang Zheng's arms.

“Uooaaaaaah…!!!”

A dull cry came from Fang Zheng's chest, and Fang Zheng silently reached out and stroked Leafa's hair. It was obvious that Leafa had been patient for a long time. In fact, Fang Zheng had noticed this a long time ago. Since the missing person notice was posted, Leafa would occasionally be absent-minded. Originally, Fang Zheng wanted to find a time to talk to her, but now it seemed that Leafa could no longer bear it.

Time passed minute by minute. It was unknown how long it had been before Leafa raised her head from Fang Zheng's arms embarrassedly and wiped the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fang Zheng, I..."

"It's nothing. Crying may help you relax. How do you feel now?"

“I feel much better.”

Hearing Fang Zheng's question, Leafa couldn't help but chuckle, then she looked at Fang Zheng again.

"Mr. Fang Zheng gives me the feeling of a brother... But my brother is not as reliable as you, Mr. Fang Zheng. If I cry in front of my brother, he will be at a loss as to what to do. In the end, he might even need me to comfort him..."

Having said this, Leafa's eyes couldn't help but become vague.

"Sometimes, I also wish I could have a more reliable brother..."

"Um?"

Because Leafa's last words were a little weak, Fang Zheng did not hear clearly. Looking at Fang Zheng in front of him, Leafa hesitated for a moment and then spoke in a low voice.

"Um, Mr. Fang Zheng, if it's okay, can I call you brother...?"

“Wa ...

However, before Leafa could finish her words, Asuna ran over from the other side with a scream and bumped into Fang Zheng.