Chapter 96 Elementary School Graduation [VIP]
After entrusting Dazai Osamu to someone else, the player couldn't wait to return to the farm and begin experimenting with the [Fishing Ritual].
As a [Scene-Event] card, it can be placed anywhere with water. The volume of the water determines the size of the resulting Crystal Sea. Players can set the Crystal Sea to expand infinitely or to remain constant.
The player stood by the small fish pond in the center of the farm, where the carp should have been raised. He pinched the glowing card and threw it into the water without hesitation.
With a soft plop, the water surface solidified instantly, as if instantly solidified molten glass was poured into it. Dark blue crystals quickly spread, and in the blink of an eye, the entire fish pond turned into a huge, dazzling crystal with a galaxy flowing inside.
Several unfortunate carps were frozen in the crystals, their mouths slightly open and their eyes dull.
"Perfect!" The player snapped his fingers, then pulled out the seemingly ordinary Phase Shift Fishing Rod from his backpack. He expertly sat down by the pool and cast! The moment the line sank into the crystal, it seemed to melt into it and vanish.
In the following days, a new statue appeared on the farm, which was the player himself.
She was like a precision machine, lifting and casting the rod on time every ten seconds, her movements smooth and without a trace of fireworks.
The sun rose and set seven times, the farm rained seven times, the calf in the barn mooed and grew twice as big, and the player didn't even blink. Her world was filled with the gentle throb of her fishing rod and the tinny, ding-dong-dong sound of the overlapping digital notifications from the item icons in her backpack, a clear and melodious sound.
Players do not need to eat, rest, or get tired or bored from being motionless for long periods of time.
In fact, when players perform these mechanical actions, the game time is silently accelerated, so there is not much difference between a few months and a few minutes.
Who would really stay in one place like a machine? Sooner or later, you'll get bored.
Players are playing games, aren't they being played by the game?!
——
A month later, the player finally put away his fishing rod with satisfaction, and at the same time stretched out his right hand to retrieve the [Fishing Ceremony] event card.
The crystal pool surface returned to clear waves the moment she recovered it. The carps that had been frozen for half a month shook their tails in confusion, as if they didn't understand what was happening.
The player opened his backpack and looked at the long string of reassuring 9999, revealing a gratified smile like an old farmer with a good harvest.
[Bud of Life], [Reverse Time Strike], [Alaya], [Broken Mirror of Desire], [Internet Water Army], [Phase Spirit Fire], [Boredom]... There are a wide variety of items, everything you can think of is available.
She even caught a fish!
…Although the full name is [Frozen Salmon Sashimi]…but sashimi is still fish! She doesn't have an air force!
"This wave of huge profit!" The player thought happily, feeling that this was just the ultimate dream of the fisherman.
At this moment, she saw new information pop up in the system log:
【The sin value exceeds 1000! 】
【Unlock new skills: Mimicry! 】
"Huh?" The player's eyes lit up instantly, brighter than when he saw 999 props.
Click on the skill description:
[Mimicry - Can perfectly mimic any observed form. Duration: Unlimited, Cooldown: None. P.S.: Pairing this with other skills might yield unexpected results?]
Countless wicked ideas flashed through my mind: transform into Shiro's lab beaker and have him pour reagents into the air? Transform into Chuuya's hat and emit colorful light pollution from behind? Or transform into Fukuzawa Yukichi and tease the squinty-eyed cat? Hehehe... endless fun!
However, the most urgent thing is to find a test subject to practice on.
She jumped lightly onto the roof of the building next to the small fish pond that had returned to calm and looked around the entire farm.
Researcher Miao was in a greenhouse not far away, holding a small notebook and muttering to the glowing tomato. His back was full of the concentration of a scientific researcher (and a hint of numbness after being betrayed by science).
"It's you!" The player locked onto the target and his mind moved slightly.
[Mimesis Activated! Target Form: Ordinary Watering Can]
Players feel a little weird.
There was no pain, no squeezing, as if my body were instantly disassembled and reassembled. My vision became shorter, and the world became a low landscape made of grass stems and soil.
She felt like she had turned into a solid plastic pot, with the spout slightly tilted forward, and there seemed to be a little water left inside - the simulation was quite detailed.
The player (now in watering can form) attempts to move their "body." They can feel the can tilt slightly, and the spout rotates accordingly.
Hmm, free movement! But the way to move... maybe just rolling or being carried? The player tried to propel themselves with telekinesis—and failed. Apparently, even in simulation mode, movement has to follow the rules of physics. Tsk, a bit restrictive.
However, you can use [vectors. Oh, I always feel like I can use it to play ghosts.
She controlled the body of the pot and silently "rolled" to the feet of Researcher Meow, stopping right where he was.
Researcher Meow seemed to have recorded a key data. He nodded with satisfaction, stretched out his hand without looking back, and accurately touched the handle of the "watering can".
The moment it reaches the handle of the pot——
“Puff!”
, liquid gushed out from the mouth of the pot, spraying right on his rolled-up sleeves, leaving a few dark wet marks.
Researcher Meow froze instantly.
Time seemed to freeze for 0.5 seconds.
His fingers hung in the air, and he didn't retract them immediately, nor did he scream. He just slowly, extremely slowly lowered his head, his gaze moving from his wet cuffs to the harmless-looking watering can at his feet.
His pupils dilated at a visible speed, and his mouth opened slightly, forming a silent "O". His tired face, which was usually filled with "Ah, experiment 7 failed" or "Player 7 messed up", was now blank.
He looked at the spout, then at his wet sleeves, and then at the spout again... over and over again, as if his CPU was completely overloaded and unable to process the counterintuitive scene before him.
The player (the watering can) was overjoyed: "It worked! This reaction is so much funnier than screaming! Look at his face, his worldview shattered and he's questioning his life! Hahaha!"
Researcher Meow was petrified on the spot for a full five seconds before he gasped and let out a short, cat-like meow, as if someone was strangled: "——!!" (Although he was a human, his voice at this moment did sound like a cat whose tail had been stepped on).
He withdrew his hand as if he had been electrocuted, and his whole body seemed to be bounced away by an invisible spring. He jumped back a big step and almost knocked over the petri dish on the shelf next to him.
He stared at the "culprit" watering can in horror, as if it were not a gardening tool but the incarnation of Cthulhu.
"What...what is that?" His voice was shaking, filled with a sense of disbelief and fragmentation. "Is the pot...the pot a spirit? Or am I hallucinating because I've been doing too many experiments?"
He rubbed his eyes subconsciously, pinched his arm hard, and grimaced in pain.
The player, feeling playful, manipulated the spout, slowly swinging it left and right. The body of the pot also swayed slightly, as if to say, "Yes, I did it. So what?"
Researcher Meow's eyes widened as he looked at the provocative "shaking head".
He took a few deep breaths, as if trying to convince himself to accept reality, but in the end, the string of reason broke with a snap.
“There’s a ghost! Aaaaaaaaah!!!” He finally let out a belated scream, not caring about the notebook that fell to the ground and the pen that rolled to the corner. He turned around and rushed out of the greenhouse door at the speed of a 100-meter sprint, rolling and crawling. His back was filled with a complete collapse of his faith in science, life, and materialism.
“Hahahahahahahaha——!” Lin Shen couldn’t hold it in any longer, he ended his mimicry, turned back into human form, held his stomach and laughed so hard that tears were about to burst out.
This is so fun! The effect is even better than I expected! The transformation of Researcher Meow's expression from stunned to terrified to fleeing is a true prank that will go down in her annals!
After laughing for a long time, she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and felt relaxed all over.
After a month of inactivity, even though her gaming time had sped up, she still felt a bit "rusty" mentally. This wave of pranks perfectly activated her "prankster nerves."
"I feel so good!" She stretched out her body, her joints making a slight cracking sound. It was time to see how the farm had changed in the past month.
She opened the system panel and habitually glanced at the Daily Task Log. Hmm, Xiaobai was still diligently working. The crop yields were stable, the livestock were healthy and strong, and the data was all peaceful. It seemed the AI hosting was reliable. The farm could still be self-sufficient even when the player was away.
She glanced at the [Special Tasks] column and found that the progress bar for the [Rescue the Out-of-School Youth] task had quietly updated:
[Nakahara Chuuya: Elementary School Graduation]
[Dazai Osamu: Preparing for junior high school entrance]
[Oda Sakunosuke: Elementary school graduation/Preparing for high school entrance]
…
"Huh? Chuuya graduated?" the player belatedly realized. During her time obsessed with fishing (or rather, obsessed with the satisfying feeling of filling her backpack with 9,999+ points), time seemed to flow quite quickly in the game. Calculating the date, it was indeed time for the elementary school graduation ceremony in Yokohama.
"Graduation ceremony?" The player's interest shifted instantly. How could such a ceremonial plot event be complete without her, the "parent"? Maybe there were even CGs to unlock!
She turned off the panel, locked the coordinates of Yokohama Elementary School, and teleported away from the farm in an instant.
The next second, the player was at the familiar gate of Yokohama Elementary School (although she had only been there once).
The school was bustling with activity, colorful flags fluttering, and the playground was packed with people. The parents were formally dressed, and the children were all in their little academic uniforms and hats, their faces tense as they tried to look solemn.
The player's sharp eyes swept through the crowd like a radar, instantly locking onto the target area.
Nakahara Chuuya, who was wearing a bachelor's cap, was being held on the shoulders by Dazai Osamu, who was also wearing a bachelor's cap and had a mischievous smile on his face.
"Chuya-kun~Have you thought about your graduation speech? How about you get some emotions together and cry, express your deep affection for your alma mater, and let everyone see the emotional side of the 'King of Sheep'?" Dazai Osamu's voice had a unique, light-hearted ending that could make people furious.
"Get out of here, you bastard Mackerel!" Chuuya immediately exploded and tried to shake off Dazai's hand. "Who wants to cry? And don't mention the 'King of Sheep' again!"
"Pfft." The player couldn't help but burst out laughing. It seemed like the relationship between these two was progressing by leaps and bounds—albeit in a rather chaotic way.
She scanned the crowd and soon spotted Oda Sakunosuke standing in the shade of a tree in the corner. He still had no expression on his face, but he was holding a notebook, seemingly taking notes.
At some point, Dazai Osamu broke away from playing with Nakadashi, strolled over to Oda, and naturally handed him a thermos.
"Odasaku, I've saved a crab meat pot for you. It's made by Xiaobai. It's super delicious!" When Dazai Osamu was talking to Oda, the deliberate frivolity in his voice seemed to fade a little, and there was a little more sincere warmth.
"Thank you, Dazai." Oda Sakunosuke took it calmly, and the ahoge on his head seemed to shake gently.
"Oh?" the player raised an eyebrow.
Are they so close? They even have their own nicknames to distinguish them from the others. And seeing how Oda accepted it so calmly, it's clear they have a pretty good relationship.
The crab pot made by Xiaobai? It seems that Dazai and Xiaobai have a good relationship. He even managed to let Xiaobai save some food for him.
The player rubbed his chin, thinking: Elementary school is over... Next, it's time to arrange for junior high school. Chuuya and Dazai are the same age, so they're perfect together. Odasaku is a bit old, so he needs to be crammed into high school...
Well, it's just Akiko and the squinty-eyed cat from Rikkai, Otsuko. They all have company. I wonder if they're enjoying campus life as much as Otsuko?
Thinking that Edogawa Ranpo might be bored in class, the player couldn't help but smile.
The farm is managed by Xiaobai, the believers are managed by the scientist NPC, and now even the children are going to school... Player Lin Chen feels that his "gaming life" is getting more and more on track (meaning he can do more things without worry)!
Lin Chen stood under the shade of the trees outside the playground, watching Chuuya trying hard to resist the urge to put his bachelor's cap on Dazai's face while taking graduation photos with the classmates who had gathered around him again; while Dazai, like a cat that had successfully stolen some fish, smiled and leaned close to Oda Sakunosuke, pointing and talking from time to time, as if encouraging Oda to write something about "the various scenes of the graduation ceremony."
"Hmm... the atmosphere is good." The player touched his chin, feeling happy.
The interactions between the NPCs were the perfect backdrop. But now, her newly mastered [Mimicry] skill was stirring, like a child who had just received a new toy and felt uncomfortable if she didn't do something.
Who is the target?
His gaze swept across the room. Chuuya? He was straightforward, possessed of common sense and a strong sense of responsibility. He was definitely mindful of his image in such an important situation. Even if something incomprehensible happened, he would definitely choose to endure it, fearing to disturb everyone. He was a perfect target for pranks!
But… the player checked their conscience (if game characters have one). Chuuya was too reliable and serious. It wasn't very kind to keep plucking the same sheep. Next time, definitely next time!
Odasaku? Hmm... This guy's reaction was too flat. If it were his hat, he would probably just feel that it was a bit heavy and adjust it expressionlessly. The prank would be almost ineffective.
In the end, the player's eyes fell precisely on Dazai Osamu.
It's you, SSR-level troublemaker!
The corner of the player's mouth curled up in a malicious arc.
Who told you to be so amused just now? And it seems his guard is down—he's busy flirting with Oda. Most importantly, this guy has a high IQ and quick reflexes, which makes playing with him exciting, and that's why there's the "risk" of being discovered. That's why it's challenging!
Observe the target's form... Hmm, he's holding a folded ceremony program sheet, rolled up into a small paper tube. That's it! Target Form: Crumpled ceremony program sheet.
【Mimeism activated!】
In an instant, the player feels himself being compressed and folded, and his vision becomes a narrow gap, surrounded by rough paper texture and a faint smell of ink.
She "became" the inconspicuous process sheet in Dazai Osamu's hand, loosely pinched by his slender fingers.
The player's experience with the "pot body" taught her that after being transformed into an object, her movements were restricted, and she had to rely on being "used" or "ignored" to create unexpected situations. Now, she needed to wait for the opportunity to be "used."
The opportunity will come soon.
The principal's lengthy speech on the stage finally ended, and it was the turn of the student representatives to speak.
A little boy, his voice trembling with nervousness, walked onto the stage. Dazai Osamu seemed a little bored and subconsciously tried to find something to distract himself.
He moved his fingers holding the process sheet, as if he was going to roll it up tighter, or simply unfold it to see if there were any boring steps behind it.
Now is the time! [Vector Manipulation and Local Fine-tuning]!
The player concentrates his mind and applies a slight vector manipulation force to the local structure of "himself" (that is, the paper).
Phew!
The process sheet that Dazai Osamu was holding, the small piece of paper near his base of the thumb, rolled up without any warning and extremely accurately, like a small spring, and with a "snap", it gently bounced on his smooth chin!
The force was not great, and the sound was also light, but at the angle where Dazai Osamu was looking down at Oda's notebook, the sudden and physical-defying "paper missile" hit him squarely on the chin.
"Hmm?" Dazai Osamu froze suddenly.
His fingers tightened instantly, squeezing the "murder" process sheet until it was deformed. He raised his head abruptly, his iris-colored eyes no longer the lazy, playful smile they had before, but instead became incredibly sharp, like a blade tempered with ice.
His eyes quickly swept over his hands, the paper, the ground around him, the air... as if he was looking for some invisible clues.
There was no wind. No external forces were interfering. It was as if the paper had gotten angry and slapped him.
"Illusion?" Dazai muttered, his brows furrowed slightly, and for the first time, a hint of confusion crossed his face. He stared suspiciously at the innocent (?) process sheet in his hand, twisting the edge with his fingers. It felt normal, just ordinary paper.
The player (process sheet) was overjoyed: "Haha! Success! Seeing Dazai's expression change instantly, his ease and uncertainty, was so worth it! Especially that precise "chin strike" was a stroke of genius!
Dazai Osamu was clearly unconvinced. He composed himself, and his half-smile returned to his face, as if his previous loss of composure was just an illusion.
He relaxed his fingers again, and even deliberately loosened the rolled-up process sheet a little, letting it hang down a little, as if he was fishing - fishing for the possible "troublemaker".
"Oh? Again? You're brave!" The player praised his behavior. Since you're so cooperative, the player will play with you again!
Just when Dazai Osamu's fingers seemed to be about to start rolling the paper out of boredom——
【Vector manipulation·Local vibration】
This time, the player is not controlling the flip, but letting "himself" (the process sheet) get close to the small area of Dazai Osamu's fingertips, generating an extremely subtle but extremely fast high-frequency vibration like an electric toothbrush!
“Buzz…Buzz…”
The vibration was very weak, but it was transmitted through the nerve endings in the fingers, as clear as an electric current passing through!
"Hiss!" Dazai Osamu retracted his hand almost reflexively, as if he had been bitten by something! The process sheet fluttered to the ground.
He was really shocked this time. He looked down at his slightly numb fingertips and suddenly looked at the ordinary piece of paper on the ground.
A storm brewed in his iris-colored eyes, no longer filled with confusion, but with an offended, dangerous curiosity. He was absolutely certain there was something wrong with the paper! Or perhaps... something was attached to it? A ghost? A supernatural power? Or... a prank by a player?
His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, and he began to scan the entire place calmly, focusing on suspicious corners and the edges of the crowd.
"Haha, my alertness has increased." The player (process list) lay on the ground, very satisfied with the effect.
Seeing Dazai's frustrated expression, unable to find the source of the problem, is the highest level of prank!
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