The sequel of OE that "we" expect (XIX)
After staying in Maomi Town for three days, when the side effects of the Meowth Flower wore off, Dragonite turned back into Dratini, and Maine Z01 also became a human again.
The two little ones in cat form appeared in every corner of the town, successfully checking in on every cat's territory. While the cat gangs were confronting each other, there was often a pair of weirdos leisurely passing by and asking for directions politely but tactlessly.
The cat was speechless, but pointed the way. Then the confronting gangs started a new round of fighting based on the direction of the path, and Jiang Yuanshi and Z01, who were wandering around, were nowhere to be seen.
Jiang Yuanshi, who relied entirely on visiting restaurants to remember the route, would sometimes get lost and stand there with his head up in a daze, even though he had clearly just changed direction. Jiang Yuanshi would only restart the camera after confirming a familiar store, and it was rare for him to see such a dazed look. Therefore, usually when Jiang Yuanshi didn't ask, Z01 would silently guard him and take photos to record the route.
But occasionally, he would encounter some cat-loving NPCs who would nudge at the Cat-Dragon and try to touch it. Whenever this happened, the quiet Z01 would enter defense mode, holding the little dragon in his mouth coldly and avoiding human hands. The most hateful thing about this Maine Coon was not just this. He would not let others touch the Cat-Dragon, nor would he let others touch himself. His dodging posture was elegant and fast, and he never missed.
In the end, the NPC was completely defeated and waved the white flag, and Z01 left with Jiang Yuanshi in his mouth, victorious.
After Jiang Yuanshi and Z01's behavior was once again exposed in reality, the two were no longer as vigilant as before, but instead felt that this was normal.
I have almost finished touring Maomi Town. I have eaten what I should eat and fought what I should fight.
They started a new journey. This time, their flying tool was a cat basin. Jiang Yuanshi, who had expanded his backpack to pack up the flower city and take it away, sat in the crook of Z01's legs, with his face resting on the edge of the basin. He squeezed out a little cheek flesh and quietly enjoyed the scenery along the way.
"Z01, is this the last stop?"
"Yes."
"So can I complete the mission by staying in the Novice Village for a few days?"
"I'm not sure about that. It depends on the time when the results of the last mission are settled." Z01 put his hand on Xiaolong's side to prevent him from falling asleep and slipping away. "Are you regretting it? You can apply to stay in this world for a while longer."
Jiang Yuanshi shook his head: "No, I'm just curious about how miserable the next world will be. After all, life in this world is too good. As the saying goes, everything will turn around when it reaches its extreme. Life in the next world will definitely not be easy. I'm already starting to worry about my sleep and brain cells."
Regarding this, the former career-oriented talent Z01 did not say anything to comfort him, but said bluntly: "Your worry is not without reason. The difficulty of the world mission will increase step by step, but if something unexpected happens, the next world will be your last mission world."
Something seemed to be wrong. Jiang Yuanshi raised his head, turned to look at Z01 and said, "What if an accident happens? You sound as if this accident is bound to happen."
Z01 nodded: "According to the analysis results from the day before yesterday, the probability of an accident is as high as 99.9%."
"..." Jiang Yuanshi was speechless, "Then it's not an accident, it's bound to happen, but how did you think of analyzing it?"
Jiang Yuanshi's emphasis was strange, but he was always able to quickly catch Z01's fault. Z01 answered without hesitation, "Because analyzing probability is something the system must do every day, just like clocking in at work, but the events analyzed cannot be repeated more than three times."
Jiang Yuanshi was curious: "Besides analyzing the world, what else did you analyze?"
Z01: "Sorry, this is a confidential matter under the contract."
Jiang Yuanshi said "Oh" and did not ask any more questions. He just continued the previous topic: "Then you don't know when the accident will happen?"
Z01: "Yes."
Jiang Yuanshi sat up, scratched the marks on his face from the basin, took out a piece of cat head biscuit and handed it to Z01. After Z01 took it, he stuffed a piece for himself and said vaguely with the biscuit in his mouth: "There's nothing we can do. Let's take it one step at a time."
Z01 looked at Xiaolong and bit off the tip of the biscuit and said "hmm".
"By the way, what do you think the setting of the last world will be?"
“…”
Z01 did not answer. Jiang Yuanshi looked into the distance. After finishing the biscuits, he patted his hands with his two paws to clear the biscuit crumbs and said calmly, "If I die in the next world, don't save me."
“…”
"After all, Yun Qing and I are different. The fate of human beings in reality is difficult to change easily, and I don't want to change it."
It seems that Jiang Yuanshi already knew what the last world would be like. After all, Yun Qing was used as an example in the previous world. Yun Qing's final mission was to return to the world where he was first born, so Jiang Yuanshi should be the same, or must be, because he had experienced true death in that world. Those main gods would not give up. Even if they could not wipe out Z01, they would settle for the next best thing and kill the "accomplice" Jiang Yuanshi.
"I know you're very powerful, but I don't really want to change my original ending. After all, I can't imagine a future where I can live."
Jiang Yuanshi's eyes were indifferent and he was always negative and pessimistic when talking about himself.
"But then you will fail your mission."
Jiang Yuanshi smiled and said, "We don't even know what the mission is? What if the mission is to completely wipe out Jiang Yuanshi?"
Z01 affirmed, "This kind of thing will not happen. The tasks of the unfinished and discontinued update system are positive and sunny. They will only be run to make up for the regrets. Moreover, the last world experienced by all hosts is constructed by extracting their own experiences and memories. You can choose a new life and do what you want to do."
"But you forget that the Lord Gods will intervene."
"I will kill them." Z01's tone was calm and natural, but Jiang Yuanshi could somehow sense the other party's determination and seriousness.
"Then you won't be any better. I don't want you to get hurt because of something like this. I don't like owing favors to others."
Z01 and Jiang Yuanshi sat face to face, both with serious expressions. Z01 looked through the little dragon at Jiang Yuanshi's soul. The host frowned. He knew the seriousness of humans, but Z01 said: "I am not a human. In addition, regarding the debt, you do owe me an answer, but no matter what your answer is, as a system, I will lead you to success."
Jiang Yuanshi's hand was held by Z01, and the cold-hearted system official leaned down and kissed the back of the host's hand meticulously, "Host, you know that we can no longer be separated, unless you abandon me yourself."
As his lips touched the back of his hand, his eyes fixed on Jiang Yuanshi. The black abyss in his dark red pupils was reaching out to Jiang Yuanshi, intending to pull him down with him.
If it were someone else, they might have been horrified, and Jiang Yuanshi was no exception. The moment the cold lips touched his skin, his body trembled inexplicably. While Z01's appearance was reflected in his pupils, he saw himself in the other's eyes. In a trance, he seemed to see his own face as a human being, with an unprecedented... smile on that face.
The moment Z01 raised his head, he pulled the collar that had appeared on his neck and said with a smile, "In that case, why don't we die together?"
Z01 blinked. "With pleasure. It's my pleasure."
Jiang Yuanshi raised his head and hummed lightly, frivolously and casually, seeming very satisfied. Seeing that the other person's hands were having a hard time grabbing him, Z01 simply lay down on the ground and put Xiaolong on top of him. This way, it would not be easy for Jiang Yuanshi to be pressed down, and it would also be convenient for Jiang Yuanshi to exert force.
Z01: "But before I die, I hope you can give me an answer. This is my long-cherished wish. Please fulfill it."
Has it risen to this level? Jiang Yuanshi snorted, pulled the collar and said, "I have already replied, it seems you didn't understand."
"You didn't give a clear answer."
"But I did answer it my way. You still need to study more anthropology."
A question mark appeared above Z01's head. Not long after, smoke started coming out of his brain. It was obvious that the CPU was burning. Jiang Yuanshi sighed and plopped down on Z01's chest. He scratched his chin and said, "So before you understand, you have to stay alive. It's a pity that you can't die."
Z01 frowned and looked up at the sky, saying in a serious tone, "Yes, unfortunately, my understanding of humans is less than one ten-thousandth of what I can do, especially you."
“…”
Jiang Yuanshi rolled his eyes, sighed, and simply closed his eyes and lay down to sleep.
When he woke up, they had already arrived at the doorstep of the Novice Village, the home of the hero at the beginning of the game. According to Z01, all the NPCs they met along the way greeted the hero and said, "Long time no see."
It seems to be a built-in setting of the game. After the player, as a hero, leaves the village for a certain period of time, he will be left by default. After returning, all NPCs will think that the hero is back. However, it is different from the feeling of playing games across the screen on the device. The sense of immersion after experiencing it in person is very strong, especially when the NPCs give the hero a return gift and prepare for a welcoming banquet that night.
Jiang Yuanshi and Z01 felt a strange sense of belonging as they were surrounded by NPCs and dancing in circles.
They drank wine and ate meat together, danced around the campfire, with garlands on their heads and the village chief chanting blessing spells. All the people and demons here welcomed their return and gave them good wishes. It was a sense of intimacy, as if they were really part of the village and were deeply loved.
The brave man's new home was very clean and spotless. The fields outside the house were also well tended. The NPCs seemed to have been waiting for their return.
Jiang Yuanshi and Z01 felt something was wrong, but they could not refuse, so they stayed in the village, tilled the fields and planted trees every day, socialized with the villagers, and shared the food they made with everyone.
Every day when I go to bed and wake up, there is always a knock on the door. Who in the village is it today?
They opened the door and saw an old man in front of them, bringing them the village's new blessing wreath. Jiang Yuanshi and Z01 thanked them and took the wreath. When they took out their return gifts, the village chief repeated the blessing spell he had said on the first night they met, but this time their faces changed drastically.
This time, the words that Jiang Yuanshi had complained about as being like talking in a dream and being inaudible at all, now reached their ears with incredible clarity:
[Due to the recent malfunction of the Chuanshu Bureau, the rewards cannot be issued. Please return to the lobby of System Z01 to collect the settlement wish value of the previous world. The deadline is today. ]
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