Chapter 67: Mysterious Reward
Chapter 67: Mysterious Reward
[In your dying moments, you finally regained consciousness from your deep slumber. You were not devoid of awareness during your prolonged sleep, and you were acutely aware of the events unfolding at this moment. In the final moments of your life, what will you do?]
[Language Dissuasion by the Seven Disciples: Such is the world, where everyone is played by fate. Why seek vengeance and perpetuate a cycle of resentment?]
[Intervene to Prevent the Seventh Disciple from Killing the Master: Why bully a 50,000-year-old Godly Plateau? What grievances do you have against me?]
[Join Forces with the Seventh Disciple to Defeat Phoenix: Supreme Immortal Chi Yuan, I finally have the chance to send you on your way to the afterlife myself.]
[Be a Spectator: Let them fight, fight hard! I, Lu, thoroughly enjoy watching women fight!]
"Uh, let me think."
These four options should be the final choices for this simulation. It seems that each choice leads to a different outcome. Will they trigger different endings?
Lu Yu chose to pass on the option of Language Dissuasion by the Seven Disciples. Based on the system's description of the plot, both Lin Zhaoyu and Su Mei seemed mentally disturbed. Lu Yu didn't believe he could persuade them with mere words, especially when he himself couldn't survive. Trying to convince these two girls in his current state would be like trying to move mountains.
As for joining forces with the Seventh Disciple to defeat Phoenix, that was even more impossible. This simulation was centered around Fu hua, and Lu Yu was devoted to her. It was unthinkable for him to team up with the Seventh Disciple against Fu hua.
Being a spectator was also not a viable choice. It was the final scene, so just watching? What was the point of awakening if he was going to be a passive observer? It was better to remain asleep.
Eliminating the three options that were not possible, Lu Yu naturally chose the second option, intervening to prevent the Seventh Disciple from killing the Master.
"I choose the second option."
[Upon regaining consciousness, you arrived at the main hall of Taixu Mountain with a sword in hand. At this moment, the Seventh Disciple was besieging Phoenix. Due to your presence, Lin Zhaoyu, Su Mei, Jiang Wanru, Jiang Wanxi, and Ma Yanqing had all practiced your Divine Thunder Sword Art and had grown significantly in strength. Even though Phoenix was a Supreme Immortal, her fists could hardly parry seven swords. By the time you arrived, Phoenix had already been knocked down by the Seventh Disciple. Lin Zhaoyu and Su Mei, each with a sword in hand, approached Phoenix. Amidst some exchange of words, they simultaneously thrust their swords toward Phoenix's heart. It was at this critical moment that you finally arrived.
You pushed Chi Yuan away, and you took the two strikes intended for her. You died.]
[Age at Death: 46]
[Cause of Death: Stabbed in the heart by Lin Zhaoyu and Su Mei while protecting Phoenix.]
[Note: The ending event is available for the host to experience. Would you like to experience it?]
"Uh... No need to force it? Forget it, I'd rather not experience it."
This time, Lu Yu really didn't want to experience it, not because he was afraid of death, but because he didn't want to see Lin Zhaoyu and Su Mei again.
These two girls had feelings for him, and in the end, he died by their swords. Lu Yu could imagine how agonizing their expressions would be.
Lu Yu chose not to experience it because he felt sorry for these two girls. He really didn't want to hear their heart-wrenching cries again. The final scene in the hall would be utterly despairing, and he couldn't stand it. The plot arrangement of this darn system was truly absurd.
Lu Yu truly wanted to express his complaint. System, what turned you into this? Was it Mihoyo's doing?
[Simulation ends.]
[This simulation has concluded, and the audience is now rating it. Please wait.]
[Rating complete. The simulation received a perfect score of 100, and the host's score is 100.]
[Host receives system evaluation: What kind of bewildering concoction have you fed the audience? You think you deserve a perfect score of 100?]
[Host receives audience evaluation: A very interesting story.]
[The reward of 100 points for this simulation has been granted. Please check your balance.]
[For your excellent performance in this simulation, the host is rewarded with 3 points in the Strength attribute and 2 points in the Constitution attribute.]
[Congratulations to the host! In this simulation, the host has elevated the Divine Thunder Sword Art to its peak. The grade of your Divine Thunder Sword Art has been upgraded.]
[Congratulations to the host! In this simulation, the host has elevated the Turtle Breathing Technique to its peak. The grade of your Turtle Breathing Technique has been upgraded.]
[Congratulations to the host for achieving a unique ending: "The Cry of the Phoenix, Soul Broken Amidst the Hall."]
"100 points?!"
Seeing that the audience rating was a perfect 100, Lu Yu was overwhelmed with tears.
Supreme Immortal Fu hua, boundless in power!
100 points, this was a full 100 points! Oh, Fu hua Supreme Immortal, forever divine!
Just for these 100 points, Lu Yu felt that his choice to help Phoenix in the end was worthwhile. What was one death? 100 points were the real deal!
"System, what is my mysterious grand prize?"
[The term 'mysterious grand prize' is self-explanatory—a highly mysterious prize!]
"Where did you learn this nonsense literature? Are you kidding me? I'm asking about the specific content of this mysterious grand prize."
[The system has already said it's a [mysterious] grand prize, so please find out the specific content of the grand prize on your own.]
Lu Yu: "?????"
Alright, the system has become quite clever, huh? Not only has it learned to speak in riddles, but now it's evolved into speaking in riddles that don't even make sense.
"Alright, it's time to repay the loan. It's really not easy!"
Lu Yu glanced at his attribute panel.
[Name: Lu Yu (22 years old)]
[Current Identity: Human (Chaotic Good)]
[Current Points: 310 points]
[Current Borrowed Points: 200, Repayment Required: 220 points]
[Current Attributes: Strength 13, Constitution 12, Spirit 15, Luck 7]
[Current Simulation Stats: Simulations 11, Kiana 4 times, Mei 5 times, Seele 1 time, Fu hua 1 time, Achieved Endings 5 times]
Current Attribute Abilities Held by the Host:
[Suppression of Qi Presence - Novice (1 star) - Skill: You can't see me, you can't see me!]
[Dark Descendant's Swift Walk - Novice (1 star) - Skill: Weakened version of Dark Descendant's Swift Walk, slightly increases movement speed for a short time.]
[HoNkai Constitution - Novice (1 star) - Skill: Basic Houkai constitution, allows your body to withstand a small amount of Houkai energy.]
[Monstrous Strength - D Rank (2 stars) - Skill: With this punch, you might die!]
[Twenty Strikes Unmatched - D Rank (2 stars) - Skill: Weakened version of Li Shuwen's secret technique, Twenty Strikes Unmatched.]
[Turtle Breathing Technique - B Rank (3 stars) - Martial Art: Also known as Xuanwu Meditation and Turtle Breath True Meditation, the foundation of the Turtle Breathing technique, the origin of the True Technique!]
[Eight Extremes Fist - B Rank (3 stars) - Martial Art: Short-range boxing technique, powerful and straightforward, shake your arm and shock the world, stomp your foot and quake the land!]
[Divine Thunder Sword Art (6 stars) - Martial Art: The ultimate secret of the Blue Sky Sect's magic from a certain game, Nine Heavens Profound Wrath, transforming into divine lightning. The magnificent power of heaven and earth, guided by the sword! This technique triggers the ultimate authority of heaven and earth as a mortal, wields a divine weapon, and brings down the nine heavenly divine thunders. Tremendous celestial power is unleashed, causing heaven and earth to tremble and the winds and clouds to change color! Note: The technique is currently in an incomplete state, with an effect equivalent to 5 stars.]
"Let's repay the loan. It doesn't feel good owing money all the time."
[The host has a total borrowed sum of 200 points. Based on the borrowing time calculation, the current repayment total is 220 points. Would you like to repay?]
"Yes."
[The host's loan points have been fully repaid. The host now has 90 remaining points.]
"Good, finally debt-free and light-hearted."
Lying on the bed, Lu Yu took a deep breath. This time, the extraordinary simulation felt more detailed than any previous one. If the previous simulations felt like playing a life simulation game on a phone, then this simulation made Lu Yu feel like he had genuinely participated in a life experience.
Becoming a disciple of Phoenix, slaying Chiyou, defeating Yan Shiluo, ambushed by the Blood Rain Sect, waging battles, and ultimately dying at Taixu Mountain.
Each event was etched deeply in Lu Yu's mind, especially the scene of Lin Zhaoyu crying by Qingyang River while holding him. That was an unforgettable moment for Lu Yu.
In that moment, Lu Yu had a genuine impulse: to resurrect himself and marry the girl he had feelings for.
"Damn, this simulation is becoming more and more realistic, it's outrageous."
[A product of the system, it's bound to be exquisite!]
"Oh? You puff up when I praise you a few times? Get lost, I haven't even mentioned your shortcomings yet. Every time you give me a tragic ending, luckily, my ability to withstand that is pretty good. If it were someone else, they would've probably broken down. Alright, alright, time to sleep, tomorrow I have to be a janitor again."
"Sigh, in reality, I'm submissive and obedient, but in the simulator, I'm a grand conqueror. What the hell..."
Mumbling a few more words, Lu Yu entered dreamland.
-------------
Night, for most people, was not the end of the day, or rather, it was a new beginning for a specific group of individuals.
In this bustling modern city, thanks to technological advancements, the ways people sought entertainment had become diverse. However, the flip side was that people had significantly less disposable time due to the pace of advancement. Progress, after all, required time.
Thousands of kilometers away from St. Freya Academy, the city of Canghai was a typical fast-paced urban setting.
At 10:00 PM, for most of the inhabitants of Canghai, this time wasn't considered late, but rather, still relatively early. The brightly lit streets were a testament to this fact.
In a particularly noisy street of Canghai, a pastry shop named "Yearning" stood out amidst numerous bars and hotels that surrounded it.
"Hello, is anyone here?"
A young man who had just come out of a bar pushed open the door of this exquisitely decorated pastry shop. He had just had a good drink at the bar, but the price was a strong discomfort in his stomach, and he needed some food to settle it.
This street was almost filled with bars and hotels, and this shop seemed to be the only one that offered food on the whole street.
The man's name was Lu Xuan Yi, twenty-eight years old, unmarried, male, heterosexual, with a monthly income that started with five digits, showing promise for the future. He had come to the bar mainly to address his personal issue of being single, but unfortunately, after nearly a dozen days of wandering around different bars on this street, he hadn't found the woman of his dreams.
Lu Xuan Yi looked at the pastry shop, "Yearning." In his memory, this shop seemed to stay open late every day. Although it appeared to be an ordinary shop selling traditional Chinese pastries, it was located on a street known for its bustling nightlife, which was quite strange.
"Yes, someone's here."
A soft female voice came from inside the shop, and along with it appeared a woman.
Lu Xuan Yi looked up, and with just one glance, he was dumbfounded.
The woman was dressed in office attire, with her burgundy hair tied into a ponytail. She had an extremely beautiful appearance, with three parts charm and seven parts elegance. She slung a black leather bag over her shoulder, giving off an air of competence and allure.
"Hello, are you here to buy something?" The woman looked at Lu Xuan Yi. She had stayed late at the office today, and by the time she had finished work and returned, it was already quite late.
At this time, the shop would rarely have customers. People like Lu Xuan Yi were a rare sight for her. After all, it was very unusual for someone to visit her small shop so late at night.
"Uh... yes."
Answering the woman's question, Lu Xuan Yi couldn't help but steal a few more glances at her. He had seen beautiful women before, but a woman this stunning was a first for him.
This level of beauty and grace was beyond anything he had encountered, even considering the polished and photoshopped images found online.
"Over there are some plates. Please feel free to choose, my senior sister will be down in a moment."
The woman pointed to a certain area inside the shop and then turned her head to call out to the room behind the door, which had a sign that read "Staff Only, No Unauthorized Entry."
"Sister, there's a customer."
After saying these words, the woman turned and walked toward the direction of the door. She had worked several extra hours at the office today and was feeling a bit tired. She wanted to rest early.
"Um... Miss, please wait a moment!"
After hesitating for a moment, Lu Xuan Yi gathered his courage and stopped the woman.
In just a few seconds, Lu Xuan Yi had already confirmed that he was completely captivated by the woman's appearance. He thought that he should take the opportunity to ask for her contact information.
"What's the matter, sir?" The woman stopped walking upon hearing Lu Xuan Yi's voice and turned to look at him.
After contemplating for a moment, Lu Xuan Yi chose a more polite way of expressing himself, "Um... Miss, if you don't mind, could we get to know each other?"
Hearing Lu Xuan Yi's words, the woman was momentarily surprised, then she couldn't help but smile faintly.
Another person trying to strike up a conversation with her, but unfortunately...
"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm already married."
Leaving behind these words, the woman didn't stay any longer. She walked straight into the door, which led to a resting area. Along the wall in the resting area, there was a staircase, and the woman's residence was upstairs.
Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, the woman heard the sound of someone coming down from above. Another woman was descending the stairs.
The woman coming down also had a stunningly beautiful appearance, but compared to the first woman, she had a bit less enchantment and a bit more elegance.
"You're off work, junior sister?"
"Yes, just finished work. By the way, senior sister, there's a customer in the shop. Why aren't Fourth Junior Sister and Fifth Junior Sister downstairs?"
"They went to see a movie they really wanted to watch today."