Chapter 11

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

The advantage of having an agent has quickly arisen.

Ococo secured an opportunity for Bright to attend a social function as decorative eye-candy adorning the hall of the host.

“It’s outside?” He might be able to leave the show’s grounds? Bright’s heart skips a bit.

“Don’t dream of running away or anything. There's first the locating device in your bracelet which can only be taken off if you sever your hand. Then secondly, the bracelet will inform the cops if it's away from you for over an hour , and issue a Citywide warrant for you. Nobody can escape.” Ococo gives a warning out of habit. She thinks her star can’t possibly be that stupid.

Bright, who was on the brink of doing something stupid, shows that he understood.

This is the first time Bright will be leaving the show, heading to the world outside. It can’t be helped he’s feeling a bit nervous.

“How should I prepare?”

“They know you’re new, and probably won’t force you into anything too difficult. The servants and toys present in the function are all specifically domesticated; they’d even be displeased with disdain if you offered those services! It’s basic to just drink and take a pill or too. I heard you don’t touch those? That won’t do, you can’t spoil the mood.”

“Is there machinery that will detect BAC or substances?” Implying, can I pretend to be drunk and high?

Ococo’s talk abruptly stops for a second. She has a feeling this star will give her many headaches further down the line. Still she shakes her head, saying that no such things are present——everyone’s there to have fun, why’d you use that?

“In any case just do everything that you are told to. You might not get a reward for completing it, but you’ll be in trouble if you don’t,” Ococo is doing her best to convince him, “I’m just a small agent, those are all bigshots.”

“Understood.”

“The show will be in charge of transportation tomorrow.”

That night Bright returns to the post-apocalyptic zombie world and had a friendly exchange with the zombies in the surroundings. Then he hunts a deer and generously rewarded himself.

The roasted venison is fresh and succulent, its fragrance bombarding the senses. Coupled with mushroom skewers, it is both nutritious and delicious.

Blackback sits like a good boy as usual next to Bright.

“Latiao, dad won’t be seeing you tomorrow. If dad comes back alive… scratch that, can’t erect flags here! Anyway, it’s a guarantee, I will build you a doghouse the day after tomorrow.”

“Woof!” As if it understood Bright, Blackback wags its tail happily.

Bright hugs it, and Blackback affectionately lets its tongue out and licks his face. The man and the dog messes about for a while before resting.

Without this world as a sort of interlude, without Latiao, he’d probably have had a mental collapse way before this.

After half a month’s investigation, Bright has basically figured out the rules for the transmigration.

The Killing Gauntlet world is the real world. If he is sleeping at exactly midnight in it then he could enter the post-apocalyptic zombie world. Also, if the outside world greatly interferes with his body, he will wake up prematurely, kind of like a forced logout. So that when he logs in again he’d be where he left the last time.

The flow of time in both worlds is independent of his leaving either. The flow of time in the game world is much faster, however. Six hours in the real world is about a day in the game world.

The worlds don’t interact with each other. Bright hasn’t yet found a way to bring things from the game to the real world. If not he would have made firearms and cannons and bombs to blow that hell of a real world up.

Luckily for him, his body becomes stronger as his level goes up in the game. His stamina, endurance, power, speed, etc. have all improved compared to the very beginning. Some techniques his body remembers can be reflected in the real world as well, for example the harvest skill which made him good at dissecting animal bodies. This is one of the most important factors he relies on to survive currently.

He treats the real world as a job and the game as his home. At work his nerves are tense and he is expressionless. He suppresses all emotions. Off work he lets himself out and destresses, achieving a satisfactory balance.

Bright currently feels as if he is a prisoner dressed in suits. Alongside other contestants who are handsome or pretty, they are transported to their destination by heavily armoured vehicles. Even their windows are coloured black and they can’t see outside at all.

It is the most extravagant and elite hotel in the Outer City, the walls are glistening and the brightness blinding, opulent to no end. The walls and columns are all fitted with gemstones of all colours. The floor is a single panel with no trace of assembly. Its brightness and reflectiveness is such that it can be used to examine people. It’s embellished with patterns of pure gold.

Someone’s breath is visibly taken away; the staff from the show leading them explains to them with quite the smug attitude, “this is just the lobby of the hotel. The hall where the function is held is inside.” After this he pauses long enough for everyone to express their shock and adoration, “once you’re inside, listen to the directions of the supervisor. I’ll collect you tomorrow.”

The supervisor is probably a manager or chief of the hotel. They are experienced and immediately gives their orders as soon as they see them.

“Birdies, free drinks, free pills, just make sure you don’t kill yourself. Hurry, hurry and get ready! The patrons are almost here!”

Bright can see the makings of a pimp on him.

He pretends to have taken a pill, but actually held it in his palm and threw it away when no one was looking. Then he took a sip of wine to fill his mouth with the smell of alcohol, then dousing most of it on his deep-coloured coat. He unfocuses his gaze to pretend to be drunk.

He follows everyone into the hall in unsteady steps.

When he sees the whole of the venue, Bright understood what his agent meant by being a decorative eye-candy.

The hall is divided into two floors. The upper floor is a circular balcony encircling the venue, probably where the patrons enjoy their view.

The lower floor, where the contestants entered, is stocked full of beauties of all types like a cornucopia. The contestants are like people who have accidentally wandered into the extravagant parties where the Olympian gods mingle and have fun.

In the most visible spot in the middle of the hall is a giant golden birdcage where an elf with its pointy ears sits. It has a crown of flowers on his head and its amply plump body is only dressed in a thin veil. The prized spot of wonder is enticingly obscured. There’s four pillars of ivory jade surrounding the birdcage, each adorned by a beautiful Naga whose upper body is an alluring lady and under its belly button is the lower body of a snake deeply violet in colour. If you look closely, the four Nagas are completely identical in both appearance and clothing. Even those that are strewn about on the sofa lying in a sort of foetal position are cute and pretty cat-eared teenagers. They’re completely naked with a lazy posture. Twitching their furry ears every so often, painting a picture evoking lasciviousness.

“Do you see that? They’re all yours!” The pimp is inciting the fervour of the contestants, “go possess them, vandalise them, release your fieriness!”

These beautiful people are bright red flower petals, and the contestants are green leaves. The leaves adorn the red flowers. The patrons liked decoration like that.

A few contestants dashed straight towards the birdcage in the middle. The innocent and pure elf was the top prize. They must fight to be number one, to be the best brat there is in the venue.

Screams, shrieks, gaffaws, wails, all join together into one bewitching musical score.

The venue has devolved into a manic revelry. Practically tasting the debauchery in the air, along with the bloody scent of plunder and violence, the pimp nods his head in satisfaction.

Keeping the advice of his agent in mind, Bright follows the crowd and takes an average-looking dog-ear teenage boy away with him because its patterns reminded him of Latiao. Then he secludes himself in a corner quite out of the way, and prepares to kill time by goofing off.

The Dog-ear Boy isn’t quiet, squirming about on Bright’s body. He licks him, bites him lightly, making a pitiful whimpering sound, hoping for attention, hoping for cuddles. He was probably fed something or trained to be this way——this thought makes Bright’s mood sink to the bottom. It made him think of his future self.

At this time, people’s silhouettes can be seen on the second floor. The patrons have likely arrived. Bright dared not look at them directly, and tries to observe them with sidelong glances. Everyone of them is dressed well and being refined and courteous at each other. They are wearing tailcoats and masks, so it is impossible to see their appearance. Some are talking with each other, some are looking down on the show coldly, while remarking on something.

Above and below, are two different worlds,

The upper level is calm, collected, superior;

The lower level is frenetic, unhinged, inferior.

Author’s notes: The Top and Bottom are less than 10 metres apart right now.

Read only at Travis Translations