CH 25

Chapter 25 Eerie Cinephile City Part 9

I will be translating the male from the couple (“想你时最孤独”: “ I am loneliest when I think of you”) as Lonely and the female (“念你时最寂寞”: “I am most lonesome when I remember you”) as Lonesome. I have also changed “Quality” of items to “Grade” and “Normal” to “Ordinary” so it’s now “Grade: Ordinary”. The rest of the Grades are from worst to best: Trash, Poor, Ordinary, Superior, Perfect, Legendary

Side note back in Ch. 17 Feng BuJue noted that 龙傲旻: Long AoMin must be strong if he dared to name himself Long AoMin because it means “dragon defying heaven”

The people waiting outside only waited for one minute then they saw a light shine in the police station.

Everyone looked at each other in apprehension, dozens of seconds later, Feng BuJue came out from his previous location, “I found the backup power switch, this police station seems to have a built-in independent power supply.”

This was undoubtedly good news; the five immediately filed in through the hole in the wall to the police station.

After it was completely lit up, the scene inside was actually quite alarming. Apart from the ceiling which didn’t suffer too much damage, basically all the office tables, chairs, benches, computers, files, drinking fountains, and other movable objects were knocked out of place. There were also many split boards and wooden chips, likely from doors, as well as dozens of damaged door frames. Most of the stuff was piled up behind the main entrance so there was no way to open it; even if there was a key it would be useless.

On the first floor, there were a total of 3 dead bodies. Earlier, Feng BuJue found the first dead body that was nearest to the entrance. Searching deeper in revealed two more that wore uniforms, both were white males. The second corpse was obese, on the side of his fleshy gut a hole was opened. A long chunk of intestine hung out from the gut, exactly how long…let’s say it this way: you could hang yourself with it. The third corpse was of medium build, on his left shoulder was a gap that cut from the collarbone along to his left chest, the heart inside had already gone missing.

The game’s reconstruction of this kind of nauseating simulation was to an extremely high degree of intensity, but the system would suppress the player’s urge to vomit. Essentially, during the time the mind is linked, the sense of smell and taste would both be fine tuned to prevent the player’s stomach from feeling a sense of discomfort.

Wang TanZhi, contrary to expectations, was indifferent. He had already, in reality, dissected many corpses. Naturally, this had nothing to do with courage, he was just already accustomed to it. As long as the corpse wasn’t moving, whether it was an open chest or gut both were fine; he was not afraid. But any other ghosts, weird spirits, demons, monsters, and even the dark he felt terrified of. When watching a horror movie or a horror game, his reaction was about the same was as girl’s.

Let me add a footnote: actually, when girls watch a horror movie, even though they have big reactions it doesn’t mean that they’re timid. This is a complete sham. Maybe in real life there  would times when they’d be afraid; however, watching a horror movie is another matter entirely. Suppose a young couple sat together to watch a horror movie. Often the male’s expression is completely indifferent and the woman appears very scared; one would feign light hearted jokes to the other from time to time and the other would scream from time to time. This kind of thing is staged everyday; 80 percent of the time the man is pretending to be brave and the woman is playing cute. In fact, the two’s level of fear in regards to the horror movie are about the same and this level of difference is unlikely.

But I have to say, a guy not pretending to be brave is not cute, a girl not playing cute is too brave; the world needs this in order to keep working. Everyone, please continue to try hard. (TL: This is all the author’s opinion.)

Let’s return to the main point back to the three corpses. The corpse that Feng BuJue searched before naturally had already no more items to uncover. The one with the ripped open stomach had a police baton and a set of handcuffs. After picking it up for closer inspection, the handcuffs were unexpectedly broken and cuffed on him; the keys nowhere to be found.

Feng BuJue gave the police baton to Lonely. Although the item was an Ordinary grade equipment, because it had no equipment restrictions and in any case was a specialized weapon, it very much satisfied the thus far defenseless Lonely little bro.

The third corpse was in a very small compartment, the area seemed to be where the clean tools were placed, and unexpectedly had utterly nothing on its body. Only when Feng BuJue attempted to strip it bare to see if the soles of its feet had some tattoo or maybe three moles, did Wang TanZhi finally find a slip of paper from its pocket.

This was obviously a key to solving the mystery and naturally couldn’t be overlooked.

【Name: Note with Written Numbers】

【Type: Plot Item】

【Grade: Ordinary】

【Function: Unknown】

【Can it leave the Scenario: No 】

【Note: 69185】

Besides these five Arabic numbers there was nothing else on the slip. Feng BuJue looked at the item description for a few seconds before suddenly throwing away the paper slip.

“Hey! Jue Bro, will it matter if you throw it away like this?” asked Wang Tanzhi.

From his inventory, Feng BuJue took out the ring of keys he picked up earlier and checked each key one at a time, “69185…69185…found it.” He found the key with those five numbers carved at its tip, removed it from the ring of keys, and tossed the rest keys away keeping only this key. He spoke, “Yeah…that’s right, it’s this one.”

Right when the key was singled out and held alone, the menu showed a new item prompt:

【Name: Key of Fire】

【Type: Plot Item】

【Grade: Ordinary】

【Can it leave the Scenario: No】

【Note: Has magical properties, one of the five Demon Gate keys.】

“This must be a plot item required for the main plotline.” Feng BuJue spoke, “Even if we didn’t come to this police station now, if we waited till after we figured out the Demon Gate there would still be a follow-up mission to have us take this trip.”

“Great, so this saved us time, right?” Wang Tanzhi spoke.

“Time…” Feng BuJue spoke, “Hnn…it’s best to mention it. This item clearly has a note written that there is, altogether, as many as five keys. According to this Zelda type of deceptive pattern…I reckon after we finally reach the Demon Gate we’d receive this exact follow-up mission to find the five keys and then either open or close the Gate.”

At this time Long AoMin came over from the other side of the corridor and said, “The staircase leading to the second floor is completely destroyed, looks like there’s no way up.”

“As expected…” Feng BuJue passed the key to him so he could look at the attributes, “We found what we needed on the first floor.”

Lonely and Lonesome seemed to have profited this time, they found a first aid kit in the pile of debris in some room and brought it over.

Opening it revealed a roll of bandage and two clear vials of medicine. These were naturally consumables: the bandage’s effect staunched bleeding and the two medicine vials were Terror Paradise’s standard Recovery Medicine.

【Name:  Health Gauge Recovery Medicine (Large) x 2 】

【Type: Consumable】

【Grade: Ordinary】

【Function: Recovers 100% of the Player’s Health Gauge】

【Can it leave the Scenario: Yes】

【Note: The maximum that can be stack is 5; subsequent uses will gradually lower the effect】

Feng BuJue understood the note after a glance, the maximum value was clearly to restrict the amount a player could carry. Because Inventory only has ten slots, even if it’s expanded later, the player still needs to leave space for equipment and other items. The decreased effect after subsequent uses is to prevent players from relying too much on this Recovery Medicine during battle.

“Very good…if one vial is 100% then….” Feng BuJue took out his 【Single-use Syringe】, passed it to Wang TanZhi and said, “Doctor, for you.”

Wang TanZhi is also an astute man and immediately understood Feng BuJue’s intent. He effortlessly picked up a vial of Recovery Medicine, extracted approximately four-fifths of the content, then gestured at Long AoMin to roll up his sleeve.

While Doctor Wang was administering the injection, Long AoMin returned the key and asked, “What’s meaning behind the 69185 on the top?”

Feng BuJue replied, “Rudimentary puzzle, order of the alphabet that’s all: 6F, 9I, 18R, 5E. Fire.”

Although it seemed seemed simple while listening to the explanation, Long AoMin thought that he wouldn’t necessarily be able to think of it himself.

Wang TanZhi efficiently finished the injection. He extracted a fairly accurate amount; this one injection replenished 83% of his Health Gauge and now returned to 95% health.

There was 17% left in the vial. Wang TanZhi first asked if Lonely and Lonesome loss any health to which the two indicated they were full of blood, so he just picked up the vial with no reservations and drank it in one gulp. His Health Gauge recovered back to 100%.

Perhaps someone might ask, why didn’t the two just each take a drink? The reason is…as long as a player makes the “drink” action, the item would be immediately consumed.

The Recovery Medicine is the most common “Blood Bottle”, in the future it’ll be one of the main items sold in the Game Market. This and the Scenarios items are different from reality’s; it’s completely a part of the System’s scene props. As long as the player makes the “Drinking” action, even if it’s carelessly spilling some on the side of the mouth, it’ll be completely drunken. There’s not even a sensation of liquid flowing down you throat and the bottle will also immediately disappear. These things were originally only given for “Usage” and not for quenching thirst or filling up hunger which is why they had to be set up this way.

That disposable syringe could be said to have exploited a loophole. And only Feng BuJue, this punk who read the all the game’s rules, could’ve thought of this. At this time, Wang TanZhi and Long AoMin actually hadn’t completely come around to understanding this; they were just acting according to Feng BuJue’s line of thought and would only understand the reason behind it after they’d finish the Scenario and read the rules related to Recovery Medicine.

From the System’s point of view, this wasn’t deemed as a BUG, and would even reward Wang TanZhi skill points. This is due to that 【Single-use Syringe】which disappeared after one use, so the player used up one item to split another item. One in, one out; you win some you lose some; this isn’t like creating something from nothing.

“A baton, a pistol, items from the Main Plot, also two vials of blood and one “Bleeding” status remover…” Feng BuJue calculated, “Normally, after finishing the Main Mission and coming over to kill the Blood Corpse we’d might have to been inflicted with a “Bleeding” wound and the Health Gauge Recovery Medicine would also be necessary. The Plot didn’t mention the items…killing like that is strange, yet there’s only two weapons. Feels like something is missing…”

Feng BuJue lowered his head, crossed his left arm over his chest, propped his right elbow on his left hand, and used two fingers to tap on his forehead, “At first I was looking forward to finding an arms storage room or a stockpile of confiscated marijuana…”

“Hey! Why are you holding your breath for that? Virtual drug experiences and pornography services are all banned!” Wang TanZhi retorted.

“That’s it!” Feng BuJue eyes brightened, “That fatty’s intestines have all spilled out, how is his stomach still so big? There’s something inside!”