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Chapter 33: A Useful “NPC”
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Balloons?
Eve felt like the world had gone mad.
After barely escaping the damp, dark basement of Old Fire Gang and undergoing several days of psychological counseling at the church to finally feel like she was stepping out of the shadows, she hadn’t even had time to reunite properly with her parents before Judicature came knocking, asking for her assistance in the ongoing investigation.
At first, she was reluctant. But then she thought that if she contributed her part, perhaps the case could be resolved sooner, allowing her to leave behind the fear and start anew.
Who would have guessed that the source of the greatest “fear” in this case—the figure countless Ascenders had failed to track down—would simply appear before her…
And give her balloons.
Yes, ordinary balloons. Eve raised her head and examined them repeatedly. The balloons were painted with cheap paint depicting smiling faces, grinning at her in a comical fashion.
“Th-Thank you,” she awkwardly accepted the balloons.
[Honor +125]
The gray-and-white bar on the screen suddenly shifted, moving the character icon closer to the middle-right position.
“Hold onto them tightly. Don’t lose them.”
Lin Qi casually instructed her. The reason he only bought this many balloons wasn’t due to a lack of money—it was simply because the shop had run out of stock.
This game often went overboard with certain details. This place used to be as desolate as any wilderness.
But after the textile factory was transformed into a tourist attraction, all sorts of commercial establishments sprang up around it, saving a lot of hassle. At least he didn’t have to run hundreds of meters just to buy something.
Right, and about this tourist attraction—he really wanted to complain about how the cult crime scene was turned into a tourist hotspot. Was this country’s method of boosting GDP in the game background really this absurd?
Even more chilling was the fact that, if converted into in-game time, it had only been eight or nine days since Lin Qi cleared this base—certainly less than a month and a half.
In other words, the investigation, verdict, public opinion fermentation, government approval, factory renovation, and tourism promotion—all of this had happened within such a short timeframe.
“What am I doing debating realism with a game…” Lin Qi chuckled at his own thoughts. He smiled, refocusing his attention on the game.
After all, Batman could finish the main storyline in one night while casually unlocking 440 Riddler trophies. In Stellaris, advancing from entering the galaxy to mastering the Ether Phase engine took just a few hundred years. And Doom’s protagonist could probably conquer Hell in an afternoon.
In short, nitpicking time-related details in games was pointless.
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After receiving the balloons, Eve still felt uneasy, as if her skin were prickling. She opened her mouth several times but said nothing.
Was it her imagination, or did she sense that the other person seemed… to be showing kindness?
At that moment, Viya suddenly glanced at Eve, startling her so much that her heart skipped half a beat.
“You will keep my secret, won’t you?”
Though phrased as a question, Viya’s tone carried an air of certainty.
A job should always be completed thoroughly. Intimidation, extortion, and sealing lips—she had already done the first two. Even though she’d casually gained some Honor earlier, the final step still needed to be completed.
It was basic courtesy as a player!
“Yes, yes, yes!”
“Don’t worry. I know nothing.”
Eve’s sudden shift in attitude reminded her that the person before her was not some kind older sister but someone who had slaughtered the entire Old Fire Gang camp.
She nodded rapidly, like a chick pecking at rice.
To strengthen her promise, she clasped her hands in prayer, muttering solemnly:
“Oh great God of Radiance, Eternal Dawn, You are the immortal bridge spanning the beyond. You are…”
“I swear to you that I will not tell anyone about what happened today—not even my closest friends or family. If I break this vow, may my soul never enter Your kingdom and find no peace after death.”
Miss Eve, your survival instinct is overflowing… Viya quietly listened to this dignified and authoritative prayer.
She recalled the prayers Lady Minstrel had spoken in that pure sea and grew curious about what Mr. Yog’s prayer might sound like.
Most divine prayers extolled their authority and related doctrines.
I’m guessing it involves the word “time.” Wait—Mr. Yog was also called the Slumbering One. Did He also hold dominion over this domain?
An image immediately formed in her mind: a world without war, casualties, or suffering, where people resolved disputes by grabbing pillows and competing to see who could sleep longer… No, no, I can’t keep thinking like this.
The little voice in Viya’s head shook vigorously, tossing out this blasphemous thought.
“Can I go now?”
After finishing her prayer, Eve timidly asked.
“Yes.”
Lin Qi chose not to make things harder for her. To be honest, he had started to like this Eve character.
Giving him money and helping him gain Honor—a classic reward-style NPC.
“So… I’ll be going?”
Eve took a step to the right, sneakily glancing at Viya before hurrying away.
But before she could get far, a cold voice rang out once more:
“Wait.”
Can you say everything at once… Eve forced a smile uglier than tears:
“What else is there?”
“You dropped something.” Viya’s gaze lowered to the floor, where a monthly pass lay.
It was a student monthly pass adorned with stars along its edges, bearing the name “Eve Moon.”
Eve froze momentarily, initially thinking the murderer had changed her mind, deciding that only the dead could truly keep secrets, and was preparing to deal with her on the spot.
“Oh, okay. Thank you.”
Eve bent down to pick up the pass, her trembling fingertips nearly failing to grasp the light paper ticket.
The pattern on the pass looked familiar… Lin Qi opened the game’s built-in encyclopedia, scanning through it until he found the corresponding emblem under the factions section—it was the crest of Rothesia Academy.
Seeing this information, his expression turned strange.
So this person will be a future classmate?
Lin Qi glanced at Eve’s level bar—it was zero, meaning she was just an ordinary person.
That meant she had passed solely through the written exam—a top-tier studious type… He silently raised the importance of Eve’s character in his mental ranking.
It seemed she wasn’t just a throwaway NPC who disappeared after handing out rewards. She likely had her own side plots in the new map.
“We’ll meet again in the future.”
Lin Qi decided to establish good relations with his future classmate in advance.
The future… we’ll meet again?!
Upon hearing these words, Eve felt dizzy, her legs gave way, and she nearly collapsed.
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