“Olok decides to activate the skill: Charm. Now, please engage in a willpower contest with Luther. I must remind you that Luther, having encountered various types of humans, has a very high willpower. This is a very challenging contest.”
Shen Lin remained silent, awaiting KP’s explanation.
“First, you need to make an Charm check to determine if your charm is successful.”
Shen Lin rolled the dice and got a 1.
KP: “…………….” Oh no!
Shen Lin raised an eyebrow, “What’s next?”
KP: “Critical success. No one can resist your charm.”
Shen Lin: “Oh,” he consoled, “I’ll make sure to give you a chance to explain the mechanics next time.”
KP smiled, saying, “Now, all you need to do is use Charm on him.”
“Wait,” Shen Lin interrupted, “let me understand what you mean. What does it mean for me to use it?”
“Literal meaning, you need to strike a pose, um, I mean, be a bit more enticing.”
Shen Lin: “…”
KP: “The result of the Allure check will last for five minutes.”
Shen Lin: “I remember after the game, I can complain about KP, right?”
KP: “…………”
Shen Lin: “I think ‘insufficient explanation of skill usage in the new player guide resulting in a poor player experience’ is enough reason to complain. What’s the punishment? I’m curious now.”
You’re the first to dare to threaten KP like this.
Number 98 coughed stiffly, “Um, that’s, I didn’t explain it clearly enough.”
“So what now?”
“But rules have to be followed. Right now, you just need to strike a pose, just a little.”
“Oh,” Shen Lin remained unmoved, “What’s the process for filing a complaint? Will there be a survey on user experience? My essay skills are quite good; a thousand words should suffice.”
KP: “…………”
Shen Lin: “I assume I can complain about ‘insufficient explanation of skill usage in the new player guide resulting in a poor player experience’ after the game. What kind of punishment is there? What should I do? I’m getting curious.”
KP sighed, compromising, “I’ll give you an extra bonus die.”
“What’s a bonus die?”
“It’s a portable item. After use, deduct 1d6 (roll a six-sided die, random value between 1-6) from the check result. Very practical.”
Shen Lin thought for a moment and said, “Deal.”
KP breathed a sigh of relief, adjusted his hat, and resumed his composure, “You don’t have much time left. The result of the Allure check has two minutes remaining.”
Shen Lin fell silent, his face mostly obscured by the brim of his hat. Only the shadow outlined a beautiful jawline. The fingertips, neatly trimmed and clean, grazed the transparent glass, and his voice, calm and with a texture of ice and snow, said, “But I don’t want to go back.”
Luther’s gaze was initially drawn to his elegant fingers, then moved to the slender jawline and neck under the dim light. The golden hair pressed under the brim still had a shiny luster in this dim light, making it tempting to imagine his face hidden in the shadow of the hat.
The clean voice of the youth echoed in his ears, like a stringed instrument meticulously crafted by a skilled artisan. Just plucking the strings lightly was pleasing enough. Luther seemed enchanted, and his mind went blank for a moment, until the kerosene lamp above suddenly extinguished, startling him back to reality. He narrowly avoided knocking over the glass he was wiping.
“Ah, sorry.” Luther hastily corrected the glass and said to Lena, who was approaching, “I’ll refill it right away; don’t worry.”
The people around didn’t notice Luther’s confusion, just muttering to themselves, “Even the kerosene is not enough recently. I wonder if the outsiders brought enough kerosene this time. We can do without other things, but kerosene is a big problem.”
Luther came back after refilling, glancing at Shen Lin inadvertently. With a slightly red cheek, he said, “Did I startle you? I apologize again.”
“No problem,” Shen Lin said, “Is the kerosene in the tavern not enough either?”
Luther sighed with regret, “Yes, we reduced the number of kerosene lamps, but we still can’t keep every light on until closing.”
“It’s just too bad we have to rely on these outsiders.”
“Yeah,” Luther sighed, “But there’s no other way. You know, everyone here is cursed in our blood, and we can’t leave.”
Can’t leave?
Shen Lin suppressed his curiosity, not asking directly but subtly probing, “Really? No way at all?”
“No,” Luther shook his head, “We’re different from those outsiders. Although they can freely come and go from the town, we’re born to enjoy the blessings of the divine bloodline. They can only make their voices heard by the gods and gain blessings through that kind of ritual.”
“What kind of ritual is that?” Shen Lin asked, “My family has never mentioned it to me.”
“Most townsfolk don’t know the specifics of that ritual, just that every ten years, a few outsiders come to the town and perform the ritual at Moon Sink. Benson mentioned it when he was drunk, and I overheard it. This ritual can sacrifice to the gods, granting extraordinary abilities to the outsiders.”
“Extraordinary abilities?” Shen Lin asked tentatively, “Such as?”
“The abilities they pray to the gods for,” Luther said. “People in this world with extraordinary abilities are either descendants of the gods or have received enlightenment. Like us, we have stronger bodies and less aging than ordinary people. Some people have bodies as hard as steel, eyes that can see through souls, or abilities for divination and foreseeing the future, and so on.”
“Truly magical.”
“These are all gifts from the gods,” he crossed his hands on his chest, leaning slightly forward, saying piously, “Thanks to the gods.”
Shen Lin wanted to ask which deity the town worshipped, but if he asked, he would reveal too much. After some consideration, he asked, “Do you know what the specifics of the ritual are? I’m curious about what abilities the outsiders want to gain.”
“To be honest,” he lowered his voice to Shen Lin, “I’m curious too. But only the people from the church know the details.”
Shen Lin remembered seeing a relatively tall building on his way in; that should be the church in the town. Benson, whom they mentioned earlier, was likely the head of the church.
It looks like he’ll have to find a way to the church later.
After that, he chatted with Luther for a while, unable to extract any useful information. Shen Lin said, “Luther, I’ve thought it over carefully. You were right. I shouldn’t have run away from home in a fit of anger.”
“It’s really great that you can think that way! Although the town is safe, recently…” He paused and said, “George Street and Hassanck Street are not very safe. It seems like they’re about to start some kind of riot. Be careful.”
“Riot? Why?” Shen Lin questioned.
“To oppose Benson’s dictatorship, and they also need more supplies.”
Supplies are brought by outsiders. After some thought, Shen Lin asked again, “Do those outsiders have any distinctive features? Is it dangerous if I happen to encounter them?”
“No,” Luther shook his head, “It’s not visible to the naked eye. They look similar to us, but most outsiders are cunning. If you encounter someone very eloquent, they are most likely outsiders. Don’t let them deceive you.”
Shen Lin, sly and eloquent: “…”
Luther sighed and said, “Benson learned bad things from those outsiders! I heard he was a very kind and devout person a long time ago.”
Shen Lin: “What if I can’t recognize them on sight?”
“Right,” Luther said, “Although our town is not big, we’re not all familiar with each other. Like you, I’m meeting you for the first time.” He slightly leaned down, curious to peek under Shen Lin’s cap. He only saw a pair of clear blue eyes, like the rippling surface of Moon Sink under the moonlight. Luther sincerely praised, “You’re really handsome!”
Shen Lin smiled and responded generously, like a well-mannered aristocrat, “Thank you.”
Luther, a bit embarrassed, scratched his face, “But actually, we rarely encounter outsiders. After they come to Moon Sink, they stay in the church and rarely go out.”
“What happened ten years ago?” Shen Lin asked.
Luther was taken aback. Originally, he didn’t want to take the risk of chatting with Shen Lin about these matters, but for some reason, he felt that he should tell the youth everything he knew without reservation, even entrusting his life to him.
Luther took a deep breath and whispered, with only the two of them hearing, “There was one less sacrificial offering, so the sacrifice failed. The outsiders paid a painful price, and Moon Sink angered the outsiders by not properly safeguarding the sacrifice. They took back one-third of the supplies that should have belonged to Moon Sink. It was fatal for Moon Sink.”
Shen Lin needed to digest these clues carefully. He nodded and stood up from the bar, saying, “It’s too late; I have to go back.”
“Okay, okay,” Luther’s eyes revealed a regret that he hadn’t had enough, “Be careful on the way.”
“The wine is delicious; thank you for chatting with me.” Shen Lin bowed to him, displaying impeccable manners.
“I’m glad I could help you. Goodbye.” Luther waved goodbye behind the counter.
Shen Lin put on his hat and threaded through the bustling crowd. At this moment, Luther suddenly called him from behind, “Please wait.”
Shen Lin halted, furrowing his brows nervously. He could feel the eyes of some people around him on him.
Luther caught up, shyly asking, “C-Can I know your name?”
Shen Lin: “…”
KP: “Looks like the Allure effect worked very well.”
Shen Lin fabricated a name, “Mike.”
Luther looked at him with sparkling eyes, “Okay, Mike! What a nice name! Goodnight! Sincerely looking forward to meeting you again!”
Shen Lin: “…………….”
Even after leaving the tavern, Shen Lin could still feel Luther’s fiery gaze.
Outside the tavern, the night was deep, and the liveliest time had passed. Lissa, selling flowers, was still diligently calling out. The fragrance of lilies dispersed in the night breeze.
Shen Lin stopped his steps and pressed his forehead.
Toying with the emotions of a pure-hearted bartender… he felt he was thoroughly scumming himself.
Next, Shen Lin went to meet Yanxiu.
Yanxiu was hiding in the dark alley behind the tavern.
He was tall, standing sideways in the thin mist, and the cold brows and eyes were illuminated by the lights. His icy and aloof demeanor was indescribable.
However, when Shen Lin appeared in his field of vision, the frosty demeanor melted in an instant. He smiled, waved at Shen Lin, and greeted him.
Shen Lin pursed his lips. He always felt that he had seen Yanxiu somewhere. His attitude toward himself was affectionate and indulgent, as if the two had known each other for a long time, even longer than when they met on the train.
During those deserted and long-forgotten times, he had always been protecting himself, from the faint dawn to the end of time.
But… how could that be possible?
His seventeen years were spent either competing with his parents in wits or studying at school. Every moment he lived was on the path paved by his parents until the facade of a harmonious family was torn apart.
He wasn’t a good student.
Illusion.
Shen Lin thought expressionlessly; it must be the aftermath of recently scumming Luther.
He couldn’t have known Yanxiu.
