After a few seconds of stubborn resistance, Lin finally managed to climb onto Jiang's back.
"Am I heavy, Jiang?" she asked, swinging her legs as she hooked both arms securely around his neck. A smug grin spread across her face as she added, "If you say I'm heavy, I'll strangle you."
Jiang let out a long sigh.
Lin couldn't see his expression from where she was, but she was fairly certain he was suppressing the urge to throw her straight into the nearest flowerbed. Maybe he was even reciting something calming in his head to keep himself from losing his temper. Still, she felt absolutely no guilt about it. He had been the one who started this whole thing by making those snide remarks about her cooking.
Instead of answering, Jiang said, "Don't call me Jiang-ge."
"You don't like it?" Resting her chin on his shoulder, Lin thought about it for a moment. The original novel had never mentioned anything like this. "Fine, then I won't call you that anymore. Don't be angry. Are you angry?"
"No."
"So am I heavy?"
"...No."
Lin immediately narrowed her eyes. "Why did you hesitate for so long?"
As she spoke, she pinched her own cheek before letting herself slump bonelessly against his back. A sudden sense of crisis washed over her. Over the past month, she had eaten every meal on time without fail. Whether it was food from the cafeteria or meals Jiang cooked himself while forbidding her from being picky, her diet had become far healthier than before. If she hadn't gained weight after all that, it would have been a miracle.
"Maybe I've gotten fat," she muttered miserably.
"You're not fat." Jiang paused briefly before continuing. "You've gained muscle. I wasn't silent because I was annoyed. You just changed the subject so suddenly that I couldn't keep up."
Lin fell silent.
For some reason, that explanation made her feel even more embarrassed.
It was already ten o'clock at night.
Ever since entering the game, Lin had gradually developed a healthier sleep schedule, but tonight she had no intention of going to bed early. Sitting at her desk, she filled page after page with notes, trying her best to reconstruct everything she could remember about the upcoming Elite Instance.
Unfortunately, she had never possessed the kind of memory that allowed people to recite entire novels word for word. Most of the stories she read belonged to the category of read once and forget forever. Even so, remembering a little was better than walking into danger completely blind.
The next Instance was a five-player run set in a small, desolate town.
At the center of the town stood a church. That much she remembered clearly. The protagonist had obtained an extremely important item from the final boss hidden inside that church.
Everything else was frustratingly vague.
The more Lin thought about it, the more she realized that her memories mostly consisted of Jiang crushing every obstacle in his path. As for how he had actually done any of it, she couldn't remember a thing.
With a groan, she smacked a hand against her forehead.
If she had known she would someday end up inside the novel herself, she would have read every chapter carefully instead of skimming through them.
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
The illuminated screen showed a new message from Jiang.
Jiang: Asleep?
Lin immediately replied.
Lin: Not yet.
Jiang: Don't be too nervous. Sleeping won't affect your status once the game starts.
Lin: I'm going to sleep soon. Besides, you're still awake too.
This time, his response took noticeably longer.
When the message finally appeared, Lin froze.
Jiang: I've developed a habit of thinking about you before I sleep.
Without hesitation, she took a screenshot.
Then, just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, she exited the chat window and reopened it.
The message was already gone.
Deleted.
Lin nearly burst out laughing.
Fortunately, her reflexes were unmatched. Truly, she was the smartest woman alive.
A new message appeared a moment later.
Jiang: Go to sleep early. If you're asleep, the wait won't feel as long.
Rather than replying, Lin tapped the call button.
On the other side, Jiang sat alone on his sofa, staring at the incoming call notification. Even before answering, he could already imagine the triumphant expression currently plastered across her face.
He had never considered himself particularly good at this sort of thing. Earlier that evening, he had even searched online for romantic messages. Reading them felt awkward and artificial, but actually sending one to Lin had left him strangely restless.
Turning the finger spinner in his hand, he allowed the phone to ring for a few seconds before finally answering.
Meanwhile, Lin had already crawled into bed and wrapped herself around her Pikachu plushie.
The moment she heard his voice, she decided not to mention the screenshot.
Some victories were best enjoyed privately.
"Jiang," she said sweetly, her voice carrying a faintly aggrieved tone, "I listened to you and tried to sleep, but I couldn't."
"Then..." Jiang coughed lightly. "What should we do?"
"I don't know. Maybe I'm too nervous."
Lin considered teasing him further but quickly abandoned the idea. Pushing her luck too much was dangerous. If she annoyed him, the gains from tonight might not be worth the loss.
After thinking it over, she spoke before Jiang could.
"But talking to you makes me feel a lot better. You should go to sleep soon too. I just wanted to hear your voice."
The finger spinner rotated once more between Jiang's fingers.
"Alright," he said quietly. "If you still can't sleep later, call me again."
"Okay. Goodnight~"
"Goodnight."
After the call ended, Lin hugged her Pikachu and rolled back and forth across the mattress.
"Daily favorability mission complete."
Staring up at the ceiling, she couldn't help whispering a small prayer.
"If I die in the Instance, I hope it doesn't hurt too much. And if I survive..." She tightened her arms around the plushie. "Then I hope I can actually help Jiang this time. Even a salted fish should be able to leave behind some value, right?"
At exactly midnight, the familiar system notification echoed through her mind.
[Distinguished new Veteran players, welcome to the Survival Instance.]
[The Main God is randomly assigning the Game Instance...]
[Randomly assigning teammates...]
[Assignment complete. The game officially begins.]
[Welcome, Player: Lin. You have entered as part of a pre-formed team.]
[Team Leader: Jiang.]
[Teammate: Please Block Me.]
[Game Instance initializing...]
[The selected Instance is an Elite-Level Decryption Instance.]
[Number of players: Five.]
[Synopsis: What secrets lie hidden within this abandoned town? For whom do the lonely church bells ring? Reflections flicker within darkened windows, and a world stands upside down. You are members of a five-person exploration team. Please uncover the truth concealed within this deserted town.]
[Note: The mission area has been marked. Please do not leave the designated Instance zone.]
[We wish all players a pleasant game.]
Decryption Instances were fundamentally different from ordinary Survival Instances.
In a Decryption Instance, all players began together, and there was no strict time limit. Survival Instances, on the other hand, scattered participants randomly across the map and imposed harsh deadlines from the very beginning.
When Lin opened her eyes, she found herself standing at the entrance to a town.
The moment she spotted Jiang, she immediately jogged over.
Since their assigned identities were members of an exploration team, all five players were dressed similarly in camouflage uniforms and combat boots. Lin's hair had been tied into a high ponytail, and it bounced behind her as she ran.
Jiang reached out and patted her head before turning his attention toward the remaining two players.
Elite Instances did not permit newcomers, so everyone present possessed at least some experience. The other pair introduced themselves efficiently. The man called himself Floating, while the woman went by Coffee. Judging from their behavior, they had entered as a pre-made team just like Lin and Jiang.
Lin glanced at the mechanical watch on Jiang's wrist.
6:12 AM.
The sky had only just begun to brighten. A damp chill lingered in the air, carrying the cold scent of morning fog.
"Let's start with a full circuit of the town," Jiang said as he took her hand. "After that, we'll discuss exactly what truth we're supposed to uncover."
Lin nodded.
Perhaps because she had finally seen the place in person, fragments of forgotten memories began resurfacing one after another. Combined with the synopsis, they painted a picture that was far from reassuring.
This town was dangerous.
Very dangerous.
At the entrance stood a towering iron sign. Years of rust had eaten away at its surface until the town's name was no longer legible. Nearby, a fallen signpost lay half-buried in weeds. Most of its directional markers had long since disappeared, but a few faded words remained visible.
Church.
Town Hall.
School.
Hospital.
The names emerged from the rust and decay like remnants of a forgotten past, silently waiting for someone to uncover the secrets buried beneath them.
Summary:
Lin and Jiang transition from a playful late-night phone call about their relationship and game anxiety into the start of an Elite-level Decryption Game Instance. The team of five spawns at the entrance of a mysterious, abandoned, and misty town. Jiang takes the lead, keeping Lin close as they prepare to explore the environment. They are joined by two other experienced players, Floating and Coffee, to investigate the secrets of the church-centered map.
Trivia:
Lin intentionally treats novels as disposable read-and-delete content, which is why her memory of the game is fragmented.
The characters' gear, including combat boots and camouflage, is a system-enforced character setting for the exploration mission.
The game start time is set to 6:12 AM, emphasizing the cold, early morning atmosphere.
"Salty fish" is a common slang term for someone lazy or inactive, which Lin uses to contrast with her desire to be helpful.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ A slang term originating from Cantonese referring to a person who has no goals, ambition, or desire to work; a "couch potato" or "loafer."
Notes:
• Jiang - Jiang Mo is a 6'3" elite survivalist and formidable leader in the Main God Space. A weary yet fit former athlete, he uses a stoic, cynical exterior to mask his trauma and intense, repressed devotion to his fiancée, Lin Shuang. Driven to uncover his parents' fatal accident, this pragmatic protector balances managing high-stakes combat and logistics with his deeply attentive, budding romance.
• Lin - A resilient university student and transmigrated "salt-fish" player, she navigates a deadly survival game as the POV character. Outwardly, she shifts between a delicate, bang-styled student and a combat-ready survivor in a high ponytail. While feigning helplessness to gain intimacy, she uses her plot knowledge and tactical skills alongside her partner, Jiang Mo, to forge vital alliances.
• He - A fierce, aggressive man who storms into a private training range to confront Jiang Mo over an alleged emotional deception involving his sister. A woman who speaks with strict, anxious bureaucratic formality over the phone. She is the sister of a man who caused an incident at an archery range.
• Mo - Jiang Mo, or Great God Mo Jiang, is a towering 6’3” martial artist and archer in the Main God’s Game. Formerly a righteous police student, this hyper-vigilant yet calm protector serves as a devoted mentor to Lin Shuang. Their disciplined bond has evolved from rigorous training into a committed, mutual promise of marriage, blending his natural aloofness with deep, unwavering care for her.
• Floating - A male player and member of a pre-made duo, participating in the elite decryption game instance.
• Coffee - A character who joins the group and suggests splitting up at the town square. A female player and member of a pre-made duo, participating in the elite decryption game instance.