Yan Huang sensed something was wrong and took a light step back, saying, “Nothing much, just asking casually. After all, the name Hatching Town does sound pretty unique.”
He thought he could just brush it off casually.
But he still underestimated Father Xie’s vigilance.
His smile grew more and more sinister, his eyes dark and murky as they stared at him. His mouth was closed, yet the corners curved upward into an angle that no normal person could possibly achieve.
Like a U-shape, but with an even wider angle.
“Is that so? Then Teacher Yan truly is a man of refined taste.”
“Not at all, not at all. Old Xie flatters me.”
“No, no. Teacher Yan is a good person, worthy of such praise.”
He drew closer as he spoke.
Yan Huang genuinely didn’t think so. His smile grew stiffer and more awkward: “Old Xie, I know we brothers are close, but… getting this near—you know the principle of keeping distance between men, right? You have a wife and children. You should maintain proper boundaries.”
“…”
“Oh no, Teacher Yan, you speak wrongly. What I meant to say is… since Teacher Yan has such refined taste, why not… let that perfect taste remain here forever, frozen in this moment, how about it?”
A cold glint flashed in Old Xie’s eyes, tinged with a hint of mockery.
Backlit by the light streaming through the window, he raised the cleaver in his hand high. The smile at the corner of his mouth stretched wide, extending past where his cheekbones should be—utterly grotesque.
In an instant.
A sound of air splitting. Yan Huang took a light step backward.
[Here it comes! Here it comes! That blade’s finally coming down! He’s dead for sure!]
[Yosh, I’m ready to screenshot! Haven’t seen a fountain in a long time!]
The blade was about to land on Yan Huang’s head.
In that instant, Yan Huang’s lips parted and closed. The lenses of his gold-rimmed glasses refracted light, obscuring his gaze, leaving only a trace of that confident smile that held everything in control.
“Old Xie, this cleaver is a gift for me, isn’t it?”
[Lie Determination, probabilistic event.]
The blade sliced off a few strands of Yan Huang’s hair.
But it didn’t harm him in the slightest.
It stopped mid-air.
[Lie, determination successful.]
[Result: Target’s cognition altered.]
He looked up, a glint of light flashing across his lenses.
Yan Huang’s eyes, filled with gentleness, carried a hint of a smile.
He met the gaze of Old Xie, whose eyes had gone dull and vacant.
Old Xie lowered the cleaver in his hand and handed it to Yan Huang: “Yes, Teacher Yan… this is a gift I prepared for you. Please accept it.”
[Congratulations, Player “Yan Huang” has obtained the item “Loving Father’s Cleaver”.]
[Item: Loving Father’s Cleaver]
[Quality: F]
[Usage Requirements: None]
[Attributes: Sharp]
[Item Description: Xie Fumu has a loving father who, to ensure his son grows up safely, uses the cleaver he cooks with to eliminate all obstacles. Of course… you are an exception.]
At this moment, the livestream chat exploded.
[???]
[What the hell! What just happened? What the hell is this guy’s Talent… Word Spirit? What’s the deal with his hidden info! I’ll pay a thousand points to find out!]
[He just got an item that easily? I’ve grinded so many Instances and haven’t gotten a single item. That’s insane!]
[This newbie… what the hell is he? Holy shit… if he can survive this Instance, I’m definitely recruiting him into our guild!]
[Damn, that’s insane! Talk about a knife to the ass—opening my eyes for real, first time I’ve ever seen a move like this!]
[Player “Flower Flower Flower” tipped the streamer 10 points.]
[Player “Black Rui Dog” tipped the streamer 5 points.]
…
Live viewers: 1,743 people.
And climbing at a terrifying rate.
[Congratulations, Player, on achieving the achievement “A Thousand Screens, One Gaze,” reward: 100 points.]
[Congratulations, Player, on achieving the achievement “Seize the Blade,” reward: Strength +0.5, Agility +0.5.]
[The streamer’s overall broadcast quality has vastly improved. You have now been recommended to the High-Player Tier 2 Newcomer Recommendation—Featured Newcomer.]
[Notice: Featured Newcomer brings massive traffic—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Streamer, seize it!]
With all these rewards stacking up,
Yan Huang’s total points now stood at a whopping “437.”
This wave had been a massive win.
Other players clearing an “E”-rank Instance only got 500 points for the MVP reward.
This was genuinely strong!
After grabbing the cleaver, Yan Huang tucked it behind his back.
Father Xie before him was no longer a threat—his cognition had shifted, and he wouldn’t harm Yan Huang anymore.
Cognition is determined by a person’s psyche, memory, and various other factors. When one variable in an equation changes, that dependent variable becomes an independent one.
And so, naturally,
Father Xie’s memories had changed too.
Looking at Yan Huang, he no longer wore that eerie expression, as if none of it had ever happened. He said, “If Teacher Yan has nothing else, I’ll head downstairs and not disturb your meal.”
Yan Huang nodded. “Thanks, Old Xie.”
Father Xie let out a hearty laugh. “Come on, between you and me, no need for thanks—that’s just too formal.”
Yan Huang could only muster a perfunctory “Mm.”
Between you and me?
Right, sure—since I’m the guy you were just about to butcher.
Saying thanks really would be way too formal.
Old Xie quickly left the second floor and returned to the first.
Yan Huang didn’t rest long either. Back in his own room, he looked at the meal, then ultimately decided to spend some points in the Points Mall to buy himself something to eat.
He was now, for better or worse, a player with points—sitting at a solid “437.”
It wasn’t a lot, but it was more than enough to grab some food.
Yan Huang opened the Points Mall and immediately noticed something was off.
Wait…
Why had every price in the Points Mall doubled?!
[Hehehe, I can already imagine what’s going through the streamer’s head right now—we all went through this back in the day. The deepest trap in the whole world is the Points Mall’s scheme.]
[LMAO, this mall screwed me over too. The more points you have, the higher your demand index for a given item, and the pricier it gets.]
Seeing these comments, Yan Huang furrowed his brow.
Then, he spent fifty points to buy himself a whole roasted chicken and a bottle of beer with average alcohol content.
[???]
[Damn, fifty points? Is this streamer young and reckless, not knowing how hard points are to earn, or does he just treat points like dirt?]
Yan Huang was easy on the eyes, and he ate at a steady, unhurried pace, with a rhythm to it—one bite of roasted chicken, one sip of beer.
It was oddly pleasing to watch, and the viewers in the livestream couldn’t help but swallow their saliva.
[Damn… that looks so good. Now I want some too.]
[I’m watching someone eat on a high-level gameplay stream?? I’m literally speechless!]
[Wuwuwu, streamer, go do product promotions, I’ve already placed an order!]
[??? What the heck, this really is the most outrageous streamer in “City of Incubation.” Everyone else is starving to death and dying broke in the City of Incubation, and here you are eating roast chicken and drinking beer. This is absolutely ridiculous!]
[Heh, shallow! Wasting points on such useless things!]
Yan Huang finished eating quickly.
He chose the roast chicken and beer partly because he was hungry and needed to replenish his energy.
On the other hand, he did it for the attributes.
He glanced at the attributes of the roast chicken and beer, confirming once again.