Lost in the Otherworld

"Very well." Qing Ling lightly leapt over the two-meter courtyard wall, vanishing into the darkness.

…

The night deepened as Gao Yang quickly left the scene, sprinting all the way home.

His parents had already gone to bed, but his younger sister was still curled up on the sofa, scrolling through her phone. She gasped in surprise when she saw Gao Yang's face, marked with cuts, at the entrance.

"Wow, what happened to your face?"

"Oh, this…" Gao Yang had been in such a rush to get home that he had completely forgotten about the wounds on his face.

"Ah, I get it!" His sister suddenly realized, "You're cosplaying as a zombie!"

"Uh, yeah… exactly!" Gao Yang played along, "Pretty realistic makeup, right?"

"Very realistic! It looks just like the real thing." His sister smirked mischievously.

This girl, who knows what in her words is true and what’s false?

No matter, the events had been so abrupt and absurd that Gao Yang was too shaken to cope. It would be even more troublesome if his parents woke up and saw him like this.

Gao Yang rummaged through the living room cabinet for the first aid kit, then dashed straight to his bedroom.

He closed the door, taking a moment to steady his nerves. Taking out the antiseptic and cotton swabs, he disinfected the wounds on his face and applied bandages. He then treated the injuries on his arms, wrapping them in gauze, the pain causing him to grit his teeth, breaking out in a cold sweat.

After the makeshift treatment, Gao Yang collapsed onto his bed, utterly exhausted.

Fear and shock replaced the sadness, making everything that had happened tonight feel surreal to Gao Yang.

Li Weiwei… his childhood friend, with whom he had spent every day for years, their bond deep, their trust unshakable. How could she suddenly turn into a man-eating monster?!

Gao Yang desperately wanted to believe that she had been devoured by a monster, which then took her place, like in the story of Little Red Riding Hood, where the wolf impersonates the grandmother after eating her.

But was that truly the case?

Why did the Li Weiwei who tried to kill him still speak like Li Weiwei, as if she were still the same person, only with a second personality?

There were too many questions he couldn’t fathom.

And the wounds still throbbed with a dull ache. Am I infected? What if I wake up tomorrow and find that I’ve become a monster too?

Gao Yang was restless.

The hexagonal star that had appeared in the air earlier was back again, floating quietly before him.

Gao Yang sat up, reaching out to touch it.

【Beep——】

【Entering System】

【Congratulations! You have survived for 3 hours】

——What’s there to congratulate? I almost died just now!

【You have earned 3 Lucky Points】

——Why?

【Talent: Luck. Serial Number: 199. Rune Type: Divine Sign.】

【Effect: The holder of this talent gains 1 Lucky Point for every additional 60 minutes of survival】

——I see. What’s the use of Lucky Points?

【The attribute panel displays various attributes, and you can permanently increase any attribute with Lucky Points】

——Open the attribute panel.

【Stamina: 10 Endurance: 10】

【Strength: 10 Agility: 10】

【Spirit: 10 Charisma: 10】

【Luck: 0 】

…

Gao Yang studied the panel. Having played games before, he understood that these six major attributes likely corresponded to health, defense, attack, speed, magic, and control. As for what “Luck” represented, it could be dodge rate or drop rate for equipment?

But with only 3 Lucky Points, adding them to any attribute felt insignificant. Gao Yang’s gaze returned to the glaring number.

【Luck: 0】

——Luck? My talent is Luck, right? What’s the difference between the two?

【Luck is a talent. Luck is an attribute.】

——That doesn’t explain much.

——This Luck talent doesn’t seem very impressive. Can I switch to another talent?

【You cannot.】

——Open the talent list, let me see.

In an instant, a densely packed talent chart appeared before Gao Yang. He immediately noticed “Serial Number 199,” which was his own “Luck.” Strangely, the names and descriptions of talents numbered 198-1 were all hidden.

——Why can’t I see anything?

【The system cannot display information you haven’t yet explored】

——This system is so unfair! Why isn’t it like the systems in online novels?

“Knock, knock.” Someone tapped on the window.

【Access ended, system hidden】

【Beep——】

Gao Yang sat up abruptly as the system automatically shut down.

A shadowy figure had already opened the window, effortlessly slipping into the room.

It was Qing Ling, dressed in her usual training shorts and T-shirt. Under the moonlight, her long, slender limbs glowed like jade.

She quickly kicked off her sneakers, casually undid her ponytail, letting her black hair cascade down, resting on her ample chest.

"You…" Gao Yang began to speak.

Qing Ling lightly leapt onto the bed, her bare foot pressing down on Gao Yang’s chest, pinning him back against the mattress. "I ask, you answer."

"Alright…"

"Do you prefer men or women?"

"W-Women."

"Good." Qing Ling crossed her arms, grabbed the hem of her shirt, and swiftly pulled it off, revealing her bare torso. "Let’s begin."