Text Game: It All Began when a Cat-eared Girl Took Me In

Luo Xi hadn't anticipated the game's development to be this outrageous.

That damned old lady took the bucket and ran away just like that.

But he soon figured it out.

Since resurrections in the game didn't reverse time, the old lady had witnessed his two deaths, which scared her off the third time he approached her.

Yep, it made sense.

The game's text was still appearing.

[Poor Traveler, the evil Skill Practitioner burnt down his own house before leaving, and you have no choice but to embark on the journey to find shelter once again.]

[However, you could also wait for the fire to die down, then search the ashes for any useful items that may have survived the flames.]

[Your choice is?]

[Wait]

[Leave]

Of course, Luo Xi chose to wait.

[Waiting, would you like to accelerate...]

X30.

After a few minutes, Luo Xi, yawning with sleepiness, felt a bit impatient when the game notification finally popped up.

[After raging for over an hour, the fire has finally ended. Fortunately, it didn't spread, or else Traveler, you might have been turned to ashes.]

[It's nearly midnight, and the temperature has already dropped to minus 30 degrees. Your cold level +50, your Life Value starts to decrease.]

[Moving on would not be wise. The ashes still retain some warmth. Perhaps, Traveler, you could spend a cold night here and collect usable materials tomorrow. Would you like to enter the wooden hut ruins?]

[Yes]

[You entered the ruins of the wooden hut and, after some searching, found a sunken depression that still held a fair amount of heat, and it seems there was some heat source below, continuously warming you. You feel warmth.]

[Your Life Value stops decreasing.]

Luo Xi breathed a sigh of relief.

Where exactly can one see these game indicators for Life Value, Happiness Level, and cold level?

Luo Xi had only found the task record and the Dreamland backpack as additional features so far.

Hadn't they been unlocked yet?

Suddenly, the phone's date reminder popped up.

The date now: September 24th, 00:00.

Something clicked in Luo Xi's mind, feeling that something was off.

How did it become midnight all of a sudden?

He glanced to the side; the clock on the counter also just reached 12 o'clock.

Luo Xi vividly felt as if he had only been playing the game for a few minutes.

[Ding! As a consequence of resurrecting three times yesterday, the Great Will has taken some of your energy, you have gained a negative status: Weakness.]

[Your all qualities decrease by 60%.]

"Hmm? So sleepy..."

Luo Xi's eyelids drooped uncontrollably, as waves of sleepiness incessantly flooded his cortex.

Seconds later, heavy breathing filled the room as Luo Xi fell asleep.

...

The next day, Luo Xi was woken up by the ringing of his phone.

Groggily, he fished out the phone and gave a cursory glance; the caller ID showed it was that idiot team leader from his company.

As soon as Luo Xi answered, the other end erupted into a roar and angry bellowing.

"You got temperamental after just a few words yesterday, skipping work, huh? Well, you don't have to come in anymore!"

Luo Xi was dumbfounded by the scolding and checked the time.

September 24th, 13:12.

Huh? I actually slept till the afternoon?

Last night...

Something clicked in Luo Xi's mind.

Hurriedly, he looked to the side.

The green brick was still lying obediently beside him.

So, everything last night wasn't a dream?

"Hey, Luo Xi, can you hear me talking? You respond!"

Beep—

Luo Xi simply hung up, not in the mood for explanations.

There was something more important than going to work now.

His phone screen, once unlocked, showed 'Dawn,' the game he hadn't managed to turn off last night.

[Traveler, you've finally returned.]

[Last night, you were fortunate enough to find the evil Skill Practitioner's thermal platform and safely spent a cold night. Unfortunately, while you slept, you were bitten, killed, and eaten by an unidentified creature that came sniffing around, leaving behind only a few of your bones and a trace of blood.]

Luo Xi: "..."

Damn, inexplicably dead again.

[You have been resurrected.]

[Now, you can search the ruins of the wooden hut.]

[After some searching, you found some coins lingering in a corner.]

[You have obtained 22 copper coins, 2 silver coins, and 1 gold coin.]

[More valuable than money, the equipment and knowledge left by the Skill Practitioner are their most prized possessions. Alas, it all went up in flames.]

Luo Xi tried to take the coins out of his backpack.

[Would you like to retrieve the items?]

[Yes]

Soon, his hand was wrapped in a white light and, as the light faded, his hand now held a bunch of coins stamped with unknown patterns.

Hey, these coins can actually be taken out too.

So, can they be put back in?

Luo Xi took the coins and the green brick in his hand and touched the screen.

[Would you like to place items?]

[Yes]

```

[Item Placement Successful]

The green brick turned into a light and vanished from his hand, while his bag now contained the green brick and some coins.

Luo Xi picked up another book from the bedside.

[Would you like to place an item?]

[Yes]

[Placement Failed]

[Note: Currently, the bag can only accept items that originally belong to the Dream world]

Can't I put real-world items into the game?

The items taken out of the game are real, after all.

What a pity that the game characters act through existing text. Otherwise, he would definitely conduct various experiments, such as bringing some plants from the game's forests into this world.

[You tidy yourself up and set out on your journey again, heading towards the distant giant tree]

[This time your luck seems pretty good. After half an hour of climbing, you stand atop a small hill and catch sight of a vast town on the plains not far below. Your Happiness Level +1]

[Unlocked Area: Winter City]

[You are surprised to find that in the center of this town, there is also a very tall giant tree. You estimate it to be about a hundred meters tall, but it's not your original target. Compared to the distant tree hidden in the clouds, it seemed rather short]

[You are descending the mountain...]

[Half an hour later, you arrive outside the town gates where several simply dressed people are going in and out. A few guards clad in silver armor are watching over the gate]

[Will you attempt to enter the town?]

[Yes]

[You follow the crowd and line up]

[After waiting in line for a period of time, you reach the front of the gate]

[The guard is a male, and he looks at your clothes with great disdain. He has never seen someone as unkempt as you before, and he thinks your face is very annoying because he doesn't have such a handsome face]

[Talent: Same-Sex Repulsion has been triggered, the guard's Favorability toward you -50]

[Current Favorability of the guard towards you: -50 (Disgusted)]

Luo Xi: "?"

[Although the guard despises you, he still points to the transparent glass orb on the table and hands you a small knife]

[Ding! The guard has issued you a task to drop your blood onto the glass orb. Perhaps something interesting will happen?]

[You cut your finger with the knife and squeeze out a drop of blood]

[After your blood falls on the glass orb, the sphere immediately bursts into radiance. Being well-versed in various internet novels, you start wondering if this is some kind of ability test, and what your potential might be. Could it be that you're an unparalleled genius...]

[Just when you think what follows will be a clichéd sequence, the guard's disdainful look turns into disgust. He steps back several paces away from you, and people around also keep their distance, as if they've encountered a ferocious beast]

[The guard's Favorability toward you -60]

[Current Favorability of the guard towards you: -110 (Hostile)]

[The guard says sternly, "So you're a Variant, too. No matter how or when you got infected, since you're a Mutant Patient, you should know the rules. Don't you know that Winter City usually doesn't allow your kind in? Get the hell out of here before I have to get physical. You're so dirty, I don't even want to touch you."]

What kind of Variant?

Luo Xi was somewhat baffled.

Then he suddenly remembered that when he chose his talents yesterday, there was a purple one called 'Variant.'

[You stand there helplessly. At this moment, you see someone in the queue beside you take out some coins to give to the guard and get let inside the city]

[Perhaps you can try to bribe the guard too]

[Will you try?]

[Yes]

[You take out 10 copper coins from your pocket and hand them over. The guard accepts them disparagingly and waves you away to leave quickly]

[You hand over another 10 copper coins. The guard still takes them but continues to urge you to go away and not block the way]

Luo Xi: "..."

Does he think the money is too little?

[You decide to give him all your copper coins and two silver coins. The guard's eyes suddenly light up. He didn't expect someone dressed as shabbily as you to have so much money, which is worth a month of his salary]

[Ding! Talent: Poor Man has been triggered]

[Ding! Talent: Many Misfortunes has been triggered]

[The guard snatches all the money you offered and says viciously, "If you don't want to die, get out of the way!"]

[He picks you up and throws you far away. You fly in a high arc and unfortunately, when you land, your right leg hits a sharp rock]

[Ah! You're bleeding profusely]

"Isn't it... after robbing my money you should at least let me into the city?"

And what's with these damn talents?

He didn't pay much attention to those negative talents before, but they all turned out to be pretty nasty.

[Recorded Event: Variant]

[Variant]

[Description: In this world, the identity represented by 'Variant' seems to be despised by normal people?]

[Your right leg is severely injured. You try to stand and walk a few steps but then collapse weakly against a crooked tree]

[Ding! Because you, Traveler, are really too unlucky, you have obtained the title: Unlucky Person]

[Unlucky Person: Equipping this title increases the probability of unfortunate events by 10% (each traveler can equip up to three titles simultaneously)]

[Do you want to equip it?]

Who would equip this thing!

[Poor Traveler, your luck is really bad, perhaps this is where your journey ends...]

[Ding! Talent: Intimacy with Small Animals has been triggered]

[??? Favorability +50]

[A slender figure wrapped in a yellow hood approaches you]

[You now have some understanding of the malice in this world. You watch the person warily, ready to retaliate even in death]

[The slender figure kneels in front of you]

[You see that the person's face is covered with a white cloth, obscuring their features, but their eyes are a beautiful shade of light red]

[Judging by the eyebrows and eyes, they seem to be a girl in her teens, but it could also be a cute boy]

[But that doesn't really matter]

[Your Happiness Level +10]

[Note: Hm? Traveler, you have a problem]

[He/She says, "Are you a fool? People like us, if we want to enter the city, who would boldly walk through the main gate? Look at you now, what a mess. Hey, hey, there's so much blood. You're not going to die, are you?"]

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