Chapter 981: A Player |
Liu Xing gestured to Li Hanxing before heading out to the courtyard to take a call.
As he had expected, the call from Zhang Jingxu was about the "Two-Dimensional World Gate."
Of course, being one of the top ten influential factions in Osaka, the Sawada Family had access to inside information. Even before that viral video was released, the Warrior Faction had already dispatched a squad to monitor that otaku. After learning that a secret cult was planning a god-making ritual, the Warrior Faction organized patrols throughout Osaka's urban areas. After all, the Warrior Faction itself included members who were once part of secret cults, so they knew the first step in a god-making scheme: creating a sensational event to solidify the faith of wavering followers, or even convert them into fanatic believers.
Thus, anyone resembling an otaku who appeared on the streets would be shadowed by two or three watchers within a minute, following them all the way home.
In this case, the otaku who opened the "Two-Dimensional World Gate" was immediately tailed by two watchers the moment he stepped out of his house. His suspicious behavior attracted the attention of three more agents who kept a close eye on him, ready to take him down the moment he made a move.
However, the agents didn’t anticipate that this guy would head into a crowded park.
Although tensions between the Public Faction and Warrior Faction had been escalating, ordinary life had returned to normal. Both factions had relaxed their controls over their respective territories, as they believed there were no enemy infiltrators lurking in their cities. So, as long as civilians didn’t venture into off-limits areas, they wouldn’t face any restrictions.
In Osaka, where the population had largely concentrated in major cities, the reopening of public spaces drew large crowds. Particularly in areas like parks, where people could experience a touch of "nature," the influx of people was intense.
Thus, the park was packed with civilians, making it difficult for the agents to decide how to handle the otaku. Unexpectedly, the otaku acted swiftly, wasting no time in activating the gate. Most critically, the speed at which the "Two-Dimensional World Gate" opened was far beyond the agents' expectations. Despite their swift approach, they were still a step too late.
After securing the park, the Warrior Faction conducted thorough checks on the ground where the "Two-Dimensional World Gate" had appeared, even digging deep into the soil. Yet, they found no evidence of tampering. This indicated that the otaku’s sudden disappearance was likely due to his own abilities.
The investigation into the otaku’s identity then began, and it didn’t take long to uncover the basics.
The otaku was named Yoda Ichiro. His parents had died in a car accident when he was in middle school, which caused a dramatic shift in his personality. He dropped out of school and became a shut-in otaku. However, thanks to the substantial inheritance left by his parents and his ability to budget wisely, he lived a fairly comfortable life over the years.
Interestingly, when the Warrior Faction sent people to his home for a closer look, they found that the state of Yoda Ichiro’s house was not what they had expected. To put it simply, aside from an abundance of anime merchandise, it appeared just like a normal household.
His neighbors also described Yoda Ichiro as a perfectly normal person who frequently went out.
In other words, Yoda Ichiro didn’t quite fit the stereotype of an otaku...
Upon hearing this, Liu Xing couldn’t help but remark, “So, what you’re saying is... this Yoda Ichiro is...?”
Zhang Jingxu, catching Liu Xing's hint, replied over the phone, “There's a very high chance. The deeper we dug, the more we discovered that Yoda Ichiro had been frequently traveling outside Osaka, even going abroad occasionally. Doesn’t sound like a typical otaku, does it?”
At this point, Liu Xing was almost certain that Yoda Ichiro was a player.
Given his recent habits, Yoda Ichiro’s behavior was very much in line with that of a Cthulhu Role-Playing Game Hall player—someone who spends most of the year traveling the world and whose personality undergoes noticeable changes after certain events.
It seemed that Yoda Ichiro was either a member of that secret cult or an infiltrator trying to gather intelligence.
However, Liu Xing knew it would likely be a while before any new information about Yoda Ichiro surfaced, as it was almost certain he had been transported to the Dreamrealm.
After all, the Dreamrealm was, in many ways, ideal for simulating a Two-Dimensional World.
Ending the call, Liu Xing was about to head back to the living room to play games with Li Hanxing and the others when he heard the sound of a car approaching in the distance.
A quick check of his mobile phone confirmed that it was probably Bai Liang returning home.
Liu Xing immediately signaled Li Hanxing, then moved to his observation point near the wall.
Li Hanxing had modified his "periscope" to blend seamlessly with the wall, making it nearly undetectable from the outside while providing a clear view of Bai Liang's house.
Sure enough, it was Bai Liang driving.
To be fair, Bai Liang was quite handsome—much more so than in the photos Mai Yuqiang had shown him, which naturally made people inclined to like him.
However, Liu Xing found Bai Liang’s aura both strange and oddly familiar... After thinking for half a second, Liu Xing realized it was reminiscent of his first encounter with Isabella, when she had used a charm skill on him.
It was exactly that feeling.
Liu Xing’s brow furrowed, becoming even more convinced that Bai Liang was likely Ithaqua’s hidden asset. After all, it wasn't normal for someone to exude a naturally charming aura.
In the Cthulhu Role-Playing Game Hall's shop, there was an item called Charm Elixir, which could imbue a player’s character card with a favorability buff. While it seemed effective, most players considered it the least cost-effective item in the shop.
For one, the elixir was pricey—almost enough to buy a purple character card. The favorability buff only worked on first encounters with other players and NPCs, and its effects faded quickly. In essence, it merely improved first impressions, but as conversations deepened, that initial favorability became meaningless.
For instance, Liu Xing initially thought Bai Liang seemed like a good person. However, once he suspected that Bai Liang was Ithaqua’s pawn, the faint favorability he felt for Bai Liang vanished instantly.
So, no player would waste resources on a Charm Elixir for their character card... Although, Liu Xing had heard rumors of players buying the elixir and using it in the real world, where it actually worked quite well. It was a case of something being more effective outside its intended environment.
Liu Xing suspected that if Bai Liang was truly a contingency plan for Ithaqua, then it would indeed make sense for Ithaqua to provide Bai Liang with a charm potion. This would reduce the likelihood of Bai Liang clashing with other NPCs. After all, NPCs, compared to players, were still far too naive in certain ways.
Now, in Liu Xing’s mind, the probability that Bai Liang was Ithaqua's hidden asset had risen to ninety percent. The remaining ten percent was more about being cautious and avoiding jinxing himself.
At this moment, Bai Liang stopped in the courtyard, glanced at the fallen leaves, then picked up a broom and methodically began to sweep. It appeared he hadn’t noticed he was being watched. After cleaning the yard, he put the broom aside and returned to his room. Shortly afterward, he changed clothes, placed a kettle on a stone table in the courtyard, then went back inside, where the sounds of pots and pans clattering could be heard—he seemed to be cooking.
Half an hour later, Bai Liang emerged with a bowl of rice and a plate of shredded pork with potatoes, sitting down at the stone table to eat.
Everything appeared perfectly normal.
In fact, it was almost too normal.
Feeling a bit bored, Liu Xing pressed the record button on his “periscope” device to automatically capture Bai Liang's actions from here on out.
But then, Liu Xing was startled to find two people had appeared beside him without him noticing.
“Damn it, Li Hanxing, could you two make some noise when you walk? I had no idea when you even got here,” Liu Xing complained irritably.
Sun Huiwen laughed softly and shook her head. “You can’t blame us for that; it's a habit we picked up during our missions in the Middle East. If people heard our footsteps back there, we’d be in serious trouble.”
Liu Xing decided to drop the subject and pointed at the periscope. “Bai Liang just went home and, as far as I can tell, there’s nothing suspicious so far. I’ve set it to recording mode, so let’s check the footage later tonight.”
Li Hanxing and Sun Huiwen had no objections, so the three of them returned to the living room to prepare dinner—instant noodles.
This upscale estate was relatively close to Morio Town’s city center, but there were no grocery stores or convenience stores nearby. Thus, since they hadn’t made any preparations, they had to make do with instant noodles from Li Hanxing’s ever-present backpack.
Eating instant noodles in a multi-million-dollar estate had its own peculiar charm.
Fortunately, the agent Dio had recommended was reliable, and all utilities in the estate were already set up, so at least they had water to cook the noodles.
After finishing their meal, Liu Xing gave Li Hanxing a meaningful look, and Li Hanxing activated the Private Room mode.
“If I’m not mistaken, that otaku who mysteriously disappeared is actually a player,” Liu Xing said, getting straight to the point. “I also suspect that Ii Naoyoshi and his associates may have ties to this secret cult.”
He shared his theory with Li Hanxing and Sun Huiwen.
Li Hanxing pondered for a moment and nodded. “You might be onto something, Liu Xing, but the issue is that this secret cult is shrouded in too much mystery... So, are you suggesting that we investigate it?”
Liu Xing nodded earnestly. “Yes, that’s exactly it. Once we’re done with the situation in Morio Town, I’ll be heading to meet with some of my contacts. If possible, I’d like you two to head to Osaka and look into this secret cult. By the time we finish up in Nagoya, we can regroup and go after that cult. If all goes well, we should be able to earn quite a lot of Contribution Points.”
Li Hanxing and Sun Huiwen exchanged glances before reluctantly agreeing to Liu Xing’s request.
However, they were unaware that Liu Xing’s true motive was to keep them under his control. By keeping them busy with his tasks, they would remain in an employer-employee relationship rather than joining the Warrior Faction as equals. If they officially met Zhang Jingxu and the others, their relationship would change, and Liu Xing’s leverage over them would diminish.
Once he got the agreement he wanted, Liu Xing began briefing them on the current situation in Osaka. Without realizing it, two hours passed by.
After finishing the briefing, Li Hanxing played back the footage recorded by the periscope. The video showed that everything was still normal. After finishing dinner, Bai Liang washed the dishes, then returned to the courtyard where he appeared to be deep in thought, sitting motionless for a full hour. Liu Xing and the others even wondered if the video had frozen... Luckily, the background music playing from Bai Liang’s mobile phone reassured them it was still recording properly.
After contemplating life for a while, Bai Liang eventually returned to his room, and then there was no more movement.
It seemed Bai Liang had gone to bed.
In the entire video, Liu Xing’s group couldn’t find a single suspicious clue.
No wonder Mai Yuqiang had spent so long monitoring Bai Liang and still found nothing.
With nothing else to do, Liu Xing and his companions decided to retire for the night. Before that, Li Hanxing made sure to activate all the security systems throughout the estate.
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Chapter 982: The Scene at Isabel