Chapter 6: Is He a Player or a Ghost?

After retracing her steps for about ten minutes, Lu Xi finally spotted a familiar figure in the corner.

The man was sitting against the wall with one leg drawn up and his right hand resting casually on his knee, looking utterly languid. As Lu Xi approached, she saw that his eyes were tightly shut and his expression was profoundly serene, much like when she had first seen him asleep. Ji Chenling’s eyelashes were impossibly thick, and his features were refined to the point of perfection. Honestly, his appearance leaned toward the delicate, with skin even finer than her own, yet he did not look effeminate.

"Ji Chenling," she called out softly.

Two seconds later, the man slowly opened his eyes. Lu Xi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why did you come back?"

"Why didn't you hold my hand tightly earlier? You made me grab the wrong person! You have no idea how terrifying it was; I turned around and realized I was holding someone with no head—I almost had a heart attack!"

The two spoke simultaneously, with Lu Xi rambling on. Ji Chenling watched her with a smile.

"Was it that scary?"

The young woman nodded like a pounding mortar. The amusement in Ji Chenling’s eyes deepened. "Then, will big sister protect me forever?"

As their gazes met, Lu Xi suddenly felt her body stiffen. Then, as if her mouth were no longer her own, she blurted out, "I don't know."

*What kind of "truth-telling" skill is this?!* Clearly, she was being controlled.

Ji Chenling’s eyes were dark, yet he maintained a pure, innocent smile as he continued to ask, "Why?"

"You look very handsome, but your health is poor; you pant after walking just a few steps. I want to protect you, but when I encounter danger, I can barely save myself, so I can't protect you."

Lu Xi’s mouth refused to obey her; she poured out all her true inner thoughts in a rush. Ji Chenling’s expression turned peculiar.

"Then, if we encounter danger and only one of us can survive, is sacrificing me the best choice?"

Lu Xi was utterly bewildered. What was this about? She couldn't understand why Ji Chenling seemed like a different person, asking such bizarre questions.

"Forced" to speak again, she retorted, "What the hell kind of nonsense is that? If we can live, we live; if we can't, we die. Why would I exchange your life for mine?"

Lu Xi felt her ears turn red. She couldn't control her own tongue. Even though that was indeed what she thought, how could she say such coarse words in front of such a handsome man? Her image as a lady was completely ruined.

Ji Chenling was stunned for a second, then lowered his head and began to laugh, his chest vibrating. His health was poor, and his face was pale, showing a lack of vitality. After laughing for a few moments, he began to cough incessantly, but the laughter did not stop.

Watching him, Lu Xi was at a loss. Had she somehow triggered his funny bone? Once he finished laughing, Ji Chenling looked up and asked, "Is it because I am different from others?"

The "truth-telling" skill was at work again.

Lu Xi replied, "No. Everyone’s life is a life. If one uses others as a shield to survive in the face of danger, wouldn't that be too cruel?"

Ji Chenling’s eyes widened as he stared at her. *So that’s how it is?* Clearly, while Lu Xi found him attractive, she didn't hold him in higher regard than anyone else just because of his looks.

The sense of control vanished instantly. Lu Xi stood up, fuming. "Ji Chenling, how could you? You were controlling me?"

Lu Xi was furious. She had thought of him as a friend, yet the moment he gained a skill, he used it on her. However... "When did you get that skill?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Her temper flared up quickly but vanished just as fast.

Lu Xi had been a corporate drone, living a carefree life without much ambition. Her college roommates always said she didn't hold grudges and had a personality like a capybara. She lived a life of few desires, mostly focused on eating and sleeping between work and social obligations. Her roommates even said that if anyone fell out with her, it was definitely their own fault.

"Just now," Ji Chenling lied without changing his expression. "Does big sister want it? I can give..."

Before he could finish, a shout interrupted him.

"Lu Xi!"

Jiang Chen strode over, his face cold. "Still angry at me?"

Lu Xi felt a headache coming on. Just how many messy romantic debts had the original owner of this body gotten herself into?

"That's enough. My patience has limits. This 'hard to get' routine doesn't work on me," Jiang Chen continued his tirade. "I didn't expect you to be dragged into this game world too. How many levels have you cleared?"

Experienced players knew that going solo in a survival game was a major disadvantage; only by teaming up could strong players increase their chances of survival. Jiang Chen was clearly looking to form a group.

Lu Xi had no fondness for Jiang Chen. She cleared her throat and said, "No need, I’ve already..."

Her words stopped abruptly. Ji Chenling, who had been sitting behind her just a moment ago, was gone. He had vanished without a trace, leaving only a backpack where he had been sitting.

The day had brought Lu Xi far too many shocks. She bent down, picked up the backpack, and hugged it to her chest, intending to leave immediately. After walking a few steps, she turned back to ask Jiang Chen, "When you came over just now, did you see someone sitting here? A man in a black shirt, very handsome?"

Jiang Chen was confused. "What?" From the beginning, he had only seen Lu Xi.

Lu Xi read the answer in his expression, and a chill crawled up her spine. A normal player wouldn't behave like that unless Ji Chenling wasn't a player at all. If he wasn't a player... could he be a ghost?!

Slowly realizing the situation, Lu Xi prepared to toss the backpack and run. *Ji Chenling, you jerk! And here I thought you were just a poor, pathetic soul.*

Before throwing it away, she peeked inside the zipper. *Wow, so much food.* She tucked the bag closer to her chest. *Ji Chenling, you’re actually a great guy—oh, wait, a great ghost.* Being able to bend and stretch was Lu Xi’s true nature.

Jiang Chen followed her with a cold face. Lu Xi ignored him. The group of players had run ahead; perhaps following their route would lead her out of this eerie, sinister fortress.

Turning a corner, she returned to the spot where the clown had died. The ground was now clean. In this world, any NPC that died would vanish, as if the data had been reset.

"Excuse me... thank you." A mother and daughter standing by a pillar greeted her. The mother looked to be in her fifties, and the daughter was a teenager in a blue and white school uniform. They were players. Players had a completely different vibe from the standard NPCs.

"If you hadn't grabbed the monster’s chainsaw, we would have been next after he killed that person," Zhang Qiulan said, offering Lu Xi a grateful smile. As a middle-aged woman, she didn't have much stamina, and she had twisted her ankle while dragging her daughter to safety.

Truthfully, if Lu Xi hadn't risked everything in that moment, the mother and daughter would certainly have died.