Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Lying

Wang Xi lay on the clean hospital bed, utterly speechless.

"I can’t believe I still got a bad ending..."

He rested his head on his arm and pouted.

That projection was just pathetic. It was dealt a great hand and played it horribly.

But there was nothing to be done. That’s just how AIs are.

If the AI could stage a comeback against the odds, what would they need him for?

They might as well give the projection MVP and let him be the guy who gets carried to victory.

’Still, the "Retirement Preview" wasn’t a total waste. I got another important hint. I can plan before I act, and by doing so, change my predetermined fate.’

Wang Xi sighed.

In the future he’d previewed, he still died.

Although this time he didn’t die at the hands of the Witches, the Witches had prematurely started a war to save him. In the end, even the Ice and Snow Queen herself appeared, and the two sides went to war...

That bastard Calvin had swooped in to clean up, reaping all the benefits. He first killed the Witches, then imprisoned the Ice and Snow Queen, and finally seized complete control of the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, his own curse had been incurable, and he had died, turning into an ice sculpture.

"Time to order some food."

Wang Xi shook his head and sat up.

He picked up his phone and glanced at the time. It was already eight in the evening, and his stomach was growling.

He quickly opened a food delivery app and ordered takeout for two. Then he casually scrolled through his work group chat.

His colleagues, Yu Zihan and Zhu Yuhe, were out having dinner together and had posted a lot of pictures of delicious food and happy group photos.

Wang Xi smiled at the sight.

Only seven hours had passed in the Main World. To outsiders, it looked like he had just taken another nap in his hospital bed. In reality, he had spent two exciting and fulfilling days in the Fairy Tale Otherworld.

And his gains had been substantial.

Aside from the Universal Card, he had also gained 3 points of Legend Level from the Witches, which in turn had reduced his cooldown by a corresponding three hours. He just didn’t know how much more he needed to get the first-tier "Legendary Treasure Chest."

’The Professional Warrior assessment is in two weeks. I should use this time to improve my strength and try to pass on the first attempt.’

Wang Xi thought.

When he returned this time, he had given his projection specific instructions to "train" methodically every day.

This meant using every upgradable card once to grind for experience, resting to recover stamina, and then starting the next round in a repeating cycle.

Besides eating and sleeping, it was just a power-leveling service.

Wang Xi was curious to see how much he would have gained after synchronization the next time he descended...

About twenty minutes later.

A young nurse brought Wang Xi his takeout, a wary look in her eyes.

Wang Xi could tell at a glance that the previous nurse must have been badmouthing him.

"Mr. Wang, your takeout."

The nurse cautiously placed the insulated bag on the bedside cabinet and, without another word, turned to leave.

Just then, the nurse heard a soft voice from behind her:

"Miss, have you by any chance heard some gossip about me?"

"Ah..."

The young nurse stopped, turned back with a gentle smile, and shook her head.

"Not at all. Why do you ask, Mr. Wang?"

"Good." Wang Xi beamed and nodded. "By the way, sis, I think I wet the bed. Could you be a dear and get me a diaper? And maybe help me change? It’s a bit awkward for me to move my arms and legs."

"..."

The young nurse froze.

’Just as I thought,’ she thought. ’This patient is a total creep.’

"I-I’m sorry, I have an emergency surgery I need to get to. I’ll have another nurse from my team come help you in a moment."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and practically jogged out of the room.

BANG!

The door slammed shut.

Wang Xi shrugged.

CLICK-CLACK...

Just then, he heard the mechanical sound of turning gears coming from his chest.

[You have lied.]

[Experience Points +1]

Wang Xi casually added the point of Experience to his "Randall Body Refining Technique" and fell into deep thought.

—Pinocchio’s Heart—

This unique Black Card worked exactly as described: he could gain Experience Points just by lying.

But what was the cost?

CLICK-CLACK...

The sound of mechanical gears turning came from his chest again.

Immediately after, the color drained from Wang Xi’s face.

Pain!

A sharp, twisting pain seized his heart!

He let out a muffled groan, his body trembling as he arched his back and curled up on the bed. Beads of cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he gasped for air.

After a long moment.

The searing pain finally began to subside.

’So this is the price? Intense, constricting heart pain every time I lie...’ Wang Xi thought, drenched in sweat.

’I definitely can’t use it frequently in a short span of time, or the pain will kill me!’

And he had a nagging feeling.

The cost of this Card was probably not so simple.

Still, Wang Xi believed it was a priceless treasure. Used correctly, it would allow him to grow at an incredible rate.

...

...

That night, after eating and drinking his fill, Wang Xi took advantage of the moonlight to try his new Technique Card, "Moonlit Night Breathing Technique."

As soon as he activated the Universal Card, he instantly entered a strange state. The Cultivation Method, which had originally belonged to the Wolf Housekeeper Igor, was now his, as if the knowledge had been poured directly into his mind.

At that moment, Wang Xi felt as if he had transformed into a Demon Wolf. Following his instincts, he sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, bathing in the moonlight, his nostrils flared slightly. The rhythm of his breathing shifted from short to long, his chest vibrating with each breath.

Some kind of free-floating energy in the air was drawn into his body, spreading through his blood vessels to every corner of his being, subtly transforming him.

Several hours passed.

Not until midnight did Wang Xi finish his first session with the Breathing Technique.

He opened his eyes.

A faint light, as pure as moonlight, radiated from his eyes and body. It was fleeting, but Wang Xi noticed it.

’I’ve gotten stronger...’

Wang Xi clenched his fist, inwardly amazed.

’The boost is much bigger than what I get from the Randall Body Refining Technique.’

What surprised him even more was that Magic Power actually existed in the Main World!

Wang Xi had been prepared for it to be a pointless exercise, since according to the Universal Card’s description, the "Moonlit Night Breathing Technique" worked by absorbing Magic Power to transform the body.

’It seems the Fairy Tale Otherworld and the Maze disasters in the Main World are truly connected...’

Wang Xi mused.

As his interactions with the Witches deepened, he thought back to the recent disaster in the Rust Belt. The shared name "Sugar Witch" was probably not a coincidence.

...

...

「Two days passed in a flash.」

During his boring days in the hospital, Wang Xi did little besides eat, sleep, study for his assessment, and train.

Around four o’clock that afternoon, his cooldown had just ended. He lay back on his bed and closed his eyes.

The next thing he knew...

...he had taken over his projection and was standing in the clearing in front of the Candy House.

Wang Xi glanced around. A few Sugar Mushroom Girls were playing among the flowers, and Pinocchio was lying on his back on the lawn, fast asleep.

He immediately checked his status in his mind.

He wanted to see how his power-leveler had done.

He wasn’t prepared for what he saw.

"This is some top-tier power-leveling..."

[Randall Body Refining Technique (Technique Card/White Two Stars): 180/200]

[Moonlit Night Breathing Technique (Technique Card/Blue One Star): 10/400]

[Bloody Knight (Skill Card/Deep Green One Star): 30/300]

Offensive Skill Cards like "Water Blade," "Water Arrow," "Tidal Blade," and "Blueberry-flavored Sugar Coating" all had between 20 and 30 Experience Points.

Even cards in his Support Card Set like "Lock Picking Mastery," "Drinking and Eating Giant," and "Listen to Heartbeat" had gained 10 to 20 points.

In just twelve and a half days, every card had progressed. The "Randall Body Refining Technique," which he’d prioritized, was even about to undergo a Star Promotion!

The only thing that confused Wang Xi was...

...God only knew where his projection had been practicing lock picking.

’It didn’t practice on Bev’s wardrobe and bedroom door, did it?’

Wang Xi hurriedly checked the "Projection Playback" and breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out there were some storage chests behind the Candy House. Although they were made of cookies, they had locks.

So every day, his projection would go there, pick a lock, relock it, and pick it again. At first, Bev and the Sugar Mushroom Girls would gather around to watch, but they soon found it boring and stopped paying attention.

Before returning to the Main World, Wang Xi had specifically told Pinocchio and Bev that he felt an episode of his "illness" coming on, so they shouldn’t be alarmed if he became cold or started doing strange things.

Thanks to this, the Witch and Pinocchio weren’t too suspicious about the projection’s unsociable behavior. They would just sigh whenever they saw it.

Wang Xi had also entrusted Pinocchio with another task. He had given him a few Gold Coins and asked him to go to Daphne, buy a donkey, and send it to the Guru Tribe.

He hadn’t forgotten this promise, even though he knew full well that Bev wouldn’t blame the goblins.

"My projection really is a hard worker."

Wang Xi remarked with a sigh.

So, to show his gratitude...

...he would head to Daphne for a bath and let a bathhouse maid’s warm little hands give him a proper reward.

...

...

「Afternoon. Daphne.」

Wang Xi emerged from a small bathhouse, stretched his arms, and let out a long, satisfied sigh. The scantily clad, middle-aged proprietress saw him off with a beaming smile, telling him to come again soon.

Pinocchio, who had been waiting outside for a good while, immediately came over and asked curiously:

"Gai, is it really that nice?"

"It’s an adult pleasure. You wouldn’t get it."

Wang Xi smacked his lips, savoring the memory.

According to the "Sea King’s Gospel," written by a certain dashing and elegant scholar surnamed Wang, there are seven great pleasures a man must experience.

They are:

Blowing the flute and listening to music, arranging flowers and admiring lanterns, discussing mysteries and debating the Dao, capturing pieces in a game of Go, removing one’s armor and returning to the fields, watching the tides and climbing the peaks, and sipping wine while burning incense...

What he had just done was one of these: "discussing mysteries and debating the Dao."

As for what mysteries were discussed and what Dao was debated, that is not for outsiders to know.

In short, it was simply sublime.

Wang Xi glanced at Pinocchio and said sternly:

"You’re still a kid. Don’t ask so many questions."

"Oh," Pinocchio said, disappointed. "So where are we going now?"

"To the Adventurer’s Guild."

Wang Xi replied offhandedly.

He touched the parchment-wrapped package at his waist.

Inside was the Petrified Lizard Heart.

To keep it fresh, he’d even asked Bev to preserve it with Candy Magic so it wouldn’t rot before he could turn it in.

Of course, it wouldn’t matter if it spoiled.

Wang Xi didn’t really care about completing the quest. He just needed an excuse to meet Minister Ando and Coinage Officer Dick.

Based on the future he’d seen in the "Retirement Preview," Dick was bound to recognize him and begin hunting him down.

So, this was where Wang Xi planned to start breaking the cycle.

A short while later.

The two of them arrived at the Adventurer’s Guild.

Without hesitating, they entered and went straight to the second floor, where they found the old records keeper named Brown.

"Hm? Sir Gai!"

The old man adjusted his glasses and looked up in surprise, then smiled.

"Have you completed the quest?"

"Of course." Wang Xi placed the parchment package and the quest scroll on the desk. "I went through hell and back for this thing. Almost didn’t make it out of the Magic Forest."

"Truly worthy of the name ’Scarlet Warlock,’ Sir Gai! Only you could have completed such a difficult quest!"

The old man chuckled and unwrapped the package to inspect its contents.

After confirming it was correct, he nodded in satisfaction.

"According to the quest’s reward, we will take a five percent fee. Sir Gai, you will receive 95 Gold Coins and a Silver Sword..."

"Wait."

Just then, Wang Xi placed a hand on the package, interrupting the old records keeper.

Brown looked up, confused.

"I only want half the reward, but you have to do me a favor," Wang Xi said coolly. "Please help me contact the client. I want to deliver this heart to him personally."

He added with a grin,

"You know how it is. There’s no future in being an Adventurer. I want to take this opportunity to get acquainted with the esteemed Coinage Officer."

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