12 The Variable

Qi went to the level 10 region which had bees all over the place. The bees were called 'Paralysis Bees'. It can be deduced by the name of the bees that their attacks have a chance to paralyze. It wasn't hard for Qi to dodge their attacks. Moreover, he was getting a good amount of experience.

While he was grinding for experience, he reflected upon these past few days. He got the 'Universal Ring'. He got 'Ultimate Gift'. He even got an extra gift from the creator. Was it all planned for the ring to be in NY? Was it all planned for him to buy the ring? And then what about this 100% realism? Is this really a game?

Although he acted excited and made few friends out of whim, was he really gonna be in contact with them every day? He reflected what he did. Then he came to a conclusion that it's best to not make new friends on a whim and open up. Although he didn't have any bad experience about betrayal, that doesn't mean that he wouldn't experience it. He decided to keep some distance with his new friends. He had a feeling that they won't do anything bad to him, but he also knew that they would be in trouble if they were with him all the time.

After grinding for some time, he reached level 9. He stopped his grinding for a moment and began to analyze his surroundings more clearly so that he can find a safe spot and log off. While he was doing that, he noticed a cave. The cave was situated in a place where no one would be able to find it. It was his sheer luck that Qi stood at that place at that time. It was a well-hidden cave that can only be found in the evening when the sun sets. All this Qi didn't know. He thought it was an ordinary cave and went inside.

As soon as he went inside the cave entrance was closed by a large rock. There was no prompt from the system at all. He tried to hit the rock with his Trishula but all in vain. He even tried to call the system for help, but no response came. No logout button, no inventory, nothing. It felt like he was trapped physically and mentally and there was only one way. To go forward.

Although he was in a panic state at the start, he calmed himself and analyzed the situation. He had no way out so he could only continue forward. He lighted a torch. It was a straight path with no twists and turns. When he reached the end he saw that there was a there was depression of a palm and nothing else. He decided to put his palm there. The palm that he put had his 'Universal Ring' on it. As soon as he put the palm on the depression, everything vanished and he was at a totally different place.

He teleported. He didn't know where but he knew that he teleported. It was the same feeling he got 3 years ago when he escaped from the sea. At that time they all thought it was the end but that lady did something and they were back on hard land and before they knew the lady vanished. It seems like there were many things he didn't understand.

He looked around and found himself in the middle of nowhere. It was all a plain land. There was only one thing that attracted his attention and that was a young girl around 19, who was sitting there in a state of meditation. She was so beautiful that the coldness inside him which he had for years instantly melted in front of her.

He was lost in observing the beauty for few minutes that he didn't even realize that she opened her eyes and was looking at him.

BAM!

He got a slap that sent him back to reality. The palm print of her hand was glowing on Qi's face as he looked at her in an embarrassed manner.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my domain?" asked the beauty.

"I am Chang Qi. I don't know where… Wait..! What domain and what yours? Isn't it just a game?" He almost went with the flow of her questioning when reality hit him hard.

"What game? This is this lady's domain. It was gifted by my father. I am cultivating in my domain. How did you even enter here?"

"This game is Shou Online. I just got the gear yesterday. They didn't even tell us about domains and all. This is crazy. How did you get the domain? And what level are you right now?" Qi felt something was not right. But he was not in the right mind to analyze stuff. Firstly, there was this World class beauty in front of her. Second, even if he had doubts, he didn't know a thing about cultivation so he basically ignored it. Thirdly, he thought that the beauty was also from Earth and that his father was some big shot who had contact with the game company and bought some exclusive stuff.

"Why would I even tell you my cultivation level? I could tell that you don't even cultivate. How did you get here? If you don't tell then this will be your grave. And what is all this nonsense about Shou Online and all? This is the World of Shou. Don't tell me you don't even know where you were born." the girl was clearly getting angrier by every passing minute.

This made Qi think. Are my suspicions correct? There is no such thing as 100% realism. This is such a scam. Thinking about all this gave a huge scare. Will he not be able to return to Earth at all now? He looked around fast and found that there was nothing like a teleport circle. He couldn't even connect to the system.

Even if Qi knew that he was teleported, was he prepared for such an outcome? If it was Earth, he could handle the shock. But this was not Earth and there was no way to contact outside. He was scared, scared not for life, but scared that he wouldn't be able to see all of the friends and family he knew. And then came another slap!

BAM!

"What naughty things are you thinking? You damn pervert."

Qi was scared inside so his facial expression didn't change much and it led the girl to think that he was in a fantasy.

Pitiful Qi. Got slapped twice for nothing.

"Phew!", exhaled Qi.

"Young lady sorry for my intrusion." he got himself back and regained his calm. And then went on to tell the story of the game and his own thought. He knew that his life had never been a peaceful one and it would be more turbulent now that he was going to learn something new about this 'world'.

As he finished narrating his story, he glanced at her. He was stunned at what he saw. There was pure terror in her eyes. Yes, terror. He thought she would be surprised at most. He never thought his story would terrorize her. How could a Virtual game terrorize anyone?

He went ahead and held her in his hands and shook her.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"NOOOOO! It can't be like this! DAD! WHY DID YOU DO THIS? WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME ALONE? WHYYYY?" the girl wailed loudly.

Qi could feel her sadness came deep from her heart.

She continued loudly, "WHY DID YOU NOT COME WITH ME? AM I SUPPOSE TO LIVE ON JUST LIKE THIS? I CANNOT LIVE ON LIKE THIS!"

She was ready to die. She freed herself from Qi's grasp and took out a sword out of nowhere and was ready to stab herself to death.

Qi was shocked to see all this. What is this fantasy? Damn it can't you tell me anything so that I can understand what is going on?

He could feel the power coming from the sword. He could see that it was not an ordinary sword. Hell, it could even fly! Can you stop joking with me, life? In all the confusion, he was also hell-bent to find out why the elegant young girl became mad to the point of killing herself.

And at that point, the sword made its way towards her heart.

How could Qi watch such a beauty kill herself in front of him? Fortunately, he had his Trishula outside. He swung it at the sword and both of em hit the ground. But the sword was no ordinary sword. It got up again and went on its patch again. Unfortunately, Qi knew that he won't have enough time to get his Trishula back and swing it at the sword. What should he do now? Give his life for hers? He didn't even know her. But he was not some cold-hearted person. Although he always had cold looks, he knew many things from his experiences.

And at this point, he knew that the girl was not thinking rationally.

To save Earth. He thought this. This girl was the key to solve the mystery which was bugging him all the time after Shou Online released. 100% Realism. Bulls***t. There is a mystery and this girl and this place proved it.

He jumped in the sword's path and it stabbed him in his lungs. He thought it was lucky that it didn't stab in the heart.

And then the girl came back to her sense. What a tragedy. Because of her impulse and small-mindedness, someone else got hurt. It was good that the girl was kind-hearted or else that would have been the end of Qi's journey.

All things aside, the girl quickly came to his side, only to find him unconscious.

She immediately produced a potion and made him swallow it by pressing some acupoints on his chest.

After Qi wakes up, he will be involved in not 2 but 3 storylines. Poor Qi, work hard and manage time properly buddy.