Chapter 4: Ela

Chapter 4: Ela

Shelley's home was a standalone two-story house.

The first floor consisted of a small living room, a kitchen, and a storage room.

The second floor had three bedrooms.

Since Shelley was single, two of the rooms were unoccupied.

The place was very messy, indicating that Shelley was not the type to clean regularly.

Well, given that her way of solving cases often involved shootings, it wasn't surprising that she didn't keep her home tidy.

Soon, Lucas was lying on the bed in his assigned room. He let out a long breath.

Reflecting on the day's events, it had been a really chaotic day!

The sound of water running in the bathroom next door didn't distract Lucas. Instead, he focused his attention on his consciousness.

He observed the phone.

Battery level: 61%.

All the apps on the screen were gray, except for the "Epoch" client icon, which was in color and highlighted, seemingly prompting him to click it.

'I'm in this game world, can I still play the game?' Lucas clicked on the "Epoch" icon.

It really… opened!

The game interface loaded quickly.

His character stood on the login screen.

A female elf.

[

Ela: Level 120 (Max Level)

- Race: Elf

- Bloodline: Fierce Battle Song (A branch of prairie elves, known for becoming warlike due to cohabitation with orcs. Increases battle spirit by 10%, maintains clarity in a frenzy.)

- Enhanced Bloodline: Wings of Time and Space (A blessing from the Elf High God, obtained by completing the enhanced bloodline quest at level 80. Allows limited manipulation and interference with time and space.)

- Alchemical Modification: Elemental Fusion Reactor (Heart) (Efficient energy acquisition and release)

- Extraordinary Transplant: Angel's Right Arm (Light element, right arm can release holy battle skills. Increases damage to non-light element creatures by 15%, and to evil creatures by 50%)

- Star Seat: Aquarius (One of the twelve golden constellations, greatly enhances recovery abilities, increases the effectiveness of water and ice battle skills and spells by 15%, and can increase humidity to create localized rainfall.)

- Affinity Element: Ice

- Exclusive Battle Skill: Ice Dance Garden (Wide-range ice attribute attack, increases movement speed on ice by 50%)

]

This was Lucas's account in "Epoch," which he had played diligently for nearly ten years. Among players, his character might not be the top, but it was high-level.

Especially in the last three years, he had spent quite a bit of money on the account to polish the character's attributes and skill system for making videos.

Seeing his meticulously developed character again brought a wave of nostalgia.

Since he had some free time and could play the game on his phone through his consciousness, he decided to do some daily tasks and run a few dungeons before sleeping.

Lucas chose to enter "Epoch." A prompt box popped up first.

[Notice: Logging in with a character will consume a lot of phone battery. Based on 100% battery level (a level 120 character can exist for 10 seconds, a level 100 character can exist for 10 minutes, a level 80 character can exist for 100 minutes, and characters below level 60 can exist for 1000 minutes), during character login, the phone cannot be charged.

Character login time is based on actual battery life.

When the battery reaches zero, the character will be forcibly logged out.

Recharging from 0% to 100% takes 24 hours.]

What does this mean?

Max-level characters consume so much power!

A level 100 character can only be used for 10 minutes, not even enough to complete a dungeon.

A level 80 character can be used for just under two hours.

There's plenty of time with a level 60 character, but what can you do with that… get beaten up?

After pondering for a moment, Lucas decided to adjust the character to level 60.

First, he would enter and see what it was like without a network. If he encountered something he couldn't handle, he could just level up again.

He adjusted the character's level.

A level 60 character lacked the overwhelming aura of a level 120 character, appearing much more ordinary and unremarkable.

The character gradually began to fade. Then, a map appeared.

[Since your real location is in Seawall District, Storm City, Argent Empire, the map of this area is now illuminated. Your created character can use 36 virtual teleportation anchors in the Seawall District.

Note: Virtual teleportation anchors can only be seen and used by your created character.

Note: If your created character dies, it will cost 100% battery power to resurrect them.

Note: While controlling your character, you can adjust the character's level as needed, and battery power will be consumed based on the actual character level.

Note: Ensure you are in a safe place or capable of guaranteeing your own safety while controlling the character.]

Lucas found his location on the map and chose a nearby virtual teleportation anchor.

What will happen? He chose to enter.

[Character entering...]

Lucas felt his consciousness suddenly enveloped in darkness, then his perspective shifted to a clock tower.

'I... I'm out! No, I'm not out; I have two perspectives.'

Lucas was sure he was still lying in the bedroom of Shelley's house, hearing the water running in the bathroom next door.

At the same time, his consciousness was connected to another perspective.

Through that perspective, he could see...

Lucas controlled the additional perspective in his consciousness, turning it as he would his own body, and saw Shelley's house.

He quickly pulled his consciousness back and lifted the curtains, seeing someone standing on a clock tower less than 200 meters away.

A person with a face like a beautiful female elf.

This person wore an outfit he had bought for decoration, with a long black lace glove covering their right arm to hide the angelic limb, and two short curved swords symmetrically strapped to their lower back.

In the moonlight, he could see their short green hair and the distinctive pointed ears of an elf.

She was Ela, the character he had nurtured for ten years in "Epoch."

But why was Ela here?

Moreover...

Lucas returned to the perspective in his consciousness.

Through Ela's eyes, he saw himself peeking out the window, his wide-eyed expression lowering his overall attractiveness.

At that moment, Lucas was looking at himself from two perspectives, a feeling both peculiar and spine-chilling.

Shelley, apparently hearing something, asked from the next room, "Detective, is everything alright?"

"Nothing," Lucas said, closing the curtains. "Just thinking about the Grand Princess, having trouble sleeping."

"The detective is truly a devoted man."

"Heh, of course. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sir."

Hearing no further noise from the next room, Lucas closed his eyes to sleep, his consciousness returning to Ela.