Chapter 1: Rong Yi Has an Online Boyfriend, Even in an Infinite Flow Game…
Rong: I’ve arrived. Where are you?
X: [Fancy kowtow.jpg] I’m sorry, Rong Rong. There’s traffic. I’m getting out of the car and running. I’ll be there in five minutes! I brought you matcha milk cap!
Rong: Okay. Do you want to eat grilled gluten?
X: Yes! With cumin and spicy! [Kisses.jpg]
X: Oh no, what do I do? I’m so nervous, Rong Rong. What if you think I’m ugly and don’t want me? Ahhh!!
Rong: Be more composed.
X: [Sad frog tears.jpg]
Rong Yi has an online boyfriend, shy and innocent. He’s the type who, upon realizing summer has arrived, orders fruits online for her. He’d even send messages about strange little insects he encounters on the road. He cares whether she’s tired from work every day and even offers practical work advice. He’s cute and reliable.
Despite being in a foreign country with a 12-hour time difference, he replies to messages instantly as long as it’s not too late at night.
Everything is great. Except, he’s unwilling to meet in person.
X: [Little rabbit covers face.jpg] I, well, I’m not very good-looking, and my job isn’t that great either. I’m afraid to face the light…
Rong Yi is long past the age of daydreaming young girls. Who could have a personality that matches hers perfectly, is tall, handsome, and rich all at once?
Such good fortune isn’t destined for her anyway!
Well, her annual salary is in the millions, and she doesn’t mind letting her beloved little cutie avoid struggling for ten years.
Rong Yi puts away her phone and stands at the snack shop counter, sprinkling chili and cumin on the fragrant grilled gluten.
Seemingly as steady as an old dog, she had a slight trembling in her hands, causing an excessive amount of chili to spill.
Yesterday, her young boyfriend finally agreed to meet, and Rong Yi mustered her courage to reply with a hesitant “okay.”
Who hasn’t had a first-time meeting with an online partner? But she saw herself as the dominant force in this relationship and couldn’t afford to reveal any panic at this moment.
At three-thirty, Rong Yi fumbled for a pack of 520 mints. For now, she decided to smoke a cigarette to calm her nerves.
As the lighter went out, the door suddenly darkened outside, followed by a blinding flash of light!
The originally dim alley transformed into a grand and splendid hall, and the snack shop, along with its four customers, appeared out of thin air within the Baroque-style hall.
A joyful male voice echoed in the hall: “Welcome to the Thriller Game Collection – Lucky Carnival! Lucky ones, this round of games is about to begin. Please check the mission rules!”
Rong Yi’s cigarette clung to her slightly parted lips: …What?
She stared at the eerie scene before her and sent a message to her young boyfriend: “Suddenly caught up in a strange game. I might have to cancel, let’s meet next time.”
Her young boyfriend replied instantly: “I’m here, Rong Rong. Where are you?”
X: Ahhh!! Is this the Lucky Carnival?! Rong Rong, don’t be afraid, I’m here!
Rong Yi looked at her phone, the signal suddenly clearing, and scoffed:
You’re nowhere to be found.
Good thing you’re not here, my little cutie. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to protect you.
She exhaled a puff of smoke. When encountering a strange unexpected situation, the first thing to do is stay calm, observe, and say as little as possible.
In the snack shop, besides her, there were three other people – a muscular man, a guy in camouflage, and a seventeen-eighteen-year-old girl with double ponytails.
The one in camouflage seemed to be the most experienced, while the muscular man and the girl with ponytails appeared to be newcomers, both seemingly deferring to the camouflage-dressed individual.
The person in camouflage was explaining, “This so-called game collection is also referred to as an infinite flow. You go crazy and die in the game, and in reality you go crazy and die as well. But in return, the rewards for winning players are substantial.” The two newcomers nodded repeatedly.
Rong Yi understood. An infinite flow, one round after another, could make you insanely rich if you did well, but if you didn’t, you’d be stuck in the cycle.
“Hey! You there!” She turned as she heard the voice. The muscular man was playfully gesturing her over with his finger.
Rong Yi’s features were rich and vibrant, her complexion fair like jade. Under her neatly trimmed black short hair, diamond earrings sparkled, and her well-fitted shirt and pants accentuated her slender waist and long legs, creating an almost otherworldly beauty.
A quick glance from her, and the cigarette held between her red lips dropped a piece of ash as the muscular man fell silent.
She returned to her table, flicking the cigarette ash away before starting to eat the grilled gluten.
The guy in camouflage smiled to ease the tension, “Alright, let’s go over the mission details, everyone.” They all waved their hands, summoning their own transparent floating screens.
Following suit, Rong Yi’s transparent screen appeared before her as well.
“Game Title: Dinner with the Ogre Gentleman,” she heard the girl with double ponytails crisply read out.
“Cooks, you will collectively prepare the dinner that the Ogre Gentleman has ordered.”
“Do not attempt to deceive the Ogre Gentleman. He is a true connoisseur and can taste the flavor of every human cell.”
“You are free to use any kitchen utensils. Don’t hold back.”
With that statement, the inconspicuous white curtain on the left side of the hall “whooshed” open, revealing three rows of cooking tables almost as wide as the hall behind it.
On the cooking tables, both Western and Eastern utensils, bowls, plates, and seasonings were readily available. However, the people who had used these items in the previous round hadn’t cleaned up properly. Dark red bloodstains were scattered everywhere—around the sink, on the table, and pots, pans, and ladles were haphazardly strewn across the tables as if they had gone through a kitchen battle.
The girl with double ponytails swallowed nervously and continued, “Clearance criteria: Cook a dish that satisfies the Ogre Gentleman and ensure your own survival.”
“Clearance failure penalty: Leave a `part of your body as a reserve supply for the Ogre Gentleman.”
The muscular man involuntarily tightened his arm.
However, Rong Yi’s gaze was fixed on the blinking, unstable patches of signal and garbled characters on her screen under the section about the “clearance failure penalty,” which eventually stabilized into two words:
“Death.”
Rong Yi: …Why? Why don’t I deserve to lose a limb in exchange for my life?
She abruptly stood up, her floating screen following her movement sensitively. The words “死亡” (“Death”) hovered provocatively in front of her.
In the prime of her life, with wealth and a man by her side, and she hadn’t even met her online boyfriend yet—she hadn’t done anything at all. It would be such a waste if her life ended senselessly like this!
The hall’s broadcast chimed in again: “Find tonight’s menu! The latest time for serving the dish is 6:30 in the evening. Chefs, give it your all!”
“Are we going to look for clues about the menu now?” the muscular man asked the guy in camouflage.
“Will it be… scary and difficult?” the girl with double ponytails voiced her fears.
The guy in camouflage patiently replied, “Yes, we’re going to look for clues. Don’t worry, this is an E-level instance, it won’t be too hard. As for it being scary—well,” he smiled enigmatically at the girl, “chances are, it won’t kill us. Probably.”
The girl with double ponytails shrank back slightly.
He turned to Rong Yi, “Beautiful lady, it’s safer for newcomers to stick together. How about joining forces?”
Rong Yi couldn’t see the live chat on the transparent floating screen in front of him, nor could she see the barrage of comments:
“God T is teasing newcomers again.”
“I love watching God T dominate the noobs!”
“Those two who are just following behind God T are probably the ones who got fooled before even entering the game, lol.”
“The short-haired girl is so pretty, can we let God T kill her later?”
“I heard the clearance rate for this instance is super low recently. Let’s watch how God T plays this out (grabbing popcorn)”
T, also known as the guy in camouflage, gave a faint smile. His gaze moved away from the barrage of comments, satisfied to see Rong Yi approaching them.
*
The group explored the hall for a while, and the girl with double ponytails accidentally triggered a mechanism. A white curtain on the right side of the hall also lifted, revealing a cooking area identical to the one on the left.
The muscular man was puzzled, “Do we really need this many kitchen utensils for a four-person instance?”
“It’s not real,” Rong Yi said, examining it from different angles and approaching to confirm, “It’s a painting.”
It was a painting, 1:1 in size, depicting the cooking area across from it, spanning as wide as the hall itself.
T appreciated, “Nicely done! This is probably the clue we need.”
Comparing the painting with the actual area, Rong Yi suddenly noticed a small piece of paper attached to the lower right corner of the painting.
“The name of this painting is ‘Indistinguishable,'” Rong Yi touched the elegantly handwritten exhibition information, “Perhaps we just need to complete the unfinished part according to the opposite area?”
The muscular man pulled out a set of art supplies from under the curtain, “Absolutely! Look, even the tools are ready!”
The girl with double ponytails was also excited, “I’m a student of art! Leave it to me! E-level instances are really not that hard!”
But T laughed, “Really? Take a closer look. What’s the unfinished part? The painting is called ‘Indistinguishable.’ If we make a mistake, who knows what kind of punishment the game will impose. I don’t have a clue.”
Rong Yi grew impatient with his cryptic hints and pointed at the blank spots on the painting, “The unfinished parts are all bloodstains.”
Comparing it to the actual area, the painting had hardly any red, and all the bloodstains were merely outlined, not filled in.
The muscular man cut in, “If they’re bloodstains, so what? We just need to fill them in.”
T sighed, “You can give it a try.”
The girl with double ponytails specialized in colors and easily conjured a specific shade of red.
However, strangely enough, although the instance provided ample pigments and the brushes were easy to use, she couldn’t manage to get the color of the bloodstains in the opposite cooking area right. It was either too dark or too light, no matter how she tried.
Sweat began to bead on her forehead.
T chuckled triumphantly, “See? The game never gives you answers that are so obvious.”
The muscular man had a sudden flash of insight, “Could the game be asking us to use blood—”
“Bingo!”
Rong Yi was startled by T’s exclamation, and then she saw him clapping his hands in praise, “You’re a clever newcomer!”
“Lucky Carnival is a thriller game! How could a thriller game use ordinary pigments for painting?” He nodded knowingly, “This is game awareness.”
Receiving praise from the seasoned player, the muscular man couldn’t help but show a hint of pride on his face.
“Now, who agrees to use blood?” T surveyed the three newcomers and asked loudly.
Rong Yi saw both the muscular man and T raising their hands.
Use blood? She furrowed her brow.
Luckily, her young boyfriend was a step behind and didn’t come in. A person who would send crying messages even upon seeing a cockroach – if he saw bloodletting, he’d probably be scared to tears, wouldn’t he?
“Very well, 2:2, worth a try,” T picked up the small bucket filled with water from the painting kit, “So, let’s choose someone to bleed.”
His gaze darted back and forth between Rong Yi and the other two newcomers, like he was choosing a pig.
The muscular man raised his hand again but hesitated, “As a team, we need to preserve our strength for the upcoming stages.” His eyes flickered, “I mean, my suggestion is…”
“I understand. Your proposal is a good one,” T’s expression turned cold as he glanced past Rong Yi, who was nearly as tall as him, “And what about you? You, with the double ponytails, you seem much more fragile. It’s just bloodletting, we guarantee that you’ll survive until the end. How about it?”
The muscular man nodded repeatedly.
The girl with double ponytails helplessly spoke with a quiver in her voice, “But—but the rules didn’t say we need human blood—”
“Let me teach you something as a senior: as long as it’s not prohibited by the rules, anything is fair game, got it?” T, with the same gentle smile he had when they first entered the instance, tightly grabbed the girl’s arm. He reached into his system backpack and pulled out a spring-loaded knife, the shiny blade springing out with a flash, “Don’t be afraid, it’ll be quick, and it won’t hurt.”
Tears streamed down the girl’s face as she trembled, her helpless struggles subdued by T’s firm grip. She looked towards Rong Yi, seeking solace in her presence.
“If you can’t produce that shade of red,” Rong Yi, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. She touched her dry red lips, “Why not just paint the real bloodstains on the cooking table with that color?”
“What?” T was taken aback.
Originally filled with donations and laughter, the barrage of comments suddenly fell silent, and the conversation shifted:
“The young lady’s thinking is quite unique.”
“When I cleared this stage initially, ************* method was really effective! (System Warning: Do not reveal instance information in the comments; severe violations will result in being banned.)”
“Although it’s amusing to watch God T fool the newcomers into bleeding, I suddenly want to know if this method will work.”
“+1”
“+1”
T gritted his teeth, “You want to modify the actual bloodstains? What if you face some kind of punishment? It could affect everyone.”
The muscular man nodded repeatedly, “Let’s listen to the experienced player. Don’t do something foolish.”
“As long as it’s not prohibited by the rules, anything is fair game, got it?” Rong Yi stepped forward, grasping T’s hand, “Senior?”
Rong Yi was tall with long legs, wearing high heels that brought her close to six feet. Standing near T, he realized that this woman was actually looking down on him.
Her black-painted nails pinched into his flesh, causing him to involuntarily release his grip. Tears welled up in the girl with double ponytails’ eyes as she held onto her reddened arm and hurriedly hid behind Rong Yi.
“Now, who agrees to change the color?” Rong Yi mimicked T’s tone, asking loudly.
The muscular man looked at T, at a loss for what to do.
Both Rong Yi and the girl with double ponytails raised their hands.
“Very well, 2:2, worth a try,” Rong Yi added.
T’s face turned ashen, his teeth clenched in frustration.
The girl with double ponytails was responsible for painting the bloodstains on the cooking area with the pigment, while Rong Yi carefully applied the same color to the painting. Their roles were clear, and they quickly got to work.
She couldn’t panic, she couldn’t be afraid.
She had to make it out alive. Because her young boyfriend was still waiting for her.
Suddenly, she heard three musical notes, “Ding ding ding.”
It was the kind of sound a message makes on WeChat.
In the top right corner of the screen, a small figure symbol with the word “Friend” was displayed. Rong Yi remembered that there used to be “(0)” next to it.
Now it had changed to “(1)” and was adorned with a blinking red dot.
She tapped on it, and a chat box popped up eagerly.
X: Rong Rong, don’t be afraid! I’m here!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
TL Note:
Hey guys!👋 I’m Zed and this is my first ever project so if you find any mistakes or discrepancies let me know in the comment section! I hope you like my translations.
You are welcome to support me by buying me a Coffee! ☕️
Thank you for translating