The Only Player in 'Child of Stardust'-Chapter 38 - 34 The Hongmen Banquet (Please continue
Chapter 38 -34: The Hongmen Banquet (Please continue reading!!!)
Chapter 38 -34: The Hongmen Banquet (Please continue reading!!!)
At 5:30 in the afternoon, the scorching sun showed no intention of relenting, continuing to bake the earth mercilessly and pouring down blistering sunlight.
The air was filled with a heavy and sweltering heat, as if standing in a giant steamer.
“It’s just the end of May and already this hot. Won’t it be deadly by midsummer…”
Zhou Yuan pedaled a shared bike listlessly, slowly making his way to the funeral home.
At that moment, he was drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, showing no signs of surpassing human limits.
Knowing that this memorial service was surely a trap, Zhou Yuan had sold a talisman and purchased an item called [One-Time Attribute Disguise Scroll] for 100 Star Coins.
After using the item, it would allow him to adjust all his attributes at will and reflect the results on his body.
Zhou Yuan adjusted all his attributes to the state he had when first acquiring the Player System, disguising himself as an ordinary person to avoid detection.
After all, a Charm level of 11 was too conspicuous. Even with an ugly disguise, the subtle affinity field he emitted would make colleagues instantly notice his difference.
It was noteworthy that this disguise adjustment could only be lowered, not raised, and had a minimum limit, unable to reduce any attribute to zero.
According to the game settings of “Child of Stardust,” if the Intelligence attribute became zero, the controlled character would turn into a dim-witted companion, unable to understand the player’s commands—for instance, when the player wanted to move forward, the character would roll on the ground, or when the player wanted to open the inventory, the character would strip and run around naked…
Thus, an awkward situation would ensue. Players realizing something wrong would want to undo the attribute disguise, but due to Intelligence being zero, the character couldn’t execute the player’s commands, continually acting erratically and performing incomprehensible actions.
Without external intervention, this avatar would be considered scrapped, never able to return to normal.
Therefore, to prevent players from idly messing with the [One-Time Attribute Disguise Scroll] and reducing all attributes to zero, leading to strange occurrences, the designer set this restriction.
Also notable was that the character’s attribute values in the game significantly impacted the playing experience—high Charm could persuade enemies to surrender without bloodshed, high Perception could detect danger early, and high Strength could intimidate with force, allowing a straightforward yet brutish approach…
Such rich game content combined with a vast world view and unprecedented immersive holographic technology made “Child of Stardust” undoubtedly a feast for gamers.
Thinking of this, Zhou Yuan couldn’t help but feel sad and sympathetic for the global players.
Players had eagerly waited year after year, flowers wilting before them, finally seeing the game’s release approaching only for the “Stars Network” to experience a sudden accident, causing a significant delay of “Child of Stardust.”
It was as if a volcano had been building pressure for a long time, close to eruption, only for something to suddenly stop it from erupting. How could anyone not feel frustrated?
Oh, I’m not frustrated.
Zhou Yuan had initially highly anticipated “Child of Stardust,” but now… he didn’t give a damn.
After all, he experienced the real thing.
·
After some time, Zhou Yuan finally reached the funeral home.
He had to attend this memorial service. Even knowing it was a trap, not going would just make him more suspicious.
“Zhou!”
Security Team Captain Sun waved a hand while smoking by the entrance with other guards.
“Sun.”
Zhou Yuan responded, parked the shared bike, and walked over.
[I am a security guard, finishing my shift at six every day. I work to get off work, my salary only enough for breakfast. I love bear biscuits and have a crush on resident Little Dan. Residents call me a fool, thinking I’m a simpleton. Beauty is beyond me, butterflies won’t approach.]
[To be honest, he’s gone out of his way to help you these years. I can only tell you in secret: he’s after your good looks.]
Zhou Yuan felt a sudden pang. Crap!
Sun Chuan had indeed taken good care of him while on duty. Zhou Yuan had assumed it was because he had connections that Sun didn’t want to offend. But now…
Just then, Sun Chuan looked at him: “Found a new job yet?”
“Not yet. I plan to rest for a while.” Zhou Yuan kept a poker face, figuring they would never meet again.
“Makes sense, considering you almost died in that fire.”
That night, Zhou Yuan was on duty while other guards stayed in the security room, narrowly escaping the fire.
“I guess I’m just lucky.” Zhou Yuan feigned a lingering fear.
“Alright, let’s head inside.” Sun Chuan stubbed out his cigarette and walked towards the funeral home.
Farewell Hall.
Zhou Yuan was astonished: “So many people?”
This farewell hall was of the highest standard, with ample space, yet it felt crowded as over two hundred people had come to attend the memorial, with more trickling in.
“Most are victims’ families,” Sun Chuan said.
So many people—easily enough to blend in some with ulterior motives… Zhou Yuan’s gaze swept around, and his Eyes of Identification were about to explode, spamming alerts.
Soon, Zhou Yuan was moved and thought: indeed!
[This is a programmer you might recognize, as you managed deliveries at Stars Network. Every employee had contacted you for a package. His real identity is an undercover agent of the Discolored Rainbow hiding within Stars Network.]
[Another programmer, another undercover. He has shadow powers like yours, and he hails from the Land of Truth.]
[You seem sensitive to the word “Crow.” Coincidentally, this beauty here is an embedded spy from the Holy Crow Church, by the way, she enjoys sleeping naked.]
Why was the Eyes of Identification so improper?
Zhou Yuan thought sarcastically, but still glanced over. Hm, quite attractive… This woman was unfamiliar, not a Stars Network employee, clearly an infiltrator.
Upon further counting, there were quite a few disguised extraordinary persons, over twenty—mostly from visible factions, with a few from nefarious organizations like the Land of Truth.
These individuals wouldn’t dare venture into such a dangerous place without substantial means.
“The organizers of this memorial have ulterior motives, likely trying to discover if any survivors possess the Player System. Various factions are here for the same reason, so the Control Bureau must have people too, possibly aiming to catch someone…”
“This is a veritable Banquet at Hongmen.”
As Zhou Yuan’s thoughts raced, a system notification sounded.
[Detection of event underway, generating mission…]
[Mission Title: “Banquet at Hongmen”]
[Mission Objective: Ensure your secret remains undiscovered]
[Mission Reward 1: Experience Points *200]
[Mission Reward 2: Star Coins *500]
See, even the system called it a Banquet at Hongmen.
The modest rewards suggested low difficulty… Zhou Yuan was slightly relieved, continuing his observations when a noteworthy alert appeared.
[I smell a familiar unlucky aura… That’s right, our unfortunate friend has arrived.]
Jiang Wuming?
Zhou Yuan glanced over at the figure resembling Jiang Wuming but with a different face, likely disguised.
“Hmm… considering the timing, the Alpha Mobile Task Force should return to the East Continent around now. Didn’t expect them to already be in Xinhu, what a coincidence…”
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Zhou Yuan’s worries instantly dissipated.
With Jiang Wuming around, Chen Guangxi couldn’t be far off; that Golden Dragon, though a bit eccentric, was undoubtedly powerful.
Zhou Yuan quickly decided:
“Not knowing their investigative methods, if exposed, I’ll seek refuge with the Control Bureau. With Alpha Task Force as a shield, at least my life would be spared.
If not exposed, I’ll keep a low profile and continue growing.”
As time passed, more people arrived, and the Farewell Hall grew even more crowded.
The families of the victims wept bitterly in front of the portraits, with sorrow pervading the air, making the atmosphere increasingly heavy and oppressive.
Before long, the memorial ceremony began.
