Forces of Temptation

Nanzhou had no dreams all night.

But he thought he was dreaming.

He felt itchy on the back of his neck, as if an electric current was flowing vaguely up and down his spine.

Nan Zhou didn't feel any malice, so he let the electric current attack him.

However, after a while, a hand reached under the quilt, gently grabbed the hem of his shirt, pinched the bottom edge, as if to determine and measure something.

As a result, the knuckles of that hand accidentally touched the skin of his thigh.

Nan Zhou is not used to being touched by others, even in his dreams.

He immediately arrested the hand and brought it to justice. After pinching it, he found that it seemed to belong to Jiang Fang.

——He had carefully studied and observed Jiang Fang's hands.

So he chose not to twist it off.

Nan Zhou frowned slightly, took that hand and put it under the pillow, and taught the other party in a vague voice: "Put your hand under the pillow when you sleep."

Soon, he heard Jiang Fang answer with a smile: "Yes."

So Nan Zhou felt relieved, turned over and exposed his back to him.

The gravitational force slowly sent Nan Zhou to Jiang Fang's arms.

Nanzhou didn't know all this.

Nan Zhou slept deeply this time.

When he opened his eyes, he saw half a full and thin moon outside the window.

It took him half an hour to wake up, and then he sat up: "Morning."

Li Yinhang was washing his own clothes in a bathrobe, when he heard the sound and turned around, his expression suddenly became extremely complicated.

"It's getting late." She shook the foam off her hand, "It's 06:30 in the afternoon."

Nan Zhou: "...?"

Li Yinhang didn't think much about it.

She also had the experience of falling asleep for a whole day and night after being busy.

At that time, when she woke up, looked at the clock and then the calendar, she thought that when she was sleeping, quantum fluctuations occurred in the timeline.

However, during the 15 hours that Nan Zhou fell asleep, a good thing happened.

They got an S-level score in the last game, and in addition to 1000 points, they also got a random item for each person.

After one night and half a day of calculation, the props were finally distributed to everyone's backpack.

What Li Yinhang got was a B-level prop, a thing in the shape of a piggy bank.

[Prop name: Ghost Grinding].

[Instructions for use: Are you distressed, points are just numbers? 】

[Even in the most convenient Douzhuan casino, there is no way to directly trade with points, you still need to exchange chips. 】

[Then, why not try our "ghost grinder", which can materialize invisible and intangible points. 】

[One cent and one coin, there is no limit to the storage capacity, and there is no limit to the amount that can be materialized. 】

[The method of use is very simple: either, use a can full of points to bribe the enemy, after all, money can make ghosts turn the mill; or, use a can full of points, hit the enemy's head and send him to the mill. 】

[Remark 1: Disposable items, cannot be reused after damage]

[Remark 2: The amount of points after materialization is deducted from the points and cannot be restored to the data. 】

...It's pretty good.

He also placed an advertisement for Douzhuan Casino.

Before seeing the last line, Li Yinhang was still thinking about how to use it.

After all, no matter how small the mosquito legs are, they are still meat.

After seeing Remark 2, Li Yinhang immediately found the consignment point in the Walled City, and put this tasteless thing on the player mall.

Goodbye, goodbye, don't send.

Li Yinhang asked Nan Zhou: "What props did you get?"

After Nan Zhou read the description of the props from beginning to end, he didn't answer her question: "Where's Brother Fang?"

Li Yinhang: "Outside..."

Nan Zhou stood up and walked straight out.

Li Yinhang called him: "Clothes! I'll wash them for you—"

"Need not."

Nan Zhou briefly rejected her proposal, and walked quickly to the door.

But he seemed to realize something, suddenly turned his head and looked straight at Li Yinhang.

Li Yinhang thought that he had something important to say, so he hurriedly straightened his back, waiting for him to speak.

The eyes of the two officially met for about five seconds.

Nanzhou solemnly said: "Thank you."

Li Yinhang: "..."

Li Yinhang: "...Huh?"

It wasn't until she took a look at her clothes soaked in foam that she realized that Nan Zhou was thanking her for her suggestion to wash his clothes.

The corner of Li Yinhang's mouth twitched: "No customers..."

When she raised her head, Nan Zhou had already disappeared at the door.

Li Yinhang tried his best to convince himself that the boss acts so strangely.

As soon as Nanzhou left, the young NPC who showed them the house yesterday stepped into their room, smiled and whistled to her, stuffed two rolls of colorful magazines under the pillows of the two beds, and He put a business card on the wooden bedside table full of smoke scars, and then left on his own.

Li Yinhang: ... What are you doing?

She spread her foam-covered hands, walked to her bed, and pushed the pillow away with her elbow.

A volume of shoddy pornographic magazines came into view.

There are actually two wild men on the cover.

Still indescribable.

One of them was also pressed in front of a mirror.

The scene was unsightly for a while.

Li Yinhang turned his head again, and found that the call girl was printed on the business card on the bedside table... maybe it was the man's phone number.

Nan Zhou and Jiang Fang had the same cover and magazine under their pillows.

Li Yinhang's first thought was that he must collect money.

The NPC who handed out the business card is estimated to get a commission from it, I don't know how much he can earn.

She originally wanted to take away the magazines under Nan Zhou and Jiang Fang's pillows, but then she thought about it, neither of them is a gun-wielding person, so there is nothing to worry about.

Especially Nanzhou.

Li Yinhang couldn't imagine what it would be like for his cold and desperate face to become emotional.

She shrugged and turned back to the washtub.

But after she started scrubbing the clothes again, she suddenly realized a problem:

and many more.

Why did one woman and two men live in the room, but the young man put all the men's magazines?

……

Nan Zhou put his hands in his pockets, pinched the small lock in his pockets, walked out of the hotel room, and looked around.

The night of "Paper Gold" came as early as three o'clock in the afternoon.

A mouse flashed by in the corner, and Nan Zhou only had time to see its tail as thick as a cat.

Advertisements for treatments for Hong Kong's foot and diphtheria plastered on the stained gray walls.

The light bulbs hanging in the cramped corridor were each on.

The light bulbs in front of each house have different colors and shapes, red, yellow, blue and green, round, square and flat, bright and dark, and the whole city seems to be a huge and weird world of colored lights.

There was a full moon hanging in the sky, which was a bit fuller than what Nan Zhou saw in the bathroom yesterday.

Well, today should be fifteen.

Nan Zhou looked up at the moon for a long time.

Then, he saw Jiang Fang under the moonlight.

Jiang Fang was sitting at the spacious staircase on this floor, playing mahjong with three NPCs.

When he loosened his hair and stretched his wrists to touch and look at the cards, his expression and movements were still calm and casual in the casino, but he dispelled the crazy madness in the casino and perfectly blended with the fireworks around him.

He pronounced his cards with great accuracy, making sure that every elderly poker player across from him could hear him clearly.

Nan Zhou thought again of yesterday's dream of touching his shirt.

Jiang Fang is a very elegant gentleman.

It can be seen from this that dreams are indeed dreams, and they are the most illogical things.

Seemingly aware of the sight behind him, Jiang Fang turned around.

The moment Jiang Fang's eyes met Nan Zhou's, the corners of Jiang Fang's eyes slightly curved.

He mouthed him, "Wait a minute."

So Nan Zhou waited on the spot, looking at the moon and him.

Seeing Jiang Fang get a mahjong tile, Nan Zhou overturned all the tiles in front of him, clasped his hands together, apologized to the three old men and smiled softly, as if deeply sorry for his victory.

Nan Zhou pressed his chin on his arm.

He was thinking about the real Jiang Fang who was showing off in the casino yesterday, or Jiang Fang who was acting like a baby with the old man in front of him.

Jiang Fang bid farewell to the old man, finished the game, and walked towards him.

Before Nan Zhou could react, Nan Jixing seemed to have sensed something, and jumped out of Nan Zhou's collar, chirping twice excitedly, and flew towards Jiang Fang like a small plane.

Jiang Fang raised his hand with a smile, caught it with his left hand, and stroked its soft forehead with his thumb.

Nanjixing smelled the sweet fruity aroma, and wanted to crawl out from his left hand and eat it with his right hand.

...But it found itself firmly controlled by Jiang Fang.

Nanzhou asked: "What did you win?"

"Win an apple."

Jiang Fang gently pinched the chirping Nanjixing with one hand, and at the same time raised his right hand behind his back to Nanzhou's eyes.

It was a fresh, plump, watery red apple.

He said softly: "Give it to you."

Nan Zhou's eyes lit up, and he took the apple: "Why do you bet on this?"

"These three old gentlemen like to gamble on fruits. Apples are the most expensive." Jiang Fang said, "Only those who win ten rounds in a row can get the best apples."

Nan Zhou played with the apple: "Thank you."

Nan Jixing finally broke free, and ran all the way back to Nan Zhou's arms along the rusty iron railing, raised his head to bark like a puppy, trying to grab a few mouthfuls of apples by being cute.

Nanzhou reasoned with it solemnly: "Mine."

Nanjixing got angry, turned around and got into Nanzhou's sleeve, and didn't move angrily.

Nan Zhou hugged the apple, and stood side by side with Jiang Fang by the railing on the twelfth floor of the city wall, looking at the night view.

Nan Zhou asked: "What did you get?"

Jiang Fang said: "A B-level item, 'The Clown's Secret', a complete deck of cards, with blades on all sides, is an offensive consumable, one less card to use."

Jiang Fang asked, "What about you?"

Nanzhou directly showed him the props issued by the system.

[Congratulations to player Nan Zhou for receiving the S-level reward item——Ma Liang's sketchbook (3 pages)]

[Item Level: B]

[property properties: limited number of times (limited to 3 times)]

[Instructions for use: Draw a cake. ——Although it disappears in your stomach within 3 minutes after eating it. 】

[Draw an extinct dodo bird. — though it dies out after 3 minutes. 】

[Let’s draw a lover. ——Although it can only hold your hand for 3 minutes. 】

Jiang Fang: "...wow."

Jiang Fang: "Very depressing explanation."

Judging from the rewards received by the three of them, although it is a "random reward", it unexpectedly matches the personality and ability of each of them.

Nanzhou said: "This is an algorithm."

The game algorithm collects their information as much as possible during their game, and then distributes their props.

Plan all this, pull so many people in the world into a huge and endless horror game, start a protracted death competition, and establish a behavior analysis mechanism for each player.

...What exactly is the mastermind behind it trying to do?

Nan Zhou couldn't think of an answer for the time being.

Jiang Fang obviously did the same, so he asked a more pragmatic question: "Does your card have a three-use mechanism, and what do you want to draw?"

"I don't know." Nan Zhou said, "Maybe draw a door."

Jiang Fang agreed with him: "If you had this item in the first dungeon, we should have an easy life."

Nan Zhou continued the second half of the sentence: "... draw another Xiao Ming."

Jiang Fang's eyebrows twitched.

Nan Zhou said: "If you can take him out there, even if it's only for 3 minutes, that would be great."

Nan Zhou said again: "Unfortunately, it can't be done."

Jiang Fang stared at Nanzhou, his expression softened a little bit.

Nan Zhou held the apple, put his arms on the side of the rusty corridor guardrail, and looked around indifferently.

He wasn't even aware of his tenderness.

For him, this is just a sentence sent out of feeling.

But this kind of unconsciousness is a fatal temptation for Jiang Fang.

Nan Zhou suddenly asked: "What is that?"

Jiang Fang turned his eyes away from his face and followed his gaze.

A monk in linen clothes walked slowly on the blue brick square in the center of the first floor of the walled city where the sewage was flowing.

He twirled a pair of prayer beads in his hands, and walked very slowly with his bare feet.

Whether it is temperament or dress, he is out of tune with the prosperity around him.

Nan Zhou asked Jiang Fang: "What is this NPC doing?"

"It should be a player." After observing for a long time, Jiang Fang replied, "His behavior pattern is completely different from that of an NPC....He is probably saving someone and paying homage to someone."

Nan Zhou asked: "To pay homage to his teammates?"

"It's possible." Jiang Fang thought for a while, then added, "It's also possible that they were all the people who died in the memorial game."

Nan Zhou was silent.

After a moment, he asked, "When are we going to do the next mission?"

Jiang Fang laughed: "In such a hurry?"

Nanzhou: "I want to end the game quickly, get the first place, and then fulfill my wish."

Jiang Fang: "What is your wish?"

Nan Zhou paused: "I can't tell you."

Jiang Fang smiled and said, "Aren't we friends?"

"Not a friend." Nan Zhou frowned slightly and emphasized, "It's a collaborator."

As soon as these words came out, the smile on the corner of Jiang Fang's mouth froze.

The conversation seemed familiar.

It once appeared between Nanzhou and Li Yinhang.

At that time, Jiang Fang didn't think it was a big deal.

But now...

The originally harmonious atmosphere between the two suddenly froze.

Jiang Fang turned sideways.His expression was still smiling, but there was a subtle sharpness in the expression between his brows and eyes: "Why?"

Nan Zhou: "I can't tell you my wish. I have my own reasons."

Jiang Fang: "I don't mean that."

He took a step forward and compressed the safe distance: "...Why aren't we friends?"

Nan Zhou refused to give in at all, and was not going to revise his statement: "Because it wasn't in the first place."

"I thought..." Jiang Fang always had a polite smile in his pale eyes, "We have experienced many things together. You, me, and Yinhang should at least be friends."

He's so polite that the aggression that's been building up in him doesn't come out.

Nan Zhou noticed his abnormality.

He asked Jiang Fang in confusion, "What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

Jiang Fang was not unaware of his gaffe.

He grabbed the rusted railing and gave himself six seconds, counting silently to restrain his emotions.

He took the initiative to bring the topic back to their previous conversation.

"You said, want to do a task?"

Nan Zhou nodded: "Yes."

Jiang Fang stared at him and said, "At least not today."

Nan Zhou's expression froze: "You..."

Most of the residents in the Walled City are NPCs, and the range of activities and the degree of intelligence depend on the attributes of the characters.

For example, the proprietress of the inn bargains with the guests, sells the early ones and makes buns, and the worker secretly distributes pornographic magazines to the guests to earn extra money.

And a group of unimportant child NPCs, just periodically refreshed from the other end of the corridor, chasing and running past in groups.

The corridor is extremely narrow, so narrow that when two slender housewives approach each other, they have to sideways to avoid each other.

Nan Zhou faced Jiang Fang and stood horizontally in the middle of the corridor when he was slammed into the waist by the child who led the rampage.

He, who was supposed to be motionless, staggered and fell forward under the impact of a child.

When his body was about to slam into the iron railing, an arm wrapped around his waist and held him firmly in his arms.

That hand wrapped around his waist tightly, with such force that it even pressed his soft abdominal muscles down a bit.

Under the thin moonlight, Jiang Fang embraced Nan Zhou's waist, listened to his slight panting in his ears, and smiled softly:

"...Look, I said, at least not today."

The author has something to say:

Nan Zhou's opinion on Brother Fang: Gentleman, elegant, good at acting like a baby, being aggressive with others must be due to physical discomfort

Strange filter added.jpg