Chapter 713: with translation of chapter title

NO. 82: At the same time, down there they're still awkwardly chatting (4k)

Ling, ranking third among the twelve fragments of the Year Beast, truly the eldest sister.

She is carefree and unrestrained, loves alcohol like water, and has had outstanding accomplishments in military affairs, poetry, lyrics, music, and art.

Her name essentially carries at least three layers of meaning.

In the traditional literary forms of East Flame, a genre of 'ci' and 'qu' is called 'ling'.

In the traditional drinking culture of East Flame, a game to liven things up is called 'ling'.

In the traditional political announcements of East Flame, the seasonal and festival orders are called 'ling'.

Ability unknown—

——This is the content that Aomo, in his past ability to retrieve information from the Rhodes Island forum, had altogether included in the compilation.

In such information compilation, concerning special existences like Miss Ling, Miss Yela, and Miss Skadi, it naturally draws Aomo's special attention…… but the results, as above, are inevitably brief.

To be frank, although the staff of Rhodes Island Company chat about anything on the forum, even daring to post about catching the boss sneaking snacks at midnight, this shows how unrestrained their style is.

But even so, the information that can be filtered and summarized from such idle chatter is ultimately limited.

Furthermore, there is much content that looks extremely bizarre, further raising the threshold for evidence.

Aomo, who is not very idle, does not have high demands for this.

A rough idea is enough, just as he can easily fill in Nian and Xi's abilities as smelting and painting, yet he also knows that their abilities go far beyond that.

But in Ling's file, he did not put the two characters 'carefree' into her ability list column, but merely marked it as 'unknown'.

It's not that there's a lack of evidence, but rather that he cannot understand it.

Although he has lived in this Eastern region for over ten years, he still has too much unfamiliar culture and vocabulary.

To him, the two characters 'carefree' represent an utterly unfamiliar realm.

Not to mention him; even for most East Flame-born, pure-blood East Flame people, the usage frequency of the word 'carefree' is also decreasing.

This is also related to the rising admission scores of the Originium Arts schools of martial and immortal arts lineages year by year.

But more so, it stems from the changing times, which make society place more emphasis on 'responsibility'.

With numerous trivial matters entangling one, it's naturally impossible to talk about 'carefree'.

The freedom to free oneself from all bonds sounds easy to understand; this way of life, though rare nowadays, is not impossible to find examples of.

But as a description of an ability, it is inevitably too vague.

What does 'carefree' mean? Doing as one pleases? To what extent can she achieve it? To what state can she reach? Could specific numbers be listed? Could it be explained more vividly……

Holding these unanswerable questions, he eventually left that column blank, thinking to supplement it later when he gains something.

According to someone's speculation, that so-called 'later' would be very far away.

Because he recently has no need to make contact with the special existences on Rhodes Island's side.

Moreover, there was no pleasant conversation or chance to meet again during his brief contact with Miss Nian and Miss Xi.

That information is like that of an active and excellent horse girl; even if gathered, it won't be used in the short term—because there are no races to run recently, Chazuo, Bourbon, and Suzi still need to undergo at least half a month of steady training.

But even if the race regulations can be stable and correct, personal circumstances are another matter.

Just like now, he has to admit that the so-called 'expectation' itself is very fragile, and once encountering an accident it can be easily shattered.

Just like now, he isn't even familiar with Miss Nian and Miss Xi, yet he is already being addressed by name by their older sister.

"Unfair? What do you mean by that?" said the Year Beast incarnation, who has only a given name and no surname, smiling.

Her purplish-blue eyes are also accompanied by an unknown whether natural or artificial vermilion eyeshadow; her smile carries a carefree charm and frivolity that makes demons instinctively glance sideways to suppress that striking, abrupt feeling.

He will not produce an illusion.

Because he understands that, for the most part, those girls are just normally interacting with people, yet he happens to have a pair of overly delicate and sharp eyes.

Those eyes can help him capture a person's character, habits, experiences, and often also capture the 'extra parts' all at once.

For example, beauty.

Spiritual beauty, appearance beauty, and even the allure that extends from beauty.

Even if those girls themselves might not recognize or feel confident about their beauty, he can also 'capture' it with his eyes.

And when facing those girls who are already sufficiently beautiful, those eyes also give him an 'illusion'.

A kind of illusion that easily turns into a 'self-confident man'.

As if the other person's eyes are speaking.

As if the other person is deliberately displaying that allure.

——If it were someone else, it would mostly be excessive self-consciousness, but when it comes to Aomo…… it's the same.

As long as others are unaware but you persist in believing it, that is a kind of excessive self-consciousness.

Therefore, one must consciously restrain that consciousness.

He indeed has, in a literal sense, eyes good at discovering beauty; since childhood, his art-savvy grandmother has praised him, as if he truly could have some artistic cells.

Although for the people of Baud, doing art is like a prerequisite for a promotion ceremony, he obviously still hasn't walked that path.

After all, everyone knows that whether it's music, drawing, or anything else…… the path of art is also a path of spending money.

Moreover, no matter which path, you have to compete with AI——this livelihood is not easy to swallow; competing with AI means you must have excellent traits surpassing AI, and before creating those traits, you still have to bear a longer accumulation cost.

This brings us back to that summer a few days before the vacation.

In that summer, he had a lazy, scattered conversation with Bi Ze, jumping from topic to topic, talking about the art institute's volunteer application hitting a new low.

And now, Aomo, who possesses eyes like a painter's, already has sufficient self-awareness.

"Nothing much, since I've already been hit, there's no need to shout a victim declaration," Aomo shifted his gaze, calming the slight slowdown of his heartbeat, thinking how many times this has happened in the past half year, he still said, "It's Miss Ling who deliberately intercepted me; is there something?"

He again looked down at the view of the ruined house below, gazing at the Cowherd and Weaver Girl, who showed no change in movement, not even offering tea, as if they were just sitting there chatting, Aomo added:

"Isn't everything here not fake?"

"The distinction between true and false, after all, is something you yourself must judge, Mr. Aomo," said Ling beside him, as she abruptly drew an ancient-looking wine dish in her hand, lifted the gourd and filled a cup, offering it to Aomo, "But compared to my purpose, I thought you, Mr. Aomo, would pay attention to the time."

"Is time stopped, or stretched? If I were to say, I suppose it's this state? Probably the latter." Aomo said lightly, glanced at the wine cup, hesitated a moment, then still took it.

"Although the two below are still having a normal conversation."

Zhinü probably lacks common human hospitality etiquette, and Niulang probably lacks the courage to bring it up, so the two just sat there awkwardly chatting.

However, considering the era, perhaps even this aspect of hospitality etiquette is still relatively primitive.

The upstairs wasn't any better either; Aomo held the fragrant wine dish, looked at it for a few seconds, then took a light sip.

The facts proved his decision was absolutely correct.

That was merely the spiciness from a small sip, which almost made him summon a drizzle below.

But he ultimately didn't lose his composure; he just remained silent.

Then, in the silence, he took another small sip, further adapting to that extreme which instead dulls the senses and also makes what he sees clearer.

He seemed able to see the abnormal gas clusters drifting in the air, and everything else, with heightened contrast and collision, made the oil colors more vivid.

And, taking in his reaction—no loss of composure, no flushed face or ears—Ling happily replied, "Not bad."

In here, outside time passes extremely slowly; Mr. Aomo need not worry about being nagged by his female companions after going out.

The so-called dream often gives people such an experience; frankly, Aomo has already experienced this kind of dream with an extremely long sense of time before, but regarding the "Ling's dream" mentioned by the people of the Luodao Island Forum, he has gained a more intuitive understanding.

She can even impose the dream's trajectory onto physical objects, adding a hint of hazy reality to a scroll.

Haziness and reality—these feelings that ought to clash merge into one; truly, one can act as they wish, with almost divine skill.

One form of the so-called "carefree" state is like this, right?

Aomo lowered his gaze to the liquid remaining in the cup, then immediately looked toward the strand of hair swaying slightly in the breeze, and the faint braid beside it.

So, what did you originally want to say?

I want to ask, are you interested in walking another similar land? Mr. Aomo.

Regarding that so-called Evening Beauty?

No, just as this world is a project experience of the Seventh Night, the land over there is built by another group of people, purely a game experience.

Invite me to try it out?

Not bad, I think you've also noticed that the world Xiao Xi and her companions made, while sufficiently realistic, has design flaws that are overly obvious.

Indeed, ordinary people would never notice those hidden past events," Aomo sighed, downing the remaining wine in one gulp, "who knows who those achievements were prepared for.

He unexpectedly quite liked this wine.

After a few more sips, he gradually adapted; the warmth rising from his belly not only resisted the chill at the peak, but also gave him a warm, fulfilling sensation akin to returning to a demon state.

Even opening his mouth seemed to exhale a bit of heat wave.

That perhaps isn't an illusion, after all Ling indeed saw the dark red gradually rising in his brown pupils.

Having drunk the wine beloved by non-humans, the non-human components within it naturally stir, which is also natural.

Of course, from another perspective, although Xiao Xi and her companions' design raises the threshold, it also filters out people like Mr. Aomo who can think along with them, which is no less than a tale of seeking a kindred spirit amidst high mountains and flowing waters.

That's really overestimating me," Aomo shook his head, "what I used is merely a summary of predecessors plus my own clumsy observation and deduction.

Rather than saying I thought along with them, it's more like I, through trial and error, momentarily touched upon their train of thought.

Or perhaps Miss Xi?" he added.

Although the copywriting is a team, that convoluted explanation style feels like a very awkward individual; it's really hard to say whether it's the style of Lady Jingzhe, Miss Jiji, and others.

Based on his few impressions of Miss Xi, he actually felt there was some overlap.

It's Xiao Xi, no mistake." Ling's words also corroborated his guess.

My little sister likes to hide whatever works she's involved in, won't let anyone see them, and doesn't want to share any pride—how can that be considered pride?

I think, regarding the judgment of pride, everyone has their own standards; sharing is also 【a standard】.

Indeed, I heard Mr. Aomo is under twenty, yet he possesses foresight beyond expectation.

Too kind; I'm just picking up others' experiences to make a fool of myself.

Well then, without further ado, does Mr. Aomo have any thoughts on those games?

If speaking of thoughts, naturally there are some, but perhaps there isn't time.

Time is fine; those friends' projects aren't truly perfected yet...

So we need testers?

Experience, well," Ling said, lifting the gourd in hand, "let's not talk about testing.

Aomo also raised his hand, bringing the wine dish closer, letting the other refill it: "Did you specially seek me out just to say this? Is that so-called game really a game?"

Indeed, it's a game used by the friends of Leyen Life to let employees experience it; though it could also be called a training ground.

If so, can I bring outsiders?

Of course, very welcome, but I also need to remind you: just like Xiao Xi's world design, ordinary children might not be able to accept the pressure of the Weaver's manifestation.

Those children aren't afraid of these.

That's just me worrying needlessly," Ling said, "I'll punish myself with a sip?" Ling laughed freely, saying as he lifted the gourd, rather than self-punishment, it was more like he couldn't wait.

She indeed loves drinking too much, leaving Aomo helpless.

Miss Ling, may I ask you a question?

Hmm? Go ahead.

The Luodao Island Company already has a world as its backing, and its members are no shortage of extraordinary people; why specially invite me?

Would Mr. Aomo not know his own special qualities?

I think, relying solely on speculation is unreliable; we also need actual verification.

Then, Mr. Aomo, what do you think is the essence of the question that Zhinü values Niulang's answer so highly?

Answering a question with a question won't do, Miss Ling.

Just this once." Ling smiled and raised the gourd.

Aomo also passed the wine cup, clinked with him, intending to drink first, but he too paused before replying: "What the Weaver Girl questioned—namely why he could abandon everything for a single promise—is something those born great cannot comprehend, even fear."

"That's a difference in perspective."

Having said that, he lifted the wine cup and drank it all in one go.

Along with him, he likewise lifted the wine gourd, laughing silently yet happily, sharing the drink.

"Indeed, as said, based on this, I think Mr. Aomo can help those friends."