Infinite Game Ch.45.1

Chapter 45.1 – No.6 Middle School (1)

With the enthusiastic help of a group of elderly men and women, Jiang Yujin successfully embarked on his first blind date in life.

The elderly folks also offered some advice on how to dress better, but when he left, he still wore the T-shirt he had repeatedly worn and washed.

Not wanting to be seen by people nearby but also not willing to go too far, Jiang Yujin chose a dining place in the adjacent district, neither close nor far away.

He found a small stir-fry restaurant that wasn’t busy at mealtime. Only the owner was there, playing a familiar game on his phone – it was Xiaoxiaole.

The other male guest was quite far away and would take some time to arrive. Jiang Yujin took out his phone and started discussing game strategies with the owner while waiting.

Surprisingly, the owner, being the owner, had progressed several hundred levels beyond him.

When the pitch-black car outside stopped, two people inside were engrossed in the same phone. Upon hearing the noise outside, Jiang Yujin reluctantly lifted his distinguished head and saw the person approaching the door.

It was Lu Dongcheng, dressed impeccably, turning the entrance of the humble eatery into the approach of a grand estate.

As customers arrived, the owner looked up and, seeing the man in a shirt and suit, turned on the electric fan in the shop. The fan whirred loudly, drowning out even the sound of Xiaoxiaole.

Initially wanting to ask the customer which table to sit at, the owner noticed the other person looking directly at the person squatting on the side, realizing they were here together.

As the menu was handed over, Jiang Yujin restrained himself and ordered only two dishes. Lu Dongcheng put his phone aside and said, “This meal is on me.”

Jiang Yujin was in a frenzy of ordering.

The owner took the menu to the kitchen to cook, leaving only the two sitting at the table. As soon as the owner left, the slightly alert eyes instantly drooped, showing no expression while looking at the person opposite.

Knowing he was waiting for an explanation, Lu Dongcheng said, “You blocked my number, so I had to resort to this method.”

The first part of the sentence was true; but Jiang Yujin didn’t believe the latter half at all. This person had many other ways to communicate if he wanted to, but he chose this one, clearly out of some indescribable mischievousness.

Whether it was mischievousness, only Lu Dongcheng knew. He smiled, “I just didn’t expect you to come to a dating agency.”

He also incidentally learned that people from the Special Investigation Unit collected the forms from the dating agency. That person from the SIU must have seen it. He said, “Your ex-boyfriend is truly pitiful.”

While saying this, there was no trace of sympathy in his eyes.

Skipping this topic with a gesture, he straightforwardly asked, “So, what brings you to me?”

This person wasn’t that idle, and wouldn’t have bothered with this inexplicable arranged blind date if there wasn’t anything going on, in principle, just for the sake of eating.

But Lu Dongcheng truly had that much free time. He casually tossed his coat aside, steered the conversation elsewhere, and brought up something else: “It was you who had Shi Bu come work for me.”

It was a statement; there was no need for Jiang Yujin to admit or deny. He simply nodded and said, “I heard before that wherever he worked, things took off. His previous bosses all handed him a secure job. I think he should be a good fit for you.”

As he spoke, he slowly lowered his eyes, veiling the regret within them.

It was unexpected that Shi Bu’s talent for shutting down businesses would fail.

The person’s mouth was running like a train, but Lu Dongcheng just laughed without confirming or denying.

The boss from the kitchen brought out the dishes. After serving the food, he returned to his own kitchen. Jiang Yujin objectively felt that the other party felt that the sound of the fan here was too noisy, which affected the experience of playing Xiaoxiaole.

Jiang Yujin picked up the bowl of rice, pulled out his chopsticks, and said, “If you have something to say, say it quickly. I’ll leave after I finish eating.”

This was his final reminder; he had no patience to listen to the other person continue beating around the bush.

Lu Dongcheng said, “Shi Bu has made the company a lot of money, and currently, no one can replace him. I’ve arranged his work history, so at least for now, no one will suspect him.”

Jiang Yujin didn’t even raise his head. “That’s good, thank you.”

“But you might not be able to hide anymore.”

Jiang Yujin raised his eyes while chewing, his cheeks bulging.

“Zero has started looking for you,” Lu Dongcheng met his gaze as Jiang Yujin puffed out his cheeks. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked, “Do you want to know who’s controlling Zero?”

He said that if they went out for a walk later, he could tell him directly.

A simple condition to go out for a walk. Jiang Yujin replied, “Not interested.”

Having anticipated this response, Lu Dongcheng wasn’t surprised or affected at all. He continued his previous conversation, “No one disclosed the reason for seeking you.”

The reason wasn’t difficult to guess; after much thought, it boiled down to a few possibilities. And clearly, Jiang Yujin wasn’t interested in those reasons either.

Or rather, Jiang Yujin never really took Zero seriously, mostly observing and occasionally feeling annoyed when his life was disturbed.

Lu Dongcheng said, “They are looking for Liuling.”

Zero doesn’t pose much of a threat to Jiang Yujin, but what they’re searching for might.

Strange Species ‘Liuling’ possessed unique intelligence and was once part of the same dungeon as the Luosa Tree. Apart from its ability to create illusions, its eyes also had the power to record.

Everyone entering its environment and all actions taken within the illusion were faithfully captured by its eyes. If there’s anything similar, it might be those occasional glass blocks in games specifically designed for recording images.

Though untested, a rumor persisted in the game that watering Liuling’s eyes with branches from the Luosa Tree’s seedling would reveal all the scenes it had recorded.

Zero had already figured out a way to cultivate the Luosa Tree. If Jiang Yujin remembered correctly, the last time the Luosa Tree fell, Xu Tonggui had taken a sapling.

He vaguely recalled a previous instance of entering a dungeon with Liuling, seemingly searching for something and leaving upon not finding it. The exact process had become hazy, but he remembered entering the illusion.

If memory served right, it was with Xu Tonggui.

“…”

Citizen Jiang wiped his mouth and then looked up, saying, “You seem quite knowledgeable about the affairs within Zero.”

Lu Dongcheng replied calmly, “We’ve cooperated before.”

Jiang Yujin remembered the first encounter in the mall, where the other person had taken something from the h*stage taker who had captured him, which didn’t seem related to legitimate business activities.

After a brief consideration, he took out his phone, activated the recording function, and asked, “Could you repeat what you just said?”

Handing over the recording to the police would not only secure a position like the previous bosses of Shi Bu but also earn a considerable informant’s fee. Everyone would have a brighter future.

However, Lu Dongcheng evidently had no desire to secure such a position.

Regretfully, Citizen Jiang stopped the recording, said what needed to be said, felt moderately full, stood up, and left, concluding this blind date.

Lu Dongcheng ate a bit more than usual, nearly finishing the food on the table. As he stood up, he took out his car keys and asked, “Shall I give you a ride?”

The other person had already put on their helmet and mounted the electric scooter, turning their head to say goodbye, despite not being keen on conversing.

Lu Dongcheng smiled, the expression reaching his eyes, waved, and said, “Thought this time might have been a success.”

*

Chen Jing returned home in the evening. As he walked down the street, it wasn’t his imagination; quite a few people seemed to be looking at him.

Facing an elderly woman with a hesitant expression, he asked, “Is something wrong?”

That night, the high schooler was informed by the elderly woman that he might soon have a stepfather.

“…“

The high schooler chose to remain silent.

Later, when Jiang Yujin returned, he found the high schooler already at home, seeming to have experienced something, his expression somewhat indescribable.

Taking off his cherished helmet and placing it on the shelf, Citizen Jiang casually smoothed down his messy hair and asked, “What happened?”

The high schooler repeated the elderly woman’s words without any emotional inflection.

Jiang Yujin felt a pang of discomfort, consciously went to get a glass of water and drank it, saying, “No way, the other person wasn’t interested in me.”

He did go on a blind date.

Citizen Jiang glanced at the high schooler sideways. “Do you still remember your social practice in F City?”

Chen Jing understood and didn’t say anything more.

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