Volume Two: The Youth of a Thousand Faces, Truth in Disguise Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Village at Sunset

Although they had set a plan, it would not be enacted for another two weeks. For today, they would have to make do with entering VRF as usual.

Consciousness linked to the cloud, Huo Ye arrived at the lobby. The so-called lobby was where users waited when not in battle. Yet it was not a bare, empty hall, but rather a scene reminiscent of a shopping plaza—filled with entertainment venues akin to cafes, cinemas, or libraries. The currency here was not that of the Sora Colony, but points.

In VRF, every account accumulated points after each completed battle. These points could be credited to a student’s real-life account for daily use, or spent here in the lobby to enjoy various amenities. Points would continue to accumulate, but once spent, they became “consumed points,” unusable again in the virtual world. Instead, they served as currency to exchange for resources in reality and as a reference in end-of-term performance assessments.

Though the outside world also offered entertainment, for many students from poor families, this was the only place they could enjoy such pleasures with a clear conscience—every point spent was earned through their own efforts and did not impact their resources in reality. Even if eating or drinking here was nothing but data—taste without satiety—it was a benefit the Academy offered its students.

This time, Huo Ye did not enter as himself, but through another anonymous account—ID: Night Rain Crow.

Deep inside, Huo Ye had always hoped for a chance—a chance for his secret to be unveiled—but that opportunity had never come.

Being in the virtual network, Huo Ye was not concerned about his identity being exposed. Although the sleep pod would automatically record the user’s facial features, there was no disguise a digital mask could not provide in this world. Unless the user wished it, no one could alter their appearance, let alone remove their mask.

The three of them appeared together in the lobby. Lailimi knew Huo Ye’s identity as Night Rain Crow—Huo Ye had told him before. Huo Ye was relieved that Lailimi had not revealed this to Shangguan Yudie.

As for Huo Ye’s secret, both Lailimi and Shangguan Yudie were aware of his dark compatibility, and had always helped him keep it hidden. The secret of Night Rain Crow, however, was something Huo Ye had inadvertently revealed only to Lailimi; Shangguan Yudie knew nothing of it.

Huo Ye could not begin to imagine—if his true identity were ever exposed, would Shangguan Yudie fall for him, Huo Ye, or give up on Night Rain Crow altogether?

After all, when Alice learned the truth, it was the latter. Huo Ye still remembered her devastated, heartbroken expression.

Thinking of Shangguan Yudie, Huo Ye had gone to great lengths to appear as Night Rain Crow. Just in case she specifically sought out “Night Rain Crow”—perhaps even using her mind-reading ability—Huo Ye had Lailimi craft this mask for him overnight and digitize its data for use in VRF.

Nothing in this world is perfect, and Shangguan Yudie’s abilities were not without weaknesses. Her powers might target the mind, beyond the reach of ordinary technology, but a shift in perspective revealed the solution: to block her power, one only needed to cut off the source.

Her ability was not mind reading in the usual sense, but rather a power that sensed emotions and thoughts through bioelectrical waves from the brain. Others’ brains were transmitters, she the receiver. If the waves were eliminated between the two, her powers would be naturally stymied.

Huo Ye’s mask was crafted from a special wave-absorbing material—an exceptionally rare substance used only by biologists conducting experiments requiring the exclusion of bioelectrical interference, and exorbitantly expensive. Yet, with the resources of the Kelly family, Lailimi was able to procure some from the laboratory’s reserves.

“So, should we split up or go together?” Lailimi asked. Ke Zhen had said he would watch their matches from outside and provide professional feedback afterward, but had not specified the format, apparently leaving it to them to decide.

“I think together would be best! With big bro looking after us, we’ll definitely win,” Alice said.

“No,” Huo Ye refused outright. “If I were using my real identity, it’d be fine. But now I’m Night Rain Crow. The three of us share a mentor. If the two of you are here but I—Huo Ye—am missing, while Night Rain Crow is present, it would be easy to give myself away.”

He explained his reasoning, though this was only part of it. Huo Ye also had his own motives. Of all Alice’s suitors over the years, Huo Ye favored Lailimi most. Though Lailimi never confessed his feelings to Alice directly, Huo Ye saw through him completely.

Birds of a feather flock together. Alice cared about Huo Ye’s future; Huo Ye, in turn, cared for hers.

He went on, “Besides, I have another purpose for logging in as Night Rain Crow. My Holy Light ability is too weak, and Holy Light is the most effective against disasters. I need to train, and if anyone learns who I am, my dark compatibility will be exposed. So, as Night Rain Crow, I’m just a pure Holy Light psionic. If I can’t even beat you, don’t expect me to carry you.”

Alice was a little disappointed, but still said, “Then… I’ll team up with Lailimi. Take care of yourself, big bro.”

“Don’t worry. A wolf always finds its meal, wherever it roams. I won’t lose out no matter where I go.” Huo Ye turned and strode off with a flourish, leaving the two only his retreating figure.

His main goal was indeed to hone his Holy Light ability. Holy Light and Dark were opposing attributes, like ice and fire.

The essence of a psionic’s ability was energy generated by the catalytic reactions of oxidases and hydrolases. The enzymes responsible for generating Holy Light and Dark abilities would counteract each other, greatly reducing the rate at which both were produced.

As a dark-compatible, Huo Ye’s dark abilities were primary; all other abilities depended on his dark core. Under such suppression, not only was the use of Holy Light limited—even its generation was pitifully scant.

He had to shore up this weakness. This was his top priority.

He entered a door marked “1 VS 1,” stepping into a space of pure white. Here, he would be matched with an opponent, and the system would randomly grant one side the right to choose the battleground. This time, the choice fell to his opponent, leaving Huo Ye to wait in a world of floating, diamond-shaped fragments.

Huo Ye had no idea who his opponent would be; only after the match began would their profile be revealed.

He passed the time by observing this white void. At this moment, he was in the dueling room. Since the opponent had yet to choose a map, the terrain data remained undecided, resulting in this liminal scene.

The diamond-shaped data fragments floating in the air were the virtual embodiment of data—once the map was selected, they would assemble into the predetermined terrain.

Just then, it seemed his opponent had finally chosen. The space began to shift.

Countless fragments appeared out of nowhere, joining at every angle. The small pieces deformed, the seams between them vanishing until they seemed a seamless whole.

It was as if the world undulated around Huo Ye, who himself never moved.

The glaring white floor dissolved into a muddy rural path. A blood-red sunset hung low on the horizon, staining the thatched cottages crimson. No one was in sight, yet the sounds of roosters and dogs echoed.

Huo Ye stood in the middle of the path, the afterglow of dusk cast over his pitch-black mask, obscuring his features.

He opened his private system panel. The map: “Sunset Village”—a plain and straightforward name. His opponent… Jiang Feng.

A faint melancholy swept over Huo Ye. What kind of fate was this, after all?