The Captain Is Here

【Vine Cage Girl】's so-called “level-up gift” was a gashapon capsule—a cheap plastic shell with a tiny strip of shrink-wrapped paper stuck to it, bearing the words “Have Your Heart’s Desire.”

The capsule looked so shoddy and hastily made that it was even less attractive than the ones in shopping-mall gashapon machines. Zhu Yan casually tossed it into his 【Savings Silver Ring】 without opening it.

He strolled along the mist-shrouded road of 【West Hill University】. By the time he had passed through that passageway reeking of sour rot once more and reached the 【Lazybones Craft Shop】, the sky was already growing dark.

The dim, yellow streetlights of 【Boyang University】 flickered on.

Two students stood guard outside the 【Lazybones Craft Shop】, occasionally lowering their heads to peer at the light leaking through the gap beneath the roller shutter.

They failed to notice a wisp of white mist mingling with the murky gray haze in the air as it drifted slowly into the 【Lazybones Craft Shop】.

“Welcome, dear guest.”

The voice belonged to Feining.

It was lounging against the counter, sipping a cup of black tea. The tea smelled strange, its aroma mixed with a stench and the metallic tang of blood that faintly permeated the entire room.

“Taking it easy, are we?”

Zhu Yan glanced over its suit, which was covered by an apron bearing numerous scuffs and stains. There was even a streak of red that had yet to dry.

“…Looks like things are progressing nicely.”

“Not too bad,” Feining said grumpily. “You know, if you’ve been leisurely strolling around for three hours, you really shouldn’t be putting pressure on a poor dragonfly.”

A palm-sized glass bottle, along with a sheet of paper covered in writing, was shoved into Zhu Yan’s arms.

“Take these! Hurry up and go back to sleep. Come back in ten hours to pick up your knife and cloak.”

Zhu Yan lowered his eyes to look at it.

The note was clearly an instruction manual, since its very first line read: Important Usage Notes.

“Wait…” Feining noticed Zhu Yan’s small movement. “Wait, you’d better stay and read it here. If you accidentally make a mistake and get discovered and killed by some player from that 【Human Alliance】…”

Then its patron would be gone, and so would its vacation.

The mere thought made the dragonfly extremely reluctant.

As a player, this 【Hunter】 was utterly unremarkable. As a client, however, he was a once-in-a-century find.

A customer who respected its work, understood its desire to save money while taking time off, and was willing to exchange just the right amount of money for a day of rest.

It had waited so many years for a client like this!

Feining pouted and swallowed the rest of its ominous words.

“Anyway, you really should read the instructions carefully.”

“By the way, weren’t you also planning to get a cloak? Those people didn’t notice that you already had one, so why go to the trouble of getting another?”

“To be safe.” Zhu Yan did not hide the truth from it. “I haven’t figured out the exact use for it yet.”

Such a high-level imitation.

Whether he used it for acting or for tricking people, it would be worth the price.

Feining nodded and did not ask any further questions.

Zhu Yan moved beneath the light and carefully read the note in his hand.

“Important Usage Notes: This item has only one function: it makes the memories you display to others malleable.”

“This item cannot automatically alter your memories!”

“In other words, you must first prepare a blueprint of the memories you wish to present, then modify and embellish your memories during sleep to ensure the effect meets your expectations.”

“Additionally, this does not affect your true memories.”

“It is a smokescreen, a little trick. When others or terrifying entities attempt to read you, it ensures that you can only display what you want them to see.”

“If an entity is capable of reading your thoughts, then…”

Zhu Yan’s heart leaped.

“Then, beneath the cover of your false memories, the thoughts and inner voice you project to the outside world will automatically become distorted.”

Holy shit.

The hand holding the paper trembled slightly.

This wasn’t merely convenient. It was unbelievably useful.

【Merryland】, what other surprises are you hiding from me?

“When modifying your memories, you may also fabricate memories covering the three hours after you wake up.”

“Bad deeds always need a proper ending. This is a thoughtful design!”

Zhu Yan understood.

It meant he could conveniently cover up the small matter of waking up and taking the knife.

It really was thoughtful.

“When using the item, drink the entire contents in one go.”

“If you wish to maintain the effect afterward, simply drink the corresponding amount within one month. You will not need to modify your memories again; ten hours of deep sleep will be sufficient.”

“If more than one month has passed since your last use, you must repeat the initial procedure and alter your memories again in your dreams.”

He had to admit, this thing was quite convenient.

From now on, if Zhu Yan wanted to maintain the persona of “Zhu Zeyu,” all he needed to do was keep having the dragonfly procure more of it for him.

“There’s a rather unorthodox way to use it.”

Feining leaned against the counter, stretching languidly. Its silvery-white hair reflected the light beautifully.

It pulled out a fountain pen and a sheet of extremely thin paper, then handed them to Zhu Yan and pointed toward a small rotating stool nearby.

“You can write out the memory blueprint you want right now.”

“Write it on this paper, then drop it into the bottle.”

“That way, modifying your memories in your dreams will be much easier… You’ll only need to add details to the outline.”

One hour later.

Controlling his puppet, Zhu Yan carefully climbed out of bed and opened the door for his true body.

The dormitory was filled with the sound of steady breathing. Yang Zhanbai and Qi Yinming were fast asleep, so there was no need to worry about them noticing anything.

The moment the door opened, white mist engulfed the puppet.

A few seconds later, Zhu Yan quietly closed the door.

Hidden inside the puppet, he silently crawled back to his own bed. Then he quietly withdrew the puppet and set an alarm for ten hours later.

Immediately afterward, Zhu Yan grabbed the glass bottle and downed its contents in one go.

Sleepiness spread through his mind like stars filling the night sky.

The bed and pillow were soft, the blanket warm and comfortable.

He let out a great yawn, then collapsed helplessly onto the bed and sank into a deep, unconscious sleep.

…

“Zhu Zeyu!”

Someone was slapping the side of his bed, their voice loud and urgent.

“Zhu Zeyu, are you all right? How long have you been asleep?”

Zhu Yan drowsily opened his eyes for a moment. His body felt as comfortable as if it had been soaking in warm water.

“Wake up.” It was Yang Zhanbai’s voice. “You’ve been asleep for more than ten hours. You didn’t wake up even once. Are you okay?”

Not really.

Recalling the hours he had spent modifying his memories in his dreams, as well as the experience of secretly going to retrieve the long saber after waking up, Zhu Yan felt as though everything had been an extraordinarily realistic episode of sleepwalking.

He had gotten enough rest, but…

Zhu Yan rolled over and pulled the blanket higher.

“Five more minutes,” he mumbled. “What time is it? Why are you in such a hurry?”

Yang Zhanbai was extremely excited.

“Captain Jin Rongxu is coming.”

Jin…

Zhu Yan sat bolt upright in bed. “Who?”

“Oh, right—you don’t know.” Yang Zhanbai’s voice came from outside the bed curtains. “Get up, and I’ll explain. Officer Guan told me about him while we were in the dungeon. Jin Rongxu is an exceptionally powerful official player.”

“I heard he only cleared a dungeon last night!”