"But if you kill the fake version of yourself, you won’t be constantly pursued by that assassin in the second instance. The assassin who looks just like you can always track your location."
That’s insane.
But it makes sense—the original and the assassin are connected, so tracking each other would be effortless.
"Of course, it’s not completely safe. Some people fail to kill their corresponding assassins, and they end up bringing those assassins out into the world. If one of them spots you, they’ll still come after you."
Youyin took the last bite of her noodles, snapped the lid back on the cup, and hugged her knees as she leaned back in the chair.
"What about the assassin connected to you?" Little Wei asked.
Youyin shook her head, her tone tinged with frustration.
"I don’t even know where she is. In fact, I’ve never seen her appear."
After saying this, Youyin looked up at Little Wei. She had expected her to leave, but instead, Little Wei sat there as steady as a mountain, even peeling a banana to eat.
"Aren’t you running?" Youyin asked.
"Run? Too lazy. My head’s killing me." Little Wei’s temples were throbbing.
If suicide didn’t mean respawning, she’d have swallowed her staff by now.
Hearing this, Youyin walked over and gently massaged Little Wei’s temples.
"How many times have you died?"
The pressure on her temples eased the heaviness in Little Wei’s head, making her feel a little more relaxed.
"Three times."
Youyin thought for a moment, then pursed her lips. "Seems like you had bad luck all three times—killed by the assassin following you. That’s why you’re suffering so many debuffs."
"Is there any way to get rid of them?" Little Wei looked up at Youyin’s clean jawline.
My wife is so pretty.
"Not for now," Youyin said.
For now?
Little Wei caught the word. Why did this world’s version of her wife seem to know so much?
Even if she were a prophet, there should be some kind of item or limit to her abilities.
Youyin knew too much.
Based on the original’s death count, the game could only have reset three times. And no matter how skilled Youyin was, there was no way she could’ve figured out all the game’s rules in just three attempts.
It was way too strange.
Little Wei opened her mouth to ask more when she noticed a few people approaching the convenience store. They looked exhausted, but when they saw Youyin, a flicker of surprise crossed their eyes before they forced themselves to straighten up.
"Youyin, what are you doing here? Oh, I heard they’re gathering survivors who escaped from the school over at the square. You two should come."
They acted as if they knew Youyin well.
But Youyin tensed up, her lips pressing into a tight line.
Little Wei clenched her fists.
A bold idea surged in her mind.
Her wife was either a reincarnator or… someone who had transmigrated into this world. But judging by how tense she looked, it was probably the latter.
Because what she saw in Youyin’s eyes was unfamiliarity and discomfort toward those people.
"Not now. I’ll go later," Youyin said, forcing a stiff smile.
The group didn’t push it. They grabbed a few things from the store and left.
This wasn’t like an apocalypse, where dangers were obvious. Here, you could turn a corner and drop dead.
Sometimes, you didn’t even need to turn a corner.
"Come on, let’s get you a save point," Youyin said to Little Wei.
She pulled up her hood, once again the mysterious girl. If not for the mask, Little Wei might’ve mistaken her for the assassin who had tried to kill her when she first arrived.
"One thing I want to ask—why aren’t we using the main entrance?" Little Wei followed Youyin, puzzled.
"Too many people. And… there’s a monster inside." Youyin’s lips curled slightly.
She had learned this from the novel she’d read.
Never thought reading a story would drag her into this world. The worst part? She hadn’t even finished it.
Youyin frowned.
She only had a rough understanding—this world operated like a game, and the biggest setting was this city.
After all, the novel was called The Lost City.
People here would awaken to professions and fight hidden assassins and monsters. But how to end the city’s disaster? She had no clue.
As she walked, Youyin glanced at the pale, weak girl beside her.
Honestly, at first, she hadn’t wanted to drag around deadweight.
The half-dead look? In any thriller, this type wouldn’t survive past the first chapter.
She didn’t know why she’d decided to bring her along.
At least the girl could defend herself.
Youyin smirked as they stopped in front of a small shop. The sign above read Time’s Little Shop, its aged lettering looking like something from the last century, starkly out of place in this modern city.
The moment they stepped inside, Little Wei saw a woman in black standing behind the counter, her crimson lips pressed tight. Unnerved, Little Wei shrank behind Youyin.
"I’m here to save," Youyin said.
The woman moved, scanning a card in front of Youyin before handing it back.
"Four saves total. One used. Three remaining. Please confirm with a fingerprint."
Youyin pressed her thumb without hesitation.
"If the save card is lost, no replacements." The woman’s voice was hoarse.
Youyin tucked the card into her inner pocket, then turned to Little Wei.
Little Wei’s legs trembled slightly before she spoke up. "I want to save."
The woman seemed to freeze, silent.
"I want to save," Little Wei repeated, louder.
"Warning: Current save target has low HP and poor mental state. Only one save allowed. Proceed?"
Little Wei nearly raised her staff to teach this woman a lesson.
But then she grinned.
Who said this couldn’t work?
She pulled a dagger from her pocket—in an instant, it transformed into a gold-and-silver staff, radiating warmth. A gust of wind lifted the woman’s veil, brightening the dim shop.
"What are you doing?" Youyin stared at her, stunned.
This was a save point, not some place to mess around.
Little Wei slammed the staff onto the counter with a sharp crack.
"How do we beat this game?!"
Youyin: "…"
Well, that’s one way to stand out. Damn, never seen a player threaten an NPC before. Today’s a first.
Little Wei fought through her headache.
The woman in black remained silent, staring at the staff.
"Speak, damn it!" Little Wei snapped.
This site is about to undergo a major upgrade, adding more books and faster chapter updates.