Sacred Souls: Genesis

Chapter 138: Chapter 137 AWSL (3rd Update! Request monthly tickets! Please subscribe!)

“You’re back?”

As No Milk Added Without Price Increase entered the tree hollow, a gentle voice sounded. She wasn’t as extravagant as Mo Shigui, spoiling Fureya with all kinds of food from the Holy Spirit World, but she still ensured the basic well-being of her Fureya.

“Woke up so soon?”

No Milk Added Without Price Increase pulled up a chair and sat down. As she entered the tree hollow, a prompt had already popped up.

‘Main Quest 2: Life in Peril has been completed. Quest Reward: 10 silver coins, 5,124,011 experience points.’

The reward for this quest was so meager that No Milk Added Without Price Increase felt it was hardly worth doing, but main quests are automatically completed. As soon as Main Quest 2 was accomplished, Main Quest 3 immediately popped up.

‘Main Quest 3: Fureya’s Wish. Quest Description: It seems that Fureya, upon recovering her state, harbors some thoughts she keeps hidden. As a doll, she is not adept at expressing her feelings but you can try asking her about them. Quest Reward: Portal Keystone.’

Having read the quest description, No Milk Added Without Price Increase immediately took out another chair and offered it to Fureya.

Her Fureya was wearing a level 25 epic robe called Holy Light, which was the first epic gear No Milk Added Without Price Increase had ever obtained. As a keepsake, she refrained from throwing this pocketless robe into the disassembler.

It was just the right fit for Fureya now.

“Come, tell me about any recent thoughts you’ve had? Think of it as a chat.” No Milk Added Without Price Increase’s attitude towards Fureya was similar to that of Xia Shan; they both treated her like a younger sister who knew nothing.

The only difference was that Xia Shan was the somewhat awkward sister type, whereas No Milk Added Without Price Increase was the kind of sister who wouldn’t hesitate to wield a cross if anyone bullied her younger sibling.

“Kind spirit of the Holy, I don’t know… You have given me so much, should I…?”

“Spit it out, what do you want?”

No Milk Added Without Price Increase interrupted Fureya, whereas other players might listen to her complete a ‘pre-set’ system dialogue, No Milk Added Without Price Increase didn’t have the time for it.

Who knew if Cola Mania would receive a seed of an impregnable stronghold while she was talking with Fureya? By then, the value of the stronghold seed she held would definitely plummet!

No Milk Added Without Price Increase now had to decide based on Fureya’s intentions whether to sell the stronghold seed immediately or keep it for herself to build a stronghold.

Everything hinged on what Fureya wanted to do!

“…”

Fureya looked down at her fingers that still vaguely showed the joints of a doll. After a brief moment of thought, a dim light gathered in her palm, and a fragment inscribed with complex runes appeared in the center of her hand.

“This is a gift from God. When it grows, it will open a door that connects two worlds,” Fureya said, passing the fragment to No Milk Added Without Price Increase.

‘Main Quest 3: Fureya’s Wish completed. Quest Reward: Portal Keystone, 30 copper coins, 31,301 experience points.’

The modest reward was not a surprise to No Milk Added Without Price Increase. After all, it was a transitional quest that could be completed through dialogue. She picked up the fragment and cast a scouting spell on it.

「Portal Keystone

Construction Item·Divine Artifact

Description: An ancient artifact with divinity. It is said that infusing it with a large amount of precious metals and Magic Power will automatically create a portal to myriad worlds.

Effect: Essential item for building a portal within a player’s stronghold. If a portal already exists within the stronghold, it can be placed into it to increase construction progress.」

Here it comes! This was the most exciting part of the main quest on Biland Island that players had been looking forward to—the portal to the real world.

“Kind spirit of the Holy, where will you use this item to connect?” Fureya’s question was followed by the appearance of Main Quest 4 and Main Quest 5.

No Milk Added Without Price Increase quickly glanced over the content of the two main quests.

‘Main Quest 4: Building the Portal. Quest Description: Biland Island is rich in minerals and high-energy life forms. Whether mining them or capturing them, choose a stronghold and assist in the construction of that stronghold’s portal! Quest Reward: Biland Island Pioneer title, Biland Island Commemorative Badge, Exclusive Mount of Biland Island.’

The title and badge are rewards akin to rings and they are epic-level with very good effects, but they are not enough to excite No Milk Added Without Price Increase. What’s left is Main Quest 5.

‘Main Quest 5: The Choice of the Portal. Quest Description: Fureya is full of concern over your use of the portal. Will you choose to connect the portal to the Holy Spirit World, sparking a counter-attack war, or will you opt to lead the portal to a peaceful world, granting this weary doll a tranquil rest? Quest Reward: ?’

Rewards with a question mark… No Milk Added Without Price Increase’s intuition told her that the rewards behind the question mark are definitely good. But the issue is that this main quest comes with branching options.

The first one is obviously about opening an instance of the Holy, and the second should be the legendary AR gameplay.

But is the AR advertised on the official website really AR?

“One option is to invade the original world of Holy Spirit and seek revenge on the cult; the other is to enter our world. If you were Fureya, which one would you choose?” Extra-Milk-No-Charge asked the question, and her Fureya fell silent.

“Just tell me the truth; no one will punish you,” Extra-Milk-No-Charge said, seeing the worry in Fureya’s eyes.

“I cannot answer you, kind Holy Spirit. I do not wish my decision to interfere with yours,” her Fureya finally said softly.

“Ah… just a little hint, no? Okay then,” Extra-Milk-No-Charge, seeing Fureya’s evasive expression, didn’t press further. She adjusted her weapons, preparing to leave, “Remember to rest well, and I will help you move in a few days.”

Her Fureya nodded lightly, watching Extra-Milk-No-Charge leave the place.

……

Meanwhile, at this very moment, within the tree hollow where Mo Shigui was, he asked his Fureya the same question.

“What’s your decision?”

Mo Shigui sat down on a wooden chair, looking at Fureya, who sat on the opposite side of the wooden table.

He didn’t know why he asked Fureya this question, but mainline task five clearly had two branch options, and Mo Shigui didn’t know if choosing the first one would allow him to choose the second.

But the construction of the portal had been confirmed as the mainline task for the players on Biland Island.

“Holy Spirit, do you want me to tell the truth?” Mo Shigui’s Fureya hesitated as she put down her fork.

“The truth,” Mo Shigui said.

“I wish to go to your world,” Fureya said, trying to contain her emotions, that eager and longing feeling.

“Why?”

Mo Shigui was not surprised to hear this answer; after all, the CG advertisement showed Fureya asking what the world of the players was like.

His Fureya nervously pinched the corner of her clothes, but still gave a response.

“I… heard from the cult… that you won’t stay in this world for too long.” Fureya’s voice was filled with fear, her apologetic eyes cautiously meeting Mo Shigui’s before looking away, “In one year, two years, or three years, there will come a day when you leave this world completely, and I am terrified of the day when I can no longer see you.”

“…”

After hearing this line, Mo Shigui stiffened, his mind racing…

Damn it! The planner, you… fuck!

Mo Shigui really felt an urge to curse, because he knew this line from Fureya was a manipulative ploy by the game planners.

Fureya knew Mo Shigui was from the real world, which is to say she was aware players might go AFK!

AFK! As the saying goes, an online game’s lifespan is limited, and Mo Shigui, as a seasoned player, knew all too well how sad it is to see old friends in a game become greyed out one by one on his friends list.

Especially when the friends on the list show their last online time as a year ago, two years ago, or even three years ago, no matter how rational Mo Shigui was, his heart would stir slightly.

As a player, he could meet these friends in real life.

But what about Fureya? What should the Fureyas do? She’s just a character in a game, and when players grow tired and go AFK from Holy Spirit, Fureya can only remain alone in the Holy Spirit World… waiting for the player to return.

This was something Mo Shigui could hardly bear to think about; he could only lie to himself, saying Fureya knew nothing.

But this automaton was very aware, including the choice that players would inevitably make after so many years: to leave.

This humble game NPC was trying to save herself. The choice made by Mo Shigui’s Fureya was that she didn’t want to be left alone in the future; at the very least, she wanted to see the real world.

Fuck this.

Mo Shigui took several deep breaths before he could calm his inner turmoil.

“Get ready to move,” Mo Shigui said, not planning to delve too much into this topic. He picked up his shield and sword and left straight away.