Saving the World in an Apocalypse-Style Text Game

Chapter 70: Chapter 73: Possession Shenanigans_1 Chapter 70: Chapter 73: Possession Shenanigans_1 There weren’t a lot of posts about avatar fainting in the Apostle forum.

Apostles always try not to exhaust their avatar because once the avatar faints, it means the ‘weak wandering soul’ will automatically disconnect for a short time.

And the ‘weak wandering soul’ is not only fragile, but also seems to be incredibly unlucky.

Even if all the monsters on the map are wiped out, and then explored through the wandering soul, various inexplicable attacks often come out of nowhere.

For example, being killed by a bird falling from the sky, or tripping on a stone on the ground and falling to death…

It’s as if the world within the game is rejecting the wandering soul.

If fainting happens amidst a horde of monsters, even the lowest level monster could instantly kill the soul.

Death of the wandering soul results in permanent account closure…

Such severe death penalties make Apostles want to avoid the text ‘you feel a bit tired’ at all costs. They’d rather be killed by monsters than risk fainting from exhaustion.

After completing the initial chapters, when Apostles enter the chapters again, there will be Rest Pages at their spawn points.

They can refresh their avatars’ fatigue values, so fainting rarely happens.

Having understood the situation, Lin Xun continued the game.

He steered Yellow Bishop all the way to the small church at Fox’s castle.

Next to the Rest Page, he opened the avatar column. Only two avatars were active. He switched to the Dancer’s avatar.

Then…then he started to wildly attack the air.

It wasn’t until his fingers were sore that the text showed “You feel a bit tired.”

“This way, I’ll just end up hurting my hands. And I really care about not hurting my girlfriend.”

Lin Xun shook his hands, went back to his bedroom, and pulled out a big cardboard box from under his bed.

After rummaging for a while, he pulled out a muscle gun that can vibrate crazily.

“Physical cheating is the deadliest.”

He started up the muscle gun, and the silicone massage head jerked incessantly.

Finally, before the tempered glass screen on his phone cracked, he managed to fatigue the Dancer using physical cheating.

[You’re panting heavily from the prolonged attack, your body weak. You’re so tired that even a small step seems too much to ask.]

[The avatar of the ‘Fallen Ancient Theatre Dancer’ has collapsed from overworking. Do you want to disconnect from this avatar?]

Dropping the muscle gun, Lin Xun clicked ‘yes’.

He then possessed Yellow Bishop, opened the avatar column and saw it change to 4/5.

The Dancer’s avatar just lay quietly in the small church.

This operation is useless for other Apostles because they only have one avatar and cannot afford to leave the Rest Page using the ‘weak wandering soul’, or risk permadeath.

But it was different for Lin Xun. Humming a tune, he had Yellow Bishop mount a horse and ride to the Trade Department.

[You dismount and walk into the Trading Department.]

[The ‘Blind Merchant’ is leisurely seated, rummaging through his goods in a sack made of linen.]

[Do you want to buy items from the ‘Blind Merchant’?]

After reviewing the trade list, he discovered the items that he previously cleared out had disappeared. There were no changes in the other items and no new items were added either.

Lin Xun opened the panel, about to click on ‘Profane Sunlight’, before realizing the skill was too powerful and might reduce the Merchant to ash with a single blow.

He quickly changed to regular attacks.

[Do you want to stab the ‘Blind Merchant’ with the ‘Thunder Dragon Staff Spear’?]

[With your spear in hand, you plunge towards the merchant’s chest…]

[You have defeated the ‘Blind Merchant’, and your experience has slightly increased.]

He killed the merchant but as expected, no items were dropped.

[You look at the body of the merchant before you…]

[‘The Blind Merchant’s Shell: A middle-aged merchant who resides in Saint Lance town, failed to escape Saint Lance after the invasion of the Blood Sun, and was later corroded by the Profane Blood Sun. There is a bloody hole in his left chest, died from a penetrating injury that caused his heart to rupture. Compatibility 102% (+35%)]

[Do you want to possess this shell?]

After possess, Lin Xun took a glace at the shell window.

The shell level is 2, the shell quality, due to its compatibility breaking the critical point, is promoted to the ruined+ level.

The only piece of equipment the merchant’s shell has is the familiar ‘Blood-stained Linen Cloth’, still the same junk attribute.

Surely it’s quite a rubbish shell, if not for the task, Lin Xun would not even look closely at this kind of shell.

Directly maneuvering the merchant’s shell toward the ancient theatre’s dungeon.

[The dungeon is considerable wide, brightly lit. On both sides of the dungeon are more than ten dilapidated rooms, the center is filled with many huge iron cages.]

[In the iron cage at the depth of the dungeon, ‘the Fallen Circus Clown’ is quietly waiting.]

[You slowly approached the iron cage, after the clown saw your face, he revealed an excited expression, put two fingers into his mouth, and blew a piercing whistle.]

[A massive, horrifying beast shadow knocked you down from behind, a big bloody mouth opened, biting off the enemy’s head in one bite. That was the unguarded you.]

[You are dead!]

“…”

Lin Xun had a rough guess that the clown had a grudge against the merchant, but he didn’t expect this guy’s move to be so decisive.

He just sicced a three-headed lion on the merchant without saying a word.

In this situation, shouldn’t he start with some trash talk first?

Like, “you finally fell into my hands”, and other villains’ typical lines.

[The weak Wandering Soul resurrects in the familiar Small Church…]

In the Small Church, the dancer’s shell, like the nun’s at the beginning, is quietly lying there.

Recovered the dancer’s shell, the shell window returned to 5/5

“Well, another successful troll.”

Possessing the Yellow Bishop, he rode his war-horse into the dungeon.

Game text changes.

[The dungeon is considerable wide, brightly lit. On both sides of the dungeon are more than ten dilapidated rooms, the center is filled with many huge iron cages.]

[In the iron cage at the depth of the dungeon, ‘the Fallen Circus Clown’ is waving at you joyfully.]

[You slowly approach the iron cage, the clown is very satisfied with your performance, you have perfectly fulfilled his wish.]

[The clown signaled you to hand over the ‘Bronze Whistle’, it would help you release the seal from this item.]

[Do you want to give up the ‘Bronze Whistle’?]

Would the clown turn against me after I handed over the whistle?

According to the nature of the game, it is not surprising to encounter such a plot.

But this item, if it’s not unsealed by the clown, is just as worthless as junk.

Lin Xun silently prepared for an attack in case the clown turned against him.

With his swift hand speed, he was confident that he could kill the clown before the three-headed lion attacked.

[You passed the ‘Bronze Whistle’ to the clown.]

[The clown took the whistle, put his hands together, and closed his crimson eyes…]

[Before long, the clown returned the ‘Bronze Whistle’ to you.]

[You have obtained the ‘Bronze Whistle’ (Special Item).]

[Along with a sky-roaring roar, ‘the Fallen Triple Lion’ turned into twinkling stars and disappeared…]

[The little lion engraved on the ‘Bronze Whistle’ seems to have become more agile!]