Chapter Thirty-One: Choice in the Underworld

Chu Qingfeng continued, "The reward for the main quest in the Novice World is one thousand units of bio-energy and one gene point. Thanks to the breakthrough in the Inner World, our team received an extra one thousand units. Unlocking a gene costs two thousand units, so at the very least, it's enough to purchase a weapon."

"However, we're still too weak as we are now, and who knows what we might encounter in the Inner World."

"We've all experienced the novice quest together, so there is a certain bond between us, and we've also established a basic level of trust. In an unfamiliar world, having someone nearby to help you, someone who can pull you up in times of danger—that might be the difference between life and death."

"So let's form a team and enter the Inner World together."

Xu Han and Wang Dongwei nodded in agreement.

"I'll go first. I'm planning to enter the Detective Mystery World. I don't know which country or era it will be, but the theme is detective, so a level one world shouldn't be too difficult. My talent is psychology, so in such a world I should be able to complete the main quest easily. Perhaps I'll even discover some hidden elements and reap great benefits."

"As for these four worlds—the Paranormal World, without genes from the psychic branch or energy-based abilities, is best avoided. The Sports Competition World and the School Romance World, to be honest, I doubt what could be gained from those. So I suggest that you all join me in the Detective Mystery World."

After finishing, Chu Qingfeng remained calm, but he was actually watching Yan Luo's micro-expressions from the corner of his eye.

Of everyone present, Yan Luo was the only one he truly considered a worthy teammate, perhaps Wang Dongwei as well, a failed one at that. This time he hoped to attract both of them, while the others were just fillers.

"I'll also enter the Detective Mystery World. I'm an embalmer, so if that world features cases like Di Renjie—murders, dismemberments—I should be able to help," Xu Han said.

"I'm going into the School Romance World! I want to experience adult life!" As soon as Xiaotori Yeli finished speaking, Wang Dongwei raised his hand and knocked her hard on the head. She cried out, holding her head, and looked up with teary eyes. "Why did you hit me?"

"Children shouldn't fall in love too early."

"Ugh... That's so rude! I'm not a child, I'm an adult! I'm very mature, very mature!"

Chu Qingfeng ignored the childish outburst and continued to focus on Yan Luo. To his disappointment, Yan Luo's face was calm as still water, eyes cold and deep, betraying no emotion whatsoever—those previous bursts of emotion, what was that about? And the manic laughter when leaving the Zombie World...

He couldn't figure it out...

"Since Yeli wants to go to the School Romance World, I'll take her," Li Changxin said. "I'm really curious about what might happen in a world with such a theme. If it's about a man building a harem at school, I'll make sure he regrets being born in that world."

Li Changxin smiled gently. "It's a pity it's not an anime world; we won't see Makoto Ito, Rin Tsuchimi, Takayuki Narumi, or Touya Fujii."

Chu Qingfeng couldn't help but shudder.

"Is it my elementary psychic sense warning me?" he wondered.

Yan Luo pondered his choice. Truthfully, the Martial Arts World was the best option. An ordinary person could improve their combat ability through training and martial arts. With his physical condition, if he joined a martial arts sect, his strength would skyrocket.

But if it can't be found, there's nothing to be done.

"Should I enter the Paranormal World?"

The Paranormal World would undoubtedly be a challenge, and such a world might even provide materials to unlock genes related to mysticism.

But...

Given his current abilities, it was too dangerous.

Unless he possessed a persona mask like Nightmare or unlocked a psychic ability, he wouldn't have enough confidence. One part confusion and nine parts shock—what kind of persona mask could that fuse into? At least for now, he had no way of knowing, and mask fusion could fail. Yan Luo set aside the idea of entering the Paranormal World for now.

"I'm going to enter the Sports Competition World."

"Why?"

He felt a surge of intense emotion: shock +2.

Chu Qingfeng's eyes widened. He had thought Yan Luo had at least a seventy percent chance of entering the Detective Mystery World, since the other worlds lacked appeal. Detective Mystery—if it was a modern world like Conan, there might even be a chance to acquire hot weapons like pistols!

How could he choose the Sports World? It didn't make sense.

"I'm looking for a relatively peaceful world without much danger, a place to train my body. The Sports Competition World fits perfectly. Besides... if it's themed around football or basketball, I might be able to stay in that world for quite some time."

If the world theme is football, would you have to play in a league? If the main quest is to play in a league, it would last at least a year, right? A year of martial arts training—delightful!

With Yan Luo's current physical condition, he'd stand out even among athletes. By training and continuously improving his body, teaching himself martial arts... If it's a football league, let those foreigners in the Premier League or Serie A witness the power of "Shaolin Soccer"!

He shared his plans, and Zhu Xiaoyong's eyes lit up. "I'll go too! I invested my gene point in basic strength. With my three hundred plus pounds and the basic strength gene, if I run across the field, won't I be like a landslide?"

Chu Qingfeng's mouth twitched. "Don't get ahead of yourself; it may not be football or basketball. I doubt a level one Inner World would let us stay there for too long."

"Whatever the world is like, at least sports competitions are safe."

Wang Dongwei interjected, "I'll also enter the Sports Competition World. I invested in basic swordsmanship. I can practice sword fighting there, and after a world run, I'll gain a thousand points and another gene point. With more points, I'll be better prepared for dangerous worlds."

"Great! If it's a football world, let those foreigners see the power of our three Chinese football legends! We'll enter the World Cup and bring back a trophy!" Zhu Xiaoyong danced with excitement.

Chu Qingfeng sighed quietly. After thinking it over, he said, "Yan Luo, you have two permissions to enter the Inner World. After you finish the Sports Competition World, how about entering the Detective Mystery World? I can wait for you."

"I'm not interested in the Detective Mystery World."

Chu Qingfeng felt despondent. It seemed he couldn't team up with Yan Luo for this Inner World run. As a psychologist, he couldn't pass up the Detective Mystery World—it suited his expertise, and he wouldn't settle for just the main quest reward. He might even gain a starter advantage as a novice.

The seven finished their discussion.

Li Changxin and Xiaotori Yeli would enter the School Romance World.

Xu Han and Chu Qingfeng would enter the Detective Mystery World.

Yan Luo, Wang Dongwei, and Zhu Xiaoyong would enter the Sports Competition World.

"Good luck, everyone."

They each wished one another well, then teleported away. Zhu Xiaoyong and Wang Dongwei entered the portal opened by Yan Luo, and with a flash of light, found themselves in his home.

"Should we prepare?"

"Anything from the real world, apart from the clothes on our backs, can't be brought into the Inner World. What is there to prepare?"

Yan Luo spoke as he led the other two out of the apartment, heading to the neighborhood's gym, which was the node for the level one Sports Competition World. It was around eight in the evening, and there was no one there.

The level three role-playing Paranormal World was located at the middle school outside the neighborhood; the level four fantasy war world was in his own bathroom.

Each of the three took out their phones and used up an entry permission for the Inner World.

"Worldline divergence node activated! Worldline begins to shift! Level one Sports Competition World, enter!"

Just like last time, countless black and white points of light and glowing orbs filled the surroundings. The shifting lights resembled time-travel scenes from science fiction movies. When everything settled, they knew they had entered the Inner World.

"Hoo..."

Yan Luo took a deep breath; the air here was cold yet unbelievably fresh.

They stood on a dirt slope. It was daytime now, not night, showing that the time of the Surface World and Inner World wasn't synchronized. In the distance was a small town, with sharp wooden stakes and stones forming a wall. The houses, made of earth and stone, looked low and shabby.

The fields were overgrown with weeds, and a muddy road, seemingly carved by wheels, led to the town. In the fields, tiny figures toiled like ants. They wore rough linen clothes, tattered and dirty, their hair seemed chestnut-colored.

Whether the people, their attire, or the architecture—all of it was impossible to be China, nor was it modern!

"Is this ancient Europe, or some Western fantasy?" Wang Dongwei's face was filled with disbelief. "This is the level one Sports Competition World? Is this a joke?"

Zhu Xiaoyong's mouth was agape.

He felt a surge of intense emotion: shock +4, shock +4.

The emotion storage of the Heartless Puppet reached one hundred points—full.