Reality (3): He missed him

Tan Xiao stared at the button that lit up, afraid he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes hard.

No mistake, it was indeed the button to exit the system space. But why? He had participated in so many instances before and had never been able to return to reality. There was no such option in the system rewards either.

Even though he had earned a high score, the system rewards this time weren’t much different from before—points that could be used to buy revival items, or game credits and currency for purchasing items in the mall.

The system usually didn’t grant items as rewards. The things that became items were typically special objects encountered in the instances. If players interacted with NPCs and earned their genuine gratitude or other strong emotions, those objects might be given special properties upon leaving the instance.

If luck was bad, items could only be bought in the game mall or traded with other players. After all, the system didn’t seem interested in players’ money. To exchange items for real-world cash, players still had to go through the forum.

Tan Xiao glanced at his account balance. He had the unlimited black card given by Wen Yi. He was never short of money in the game instances. Aside from revival items, some furniture for the system space, and pet food for Xiao Bai, he didn’t have much to spend on.

Given the current exchange rate between real-world currency and game credits, even if he had nothing after getting out, he could exchange some credits and become what others would consider a winner in life—a super rich man.

His long, slender fingers moved to the exit button. Would pressing it really bring him back to reality? Or would it mean a permanent exit from the game, never able to return as a player? He didn’t experience what happened when players made that choice the first time they finished the game.

Tan Xiao’s thoughts ran wild, but only a few minutes had passed. In the end, he pressed the button. No matter what, he wanted to see what had happened outside, to find out if he could locate his family.

His parents were always very busy with work. Tan Xiao had been independent since he was young. He wasn’t overly clingy, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care about them.

As a white light flashed by, Tan Xiao successfully left the system space that had trapped him.

“Woof woof woof (Where is this?)”

Xiao Bai had been eating dog food in the space, but in the next second, his tongue swiped at empty air. Lifting his head, he found himself and Tan Xiao in an empty place.

Tan Xiao had appeared in the same large shopping mall he had been in before. In his memory, the mall had been full of people taking shelter from the disaster. He had been unlucky—hit on the back of the head by a meteorite and passed out. When he woke up, he was still in the mall.

Without external supply, the water and electricity had long been cut off. However, the air didn’t carry the stench of rotting food. The area was extremely quiet—”dead silent” would be more accurate.

Clothing and valuables in the mall were still in place. But the people who had once hidden in the mall with him during the meteor shower had all disappeared without a trace.

If not for Xiao Bai by his side, Tan Xiao might have suspected it had all been a nightmare—that the whole world had mysteriously vanished, leaving only him behind.

The instance Xiao Bai came from was very advanced, and as a robot familiar with the world, he wasn’t too confused by the mall’s appearance.

But after looking around, Xiao Bai also sensed something was off. Such a big mall, yet there wasn’t a single sign of life apart from him and Tan Xiao. “Why is there no one here?”

Tan Xiao shook his head. “I don’t know. Let’s go outside and take a look.”

People on the forum mostly discussed game instances and content, rarely mentioning the real world. Tan Xiao had only recently regained his memories and couldn’t always keep an eye on the game forum.

If he suddenly showed up and asked questions, someone would definitely say something. But doing so would expose how out of touch he was. In his view, he only ranked first out of luck, not because of any real strength.

Without the power to protect himself, revealing his ignorance of reality would bring endless trouble. It was better to stay silent and figure things out through other channels.

In fact, back in the ocean instance, he’d had a chance to learn something from other players. But he hadn’t expected to return to reality so soon. It was a misstep.

Tan Xiao didn’t dwell on regret. He held Xiao Bai’s leash and searched the mall for supplies.

The people who had been alive in the mist zone had crumbled away like sand, but the things in the mall remained well-preserved. The fruits and vegetables had spoiled.

More precisely, they hadn’t rotted—they had dried out, shriveled, and become inedible.

Tan Xiao noticed that whether it was meat or vegetables, even without refrigeration, none of it had gotten infested with bugs. The mist zone didn’t allow living organisms—no insects could hatch or survive.

In the real world, the game’s backpack function was greatly limited. Players could take out game-supplied materials—after all, real-world resources were scarce, and many players relied on the game to survive.

But once something was taken out, it couldn’t go back in. Those powerful game items were useless in reality. However, basic functions remained—like a chainsaw that still cut well, even if it no longer caused bleeding, poisoning, or critical damage.

With no one around, Tan Xiao couldn’t test things out. He found his phone in his clothes, but after all this time, the battery was dead. Even if it had power, it probably wouldn’t connect—there was likely no signal left.

“Xiao Bai, let’s gather some things.” Since the backpack couldn’t be used for storage, he had to make use of tools on hand. He pushed a large metal shopping cart and let Xiao Bai sit on the front panel.

According to information from the game, it had been nearly three months in the real world. He took some vacuum-packed food, checked the expiration dates—still good for half a year—opened a bag of chips, gave them a squeeze. Still crispy. Smelled normal.

Tan Xiao hesitated. He didn’t have testing equipment and couldn’t be sure if the food was safe to eat.

Xiao Bai, however, was eager and brave. “Xiao Bai wants to eat!”

Tan Xiao took out a thin chip and split it with Xiao Bai.

Some of the system mall’s medical items could be used in reality—not as items, but as products. According to the forum, for people with disabilities or injuries, those special treatments from the mall could work.

But they were expensive. Wealthy players might afford them, but struggling players wouldn’t dare buy them. Tan Xiao was willing to try because he had the means. If he got sick, he’d just buy a treatment item.

Fortunately, he didn’t lose that gamble. The food was safe—no contamination.

No one knew what was in the mist. Anything loose or unpackaged, Tan Xiao considered potentially contaminated and avoided it.

One issue remained—his clothes had probably been worn for months and were very dirty.

Tan Xiao used bottled water to wipe himself down. He even found a plastic inflatable kiddie pool in the toy section, filled it with water, and bathed Xiao Bai as well. Without air conditioning, the mall was stuffy. Xiao Bai, who used to be afraid of water as a robot, now enjoyed playing in it.

With everyone inside and outside the mall gone, Tan Xiao cleaned up, took Xiao Bai, and went to the underground parking lot. The cars that had lost their owners sat quietly. Some hadn’t even been locked.

He picked a business vehicle that still had fuel, packed it full with the supplies he and Xiao Bai had gathered, and drove toward the outside world. He wanted to know—was it just the mall, or was everything like this?

He also took one of the mall’s promotional loudspeakers, hoping to meet someone on the road.

In reality, Tan Xiao was only eighteen years old and didn’t have a driver’s license. But luckily, the streets were empty. There was no one to check his papers.

Once outside, Tan Xiao’s heart sank. It wasn’t just the mall. As far as he could see, the city was empty. A city so big and bustling had become a lifeless ghost town, as if forgotten by the world.

Some shop lights were still on—that was due to backup generators. Some storefronts had shattered glass, and the ground was stained with dried, dark blood. Many had died in the meteor shower. Craters from the impacts still marked the streets.

Some familiar stores had collapsed. Metal signs broken in pieces, with no one to clean them up.

Back in reality, the world seemed even less lively than the game. At least the game had people and familiar settings. Here, there was nothing.

It felt like he had traveled to the future—from a modern city to a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Fortunately, there was no radiation. Tan Xiao felt the temperature was just right. Inside the car, he didn’t feel any signs of radiation poisoning. Exposure would’ve caused symptoms quickly. The forum had never mentioned radiation either.

“Xiao Bai, how do you feel?”

Xiao Bai answered happily, “I feel great. Is this the world you lived in? It’s so quiet.”

“Yes, it used to be really lively.”

Tan Xiao felt a little lonely. He was someone who could handle solitude and was quite independent. But humans were social creatures. Being completely alone was bound to feel isolating.

“Maybe they’re in other areas. Let’s go look for them.”

The area he was in might be what players called a mist zone. Supposedly, no one survived the mist. Maybe he had lived only because he entered the game.

He drove onward. It was daytime, so he could navigate without headlights.

Then, suddenly, a white mist appeared.

The mist zone didn’t always have mist. The mist marked the boundary, but it drifted inside too.

Tan Xiao didn’t feel any immediate danger, but still stopped the car. He remembered how to drive, but heavy mist could cause accidents. Crashing into a wall would be bad.

Thick mist—symbolizing death—rolled in. It seeped in from everywhere. Even the car windows couldn’t block it completely.

To the mist, someone like Tan Xiao—alive and vibrant—was a target. It surged toward him, full of deadly intent.

Then he heard a scream, and the mist dispersed.

These mists were living creatures! Just like the parasites in one of the instances. But while parasites attached themselves, the mist corroded quickly. It was picky—only living things. Trees, people—all gone. Only the clothes remained, some with lingering perfume or foul smells.

Humans were devoured, along with plants and animals. Only dead things were left behind.

Something on his chest was faintly warm. It was a shining ring. Tan Xiao’s eyes stung with emotion—it was the wedding ring he shared with Wen Yi. Whether in the game or in reality, even if Wen Yi wasn’t by his side, his love had always protected him.

Longing surged in his heart. Tan Xiao wanted to tell Wen Yi, even though their parting had only been brief, he missed him—so very much.