Races: Online (VR Smartphone App)

Chapter 193: Cut Scene of Chatting With Hazelleaf

And so he logged out.

That was to say, Han Jing bade Timothy goodnight and then ran like hell back to his roombefore proceeding to logout. The man ended up waking in his own world and sat up with an aching head, he slapped a hand over his forehead. And it wasn't because his body felt like crap. This headache was an onslaught of his own doing.

What exactly had gone back there?

Why the hell was there someone who looked like an exact replica of someone he knew? Was that supposed to mean something? Anything? Were the Creators making the world according to the Will of the Players now? Was it possibly influenced by his own mind in a way? Or did it mean that every human here on Earth had a counterpart in that world?

Maybe he was thinking too hard. 

Glancing around the room, he found himself alone and once again there wasn't exactly any food left for him. His mother had rushed out and expected him to actually manage to survive without her. Well he bet that it was past lunch again if his mother and sister were both gone, not to mention that he had stayed as 'Han' far much longer due to the game. Still he had an inkling or two on where his mother

He sighed and lowered his hand.

Han Jing reached for his phone and picked it up, it was now

[ Earth Status: Time: 15:00 You Have Been Logged In For Seventeen Hours]

[ Earth Status: Regular Logout ]

"...That means I'm awake here for seven hours." He shouldn't have overstayedor maybe this was normal. He did spend a good deal of his waking hours on games, so what difference did it make that he did it all in another world? He slouched for a moment and took in a deep breath. "I was asleep for freaking seventeen hours, I'm hibernating like a bear." Han Jing needed to gather his thoughts again.

He slapped his face.

Arrange them all in terms of priority.

Han Jing raised an arm and smelled himself "A shower is in priority." He got up from his bed and fought the urge to carry his phone to the bathroom. He found relish when the shower's water hit him in the face. Compared to the lights that sometimes got cut off, at least they made sure to keep the water bill always paid on time. And so he proceeded to do just that. 

Nearly freezing himself over at the water's temperature.

When he came out of the shower and dressed himself up, he found himself in a better mindset. He reached for his phone, wincing that it was the first thing he did and opened his phone. He didn't head over to the Races: Online app but to its sister app.

[ Races Universal Network! ]

Talk With Your Friends From Across The Universe!

Detecting Soul Waves

[ Welcome back, Han Jing! Universal Server #69 ]

There was the Moderator Peach, but he didn't chat with her at once. Instead

'Add Contacts in Races: Online?'

] Yes

] No

He clicked yes and watched the importations of his contactsit was the Wood Elf only. The Demon Lord already blocked him before so it was fine. Those were his only plausible contacts outside of the Universal Chat, and he didn't even drop there much in the first place.

'Hazelleaf Has Been Added Into Your Contact List!'

Han Jing blinked at the words on the screen and scrunched up his face. "What?" Did the app become buggy or run into some trouble? Hazelleaf was

A new notification arrived.

[ 'Hazelleaf' has sent you a message ]

Hazelleaf: ...huh, I didn't think you'd add me here, Han. Still using Han, huh?

Han: You're the Wood Elf?

Hazelleaf: Yes I am. Is it so hard to believe hmm?

[ Sent a Sticker ]

The sticker he sent was a cute acorn he tried not to get too distracted. Nor did he ponder why he sent that specific sticker. Han Jing would have to ask the Wood Elf about his name choices on a later date, for now, he focused on what the Wood Elf said during their game time. 

Han: What did you say about visiting?

Hazelleaf: To be more specific, I asked you if you ever considered the plausibility of someone visiting you

Han: No

Peach had already made some nudging to him before about this matter when he sent her an email but the actual chances of it? Han Jing honestly didn't want to consider his odds of meeting them in the flesh. It was easy to pretend that the person he was talking to was human, ignoring the actual power-up mechanic that was happening to him and all of its shenanigans, but meeting them would change it.

Hazelleaf: Why not?

Han: What if they want to kill me?

Hazelleaf: Hahahaha. Nice one

Han: ...I don't like that answer of yours

Hazelleaf: Well, I heard Odele use the term encrypt? Yes, I think that's what she used to say that your information is protected by the Creators. Odele is on Earth by the way, but I don't think she's allowed to leave. Just a tiny heads-up

Han: Data encryption, yes. And I wasn't asking about her?

Han Jing scrunched up his face. The Creators. He had already questioned about Peach before and had even concluded that the 'virtual life simulation' that these Creators had made was probably a real world as much as hisbut the fact that they were also familiar with human data protection procedures, he let that sink in. Were they gods?

Something greater?

They were referred to with a capital C so that meant serious business. Something far greater than Elves, Demons, Fae and the like? They even had a freaking Chut for crying out loudso what were these Creators? A band of gods?

Hazelleaf: What do you think if I visit you?

He blinked and focused on the question on hand. A visit from the Wood Elf in his city? There were trees around here but weren't Wood Elves lifespans linked to the treesno those were Nymphs. If his Greek Mythology classes actually helped him with it. So far, the media and the abundance of literature helped him get by.

What about seeing the real thing?

Han: Why the sudden interest?

Hazelleaf: Visiting is funremember when Lucia, Bleu and Terra visited Gloria City?

Han: It wasn't a good memory

Hazelleaf: Well, I won't be making any mess when I visit you. Sightseeing if you willbesides, we're Allies aren't we? Didn't you have a question about the [ Skill ] in the Illusory Realm and whether it's applicable in your own worldI can give you an answer.

Han Jing frowned and rolled his eyes. So this guy had read that message and simply ignored answering him until it was convenient and necessary for them to answer. 

It was valid.

He still had some people in his own regular messenger apps that he might have ignoredwell, would ignore if they actually contacted him. But that wasn't the point, wasn't it? The Wood Elf ignored the reward bit in regards to him saving Ellynn from the Secret Library, but that was for another day.

Han: I already figured out how to get Skills in my world.

His efficiency in using his Skills weren't a hundred percent applicable, and if he checked his status right now

[ ROEHSC001 Synchronization ]

[ Soul Calibration: 10% Efficiency ]

He was doing alright? He could probably ask this more with the Moderatorat least they were a neutral body. Compared to the Wood Elf, she probably didn't have any sort of agenda that involved him at all. Visiting Wood Elves wasn't his top priority. It was in his best intention to deter the guy from visiting.

His measly ten percent was good in normal Human level of skills, but facing off a Wood Elf? Probably not. Even if the guy would probably be out of his element by being in the city and not their normal surroundings. 

Hazelleaf: Well, I can always bring gifts. Wouldn't that be tempting?

Han Jing frowned and narrowed his eyes at the screen. Did the Wood Elf really think he was some cheap guy that was going to be swayed by some gifts? What kind of gifts would someone like him bring? He wasn't that well-versed in fae or elven lore that much, but someone like him would probably bring him some acorns as a present wouldn't he?

Han: You forgot about the reward for saving your daughter

Hazelleaf: Oh right, that! Well, I'll bring something you like and a giftwhat do you think of that?

Han: I don't really want to have other Races visiting me

There, he said it at last. He should have said this from the start, didn't he? It was better to be honest and upfront rather than letting this conversation go on for too long. Just because the two of them had an Alliance in-game or in-world on Races: Online didn't mean that the Wood Elf had good intentions on Earth if they were to meet. This also applied when meeting strangers online, how much more with supernatural entities that came from another world?

Han Jing wouldn't take his chances.

Hazelleaf: I really would like to revel in the amount of fear and terror that strikes into your soul as you think of my presence gracing you in your filthy world. It's a wonder and relish that others of my kind don't getbut there's no reason for any of that. At least on this occasion of me visiting you.

Han: Why?

Hazelleaf: I'll abide by the laws of hospitality, a sacred rule between a host and guest. There is nothing to fear, mortal.