Chapter 17: Influence and Rumors
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Two hours later.
[Player is leaving the game…]
[Oak Tree Manifestation entering autonomous mode]
[As the oak tree manifestation has successfully become Level 2, you can now choose to form a Nature Spirit for your autonomous mode]
[Please choose the direction of character growth for the Nature Spirit]
[A Nature Spirit’s knowledge comes from the player’s understanding of reality. At the same time, once it is born, the spirit will automatically think of the player as its father. Please do not worry.]
[Options: 1. Cheerful and Active. 2. Crafty and Eccentric. 3. Quiet and Closed Off. 4. Mature and Prudent.]
When Ji Yu exited the game, he suddenly saw a row of notifications.
“The manifestation can also give birth to a Nature Spirit?”
“I’m going to become a father? I don’t even have a girlfriend and I’m going to become a father?!”
Ji Yu had a strange expression on his face. He did not know whether to laugh or cry.
But when he thought about it carefully, it made sense. If he obtained a second manifestation, it would be more logical if the oak tree had its own consciousness to control itself and engage in autonomous meditation and self-defense.
Thinking about that, Ji Yu immediately began to consider it carefully.
Cheerful and active?
This was obviously not a good choice. After all, Ji Yu did not want to face a talkative ‘child’ all day.
Of course, crafty and eccentric was automatically eliminated.
What was left was quiet and closed off or mature and prudent.
Quiet and closed off?
This sounded pretty good. The spirit could just focus on meditating and growing and not worry about anything else.
However, after thinking carefully, it did not seem too good for it to be too closed off.
After all, if Ji Yu had a second manifestation, it would no longer be possible for him to focus solely on the affairs of the oak tree manifestation.
This quiet and closed off oak tree certainly wouldn’t be suited for dealing with the trouble happening around it.
Therefore, Ji Yu’s only choice now was the mature and prudent option.
Without much hesitation, Ji Yu chose this option.
[Choice of Mature and Prudent character confirmed]
[Birth of the Nature Spirit of Oak Tree Manifestation has begun. Estimated Time: 3 hours 26 minutes 51 seconds]
As soon as the notification came out, Ji Yu instantly felt images of mature and prudent people in his life replaying in his mind.
Some of them were characters from movies, while others were people in real life. All in all, these memories sped through his mind like a film tape which made Ji Yu feel rather strange.
Fortunately, the replay only lasted for a moment.
Which was why Ji Yu could officially quit the game quickly and wake up to reality.
Barna Time 8.30 pm, but it was 9.30 am Line Time.
Ji Yu got up from the bed and opened his personal interface.
[Player Condition]
[Good]
[Life Force Level: 1]
[Constitution: 0.58 (Average: 0.5)]
[Height: 1.77 meters (Average: 1.67)]
[Age: 26 years old (Average lifespan: 77)]
[Characteristic: Increased Vitality (Medium)]
[Characteristic Obtained: Nature’s Affinity (Medium)]
It seemed like nothing had changed.
But reality was already vastly different.
Putting aside the slight increase in constitution of 0.02 and the 1cm in height,
Ji Yu was feeling very different from before.
He had not eaten for twelve hours. Now, not only did he not feel hungry, he actually felt like he was full of energy. Even his mind was feeling excited as if wanting to run around to release the excess energy in his body.
The urge to jump around was very strong.
So much so that Ji Yu got up immediately.
After washing up, he changed into a thin set of casual clothes and quickly left the house.
Regardless of whether he was hungry or not, out of habit, the first thing Ji Yu did when he went downstairs was to go to the breakfast stall across the neighborhood to buy a set of vegetable porridge and two meat buns.
As he ate, he scrolled through the news on his phone.
“Strange sight spotted. Hundreds of oak trees in Armarica National Nature Park bloom together.”
That was the headline which occupied the top spot for news which Ji Yu was looking at.
He seemed to be deep in thought as he clicked into the article.
Ji Yu saw the whole process of the oak trees blooming in Armarica National Nature Park.
The article also mentioned that oak trees in many other parts of the world bloomed at the same time, and included video clips of them.
When netizens saw the video in the report, it instantly started a heated discussion.
Flower_Why_Are_You_So_Red: “Isn’t that too exaggerated – for all the flower buds of the oak tree to bloom within a few minutes? If this is not a time lapse video, I will drink my pee while doing a handstand.”
Teasing_Little_Bean: “Sure, I will remember you Mr I-Will-Drink-My-Pee-While-Doing-A-Handstand. Let me give you a thumbs up to push this comment up.”
Old_People_Don’t_Drive: Bro, is your kidney okay? I’m afraid that you’ll pee all over yourself before you even get to drink it. Also, I regret to inform you of this. When you make such promises, don’t you look at which media published the news? This is a report from our national television news station. You’re too awesome. Impressive.”
Hamster_Who_Hasn’t_Passed_Level4/6: It can’t be fake. I have a friend studying abroad in Armarica who has already replied to me. The video of the oak tree blooming did happen and the various countries in West York are in an uproar.
Alien_Computer_You’re_Worth_It: F*ck! Is this kind of blooming speed reasonable? I think there might be an alien conspiracy going on [smiley face]. Oh right, Mr I-Will-Drink-My-Pee-While-Doing-A-Handstand, please remember to record a video when you do it. I will wait online for the video to learn a new posture. I’ve already followed you.
Five_Aura_Origin_Creation_Realm: Alien? With this video, I think it’s better if you called it a holy miracle. The Druid Church Group from Armarica has spoken up. They called this the God’s Descent and that this was an actual miracle!
Fake_Ultraman: God’s descent? What kind of organization is the Druid Church Group? Why haven’t I heard of it before? Can’t these charlatans stop even for a while?
Hummingbird_Member_Of_The_Nature_Conservation_Association: Sir Ultraman above, don’t you read novels? Such organizations often appear in fantasy novels, and they do exist in reality. It is a primitive religion that places its faith in oak trees and loves nature! I have quite a good impression of this organization! As long as we love nature, we are family.”
Taurus’s_Rice_Dumplings: Hey, may I know what conditions are required to join your organization? I love nature as well but I’m short of money at the moment so I can’t fulfill my dream of conserving nature. Can I have your contact details? I’ve just graduated with a bachelor’s degree. Begging for your attention.”
“…”
There were all sorts of comments online, and the number of comments was increasing exponentially.
However, the terms used seemed to always be the same few, like miracles, sudden genetic mutations, and so on.
As the mastermind, Ji Yu was happy to watch the show.
Ji Yu did not post or participate in the comments. He quickly scrolled through the articles, but just as he was browsing through the videos of the oak trees blooming, the conversation between the two men at the table beside caught his attention.
“Have you heard? Our Dancing Sun City will be starting on some regulatory measures.”
“Regulations? What? Where did you hear that?”
“Where did I hear that from? From our university classmate, Li Weihao. Isn’t he working in the city government now? He was the one who told me about this last night.”
“Ah? There’s such a thing? What’s the reason? And how are they going to go about implementing it?”
“It’s because of the Purple Moon phenomenon. Although there hasn’t been any Purple Moon in the past month and a half, because of previous exposure to the Purple Moon, many people have started to fall ill. Li Weihao said that the few mental hospitals we have in our city are almost at their full capacities.”
“Therefore, the city government has decided to implement a curfew for a while. All companies will be prohibited from having night shifts, and all citizens are not allowed to go out after 6 pm.”
However, instead of realizing the severity of the matter, the man’s companion seemed pleasantly surprised.
“Ah, there’s such a good thing? We don’t have to work overtime anymore. Doesn’t that mean that we can finally have a good game of PUBG?”
Seeing his companion’s reaction, the man was speechless.
His sense of awareness and thought process were on an entirely different channel.