**Chapter 0: He’s Already Dead**
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In a tranquil private room surrounded by water, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
Even Fatty, whose vigilance was a tad slower than Lin Nan’s, sensed the numerous shadowy figures lurking around them.
Sure, there had been players attempting to get a free meal at the brothel before, but with all expenses requiring upfront payments, there was no chance of cheating. If someone caused a ruckus, higher-level bodyguards would swoop in like hawks.
The consequences could be a light beating and a swift throw out the door, or, for the unlucky ones, dissipating into thin air back to their spawn point.
With their pathetic levels, they weren’t a match for those bodyguards.
In the main city, NPCs were generally invincible.
Otherwise, how could they keep those troublemaker players in line?
Seeing Lin Nan striking a provocative pose, sweat poured down Fatty’s face as he tugged at Lin Nan’s sleeve non-stop.
“Bro, bro, 2000 Spirit Coins for a lady is already pretty good. If you convert that to RMB, it’s gotta be over ten thousand! This is fancy stuff!”
The Madam smiled, “In business, harmony is key. Nobody wants a conflict, so I urge both gentlemen to act cautiously.”
“Right, right, you’re absolutely right!” Fatty nodded vigorously.
But Lin Nan remained unfazed and beckoned the Madam over with a finger, “Come here; I have something to say.”
“Bro, please don’t be impulsive! Don’t!”
Fatty was puzzled; Lin Nan, usually so composed and low-key, was acting like a different person today.
The Madam wasn’t bothered, though. After all, with a dozen bodyguards in the vicinity, they’d rush in at the first sign of trouble and their little lives would be snuffed out in an instant.
“Please, young master, go ahead.” The Madam took a few steps forward.
Lin Nan slowly rose from his seat and approached her, whispering just one line.
The Madam promptly nodded, “I understand, I’ll do as you say.”
Fatty was utterly flabbergasted.
As the Madam walked away, he snapped back to reality and hurriedly asked, “Bro, what did you tell her? Why did she agree so readily? You… You aren’t a hidden rich kid, are you? Did you open this brothel?”
“Even if I were rich, I probably couldn’t open a shop in-game, can I?”
“Wait, are you actually a seasoned programmer who found a hidden bug in the brothel? Right?”
Lin Nan replied, “If you ask again, your 8000 Spirit Coin Lady Siyan will be gone.”
Fatty instantly exclaimed, “I won’t ask anymore! If I do, I’m a dog!”
Not long after, several flat boats floated over the adjacent lake.
On them stood a few women in snow-white garb, long sleeves fluttering, some sitting, some standing, others playing flutes or plucking strings.
As elegant and ethereal music filled the air, several women in red twirled and danced daintily before them, making it feel as if they were encased in a fairy tale, indulging in pleasures only emperors once knew.
While nibbling on snacks and savoring the music and dance, they were fully immersed in the atmosphere.
Especially with those women all possessing stunning figures, Fatty was left dry-mouthed, itching to get up and dance with them to soothe his brewing heat.
Just then, two Qing Yi women, their faces half-hidden, appeared outside the courtyard.
Though their faces were obscured by sheer veils, the alluring features hinted through only made them more tempting.
“Greetings, gentlemen.”
The two women curtsied gracefully to Lin Nan and Fatty.
Fatty hurriedly stood up, “Please, please, do rise!”
“I am Ru Yu.”
“And I am Si Yan.”
Fatty glanced at Lin Nan, who raised his hand in a gesture, “You go ahead.”
“Lady Si Yan, come over here!”
Fatty eagerly called out, not wanting to steal Ru Yu’s thunder, especially since he was getting quite the steal himself. Besides, both ladies were breathtakingly beautiful; it didn’t really matter, just a difference in fame.
Weak and delicate, Lady Si Yan was soon wrapped in Fatty’s embrace.
But when Fatty tried to take it further, he suddenly found himself unable to do anything.
Though the warm and soft beauty was in his arms, it felt as if he’d hit an invisible wall; he could only maintain a friendly arm-around-waist posture.
“d*mn it!” Fatty cursed, expressing his frustration repeatedly.
Yet, even so, he was not willing to let Si Yan go. He would hug her for hours if that’s what it took to earn back those 8000 Spirit Coins.
Meanwhile, Lin Nan raised a finger toward Ru Yu.
“Take off the veil.”
“Of course, young master.”
Ru Yu gently removed the white veil, revealing a jaw-droppingly exquisite face.
Her eyes shimmered like a deep autumn pond, captivating and almost pulling him in.
Lin Nan remarked, “You are indeed beautiful; no wonder you’re the centerpiece here.”
Ru Yu laughed, “You flatter me, young master; I’m just a willow in the breeze, afraid I can’t catch your eye.”
“Come on, don’t be modest. Sit here.”
Ru Yu obliged, sitting beside Lin Nan, though a small gap remained between them.
Both she and Lady Si Yan, wrapped in delicate fabrics, provocatively showcased their enchanting figures.
At that moment, all Fatty could do was awkwardly keep one arm around Lady Si Yan’s waist, unable to do anything else.
He was on fire with frustration, mentally cursing the game’s developers down to their ancestors.
Lin Nan had long noticed Fatty’s reaction.
In the past, whether in reality or in-game, if faced with such stunning beauties, he’d be like Fatty, heart racing, certain parts stirring, itching to make a move.
But, for some reason, despite the enchanting dances or the fragrant closeness of Ru Yu, something about it just failed to rile him.
It was as if the body that would normally support his primal instincts no longer existed.
Ever since he entered the game as a woman, things had felt off.
Especially with the system saying it was making up for an error by creating him a new player account, yet here he was, unable to return to the real world, just switching consciousness back and forth between big and small accounts.
He had formed a guess back then, but had yet to confirm it.
Now, after seeing Fatty’s lecherous demeanor combined with his own first-hand experience, he was finally certain of one thing.
In the real world, his body probably no longer existed.
Otherwise, how could he explain being logged in for over two months without the game’s anti-addiction measures booting him out, nor fading away due to his physical body’s exhaustion?
So this was the most reasonable conclusion he could think of.
In the real world, he was dead.
Only his consciousness lived on in the game.
