### Chapter 1: The Source of the Heart
==============================
“System, tell me, is my body already dead?”
……
“Speak up!”
“Why are you playing dead at a time like this!”
……
【The system cannot answer your question. Please forgive.】
Though he already expected this outcome, Lin Nan couldn’t help but let out a sigh.
But what good was knowing the truth if he just cried and shouted could solve everything?
Clearly, nothing could be resolved.
At this moment, he finally noticed the difference between players and NPCs.
In recent days, he had poured most of his energy into his male character, mainly to pass the Heavenly Sword Sect’s inner door test.
Even so, the few late-night adventures back at Cold Wind Cave left a lasting impression.
Though this was a holographic immersion virtual game that claimed players could do anything,
Once anything R-rated was involved, well, that was a hard no.
For example, whether male or female, players changed outfits in a blink—no dressing-room drama here!
More importantly, you couldn’t execute any intimate actions with other characters beyond a basic touch. The game flat-out forbid it.
However, when he was the Cold Moon Witch, it seemed he could change clothes like a regular person and even engage in some rather private, titillating behaviors without a peep from the system.
At the time, he was too enchanted by the novelty of switching genders to think too deeply about it.
But looking back, it was all rather bizarre.
It felt as if NPCs were real people, while players were like restricted NPCs who couldn’t act freely.
The more Lin Nan thought about it, the more confused he became.
But now, he had no way out.
If his physical body in the real world had perished, all he had was his consciousness trapped in the game.
Then, as the system had said earlier, if the Cold Moon Witch died, this consciousness would vanish completely too.
He didn’t want to believe any of this, but the more he thought, the closer the truth crept toward despair.
Now, with a beauty by his side, it was the perfect time to test if his masculine prowess still existed.
Even if this moment’s male character was just a line of code, he still wanted to retain the last shreds of dignity as a man.
He wrapped his arms around Ru Yu tightly.
He told himself, Ru Yu was a stunning beauty like a flower; what man wouldn’t be tempted?
Ru Yu gasped at Lin Nan’s sudden move and gently called out, “Young Master…”
“Shh…” Lin Nan placed a finger on her lips, “Let me take a good look at you, okay?”
Ru Yu shyly nodded.
Long hair, charming eyes, exquisite nose, red lips, ample bosom, slender waist, perfect hips, and jade legs…
Indeed, Ru Yu was a veritable beauty, almost impossible to critique.
But with Lin Nan’s newfound standards, Ru Yu somehow slipped to second place in his heart.
After all, with his other identity being a woman of even greater beauty, he couldn’t help but judge Ru Yu more harshly.
Without a doubt, the Cold Moon Witch had no flaws, almost as if she was the product of a creator’s dream, the perfect woman crafted by divine hands.
Once he got familiar with that enticingly perfect body, comparing it to Ru Yu was a no-brainer.
It was clear as day.
Looks like… the 10,000 Spirit Coin headliner wasn’t all that special.
……
Wait, what was he even doing?
Beside him, Fatty’s eyes were wide with desperation, repeatedly testing the limits of the system’s prohibition on movements, sweat dripping from his forehead as he fought the urge to move his hands to his waist.
Even a millimeter of upward movement would send sparks of excitement lighting up Fatty’s eyes.
He had the “I won’t rest until I touch the peak” vibe down pat.
Seeing Fatty struggling so hard made Lin Nan reflect…
His first instinct was to compare Ru Yu to the Cold Moon Witch and revel in the conclusion that his female character was superior, feeling a hint of smug satisfaction.
This reaction seemed off…
Shouldn’t he, like Fatty, be burning with possessiveness over Ru Yu, striving to make the most of this limited time?
Lin Nan took a deep breath.
This time, he must adjust his subconscious actions! Absolutely!
His gaze drifted to Ru Yu’s bosom, hidden beneath a dreamlike sheer fabric, the generous curves undeniably captivating.
But at that moment, an idea suddenly flashed in his mind.
Heh, it’s not like mine is that small!
The little interest he had painstakingly gathered shattered into a million pieces.
Lin Nan felt like a statue, frozen in place, his gaze slipping past Ru Yu to the distant water surface, his heart sinking like a rock.
“Did I do something wrong? Your expression seems off…” Ru Yu asked worriedly.
Lin Nan let her waist go, his throat dry as he muttered, “I’m fine. It’s nothing to do with you.”
Why, even though he still had an appreciation for women deep down, did he get crushed by so many absurd thoughts at the crucial moment?
Was it truly because his real-world body was gone, and without the stimulation of hormones, he couldn’t be as straightforward as Fatty?
Heh, what a surprising revelation.
But come to think of it, the reason he followed Fatty to the brothel was to validate the occasional confusion about his gender identity that arose in Cold Wind Cave, right?
The answer left him incredibly disheartened.
Heh, a man without a real body, existing only as consciousness in a game—did he even count as a man anymore?
What the answer was no longer mattered.
At least he realized that he seemed to be less infatuated with beautiful women than he once was.
“You can go now.”
Lin Nan said coldly to Ru Yu.
Ru Yu froze for a moment; in her time in the trade, she’d never met someone so nonchalant, seemingly uninterested in her.
In contrast, Fatty looked like he wanted to devour Lady Siyan whole, radiating a piggish hunger.
“Young Master, are you telling me to leave?” Ru Yu asked.
“Yes.”
Ru Yu suddenly felt a wave of defeat, like a prey she was about to conquer that slipped away at the last moment.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
The woman in white performed a graceful bow and turned to leave the room.
Next to him, Fatty’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Lin Nan, “Dude, even if you’re not interested, why not let me have a taste? 10,000 Spirit Coins, for crying out loud!”
Lady Siyan in his arms pouted, “Can’t keep your eyes off the feast while your plate is empty, huh? Men…”
Fatty quickly soothed her, “Lady Siyan, don’t get me wrong; I haven’t even had a bite of you yet!”
Lady Siyan chuckled, “Good luck with that!”
Before he could blink, Lady Siyan stood up to leave, but unlike the somewhat forlorn Ru Yu, she blew Fatty a kiss on her way out.
“Hey, wait! How are you leaving after such a short amount of time?”
Fatty reached out to grab her, but as soon as she stepped out from behind the curtain, Lady Siyan’s figure vanished as if she had evaporated.
“An NPC wants to leave; you think you can stop her?” Lin Nan said.
Fatty pounded his chest in frustration, “Dude, how can you be so calm? Together, those two beauties are worth 18,000 Spirit Coins! We might not earn that much in our entire lives! You just let them walk away?”
Lin Nan chuckled, “You think a free buffet is that easy to enjoy?”
Fatty paused, stunned.
At that moment, the ever-smiling Madam reappeared in front of them.
