Chapter 2: Dreamland (5)
==============================
Life had returned to a mundane routine of writing.
That terrifying little wooden sculpture had not made an appearance since, much to Lin Nan’s relief, as it had been a source of worry for him.
As time passed, this unexpected incident faded gradually from his memory.
Fast forward five years.
Close to the age of reason, Lin Nan had achieved remarkable success during this time.
Book after book became bestsellers, earning him nearly every major literary award in the country.
Undoubtedly, he was at the pinnacle of his life.
At a grand book signing event, he looked at the long line of eager fans and couldn’t help but roll his wrist.
The staff, grinning widely, said, “Teacher Lin, thank you for your hard work! Here are 500 lucky readers we pulled from the internet; it’s this chance once a year, and we appreciate your effort!”
Lin Nan was never one to act high and mighty. He nodded, “Got it.”
The readers clutched copies of his latest work, their eyes brimming with anticipation and excitement.
Having been young himself, Lin Nan understood what it felt like to idolize someone.
So, he patiently catered to these young fans, generally able to meet their requests.
For example, writing a few extra words on the title page, like “Dedicated to x*x*x,” was a mere flick of his wrist but would thrill readers for ages.
No matter how one looked at it, the effort was worth it.
However, after signing so much, his wrist did start to ache. But as the line dwindled, he finally saw a glimmer of hope.
The last reader was a young guy, probably in his twenties, short in stature and good-looking. Upon seeing Lin Nan, he appeared a touch nervous.
Lin Nan, feeling a bit relaxed by now, thought to himself, as long as he signed for this one, his day’s mission would be complete. Then he could go home, enjoy a good sleep, and savor the delicious dishes cooked by Wang Xue. It had to be said, her culinary skills had improved tremendously, possibly even rivaling those of renowned chefs in the capital.
“Do you have any special requests? The last one always gets some preferential treatment,” Lin Nan smiled.
The young guy nodded eagerly, “Just write ‘Dedicated to the Cold Moon Witch.’”
Lin Nan blinked; those four words hadn’t crossed his mind in ages. Even the few luxurious editions tucked away in his bookshelf had mysteriously disappeared, likely dumped by Wang Xue when she tidied up the study.
But such matters were trivial compared to maintaining family harmony.
“I’ve always loved that character. If possible, could I ask you about your thought process when you created her?”
The young man’s voice was a bit shaky, often glancing at Lin Nan before quickly looking down, much like a student sneaking peeks at their teacher during an exam.
Lin Nan rarely interacted directly with fans, as most communication happened online.
The publishing house knew of his ways, so this signing event surprised him—even if they were likely bowing to pressure from fans online.
500 people—neither too many nor too few.
However, the last reader posed a rather difficult question.
A staff member in charge of maintaining order rushed over, explaining, “Teacher Lin’s time is precious! Please don’t make such requests; no matter how he answers, it probably won’t satisfy you.”
But at that moment, faced with the young man’s eager and fiery gaze, Lin Nan inexplicably nodded, “Alright, after the signing is over, I have half an hour; we can chat over coffee at the nearby café.”
“Great! Thank you, Teacher Lin!” The young man beamed, bowing deeply.
Lin Nan promptly wrote in the book’s front page, “Dedicated to our lost youth—Cold Moon Witch.”
The young man held the book close as if it were a treasure and pointed towards the café, to which Lin Nan nodded, indicating he’d join shortly.
“Teacher Lin… this…”
The staff member was baffled, never expecting a literary giant would agree to meet an unknown reader face-to-face.
After all, Lin Nan’s appearance fee was calculated by the minute—time was literally money!
Why would he agree to such a ridiculous request for no reason?
In a moment of revelation, the staff member thought of a brilliant idea: perhaps he could take a picture of their meeting—who knew when it might come in handy?
In the café.
The two sat facing each other across the table.
The young man still looked a bit shy, but Lin Nan’s kindness quickly put him at ease, allowing him to straighten up and speak.
“Teacher Lin, I particularly love your first work. You might not be pleased to hear this, but compared to your other books, ‘Everyone Thinks I’m the Villainous NPC Boss’ feels like it’s based on your own experiences. Only direct experience can vividly capture the thrill of epic battles, the passionate yet resolute millennia-long romance, and the richly developed character ensemble.”
Lin Nan smiled, “You’re right; I’ve indeed experienced it firsthand. If you check the records, you’ll see I was the last player to leave ‘The Way of Inquiry’ virtual game. As the Cold Moon Witch’s guard, most of the content in the book is based on what I witnessed myself.”
For the first time, the young man locked eyes with him, his gaze filled with doubt, which quickly vanished.
“Thank you for clarifying that for me! I’ve been doing some research on the ‘Way of Inquiry’ game, and your book has been a great help.”
Lin Nan was puzzled.
“This game has been offline for nearly fifteen years! You look about twenty—why are you so interested in a game from over a decade ago?”
The young man’s expression shifted, “My older sister used to play ‘The Way of Inquiry,’ but once she entered the game, she never came out.”
Lin Nan was taken aback. “What… How is that possible? Didn’t your family report it?”
The young man sighed, “They did, but no one believed us. Once my sister entered the game pod, her body vanished. She basically no longer exists in this world. The police only filed it as a missing person case.
But I know she had to have gone through that ordeal after entering the game.
So, I want to find the server of the ‘Way of Inquiry’ game company from back then and see if I can enter the game.”
Lin Nan shook his head. “Kid, I understand how you feel, but so many years have passed; the ‘Way of Inquiry’ game company is long gone. Their servers are probably scrap metal by now.”
The young man fell silent.
Lin Nan glanced at his phone. “Sorry, time’s up. I have to head back.”
The young man suddenly asked, “Can I get your contact information?”
Under normal circumstances, Lin Nan would never agree. However, today he felt a tinge of pity and thought he might be able to help the young man in the future, so he replied, “Alright, by the way, what’s your name?”
“Shiyuan. Stone for ‘Shi’ and Abyss for ‘Yuan.’”
……
PS: Triple update today!
