### Chapter 9: Dreamland (2) (Four Updates)
The flock of reporters had left a long time ago, but Lin Nan’s emotions were still in a whirlpool.
He could accept the fact that the gaming company had gone belly up, but he just couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that everything he experienced in the game was just a figment of his imagination fueled by hallucinogens.
It all felt so darn real!
He felt like he lived a vibrant life in another world, as someone else, and even if ages passed, he wouldn’t forget even a single moment of that experience.
Whether it was the wars, bl**d, and fire, or the bonds between people, or when he was the Cold Moon Witch, lying in a warm bath, feeling the warmth on his skin—it was undeniably real, yet people scoffed at him.
That was what he couldn’t stand the most.
“Knock, knock, knock…”
Accompanied by the knocking sound, a tall figure appeared before him.
Turns out, he had just forgotten to close the door.
Were those pesky reporters back to deny everything he’d experienced in the game?
He didn’t have to think hard to guess—he’d definitely be portrayed as the quintessential gaming victim, appearing repeatedly on television screens, while the crowd looked on with pity at this wretched guy! They’d probably even contact a company to give him a chance to start over.
“I refuse all interviews!” Lin Nan declared without lifting his head.
“Hello, I’m Wang Xue from ‘XX Gaming Network.’ I don’t mean to intrude, but would you have some time for us to publish your experiences in the game in our magazine? You spent the longest time in ‘The Way of Inquiry,’ so I bet you have some extraordinary experiences to share. If readers find it interesting, we can turn it into a serial.”
Lin Nan looked at her; she looked like the girl next door, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.
“Really?”
Wang Xue smiled, “Of course! After all, being the last player to leave the game makes you quite the topic of discussion. I assume you’d want to share your story.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Cool, here’s my business card with my contact info.”
“Alright, thanks.”
“I’ll take my leave then. Don’t forget to get in touch!” Wang Xue waved cheerfully and left his sight.
Actually, until that moment, Lin Nan still hadn’t shaken off his confusion about just how simply he could return to the real world, no longer able to venture to the Asking Dao Continent.
Used to being the big boss and never having to worry about the little things in life, he felt like he had fallen from the clouds back into this cramped apartment, unable to adapt to such a drastic change in a short time.
Luckily, he had paid half a year’s rent before stepping into the game pod, so he wouldn’t have to deal with the horror of a landlord barging in because rent was due and his poor character got logged out mid-experience.
Otherwise, that spectacular second life would be reduced to a mere blip, with no chance of revisiting it.
Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that relying solely on the game pod’s nutritional solution for half a year was too absurd. That was until his phone, which he had just turned on, started ringing.
Only then did he realize that in this world, there’s no such thing as perfect timing—only parents could devote themselves so selflessly.
“Mom and Dad, I’m back.” He choked out on the other end of the call.
“Xiao Nan, we’re on our way.”
Not long after, his gray-haired parents appeared before him.
The three of them hugged and cried together.
Once they all calmed down, Lin Nan learned that he had been out of contact with his parents for months, leaving them worried sick, fearing something terrible had happened to their son.
So, his parents zoomed straight from their tiny little hometown to this big city.
Since they didn’t know the exact apartment address he rented, they opted to file a police report.
After a lot of frantic searching, they finally found Lin Nan’s apartment, but before they could breathe a sigh of relief, news broke of the scandal surrounding the Asking Dao Company, plus reports of nearly a thousand people trapped in the game and unable to escape, which spread around the globe.
And their son, Lin Nan, happened to be one of them.
His parents nearly lost their minds. At that point, Lin Nan was like a vegetable; while still connected to the server, he had no reaction whatsoever to the real world. They simply had to wait for him to emerge from the game one day and return to normal life.
Since rents in the city were sky-high, his parents had to settle for a place in the outskirts but made daily trips to care for Lin Nan.
This kept his reality-bound body from decomposing and reeking while he was busy experiencing his second life.
Hearing all this, Lin Nan couldn’t hold back his tears again; his parents had it so hard, already at the age to enjoy their retirement yet still running around for their irresponsible son, working tirelessly every day.
“Mom and Dad, don’t worry anymore. From now on, I won’t make you stress again.”
Lin Nan made a firm decision—he would no longer indulge in the past illusions but instead, focus all his energy on reality.
As for the magazine’s offer, that would be his first step back to reality.
He quickly contacted Wang Xue and expressed his willingness to write a long series, with a title already in mind: “Everyone Thinks I’m the Villainous NPC Overlord,” using all his gaming experiences as material.
Wang Xue replied, “No problem, let’s start with a few chapters to test the waters. If the readers respond well, we can sign a contract.”
Before long, the magazine featuring the “last player of Asking Dao” caught the eye of numerous gamers, even before it was officially printed.
This included many victims of “The Way of Inquiry.”
However, law enforcement found it odd that these people, upon returning to reality, didn’t seem to harbor the hatred towards the game’s officials they had expected. Quite the opposite, they carried a hint of reluctance and longing.
This was attributed to the chaos caused by the excessive use of hallucinogens, muddling their perceptions.
Once the magazine started selling, its circulation broke records repeatedly. The publishing house had to print extra copies several times, finally satisfying the reader’s cravings.
The serialization received rave reviews, with readers strongly requesting more related content in each issue.
Thus, Lin Nan successfully signed a contract with the publishing house, and Wang Xue became his editor, responsible for the monthly reminder for submissions.
Even though he had only spent half a year in the Asking Dao world, from spring to winter, that half-year’s worth of experiences and material was enough for him to narrate for a lifetime.
Readers who followed his serialization, whether former players of Asking Dao or ordinary folks, were deeply captivated by the character of the Cold Moon Witch.
What a fantastic character!
Just from the descriptions, one could tell she was a top-tier beauty—calling her the most beautiful woman in the game wouldn’t even be an exaggeration!
Old players of Asking Dao had no disagreement over her existence; everyone had heard of the Cold Moon Witch during their game-playing. There were numerous videos in the forums showcasing her formidable presence—cool and composed.
But Lin Nan couldn’t dare to claim he was the Cold Moon Witch.
His first draft actually included a transformation scene, but Wang Xue chopped that part out.
She said, “Do you think readers can handle the idea that the soul of a stunning beauty is actually just an average guy? For the sake of magazine sales and your paycheck, I suggest you don’t take that risk.”
…
P.S.: Four updates today—please vote!
