IWBL: Chapter 114

Xiao Li wasn’t speaking empty words and he nodded like he wanted to get praise. Shimizu gazed at him with suspicious eyes. He had only just known Sherlock in this world but he didn’t see the other person as a reincarnator who obeyed the rules. It was almost like this person was a rule breaker.

Apart from Shimizu, the other reincarnators weren’t proficient in Chinee. So in their eyes, Xiao Li broke the silence, suddenly started singing a song off tune and spoke to Shimizu.

Lance wrote: [Sherlock…?]

Even AK47 had forgotten that he was the second person to break the taboo as he frowned slightly at Xiao Li. Xiao Li didn’t feel anything as he turned back to the opera ghost at the window. “Shall we go to your hometown to see?”

Shimizu wondered if his Chinese was off. Hometown, what home? Was it the coffin? Shimizu didn’t understand it but the opera ghost took a step back after hearing it. Its long sleeves were hanging on the ground and the rainwater gathered together made it more transparent.

Xiao Li didn’t go to opera ghost. He strode out of the room and led the way. Lance exchanged glances with Shimizu and kept up with Xiao Li. Xiao Li passed through several rooms in the long corridor of the old house and finally stopped at the door of the study, pushing the door in.

The body of the plot character originally there had been dragged out by Thai and placed in another room. Now the study was empty. The landscape paintings occupied the high ground and looked over the crowd, like one shrunken world after another. Shimizu didn’t know if it was his illusion but he always felt that the colour of this peach tree was more colourful, like being washed away by the rain.

Xiao Li stood in the middle and looked up at the peach tree painting. Xiao Li might’ve opened his mouth but Shimizu didn’t dare easily break the taboo. He wrote on the paper: [Sherlock, are you saying that the truth is here?]

Xiao Li looked at the painting for a long time before speaking. “What if this isn’t a landscape painting but a figure painting?”

[Figure painting…?]

Shimizu looked at the painting in front of him. The peach tree leaves were crystal green. The tree might be tall and straight but it wasn’t in the middle of the painting. There were no shadows of any people under the tree. Then Shimizu thought of a terrible possibility. [You mean, the ‘people’ ran out. The ghosts and monsters are all people from the painting?]

Xiao Li thought about it. “Yes, I mean—”

The moment he spoke, he felt his voice became hoarse and he was unable to speak. The silence had taken away his voice.

Xiao Li was prepared and touched his pen to the little yellow book, writing smoothly: [The ghosts here are all figures from the painting. They were sealed up and handed down as a legacy of the house owner’s grandfather. After the owner of this house took out these relics, the people in the paintings came out from the painting, searching the town for the companions.]

[Of course, it is possible that we are in a painting. I just think this is less likely because Sturt’s ship could sail into the sea and there is no painting of a sea here.]

[They distinguish between real humans and their counterparts in the paintings through sound. Paintings can’t speak. Once you make a sound, you’ll be judged as a human. They take away the human’s voice and face and want to turn them into ghosts to be companions. It is why noise can be made inside the coffin because the coffin is completely enclosed. The painting is a rectangular box and sound can’t be transmitted.]

[At first, I thought the silence here was related to the ghost. Then I found out that the opera ghost would become wet as soon as she touched the rain and her face would become transparent. Then once the sun came out, she would return to her original state. It is because a painting is a piece of paper.]

[It includes the face, skin and tools that humans carried. This is because the ghost wants to get close to humans and create another ghost in the painting.]

[The ancestor of the old house was likely to be an expert. His legacy had a special function and the coffin prophecy is likely to be related to this. As for the monsters who had their faces and voices taken away, they are a manufactured ‘failed product’. They instinctively fear the ghosts in the town but vaguely want to return to the painting. That’s why they hang around the sea.]

Xiao Li wrote up to here and turned to the opera ghost following them. [If you don’t mind, I can help give you a companion in the painting.]

Shimizu silently stared at the opera ghost. The ghost didn’t directly stop it. She floated up into the study and returned to the painting. Under the peach tree, there was an extra figure. Her back was to the reincarnators as she touched the branches of the peach tree. She looked up at the crown of the tree, her face faded.

Her original body was very beautiful, elegant and charming. In ancient times, she would certainly be beautiful and was worthy of the home owner sighing, ‘Really beautiful.’

Xiao Li lifted the pen and added a person to the left of the figure in the painting. It was a stick figure with two ponytails. It looked like graffiti on the street. The opera ghost who had never seen his painting skills and just thought he would draw well due to his beautiful face, “……?”

[The reincarnation Xiao Li has completed the original task two, and received an S-grade rating. The task completion degree is 92% and you have successfully received the ancient painting ‘Female Singer’. She has a companion and wants to follow you to learn more songs. You have also received 2000 survivor coins.]

[Since you have left your mark on Ouroboros’ coffin, you have forced an unknown connection with it. You can summon it at the right time, although the ghost is very angry about it.]

Xiao Li wondered, “Eh?”

He didn’t expect the words he carved on the coffin lid to give such a windfall.

[At the same time, you have broken Ouroboros’ mirror and have entered its field of vision. Still, rest assured that it won’t give you too much attention for the time being.]

【 Scenario conversion. 】

【 3, 2, 1—】

Once the familiar sense of vertigo passed, Xiao Li found himself back home. He turned his head and met Xie Zeqing’s eyes.

Xie Zeqing’s expression was a bit dazed. Due to the instance protection mechanism, he just thought that Xiao Li went out to answer the phone and came back. Xie Zeqing was hungry and asked, “Xiao Li, shall we eat takeaway?”

“…Eat!”

*********

In recent days, the opening of the global instance meant the forum of the task book was quite lively. [I heard that the first global instance has opened. Has anyone analyzed the specific situation?]

[Ah, I have a good understanding from a Japanese reincarnator. Now everyone can enter the global instance but last night, the first instance pulling in strong reincarnators from several countries. He told me that Shimizu, a strong fellow, was summoned. However, when Shimizu came back, he kept talking about a Chinese man called Sherlock. He said Sherlock is powerful but also acts crazy towards ghosts. For example, teaching an opera ghost singing. In addition, his drawing skills were bad ← these are the exact words.]

[What a coincidence… my friend’s network is relatively broad and a friend knows a rising star in the church. This rising star told my friend about Sherlock and suspected that he is a great figure in the ghost world. He has a type of knowledge to get a response from the ghost.]

[How can you know so many gods from other countries? I also want to know them.]

[Front row eating melons.]

[Then why haven’t I see the name Sherlock in our reincarnator rankings?]

[Upstairs, maybe it is because the rankings haven’t been updated yet. He is new.]

[The newcomers are so amazing now?]

[Thinking about it, this is the person that Park Soojin also mentioned. She looks good and once PKed with our goddess on the chart so I have been following her. She said that Sherlock saved her or she might’ve died in that instance. If there is the chance, she would like to invite Sherlock to dinner.]

[My goddess…]

[Do you remember the previous forum posts that analyzed teammates? Tian Ji, Xie Zeqing and other people on the rankings have mentioned him.]

[Sherlock is a mysterious person. So many big people deeply remember him.]

[Eh? Sherlock’s style reminds me of a man. He encountered a skeleton ghost on a ghost ship and tore the ghost apart… such a poor skeleton. In addition, he poured alcohol down the nose of the ghost ship captain. However, he wasn’t called Sherlock. He was called Moriarty.]

[Right, Moriarty. I met him when I called for help in an instance. We met a dancer ghost at the time and as a result, he played gymnastics music. The most frightening thing was that the ghost still danced to it. I thought it was a dark humour horror movie.]

[Weren’t Sherlock and Moriarty enemies? Based on their names, wouldn’t these two people have a grudge? I’m looking forward to their PK and seeing who will be the rookie king of the final battle.]

[Shocking, the battle of old enemies. Who is the strongest reincarnator?]

[You are all talking about this while I’m thinking that of the instance difficulty upgrades after this, how will we live? I’m afraid the mortality rate will rise suddenly.]

[I’m the same +1.]

[The more worried I am, the more I want to look at the intelligence on the forum, hoping to be with a big person next time.]

………………

As the forum discussion was hot, Xiao Li had just returned from school. He placed his school bag in his house. The little black cat ran to sit at his feet, looking up at him.

Xiao Li bent down to pick up the little black cat and sniffed it. Xiao Li had only recently moved back to the house and some corners were quite dirty. The little black cat would sometimes roll in them and be covered with a lot of dust.

Perhaps there was also a relationship with the seasons but the little black cat was losing some fur. Xiao Li only hugged it for a moment and the cat’s fur was rubbed all over him. Fortunately, Xiao Li was wearing a black t-shirt and the fur wasn’t conspicuous.

“It’s cold and it is time to wash you.” Xiao Li lovingly touched the head of the little black cat. The little black cat’s spirituality was very high. He understood Xiao Li’s words and his back curved. He kicked Xiao Li’s chest with his strong and powerful back legs and jumped away. However, the small body was just in the air for a second when he was caught by a pair of hands.

Xiao Li put the kitten under his arms. “I will be very gentle.”

“Meow.”

Xiao Li placed a washbasin in his bathroom, put the little black cat inside and turned on the shower. He first tested the water temperature in his hands until the temperature became suitable. Then he aimed the spray at the little black cat.

“Meow meow meooow—” The little black cat yelled. He kicked the basin several times but failed to get out. It was obviously the first time the cat had been washed. The water in the basin became dark.

Xiao Li held the cat’s head and covered his ears. “Be good, good. It will be over soon.”

He used his other hand to grab some pet shower gel and rubbed it all over the little black cat. The sound of water, the cat meowing and Xiao Li coaxing the cat filled the bathroom. Thus, Xiao Li didn’t hear the footsteps approaching the door.

It was a stranger, walking up the stairs and approaching Xiao Li’s place with great purpose. A black shadow popped out of the man’s hand and flexibly covered the surveillance monitor in the corridor.

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The author has something to say:

Melon eating masses: I want to see Moriarty PK Sherlock.

Xiao Li: Take off his cover identity.