IWBL: Chapter 88

At night, the streets of the small town were sparsely populated. Almost no one set up nightstands, or at least, Xiao Li didn’t pass by any. This disappointed him. Only the streetlights, the night wind, the falling leaves and their shadows accompanied them.

As he passed by the streetlight of the most prosperous intersection, Xiao Li gazed at the traffic lights opposite him and thought of the snack stall downstairs when he lived with his mother. His eyes were on the shadow in front of him while he thought.

The night wind blew into his eyes as the moonlight fell on him. Soon, before the red light on the opposite side turned green, Xiao Li was stunned. It was because his shadow moved while he was completely still.

The pure black shadow was originally reflected in front of him on the right but the shadow’s left hand extended to the left. The place where his hand stopped just happened to be the location of Xiao Li’s hand.

At the intersection of people and shadows, it looked like a shadow was intimately holding Xiao Li’s hand.

Xiao Li, “………”

He couldn’t grasp the feeling of being held but the shadow came to him so suddenly that he subconsciously pulled out his arm. The shadow slightly paused. He discovered that Xiao Li knew and directly elongated his figure. He changed into the shadow of a grown man who was a lot taller than Xiao Li.

It moved again, directly reaching for Xiao Li’s shoulder. Xiao Li took a step to the right, leaving the shroud of the shadow. The shadow didn’t follow Xiao Li. It remained in place like it was a bit lost.

Luo Dian was originally beside Xiao Li. She was absent-minded as she thought of her remaining teammate Han Jin and waited for the traffic lights to change. Therefore, she didn’t notice the shadow. She just saw Xiao Li move away and immediately thought of a ghost. “What’s the matter?”

Xiao Li spoke quietly. “It’s fine, the streetlights over there are too harsh.”

Luo Dian, “……”

She didn’t know his state of mind. She just looked up at the streetlight and stepped back quietly. Just then, the traffic lights changed from red to green.

Xiao Li and Luo Dian continued to walk forward. His shadow was left in place but soon, the shadow returned to his feet. This time, it was no longer the shape of a man but turned back to the same appearance as Xiao Li.

He could probably guess the identity of the shadow. There was no ghost who would be so bored except for the little yellow book.

The teenager turned his wrists and opened his mouth to break the silence, “Luo Dian, what is the other secret you mentioned when you asked for help?”

Luo Dian struggled for a while. Her original idea had been to complete the task, survive and then say it. However, looking at Xiao Li’s fierce treatment of the ghosts, clearing the instance should be a very simple thing…

The girl soon made up her mind. “it’s okay to tell you now. I’m sure you won’t abandon me after achieving your goal.”

Xiao Li waited for her to continue.

Luo Dian said, “Moriarty, you must’ve seen that I have many items on me. These items are the key reason why I could live to the present. They were brought out of a present instance. It was a special instance where you needed an invitation letter from pirates to go. I exchange 10,000 task points at the market for it. The people who sold it at the market didn’t know its value. The name of the island was Treasure Island.”

“There are ghosts who guard the treasure and they will ask people who land on the island three questions. If someone answers every question correctly, they can get one treasure from all the treasures on the island. I ended up entering with Wang Huai, who is now second on the rankings. He not only got three treasures, but he also drilled a hole in the rules and tripled the number of treasures that could be taken out. I also benefited from this.”

“Wang Huai…”

“Yes, it was the only time I entered an instance with him. He is always elusive.” Luo Dian glanced at Xiao Li. “This is the secret I had to say.”

Xiao Li simply nodded. “I see.”

“Or I can give you some extra information.” Luo Dian saw Xiao Li’s potential. She wanted to establish a good relationship with him.

“What?”

Luo Dian told him, “The hottest news at the moment is that… the current instance worlds open are only regional ones.”

“…Regional?”

“Yes, don’t you wonder why all our teammates are from the same country in every instance. It is because the instances are currently region closed. If you travel abroad and are pulled into an instance abroad, you will be drawn into the overseas instances. This news has been exposed by people abroad on the forum. Recently, this phenomenon is increasing so we have been discussing it. Finally, we are sure that global instances will open and the ghosts in these instances will be further upgraded.”

Xiao Li thought about it and even slightly looked forward to it. “It is this way.”

Luo Dian stared at him and didn’t see any panic in Xiao Li’s heart. She sighed inwardly, ‘A big man is a big man. He isn’t shocked at all.’

The girl continued, “In addition to this news, there have been some recent outbursts of new people. Recently, someone called Sherlock was mentioned a lot on the forum. He is said to be cruel like the cold winter. He likes to torture ghosts and acts strange. He makes people who encounter him want to swear, even if they are on the rankings leaderboard. I am a bit curious about him.”

Xiao Li, “…Is it?”

He was a bit skeptical that there was another man with the same name as him. However, how was he cruel? Wasn’t he always very friendly?

Luo Dian was good at communication and wanted to exchange some intelligence with Xiao Li. Then a surprised call was heard from the distance. “Captain!”

Luo Dian looked up, saw Han Jin running towards her and also ran forward. “Ah Jin!”

Compared to their excitement, Xie Zeqing came over steadily and glanced at Xiao Li to say hello.

The four of them stood together. Han Jin quickly told them about everything that happened and then finally gave his conclusion. “I think the female friend is hiding something but I’m not sure if there is really a problem.”

Xie Zeqing, who had been letting Han Jin finish, suddenly interjected. “One more thing, when I stood at her door and questioned her, I wanted to let my ghost go inside the house but I didn’t succeed. There was a type of power keeping my little ghost out of her house.”

Han Jin turned his head. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Xie Zeqing spoke coldly. “What is the use of telling you? You aren’t Moriarty.”

Han Jin, “……”

Xie Zeqing continued speaking to Xiao Li. “Would you like to see her to question her?”

Xiao Li refused his suggestion. “No, place your little ghost downstairs from her house. Once she goes out tomorrow, see where she goes. Then we can know the truth she is concealing.”

“Eh?” Xie Zeqing was a bit surprised. “Why?”

“If a person who wants to hide the truth is suddenly questioned about the truth by a stranger, the first thing to do is to check whether the original clues have been destroyed. You asking her about Chen Meiyou’s leg injury is already a hint that we have a clue. She will be very anxious. Once she confirms that you aren’t downstairs, she will most likely rush to destroy the clues.”

Xie Zeqing muttered, “Now…?”

He whispered a chant and the little ghost tattoo flowed from his fingers. It followed Xie Zeqing’s order and headed in the direction of Chen Meiyou’s friend.

“It will follow her and give me feedback. Shall we wait?” Xie Zeqing asked.

Xiao Li wondered, “Isn’t the next step to go to sleep?”

Xie Zeqing, “……”

Xiao Li wasn’t in a hurry but Luo Dian’s group was different. They had received the fourth ghost call and the countdown on their arm kept decreasing. They weren’t far from death and now the only thing left was to trace the truth. It might not only be the truth. It might be a way to lift the curse. How could he tell them to sleep?

“Moriarty, we don’t have time. It is going to sto…”

He stopped before finishing his words. Han Jin couldn’t trace the direction of the ghost but this was about his life. He couldn’t help being anxious.

“It’s fine. We can wait for Yan Luo’s news. According to her reaction when you questioned her, she isn’t a patient person. She will respond in a short amount of time.”

Han Jin hoped so and glanced anxiously at Xie Zeqing.

***********

They went back to the house that Luo Dian had rented.

Xiao Li didn’t immediately go to sleep. He felt some sleepiness but he first took out the little yellow book and wrote, “The shadow?”

Thinking about it, the little yellow book seemed to have reduced the frequency of his harassment since the hospital instance. In addition, the little yellow book almost never appeared in human form after. One time he was a cat and now a shadow. Was he shy?

Xiao Li thought about it while touching his chin.

The little yellow book’s response was quick. He didn’t hide from Xiao Li’s question and quickly showed: 【 The shadow is very good. It is one of the things closest to you. 】

Xiao Li muttered, “…I think you’re close to me anyway, in my pocket.”

Little yellow book: 【 It isn’t the same. 】

【 The pocket is separated by a layer. I don’t like that feeling and I want to be close to you without any hindrances. Even clothes can’t become a barrier between us. We are one, like lovers. 】

【 A shadow has hands, can hold you and can kiss you. 】

Xiao Li looked at this and suddenly remembered the strange feeling of his hair in the dance room of the university. He thought it was something rubbing against him and now it was likely to be the shadow of the little yellow book.

He recalled up to here while the little yellow book started to wander in his fantasies. 【 In fact, a cat is also very good. I can lie in your arms and you will take the initiative to hold me. I can lick also lick you but there will always be inconveniences. 】

【 A shadow can follow you to the ends of the earth but can only be close to you when you don’t know. I can’t be as openly with you like when I’m a cat. 】

【 I’m looking for a way to do both. 】

Xiao Li asked a deep question. “…Why do you exclude being a person from all the options?”

The little yellow book couldn’t become a person?!

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The author has something to say:

Xiao Li: Little yellow book, please become a person!

Little yellow book: I can’t control myself when I’m a person.