Chapter 1 A Certain Game is Really Lowering its Standards

StarNet Survival Game Complaint Forum:

[As the title says: A certain game is really lowering its standards]

Landlord: Damn it, which design genius made the NPC character design in "Baby's Revenge" so cute?

1st Floor: Right? Who wouldn't be fascinated when they saw it, but...

2nd Floor: Heh, I'm here to tell you that I was bitten in the head and logged off.

3rd Floor: Oh, I'm okay. I was bitten through the carotid artery in my neck and logged off.

4th Floor: Ahhh!! I hate it!! This dog game company! Too *!

5th Floor: ?? What's going on? Is there a mole? Why was what I cursed above censored!

…

12579th Floor: Also! Why does the boss share a face with the boxed lunch-selling NPC? Why can't it be a talented man and a beautiful woman like before?

12580th Floor: That's right, the recent game designs are too doggone, how can the boxed lunch seller and some other NPCs share a face, damn it!!

……

"Heh, I knew I'd get cursed for bringing the kids!"

Mingmei, who always said she was sensitive and couldn't stand being cursed, was lying on a custom-made office chair, enjoying a full-body massage while focusing on several different light screens projected above.

She wasn't paying much attention to the forum section complaining about their games except for a few grumbles.

Anyway, she could now understand her uncle's mentality back then.

Curse away, curse away, it's not like anyone's playing the game any less.

Thinking this, she looked at the other light screens. This time, she didn't expect Hanhan and Fanhe to be in the same game.

Because the children all had outstanding appearances, Mingmei didn't directly use their faces in the game. Instead, she had the art department design a common girl NPC face and a common boy NPC face.

This time, there wouldn't be a boss and a boxed lunch NPC sharing the same face.

However, what she didn't expect was that Lu Xiaoyao was also there.

"Guigui, what role is Lu Xiaoyao playing in this game she's streaming?"

Mingmei rubbed her forehead. "Baby's Revenge" was a survival game for ages 30+ that their game company had recently launched. The setting was a not-so-scientifically advanced modern society, starting with a series of murders in City A.

When she saw Lu Xiaoyao's perspective, Mingmei felt her vision go dark.

Lu Xiaoyao's character was the captain of the criminal investigation team in City A.

Considering Lu Xiaoyao's identity as a police detective, Mingmei felt that wanting her to explore the ultimate truth of the game and infinitely prolong the game time was like asking her to single-handedly take on the heavy task of fighting the entire Zerg race.

Previously, she had made an agreement with the children to only participate in one game character experience per day.

This meant that Mingmei would have to pick up the children and go home later.

"Open the game pod, I'm going into virtual space to watch Lu Xiaoyao's livestream."

Mingmei said she would pick up the children and go home later, but she was still hoping that Lu Xiaoyao could hold out a little longer. Otherwise, she wouldn't have planned to enter virtual space to watch her livestream.

Before entering the holographic space, Mingmei couldn't help but ask, "Are there any other acquaintances in this game? Someone who can help Lu Xiaoyao."

The only response Mingmei received was silence from Guigui.

Just as Mingmei resigned herself to entering the holographic space, Guigui added, "Does Zhen Po count?"

Mingmei: "…"

Probably not.

If it were Zhen Hu, Mingmei felt that with his special charm that children liked, he might be able to help, anyway, he was better than Zhen Po, who perfectly inherited his teacher's violent aesthetics.

Other games would be fine, but this brain-teaser type game was really not suitable for them.

Speaking of Zhen Hu, Mingmei remembered that Zhen Hu had just gotten engaged last year.

Because his marriage partner was Liya, the daughter-in-law of Prime Minister Sen, the engagement banquet caused a sensation in the entire central aristocratic circle for a while!

Although it wasn't shameful for a widow to remarry, this matter was still very magical for those in the know.

For example, Lu Xiaoyao. Out of nowhere, Zhen Hu directly rose a generation and became the husband of her neighbor's aunt.

What surprised everyone the most was that the marriage was arranged by Prime Minister Sen's grandchildren.

Was it okay to find a stepfather for themselves?

The original plan was to get married last year, but because he was labeled with unflattering names like "gold digger" and "alternative gigolo" for being with her, Miss Liya finally decided to get engaged to Zhen Hu first, and then hold the wedding after Prime Minister Sen's two children came of age.

At that time, Liya would leave with Zhen Hu, abandoning the aura of Prime Minister Sen's daughter-in-law, and marry Zhen Hu as an ordinary woman.

For Zhen Hu, who sincerely admired Liya, he agreed without hesitation.

However, the two children of the Sen family, who originally wanted to find a stepfather for themselves, were now emo. It would have been better not to find this dad. _(:3」∠)_

Lu Xiaoyao almost laughed to death when she accidentally learned about these two people's thoughts afterward. They wanted to keep their mother but couldn't get a father, and ended up losing their mother instead of stealing a father.

Lu Xiaoyao was impressed.

Of course, jokes aside.

Zhen Hu had always been very good to the two children over the years, and there was nothing to criticize, otherwise, Prime Minister Sen would not have agreed so readily.

After obtaining Prime Minister Sen's consent, Zhen Hu's life became even busier, which was in stark contrast to Zhen Po, who was happily single.

When Lu Xiaoyao had just come out of the crime scene and met Zhen Po, who was posing as a reporter, she couldn't help but tease him.

"Fun fact, not getting married won't kill you." To this, Zhen Po showed off his muscles and said, "Also, it's their loss if they don't like me."

Hearing this, both Lu Xiaoyao and the audience in the livestream fell silent.

[I admit the first half of his sentence, the second half I don't know well enough to believe.]

[We'll testify to the second half for our teacher. Our teacher is good at fighting, can drive mecha, can cook, and can clean the house!]

[The person in front, tell us more.]

[But he just doesn't know how to cherish women. Last time, he sparred with a female teacher at school and made her cry.]

[……]

……

Fanhe kid wasn't selling boxed lunches for the first time, but she still got nervous every time the system reminded her that the game was starting.

When she finally arrived at the place where players often came, with her short legs, she hid her round body behind a big tree, peeking at the two target players who had entered her sales range not far away.

"Ah? Why is it godmother again?"

Fanhe kid stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Lu Xiaoyao's direction, suddenly retracted her little head, leaned against the tree, and looked tangled.

"Godmother didn't recognize me last time, and she didn't buy a boxed lunch."

Fanhe kid mentioned how her business was ruined by her godmother when she met Lu Xiaoyao in the game last time.

Just as Fanhe kid was wrinkling her face into a bun, Lu Xiaoyao suddenly came out from behind the tree and said in surprise, "Aiya~ Whose cute little baby is this~"

Looking at the pink and tender five-year-old in front of her, Lu Xiaoyao couldn't help but squat down and make a sweet, cloying voice: "Auntie will take you home, okay?"

Fanhe: "…"

Zhen Po: "…"

Livestream: […]

"I, I, I'm helping my family sell boxed lunches, do you want to…"

Fanhe kid remembered that the last game was a similar meeting. Lu Xiaoyao took her to find that illusory "Mom" without saying a word.

She even firmly told her teammates that there must be important clues behind her, such as the boxed lunch merchant.

She would rather believe that there was "someone behind" Fanhe, she didn't directly respond to Fanhe kid's boxed lunch sales pitch and didn't think she was selling boxed lunches at all.

Sigh! So annoying!

So only adults can work?!

This time, Fanhe kid decided to be more direct.

"Sister, why did you sneak out to play without me noticing~"

A boy's voice interrupted Fanhe kid's sales trip. As soon as the three people present turned their heads, Mingmei's livestream suddenly exploded—

[High energy warning ahead!!!]

[Help! Help! Boss!]

[Damn it! Why is my baby so miserable, meeting the boss at the beginning?]

[Lu Xiaoyao: Whose little cutie is this~ Boss: Mine, is she cute? I'll take your life in exchange!]

[Oh my god, I can't breathe when I see this face, why does a face that is so cute and handsome end up being distorted like that?!]

[Newbie here who hasn't played this game, what are you all talking about?]

[Playing this game, listen to my advice, run when you see a child.]

[Baby is so cute, I want to rua~]

[Rua with your life? The smile gradually disappears…]