The Fallen's Guide - chapter 27

This body was already riddled with wounds, beyond what modern medicine could save. Tang Nian’s hands trembled as she tapped open the strange black app on her screen, fumbling back and forth on the map.

Unfortunately, the sandbox had not yet generated. The map was greyed out, showing it was in a cooldown period and entry to the game was not allowed.

Tang Nian did not dare ask for more.

This game had already allowed her, someone on the verge of death, to lift her arms, to even sit up. To simply keep living was already a gift.

Just as Tang Nian was about to turn off the screen, a small pop-up suddenly appeared.

A line of text asked if she wanted to play a mini-game to extend her Life Value.

Tang Nian clicked confirm without hesitation.

The screen displayed “loading.”

The originally high-quality graphics once again dropped, shifting from three-dimensional models to two-dimensional cartoon art. In the familiar, low-resolution pixel style, a cliff overgrown with dense vegetation was depicted.

Tang Nian raised her eyebrows as a line of text popped up on the screen.

“The Elf has lost the will to survive and has been dragged into the Griffin’s nest. Would you like to save him?”

“A. Agree”

“B. Refuse”

Elf?

Tang Nian twitched her lips.

Why was it him again? Why was he dying again?

She clicked A.

The scene changed, the forest view zoomed in, and another line of text appeared on the screen.

“Please find the Elf before the Griffin returns to its nest and take him to a safe place.”

“Tip: The Elf’s Life Value is dropping. Please save time, Player.”

It seemed that while she was in the “Thorn Castle” playing the game, the Elf had woken up by the creek and, somehow, ended up at the Griffin’s mouth.

Tang Nian used two fingers to zoom in on the screen, sliding around to search.

Even though it was a warm, two-dimensional cartoon world, there was an eerie, sinister air about it. Twisted branches, human-used objects scattered among the grass and woods, and the remains of many dead animals-even rendered as cute cartoons-still gave off a deeply unsettling feeling.

Finally, she found the Pixel Character near the edge of a cliff, curled up in a bush.

He was still hugging his knees in a tiny ball, his long blond hair spread across dead branches and fallen leaves like an unfurled feather fan.

This place seemed to be the nest of some giant bird. There were a few smooth, white eggs inside as well.

Perhaps the nest’s owner had dragged the Elf in while he was unconscious.

Around the nest were chibi skulls and bone patterns, looking like leftovers tossed out of the nest. On the cliff’s edge, there was a blackened, half-eaten human thigh.

The art style grew stranger the longer she looked.

This kind of bird eats people?

Tang Nian dragged the unconscious Pixel Character out, pinching his tiny body and pulling him into the Shrubbery.

The Pixel Character was still wearing clothes-ragged, probably the same ones she had stripped off him last time. It seemed he had put them back on after waking up.

On his back hung two Wings, translucent, long and rounded, quite cute, except one was torn in half and clearly couldn’t fly.

She thought to herself: “Battle-damaged Pixel Elf.”

Given how meticulous this game was, Tang Nian dragged the Elf all the way to another patch of Shrubbery away from the cliff, flattening a bumpy patch of grass with her finger before gently placing the poor Pixel Character on the soft grass.

The area was surrounded by embracing bushes, making it relatively hidden.

“Poor thing.”

Tang Nian muttered to herself.
A prompt box popped up.

“Congratulations, Player, you have successfully resolved the crisis. Extra reward: three hours of Life Value!”

Immediately, another line of text appeared.

“The Elf’s world has been destroyed by disaster. He has nowhere to go. Would you like to take him in?”

“A. Agree”
“B. Choose another world for him”

Tang Nian almost instinctively clicked Agree.

But just before she did, she realized that this time, the B option seemed different from before.

Last time, her experience was that refusing would result in punishment and a negative attitude. So what about this time? She pressed her chest, bracing herself for the possible pain, and clicked B.

This time, the pain did not come.

Tang Nian breathed a sigh of relief and saw the screen display: Function under development, operation not available at this stage.

Then why let her choose at all?

Unfortunately, the multiple-choice question had already disappeared. Otherwise, she really wanted to know what would happen if she chose A.

“Your world was destroyed?” Tang Nian felt even more pity in her heart. “Do you want me to take you in as my electronic pet?”

A prompt box suddenly popped up.

“Notice: The Elf has lost the will to survive and the ability to eat. Would you like to help him?”

“A. Agree”
“B. Refuse”

What else could she do?

Tang Nian clicked Agree.

Several small icons immediately appeared on the screen. In the pitch-black forest, a few glowing berry icons appeared, marked as edible.

Tang Nian clicked the icons, picked the berries, and piled them next to the Elf.

It really felt like raising an electronic pet.

She swiped the map and found a spring, folded a broad leaf, scooped up some water, and placed it beside him.

The game had a high degree of freedom, with plenty of room for creativity.

“Congratulations, Player, you have successfully brought food to the Elf. Extra reward: one hour of Life Value.”

Tang Nian just treated this little thing as an electronic pet. After all, tapping the screen wasn’t tiring.

“Remember to eat when you wake up.”

She couldn’t help but reach out and poke the Pixel Character. The sleeping Pixel Character trembled and turned over.

Soft golden hair curled around his body, like a noble-colored blanket covering him.

Tang Nian couldn’t help but poke him again.

“Troublesome Elf.”

Her expression softened, and she said gently,

“Don’t get caught by monsters again, troublesome Elf.”

–

Shivanus woke up and found himself alive once more.

His emerald green eyes moved numbly, discovering that he was lying in an unfamiliar forest, with soft grass beneath him and thorns all around.

He sat up, leaning against a large tree. The broad leaf covering him slipped off, revealing his scarred body underneath.

His original clothes had been torn, reduced to ragged strips hanging from his body, almost soaked through with pale green blood.

He remembered not long ago, the monsters in the forest had fought over his body. In the abyss of magical miasma, there was a troublesome evil beast, part Dragon, part bird with a lion’s head. They liked to feed their offspring with living creatures and had dragged him into their nest.

He lowered his head, his emerald eyes like a frozen lake, filled with suppressed depression and a murderous aura.

The Elf’s body was a superior race directly descended from the World Tree, its flesh coveted by the Dark Race as a tonic. Now, even the lowest creatures could plunder his flesh.

In the shadows of the Shrubbery, countless pairs of crimson eyes stared at him greedily.

They were wary, waiting for the moment the Elf closed his eyes again, ready to pounce.