The Fallen's Guide - chapter 9

Tang Nian chose A.

Immediately, a leaf-shaped icon appeared in the woods on the screen, drawn in a simple sketch style. A square introduction box popped up beside it, displaying a line of text:

“This plant is a precious hemp resource. It can be harvested and made into simple bandages to stop bleeding for the injured.”

Tang Nian clicked on the leaf icon, then tapped the screen a few more times as prompted. The tool bar now had a new “Bandage Item” icon.

Following the same method, she dragged the bandage icon and placed it over the Pixel Character’s arm.

Another prompt box popped up.

“Oh no, the Player did not disinfect the wound. The Elf’s wound has worsened, and Life Value has decreased!”

“…” Tang Nian scratched her head.

There was no prompt about disinfecting the wound on the screen. She took a deep breath, telling herself not to panic, and after thinking for a moment, she looked at the blue Stream in the scene.

So she dragged the Pixel Character again, used one finger to gently open his slender arm, and dragged him back to the Stream.

Tang Nian carefully controlled the screen, submerging the thin arm into the water, even cautiously rubbing it lightly with her finger.

Just as she was at a loss for what to do next, a prompt box popped up.

“Congratulations, Player! The wound has been cleaned successfully. You can now apply the bandage to the Elf!”

“…”

Tang Nian patiently applied the bandage. On the screen, a thick layer of green cloth immediately appeared on the Pixel Character’s arm, wrapping the once slender arm into a bundle, looking inexplicably cute.

“Congratulations, Player! Bleeding stopped. Elf’s Life Value has recovered, and you have been awarded an extra hour of life!”

It was really so simple…

She couldn’t help but poke the Pixel Character on the screen with her finger.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but the Pixel Character seemed to tremble.

She poked again, curiously observing.

The Pixel Character didn’t move, but another prompt box popped up, still with a yellow exclamation mark.

“Oh no, sunset has arrived in the Misty Forest. The temperature is dropping, and the Elf’s body temperature is decreasing!”

“A. Warm him up”

“B. Ignore him”

The once pale blue sky on the screen dimmed, and the whole scene seemed to darken as if the screen brightness had been lowered.

The dark green forest turned into a pitch-black silhouette. The Pixel Character, who had been lying on the ground, shivered twice, curled up, and hugged his knees with his injured arm, looking especially pitiful.

Tang Nian looked at the two options and, on a whim, chose B, wanting to see what would happen.

Would the Pixel Character freeze to death?

“Ding ding ding!”

A shrill alert sounded, the phone vibrated, and countless warning signs popped up. Scarlet triangular exclamation marks suddenly flooded the screen densely.

“Warning! Player’s attitude is negative! Six hours of Life Value will be deducted!”

“Warning! Mission target’s Life Value continues to decrease!”

“Warning!…”

Tang Nian’s eyes widened, unable to react before a sharp pain stabbed through her heart.

It felt as if an invisible hand pressed hard against her chest, grinding down. She opened her mouth, gasping for air as if drowning, but her vision went black in waves, the pain almost unbearable.

The phone vibrated wildly, exclamation marks popping up in sync with the stabbing pain in her heart.

When the sharp pain finally faded, her hospital gown was soaked in cold sweat.

“Ding-”

Just as the phone finally quieted down, it rang again, making Tang Nian tense up reflexively.

This time, there was no pain.

The screen returned to the warm, low-resolution pixel game style.
“Congratulations, Player, you have gained a Mission reset opportunity.”

“Resetting…”

“The Misty Forest welcomes sunset, the temperature drops, and the Elf’s body temperature is falling. Please choose one of the following options, Player.”

“A. Warm him up”

“B. Ignore him”

Tang Nian calmed her chaotic breathing, her pupils contracting.

This game seemed to offer two choices, but it didn’t actually give her the right to choose B.

A layer of cold sweat coated her finger. Expressionless, she clicked A.

The screen flickered twice. At the edge of the black forest silhouette, a branch icon appeared. Next to it, the info box read: “It hasn’t rained in the Misty Forest for a long time. Picking up dry branches can help the Elf light a haystack.”

This time, Tang Nian didn’t dare to have her own ideas. Numbly, she clicked the icon, gathering all the dry grass scattered at the forest’s edge and piling it beside the Elf.

But without a fire source, there was no way to ignite the haystack.

This game looked simple, yet was eerily meticulous. There were no flints by the Stream, nor anything to start a fire by rubbing wood together.

“Uh-oh, the Elf’s body temperature keeps dropping!”

“Please use dry leaves to warm the Elf in time, Player!”

Her heart tightened again. Tang Nian forced herself to steady her mind, thought for a moment, and reached out her finger, landing it on the Pixel Character.

The little chibi Pixel Character was curled up from the cold, hugging his knees, looking pitiful.

The graphics were so low-res that you couldn’t make out the Pixel Character’s facial features; his face was a blur, pixelated into a mosaic.

But you could see a layer of Linen Fabric on his body.

Tang Nian pressed his body with two fingers, slowly rubbing and stretching out the curled-up little figure. The cartoon Pixel Character was extremely unwilling, eyes tightly shut, and as soon as his body was opened, he shrank back, hugging his knees and curling up again.

Patiently, she pressed his hands and feet again, gently unfolding his body.

After a few tries, the Pixel Character stopped struggling.

She then used an even lighter touch to fiddle with the Linen Fabric stuck to the cartoon Pixel Character, gently rubbing it off as if washing a wound.

His bare body was covered in mosaic, but through the color blocks, you could tell he was a very pale little character.

Light Golden Hair hung damply on the grass, faintly shining.

She stared for a moment.

The Pixel Character on the screen trembled.

The little body Tang Nian had forced open curled up again, and two suspicious red patches appeared on the blurred mosaic face.

Was he… shy?

Tang Nian’s mouth twitched, then she covered him with the dry grass she’d gathered from the deep forest’s edge.

Earlier, the Pixel Character had been soaked in the Stream, his Linen Fabric wet. As night fell and the temperature dropped, the wet fabric clung to him, making him even colder.

But the haystack was different. If you pile it thick, the gaps between the branches form air layers, which can keep you warm at night.

With a bit of mischievousness and a sense of revenge, Tang Nian piled a thick layer of dry grass on the Pixel Character.

In the end, she simply buried him entirely in the haystack.

After a few seconds, a prompt box popped up on the screen.

“Congratulations, Player, the Elf’s body temperature has successfully risen. Extra reward: three hours of Life Value!”

“Temporary additional Mission concluded. Thank you for participating.”

Tang Nian: “Ha.”