Chapter Six: A World of Games?

At this moment, Chen Hao was being carried off by this mysterious "alien," and thus failed to notice the situation unfolding among the five people behind him. Had he seen it, he would certainly have been shocked and would have shouted, "Harry Potter!"

For after conjuring up brooms, the five simply straddled them, and without any apparent effort, soared into the air, flying off in pursuit of Chen Hao and his companion.

Chen Hao, however, had no mind to pay attention to what was happening behind him. He was still reeling from the shock of flight. To tell the truth, in all his years, he had never flown before—not even on an airplane. This wasn’t because his family lacked money; on the contrary, as the young master of a wealthy household, Chen Hao had never wanted for anything.

The reason he had never been on a plane was simple: he was an inveterate homebody. Even the nature of his work made that clear—he had chosen to become a game technician purely out of personal interest, and people like him rarely enjoyed physical activity. Most days were spent holed up in his room, seated before a computer screen—working, watching videos, or gaming. With the exception of bathroom trips, he scarcely left his chair, and even meals were ordered in. Unless absolutely necessary, such people would never willingly leave their rooms.

It was not that they disliked the idea of going out; many secretly harbored such thoughts. But years of habit smothered these desires before they could take root. Chen Hao was a prime example. Gu Mengyan had invited him more than once to travel out of town, and though the idea appealed to him, he always hesitated or postponed, thinking there would be time later. And so, to this day, he had yet to take a trip or board an airplane.

Today was, without question, the first time Chen Hao had ever truly experienced flight—and in such a direct, visceral way! To be cradled in someone’s arms, soaring through the sky as if on a “convertible” airplane—this was an experience precious few would ever know, and certainly far more thrilling than flying on a plane. Not to mention, the one holding him was a sweet, soft, and adorable “alien” girl.

Yet, Chen Hao’s exhilaration was soon thoroughly washed away. For before long, he noticed the five broom-riding sharkmen speeding after him.

“Damn!” Chen Hao exclaimed, seeing their brooms. “Who are these people, really? They’re flying on brooms? Seriously? Don’t tell me I’ve traveled to another world—are we in the forest outside Hogwarts?”

As he shouted, he flailed his arms and legs.

The girl carrying him was evidently struggling to keep him steady. It was hard enough to fly while holding him, and his frantic movements made it likely she’d lose her grip and drop him at any moment.

She had no choice but to wrap her other arm tightly around him. “Don’t move! If you keep thrashing, I won’t be able to hold you. If you fall and get caught by those people, it’ll be terrible.

“Even though a fall from this height probably wouldn’t kill you, I can’t be sure you’re like me. So please, just stay still until we shake them off—I’ll let you down as soon as it’s safe.”

Chen Hao immediately froze, sitting motionless, letting the “alien” girl hold him tightly. He couldn’t explain why he obeyed her so readily; by all rights, the five people chasing him seemed more like his own kind, while the girl was clearly not. Yet, for some reason, he trusted her instinctively. She gave him a strange sense of déjà vu, as if he ought to know her. But how could he possibly know an alien?

While Chen Hao’s mind whirled with wild thoughts, the gap between pursuers and pursued was rapidly closing. Perhaps because the alien girl was hauling his not-insignificant weight, she couldn’t match the speed of the five “Harry Potters” on their brooms.

“They’re catching up!” Chen Hao called out nervously. Truth be told, he didn’t know why he felt so anxious—perhaps it was the aggressiveness of the five that inspired a primal fear. In his subconscious, he already counted himself and the “alien” as allies…

“Where are you taking me?” he asked the girl holding him.

“You’ll know soon enough,” she replied, giving him a vague, open-ended answer.

Chen Hao could only sigh. For now, his freedom was entirely in her hands—he could only let her carry him wherever she wished. After the initial nervousness, he found himself rather enjoying the sensation of flying through the air. After all, not everyone had the chance to be tightly embraced by a dreamlike beauty while soaring through the sky. And the girl was holding him so firmly that he could feel her heartbeat and the rhythm of her pulse—she even exuded a uniquely alluring fragrance. Chen Hao couldn’t help but take several deep breaths, like an old smoker who, after a long abstinence, suddenly catches a whiff of tobacco.

His little indulgence did not escape her notice. “You can smell all you want later, once we’re safe. For now, hang on tight!”

“Uh?” Embarrassed at being caught, Chen Hao was then presented with a request that made his heart skip a beat. Who could refuse an opportunity like this? Guided by his own principles, he immediately wrapped his arms tightly around her in return.

During their flight, because of his weight, Chen Hao had been gradually slipping downward, so he was positioned slightly lower than the girl. Now, by hugging her, he pressed his face directly against her chest.

This, in truth, was unintentional. Chen Hao half-expected her to be furious, but she seemed oblivious, focused solely on flying.

Just as Chen Hao was about to apologize, the girl abruptly changed direction. He felt his body drop as she swooped lower, as though trying to dodge something. Then, he noticed her make a small, seemingly insignificant gesture with her hand, though its meaning was lost on him.

The five men in pursuit noticed her sudden maneuver and likewise dropped their altitude. Perhaps suspicious of her evasive action, they proceeded with newfound caution as they entered the area she had just passed through.

They watched the trees warily, expecting some trap. From past experience, they knew these so-called native NPCs sometimes strung invisible wires in the branches, hoping to catch pursuers unawares.

As expected, the girl’s feint had its intended effect. Her sudden drop was merely a ploy, and the five scoffed, “Hmph! The same old tricks, over and over. Don’t they ever learn? NPCs are NPCs—no matter how smart they seem, they’re still fools. Such tricks don’t work on us.”

Their mockery was loud enough for even Chen Hao to hear. He couldn’t help but mutter, “First Harry Potter, now Saint Seiya? Give me a break! And what do they mean by ‘NPC’? Are they talking about you?”

The girl shook her head, “I’ll explain later. It’s more complicated than you think.”

Chen Hao shrugged. “Alright, just curious, that’s all. And it seems they saw through your trap. Any other ideas?”

He lowered his voice, and since his back was to their pursuers, the five men remained unaware of his words.

The girl smiled. “That trap? That was only bait. The real one’s up ahead.”

“Huh?” Chen Hao was taken aback. This girl was evidently not as simple as she seemed. In fact, during the flight, Chen Hao had begun to piece together a few things, most importantly her identity. Though he hadn’t yet worked it out in detail, he was certain of one thing: there was no way she was an alien.

If she truly were an alien, she wouldn’t be so friendly. Even if not hostile to humans, she wouldn’t be so eager to get close. And what alien would speak the local language so fluently? Moreover, the five in pursuit had talked about cleaning up data and NPCs—this gave Chen Hao a bold, even wild, idea: had he somehow entered a game world?

And the only game that could be so realistic, so indistinguishable from reality, had to be the virtual world!

But just moments ago, he’d been at a restaurant, and hadn’t put on any game sensors. Plus, the game was still in post-virus repair, and not yet open to the public. So how had he gotten in? And why did his in-game character look nothing like this?

Noticing Chen Hao lost in thought, the girl grew a bit curious. She came to a halt, her wings gently fanning as she hovered in midair, holding him, for the way ahead was blocked…