Alice in the Land of Steam

When Lingge entered the door, a warm atmosphere was enveloping the Tianxin Church. However, it was neither the believers exchanging their understanding of the doctrine, nor the choir singing solemn prayers to God under the leadership of the nuns. The young man only saw figures surrounding a game console, discussing something enthusiastically. One said that your playing style was wrong, and the other said that I have my own understanding of the game; one said that your operation was too poor, and the other said that if you can do it, you can do it. The former was also unambiguous and was about to step forward. However, this attempt to force his way into the queue was eventually discovered, and he retreated in disgrace under the unanimous protest of his friends.

As for words like "game understanding", "operation", and "if you can do it, you can do it", there is no need to say more about where they learned them from.

Linger looked at one of the game consoles, where the most people were gathered. It was so crowded that he could hardly see what was going on inside. He could only hear the crackling of joysticks and buttons, which seemed to indicate a very intense battle. The young man walked a little closer and heard two familiar voices coming from the crowd:

"You can tie with me, not bad, Metien."

"Hey, it's all thanks to Sister Alice's good teaching."

"But this is just the introductory stage for beginners. If you want to become a true master of the game, you must be brave enough to face more difficult challenges. Metien, are you ready?"

"Well! Sister Alice, come over here!"

"Ah, then I'll choose the snake."

"Well, I'll choose this one... let's call her Kagura, what a strange name."

"Didn't we agree to switch players if we lose? Why do we always end up in a tie? Alice, can you please switch to me soon if you lose?" A little bat's voice came from the crowd again: "I'm going to control the guy named Iori Yagami. Don't you think his temperament is very similar to mine?"

Then there was a crazy laugh: “Hahahahaha…Ahahahahahahaha!”

"What a tasteless fellow." A certain goblin said disdainfully, "What's so fun about this kind of fighting game? It's better to play that, yes, that Tetris is so much fun!"

Obviously, as a peace-loving fairy traveler, Shemi does not quite agree with Leticia's preferences. Of course, it is also possible that he is simply competing with his old rival.

However, her words were like a pebble thrown into a pond, stirring up waves. The young men and women from the Ash Guerrilla, who were originally gathered around the game consoles, watching the wonderful operations of the two "game masters", could not help but start a heated discussion.

"Tetris is really fun. I feel like I can play it all day. But its name is weird. What is Russia? Is that the name of the blocks?"

"Contra is more fun, right? Although I've never seen the magic weapons in it, they feel much more powerful than the magic firearms of the cult alliance."

"No one is as good as Mario! Don't you know that Mitch and Katara are almost beating Mario?"

"What, is there such a thing? I asked him yesterday and he told me that it was still a long way off! I didn't expect he was lying to me, how despicable, Mitch!"

At this moment, in front of a game console in the corner, a blond boy had a determined sneer on his face: "What do you mean by mean? This is called tactics!"

His partner, Kadora, said weakly, "Well, I also think... it's a bit despicable, Mitch..."

"I already told you it's a tactic!" Mitch didn't expect his partner would betray him. His face turned red immediately. Although he still insisted on his original statement, his tone was not so firm. Obviously, he was not thick-skinned enough to abandon his conscience.

Kadora looked at the boy with sympathy and helplessness, thinking that Mitch had never lied to his companions before, because he particularly admired the upright and open-minded Lord Eagle of the Ash Hill. Since joining the Ash Guerrillas, he has been learning from him and imitating his every move. I didn't expect that this time he would break his own insistence in order to compete for the progress of a game. Obviously, he was the one who disdained the so-called game the most at the beginning, right? There seems to be no point in competing for who can pass the level faster in a virtual game, so why bother to be serious? What is going on in the boy's mind is really confusing.

Katara, who was more mature than her partner in some ways, couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

At this time, Sister Livia also came out of the kitchen with a plate of cut fruits, followed by Gloria with a serious face. She seemed not to notice the game room... I mean the warm atmosphere in the church, but was concentrating on the trays in her left and right hands. Each tray was filled with wooden barrel wine glasses used to receive guests in taverns, filled with drinks such as grape juice or sour plum juice, which were swaying back and forth with the steps of the gray-haired girl. Whenever there was a thrilling moment, Gloria would stop, open her eyes wide, and stare at the liquid in the glass nervously until it gradually calmed down and no longer looked like it was about to overflow from the brim of the glass. Then she let out a long sigh of relief, not noticing that she had been left far behind by Sister Livia.

"Everyone, take a break and eat some fruit."

Sister Livia greeted them warmly, and at the same time reminded a pink-haired girl who was in the middle of a fierce battle: "Metien, it's time for the sermon, right?"

"Ah, um, well, wait a minute, wait until I finish this round... or let's postpone it and settle it together with the next time!"

The settlement is here. What on earth do you usually play, Metien?
I asked you to lead their emotions, but you were too obsessed with it? Don't forget that preaching was your original purpose!
Why has our Tianxin Church become like this?

The young man looked at this happy scene and couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

At this time, Gloria finally put the juice on the two large trays intact on the table in the center of the game area. As for why there was a table here, I think there is no need to explain. She turned her head and saw Ling Ge standing there. She raised her hand and greeted him happily: "Ah, Ling Ge, you are here! Do you want some juice?"

Her voice startled the players who were immersed in the game. They all turned around and looked at the young man. When their eyes met the young man's gaze, they all showed a guilty and restrained look on their faces. Alice and Metien froze for a moment when they heard Ling'er's name. They subconsciously tapped the keys much more gently, as if they were afraid that the young man would notice them if they pressed too hard. Yes, even at this time, they still had no intention of giving up the game.

Linger looked around, his eyes sweeping over faces one by one. Except for Gloria, the instigator, everyone who met his gaze looked away guiltily, even Sister Livia was no exception. After all, as the only adult in Tianxin Church, she failed to stop everyone from indulging in games, but instead fueled the flames. She really failed her duty as a nun.

The air was filled with an awkward atmosphere. Only the flashing figures on the electronic screens of the machines that were still running were shouting out various meaningless names of moves with the click of the keys as the operators gently tapped them, making the church, which had suddenly become quiet, seem particularly noisy. The young man witnessed this scene and couldn't help but think of the time when he was a history teacher at St. Lowood National School. Every time he asked to check the children's homework, they seemed to have similar reactions. Can it be said that the me back then and the me now are not much different?

In fact, a lot has changed, right? Ling Ge smiled silently and said to everyone, "Then let's take a break and eat something."

At the same time, the picture on the screen of the game console that Alice and Metien were playing suddenly froze, accompanied by the fall of one of the characters and an extremely exaggerated victory sound effect.

"Ah, Sister Alice." The pink-haired girl opened her mouth slightly: "You seem to have... lost?"

Alice was silent for a moment, then turned around and glanced at the young man dimly: "It's Lingge, Lingge is distracting me."

Ling Ge: “…”

……

A few minutes later, a group of people sat around the table, sharing fruits and juices, eating and drinking together. It was so lively that at first glance, it looked like a banquet - provided that the church background and the game consoles that were still flashing images around were ignored. The cold light of the light blue screen combined with the gorgeous game screens turned into dancing neon lights, and the color composition was somewhat similar to the stained glass inlaid in the square windows of the church. Perhaps, the secular and the religious are always well combined in unexpected places.

Alice was still upset about her defeat. While sipping juice, she complained quietly that if Lingge hadn't suddenly barged in, she would have defeated Metien and won. However, considering that the game between Gloria and Metien was already full of dangers and embarrassing before Gloria opened her mouth, few people would believe this statement, and they couldn't help but look at the "game instructor" that Metien specially invited for everyone with a bit of suspicion.

In a week, they watched with their own eyes as Alice went from easily suppressing Metien to barely suppressing her, and now it was even harder to separate them. Even though the pink-haired girl had an extraordinary talent in the game, the shelf life of this "genius player" seemed to be a little short. It couldn't be that in another week, Metien would inherit the title of genius player, right?

Love guidance, can you really give us some guidance?

Of course, the doubters don’t know that long before this, a young man had already achieved a record of easily surpassing a genius player within ten games. He was a truly talented player. As for the young man’s sister, she was just at an average level.

This involves a profound philosophical concept, which is most likely related to the yet-to-be-discovered theory of relativity: if Metien is at a normal level, then what level should Alice be at?

The genius player said nothing, just lowered his head and sucked the juice, as if he mistook the sour plum juice in the cup for the hateful Linger, and vented his anger. Metien was very proud of the fact that she defeated the genius player, her face flushed with excitement and excitement. However, the young man actually wanted to tell her that your pride was unnecessary, after all, defeating a genius player was not a record with gold content.

Use her as a stepping stone and try to challenge your brother. Let me see if you have that kind of talent, Metien... I don't think so.

I was almost carried away by this atmosphere. It might also be influenced by Avella. She always likes to add some weird plots in her novels. I should remind her to delete them all next time. Lingge quietly wiped the cold sweat. Fortunately, he didn't say what he just thought. Finally, he maintained the image of a brother.

After getting rid of these messy thoughts, he cleared his throat with two coughs, and called his sister back from her excitement, and asked, "So, how is the missionary work going, Metien?"

"Uh!"

Metien's expression tightened, and his eyes could not help but wander: "This, that, the situation... the situation is of course very optimistic. I think everyone should have memorized the teachings of the goddess, and maybe they will soon become believers of the goddess, right, Mitch, Kadora?"

She looked for help, but the two people she mentioned silently looked away. Kadora thought that good children should not lie, and she and Metien had become friends, so she should think about her friend and let her learn a lesson. Mitch thought that only real warriors would not lie, so I would not lie either, but not because I was afraid of this guy or anything like that.

Well, they are still children after all, and the reactions of these two are so easy to guess, and their thoughts are almost written on their faces.

After failing to seek help, Metien lowered his head in frustration and disappointment, ready to face his brother's criticism. But Lingge was not very angry, just shook his head helplessly: "Metien, I don't object to you playing games. In fact, I think it's good that you can learn to play games with everyone instead of turning missionary work into a boring preaching campaign. However, as I said before, playing games should also be a combination of work and rest, not just indulge in it - in this way, I remember that you were not interested in games before, why are you suddenly addicted now?"

Could it be that time has changed not only me, but also my sister?
Lingge couldn't help but fall into deep thought again.

Of course, Metien has a reason for this issue, although that reason may make someone sad.

"Ah, this, that, because of the games we played before..." The pink-haired girl hesitated, and secretly glanced at someone, and found that she was concentrating on sucking juice, so she quickly repeated the reason, as if as long as she spoke fast enough, the other party would not hear it: "Because the games we played before were made by Sister Alice!"

So that makes sense.

Ling expressed his understanding.

Medien felt relieved when he got his brother's understanding.

The brother and sister smiled at each other, then seemed to sense something and turned back.

Just happened to meet a pair of unfriendly eyes.

"I'm so sorry that the game I made is so boring."

The genius player said with a wry smile. (End of this chapter)