My love game with them that will lead to certain death

At the same time, lowering expectations appropriately is also one of the ways to reduce the probability of disappointment in interpersonal communication.

If you don't have unwarranted expectations, you won't be disappointed. If you don't fantasize about the glory after success, you won't be secretly disappointed after getting unsatisfactory results.

That is why, when unexpected feedback suddenly appears in his life, the unexpected surprise becomes particularly precious.

During the ten-minute break between classes, Toru Narumi looked at the fan song "Facing the Shooting Stars Passing Through the Day" which had over 300,000 views on the Guitar Hero channel. He also checked the backend reading volume of the forum post which had exceeded 500,000 and couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

"Who is this guitar hero?"

If Ms. Kashiwagi Eri is a special helper invited by a kind-hearted netizen, then who is this guitar hero who looks timid but actually has amazing guitar skills?

No, does the simulation reward entry have a lucky bonus?

The system voice that usually responds to his questions has not appeared for at least a week or two. Could it be that this thing works one day and rests for a month?

"With such good treatment, can you let the system go off work so I can go to work?"

[You even want to take away the system's job, who on earth are you? 】

Sure enough, this is how it will appear.

[Using such a low-level provocation to force me to go to work is really too much. 】

Oh, I'm just considering your perfect attendance bonus. After all, I'm not a devil.

[But it is indeed time to communicate with you - the second simulation has reached the starting stage, and you need to be prepared. ]

"This time, at least tell me who the key person is, what the goal is, and when to start."

[If that's the case, there won't be any sense of surprise. I will naturally introduce some basic information to you during the simulation. Please rest assured that we are very considerate of the customer experience. ]

Explain what a fucking surprise is.

Ming Hai curled his lips, somewhat uninterested.

Although he seems to be the kind of lazy person who doesn't care about anything, he also has very clear things he hates - things that are beyond his control.

But at the same time, he also has a strong curiosity about things that he cannot explore, and may also be a little afraid. But it doesn't matter, Ming Hai has never been able to tell the difference between the two, and he will try to get close to anything that arouses his interest.

This is why he was anxiously worried that the simulation would exceed his expectations, but at the same time he was secretly looking forward to it -

What kind of role will you play in this story?

With a yearning for the next simulation in mind, Ming Hai shifted his energy to his existing daily life.

Hayato Hayama came to his house on time after school, wanting to discuss with him how to catch the culprit behind the scenes. The other members of the Servant Club decided to place themselves undercover in the social circles of the three suspects to obtain information, but Ming Hai had no intention of doing so at all.

"There's no need for that. Even if you knew who the real identity was, Ye Shan would be reluctant to break the façade of peace."

Ming Hai exposed Ye Shan's character in an exceptionally calm tone. He was a little unhappy, but that was all.

"Since the criminal's motive is to "not be excluded" and to become a member of your group, Hayama-san - then as the center of the vortex, you should take the initiative to end it."

"you mean……?"

"If the three-person group wants to eliminate the fourth person, then the most blameless person should voluntarily withdraw. This way, the three suspects will no longer have a motive to commit the crime."

Ming Hai snapped his fingers and stuffed a candy in his mouth while enjoying Ye Shan's dilemma expression.

"What I mean is that you have to be the bad guy, good guy classmate."

"I... don't know how to start. They'll definitely notice that I noticed something..."

"Is it so difficult to be a bad guy?"

The curly-haired boy raised an eyebrow. Ye Shan, who had a hard time showing even a serious attitude, was undoubtedly a good person - or at least he wanted everyone to think he was a good person.

"Just like what Yukinoshita said, just think of it as a role-playing game. Got it? In order to adjust your personality to suit the environment, and to limit your moral values ​​according to the role setting..."

"It sounds like you have a lot of experience being a villain, Narumi-kun."

Ye Shan's sudden exclamation made the talkative boy pause.

"I... just feel resistance because it goes against my personal emotions and makes me feel uncomfortable. Why can you say these words so nonchalantly... as if you can complete the task without any personal emotions involved?"

Ye Shan rubbed his face weakly. He seemed to have accidentally glimpsed the dark side of Ming Hai's character.

And seemed a little unhappy about it.

"If you were in my position now... could you really do what you said?"

Why should he feel unhappy...?

"…What if it's not the same?"

Isn't it true that suggestions are made to others only when you are able to do it yourself?

"...I understand. In that case, I will do as you say."

Ye Shan said no more and politely ended the topic he didn't want to continue.

"But...I really hope that you can find something that you can hold on to and won't waver, Narumi-kun."

Looking at his departing back, Ming Hai was a little confused, but he still stuffed a candy into his mouth.

Even if you get the bad guy card, you should accept this identity with an attitude of exploration rather than resistance.

Isn’t it also one of the ways that gamers can experience the diversity of games?

Anyway, life is just a multiplayer online game on Earth.

Chapter 17: The Bassist's Bad Personality

"I've been feeling more and more that life is full of countless possibilities."

Since there is a possibility of becoming a novelist like Toru Narumi, then perhaps there is also a possibility of becoming like Eri Kashiwagi or "Guitar Hero".

“Even though the unknown possibilities are scary, there’s also beauty in them—sometimes I feel like that’s part of the reason we all wake up in the morning.”

"Well, maybe there is also a parallel world where Xiao Hai becomes a stray cat."

"Hey."

In the evening in Shimokitazawa, a curly-haired boy stood in front of a vending machine and took out two cans of drinks. He curled his lips and looked with disdain at the short-haired girl behind him who stretched out her hands obediently waiting for food. He was clearly seriously expressing his true thoughts just now, but the atmosphere was ruined by this girl's unreasonable words.

And no matter how you look at it, this shameless guy begging for food in front of you looks more like a cat, the kind of cow cat that relies on its cuteness to do all kinds of evil.

"If I were the first cat to go to your house and cause a big fuss, I'd do it."

"Okay, I can adopt a cat for free and save some money, yeah."

Yamada Ryo smiled and made a "yeah" gesture, although his dull eyes did not seem to show any emotion.

"But Xiao Hai's chance of becoming a cat is not as high as his chance of becoming a bassist in a band, so let's rule out this possibility first - come and become a bassist with me!"

"Hey, it seems like there's usually only one bassist in a band. You want me to take a spot from you? Seriously?"

"Then sign a contract with me to learn how to play the bass. One day, we'll fill up the halls!"

"There have been so many jokes since just now that I don't know where to start. As compensation, Yamada, your drink is mine."

"Ah——Cunning Sea...!"

"What are you saying? I paid for your money."

Ming Hai nimbly dodged the attack from Miss Yamada Ryo who was trying to snatch the can of coffee back, and the two of them walked towards the basement venue of the livehouse, one in front of the other.

"Are you really not going to consider it, Xiao Hai? I can teach you how to play the bass - and as a reward, you just need to treat me to a meal. That's pretty conscientious, isn't it?"

"I knew this was what you were after. Are all of you bassists so hard to describe?"

When Yamada Ryo's rehearsal has not yet begun and Ming Hai Toru's work time has not yet started, the two of them would occasionally come out like this to relax and spend time together.

Ms. Yamada Ryo, who always arrives at the rehearsal room on time (and sometimes even oversleeps), always arrives ten minutes early on the days when the boys are on duty. Although this is not well known, if her good friend Ijichi Kouka heard it, she would definitely explain it with a gentle smile.

"That guy Liang just wanted to play with his friends for a while longer."

The curly-haired boy, who had finished almost half of the can of coffee, walked in front and arrived at the iron gate outside the venue in two steps.

“Speaking of which…I recently discovered a very valuable music creation blogger.”

"Oh? How talented are you? Let me hear it."

"Yes, it's a masked girl named "Guitar Hero" on YouTube. I saw her latest fan song on the homepage. I wonder if you have heard it, Yamada."

"Hmm... I don't remember."

Yes, even though Yamada is also a musician, he may not have heard of the hidden "Guitar Hero".

"So, how talented is she? Xiaohai, do you admire her guitar skills?"

"Ms. Yamada, I'm tone-deaf. It doesn't matter whether you like it or not. Besides, I've already told you the blogger's name, so go listen for yourself."

Because Ming Hai was a student who worked part-time after school, he always came to work earlier than other employees, so Boss Ijichi also told him the password of the electronic lock of the venue's gate.

After drinking the coffee, the boy felt much more energetic. He stretched his shoulders, put the can on the step beside him, and reached out to press the first number of the combination lock.

Along with the sound of dripping, another sound that he had not expected suddenly rang out.

[Start throwing attribute——Throwing completed. 】

………What?

Even though his brain went blank at that moment, Ming Hai couldn't stop himself from subconsciously touching the next number.

Although it was announced before, the simulation starts now?

It was still a beeping sound, still the sound of the system launching a surprise attack.

[Family environment: Just like playing Rebirth Simulator, there is a high probability of reincarnation in Africa, divorced families are also a common family combination in this land. Your background this time is not much better than last time, but fortunately, your father who has no job, drinks all day and beats his wife and children ran away with the money before you can remember - well, this should be called lucky. ]

It's made so real in the simulation, it's a bit of black humor, system man.

[Misfortunes never come singly: Unfortunately, you are not a child favored by the goddess of luck. You will not meet a noble person who will support you, or you will achieve a class leap with the help of an opportunity, or you will win the first prize by buying a lottery ticket out of nothing - all of the above events will not happen to you. ]

[Average aptitude: Not a genius who will make a big splash, nor a fool who is destined to accomplish nothing. Being an ordinary and free person should be the most carefree and leisurely life. But if you have a vision beyond your ability, the experience of having high expectations but low skills may make you particularly painful. ]

"I'm really impressed. Is it because I have bad luck or is it because your simulation game doesn't have many positive entries at all?"

【Perseverance: As the saying goes, hard work can make up for one's shortcomings, and God rewards hard work. Although sometimes the cruel reality is not so, you believe that the results of hard work will always be more abundant than never working at all. 】

Indeed, working hard is not a reason to not do it if you foresee the result.

[You say one thing and mean another: Compared to your last emotional apathy, your personal emotions will be clearer and firmer this time - but you find it difficult to express them frankly. ]

"What, I'm the tsundere...?"

[Since you have already had a simulation experience, I will not repeat the tedious opening remarks. The above is the basic information of your simulation. In order to ensure that your experience is not terrible, I will still be there to serve you when you need help - but please note that this simulation will be different from the first time. ]

[You will definitely feel bored if the story is always the same and imagined, so I have arranged some hidden settings for you in this simulation. They will only appear and be recorded in the file when the story is advanced, and will not be explained to you clearly at the beginning. ]

"Briefly: Keep a sense of mystery. Like watching an ad to unlock a treasure chest... Wait, in that case, can I watch a 15-second ad to revive myself?"

[It's a pity that I also want to shorten my working hours, but it's not possible - and once you reach the death ending, the game is over. ]

It’s fine if you can read my mind, but why did you expose me...wait.

"The game ends when you reach the death ending...?"

Chapter 18 Is this reality or fantasy?

The system that is good at catching Ming Hai off guard appears again, which also indicates that the second simulation is just around the corner.

[Based on the experience of the last simulation, you are the kind of person who will trigger some secondary endings before hitting the perfect ending - this is a bit time-consuming for your experience and my work of collecting information, so I adjusted your ability this time. ]

Simply put, you can complete the game with one life.

[In this way, you will definitely be more motivated and try your best to achieve the "best ending"... While shortening the game process, it also reduces a lot of my workload. Thank you very much. 】

Hey, you just want to be lazy...!

[Also, please note that although staying in the simulation for too long is not harmful to your body in reality, it is not good for you mentally - I don't want these experiences to have an impact on your real life, so I will use additional hidden settings to help you speed up the game process. ]

Although it sounds very humane, I always feel that the method of implementation is a bit unexpected.

[Okay, the rest of the time is up to you to figure it out. I'll be there when you need me to explain. I wish you a pleasant second simulation experience.]

The moment the system's voice disappeared, Ming Hai finally came back to his senses from his trance-like state of concentration on the conversation in his head.

He had just returned to the entrance of the venue with Yamada Ryo in the sunset and glanced to the side - the can of coffee he had placed on the steps was long gone, and the environment that was originally illuminated by the orange-red sunset was now only illuminated by the pale light of the street lamps in the night.

After his vision gradually focused and he could see things clearly, Ming Hai turned his head. Yamada Ryo, who had been following him and looking around casually a second ago, disappeared as if he had evaporated from the face of the earth.

In other words, we have now entered the second simulation.