God's Imitator

Everyone returned to the hall again.

Although some players were still busy exchanging ingredients from the vending machines for the evening gathering, clearly, with Zhou Guifen and Shen Xing’s departure, the community’s atmosphere had changed again.

The remaining people inevitably developed even more anxious emotions.

Some players had perhaps originally planned to leave in three to five days, but now realized they actually couldn’t wait that long either.

Zheng Jie was still studying the products on the vending machine, ”Can I take the things I buy with me?

”Should be possible, right?

”Because the clothes I’m wearing were all bought from the vending machine. The Gallery can’t possibly make me return to the real world naked and streak down the street, right?

”If I can take them, should I buy some expensive ’Gallery souvenirs’?

”If I buy the most expensive belt and wear it away, that should be fine, right?”

He continued agonizing in front of the vending machine over how exactly to spend his visa time....

The next morning, four players, Yang Hui, Li Jiang, Dai Yifan, and Yang Yuting, had already prepared to leave.

Last night, after Zhou Guifen and Shen Xing left, the remaining 9 players held another gathering.

Although the discount coupons were no longer valid, this gathering was even more lavish than the last one.

After all, everyone had already confirmed they couldn’t take visa time with them, so they simply deposited it into the luxury fund and spent it all.

No one wanted to consider the possibility of ’what if we come back,’ so keeping visa time would instead be somewhat inauspicious and make them feel uneasy.

However, this more lavish gathering, a true farewell dinner, didn’t have any particularly memorable moments.

In Zheng Jie’s words, it was like the last gathering of college roommates before graduation. Upon waking up, all the details were completely forgotten, leaving only some kind of complex feeling that was difficult to describe in words, lingering in the heart.

Li Renshu looked at Li Jiang and Yang Yuting, ”I thought you two would consider the question of ’whether to stay here’ a bit and make your decision later.”

Yang Yuting quietly sighed, ”I really did have that thought for a moment.

”Everyone knows I’m someone who enjoys trying new things. No matter how difficult, no matter whether I actually have the corresponding abilities, as long as I catch an opportunity, I’ll instinctively try it.

”I originally thought everyone was like this, but now I’ve discovered that people like me are actually a rare minority.

”This also causes me to often make misjudgments due to ’survivorship bias.’

Li Renshu nodded, ”But this is a good thing.

”Because you come from an affluent family and had a happy childhood. During your growth, you always received encouragement, so you were able to have this kind of personality.

”Some people heal their whole lives with their childhood, while others spend their whole lives healing their childhood. Obviously the former is happier.”

Yang Yuting continued, ”Brother Wang also praised me once. He said the reason he was optimistic about me was also because I had this quality.

”So I really did have a moment when I thought, ’Perhaps I can stay too.’

”I had a bit of expectation that if only I could become the strongest player or the strongest God’s Imitator.

”I actually had this thought before, when I was competing to be the game core, when I was playing games with everyone. In a trance, I had an illusion, as if I really possessed all this. That feeling... was quite wonderful.

”But when I thought of Lawyer Lin and Cai Zhiyuan’s final match, my illusion was harshly shattered.

”For the first time, I felt so clearly that there are indeed some things in this world that I could never accomplish no matter how hard I tried.

”Since that’s the case, I should just leave.

”The real world is simpler for me.”

Li Jiang nodded, ”Yes, my feelings are about the same.

”Actually in Community 13, I was also a player with a fairly strong presence. I cracked some games. Although I’m not good at particularly complex strategies, in judgment-type games that require courage and willpower, I still had some confidence.

”But...

”If I still have to face monsters at the level of Lawyer Lin and Cai Zhiyuan afterward, then forget it.”

Wei Yinzhang joked, ”Lawyer Lin’s conviction didn’t shatter, but instead both of your convictions shattered?”

Li Jiang and Yang Yuting also laughed.

”Yes, shattered into powder. However, with our level of belief, it can’t really be called a ’conviction,’ can it?”

Yang Hui and Dai Yifan also planned to leave, but Li Renshu didn’t ask much, because they were unlikely to be willing to stay here anyway.

Yang Hui said with some emotion, ”Li Jiang and I basically picked up the biggest bargain in the Gallery.

”Actually, we didn’t do anything. We just muddled our way into Community 17 in the ’Tarot Game,’ and then obtained the precious opportunity that strong players from other communities dreamed of and couldn’t obtain even with all their efforts.

”Just so simply escaped from the Gallery and returned to the real world, with no effort or cost other than the luck factor.

”I feel somewhat undeserving.”

Zheng Jie consoled, ”It’s fine. Everyone who plays games knows the saying ’playing well is not as good as queuing well.’ In the Gallery, luck is also a very important factor.”

Dai Yifan looked at Lin Sizhi and said with some hesitation, ”Brother Lin, actually I...”

Lin Sizhi interrupted him, ”What, confessing some things to me? Do you want me to design a judgment game targeting you?”

Dai Yifan was startled and quickly waved his hands, ”Of course not!”

Lin Sizhi patted his shoulder, ”Everyone has some secrets in their heart. The fact that you have the idea to confess voluntarily shows this isn’t any major problem.

”The Gallery has files on all of us and has identified different ’crimes’ for us, but not everyone necessarily has to experience a judgment game.

”Of course, if you decide to stay, as long as you stay long enough, your turn will eventually come.”

Dai Yifan quickly shook his head, ”Then I’d rather not!”

Zheng Jie sighed, ”What a pity. If Cai Zhiyuan had won, he most likely wouldn’t have chosen the third reward option. At that time, maybe you, Little Dai, could have risen in rank and gradually become the number two boss.”

Dai Yifan was momentarily speechless.

Finally, the four of them swiped their visa bracelets at the community entrance one by one. After waving goodbye to the others, they each left.

Only five people remained in the community: Wei Yinzhang, Li Renshu, Qin Yao, Zheng Jie, and Lin Sizhi.

Returning to the hall, Li Renshu casually sat down at the long table and looked around with some emotion.

”This is the first time I’ve felt that this place is actually so big, so empty.”