High Energy QR Code
Chapter 28: Fly
Even if it was Xing Ye, he also couldn’t help but sigh when he saw the mirror’s abilities. Indeed, life was simply too unfair.
There were people who would be born with a preposterously happy life laid out for them and others who had to struggle through every single day only to get nothing in the end.
He thought that his starting abilities were already pretty special, but the mirror’s starting abilities were just ridiculous.
A passive discerning skill that could easily see through even a magical cloaking pill, which took 49 days in a sea of flames to concoct, for free? Little mirror’s Truth Eye was an amazing ability.
“I didn’t bring you out so how’d you use Truth Eye? Don’t you have to be able to see to use the skill?” Xing Ye asked.
“I knew from experience, not because of the skill. It was clear that something was wrong from your voice.” The mirror said proudly, “With how much you always love to act all wise and calm, you’d never speak with such emotion and reveal your mood like that. When I heard how agitated your voice was earlier, I knew there was a problem.”
Xing Ye was speechless.
This was the first time somebody said he loved to act all wise and calm right to his face. He always thought that it was called being smart and not revealing your emotions right on your face. Yet, why did it sound so embarrassing when the mirror said it?
Whatever. Since the mirror did wake him up, he’ll just excuse his blabbing.
“Why didn’t you tell me what starting abilities you had earlier?” Xing Ye didn’t understand.
“I wanted to but I couldn’t.” The mirror was also confused, “I wonder why I can now.”
Xing Ye suddenly remembered something and fished out his phone, going to the prop’s page to look at the mirror’s profile. His assessment had turned into two stars, from “just a little better than trash” into “it’s pretty useful.”
There was also an extra line under the summary.
Intimacy Points: 15 (The lowest value between the two parties’ feelings for one another). At this stage, you two can show off your relationship. You two are about as close as drinking buddies.
Earlier, their intimacy value was at 5 and couldn’t do anything. Now that it’s up to 15, the mirror’s starting abilities were unlocked.
The only thing that could’ve influenced their feelings towards one another between 5 to 15 points was when the mirror woke Xing Ye up from Ms. Li’s control earlier. So… was this intimacy value his feelings towards the mirror, or the mirror’s feelings towards him?
If it wasn’t for the numerical value the system gave, Xing Ye would’ve thought that he was actually pretty fond of the mirror. It’d probably be… at least 60 points? However, the number on the screen was just 15.
So then, was it his fault? From the start, he was the one who had always guarded himself and never opened up to the mirror. However, the system seems to be deliberately luring him and the mirror to be closer. There had to be a trap, but should he just let it be for the mirror’s skills? Xing Ye asked himself but couldn’t obtain an answer.
“Oh right, when you used me to see who was patting you earlier, I couldn’t use the skill. Now, my Truth Eye seems to have been unlocked. If you open me up next time, I’ll be able to see the spirit patting your back. You have to keep me open frequently.”
“Aren’t you afraid of ghosts?” Xing Ye’s memory was very good and still remembered how in the last world, the bugs scared the mirror so much that the mirror just incoherently buried himself in his bosom.
“Of course I’m afraid. Nobody likes to see a ghoul dripping in blood! Even in horror movies, although I know they’re fake, it’s still enough to give me nightmares for days.” The mirror’s voice held a slight tremble, “But what can I do, I have to get through it.”
It sounded like he was about to cry.
The mirror’s voice shook as he continued, “If you want me to see it, you have to beg me. I won’t unless you beg me!”
Xing Ye had just been thinking about keeping his distance from the mirror and trying to stop himself from growing any fonder of him. However, when he heard the mirror’s words, he couldn’t help but laugh. “I won’t beg you.”
“You’re terrible! You want me to work but won’t even say anything good to me!” The mirror was furious and felt wronged.
“Since you’re scared, I won’t make you look.” Xing Ye comforted him, “This task doesn’t necessarily need a discerning skill to clear it. It’s fine as long as I find the mission prop. You don’t have to force yourself.”
“Really?” The mirror sounded a little happier again.
“Really.” A sliver of warmth unconsciously threaded its way into Xing Ye’s voice. The mirror truly was a simple and honest person. Although he couldn’t see the mirror’s expression, it was enough to make him at ease.
“T-Then when you want to use my abilities, you have to beg me properly and maybe I’ll be generous and help you.” The mirror said awkwardly.
Xing Ye pondered for a little before suddenly speaking, “If only this was a girl’s body. Then I could bring you out frequently to fix my makeup and carry you around properly, instead of always having to keep you stuffed in my pocket.”
“It’s fine, better than somebody discovering me and stealing me away, thinking I’m a converted prop type special QR code. You’re too weak.” The mirror’s voice sounded a little scared.
“I’ll work hard to get stronger.” Xing Ye promised.
Xing Ye chatted with the mirror until he fell asleep. He rarely slept so well. Even when the alarm rang, he was still in a daze, subconsciously sleep talking “Please turn off your phones in a meeting.”
That was, until the mirror spoke coldly, “Your drool’s almost about to drop on me, please wipe your face.”
Then Xing Ye suddenly sobered up and hurried to wipe his mouth. There was actually nothing, just the mirror making trouble.
He got up and changed into a clean set of athletic wear before tossing the mirror into his pocket so he was hidden.
There might be a difficult battle tonight.
Cao Qian was already waiting for Xing Ye by the office building, raising a brow when she saw him arrive. “It’s just the two of us? Didn’t you say there was another companion earlier?”
“There is another, but I don’t trust him much.” Xing Ye said, “If you found a special QR code right after forming an alliance with me, would you take it for yourself or give it to me?”
Cao Qian rolled her eyes, “Why would I give it to you? What relationship do we have that would make me want to give you such an advantage?”
Xing Ye: “Don’t take it as a threat or anything. If you had five QR codes and I don’t have any, would you give me it? On the premise that you found the QR code.”
“No!” Cao Qian touched her waist where her Hundred Shot Gun was holstered. “I’m stingy, don’t even think about trying to get anything from me. When it comes to things that can save your life, there’s never too much.”
“I agree. Then how about if somebody would give you the QR code?”
“A great person!” Cao Qian said, “But I’d owe him one and have to repay him as soon as possible.”
So she was actually a girl with a strong sense of righteousness. Xing Ye secretly nodded: “I’d think differently. My first reaction would be to think, is this a sugar coated bomb? Perhaps they’re trying to act friendly so I’d lower my guard before taking the chance to attack me. When I ascertain they hold no malice, I’d think that they’re trying to make me owe them so if something happens, I’d throw in everything to help.”
Cao Qian was dazed: “Your way of thinking is really pessimistic.”
He couldn’t help it. In his whole life, he only ran into these two situations. Never had it really been a case of pure goodwill.
Even if there was some goodwill involved, it’d still just be using case two to make him indebted.
It was late at night so the office building was locked. Cao Qian was just hesitating over whether she should break the door open when a cold wind blew and the lock automatically opened.
“It looks like breaking the piano was the right course of action. It’s saved us a lot of trouble.” Xing Ye and Cao Qian walked into the office building.
It was clearly summer, but the gusts of cool wind that kept sweeping through the building gave an uneasy feeling. Even a powerful fighter type like Cao Qian couldn’t help but rub her arms, finding it eerily cold.
In the whole building, only the prep room’s lights were on. The door was loosely closed, as if inviting them to enter.
Xing Ye politely knocked on the door and a male teacher opened it, asking: “Anything you need?”
“Some weird stuff has been happening to me lately. The headmaster told me to find you and said that you'd be able to help.” Xing Ye said.
The male teacher had a square face with average features and frowned when he heard Xing Ye’s words. “It’s too late, why don’t you guys come back tomorrow.”
Xing Ye glanced at his phone and saw it was 11:59. Of course he couldn’t go- he specially chose to come here at night to see if this prep room was the room 404 in the seven legends.
The male teacher moved to push them out. Xing Ye shared a look with Cao Qian, who pushed the teacher aside. Her strength was frightening, causing the male teacher who had been pushed all the way from the door to the bed to cry out in fear: “What are you doing! Hurry up and go back, or-”
Before he could finish speaking, the clock struck twelve and a new day had begun. The male teacher fell askew for a few moments before his eyes suddenly opened, and he charged out madly. Xing Ye and Cao Qian immediately chased after him.
His speed was terrifyingly fast. Furthermore, his way his limbs moved were like a zombie’s, the joints at weird, crooked angles as he ran.
Fortunately, Cao Qian was nimble, with strength and agility several times higher than this reality’s world record holder. Thus, she could easily keep up with the male teacher’s speed.
Xing Ye was a little slower but luckily, he and Cao Qian kept in touch. Every corner, Cao Qian would always tell Xing Ye where to turn.
The male teacher ran and ran until he reached the flowerbeds in the middle of the campus. He was like a dog, sniffing back and forth.
After a few minutes, he seemed to have finally found the spot he was looking for and started digging with his bare hands. After digging for thirty minutes, he finally dug something out from the bottom of the flowerbed and held in his hands with an eerie smile.
Xing Ye and Cao Qian hid behind a tree, watching the male teacher.
They originally thought he had dug out something like a skull, but the closer it was to the new moon, the harder it was for them to see anything. But since he tucked it into his pocket, it should be something very small.
Under these circumstances, the mirror was also useless. Truth Eye could only be used if the mirror could see, which wasn’t possible with how dark it was.
The male teacher filled the hole back up before running to the garden behind the campus dining hall. He found an inconspicuous corner and started to dig.
After another half hour of digging, he put the item inside, filled back up the hole, and continued to laugh eerily.
Once he was done laughing, the male teacher ran back to the office and washed the dirt off his face, clothes, and hands- everything except the dirt crusted under his fingernails.
So that’s why the person living in room 404 would wake up everyday to find his nails caked in mud.
Every night, he would run somewhere to dig something up and put it somewhere else, making his hands dirty.
This was the first time they’ve gotten something substantive since the mission’s started. They had to dig it out immediately.
Xing Ye went back to the dining hall’s garden. Xing Ye stood alert while Cao Qian dug.
When he saw Cao Qian was completely focused on digging, Xing Ye quietly took the mirror out and had him check the surroundings to make sure there wasn’t anybody watching them.
Cao Qian was very fast. What took the male teacher half an hour to dig, only took her five minutes to uncover it.
“I wouldn’t be able to figure out anything with this so I’ll give it to you. You can finish the task earlier.” Cao Qian directly handed the little thing to Xing Ye.
Xing Ye used the flashlight on his phone to look at it. Sure enough, he was right.
That male teacher was the Fly.
The author has something to say:
Since many of you guys don’t know what robin, sparrow, and fly means, here’s the rhyme.
Who killed Cock Robin?
I, said the Sparrow,
with my bow and arrow,
I killed Cock Robin.
Who saw him die?
I, said the Fly,
with my little eye,
I saw him die.
Who caught his blood?
I, said the Fish,
with my little dish,
I caught his blood.
Who’ll make the shroud?
I, said the Beetle,
with my thread and needle,
I’ll make the shroud.
Who’ll dig his grave?
I, said the Owl,
with my little trowel,
I’ll dig his grave.
Who’ll be the parson?
I, said the Rook,
with my little book,
I’ll be the parson.
Who’ll be the clerk?
I, said the Lark,
if it’s not in the dark,
I’ll be the clerk.
Who’ll carry the link?
I, said the Linnet,
I’ll fetch it in a minute,
I’ll carry the link.
Who’ll be chief mourner?
I, said the Dove,
I mourn for my love,
I’ll be chief mourner.
Who’ll carry the coffin?
I, said the Kite,
if it’s not through the night,
I’ll carry the coffin.
Who’ll bear the pall?
We, said the Wren,
both the cock and the hen,
We’ll bear the pall.
Who’ll sing a psalm?
I, said the Thrush,
as she sat on a bush,
I’ll sing a psalm.
Who’ll toll the bell?
I said the Bull,
because I can pull,
I’ll toll the bell.
All the birds of the air
fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
when they heard the bell toll
for poor Cock Robin.
Who killed Cock Robin?
I, said the Sparrow,
with my bow and arrow,
I killed Cock Robin.
Who saw him die?
I, said the Fly,
with my little eye,
I saw him die.
Who caught his blood?
I, said the Fish,
with my little dish,
I caught his blood.
Who’ll make the shroud?
I, said the Beetle,
with my thread and needle,
I’ll make the shroud.
Who’ll dig his grave?
I, said the Owl,
with my little trowel,
I’ll dig his grave.
Who’ll be the parson?
I, said the Rook,
with my little book,
I’ll be the parson.
Who’ll be the clerk?
I, said the Lark,
if it’s not in the dark,
I’ll be the clerk.
Who’ll carry the link?
I, said the Linnet,
I’ll fetch it in a minute,
I’ll carry the link.
Who’ll be chief mourner?
I, said the Dove,
I mourn for my love,
I’ll be chief mourner.
Who’ll carry the coffin?
I, said the Kite,
if it’s not through the night,
I’ll carry the coffin.
Who’ll bear the pall?
We, said the Wren,
both the cock and the hen,
We’ll bear the pall.
Who’ll sing a psalm?
I, said the Thrush,
as she sat on a bush,
I’ll sing a psalm.
Who’ll toll the bell?
I said the Bull,
because I can pull,
I’ll toll the bell.
All the birds of the air
fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
when they heard the bell toll
for poor Cock Robin.