Chapter 362: Lucky Enough

After learning the whole story, Gu Yunxi logged into the game, still finding the whole thing utterly incredible.

He didn’t go looking for his cousin right away.

Instead, he asked the system in disbelief, "People in vegetative states can play this game?"

The system replied, "Did I ever say they couldn’t?"

"...He can’t even wake up in the real world, so how can he exist inside the game?"

The system said, "It’s high-tech. You wouldn’t understand even if I explained it."

Gu Yunxi: "..."

’What a robotic system!’

He immediately sent Gu Ping’an a message: [Brother, where are you? I just logged off to ask Brother Jia what’s going on.]

Gu Ping’an saw the message. A moment ago, Chen Miaomiao had given him a Mid-grade Spirit Stone to exchange for points, which was why he could now reply.

He saw the message and replied immediately: [I’m in the Sect area. What did my brother tell you?]

At first, he’d thought he had been transported into the game, but Gu Yunxi’s appearance made him realize that something extraordinary must have happened to him.

Chen Miaomiao had told him that every player could log off.

But he couldn’t.

When he tried to log off, he just appeared in a dark, chaotic void.

He was terrified, but thankfully the system was there to accompany him, telling him he didn’t need to log off.

But beyond that, Gu Ping’an knew nothing.

Because he was waiting for Gu Yunxi’s message, Gu Ping’an still hadn’t performed the Opening of his Spiritual Root.

Gu Yunxi replied quickly: [Don’t worry! I’m coming to find you!]

Gu Yunxi returned to the Sect. This location was now the Longevity Sect’s own, and their days of lodging with the Feique Sect were over.

Of course, they hadn’t abandoned the other location entirely.

’On the surface, it can still serve as a cover!’

Upon finding Gu Ping’an, Gu Yunxi rushed forward and wrapped him in a huge hug. "Brother, it’s so good to see you again!"

Gu Ping’an was a little dazed.

After all, Gu Yunxi’s in-game appearance was very different from his real-world one.

He didn’t recognize him at all.

But Gu Ping’an quickly came to his own conclusion. He had assumed he’d been transported here, so he figured the game’s system had generated a face for him using some of his real features, which would explain how Gu Yunxi recognized him.

Still confused, Gu Ping’an grabbed Gu Yunxi’s wrist, demanding to know more. "This is actually a game? You mean my older brother and our parents are still around?!"

He’d barely finished his sentence when Gu Yunxi smacked him lightly. "Brother, what are you talking about? Of course they are! Do you have any idea what happened to you in the real world? You were in a car accident and fell into a coma. You’ve been unconscious for three years!"

"Three years!"

Gu Ping’an’s body trembled. So he hadn’t been transported to another world after all.

Instead, he had been in a coma for three years in the real world.

Then he looked around, his expression one of utter shock. "I was only in a coma for three years, and Blue Star’s technology has already gotten this advanced?!"

They’ve already created full-dive VR games!

"Er..." Gu Yunxi considered how to explain the situation to Gu Ping’an. "It’s a long story."

Gu Ping’an replied, "Then give me the short version."

"..."

"Okay, to put it simply, a full-dive VR game suddenly appeared in Huaxia. It’s not in open beta yet, so we all had to scramble to get a spot. The game has a total of one thousand—no, actually less than a thousand now, since a few people have already been kicked out. Brother Jia is the one who got your spot. He was just trying his luck and didn’t actually expect to succeed. That’s why you’re here in the game."

"So, while you’re in a vegetative state in the real world, you’re alive and well here in the game!"

"..."

He understood all the words Gu Yunxi was saying, but processing the meaning was another story.

’What does he mean, a full-dive VR game just *appeared* in Huaxia?’

’What does he mean, his brother *snagged* a spot for him...?’

Seeing that Gu Ping’an was still in a daze, Gu Yunxi patted his shoulder. "Hey, brother, don’t overthink it. You’re already in the game, so just focus on playing. I’ll explain how it works. You need to cultivate properly. Have you done the Spirit Root Opening yet?"

Gu Ping’an shook his head.

"Then you should hurry and get your Spirit Root Opening done first. We can talk about everything else after. You can’t make any progress in this game without a Spirit Root."

Gu Yunxi urged Gu Ping’an to go through with the Spirit Root Opening.

Before he did, however, Gu Ping’an asked Gu Yunxi to pass a message on to his family.

After initiating the Spirit Root Opening, his vision went black, and he found himself back in that dark, empty void.

It was pitch black, with nothing in sight.

A powerful sense of unease washed over Gu Ping’an.

It would be fine if one were unconscious, but to be aware while in such a place was to naturally feel fear. Gu Ping’an immediately called out, "System! System, are you there?"

"I’m here, I’m here," the system replied.

Hearing the system’s voice, Gu Ping’an relaxed considerably.

He asked, "Why do I exist in this state? Can’t I log out?"

He was disappointed. ’If only I could wake up, I could return to the real world,’ he thought.

The system dropped a single sentence: "Your physical body is not yet sufficient to contain your soul."

Gu Ping’an still found it hard to understand. "What does that mean?"

The system replied, "It’s high-tech. You wouldn’t understand even if I explained it."

Gu Ping’an: "..."

The system added, "Don’t overthink it. You’re fortunate enough as it is. At least someone in the real world thought of a solution for you."

If his body had been left to atrophy for another two years, he might have simply passed away, let alone lasted long enough to enter the game world.

Gu Ping’an didn’t have many clear memories from his time in the real world, so the mere thought of being able to communicate with his family through his cousin was already an incredible stroke of good fortune.

「Meanwhile, in the real world.」

Now that Gu Ping’an was awake in the game, Gu Jia took Gu Yunxi’s advice and bought a dedicated gaming pod.

He was preparing to get his younger brother a better setup.

At the very least, it would make him more comfortable while he lay there.

Gu Jia breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Gu Yunxi was now in the game to act as a go-between.

It also sparked a great deal of curiosity in him about the game.

’How was such a miraculous game even possible?’

He had been so busy with his career that he rarely paid attention to this sort of thing, though he was vaguely aware that the game had been causing a huge stir.

Otherwise, he never would have had the sudden whim to try and get a game slot for Gu An.

Now that Gu An was awake, he himself was starting to have thoughts of entering the game.

Unfortunately, with so many slots released this time around, there was no telling when the next batch would be available.

After Gu Yunxi logged off and gave him the confirmation he was waiting for, Gu Jia returned to the Gu Family home. He hadn’t slept a wink, but he was in high spirits.

He got home early, and his father was already awake.

His mother’s mental state had been poor in recent years, and her sleep schedule was erratic.

Mr. Gu glanced at Gu Jia impassively. "Why are you home so early? Did you forget something?"

For once, Gu Jia was in a cheerful mood when he came home, not suppressed like usual. "Is Mom awake?"

"Your mother just fell asleep. Don’t go and wake her if it’s not important."

Gu Jia said, "My brother is awake."

Mr. Gu shot to his feet. "I’ll go wake her!"