Chapter 86: The Novice Period Ends! Returning to the Real World, His Sister Finally Sees Him Come Home Safely!

Chapter 86: Chapter 86: The Novice Period Ends! Returning to the Real World, His Sister Finally Sees Him Come Home Safely!

The instant his consciousness was forcibly pulled out of Godfall Battlefield, John’s vision went black.

He had no idea how long the sensation of weightlessness lasted before his five senses gradually returned.

The rumbling of industrial machinery came from outside, while the musty smell of the room filled his nostrils.

John opened his eyes.

He stared at the ceiling for a long time, his thoughts slowly returning to him.

"So... I’m back."

Just then, a faint sound of something falling came from the living room.

John immediately got up and quietly pushed open the door.

Darcy was curled up on the sofa, her petite body folded into a tight ball, her knees almost touching her chin.

Perhaps because she’d only just returned from work, she was still wearing her gray work uniform. Her sleeves were rolled up to the middle of her forearms, exposing skin that had turned red and wrinkled after being soaked in a highly alkaline solution.

A cushion had been knocked off the sofa and fallen underneath it.

The coffee table in front of her was covered with dishes.

There was herb-roasted chicken, garlic green beans, creamy mashed potatoes, and a large bowl of creamy corn soup.

She must have bought all of it specifically for him.

Life in the Lower City was already difficult enough, and even basic vegetables and fresh meat were exorbitantly expensive.

Most people usually survived on expired bread and unpleasant nutritional supplements just to maintain their strength.

Unless it was a major holiday or special occasion, nobody would spend money on fresh meat or eggs.

John stood there for several seconds.

Then he quietly walked over, picked up the old blanket draped over the armrest, unfolded it, and gently pulled it up over Darcy, starting from her feet.

The moment the blanket touched her shoulder, Darcy jolted awake.

Her hand shot out with a sharp slap.

"Johnny?!"

Her eyes weren’t even fully open yet, but she was already sitting upright. The blanket slipped down to her knees.

When she finally recognized the person standing in front of her, her entire body froze.

Then, in an instant, her eyes turned red.

"You’re back?"

Darcy had known that today was the scheduled end of the Novice Period. She had deliberately stayed home, waiting for John.

"Sis, I’m back."

Darcy immediately grabbed his arm and examined him from head to toe.

Her hands moved over his shoulders, arms, and cheeks, as though she needed to make sure every part of him was still intact.

"Are you hurt? Was it dangerous over there? Did anyone bully you?"

The questions came one after another, her voice growing more anxious with every word.

"I heard they shortened this Novice Period to seven days. So many people died, and that alliance was wiped out, too. It’s been all over the news every day. I..."

"No, no."

John quickly took hold of her hands.

"I’m perfectly fine. Not a single injury. I’ve been eating well and sleeping well."

Darcy didn’t believe him.

She carefully examined him again.

John let her do as she pleased, then smiled and turned around once.

"See? I’m really fine."

For some reason, the scene felt strangely familiar.

It reminded him of the way Ophelia fussed over Vira.

Of course, Darcy had no idea what he was thinking.

Only after thoroughly checking him and confirming that he was completely unharmed did she finally relax.

She raised a hand and rubbed her eyes roughly.

"Even if you’re fine, you’ve still gotten thinner."

She muttered as she pinched his cheek.

"Your chin’s practically pointy now."

"Sis, you’re the one who’s gotten thinner."

John looked at the faint dark stubble along her jaw and the dark circles beneath her eyes. His heart ached.

"You haven’t been eating properly these past few days, have you?"

"No, I have."

Darcy lowered her head and glanced at the dishes on the coffee table, looking a little embarrassed.

"I was going to make sure you had a nice hot meal as soon as you got back. But I ended up falling asleep while waiting. The food’s all gone cold. I’ll go heat it up..."

"No need. We can eat it like this."

John dropped onto the little stool in front of the coffee table, picked up a fork, speared a piece of chicken, and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Delicious."

Darcy couldn’t help laughing at his antics.

She turned and went into the kitchen, returning with two bowls. Then she sat down and served herself some corn soup.

The siblings sat facing each other, eating their now-cold dinner and chatting casually, just as they used to.

"Johnny, while you were in there... have you ever heard of someone called Tyrant?"

Darcy asked curiously.

Now that she knew her little brother was safe, her curiosity had finally gotten the better of her.

After all, everywhere she went these days, whether at work or on the streets, people were talking about the same thing.

John’s fork paused for a moment.

"Yeah, I’ve heard of him."

"Everyone says he took out a huge number of players all by himself and got them eliminated. He’s certainly impressive."

Darcy frowned.

"But I think he’s also... incredibly dangerous."

As she spoke, she instinctively raised her right hand.

On the back of her hand, the faded grayish-white scar of an old mark stood out particularly clearly under the dim yellow light.

It was the brand of a loser, a mark that could never be erased.

"Johnny, I’m telling you this for a reason. I just don’t want you learning from that person."

"There’s no law and no humanity in that game. Even if you merely cross paths with someone like him, you could end up being targeted by others. I learned that the hard way."

Darcy spoke earnestly, making sure he understood every word.

She had wanted to tell him all this for a long time.

All she wanted was for John to stay safe.

As long as he could continue logging into the game and accumulating resources, their lives would eventually get better.

That was all she wanted.

John fell silent for a moment, trying to defend Tyrant.

"Sis, actually, I..."

"Let me finish."

Darcy interrupted him.

"I know you might think your sister is timid and afraid of everything. But think about Mom and Dad. Think about our family. You’re the only family I have left."

"And dying in that game doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll simply get kicked out. You could be completely annihilated instead. Just look at that supposedly powerful young master of the Judgment Alliance. Even he’s disappeared without a trace. So don’t take that kind of risk."

"From now on, just keep your head down and stay safe in the game. Understand?"

John stared at Darcy for a long moment.

He could tell she was completely serious.

The words I’m Tyrant had been right on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them.

Although he had only just returned to the real world, he could already guess how many people were trying to uncover his true identity.

Besides, this place wasn’t exactly safe.

They were in the Lower City, after all.

If someone happened to overhear their conversation, the consequences could be fatal.

"Got it."

John obediently nodded.

"From now on, I’ll just stay in the safe zones and keep a low profile. I won’t provoke anyone."

Darcy seemed satisfied.

She picked up another piece of chicken and placed it in his bowl.

"Eat more."

...

After dinner, John helped Darcy clear the dishes and wash them.

When she was about to leave for her night shift at the underground water recycling plant, John grabbed her arm.

"Sis, don’t go tonight."

"If I don’t show up, they’ll deduct my wages..."

"I’ve obtained some resources."

John lowered his voice.

"Let’s go to the Resource Exchange Center."

...

The Lower City’s Resource Exchange Center was located inside an old shopping mall in District Seven.

All the original storefronts had been converted into exchange counters.

Several long queues stretched across the plaza outside the mall. They extended from the main entrance, turned across the road, and continued all the way to the entrance of the neighboring alley.

Most of the people waiting in line were Lords from the Lower City, each anxiously watching the queue ahead of them.

What had they struggled so hard for inside the game?

Wasn’t it all for this very moment, when they could finally bring their resources back to the real world and exchange them?

However, the value of currency had changed considerably compared with the past.

Ever since Godfall Battlefield descended, the world’s entire monetary system had completely collapsed.

Old-world banknotes, savings, and gold had all become worthless overnight.