The Earth is Online

One year ago, tens of thousands of virtual black towers suddenly appeared around the world. The world’s major countries and organizations immediately created research groups to study these mysterious black towers. The public panicked but the black towers remained still. For a full half a year, they stayed above the Earth in a virtual form.

Researchers were unable to touch the black tower and couldn’t extract black tower related substances. They were able to find any evidence of the existence of the black towers, whether they used optical or sonic means. It was like a holographic projection. Humans could only see it with their eyes but they couldn’t touch it because it didn’t have a physical form.

This didn’t mean that humans didn’t try to study it during that six month period.

“Most people in the Internet think that the black towers are spaceships for aliens while a small number of people think it is a conspiracy by a great power. First, we can rule out the latter personality.” Tang Mo looked at Fu Wenduo and the latter didn’t refute it. It was obviously an agreement with his statement. Tang Mo continued, “Thus, only an alien product is left.”

The black towers were linked to aliens. Such comments were mainstream before the earth went online. However, no one could find reasonable evidence.

Once Tang Mo finished this sentence, he stopped talking and turned his attention to Fu Wenduo.

There was no sound in the quiet gas station, with only the evening wind hit the glass.

‘The last player who had this ability’, this sentence was too informative. Not only did it mean that a player once had this ability, the comment didn’t show clearly what happened to the last player. Were they dead or had they passed the black tower? It might mean something else that was special.

After a long silence, Fu Wensheng couldn’t help opening his mouth. “If it is really aliens… what will happen?”

The child tried to be as calm as possible when he said this. However, he still involuntarily looked out the window at the black tower floating in the distance above Beijing. No matter how he looked, the tower stood there silently and wouldn’t change.

“Nothing good.”

A low male voice was heard and Fu Wensheng immediately looked back at his brother.

Fu Wenduo spoke with a calm expression, “Whether the black tower is related to aliens or not, it came from somewhere. The most important thing for us at the moment is to live. Live, attack the tower and clear the instances. We will obtain more clues after clearing the instances and understand its true purpose.”

Fu Wensheng throat was blocked and he looked at Tang Mo. He thought that Tang Mo would say something else. Who would’ve expected Tang Mo to slowly smile? He went to the window and looked at the black tower. The he said the same thing as Fu Wenduo. “It really isn’t good. It doesn’t matter if the black tower is something that aliens put on Earth. Earth has become a game because the black tower went online. All we can do is win the game and live.”

There was a light drizzle outside the window. Fu Wensheng’s lips moved before he finally closed his mouth.

Yes, with the current information they had, they might speculate that the black tower was related to aliens but it was only a speculation that couldn’t be confirmed. The most important thing in front of them was to clear the black tower and live.

It was really tiring to rush to Beijing in the last two days. Fu Wensheng lay on the ground and soon fell asleep.

Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo didn’t sleep.

He said that the ‘truth of the black tower isn’t important’ to the child but Tang Mo frowned as he thought about all the information he had. He vaguely felt that the truth about the black tower might not be as simple as aliens. If it was really an alien, why would the other party drop the black towers onto the earth? What was in it for them?

If they wanted to capture Earth, they could kill the human race directly. The aliens who made a mysterious thing like the black tower definitely had the power to kill humans. Instead of doing that, they used the black towers and waited for humans to die from failing the games.

“…It can’t be like the movies where they are interested in watching humans play games and killing each other?” Tang Mo couldn’t help spitting out.

“Do you find it interesting?”

Tang Mo looked to the side.

Fu Wenduo sat down next to him. The two of them sat in a small office in the gas station. It was separated by a door so that they wouldn’t disturb the sleeping child.

Tang Mo replied, “It isn’t interesting. It is very boring.”

Fu Wenduo raised an eyebrow at this answer.

Tang Mo didn’t want to continue talking about this topic. They didn’t know the truth of the black tower. Everything was just speculation. He changed the topic. “Still, it is good that I saw your ability this time. Your ability is level 7.” Tang Mo recalled, “I have collected more than 20 types of abilities and yours is the only one that is level 7. The other highest level was level 5.”

A player’s ability level could improve but once it was collected in the abilities book, there was no way to upgrade it. Currently, the highest level ability that Tang Mo had collected with Bai Ruoyao’s Mortal’s Death, which was level 5.

“Have you seen a movie like this?”

Tang Mo was stunned for a moment. “Do you mean w movie where someone watches humans kill each other? I have seen a few, including the most famous ‘Saw’. Have you seen it?”

“I’ve heard about it.”

“That movie is about a villain who designs many games…”

Time passed. Tang Mo hadn’t expected Fu Wenduo to have not seen many movies. He had actually never seen Saw or other movies in the genre. In fact, Tang Mo didn’t like to watch these movies a lot. He preferred books over movies.

Tang Mo described a few similar movies to Fu Wenduo and in the end, Fu Wenduo said calmly, “If that’s the case, the black tower is just a game placed on Earth by aliens. According to the ending of these movies, humanity will be destroyed.”

Tang Mo smiled at this. He learned so fast that he even discovered the routine of Hollywood movies?

“Major Fu, how many floors of the black tower have you cleared?”

Fu Wenduo made a strange expression. “Two floors.”

Tang Mo nodded meaningfully. “That’s the case. Since you have reasoned out the final outcome of humanity, I thought you had cleared the seventh floor.”

Fu Wenduo was silent for a moment before saying, “Is this a childish counterattack for what I said before?”

Tang Mo didn’t expect this. He was stunned by the other person’s wild thinking and then immediately recalled what happened in the small warehouse. He was still embarrassed thinking about it. Tang Mo coughed and stopped talking.

Fu Wenduo seemed to be aware of his thoughts. His lips curled and he deliberately said, “I really do like men.”

“Cough, cough, cough…” Tang Mo almost choked on his own saliva. Tang Mo turned to look at Fu Wenduo.

Fu Wenduo was very calm, as if there wasn’t a problem with what he had just said. His dark eyes gazed at Tang Mo. “If a person who likes men is gay… then it seems that I am gay.” His eyes were sincere and it was clear that he was telling the truth.

Tang Mo was startled when he saw this indifferent and sincere appearance but then his heart gradually calmed down. He looked at this honest man in front of him and extended his hand. Fu Wenduo saw Tang Mo suddenly reach out his hand and didn’t understand. Then he saw the handsome young man smile. “What a coincidence, I am as well.”

Fu Wenduo’s heart thumped wildly at these words.

After a long time, Fu Wenduo also held out his hand. The two men shook hands.

Then Tang Mo had a thought. “By the way, please don’t mention this matter to Xiao Sheng. It was hard explaining to him that I was just copying your ability. If you mention this, he might misunderstand.”

Fu Wenduo didn’t want to let his brother know so much. “Yes, I won’t tell him.”

Fu Wensheng who was sleeping outside, “…”

Tang Mo wasn’t a person who liked to talk about his personal affairs. He had been in a team with Fu Wenduo for three months yet he only spoke his heart two times. One time he revealed his background and the other time was his sexual orientation. The latter was because Fu Wenduo had been candid with him so Tang Mo couldn’t hide it. Now that it was done, Tang Mo wasn’t going to say anything else. However, Fu Wenduo was very interested n his private affairs.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Tang MO, “…” this was exactly what his parents asked him when he came out of the closet!

Tang Mo calmly retorted, “Do you have one?”

Fu Wenduo, “…”

Why were the two single dogs hurting each other?

From the reaction of the single dog Fu Wenduo, Tang Mo guessed that this man never had a boyfriend and was likely to have not even talked about love. He remembered a famous new story on the Internet. If a man was a 25 year old virgin, he would become a magician who could use mana and cast magic.

Tang Mo was only 23 years old this year while Fu Wenduo was 26 years old. He wasn’t a magician yet but Fu Wenduo must be.

As he thought this, Tang Mo looked at Fu Wenduo with a type of ‘Comrade, work hard’ expression. Fu Wenduo thought he was still thinking about what happened in the small warehouse and said, “I’m sorry.”

Tang Mo was slightly startled. “Eh?” Why was the magician apologizing to him?

Fu Wenduo spoke in a sincere tone, “I got up to you.”

Got up?

What was up and what did it have to do with him?

It took Tang Mo a long time to understand what this meant. His face turned red and he instantly stood up. “I will go rest for a bit.” He didn’t give Fu Wenduo a chance to react as he turned and opened the door. He left the office and found a table to lie down on.

Fu Wenduo waited a moment and by the time his spirit recovered, Tang Mo had already gone. He looked at the young man lying on the table outside the office and smiled. His slender fingers touched his jaw as Fu Wenduo looked thoughtfully at Tang Mo, his mouth repeated the same words, “Tang Mo, Tang Mo, Tang Mo…”

“…Grinding Sugar.” (Grinding Sugar = Mo Tang i.e. Tang Mo backwards.)

“Is that you?”

Tang Mo didn’t think. He just wanted to avoid Fu Wenduo and find a place to take a break. Yet he actually fell asleep.

Early the next morning, the rain stopped and Tang Mo and Fu Wensheng woke up. The two of them didn’t see Fu Wenduo in the gas station so Tang Mo found the small warehouse. Fu Wenduo looked at him calmly and threw his cigarette onto the ground, stepping on it.

The trio started off again.

They moved according to Fu Wenduo’s planned route. In order to avoid the Tian Xuan headquarters, they had to take a detour through the Xicheng District to arrive in the Dongcheng District. Fu Wenduo drove along the road. Some vehicles had hit each other and were blocking the road. Tang Mo got out and pushed the abandoned cars away. They drove for five hours. Fu Wenduo was just about to turn into the Xicheng District when Tang Mo suddenly grabbed the steering wheel. “Wait!”

Fu Wenduo coldly observed the surroundings. “What’s the matter?”

Tang Mo closely looked around from the passenger seat. In the back seat, Fu Wensheng nervously straightened his body and carefully stared out the window. The car was still driving but it slowed down a lot. The car drove past a Wal-Mart and Tang Mo’s eyes were on the huge billboard before he suddenly said, “I found it! It’s here!”

Fu Wenduo was shocked before immediately understanding. He quickly stepped on the brakes. After the shrill sound of braking, the car parked at the door of the Wal-Mart.

Tang Mo got out of the car and looked at the stores and subway exit. He closed his eyes and examined his memories. The next moment, he opened his eyes and looked south. Tang Mo stood there for a moment before getting into the car again.

Fu Wenduo asked, “Have you found your friend’s house?” Yes, the trio had come to Beijing for their own purpose. Fu Wenduo was searching for clues related to the black tower while Fu Wensheng wanted to search his house.

Fu Wenduo remembered that Tang Mo wanted to come to Beijing to find his friend.

Tang Mo sighed with relief and nodded. “Yes, it should be around here. I’ve been here before.”