Chapter 7: Speculations About the Special Invitation Code

Since Gu Yongqiang put it that way, Lin Yi did not dare to gamble with his life. After all, he had just asked Gu Yongqiang, and many players had died in Gutang Village over the past month, never to reappear after death. This suggested that dying in the game could very well mean dying in reality.

Although he couldn’t go chopping wood, Lin Yi did not waste the remaining time. He first went to a nearby shop and spent nine wen to buy three pancakes, which he put in his backpack for later. Then he explored around, hoping to find more quests.

Soon, his six hours of online time for the day was up. With little gain, Lin Yi found a safe, secluded spot in the village and logged out back to reality.

He was full in the game, but reality offered no such comfort. As soon as he returned, Lin Yi’s stomach growled loudly. He went to the kitchen to prepare a simple meal for himself.

While eating, Lin Yi messaged the staff at his studio to inquire about the day’s earnings.

An employee named Zhou Hai replied, “Brother Yi, we were lucky today and landed a few more orders, but why didn’t you come by this afternoon?”

“I had some things to attend to, so I didn’t come. Thanks for your hard work. Commissions will be settled over the weekend. Old Liu had an accident, so I’m going to be very busy for a while. Please keep an eye on the studio work for me...” Lin Yi replied.

After a brief chat, Lin Yi began to ponder his experiences in the Tianqi game and the deductions he could make.

First: Tianqi is no ordinary game; it very likely is a real parallel world.

Second: Death in the game probably means death in reality.

Third: The invitation code he obtained is precious. The government is searching for Tianqi activation codes, so unless absolutely necessary, he must not reveal that he has one.

Fourth: The universal talent he gained is very useful. To survive well in Tianqi’s world, he should leverage the advantages of this talent.

Fifth: The Tianqi world is extremely dangerous—even within Gutang Village, unknown threats can arise. He must develop cautiously and avoid unnecessary risks until he can protect himself.

Lin Yi wrote all these points on a piece of paper, read it several times, then burned it.

...

That evening, Lin Yi first went to the studio. On the way, he received a call from the police station asking him to collect the belongings of Liu Hong.

At the station, the two officers who had taken his statement yesterday were still on duty. They handed over the items taken from the studio earlier that day and asked, “Lin Yi, why didn’t you answer your phone this afternoon?”

“I’m sorry, Officer Wang. I wasn’t feeling well and took a nap back at the dorm,” Lin Yi explained.

Officer Wang nodded without suspicion. “Alright, you’re free to go.”

Just as Lin Yi stepped outside, he saw a young man standing by the door, eyes red from crying. The young man was Liu Hong’s son, Liu Bo, carrying a backpack.

Upon meeting, Liu Bo burst into tears. “Brother Yi, my dad is gone.”

Lin Yi’s heart sank. At a loss for words, he patted Liu Bo’s shoulder gently.

“When did you get back?”

Liu Bo rubbed his sore eyes. “After you called me yesterday, I took leave and rushed back. I arrived at midnight and spent the entire day at the police station.”

“Hey, don’t think too much about your dad’s passing... Xiao Bo, you haven’t had a proper meal yet, right? Come on, Brother Yi will take you to eat.”

Meanwhile, inside the glass-walled second floor of the police station, Officer Zhang Baichuan observed Lin Yi and Liu Bo leaving. He asked, “Is that Lin Yi with Liu Bo?”

“Yes, Captain. Is there something suspicious about him?”

Zhang Baichuan shook his head. “Not obvious, but Liu Hong’s invitation code hasn’t been found yet. We have to keep a close watch on anyone connected to him and not let our guard down.”

A younger officer in the team asked, puzzled, “Captain, as far as I know, the new batch of activation codes will be issued by the end of the month. Is it really that urgent to find Liu Hong’s code now? Shouldn’t we focus more on the in-game investigations?”

The young officer’s name was Zhao Shuang. Besides Zhang Baichuan, he was one of only two members of the Tianqi squad in Linhe City who possessed activation codes. His code was the reason he was specially recruited into the government’s Tianqi squad.

Zhang Baichuan smiled faintly, lit a cigarette, and asked, “Xiao Zhao, according to our investigation, when did Liu Hong first enter the Tianqi world?”

Zhao Shuang answered, “Based on the interrogation records, we estimate about three weeks ago.”

Zhang Baichuan continued, “Liu Hong died from hidden poison after fighting the bird-serpent. What level do you think he was in the game?”

Zhao Shuang thought for a moment. “If he soloed the bird-serpent, then he was at least level eight. If he was in a team, it's harder to tell.”

“Let’s assume he soloed. Three weeks is twenty-one days. The game allows six hours online per day. Can a player rise from a newbie to a level eight expert in such a short time?”

Zhao Shuang instantly understood. He had been playing for nearly a month himself. Even with internal Tianqi squad guides, leveling up was as slow as a snail’s pace. He had barely reached level five in a month.

But Liu Hong had reached level eight in just three weeks—this was clearly abnormal.

“Captain, didn’t we find evidence that the Black Card Alliance had contact with Liu Hong? Maybe they helped him level up so fast.”

Zhang Baichuan flicked ash off his cigarette and said, “No. You don’t understand the Black Card Alliance—they don’t do anything without profit. The bank cards found at Liu Hong’s home were all from payments made by the Black Card Alliance to him. This shows they needed Liu Hong for something, hence the money transactions.”

“So I speculate that Liu Hong’s activation code was among the earliest, possibly from the very first batch issued after Tianqi’s launch.”

Zhao Shuang’s eyes widened. “The very first batch? No wonder...”

He hurriedly added, “Captain, during my training in the capital, I heard that the first batch of activation codes was very limited and each came with special abilities. Our chief instructor, Team Leader Niu, is from the first batch and recently advanced to the professional tier.”

Zhang Baichuan nodded. “Yes, those codes differ from ordinary ones and are extremely precious. Liu Bo’s rapid leveling is likely due to such an advantage. We must find Liu Hong’s activation code quickly. The Black Card Alliance is probably searching for it too. We have to beat them to it.”

Zhao Shuang expressed concern, “But Captain, Liu Bo has conducted many transactions with the Black Card Alliance. Isn’t there a chance his activation code has already fallen into their hands?”

“That’s possible but unlikely. Liu Hong’s death was sudden—he didn’t know the bird-serpent carried hidden poison capable of transferring from the Tianqi world to reality. Such a rushed, unexpected death means the Black Card Alliance couldn’t have had prior knowledge.”

“I understand, Captain. But with only the two of us as core members of the squad, the workload is heavy. When the next batch of codes is issued, can we recruit more members?”

Zhang Baichuan smiled wryly. “I’d like to recruit more, but activation codes are rare. I can’t just apply for them at will. For now, focus on leveling and developing yourself in the Tianqi world. When new members arrive, you’ll need to mentor them.”

...