This Isn't an E*otic Game? - Chapter 17: There’s Something Under the Ground

Avery Asteria was far from having anyone's dream job. Family circumstances had him drop out of school and flying around the expanse of space looking for treasure among the discarded trash in an old ship his father had been restoring. It was far from glamorous work, but it was all he could do to earn the money he needed.He was not the only one looking for fortune among the stars, though. One day a score that looked too good to be true led to a run in with a band of pirates. With some quick wits and a bit of luck, Avery managed to escape the worst, but he ended up missing out on collecting the valuable salvage he had his sights on.Having lost a large chunk of his gear in his flight from the pirates, Avery seemed to be truly at the end of his rope. However, a twist of fate led him to discovering an experimental vessel that had been lost to the far reaches of space.With this new ship in his possession, his prospects were looking up. It had everything and more than what any spacefarer could want. And Avery was going to use it to become the leader of the greatest band of mercenaries in the galaxy.

As a high-risk individual, Ye Sangsang received an invitation to the beta test of the holographic game “Criminal Files.”As a game known for its high degree of freedom, high adaptability, and extremely realistic simulations based on real criminal cases, its beta release garnered significant attention.As a condition of the beta test, she was required to livestream her gameplay.Delicate, beautiful, and silent—these were the words often associated with Ye Sangsang.As a game that had captured the nation’s high expectations, many were baffled when they saw Ye Sangsang.This was quickly followed by ridicule.“Someone like her playing from the criminal’s perspective? The victim would probably turn the tables on her.”“Is she going in as an investigator? A beautiful but useless burden?”“The victim escaping alive? Don’t make me laugh.”But as the cases progressed, Ye Sangsang gradually left the audience in awe.“The criminal!!! Oh no, lock her up, I’m terrified of how she kills!”“Investigation? Come on, can you guys keep up with Sangsang’s pace?”“The victim! Ahhh, what a bloody battlefield!”The livestream chat, once filled with skepticism, eventually overflowed with admiration.Some even began to suspect that she might actually be a high-intelligence criminal herself.It wasn’t until later that Ye Sangsang’s holographic crime scene simulations helped solve one real-life case after another.Audience: ???!!!Ye Sangsang, facing the camera: Please note, I only perform once.[Reading Tips:]1. This story is set in a futuristic, fictional world with holographic crime simulation games. Everything is virtual, so please do not draw parallels to reality.2. Some parts of the story may reference real-life cases.

“In a realm where cultivators command the elements, bending mountains and traversing celestial rivers, their power is unmatched. Among these mighty beings, the body refiners are renowned, their mere presence capable of rending the heavens and reshaping landscapes. Their skill in crafting transformative elixirs commands respect and admiration. A legend in the Upper Realm, known for an ascension gone awry, suffered the loss of his physical form. Yet, in a stroke of fortune, he discovers a way to regain his corporeal existence. Embarking on a rejuvenated journey in this mystical land! Resolved to surpass his past achievements, he vows to ascend beyond the ranks of experts, charting a path filled with power and ancient mysteries.”

The day the city fell, Feng Yun was treated by her father as a spoil of war and presented to the enemy general.Everyone pitied her, soon to be a captive, plunging into a fiery pit.Yet she veiled the little donkey cart that took her out of the city tightly, daring not to let anyone see the secret delight in her heart…As a child, she behaved oddly and spoke startling words, once predicting a war in which the whole army was wiped out, nearly being burned to death by her clan as a demon.When she grew up, her beauty was out of the world, but she was rejected by her husband's family.In the period of chaos and disorder everywhewe, where could a female captive go?“I do not seek a devoted partner to grow old with; I merely wish to rule unrivaled in this life.”In her previous life, Feng Yun was always the one being scorned by others; in this life, she decided to strike first, turning the tables on each and every one of them, those so-called unreachable flowers and beasts in gentleman's clothing, those degenerates… all to be scorned in return.