Shen Lu: I've Mutated into Multiple Game-Breaking Abilities

Chapter 33: The Intruder

This place is located across from the Divine Alliance Branch, behind the Building of the Deceased. It’s considered one of the safer areas in Firefly Town. Ever since Lin Shurou moved in here, she’s been safe and sound—no one has ever broken in. Therefore, Even though Ling Yi had mentioned there was a protective array, she didn’t think it would be activated anytime soon. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Just as Lin Shurou was engrossed in watching a TV drama titled “The Domineering Gamer Falls for Me,” the doorbell suddenly rang. Ding-dong~ Someone rang it three times in a row. “Hm?” Lin Shurou paused the TV and turned to look at the digital clock on the wall. She remembered it was 31 minutes past when she first turned on the TV. “It’s only been five minutes—could Ling Yi be back already?” All Lin Shurou knew was that Ling Yi was a player who had only entered the Shen Lu yesterday. She had no idea what stats he’d built up, what skills he had, or what level he was at. It was hard to tell if he could have made it back in just five minutes. Just as she was hesitating whether to open the door, an unfamiliar voice rang out from outside. “Is anyone home? Open the door.” It was a rough, masculine voice. Hearing this, Lin Shurou’s heart skipped a beat; she immediately sensed that the visitor meant no good. After all, the large iron gate outside her courtyard was closed! No member of the Righteous Path would ever bypass the outer gate to knock directly on the owner’s front door. Fortunately, as a former player, she still possessed some composure. Though frightened, she calmly pulled a device with two buttons out of the wooden table’s drawer—an alarm specifically designed by the Divine Alliance for ordinary people. In the event of an attack by a player or other disaster, she could press different buttons depending on the situation. If the situation was urgent and required backup—press the yellow button. If the situation was critical and couldn’t wait a moment longer—press the red button. Of course. She couldn’t just press this thing indiscriminately; doing so would still result in punishment. Lin Shurou now lifted the alarm’s transparent cover and placed her slender jade-like finger on the red button. As soon as the door was broken down, she would press that red button—compared to the unknown danger, she could actually accept the punishment for pressing the button indiscriminately. “Is anyone there! Open the door!” The voice came from outside again. Compared to before, the tone was noticeably more agitated. Lin Shurou furrowed her brow slightly, maintaining her posture without changing it. “You’re not going to open it, are you? Then don’t blame me for breaking it down!!” As the voice echoed inside, Lin Shurou clenched her teeth, her gaze fixed on the front door. She vowed that even if the door showed the slightest crack, she would press the button immediately. But. A few seconds later, the front door on this floor remained completely still. It was as if the person outside was just bluffing and had no intention of actually doing anything. As she stood there puzzled, the sound of two people talking drifted in from outside. “Damn it! This door is protected by a barrier! Didn’t you tell me an ordinary woman lived here?” “Boss… it’s true. I live right next door, and for the past six months, I’ve seen that only an ordinary woman lives here.” “Then explain this barrier!?” “W... why don’t we go in through the window?” “Let’s go!” Hearing this exchange, Lin Shurou’s delicate brows furrowed deeply. Next door? She remembered that an ordinary man did indeed live there. ‘It seems the person next door has taken a player as their boss... I just don’t know what their goal is...’ In this room—and Lin Shurou isn’t bragging—she felt that nothing else mattered as much as she did. No matter what their goal was, her safety would be in grave danger if they came in. Meanwhile. Outside. Zhou Shi led his newly adopted big brother, Zhao Ze, toward a nearby window. The two had met the night before. At that time, Zhou Shi was just about to go to sleep when Zhao Ze suddenly barged in, gorged himself on food and drink at his place, and took over his bed. Not wanting to offend him, Zhou Shi told him about the neighbor this morning. He described her as an ordinary woman living alone in a well-appointed home, hoping to divert any trouble away from himself. He’d succeeded in shifting the blame, but what he hadn’t expected was that Zhao Ze would actually bring him along. It seemed as though Zhao Ze was afraid he’d go and snitch. “Big Brother, I promise I won’t say a word. Just let me go once you go inside.” As they reached the window, Zhou Shi pleaded desperately. Hearing this, Zhao Ze smiled slightly, wrapped his left arm around Zhou Shi’s neck, pressed his face close to Zhou Shi’s, and said in a friendly tone, “Oh come on, Xiao Shi, you’re being too formal.” “We’re both ordinary people in the same boat—we’re good brothers. Don’t you think I trust you, big brother?” “Big brother, you’re no ordinary person...” “Oh, come on, it’s just a little power. I’m only in the teens—about the same level as you guys. Don’t be so scared.” Zhou Shi said nothing more, because the grip on Zhao Ze’s wrist had tightened even further. Right now, he felt like a child tightly bound under someone’s arm, struggling even to turn around. “And there are the curtains.” Walking up to the window, Zhao Ze—who’d hoped to get a glimpse of what was inside—sighed in slight disappointment. But in the very next second, without warning, he swung his now-free right hand violently toward the window! Thud. An invisible barrier blocked his fist. A faint, muffled sound came from where the two made contact. “There’s a barrier here too...” Zhao Ze’s expression darkened instantly. The information Zhou Shi had given him was definitely wrong—the person living here couldn’t possibly be just an ordinary woman. Maybe she had gamer friends, or perhaps other gamers were living here as well. Or maybe Zhou Shi had lied to him—and there really was a gamer living here! A high-level gamer! Zhou Shi had brought him here to lure him right into a trap! There was no response to his call—perhaps the person had just stepped out. With that thought in mind Zhao Ze lowered his voice and gave a cold snort, then grabbed Zhou Shi and hurried out. They passed through the front yard path, lined on both sides with flowers and greenery. Just as they were about to reach the large iron gate, a black-haired teenager suddenly appeared in Zhao Ze’s field of vision. Zhao Ze’s pupils contracted sharply, and a thousand thoughts flashed through his mind. His hurried footsteps came to an abrupt halt, and his left hand unconsciously loosened its grip on Zhou Shi. He stared intently at the boy, desperately hoping he wasn’t a player who lived here. However. The boy’s expression quickly turned serious, making Zhao Ze’s heart skip a beat as he silently thought, “This isn’t good.” When he heard the boy’s words, his mind became an even greater tangle. “Who are you guys!? What are you doing here?!” Ling Yi, returning from the market, stood on the inside of the large iron gate and barked at the two men lurking on the front yard path. Don’t let the fact that he wasn’t carrying a single vegetable fool you—that’s because he’d bought a temporary spatial pouch from the Divine Path Store and stowed all the vegetables inside. The spatial pouch was right in his backpack. He’d just have to take it out later; it was incredibly convenient. Now. Looking at the two people in front of him, Ling Yi was on high alert. His gaze swept past them toward the house. Seeing that it was completely undamaged, a suspicion formed in his mind. ‘Did these two come with ill intent, only to find they couldn’t get in or break in, and are now leaving?’ ‘Or are they friends of Lin Shurou? Are they heading back now?’ Until their identities were confirmed, Ling Yi simply watched them with a furrowed brow.