Chapter 60

“I want you to dig out my Heart.”

Back in the Laboratory, he’d also had organs removed.

His Heart, his kidneys, his liver-how many had they taken?

Whenever the Researcher left with a fresh organ for experiments, Lu Li got a rare moment of rest.

If he looked down, he could see blood and tissue in his empty chest cavity writhing and tearing, growing back like a monster. New organs filled the void again, and skin covered the wound as if nothing had ever happened.

Would it be any different this time, with the Underworld King doing the digging?

Lu Li spoke sincerely, “My Heart isn’t like most people’s. It’s right in the middle. I’m afraid you won’t find the exact spot.”

Bosi suddenly moved away, leaving Lu Li’s outstretched hand hanging in the air.

He asked, confused, “Is something wrong?”

Bosi sat down again. “No.”

So, it was just about digging out his Heart.

He had thought Lu Li was going to ask for something truly shocking.

His gaze landed on the young man’s slender shoulders and neck. Silver hair draped smoothly along his collarbone, making the skin under the coarse Prison Uniform look all the more startlingly pale.

Bosi grabbed the hand Lu Li was still busily moving around, searching for buttons everywhere.

“Put your clothes on first.”

Lu Li disagreed. “But how are you supposed to dig it out like this? Can you really find it through the clothes…”

In the next second, his shoulder was gripped, and Bosi’s hand pierced straight through the center of his chest.

Part of his body suddenly felt hollow.

His feet couldn’t find the ground.

Lu Li thought he had fallen, but after a brief ringing in his ears, he realized Bosi’s hold on his shoulder had never let up.

Bosi had dug out Lu Li’s Heart.

Gray blood stained the gloves.

Even separated from the body, the Heart was still beating.

Thump thump-

It was a lively Heart.

But in Bosi’s hand, its beating grew slower and slower.

Until it finally stopped.

Blood no longer flowed, and as the Heart fell silent, the hole in Lu Li’s chest disappeared as well.

A new Heart grew back in an instant.

Lu Li gave Bosi’s arm a pat. “Thanks. You can let go now. I can stand by myself.”

The weight left his shoulder.

Lu Li looked closely at his Heart, curiosity lighting up his face, and said with a rueful smile, “Failed again.”

“Next time, there’ll definitely be a better way.”

He held his hand out to Bosi. “The old one’s useless now. Give it to me, I’ll go throw it out somewhere.”

“Unless it’s a special case, a Player can’t take anything out of an Instance, nor leave their own things behind in one.” Bosi put the Heart away. “I’ll toss it for you when I get a chance.”

Lu Li was genuinely grateful. “Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?”

A good boss who set generous terms for him at work, a good friend who helped him fulfill wishes for free during holidays, and now, even willing to help take out the trash.

All of a sudden, Lu Li felt that maxing out his luck stat might not be such a bad thing after all.

Bosi replied offhandedly, “No trouble.”

He looked at the bloodied gloves, remembering the Black Robe that Lu Li had wrinkled last time, which was probably still hanging in his Palace.

Busy with work during the day, he always forgot to take care of things from the night before.

There weren’t many files to read over these days.

When he had time, he’d sort through all the junk Lu Li generated and dispose of it at once.

Bosi sliced open a spatial rift, took out a clean, tidy pair of gloves, and put them on.

Lu Li chased after him, asking, “Didn’t you say you found some other ways to die last time? Today’s my first day at a new Instance, I’m not tired at all. We could try it.”

Lu Li’s body had only just recovered, his breathing uneven as he spoke, looking a bit fragile. Bosi closed the notebook on the desk.

“I forgot.”

“Next time.”

He frowned in distaste at the patch of deep gray blood soaking through the tattered Prison Uniform at Lu Li’s chest. “So dirty.”
Lu Li touched his clothes. “Of course blood makes it dirty.”

“Even the parts without blood are filthy. Is your new Instance main quest about escaping?”

It was so shabby, it looked like someone had dug up a burlap sack from the ground and thrown it over him.

Lu Li took out the new clothes the NPC had just given him. Although the fabric was still rough and the edges were frayed, there were some decorative patterns on the front and back, making it a step up from the Prison Uniform. “I was just about to change into something new. Do you think this set is clean?”

Bosi commented, “Still ugly.”

Lu Li felt as long as it was wearable, it was fine. “These are Instance-issued clothes. Everyone wears the same thing.”

“Didn’t you earn enough Points from the last Instance? There are clothes you can exchange for in the Shop.”

Lu Li curled his lips. “All show, no substance. I’m not wasting Points on clothes.”

He’d checked the prices in the Shop.

Even a regular piece of clothing cost enough Points to exchange for two incredibly tempting meals. He didn’t have many Points left, so he wouldn’t waste them here.

Lu Li took out the Doll Nuo Nuo had given him from his Wristband and placed it right in the center of the bedhead. Then he dug out his Pillow, pulled the blanket, and went back to sleep in the corner.

The Underworld Fire on the candlestick flickered.

Just before falling asleep, Lu Li saw the snake eye on his Wristband glowing faintly, and a screen appeared in front of Bosi, who was sitting on the bed.

It must be a hallucination.

Lu Li drowsily thought, Bosi goes online? He always insists on approving paper documents and has never been seen working digitally.

–

The next day, Lu Li realized he knew far too little about Bosi.

Bosi not only went online, he shopped too.

And his taste was quite refined.

On the bed was a neatly folded set of clothes, tailored with precision, designed with care, exuding a sense of luxury and sophistication.

Bosi sat to the side, long legs crossed, waiting patiently for Lu Li to wake up. Then, with elegant fingers, he tapped lightly above the clothes. “Bought. Wear this set. It’s a high-end item exchanged with Points, so nothing in the Instance will notice it.”

Lu Li’s first reaction was to check his own account.

His Points hadn’t decreased.

Apparently, Bosi hadn’t sunk so low as to spend his Points.

His second reaction was to marvel, “Isn’t this set really expensive?”

Bosi replied, “I have my own account.”

He emphasized, “Buying this set didn’t even make a dent in my balance.”

“Since it’s just workwear for the Instance, there’s no need for anything fancy. I checked the cheapest range, and this was the only one barely wearable.”

Lu Li hugged the clothes, smiling at him. “Thank you.”

The fabric under his fingertips was as soft as feathers; it would surely be comfortable to wear.

“Everything you buy is always so nice and beautiful,” Lu Li said. “This is the softest thing I’ve ever worn.”

–

Back in Game Day, Luo Jia Bai’s eyes were glued to Lu Li, unable to look away. He carefully touched Lu Li’s shoulder. “This material, this stitching, these patterns… Did you spend two hundred thousand Points in the Shop for this outfit?”

He’d seen this outfit in the Points Shop before and had been shocked by its listed price, wondering what kind of sucker would spend so many Points on a single piece of clothing.

Today, he saw one.

Lu Li spun in place to let him admire it. “It’s my work uniform.”

“Work uniform?”

“Whose work uniform looks so…” Luo Jia Bai was dumbfounded. “So extravagant?”

When all the Players had gathered, the man who’d led them out of the Prison yesterday walked over, clapped his hands, and announced:

“We are about to hold a Welcome Ceremony for our distinguished guests!”