CHAPTER 342: CHAPTER 342 FINAL TASKS

"I’m really grateful to you today, for going out of your way to help. I couldn’t even properly entertain you... Oh, I don’t know how to express my thanks. I was truly possessed before, speaking and acting without control... I really don’t have violent tendencies!"

Zhang Rui explained incoherently to Yang Hongye, who was holding a vase with a cold face, patting his chest to guarantee he was definitely not a scumbag and would never betray his girlfriend.

The young couple didn’t actually have any conflicts, so the previous arguing due to influence wasn’t a big deal.

The biggest problem was the outrageous slander during the phone call this evening, and he was desperate to prove that he didn’t truly have such thoughts, hoping for his girlfriend’s forgiveness.

But Qiao Xiyu was too emotional to listen, so Zhang Rui had to indirectly handle things by communicating with Yang Hongye, asking her to say a few words to persuade.

It was almost 1 AM and only a few lights were on in the community. They were worried about disturbing the residents, with one silently sobbing, one anxiously explaining quietly, and one holding a vase pondering the credibility.

When Jiang Yuan came out, he saw the trio murmuring under the pavilion in front of the apartment building.

"Jiang Yuan, what exactly did you see just now? Was it that thing?" Yang Hongye asked urgently as if seeing a savior when he came out, "Zhang Rui insists he was possessed and those words slandering Xiyu weren’t what he really wanted to say.

Anyway, I feel that if he truly didn’t have such disgusting thoughts, how could he possibly say it?

Moreover, even if he was possessed and slandered his girlfriend, who can guarantee he won’t be influenced again in the future? If he truly has those disgusting ideas later, what should Xiyu do? This matter must be clarified."

Qiao Xiyu was still crying while Zhang Rui was scratching his head anxiously, unable to explain, "My sister Yang! I really can’t provide evidence, maybe you can testify for me, let me swear by the heavens."

"Crack!"

Coincidentally, another flash of lightning followed by rolling thunder, and Zhang Rui immediately vowed to be struck by lightning.

Jiang Yuan’s punch earlier was somewhat fierce, his jaw was swollen and his words were slightly muffled, but the oath was clear.

"He was indeed engulfed by negative emotions and is also a victim." With Jiang Yuan’s experience, ordinary people’s minds can be confused and difficult to resist, so he briefly explained the situation.

Yang Hongye then believed and tossed the vase to Zhang Rui, turning around to comfort her friend.

"Can the house still be lived in?" After hearing Jiang Yuan’s simplified explanation with most content deleted, Qiao Xiyu’s face turned pale, "In other words, for the half month we moved here, we lived with a... something that’s not human?"

When she thought of the two of them being intimate with a "spectator," it was unsettling.

"Actually, it’s not exactly living together." Considering their tolerance, Jiang Yuan told a kind lie, "After all, it’s just an energy entity that only appears in special environments, mostly when you’re influenced and arguing.

The room has been cleaned, so there’s no need to move.

You can buy some small gourds to hang on the windows, doors, and then do a thorough cleaning together, tossing what needs to be thrown and tidying up, once cleaned it’ll be smooth sailing."

In actuality, hanging gourds and cleaning are merely rituals for psychological comfort, but most people buy into it.

Sure enough, the young couple breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief and thanked him profusely.

It was late, and everyone was exhausted after a long ordeal, Jiang Yuan and Yang Hongye booked a nearby hotel to rest.

"You can really find news, the age of internet information is indeed convenient. The deceased, Li..." He lay down after washing up, opened his phone, searched for keywords, and indeed found a news release from a local official account with detailed content.

The deceased, Li, was twenty-six years old, an unemployed youth.

He was formerly a salesman at a food factory until the factory was sued and closed following a spot check revealing food safety issues, leaving him unemployed. A reporter interviewed neighbors who said that after unemployment, there were frequent gatherings of young men and women, but gradually it became quiet, and Li almost never left his home the last week, occasionally leaving the lights on.

Until his severely decomposed body was discovered after neighbors reported, and the landlord helped open the door, revealing the house filled with trash and Li dead in bed.

Because the family could not accept the sudden death of their young and healthy son, they commissioned a department to conduct an autopsy which revealed Li had an empty stomach for at least four days without food or water.

Judging by organ changes, he likely had low immunity, a poor living environment, got sick with a fever without medication, merely resting, leading to extreme weakness and starvation.

Ironically, his fully charged phone was beside his pillow. Though he could’ve called for help anytime, he misjudged his condition and didn’t actively seek help, leading to tragedy.

"Comparing with the news, it seems he wasn’t lying. He said he spent about a year and a half in the Wilderness World, learned about lifespan data, and realized after death when the system prompted him."

In other words, he was lost in indulgence, fighting and forming a harem without engaging in anything lifespan-related, leading to depletion, extreme weakness, and death..." Jiang Yuan stared at his own lifespan balance of 284 years, feeling grateful.

Fortunately, by "meddling" in someone else’s matter with Liu Qiang, he unexpectedly gained several years of lifespan, unlocking hidden data early.

According to Li, when the system kills, there’s a clear hint to unlock the lifespan timer by following tasks, presumably there will be corresponding tasks in the future.

How long does a year and a half in the Wilderness World translate to in the real world?

He used a calculator to convert from the flow of time: real-world one minute equals Wilderness World one hour.

Calculate a year and a half as 547 days equals 13,128 hours, equating to 13,128 minutes in real-world equals 218.8 hours, approximately nine days.

"Only nine days at full count?" Jiang Yuan frowned, unsure if one could starve to death lying still in bed for nine days, but judging from Li’s description, he only woke up twice.

The first time, he was desperately hungry, found no strength, and couldn’t take anything from the storage bag until he cashed out and ate, then reentered the Wilderness World;

Then upon returning, his body couldn’t take it, and he began fevering.

It’s also possible that his lifespan in the Wilderness World was nearly exhausted, and the system gave him one last chance.

If he properly recuperated and didn’t cross over again, those few days in the Wilderness World equating to years in reality, had he gone out to tackle some paranormal incident, he would’ve had a chance to turn the tides and extend his life.

Indeed, there’s a huge gap between people, and their fates can be completely different.

"Luckily I cherish life!" After computing, he was very glad for his cautiousness, worrying prolonged "addiction" would harm his health, so he hurried back after busy times over there.

Otherwise, he might end up like Li, indulging in the exotic Otherworld and letting his body here decline.

Early the next morning, he declined Qiao Xiyu and her boyfriend’s enthusiastic invite to return home, booking a full set of health check-up for the family en route, and took his parents for a comprehensive exam.

Upon receiving the results, confirming he’s healthy and vigorous, he was completely relieved and prepared to enter Wilderness World.

Summer was approaching, and a pile of work awaited handling.

Additionally, Li had mentioned the "Sea Moon Tomb," Jiang Yuan was eager to consult the Mermaids. If they’ve heard of this place and can provide clues, he might explore it, perhaps getting a good helmet for free!

Moreover, the "Sea Moon Tomb" wasn’t far from Li’s courtyard on Star Moon Island, he wondered if he could find it.

The island, disregarded and slightly despised by him, was his dream third home, opening up land and building a ship to own an island, how amazing that would be!