Chapter Thirty: Return (Please Bookmark and Recommend)

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“Ding! After completing a mission, the host may choose to live for one month in any mission world they have experienced. Because time flows at different rates between worlds, whenever the host returns, it will be the exact moment at which the host left the main world.”

Upon hearing the System’s reply, Li Jie was instantly overcome with joy. It seemed that after completing each mission in the future, he would be able to return to this world. After all, this world had cost him so much effort, and there were so many things he could not bear to leave behind. Knowing that he could come back often finally eased the worry that had weighed on him.

Li Jie was in an excellent mood now. Everything looked pleasing to him. The sky outside seemed bluer, the grass greener, and even the hospital’s distinctive smell of disinfectant suddenly seemed warm and familiar.

“Ha!”

“Hahaha!”

Hearing Li Jie’s laughter, Geng Geng woke up. Seeing how happy he looked, the corners of her lips lifted slightly.

“Sorry. Did I wake you? I got so excited that I completely lost myself,” Li Jie said when he saw that she was awake.

“It’s fine. I’ve recovered now. I’m a little hungry and would like something to eat.”

“All right. Wait here. I’ll go buy something for you.” With that, he left the room in light, cheerful strides.

For the rest of the time, Li Jie stayed in the hospital with Geng Geng. He stopped going to the company and remained by her side without leaving her for even a moment. Before completing his next mission, he would not be able to return to this world, so he cherished every remaining second of those final forty-eight hours.

Geng Geng was delighted by Li Jie’s constant care, though she was also somewhat curious. The company had called earlier, but Li Jie had merely said a few hurried words before hanging up. Galaxy Investments had demanded a great deal of his time and energy. In the past, even when he did not go to the office, he would often work late at home, hold video conferences with his subordinates, and patiently deal with every incoming call. He had never been as absent-minded as he was today.

Still, considering that Li Jie might not yet have recovered from the excitement of becoming a father, Geng Geng did not think too much of it.

“I’ll peel an apple for you.”

After saying that, Li Jie picked up the fruit knife from the bedside, took an apple, and began to peel it.

“Ding! Forty-eight hours have elapsed. Since the host has not chosen to return, forced return will now commence.”

The moment he heard the System’s notification, darkness fell before Li Jie’s eyes. When he opened them again, he found himself in the familiar room. Nothing seemed to have changed. Then his head grew heavy, and the memories from before his departure came flooding back.

He glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed and discovered that the time had stopped at the exact moment he had left. If not for the memories of the alternate world in his mind, he might have suspected that the entire experience had been nothing more than a dream.

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Li Jie rubbed his aching head and carefully sorted through his memories. He discovered that he remembered every detail of his experiences in The Best of Us with perfect clarity. Even the smallest details were vivid.

However, when he thought about the knowledge he had acquired, he found that, apart from general knowledge, all the specialized knowledge seemed like flowers glimpsed through mist or the moon reflected in water—vague and impossible to see clearly. It seemed that although he had learned specialized knowledge in the mission world, he had not truly acquired it in the main world.

After sleeping, the exhaustion brought on by the infusion of memories from his soul’s transfer disappeared completely. When Li Jie awoke, he was full of energy and felt no unfamiliarity whatsoever toward anything in the main world. What was more, after being processed by the System, his experiences in the mission world no longer felt strange either. When he recalled scenes from those memories, it was not like watching a film. Instead, he remembered clearly what he had done at the time and what he had been feeling.

Although the System was completely devoid of emotion and there had never been any real communication between them, Li Jie was still grateful that it had given him an opportunity—an opportunity to begin a second life, a third life, and perhaps even countless more. In the future, he might experience all kinds of different lives. Perhaps even his long-held dream of becoming a martial-arts hero could come true.

Thinking of the infinite possibilities represented by the System, Li Jie found himself looking forward to the future even more.

“Open the System interface and claim the rewards from the previous world.”

A luminous screen appeared in Li Jie’s mind.

“Congratulations, host, on completing the mission: ‘From The Best of Us, Lu Xinghe hopes to make up for the regret in his life.’ After this mission is completed, the System will randomly draw one skill or talent. If a talent is drawn, the knowledge and abilities corresponding to that talent in the mission world will be unlocked. Would the host like to claim the reward?”

Li Jie immediately replied in his mind, “Claim the reward.”

“Ding! Congratulations, host. You have received the talent reward: ‘Lu Xinghe’s Artistic Talent.’”

As soon as he heard the System’s notification, scenes of music composition, painting, and writing from the mission world surged through Li Jie’s mind. When he recalled those experiences now, they suddenly became crystal clear, no longer obscured by mist.

Li Jie curled his lips and silently complained that these were things he had learned in the mission world to begin with. The System was merely giving them back to him as a reward, which seemed rather perfunctory.

There was nothing he could do about it. The System was simply too aloof, so he could only accept it.

Still, it was not a bad deal. After all, he had spent ten years in the mission world, which meant he possessed ten years more experience than other people. Although he had been busy with business during the final three years and had neglected his creative work, he had spent the first seven years devoted to creation. That amounted to seven additional years of accumulated experience. Thinking of it that way, the mission reward was actually quite generous.

“System, approximately when will the next mission world begin?”

“Ding! The System will notify the host when the specific mission is issued and will provide the host with sufficient time to prepare. The exact timing of the mission is uncertain.”

Gurgle!

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Gurgle!

Hearing the protest from his stomach, Li Jie remembered that he had gone straight to sleep after returning from the mission world and had not eaten a thing. He glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was eight in the evening, and he had slept for a full twenty hours.

Although it was already night, he was not sleepy at all. He decided to go out and get something to eat. At this hour, it would count as a late-night meal.

He picked up the phone. “Qiangzi, come out for a late-night meal. We’ll have a drink.”

“Well, what’s gotten into you today? The great screenwriter who never eats late-night meals suddenly invites me out. I’m deeply honored… deeply honored,” Wang Qiang teased over the phone.

“Enough, enough. Stop fooling around. Hurry up. I’ll wait for you at our usual place.”

After hanging up, Li Jie went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. He then slowly left the house and headed for the late-night food street two blocks away. When he saw that Wang Qiang had not arrived yet, he found a seat and sat down.

“Jie, this is rare. You haven’t come by for late-night food much lately,” the portly owner said with a hearty laugh.

“That’s right. I’ve been exercising recently, so I haven’t come as often.”

“I slept for far too long today. When I woke up, my stomach was growling with hunger. Boss, bring out a few filling dishes first. After that, serve the usual. Qiangzi will be here soon.”

“Coming right up! The food will be out in a moment.”

After finishing two substantial dishes, Li Jie finally caught his breath. The hunger had at last subsided. Just then, he spotted Wang Qiang walking over and waved to him.

“Look at you wolfing down your food. Were you off somewhere starving like a refugee? How long has it been since you last ate?” Wang Qiang said as he dropped onto a plastic stool.

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