Chapter 3 - Shepherd’s Secret Continuation

In the present moment, the shadow demon summoned through the ritual dwelled within the shadow beneath Aiwas' feet. He was seated in a wheelchair, not because his legs were sacrificed and he was left unable to walk, but because standing on his own shadow would immediately awaken the shadow demon and cause it to become corporeal. This wheelchair was something Aiwas requested from the old butler after he awoke. His [Shadow Affinity] level was currently too low. The shadow demon belonged to the hierarchy of higher demons, and manipulating such a demon required at least a third-level shadow affinity, while merging with it needed a fifth level. Until then, he could only harness part of the shadow demon's power to utilize "abilities." Although the shadow demon wouldn't harm him and, by contract, would even protect Aiwas, he had no control over the demon's actions. In this regard, a demonologist contracting a low-level demon was akin to walking a dog; Aiwas, however, was the one being walked by the "dog." How to seal the shadow demon was not something "Aiwas" naturally knew, but rather knowledge that came from another world. Aiwas Moriarty, the path, demonologist, the Kingdom of Avalon—these were elements from a world within an MMORPG called "Ouroboros Ring." This game was released and operated by their company, "Faceless God Studio." Although he said "their company," the creation of the game didn't involve Aiwas, since he wasn't part of the development team. He was a new HR manager at the company, commonly referred to as HR. Three years ago, Aiwas resigned and became unemployed from his previous job. Feeling a sudden existential crisis despite having substantial savings, he decided to take an extended break. This break inadvertently led him into a deep dive into gaming with his best friend. That friend, a game scriptwriter for the company, persistently promoted the game, boasting about the numerous Easter eggs he'd designed in Aiwas' ear. Finally, overwhelmed by the constant promotion, Aiwas decided to give the game a try. It turned out to be a genuinely good game, with the caveat that it was a real grind—perfect for whiling away time when unemployed. Later, Aiwas heard "Faceless God Studio" was hiring, and since his non-compete clause had expired, he submitted his resume and went for an interview. Though he had been tired of HR work and wanted to try scriptwriting, the company's interest again was in his HR skills. But he accepted it—an HR role was an HR role, after all. And so, during his work transition, he crossed paths with an accident that sent him to another world: while responding to a message from his boss on his way to work, a truck struck him on the road. If only he had known he'd end up in this world, he would've dug deeper into internal company info or browsed more game forums for story discussions! This was his greatest blunder. For Aiwas was fundamentally the kind of hardcore player who often ignored the storyline and didn't pay much attention to characters. While chatting with friends, he learned of an abundance of obscure lore, character backstories, and future plotlines unknown to ordinary players, and he gleaned some early story arcs through group discussions. Yet, his interest lay more in side quests than the main storyline. Aiwas entered the game during the 3.0 update, having skipped all previous main story quests up to that point with the help of story books. On his leveling path and in dungeons, he would skip any cutscene he could. The unavoidable segments were brushed through with repeating left clicks to fast-forward. As a result, Aiwas couldn't recall the early main storylines. What lingered more in his memory were later story developments, due in part to the impressive main campaign cutscenes. Even without having paid much attention to previous plots, the unskippable raid cutscenes gave him enough of the story. At the start of the main storyline, "Aiwas" made his appearance. In the year 1898 of the Balance Calendar, he was abducted to a sacrificial altar. A passing "player" accidentally broke the barrier that kept others away and witnessed the grim scene. In a critical moment, Aiwas bluffed, claiming to have reported to the Oversight Bureau and was guiding the bureau's griffon knights, successfully scaring off the two individuals. Rescued from the ritual altar by the "player," Aiwas extended his hospitality to the player, who was robbed of their wallet and identification, inviting them to his home for food and rest. Aiwas would then enroll with the player, sharing in their growth and continuing to investigate the case. The investigation kept expanding, ultimately entangling the kingdom's upper echelons… And with Aiwas falling into mortal danger, his sister, Julia, lost control—transformed by the Blood Crystal into the "Phantom Demon: Contrarian Butterfly," the first boss in the esteemed eight-person raid. She was also the first phantom demon players encountered in the game. Her body coiled within an amber-like transparent butterfly thorax, shielded by fiery wings. Since the dungeon's level was low, this eight-person raid was the most frequently queued in the daily randoms, with players battling Julia three to four times a week on average. Because Julia had no desire to harm Aiwas, she became a beginner-level boss with no complex mechanics or aggression, requiring only straightforward attack and evade tactics. With sufficient levels, players could almost ignore mechanics and continuously attack her core to barely finish the raid. Players who completed the main storyline book after defeating Julia were rewarded with aesthetic gear. Eventually, her defeat left her with depleted essence, transforming her into a flame butterfly. Aiwas contracted her as his first familiar, retaining her essence with hopes of reviving her through the fabled "Amber Master" famed for resurrection. It wasn't until the 5.0 version of the main storyline that Aiwas gained new powers: sealing supposedly unkillable phantom demons into cards, which could enhance equipment to fortify his familiars, finally granting Aiwas significant empowerment uniquely his own. Consequently, he stopped running dungeons with players and instead appeared in CG scenes as a storyline mechanic for defeating phantom demon bosses. "…Brother?" Aiwas' thoughts were interrupted by a tender voice calling out. Startled, he turned to face it. Hajina, who had been chatting animatedly with Aiwas about "Sherlock and Deduction," also turned instinctively upon hearing the voice. At the doorway stood a little girl, silent and unseen. "You were asleep when I woke up yesterday. When I woke, you had fallen asleep again." Awake only by evening, she spoke with a hint of grievance and bafflement, "Brother, why are you…in a wheelchair?" "—And who is she?" She wore matching pure white fluffy pajamas like Aiwas, her silver-white hair grazing her shoulders, and her deep red eyes reminiscent of roses. Her features were delicate and soft, reminiscent of a white cat or rabbit—a stark contrast to Aiwas' glorious handsomeness. Her facial features, hair color, and eye color underscored the lack of blood relation between them. If there was any resemblance, it lay in their shared sense of frailty. She radiated a similar sickliness to Aiwas but even more pronounced. Her skin was an almost translucent pallor, an unhealthy white. She instinctively leaned against the doorway, shifting her weight to ease the strain of standing upright. —What an adorable girl! Hajina's eyes lit up. Like encountering a charming pet, she wanted to approach yet feared startling her. "It's nothing, Yuli. Just a temporary situation. This is Senior Hajina, here to ask about something." Aiwas smiled, addressing the girl with her nickname as in his memories, though it felt awkward, as if the name didn't quite belong to her. It was akin to calling a friend by their full name after using nicknames for so long, where it suddenly seemed like the name didn't fit right. After a brief daze, he opened his arms slightly towards Julia: "Come here for a hug." "…Okay." Obediently, Julia wobbled over, her steps uncertain as if she'd just woken and might stumble at any moment. Holding Julia close, Aiwas experienced a momentary disorientation. In embracing Julia, it seemed as though he was also holding another world. With the foresight gleaned from another world, Aiwas suddenly felt a foreboding towards the future. Julia would transform into a monster…then die. —In that moment, Aiwas' memories interwove with reality. They merged completely, and both lives' memories became equally vivid, as if awakened by a nightmare, allowing him to finally discern reality from dream. Two days after regaining memories of his past life, he finally realized he wasn't dreaming. He had truly crossed over to this world. Arriving in this world at a young age, it wasn't until the day before yesterday that he recalled who he truly was. However, Aiwas also clearly realized another crucial point—the storyline had diverged from what he knew. In the game, Aiwas definitely did not have a contract with a shadow demon. This ritual that was interrupted by the players in the game, which prevented it from succeeding in the first place, seems to imply that there were no "player characters" present in this world. In an epic-style fantasy game, players often assume the role of a one-time savior; in an online version, players become continuous, frequent, low-tolerance saviors. Every major update involves saving the world once more. …And that spells trouble for him. Because in the lore, players are descendants of the [Serpent Father], one of the Nine Pillars Gods who once mastered the "Path of Transcendence." This lineage is what allows players to gain "experience points" and "levels," enabling them to grow relentlessly without barriers or inherent talent. The storyline suggested that players didn’t run dungeons or form teams—one alone defeated all adversaries. As for Aiwas, though he was an important character, the "Fallen One," the "Calamity Dragon," and the "Shadow of Avalon"—those world-ending catastrophes—couldn't be vanquished by common notions of strength. Aiwas knew that in roughly half a year, the Kingdom of Avalon would face calamity. Despite his vague memory of the main storyline, he distinctly recalled important transitions such as version updates. He hadn't lied to Hajina. Indeed, in half a year, the Kingdom of Avalon would face a near-total disaster, intricately linked to the seemingly insignificant demon ritual they were experiencing now. But now, Aiwas still had an opportunity to change everything. To change everything— Instinctively, he held Julia tighter, and the girl perceptively sensed something: "Brother?" "…It's nothing." Aiwas offered a reassuring smile: "I just had a very long dream yesterday… Dreamed about losing you, Julia." Yet at that moment, he distinctly felt Julia's body tense within his embrace. …Hmm? Aiwas' curiosity was piqued. As if to conceal something, Julia suddenly asked, "How long will you need the wheelchair, brother?" "Perhaps… about a year?" Aiwas replied, glancing at the old butler: "Isn't that what the doctor said?" "Indeed, Young Master Aiwas." The old butler responded without hesitation: "So, should we consider a year off from school? It’s already been three months." This was falsehood. From both sides. No doctor ever told Aiwas to use a wheelchair; it was his decision. Those who contracted shadow demons used such methods to seal them when they couldn’t yet control them. Aside from needing a wheelchair for mobility, one had to avoid vigorous activities and slow down movements to lower heart rates—a standard approach for suppressing demons. Additionally, medications could suppress heart rates, keeping the demon sealed within asleep. "No need," Aiwas said, "Once this incident is resolved, I’ll return to school." "…This incident resolved?" Hajina belatedly realized something. In that instant, she sensed a change in Aiwas' demeanor. It was a feeling she knew well. During her freshman year, when Hajina thought she was still the prodigy of her remote hometown, the end-of-term exams barely earned her a passing grade in Astrology—enough to give her quite a scare. But it was this realization—the understanding that in the prestigious academy of the Capital's Glass Isle Red Queen District, she was not as exceptional as she assumed. She wasn’t just a genius; she was a hardworking genius. Maintaining a casual attitude to learning, even with full attendance, could still lead to failing… Now, she could graduate with a seven-petaled flower stamp, symbolizing perfection, because Professor Moriarty’s glaring three-petaled, signifying “pass,” had been a wake-up call. For most students, it was a mark of liberation worth celebrating; but for proud Hajina, it was a slap across the face, leaving her silent and bewildered. Aiwas now gave her that same feeling. Awakening from a dream-like state upon viewing her grade sheet— "Yes, I want to participate in the investigation." Aiwas suddenly grew serious: "If they kidnapped me once, they might do it again. I can't leave my home with a clear mind without expelling those cultists; similarly, I cannot await an investigation result at home that I may find unacceptable—so I must join the investigation." At this, Hajina felt a bit embarrassed. Undoubtedly, he was hinting at the Oversight Bureau's notoriously slow investigative pace. The Oversight Bureau adhered strictly to "protocols," requiring reports to superiors for every matter, following standard procedures formally. This was mandated by the Senate's knights. Because they couldn’t uncover much, they often sought help from detectives. The "Sherlock" Hajina mentioned earlier was a detective recently famed in newspapers. Years after graduating from the Royal Legal University, Sherlock didn’t join the Oversight Bureau, the Court of Law, or the Tribunal, and instead became a special consultant for the Bureau. Without procedural restraints and having solved numerous major cases, his standing surpassed many former classmates who joined the Bureau after graduation. "If Miss Hajina isn’t able to decide, you may convey my words to your superior and seek his opinion." Aiwas intertwined his fingers and spoke calmly: "After all, you have to submit a report on this conversation to your superiors, right?" For some reason, Aiwas' demeanor reminded Hajina of her interviewers from the Oversight Bureau. Dear readers, I've missed you dearly! (Feng Gong's voice) Today's update directly delivers ten thousand words, and there will be another ten thousand words at noon tomorrow! New book recommendations at Qidian are distributed by AI and rely entirely on active reads, so how well it performs depends heavily on the daily read numbers! Please don't wait to binge the book—come and check daily! Don't let the cat starve! (Resounding) The cat is back! (End of the chapter)