3

    When I... Felt Dizzy

    I never thought that Hero Land, which I had used as a bed for many years, would also serve as a meeting place for a group project.

    But it was not bad at all; in fact, it was quite beneficial because time in the real world always moves slower than in the virtual world.

    This time difference was what made virtual worlds popular for meeting relatives, hosting celebrations, or seeing friends overseas. It was even used for urgent company meetings.

    In Hero Land, one day in the game was equivalent to four hours in the outside world.

    It was a pity that I had only used it for reading and resting.

    Each virtual world had its own time difference. For example, public libraries in these worlds had a greater time difference. Some companies could create virtual worlds where one hour in the real world equaled a whole week of reading and learning.

    However, these came at a high cost.

    Hero Land had been a popular online game since its launch, thanks to its sophisticated system, diverse professions, and the realism of tastes, smells, sounds, and touch. It was incredible that It was just a virtual world.

    It felt more like a whole other world.

    I loved the ambiance and nature in Hero Land, especially the rare trees that were hard to find in today's real world, where high-rises and houses dominated, and only a few places were left for vegetation, mostly designated as protected areas.

    I slowly closed my laptop.

    I spent about three hours preparing all the content for the project but hadn't yet organized and inserted it into PowerPoint. I would need to continue later as the meeting time was drawing near.

    We would meet in Hero Land at the fountain square in the 'CenWorld' city center, before midnight. It was a central city in the game where you can meet players from beginners to heroes.

    11:46 pm

    I got up from the chair, picked up a small square data card from the table beautifully adorned with the Hero Land logo, and walked over to the virtual world capsule, a sleeping pod, to insert the data card.

    If you looked at the table, you would see several data cards depicting a library, a music room, or an amusement park, which I no longer used.

    Using a virtual world machine was like resting normally, akin to dreaming about living in another dimension. It was important that users still came out to eat or took care of personal hygiene.

    Nowadays, people often used them to enhance their sleep regularly.

    I made sure everything was in order before lying down in the single-person capsule and pressing the button next to me.

    Rumble…

    The glass lid slid down slowly, with a small vent for breathing at the top.

    I slowly closed my eyelids, allowing my mind to clear of any thoughts.

    ‘Welcome to the world of heroes, Hero Land,’

    a welcoming voice resonated in my head as a gentle breeze brushed my face repeatedly, forcing me to open my eyes and observe the surroundings bathed in evening sunlight.

    The colorful herbs glistened brilliantly; I brushed a flower petal that lightly landed on my cheek.

    My body in this world remained in the same position as when I last exited the game.

    ‘I don't want to get up.’

    I made up my mind and used my palms to push myself up from the grassy ground, brushing off leaves that clung to my body. My physical condition, no different from the outside world, allowed me to move with familiar agility.

    Although Hero Land allowed for alterations in physical appearance.

    But I hadn’t altered much, only changing my black eyes to a clear blue.

    I just wanted eyes like my father, who had Western heritage. Other than that, my body didn’t differ from reality.

    "Bark! Bark!"

    A barking sound came from behind. Turning around, I saw a small dog with its tongue hanging out.

    Having laid here for years, I had never encountered it once. Where did it come from?

    "Hoo Hoo, bark!" Though it wasn't taller than my knees, it seemed quite bold. I observed its short brown fur, well-kept, suggesting it was well-cared for by its owner.

    I focused on its neck and suddenly noticed a small red collar with a name tag hanging from it before standing up.

    'Milk'

    It was a name that didn't match its brown fur at all.

    Snap!

    -1

    Apparently, being stared at made the little one uncomfortable, so the small dog decided to bite my foot with all its strength, afflicting a damage indicator, though its teeth weren't sharp enough to cause pain.

    Whoever owned this dog, please take it back immediately.

    I bent down to push little Milk's mouth away from nibbling, my hand getting wet with its sticky saliva, then took the liberty to wipe it on the soft fur on its back.

    "Uh... sorry about that!" a sweet, clear voice interrupted from the left, making both me and the little dog turn to look.

    The voice belonged to a petite young woman, smiling awkwardly as she raised her hand in apology. Her large sea-blue eyes stared at me for a moment before shifting focus to the little dog instead. "Why did you bite him, Milk?"

    ‘She's very cute.’

    The clever pet wagged its tail frantically, seeming to tease and provoke.

    "Bark! Hack-hack!" It backed away with a mischievous face.

    "Stop running away."

    As soon as she finished speaking, the petite woman ran straight towards us, her silver hair fluttering behind her, and the little dog scampered just as quickly.

    From her sweet-looking face, I guessed she wasn't much older than me, though she was quite petite for her age.

    "Milk, stop right now!"

    Watching the two chase each other was oddly amusing.

    ‘What did she do to make the pet run away?’

    It was pitiful that the owner couldn't run fast, unlike the little dog that dashed away as fast as a rocket, its fur on the back damp in patches.

    After a while, the young woman was panting heavily, her lips parting as she slightly crouched and braced her knees, seemingly defeated in the chase game. "Okay... stop running, Milk." Suddenly, a current of ocean-blue color electricity zapped around her body.

    I watched the woman gesture towards her 'pet.'

    Bang!

    "Bark!"

    A bolt of lightning struck from the sky, shocking the grass beside the dog's paws for a moment. Little Milk trembled in fear at the incident; in the real world, the grass there would have likely caught fire.

    Thankfully, the game's system prevented fire from electrical attacks. Otherwise, the herbs here would have been set on fire.

    Seeing how scared Milk was, its ears fell, I ventured, "Are you trying to kill your own pet?"

    She looked into my eyes. "No," her cheeks flushed either from running or embarrassment, "I just wanted to make Milk stop running."

    Was this how normal people stop someone?

    A grilled dog was definitely not a pleasant scene.

    "Bark!" As if the little dog knew who was safe for it, it dashed towards me quickly while the young woman kept casting lightning behind it.

    Bang!

    Little Milk whimpered, trying its best to dodge, and as the petite woman saw it nearing me, she stopped casting spells and ran after it. Meanwhile, I could only sweat as I watched one person and one mischievous dog in a daze.

    Can someone please explain what was going on here?

    As soon as Milk realized its owner was chasing it, it circled around me. When the owner caught up, she didn't give up, running in the same direction as her pet. I watched the two creatures become a blur as they ran around me.

    I felt nauseous.

    Humans are supposed to be smarter than pets. She used a tactic of spinning around to run back towards the naughty dog, which had trouble stopping in the opposite direction. Startled, the little pet then leaped towards its owner.

    "Whoa!" She opened her arms wide to catch Milk, and the little creature's momentum caused her soft palms to smack into my face as I stood letting them run around me.

    Bamm!

    -52

    I'd never been slapped across the face with the back of a hand before. I could taste the metallic tang of blood swirling in my mouth, a cut appearing almost immediately.

    "I... I didn't mean to!" The offender hurriedly tapped her watch face, selecting the command to open the storage compartment.

    I watched her trembling hands comically as she grabbed a health potion, but then I recoiled when she forcefully shoved the bottle into my mouth, causing it to hit my teeth and creating a new, unforgettable kind of pain.

    "Ouch!" I tried to alert her.

    "Drink it all up!"

    The liquid flowed down my throat to the last drop, and the pain vanished. My life points were restored after having been more than halved.

    "Bark!" The clever pet looked at its young owner, who sighed as she pulled the bottle away.

    "Ugh..." I wiped the potion residue from the corner of my mouth, looking at her with an expressionless face.

    What was this madness?

    Milk barked loudly, seeming to mock its owner, which made her glare at it before selecting the 'Store Pet' command. Instantly, the small dog turned into light and was absorbed into her wristwatch, no longer able to annoy with its barking.

    When everything returned to normal and peace was restored, I looked above the head of the petite girl for three seconds, and suddenly, character names appeared thanks to the system's aid.

    'Lunaris'

    ‘It’s a strange name.’

    "It doesn't hurt anymore, right? Sorry about that."

    I listened to her and stood silently before changing the subject, "Do you need something from me?"

    If not, I would like to excuse myself.

    She paused for a moment before lowering her head and gently tapping her cheek.

    "It's like a dream," she murmured.

    Did you think she's sane?

    The petite girl introduced herself, "I'm Luna... I came to deliver a quest from Grandma Maria." She smiled broadly. "I didn't expect to find anyone in this backyard garden. It's such a nice atmosphere."

    I nodded slightly. No argument there; the air really was fresh here.

    Luna looked left and right before leaning into whisper, "Can I ask you something?"

    "And why ask me?" I queried.

    "I just thought you might know," Luna smiled. "You're so polite."

    "And a good person, too," I replied flatly.

    Hearing this, Luna laughed before sitting down with her knee raised on the grass. The breeze swept her silver hair to the side, revealing her sweet face.

    "It's so cool," she said with a slight smile.

    "..."

    The conversation ended abruptly, as seen. No other sounds were made, except for the butterflies fluttering around the flowers. I gazed at her clear, sweet face for a long time as if enchanted.

    My heart began to race unexpectedly. Her smile made it hard to look away.

    I composed myself, turned away, and sat down too. At the same moment, a melodious voice emanated from her slender lips.

    [Today I... met...]

    It was irresistibly sweet and soft.

    I could hardly believe my ears when Luna sang using breath voice, a direct vocalization from the diaphragm. It was another form of overtone singing that required a lot of power, and it was incredible that this petite woman could do it.

    If she was not a professional singer, then she was certainly highly skilled.

    [He... who once comforted...]

    Luna raised her voice several pitches higher, making me silently commend her. If someone told me this woman was a professional singer, I wouldn't dispute it.

    Her clear, sweet voice resonated throughout the herb garden. The breeze carried the fragrant flower petals, leaving a trail of their scent. Luna sang joyfully until the last verse.

    [My... you are the star of...]

    She gave a small smile before closing her eyes and singing sweetly.

    [me...]

    "!"

    I was startled by the whistle register reaching up to an A6!

    The beauty of it drew fireflies from the trees, circling around us as if wanting to be part of the song.

    The whistle register was not difficult to produce, but singing beautifully with it was not easy. Holding a whistle tone for a long duration without weakening or trembling was a high-level technique.

    I must admit, this woman used the whistle register flawlessly.

    From the gentle orange sky, I didn't notice when it had turned deep blue. I looked up at the dark night sky, brightly lit by many stars, the sun having set long ago.

    ‘I've been lying here for a long time, unaware of the fireflies.’

    First, it was dogs, now insects. Are we gathering a menagerie?

    The clear-voiced girl smiled as she gently touched the fireflies after ceasing her song. Seeing her silenced, I initiated a conversation.

    "What made you sing for me?"

    Her cheeks suddenly flushed as Luna spoke softly, "I told you before."

    "..?"

    "Actually, I wanted you to be the first to hear my voice."

    "Why doesn't she answer the question directly? 'Did you compose the song yourself?'" I changed the question.

    The petite woman glanced at me. "Yes," she pursed her lips tightly before taking her turn to ask, "May I ask you something?"

    "Go ahead."

    Luna smiled cheekily. "You're probably the only one who can help with this..." She blinked rapidly as if she had forgotten her lines, her lips trembling as she held them tight. "So... you have to help me!"

    I narrowed my eyes distrustfully. This woman was acting strangely, like a novice actress lacking experience.

    "If I can help, I will," I said quietly, prompting a slight smile from her before she asked what she needed.

    "I've heard a group of people say that Grandmother Maria has a secret mission," Luna recapped. "But I'm not sure if it's true, because as many times as I've talked to Grandmother Maria, I haven't seen any sign of that high-level mission."

    I thought for a moment. "I don't know about Grandmother Maria's mission."

    My words seemed to dash her hopes. I looked at her and continued in an even tone, "But three months ago, I saw people scream in delight in the grandmother’s house."

    She looked up eagerly as soon as she heard this. "A secret mission!"

    Seeing her happy face, it seemed cruel not to tell her. "I'm not sure, but I heard them shouting about a book of rare herbs," I tried to recall the memory.

    "That book must definitely be a reward for a secret mission!"

The gleam in the eyes of the petite woman sparkled, reflecting the light from the fireflies. It was then that I noticed she was an Elf player, her pointed ears confirming my suspicions.

    "Thank you so much!" She smiled warmly.

    At the same moment, a notification popped up in front of me.

I looked at the friend request on the screen impassively. "We've only just met a few hours ago," I remarked, then pressed 'cancel' right in front of her. However, it popped up again with a pleading look.

    Persistence was not a bad thing, but why did it have to be me?

    I was about to press 'cancel' again, but suddenly Luna swiftly grabbed my shoulder. Her push made me step back, and my finger accidentally hit the 'accept' button.

    "We haven't just met for the first time!" she frowned, unconcerned that the system had now made us friends.

    "But I've only just seen you for the first time."

    Luna's eyes flickered at that statement.

    "Maybe it's the hair and eye color..." she mused, furrowing her brow.

    The petite elf took a deep breath. "That's not what we should be talking about right now," she said with a bright smile. "Let's go on a secret mission instead~"

    I gestured a stop sign to her as a polite refusal.

    "Please?" Luna batted her eyelashes.

    "No."

    I firmly refused and stood up to leave, but she didn't give up. She grabbed my arm tightly and pulled me back.

    "Don't be so cold...whoops!"

    I shook my arm free from her grip, causing her to stumble and fall back, her short skirt flipping up to her thighs.

    I glanced at her smooth skin before my eyes moved up to the blushing face of the elf girl.

    She must be embarrassed...and quite a fair skin...well, I had looked already.

    "I’m sorry."

    A few minutes later, I gave in to the persistent elf because I started to get a headache from her high-pitched voice, promising to go on the secret mission with her.

    "Hey!" As soon as I entered the wooden house, I encountered an elderly NPC woman sorting herbs on a table. "Are you hungry already, Frost? That’s odd, you usually stay in the garden longer."

    This house was adjacent to the herbal garden, which was its backyard.

    "I'm not hungry yet," I replied politely.

    This NPC was the owner of the herbal garden where I resided. She was very kind-hearted, allowing me, a player, to sleep in her garden and providing me food daily.

    "Who is this young lady?" the old lady looked at Luna standing next to me.

    "I've just met her a few hours ago..." Before I could finish, Luna interjected, "I... I'm his girlfriend!" The little figure revealed a reluctant look.

    “...!”

    "Really?!" Grandma Maria accidentally dropped her herbs in surprise.

    I rolled my eyes at the woman next to me suspiciously.

    What was she doing? Seeing my good looks, she might be trying to change our status from world-mates to lovers.

    "Grandma, actually..."

    The kind-hearted NPC smiled broadly, "Finally, Frost has a girlfriend!" She dabbed at her eyes with tears of joy and slowly walked towards a storage cupboard, ignoring everything I was saying.

    I shot Luna a blaming look. "What are you joking?"

    "Don't be mad," she met my gaze, but when I stared too long, she looked away. "Don't be upset," The elf looked down to the floor.

    Grandma Maria came back. "Have you been waiting long?"

    "Not at all, Grandma," I replied, earning a fond look from her.

    Luna's eyes widened when the old lady gently took her hand.

    "What are you going to do?" She asked.

    "Frost is like a son to me. We've been together for many years," the grandma took my hand and placed it together with Luna's. I met Luna's eyes silently and whispered just for the two of us to hear, "Because of you."

    The young elf grimaced slightly, "Yes, Grandma."

    "Miss Luna must be Frost's true partner!" Grandma Maria beamed wider than ever. "Take care of her, Frost." I sweated as she pushed something into my hand.

    Hopefully, it was not...

    The object in my hand was a ball-shaped ornament with a gap in the middle, looking to be made of silver. I slowly opened my hand to see what it was.

    ‘Grandma has given me a ring!’

    My body shuddered as I realized the impending doom. Luna's eyes widened as she admired the beautiful silver ring.

    "It's beautiful," she murmured to herself.

    "Don't get too excited, Frost," Grandma Pated my arm. "This ring is an heirloom passed down from my ancestors."

    The beautiful-hearted NPC smiled sweetly.

    ‘This is getting weird...’

    And I'm not excited.

    "Put it on your girlfriend, dear."

    And she was not my girlfriend!

    "Frost..." Luna lowered her eyes shyly, raising her left hand awkwardly. I swallowed hard under the hopeful gaze of the benefactor grandma.

    Did I even have a choice?

    Why would you act so ready to receive the ring?

    Ultimately, I reluctantly slid the ring onto the finger of the troublesome elf girl. Suddenly, the surrounding atmosphere fell deathly silent.

    I felt so nervous that I was sweating profusely. Luna glanced at me; her cheeks flushed noticeably red.

    ‘Players Frost and Luna have now engaged.’

    My eyes widened when I heard the system's announcement, unlike the mischievous girl who happily admired the silver ring on her finger.

    I wanted to order Milk to bite the hand of the cunning woman next to me as a lesson, but out of respect for Grandma Maria's evident joy, I suppressed my anger.

    I had never wanted to bang my head to death more than at this moment.

    "Grandma," the elf girl said innocently, "since I'm already like another daughter to you..."

    She spoke nonchalantly while hugging my arm, "I really want to undertake Grandma’s secret mission!" It felt almost like an invasion of personal space.

    ‘Sometimes I value my rights in my body too…’

Grandma Maria laughed heartily, a sight I had never seen before. "With a request like that, how could I possibly say no?" Suddenly, a prompt appeared on the screen swiftly.

    Everything happened so quickly…

    Before I knew it, the woman beside me had snapped out of her daze and accepted the five-star secret mission.

    Dear Milk, your owner was truly wicked.

    …

    ‘Right now, I have no idea that, in truth, she didn't really want the secret mission she talked about.’