Bayi's body jolted with the holy electricity, his eyes rolling back as foam bubbled from his mouth.
Seeing Bayi's consciousness starting to awaken, Lynne, unable to contain his joy, helped Bayi sit up, supporting his shoulders: "Brother! How are you? Can you hear me?"
Bayi murmured weakly, "My... my head hurts..."
Slap—
Slap—
Lynne delivered two quick slaps.
"How about now?" Lynne asked urgently.
Bayi painfully spat out a mouthful of thick, black blood and mumbled, "Thank you... I feel... much better..."
Lynne was overjoyed, gripping his shoulders tightly: "That's great! That's great! Bayi! Is your name Bayi? Tell me, how did you come to this world? Do you know how we can get back?"
Lynne's gaze was filled with indescribable joy and excitement, an experience he had rarely felt in the last two years. Under the influence of the holy power, the curse inside him was temporarily suppressed.
Bayi's consciousness slowly returned. He looked blankly at Lynne, who seemed similar in appearance and whispered: "Are you... human?"
Lynne joyfully replied in English, "Human! And a good one! Just like you!"
Hearing the familiar language, Bayi trembled.
Their own people! Their own!
Overwhelmed, Bayi held the hand of the stranger before him, bursting into tears, crying out loud. Only he knew the mix of excitement and sorrow in those tears! The feeling of meeting a kindred spirit in a foreign land, the connection as close as that of relatives...
It felt like a young girl, lost and abducted for years, suddenly seeing her parents in a strange land – the overwhelming emotion! At that moment, he wished he were a maiden, so he could throw himself into the arms of his fellow townsman!
°(°ˊДˋ°) °
"Fellow townsman!" Bayi sobbed, his voice full of tears. "Even navigating can lead to crossing worlds! Turning a corner can lead to ghostly pursuits, and knocking on a door can result in a kidney being stolen! Ahhh! Brother! Do you know what I've been through these days?!"
Bayi cried uncontrollably.
"Being taken here and there, even one of my testicles was taken!"
Lynne's eyes were also red with tears. He embraced his unfortunate fellow townsman, tearfully saying: "It's okay! We still have one left! We can still carry on! As long as we live, life holds endless possibilities!"
It was truly tragic! Really too tragic!
Bayi cried out, "Brother! Did you also travel to this place? May I ask for your name?"
Lynne, choking back tears, replied, "My name is Lynne. A native of New York! And you?"
Bayi responded tearfully, "I'm Bayi, an unfortunate high school student who hasn't graduated yet, from the City of Angels!"
Lynne, wiping away tears, said, "Los Angeles a great place! A great place!"
Bayi cried, "What's Los Angeles?"
Silence...
Lynne's expression froze, "Repeat that. Where did you say you're from?"
Bayi, astonished, said, "The City of Angels... Everyone in the country knows it, what's wrong?"
Lynne slowly realized something was amiss.
As Bayi looked on bewildered, Lynne stood up and began pacing back and forth, frowning.
Bayi, puzzled, asked, "Brother, what's wrong?"
Looking at Bayi, Lynne murmured, "Then let me ask you, do you know Newton, Einstein, or Galileo? If not, do you know Jordan, Kobe, Yao Ming? Or, do you know Jackie Chan?"
Bayi's eyes grew more bewildered with each name Lynne mentioned, completely clueless.
"Uh... who are they?"
Buzz—
Lynne's mind went blank, his expression hollowing.
[Lynne's Sanity -50]
...
Several minutes later, Lynne, with a furrowed brow, meticulously compared all the regular facts and knowledge of his world with what Bayi shared. Bayi, utterly bewildered, recounted everything in detail.
To Bayi, this predecessor from another world seemed to lack basic knowledge, even about historical figures well-known to anyone with a basic education. This was indeed strange.
After a more detailed comparison, Lynne finally came to a hollow realization: They were not from the same world.
Although the world Bayi described had many similarities to Lynne's, even sharing a roughly similar historical progression, it was not his world.
That country is called the Union of the Nine States.
Lynne looked up, his gaze empty, muttering, "What in the world is going on..."
[Ding! You have triggered a special achievement: A Hometown in a Foreign Land. You have earned 200 experience.]
[A Hometown in a Foreign Land - This special achievement is obtained at the moment you encounter the first "hometown" visitor. Description: Sometimes, the smallest differences are eternal... You gain a permanent attribute bonus: All Attributes +10, Happiness - 10.]
Witnessing Lynne's suddenly vacant expression, Bayi asked in astonishment, "Brother, what's wrong with you?"
Lynne sat down, grasping his hair with one hand, pulling at it as he said: "There's a problem."
Then, Lynne shared everything he discovered with Bayi – the differences between their hometowns, all the discrepancies he found.
Bayi's face was filled with shock and amazement upon learning the truth.
This meant... If what Lynne said was true... They were from...
"Similar, yet different," Lynne said despondently, "It seems we come from two different worlds with a similar historical path. But that place is your world, not mine."
For a moment, Bayi was at a loss for words. Gazing at the youth before him who shared a similar plight, he opened his mouth but found himself unable to speak. Joy had come so suddenly. Yet, the feeling of loss arrived just as swiftly. Before they could even properly share their camaraderie as townsfolk, a sense of estrangement had already crept in.
Lynne lifted his head, stating firmly, "Regardless, I'm glad to have met you in this forsaken place. Even if we're not truly from the same hometown, rest assured, I won't abandon you."
Bayi's face lit up with joy and excitement, "Really? Truly?"
Although the recent revelations had indeed caused him a bit of disappointment, even if not from the same world, they were from similar worlds with a shared cultural heritage. As long as they were brothers of the same kind, regardless of where they were.
Then, Lynne stood up with a swoosh, adjusted his monocle, and flexed his arms. Looking at Bayi, he said calmly: "Your current state is unstable, your body has been hollowed out, and your continued existence is solely due to the curse and puppetry within you. If you don't receive treatment soon, you might die at any moment!"
Hearing this, Bayi's face turned pale.
He instinctively looked down at his stomach, only to see the blood-soaked cotton protruding from the torn opening.
"Ahh— Ahh—!!"
Bayi fainted from the shock of his gruesome condition.
...
A few minutes later.
Bayi, who had come to, lay trembling on the ground, shivering uncontrollably as he watched Lynne handle the electric saw, sending sparks flying as he sharpened the blade. Though he knew that this fellow townsman he had just met wouldn't harm him, he still felt unnerved and apprehensive.
"Lynne... Brother Lynne!" Bayi trembled, "How... How will you treat me? Are you... going to perform surgery on me?"
Lynne, adjusting his monocle, looked seriously at the Nightfiend Blade in his hand. With a slight turn, the sharp blade glinted coldly.
"Don't worry, you've just arrived, but I've been fighting and surviving in this world for two years now. I've picked up some skills along the way."
Bayi, astonished, exclaimed, "Two... Two years?"
Bayi was utterly astounded by the revelation that the youth before him, seemingly around his age, had survived in this terrifying world for two years. His mind buzzed with the recollection of his own experiences over the last two days.
Having his organs and a testicle removed so soon after his arrival, he couldn't help but marvel at Lynne's ability to endure and adapt in such a harsh environment for two whole years.
It was clear... He had found a pillar of strength in Lynne!
Lynne approached Bayi, wiping the blade thoughtfully and contemplating how to "reinstall hardware" into Bayi's chest. Bayi swallowed nervously and asked, "Brother, will it... will it hurt?"
Lynne replied calmly, "Don't worry about that. I brought plenty of anesthetics this time. I'll give you a full dose, ensuring you'll wake up comfortably and be as lively as a tiger!"
Bayi breathed a sigh of relief.
That was great news!
The presence of anesthetics was reassuring. He had feared that doctors in this dreadful world might perform surgeries without any pain relief. Truly, Lynne was a commendable fellow townsman and senior.
(T▽T)
Such care and attention to his younger 'brother' – if only he had such an incredible elder brother back in the real world, it would be like a dream come true!
Lynne then reached for his medical kit to prepare the anesthetic injection. However, at that moment, he paused.
Bayi blinked, "Brother, what's wrong?"
Lynne looked thoughtfully at his kit and said, "Brother, I'm a bit embarrassed to say, but I originally brought three large bottles of anesthetics. Unfortunately, I used one of them for surgery earlier."
Bayi replied, "So, there are still two bottles, right?"
Lynne frowned, pulling out a bottle labeled "Anesthetic" from his medical kit. He opened it, took a sip, exhaled warmly, and closed his eyes, saying: "I turned them into tea."
"..."
"..."
In the ensuing silence, Bayi was dumbfounded.
"Then what do we do?" he asked, his voice a mix of fear and desperation.
Lynne, hesitant, offered the cup of hot tea, "How about drinking some tea as a makeshift solution?"
Bayi's mind conjured an absurd scene: sipping tea while Lynne, with a sharp scalpel, performed surgery on his abdomen.
What kind of joke was this?
Bayi was in disbelief!
Was this really a viable solution? Could he really endure the pain?
Despite his initial shock, Bayi quickly composed himself, understanding that he couldn't be a burden to his newfound townsman in this critical moment.
Yes, he had to be strong! After all, hadn't he endured when his kidney was taken? A true man, especially in such dire circumstances, shouldn't fear pain.
Images of brave heroes from history flashed through his mind, their unyielding spirit in the face of death.
How could he let down their legacy?
With newfound resolve, Bayi clenched his fist, teeth gritted, "Brother, no need for anesthesia! Proceed with the surgery! I, Bayi, may not be a warrior, but I am a passionate youth! A true warrior faces life's grim realities and the sight of blood! I, Bayi, surely can't be afraid of surgery!"
Lynne was inspired by Bayi's indomitable spirit.
"Well said! Worthy of a young man from the human world! Such spirit is not wasted, even if two kidneys were lost!"
Lynne raised his scalpel, his monocle gleaming with determination.
"Then, as your big brother, I won't hold back!"
Bayi, suddenly apprehensive, stuttered, "Wait... wait a sec..."
Too late.
An agonizing scream tore through the air.
...
[Ding! Your surgical skills +1]
[Ding! Your sewing skills +1]
[Ding! Your sewing skills +1]
[Ding! Your sewing skills +1]
Bayi lay unconscious on the ground, foaming at the mouth, eyes rolled back, as Lynne, with a solemn expression and a needle in hand, rapidly and skillfully reconstructed Bayi's internal hardware.
Announcement I'm going to change the posting frequency slightly. I'll be posting a chapter every other day.
Bayi's body jolted with the holy electricity, his eyes rolling back as foam bubbled from his mouth.
Seeing Bayi's consciousness starting to awaken, Lynne, unable to contain his joy, helped Bayi sit up, supporting his shoulders: "Brother! How are you? Can you hear me?"
Bayi murmured weakly, "My... my head hurts..."
Slap—
Slap—
Lynne delivered two quick slaps.
"How about now?" Lynne asked urgently.
Bayi painfully spat out a mouthful of thick, black blood and mumbled, "Thank you... I feel... much better..."
Lynne was overjoyed, gripping his shoulders tightly: "That's great! That's great! Bayi! Is your name Bayi? Tell me, how did you come to this world? Do you know how we can get back?"
Lynne's gaze was filled with indescribable joy and excitement, an experience he had rarely felt in the last two years. Under the influence of the holy power, the curse inside him was temporarily suppressed.
Bayi's consciousness slowly returned. He looked blankly at Lynne, who seemed similar in appearance and whispered: "Are you... human?"
Lynne joyfully replied in English, "Human! And a good one! Just like you!"
Hearing the familiar language, Bayi trembled.
Their own people! Their own!
Overwhelmed, Bayi held the hand of the stranger before him, bursting into tears, crying out loud. Only he knew the mix of excitement and sorrow in those tears! The feeling of meeting a kindred spirit in a foreign land, the connection as close as that of relatives...
It felt like a young girl, lost and abducted for years, suddenly seeing her parents in a strange land – the overwhelming emotion! At that moment, he wished he were a maiden, so he could throw himself into the arms of his fellow townsman!
°(°ˊДˋ°) °
"Fellow townsman!" Bayi sobbed, his voice full of tears. "Even navigating can lead to crossing worlds! Turning a corner can lead to ghostly pursuits, and knocking on a door can result in a kidney being stolen! Ahhh! Brother! Do you know what I've been through these days?!"
Bayi cried uncontrollably.
"Being taken here and there, even one of my testicles was taken!"
Lynne's eyes were also red with tears. He embraced his unfortunate fellow townsman, tearfully saying: "It's okay! We still have one left! We can still carry on! As long as we live, life holds endless possibilities!"
It was truly tragic! Really too tragic!
Bayi cried out, "Brother! Did you also travel to this place? May I ask for your name?"
Lynne, choking back tears, replied, "My name is Lynne. A native of New York! And you?"
Bayi responded tearfully, "I'm Bayi, an unfortunate high school student who hasn't graduated yet, from the City of Angels!"
Lynne, wiping away tears, said, "Los Angeles a great place! A great place!"
Bayi cried, "What's Los Angeles?"
Silence...
Lynne's expression froze, "Repeat that. Where did you say you're from?"
Bayi, astonished, said, "The City of Angels... Everyone in the country knows it, what's wrong?"
Lynne slowly realized something was amiss.
As Bayi looked on bewildered, Lynne stood up and began pacing back and forth, frowning.
Bayi, puzzled, asked, "Brother, what's wrong?"
Looking at Bayi, Lynne murmured, "Then let me ask you, do you know Newton, Einstein, or Galileo? If not, do you know Jordan, Kobe, Yao Ming? Or, do you know Jackie Chan?"
Bayi's eyes grew more bewildered with each name Lynne mentioned, completely clueless.
"Uh... who are they?"
Buzz—
Lynne's mind went blank, his expression hollowing.
[Lynne's Sanity -50]
...
Several minutes later, Lynne, with a furrowed brow, meticulously compared all the regular facts and knowledge of his world with what Bayi shared. Bayi, utterly bewildered, recounted everything in detail.
To Bayi, this predecessor from another world seemed to lack basic knowledge, even about historical figures well-known to anyone with a basic education. This was indeed strange.
After a more detailed comparison, Lynne finally came to a hollow realization: They were not from the same world.
Although the world Bayi described had many similarities to Lynne's, even sharing a roughly similar historical progression, it was not his world.
That country is called the Union of the Nine States.
Lynne looked up, his gaze empty, muttering, "What in the world is going on..."
[Ding! You have triggered a special achievement: A Hometown in a Foreign Land. You have earned 200 experience.]
[A Hometown in a Foreign Land - This special achievement is obtained at the moment you encounter the first "hometown" visitor. Description: Sometimes, the smallest differences are eternal... You gain a permanent attribute bonus: All Attributes +10, Happiness - 10.]
Witnessing Lynne's suddenly vacant expression, Bayi asked in astonishment, "Brother, what's wrong with you?"
Lynne sat down, grasping his hair with one hand, pulling at it as he said: "There's a problem."
Then, Lynne shared everything he discovered with Bayi – the differences between their hometowns, all the discrepancies he found.
Bayi's face was filled with shock and amazement upon learning the truth.
This meant... If what Lynne said was true... They were from...
"Similar, yet different," Lynne said despondently, "It seems we come from two different worlds with a similar historical path. But that place is your world, not mine."
For a moment, Bayi was at a loss for words. Gazing at the youth before him who shared a similar plight, he opened his mouth but found himself unable to speak. Joy had come so suddenly. Yet, the feeling of loss arrived just as swiftly. Before they could even properly share their camaraderie as townsfolk, a sense of estrangement had already crept in.
Lynne lifted his head, stating firmly, "Regardless, I'm glad to have met you in this forsaken place. Even if we're not truly from the same hometown, rest assured, I won't abandon you."
Bayi's face lit up with joy and excitement, "Really? Truly?"
Although the recent revelations had indeed caused him a bit of disappointment, even if not from the same world, they were from similar worlds with a shared cultural heritage. As long as they were brothers of the same kind, regardless of where they were.
Then, Lynne stood up with a swoosh, adjusted his monocle, and flexed his arms. Looking at Bayi, he said calmly: "Your current state is unstable, your body has been hollowed out, and your continued existence is solely due to the curse and puppetry within you. If you don't receive treatment soon, you might die at any moment!"
Hearing this, Bayi's face turned pale.
He instinctively looked down at his stomach, only to see the blood-soaked cotton protruding from the torn opening.
"Ahh— Ahh—!!"
Bayi fainted from the shock of his gruesome condition.
...
A few minutes later.
Bayi, who had come to, lay trembling on the ground, shivering uncontrollably as he watched Lynne handle the electric saw, sending sparks flying as he sharpened the blade. Though he knew that this fellow townsman he had just met wouldn't harm him, he still felt unnerved and apprehensive.
"Lynne... Brother Lynne!" Bayi trembled, "How... How will you treat me? Are you... going to perform surgery on me?"
Lynne, adjusting his monocle, looked seriously at the Nightfiend Blade in his hand. With a slight turn, the sharp blade glinted coldly.
"Don't worry, you've just arrived, but I've been fighting and surviving in this world for two years now. I've picked up some skills along the way."
Bayi, astonished, exclaimed, "Two... Two years?"
Bayi was utterly astounded by the revelation that the youth before him, seemingly around his age, had survived in this terrifying world for two years. His mind buzzed with the recollection of his own experiences over the last two days.
Having his organs and a testicle removed so soon after his arrival, he couldn't help but marvel at Lynne's ability to endure and adapt in such a harsh environment for two whole years.
It was clear... He had found a pillar of strength in Lynne!
Lynne approached Bayi, wiping the blade thoughtfully and contemplating how to "reinstall hardware" into Bayi's chest. Bayi swallowed nervously and asked, "Brother, will it... will it hurt?"
Lynne replied calmly, "Don't worry about that. I brought plenty of anesthetics this time. I'll give you a full dose, ensuring you'll wake up comfortably and be as lively as a tiger!"
Bayi breathed a sigh of relief.
That was great news!
The presence of anesthetics was reassuring. He had feared that doctors in this dreadful world might perform surgeries without any pain relief. Truly, Lynne was a commendable fellow townsman and senior.
(T▽T)
Such care and attention to his younger 'brother' – if only he had such an incredible elder brother back in the real world, it would be like a dream come true!
Lynne then reached for his medical kit to prepare the anesthetic injection. However, at that moment, he paused.
Bayi blinked, "Brother, what's wrong?"
Lynne looked thoughtfully at his kit and said, "Brother, I'm a bit embarrassed to say, but I originally brought three large bottles of anesthetics. Unfortunately, I used one of them for surgery earlier."
Bayi replied, "So, there are still two bottles, right?"
Lynne frowned, pulling out a bottle labeled "Anesthetic" from his medical kit. He opened it, took a sip, exhaled warmly, and closed his eyes, saying: "I turned them into tea."
"..."
"..."
In the ensuing silence, Bayi was dumbfounded.
"Then what do we do?" he asked, his voice a mix of fear and desperation.
Lynne, hesitant, offered the cup of hot tea, "How about drinking some tea as a makeshift solution?"
Bayi's mind conjured an absurd scene: sipping tea while Lynne, with a sharp scalpel, performed surgery on his abdomen.
What kind of joke was this?
Bayi was in disbelief!
Was this really a viable solution? Could he really endure the pain?
Despite his initial shock, Bayi quickly composed himself, understanding that he couldn't be a burden to his newfound townsman in this critical moment.
Yes, he had to be strong! After all, hadn't he endured when his kidney was taken? A true man, especially in such dire circumstances, shouldn't fear pain.
Images of brave heroes from history flashed through his mind, their unyielding spirit in the face of death.
How could he let down their legacy?
With newfound resolve, Bayi clenched his fist, teeth gritted, "Brother, no need for anesthesia! Proceed with the surgery! I, Bayi, may not be a warrior, but I am a passionate youth! A true warrior faces life's grim realities and the sight of blood! I, Bayi, surely can't be afraid of surgery!"
Lynne was inspired by Bayi's indomitable spirit.
"Well said! Worthy of a young man from the human world! Such spirit is not wasted, even if two kidneys were lost!"
Lynne raised his scalpel, his monocle gleaming with determination.
"Then, as your big brother, I won't hold back!"
Bayi, suddenly apprehensive, stuttered, "Wait... wait a sec..."
Too late.
An agonizing scream tore through the air.
...
[Ding! Your surgical skills +1]
[Ding! Your sewing skills +1]
[Ding! Your sewing skills +1]
[Ding! Your sewing skills +1]
Bayi lay unconscious on the ground, foaming at the mouth, eyes rolled back, as Lynne, with a solemn expression and a needle in hand, rapidly and skillfully reconstructed Bayi's internal hardware.
Announcement I'm going to change the posting frequency slightly. I'll be posting a chapter every other day.