Four Split Personalities

Motan lay lazily on the floor leaning against the Game Cabin, gazing at the brilliant sunshine outside, imagining students who could no longer linger in bed after the winter break now half-dead crawling out of bed to brush their teeth and wash up, lining up like zombies walking into the classroom, and he couldn’t help but smile. He then thought of the girl who had messaged and chatted with him for three hours just because they hadn’t seen each other for half a day in the game, and his mood brightened along with the sunlight.

Although his chat with Yu Chen was all about trivial matters, the real reason was that Feather Song and the group of sisters led by "Big Brother" were not online, but Motan was still very cheerful.

"It’s pretty good..."

He swiped through the screen, then his gaze slightly sharpened, casually opened a popular and pay-to-win card collecting game with a pretty good script, and was surprised to find that his consecutive login streak had been interrupted for nearly a hundred days.

Tracing back the time, it coincided with the last day of the previous year, the day The Realm of Innocence went online, December 31st.

Since that day up until now, it had already been a full eighty-four days...

Although it was impossible for Motan, with his personality, to truly forget how many days he had played The Realm of Innocence, at this moment he still felt surprised, as if awakening from a grand dream, at how swiftly time had passed.

[It’s been quite fulfilling...]

Even though the current Motan was in a state of Absolute Neutrality, he was still sure that both his current self and his other personalities would share the same sentiment.

His experiences during this period were still vivid in his mind...

As Hei Fan, he had experienced countless life-and-death separations. He was originally averse to taking on pressure and responsibility, but unwittingly, step by step, he had gone from being a common soldier in the Marshall Territory’s self-defense forces to becoming one of the leaders who had brought countless people through that natural disaster. He had met numerous important figures led by Xia Lian, made friends with people like Luna and Feather Song, and now he had even become a promising new talent that the Church of the Dawn planned to cultivate, with a High Order Saint Knight protecting him personally.

Of course... there was also the chance encounter with that person and becoming friends, and even a little bit of gossip that was neither big nor small.

Although it was very tiring and nerve-wracking, and he didn’t know how many times he couldn’t bear it and wanted to give up or back down, it was still rarely very joyful. Because no matter what, at least as ’Hei Fan’, Motan did not regret any of his decisions, whether it was evasion or persistence, even almost driving himself to the brink of collapse, they were all precious to him.

And not just that...

Even in his current personality, he could resonate with his other two personalities to some extent. Motan knew very well that whether he was in a state of Chaotic Neutral or Orderly Good, he would also feel satisfied with these days.

The reasons were completely the same.

As Tan Mo, he could finally cast aside all constraints and considerations, boldly practicing every mad idea without taboo. Without the checks and balances of ’himself’, he had wreaked havoc on countless people in just a little over two months, ranging from Dave who wanted to pull off a small trick and died trying; the Thief Guild of Black Tower City and Cleo, whose promotion hopes were dashed and who got conned out of several hundred thousand Gold Coins; to the obliterated Marshall Family and the Southeast Diocese of the Whisper Sect which got disastrously entangled. He played with utmost delight, regardless of good or evil, right or wrong, causing chaos everywhere he went.

As for himself as Mor, the situation was similar to ’Tan Mo’, yet it was another extreme. Seemingly drifting along with the flow of adventures, he felt genuinely comfortable. He liked being surrounded by problem-filled but trustworthy companions, and enjoyed the freedom to practice his beliefs. He didn’t have to exhaust his mind thinking about how not to be a scourge in the Human World but followed his own pace steadily, not unnecessarily worrying about world peace, yet not turning a blind eye to injustice when encountered, not blindly trusting Authority, and not fearing to take responsibility, only seeking a clear conscience.

Yes, his Orderly Good personality was not a Saint; he was just someone seeking a clear conscience after all. But the simple phrase ’clear conscience’ was a luxury for Motan, who was an atypical case. Not to mention other things, just the simple fact of getting up early, if he didn’t have an Orderly Good personality when waking up, it was utter nonsense.

And when in the states of ’Tan Mo’ and ’Hei Fan’, he was similarly troubled by the same issue.

It was three months ago on that day, Motan, who was already a bundle of contradictions, encountered the game The Realm of Innocence, and thus obtained what the majority of people take for granted from birth—freedom.

Restrictions by society, or bonds of morality, these existences that are the same to everyone are not obstacles to freedom; at least for Motan, the only obstacle to freedom was himself.

But a game that could separate each of his personalities absurdly solved this problem.

Although life outside the game was still the same, for ’Hei Fan’, ’Tan Mo’, and ’Mor’ within the game, they finally enjoyed precious freedom and were somewhat in Domination of their own lives.

The same self, different lives.

Although he did not know how it was for others, The Realm of Innocence truly changed a lot for him...

That lively New Year’s Eve dinner seemed to be thanks to it as well.

"Heh, if you think about it carefully, it’s not so bad to walk through this world."

Motan turned his head and glanced at his reflection on the Game Cabin, revealing a smile that was vulgar yet warm, with a hint of roguishness hiding behind the warmth. He slowly stood up, muttering to himself, "Maybe... celebrate a little?"

So, ten minutes later, Motan, having changed into a fresh set of clothes, leisurely stepped out the door.

...

Actual Time AM: 11:49

"Shuk shuk shuk shuk, opening Berta’s shuk~"

Holding a newly-bought fresh soft-shelled turtle in one hand and two bags full of ingredients in the other, Motan hummed a tune as he returned to his apartment building, looking joyful, singing loudly: "Berta Berta Berta Berta opening shuk’s Ber... Yo! What wind blew you guys here to freeload a meal?"

The group of people standing in front of Motan’s apartment building unit all turned their gaze toward someone who was engrossed in playing with their smartphone.

"Hey! You actually remembered to come back!"

Yi Dong, who had just accomplished seventeen straight losses in the game of fighting landlords, turned his head and immediately flipped the bird: "Don’t you have a phone? We’ve been waiting here for you for so long!"

Click!

Somehow, Motan miraculously whipped out his phone and snapped a picture of Yi Dong flipping the bird, all while carrying his bags. Then, as he walked toward the entrance, he distributed the bags he was holding equally to Cui Xiaoyu, Wanyang, and Kanglan. He then shoved the turtle into Yi Dong’s arms. While entering a long string of numbers on the doorbell, he turned back and smiled at everyone: "Next time you need to find me, just have someone else call me. That idiot is too annoying, so I occasionally block him."

"Oh oh!"

Everyone nodded in unison.

The new friends Motan knew in real life, Ji Xiaoge, Ji Xiaodao, Yu Chen, Wanyang, Kanglan, and not forgetting... Cui Xiaoyu, they all came over.

"Happy birthday, Motan!"

Wearing barely anything, a blushing Yu Chen let out a timid squeak as he hopped a bit.

"Happy birthday."

"Happy birthday, buddy!"

"Happy birthday, when are you coming to Sumer?"

"Happy birthday! Xiaodao says so too!"

"Oh, happy birthday, I brought some cans of cat food to show my appreciation."

Everyone surrounded Motan, chattering and wishing him well, and the atmosphere was lively.

"Whose idea was this?"

Motan sighed and gave Yi Dong a cold glance.

"Just to liven things up."

The latter chuckled with a smug smile.

"All right~"

After entering the string of numbers, Motan casually opened the highly secure door, stepped aside, and cocked his head at everyone...

"Thanks, come on in."

To be continued