The Game of Global Mining

Chun couldn’t quite snap back to reality for a while, feeling like he was too deep into the role.

Actually, it would be best if it really is the Earth Mother. If it’s not the Earth Mother... that would be quite tricky! At that time, I was still hiding everywhere with secret accounts, afraid of being discovered, always trying to avoid being controlled. If it’s the Earth Mother, there’s no need for that. From the moment I completed the first trial task, I was the leading normal player and the chosen one...

Might as well change my mood. Chun continued to hang in there, meanwhile switching back to his main account to check the absorption progress of the Vine, 70% complete. The speed is indeed astonishing, probably enough time to continue the recovery operation before dawn.

Back to the second layer of the Divine Domain to check the harvest progress. Hmm, not bad, new saplings are shining under the colorful skies, and those four native mother plants are forming a rainbow Energy Shield by absorbing colorful energy.

That familiar rainbow color again!

Earlier, when Aileen and I were collecting desires, it was also this rainbow color!

Great, that means the Flower Spirit is promising.

Chun thought of Sister Bai at the clinic. It’s midnight during game time; she should be closing up by now?

Chun moved his view to the clinic, indeed it was closed, but the lights were on in the lobby.

Sister Bai wasn’t sleeping in the bedroom inside but was sleeping on a folding chair behind the counter, seemingly still dressed and not asleep, occasionally looking outside the door, looking utterly exhausted and uneasy. From outside the door, faint sounds of dogs barking and gambling shouts from the slum could be heard.

Chun felt extremely sorry for her. Just think, a girl came to study abroad and was supposed to stay in a safe dorm, but ended up being placed in the most dangerous slum. The inside bedroom was where an old lady who had just passed away used to live... Anyone would feel uncomfortable in that situation, right? Obviously, she’s exhausted from a full day’s work, yet too scared to sleep.

Let’s take this chance to chat with her!

Just as Chun was about to stretch out the Vine through the floorboards to send her glowing messages, he suddenly stopped — does this clinic have any Eye of Omniscience surveillance from the Ten Lords?

Given the Ten Lords’ nature of discomfort when not monitoring, they probably do! Honestly, I’ve become addicted to monitoring myself.

And my Vine doesn’t have anti-invisibility or counter-surveillance capabilities, so I absolutely must not act rashly.

Perhaps there’s only one way, wait for her to fall asleep, then find a way to communicate through a dream?

But for dream communication, without Mina, only Xina would be slightly stronger, but Xina’s just an Initial Tier Nightmare, it’s going to be difficult to get in, right? After all, Sister Bai’s strength isn’t low either...

Holy shit, what am I thinking? Whenever there’s a problem, ask the leader right in front of you!

Chun switched back: "Dear—"

Maria was still in high spirits, the bath rippling: "Hmm?"

Chun suddenly didn’t dare to speak directly. In such a setting, suddenly asking an unrelated question in front of the leader... even if she is the Earth Mother and favors me, every Earth Mother’s clone’s temperament is slightly different, and she’s definitely got the biggest temper!

"If I miss you, my dear, and want to communicate with you through a dream, but the gap in our powers is too great, what should I do?"

Maria coyly said, "What are you thinking about? You’re not focused! The power of yearning, regretting for a thousand years, can form such a vast world. If you yearn for me strongly, it’s not that difficult! Anyway, stay focused and stop talking—"

Uh...

Chun broke out in a sweat, fortunately clever enough not to babble!

But this is also a valuable tip, meaning if Sister Bai really misses me deeply, it would be a mutual effort, and it should be easier to enter. But is this ease enough to overcome Xina’s low tier power gap?

Alright, I’ll have to wait for her to fall asleep and give it a try. But during this waiting period, Chun seemed unable to find anything to do for a moment.

Gazing at the dazzling dance floor, Chun suddenly thought of someone, that person being the "False Tifa" who got taken down by Tifa’s wrath in the dance floor space of the Nightmare Realm, later getting rotated into a meatball by the motorcycle array of the Seven Mechanical Maidens!

She was probably the strongest Nightmare present at the time, if she could be used by me, communicating through dream wouldn’t be a problem? But the premise is, did she surrender? Might as well ask.

"Aileen, how’s the captured False Tifa doing?"

Aileen said, "Seems like she’s back to human form, but she’s looking quite defiant."

Defiant?

Chun was helpless: "Still, bring her to the second layer to see the dance floor, I’d like to chat with her."

Chun believes that in our Divine Domain, whatever idea she might have, she probably couldn’t stir up any trouble.

"Alright, I’ll send some sisters to bring her over."

Soon, a few Dancing Girls escorted the False Tifa over, still dressed in the cloaked attire of the viewing gallery.

Chun took a look, very haggard. Although she had reverted to human form, she hadn’t fully recovered, like a low-budget version of an inflatable Tifa doll. Except for the eyes, truly defiant indeed?

Then her gaze was instantly attracted by the grand dance floor, showing a look of astonishment. And this was also the purpose of Chun meeting her here.

Chun asked, "I still don’t know your name."

She snorted coldly: "I was born from the jealousy, suspicion, and resentment of the Mechanical Dancers towards Tifa. At the same time, I was also born from Tifa’s jealousy and arrogance towards the Mechanical Dancers, so I am also essentially a thought of Tifa— you can call me False Tifa, or Dark Tifa if you think the name doesn’t sound good."

Even the voice is seventy percent similar to Tifa!

Chun was taken aback: "You say, Tifa is jealous of the Dancers?"

She chuckled: "Yes! In the circle of Mechanical Dancers in Bronze City, there’s a saying that Tifa, as an idol, her high-difficulty motorcycle skills that led trends in advertisements actually weren’t her skills but were achieved by cheating with magic. In fact, there were Dancers who completed her advanced skills with their own abilities, which indeed shocked and made Tifa jealous. She indeed personally witnessed the performances of the 7 best Dancers. But at the time she was present, no accidents occurred, only later during the accidents, the injured Dancers subconsciously believed it was Tifa’s jealous sabotage. This kind of misunderstanding idea converged and further birthed me!"

Ah, it’s the same story as what Mechanical Girl Beth said, but in a different version.

Chun asked: "Should we get those seven to come out and clarify the misunderstanding?"

False Tifa said somberly: "Their hatred ideas created a space in the Nightmare Realm and attracted many Nightmares to move in, further amplifying the hatred. That level can’t be resolved by just saying it’s a misunderstanding. Even if they tore into me a hundred times it wouldn’t quench their hatred!"

Chun said: "As long as you work with us, we’re all partners, no one’s going to make things difficult for you! It’s because of you they met me, now everyone’s happy."

False Tifa laughed: "Make things difficult for me? They’d need to have that capability! If it weren’t for the real Tifa pinning me down back then, would it have been their turn to retaliate? Moreover, do you call this happiness? They’re dead now!"