Leo sensed that the atmosphere around him was off, and he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
He turned his head stiffly and saw the figure at the doorway. He nearly dropped the wine glass in his hand.
“Mother!!” The color drained from Leo’s face in an instant.
Lady Hou Wei—
Or rather, in the eyes of the patrons at this moment, she was simply a strict mother who had come to drag her mischievous son back home.
She stared at Leo with cold eyes and approached him one step at a time, the crowd parting to make a path. Her silent aura was more oppressive than any verbal reprimand.
*Click, click, click, click, click—*
The sound of high heels was exceptionally clear in the suddenly quiet tavern, and it carried an exceptional sense of dread.
As if he had been struck by lightning, Leo jumped to his feet. He hurriedly set down his glass and stammered, “I… I’m going back now! Right now! Immediately!”
“Come here.” Hou Wei’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an unquestionable command.
Leo hung his head like a wilted eggplant, moving forward one agonizing step at a time.
As he passed by Feng Qin, he even stole a quick glance, seemingly trying to find a trace of sympathy or… mockery on that perpetually expressionless face.
But he saw only a gaze as calm as an icy lake.
Lady Hou Wei gave a slight nod to the tavern crowd as a greeting. Then, she grabbed her son by the back of his collar like a disobedient kitten and turned to leave.
The door was closed gently.
The silence lasted for only a few seconds.
*Pfft—* Someone finally couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
Immediately after, the entire tavern erupted into a roar of laughter.
“Hahaha! I told you! Young Master Leo ends up like this every time!”
“Bet you one copper coin he’ll try to sneak out again tomorrow!”
“Lady Hou Wei’s skills with the cane have improved again!”
The atmosphere turned lively once more, becoming even more joyous than before.
Feng Qin watched all of this silently, her heart undisturbed. Without a word, she gathered the few gold coins remaining on the bar and recorded them in the system.
Was there any intel more interesting than watching a noble brat get hauled home by his mother?
Out of habit, she glanced at the bottom right corner of her field of vision.
**[Current Time: Year 277 of the Radiant Moon Calendar, second week, Night 11:47 PM]**
Time flowed quietly amidst the clamor.
Feng Qin let out a soft sigh.
The long daily grind of clearing the early game should be over.
She concentrated and silently recited the command, just as she had done countless times before.
A faint blue, translucent interface expanded in her vision.
**[Status] [Skills] [Inventory] [Quests] [System]**
Everything looked normal.
Her consciousness moved like a mouse cursor, landing precisely on the **[System]** option, preparing to click it as usual—
**[Log Out]**.
However—
Her movements, along with her thoughts, came to a halt.
The system interface expanded.
**[Graphics Settings] [Audio Settings] [Control Settings] [Game Help]**…
The familiar options were lined up neatly.
But.
It wasn’t there.
The option she had used countless times, the one that had become almost an instinct—
**[Log Out]**.
It was gone.
Her heart seemed to skip a beat.
‘Interface error?’
Feng Qin’s consciousness swept rapidly across every menu and sub-option, not missing a single corner.
Nothing.
It was nowhere to be found.
It had… completely vanished.
The candle flames flickered.
The rowdiness of the NPCs, the scent of the tavern, the texture of the bar counter…
In this moment, all her senses became clearer than ever before.
This night was very long.
For the first time, Feng Qin experienced what it felt like for a day to feel like a year in a game.
No matter how many times she opened the system, the log out button remained missing.
Late at night.
The tavern gradually quieted down as the patrons dispersed.
As a part-time employee, she was assigned a small room in the attic to rest.
According to the normal process, she only needed to lie down and close her eyes for the log out prompt to appear, and time would instantly switch between the real world and the game.
But this time—
Nothing happened.
Feng Qin lay on the bed, her thoughts in a mess.
After repeated verification, she had reached a conclusion.
She had transmigrated.
Furthermore, she had transmigrated into the game character she had just created.
If this was real…
She slowly pulled open her collar.
This was an action she had never taken in the game, but right now, it felt so real that it was impossible to ignore.
The heavy sensation on her chest.
The soft rebound when her fingertips pressed down…
There were no reactions that a man should have.
Only real warmth and touch.
At this moment, she fully realized—
This was no longer data.
The moonlight shone through the worn window, casting a clear line of light and shadow across her body.
“Heh…”
Feng Qin let out a short laugh.
‘The real-world me probably died back in that rental apartment.’
No one knew; no one cared.
No father, no mother, completely alone.
The virtual world had, instead, become her only home.
‘It’s just as well…’
She stood up and walked to the mottled full-length mirror by the wall.
Reflected in the mirror was a young girl with short silver hair and slightly twitching wolf ears.
After staring for a moment, she undid the sash at her waist, and her clothes slid down her shoulders.
Slender lines of the neck and shoulders, delicate collarbones, and further down, the silhouette of a completely feminine body.
It was real enough to be undeniable.
She reorganized her thoughts.
‘The system interface is still here; only the log out function has disappeared. In that case, can the other functions still be used?’
**[Character Panel]**
Name: Elia
Race: Wolfkin (Silver Frost Bloodline Rank 1)
Level: 5 (Swordsman LV 2, Rogue LV 1)
HP: 120/120
Stamina: 100/100
MP: 80/80
**[Basic Attributes]**
Strength: Slightly stronger than a human
Agility: 12 (Nimble)
Constitution: 10 (Average)
Perception: 14 (Keen hearing and smell)
Spirit: Affects MP and resistance
Charisma: 11 (Cold temperament and exotic charm bonus)
**[Talents]**
Silver Frost Bloodline (Rank 1): In cold environments or under moonlight, all attributes increase by 10%, and perception doubles.
Apathy: Resilient to mental influences.
**[Sub-professions]**
Artisan LV 1
Tailor LV 1
Blacksmith LV 1
**[Skills]**
Basic Combat LV 2
Danger Sense LV 1
Stealth LV 1
Precision Throw LV 2
Deft Hands LV 5
Housekeeping LV 1
**[Active Skills]**
Weakness Insight LV 1
Sprint LV 1
Flash LV 1
“A pity…”
She looked at the panel and whispered softly.
‘I transmigrated into a common starting account.’
If it were a max-level account, perhaps she could have experienced a story-like beginning.
But now—
She looked up at herself in the mirror and said, one word at a time:
“This is my reality now.”
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