A small picture of Churan appeared before me, along with other simple information, much like an ID card.
[Name: Li Churan]
[Age: 19]
[Address: Dong Gao Sewers]
...Wait, she lives in the sewers? Specifically Dong Gao Sewers?
Wasn't that a restricted area in the game?
In fact, now that I think about it, all the sewers in the slums were blocked off by invisible video game barriers, and it was theorised that they would come into play later on as the game progressed further.
After all, why would they add an unexplorable area?
... So is it true?
It has to be... I have to be in the finished version of the game!
And these sewers must be part of the new World Quests!
And Churan must be a character who plays an important role in this quest!
... Did I just hit the jackpot?
I drooled over the thought of the rewards World Quests brought.
World Quests opened up new, smaller quests, not to mention new rewards such as weapons, new skins, character upgrades, and new usable characters.
"Ew, what the hell are you so giddy about? Fricking creep."
Churan glared at me before she got back to teasing Wei.
Crap, I got ahead of myself.
I felt my face flush, but was it really my fault for being excited over something like this?
If only they knew...
I looked back at the scarlet screen.
Hanzhi belonged to one of the twelve major houses, so it's a no-brainer he would have such insane skills.
What's even more insane is that he ended up being a small-fry villain with these skills.
Just as I was about to close the screen, a pair of small words caught my eye.
They were right below all the previous information.
[See More?]
I instinctively clicked on it.
[Insufficient Li-Liang]
...Are you serious?
I need even more?
...Well, I guess the information I have right now is sufficient.
I closed my eyes and deactivated the skill, feeling the concentrated Li-Liang in my eyes beginning to disperse to the rest of my body.
The second I opened them again, I could feel a huge chunk of Li-Liang being drained from my body.
It seemed that the skill only absorbed my Li-Liang after I got my information.
Ugh... my body definitely feels heavier...
I only got simple information about Churan, yet the skill consumed so much of my Li-Liang.
My eyelids started to feel heavy.
Wei must've felt my body loosen as he turned around to try to face me.
"Hey, what's wrong with you? We're almost at that Granny's house, so don't fall asleep on me."
"Huh? Oh, yeah..."
I tried to say a little more, but my mind was blanking.
"Are you even listening to Wei!? You're totally dozing off!
"Hm...?"
Churan seemed to be mouthing off again, but I guess my body was shutting down too fast to interpret her thoughts.
... Just... just how much of my Li-Liang was absorbed...?
And that was the last thing I thought of before I fell asleep.
***
Unfortunately, I awoke to the sound of an angry Granny's mumbling.
I could feel what I was lying on, cold and worn.
Just by lying on its material, I already knew I was back on the sofa, also known as my current bed.
Well, it's either I open my eyes now and get the yelling over with, or I try to go back to sleep and deal with it tomorrow.
... Maybe she'll be less angry tomorrow...?
I silently listened to Grandma Guanhuai.
The sound of liquid being poured and the clinking of bottles filled the room, but no sign of anyone else.
That's weird; Wei was definitely going to sleep here today.
I slowly opened my eyes, just a little- basically a squint.
There really doesn't seem to be...!
"AGhH-!"
My entire body shook as I felt my heart transcend to the heavens.
"W-Why are you-"
"I goddamn knew it, yer ass wasn't asleep! Now sit up!"
I immediately sat myself up.
"U-um, Grandma Guanhuai, where's Wei and that other girl?"
"Ya used up yer Li-Liang, didn't ya?! What did I tell ya before?! No using it until that leg heals!"
"I know, I know, but—"
"Ain't no buts!"
She shoved a bright red concoction into my hands.
"A C-Rank healing potion?"
"Ya damn right, guess ya got something in that head, eh?"
"...Yeah..."
I turned the bottle around and watched the liquid slosh around.
It was a distinct red, sparkling with hues of purple, yellow, and white.
Did she really make this, just for me?
....This looks like it's on the higher end of C-Rank items... I wonder how she got the materials and education to make this in the slums.
"Hey, you can make stuff like this? Why don't you sell this instead of those low-tier healing potions outside? You'd be a lot more famous and sure as hell be richer."
"... Just drink the dang potion! Askin' so many questions!"
Shimmering brightly, the potion was practically begging me to take a sip.
I popped open the bottle and began drinking.
It slid easily down my throat, tasting like a nice cup of cold water.
"Ah, that was refreshing..."
Wait... aren't I supposed to not drink such high-tier healing potions while my Li-Liang is low?
What was it? Wasn't it something about the weaker one's Li-Liang and health stats are, the less one should drink?
"Um, Grandma Guanhuai, are you sure I was supposed to drink this?"
"Yup."
"But didn't you say before that-"
"I did."
"So is my body going to reject-?"
All of a sudden, my heart dropped to my fucking ass.
Wha-?
All the veins in my body started rapidly pumping, and I could feel every second of it.
It was getting harder to breathe, and I started to black out.
Every part of my body felt like it was cranking up to the max.
"As I said before, ya body's likely gonna 'reject' the potion, but rejecting ain't what ya think it is; it just means there's gonna be side effects, and right now, yer gonna take it with those damn side effects cuz it sure as hell seems like you ain't taking this healing seriously!"
This petty old hag!
How dare...she...
I felt my body roughly slump back onto the sofa.
And soon, I was out again.
***
The night air brushed against their faces, with the only source of light being the twinkling stars across the sky.
Wei slowly leaned against the wall.
"So, that's everything boss said?"
"Yup! So you need to come to our next meeting!"
"... Hm... looks like I can miss at least two more meetings..."
"Um, hello? Didn't you JUST HEAR WHAT I SAID!!! I SAID I CAN'T COVER FOR YOU ANYMORE!"
"You know boss is more lenient on us; he's just trying to scare you."
"Eh?! I'm trying to help you, y'know!"
Wei rolled his eyes at Churan's whining, yet a small smile just barely crept out of his mouth.
Maybe if it were day, his smile could've been more visible, something of which he knew full well of.
"Hmm... Wei, are you really looking out for this noble kid? Missing meetings is already bad, but helping a noble..."
"I have my reasons."
"...Wei..."
"I won't get caught either, so stop sulking."
"...okay."
"By the way, how did you know Han was a noble?"
"... Hmf! Don't think you can get such information so easily!"
"Tch. I'm going back inside."
"Eh!!?? You're... You're staying here? N-not at your own house? What about—"
"They'll be fine. They can take care of themselves now."
Wei walked over to the door and grabbed the worn doorknob.
"Churan, don't get yourself in trouble, got it?"
"Duh, I won't! You're acting like I'm ten or something!"
"Night, then."
"...Hmph...goodnight."