IBO -Chapter 176 A Dream of the Southern Branch

This novel contains sensitive and taboo content like R*pe, Mu**er etc. Read only if you are comfortable.

This summer was particularly hot. The entire city of S was shrouded in a sweltering heat.

“Little Song? Little Song?”

Song Yiran dazedly lifted his head and saw a kind middle-aged man.

Looking around, he realized he was sitting in his favorite rice noodle shop. The man who had just woken him was the shop owner.

“Little Song, how did you fall asleep?” the owner asked with concern as he placed a bowl of noodles on the table. “Didn’t sleep well last night?”

Song Yiran often came here for breakfast. The owner’s surname was Li, a kind person, and over time they had become familiar, sometimes chatting casually.

Scratching the back of his head, Song Yiran replied, “Aunt Li, I’m fine. Maybe it’s just the heat.”

Aunt Li smiled. “It’s fine as long as you’re okay. This weather is really hot, even for someone like me who doesn’t usually nap, I can’t help but doze off at noon.”

After exchanging a few words, Song Yiran slowly ate his breakfast.

He preferred rice noodles in the morning, coming to Aunt Li’s shop about nine out of ten days for breakfast.

After finishing, he strolled in the park near his home.

Since graduating from college, he had embraced a “lying flat” lifestyle: eat, sleep, sleep, eat, play on his phone, play games—the day passed.

Initially, he thought about finding a job after graduation, but on the day he was about to print his resume, he suddenly felt a wave of panic.

So he decisively went to a fortune teller for a reading.

The fortune teller said his fate was grand, destined for great wealth, but he must never work, as working would bring life-threatening accidents.

Although he wasn’t sure if it was true, for safety’s sake, he decided to just lie flat.

Anyway, he had plenty of savings. Even if he never worked for the rest of his life, he could still live comfortably. Why risk himself on something uncertain? What if something really went wrong? He only had one life!

Besides, if he went underground to reunite with his parents at such a young age, wouldn’t they be heartbroken…?

So after graduating from university, Song Yiran calmly and happily began a “lying-flat” life.

“Ding ding—”

A notification sound from his phone pulled his thoughts back to reality.

Last night, he had met an online friend and successfully added them. This message was probably from that person.

He took out his phone and, sure enough, it was from that netizen.

[Moonstone]: Have you eaten?

[Yuzu Tree]: Just finished breakfast.

[Moonstone]: Then let’s continue yesterday’s conversation. Do you think the world you live in is real?

Here we go again…

Song Yiran sighed helplessly.

This all traced back to when he first met the netizen called Moonstone.

Late last night, while browsing posts online, he suddenly came across one:

“Is the world we live in really real? Is what we see necessarily the truth?”

He felt that the poster might not be in a good mental state—maybe they had suffered some setback, or were just in a sensitive teenage phase.

So he clicked in and found that the poster had written nothing but the title.

Worried about their safety, he replied:

[Yuzu Tree]: This title sounds so heavy. Did you run into something sad recently?

The poster replied immediately:

[Moonstone]: Do you think this world is real?

When Song Yiran saw that reply, he panicked.

Oh no… why would this person suddenly ask something so deep?

Could Moonstone be thinking about suicide?

The more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed. But he had no proof, so he could only try to talk indirectly.

[Yuzu Tree]: I think this world is real. We can feel the warmth of the sun, eat delicious food, play fun games. It’s both real and beautiful, isn’t it?

[Moonstone]: What if all of this is fake? How can you be sure?

[Yuzu Tree]: Compared to that, I’m more curious—why did you suddenly ask this? Are you facing some difficulties? If so, maybe I can help.

[Moonstone]: …Thanks. I’m not facing any difficulties.

[Yuzu Tree]: Then why did you suddenly think about this?

[Moonstone]: Add me on WeChat. Let’s talk in detail.

And so, they became friends.

At first, Song Yiran just wanted to encourage him, since he felt Moonstone’s mental state wasn’t great.

But after adding each other, Moonstone kept repeating the same question:

Do you think this world is real?

Song Yiran sighed and slowly typed:

[Yuzu Tree]: I think it’s real.
[Moonstone]: How can you be sure you’re right?
[Yuzu Tree]: We live in it every day. We breathe fresh air, feel sunlight, eat good food. All of this proves it’s real.
[Moonstone]: What if this is all just a dream?
[Yuzu Tree]: What if it isn’t?
[Moonstone]: How do you know it isn’t?
[Yuzu Tree]: Fine. Then let’s say it is a dream.
[Moonstone]: Then do you want to wake up from it?

[Yuzu Tree]: …Friend, I’m really worried about your mental health.
[Yuzu Tree]: Why are you so obsessed with this? Are you okay?
[Yuzu Tree]: Did you run into any trouble? I can help.
[Yuzu Tree]: Um… have you been bullied? Blackmailed or something?

[Moonstone]: …
[Moonstone]: Thanks, but I’m fine. No one bullied me.
[Moonstone]: Do you want to wake up?

[Yuzu Tree]: Why must this be a dream? It feels very real to me.

[Moonstone]: Forget all that! Just tell me—do you want to wake up or not?!

[Yuzu Tree]: Don’t get excited. What do you need to do to wake up?

[Moonstone]: You finally get it! It’s simple. Kill yourself, and you’ll wake up.
[Moonstone]: If you’re afraid of pain, jump from a tall building. Quick and easy.

Song Yiran was certain now—Moonstone had mental problems.

[Yuzu Tree]: Maybe you should see a psychologist…

[Moonstone]: I’m not sick! I’m not sick! I’m not sick! Damn it, I’m not sick!
[Moonstone]: If your partners hadn’t paid me so much to save you, I wouldn’t keep repeating this!!!

[Moonstone]: Fine, I’ll tell you the truth. You already ■■■ and now ■■■. Your partners and brothers ■■■. So hurry and ■■■!!!

[Yuzu Tree]: Why are there black blocks?

[Moonstone]: …I can’t send it. Everything gets censored!

[Moonstone]: Have you heard of “Nanke’s Dream”?
[Moonstone]: You’re dreaming now. This isn’t real.

[Moonstone]: Wake up! Your partners and brothers are waiting!

Song Yiran frowned.

Was this really a dream?

[Yuzu Tree]: Do you have any proof?

[Moonstone]: I didn’t want to use this, but there’s no time. Sorry.

[Moonstone]: You were adopted. You love fluffy animals but are allergic to fur.
[Moonstone]: When you were little, you got seriously ill. Your family planted a yuzu tree for you.
[Moonstone]: In kindergarten, you had a big sister named Wang Hu.

[Moonstone]: Believe me now?

Panic flooded his heart.

Was this world… fake?

[Moonstone]: There’s no time! If you don’t wake up now, you never will!
[Moonstone]: Your brothers and partner 555 are waiting!
[Moonstone]: Everything here is fake! Don’t drown in it!

[Moonstone]: You only have thirty minutes left!
[Moonstone]: Die here and you’ll return!
[Moonstone]: Death here is fake too! Jump off a building—quick and done!

[Moonstone]: One more thing—your brothers are fluffy beast-folk! And you’re not allergic there. You can pet them all you want!

Song Yiran believed him.

He was only hesitating over how to die.

But when he saw “fluffy,” his rationality vanished.

Why hesitate?

Just jump!

Youth has no price—jump now!

Cute fluffies, here I come!!!