IBO -Chapter 183 Stuck on a Game Level

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

Song Xiaolü was covered in fine, long, shiny fur that felt wonderful to touch.

Song Yiran carefully combed it, and Song Xiaolü seemed to enjoy it, waving its long antennae happily.

After finishing, Song Yiran took out the scratching board and cloth balls.

Song Fu, Song Chiyu, and Song Yinyun enthusiastically sharpened their claws, tails swaying.

The others attacked the cloth balls, biting and playing joyfully.

Song Yiran rested his chin in his hands, smiling gently like a kind father.

“Song Yiran! Song Yiran!”

Xiao Zhong’er suddenly rushed in and pulled him toward his room.

“Wait, wait—stop!” Song Yiran held his hand.

“What’s wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?”

Xiao Zhong’er pursed his lips. “There’s a level in my game I just can’t beat. I’ve failed dozens of times…”

With watery eyes, he pleaded, “Song Yiran~ Please~ You’re the best~ Help me clear this level!”

Song Yiran scratched his head. “I can’t guarantee I can beat it either…”

“Don’t worry about that!” Xiao Zhong’er waved. “Just tell me—will you help or not?”

“Alright, I’ll help,” Song Yiran said. “But don’t get your hopes too high.”

Xiao Zhong’er’s eyes lit up. “Okay! As long as you help, that’s enough!”

Song Yiran explained to the children, “Babies, Xiao Zhong’er needs me for something. I’ll go deal with it first. You stay here and play. If anything happens, come to his room to find me.”

The children obediently nodded: “Okay~”

In Xiao Zhong’er’s room, one person, Yi Tong, was staring at a game strategy video with a troubled expression.

Song Yiran had watched the strategy video several times, frowning in frustration. “Xiao Zhong’er, I think the operations in this video are too complicated. I might…” he hesitated, “not be able to do it.”

Xiao Zhong’er guessed what Song Yiran was about to say. He immediately stretched out his hands and tightly clasped Song Yiran’s hands. “Song Yiran! The best Song Yiran in the world! I’m begging you, please help me!”

Song Yiran glanced at the moves in the video and then at Xiao Zhong’er’s pitiful expression. He felt torn. “But…”

“Song Yiran~ good Song Yiran~ good Ranyan~” Xiao Zhong’er squeezed out teary eyes and looked at Song Yiran with tears brimming, “The most understanding, gentle, and virtuous Ranyan in the whole world! I’m begging you! Help poor Tong!”

Feigning pity, Xiao Zhong’er said, “You know, I’m just a weak and helpless poor Tong… I can’t possibly clear this level by myself. Please, good Ranyan, help me, the poor Tong!”

“Alright, alright, isn’t it enough that I’ll help you?” Song Yiran completely gave in to Xiao Zhong’er.

Xiao Zhong’er immediately switched to a bright, cheerful smile. “Hehe! Good Song Yiran~ You’re so kind! You’re the most generous Song Yiran in the whole world!”

Song Yiran smiled helplessly and poked Xiao Zhong’er’s forehead with a finger. “You…”

He knew Xiao Zhong’er had been pretending to look pitiful, but what could he do? He was the type who could never resist this trick.

Even knowing it was an act, he couldn’t help softening.

The game Xiao Zhong’er was currently stuck on was a combination of adventure, puzzle-solving, open world exploration, combat, and farming.

Xiao Zhong’er was on a mission that required him to complete a trial stage.

But no matter what he did, he couldn’t pass the stage. Even after pulling up a strategy video, he couldn’t replicate the moves, so he had to turn to Song Yiran for help.

Song Yiran first familiarized himself with the game’s mechanics, then studied the moves in the strategy video carefully.

Based on his estimate, with his level of gaming skill, his chance of successfully replicating the moves in the video was about 30%.

Song Yiran’s gaming skills were actually average, even slightly below average. He rarely played high-difficulty games, mostly sticking to simple ones.

To avoid giving Xiao Zhong’er false hope, Song Yiran explained in advance: “Xiao Zhong’er, I should tell you upfront, my gaming skill isn’t very high.”

He sighed. “Based on my calculation, I only have a 30% success rate. Don’t expect too much from me.”

Xiao Zhong’er, however, was thrilled: “Wow! Song Yiran! You actually have a 30% chance of success! That’s amazing!”

“Your success rate is already dozens of times higher than mine. Mine is only 0.1%…” Xiao Zhong’er scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.

“But I’m curious about something,” Song Yiran said, resting a hand on his chin and looking at Xiao Zhong’er curiously. “Xiao Zhong’er, aren’t you a high-tech system? Why is your gaming skill lower than mine?”

“Ah… well, um, that, this, that…” Xiao Zhong’er fidgeted with his fingers, “Actually… oh, well, you know… it’s just… yeah, it’s like that.”

Xiao Zhong’er explained, “Even though I’m a high-tech system, like humans, we systems have individual differences. For example, I’m skilled in hacking, but I’m not particularly gifted at gaming.”

“I get you,” Song Yiran empathized, sighing. “I also have things I’m bad at.” He patted Xiao Zhong’er gently on the shoulder. “I’m good at cooking, but I can’t climb trees.”

Then Song Yiran took control of his game character and struggled through the trial stage, with Xiao Zhong’er cheering him on.

The trial wasn’t overly difficult, but it required executing precise combos at the right moments.

If the timing was off, they would fail and have to start over.

Each time Song Yiran’s mind reacted correctly, but his hands couldn’t keep up. They restarted over a dozen times.

When he missed the right timing yet again, he felt completely drained.

Over and over… each time, the perfect moment slipped away right in front of him.

Song Yiran sighed. “Xiao Zhong’er, I can’t do it. I’ve tried my best. You’ll have to handle it yourself; I really can’t help…”

Xiao Zhong’er: QAQ

He grabbed Song Yiran’s sleeve, pleading, “No, try a few more times, please!”

Song Yiran shook his head. “You saw for yourself. I tried over a dozen times and never got the timing right. I really can’t do it.”

Xiao Zhong’er was nearly in tears. “But then no one can help me… and I really want to clear this level. QAQ”

Song Yiran rubbed his forehead helplessly. “Okay, how about this? I’ll pay to hire a booster for you?”

Xiao Zhong’er pouted. “But then it wouldn’t count… it wouldn’t be me playing…”

Song Yiran looked puzzled. “But if I clear it for you, doesn’t that count as you clearing it? Even if I do it, it’s still not you.”

“That’s different!” Xiao Zhong’er shook his head violently, almost creating an afterimage. “We’re family! If you clear it for me, it’s basically me clearing it! You’re not some random person!”

Song Yiran was stunned by Xiao Zhong’er’s logic. “That’s… not the same…”

“What’s not the same?” Xiao Zhong’er shrugged. “I think it’s the same.”

Song Yiran gave an example: “We eat meals every day, right? If what I do counts as what you do, then if I eat, you don’t have to eat?”

Xiao Zhong’er blinked. “Uh… that seems… wrong?”

“Exactly!” Song Yiran crossed his arms. “Even the closest family members are separate individuals. What one person does can’t count for another.”

He continued patiently: “Look at An’an and Yangyang. They’re two separate individuals. Even if they share one body, they still need to take exams separately, right?”

Xiao Zhong’er thought for a moment. “I think I understand a little…”

“So, I’m going to hire a booster for you,” Song Yiran said, searching for one immediately. “Since neither of us is very skilled at this game, it’s better to spend money and get it done professionally.”

He found a well-reviewed, reputable game boosting studio and hired a professional to help Xiao Zhong’er.

Professionals are just on another level. Within three minutes, the booster cleared the trial stage that both Song Yiran and Xiao Zhong’er had failed at countless times.

Song Yiran marveled, “Professionals are really different! So much better than the two of us!”

Just then, Song Yang suddenly rushed in, panicked and frantic: “Brother! Something’s wrong! They all…”

Before he could finish, a few more kids burst in, their hair messy, with crooked little braids sticking out.

Song Chiyu had the most braids and cried the loudest: “Waaah… Brother… Brother, save us! Waaahhh…”

Song Yuetao cried: “Waaah… Brother, we were just braiding our hair, but now the braids won’t come undone… Waaahhh…”

Song Xianyue wailed: “Waaahhh… Brother, my hair got tangled in so many knots, I can’t comb it… And my braids won’t come undone either… Waaahhh…”