Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 192 [Slight Success] (6000 words)
Chapter 186 [Slight Success] (6000 words)
"Let me have one more round!!"

Chen Yan stared at the screen with red eyes, pressing the mouse with gritted teeth.

A figure slowly walked over from the side, and gently placed a hand on Chen Yan's shoulder.

"Xiaoyan..."

"Okay." Chen Yan didn't turn around, his eyes fixed on the computer screen: "Boss lady, get me a can of Red Bull."

"Xiao Yan!" The landlady tightened her grip on Chen Yan's shoulder slightly. "Stop for a moment."

"Hmm?" Chen Yan frowned, took a breath, and turned to look at the proprietress: "What's wrong?"

"Would you like to rest for a bit?" The proprietress's beautiful face showed a hint of concern. "You... um, or, would you like to eat something?"

"No need, I already ate dinner before coming here tonight," Chen Yan replied casually.

"You mean last night?" The proprietress looked at Chen Yan with a serious expression.

Chen Yan was taken aback and looked at the windows and doors of the internet cafe.

It was pitch black outside; it was clearly still night.

“No… um?” Chen Yan frowned.

“A whole day has passed! You came here last night!” The landlady’s gaze was somewhat serious: “I’ve come to remind you three times to eat, and you always said you’d do it later. Now it’s evening again—almost twenty-four hours have passed since you came here last night.”

Chen Yan's gaze calmed down, and he let out a breath.

He glanced around at his surroundings.

There were three empty beverage bottles on the computer desk—there should have been more, but the landlady had taken them away for me.

Hmm, I think I definitely didn't eat a proper meal.

Now that I've calmed down, I actually feel a bit hungry.

"Xiao Yan, stop and rest for a bit, have a meal, or... you can go upstairs to your bedroom and take a nap." The landlady stared at Chen Yan: "Or, I'll take you home! You've been playing for twenty-four hours straight, without eating or sleeping!"

Chen Yan smiled and said, "Okay, let's eat something first."

As he spoke, he took out his phone and quickly ordered a KFC delivery meal, writing "Extreme Internet Cafe" as the address and asking it to be delivered to the counter.

"Are you really not going to get some sleep?" The landlady frowned as she looked at Chen Yan.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Chen Yan breathed a sigh of relief. "When the food arrives, could you please collect it for me?"

With that, Chen Yan smiled at the proprietress, turned his head back to stare at the screen, and continued his fierce battle.

The proprietress pursed her lips, turned around, and left.

A while later, the proprietress brought over a bag of KFC meals and placed it on Chen Yan's table—but she took away the iced cola and gave Chen Yan a cup of warm chocolate milk.

Chen Yan didn't leave his seat. Instead, he quickly opened the meal bag, holding a hamburger in one hand and a mouse in the other, and continued his battle.

After finishing the chocolate milk, drink it all in one go.

He then got up to use the restroom, but when he returned and sat down at his computer, he first picked up his phone and sent a message to Lu Sisi at home to let her know he was safe.

Chen Yan didn't return for a day and a night, so Lu Sisi was naturally waiting at home and sent messages to ask about him.

Chen Yan thought for a moment and told Lu Sisi that he was cultivating his mind and primordial spirit, and it might take him longer to immerse himself in it.

Lu Sisi replied immediately:
Can I come with you?

After a moment's thought, Chen Yan sent over the address of the internet cafe.

After putting his phone away, Chen Yan took a deep breath, rubbed his cheeks, and focused intently on the screen to begin his battle.

·
Half an hour later, Lu Sisi walked into the internet cafe. After searching around at the entrance, she saw Chen Yan sitting in front of the computer.

Lu Sisi nodded and smiled at the proprietress, then quickly walked over to Chen Yan's side.

"Chen Yan."

"Yeah, you're here. Have a seat." Chen Yan glanced back at Lu Sisi before continuing his battle, saying with a smile, "If you get bored, just turn on a machine and play by yourself."

He paused for a moment, then remembered something and looked at Lu Sisi again: "I am tempering my mind and spirit."

Lu Sisi's smile was gentle: "I didn't mean to ask—but whatever you do, I'm willing to be there for you."

Soon, Lu Sisi went to the counter and asked the proprietress to open a machine—right next to Chen Yan.

She sat down next to Chen Yan and quietly sat with him for a while, her eyes fixed on his profile.

The girl's eyes were calm and gentle, and she seemed unhurried.

After a while, she looked away, then turned on her computer, opened a webpage, and casually browsed the news.

·
The proprietress hid her head behind the computer screen at the counter, secretly watching Chen Yan and Lu Sisi for a while before finally looking away. A complex meaning flickered in her eyes.

At three o'clock in the morning, the proprietress brought over two bowls of noodles.

The noodles weren't instant noodles; they were dried noodles that she had inexplicably run upstairs to her own home and cooked on the stove, with two eggs and some spinach added.

When she brought the noodles over, Lu Sisi smiled, looked at the proprietress with a gentle tone, and reached out to take the tray with the bowl of noodles on it.

"Thank you, sister." Lu Sisi's voice was as light as her gaze.

The proprietress stared intently at Lu Sisi's youthful face, brimming with collagen, her gaze somewhat profound. After a moment's hesitation, she couldn't help but whisper, "You...shouldn't you try to persuade him? Playing games like this doesn't have to be like this, does it? Thirty hours straight, without a break..."

Lu Sisi thought for a moment, then chuckled softly, "He's a man of his word. There must be a reason why he's so engrossed in the game. Don't worry, he'll be fine."

Looking at Lu Sisi's young face, the proprietress felt a strange pang of sadness, but she forced herself to suppress it, gave a weak smile, and left.

Indeed, what right do I have to speak out, or interfere?
They're just a young couple, they don't even care.

His girlfriend said it was fine.

But after finally managing to calm herself down, when she sat back down at the computer and looked up, she saw…

Lu Sisi was using chopsticks to pick up noodles and feed them spoonful by spoonful to Chen Yan, who was engrossed in playing a game...

Seeing this scene, the proprietress felt a sharp pang in her heart.

This girl is crazy!
Who serves people like this?!

He fed the noodles one bite at a time, and even blew on them to make sure they weren't too hot before feeding them!
The same applies to eggs!

The spinach had to be broken into bite-sized pieces with chopsticks before being fed to the child…

There was also noodle soup... I fed him spoonful by spoonful...

No! Why don't you just use that straw to feed him?!
It's 2025, girl!!

The way you serve others is even worse than the little maids of feudal times!

·
Lu Sisi stayed up until four o'clock the next afternoon, then dozed off at her desk.

She didn't talk to Chen Yan. While Chen Yan played games, she stayed with him. After a while, she would also open the computer software and find a video website to watch dramas.

In one day and one night, Lu Sisi finished watching a popular historical idol drama and also watched a season of variety shows.

She only interrupted Chen Yan once during that time, asking him to stop eating and to use the restroom.

Furthermore, she even went out to buy a pack of wet wipes.

When she got back, she took a wet wipe and helped Chen Yan wipe his face, which hadn't been washed for two days and two nights.

The proprietress felt a pang of sadness, but her gaze towards Chen Yan was filled with worry.

No way! Is the game really that fun?!
Is it really necessary to work this hard?!

Can you handle it?!
·
Others might not be able to stand it, but Chen Yan really can!
He really focused all his attention and became completely absorbed in the game.

And... well, Civilization is an incredibly addictive game!

If you don't like it, then you really don't like it.

Once someone gets hooked on something, they become completely absorbed and neglect sleep and meals, becoming highly addicted!

·
On the fourth day at the internet cafe, Chen Yan finally let out a long sigh of relief in the morning and put down the mouse.

He turned his head and looked at Lu Sisi beside him.

The girl looked tired; she had taken a nap a few hours earlier, falling asleep leaning against the chair with her head tilted to one side, closer to Chen Yan.

However, she had already woken up and was watching a variety show on the screen.

However, she seemed rather indifferent as she looked at it.

As soon as Chen Yan put down the mouse, Lu Sisi took off her headphones, looked at Chen Yan, and smiled, "Want to rest?"

"Okay, let's take a break." Chen Yan nodded.

"Okay." Lu Sisi had a tired smile on her face.

Chen Yan reached out and touched the girl's cheek, then suddenly laughed and said, "Why isn't your face oily at all?"

Lu Sisi smiled and said, "I wiped my face with a wet wipe."

Chen Yan touched his cheek and nodded, saying, "You've worked hard these past two days. Let's go and take a rest."

Chen Yan took Lu Sisi's hand and stood up, and the two walked towards the bar.

"Boss lady, check please!" Chen Yan looked at the boss lady with a smile.

The landlady threw a handful of sunflower seed shells at him irritably: "Get your money back?! You're the landlord, how could I dare to take your money!"

As she spoke, a concerned expression appeared on her face: "You should go back and rest! How long has it been since you slept? Are you cultivating immortality?"

“Yes, it’s about cultivating immortality,” Chen Yan replied with a smile.

The proprietress rolled her eyes.

"By the way, the noodles were quite delicious, but as for the eggs, next time please make me fried eggs, I'm getting a bit tired of boiled eggs."

"Fried eggs! Do you think this is a restaurant? You're ordering food here?!" The proprietress stood up as if to hit him, but Chen Yan had already laughed and pulled Lu Sisi out the door.

Stepping out of the internet cafe, Lu Sisi looked at Chen Yan and asked, "Shall we go home?"

"No, I'm not going home." Chen Yan sighed. "My cultivation isn't over yet. Going home to sleep and then coming back would be too much of a waste of time."

As he spoke, he pulled Lu Sisi along the street, turned a corner, and arrived at a chain business hotel, where they booked a room.

The two went into the room, took a shower, and lay down on the bed. Chen Yan touched Lu Sisi's face and hugged the girl tightly: "Don't worry, I know you're tired too. Let's not do anything, just get a good night's sleep—I know you've been working very hard these past two days."

Lu Sisi didn't speak, but simply reached out and gently stroked Chen Yan's forehead.

A moment later, they both fell asleep.

·
At nine o'clock in the evening, the proprietress sat behind the counter, staring wide-eyed at Chen Yan and Lu Sisi as they walked in hand in hand.

"Boss lady, turn on two machines." Chen Yan's smiling face made the boss lady roll her eyes.

"No way, are you really that addicted to games? You stayed up for four days straight, and after only one day back home, you're back again? Have you even had a proper sleep?" Chen Yan pouted, "I slept like a log. I slept from morning until eight o'clock at night, a full twelve hours, without even a dream. I slept like a log."

The proprietress sighed and looked at Lu Sisi: "Little sister, aren't you going to do anything about your boyfriend? Aren't you afraid he'll ruin his health?"

Lu Sisi blushed, but didn't know how to answer. She hesitated for a moment before whispering, "I'll stay with him."

Urged on by Chen Yan, the proprietress reluctantly turned on two computers and then watched the two of them sit side by side in front of the computer.

Now, another five days have passed!

·
Five days later, Chen Yan and Lu Sisi left again.

As I was leaving, I smiled at the proprietress and said, "The fried eggs were pretty good this time, proprietress..."

The proprietress sighed, then hummed involuntarily—she had finally softened her heart and, while making noodles for him, had inexplicably poured oil into the pan and fried two eggs first.

"I hope there will be fried rice next time."

The proprietress was so angry that she threw a handful of sunflower seeds at him: "From now on, order takeout yourself!"

"The takeout food is all made with gutter oil."

"roll roll roll!"

·
This time, Chen Yan did not take Lu Sisi to the hotel.

The hotel is indeed a place to sleep, but the two of them have been traveling for so many days, they need to change their clothes.

The two returned home, took a shower, changed clothes, and fell asleep in each other's arms on the bed.

·
"No way! Xiaoyan! Are you playing games like you're crazy?! Just how fun is this game?! How fun is it???"

The proprietress's face immediately turned ugly as she watched Chen Yan and Lu Sisi walk hand in hand into the internet cafe.

In particular, it was noticeable that Lu Sisi was carrying a bag in her hand—which clearly contained a change of clothes in a plastic bag.

"You...you're here to go to an internet cafe, or are you on vacation?" The proprietress's face was a little stiff.

·
Power on, let's fight!

Chen Yan quickly sat down in front of the computer and immersed himself in the post-apocalyptic world.

A day later, while Chen Yan stopped to eat, Lu Sisi took him to the restroom. When they came out, she had already changed Chen Yan into a clean set of clothes.

After leaving Chen Yan to continue playing the game, Lu Sisi ran to the counter.

"Um... Sister..." Lu Sisi said shyly in a low voice, "Can I borrow your washing machine upstairs? I want to wash his dirty clothes that he just took off."

The proprietress scrutinized Lu Sisi closely, then suddenly couldn't help but ask, "Did she save your life in her past life?"

Lu Sisi was taken aback, then laughed, her eyes filled with a sweet look: "It wasn't in my past life, it was in this life. He really did save my life."

"..." The landlady looked at Lu Sisi speechlessly, and finally waved her hand in defeat: "Go ahead, my bedroom is at the end of the corridor on the third floor, and the washing machine is on the balcony."

As he spoke, he tossed a key over.

·
This time, Chen Yan spent another five days playing games in an internet cafe.

·
Nearly two months have passed.

Chen Yan would spend four or five days in the internet cafe each time.

Four or five days is almost the limit for him to stay awake all night—with his current level of cultivation, he could certainly stay awake for much longer if he could meditate and practice.

But playing games is not like practicing martial arts, nor can you meditate – playing games is an activity that consumes mental energy.

So in four or five days, Chen Yan had completely exhausted his energy—he was completely immersed in the game, indulging in his passion and obsession without any restraint.

During this time, Chen Yan also took Lu Sisi home two or three times. However, they only went back to change clothes.

Finally, there's only one week left until it's been two months...

That night, at three o'clock in the morning, Chen Yan, who had been staring intently at the screen, suddenly and gently released the mouse from his hand.

He turned his head and saw that Lu Sisi had fallen asleep in her chair, still wearing her headphones, and a romance variety show was playing on her computer screen.

Chen Yan's gaze was clear. After taking a deep breath, he reached out and touched Lu Sisi's face.

"...Hmm?" Lu Sisi suddenly opened her eyes, and after seeing that it was Chen Yan's hand, she smiled and breathed a sigh of relief: "What's wrong?"

"Let's rest," Chen Yan smiled. "Let's go."

"Now?" Lu Sisi was somewhat surprised: "Leave now?"

“Yes, let’s go now.” Chen Yan pulled Lu Sisi up.

At this moment, less than three and a half days had passed since he last entered the internet cafe.

·
Immersing yourself in the emotion is the first step.

The second step is "recognizing emotions".

In other words, one must be clearly aware that one is in this emotional state.

Actually, this is easier said than done!
Even madmen don't realize they're mad.

Paranoid people never realize they are paranoid when they are caught in a paranoid state of mind!

Only those who recognize that they are being paranoid can stop being paranoid!

·
After two months and seven days of immersion, Chen Yan completed the second step.

He was keenly aware that:
I am caught in greed and delusion!

·
Realizing that the third step was not far off.

·
This is a small step forward, but it is a very crucial change.

After leaving the internet cafe, Chen Yan took Lu Sisi to a nearby hotel for a night's rest, but did not return to the internet cafe.

He spent another day meditating in his hotel room, reflecting on and experiencing certain emotions.

Then, he took Lu Sisi back to the internet cafe.

This time, he only "immersed" himself in it for three days.

The next time Chen Yan returned to the internet cafe, his immersion time shortened again. In the 65th hour, he brought himself back to his senses and paused.

The next time, he only took forty-eight hours.

……

Not only is the time he spends immersed in the activity getting shorter, but the time he spends resting in between is also getting longer.

At first, he would go back to the internet cafe to play games for a while after a short nap. Later, he would only be able to stay immersed in the game for a day and a night before he would have to take a break and rest for three whole days.

Fifty-three days had passed since the night Chen Yan first stepped into an internet cafe.

Chen Yan sat down in the chair and put down his headphones.

He glanced at the time.

Only eight hours have passed since I boarded the plane.

Chen Yan was well aware that he was still in a state of "greed and delusion".

However, he was very clear-headed—or rather, extremely clear-headed—about his own state!
Only with this understanding can he move on to the third step: to pause and detach.

This is not simply "restraint".

Restraint means forcibly suppressing this emotion.

But Chen Yan's insight does not require this kind of forced suppression.

Rather, it is rational cognition and rational detachment.

Chen Yan felt that this state was very subtle.

It's as if you can observe yourself from a third-party perspective.

It's about "detaching" a part of your mind from that state of immersion and mindset, as if the person shouting "Let me fight one more round" isn't actually you.

View your own greed and delusion from a calm and rational perspective.

Once you detach yourself, you can pause at your leisure.

This kind of insight is different from forced suppression and restraint.

Forced suppression and restraint are forced interruptions under the influence of willpower or external forces.

Although you forcibly suppress it, the emotions inside won't stop. They might even generate a rebellious mentality.

It's like arguing with someone while you're full of anger. If you're interrupted halfway through the argument, you won't continue arguing, but the anger in your heart will still be very strong.

Chen Yan's rational understanding and detachment allowed him to easily extricate himself from the state of "greed and delusion".

Then, calmly press the pause button, and calmly step out of this emotion.

"It seems like we've made some progress."

When Chen Yan got home, he had just finished showering. Standing in front of the mirror, he grinned at his reflection and said, "It doesn't seem that difficult."

Hmm... But on second thought, the most difficult thing is probably "anger".

I'm not confident that I can control anger right now.

When you encounter that kind of jerk who pisses you off, you really can't help but want to physically smash them to pieces!
The problem is, I actually do have that ability.

·
Chen Yan stood at the bathroom door, drying his hair with a towel in his hand. He saw Lu Sisi in her pajamas, leaning against the headboard, holding her phone on the bed in the bedroom.

The girl's expression was somewhat complicated.

Chen Yan put down the towel, walked out of the bathroom and came to the bedside.

Lu Sisi put down her phone, looked up, and gave Chen Yan a smile.

However, Chen Yan noticed a slight strangeness in Lu Sisi's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Chen Yan went over and lay down next to Lu Sisi, then reached out and hugged her.

"My mom...sent me a message," Lu Sisi whispered.

Chen Yan frowned slightly: "What did she say?"

"She said she wanted me to meet with her and talk."

Chen Yan thought for a moment and said in a low voice, "I think we should meet."

Lu Sisi looked at Chen Yan and nodded solemnly: "I want you to come with me."

·
(End of this chapter)