Am I going to be controlled by the players too?

“Unless you are a Silver Rank cultivator with sufficient mental resistance.” He paused, “but even so, you will eventually see through it.”

"See clearly what?"

"See the end of humanity."

The old man didn't answer directly; he simply gestured with his chin toward the magic circle.

"Stand on it."

Sylvia hesitated for a moment.

I'm Silver rank, so it should be fine, right?

Once you pass this test, you will gain the complete trust of the Primordial God's cult, and then you can climb to the top step by step according to your goal, change this cult, and change everyone here...

Yes, I can do it!

Sylvia took a deep breath, preparing to take a step, but suddenly stopped—

She could no longer control her body.

“Mr. Mambo!” Sylvia exclaimed with instinctive joy, “You’ve finally arrived!”

Then, her lips moved:

Where am I?

His tone was languid, just like before.

Sylvia froze for a moment, then an overwhelming wave of grievance washed over her—

"Didn't we agree on yesterday? Mr. Mambo, why didn't you come yesterday? I've been waiting for you for so long!"

"Ah, this..." Cheng Cheng paused for a second, "I have something to do back in Teyvat."

"what's up?"

"Well... my hometown Liyue is having the Lantern Festival, and I need to go visit my parents and family in Teyvat... no, why should I explain this to you?"

Cheng Cheng shook his head.

Our relationship is that of a player and a game character, a controller and the controlled, not a boyfriend and girlfriend. Why should I report to you where I go?

“You,” Sylvia paused for a moment, then asked in a very low voice, “you won’t lie to me again, will you?”

"Why would I lie to you? By the way, where is this?" Cheng Cheng looked around, feeling like he'd missed something. "How did I end up in a place like this?"

“13 Mink Street, basement.” Sylvia said, quickly explaining the background.

Cheng Cheng: "..."

"So," he said in a slightly odd tone, "you mean, during the two days I wasn't online, you took on a main quest and even came to the quest location?"

"……probably."

"Then why didn't you wait for me?"

Sylvia bit her lip: "I thought... I thought you wouldn't come. I didn't want to keep relying on you and make you think I'm just a useless person waiting for your help."

"Then you can't just skip through the plot yourself! If you skip the plot, what am I supposed to do?" Cheng Cheng roared. "Skipping the plot is like skipping life, don't you know that?!"

Cheng Cheng was so angry that he trembled all over, his body covered in cold sweat despite the hot weather, and his hands and feet were ice cold...

Just one day without logging in has felt like my life has been skipped over. Will this game ever get any better? What do we players need to do to satisfy you?

"I know, I'm sorry..."

Sylvia apologized repeatedly, utterly astonished:

'I never expected Mr. Mambo to get this angry... just because he was worried about me going it alone? I thought he didn't care about me at all...'

'He's such a good person...'

Just as Sylvia and Cheng Cheng were lost in their own thoughts, the old man's voice came from not far away, interrupting them—

“You’ve been standing there for a long time.”

The old man had turned around and was facing Cheng Cheng directly, his cloudy eyes full of scrutiny.

“Child, now that you’ve come this far, don’t even think about escaping,” the old man sneered. “I know you have a Gold-rank bodyguard outside, but he won’t make it in time. Even if you shout yourself hoarse here, he won’t hear you.”

He took a step forward.

“So, stand up there obediently. After the ceremony, you're one of us. If you don't…” He paused, “then I’ll have to give you a surprise—”

He suddenly straightened up, and a sense of oppression came over you: "Don't let my age fool you, I'm a White-Eyed Rank mage with a combat power of 1800, stronger than Cicero! I can tie you up and have you participate in the ceremony!"

Sylvia: "..."

Cheng Cheng: "..."

After a two-second silence, Cheng Cheng spoke up: "Can you translate this for me? What the hell does 'surprise' mean?"

Sylvia whispered, "The surprise is that he's stronger than Cicero. We can't escape, and Paul outside can't get in either. He wants us to stand up and accept the ceremony, or he'll make a move."

"Oh."

Burning at the stake!

A wisp of black flame shot out without warning, turning into a fireball and heading straight for the old man!

The old man's pupils suddenly contracted.

He instinctively rolled to the side, the fireball grazing his shoulder and slamming into the lapis lazuli floor ten paces behind him—

"boom--!!!"

Flames exploded, black sparks flew everywhere, and the runes on the floor were instantly burned and twisted.

The old man rolled to his feet, not bothering to extinguish the sparks that had landed on his shoulder, and suddenly raised his left hand, fingers spread wide—

“slu'gglohgg!”

As the incantation was uttered, the ground began to crack. From the cracks, countless pale, bluish-gray, rotten, and withered hands surged out like a tide, grabbing at Cheng Cheng's ankles and climbing up his calves, trying to drag him into the cracks!

Cheng Cheng jumped up and drew his sword. The sword of benevolence drew a silver arc around him, severing all the arms that tried to get close!

Then he moved, like a white lightning bolt rushing towards the old man!

The old man didn't have time to cast a second spell, so he could only raise his cane to block.

"clang!"

Sword and staff clashed, sparks flying.

The old man groaned and staggered back half a step. Before he could regain his balance, the second sword had already arrived.

This time, he couldn't stop it.

The sword cut into his left shoulder, diagonally downwards, severing bones and tearing muscles. An arm flew up to his shoulder and landed three meters away on the ground!

"what--!!!"

The old man screamed in agony, blood gushing out. His remaining right hand suddenly pointed at Cheng Cheng, and he chanted a spell—

“G'dda'Yandi!”

I never expected that this young lady of the Claire family was actually a Silver Swordsman in secret—but it doesn't matter!

Under my soul-body separation magic that sacrifices lifespan, even a Silver-ranked person will have their soul separated from their body for one minute, leaving them at the mercy of others!

I won this battle!

The old man had just broken into a triumphant grin when he suddenly felt a chill on his right arm, followed by a spurt of warm blood—

"Ahhhhh!!"

Why?! She's clearly under my curse, so why can she still move?!

What kind of monster is she?!

Cheng Cheng stood there, watching the old man rolling on the ground in a state of emotional collapse, and tilted his head curiously: "Did you just use some kind of skill?"

"Waaaaaaahhhhhh!!"

"Tsk, fine, don't bother answering then."

Cheng Cheng opened his hands and used "Puppet" on the old man rolling on the ground.

The old man, who had lost both arms, was completely unable to resist. His attempts to chant incantations were ruthlessly interrupted by Cheng Cheng. Forty seconds passed quickly, and the old man's consciousness faded into darkness.

…………

When he opened his eyes again, all that remained in his gaze was a docile emptiness.

Cheng Cheng stood in front of him, toying with the broken cane in his hand.

"Get up and heal yourself."

The old puppet obediently stood up, chanting healing incantations. The bleeding from the severed wounds on its arms gradually stopped, though its face remained pale.

Cheng Cheng casually found a chair and sat down, ordered the puppet to kneel in front of him, and then asked:

"name?"

"Bazar".

"Position?"

“The guide at No. 13 Mingke Street, Silver City branch of the Primordial God Cult, Silver Rank Bishop.”

"very good."

Cheng Cheng tossed his cane aside, took a deep breath, and began to ask himself the question that mattered most:

"Bazar, have you ever heard of a place called 'Earth'?"

The puppet shook its head.

"Mu Yuan, Cain... have you heard of these names?"

He still shook his head.

Cheng Cheng frowned.

Does the primordial god's cult in this world not know about the cult of the same name on Earth?

Am I wrong? Is it not that the game world has come into reality, but some other reason?