Otherworldly Desert Dust

Yu Yu was still trembling and crying, inconsolable no matter what.

Wu Hen raised his head at this moment and saw his mother, Yu Yi, in the room, equally helpless and lost.

Looking further into the house, his father, Wu Yingting, was sitting in a chair, silently sorting through the goods for today's market stall.

From this silhouette, Wu Hen couldn't tell if his father had completely ignored the world's announcement or if he had already known about it.

"Come in and talk." Finally, Wu Yingting spoke up.

Wu Hen comforted his sister Yu Yu while closing the door to their home.

In fact, from the moment the news was announced, chaos erupted outside. The sound of car horns echoed throughout the city, and despite the cacophony, it couldn't mask the countless cries of despair coming from windows of many homes!

By closing the door, the world became slightly quieter, and the family needed to sit down for a serious discussion!

Fortunately, in the eyes of his three family members, Wu Hen saw the same determination within him, a bond that was anything but fictional!

"Dad, did you know the truth earlier?" Finally, Wu Hen asked the question.

The abrupt bankruptcy of his father's business was too sudden and strange. Knowing his father, he wasn't a reckless person.

He had garnered respect as a businessman in Li City, making it almost impossible to lose everything overnight unless...

"Yes, I knew a year ago." Wu Yingting put down what he was holding and answered the question seriously.

"Honey, the real reason for your bankruptcy..." Yu Yi looked at her husband.

Such a rapid fall, and her husband hadn't explained the real reason, but as a wife, Yu Yi saw that her husband had been under enormous pressure for the past year, nearly collapsing!

"I've been there. It is more terrifying than any nightmare we've ever dreamed of. Honestly, after the first time I entered, I told myself I must protect you all, to keep you from being exiled to that hellish place."

"I tried and failed repeatedly. Even after exhausting our family's wealth, I couldn't gain a foothold there..." Wu Yingting finally shared his bitterness and despair.

He might be good at business, but surviving in an unknown world was a different matter. He had tried, but he had ultimately collapsed!

Wu Hen looked at his father in shock. In an instant, he understood why his once towering father had crumbled and his figure had become hunched!

It turned out he had known the truth all along.

He was seeking a way out for the family, sacrificing his life's work.

But the world had changed, the rules had changed, and he was too old to adapt!

In truth, accepting this reality and having the courage to seek a way out was already commendable!

"What is that place really like, and can our family stay together as we are now?" Finally, Yu Yi asked.

"I used our last funds to buy protection from a Pioneer, who would consider us his family. Thus, in the Nuwa God End, we would have a shelter. Unfortunately, he got lost last month." Wu Yingting said.

Wu Yingting had actually invested in many Pioneers, but fate seemed cruel to him, and none managed to secure a foothold.

"Can our money here buy us protection?" Wu Hen asked.

"Yes, money is still crucial, even more so now. But instead of gold, it's Yuan You that serves as the stable currency." Wu Yingting nodded.

"What is Yuan You?" Yu Yi inquired.

"You can think of it as a kind of otherworldly mineral. Nuwa God End needs this energy source to sustain our world's existence... Also, even though we live within Nuwa God End, it doesn't mean we won't need to eat, sleep, or avoid aging and illness." Wu Yingting explained.

"It's like a server; a server needs basic electricity." Wu Hen added.

"Exactly!" Wu Yingting nodded, "But you must understand, even if we are virtual, we do exist. Our emotions, our wisdom, our memories, we are living individuals and an inseparable family. Nuwa God End created such a world, but that doesn't mean we are just useless data. On the contrary, it is to protect the fragile flame of human civilization. Always remember, the soul is above all!"

"We are still individual, autonomous souls!" Sister Yu Yu seemed to understand and earnestly signed.

"Dad, Mom, Little Yu, actually I..." Wu Hen knew there was no point in hiding anymore.

He had to tell his father that he had secretly entered the Otherworldly Dust and witnessed that world!

"Knock knock knock~~~~~~"

But just as he was about to speak, there was a knock on the door.

Wu Hen, closest to the door, got up to open it.

Opening the door, he saw a man and a woman.

The man wore a leather jacket and sports stubble, showcasing a well-built physique.

The woman was bright and charming, with delicate features, lightly made up, and a lace scarf in purple on her long hair, adding unique charm to her already captivating appearance.

Compared to the noisy, almost manic crowd outside, these two appeared exceptionally calm and composed.

"Hello, are you Mr. Wu Hen? How was your experience with the Otherworld Helmet you applied for from our company?" The Purple Headscarf Woman asked with a smile.

"Uh…" Wu Hen didn't know how to respond.

But the three people inside heard this question.

Especially Wu Yingting, who shot up from his chair, quickly walking to the doorway, eyes fixed on Wu Hen.

"You went inside?" Wu Yingting's lips trembled.

"I was just about to confess that I did go inside and..." Wu Hen scratched his head.

"And did remarkably well, earning half a Yuan You on your first entry." The Purple Headscarf Woman smiled brightly.

Wu Yingting's mouth hung open, and his eyes were filled with disbelief!

His son had earned a Yuan You??

Only those who had experienced it knew the price paid to earn a Yuan You!

Humans were so fragile and insignificant there!

"Your family seems quite adaptable. Wu Hen, can I have a few words alone with you?" The Purple Headscarf Woman asked.

Wu Hen glanced at his father.

Wu Yingting could only nod, his expression complex, filled with helplessness, surprise, and expectation!

"In that room, right? It's your room, isn't it?" The Purple Headscarf Woman suggested.

"Yes." Wu Hen nodded.

It was barely a room, just enough for a bed. From a mansion to this enclosed room, Wu Hen initially found it hard to adjust but gradually got used to it, even finding it gave a sense of security sometimes.

The Purple Headscarf Woman didn't mind the messy bed and naturally sat on the edge.

This made Wu Hen a bit embarrassed, considering boys' beds usually had some discarded paper...

Left from blowing their noses.

"We received information from Nuwa God End that you had found a Yuan You. You did exceptionally well, being among the few who obtained one on their first entry to Desert Dust." The Purple Headscarf Woman said.

Hearing this, Wu Hen understood that she was from those who had learned the truth earlier and had been walking in the Otherworldly Dust for some time.

"Just luck, just luck." Wu Hen modestly replied.

"One is worth a hundred thousand, half worth fifty thousand. Take this money to improve your family's situation." The Purple Headscarf Woman straightforwardly handed Wu Hen an envelope.

Inside was a thick wad of money.

Wu Hen accepted it and asked, "Since this world is virtual, what difference does it make whether we are rich or poor?"

"Trust me, everything here reflects genuine reality, and people will cherish their current life of prosperity, peace, and routine even more." The Purple Headscarf Woman explained.

"I don't quite understand. If we all come from Nuwa God End, why are some people born unfortunate, poor, or like my sister, unable to speak?" Wu Hen asked.

"A tree has many leaves. Some leaves get sick, some are eaten by insects, some fall prematurely. Is it the tree's intention?" The Purple Headscarf Woman patiently explained.

"I mean, why does Nuwa God End make you so outstanding, um, particularly beautiful." Wu Hen smiled.

Hearing this, the Purple Headscarf Woman was momentarily taken aback, then a tinge of shyness and joy flashed in her eyes.

She said, "Your sweet talk shows you're mentally sound. How about another gift from me?"

She took out a tiny glass box.

Inside were two iridescent contact lenses.

"What are these…" Wu Hen asked in surprise.

"The latest brain-interface technology. Wearing these into your pupils will let you enter the otherworld... Of course, it's to wake the individual consciousnesses residing within Nuwa God End and give you a body to walk in otherworldly realms." She explained.

"Sounds like playing someone else's game character. Don't we have our own bodies in reality?" Wu Hen asked curiously.

"You've walked in there. Do you think if we weren't relying on Nuwa God End this way, our mortality rate wouldn't be sky-high?" The Purple Headscarf Woman responded.

"Indeed, the soul is above all." Wu Hen nodded.

"I know you don't like playing others' characters. Rest assured, once you find Nuwa God End, you can awaken your true self." She reassured.

"What should I do next?" Wu Hen asked.

"Survive with your otherworldly host and return to Nuwa God End." She replied.

Host?

That was probably the body he woke up in at the cliff town.

"What about the original consciousness of this host? Will it disappear because of my presence?" Wu Hen had a hundred questions.

"Their consciousness perished during otherworldly walks."

"The Lost One?" Suddenly, Wu Hen thought of this term!