Chapter 76: Episode Four of the Drama Series
Zhou Ning's lips curled into a faint smile. Didn't expect that, huh? Yours truly can spy on you using high-tech surveillance.
It was just about time to show them the power of technology.
He resumed the video playback.
As Zhou Ning already knew, Elvis had accepted the mission to assassinate him and had planned to lure him into the mirror world to kill him there.
The footage then locked onto Elvis. Through his conversation with Leandro, viewers learned they were on their way to visit someone named Mr. Turing.
Then, the scene cut back to Elvis, who was in Room 304 at the Green Shade Inn. From there, he began tracking Zhou Ning using the mirrors near Vick University.
When Zhou Ning passed by a storefront display, the screen suddenly went black—he had already been pulled into the mirror world by Elvis.
It had to be said, the AI editor's cuts were masterful. With just a few transitions, the desolate, eerie, and uncanny nature of the mirror world was vividly brought to life.
It felt like watching a fantasy film.
The moment Zhou Ning was dragged into the mirror world, the comment section instantly lit up.
"Elvis: Welcome to my world."
"Elvis: 15 versus 1, advantage—me!"
"I've rewatched this badass scene five times already—it's just too iconic. From today on, Elvis is my new husband."
"Five minutes ago: Elvis – Welcome to my world. Five minutes later: Elvis – Can you please leave my world?"
…
Then Elvis made his dramatic entrance. He spread his arms and uttered the now-iconic line: "Welcome to my world." That moment was later clipped into meme videos and even became one of the top ten most awkward scenes in gaming history.
Zhou Ning tried shooting at Elvis, but the bullets curved through the distorted world and nearly hit him instead. Bloodsucking parasites began crawling out of the ground and lunged at him. He fired again but failed.
From Elvis' words, viewers learned that bullets don't work properly in this world, but his magical pets and spells function normally. Everyone watching felt a growing sense of dread. Was the protagonist really going to be taken down here?
But players quickly calmed down.
Because the camera zoomed in on Zhou Ning. Even as the ten-meter-long parasites swarmed toward him, he had the leisure to adjust his hat, a playful glint in his eyes.
In that instant, the screen exploded with layered and dense waves of comments. Players who had been holding in their frustration now erupted with uncontainable excitement.
"Hot damn, my husband is so cool!"
"Warning: Epic scene incoming!"
"Heh, bet you didn't know—I'm not just a gunman."
…
In the video, Zhou Ning suddenly reached out and grabbed one parasite by the neck. The close-up showed a blur as his hand whipped out a motion trail. The parasite struggled, but with a loud whoosh, Zhou Ning spun it like a fan blade.
Wind swept up as the spinning parasite flung several meters to the side, crashing into and knocking away three or four others. But more than ten parasites still pounced from all directions.
Then the viewers saw, again via close-up, that Zhou Ning didn't even move. He simply cast a calm glance at them—and that was enough to scare the parasites into scrambling back underground, as if fleeing from a natural predator.
Zhou Ning: …
At the time, he had done it intentionally, but the battle wasn't entirely under his control. Looking at it now, it was pretty badass.
Then, Elvis cast a flashy spell—a high-level fire mage technique called Firebird Art. It launched a firebird that could lock onto and pursue its target. It struck Zhou Ning, exploding into a spectacular burst of flames.
Just as viewers held their breath in suspense, Zhou Ning walked through the flames unharmed, pressing down his hat and calmly staring at Elvis. The look in his eyes was effortlessly roguish and cool.
Even those silly players weren't the only ones charmed—Zhou Ning himself was feeling the effect.
With the camera switching angles, viewers clearly saw a bead of cold sweat trickle down Elvis' face.
"Elvis: Danger!"
"Elvis: Is it too late to run now?"
"Elvis: Can we negotiate a peaceful exit from my world?"
…
At the climax of the fight, when Zhou Ning rushed up and unleashed a half-minute flurry of rapid-fire punches on Elvis, the comments section exploded. The entire screen was flooded with "666" [slang for "awesome" or "hell yeah"], expressing everyone's excitement and awe.
"I'm crying—my husband is just too hardcore!"
"This is why you can always trust Wayne Sturwell—stylish, mysterious, and powerful."
"Say no more, I'm rewinding to savor Elvis' cringe moment—definitely the highlight of the episode."
"@Grantham, how do you feel about this scene?"
"@Grantham, how do you feel about this scene?"
By the end, the entire comment section was flooded with tags for Grantham.
Of course Grantham saw them. He was grinding his teeth in frustration. Even though he still thought the main character wasn't as strong as Emlyn, what could he say? He'd used the wrong example, and Elvis had just so happened to run into Wayne Sturwell.
To be honest, Zhou Ning felt pretty lucky. Elvis was a level-44 advanced fire mage—an extremely strong opponent. Back then, Zhou Ning hadn't even picked his main class yet. Without the ability to use firearms, not even the Phoenix Battle Suit would've guaranteed a win.
If he hadn't called in his epic card just in time, he probably would've been toast.
Still, it was a happy accident. The video was cut into an episode for the drama series, and his powerful image would no doubt become even more firmly established. During the beta, more players would probably pick the Wandering Gunslinger class.
As the video approached its end, the final scene showed Leandro visiting Mr. Turing. Through their conversation, Zhou Ning learned something astonishing—Mr. Turing was actually a master-level alchemist who had ties with the Life Alchemy Society. He really was a big deal.
Just as Zhou Ning wanted to know more, the screen faded to black—the episode was over.
He closed the game panel and frowned slightly. The episode was short, but it had given him plenty of valuable information. First, there was the location of the Cursed Church's base—he'd need to make time to find it.
After all the hospitality they'd given him, it was time to return the favor.
Second, Mr. Turing's identity had come as a real surprise. From Zhou Ning's experience, big shots like that often had awesome skills or hidden quests. He'd definitely have to take the time to build a relationship.
Not long after, the carriage rolled to a stop. Zhou Ning, already familiar with the area, arrived at West Lin's General Store at 355 Will Street and knocked on the door.
This time Sherlock wasn't there—but the one who answered was another old acquaintance of his: Ian.