Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Liu Xing exchanged a knowing glance with Hu Cang, who smiled and turned to Xiao Mochen, saying, "It’s nothing. This is a friend I met in Rongcheng. However, he’s from the Island Nation and can’t understand what we’re saying."

Xiao Mochen looked somewhat surprised at Liu Xing, while Liu Xing politely nodded at Xiao Mochen and took out his phone, engrossed in playing with it.

Xiao Mochen withdrew his gaze and said to Hu Cang, "I see. I was actually thinking if I should find a quiet place to talk. After all, the things I told you are a bit embarrassing. But come to think of it, this foreigner’s phone looks different from ours; it seems high-end and classy."

Liu Xing, looking down at his own phone, realized it was indeed out of place in this era, as it was a smartphone from more than ten years in the future. Phones underwent significant changes every few years. Therefore, Liu Xing decided not to casually take out his phone in the future, to avoid drawing unnecessary attention and suspicion about his identity.

After all, in the world of the Cthulhu RPG Game module, anything was possible.

At this point, Xiao Mochen continued, "Hu Cang, this is really like a woman’s changeable heart. Yesterday, Hu Li and I were getting along well. I even hinted at proposing to her, and she seemed willing. So, I prepared everything to propose today, even had a big surprise for her. But unexpectedly, she changed her mind today before I could say a word. When I realized it, she had already gone upstairs. I had planned to go up and ask her what had happened, but the waiter she called was surprisingly strong and held me down."

Hu Cang, hearing this, had already guessed why Hu Li had suddenly rejected Xiao Mochen. Since Liu Xing had returned safely, it meant that Hu Li had discovered that Panlong Town was in a temporal distortion state, and she had already entered into a cooperation with Liu Xing. Therefore, Hu Li probably felt that she no longer needed to accept Xiao Mochen’s proposal.

Hu Cang was well aware that the reason Hu Li had agreed to Xiao Mochen’s proposal in the first place was largely because of himself, or rather, as a way of seeking revenge on him.

However, Hu Cang definitely wouldn’t reveal this, especially not to Xiao Mochen.

Thinking about this, Hu Cang sighed and said, "Xiao Mochen, didn’t I warn you when I first returned to Panlong Town? Don’t casually get involved with that woman, Hu Li. She’s not simple, and with your personality, you would have been taken advantage of. Now that it’s come to this, Xiao Mochen, it pains me to say this, but you’ve been played by Hu Li."

Although Xiao Mochen wanted to refute Hu Cang, he couldn’t find any valid arguments. So, he sighed and leaned against the wall looking disheartened.

Hu Cang patted Xiao Mochen’s shoulder and said earnestly, "Given the circumstances, Xiao Mochen, you should let go of your thoughts about Hu Li. A woman like her is not someone you can handle, and with your qualities, you can surely find someone better than her."

Xiao Mochen forced a smile and said, "Hu Cang, it’s easier said than done. You know my current situation. After opening that teahouse, I’m practically broke. My mother still needs medical treatment in Rongcheng, and you know how my father is. My monthly expenses are quite high, so let me be frank. One of the big reasons I chose Hu Li is that she doesn’t require a dowry."

Hearing this, Liu Xing raised an eyebrow, finding Xiao Mochen’s statement a bit exaggerated. After all, Hu Li’s appearance was well-documented on her dating app. Liu Xing couldn’t believe that Xiao Mochen’s decision to marry Hu Li wouldn’t be influenced by her appearance, not to mention her ability to use charm techniques.

Hu Cang, on the other hand, clearly shared Liu Xing’s thoughts. He couldn’t help but find Xiao Mochen’s words a bit unbelievable and said, "Xiao Mochen, it’s been so many years, and you’re still boasting like this. What you said can’t be described as anything other than self-deception. I thought about proposing to Hu Li, but now I have to go on blind dates to find someone suitable. Hu Cang, do you have any recommendations?"

Liu Xing pretended to yawn and discreetly observed the expressions on Hu Cang and Xiao Mochen’s faces. He noticed that Hu Cang seemed somewhat unnatural at the moment, while Xiao Mochen’s smile appeared forced.

Liu Xing raised an eyebrow, sensing that something was amiss in their conversation. Moreover, he felt that the atmosphere suddenly seemed peculiar, even somewhat "gay."

Could it be? Liu Xing quickly lowered his head and continued to play with his phone, as a daring thought crossed his mind.

This bold thought naturally concerned the relationship between Xiao Mochen and Hu Cang. Liu Xing now believed that their connection wasn’t simply that of brothers, but rather a deeper romantic relationship.

If this were true, it would explain a lot of things perfectly.

Firstly, it would clarify why Hu Cang refused Hu Li’s advances. After all, Liu Xing believed that as a heterosexual man, it would be impossible for Hu Cang to resist someone like Hu Li, especially considering her charm abilities. Besides, Hu Li’s true form was that of a fox spirit with animal ears—what could be more alluring?

However, if Hu Cang were gay, it would make sense. In certain module settings, homosexuality granted automatic immunity or reduced the success rate of opposite-sex charm attempts. So, Hu Cang’s ability to resist Hu Li’s charm could be attributed to his sexual orientation.

Moreover, while in Liu Xing’s era, the LGBTQ+ community had gained widespread acceptance and respect through years of advocacy, the current module was set in the period before 2000, in a relatively traditional Chinese rural area. Therefore, it would be quite normal for Hu Cang to hide his homosexuality. After all, keeping certain things hidden was still common during that time, especially given the emotional turmoil it could cause.

As a result, no matter how much Liu Xing and others probed, Hu Cang hadn’t revealed the true reason for his breakup with Hu Li. And when Liu Xing had asked about it again last night, Hu Cang’s reaction had been so intense because he had been bottling up these emotions for a long time.

Finally, this also explained why Hu Li had ignored others and specifically tried to seduce Xiao Mochen. It was likely because when Hu Cang rejected Hu Li, he probably informed her that he had feelings for Xiao Mochen. Or perhaps, Hu Li had gathered evidence or used some means to confirm the relationship between Hu Cang and Xiao Mochen. Therefore, in order to strike back at Hu Cang and perhaps see if he still loved Xiao Mochen even after she transformed him into a woman...

To confirm his theory, Liu Xing contacted KP Snow Wind, saying, "KP, I’d like to ask about the relationship between Hu Cang and the others. Could it be related to a Side Quest?"

KP Snow Wind naturally understood Liu Xing’s intention and replied with a smile, "As long as the player meets the conditions for completing the Side Quest, it can be completed."

While KP Snow Wind’s response appeared to be off-topic, it was actually a message to Liu Xing, indicating that he shouldn’t try to be too clever. Liu Xing had asked this question to confirm his daring hypothesis. If KP Snow Wind had replied that there was a relevant mission, Liu Xing could mention his bold theory when chatting with Zhang Jingxu and the others, and if they completed a Side Quest related to it, it would prove his hypothesis correct.

However, if KP Snow Wind said there was no related mission, Liu Xing planned to wait until the next Private Room session to voice his daring theory. Since he couldn’t judge the correctness of his theory based on the completion of a Side Quest, he didn’t want to risk prematurely revealing it and potentially affecting their future actions.

In the world of the Cthulhu RPG Game, players had to be responsible for their every word and action, especially outside of Private Room sessions. Players were like characters in a movie, and they couldn’t easily overturn their previous statements without a valid reason.

Liu Xing had read a forum post on the Cthulhu Role-Playing Game Hall where players had made a wrong judgment due to misinformation. Consequently, they had confidently formed an incorrect conclusion within the module and proceeded with it. Soon, they realized their error, but without new evidence to change their conclusion, they were forced to stick with it until they ultimately failed.

So, without absolute certainty, it was best not to jump to conclusions to avoid trapping oneself.

With this in mind, Liu Xing had a better grasp of KP Snow Wind’s character. KP Snow Wind appeared to be of the neutral lawful alignment—friendly toward players but not inclined to provide substantial help.

Meanwhile, Hu Cang and Xiao Mochen’s conversation continued.

"Alright, I’ll introduce a suitable match for you later, Xiao Mochen. However, she’s from the neighboring town, so it might take a few days to arrange a meeting. Are you satisfied with that?" Hu Cang asked with a smile.

Xiao Mochen nodded and then asked, "Hu Cang, why don’t you introduce me to someone from Panlong Town? Wait a minute, why do I feel like there are so few women in Panlong Town now?"

Xiao Mochen furrowed his brows, lost in thought.

Hearing this, Liu Xing couldn’t help but glance at Xiao Mochen. Could it be that Xiao Mochen had also awakened like Hu Li?

At that moment, the sound of dice hitting the table echoed.

After a while, Xiao Mochen furrowed his brows and said, "Hu Cang, have you noticed that something’s not right in Panlong Town? I have strange memories appearing in my mind."

Hu Cang looked at Xiao Mochen in shock and then turned to Liu Xing.

Liu Xing stood up, nodded at Hu Cang, and said, "It seems that Xiao Mochen has awakened too."

Xiao Mochen, upon hearing Liu Xing, immediately turned to him in surprise, saying, "Hu Cang, didn’t you say your friend couldn’t speak Chinese? Why can I understand what he’s saying even though he’s speaking a language I don’t understand?"

Liu Xing chuckled and said to Hu Cang, "Mr. Hu Cang, you might as well tell Xiao Mochen the current situation. After all, he has already awakened relevant memories, and it would be a good thing to share all those details with him."

Hu Cang nodded and began to explain the current situation to Xiao Mochen.

While Hu Cang and Xiao Mochen conversed, Liu Xing began to contemplate why Xiao Mochen had suddenly awakened these memories. Hu Li’s awakening was somewhat expected, given her attributes as a mythical creature, but Xiao Mochen’s awakening was a surprise. Apart from having higher attribute values in the dating app, his other attributes were generally average, according to Liu Xing’s assessment.

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