Races: Online (VR Smartphone App)

Chapter 196: Cut Scene of Familiar Faces

If the Moderator was willing enough to give information right now, then wouldn't it be the best time to ask her about something else he was curious about? Curiosity wasn't even enough to say it. He had managed to block himself from thinking about it too hard earlier, but now that she was hereit was time to ask. But first he needed to brace himself or the Moderator before he asked her, it didn't do him any good if he was always the one asking questions.

Han: Thank you, I didn't expect that I'd be lucky enough to receive your favor

Peach: ...you sound awfully nice now, is there something that you want?

"Crap." He hoped he didn't say it too loudly, but the look that the mother of a child gave him was obvious when they passed his table and took one farther away from him. Han Jing took a sip of his milk tea and sighed. He didn't think that the Moderator would call him out right away, he was planning to do some small talk first. He was starting to sound like what he imagined Sir Leon was like, planning out social interactions. Was he that obvious or was she too perceptive?

He needed to play it cool.

Han: By the way, is it normal to see someone in Races: Online who looks exactly like someone I know?

Peach: Are you reporting that as a bug?

Her words made him frown. It was easy enough to confirm whether it was a yes or no but she had to question him back? This was deflective rightor was he thinking too hard about it again? He didn't really like the uncertainty, but all he could be sure about now was questioning the things he thought he knew. Han Jing frowned and made his reply.

Han: Is it a bug? 

Peach: I don't think it is

Han: You're not sure?

Peach: It's probably all coincidencewait, let me crunch up some numbers.

Han Jing didn't reply and waited for a moment or so until the Moderator finally replied and gave an answer. And it would turn out to be a long one.

Peach: On your planet, there is a one in one hundred thirty-five chance that there's someone who looks similar to you. Now as for the exact copy, there's one in a trillion chances of them being the same you might actually have mistaken her to be the same, you Humans only look at the sum and not the parts. But if she's a true identical copy, then that's quite a rare chanceor a doppelgnger. A supernatural phenomena, well, you Humans would classify it as such

Han: Doppelganger is someone who looks like you, and you're saying it's something else?

Peach: You are familiar with the lore of the fey stealing children and replacing them with something and fooling the parent that it looks exactly like their child?

Han: You're not saying that Timothy's friend is supposed to be some kind of illusion?

Peach: Well, I'm not saying she's a wood trunk left behind, but there's also the minor possibility that she's a doppelgnger. It's called as many things in your world, doppelgnger, etiinen, ka, spirit double? But it's most likely that you thought that the person that you know in your world simply looks similar to themthere's nothing to be afraid about, I think you're wetting your pants at such an occasion huh?

Her words weren't exactly the most comfortingand she was somewhat mocking him on the pants thing. But he wouldn't take it to heart. Instead Han Jing wanted to take the reasonable answer, they simply looked similar and not all of that mystical spiritual lore. 

He doubted that she would be a Player too.

The Moderator would have said something, plus it didn't check out with how he understood the servers function. Each server had a representative from each kind of Race and were expected to get alongbut they didn't.

Why did he even care about this too much?

Han: Thank you for the help, I guess I'll figure out the rest on my own. And I do hope that you have some kind of vacation? Sounds like you need some time to rest

Peach: Rest? I'll probably get that if Ragnark happensgood luck to you then, 'Han'

'Peach Is Offline'

Han Jing frowned slightly at the words on the screen. Had she been that eager to leave? Or was she supposed to do some other work? He finished up his meal and his drink. "I shouldn't care that much, it's not my business."

And what was his business?

His mind's eye envisioned the appearance of 'Han' at the corner of his gaze. Was this normal? A hallucination? 

What was his business?

The image prompted and egged him on. Han Jing threw his trash into a bin and left the convenience store. What was his answer to his own question? Getting stronger. For what reason? To engage with his possible enemies. Couldn't he run away and hide? He needed to protect himself. Self interest alone then? To protect others. Was he serious?

Han Jing sighed and then realized something.

His legs were moving on its own.

Or rather his feet were taking him to a familiar place, a location that he didn't think he'd end up visiting so soon. The neon-lights of the gaudy sign welcomed himit was the PC Cafe. A long-time shop he had always visited for the past years.

He opened the door and stepped inside.

"It hasn't even been a week, boy." Mary called out to him in her seat at the front desk. The small-time owner and clerk of the shop greeted him with a small nod. "Anything happened?"

He'd normally not care about people asking him about his statehe was fine. He was alright. But this older woman probably knew more about him than his own mother did, and so he rested an arm at the countertop and shrugged. "Nothing happened. And that's the problem isn't it? Nothing changes."

"Who buried your children?" Mary wrinkled her nose at him. "Geez. Your computer spot is taken, you can take the computer thirteen if you're looking to unwind, boy."

Han Jing hung his head, "Sorry about that I might go back here on the 24thyou're not going to celebrate the Autumn Festival or anything right?"

She rolled her eyes, "You make it look like I don't have any friends here, I did get invited to a couple gatherings, but I do plan to open up the shop. Shouldn't you be the one celebrating it? It's an important event, isn't it?"

"...er, I'd prefer to stay here. My father's coming around, I guess." Han Jing shrugged before waving a hand, changing the subject. "Anyhow, it's also a good time to attend a temple you know? You can probably pray to Chang'e, it's also known as the Moon Festival and I heard she helps with romances."

The older woman scoffed, "First you come here looking like a little dipshit and now you're yapping about romanceyou could use some of that praying. Heck, I'll pray for you. Should I get incense for the temple or what?"

A small grin cracked on his lips, "Sorry about that, you're the one who's been staying here and I never saw you take a break."

"Some people have other priorities but are you going to use a computer or not?" Mary glanced at the door. "Might have some more customers come around and it's better that you take advantage of it while you can."

"Wait, you're letting me use one for free?"

She scrunched up her nose, "You blabbering about 'nothing changing' means you haven't gotten a job nowgo and start looking again. Aren't you supposed to be some bachelor graduate?"

Han Jing scratched the back of his head, "Loud and clear ma'am, I'll get back to my station then."

"If a paying customer arrives, you hop back out of that seat and offer it right away."

He spun back to her and walked backwards, nodding. "Yes yes." The young man then ended up stepping behind on something and nearly toppling back overuntil he caught himself. He blinked, it wasn't too much of a big deal but he glanced behind him to see a backpack on the floor.

[ Skill - Basic Reflexes Active ]

Han Jing was a little annoyed and scratched his cheek, "Excuse me, can you put your backpack underneath the table. Someone might trip over that." He had almost did

"Oh no, I'm sorry about that." A familiar looking young woman bent her head and picked up her backpack. She looked up and she blinked, a wince crossed her features. "This is even worsemy apologies, big bro Han Jing."

Speak of the devil, it was her. 

The resemblance was too uncanny. The same face structure, from the way the bridge of her nose to her eyesTimothy's friend was an exact replica of her. Or she was a copy of Timothy's friend. 

"I um it's Chan Lee?" A sheepish smile crossed her face as she pointed at her face. "Is the place too dark for you to recognize me?"

Han Jing shook his head, "No, noI was just surprised. Didn't think I'd see you at a place like thisnot to say that it's bad, but are you skipping classes?" This really was none of his business and yet here he was. 

Her eyes widened, "Never! I'm doing my assignment with a friend?" She turned to the person on the other computer station. "Hey, hey." She shook her head and turned back to him, "That's my friend, his name is Wang Liquin. We're actually doing... well, he's trying to help me out, wait aren't you a computer student graduate? Can you please take a look at this?"

She remembered that?

"Well, if it's not too much of a bother?" She scratched the back of her head. "Did you come here to play games or something, Han Jing?"