Chapter Six: Golden Pear — A Virtual Guide to the Infinite Illusion

(1/3)
She has lost count of how many times she has plummeted from the heights.

Sooner or later, between the alcohol and the high-altitude falls, her heart will strike her sternum for the very last time—and then, Jin Xueli will cease to exist.

But at least this time, she is still alive, even though the blood frantically pumped by her heart whips against her brain, sending waves of dizziness crashing through her.

Hot alcohol turns into sweat, erupting from her pores. The pin-prick heat on her back fades, replaced by a cold, damp chill.

She may never be able to overcome her terror of falling, but after so many descents, she can at least stifle her screams upon impact—only a ragged, wheezing breath remains, bordering on a whimper. Fear, like a centipede, crawls across her chest and throat.

She has landed in the same old place once again.

The room is filled with the scent of stale dust, reminiscent of aging cardboard boxes. It is dim and cool. The darkness is not dense; it feels like a half-drawn curtain that one could push aside with a reach, revealing whatever hides behind it.

Jin Xueli does not move.

The alcohol, like a tide rising within her body, continues to rock her.

She doesn't know what—or who—is watching over her, but no matter how she falls, she always lands on her feet, like a cat blessed by the heavens.

She squats in place for a few seconds, extending her right hand into the darkness to feel for the wall. Every time she lands, her intoxication makes her unsteady, and she reaches for the wall to her right. If one were to shine a flashlight on it, they would likely see the wall surface polished to a shine by the oils from her skin.

As her hand brushes against a smooth, square plastic plate, she recoils as if electrocuted, cursing under her breath. A layer of goosebumps erupts from sheer fright.

...It’s impossible to be fully prepared, she thinks. The last time she was here, the light switch was clearly not on this wall.

Thankfully, she had no strength in her hand and didn't press that eager, impatient switch.

Jin Xueli slowly moves toward the corner, fumbling until she finds the faucet in its usual spot and turns it on. She cups her hands to catch the water, drinking deeply. The faucet squeaks and groans as it turns, then falls back into silence.

Unlike food, the water in the "Nests" is generally safe.

Jin Xueli pulls a flattened donut and a can of coffee from her bag.

Before a jump, she numbs her terror to the extreme with alcohol; after landing, she tries to dilute it with greasy food and caffeine. Every time Jin Xueli enters a Nest, she must follow this exact ritual.

She leans against the corner, forcing herself to eat despite having no appetite, then carefully packs the empty can and paper bag back into her backpack.

Never leave personal belongings behind in a Nest, even if it is just trash—this was the first lesson of a hunter. Jin Xueli has forgotten when she learned it.

Across from the sink, there is a locked storage locker.

She fumbles in the dark for a few tries before aligning the key with the keyhole. From behind the silently opened door, she retrieves a cool, heavy, boxy radio.

The static "hiss" of electricity rises from the depths of the darkness, landing beside her. As she turns the dial to find a frequency, the static slowly coalesces into a man’s voice.

"Welcome to Nest Radio 173," the man says in a low voice, as if he is about to begin a story. "This is the 'Virtual Guide to the Infinite Illusion,' and I am your host."

There is no name, only "the host."

His entire identity—or perhaps "it," since humans cannot live within the Nests—seems to exist solely for the sake of the radio station.

No matter when Jin Xueli turns on the radio, the first sentence is always "Welcome to Nest Radio 173"—as if the host is always waiting for a listener on the other end to turn on the radio, and in doing so, turn on him.

"Today is Monday, November 16, 2026."

The time progression in the Nest is the same as in the human world; Jin Xueli glances at her phone to confirm.

On her screen, over a hundred ugly unread messages are frozen. There is no signal; no more texts are coming through.

"First, the Nest news."

In the darkness, Jin Xueli listens while waiting for the coffee and food to take effect. She should be the only one who knows of this hideout, so she doesn't worry about intruders.

(2/3)
In a Nest where a single moment of distraction could be the difference between life and death, she finds it somewhat amusing that she is sitting perfectly still, listening to the radio.

She is a solo hunter, lacking the support of any guild. The artifacts she has managed to obtain in the past have all been low-tier items. By all rights, she has no room to be picky; she should take any artifact she can get and sell everything.

However, she will never sell this radio to anyone—it is her lifeline.

"...I believe all of you true residents who love the Nest will be very pleased, won't you? The massive threat to the Nest has been nipped in the bud, thanks to the efforts of various parties. I hope you will share this good news with your friends and family, provided you haven't turned them into dinner yet."

Jin Xueli listens distractedly. To be honest, she doesn't understand; she has no idea what the "massive threat" refers to.

The broadcast content is not meant for humans. The host’s audience consists of the residents of the Nest, so she finds eight out of every ten sentences incomprehensible.

As long as it doesn't seem to concern her, Jin Xueli doesn't bother to delve deeper. The curiosity she felt when she first acquired the radio vanished completely after she nearly died once.

Though she understands little, she still listens.

"There is a Toyota with license plate MKA-388 parked in front of the Blue District Public Library, and it has been there for over seven days. Please move the vehicle as soon as possible, or it will be added to the library's revenge list."

The plate sounds like a real one from Black Moor City... Could a hunter have driven their car in here?

If it hasn't been moved for so long, the owner is likely already dead.

The thought flashes by without leaving a mark on her.

To be an artifact hunter is to race against the darkness. Countless hunters have been swept away by the black tide, sinking forever into the depths of the Nest.

Sooner or later, she will sink too. She wonders what her tomb will look like when it appears before her.

"...Next, we have the traffic conditions and map information."

Jin Xueli perks up, the effect of the alcohol fading as her mind clears. She quickly pulls out a pen and a brand-new tourist map of Black Moor City. With her phone held in her teeth, she uses the dim light of the screen to spread the map out on the concrete floor.

"First," the host says, slowing down as if he knows the information is important, "Streets 5 through 190 remain unchanged and are accessible today."

She lets out a sigh of relief.

Whether it is a blessing or a curse, the Nest seems to have a life of its own, constantly undergoing slow mutations.

Before she had the radio, Jin Xueli had to prepare herself every time she entered a Nest—even in familiar locations she had explored over a hundred times, you could push open a door and step into a room you had never seen before.

The Nest resembles the terrain of Black Moor City, but it is a discordant, subtly warped resemblance. It is as if the Nest is a crooked, distorted mirror, twisted by light and shadow, giving birth to things that do not belong to this world from the gaps in its jagged shadows.

Is this a rift in the universe, a fabled hell, or a delusion in the mind of a madman?

Jin Xueli has been here countless times and still does not know the answer.

Having listened to the broadcast many times, she has summarized her own experience:

"Currently undergoing construction/renovation/repair"—this means the area is changing.

"Attracting many visitors/a great spot for a weekend trip"—never go near it; stay far away from the surrounding areas as well.

"Remains unchanged, accessible"—as it says, as long as you are familiar with the terrain and have cleared the risks, you can rely on your previous experience.

The item Jin Xueli intends to use to deal with her stalker is hidden on 99th Street, which is currently in an area without abnormal changes. If everything goes smoothly, it will take two days to get from her landing point to 99th Street, retrieve the item, and return to Black Moor City.

Two days... She cannot help but laugh at herself.

In terms of distance, they are at most fifteen kilometers apart. But in the Nest, covering fifteen kilometers in two days is considered remarkably smooth.

By the time the traffic report ends, Jin Xueli’s map is covered in various markings, lines, and notes like "Danger!", "Go straight," and "There's a bus, but don't talk to the driver."

Based on the experience she has traded for with her own life, the broadcast is trustworthy.

(3/3)
If she ever decided to retire, this radio could probably fetch her at least a million dollars.

But Jin Xueli knows she cannot retire—even with a million waiting for her, she cannot bring herself to stop being a hunter. There are too many things in this world worth trying, and her desires are too surging; the money she needs is far more than a million.

"He really is pushing his luck," Jin Xueli thinks, feeling more annoyed. "What kind of rat crawling out of a sewer thinks he’s worth me retrieving an artifact just to deal with him..."

She puts away the map and pen and is about to reach for the radio, which is now playing "The Top 1 of the Nest’s Hottest New Songs"—today’s track isn't half bad, sounding like human wails faintly muffled within a forest of howling winds. The "music" suddenly halts.

After all, with sounds like shrill wails, who knows which note is the end?

"What a soothing and melodious song," the host says in a low voice. "I have just received a call from a listener, and I must temporarily add a special situation report."

Jin Xueli’s breath hitches.

"Special situation report"—since she got the radio, she has only heard this twice.

The first time, she relied on a special situation report to find a fixed, hidden, and safe private landing point—the very room she is in now.

She previously didn't even know that humans could bind a landing point in a Nest.

Every time Jin Xueli had opened a path and fallen into a Nest before, she, like everyone else, would appear in public landing points—the City Hall, the "Backlit Interspace" Garden, St. Louis Hospital, and so on. Surrounded by other hunters, residents, and unknown entities, she wouldn't even dare to stay in one place long enough to finish a cup of coffee.

The second time, the artifact she obtained through a special situation report earned her a home in Black Moor City that ordinary people could never hope to approach. Beyond the payment, the buyer also signed an open-ended contract: as long as Jin Xueli is alive, she has permanent residency in the apartment.

The third time has finally come.

For a moment, all that exists in Jin Xueli’s field of vision is the radio on the floor. She forgets to breathe, her entire spirit coiled into a hook, catching every word that comes through.

"...Enter through Gate D of the Museum of Modern Art, take the elevator on the left, and go to the basement level."

The host’s voice flows from the radio, as if projecting a blueprint of the building’s interior into her mind. "Remember, you must take the first elevator on the left. If the doors of any other elevator open, do not enter, do not look, and no matter what happens, pretend you don't know."

Although the broadcast audience appears to be the residents of the Nest, there are always such small details that make Jin Xueli feel as though the host is giving her instructions—or rather, instructions for the hunter currently listening.

"The 'Candle Tear' in the basement exhibition hall is the item you need to watch out for. As far as I know, it recently became an 'artifact'... some might say it is one of the most powerful artifacts since the existence of the Nest."

The host pauses, as if sensing Jin Xueli’s thumping heartbeat.

"For those who wish to investigate, heed my advice. Human destiny is as thin as a cotton cloth. The torrents of the world are too many, too unpredictable, crashing and surging without mercy. Humans can only be torn and swallowed amidst the churning, flung by forces far greater than themselves toward a future they cannot see clearly."

"And artifacts... they are the mountain floods and tsunamis, the storms and giant waves. They are genies that grant your wishes, and gods that do not listen to prayers..."

He stops here, as if the next words are too difficult to speak.

The dim room is silent for a moment. Jin Xueli has long realized that the host does not breathe.

There are only four or five breaths in the room, including her own, rising and falling in the darkness.

"Listeners, today's broadcast ends here. Please stay safe, and we will see you next time."

Jin Xueli stands stunned for a few seconds, then grabs the radio and packs it away. Fumbling to find the doorknob, she opens the door a crack and slips out.

The Museum of Modern Art is in the direction she was already heading.

Go to the museum first to check on the artifact the broadcast mentioned, then go to 99th Street to get the item to deal with Anthony...

A delay of a day or two is not a big deal.