Chapter 386: New Game
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Li Dong was in between laughter and tears.
He immediately realized that Mu Wanqiu came specially to apologize.
He looked at her face, full of guilt.
Although a little disinclined, Li Dong still smiled and comforted her with a gentle voice. “Everything’s fine now. It’s not your fault, so don’t feel guilty about it.
“Besides, that kind of game is not really friendly for f2p’s like me. It’s really hard to progress in the game without spending any money. Besides, I might also get cucked by the p2w’s in the future… perhaps this is an irresistible arrangement by fate.”
“C-commander?”
Mu Wanqiu looked up at him. Isn’t this mentality of his a little too good to be true?
It had also seemed that her guild leader had such individuality in game. Firm, patient, with a strong desire of winning, not easily trampled by setbacks, and always able to attain incredible achievements. Even if he were to suffer a huge setback, he would be able to adjust himself quickly. It was also for these reasons that he looked very trustworthy, prompting her willingness to chat with him. To her, he had become her very important… a friend, on the internet.
“A-alright.”
Mu Wanqiu sighed with relief. “Phew, that’s rea.s.suring. But would you need some compensation? That schoolmate of mine has apologized to me in person. He also said that he is willing to compensate our guild with 500,000 dollars, hoping for our forgiveness. Commander… do you need gold?”
“500,000?”
Li Dong’s lips twitched, and a voice emerged deep in his heart: d.a.m.n those rich a*sholes!
“No. If money can solve all problems, our world won’t be needing the cops. Just tell him to do whatever he wants.”
“That’s what I thought too, Commander. I despise people like him who think that money can fix anything. Hmph! I’m not going to talk to him ever again.”
“Uhm, let’s put this topic aside. Did you mention before that you wish to meet Qinghai and Yichen? We are comrades in the same guild, after all, so why don’t we use this opportunity for a meet-up?” Li Dong proposed.
“Sure; I’d like to meet them as well. Why don’t I treat all of you to a meal?” Mu Wanqiu smiled as her eyes narrowed.
Li Dong nodded and picked up his phone to make a call.
…
Half an hour later.
Two exclamations of surprise came from a private room in a middle-cla.s.s restaurant.
“Impossible! Wanqiu is really a girl?
“I always thought that you were a cute straight guy yearning for the sea of stars, who absolutely looooves big cannons like any other guy while having the delicateness and aesthetics of girls. Never did I imagine that you were a true babe!
“Wanqiu, I always considered you a brother, but y-you…” He sighed. “The beautiful world in my imagination has perished,” Cai Qinghai made a painful expression.
“However, it is also our luck to meet a girl like you. The ratio of male to female in our school is 9 to 1. This game we’re playing is also a boy game. We don’t believe that there are very many women in this world.”
Liu Yichen on the other hand acted rather normally at first. But then, he closed in on Mu Wanqiu and looked down at her body. With a suspicious look, he said, “Wanqiu, you have been a girl since the day you were born, haven’t you?”
“Ah!”
Mu Wanqiu was dumbfounded and felt like she was going crazy. “How many times do I have to tell you – I am a girl, a real girl! Why won’t you guys believe me?”
“Cut it out, guys, stop fooling around. Quickly, apologize to Wanqiu,” said Li Dong with a stern expression.
“Sorry.”
“I’m just joking, Wanqiu; I hope you don’t get p.i.s.sed at that.”
The two of them lowered their hands and apologized.
“I’m fine, I’m fine. I’m not that petty. Haha, this felt just like our meetings in the game,” Mu Wanqiu said, smiling.
“Hahaha!”
Everyone cracked up, and the ice between them was broken. They talked about the fun times they had in the game, and all those joyful memories continuously filled the private dining room with laughs and giggles.
“It is unfortunate that the game has totally lost balance and is completely unplayable now.”
Liu Yichen leaned backwards in his chair, lost in deep reverie.
“It’s okay. Being able to befriend all of you is a good reward as well.” Li Dong was still sticking on his view.
Mu Wanqiu, on the other hand, explained to both Cai Qinghai and Liu Yichen about why the guild was disbanded and how she was pestered by that rich jerk at school. She also apologized. “If it wasn’t for me, that wouldn’t have happened to our guild… it was all my fault.”
“That had nothing to do with you, Wanqiu. You just happened to b.u.mp into a kid that wants to get everything with his cash.”
“Honestly speaking, with your looks and your curves, you would already be a G.o.ddess at our school. I won’t be surprised at all if guys woo you like crazy. But you have to be careful. There are many unsavory characters in this world, even lunatics that will destroy just about anything they can’t get their hands on… you need to protect yourself diligently.”
Li Dong added, “If you get into trouble again, give us a call. We’ll straighten things up for you.”
“OK.” Mu Wanqiu nodded, “Thank you, all of you.”
…
After the meal.
The time was now 9 o’clock in the evening.
Mu Wanqiu, who had bought the 10 o’clock train ticket, bade farewell, as she had to leave.
“I’ll send you to the station.”
Li Dong told Cai Qinghai and Liu Yichen to get back to school. Then, he called a cab and sent Mu Wanqiu to the high-speed rail station.
“Today was so fun; I’m really glad to know you all.”
Mu Wanqiu did not have many male friends, but she thought that these three she knew through the game were nice people.
“So, uhm, keep in contact?” Li Dong asked.
“Sure! We will still be very good friends.”
“Cool~ I think you should get going. Be careful on your trip.”
“Bye, commander.”
Li Dong waved his hands and watched from behind as she walked into the station.
But even with that being said, Li Dong and the gang weren’t as close to Mu Wanqiu as they used to be anymore.
Firstly, Mu Wanqiu was a student in a prestigious Shanghai university. Not only was she pretty and had a gracious temperament, her results were also outstanding. In the eyes of many, she was the perfect G.o.ddess. Li Dong and the gang, on the contrary, were students in a vocational school and were deemed as “poor students” in the eyes of many. They and Mu Wanqiu were completely not on the same level.
If it wasn’t for this game called the “Homeland VR”, they would never have come across Mu Wanqiu. Now, with that link gone, aside from reminiscing about the past, they wouldn’t have much to talk about.
“Why don’t we find a new game and start afresh in a new world? There are a few ma.s.sive RPGs coming out, if I remember correctly. Should we ask Wanqiu to come along with us into the new game?” Liu Yichen suggested.
“Yes, reality is too boring. The world of games is much more exciting. Let us continue to adventure in the world of games.”
Li Dong shook his head. “You of all people should know what’s happening in VR online games now. We might be able to catch up to those p2w’s just by effort. But facing those rich a*ses… The only toy with us poor f*cks. Us, mounting a comeback? Impossible.”
He’d hit the nail on the head. Cai Qinghai and Liu Yichen lowered their heads at the same time.
They sighed. what a forlorn world.
“Eh? Look at this piece of news. Xing Hai Technologies Announces Mature Virtual Helmet Technology, Plans to Develop a VR game, Revolving Intergalactic Warfare… The Era of Virtual Games is Coming,” roommate Xukai who was at that time browsing the news said out of the blue.
“Oh!”
Three of them were instantly intrigued.