In the afternoon, Ghost Valley arrived at Suzhou. Du Shi San and I went to the train station to welcome him and show our sincerity. We ate at dinner at a nearby place afterwards. We ate Dry Spicy Chicken in a Wok, a meal that gave us a lot of energy!
Ghost Valley was a 23 year old youth, whose real name was Gong Sun Gu. He looked delicate, refined and beautiful. He looked more pleasant to the eyes than Shi San.
Shi San was an over-friendly person, he hugged Ghost Valley’s shoulders minutes after they met and said, “Little Ghost, we are brothers from now on!”
Ghost Valley’s expression changed a little as he said, “Okay, Brother B…”
Du Shi San asked amazedly, “Why did you call me Brother B?”
Ghost Valley replied leisurely, “Du Shi San, if you joined 1 and 3 together…”
(Shiro: Shi San means 13)
“Dammit!”
Du Shi San was extremely depressed as he secretly scolded his dad’s naming sense in his heart.
Entering the apartment building, Ghost Valley carried his bag and said thankfully, “It’s been a long time since I lived in a dormitory…”
Shi San replied angrily, “Dormitory your head! You have a single room to yourself and treated as if you are a professor. What else do you want?”
“Haha!”
Ghost Valley set up the numerous cables for the game and installed his helmet. Then, he shot a glance to the game helmet in my room, and couldn’t help but gasp in surprise and said, “That…Is that a VIP helmet?”
I nodded.
Ghost Valley walked into my room and observed the helmet more closely. To his surprise, he saw that the name written on the helmet was one of the well-known player from CGL Hall of Fame – Fallen Dust. Immediately, Ghost Valley petrified into stone. After a while he looked at me unbelievingly and muttered, “Impossible… That’s definitely impossible. Boss Broken Spear, how could you be…how could you be that genius Fallen Dust?”
I clasped my cup and laughed, “Calm down…”
Du Shi San also laughed, “Little Ghost, don’t be so surprised. He is indeed Fallen Dust, and his real name is Lu Chen. He’s been my brother for many years, so he couldn’t be fake! Oh, right, do you admire him a lot?”
Ghost Valley shook his head, “No, it’s not Fallen Dust I admired, I admired Night_chen, the legendary player who defeated Chaos Illumination on the Interstellar Compet.i.tion!”
Du Shi San was surprised, “You knew too much!”
I sat on the sofa and licked my lips. Thousands of different feelings mixed up in my heart. My thoughts travelled back to three years ago, when I was still on my peak-
Chaos Illumination was my old enemy in my four years of playing . With regards to the matter of Chaos Illumination killing me and Ancient Sword Dream’s guild members to death, there was a reason for that. Why did Chaos Illumination hated me so much, the reason could be traced back to three years ago.
Year 2021, in the WCG Interstellar Compet.i.tion Finals, a Korean player called Chaos Illumination had broken records by defeating three top Chinese players and obtained the t.i.tle of King. At that moment, Chaos Illumination was extremely arrogant and condescending, saying that he was unbeatable in the whole of China. He even begged for the Chinese players present in that moment to come up the arena and challenge him to battle.
Right at this moment, a Chinese youth appeared and ma.s.sacred Chaos Illumination with five different skills. Furthermore, all his skills were unique and unknown. In this battle, Chaos Illumination had suffered the greatest loss in his life, hence he had remembered this youth’s ID: Night_chen.
This ID was a username that I used five years ago to bully noobs on the Grand Arena.
During the WCG battle, I used this account to kill the Korean Star Player Chaos Illumination. I became really widely known after this battle, but this had also become the reason I was chased after and a.s.sa.s.sinated many times online afterwards.
That year, I had politely rejected an invitation from a well-known game studio, EM, and entered into the newly opened game by Yue Heng Corporation, . In just a year, I fulfilled the requirements to enter CGL Hall of Fame. However, in the second year, a car accident had injured my head severely. What happened next were a series of unfortunate events that I could not bear to look back upon…
Chaos Illumination was someone who harbours hatred for even the simplest things. He had always kept the humiliation he suffered from that night close to his heart. He even went to Su Zhou University of Science and ma.s.sacred the entire school team. The ID, Night_chen had originated from this place. Before I graduated, I was the school’s main force. I was basically an unbeatable, great figure, who very rarely suffered defeat.
After knowing that I was Fallen Dust, Ghost Valley’s att.i.tude towards me changed completely. He walked towards me and stood right in front of me, speaking loudly, “Lu Chen, I know that you have suffered a lot in . Don’t worry, today, as we become comrades, I will put my utmost effort to help you fulfil your dream of revenge.”
I couldn’t help but smile, “I do have a dream, but it’s not a dream of revenge. I have a dream for us to become the best in the whole of Floating Ice City, or even the whole of China servers.”
As I said that, I also looked at Du Shi San and said, “Since we already had three players for our game studio, should we decide on our studio’s name and rules?”
Ghost Valley said, “The studio’s name would also be our guild’s name in the future. Have you thought of a name?”
I nodded, “I do have one in mind, it’s Crimson Mercenaries. Since we are both undeads, we wouldn’t be able to shake off our relations with b.l.o.o.d.y stuff. On the other hand, we are currently in quite a short supply of funds in this beginning stage of our studio. We would have to receive quests as mercenaries in game to save up money. Hence the name Crimson Mercenaries. What do you guys think?”
“Crimson Mercenaries…Crimson…” Ghost Valley’s eyes sparkled and laughed: “That is actually a pretty good name. This name gives me the impression of a ma.s.sacre on a battleground. That’s really good!”
Du Shi San also nodded his head: “I agree. Three votes pa.s.sed. Our studio shall be called the Crimson Mercenaries Studio!”
“Yeah!”
We decided the name of our studio with the drop of a hammer and planned on how to publicize our studio in the future. Du Shi San posted a post on the forums, t.i.tled, “Crimson Mercenaries studio had started business. We accept requests such as killing BOSS, PK for revenge, finishing quests, help to get chicks and so on. Please contact Du Shi San directly for more information.”
I am a busy person and all day long, I have to plan and prepare how to make high grade food items. Meanwhile, Ghost Valley was not proficient in socialising and was the type that doesn’t speak much. Only Du Shi San was the most suitable since he had an unceasing eloquence. It was a waste not to make use of it.
Once everything was planned out, an A4 paper that said “Crimson Mercenaries Studio” was printed and stuck onto the gate. I had an awesome feeling then, like we were an actual army.
We ate packed lunch for dinner as we really did not have much more funds to spare. Ghost Valley expressed his understanding, and at the same time said that he himself was also a poor beggar. He only brought RMB500 with him, but he contributed it all to us. Such a selfless chap was not easy to be found nowadays.
At night, we went online!
”Shua!”
The scene that greeted before me was hazy and filled with dust. This was the scene inside my tomb. I pushed my coffin and crawled out. When I lifted my head, I found a pair of snow white thighs right in front of my face. Looking up, the view of the perfectly curved long legs was disrupted by a blue short skirt. Looking further up, I saw a slim stomach, followed by magnificent ridges covered by an exquisitely-made female armor!
“Uhh…”
I gulped down my saliva. Who was this person in front of me?
The owner of the long legs looked at me at a 45 degrees angle and said with a despised tone, “You are finally willing to come online!?”
The person who came was Lin Yi Xin. Amongst all the pretty girls in the game, she is probably the only one who knows that the resting place of Fallen Hero is in such a desolate place.
I reluctantly stood up, secretly sighing in admiration at her alluring physique. I shouted: “Beauty Lin, you wouldn’t be here for no reason. So what’s up?”
Lin Yi Xin chuckled, “Little liar, do you know what is my secondary profession?”
“I don’t.” I shook my head and at the same time, tried to correct her: “And I’m not a little liar.”
“How are you not a little liar? You almost caused me to have no money for potions!”
Lin Yi Xin fumed and looked at me, as though she wanted to consume me in one mouthful.
I quickly changed the topic: “What did you say was your secondary profession?”
“Harvesting medicinal herbs!” Lin Yi Xin pursed her lips, saying: “Let’s go. Today I am going to a relatively dangerous map and I want to bring a bodyguard.”
“You need me to protect you while you harvest?” I found it a little difficult to accept this. Although it was an enjoyment having a beauty to accompany me in the game, I am an upright youth and should not be intoxicated by the charm of women…at least not for a prolonged time.
Lin Yi Xin looked at me. It was as though she saw through my thoughts and could not help laughing: “I am harvesting medicinal herbs and not flowers. Why that worked up expression?”
“Which map is it that even you have no confidence of handling?” I seriously asked.
Lin Yi Xin nodded: “ Uh, it is the Limestone Valley to the south of Floating Ice City. There are Lv 3 Dream Gra.s.s growing there and it is an essential ingredient to make Lv 3 potions.”
“Your harvesting skill is at Lv 3 already?” I was quite surprised.
Lin Yi Xin nodded and laughed, sticking out her ample chest. She proudly said: “That’s right, I have increased my Potions Skill to Lv 3 seventeen hours ago. Isn’t it admirable?”
I shot a glance and helplessly said: “What do I have to admire? My hunting skills had already risen to Lv 4 forty-eight hours ago…”
“Ah?!”
Lin Yi Xin was stamping her feet in anger but she could not do anything to me.
“Oh right, Beauty Lin.” I reminded her: “I have joined the Crimson Mercenaries Studio so I will no longer be free labour. I can go with you to the Limestone Valley but you have to pay for my services.”
Lin Yi Xin stared at me with disdain in her beautiful pupils: “You! Is there only money in your eyes???”
“Not really. Do you still want me to follow you?”
“Yes, why wouldn’t I!”
Lin Yi Xin looked towards the south and said: “It will take about five hours of your time. Two gold per hour with a total of ten gold. Is that OK?”
“Deal. Let’s go!”
“Yeah. Let’s go!”
Lin Yi Xin pulled me into a party. Ding! The system notified: Players Wind Fantasy and Fallen Hero has joined the party!
Great. These two IDs which were considered well-known in Floating Ice City were actually in the same party now. Fate could sometimes be so magical.