Chapter 17: Holographic Game (IV)

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Chapter 17: Holographic Game (IV)

“Guild Leader, even though Invite2Dream has been removed from her position as an elder, she is still your fiancée. No one in Cangqiong Palace will make things difficult for her,” the speaker said. Her voice lacked the softness of a young girl, instead carrying a distinctly heroic air. Her black attire accentuated her fiery, almost seductive figure. However, her presence was chillingly cold, leaving no trace of the gentle beauty one might have expected.

This was DevotedLove, one of the four guardians of the guild, and the only one who remained by Miao Lichen’s side until the end. In this harem story where women, and even creatures resembling women, all rush to be with the protagonist, she was truly a treasure of independence.

“No need, just treat her as a normal member from now on. Being my fiancée should not give her any advantages. The guild’s interests come before personal ones.” Miao Lichen said firmly. He turned to meet the girl’s complex gaze. This woman loved Miao Lichen so much that even when everyone else turned their backs on him, she stood by him without hesitation. “She doesn’t want my protection, and the guild doesn’t have time to deal with her affairs.”

“Guild Leader, a woman like her is not suitable to be a guild elder, nor is she fit to be your wife. She is not a woman who can be content to stay at home,” DevotedLove said bluntly. Almost everyone in the guild knew that this guardian and ex-elder didn’t like each other.

“Perhaps you are right. An insider like me can’t see as clearly as an outsider. Whether she’s fit to be the guild leader’s wife doesn’t matter to me. As long as the leader of Cangqiong Palace is CangChen, the guild leader’s wife can only be Invite2Dream.” Miao Lichen smiled slightly. “Being the guild leader’s wife is just a title. Why care so much about it?”

“Guild Leader, you don’t actually like her, and she can’t help you with her abilities. So why make her your wife? Wouldn’t it be better to find someone you actually like, someone who can assist you? If you marry her, she will surely cause trouble for you one day.” DevotedLove didn’t care how infuriating her words were, she was simply stating a fact. From an outsider’s perspective, the words were infuriating but irrefutable.

“Invite2Dream’s sole purpose is to become my wife, and a wife is exactly what I lack.” Miao Lichen said as he reached out to pat DevotedLove’s shoulder. Trouble had already arrived, and it was a character he couldn’t avoid. “Devoted, don’t spend all your time on the guild. A girl should have her own pursuits. I see many men in the guild who want to be with you.”

Miao Lichen watched as a hint of resentment crept onto her heroic features, and he smiled wider. The original considered her a brother, unaware of her feelings. The current Miao Lichen knew how she felt, but he couldn’t return those feelings. It was better to dispel her hopes.

He turned around, walked a few steps, then paused. “Your vision is far better than most men, but you’re mistaken about one thing. Invite2Dream isn’t incapable of helping me; she simply doesn’t want to. Don’t underestimate her; rather, don’t underestimate anyone.”

DevotedLove could only hear his rhythmic steps fading, his noble upbringing giving him full marks in etiquette. She faintly smiled and glanced at the sunset they had been watching. Her smile widened, showing no disappointment from the rejection.

She had always known. Whether it was CangChen or Miao Lichen, she would have no future with him. Despite this, she had fallen in love with him and was determined to continue helping him until she had no more reason to do so. However, her approach seemed flawed as she was overly concerned with his personal life.

How could she have forgotten that Miao Lichen only cared about his responsibilities, and perhaps his parents who gave him those responsibilities. Miao Mengyao was likely just a pet with the title of fiancée. DevotedLove turned, her phoenix eyes gleaming with persistence contrary to a young woman, like a warrior about to enter the battlefield. She positioned herself as his assistant, not his wife. Miao Mengyao wasn’t suitable for him. And she, Qin Yuqi, wasn’t either.

…

What was the most important quality for a guild leader? Was it leadership? Personal charm? In Second World, perhaps rank and strength should be added. Many players joined Cangqiong Palace because of CangChen, who ranked tenth on the leaderboard. Even though they were not acquainted with him personally, having such a powerful figure leading them provided a sense of security and peace of mind. It was a form of psychological reassurance.

So he couldn’t slow down his leveling, and he didn’t want to be weaker than the protagonist. While his main focus was emotionally capturing his targets, he risked losing the initiative if he became too weak.

The dual swords gracefully danced in the wind, mimicking a move he had used in Swordsman Online 3 without the special effects of fluttering petals. The sword dance in this game lacked the dizzying animations of its predecessor but offered bonuses to attack and healing. This skill was further enhanced by the Divine Halo, providing an additional affinity effect. He was confident that in this virtual world, the lighting effects would not be inferior to the original. The Divine Halo contributed its own unique visual effects, with pink feathers and flashes of light so dazzling that even the sun paled in comparison.

Miao Lichen drew an arc in front of him with the two swords and used the skill “Ocean Lights.” The fleeting flashes were reminiscent of the Qixiu Sect’s skill effects. Although it hadn’t been long since he saw it, it gave him a sense of nostalgia. His brows furrowed slightly at a problem. While others used their swords for close combat and magic for range, he used the sword for ranged attacks. He lacked the mana required for skills belonging to this game. Was this due to the incompatibility between Eastern and Western power settings, forcing him to use Qixiu internal energy? He was not trying to be different from the other players in this place.

“Hidden class?” Qi Yingfeng emerged from behind a tree, showing no guilt for peeking. They were both in the wild, so it was CangChen who didn’t notice him, not that he was peeking on purpose. His gaze remained fixed on the longswords in CangChen’s hands. The fleeting light effect would have gone unnoticed if not for his keen eyesight. The visual effect was subtle and didn’t even make a sound. If such a move were to attack him by surprise, he couldn’t guarantee he could dodge it completely.

“Mhm.” Miao Lichen nodded and walked over to the monster he had just killed. The brown bear-like monster lay motionless on the ground, clearly dead. However, it bore no external wounds.

Qi Yingfeng placed a finger on the monster’s abdomen and poked, causing a stream of bright red blood to spurt from its mouth. In Second World, where swords and magic are reality, all wounds will be visible. However, this attack method was strange and alarming, bearing resemblance to some dark magic in legends.

His soon-to-be hidden class, Shadow Assassin, was a dark-type class. Not only would he lurk in the darkness, but his skills would also have various negative effects. So, in some ways, their abilities were surprisingly similar.

∇ Capture Target Qi Yingfeng Favorability: 20.

Qi Yingfeng had no intention of delving into details. Hidden classes were secrets for everyone. He sent a party request to CangChen. His eyes changed when they landed on the distinct white hair character portrait and the level 48 in the party. Leveling up in Second World wasn’t hard, but it was definitely not easy. The higher the level, the harder it was to level up.

The first batch of players had been in the game for nearly two months, with the highest level player reaching 51. Miao Lichen had been level 45 and ranked tenth on the leaderboard. Whether it was completing missions or clearing dungeons, leveling up wasn’t happening quickly. Clearing dungeons provided more experience, but it also meant missing out on other events, like his hidden class event. Miao Lichen clearly leveled up by farming mobs and completing missions. Gaining three levels in just two days meant that, unless he had encountered some extraordinary opportunity, he must have been grinding almost nonstop.

Qi Yingfeng followed behind CangChen, watching as he effortlessly dispatched distant mobs with a single swing of his sword. His movements were graceful and fluid, never appearing feminine. Despite his delicate features and red clothing that complemented his fair skin, he exuded an air of a gentleman, much like a picturesque landscape.

He scoffed to himself. ‘Qi Yingfeng, you haven’t interacted with a woman in too long. Why are you appreciating a man like you would a beautiful woman? Besides having a pretty face, he is clearly a man from top to bottom.’

He unsheathed the short sword from his waist and positioned himself within striking distance of the mobs. He was not a woman and had no intention of being carried by CangChen. Despite his lower level, he was equally skilled at dispatching mobs in one second.

His indifferent dark eyes couldn’t conceal his ingrained pride. This was the mark of an expert, though it was hidden so well that it was often overlooked.

Upon seeing him take action, Miao Lichen ceased fighting and glanced back, seemingly unfazed by the unease of their stalkers. He blew a whistle to summon his mount, a flame lion that appeared as a red cloud of flame from a distance. Fire-type mounts could use magic and easily eliminate nearby mobs. Both Qi Yingfeng and the flame lion were swift, allowing the duo to quickly vanish from Miao Mengyao’s view.

“Why would Breeze be with A’chen? Didn’t he ask the guild to hunt him down not long ago? Why does it look like Breeze doesn’t care at all?!” Miao Mengyao muttered to herself, her blue clothes fluttering in the wind, giving her an ethereal and fragile appearance.

“LunarBreeze wants to join the Cangqiong Palace party in clearing Shadow Cell, and the Young Master has agreed. The Young Master should be helping him level up. Without the Young Master’s assistance, it would take him five to six days to gain three levels.” In his opinion, LunarBreeze’s level was too low to kill monsters as quickly as Miao Lichen’s mount. However, he was already level 36, which met the requirement for Shadow Cell.

‘Damn it. If the Young Master had been helping me all this time, I’d be well past level 41 by now.’

XiaoxiangGentleman constantly reflected on his dislike of LunarBreeze, his heart almost consumed by jealousy. His Young Master was naturally superior to him, but what about LunarBreeze? How was he better?

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? If you had told me, I…” Miao Mengyao stopped speaking. If he had told her earlier, she wouldn’t have left the guild. Now what? Was she going to show weakness to Miao Lichen and return to the guild? No way!

Miao Lichen sat on his flame lion, completely ignoring his mount’s monster hunting duties as he concentrated on inlaying gems into his swords to enhance their stats. He had a hunch that these swords would take him far. It was a rare opportunity to enter a holographic game where even orange weapons could be upgraded; he absolutely couldn’t miss this chance.

“CangChen, you don’t need to wait for your fiancée?” Qi Yingfeng kindly reminded him. Even if he didn’t care about his own fiancée, her chasing after another man wasn’t a good idea.

“Don’t worry about it.” Miao Lichen didn’t even look up. Instead, his flame lion unleashed another burst of fire, sending Qi Yingfeng leaping aside. The air was filled with the smell of burnt clothing.

“You don’t actually like her. I won’t covet a friend’s wife. Even though you aren’t really a friend, I still possess some gentlemanly virtues.” Qi Yingfeng declared as he appeared in front of a brown bear with incredible speed and plunged his sword into its neck. Red blood dripped onto his black gloves.

“Thank you for your gentlemanly virtues, sir.” Miao Lichen replied with a smile as he lowered the upgraded swords. Even his eyes were warm.

∇ Capture Target Qi Yingfeng Favorability: 30. Please keep up the good work.

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