Chapter 22: Holographic Game (IX)

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Chapter 22: Holographic Game (IX)

A pile of zombies and this giant zombie were not simply a matter of adding their numbers together. This was evident from its once-blue skin, which had now turned a dark gold. Additionally, the giant zombie possessed speed completely disproportionate to its massive size, rivaling even Qi Yingfeng’s.

One of its hands was the size of Qi Yingfeng himself, making him look like a tiny creature being toyed with by a giant. However, every strike from its massive claws released a bluish-black substance, yet Qi Yingfeng managed to dodge every attack.

The black short sword relentlessly scraped across the boss’s skin, leaving behind only white marks without creating any visible wounds on its golden hide. Qi Yingfeng slipped between its massive claws, leaving thin streaks of blood across the skin between its fingers.

After noticing the inconspicuous droplets of blood left on its skin, Qi Yingfeng smiled faintly. His pale lips appeared almost red in that moment, while the unwavering calmness in his eyes became even more terrifying. However, the boss before him showed none of the fear a human would have displayed. Instead, it grew more enraged.

His black short sword continued to slash at the boss, leaving behind more shallow marks. A flicker of disdain flashed through the zombie’s enormous eyes before quickly disappearing.

A cold energy aligned with the power it controlled entered its body. Instead of submitting to its will, the energy caused it pain and forced blood from its wounds. The chill in those eyes intensified as a blue aura enveloped it, violently sending Qi Yingfeng flying backward.

Qi Yingfeng wiped the blood from his lips. Almost immediately after being injured, a refreshing energy flowed through his body. Although he wasn’t seriously injured, he still felt the pain and simply chose to ignore it. He repeatedly poured power into his weapon and attacked, only to be swatted away by the boss each time. Initially, he was still dodging the boss’s attacks, but he later gave up and chose to deal more damage in exchange for getting hurt.

Miao Lichen frowned. The current Qi Yingfeng was different from the one in the novel. The protagonist in the novel would exert the least amount of effort in exchange for maximum benefit. This kind of trading damage for damage was completely unheard of. “LunarBreeze, enough.”

“I know, this will be over soon,” Qi Yingfeng said, glancing meaningfully in Miao Lichen’s direction. A bright smile appeared on his bloodstained lips as his short sword pierced the boss at an extremely precise angle, eliciting a wail of agony.

The zombie boss quickly rose to its feet, swaying slightly as it stood, yet its eyes remained bright. Suddenly, its massive body lunged towards Miao Lichen.

Qi Yingfeng followed almost immediately, but the boss wasn’t any slower than him. He threw his weapon toward the back of the boss’s head, and it sliced into the already injured area without fail. However, it didn’t stop his lunge. Qi Yingfeng clenched his fists, but before he could act, a resounding voice rang out.

“It’s really over now.” Miao Lichen switched to his ice weapon, and a strike of “Sword Qi River” ended its life. Qixiu’s skills attacked all areas indiscriminately, regardless of whether they were vital points or not. Of course, all of this depended on his ability to switch builds during combat; otherwise, he would have been forced to rely on his escape techniques.

∇ Capture Target Qi Yingfeng Favorability: 85.

Qi Yingfeng silently yanked his short sword out of the boss’s head, staring at the massive body the entire time. After a moment of reflection, he crouched down and collected the equipment the boss had dropped. Unsurprisingly, it was all Shadow Assassin gear.

“This trip to Shadow Forest has been quite rewarding,” Miao Lichen said as he glanced at his level 60 notification, and narrowed his eyes slightly. “Speaking of which, I should thank you.”

“No need,” Qi Yingfeng said as he changed into his Shadow Assassin equipment, replacing his former loose-fitting clothes with tighter ones. He also added a black, gauzy cloak that perfectly showcased his impressive figure, creating an aura of restraint and cold elegance. “CangChen.”

“Hm?”

“…Let’s go.” Qi Yingfeng grabbed one of Miao Lichen’s arms and pulled him toward the exit. Although the hall was still dim, the glowing red “Shadow” character was bright enough to reveal the way out, yet he seemed completely oblivious to it.

After leaving the secret dungeon, the trees no longer appeared suffocated and instead looked like those in every other part of the forest. “It seems like the dungeon wasn’t a fixed location, but an event.”

“Things related to the Shadow Clan are usually hidden. They don’t completely disappear, but rather hide somewhere else. Anyone with a key can access them.” Qi Yingfeng said as he flexed his now-uncovered fingers, the slight sensation easing his gloomy mood. “Didn’t you say you were going to treat me well? There are so many famous restaurants in Chang’an City. Let’s have a drink. Speaking of which, I’ve been in Second World for so long but I’ve always been focused on leveling up and never truly enjoyed myself.”

“Sure.” Miao Lichen nodded. He had also never been to the restaurants in the game. He wondered whether they would lean more toward Eastern or Western styles in this culturally mixed game.

The two of them activated their city return scrolls and returned to their designated coordinates in the main city. Miao Lichen’s was naturally set to Cangqiong Palace, while Qi Yingfeng’s was in a random corner. Qi Yingfeng leaned against the wall in the corner, waiting for Miao Lichen to emerge from his guild territory. His fingers gently rubbed the lines on the ring he wore.

“Breeze, what brings you to Chang’an City? Do you need help?” Invite2Dream desperately wanted to know Qi Yingfeng’s whereabouts. She had no idea how long it would take for her to find him, and she didn’t want to ask Miao Lichen for help. Even if she had asked, he might not agree to help. However, she believed that if fate allowed them to, they would meet eventually. And as she hoped, he had appeared in front of her without her having to search for him.

“Invite2Dream, it’s been a while,” Qi Yingfeng said as he looked up and saw her, instinctively frowning and not hiding his dislike of her.

“It has been a while. It was my fault too. If I hadn’t embezzled guild funds, CangChen wouldn’t have ordered the guild to hunt you down. Thankfully, you’re alright. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to face my only friend.” Invite2Dream wore a gentle smile, and her words were also deeply heartwarming.

“No worries. If you hadn’t helped me, you wouldn’t have embezzled guild funds either. I should be thanking you.” Qi Yingfeng said, returning to his impassive face. He had already opened his map to watch the dot representing his party member approach. “I’ll return the funds back to Cangqiong soon.”

“I hope you keep your promise. Our guild is not a charity,” XiaoxiangGentleman retorted unhappily as he finally caught up with Invite2Dream. He was dismayed to see her with the person he least wanted to encounter.

“Xiaoxiang, please stop talking. I took the funds, so I should be the one to pay them back. Besides, Cangqiong Palace doesn’t really need that small amount of money. A’chen is just upset with me for embezzling, and he’s taking it out on Breeze.” Invite2Dream shook her head, causing XiaoxiangGentleman’s expression to become even uglier.

Invite2Dream looked up at the teahouse sign across the road and changed the subject before anyone could speak, “Let’s not dwell on the past. Since it’s a rare opportunity for us to meet, let’s have some tea.”

“I’m waiting for someone.” Qi Yingfeng replied as he straightened back up, not intending to stick around any longer. Being near these two would ruin his good mood.

“Breeze, you can have some tea and wait.” Invite2Dream said softly. She subconsciously grabbed onto Qi Yingfeng’s cloak, but suddenly let go when a thought occurred to her. Her gentle eyes seemed to be welling up with tears.

“Indeed, you can try all the famous teas in Second World at a small price. Judging from your appearance, you rarely enjoy them in real life, so you should definitely try them here more often.” XiaoxiangGentleman said with barely concealed malice.

“XiaoxiangGentleman, enough. Stop following me, I’m no longer a guild elder, so I have no need for your protection. When has it been your turn to meddle with my affairs? What status do you have? You’re just a servant.” Invite2Dream said as she pushed XiaoxiangGentleman hard. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and resentment was clear in her eyes. Despite her harsh words, she appeared pitiful herself.

The jealousy on XiaoxiangGentleman’s face slowly faded as he stared intently at her beautiful face. After a long pause, his eyes drooped and he asked self-mockingly, “Just a servant? Is that how you see me, Miss?”

He bowed to Miao Mengyao with the utmost humility and said, “I am indeed just a servant. I was wrong, I am sorry Miss.”

He was just a servant, how could he be worthy of such a beautiful and delicate young lady? He had indeed gotten carried away. XiaoxiangGentleman turned and left, his steps smooth and unhurried, carrying with them the feeling of calm before a storm.

He paused after a few steps before saying, “By the way, Miss, since you want to pursue your own happiness, you should check if Mister LunarBreeze has a lover. I wonder whether the ring is intentional or merely a coincidence, I remember he liked to wear gloves.”

“Breeze, do you have a lover?” Invite2Dream finally noticed the conspicuous black ring on his middle finger, exuding a dark elegance. However, in this game, there were people who wore rings on all ten fingers, so it could just be a coincidence. Despite this, her beautiful face still displayed a look of deep shock.

Qi Yingfeng lightly rubbed the ring and nodded.

“I’ve kept you waiting. Let’s go.” Miao Lichen said as he patted Qi Yingfeng’s shoulder. Seeing Invite2Dream nearby, his tone immediately became serious. “Dream, don’t wander around town all the time. You should level up when you’re free. Although some people entered the game later, there is no shortage of grinders.”

“I understand.” She stared blankly at the ring on Miao Lichen’s finger, then lowered her head and hurried away.

“What happened to her?” Miao Lichen’s expression remained unfailingly gentle as a slight frown crept in while he watched her leave.

“She’s fine.” Qi Yingfeng said as he took him by the arm and walked toward the nearest tavern. “If you have enough time to waste worrying about that, you might as well think about what you want to drink.”

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