Chapter 24: Holographic Game (XI)

Previous Chapter ∇ Table of Content ∇ Next Chapter

Chapter 24: Holographic Game (XI)

When Miao Lichen logged back on, the sun had almost completely set. In Second World, taverns were open 24 hours a day. However, the tavern didn’t have many customers as there were more popular places for night life. He reached for the now empty glass of wine that was still where he had logged off. Even if he turned it upside down, no drops of wine would spill.

He set the glass down and headed for the stairs. As he started walking down, he heard the cheerful voice of a woman. Her obvious drunkenness conveyed her unguarded innocence and naivete even without seeing her.

He continued down the stairs before pausing at the bottom. He didn’t try to muffle his footsteps, but no one noticed him. In the spacious room, only two people were drinking. The woman in red was leaning intimately against the man, shedding her previous aloofness. Her cheeks were even rosier in the fading sunlight. Her once expressionless face now held a soft smile, revealing her purity.

The woman had her arm draped over Qi Yingfeng’s neck. Her flawless arm, revealed by slipping clothing, touched his pale skin without hindrance. Her fair fingers held a full wine glass to his lips. As she swayed, the wine occasionally spilled onto his clothes, intensifying the scent of wine in the air.

Seeing that the man remained unresponsive, the woman leaned in and drank the entire glass. She then poured another glass, leaning heavily on him as she did so. Once again, she placed the wine glass against his lips, seemingly unaware of the rudeness of her actions.

Qi Yingfeng’s face showed a hint of resignation, but he still drank from the glass in her hand. It was futile to reason with a drunk person, so it was easier to just go along with it.

As she drank her wine with her head tilted back, she noticed a man in red on the stairs. Finishing her drink, she almost collapsed against him. The combination of the woman’s graceful figure and the fine wine created a delightful atmosphere, truly embodying the saying that beauty and wine go hand in hand.

“Don’t worry about me, continue.” Miao Lichen said, glancing at the numerous bottles of strong white liquor on the table. Born into a family of winemakers, the woman had a high tolerance for alcohol and didn’t get drunk easily. The protagonist’s romantic luck was always enviable. Women of all statuses rarely escaped his allure, even without him doing anything.

“CangChen.” Qi Yingfeng sighed as he watched Miao Lichen leave the tavern, being careful not to disturb them. He tightened his grip on his glass, causing small cracks to appear. He ran his finger over the back of her hand, momentarily captivated by its smoothness and leaving red streaks where he pressed too hard.

CangChen’s reaction was exactly what you’d expect from a good friend, never crossing any boundaries.

Pushing the girl away from his chest, a flash of black energy put her to sleep. He opened an unopened bottle of wine and drank it until his face turned red. Once the smell of the girl dissipated from his body, he refreshed his clothes using the game system. After helping her settle the bill at the tavern, he left with the half-empty bottle of wine in hand.

The night of Second World was still bustling. Opening his profile, he saw the guild name Cangqiong Palace where it was once blank, and the position of elder.

“I thought you would take longer before you came out.” Miao Lichen turned around to greet him. “Why do you look so surprised?”

“Nothing.” Qi Yingfeng looked down and with the sluggishness of someone slightly drunk, placed a hand on Miao Lichen’s shoulder. He leaned his head against his shoulder and tilted it back to take another sip of wine. CangChen didn’t smell like a girl. Instead, there was a faint coolness to his scent, yet it was irresistible. The skin on his cheek was smoother than a girl’s, and the sensation beneath his hands was something he had never experienced before. Compared to the woman from earlier, CangChen’s skin felt even smoother.

‘CangChen… Miao Lichen…’

Qi Yingfeng wasn’t sure if it had to be him, but right now, he wanted him.

“Are you drunk? I’ll take you back to the guild to rest for a while.” Miao Lichen said as he snatched the wine pot and stored it away in his inventory. He supported Qi Yingfeng’s supposedly unbalanced body and led him to the guild territory.

“Mhm,” Qi Yingfeng’s voice was husky from the alcohol as he rubbed his head against Miao Lichen’s shoulder, his cold eyes tinged with a hint of darkness. He stared at the face so close to him and held Miao Lichen’s shoulders tighter. Seeing Miao Lichen turn around with a questioning look, he turned away. Possessiveness slowly showed in his eyes.

He just wanted him. Probably because he was too wonderful, he wanted to monopolize him. His eyes narrowed and a smile played on his lips. Was it really just the desire to monopolize him? Because this man easily aroused all his desires. He had the same feelings for him as he would for a woman. That was the true answer.

The breeze brushed against Miao Lichen’s long white hair, tangled it with Qi Yingfeng’s black hair, and left Qi Yingfeng feeling obsessed. He remembered Miao Lichen in real life with his fresh appearance and short hair, and felt that his in-game appearance, with its white hair and red robes, suited him better.

“Guild Leader, it seems your reputation precedes you. No matter how I tried to persuade him, he had no intention of joining the guild.” DevotedLove said with clear surprise. It was clear that their guild leader had been spending less time in the guild hall lately. However, the results were evident, as their guild leader was now ranked first on the leaderboard. This top ranking made it easier to attract new members to the guild.

When she saw LunarBreeze, she was even more perplexed. After introducing him to the fifth party, she had a new perspective on this man whom she had previously disliked. While Invite2Dream wasn’t particularly impressive, she had good judgment. His ability to lead the fifth party to clearing the dungeon first was a testament to his skill.

“He asked to join, and there was no reason for me to refuse. He is quite impressive, and also very lucky,” Miao Lichen smiled. In Second World, luck was sometimes even more important than ability. Powerful hidden classes and weapons were usually only available to those blessed with luck.

“He asked to join?” DevotedLove’s sharp and pointed eyes stared at LunarBreeze who was still leaning against CangChen. He met her gaze, which was tinged with a bit of red, perhaps from the alcohol. His flushed cheeks softened his once aloof aura, but that wasn’t enough reason for her to trust him. She had a feeling that there was more to him joining their guild.

“Hm, our lady guardian doesn’t seem to welcome me,” Qi Yingfeng pulled himself up, but let his hand rest on Miao Lichen’s shoulder. He tucked a strand of his white hair over his shoulder and looked at it with affection. It was both a directive and a warning. Qi Yingfeng’s gaze slid down, and when it landed on the ring Miao Lichen wore, his face showed satisfaction.

“…” DevotedLove subconsciously glanced at Miao Lichen and noted his blank expression, as if completely unaware of the thoughts the man next to him harbored. She subconsciously dug her nails into her palms. Miao Mengyao was already repulsive enough, but she was still a woman. LunarBreeze was not as easy to control as her. Does Miao Lichen know what kind of person he provoked?

The situation was truly absurd. Miao Mengyao didn’t like Miao Lichen but fell for LunarBreeze after a chance encounter. Meanwhile, LunarBreeze seemed hell-bent on Miao Lichen. She slowly relaxed her grip. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, he was just a player in the game; no matter how strong he was, he wouldn’t have a big influence over Miao Lichen. At least compared to Miao Mengyao, he was better suited to standing by her guild leader’s side.

Of course, this was ignoring the problem of gender. But then again, the Miao Family might not care much about this… What was she thinking? Pulling her thoughts back, her face which had relaxed, slipped back into its impassive expression. The two of them stared at each other, and their expressions bore a striking resemblance.

“Elder LunarBreeze, you should be mindful of your status. As an elder of Cangqiong Palace, you’re acting like this during your first meeting with the guild…” DevotedLove emphasized “your status” very meaningfully.

“Breeze, you joined Cangqiong Palace? How is that even possible?” Invite2Dream appeared beside them at some point, her beautiful eyes fixed on Qi Yingfeng’s face with a hint of disbelief. When she saw Miao Lichen, a flicker of panic showed.

Her clothes were a bit disheveled, and her gentle face took on a more pitiful expression. If her only salvation was to become a member of Cangqiong Palace, how was she going to escape the guild, and the Miao Family?

“Nothing is impossible. I just had no reason to join before. It’s that simple.” Qi Yingfeng’s previously softened expression turned cold. He stared at Invite2Dream unblinkingly, his fingers brushed against the short sword at his waist as if by chance.

DevotedLove took note of this entire interaction. She glanced at Miao Mengyao, then back at Qi Yingfeng and faintly smiled. It looked like a good show was about to begin. Miao Mengyao was no match against Qi Yingfeng, but she had one advantage. And that was that Miao Lichen had no intention of giving up on his fiancée.

“Is he the reason?” Invite2Dream suddenly didn’t know what to say. She looked at Miao Lichen in a daze, then back at LunarBreeze. Maybe Miao Lichen didn’t have any special feelings for him, but LunarBreeze definitely liked Miao Lichen. Thinking of this triangle, she felt a wave of nausea. One was her fiancé, and the other person was the one she liked… Was her life really this tragic?

Previous Chapter ∇ Table of Content ∇ Next Chapter