Chapter 24

Lu Hang was in the middle of his gaming high and definitely wouldn’t be called away. It wasn’t until raindrops started falling that he was finally willing to move.

By the time they returned to the dorm, both of them were completely soaked.

Knowing he was at fault, Lu Hang didn’t dare compete with Xiang Huaizhi for the shower and obediently waited outside until he finished.

After taking a shower, Xiang Huaizhi dried his hair for a while with a towel before turning on his computer.

It was 8 o’clock, and he had already missed the Arena match. However, during this period, he had managed to earn back quite a few points, so missing one session wasn’t a big deal.

He glanced at the friend icon, but there was no activity.

A few minutes later, he opened the friends list and confirmed that Xiao Tianjing was online.

The person who usually messages me the second they log in—why are they so quiet today?

Just as I was thinking this, the friend icon suddenly started flashing frantically.

[Friend] Love Means Sharing Food: Are you there? It’s super urgent!!

[Friend] Heart’s Desire: Mhm.

[Friend] Love Means Sharing Food: Xianxian brought a whole team to PK Sweet Scene by force.

[Friend] Heart’sDesire: ?

[Friend] LoveIsSharingFood: Seriously, it’s in the Blackwood Forest. Can you come over?

Jing Huan did get PK’d by Xian Mengmeng. In fact, the moment he entered Blackwood Forest, he noticed the team closely following him. He initially thought they were just there for a quest, considering…

[Current] SweetJing: Didn’t I just blow up your gear not long ago? Why haven’t you learned your lesson yet? [Puzzled]

[Current] Xian Mengmeng: Cut the crap. I was AFK that time.

Jing Huan had to stop typing mid-sentence to dodge an incoming ability.

Xian Mengmeng came prepared this time, bringing two sorcerers and two assassins—a very standard killing lineup.

Soon, the crowd of onlookers grew larger. Jing Huan found it strange—Blackwood Forest wasn’t a major map, so why had so many people suddenly gathered here?

[Current] Destiny Peach Tea: They’re still fighting…

[Current] Watermelon Girl: I rushed here as fast as I could!

[Current] Ji Xiaonian: Today’s endless hunt for Xiao San and Xiao Tian Jing. Interested players are welcome to watch at Jiuxia Live Room 8121xx. [Scattering Flowers]

Jing Huan immediately realized that Xian Mengmeng was live-streaming.

Xian Mengmeng was standing at the very end of the team. After applying all defensive and continuous healing buffs to herself, she spoke leisurely.

[Current] Xian Mengmeng: Let’s see how you escape this time. No matter how fast your Fox Immortal Cave is, can it outrun an assassin?

Can’t compare, this is the Blackwood Forest. The assassin’s movement speed in this map is ridiculously overpowered.

Jing Huan cursed under his breath.

Heart Towards It, what the hell kind of taste do you have?!

The warlock kept hurling talismans at Jing Huan. While he managed to dodge them, each evasion was followed by a brutal stab in the back from the assassin. His blood pool was insufficient, and his HP was looking grim.

[Current] MyDestinyPeachTea: Um, why do I feel like LittleSweetScene’s movement is so strong… If it were me, I’d have been completely locked down by the warlock ages ago.

[Current] ChasingWindYouth: It’s not just you—it really is strong. Fought against her and HeartYearns in the arena before—our DPS couldn’t even touch her.

[Current] FluffyCloud: Actually, why does this feel so weird? FairyMengMeng made such a big fuss about killing LittleSweetScene, but after the fight started, she just hid in the back doing nothing? And stacked so many defensive stats? Hmm… her gear is clearly better than LittleFoxFairy’s, right? No way she’d be this scared?

[Current] JiXiaoNian: If you don’t know the full story, keep your mouth shut. Watch if you want, leave if you don’t. Keep talking nonsense, and you might be next.

[Current] Yun Duoduo: What’s it to you? Are you Xian Mengmeng’s secretary?

[Current] Ji Xiaonian: Damn, watch your mouth. I’m her friend.

Jing Huan glanced at the money he had on him and felt a pang of heartache.

To craft equipment, he had just bought four hundred dollars’ worth of in-game currency. If he died now, he would lose a full two hundred dollars.

Jing Huan always kept his persona in mind—this was his entire week’s allowance!

He was definitely going to milk this incident later to play the victim card with Heart’s Desire!!

[Current] Sweet Little Jing: Do you dare to 1v1 me?

[Current] Fairy Mengmeng: If money can solve the problem, why would I bother dueling you?

The crowd of onlookers grew larger, and players’ opinions began to diverge. Some said Jing Huan deserved it, while others called Xian Mengmeng out for going too far. In an instant, the barrage of chat bubbles above the players’ heads nearly drowned out that corner of the forest.

[Current] Little Sweet Jing: Oh.

After replying with this, Jing Huan suddenly stopped running. She sat down right where she was and was immediately hit by a Shaman’s immobilizing spell.

[Current] Little Sweet Jing: Come on, kill me quickly. Make it fast.

[Current] SweetJing: Big brother is still waiting for me to join the dungeon. [pats head]

[Current] FairyMeng: …

This undoubtedly hit FairyMeng’s sore spot.

[Current] FairyMeng: You think I’ll let you go after just killing you once?

[Current] SweetJing: If you can kill me even once, it’ll just be your lucky day, sis.

After throwing down the taunt, Jing Huan sighed inwardly.

His peaceful days had barely lasted a week before coming to an end. He even started wondering if this account was somehow jinxing him—after playing Jianghu for so many years, he’d never once been hunted down like this before.

XianMengmeng didn’t respond, and whatever she said in voice chat must have been decisive—the two assassins suddenly rushed at him simultaneously, clearly aiming to take him out in one strike.

Jing Huan was still feeling the pinch from losing those 200 gold pieces when suddenly a dialog box popped up on his game screen.

[Xin Xiangwangzhi has invited you to join his party. Accept, Decline.]

Jing Huan froze for a moment before instinctively clicking “Accept.”

…When did this guy get here?

When players engage in PK (Player Killing) in the open world, they are not teleported to a specific PK map. They can join or recruit teammates at any time. During large-scale brawls, it’s common for fallen teammates to respawn at revival points, run back, rejoin the party, and jump back into the fight.

But now, he had joined Heart’s Desire’s party—meaning the forced PK initiated by Fairy Mengmeng now extended to Heart’s Desire as well.

In an instant, Heart’s Desire leaped out from the crowd and landed in front of Little Sweetscape. His weapon suddenly transformed into a massive greatsword, blocking the path as the assassin’s thrown daggers clanged harmlessly against the blade before clattering to the ground.

The spectating crowd was utterly stunned.

[Current] Yu’er: When did Heart’s Desire come… I completely missed it?!

[Current] Destiny Peach Tea: Seems our chat window is too powerful, even the glow of divine artifacts can’t shine through.

[Current] MinMin Charge: Holy shit, this is wild! Isn’t Heart’s Desire openly slapping Fairy Mengmeng’s face right now?! What a savage dude.

[Current] Even if fate plays tricks: That can’t be helped. When old love and new love clash, one has to be let go.

………

Jing Huan slightly snapped back to reality: “Brother…”

“Can you silence one warlock?” Xiang Huaizhi asked.

Jing Huan instantly understood what he intended to do: “Yes.”

“I go right, the Warlock on the right seals the path. Watch out for the Assassin, don’t get picked off.”

Almost the moment Heart’s Yearning finished speaking, both of them moved at the same time, rushing toward the right side together.

The warlock on the right was startled, thinking he was about to be killed.

But that didn’t happen. Xiao Tianjing rushed right up to him and suddenly cast a Spider Web skill. Caught off guard, he was instantly silenced.

Heart’s Desire swiftly switched the weapon in hand back to a longsword, whooshing past him and charging straight towards the last target, Fairy Mengmeng!

Before anyone could react, the longsword cleaved through Fairy Mengmeng’s Golden Armor Immortal Robe, striking her directly. After four consecutive hits, the wings behind her seemed to lose their vitality, trembling lightly twice before collapsing along with her character.

[System Announcement: Player Fairy Mengmeng was accidentally killed during forced PK and has lost “Peacock Feather Spirit.”]

Fairy Mengmeng’s hairpin was dropped.

The reversal came too suddenly, and Xian Mengmeng died too quickly. The battle was over, but not a single spectator left, and even the killer team hired by Xian Mengmeng stood silently in place for a long time.

They specialized in solo assassination contracts. After operating for so many years, this was the first time they encountered a situation where not only did the assassination fail, but the employer ended up getting screwed instead.

Just as everyone managed to regain their composure and was about to type out their excitement, with a “whoosh,” the two who had been standing at the center of the map earlier had already vanished to who-knows-where. Due to Heart’s Yearning being present, that murder squad didn’t dare to chase after them either.

Xiang Huaizhi brought her back to the main city.

It was only after returning to the main city that the team members finally reacted. She turned around, her fox tail swaying with the movement.

[Team] Little Sweet Scene: !!!!!

Xiang Huaizhi’s eyebrows twitched, as if he suddenly sensed something.

[Team]Heart’s Desire: I’m leaving.

[Team]Little Sweetscene: Aaahhh brother you’re so amazing QAQ I I I love you to death! This humble maiden has no way to repay you! I I I can only offer myself in marriage!! I’ll be your beast of burden! Wash your clothes and cook your meals!

[Team]Little Sweetscene: Of course! Being your wife is fine too! Totally OK!

[Team]LongingHeart: ……

[Team]SweetScenery: My whole life! Obsessed for you! Crazy for you! Smashing walls for you!!

Xiang Huaizhi paused his movement to leave, still deciding to nip SweetScenery’s strange thoughts in the bud.

[Team]HeartTowardsYou: She killed you because of me.

[Team]SweetScenery: Huh?

[Team] Heart’s Desire: You should know, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten involved in this mess. I’m the one who dragged you into it.

Xiang Huaizhi pondered for a moment before typing.

[Team] Heart’s Desire: I’m a scumbag.

Little Sweet Scene suddenly stopped moving, looking completely dumbfounded.

Is this stupid?

Xiang Huaizhi’s fingers rested on the keyboard, waiting for a moment, then typed: So in the future——

[Team] Little Sweet Scenery: What’s wrong with the scumbag?

[Team] Heart Yearns For: ?

[Team]SweetScenery: What’s so bad about playboys?!

[Team]SweetScenery: Playboys can write poetry for me! Fight for three days straight! Comfort green tea girls! Warm up lolitas! Gentle online 24/7! Warm-hearted standby for 72 hours! Never check texts in relationships! No纠缠 after breakups! Brew brown sugar during periods! Say goodnight before bed!

[Team]HeartYearning: …………

[Team]SweetScenery: OMG! Playboys are treasures of this world! I’ll always love playboys!!!