Chapter 115 – The Odd Couple

Your Uncle’s prophecy never had a chance to be verified, because the underestimated boss proved with inexplicable power why it was the ultimate boss while all the previous insane levels could only be collectively called “mobs.”

However, a full team wipe was actually a relief for the joint team that had struggled through so much hardship. In YY, they comforted each other with words like, “It’s fine, at least the first max-level team in the entire game is from our server and our squad—glorious!” But in reality, the myriad thoughts in their hearts had already converged into one unanimous phrase—Finally, it’s over… I bought a watch last year!

Since it was a full team wipe, everyone respawned directly in the main city. Little did they know that while they had avoided the fans gathered at the dungeon entrance, they couldn’t escape the curious onlookers in the main city. Being the first max-level team in the entire game was no small title. Although the players of Huaxia Summit always boasted about being a god-tier server, this “godliness” was more about popularity—popularity that came from the presence of major guilds. But in the end, scale was just soft power. Now, with hard proof of their strength, the triumphant heroes were a sight to behold.

The pairs of admiring eyes somewhat made up for the joint team’s trauma…

Summit of Mount Tai: “Huh? Why don’t I see War Banner and Huaxia Dominion here?”

Nicknamed White Dragon Horse: “They choked, obviously.”

2B Fighter Jet: “Serves them right for acting so high and mighty earlier!”

Big H: “I laugh triumphantly~ I laugh triumphantly again~ Watching the world, forever young~”

After one dungeon run, the squad was full of malice.

Just as they were unleashing their negativity, Drink suddenly spoke up: “The official news team from the Huaxia Forum just added me. They want to interview our team. Should we do it?”

“…”

“Official?”

“From Huaxia Online?”

“Aren’t the news team and the design team technically colleagues?”

Amidst the gnashing of teeth, Drink grasped the sentiment and replied to the other party: Let’s do it tomorrow. Everyone’s tired now and might not be able to control their emotions 🙂

Though reluctant, the news team agreed because they sensed that behind that simple smiley face lay a not-so-simple story—and legends were worth waiting for.

The joint team disbanded on the spot, and the Ghost Server squad returned to their own YY to hold a debriefing. The theme of the meeting was Personal Reflections on the Deep-Seated Reasons Behind the Harmonious Unity of Contributing the Most and Benefiting the Least. The meeting was lively and highly efficient, with comrades eagerly voicing their thoughts. In just three minutes, they distilled the essence of the meeting—the Commander squandered the entire team’s luck.

Fang Zheng was already in a bad mood, and now frustration piled onto his grievances. It felt like someone had poured a bucket of 100% pure lemon juice into his heart—so sour and bitter—

Milk is Mom: Back when we were lucky in dungeons, you all called me Commander~ Now that the dungeon’s cursed, you blame me for squandering luck~~ TAT

Refined Into a Demon 715: Commander, why aren’t you speaking? Why type in chat?

Milk is Mom: Too sad~~ TAT

Polly: If you’re sad, don’t use tildes.

Milk is Mom: !!!

Milk is Mom: Even you’re bullying me TAT

Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: Please don’t pretend like it’s your first day knowing the Deputy. He’s always the one with the sharpest tongue.

2B Fighter Jet: Why are you all typing =_=

Little Lucky Charm: To match the mood~\(≧▽≦)/~

Drink Your Sister 3X: Commander, when I first joined the guild, I secretly asked why you were the Commander. Do you know how they answered?

Milk is Mom: Because I’m skilled, lucky, have strong organizational abilities and leadership charisma, and excel at uniting comrades from all walks of life to create a better tomorrow.

Drink Your Sister 3X: Commander, please be serious.

Milk is Mom: Fine, because I have no dignity.

Drink Your Sister 3X: And?

Milk is Mom: I’m shameless enough.

Drink Your Sister 3X: And?

Milk is Mom: I don’t micromanage.

Drink Your Sister 3X: Exactly. They said our guild is only a guild in name—really, it’s just a bunch of people hanging out together. If zombies and psychos like killing, let them kill. If a Demon Refiner likes to wander off, let them wander. When Lucky Charm rejoined later with his cursed luck, so what? It’s good for tempering the spirit. Guild rules? Legion honor? Here, they’re not even worth a single Huaxia Coin.

Milk is Mom: …

So he was just a figurehead!

The guild itself was a joke!

It didn’t matter if he was there or not, or if the guild existed or not! TAT

Polly: Give Your Sister time to type.

How did you even know what I was thinking?!

Polly: Your expression.

Next time we go to the internet café, we’re sitting apart =_=

Drink Your Sister 3X: But there really does need to be a guild like this. That way, when you get hunted after killing someone, the guild has your back. If you slack off while grinding, your comrades will cover for you. If a dungeon run goes badly, you can just try again. And in joint dungeons, you can shift the despair onto others. That’s why none of us want to go solo—why we’re willing to form a guild. And having no guild rules means freedom. Not caring about honor means purity. So us coming together was fate, and choosing you as Commander was destiny.

Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: Because if the Commander is too upright, the members have to be even more upright. But if the Commander is shameless, the members can be even more shameless.

Crossplayer’s Blessing: Sister Blood Bull, don’t say it so bluntly. Even though you’re praising the Commander, hearing someone call themselves shameless…

Milk is Mom: Woof woof woof, I’m fully revived~\(≧▽≦)/~

[All guild members’ inner OS]

2B Fighter Jet: Is he okay now?

Blood Bull: Probably.

Your Sister: I wasn’t even this emotional in my college entrance exam essay!

Mad Lad: Turns out even the most shameless heart can be fragile sometimes.

Milk Mom: Of course, he’s not made of iron~~>_<

All comrades: Didn’t you see the sign at the door saying “Commanders and pets not allowed”?!

Strictly speaking, this dungeon run was actually lucky for all three guilds—because everyone reached max level… well, except for 438. As for the loot, aside from the max-level reward packs, the Pewter Bracelet went to Birdy, the boots went to Hu Yifei, and the max-level reward packs didn’t count as guild loot for the other two teams since they were bound to individuals. The only tradable items—the cloth bag and Huaxia Coins—went to 438, which effectively meant they went to the Ghost Server. Crunching the numbers, their own guild didn’t come out at a loss. And after the battle, they received an unprecedented outpouring of genuine emotion from their guildmates. So for the Ghost Server Commander, this night started like a madhouse, unfolded like an sanctum, but ended like a god’s playground.

The Commander was pleased.

The only one left frustrated was Diamond. All night, he had to listen to Fifth Brother slamming the table and throwing his mouse beside him, the intensity of the battle practically radiating through the air, making his fingers itch to join. But he couldn’t participate, so he put on headphones and watched those kinds of movies—simple scenes, simple actors—to distract himself. Just as he finally managed to focus, he heard the devastating news that everyone had maxed out.

“I’m buying a legendary account tomorrow! See if you dare leave me out again!!!” Diamond howled at the moon on their way home.

“What, are you transforming or something?” Fifth Brother snapped. “Don’t be ungrateful. 438 was tortured all night, contributed the most, and didn’t even get to max level. Did you hear him complain?”

Diamond sweatdropped. “Our guild only has one moral paragon—dare you pick someone else as an example?”

Fifth Brother ignored him and turned to Meng Chudong. “Birdy, now that the max-level dungeon’s done, should we figure out when to scout your hometown? If it works out, we can move our business plans from the drawing board to reality.”

Meng Chudong didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Fang Zheng.

Fang Zheng knew Birdy was looking at him, but he didn’t dare meet his gaze, pretending not to notice as he kept walking.

After a long pause, Birdy said, “You’re welcome anytime.”

“Then how about the day after tomorrow?” Fifth Brother’s mindset had always been “let’s go, no hesitation, charge forward boldly.” “Tomorrow, we’ll help Diamond and 438 max out, then do that YY interview. After that, we’re free.”

“Won’t you even leave a day to pack?” Diamond frowned.

Fifth Brother rolled his eyes. “We’re just scouting. If it works out, then we’ll move. Got it?”

Diamond pouted. “Perfect, then I’ll have time to buy a new woven plastic bag.”

Fifth Brother: “How about you use a suitcase instead?!”

Fang Zheng stayed silent the whole way. Luckily, they reached home after just a short walk, and no one noticed his unusual quietness.

Or, almost no one.

The night was deep. Dinner had been a quick bite at the internet café earlier. The four men took turns showering in the bathroom before retiring to their respective spots. Fang Zheng was the last to shower. By the time he returned to the bedroom, Birdy was already asleep in bed.

The tension he’d carried all the way home eased slightly.

But melancholy lingered, refusing to dissipate.

The Commander rarely felt melancholy because it usually stemmed from helplessness after hitting a wall. In his simple life—divided between gaming and the basics of survival—there were very few things that left him powerless. His looks, his weight, his preference for men, his strained relationship with his family—but he could accept all of those. His face wasn’t great, but at least he didn’t have one eye and two noses; he wouldn’t scare anyone in a crowd. His weight? He could lose it. If he couldn’t, then he’d accept it. His preference for men and his family issues could be bundled together—since he couldn’t change it, he’d wage a long-term battle with his parents. As for winning or losing, he could accept either outcome. The worst-case scenario was just getting beaten every time he went home—his parents wouldn’t actually strangle him to death.

But what if he and Birdy fell out over money?

He couldn’t accept that. No matter how much he tried to convince himself, he just couldn’t handle the thought of that outcome.

Yet he couldn’t think of any decent excuse to reject Birdy’s proposal or even delay Fifth Brother’s scouting trip. And the real reason? He couldn’t tell Fifth Brother or Diamond, because those two would definitely call him melodramatic in unison, then clutch their chests in sync—Oh, so you’re only afraid of falling out with the Deputy, not us? Our hearts ache! As for Birdy, he couldn’t say it either. No one with a functioning brain would tell their significant other during the honeymoon phase, Let’s keep our finances separate, or it might ruin our relationship =_=

But the problem was—money talks really did have a high chance of ruining relationships.

The Commander stood in the middle of the bedroom, thinking about life for what felt like an eternity—so long he almost turned into a statue—before slowly crawling into bed. He lay down carefully on his side, silently praying not to wake his bedmate.

Finally, his head settled onto the pillow. Fang Zheng, with his back to Meng Chudong, exhaled softly and slowly.

Just as he considered pulling some of the blanket over, an arm suddenly draped over his waist, followed by a warm chest pressing against his back.

Should’ve known—Lady Luck never favored him. ╮(╯_╰)╭

“Faking sleep is shameful,” Fang Zheng said without turning, addressing the other man with the back of his head.

Meng Chudong countered smoothly: “Faking ignorance is just as bad.”

Fang Zheng rolled his eyes. “What’s the point of pretending when you’re a 360-degree surveillance camera?!”

“Just because I can read you doesn’t mean you get to skip explaining,” Meng Chudong said. He’d been staring at that plump, pale nape for a while now and finally gave in, nuzzling it lightly with his chin. “And if you really didn’t want to talk, you shouldn’t have been making that conflicted face earlier. Diamond just asked me if you wanted “that” but were too shy to ask for it.”

“Tell—him—to—die—”

“I quite liked that bold hypothesis and was considering testing it out.”

“…”

“But I figured we should deal with the main issue first.”

“Could you not pause dramatically mid-sentence?!”

“Then could you turn around and look at me?”

“…”

“…”

“No, I’m nervous.”

Meng Chudong felt balanced—because he was nervous too =_=

But now his nervousness was somewhat alleviated by the other man’s even greater nervousness. So he smirked and lightly bit Fang Zheng’s neck, savoring the mix of playful teasing and sweet satisfaction. “About my investment—don’t treat it like a business deal. Treat it as something we’re doing together naturally, like eating, drinking, or making love.”

“How is that the same?” Fang Zheng instinctively hunched his shoulders but still refused to turn over. “Eating and drinking don’t lose money.”

Meng Chudong chuckled. “Thinking about losses before we’ve even started? Fifth Brother and Diamond would cry.”

Fang Zheng muttered under his breath, “I’m just being risk-awar—” He cut off abruptly when the other man, unsatisfied with just kissing, started licking.

Fang Zheng couldn’t take it anymore and flipped over—only to meet Meng Chudong’s smiling eyes.

Well, walked right into that one.

But so be it. Fang Zheng didn’t bother turning away again. And to his surprise, talking face-to-face about this wasn’t as hard as he’d imagined—especially when Birdy’s expression turned serious.

“Listen—no one doesn’t care about money. But everyone has their own limits. When I partnered with Lu Yue to open the internet café, I just put in the initial investment and never got involved afterward. So when we made money, he took the lion’s share, and I took the scraps. I could have earned more, but I didn’t push for it because my limit is ‘don’t starve.’ Once that’s met, I don’t need to chase more.”

“That’s a pretty passive attitude.”

“…”

“Am I wrong?”

“You and my mom would get along.”

“That’s an abstract way to compliment someone.”

Birdy ruffled his hair in exasperation. “I’m being serious here. Don’t worry about losing money damaging our relationship. It won’t.”

Fang Zheng stared at him without blinking. After a long pause, he asked earnestly, “What if we disagree on how to run things? Who gets the final say?”

Meng Chudong answered without hesitation: “You, obviously. I’m just an investor.”

Fang Zheng: “…”

Being a hands-off shareholder is a disease. It needs treatment. =_=

But the treatment plan could wait. For now, Meng Chudong’s “three no’s” attitude (no involvement, no interference, no responsibility) actually simplified things. “So you’re still just putting in money and doing nothing else?”

Meng Chudong was about to agree but then reconsidered. “Not that absolute. It depends on what you need—”

“I don’t need anything.” Fang Zheng was very absolute. =_=

Meng Chudong sweatdropped—for the first time, he questioned his own worth in life.

Suddenly, Fang Zheng bolted upright like a carp leaping out of water. Startled, Meng Chudong barely had time to react before the guy dashed out to the living room, rummaged around for a while, and returned with a sheet of paper, demanding his signature. When Meng Chudong took a closer look, he felt an overwhelming sense of déja vu.

“I’m investing. Why are you writing an IOU?”

Fang Zheng beamed, radiating pride at his own brilliance. “Your investment is principal-protected. If we profit, you get a share. If we lose money, you still get your principal back.”

Meng Chudong finally grasped the other man’s thought process.

In short:

1. He didn’t want to be business partners, fearing it would ruin their relationship.

2. Above all, he didn’t want Meng Chudong to lose money.

If it were anyone else, they might have found Fang Zheng’s actions overly sentimental or even standoffish. But what Meng Chudong sensed was genuine care and cautiousness toward their relationship. Fang Zheng had never showered him with sweet nothings, but his actions screamed: You can take advantage of me all you want, but I absolutely won’t let you suffer losses.

There weren’t many people this naive left in the world.

For him to have found one—he must have overdrawn his lifetime supply of luck.

“What if the business really fails and you can’t pay me back a single cent?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll work myself to the bone to pay you back!”

“Give me the pen.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you want me to sign? Give me the pen.”

“Why the sudden enthusiasm?”

The phrase “work myself to the bone” gave the Deputy some rather vivid mental imagery. Thus, he had sweet dreams all night.

The successful negotiation gave the Commander a bright outlook for the future. Thus, he slept soundly all night.

Fifth Brother and Diamond eavesdropped for half the night but only caught muffled whispers without any clear words. Unable to resist, they asked the involved parties the next morning—only to be blinded by the black-and-white proof the Commander proudly displayed.

After half a night of intimate whispers in bed, the lovebirds’ grand achievement was an IOU stamped with a red-ink fingerprint.