Chapter 233 – Eternal Bonds (Part 3)
by Salted FishUnder the watchful eyes of the crowd, Your Uncle was startled by the sudden ringtone. He looked around in confusion for a long time before finally realizing it was his own phone. Fishing it out of his pocket, he gave the onlookers an awkward, apologetic smile: “Mine, heh, mine.”
The crowd collapsed internallyāYou were the last one to notice, weren’t you?!
“Commanderā”
“Don’t speak. Listen to me.”
The latter half of Your Uncle’s respectful address was smothered in the cradle by the voice on the other end. Sensing something amiss, Your Uncle immediately shut up and focused all his sensory skills on his hearing.
“Your Uncle, attention please, Your Uncle, attention please,” whispered the Ghost Server Legion Leader, who, despite having already ducked under the table, still covered his mouth and phone mic to muffle his voice as much as possible. “If the host stops forcing you to introduce yourself later, you can skip that part, find the nearest table with an empty seat, and sit down. Once everyone’s attention drifts away again, quietly sneak over to our table. Repeat: if the host stops forcing you to introduce yourself later, you can skip that part, find the nearest table with an empty seat, sit down, and once everyone’s attention drifts away, quietly sneak over to our table. OVER.”
With that, the Ghost Server Legion Leader quickly hung up, his instructions concise and his movements crispāevery bit the aura of a true Legion Leader!
After listening, the Spirit Master nodded solemnly, his expression resolute and earnestāevery bit the demeanor of a true elite of a major legion!
Thousand Mountains, who had been waiting curiously, finally spoke up after the call ended: “Who was that?”
Your Uncle tucked his phone back into his pocket: “Our Legion Leader.”
Thousand Mountains: “What did he say?”
Your Uncle: “…”
Thousand Mountains: “Can’t say?”
Your Uncle: “No… he talked so fast I didn’t catch it all TAT”
It wasn’t that he hadn’t remembered anythingāthe first line, “If the host stops forcing you to introduce yourself,” was still quite vivid in his memory…
“Brother Thousand Mountains, even when you’re late, you’re fashionably late, haha. So, what’s the other brother’s name?”
Commander, he’s forcing me!!! ~(ā§ā½ā¦)/~
Time for free rein!!! ~(ā§ā½ā¦)/~
“GhostāServerāLegion!” A Spirit Master proud of his legion must stand tall and speak boldly at such a moment. “Little Lucky Charm!”
When the first three words came out, the entire room turned questioning looks toward Thousand Mountains, unable to understand why a core member of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce would give a ride to someone from the Ghost Server Legion, given their complicated historyācompeting for the first kill in the Valentine’s Day 100-Link Quest Chain and the Dimensional Rift siege on the Main City, among other things. But when the next three words were declared with absolute clarityā
The dining hall fell silent.
As if a mysterious dark force had risen from the ground and instantly enveloped the entire area, the wind stopped blowing, the birds stopped chirping, the leaves stopped rustling, and the streams stopped babbling.
Some clueless onlookers wanted to ask those around them for an explanation, but before they could even open their mouths, they were shushed. Left with no choice, they could only convey their confusion through expressions: What’s going on?
Those questioned usually didn’t answer. They simply gazed at these brothers who had yet to experience the chill of life, offering a faint, enigmatic smile.
The Dutch Chamber of Commerce comrades finally understood Thousand Mountains’ suffering and opened their arms to him. Thousand Mountains didn’t hesitate, striding confidently to his legion’s round table and taking a firm seat.
“You did great.”
“Good job.”
“After extreme adversity comes good fortune.”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…”
āNo Birds Over a Thousand Mountains, who had always been a lone wolf, experienced the warmth of a legion for the first time on this tire-blowing afternoon. TAT
While Thousand Mountains had found his people, the question of Little Lucky Charm’s affiliation naturally became the focus. The onlookers were also curious about the infamous Ghost Server Legion, which had turned Huaxia upside down despite having only a dozen or so members. What kind of three-headed, six-armed monsters were they? Even Don’t Stop the Meds, who had just welcomed his core members with mixed feelings, narrowed his eyes…
“I~~am too handsome, loved by all~~too handsome, it’s a curse~~my debts of charm~~ahahaha~~I~~am too handsome, loved by all~~too handsome, it’s a curse~~what can I do about being this narcissistic~~ahahaha~~”
“W-h-y a-r-e y-o-u c-a-l-l-i-n-g m-e a-g-a-i-n?!” The Ghost Server Legion Leader, still hiding under the table, had lowered his voice to the point where it was barely audible, sustained only by his breath. “I t-o-l-d y-o-u t-o s-n-e-a-k o-v-e-r!”
“Commander? What are you saying? I can’t hear you…” Poor Your Uncle, thinking it was a bad signal, waved his phone around wildly, practically performing a full set of stretching exercises. But the line remained crackly and hissing, the oddest sort of bizarre.
“D-o-n-‘t a-s-k a-n-y-m-o-r-e, s-n-e-a-k o-v-e-r!”
“What?”
“S-n-e-a-k o-v-e-r!”
“Huh?”
Divine Strategist, Soldiers in Snowfield, Bloodless Victory, Deception is Fair in War, Godspeed Warrior, Enemy at the Gates, and All is Fair in Warāseated at the table next to the Legion Leader’sācouldn’t take it anymore. They slammed the table and stood up in unison: “Your Legion Leader told you to sneak over!!!”
Your Uncle had an epiphany and immediately spoke into the phone: “Got it, Commander! I’ll head over now! Which table are you at?”
On the other end of the line: “…”
A line of text slowly materialized above the dining hall, visible to everyone except Your Uncleā
[System] The user you dialed has died.
The Ghost Server Legion Leader, now reduced to a wisp of a ghost, had no desire to continue this call that dealt 1.5 damage to the enemy at the cost of 8,000,000 to himself. Struggling, he raised his thumb and aimed for the hang-up button on the screen… closer, closerācontact! Successfully hung up!
At the exact same moment, not a second sooner or later, Your Uncle’s joyful shout erupted between heaven and earthā
“Ahhhh I see you! Why are you hiding under the table? Playing hide-and-seek with me? Hahaha, even if only your butt’s sticking out, I’d recognize you anywhere, Commander~~~~~~~~”
……
438 felt someone tapping him under the table. Bending down, he met a pair of eyes burning with raging flames. Their owner asked him: “Does your Purple-Gold Red Gourd work in real life?”
……
Your Uncle successfully rejoined the group, bringing with him the attention of the entire dining hall. The Huaxia brothers finally laid eyes on the legendary zombie god who refused to delete his account even after being PKed to oblivion, the assassin whale who could turn bank cards into gear, the Demon Refiner whose harmless appearance belied his terrifying pets… but none of that mattered.
Right now, the only question on everyone’s mind wasā
Fair and Square: “Then I’ll ask on behalf of public opinionāwhat were you thinking when you set that as your ringtone? =_=”
The Ghost Server Legion Leader, now sitting upright with perfect posture, scratched the back of his head sheepishly and gave an honest smile: “Actually, I’m not very confident in myself, so I deliberately set my ringtone to this kind of motivational song…”
Your understanding of “motivational” might be a little… no, it’s completely fucking off the mark!!!
Ghost Server Legion Leader: “Host, what’s wrong with them?”
Fair and Square: “Nothing, nothing. They’re probably just hangry, so their expressions are a bit twisted. Anyway, let me toast everyone. No more talkingālet’s eat!”
As the clinking of glasses grew livelier, the Huaxia comrades temporarily forgot the earlier incomprehensible damage and gradually rediscovered the warmth of the game.
The Ghost Server table was especially lively. With Your Uncle’s arrival, the ten-person table became eleven. March and Coffin Shop both politely offered to give up their seats but were stopped. In the end, Crossplayer somehow procured a chair, and everyone squeezed closer together to make room for Your Uncle. Thus, the table was filled with joy and lively conversationā
Ghost Server Comrades: “Didn’t you say your workplace absolutely wouldn’t give you time off? How’d you manage to come?”
Your Uncle: “I still don’t really get it myself. I asked my boss several times, and he never relented. I’d almost given up, but then, on the evening of April 30th, my boss suddenly called and said I could take the time off! I felt really bad because this boss has always been great to me. If it weren’t for a genuine shortage of hands, he wouldn’t have been so inflexible. So when I got the call, I hesitated a bit, thinking maybe I should just grit my teeth and go to work. But before I could even say anything, my boss cut me off. He said all the coworkers who couldn’t take time off for May Day were counting on me to enjoy the golden week for them. He told me not to overthink it and to have as much fun as possible!”
Ghost Server Comrades: “…”
Your Uncle: “Why is everyone so quiet?”
March: “They’re mentally filling in some details you left out.”
Your Uncle: “But why do they look so sad?”
Coffin Shop: “It’s fine. Everyone has a bit of sympathy; don’t worry about it. Tell us about you and Thousand Mountains.”
Your Uncle: “Ahhh, speaking of which, it’s such a coincidence! Since I bought my train ticket last-minute, I arrived after the scheduled pickup time, so no one was there to meet me. I followed my phone’s map and started walking here. As I walked, I heard a car honking behind me. When I turned around, Thousand Mountains was sticking his head out the window, asking for directions to the resort. I could tell he was one of us at a glance, so I hopped in! But his car was all show and no substanceālooked nice but was actually pretty flimsy. We hadn’t even driven ten minutes before a tire blew. I gently criticized the quality of his tires, and he got mad at me. And then guess what? The spare tire blew too. I suggested we ditch the car and just walk the rest of the wayāit wasn’t farābut he insisted his driving skills were fine and had to drive here. And of course, as it turned out, his driving skills were excellent~~~”
Ghost Server Comrades: “…”
Your Uncle: “Why aren’t they saying anything?”
March: “Their souls are probably lost in deep contemplation.”
Your Uncle: “Contemplating what?”
Coffin Shop: “The B-version of this story.”
……
[Dutch Chamber of Commerce Table]
“Why did I give him a ride? Ugh, did I have a choice?! I rolled down the window to ask an old man for directions, but the old man was hard of hearing and didn’t hear me. He was the one who came over! At first, I thought, whatever, we’re all brothers in the game, no harm in giving him a lift. But the moment he got in, he complimented my car, saying it looked like the battle wagon from Plants vs. Zombies. Right after he said that, the wheels ran over a plank full of nailsāwith the tips pointing upājust like the fucking Spikeweed! Fine, I had a spare tire; I’d just change it. But he had to keep muttering about how the tire quality was bad. Could I let that slide? Hell no, I had to retaliate! Later, maybe realizing he was digging himself deeper, he shut up. And then, God help me, I pitied him. Why the fuck did I pity him?!?! I actually asked for his game ID!!!!!! I don’t even want to remember what happened after that. When the spare tire blew, he suggested abandoning the car and walking to the resort together. I refused. Even if all four tires blew, at least the metal frame would still protect me. I couldn’t imagine walking side by side with him, exposed to the elements…”
……
The Ghost Server comrades’ wandering souls were yanked back by Passing Master.
At first, they just noticed a round-faced young man hanging around near their table, occasionally peeking over as if trying to eavesdrop. He didn’t seem to belong to any table, but amid the crowd standing up to toast and chat, his loitering wasn’t particularly noticeable.
In the end, March took out his phone and dialed a number. Soon after, the young man answered his phone. After just a couple of exchanged words, he chuckled and walked over.
“Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Passing Master ~\(^o^)/~” The young man’s smile was like a flower bathed in warm sunlight.
“Darling, it’s Passing Sorrowā” Before he could finish, Your Uncle pounced on him!
Passing Master, stumbling back several steps before steadying himself, was equally emotional: “P-Passing Sorrow, let go of my neck first, I can’t breathe TAT…”
āBack when they’d used the limited-edition holiday name-change coupons to adopt family-style IDs, everyone had thought this comrade would be with them forever. No one expected they’d end up on separate servers. And when they were separated, everyone thought they’d never meet again. Yet here they were, reunited under the Lover’s Constellation and now meeting in real life. Life was like thatāwhat seemed like smooth sailing might hide rough seas, but after the storm, there was always calm.
Not to be outdone by the excitement of the old comrade, the new teammates who’d recently fought alongside him also welcomed Passing Master warmly, squeezing closer to make room. Crossplayer promptly produced a second chair from who-knows-where.
Finally freed from Your Uncle’s embrace, Passing Master plopped down and wiped his sweat: “The walk was so long, I almost wore through my shoes >_<"
Ghost Server comrades gasped: “You walked from the bus station? How long did that take?!”
Passing Master: “A past too tragic to revisit TAT”
“Wait,” someone noticed a flaw, “if you walked the whole way, you must’ve seen Thousand Mountains’ car, right? Didn’t you recognize it as a Huaxia brother’s?”
“I did see it (āoā)!” Passing Master answered without hesitation. “The car’s aesthetic was so out of place with the surroundings that I immediately knew it was from out of town. After a quick glance at the two inside, I was sureāus Huaxia comrades have a sixth sense for spotting each other, hehe~~~”
“Then why didn’t you hitch a ride?” If Thousand Mountains would give Your Uncle a lift, why would he refuse a healer?
“I said it was a quick glanceāI didn’t dare go up and say hi~~” Passing Master smiled bashfully, then suddenly leaned forward with a serious expression. “Besides, when I saw them, Thousand Mountains was changing the spare tire. Maybe it was my imagination, but I swear I saw a dark aura rise from the car, spreading out before slowly sinking down to tightly envelop the newly replaced spare…”
“So after thinking it over, you didn’t dare approach?”
“Yep >_<"
“Is that a talisman around your neck? Where’d you get it? I need one too…”
……
[Iceborn Table]
Grave Sweeping Scroll & Festive Lantern: “Why are our chairs gone after just going out to toast?!!”
……
With the backstory fully clarified, the Ghost Server table officially entered the “love and camaraderie” phase. After a few drinks, Fang Zheng gazed at his table of brothers, overwhelmed with emotion. Recalling the past, the journey had been arduous. Looking at the present, the team was formidable. Gazing toward the future, Huaxia awaited their exploration…
“By the way, how did March recognize you at a glance, Passing? And how does he have your number?”
Can’t you see I’m reminiscing here?! No interrupting with gossip interviews!!!
“Because we’re now Legion Leader and Deputy Legion Leader~~(ā§ā½ā¦)/~”
Why are you all looking at me and Birdy? We’re also purely comrades-in-arms!!!
“Little Lucky Charm?”
I said noāwait, that ID is fine. Call it as much as you want, I won’t stop you. I absolutely won’t stop you >_<
The addressed Your Uncle looked puzzled at first, but when he saw the name tag, his confusion melted into a beaming smile: “Spring Field Blossom!”
Fang Zheng also recognized himāhe was the one who’d asked about Your Uncle earlier.
Spring Field Blossom was succinct. After confirming his identity, he asked just one question: “Did you dump all your talent points into Luck?”
Your Uncle caught his meaning and grinned, a hint of bashfulness underlying his cheer: “I never got the chance to thank you properly. If it weren’t for you, I’d have died in Las Vegas >_<"
The Ghost Server comrades had only heard from Your Uncle about being “wrongfully accused” of ruining the luck of everyone in Las Vegas. They had no idea he’d suffered so much: “You were bullied that badly in the forum?!”
March and Coffin Shop glanced at the Ghost Server comrades: “Are you asking that with a clear conscience?”
The Ghost Server comrades, regretting their words instantly: “Heh, never mind, just asking casually…”
“At first, he was bullied a bit,” a clear, cool male voice interjected. “His luck isn’t greatāyou all know that.”
The newcomer had an academic airāsimple and unassuming.
Ghost Server Legion Leader: “You are?”
The young man smiled faintly: “Rain Through the Woods.”
The Ghost Server Legion Leader immediately understoodāthe Dutch Chamber of Commerce’s Keychain had also weathered the storm of Las Vegas: “You said he was bullied at first, meaning he fought back later?”
Rain Through the Woods sighed: “Exacting vengeance, leaving devastation in his wake.”
Ghost Server Legion Leader spread his hands innocently: “It’s a competitive gameāyou know how it is. Either I die, or you die.”
Rain Through the Woods: “You’re missing a word.”
Ghost Server Legion Leader: “Huh?”
Rain Through the Woods: “Either I die, or you all die.”
Ghost Server Legion Leader: “…”
That one wordā”all”ācarried the weight of countless struggling souls and wailing spirits. The Ghost Server Legion Leader truly felt… Ah, why dwell on such things? It’s not like we were the ones who deployed Your Uncle first. ā®(āÆ_ā°)ā
Like Spring Field Blossom, Rain Through the Woods had come for Your Uncle, so before long, the three of them gathered to toast and chat. Watching their smiling faces, the Ghost Server Legion Leader had no choice but to accept the truthāthey weren’t here for revenge. They were genuinely Your Uncle’s fan club. TAT
“Ghost Server Legion Leader, why do you look so melancholic?”
The sudden deep voice startled Fang Zheng. Looking up, he saw three unfamiliar faces. Glancing at their name tagsāMouse of the Gods, Fist of the Gods, Ghost of the Gods.
All three held wine glasses. Though speaking to Fang Zheng, their eyes kept drifting toward March to Liangzhou.
The Ghost Server Legion Leader tactfully stepped aside, allowing the former comrade who had turned over a new leaf to reunite tearfully with his old Legion Leader. TAT
“Hey, hey, slow downā”
Fang Zheng had barely taken two steps back when the warning came. Turning around, he saw three young men and one girl lined up neatly, their youthful energy almost palpableāif one ignored the weird uncle lurking behind the girl.
“Adorable little brothers and sisters, you are?”
“Today I Bomb the School!”
“Beckham!”
“Weiming Lake!”
“Clueless Girl!”
“Dutch Sou…”
“Wasn’t asking you ā®(āÆ_ā°)ā”
“=_=”
The youthful quartet had a clear goalā
“Sister Blood Bull, we’ve missed you so much!!!”
Blood Bull’s lips curved into a smile, like a water lily in a cool breeze. 2B Fighter Jet narrowed his eyes, sensing four mobs and one world boss within attack range.
But even the best fighter can’t take on four hands. In the end, 2B could only watch as Blood Bull was whisked away by the group, chatting and laughing warmly.
Dutch Souvenir, tagging along only because his wife had insisted, originally just wanted to express gratitude. But after actually talking to Blood Bull, a colossal mysteryāon par with the Goldbach Conjectureāfilled his heart: “Sister Blood Bull, I have to askāwhat made you decide to join this legion?”
Blood Bull didn’t answer directly. Instead, she smiled and countered: “If a dead server only had one lively legion left, what would you do?”
Dutch Souvenir answered gravely: “Transfer servers. =_=”
The Ghost Server Legion Leader huddled in a corner, counting on his fingers dejectedlyā438, Your Uncle, March, Blood Bull… It seemed every comrade had someone who cared about them. Only he…
“These shoes are discontinued! Where’d you get them?”
Huh, who’s Mad Lad talking to? (āoā)!
“Jealous? Got them from an overseas collector. Brand new, never even worn!”
Ah, No Birds Over a Thousand Mountains! An old friend~\(ā§ā½ā¦)/~
“Pfft. I have the signed edition.”
“No way, you’re lying!!”
“Tch, I have photos on my phone. Hold on.”
“Hurry up and scroll, what kind of crappy phone is this…”
Thousand Mountains, Mad Lad, could you spare me a glance? Just one glance!!!!!!! TAT
The Ghost Server Legion Leader sank into an abyss of despair, all his confidence drained away, leaving only a wisp of a soul clinging to life…
“Milk Mom.”
A warm weight suddenly landed on his shoulder. The Ghost Server Legion Leader whipped his head around to see an unfamiliar face. But a glance at the name tag dissolved all barriers: “Everythingā”
Everything Breaks instinctively caught the figure lunging at him. Though his expression remained calm, his bewildered eyes betrayed himāWhy is this person radiating such fiery enthusiasm? Did I forget some crucial moment in our acquaintance?
Unaware that his new comrade had entered “memory retrieval” mode, the Ghost Server Legion Leader remained immersed in the comfort of finally having someone seek him out: “Everything, thank you!”
“…” Completely lost, the Huaxia Dominion Leader decided to change the subject. “Are those Mad Lad and No Birds Over a Thousand Mountains over there, with their backs to us?”
The Ghost Server Legion Leader didn’t want to answer, but the two comrades heard their names and turned aroundā
“Everything Breaks?!”
What followed needs no elaboration. The three Sky Arena comrades held hands and spun in circles, overjoyed.
The Ghost Server Legion Leader, crushed by this final straw: “I’ll never have a fan club in this lifetime… never. TAT…”
Crossplayer, who had been silently watching, finally reached out and gently patted the Legion Leader’s head: “I don’t have one either.”
Though somewhat comforted, upon closer reflection, it only made him sadder: “I’m not asking for much. I don’t even need a fan club. Just… one person who thinks of me…”
Don’t Stop the Meds: “Milk is Mom?”
Fang Zheng: “…”
That’s way too casual!!! TAT
The meeting between the leaders of Ghost Server and Dutch Chamber of Commerce later escalated into a “joint celebration” between the two legions, with additional participation from March, Coffin Shop, Spring Field Blossom, Passing Master, Weiming Lake, Today I Bomb the School, Beckham, and other outsiders. The detailsālike Clueless Girl switching sides at the last minute and Dutch Souvenir’s dilemmaāare too numerous to mention. In the end, the “celebration” concluded harmoniously and amicably. As for the Ghost Server Legion Leader getting drunk and the Dutch core members being unable to walk straight, those are stories for another time.
Because they’d partiedāahem, “celebrated”āso hard, both legions missed the afternoon team-building activities. It wasn’t until nightfall that they revived at full HP.
Fang Zheng woke up at 7:30 PM. Birdy was sitting with his back to him, playing on his laptop, with a takeout dinner on the nightstand.
Warmth flooded Fang Zheng’s chest. He wanted to crawl over quietly and hug Birdy from behind, but the moment he moved, the bed dipped, tilting Birdy’s perfectly upright posture at a peculiar angle…
“Surprise doesn’t suit you,” Birdy offered earnestly.
Fang Zheng was speechless. TAT
Not daring to finish all the food Birdy had brought back, Fang Zheng stopped at about 70% full. The two then decided to take a stroll outside the resort to enjoy the fresh mountain air. But as soon as they reached the lobby, they ran into Crossplayer, who was hurrying in, his whole body radiating coolness.
“Where’ve you been?” Fang Zheng asked curiously.
Crossplayer quickly held up a bunch of weeds: “Gathering some lucky garlands for Uncle!”
Fang Zheng couldn’t help but poke at the drooping dark green leaves: “Are you sure you applied the right buff?”
Following Crossplayer, the curious Ghost Server leaders entered the game room. Unlike its daytime emptiness, the place was now bustling with noise and excitement. Your Uncle sat at the innermost table, joined by Rain Through the Woods, Spring Field Blossom… and 438? Wait, Coffin Shop was also there, spectating beside 438.
Fang Zheng and Birdy exchanged glances, seeing the same thought in each other’s eyes: This is… quite the evenly matched group.
The adjacent recreation room was equally livelyāboard games, billiards, ping pong…
“Other than cheating, do you even know how to do anything else?!”
“Is it so hard to admit I’m better than you?!”
“Better my ass! I could annihilate you with one finger!”
“Come on, then! Serve the ball and let’s see you return it with one fingerā”
Looking away, Fang Zheng asked, puzzled: “Under what circumstances would two people who can’t stand each other still stick together like glue?”
Birdy thought for a moment, unusually uncertain: “Dating?”
Fang Zheng frowned: “Wouldn’t that be exhausting?”
This time, Birdy was absolutely sure: “They enjoy it.”
Ironthorn Mountain wasn’t particularly tall, and its slopes were gentle, more like a large hill. But the night draped the greenery in a veil of quiet mystery, making even a stroll at the foot feel like being embraced by the dense shrubs and forests.
Fang Zheng and Birdy didn’t follow any set path, simply wandering wherever they pleased. Still, as if lost, they kept doubling back to the same place: a treeless clearing with only a thin scatter of weeds. But now, those weeds hosted seven or eight tents of varying sizes, arranged in a tight circle. Each tent’s entrance was rolled up, revealing the occupants’ eerie, green-lit facesā
Silent Hill: “Hey, if you two want to hear ghost stories, just sit down properly. All this pacing back and forth ruins the atmosphere!”
Fang Zheng was aggrieved: “We’d love to leave, but we can’t find our way out!”
Blue Skeleton’s voice floated over ominously: “G-h-o-s-t-s l-e-a-d-i-n-g y-o-u i-n c-i-r-c-l-e-s.”
Fang Zheng’s nape prickled: “Meanies! TAT”
In the end, the Ghost Server leaders took their seats, squeezing in beside Left Eye Sees Ghosts and Deep Mountain Old Well. Howeverā
Fang Zheng: “We don’t have flashlights…”
Insidious: “Only the storytellers need flashlights to highlight their faces for effect. Audience members don’t.”
Fang Zheng: “Got it. =_=”
By then, most contestants had already told their stories. Trick or Die, as the host, seeing that the audience had settled in, resumed the event. In a deliberately lowered, hoarse voice that oozed creepiness, he announced: “And now, our final storyteller… ice Iceborn.”
As soon as he finished speaking, all the flashlights in the room snapped off simultaneously, plunging the world into endless darkness. Then, a single beam of light flickered on. Though warm yellow, it cast a sickly green hue on the face it illuminated at close range. And in that distorted, glaring light, the special guest contestant, ice Iceborn, made his entrance.
ice Iceborn’s voice was as cold as his name, carrying a faintly ascetic air:
“‘Look, a pretty little bird,’ the father in the living room said, pointing out the window.
“His eight-year-old son ran over eagerly. ‘Where? Where?’
“To pay off his debts with insurance money, the father pushed his son out the window.
“Ten years later, debt-free and with a new career, his second son turned eight. He never let the boy near the windows.
“One day, a beautiful bird flew in through the window. The boy chased after it, delighted.
“Horrified, the father grabbed his son.
“The boy turned his head and smiled. ‘Daddy, don’t push me out again, okay?'”
“……”
The mountain night wind blew, icy and bone-chilling.
Trick or Die shivered before remembering to speak: “That story was… haunting. What does everyone think?”
Unanimous response: “Too fucking dark! TAT”
It took a while for the morally upright comrades to recover and proceed to the “Vote for the Scariest Story You Heard Tonight” phase. Fang Zheng and Birdy, having missed most of the event, abstained from voting and simply observed. But when the final tally was announced, ice Iceborn and Today’s Demon King were tied.
As a formal competition hosted by Silent Fortress’s top legion, the winner would receive a prize. But with one prize and two champions, what to do? The organizers decided on a tiebreaker!
Today’s Demon King: “Didn’t expect this. I’m not prepared, so I’ll keep it shortāone sentence.”
The audience’s curiosity peaked. Everyone held their breath, riveted.
Today’s Demon King: “Little Lucky Charm is here.”
Ghost Server Legion Leader: “…”
Entire audience: “…”
ice Iceborn: “I’ll also do one sentence: Little Lucky Charm and Refined Into a Demon 715 are here together.”
Ghost Server Legion Leader: “…”
Entire audience: “…”
Today’s Demon King: “Followed by Milk is Mom.”
Entire audience: “You win!”
Fang Zheng had no memory of how they left the horror camp. At that point, he was already battered and bruisedānothing else mattered. TAT
Birdy, however, kept chuckling the whole way, occasionally bursting into full laughter.
Fang Zheng couldn’t take it anymore and wanted to howl at the sky. But when he looked up, he frozeāthe night sky was a sea of stars, more dazzling than he’d ever seen. The poetic comparisons to diamonds, jewels, and twinkling eyes were all trueāno, they didn’t even come close to capturing a fraction of its beauty!
Fang Zheng lay down right there on the ground. The moment his back touched the earth, he felt his entire body relax.
Without a word, Birdy lay down beside him and was likewise captivated by the starry spectacle.
“You can’t see this at home,” Fang Zheng mused. “Forget this manyāyou can barely see one star there now.”
“Even if you could, you wouldn’t be able to lie on the ground and look. You’d get run over.”
“Can’t you say something softer in such a romantic setting? =_=”
“Like what?”
“Talk about life, discuss ideals, smell the flowers, admire the moon.”
“Well, in that case, I’ve always had this feeling…”
Here it comes, here it comes! What kind of rare, sweet words will the Meng family’s prodigy deliver? I’m so excited!!! ~(ā§ā½ā¦)/~
“…that someone’s watching us from the tree.”
“…Get down here and I swear I won’t hit you!!!”
As the Ghost Server Legion Leader shouted, the tree’s leaves rustled mysteriously. Then, a pair of eyes blinked through the foliage, followed by a soft, adorable girl’s face.
Fang Zheng, who had been about to climb the tree, froze mid-motion, arms wrapped around the trunk. For the first time, he realizedāsome promises should be kept. =_=
“Come down,” Birdy said, brushing off his clothes as if it were nothing, his tone so casual it put others at ease. Finally, he looked up with a killer smile. “It’s okay.”
The girl lost her grip and tumbled straight down.
Birdy caught her effortlessly in his arms. Perfect.
The girl’s cheeks turned even pinker. Shyly, she asked, “Are you the Ghost Server Legion Leader?”
Still hugging the tree, Fang Zheng was on the verge of tearsāNo, that’s me. And let go of my husband!!! TAT
In reality, Birdy didn’t hold her for long. Once her feet touched the ground, she figured things out: “You’re the Ghost Server Legion Leader?”
Fang Zheng nodded mournfully: “Yeah. Disappointed, huh?”
“Of course not!” The girl was the picture of righteousness. “No matter if you’re tall or short, fat or thin, you’ll always be my idol!!”
Fang Zheng blinked, stunned, then immediately perked up: “We can discuss this in more detail, hahaha. What’s your name?~~~~”
“Born in 1994.”
“Ah, I remember you! You’re from Ghost Server…”
“True fan! Especially of you, Milk Mom Legion Leader. I love your personality and leadership!”
“IāI don’t even know what to say. This afternoon, I was wallowing in despair over not having a fan club, and now you’re here. You must’ve been sent by an angel. How can I ever thank you? TAT”
“Could you sing me a song?”
“Of course! Any request!”
“Anything I pick, you’ll sing?”
“As long as I know it. Don’t worry, the word ‘shy’ isn’t in my vocabulary, hahaha~~~~”
“Really? Everyone, come out!”
“…Huh?”
Fang Zheng’s grin hadn’t even faded when heads began popping up from behind bushes, rocks, mounds of dirt, even piles of leaves! The scene was so bizarre, so grand, that even the shameless Ghost Server Legion Leader instinctively clutched Birdy’s sleeve.
Born in 1994 smiled sheepishly: “We sisters were doing nighttime oxygen facials here. When you two showed up and started chatting about stars and the moon like no one else existed, we didn’t want to interrupt, so we used the ultimate ninja artāVanishing. Actually, we’re all your fans. Our little guild is your fan club~~”
“…” Those words were music to the Ghost Server Legion Leader’s ears, like sweet dew sprinkling upon…
Click!
“No photos!!!”
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