Chapter 234 – Eternal Bonds (Part 4)

On the first night at the hot spring resort, the Ghost Server Legion Leader had a tumultuous and grandiose dream. The characters in the dream were numerous, like the starry sky he had gazed at before sleep—there was Don’t Stop the Meds, No Birds Over a Thousand Mountains, ice Iceborn, Grave Sweeping Scroll, Silent Hill, Insidious, War-Snow Wolf, War-Black Gold, and so on. Yet, the main storyline of the dream was exceptionally clear: being chased down. So when Birdy woke him up, the Commander opened his eyes to the warm morning sun, feeling the joy of having narrowly escaped death.

“Did you dream about fighting someone?” With one glance at the radiance on his face, Birdy could guess the gist.

“Sort of…” Fang Zheng replied vaguely.

“Oh,” Birdy nodded, accurately revising his judgment, “You got beaten up.”

Fang Zheng was on the verge of tears: “I just realized yesterday that I seem to have a lot of enemies…”

Birdy gently patted his head, lips moving slightly.

Warmth filled Fang Zheng’s heart: “You were going to say you’d protect me, right?”

“I was going to say, you realized that a bit late.”

…Can’t we just have a normal relationship?!

The breakfast venue was the same restaurant as yesterday, but this time it was a buffet. Plates of various dishes were lined up on both sides, with small steaming baskets at the end and a chef frying sunny-side-up eggs. Since everyone woke up at different times, no one stuck to the previous seating arrangement. People just took their food first-come, first-served and sat wherever was convenient.

It was still early, so not many Huaxia brothers had arrived yet. As Fang Zheng picked up his plate and looked around, he didn’t see any of his Ghost Server teammates and felt a bit disappointed—until he heard someone greet him from behind.

“Morning, Ghost Commander.”

Fang Zheng jumped in surprise and turned around sharply. It was indeed Don’t Stop the Meds. Unlike yesterday’s wild camo look, today he was wearing light gray sportswear, instantly shedding the ruggedness. But compared to the harmless artistic youth Rain Ceases beside him, he still exuded an inexplicable pressure. A person’s unique aura had nothing to do with their voice, expression, or even physique—it was the result of their personality, profession, upbringing, and other factors, forming an innate and outward temperament.

“I knew it was you just from your back,” Don’t Stop the Meds said with a subtle smile.

Fang Zheng involuntarily swallowed: “I… I recognized your voice too, haha…”

“How do they say it in the popular lingo…” Don’t Stop the Meds thought hard, “Ah, right. We’re true love.”

“Actually, no need to—”

“Can’t help myself.”

Birdy, stop waiting for your eggs over there—your wife is about to be fried alive!!!! TAT

“By the way, go easy on me during the soccer match later.”

Thank goodness, Don’t Stop the Meds was finally going to let him eat breakfast in peace—wait a minute =_=

“I saw the lineup. Aren’t we on the same team?”

“I requested a switch.”

“Why?!”

“Because we were on the same team.”

“…”

This answer was so tragic that the Ghost Server Commander couldn’t even refute it. TAT

As if timed perfectly, just as Don’t Stop the Meds left, Birdy returned. Though his plate did indeed hold four steaming sunny-side-up eggs, it couldn’t possibly make up for the emotional trauma inflicted on the Ghost Server Commander!

“Why are you afraid of him?” Birdy asked, puzzled, after hearing his wife’s complaints.

Fang Zheng thought seriously and, for once, engaged in some self-reflection: “I’ve screwed him over too many times. Maybe I feel guilty.”

Birdy glanced up: “The people you’ve screwed over in Huaxia could form an entire army.”

Fang Zheng fell silent. After a long pause, he said, “True.”

The question circled back to the beginning.

Fang Zheng racked his brains and finally came up with a second possibility: “Maybe it’s because his aura is too oppressive, so…”

Birdy shook his head: “Auras only differ in type, not in strength.”

Fang Zheng froze. These words were like a surge of energy, swirling through his body before rushing to his brain—an epiphany!

Looking up, the once tall and sturdy figure waiting for eggs now slowly transformed into the little Demon Refiner with Baby Seahorses. Looking down, his plump, round belly gradually flattened, eventually covered by the beautiful armor of a Wandering Physician—

“Yao Yao~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~”

“Don’t call me that!!!”

Aha~ Found the rhythm! ~\(≧▽≦)/~

…

Don’t Stop the Meds suspected that Polly had fed Milk is Mom some kind of mysterious drug with unlisted ingredients. Otherwise, there was no way to explain why someone who had seemed soft and malleable a second ago had instantly turned into Iron Man—bulletproof and, more importantly, unbearably smug! And not just any smugness, but the kind of familiar, trauma-inducing smugness that could instantly turn the real world into a full-dive Huaxia experience—a destructive style!!!

“Yao Yao~~ You’re about to poke the bread slices into bread crumbs~~”

“Zombie, can’t you make him shut up and eat properly?”

“I’m henpecked.”

“I despise you.”

“Despise from a single dog?”

“Rain Ceases TAT…”

Rain Ceases, who had witnessed the entire scene, had already grasped the situation. If yesterday’s Ghost Server Commander had still been fumbling between the second and third dimensions, today—or rather, now—he had completed this dazzling transformation.

This wasn’t uncommon. Many Huaxia brothers at the gathering had experienced it: some completely left the game behind to return to their real selves, some found a balance between the two, and then there was the Ghost Server Commander, who seamlessly merged online and offline, becoming one and the same. But no matter which category they fell into, these were all passive skills that only affected themselves.

The terrifying thing about the Ghost Server Commander was that he turned passive into active and transformed his skill into a long-range AoE attack. Whether someone had fully returned to reality, merged both worlds, or was too slow to even consider these questions, as long as they stepped into his attack range and faced his roguish smile, they’d involuntarily lose their souls and, upon regaining awareness, find themselves reverting to their inglorious Huaxia selves.

Of course, nothing was absolute—perhaps some iron-willed brothers could break through. But waiting for them was the Ghost Server Deputy Commander, an overpowered patch…

With a sigh, Rain Ceases picked up some side dishes from his plate and placed them in front of his leader: “Boss Yao, don’t cry. Have some mushrooms.”

“Where’s No Birds? Isn’t he rooming with Yao Yao?” Fang Zheng asked Rain Ceases while kindly placing a mushroom on Don’t Stop the Meds’ plate with great solemnity, making the latter feel like he was being mourned—a tragic illusion.

“Your team’s Assassin lured him away,” Rain Ceases answered naturally.

Fang Zheng was baffled: “…Could you elaborate?”

Rain Ceases: “Barter trade.”

Fang Zheng: “Isn’t that a bit too simple? =_=”

Rain Ceases: “Last night while drinking, No Birds took a liking to the limited-edition signed sneakers Mad Lad mentioned and wanted to buy them. He told Mad Lad to name his price—money was no object since he’s loaded. But your Assassin refused to sell because he’s also loaded. Then No Birds offered to trade some of his other collectibles, but he got too drunk, and the matter was left unresolved. So this morning, as soon as he woke up, he rushed over. They’re probably in some deserted corner right now, with No Birds showing Mad Lad photos of his collection.”

Rain Ceases’ explanation was thorough, but the Ghost Server Commander only caught two identical phrases, instantly understanding why Rain Ceases had been reluctant to elaborate initially: “I’m sorry I asked about this wealth-flaunting, aggro-pulling story TAT…”

When the quartet of 2B Fighter Jet, Blood Bull, Your Sister, and Drink Till You Drop entered the dining hall, they were greeted by the sight of the Ghost Server Commander’s utterly despondent face.

“Commander, what’s wrong?” Your Sister was the first to bounce over.

Next was Blood Bull: “Commander, morning.”

“Morning~” Fang Zheng shook his head, deciding to forget the emotional damage. He glanced at Drink and 2B, who were getting food, and asked curiously, “Why are the four of you together?”

Drink Your Sister: “Morning exercise.”

Are you sure it wasn’t morning romance? =_=

After a few words, the two men returned with their food and sat down. Drink greeted everyone warmly, while 2B, after scanning the tablemates, couldn’t resist asking, “Where’s No Birds?”—only to be glared at by his Commander. Though the reason was unclear, 2B was certain that the blazing fire in his Commander’s eyes was named “aggro.”

The harmonious and friendly breakfast for eight lasted about fifteen minutes before a new member, March to Liangzhou, joined.

Unlike the laziness of most people who had just woken up or the restless energy of Drink and 2B after their morning exercise, March was exactly the same as when they’d seen him on the bus yesterday—calm, composed, and serene. Yet, an undeniable vitality radiated from this tranquility, like a straight birch in the cold wind or a resilient pine on a cliff.

March didn’t speak, only offering a friendly smile as a greeting before sitting in the empty seat next to Birdy. But as soon as he sat down, No. 4 Coffin Shop appeared, filling the ten-person table.

Compared to March’s “silence speaks volumes,” Coffin Shop was a bit more outgoing—at least after unintentionally making eye contact with Birdy, the following interaction occurred:

Birdy: “…”

Coffin Shop: “…”

Birdy: “How?”

Coffin Shop: “No.”

The onlookers waited dumbly for half a minute, confirming there was no follow-up, then unanimously turned to Fang Zheng.

The latter slammed the table and stood up: “How the hell should I know what they’re talking about!!!”

In the end, March helped translate—

“Good morning.”

“Morning.”

“How was the mahjong battle last night?”

“I don’t want to remember =_=”

The zombies’ mysterious interaction left the onlookers in awe… How the hell did he deduce that from their expressions?!

After eating and drinking their fill and resting briefly, the Huaxia brothers welcomed the highlight of the gathering—the friendly soccer match. Thanks to the Huaxia Forum’s explanations, everyone now knew that this event originated from a “high-stakes bet” on the Flagship. Of course, for the sake of social harmony, the original brutal wager was voided, but the friendly match planned as a result remained. Thus, the participants were naturally limited to those who had been present or spectated during the bet on the Flagship.

The hot spring resort didn’t have a soccer field, so at exactly 10 a.m., the bus departed on time, taking the Huaxia brothers to the county middle school’s sports field. It was the May Day holiday, so the campus was quiet and empty. Over a hundred Huaxia brothers gathered around the field, the breeze brushing their faces as if they’d returned to their youth.

Iron Abacus stood on the platform, megaphone in hand, brimming with enthusiasm: “The long-awaited Huaxia friendly soccer match is about to begin! May our brothers showcase the spirit of Huaxia! The referee for this match is Brother Eastwind! Now, let me introduce the lineups!”

“Team Great Gods: Silent Hill, Insidious, Dragon Wonton, Rock N Roll Will Never Die, 17 Moon Street, ice Iceborn, Grave Sweeping Scroll, Divine Strategist, Soldiers in Snowfield, Don’t Stop the Meds, X!”

“Team Soccer Kings: Big H, Summit of Mount Tai, Nicknamed White Dragon Horse, Fist of the Gods, Mouse of the Gods, Ghost of the Gods, March to Liangzhou, Milk is Mom, Polly, War-Black Gold, War-Snow Wolf! Look, our players can’t wait and are already entering the field on their own, wearing neat… uh, casual attire and chanting unified slogans—”

“Great Gods, Great Gods, one kick to break the gate!”

“Soccer Kings, Soccer Kings, who’s crazier than us?!”

The audience’s high spirits wavered slightly—

“I’d like to know if the team names were self-chosen or assigned by the committee.”

“Shouldn’t we be more curious about the slogan manufacturer?”

“Why do I suddenly feel like this match is so lowbrow…”

But the audience’s fluctuations couldn’t affect the players’ morale. With the referee’s whistle, the match began!

Iron Abacus couldn’t help gripping the megaphone, instantly transforming into an impassioned commentator: “Team Great Gods’ midfield powerhouse 17 Moon Street, having won the coin toss, sends a long pass to the opponent’s front field! Unfortunately, the landing spot isn’t ideal, and Team Soccer Kings’ defender Nicknamed White Dragon Horse intercepts it! Whitey is surveying the field, likely planning to pass to his midfield… Ah! The ball is stolen! Whitey’s ball is stolen by Team Great Gods’ forward Don’t Stop the Meds! This position is very close to the penalty area—will Don’t Stop the Meds wait for his teammates or go for a solo breakthro—Holy shit, it’s in!!! Sorry for the language, but that goal came as fast as a tornado… Brother Eastwind blows the whistle, Team Great Gods lead 1:0!!!!”

A cool breeze blew past the goal guarded by the Ghost Server Commander, rustling the now-quiet net once more.

Fang Zheng swore he was prepared, but Don’t Stop the Meds’ speed and movements were inhuman. By the time his brain processed the opponent’s kicking motion, the ball was already in.

“Hey, sweetheart, snap out of it—” Don’t Stop the Meds blew a kiss at Fang Zheng as he ran back to his position.

His soul had been insulted. TAT

Instinctively, Fang Zheng looked for Birdy, but as a forward, he was too far away—only a vague outline was visible, deepening Fang Zheng’s sorrow. But the match had to go on! Fang Zheng took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and mustered all his strength for a mighty kick!

Iron Abacus: “Milk is Mom kicks off! This one goes straight to Team Great Gods’ front field! Now it’s all about the landing spot… Polly charges forward! Team Soccer Kings’ forward Polly accurately predicts the ball’s trajectory, catches it smoothly, and dribbles skillfully toward the penalty area! But Team Great Gods’ defenders Soldiers in Snowfield and Divine Strategist aren’t pushovers—they’ve already rushed up to intercept! Can Polly break through… No, he passes to his partner March to Liangzhou! When did March get into this position? No one even noticed… Uh, well, Team Soccer Kings have equalized. Can someone quick-tongued take over? I don’t think my tongue can keep up with this blitz…”

On the platform, Iron Abacus doubted his tongue. On the sidelines, the audience doubted their eyes—

“The match has only been going for two minutes…”

“And there are already two goals…”

“An average of one per minute…”

“Are we watching basketball or what…”

Perhaps to prove themselves, the next forty-plus minutes saw back-and-forth play without any further goals—until the last minute of the first half. Rock N Roll Will Never Die received the ball at midfield, ready to attack, only to find Silent Hill as his teammate. Instinctively, Rock N Roll didn’t pass but instead dribbled forward himself—only for Silent Hill to steal the ball right back. Rock N Roll, unwilling to give up, counter-stole, and so the spectators were treated to the bizarre spectacle of “teammates stealing from each other” amid shouts of “You never say a word!” and “You’re tone-deaf!” before descending into utter confusion =_=

In the end, Brother Eastwind blew the whistle—two yellow cards!

The real tragedy of this incident was Don’t Stop the Meds, the forward who had been waiting in vain for a pass. He had no say in Silent Hill Server’s historical baggage—he just wanted a quiet place to ask his heart, Why the hell did you have to open your mouth and request a team switch?!

During halftime, Team Soccer Kings huddled to discuss tactics, but after much deliberation, they still hadn’t come up with a foolproof strategy. Finally, the Ghost Server Commander had a flash of inspiration: “I’ve got an idea!”

His teammates’ eyes lit up as they gathered around.

Fang Zheng lowered his voice and laid out the plan: “We have the kickoff, right? So I won’t kick it far—I’ll just place the ball at my feet. Then, all ten of you don’t need to do anything except surround me, as tightly as possible, so not even a fly can get through. Then, I’ll nudge the ball forward bit by bit. For every small step I take, you all move forward together. Step by step, you’ll be my impenetrable shield—Team Great Gods won’t be able to break through, let alone tackle. Once we reach their penalty area, you’ll suddenly scatter, and I’ll take a big shot! Or better yet, we could just push the ball straight into the goal, skipping the shot entirely. Once you scatter, the referee can blow the whistle for a goal! So, am I a genius or what? Hahahaha~~~~~~”

Teammates: “…”

War-Snow Wolf: “I feel like an idiot for listening to the end…”

White Dragon Horse: “Can you suggest a human tactic? =_=”

Since the Ghost Server Commander’s strategy was drowned in the crowd’s disdain, Team Soccer Kings returned to the field after halftime still somewhat lost. But Team Great Gods weren’t faring much better—after all, they weren’t professional athletes, and the first half had drained their stamina, leaving them far from peak condition.

Perhaps sensing both teams’ waning morale, the spectators suddenly stepped up their cheers. The roars weren’t earth-shattering, but they were certainly uplifting. And amid the rough shouts of the guys, the girls’ screams stood out—

“Milk Mom, jiayou jiayou jiayou!!!”

This cry was like a bolt of lightning across the Huaxia brothers’ sky. Everyone instinctively turned to find the source—even the players on the field. They discovered it was indeed a girl—no, a group of girls, and a group of very cute, moe girls at that! The Huaxia brothers were torn between envy and resentment as they turned back to the goalie, whose face had lit up with a smug smile at the cheers… What weird tastes girls have these days!!!

But the goalie wasn’t the only one with cheerleaders. Inspired by Born in 1994 and her friends, ice Iceborn’s sister boldly shouted her sibling love: “ice Iceborn, jiayou jiayou jiayou!!!”

Your Sister, who had been holding back, could no longer resist. Though Drink wasn’t here, Summit of Mount Tai represented him, and the Commander and Deputy were present too: “Team Soccer Kings, jiayou jiayou jiayou!!!”

White Dragon Horse, who was closely marking Don’t Stop the Meds, smirked at his opponent: “Two to one.”

Don’t Stop the Meds facepalmed: “What the hell is there to compare…”

“Boss Yao, jiayou jiayou jiayou!!!”

Don’t Stop the Meds: “Fine, two-two.”

White Dragon Horse: “That was No Birds cheering for you…”

Don’t Stop the Meds: “I’ll take it, got a problem?!!”

Whether it was the “enthusiastic audience’s” cheers or not, the second half saw both teams engage in a goal-scoring frenzy, exchanging blows relentlessly until, exhausted, they ended in an 11-11 draw. Though “exhausted” might not be entirely accurate—judging by the score, both goalkeepers were highly suspect =_=. But if there were true speed and stamina standouts, it was obvious to all: Don’t Stop the Meds and March to Liangzhou. Even in the final minute, the two were still sprinting like divine deer of the East.

Some curious onlookers inquired about their real-life professions. The intel on Don’t Stop the Meds: a police academy instructor specializing in grappling and combat. As for March, no clues were uncovered.

Objectively speaking, Boss Yao’s team had chances to win—more than once.

69th minute: Dragon Wonton broke through the defense and faced Milk is Mom, whose positioning left a huge gap—yet somehow shot wide.

88th minute: Don’t Stop the Meds received the ball at midfield, only for March to intercept it. Don’t Stop the Meds retaliated with a slide tackle, sending the ball flying and March tumbling. The ball hit Polly and went out of bounds. After the restart, Don’t Stop the Meds dribbled again, with X in perfect position for a pass—but the Three Musketeers of The Gods suddenly materialized around him, as if he’d committed some unforgivable sin, leaving him no choice but to pass backward. A golden opportunity wasted.

And so, the match ended in a draw—seemingly regrettable, yet somehow satisfying for all. Iron Abacus handed out souvenirs to every player, small tokens of camaraderie. Finally, No Birds suggested a group photo and, without waiting for approval, began setting up a tripod. Naturally, no one refused. Soon, everyone was in position—some sitting, some squatting, some half-squatting, some standing, and then there was Mad Lad, inexplicably confident as he sprawled horizontally in front. At last, No Birds set the timer and rushed to lie down at the very front, right next to Mad Lad. Then—click!

All that radiance, captured in that small frame, became eternal.