Chapter 3


    The hall is deserted. In this summer, it is very hot, and there is no air-conditioning in the hall.


    I was sweating and perspiring heavily. I had a grievance, but no one to report it to. The beauty in my room would not be waking up anytime soon. And this hall, it does not even have a sofa for me to sit down on. I really dont know what to do.


    Finally, my sightsnded on the game helmet. Perhaps I could y it for a short while to while away the time?


    There is a gamework cable port installed in the living room. Looks like there are no better time to use it. To know if this game helmet is really the <<Spirit of Grief>> game, all I need to do is to test it and I would know for sure!


    I took the cable out of the bag, and installed the game ordingly to the instruction booklet. Then sat on the floor next to the wall and ced the helmet over my head.


    One momentter, I suddenly feel that my brain seemed to clear, and I hear a sound


    Scanning iris, identified a new yer. yer identity confirmed! Do you want to y the game?


    I immediately replied YES.


    Wee! Your code number is 000000002. Your iris information has been locked!


    I was surprised! Damn it. I just try this helmet once, and it locked on to my iris. Then does it means that this helmet could no longer be used by others, and be MY helmet?


    But I thought, she has forcibly upied my room! Forget it, since I could not undo what had already been done, I will think of some ways to pay her back for it.


    In the game helmet, there was another sound: Sorry! This game has not been officiallyunched. Please wait for another 23 hours 42 mins before you can officially join this game. But you can create your character first. Do you want to create your character now?


    I click on Yes  choose my character race. The screen seemed to sh, and my surroundings seemed to wrap. All of a sudden, I was transported to the wilderness. In front of me, there are 3 choices: Human, Elves or Orc.


    I have heard a rumour that here may be hidden race, but the chance of this urring is one in a 10 million! Looks like I do not have the luck to unlock a hidden race.


    With but 3 choices, I chose my race to be Human.


    Facial scan in progress, please wait a moment


    Not longer after, an identical copy of me seemed to appear in front of me. He is dressed in leather armour, and appears to be a rookie.


    There is no more system prompt, and instead a message appears:


    The game has not beenunched yet, thank you for your patience.


    After that, my surroundings seemed to wrap and change again, and I was transported to a battlefield.


    In arge canyon, there was a huge army of man, elves and orcs that was battling against the dark forces. Mages hurled mighty fireballs, while the sexy beautiful elves continuousunch a torrent of arrows from the back of the army. In the front lines, many warriors and berserkers seemed to be armed with spear or heavy axe as they rushed into a group of skeleton warriors, smashing apart the bones of the skeleton with each hit.


    On the other side, the necromancers raised their wands and released their spell, and countless numbers of meteorite fell onto the troops. Several berserkers were caught in the sea of fire, and their heavy armour also seemed to melt from the heat!


    There was a white sh of light as healers on the human side healed the warriors and beserkers. They then channel their energy andunched a white colour chain lightning that annihted the necromancers.


    At this time, from the sky, countless kes of snow silently fall, and dropped into the canyon.


    Each snowke suddenly transformed into a sharp de of ice as it falls into the canyon, and many warriors and priests were killed by the ice des. Everyone raised their heads and was surprised to see a four-winged demon flying in the air, with hands open and chanting aloud another obscure spell!


    Suddenly, there was a sh of light, and a scream rang out. The men, elves and orcs looked up and discovered that two of the demon wings had been sliced apart!


    The spell that the demon was chanting was interrupted, as the demon spiraled downwards as it lost its ability to fight. With a crash, itnded hard on the ground. Before it could get its bearings, it was hacked apart by countless numbers of warriors!


    The scene zoomed in to see the man that cleaved the demons wing. On a broken cliff, there was a handsome, young man. There was a sword in his hand, and the sword seemed to be glowing. But the most astonishing thing is that his hair had all turned white. Watching the battle, his eyes revealed a deep sense of loneliness and grief.


    A burst of thunder boomed out, followed by a sh of lightning as it streaked across the sky. This seemed announced the arrival of the next storm!


    If you look up towards the sky, you could faintly see two shining characters illuminated with blue light, <<Spirit of Grief>>.


    Maybe the graphics and sound were too realistic, but I was just standing there looking awestruck at the scene. For some time, I did not say a single word. But I can confirm one thing for sure. This helmet is definitely a game helmet for <<Spirit of Grief>>.


    Who is the girl in my room? Why is she able to get hold of a game helmet with the ID number 00000002? Does this mean that the helmet that I have just used is the 2nd helmet that wasunched in the world?


    There is still one more day before theunch of the game. I begin to log out from the game, and removed my helmet. My whole body was sweaty. From just the opening cinematic, I could say with confidence that this game really lived up to its hype! No matter if it is about the ultra-realism or finest attention to details of the characters, all of these make a man feel alive and roaring to go!


    I wonder if the man who used just one stroke of his sword to defeat the demon with four wings in the opening cinematic is saying that gamers could also reach that insane level?


    Thinking this, I could not help smiling. If I could really achieve that kind of level, does that means I could conquer the world and have arge plot ofnd and several beauties serving me?


    Suddenly, I smell something burning. At this time, I suddenly recalled that my porridge was still cooking in the pot!


    I rushed into the kitchen and switched off the electricity. Looking at my vegetable porridge which had turned into gruel, I could not bear to eat it. Besides, I lost my appetite.


    In my roomys a sleeping beauty named Ling Xue. She is stone drunk and unconscious and is unlikely to open the door. I could only take the yellow tablecloth, covered my stomach with my hands and sleep in the hall. Damn it, why is it that other men get to sleep with a beauty while my luck is this bad? While I also met with a beauty, I had to sleep on the cold hard floor while the beauty sleep on myfortable bed!


    With difficulty, I finally drifted into sleep, only to be awakened up a short whileter by a bright re from some light. I groaned and opened my eyes to see a fat man using his hand phones light to shine at me.


    I was very annoyed, and was able to blow my top, then I discovered that this fat man is myndlord!


    Myndlord looked at me with a look full of contempt, and said: !? Ding Shusheng, your next months rent is dued. If you dy payment again, I have no choice but to evict you! It is already sote, why are you sleeping outside in the hall?


    I look up to see therge clock in the hall. It is already 2 am. Then I asked: Landlord, it is sote, why are you here?


    Ie to see the circuit breaker. A few tenants said that there is a power trip. But you! When are you are going to pay your rent?!


    My heart skipped a beat. The rental money that I had painstaking saved up had been stolen by crooks. Where do I get more money to pay the rent?


    At this time, with an Aiya sound, the door to my room opened. The beauty Ling Xue stepped out of my room.


    Ling Xues was wearing baggy clothes, but the baggy clothes could not conceal her graceful figure. She seemed to have a bit of thezy and proud charming demeanor that rich people have.


    I want a ss of water. Ling Xue was half asleep as she groggily called out.


    For a moment, myndlord was struck dumb by the sight of the woman. You rascal, having such a beautiful girlfriend! Forget it, I wille again another day. You better find a job real quick, or I will really evict you!


    Without further ado, the Landlord turned and left.


    This time, Ling Xue had already slept for 7 to 8 hours. She has just awoken. She blinked her lovely eyes and looked at me, I want to drink water.


    I closed one eye at her attitude, and went into the shared kitchen to pour a ss of water for her. This is the probably the benefit of being a superb beauty. All she had to do is ask, and men will willingly do whatever she wants.


    Ling Xue took the ss of water, and with a Gu Lu, Gu Lu sound, she drank all the water in one gulp. Then she looked at me and suddenly she shed a 100 Megawatts smile. You are named Ding Shu Sheng ()-> [the name trante as Bookworm Ding?]


    It hit my sore spot, and I replied, It is Ding Shu Sheng () [Comfortably Rich Ding]. Shu as infortable.  Sheng as in promoted and get rich, not Bookworm Ding. But truth be told, despite my name, I am poorer than a church mouse.


    [Sorry: Sometimes, humour does not trante well.]


    Ling Xue just smile, and brushed her hands against her hair. It does not matter what your name is. The problem is, I am very hungry. Can you find me some food to eat?


    I was caught unawares by this sudden request: It is already sote, where do I find some food for you. Every the convenience store had closed.


    Ling Xue lightly knitted her eyebrows into a light frown:  I drank too much wine. If I dont eat anything, I will have a bad stomach-ache!


    Actually, it does not matter if you eat or dont eat anything. You will still get a stomach-ache anyway. I always have stomach-ache from having nothing to eat. I thought but did not say it out loud.


    Instead, I asked, You are a girl, why did a proper and nice girl like you drink so much wine?


    It is none of your business! Ling Xue retorted loudly. But she turned her face away from me, and asked in a soft voice, How did you know I am proper and nice.?


    I did not say a word and walked into the kitchen. I add some hot water and poured my vegetable porridge into a bowl. Then I left the bowl of porridge on the dining table. I only have this. If you are willing, you could have some. But if you are not willing, then you may drive out and see if you can find some food. Your car is still downstairs.


    Ling Xue seemed to be shocked when she looked into the bowl of vegetable porridge. Her eyes seemed to look at me with a strange look.


    You only have this to eat? she carefully chose her next words to avoid insulting me.


    I also did not feel any shame or embarrassment as I nodded my head: That right. This is all I had to eat.


    At this moment, my stomach abruptly growled with a loud noise. Ling Xue looked at me with a face of astonishment then she suddenly realised something and ask: You also had not eaten? Do you have any more food? If not, we could share this bowl of vegetable porridge.


    I was stunned. The pot ispletely empty. All the food I had was in the bowl.


    As if she could see through my thoughts, she smiled and walked into the kitchen and took another bowl. Then she divided the vegetable porridge into two bowls and pushed one bowl to me. Eat up!


    For a minute, I could not believe my eyes. A beauty who was decked in branded clothes and driving a BMW is willing to share a bowl of gruel that even a beggar would not touch?


    [ To be continued.]