《Avatar Online》


 Chapter 1 - Liu Ye’s Past

    "Hey kid, our boss wants to talk to you. Be good and get in."


    The sky was dark when Liu Ye encountered a hindrance on his way back home. A ck limousine stopped next to the sidewalk as three men in ck suits came out with electric batons in their hands.


    They gestured at the open door but Liu Ye only gave it a casual nce and continued walking as if he didn''t hear them. The takeout food he carried would get cold if he didn''t get home soon.


    Too bad, they didn''t appreciate the favor he granted them.


    "Hey! I said get in!" the man nearest to him yelled in annoyance and quickly blocked Liu Ye''s way. He aimed his baton directly at Liu Ye''s head, causing him to finally stop.


    "You must be new, right?" Liu Ye asked calmly, cing his food down on the sidewalk.


    "Huh?" The man was taken aback by the question but Liu Ye didn''t give him a chance to follow up.


    "You must be new or else you would know you shouldn''t aim anything at my face," Liu Ye exined as he slowly rolled up his sleeves. "Just look at your friends."


    "Wait! Watch ou¡ª"


    The moment the man nced over Liu Ye''s shoulders, he was already on the move. The warning from the ck suits came a little toote.


    Liu Ye closed the distance with a leap and grasped the baton, his punch flying at the exposed elbow.


    Crack!


    It snapped like a dry branch, but Liu Ye had no mercy in his crystal-blue eyes. His knee was already at the man''s stomach before he could even scream from pain.


    "Ugh!"


    That grunt was thest sound he made before he fell on the ground, leaving Liu Ye armed with his newly-snatched electric baton.


    "Who''s next?"


    Liu Ye''s cold gaze,bined with the juggling of the baton, was enough to cause chaos in his opponents'' minds.


    They had met him before.


    They knew their chances of bringing him down dropped to zero the moment he acquired a weapon.


    "That''s enough." A sweet but stern female voice came from inside of the ck limousine. "Get inside. I will give you a lift."


    "My parents taught me not to talk to strangers, much less enter their cars," Liu Ye replied with a nonchnt face. "I will walk."


    In response, the tinted window rolled down and Liu Ye saw a polished barrel aiming at him. He would never mistake the graceful hand holding the pistol, especially the dragon bracelet which only the heir of the local triad could wear.


    Xu Yue, the daughter of Red Dragon President.


    "I don''t think you have a choice," she called out yfully while gesturing at the door. "Get in."


    Anyone who had met her at least once knew she wouldn''t hesitate to pull the trigger if he tried to run.


    "Fine." Liu Ye gave in and threw the electric baton at the men in ck suits before entering the limousine with his bag of takeout food.


    "Take care of the new guy. I wille pick you upter," Xu Yue called out to her bodyguards before the door closed automatically and the car slowly drove away.


    Liu Ye had her full attention as she looked at his body up and down.


    "Sit next to me," Xu Yue ordered. She put down her gun and exchanged it for the half-finished ss of wine beside her. "Want some too?"


    It was a rare sight to witness Xu Yue offer anyone a drink and it was unbelievable to see that lucky person ignore her gesture.


    Even stranger, Xu Yue continued smiling despite being tantly rejected.


    "What do you want?" Liu Ye asked with the same deadpan expression he wore towards her bodyguards. Although her beauty was desired by all, he didn''t even spare her body a nce. He gazed directly into her eyes, as unflinching and unyielding as he had always been.


    "What other reason do I need? I just missed you," Xu Yue replied, her voice gentle as she bent over, her soft body leaning on her armrest. "Did you miss me too?"


    Her traditional ck qipao dress did no justice to the cleavage hiding underneath, but her ample chest created a seductive curve any man would give anything to caress.


    Any man beside Liu Ye.


    "I guess not," Xu Yue answered on her own after hearing no response to her teasing. After taking a sip, she ced her wine ss to the side and began drawing on his arm with her perfectlycquered nail.


    "I want you back."


    "No," Liu Ye replied without hesitation, brushing her hand away. "I will not work for you again."


    Xu Yue pursed her lips and suddenly slipped the armrest back, breaking the barrier between their seats. Her perfectly sculpted waist and hips were now in his full view.


    "You see¡­" Xu Yue began as she moved closer to him, skillfully maneuvering her two graceful legs across his own. "This time, it''s much different. You are not in a position to say no."


    Her left thigh was fully exposed through the high cut of her qipao. Before he could react, she had tangled their legs together to prevent him from pushing her away.


    Liu Ye lifted his eyes to meet her gaze once more.


    "And why is that?" he asked with a frown. "I already paid off my parents'' debt. I don''t owe your family anything."


    He didn''t like where this was going. No one knew the struggle¡ªhow much blood he had shed and how many near-death experiences he had encountered¡ªin order to escape his dark past and return to normality, yet it seemed this woman was here to bring the nightmares back.


    Xu Yue took her time to reply, simply ying with his short ck hair as she collected her thoughts.


    "You... know you were my first, right? You took everything I was supposed to give to my future husband, including the most important one," Xu Yue reminded, her expression somewhat distracted and anxious. "If my Dad learns about us, you will either have to marry me or be a cold corpse by tomorrow."


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes but Xu Yue swiftly rified.


    "I''m not threatening you, okay? I will not lower myself to ckmail to make you mine. I''m just putting it out there so you don''t forget it. We are riding the same boat."


    Liu Ye kept silent, aware that she had more to say.


    "What I meant is something different. Your sister''s hospital bills were brought up today," Xu Yue finally revealed. She was looking down as if to avoid his gaze. "I know back then I promised I will cover them for you, but I made the mistake of using my family''s money instead of mine. Today, I was questioned about it."


    Liu Ye''s heart sank as his old pains resurfaced in his mind. The main reason he had epted Xu Yue''s advances was not because he was tempted by her beauty, but because of his desperation.


    Back then, since he had been working his ass off to clear his deceased parents'' debt, he had saved little and had no extra money to his name. One day, his precious little sister copsed and fell sick with a rare disease that required expensive medical attention.


    "What did you tell them?" Liu Ye questioned but Xu Yue remained silent, hiding her face behind her long straight hair.


    Liu Ye reached out and uncovered it before casually lifting her chin. She was forced to look into his eyes. This time, she didn''t avoid his gaze.


    "You know, you are the only man that ever touched me this way," Xu Yue muttered softly,pletely different from her usual cold self. She held onto his hand and let her cheeky against his palm.


    "Tell me the truth," Liu Ye urged. He knew that the situation was critical. One bad move and his sister could be in danger.


    "To hide what happened between us, I told them that I simply paid you in advance to work for me. They only epted it because they know you are one of the best," Xu Yue exined honestly. "I don''t think I can justify paying such an amount out of my own pocket without them being suspicious. They will definitely investigate."


    "It''s fine. It could be worse," Liu Ye sighed in relief. "I will pay you back the full amount with interest. How much is it?"


    "No, I don''t want your money. I want you," Xu Yue demanded, but Liu Ye shook his head.


    "You know I can''t. I am already done with that world. I will not risk my sister''s life by joining the underworld again." Liu Ye''s tone allowed no argument. "Tell me how much I owe you. I will find awful job and pay you back."


    "Are you sure you can pay me back?" Xu Yue asked, clear doubt on her face. She showed one finger. "It is this much."


    "Just one thousand?" Liu Ye asked in surprise. "There is no way it is¡ª"


    "One million."


    Liu Ye already expected a big number but he definitely didn''t count in millions. Xu Yue seemed to enjoy his confusion as she pulled away, elegantly returning to her seat.


    "One million, and I''m yet to include the interest. If you n to slowly pay me back then you should forget about it. My parents want to see you working for me lest they demand you to pay back the whole amount within a week," Xu Yue informed him just as the limousine stopped in front of his house. "Anyway, don''t worry, I won''t force you to return to our business. I have prepared something else for you. This work doesn''t even require you to leave home."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but turn suspicious. "What work? For how long?"


    Xu Yue only shrugged as the door opened on its own.


    "I already sent the package with instructions to your ce. Your sister will be happy you can spend more time with her at home." Xu Yue passed to him a ck debit card. "Also, since you are working for me, this is your employee benefit. You can use this card for your basic expenses. For how long, I say, it depends on how long you''ll pay back your debt."


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes but he didn''tin, taking the card with him. He knew her well. If she wanted to tell him more details, he would not even need to ask.


    As if reading what''s on his mind, Xu Yue took another sip of her wine. "I know you are suspicious but don''t worry, I will not ask you to risk your life or do anything dangerous. Though, maybe I will order you to go on a date with me ore over for a movie night. I wouldn''t be Xu Yue if I didn''t take advantage of you."


    "I''m leaving."


    Liu Ye got off the limousine without forgetting the bag of food for dinner.


    Xu Yue was right. If she didn''t try to take advantage of him, he would definitely be suspicious. She would not earn the underworld''s title of ''Queen of Chess'' for nothing.


    Sure enough, when Liu Ye entered his apartment, he spotted a big square box by the entrance. There was a pink card folded on top of it. He only needed a nce to see the elegant handwriting in the middle.


    ''To my baby, Liu Ye''


    Rolling his eyes, he lost the will to open it and instead entered the lobby in search of his angel. There wasn''t anyone in this world who deserved his love more than his little sister.


    "Zhenzhen?" Liu Ye questioned as he entered the dining room. The little beauty sitting by the table immediately stood up.


    "Big Bro!"


    For as long as he could remember, the way his sister weed him home had never changed¡ªa warm greeting that was always apanied by a jump hug and a neck squeeze. Although Liu Zhenzhen was just one year younger than him, she loved to act like a cute little ko.


    "How are you?" Liu Ye asked casually as he ced her down. "I brought us foo¡ª"


    He stopped himself midway when he noticed some leftovers in the kitchen.


    "You arete. What time do you think it is? It''s already quarter to ten, you know," his sister replied as she gave him a knowing stare. "Your girlfriend already ordered dinner for us not too long ago."


    "Girlfriend¡­?" Liu Ye repeated in surprise, before taking another look at the box by the entrance. It seemed the box had been personally delivered. "Xu Yue was here?"


    He should not have said that.


    "Aha! So you two are really dating!" his little sister called out, her mouth twisted in an exaggerated pout. "I don''t like that you have been hiding it from me for so long."


    "It''s not like that." Liu Ye shook his head, but then he paused, realizing he couldn''t tell her the truth.


    "It''splicated."


    "It''splicated."


    They both said those words at the same time.


    "I know, Xu Yue told me the same. I was really touched when she revealed everything," his little sister expressed with deep regret. "To think you two have to hide your love because of her family."


    "Love, huh¡­" Liu Ye muttered under his breath. "What else did she tell you?"


    "Let''s see. Well, she also told me that you will be working for her from now on. That way, it will allow you two to meet more often. Ahh, I''m really happy for you two! Xu Yue is such a sweet girl," his little sister expressed dreamily. "Anyway, you shouldn''t ck just because you are dating your own boss. You are running out of time. It''s almost ten. You can''t bete!"


    "What do you mean? Late for what?" Liu Ye was confused. He didn''t even know what his work was, much less the time he''d be starting.


    "Huh? She didn''t tell you theunch is today? You only have ten minutes left. What are you waiting for? Go unpack the package and get ready!" Liu Zhenzhen scolded as she took the bag of food in his hand before pushing him towards the box. "Tsk, she even wrote you a sweet note and you didn''t even read it. I don''t know which gods did you send prayers to for you to get such a thoughtful girlfriend."


    Liu Ye couldn''t stop his curiosity anymore. He picked up Xu Yue''s note but just as he read the first two sentences, his eyes were already wide open.


    "Xu Yue¡­ You¡­"

 Chapter 2 - Avatar Online

    "What did she write for you? Let me read!"


    "Zhenzhen!" Liu Ye called out, but his sister had already snatched the note from his hand. Despite his re, she didn''t give it back and read it out loud instead.


    "Hey, Baby~" Liu Zhenzhen immediately paused, giving Liu Ye a teasing smile before continuing in a sugary voice. "I have a surprise for you. Do you remember the game you talked about some time ago? I''m sure you do. It just happens it has itsunch tonight."


    "Ipletely forgot about it," Liu Ye sighed as he opened and reached inside the box. Sure enough, he found a brand new gaming console in the shape of a ck helmet. He caressed the two golden words at the top of the device.


    Avatar Online


    Before Liu Ye got pulled into the dark world by Xu Yue, he had lived a normal teenage life. Of course, he recognized the title of the most anticipated Neuralink game. Back then, there were already rumors of Avatar Online and he had casually mentioned this to Xu Yue when they teamed up in a game. As it was only mentioned in passing, after his life returned to the right track, it naturally slipped out of his mind.


    His sister continued reading the note. "I have decided to invest in this game by creating the most powerful guild to dominate our region. How about you join me in that mission and we return to our roots? Remember the first time we met online? I want you to apany me again."


    A game? Powerful guild? Liu Ye couldn''t help but feel suspicious. He knew Xu Yue well. She would never waste time on a project this big unless it would being her immense benefit. Or maybe it wasn''t the money she was after?


    Liu Zhenzhen pulled him out of his thoughts as she squinted her eyes at him. "You two met in-game? But I''ve never seen you y ever?"


    Liu Ye scratched his head, not really eager to speak about his love life with her. It would be fine if not for the fact that Xu Yue was the heir of the most influential criminal organisation in the country.


    "We did, but it was a long long time ago," Liu Ye exined vaguely. He quickly changed the subject. "Is that all?"


    "Humph, having secrets from your sister." Liu Zhenzhen pretended to pout again. "She also reminds you not to miss theunch today at 10 pm and mentions a phone in the box. She will contact you tomorrow morning with more information about your work."


    Liu Ye was already searching through the box only to find thetest phone model from Xpany, already fully working and charged. He spotted the sparkle in his sister''s eyes, her mouth even watering, causing him tough.


    "You can have it if you want."


    Liu Ye did a quick check on the phone and after finding that there was nothing wrong with it, he passed it to her.


    Liu Zhenzhen''s pretty eyes brightened but she quickly shook her head, pushing it away. "No, no, it''s yours. You should have¡ª"


    Liu Ye simply cut her off by cing the phone on her palm.


    "You know I don''t use phones and I know you have been wanting a new one for a while," Liu Ye exined as he ruffled her hair. "Just tell me if Xu Yue calls."


    Liu Zhenzhen looked at the phone and smiled sweetly, hugging it tightly into her chest.


    "Thank you, Big Bro."


    Liu Ye smiled in return, giving her a sincere hug. He couldn''t tell her that the real reason he never used phones was that with a phone, any decent hacker would have the ability to track his location. He would rather not give Xu Yue that opportunity.


    "Alright, theunch starts in a few minutes! You don''t want to miss it, right?" Liu Zhenzhen called out excitedly. "You cannot disappoint my sister-inw. She is too good to pass so make sure you give it your all. Chop, chop!"


    "Hah, alright." Liu Yeughed again and picked up the box with the gear. "I will see you in the morning. I''ve already eaten on the way home. You can eat some of the food I brought if you are still hungry."


    "Yes, yes, go, go. You will bete," Liu Zhenzhen repeated as she pushed him towards his bedroom. He already knew she just couldn''t wait to test her new phone and tell all her friends about it.


    Looking at the digital clock on his wall, he couldn''t wait any longer. He didn''t have time left to read the manual so he made himselffortable on his bed and put on the ck helmet right away.


    A sweet-sounding female voice spoke.


    "System activated."


    "Battery fully charged."


    "Please connect the headgear to your Neuralink to begin synchronization."


    It had been a while since he yed games, much less virtual reality games, but the Neuralink game system worked in a simr manner as other systems. His hand pulled the cable from the gaming console and plugged it into the small socket at the back of his head, an imnt at the base of his skull just above the nape.


    "Ah¡­"


    A numbing electric current passed through his body. It onlysted a second before it was reced by itchiness, a usual reaction involving Neuralink activations.


    The technology of Neuralink allowed the connection of a person''s brain to various electronics with just a single chip. Many major countries in the world had long mandated the imnting of Neuralink inside every citizen when they reach the age of sixteen.


    With theunch of Neuralink VR games, people could now use their brain waves to control their characters in the virtual world. It was truly a phenomenal feeling, but for Liu Ye, someone who had great control over his physical body, the earlier VR games had alwayscked realism.


    ording to the news though, the much anticipated Avatar Online waspletely immersive, and yers would not be able to differentiate between virtual reality and the real world.


    "Neuralink connected."


    "User authorized."


    "Would you like to begin synchronization?"


    "Yes," Liu Ye agreed via voice activation.


    "Synchronization starting. Preparing theunch of Virtual Reality Dream. Please rx your body."


    A bright light blinked in front of him, causing his eyes to feel heavy. He didn''t know that he fell asleep until his consciousness returned with a jerk and he found himself surrounded by endless white light.


    His eyes adjusted to brightness as he moved around to test his virtual body. Just as the game developers promised, theirtest masterpiece indeed perfectly recreated the sensation of reality.


    "Hello, Adventurer."


    The female AI voice resounded again, this timeing right behind him. His senses that were long honed by his old job signaled danger.


    Was this new game supposed to start with an outright battle?


    Liu Ye turned abruptly just in time to see a fair and elegant hand reaching out to his face.


    Ah!


    The female enemy eximed when he followed his dodge with a kick. His shin hit her legs and the force sent her straight down to the ground.


    [Katherine - Level ???]


    A blue name with many question marks was hovering above the woman''s head, making Liu Ye realize that he might have just beat up the AI guide for theunch. Who asked her to suddenly touch him from behind?


    "Who are you?" Liu Ye asked when he spotted no signs of fighting back.


    The woman finally moved, lifting herself up on her arms. Her golden hair shifted away from her face and he finally saw her astonishing appearance.


    Liu Ye''s eyebrows rose for a second. Compliments to the game developers, Katherine was ady beautiful enough to outshine the local goddess, Xu Yue. Her mature temperament matched her white dress that outlined her graceful, hourss figure.


    When he nced into her eyes again, he was surprised to see emotions in them.


    An NPC with feelings?


    "Your reactions are fast," Katherine praised as she extended her palm in his direction. "But there is always someone faster."


    Liu Ye''s body momentarily froze in ce. A strong, invisible restriction around him blocked all of his movements. He could at most only move his eyes.


    He could only helplessly watch as Katherine touched his forehead with her eyes closed.


    Liu Ye didn''t feel any pain or sense danger from her, so he observed patiently.


    "Interesting¡­" Katherine muttered before disappearing into thin air without any exnation.


    Liu Ye was left alone in the empty space. His body recovered its motion but he couldn''t help but get confused by what happened. The woman was gone. It was as if everything had been his hallucination all along.


    Who was she and what did she do to him?


    Before he could ponder more, a virtual window opened in front of him, disying a countdown to theunch.


    [00:00:58]


    Liu Ye had only less than a minute to set up his character before the game would officiallyunch. To make good use of what little time he had left, he didn''t change his appearance at all and moved straight to his stats.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 1] [Skill Points: 5]


    [Experience: 0/100]


    [Health Points: 10/10] [HP Regen: 1]


    [Mana Points: 10/10] [MP Regen: 1]


    [Strength: 1]


    [Intelligence: 1]


    [Vitality: 1]


    [Dexterity: 1]


    [Wisdom: 1]


    [Luck: 1]


    [Physical Power: 10]


    [Elemental Power: 10]


    [Physical Defense: 0]


    [Elemental Defense: 0]


    [Elements: None]


    [Arts: None]


    [Abilities: None]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Grind God.


    Liu Ye chose the old nickname that Xu Yue had long known him as and dumped all of his unused points into Dexterity.


    This was a game strategy he had hatched the first moment he heard of the game. Since Avatar Online focused on the mastery of the Elements, there would be only one main ss unlike in other more traditional games: a Mage.


    Although Mages were powerful, theycked mobility which was something Liu Ye valued the most. His Grinding Mage strategy couldn''t do without high movement speed anyway.


    The only thing that was left was choosing his starting Element. He only had thirty seconds to spare on the four choices.


    [Water Element]


    [Fire Element]


    [Earth Element]


    [Air Element]


    There were no exnations included, forcing him to choose blindly.


    "The game willunch in fifteen seconds," Katherine''s voice resounded in the empty space, pressuring him further.


    Liu Ye simply picked the first one, Water Element.


    "There shouldn''t be much of a difference between them all, right?"


    [Ding! Your Intelligence increased by 2.]


    [Ding! Your Mana Points increased by 20.]


    [Ding! Your Elemental Power increased by 10.]


    [Ding! You gained Waterbending Art.]


    A series of notifications were disyed on Liu Ye''s screen but he could only take a cursory nce at them as the countdown reached zero. The button to enter the game lit up and he didn''t hesitate to press it.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Simr to Liu Ye, millions of yers who were eagerly waiting in their lobbies all jumped straight into the new world of Elements. They didn''t know though that Avatar Online was much more than just a simple game.


    Everyone in the Avatar Online Headquarters was celebrating the gameunch aside from one old man who was sitting silently inside his office. He had a solemn yet genial appearance, the kind of look befitting a man who had reached the peak of sess in life. His white beard was short and well-groomed, adding to his ssy look.


    The old man took a sip of his newly-brewed tea before greeting the empty space in front of him without putting his cup down.


    "How was it, Katherine?"


    A woman with shining blond hair suddenly appeared in the room and sat down directly opposite him. With a sigh, she picked up the cup of tea he had prepared specifically for her.


    "I really want to know how you can catch me every time," Katherinemented as she took a sip. "I tested every yer entering the game today. It was exhausting, but at least I spotted a lot of candidates."


    "How many?" the old man asked with interest.


    "A bit over ten thousand yers. I already passed their names to the staff members. They will monitor their brain activity to see how many of them can awaken," Katherine announced casually. "Of course, the number will be much higher when the next batch of yers enter the game."


    "Not bad," the old man approved with a nod. "Did you spot a potential Avatar?"


    Katherine pursed her lips. "Yes, a few, but I won''t tell you more. Let me y with them a little."


    "Hah," the old man let out a dryugh. "Sure, do whatever you want."


    Beep, beep.


    Katherine was about to speak when her watch vibrated, forcing her to ce the teacup down. She double-tapped her earpiece and the call connected.


    "Miss Katherine! The game justunched and some guy already passed the initial test! It hasn''t even been a minute! What''s more, it''s that yer you reported to us! Grind God!"


    "What?!" Katherine eximed in surprise as she stood up abruptly.


    "What happened?" the old man asked curiously. "It''s rare to see you so shocked."


    Katherine blinked twice at his question. "I... will tell youter!"


    She vanished as quietly as she appeared, leaving the old man on his own once again. He didn''t seem bothered and continued to sip on his tea in silence.


    Only after he was done did he stand up and walk towards the window while supporting himself on a ck stick with a silver dragon handle.


    "Let''s hope we can find our Avatar in time," the old man muttered as he squinted at the dark sky.


    "He ising..."

 Chapter 3 - Adult Wolf

    "Three..."


    "Two¡­"


    "One¡­"


    Liu Ye''s surroundings changed after the countdown reached zero. The sh of light split into millions of small pixted cubes thatter formed into mutating shapes and colorful figures.


    "Huh?"


    Just earlier he was standing on a t white surface, but now, his toes had sank into yellowish sand while his feet submerged in ankle-deep water.


    Liu Ye didn''t expect this game to feel so real.


    Crystal clear water bounced off his legs as he found himself in the middle of a shallow stream. Not only could he move his individual toes, but he could also feel the difference in the texture of the fine sand and pebbles, as well as the coldness of the water.


    "Amazing¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he looked around in interest.


    The stream appeared first, then with him as the center, the visuals of the rocks, grass, and trees unfolded. The whole world of Avatar Online materialized itself around him, including the sky and the sun. Sunlight warmed his face as a gentle breeze brought the fresh smell of the forest.


    For a second, Liu Ye even forgot that he was inside a game until a person spawned at the riverbank.


    "Adventurer! Wee to Avatar Online!"


    A tall, middle-aged man called out in greeting, his leather armor giving Liu Ye medieval vibes. His name was blue with an exmation mark above his head.


    [Red w (Trainer) - Lvl. 10]


    "My name is Red w," the trainer introduced himself as he disyed his wolf-tooth ne. "Would you like to proceed with a tutorial before we¡ª"


    "I will skip it," Liu Ye cut him off mid-sentence. He hated tutorials, preferring to explore games on his own instead.


    Ding!


    Immediately after Liu Ye spoke, he heard a notification sound and the exmation mark above the NPC turned into a grey question mark.


    His wrists vibrated and to his surprise, Liu Ye saw two screens above his forearms. The right screen disyed his character profile while the left one gave him quick ess to his inventory. He could easily check how much Health or Mana he had left without the need to open his profile.


    He tapped the previously empty Quest Tab and saw a new quest.


    [Red w''s Test]


    [Description: Defeat the enemy to impress your Trainer!]


    [Reward: Bronze/Silver/Gold Treasure Bag depending on yer''s performance.]


    Liu Ye nced at the Elemental Tree tab that just unlocked for him but he was quickly disturbed, his eyes spotting movement ahead of him.


    Awooo!


    A big grey wolf came out of the forest, its red eyes ring at him as if challenging him for a fight.


    [Adult Wolf - Lvl. 5]


    [HP: 150/150]


    The graphics and the immersions were also too vivid, and the wolf looked and felt like a living, breathing wild animal about to tear out his throat.


    "The world of Avatar Online is filled with dangers! Before I let you continue on your journey, you need¡ª"


    Red w''s voice disappeared from Liu Ye''s mind as he dashed at the monster with all his senses activated. Liu Ye showed no fear on his face as if it wasn''t the first time he faced a wolf this size.


    A red light shed on the wolf''s eyes before itunched itself as well, both of them heading straight at each other.


    Instead of pouncing at him, the wolf stopped right before him and attempted to bite at his leg.


    How could Liu Ye let that happen?


    He lifted his leg up before copsing his whole weight at the wolf''s head and wrapping his arms around its neck.


    The Adult Wolf yelped, struggling to throw him off his back, but Liu Ye already had a firm grasp around its throat, crushing it with all his strength.


    -1


    -1


    -1


    Stream of damage numbers flew about the wolf as Liu Ye continued to pin it down. No matter how much it howled and wiggled, Liu Ye stayed on top while the wolf''s health evaporated within seconds.


    [Ding! You killed the Adult Wolf. You received 300 Experience and 1 gold.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 2!]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 3!]


    [Ding! Quest Red w''s Test Completed! Meet Red w to im your reward!]


    Multiple notifications assaulted his mind as the struggle stopped. He stood up and looked down, nodding in its honor. Even though the wolf failed to get him, the Adult Wolf did fight till the very end, worthy of his respect.


    "I finished your task," Liu Ye reported.


    Red w brightened, approaching to pat him on the shoulder.


    "Well done, Adventurer! Your battle skills impressed me! I can see you have great potential. Here! Take this Gold Treasure Bag I prepared for you as a reward," Red w called out, passing him a small gold bag. "You can put it in your Inventory to unpack it."


    Liu Ye barely touched it before a loud announcement filled his surroundings.


    [Ding! Server Announcement! yer Grind God was the first to im the Gold Treasure Bag. Achievement Reward: 5 gold and 10 Fame.]


    "¡­" Liu Ye rolled his eyes, but he somewhat expected this concept would exist in-game as well. Now, all the yers knew he received the best reward.


    Although the additional gold would help him greatly, he wasn''t happy to receive the reward in this shy manner. He didn''t dare to underestimate the greed of yers. Liu Ye didn''t want to be targeted, only wanting to peacefully grind and help out Xu Yue to pay off his debt as soon as he could.


    Liu Ye nced down at his gold bag and followed Red w''s instructions. The bag got sucked inside his inventory and he held his finger on the icon to unpacked it.


    Items spilled into his inventory and his eyes smiled in surprise when he checked the first item.


    [Bandana]


    [Description: Hides your identity from yers with lower levels than you.]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 1]


    Although this Bandana didn''t provide him with any protection like bonus stats to his defense, the passive ability was what he perfectly needed right now.


    Liu Ye tapped on the icon to equip it and a ck bandana magically appeared on his face. It didn''t feel ufortable nor did it hinder his breathing in any way. Simply a perfect fit.


    [Leather Armor Set]


    [Bonus Stats: 100 Max Health Points, 20 Physical Defence]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 3]


    Aside from the Bandana, Liu Ye also received a whole set of ck leather armor which he immediately equipped. Instantly, his body transformed and was covered with ck leather from head to toe. It provided him with a new pair offy boots as well, and thus, he was no longer barefoot.


    "Nice," Liu Ye approved as he checked himself out in the inventory. It had a small miniature image of his character, disying the whole outfit.


    Liu Ye couldn''t see a ce where he could equip individual pieces of equipment, so he guessed there were only full sets in this game. From the business perspective, it was a smart decision. He could already see yers spending all their money on the customized outfits the moment developers decide to turn on the pay-to-win.


    Be it in ordinary online games or VR games, it was always a pain to see yers use their real money to buy all the best equipment without much effort, but Liu Ye was not one toin. He wouldn''t be able to earn money if not for them.


    [Medium Health Potion x10]


    [Description: Regenerates 200 HP in 20 seconds.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Medium Mana Potion x10]


    [Description: Regenerates 200 MP in 20 seconds.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Waterskin]


    [Description: A leather container used to hold water, mostmonly used by Waterbenders as quick ess to a water source.]


    Besides his outfit, Liu Ye also received medium potions and a waterskin which seemed standard. The only difference between the rewards would probably be their numbers and sizes. Either way, seeing how much Mana and HP he could regenerate with the potions, it would be a waste to use them at the start.


    "Adventurer! Are you ready to continue your journey?" Red w called out the moment Liu Ye closed his profile.


    "Yes."


    The faster he finished the tutorial, the sooner he could start his grind.


    "Alright then! Let me show you the way to the Vige."


    Instead of walking away, Red w simply smiled and their bodies turned into white pixels.


    Teleportation!


    His surroundings slowly materialized and he found himself standing on a round marble tform. There was literally no one in his surroundings, and the vige was extremely quiet, with only a handful of NPC vigers strolling around what appeared to be the za.


    Liu Ye''s quiet observation was disturbed by the lovely voice of Katherine sounding inside his mind.


    "Wee to Avatar Online, a world where Elements reign supreme. Your main Quest? Master all Elements and be Avatar, the protector of mankind! There can only be one Avatar so hurry up and start with your adventure! Good Luck!"

 Chapter 4 - Black Rose

    "Did he really just do that?" Katherine questioned as she reyed the scene once again. A big screen disyed how Liu Ye killed a Level 5 Adult Wolf with just his bare hands.


    The programmers stood behind her in silence. None of them expected to discover such an exploit mere seconds after the game wasunched.


    They should have thought of it!


    The whole purpose of the game was to master Elements and use them in battle as a mage. What if more people decided to ignore it and simply use their real-life martial arts to fight the monsters?


    "What are you waiting for?" Katherine asked as she paused the video and nced at the speechless programmers. "Get to yourputers and hot-fix it now. We can''t have people cheat the system. Change the required strength to use physical attacks. Make it possible but hard which will force people to use their Elements."


    Although she didn''t raise her voice, her tone was stern, sounding as if she was scolding them.


    "Yes! Right away!"


    The programmers nodded eagerly and rushed to theirputers immediately.


    Katherine nced at Liu Ye on the screen and added one more order to the staff.


    "Also, monitor this person for me and report any unusual activity. Something tells me this is not thest time he will surprise us."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    While the programmers worked on the quick fix, Liu Ye already found another exploit he could abuse,pletely unaware of the problems he was causing.


    Thud!


    -0


    A red number appeared above his head as Liu Ye dropped straight down from a three-story building. Even though the fall would normally break his legs, Liu Ye didn''t feel any pain or receive any damage thanks to the Newbie Vige protection.


    The quests were scattered all over the map, and jumping from building to building seemed to be the fastest way to collect them all. It only took him five minutes to fill his Quest Tab and reach the General Store.


    "Wee, Adventurer! How can we help you?"


    Liu Ye was greeted at the entrance but he only responded with a nod as the adjusting hall immediately piqued his interest.


    [Self-service zone]


    The modern aspect was a perfect solution for yers who valued their time. One could either approach thedies by the counter or use the self-service zone with tens of shopping cabins.


    The moment Liu Ye entered one of the single pods with afortable seat, the doors closed on their own and a screen popped up in the air.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Coins: 6 gold]


    His profile opened with a list of all avable items. Besides the consumables like potions and food, Liu Ye could also buy various sets of outfits.


    [Nine-hexed Leather Set]


    [Bonus Stats: 20 Max Health Points, 5 Physical Defence]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 1]


    [Cost: 1 gold]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Aurora Dress]


    [Bonus Stats: 15 Max Health Points]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 1]


    [Cost: 1 gold]


    Obviously, none of them could evenpare with his own set and their costs were simply outrageous. Many newbies and casual yers would still buy them though while only a handful, mostly those with professional experience, would wait.


    [Marketce - Unlock at Level 10]


    Guessing by the name of the hidden tab, it would be a Marketce purely controlled by the yer''s supply and demand. One could definitely get a good deal if they were lucky or skilled in trading.


    [Small Mana Potion x100]


    [Description: Regenerates 100 MP in 20 seconds.]


    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and spent a full 1 gold on a stack of 100 small potions which cost him 1 silver each. He had a whole day of grinding ahead of him so he was sure he would need to restockter.


    Mana Potions were all Liu Ye visited the store for, so he didn''t waste any more time.


    "Huh?"


    Just as Liu Ye left the pod, he noticed a change in the NPC''s expression. Sure enough, a female yer walked into the store right after.


    "Wee, Adventurer! How can we help you?" thedies behind the counter greeted her happily but the neer focused her gaze at Liu Ye instead.


    [ck Rose - Lvl. 3]


    Liu Ye didn''t expect to meet any yers so soon but seeing her outfit and ck bandana covering her face, it was obvious she had defeated the Adult Wolf as well. She was basically a female version of him with the only difference being her dark blue hair.


    "It seems the rewards are the same," ck Rosemented as she gave him a lookover. "I wonder, how did you beat it so fast?"


    Beep, beep.


    Before Liu Ye could respond, his arm vibrated as a red dot appeared in his notification tab. ck Rose also reacted so it wasn''t just him. They both looked down and saw a game update.


    [Game Patch: The basic Physical Damage to enemies will now be decreased from 1 to 0 if your Physical Power is lower than the enemy''s Physical Defense.]


    The update was short but one didn''t need a college degree to know it was targeted at the two of them.


    "The developers didn''t seem to like the way we battled," ck Rosemented casually but Liu Ye only shrugged.


    He didn''t care much since that wasn''t his style from the start. His Grinding Mage was much more efficient when it came to farming experience.


    "Good luck," Liu Ye called out and directly left, no longer paying her attention.


    Liu Ye thought he had more time to spare, but apetitor had quickly shown up. With how the achievement system worked, it was quite possible the first person to leave the Newbie Vige would receive good rewards as well. Both of them would bepeting for that title.


    [Avatar - Act I]


    [You entered Avatar Online, stepping on a path to be the Avatar. It all starts with the grind!]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Reach level 10.]


    [Clear Reward: Key to a Dungeon.]


    Reading the Main Quest of the game, Liu Ye needed to be Level 10 to leave the Newbie Vige. His goal wasn''t far away. He was sure he could finish it within one day.


    Liu Ye ran as he checked his statistics, utilizing the quick ess screen on his arm. Having two unused skill points after his recent level up, Liu Ye quickly split them between Intelligence and Dexterity. He put more value into his movements and the ability to dodge attackspared to his damage.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 3] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 0/400]


    [HP: 130/130] [HP Regen: 1]


    [MP: 40/40] [MP Regen: 1]


    [Strength: 1]


    [Intelligence: 4]


    [Vitality: 1]


    [Dexterity: 7]


    [Wisdom: 1]


    [Luck: 1]


    [Physical Power: 10]


    [Elemental Power: 25]


    [Physical Defense: 20]


    [Elemental Defense: 0]


    [Elements: Water - 0%]


    [Arts: Waterbending]


    [Abilities: None]


    His stats looked clean but Liu Ye had yet to pick his first ability. Too bad, just as he took a peek at his Elemental Tree, he spotted sudden movement ahead of him.


    [Arthur the Trader (NPC) - Lvl. 10]


    A lone middle-aged man in tattered robe rushed through the main gate while looking around with a distressed expression. When his eyes locked onto Liu Ye, he brightened with joy and rushed to his side.


    "Young hero! I am so d I met you! Please, I need your help!" Arthur called out in relief as he breathed in gasps. "I got attacked by bandits and they stole all my goods! Please, you need to help me get my revenge and recover my belongings! I will pay you handsomely!"


    Ding!


    Before Liu Ye could reply, a virtual screen with the Quest details appeared in front of him.


    [Arthur''s Revenge]


    [Arthur was robbed and requested your help. Don''t disappoint him!]


    [Difficulty: B]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Kill all the Bandits and recover Arthur''s goods within one hour.]


    [Clear Reward: 1 gold and one treasure from Arthur''s Collection.]


    [Quest Failure: -2 Levels]


    [Would you like to ept the quest?]


    Liu Ye''s eyes widened when he saw the Quest details. Weren''t the rewards a little too lowpared to the punishment for the failure?


    Not only would he have to change his ns when it came to leveling but if by any chance he failed, his goal of being the first to enter the maind would be ruined. The only positive thing was the potential treasure which could turn out to be overpowered.


    There was no way the developers would create a trap quest so soon in the game, right?


    "I will do it."


    Just as he was thinking of epting the quest, he heard ck Rose''s voice behind him and his quest screen disappeared.


    "Oh! Thank you,dy!" Arthur called out excitedly as he approached her instead.


    Liu Ye wasn''t even mad, finding this experience informative. Who knew one could steal the quest from others by convincing the NPC? It meant the NPC was an AI instead of having preprogrammed answers.


    Arthur stopped in front of ck Rose and a new quest screen appeared in front of her. She didn''t even look at it and instead locked her gaze on Liu Ye.


    "I was trying to be nice but you simply ignored me. I am taking this quest as my little revenge," ck Rose exined as she epted it, closing the virtual screen.


    She seemed to expect some sort of response but Liu Ye only shrugged as he continued to run towards the gate.


    "Good luck!"

 Chapter 5 - First Ability

    "Ugh!"


    Liu Ye could hear ck Rose''s grunt from far away but he didn''t turn around to spare her a look. She didn''t deserve his attention after trying to mess with him for no reason.


    When Liu Ye reached the first spawn of monsters in the nearby grasnds, only then did he look back to check if she was following him. Just as he thought, ck Rose was already gone, probably rushing toplete her stolen quest.


    The whole map was his to farm yet he didn''t have much time. The first batch of yers would soon appear so he had to hurry.


    [Wisp - Lvl. 1]


    [HP: 10/10]


    Tens of floating blue-colored balls roamed all around the open grasnd. They left a blue mist behind them like a trail and when he approached, they turned blood red before speeding up towards him.


    It was time to put his Grinding Mage to the test.


    Even though Liu Ye didn''t even pick his ability yet, he showed no fear in his eyes while sprinting right past the Wisps. They chased after him while buzzing angrily but he was much faster than them.


    He opened his Elemental Tree while luring one Wisp after another, but his eyes quickly widened at the screen. It looked like a standard skill tree but the sheer number of locked abilities showed him how advanced the game was.


    The total count was in hundreds!


    The Elemental Tree grew in four main directions with tens of abilities scattered in between them. Liu Ye couldn''t even see their descriptions as his level was too low. He could only inspect the three starter Abilities of each basic Element.


    [Fire st] [Locked]


    [Description: Creates a small st of mes from the hands or feet.]


    [Cost: 1 Elemental Point]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 1, Firebending]


    Liu Ye tapped a random locked Ability and as he guessed, he couldn''t really get much information about either the damage or the usage cost. He wasn''t worried about it though.


    All the information he might require would be avable on the online forums by the time he needs it.


    [Ice Projectile]


    [Description: Creates single-target ice projectile.]


    [Cost: 1 Elemental Point]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 1, Waterbending]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Small Water Whip]


    [Description: Creates a small whip of water with an area of effect damage.]


    [Cost: 1 Elemental Point]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 1, Waterbending]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Water Boxing]


    [Description: Creates a water gauntlet around your fist.]


    [Cost: 1 Elemental Point]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 1, Waterbending]


    "Nice¡­" Liu Ye muttered under his breath, his gaze glued to one of the Abilities. He couldn''t help but smirk when he spotted his favorite words.


    Area of effect damage!


    There was nothing better than AoE damage when it came to grinding, especially when in connection with his foolproof farming strategy.


    [Ding! You unlocked a Small Water Whip.]


    Liu Ye was about to open his new Ability when he suddenly lost focus, his eyesight turning blurry. Out of nowhere, new knowledge appeared in his brain. He could sense the presence of water in the nearby stream, and the structure of the water whip was visualized in his mind.


    [Small Water Whip]


    [Description: Creates a small whip of water with an area of effect damage. The yer can control it to continuouslysh at the opponent from a short distance.]


    [Cost: 1 MP per second]


    [Damage: 5 + 20% Elemental Power]


    The new ability was just as he imagined it to be, but choosing an ability in the middle of a battle wasn''t necessarily smart.


    -2


    -2


    -2


    Three Wisps smashed their bodies against his back while he was distracted, dealing a small chunk of damage with every hit. Liu Ye was surprised he actually felt the hits directly as if someone hit him with an open palm. Thankfully, with his high HP, his momentarypse of judgment wasn''t fatal for his character.


    Liu Ye kept his distance as he equipped his waterskin. The feeling of sensing the water inside of it was mesmerizing. With just his thought, the water poured out, turning into the form of a small whip. When it reached the length of two arms, he suddenly felt difort inside his head, signaling his limits. Having only unlocked his first ability, he could only control a limited amount of water.


    -1 MP


    -1 MP


    "What?" Liu Ye blinked, startled at the sight of the small numbers blinking above his whip. This ability was already draining his Mana before he even dealt any damage!


    He didn''t stall anymore and whipped his arm in a shing motion, causing the water whip to copy his motion.


    -10


    -10


    -10


    It wasn''t a perfect strike as Liu Ye simply mmed the whip on the Wisps but the damage was still dealt.


    [Ding! You killed the Wisp. You received 1 Experience and 5 bronze.]


    [Ding! You killed the Wisp. You received 1 Experience and 5 bronze.]


    [Ding! You killed the Wisp. You received 1 Experience and 5 bronze.]


    Three Wisps closest to him popped like balloons, dying instantly. He didn''t even nce at the rewards as he whipped at the rest, killing all ten with just three swings.


    "Nice," Liu Ye muttered, shifting his gaze to another spawn of Wisps. It seemed like farming in this game would be an enjoyable experience.


    To make the best use of his whip, he needed more monsters. Ten wasn''t enough to whet his appetite.


    10...


    25...


    50¡­


    Liu Ye started luring Wisps from everywhere, almost clearing the whole beginner-friendly area. Just the grasnds outside the gate had almost fifty Level 1 Wisps and he could still see more monsters in the distance. The collection of Wisps had been closely crowding behind him, even bumping together, when Liu Ye realized something was wrong with the setup.


    Howe he wasn''t losing the monsters'' aggressions?


    The Wisps had been led quite a distance from their initial spawn location yet they refused to give up, stubbornly trailing after him. After a while, Liu Ye figured there must be no limit. As long as he stayed close and didn''t run away, he wouldn''t lose their aggro.


    If the game was giving him such freebies, he would be a saint to ignore it.


    75¡­


    100¡­


    After luring more than a hundred, Liu Ye stopped counting.


    [Slime - Lvl. 1]


    [HP: 15/15]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Green Snake - Lvl. 2]


    [HP: 30/30]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Rat - Lvl. 2]


    [HP: 25/25]


    Different kinds of monsters joined the group and all of them moved with simr speed, allowing him to empty the whole Level 1 and Level 2 zones of anything that was moving.


    Liu Ye almost felt bad for the new yers entering the game. It had been about ten minutes since he focused solely on luring the monsters, gathering so many they didn''t even fit in his minimap. Naturally, they also wouldn''t respawn until he killed them all, leaving other yers with nothing to farm.


    "Alright, time to clean-up," Liu Ye announced to the rounded-up monsters, his eager gaze signaling the start of his harvest.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    While Liu Ye was busy swinging his water whip left and right, the first batch of yers began to appear in the Newbie Vige. One could say, they weren''t exactly happy.


    "Damn, what is with this game? First, there was that wolf that killed me on the spot, and now this. Where are all the monsters? Are we supposed to sightsee or eat the grass?"


    A crowd of confused yers spread out in search of the monsters, but aside from the initial ten Wisps right outside the vige gate, they couldn''t find anything.


    "We walked so far yet there is still no sign of any monsters. Did someone clear all the camps already? There is no way the spawn rate would be so lon¡ª"


    Before one of the yers could finish, he heard hissing behind him. A green snake wriggled its way to sneak attack him.


    "Hey! I found¡ª" he cried out to his friends who had roamed far from him, but he was cut short when he realized that the hissing intensified. In a matter of seconds, tens of snakes and rats spawned in his surroundings, instantly attacking him from all directions.


    "Aaaaaa!"


    His friends only heard a scream before his body turned into white pixels and vanished. Together with him, tens of other yers died in a simr way, heralding a phenomenon that wouldn''t be just a one-time urrence.

 Chapter 6 - Elite Monster

    "Well, that was enjoyable."


    Thest living Green Snake got sted away mid-flight by Liu Ye''s whip and shared the same miserable end as the rest of its group.


    Liu Ye nced at the timer and sure enough, ten minutes had passed since he started his killing spree. He would have been done in five if not for the constant pressure from theirbined numbers, forcing him to kite them in a circle. Although it took him a while to kill all the monsters, his farming was still more efficientpared to fighting them one by one.


    He looked in the direction of the Newbie Vige and thankfully, no one saw his strategy. The other yers were probably busy killing the respawned monsters which was exactly what Liu Ye hoped for. Being ahead of others in a crucial moment like the gameunch gave him more freedom to farm as he wished.


    [Ding! You killed the Slime. You received 2 Experience and 5 bronze.]


    [Ding! You killed the Rat. You received 3 Experience and 10 bronze.]


    [Ding! You killed the Green Snake. You received 5 Experience and 15 bronze.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 4!]


    [Ding! Quest Kill 25 Rats Completed!]


    [Ding! Quest Kill 25 Green Snakes Completed!]


    Liu Yepleted two quests just like that, but that wasn''t what he found interesting in his notifications. Even though he had a level advantage over the monsters, he still received t experience for all his kills. Only one theory came to his mind.


    It had to be a Newbie Vige benefit.


    If such a system was present in the maind, it would heavily punish yers who risked their life to fight high-level opponents. The game would thus be ruined so Liu Ye suspected this benefit was only present in the Newbie Vige to help new yers level up faster.


    The question was, could he abuse the system? If Liu Ye wanted to, he could simply stay in the low-level zones and farm weak monsters till he reached Level 10 but it would be too time-consuming. Other yers could steal his monsters as well and he would end up losing his momentum.


    Liu Ye didn''t have a habit of sharing experience.


    "Waterfall Forest..."


    Liu Ye checked the map and read out the name of the location ahead as he proceeded forward. Even though he would be fighting stronger opponents, the overall progress would be faster.


    Waterfall Forest was teeming with life as trees and bushes swayed to the wind. The forest looked fresh and healthy with bountiful greenery, but despite walking for a few minutes, he didn''t spot any monsters in the periphery. The map was clearly gigantic, so Liu Ye wasn''t worried about that and searched further.


    [Coins: 5 gold, 28 silver, 25 bronze]


    Checking his inventory, Liu Ye discovered he used up ten small Mana potions, but the money he earned covered the expenses, proving his farming was profitable.


    [Elements: Water 55%]


    Even his elemental mastery bar progressed by more than half, leading him closer to pick another ability. Would he receive an elemental point once the count reached 100%?


    Woof! Woof!


    Just as Liu Ye wondered, he spotted movement ahead as three new enemies jumped out of the bushes.


    [Mad Dog - Lvl. 3]


    [HP: 50/50]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Elemental Dog (Elite) - Lvl. 5]


    [HP: 150/150]


    [MP: 50/50]


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes as he quickly jumped back, wary of his new opponents. He felt that it wouldn''t be hard to fight against two Mad Dogs, but the addition of the monster with Elite on its name might make the uing fightplicated.


    The word Elemental in the name and the dog''s shiny green eyes prompted Liu Ye to stay alert.


    Woof! Woof!


    The two Mad Dogs barked as theyunched themselves at him.


    -1


    -1


    The Small Water Whip was already floating as Liu Ye observed the Elemental Dog who didn''t move but rather stayed at the back as itspanions attacked. It simply stared at him as if waiting for the right moment to strike.


    Liu Ye kited the two Mad Dogs as he added one more point into Dexterity for additional movement speed. One more damage and 10 Mana wouldn''t give him too much of a boost.


    He struck when the Mad Dogs got close but the earth suddenly began to shake. Before he could jump away, the Elemental Dog stomped on the ground and something smashed against him from behind, sending him flying.


    Thud!


    Liu Yended like a block of wood. Even though he rolled on the ground to offset the force, the two Mad Dogs caught up to him and left a bite on each of his calves.


    -15


    -5


    -5


    [HP: 115/140]


    Liu Ye frowned at the light pain that assaulted his mind. Even though he was wearing leather armor, he still felt the hits on his body.


    Whose idea was it to add realistic pain to the game?


    Two swift kicks sent the Mad Dogs away as Liu Ye rushed towards the main culprit. The ground began to shake as the Elemental Dog stomped again but Liu Ye had already jumped away. This time, he saw the monster''s attack skill.


    It was a stone pir that grew from the ground but only hit empty air.


    Before the monster could react, Liu Ye had already reached his target in the blink of an eye and was swinging a newly created whip.


    A panicked yelp resounded within the Waterfall Forest as the Elemental Dog switched to melee offense. At close distance, it behaved just like the two Mad Dogs. They all tried to bite at him, but Liu Ye was nimble, dodging and kiting them till he bled their HP to zero.


    [Ding! You killed the Mad Dog. You received 15 Experience and 25 bronze.]


    [Ding! You killed the Mad Dog. You received 15 Experience and 25 bronze.]


    [Ding! You killed the Elemental Dog (Elite). You received 100 Experience and 1 silver.]


    "Uuf¡­" Liu Ye let out a sigh as he rubbed his bottom. Although the pain was temporary, Liu Ye already made a mental note to be careful from now on.


    The 25 damage he received wasn''t worth wasting the medium health potion so Liu Ye let his passive regeneration handle that. With his 1 HP Regen, he could get back 1 HP every 20 seconds.


    Liu Ye watched as the bodies of the three monsters disappeared, pondering about his new discovery.


    It wasn''t just the yers or NPCs who were capable of controlling the Elements.


    Swoosh!


    Just as that thought crossed his mind, Liu Ye felt heat on his face and saw mes fly past his nose.


    "Give back what you stole or I will fry you to a toast!"

 Chapter 7 - Stolen Treasure

    Liu Ye immediately created his water whip and prepared to defend himself against the iing enemy but contrary to his thoughts, he wasn''t being targeted.


    [Masked Bandit - Lvl. 7]


    [HP: 200/200]


    [MP: 55/100]


    Three masked bandits ran in his direction while chasing after a familiar figure.


    [ck Rose - Lvl. 4]


    [HP: 35/140]


    [MP: 15/30]


    Looking at ck Rose''s critical condition and her pursuers'' high levels, Liu Ye couldn''t be happier that she stole his quest. Even he would perish if he were to be bombarded with fire missiles this early in the game.


    -10


    +10


    -10


    ck Rose clearly used a medium health potion to recover her HP but her back continued to burn with mes as the bandits fired at her nonstop. She blocked some attacks with shes of wind while dodging the rest, but she still got hit.


    Liu Ye couldn''t even imagine how much pain the burning caused her and he had no ns on testing it.


    He casted his whip away and sprinted in the opposite direction. The bandits would surely switch their target once they killed ck Rose. Liu Ye couldn''t stay too close, or else he would be next.


    Too bad, today wasn''t his lucky day.


    "Grind God! Help me!" ck Rose cried out as she followed after him. "We can defeat them together!"


    Was Liu Ye a bad guy for not even turning around to reply? Hepletely ignored her while randomly changing directions to lose her. She asked for it by messing with him earlier.


    "Huh?"


    Liu Ye was sure he could outrun her but the sounds of footsteps behind him were growing louder. When he was midair after jumping past a wall of bushes, he looked over his shoulder, and to his surprise, ck Rose was right behind him.


    What made it worse, the Masked Bandits were tailing closely behind them.


    "So you chose death?! Die then!" a bandit shouted angrily, prompting Liu Ye to swiftly jump to the side.


    Swoosh!


    Massive waves of heat flew above his head as that bandit spewed mes from his mouth. ck Rose copied Liu Ye''s move by rolling to the other side so the cloud of mespletely missed them both.


    To his relief, the three bandits were focused on ck Rose and were ignoring him as if he didn''t exist to them. Liu Ye expected ck Rose to continue running away after her failed attempt yet she wasn''t moving at all. Instead, she tapped on her inner forearm and pulled out a red crystal from her inventory.


    "Is this what you want?!" ck Rose questioned loudly as she waved the crystal around. "One step closer and I will destroy it!"


    She seemed confident with her ckmail at first, but the three Masked Bandits were not fazed at all and her show of bravado crumbled.


    "You don''t even have the strength required to crack it, not to mention destroy it. Our mes can''t affect it either, so you have no leverage on us," the leading bandit replied while his palm burst with fire. "Anyst words?"


    "Yes!" ck Rose nodded and exchanged nces with Liu Ye. "Catch!"


    She threw the red crystal to him like a baseball, sending it flying right past the bandits'' noses. Liu Ye''s hand moved on instinct, blocking the object from hitting his face but he regretted it right after.


    [Ding! You epted a Unique Quest: Stolen Treasure]


    Liu Ye couldn''t do anything as the crystal appeared in his inventory and the quest forced itself on him, disying the details on a transparent screen.


    [Stolen Treasure]


    [You carry a stolen treasure of the Masked Bandits. Fight back, or run for your life!]


    [Difficulty: A]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Kill all the Masked Bandits or reach the safety of the Vige.]


    [Clear Reward: Unknown]


    [Quest Failure: -2 Levels]


    With just a quick nce, Liu Ye finally understood why the bandits werepletely unharmed while ck Rose was running away frantically. With her Air Element and high dexterity, ck Rose probably thought she could outrun them but she underestimated their strength.


    While he was distracted, ck Rose sat down as if her limbs had lost strength and waved at him with a weak smile.


    "Good luck."


    [ck Rose - Lvl. 3]


    Her level dropped by one but Liu Ye had no time to figure out why.


    "You must be the robber''s partner!" the leading bandit cried out as he punched forward, releasing a st of mes towards him. "Die!"


    Oof!


    Liu Ye dodged in thest second with a roll on the ground. The fire scorched the patch of grass just inches away from his arm, turning them into ashes.


    Those ashes could have been him!


    "Fuck," Liu Ye cursed as he got up and lunged in the direction of the vige.


    No matter how brave and skilled Liu Ye was, he would not risk his life against three Level 7 firebenders. They already disyed three abilities while he only had one. The t experience he would receive upon killing them and the levels he could lose if he failed made only one choice reasonable.


    Run!


    Fire missiles flew past his shoulders as he randomly changed directions and dodged them with his reflexes. Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and gulped both medium health and Mana potions on the run before spawning his faithful water whip. He swung it up and down behind his back like a snake, trying to block all the missilesing his way.


    One attack finally struck him!


    -20


    Liu Ye silently gritted his teeth as mes sshed on his back, igniting his ck armor.


    [Ding! Fire Missile applied burn. You will lose 10 HP every second for the next three seconds.]


    -10


    +10


    Liu Ye recovered as much HP as he lost but his back burned for the whole three seconds before the pain disappeared. As he had a pretty monstrous pain tolerance due to his old line of work, the burn barely affected him. What baffled him was how ck Rose didn''t even flinch when she ran like a human torch.


    "There is no ce you can run!" one of the Masked Bandits cried out. "Surrender and we might spare you!"


    Liu Ye only squinted his eyes as he continued to dodge and run. One wouldn''t find the word ''surrender'' in his dictionary.


    [Quest Item - Stolen Treasure]


    Liu Ye tried to check the red crystal in his inventory but the item was still locked, preventing him from pulling it out. Why did the system give ck Rose a way to pass the quest to someone else while he couldn''t?


    It was a useless question because Liu Ye would never give up easily.


    Swoosh!


    Another fire missile passed by his face, grazing his cheek with heat. Liu Ye had been using the trees to block the attacks but when he reached the end of the forest, he was back in the open grasnd with no terrain advantage.


    While thinking about a new survival strategy, he heard augh ahead.


    yers!


    Three men in brown leather armors were walking towards the Waterfall Forest with smiles on their faces. They still didn''t know one of them would have his day ruined.


    [ming King - Lvl. 2]


    "Haha! See? I told you this game will be awesome! We can even create mes with our fists! If only we didn''t die at the start, it would have been perfect." ming King wasughing while walking backwards when he realized a peculiar change in his buddies'' expressions. "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Watch ou¡ª"


    His friends tried to warn him but Liu Ye came in like a storm.


    Liu Ye crouched and lunged towards the unfortunate yer, mming the back of ming King''s knees with his shoulders. After catching his legs, he flipped him upside down and continued to run towards the Newbie Vige with his new human backpack.


    "Ah!!! What the¡ª!" ming King screamed while struggling to get away but Liu Ye held him tightly.


    The pitiful ming King didn''t realize what was going on even after the first fire missiles struck him.


    "Bastard! Let go of me! I''m going to die!" ming King cursed but Liu Ye ignored his cries. He didn''t have two levels to lose from a failed quest.


    "Drink health potions to survi¡ª" Liu Ye told him, trying to buy himself more time when the legs he was holding disappeared.


    Dead!


    One fire missile and two ticks of burn were enough to kill him. Luckily, Liu Ye had already thought of a new idea after seeing the crowds of yers roaming the grasnds.


    "Everyone! Three Raid Bosses appeared! Let''s kill them all together!"

 Chapter 8 - Masked Bandits

    Even though Liu Ye''s voice didn''t reach everyone, the explosive sounds of the fire missiles were enough to gather the yers'' attention. At this early stage of the game, everyone was eager to fight and explore as they were still learning the ropes of the game.


    "Quick! Help me fight them!" Liu Ye urged as he turned around to face the three bandits. "Let''s bleed them to death!"


    Liu Ye swiftly created another water whip and led the charge, pping the iing attacks one by one. It was much easier to block the projectiles while seeing them but his whip could only handle so much. Steam burst out with each swing, forcing him to renew the whip each time.


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    Out of all the moments, his progress bar filled up for the first time, resetting back to 0%. At the same time, other yers finally joined the fight andunched their own abilities at the bandits.


    "Ha! Let''s fuck them up!"


    "The first to die is a pig!"


    One couldn''t underestimate the power of a crowd. The first wave of attacks struck the targets, causing a stream of red numbers to appear above the Masked Bandits.


    -5


    -5


    -6


    -7


    -5


    [Masked Bandit - Lvl. 7]


    [HP: 172/200]


    [MP:15/100]


    Unfortunately, the Masked Bandits were not mere punching bags. Most attacks against them were either countered or dodged while they continued to push forward.


    "Get lost! You are not our enemy!" the leading bandit cried out as he punched multiple times, sending small fireballs at the nearby yers.


    How could they dodge anything with their slow reflexes? The newbie yers burned to death one by one, crushing the crowd''s overall resolve to fight. None of them was used to seeing people burn alive and die in front of their eyes.


    "Don''t stop attacking! They will run out of Mana soon!" Liu Ye pointed out to raise the morale but the bandits quickly responded by pulling out red and blue vials from their bags.


    The bandits could use potions too!


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but roll his eyes when their bars began to fill back up to full. What were the developers thinking? It was as if they were facing real yers instead of¡ª


    Wait, could it be that the yers were being prepared for the chaos they would meet upon entering the maind? Liu Ye wouldn''t be surprised if the whole map outside of the safe cities was a warzone.


    Too bad, Liu Ye had no time to ponder as the three bandits wereing for his head. It was time to stop pretending he was a team yer.


    Run!


    The entrance of the Newbie Vige was already within sight. As long as he crossed the gates, he would lose the bandits'' aggression andplete the quest.


    It wasn''t a hard task with hundreds of yers upying the grasnds, but the idental deaths he caused were concerning. He wouldn''t be hated and targeted by everyer, right?


    "Aaaaaaaaa!!! What are you doing?! I''m burnin¡ª"


    Dead.


    "What are Level 7 bandits doing here¡ª"


    Dead.


    People didn''t even know what struck them before they died. The Masked Bandits gave no fucks when they butchered the pitiful yers that stood on their path.


    "Hey! No-name! What the heck was that?! You killed me!"


    Just as Liu Ye thought he was safe, the yer called ming King came through the gates and blocked his way. He looked pissed off as he threatened with his finger and red like a stern parent.


    He was literally asking for it.


    Without missing a step, Liu Ye grabbed ming King''s arm and yanked the man to swap ces with him.


    "Thanks, man. I will repay youter," Liu Ye acknowledged with a nod. It baffled ming King for a moment but then Liu Ye pushed him backwards, knocking him straight into the three bandits.


    ming King didn''t even have time to curse as his body got bombed with mes the next second. His ''selfless'' sacrifice bought precious time so Liu Ye couldn''t be more thankful.


    [Ding! Quest Stolen Treasure Completed! You received 500 Experience and a Fire Stone.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 5!]


    [Ding! New Unique Quest avable: Arthur''s Treasure.]


    "Hey! Stop right there!"


    Just as Liu Ye crossed the gate, he received multiple notifications and the Vige Guards stepped in. Two green-robed guards stomped on the ground and ripped away head-sized rocks to act as their weapons. When the Masked Bandits saw these NPCs, they quickly backed away, losing interest in their chase.


    Liu Ye naturally followed after them, in hope they would be attacked by other yers, but he overestimated the other yers'' wills. Everyone had already run away as far as they could, trying to avoid the confrontation. He couldn''t me them. Tens of yers were literally and vividly obliterated from existence in front of their eyes.


    It would take a while before they could harden their hearts to face such brutality.


    [Fire Stone] [Locked]


    [Description: A crystal containing pure Fire Element. One can use it to awaken Firebending Art or strengthen their Elemental Mastery. Sess chance might change depending on the yer''s affinity with Fire Element.]


    [Sess Chance: 1%]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 10, Quest: Avatar - Act II]


    "Whoa," Liu Ye muttered in amazement as he inspected the Fire Stone. To think he would receive such a rare item so early in the game.


    The sess chance was the only thing that concerned him. What did the affinity to Fire Element mean? Was there a chance some people had a better sess rate than others?


    Liu Ye quickly pulled out his profile, trying to find a statistic that would disy his affinity to Elements but he couldn''t find anything. He could only sigh and let go of the new item for now since he couldn''t use it yet anyway.


    What piqued Liu Ye''s interest was the chain quest that kept changing depending on what he did.


    [Arthur''s Treasure]


    [You recovered Arthur''s Treasure from the bandits and he would be grateful if you returned it. Since the quest wasn''t issued by him though, you can also keep it for yourself. There is no way Arthur will know if you do, right? In case yer doesn''t decide in time, the system will automatically keep the Fire Stone.]


    [Time left: 00:09:35]


    [Return item.] [Keep item.]


    Liu Ye could see no consequences for either option, forcing him to decide blindly. Thankfully, it wasn''t a tough decision for him.


    [Ding! Quest Arthur''s Treasurepleted. You kept the Fire Stone for yourself.]


    [Ding! Affinity with Arthur the Trader has fallen by 100. You have now be mortal enemies.]


    Liu Ye already expected such a turn of events but what he didn''t expect was a sudden angry shouting from behind.


    "You dirty thief! You stole my treasure! Give it back!"

 Chapter 9 - Luring Threat

    Liu Ye turned around and saw a man in tattered robes running straight towards him. He couldn''t help but roll his eyes at the hrious system. It just said that Arthur would not know about his choice yet he came running right after.


    [Arthur the Trader (Hostile NPC) - Lvl. ???]


    Arthur''s name had changed color to red while his level became unknown. He now seemed no different from the Masked Bandits Liu Ye just faced.


    "I know you have it! Give it back!" Arthur cried out as he came to a sudden halt and threatened with his finger. Liu Ye had to admit it was the least intimidating pose he had ever seen.


    "Or else?" Liu Ye asked, unfazed by the hostile NPC. He knew he was safe as long as he was within the borders of the Newbie Vige.


    "Or else¡­" Arthur paused. "Or else you will regret it! With one snap of my finger, I can make your life miserable."


    He seemed proud with his answer but Liu Ye only shrugged. "Okay, do it then."


    "Huh?" Arthur raised his bushy eyebrows. "Do what?"


    "You said you will make my life miserable. What are you waiting for? Do it."


    The AI behind Arthur didn''t seem to expect such an answer as hegged, not knowing what to do. Although Liu Ye didn''t have much time to waste, it was a good experiment to witness how the NPCs worked in this game. He could also verify this from the game forumter.


    "Come on, do it. Make me regret. Snap your finger," Liu Ye urged, causing Arthur to burst out with anger.


    "Don''t y with me! Give me back the Fire Stone!" Arthur shouted loudly, alerting the nearby guards. He tried to grab onto Liu Ye''s armor but that was exactly what he waited for.


    Aaah!!!


    Liu Ye screamed in pain as heunched himself back in a dramatic fashion before copsing on the street with a thud. He didn''t like to use others to solve his matters but Liu Ye was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of the test.


    "Help! He is trying to rob me!" Liu Ye cried in distress, causing the two Earthbending NPCs to react.


    "Hey! What is going on there?!" one of the Newbie Vige guards called out with a robust shout as he punched down. The ground shook as the earth transformed and wrapped around Arthur''s legs, immobilizing him.


    His partner swiftly crouched next to Liu Ye and helped him stand up. "Are you alright?"


    "It hurts but I should be fine, thank you." Liu Ye held the cheek where he had been ''punched''. His eyes were throwing daggers at the immobilized trader. "Though, it doesn''t change the fact that this thief hit me. It''s good you are nearby, else he would have robbed me."


    Arthur was stunned, looking at Liu Ye in disbelief.


    "I didn''t hit him! He is lying!" Arthur defended in panic, but Liu Ye would not give him a chance to exin.


    "Are you trying to say I punched myself? Couldn''t you think of a better excuse?" Liu Ye asked speechlessly. He turned to the guard nearest to him. "Sir, didn''t you hear him yourself when he shouted? He saw I have a Fire Stone and greed consumed him."


    To prove his point, Liu Ye pulled out his Fire Stone, causing the eyes of both guards to widen.


    "Fire Stone!" they eximed in shock before unleashing their anger on Arthur. "So shameless! How dare you rob people in broad daylight?!"


    They pped him across the face without holding back and locked his hands with stone handcuffs.


    "Sir, we will take him to jail where he will serve his sentence," one of the Newbie Vige guards announced while pulling Arthur out of the earth lock. Arthur couldn''t be in a bigger shock.


    "That Fire Stone is mine! He stole it from me! I swear! I''m not a thief!" Arthur cried out in distress. The guards nced at Liu Ye for his response.


    "I took this away from the bandits in the Waterfall Forest. That was the reason they had been chasing me like mad until you two heroic gentlemen appeared and saved me," Liu Ye exined casually to the guards, before eyeing Arthur with suspicion. "Are you trying to say you are part of the bandits?"


    "No! The bandits stole it from me too! My caravan¡ª"


    "You are changing your story once again," Liu Ye cut him off. "First, I stole it, then it was the bandits. What''s next? Are you going to say the guards stole from you too? Only idiots will believe you at this point."


    Liu Ye''s words were enough to convince the guards.


    "Move!" one of the Newbie Vige guards ordered while kicking Arthur''s butt, pushing him ahead.


    No matter what excuses Arthur gave, the guards ignored everything, dragging him away. After all, wouldn''t they have to admit they are idiots if they took his side?


    "Nice," Liu Yemented in satisfaction. With just this short interaction, he proved the existence of an AI controlling the NPCs. yers could easily trick them if they were skilled with words. That knowledge could one day save him from a tough situation so Liu Ye didn''t mind the lost time.


    Since Liu Ye was already safe inside the Newbie Vige, he checked the golden question marks on the map and ran to im the quest rewards. If he were to stay by the gate, he had this bad feeling that he might reunite again with ming King, stalling him even more.


    Liu Ye also didn''t forget about the new ability he had still yet to pick after receiving an Elemental Point. Having levelled up to Level 5, new options had unlocked for him, aside from the Ice Projectile and the Water Boxing.


    [Small Ice Wall]


    [Description: Creates a small ice wall to block enemy attacks.]


    [Cost: 1 Elemental Point]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 5, Waterbending]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Water Maniption]


    [Description: Ability to manipterger amounts of water from an increased distance.]


    [Cost: 1 Elemental Point]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 5, Waterbending]


    Both of them seemed interesting, especially thetter. Water Maniption seemed to be the requirement for almost all high-leveled abilities so it was definitely a high priority choice.


    Liu Ye could also add another point into his Small Water Whip which would allow him to control multiple water whips at once. He was tempted, but at the moment, all he had was a closebat ability andcked in the ranged aspect.


    [Ding! You unlocked Ice Projectile.]


    Simr to the first time, his eyesight turned blurry as knowledge recorded itself within his mind.


    [Ice Projectile]


    [Description: Creates a single-target ice projectile. The yer canunch it from a mid to long-distance, depending on the yer''s position. The Ice Projectiles can stack.]


    [Cost: 2 MP]


    [Damage: 10 + 20% Elemental Power]


    The damage was naturally higher since it was a single-target ability but what surprised Liu Ye was the ability to stack them. How many could he control at the same time?


    [Ding! You received 50 Experience and 5 silver.]


    [Ding! You received 100 Experience and 10 silver.]


    Seeing the bonus rewards from the quests, it was definitely worth it to collect them all. Only two hours had passed in the game so far yet Liu Ye was already halfway to his first goal.


    Naturally, it would only get much harder from this point forward.


    Liu Ye spent his spare Skill Point on Intelligence and rushed back towards the gates, ready for another dose of battles.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 5] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 300/1500]


    [HP: 150/150] [HP Regen: 1]


    [MP: 50/50] [MP Regen: 1]


    [Strength: 1]


    [Intelligence: 5]


    [Vitality: 1]


    [Dexterity: 8]


    [Wisdom: 1]


    [Luck: 1]


    [Physical Power: 10]


    [Elemental Power: 30]


    [Physical Defense: 20]


    [Elemental Defense: 0]


    [Elements: Water 0%]


    [Arts: Waterbending]


    [Abilities: Small Water Whip, Ice Projectile]


    "Sir, please wait!"


    Just as Liu Ye was checking his stats, one of the guards from before came rushing to him, his face full of smiles.


    "Sir, we interrogated that thief and it turns out he is indeed working with the bandits all along! He''s in charge of luring the people from our vige to a trap set up by his partners," the guard reported. "In exchange for lowering his sentence, he agreed to expose the location of the bandits'' hidden base."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but think the chain quest would always find a way back to him.


    "So you want my help to get rid of these bandits?" Liu Ye questioned.


    "Yes!" The guard''s eyes brightened. "When our Lord heard about your challenge to the bandits, he requested you lend us your assistance."


    Ding!


    Before Liu Ye could reply, a virtual screen with the Quest details appeared in front of him.


    [Luring Threat]


    [Lord of Newbie Vige requests you eradicate the whole Bandit Camp.]


    [Difficulty: S]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Kill all the Bandits in the Waterfall Forest.]


    [Clear Reward: 10 gold, 10 Fame, Lord''s Gift.]


    [Would you like to ept the quest?]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Wee home, Miss."


    While Liu Ye was already grinding inside the game, Xu Yue had only just arrived at home. As the main heir of the Red Dragon Triad, she naturally had many responsibilities and matters to take care of.


    An old butler greeted her after he opened the car door for her. Stepping out of the car, she immediately questioned him with a bit of excitement in her voice. "Did it arrive already? They said it will arrive once the game isunched."


    "Yes, Miss. The package is waiting in your office," the butler replied, causing Xu Yue''s eyes to brighten.


    "Alright, thank you." Xu Yue acknowledged him with a nod as she climbed the stairs to her vi. "Tell my father I will talk to him tomorrow. I am already tired and wish to rest."


    Xu Yue was alreadyte for theunch, so she couldn''t stall anymore. When she reached her office, she scanned the room and found a small ck box on her desk.


    Her excitement was off the charts. She quickly approached it after putting her purse aside and opened the box.


    Insidey a light blue crystal, small enough to fit in her palm.


    "So beautiful¡­" Xu Yue muttered, admiring its shine and rity without touching it. If she hadn''t been warned of its power, she would definitely try to pick it up.


    Xu Yue knew the world would soon change beyond recognition, but before that happens, she would be ready.


    "Liu Ye¡­ I can''t wait to tell you everything¡­"

 Chapter 10 - Developers Headache

    Liu Ye was already so deep within the chain quest that he couldn''t simply reject it. What more, eradicating the bandits hiding inside the Waterfall Forest didn''t have any time restrictions which would let himplete the quest whenever he wanted.


    Naturally, he couldn''t jump straight into the battle without any prior preparation. He could not afford a repeat of the Masked Bandits incident, where he had no countery against the enemies and was forced to rely on luck and his quick wits to survive.


    It all came down to farming once again.


    -2


    -2


    -2


    Liu Ye stood on top of a boulder and tried out his newly-acquired skill, creating tens of Ice Projectiles which floated around him. After the ice shards reached twenty in total, he finally reached his limits.


    "Come on, don''t move¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he looked in the distance, aiming his projectiles at the leading monster.


    [Adult Wolf - Lvl. 5]


    [HP: 150/150]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Alpha Wolf - Lvl. 7]


    [HP: 250/250]


    [MP: 70/70]


    Three hours had passed since Avatar Online wasunched, and many yers had already entered the Waterfall Forest to roam, forcing Liu Ye to switch to stronger monsters found deeper within the map. Thankfully, not far from the Mad Dogs'' spawn zone, he found a pack of five Adult Wolves roaming together with an Alpha Wolf leading them. Perfect target to test his new strategy.


    Swoosh!


    Twenty Ice Projectiles flew in a beautiful arc towards the unexpecting wolves. The attacks from elevated position could reach much further than from the ground.


    -16


    -16


    -16


    [Ding! You killed the Alpha Wolf. You received 200 Experience and 2 silver.]


    All shards mmed at the leading wolf at the same time, killing it before it could react. Just as he thought, the wolves didn''t notice his attacks since he was outside their aggression zone.


    Awoo!


    The remaining four wolves howled at their leader''s death and quickly searched for the culprit to get their revenge. Too bad, Liu Ye was sitting on top of a boulder outside their range, causing them to miss their target and return to their spawn position.


    Swoosh!


    -16


    -16


    -16


    [Ding! You killed the Adult Wolf. You received 50 Experience and 50 bronze.]


    One by one, Liu Ye killed all four adult wolves without risking his life. Even though Liu Ye had to use two small Mana potions, he still got his money back and the Experience was decent as well.


    Unfortunately, he spotted only one boulder in the area which was high enough to protect him against wolf attacks. Even though he only had ess to one wolf spawn in the vicinity, his time was well spent.


    Liu Ye waited patiently to check the respawn time and to his surprise, the wolves reappeared after only five minutes.


    400 Experience every five minutes? Count me in!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Miss Katherine! I think we have a problem!"


    Katherine was on her feet for thest three hours. Only after things settled down did she finally find a chance to rest her mind on her couch. Unfortunately, just as she closed her eyes, the door of her office burst open and one of the developers called out to her in rm.


    "What is it?" Katherine asked as she rubbed her temples, trying to ease her headache. "I assume it''s something that requires my authorization?"


    She had used much of her brain power during the initial Elemental Affinity testing and then supervised the wholeunch without any rest after. She was used to hard work, but even she needed some time to breathe.


    "Yes, Miss. The overallunch is an all round sess with no majorplication in any servers yet a particr Newbie Vige has been giving us one problem after another," the developer reported. "You wanted us to monitor that one yer, Grind God, and Miss, you were right. Whenever there is a problem, that man is always involved."


    Katherine''s eyes lit up with new life as she got up and followed the man out of her office. "What did he do this time?"


    Katherine had a good feeling about him already, and being right only made her even more interested in him.


    "First, it was the trap quest which we ced to trick the first yers to leave the vige but someone managed to steal it from him," the developer exined. "Normally, the first chain quest wasn''t supposed to bepleted until a few people failed it but something unexpected happened. The yer ck Rose managed to sneak into the bandit camp without being noticed and stole the Fire Stone."


    "How does it connect to Grind God?" Katherine questioned.


    "Well, ck Rose ended up getting caught when she was escaping and three Masked Bandits chased after her. We were sure she would fail but just before ck Rose got caught, she ended up passing the quest onto another yer¡ª"


    "Grind God," Katherine finished for him, her lips curving. She was sometimes surprised how urate her instinct was.


    "Yes. It shouldn''t have been possible but since ck Rose had a choice to abandon her quest, the quest transferred owners when she threw the Fire Stone to him," the developer borated. "All unique quests are managed by the AI and it adapts to the situation. yers can change the course of the chain quest depending on what path they take."


    "Alright, get to the point." Katherine stopped him right there as her headache was getting worse the more information she consumed. "What did he do?"


    Upon entering the main developing hall, the loud chatter immediately silenced as everyone got back to work. It was well known in the headquarters that the pretty Game Design Director hated noise.


    "There are two matters that require Miss Katherine''s attention," the developer began as he led her to the main screen. After clicking a few buttons, the scene of Liu Ye confronting Arthur was disyed for her.


    When the hostile trader reached out to Liu Ye''s body, the video paused. "Here. Based on the script, Arthur was supposed to steal the Fire Stone with a simple touch but Grind God outyed the AI."


    The video resumed ying, showing the guards taking Arthur away.


    "Elemental Stones are not supposed to be rewarded from quests until yers enter the maind. All we wanted is to let the yers know about its existence. That''s not all." The developer skipped the video forward. "Because of the change in the quest, he received apletely new quest created by our AI. Right now, we have no control over where this chain quest will go."


    "I see. Did anyone else in the game do this?" Katherine asked calmly, not really concerned.


    "No. Not yet," the developer shook his head. "There are many ongoing quests though so we are trackin¡ª"


    "Don''t do anything," Katherine cut him off. "Let the AI learn from its mistake. It doesn''t really matter as long as yers continue ying the game and master the elements."


    "Yes, Miss Katherine," the developer nodded firmly, treating her words as gold.


    "Next time don''t call me unless it''s something serious," Katherine ordered as she rubbed her forehead, fatigue overwhelming her. "Anyway, If that''s all, I will return¡ª"


    She couldn''t finish her sentence as sudden beeping disturbed her.


    The developer next to Katherine looked at his pager and quickly sat down next to hisputer.


    "Someone is leveling up like crazy!" the man cried out as he pulled up the notification on the main screen. To everyone''s surprise, Liu Ye''s familiar outfit showed up again.


    "It''s him again! How is he already Level 6?!"


    The developers widened their eyes while Katherine only let out a soft smile. Talented and smart yers were exactly what she wanted to see.


    They rewinded thest few minutes and Liu Ye''s new farming strategy got exposed.


    "He already killed three camps while standing on this rock and the fourth one is respawning soon," the developer reported. "If he continues at this pace, he can reach Level 10 in just six hours. Isn''t that too soon? Shall we increase the respawn time?"


    "How about we make the boulders slippery so he falls down?" another developer proposed.


    Katherine rolled her eyes as she simply pressed one button on the keyboard, closing the video for them.


    "Stop treating this game like a typical game," Katherine scolded. "That''s not even a bug but a yer using his wits to gain an advantage. This is exactly what we want to see. Let the yers explore and enjoy the game as if it was real life. Unless someone is trying to break the game, stay put."


    Her words caused silence in the room but she stopped paying them attention and walking towards the exit.


    "Don''t bother me anymore today. I''m going to rest."


    Katherine returned back to her office, and after checking if anyone was around, she locked the door behind her while pulling down the blinds. Her gaze immediately fell onto her headgear console thatid on her desk.


    "Grind God, huh..."

 Chapter 11 - Red Zone

    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 6!]


    "Sweet." Liu Ye nodded in approval as he read through his notifications. In less than twenty minutes, he cleared three camps of wolves, allowing his level to advance once again.


    For efficiency''s sake, Liu Ye created a small water whip while waiting for the wolves to respawn. Even though there were no opponents in the vicinity, he still swung it around to train and increase his Elemental Mastery.


    [Elements: Water 90%]


    Although he had to use up an additional 20 small Mana potions, his Water Element was already reaching another breaking point. He still felt like each new point was much harder to achieve, requiring him to spend more and more Mana.


    Would he spend all day on the boulder to farm the wolves? Of course not. He could already hear explosions from the distance, meaning other yers were getting closer. Liu Ye could only move forward and finish his quest in the nearby area.


    Liu Ye added another point to Dexterity and checked the system map. A big blue circle disyed the location of the Bandit Camp and he was almost at its border. Once he finished upgrading his water whip skill, he could finally challenge the quest.


    Too bad, fate wasn''t on his side.


    "Hey man, what are you doing on that boulder?"


    A group of three yers called out from the distance, catching Liu Ye off guard. He thought he still had time to kill one more camp but ended up burning himself.


    Thud!


    Liu Ye jumped down without hesitation and rolled on the ground to break the fall. In a sh, he was gone, running to the depths of the forest. Once he disappeared from their view though, Liu Ye came back in a circle and observed them from the shadows.


    One could tell they were close in real life based on their nicknames.


    [Younger Brother - Lvl. 4]


    [Middle Brother - Lvl. 4]


    [Older Brother - Lvl. 4]


    "Well, that was rude," Younger Brothermented. "I was just trying to be nice."


    "Don''t mind him. We are not here to make friends," Older Brother reminded. "We can only count on ourselves."


    Liu Ye nodded in approval. One couldn''t trust anyone in these types of games else they would be quickly backstabbed.


    "How did he even climb that boulder?" Middle Brother wondered. He jumped, trying to repeat Liu Ye''s feat, but he failed, sliding back down. "I didn''t even know one could climb in this game."


    Awoo!


    Just as they were chatting, five wolves spawned in a distance, putting them all on alert.


    "Oh, I get it now. This is a spawn point. He was using the boulder to hit these wolves with ranged attacks." As he exined, Older Brother created an Ice Projectile on top of his palm. "Maybe we can one-shot them if we climb the boulder too?"


    His brothers immediately got excited while Liu Ye raised his eyebrows in doubt. If that man could really repeat his strategy, Liu Ye would be impressed. Contrary to the theory, it wasn''t easy to aim the Ice Projectiles. One had to manually aim and the further the enemy, the easier one could miss.


    Liu Ye didn''t think twice and already prepared his own set of Ice Projectiles just in case. If this yer couldn''t kill the Alpha Wolf on the first try, Liu Ye would snipe it for him instead.


    The two younger brothers lifted their eldest onto their shoulders, and with their help, Older Brother managed to climb on top of the boulder. They boosted each other till all three of them climbed it.


    "Ready?" Older Brother asked as twenty Ice Projectiles hovered in front of him. The other two yers were Air and Fire benders so only he could initiate the fight.


    "Aye!"


    Older Brother prepared to aim and punched, sending the shards ahead. Just as Liu Ye thought, the ice attacks spread out mid-flight, and only half hit the target.


    "Oof, that''s harder than I initially thought," Older Brothermented, while the wolves rushed to attack them. "Don''t worry, we are safe her¡ª"


    He didn''t even finish his sentence when an unknown set of ice shards swooshed through like the wind.


    -16


    -16


    -16


    [Ding! You killed the Alpha Wolf. You received 100 Experience and 1 silver.]


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    The Alpha Wolf died instantly, but the rest of the Adult Wolves continued to attack the trio of brothers. They were the first to strike so they kept the aggression of the monsters.


    Even though Liu Ye only got half of the rewards, it was still good for a kill steal. Most importantly, he maxed his Elemental Mastery once again.


    "Thanks!" Liu Ye acknowledged the treat before dashing away. He didn''t have any intention to help them more if he had to share the experience with anyone else.


    It would be even better if they were slowed down and he had more time to clear the Bandit Camp. Seeing the zone was getting closer on the map, Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and upgraded his whip.


    [Ding! You upgraded Small Water Whip. You are now capable of controlling three Small Water Whips.]


    He felt as if something in his mind unlocked, giving him more freedom to control his Element. How awesome would it be to possess such powers in real life?


    [Ding! Danger Zone ahead: Bandit Camp]


    Liu Ye cast his random thoughts aside when he received the alert. The system map turned red as he finally reached his destination. He was about to proceed further when a virtual screen appeared in front of him.


    [Bandit Camp - Warning]


    [yer entered the Red Zone. If the yer doesn''t meet the requirements, please return to the Neutral Zone.]


    [Rmended: Level 7-8, HP: 100, Three Abilities]


    [Zone Buff: All Abilities scale with +20% Elemental Power.]


    [Death Penalty: -1 Level, 10 silver]


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows at the death penalty but it was within reason. The Newbie Vige stage meant to introduce every factor from the maind to the new yers, and Red Zones were one of them.


    Since he didn''t n on dying anyway, he walked right past the warning.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Just as he was leaving, another person appeared from the shadows, stopping right before the Red Zone.


    If Liu Ye were to turn around, he would have spotted Katherine looking ahead from under her sky-blue cloak. She was staring at a certain forest path, deep in thought. It was the very path Liu Ye just left through.


    Her eyes were dreamy and contemtive when another person appeared right next to her. Only his smile could be seen from under his red leather cloak.


    "To think my sweet Katherine will be interested in a yer this fast. Did you already find your favorite?" the man asked yfully, bringing Katherine back to reality.


    "First off, I''m not yours," she replied coldly before turning her back to him. "Second, that is not your business."


    "Okay, okay, I am only teasing you," the red-cloaked man apologized as he walked in front of her, trying to take a peek at her face. "I have been watching him too but if my Katherine wants him, I can take a step back."


    "Thanks, I will take him then," Katherine replied casually and passed him without another word.


    "Just remember not to help him too much. We don''t want to create an unfair advantage," the man reminded, causing Katherine to pause.


    "I will say this onest time. I will help whoever I want and you have no say in my matters. You seem to forget we are here to find the next Avatar, not to create a fair game," the golden-haired beauty called out sternly.


    "Yeah, I know. Isn''t that why I''m already observing capable yers?" the red-cloaked man asked with a shrug. "Anyway, I came to ask if you are free on Friday next week. I will be arriving in the headquarters and want to train¡ª"


    "Good luck," Katherine cut him off and disappeared without much care.


    The red-cloaked man''s smile only widened, not bothered by her cold attitude.


    "Run, run¡­ I wonder how long you can run..."

 Chapter 12 - First Drop

    At first nce on the map, any yer would think the Bandit Camp covered a big chunk of the Red Zone but it turned out it was just its name. Liu Ye didn''t spot any signs of the main camp before he found the first bandit patrolling the forest.


    [Masked Bandit - Lvl. 7]


    [HP: 200/200]


    [MP: 100/100]


    This Masked Bandit had the same base stats as those he encountered earlier, but the system had added a bit of difficulty to this quest.


    [Ding! You spotted an enemy in the Red Zone. Be careful, when Masked Bandits see you, they will call for help from the nearby Patrols.]


    Liu Ye felt like he was still in the tutorial as he read the notification but it was understandable. All the yers were beginners, exploring the game at this point in time. Prompts and hints would appear to guide the yers because if they were to die all the time, the game wouldn''t be enjoyable.


    Thanks to the information, Liu Ye had figured out how ck Rose stole the Fire Stone from the bandits despite therge difference between their levels. She couldn''t defeat the bandits, so she must have sneaked her way in while avoiding patrols.


    Liu Ye, on the other hand, didn''t n on dodging anyone.


    Swoosh!


    Twenty Ice Projectiles wereunched from the shadows as Liu Ye dashed towards the bandit, his near-empty Mana refilling rapidly after drinking a medium Mana potion. Liu Ye didn''t take any chances of losing this battle.


    He expected to at least strike the bandit before he got alerted of his presence, but a sudden wall of dirt rose from the ground. All the Ice Projectiles pierced into the wall like darts at the board, unable to prate it.


    Earthbender!


    "Enemy! I need assistance!" the Masked Bandit cried out as he targeted Liu Ye from behind the wall and immediately sent a head-sized rock his way.


    Liu Ye sidestepped the attack easily, only to be hit by a part of the earth wall that wasunched almost simultaneously.


    Bam!


    -50


    A big chunk of his HP evaporated as the boulder smashed into his side, sting him away. His three water whips did literally nothing to stop it, too small to impact the weight of the rock.


    Damn!


    Liu Ye rubbed his arm that was throbbing in pain. He felt as if he just ran into the wall with full force, but thankfully the pain onlysted for a moment.


    Earthbenders were not to be underestimated!


    The bandit somehow predicted his movement and cut his escape with another attack.


    Each mistake was a valuable lesson so Liu Ye couldn''t be more excited. It was better to learn how different benders fought early in the game; it would be an advantage when the timees he had to fight other yers.


    "You came to the wrong area!" the Masked Bandit yelled and didn''t wait for Liu Ye to recover,unching another offense. He ran forward and stomped on the ground, lifting a cube of earth beforeunching it at Liu Ye with a punch.


    Liu Ye barely finished gulping down a Health potion when he was forced to bend backward to dodge the attack.


    Huh?


    A sudden idea struck him as the rock flew right above his nose. Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to implement it.


    He tapped the entrance of his waterskin and a single Ice Projectile formed on his palm. Liu Ye threw it as he rose back up, causing the bandit to defend with another wall. Liu Ye''s eyes brightened at the sight.


    Did he figure out the bandit''s attack pattern?


    Sure enough, the bandit peeked from behind the wall and catapulted another rock with the precision of a surgeon.


    How could Liu Ye fall for the same trick twice?


    He sidestepped the attack once again before sliding on his knees, treating the battlefield like a smooth dance floor. The wind flicked his hair coolly as the big chunk of wall passed above his face but Liu Ye was still sliding, closing the distance between them.


    The surprised face of the bandit was met with three water whips constantly smacking him.


    -19


    -19


    -19


    The 20% Elemental Power thanks to the Zone Buff provided him with additional damage, making it 40% in total, on top of his base damage. The Masked Bandit''s health was simply melting down with rapid speed.


    The bandit spawned another wall between them to protect himself but Liu Ye swiftly walked right past it, continuing tosh with no mercy. With just three abilities at his disposal, the Masked Bandit had no countery the moment Liu Ye closed their distance.


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    The experience Liu Ye received was the same as the one he got from the Alpha Wolf while 2 silver increased to a whopping 5 silver. Killing the bandits seemed like the riskiest, but at the same time, the fastest method to earn money.


    In addition, a small linen bag appeared when the bandit''s body disintegrated. Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and picked it up before running away to hide in the nearby bushes.


    Just as he thought, nearly twenty secondster, two other bandits appeared on the site. They explored the nearby area while inspecting the remaining earth walls but after finding nothing from the changed terrain, they went back to their own positions.


    The quest clearly stated he had to kill all bandits in the Waterfall Forest so Liu Ye will have to find those two as well. What surprised him though was the additional drop he received.


    [Mazamut''s Ring] [Locked]


    [Description: A beautifully crafted Elemental Ring with an Earth Essence Crystal. The engraving on the inside of the ring says it was created by Mazamut, the famous Royal Smith in the Earth Land''s Capital. It''s surprising such an exquisite ring was found in the hands of the bandit. Maybe it was stolen by him? Be careful while wearing the ring. You might be used of being a thief.]


    [Effects: The wearer deals +50% Damage with all Earth Abilities.]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 25, Earthbending, 5 Wisdom, 10 Intelligence]


    "Whoa..."


    When Liu Ye nced over the ring''s effects, even his mouth opened in shock. It wasn''t like the Zone Buff which only increased the Ability scaling. This ring amplified the total damage output, including the base Ability damage. He had two slots for the rings so Liu Ye could technically double his damage if he had two of those rings. It was basically every gamer''s wet dream.


    Naturally, there was a catch. Knowing how sneaky the system was in this game, he would immediately lose affinity with the Earth Land Royal Family as well as the smith. Liu Ye wouldn''t be surprised if he was also hunted down as a criminal.


    Either way, he didn''t need to worry about it till he hit Level 25. Liu Ye put the matter aside as he focused on his current task.


    He wouldn''t stop the grind till all the bandits were gone.


    "Enemy! I need assistance!"


    The next Masked Bandit turned out to be a Firebender. This time, Liu Ye was already familiar with the abilities and ran straight at him without fear in his eyes. One enemy bombarding him with ming bullets wasn''t enough to even hurt him as he easily blocked or dodged the bandit''s abilities.


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    Once Liu Ye got into closebat, there was simply nothing the bandit could do. He was just too quick for him. The advantage given to him by 9 points in Dexterity couldn''t be easily described in words.


    After waiting for half a minute, another bandit came to the rescue. Since the enemy was alone, Liu Ye killed him with ease as well, adding another Firebender to his collection. Each kill equaled one small Mana potion but he still had 61 in his inventory, more than enough to clear the whole bandit camp.


    Just as he wondered why he couldn''t find any structures or buildings, he finally spotted a wooden fence in the distance. It was basically a wall made out of neatly sharpened tree trunks that were as tall as a house, but that wasn''t what gathered Liu Ye''s attention.


    The wall had watchtowers every twenty meters, with one bandit inside overlooking the area.


    How was he supposed to climb inside in broad daylight?


    Liu Ye scouted the area and soon spotted the camp''s entrance, but even though the gates were open, four bandits could be seen standing guard outside.


    "..." Liu Ye gazed at the spiked walls in silence.


    It wasn''t a small bandit camp. It was a damn fortress.

 Chapter 13 - Vice-leader Marco

    Liu Ye couldn''t break into the heavily-guarded Bandit Camp through the main entrance, nor could he climb the wall. That didn''t stress him out though. If ck Rose could find a way in, he could do so as well.


    After roaming around the Bandit Camp and clearing another seven Masked Bandits, Liu Ye finally found a possible entry point. It was a small river that flowed out of the camp through a passage in the wooden wall.


    Since he was only one kill away from Level 7, Liu Ye searched the periphery of the camp for one more target but he couldn''t find any. Only ten scouts patrolled the Red Zone, and he had killed them all. Unless he left the Red Zone, his only option was to sneak inside the Bandit Camp.


    How hard could one Bandit Camp be?


    As a response to his thoughts, Liu Ye received a warning that added another penalty and raised his requirements.


    [Bandit Camp - Warning]


    [yer entered the Bandit Camp. Bandits are notorious thieves so be careful. All your treasures could be gone before you know it.]


    [Rmended: Level 9-10, HP: 200, Five Abilities]


    [Death Penalty: All your items will drop upon death.]


    ''I definitely didn''t expect that to happen,'' Liu Ye thought sarcastically, already used to the game messing with him.


    Without hesitation, Liu Ye jumped into the small river and found it deeper than expected. He didn''t have any intention of stopping and continued to swim underwater against the current.


    He pulled himself forward using rocks from the bottom of the river to avoid the eyes of the bandits. Although his vision was distorted, he could see numerous wooden houses with straw roofs as soon as he passed the wooden wall.


    The infiltration was proceeding smoothly but it turned out to be just an illusion.


    -1


    -1


    -1


    His health suddenly began to decrease after only thirty seconds underwater. In real life, he could dive for at least a minute, yet the game capped his skills.


    Just as Liu Ye thought he could reach the center of the camp in time, he found the water current growing stronger and the damage he received suddenly multiplied, taking away 5 HP every second.


    He resurfaced for only a moment to grab a quick breath of air when the whole sneaky operation copsed.


    "Intruder!" The Masked Bandit on the wall spotted him.


    "Fuck," Liu Ye cursed as he jumped out from the water with three Water Whips following him. No matter what the situation was, Liu Ye would never give up without a fight.


    From what he learned during his undercover missions, once your identity got exposed, the first seconds were the most important. One had to quickly calm down and assess the situation.


    His immediate decision of leaving the waters turned out to be life-saving.


    Swoosh!


    Multiple Fireballs exploded on the surface of the river while Ice Spears pierced straight to the bottom. If Liu Ye had tried to escape through the river, he would look like swiss cheese with multiple holes in his body.


    "Intruder in the camp! Catch him!" the bandits cried out again.


    The obvious response was to get as far as possible from the walls where more than ten bandits could bombard him with fierce attacks due to their vantage point.


    "He is running towards Building Number Two and Three!"


    Before Liu Ye even entered the building area, his path was blocked by another bandit. This enemy didn''t wear the familiar cloak and mask, but rather, leather armor with a matching ck metal helmet.


    [Berserker - Lvl. 9]


    [HP: 500/500]


    [MP: 150/150]


    Seeing the new enemy''s stats and level, Liu Ye finally understood the earlier system rmendation.


    "Die!" the Berserker yelled as he took a deep breath and spat a sea of mes, covering the whole pathway with fire. Liu Ye had never backed away so fast in his life.


    His water whips hovered over his back to protect himself from burns yet he was still struck.


    -30


    [Ding! Fire Stream applied burn. You will lose 10 HP every second for the next three seconds.]


    The familiar burning straightened his back from pain but Liu Ye didn''t have time to rest. The Masked Bandits on the walls weed him back with another wave of attacks.


    How was someone supposed to survive such an onught?


    Bang!


    -20


    -20


    [HP: 60/160]


    Fireballs exploded right above Liu Ye''s head. His only way of dodging was copsing on the ground, but the mes sshed against the wall of the house beside him and the residual mes still damaged him.


    He already lost two-thirds of his health when the real battle was yet to even start!


    -10


    The burning applied again, lowering his health even more. Liu Ye produced another water whip while standing up but it was blown away by multiple fire jabs from the three Firebenders on the walls. He couldn''t even find time to pull out a health potion as two more spears pierced through the air, forcing him to evade with a leap to the side.


    One more hit and Liu Ye would die.


    That thought struck his mind like a hammer. He couldn''t die so easily after having such a perfect run.


    "Stop!" Liu Ye cried out while pulling out a red crystal from his inventory. "One more move and I will crush your Fire Stone!"


    That was the only idea that came to his mind, and luckily, it indeed bought him more time. The Masked Bandits on the wall froze in ce, stopping themselves from throwing their Ice Spears.


    "Fire Stone!" the Berserker repeated in shock as greed shed in his eyes. "Give it to me!"


    "Don''t push me! Stand back or I will destroy it!" Liu Ye warned sternly, causing the Berserker to pause like the rest.


    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and finally pulled out his medium potions to replenish both his MP and HP. His health had already plummeted to 30 HP so that was a close call.


    "There is nowhere you can escape. Surrender the Fire Stone and we might let you live," the Berserker proposed as he looked around with a smile. "You are surrounded."


    Liu Ye followed his gaze and it couldn''t be closer to the truth. Not only were the walls filled with Masked Bandits, but the ground around him was also fully upied. When he counted all of the enemies, his face turned grim.


    25 Masked Bandits, 3 Berserkers, and 1 new visitor that just joined the encirclement.


    [Vice-leader Marco - Lvl. 9]


    [HP: 650/650]


    [MP: 200/200]


    A named NPC!


    "What is going on?" Vice-leader Macro asked sternly, only to brighten at the sight of the Fire Stone in Liu Ye''s hand. "My, my, what do we have here? Did someone decide to return what they stole from us?"


    The middle-aged man walked in front of his men and brushed his greasy brown hair as he gave Liu Ye a look over. Liu Ye definitely didn''t expect to meet a blue name inside the Bandit Camp.


    "Everyone, calm down. It is best we recover the Fire Stone in one piece or else our leader will kill us all," Vice-leader Marco announced before questioning Liu Ye, "Young man, did youe here on your own or did someone send you?"


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes. As long as Vice-leader Marco was blue-named, he was untouchable. It also meant that he wasn''t hostile to him.


    "Vice-leader, does it matter? Let''s just kill him and take the Fire Stone away," the Berserker argued.


    "Will you be the one responsible if something goes wrong? We can''t risk losing the Fire Stone," Vice-Leader Marco scolded.


    Even if the Vice-leader Marco wasn''t an enemy, Liu Ye didn''t like to depend on others. He looked around while the two bandits were arguing, searching for an escape route. All three sides were filled with Masked Bandits, only leaving his back open.


    Huh?


    Liu Ye nced behind him and saw the wooden house was still burning. He could even see the furniture inside through a burned hole which gave him a sudden idea.


    Bang!


    A powerful kick caused the wall to partially copse and Liu Ye dove inside therger hole without hesitation.


    [Ding! Fire applied burn. You will lose 10 HP every second for the next three seconds.]


    He rolled on the bed with his back burning and spread the mes further.


    "Quick! Catch him! Remember to use Fire only so nothing will happen to the Fire Stone!" Vice-leader Marco cried out from outside, creating a vision inside Liu Ye''s mind.


    Chaos and mes everywhere.

 Chapter 14 - Dead-end

    Was the Vice-leader Marco really on the Bandit''s side?


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but wonder about the man''s purpose in his quest. No one was this stupid to ignore the fire that would soon spread everywhere, burning the whole Bandit Camp. The named NPC was actually helping him with his actions.


    Receiving outside help to finish the mission actually made sense. Even if Liu Ye was Level 10 and mastered 5 abilities like suggested, he would still struggle to kill 25 Masked Bandits at the same time. Not to mention the 3 Berserkers which basically made this an impossible mission.


    Bang!


    Liu Ye kicked open the entrance door as soon as he reached them and stormed out into an open area. Just as he thought, the structure of the Bandit Camp was quite straightforward. The gathering area with a firece was situated near the shore of the small waterfallke while buildings were built all around it.


    "Find him!" Berserker cried out close to the left as the sounds of steps intensified.


    Liu Ye was forced to give up on his thoughts of finding safety within theke. With the iing onught from the bandits, he wouldn''t be able to reach it.


    Up!


    Liu Ye climbed on the wooden frames of the house, reaching the straw roof just in time before multiple Masked Bandits came out from within the mes. The whole roof was tightly packed, allowing him to hold his ground but he couldn''t hide there for too long.


    "He is on the roof!" The Masked Bandits cried out when they spotted him and sent multiple Fire Jabs his way. Liu Ye only hugged the roof to dodge them and calcted the distance for his jump.


    It was just a two-meter gap between two houses so it was nothing to worry about.


    "Burn him down!" Berserker ordered, bringing a smile on Liu Ye''s face. That was exactly what he wanted.


    Swoosh!


    The existing mes exploded upwards as all Firebenders fueled the fire. The mes grew so tall Liu Ye couldn''t even see his surroundings anymore yet he was calm. They didn''t realize they would soon be trapped in the ring of fire they created on their own.


    Liu Ye gulped down both Medium Potions just to be sure and jumped right through the burning hell.


    [Ding! Fire applied burn. You will lose 10 HP every second for the next three seconds.]


    Thending was soft but his whole body awakened from pain. He could punch a hole in the wall of fire with his water whips but that wouldn''t let him perform his n. Liu Ye didn''t wait for the mes to extinguish and leaped to another roof as a human torch.


    ''Good luck trying to extinguish it,'' Liu Ye thought as he rolled on the straw roof to spread the fire. When the roof sessfully lit up, he jumped on another house and waved at the Masked Bandits.


    "Haha! I''m here idiots! Do you call that Firebending? You can''t even hit me properly!" Liu Ye taunted withughter, pissing the whole squad off. They momentarily rushed after him, not realizing three of their houses were already burning.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Multiple Fireballs mmed at Liu Ye''s previous spot but he was already gone, climbing onto another row of houses. Not all houses were close enough to jump but that wasn''t an issue.


    "Is that all you have got? Do you want me to close my eyes to give you¡ª"


    Swoosh!


    Liu Ye paused his provocation to dodge Berserker''s fireball only tough as he bent over and smacked his butt. "Haha, you need to aim a bit lower!"


    "Damn it!" Berserker cursed, clearly fuming as heunched ahead of others. "You are dead meat!"


    Although Liu Ye was usually calm and collected, he had to throw his shame away. The more silly and stupid taunting, the more effective it was.


    "Sir! The houses are burni¡ª" The Masked Bandits finally realized the damage they caused but Berserker ignored them. Liu Ye''s eyes couldn''t help but brighten at the sudden split up.


    "Stop running away and fight me!" Berserker shouted angrily as he kept casting abilities but Liu Ye had a different n.


    The other Masked Bandits stopped chasing and instead rushed towards the river to help the Waterbenders extinguish the mes. It left only one Berserker to deal with and it just happened this particr individual wasn''t very smart.


    Thud!


    Liu Ye finally found the right spot and jumped down, turning around to wee his opponent.


    "Hahaha, you dropped into a dead-end! You can''t escape anymore!" Berserkerughed out loud as his palms burned with mes. "Anyst words?"


    [Berserker - Lvl. 9]


    [HP: 500/500]


    [MP: 30/150]


    Liu Ye smiled when he saw Berserker''s Mana.


    "You know, there is a saying within themunity," Liu Ye spoke calmly while preparing his three whips. "No matter how high your HP is, you will always be useless without Mana."


    Liu Yeunched forward and pped the iing fireball with his whip. Berserker followed up with panicked fire jabs onto ran out of gas. His face immediately paled as he reached out to his jacket for a Mana Potion but Liu Ye already closed the distance between them.


    Pa!


    Water whip pped the potion from his hand and it smashed against the wall, spilling the liquid all over the ground. Instead of attacking right away, Liu Ye pulled on Berserker''s arm and switched their ces.


    "This is indeed a dead-end, but not for me!" Liu Ye called out as he began a merciless ughter.


    -15


    -15


    -15


    Water whips smacked Berserker from all sides and he could do nothing other than crying for help while blocking the attacks with his arms. His armor provided him with extra protection, blocking 4 more damage but that couldn''t stop him from the iing death.


    [Ding! You killed the Berserker. You received 500 Experience and 50 silver.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 7!]


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    All notifications updated on his feed as Berserker copsed on the ground. It was unfortunate he didn''t drop anything but looking at his Luck value, Liu Ye wasn''t surprised that his drop rate was so low.


    Liu Ye nced down at Berserker''s dead body and didn''t even feel anything. It was scary how used he was to such scenes but in the dark world, such views were his everyday life. Liu Ye didn''t want to think about the change it will bring to real life. The yer''s personalities are bound to change.


    "Oh my, that''s brutal."


    Liu Ye immediately turned around at the sudden voice and saw Vice-leader Marco blocking the exit. Three whips aimed at him when he smiled and raised his arms in surrender.


    "Calm down, I''m on your side," Vice-leader Marco assured. "Tell me, were you sent here by the Vige Leader?"

 Chapter 15 - Queen Of Chess

    "Huh? Are you a spy?" Liu Ye questioned without dropping his guard.


    Liu Ye couldn''t think of a different exnation. Vice-leader Marco''s name was still blue, so he couldn''t be hostile to him.


    "Shhh, don''t say it too loud," Vice-leader Marco shushed as he walked closer. "I''m indeed a spy working for the Vige Lord. I have been infiltrating this bandit group for months."


    Vice-leader Marco gave Liu Ye a look over and asked again, "Tell me, are you the man that Vige Lord sent to assist me?"


    There was no reason for Vice-leader Marco to fake being a spy to get his trust so Liu Ye nodded, pointing at Berserker''s body. "This scene should be enough to answer your question."


    "Alright," Vice-leader Marco approved as he rxed. "That''s what I initially thought, but I was hesitant to believe it. The Leader of the Bandit Camp is absent so I requested assistance to finally clear the camp. I asked for the strongest warrior yet you came."


    Vice-leader Marco nced at Berserker and nodded again. "I thought you were a total newbie but I am d I was proven wrong. Your strategies seem to make up for yourck of abilities."


    "Where did the Leader of the Bandit Camp go?" Liu Ye questioned curiously. If he had to kill all Bandits, wouldn''t that mean he had to find the Leader too?


    "He left the camp to search for Elemental Stones in the nearby mountains. He took a lot of bandits with him which is why I wanted to strike today," Vice-leader Marco exined. "Once we are done with the camp, we need to go to the mountains and face him as well."


    "Well, I''m not the best but I''m all you will get," Liu Ye replied with a shrug. "I don''t care if you join me or not. I was nning to kill all the bandits on my own anyway."


    Vice-leader Marco''s eyes lit up. "Good, I like your confidence. Now I don''t need to worry anymore. Let''s get rid of those bandits from ournd once and for all."


    [Ding! Quest Luring Threat was updated!]


    Liu Ye received a notification and finally canceled his water whips. He gulped down a Small Mana Potion to recover his Mana and checked his Quest tab.


    [Luring Threat]


    [Form an alliance with Vice-leader Marco and defeat the Leader of Masked Bandits together with all his subordinates. Leave no man alive.]


    [Difficulty: S+]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Eradicate every member of the bandit group.]


    [Clear Reward: 100 gold, 100 Fame, Lord''s Gift.]


    [Quest Failure: -4 Levels, Quest canceled.]


    [Time left: 15:12:54]


    Liu Ye''s eyes couldn''t help but widen at the obvious change. How strong was this Leader for him to suddenly receive ten times the original reward?


    The high reward was bnced with a hefty penalty for failing and a time limit. Liu Ye wasn''t worried about thetter since it was also the time for the servers closing but he would appreciate a chance to reject the chain quest at any moment.


    He would still ept it in the end but the AI controlling the quests was ying too much.


    "Follow me. I know every corner of this camp," Vice-leader Marco ordered while suddenly leading the way. "We should be able to split them up and kill them in small groups."


    "What?" Liu Ye shook his head in surprise and leaped forward to stop him. "Wait, you can''t be serious."


    "Huh? Is there something wrong?" Vice-leader Marco asked in confusion.


    "That''s a horrible n. There is no need to fight them all together when we can finish them one by one," Liu Ye exined. "What''s your Element?"


    "I was a Leader of the Vige Guards so my Element is naturally Earth. I was the one teaching all my subordinates," Vice-leader Marco replied proudly, giving Liu Ye an idea.


    "Give me a second," Liu Ye muttered as he pulled out his profile window and quickly added one point to his Intelligence. He was tempted to increase his Luck for the chance of better drops but he opted for more damage and Mana instead.


    [Ding! You unlocked Water Maniption.]


    Opening the Elemental Tree, he chose how to spend his Elemental Point without hesitation, unlocking the most important ability. His mind immediately exploded with new knowledge, giving him the worst headache so far.


    [Water Maniption]


    [Description: Ability to manipterger amounts of water from an increased distance. The yer can manipte water into any shape and form but it won''t deal damage unless a specific Ability was unlocked.]


    [Cost: 1 MP per second]


    All long-ranged abilities had Water Maniption as a requirement so it was a must-have Ability. Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and tested it. He created a Water Whip and sent it out of its usual range.


    -2


    -2


    -2


    The Mana cost doubled thanks to Water Maniption but he was able to cast his whip ten meters away from him. He yed with it for a moment, reforming his whip into different shapes before calling out to Vice-leader Marco.


    "I have a better n. Do you know how to create earth handcuffs?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Vice-leader! What happened?!"


    When the Vice-leader Marco returned back with Berserker''s body on his back, the whole Bandit Camp was enraged. They all gathered around him with solemn expressions, and Vice-leader Marco wasn''t happy either.


    Thud!


    Berserker''s body mmed on the ground as the Vice-leader cried out, "Look at what you did! This is all your fault! Why did everyone disregard my orders?!"


    The Masked Bandits were in shock for being med but Vice-leader Marco was there to enlighten them.


    "I told all of you to apprehend the enemy and recover the Fire Stone! How many of you listened to me?! None of you!" Vice-leader Marco cried out sternly. "All of you stopped chasing after the intruder because your houses burned? Who the fuck cares! Are your homes worth more than a Fire Stone?! Houses can be rebuilt but Fire Stone is priceless! This is ridiculous!"


    "Vice-leader, but why is he dead?!" One of the other two Berserkers cried out confused. "He shouldn''t have died even if he fought alone."


    "Why do you think I asked all of you to kill him?" Vice-leader Marco asked back. "It''s because I could see how strong the intruder was. This dead body is proof that you should never underestimate an enemy! I was the only one who followed after them and when I reached them, he was already falling to the ground while the intruder had already escaped."


    The Masked Bandits shivered and looked away with guilt in their eyes.


    "Anyway." Vice-leader Marco raised his hand to stop any further discussions. "When the leaderes back, he will want to know what exactly happened. I need to understand what went wrong so I will take all of you for interrogation. All of you wille to my house one by one."


    Vice-leader Marco gazed at one of the Berserkers and pointed at him, "You wille with me first."


    He didn''t wait for a reply before walking away towards his house, forcing Berserker to follow him.


    "Vice-Leader, I''m an Airbender. You said to use Fire to not damage the Fire Stone," Berserkerined on the way but Vice-leader Marco only turned around to him with earth handcuffs on his hands.


    "What is this for?" Berserker asked angrily. "I didn''t do anything wrong."


    "If you didn''t do anything wrong then you should have nothing to worry about, right?" Vice-leader Marco countered.


    "Fine, I''m innocent," Berserker finally agreed as he slid his hands into stone gloves. They immediately tightened and locked his hands together before he was led inside the house.


    "Huh? Why is there so much water on the floor?" Berserker pointed out when he entered but it was already toote.


    Swoosh!


    The moment the door closed, the water rose up from the floor and flew towards Berserker''s face. He tried to dodge unconsciously but Vice-leader Marco held him in ce.


    -0


    The water hit in on the face, dealing 0 damage but that wasn''t its purpose. Instead of attacking again, it wrapped around his head to create a small bubble of water. Berserker tried to scream but only air came out as the water bubble muffled all sounds.


    Three Water Whips raised from the ground right after and began to smack Berserker in the chest till his HP dropped to zero.


    [Ding! You killed the Berserker. You received 500 Experience and 50 silver.]


    "That was good acting," Liu Ye praised as he came out from another room. "Hide the body in the closet and bring another one."


    "Alright!" Vice-leader Marco nodded excitedly, listening to Liu Ye''s orders as if he was no longer in charge.


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but be impressed with the AI in this game. He did exactly as Liu Ye told him and everything went smoothly. The only regret he had was the low number of Berserkers in the Camp but he couldn''tin. It was still basically free gold and experience for him.


    Just as Vice-leader Marco left to bring another Berserker in, Liu Ye''s arms suddenly buzzed as he received a notification.


    [yer Queen of Chess sent you a friend request. Would you like to ept?]

 Chapter 16 - Dungeon

    Liu Ye paused as he stared nkly at Xu Yue''s friend request. He used his old nickname, so he wasn''t hard to find but that wasn''t what distracted him. He suddenly remembered the real purpose he was ying.


    Work.


    The reason he entered this game was to pay off his sister''s hospital debt by working for Xu Yue. Heunched Avatar Online in a chaotic manner, mainly out of curiosity and to satisfy his old, gamer soul, but he didn''t even talk with her about the details of their agreement.


    How long would he have to work for?


    How much would Xu Yue pay him?


    What was the structure of his work?


    Was there an option for an earlier release if he collected the money earlier?


    Liu Ye couldn''t deny that he was actually enjoying himself ying the game but with so many questions, his future was still uncertain. He didn''t have a habit of letting people y with him.


    After he epted the friend request, another notification popped up.


    [yer Queen of Chess invited you to a Holo Call. Would you like to join?]


    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and rejected her. How could he ept it now when he was in the middle of an important mission? Too bad, it was Xu Yue he was up against.


    [yer Queen of Chess invited you to a Holo Call. Would you like to join?]


    Reject.


    [yer Queen of Chess invited you to a Holo Call. Would you like to join?]


    Reject.


    [yer Queen of Chess invited you to a Holo Call. Would you like to join?]


    ept.


    Seeing how she spammed him, Liu Ye knew she wouldn''t stop until he epted the call. Immediately as he pressed the button, a 3D model of Xu Yue''s body visualized in front of him. He wasn''t surprised that she was also wearing ck leather with a Bandana, a sign she defeated the Adult Wolf.


    "Hey baby~ How are you?" Xu Yue called out sweetly, causing Liu Ye to be already done before the conversation even started.


    He reached out to close the call, but she stopped him while waving her hands, "Wait, wait, don''t cancel it! I have something important to say!"


    "What is it? I am busy," Liu Ye replied as he peeked at the entrance door, waiting for Vice-leader Marco to arrive. He was still yet to hear any voices so he returned to Xu Yue.


    She already took off her Bandana and just like Liu Ye, she didn''t change her features too much. Of course, their reasoning was different. He didn''t change because he waste while she was too proud not to use her own appearance.


    "Baby, you are not romantic at all," Xu Yuemented. "Just say you are good and then tell me how beautiful I look."


    Liu Ye shrugged. "If you want a yes boy then ask any of those CEOs out. I''m sure they are willing to praise you all day long."


    Being Xu Yue''s bodyguard in the past, Liu Ye met a fair share of influential men trying to woo the beautiful heir of the Red Dragon Triad. Naturally, she would always ignore them as her eyes were all on him. How mad would they be if they found out the woman of their fantasies fell for her bodyguard?


    Xu Yue only pursed her lips at his remark and conveniently changed the subject, "What are you up to? I just took a break after reaching Level 4. I joinedte but I should reach Level 10 before the servers close."


    "Shhh, don''t talk for a second," Liu Ye silenced her, hearing footsteps by the door. Xu Yue was unruly but she could recognize the right time to tease and when to stay quiet.


    [yer Queen of Chess requested a live view. Would you like to grant ess?]


    Liu Ye only nced at the notification and epted when Vice-leader Marco came through the door. Their strategy didn''t change. The Berserker got silenced with a water bubble around his face before Liu Ye came out and started pping him with water whips.


    [Ding! You killed the Berserker. You received 500 Experience and 50 silver.]


    Thest Berserker fell down on the floor, leaving only 25 left.


    "Oof, I thought he would be harder to kill since he was a Waterbender but it seems I overestimated him. I guess he can''t do anything if his hands are tied," Vice-leadermented as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I suggest we wait a moment. The rest will get suspicious if we interrogate so fast."


    "No problem. Let''s take a five-minute pause then," Liu Ye decided as he returned to another room where Xu Yue''s live-sized model was waiting for him.


    "Whoa, what was that?" Xu Yue questioned in surprise. "I didn''t think Water Element was so strong. Also, who is that man? I thought my Liu Ye doesn''t like ying in a team."


    "He is an NPC that assists me in a quest. I don''t share my experience with him," Liu Ye replied casually as he gulped down another small Mana Potion. "Did you see everything?"


    "Yeah, I did. Liveview lets me see anything you see while Holo Call just disys your Characters," Xu Yue exined as she walked up to him. "It has a limited range so you disappeared at my side when you left the room."


    Her hologram hand passed through his face as she tried to touch him and sighed deeply, "I already miss caressing your face¡­ I can''t wait till we meet again."


    She leaned over to pretend she kissed him but Liu Ye dodged her. "That''s a no from me. If you touch me in-game, I will report you for harassment."


    Xu Yue pursed her lips. "How about in real life? Will you call the Police on me?"


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but roll his eyes, knowing calling the Police on Xu Yue was useless. The Red Dragon Triad influence wasn''t something to underestimate. Even the Government decided to work closely with them so what can the local Police do? They wouldn''t even dare to talk about her, not to mention arresting her.


    "What do you want? You said you have something important to say," Liu Ye asked unamused. If he didn''t put a tight leash on their conversation, she would keep moving away from the topic.


    "That''s right, I have some insider information about the final boss of Newbie Vige that gives you ess to the maind. I can see you are already Level 7 so you will need it soon," Xu Yue revealed, finally getting to the point.


    She sessfully got his attention. "What is it?"


    "Based on the main questline, once you reach Level 10, you will receive a key to the dungeon. From what I heard, they are a big deal. Aside from quests and the normal monsters in the wilderness, the dungeons will be the main source of experience and resources," Xu Yue reported with a smile. "They are basically locked areas you enter with a time limit and a Boss you have to defeat to clear the dungeon. There is a catch though."


    Xu Yue paused, smirking at Liu Ye as if enjoying his interested gaze. He didn''t have time so he hurried her. "What is the catch?"


    She looked around to check if anyone was near her and exined, "The catch is the Dungeon Key. It creates a portal that will take you and your team to the dungeon area but you can only use it once. If you fail, you need to find someone else who has the Dungeon Key orplete a long quest to get another one. You only get one free Dungeon Key so make sure you don''t fail."


    She gave him a hologram pat on the head and suggested, "I know you like ying solo but maybe you can find some good yers to team up with you. The Boss of the Newbie Vige Dungeon is a Bandit Leader which has tens of Masked Bandits with him. I doubt you will be able to trap them like you do now."


    Liu Ye''s eyes couldn''t help to widen when he heard her. Wasn''t that exactly who he had to defeat in his own quest?


    "Are you sure?" Liu Ye questioned seriously, finding it crucial to his ns. "Where did you get this information?"


    There was no word in his quest details about any dungeons or a Dungeon Key so it would only mean he had to defeat the Bandit Leader in a traditional way. Liu Ye couldn''t guess yet if it was a good or a bad thing.


    "Do you really doubt me?" Xu Yue asked back as she squinted her eyes. "Of course I''m sure. I wouldn''t lie to you."


    "I was just making sure since it''s important to me," Liu Ye assured as he tried to decipher her expression. One didn''t need to think much to know she was hiding something from him.


    He already epted her decision to treat the game as a business but now he was hesitating. If she knew all those details that were not avable to the public, it could only mean it wasn''t just another business idea.


    "I want to know full details of our agreement and what is going on with this game by tomorrow," Liu Ye announced firmly as he opened the call''s settings. "If I don''t get it, don''t expect me to talk to you."


    [Holo Call canceled.]


    He will get the truth even if he had to force it out of her.

 Chapter 17 - First PK

    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 8!]


    After Liu Ye reached another Level, the steps to climb seemed higher and higher. They killed the rest of the Masked Bandits yet he didn''t even fill half of the experience bar. He could already imagine the insane grinding needed to climb in the higher levels.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 8] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 2500/5500]


    [HP: 180/180] [HP Regen: 1]


    [MP: 70/70] [MP Regen: 1]


    [Strength: 1]


    [Intelligence: 7]


    [Vitality: 1]


    [Dexterity: 9]


    [Wisdom: 1]


    [Luck: 1]


    [Physical Power: 10]


    [Elemental Power: 40]


    [Physical Defense: 20]


    [Elemental Defense: 0]


    [Elements: Water 92%]


    [Arts: Waterbending]


    [Abilities: Small Water Whips, Ice Projectile, Water Maniption]


    Level 6 needed 2,300 experience, Level 7 needed 3,700 and now he needed 5,500. He wouldn''t be surprised if he needed a whole 10,000 experience to reach Level 10.


    "Great job! Now that the camp is cleared, all we need to do is find the Bandit Leader and finish the rest of them. We will finally eradicate this gue from ournd," Vice-leader Marco called out excitedly when thest Masked Bandit fell. "Are you ready to depart?"


    Liu Ye didn''t reply right away and checked his inventory instead. He only had 27 Small Mana Potions and 6 each of medium size. Even though he received another 10 Mana after adding a point to Intelligence, that wasn''t enough for him. If he required one potion to kill each small bandit, Liu Ye definitely needed to stock for the Bandit Leader.


    "I''m low on Mana Potions so I will return to the vige to buy more. How about you wait for me?" Liu Ye questioned casually but Vice-leader Marco shook his head.


    "It''s not a good idea since the Mountains are in this area. How about you return to the Vige and I will wait for you by the gate?" Vice-leader Marco proposed. "I still need to finish here so you should return first."


    Liu Ye already expected that answer.


    He was sure the yers already reached the Red Zone. Once he left, the Masked Bandits would definitely respawn so other yers could also farm experience. In his case, the Quest already registered his kills as it showed 30% progress.


    "Alright, see yo¡ª" Liu Ye paused in the middle of his goodbyes, suddenly hearing voices outside.


    "Hello? Is anyone here?"


    Just as he was thinking about other yers, his thoughts came true. It has already been almost 10 hours since the game started so it wasn''t much of a surprise.


    Liu Ye looked outside of the window to check the situation and saw three yers walking cautiously inside the Bandit Camp. When he spotted a familiar figure, Liu Ye couldn''t help but purpse his lips.


    That man was really unlucky to meet Liu Ye again.


    [ming King - Lvl. 6]


    "Man, someone already cleared the whole camp before us. Damn it, now we have to wait till they respawn," ming King cursed as he sat down on a small boulder next to theke.


    "But I don''t see any corpses lying around," his buddy pointed out as he looked at the ce.


    "It''s because they disappear once you kill them," ming King replied like a big brother of the group. "Let''s hope no other yerse over to steal our experience. If they do, let''s pretend we are friendly only to kill them right after. The Red Zone should allow yer Killing and maybe we can even get their loot."


    ming King''spanions immediately got excited as they chuckled at each other, but there was one more person who got interested in their idea.


    ''I guess it''s best if they are humbled sooner thanter,'' Liu Ye thought as he approached Vice-leader Marco again.


    "Can you wait 10 minutes for me? I think I found a way to get my potions faster. We might just go to the mountains right away."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Damn, why does it take so long? It has been 5 minutes and we can''t see any bandits," ming King cursed annoyed. "How can the respawn rate take so much time? The Masked Bandits outside probably respawned already."


    "Should we check? I doubt anyone can get past us if we just stay outside the entrance and lure the Masked Bandits to us," his buddy proposed to which all of them nodded.


    "Let''s go," ming Kingmanded but he only made a few steps before one of his buddies screamed.


    He turned rapidly only to see him getting pulled into theke. "Aaaaaaaa! Help me!" The man swung his arms in fear as he struggled to swim back to the shore. "It''s pulling my le¡ª"


    He wasn''t able to finish as his words got reced by bubbles as got pulled underwater.


    "What the fuck?!" ming King cursed as he stepped back confused when his buddy resurfaced again while gasping for breath.


    "Help!! I''m drowning!"


    He was only able to call for help once before he was pulled underwater again.


    "Quick! Get in the water and help him!" ming King called out urgently. "Aren''t you working as a lifeguard in real life?!"


    The two guys finally realized what was going on and their instincts kicked in. They jumped into theke but just as their feet stepped inside, two water arms wrapped around their ankles and pulled them into deeper ends as well.


    The ming King was only watched in horror as air bubbles hit the surface. After a minute, there were no more bubbles left and theke calmed again.


    He quickly nced at his profile while staying away from theke and saw his friends'' HP at 0. He was already familiar with this process as he himself died twice before.


    They respawned a few secondster with their Levels dropped to Level 5.


    <<What the hell happened?>>


    ming King questioned in their group chat only to see a scary message sent by one of his buddies.


    <<Run! It was a PK!>>


    His eyes widened at the thought of a yer killing them and when he looked up at theke, he jumped back in fear, almost tripping over his legs.


    A man he already knew was standing at the shore while staring at him.


    "Why are you here?!" ming King called out in panic as he stepped back but The man in ck Bandana walked forward, closing the distance between them.


    It was the same man that already caused him to get killed twice. He didn''t speak a word and insteadunched himself forward as three whips hovered in the space around him.


    "Fuck!" ming King cursed and ran away towards the exit but his back was quickly smacked three times, knocking him to the ground.


    -21


    -21


    -21


    [HP: 17/80]


    In just a second he was down to 17 HP, already on the verge of dying again.


    "What did I do to you?!" ming King asked in desperation as he looked at the man for thest time but he only shrugged.


    "Wrong ce, wrong time," the man replied as Water Whip smacked him onest time, dealing a death blow.


    [Ding! You were killed by yer Grind God. Your inventory dropped and you suffered from Red Zone Death Penalty.]


    [Time to respawn: 5 seconds]

 Chapter 18 - Ice Queen

    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    Although Liu Ye didn''t receive any experience or gold for killing a yer, he was still training his Elemental Mastery. ming King and his buddies came in clutch with their arrival and helped him cover thest 8% left.


    Liu Ye didn''t busy himself with stats just yet though and instead got them moving. "Alright, I am ready. We can depart."


    Vice-leader Marco brightened at his words and dropped everything he was doing. "Perfect! Follow me! I will lead us to the Waterfall Mountains. It will take us an hour to get there so we better hurry. The Bandit Leader will return back to the camp before sunset."


    Liu Ye secretly hoped that Vice-leader Marco would whip out a Dungeon Key that would take them directly to the designated location but he was asking for too much. Thankfully, they immediately started running and they kept a good pace without stopping.


    [Time Left: 13:57:26]


    They would still have around 13 hours left after they reach the Dungeon so Liu Ye wasn''t that worried. At the very least, he got some time to check his loot.


    [Ding! You opened a yer Bag.]


    [Ding! You opened a yer Bag.]


    [Ding! You opened a yer Bag.]


    Liu Ye opened all three bags he picked up from killing the yers and almost tripped when he saw all the goods in his inventory.


    [Medium Health Potion x21]


    [Medium Mana Potion x21]


    [Small Health Potion x60]


    [Small Mana Potion x174]


    [Waterskin]


    [Fire Stone]


    [Wolf King Ne]


    [Mazamut''s Ring]


    [Mazamut''s Ring]


    [Blessed Cookie x5]


    He already expected to get arge amount of Mana Potions but that wasn''t what shocked him. It was the three new items that he didn''t expect to see.


    [Wolf King Ne] [Locked]


    [Description: A single wolf fang on a string carved entirely out of a Fire Stone! Beautiful piece. The markings on its base signal it was made by Arron, one of the best sculptors in the Fire Land. It''s strange a bandit possesses one of his creations when he never sold a single piece. Could it be stolen? Be careful while wearing the ne. You might be used of being a thief.]


    [Effects: The wearer gains 50% more Elemental Mastery with each Fire Ability used.]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 25, Firebending, 5 Wisdom, 10 Intelligence]


    The first item Liu Ye saw looked strangely familiar to the one he found earlier, but that wasn''t all. The second item was literally a replica of his Mazamut''s Ring but instead of granting +50% damage from Earth Abilities, it was Fire Element instead.


    Just this alone raised a red g in his mind.


    The third item was the most useful to him as it wasn''t locked and could be used right away.


    [Blessed Cookie x5]


    [Description: A single-use cookie with unique properties.]


    [Effects: Increases your Max Mana by 100 for the duration of 1 hour.]


    "I think I get it¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he checked his inventory again. Each of these items came from a different yer and he also found one item.


    It could only mean the game buffed the chances of finding the first item, probably in hopes of enticing the yer to y more. Who wouldn''t y at least till Level 25 if they had an overpowered item at hand?


    It also made the game interesting, giving yers an opportunity to find unique quests.


    "Young man, we don''t have all day!" Vice-leader Marco called out in a hurry, forcing Liu Ye to increase his pace.


    Although Liu Ye didn''t mean to PK a lot, how could he resist such good items which he could use or sell for good money? Too bad, they only spotted yers after they left the Red Zone.


    "Someone ising!"


    Vice-leader Marco wasn''t sneaky at all, running straight past the battlefield of three wolves and four yers. One fireball even hit him but he took 0 damage and didn''t even react to it.


    [Alpha Wolf - Lvl. 7 ]


    [HP: 50/250]


    [MP: 25/70]


    Seeing such a low HP monster while passing by, Liu Ye just couldn''t resist himself and shot three Ice Projectiles to finish it.


    -18


    -18


    -18


    [Ding! You killed the Alpha Wolf. You received 100 Experience and 1 silver.]


    "Hey!" The four yers called out angrily but Liu Ye was already gone, running away after Vice-leader Marco. They would receive the same amount of experience even if he didn''t steal a kill, so it didn''t matter.


    "Isn''t he the guy from before? The one that caused us to get killed?"


    More and more yers began to recognize him as Liu Ye ran through the newbie areas. Some even tried to talk to him by blocking his way only to be brushed away without sparing them a nce.


    "Young man, we are entering a dangerous area," Vice-leader Marco warned after a long thirty minutes of running to reach the other side of the Waterfall Forest. "Watch out for spiders."


    Liu Ye could tell the ce wasn''t friendly when spider webs were hanging everywhere. The number of yers also lessened and seeing the crawling spiders from afar, Liu Ye wasn''t surprised by their choice.


    [Spider - Lvl. 3]


    [HP: 30/30]


    Five long-legged spiders ran up to block their way with their eyes staring intensely. They looked like they came out from a horror movie and any normal person would be too scared to face them.


    Liu Ye wasn''t a normal person though. He didn''t even stop moving as ten Ice Projectiles shot out and pierced into the Spider''s bodies.


    [Ding! You killed the Spider. You received 10 Experience and 20 bronze.]


    The experience he received was so minuscule that killing them wasn''t even worth it anymore.


    "There is no need to kill them. They are too slow to catch up to us so we can just avoid them," Vice-leader Marco suggested as he continued to sprint. "We don''t want to attract the Spider Queen with the sounds of a battle. That would be a bad idea."


    His words couldn''t help but pique Liu Ye''s interest. "Spider Queen?"


    "Yeah, she is a monster dominating this part of the Waterfall Forest. Usually, she hides in herir and onlyes at night to hunt so we should still be rtively safe right now," Vice-leader Marco exined as he gazed to the right. "It''s best if you don''t ever go in this direction. That''s where herir is."


    Ahhh!


    Just as he spoke, they heard a female screaming from that exact direction. Liu Ye''s eyes immediately brightened as he just wondered what excuse he could use to check out that ce.


    "Oh no! A woman in distress needs help! Let''s go!" Liu Ye called out as he changed his path but Vice-leader Marco didn''t take the bait at all.


    "Hell no! If that woman went there, she was asking to be eaten! I''m not fighting that." Vice-leader Marco shook his head firmly with fear in his eyes. "I once saw that Spider Queen and you can''t even run away if you want to. She will catch you in no time."


    "What if she lost her way? Aren''t you responsible as a Guard for protecting the civilians of yournd? The least we can do is check what is going on," Liu Ye convinced and began running towards the screams without waiting for an answer. "Follow me!"


    Thankfully, the AI didn''t fail him, sending Vice-leader Marco after him.


    "Help!!!"


    The female''s screams grew louder as they got closer and they finally reached the scene, peeking from behind a small boulder. A gigantic Ice Spider was toying with a human body that hung upside-down on a thin line of a spider web.


    To Liu Ye''s surprise, it was another yer that the spider spun around while wrapping her into a cocoon.


    [Ice Queen (Boss) - Lvl. 10]


    [HP: 1250/1250]


    [MP: 450/500]


    A real field boss!


    "She is done for¡­" Vice-leader Marco whispered as he watched the Ice Queen in fear. "We should leave¡­"


    "Don''t you want to help her?" Liu Ye questioned as he quickly opened his profile to unlock a new ability.


    [Ding! You unlocked the Small Ice Wall.]


    [Small Ice Wall]


    [Description: Creates a small ice wall to block enemy attacks. It is capable of absorbing 100 Damage.]


    [Cost: 5 MP]


    He needed one defensive ability so he chose it over Water Boxing which wouldn''te of use against such a monster.


    "There is no way we can help her. We have to run before we get discovered," Vice-leader Marco argued.


    "It won''t be able to see us since we are outside of its rang¡ª"


    Liu Ye paused mid-sentence as he suddenly realized the Ice Queen disappeared. He turned to search for her only to freeze when he heard muffled screamsing right behind them.

 Chapter 19 - Guardian Angel

    Liu Ye''s eyes blurred at the wrong moment as new information appeared in his mind. He didn''t hesitate and used his new ability, creating a roof between the ground and the boulder.


    Bang!


    -100


    A spike-like ice leg pierced right through his ice wall, stopping inches away from Liu Ye''s face. It was at that moment Liu Ye realized he was probably eating more than he can chew.


    "Damn! I knew it!" Vice-leader Marco cursed as he swiftly rolled out and swung with his arm, shooting a nearby boulder straight at the Ice Queen''s body.


    -50


    Arge red number appeared above the spider as it got pushed away, making Ice Queen drop the cocoon from her mouth. Liu Ye''s eyes couldn''t help but shine. Maybe it would be impossible to face that boss if he was alone, but he had a skilled NPC to assist him. How could he run away from the fight?


    Liu Ye rolled to the other side just before the ice wall copsed and threw the unlucky yer to safety with his Water Whip.


    Ahh!!


    She whined as she rolled on the ground and a part of the cocoon ripped, causing Liu Ye to finally see the yer''s name.


    [ck Rose - Lvl. 8]


    To his surprise, it was no other than ck Rose but what confused him the most was how did she ovee their level difference so fast? His leveling method turned out to be not as efficient as he thought.


    "We need to get out of here!" Vice-leader Marco shouted urgently while hiding behind his own earth wall. "She is too strong for us to handle her!"


    His attack from before already shifted the Ice Queen''s aggression onto him and she shot multiple spiderwebs his way. Thankfully, there was some logic in this game and each attack had a different interaction. The spider webs were too soft to damage the wall.


    "We can''t leave! You said it yourself, she is too fast! We have to defeat her to save our lives!" Liu Ye called out as he gulped a small Mana Potion. "Hold on for a moment!"


    As long as Liu Ye had mana, he could withdraw water from his waterskin, making it quite broken. He didn''t hesitate and began setting up Ice Walls all over the ce. They stayed up until they were broken or melted but the battle wouldn''tst this long.


    "Let me out!" ck Rose cried out from inside as she struggled to break free but Liu Ye ignored her as he set up another wall. She was too dangerous to let free or else she would try to steal their kill.


    "Arrgh! Help me!" Vice-leader Marco cried out in desperation after getting hit by the sharp swipe of the Ice Queen''s leg. "I can''t hold on much longer!"


    He tried to block the attacks with his earth walls but the Ice Queen was too quick, swiftly changing positions to strike him from a different angle. It felt like she was ying whack a mole with him.


    "I''ming!" Liu Ye called out reassuringly, finally finishing his setup. He created more than twenty Ice Walls scattered in a tight maze, hoping to disturb the Ice Queen''s movements while also providing cover for him.


    Liu Ye drank another Mana potion and switched to offense,unching several Ice Projectiles from the cover of his base. She dodged while continuing to chase after Vice-leader Marco but she couldn''t run forever.


    -18


    -18


    -18


    Her white body got smacked multiple times but she didn''t pay him attention until he matched Vice-leader Marco''s damage. Liu Ye''s eyes brightened at that fact, confirming his thoughts.


    [Ice Queen (Boss) - Lvl. 10]


    [HP: 750/1250]


    [MP: 400/500]


    "Yes,e at me! I''m here!" Liu Ye taunted from afar before instructing, "She will attack whoever does the most damage! Let''s bounce her aggro around!"


    Vice-leader Marco has never looked more confused, but Liu Ye had no time to exin. The Ice Queen alreadyunched her offense.


    He slid in between the Ice Walls and stared her down while pping the spider with his Water Whips. Too bad, he underestimated her intelligence.


    Swoosh!


    With one swing of her front legs, she swept his whips aside and climbed on his ice walls, trying to stab him through the gaps.


    "Attack it!" Liu Ye cried out as ice shards from the roof he just made sshed on his head. Ice Queen was just too quick, already stabbing him again before he could even change her position.


    -100


    [Ding! Piercing Leg applied a stun. You are unable to move or cast any abilities for 3 seconds.]


    Ugh!


    Liu Ye could barely breathe after the hit, his chest feeling as if it caved in. The pain was so excruciating he immediately fell on his knees, luckily avoiding another attack aimed at his head. Liu Ye didn''t even know about it as his eyesight blurred, darkening from the shock.


    It wasn''t the first time it happened, a painful memory suddenly resurfacing in his mind.


    He was driving back to the vi with Xu Yue when an explosion sted their limousine in the air. His ears were deafened and eyes blurred but he could see ck silhouettes dragging the unconscious Xu Yue out of the flipped car.


    His body was in pain and he couldn''t move when an angelic voice called out in his mind. ''Big Bro! Wake up!''


    The adrenaline instantly kicked in and his mind cleared, allowing him to pull out a gun from the hiddenpartment. He chased after the men and killed them all without hesitation.


    Zhenzhen was his guardian angel, always reminding him who he was fighting for. This time wasn''t much different. Liu Ye kneeled between the Ice Walls when his little sister''s face appeared in his mind.


    ''Big Bro!'' Zhenzhen cried out with her face full of tears, causing his body to shake.


    Liu Ye''s eyes instantly snapped open and he swiftly dodged to the side while shooting Ice Projectiles out of his palms. Two shards stabbed into Ice Queen''s body while her own Piercing Leg missed.


    The Ice Queen ignored the damage as she chased after him but Liu Ye was apletely different person from before. He stopped thinking about anything while his body moved on its own, dodging and shooting rapidly.


    Vice-leader Marco was ready to help with a boulder in his hands but he suddenly froze, ending up watching Liu Ye fight.


    -18


    -18


    -18


    Ice Queen''s HP kept falling rapidly till she suddenly jumped back, escaping from him while letting out squeaking noises. She gave him onest nce before running away.


    [Ding! Ice Queen fled from the fight.]


    "Whoa! That was amazing!" Vice-leader Marco praised happily as he patted him on the shoulder. "Let''s return back to our mission. With such skills, the Bandit Leader doesn''t stand a chance against us."


    Unfortunately, Liu Ye didn''t look satisfied at all. He was too careless before but it will not happen again.


    "Follow me."

 Chapter 20 - Ice Queens Lair

    "Hey! Don''t leave me here like this! Let me out!" ck Rose called out after them, causing Vice-leader Marco to stop.


    "Shouldn''t we help her first?" he asked confused but Liu Ye shook his head.


    "It''s okay, she is almost out on her own. We need to hurry and hunt the Ice Queen before she recovers," Liu Ye convinced. "This is an opportunity to finally get rid of such danger. We can''t let it go to waste."


    "You are right. Let''s go!" Vice-leader Marco agreed fully and they both ignored the raging ck Rose. She would definitely try to mess with him right after so it was best to let her struggle for some more time.


    "The Ice Queen''sir is right ahead!" Vice-leader Marco informed them as they followed the marks on the ground and they soon spotted a cavern at the foot of the mountain.


    It was covered with thick spider webs while five spider soldiers protected the entrance.


    [Venomous Spider - Lvl. 5]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 50/50]


    Their long fangs rose up to intimidate him but Liu Ye didn''t care much. He gulped down a mana potion and began pping them with his whips, not even letting theme any close.


    [Ding! You killed the Venomous Spider. You received 50 Experience and 50 bronze.]


    The notification rang five times as Liu Ye cleaned them up as if it was nothing, impressing Vice-leader Marco once again.


    "What a talented Waterbender," Vice-leader Marco praised as his eyes lit up. "Have you ever considered working as a guard? If you want, I can speak with the Lord to secure a position for you."


    "Uh¡­ That''s a great offer but I don''t think I will stay in the vige for a long time," Liu Ye rejected politely. "I n on adventuring to the maind in the near future but thank you for the offer."


    "Oh!" Vice-leader Marco eximed in awe. "Not many dare to visit the maind so I respect your bravery. The maind can be quite dangerous and chaotic. Be careful in the future."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows as questions arose in his mind but the Ice Queen was more important. His three whips hovered around him in a defensive setup as they explored the Ice Queen''sir.


    Just as he expected, the system map turned red and a familiar virtual screen appeared in front of him.


    [Ice Queen''s Lair - Warning]


    [yer entered the Death Zone. Their is a home of a powerful field boss. It''s not rmended you enter inside at all.]


    [Zone Buff: +100% damage from Ice Abilities.]


    [Death Penalty: -2 Levels, Permanently lose one random stat.]


    When Liu Ye saw the zone buff, he couldn''t help but freeze with his foot stopping mid-air. He immediately understood why it was called a Death Zone. The Ice Queen could instantly one-shot anyone with just one stab of her leg.


    The death penalty didn''t make it any better, but luckily, they had an advantage not everyone would get. They already lowered the Ice Queen''s HP to 300 and it just happened the buff also applied to him, so he continued walking inside with Vice-leader Marco following closely behind.


    They both drank medium potions that Liu Ye provided and entered a spacious tunnel deep inside the mountain. It was covered with endless spider webs but to their surprise, aside from the initial five spiders by the entrance, they didn''t meet any other monsters.


    "We are entering into her trap¡­" Liu Ye informed in a whisper, knowing exactly where this was going. He could already see a brightly lit cavern ahead with 8 icy legs waiting for them at the other end.


    Liu Ye was sure the boss room would momentarily fill with spiders, surrounding them from all sides. Even if they managed to kill the Ice Queen, they would be in serious danger of all the venomous spiders jumping at them.


    "If only we had some kind of bait to test the waters..." Liu Ye muttered, wondering how to handle it when they suddenly heard loud footstepsing from behind.


    "You! Are you even a man?!"


    Liu Ye''s eyes brightened hearing the angry shout and turned around to see ck Rose storm inside their. Her eyes were like daggers, staring at him sharply.


    "Last time I checked that was indeed the case," Liu Ye replied with feigned innocence. "Is there something wrong? Why are you shouting?"


    His tone only made ck Rose explode further as she clenched her fists. "You think you are funny, huh?!"


    "I would say I''m pretty good at sarcasm," Liu Ye replied with a shrug. "At the very least, I''m not getting mad at someone who should be grateful I saved their life."


    "Saved my life?!" ck Rose repeated in high pitch. "You could have let me free but you intentionally did nothing and watched me struggle. Is that your revenge on me or you just hate women in general?"


    "Lady, I think you should calm down," Vice-leader Marco suggested as he suddenly stepped in between them. "We are in the Ice Queen''s Lair. Even though spiders can''t hear, you are disturbing us."


    "Hah!" ck Rose snorted as she gave him a re. "Do I look like I care? He has been giving me trouble the whole day."


    At that point, Liu Ye had enough of her yapping. It was his mistake for even letting her talk as he should have treated her the same as the other yers. She was just a walking loot to him. Nothing else.


    "I think you are overreacting," Liu Ye mentioned while covering his waterskin with his palm. "All I did was ignore you so I can y in peace. Did you fall for me or what?"


    He busied her with conversation while water traveled through his arm and then down towards the ground. It spread around the ground and slowly moved closer towards her.


    "Fall for you?! Ha! You wish!" ck Roseughed into his face. "I wouldn''t fall for you even if you became the best yer in the world."


    Just as she replied, three water whips grew out from the ground and wrapped around her body like snakes.


    "What the fuck?" ck Rose cursed in surprise. She blew one whip away with a quick air bullet but Vice-leader Marco reacted fast, appearing right next to her.


    He grabbed her wrists and locked her hands with Earth handcuffs while looking at her in disappointment.


    "Now I know why men live shorter lives than women," Vice-leader Marcomented. "If a man had a wife that screams like you, I am sure he would want to die sooner."


    Pfft!


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but chuckle, not expecting his partner to be this good at roasting. To make it better, Vice-leader Marco turned to him afterward and asked, "Did you say earlier that we could make use of a bait?"


    "Let me go!" ck Rose called out in warning but Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and threw her inside the Ice Queen''s cavern with no regrets.

 Chapter 21 - First Clear

    ck Rose was only able to scream before the Ice Queen lunged forward and stabbed her in the chest.


    -200


    A huge red number appeared above ck Rose''s head and her body instantly exploded into pixels, dying on the spot. Even though Liu Ye didn''t kill her personally, an inventory bag still dropped on the ground, ready to be picked up.


    "Sweet," Liu Yemented casually, knowing he would be iming it.


    When it came to killing other yers in a video game, Liu Ye didn''t give special treatment based on gender. All of the yers were walking loot to him. If anything, ck Rose deserved to die more based on how she treated them.


    "Watch out!" Vice-leader warned but Liu Ye could already see the dangering.


    [Ice Queen''s Offspring - Lvl. 3]


    [HP: 35/35]


    Their bait activated the trap as their instantly filled with spiders. Liu Ye immediately caught their aggro while the Ice Queen wasn''t as eager to fight, staying behind in her cavern.


    This setup couldn''t be more perfect.


    "Let me handle them!" Liu Ye called out as he kited the spiders into the tunnel and covered his arms with water. With a 100% damage increase to the Ice Abilities, the spiders were nothing but a walking experience.


    Liu Ye one-shotted each spider with one swing of his arm, enjoying it plenty. He couldn''t help but admit it felt extremely cool to have the power over elements. How amazing would it be to possess such an ability in real life?


    [Ding! You killed the Ice Queen''s Offspring. You received 20 Experience and 20 bronze.]


    10¡­


    20¡­


    The notification kept filling his tab only to stop at 30 when thest offspring fell dead. Even if Liu Ye only added 600 Exp, it was still more satisfying than killing bandits.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 8] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 3500/5500]


    Only two thousand experience separated him from another level up and Ice Queen would definitely help him close that gap. Liu Ye returned in front of the cavern and began creating Ice Projectiles for another one-shot.


    With just 300 HP, he only needed to hit 9 to kill her.


    "Let''s get this over with."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    While Liu Ye was preparing to im the first clear, he wasn''t the only one in the game with such ns. With thousands of Newbie Viges, there were bound to be other yers who also discovered the Ice Queen''s Lair.


    "Team one and two, kill the mobs! Team three and four, follow me to fight the Ice Queen!"


    Many already died trying to y the Ice Queen but one particr squad came prepared. Four teams worked together, creating an ultimate group of 16 high-leveled yers. To make it even more professional, all their names had the same beginning as if they belonged to a guild.


    [White Knight William - Lvl. 8]


    [White Knight Lancelot - Lvl. 8]


    [White Knight Hector - Lvl. 8]


    [White Knight Evelyn - Lvl. 8]


    ¡­


    "Walls up!"


    "Whips and Rocks!"


    "Shoot now!"


    Lancelot kept giving orders and his squad acted in sync, leaving the Ice Queen no choice but to take the hits. When she tried to attack, they bombarded her with rocks and whips which pushed her back, only to switch for Ice Projectiles to maximize their damage.


    Everything was going perfect until Ice Queen went crazy and pushed through their defenses while slicing and stabbing with all she got. If she was going down, she wanted to take them down with her.


    [Ding! Ice Queen killed yer White Knight Hector from your team. Avenge him!]


    [Ding! Ice Queen killed yer White Knight William from your team. Avenge him!]


    "Don''t stop! Kill this bitch!" Lancelot cried out madly as they all began spamming abilities without the care for their lives. With so many yers, the Ice Queen couldn''t survive any longer.


    [Ding! You killed the Ice Queen. You received 1000 Experience and 1 gold. As a Team Leader, you also received the following: Ice Queen''s Heart, Water Stone.]


    When everyone heard the notifications, they immediately jumped in cheers.


    "Hell yeah, baby! We did it!" Lancelot cried out while clenching his fist. "Good job boys!"


    "And Eve!" A short female corrected him with a cute voice. "You always forget me!"


    "Haha, of course, you too Eve!" Lancelot added with a happyugh. "You are our pride and joy. The most beautiful White Knight!"


    "Humph! That''s right!" Eve replied proudly before threatening cutely with her finger. "Forget me again and I will kick your butt."


    The boys pretended to be scared but her voice was too sweet to take her words seriously.


    "Anyway, pick up Hector and William''s bags. It sucks we had sacrifices but it was still worth it. The first clears are the easiest way to promote our guild," Lancelot muttered as he paused. "Talking about that, why was there no server announcement yet?"


    "Could it be that there is no announcement for this boss?" Eve suggested but Lancelot shook his head.


    "There was one for a simple adult wolf and none for the first field boss? I don''t believe¡ª"


    Ding!


    Lancelot stopped himself halfway, suddenly hearing a notification sound out loud. Their lips couldn''t help but curve into a smile as they knew what wasing.


    [Server Announcement! yer Grind God was the first to kill the Newbie Vige Field Boss: Ice Queen. Achievement Reward: 10 gold and 25 Fame.]


    The announcement was repeated three times, stunning all 14 yers left in the cavern. Each time they thought they heard it wrong only to finally understand it wasn''t a mistake.


    "Fuck!" The White Knights cursed at the same time. "How is that possible?!"


    Lancelot was the only one calm, contemting what might have happened.


    "It''s not that hard to understand. This Grind God was the first to leave the tutorial and based on his name, he began farming right away," Lancelot exined as he took a deep breath. "I am guessing heter gathered some people and fought the Ice Queen at the same time as us. It''s already good that we caught up to his speed, so all we need to do is overtake him."


    "Gosh, I am sure he had tens of yers assist him," Evemented bitterly while the rest nodded eagerly. "We only had sixteen yers so we still did a good job."


    "Yeah! I also wouldn''t be surprised if he stole that kill¡ª"


    [Ding! Server Announcement! yer Grind God was the first to solo kill the Newbie Vige Field Boss: Ice Queen. Achievement Reward: 10 gold and 25 Fame.]


    "..."


    The announcement ringed in their ears as they looked at each other speechlessly. They killed Ice Queen with 16 yers while Grind God was alone. How could they evenpare those two feats?


    Everyone got depressed for a moment beside Lancelot who brightened with interest.


    "All high-skilled yers are wee to be a White Knight. We need to get this yer into our Guild," Lancelot decided as he cheered up his team. "If we can get him into our Guild, wouldn''t his sess be our sess?"


    "Eve!" Lancelot continued as he patted Eve on her shoulder. "I will leave that task to you. When we reach the maind, you will find him and recruit him."


    The blonde beauty widened her eyes. "Why me?"


    Lancelot only shrugged. "Everyone knows no yer can resist your sweet smile. That''s your personal mission so I count on you."


    He pped his hands to mobilize everyone and announced, "So what if we didn''t get the field boss clear. Let''s focus on our next target: the first clear of the Dungeon! Follow me!"

 Chapter 22 - Bandit Leader Dungeon

    "Solo kill? Nice," Liu Yemented satisfied as he heard the server announcement. He was using the assistance of the NPC but it still counted as him ying solo.


    With howte the announcement came, Liu Ye almost thought there would be no reward for the Ice Queen kill.


    "Congrattions! We eliminated a great threat to the people of our Vige! I''m sure the Lord will be ecstatic when he hears about it," Vice-leader Marco called out excitedly only to turn serious again. "Of course, this is not the end. We still have to defeat the Bandit Leader, so let''s depart!"


    "Alright. Let''s go," Liu Ye agreed without hesitation. It would be best to avoid the angry ck Rose in case she tried to annoy him once again.


    He picked up ck Rose''s bag on the way out and they walked towards the exit while Liu Ye began scanning his notifications.


    [Ding! You killed the Ice Queen. You received 2000 Experience, 2 gold, Ice Queen''s Heart, and a Water Stone.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 9!]


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    Not only did he reach 60 Fame without even leaving the Newbie Vige, but he also earned more than 30 gold which would help him greatly in the maind. It also couldn''t be more perfect timing to both level up and fill his Elemental Mastery bar, allowing him to master all basic abilities.


    [Ding! You unlocked Water Boxing.]


    [Water Boxing]


    [Description: Creates a water gauntlet around your fists, allowing the yer to deal damage with their punches.]


    [Cost: 2 MP + 1 MP for each sessful hit.]


    [Damage: 5 + 40% Elemental Power]


    Liu Ye immediately unlocked Water Boxing and his eyes widened at the high scaling. It made sense though. One had to approach the target to even use it and seeing so many long-ranged abilities in the game, it was much harder than it seemed.


    Thankfully, it wasn''t a problem for Liu Ye. Closebat was his specialty in real life so he could make use of it in-game. To make it better, he could also upgrade Water Boxing to use it on his legs.


    "How many subordinates did the Bandit Leader take with him?" Liu Ye questioned as he looked at his experience bar.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 9] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 0/7500]


    Liu Ye only needed to kill 38 bandits to level up and the number only went lower if he added Berserkers to the mix. It would be best if he could reach level 10 before his fight with the Bandit Leader. He already added another point to intelligence but that wasn''t enough.


    "Around fifty in total. They should be spread out around the mountain in search of the Elemental Stones," Vice-leader Marco reported. "They won''t expect that I''m against them, so we can catch them off guard."


    "Sounds good," Liu Ye replied with a nod. It would be stupid to not abuse Vice-leader Marco''s help.


    The outside of their seemed clear with no soul in sight. Liu Ye thought of opening his inventory on the way when he suddenly spotted movement on their path.


    "Stop right there!"


    Just as Liu Ye thought he could avoid and never see her again, ck Rose appeared in front of them. Liu Ye only sighed and acted as if he didn''t see her.


    Swoosh!


    She swung with her arm to send a wind sh at him but Liu Ye took it directly on his chest with no effort.


    -0


    "Thanks for the refreshing breeze," Liu Yemented, pissing ck Rose even more.


    "Give my bag back or I won''t let you pass!" ck Rose threatened as she spread her arms to the side.


    Liu Ye had only one simple response for her. "No."


    "Ugh!" ck Rose grunted and began spamming her abilities but the only thing she achieved was slowing him down. Liu Ye continued to walk against the wind until he reached her and caught her wrists.


    "You are only wasting your time. Why don''t you go farm instead?" Liu Ye suggested as he looked into her crazed gaze. "The more time you spend fighting me, the less time you have to level up. How are you going to defeat me if you are so weak?"


    ck Rose shuddered and struggled free from his grasp. "I will report you for bullying and harassment!"


    "Wasn''t it you who just attacked me?" Liu Ye asked back as he walked past her.


    He didn''t even know there was a report feature in this game but it was understandable knowing how close it was to reality. It was a sad reality that people would try to take advantage of others, thinking they can avoid consequences in the Virtual World.


    Taking the opportunity, Liu Ye began to run with his partner following closely behind. With their speed, ck Rose had no chance of catching up.


    "Don''t think this is over!" ck Rose called out after him, but Liu Ye only waved at her.


    "Good luck!"


    There was no way a petty girl like her would forgive him easily. Even if Liu Ye gave her bag back, she would still find ways to get her revenge.


    They were passing through high-leveled zones so Liu Ye postponed looking through his inventory. Even though they ignored all monsters, he wouldn''t be surprised to be attacked out of nowhere.


    "If we meet any patrols left behind, let me handle it," Vice-leader Marco informed once the terrain became steeper. "We are reaching the only mountain passage."


    It wasn''t long before they finally saw two giant boulders separated with a single passage. Only one Masked Bandit defended the entrance, but that wasn''t what Liu Ye found interesting.


    It was the translucent barrier with shiny padlocks surrounding the whole mountain.


    "Vice-leader? What are you doing here?" the Masked Bandit questioned at their sight. "And who is that man?"


    It was clear he didn''t trust Liu Ye at all.


    "I have important information for our Leader, so I came to meet him," Vice-leader Marco replied casually but the Masked Bandit only shook his head.


    "I''m sorry but I got a strict instruction not to let anyone inside. Even if it''s Vice-leader, I can''t make an exception," the Masked Bandit denied before staring at Liu Ye. "Not to mention you are bringing a masked stranger with you which makes me suspicious."


    Liu Ye frowned at his words, realizing the sess of his Quest was at risk.


    "I''m leaving then," Liu Ye called out annoyed as he walked back. "I thought your leader would be interested but I guess I was wrong. I will sell my Elemental Stone in the maind instead."


    "Huh? Elemental Stone?" the Masked Bandit questioned dumbfounded.


    "Why else would I travel to this rundown ce?" Liu Ye asked back with a roll of his eyes. "I heard your leader searches for the Elemental Stones so I thought of trading my own."


    To make it believable, Liu Ye tapped on his inner arm and a shiny blue crystal appeared in his palm.


    "Water Stone!" the Masked Bandit eximed, ncing at Vice-leader Marco in shock. "It''s exactly the one our Leader desires the most!"


    "Idiot, of course, I wouldn''t bother our Leader if it wasn''t something important! Who do you think I am?" Vice-leader Marco scolded as he walked up to his subordinate. "I need his assistance to make sure the ''trade'' will proceed sessfully."


    "I see¡­" the Masked Bandit gave him a knowing nce. "In that case, I will inform Lead¡ª"


    "That won''t be necessary," Vice-leader Marco cut him off as he patted him on the shoulder before finally attacking. He pushed on the chest while kicking the back of his legs to knock the Masked Bandit to the ground.


    Earth immediately moved and wrapped around his torso,pletely immobilizing him.


    "Don''t worry, we will find your Leader on our own," Liu Ye assured as he appeared by their side, his palm covered with a water glove.


    Pa!


    -23


    One punch followed with another until the Masked Bandit copsed dead.


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    "Sweet. We prevented him from rming others," Vice-leadermented as he walked through the barrier. "Follow me."


    Click!


    At his words, the padlocks unlocked and a virtual screen appeared in front of him.


    [Bandit Leader Dungeon] [Unlocked]


    [You finally have a chance to defeat the Masked Bandits and end their tyranny in the Waterfall Region. Gather skilled Elemental Benders and defeat the Bandit Leader!]


    [Difficulty: A] (The difficulty increases with fewer yers.)


    [Max yers: 20]


    [Reward: Based on performance.]

 Chapter 23 - Save Marco

    Liu Ye rolled his eyes at the tant unfairness. Howe he was being punished for being better than others? The difficulty was always scaling with the number of yers but here it didn''t even scale. It basically rewarded yers for grouping up instead of ying solo.


    ''No wonder my quest has the S+ difficulty¡­'' Liu Ye thought speechlessly. He had to be a one-man army and defeat the Bandit Leader that normally took 20 yers to kill.


    If not for Vice-leader Marco he would be doomed.


    "Are youing?" the man in question hurried him from within the passage. Liu Ye didn''t have a choice anyway so he passed through the barrier.


    [Ding! You have entered the Bandit Leader Dungeon. Kill the Bandit Leader to clear the dungeon! You will receive a reward based on your performance. Good luck!]


    [Time: 00:00:01]


    ''Of course,'' Liu Yemented as he saw the notification, already figuring the time would be a huge factor in performance. "Let''s go."


    He could already see future rankings where people will try to speedrun the dungeons as fast as possible. Liu Ye would normally be the first to participate but his situation didn''t allow that. He couldn''t afford to die and fail his quest, so caution was his first priority.


    When he disappeared inside the passage, another figure appeared in front of the barrier, touching it with her eyes widened.


    "How¡­?" ck Rose questioned as the Dungeon denied her entry. "There is no way he jumped two levels after killing the Ice Queen."


    She was watching him from afar while looking for a way to get back at him only to find something more interesting.


    "Humph, just you wait till I write about it on my blog¡­" ck Rose muttered as she jogged away. If Liu Ye heard her, he would onlyugh it off, not caring too much about it.


    "Vice-leader? What are you doing here?"


    The same interaction from before repeated multiple times as Liu Ye met Masked Bandits on their mountain path. The Dungeon was quite straightforward since there was only one possible route but it quickly got moreplicated.


    It took them five more kills to finally encounter more than one enemy at the same time.


    "Is the Leader inside? I have someone to introduce to him," Vice-leader Marco questioned as they approached a cave entrance with four bandits talking outside. At Liu Ye''s sight, they immediately became defensive.


    "Vice-leader? Who is he?" One of them questioned suspiciously.


    "He is a trader that wishes to sell his Water Stone to us," Vice-leader Marco exined again. "I will need the Leader''s help with the deal. Don''t worry, I made sure it''s legitimate."


    They already repeated the same story so many times it got boring but as long as it secured them easy kills, Liu Ye didn''t mind. He pulled out his Water Stone, surprising the four bandits.


    They kept theirposure as they whispered between each other and reported, "Leader is indeed in the mine but it would be best if the Vice-leader waits here. We discovered something underneath and he is currently checking it. He told us not to let anyone inside."


    Liu Ye immediately frowned.


    "Did you really ask me to wait here? If your leader doesn''te here within five minutes, the deal is off," Liu Ye replied sternly as he kept his Water Stone. "I don''t have time to y games."


    "Sir, please, be patient!" Vice-leader Marco called out frantically before ring at the four bandits. "Quickly apologize! This Sir is not just any trader but a highly skilled Waterbender! Do you think I would need Leader''s help if it was some random person?"


    The bandits couldn''t help but nce at Liu Ye suspiciously but he didn''t care. A true master didn''t need to prove his skills to anybody.


    "What are you waiting for? If you don''t inform the Leader about our visit, I will go inside and do it myself. We can''t waste an opportunity to get a Water Stone!" Vice-leader Marco hurried sternly, finally convincing them.


    "Alright, we will go down and report. Wait for a moment." One of the bandits decided and grabbed his buddy, walking inside the dark cave. They didn''t know they just started a chain that would wipe out the Masked Bandits from existence.


    Arghh!


    The two Masked Bandits left behind suddenly groaned in pain as their bodies got pinned to the mountain wall. An Earth Wall blocked their movements and Liu Ye immediately began pummeling their faces. One wouldn''t spot a moment of hesitation on his face.


    It was either them or his four levels would vanish and that would be painful.


    "Help!"


    The bandits let out thest effort shout for backup but that was exactly what they wanted.


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    Just as Liu Ye heard two notifications, the other two bandits returned to the surface only to suffer the same fate.


    They screamed as Liu Ye rammed his shoulder into their side, knocking them both to the ground.


    -23


    -23


    Liu Ye sat on the man with his weight and punched without an exnation. Vice-leader Marco didn''t spare his own target either as his rock crashed repeatedly with the bandit''s head.


    Their HP fell drastically but they didn''t go down without a struggle.


    "Fuck off!" The Masked Bandit cursed while sting a fireball at Liu Ye''s face.


    -30


    [Ding! Fireball applied burn. You will lose 10 HP every second for the next three seconds.]


    Liu Ye gritted his teeth as mes covered his vision but he didn''t stop punching, ending the man''s life despite the pain. Even though he heard the notification, his eyes were burning which blinded him for the next three seconds.


    "Everything alright?" Vice-leader Marco asked as he patted Liu Ye on the shoulder.


    "Yeah, I am fine¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he whipped out a health potion. "I can handle this much pain."


    It was hard to get used to it but at least it wasn''t as painful as in real life. He already knew it would bepletely gone after a short moment, so he slowly conditioned his mind to ignore it.


    "How about you start bringing other bandits here and we kill them all one by one?" Liu Ye suggested as he checked the time of his run.


    [Time: 00:16:43]


    He sighed as he felt the desire to speedrun but he resisted his urges. Compared to other yers, he couldn''t dodge any bandits and had to kill them all toplete his quest. Having 12 hours left, he didn''t need to hurry and risk making a mistake.


    "Alright. The rest should be inside the mine. Let me get someone," Vice-leader Marco nodded and entered inside the mine.


    Liu Ye could only hide near the entrance wall while waiting for their new target. He knew they wouldn''t being for a moment so he finally pulled out his inventory window to check his new goods.


    The Water Stone didn''t have any differencepared to the Fire Stone but the Ice Queen''s Heart was an interesting one.


    [Ice Queen''s Heart]


    [Rarity: Rare]


    [Description: Blood from the monster heart is often used as an ingredient for high-value potions. Find an experienced Potion Maker to guide you.]


    Liu Ye didn''t see any strengthening potions in the Newbie Vige shop but it was good information he could share with Xu Yue. Potion Making would be a good opportunity to earn more money and he can sell her the ingredients he finds.


    Hearing no one wasing from the mine, Liu Ye opened ck Rose''s bag. Strangely enough, he only found one item with all the potions used and finally understood her frustration.


    [ck Viper] [Locked]


    [Description: A yer-bound sword emanating with the power of Fire Element. The Spirit inside the sword has connected with a yer ck Rose. No other yer would be able to bring its true potential.]


    [Damage: Unknown]


    [Effects: Unknown]


    [Requirements: Unknown]


    It was an Elemental sword! Judging by the fact it even had a Spirit inside of it, the sword was definitely worth a lot. Even though Liu Ye couldn''t use it, he could always sell it back to ck Rose after she saved enough.


    Liu Ye closed his profile and waited. When five minutes passed, he could tell that something went wrong. Thankfully, the game was kind enough to help him this time.


    [Ding! Quest Luring Threat got updated.]


    He gave it a quick check and found a side quest attached at the bottom.


    [Save Marco]


    [Marco got captured and requires your assistance.]


    [Difficulty: A]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Save Marco and escort him back to the Newbie Vige.]


    [Clear Reward: 5 gold, Affinity with Marco +50]

 Chapter 24 - Bandit Leader

    "Damn¡­" Liu Ye cursed under his breath. They only killed ten Masked bandits together, forcing him to kill the rest on his own.


    It wasn''t the end of the world but it was a significant inconvenience. He couldn''t help but wonder if the game''s AI realized it would be too easy for him, so it increased the difficulty. They were proceeding too fast for the amount of promised rewards.


    Just as Liu Ye began thinking about his options, he heard footsteps and chattering from inside of the cave. He reacted immediately, drinking both Health and Mana Potions before preparing a bunch of Ice Projectiles at the same time. With his tactic, it wasn''t hard to burst someone from 100 to 0.


    "Hey, are you all there?!" A manly voice came from the inside and two masked men finally showed up.


    [Berserker - Lvl. 9]


    [HP: 500/500]


    [MP: 150/150]


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows when it turned out to be one of the Berserkers but that didn''t stop him. He unleashed his prepared arsenal, shooting out Ice Projectiles at the Berserker''s side.


    -19


    -19


    -19


    "Fuck!" the Berserker cursed as he instinctively blocked the ice shards with his arms but the damage was still applied.


    [Ding! You killed the Berserker. You received 500 Experience and 50 silver.]


    Surprise attacks were just too satisfying not to take advantage of it. The other Masked Bandit had more time to react, so he swiftly retreated,unching himself in the sky with the air bursting out from his feet.


    "Who are you?!" he questioned in panic but Liu Ye only formed three whips as he chased after him, striking right after the mannded.


    Ah!!


    -14


    -14


    -14


    The man screamed as Liu Ye bombarded him with attacks and it was the first time his enemy began running without retaliation. Instead of fighting to the death, he pushed himself away with bursts of air even though his death was unavoidable.


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    "Weird¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he stared at the fresh corpse. Usually, all mobs would fight brainlessly but this game showed something unique, equipping every NPC with their own thoughts and personality.


    Liu Ye was no longer scared of Masked Bandits since all of them were limited to only 3 abilities but if they came to group up, that would be a bigger problem. It was practically impossible to win against multiple enemies that constantly bombarded you with abilities.


    ''Need a way to lure them over¡­'' Liu Ye thought deeply as he peeked inside the cave. Knowing the NPC''s intelligence, he couldn''t stall for long, or else more bandits woulde out in a group.


    It was time to prepare for the worst.


    [Ding! You ate a blessed cookie. You gained 100 max Mana for an hour.]


    [MP: 180/180]


    Even though the duration was short, it was still one hundred extra mana he could use in case of emergency. Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and proceeded to carefully explore the mine.


    To his surprise, it turned out to be a straight, single tunnel, looking as if it was dug not too long ago. It extended for a few tens of meters until it reached a gigantic cavern inside a mountain. The inside was fully lit with tens of torches stuck in the walls.


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but frown seeing more than thirty Masked Bandits inside. Some of them were digging through the side walls while others gathered around the poor Vice-leader Marco who was frozen into a wall.


    "I will give you onest chance to admit it. What did you do? Howe the guards didn''te down with you? If I learn you killed them, your death will be nothing but quick."


    A buff man in spiky metal armor was questioning him sternly with a fireball in his palm. His name was dark red with a gold star next to his name, signaling the presence of a boss.


    [¡ï Bandit Leader - Lvl. 15]


    [HP: 5000/5000]


    [MP: 1250/1250]


    Even the Ice Queen didn''t have one which showed the difference in power. Liu Ye got a headache when he nced at the Bandit Leader''s health but he quickly calmed down, sneaking out of the tunnel. He hid behind a thick rock and observed from a distance.


    "I told you already that I came here with an expert who wants to sell a Water Stone to you. It took me a while to convince him toe so we can rob him together and now you lock me down like this? Fuck you," Vice-leader Marco replied savagely, showing no respect to the leader.


    "You expect me to believe you found an idiot who would willinglye to his death? Why didn''t you stay with him and order one of the guards to inform me instead?" The Bandit Leader asked annoyed. "You asking me toe out alone with you sounds too suspicious. I''m only taking necessary precautions."


    "If I stayed behind, how can I convey my n to you without the expert getting suspicious? If he found anything amiss, that motherfucker would fly away!" Vice-leader argued. "That''s why I wanted to get him inside the cavern with your help so he can''t escape! He wouldn''t trust us if we brought all the forces outside."


    "Fly¡­?" The Bandit Leader repeated in surprise. "Who the fuck did you bring to us?!"


    "Did you think some kind of random person would possess a Water Stone? Of course, he is an expert," Vice-leader Marco replied with a sneer. "Now that you sent people to check, I''m sure he either ran away or killed them."


    The Bandit Leader nced at the tunnel, finally exposing his face to Liu Ye. He was younger than he expected but one could see his maturity by two burn marks on his forehead. The man was frowning deeper with each minute that passed.


    Liu Ye wouldn''t find a better opportunity than this and finally exposed himself, peeking higher from the boulder in hopes Vice-leader Marco sees him. No one was looking in his direction so he waved right when Marco''s eyesight passed his hiding spot.


    His eyes immediately brightened at Liu Ye''s sight but he swiftly hid it before anyone noticed.


    "When are you going to release me and realize you made a mistake? If I killed any of our members, wouldn''t those two report on it already?" Vice-leader Marco pressured in annoyance. "If you don''t see it then let me enlighten you. Those two are probably dead by now and the deal is already over. If we don''t do anything, all of us will die here."


    "What do you mean?"


    "If you were him, would you let us go for trying to screw him over? I wouldn''t," Vice-leader Marco exined. "He has the upper position allowing him to escape and attack at any moment. If we go out now, he will immediately attack us and I don''t n to fight him without an element of surprise."


    He paused and added, "On the other hand, if we don''t do anything, he can call for help from the Vige Lord and bury us all alive. We have to do something now."


    "What do you propose then?" the Bandit Leader wondered but Marco onlyughed.


    "Me? I''m currently held like a prisoner. I have an idea but I won''t talk until you free me."


    The Bandit Leader gave him a nce and ignored his request as he gathered everyone.


    "Listen up! There is an enemy on the outside and there is only one exit! We have to group up together and fight our way out! Making a new tunnel would take too much time so we have to fight. Who is with me?!"


    Aye!


    The Masked Bandits concurred with a cry. They looked like they were too bored with this expedition to the mines and a fight was everything they needed.


    Bandit Leader snapped at the two Berserkers and ordered, "You two take the lead. I will stay behind to look after Marco. Inform me right away If you find anyone outside."


    "Yes, Leader!" Berserker called out and led a group of 30+ men into the tunnels. When they disappeared, Liu Ye finally moved,unching himself at the Bandit Leader.

 Chapter 25 - Built Different

    Liu Ye shot out Ice Projectiles, forcing the Bandit Leader to swiftly retreat. He dodged everything but that was exactly what Liu Ye wanted. He arrived by Marco''s side and smashed the ice with his Water Boxing fist.


    Ice shards flew in all directions but Liu Ye only took away a small chunk of its HP.


    ''Damn,'' Liu Ye cursed in his mind and turned to the Bandit Leader while constantly bashing with his fist. The man in heavy armor wasn''t that eager to attack, scanning Liu Ye instead.


    "So you two are in cahoots," the Bandit Leader revealed while his face darkened. "To think you managed to trick me. Well done, I will give you that. I knew the story about Water Stone was too good to be true."


    He paused and both his palms burst out with mes. "Too bad, you are going to die now."


    "Are you sure about that?" Liu Ye questioned and pulled out a Water Stone. "Is this what you were after?"


    "Water Stone!" The Bandit Leader called out with a greedy gaze. His interest was obvious as he halted his advance.


    "I came here for the trade only to find out I''m being scammed. I knew something was suspicious so I came down here and overheard everything," Liu Ye exined as he kept his Water Stone and punched one more time, finally freeing Marco from the ice.


    Liu Ye quickly grasped his shirt and suggested, "Go block the tunnel from the other bandits and I will let you live."


    Marco didn''t hesitate to make his decision and nodded eagerly, "Sure. I would rather work with someone who doesn''t question my loyalty."


    "Traitor!" The Bandit Leader eximed as he threw a fireball at him but Marco only stomped on the ground, creating a wall that stopped it effortlessly. Earth Elemental seemed like a perfect counter to fire.


    "Says the one who froze me to the wall! Fuck off!" Marco cursed his ex-leader with a middle finger and rushed towards the entrance tunnel. Everything was now in Liu Ye''s hands.


    "You possess Dual Elements of Water and Air. Do you really think you can win against me, a master of mes?" the Bandit Leader questioned with a sneer as he disyed his power.


    Swoosh!


    The mes on the torches increased in size and danced as if they gained life while two fire whips formed out of the Bandit Leader''s palms. Compared to Liu Ye''s short water whips, his own were massive, reaching the span of a few meters.


    "Die!" The Bandit Leader cried out andunched himself forward. Both whips flew in an arc and pped at Liu Ye''s defensive stance.


    He could only block with his own whips to redirect the mes and escape in the opposite direction.


    "Haha! There is no ce you can run!" The Bandit Leader burst outughing as he chased right after. "You can''t keep it up endlessly!"


    ''Damn it...'' Liu Ye cursed internally, blocking another whip by rolling on the ground. Each time he created a Water Whip, it was destroyed the very next second.


    He didn''t have enough water!


    Even with an endless sourceing from the waterskin, the outflow was limited. He needed to find a way to fill the cavern with water for easy ess or else he would be killed with endless momentum.


    -60!


    [Ding! Fire Whip applied burn. You will lose 10 HP every second for the next three seconds.]


    A big red number appeared above Liu Ye''s head as he was finally struck, the whip exploding on his back. The power was so strong his feet left the ground and he was sent flying at the nearby wall.


    Thud!


    -50!


    The burning didn''t hurt as much as the painful meeting with a wall that would most certainly crack his spine in real life. Just a single hit brought Liu Ye into a danger zone.


    [HP: 50/190]


    It was bound to happen eventually and Liu Ye didn''t expect anything less from the Dungeon Boss. Even if one had a full squad of twenty yers it wasn''t an easy battle.


    ''Think!'' Liu Ye hurried his brain while cold liquids of his medium potions traveled down his throat.


    He got sted to the other side of the cavern but the Bandit Leader was alreadying. Liu Ye scanned his surroundings for anything that could help him but all that he found were the torches.


    ''Wait¡­'' Liu Ye paused with a sudden idea brewing in his mind.


    "Hahaha! So weak! Did you really dare to call yourself an expert?! Useless!" The Bandit Leader called out in ridicule, preparing another attack. He took a deep breath and punched forward, spewing mes from both his mouth and fists.


    Ice Wall!


    Liu Ye sacrificed his Water Whips and set two Ice Walls in the shape of an arrow, splitting the Fire Stream just in time. It barely held for two seconds though before the mes melted itpletely.


    He ced one more wall at an angle to redirect the mes and leaped to the side, hiding behind a boulder. The Bandit Leader had no idea Liu Ye was already gone as his vision was covered by the mes.


    "Let''s see if you can find me¡­" Liu Ye muttered with a smile andunched alongside the cavern walls, pping the torches with his whips.


    The thin pieces of wood weren''t even stuck properly in the walls as they fell on the ground, fully extinguished. When the Bandit Leader stopped his Fire Stream, more than half of the cavern filled with darkness.


    "Damn you! Fight me like a man! Are you going to run away all night?!" The Bandit Leader cursed annoyed but Liu Ye ignored him, knocking the rest of the torches on the ground.


    "Your mother has better aim than you," Liu Ye trash-talked back, provoking the Bandit Leader further. "Maybe you should learn from her."


    "Fuck off!"


    He shot Fireballs from afar but Liu Ye was too far, avoiding it with ease. He picked onest torch and tossed it on the ground, denying any light to locate him.


    "You are a dead man! I will burn you alive when I find you!" The Bandit Leader shouted angrily but he only wasted his time. By using mes he exposed his position, allowing Liu Ye to easily avoid him.


    It was time to switch roles from prey to hunter. Or at least that was the n.


    -3


    -3


    -3


    Three Ice Projectiles hit the Bandit Leader''s armor and Liu Ye instantly rolled his eyes. The damage he dealt was reduced to oblivion, from 23 all the way to 3. To make it worse, the Bandit Leader regenerated 1 HP every 5 seconds, healing back whatever damage Liu Ye dealt.


    "Oh no! That hurt so much! I''m so scared!" The Bandit Leadermented sarcastically, provoking Liu Ye to try again.


    He produced nearly 50 Ice Projectiles but the results were the same. The moment the Bandit Leader spotted movementing his way, he exploded with mes again, ruining his efforts.


    Liu Ye wanted to slowly chip his HP away but each time he changed his position, the Bandit Leader was back to full health. He checked on Marco but his partner already locked them inside, closing the only exit. It only left him with one solution but for that n, he needed more water.


    It was time to turn this cavern into a pool.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    While Liu Ye was busy abusing his Waterskin to its limits, people have finally begun to reach level 10 on all the servers. The main quest granted everyone a unique key to the dungeon which allowed a single entrance to the Dungeon.


    Many paired up randomly with other strangers for a better chance of sess but clearing the Dungeon wasn''t as easy as everyone thought. The Newbie Viges were usually void of people but they slowly started to fill up once again, especially the Respawn Sites.


    "Another wipeout," Xu Yue pointed out as she watched another group respawn after dying from the Bandit Leader. They immediately began to curse and me each other just like any other team made of randoms.


    She ignored those that argued and instead gazed at the one person in ck leather armor that walked away from them.


    "Recruit that one," Xu Yue ordered a young man behind her. "With him, we will have a full team of ck leathers."


    She spent thirty minutes trying to gather a team of experts but she didn''tin. After hearing the stories from other yers, she didn''t want to brainlessly waste her Dungeon Key.


    "Yes!" The young man agreed immediately and rushed to bring the yer over. He acted like a puppy who was excited to please his owner.


    "Tsk, simp¡­" Another yermented with a snicker only to be smoked by his buddy. "You act as if you didn''t join her team because she is hot."


    When the new yer joined, she snapped her fingers to bring everyone''s attention to her and announced sternly as if they were in an army.


    "I''m your Leader for this Dungeon run. Whatever I say, you execute without a second thought. In the first run, we will explore the Dungeon and focus on finding the Boss'' weaknesses. We are aiming for the First Clear so everyone put your heart to it. Any questions?"


    "Are you single?"


    The group of guys chuckled at the bold question but Xu Yue only red at him, not entertaining them.


    "I guess everything is clear then. Open the portal."


    The young man from before didn''t hesitate to use his own and a ck hole opened in front of them.


    [Bandit Leader Dungeon] - 0/20


    They all entered one by one until only Xu Yue was left. Instead of rushing inside, she pulled out her profile and nced one more time at her friend''s list. His name was red which prevented her from sending messages but she could see his level didn''t change for a while.


    [Grind God Lvl. 9 - Bandit Leader Dungeon (Solo)]


    When she locked on his status, she couldn''t help but shake her head with a smile.


    "My man is just built different."

 Chapter 26 - Final Struggle

    ''This man¡­ How long has it been already?''


    Katherine spent the first day of Avatar Online supervising the top yers but one of them received the most attention from her. Too bad, each time she came to check on him, he was doing the same action over and over again.


    Pouring water out of his Waterskin.


    She was the one who designed most of the Bosses, especially the Bandit Leader which was the most important in the game, but she didn''t expect someone would use such a weird method. Grind God seemed like he wanted to drown the Bandit Leader.


    ''Can he make it in time though?'' Katherine wondered as she pulled out her profile.


    [Time Left: 00:59:30]


    Grind God only had an hour left to kill both the Bandit Leader and all other Masked Bandits or else he would lose all the progress he made.


    ''I guess I will watch over him for thest hour¡­'' Katherine thought as she hovered near the ceiling of the cavern.


    Compared to the yers, she was in a developer mode that granted her special perks like unlimited vision or invisibility. She could see everything that was happening, together with Grind God''s stats and inventory.


    All his Small Mana Potions were gone yet he only filled the Cavern to their hips. She was surprised he even managed to reach that height. The physics were simr to real life, so the water would be absorbed into the group after a while.


    Huh?


    Just as she was busy watching his stats, Grind God moved, suddenly swimming underwater as if testing its depth. He reached out above the surface and pped the water, creating a loud sound that rmed the Bandit Leader.


    Swoosh!


    A fireball swiftly left his palm and mmed on the water surface right above Grind God''s head. With no surprises, the mes extinguished immediately as the water turned to be superior.


    ''To think he spent 10 hours changing his surroundings to give himself such an advantage¡­'' Katherine muttered, amazed.


    A Firebender had little to no chance against a Waterbender of the same level if they battled inside water. The results would be switched if their surroundings werepletely dry like they were supposed to be.


    She was prepared to watch the Bandit Leader''s execution when she witnessed a sudden turn of events. Katherine gazed at the entrance to the cavern and her eyebrows rose.


    ''Oh no¡­''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ''Okay, this should be good enough¡­'' Liu Ye thought as he swam underwater. He could drown someone with a single bucket of water so his massive pool was more than enough.


    Fighting directly with the Bandit Leader was a waste of time. He already tried hitting him and ended up dealing max 2 or 3 damage. It would take him an eternity to kill him knowing the Bandit Leader could use Health potions as well.


    Even though his tactic wasted 10+ hours of his time, it came with additional benefits as well.


    [Elemental Points: 2]


    As soon as he reaches level 10, Liu Ye could unlock or upgrade two more abilities. He actually expected more but the amount of Elemental Mastery he received diminished to nearly zero. No matter how much water he poured out, he didn''t receive any more mastery from it.


    "Hmm?" Liu Ye was on his way to the Bandit Leader''s location when a sudden crack rmed him. He resurfaced silently and nced in the direction of the sounds only to hear Marco''s voice.


    "I can''t hold them off anymore!" Marco called out in panic before getting confused, "Huh? Why is there so much water in here?"


    "Bastard! You daree back in here!" the Bandit Leader cried out and immediately fired at Marco. He didn''t hesitate and dove down in the water, avoiding it easily.


    Masked Bandits arrived at the worst possible moment as if the Game AI wanted to mess with him again. Howe they didn''t break inside this whole time when he was preparing?


    It was useless toin so Liu Ye adjusted his n.


    "Marco! Quick, split the cavern in half! We will deal with the Bandit Leaderter!" Liu Ye ordered swiftly as he ran through the water. "Lock him up for me!"


    "Fuck you!" The Bandit Leader cursed as two whips burst from his palms and he swung at Liu Ye. Too bad, he was now in Liu Ye''s water kingdom.


    Pa!


    Liu Ye pped the whip away with his own before instantly creating three more, pushing him back. This time he didn''t have any dy, allowing him to cast abilities one by one without break.


    "I am out of potions!" Marco reported urgently. "I used all I had to hold them off."


    "Here!" Liu Ye pulled out a Medium Potion and tossed it behind him. Too bad, just this was enough to give the Bandit Leader an opportunity to strike.


    Ah!


    -60!


    [Ding! Fire Whip applied burn. You will lose 10 HP every second for the next three seconds.]


    The Fire Whip knocked him back into the water, causing the burn to extinguish even before Liu Ye suffered from a single tick of damage. He only smirked and stood back up with his whips returning to the field.


    Although Liu Ye didn''t deal any damage, it was enough to push the Bandit Leader back.


    "Alright! I am back to business!" Marco announced just in time and began setting up walls one by one. He locked both sides and only left a small gap in the middle that they used to battle.


    "See youter! I promise we won''t take long!" Liu Ye called out yfully and Marco rose thest wall, closing the Bandit Leaderpletely.


    "Oof, it''s so dark in here," Marcomented just before they heard a rumbleing from the exit. "They will break inside soon!"


    "Focus on the wall instead," Liu Ye ordered as he walked forward. "Don''t let the Bandit Leader out. I will handle the rest."


    "Are you sure?" Marco questioned in doubt but Liu Ye only smiled under his mask. As long as he had an open water source, it was simply a child''s y.


    Liu Ye raised his arms and bubbles of water floating in the air. They hardened and formed into small ice shards, ready to shoot out at the nothing expecting enemies.


    Thud!


    A dull sound resounded in the cavern and pieces of the blocked entrance began falling down in the water. They finally saw a faint lighting from the other side and the whole wall copsed.


    ''Now!'' Liu Ye cried out in his mind as 50 Ice Projectiles shot out in a single wave.


    -19


    -19


    -19


    Argh!!


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    Three Masked Bandits cried out as they died instantly but Liu Ye showed no mercy, gulping a Mana Potion as he prepared another wave.


    When the dead bodies fell down, he began managing his Mana by aiming but he still emptied his mana after five more corpses. How powerful would he be with an endless amount of Mana at his disposal?


    At that point, the Masked Bandits realized the dangers.


    "Watch out!"


    Two Berserkers jumped in the water and spawned an Ice Wall each, defending against the assault. It helped them safely spill out into the cavern while arranging a defensive formation, but when they peeked to find Liu Ye, he was already gone.


    Even with the sunlight, it was still too dark to see anything other than a few feet away from them. They definitely didn''t see the danger lurking in the dark waters.


    Ah!


    One of the Berserkers suddenly screamed and his body sank inside the water, leaving only the distancing sounds of bubbles and struggle.


    "Help! It''s pulling my¡ª"


    He wasn''t able to finish as Liu Ye covered his mouth and started punching the life out of him. Even though only the top of his head was visible, the damage of his Water Boxing still applied, melting him down to 0.


    [Ding! You killed the Berserker. You received 500 Experience and 50 silver.]


    "He is hiding in the water! Stay close to each other!" the other Berserker ordered it was futile. One by one, everyone got sucked underwater with no way to retaliate.


    How could they defend themselves from water while being inside the water?


    After clearing the mall, Liu Ye''s mind rang with notifications as he finally reached the first milestone. He knew he definitely leveled up with so much experience but when he opened his profile, he was stunned.


    [Time left: 00:05:30]


    "Fuck!" Liu Ye cursed at a single look on the clock and swiftly closed the window as he rushed to Marco. "Quick! Open the wall!"


    "Oof, don''t you want to rest first?" Marco questioned confused but Liu Ye only repeated urgently.


    "No time! Let''s go!"


    Liu Ye didn''t have time to exin. Just as Marco opened the wall, heunched himself forward like a maniac.


    "So you came back to your deat¡ª" The Bandit Leader said his programmed catchphrase only to be cut off mid-sentence as Liu Ye jumped in the water. He swam underwater, stopping right underneath Bandit Leader''s feet and knocked him down.


    Liu Ye has never set a faster chokehold than that day.


    "Come here! Help me hold him!" Liu Ye called out for help, struggling to keep the Bandit Leader underwater. Even though he had skills, his strength seemed to beckingpared to the beefy middle-aged man.


    Without Marco, this whole Quest would be impossible to finish.


    Aaargh!!


    The Bandit Leader screamed underwater as his head reddened and his huge HP finally showed the signs of dropping down.


    -1


    -1


    Each second his HP ticked down from theck of air and it increased every thirty seconds.


    -5


    -5


    ¡­


    -10


    -10


    ¡­


    -25


    -25


    ¡­


    -50


    -50


    After reaching 50, it no longer increased, giving Liu Ye a scare.


    ''Come on! Die already!'' Liu Ye cried out in his mind. "Open Profile!"


    [Time Left: 00:00:46]


    Liu Ye''s eyes moved between the timer and the Bandit Leader''s HP, calcting the difference.


    It was too close!


    45¡­ 2200¡­


    40¡­ 1950¡­


    20¡­ 950¡­


    Each second the Bandit Leader lost 50 HP but the timer onlygged behind by half a second.


    10¡­ 450¡­


    3¡­ 100...


    2¡­ 50...


    1¡­


    Liu Ye watched the timer hit onest second yet before he shifted his gaze on the Bandit Leader''s HP, he got blinded by a white light. Everything in his surroundings turned into pixels and Liu Ye heard onest message from the game.


    "Thank you for ying Avatar Online. It''s currently 6:00 AM and the servers will close. Please have a nice day ande back at 10:00 PM for another night of adventures!"

 Chapter 27 - Date

    "Did I win¡­?" Liu Ye questioned out loud within a dark space of his helmet. He could feel his mind had already returned to his real body, but he didn''t get up immediately.


    His thoughts drifted back to thest seconds of his Dungeon run as he analyzed everything that happened. Did he win or did he fail? That was all he wanted to know. Too bad, no matter how many times he recreated the scene in his mind, he couldn''t get a conclusive answer.


    "Sigh¡­ I will see itter then," Liu Ye muttered, giving up guessing. He could only wait till the servers came online again.


    It was a few minutes after 6 AM when Liu Ye got up from the bed after a whole night of gaming. Surprisingly enough, he didn''t suffer from stiffness and his mind didn''t feel sluggish. He felt even betterpared to his normal sluggish mornings.


    Knock, knock.


    Just as Liu Ye stretched, he heard a soft knock on the door, and his little sister came in without waiting for his reply. He already anticipated that, knowing she loved to wake him up.


    "Big Bro!" Zhenzhen cried out and jumped into his embrace with her arms wrapping around his neck. "Good morning~"


    She didn''t mind that he only had his boxers on and glued herself into his chest.


    "Good morning cutie," Liu Ye greeted happily and lifted her up effortlessly. "Did my Princess sleep well?"


    He loved to spoil her and she epted his love by wrapping her legs around his waist. When she was little, he always carried her around everywhere and it didn''t change as she grew taller.


    "I did, but I''m still sleepy... I was chatting with my friends tillte and only got six hours¡­" Zhenzhen admitted with guilt as she hid her face in his neck. "I guess I will sleep on my first lecture¡­"


    "Hah, a perfect student like you will sleep in ss? Is the world about to copse?" Liu Ye teased yfully as he carried her to the bathroom, ready to perform their morning routine.


    "Shh, it''s only today. I will ask the professor to excuse me today. I''m her best student so she loves me," Zhenzhen exined as she shushed him with her finger. "All my professors treat me like a puppy. They can''t resist when I ask them for a favor."


    "Nice. My little angel learned how to use her cuteness to her advantage. You make your brother proud," Liu Yemented as he rubbed her back to get down. "Alright, chop, chop. We need to brush our¡ª"


    "Wait," Zhenzhen cut him off as she suddenly sniffed his body. "I smell some nice perfume on you. They are somewhat familiar. Did you buy anything new?"


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows. "No, I barely use anything."


    He was working in a Martial Arts Studio as a trainer so any perfume would be masked by sweat anyway.


    "I think I remember now!" Zhenzhen eximed as she pursed her lips at him. "It''s Xu Yue''s smell! It must have rubbed off you when you were together."


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Liu Ye asked back innocently as she began winking at him. "I didn''t do anything."


    "Suuuuure~ You definitely didn''t do anything naughty, hehe," Zhenzhen teased back with a giggle only to be ced down against her will. "Ah!"


    "You can think what you want while brushing your teeth," Liu Ye ordered as he passed her a prepared toothbrush. "You will bete to sses."


    "Come on, we still have at least half an hour before we need to leave," Zhenzhenined cutely but still listened as she brushed like a good girl. Even though he was spoiling her a lot, she didn''t take his love for granted.


    Liu Ye patted her on the head and finally noticed her oversized shirt that clearly belonged to him. She was using his clothes to sleep so often that his consciousness didn''t consider it umon anymore.


    "You should also stop stealing my shirts," Liu Ye reprimanded with a sigh.


    "But they arefy~" She replied with a goofy smile.


    How could he reject her when she was so cute?


    Liu Ye washed his face first but as soon as he touched the running water, he felt strange. It was as if the water coiled around his skin in a familiar manner.


    "What''s wrong?" Zhenzhen questioned confused as she cleaned her own face, snapping Liu Ye back to reality.


    "I''m fine. I was just making it warm for you," Liu Ye replied casually when a phone rang in another room.


    "Ah! Someone is calling me!" Zhenzhen eximed and ran out of the bathroom, leaving him alone with his feelings.


    He tested the water again and found out nothing was wrong with it. Liu Ye was the one acting weird.


    ''Did the continuous usage of Waterbending in games influenced my perception?'' Liu Ye wondered as he got into the shower only to confirm it was just his imagination.


    Obviously, it was impossible to carry out the same mechanics from the game into the real world. It was just his mind acting weird.


    "Big Bro!" Zhenzhen came back as he was almost done showering. "I was talking to Big Sis and she said she wille to pick us up at seven. She wanted to grab breakfast with us but I said we have leftovers from yesterday. Instead, she agreed to give me a lift to my Uni and then go on a date with you."


    "Of course¡­" Liu Ye muttered, expecting nothing less from her. He didn''t mind though as he had countless questions to ask her.


    "Get ready soon so we are notte!" Zhenzhen reminded and skipped away, acting like he wasn''t the one always waiting for her.


    By seven, a ck limousine was already waiting in front of their apartment building. Zhenzhen was ecstatic when she found out it was their ride, jumping in excitement while hugging onto Liu Ye''s arm.


    Even when their parents were alive, they weren''t rich enough to afford such luxuries. They were only used to normal,moners'' life.


    "Big Bro! You didn''t tell me your girlfriend was that rich," Zhenzhenmented upset before changing her attitude by 180 degrees as she entered the car. "Big Sis!"


    Liu Ye rolled his eyes as he followed her inside. Zhenzhen was already sitting next to Xu Yue while snuggling up to her. The two only met yesterday yet they already behaved like two best friends. He simply sat opposite to them, keeping the distance from the devil herself.


    "Aww, how is my favorite little Sis?" Xu Yue questioned as she returned the hug.


    "I was great today, but now my day got much better," Zhenzhen replied happily. "Why didn''t you tell me you were going toe in a limousine? You are such a tease."


    "Hehe, I forgot it might be a big deal. For us it''s already an everyday life," Xu Yue said with a giggle before ncing at Liu Ye. "Isn''t that right, babe?"


    "Ah! I''m definitely mad now. He never told me anything," Zhenzhen instantly pouted but Xu Yue corrected her right away.


    "Well, it''s not like he could tell you anything. My identity is quite special and our business is confidential," Xu Yue exined as she caressed Zhenzhen''s cheek. "He is not allowed to tell anyone, even his own family."


    "Oh!" Zhenzhen eximed as her eyes shone while looking between the two of them. "I will forgive you then, but only if you tell me how you keep your hair so well done. Mine is so dry that¡ª"


    Liu Ye already stopped listening to them, finding looking out of the window more interesting. It has been a while since he was driving with Xu Yue so casually.


    Before he knew it, the limousine stopped and they found themselves in front of Zhenzhen''s University.


    "Remember to call me when you finish your lectures. I will send someone over to drive you home," Xu Yue reminded her before Zhenzhen left. "I will also let you know when I have some free time. We will go to my favorite hair salon and get your hair done."


    "Alright! Thank you!" Zhenzhen nodded eagerly and hugged them both on her way out. "Have fun on your date~"


    Liu Ye couldn''t be more speechless at their behavior. He wanted to say something about it but seeing Zhenzhen so happy, he kept it to himself.


    "I don''t like that you are so close to her," Liu Ye spoke honestly as soon as the door closed. "You are too high profile and constantly on the radar. I don''t want your enemies to see you have any connections with her."


    "Oh, please. Do you think anyone in this city would have the balls toy their hands on me?" Xu Yue pointed out with a smile and poured herself a ss of sparkling water. "When was thest time I went through an assassination attempt? It has been like a year already. Don''t worry."


    "I don''t care. You have too many enemies for me to let her meet you. I want you to stop meeting with her in person," Liu Ye ordered sternly. "This is the main reason why I never introduced you to her."


    He nced at her waist and added, "And wear your seat belt. You never know when someone will try to hit¡ª"


    Bang!

 Chapter 28 - Dead Or Alive

    Liu Ye didn''t even finish his reminder when the exact event happened¡ª something mmed into the side of their limousine. Despite being armored, their car flipped upside down and slid on its roof.


    Everything happened so fast that Liu Ye had no chance to react.


    "Xu Yue!" Liu Ye called out in worry as he found her lying with shattered ss all around her. Even though they had their differences, he would never wish her any harm.


    His seat belt popped with a click and he rushed to her side to check her condition. Thankfully, she only had a single bloody scratch on her arm without any obvious injuries.


    "Fuck, that hurt," Xu Yue cursed as she sat up while rubbing her head. "I''m definitely getting bruises after this one."


    "Are you okay?" Liu Ye asked to make sure as he swept the ss away. "Watch where you ce your hand."


    Xu Yue nced at him suspiciously and joked, "Do I need to get hurt for you to care for me? If so, I will get hurt more often."


    He ignored itpletely and let go of her, crouching down to look out of the window. Even though it was cracked, he could see the front of a big truck that hit them. He was about to im it was an ident when he spotted something amiss.


    "Get your gun fast!" Liu Ye ordered hurriedly as he reached out to the hiddenpartment under the seats.


    "Don''t tell me¡­" Xu Yue muttered in surprise and Liu Ye nodded, pulling out multiple metal suitcases. "Yes, we are under attack."


    The truck that hit them had dark windows and it was fully armored with its front strengthened. It was designed to ram through barriers or in this case, cars. To make it worse, he spotted multiple people rushing out of the truck with full gear on their bodies and assault rifles in their hands.


    This was not a joke anymore.


    "Damn, couldn''t theye around noon at least? I''m barely awake for this shit," Xu Yue questioned annoyed, and rushed to Liu Ye''s seat. "I have two bullet-proof vests here."


    Only Xu Yue would be able tough at her own assassination attempt.


    Liu Ye was already in the middle of assembling his gear consisting of two 9mm Berettas with six 15-rounds magazines. He was surprised they were in the same condition as he left them. Xu Yue must have ordered to clean them often, which came in handy now.


    "Quick, wear one," Xu Yue passed him one of the vests and helped button it with a smile. "Just like thest time?"


    The whole scene looked extremely simr to what they went through almost two years ago. That time they acted more disorganized and panickedpared to today. The constant dangers over time caused them to mature faster than others.


    "I will take the right," Liu Ye nodded while passing her one of the guns and two spare magazines. "Kill as many as you can."


    Click.


    Xu Yue loaded her gun and pursed her lips. "Are you doubting me? Did you forget who taught you how to shoot?"


    She crouched next to the window and suggested, "The one with more kills gets one wish."


    Liu Ye''s eyebrow twitched as she started her favorite game but he didn''t back down from the challenge.


    "Don''t cryter," Liu Ye replied confidently as hey on the opposite side.


    He could already see four pairs of legs on his side working on the locked door. Opening them from outside wasn''t as simple as it sounded. One needed multiple explosives to break inside Xu Yue''s armored car while they only needed a small force to break out.


    Liu Ye waited for Xu Yue''s signal and when she tapped his back with her leg, he counted three seconds. They always believed the best defense was an attack.


    Crack!


    The window exploded with a hit of his pistol and Liu Ye shot without hesitation


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    He shot thrice at their legs before pulling another trigger as he aimed at the fourth person''s head. The masked man was already aiming back with his rifle but Liu Ye was first, ragdolling him back with a single bullet.


    "Fuck!" the man closest to him cursed as he dropped in front of the window only to be finished with a precise headshot.


    Liu Ye wasn''t Deadpool so he grabbed the corpse by the vest and pulled him against the window just as two rifles sprayed at the car. The man''s back instantly turned into a swiss cheese but something else distracted Liu Ye''s mind.


    ''Military-grade?'' Liu Ye wondered as he inspected the gear. He recognized the logo on the gun as well as the vest, exposing their origin.


    It seemed like it wasn''t just a simple payback of Xu Yue''s enemy but rather an organized attack from someone with connections in the military. Contrary to appearances, Liu Ye knew how hard it was to even get a gun in this country, not to mention a full military gear.


    He snatched the smoke grenade attached to the belt and threw it out. Just as the men stopped shooting, Liu Ye shot three times, correcting one bullet that only grazed a cheek.


    ''Rusty¡­'' Liu Ye thought as he reloaded his magazine and slid outside while using a body as a shield.


    Bang!


    He already aimed at the next target but before he pulled the trigger, his head got knocked back from an unknown bullet.


    "Six!" Xu Yue called out happily as she rushed to the other truck.


    She was stealing his kills!


    Even though she was cheating, Liu Ye couldn''t help but be impressed. They were in the middle of the intersection with two trucks blocking them from their sides. While he was busy with one, she already killed five men before even taking one of his own.


    He walked towards the truck only to see a man run out of the passenger seat, trying to escape.


    "Arrgh!" he cried from a quick bullet in his calf. "Wait! Don''t kill me!"


    He threw his rifle away and raised his arms in the air to surrender.


    "Face down! Don''t move or you are dead!" Liu Ye warned as he kicked the rifle away and pulled out his secondary pistol. He checked the man''s face but it wasn''t anyone he knew.


    "How many of you are there?!" Liu Ye interrogated while staying vignt.


    The trafficpletely stopped and many civilians were either hiding in their cars or running away. He had no idea if there were any more enemies within the crown.


    "Six for each truck!" the man replied immediately. "I will tell you everything! Don''t shoot!"


    Liu Ye couldn''t trust him fully so he checked the back of the truck to confirm. Finding it empty, he returned to the man just as Xu Yue came back. She led him while aiming at the back of its head.


    "I found one more in the drive¡ª" Xu Yue called out only to stop herself halfway, seeing Liu Ye also had one. "Oh, I guess this one is not needed."


    Bang!


    She didn''t hesitate to push him forward and pull the trigger, executing him on the spot. Her eyes knew no mercy when it came to her enemies and her lips even curved in a smile.


    "Congrats, you just got yourself in the news," Liu Ye praised, knowing very well people were recording them. "We should get going before the policee."


    "Sure," Xu Yue nodded as she kicked the man on the side. "Talk! Who hired you to kill us?"


    "Ah! I don''t know the full name! We were given weapons and instructions but we didn''t meet with the client. Our Boss was calling him Master Yang and told us it''s a high-paying job from someone important," the man exined in panic. "It''s my first job so I wasn''t told much! That''s all I know!"


    Liu Ye frowned. He has never heard of anyone named Master Yang and looking at Xu Yue, she didn''t either. "What were the instructions?"


    Knowing Xu Yue''s status, the answer should have been obvious but they were shocked by the sudden twist.


    "He asked us to kidnap you," the man revealed. "Boss said we will get paid more if you are alive but we would still get paid if we only bring back your body."


    "The fuck¡­?" Liu Ye couldn''t be more confused. "Why would someone pay for my body?"


    "We were only hired to get you. We didn''t ask why," the man replied as he winced from the pain. "Please, my leg is bleeding. I told you everything."


    "How did you know I was in this car?" Liu Ye questioned as his face darkened. He didn''t want to think about the worst-case scenarios but it was getting close.


    "We have observed you for a few days already. We were told you were dangerous so we took it seriously. When we figured out your daily pattern, we nned to strike today on your way to work but we didn''t expect you to use transport. We thought we got discovered so we improvised," the man exined while holding back his pain.


    "Who is your boss?" Liu Ye asked coldly. They could hear the police sirens from afar which cut their interrogation time.


    "I can''t tell you that! He will kill me!" The man denied as he begged, "Please, I have two kids and my wife is pregnant! I told you everything I can!"


    "It doesn''t matter," Liu Ye replied with a stone-like expression as he aimed his pistol at his head. "You saw my sister."


    He was about to pull the trigger when Xu Yue grasped onto his sleeve, causing him to look up. His whole body shuddered when the angel he swore to protect was standing in the middle of the street. Her whole body was shaking as she looked at him with fear.


    "Big Bro!"

 Chapter 29 - Secrets

    "What are you doing here?!" Liu Ye called out in worry as he put a gun in the back of his pants and rushed to Zhenzhen''s side. "It''s dangerous here."


    Although she looked scared, she didn''t reject Liu Ye''s embrace which was her only safe ce.


    "Big Bro, what happened here?" Zhenzhen questioned while looking up at him. "Are you injured?"


    She tried to check his body for any wounds before he even replied but Liu Ye only covered her ears while pressing her against his chest.


    Bang!


    Zhenzhen jerked at the sound of another gunshot and Xu Yue came over. "We have to go."


    Liu Ye pulled Zhenzhen away and grabbed her face, forcing her to stare into his eyes.


    "Listen to me. Those people were bad guys," Liu Ye exined softly. "They tried to kill us, so we had to defend ourselves. I will tell you everything but we have to leave this ce first. Okay?"


    The sound of Police sirens was clear now as they tried to break through the traffic of cars. They would be on the site any moment.


    "Mhmm, I trust you," Zhenzhen nodded innocently and he picked her up, running after Xu Yue. He hated the fact she found out about his dark side but it was toote to change that.


    The only thing that cheered him up was the fact they dropped her off before the attack took ce. He didn''t know what he would do if anything happened to her.


    "What about the driver?" Liu Ye questioned on the way as they reached the sidewalk. People immediately gave way to them as Xu Yue walked boldly with a gun in her hand.


    "I left him on purpose. We need someone to talk to the Police and exin what happened," Xu Yue replied simply. "I already clicked the emergency button in the car. My people should already be on the way to get¡ª Speaking of the devil."


    Just as she mentioned it, they saw two ck sedans approach from a distance before stopping right next to them. Multiple men in ck suits stepped out with guns in their hands but Xu Yue immediately snapped at them. "Get back inside! We are leaving!"


    "Zhenzhen, get inside," Liu Ye said while assuring her. "Everything will be alright. We are in good hands now."


    She looked ultimately confused at what was happening but she listened to Liu Ye like a good girl.


    "Zhenzhen, do you have a phone with you?" Xu Yue asked as she stripped off her vest. "I need to call my father but I left my own behind."


    "Here." Zhenzhen passed the phone without hesitation, already somewhat calmed down. "Big Sis gave it to us anyway."


    "Don''t worry, I will return it in a second," Xu Yue replied as she praised, "You are hanging well there. I know you have a lot of questions but you have to wait till we reach a safe ce."


    "Mhmm¡­" Zhenzhen nodded softly before ncing down at Xu Yue''s pistolying on the empty chair. Liu Ye was quick to notice that and covered it with his own bullet-proof vest.


    "Zhenzhen, tell me how you got to the scene," Liu Ye asked while pulling her chin to look at him. "Didn''t you enter into your Uni grounds?"


    It would be hard to distract her from what happened so he wanted to at least help her understand.


    "I did but then I heard a loud crash and everyone came out to check it out. When I saw it was Big Sis''s limousine, I immediately rushed to help," Zhenzhen exined as she leaned on his shoulder. "But then, I heard gunshots¡­ I was too scared to move¡­"


    Zhenzhen shuddered as if remembering the scene but Liu Ye calmed her down, "It''s okay now¡­ Your Big Bro is safe now... No one can take me away from you¡­"


    "Mhmm¡­ I thought you were the one getting shot, so I¡­" Zhenzhen paused, looking at Liu Ye as if scared to be scolded.


    "Don''t worry. Nothing happened and that''s all that matters," Liu Ye assured. "You are also old enough to know that rushing into a gunfight is not a good idea. I don''t need to remind you of that."


    "I was hiding but thinking that you could be hurt, I couldn''t sit and do nothing¡­ I know I did wrong," Zhenzhen exined with a sigh.


    "Did you see me shoot?" Liu Ye asked an important question.


    "Yes. You shot that man in the leg," Zhenzhen nodded eagerly. "Big Bro looked cool, but then when you aimed to kill him¡­"


    She couldn''t finish as Xu Yue''s call finally connected.


    "Father." Her tone was calm but Liu Ye could hear the nervousness in her voice.


    Who wouldn''t? She was talking to the current leader of the Red Dragon Triad, a man that even the government is scared to touch.


    "Yes, I am not hurt at all, just some scratches. Liu Ye is fine too."


    "Yes, we are heading back to the vi."


    "Okay, bye."


    The conversation was short and sounded normal, but based on Xu Yue''s expression, it was that simple.


    "He is not happy, huh?" Liu Ye asked while already knowing the answer.


    "Nope. We are screwed," Xu Yue replied simply, passing the phone back to Zhenzhen. "We will get a proper scolding for sure."


    "We? I did nothing wrong. I performed my job perfectly," Liu Ye corrected, washing his hands. "As long as you are not hurt, I''m good."


    Liu Ye turned to Zhenzhen and exined, "Everything that happened earlier was a part of my job. Xu Yue is a very important person that has a lot of enemies. I''m working as her bodyguard to protect her from danger."


    "So those people came to hurt Big Sis?" Zhenzhen asked curiously, cheering up after his exnation.


    "Yes," Liu Ye nodded without hesitation. "But don''t worry. Your Big Bro is very skilled and will protect her. I didn''t tell you about it because I didn''t want people to target you. Our lives are dangerous so I wanted you to live a normal life for as long as I could."


    He couldn''t tell her those men came after him or else she would not leave his side ever again. They only had each other in this world so both of them didn''t want to lose the other.


    "Thank you," Zhenzhen acknowledged with a hug before hitting him on the shoulder. "But I''m also mad at you that I didn''t know anything this whole time. I understand it''s confidential but you could have told me something."


    "Well, now you know everything. I will try not to hide too much from you," Liu Ye assured, knowing very well he still had secrets he couldn''t share.


    "Humph, you better," Zhenzhen puffed as she threatened with her finger. "You didn''t tell me you have a girlfriend and now this. I can''t believe you were hiding so much from me."


    Liu Ye and Xu Yue froze, realizing there was one more thing they had to rify.


    "This¡­ Will you tell her?" Xu Yue mentioned as she gazed at Liu Ye. Even though she wanted to be with him, it wasn''t the time to announce her ns to her family.


    "Tell me what?" Zhenzhen questioned as she looked back and forth between them.


    "That our rtionship is a secret," Liu Ye said directly. "If Xu Yue''s father finds out about us, he won''t let us be together. That''s why it''s important you don''t tell anyone."


    He was pained to continue with Xu Yue''s lie but it was still better than exining the truth. She would raise too many questions for which he didn''t have an answer.


    "Oh! Like in a movie! Don''t worry! I will not tell anyone!" Zhenzhen eximed with her eyes shining. "But I have a condition!"


    In a quick moment, she forgot what just happened and get gossipy nature activated as she focused directly on them.


    "What is it?"


    Zhenzhen pursed her lips and demanded, "I will stay quiet but I don''t want you to restrain yourself in front of each other. I want to see the cute side of Big Bro as he spoils his girlfriend. Ahhh, can''t wait!"


    Liu Ye''s heart sank while Xu Yue''s couldn''t contain her happiness. She jumped seats next to Zhenzhen and they continued to gossip around like best friends forever.


    He immediately regretted not spilling everything but it was toote, the cars already reaching the Xu Residence.


    "Whoa! Big Sis! You are rich rich!" Zhenzhenmented as they stopped in front of arge vi with beautiful gardens all around.


    "Wait till you see the pool in the backyard," Xu Yue teased. "We can swim after the meeting with my father."


    That one sentence sold Zhenzhen as she jumped in excitement.


    "Miss, your father is awaiting you," the butler informed as he opened the door to the house and then led them to the office. Liu Ye nned to have Zhenzhen wait outside but she held his arm tight, not wanting to leave his side.


    The office was spacious with all furniture beautifully handcrafted but that wasn''t what drew their attention. It was the big screen behind the desk with a news station broadcasting live news. It wasn''t a surprise that Xu Yue''s face was pulled up on the screen.


    "We have identified the person on the footage as Xu Yue, the well-known Heiress of the Red Dragon Triad. From what we gathered, their car was attacked by two armored trucks with twelve armed men. It was most probably an attempt to kidnap Miss Xu but it failed horribly. She and her bodyguard fought back against the attackers and gave them the taste of their medicine."


    Bang! Bang!


    The sounds of shooting filled the office as a phone camera recorded Xu Yue shooting at the men, only needing one bullet for each person. The video was mostly blurred aside from Xu Yue''s cold face that was even zoomed in for more views.


    Click.


    The middle-aged man behind the chair paused the TV and finally turned around, looking solemnly at his daughter. He was about to speak when his gaze fell on the unknown person in the room.


    "Who is she?"

 Chapter 30 - Leader Xu

    "I''m Liu Zhenzhen, Sir. Nice to meet you," Zhenzhen introduced herself with a respectful bow.


    "She is my little sister. Her identity gotpromised, so I had to bring her with me," Liu Ye added as he patted her head. "I can bring her out if Leader Xu wishes."


    He already experienced Leader Xu''s explosive nature so it was best to leave Zhenzhen out of it. Too bad, he wasn''t the one holding cards.


    "No!" Zhenzhen denied immediately and hugged him tightly. "I am not leaving!"


    Xu Yue and Liu Ye paled, looking up at Leader Xu only to get surprised seeing a smile on his face.


    "You must be the girl that ran up to them in the middle of a gunfight, right?" Leader Xu questioned calmly. "Were you not scared?"


    "I was, but when I saw my Big Bro, my body moved on its own. I know it was stupid, he already reprimanded me for it," Zhenzhen replied honestly. "If the Police ask questions, I can testify for him. He was only protecting himself and Big Sis."


    "That''s very nice of you but don''t worry. I just got off the phone with the Commissioner and your brother will not get in trouble," Leader Xu informed, causing Zhenzhen''s eyes to shine.


    "That''s great! He was just doing his job and they were the ones who attacked first," Zhenzhen called out excitedly. "Thank you for the help, Sir!"


    "You are wee," Leader Xu replied gently. "If you want, you can call me Uncle Xu. Sir just sounds too formal, you know."


    "Oh! Alright, Uncle Xu," Zhenzhen nodded eagerly. "Uncle Xu can call me Zhenzhen then."


    Liu Ye was speechless. There was not a single person in this world that could call Leader Xu like that, even his own nieces and nephews. The whole interaction between them didn''t make sense. Wasn''t he supposed to scold Xu Yue instead?


    "Sure. Zhenzhen, I have a question for you," Leader Xu spoke up, finally revealing his intentions. "How close are you to your brother?"


    ''Damn¡­'' Liu Ye cursed in his mind, not liking where this was going.


    Zhenzhen didn''t hesitate with her answer as she hugged his arm and replied, "My Big Bro is my whole world. We would do anything for each other."


    Leader Xu nodded in approval as he finally gazed at Liu Ye, "That''s such a nice connection you two have. Liu Ye, I''m happy with how you handled the situation. Even though my daughter made a mistake by leaving her guards behind, you protected her well. I''m d the money we pay you doesn''t go to waste."


    "Thank you, Sir. I did what you had to do," Liu Ye replied politely, trying to keep calm. He knew it was suspicious and the next words of Leader Xu only confirmed his guess.


    "Anyway, you two should stay at our ce until we make sure you are safe. Now that you are all over the news, it''s best if you stay low until we find out who was behind this attack," Leader Xu suggested, causing Liu Ye to finally interfere.


    "I am not returning to my full duties," Liu Ye announced. "I was brought in by Xu Yue and I will work with her on her project. I won''t be taking any more additional work since I want to spend more time with my sister."


    Leader Xu''s smile disappeared, but he still nodded, "That''s okay, as long as you keep her safe."


    He then pressed a button on his desk and the butler entered inside right after. "Yes, Sir?"


    "Please bring Liu Ye and his sister to the guest rooms upstairs," Leader Xu ordered as he gave Liu Ye a nce. "I would like to talk to my daughter alone."


    "You can bring them to my room instead," Xu Yue changed the order. "I want to talk to them afterward."


    "Yes, Miss."


    It was obvious that Leader Xu didn''t like his response but he had to be firm with people like him. This man didn''t hesitate to think about using Zhenzhen against him. If he wasn''t careful, he would return back into the dark world but this time without return.


    When they left the office, Xu Yue didn''t hesitate to send out a warning. "Liu Ye is working for me. Don''t think I''m going to lend him to you."


    "Who knows, maybe one day he will decide to take some voluntary work," Leader Xu replied with a shrug. "We will return to this topicter. For now, I need to find the person targeting you. I suppose you retrieved some information for me, right?"


    Xu Yue''s face darkened but it was pointless to argue with her father. He would always find ways to get what he wants. Zhenzhen was too innocent and pure to figure out his tactics.


    "Master Yang," Xu Yue reported the name without revealing its true target. "We can''t trust his words fully but that was the name of the client he told me. The boss of this mercenary group should know more. They had military-grade weapons and gear while having mediocre skills so I guess it was their client who provided it. He must have some connection to the military."


    Leader Xu frowned and reached for the phone. "Alright, I got it. You are free to go."


    A part of her wanted to smack him on the face but she restrained herself, walking to the doors. Her father was never nice to her, always either stern or cold.


    "One more thing," Leader Xu called out just as she was about to leave. "Make sure to keep Liu Ye for as long as you can. If you can befriend his sister and keep her here, he will be more likely to stay. When you take over the leadership after me, he would make a good assistant."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Weird¡­"


    Xu Yue''s room was just as Liu Ye remembered, the office connected with the bedroom, but something bothered him. He walked around the room and suddenly sensed something familiar. He didn''t know what it was but he couldn''t get rid of this feeling.


    In some parts of the office, it was stronger and weaker in others. Eventually, he found its source and stopped in front of an oil painting of a forest hanging on the wall.


    He touched the canvas but nothing happened aside from getting confused stares from Zhenzhen.


    "Big Bro, did something happen?" Zhenzhen questioned as she stopped next to him. "You have been pacing around back and forth in silence."


    "Can you feel it too?"


    "Feel what?" Zhenzhen asked while reaching up to his forehead. "You don''t seem to have a fever¡­ Maybe you got hurt earlier?"


    It definitely wasn''t an illusion. He could still feel something but just couldn''t describe it.


    "Don''t worry, I am good," Liu Ye assured as he checked the back of the painting. Just as he thought, there was a sensor on each corner. If he took it down without proper tools, Xu Yue would be notified immediately.


    "There has to be a safe behind it¡­" Liu Ye muttered to himself when the door opened abruptly, forcing him to give up for now. He couldn''t just ask Xu Yue to open the safe for him.


    "What are you doing?" Xu Yue asked from behind and they both turned around with innocent expressions.


    "We were watching the painting," Zhenzhen replied casually as she ran up to her. "What did Uncle Xu tell you?"


    Xu Yue hugged her gently and replied, "I reported some details about the attack and then he told me to take good care of you which is what I nned to do from the beginning. You are now my little sis too, remember?"


    "Hehe," Zhenzhen giggled before looking back at Liu Ye. "But what about my lectures? Or even our clothes. Uncle Xu said we should stay here but we don''t have any of our belongings."


    "Hmm, I will take you tomorrow to gather all your stuff. It should be fine if we take more people with us," Xu Yue suggested. "About your studies, I don''t think you will be able to attend them in the near future. You were all over the news so I''m sure our enemies might think you are connected to us. It''s too dangerous to let you wander on your own."


    It was even more dangerous knowing they might use her to get to Liu Ye.


    "For the time being, how about I lend some of my clothes? Our bodies should have simr numbers if my eyes are not wrong," Xu Yue added as she checked Zhenzhen out. "I might also have some of my old bikinis from high school. They would match you perfectly."


    "Ah! The pool!" Zhenzhen eximed with renewed excitement. "I would love to!"


    "Sure! Let''s¡ª"


    "Xu Yue, can I have you for a second?" Liu Ye cut her off as he approached the window. He could see the vast gardens where he used to train his skills but all of it was in the past.


    When she walked up, he grabbed her wrist and pretended he was kissing her neck as he whispered, "I know your father''s ns. If I sense that my sister is in any danger by staying here, I will take her away and you will never see us again. I hope you know that."


    Xu Yue looked at him with a smile and leaned to his ear as well but she kissed him for real instead.


    "If my father hurts her in any way, I will make him retire in a coffin. Is my resolve to keep you mine enough?"

 Chapter 31 - Blog Post

    "Big Bro! How do I look?"


    Despite the rough start of the day, Zhenzhen acted as if nothing happened, enjoying her life to the fullest. She jumped out of Xu Yue''s bedroom with her new bikini set and presented herself to Liu Ye.


    "You are the cutest," Liu Ye praised with a nod of approval, helping her turn around like a ballet dancer. He couldn''t help but be proud of her glow-up.


    She used to be a nerdy girl who often wore baggy clothes to hide her obvious loss of weight yet now her body looked amazing. Her quick recovery from the scary illness that almost took her life was everything he wanted to see.


    "Am I only cute or maybe sexy too?" Zhenzhen wondered as she leaned forward, trying to make her chest look more presentable. "Big Sis said I look hot and you would love it."


    She fixed her frilly white top before adjusting her undies to fit her perky butt. "The bottom seems a bit small. I guess my butt grew again."


    "Don''t worry, it looks great. My baby girl is both sexy and cute," Liu Ye praised while caressing her cheek. "Any man who sees you would die to be with you."


    "Even you?" Zhenzhen asked back with her eyes shining and he nodded without hesitation.


    "Of course. If I wasn''t your brother, I would be the first to court you."


    She smiled happily and rested her face against his palm, enjoying his warm touch. "I would too! Big Bro is the best."


    He had no problems admiring her beauty since he didn''t have any unhealthy thoughts. She was his angel that he had to protect at all cost.


    "How about me?"


    Xu Yue''s voice came from across the room as she walked in like a model on a runway. Liu Ye already knew she would try to seduce him but she was going overboard.


    "Whoa! I thought you will pick the red one but this is so sexy!" Zhenzhen hyped excitedly and pulled away, giving way to the Queen of Chess. "Big Bro, you must have saved a lot of kittens in your past life to have such a hot g¡ª"


    Liu Ye moved quickly, covering her lips before she said too much.


    "Did you forget what we told you earlier?" he asked with a sigh, already knowing this matter would bring them a headache.


    "Right¡­ I will be more careful," Zhenzhen muttered pitifully and ran away towards the balcony. "I will wait outside!"


    She already treated the vi as her own, taking advantage of every minute she had in this world.


    "Are there any cameras in here?" Liu Ye asked just to be sure.


    "None. The whole studio is soundproof and my father knows I would go crazy if I found even one camera here," Xu Yue exined in a whisper, putting her seduction aside for a moment. "There are some outside so we have to be careful. My father doesn''t see you as a potential partner for me."


    Leader Xu prioritized benefits in almost everything and giving her hand in marriage to him wasn''t beneficial to them at all. Thankfully, Liu Ye didn''t mind that at all.


    "That''s good. You should keep your distance from me then," Liu Ye suggested, only to bring the opposite effect as Xu Yue hugged him tightly. Her chest pressed against his own and her ck striped bra slipped up, making her nipples touch him bare.


    "I don''t care what my father says. I live my life however I want it," Xu Yue replied with an unhappy stare. "If I want you to be mine, I will do whatever I can to achieve that goal."


    "If someone sees us like this, I will be the one punished," Liu Ye replied coldly while his gaze remained unbothered. "Your courting methods involve getting me and my sister killed. I already told you what I will do if you endanger Zhenzhen."


    "Should I then ignore my feelings and let you disappear the moment you get the chance? I can''t do that," Xu Yue muttered as she bit on her lip. "I know you well. The moment you pay off your debt, you will be gone."


    "If you knew me well then you would understand why I can''t ept you," Liu Ye countered as he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away. "You are beautiful and I would love to be with you but as long as you remain the Heiress of the Red Dragon Triad, it''s not going to happen."


    "And what if I leave?" Xu Yue asked back as she caught his arm when he tried to leave. "Will that solve everything?"


    He paused and looked back with a face full of doubt. "Can you though?"


    Just as he spoke, they heard an impatient call from Zhenzhen, "Guys, are youing? I can hear the bubbles from the jacuzzi!"


    "Leave it for now," Liu Ye said before Xu Yue replied and stepped forward to fix her bikini top. "Despite what I said, this ce is the safest for the time being but once I kill the person hunting for me, I will take her away and we won''t meddle with the underworld again."


    He caressed her cheek when he was done and added, "Whatever you decide at that time, I will act ordingly."


    "Can you hear me?" Zhenzhen asked confused as he returned back and Liu Ye finally pulled away from her, giving Zhenzhen deserved attention.


    "Yes, we areing," Liu Ye replied while pulling her towards the balcony. He didn''t see but Xu Yue smiled as soon as he left, holding her cheek where he touched her.


    She nced at the painting on the wall and muttered happily, "Soon¡­"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After day one of Avatar Online ended, every yer returned back to their activities in real life. For most of them, it was their work and Mei was one of them.


    "Mei! You arete again!"


    When she finally broke through traffic and reached her workce, her boss was already waiting to scold her.


    "I am sorry! There was traffic on the way! The police said the road was blocked due to some mass- shooting and I had to drive from the other side," Mei exined as shemented in her mind. She promised herself to get off the game earlier but she ended up ying all the way till the servers closed.


    Avatar Online was simply too good not to enjoy it fully.


    Thankfully, her boss forgave her quickly as she let her walk to her office desk.


    "Good that you heard about it. That is the exact job I prepared for you today," her boss replied as he checked the time. "I want to see the post on the blog by noon. This is the best story we had this whole week so you better do your best. If you can get us 10 million views in 24 hours, I will give you a raise."


    Mei momentarily paled when she heard the number. "10 million?! Do you realize we barely get that number in the whole month?"


    They were still a rtively new site yet he wanted her topare with the top news sites.


    "Well, isn''t that why I''m giving you a raise if you seed?" Her boss shrugged as he walked away. "Good luck!"


    Mei already knew a single shooting would not get them this many views but a job was a job, something to pay her bills. She didn''t waste time and got on herputer to check the materials she received.


    It was a full video of the scene made with a civilian camera as well as multiple instances of the story being covered on TV. To her surprise, she saw someone she knew very well.


    "Xu Yue?" Mei muttered as she recalled the girl''s name that was the most popr girl in her high school. "To think she is from that Xu family¡­"


    The story got suddenly more interesting, watching how Xu Yue headshots people like it''s nothing but then something else piqued her interest.


    It was Xu Yue''s bodyguard that no one paid attention to in any of the news stations. She couldn''t help but find him familiar.


    "Where did I see him¡­?" Mei wondered as she watched multiple videos from different angles before get body shuddered from excitement.


    "IT''S HIM!" Mei cried out while standing up abruptly, causing the whole office to look at her confused. She ignored them and sat back down, staring at the man''s face.


    "Those eyes¡­ This hair and cheekbones¡­ This has to be him¡­" Mei muttered excitedly, her smile widening further with each second.


    Grind God!


    She could recognize this face anywhere after she received so much bullying from him. Even though he could change his appearance, the way he carried himself couldn''t be changed.


    ''Hohoho, don''t worry boss¡­ I will write you the best post of the month!'' Mei thought with an evil grin as she opened a document and wrote the title of her post.


    [Grind God, the top yer of Avatar Online killed 5 people in the recent shooting!]

 Chapter 32 - Bet

    Mei was proud of her new article but as soon as she submitted it for review, her boss came running out of his office with an angry look on his face.


    "Mei! Are you crazy?! We can''t post this!" he scolded as he pped her desk. "I asked you to make a post about the shooting yet you barely mentioned it! Where is Xu Yue? Where is the Red Dragon Triad? All you write is this Avatar Online shit!"


    Mei was shaken but she didn''t give in easily. "Because that''s going to get us views! Avatar Online will be the hottest topic today and everyone has heard about Grind God in the game."


    "How do you know it''s him? Do you have any proof?" the Boss questioned but he didn''t even let her answer before shooting again. "And what''s with this headline? You basically portrayed him as if he was the shooter when in fact he was a victim. Do you want us to get sued for defamation?! You didn''t even rify itter."


    "This¡­" Mei muttered speechlessly, also realizing she must have gone too extreme. She was just consumed with hate and wanted to get her revenge on him.


    "I will fix it!" Mei eximed as she opened the files again. "Just give me 30 min¡ª"


    "Don''t bother, you are fired," the Boss cut her off. "I gave you a chance and you blew it. Pack your things and get out. You are too much of a risk for us."


    Mei shuddered at his words. She opened her mouth to plead but she remained silent as she forced a shrug.


    "Whatever, it''s your loss. I was carrying this entirepany on my own but now it''s over so good luck," Mei wished as she took her things and stood up firmly. "Give me the papers to sign."


    The Boss was taken aback by how quickly she epted her fate but before he changed his mind, she hurried him, "What are you waiting for? It''s toote to have me back. I will return if you get on the ground and beg me to stay."


    The Boss red at her and went back to his office,ing back a minuteter with termination papers. She smiled and signed them after a quick read.


    "Since you are firing me, you owe me the final paycheck and other employee benefits, including but not limited topensation for unused paid days and termination fee. I expect to see the money in my ount by tonight or else mywyer will contact you. Goodbye!"


    She took the copy and stormed out, not feeling as bad as she thought. Their month just started yet she was already fired, forcing her Boss to pay her another month''s sry. If he was smart, he would keep her working for at least another month but thankfully he wasn''t.


    "Hehe, good I still have a following on my Social Media. I can use Grind God to at least gain some new followers¡­" Mei giggled as she imagined the man from the videos. "To think he is in the same city as me¡­ You thought you could bully ck Rose but now it''s time for payback."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Liu Ye was clueless about what was going on in the media space but even if he knew his Avatar Online identity got exposed, he couldn''t care less. Normal people didn''t stand a chance against him. What worried him were mysterious people like Master Yang who hired professionals to kill him.


    Despite the critical situation, he still yed in the pool with Zhenzhen, taking away all the worries from her mind.


    "Big Sis, you must be enjoying this jacuzzi every day, right? It''s so nice," Zhenzhen asked with a blissful smile as she dove around within bubbles.


    "Well, I used to when we first got here but now not so much. It''s boring when it is only me using it," Xu Yue replied as she sat across Liu Ye. "Now that you are here I will definitely join you. No one will disturb us here as only our family has ess to the inner garden."


    Xu Yue acted normal despite their conversation earlier, causing Liu Ye to sigh in relief. It would be troublesome if they became awkward in front of Zhenzhen.


    "I will!" Zhenzhen nodded eagerly before diving underwater again.


    "What do you think about getting Zhenzhen her own console?" Xu Yue suggested out of nowhere. "Since we are stuck here, it would be nice if she could join us. I doubt she can attend her lectures any time soon so this will give her an additional activity."


    Before Liu Ye said anything, she added, "If you are worried about her skills, I can teach her some martial arts techniques to better protect herself. Once she reaches the Maind, I will just take her under my wing."


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes as if trying to figure if she had any ulterior motives before nodding, "Sure. I was thinking about it anyway."


    Liu Ye pursed his lips but he didn''t know why she was so happy.


    "Talking about Avatar Online, you have to tell me what you are up to," Xu Yue mentioned casually as she reached out with her leg and ced her feet on his thighs. "I watched your level and it has been sitting on level 9 for a while. Only when the server was about to close did you level up."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but remember all the times he used to massage her foot as they chatted in a simr position. The reason Xu Yue stopped using the pool is that he was no longer there for her.


    Zhenzhen resurfaced when he was about to push them away but Xu Yue stopped him. "Treat it as my wish."


    "Huh? What wish?" Zhenzhen repeated as she pulled her wet hair away from her face. She was just like Liu Ye, having the family color of ck.


    "We are talking about a certain bet we had with your brother. I got a wish from him so I asked him to massage my feet. I don''t think he will honor the bet though," Xu Yue exined honestly, causing Zhenzhen to say her piece.


    "Big Bro, a bet is a bet. You can''t go back on your word."


    "Okay then, just this once," Liu Ye agreed while throwing Xu Yue a warning nce. One thing she learned from her father was maniption and she definitely mastered it to perfection.


    "I was busy with a certain quest," Liu Ye replied to her previous question. "Right now I''m only left with the dungeon."


    "Are you really soloing it?" Xu Yue asked amazed. "You should know that I wasn''t able to take that damned Bandit Leader even when I had 20 ck leathers. We had time to do six runs and we only lowered him to 1500 HP. I don''t know how you n to kill him while being alone. The difficulty increases with fewer yers."


    "Well, that''s you and your team. What does it have to do with me?" Liu Ye shrugged confidently. "I prefer to y on my own so I will take it down on my own."


    "Are you sure you don''t want to join another group and maybe even secure a first clear?" Xu Yue pressured. "There is a reason why we all managed to catch up to you despite being behind in level. Farming with a party is just more effective inside the Newbie Vige. Even though you are gaining 100% Experience, they are getting double that while each kills a different monster. I managed to boost myself this way."


    "That''s good for you but as I said, I don''t like to share the experience with anyone," Liu Ye denied. "I also have my own reasons for doing so."


    If Liu Ye invited anyone into his party, they would discover both Marco and his quest. He would rather keep his secrets unknown, even in front of Xu Yue.


    "What if you can''t do it alone and be stuck in the Newbie Vige?" Xu Yue questioned further. "As your employer, I''m worried about you and trying to assist you. Even the developers stated the first boss will be one of the hardest for the first week and almost impossible to defeat without a team. It''s almost a must to team up at this point."


    "Big bro, maybe big sis is right," Zhenzhen muttered innocently as they sided together. "It''s not good to be stubborn."


    "Let''s have a bet then," Liu Ye said calmly, ending the nagging once and for all.


    "A bet?" Zhenzhen and Xu Yue repeated at the same time.


    He gazed into Xu Yue''s eyes and stated, "I have to get the first clear of the Bandit Leader Dungeon as well as the First Solo Clear. If I win, you will pay me 1 million."


    Xu Yue''s expression changed momentarily as she knew what he wanted to use that money for.


    "What if you lose?"


    Liu Ye paused, wondering what could possibly be worth the same.


    "The matter we discussed earlier," Liu Ye began while observing her reaction. "If I lose, I will change my mind and do however you wish."

 Chapter 33 - Ultimatum

    "You are tricking me," Xu Yue replied with a frown as she took her feet away. "You wouldn''t agree to such a bet if you weren''t sure that you could win."


    She had her reasons to be suspicious. Just like her, Liu Ye was skilled in deception and maniption. One could even say he was more dangerous since his tactics were never too obvious, tricking his opponent to fall into his trap.


    "Actually, I''m not fully sure if I can win," Liu Ye replied with a shrug. "I only know my skills and I''m confident I have what it takes to solo the Bandit Leader. The only thing I''m concerned about is the overall skill of your group."


    He smiled and added, "Knowing the overall skills of the yers though, I''m 90% sure I can win."


    "Damn, the disrespect," Xu Yue cursed softly as he sshed water on his face. "You are trying to make me agree by using my ego."


    "Wait, I don''t understand," Zhenzhen finally reacted as she awakened from confusion. "What is that thing you discussed earlier?"


    "We were talking in the office earlier and there is something your Big Sis really wants. I''m simply taking advantage of it," Liu Ye exined simply. "With ady like Xu Yue, she wouldn''t be satisfied with just anything."


    "It''s still not nice," Zhenzhen disagreed as she pinched his cheek. "You can''t do that to someone close to you."


    "Well, I don''t really have a choice," Liu Ye replied as he held Zhenzhen''s hands. "I wanted to tell you about it sooner but we are heavy in debt right now. I owe 1 million and it will take me a long time while working for Xu Yue to pay it back. I will still work for her but I would prefer if we had financial freedom in case of emergency."


    Zhenzhen''s eyes widened as she questioned, "How did we possibly get 1 Million in deb¡ª"


    She didn''t finish when she suddenly realized the answer. Her expression sank but he didn''t hesitate and pulled her into his arms.


    "Don''t worry, it''s not your fault," Liu Ye cheered her up. "No amount of money canpare to losing you."


    "Big Bro¡­" Zhenzhen whispered with a sniff as her tears threatened to spill. "Thank you¡­"


    "It''s only natural. You would do the same if I was in your situation," Liu Ye muttered as he caressed her back. "We are family."


    "Mhmm, I would do anything¡­" Zhenzhen nodded and hugged him tightly.


    "Anyway." Liu Ye returned his gaze to Xu Yue. "You saw that I hit level 10 just a few minutes before the servers closed. You have my word that I didn''t even reach the Newbie Vige Lord to receive my Dungeon Key. I am yet to start my official Dungeon Run."


    "And you want to tell me you canplete the Dungeon before us?" Xu Yue asked while scanning Liu Ye''s expression for any clues but found nothing.


    "I''m confident my tactic is better and faster, so yes."


    He didn''t lie to her once but instead just avoided revealing all the details.


    "I still don''t like it¡­" Xu Yue muttered helplessly. "The conversation we had earlier, no matter how much I want it, I don''t want to achieve it through a bet. I would feel like I''m forcing you and I don''t want that."


    "It''s not like you are forcing me. The reason I''m opposed to the idea is that it''s too risky, not because I don''t want it. But, if I were to have a chance to clear my debt and eliminate some pressure from my back, I would do my best to make it work," Liu Ye exined before shaking his head. "Well, I guess it''s really not fair for you. We shouldn''t gamble¡ª"


    Liu Ye was about to call it quits when Xu Yue stopped him at thest minute.


    "Let''s do it then."


    "Huh? Are you sure?" Liu Ye questioned just in case. "Are you willing to bet and potentially lose your leverage?"


    "That would happen only if I lose," Xu Yue replied with her own confidence. "Also, It''s just one million. I have more than enough money. Even if I don''t win, you will stay with us anyway, so it''s not like I''m losing big time."


    She paused and added, "I have one condition though. No matter who wins, you will help me with my Guild. I need strong yers to set the fundamentals and having you will make us stand out."


    "Sure," Liu Ye agreed and reached out his hand to seal the agreement. "Let the better yer win."


    "I will be impressed if you actually manage to pull it off," Xu Yue replied as she shook his hand. "If you can reach the fastest time as well, I will go out of my way to give you a bonus wish."


    She stood up and disyed her sexy bottom while leaving the jacuzzi before adding with a side nce, "With no limits."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but remember the times they used to y the wish game a lot. This game was still her favorite even though Liu Ye was the one abusing her wishes. She never asked for anything big, already satisfied with her win.


    On the other hand, Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to use his own wishes for matters like the cost of Zhenzhen''s treatment or investigating his parent''s mysterious death. For thetter, he still didn''t receive any answer, even with Xu Yue''s extensive help.


    Liu Ye still promised Zhenzhen he would find out what happened so it was not over.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "So you are saying that man is not after my daughter but Liu Ye instead?"


    Leader Xu had to ask again to confirm as he still couldn''t believe it. He just spent 2 hours trying to find out who was behind the shooting only to find out his daughter wasn''t even in danger.


    "That''s right. I don''t know all the details but that man is quite famous in our circle." A soft female voice confirmed in Leader Xu''s call. "He is one of the biggest clients we have, ordering many assassinations over the years. I also had an opportunity to be contracted and I assure you, that was my most paid job ever."


    "Why does he want to kill some no name?" Leader Xu questioned confused, knowing there was nothing special about Liu Ye. "He is one of my best killers but I only used him for my personal matters and local jobs."


    "Well, as I told you, I have no details about this job but one thing for sure, if he survived this time, it will being back to us. Now that everyone knows about Liu Ye from the news, there will be many who will try to hunt him down," the woman exined further. "I wouldn''t be surprised if the job hits the open market by tomorrow and will get ''firste, first-served'' status. If you are sheltering him, you will also be in danger."


    Leader Xu frowned deeply. "Tell your colleges they are wee toe but whoeveres to my territory will be hunted down by the Red Dragon Triad."


    "Haha, don''t worry," the woman assured. "I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to step into your residence, but if that Liu Ye decided to leave, he is for sure a dead man. I can''t promise that won''t change if you decide to hide him like a rat. People are desperate for money these days. Even I''m booking my ne ticket to see him through my scope."


    "Damn," Leader Xu cursed as he banged on his desk. "Who the fuck is this guy? I don''t know anyone named Master Yang in the scene."


    "No one knows but if you want, I can pass him your contact. Maybe you two can reach some kind of agreement before the official signal," the woman suggested.


    "Do it," Leader Xu replied as he canceled the call. He waited while trying to contain his anger but curiosity was eating him alive.


    Who was that man? Why did he target Liu Ye? What did Liu Ye have for him to want his body? Are there any secrets inside his body? There were so many questions in his mind that he almost went out of his office to drag Liu Ye for interrogation.


    Thankfully, his thoughts ended when he suddenly received a call. The number disyed was private so he simply picked it up.


    "Hello?"


    ¡­


    There was a five-second pause where no one replied. He was about to check if the call was still connected when a synthetic voice spoke up.


    "You have my target¡­"


    "Is that Master Yang on the phone?" Leader Xu asked just to be sure only to go through another pause. Master Yang didn''t call for chit-chat as he presented an ultimatum.


    "I will send a man over tomorrow morning to collect the boy. You have 24 hours to decide what you want to do. Give him to me and I will pay you 10 Million. If you decide to keep him, I will hire endless assassins until the boy is in my hands. The choice is yours."

 Chapter 34 - Official Forum

    After lunch, Zhenzhen decided to study properly while Liu Ye and Xu Yue began to discuss their work. No matter if his debt was cleared or not, he would still help her in the game. She was helping him and Zhenzhen so it was only natural.


    In fact, if not for Xu Yue''s appearance in his life again, he would probably be killed or kidnapped on his way to work. The least he could do was help her.


    "My, my, it seems like you are famous on the forums," Xu Yuemented as they searched the web for valuable information. "Grind God, the top yer on Avatar Online taking all possible records. Is he a god-like yer or a beta-tester with advanced knowledge?"


    Xu Yue gave him a doubtful nce while reading another glorifying title. "It seems like many think you have some connections. Is there something I don''t know?"


    "I''m just lucky," Liu Ye replied as he pointed at one of the posts. "Apparently another team finished the Ice Queen at the same time as me. I was just a few seconds faster."


    Countless yers were sharing their experiences on the Avatar Online official forum as everyone was excited about the future of the game. The top posts had tens of thousands of upvotes as the forum easily became the most visited site of the day.


    "Oh, yeah. The White Knight Guild," Xu Yue nodded as she scanned the post. "I read about them when I researched about other guilds. They seem to be present in every major VR in the past and their main goal is profits. They are usually the main suppliers of high-tier gear on the markets."


    She reached the end andughed, "Hah, it seems like they challenge you topete against them for the First Clear. They are confident they are the most professional guild on the scene."


    "Let them say what they want. The onlypetition we have is ourselves," Liu Yemented unbothered but Xu Yue squinted her eyes.


    "We can''t do that. They are trying to leech your poprity to boost their presence. They don''t lose anything even if they lose but gain a lot if they manage to win," Xu Yue exined and she didn''t hesitate to open a login window. "We have to verify you and start building our Guild as well."


    Avatar Online forum was special since every yer could only make one ount that was linked with their unique console ID. One couldn''t impersonate another yer unless they somehow stole their console but even then, their ount would be quickly gged.


    "Wait, I forgot that we don''t have your console here," Xu Yue muttered after a moment of realization. "Can you give me the keys to your house? I will send our butler to get it for us. Don''t worry, he can be trusted."


    Liu Ye hesitated for a moment but still passed the keys to her. They didn''t really have anything valuable in their apartment and the Headgear was probably the only electronic worth taking.


    "It''s in my room, second to the right after passing the lobby," Liu Ye exined as she grabbed them.


    "Alright, I will tell him to buy another console for Zhenzhen while he is at it," Xu Yue replied and left the room, leaving him alone in the office. He could only return to browsing the forum as he imed the whole chair.


    He browsed a few guides that people prepared in the hope to gain some followers but he barely liked any. They only focused on the basics that he already knew. It was hard to expect more though after just one day of ying. Given more time, he could maybe discover some y styles that he missed.


    [Luring Threat]


    Liu Ye found a search option and typed his Quest in the bar out of curiosity. When he clicked enter, all the posts disappeared.


    0 search results were found.


    His eyes couldn''t help but go wide, surprised no one talked about it. One exnation could be that no one has received the same quest while another was the opposite, no one was willing to share it. He personally wouldn''t reveal anything even if they paid him.


    [Grind God]


    107483 search results were found.


    He raised his eyebrows again, this time from the number of times he has been mentioned. The top post came from the White Knight while the second top upvoted post surprisingly came from the ming King.


    [Grind God is a bitch! He killed me three times.]


    The title was already cursing him but Liu Ye expected nothing less. His actions did cause the death of almost everyone on his server and he did kill him multiple times. The death in the Red Zone hurt ming King the most, causing the three unlucky yers to be salty on the forums.


    Liu Ye read the beginning and ming King basically wrote a whole article on why Grind God was a toxic yer. He couldn''t help but skip all the way to thements and smiled reading the ongoing roast.


    [ming Emperor: I am sorry guys. I forgot to close the door and my kid wrote a cringy post. I will do better next time.]


    [NinjaStyle69: Someone is salty they got beaten like kids. If you can''t ept defeat then don''t y multiyer. Try Sonic the Hedgehog.]


    [ILikeTrains: I like trains. Also, respect for Grind God.]


    All topments were roasting ming King and supporting Liu Ye''s actions as if it was normal. The game was basically designed to support killing between yers so only those who died wereining.


    "What are you smiling at?"


    Liu Ye was so focused on reading that he didn''t notice when Xu Yue entered the office. She was walking like a ninja which caught him off guard.


    "Just checking thements on posts," Liu Ye replied as he saw her lock the door behind her ande over while carrying some paper. "What do you have?"


    Xu Yue pursed her lips and first walked to the bedroom door where Zhenzhen was studying. She checked on her and shut the door ever so slightly to give them more privacy.


    "What are you doing¡­?" Liu Ye questioned suspiciously. She was smiling as if she had some naughty n in her mind.


    "Look what I found. I forgot that I noted our IDs and codes when I bought the consoles. We can log in to the forum right away," Xu Yue exined casually as she walked up and ced the paper on the desk.


    Liu Ye nodded in approval and tried to stand up to give her the chair back but Xu Yue pushed him down while walking behind him. "Don''t. You can stay seated. I will just watch from behind."


    "I know what you n to do," Liu Ye muttered, seeing her hands dangerously close to his head. "Don''t get any weird ideas. Zhenzhen is just next door."


    "What? I''m not doing anything," Xu Yue assured with feigned innocence but still ced her palms on his shoulders. "I was only going to massage your shoulders. They seem stiff."


    It would be a lie if he said her massage didn''t feel good so he ignored it, letting her do what wanted. He opened the login window and quickly registered both of them before changing his own password just to be sure.


    Liu Ye then returned back to ming King''s post andmented on his own.


    [Grind God: Get gud.]


    Posted.


    He tried to act cool but Xu Yue burst outughing, causing him to smirk as well.


    "What? You told me you want to use me to boost your Guild so I''m starting by improving my presence as well," Liu Ye exined, only to receive a soft caress on his face.


    "Why are you exining yourself? I love it about you," Xu Yue praised as she began gently scratching his head. "You are often acting cool and aloof but you will shoot back if someone points a gun at you."


    It took thement a few seconds to get noticed and Liu Ye received a bunch of notifications, forcing him to block the sound. He momentarily grew to the topments and everyone started to follow his ount. In just a few minutes, his following broke a thousand.


    It wasn''t the only thing that grew as Xu Yue''s boldness increased as well.


    "Xu Yue, your hands," Liu Ye warned as she used the situation to lean forward and caress his chest as well. "Don''t take a whole hand when someone gives you a finger."


    "You loved it when I did it for you back then," Xu Yue muttered as she rubbed his neck, but she didn''t argue, switching her offense. "Anyway, let''s move to White Knight Challenge."


    She pulled on the chair ever so slightly and casually sat down on his thigh. He caught her waist, wanting to push her away but she already anticipated it.


    "I agreed to your bet and even wasted my wish on a foot massage. Can''t I at least have just this much? It''s just a hug," Xu Yue argued. "I won''t do anything uncalled for. I know how you will react."


    "¡­"


    He sighed speechlessly and allowed her to sit down. Xu Yue was slowly taking more and more from him and he had no choice but to keep cool. The main reason he didn''t want to be with anyone was the possibility of being forced to run away. If the situation became critical, he knew some good ways to simply disappear.


    "Let''s establish our Guild," Xu Yue muttered as she paid no attention to his worries and focused on the response.


    [Grind God: The onlypetition I have is my own guild, Red Dragon. If you want a challenge, clear the Dungeon like me, solo. Good luck.]

 Chapter 35 - Incoming Change

    "I don''t think I would say it like that," Liu Ye muttered as he looked at what Xu Yuemented. "But I guess it promotes your future guild, so it''s not that bad."


    Not only did she introduce it to the public and stated he belonged to it, but she used his authority to acknowledge its strength. Even though he admitted he might lose, no one would me him since he is clearing the dungeon solo. It was twenty times harder so people would still respect him if only he cleared it.


    "It''s our Guild," Xu Yue corrected as she leaned back against his chest. "Now we only need to wait for tomorrow and clear the dungeon first."


    "Don''t you think you are toofortable there?" Liu Ye questioned as he nced at the doors. Anyone could break in at any moment and discover them together.


    "Don''t worry, I locked the door," Xu Yue assured in a whisper and hugged his head while caressing his hair gently. "You were always a mystery to me. You say you don''t mind being with me but when I advance, you pull away. How do you resist the temptation?"


    "My situation doesn''t allow me to follow my desires," Liu Ye replied simply, feeling like they already went through this topic. "Not only does someone want to kill me but you said it yourself, I''m not a potential partner candidate for you ording to your father. Not to mention he is at the same residence right now and it''s too risky for us."


    "But then you make a bet that potentially makes your situation even worse," Xu Yue pointed out.


    "That''s alright. At least I give myself a chance to recover some freedom and more paths I can take," Liu Ye replied and thought for a moment as he embraced her slim waist. "There, I can give you 1 minute but you will give me a break for the rest of the day."


    "Sure," Xu Yue agreed while pursing her lips and pushed her bottom deeper into his hips. Liu Ye knew she would make full use of this minute but it was a small sacrifice for a whole evening of peace.


    It wasn''t like he hated her touch. He was a straight male and Xu Yue hit his preference perfectly. The only problem was her family that prevented him from epting her feelings.


    Xu Yue didn''t seem concerned though as she titled his head to face him and wished shamelessly, "Kiss me."


    Liu Ye didn''t expect she would go straight for the kill and before heined, she added softly, "You gave me one minute¡­ Let''s pretend we are dating for a minute¡­ It has been a while since I tasted your lips¡­"


    Her nose rubbed against his own but Xu Yue didn''t strike first, waiting for him to take the lead.


    "Kiss me¡­" Xu Yue whispered again.


    Liu Ye''s body was begging him to move and finally take what he has been resisting this whole time. He could feel it in all his bones and muscles as even his lips opened, exchanging hot air with Xu Yue, yet he couldn''t take the final step.


    He knew himself well.


    If he let his desires consume him again, he wouldn''t be able to fall back anymore. It took him a great effort to pull himself from the endless loop of passion and urges that Xu Yue dragged him to. He couldn''t revert back to those times where he didn''t have any control over himself.


    "Tch¡­" Xu Yue snickered softly before she bit her lip as if debating something in her mind. "I have a secret I have been wanting to tell you for a while¡­"


    Her words snapped him back to reality but he didn''t draw back.


    "What secret?"


    Xu Yue brushed her fingers through his hair and muttered, "I''m forbidden to tell you anything until next week¡­"


    She paused, hesitating while she leaned against his forehead.


    "It''s okay if you can''t¡ª" Liu Ye replied but was quickly cut off.


    "No. I need to tell you something," Xu Yue decided and pulled away ever so slightly to look into his eyes. "The things I know would change everything. You wouldn''t hesitate anymore. You would simply kiss me and take me as yours."


    "Then tell me," Liu Ye suggested, wanting to know more.


    He couldn''t say he wasn''t curious at what she was hiding. Everything that was worth keeping a secret from him was definitely a top-secret that she just couldn''t share.


    "What I can tell you perhaps is that the world will soon change beyond recognition," Xu Yue began while choosing her words wisely. "Every human in the world will be affected by this change. You and I especially."


    "What change¡­?" Liu Ye wondered, having no idea what she could be talking about. "Will our country start World War III? Or maybe a virus will cause a worldwide pandemic?"


    He tried to guess but Xu Yue pulled on his cheek with a giggle, "No silly. It will be impactful but hopefully, it can be contained and not many people will die. It is bound to cause some casualties but I was assured they already considered all options and everything was prepared."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but frown, realizing it was more serious than he thought.


    "Who are they? Tell me what will happen," Liu Ye demanded as he held her face but she only smiled mysteriously, leaving a soft kiss on his lips.


    "I can''t tell you, but no matter what will happen, I will no longer need this bracelet," Xu Yue replied as she disyed her Dragon bracelet that only the Heiress of the Red Dragon Triad could wear. "When I''m taken away by them, I will bring you with me and we will run away from this evil world. I don''t want to be the heiress if I can''t have you."


    "Xu Yue¡­" Liu Ye muttered speechlessly,pletely taken aback. She already said she wants to leave that world for him but he didn''t think it was possible.


    She was like a Crown Prince of an Empire who was bound to eventually take over the crown. All the responsibility was on her back and she couldn''t just disappear as she wished.


    "You no longer need to worry about Zhenzhen''s safety," Xu Yue assured. "We will take her with us to a ce far away from where my father can''t find us. Even if he does, he won''t have enough power to do anything."


    "This sounds too good to be true," Liu Ye said suspiciously but she ced a finger on his lips to shush him.


    "Just trust me. I can keep secrets but I would never lie to you," Xu Yue replied honestly. "Give it a week and you will understand. The world will change and you are already part of that change."


    Thatst sentence gave Liu Ye something to think about. Almost nothing changed in his life the past few weeks aside from one thing and that was his new job, prepared by no one else but Xu Yue.


    "Avatar Online," Liu Ye said the name as he observed Xu Yue''s expression but she was too good, not giving away anything.


    "You won''t get anything more out of me. You can either choose to trust me and stay with me to witness the change or leave and take care of your matters on your own." Xu Yue gave him a choice.


    Liu Ye knew his current situation and he had only one path he could take.


    "I will wait then. It''s just a week anyway," Liu Ye decided.


    Just as Xu Yue said, she was anything but a liar. She would always take responsibility no matter what happened, owning to it instead of lying.


    "If you want to stay and trust me, then from now on you are mine," Xu Yue announced while switching her position and sat down on hisp face to face.


    "What kind of twisted logic is this?" Liu Ye replied as he grabbed her arms that already wrapped themselves around his head. "Shouldn''t we wait for a week and find out? If what you said is true then we can continue from there."


    Even if it was just a week, it was a week with a dangerous Xu Yue who would use every opportunity she had to get what she wanted. In this case, she wanted to eat him alive.


    "You want to know what kind of logic it is?" Xu Yue repeated as she leaned forward, stopping right in front of his lips. "It''s my logic."


    She was done waiting for him to take the step and she pulled the trigger, kissing him deeply with all the passion she held inside her. Their lips melted together and she sucked one lip after another until Liu Ye took over.


    His hands ran over her back as they slid down to her bottom and he grasped her firmly just like she liked. When it came to matters between couples, Xu Yue wasn''tdylike, preferring to be dominated by him.


    When their tongues slipped together into a lovely mix, there was no turning back anymore.


    Knock, knock.


    Xu Yue jerked away at the sudden knock on the door, her breathing heated and irregr.


    "Yes?!" Xu Yue called out, slightly irritated at being disturbed.


    "Miss Xu, your father is requesting an immediate meeting in his office. Please bring Liu Ye with you."

 Chapter 36 - Xu Yues Decision

    "Dad, you called. Did you maybe find some information about the shooting?"


    Even though Xu Yue clearly wanted nothing but to continue their make-out session, Liu Ye''s safety was the highest priority. They didn''t hesitate to stop after a few more kisses and get down to Leader Xu''s office after checking on Zhenzhen.


    Too bad, Leader Xu didn''t look like he had any good news.


    "I called everyone I know and found out the truth," Leader Xu spoke deeply as he stared at both of them.


    He gave them both a look-over before focusing on Liu Ye. "Is there something you want to tell me?"


    "I have nothing to say, Sir," Liu Ye replied calmly. "We told everything we know already."


    They had to omit that one detail or else Leader Xu would kick him out right away just to save himself trouble. Liu Ye already left them once so it wouldn''t matter to them. Now that they hade so far, the situation was much different. Leader Xu rarely went back on his word and he already invited them to stay at their ce.


    "Well, I discovered that this Master Yang is not after my daughter but instead, he is hunting you," Leader Xu revealed as he observed Liu Ye''s reaction.


    "Me¡­?" Liu Ye feigned surprise. "Why would someone try to kill me? I''m nobody."


    Bang!


    "That''s what I said!" Leader Xu eximed as he hit his fist on the desk. "This whole thing doesn''t make sense so I started digging deeper and eventually got in contact with Master Yang."


    "Oh, what does he want? I don''t recall doing anything against him," Liu Ye questioned curiously. "Everything I did was at the Sir''smand so¡­"


    "I know, right?!" Leader Xu nodded eagerly. "If it was something connected with us, why would they target you instead of me? The whole matter is too suspicious."


    "Ugh," Leader Xu grunted in frustration as he continued, "I talked with this Master Yang but I didn''t learn anything. All he did was propose 10 million for you and if I don''t agree, he will offer the same to the bounty hunters so they can kill you. He didn''t say anything else before hanging up."


    "Wow, the audacity," Xu Yuemented with a frown. "Did they really think they could ckmail us? They cane if they have a death wish."


    "That''s exactly what I thought!" Leader Xu called out in a heated fury. "Does this bastard think I''m a pushover?! He even dared to give me only 24 hours to decide. I almost flipped my table when I heard it."


    "He seems too overconfident," Xu Yue pointed out. "When the news goes out that we sell our own people, who will want to work for us? He is simply trying to cripple our business."


    Pa!


    Leader Xu pped the table with a smile and nodded, "That''s what I''m talking about. I wish people who doubt my choice of choosing you as a sessor could hear that. How can I simply give my people away? Our business is all about respect."


    "Then what are you nning to do?" Xu Yue asked grimly. "Won''t they try to hunt Liu Ye the moment he leaves the house?"


    Leader Xu sat down at her words and began rubbing his forehead. "That''s what the bounty hunter I talked to told me as well. With so much money on the line, they will wait until he leaves and there might be some who try to break in. Our options are limited."


    He looked up at Liu Ye and added, "Either we refuse and kill that Master Yang before he kills Liu Ye, or we let them take him away and we keep 10 Million."


    "Dad, the second one is not an option," Xu Yue replied sternly but her father ignored her.


    "The decision shoulde from Liu Ye," Leader Xu announced as he stared into Liu Ye''s eyes. "Are you fully back in the family and returning to your duties or are you not?"


    "Dad, he works for m¡ª"


    "Are you the one paying or is it me?!" Leader Xu snapped at Xu Yue as he cut her off. "Do you realize how much money I will have to spend? We don''t even know where this Master Yang is. I wouldn''t be surprised if it cost more than 20-30 Million to get him. Is Liu Ye''s life worth so much money if he doesn''t even belong to the family?"


    Xu Yue paused, thinking what to reply when Liu Ye stopped her and spoke for himself.


    "I understand my situation and I think it''s fair," Liu Ye began calmly as he thought about all the scenarios in his head. "Before I say anything, I want to ask a question. How will the exchange happen?"


    "Liu¡ª"


    Xu Yue''s eyes widened and she tried to stop him but he raised his finger to silence her. "Miss Xu, this is my decision so let me think for myself."


    "Master Yang will send someone over tomorrow morning with the money. The exchange would happen here," Leader Xu exined as he watched him curiously.


    "So Master Yang still didn''t hire any bounty hunters, right?" Liu Ye asked to confirm his thoughts.


    "The official announcement on the ck market still didn''t show up but I heard many had already booked their tickets. They should arrive in our city by tomorrow," Leader Xu replied. "They are trying to be the first to hunt you so they can get the rewardter."


    He then sighed and muttered, "I kind of knew you will favor the third option. If you leave tonight, you can still fly out of the country and find a hideout."


    "Nooo!" Xu Yue disagreed immediately as she grabbed onto Liu Ye''s arms. "You are not leaving anywhere!"


    "Xu Yue, this is the only logical option and I respect him for that," Leader Xu called out in a dominant tone. "It won''t be smart to stay in the city where everyone is trying to kill you. He has a little sister to think about who will be in danger if he stays here."


    Xu Yue ignored her dad back while she stared deeply into Liu Ye''s eyes. Her nails dug into his arms painfully but he didn''t have a choice.


    "I hope you can take care of Zhenzhen for me," Liu Ye wished but Xu Yue shook his body as if she couldn''t believe what he was saying.


    "Take it back," Xu Yue ordered as she banged her head against his chest and locked his arms with a hug. "You are not leaving anywhere. I have finally got you and you want to leave me? Not happening."


    Leader Xu frowned suspiciously, forcing Liu Ye to save the situation.


    "Miss Xu, it''s not like I will not work for you. I will just take my gear with me and join you in the game as normal," Liu Ye exined as he tried to calm her down. "All that will change is my location. I will go into hiding where no one can find me but we will still be in contact. I just can''t risk staying here for Zhenzhen and your safety."


    He slowly broke free from her grasp and held her wrists as he looked at her softly. "I''m not leaving you. We just need to separate for a short while."


    She remained silent as she stared at him pitifully so he let go of her and nced back at Leader Xu.


    "Of course, if that''s okay with you, Sir. I hope my sister can stay here until I can safely return," Liu Ye suggested. "This way I''m showing I''m not leaving entirely and would still ask for assistance in my case."


    "That''s only natural," Leader Xu nodded. "We will take good care of her. I will also try my best to track that man so we can solve this problem."


    "Thank yo¡ª"


    "Wait!" Xu Yue cut them off as she mmed her hands on her father''s desk. "There is a fourth option!"


    Liu Ye and Leader Xu turned to look at her.


    "Master Yang will one of his men over with money? Why don''t we steal his money and capture him instead? We should interrogate him and get his Master''s location," Xu Yue proposed eagerly. "This way Liu Ye doesn''t need to live like a fugitive and we can attack head-on just like Red Dragon Triad always did. There shouldn''t be anyone who can make us withdraw. That''s what you always taught me!"


    "Didn''t I already suggest this option?" Leader Xu replied confused. "Liu Ye rejected it by not joining us."


    "I don''t care if he is joining us or not. He is working for me so when that guyes over tomorrow, I''m taking a gun and shooting him in the leg," Xu Yue decided firmly as she stared at her father''s eyes. "You can decide to help me just like a leader would or you can do nothing and let me handle it. The choice is yours."


    She didn''t say anything else and simply grabbed Liu Ye''s arm as she dragged him away.


    "Goodnight!"

 Chapter 37 - Checkmate (*)

    "Xu Yue¡­" Liu Ye called after Xu Yue just as they returned back to her office but she didn''t respond, stopping with her back facing him. "Talk to me."


    He reached out to her wrist to turn her around only to be suddenly attacked as she counter grabbed his arm and wrapped herself around his head. Her deep kiss was full of anger and frustration.


    "Did you really think you could leave me after you finally epted me?" Xu Yue questioned while pulling away ever so slightly and returned back to their passionate kiss.


    She was irrepressible and so intense that it was finally Liu Ye''s turn to get overwhelmed. Her tongue mashed against him roughly, as if trying to tten and destroy his mouth.


    "Xu Yue¡­" Liu Ye repeated but his speech was broken again by her imprable desire melting into his mouth. Even when he tried to pull away from the pin against the door, Xu Yue jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist, giving her total control over his body.


    In no way could he get rid of her without hurting her so Liu Ye walked blindly behind her desk and dropped them to the floor. He could only give her what she wanted until she calmed down.


    Mhmm!


    Xu Yue moaned with their lips locked together and her arms roaming wildly. One hand brushed through his hair while the other trailed down his in ck shirt in hopes to take it off. Xu Yue acted as if she wouldn''t stop unless she ate him right there on the spot.


    Even though they had a long break, it wasn''t their first rodeo. The funny coincidence was the exact spot on the floor which was their mostmon spot to unleash their desires. Liu Ye knew he would find it hard to resist again if he let Xu Yue lead to such a situation.


    "Ah¡­ Yes¡­ Take what''s yours¡­" Xu Yue whispered in pleasure when Liu Ye slid down and sank his lips into her neck. His palm was already gripping her thigh before spilling under her loose summer dress.


    It was her habit of changing from her tight ck dresses into open skirts when she reached home. No one knew though it was to give Liu Ye easier ess to her body if they met secretly in her office.


    "We still need to talk..." Liu Ye reminded as he lurked back to taste her lips. "I made this decision thinking about us. If I return, your father won''t let me go anymore. He will make sure¡ª"


    "Shhh¡­" Xu Yue shushed him with a kiss. "Did you forget what I told you? The order in the whole world will change within a week. You won''t need to worry about anything when that happens. We will leave and free ourselves from my father. It will be only me, you, and Zhenzhen."


    "We don''t have a week," Liu Ye replied in doubt. "They bounty hunters wille after us by tomorrow."


    "We do and we will survive, together. All we need is a week and our problem will be over," Xu Yue promised while pulling him closer for another kiss. "Trust me. I wouldn''t do anything that could endanger yours or Zhenzhen''s life."


    She scratched the back of his head and hugged him tightly. "You are safe with me. You don''t need to run away."


    "Your words are reassuring but the reality is often unpredictable," Liu Ye replied with a sigh and pulled away, staring into her eyes full of uncertainty. He could only choose one path andter take care of its consequences.


    He was already scanning all the pros and cons for the tenth time when Xu Yue delivered a killing blow, crushing his thoughtspletely.


    "Leave if you want but the moment you step out of this house, I''m going to follow you. If you think you can get rid of me then you are deeply mistaken."


    Xu Yue was the only person in this house he knew well enough to entrust her with Zhenzhen''s safety. If she left, he couldn''t leave Zhenzhen which would ruin the whole point.


    Checkmate.


    "You know I always do whatever I think is right and I already decided what I want," Xu Yue continued while caressing Liu Ye''s face. "I want you."


    "I will stay then," Liu Ye decided right away. "But I want to know everything. I want to know what change you are talking about. If you don''t tell me, I will not touch you for a whole week until I find out myself."


    Xu Yue squinted her eyes. "Are you really ckmailing me with your body?"


    "Yes," Liu Ye nodded shamelessly. "You want me while I want peace of mind. The trade is fair."


    "Fine," Xu Yue agreed, but under her terms. "I will talk while you continue."


    Hmm?


    He gazed at her confused but she didn''t exin and only pointed down alongside her body.


    "You are down bad," Liu Yemented, causing her to smile.


    "Thank you for thepliment."


    He leaned down to bite on her lip as punishment and slipped down, taking off her shoulder straps with him. Her summer dress slowly lowered as it followed his trail of kisses before finally revealing her ample breasts. Xu Yue barely used bras as her own chest was perky enough to fit perfectly into all the tight dresses she had.


    "They are just as you left them¡­" Xu Yue muttered while brushing through his hair. "No one has touched them after you."


    "Talk," Liu Ye ordered while grasping her breast and twisting her nipple for stalling.


    He was bluffing since he couldn''t help but admit he missed that sensation. Just like Xu Yue, he didn''t date nor did he meet with any other women after he left. As a 20 years old male, he was already restraining his desires from going out of control.


    "Mhmm¡­ You see, I still can''t tell you all the details but I can share more¡­" Xu Yue began as soft moans escaped from her mouth. "I was chosen by certain people to join their project¡­ I won''t tell you the criteria but know that I''m one of their main candidates¡­"


    When Liu Ye''s tongue stretched around her nipples and he started sucking greedily, Xu Yue''s body began to tremble. Her chest was extremely sensitive, causing her to surrender to him with just a simple touch. If she didn''t bite on her lips, her moans would definitely rm Zhenzhen who was still studying next door.


    "Ah¡­ You are like a baby¡­" Xu Yuemented softly, clearly loving it as she kept pressing on his head. She enjoyed herself too much whenever he went down on her.


    "What does this have to do with the change?" Liu Ye questioned, snapping her back to reality.


    "I can''t tell you¡­" Xu Yue replied with a sigh. "Wait till tomorrow and you will understa¡ª Hey, don''t stop."


    "If you tell me, I will go lower," Liu Ye tempted as he leaned down and pulled up her dress which revealed her sexy underwear.


    "Hmm¡­" Xu Yue hesitated, biting her lip again. "I don''t know how to exin it but even if I want to tell you, I can''t. The people that I told you about are a mysterious bunch. They ced a lock on my mind preventing me from sharing anything crucial for a whole week after Avatar Online''sunch."


    "A lock?" Liu Ye squinted his eyes. He already expected that Avatar Online was somewhat connected with Xu Yue''s secrets but this was something different.


    "Uhmm¡­ Let''s say it''s like hypnosis. It blocks me from spilling the secrets," Xu Yue exined further. "I could already feel it work when I thought of telling you everything."


    Xu Yue sat down weakly and caressed his cheek with a smile. "All you have to do is y the game with me and you will figure it out on your own. If you feel like that''s not enough, you don''t need to spoil me. I barely told you anything."


    "You can''t even blink for yes or no when I ask you a question?" Liu Ye asked curiously. "Will the game somehow influence real life?"


    Xu Yue tried to nod only to shiver all over. "I can''t. It paralyzes me all over. Don''t ask me anymore¡­"


    "It''s okay. I''m satisfied that you told me this much already," Liu Ye assured and rewarded her with a kiss. She thought that was it when Liu Ye surprised her by diving down.


    Ah!


    Her moan this time broke the limits and she quickly covered her mouth, trying to hold back from making any noises. Xu Yue still grasped him by the hair and pressed his face under her skirt to bring her the forbidden pleasures.


    Liu Ye''s ears were locked as Xu Yue''s thighs squeezed him tightly but after a moment, she suddenly released him as if in panic.


    "Big Bro? Why are youying on the floor?"

 Chapter 38 - Good Girl (*)

    "Zhenzhen?" Liu Ye asked innocently as he swiftly sat up to look at her. "I was just searching for my pen. I dropped it on the floor."


    She gazed at him confused while stretching her arms. "Why do you need a pen? You never use one."


    It was the first thing that came to his mind yet he could have picked anything else and it would be better. He stood up and sat behind the desk while picking up a random pen.


    "I just needed to sign something for Xu Yue," Liu Ye replied casually and poked the naked beauty on the shoulder, hurrying her up. "Did you study well, Princess?"


    Zhenzhen walked up to the deskzily but thankfully Xu Yue reacted quicker, slipping under the desk to hide. She had no time to dress up or else Zhenzhen would discover her naked.


    "Not really," Zhenzhen muttered as she leaned weakly against the desk. "I wanted to finish a whole chapter but I ended up ying on my phone. After everything that happened today, my mind is not ready for studying."


    "It''s okay if you take a break," Liu Ye assured, pulling closer to the desk topletely hide the evidence. Xu Yue ended up hugging onto his thighs with her head lying on his crotch but they had to somehow bear with it until Zhenzhen left.


    "Big Bro¡­" Zhenzhen muttered as she leaned over on her arms. "When I was studying, I thought about everything that happened. I know it will be hard for us to return to normal life, so please, don''t feel guilty if I''m forced to drop my Uni. I will do whatever is necessary."


    Liu Ye''s eyes widened, causing Zhenzhen to smirk. "What? Are you surprised that your Little Sis is so mature? I''m only one year younger than you so it''s not like I don''t understand the world. I wouldn''t be able to have peace if I returned to Uni."


    "No, that''s not it¡­" Liu Ye replied while reaching down to stop a pair of naughty hands creeping up his shorts. "But I''m d that you understand. It is true that it''s impossible for you to return to studying. At least for the time being you will have to stay with me."


    Zhenzhen raised her eyebrows at his arm, forcing him to pull it back as if he was just scratching his leg. This gave Xu Yue more room to do whatever she wished, kissing and rubbing while he was busy talking. He couldn''t help but think of different punishments she would receive afterward.


    "It''s okay Big Bro, I actually like it here. Big Sis lent me some beautiful dresses to wear so we don''t even need to go back," Zhenzhen said happily while throwing Liu Ye a teasing nce. "You already had your things in her closet so I''m not even considering you."


    The shorts he wore were actually one of the many pieces of clothing that Xu Yue took for herself and never returned them. He didn''t n to exin it though as his mind was upied with something else.


    "Ehem," Liu Ye cleared his throat to cover the sound of a zipper being pulled down. He could feel the heat growing with each of Xu Yue''s touches but she clearly wanted more.


    She was already teasing him directly only to go for the kill by exposing everything to her view. It would be fine if Xu Yue stopped at that yet she continued without restraints and reminded him of the sensation he loved.


    "Heh, it''s okay, you don''t need to exin anything. I know it was a secret," Zhenzhen giggled at his reaction and looked around the room. "Talking about Xu Yue, where is she? I thought I heard her not too long ago."


    "Why? Are you hungry? I can call her to bring us some food," Liu Ye wondered while trying not to make any weird expressions.


    "So she must be outside? It''s okay, we can wait for her toe back first," Zhenzhen replied casually, behaving like a good girl.


    Liu Ye thought Zhenzhen would leave right there yet she leaned forward while peeking at the monitor. "What are you doing?"


    "Well¡­" Liu Ye paused while he began scrolling randomly. "I''m just looking through the game forum for work. Boring stuff. Don''t worry, I will call for you when Xu Yue is back."


    "Okay then~ I will y on my phone while we wait," Zhenzhen replied excitedly and skipped back to the bedroom. Liu Ye took a deep breath just as she left and swiftly brushed through Xu Yue''s hair.


    He was already on his limits as Xu Yue didn''t spare efforts to please him. Her tongue coiled around him like a snake while her palms twisted repeatedly. Even with his strong will, he couldn''tst long.


    "Mhmm!" Xu Yue called out in rm but Liu Ye held her while his hips moved on their own. She pierced her nails into his thighs only to cooperate as she epted her fate.


    "To think you are even better than before¡­" Liu Yemented as he finally released her. "It still doesn''t make it less wrong."


    He wouldn''t feel as bad if it was some stranger or coworker but it was his sister. If he doesn''t punish the culprit, she will do it again and again. He could already hear her giggle as she finished cleaning him up.


    "Don''t worry, I didn''t hate it," Xu Yue assured as she pushed him away and crawled out from under the table. "I actually liked it when you pushed it all the way back¡­ Maybe next time you can take charge, hehe."


    She giggled as she pulled up her dress right in front of his face to tease him. No matter how tempting the offer, he couldn''t let her step on him.


    "Ah~" She cried out softly when Liu Ye jerked her onto hisp and wrapped his palm around her neck. She didn''t expect him to suddenly strike with an offence.


    "Only good girls get rewards," Liu Ye warned as their noses rubbed together. "Behave or there won''t be next time for a while."


    He leaned for a kiss but just as their lips touched and Xu Yue drew closer, he restrained her, teasing her to no end. They heard footstepsing from the bedroom so Liu Ye stopped ying and separated them just in time.


    "Oh! Big Sis, you are back so fast," Zhenzhen eximed as she watched them happily. "I think I''m disturbing. I will leave you two¡ª"


    "It''s okay," Liu Ye assured before she finished. "We were just talking about the food. Xu Yue has a personal chef living with them so you can get anything you want."


    He gazed at Xu Yue and found her staring at him with her eyes shining.


    "Is there anything special we can have today?" Liu Ye asked casually but Xu Yue ignored his words and neared his ear.


    "That was hot¡­ It made my body shiver¡­" Xu Yue whispered as she bit on his ear. "I will never be a good girl though so punish me instead¡­"


    She licked him on the cheek right after before walking away with an innocent smile. "Zhenzhen, today we have a lot of seafood but how about we have pancakes for now? It''s still too early to eat dinner."


    "Yes, please!" Zhenzhen nodded eagerly as she hopped to Xu Yue''s side. "I like them with banana and chocte."


    "Sure, anything you want," Xu Yue agreed with a hug and nced at Liu Ye. "What should we get for your brother? I think we need to feed him more fruits for more vitamins. I will ask the chef to prepare him pancakes with pineapples and mango. It''s better sweet than bitter, right?"


    Zhenzhen was too innocent to figure out the analogy and nodded, "Sure, sure. He has been eating too much takeout recently. I''m d he can finally eat properly."


    "Then it''s settled. I will be back soon."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but want to roll his eyes at her shamelessness. Both of them were dominant and their personalities were bound to sh with a desire topete.


    "Ah, Big Bro. I don''t know what you did in your past life to deserve such a perfect woman as your girlfriend," Zhenzhen said after Xu Yue left.


    "Probably killed too many kittens¡­" Liu Ye muttered under his breath before returning to the screen.


    Ding!


    Just as he looked, he heard a buzz, announcing a special notification that disyed on his screen.


    [Your ount reached 100,000 followers. Congrattions.]


    Wut?


    He closed the banner and opened his profile to confirm it. His eyes immediately widened when he saw the exact number which just kept growing with each second.


    "My, my, it seems like my brother is popr!" Zhenzhenmented happily aftering over. "I can''t wait for my red packet this year, hehe."


    She excepted a reaction but Liu Ye suddenly frowned as he checked one of the top posts with most mentions.


    [Grind God''s real identity got exposed!]

 Chapter 39 - Master Yang

    "What happened?" Zhenzhen questioned as she followed Liu Ye''s gaze. "Oh, did someone get doxxed?"


    Liu Ye widened his eyes at her. "And how do you know such terms?" ??


    If Liu Ye could, he would keep her away from any dangers in the world but it was impossible to keep her innocence forever.


    "Well, my friend had an online stalker who she met in games. It was pretty scary when he found out her identity but thankfully the man left her alone when she blocked him," Zhenzhen exined as she scanned his expression. "Don''t worry, if anything like that happens to me, my Big Bro would be the first to know."


    She already heard so many reminders from him that she knew what he was going to say.


    "Anyway, who is this Grind God?" Zhenzhen continued, switching the topic. "He couldn''t have picked a more cring¡ª"


    She cut her own words as her gaze fell on the open profile and then back at him. "Oh! What a clever nickname! This person must be a godlike yer!"


    Liu Ye poked her side with his finger as punishment but Zhenzhen onlyughed and sat down on hisp to see the screen clearly.


    "It seems like someone recognized me from TV after ying with me on the same server," Liu Ye guessed as he opened the post. "I shouldn''t have used the same appearance in the game."


    He already expected to be recognized but didn''t think it would happen so fast. The post on the forum only had a single link as the text, leading to the popr social media tform. When he saw the original post, Liu Ye couldn''t help but roll his eyes after seeing its author.


    It was no other than ck Rose.


    [ck Rose: I have no evidence but doesn''t the man from the recent shooting look like Grind God? I yed with him on the server and I swear, they both look simr! Did anyone else meet Grind God in the game? Correct me if I''m wrong!]


    Below the post, she added a screenshot from the TV broadcast which showed Liu Ye''s face. Even though the post was just an hour old, it already gathered a surprising engagement.


    [You are not in the wrong sis! I also found them simr! No wonder he was such a badass.]


    [They do look familiar but I wouldn''t jump to conclusions so fast. Doesn''t Avatar Online allow you to change your appearance? This could be anyone.]


    [Why are you reporting on the news without any evidence? Do you really expect us to believe you?]


    Contrary to what Liu Ye thought, she received more hate than respect. ck Rose tried to get back at him but not many people believed her.


    "Do you know her?" Zhenzhen asked casually.


    "I met her in the game and let''s say we don''t have a good rtionship," Liu Ye replied with a shrug. "Don''t worry, I don''t mind if my identity is exposed. I wouldn''t be surprised if the gamers on the forum already connected all the dots."


    Liu Ye switched back to the post on the forum and sure enough, a topment already came up with a theory.


    [Craft God: Even though I wasn''t on the same server as him, I think that man is really Grind God. We know for a fact that the woman apanying him is Xu Yue, the Heiress of the Red Dragon Triad. Didn''t Grind God mention he has his own guild called Red Dragon? I''m guessing that Xu Yue is also ying the game and Grind God works for her family. If my guess is correct, Grind God should continue to surprise us in the days toe. His skills in real life only confirmed his results were not a fluke.]


    "Big Bro! Can I also y this game?" Zhenzhen asked just as he finished reading. "If I can''t return to Uni, how about I work with you?"


    "Actually, Xu Yue already sent someone to get you your own console. You will be able to join us tonight," Liu Ye revealed. "We won''t meet soon since I am far ahead of you but you will eventually catch up."


    "Great! I can''t wait!" Zhenzhen called out excitedly and rushed towards the bedroom. "Let me text my best friends. I will tell them to buy one too so we can meet in-game!"


    A smile on Zhenzhen''s face always made him happy but when she disappeared, he looked back at the screen withplicated thoughts.


    What if Master Yang found out about it and decided to hunt him down inside the game?


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Liu Ye''s worry was justified but at the same time, almost impossible to prevent.


    "Master Yang, you called for me?"


    In a fancy dining room decorated in a medieval style sat a mature man with tens of dishes in front of him. Despite having white hair, the man aged gracefully with his skin looking firm and youthful. His clean ck suit only added to his ssy and rich look.


    He was eating his dinner alone when a young man entered the room. He was also dressed in a suit but hecked that rich aura around him.


    "Tian, I have a mission for you," Master Yang spoke casually as he began cutting a chicken with a sharp dagger. "I want you to withdraw 10 Million from the safe, grab a jet and fly over to meet with Leader Xu from the Red Dragon Triad."


    "Right now?" Tian asked back as he raised his eyebrows. "I was about to head over to supervise our new recruits."


    "The ns have changed. You have to be there by tomorrow morning," Master Yang replied sternly while pointing at the pictureying on the table. "You will exchange the money for Liu Ye and bring him to me. If they don''t agree, you will try to kill him on the spot and escape."


    Tian frowned but when he picked up the picture, his eyes widened. "Isn''t that¡­"


    "Yes, it''s him," Master Yang confirmed as he took a bite from his chicken. "We have to either kill him or pull him into our side. Either works for me."


    "I understand," Tian acknowledged, no longer treating the matter casually. "I can depart right away."


    "Good," Master Yang nodded while eyeing one of the dishes far away from him. He reached out with his palm and the metal tray magically flew over to him.


    Tian didn''t look surprised at all and bowed, "I will take my leave then."


    "Wait, tell me about the recruits." Master Yang stopped him as Tian retreated. "Have any of them awakened yet?"


    "Not yet. I was going to help them awaken tonight," Tian reported.


    "Don''t do anything then. Order them to awaken by ying Avatar Online and train them as spies instead. That old geezer will notice if any of us enter the game but he won''t be able to tell if we use fresh blood as spies," Master Yang ordered. "Once they awaken, we can use them to mess up his ns."


    "That''s a great n, Master Yang. If I remember correctly, they already joined the game as a form of practice," Tian informed.


    "Liu Ye is also ying the game. Just as we predicted, he is one of the top candidates and he is already proving himself with his skills," Master Yang exined. "His nickname is Grind God. Tell the recruits he will be their main target."


    Tian couldn''t help but widen his eyes. "Master Yang, aren''t I already settling the issue? Liu Ye won''t be an issue by tomorrow."


    Master Yang smirked for the first time since Tian entered the room. "I''ve already assumed that you will fail."


    "Master!" Tian raised his voice, clearly offended. "I will seed in this mission. Even if he runs away, I will hunt him down!"


    "Heh, I like how confident you are but it''s better to be safe than sorry," Master Yang replied with a snicker. "How about this? If you seed, I will let you do anything you want with that Katherine you keep talking about. Once that Old geezer drops dead, you can take her for yourself."


    Tian''s eyes brightened and he bowed excitedly, "Thank you, Master Yang! I will not disappoint you."


    Just as Tian left, Master Yang turned to the empty ce by the table and saw a person sitting there in silence. Her pretty red nails and long ck hair were the only distinctive features with everything else hidden under a blood-red cloak.


    "Why are you still sending him there when I told you he will fail?" thedy questioned coldly. "What if Katherine figures out his potential sooner and they protect him? Let me go and handle it silently. That Liu Ye will not know what struck him before he dies."


    "No, I need you here," Master Yang shook his head right away. "What if our two prisoners suddenly escape from the dungeon? You better go down and reinforce the barrier."


    "Tch¡­" thedy sneered in disinterest. "Is this all I am for you? A mere prison guard?"


    She vanished on the spot without waiting for a reply before appearing tens of meters below ground. In front of her stood a thick, white barrier with two people behind it that looked surprisingly simr to Liu Ye and Zhenzhen.


    They sat down cross-legged and opened their eyes at the visitor.


    "Missed me?"

 Chapter 40 - More Secrets

    "Miss Xu, I''m sorry for beingte but the queue to buy the console was too long. Thankfully, I managed to buy one of thest units before they sold out."


    Liu Ye grew anxious with just 30 minutes left till the next day of Avatar Online but the Butler clutched it, returning to the vi in time. He carried two headgear consoles, one of them belonging to Liu Ye. It would suck to miss the secondunch since Liu Ye needed to know the answer. ??


    Did he kill the Bandit Leader or not?


    "I''m d you made it. You saved us today," Xu Yue thanked as she took the helmets away. "Anyway, it''ste so we will get ready to sleep."


    It was a polite way of saying he can leave but the butler nced at Liu Ye instead.


    "Don''t worry, I will send Liu Ye back to his room after we talk through our strategy for tonight," Xu Yue assured, figuring out what he meant by that look. Their butler was like a protective uncle to her since he has been in their family for over twenty years already.


    Butler acknowledged the answer and bowed as he left, "Goodnight, Miss Xu."


    "Zhenzhen, do you want to sleep with Big sister tonight? We can have a quick shower and then I will help you set up your gear," Xu Yue suggested after closing the door. "We don''t have much time so we have to be quick."


    They already spent a whole evening exining everything she needed to know about Avatar Online so Zhenzhen was prepared to face the new world.


    "Yes! I would love to!" Zhenzhen eximed happily only to nce at Liu Ye and show a guilty expression, "Unless Big Bro wants¡ª"


    "Don''t worry, I am good," Liu Ye cut her off right away. "Xu Yue will only distract me and I need to prepare myself for the night."


    "Humph," Xu Yue pretended to pout and pushed his helmet into his chest. "Let''s go Zhenzhen, your brother doesn''t want to spend time with us."


    "That''s cause you always tease him," Zhenzhen defended as she oogled Xu Yue''s chest. "How can he focus with such a sexy girlfriend?"


    "Heh, true!" Xu Yue agreed as she caught Liu Ye''s gaze. "I will call you when I reach the Maind. It should take you a while to finish your solo run."


    "You seem confident you will win," Liu Ye replied with a calm smile. "Don''t forget our bet."


    "Of course, I didn''t forget it. I''m looking forward to crushing you," Xu Yue announced yfully. "I still can''t believe you can be faster than us."


    "Well, you are about to be surprised," Liu Ye responded with a shrug and left for his own room. "Don''t panic when you hear my name in the announcement. Just focus on your gamey."


    Liu Ye already had a semi n of what to do which worked for every scenario. He would simply im his Dungeon Key from the Lord and try to kill the Bandit Leader once again, this time without any tricks.


    Even if he failed to kill the boss yesterday, he would still try to gain the solo clear reward. He would lose four levels in that case but it wasn''t hard to grind it back. His Elemental Master would not disappear so he would only be down in stats.


    "System activated."


    "Battery fully charged."


    "Please connect the headgear to your Neuralink to begin synchronization."


    Liu Ye cleaned himself up andid down on the bed in his old room. A numbing electric current passed through his body as he connected the console and he immediatelyunched himself into the familiar space.


    Multiple screens opened in front of him as he materialized on the tform with his virtual body. It still felt amazing to move around with it even after a whole day.


    "Let''s see¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he nced at his open profile. He was scared to look at first, worrying that he would see himself down by 4 levels but it turned out to be just as he left it.


    He still had two Elemental Points left as well as one skill point that he quickly assigned to his intelligence. Having more Mana and damage was crucial in the early game.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 10] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 1,600/10,000]


    [HP: 200/200] [HP Regen: 2]


    [MP: 90/90] [MP Regen: 2]


    [Strength: 1]


    [Intelligence: 9]


    [Vitality: 1]


    [Dexterity: 9]


    [Wisdom: 1]


    [Luck: 1]


    [Physical Power: 10]


    [Elemental Power: 50]


    [Physical Defense: 20]


    [Elemental Defense: 0]


    [Elements: Water 45%]


    [Arts: Waterbending]


    [Abilities: Small Water Whips, Ice Projectile, Water Maniption, Ice Wall, Water Boxing]


    What surprised him was the change to HP and MP Regen which increased by 1 after he hit Level 10. Now he would regenerate 2 HP and MP every 20 seconds which helped him recover passively without potions.


    ''I guess I can only wait till the server is live again,'' Liu Ye thought as he looked at the timer. He still had two minutes left till he could log back in the game.


    Liu Ye opened the Elemental Tree to spend his time wisely when he suddenly felt some movement behind him. He leaped forward on instinct and sure enough, he saw a familiar blond beauty standing behind him.


    [Katherine - Level ???]


    "Can you stop sneaking up on me like this?" Liu Yeined after determining it wasn''t an enemy.


    "You didn''t attack me this time. That''s some improvement," Katherinemented with a smile as she peeked at the Elemental Tree on the screen. "What are you going to pick?"


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows at her casual approach and stepped back on the tform. "I haven''t looked at my choices yet. Also, are you really an AI? You don''t act like one."


    Not only was she talking like a yer, behaved like a yer but also all her expressions were too human-like. He didn''t believe anyone was capable of creating such a natural AI.


    "You must be an admin or one of the developers, right?" Liu Ye guessed after seeing that she remained silent. "It''s fine if you can''t tell me. It would be unfair to other yers if you were contacting me like this while being a dev."


    Katherine pursed her lips and actually nodded, "That''s right. I''m the main designer for Avatar Online. It''s fine if you know it since I know you are not going to tell anyone."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows. "And why would the main designer of the game meet with a random yer? Did I break any rules?"


    Everything he did was legal if they followed the rule of ''If it''s not forbidden then it''s allowed.'' He was simply using the mechanics existing in the game so he couldn''t be punished for that.


    "Don''t worry, you are not in any trouble," Katherine assured as she wrapped her arms under her chest. "I came to meet you again because you are one of the top yers with the best results. You are not just a random yer."


    The cleavage of her white dress was much deeper this time but he didn''t spare it a nce and instead kept his eye contact.


    "Well, if I didn''t do anything wrong then how can I help you?" Liu Ye asked casually after ncing at the time. "We only have one minute tillunch."


    Katherine nced at the timer and nodded, turning serious. "Alright, I will keep it short then. I originally wanted to meet with you because of your exceptional performance but then I learned about your shooting incident. I ordered my team to dig some information about you and we found out something that required our intervention."


    Liu Ye frowned immediately, raising up his guard. "Who are you people? Why would you investigate me?"


    "Because the man that is hunting you is also our enemy and that is enough for us to meddle in the matter," Katherine replied right away. "Master Yang, have you heard of him?"


    Liu Ye didn''t like how much of a coincidence that was. "That''s correct. If he is your enemy, can you tell me who he is and why is he hunting me?"


    "That''s ssified," Katherine denied with a shake of her head. "But I can tell you that I was surprised when I found out you are connected to one of our pre-picked candidates."


    "You know Xu Yue?"


    "Yes. We discovered a few tens of people who had potential and we pulled them into our project. Xu Yue is one of them," Katherine exined. "I can''t tell you much even though you are partially involved but I wanted to give you some good news. While we investigate why our enemy would target you, we sent one of us to your location to prevent any unnecessary casualties."


    "What do you mean by "us"?" Liu Ye questioned, annoyed at all the secrets. He was the one being targeted and no one tells him anything.


    "You can only find out the truth if you awaken," Katherine said calmly while walking towards the screen. "Focus on the game and maybe you can join us soon. I can see great potential in you."


    She smiled and pressed the button to enter the game just as the timer hit zero.


    "Good luck~"

 Chapter 41 - Lord Dominiks Pride

    Xu Yue was the first to materialize from her whole group and witnessed a massive spawn of hundreds of yers. White pixels appeared out of nowhere and created figures all around her.


    "Is everyone ready? We don''t have time to waste!" Xu Yue called out urgently as soon as she saw all 20 members online. "I want to get that first clear so I don''t want to see any mishaps happen!"??


    Even though she technically received what she wanted already and Liu Ye became hers again, she was still eager to win the bet. Just the sheer fact of winning against him excited her.


    "Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Just as Xu Yue was about to pull out her Dungeon Key, she noticed everyone looking at her weirdly. Some were worried, some looked scared while others gazed at her in admiration.


    "Miss Xu! We have seen you on TV! It was you, right?" One of her admirers called out with respect.


    Xu Yue raised her eyebrows and nodded while taking off her ck bandana. When her team and the nearby people saw her, they immediately exploded with awe.


    "It''s really her! So beautiful!"


    "Miss Xu! Can I join your Guild?!"


    "Miss Xu! Is Grind God really your guard?!"


    The amount of noise around her began to annoy her to no end but she simply turned cold and red at everyone with her dominant gaze. She only needed a short moment before they all shut up and stood silently like little sheep.


    "It doesn''t matter who I am in real life, in the world of Avatar Online I''m the Queen of Chess," Xu Yue announced loudly. "Naturally, my family will fully support the Red Dragon Guild once ites to existence. Anyone who joins it will enjoy great benefits."


    The yers couldn''t help but grow excited at that news. Although Red Dragon Triad was a scary organization with influence all around the country, who wouldn''t want to join a Guild with a big wallet? It wasn''t like they would be recruited in real life so they didn''t need to worry about anything.


    "Red Dragon will initially only recruit top experts so work hard if you wish to join us," Xu Yue suggested as she wore her bandana again. "If you wonder which Guild will be the strongest in the future, just know that Red Dragon Guild acquired the current best yer of Avatar Online who you probably already heard about."


    She paused to make the impact with her next words but just as she opened her mouth, a series of server announcements rooted everyone to the ground.


    [Server Announcement! yer Grind God was the first to clear the Bandit Leader Dungeon. Achievement Reward: 25 gold, 25 Fame, and Victorious Set.]


    [Server Announcement! yer Grind God was the first to solo clear the Bandit Leader Dungeon. Achievement Reward: 50 gold, 50 Fame, and a title: Bandit yer.]


    The storm and chatting that happened right after the announcement were too hard to describe. The whole Newbie Vige was vibrating from the sheer noise. Everyone was hurrying to group up so they could be the first to clear the Dungeon yet it was pointless now.


    While they were grouping up, Grind God already finished the job and imed the title once again. Xu Yue was in simr shock as she opened her Notification Tab specifically to reread the announcement in case she heard the name wrong. All of them had a simr question troubling their minds.


    "HOW?!"


    It was barely two minutes since the servers opened yet he was already done.


    "Is he cheating?!"


    "This is not fair! Why is he taking it all?!"


    The yers began toin while Xu Yue remained silent, opening her inbox just in time to see a message from the Grind God himself.


    [Grind God: I won.]


    It was a simple message yet so powerful. Xu Yue couldn''t help but get hot inside while her desire for this man only grew.


    [Queen of Chess: You tricked me. You knew you would win.]


    Thinking about all the possible scenarios, it wasn''t hard to deduct what happened. Unless he had godly powers and one-shotted all the bandits within two minutes, he had to clear the Dungeon on the first day. The announcement just appearedte.


    [Grind God: I can only reassure you that I didn''t lie to you. I simply received a Quest that allowed me to clear the Dungeon earlier. I technically cleared it while being Level 9. Maybe one day you can catch up to me. See you in the Maind.]


    Anyone would get mad at being scammed but Xu Yue wasn''t just anyone. She was actually impressed Liu Ye managed to trick and win against her. She never actually wanted him to pay anything from his debt since the world would change after a week anyway.


    Everything would look different and more peaceful if only her father didn''t meddle in her business which forced her to keep acting.


    [Queen of Chess: Got it. Good luck baby.]


    Xu Yue smiled at her message and closed her profile before gazing at all the yers around her.


    "As you can see, Grind God is still the best yer in the game and he is a member of the future Red Dragon Guild!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Liu Ye could stay silent and not share anything but he didn''t wish to be questioned by anyone. He was sure Xu Yue would share this information so he left the exining to her while focusing on his own problems instead.


    [Ding! You killed the Bandit Leader. You received 5000 Experience, 5 gold, Lord Dominik''s Pride.]


    [Ding! Quest Luring Threat Completed! Clear Reward: 2500 Experience, 100 gold, 100 Fame, Lord''s Gift. Meet the Lord to im his gift!]


    [Ding! Quest Avatar - Act I Completed! Clear Reward: Key to the Dungeon.]


    Despite receiving an immense amount of gold and experience, his mind was still troubled with Katherine''s words. What did she mean by awakening? Will ying the game make him awaken in some way? What kind of project was it and how was it connected to Avatar Online? Why did Xu Yue be a candidate?


    Liu Ye had so many questions in his mind yet he couldn''t get an answer. He could only continue ying in hopes to distract his mind.


    "Well done! Let''s bring his body back to the Lord!" Marco called out excitedly as he picked up the dead Bandit Leader. "He will be honored to meet a Bandit yer like you."


    The title he received from the announcement seemed to work immediately. Simr to fame, Marco looked at him more respectfully than before.


    "Let''s go then," Liu Ye nodded as he followed closely behind him.


    He didn''t know how exactly it worked but it didn''t hurt him to collect more Fame whenever he could. How much of Fame was a lot? He already had 235 Fame and it would just keep going up.


    Having nothing to do on the way down the mountain, Liu Ye opened his inventory to check out the new items. At the very least, he finally received an item he could equip immediately.


    [Victorious Set]


    [Bonus Stats: +100% Max Health Points, 50 Physical Defence, 50 Elemental Defence.]


    [Side Effects: yer''s Movement Speed is lowered by 10%.]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 10, 5 Intelligence.]


    It was no other than Bandit Leader''s armor that had beautiful stats. Not only could he double his HP but it also granted him additional protection against Physical and Elemental attacks. The only problem was the movement speed which he valued a lot but he wouldn''t mind switching it for tougher battles though.


    Huh?


    Liu Ye checked the second item and couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows.


    [Lord Dominik''s Pride] [Locked]


    [Description: A beautiful ne made with a Water Essence crystal. It belongs to Lord Dominik''s daughter who is his pride and joy. Why would the Bandit Leader have it? Investigate!]


    [Effects: +200 Elemental Power while using Water Element Abilities.]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 50, 10 Wisdom, 20 Intelligence.]


    It was another item that possibly led to a quest but this time of much higher level. Knowing he only had 50 Elemental Power, the power this ne gave was truly too overpowered. He would only get the same if he spammed 30 more Skill Points into Intelligence yet here he received it with a single item.


    "Marco, do you know anyone named Lord Dominik?" Liu Ye questioned casually as if to try his luck. He didn''t expect the plotline would be this easy.


    "Oh, you mean our Lord? His name is Dominik. I will introduce you to him soon," Marco replied cheerfully. "If only his daughter was still in the town then I would introduce you to her as well but she already left."


    Bingo!


    "Where did she leave?" Liu Ye asked further, knowing he got a good lead.


    "She entered the Academy in the Emerald City which is the only independent city in the Maind. Our Lord couldn''t reject her so he allowed her to go," Marco exined with a cheerful smile. "I wish she stayed, maybe I would have the chance to pursue her once I improved and finally defeated the Lord. This man''s only condition to date his daughter was to defeat him so maybe that''s why she left. No one could stand a chance against him."


    "I see¡­" Liu Ye muttered and finally pulled out the ne. "Do you recognize this piece? I found it in the Bandit Leader''s pockets."


    Thud!


    When Marco saw the ne, the Bandit Leader''s body mmed on the ground, and he immediately kneeled in front of the ne to inspect it.


    "It''s hers! It''s definitely hers! How did this bastard get this ne?! We have to hurry and inform the Lord! His daughter might be in danger!"

 Chapter 42 - Lord Dominik’s Daughter

    [Ding! You have received a new quest: Avatar - Act II]


    As soon as Liu Ye crossed the gates of the Newbie Vige, he received a new quest he was waiting for. Since hepleted Act I by reaching level 10, there was bound to be some continuation. ??


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but roll his eyes when he checked the follow-up quest though.


    [Avatar - Act II]


    [You reached Level 10 and learned to fight! Time for a challenge! Gather a group of skilled benders and join forces to defeat the Bandit Leader!]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Clear the Dungeon.]


    [Clear Reward: ess to the Maind.]


    He just cleared the Dungeon, yet now he had to do it again. It was a waste of time but at the very least, he could receive more experience and improve the clear time. Liu Ye didn''t even want to check the ranking tab that just unlocked for him, knowing his clear time was around twelve hours.


    "Vice Leader Marco! You returned!"


    The guards in front of the Vige Lord''s mansion greeted Marco only to frown at his solemn expression.


    "Did something happen? Are the Bandits preparing an attack for the Vige?"


    It seems like Marco''s mission wasn''t a secret between the guards but he shook his head.


    "Bandits are no more," Marco announced hurriedly. "We slew the Bandit Leader together with all his subordinates. Bandits will not bother our Vige ever again."


    Whoa!


    The guards eximed in amazement while looking at Liu Ye in admiration but Marco cut it short. "I wanted to bring the Bandit Leader''s body as proof but something came up. We returned faster because we had urgent news for the Lord. Is he in the mansion right now?"


    "Yes, he is in his office right now with his wife," the guards replied while letting them through. "Let us know what''s going on afterward."


    Thanks to Marco''s identity, they were able to skip all the guards as Marco led them directly to Lord''s office. Liu Ye just remained silent the whole time as he observed the situation. With all the information he has gathered so far, this item was bound to bring him a great quest.


    "Lord! Your daughter might be in danger!"


    Marco called out as soon as they entered the office, surprising both the Lord and his wife. She was actually sitting on hisp with her arms wrapped around his neck.


    [Lord Dominik - Lvl. 20]


    "Vice-leader Marco! Whye without knocking?!" the Lord scolded immediately only to change his expression as if he finally processed Marco''s words. "Wait, what? My daughter? What happened?"


    The handsome middle-aged man stood up swiftly while cing his wife on the desk. Even though he had to zip back his pants, he didn''t care much about his appearance. He gazed at the new face in the room and Liu Ye finally spoke for himself.


    "I''m Grind God and we killed all the bandits together. When I searched the Bandit Leader''s pockets, I found this," Liu Ye exined politely while pulling out the ne. "Marco said it belongs to Sir''s daughter."


    When Lord and his wife saw the ne, they immediately paled. "Ah! It''s my baby''s ne!"


    The Lord rushed to Liu Ye''s side and took the ne away to inspect it from up close. "Yeah, it''s definitely my daughter''s ne. But how? She left the town over a year ago. I personally escorted her to Emerald City. She still wore it at that time."


    "Oh no, did something happen to our baby?" Lord''s wife muttered worriedly but Liu Ye swiftly assured her.


    "Don''t worry Ma''am, your daughter is most definitely fine. If I were to guess what happened, she either sold it for money, lost it in a bet, or most probably got robbed on the streets of Emerald City. I personally would bet my cards on thest option since we all know howmon it is."


    "That''s¡­ What if they hurt her?" Lord''s wife questioned, looking like she found it hard to believe.


    "Killing is rare these days because ites withplications. If she was kidnapped, I am sure you would already receive a letter asking for ransom. Having such a father, I am sure she is a skilled bender so I am guessing they overwhelmed her with the number advantage and demanded the ne. She must have given up on the ne to avoid confrontation," Liu Ye exined further in a calm manner. "Of course, all of it is spection and it would be best to contact her as soon as possible."


    "I will go personally and kill whoever dared to rob my daughter," Lord decided firmly while squeezing the ne in his hand. "The only thing I don''t understand is how the local Bandit Leader possessed the ne. Wouldn''t it be in Emerald City instead?"


    "Actually, Lord, the Bandit Leader once visited the Emerald City a few months ago. That''s when I nned to finish my mission but he returned too fast. I am guessing he acquired the ne at that time," Marco informed with an apologetic bow. "I have failed to notice it earlier. It''s all my fault."


    "No, you did nothing wrong," Lord pardoned. "I''m greatly satisfied with your performance and you will be rewarded for the sess of your mission."


    "Thank you, Lord," Marco bowed in gratitude while Liu Ye recalled something.


    "Didn''t the Bandit Leader also wish to master the second Element? He desperately tried to find a Water Stone so he could use the power of the ne."


    "I see¡­ So that''s how he got it," Lord muttered as he approached his wife and cheered her up. "Thank you for informing me about this issue. I will not forget it."


    [Ding! Your affinity with Lord Dominik increased by 30. Current affinity: 30]


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows after reading the notification. All he got was Lord''s affinity in exchange for the powerful ne. Liu Ye couldn''t even return to the Newbie Vige after he left so it would be useless to him. It couldn''t be over.


    "Sir, I have a suggestion," Liu Ye began as he stepped forward. "I was already nning to depart for Emerald City today. Instead of going there by yourself, how about you let me check on your daughter''s safety andter inform you on what I found?"


    "Huh?" Lord and his wife looked up at him suspiciously.


    "It is never good when a Lord leaves his town unprotected and it is even worse to leave such a beautiful wife alone. She is already worried about her daughter''s safety. What if she falls sick from the stress?"


    Before they replied, Liu Ye added while patting Marco''s shoulder, "If you don''t trust me enough, you can trust the leader of your Guards, Marco. He can apany me to the Emerald City andter return with the news. What do you think?"


    "This¡­" Marco muttered unsurely but then Liu Ye leaned over to his ear and whispered, "You can meet her again¡­"


    It wasn''t long before Marco nodded firmly and announced, "I support this idea Lord! You can trust me!"


    "Hmm, it''s true that it is not the best idea for me to go myself but can you really handle it?" Lord questioned hesitantly. Even the 235 fame that Liu Ye gathered wasn''t enough to fully convince the Lord.


    "I can personally vouch for Grind God''s strength. He fought alone against forty Masked Bandits and he didn''t even break a sweat," Marco reported. "Without his assistance, I wouldn''t be able to finish my mission."


    "Alright then. I will trust you." Lord finally nodded and pulled out a small leather bag from the desk. "Consider this sack of gold as payment for your help in this matter."


    The sack let out a metallic sound upon hitting the desk and Liu Ye picked it up, keeping it into his inventory without checking its content. Any gold was enough for him as long as he could receive another chain quest.


    [Lord Dominik''s Daughter]


    [Visit the Elemental Academy in Emerald City and find Lord Dominik''s daughter. Make sure she is safe!]


    [Difficulty: A]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Meeting with Lord Dominik''s daughter.]


    [Clear Reward: 100 gold (Advance Pay)]


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but nod in approval when he noticed no penalty. After all, he could always run away even if Lord Dominik''s daughter was found dead and keep the gold. The quest seemed to be only based on trust.


    ''I guess fame came in handy,'' Liu Ye thought as he gazed at the ne in Lord''s hand. It would be a pity to leave such a good item behind.


    "Sir, if you don''t mind, I would like to bring your daughter''s ne with me," Liu Ye suggested. "In case of an emergency that will lead us to split up, I wish to have something on me that will buy your daughter''s trust. She already knows Marco but I''m a stranger. I don''t wish for her to consider me as another bandit."


    "Oh, if that''s how you put it then here," Lord replied while passing him the ne. "You can return it to my daughter when you meet her."


    Liu Ye was excited to have it back on hand but the game AI couldn''t help but mess with him.


    [Quest Item - Lord Dominik''s Pride]


    The ne was suddenly locked with all of its descriptions gone. Even if he wanted to run away, it wasn''t possible anymore.


    "Alright then, we will depart as soon as possible," Liu Ye informed as he kept the ne but the Lord stopped him.


    "Wait, we forgot about something," Lord called out while gazing at Marco. "Since you helped Marco defeat the Bandit Leader, you deserve a gift from me. Marco, lead him to the treasury. Let him pick one item he desires."


    Liu Ye''s eyes instantly shone with interest.

 Chapter 43 - Treasury

    "I told you that the Lord will reward you handsomely," Marco said happily as he led the way through the mansion corridors. "The Bandits were quite problematic the past few months. Your help in getting rid of them was priceless."


    "It''s only natural," Liu Ye nodded humbly as he stared ahead at the fancy wooden door with two guards protecting it. "What can I find in the treasury?"??


    "Oh, it''s the Lord''s private collection of various items that he gathered over the years," Marco exined casually. "All of them are useful for benders and you will also find some weapons to choose from. Don''t worry, you will be satisfied."


    Liu Ye already knew what he would be eyeing as he needed to aid his current Element. He had special items for Earth as well as Fire Element, but he couldn''t use them until level 25.


    "Marco, you are back," the guards greeted with a nod while checking Liu Ye out. "Is he here to pick up a reward?"


    "That''s right. The Lord allowed him to pick one treasure," Marco confirmed without exining why. It was always better to let people learn the news themselves without the need to brag.


    "That''s a second person today," the guardmented as he opened the door for them. "Go ahead."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows at the guard''sment, realizing someone else might have already collected the best treasure. It was apetitive game so he could only shrug as he entered to take his pick.


    The treasury was much slower than he expected, only having around 15 tforms with various items behind ss. One of the tforms was empty, leaving 14 to choose from.


    "Do you want to look around or want me to help you?" Marco asked friendly as he led him forward. "Maybe you want to check out Water Element items first?"


    "Yeah, you read my mind," Liu Ye nodded as he walked between the tforms.


    He spotted nes, rings, bracelets as well as a few daggers and a sword. All of them had different colored crystals imnted in them.


    [Water Snake]


    Liu Ye tried to inspect one of the nes, but all he saw was its name without any details. It would be too easy for him if he didn''t need to choose blindly.


    "From Water Element I can suggest three items," Marco introduced as he approached him. "The ne you are looking at is simr to the Lord Dominik''s Pride but it is naturally weaker. It will amplify your Elemental Power by a good amount but I don''t think you are strong enough to wear it yet. It will tire your mind too much."


    He then pointed at the ring on another tform and suggested, "If I were you, I would take this one. It will grant you additional raw damage which will help you defeat your enemies faster. With a short practice, you should be able to use it."


    "What about the third one?" Liu Ye asked as he pointed at the only dagger with a blue crystal. "Is it this dagger?"


    Based on Marco''s exnation, he wouldn''t be able to use the ring or the ne right away so he opted for the third one. Liu Ye still needed to defeat the Bandit Leader again so he nned for an immediate boost in strength.


    He didn''t n on battling the Bandit Leader for another 12 hours.


    [Ice Serpent]


    "This one I am not too sure about. It''s a new one in the collection and I am still yet to witness its strength. Usually, weapons have no limits when ites to the wearer so you should be able to use them right away," Marco exined while rubbing his head. "Every Elemental Weapon has a different property so I can''t guess what it does. It could be helping you cast a powerful ability or something as simple as sharpening its de with its element."


    Having Marco with him turned out to be a cheat in itself.


    "I will take it then," Liu Ye decided without hesitation. Any other items would be useless to him at the current stage so he didn''t have a choice anyway.


    "Alright," Marco nodded as he opened the ss with a special key before passing the dagger to him.


    It was so cold to the touch that Liu Ye could barely hold it. When he checked its stats though, he ignored the coldness as he squeezed the dagger with a smile.


    [Ice Serpent]


    [Description: A cold dagger meant for merciless killing. After stabbing, the dragger will freeze the blood of your opponent within 100 seconds. It requires a constant flow of Mana and can''t be detached from your opponent.]


    [Effects: -1% Max HP each second]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 10, Waterbending, 5 Intelligence]


    [Cost: 5 MP per second]


    At first nce, it looks too overpowered but once he imagined its usage in battle, Liu Ye calmed himself down. He couldn''t just stab someone in the back and switch targets because the dagger would stop working. It required Liu Ye to hold it the entire time and provide his Mana.


    If he was fighting multiple targets, the dagger was pretty much useless but the potential it had for fighting bosses was incredible. They had too many HP and 1% would equal hundreds of damageter in the game.


    "I like it," Liu Ye approved as he swung the dagger around and kept it into his inventory.


    It reminded him that he carried too many items on him that required him to visit some sort of a Bank. It would be a shame to die and lose all the items he carried.


    "Alright then, let''s go then," Marco hurried as he walked back to the door when Liu Ye stopped him.


    "Wait, do you remember what was inside that empty tform?"


    "Oh," Marco hesitated while scanning all other tforms. "I think it was an Earth Stone. We had one left after the guard''s training so Lord ced it inside the Treasury."


    It was no surprise that the other yer picked it then. Even though Liu Ye had two stones as well, he knew the value of them would skyrocket in the future. One could only get them through special missions and from bosses which made them extremely rare.


    Not to mention the possibility of failure while using them. If there was only a 1% chance, it only meant that a lot of stones will be burned. Liu Ye could already imagine that yers will end up killing each other to get one.


    "We should depart as soon as possible. We don''t have time to waste," Marco informed as soon as they left the Lord''s mansion. "How about we meet here in an hour and depart right after? I need to prepare my things first."


    Liu Ye calcted the time he needed for the dungeon and nodded, "See youter then."


    His scheme seemed to work perfectly as he didn''t expect he would be able to receive Marco''s help for so long. It was like ying with another yer but without sharing the experience with them.


    A solo yer dream.


    [Coins: 310 gold, 44 silver, 25 bronze]


    Looking at his gold, Liu Ye couldn''t help but wonder if it was normal. He just started with 6 gold and now it ballooned to 310. He could buy out the entire store if he wished to do so.


    "Look! It''s Grind God!"


    Multiple yers called for him but he simply ignored them as he entered the General Store to restock. He found an empty pod and closed it right as the yers gathered around him.


    ''Oof¡­'' He couldn''t help but sigh when he saw how many yers knew him right now. ''Maybe it would be better to change my outfit so they don''t recognize me?''


    His bandana was supposed to protect him but now everyone had the same level as him, making it hard to avoid other yers. Liu Ye could only change his outfit once he reached a higher level and then pretend he was someone else.


    After filling his two stacks of Small and Medium Mana potions that cost him over 20 gold, it was finally time to spend his precious points on his Abilities.


    [Elemental Points: 2]


    Five new abilities were unlocked for him after hitting level 10 but he already knew what he wanted to improve his farming.


    [Large Water Whip]


    [Description: Creates a Large whip of water with an area of effect damage. The yer can control it to continuouslysh at the opponent from a long distance.]


    [Cost: 3 MP per second]


    [Damage: 20 + 20% Elemental Power]


    The Water Whips were his main weapon of attack and the increase in base damage would greatly improve his farming speed. The other was an entirely new ability he wanted to try for a while.


    [Water Jet]


    [Description: Creates apressed stream of water that shoots at the opponent with high speed. It is a single target ability with a long range.]


    [Cost: 5 MP]


    [Damage: 30 + 20% Elemental Power]


    Liu Ye could also upgrade his Ice Projectiles and Water Boxing but Water Jet seemed too good not to try it. The knowledge caused another headache but the noises outside were much worse.


    He looked around the pod to calcte its size and pulled out a Dungeon Key without leaving.


    ''Nothing will happen if I disappear here, right?''

 Chapter 44 - Speedrun

    [Ding! Dungeon Key has been activated. Please join the Dungeon Party before entering the portal. Only yers who joined your party can enter the portal and it will close once you enter. Good luck!]


    A ck portal with a timer opened right above Liu Ye''sp. It was small enough to fit inside the pod but big enough to cover all of it. One wrong move and Liu Ye would be sucked inside.??


    [Dungeon Portal]


    [Time Remaining: 00:04:55]


    Having spare time, Liu Ye finally opened the Rankings to check the time he needed to beat. It has almost been an hour since the servers opened and just as he thought, tens of teams already secured their win. Liu Ye couldn''t help but squint his eyes when he saw the top times.


    [Bandit Leader Dungeon]


    [1. ck Widow''s Party - 00:15:35 - 20 yers]


    [2. Blood Devil''s Party - 00:15:42 - 20 yers]


    [3. White Knight Lancelot''s Party - 00:16:01 - 20 yers]


    All top 3 parties were only separated by a 30 seconds margin, making the Ranking extremelypetitive. One mistake in the run could cause the team to lose the necessary time to set a record.


    [5. Queen of Chess'' Party - 00:16:32 - 20 yers]


    At the very least, Xu Yue managed to enter the top 5 but he knew she wouldn''t be satisfied with such a result.


    ''It would be a shame if someone took over the first spot with just one yer¡­'' Liu Ye thought with an evil n in mind. He wanted to speed run the Dungeon and take over the first ce but he knew it would be hard. His only advantage was the Ice Serpent that could make a huge difference.


    He set his target to below 12 minutes and finally reached out to the portal, letting it suck him inside.


    [Ding! You have entered the Bandit Leader Dungeon. Kill the Bandit Leader to clear the dungeon! You will receive a reward based on your performance. Good luck!]


    [Time: 00:00:01]


    Same location, same beginning. Liu Ye''s body reappeared in front of the passage he left not too long ago but this time, the Masked Bandit defending it behaved differently.


    "What are you doing here?!" Masked Bandit cried out angrily andunched an attack without hesitation. His fists punched twice, sending two Fire Jabs at Liu Ye''s face before he swung with his leg that made an arch of mes.


    Thebo seemed like a good opening but Liu Ye only sidestepped to dodge them while creating a Large Water Whip.


    -3


    -3


    It sucked more Mana with each second but it was much thicker and longer, giving him an opportunity to counter-attack right away.


    Ah!


    The Masked Bandit cried out as he focused on destroying the water whip but his fireball wasn''t enough to break it.


    -30


    A single p knocked him back and Liu Ye was already on the move, closing the distance to finish the bandit with a series of punches.


    -25


    -25


    -25


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    ''So only brute force is the answer,'' Liu Ye thought as he rushed towards the passage without wasting time.


    He didn''t have a quest that would change the bandit''s behavior and they finally behaved like a normal mob with ssic aggression. A trick with the Water Stone wouldn''t work anymore.


    Just as Liu Ye thought, the pattern of the bandit spawns didn''t change as well, making it even easier. He drank a Medium Potion and simply stormed through them without stopping.


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 11!]


    Four Masked Banditster Liu Ye finally leveled up but he didn''t stop, gulping another potion while running to save time.


    That was speedrun!


    "Enemy!" Masked Bandits cried outright when they saw him but that was thest word they spoke.


    Anyone whoter watched this run would consider Liu Ye as a maniac. All he did was run head-on at the bandits and knocked them down without caring about his body. He tried to dodge or block as much as he could, but even when he got struck, he simply drank a Health Potion to recover his HP.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t enough to beat big parties of 20 members.


    [Time: 00:02:23]


    "Damn¡­" Liu Ye cursed realizing he already took over 2 minutes to finish 6 Masked Bandits. The difference in power between a solo yer and a 20-men party was just too huge.


    Seeing four Masked Bandits protecting the cave entrance in the distance, Liu Ye extended his hand and tapped on his forearm.


    It was time to go all out.


    [Ding! You equipped the Victorious Set. Your movement speed will lower by 10%.]


    The new armor felt much heavier but it didn''t cripple him entirely. With his additional points in Dexterity, he only degraded a little while receiving more benefits.


    [HP: 220/220]


    [Physical Defense: 50]


    [Elemental Defense: 50]


    The set doubled his basic 110 HP into 220 but that wasn''t what Liu Ye was excited about. He finally had Elemental Defense that decreased the damage taken from Elemental Abilities.


    "Not bad," Liu Ye praised as heunched an assault while sneakily adding another point into his Intelligence. "Remember me?!"


    The only way to test the armor was to battle head-on and limit test its properties. The Masked Bandits were there to dly help him by spamming their abilities without any questions.


    Liu Ye dodged enemy Water Whip, ducked against a thrown boulder only to wee the familiar mes directly as if he was jumping into the pool.


    -20


    [Ding! Fire Stream applied burn. You will lose 7 HP every second for the next three seconds.]


    The usual 30 damage from the Fire Stream dropped to 20 and the tick of burn also lowered. What made him even more ecstatic was theck of pain from the burning as the armor stopped it all.


    "Perfect!" Liu Ye called out happily as he extinguished the mes with water before counter-attacking.


    Ugh!


    All four Masked Bandits grunted out of breath as their bodies mmed against the mountain wall. If Small Water Whips were not enough to push someone back, the Large Water Whip had enough power to do so.


    Instead of withdrawing, Liu Ye held them pinned and skipped to their side to bash them with water punches. They tried to struggle themselves free but the only Waterbender capable of fighting back was already dead after bing his first target.


    Another 800 Experience and 20 silver in the bank. The farming speed he has reached was impressive but that was still not enough topete against full parties.


    [Time: 00:05:45]


    ''There is no time for them all¡­''


    He still had 40 Masked Bandits to kill in addition to the Master Leader. If he were to follow his current speed, he would already lose his top spot before he could even face the Boss.


    Only one idea came to his mind that would allow him to save time but it was extremely risky. Liu Ye drank both potions and entered the cave while calcting his chances of sess.


    The Dungeon wasn''t a Red Zone so he wouldn''t drop his items even if he died. The only con was being forced to join others in clearing the Dungeon once he failed but he could sacrifice himself for that.


    "Just 100 seconds¡­ It shouldn''t be that long¡­" Liu Ye muttered under his breath as he equipped his only weapon. Ice Serpent almost froze his palm but he ignored it as the Bandit Leader entered his view.


    Either he sinks or swims!


    Liu Ye sneaked inside the cavern unnoticed and walked silently to a familiar boulder. He had the best view of everything but the Bandit Leader was too far away from him. If he wanted to reach the boss, he would have to deal with the mobs that block his way.


    ''Unless they can''t see me,'' Liu Ye thought while eyeing the torches on the walls. He smiled and created enough Ice Projectiles for them all.


    "Enemy!"


    Masked Bandits announced as soon as Liu Ye ran in the open but he ignored, shooting at the torches like a machine gun. One by one the sources of light disappeared, turning the cavern into a scene from nightmares.


    "Damn! Light up the torches! I can''t see shit!" The Bandit Leader scolded loudly while lighting a fireball on top of his palm.


    Bandit Leader exposed his exact position which was hisst mistake.


    Ah!


    A scream left his lungs when Liu Ye sneaked up from behind and stabbed his Ice Serpent into Bandit Leader''s neck.


    -5


    -50


    -5


    -50


    His Mana ticked every second together with 1% of Bandit Leader''s HP but what surprised him was theck of resistance from his side. He only struggled to pull Liu Ye''s hand away from his lips but his strength was only weakening. His whole face was ice-cold while the blood inside his body froze.


    Liu Ye only needed a few seconds before the Bandit Leader couldn''t even move, his body freezing to death from inside.


    OP!


    The main thing he had to worry about were the Masked Bandits searching for its leader. The torches were slowly being picked up and the dark cavern would soon light up again.


    ''Come on, die faster...''

 Chapter 45 - Black Roses Scheme

    When Liu Ye escaped from the Dungeon, the General Store didn''t calm down at all. It only became worse minute by minute as the people gathered to meet the legendary yer. Grind God has been dominating the whole early game while getting every achievement avable and everyone wanted to know his secret.


    What was a better way to learn it than stalking him? This was probably their only chance to meet him before he departs to the Maind.??


    "What is going on here?"


    ck Rose couldn''t help but frown when she couldn''t even enter the store. She pushed through the crowd when everyone started chanting happily.


    "Grind God!"


    "Grind God!"


    "Grind God!"


    Her interest got piqued immediately as she rushed to the pod that was surrounded tightly. She was surprised to see countless women waiting at the front as if excited to meet their idol.


    ''Do you think he will treat you better just because you are a woman?'' ck Rose thought scornfully, knowing the true nature of the man they idolized. He wouldn''t hesitate to kill them if they stood in his way.


    She experienced his treatment first hand and it wasn''t her favorite. Even though she only pushed him a little, he executed her with no mercy.


    "How long has he been inside?" ck Rose questioned a random yer only to widen her eyes at the answer.


    "Don''t know exactly but at least more than five minutes. I guess he is too shy to leave."


    Shy? Grind God shy? Bullshit.


    She approached the pod after sensing something was suspicious and jerked the door open.


    Oooh!!!


    Her action caused a round ofmotion in the store as everyone stared at the empty pod.


    Grind God was gone.


    "The pod is only locked when someone is inside. Grind God either logged out or used some other method to ditch you all," ck Rose exined with a roll of her eyes and entered inside the pod to investigate.


    She closed the door and touched the chair to check its warmth but it was all gone. Even when ck Rose neared her face to smell it, she couldn''t sense any scents.


    "He must have used the Dungeon Key¡­" ck Rose muttered, finding it the only logical solution.


    He wouldn''t log out just because of some random yers and only the Dungeon Key could teleport him away at this stage of the game. That discovery caused her to purse her lips and sit down with an evil n in her mind.


    ck Rose took off her bandana and loosened her leather armor to reveal her chest. She didn''t forget to mess up her hair in all directions as if she just fought for survival.


    ''Let''s see how you exin yourself when youe back¡­''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Liu Ye had no idea what was happening in the General Store as he was busy dragging a freezing body out of the open area.


    [¡ï Bandit Leader - Lvl. 15]


    [HP:2450/5000]


    [MP: 1200/1250]


    Bandit Leader only lost 51% of its HP when the cavern regained its light and Masked Bandits scrambled to find the enemy. Even though Liu Ye hid behind a boulder, it was only a matter of time before he was discovered.


    "Quick! Search for the Leader!"


    The leading Berserkers cried out orders while Liu Ye was busy gulping down on potions to prepare for the worst.


    ''If I die, at least you are going down with me,'' Liu Ye thought as his fist was covered with water and he began bashing on the Bandit Leader''s head.


    -50


    -17


    -50


    -17


    He only needed less than 30 seconds to defeat the Bandit Leader but even that was impossible to get.


    "They is here!" A Masked Bandit yelled in rm as soon as he saw them. "Let go of our Leader!"


    Liu Ye could only finish gulping down his Mana Potion and threatened while creating a Large Water Whip to defend himself, "Get back or I will kill him!"


    The Masked Bandits hesitated but Berserkers came to the scene and immediately attacked, aiming for Liu Ye''s head with their fireballs.


    "Kill this bitch or our Leader will die!" Berserker ordered sternly. "Attack him from behind!"


    ''Damn,'' Liu Ye cursed as his secret n failed. He wanted to use their attacks to kill his target faster but they weren''t as dumb as he thought.


    The Bandit Leader''s body was too heavy to lift it up so Liu Ye slipped underneath it, using it as a shield. Instead of attacking, he switched to defense and transformed his Water Whip into numerous Ice Walls surrounding him. As soon as one was crushed, he created another, stalling for more time.


    75%


    80%


    85%


    "Quick! Someone, knock them up!"


    Liu Ye only heard another order when the ground shook and his body caught air. He saw all the bandits ready to shoot at him but Liu Ye desperately clung onto his dagger as they headed towards the ground.


    90%


    92%


    95%


    Thud!


    -50!


    Liu Ye fell down while using Bandit Leader as a cushion but he still received massive fall damage. He didn''t mind though as the Bandit Leader received the same which bought him another second.


    97%


    98%


    ''Fuck!''


    Tens of abilities forced Liu Ye to roll on the ground at thest 2% HP. He thought of taking the risk but it was a guaranteed one shot.


    "Kill him!" Berserkers shouted before spewing a wave of mes his way, leaving Liu Ye with no other choice.


    Ha!


    He lunged forward and stabbed the Bandit Leader''s hand, ticking thest 2% while the heatwave covered his body.


    -20


    -7


    -20


    -7


    -20


    -7


    mes constantly applied damage and burned him but despite the pain, Liu Ye forced his eyes open and saw a ck portal spawn right in front of him. He shut them right after and lunged blindly in the direction of the portal as his only saving move.


    Huh?


    Liu Ye expected a hardnding against the surface of the chair yet he fell one something soft with his palm sinking with a familiar feeling. When he realized what it was, Liu Ye snapped his eyes open and was surprised to see ck Rose lying right beneath him.


    Pa!


    Before he could react, ck Rose kicked the door open and screamed while staring at him in fear.


    "Aaaaaa!! Help me!"

 Chapter 46 - You Did This To Yourself

    ck Rose''s scream rmed all the yers in the General Store and their eyes widened at the scene.


    "What the fuck?!" Men cursed with a frown and Liu Ye wasn''t surprised at all.??


    His Ice Serpent was pressed against ck Rose''s neck while his hand was groping on her chest. Anyone normal would think that Liu Ye was assaulting her but he knew he was being set up by her.


    "Well done," Liu Ye praised while letting her go and stepped out of the pod. "You managed to put me on the spot in front of everyone. That''s honestly your best attempt at fucking with me."


    "W-what¡­?" ck Rose questioned innocently as she covered her chest. "I was simply using the market when you appeared out of nowhere and pinned me to the chair¡­ You threatened me with a dagger as you grabbed my chest¡­"


    Her voice was shaky, gaining the sympathy of the crowd.


    "Hey!" Two men stepped forward as they grabbed Liu Ye''s shoulder. "Just cause you got a few first clears doesn''t mean you can assault women!"


    They tried to pull him back to face them but Liu Ye didn''t even budge as Water Whip threatened to p them. Both immediately backed away while Liu Ye didn''t even spare them a nce.


    He focused on ck Rose who kept getting in his way as if it was her life mission to mess with him.


    "Didn''t you already learn a lesson the first time?" Liu Ye asked coldly. "How many times will you annoy me? Not only do you expose my identity in real life but you also try to frame me in the game. How far will you go before you stop?"


    He thought that her voice of reason would advise her to stop pretending and they could finish this matter peacefully yet she continued to act.


    "F-frame¡­?" ck Rose repeated while shivering. "Are you saying I forced you to touch me¡­?"


    Normally, Liu Ye wouldn''t care what other people think about him but this was a serious usation that could blow out of proportion if not solved. He had no other choice but to end her.


    "Report me then," Liu Ye proposed calmly. "Open your profile and report me. An admin will appear and check what really happened."


    Liu Ye had no idea how the report system really worked but he knew that ck Rose wouldn''t do it. He just had to call her bluff in front of everyone until she admits the truth.


    "Report?" ck Rose froze suspiciously but before she could speak, Liu Ye cut her off.


    "Yes, report me. I will ask the admin to show exactly what happened while I was gone," Liu Ye exined to everyone. "What? Are you scared that the truth wille out? You and I both know that you were already messed up when I appeared back from clearing the Dungeon."


    The crowd seemed to like that idea as the two men from before called out eagerly, "Why are you hesitating? Report him."


    "Let''s all see what happened."


    ck Rose looked down for a good 10 seconds before looking back up with tears at the corners of her eyes.


    "I''m hurt... but I''m not stupid. Everyone knows you have the Red Dragon Triad behind you," ck Rose argued. "If I get him banned, they will hunt me down in real life and kill me¡­ I don''t want to die¡­"


    Her act was first ss but Liu Ye wasn''t even moved.


    "Everyone, check her outfit. She says that I assaulted her but she forgot where we are," Liu Ye announced as reached for his armor and unbuttoned one of the leather straps that held it together. "You can check it on yourself but only the owner of the equipped armor can mess with it. In other words, I wouldn''t be able to strip her like this and she did it herself."


    He then walked up to the man behind him and demonstrated it live. No matter how hard he pulled, nothing happened. Immediately the gazes of the crowd fell on ck Rose. Anyone would feel as if they have been scammed.


    "This is not all," Liu Ye continued as he pulled out her bound sword that he took away from her. "If you want to know her reasoning, it''s because of this sword. I killed her after she messed with me and took her items. Now she is trying to have her revenge on me."


    ck Rose was already panicking but her stubbornness was too strong to simply give up and admit her defeat.


    "That''s a pretty story you have told us but too bad it''s all false," ck Rose countered. "You naturally used my own hand to uncover my armor so you can touch me. Do you think the people here are stupid and can''t see through your lies? Did you get all those achievements using bugs as well?"


    "Hahaha, false?" Liu Ye asked back whileughing. "I guess I don''t need this sword anymore then."


    He ignored her confusion and walked towards the trash can used for unwanted items.


    "Since it''s not yours, I have no use for it anymore. I will simply delete it," Liu Ye exined as he hovered it above the metal basket. Since ck Rose was hell-bent on ruining him, he could do whatever he wanted without guilt.


    The crowd was already ultimately confused on who was right and who was wrong so they remained quiet while watching the confrontation.


    ck Rose swiftly exited the pod to check his actions and she gulped seeing her sword close to being deleted.


    "You have onest chance to tell everyone that you are a liar," Liu Ye called out while testing the trash can with a small potion. Immediately as he threw it inside, the potion turned into pixels and disappeared from the game.


    "I will count to three," Liu Ye muttered as he grabbed the hilt using only his two fingers. "If you admit the truth, I will give you the sword back."


    "1¡­"


    "2¡­"


    ck Rose grew visually anxious as he counted down. When he reached 2, Liu Ye didn''t wait for 3 and simply released the sword from his fingers.


    "Nooooooooo!"


    ck Rose cried out as the sword fell only to freeze when Liu Ye caught it again in thest millisecond. She knew her cover was blown and he won this battle.


    "Fine! I lied! I wanted to set you up!" ck Rose shouted while eyeing her sword. "You killed me and took my things! Give it bac¡ª"


    Liu Ye didn''t even let her finish when he dropped the sword again, this time for good. She dropped to her knees while he walked towards the exit without looking back at her.


    "You did this to yourself."

 Chapter 47 - Your Princess

    "Grind God! Wait! Can I be your friend?"


    "Grind God! Let''s go to the Maind together!" ??


    "Hey Baby~ Are you looking for a girlfriend?"


    As soon as Liu Ye walked out from the General Store like a champ, the female yers couldn''t hold themselves still and rushed after him. Some were bolder than the others and climbed all over him. One hugged onto his arm while the other wrapped her arms around his neck.


    In his mind, Liu Ye was already knocking them down with a fancy ragdoll but he couldn''t be this aggressive in reality. Now that he was free of debt, he could use his poprity for his own benefit.


    "Ladies, calm down," Liu Ye responded while finally stopping and gently shrugging them off. "I can''t hear any of you if everyone is shouting."


    He changed his outfit back to his ck leather armor so he could run faster just in case before taking off his bandana. They already knew who he was and how he looked so it didn''t matter at that moment.


    "Whoa, you are so handsome~"


    The girls'' eyes shone as they gathered closely around him. He wasn''t bad-looking so he could use his appearance to gain some advantage. One of the girls with ck leather armor felt confident and approached him while taking off her bandana as well.


    "You didn''t change your appearance at all from real life. That''s so manly and hot¡­" she muttered in a seductive voice while putting her long ck hair behind her ear. "I didn''t change my own either."


    [Your Princess - Lvl. 10]


    Liu Ye only gave her a casual nce and nodded, "That''s nice. You are really pretty then."


    He couldn''t help but use Xu Yue as standard for beauty and the beauty in front of him was definitely up there. She could naturally lie to him but this level of confidence was hard to acquire unless one behaved the same in real life. Most pretty girls would also feel bad changing their features when there was little to nothing to improve.


    All the other girls immediately stared at Your Princess like an enemy but she ignored them while smiling at him. "Heh, thank you. Do you mind if I add you? I know both of us will be busy grinding in different areas so I don''t want to disturb you but I wish to connect in the future."


    She winked as she opened her profile and sent him an invite in front of everyone. "You know, us experts should cooperate. I will definitely join your guild once you find the Guild Token."


    [yer Your Princess sent you a friend request. Would you like to ept?]


    Liu Ye gazed at her curiously and opened the invite to ept her. All the girls eximed in surprise, not expecting Liu Ye would actually ept it. Even Your Princess smiled brighter at his actions.


    "I''m not really fond of farming with others but if I need help with some bosses, I wouldn''t mind calling," Liu Ye announced as he gave everyone a nce. "As you said, I''m only interested in leveling up as fast as I can right now so I can''t babysit anyone. Maybe in the future when I have time, I will be joining some top parties from my guild. If you want to y with me one day, make sure you work hard and join the Red Dragon Guild in the future."


    Oh!


    Some girls couldn''t help but get excited at his words while others sighed dejectedly. It was obvious that only the top yers would be on Liu Ye''s radar and not everyone had the skills to be good at games.


    Liu Ye noticed the change and walked up to one of the short girls at the back. She froze in shock when he suddenly appeared in front of her and lifted her chin to look at him.


    "Don''t stop trying to improve. Even if you are new to games, as long as you continue working hard, you can achieve great things," Liu Ye assured while caressing her cheek and then nced at other girls who lost their confidence. "I can see when someone works hard and that''s enough to grab my attention. Hope you all try your best, okay?"


    "Yes!" The girls nodded eagerly with awakened motivation and Liu Ye walked away while reminding.


    "Don''t forget to join the Red Dragon Guildter!"


    He naturally wanted Xu Yue''s guild to seed so he did his part. Everyone knew that a guild with the most girls would attract a lot of male yers.


    Too bad, it didn''t have a positive effect for him. He wanted to sneakily get out of the encirclement, but many yers still followed him. When he reached the Lord''s mansion, he already had a trail of yers behind him.


    ''I need to get a new set to hide my identity¡­'' Liu Ye thought as he wore his bandana again.


    He nned to use his Victorious Set to hide but everyone recognized him through his hair and eyes. Now only a cloak with a hood could help him.


    "Excuse me, did you see Marco? I was supposed to meet with him here before we depart," Liu Ye asked the guards while ignoring the crowd behind him. He did say they should meet in an hour yet it has only been 30 minutes since they separated.


    "Oh, you are Grind God, right?" the guards asked back with interest as they opened the way for him. "He is inside waiting for you. Good luck on your mission."


    Liu Ye nodded in satisfaction and left the disappointed crowd as he entered inside the restricted grounds. Before he even reached the door, his arm vibrated as he received a message from a friend.


    He opened it thinking it was Xu Yue yet it turned out to be the female yer he just added earlier. He didn''t even n to open it to avoid a conversation but the preview prompted him to read it in full.


    [Your Princess: I know you only added me to give all the girls hope but I''m actually serious when I said I want to connect with you. When I first saw you, I already knew that I wanted you. If by any chance we see each other in the near future, let''s get to know each other better. <3]

 Chapter 48 - Teleportation Station

    Liu Ye stared at the message she sent and decided to bluff her.


    [Grind God: Are you a candidate?]??


    The way she spoke signaled as if she knew they would meet again and it didn''t sound like she meant the game. If she didn''t know anything, he could just brush off the question but if she was like Xu Yue, then¡­


    [Your Princess: Whoa, you are one too? I knew it. A yer with your skills was bound to have a high chance to awaken. I guess we will really meet in real life soon. Can''t wait to get to know you better.]


    She admitted to it without hesitation, giving Liu Ye a lot to think about. Both Xu Yue and her mentioned awakening as if it was supposed to happen in real life. He couldn''t imagine how that would make any sense.


    Liu Ye imagined carrying his abilities over to real life and felt overwhelmed. If such power fell into bad hands, it could easily cause chaos everywhere. Killing people would be as easy as lifting a finger. As much as Liu Ye wanted to have such power, the world wasn''t ready for such change.


    [Your Princess: Anyway, we both know it''s a secret, so let''s not talk about it. Happy Grinding~]


    She ended the conversation before he could question her more but no matter what happens, Liu Ye couldn''t do much to stop it. He could only follow his route and react to whatever happens. Maybe the person who Katherine sent would be able to answer his questions.


    [Grind God: Good luck.]


    He was about to close the window when he recalled his sister was also within the game. His only problem: he forgot to ask for her in-game name.


    [Grind God: Have you heard from Zhenzhen?]


    Just as he messaged Xu Yue, she sent him an invitation for the call. He epted it and immediately heard her jealous voice in his mind.


    ''Bish, I was waiting for you to call me this whole time! Tell me how you got such a low time in the Dungeon. I was happy that we managed to boost ourselves to the top 3 but then you jumped to the top 1, pushing us down. Not only did you solo the Dungeon again, but you also did it in under 10 minutes. I want to both kiss and punch you.''


    "It''s professional secrecy. I will maybe tell youter if you are a good girl," Liu Ye replied calmly while opening the rankings out of curiosity. He didn''t even have time to check what was his time.


    [Bandit Leader Dungeon]


    [1. Grind God - 00:09:01 - Solo]


    [2. ck Widow''s Party - 00:15:35 - 20 yers]


    [3. Blood Devil''s Party - 00:15:42 - 20 yers]


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but chuckle at the difference, causing Xu Yue to be even saltier.


    ''Tsk,ugh,ugh. Just wait for the morning. I will climb on you before you wake up and milk all your secrets away,'' Xu Yue threatened but he ignored her threats, knowing he closed the door to his room.


    "What about Zhenzhen?" Liu Ye questioned while checking his notification.


    It turned out he only received experience and gold for the second solo kill. It still filled his experience bar to half so he couldn''t be happier.


    ''She is fine. I''m talking with her the whole time whenever she has questions. If you want to text her then she told me not to give you her contact. She doesn''t want to disturb you,'' Xu Yue informed. ''She will add you once she gets to the Maind but it will take her a while.''


    That was honestly so Zhenzhen-like that Liu Ye wasn''t surprised. Knowing she was fine, he didn''t hang the call and just entered the Lord''s mansion. Marco was indeed waiting for him in the lobby with his outfit changed.


    "Grind God, you came!" Marco called out while greeting him with a hug. "Let''s go. There is no time to waste."


    Liu Ye nodded while thinking of going back to the entrance but Marco was walking away from him towards the basement.


    "Wait, where are we going? Shouldn''t we go out?" Liu Ye questioned confused but Marco only smirked.


    "The Teleportation Station outside is for the normal folks and its power is limited. It will send you to the Maind but you won''t know where yound. We need to use the Lord''s personal Teleportation Station to reach the Emerald City," Marco exined as he led him to a stone tform one floor below the lobby. "This one is much more precise and we willnd directly in the city. The only disadvantage is that it can send people out but can''t receive anyone. I will have to return back bynd."


    ''Babe, who are you talking to?'' Xu Yue questioned confused.


    "I am talking to the NPC. I am going to enter the Maind soon¡­" Liu Ye whispered to Xu Yue as Marco activated the Teleportation Station. "Where did yound?"


    The tform lit up with shiny runes and Marco beckoned him over. "Get inside and wait. It will activate soon."


    ''Yeah, I was about to tell you that. The teleport seems to be sending everyone randomly across the fournds. My whole team got scattered throughout the Maind so it will be a while before we can group up again,'' Xu Yue reported, unaware of his actions. ''I personallynded in the Water Land. I am heading towards the closest town to deposit my items.''


    Liu Ye''s surroundings turned into rotating pixels and within seconds, he appeared in a new location. The tform was simr to the one at Lord''s mansion but the whole space was bursting with people.


    "What about the Emerald City?" Liu Ye asked while looking around the ce.


    ''Huh? Does the city name matter? Did you already reach the maind?'' Xu Yue asked back confused, causing Liu Ye to scratch his head.


    "Xu Yue, it seems like it will be a while before we can see each other in the game..." Liu Ye muttered while noticing the NPC levels, getting more shocked with each following guard.


    Lvl. 55


    Lvl. 60


    Lvl. 50


    There wasn''t an NPC with a lower level than 50!

 Chapter 49 - Elemental Score

    ''What do you mean?'' Xu Yue questioned in his mind but even Liu Ye didn''t even know how to describe it.


    "I will talk to youter," Liu Ye replied and canceled the call to focus on his situation. He only needed one nce to know he was potentially in deep trouble. ??


    "Follow me. We need to register ourselves," Marco said excitedly as he patted Liu Ye on the shoulder. "This is also my first time here so we need to get a permit to enter the city."


    The whole ce looked like a giant airport but instead of nes, people were using the Teleportation tforms to go in and out of the city. There were tens of them scattered around the building with hundreds of NPC rotating around the Maind each minute.


    Liu Ye didn''t expect the game would be so developed from the start.


    [Fire Land - ck Scorpion City]


    [Earth Land - Capital]


    [Air Land - Sky City]


    [Water Land - Waterfall City]


    [Special Destinations]


    Each Major City seemed to have its own Teleportation tform while their own wasn''t specified at all.


    "Next!"


    Just as they stepped down, they were hurried up by the uniformed personnel who just finished with thest person in the queue. Since the tforms were surrounded by some kind of barrier, their only way out was to go through the guarded check-in.


    "Morning Sir, this is our first visit so we would like to register ourselves," Marco greeted the man by the counter with a smile, but the guy only stared at them suspiciously.


    [Station Official - Lvl. 55]


    [HP: 25000/25000]


    [MP: 5000/5000]


    It was good he didn''t question them yet because Liu Ye was in shock after seeing the official''s HP. If he wanted to kill him using normal methods, Liu Ye would have to bash him for hours or even days. How was he supposed to farm if all the monsters and NPC in the area were so high-leveled?


    Liu Ye would only have 550 HP after reaching levels 55 and 1100 if he used his Victorious Set. The only exnation could be the difference in items. All the bracelets, rings, nes, and even Essence Crystals imnted in the Official''s white leather uniform could influence the health, mana and the damage dealt. One could even invest in vitality which Liu Ye had to investigate.


    "Is there a problem, Sir?" Marco questioned awkwardly to break the silence.


    "Oh, no, I was just wondering if you are qualified to enter the Emerald City," the Official replied casually and pulled out a transparent crystal ball. "I have to test your Elemental Score before we can even move on to the permit. Since we are a city for the elites, the minimum score that we allow is 20 and anyone under will have to go back."


    Both Liu Ye and Marco nced at him confused.


    "Let me guess, you live in a distant vige and you don''t even know what an Elemental Score is, right?" the Official asked speechlessly, and seeing their nod, he facepalmed himself while muttering to himself, "Gosh¡­ Why do I keep getting those newbies¡­ It''s already the second one today."


    "Oh, did anyone elsee from a special destination like us?" Liu Ye asked curiously, thinking he would be the only one. Unless someone was unlucky to be sent here randomly, they had to find the right Quest.


    "Yeah, not too long ago a guy came over but his score has barely reached 15," the Official repliedzily as he ced the crystal ball at the counter. "Rules are rules so I had to send him back. Now it''s your turn so go ahead and ce your palm on the crystal ball."


    "How does it work?" Marco asked cautiously as he reached out to the ball first.


    "All you have to do is touch it and the ball will change color depending on your score," the Official exined as he passed them a card. "The max score you can get is 100. You can look at this scoring table to see what¡ª"


    He couldn''t even finish speaking when the crystal ball already started changing colors. From a white mist to full white and then it began filling with a tint of yellow. It wasn''t long before it slowly upgraded into bright orange and stopped changing.


    "Whoa, not bad," the Official praised surprised as he neared his face to check the color. "It''s a solid 30 points. How many Elements have you mastered so far?"


    "Only one, Sir. I''m an Earthbender," Marco replied excitedly. "I haven''t mastered my Element fully yet though."


    "That means you have the potential to master 2 more Elements. Congrattions," the Official informed with a smile. "Experts like you are always wee in the Emerald City. I will go ahead and fill your Orange Permit."


    "Thank you, Sir!" Marco acknowledged and turned to Liu Ye. "Now it''s your turn. I will be cheering for you to get an orange as well."


    The Official nodded, "That''s right. An Orange Permit is the second tier one and will allow you to enter most zones in the Emerald City. It will not grant you any additional benefits though. They are reserved for higher tiers."


    Knowing it was his turn, Liu Ye couldn''t help but read the card to learn how the scoring worked.


    [Elemental Score Test]


    [Description: The test measures the yer''s affinity to the Elements. After touching the crystal ball, it will change into the color representing your points. For each of the Five Elements: Water, Fire, Earth, Air, and Spirit, a yer can receive 20 points. Mastering each element fully grants 15 points while having a great potential for particr Element grants 5 points. One could score 25 points even without mastering any Elements.]


    [White: 0-10 points]


    [Yellow: 11-20 points]


    [Orange: 21-30 points]


    [Red: 31-40 points]


    [Light Green: 41-50 points]


    [Dark Green: 51-60 points]


    [Light Blue: 61-70 points]


    [Dark Blue: 71-80 points]


    [Purple: 81-90 points]


    [ck: 91-100 points]


    [Note: The Grading will be judged by the Official.]


    "Okay, now it''s your turn," the Official hurried while he began filling out a card for Marco. "When the crystal turns transparent it means it has already reset."


    Liu Ye was quite confident about this test but knowing another yer failed it, does that mean not every yer had an equal potential? Now that he thought about it, Elemental Stones were also working based on the yer''s potential. It could be set to random but that would be totally unfair. There had to be another factor that determined the potential.


    When he touched the ss surface of the ball, Liu Ye felt something suck the energy out of him. It made his mind cloudy for a second but it faded soon after.


    "White¡­ Yellow¡­ Come on, turn orange," Marco muttered as he watched the color closely and he gripped Liu Ye''s shoulder when they saw a tint of Orange. "Nice! We are in!"


    "That''s impressive," the Official approved again while already pulling out another Orange Permit from the pile. "Two Orange Permits from the Special Destination is definitely something to talk about. I need to tell my friends after wor¡ª"


    He was lifting his stamp to approve another Orange Permit when the color didn''t stop improving, forcing him to hold. When the ball turned into bright orange and then stabilized at half red, the Official couldn''t help but widen his eyes.


    "That''s at least 35 points! Tsk, why didn''t you tell me you already Mastered two Elements? I thought you two are newbies but it seems you two are not that bad," the Official snickered as he reached out for the Red Permit instead. "This Permit will give you a 10% discount in many stores and give you ess to a special training zone of the Academy. Even I only have Red Permit so consider yourself as an exper¡ª"


    "Actually," Liu Ye cut him off. "I have only started mastering my Waterbending yesterday and I only know a few abilities. I haven''t learned any other Elements."


    "W-what?" The Official looked at him dumbfounded. "You want to tell me you only know one element and actually have the potential to Master all 5 Elements?"


    Liu Ye scratched his head as he remained humble. "I mean if that is what the crystal ball says. It''s just potential, right? It''s not like I will master them for sure."


    "This¡­" the Official stared at him speechlessly and suddenly looked around as if he was searching for someone. Noticing a mature woman in ck uniform, he excused himself from the table and rushed to his side.


    The Official whispered something to her ear, causing the woman to nce at Liu Ye surprised. She observed him for a moment before nodding at the Official. When he came back, he actually put the Red Permit card away and grabbed a Light Green one from under the table.


    "I talked to my supervisor and she agreed to give Sir a Light Green Permit," the Official exined as his whole attitude changed. "We have this unspoken rule to upgrade the permits if we meet someone who has the potential to Master all 5 Elements."


    He smiled after stamping them and announced while reaching out his hand. "Okay, that will be 200 gold each for the Permits."

 Chapter 50 - Districts

    "Don''t worry, it was worth it..." Marco assured as he scratched his head with an awkward smile. "Now that we acquired the Permits, we can travel to the Emerald City from everywhere in the Maind. Next time we will only need to pay the 10 gold entrance fee whenever we visit. It''s just the one-time payment for the permit that is high."


    "Well¡­ It couldn''t be avoided, so it''s fine," Liu Ye muttered while still feeling the pain of spending one-third of his money. "Let''s just get out of here and explore the City."??


    He nned to buy some useful items for himself to make the best use of getting inside the Emerald City, but knowing the permit costs, he didn''t expect anything cheap inside the stores. It seemed like the quest wouldn''t be worth it this early in the game if he only received 100 gold for it.


    Liu Ye looked down at the Light Green Permit card in his palm and he kept it inside his inventory to inspect it.


    [Emerald City Permit - Light Green]


    [Description: A special Permit that allows the yer to enter the Emerald City and use their Teleportation Network all across the Maind.]


    [Benefits: 20% discount in all official stores in the Emerald City, ess to the Elemental Academy Faculties free of charge, and pass to the Master District.]


    [Note: The item is bound to the yer and can''t be dropped or traded.]


    Seeing the benefits, Liu Ye didn''t feel as bad anymore, hoping to use the 20% to his advantage. The yer Market opened already but no items were listed yet. He already figured that one needed to visit either the auction house or the bank to use it. Once the yers could finally use real-life currency in-game, Liu Ye could make a bank reselling items from the Emerald City.


    "I think the Lord thought you already have the Permit since you volunteered for the mission. He gave me 200 gold as a bonus so he knew about them," Marco informed while walking excitedly towards the exit. "But yeah, let''s find the Lord''s Daughter and make sure she is safe."


    "Actually, I would like to find the Bank first," Liu Ye suggested as he saw all the items filling his limited inventory. "I would like to deposit some things."


    "Alright, hopefully, we see one close to the station," Marco replied with a nod as they finally walked out straight into the burning sun.


    They were immediately hit with the noise of a busy street but it wasn''t what made them dumbstruck and freeze on the spot.


    "Whoa, huge!" Marco eximed as he looked up to see the huge buildings stretching all the way to the sky. Liu Ye already expected modern technology but this version looked almost simr to real-life cities.


    The buildings were like skyscrapers, built from metal and ss, creating a maze-like concrete jungle. The only difference from his own city was the slightly old-fashioned cars and the stone roads that almost shone with the green color of emeralds.


    "Oh, look, just as I told you," Marco called out as they stepped on the sidewalk. "There is a bank right across the street."


    The Bank in question was huge, taking over almost the entire street corner so Liu Ye could tell how important it was to the game. Too bad, with that came new expenses.


    "To open a deposit, we charge an upfront fee of 50 gold."


    When Liu Ye heard about another fee, he couldn''t help but cry internally. He already lost 200 gold and now he would have to add another 50. It wouldn''t be long before he goes bankrupt.


    "Not only that but we will also charge 20% of every transaction made in the marketce," the cashierdy continued exining. "Since we are closely linked to the Auction House, you can put your items for sale directly in our bank and we will handle the rest. The items will be delivered to the buyer and you will receive the money after deducting the transaction fee."


    She looked up at him and added proudly, "We are located in almost every city on the Maind so you only need to pay a deposit once, and then you can use it everywhere. Would you like to proceed?"


    Any yer would have to eventually pay for their own deposit so it was only a matter of when. Liu Ye didn''t really have that choice though. Knowing everyone in the area was so high leveled, his chances of dying were quite high and he didn''t n on losing all his items.


    "Yes, please," Liu Ye nodded and pulled his Light Green Permit out of curiosity. "Does this Permit give me any discount?"


    "Oh!" thedy opened her eyes wider. "Sir could tell me earlier that you have one. Although we don''t give discounts to the fee, we will add more space to your deposit. Will increase it from 50 slots to 100 for you right now."


    She didn''t hesitate to tap on her screen and then smile, "Normally the upgrade would cost you 100 gold but skilled benders receive such bonus for free."


    Liu Ye couldn''t hold back his smile, no longer regretting paying for the Permit. It seemed like having a higher tier would only make his life much easier.


    The system of depositing his items wasn''tplicated either. Just like in the General Store, he could use the special pods in another lobby to privately deposit his items. All that Liu Ye left in his inventory was the Ice Serpent, the Quest Item, and the potions.


    And 250 fewer coins¡­


    [Coins: 45 gold, 79 silver, 25 bronze]


    For a normal yer that would be a lot of money but Liu Ye wasn''t satisfied at all. He had to quickly regain his wealth with some high-level farming once he was done with the quest. The benefit of grinding in the high-leveled areas was obvious and that was the experience gained. Even if the enemies were harder to kill, the bonus experience for the difference in level was too juicy.


    "Alright, I''m done. Let''s find the Academy and finish our mission before the day is over," Liu Ye called out to Marco who kept waiting patiently. He was tempted to sell something in the marketce just to flex but he, unfortunately, had nothing he wished to sell at the moment.


    "While you were busy in the bank, I talked with the locals and gathered some information," Marco informed as soon as they left the bank. "I learned that Emerald City is split into five districts. We are currently in the lowest-ranked and the smallest districtmonly called Newbie District."


    "Oh, did you learn about the location of the Academy?" Liu Ye questioned curiously.


    "Yeah, it''s located in thergest zone called Expert District. Only people with Orange Permits can enter inside but apparently, it''s not hard to get. Most expert Benders live there because you have ess to better training zones. The Academy has their own Teleportation Station but instead of different Cities, it leads to various training locations with strong monsters," Marco exined as he suddenly opened one of the cars parked by the sidewalk. "It''s far so we should grab a ride."


    To Liu Ye''s surprise, the car had no driver inside and instead drove by itself after inserting the location. They scanned their Permits and Marco paid 10 silver for the route to the Expert District.


    "Apparently, they are called Robo Taxi and only Emerald City has those. They can drive you anywhere as long as you have a valid Permit," Marco added when the car drove away. "A Red Permit is almost no different from the Orange but the one you have is much better. You have ess to the Master District which only Master Benders can afford. You can get to much better training areas all across the Maind and their stores are better equipped."


    The whole system looked interesting and it matched the true purpose of the game. It was to master the elements and be the Avatar. People would only be able to ess better areas if they get better Permits so the incentive to improve was huge.


    "What about the other two districts?"


    "There is also a Grandmaster District for Light and Dark Blue Permits and a secret one for thest two. I couldn''t get any information about this one sincemon folks from the Newbie District rarely hear about it," Marco replied before gluing his face to the window to watch the scenery.


    Liu Ye was already used to tall buildings so he wasn''t interested and instead opened his Quests to read about the main questline. He has been so busy in the morning that he forgot to even check the notifications for them.


    [Ding! Quest Avatar - Act II Completed! Clear Reward: ess to the Maind.]


    [Ding! You have received a new quest: Avatar - Act III]


    [Ding! You have received a new quest: Mercenary Guild]


    This time he received two quests for free.


    [Avatar - Act III]


    [Defeating the Bandit Leader made you a true Bender! Time for another adventure in the Maind! Use the Teleportation Station to ess the Maind and continue your journey of Mastering all 5 Elements!]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Lvl. 20, Two Elements.]


    [Clear Reward: Dungeon Key.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Mercenary Guild]


    [Find the Mercenary Guild in any of the four Lands and gain ess to hundreds of missions!]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Complete at least 5 missions of the Basic Level.]


    [Clear Reward: 50 gold.]


    It seemed like the main questline was quite straightforward, prompting him to clear missions and improve his abilities. It was clever since the 50 gold was probably to open their deposit in the bank. Liu Ye was about to open his map to check if he had any side quest avable to pick up when the car suddenly stopped.


    "There seems to be a barricade on the road¡­" Marco muttered as he peeked through the front window when they saw multiple people jump out from the shadows.


    "Get out of the car! It''s a robbery!"

 Chapter 51 - Black Panther Gang

    ''Wasn''t the City supposed to be safe?''


    That was the question Liu Ye asked himself as he stared outside and saw ten NPCs holding Elemental Weapons. All of them had tattoos all over their arms and their faces were covered with ck bandanas. When Liu Ye tried to inspect the robbers, all he saw were red question marks as their identities and level were hidden from him. ??


    "How about setting a return destination and back away with the car?" Liu Ye suggested in a whisper when the ground shook and their car lifted at least a meter in the air.


    "Don''t try to y with us! We know all the tricks!" A buff man shouted angrily and stabbed his ming scimitar in the crack in the door. The edge pierced right through and stopped only inches away from Liu Ye''s head.


    That was the moment he knew they could either fight back or surrender.


    "Alright, we areing out. Don''t kill us please," Liu Ye called out calmly as he opened the door and walked out with his hands in the air. Marco wasn''t any different and didn''t panic in the slightest.


    Their calmness threw the robbers off as the buff man immediately aimed his weapon at their faces.


    "What are you hiding?! Why are you so calm?"


    Liu Ye shrugged unbothered, being in a simr situation countless times. "Why should I panic? You are not trying to kill us, right?"


    The whole team raised their eyebrows in surprise. They probably expected them to shiver in fear but they were unlucky to meet with Liu Ye and Marco. Thetter spent months within Bandits as a spy so robberies were an everyday urrence to him.


    "That''s right, we are after your money and possessions," the buff man nodded while waving his scimitar in a threatening manner. "What are you waiting for? Give us your money now!"


    "Well, if you are not here to kill us then I guess you will leave empty-handed," Liu Ye replied while giving each of them a casual look. "We just arrived in this City and spent all of our money on the Permits. I even had to sell my items to afford it."


    While looking at them, Liu Ye searched for any alternative ways to escape but they were surrounded. He could only use the art of bullshitting to get them out of this dead end.


    "If you don''t believe me then you can search me," Liu Ye muttered as he spread his arms to the side. "We don''t want any trouble."


    So far Liu Ye didn''t experience any special skills in this game so he trusted the system wouldn''t fail him. With the way the game was constructed, it wouldn''t put focus on any skills like stealing, lockpicking or even stealth. Everything focused on mastering the Elements and his yer inventory should hide his items securely.


    The buff man looked at him suspiciously and looked behind at the only woman in the group. She wore a tight leather uniform that underlined all her sexy curves.


    "Do it," she ordered coldly while staring deeply into Liu Ye''s eyes. "If you try anything funny you are dead."


    She held a small rock in her palm and suddenly tightened her fist, crushing the stone into dust. Her demonstration of power was impressive but Liu Ye knew it was just a trick. Watching Marco''s face, it wasn''t hard to do for an Earthbender.


    "Why would we try anything funny? Not only are we surrounded but I also started mastering my elements just yesterday," Liu Ye exined as he patted his Waterskin with a smile. "I learned a few basic Waterbending abilities so I was happy to visit the famous Emerald City. I wish to learn more and explore the world."


    The thieves rolled their eyes but the woman approved, "It''s good to be ambitious. This City is great for us benders but try to stay away from this area. My ck Panther Gang is in control of this part of the City so you will only get in troubleing here."


    Her subordinates looked at her weirdly but she only shrugged at them, "What? Do you expect them to have any gold for the next few years? If they are broke now, they will stay broke trying to pay for the Academy fees. They are not our targets."


    "Fair enough," the buff man nodded and walked up to Liu Ye to pat him down. He tapped around his body and checked his pockets but thankfully didn''t find anything.


    ck Panther squinted her eyes and questioned, "You said you paid for Permits, right? Where is your Permit?"


    "Oh, my friend holds it for me. He is a guard from my vige," Liu Ye replied casually while pointing at Marco. "He is mute and deaf so he won''t hear you even if you talk to him. Our Permits are in the front pocket of his armor."


    Liu Ye turned to him and did some random finger signals as if trying tomunicate to him. Marco was definitely confused but he simply nodded, ying along to his n. They spent enough time together to know when something was up.


    The buff man didn''t suspect anything and began searching Marco as well. It was then that Liu Ye finally moved, giving Marco an eye signal. He didn''t hesitate and reached forward to hug the thief with all his strength to restrict him.


    Liu Ye tapped on his forearm as he lunged at the thief and stabbed at the tattooed neck with the Ice Serpent that appeared in his palm out of nowhere.


    "Arghh!"


    -300


    -300


    The man cried out while trying to push them away but Marco wasn''t weak either and held him tight as the ice slowly paralyzed his body. Large numbers of damage ticked every second, signaling the man was a whooping 30000 HP! Without his Ice Serpent, they wouldn''t be able to scratch him.


    "Don''t move or we will kill him!" Liu Ye threatened immediately, stopping the rescue before it even started. "I have frozen his heart! If you attack, I will crush it to pieces!"


    "You bastard¡­"

 Chapter 52 - Mortal Enemies

    ck Panther cursed as she raised her hand to hold the advance. "You have been toying with us this whole time. You are not a newbie."


    Liu Ye didn''t reply and instead took over the man from Marco as he aligned his back with the car. He didn''t want to get attacked from behind as he would probably get one-shotted. ??


    -300


    -300


    "Of course I''m not a newbie. Do you think a newbie would act so calm after being mobbed?" Liu Ye countered as he gulped down a Medium Mana Potion. "We were actually in the same line of work since I was also part of the criminal organization. Back in my region, we had tens of Cities under our control."


    The Ice Serpent was eating his Mana like crazy so he had to keep up by drinking at least two potions.


    ck Panther''s face darkened. "I see. Did youe to Emerald City to expand your business?"


    "No, I have left the underworld and no longer involve myself in those matters," Liu Ye replied honestly before adding, "But I don''t mind returning just for today."


    His eyes grew sharper as he ordered, "All of you move to one side and throw your weapons on the ground! You only have a minute before your friend dies so hurry up!"


    All 9 thieves frowned while preparing to attack but ck Panther didn''t n on risking it. "Do it. We don''t want to lose anyone today."


    Even though Liu Ye couldn''t simply blow up the man''s heart, they had no way of knowing it.


    "Kick those weapons to us and group with your leader. You only have 45 seconds!" Liu Ye hurried them up and they no longer stalled. They threw their Elemental Weapons on the ground and kicked them to Marco.


    Liu Ye could also demand money but he had only 100 seconds for the whole operation. Once the man was dead, Liu Ye would only follow suit. He could only satisfy himself with 10 weapons he could resell for a quick buck.


    "You are going to regret this," ck Panther announced as she threw her own ming whip in his direction. Marco was already proactively collecting all the weapons while piling them next to Liu Ye.


    [Ding! Your Affinity with ck Panther decreased by 200. You will be attacked and killed on sight by any of their members.]


    Liu Ye ignored the notification and ordered sternly, "Now go back. When I see you gone, I will release him. You have 20 seconds or else his heart will die on its own!"


    "Ugh, let''s go!" ck Panther ordered after onest threatening nce at him. "If you kill him, I will find you and burn you alive."


    Liu Ye watched their backs and swiftly grabbed the weapons from the pile to store them.


    [You acquired ming Scimitar.]


    [You acquired Fire Whip.]


    [You acquired Thunder Sword.]


    ¡­


    His notifications filled with newly acquired items and now, Liu Ye was only left with onest decision to make.


    Did he want to kill this man or not?


    "Are we leaving?" Marco questioned urgently but Liu Ye was still debating.


    The buff man only had 10% HP left and the temptation to get enormous amounts of experience and gold was too strong to resist. He probably would not get such an opportunity even again and the ck Panther Gang was already against him anyway. What difference would it make if he was going to be killed on sight already?


    "Run first. Quick. We will meet in front of the Academy," Liu Ye ordered and Marco didn''t question him.


    "Good luck," Marco wished before heunched alongside the street like a torpedo. Liu Ye gave him a few seconds headstart since he knew the situation could get bloody.


    5%...


    3%...


    1%...


    In a game like Avatar Online, one had to be merciless to advance faster.


    [Ding! You killed the Gang Member. You received 94 500 Experience and 50 gold. Due to the difference of 54 levels, you earned 77 000 bonus Experience.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 12!]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 13!]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 14!]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 15!]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 16!]


    Liu Ye was shaken by the sudden spam in his inbox but he had no time to ponder on his gains. He threw the dead body to the side and began to run after Marco with all the strength he got. When the ck Panther finds out he is dead, they would definitely chase after him.


    Will his items drop if he dies?


    Will he lose his level and Experience?


    Will he respawn in the Emerald City or back in the Newbie Vige?


    Many questions bounced in his mind as he had no experience with dying yet. So far he didn''t see any notification about the Emerald City being any type of special Zone so he wasn''t particrly worried. Even if he lost his level it didn''t matter as long as he could keep his inventory.


    Just as he wondered while rushing to return back to the safe areas, his inbox filled with another series of notifications.


    [Ding! Your Affinity with ck Panther decreased by 300 and reached the limit. yer and ck Panther have be mortal enemies for life. ck Panther Gang will now actively search for you to make your life miserable.]


    Liu Ye has already kind of expected this to happen but even if he knew for sure, he would still go for the kill. Even if they hunt him down and he can''t stay in the Emerald City, he could still farm in any othernd. There was no way they would chase after him in the whole Maind, right?


    Swoosh!


    He was distracted with his inbox when two Ice Spears flew past his face, almost blowing his head off.


    "Catch him!!!" ck Panther called out with pure anger in her voice. Liu Ye didn''t need to turn around to know he was chased by multiple Gang Members wanting to split his throat open.


    ''Fuck!'' Liu Ye cursed and swiftly dumped all his Skill Points into Dexterity. He instantly felt a noticeable boost to both his stamina and agility which he used to the full extent.


    "You can''t run from us!" ck Panther cried out with her voice distancing. He was almost ready to celebrate his escape but then he looked behind and saw two men acting like they were in a circus.


    Their water whips wrapped around their arms and they grabbed onto the streetmps to swing like monkeys. Seeing Marco right ahead, Liu Ye gritted his teeth and turned at the intersection to lead the Gang Members away. He could revive endlessly but once Marco died, it would be all over for him.


    ''People!''


    Liu Ye eximed in his mind when he finally saw other humans and busy streets. His happiness was short-lived though when the two Gang Members suddenly flew above his head andnded right in front of him.


    "It''s over kiddo," the Gang Member announced grimly and the end of his whips turned into Ice des ready to slice him into pieces. "You shouldn''t have killed one of us."


    Liu Ye ignored him and opened his profile in search of hisst saving grace.


    [Ding! You are unable to log out during a battle state.]


    "Hah¡­" Liu Ye didn''t know why but he felt likeughing. He has been walking on the edge of life and death for a while now and it was finally time he failed.


    "Bastard, I will make you go through endless torture!" ck Panther shouted while catching up but Liu Ye already moved, rushing at the two Waterbenders with water wrapped around his fists.


    "Everyone has to go die at some point¡­"

 Chapter 53 - Bounty

    Liu Ye couldn''t even reach his opponent when his chest exploded with pain. He slowly looked down and saw a sharp ice shard pierced deep into his chest before his body split apart into white pixels.


    The city disappeared from his view and he appeared back in the lobby with multiple screens in front of him. ??


    [You died. Waiting for the respawn.]


    [00:00:59]


    Giant red words on the screens reminded him of his failure while restricting his login for a whole one minute.


    "Ouch¡­" Liu Ye muttered while rubbing his chest. Even though the pain was already gone, his brain could still feel the burden.


    Never again.


    Dying in the game seemed like a pretty ufortable experience but at least he had it behind him. Liu Ye now knew it was best to avoid dying at all cost and provoking a massive gang of thieves would most likely lead to his death.


    He quickly opened his profile to check what he lost and was surprised at his luck.


    [Ding! You have died and received a Standard Death Penalty.]


    [Standard Death Penalty]


    [Description: yers will lose the Experience gained in their current level after death. They will also drop their first item at a 75% rate and 25% less for each following item. This rate could be lowered or increased based on the yer''s or opponent''s Luck value.]


    [Experience lost: 12,600]


    [Items lost: 100x Small Mana Potions]


    [Note: If a yer dies while having 0 Experience, they will drop down a level and lose half of their Experience. This drop is limited to 1 level per day and is separate to the Death Penalty from the special zones.]


    "So lucky, tsk," Liu Ye clicked with his tongue, not really pained at the loss of one stack of Small Mana Potions. "I guess I need to invest in more Luck next time I level up."


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 16] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 0/26,000]


    Although he lost a whole half a level of experience, it was to be expected. The game gave out so much experience that it had to punish yers for dying. He wouldn''t be surprised if dying was verymon in theter stages of the game.


    Looking at his new items though, Liu Ye could only sigh at the high requirements. He was immediately convinced he wouldn''t be keeping any of the weapons for himself.


    [Thunder Sword] [Locked]


    [Description: A well-made sword equipped with a rare Thunder Essence Crystal. It uses Mana to cover the de with lightning that can shock the opponents upon striking. It can also activate an ability called Thunder Strike, shooting a lightning bolt from a long distance.]


    [Damage: 100]


    [Effects: Passive Shock which paralyzes the opponent for 3 seconds. It cannot be used on the same opponent more than thrice in the span of one minute.]


    [Ability: Thunder Strike - 1000 damage.]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 50, Firebending, 25 Intelligence, 15 Wisdom.]


    [Cost: 3 MP per second and 50 MP for each Ability usage.]


    [Ability Cooldown: 30 seconds.]


    The shock effect was interesting but it didn''t seem that overpowered and the requirements only disappointed Liu Ye further. He already thought of adding some points to his Wisdom stat in order to use the essory items but adding 15 points was just a waste of Skill Points.


    Knowing the system, mastering high-tier Abilities would bring him more benefits. The weapons looked like a possible choice for the yers without any potential who also wanted to enjoy the power of multiple Elements.


    [Note: Using Elemental Weapons will not increase your Elemental Mastery.]


    The note at the end of each weapon only made him close his inventory quicker. He basically exchanged those items for being hunted by high-ranked Gang Members so Liu Ye at least hoped to get some money out of it.


    Ding!


    Just as he thought how much he could extort the rich yers, the timer ended and he didn''t hesitate to login back in the game. To his surprise, he appeared back in the Teleportation Station on one of the unused tforms. Thankfully he wasn''t charged for arriving in the Emerald City once again.


    ''Alright, now that I died once, this chick should think I''m dead so I should be left alone,'' Liu Ye thought as he headed out towards the Bank once again. Even if they still remember me, I will simply leave Emerald City afterpleting the quest and enjoy the other parts of the Maind. They shouldn''t hunt me down everywher¡ª"


    [Ding! ck Panther has used a Bounty Tag on your head worth 1000 gold. If you die from a bounty hunter, you will lose two levels and your whole inventory will drop. If you wish to cancel the Bounty Tag, visit the Mercenary Guild to pay a 1000 gold removal fee.]


    "What the fuck?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "What the fuck?"


    Both Liu Ye and Xu Yue cursed at the same time at the sight of the Bounty Tag. In Xu Yue''s case, it wasn''t a notification but rather a physical bounty picture hanging on the wall of the Mercenary Guild. Just as she finished collecting her Quests, the staff member hung the poster behind the counter.


    [Wanted List]


    [Grind God - Lvl. 16]


    [Bounty: 1000 gold]


    [Last seen: Emerald City]


    How the fuck did he advance 5 levels so fast and even get himself a bounty on his head? She just checked a few minutes ago and he was still level 11.


    "Oh my god! Everyone, look at the bounty! It''s Grind God!"


    Xu Yue didn''t have time to think how, realizing other yers noticed it as well. Before they even made efforts to take on the bounty, she stepped forward and announced without shame, "Anyone who takes on this bounty will be the enemy of Red Dragon Guild!"


    She immediately gathered all the attention on her and she continued, "Grind God is one of my Guild''s core members! Doesn''t matter how high the bounty is, anyone who dares hunting him will be hunted back by my Guild until they drop back to level 1."


    The coldness in her voice caused many to shiver. Even though 1000 gold was tempting, they wouldn''t want to risk being hunted down by the entire guild.


    Not everyone was scared though.


    "I would like to take this bounty."


    One of the ck leathers approached the counter and requested boldly. He received a token from the official before turning around to everyone. "Why are you all scared of her? Do you really think they can focus on hunting down every single yer? There will be at least a million yers who will take on this Bounty if not more. It is a lost cause for them so you shouldn''t fear her."


    The yer''s eyes shone and they ignored Xu Yue as they took the bounty as well. Xu Yue frowned deeply and broke through the queue herself.


    "Let me take the bounty as well!"


    Her request caused everyone to freeze, not expecting such a move. She only snickered as she walked out casually.


    "If anyone is going to get the bounty of my Guild Member, it''s going to be the Guild Master."


    Her announcement only made everyone sigh. How could theypete with her when she could simply message her to meet up with her. No matter who ced the bounty, it was worth dying for 1000 gold.


    It seemed like the target had also thought the same.


    [Grind God: Get the Bounty Quest.]


    Liu Ye messaged her right as Xu Yue left the Mercenary Guild.


    [Queen of Chess: I already did. Who did you anger to get one though? What happened?]


    [Grind God: It''splicated. I basically killed a level 65 Gang Member and now the whole Gang is after me. I think I''m good tho.]


    Xu Yue''s eyes widened as she reread the level. Her body couldn''t help but warm up inside at the thought of having such a capable man. She wanted nothing but to jump on him and drown him in kisses.


    [Queen of Chess: Do you want to meet up so I can kill you? It''s 1000 gold, you know.]


    [Grind God: No? I only told you to get the Quest just in case. It''s just 1000 gold. It''s not worth it. Look at the Marketce in a second. I will talk to youter.]


    ''Marketce?'' Xu Yue wondered confused and quickly opened her profile.


    The Marketce Tab was still empty but after a moment, new items began popping up.


    [1. Lvl. 50 Thunder Sword - Grind God - 10,000 gold]


    [2. Lvl. 50 Fire Whip - Grind God - 9500 gold]


    ...


    [10. Lvl. 50 ming Scimitar - Grind God - 5000 gold]


    Just like her, other yers also saw the items and began freaking out.


    "Everyone, check the Marketce! This Grind God is a monster!"


    Xu Yue found it hard to resist a smile and simply walked away whileughing to herself.


    ''Hah, let''s see whoever dares to hunt him now!''


    Her arm buzzed at the same time and she checked it with pursed lips. She expected Liu Ye and was readying her praises yet it turned out to be Zhenzhen.


    [Little Bunny: Big Sis! I can''t kill anything. How do I level up?]

 Chapter 54 - Spirits

    [Queen of Chess: What do you mean you can''t kill anything? Didn''t you choose your base ability already? You have to whip them with your Water Whip.]


    Zhenzhen felt like crying when she read the suggestion and looked up at the cute flying Wisps. How was she supposed to kill them? They deserve to live too!??


    [Little Bunny: I can''t¡­ They are too cute¡­ Can I kill them with my love instead?]


    [Queen of Chess: No.]


    The short answer killed Zhenzhen''s spirit. She didn''t expect the game would be so realistic and required her to kill. She even failed the tutorial since the weakest opponent she had to kill was a cute white rabbit. No one told her it would be so hard!


    She sat down pitifully on a boulder and gazed at the other yers fighting the poor animals.


    "So cruel¡­" Zhenzhen muttered when she received another message.


    [Queen of Chess: How about you join other yers and form a party? You can leech some of their experience until you get over your fear. Fighting is not as scary as you think.]


    Oh!


    Zhenzhen eximed and swiftly looked around in search of anyone who wasn''t busy. Coincidentally, a group of four male yers walked out of the Newbie Vige.


    [Little Bunny: I found some! Wish me luck!]


    She closed the virtual window and skipped in front of them in adylike manner. "Excuse me~"


    She fixed her long brown hair off her forehead before brushing it innocently against her chest. All she had was a simple white dress that provided her with no protection at all. At the same time though, it made her look cuter and purer.


    "Whoa¡­ So pretty..." The male yers reacted ordingly, taken aback by her beauty. "It''s the first time I see a female yer in a dress. Did you get it from the tutorial?"


    "Mhmm, I had it from the beginning," Zhenzhen nodded shyly and asked, "Would you mind helping me, please?"


    She smiled brightly while blinking with expectations. She looked different from real life but her actions and character didn''t change in the slightest. Her skin was tan and her facial features sharper. Despite trying to look more badass though, Zhenzhen couldn''t get rid of her innocent smile.


    "Of course we will help. What do you need?" the leading man nodded eagerly as they approached her.


    "Would you mind if I joined your party? I''m still new and don''t know how to y games," Zhenzhen asked straightforwardly. "What do you think?"


    The four men froze on the spot and looked at her level after exchanging nces.


    [Little Bunny - Lvl 1]


    [HP: 10/10]


    [MP: 10/10]


    "Ehem¡­ We are all level 7. Do you think you can handle monsters at that level¡­?" the leader asked awkwardly while scratching his head. "Did you even spend any points on your Intelligence? Your Mana didn''t increase at all."


    "Oh, I won''t fight. I will just stand on the side and cheer you on while I leech experience," Zhenzhen admitted honestly. "I don''t think I can kill anything in this game."


    "..." The four men looked at her speechlessly. "So you don''t n to contribute to the battle at all?"


    "Nope," Zhenzhen shook her and smiled while waiting for their response.


    "Errr¡­" the leader hesitated before sighing, "I am sorry but we are four friends and the party has only four spots¡­ If there were just three of us we would definitely help you out¡­"


    "Oh¡­" Zhenzhen raised her eyebrows in surprise. "So your party is full then¡­ Don''t worry, I will somehow manage. I will just..."


    She looked back at the boulder and patted it with a smile. "I will just sit here and wait. A lot of people pass this way so I will eventually find a kind soul that can help me."


    Zhenzhen bowed politely and sat down while cheering them sweetly, "Please, have a good hunting day~ You can do it!"


    The four blushed immediately as they couldn''t move from the spot.


    "Ehem, can''t you just start by farming from low leveled monsters?" the party leader advised. "They are really harmless and even if you never yed games, you should handle them."


    As if to show how to do it, he created three Ice Projectiles and shot them at the nearby Wisp. It turned red before dying immediately but Zhenzhen swiftly shook her head while averting her eyes.


    "I can''t¡­" Zhenzhen muttered with puppy eyes, causing all four to sigh. How was she supposed to y this game if she couldn''t even kill the wisps?


    "How about those bunnies? They won''t even attack you and will run instead."


    When Zhenzhen followed his gaze and her eyes widened.


    "Nooo! You can''t kill them!" Zhenzhen called out sternly and rushed to the little rabbit. "Look how cute it is!"


    Zhenzhen carried the white rabbit back to them and hugged it cutely, "Isn''t it pretty? I think I will keep it."


    Little Bunny carrying a little bunny was too much for the young boys'' heartstrings and they couldn''t help but melt.


    "Anyway, you all should get going. Don''t worry about me," Zhenzhen assured while sitting back down. "I already held you back long enough. You are right not to ept me. I would only be a burden for you."


    She smiled while crossing her graceful legs and patted her new pet. "Experts like you wouldn''t want to bother with a newbie like me. I understand. Don''t feel bad and just go. I will ask someone else."


    The four remained still even after her assuring words and suddenly the party leader decided for them all, "I guess we can make an exception for you¡­"


    "Oh, didn''t you say that you only have 4 spots?" Zhenzhen questioned confused. "I don''t want you to split for me¡­ I would feel bad."


    "No, no, don''t worry, we can just rotate to even out the experience," the party leader assured while elbowing his friends. "We are so efficient that you will catch up to us in no time, right?"


    "Cough, that''s right, you are not a burden at all," his buddies confirmed after clearing their throat. A normal person would get the hint he was trying to make but Zhenzhen thought he was just shy.


    "That''s awesome! Thank you!" Zhenzhen eximed happily. "You are so kind. I will make sure to tell my big brother to reward youter. He is quite an expert himself."


    "Oh, what''s his level?" the party leader asked casually as he sent the invite. They didn''t seem to care much until Zhenzhen''s next words.


    "I am not sure but he is already on the maind with my big sis. I am supposed to join themter," Zhenzhen muttered after thinking. "Talking about my big sis though, her Elite Guild is going to be famous in the future. I will tell her to invite you as a thank you for help."


    The guys looked at each other with their eyes shining.


    "Anyway, let''s go," the party leader continued the advance but then they saw Zhenzhen carry the rabbit along with them. "Are you going to carry this rabbit the whole time?"


    "Yes, it''s my friend now," Zhenzhen nodded eagerly as she let the bunny bury his nose in her chest. "Hehe, I think he is feelingfy."


    "Yeah¡­ What a lucky rabbit¡­"


    The Newbie Vige was friendly to new yers so even if Zhenzhen didn''t contribute anything, she would still receive 50% of the experience. It wouldn''t work the same in the Maind but she wasn''t aiming to be a pro yer.


    Leveling up without killing a single monster in a game focused on killing? Only Zhenzhen would take that route.


    "Aww¡­ It has fallen asleep. So cute," Zhenzhen muttered on the way and gently kissed the rabbit on the head. "Don''t worry¡­ I will protect you."


    She had no idea but at the moment of her kiss, the rabbit''s spirit left its body and floated around while observing her. After a moment, it flew towards the nearby tree branch and sat down while tapping with its fluffy ears. It was soon joined by another, this time a spirit of a blue bird.


    It flew around the rabbit in confusion only to be led towards Zhenzhen who was casually leeching experience from her party. She looked pained to watch the bloody killing so she simply averted her eyes and busied herself with the sleeping rabbit.


    The two spirits seemed to be conversing with each other with various sounds before splitting apart with the rabbit returning back to his own body. The bird stayed around for a short moment before sinking into a tree.


    It only appeared after a few minutes in another part of the game world. It flew towards a blond woman under a sky-blue cloak andnded on top of her finger.


    Chirp!


    "Huh? You found someone with potential?" Katherine questioned in surprise and disappeared on the spot.


    When they appeared again, she was hovering above Zhenzhen and her eyes immediately widened.


    "Not only Liu Ye but also his little sister¡­ Gosh, this family has good genes¡­" Katherine muttered before rubbing the bird''s head. "You can do whatever you wish. From what I investigated, she is a good girl. You can observe her further if¡ª"


    She wasn''t able to finish as the bird flew away andnded on Zhenzhen''s shoulder. Katherine couldn''t help but give Zhenzhen another look, never seeing the spirits so excited.


    "Did those two have any benders in the family¡­?"

 Chapter 55 - Sponsor

    "Excuse me, Sir, can I exchange a few words with you?"


    Liu Ye was already one foot outside the bank when someone stopped him. He turned around and was surprised to see the Bank Manager smile at him. ??


    "Yes? Can I help with anything?" Liu Ye replied politely as his thoughts leaned in the direction of a quest. Why else would the Manager of the Bank bother him?


    "Well, not really help me with anything. I came because we can help you instead," the Manager announced as he gestured to the side. ?We discovered a lot of activity around you and found out about the bounty on your head. A lot of well-known bounty hunters already epted the quest and they are on their way to hunt you. I''m here to help you in that matter."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows at the news. For a second Liu Ye thought the manager was talking about other yers but the keyword was well-known. The game has onlyunched yesterday and Liu Ye was probably the first bounty in the game. No yers had the time to be well-known inside the Emerald City.


    "How well-known are we talking about?" Liu Ye questioned surprised.


    "We care about our customers and wish for a long-term partnership which is why I came to you with the news. We took the risk and bought the information from the Mercenary Guild. The results are quite terrible, just as we expected," the Manager exined. "The strongest Bender you will have to face is called Lava Maker. He has mastered both Firebending and Earthbending only to be one of the few who explored Lavabending. Definitely a tough opponent to face."


    The situation took a turn Liu Ye didn''t really expect. Could it be that the bounties made by the NPC were avable not only to yers but also to other NPCs? If that was really true, he couldn''t be more fucked.


    Liu Ye didn''t show any unnecessary panic and asked curiously, "And you said you came to help me, right? What can you do?"


    "Yes, we can help. You might not know but the bounties can be bought out by the targets which will make them invalid. Of course, miss ck Panther can set a new bounty but at this point, it''s just a race of who has the most money."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but frown. "I don''t have a 1000 gold right now so I can''t do that."


    "This is why I said we can help," the Manager said with a smile as he pointed at the nearby chairs to sit down. "Would you like to discuss it?"


    Liu Ye couldn''t just leave so he followed after him.


    "We noticed you decided to auction a big number of weapons and we as the Bank would like to offer you to buy one of them at the market value. Let''s say the ming Scimitar which you set to 5000 gold. Its market value is actually 1000 gold and we are willing to buy it for that price. This way you will have money to buy out the bounty. What do you think?" the Manager offered generously, making Liu Ye suspicious.


    "But what if they set the higher bounty right after? Will you buy all my items so I can pay for it as well?" Liu Ye questioned with logic. "The bounty will only increase and even more experts will go after me."


    If Liu Ye wasn''t careful, he could enter a trap that would attract even more experts that were not attracted by the first bounty. He wouldn''t be surprised if Grandmasters earned a simr fee just for performing lectures.


    "I''m sure that ck Panther will stop issuing bounties after learning you have our support," the Manager assured. "If they do though, we will just cover all of them for you. Thest thing weck is money."


    Liu Ye was taken aback once again. "And what does the Bank have to gain from helping me? I don''t really see many benefits for you in such a deal."


    The whole approach was too suspicious even for the game or a quest. The Bank needed to have some kind of interest in helping him and he wasn''t wrong.


    "It is nothing much. We just want to form a long-term partnership with you and support each other. A man with such potential as yours deserves to have a sponsor that will help you grow," the Manager finally revealed. "We are the backbone of Emerald City and we wish you to join us in making our city shine in the future. If you are in trouble, we will help you but also expect the same from you."


    So that''s what it was about. He was being recruited!


    His Elemental Score immediately attracted the Emerald City''s authorities and they decided to scoop him up before he even had the chance to grow. What was a few thousand gold if they could sign him for an exclusive contract?


    "If you agree to enter into cooperation with us, not only we will help you settle the matter with your bounty but we will also give you a weekly bonus of 1000 gold to support your career," the Manager added right after. "We already prepared the offer so please consider it."


    Before Liu Ye could even reply, a virtual window opened in front of him.


    [Partnership with Emerald City] [Offer]


    [The Bank of Emerald City is offering to be your sponsor in exchange for mutual support.]


    [Benefits: 1000 gold every week and help in the canceling of Mercenary Guild Bounty.]


    [Responsibilities: Mutual support in case of danger. If Emerald City ever joins war or has an enemy they can''t deal with, you will be forced to stay on their side and fight off the enemy.]


    [Would you like to ept the offer?]


    "This¡­"


    Just as much as he would enjoy a 1000 gold every week, who knows what will happen in the future? This offer would also bind Xu Yue to join the Emerald City as well since he didn''t n to fight against her. He could also see a scenario where all 4 empires attack Emerald City. Wouldn''t he be at a disadvantage then?


    "It''s a generous offer," the Manager pointed out as he observed him but Liu Ye didn''t have a choice but to reject it.


    "I''m sorry but I can''t make such a big decision yet. Can you give me some time to think about it?" Liu Ye suggested neutrally but the Manager didn''t like it at all.


    "Won''t you be in danger if we don''t settle it right away? The Bounty Hunters don''t care if you are in public. They are bold enough to strike right outside of this Bank."


    Even if he can be in danger, the responsibility was too huge at this stage of the game. Liu Ye was about to reject the offer officially when he suddenly got an idea.


    "I am not saying I don''t want to settle it though. How about this, I will sell the item to you and buy out the bounty. If ck Panther raises the bounty again, I wille over and sign the offer," Liu Ye proposed, causing the Manager to brighten.


    "Alright, that is fair," he nodded eagerly as the window disappeared on its own. "I will proceed with the sell and send the money over to the Mercena¡ª"


    "No, you can transfer the money over to me," Liu Ye cut him off. "I will pay for the bounty myself."


    "Huh?" The manager was taken aback this time. "But won''t that be dangerous? We can settle the whole matter without you leaving this chair."


    Liu Ye couldn''t sell any of his items to the yers until pay-to-win was turned on. Selling one item to the bank was the best he could do right now so bluffing was his only choice.


    "Well, I wanted to visit the Mercenary Guild anyway, so I will settle it myself. I hope you will ept my selfish request in respect to our future cooperation."


    The Manager paused in thinking and eventually nodded while standing up. "Alright then. I will handle it right now."


    Liu Ye patiently waited with his profile open and fair enough, he soon received two notifications into his inbox.


    [Ding! Your item Fire Scimitar has been delisted from the auction.]


    [Ding! You have received 1000 gold from the Emerald City Bank.]


    Even though he could sell it for moreter, Liu Ye urgently needed the money now. He could grind his two levels back up if he was killed so it wasn''t necessary to buy out the bounty.


    "I have settled everything as we discussed," the Manager informed aftering back. "Please be careful outside. We can''t protect you outside our property."


    "I don''t need guards, but I have a different request," Liu Ye replied with a slight smile. "Would you mind ordering a car in front of the bank? There is some ce I need to visit first."

 Chapter 56 - Jack The Tailor

    [You have reached your destination. Have a nice day.]


    Thest time Liu Ye drove the Robo Taxi, Marco selected the fastest route but this time Liu Ye didn''t make the same mistake. He drove into the Expert District through the most popr road but he didn''t stop there. With Light Green Permit he could enter into the Master District freely.


    "Not bad¡­" Liu Ye nodded in approval as he got out of the taxi at the streets full of fancy shops. The Master District was much cleaner and exclusive than the rest he saw so far.


    It would be a shame not to use the 1000 gold that he received from the Bank so he went to the official outfit store. They thought he would pay off the bounty and they couldter force him to join them but Liu Ye would rather gear up and fight head-on.


    Bounty Hunters were usually working alone so he had the chance to fight back using his Ice Serpent. All he needed was a nice outfit that would help him survive much longer.


    "Wee, Sir! I''m Robert and I will be in charge of you today. Can you tell me what you are looking for?"


    As soon as he entered inside, he was approached by one of the male shop attendants in a fancy suit. Even though the other patrons quickly looked down at him for his outfit, the salesman didn''t mind it at all.


    "Hello, I''m looking for an outfit with a great freedom of movement, decent protection, and a simr style as the one I have," Liu Ye exined as he looked around the store. Hepletely ignored the looks he got and scanned the prices of the items.


    5000¡­


    8000¡­


    15000...


    "And it would be best if it''s within the range of 1000 gold," Liu Ye added, noticing the outrageous prices. "I will upgrade once I save more gold."


    He thought the top outfits would also be around the same price but how wrong he was. It seemed like the weapons were truly worth too littlepared to the outfit sets.


    "1000 gold? That''s little but let me find something. I should have what you want in the back of the store," the attendant muttered in wonder as he departed to the storage. "Please wait here Sir, I will search for it."


    Liu Ye was left alone to himself so he walked around while checking the fancy outfits. Too bad, just as he tried to touch one and inspect it, he was stopped by another customer.


    "Hey, don''t touch it if you don''t n to buy it. Do you expect me to buy it after your dirty hands ruined it?"


    [Academy Official - Lvl. 70]


    Liu Ye nced at the young man in a green robe and noticed he was looking at him angrily. Liu Ye didn''t even do anything yet he was yapping and insulting him for no reason.


    "Oh, you want it?" Liu Ye asked with a smile and touched it on purpose while teasing, "My bad, my dirty hand slipped."


    The Academy Official was instantly taken aback but then he reached out to Liu Ye''s wrist. "You bastar¡ª"


    He stopped himself halfway as Liu Ye was quicker and pulled away. "You are so slow. Pretty shameful for someone at your level."


    If someone disrespected him, Liu Ye wouldn''t treat them nicely no matter who they were. The Academy Official didn''t even have the name so he wasn''t supposed to be important anyway.


    By that time, many patrons were rmed by the scene as the Academy Official didn''t try to be quiet. The other employees frowned at him for being loud which irked him even more.


    Unfortunately, just as he was about to go off, Liu Ye ignored him and walked past to meet with his assigned salesman.


    "This looks good," Liu Ye approved right away with just one look at the outfit. Even if the outfit didn''t have good stats, he would still buy it for the looks.


    Although he preferred full ck, the ck leather with a red dragon print was a perfect match in connection to Xu Ye''s Guild. It had long sleeves and even a hood attached to it. Liu Ye wouldn''t need to worry that someone recognizes him if he could hide his face.


    "I am d you like it, but Sir, I have bad news," the salesman muttered with a sigh. "I tried to find anything within your price range but this is the cheapest outfit that matches your requirements. It costs 2000 gold."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows at the price but hearing footstepsing from behind gave him an idea. He would normally avoid it but this time he stood still, letting the Academy Official grab onto his shoulder.


    "Bitch, do you know who I am?" The Academy Official asked angrily as he jerked Liu Ye back to face him.


    "Excuse me?" Liu Ye frowned while ncing down at the hand on his shoulder. "Apparently not as famous as you think if you have to ask."


    "Sir, is there a problem?" The salesman approached to figure out what was wrong and Liu Yeined right away.


    "This man has been insulting and harassing me since I entered the store. Now he is even using violence in front of everyone."


    "And what are you going to do about it?" the Academy Official asked back rudely and casually pushed Liu Ye away.


    That was exactly what he wanted.


    "Ah!" Liu Ye cried out in pain as he flew back before crashing against the cash register after sliding on the floor. Almost everyone in the store was dumbfounded, together with the Academy Official.


    "Sir! Are you okay?!" the salesman rushed over but Liu Ye only held onto his arm as if he just suffered a mortal wound. "Argh, my arm! He broke my arm!"


    "What?! I didn''t even use any strength!" the Academy Official argued while storming towards Liu Ye. "Bitch, you are only pretending!"


    Liu Ye gazed at the salesmen for help but seeing they didn''t move at all, he took out his dagger into the hidden hand that was supposedly broken. If his n didn''t work out, he would at least have a chance to fight back.


    The Academy Official approached him and reached to Liu Ye''s broken arm as if to prove he was just pretending. Thankfully, just as Liu Ye was readying himself to strike, a loud voice broke through the store.


    "What is going on here?! Who is causing trouble in my store?!"


    The Academy Official jerked back at the deep tone and they both looked to the side.


    [Jack the Tailor - Lvl. 100]


    A named NPC!


    Seeing a slim middle-aged man with such a high level and an assigned name, Liu Ye knew his n worked out.


    "Boss, they are fighting!" the salesman called out while pointing at the Academy Official. "This man has been rude and assaulted another customer!"


    Jack immediately red at the Academy Official and decided on the spot, "You, get out! I already knew you are up to no good with such an attitude. Forget about your outfit as well. If your dean wants it, tell him toe over by himself as I won''t be selling anything to you."


    Liu Ye smiled widely under his bandana after seeing the change in the Academy Official''s face. It was so satisfying to mess with the n of the game AI who just tried to mess with you.


    "S-sir! I didn''t do anything! I am being fram¡ª"


    "I don''t give a fuck," Jack the Tailor cut the official off without much care. "Do you think you are better than others just cause you are working for the Academy? Fuck off. If you don''t get out within the next 5 seconds, I will kill you."


    Everyone in the store gulped. None of them seemed to doubt the boss'' words and the Academy Official didn''t treat it lightly either.


    "The Dean will be mad!" he warned in panic but Jack was already getting annoyed.


    "5¡­"


    "4¡­"


    He began to count down while forming a wind shuriken on top of his palm. It began to spin right after and the Academy Official finally gave up trying to convince him. He red at Liu Ye and threatened, "Don''t even think of showing up in the Academy!"


    When Jack counted down to 1, the target was already out of the store, causing everyone to sigh in relief. If they began to fight, anyone in the store would be affected as well.


    "Those damn Academy Officials. They are so entitled," Jack the Tailormented while canceling his shuriken and gazed at Liu Ye who was still on the floor. "You, get up. I know you are not hurt at all."


    Liu Ye didn''t n to lie to a level 100 NPC so he stood up while keeping his dagger. "Thank you for the help, Sir. I''m still new to bending so I didn''t have much choice. One has to do whatever they can to survive."


    "I don''t mind it. You actually did me a favor," Jack replied while waving his hand. "The Dean of the Academy actually sent his ve to pick up my work. Such disrespect. Now he will have toe over himself and apologize, hehe."


    He looked at his employee carrying the red dragon outfit and asked, "He wants to buy it? Good choice. You can half the price for him."


    "Yes, Boss!" the salesman nodded eagerly.


    "Alright, I''m back to work. Let me know when the deanes back," Jack the Tailor said casually and ignored Liu Ye as he went back to the back of the store.


    Liu Ye was nning toe backter after grinding for a bit but it turned out it was no longer necessary.


    "Sir, this piece will cost 1000 gold after a discount. Would you like to check it?"

 Chapter 57 - Academy

    [Red Dragon Set]


    [Bonus Stats: 500 Health Points, 50 Physical Defence, 50 Elemental Defence.]


    [Bonus Effects: 20% Fire Resistance]


    [Socket Slots: 4]


    [Equipped Slots: 2xFire Essence Crystal]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 15, 10 Intelligence.]


    "I''m definitely taking it," Liu Ye announced without hesitation, only needing a nce at the stats to know it was simply perfect for him.


    The eyes of the red dragon were made out of two Fire Essence Crystals which gave him a little bit of Fire Resistance. If hebined them with the Elemental Defence, he could probably half the damage taken from the Firebenders.


    "Sweet, let''s proceed to the checkout then," the salesman nodded in approval as he carried the outfit to the cash register. "This piece has two more empty slots on its sleeves so Sir can insert desirable Essence Crystals for additional effects."


    "Oh, where can I get them?" Liu Ye wondered as he withdrew 1000 gold. "Is it possible to rece them too?"


    He would normally ask for a 20% discount from the Permit but he was already hit with a bigger discount.


    "You can get them in the official jewelry store and yes, our store can remove and equip Essence Crystals of different tiers into the sockets. The adjustment fee is 50 gold though so it''s best toe over with aplete set," the salesman informed. "The Essence Crystals are the main reason the outfits cost so much. High Tiered Essence Crystals are very rare which ranks up the price."


    Liu Ye already knew he was basically cheating his way into theter stages of a game so maybe once he reaches that level he wouldn''t be so pained at the high prices.


    He didn''t hesitate and equipped the outfit as soon as he got it into his hands. Sure enough, it fit him perfectly and the hood looked cool. He could still see everything even when he hid his eyes with it.


    "Do you have any more of them?" Liu Ye questioned. "My Guild Leader might be interested in buying some."


    Xu Yue will definitely want to equip her elite Guild with them when she sees him like that.


    "This model is already out of production and seems to be thest one made but we could probably reproduce on demand if the boss agrees. Every piece is original so the Boss rarely agrees to any copies," the salesman exined.


    "If I were to order 100 sets, would you make it exclusive to me?" Liu Ye asked curiously. "My Guild Leader would buy them in bulk once she reaches the Emerald City."


    The 100 sets caused the salesman to widen his eyes and even the boss came out from the back once again.


    "If your Guild Leader were to order 100 sets, I would only charge you 150,000 gold in total and you can have the design exclusively for yourself," Jack the Tailor proposed, surprising everyone.


    "Perfect. I will ry the news then. Please put the offer on hold," Liu Ye acknowledged with a nod.


    "Sure,e back any time," Jack replied while following him with his eyes.


    "Is there perhaps something I can help you with?" Liu Ye bet on his luck but Jack shook his head after a quick lookover.


    "You are not strong enough to help me. Maybe once you grow stronger."


    Liu Ye could only sigh and continue with his journey. Normally he would have exmation marks on the map with quests to collect but the Emerald City was empty for him. It seemed like he was too lower levelled to even be considered as help.


    ''Time for the Grind then.''


    Even if Liu Ye leveled up, his abilities didn''t improve one bit. He spent all morning without any farming which brought shame to his name.


    After 20 minutes in the Robo Taxi, Liu Ye has finally arrived near the Academy and was confused by therge number of people queueing up by the gate. All of them were excited and chatted with each other as if it was their best day ever.


    When Liu Ye got out and searched for Marco though, he was surprised to see him in the queue as well. If Liu Ye didn''t show up, Marco would probably continue the quest by himself and enter the Academy.


    "Oh, you are finally here!" Marco called out when Liu Ye uncovered his hood ever so slightly. "How did you escape those thieves?"


    [Marco - Lvl. 12]


    Marco leveled up with him even though he was an NPC but now that Liu Ye''s level was higher, he couldn''t see his identity through the mask.


    "I just outran them once I reached the crowds," Liu Ye replied casually and looked at the queue. "What is this line for?"


    "It''s for all the aspiring benders who wish to enter the Academy. The recruitment is open all year round so one can attend the test as long as they have money to pay the fee," Marco exined quietly. "I tried to bypass the queue earlier but apparently you can''t enter the Academy grounds unless you are a student or have at least a Light Green Permit. I could only follow the same route as everyone to enter."


    "I see, follow me then. I don''t n to wait in the queue," Liu Ye suggested boldly which made him receive a bit of attention from the other youngsters. They frowned at him but he simply ignored them and walked alongside the queue.


    It didn''t seem like the line was moving fast so they would have to spend 1-2 hours just to reach the front. He didn''t n to join the Academy so that wasn''t an option for them.


    "Hey, there is a queue!"


    Liu Ye approached the Academy Officials by the special counter when a male voice raised hisints. It was their turn but Liu Ye cut in the queue without saying a word.


    "I am talking to you!" the man called out again while reaching out to him but Liu Ye sidestepped and grabbed his wrist. Before he could react, Liu Ye already bent his arm behind his back and kicked his knees to make him fall down.


    "Be careful who you touch or you might lose your arm," Liu Ye threatened and let go of him before the Academy Officials stopped him. Even though it was the game based on elements, he could use his knowledge of martial arts to his advantage.


    Everyone in the queue thought Liu Ye would be apprehended by the officials but to everyone''s surprise, they didn''t seem to care much and instead looked at him impressed.


    "Nice moves," the Academy Official nodded in approval. "Do you perhaps have a Gre¡ª"


    Liu Ye didn''t let him finish as he magically pulled out his Light Green Permit.


    "Just as I thought. Are you here to make use of the Academy Facilities or perhaps want to join the Academy?" the Academy Official questioned curiously as he gazed at Marco. "Does Sir also have the Permit?"


    "He is my guard and we are here for a visit," Liu Ye exined shortly while demanding boldly. "He ising inside with me."


    He didn''t throw the youngster on the ground cause he was mean but to show he wasn''t just some random. Too bad, it wasn''t enough in the end.


    "I''m sorry but you can''t enter the Academy Grounds without the Permit or the Student identification. We can''t break the rul¡ª"


    Liu Ye moved before the Academy Official finished and approached the table with five white crystal balls. They looked the same as during the Elemental Score test but seeing 5 of them, they were probably testing each Element separately.


    He ignored them all and touched each crystal one by one till all of them filled with colored mist. Half of the Water Element crystal turned blue while the rest had a rtively even amount.


    "Which one of you will tell the dean that I decided to never enter the Academy because you refused to let my guard follow me inside?" Liu Ye asked as he covered his eyes and walked past them. "Marco, let''s go."


    Just as he thought, the Academy Officials didn''t stop them. They conversed with each other and one of them stood up before rushing away. Liu Ye could only guess that they went to inform the higher-ups about his presence, which only strengthened his belief that benders with the potential to master all 5 Elements were rare.


    "What''s the name of the Lord''s Daughter?" Liu Ye questioned after walking further from the gate. "We need to find her quickly. I need to continue my training."


    Liu Ye originally nned to use Marco for more grinding but it seemed it would be hard to pull him away from the quest. If there is no follow-up quest, Liu Ye would simply teleport to the training zone and start grinding to lvl 20.


    "Her name is Avi. A beautiful blonde with a slim figure and sexy legs," Marco described with a bright smile. "You will know it''s her when you meet her. She has the presence of the main character."


    "Is it her then?"

 Chapter 58 - Boyfriend

    "Huh?"


    Marco''s eyes squinted as he followed Liu Ye''s gaze only to explode with happiness. "It really is her!"


    Liu Ye looked around the Academy Garden in search of the students that matched Marco''s description and it just happened they saw one blond beauty walk through. The way she walked was so powerful and domineering that it only confirmed Marco''s words.


    "Miss Avi!"


    Liu Ye couldn''t stop Marco from rushing to Avi''s side so he simply followed him.


    [Avi - Lvl. 60]


    [HP: 15600/15600]


    [MP: 6000/6000]


    He was surprised by her low HPpared to other benders at such a high level but now he knew it was probably boosted by high-tiered Essence Crystals. Looking at Avi''s outfit, she didn''t have even one.


    "Who¡ª" Avi turned to look at Marco with a frown only to widen her eyes. "Oh, you are Marco, right? What are you doing here?"


    Liu Ye wasn''t surprised that Marco fell for the Lord''s daughter as her features were model-worthy. Despite having a semi-pretty face, her body and hair were top-notch. Avi seemed to know her worth as she even amplified her qualities with tight hunting gear with sexy straps that wrapped around her thighs.


    "Miss Avi, we came because the Lord was worried you were in danger. Thank god you are safe," Marco exined happily while looking her straight in the eyes. He didn''t dare to ogle her body out of respect.


    "We?" Avi asked with her eyebrows raised and nced at Liu Ye. "Are you also my father''s guard? Why would he think I am in danger? I''m perfectly fine. Not many can threaten me here."


    "We came because we discovered this item in the hands of the local bandits," Liu Ye informed as he took out the Lord Dominik''s Pride. "Marco said it belonged to you so we came to investi¡ª"


    "Hahahaha!" Avi cut him off with augh and she snatched it from his hand. "This is so funny!"


    She immediately wore the ne under her outfit and added, "I sold this item to buy this outfit and now you returned it back to me. How lucky can one be?"


    [Ding! You havepleted the quest: Lord Dominik''s Daughter.]


    ''No follow-up quest?'' Liu Ye thought dejectedly and just as he was about to ask for more, Avi brushed them away.


    "Anyway, thank you for bringing it back to me. Tell my parents that I miss them and that I enjoy my stay at the Academy. I couldn''t find a better ce to improve my skills," Avi said casually while looking around as if searching for someone. "I can''t stay long talking to you so I will get going. It was nice meeting you."


    She winked at them yfully and just left, running towards the Academy Facilities.


    "Sigh¡­" Marco took a deep breath as he watched her run away. "She grew so much I no longer stand a chance to court her. Oh well, life is full of twists and turns. I will just go with the cutie my parents chose for me. This trip opened my eyes."


    He gazed at Liu Ye and reached out his hand for a handshake, "It has been nice knowing you but I guess it''s time to split up. I will be returning to bring the news to the Lord. If fate allows, we will meet again."


    "It was nice indeed. Take care," Liu Ye nodded as he shook Marco''s hand and watched him leave as well.


    It seemed like he was back to square one by being left alone but Liu Ye didn''t believe he would be led here without a chance for a follow-up quest. The game AI liked to make the yers work for the quests so this had to be it.


    Liu Ye gazed in the direction of Academy Facilities. Avi was looking around as if trying to avoid someone which could lead to a potential quest. All he needed was to find her again and somehow provoke the quest.


    Too bad, just walking through the Academy''s main road seemed hard.


    "Nice outfit~"


    "Hey Sir, are you looking for a training partner?"


    The Academy was filled with female benders that seemed to have some weird attraction to him. He ignored them all but it turned annoying as any group of girls that he bumped to wanted to talk to him.


    One turned out to be so shameless that she stuck to him like glue and walked by his side.


    "Sir, do you need assistance?" the girl questioned cutely as she leaned to see his face under the hook. "I know this ce like my home so I can guide you around the Academ¡ª Oh my, you are young and handsome too. Jackpot."


    Liu Ye noticed that he was no longer gazed at with her around, so he didn''t escape from her. "What do you mean jackpot?"


    [Academy Student - Lvl. 25]


    It was weird that she didn''t even have the name but he soon found out why.


    "Oh, you must be new to the Emerald City, right?" she asked while casually hugging his arm into her chest. "You are lucky that you met me or you would be scammed by some big boobied newbie. You see, the Academy only offers one month of free tuition but if you want to stay for longer, you need to pay the fees. Most of us students are poor so we are forced to do side jobs."


    "I see," Liu Ye nodded and pulled his arm away from her grasp. "If you are looking for someone to sponsor you then I''m sorry but you have struck the wrong target. I''m probably poorer than you."


    "Huh?" the student looked at him confused. "I think you misunderstood. We are not searching for a sponsor but simply selling our services. I can apany you for training for just 50 gold per hour. What do you think? It''s not that expensive, right?"


    Now it made more sense. yers could hire Academy Students to apany them for farming. It would be the same with how Liu Ye used Marco''s help in killing the mobs.


    "I told you, I''m poor. I wouldn''t even afford two hours with you," Liu Ye replied with a shrug, causing her to sigh.


    "Ahh, it''s fine¡­ You can contact me once you have more money then," the student informed. "I often pace along this road because it leads to the Teleport Station. If you enter the Academy next time you will find me here."


    It was never going to happen but at the very least he received some valid information. Just as he was about to reject her though, the plot he was looking for was put into motion.


    "Oh shit, it seems like Avi is in trouble again¡­" the student muttered as she looked ahead. Liu Ye followed her gaze and saw a young man blocking Avi''s way in the middle of the road.


    "Who is he?" Liu Ye asked calmly without acting rashly.


    It was definitely the quest he was looking for but he had to first assess the situation. If he were to offend some powerful figures then it better be worth it.


    "He is Avi''s admirer. She is really expensive but this man must be rich since he hired herst week. He has beening over every day to hire her again but she rejected him each time. It''s obvious that he has fallen for Avi but she doesn''t date her clients," the student gossiped in a whisper. "I heard that she reported him to the Dean but he didn''t do anything because of this man''s background."


    Liu Ye was only waiting for that to be mentioned.


    "Do you know anything about it?" Liu Ye questioned as he watched the scene closely.


    Avi was trying to ignore him and tried to walk past him but he didn''t let her. He didn''t seem aggressive but definitely annoyingly persistent.


    "I heard gossip saying that his grandfather is a Grandmaster but they can be false," the student replied just as Avi yelled annoyed.


    "I don''t want your gift, I have a boyfriend! Leave me alone."


    The student paled at that and reported, "Damn, she used the boyfriend card. It''s over for her. She doesn''t have a boyfriend. Once he learns about it, he wil¡ª"


    The female student suddenly froze when Avi turned around in their direction and her eyes brightened seeing Liu Ye.


    "Fuck, she ising here¡­ I didn''t tell you anything," the student cursed and quickly dipped as Avi ran over to him with a smile on her face.


    ''Don''t tell me¡­'' Liu Ye thought only to experience Avi jumping into his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck.


    "Baby! You came back!" Avi cried out happily before slipping her head under his hook as if she tried to kiss him.


    At least that''s what it looked like from the outside but inside her face turned grim and she looked at him expectantly.


    "I don''t know why you are here but pretend to be my boyfriend for a few days. I will owe you a favor."


    [Ding! You receive a new Quest: Boyfriend.]


    Liu Ye read the notification on his arm but he didn''t even look at the details knowing this wasn''t the final offer.


    "Just one favor? I''m sorry but I don''t have time for games," Liu Ye replied and grabbed her shoulders to pull her away. She was dangerously close to his face which made him ufortable.


    "Huh? Aren''t you my father''s guard?" Avi questioned confused as she took off his bandana. "First time I see you¡­"


    "That''s because I was only hired by him," Liu Ye replied casually while peeking at the man behind her. "If you want me to help you then you better offer something better. How about your services? I want a week''s worth free of charge."


    "Pfft, bullshit. You know how much time that is?" Avi rejected outright but Liu Ye only smiled as he tried to leave.


    "I will tell him I''m not your boyfriend then."


    Avi immediately panicked and stopped him by hugging him tightly. "Fine, I agree."

 Chapter 59 - Marvin The Hunter

    [Contract Boyfriend]


    [Avi agreed to help you in training as long as you pretend to be her boyfriend. The contract will be void if her stalker finds out the truth.]


    [Difficulty: S]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Pretend to be Avi''s boyfriend for a week.]


    [Clear Reward: Week''s worth of training services.]


    Liu Ye nced at the quest description on the way and nodded in approval. What was better than a level 60 NPC that will help him with his farming and even protect him from bounty hunters? Even if the game decided to cut his experience gains with her assistance and he gained new enemies, he at least neutralized the older threats.


    In exchange for all that, he just needed to pretend they are together which wasn''t that hard. At least that''s what he thought.


    "Baby, let''s train together today," Avi called out sweetly while hugging his arm into her chest. "I can''t wait to spend a whole day with you."


    It was all a fake act in front of Avi''s admirer who clearly hated to watch them being so close. He didn''t seem to buy it either as he quickly blocked their way when they tried to pass him.


    [Marvin the Hunter - Lvl. 70]


    [HP: 35700/35700]


    [MP: 10000/10000]


    Another named NPC was a sign Liu Ye was on the right path. The only thing that concerned him was the ballooned HP and MPpared to his own. The right gear was truly the second important factor in the game.


    "This guy? Really? You could have picked anyone else on the road and it would have been more believable but you picked him, a newbie," Marvin ridiculed with a chuckle as he fixed his short brown hair. "He is so weak that one of my fireballs is enough to kill him and you are trying to tell me you two are dating? Don''t make meugh."


    "You can think whatever you want, I don''t care," Avi replied indifferently as she grabbed Liu Ye''s hand. "Babe, we are leaving."


    She tried to pull him with her but Liu Ye didn''t budge and instead jerked her back into his arms instead. Avi grabbed onto his chest in surprise while Liu Ye already embraced both her waist and back.


    "Let me handle this¡­" Liu Ye whispered, her mouth just inches away from his lips. "Pretend we kiss."


    Avi was tense just a second ago but she rxed after his words and let him brush his hand through her golden hair. To make it believable, she reached out to his face and uncovered his bandana ever so slightly before rubbing their noses together.


    All of this to provoke Marvin further and create a drama that would rm the Academy Officials. Liu Ye only needed one look at Marvin to know he was already eager for a fight and would attack him as soon as they tried to pass them.


    Their only option was to get him to move away himself.


    "Stop bothering my girlfriend," Liu Yemanded coldly as he hid her face in his neck and stared Marvin down.


    "Hah, or what? Are you going to beat me up?" Marvin asked back with a re and his palm lit up with mes. "Let''s have a duel then. Prove that you are worthy of her."


    His challenge has brought out amotion from the crowd. The students of the Academy have already made a semi audience on both sides of the road. All they needed was popcorn to match with them.


    Marvin''s nick was blue this whole time but it suddenly turned red, showing he was hostile and avable to kill. Too bad, Liu Ye wasn''t easy to provoke.


    "If you think that strength and riches are everything then you will die alone," Liu Ye informed brutally. "You are bringing shame to your family with your actions. Creep and stalker. I wonder what your grandfather will say about it when the news reaches him."


    "Fuck you!" Marvin cursed and suddenly sent a stream of fire in the sky beforeshing it down like a gigantic whip.


    Avi tried to unconsciously escape from his grasp to avoid the attack but he held her firmly while dodging to the side. After provoking Marvin this whole time, Liu Ye was only waiting to be attacked.


    "Trust me," Liu Ye assured when Avi looked at him with aplicated gaze. He released her without waiting for her reply and returned to taunting.


    "It''s clear that you are crazy when you are even attacking the woman you tried to court," Liu Ye judged with a shake of his head. "You Firebenders are always so aggressive. You should attend some lessons on controlling your anger."


    Liu Ye couldn''t be luckier to face an angry monkey instead of a silent viper. It was always better if your opponent was easy to provoke and struggled to control their emotions. The true dangery with opponents that would silently walk away while smiling to themselves.


    Surprisingly, Marvin didn''t explode right away but even though he contained himself, he still stared daggers at him.


    "So what? I don''t care about this bitch anymore," Marvin announced as ogled Avi''s body with a lewd gaze. "I just wanted to taste her great body but I''m not interested anymore. She can die with you now."


    He didn''t hesitate and rushed at them while punching multiple Fireballs with his fists. He followed it with a ming de before stomping on the ground and kicking a boulder at Liu Ye''s face.


    Two Elements!


    Liu Ye had no chance to take such abo directly so he swiftly dropped to the ground when a pair of sexy legs appeared in front of him.


    Everything happened so fast.


    Swoosh!


    Avi crushed the Fireballs apart with a punch, broke the ming de with a kick before cutting the boulder with an Ice de on her forearm.


    "I was trying to be nice and not fight you but now that you called me a bitch, I don''t give a fuck anymore," Avi said coldly as her body wrapped with water. "I dare you to fight me in the Academy!"


    "You think I''m scared of you?" Marvin replied with a sneer and attacked again. This time though he couldn''t finish even one move before he was stopped.


    "That''s enough!"

 Chapter 60 - Boyfriends Rights

    "It''s the Dean!"


    Everyone looked behind them and were surprised to see the Dean of Academye over in thepany of multiple Academy Officials. The leftover mes on the road extinguished as the old man walked through with a stern expression on his face.


    Liu Ye actually wanted to watch a battle between high-leveled Benders to learn some tricks but it seemed he wasn''t lucky today. He stood up from the ground and moved to the side to give way to the Dean. The annoying Academy Official from the store didn''t apany the Dean so he avoided some inconvenience.


    "Fighting is prohibited in the Academy grounds! Do you want to be banned entry?!" Dean scolded Marvin as he reached Avi''s side. "I have been turning a blind eye to your actions for the sake of your grandfather but I''m already fed up with you. Do you want me to visit him personally?"


    No one was surprised when the Dean publicly admitted to bending the rules which showed how obvious the favoritism was. If one had a family member who was a Grandmaster, they were bound to receive special treatment.


    "Alright, alright, I guess I will spare you trouble and kill them outside of the Academy," Marvin shrugged unbothered and withdrew from his battle stance. "You can stop me here but they will not stay in the Academy forever."


    He nced at Avi and gave her body onest nce. "You could have chosen me and you would have everything. It was you who forced me to be the viin. I will make sure to enjoy you plenty once I¡ª"


    "Get out of my Academy!" the Dean cut him off and the ground shook as if an earthquake struck the ce. One could tell the Dean wasn''t happy and Marvin finally gave him some respect by walking towards the exit.


    He didn''t forget about Liu Ye though while moving past him. "Enjoy thest moments of your life. They don''t call me Marvin the Hunter for no reason."


    [Ding! Your Affinity with Marvin the Hunter has decreased by 500 and reached the limit. You are now mortal enemies for life and he will actively try to hunt you.]


    Liu Ye wasn''t even a bit surprised by the news. It was still a better oue since now he had Avi by his side.


    "Damn, this bitch," the Dean cursed after Marvin left and rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "This whole day has been so tiring. I don''t care anymore, ban him. I don''t want to see him again in my Academy."


    "Yes, Dean," the Academy Official epted the order.


    "And clean up this road. He made a mess," the Deanmanded again before turning to all the students in the area. "What are you all standing here? The scene is over. Go attend your sses or get back to your training."


    With the Dean''s order, the students scattered around with only Liu Ye and Avi staying behind.


    "I''m sorry but this is the most I can do for you. Now he at least won''t bother you" the Dean informed once their surroundings cleared. "The Maind is a dangerous ce and we can''t protect you outside of our territory. You should be careful when you depart for training."


    "I don''t recall being protected thest week when that maniac was harassing me," Avi replied


    "You see, I needed a reason to ban him. There is a difference between battling in the Academy and being annoying. One is prohibited, the other is not," the Dean exined with a sigh. "If I were to ban him because he was blocking your way on the road, his grandfather would definitely pay me a visit. Now it''s apletely different story."


    "Won''t his grandfather punish him for his actions at least?" Avi questioned but one could tell she had no hope already.


    "Well¡­" the Dean scratched his head. "Let''s just say Marvin probably inherited his character from his grandfather. If it''s nothing major, he will simply apud his grandson and pat his back. I remember he was also like this when he was younger."


    Avi''s face darkened. "Nothing can be done then. We can only improve our skills to the point no one dares to fight us."


    She nced at Liu Ye and grabbed his hand as she pulled him away. "Let''s go. We don''t have time to waste."


    Liu Ye had no business with the Dean so he followed her but the Dean stopped them right after.


    "Wait a second, are you that bender with a 5 Elements potential?" the Dean questioned curiously. "I was informed that a talent in a red dragon outfit came into the Academy."


    Even Avi paused at the question and looked at Liu Ye in surprise. It seemed like it wasn''t thatmon in this world.


    "Yes, that''s me," Liu Ye nodded, causing the Dean to brighten. He pulled out a pin that all students wore and threw it in Liu Ye''s hands.


    "Our Academy loves to nurture new talents which is why we allow all masters to use our Facilities for free. Naturally, we still need to earn so some of it has to be paid for," the Dean exined as he pointed at the pin. "This pin is the symbol of being a student of our Academy. It will give you a huge discount on our training rooms. Hope you make good use of it."


    "Thank you," Liu Ye acknowledged with a nod but just as he was about to inspect it, Avi snatched it from his hand with a jealous expression.


    "Damn, isn''t that Diamond Pin?" Avi cursed speechlessly. "Even I only have a gold one. How is that fair?"


    "You only have the potential for 4 Elements so you can only get gold," the Dean shrugged and Liu Ye snatched the pin back to inspect it.


    [Diamond Pin]


    [Description: Academy Pin that gives you ess to special training rooms. It has a tiny Water Essence Crystal of the lowest tier attached to it.]


    [Benefits: 90% Discount]


    [Effects: +25 Elemental Power while using Water Element Abilities.]


    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to equip it and the pin attached itself to his chest.


    "I saw your Waterskin so I chose one with Water Essence Crystal. It should give you a small boost of power too," the Dean added kindly. "Good luck with your training."


    The Dean was too kind to him which made Liu Ye suspicious. Only once they left did Avi exin the scam in ce.


    "Don''t fall for this old geezer''s tricks. They will spoil you with discounts and before you know it, they will try to bind you into a contract. The Academy is just a tool for the Emerald City to get experts on their side in case a war happens."


    "I was actually offered one when I visited the Bank," Liu Ye revealed.


    "Of course." Avi rolled her eyes. "They are trying to lure you before you be powerful and learn the truth. With 5 Element potential, you have the chance to be an Avatar so of course they will try to get you."


    She squeezed his hand and assured, "Don''t worry, just stay with me and I won''t let you get scammed. All of them tried to do the same to me but thankfully I was cautious."


    "Anyway, turn right and we will reach the Teleportation Stations. It''s like a minute away from here," Avi added as she pulled him to the right on the intersection. That was when he realized she has been holding his arm this whole time.


    She has been too close since the moment they left the Dean. Even her thumb was rubbing his hand affectionately.


    "You know, you don''t need to hold my hand all the time. We are only pretending and that Marvin is gone," Liu Ye reminded while no other students were around but she didn''t care at all.


    "Pretend or not, you are my boyfriend now. Since the contract didn''t specify the time and ce, I can do whatever I want to you," Avi replied with a smile. "If I want to hold your hand, I will. If I want to kiss you, I will do it too."


    She tried to act yful and raised his hand to kiss it but Liu Ye acted quicker. He suddenly jerked her into a dark alley between two buildings. Her eyes followed his actions but Avi didn''t resist as he grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the wall.


    "My, my, are you trying to exercise your boyfriend''s rights?"

 Chapter 61 - Undercover

    Avi wasn''t intimidated at all. Her arms were bonded together above her head and Liu Ye stared at her emotionlessly but she simply smiled at him as if she found it funny.


    "Cut it off," Liu Ye ordered firmly. "Just because the contract is flexible doesn''t mean I will let you do whatever you want. I''m only doing the bare minimum so that your stalker doesn''t find out the truth. I am doing my part of the deal. You should focus on your part as well."


    His one act of killing the Gang Member caused a snowball effect on everything else, forcing him into this situation. Now Liu Ye had to keep Avi by his side or else he would face all the hunters on his own. It wasn''t a future he wanted to see.


    His only choice was getting the control back in his hands but Avi didn''t make it easy.


    "Should I also do the bare minimum then?" Avi questioned as she leaned closer to his face. "Should I only stick to helping you with your training and escape when Marvin attacks us? Are you nning on fighting him alone?"


    She pursed her lips before blowing water vapor at his chest. He couldn''t react when his whole torso began stiffening and eventually turned him into an ice sculpture from neck to his feet.


    "What do you want then?" Liu Ye questioned calmly despite being restricted. He was still a blue NPC which meant she wasn''t hostile to him.


    Liu Ye was actually impressed by the intelligence of the NPCs in this game. He hoped she wouldn''t notice his bad situation yet she figured it out in a blink.


    "What do I want?" Avi repeated as she freed herself from his frozen grasp and wrapped her arms around his head. "I don''t know yet. I''m just having fun and you seem interesting."


    She uncovered his hood to take a better look at him and muttered, "You know, I actually thought of voiding our contract since I don''t need you anymore but after I learned you have the potential to be an Avatar, I decided to stay with you for a little longer. Our boyfriend contract came in handy for me."


    "Can you release me?" Liu Ye asked without anyment.


    "Will you be a good boy?" Avi asked back as she scratched his head before whispering, "Actually, I prefer when you are a bad boy. I was excited when you pinned me to the wall."


    She giggled at his speechless expression and tapped on his shoulder. The ice began to crack before splitting apart and falling on the ground.


    "I don''t really need you anymore but you need me. Let''s change the contract into something more convenient," Avi suggested as she released him and walked out of the alley. She seemed to know he would follow her with his gaze as she smacked her butt while looking back.


    ''Excuse me? Game? What is going on?'' Liu Ye thought confused, already finding it weird. Either the game developers were drunk while programming the game or the Game AI was simply ying with him.


    Liu Ye wiped his body from leftover ice and followed after her. Just as he reached her though, he received a new notification.


    [Ding! The Quest: Contract Boyfriend has been voided. Contact Avi for more details.]


    "I was thinking that maybe we should be partners. There is no need to set any contracts," Avi began casually as she finally kept her hands to herself. "If I need help, you will help me. If you need help, I will help you. Simple, right?"


    "This sounds too good to be true," Liu Ye pointed out suspiciously. "If you n to stay professional then I will of course agree."


    Her proposal heavily favored him greatly but it was obviously unfair since he didn''t have anything to give her.


    "Heh, don''t worry, I just want to be friends with you," Avi assured with a yful giggle and led him inside one of the buildings. "We can''t do anything too naughty anyway. It''s just a game."


    Huh?


    Liu Ye froze in front of the row of Teleportation tforms and watched her back while questioning if he heard her right. Could it be that she wasn''t an NPC but a yer instead?


    His mind began analyzing everything she said so far when she confused him further with another sentence.


    "I can only y games with you since I''m nning on saving myself for my future husband," Avi informed while looking back at him. "I''m down for anything aside from that though. Kissing is my favorite."


    "Well, I hope you will find the right man to do all that," Liu Ye wished as he caught up to her. "Anyway, let''s begin our training then."


    For a second he thought she was just like Katherine but then why would she be active in the game together with all other NPCs? She even gave him a quest which an admin wouldn''t do.


    "Sure, partner," Avi nodded with a mysterious smile and led him alongside the tforms. "It is already afternoon so not many students can be found here."


    They only spotted a few other students but they quickly disappeared one by one after stepping on the tforms.


    [Hignd Forest - Lvl. 20] [Locked]


    [Lizard Beach - Lvl. 25] [Locked]


    [Love Ind - Lvl 35] [Locked]


    [Sknds - Lvl. 60] [Locked]


    "This¡­" Liu Ye scanned all the avable tforms and realized all of them were red.


    The tforms seemed to be named based on the destination location and the required level to enter them but even the lowest required level was 20. At this point, he couldn''t use the Teleportation tform at all.


    "Come. Since you are a Waterbender, we will start easy and go to Icefields," Avi proposed as she pointed at one of the tforms. "Get inside. We will send you first."


    [Icefields - Lvl. 40] [Locked]


    "I don''t think I can enter it¡­" Liu Ye muttered.


    "What do you mean?" Avi questioned confused and pushed him on the tform. "Stop wasting time. I wille right after you."


    She gave him an encouraging smile and activated the panel for him. Despite being locked, the tform activated and he disappeared. He was already gone when Avi''s smile vanished and she rubbed her forehead embarrassed.


    "Damn, I almost blew my cover. I need to be more careful..."

 Chapter 62 - Ice Bear

    "Ha, it worked."


    Liu Ye looked around the building in surprise, not expecting they could cheat the system like that. As long as he had the help of the NPC, he could reach anywhere he wanted.


    "Wee to the Icefield Station!" The Station Official greeted him as he stepped down from the tform. "We are open all day and night so feel free to return back from training at any hour. Be careful though, the monsters in the area are more aggressive at night."


    "Thanks, just waiting for my partner," Liu Ye informed and Avi appeared before he even finished speaking.


    "Aww, you already introduce me as your partner?" Avi teased as she joined him and pulled him outside. "You are so cute. Let''s go kill some bears."


    "Bears?" Liu Ye questioned as he followed her towards the exit and figured out what she was talking about on his own.


    Roar!!


    Liu Ye only stepped out with one foot and was hit with a loud noise from the pr bear on drugs. The cold wind blew at his face as the bear rushed at them with its fangs bigger than his head.


    [Ice Bear - Lvl. 35]


    [HP: 7500/7500]


    [MP: 1500/1500]


    "Good luck!" the Station Official called out happily and closed the door behind them. They were alone in the middle of nowhere with nothing but ice, snow and Ice Bears dominating the area.


    "Come on, let''s do it! I want to see how well you can fight," Avi called out excitedly as she suddenly stomped on the ground and bumped herself up on a thick ice block. "The eyes since they are their weakness!"


    Liu Ye hoped he would receive some assistance from her but it seemed she just wanted to y with him. Too bad, he didn''t have time to argue as the Ice Bear was already pouncing at him.


    ''Fuck!'' Liu Ye cursed as he used Avi''s pir to dodge the Ice Bear''s advance before drawing water from his Waterskin.


    His first instinct was to use the snow and ice in his surroundings only to realize he didn''t master the Phase Change ability. It allowed him to freely change the phase of water as well as draw water from any source.


    Too bad, he was still sitting at the 95% Elemental Mastery.


    "Why are you not using the snow around you?" Avi questioned but Liu Ye focused on the charging Ice Bear as he shot a Water Jet straight at its face.


    -46


    Liu Ye felt like crying when he saw the pitiful damage. He was forced to duck again behind the Ice Pir which made him look like a bullfighter.


    "Oh my, how are you so weak?" Avimented sarcastically which made it even words.


    "I don''t know the Phase Change yet!" Liu Ye informed as he switched to Water Projectiles which didn''t require that much water. "Get me some water!"


    If he had an unlimited source of water, he could shoot Water Jets constantly but if he were to use his Waterskin, it was basically useless.


    -26


    -26


    -26


    -54!


    Three Ice Projectiles struck the bear normally while the fourth one struck his eyes, dealing double damage.


    The Ice Bear roared again and lost his vision for a second which also affected his aim.


    "Damn!" Avi cursed as the Ice Bear paw smashed against the Ice Pir, forcing her to jump away. "Bad Bear!"


    She flew gracefully and flipped in the air with mes bursting out from her foot.


    Bang!


    mes exploded as soon as her foot touched the ground and spread around in an arc that melted the surface of the ice.


    "Here you go. You wanted some water," Avi called out as she jumped away from the battlefield. "Go punish him now."


    ''Easy to say!'' Liu Ye thought as he gulped a Medium Mana Potion and rushed into the pool of water. Even with resources, he still had to melt through more than 7,000 HP.


    Swoosh!


    -1


    -1


    -1


    -1


    Ice Projectiles hit the target while the Ice Bear was turned around but its skin was so tough he barely did any damage.


    "Only face!" Avi reminded him like a teacher. "Hit its eyes to blind him and then kite him around!"


    "I know! Let me focus!" Liu Ye replied to shush her and began the assault as soon as the Ice Bear turned to him.


    -46


    -92!


    -46


    Water Jets gushed out from the ground one by one as the Ice Bear charged at him before Liu Ye ran in the opposite direction and repeated the same. It was a boring and slow tactic but Water Whips were too risky.


    He didn''t n to approach a gigantic Ice Bear that could probably kill him with one swing of his paw. Even if he would survive it, Liu Ye didn''t want to test his pain tolerance.


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    It took Liu Ye four potions and 4500 HP to actually get thest 5% of his Elemental Mastery. It was so slow now that he had to deal with more than 90,000 damage to get another point.


    "Gosh, if you are so slow we will never leave this area," Aviined after 2 minutes of watching him bashing the Ice Bear back and forth and finally joined the action. "Let me show you how it''s done!"


    She jumped in front of the charging Ice Bear and kicked in the Ice with her foot. It cracked momentarily and sent a wave of ice that exploded with an Ice Pir right beneath the Ice Bear.


    -450!


    Even with the thick skin, Avi took a big chunk of the Ice Bear''s HP and at the same time bumped it in the air. She wasn''t done though as she waited for a second and then kicked two more times, once to the left and once to the right. This time Ice Spikes burst from the ice and impaled the Ice Bear from both sides.


    -900!


    -900!


    The roaring of the Ice Bear filled the area as he tried to escape from the trap but Avi was faster and ended the Ice Bear''s life the very next second.


    -1250!


    An Ice Spear left Avi''s hand and pierced right between the Ice Bear''s eyes, killing it on the spot.


    [Ding! You killed the Ice Bear. You received 8,075 Experience and 10 gold. Due to the difference of 19 levels, you earned 3,825 bonus Experience. Your Experience gain was reduced due to third-party assistance.]

 Chapter 63 - Mainland Farming

    "See how easy it is? You only need 5 seconds to kill it. When you immobilize it, you just need to strike it at its weak point to kill it on the spot," Avi exined casually as if it was nothing.


    "Yeah¡­ So easy¡­" Liu Ye muttered with a sigh, realizing how long his journey will be. The Abilities she just used were only avable at the higher levels so even if he had the Elemental Point, he couldn''t master any of those.


    "You should master the Ice Pir, Ice Spike, and all the throwing Abilities," Avi advised as she walked back to him. "With those small ass shards, you will only tickle your enemies."


    "Alright, I will try my best," Liu Ye nodded and opened his profile. "Give me one second."


    Now that he thought about it, the loss of experience wasn''t that bad as at least he learned how the farming worked in the Maind. It was actually split between the yers depending on how much damage they did to the target. Maybe the game wanted to eliminate boosting entirely and force everyone to contribute but it wasn''t really fair to the weakest yers.


    He was yet to discover if there was Party Bonus or even the Kill Steal Bonus but that wasn''t hard to test.


    "Avi, would you mind weakening the next Ice Bear and let me kill it this time?" Liu Ye suggested as he searched the field for another target yet he forgot about the iing sarcasticments though.


    "Oh my, did I hurt your ego by killing it?" Avi asked while covering her smile with her palm. "Come baby, I will help you get your first kill."


    "..."


    He couldn''t make it better no matter what he said so Liu Ye ignored it as he learned the Phase Change. He was tempted to Master higher damage ability first but he needed ess to water in such an environment.


    [Ding! You unlocked Phase Change.]


    [Phase Change]


    [Description: Ability to manipte different phases of water. yer can for example transform water into ice or water vapor at will. yer can also manipte every phase of water in the surroundings.]


    [Cost: 1 MP per second]


    "Are you okay? You are spacing out," Avi questioned curiously as she waved her hand in front of his face. "I was just teasing you. Don''t be upset."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not," Liu Ye assured, forgetting the NPCs didn''t see his profile. "I was just having an enlightenment."


    He crouched and touched the snow to test his new ability. Sure enough, the snow melted instantly, creating a big puddle of water. He could do the same with his foot which turned out to be more convenient.


    "Oh, wow, you learned the Phase Change so fast?" Avi questioned with her eyes widened and grabbed his cheek with a frown. "Were you just ying with me earlier?"


    "No, I told you. I was just enlightened and learned it," Liu Ye exined as he escaped her and rushed towards the next Ice Bear. "Let''s go, we already wasted enough time."


    [Time Left: 16:30:35]


    Liu Ye only had a bit over sixteen hours of grinding left. He had to make the best use of it and get ahead of others so they don''t ever catch up to him. Thest time he checked the rankings, many yers were already nearing the level 15 barrier.


    Avi swiftly caught up to him and suddenly stopped in front of him. "Let''s fly then!"


    Her proposal was so unexpected but before he could do anything, Avi hugged him under his shoulders and stomped.


    "Hold me tight!"


    Her voice was thest thing he heard before a giant Ice Pir catapulted them in the air. He wrapped his arms around her head just in time for her feet to burst with mes and prolong their flight.


    "We are going to crush!" Liu Ye warned as he saw the hard ice getting closer but Avi simply burst with even more mes to slow them down.


    They both crushed with a loud thud and slid on the ground with each other in their arms. She was underneath him so her soft body took the whole impact.


    "Ouch, I didn''t expect you to be so heavy¡­" Avi replied surprised before smiling as she hugged his head into her chest. "But wended in a nice position, don''t you think?"


    Roar!


    Just as she spoke, an Ice Bear bellowed right behind them but Avi simply extended her arm behind and shot a continuous stream of fire.


    "Shut up! We are having a moment!" Avi scolded and returned back to Liu Ye who tried to escape her grasp. "Where did we finish? I think you are supposed to kiss me now."


    "Don''t you think we should kill that Ice Bear first?" Liu Ye suggested as he looked up at the burning bear.


    Avi only smirked. "You have to kiss me before he reaches us then or else he might kill us."


    "I didn''t tell you yet but I have a girlfriend already," Liu Ye finally revealed. "Let''s just get back to the training."


    Avi didn''t seem to care at all though and pursed her lips. "I don''t mind. It''s not like I n to date you."


    "But I mind," Liu Ye replied and pulled them both up from the ground just as the Ice Bear charged at them again. "Focus."


    "Tch, I will get this kiss one day," Avi announced yfully beforeunching the counter charge. She sent a Fireball with each punch, causing a monstrousbo that just melted the Ice Bear''s HP.


    -90


    -40


    -180!


    -40


    Each Fireball dealt 90 damage without the crit while the burning dealt a surprising 40 damage per second. It only proved that even the basic abilities could deal a lot of damage with enough Elemental Power.


    -900!


    -900!


    With the Ice Bearpletely disoriented by the mes, Avi was like a bully, sending spikes left and right until she lowered it to just 100 HP.


    "Baby, I have a gift for you!" Avi called out with a smile and Liu Ye was already on the move.


    Multiple Ice Projectiles formed around him and he sent them all together at the Ice Bear''s face.


    [Ding! You killed the Ice Bear! You received a kill steal bonus of 1700 Experience and 4 gold.]


    ''I see¡­ So one can get 20% rewards for a kill steal even though they didn''t do much damage. It''s not too overpowered but still encourages to kill steal more,'' Liu Ye thought as he looked at his inbox. ''I guess it''s better to farm by yourself since you can get a level difference bonus as well.''


    "Nice babe! You finally got your first kill!" Avi called out happily as she hopped to his side. "Let''s celebrate with a ki¡ª"


    "We are moving," Liu Ye cut her off as he dodged her embrace and ran in the direction of another Ice Bear. If he needed at least 12 Ice Bears for one Elemental Point, he didn''t have time for games.


    "Come on, I won''t tell your girlfriend. It can be our little secret."


    "Nope."


    "Are you really rejecting a godlike Master like me?"


    "Yes."


    "Tch, now I want to see what girl managed to break your cold heart."


    Liu Ye paused, imagining the exact scene, and shook his head. He didn''t do anything wrong so he could just leave it all to Xu Yue.


    ''It would be fun to watch though¡­''

 Chapter 64 - Unexpected Power

    "Oh! I think I finally leveled up!"


    Zhenzhen was sitting by the river while ying with her cute rabbit when her arm suddenly vibrated again. She checked her forearm and exploded with happiness.


    "Yes! We did it boys! I''m level 10!" Zhenzhen announced excitedly, causing the four guys to sigh in relief.


    "We can finally move on to the Dungeon, nice. Let''s head back to the Newbie Vige," the party leader said calmly, not really affected by their deal. The whole group was actually in a good mood as Zhenzhen''s presence only boosted their prowess.


    "Thank you very much. You are really lifesavers," Zhenzhen acknowledged the help on their way back.


    "Don''t worry, your presence was enjoyable," the Party Leader assured but then he scratched his head awkwardly. "Listen Little Bunny, we need to find a group for the Dungeon to enter the maind but there might be a problem. We are fine with you joining us but I''m not sure if other yers will be happy about you. After all, the Dungeon is quite hard toplete and we need everyone''s effort."


    "Oh, I understand," Zhenzhen nodded with a smile. "Please be direct with me. If others don''t like me, I''m fine with it. I will just wait for some kind souls to help me."


    She wasn''t dejected in the slightest since she was asking for a lot. It wouldn''t be right to be angry at being rejected.


    "Well, I will try my best to find us a team but I can''t promise anything," the Party Leader replied with a sigh. "The chances are quite low¡­"


    Zhenzhen was happy to at least have a friend who will stay with her even when she is left alone but when they arrived in the Newbie Vige, she was struck with a dilemma.


    "Monsters are not allowed in the vige," the guards informed as they blocked her entry. "Please leave the Monsters outside if you wish to enter."


    "How is that a monster?" Zhenzhen questioned as she hugged her rabbit defensively. "It''s so cute and it wouldn''t hurt anyone."


    "Rules are rules," the guards replied with a shrug, leaving her with no choice.


    Oh!


    Zhenzhen looked down at the cutie in her arms only to exim surprised when it escaped from her arms and hopped onto the grass. It gazed at her and pped its ears together.


    It was their special way ofmunicating that she used to chat with the rabbit and it couldn''t help but make her tear up.


    "Wait for me here! I will visit you again once I''m done with the Dungeon!" Zhenzhen called out with a wave and the rabbit pped its ears together before hopping away.


    Zhenzhen didn''t know but it would be a while till she can see her friend again.


    "Are you the girl that wants to join our Dungeon run but doesn''t want to do anything?"


    A few momentster, the party Leader came over with multiple guys behind him. They all looked at her funny.


    "Yes, that''s me. I wish I could help but I don''t know how to," Zhenzhen replied honestly, a bit intimidated by so many guys surrounding her. "If I will be an inconvenience then you should go ahead and attend your run. Don''t worry about me."


    [ck Arrow - Lvl. 11]


    The man speaking to her was the scariest, having bright red hair and a tattoo of an arrow on his face.


    "No one said you will be an inconvenience," ck Arrow replied with a smile as he approached her. "But it is a fact that our run will be harder if we take you. How are you going topensate?"


    "Compensate?" Zhenzhen repeated with a frown.


    "Well, what you are asking for is called boosting and that shit is expensive," ck Arrow exined as he looked up and down at her body. "I am sure you don''t have that kind of money so how will you pay us? With your body?"


    It was clear that ck Arrow was just ying with her and even if they agreed, Zhenzhen wouldn''t join them. She looked around for a possible exit but she was surrounded from all sides and even the four men party from before was nowhere to be seen.


    "Let me go. I don''t want to join your group anymore," Zhenzhen announced unhappily but ck Arrow only smiled yfully as he walked closer.


    "Oh my, first you want to join us and do nothing and now you reject us?" ck Arrow asked while raising his brows. "Aren''t we a little bit entitled?"


    Zhenzhen took a step back and threatened, "If youe any closer I will scream and call the guards!"


    Even though she was innocent, her big bro taught her what to do in such situations. Too bad, ck Arrow wasn''t intimidated at all.


    "You can scream if you want but we are not doing anything wrong," ck Arrow replied with a shrug. "We are simply standing here in a circle."


    It was clear that he came to bother her so Zhenzhen had no choice but to forcefully leave. She opened her profile to log out but then ck Arrow lunged forward and caught her wrist.


    "Let go of me!" Zhenzhen cried out as she looked at him in disgust but he onlyughed at her. "Haha, why are you in such a hurry to leave? We are just talk¡ª"


    "I SAID LET GO OF ME!"


    ck Arrow couldn''t finish as Zhenzhen cut him off with a bellow. Her eyes were closed as she pushed him away with all her strength when a sudden explosion deafened her ears.


    Zhenzhen opened her eyes right after and saw ck Arrow''s body in the air, flying away like a kite. Her arms were hurting badly as blue force vibrated around them only to vanish a momentter.


    "What did I just do¡­?" Zhenzhen muttered as she began shivering uncontrobly. It was definitely her but how?


    She looked around at the encirclement and realized all of them stared at her as if she was a monster.


    "You killed him!"

 Chapter 65 - Puffy

    Zhenzhen''s body shook harder when ck Arrow''s body dropped on the ground before turning to pixels. She opened her mouth to speak but words were stuck in her throat.


    How did it happen?!


    She wanted to push him away from her but she never nned to kill anyone.


    "I¡­ I didn''t do anything..." Zhenzhen muttered while stuttering but her voice was overwhelmed by other yers shouting.


    "Guards! Call the guards! She is killing in broad daylight!"


    "Get away or she will kill us too!"


    "No, we should catch her and get revenge for ck Arrow!"


    Suddenly all the yers around gazed at her with malicious intent. Zhenzhen couldn''t handle so much pressure anymore. Her instinct told her to run but her legs were frozen. Her only solution was diving to the ground and hiding her face in her knees.


    ''Let me disappear¡­ Let me disappear¡­ Let me disappear¡­'' Zhenzhen thought repeatedly as if hoping she would teleport away to the grasnds, back to her cute rabbit friend.


    Suddenly, all the noises around her disappeared, and muffled whispers reced them. Zhenzhen thought it was her mind that blocked all the sounds when she felt somethingnd on her arms.


    She didn''t want to look up until that thing started nudging her with something sharp while chirping lovely.


    "Birdy¡­?" Zhenzhen muttered, looking up only to see a cute blue bird sitting on her arm. It wasn''t the only thing that surprised her.


    Her whole body was now glowing while the yers around her acted as if they didn''t see her anymore. They were running around while searching for her before kicking the ground madly.


    "Was this your doing? Did you help me disappear?" Zhenzhen asked softly, slowly calming down.


    Chirp!


    The bird nodded happily and did a spin in the air.


    "Thank you, I really needed it," Zhenzhen acknowledged with a smile and rubbed the bird''s cheek. "You are cute. Want to be my friend?"


    Chirp!


    The bird returned the favor by caressing her hand before catching her finger with its paws. It flew up while pulling on her finger as if it wanted her to get up.


    "Do you want me to follow you? Sure."


    It was strange but her worries and the stresspletely disappeared after leaving the scene. With each second the bird held her, she felt more calm and collected. It led her towards one of the unused alleys and her glow disappeared.


    All her senses returned back to normal but just as she thought it was over, the birdy jumped on her left forearm and began poking it with its beak.


    "Huh? What do you want?" Zhenzhen questioned confused as her inventory disyed. "Do you want me to take out the Dungeon Key?"


    If it was anyone else asking her to follow such orders, she would find it suspicious but she would do anything for the cute birdy who just saved her.


    Ah!


    She didn''t know how but as soon as she pulled it out, the Key activated and the portal to the dungeon opened right in front of her.


    [Dungeon Portal]


    [Time Remaining: 00:04:58]


    Chirp!


    "You want me to enter it? But I can''t fight¡­" Zhenzhen exined seeing the eager birdy doing flips in front of the portal but before she could convince it, the birdy flew inside on its own.


    Zhenzhen swallowed hard as she hesitated but then she heard footsteps outside the Alley. Her body moved on its own and she stepped inside the portal with her eyes closed.


    [Ding! You have entered the Bandit Leader Dungeon. Kill the Bandit Leader to clear the dungeon! You will receive a reward based on your performance. Good luck!]


    [Time: 00:00:01]


    The timer started as soon as she appeared in another location and the Masked Bandit immediately attacked her.


    "What are you doing here?!"


    Zhenzhen''s eyes widened seeing mesing out from the bandit''s palms but then the birdy came in clutch.


    Swoosh!


    It flew straight at the enemy and passed the Masked Bandit through his chest.


    -200!


    [Ding! You killed the Masked Bandit. You received 200 Experience and 5 silver.]


    "Just like that...?"


    The Masked Bandit got one shot by the birdy as if it was nothing before it returned back andnded on her shoulder. It looked so tired that Zhenzhen couldn''t help but feel bad.


    "Wait¡­ Remember what Big Sis said, you dummy," Zhenzhen scolded herself as she suddenly noticed her Mana was down to 0.


    Xu Yue spent time preparing her for the game and taught her the basics. To use abilities one needed Mana and to get Mana one had to add points to Intelligence or use Mana Potions.


    It was clear the Birdy used her Mana so she needed to get more.


    "Don''t worry, I will help you soon," Zhenzhen assured as she pulled out her profile. She already added 5 points into Luck but she still had 9 Skill Points left that she didn''t use yet.


    She dumped them all into intelligence and her Mana skyrocketed all the way to 100.


    Chirp!


    The birdy immediately regained its energy and cuddled happily into her neck.


    "Too bad I don''t have any Potions for you¡­" Zhenzhenmented and checked her Inbox that had tones of unread messages.


    [Ding! You have formed a bond with a Battle Spirit: Blue Sparrow. It became yourpanion and will not leave your side.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! Thanks to your Battle Spirit, you acquired a second Element: Spirit. You can use your Spirit Element Abilities through your Battle Spirit to lower your Mana cost.]


    [Ding! You have unlocked Spirit Cloak.]


    [Ding! You have unlocked Spirit Punch.]


    [Ding! You have unlocked Spirit Dive.]


    Zhenzhen couldn''t help but stare at the screen dumbfounded. She didn''t really do anything yet she acquired so much thanks to her new friend.


    "So you are mypanion now," Zhenzhen muttered as she rubbed the blue sparrow''s body. "I will call you Puffy because your cheeks are really soft. Do you like it?"


    Puffy only chirped in agreement, causing Zhenzhen tough sweetly.


    "Shall we continue then?"

 Chapter 66 - Genes

    "Baby, I am bored," Avi announced as she hugged himzily. "I thought you would struggle so I chose lower difficulty but you seem to be doing fine. How about we go back and change locations?"


    "First, don''t call me baby. Second, don''t hug me. Third, we can move elsewhere in this area if you want. I have only killed four bears since earlier so I have lots of potions left," Liu Ye replied as he threw her off his back.


    He preferred to farm solo but he was still in danger of being hunted down so Liu Ye had to bear with her advances. He was already used to it with Xu Yue so it wasn''t that hard.


    [Ding! You killed the Ice Bear. You received 14,450 Experience and 20 gold. Due to the difference of 17 levels, you earned 5,950 bonus Experience.]


    Liu Ye nced at his inbox and sighed, knowing the high experience gain wouldn''tst for long. After killing four Ice Bears, he leveled up twice but at the same time, his bonus multiplier lowered as well. The longer he stayed here, the lower experience he would get, making his grind less efficient.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 18] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 14,975/35,000]


    [HP: 680/680] [HP Regen: 2]


    [MP: 120/120] [MP Regen: 2]


    [Strength: 1]


    [Intelligence: 12]


    [Vitality: 1]


    [Dexterity: 14]


    [Wisdom: 1]


    [Luck: 1]


    [Physical Power: 10]


    [Elemental Power: 90]


    [Physical Defense: 50]


    [Elemental Defense: 50]


    [Elements: Water 48%]


    [Arts: Waterbending]


    [Abilities: Small Water Whips, Ice Projectile, Water Maniption, Ice Wall, Water Boxing, Large Water Whip, Water Jet, Phase Change]


    Liu Ye needed to reach at least 5 Wisdom by level 25 to wear his items so he decided to keep adding his points to Intelligence until level 20. Additional damage and mana at this stage were crucial to sess.


    "Ah, I am so nice to wait as you kill yet I can''t even get one hug... What if I am cold and I need to warm myself up?" Aviined but Liu Ye wasn''t moved.


    "You should change your outfit into something less revealing," Liu Yemented as he looked at her naked legs. Although he could feel the cold, it didn''t really impact his capabilities but NPCs could have different mechanics.


    "But this outfit is sexy, is it not?" Avi asked as she posed for him. "You can touch them if you want to."


    "No thanks," Liu Ye rejected without a second thought. He wasn''t thirsty for women and if he was, Xu Yue was sexy enough to satisfy him.


    "Tch, now you make me want to seduce you even more," Avi muttered as she bit on her lip and finally walked away to lead the way. "Follow me. I know what monster will give you a better challenge."


    Only two Ice Bears were left in the distance so even if he wanted to farm the easy targets, he would soon run out of them anyway. The spawn time was probably high which forced yers to explore further.


    ''I need to focus on my Elements¡­'' Liu Ye thought on the way, realizing his problem.


    So what if he leveled up fast and earned gold. His abilities were still at the beginner phase and he couldn''tpare with benders like Avi. If his goal was to Master all Elements, it will take him months of grinding to get them all.


    The obvious choices were the items that sped up his Mastery gain and of course the Elemental Stones. He nned to wait till he meets with Xu Yue but maybe it was better to use them right away.


    "Hmm?"


    Just as he thought about her, the person in question sent him a mysterious message.


    [Queen of Chess: Check the rankings.]


    Liu Ye opened the ranking tab and first checked the levels thinking someone overtook him but that wasn''t it. He was still at the top with 3 levels advantage.


    It was actually the two other rankings that a single person dominated.


    [Bandit Leader Dungeon]


    [1. Little Bunny - 00:04:40 - Solo]


    [2. Grind God - 00:09:01 - Solo]


    Liu Ye''s eyes widened when he saw another solo yer almost halved his time. Even the second ranking didn''t give him any clues on how they did it.


    [Elemental Mastery]


    [1. Little Bunny - 1% - 2 Elements]


    [2. Blood Devil - 8% - 1 Element]


    The Elemental Mastery ranking was simr to the Elemental Score as it showed how much one progressed in their elements but it didn''t include their potential. Liu Ye wasn''t even in the top 10 as he had a miserable 5% since he wasted too much time in the Elemental City while others grinded the whole time.


    The real question was how did that Little Bunny get such a good time when she was still at 1%? Even if she lucked out and got the second Element, it didn''t exin how she could have such great battle capabilities.


    [Grind God: That yer must have found some special weapon or an ability.]


    Since he found the Ice Serpent, it was possible others found an even better weapon.


    [Queen of Chess: I''m still confused how she did it but she won''t tell me. She said she wants to show you first.]


    [Grind God: Huh? Do you know her?]


    Liu Ye thought Xu Yue managed to somehow add her to friends in order to recruit her when she delivered a blow.


    [Queen of Chess: You actually know her better than me. You share the same genes.]


    "Zhenzhen?" Liu Ye muttered dumbfounded when Avi suddenly stopped him.


    "We have arrived," Avi informed with a smile. "I was looking forward to facing this one for a while."


    Liu Ye was fully distracted by the thought of his little sister having two Elements but still looked around in search of the target.


    "What are you talking about? There is only an Ice Boulder in front of us," Liu Ye pointed out confused but Avi only pursed her lips.


    "Look down."


    His eyes didn''t even reach the ground when he heard cracks. When he finally saw them, his body was already falling down with the power of gravity. He was only falling for a second before his back met with the ice and hended on a polished slide to the underground.


    [King of the North''s Cavern - Warning]


    [yer entered the Death Zone. The cavern is a home of a powerful field boss. It''s not rmended to enter inside at all. Death Rate equals 99%. Please retreat.]


    [Zone Effect: +100% Elemental Mastery while using Water Element Abilities.]


    [Death Penalty: -4 Levels, Permanently lose 2 random stat.]

 Chapter 67 - King Of The North Part 1

    "..." Liu Ye was left speechless as he read the warning. He said he was down for stronger monsters but why did she choose the most powerful one in the area?


    The warning window followed Liu Ye as he went down the slide and he didn''t hesitate to stop as soon as he could.


    Thud!


    An Ice Wall rose up ahead of him and it cracked as he smashed hard with his feet. Just as he thought he saved himself, he heard Avi follow right after him.


    "Woohoo!"


    She cheered happily as she headed straight at his wall but he thankfully stopped her by catching her in his arms.


    "Why did you stop?" Avi questioned while wrapping herself around him. "My, my, are you thinking what I''m thinking?"


    So far she has never missed a chance to tease him.


    "This is not the time to y games," Liu Ye snapped her back into focus. "Do you know where this slide leads to?"


    Liu Ye was naturally intrigued the moment he saw the +100% Elemental Mastery bonus but noticing the death penalty, it would be dumb to enter inside without preparation.


    "Of course I know. This is a shortcut to the big mama bear that we are going to defeat," Avi replied confidently before looking at him yfully. "Why? Did you think that I will let you go inside by yourself? Baby, I''m still yet to taste your lips. I won''t let you die."


    "So you are confident that you can kill it alone, right? I probably won''t be able to help you," Liu Ye wondered as he could already imagine how the battle would look like.


    His abilities wouldn''t even deal any damage so aside from the additional Elemental Mastery he would get from spamming abilities, he wouldn''t get any experience or gold for this kill.


    To make it worse, he would probably waste so many potions that he will be forced to return early to refill which would halt his grinding day. He nned to reach at least level 25 by the end of the day.


    Avi''s response didn''t help the case at all.


    "Oh, I''m sure I can''t beat it on my own which is why I always avoided it," Avi replied while pursing her lips. "It''s different now that I have you. I need someone to distract the mama bear so I can kill her. You should be quick enough to avoid her attacks."


    She covered his lips with her finger and added, "Did you forget that we are partners? Don''t tell me you thought I would just watch you train all day and do nothing? You are not paying me to train you so you also need to help me when I need it."


    Crack!


    Just as she finished speaking, the Ice Wall broke and they slid down the slide once again. It was a short ride though as they soon caught air andnded in a small pond filled with ice-cold water.


    "Ahh, so refresh¡ª"


    Avi moaned in pleasure as she resurfaced but Liu Ye quickly covered her mouth. She was about toin when they heard a loud growl of a bearing from another cavern. It was finally the moment when Avi got serious and stopped ying around.


    "This should be the bear''s water source," Avi whispered as they got out. "I will prepare a trap while you will act as a decoy."


    Liu Ye noticed gigantic footprints on the ice and couldn''t help but have some second thoughts. The paw alone was at least one meter wide and looking at the size of the tunnels, the bear had to be at least 15 to 20 meters tall.


    Everyone had limits to how far they could push themselves and his were slowly being crossed.


    "If you are attacked, just jump in the water. It''s not like she can fit in the hole," Avi suggested and stopped paying him attention.


    She wrapped water around her arms and began climbing to the ceiling with ice hooks at the end of her water whips. Her n was simply covering the whole cavern with spikes that she wouldter drop at the enemy''s head.


    Even though the whole battle would probably inconvenience him, Avi was right. She was helping him so it was only natural to return the favor. He would still benefit more in the long run.


    If anything bad happens, he could still use his Ice Serpent as hisst line of defense.


    "Alright, I am ready," Avi announced after setting up her trap. "Make some noise so she cane here. I will attack from above."


    Liu Ye looked up and saw a whole ceiling full of Ice Stctite. He actually felt confident with so much arsenal but he didn''t know yet who they were about to face.


    "Hey!!! We are here!!!" Liu Ye yelled loudly and the snoring stopped abruptly. He prepared his Ice Projectiles to get the first aggro and waited as they heard loud stomping.


    Even though he wouldn''t get much experience, maybe there was a chance to im the achievement.


    ROAR!!!


    When the King of the North finally saw them, it bellowed so loudly that all the spikes Avi prepared cracked and fell down. It didn''t rush at them through and instead walked out of the tunnel like a king in his own home.


    [King of the North - Lvl. 60]


    [HP: 60,000/60,000]


    [MP: 15,000/15,000]


    The mama bear was actually a big papa bear with an Ice Helmet on its head and Ice armor on its back. The only weak point he could see were the eyes that gawked at him as if he was a bug disturbing the King''s meal.


    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to shoot while aiming at the eyes yet the Bear King only swiped with his paw to crush his Ice Projectiles.


    -0


    -0


    -0


    He then tried bursting with a Water Jet but his efforts were futile. He would have a better chance of extinguishing a forest fire with a bucket of water than killing this bear.


    The Bear King looked at him with contempt and slowly approached while showing his teeth.


    Thankfully, he was just a decoy.


    Swoosh!


    Avi charged an attack from her fist and suddenly released a stream of mes that swallowed the whole Bear King.


    "Don''t you think of touching my baby!"

 Chapter 68 - King Of The North - Part 2

    Avi cried out as she unleashed her full power.


    -100


    -100


    -100


    Her Mana was disappearing at a drastic pace yet to their surprise, the Bear King barely received any damage. It curled up into a ball and let his Ice Armor absorb all the damage.


    "I will melt his armor and then we attack together!" Avi called out as she added another hand into the mix and increased the amount of mes. It was so hot that even Liu Ye could feel it but that didn''t stop him from preparing himself.


    10¡­ 25... 50¡­


    Ice Projectiles formed all around him after he gulped a Mana potion and he waited for the signal.


    "Now!" Avi cried out as soon as she cut the mes and the bombarding began.


    Roar!!


    Bear King awakened under attack and waved with his massive paws to destroy the Ice Spikes. Sharp fragments flew in every direction which forced Liu Ye to retreat and hide behind an Ice Wall.


    This was clearly not a battle for him but he still tried to contribute and earn the precious Elemental Mastery. His only choice to do any damage was to upgrade his Ice Projectiles and multiply his damage.


    -900!


    -900!


    Slowly Avi began to hit more Ice Spikes and the Bear King''s HP began to melt down in their favor. Everything looked perfect until they halved his HP and its eyes turned red.


    Bang!


    Bear King stood up on his rear feet before copsing back down on the ground which caused the whole cave to shake as if an earthquake struck them. All the Ice Spikes that Avi prepared suddenly began to fall down uncontrobly and missed the targetpletely.


    "This is not good," Liu Yemented as he saw the Bear prepare to stand up and warned, "Avi! Watch¡ª"


    His voice was too slow as the Bear King jumped half-way through his warning and pped Avi with full swing.


    -1500!


    Her body flew across the cavern like a broken kite before smashing into the wall. She lost 10% of her HP and lost consciousness as she fell down into the pond. Liu Ye wasn''t even thinking when he already found himself in the water, diving to retrieve her back to the surface.


    "Cough, cough!" Avi spat out water as she held onto Liu Ye''s shoulders and looked at him with a smile. "Thank you. I knew you would save me."


    "I have a n," Liu Ye mentioned right away as he watched the Bear King''s deadly stare. "Let''s drown this bitch."


    After getting inside the water, he couldn''t help but recall the method he used to kill the Bandit Leader. This game was all about creativity and using your surroundings to your advantage. After all, everything was made out of Elements in this world.


    "How do you want to drown a gigantic bear?" Avi questioned as she prompted them out of the pond. "We should rather tire him with attacks or else he will regenerate his armor."


    Bear King wasn''t attacking them at all but instead melted the water around him to form another Ice Armor. It seemed like he acknowledged Avi''s power and proceeded carefully.


    "It doesn''t matter," Liu Ye replied confidently. "Bears can''t breathe underwater so we can drown him. We can¡ª"


    Roar!!!


    Liu Ye''s words were muffled by the Bear King''s roar as it finished remaking his armor and immediatelyunched an attack. He didn''t have time to convince her so Avi had to trust him this time.


    "Get the water and freeze him in ce!" Liu Ye ordered urgently and manipted the water from the pond into a huge water beam. Even though it wouldn''t deal any damage, that wasn''t the point.


    Bear King ran straight through the water with no effort until Avi joined him and the water pressure intensified. They stopped the Bear King in ce as it tried to dodge the water but it kept hitting him in the face.


    "Freeze!" Liu Ye ordered and they momentarily changed the phase of the water into ice.


    The whole body of Bear King began to freeze, halting its movements but they didn''t stop at that. They kept building the ice around the Bear King until he became a thick icecube with only its head out in the open.


    "Bear King can melt and manipte Ice too. He will free himself soon," Avi pointed out worriedly but Liu Ye already dashed towards the target.


    "Keep freezing!"


    Bear King kept struggling to escape while growling when Liu Ye silenced him with arge water bubble around its head. After two minutes of a scramble, the King Bear finally began to lose HP. It gradually grew to -50 each second before staying at that level just as he expected.


    "Don''t stop freezing! Don''t let him escape!" Liu Ye reminded after seeing cracks forming around the cube but Avi did a great job keeping the Bear King locked.


    -50


    -50


    -50


    His 30,000 HP was ticking 50 HP at a time but Liu Ye didn''t care how long he had to wait. He was getting both the Experience and the Elemental Mastery so his problems were solved.


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    He received a new point after just 10,000 HP was taken but it kept filling up. All he had to do was drink potions to not run out of mana while waiting for another free mastery point and a certain kill.


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    [Ding! You killed the King of the North. You received 67,200 Experience, 50 gold, and Water Stone. Due to the difference of 42 levels, you earned 51,200 bonus Experience. Your Experience gain was reduced due to third-party assistance.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 19!]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 20!]


    As soon as the Bear King''s eyes rolled to the back and he stopped struggling, Liu Ye''s inbox got spammed with notifications. He knew he would receive double that amount if he killed on his own but Liu Ye wasn''t greedy. He wouldn''t be able to reach this point without Avi.


    "Liu Ye, you are amazing!" Avi eximed right after, catching him off guard with a hug. He was about to push her away when a virtual window appeared behind her.


    [Achievement]


    [Would you like to announce your achievement to the world? yer can decide to remain anonymous without any consequences.]


    [Yes] [No]


    ''Do I need to hesitate?'' Liu Ye thought as he tapped the first option.


    He would never shy away from his achievements.

 Chapter 69 - Player

    [Server Announcement! yer Grind God was the first to kill the Icefield Field Boss: King of the North. Achievement Reward: 75 gold and 75 Fame.]


    The announcement came right after and it was pretty satisfying to receive free gold just like that. To make it even better, Liu Ye would soon receive another one for the solo kill.


    Or at least that''s what he thought.


    "Huh?" Liu Ye raised his eyebrows at theck of the second announcement. For a second he thought he missed it but even after scrolling through his inbox, he couldn''t find anything.


    "Is there something wrong?" Avi questioned as he pulled away from her. "You look confused."


    "Hmm, I''m not too sure myself," Liu Ye replied as he analyzed the situation in his brain. He received the first clear so his attempt to get aggro worked and this battle should also count as a solo kill.


    There were only two solutions to why it didn''t work.


    Either she wasn''t an NPC or there were no Solo Kill achievements for Field Bosses in the Maind. He stared at her suspiciously and she actually looked away to avoid his gaze.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Avi asked unhappily. "It was just a friendly hug... Don''t be mad at me."


    "Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about something," Liu Ye apologized and stopped guessing. "Anyway, let''s get out of here."


    Since Avi was an NPC, this had to be thetter. Maybe there would be too many announcements so they limited it to just one. It was a shame but he couldn''t do anything about it.


    "Oh! Water Stone!"


    Just as Liu Ye pulled out his reward for the kill, Avi eximed in surprise which only confirmed his theory.


    "Yeah, I n to use it to improve my Water Element Mastery," Liu Ye replied casually but Avi immediately stopped him.


    "Are you crazy? Do you realize how expensive and rare it is?" Avi questioned as she grabbed his arm. "A single Elemental Stone can reach the price of up to 20,000 gold and you are going to waste it? Those stones sell out as soon as they get on the market."


    Liu Ye was taken aback by the price. Does that mean he is sitting on 60,000 gold right now?


    "Doesn''t it improve your Elemental Mastery though?"


    He already had two Water Stones so he nned to use one for himself in hopes to receive another Elemental Point but he was immediately scolded.


    "Of course it helps but so does your training. You are still a newbie so it is easy for you to improve. It''s best to use them once you reach a block and find it hard to advance," Avi suggested. "If you already awakened Water Element, it is better to sell it in an auction and then use the money for the Training Room in the Academy. Works much better."


    "What do you do in the Training Room?" Liu Ye wondered interested.


    "It''s basically a simtion of the battle where you never get tired from using Abilities. It is actually so much better than real battles since you don''t need to risk your life," Avi exined as she pressed the Water Stone against his chest. "Keep it safe or someone will kill you for it. Even I''m tempted to steal it from you."


    He didn''t hesitate and kept it as suggested. If not for her, he would already bet his luck on the 1% chance of the Water Stone.


    "Good boy. Remember to always use them only to awaken your Elements instead of boosting your Elemental Mastery," Avi reminded and walked towards the exit. "Let''s head back to the city now."


    "Huh? Already?" Liu Ye asked surprised as he followed her. "I can still train for the rest of the day."


    He had more than 12 hours till the servers would close so he had more than enough time to grind for a few more levels. He could also test two more abilities after spending his points and this ce was perfect for grinding.


    "Well, I like to spend time with you but I''m also a businesswoman," Avi replied with a shrug. "I can be making 500 gold per hour just by coaching and you are not paying me right now. I helped you for a while and you helped me so we are even now. Life in the Academy is not free so I have to go make money."


    "What if I pay you?" Liu Ye asked right away. "I don''t mind paying if you were to do whatever I ask."


    Avi stopped walking away and looked at him with interest. "Are you going to pay me 500 gold per hour?"


    "Sure," Liu Ye nodded, already having an action n in his mind. "I don''t have money on me right now but I have the Water Stone which I can sellter to pay you back. How about 10 hours for 5000 gold?"


    He hoped for some freebor but it seemed like he wouldn''t be as lucky as he was in the Newbie Vige.


    "Hmmm¡­" Avi paused as she stared at him in wonder and nodded, "Fine, but I can only stay with you for five hours. Let''s not hunt at night since the monsters here get more fearsome. I also have something to do in the morning so I need to retire to sleep early."


    "That''s a deal then," Liu Ye epted as he walked up to her and exined, "I want you to lure¡ª"


    He paused halfway, suddenly hearing the sound of an announcement. He got excited thinking it was just a dy only to get disappointed.


    [Server Announcement! yer ck Widow was the first to kill the Grasnds Field Boss: Toxic Butterfly. Achievement Reward: 10 gold and 10 Fame.]


    Liu Ye didn''t think much of it until it was followed up with another announcement.


    [Server Announcement! yer ck Widow was the first to Solo Kill the Grasnds Field Boss: Toxic Butterfly. Achievement Reward: 10 gold and 10 Fame.]


    "Wait a second¡­" Liu Ye muttered under his nose and gazed at Avi only to find her already walking away.


    "You know, I think I actually forgot that I had scheduled coaching so I better return¡ª"


    "Wait!" Liu Ye cut her off as he swiftly chased after her. She tried to get away but he was faster and caught her shoulder.


    "Tell me honestly, are you a yer?"

 Chapter 70 - Uncovering Secrets

    "A yer? I don''t think I am one although I like to tease," Avi replied innocently while trying to get away from his grasp. "As I was saying earlier, I suddenly recalled that I have coaching already booked, so I need to hurry. Let''s move our session for tomorrow, okay?"


    "Avi," Liu Ye muttered with a judging gaze. "You just heard the announcement and tried to run away."


    "Huh? What announcement? I don''t know what you are talking about," Avi pretended once again while shrugging his hand off. "I''m sorry but I have to go. You know, coaching and stuff. Hope you can get back safely."


    She showed an apologetic smile and turned around to leave. Her actions were obvious but knowing how everyone was so secretive about the game, Liu Ye wasn''t surprised she had to hide it.


    That didn''t mean he couldn''t bluff her a little.


    "I know all the secrets from Katherine. You don''t need to run away," Liu Ye called out after her and sure enough, his bet was a sess.


    "You know Katherine?" Avi questioned as she stopped. "What does she look like?"


    "A blond beauty in white dress. I met her a few times since we were talking about awakening and candidates," Liu Ye exined casually. "Look, I know you were probably asked to keep it a secret so I can continue pretending that you are an NPC. I don''t mind."


    "Oof, that''s good¡­" Avi sighed in relief and returned back. "I almost thought I fucked up. Katherine would kill me if the news got out."


    She hugged his arm and looked at him pitifully. "Let''s keep it a secret. Don''t tell anyone about me, okay?"


    "Well, it depends," Liu Ye shrugged helplessly. "Will you continue to help me today or not?"


    "I will!" Avi nodded without hesitation.. "But I can only stay for 5 hours so that didn''t change. I have to log out afterward since I amnding. I am currently in a ne right now."


    "Oh, that''s okay. Don''t worry, my mouth has been silenced," Liu Ye assured before investigating slyly, "You are working for Katherine, right? If she is the main designer then you should be an admin. Why are you ying the game instead of monitoring other yers?"


    Maybe Xu Yue was forced to keep secrets but if Avi was part of the organization, it would be strange if she had the same restrictions. He could extort some information if he acted well enough.


    Avi looked at his face to check his expression but he remained calm and even reached out to fix a strand of hair on her face.


    "What? Are you surprised I know this much?" Liu Ye asked causally. "I was also surprised when Katherine told me the real purpose of this game. Maybe it''s because of my potential? I guess she wanted to get me on your side right away."


    "This should be the only exnation¡­ I''m actually surprised she told you this much. Usually, she is pretty strict and wouldn''t break the rules she set up by herself," Avi exined suspiciously.


    "I think I made an impression on her with my achievements in-game," Liu Ye pointed out. "She even appeared in the game and gave me some advises even though I wasn''t a candidate."


    "I guess she chose you as her pupil," Avi wondered out loud and suddenly moved in front of him while wrapping her arms around his neck. "Maybe I should steal you for myself?"


    That was the only time Liu Ye allowed her to get this close and didn''t push her away.


    "Oh, really? Do you want me to be your student?" Liu Ye asked with a smile and gently held her waist.


    "If Katherine wants you so badly then I guess your potential should be excellent," Avi muttered as she scratched the back of his head. "You see, just having a potential for 5 Elements is not enough to be an Avatar. One needs to have something special in them."


    "Your Potential is actually the reason I talked to you in the first ce," Avi added as she moved closer. "I was bored ying alone so I thought it won''t hurt if I y with you a little. You are going to awaken soon anyway and I would bribe you to stay silent."


    "Bribe me?" Liu Ye repeated and regretted it right after. Avi jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist as she let him carry her.


    "Maybe my face can''tpare with Katherine''s but I''m quite confident with my body," Avi informed before leaning over to his ear. "I usually don''t do it with anyone but you are my type so I can make an exception for you..."


    "Isn''t Katherine your boss? I don''t think she would be happy that you are bribing her pupil this way," Liu Ye reminded, causing Avi to halt her ns of kissing his neck.


    "Well, she is technically higher ranked but I am not directly under her," Avi exined while finally jumping down from him. "I''m only listening to her because I respect her strength. She is actually the reason why I have to leave early today. I''m more active in real-life operations instead of the game so she asked me for a favor."


    "So that''s why you are traveling," Liu Ye acknowledged, hoping she would reveal more. "I''m sure you would prefer to y the game instead."


    "Yeah, I have been addicted to ying since the game was created. Although you are limited by Mana, you can actually awaken new elements in the game which is my chance to improve," Avi replied as she finally released him. "I will see if I can y tomorrow though. I''m supposed to protect some important candidate so I''m not sure if I can find the time. Talking about it, I''m still yet to check how does he look like."


    She gazed at his body and bit on her lips. "Too bad it''s not you. I wouldn''t hesitate to taste you."


    Protection? Candidate?


    ''Don''t tell me she is the oneing¡­''

 Chapter 71 - Hidden Quests

    "Anything wrong?"


    Avi naturally noticed Liu Ye''s change of expression but he quickly went back to normal.


    "Oh, I was just thinking about how to spend my time today," Liu Ye replied casually as he stretched his fingers. "Let''s get to work. I only have you for five hours so let''s make good use of your time. I don''t want you to bete for your mission so let me know when you need to go."


    "Ah, don''t worry, I don''t think too much about it," Avi assured. "Sending me to protect some newbie is actually an overkill so I don''t know what Katherine was thinking. She could use her favor for anything better yet she used it for him."


    She winked at Liu Ye and teased, "It seems like you are not her favorite pupil, heh."


    "It''s fine¡­" Liu Ye replied with a shrug.


    If Avi knew it was him, their session would definitely be affected so he decided to remain silent. She would find out on her own even beforending anyway.


    "Can you lure some monsters here?" Liu Ye changed the subject. "I can grind my Elemental Mastery faster here and I have an unlimited source of water."


    "Sure, let me kite them here," Avi nodded as she ran towards the exit. "Ice Bears are too small in number so I will bring something better."


    He was paying her 2500 gold so he would for sure make the best use of her.


    "Oh, I almost forgot," Avi called out after stopping in the tunnel. "You must have leveled up, right? Make sure you put some points into Luck to increase your chance of better loot. Don''t be like me or else you will be forced to grind endlessly to get anything good."


    After dropping her advice, she finally left. Liu Ye actually nned to raise both his Dexterity and Intelligence again but decided to listen to her advice. He actually barely got anything aside from the guaranteed loot like the Elemental Stones.


    "So many abilities to choose from..." Liu Ye muttered after opening his Elemental Tree. Earlier he was worried he didn''t have enough but that changed after reaching level 20.


    Liu Ye had already decided on the Water Cloak since he could use two Large Water Whips at the same time but wondered about his second choice. To get Ice Fist from level 20 he needed to unlock the Ice ws first and to get Ice Spear, he needed Ice Bullets.


    After recalling the prowess of Avi''s spear, the choice wasn''t as hard anymore.


    [Ding! You have unlocked the Water Cloak.]


    [Ding! You have unlocked the Ice Bullets.]


    He still had many basic abilities he had yet to unlock but Liu Ye was determined to get them all that day.


    [Water Cloak]


    [Description: Creates a stationary water armor with tentacle-like arms. While fully formed, the cloak will empower other unlocked abilities. In the form without the armor, the tentacle arms will act like two Large Water Whips without the passive buff.]


    [Cost: 20 MP]


    [Buff: +20% Elemental Power]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Ice Bullets]


    [Description: An ability to rapidly shoot Ice Bullets from the curtain of water.]


    [Cost: 2 MP + 5 MP per second.]


    [Damage: 10 + 20% Elemental Power]


    Huh?


    Liu Ye was pleasantly surprised by the Water Cloak buff but the Ice Bullets mana cost seemed weird. Only when the new knowledge awakened in his brain did he find out why.


    Swoosh!


    He spawned a water screen with a swing of his arm when sudden howls made him pause. Liu Ye just thought of testing the new Ice Bullets when Avi returned with a pack of nearly thirty wolves behind her.


    [Ice Wolves - Lvl. 30]


    [HP: 5000/5000]


    [MP: 1000/1000]


    "Watch out!" Liu Ye called out in warning and forced Avi to jump to the side as he began his assault. Ice Projectiles just couldn''tpare with the fire rate of the Ice Bullets.


    -28


    -28


    -28


    Around twenty Ice Bullets shot out from the whole curtain every second and shot randomly in the wolves'' direction.


    Awoo!!


    Wolves howled as they tried to dodge but how could they dodge the Ice Bullets while being so tightly packed. If one avoided, another was hit. All they could do was force their way to Liu Ye but he froze a tform in the pond and hovered on the surface while constantly attacking.


    "Not bad, you learned how tobine the abilities," Avi praised as she watched him from the Bear King''s ice cube. "Fighting against monsters is much easier since they can''t fight back if you are smart enough. Don''t get used to it though. When you start fighting other Benders on a daily basis, one careless move can cost your life."


    Her words came true way too fast as the wolves suddenly jumped in the pond but instead of drowning, they copied Liu Ye''s technique. Having thirty wolves rash at him seemed scary but Liu Ye already anticipated that.


    "Have a good swim!" Liu Ye called out as two Large Water Whips formed around his arms and he began smacking all the wolves into the water.


    His Mana was already so low that he only managed to freeze the surface of the pond even before knocking all the wolves. Five more wolves immediately charged at him but thankfully, he wasn''t alone.


    Avinded gracefully in front of him while her body was covered by a water cloak with tens of whips sticking out. She casually reached out at the wolves and grabbed that in the air like it was nothing.


    "My, my, what would you do without me?" Avi called out with a yful smile. "Will the Prince get a kiss from the Princess for saving her life?"


    Liu Ye gulped down a Medium Mana Potion and shook his head. "The Prince decided he wants to get paid so it''s just his duty to save me."


    "Tch, you wouldn''t agree even if I helped you for free," Avi snickered in response and hovered the struggling wolves in front of him. "Do you want them?"


    "Of course, but let my Mana regenerate," Liu Ye muttered as he watched his Mana bar fill up. "I can''t do anything with such a low Mana count. How did you get yours to 6600?"


    "You can increase it by drinking special potions or simply mastering your Element," Avi informed. "You get a boost of 1000 Mana after unlocking all basic Abilities and another 1000 after unlocking all advanced Abilities. I think I spent like 100,000 gold for an additional 2250 Mana increase using potions."


    "So in other words, I have to suffer from low mana for a while," Liu Ye pointed out, knowing it would take him a while to save up so much money to casually spend on potions.


    He felt like he was wasting his potential while being unable to perform to the maximum of his imagination. So many pleasingbos brew in his mind yet they would only melt his Mana to 0 within seconds.


    "It shouldn''t take long though. I can unlock all basic abilities by tomorrow," Liu Ye added confidently and stopped wasting time as he covered his body with a Water Cloak. "I can only live up to my name and grind."


    -46!


    -46!


    -46!


    The buff provided by the Water Cloak was a blessing as he melted the first wolf in just 6 seconds. With all the Ice Bullets hitting the immobile target, it was like an execution.


    [Ding! You killed the Ice Wolf. You received 7000 Experience and 10 gold.]


    "You won''t receive Bonus experience anymore since the wolves are only 10 levels higher than you," Avi exined as she passed him another wolf to eliminate. "You should enjoy those numbers while you can sinceter it won''t be that easy. I''ve been sitting on Level 60 for a month now."


    "Ha? Howe?" Liu Ye questioned dumbfounded while killing another wolf. "Are there no monsters to kill at that level?"


    "There are, but they are all like the King of the North. It is really hard to kill them alone," Avi replied with a shrug. "If I want to gain experience, I can only kill high leveled NPCs but that is not as easy as it sounds. I was actually preparing to search for some hidden quests but then I met you. I managed to finally get some experience after a while."


    "Hidden Quests?" Liu Ye repeated curiously, causing Avi to go silent.


    He noticed her hesitation and killed thest wolf in her grasp as he assured, "It''s okay if you can''t tell me. I am fine with whatever you arefortable with."


    "Well, you will find out in the future anyway..." Avi muttered to herself before revealing. "Hidden Quests are special quests required to trigger a unique variation of your element. Since you have Water Element, you can for example master Healing. You can only do that with a hidden quest but so far I can''t find any of them. Maybe some other yers will share the news on the forum."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but think of Zhenzhen who was still on his mind. Could it be possible that she received a Hidden Quest and used it to beat his record?

 Chapter 72 - Healing

    [yer Grind God sent you a friend request. Would you like to ept?]


    "Big Bro?" Zhenzhen muttered as she saw a notification and her eyes brightened. She did well in the Newbie Vige and already expected to receive some praises so she didn''t hesitate to ept the invite.


    Too bad, it seemed like her praises would have to wait.


    [Ding! You are currently in the Spirit World. Communication with the Maind has been restricted.]


    "Spirit World¡­?" Zhenzhen raised her eyebrows as she looked around the ce. "Puffy, where exactly did you take me? It''s so beautiful here."


    Just a moment ago Zhenzhen teleported to the Maind to finally reunite with her brother but it didn''t go smoothly. Shended in the worst ce possible and was attacked by NPC bandits. She thought she would die this time since their level was so much higher than hers but Puffy came in clutch.


    It flew straight into her chest and something magical happened. Her surroundings changedpletely as a new colorful world visualized in front of her. Beautiful flowers, healthy trees and streams that were teeming with life.


    Puffy chirped happily and grabbed her finger while pulling her in the depths of the forest. It had been so helpful this whole time that Zhenzhen had no worry in her mind.


    "Where do you lead me?" Zhenzhen questioned only to widen her eyes at the sight of her fluffy rabbit friend. "Oh! You are here too!"


    She was worried thinking someone might have killed it but it turned out it just changed locations. Zhenzhen picked it up but that wasn''t the reason they came there.


    "You want to show me something else?" Zhenzhen questioned as she kept following her Battle Spirit only to realize she wasn''t the only person in there.


    She sneaked up behind a tree to peek at the small steamy pond in the distance and saw a nakeddy entering the water.


    "Whoa, so beautiful¡­" Zhenzhen muttered innocently while her eyes were glued to the perfect figure and curves she always dreamed of.


    She was about to walk away out of respect for thedy when Puffy chirped and flew towards the pond, clearly telling her to follow. Zhenzhen was still hesitant when thedy called out with a sweet voice.


    "Don''t be shy, Little Bunny, you cane over."


    Now that she was discovered, she had no choice but to approach. "Miss knows me?"


    "Yes, I have been expecting you," thedy replied casually as she leaned against the rocks with her bare breasts leaning on her arms. "Come,e, I don''t bite."


    Zhenzhen swiftly looked away while blushing but her eyes kept going back to the round peaks that dared her to stare.


    [Katherine - Lvl ????]


    The blond goddess had a blue name just like other NPCs so Zhenzhen rxed as she stopped a few meters away. Puffy was also sitting on Katherine''s shoulder so it even further assured her that she wasn''t a threat.


    "I have been working so hard today so I decided to have a moment of rxation. Do you want to join me?" Katherine suggested as she bounced back of the shore andy on the surface of the water. "The pond is hot and has great properties for the body. You will feel much better afterward."


    Before she even decided, the rabbit in her arms jumped off as well and rushed to the pond too. Zhenzhen could only test it out for herself.


    [Ding! You discovered a Spirit Pond!]


    [Spirit Pond]


    [A pond full of Spirit Water with mysterious properties. Bathing in the Spirit Water will permanently increase your Mana and strengthen your body. Many Benders would kill for such an opportunity.]


    Reading the description that popped up after testing the water, Zhenzhen didn''t hesitate any more and slid her body inside. She didn''t really have a way to strip like Katherine so she entered gracefully with her white summer dress on.


    +1


    +1


    +1


    Her Mana began to increase as soon as her whole body was soaked in the water. To make it even better, even her HP rose up every few seconds.


    "It feels nice¡­" Zhenzhen muttered as she enjoyed the warmth passing through her body and wondered, "Miss Katherine, you said you were expecting me¡­ Can I help you with anything?"


    "You can just call me Katherine and yes, I do have some questions for you," Katherine replied while swimming back to Zhenzhen. "For starters, why did you start ying this game?"


    Zhenzhen was taken aback but it wasn''t a hard question.


    "I wanted to y with my brother and help him," Zhenzhen replied innocently. "He is one of the best in this game."


    "That''s so sweet of you," Katherine praised with a soft smile. "But can I ask you how exactly you are nning to help him?"


    "Hmm..." Zhenzhen paused as she nced at Puffy on Katherine''s shoulder. "I can maybe borrow Puffy''s strength."


    Her Battle Spirit was the one fighting for her while she watched from the side. Katherine only shook her head at that response.


    "Yeah, that''s what I thought. I have been watching you today and I noticed you are not really proactive. You have only reached this far by asking others for help and then thanks to your Battle Spirit," Katherine pointed out while turning serious. "Are you really trying to help your brother by doing nothing? By the time you two meet, you will only hold him back."


    "I¡­" Zhenzhen was left speechless, not really thinking that much into the future before. "But I can''t force myself to kill others¡­ Can''t I help him in other ways?"


    The whole point of ying the game was to spend more time with her big brother but if she was only disturbing him, it would lose all meaning for her. Thankfully Katherine was there to save her.


    "Avatar Online mostly focuses on battle but there are other ways you can be useful to your brother without being in the frontlines," Katherine informed as she moved Puffy to Zhenzhen''s shoulder. "Would you like to learn them?"


    "Yes, please!" Zhenzhen nodded excitedly.


    "Alright then, give me a second," Katherine smiled and suddenly pulled out a big virtual panel in front of her. It wasn''t a normal profile but instead a giant database with lots of text that Zhenzhen didn''t understand.


    "Wait¡­ So you are not an NPC?" Zhenzhen questioned dumbfounded, causing Katherine to purse her lips.


    "I''m a real world human just like you and I actually helped create this game," Katherine revealed casually as she found Zhenzhen''s profile. "I will help you acquire one of the Hidden Quests and then mark itplete for you."


    "Isn''t that cheating?" Zhenzhen hesitated.


    "Of course it is but I''m not going to do that for anyone else," Katherine replied right as Zhenzhen received a bunch of notifications. "I''m only doing that for you because you are my disciple from now on."


    [Ding! You acquired a new Hidden Quest: Saving the Empire''s Princess.]


    [Ding! Quest: Saving the Empire''s Princess Completed! You received a Hidden Ability: Healing.]


    [Healing]


    [Description: Ability to give water healing properties. Depending on the mastery, yer can heal wounds, regrow limbs and even extract poison from the patient.]


    [Current Mastery: Beginner]


    [Effect: Heals 10 HP every second.]


    [Cost: 2 MP per second.]


    "Whoa¡­" Zhenzhen opened her mouth in amazement as she read the content in her inbox. She was naturally happy but she couldn''t help but feel bad for other yers.


    "Hey, don''t worry," Katherine assured as she reached out to caress her cheek. "If I made you do it the normal way, it would take you far too long and I want you to start practicing right away. I don''t really know if you have the talent for healing but I''m willing to bend my rules just to check it."


    "You know, you are just like me which is why I''m interested in you," Katherine continued, grabbing Zhenzhen''s attention. "I was also chosen and epted by the Spirits but unfortunately, I don''t have the talent for healing. It''s actually pretty rare but I have a good feeling about you."


    "How rare is it?" Zhenzhen questioned attentively. "Don''t you just need to finish the Hidden Quest?"


    Katherine smiled mysteriously. "There are some things I will tell youter but basically, even if someone managed to learn to heal, the farthest they reached was an Intermediate Mastery. At that level, one can heal almost any external and internal wounds but they can''t deal with severe illnesses. If you can reach the level of an Expert, no matter how ill your brother gets, you will be able to save him."


    Zhenzhen opened her eyes wide. "I¡­ I want to reach that level¡­ My brother hides it from me but I know he lives a dangerous life. I want to help him no matter what happens."


    "Good girl," Katherine patted her head before hugging Zhenzhen into her chest. "Don''t worry, if you have the potential, I will make sure to teach you well. No one will be able to stop you."

 Chapter 73 - Escape

    [Ding! You killed the Horned Seal. You received 14,000 Experience, 25 gold, and a Seal''s Horn. Due to the difference of 14 levels, you earned 4,000 bonus Experience.]


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    "Finally¡­ That was a struggle. Let''s not fight those seals anymore," Liu Ye muttered with a sigh. Those 6 seals were so hard to kill due to their hard skin that Avi almost fell asleep from waiting.


    "Thank you, I was already yawning," Avimented as she stretched her arms and sat up. "I forgot you didn''t have many high pration abilities."


    Liu Ye wasted at least 20 minutes on each Horned Seal and it cost him two hours of grinding in exchange for 85,000 Experience. Knowing he was getting 175,000 for every 25 Ice Wolves, it was simply not worth the hassle.


    The only advantage was the three additional Elemental Points he received in those three hours of grinding. One from killing a total of 55 Ice Wolves and a group of 10 Ice Bears while the other two came from the 6 Horned Seals.


    [Ding! You unlocked the Water Bullet.]


    [Ding! You unlocked the Ice Spear.]


    [Ding! You unlocked the Ice ws.]


    [Water Bullet]


    [Description: Ability to connect twopressed streams of water into a powerful Water Bullet. It is a single target ability with a longer range and higher damage than Water Jet.]


    [Cost: 10 MP]


    [Damage: 40 + 40% Elemental Power]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Ice Spear]


    [Description: Ability to freeze water in the shape of an Ice Spear. It has high damage and can execute the target if struck in the weak point.]


    [Cost: 25 MP]


    [Execute: Under 20% of Max HP.]


    [Damage: 50 + 70% Elemental Power.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Ice ws]


    [Description: Ability to freeze water around your fingers into sharp ws. They can be used in meleebat or as a ranged attack. Damage from each w is applied separately.]


    [Cost: 5MP + 1 MP for each sessful hit.]


    [Melee Damage: 5 + 40% Elemental Power]


    [Ranged Damage: 10 + 20% Elemental Power]


    The power spike from those three abilities was insane but looking at his Mana, Liu Ye could only dream of using them.


    "Damn, I need more Mana," Liu Ye cursed as he jumped down from the Ice Pir. "Let''s return back to the Emerald City. I''m out of Potions."


    For the past three hours, Liu Ye had been drinking potions like water and only had a few left. At the very least he managed to reach level 26 and created a gap of 8 levels between him and the second-ranked yer.


    The only thing he was worried about was the increasing experience bar that has already entered six digits.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 26] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 67,175/150,000]


    Avi nodded in approval as she jumped down to join him. "Good idea. It''s not like we can continue to stay here anyway. You already killed all the monsters in the area. It would take me like an hour to lure more to this location."


    "How many days did it take you to unlock all basic abilities?" Liu Ye questioned out of frustration. "Feels like I need to fill my inventory with Mana Potions if I want to do anything in this game. I need at least 1000 Mana to actually feelfortable."


    He wanted to add more points into Intelligence to enjoy more Mana but the amount of monster materials that dropped with just 3 points in luck prompted him to split his avable Skill Points between Wisdom and Luck.


    [Wisdom: 5]


    [Luck: 5]


    "It took me about two weeks and I also suffered," Avi replied as they reached the cavern entrance. "You have the assistance of the great me so at least you will advance faster."


    "Yeah, the problem is there are not enough monsters to kill," Liu Yemented as he checked the map to choose the right path back to the station. "I wish the whole area gave a boost to Elemental Maste¡ª"


    His words got cut off as Avi suddenly covered his mouth and pulled him behind a pile of snow.


    "Shhh¡­" she shushed him without any exnation and forced him toy down prone. Liu Ye was momentarily confused but he didn''t need to wait long to discover her reasoning.


    "Are you sure he is here?"


    A female voice questioned nearby as they heard multiple footsteps.


    "Yeah, I bribed one of the Academy Officials and he said that the bastard entered the Icefields with some other student. She seemed to be skilled so we need to watch out."


    "Don''t worry, with the four of us she won''t be able to protect him. I will stop her while you focus on killing that bastard. We gotta avenge our brother."


    Liu Ye recognized one of the female voices and she was no other than the ck Panther from today. He thought she would give up chasing him after putting up the bounty but it seems like their affinity was too low. The only way to get rid of her was to kill them but they didn''t really have a chance.


    He could trick them once using the Ice Serpent but it was impossible to do it twice.


    "Quick, logout now¡­" Avi suggested in a whisper just as ck Panther busted them.


    "Wait, there are footsteps ahead."


    Liu Ye was already opening his profile when Avi sted them in the air with an Ice Pir.


    [Ding! Your Logout attempt has been interrupted. yer is unable to leave the game while airborne.]


    "It''s toote! We gotta run!" Avi shouted mid-air as the fire burst from her feet. They were like a rocket together but she didn''t have enough power to fly while carrying him.


    Thud!


    -50


    Theynded hard on the ice while rolling on the ground but they quickly picked themselves up and Aviunched them once again.


    "Catch them!" ck Panther ordered from a distance, her voice filled with hatred. "You can''t run forever! I will catch you and burn you alive!"


    "What did you do to her? Sacrifice her firstborn to the devil?" Avi asked in surprise. "That''s a fucking ck Panther! Why did you mess with her gang? Do you not want to y this game anymore or what?"


    "I killed one of her men!" Liu Ye called back as he tightened his grip around her body. He didn''t care what he was grabbing when he almost slipped from her and his facended right between her breasts.


    "Damn, you idiot," Avi scolded and embraced his face as well in preparation fornding. "You owe me for those two more hours if we manage to escape!"


    Avi spewed supporting mes from her fist but they still crushed on the ice together. Even though his face was fully pressed against her chest, Avi didn''t find time to tease him as they took off.


    "Hold onto me!" Avi ordered as she created a slide of clear ice ahead of her and burst mes from her fist to speed them up. They quickly skated using their feet but ck Panther was trailing closely behind them.


    "I will slow them down," Liu Ye announced, as he freed one of his arms while holding onto Avi''s waist. He couldn''t let her get all the credits for the escape.


    The unused Waterskin finally came in handy as he gathered water and began bombarding ck Panther with everything he had.


    Water Jets, Ice Walls, and Ice Spears were his main weapons but the Gang Members outsmarted him. They were split into two teams of two and suddenly spread out to the sides. The Firebenders climbed onto their Waterbenders and used three of their limbs to act like boosters.


    "We are close!" Avi called out hopefully only two see two teams pass them like rockets and create a tall Ice Wall to stop them. "Fuck, hold tight!"


    She didn''t need to repeat twice as Liu Ye could already see a ramp forming ahead of them.


    "Die!" ck Panther cried out and breathed out mes just as theyunched themselves in the air.


    -200!


    -200!


    -200!


    [Ding! Breath of Fire applied burn. You will lose 40 HP every second for the next three seconds.]


    Liu Ye''s HP turned red as they passed through the mes before it began to tick down with burn. He didn''t evennd on the ground when he took out a Health Potion and gulped it down.


    -40


    -40


    +10


    [HP: 45/760]


    -40


    [HP: 5/760]


    Liu Ye ended with only 5 HP and it was all thanks to his passive regeneration over thest minute.


    "Run!" Liu Ye yelled as soon as theynded on the soft snow and they rushed inside the Teleportation Station. It has been a while since he had so much adrenaline pumping through his body but they thankfully made it safe.


    At least that''s what they thought.


    [Ding! You can''t use the Teleportation tform while in a battle state. Please wait 30 seconds.]


    "We are done for."

 Chapter 74 - Meeting

    "There is no ce you can escape!" ck Panther called out with a grin as she approached with three of her men. "I won''t let you off easily though as I will enjoy cutting every limb of your body before watching you suffer as you bleed out to death."


    Now that Liu Ye and Avi were stranded in the Teleportation Station with them, ck Panther wasn''t in hurry to attack them. She slowly approached while pushing them back to the other side which had no exits and no teleports avable.


    Liu Ye looked in the direction of the Station Official but he only looked away and walked out with a cigarette in his fingers. He only needed one look at the Panther Gang to know he doesn''t get paid enough to involve himself with this issue.


    "Wait a damn minute!" Liu Ye yelled madly as he stood at the front and extended his palm to stop them. "Do you have any idea who the fuck am I?"


    Avi was being serious with two Ice Gauntlets forming around her hands but it was obvious they wouldn''t survive if they tried to fight them. It was basically 4 versus 1 since Liu Ye was still useless when it came to high leveled battles.


    Their only chance was using diplomacy and bullshitting to gain time. When it came to thetter, Liu Ye knew very well how to buy time.


    "You are a dead man, that''s what you are," ck Panther replied as her palm burn with mes but Liu Ye pulled out a bigger gun.


    "Am I really a dead man? Are you sure?" Liu Ye questioned with an evil smile. "Didn''t you already kill me? Howe I''m still alive?"


    The Panther Gang paused at the realization.


    "I guess we didn''t finish you in the end," the Waterbender admitted as his arms turned into two Water des. "This time we will make sure you are dead for sure."


    They were about tounch an attack but Liu Ye stopped them again. "Do you doubt your abilities so much? You are wrong. You did kill me but I''m immortal. I was reborn right after you killed me and I will keeping back. You can never kill me."


    Avi widened her eyes but she didn''t drop her guard. It was apparent that he was wasting their time.


    "Hahaha, do you expect us to believe that?" ck Panther burst outughing. "I will burn your body this time so you can no longer fake your death."


    "Do it then," Liu Ye dared her confidently while spreading his arms to embrace her attack. "Once I''m reborn again, I will go to the Mercenary Guild and let someone kill me so they can collect your 1000 gold. I dare you to set a new bounty afterward so I can make you lose all your money."


    ck Panther squinted her eyes as she red at him but Liu Ye no longer exined it as he tapped on Avi''s shoulder. He already bought them enough time to escape.


    Swoosh!


    Avi swung with her arms and threw the Ice Gauntlets in the ground. They quickly turned into water and a thigh Ice Wall separated them.


    "Quick!" Avi called out but Liu Ye was already jumping on the tform leading back to the Emerald City. She pped the button and hopped inside just as the Ice Wall exploded.


    Ice Spikes flew everywhere but Avi blocked them with her own body as she hugged him tightly. The next thing he knew, their surroundings changed and both of them appeared in the familiar cage of the main Emerald City Station.


    "Damn, that was close," Avi cursed as she released him and quickly pulled him towards the exit. "Let''s leave before theye."


    They showed their permits and paid the entry fee just to leave when the Panther Gang appeared behind them. Liu Ye didn''t even turn around as they ran out of the Station to get the most out of their time advantage.


    "How did you kill a Gang Member?" Avi questioned as soon as they grabbed a Robo Taxi and set off. "Most of ck Panther Gang are around Level 60."


    "Not only did I kill one of them but I also ckmailed them into giving me all of their weapons," Liu Ye informed, causing Avi to widen her eyes.


    "How?" Avi urged as she leaned closer but Liu Ye shrugged with a mysterious smile. "It''s a secret, but I can tell you if you tell me a secret too."


    Avi squinted her eyes. "It depends on what you want to know."


    "How can one awaken in real life using Avatar Online?" Liu Ye questioned curiously. "I know what it means to awaken but I want to know the process."


    It was thest mystery he wanted to solve without sounding too suspicious. Can Avatar Online really cause someone to awaken in real life and bend elements? It still felt too surreal yet everything pointed to that fact.


    Thankfully, Avi didn''t find him too suspicious.


    "I probably shouldn''t say that but you will awaken soon anyway," Avi began cautiously. "By ying the game, you basically¡ª"


    "What is going on here?"


    Avi''s words were momentarily cut off by a third party that suddenly appeared beside Liu Ye. He didn''t even need to turn around to know it was Katherine''s voice but it didn''t seem as sweet as before.


    "Katherine..." Avi muttered awkwardly as she put on a fake smile. "Nothing much, we were just chatting."


    "Chatting about our organization''s secrets?" Katherine asked while raising her eyebrows.


    Avi couldn''t help but act surprised. "Doesn''t he know so much already? You told him everything."


    "I didn''t tell him anything confidential though," Katherine argued before turning to Liu Ye. "What did you tell her? Did you try to trick her to gain information?"


    "Well, it''s not like I learned anything I didn''t know yet," Liu Ye replied casually as if he did nothing wrong. "Only just now did I ask how one can awaken since I want to get ready. It''s not hard to figure out everything else."


    "Well, knowing your situation, you are going to learn about it any time soon. There is no real need to get ready for it. You will understand once you feel it," Katherine informed. "We will know when you are close to awakening anyway so we will pay you a visit to exin everything."


    "I have a different question then," Liu Ye followed up right away. "What if one can awaken Elements in real life but after you exin everything, they refuse to join your organization. What will happen with them?"


    Katherine raised her eyebrows. "That''s actually a topic I came here to discuss with Avi but I happened to meet you two in the same location. I wanted her to discuss it with you once she meets with you tomorrow."


    "Huh?" Avi looked at her strangely. "What do you meet him tomorrow? I will be busy meeting with that candidate you¡ª"


    She paused mid-sentence while pointing at Liu Ye. "Don''t tell me that he is the one I''m meeting tomorrow?"


    "You didn''t read your files? I thought the reason you met with him in-game was that you wanted to get to know him better before yound," Katherine exined confused. "Is it not?"


    "Of course I read them¡­ That''s exactly why I met with him," Avi lied tantly as she patted Liu Ye''s shoulder. "I just couldn''t wait to see him so we met together."


    Too bad, Katherine was too tough to trick.


    "You didn''t read them."


    "I didn''t," Avi confirmed as she hit Liu Ye on the arm. "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    "I wasn''t a hundred percent sure so I decided to remain quiet about it. Katherine didn''t tell me the details," Liu Ye replied honestly and swiftly changed the subject. "What is it that you need to discuss with Avi?"


    "Unfortunately, that topic is only reserved for her so I can''t talk to you about it," Katherine denied. "But I wanted to discuss something else with you."


    She paused before revealing, "It''s about your sister."


    Liu Ye''s expression changed momentarily. "What about her?"


    "I want her," Katherine announced but Liu Ye didn''t hesitate with his answer.


    "No."


    Liu Ye had no tolerance policy which involved his sister with anything dangerous.


    "Why? You don''t even know what I wa¡ª"


    "Let me guess, you found that she has potential too and you want her to be one of your candidates," Liu Ye cut her off as he shook his head again. "She can''t even kill a bug and you want to train her in battle? I can''t allow it."


    "You got it all wrong. I don''t want her to be a candidate or even be involved in battles," Katherine corrected with shiny eyes. "I want to train her and awaken her hidden potential. I am still testing if she has it but my instincts tell me I am correct."


    "And what is it?" Liu Ye asked suspiciously. He was already unhappy that Katherine was approaching his sister, not to mention training her.


    "She will tell you herself tomorrow once we are done with her first lesson," Katherine informed as she tapped Liu Ye''s forehead. He immediately saw images of Zhenzhen sitting in a pond in his mind.


    "She agreed to it herself because she wants to help you," Katherine added. "I''m only telling you because I want to have a good rtionship with you two. I also know how much she respects you so she would stop if you asked her to. I want you to stay put and see how she is doing and then decide."


    "What do you think?"

 Chapter 75 - Flexing

    "I will not talk to you about my sister until I talk to her," Liu Ye decided after a moment.


    If Zhenzhen really wanted something, he couldn''t just deny her without even talking to her beforehand. Even though Zhenzhen looked happy in the images, Liu Ye didn''t have all the details on hand.


    "That''s fair," Katherine nodded in approval. "She will be busy for the rest of the day but you can talk to her in real life. I am not worried that you will reject me since I know you are going to keep her by your side anyway. It would be better if she is trained to defend herself if you want her to follow you."


    Liu Ye only looked at her from under his hood and warned, "I don''t mind if you are helping her in-game but if I hear you trying to brainwash her to your advantage, you won''t see her again."


    "Aren''t you too overprotective?" Katherine questioned with a roll of her eyes and finished the topic. "Alright, let''s not talk about it anymore. Avi, let''s go somewhere else to discuss our matters. You helped him enough."


    "Sure, I can''t stay long anyway," Avi agreed as she leaned over to Liu Ye''s ear. "See youter~"


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but sense an iing headache once she met him in real life but it was unavoidable. He would rather have someone to assist them and simply ignore her advances afterward. If his enemies had the power of the Elements, he wouldn''t be able to fight them alone.


    Katherine seemed to be used to Avi''s behavior as she didn''tment and instead grabbed her wrist, disappearing on the spot. The Robo Taxi was still driving him back to the Master District while Liu Ye was in trance, analyzing his options.


    [The yer you are trying to contact is currently in the Restricted Zone. Please try againter.]


    Liu Ye tried to message Zhenzhen but it failed once again, leaving him with no choice but to focus on the game instead. He had to wait till the morning to dispel his doubts.


    ''I can''t grind anymore today so might as well just finish the quests¡­'' Liu Ye wondered as he recalled the Quest Items he found in the Newbie Vige. Without Avi, he couldn''t even enter into high-level zones so it was best to get out of the Emerald City for now.


    He drove away with some sort of a n while Avi watched his Robo Taxi from the top of the building. She smiled yfully and returned to Katherine who was kept waiting.


    "Isn''t he handsome? I wanna y with him," Avi informed but seeing no reaction from Katherine, she got to the topic. "What is it that you wanted to discuss? Is he close to awakening?"


    "He is close but he is irrelevant for now. I want to talk about his sister instead," Katherine revealed. "I suspect that she has a talent for healing and I''m not talking about the Beginner Mastery."


    Avi''s eyes immediately widened as her smirk vanished. "Really? How far do you think she can advance?"


    "I''m not sure yet but when I asked her to try it on me, she advanced to the Intermediate Mastery after just a second try," Katherine exined, looking like she was still in shock. "This is the first time I saw it after a long time, so I want you to be careful. Once they are safe, give her a big Water Stone to strengthen her Waterbending and then test her skills."


    Avi seemed surprised by the request but she nodded right after. "What about Grind God? He is also very talented."


    "Those two are closely connected with each other. If we can convince one, we will get the other too," Katherine muttered in wonder. "He already knows too much so make sure you don''t ever threaten him. If his sister turns out to be a healer, we need her."


    "Oh, don''t worry," Avi assured as she pursed her lips. "I will make sure to treat him well..."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Who is that? How can he afford that scam teleports? He must be one of the top rankers."


    "Look at his outfit. So cool. I didn''t see such an outfit in the store so it must be unique."


    As soon as Liu Ye reached the Earth Land Capital, he momentarily gathered the attention of other yers. His face was covered with a bandana while his head was hidden by the hood. No one else could rival his Level for a while so he could enjoy being anonymous.


    Although the Teleportation Station was convenient, it cost him 10 gold each time he teleported so it wasn''t for everyone at this stage of the game.


    The Earth Land Capital turned out to be more normal than he thought. He couldn''t see many tall buildings like in the Emerald City and all of them were two to three floors instead. All of them were made from a yellow stone, giving him an ancient vibe.


    "Hey man, are you maybe Grind God?"


    A few yers approached him as Liu Ye set off in a random direction but he didn''t stop to entertain them. He was currently the most wanted man in the game so it was best to stay low-key for as long as he could. Even though Liu Ye could probably one-shot them all, he would only waste Mana at this point.


    Too bad, it was much harder than he thought. The longer he walked, the more yers he met who joined others who followed him. He suddenly recalled how annoying it was to walk in a city full of yers while being a celebrity. Emerald City seemed like heaven when it came to this aspect.


    "Anyone knows where I can find the Mazamut''s Smith Store?" Liu Ye asked in a deep voice, thinking of at least making use of them before he runs away. The Capital was just too big for him to search every smith in the city.


    "Did you also get that Quest Item? You won''t find him easily," a random yer exined while approaching him closely. "All NPCs say you can find him in the Expert District but one needs a permit to get inside. One needs 200 gold to even make one so no one can get it for now."


    "Oh, thanks," Liu Ye acknowledged casually as he opened his map. To his surprise, it wasn''t that far from their location so he thought of an idea.


    He withdrew some gold in a small linen bag and threw it to the helper in front of everyone. "Maybe one day you can afford it. Just continue grinding."


    Liu Ye then slowly walked away in the direction of the Expert District and waited for the drama to unfold. If he couldn''t get rid of them, he might as well gather even more of them and use them to his own advantage.


    The crowd exploded with chatter a secondter.


    "Holy shit! He just gave me 4 gold, 79 silver, and 25 bronze!"


    Liu Ye wanted to give him 5 gold but it felt nice to even his total money to 1100 gold. He didn''t use silver or bronze anymore so it didn''t matter to him anymore.


    Just as he thought, once the helper yelled out the number, all the yers in the group ran after him and new ones joined out of curiosity. If one saw a huge crowd moving after someone, they would naturally join as well to learn what was going on.


    "Boss! Is there something we can do for you?!"


    "Do you need a dog? I can bark!"


    Liu Ye remained quiet all the way to the gates of the Expect District protected by a group of guards.


    "Alright everyone, this is the moment we will have to part ways," Liu Ye called out as he silenced everyone with a raise of his arm. "I''m sure all of you want to know who I am and where I got so much money. I''m here to tell you exactly that."


    He paused to make sure everyone gathered and announced, "I''m one of the top experts of the future Red Dragon Guild and the outfit I''m wearing was gifted to me by Grind God who you all know very well. I''m the first of the top 100 experts that will receive a unique set like this. If you want one as well, make sure to join the Red Dragon Guild as well."


    The whole crowd exploded in chatter but Liu Ye wasn''t done. "To make it exclusive, this outfit will be unique to our guild and only the top 100 of our best yers will receive it. Each of the outfits cost 2000 gold so there is something to fight for. Good luck everyone!"


    Liu Ye turned around right after and walked up to the guards with the Light Green Permit in his hand. Their eyes opened wide and they let him pass while strengthening their backs out of respect.


    ''I guess we will need two guilds to fit so many yers...''

 Chapter 76 - Mazamuts Smith Store

    The streets in the Expert District were much cleaner and the buildings more luxurious but the best part was the absence of the yers. It seemed like the district structure wasmon in all Lands, giving the yers a goal to work hard for.


    Thankfully, yers wouldn''t be able to afford the permit at least for the next few days so Liu Ye could enjoy some freedom of movement.


    "Alright, I guess it''s time to clear this area of all quests," Liu Ye muttered as he stretched before a hard night in front of him. Now that he was Level 26, he met the requirements for so many Unique Quests that the whole Expert District''s map was filled with yellow exmation marks.


    It seemed like each yer had 3 random daily quests assigned to them in each district but aside from that, one could im a Unique Quest that appeared periodically on the map. It was firste ,first served so since no one has ever appeared in this ce, Liu Ye could enjoy them all.


    It didn''t hurt to ept all the quests without a time limit which he could do whenever he wished.


    "Excuse me, Ma''am, I noticed you are distressed. Is there something I can help you with?" Liu Ye questioned an olddy with a quest avable and she immediately burst out into tears.


    "Thank God! Please, help me young man! My son hasn''t returned from hunting since yesterday and I''m worried about him. Could you please search for him? I will pay you 100 gold if you can find and bring him back home."


    "Oh no, do you know where he was hunting?" Liu Ye questioned as he patted her on the shoulder with sympathy.


    "Yes! He gathered a group of Benders and nned to kill the King Scorpion in the Sand Canyon. I advised him not to but he didn''t listen. Please, I can only count on you!"


    [Ding! New Unique Quest avable: Lost Son.]


    [Lost Son]


    [An olddy asks you to bring her son back home. Search the Sand Canyon area and find the King Scorpion Lair to locate them.]


    [Difficulty: A]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Bring the Old Lady''s son back.]


    [Clear Reward: 100 gold, 2000 Experience, Appreciation gift.]


    [Would you like to ept the Quest?]


    It was definitely a Field Boss!


    It was the first Quest he found and it immediately led him to a Field Boss. Liu Ye''s eyes shone but thinking of the reward, it just didn''t seem right. The Sand Canyon would probably have no water he could use so he was handicapped by nature.


    What if he tried to haggle over the reward?


    If one could change the oue of the quest with good persuasion, it should be possible to change the details of the quest even before one epts it.


    "Hmm, King Scorpion is extremely dangerous," Liu Ye muttered in hesitation as he tried to bargain. "How about 500 gold? If I can get this much, I will bring your son back home before the sunrise."


    The olddy squinted her eyes as she looked at him up and down. He thought he would be rejected when the olddy nodded. "I can ept that but with this much money, I want you to also bring all my son''s group back safely and help them kill that King Scorpion."


    The virtual window with the quest vanished only to reappear with a new proposal.


    [Lost Son]


    [An olddy asks you to assist her son''s group in killing the King Scorpion and then bring them all back home safely. Search the Sand Canyon area and find the King Scorpion Lair to locate them.]


    [Difficulty: S+]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Defeat King Scorpion and escort the group back home safely.]


    [Clear Reward: 500 gold, 10000 Experience, 50 Fame, Appreciation gift.]


    [Quest Failure: -1 Level, -50 fame, Quest canceled.]


    [Time Limit: 07:21:53]


    [Would you like to ept the Quest?]


    Liu Ye blinked in surprise as he read the quest details. It seems like it was impossible to haggle in the end. Even though he got the money he wanted, the game AI simply adjusted the difficulty to his demands. Now he had to protect all the NPCs and even kill the Field Boss to seed.


    "Alright, sounds good," Liu Ye replied after a moment of hesitation and epted the quest. Even though the quest got much harder, 500 gold was actually a good deal for him.


    High reward, high risk was perfect if Liu Ye wanted to push himself to be the best. Too bad, every other time he tried to haggle, the Quest received a time limit which forced him to cease his practice.


    It took him a whole hour to gather all avable quests in the Expert District but it was all worth it knowing he received the locations of the next 4 Field Bosses. He couldn''t kill them all today so he decided to postpone it to the next day together with the other quests he received. They weren''t about killing but rather involved gathering resources and information which he could do anytime.


    The only thing left for Liu Ye was the Mazamut''s Smith Store which happened to be still open and lit up despite thete hour. As soon as he entered, he was greeted by a grand disy of various weapons and jewelry made with multicolored crystals.


    "Hello? How can I help you?" The Store Assistant approached him and Liu Ye pulled out two rings from his inventory.


    "I''m here with those two rings. I found them in the hands of bandits after I killed them."


    "Oh!" the Store Assistant eximed at the sight of the rings and quickly disappeared to the back of the store. "One second please!"


    He came back with a tall middle-aged man who still had ck goggles covering his eyes. His body was massive and his skin was dirty from work.


    [Mazamut - Lvl. 80]


    "Show me the rings," Mazamut ordered as he took the ring to inspect them and nodded, "Yeah, just as I thought. I made a few sets of those rings for the Royal Family''s Envoys. If you found them in the hands of the bandits, it means they are probably dead."


    Mazamut opened his goggles and looked at him carefree, "Visit me again tomorrow. We will go to the Royal Pce together and exin the situation. If the Envoys are really dead, this matter could lead to some seriousplications."


    [Ding! You received a unique quest: Royal Meeting.]


    Mazamut didn''t wait for Liu Ye''s reply and simply turned around to return to work. Liu Ye couldn''t help but frown.


    "I think you forgot about something," Liu Ye reminded, "I found those rings so they are mine now. If you want to take them, you have to give me something of equal value."


    Mazamut didn''t even turn around as he simply waved his hand to the Store Assistant, "Let him choose two items of the same value. I don''t have time."


    It couldn''t be more perfect for Liu Ye as he immediately looked down behind the ss counter to inspect the items. "Can you show me the items that strengthen Water Elements?"


    "Right away, Sir."


    The attendant quickly gathered the items from under the counter and presented him with numerous options. Liu Ye knew exactly what he was looking for so it wasn''t a hard pick.


    [Waterfall Ne]


    [Description: A beautifully crafted Elemental Ne made entirely out of a Water Stone. The piece is perfect for any Waterbender who wishes to speed up their training.]


    [Effects: The wearer gains 50% more Elemental Mastery with each Water Ability used.]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 25, Waterbending, 5 Wisdom, 10 Intelligence]


    Liu Ye needed a buff that would help with his Elemental Mastery and damage so his second item was the same as the other Mazamut''s rings. He would deal +50% damage from Water Abilities which would help him greatly.


    "Nice," Liu Yemented as soon as he equipped them and said his goodbyes. He only had 6 hours left to defeat King Scorpion but thankfully it wasn''t far away from the Capital.


    He sprinted his way towards the Expert District entrance only to stop a momentter. A lonely yer was walking towards him and he also stopped when he saw Liu Ye.


    [Blood Devil - Lvl. 19]


    [HP: 290/290]


    [MP: 100/100]


    Liu Ye immediately recognized him as one of the top rankers who was slowly catching up to him. All of them had the same level so it was impossible to hide his identity anymore.


    "This is the first time I see someone here. Grind God, right? No one else has a higher level than us," Blood Devilmented as he lifting a stone from the ground. "I have been waiting to face you for a while. How about a duel?"


    Despite looking like a guy, Blood Devil''s voice was too feminine to belong to a man which got Liu Ye confused. He didn''t reply to the proposal and simply wrapped water around his arms to prepare for a battle.


    It was best to show the top rankers who was the true king of the jungle.

 Chapter 77 - Bending Duel

    It was already nighttime so the streets in the Expert District were mostly empty with little to no protection. Just like in Emerald City, one could use abilities and fight anywhere they want as long as they don''t get caught by guards.


    The light from the streetmps was enough to give them a nice view of each other though. Liu Ye couldn''t see his face but from his body alone, Blood Devil looked like an average teenager with short ck hair and sharp eyes. Any yer with ck Leather Armor and a Bandana looked the same to him.


    "Let''s make it official, shall we?" Blood Devil suggested as he opened his profile. After a few taps, Liu Ye saw a virtual window appear in front of him.


    [Bending Duel]


    [yer Blood Devil offered you a Bending Duel. The duel willplete once one of the yers dies. None of the yers will lose their Experience or the yer Bag upon death. The winner of Bending Duel will also avoid gaining a PK Score for their kill.]


    [Would you like to ept the duel?]


    Liu Ye only nced at the details and rejected it on the spot.


    "If you dare to waste my time, you might as well bet everything for it," Liu Ye replied as he gulped down a Medium Mana Potion. "I''m giving you 20 seconds."


    "Tch and I tried to respect you," Blood Devil replied with a frown and hurriedly drank his own potion. He then cracked his boulder into tens of small fragments and added, "No matter how big your HP is, water is still much weaker than earth."


    Swoosh!


    His fragments shot out like a machine gun and Liu Ye took him head-on. An Ice Wall blocked the initial onught before he sent multiple Water Jets at the target. To his surprise, Blood Devil was as nimble as him and dodged them with his movement alone.


    ''Only 100 Mana so he must have invested in Dexterity as well,'' Liu Ye thought. If Blood Devil spent his points only on Intelligence and Dexterity, he should also have 14 points boosting his agility.


    That didn''t change much since one needed to know how to use their agility to their advantage.


    Liu Yeunched his own offense and immediately pped with his Large Water Whips from both sides. Blood Devil stomped in response, prompting up four walls that locked him inside like a turtle.


    -5


    -5


    His whips did almost no damage crushing in the walls but Liu Ye didn''t need to destroy them. Blood Devil suddenly punched the walls himself, ripping multiple boulders from the middle thatunched at Liu Ye like missiles.


    A creative n but Liu Ye wasn''tcking in this aspect either.


    Thud! Thud!


    -50


    -50


    The boulders crashed into another Ice Wall and destroyed it into bits but when Blood Devil peeked through the holes to locate him, Liu Ye was nowhere to be seen.


    He was already in the air, jumping inside the locked prison from above with his fingers covered in sharp Ice ws. Before the Blood Devil could realize what was going on, Liu Ye crashed into him with his weight.


    "Sup?" Liu Ye asked yfully and stabbed all ten Ice ws into Blood Devil''s head.


    -62


    -62


    -62


    -62


    -42!


    It only took five hits for a one-shot though and Blood Devil turned into pixels. Just as Avi said, fighting yers was tricky since one mistake could cause your death. It wasn''t even 10 seconds before Blood Devil has fallen in this instance and he wasn''t even that bad.


    Liu Ye''s experience with Avi upgraded his game tactics so he boosted his jump with an Ice Wall to surprise the nothing expecting turtle. It didn''tpare with the catapulting with an Ice Pir but he could still extend his jump and get inside.


    [Ding! You killed a yer: Blood Devil. You received 2800 Experience and a yer Bag. Due to the difference of 7 levels, you earned 700 less Experience.]


    [Ding! You killed another yer outside of the designated Zone. Your PK Score increased to 1.]


    "Oh, interesting," Liu Yemented as he saw the Experience. He thought he would only get a small chunk of Experience due to the difference in their levels but he was wrong.


    It seemed like there was a buffer of 5 levels before his experience would lower. Two more levels beyond the buffer cost him 20% of the experience. It still sounded unfair for the lower-ranked yers but then he read about his PK Score.


    [PK Score]


    [Your PK Score determines how often you kill other yers outside of designated Zones. Once it reaches 5, NPC will find it hard to trust you and once it reaches 10, City Guards won''t let you enter any of the cities or use the Teleport Stations. Your PK Score will be lower by one every 10 hours.]


    [Current Score: 1]


    [Time Left: 09:59:46]


    ''I guess one can only kill in the Red and Death Zones or else they will get this annoying PK Score,'' Liu Ye deducted.


    The PK Score didn''t entirely discourage yers to kill and only restricted them a little bit. Liu Ye could kill two yers every day and his score would remain low so it wasn''t that big of a deal.


    [Ding! You opened a yer Bag.]


    Liu Ye didn''t expect much loot after Blood Devil agreed to fight him so easily but he got pleasantly surprised. Besides a few potions, Liu saw one item but it was the most important one.


    His luck probably took part in it because he found a ck Leather Set sitting quietly in his inventory. He already deposited his own to gift it to Zhenzhen once they met again but now he got another one.


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but check the map and ran over to the closest Respawn to meet with the fallen expert. Just as he thought, Blood Devil was cursing under his breath as he walked out of the Respawn wearing only his boxers.


    "You!" Blood Devil called out angrily the moment he saw Liu Ye and admitted, "I hate you but that was good!"


    "You have to train a bit if you want to challenge me," Liu Ye expressed with a shrug. "I want 50 gold for that outfit. Pay up or I will sell it in the market."


    He didn''t have time to entertain him and was trying to give him a favor by selling it back to him. One couldn''t simply buy the ck Leather Set in the store so it was a deal.


    Blood Devil squinted his eyes but he didn''t argue and withdrew a bag with gold. "I guess it''s a good punishment for being too cocky. Thanks for humbling me."


    Liu Ye checked the bag and it was exactly 50 gold. That was exactly what he expected from a yer with a good mentality. Although Blood Devil was mad that he lost, he acknowledged his weaknesses and focused on improving instead of revenge.


    If Blood Devil insulted him out of anger, Liu Ye would simply kill him again with no mercy and leave.


    "Here you go." Liu Ye passed him the outfit and left without wasting any more time. His quest was pending and he didn''t n on losing a level or his fame.


    "I will work hard and challenge you again! Just you wait!" Blood Devil called out, causing Liu Ye to smile. He weed such challenges as it let him know how far ahead was he from the other yers.


    After a quick pit stop in the store to buy 3 stocks of Medium Mana Potions that cost him 30 gold, he departed straight out of the Capital. The roofs of the houses were mostly t so he could easily avoid all the yers on the streets all the way to the southern gate.


    He had a short thought of testing his luck with the Fire Stone before his mission but it didn''t seem to matter much until he mastered all basics abilities from Waterbending. With his new items, it didn''t make sense to use Firebending even if he awakened his new element.


    Liu Ye found a lot of yers on the way to the King Scorpion Lair but he simply walked past them. They were fighting monsters that wouldn''t give him any Experience so he left them alone. He didn''t n on bringing a bad reputation to Red Dragon Guild or at least not before it was even created.


    [Ding! You found the Sand Canyon area. The King Scorpion can sense your footsteps, watch out!]


    It took him an hour just to travel to his destination but just as he received his notification, he spotted two yers standing in front of the entrance of the Sand Canyon.


    [White Knight Evelyn - Lvl. 18]


    [White Knight Brodin - Lvl. 18]


    "Hey man, we are currently taking over this area. We would appreciate it if you found another ce to farm."

 Chapter 78 - Face-off

    Liu Ye didn''t even need to ask to know the White Knights were present to kill the King Scorpion. Too bad for them, he couldn''t let that happen.


    [Grind God: Hey, just texting to tell you that I''m going to kill some White Knights. Hope you don''t mind.]


    Liu Ye informed Xu Yue before his killing spree and didn''t wait for a reply as he closed it shut. No matter what she said, he would still proceed forward and kill whoever stood in his way. It just happened that White Knight Guild challenged him in the forum so this couldn''t be any better.


    "Don''t you think that''s quite unfair?" Liu Ye questioned as he approached peacefully. "I don''t care what you are doing. I need to cross the Sand Canyon to reach the Ancient Ruins from my quest. I don''t n to take another hour to walk around just because you try to monopolize the farming zone."


    Both yers got taken aback, not really knowing what to do. It was indeed a dick move to force someone to walk another hour because of them. Anyone would be pissed off. The case didn''t get better knowing that they faced an unknown top ranker with a higher level than them.


    Liu Ye didn''t let them figure out a n as he continued, "Who is your leader? Tell him that I''m just going to walk through and I won''t even bother him."


    "Our Leader is busy but I will try to contact someone," Evelyn replied suspiciously and pulled out her profile to send a message. "Please wait for a secon¡ª"


    "Is your team trying to kill King Scorpion? Why is he here?" Liu Ye cut her off as he pointed behind them with his eyes widened. Their unconscious reaction made them turn around abruptly but Liu Ye was only waiting for that.


    He froze his fingers and lunged forward, securing two easy kills by stabbing their stomachs. A stream of red numbers was followed by white pixels that dispersed within seconds. They couldn''t even turn around to find out what happened.


    [Ding! You killed a yer: White Knight Brodin. You received 2,275 Experience and a yer Bag. Due to the difference of 8 levels, you earned 975 less Experience.]


    [Ding! You killed a yer: White Knight Evelyn. You received 2,275 Experience and a yer Bag. Due to the difference of 8 levels, you earned 975 less Experience.]


    [Ding! You killed two yers outside of the designated Zone. Your PK Score increased to 3.]


    One-shotting yers were actually pretty satisfying. If not for the negative impact of the PK Score, it would be a good source of Experience. As long as he killed within the buffer of 5 levels, he would receive full value out of every kill.


    Liu Ye noticed one problem though.


    ''I have to be careful in the cities¡­''


    Just as he could one-shot others, his enemies could do the same to him. Since it was possible to kill in the cities, he couldn''t let anyone close to him or he might end up like Evelyn and Brodin. Liu Ye wasn''t hard to kill if everyone on the street focused him.


    Liu Ye didn''t waste any time checking the yer bags and rushed into the Sand Canyon area. He had to reach the King Scorpion Lair before it was killed and his quest ended in a failure.


    The whole ce was massive with many sand corridors and pathways but thankfully, the White Knights passed this ce not too long and left a clear trail, allowing him to speedrun to the right location. It wasn''t long till he heard sounds of battle¡­ and cheering.


    "You can do it! Keep it up!


    Liu Ye was surprised for a moment but after peeking into one of the passages, he realized what was going on.


    [King Scorpion - Lvl. 40]


    [HP: 15,254/30,000]


    [MP: 6,543/10,000]


    White Knights were not even battling with the King Scorpion and instead blocked the passage to itsir with walls while cheering for someone else. If Liu Ye were to guess, they were a group of NPCs that he had to protect and White Knights simply waited to steal a kill.


    If it was any other scenario, Liu Ye would apud them since he would do the same but this time they were unlucky that he got the quest.


    15¡­ 25¡­ 32¡­


    Liu Ye counted 32 yers watching a gigantic scorpion fight for its home and all of them were either Level 18 or 19. If he killed them all, it was more than enough for a level-up.


    The only worry he had was the PK Score he couldn''t bypass easily. Those worries quickly disappeared once he moved closer to the passage.


    [King Scorpion Lair - Warning]


    [yer entered the Death Zone. The Lair is a home of a powerful field boss. It''s not rmended to get any closer.]


    [Zone buff: All Abilities scale with +20% Elemental Power.]


    [Death Penalty: -2 Level, -20 gold]


    ''Ouch, that will hurt them,'' Liu Ye thought while looking at the penalty but he didn''t hesitate one bit. It was either him losing a level or them and he would obviously choose thetter.


    Liu Ye quickly gulped down on a Medium Mana Potion and began forming Ice Spears around him. He wanted to take advantage of the fact that White Knights were not watching but when he reached ten spears, the White Spears got anxious.


    White Knight Lancelot sent out a few silent orders and five yers ran towards the passage entrance unaware Liu Ye was waiting for them.


    Swoosh!


    -197


    -83!


    -197!


    -83!


    Just as the five yers ran behind the curvature of the passage Liu Ye sent two Ice Spears at each yer, killing them all on the spot. They didn''t have time to react before the spears pierced into their chests.


    If he added two more points into his intelligence and used his Water Cloak, only one spear would be needed to kill each of them. The execution ability that killed anything under 20% of max HP woulde in handy.


    "Boss! They are all dead!"


    Liu Ye didn''t even have time to check his notifications when he heard screams from the other end of the passage. He swiftly covered his body with water and formed a Water Cloak that gave him another 20% buff. Stacking all buffs together, one of his Ice Spears could one-shot anyone under 280 HP.


    He was only able to drink another Mana Potion when all the White Knights ditched the King Scorpion to deal with him.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    -280!


    -280!


    -280!


    -223


    Four more Ice Spears shot out in the crowd but he only killed three of them while thest spear didn''t activate the Execution. Liu Ye was now left with no mana at all but the White Knights quickly moved to defense.


    "Grind God! Stop this!" Lancelot cried out from behind the Earth Walls. "The Boss is yours! We will leave, okay?!"


    Liu Ye only rolled his eyes.


    If he had the balls to challenge him then at least have the balls to fight. As soon as Lancelot realized his strength, he gave up fighting.


    "And why should I let you live?" Liu Ye questioned coldly as he abandoned his Water Cloak to walk closer. "You wanted to fight me so here I am."


    His Mana was recovering rapidly so he began to whip them from above without mercy.


    -84


    -84


    -84


    Two whips pping them all momentarily caused chaos in the enemy lines. They swiftly ran back towards the King Scorpion Lair but Liu Ye didn''t let them breathe. He created an Ice Wall and jumped on top of their defenses to re at them from above like a God of ughter that came to kill them.


    "This is unfair! Look at the difference between our Levels!" Lancelot called out as he stood in front of his guild members. "I can''t even unlock the same abilities as yours so how can we fight you?"


    He created his ownrge Water Whip and added, "Also, I didn''t ask to fight you in a duel. I wanted our guilds topete for the next Dungeon instead."


    "What''s the difference? A fight is a fight," Liu Ye shrugged. "I prefer to fight directly and you already have the yer advantage. What else do you want?"


    The White Knights paled at his words but Liu Ye could still see high morale in their eyes. They prepared themselves for battle while Liu Ye was busy talking with their boss. Most of them were already damaged but Health Potions were healing them back up to full HP. If Liu Ye wanted to face them, he still had to kill 27 of them.


    "Are you sure you want to fight us? The game is still in the early stages. I don''t want either of us to cripple our grinding," Lancelot pointed out grimly. "I can still forgive you for the people you killed."


    Liu Ye had only one answer for him and it was an Ice Spear he created in his palm.


    "I think it''s toote for that, don''t you think?"

 Chapter 79 - One Versus Twenty-seven

    Liu Ye didn''t really have a choice. If he let all the White Knights leave, they could return back with a stronger army and kill him. Liu Ye was strong but he wasn''t some Immortal God who could face hundreds of yers on his own.


    At least not yet.


    "Damn it, do you really want the White Knight Guild to be hostile against your Guild? The moment you attack, it will be a done deal. I am giving you onest warning," Lancelot called out annoyedly but Liu Ye already knew what he was doing. He was simply stalling for time so all his yers could recover.


    Liu Ye wasn''t in a hurry though and simplyughed. "Haha, do you really believe our Guilds can be friendly? Everyone ispeting for the top so we are bound to sh. Don''t worry, I will wait for all of you to refill your HP. I don''t want you toter spread rumors that I was unfair to you guys or that I ambushed you. Now we fight on equal grounds."


    All the White Knights frowned. How could any of them spread rumors about their own death? It would naturally be better to simply stay quiet and ept it with dignity.


    Too bad, Liu Ye had different ns. If he didn''t show his strength to the world, there would be many top-rankers or bounty hunters who would try to challenge him. It was best to make them think twice before they decide to fight him.


    [Ding! You turned on Live Recording. The footage will be sent after the server closes.]


    When Liu Ye was talking with Xu Yue, he noticed an option to record and he didn''t hesitate to use it. Exposing some of his secrets wasn''t as annoying as other yers bothering him all the time.


    "So, are you ready to fight?" Liu Ye questioned calmly, wanting to put everything on the record. "One versus twenty-seven. Shouldn''t be that hard for you."


    He began to wrap his body with water which caused the enemy to anxiously raise their defenses.


    "Focus, everyone! He is just one against all of us! Go for the kill and don''t hesitate to use everything you got!" Lancelot announced as his team prepared to advance but Liu Ye was faster.


    The passage was small, only enough for 10 yers to stand next to each other so the real number of enemies was much lower. A water screen appeared in front of him and he started his assault with Ice Bullets. They shot randomly at the width of the passage which halted their advancepletely.


    "Walls up!" Lancelotmanded as Earthbenders stepped forward to create another barrier before it was their time to counterattack. "Fire!!!"


    White Knights were blinded by the Walls but that didn''t stop them fromunching an overwhelming assault. They bombarded the passage with everything they got but Liu Ye wasn''t concerned in the slightest.


    Earth Boulders? Water Jets? Fireballs? All of them missed the target as Liu Ye gushed water ahead of him and froze the ground which let him slide forward like a penguin.


    -33


    -25


    -28


    He was only hit three times by some random abilities but it was negligible and was quickly healed back up after gulping down potions. After bouncing off the walls with his legs, Liu Ye reached the Earth Walls before they even realized where he went.


    "He ran away!" White Knights pointed out while peeking through the empty holes, not expecting Liu Ye was right underneath.


    "Shall we chase after him?"


    "No, he simply backed away to dodge our assault but once we stop, he wille again," Lancelot exined as he ordered, "Move the walls forward to create more space and then create suppressive fire to stop his advance! He is after the King Scorpion so we have to get it before he can."


    "Yes, Boss!"


    The White Knights agreed eagerly but before they could even do anything, Liu Ye stood up abruptly and snuck Water Whips through the holes.


    "He is her¡ª"


    The Earthbenders didn''t have time to finish their warning as Liu Ye smacked them left and right.


    -84


    -84


    -84


    Their bodies mmed against the walls and Liu Ye swiftly hopped across the wall to greet them with his Ice ws. The White Knights''s high morale was momentarily shattered as they burst into pixels one after another.


    "Kill him!" They cried out in panic as they began tounch abilities at the shiny burst of pixels but Liu Ye was already moving elsewhere while mixing with other yers.


    Even though one could still see in the dark thanks to the bright moon, it couldn''t bepared to fighting in the daylight. Liu Ye was like a shadow dancing between the yers and used his Ice ws like five sharp knives at his disposal.


    "Don''t shoot! Attack Melee!" Lancelot scolded loudly as the ce became a literal shooting range. White Knights attacks only hit each other, causing many to suffer from burning.


    Liu Ye only managed to kill 15 of them before they followed his tactics and decided to fight him with their fists instead.


    "Three-time national boxing champion at your service!" White Knight announced as he raised his guard with Earth covering his fists. He seemed confident but unfortunately, this game wasn''t about boxing at all.


    Swoosh!


    -42


    -42


    -42


    Ice ws shot out from Liu Ye''s fingers and pierced all over the boxer''s body. They dealt the same amount of damage as Ice Projectiles but they were so much easier and faster to create. His 290 HP melted down instantly before he turned into mist, together with the confidence of the rest.


    "How does he deal so much damage?!" White Knights questioned in shock.


    "Eleven left," Liu Ye announced before shooting two spears at thest two lower leveled Firebenders. They tried to defend but their fireballs didn''t even halt the spear before it rag-dolled them back.


    "Nine."


    The follow-up announcement was like a nail in the coffin that made everyone take a step back. They went from 27 to 9 and Liu Ye didn''t even take one minute to clean them up.


    "How much do you want? I will pay you 20 gold for¡ª"


    Lancelot couldn''t finish talking as the Red Dragon eyes on Liu Ye''s outfit were on the move again. The nine of them had nowhere to run, why would he let them go?


    -84


    -84


    His Large Water Whips dealt so much damage with all the buffs applied and Liu Ye simply brute-forced against them. No matter what they sent his way, he dodged what he could while taking the rest head-on.


    "I will remember this!" Lancelot vowed, seeing he was thest one standing but Liu Ye only shrugged.


    "You are wee toe. Make sure you level up first though or else I won''t get any experience from you."


    [Ding! You killed a yer: White Knight Lancelot. You received 2,800 Experience and a yer Bag. Due to the difference of 7 levels, you earned 700 less Experience.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 27!]


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 27] [SP: 1]


    [Exp: 2,250/175,000]


    Liu Ye actually hoped to get more Experience but a surplus of 2250 wasn''t that bad. He swiftly added the new Skill Point into Intelligence and climbed the Earth Wall blocking the King Scorpion Lair. While he was battling the whole White Knight Guild, the team of NPCs was challenging the Field Boss without even paying attention to them.


    If he were to be honest, their situation was tragic.


    [King Scorpion - Lvl. 40]


    [HP: 12,424/30,000]


    [MP: 5,833/10,000]


    The King Scorpion''s HP only dropped by around three thousand while the team of 5 NPCs was on the verge of dying. Liu Ye couldn''t help but throw an Ice Spear at the giant scorpion as he jumped into battle.


    -102


    The damage of his spear was halved but that was still good enoughpared to the Bear King he faced with Avi. All he needed to do was strike one of its eyes once it reached 6,000 HP to execute it.


    "Who are you?" One of the NPCs called out warily but Liu Ye was already prepared.


    "Don''t worry, I''m here to help. One of your mothers paid me toe and help you. The olddy was worried that something bad had happened."


    They immediately ignored him after his exnation and focused on the King Scorpion who was already counter-attacking with his ws. One of them was close to being snapped in half but then he spewed mes from his mouth, causing the scorpion to back off.


    "Help us kill this bitch then!" he yelled while wiping his forehead from sweat. "It is afraid of fire so don''t get too close unless you can Firebend."


    He then nced at Liu Ye and added, "Don''t get distracted either or it will stab you with its poisonous¡ª Ahh!"


    Liu Ye wanted to facepalm seeing the King Scorpion stab his arm with its stringer. He was talking about being distracted only to get hurt himself.


    [Ding! The NPC you had to protect has been poisoned. If nothing is done within the next minute, he will die.]

 Chapter 80 - Venom

    "Damn, it got me!" the injured NPC cursed as he jumped back and immediately scolded his friends when they moved to help him. "Ignore me and kill it! You know I''m already dead!"


    All four of them turned grim before awakening their fighting spirits as they attacked the King Scorpion with pure anger. "Die!"


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but think it was all part of the Quest scenario. Or rather, a punishment from the Game AI for attempting to change its quest with his wits. Liu Ye didn''t n on losing his newly gained level though and rushed to the man''s side with the Ice Serpent already in his hand.


    "I can help you! Lower your arm!" Liu Ye ordered sternly as he grabbed the NPC''s wrist and cut off his long sleeve. The wounded forearm already darkened as the venom began to spread with the bloodstream.


    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to stab his dagger on the wound.


    "What are you doing?!" the NPC questioned angrily as he winced from pain but Liu Ye ignored him. He watched as the bloodstream froze while the NPC''s HP kept dropping 1% every second and sighed in relief when the darkening stopped.


    He knew that it could possibly cause some internal damage but that was all he had at his disposal.


    "Quick, drink it," Liu Ye hurried as he poured a Medium Health Potion in the NPC''s mouth and pulled out the Ice Serpent before the freezing moved up his forearm. The potion was nothing with the NPC''s 5,000 HP but it gave Liu Ye a few precious seconds he could use.


    [Zac the Sand Warrior - Lvl 35]


    [HP: 550/5000]


    [MP: 435/1300]


    "Don''t waste your time on me," Zac muttered weakly as his face paled. "There is no antidote for the King Scorpion''s venom. Just help my boys kill it¡­"


    "I froze the bloodstream in your forearm before the venom could spread. I will not let you die," Liu Ye assured as he waited a few more seconds before freezing him again. "Do you have some better Health Potions? I''m going to keep you alive till we can get you back to safety."


    Zac gazed at him speechlessly and looked down at his arm. Seeing the darkness of the venom stopped spreading, he suddenly regained some hope.


    "Yeah, I still have a few¡­" Zac replied as he reached to his pouch and drank a potion. Compared to his own, Zac''s potion recovered 100 HP every second which made Liu Ye wonder where he got them.


    Just as he was about to ask, Zac took a deep breath and informed, "If it starts to go out of control, just amputate my arm. I really don''t think we can reach the capital in time. If not for the venom, my arm will be useless due to being frozen for too long. I doubt the healers can bring it back to normal or even extract the venom."


    "This is out of the question," Liu Ye denied as he stabbed him once again. "I promised to bring you back safely and I will."


    Zac didn''t even feel the pain anymore as his arm was numb. It would be best if Liu Ye could just cut off the arm but the Game AI would definitely consider it as the quest failure.


    The situation with the King Scorpion wasn''t looking good either. Without Zac, the four Sand Warriors couldn''t even deal any damage as the giant scorpion kept dodging or smacking their abilities with its ws.


    "They can''t do it alone... I need to help them," Zac muttered to himself as he tried to Firebend with his other arm but Liu Ye quickly stopped him.


    "I will handle this."


    He had his own stash of new Mana Potions so he could spam abilities for hours. Every ten seconds he stabbed Zac with the Ice Serpent to keep his arm frozen before using the time in between to throw as many Ice Spears as he could.


    "Keep using the fire to force it back! I will slowly kill it with my spears!" Liu Ye ordered while hoping no other Sand Warriors gets stung. If that were to happen, he would be forced to abandon the quest on the spot and take the free first clear reward to cheer himself up.


    Thankfully, with each passing minute, the situation looked more and more promising. Liu Ye was able to chip away a 1,000 HP every minute, causing the Sand Warriors to get ecstatic.


    6000 HP!


    The moment Liu Ye noticed the King Scorpion dropped below 20%, he couldn''t help but share the NPC''s enthusiasm. He created one more Ice Spear, waited for the Sand Warrior to fire their mes and¡­


    [Ding! King Scorpion turned Berserk! It will no longer fear mes and attack without hesitation.]


    Liu Ye received a notification that suddenly changed the rules of the battle.


    Bang!


    King Scorpion jumped into the mes and smacked all four Sand Warriors with its ws.


    -500!


    -500!


    -500!


    -500!


    The hit alone took 10% of their HP and they mmed hard against the canyon walls. They couldn''t even get up when King Scorpion charged with its stinger ready to stab them to death.


    Liu Ye felt as if his time has slowed down when his body lunged forward. He tightened his grip on the Ice Spear and slid on the ice slide to close the distance faster. It was obvious he wouldn''t be faster but Liu Ye only needed a good angle to finish the job.


    He didn''t even have that ability mastered but he gathered his water and froze it in the shape of the ramp tounch himself in the air. When it came to his aim and hand coordination, he only knew Xu Yue who couldpete with him.


    All or nothing!


    The Ice Spear left his hand and flew in an arc above the King Scorpion. Liu Ye threw it in front of the target, expecting the King Scorpion to run straight into his spear. He was still in the air when the King Scorpion suddenly halted.


    "Fuc¡ª" He was already cursing under his breath when the King Scorpion dashed at the Sand Warriors with its stinger extended. It seemed too focused on its targets that it didn''t notice a small Ice Spear heading straight for its head.


    -5935!


    [Ding! You killed the King Scorpion. You received 13,000 Experience, 35 gold, Earth Stone, and a bottle of King Scorpion''s Venom. Due to the difference of 13 levels, you earned 3,000 bonus Experience.]


    That was the first time Liu Ye has ever seen such a big number of damage. It was lucky but who cares! The history was written by the winners!


    "Yes!"


    Liu Ye squeezed his fist in a victory stance as euphoria rushed to his brain but he quickly calmed himself down. Even if they killed the King Scorpion, the quest wasn''t over yet.


    Argh!


    Just as he thought about it and looked at Zac, he heard his scream filled with pain. The venom was slowly unfreezing itself and began to eat away on his arm. By the time he reached him, he was down on the ground with his arm all ck.


    "Hold on!" Liu Ye pped Zac across the face as he froze his arm again. The man was already half-conscious and his forehead full of sweat.


    "Zac! Don''t die on us! We already got revenge for you!" the Sand Worries cried out as they approached and looked at Liu Ye in worry. "Can you save him?"


    "I will do my best," Liu Ye replied positively despite having a bad premonition. He thought he had more time toe back for another treatment but the venom reacted much faster this time.


    "What ns do you have with that King Scorpion?" Liu Ye questioned after noticing they kept ncing back.


    "We nned to cut it to parts andter sell it as Potion Crafting ingredients," Sand Warriors spilled the truth, causing Liu Ye''s eyes to light up.


    "Alright, I need two of you toe with me while the rest can handle the King Scorpion," Liu Yemanded. "One will carry him while the other will feed him Health Potions to keep him alive."


    "Yes, Sir!" the Sand Warriors nodded eagerly and acted immediately.


    Zac was already unconscious but his HP was still stable. If he was in critical danger, his HP would slowly fall down in the same fashion as drowning.


    "Let''s hope he can survive the way back home¡­"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Alright, let''s have a moment of break. You are doing amazing but I don''t think this type of training can help you grow more."


    Watching Zhenzhen reach stagnation while training on the testing dummies, Katherine finally stopped it.


    "I think it would be better if I could try to heal other yers," Zhenzhen suggested. "How about I meet up with my brother and try on him?"


    Katherine paused as she hesitated. She wanted to stall their meeting until Avi could meet with them but it seemed like it was impossible.


    "Okay, let me check what he is doing," Katherine muttered as she opened her console. When she finally found Liu Ye''s profile though, her eyes shone with light.


    "Let''s go!"

 Chapter 81 - Little Bunny To The Rescue

    ''Fuck¡­ There is no way he is going to make it now¡­''


    Three healers worked their magic on the ck arm but they couldn''t stop the venom from spreading. It already reached Zac''s shoulder and even covered part of his chest. If not for the fact that it was his right arm, the venom would already reach his heart.


    Liu Ye was only disappointed as he stood on the side of the bed. He made the man survive a whole hour as they carried him home and now he was close to dying. Why did he work so hard?


    "Please, do something! He can''t breathe!" the Old Lady begged the healers but they only frowned at her.


    "Ma''am, we are doing the best we can but this is the King Scorpion''s venom we are talking about," the older healer exined as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "We are only beginner healers so we can only do so much."


    -50


    -50


    -50


    Zac''s HP was dropping at the max capacity already and he was only alive thanks to the Health Potions being constantly fed to him. Seeing that each healer only recovered 10 HP every second, Liu Ye couldn''t help but lose his hope.


    ''Healing seems pretty useless at the early stages but might be overpowered once mastered,'' Liu Ye wondered, hoping to at least get some knowledge out of it. The healers were Waterbenders since they were using water to heal the wound.


    Liu Ye searched his Elemental Tree and sure enough, he found Healing as one of the separate branches. Even though he had the required level, it seemed like he needed a quest to unlock it which was probably a pain to both find andplete.


    ''Oh well, I guess one can''t always seed,'' Liu Ye thought while finally epting defeat. Losing a level and 50 fame was annoying but at least he got some of it back.


    [Server Announcement! yer Grind God was the first to kill the Sand Canyon Field Boss: King Scorpion. Achievement Reward: 50 gold and 50 Fame.]


    [Server Announcement! yer Grind God was the first to Solo Kill the Sand Canyon Field Boss: King Scorpion. Achievement Reward: 50 gold and 50 Fame.]


    The announcements were stuck in his inbox this whole time and he finally epted them. Even if he failed the quest, he would still be 50 fame ahead.


    Liu Ye looked at Zac one more time and was about to busy himself with his 27 yer Bags when another notification pleasantly surprised him.


    [yer Little Bunny is now avable to contact.]


    Liu Ye swiftly opened the message box and noticed Zhenzhen was already typing.


    [Little Bunny: Big bro, we are outside. Let us in.]


    [Grind God: Outside?]


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows in confusion only to hear a knock on the door.


    "Who is this?" The Old Lady questioned and rushed to open the door. Sure enough, it was Katherine with a tanned beauty right behind her.


    [Little Bunny - Lvl. 10]


    [HP: 600/600]


    [MP: 1600/1600]


    Liu Ye was about to greet them when he shook his head in shock, for a second thinking that his vision was impaired. Zhenzhen''s Health and Mana was truly insane for someone of her level.


    "Big Bro! We are here to help," Zhenzhen called out happily and the Old Lady exploded with enthusiasm.


    "Are you here to heal my Son? Please, tell me you are here to heal my son," Old Lady pleaded as she grabbed Zhenzhen''s hands.


    She was taken aback by the sudden touch but before Liu Ye could step in to exin, Katherine nodded as she patted Zhenzhen on her shoulder. "That''s right, we were called by Grind God to help your son. Can you lead us to the patient?"


    ''Zhenzhen is a Healer?'' Liu Ye thought surprised. Was this the talent Katherine was talking about?


    "Are you really a healer?" the Old Lady asked excitedly and pulled them inside without any more questions. "Come,e, my son doesn''t have a lot of time."


    Zhenzhen only smiled assuringly at Liu Ye as she passed by him and walked towards Zac who was already barely breathing. His whole chest was ck and the venom was eating him from inside.


    "You are wee," Katherine whispered as she stopped by his side. "I brought her to save you."


    "You are totally cheating the game with her, aren''t you?" Liu Ye exposed, finding no other exnation for Zhenzhen''s boost of strength.


    He expected her to shrug off the question but Katherine didn''t hide it. "She is my pupil so of course I will spoil her a little. Don''t worry though, it won''t repeat again. The Game AI is already pissed off with me so I won''t be able to break the rules anymore."


    She winked at him and added, "You probably won''t see me in-game for a little while so I will leave her in your care."


    "What happened?" Liu Ye wondered but Katherine didn''t reply anymore and approached the rest.


    He couldn''t help but think that the Game AI wasn''t as simple as he thought. Wasn''t the game in control of the developers?


    Just as that thought crossed his mind, Liu Ye heard amotion from the kitchen.


    "All three of you, move away and let the better healer work," Katherine ordered coldly but the three healers immediately got offended.


    "Are you trying to say that she is a better healer than us?" the oldest healer questioned angrily. "Get out before you cause the death of our patient. You are disturbing our fo¡ª"


    He wasn''t able to finish as Liu Ye suddenlyshed at them with his Water Whip which threw them to the ground. They immediately looked up at him as if he just performed the worst crime yet he ignored them.


    "Do your best," Liu Ye wished as he gave Zhenzhen the scene to shine. He knew those three were useless so she was his only hope left.


    "Hai!" Zhenzhen nodded and covered Zac''s chest with her own water. It momentarily turned green and began to shine as she began to heal with full focus.


    Liu Ye found it hard to get used to her appearance but he could definitely see his sister in her. It was impossible to mistake Zhenzhen''s energy once you lived with her long enough.


    "How dare you!" the oldest Healer shouted as he stood up and red at the Old Lady. "Don''t ask us to evere to heal anyone from your family ever aga¡ª"


    "Shut up!" Old Lady cut him off sternly as she scolded, "All three of you couldn''t do anything yet one youngdy could do so much within seconds. Just look!"


    +100


    +100


    +100


    Zhenzhen healing seemed ten times more effective as she healed 100 HP every second. Zac''s Hp was slowly ramping up and soon recovered fully. There was only one problem though.


    "Why doesn''t the ckness go away?" Zhenzhen muttered as Zac''s HP kept dropping. Although she had stopped the venom from spreading, she didn''t seem to know how to revert it back to normal.


    The three healers immediately burst outughing. "Do you think that King Scorpion''s Venom is so easy to handle? Just cause you mastered Intermediate Healing doesn''t mean you can heal the patient. You can keep him alive but it takes years of practice to actually solve the problem."


    The Old Lady showed signs of hesitation as she looked at Zhenzhen which caused Liu Ye to step in. "As if you were doing better. The venom just kept on spreading further."


    "That''s because we were following the right procedures," the oldest Healer replied while rolling his eyes. "We had to first minimize the spreading before attempting to extract the venom. It''s almost impossible to destroy it inside the body as it keeps on replicating using human blood. One cannot repair the tissue unless all the venom is taken out."


    "Did you hear that Little Bunny?" Katherine asked at the same time as Zhenzhen''s eyes lit up.


    "I got it," Zhenzhen nodded eagerly and let her water sink inside Zac''s body. "I have been trying to heal from the outside but I have to do it from the inside instead."


    Just as she spoke, Zac suddenly shuddered and she withdrew her water. To everyone''s surprise, it was filled with a ck substance. Zhenzhen repeated the process multiple times and after the tenth try, Zac''s HP began to drop at a slower rate.


    Mhmm¡­


    Zac has been unconscious this whole time but he finally showed some signs of life, rendering the three Healers speechless.


    "Who is this girl..."


    They no longer raged but instead looked at her closely and watched her every move.


    -25...


    -15...


    -10...


    -5...


    The damage taken kept dropping until Zac didn''t lose any more HP and could actually breathe normally. Only then did Zhenzhen sigh in relief.


    "Where am I¡­?" Zac questioned as he opened his eyes and the olddy rushed to hug him into his arms.


    "Wait!" Zhenzhen stopped her just in time and informed, "Please let me finish first. I still need to repair his tissue or else he will get an infection."


    "Oh, okay," the olddy nodded and instead walked up to Liu Ye who was watching from the side. "Thank you for everything young man. I will definitely tell everyone about your bravery."


    [Ding! Quest Lost Son Completed! You received 500 gold, 10000 Experience, 50 Fame, and an Appreciation gift.]


    "It''s a pleasure," Liu Ye nodded and epted the gift box. He inspected it right away and found it was actually an outfit.


    "Oh, are you a tailor by any chance?" Liu Ye questioned curiously.


    "That''s right. Is there a problem with the gift?"


    Liu Ye shook his head and nced at the hard-working Zhenzhen. "No problem at all. I just wondered if I can change it into something that will fit my sister. I think she deserves it more."


    The olddy followed his gaze and nodded. "Let me see what I can do."

 Chapter 82 - Association Of Healers

    "See, I told you she has a talent," Katherine pointed out as she watched Zhenzhen in admiration. "Your sister will be a famous healer in the future."


    "Isn''t she just using her Healing Ability?" Liu Ye asked objectively.


    Liu Ye naturally believed in Zhenzhen but he didn''t know where Katherine''s confidence came from. Everyone could use any of the abilities instantly after unlocking. Did that mean all yers were prodigies?


    "What she did was different than simple healing," Katherine replied quietly. "Anyone can heal if they unlock the hidden ability but she actually surpassed her own skills and went beyond. That venom from the King Scorpion would normally only be healed by the Expert Healing. Despite being restricted by the game, she still seeded using her Intermediate Healing."


    "How?"


    Katherine shrugged in response. "I don''t know. It normally shouldn''t be possible but she somehow did it. I sent her here knowing it''s impossible for her to seed unless she pushes her limits and advances. I didn''t expect she would pull it off regardless and wouldn''t even need to breakthrough."


    "I see¡­" Liu Ye muttered while watching her sister at work. If he wished for her to be talented in anything, it would definitely be something like Healing.


    Even though it still forced her to stay near the battles, she didn''t need to fight personally. He could also keep her closer with him and watch over her which couldn''t be more perfect.


    "Alright, I''m done," Zhenzhen announced and finally pulled away from the table. "Try not to get in such a bad state again."


    Zac moved around his body to check his movements and acknowledged, "Thank you¡­ I don''t know how I can return the favor. You saved my life."


    "Oh, don''t worry, I was just trying to help," Zhenzhen replied humbly and gazed at her brother. "If anything, you should thank my brother for calling me over."


    Zac didn''t hesitate and walked up to Liu Ye before giving him a bear hug. "Thank you brother, if there is anything you want, just tell me. I owe you one."


    "Anything?" Liu Ye questioned as he pulled away from the hug. "To be fair, I helped you kill the King Scorpion and my sister saved your life. How about each of us will get a share from selling the King Scorpion''s parts?"


    He might be greedy but it was still a game and he did waste a lot of time on this quest. On another hand, he would probably never see them again anyway.


    Thankfully, Zac wasn''t offended at all and nodded, "Oh, you want the money? Sure, no problem. I will send each of you a share once we sell it."


    Zhenzhen walked up to Liu Ye and looked up at him from under the hood. She looked like she was expecting praise but before Liu Ye could say anything, the olddy came back with a white summer dress in her hands.


    "Miss, this is for you," the olddy presented the dress to Zhenzhen. "It should fit your size and provide much more protection than your current dress. It''s made out of silk from the local Sandworm. You will not get the same quality in othernds."


    "You can take it," Liu Ye assured as he noticed Zhenzhen''s hesitation. One could know she was just a pure kind soul when she didn''t even expect anything in return.


    Liu Ye couldn''t say the same about himself as all he thought about was the outfit''s HP. When Zhenzhen wore the dress though, he couldn''t help but widen his eyes.


    [Little Bunny - Lvl. 10]


    [HP: 1600/1600]


    [MP: 1600/1600]


    A whole 1000 HP was added into her Health Bar, evening up her HP and MP. Zhenzhen didn''t even notice it as she simply admired her new look.


    "Whoa, it''s so pretty! Thank you, Ma''am!" Zhenzhen eximed in gratitude and turned to Liu Ye while doing a spin. "Big Bro, how do I look?"


    "It fits you well," Liu Ye approved fully but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn''t help but ask himself a moral question.


    Would he wear something just for its stats?


    He imagined himself in a summer dress but his thoughts got disturbed by the three healers approaching hurriedly.


    "Miss, what you just did was amazing!" the oldest healer called out excitedly. "When the Association of Healers learns about your skills, they will definitely go nuts."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but frown at them. Didn''t they justugh at them a second ago? Did they have some memory loss orpletely discarded their shame?


    "I may not be high ranked but I would like you to join our Association. Not only can you improve your knowledge from our teachers but you can also help a lot of people!" the oldest healer introduced. "To make it even better, the Association will pay you just for joining us and you will earn even more each time you heal someone."


    "Oh, that sounds cool¡­" Zhenzhen nodded politely before taking a step back as she hugged Liu Ye''s arm. "Unfortunately, I have to reject your offer. I would rather stay with my brother."


    Although she was still smiling, her tone changed. It was no longer sweet as she switched to her official character. Liu Ye knew she was only acting sweet in front of him and cute animals while her persona at university waspletely different.


    "Why? Once your skills improve, you can help so many people. Our Association can help you with that," the oldest healer argued. "We are also the only ce you can get the healer''s license which allows you to legally earn as a healer. Otherwise, you won''t be able to open your practice in the Maind."


    "Then I won''t charge anyone, this way I don''t need a license," Zhenzhen replied casually before pulling on Liu Ye and Katherine''s arms. "We are leaving."


    She was clearly upset by how the healers mocked andughed at them earlier but she didn''t call them out in front of everyone.


    Too bad, Liu Ye wasn''t as kind as she was.


    "Are you sure you don''t want to join an Association?" Katherine questioned after they left.


    "No, I don''t like them," Zhenzhen shook her head. "I want to stay with Big Bro."


    She looked at Liu Ye fondly when he let go of her and returned back inside. "Give me one second. I will be back soon."


    The three healers were inspecting Zac''s body when he entered again and were surprised by his return.


    Although Liu Ye didn''t like them either, he understood that all things were ced in the game for a reason. He was sure that the Association of Healers would bring Zhenzhen great benefits and offer ways to improve. He wouldn''t mind her joining but the conditions weren''t as good as he would like it.


    "Did she change her decision?" the oldest healer asked with a smile.


    "No, but I have something to say," Liu Ye denied outright and demanded, "I want you to meet up with your president and tell him everything that happened here. I expect him to reach out to us with his own apologies and gifts. Otherwise, my sister will never consider joining your Association."


    All three of them burst outughing, changing their attitudespletely under the absence of Zhenzhen. "And why would he do that? Do you know who our President is? He is a Master Healer who serves directly under the Royalty. Even the King gives him respect and gives him anything he desires."


    A clever light shed in Liu Ye''s eyes as he quickly adapted his ckmail.


    "Oh really? I''m actually apanying Mazamut for a meeting with the Royal Family tomorrow. I wonder how will the King react when I tell him that a healing prodigy wasughed and mocked at by your Association," Liu Ye pointed out casually. "Just so you know, she awakened her healing abilities just today and it took her only a few hours to be better than all of youbined. I''m sure the King loves young talent like this."


    The three healers froze on the spot but Liu Ye didn''t wait to hear their excuses. "My sister will be waiting for your President''s apology. If I don''t hear it by tomorrow, I will have a lovely chat with the King."


    He left right after and joined the girls once again.


    "Why did you go back in there?" Katherine questioned curiously only to see three healers rush out of the house and run towards the higher district without even looking at them. "What did you tell them?"


    "Nothing much, I just told them the truth," Liu Ye replied mysteriously as he patted Zhenzhen on the shoulder. "They are going to inform their President about how great our Little Bunny is and he wille over with gifts. I expect them to meet us tomorrow so we are free to do what we want."


    "I will go wherever you go," Zhenzhen announced happily. "I can be your personal healer."


    "Sure, but first I have something to ask your teacher," Liu Ye muttered as he gazed at Katherine. "You said the Game AI is pissed at you and you can''t y tomorrow. Does that mean it will be blocking you from the game?"


    As soon as he asked the question, all the NPCs on the street nced at him secretly before looking away. It was so subtle that only Katherine noticed the change.


    "If I tell you, do you think I will be able to return in the future?"

 Chapter 83 - PK Players

    Liu Ye tried questioning Katherine to understand what she meant but she simply ignored it and focused on Zhenzhen.


    "Little Bunny, hear me out. I have to go now but you should continue training with your brother," Katherine suggested. "Using Healing will also bring you Elemental Points that you can use to unlock other abilities in your Elemental Tree. Instead of your Water Element though, I want you to focus on your Battle Spirit instead."


    "Oh," Zhenzhen acted as if she realized something and nced at her shoulder. "Talking about it, where is Puffy?"


    She tried calling for him but the blue sparrow did not appear.


    "He is here," Katherine replied and disyed a white crystal on her palm. "Thest time Puffy appeared in the Maind, he was using his own Mana. Now that you are his Master, you have to use your own Mana to summon it. If you require his assistance, just take out this crystal and call his name."


    [Spirit Essence Crystal]


    [A crystal containing rich Spirit Essence. It ismonly used for crafting or Potion Making. It can also be used to store Spirits.]


    [Spirit: Battle Spirit - Puffy]


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows at the crystal Katherine was casually handing out. His own outfit had two of them but they weren''t even one-tenth of its size. Just the crystal alone without the Battle Spirit should be worth thousands.


    "Puffy," Zhenzhen called out as soon as she received the crystal and it momentarily shone with light. The light formed into a shape of a bird and they soon saw Puffy flying around while chirping happily.


    "Did you miss me?" Zhenzhen asked yfully and extended her finger for Puffy tond. "Big Bro, this is Puffy. He is my best friend."


    Liu Ye felt strange greeting a bird but he had to give him some credit. "Thanks for taking care of my sister."


    To his surprise, Puffy nodded while puffing its chest proudly. It was definitely more than just a normal bird.


    -1


    -1


    -1


    Each second Zhenzhen lost 1 Mana but she didn''t seem to care much. Her Mana was so high she could easily keep Puffy outside for at least 26 minutes.


    "Puffy is a really powerful Battle Spirit so improve your Spirit Element first," Katherine exined further before ncing at Liu Ye. "If you don''t know what to choose, ask your brother. He is more experienced when ites to games."


    "That''s only natural," Liu Ye muttered as he patted Zhenzhen on the shoulder. He already nned to take care of her but now that she was so powerful, it was a no-brainer to take advantage of her strength.


    He could also boost her level and teach her at the same time.


    "One more thing," Katherine continued after looking at Zhenzhen seriously. "You will meet with a sweetdy tomorrow named Avi. I want you to trust her since she is there to help you. In case you are in danger, please stick to her."


    "Mhmm, I will."


    "Alright then, see you on the other side," Katherine said herst goodbyes and finally disappeared. They were still in the middle of the street so they couldn''t really talk too much in case any other yer overhears them.


    [Time left: 03:21:35]


    "Let''s go. We don''t have much time left so let''s make the best use of it," Liu Ye announced after noticing their time and pulled Zhenzhen with him. "You can y with Puffy on the way."


    He had so many potions that he wouldn''t deny her this bit of fun.


    "Where are we going?" Zhenzhen questioned curiously, causing Liu Ye to wonder that himself. The urge to test Zhenzhen''s Healing in battle was just too strong to disregard it.


    "We will get you a Permit and you will help me with¡ª"


    Liu Ye paused halfway through his sentence as he suddenly felt buzzing in his arm. He opened his profile and found that he had multiple unread messages from Xu Yue herself.


    [Queen of Chess: What happened? Did they disturb you in some way? Feel free to teach them a lesson just let me know how it went.]


    The message was sent to him right before he began his killing spree. It was then followed up with another message right around the time when he killed King Scorpion.


    [Queen of Chess: Congrattions babe! Are you in some trouble? How many White Knights did you kill?]


    [Queen of Chess: Hello? Babe? Are you there? Still busy?]


    [Queen of Chess: Probably busy¡­]


    10 minutester¡­


    [Queen of Chess: Text me once you are free.]


    50 minutester¡­


    [Queen of Chess: Now I''m pretty sure you are just ignoring me.]


    [Queen of Chess: I think I''m going to log out and visit you in your room~]


    Three minutester¡­


    [Queen of Chess: Come on, you are killing me... I want to know the tea!]


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but rub his temples to avoid a headache. When Xu Yue was curious about something, she would always be extremely persistent until she got what she wanted. Compared to other girlfriends who would simply pout, Xu Yue went the extra mile instead.


    He was about to call her to exin what happened when he saw thetest texts sent just seconds ago.


    [Queen of Chess: I think we need your help. We are fighting a field boss but some group appeared and they are threatening to kill us if we don''t give up the boss. They have a clear number advantage and surrounded us.]


    [Queen of Chess: Now they are clearly toying with us and wait for the boss to kill us. I don''t think we can survive this.]


    "What happened?" Zhenzhen questioned after noticing his change of expression.


    Liu Ye''s face naturally turned serious knowing his girl was being bullied.


    [Grind God: Coming. Send your location.]


    "Your big sis is in trouble. We need to rush to help her," Liu Ye exined as he quickly picked Zhenzhen up and began running while carrying her. "Hold tight!"


    Her speed was too slow for them so they had to cope differently.


    "Puffy, get inside. I will call youter," Zhenzhen ordered and recalled her Battle Spirit as they rushed through the streets of Expert District.


    Since his inventory was basically full of unpacked yer Bags, Liu Ye made a quick pitstop by the bank and deposited everything to free the space for more drops. If by any chance he died, he didn''t want to drop his Earth Stone either.


    [Queen of Chess has sent you her location. Would you like to pin it to the map?]


    They were near the entrance of the Teleportation Station when Liu Ye finally received Xu Yue''s location. It just happened they were near one of the main cities so they didn''t hesitate to teleport.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Damn, those bitches¡­" Xu Yue cursed as she red at the group of men blocking the Waterfall Cave''s entrance. They were only four of them but all were higher level than her and their names were red even before they attacked anyone.


    PK yers.


    She already heard some rumors of a Party that was running around and killing other yers but didn''t expect they would fall victims to them. Despite being four versus twenty, her group seemed so much much less experienced. The four men were simply dodging their skillshots whileughing and pushing them back to fight the Field Boss.


    "Miss, we have to either kill the boss or try to break through them. Maybe some of us with survive," one of her subordinates suggested. "There is no way they can stop all of us."


    "Let''s buy some time first," Xu Yue replied as she turned around to the giant brown bear behind them and added some damage with her own fireballs. "We are not giving up! Group one and two, attack the Boss! Three and four, stay with me. We won''t let some randoms push us around."


    She didn''t even need to tell them about her special reinforcements as their morale was still high. The only problem was the four men that kept trolling them around. They were constantly attacking them with long-ranged abilities but when Xu Yue counter attacked, she couldn''t do much to them.


    ''They didn''t learn those skills in games... It came from real life,'' Xu Yue thought as the men finally reacted to her decision.


    "My, my, we gave you so many chances to surrender but you don''t listen. I think we should stop ying with our food and start killing." A man with a star scar on his forehead suggested. "How about we leave the girl forst and enjoy her?"


    His three buddies onlyughed, clearly showing their stance.


    "Fire! Don''t let them get close!" Xu Yue ordered immediately as she gulped a Mana Potion. All she needed to do was stall until Liu Yees to save her but she knew how hard it will be.


    Swoosh!


    Twelve benders beganunching long-distance abilities yet the four men thought nothing of it and simply ran straight at them. The Airbender of the group began using wind to redirect their abilities while the rest ran behind him with their fists covered in their elements.


    This has already happened once before but Xu Yue had no other tactics avable. Once they let theme any close, they would instantly lose due to their superior martial arts.


    "Fire Stream!" Xu Yue ordered and suddenly filled the cave with mes. Other Firebenders joined her only to witness multiple earth walls raise up in front of their enemies.


    Fire did almost nothing against Earth, forcing her to withdraw. It once again came to the Melee battle but this time the four men were going for the kill.


    "Fuck off!" Xu Yue cursed as sheunched herself forward with her fire daggers in her hands but it was all for naught.


    "Whoa, so eager to fight," the star facemented yfully as his team split up to focus everyone else.. "Don''t worry, we will y with you soon too."

 Chapter 84 - Ambush

    The whole battle was a total disaster.


    Xu Yue kept chasing after any of the four men but they avoided her like a gue. Earlier she almost managed to kill one of them with a quickbo but her target was rescued by his buddies.


    "Miss Xu! Run away! We can''t beat the¡ª"


    One of her party members tried to warn her but before he finished, his face was sshed by a rock gauntlet. All of her men kept turning into pixels one by one until only eight yers were left. They were stalling the boss but then got trapped between two forces ready to y them.


    "Now it''s your turn~" the Star face announced as they ran towards thest targets.


    Xu Yue already knew this battle was a lost cause. When it came to melee battles, unless someone trained in real life, they would be easily outperformed by martial artists. Many yers were just normal students or adults who had no experience withbat.


    Watching the brutal scene, she couldn''t help but make a conscious decision to let go of the Field Boss and run. It would be fine if it was just one or two of them but Xu Yue couldn''t fight against all four of them at the same time. Liu Ye was nowhere in sight so that was her only choice to survive.


    ''Come on, pick up¡­'' Xu Yue thought anxiously as she called Liu Ye before jumping out of the waterfall cave. She rolled in the shallow waters of the pond and began to run towards the closest City.


    Too bad, she didn''t run away far when she heard three sshes of water as the three men followed closely behind her. "Where are you going, Miss? We are not done with you yet!"


    "Fuck," Xu Yue cursed just as her call connected.


    "I''m like two minutes away, where are you?" Liu Ye questioned in her mind.


    "I''m running towards you. They are chasing me," Xu Yue muttered quietly as she ran at full speed. "Three of them behind me, one is still killing my group."


    She looked behind mid-air while jumping down from a boulder and added, "They are faster than me. They will catch up in a minute."


    "Can you shoot a fireball in the sky? I want to see where you are at," Liu Ye suggested and she didn''t hesitate, firing up as far as she could. The area was filled with small mountains, rivers, and forests so she didn''t expect him to see anything yet he surprised her.


    "Okay, I can see you. Run to my location," Liu Ye ordered calmly as he sent her the map. "When you reach a blockade in around ten seconds, turn left and run up between the two boulders. Lure them inside the small valley."


    Xu Yue was about to question him, not recalling any valleys in the area but then she found a giant boulder blocking her way. She finally saw Liu Ye on the map and felt an unusual relief in her heart.


    "Did you cheat on your P.E. sses? Why are you so slow?" Xu Yue called out behind in disdain and turned left. She had to climb on natural stone steps before entering into a narrow pathway.


    Huh?


    Before she knew it, Xu Yue found herself in aplete dead end, surrounded by stone walls from all sides. When she tried to contact Liu Ye, he had already hung up, leaving her alone.


    The sounds ofughter came right after as three yers blocked the only exit. "You were so cocky just a moment ago but ended up trapping yourself. That''s so unfortunate."


    Their leader with a star scar on his face was left behind with the boss but Xu Yue knew how to lure him as well.


    "Oh, really? Do you think I would deliberatelye here without any n?" Xu Yue questioned yfully and brushed her hair back with confidence. "I''m not trapped here with you. It''s the opposite."


    Her words caused the three men to look around carefully. "You have some skills but that''s not enough to take us down."


    "Well, you better call for your boss cause I''m taking at least two of you down with me," Xu Yue replied as fire daggers burst out from her fists. "I recently leveled up and my inventory is empty, so you will get nothing from me. On the other hand, I will enjoy burning your faces to the ground."


    Despite looking confident before, the men suddenly lost their eagerness and one of them pulled out their profile. "If it was just us, we would simply kill you for exp but now that we called our boss, this won''t end so easily."


    Xu Yue simply ignored them, happy to stall for some time. She didn''t know what exactly Liu Ye wanted to do but she trusted his skills. If he was able to kill White Knights and steal their Field Boss, those four bitches wouldn''t be an issue.


    Huh?


    Just as she thought about it, she noticed something weird happening with the ground. It began to grow softer as if taking in water. She only took a short side nce at the walls and saw water slowly dripping down from the walls.


    It was hard to notice at first sight since everything in the Waterfall Valley was soaked in water but she could feel the ground underneath her filling up. Knowing Liu Ye was a Waterbender, it was obviously his doing.


    "Why are you doing this?" Xu Yue questioned, trying to distract them before they discovered it. "Do you enjoy killing and ruining other people''s fun?"


    "Fun you say?" one of them repeated with a dryugh. "Maybe for you it''s fun but for us it''s training. All yers are simply mobs and training dummies for us."


    "Oh really? I guess we are quite simr then," Xu Yue replied casually. "The only difference is that I kill a lot in real life."


    She expected them to be taken aback but they took it with a shrug as if it was nothing. Only people who lived in a simr environment like hers would not even react to her words.


    Xu Yue was about to question them more when she was cut off by the star face''s voice from a distance. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? Thanks for calling me, boys. I wouldn''t want to miss this chance to y with her."


    He walked into the passage and began to ogle her. "Miss Xu, how about you take off your outfit and grace us with your body? I might let you go if you entertain us like a good girl."


    Xu Yue cringed. "Is this how you picked up your boys at the gay club? To think that it worked and you got yourself a nice foursome. Amazing."


    The three men immediately frowned as they geared up to battle but Star face onlyughed. "You are spicy, I like it. I wish I could meet you in real life so you can say that to my face. Maybe it will happen in the future. We will hear how you trash talk at that time."


    "Do you think you can threaten me? I kill scummy men like you every other day," Xu Yue called out but star face only giggled unbothered.


    He covered his fists with water and announced, "I like how you can respawn every time you die. You should watch out where you are going cause this is not thest time we will meet. I will enjoy hunting you down a few more times for the words you just said."


    "Are you sure I will be the one being hunted down?" Xu Yue asked back as she pointed behind them. "Look behind you."


    "Do you think I will fall for that trick?" Star face rolled his eyes only to freeze when he heard a male voice behind them.


    "I hope you had fun ying this game because you are not going to enjoy it from now on."


    Xu Yue''s eyes shone with light when she saw Liu Ye walk coolly in a sexy Red Dragon outfit. She got excited but quickly calmed herself down, leaving the enthusiasm forter.


    [Grind God - Lvl. 27]


    [HP: 770/770]


    [MP: 130/130]


    Her confidence skyrocketed to the roof after seeing Liu Ye''s stats and already saw the four men as dead men.


    "Oh, what a coincidence. Is this not the famous Grind God?" Star face questioned while pretending to be calm but one could see he got tense. "It just happens that we wanted to meet with youter. To think that you woulde to us by yourself."


    Star face nced at his party and added, "Boys, you know what to do."


    They didn''t hesitate and suddenly lunged forward at Xu Yue with their fists ready. Too bad, they didn''t even make a few steps when a sudden blue sparrow flew past them and sat on Xu Yue''s shoulder.


    Xu Yue was readying herself for battle when they suddenly stopped advancing while looking around. She couldn''t help but get confused but quickly used the situation to run past them and join Liu Ye''s side.


    He didn''t pay attention to her though and instead walked towards the four men and asked, "I wonder how many deaths will it take to bring you back to level 1. Want to find out?"

 Chapter 85 - Black Coffin

    [ck Coffin Lust - Lvl. 20]


    [ck Coffin Pride - Lvl. 20]


    [ck Coffin Greed - Lvl. 20]


    [ck Coffin Wrath - Lvl. 20]


    All four took the same format like the White Knights and ced the name of their guild at the front of their names. They used the name of seven deadly sins and naturally, the perverted man with a scar had to name himself lust.


    "What a coincidence, we were wondering the same thing," Lust replied confidently. "Just because you are 7 Levels higher and have a better outfit doesn''t mean anything. This game is all about skills and coordination."


    "Oh really? Didn''t you see what just happened?" Liu Ye questioned as he pointed at Xu Yue. "I think my skills are superiorpared to yours."


    ck Coffins frowned, clearly fearful of the unknown.


    "Alright, I guess you have made your point," Lust agreed as he gave his buddies a nce. "Unfortunately, something came up just now and we will need to reschedule our battle. How about next Tuesday?"


    The ck Coffins didn''t wait for the reply and momentarily opened their profiles. They were obviously trying to log out on the spot but how could Liu Ye let that happen? He has been preparing for this moment this whole time.


    "How are we still in battle?"


    The ck Coffins questioned confused only to realize they couldn''t move their feet anymore. The water that was all around the ground suddenly moved up their legs and froze them to the ground.


    "Who said that level doesn''t matter?" Liu Ye asked casually as he poured even more water on the ground which sped up the process.


    "Fuck," Lust cursed and tried to stop the water crawling up his legs but it was a fruitless effort. They quickly realized they couldn''t do anything so they switched to offense.


    Fire Jabs mixed with Air Bullets but Liu Ye simply swiped with his water whips to deflect everything. Lust''s Waterbending got crippled when Liu Ye froze his waterskin while the Earthbender couldn''t operate when the ground was fully covered with ice.


    "If you are so strong, why don''t we fight fairly?!" Lust called out angrily as the Ice reached their chests. "You and me, one versus one. Only Water Boxing is allowed. If you don''t ept it, you are a pussy!"


    How could Liu Ye fall for such childish provocation? He ignored their useless talks and continued to freeze them until only their heads were free.


    "I knew you would be too scared to fight. Maybe you can shoot well but I am sure your martial arts are¡ª"


    Lust words were cut short as a ball of water wrapped around his face. All that came out were air bubbles as he struggled to break free.


    "Are you three going to trash talk too?" Liu Ye asked coldly and the ck Coffins shook their heads in silence. It seemed like they were more disciplined than their main spokesman.


    He turned them around to face the wall and finally nced at Xu Yue who had been watching him from the side in fascination. Even before he said anything, she took off her bandana and dove into his arms.


    "You were really hot right now¡­" Xu Yue whispered as she rubbed her fingers on his back. "Before you tell me what''s going on, I want to kiss you."


    Puffy had already dipped from her shoulder and flew towards the passage entrance where Zhenzhen was waiting.


    "My sister is watching," Liu Ye informed but he still took off his bandana for her. They were in the game so they didn''t have to pretend anymore.


    Xu Yue leaned closer immediately and imed his lips while hiding inside his hood. He expected to feel somewhat awkward but kissing in the game wasn''t any different than real life.


    "It felt good when you came so fast to save me¡­" Xu Yue pointed out, her breathing bing heavy as she teased him with her tongue. "Maybe I should let you save me more often."


    "Big sis¡ª Oh¡­" Zhenzhen called out to them but stopped herself in time, not wanting to disturb them. Xu Yue didn''t stop though and instead embraced his neck to hold him back.


    Liu Ye met the horny Xu Yue many times but this was the horniest she had been for a while. He had to forcefully pull her away while their tongues entwined even at thest second.


    "That''s enough for now," Liu Ye warned sternly but Xu Yue only pursed her lips while pulling away.


    "Let''s continueter then," Xu Yue suggested and walked up to Zhenzhen who was trying to avoid looking at them. "My, my, look at you with this tan. I guess we have to do some sunbathing tomorrow."


    Liu Ye let them busy themselves with each other while returning to bullying the bullies. He wouldn''t care much if they killed other yers since he was doing the same but Lust''sments towards Xu Yue were simply too much. Especially his threats which Liu Ye didn''t treat lightly.


    Cough, cough!


    Lust spat out water as soon as the ball broke and cursed, "Bitch, just kill us! Stop wasting time and get it over with!"


    "Oh, do you think this is the end? Did you expect me to kill you on the spot?" Liu Ye asked coldly as he turned the statues once again. "I nned to do some farming but you ruined my ns. I will enjoy killing you until you stop ying this game."


    The ck Coffins couldn''t help but turn grim as they could tell Liu Ye was serious.


    "That''s bullying and harassment! We will report you!" Lust cried out hatefully but that only caused the other three to roll their eyes.


    "Can you just shut the fuck for one moment?" Pride asked annoyed. "We are already tired of your bullshit. You make the situation so much worse."


    He then looked at Liu Ye and suggested, "Listen, us three did nothing aside from killing some of your Guild yers. Every insult came out of Lust''s mouth so how about you kill us once and then let us go? We will leave him for you to kill however many times you want."


    Lust got speechless for a moment only to almost explode with pure anger. "Bitch, what? Are you really going to bail on me right now? After everything we have been through?"


    "You have always been annoying and this was the final straw. We are done with you," Pride announced while the other two silently agreed. "Just shut up and take the consequences of your actions."


    "To think you would be ungrateful bitches like this. You want to survive without me? Sure, whatever. Good luck with that," Lust said as his face twisted into a grin. "But now that we are not together though, why would I protect you?"


    He gazed at Liu Ye with a crazed look and informed, "Don''t listen to them. They are trying to act innocent but they are just as bad. Once you release them, they will still try to kill you once they get stronger."


    Liu Ye sighed, expecting to learn some more when Lust got angry but it turned out to be a waste of time. For a second he thought this group targeted Xu Yue on purpose but he didn''t get any proof from them.


    "Do you think I care about your internal conflict?" Liu Ye asked and wrapped the statues with water. He made them copse on the ground and then made them slide behind them like sleds.


    "Let''s go," Liu Ye announced, making everyone confused.


    "Where are you taking us?" Pride questioned him but Liu Ye ignored them, following his n from the beginning. Why would he kill them on the spot if that would raise his PK Score?


    Xu Yue and Zhenzhen didn''t know either but they didn''t ask and simply followed behind him. They climbed up one of the hills and a few minutester, they got stopped by a warning.


    [ck Vulture - Warning]


    [yer entered the Death Zone. If you didn''t mean to enter, please return to the Neutral Zone.]


    [Death Penalty: -4 Level, 50 silver]


    "How did you know there is a dead zone nearby...?" Xu Yue asked curiously but Liu Ye only shrugged.


    "I didn''t. I just saw the nest from a distance so I thought it might be a Field Boss. I wasn''t wrong," Liu Ye replied while cing them to the side of the pathway. "Wait here."


    "Hahaha, look at you three. Don''t expect me to help you grind your level back! You are done for!" Lust called out inughter as Liu Ye threw them inside the Death Zone. "Come on, kill us. We deser¡ª"


    Liu Ye shut him up again, already annoyed by his voice.


    "This is not fair," Pridemented with a frown but Liu Ye only drank a Mana Potion in response and created two sets of Ice ws.


    "You act as if you didn''t group up on my girlfriend and try to kill her four versus one," Liu Yemented and stabbed him in the head.


    [Ding! You killed a yer: ck Coffin Pride. You received 3,200 Experience and a yer Bag. Due to the difference of 7 levels, you earned 800 less Experience.]


    He didn''t hesitate and stabbed the other four as well before withdrawing back to Xu Yue in a hurry.


    "Do you know any safe spots to farm in the area?" Liu Ye questioned casually.


    "Yeah, why?"


    "I will leave my sister with you and you will farm together so you can get some Experience," Liu Ye exined while taking off his outfit.


    "What about you?" Xu Yue asked back with raised eyebrows and couldn''t stop ogling his body.


    Liu Ye didn''t reply right away and instead sent her an invitation for a duel.. "I want you to kill me."

 Chapter 86 - Mere Inconvenience

    "Huh?" Xu Yue was taken aback by his request but then she looked at the details of the duel and nodded in understanding. "Alright."


    [Ding! yer Queen of Chess has epted the Bending Duel. You are free to duel now.]


    Xu Yue created two daggers out of fire and gazed at Zhenzhen, "Please close your eyes for a moment. We will meet with your brotherter."


    Zhenzhen only looked at Liu Ye worriedly and listened as she closed her eyes. She didn''tst long as they snapped open right after Liu Ye cried out in pain.


    "Big Bro!"


    -37


    -37


    Xu Yue ignored Zhenzhen''s worries and stabbed her daggers into his chest once again which immediately burned like hell. The Daggers applied burn but she didn''t let him suffer for too long. After a few more swings, his body turned into pixels and he returned back to the lobby with multiple screens in front of him.


    "Ouch," Liu Ye muttered as he rubbed his chest.


    He didn''t expect it would hurt this much during his second death but the pain was already over. Any leftover sensation was just his confused brain who still thought something happened with his body.


    [You have lost the Bending Duel and died. No penalties were issued.]


    Thankfully, he didn''t receive a time penalty for his death and was able to respawn right away. He wore his Red Dragon Outfit and soon appeared at the nearest Respawn to his death. His secret hopes of the Respawn being isted ended up in a failure as he immediately noticed two Station Officials overseeing the area.


    Just as in the Emerald City, the Respawn was present in the Teleportation Station but at the very least, it wasn''t located out in the open. Based on his previous experience with the Station Officials, they didn''t seem to cause problems as long as the right methods were used.


    "Excuse me, can I ask you for a favor?" Liu Ye asked as he approached the officials. "I''m a Bandit Hunter and I just happened to have a lead on four criminals. I hope you can assist me."


    He took off his bandana and lowered his hood to prove his identity and the NPCs immediately changed his attitude. They went from indifferent to interested which showed that Fame mattered.


    "How can we help?" Station Officials questioned politely but one could tell they had a somewhatzy approach. Anyone would be the same if they were asked to do more than they were paid for.


    "In a moment, four criminals will appear on this Teleport tform. I know it is illegal to kill in the city but I wish to capture the criminals and bring them to the Emerald City to be judged," Liu Ye exined as he withdrew two poaches with 50 gold each. "I hope that Sirs can pretend you don''t see anything while I finish my business."


    The two official''s eyes brightened at the sound of gold coins bouncing off each other and caught the bags skillfully. They checked if anyone was looking at them and quickly pocketed the bags without even checking its contents. "As the Station Officials, it is our duty to catch criminals. Don''t worry, you are free to bring them justice."


    They then turned around and ignored him as if they didn''t see him. He didn''t know how much he should offer for it to work so he probably gave them too much but it was still worth it.


    He spilled water all over the tform in preparation for the ck Coffins to arrive and they didn''t make him wait that long. As soon as someone began to materialize, Liu Ye attacked and froze their legs on the spot. If it was anyone else he would let them go but it turned out to be Lust who was too eager to get back in the game.


    "What the fuck!" Lust cursed while ring at Liu Ye. "How did you get here so fast?!"


    "Disgusting criminal! You will get punished for the people you killed!" Liu Ye called out loud enough for the Station Officials to hear him. "Save your words for the judge!"


    He knew the NPCs had permanent memories so it was best to stay in the character in case he repeated a simr stunt in the future. Lust didn''t have the chance to defend himself as his lips were sealed by a ball of water.


    A momentter, three more ck Coffins joined the pack, all frozen into statues. They didn''t even know how toment on his actions as they stared at him speechlessly.


    "You are going to regret this. You don''t know who you mess with," Pride finally replied and turned to the Station Officials who continued to ignore them. "Guards! This guy is attacking us in the city! Help us!"


    To their shock, one Station Official only nced at them in contempt and countered, "Who are you calling a dog? Criminals like you have no rights in this City."


    He then nced at Liu Ye and added, "Take them away before they rm others. There is an emergency exit to your left."


    Liu Ye acknowledged with a nod, "Right away, Sir."


    He didn''t wait and dragged them out one by one while chugging a Mana potion. He has been drinking a lot of them since Water Maniption drained his Mana too fast.


    "I don''t know what you did but if you kill us once again, I will find you in real life and¡ª"


    Pride tried to threaten him on the way but Liu Ye cut him off short. "I already lost count of how many people have tried to kill me. There are many who are still after me so you have to queue up."


    "You are too confident for some small-time Triad member," Pride replied annoyed. "The world is much bigger than you think. If you think that the Triad can protect you from us then you are mistaken."


    "I hope you wille back in the game once again after I kill you. I want to drop you down to level 8 before the day ends," Liu Yemented fearlessly. "Each time you enter the game, I will put effort into finding you and killing all the effort you put in the game."


    "..."


    His tone silenced thempletely. It was useless to threaten a man who didn''t fear you.


    Liu Ye finally freed lust from his water prison and informed coldly, "If you think that you can have revenge on me by killing back our Guild Members, just know I have more than one hundred thousand followers who will be willing to report your location everywhere in the Maind. There is no ce you can hide."


    "Just because we tried to kill your girl in-game, you will make us your mortal enemies?" Pride questioned. "You are insane."


    "Don''t tter yourself. You are only a mere inconvenience," Liu Ye replied unbothered. "Why would I let you recover and potentially bother me in the future? Right now I can kill you easily and I will continue to do so until you stop ying."


    "Do what you want," Pride muttered as heid his head t, no longer paying him attention. Even Lust stayed silent this time, probably tired of being drowned repeatedly.


    One thing Liu Ye didn''t understand but he knew they wouldn''t tell him anything. They clearly knew who they were and they still challenged them. It could only mean they had a backing in real life that allowed them to be this cocky.


    Were they also part of them?


    The name Master Yang popped up in his mind. He didn''t really have any proof and it could all be a pure coincidence but so many people wanted to kill him recently that he couldn''t help but get suspicious.


    Liu Ye didn''t care who came his way. If they tried to hurt people he cared about, they were in for some true pain.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Bastards! Stop ying around! You can''t kill me!"


    As soon as Lust died again at the hands of Grind God, he quickly logged out but he couldn''t escape in time. His three buddies already blocked the door to their apartment and aimed their guns at him.


    "This is all your fault. Because of you, our mission given by Master Yang failed," Pride replied coldly. "We were simply aiming to test his strength in case he arrived and you fucked it up. We would get away yet you had to lust over his girl."


    "Come on, he is so petty that he would still kill us," Lust argued, trying to calm them down. "Also, he will probably be dead by tomorrow so why do you care? Master Yang already told us that he is being taken care of."


    "And what if he doesn''t?" Pride questioned sternly and finally put down his gun. "You will go to Master Yang yourself and exin what happened. We won''t take the me for you this time."


    "Fine, fine, whatever you say," Lust agreed eagerly and the situation finally calmed down.


    At least that''s what the other three thought.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    As soon as they busied themselves, Lust took out his own gun and fired three bullets straight in their heads.


    "Bitches¡­ That''s what you get for messing with me."

 Chapter 87 - Extreme Training

    [Ding! You killed a yer: ck Coffin Pride. You received 1,100 Experience and a yer Bag. Due to the difference of 11 levels, you earned 1,650 less Experience.]


    "So little?" Liu Yemented as he saw how much experience he was getting. Now that they dropped to level 12, he would get 0 experience for each additional kill so there was no point wasting time on them.


    From the very start, he didn''t n to chase after them anymore but it didn''t hurt to scare them a little. Liu Ye would still kill them if they messed with him but if he spent all the time on them he would fall behind. He couldn''t give others the chance to beat him.


    Huh?


    Liu Ye was about to open his profile to message Xu Yue about their location when he received a notification.


    [Server Announcement! Party by Queen of Chess was the first to kill the Waterfall Valley Field Boss: ck Bear. Achievement Reward: All yers received 5 gold and 5 Fame.]


    He expected Xu Yue to go grind with Zhenzhen and forgot that she was actually in the middle of killing the Field Boss before anything happened. As much as he wanted to finish the ck Vulture, Liu Ye was more interested in Zhenzhen''s power instead.


    "Big Bro, are you okay?"


    When he reached their location, Zhenzhen called out as soon as she saw him and rushed to him to check for his wounds. She only calmed down when she realized he was fine. "Please don''t die again. I don''t want to see you die."


    "It''s okay, now that I have a Little Bunny with me, she will protect me," Liu Ye assured while pinching her cheek and Zhenzhen took it seriously.


    "I won''t let you die, ever," Zhenzhen promised just before Xu Yue''s yers exploded with cheers at his sight.


    "It''s Grind God!"


    It turned out Xu Yue''s yers who died earlier were also together with them so Liu Ye passed on the stolen items for Xu Yue to distribute. All he left for himself were some crafting items he could need in the future before giving everything else to Xu Yue.


    "It would be great if we could create a storeter to sell our items," Xu Yue suggested casually while looking at all the potion stacks in her inventory. "Let''s get the Guild set up first."


    Only Zhenzhen had two necessary Elements but so Liu Ye had to boost her. It would be best if she killed all the monsters on her own but kill stealing was much quicker in her case.


    "Sir Grind God! Will you join us in farming? We still have some time left."


    Xu Yue''s yers were still excited to y with him but when they grouped up around him, Liu Ye suddenly took his girls and dipped. "Maybe some other time. Try to level up first."


    They were speechless by him running away with the Zhenzhen and Xu Yue in his arms but he didn''t wish to waste more time.


    "Are you going to carry us like this?" Xu Yue questioned after he didn''t let them down even when they lost sight of others.


    "You are right, it''s notfortable," Liu Ye replied and ced them down. "Little Bunny, get on my back."


    Zhenzhen''s eyes brightened and she jumped on top of him while wrapping her legs around his waist. It was not the first time she rode piggyback on his back as they did it since they were kids.


    "Don''t get too excited," Liu Ye pointed out as he noticed Xu Yue''s expression. "I''m only doing it because you decided to put so few points into Dexterity. How can you be so slow?"


    "Oh,e on, I have 8 points less than you. Of course, I will¡ª"


    Liu Ye cut off her excuses and picked her up like a Princess. "If you tease me, I will drop you."


    He dashed away immediately after the warning and Xu Yue pursed her lips. "Are you going to drop your girlfriend?"


    Liu Ye only shrugged. "Not on purpose, but if you distract me, I might trip on a rock and have to drop you to catch bnce."


    Xu Yue has been too open since they went back together so she sometimes needed a small correction. He still felt weird going back to how they were in the past so he would rather take it slow.


    Tch.


    Xu Yue didn''tment on that and busied herself with chatting to Zhenzhen. It turned out that she didn''t expose her healing in front of others yet which couldn''t be better. There was something he wanted to try with it but that required arge number of monsters.


    "Little Bunny, how much damage does your Puffy do?" Liu Ye questioned as he began to notice level 25 monsters in the distance. The sun was still not fully up so they were still in hunting mode.


    "I think I saw it was 100," Zhenzhen replied unsurely.


    "Tell him to attack every monster he sees but only once," Liu Yemanded and she repeated the order.


    With Liu Ye''s speed, nothing at this level could catch up to him so they lured every monster in the area. When Zhenzhen saw more than fifty monsters running behind them crazily, she tightened her grip around his neck.


    "Maybe we should get more..." Liu Ye muttered while circling his prey in the open grass field. When luring monsters, it wasmon that one had a different speed than the other so he had to correct the difference in distance from time to time.


    Zhenzhen wasn''t a fan of his tactic at all.


    "I think that''s enough... I''m scared," Zhenzhen expressed and he finally stopped. The constant roaring behind them didn''t bother him at all but she was shivering.


    "Don''t worry, I''m with you," Liu Ye assured her and dropped Xu Yue off on the side while luring the monsters away. "Just hold tight and focus on healing me the whole time so I don''t get hurt. I will handle the rest."


    When the word ''hurt'' reached her, Zhenzhen momentarily snapped out of her fear and she withdrew water into her hands. "I''m ready."


    It was time for a counterattack.


    Water covered Liu Ye''s arms and he pped the monsters with his Large Water Whips.


    -59


    -59


    -59


    He chunked them multiple times only to deliberately get hit. The monster''s teeth sank into his legs, causing him to hiss in pain.


    -100!


    -100!


    "Ah!" Zhenzhen eximed anxiously and instantly healed him back to full health. He didn''t even need to see to know she was both worried for him and angry at the monsters.


    "Puffy! Attack!"


    She called out for backup and the blue sparrow appeared out of nowhere to bite on the pack of wolves at the front.


    "Don''t forget to manage your mana!" Liu Ye reminded as he jumped back to change his position. "Drink Mana Potions every twenty seconds. I will be fine, I promise."


    This whole battle was meant to teach her the game under extreme conditions. ying with him would never be safe so he had to train her well before he could leave her alone for even a split second.


    "Don''t stay too close! They are hurting you!" Zhenzhen warned after a full minute of pain but Liu Ye continued to get bitten.


    Even though she hated to see it, this was the best method to improve her Elemental Mastery. Not only was she using healing which was part of Waterbending but also her Battle Spirit which was part of the Spiritbending.


    "I''m all fine," Liu Ye kept assuring her while being focused on kiting. "Let me know when you hear a notification. You need to unlock new abilities."


    "I already did," Zhenzhen replied unhappily.


    "Alright, show me what you can unlock," Liu Ye proposed. He has already lowered all the monsters to under 1000 HP so he didn''t hit them anymore.


    Zhenzhen struggled to move in her position but Liu Ye supported her by the thighs. She eventually opened her profile and the window appeared directly in front of his face.


    [Spirit Pierce]


    [Description: Ability exclusive to Battle Spirits. Your Battle Spirit can pierce through an opponent in its Spirit form.]


    "Unlock this one," Liu Ye chose quickly and it turned out to be a clutch ability.


    Puffy brightened with light and he grew in size ever so slightly. His body shone with light and instead of biting, it went directly through every monster one by one.


    -100


    -100


    -100


    Each time puffy dealt 100 damage and 10 Mana was drained each second. It would seem a lotpared to the damage output if not for the fact that they had 50 enemies grouped up together. Each second Puffy flew past multiple monsters, slowly butchering them all.


    Looking at the sudden massacre, Liu Ye felt lucky Zhenzhen was on his side.


    [Ding! You received 4400 Experience for your damage dealt to: Fire Wolf.]


    [Ding! You received 4400 Experience for your damage dealt to: Fanged Cat.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 28!]


    His notifications piled up in his inbox until all monsters were killed. To his surprise, he even leveled up from this training which wasn''t even his n at all.


    Too bad, despite the sessful mission, one person wasn''t happy at all.


    "Big Bro," Zhenzhen muttered as she dropped from his back and turned him around. She stared him down upset and hugged him as tight as she could.


    "I''m not dumb...."

 Chapter 88 - Its Happening

    "I don''t like how you are hurting yourself on purpose so I can train my healing," Zhenzhen expressed in frustration. "I can hear you are in pain and I hate it."


    Liu Ye rubbed her back to calm her down. "Everything is alright. We will only continue till you are level 20 and then we will stop, what do you think? It doesn''t even hurt that much and itsts for less than a second."


    "The fact that you are doing it for me is making it worse. I don''t want to improve faster if that means hurting you," Zhenzhen replied sternly and gazed into Liu Ye''s eyes before he even said anything. "This is not negotiable."


    "What is the problem?" Xu Yue questioned as she reached their position.


    Zhenzhen didn''t spare him and announced, "This dummy wants to hurt himself on purpose so I can train faster. I can hear him hiss in pain every time he gets hit and I hate it.."


    Liu Ye thought that Xu Yue would understand him and say it wasn''t that big of a deal when she instantly frowned. "What? How are you feeling pain?"


    "I mean, isn''t it how the game works? You feel a bit of pain when you get hurt in-game," Liu Ye questioned while raising his eyebrows. "It doesn''t disturb me though since you only feel it for¡ª"


    "Wait, wait, wait, hold on," Xu Yue stopped him right there while her expression turned into shock. "Are you trying to tell me that you have been feeling pain each time you get hit? So when I killed you earlier, you felt as if you were burning and dying?"


    "Isn''t that normal?" Liu Ye replied back with a question only to get shocked himself. "Hey, why are you crying¡­? It''s not that big of a deal. Don''t you feel the same?"


    Xu Yue''s eyes were watering but after his question, she started crying with her lip shivering. She reached out and pulled his head into his chest while caressing him gently.


    "I''m so sorry baby¡­ I didn''t know¡­" Xu Yue muttered in a pained voice. "I should have noticed earlier¡­ I can''t imagine I made you go through so much without realizing anything."


    She pulled him up and kissed his confused face. "You didn''t go through the tutorial or explore the settings in-game, did you?"


    "Well, I didn''t have time so I skipped it," Liu Ye replied honestly. "Why? Don''t tell me you don''t feel any pain in the game?"


    "Fuck¡­" Xu Yue cursed under her breath and ordered, "Go into your profile settings and check for yourself."


    Zhenzhen was already tearing up hearing them talk so he quickly opened the settings and sure enough, one of the tabs was named Character Settings. When he opened it and saw he could adjust his pain value, Liu Ye almost flipped.


    He has been ying on 50% default this whole time.


    "So that''s why no one else was acting like they were in pain¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he rubbed his temples. It was quite stupid but he couldn''t go back in time anymore.


    He didn''t hesitate and adjusted his pain value all the way to the lowest 5%. Compared to 50%, that would mean 10 times less pain.


    "It was the first and most important thing shown in the tutorial. I should have expected that you would skip it," Xu Yuemented while Zhenzhen simply dove into his arms again, unwilling to let him go.


    "I guess it is my bad," Liu Ye admitted as he hugged them both. "Don''t worry, I''m already used to the pain so it didn''t bother me that much."


    His words only made Zhenzhen tighten her grasp and he couldn''t get free until minutes afterward.


    "Anyway, let''s continue. Let''s move to the higher-level zone. We already cleared the monsters from this area," Liu Ye announced, already eager to return to battle. "Now that I don''t feel much pain, there shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    Humph!


    Zhenzhen pretended to pout but she quickly cheered up with a couple of tickles. She knew Liu Ye would do anything for her so it would be impossible to stop him.


    "Alright, let''s get you two a few more levels before we leave."


    Liu Ye didn''t take any Experience this time and gave out everything to the girls. Although it took them longer to kill, they were getting better from minute to minute. By the time the servers were about to close, Puffy was a one-man army that no one could touch. The only choice for the Monsters was to kill Zhenzhen to stop it but Liu Ye was there to protect her.


    "Ahh¡­" Liu Ye breathed out deeply after taking off his helmet. "That was a long day."


    He wasn''t even a bit tired but he still felt weird after leaving a game. He was asleep while ying but he was technically active for thest three days without any break. It seemed like he would have to get used to his vivid dreams from now on.


    The sun was already up so Liu Ye decided to get up from the bed only to stop halfway after noticing a bottle of water on his nightstand. He hesitated for a moment but then extended his arm at the bottle with a familiar motion.


    The bottle didn''t even budge.


    He tried even harder and used all of his focus on the bottle in hopes to see even a bit of movement in the water but again, nothing happened.


    "What am I doing¡­?" Liu Ye muttered to himself as he rubbed his eyes to get read of his crazy thoughts. Katherine''s words caused him to believe he can awaken in real life and now he couldn''t get it out of his mind.


    He finally got up and took a cold shower to get his mind right on track. Too bad, the water couldn''t stop bothering him.


    ''Why can I feel it but can''t move it?'' Liu Yemented as water passed through his fingers. Just like yesterday, he could feel some connection with the water but this time it was much stronger.


    It felt too surreal to give up on it so even after he left his room to meet the girls, Liu Ye took the bottle with him to try some more. He had nothing to lose and no one could read his mind to think he was crazy.


    "Good morning," Liu Ye greeted as Xu Yue opened the door and she immediately pulled him inside. She was only wearing her sexy ck lingerie when she wrapped herself around his body and began to kiss him on his neck.


    "You have a lot of energy this early in the morning," Liu Yemented as he held her naked waist. She looked like she was drugged with some horny pills that made her obsessed with him.


    "You smell nice¡­ I want to eat you," Xu Yue expressed seductively and glided towards his lips. She was suddenly going all out while slipping her hands under his shirt which forced him to halt her.


    "Wait, where is Zhenzhen?" He questioned while pulling her away. She didn''t reply quickly and instead drew him towards the sofa and forced him to sit down.


    "She is in the bathroom, showering," Xu Yue replied casually and climbed on top of him. "Don''t worry, she is not going to see us."


    "Listen, this is not the time for this," Liu Ye informed but she continued to kiss him all over. He was finally forced to ce his water bottle to the side and tossed her on the sofa to pin her down.


    "What''s going on?" Liu Ye questioned as he noticed her looking at him with burning desire.


    "I don''t know why but I am so horny today," Xu Yue exined while breathing heavily. My whole body feels like it''s on fire and a cold shower didn''t help at all."


    Huh?


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes as he checked her temperature and sure enough, she was burning. "Did you get sick?"


    "I don''t think so," Xu Yue shook her head. "I feel fine aside from the fact that my body is begging for you."


    He couldn''t help but reach down between her legs and she was clearly soaking wet as if she just left the shower.


    "Ahhh, there¡­" Xu Yue moaned loudly and grabbed his arm. "Hold it¡­ It somehow feels refreshing when you touch me. Seems like you can extinguish my fire."


    "Wait¡­" Liu Ye suddenly looked at the water bottle on the coffee table and had a realization. "Maybe it''s because you master Fire in the game?"


    Xu Yue froze momentarily as she looked at him in surprise. "Do you think it''s happening already?"


    He pulled himself up and grabbed the bottle. "You mean the awakening? I have been trying all morning but I can''t seem to move it."


    He opened the bottle to show her but once again nothing happened.


    "Let me try¡­" Xu Yue muttered but no matter how many times she tried, no mes came out of her palm. "I guess I haven''t awakened yet, but the mes in my body..."


    "So it''s real?" Liu Ye questioned but Xu Yue wasn''t able to reply.


    They suddenly heard Zhenzhen''s scream from the bathroom.

 Chapter 89 - Bathroom Accident

    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to dash towards Xu Yue''s bedroom and knocked on the bathroom door. "Zhenzhen! Are you okay?"


    With all the unknown of the changes inside their bodies, anything could happen to them. They didn''t hear any reply but Liu Ye still didn''t barge inside knowing Xu Yue was right next to him.


    "Move, I will go in," Xu Yue announced as she shoved him to the side and she entered on her own. Only a second after he heard a happyugh which caused him to rx.


    His heart was beating like crazy but when he sat on the bed, a sudden chilling feeling spread throughout his body and calmed him down. He blinked a few times as he checked his heartbeat and sure enough, his blood was flowing normally again.


    ''Is this my passive ability¡­?'' Liu Ye wondered, realizing the human body would never react this fast. His body was even more agitated whenever Zhenzhen was in possible danger so it wasn''t as easy to calm himself down.


    Everything was still a theory but it seemed like Firebenders could regte the heat in their body while Waterbenders could influence the flow of their blood..


    "Babe, you can enter inside now," Xu Yue called out as the ss door opened and he didn''t hesitate to enter.


    "What happened?" Liu Ye questioned as he searched for danger around the bathroom only to spot a small squirrel sitting on top of Zhenzhen''s shoulder. "Of course¡­"


    "Big bro, I am sorry for worrying you," Zhenzhen apologized as she secured the towel on her chest and introduced the squirrel on her shoulder. "It''s all because of this naughty boy. He jumped on me while I was showering so I was scared for a second."


    "It''s okay, as long as you are safe," Liu Ye nodded and headed back towards the exit. "You can finish your morning routine while I wait in the office."


    "Wait, there is something else I want to tell¡ª Ah!"


    When he turned around to respond to her, Zhenzhen was already falling down at him after slipping on the wet floor. He caught her in time and judged her with a gaze.


    "How many times did I tell you not to run in the bath¡ª"


    He paused halfway when he saw the squirrel hanging down on the edge of the towel. Before he could do anything, it struggled and pulled down on Zhenzhen''s only cover.


    Even though Liu Ye closed his eyes right away, the image of her naked body was still vivid in his mind.


    "Big bro¡­" Zhenzhen muttered shyly and he let go of her while trying to be casual about the ident.


    "We can talk about your matter once you are done, okay? I will wait outside," Liu Ye replied and left without saying anything else. It would be better to leave the aftermath to Xu Yue instead.


    ''Damn¡­ Hope it won''t affect her much¡­'' Liu Ye cursed as he shook his head to throw the forbidden images from his mind.


    Although it wasn''t that big of a deal for him, he knew that Zhenzhen could take it differently. He would be stupid if he didn''t notice the feelings she roused for him over the years. He didn''t know what to do about it earlier so he simply left it as it was.


    It seemed like he couldn''t ignore it anymore.


    "So it''s really happening?" Liu Ye muttered as he postponed the matter with Zhenzhen to look at the bigger picture.


    What more did he need than seeing all three of them changing. It was clear proof that something was happening and he needed to figure out how to control it.


    ''Do I need some kind of trigger to awaken?'' Liu Ye thought while ying with the water in the bottle. Liu Ye thought he could ask Xu Yue to attack him but he knew that wasn''t enough.


    Deep down he knew that she wouldn''t hurt him so it wasn''t enough.


    "Babe, we are ready."


    The girls came out of the bedroom as he was deep in thought and he was surprised to see Zhenzhen wear one of Xu Yue''s qipao dresses. It was white with red roses and tightly wrapped around her waist. Despite being modest in design, one could see all her curves underneath.


    When their gazes met, Zhenzhen blushed and looked down while straightening her back. Liu Ye couldn''t help but joke around to release the tension in the room.


    "I don''t think I match your style," Liu Yemented as he looked down at his simple shorts and ck shirt. "Should I wear a suit? You both look beautiful while I look like I work here."


    "I don''t think you do," Xu Yue replied with a smile as she pulled him up from the sofa. "If you worked here you would be in your uniform."


    "That''s true," Liu Ye nodded and turned to Zhenzhen, "What was it that you wanted to tell me earlier?"


    "Uhm, it''s¡­" Zhenzhen tried to reply but suddenly got stuck and Xu Yue came to her rescue.


    "She said she felt some connection with that squirrel as if it tried to talk to her. She didn''t understand anything though but you can guess what it meant," Xu Yue exined as she embraced Zhenzhen by her waist. "Shall we go eat something? I''m starving."


    "Mhmm, me too¡­" Zhenzhen nodded and mustered her courage to face Liu Ye''s gaze. "Let''s go big bro."


    "I''m right behind you," Liu Ye replied with a warm smile. She blushed again and walked out with Xu Yue while pping her face as if to wake up.


    Zhenzhen''s problem was the least troublesome as they had to face a much bigger threat. Not only will tens of Bounty Hunters try to kill him in the near future but Master Yang also sent one of his men who was supposed to arrive in the morning. He had Xu Yue support but unless he got her father''s assistance, it could be problematic.


    Just as he thought about him, it turned out that Leader Xu and his wife were already sitting by the kitchen table while eating their breakfast. When they saw them arrive, Leader Xu threw him a stern gaze while pausing his feast.


    "It''s good that you all came. We were just talking about you."

 Chapter 90 - The Truth

    "Oh really? That''s great because I also want to talk about something," Xu Yue replied first as she led Zhenzhen to the table. It would be best to avoid this talk near Zhenzhen but there was also a plus of having her nearby.


    "Good Morning Sir Xu," Zhenzhen bowed to the family head politely before even sitting down. "Thank you for letting us stay in your vi. It has been nothing but pleasure."


    She then gazed at Xu Yue''s mom who looked like an older version of her and bowed as well, "Good Morning Mrs. Xu. Looking at how pretty big sister is, I knew you would be a shiny star as well."


    "Aww, you are such a sweetheart," Mrs. Xu muttered as she pursed her lips and invited her to the table, "Come,e, sit down and eat. You can ask our chefs to cook anything you want. There are also some prepared dishes if you want to try them."


    "Thank you, Mrs. Xu," Zhenzhen acknowledged and sat down gracefully. "I am feeling like eating some strawberry and chocte pancakes. If I may ask for one of course."


    "Of course," Mrs. Xu nodded with a smile and simply nced at the chefs who were busy in the kitchen. They immediately began to prepare the order as per her wish.


    Both Xu Yue and Liu Ye were surprised how quickly Zhenzhen lifted the mood in the dining room. Even Leader Xu was nodding in approval of her act.


    "What will you do about Master Yang''s messenger?" Xu Yue questioned as Liu Ye pulled out a chair for her. "I hope I can count on you."


    Leader Xu slowed down his chewing on the dumpling in his mouth and wiped his mouth. He watched Liu Ye sit down next to his daughter and announced, "We of course can''t let our sweet Zhenzhen lose her brother so I will help but I and your mother want to know the truth."


    A sudden silence filled the room but Liu Ye was already prepared for that. Leader Xu wasn''t dumb and they were bound to finally notice that something was between them. Xu Yue wouldn''t treat anyone else like she treats him.


    "The truth about?" Xu Yue broke the silence to get the more specific information and Mrs. Xu replied in her husband''s stead.


    "It''s about you two. We want to know if you are secretly dating," she exined while sipping water. "Maybe your father has different views and values but I talked to him yesterday. We know you are someone who will follow her own path and we just want to support you. I don''t want to lose my daughter because of such a silly reason."


    "Is that true dad?" Xu Yue questioned while casually cing food on her own and Liu Ye''s te. "Will you let me handle my own love life and stop forcing me to meet those losers from other rich families?"


    Leader Xu''s eyelid twitched at that question but before he replied, Liu Ye spoke first.


    "We are indeed dating."


    It already came down to such talk so Liu Ye could only be a man and admit it. He wasn''t the type who would stay silent and not take responsibility for his actions.


    "But we are not hurrying anywhere," Liu Ye added right after. "We are still young so we want to take it slow. Right now we are mostly focused on solving the current crisis so if Leader Xu has any questions about our future, I can''t answer them since I''m not even sure if I will live till tomorrow."


    "Big bro¡­" Zhenzhen muttered upset but Xu Yue only hugged her, letting the men talk.


    "I guess it''s fair to wait until everything is over before we talk about it seriously¡­" Leader Xu replied as he nced at his wife. "So how long have you been together?"


    This time it was Xu Yue who took the lead and answered, "We have been on good terms even before but only yesterday did we start to date. He left to take care of his sister since working for our family would only endanger her. I don''t me him though since I would also do the same if I was him."


    Zhenzhen gazed at them and began to slowly tear up.


    "I only met her for a short day but I already managed to love her like my own sister," Xu Yue added honestly while cheering Zhenzhen up with a rub on the shoulder.


    The approaching chef with a te of pancakes had to stop as Zhenzhen suddenly pushed her chair back and rushed to hug into Liu Ye''s chest. He was already expecting it and epted her warmly.


    "I''m sorry¡­" Zhenzhen apologized through her tears as she squeezed his neck. "It''s all my fault¡­"


    Liu Ye felt like scolding her for being so silly but he had a soft spot for her.


    "You did nothing wrong. If I were to go back in time, I would still do the same because you are the most important to me," Liu Ye announced while hugging her tightly. "Don''t cry, okay? Go eat your pancakes while they are hot. The chefs put effort into making them so don''t waste it."


    Even though he said it, Zhenzhen didn''t want to release him so fast. When she was finally standing up after Liu Ye''s cheering, they saw two guards walk into the dining room with their rifles hanging on their shoulders.


    "Leader Xu, the man you were talking about arrived."


    Leader Xu momentarily snapped into focus as he ordered, "Inform everyone and get in position. I want everyone to be on high alert. We don''t know who we are dealing with."


    "Yes, sir."


    Liu Ye was forced to stand up while separating Zhenzhen from him but she questioned worriedly, "What is going on?"


    "There is someone I need to meet. That person might be dangerous so we need to be careful," Liu Ye replied as he looked her closely in the eyes. "Please, stay here with Mrs. Xu and finish your breakfast. I will try to be back as soon as possible."


    "Promise you won''t get hurt¡­" Zhenzhen demanded, not letting go of his hand.


    "I won''t let anyone separate us, don''t worry," Liu Ye assured confidently and followed Xu Yue who was already waiting for him.


    It was time to get an answer to every ''why'' in his mind.

 Chapter 91 - Everything Is Real

    "Everyone, get in positions. If you see any suspicious movement, don''t hesitate to shoot," Xu Yuemanded as they entered the living room full of Xu Family guards. All of them already wore bulletproof vests while carrying assault rifles.


    It was rare to possess guns in such a quantity but Xu Family had connections with the military so it wasn''t that big of a deal. As long as one didn''t carry them out to the streets, the government wouldn''t have an issue.


    Liu Ye picked a vest for himself before choosing a pistol as well. No matter who they were about to face, guns were still the fastest method to kill.


    "Do you think the people we face are benders?" Liu Ye whispered the important question, making Xu Yue pause in hesitation.


    Knowing Katherine''s words and everything that was happening so far, he was open to assume that it was possible. If Avi was sent to their ce, it was only natural that their enemies were also capable of using elements.


    "I think there is a high chance he will not use a gun," Xu Yue replied honestly. "Who in their right mind woulde to a ce with armed men if they were not confident they can leave this ce unscratched?"


    That was a fair point. It was almost guaranteed that Xu Family wouldn''t agree to his demands yet Master Yang still sent someone over with money. It seemed too good to be true and more like an excuse to get closer to him.


    "Shouldn''t we strike first before he has the chance to do anything?" Liu Ye asked curiously, knowing very well how powerful benders were. If it was true and the man could replicate Avi''s skills in real life, it wouldn''t be hard for him to kill all of them.


    One could simply explode with mes and destroy the whole vi and he didn''t wish to endanger Zhenzhen''s life.


    "Alright, let me handle it," Xu Yue muttered and squeezed his hand to assure him. He didn''t have as much authority as she did so he had to rely on her.


    "Where is he now?" Leader Xu questioned the butler as he finished gearing up. "I want to know about every move he makes."


    "He is still in front of the mansion, Sir. We can lead him inside whenever we are ready," the butler replied kindly while readying his pistol. "Should we search him before he enters?"


    Even though the butler looked like he was innocent and gentle, the way he handled the gun was no different than a pro.


    "Of course," Leader Xu nodded eagerly. "Check if he has any weapons and demand he leaves them behind. Tell the guards not to act suspicious or he will think we are nning something."


    "As you wish, Sir," Butler nodded and left the mansion to carry the orders.


    "Wait," Xu Yue stopped him at thest moment. "Let us know if he has any guns on him before we decide to do anything."


    "Yes, Miss."


    He left and just as Liu Ye thought, the man came unarmed while only carrying a suitcase filled with money. It was really too good to be true.


    "Does he have any water on him?" Liu Ye asked randomly, causing the butler to be surprised.


    "He actually does have a waterskin filled with water. We thought it might be gasoline but he drank it on the spot so it''s not dangerous," the Butler replied casually. Only Xu Yue and Liu Ye knew exactly what it meant.


    "This is perfect then," Leader Xu expressed. "We can simply bring him to the middle of the garden and force him to surrender. Afterward, we will interrogate him and get information about his boss."


    "Do you really believe Master Yang would send anyone just like that for us to kill? This is too sketchy and I don''t like it," Xu Yue called out andmanded on the spot, "Tell everyone to withdraw and close the gates shut. Get everyone back inside the vi then get in positions on the windows and shoot when he breaks in. Hurry up!"


    "Xu Yue, what are you even saying? What about the whole n from¡ª"


    Leader Xu''s speech got cut off by sudden screams and gunshotsing from outside.


    "It seems like he has already entered inside on his own¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he rushed towards the window and soon spotted a young man in a suit walking towards the Vi. He carried an ice spear in his hand which was now red from blood dripping down.


    "What are you waiting for?! Shoot that bitch! He is here to kill us!" Xu Yue cried out to wake everyone up from the shock and opened the door with her rifle in hand. She crouched to aim better and fired without hesitation.


    The man seemed already prepared as he pulled out more water in advance and created an Ice Wall in front of him. The ice chipped away with every bullet hit only to reconstruct right after into perfect condition.


    Liu Ye was the first to join her after stealing a rifle from another guard and began shooting. Both of them synced and shot at the exact spot in the middle only to stop with their eyes widened.


    The water from the fountain flew in the air and enhanced the ice wall further. It grew thicker and surrounded him from all sides before creating a thinyer of water barrier on the outside.


    "Everyone! On the ground!" Liu Ye yelled as he grabbed Xu Yue by the hand and pulled her behind the stone pir. He knew exactly what that ability was and they didn''t have time to return inside.


    Swoosh!


    Ice bullets came at them like a machine gun and bombarded the whole vi. Despite being made of tempered ss, windows shattered and guards screamed from the inside.


    "Fuck!" Liu Ye cursed as one of the shards grazed his arm but he held Xu Yue in his arms. "When he stops, we need to get inside and run! We can''t beat him on our own!"


    Knowing that everything from the game was actually present in real life made him regret that they didn''t prepare beforehand. If that Waterbender could stop bullets and shoot them all at the same time, it was just a matter of time before they were all dead. He couldn''t let that happen.


    When the bullets stopped, he was about to pull Xu Yue with him when she questioned hurriedly, "What if you awaken now? Can you fight him?"

 Chapter 92 - Life On The Line

    Xu Yue''s serious question put Liu Ye in a daze.


    Could he really fight someone who has probably spent countless hours mastering his elements? It wasn''t a game where he could die infinitely. One wrong move and he would be dead for real.


    "Do you know how to awaken?" Liu Ye questioned confused. If she knew, why didn''t she tell him about it earlier?


    "I wasn''t supposed to use it untilter but we don''t seem to have a choice," Xu Yue replied as he held his face. "I have a Water Stone sitting in my safe. If you consume it, maybe you can awaken on the spot."


    Liu Ye widened his eyes, immediately tempted to try it but his rationality kicked in. If they bet everything on fighting this man, they would lose the chance to escape.


    "The people that chose you as a candidate areing to save us," Liu Ye informed seriously. "As long as we can stay safe till then, we will have better chances to survive. Even if I can awaken, I wouldn''t risk trying to fight him."


    Although he was confident of his skills in-game, real life was much different. Who knew if Waterbending worked the same as in the game.


    Rumble...


    As soon as he finished speaking, they heard the ice block move through the stone pathway. Liu Ye peeked through the pir and saw the ice fortress paving its way. He didn''t hesitate and pulled Xu Yue back inside the vi.


    They saw Leader Xu get up from the floor full of ss and ice but he seemed fine despite multiple scratches so she quickly skipped towards the stairs.


    "Everyone! Listen to Liu Ye, I will be right back!"


    "What is going on?!" Leader Xu questioned grimly as he wiped the blood from his face. "Do you know anything?"


    All the guards shared the same shock and disbelief while Leader Xu seemed calmer than normal. He looked at him suspiciously as if he already noticed the two of them were not scared either.


    "The man outside has the power to control water element. If we don''t focus, he will reach the vi and kill us all," Liu Ye called out sternly as he gazed at all men in the room. "Grab your weapons and shoot at the same spot. Even though he is powerful, he is still scared to get shot! We only need one bullet!"


    He didn''t waste time and pulled out his pistol to show an example by shooting through the window.


    Bang!


    As soon as the bullet pierced into the ice, the young man stopped advancing.


    "See! He can''t advance and defend at the same time. He doesn''t have infinite power either!" Liu Ye cried out. "I know you are scared but that''s our only chance!"


    The guards swallowed hard and finally listened by grouping up near the avable windows.


    "I don''t know what''s going on but I expect an exnation once we kill this fucker," Leader Xu replied as he joined them as well.


    "When you see the water curtain, find a cover!" Liu Ye warned as he ignored Leader Xu and yelled for thest time.


    "Fire!"


    The sound of all guns firing was insane, slowly hurting his ears. Their ammunition was limited but they seem to be doing a good job at stalling for more time.


    When he ran out of bullets, Liu Ye checked if Xu Yue came back yet and rushed to the dining room to check on Zhenzhen. He didn''t want her to run out in search of him just likest time. Thankfully, she seemed more disciplined this time and was hiding with Mrs. Xu under the table.


    "Big Bro!" Zhenzhen yelled as soon as she saw him and immediately crawled out to hug him. "I thought you got hurt!"


    Her cheeks were still wet from tears but she quickly wiped them with a hand to hide them.


    "Don''t worry, I''m fine but the situation doesn''t look good," Liu Ye replied honestly as he gazed at Mrs. Xu. "I want you to take Zhenzhen together with all the workers and leave in the secret tunnel. The enemy is not after you but after me so you should be safe."


    "No!" Zhenzhen immediately denied as she clung to him. "I''m not leaving you anywhere! If you want me to leave, you have to go with me!"


    "Zhenzhen! This is serious!" Liu Ye warned just as the gunshots ceased and hundreds of ice shards began to bombard the house once again. Even the door to the dining area was not spared as sharp ice almost pierced through them.


    "Is that ice? What is going on?" Mrs. Xu questioned only to exim in worry when Xu Yue burst inside through the door. "Xu Yue! What the hell happened?!"


    Liu Ye turned around only to see Xu Yue swiftly grab the chair to support herself. Her arm was bleeding profusely while her back had an ice shard stabbed through the ker vest. It seemed like instead of ice bullets, the young man switched to small spears instead.


    "Liu Ye... I couldn''t find you..." Xu Yue muttered with a pained groan as she disyed a sky-blue stone on her palm. "Take it from me and eat it..."


    She could barely breathe as she spoke, causing Liu Ye''s heart to sink.


    "Xu Yue!" Liu Ye immediately rushed to check on her and couldn''t help but curse in his mind. Her arm''s wound wasn''t too deep but the small ice spear in Xu Yue''s back was deep in her back. The chances it pierced her lungs were really high and the bleeding was only getting worse.


    If he pulled out the spear, she would bleed out to death in a matter of minutes. Liu Ye has never made a quicker decision than at that moment.


    "Zhenzhen, eat it. We need your healing now," Liu Ye urged as he took the pill from Xu Yue''s palm.


    Zhenzhen was still stunned but seeing Xu Yue''s face turning pale, Zhenzhen grabbed the Water Stone and ate it without any questions.. Her body momentarily trembled a secondter.

 Chapter 93 - Confrontation

    "Xu Yue!" Mrs. Xu cried out in panic when she saw Xu Yue''s state worsening. "Where is my phone?! We need to call the ambnce!"


    "She is going to die before she can even get to the hospital," Liu Ye replied as he forced himself to stay calm. "Zhenzhen is our only chance."


    "And what can she do?! Is she a doctor?!" Mrs. Xu questioned in doubt, looking at Liu Ye as if he was crazy. Liu Ye didn''t me her.


    When the life of someone close was on the line, how could one believe in abilities like healing? Liu Ye wouldn''t believe in himself but this time he didn''t have any choice.


    "Can you feel it?" Liu Ye asked Zhenzhen with hope and grabbed the ss of water from the table. "Try it. We don''t have time."


    Zhenzhen was still in a daze only to awaken when the rain of bullets resumed, turning the vi into a shooting range. She looked up at Liu Ye and then at the water before extending her hand.


    He was worried the Water Stone didn''t work as the water remained still only to regain his hope when it suddenly moved. It slowly levitated upwards like a worm before flying towards Zhenzhen''s palm.


    Mrs. Xu was momentarily stunned as if she just saw a ghost.


    "I did it!" Zhenzhen called out excitedly and walked to Xu Yue. She only made two steps though before she shivered and staggered.


    "I''m okay," Zhenzhen assured right away as she shook her head to stay focused. "It just made me a little dizzy."


    "Be careful," Liu Ye warned, but he didn''t stop her. Even though she just awakened, she had no other choice but to act unprepared.


    Liu Ye ripped the table cloth for Xu Yue to bite on and wrapped his palms around the ice spike. "You need to stop the bleeding right after I remove it. Don''t worry, I am here with you."


    Xu Yue grunted in pain, reminding them she was dying.


    "I am ready," Zhenzhen called out with surprising determination.


    Liu Ye had no reason to wait any longer.


    Ughhh!!!


    Xu Yue cried out through the cloth as her whole body trembled. Her back gushed with blood but Zhenzhen was already there, leading water into the existing hole.


    It was working!


    The blood stopped flowing out, prompting Liu Ye to slowly take off Xu Yue''s bullet-proof vest. Now that they knew who they faced, those vests were pretty much useless.


    "I can''t do it too fast¡­ When I try to speed up, my mind is hurting," Zhenzhen informed as she squinted her eyes at the open wound.


    "Take your time. I have something else to handle¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he decided to leave them when Xu Yue grasped his wrist.


    "You haven''t awakened yet¡­ How do you want to defeat him?" Xu Yue questioned, her speech cracking.


    "I don''t know," Liu Ye replied honestly. "But I can''t sit and do nothing."


    He caressed her hand and let go as he rushed out of the dining room. Barely anyone was still shooting as they already emptied their ammo or were leaning against the walls with blood all over their bodies.


    "Liu Ye!" Leader Xu yelled his name the moment he saw him. "Where were you?! He is going to shoot again!"


    Liu Ye only needed one look outside the window to see multiple ice spears forming above the ice fortress. Compared to Zhenzhen, that Waterbender didn''t seem limited with his usage of abilities.


    "I was saving your daughter. She got shot in the back," Liu Ye exined as he took cover next to the coffee table.


    Seeing the change on Leader Xu''s face, he added, "Don''t worry, she is stable and recovering. My sister is helping her right now."


    He didn''t wait for a reply as he grabbed one of the few pistols from the table and finally stood up, walking towards the door with a pistol stuck at the back of his pants.


    "Where are you going? He is going to shoot you!" Leader Xu warned but Liu Ye didn''t stop moving. He walked to the front door and raised his hands up to surrender.


    "Stop! I''m the one you want!"


    Liu Ye didn''t know why he thought it was a good idea but it was the first that came to his mind. With Xu Yue injured in the back, they couldn''t escape easily anymore, forcing him to somehow stop the man from advancing. The only way to do that though was pretending to give him exactly what he wanted.


    Just as he thought, the ice spikes aimed at him but the Waterbender didn''t shoot to kill him just yet. Liu Ye took a few steps outside and slowly took off his vest to increase his credibility.


    "Let''s talk it out, okay?! I don''t want anyone else to get hurt!" Liu Ye called out again and this time the ice fortress reacted. It began to melt rapidly only to float around the young man like a whirlpool.


    "Sure, but if I see a gun pointed at me again, I''m going to kill everyone in this ce," the young man replied with a smile. "I''m just here to collect you, alive or not."


    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate and shouted, "Everyone, stay put. I will solve it on my own."


    "That''s right. We can avoid any more bloodshed if you just surrender," the young man confirmed in approval.


    "How should I call you?" Liu Ye questioned, not in a hurry to approach but it immediately backfired.


    "Why should I tell you my name?" the young man frowned and warned, "Stop wasting time ande here or I will send you to another world right where you stand."


    "I don''t know why I am being targeted by you all but I''m sure Master Yang would prefer it if you brought me back alive. If you kill me, he will just think you are ipetent," Liu Ye called out calmly. "I just want to know how to address you."


    "I''m Tian," the young man as he beckoned Liu Ye. "Nowe over with your hands in the air."


    "Alright, but you have to put down those ice spikes. I don''t want you to attack my people when I''m in your hands," Liu Ye demanded as he stared at them fearfully.


    "Tch, fine," Tian snickered in response and melted the ice spikes into therge whirlpool. It was still scary but at the very least, it gave Liu Ye more time to react.


    ''Damn, if only I could awaken¡­'' Liu Ye cursed in his mind as he watched how effortlessly Tian manipted the water. He didn''t even use his arms to coordinate the moves and depended only on his mind.


    Katherine mentioned he was close to awakening but how did that happen? What kind of trigger did he need? Was he supposed to put himself in a life or death situation?


    "Stop!"


    Liu Ye paused his thoughts as Tian halted him halfway. "Pull up your shirt and turn around. I need to make sure you don''t have any weapons on you."


    "Sure," Liu Ye nodded calmly, already imagining such a scenario.


    He actually hoped he could get much closer and give Tian a quick bullet into his body but ten meters away wasn''t that much of a difference. Tian''s reaction time would need to be amazingly fast to dodge a bullet from such a close distance and Liu Ye knew how hard it was even in the game.


    The only problem was the water wheel that was floating right in front of him.


    "I''m going to reach down, okay?" Liu Ye asked as he moved to lift up his shirt. "Should I take it all the way?"


    "Slowly and then turn around!" Tian warned as he replicated multiple ice spears in the air.


    "Okay, okay, geez," Liu Yementedzily as he slowly reached the edges of his shirt. "You act as if you are enjoying me stripping mysel¡ª"


    Just as his head was passing through the shirt, Liu Ye cut his speech and dropped down while reaching down to his back.


    Bang!


    He fired blindly at Tian''s legs before instantly dodging on the grass. His shirt was already gone when hended and he fired again before the lone cry even reached him.


    Just as he thought, Tian protected his head and torso with water while his legs were the only ce that he wouldn''t prioritize.


    "Fuck!" Tian cursed in pain and immediately shot his ice spears in retaliation. Liu Ye could only drop to the ground and roll behind one of the nts for any viable cover.


    He continued to shoot while rushing back to the vi when he spotted something he didn''t think about. Tian sounded hurt earlier but somehow he was still standing. The two holes in his legs didn''t bleed at all as he immediately froze them.


    "Now you are fucking dead bitch," Tian yelled as he spawned a water curtain in front of him and hundreds of ice shards shot out straight in Liu Ye''s direction.


    He only found time to extend his palm forward, the habit he got from ying Avatar Online.


    "Stop!"

 Chapter 94 - Awakening

    "I''m going in... This dummy is trying to get himself killed¡­"


    Sitting on the roof of the vi, Avi watched Liu Ye approach Tian to confront him on his own. She was so eager to just get down and fight against Tian on her own but Katherine was stopping her.


    "Wait in position. Xu Yue withdrew the Water Stone so he should have already awakened. Go in only if Liu Ye''s life is in danger," Katherine ordered in her earpiece before reminding, "Your main job is still protecting Zhenzhen. We can''t lose a potential healer."


    Avi rolled her eyes at Katherine''s obsession with healing and was about to respond when the action became spicier. Liu Ye was stopped by Tian and ordered to strip. Avi couldn''t help but lean a bit closer as she watched his muscr back. Only a split secondter did her gaze reach the gun at the back of his pants.


    Why would he need a gun if he has already awakened?


    Bang!


    Avi''s heart sank seeing Liu Ye shoot at Tian''s legs and then withdraw. Seeing Tian just freeze the wounds and counterattack angrily, she immediately lifted herself up whilementing, ''Why did I listen to her?!''


    The ice bullets were already shot out and it was impossible to get down in time.


    "Stop!"


    A female scream came out from the vi and Liu Ye suddenly acted. The water from the freshly watered garden suddenly vibrated and rose up from the ground. It floated in front of Liu Ye like a wave and froze just in time for the assault of ice bullets.


    Avi stopped herself from dropping down at thest second and watched Liu Ye in shock.


    "He awakened¡­"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ''I awakened...'' Liu Ye thought in surprise only to see his weak ice wall crumble, sending sharp ice fragments all over him. He was forced to drop down on the ground to avoid getting hit in the face but his back suffered instead.


    It was the worried scream of Zhenzhen that echoed in Liu Ye''s mind and caused something in his mind to click. He suddenly exploded with energy and the water listened to his summons.


    He looked to the side with his back bleeding from each cut and saw Zhenzhen meeting his gaze. She was horrified, tears streaming down her cheeks.


    "GET INSIDE!" Liu Ye yelled loudly but that didn''t stop her at all. She shuddered and rushed towards him only to be stopped by Xu Yue on thest step of the stairs.


    "Let me go!" Zhenzhen cried out as she struggled to break free but Xu Yue was so much stronger and pulled her to safety. He sighed in relief but that wasn''t the end.


    Tian is going to hurt everyone unless he stops him.


    "Motherfucker, even if you have already awakened, you are still going to die," Tian called out angrily as he stopped shooting and walked up with water wrapping around his body. "I''m going to kill you and those two bitches too."


    "No..." Liu Ye muttered soundlessly and pulled himself up like a zombie. His back burned like hell while his blood painted the grass red but he ignored everything.


    Liu Ye''s empty gaze pierced through Tian like aser beam and he extended his arm at the ground. His whole body trembled as the ice began to melt and traveled up his legs.


    "You can''t even lift the water without shivering and you n to fight back?" Tian questioned and swung his arm, shooting a water jet straight at Liu Ye''s chest.


    It was so fast that Liu Ye had no time to dodge and his body was like a doll without any control.


    "Liu Ye!!"


    All he heard was Zhenzhen''s scream as he got sted back tens of meters. He momentarily couldn''t breathe, feeling as if he was hit by a truck. Despite the pain, he tried to get up but his body was simply refusing to listen to him.


    "Useless piece of shit," Tian cursed as his voice got closer. "Do you think you can y the hero and save everyone on your own? Let me help you answer it. No, you can''t."


    Huu...


    Each breath Liu Ye took was met with pain but that was the feeling he was used to the most. Lying down on the wet grass was the mostfortable position but he lifted himself up and gazed Tian in the eyes.


    "You are wrong¡­" Liu Ye replied, noticing some movement behind him. He smiled as he watched the fireball travel in the air and explode right on Tian''s back.


    The shockwave from the explosion sted Tian in the air despite having water armor around his body.


    "Leave my boyfriend alone!" Xu Yue yelled as her fists ignited again and she fired multiple jabs as she rushed to Liu Ye''s side. Her voice was filled with anger as if she was about to explode.


    "I''m not alone..." Liu Ye muttered to himself and got up right when his girls came to support him. It wasn''t shameful to receive help, especially while fighting an enemy above his league.


    "Big bro! Don''t move!" Zhenzhen shouted worriedly as she ced both hands on his back. He immediately felt relief while the pain got reced with light tingling.


    "I am fine, don''t worry," Liu Ye assured but Zhenzhen immediately scolded him.


    "Shut up and stay still! Your whole back is ripped apart!"


    This was the first time he has ever heard Zhenzhen raise her voice on him. He had no idea he was in such a bad condition as adrenaline helped him ignore the pain.


    "Healing! You learned to heal!" Tian eximed as soon as he got up andpletely disregarded Xu Yue who just sted him away. "You are definitelying along with me!"


    He no longer held back and stomped on the ground, causing all small pebbles to fly in the air. He only nced at Xu Yue as the pebbles shot at her like bullets.


    Liu Ye wanted to move, gather water once again to protect her but he couldn''t do anything. His mind and body were already at the brink of exhaustion while the real battle didn''t even start. Compared to the game, he was useless and wasn''t strong enough to protect his loved ones.


    "That''s enough."


    Just when Liu Ye ran out of options, a female voice suddenly came from the sky and he saw a familiar womannd right in front of Xu Yue. She only extended her palm and a stream of mes stopped the pebbles in ce.


    It was no other than Avi who came at the right time to save the day.


    "How about you face someone of your caliber instead of bullying newbies?" Avi questioned as she reached out to her pocket and passed a round object to the shocked Xu Yue behind her. "Give it to him."


    "Thank you¡­" Xu Yue acknowledged and took a deep breath as she ran back to Liu Ye''s side. Even the always strong Xu Yue was as pale as a sheet of paper.


    Using Elemental Power was mentaly draining and they just awakened. It was impossible for them to perform as well as Avi or Tian. Adding the fact that she just escaped from death, it was even a surprise she was still standing.


    "Water Stone¡­?" Liu Ye recognized the stone in Xu Yue''s palm and realized it was much bigger than the one they used earlier. He didn''t hesitate and ate it, hoping to regain some of his power.


    One thing he hated was being useless in the most important moments.


    "Well, well, well. Who do we have here," Tian called out as he halted his advance. "Isn''t it Avi, the Blood Hunter? It has been a while since I fought you."


    "Fought?" Avi repeated with a smile. "Did you really call ourst meeting a fight? You were simply running away while screaming like a little girl."


    Tian snickered at herment. "I was simply respecting your strength by performing a tactical retreat."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not going to let you run away this time," Avi assured as she covered her fists with two water whips and dashed forward. "Fight me bitch!"


    Tian''s confidence from before vanished as he momentarilyunched himself back, escaping from two ice spikes stabbing where he stood just a second ago. They could no longer see them but Avi was definitely one of the favorites.


    Liu Ye finally felt the effects of the Water Stone as his eyesight blurred. He could feel the chill energy spread around his body and then travel up to his mind. The instant headache from all the energy gathering in his brain was horrible but it onlysted for a few seconds until his mind got used to it.


    "Are you okay?" Xu Yue questioned as she rubbed his cheek and he nodded after a deep breath.


    "I''m fine as long as you two are fine," Liu Ye replied as he squeezed her hand. The lift in his mood onlysted a second as Xu Yue''s eyes widened and she rushed behind his back.


    "Zhenzhen!"


    It was the moment she cried out when Liu Ye felt Zhenzhen''s hands pull away from him and the pain on his back return.. He swiftly turned around only to see Zhenzhen fall down into Xu Yue''s arms,pletely unconscious.

 Chapter 95 - Lies And Deceit

    "Her breathing is normal. She just fell asleep from exhaustion," Xu Yue informed as she checked Zhenzhen''s pulse. Liu Ye''s heart momentarily squeezed in his chest seeing how weak she looked.


    She was staying behind his back this whole time so he didn''t notice her condition. He could already imagine her forcefully trying to heal him while ignoring her body''s calls to stop.


    When he caressed her cheek, Zhenzhen''s eyes shivered as if she was still trying to wake up and help him.


    "Big Bro¡­" Zhenzhen muttered weakly, forcefully opening her eyes but Liu Ye was there to close them with a swipe of his palm.


    "Shhh, it''s okay. Please get some rest," Liu Ye whispered softly. "You did such a good job and saved your brother. Now leave the rest to us."


    She struggled one more time but under Liu Ye''s soothing words, she finally fell asleep.


    "Take her to safety," Liu Ye ordered as he stood up, leaving Zhenzhen in Xu Yue''s arms.


    "Where are you going?" Xu Yue questioned right away as she caught his arm. "This is not your battle. Leave it to that woman."


    "I need to know more. If I leave everything to Avi then we won''t learn the truth about Master Yang. I want to know why am I targeted by them for no reason," Liu Ye replied as he rubbed Xu Yue''s hand to assure her. "I will be careful, don''t worry. I''m also feeling much better now."


    He let go of Xu Yue and extended his arms towards the ground. All the leftover ice began to melt rapidly and the water floated to his arms with no effort. The big fragment of Water Stone nourished his mind, helped him recover from any exhaustion, and even continued to supply his mind with endless energy while being digested in his stomach.


    Earlier he could feel his mind hurt each time he used Waterbending but now a simple task of manipting the water wasn''t that hard to perform.


    "What about your injuries?" Xu Yue argued as she pointed at his back. "Zhenzhen closed your wounds but they will open again if you move too much. Come with us to safety."


    "If I can''t help her, I will withdraw. I just want to ask him a few questions before she kills him," Liu Ye replied just before they heard an explosion from the back of the vi.


    "Go," Liu Ye hurried her as he picked Zhenzhen up from the ground. "Give her something to drink and eat once she wakes up. Calm down your family too. They must be freaking out right now."


    He was about to run away when he stopped himself and leaned over to kiss Xu Yue deeply. "Thank you for saving me earlier."


    He didn''t wait for her response and rushed towards the back with two whips hanging from his arms. He was embarrassed he even put himself in a position where he was helpless and weak but that wouldn''t happen again.


    Liu Ye couldn''t afford to repeat his mistakes.


    The private garden at the back totally wrecked, to say the least, and the pool that they swam in just yesterday didn''t even have water anymore. Ice spears and pirs were everywhere while the ground waspletely frozen like ake.


    Another explosion resounded a few meters away from him and a body in a ripped ck suit suddenly pierced through a nearby ice wall. Ice Fragments flew everywhere but for some reason, they seemed so slow that Liu Ye knew exactly where they were going. He only tilted his body and dodged them all.


    ''Did my reaction time improve?'' Liu Ye thought, noticing that everything looked more crisp and clear. It was only a fleeting thought as he immediately focused on Tian who was trying to get up after being tossed like a bag of potatoes.


    He ran closer andshed from above before Tian even noticed his presence.


    Direct hit!


    The whip mmed on Tian''s back with a thud just in time for Avi''s arrival. She came from the air with fire bursting out from her feet and shot out multiple fireballs without even looking at Liu Ye. Her murderous gaze showed clearly that she was going for the kill.


    "Argh!!" Tian cried out in pain as fire exploded on his back and turtled himself under two ice walls. It was amazing to see how quickly those two reacted.


    Avi didn''t even drop down from the sky when she punched down and shot a continuous fire stream. The mes didn''t recognize between friends and enemies so Liu Ye was also affected. He jumped back and hid behind a small ice wall but even while hidden, he could feel the burning on his skin.


    Too powerful.


    Even though Liu Ye knew the theory from the game, performing the same in real life was apletely different story. Even a simple water maniption required full focus, not to mention performing other abilities withrge quantities of water.


    He tried to split water into tens of smaller balls and shape them into small ice spikes but before he was done, the battle seemed to be already over.


    "Liu Ye,e here," Avi called out casually and he finally peeked with his small arsenal. Tian was frozen into an ice block with only his head sticking out.


    "That was a nice assist. Good job," Avi praised as she grabbed one of his spikes like a dagger. "Want to kill him yourself or shall I do it?"


    Tian immediately burst outughing at her question and announced happily, "It''s such a shame to tell you this but now that he is here, you can no longer kill me. Uuf, what a relief. And here I thought I won''t be able to meet my Queen again."


    Avi frowned and didn''t hesitate, swinging at Tian''s head with the sharp end of the ice spike. Too bad, Liu Ye reacted just as Tian expected him to.


    "Wait," Liu Ye stopped her by grabbing her arm. "Why can''t she kill you with me around? If you don''t tell me in five seconds I will kill you myself."


    He could only be stalling for time to figure out how to escape and Liu Ye didn''t n to give him that opportunity.


    "You don''t need to threaten me, I value my life," Tian replied calmly. "She can''t kill me because I have valuable information that will change your life. If I told her the same, she would kill me on the spot but now you won''t let her kill me."


    "Get to the point," Liu Ye hurried coldly. He had no respect for someone who just tried to kill him.


    "You probably wonder how we know about you and why we target you," Tian began with a smile only to shock him right after. "The answer is simple. We have someone close to you that told us about you. They are your paren¡ª Hey, hey, calm down!"


    Before Tian could even finish speaking, an ice spike in Liu Ye''s hand pierced into Tian''s neck. "Nice try, but my parents are dead. They died in a car ident. Now you can go to hell."


    "Wait! I swear they are alive!" Tian shouted while tilting his head away from the spike. "How can you say they are dead when you never saw their dead bodies?! It was all a scheme to cover up their disappearance! They are both alive and kicking!"


    Tian closed his eyes as if preparing for the blow but then slowly opened them, realizing it didn''te.


    "Liu Ye, don''t listen to him. He is lying so that he can keep his pathetic life," Avi pointed out while creating her own ice spear in her free hand. "We need to kill him now and return to your sister."


    "I''m not lying! I saw them on my own. He has a strong resemnce to his father and¡ª"


    "My parents would never work for you and let you kill us," Liu Ye cut him off. "They wouldn''t leave us alone for years if they were still alive either."


    Liu Ye gripped his ice spike, wanting to kill him to stop the lies from messing with his mind only to halt once again.


    "Who said they are working for us now?" Tian countered urgently. "They were indeed part of our researchers in the past but after trying to cut ties and escape with valuable information, they became our prisoners instead. They are currently locked up in a secret location. If you kill me, you will never save your parents. Why not exchange my life for the life of your parents instead?"


    "And you think we should just believe you when even we have no information about it?" Avi questioned as her face darkened. "Don''t trust this bastard. He is hoping that he will be saved once we keep him alive. This is all lies and deceit."


    Liu Ye remained silent, looking Tian in the eyes. He wanted to believe him so much as his heart longed to meet his parents again but he knew the reality in such situations. Once you are at a dead-end, your only way to survive is to convince the enemy to spare you.


    He thought of Zhenzhen who missed them even more than him and sumbed, trying to see through Tian''s lies.


    "Why wouldn''t you kill them on the spot then? Why keep them locked up for years if they were just researchers?"

 Chapter 96 - Gathering Information - Part 1

    "That''s because they discovered something that Master Yang desires to know but they don''t want to talk. They would rather die than share their research," Tian exined. "They weren''t just any researchers either. Master Yang gave them millions in funding but as soon as they had a breakthrough, they decided to destroy all the results."


    Liu Ye frowned, knowing that didn''t help his decision at all. He had no idea what his parents worked on as they never shared anything work-rted with him. They only told him they worked for very influential people but that didn''t tell him anything.


    "What did they research on?" Liu Ye questioned further.


    "I don''t know much about it. I only joined the organization when they were already locked up. Anything I learned came from the rumors," Tian replied calmly but immediately regretted it.


    "If you don''t know anything then why should I keep you alive? Why would Master Yang trade you for my parents if you are not that important?" Liu Ye asked while threatening to kill him again.


    "Wait!" Tian stopped him hurriedly. "I''m sure it''s connected to the Spirit World!"


    Avi''s expression changed when thest two words left Tian''s mouth and it didn''t escape Liu Ye''s eyes.


    "Spirit World?" Liu Ye repeated as he watched Avi''s movements just in case she tried to kill. "Tell me more about it."


    "It seems like they didn''t tell you much, huh?" Tian replied with a smile. "The Spirit World is the main reason why our two organizations fight each other. While they want to keep it closed and control the whole world, we want to bring bnce by opening it and let humanity evolve."


    "Bnce? That''s what we want, not you. All you want to see is destruction and darkness," Avi corrected right away. "If the Spirit World fully opens, the natural order of the Earth will be disturbed and millions of people will die."


    "Sacrifices are necessary for the greater good of humanity," Tianmented as he gave Avi a nce. "At least we are not trying to take all the power for ourselves and control all the new Benders using some game."


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes. "What do you mean?"


    "Didn''t you find it suspicious how they created a game that allows one to awaken in real life? Anyone who ys the game has entered their trap," Tian revealed. "They will know if someone is close to awakening and then they will appear to recruit them into their army. Once they have enough benders, no one will be able to stop them and they will take over the world."


    "That''s enough," Avi announced while tightening the ice around Tian''s body. "Say one more word and this ice will explode together with your insides."


    Tian didn''t try to test her resolve and momentarily shut his mouth. Liu Ye wasn''t done though. The way Avi tried to silence Tian''s words was at least suspicious. It wasn''t like Liu Ye would believe anything he said.


    "I still have questions to him," Liu Ye reminded sternly. "How can I trust you if you kill the only lead I have to my parents? If there is a chance there are still alive, I need to know more."


    Avi shrugged and presented her own earpiece to him. "I''m simply fulfilling the orders. You talk to her if you want."


    He didn''t hesitate and walked a few steps away as he wore the earpiece. "Who is this?"


    "Liu Ye, can you please pass the earpiece back to Avi?"


    Although the woman didn''t introduce herself, Liu Ye naturally recognized Katherine''s voice. Her annoyed sigh at the start clearly showed she wasn''t happy to hear him.


    "No, you are talking to me now," Liu Ye denied on the spot. "If you n to order her to kill him then that''s not happening. At least not until I learn everything I want from him."


    "Anything that man knows, we already know it too. With that in mind, he is useless to us and the higher-ups have decided to execute him," Katherine informed calmly. "This is a great opportunity to weaken our enemy''s strength since they didn''t know we were involved. Right now that man is only stalling for time while waiting for backup so we cannot give him that chance to survive."


    "Are you going to give me information about my parents then?" Liu Ye questioned stubbornly.


    This was the first time for years that he was able to hear anything rted to his parents. There was no way in hell, he was letting this opportunity pass.


    "Liu Ye, I can assure you that we are working on it. Our intel is already gathering information and I should get it on my table by tonight. If your parents are alive, we will find them," Katherine assured. "Trust me, I want to learn about them even more than you do."


    "So you have nothing for me right now, correct?" Liu Ye asked for confirmation. His voice was cold enough for her to know he wasn''t in a joking mood.


    "Liu Ye, I can''t tell you anything over the phone but when we meet face to face, you and your sister can ask me anything and I will answer everything honestly. How does that sound?" Katherine proposed after a short pause. "We will also do everything in our power to locate your parents and rescue them if they are really alive. I can promise you that. For now, just let Avi return back to her work."


    "I have a suggestion too," Liu Ye began while looking back at Avi. "I will gather my information and you will gather yours. When we meet in real life, we willpare them and correct ourselves if needed. How does that sound?"


    "Liu Ye! You don''t have time to get any valuable information from him! By the time you get anything we don''t know, he will be rescued by very powerful individuals! This is not a joke!" Katherine raised her voice. "You have to kill him before relocating immediately otherwise you will be tracked in no time. Please, give the earpiece back to Avi so I can give her the instructions."


    "Oh, what did you say? I couldn''t hear you," Liu Ye acted confused. "I think we are losing the signal. We will talk to youter, okay?"


    "Liu Ye¡ª"


    Katherine''s voice got cut off as he took off the earpiece and threw it on the ground. It crunched with a single step and he returned back with a broken earpiece at hand.


    "What happened?" Avi questioned speechlessly.


    "I don''t know, I think it broke," Liu Ye replied with a shrug and returned it back to her.. "Anyway, she gave us a free hand to do what we want. Shall we continue?"

 Chapter 97 - Gathering Information - Part 2

    "It broke, huh..." Avi muttered amused as she watched the broken earpiece on her palm. "You know that you are not the one who is going to get scolded for this, right? Why should I take the me for you?"


    "I only need five minutes. I will owe you a favor afterward," Liu Ye suggested right away, which swayed Avi like a switch.


    "Talk bitch," Avi hurried Tian with an ice spike in front of his face. "How did you learn about Liu Ye and why do you want to kill him?"


    It was the question Liu Ye was about to ask as well. It just didn''t make sense for him. Why would they try to kill him instead of using him to ckmail his parents? They were simply losing the leverage which made him suspicious about anything Tian said.


    "Listen," Tian began as he ignored her and gazed at Liu Ye. "I was ordered to kill you by Master Yang and I wasn''t given any exnation. All I know is that even Master Yang doesn''t know much about you."


    "Huh? Why did he order you to kill me then?" Liu Ye questioned confused. Even Avi was surprised by his statement.


    "Did you think that Master Yang is the true mastermind behind our organization?" Tian asked back with a smile. "Surprise, surprise, we are all pawns and he is at most a knight. There are individuals with more power than him who move all the pieces."


    He paused and beckoned at Avi. "She doesn''t know about at least half of our operations since everything is concealed tightly. They think that their intelligence is great but they only see what we allow them to see. When they get what they want, they stop digging deeper and continue to think they have an advantage. Her expression only confirms my words. She had no idea."


    "Even if it''s true, why would people at that level bother with me then? I''m nobody to them," Liu Ye pointed out. "Killing me won''t help you get information out of my parents."


    "I don''t really know what they are nning but I know the order came from the top. If you kill me right now, they will send someone else who is even more powerful than me. At that time, Avi won''t be able to save you," Tian informed before adding assuringly, "I can help you with that."


    "And why should we believe everything you say right now?" Avi stopped him right there. "Everything you say is all based on trust and we don''t trust you at all. I haven''t heard about any of that because it''s all bullshit."


    "You can think what you want but that''s the truth," Tian replied calmly. "This whole time you have been creating your game and trying to awaken people in the most controlled way possible, we have been active as well. Didn''t you ever wonder how Master Yang possesses so much money?"


    He smiled at their cluelessness and exined, "You all have been sleeping on the powerful governments for so long that we have already made deals with most countries in the world. Don''t you know how greedy humans are? When they found out about the power of elements, everyone desired to possess this power. Which government wouldn''t want to create an army full of benders and take over the world?"


    "This¡­" Liu Ye didn''t know how toment on that, knowing it was entirely possible. He wouldn''t be surprised if the governments paid billions to support them after learning about elements.


    "If that were to happen, the world would turn into chaos and you wouldn''t be able to stop the destruction," Avimented with a frown. "There is a reason why our organization didn''t involve individual governments. Once you give them what they want, you can''t control what they are going to do with it."


    "Well, that''s your loss. Now we have unlimited funding to reach our goal and open the Spirit World. It won''t be long before all our researchers can replicate Liu Ye parent''s results and let the world enter into the new era of elements," Tian announced just before they heard police sirensing from the distance.


    Liu Ye was already wondering why did the Police take so long to arrive after hearing a massive shooting.


    "It seems like your time has ended," Avi muttered, causing Tian to panic.


    "Wait! You think why did I tell you all of this?!" Tian stopped them hurriedly. "I told you, I can help you. I know the exact location where Liu Ye''s parents are imprisoned. I can work for you and help you rescue them while being a double spy. What do you think?"


    "What''s the location?" Liu Ye questioned but Tian shook his head.


    "If I tell you, I will just get killed right after by you. If you want to save your parents, you have to work together with me," Tian convinced. "We can pretend that I killed you so that no one else will be sent after you and then cooperate to get your parents out of the prison."


    Avi rolled her eyes at the proposal and Liu Ye wasn''t a fan either. It basically meant letting him free only to trust that he will honor their agreement. They couldn''t trust a man who came here to kill him.


    "I have always wanted to join my Queen since the moment I saw her," Tian added right after. "You can give me one of the blocker pills and then Miss Katherine can ce a restriction on me to keep me in check. I will definitely be useful to you¡ª"


    Tian couldn''t finish his words as his face suddenly trembled. His eyes rolled and then blood came out of his mouth. Liu Ye took it casually, thinking it was all Avi''s doing but then he saw her taking a step back while squinting her eyes.


    "It wasn''t your doing?" Liu Ye asked only to see Tian''s face swell with blood. He couldn''t even react when Avi suddenly ran into his chest and knocked them on the ground.


    "Watch out!"

 Chapter 98 - Spirit Curse

    Liu Ye only heard an explosion before blood and fragments of Tian''s brain flew all over the ce. The impact was nothing scary but Avi still knocked them down to avoid most of the st.


    "Ouch¡­" Liu Ye hissed in pain when his injured back reacted to his fall. He wasn''t fully healed yet so he was sure some of the wounds reopened.


    "Are you okay?" Avi asked as she pulled away but that only made the situation worse. She was grasping onto his chest and didn''t realize she was pushing him down to the cold ground.


    "I''m not. Can you get off me?" Liu Ye questioned back while lifting himself up. "What was that for? You cracked my back open."


    His brow was constantly twitching as the pain was even worse than before.


    "Oh, I''m sorry but that was necessary," Avi exined as she sat on his thighs and gathered water to wash his back. "Don''t move, I will clean it for you."


    She didn''t get up to look at his back and simply embraced him with her arm wrapped around his neck before he felt cold water touch his wounds.


    "Don''t worry, you will be fine," Avi assured after clearing all the dirt and blood from his back. "It would be best if your sister can heal you back up since we don''t have time to visit a hospital."


    She didn''t wait for him to reply as she shifted to the front and ogled his body while cleaning him up everywhere. When her hands traveled down his chest and belly which wasn''t even dirty, he knew she had some ulterior motives.


    "Okay, that''s enough," Liu Ye cut her advances short by lifting them up. "I will finish the rest by myself."


    Avi only smiled amusedly and began to clean herself as well. "If you wonder what caused this explosion then it was one of the Spirit Curses. Once activated, a person cannot betray you, or else they will die with their brain exploding."


    "Don''t tell me Xu Yue is under the influence of such a curse?" Liu Ye pointed out with his eyes widened. He remembered how she couldn''t speak about Avatar Online''s secrets before.


    "No, it''s not. We are not as cruel as them," Avi denied right away as water passed through her whole body, clearing all the dirt within seconds. "What Katherine uses is a simple Spirit Restriction. One can''t speak of the secret else they will feel a headache. They cannot die from it."


    "So they know that Tian is dead?" Liu Ye figured as he pointed at the headless body of Tian.


    "The creator of the Spirit Curse will naturally know when it''s broken and that is not all," Avi replied while gazing at all the blood and brain fragments. "She can also visualize where the person died during the explosion. If I didn''t push us to the ground, they would know our identities."


    Liu Ye was about to question what they can do with the body but Avi was already taking care of it. She extended her arms and performed a massive clean-up.


    All the ice created in the garden suddenly melted and she filled up the pool once again. She moved such a massive amount of water so casually and didn''t even break a sweat.


    "It is best if the police don''t find his body," Avimented as a me lit up on her palm and a massive Fire Stream swallowed Tian''s body. She only needed 30 seconds topletely burn him to ashes.


    A power like that was definitely enough to kill hundreds if not thousands in a matter of seconds.


    Huh?


    Liu Ye moved back towards the Vi only to stop, seeing Avi crouch next to the ashes, and pulled out a silver chain ne with a single blue crystal. She used water to cool it down before disying it. His experience with Avatar Online caused him to change his perception on jewelry.


    "Don''t tell me this is a real-life item?" Liu Ye questioned and Avi threw it at him in return.


    "You can have it," Avi replied while spreading the ashes so they wouldn''t be too obvious. "Let''s go, we need to get out of here."


    Liu Ye followed Avi back in the vi but his gaze was glued to the ne in his hand. He cleaned it from the ashes and wore it on his neck. At first, he didn''t feel anything but after he tried to use his Waterbending, the crystal finally reacted. It shone brightly and spread a pleasing feeling around his chest.


    "It''s a rare Water Essence. It will make you less tired when you use your Water Element," Avi exined as she pointed at her own chain on her neck. "I have one of them for each element already."


    "Are there also some that increase your damage?" Liu Ye asked curiously only to realize a secondter how stupid it sounded.


    Avi chuckled in response. "Of course not silly. Do you think real life is a game? A single stone can be as deadly as an Ice Spike. It only depends on how you use it."


    She gazed at him for a moment as if she wanted to say something more but stopped herself after something buzzed in her ck uniform.


    "Anyway, go get your sister and Xu Yue outside as soon as you can. Don''t forget to grab your gaming headsets and take some clothes for the next few days. I need to take you three away from here and I don''t n to stay for the police interrogation," Avi muttered as she pushed him lightly towards the vi. "The transport is alreadying."


    Even if Tian was the intruder, they would still need to report killing him and that was too much paperwork for them to stay.


    Only when Liu Ye left did Avi pull out a hidden phone and saw multiple notifications on the screen from no one other than Katherine. Avi chuckled as she called her back and spoke as soon as the call connected.


    "Before you get mad, listen to what I have to say. I think I know why they target Liu Ye..."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Damn, I knew I should have followed him¡­"


    The moment Tian died, ady hiding under a blood-red cloak cursed and pulled away from the cold wall of the dungeon. She opened her eyes and was about to disappear when her prisoners stopped her.


    "Did the attack on my son happen to fail?"


    She turned around and saw the male prisoner looking at her calmly as if it wasn''t his son being hunted down. It was the first time those two have ever spoken so she couldn''t help but get curious.


    "Are you really not even a bit worried about your son?"


    They have always been calm and collected without any concerns. Sometimes she felt like they knew they would eventually get out of there.


    "Will worrying help him at all? We are locked up behind a barrier we can''t breach so it''s not like we can do anything," Liu Ye''s dad replied with a shrug. "So? Care to tell us the details?"


    "I would but I''m on my way to kill him," thedy replied yfully, nning to tease them before leaving but she froze on the spot after his next words.


    "Go ahead, Sunny. No one is stopping you."


    Her face darkened underneath her hood and she stormed back towards the barrier. "How do you know this name...?"


    "Oh, my bad. That''s your sister''s name. You are Star, aren''t you?" Liu Ye''s dad asked back with a gentle smile.


    Star momentarily exploded with fury and banged on the barrier with her fist. "How do you know about my sister?!"


    Liu Ye''s parents didn''t even flinch at her outburst.


    "My, my. You should be careful or you can free us by ident," Liu Ye''s Dad warned. "You wouldn''t want¡ª"


    "I don''t care about the barrier! Tell me!" Star cut him off sternly while clenching her fists. "You must have heard about her when you worked as researchers, right? What do you know?"


    "You would be surprised how much one can learn while having ess to all secret data in the world," Liu Ye''s Dad muttered as he smiled mysteriously. "How about you tell us about our son in exchange for information about your lost sister? What do you think?"

 Chapter 99 - Star

    Author: Hey there, I rewrotest chapter so if you didn''t check it out yet, please clear the cache and check it out <3 If you did, please enjoy the next chapter ^.^


    --------


    "Star? Are you okay?"


    Hearing Master Yang''s question, Star looked up, snapping back to reality. It was the second time she zoned out after hearing the truth about her sister''s disappearance. She couldn''t help it though. Finding out that Sunny was still alive was a shock to her.


    "You came to tell me something but then turned quiet," Master Yang muttered as he took a bite of his omelet. "Tell me, what happened? Is this about Tian?"


    "Yes, he failed to kill the target and then tried to betray us so my curse killed him," Star replied emotionlessly. "I briefly saw two people in the area but I couldn''t discern who it was. I suspect other benders were involved since the whole ce was like a battle zone."


    "Don''t tell me that kid has already awakened and then beat Tian?" Master Yang asked in doubt. "The old man must have sent someone to protect him so it can only mean they were already aware of him beforehand. Damn, they are so annoying."


    Master Yang put down his fork as if he lost appetite and got up. "Alright, I will go visit the headquarters to ask for reinforcements. Stay behind and protect the castle for me. Don''t let the prisoners escape or we will pay for that with our heads."


    He didn''t wait for her reply and left the table right away. Star couldn''t help but turn cold at his attitude.


    "Do you think I''m your ve?"


    Master Yang froze at her question and turned around in confusion. "Of course you are not. What happened? You are acting weird today."


    "What happened?" Star repeated as she reached out and stabbed a grape with her red nail. "I''m only working for you because you promised to find my sister. Where is she?"


    "Listen..." Master Yang began but Star cut him off while picking up a metal dagger from the table.


    "No! You listen. Either you tell me where she is or I''m going to walk out of this castle and find her by myself," Star called out sternly and threw the de at him. "I''m tired of waiting!"


    "Calm down!"


    Master Yang shouted while extending his palm and the dagger suspended in the air right in front of him. He grabbed it and kept it in his back pocket while sighing in a deep breath.


    "I know how much you care about her, which is why we did everything in our power to find her," Master Yang exined as he walked up to her with a pained gaze. "I know it''s hard to ept it but we have already confirmed her case. She died ten years ago in the¡ª"


    "You are lying!" Star cried out as she grabbed her hood and jerked it back. "She is still alive! I can feel it!"


    Her long back hair suddenly danced in the air despite theck of wind in the room. She was pale with tears flowing down to her chin but it couldn''t ruin her beauty. One could immediately feel guilty looking at the sadness in her eyes.


    "Star, listen to me. What you are feeling is the presence of her spirit. It only happens if someone has passed away," Master Yang informed but Star didn''t want to hear it.


    "You are lying again!"


    "I''m trying to be honest with you," Master Yang replied calmly. "Only by entering the Spirit World can you meet with your sister''s spirit and if we can open itpletely, you will be able to bring get back to Earth. Trust me."


    "I don''t trust you anymore!" Star yelled angrily and swung her arm at the table. She created a shockwave of invisible energy that sted a heavy wooden table into the wall tens of meters away.


    Bang!


    It cracked into pieces on the impact and no longer resembled a table. Master Yang could only react with amazement at such power, before gulping while gazing at her. It was just a swing but if it was used on a human, they would end up much worse than the table.


    "Okay! I will start the search again for you!" Master Yang called out hurriedly as he pulled out a phone and showed it to her. "I will call the headquarters and ask them to resume the search. If she is really alive, we will find her!"


    Star didn''t say anything besides ring at him, making him call even faster. She didn''t even listen to him as her mind went back to her conversation with the prisoner. Everything Master Yang said so far was exactly as Liu Ye''s dad told her.


    He would deny that Sunny was alive and only by opening the Spirit World could she get her back. ording to that man, it wasplete bullshit as one couldn''t bring the dead back to life. What she felt was her alive sister who was taken hostage to keep the leverage on her.


    ''One can only awaken the Spirit Element if their heart is in peace or they experienced a traumatic experience. Thetter is an easier method so after sensing your potential, they used your sister against you. That''s the truth but you can continue to y their cards.''


    That man''s words made sense but she couldn''t trust it fully until she confirmed it on her own.


    "Alright, it''s all settled. Did you hear everything? I was talking to my master. He will personally handle this matter," Master Yang informed as he observed her expression. "When I reach the headquarters, I will remind him personally as well."


    Star only covered her head with a hook while wiping her tears. "Next time I hear you saying she is dead, I will kill you on the spot."


    "Alright, I won''t, but don''t hold it against me when I''m trying my best to help you," Master Yangmented.


    Star only snickered and asked coldly, "How long will you be away?"


    "Just three days. Hope you can take care of the castle while I''m gone," Master Yang replied with a smile.


    "I expect to hear news about my sister when youe back," Star demanded sternly. "If youe back empty-handed, I will explode your brain in your sleep."


    Master Yang smiled wryly and could only nod in agreement. Even though he was the man in charge, he wouldn''t stand a chance against her.


    She didn''t wait for his reply and disappeared from the dining room. It was her Spirit Form where she could fly through the walls and eventually reached the dungeon with two locked prisoners.


    It seemed like they were already waiting for her.


    "So? Are you going to ept my deal?"

 Chapter 100: Power Difference

    Chapter 100: Power Difference


    When Liu Ye was about to leave the vi with Xu Yue and Zhenzhen, he was surprised to hear a buzzing sound of a helicopter close to the house. Sure enough, when they looked outside, they saw a VIP helicopternding in their backyard.


    "Come on! We don''t have all day!" Avi yelled as she jerked the door open without waiting for the pilots tond properly. They didn''t hesitate much and jumped inside after her.


    Normal helicopters didn''t have a lot of space inside but what awaited them was an exclusive interior with four spacious seats. One of the pilots even came out to help them with the baggage while the other set off as soon as the door closed.


    "Whoa¡­" Zhenzhen muttered in amazement as she immediately looked through the window to watch the ground moving away. She took her first flight surprisingly well.


    "Miss, if there is anything you need, let me know," the second pilot informed after securing all the bags and left them as he returned to the cabin. The inside immediately quietened down, allowing them to finally talk.


    "That''s a nice transport," Liu Yemented, not expecting she coulde up with an exclusive helicopter this fast.


    "What, did you think our enemies are the only ones with money and connections?" Avi asked with a smile and reached out to grab a beer from the bar. "We have created Avatar Online which cost us billions. We naturally had to get our own sponsors. They might have the support of some governments but there are enough billionaires in this world for everyone."


    "Hmm? Are you talking about Master Yang?" Xu Yue questioned confused and Liu Ye began exining everything that happened earlier. Zhenzhen also neared her ear to listen but they didn''t hide anything from her.


    She was now more than involved so she deserved to know everything. When Liu Ye was about to reach the matter of his parents being alive, he paused and grasped Zhenzhen''s hand.


    "There is one more thing that we discovered and it could be one of the reasons why we are being targeted," Liu Ye informed and decided to just say it right away. "It''s about our parents. It is not confirmed but that man said our parents are still alive and imprisoned by them."


    Zhenzhen froze on the spot as if she couldn''t register what he just said. "So they didn''t die in a car ident¡­?"


    "I really want to believe that is true but as I said, we don''t know that yet. Miss Katherine is already working to find out the truth," Liu Ye said softly while caressing her palm. "I wanted to keep it a secret until I confirm it fully but you are old enough to handle it. Let''s not be disappointed in case it turns out to be false."


    He expected her to react emotionally but to everyone''s surprise, Zhenzhen remained calm and mature as she nodded, "Mhmm, I appreciate it. Let''s wait with the celebration till we can confirm it. I will not trust a single word of someone who just tried to kill you."


    Her gaze was still filled with worry when she looked at him. Even if their parents came back to them, they would remain the most important person in each other''s lives.


    When Liu Ye continued and introduced them to their parent''s potential backstory, Xu Yue couldn''t help but frown. "It all doesn''t make sense though. Why would they try to kill you if they wanted to convince your parents to cooperate."


    "This is also why I''m not buying it," Liu Ye replied with a shrug. "Taking us hostage would be much better but Tian said it''s the headquarters that wants me dead. The only thing that is special about me is my elemental potential but there should be thousands of yers just like me."


    He gazed at Avi and she nodded, "You are indeed not special when ites to your potential but there is something else that could potentially happen."


    She paused to take another sip. "Katherine wouldn''t like that I''m telling you this but I''m guessing your parents discovered something using you as a test subject. The only way our enemies know about you is because your parents included you in their research and found something disturbing. I think they wanted to protect you which is why they destroyed everything and tried to run away but in the end they failed."


    "So you are saying there is a big chance that Tian said the truth?"


    "He died from the Spirit Curse so he really tried to join us. Why would he lie just to die?" Avi pointed out. "There is also no other way Master Yang would know about you if not for your parents so I think Tian was telling the truth. "


    "Why would Katherine be mad at you for saying that?" Liu Ye questioned.


    "Look, if my theory is correct, your parents must have discovered something about you that can threaten our enemy''s ns. If that''s the case, you can use it as leverage to get preferential treatment from our organization," Avi exined with a smug. "Your case is already our top priority but you can use this to your advantage."


    She winked and added, "In any case, I didn''t tell you that. You figured it out on your own."


    By that time, they were already high in the air and their course stabilized as they flew outside the city. Even though they were safe, it wasn''t the time to rx. Now that they awakened their Elements, they could only focus on getting stronger. They could always let a mysterious organization protect them.


    "Hey, everything alright?" Liu Ye asked as he noticed Xu Yue''s anxious expression. Zhenzhen looked the calmest of them all so he stopped worrying about her.


    "I''m just wondering if my parents will be targets after we escaped," Xu Yue replied honestly. "They will naturally hide for the time being but they can''t do that forever. We could clearly see that one Bender can do so much destruction and they didn''t hesitate to kill people. What if¡ª"


    "That won''t happen again," Avi cut her off. "We are quite sure that this incident only happened because they really wanted Liu Ye killed. Even though Master Yang is evil, it doesn''t mean he will start killing civilians."


    "How are you so sure?" Xu Yue questioned with raised brows.


    Zhenzhen and Liu Ye only had each other but Xu Yue had a whole family behind her. Even though she wanted to get out, it didn''t mean she would let anyone hurt them.


    "Don''t you think the world would already discover the presence of benders if those cases weremon?" Avi questioned back. "It''s ourmon interest to keep those matters secret. If the world learned the truth, people would begin to hunt for precious resources like Elemental Stones or Essence. It wouldn''t be beneficial to both of our organizations."


    She put her beer down and added, "Master Yang didn''t use benders at first and only sent Tian after the mercenaries failed. Unless they can open the Spirit World and bring chaos to the world, they wouldn''t want to risk exposing ourmon secrets. Even we are trying to be as secretive as possible but we are ready to ept some leaks in the process."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but wonder as well. What was the difference in power between military and Elemental Bending?


    "Now that you are saying this, it made me curious about a strength of a bender," Xuefeng pointed out curiously. "If you were to fight an army, how many soldiers would be enough to beat you?"


    Avi momentarilyughed at his question and smiled mysteriously.


    "If I trained you for a month, you would be able to destroy the entire city within a few minutes. You can imagine from there."

 Chapter 101: Avis Training

    Chapter 101: Avi''s Training


    "Miss Avi, we will be on standby so call us whenever you need transport."


    Liu Ye covered his eyes from the wind as the helicopter set off again. He scanned their new location and realized they got dropped on top of a modern building with tall trees surrounding them from all sides. It was clearly a base with multiple other buildings in the vicinity.


    Despite being rtively well hidden, Liu Ye immediately discovered a major w.


    "Isn''t this ce too open?" He questioned as he gazed at the sky. Any passing ne could easily spot their location.


    Avi only smiled as she pulled out a remote and pressed the only button. "Don''t worry, we are not stupid."


    Before he could reply, multiple lights shed and the open space in the forest was reced with a hologram of the treetops. He was about to nod in approval when a sudden translucent barrier covered the whole base.


    "This is a Spirit Barrier created using a small Spirit Stone. We arepletely safe here and even if we are discovered, no one can easily break inside," Avi exined as she casually walked towards the entrance. "Follow me. I will show you around."


    "What is this base for?" Liu Ye questioned curiously while carrying all the bags for the girls. Although the inside looked like a normal apartment, they quickly found there was more to it.


    "It''s a regional base which monitors all the yers from the region. We also train new recruits here so it has everything we need for our training," Avi exined as they approached one of the ss walls. The whole base floor of the building was an office with tens of workers while the top apartment was just a small part of it.


    "Seems like your organization is bigger than I thought," Xu Yuemented while scanning the developers behind their screens. "How many of those are in the country?"


    "We have spent years preparing for the gameunch and we have built hundreds of such bases all around the world," Avi replied casually. "High-ranked trainers like me live in those bases when we travel. Right now there shouldn''t be anyone else here so we can enjoy this apartment for ourselves."


    Avi finally sat down on the sofa but she wasn''t able to rest for long.


    "Train us," Liu Ye pleaded without bothering to tour the whole apartment. "You said you can make me improve so much in just a month. We don''t know when we get attacked again and I want to be prepared for that moment."


    "Are you sure you want me to train you?" Avi questioned while pursing her lips. "I''m pretty chill right now but if I teach you, I won''t have mercy on you. Anything I say, you will do without a singleint. If you dare to question my methods, I will stop teaching you."


    "That''s fine by me," Liu Ye nodded while gazing at the girls. Xu Yue quickly confirmed as well while Zhenzhen clenched her fists with determination in her eyes.


    "I want to be stronger too and help however I can!"


    It was clear she med herself for being unable to heal when they needed it but Liu Ye didn''t correct her. She wouldn''t listen to him no matter what he said and he didn''t mind being her motivation to work harder.


    "Alright, I will give you a chance to be my students," Avi nodded in approval while getting up to the fridge. "Since you have only awakened Water and Fire Element, I can teach you all at the same time. I can''t teach Zhenzhen healing but we can work on basics for now."


    She grabbed two bottles before casually floating them to Liu Ye and Zhenzhen. "This is your first test. You two have a single day to getfortable controlling this amount of water."


    "Isn''t that simple?" Liu Ye questioned as he withdrew the water into a ball. It floated on top of his palm and he looked at her confused.


    He expected she would teach him how to fight since he was already familiar with Water Maniption.


    "Simple?" Avi asked back with a mysterious smile. "Don''t get too cocky just cause you can Waterbend for a few minutes. What if the fight drags for hours? Do you think your brain can handle it or will you copse unconscious?"


    "This¡­" Liu Ye muttered uncertainly while Zhenzhen looked down embarrassed. Avi was quick to reach her though and patted her shoulder.


    "Don''t worry, healing is already a hundred times harder than normal Waterbending. I''m actually shocked you can heal so efficiently without any practice," Avi praised while giving Liu Ye a stinky eye. "I wouldn''t be surprised if you can beat your brother in the endurance battle."


    "Ah, I doubt. He is very powerful," Zhenzhen replied humbly as she also withdrew the water. "Big Bro, let''s work hard to train!"


    Avi didn''t forget about Xu Yue and created a small me on top of her palm. "When ites to Firebending, the training looks the same. I can''t teach you different abilities if your endurance iscking."


    "I can do it," Xu Yue nodded as she copied Avi''s me. "How long do we have to hold it?"


    "I never said you can even stop," Avi replied while going back to her sofa. "I will teach you all if you can keep your bending active for a whole day. You are allowed to lower the amount but you can''t stop. If you fail, I won''t teach you."


    They naturally agreed to her demands and only after 30 minutes did they realize how hard it was. Liu Ye was already sweating while Xu Yue''s me was swaying left and right. Zhenzhen was the only one who didn''t have much of a reaction.


    Avi naturally couldn''t resist teasing him.


    "What? Are you already giving up?" Avi questioned yfully while patting Liu Ye''s forehead with a towel. "I thought you said it was simple and look at you now. You should lower the amount by half or you will pass out within the next 30 minutes."


    "I''m fine, thank you¡­" Liu Ye replied while trying to pretend it was nothing but it was just too obvious. "I need to go to the toilet."


    "Why you telling me, just go. It''sbeled. You can do whatever you want as long as you keep your Waterbending active. I know you won''t cheat," Avi informed with a smile and pulled out her phone. "I will order some food for lunch. You got to eat or else your brain will run out of juices."


    It was definitely a must since the moment Liu Ye came back from the bathroom, he could barely walk. His mind was mushy and his headache became painful. It was obvious he wouldn''tst all day at this rate.


    He looked at Xu Yue and they made a silent agreement. Both of them lowered the difficulty by half at the same time. Thankfully, Avi didn''t tease them again as she busied herself with the food.


    That was only a false hope though as she returned with full force once they were done eating.


    "Alright, time to do some workout. Who is down to run around the building with me?"

 Chapter 102.1: Massage - Part 1

    Chapter 102.1: Massage - Part 1


    "Hu¡­ That evil woman¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he copsed on the bed in his new single room. Not only was his mind on the verge of copsing, his body wasn''t in a better condition.


    Normally he would be fine to run for a few hours and he wouldn''t even feel sore but Avi''s training killed him. All they did was perform some simple exercises and Liu Ye felt as if he had just run a full marathon.


    "Knock, knock, I''m back," Avi announced her arrival with a fake knock on the door and sat on the bed to check on him. "How are you feeling? Do you need some water?"


    She was the one who dragged all three to their rooms because they could no longer walk on their own. Who would have known that when the brain was brought to extreme limits, it would use the energy from the body to sustain its activity?


    "It''s fine, I can get it mysel¡ª"


    "Lay down," Avi cut him off as he tried to get up and grabbed the water from the nightstand to give him a drink. "You shouldn''t exercise your brain anymore for today. Just rx."


    She didn''t give him an opportunity to resist and leaned over to help him. Although he was tired, it wasn''t to the point where he couldn''t lift his finger. He let her lift his head to drink but he still grabbed the bottle from her hand.


    The water going down his throat was like heavenly nectar chilling his body.


    "Stubborn. Why can''t you just let me help you?" Avi questioned as she grasped his hair while gazing into his eyes but he had no strength to fight her.


    "I''m much better already. You should go ask the girls if they need help," Liu Ye suggested, pulling her wrist away. "Xu Yue was more beat up than me."


    Although Xu Yue was supposed to be the main candidate, Liu Ye''s physical strength helped him push his limits further than her. It wasn''t something to be proud of since Zhenzhen totally outdid them both.


    Even though she felt tired, Zhenzhen was only adding water instead of taking it away. She was rocking three bottles worth by the end of the training while he was still stuck on one.


    "I''m actually surprised you three did so well, especially your sister," Avi praised while patting his chest. "I was joking when I said I will stop training you all if you fail. I already promised Katherine I will take care of you."


    "I figured it out but I still wanted to do my best. I can actually feel that I have improved already," Liu Ye informed as he clenched his fist. "Not only can I bend water more freely but my body has also advanced."


    He initially doubted that workouts would help them improve their brainpower but he was mistaken. He could feel the change each time they refilled and drained their energy.


    "Of course, you are trained by the greatest teacher in the world," Avi nodded proudly, her gaze trailing along his tense muscles and shirt sticking to his body. "But it''s still just the beginning. If you want to be strong enough to lift a whole pool of water effortlessly then you have to listen to everything I say."


    Liu Ye nced down at her hand that found herself toofortable and began to scratch his chest with her nails. "I thought teachers can''t make advances towards their students?"


    Avi also looked down at her hand but she didn''t stop rubbing his chest. "I don''t know what you are talking about. I am simply checking the tenderness of your muscles so I can prepare for the right massage."


    "What massage?" Liu Ye asked as he squinted his eyes. He was about to expose herme excuse when she got serious and stood up.


    "What else? Healing and strengthening massage," Avi replied as if it was obvious. "It will help you recover for tomorrow and you won''t get a painful headache."


    She gave him onest nce and walked out while pointing at the bathroom. "Go take a cold shower first. The girls should be done with theirs, so I will start with them. We still have an hour till going online so you can take your time."


    Even though she sounded honest, Liu Ye couldn''t bring himself to fully trust her with his naked body. It would be best for both of them to focus on their training and avoid drama. His life was already packed with enough action.


    Liu Ye didn''t waste time and somehow dragged himself to the bathroom. It was well furnished but he only gave it a casual nce as he dropped his clothes and cold water streamed down his back.


    He could feel the water around him with each breath he took and he fought with an idea to y with it. His mind really needed some rest.


    "Hey¡­"


    His eyes were closed when Liu Ye heard a muffled female voice but he unconsciously ignored it. The cold water falling on his head and chilling his body felt too good. Only when something warm touched his back did he shudder and turn around.


    It was no other than Avi who watched his naked body with her usual boldness. "I was calling for you but you didn''t answer. How long have you showered? It has been almost thirty minutes."


    "I think I zoned out," Liu Ye replied as he rubbed his eyes and turned off the water. "I wille out in a second. You can wait outside."


    "You think I have never seen a naked man before?" Avi asked unimpressed and threw a towel at him. "Get yourself dry ande to bed."


    She acted normal so Liu Ye didn''t cause any problems. He wasn''t shy about his body, so as long as Avi didn''t make it weird, it wasn''t an issue.


    "Lay down," Avi ordered and she climbed on his back with her bottom barely hovering against his skin. "The girls loved it, so just rx and give yourself to my hands."


    Before Liu Ye couldn''t even reply, her warm hands sank into his skin and he let out a rxed breath. Realizing it actually felt good, he stopped worrying and let her do her thing.


    It didn''tst long though.


    "What are you doing¡­?"

 Chapter 103.2: Massage - Part 2

    Chapter 103.2: Massage - Part 2


    "Is there a problem?" Avi questioned back innocently which caused Liu Ye to roll his eyes.


    "I don''t think it is necessary for you to strip," Liu Ye pointed out as he gazed at the pieces of her outfit falling on the bed. He could handle anything if it was anyone else, but Avi was unpredictable.


    "If you don''t want to see anything then don''t peek," Avi replied yfully. "I''m getting ufortable massaging in tight clothes. I can''t work on your muscles in this position unless I have more freedom."


    Avi didn''t ask for his permission and continued stripping until only her ck lingerie was left. ?Ah, nothing is better than taking everything off for the night."


    ?Do you wear it for specific reasons?" Liu Ye asked, changing the topic. He only needed to survive for less than thirty minutes and he would be saved by the game.


    "Yeah. It''s made from a special leather that protects me from cuts, stabs, fire and it''s even waterproof," Avi recounted as she returned to massaging his back. "I also look sexy wearing it, don''t you think?"


    Ah¡­


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but groan when Avi pressed against his tense muscles. Each stroke brought him relief and he shivered as pleasure ran through his body. He had to admit, Avi knew what she was doing.


    "You are really good at it¡­" Liu Ye praised as he rxedpletely but that wasn''t what Avi wanted to hear.


    "I asked if you find me sexy," Avi repeated as she sat on his lower back while rubbing his shoulders. Her thighs clutched to him skin to skin and her bottom pressed against him with each move.


    Liu Ye knew very well what Avi tried to achieve but he ignored her advances as he replied casually, "As long as you feel sexy then my opinion doesn''t matter. You obviously look great in anything you wear."


    Avi paused her massage and patted his back while getting off him for a moment. "Alright, turn around. We don''t have much time, so I will work on your chest now."


    Liu Ye didn''t think much of it and rolled on his back while holding his towel so it doesn''t fall. His gaze immediately fell on Avi''s slim body. He worked his way up from her wide hips and narrow waist only to meet with her eyes.


    "Weren''t youining just earlier?" Avi pointed out while pursing her lips and spread her legs into a sexy pose. "Do you like what you see?"


    "Of course. You are a natural beauty. Why would I look away?" Liu Ye asked back with a shrug. "Looking is not a sin when your mind is pure."


    "Sure, sure," Avi nodded with a clear doubt in her eyes and climbed on top of him. "So I guess you won''t feel anything no matter what I do, right?"


    Liu Ye was about to reply confidently when Avi sat on his crotch and leaned over his chest with her cleavage directly in front of his face. He had to either close his eyes or look away to avoid staring.


    "I can always throw you off if you go overboard," Liu Ye informed as he focused on her eyes. "I don''t want to sound ungrateful but if we are done with the massage, I will just prepare myself for the night."


    "We are not done," Avi replied firmly and gripped into his chest with force. She was much more aggressive this time, acting as if she wanted to punish him for rejecting him.


    Liu Ye still felt good from her touch, so he closed his eyes and rxed. His shoulders and neck were the most tense but she got rid of everything with a couple skilful strokes.


    Minutes passed by with pure bliss and even Avi''s teasing couldn''t ruin it. Liu Ye could feel more heat and stiffness each time her bottom rubbed against his hips but the positives outnumbered the negatives.


    At least at the beginning.


    "It seems like you do feel something," Avimented as she finally sat up and poked the towel wrapped around his hips. "I happy. I almost thought you don''t find me attractive."


    "I''m a simple man. I will react if you tease me long enough," Liu Ye replied with a shrug and patted her on the knee. "Anyway, we are done, right? Thank you for the massage. I really appreciate it."


    Having Avi on top of him while he was this hard wasn''t a smart thing to do, so it was time to end it. She wasn''t in a hurry though and ced his hands on her thighs.


    "Do you really appreciate it?" Avi asked with a mysterious smile. "I''m done you''re your massage, but what about me? Will I get a reward for my hard work?"


    Liu Ye knew where she was going but he wasn''t someone who liked to owe favors or even worse, debts. "Is there something you want? As long as it''s nothing sexual then I don''t mind anything."


    Avi''s eyes brightened. "I want a long, tight hug. Is that okay?"


    "Sure, just behave yourself," Liu Ye agreed and sat up, ready to embrace her. She stopped him in thest second though.


    "Close your eyes. I want to hug you first," Avi demanded.


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes as if to find anything suspicious and finally followed through. He didn''t believe Avi suddenly turned innocent and wanted a friendly hug.


    His gut feeling turned out to be correct.


    "Avi, let go." Liu Ye decided right when Avi''s naked breasts pressed against his chest. She secretly took off her bra and then shamelessly hugged him.


    "Come on, just hug me..." Avi muttered in a whisper as she drowned her face in his neck. "Can''t I just have one small hug¡­? I only want one minute."


    Liu Ye took a deep breath and gave in, wrapping his arms around her. "One minute."


    He wouldn''t hesitate to pull away if it was anyone else but Avi was an important ally. Not only did she train them but she was also the only person who took their size in the organization. One minute wasn''t that big of a sacrifice if one looked at the bigger picture.


    "It has been a while since I let a man hug me," Avi informed after a moment of silence. "When you have power and high position, it''s hard to find anyone who can match you."


    "Do I really match you then?" Liu Ye countered. "I''m only a beginner in power and my status in non-existent. I also have a girlfriend."


    Hisst sentence caused Avi to bite his neck. "Don''t mention her. Just when I found a hottie who matches my energy, he turns out to be taken. Why am I so unlucky?"


    "Just do your thing and you will eventually find him," Liu Ye assured as he rubbed her back. "Just trust the process."


    Avi only sighed in response. "I guess I will be lonely forever."


    She pulled away on her own even before the time ran out and disyed herself to his view. She didn''t wear her ck leather outfit though and instead walked to his suitcase to steal one of his white shirts. It looked like a dress on her and one could see her nipples outlined through the fabric.


    "I''m taking this one," Avi informed as she sat on the bed and kissed him on the cheek. "Good luck in the game. Can''t wait for our session tomorrow. I will prepare something special."


    She winked yfully and then left after giving Liu Ye onest peek under her skirt. Even though his body was rxed, Avi''s seduction only added to his stress. He gazed at the headgear console lying on the nightstand and picked it up while calming himself down.


    After an eventful day, Liu Ye could finally return to his grind.

 Chapter 104: Gacha

    Chapter 104: Gacha


    "Ah¡­ feels good to be back," Liu Ye muttered as he took a deep breath of fresh air. One day in real life felt like foreverpared to the game where he didn''t even notice the passing time.


    He looked around in search for Xu Yue and Zhenzhen but they were yet to connect to the game. They weren''t the only onesgging behind as the streets of the city were basically empty with random shes of yers appearing every other second.


    It would take a couple minutes before the streets would fill, so Liu Ye used this opportunity and opened his profile to check his progress.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 29] [SP: 1]


    [Exp: 500/250,000]


    [HP: 780/780] [HP Regen: 2]


    [MP: 140/140] [MP Regen: 2]


    [Strength: 1]


    [Intelligence: 14]


    [Vitality: 1]


    [Dexterity: 14]


    [Wisdom: 5]


    [Luck: 5]


    [Physical Power: 10]


    [Elemental Power: 100]


    [Physical Defense: 50]


    [Elemental Defense: 50]


    [Elements: Water 88%]


    [Arts: Waterbending]


    [Abilities: Small Water Whips, Ice Projectile, Water Maniption, Ice Wall, Water Boxing, Large Water Whip, Water Jet, Phase Change, Ice Bullets, Water Cloak, Water Bullet, Ice Spear, Ice ws.]


    They stopped grindingst night just when he hit level 29 and then returned back to the city right after. He didn''t even have time to spend his free Skill Point since they hurried back to avoid wasting time on another day.


    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate much as he aimed to tap on the Intelligence but then paused as he gazed at the attributes he didn''t touch yet. Both his Strength and Vitality were still at the base level with only one point each. Investing in thetter seemed the most reasonable from the two as it provided him with more HP but then what was the point of increasing your strength?


    "Big Bro."


    Just as Liu Ye wondered, he heard a familiar sweet voice and saw his girls peek at his profile screen. The data on the virtual window was nk for strangers but they were on his friend list so they could see everything clearly.


    "Whoa, no wonder you are so strong. Look at your stats," Xu Yuemented proudly. "Is that the bonus of your outfit?"


    "Only the Defense and the HP," Liu Ye replied casually after making sure no one else is close enough to hear them. "Do you perhaps know the benefits of adding points into Strength? Did you try it?"


    "Oh, I did it. I thought martial arts were rendered useless after the nerf but some abilities scale pretty well with the Strength," Xu Yue informed as she hugged his arm seamlessly. "My ming Fist for example scales with 40% Elemental Power and 60% Physical Power. It appears whenever the Ability involves kicking or punching."


    "I see¡­ So my Ice Fist should also work the same way," Liu Ye nodded and tapped on the Strength. He already nned to unlock a closebat Ability when he ims another Elemental Mastery Point.


    He expected his Physical Power to increase by 5 just like the Elemental Power, but he was surprised by a full 20 points. "Wait, isn''t 20 points increase too overpowered? Won''t it scale like crazy?"


    Xu Yue shook her head before Liu Ye finished the math in his head. "No, because you can only use Elemental Power for all Abilities while Physical Power is limited. It is still better to stack Elemental Power."


    "Yeah, I just calcted it. Even if I added 10 points into Strength, my Ice Fist would still be weaker than a strike from my Ice ws. Unless it has an additional bonus¡ª"


    "It does," Xu Yue cut him off with good news. "Your punch will carry the physical force you applied. You can easily knock someone back which will disrupt their bending. The only way to prevent it is stacking your Vitality but only tanks would do that."


    "Will see how it performster then," Liu Ye muttered as he motivated them to move. "Alright, let''s go."


    Many yers began to appear around them and he could feel stares focusing on him. He already guessed his outfit would be well known if he began to kill people but that was unavoidable.


    "Where are we going?" Zhenzhen questioned happily as she hopped next to them with Puffy on her shoulder.


    "I can''t apany you for now, but I will join youter for the Dungeon run," Liu Ye informed. "Let''s visit the bank first."


    After a few steps, he discovered a bothersome weight still clinging to his arm. He gave Xu Yue a nce but she only smiled at him without any intentions to pull away from him.


    "You can walk on your own," Liu Ye suggested as he tried to shrug her off. "What if someone attacks us?"


    "Fine, fine." Xu Yue finally released him while pursing her lips. "I just felt like to hug you. Don''t mind me."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows. "Since when did you take a liking to hugging in public?"


    Xu Yue only shrugged in response but Zhenzhen exined on her stead. "It''s because of Avi. She came to our room earlier which is why we werete."


    Both of them seemed to be in a good mood so Liu Ye didn''t overthink too much. "What did she want?"


    There was nothing to gain for Avi if she tried to ruin his rtionship with Xu Yue so he wasn''t worried.


    "We mostly talked about you. Apparently you said you have a girlfriend when she massaged you too dangerously which she found funny," Xu Yue replied with a rare smug. "Don''t worry, she is not trying to do anything weird."


    Liu Ye would argue about that fact but that would only worsen the situation. Avi was nning something but she was too clever to do anything about it. No matter what he tells her, she would still do anything she wanted.


    "Alright, that''s good then," Liu Ye nodded and pulled them into the Bank while changing the topic. "Let me get you an Elemental Stone."


    The main requirement to get the next Dungeon Key was getting a second Element. Now that they were finally together, they could awaken whatever element theycked.


    [Fire Stone]


    [Description: A crystal containing pure Fire Element. One can use it to awaken Firebending Art or strengthen their Elemental Mastery. Sess chance might change depending on the yer''s affinity with Fire Element.]


    [Sess Chance: 1%]


    "Do you think we can awaken on the first try?" Xu Yue wondered as she observed a rare Water Stone in her hand. "I will go after you."


    The sess chance was tragic but Liu Ye expected their great affinity would help them. He didn''t waste time and swallowed the Fire Stone he had from the beginning.


    [Ding! Fire Stone has been consumed. Awakening has failed.]


    "That''s it?" Liu Ye questioned disappointed, not expecting he wouldn''t even feel anything after eating it. "So much gold went down the drain."


    "This feels like gacha," Xu Yue pointed out. "yers will have to spend a lot of money to get the second element."


    She visually stopped expecting anything and ate the Water Stone as if it was candy. Xu Yue didn''t show any signs but after a few seconds, her eyes brightened and she covered her mouth as she looked at him.


    "Don''t worry, I''m happy for you," Liu Ye assured as he withdrew an Earth Stone and tried again without much thought into it.


    [Ding! Earth Stone has been consumed. Awakening has failed.]


    "Here, you can try again. I got this one from the field boss," Xu Yue suggested and she traded him another Earth Stone. "Third try is a charm."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but imagine 40,000 gold being burned. He looked up at the ceiling and threatened the imaginary developers. "If I fail again, I will kill all the field bosses today and monopolize all Elemental Stones. Just so you know."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The girls looked at him speechlessly but he ignored them and tried for thest time.

 Chapter 105: Main Quest

    Chapter 105: Main Quest


    Liu Ye immediately felt a different sensation as soon as the Earth Stone entered his mouth. His mind buzzed and the earth gave out a silent tremor as if weing a new member of the family. Even though they were in the bank with a wooden floor, he could still feel the ground underneath. It was calling for him just as the water in his surroundings.


    He sighed in relief as he saw a number of notifications filling his inbox.


    [Ding! The Earth Stone has been consumed. Awakening has seeded.]


    [Ding! You gained Earthbending Art.]


    [Ding! Your Vitality increased by 2.]


    [Ding! Your Health Points increased by 50.]


    [Ding! Your Physical and Elemental Defense increased by 10.]


    The Vitality turned out to be not that bad as each point increased his HP by 25 and his Defense by 5. If anyone wanted to be a tank, having Earthbending and high Vitality was a must.


    "Congrats! Now it''s my turn," Xu Yue called out happily and swallowed her own Water Stone.


    Liu Ye didn''t have his hopes up, considering he failed two times. "Don''t worry if you fail. I have one more¡ª"


    He paused mid-sentence after seeing Xu Yue''s eyebrows shoot up. "Did you get it on the first try?"


    "Yup, it went smoothly," Xu Yue nodded coolly as she checked her profile. "It even gave me one Elemental Point. Nice."


    Liu Ye would lie if he said he wasn''t jealous but he couldn''t do anything about it. "It seems like your affinity to nature is all-round higher than mine. We can test itter when we get more Elemental Stones."


    "I think it''s only easy on the second Element," Xu Yuemented. "If I could awaken all five Elements just like that, we could get Elemental Stones of all Elements right now and the game would end within a week. The whole goal of the game is to be an Avatar after all, so the difficulty should rise each time you awaken a new element."


    "I figured as much," Liu Ye nodded. "Even Avi has only awakened two Elements after ying for months. Affinity should y a major factor but your body can only take so much. I''m guessing you need to improve first to awaken the following Elements."


    Liu Ye lowered his voice after hearing the footsteps of yers entering the bank and decided to cut it short. "Anyway, now that all of us have two Elements, we should have three Dungeon Keys. We can clear this dungeonter tonight."


    "Wait, something is wrong," Xu Yue pointed out as she suddenly disyed her inventory. "Did you get your Dungeon Key?"


    Liu Ye gazed at the bottom of his inbox and he immediately noticed a change.


    [Ding! Quest Avatar - Act III Completed! You received a Dungeon Key.]


    Hepleted the third Act but a new quest didn''t show up while the Dungeon Key he received was disabled.


    [Dungeon Key] [Locked]


    [Description: A key to open a Dungeon Portal. The Key will be restricted until at least one yerpletes the first main Quest.]


    "I thought the Avatar Quest was the main Questline," Liu Ye mentioned as he remembered the quest he received yesterday. "Could those stolen weapons be the key to start the main quest?"


    Liu Ye was supposed to follow Muhamut and meet with the Royal Family today. He was willing to bet it was the main quest.


    "Why else would the game boost the first drop and give everyone simr items," Xu Yue replied as she took out a ne with a single red fang. "I have this ne made by Arron in the Fire Land. I wanted to visit and return it to him. I guess now we know that''s the right path."


    "Oh," Liu Ye''s eyes brightened as he returned to the storage window to withdraw his own. "I have the same one."


    He passed it to Zhenzhen who was listening quietly on the side and ordered, "You can follow Xu Yue today and try to im the same Quest as her. This way you can finish it together."


    "You are noting with us?" Zhenzhen asked back unhappily but cheered up with a pat on her head.


    "I already imed my Quest in the Earth Land but you can call me anytime you need me," Liu Ye assured. "Especially if you are bothered by those ck Coffins. I will drop everything and save you."


    Xu Yue peeked at his storage window and her eyes widened at the number of items stored. "How did you get so many of them?"


    "You know how," Liu Ye replied with a shrug as he got up. "I actually had a whole inventory of yer Bags and only just opened them. I don''t think we willck potions for now."


    Liu Ye only skimmed through all the items and he actually found ten main Quest items among the pile of Potions and Monster ingredients. They were simr to his own Mazamut''s Ring and required him to visit famous crafters across the Maind. Even though he had one more ring slot avable, he didn''t n on wearing a stolen item.


    His whole inventory was filled with potion stacks so Liu Ye sent them both a few before they finally parted ways.


    "Look! It''s Grind God!"


    He was momentarily recognized as soon as he left the Teleportation Station but this time no one was brave enough to simply approach and stop him to chat. They didn''t have time to check the forum yesterday but Liu Ye was sure it was another storm after so many yers died.


    Huh?


    [Captain Ra - Lvl. 95]


    [Royal Guard - Lvl. 70]


    Just as Liu Ye reached his destination, he noticed a suspicious number of green uniform guards standing in front of Mazamut''s store. The middle-aged owner was standing at the front and talking with Capitan.


    "Young man! We have been waiting for you all morning!" Mazamut scolded him as soon as he saw him. "Let''s go. Those gentlemen will escort us to the pce. We cannot bete for the meeting with the Queen."


    The Royal Guards were much more polite as they nodded at him in greeting while the Captain even introduced himself. "I''m Ra, the Captain of Royal Guard. Thank you for cooperating with us. Our Queen doesn''t belong to patient women so let''s talk on the way."


    "Sure," Liu Ye nodded as he followed them. "Are you already aware of what happened?"


    "That''s right. Mazamut informed me yesterday and I set up a meeting with the Queen for you," Ra replied calmly as he brushed his long ck hair. "This matter involves the safety of our country so the Queen will oversee this case."


    Thankfully, they didn''t need to walk all the way to the Pce on foot and instead used a special stone cart attached to a set of bridges. The guards used their Earthbending and pushed the cart on the rails before they skimmed the city in a blink.


    That was the first time Liu Ye saw the richest district where only grandmasters could enter and he held his breath as he watched the beautiful architecture. Even though the lower districts weren''t stinky, the difference was colossal. One could actually smell the aroma from the Royal gardens no matter where they went.


    "Are there any customs I need to follow while meeting the Queen?" Liu Ye asked as they stopped in front of a massive door after walking through the whole Pce. "I don''t want to offend her."


    One only needed to be good at persuasion and smooth-talking to get a Quest. He was good at talking but it was always better to be safe than sorry.


    "Don''t worry, our Queen doesn''t really follow old traditions," Ra assured as knocked on the door. "Just answer her questions honestly and you will be good."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows curiously when the door opened and he heard a sweet voice.


    "You cane inside without knocking. I am not naked this time."

 Chapter 106 - Queen Luna

    [Royal Meeting]


    [Meet with the Royalty of the Earth Empire to discuss the death of Royal Envoys. Convince them to ept your help.]


    [Difficulty: C]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Gain Royal Family''s trust.]


    [Clear Reward: 1,000 Experience]


    The initial Quest seemed to be easy, but that thought crumbled as soon as Liu Ye entered through a massive door. He expected to meet a mature and collected woman inside the throne room, yet he found himself in the Royal bedroom.


    Liu Ye wouldn''t have any issues with it if only the room didn''t look like a tornado just passed right through it. Various dresses were scattered all around the floor while the Queen in question was sitting at the end of her enormous bed.


    [Queen Luna ¨C Lvl. 120]


    She was a young woman no older than Avi with beautiful glossy skin and a smile that drew all of his attention. Queen Luna nced him up and down with a pair of ck eyes before smirking as she shifted to Ra.


    "See? I told you I''m dressed," Queen Luna pointed out as she posed elegantly in a sexy ck nightgown. "Now you can''tin anymore."


    "My Queen, how is this outfit any different than your everyday look?" Ra replied speechlessly and looked away. "Also, we just cleaned this room and you made another mess. Can we have a break for one day?"


    Only then did Liu Ye realize that all dresses on the floor were actually short nightgowns that barely covered anything. Her thighs were fully exposed to his view while half of her butt would be uncovered if she wasn''t sitting with her legs crossed.


    "Huh, excuse me?" Queen Luna questioned while raising her eyebrows. "What mess? I can''t see anything."


    As Queen Luna spoke, she flicked with her fingers and the sudden wind blew across the room. A small tornado began to pick up all the dresses before disappearing inside her closet.


    Airbending!


    Liu Ye didn''t really have much experience with this Element aside from his encounter with ck Rose and he only needed to see one ability to determine how overpowered it was. His hair blew in all directions and he was almost pushed back with a casual tornado she created.


    How could he fight her if his abilities wouldn''t even reach her? His Water Whips would be destroyed before he can even create them while his Ice Projectiles would be blown back to him. He didn''t even want to think about the ability to suffocate someone by taking away their air. He could do the same with water but he needed to touch the enemy with water while air was everywhere.


    "Anyway, can''t you see my outfit?" Queen Luna asked as if nothing happened and extended her leg at them. "See thosefy knee-socks? You asked me to wear more clothes so Iplied. Any other problems?"


    Ra breathed out a deep sigh and shook his head. "No, my Queen. Everything is perfect."


    Ra''s reaction was a ssic ''I''m not getting paid enough for this'' moment. Queen Luna seemed too unruly to conquer by her subordinates.


    "With that said, let me introduce you," Ra continued as he gazed at Liu Ye. "Please meet Queen Luna, the strongest bender in the Maind. She will personally investigate the death of Royal Envoys so please answer any questions she might have. We will leave you two alone for now."


    Mazamut and Ra looked like they couldn''t wait to leave the room and gazed at him with a look of pity. "If you need help, just shout. We will wait outside the door."


    "I heard it!" Queen Luna called out angrily, causing Ra to speed up his steps.


    Thud.


    Queen Luna''s frown was reced with a bright smile as soon as the door closed and she beckoned at Liu Ye. "Come closer. I''m not going to bite you."


    Liu Ye wasn''t as sure of that after Ra''s words but he still walked up confidently. What could go wrong? His life wasn''t in danger since he was helping them, so he could only benefit from this exchange.


    "Queen Luna, I don''t think I have anything to add in this matter, but please ask me anything," Liu Ye said calmly after stopping at a safe distance from her. A few meters further and he would see more than he should have.


    Too bad, she was the one who closed the distance between them.


    "You don''t know me well, right?" Queen Luna asked while staring into his eyes and walked up to him with interest. She was at least a foot shorter than him yet she moved with a grace of a model.


    "That''s correct. This is my second day in the Earth Land," Liu Ye replied honestly as he forced his eyes to remain on her face. He couldn''t help but wonder who designed such a lewd main Quest, knowing it definitely wasn''t Katherine.


    The ends of her ck nightgown were barely touching her thighs and he was sure he could see everything if only she raised her arms.


    "Yeah, I figured you are not from the area since you don''t know the etiquette," Queen Luna pointed out as she stopped right in front of him and patted his chest. "First rule, don''t call me Queen if I''m not your Queen. Just call me Luna."


    "Second rule," Luna continued as she pulled his Bandana off. "You can''t hide your face while talking to me. I would normally kill for that but I will let you off since you didn''t know."


    "Indeed, Ra didn''t mention that fact," Liu Ye nodded while pulling down his hood as well. "Is there anything I can help with?"


    He was trying to hint her to move on to the main issue but Luna didn''t seem to be in a hurry.


    "You are tall, handsome and your lips look so kissable," Luna muttered as she reached out to caress his cheek and drew closer. "Do you perhaps have a girlfriend?"


    "¡­"


    Liu Ye finally realized what Ra meant by needing help. Thankfully, Xu Yue wasn''t any different so he had a lot of experience handling such situations.


    "I don''t think that question is rted to the death of Royal Envoys," Liu Ye muttered unbothered while catching Luna''s wrist. "I was asked toe here in order to help but I guess that matter is not as important as I thought."


    He let go of her and simply walked away, leaving her staring at his back with raised eyebrows. It was a simple trick he often used on Xu Yue and it never failed him.


    ''One¡­''


    ''Two¡­''


    ''Thre¡ª''


    "Stop right there," Luna called out before he even finished counting to three. "Come back."


    Liu Ye''s brightened and he turned around. "Shall we discuss seriously?"


    Luna pursed her lips and walked back to sit on the bed. "I was just testing your morals and you passed beautifully. Well done."


    [Ding! Quest Royal Meeting Completed. You received 1,000 Experience.]


    [Ding! Your affinity with Queen Luna increased by 50.]


    A bunch of notifications buzzed with his arm but he didn''t have time to read its details as Luna didn''t keep her eyes off him.


    "Before we discuss my request, I want toe clean with you," Luna muttered as she leaned back which pushed her chest out. "Most matters in the Empire are handled by my uncle but I decided to take over after hearing about you. Not many people have the opportunity to see me like this. Especially strangers."


    Liu Ye paused, realizing why he felt something was wrong this whole time.


    It was a Hidden Quest!

 Chapter 107 - Incoming War

    When Queen Luna showed herself in such an outfit, it was obvious something was up.


    "Before I met with you, I talked with the Head of the Healer Association. He told me what happened yesterday and I decided to apologize in his stead," Luna informed while watching him attentively. "Naturally, my apologies should go to the victim which would be your sister, right? Is she perhaps still in the Capital? I would love to meet her personally."


    Liu Ye thought Luna was interested in him due to his high fame but he was quickly humbled. It was Zhenzhen''s Healing Art she was after and thinking about it deeper, he wasn''t that surprised. Recalling how the Emerald City tried to recruit him, it was only natural that other Empires would do that same.


    What rmed him more was how quickly and detailed the NPC''s shared their information. They discovered that Zhenzhen was his sister and Queen Luna tried to reach her through him.


    "She is indeed my sister but she had already left," Liu Ye replied honestly. "I will talk to her about thister and let her decide what she wants to do. For the time being though, I don''t wish her to join any organizations."


    Queen Luna squinted her eyes as he saw right through it and beckoned at him while patting the bed beside her. "Come here and sit down."


    He hesitated for a second but she immediately added, "I''m not going to test you anymore. I just want to show you something."


    It was just the plot of the game so Liu Ye sat down next to her without worries but then she rmed him by cing her palm on his chest. He was about to question her when he fell on his back and saw the ceiling.


    His eyes widened with curiosity at the gigantic map of the Maind painted right above the bed. It had countless de cuts that formed arrows and paths throughout the Maind.


    Liu Ye only needed a nce to know what it was.


    "So the War ising?" Liu Ye guessed as he gazed at Luna. "Is that why the Royal Envoys got killed?"


    She turned to the side to look at him and smiled, "The Maind was in peace for far too long, causing all four parties to feel greedy for more power. The war has been brewing for a while already and it won''t be long before we see a full-scaled bloodbath."


    Her words were implying a sad chain of events yet her smile didn''t falter as if she was excited for this to happen. Liu Ye suddenly wondered about the possible results while gazing back at the map when Luna hugged him with her leg wrapping between his own.


    "I don''t want to be rude, but I will push you away," Liu Ye warned as he grabbed her wrist but Luna didn''t care and used his shoulder as a pillow.


    "You wanted to move on to business, right?" Luna questioned after wiggling her wrist out of his grasp. "I have a certain proposal for you if you are willing to listen to me."


    ''She is just an NPC¡­'' Liu Ye repeated in his mind while taking a deep breath. "Sure, go ahead."


    Liu Ye was already breaking his rules but knowing this was just a game, she couldn''t do anything to him. Pushing her away would only ruin his chances of getting the hidden quest so he had to bear with it.


    "You see, when I became the Queen of the Earth Empire, I was already hungry for more. Although my Earth Land is the biggest, it''s mostly covered by the desert and it''s resources are limited. I have been eyeing othernds and I''m not the only one," Luna exined while grazing on his chest with her nail. "Both the Fire and Water Empires are preparing for the war and their forces are growing with each day."


    "So it''s unavoidable," Liu Yemented as he moved straight to the main topic. "What proposal do you have for me?"


    The Maind had millions of yers roaming around without any affiliation so it seemed like they would have to pick one Land in the near future. It put Liu Ye in a bad spot since he would love to be neutral and fight everyone equally.


    "My request is simple. I want you to join my side and support me in the uing war," Luna proposed as she finally lifted herself up and climbed on top of him. "Of course, I want your sister to join me too. Healers are extremely valuable assets in times of war. You can treat it as a package deal."


    "I warned you." Liu Ye finally snapped at her behavior and rolled them over before pinning her to bed. "Stop messing around and tell me what is it for me in this deal."


    Luna stared him down instead of wrestling away and bit on her lips while smirking at him. "To think you would assault a Queen like this. Are you not afraid of consequences?"


    "If you wanted to push me away you would," Liu Ye replied casually, knowing his limits. Being a beta with Luna wouldn''t give him what he wanted.


    Just as he thought, she actually enjoyed his aggressive side and let him grip onto her wrist as she listed down his benefits. "Not only will I provide you with 2000 gold every week and two items for the both of you, I will also make you a general of my army. I know you are still weak right now but your growth is impressive so I believe in you."


    "I really appreciate this offer but I will have to reject it," Liu Ye replied before he even got an official notification. "Thank you for such trust but I have different ns."


    "What do you want then?" Luna questioned while sharpening her gaze. "Do you want more money? More items? Name your price."


    She tangled her legs around his waist and added, "Or maybe you want some entertainment instead?"


    "That''s not the reason." Liu Ye shook his head. "Although the money is nice, I simply don''t want to join anyone. I prefer to work solo so if you want, you can hire me as a mercenary. Whatever it is that you need, I can do it."


    Luna''s eyes brightened. "Anything?"


    Liu Ye could have expected such an answer and immediately corrected, "Anything that involves killing. I won''t sleep with you."


    "That makes me want it more," Luna muttered with a fierce gaze and pushed him to the side with ease. "Alright then, I want to hire you for a special mission."


    She hopped off the bed with her butt bouncing on each step and stepped behind her closet curtains. "You probably know that the Maind has thousands or even millions of benders roaming ournds. Most of them are not affiliated with anyone and other Empires will try to pouch them."


    Luna threw her nightgown over the curtain and continued, "They will need a lot of money to pay for them so we need to strike them where it will hurt."


    "And where is that exactly?" Liu Ye questioned curiously as he watched her walk out wearing tight leather armor with multiple Essence Crystals in its sockets.


    "Follow me.. We are about to do some killing."

 Chapter 108 - Queen Lunas Plan

    "You didn''t even tell me what the n is," Liu Ye questioned, knowing Queen Luna was too hot-headed to follow her without hesitation.


    "Can''t you just trust me?" Queen Luna asked, before sighing when Liu Ye remained silent. "The n is simple. We are going to sneak out of here, teleport to one of our border cities before acting as trades as we travel to the Fire Empire. I want to rob one of their Treasure Vaults before returning back. Quick sneaky action for high reward. I willter give you 10% of all the goods we can steal."


    [Ding! New Hidden Quest avable: Queen Luna''s n.]


    As soon as Queen Luna finished speaking, Liu Ye''s arm vibrated, announcing her mission on a virtual screen.


    [Queen Luna''s n]


    [The Queen of the Earth Empire ns to weaken their enemies and needs your help. Follow her and rob the Treasure Vault in one of the Fire Land''s main cities. Kill all witnesses and avoid getting caught or you will risk starting a war and be wanted by the Fire Empire.]


    [Difficulty: SSS]


    [Quest Clear Conditions: Empty the Treasure Vault unnoticed.]


    [Clear Reward: 10% of the stolen goods.]


    [Quest Failure: 50,000 Gold Bounty on the yer''s head. A month of jail if caught in the act.]


    [Would you like to ept the Quest?]


    "Damn¡­" Liu Ye cursed under his breath with his eyes widening as he read through the Quest. "Are you really trying to rob a Treasure Vault with just the two of us?"


    With just one look at the Quest difficulty, he knew it wouldn''t be a walk in the park. The penalties were also ruthless enough to think twice before deciding.


    "That''s right. The fewer people the better," Queen Luna replied with a shrug. "I also told you I want to strike where it will hurt. Stealing their money and precious items will cripple the economy of one of their main Cities. Naturally, we cannot be discovered, or else both of us will end up badly. We need to make it seem like an inside job to even further destabilize them."


    She pointed up at the map and a small rock moved to one of the bigger cities near the Earth and Firend border. "That''s our target, the Dragon City at the mountain range by the border. It has the highest security, but the guards won''t expect anything. Who normal would mess around in the City with the highest amount of soldiers?"


    "You already have everything nned, huh?" Liu Ye questioned while pointing at the entrance. "What about Ra? You don''t n to tell anyone about it?"


    "I actually nned to bring Ra with me but I was worried he will rat me out to my Uncle," Queen Luna replied with a snicker. "They would definitely supervise me all day and night to prevent me from going anywhere. I could still escape but my departure would alert everyone."


    She walked up to him again and poked his chest with a finger. "So? Are youing with me or are you a coward?"


    "Such provocations don''t affect me," Liu Ye replied casually as he pulled her finger away. "I will naturally ept your offer as long as the benefits are right."


    Queen Luna raised her eyebrows. "Is ten percent not good enough for you? I''m just going to use you as an excuse to leave the pce and then sneak into the Dragon City. I will handle all the killing and breaking into the vault. Ten percent is more than enough for this job."


    "Right now the risks outweigh the rewards from this mission. If I were to be discovered, the Fire Empire will send everyone after me and I will go to jail if they catch me. You can escape easily in case of emergency but I can''t. I think it''s fair to say that I''m in greater danger than you are," Liu Ye exined calmly. "I suggest we change the distribution of the rewards."


    Queen Luna pursed her lips with interest as she wrapped her arms together. "Go on. Tell me how much you think you are worth."


    "Merit system and a t fee," Liu Ye proposed confidently. "Once we are done with the mission, you will judge my performance and give me as much as you think I deserve. Aside from that, I will receive an up-front payment of 10,000 gold. I am sure that shouldn''t be an issue for you."


    "And what if your performance doesn''t satisfy me? Won''t I just lose 10,000 gold?" Queen Luna asked without beating around the bush but Liu Ye wasn''t any different.


    "Don''t hire me then."


    His response cause Queen Luna to pause in wonder as their gazes shed and she walked towards a big wooden chest near her bed. To Liu Ye''s surprise, it was filled to the brim with small bags full of shiny coins. She threw ten bags to his feet and smiled. "You got yourself a deal."


    [Ding! You epted a Hidden Quest: Queen Luna''s n. The Quest will be deemed as a failure if you separate from Queen Luna by a thousand meters.]


    The quest got epted automatically when Liu Ye touched the bags of gold and a few new conditions appeared. Not only did he have to stick to Queen Luna right away but if he dared to run away with the money, she would be his enemy and the Earth Empire would hunt him down. It was a fair rule so Liu Ye didn''tin. Even if he died in the process of the quest, he was still left with 10,000 gold in his pockets.


    "Alright, what is the action n? Are we going to just leave through the entrance?" Liu Ye asked as he put his bandana back on.


    Queen Luna simply threw the question back at him. "That is what I should be asking. I need an excuse to leave or else my uncle will try to stop me."


    Liu Ye looked around the room and approached the window to check how easy it would be to escape. Seeing they could easily jump down on the pce roof and then fly over the pce walls, he decided to go on with the most believable idea.


    "Can you strip again?"

 Chapter 109 - Earth Levitation

    Queen Luna was surprised at first, but it didn''t take her long to ept Liu Ye''s n. He watched her disappear behind the closet curtain and unequipped his own outfit.


    "Don''t do anything weird when I talk with them," Liu Ye reminded as he walked up to the entrance with his boxers alone. "Just a back hug and a confirmation is all we need. I won''t look at you either."


    "Don''t worry, I''m as innocent as I can be," Queen Luna assured to which Liu Ye rolled his eyes. She couldn''t be trusted but recalling Ra''s reaction to her outfits, that was the best idea he came out with.


    When she signaled she was ready, Liu Ye opened the door and saw the leader of the Royal Guards leaning against the wall. When Ra saw Liu Ye''s naked chest, he was initially dumbfounded only to rub his temples as if trying toprehend the situation.


    "Ehem, I think I''m missing a chapter here," Ra pointed out as he tried to peek through the opening in the door. "Did the Queen burn off your clothes or perhaps you two are nning to do something else?"


    "Yeah¡­ About that¡­" Liu Ye muttered while rubbing his neck. "We were just talking and it escted quite quickly. Queen Luna asked me to inform you to leave and focus on your other duties for the rest of the day."


    Just as Liu Ye replied, he heard silent footsteps behind him and Queen Luna jumped at his back, almost knocking him into the door. "Hey, why are you taking so long? I''m waiting for you~"


    Not only was Ra speechless but even Liu Ye got surprised, not expecting to feel this sudden soft sensation on his back. Her two perky nipples poked into his skin as both her arms and legs wrapped around him tightly.


    Against Liu Ye''s wishes, Queen Luna stripped down to her panties and began a full-blown assault with her hands roaming down his chest. He wanted to avoid any unnecessary contact but the NPC of her caliber was unrestrained. Even her lips were not kept under control as she took her role too seriously and started leaving kisses on his neck.


    "My Queen, I think what you are doing is highly inappropriate¡­" Ramented speechlessly only to freeze at Queen Luna''s gaze.


    "Did I ask for your opinion?" Queen Luna questioned while the air grew colder. "Don''t tell me what I can or can''t do inside my bedroom. If I want to enjoy myself, I will."


    "Yes, my Queen," Ra nodded with a bow, no longer looking at them. "Please forgive myment."


    "You are dismissed. I will spend the rest of the day with this man so tell everyone not to disturb me," Queen Luna informed while caressing Liu Ye''s face. "I hope you will also keep that between us."


    She didn''t wait for Ra''s answer and simply closed the door right after. Her smile returned to her face and she chuckled while hugging him tightly. "Hah, it seems like it''s going to work out. Even if they discover our absence, we didn''t lie at all. I will really spend the rest of the day with you, just not in my bedroom."


    Liu Ye resisted the thought of throwing her off and asked politely, "You can drop down and get dressed. There was no need to get naked for this."


    "Would he really believe us if I wasn''t convincing enough?" Queen Luna asked while pressing her chest deeper into his back. "Still, I did it mostly for myself since I wanted to hug your manly chest."


    "Let''s not waste time and get going," Liu Ye reasoned calmly, causing Queen Luna to snicker.


    She left a yful bite on his ear and jumped off his back with a smack on his ass. "Can''t you act a little more excitedly when a beauty hugs you? Any man in this Empire would sell their soul for this opportunity."


    Liu Ye only shrugged as he had already been in a simr situation. "There is a reason why you are hugging me instead of them. You can have them any time but you can''t have me and it''s eating you from inside. Too bad, I''m not avable."


    She was just an NPC but Liu Ye would give her the same answer even if she was real. To his surprise, she didn''t return with aeback and simply left to get dressed. Her pride didn''t allow her to agree with him, so she gave up on this fight.


    Liu Ye smirked and equipped his Red Dragon Set before texting Xu Yue in advance.


    [Grind God: How is it going? Got any quests? My quest should take me longer than I thought, but I will try to be done quickly.]


    She didn''t respond right away so Liu Ye opened his Elemental Tree to check his options. His level was rtively high so he had many Earth Element abilities to choose from. In the end, he chose the Earth Levitation which was a basic requirement for almost all other abilities.


    [Earth Levitation]


    [Description: Ability to create a single-target Earth projectile by lifting the earth or a stone off the ground. The yer canunch it from mid to long-distance, depending on the yer''s position. The Earth Projectiles can stack.]


    [Cost: 2 MP + 0-10 MP per second]


    [Damage: 10-210 + 20% Elemental Power]


    [Note: Cost and damage will change depending on the projectile''s size.]


    Oof¡­


    As soon as Liu Ye looked through the ability, he felt the worst headache of them all. His eyes darkened and he staggered, feeling as if someone was burrowing a hole in one part of his brain. It eased after a few seconds and was reced with warmth instead.


    Only a momentter did Liu Ye realize it was actually Queen Luna''s chest while she let him rest on her. "Are you okay? You suddenly copsed."


    "Don''t worry, I''m fine," Liu Ye assured as he pulled away. "Are you ready? We should go."


    She squinted her eyes from under her white hood and flicked a finger into his forehead. "Idiot, be careful."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows at her reaction but she already moved up to the window and jumped out without hesitation. He quickly reached the window and saw her gracefullynd on the roof below using her Air Element.


    A sudden buzz on his arm distracted his thoughts and it turned out to be Xu Yue''s reply.


    [Queen of Chess: Yeah, we actually just got a new Hidden Quest that just came up so we are traveling to another city. We will need to catch some thieves so it should be an easy quest. I will update you once weplete it.]


    Liu Ye wanted to ask for details but with Queen Luna waiting, he let them handle it on their own and finally jumped down. If Xu Yue was able to get them the quest, he trusted them to finish it.


    "Follow me."

 Chapter 110 - King Arthur

    Sneaking out of the Pce using roofs turned out to be much easier than Liu Ye thought. Thanks to Queen Luna''s knowledge of the guard towers'' location, they left unnoticed and blended in the crowds with ease. The only challenge remaining ahead of them was teleporting towards the border which sounded like an even easier task.


    Unfortunately, although most of the yers were already out of the capital to either farm levels or toplete their quests, a lot of them were still roaming on the streets. Just as his outfit got recognized, yers began to call out in greetings.


    "Your friends?" Queen Luna asked curiously as more people tried to stop them. "Didn''t know you were this popr."


    "They are either fans or enemies. The sad part is you never know which," Liu Ye replied and grabbed her arm to pull her closer to him. "Stay near me. I will get us to the station safely."


    Just as Liu Ye spoke, water gushed out from his waterskin and began rotating around them as a warning. Anyone who dared toe too close to them would face an instant attack. He couldn''t take that risk knowing he still had an active bounty on his head.


    The yers raised their eyes in surprise and swiftly gave them way to avoid a confrontation. Liu Ye made them impossible to miss while walking on the streets but it was still safer for him to be prepared.


    "Don''t worry, no one will be able to hurt us with me around," Queen Luna assured while shamelessly hugging his arm. "I''m notining though. You can hold me anytime."


    "Don''t do anything though or we will be exposed," Liu Ye whispered while gulping down a Mana Potion. "Let''s avoid trouble till we can leave the capital."


    If an expert of her caliber started fighting, they would be immediately stopped by the City Guards who noticed her presence. He also wanted to keep his Hidden Quest a secret or else people would try to sabotage him.


    "Well, I''m not sure if that is possible. It seems like your ''fans'' have something special prepared for you," Queen Lunamented after a few more steps, suddenly creeping Liu Ye out. He looked around the street and didn''t see anything suspicious until it was already toote.


    yers suddenly grew scarce until the whole street became void of anyone besides the NPC''s. Knowing it was the main street leading to the Teleportation Station, it was now obvious that something was up.


    "How did you find out so early?" Liu Ye questioned curiously as they halted their walk. He wasn''t that surprised of being attacked since it was bound to happen at some point.


    "You really underestimate me, huh?" Queen Luna asked back with a snicker. "Would I be a Queen if I couldn''t notice a single trap? I can sense all the people hiding on the roofs and the nearby stores. As long as they touch the ground, I can feel them with my Seismic Sense."


    Just as she finished talking, tens of yers finally revealed themselves from their hiding spots and the two of them got surrounded. Liu Ye wasn''t even a bit worried though since other yers were not a threat to him.


    [White Knight Lancelot - Lvl. 18]


    Liu Yue couldn''t help but facepalm himself when he saw the familiar names of the White Knight guild. He thought they had already given up on their revenge but it seemed thest massacre only increased their feud. At the very least, it seemed like their leader has finally decided to show up and he brought some help to aid them.


    [King Arthur - Lvl. 22]


    [ck Widow - Lvl. 23]


    [Blood Devil - Lvl. 21]


    Two of the best yers in the game walked by King Arthur''s side who seemed to be a bit of an expert himself. Compared to normal yers who still wore the basic outfits, they wore umon sets that separated them from the newbies. Both King Arthur and Blood Devil had slightly improved Leather Armors, but the ck Widow stood out from them.


    She didn''t wear her Bandana and disyed her figure with a bold sexy outfit that barely covered her body. Many yers involved in the trap couldn''t help but sneak nces at her white translucent dress which danced in the air with each waft of air.


    "Are you guys not tired of losing to me?" Liu Ye called out calmly while his water stream formed into multiple Ice Spears. "I''m actually feeling guilty by taking away all your progress. You have already caught up to your original level and you want to give up on it again."


    Liu Ye tried to free himself from Queen Luna''s grasp but her arms were like crabs ws, hugging him tightly without budging. He gave her a nce but she only winked at him in response. He had no other choice but to let her be as the three experts blocked their way ahead of them.


    "This is our first time meeting each other but I can already tell your ego is in the sky. I guess it was your fame that got to your head," King Arthurmented as he brushed through his fluffy blond hair. "It is beneficial for the top guilds to cooperate together but you have decided to bully the weak. We are putting an end to this."


    "We?" Liu Ye asked amusedly while gazing around at the yers blocking the exits. "Do those people also want to enter on my ''kill on sight'' list or is it just you three? I don''t mind adding more red to sharpen my skills."


    The White Knights and the ck Widow''s party couldn''t help but pause at hisment. They knew very well one could mark other yers as their enemies and the game would forever show their name as red. It didn''t mean they could be killed everywhere but it made them stand out in public from all the white names in the crowds.


    "Hey bro," Blood Devil waved at Liu Ye in greeting. "You can count me out. I''m just here to enjoy the party. I might only try to kill steal you if they get close to killing you. No offense though."


    "Well, I will count to five and wait for you all to leave. At least I gave you the chance so I can''t be called a bully. If you say, don''tin when I use you to level upter," Liu Ye replied casually and raised his free palm to count. "Five, four¡ª"


    "Don''t bother," King Arthur stopped him right away. "My yers won''t leave and you won''t either. This is not a Red Zone so good luck trying to kill us all."


    Liu Ye already thought about it and it was an annoying issue. He could simply go on a rampage and kill them all but the PK Score restricted them. Their only solution was running away but he wasn''t in hurry.


    "What about you? Does ck Widow''s party also n to be the Red Dragon Guild''s enemies?" Liu Ye asked, hoping to ruin the morale of as many yers but he wasn''t able to get an answer.


    "I''m bored¡­" Queen Lunamented with a deep sigh and pulled on Liu Ye''s arm cutely. "Babe, you are ying too much against someone as weak as them. Your enemies are trash. Let''s go."


    Queen Luna didn''t give him a chance to respond as she suddenly let go of him and extended her arms fully. A strong wind appeared out of nowhere and mixed with sand on the streets, creating a giant sand curtain around them.


    Everyone was forced to cover their eyes as the sand impaired their vision and when the wind ceased, Liu Ye was already gone. The mysteriousdy simply escaped their trap as if it was nothing.


    King Arthur looked ahead dumbfounded but the most amazed was ck Widow who was the highest leveled Windbender in the game. It wasn''t possible for anyone to be more skilled than her, yet Liu Ye''s friend just proved it.


    "Who is this girl¡­?"


    ------


    Author: Merry Christmas guys and girls! This is thest chapter of the year 2021 as I''m going to write a Mass Release for you guys while I enjoy holidays with family. 10-15 chapters after 1st Jan wille to you :> (Hopefully can cover the whole Quest in one go *and sth special*) Cya!

 Chapter 111 - [Bonus ]Red Desert Thieves

    "I don''t think it was necessary to expose your strength like this¡­" Liu Ye muttered inplete darkness, realizing Queen Luna brought them both underground. "What if your Uncle learns about it?"


    Although she could easily take them away, it created a whole lot ofplications that Liu Ye was trying to avoid. Not only did she call him babe in public which could lead to gossip, but now everyone could find out the true power of NPC''s.


    "Don''t worry, it was just a simple tornado," Queen Luna assured while lighting up a fireball on top of her palm. "There are many Airbenders who can do it so I doubt it will be connected to me. We will just get to the safe location and leave the capital without wasting time."


    She moved closer to him and added, "Since we couldn''t kill them, I preferred to cut it short so we can finish the mission today. I don''t have all day to spend."


    The light disappeared right after and Queen Luna stomped on the ground, pushing the tunnel further ahead. He had no way to react when the earth behind him filled back up and knocked him forward. The only support ahead of him were Queen Luna''s shoulders which he grasped to avoid falling down.


    "Can you warn me next time?" Liu Ye asked with a sigh as he pulled away but Queen Luna only giggled and continued without anyment. It was obvious she was doing it on purpose but there was nothing he could do.


    ''Once the Quest is over, I need to stay away from her¡­'' Liu Ye thought, realizing Queen Luna was even more dangerous than Avi and could really ruin his game n if she wanted. The only thing that kept him relieved was her being an NPC, easing his danger in real life.


    If he were to have another Avi to deal with, his days would be hell.


    "This should be the spot," Queen Luna called out after a minute of digging and they finally moved upwards. She built steps for them before they casually walked out into the blinding sun.


    It turned out they weren''t exactly far from the trap location and simply sneaked into another main street. This time they didn''t make the same mistake and instead used the roofs until they arrived in the Teleportation Station.


    "Please, show your faces and disy your permits," the Station Official greeted them as they approached the right teleport tform and Liu Ye stepped forward.


    He leaned over and whispered without revealing his identity, "I''m the Queen''s envoy and we are on a secret mission. Please be quiet when you see the Queen."


    The Station Official raised his eyebrows in surprise only to widen them in the very next second when Queen Luna looked up from under her white hood. She didn''t speak and instead pulled Liu Ye by the hand to the middle of the tform.


    "Send us to our destination please," Liu Ye asked politely and added, "If anyone asked, you didn''t see us. It''s an order."


    "Y-yes¡­ Right away," the Station Official nodded in panic and didn''t hesitate to activate the teleporter. The tform lit up in a familiar manner and Liu Ye breathed out deeply as their surroundings changed to a new location.


    He was already happy to avoid spending gold on transportation but his mood improved further when he couldn''t spot a single yer in the area. Barely anyone had earned enough gold for a permit and even fewer yers would travel to distant cities where they wouldn''t guarantee a good ce to farm levels.


    The reaction from the Station Officials wasn''t any different and they were able to smoothly leave without setting rms. To Liu Ye''s surprise, Queen Luna became serious and no longer tried to tease him anymore.


    "Let''s go. You did your part, so I will lead the way now," Queen Luna called out as they went straight for the City Gates. "It should take us two hours to get to the Dragon City if we run all the way there. The Monsters on our path are not that strong so we shouldn''t have any problems with them."


    "Let''s do it then," Liu Ye nodded in satisfaction, wanting her to be professional from the start. Unfortunately, just as he thought the travel would proceed smoothly, that thought crumbled when he saw the dangers outside the gates.


    They ran along the main road filled with stone rocks and hills when four thieves jumped out from behind tworge boulders. They didn''t carry any weapons on them but instead aimed head-sized rocks at their faces.


    [Red Desert Thief - Lvl. 35]


    [HP: 2350/2350]


    [MP: 1250/1250]


    Just the fact that the first opponents they met were 35 level Earthbenders exined why no yers upied thosends. It could only get worse if they traveled further but Liu Ye wasn''t worried. He wouldn''t improve if he wasn''t pushed to the limits.


    "Give us 100 gold or we will hurt you!" Red Desert Thief yelled out seeing Liu Ye stop at their sight. "Don''t try anything stupid!"


    It seemed like they couldn''t tell Queen Luna was an expert which worked in their favor. Or at least that''s what he thought.


    "Alright, go defeat them and show me you are worth the money," Queen Luna ordered as she casually stepped back while patting him on the shoulders. "You have to impress me ording to our deal or else you won''t get any treasures."


    Liu Ye wanted to roll his eyes at her but he had no time as the thieves heard her clearly. They red at him and kicked the rocks like bullets in his direction. He had to lung to the side to dodge them while Queen Luna only flicked her finger to change the rock''s trajectory.


    "Good luck," Queen Luna wished yfully andunched herself in the air to watch the scene from the nearby rock formation. It was her way of saying he would have no help from her whatsoever.


    Jokes on her, it was precisely Liu Ye''sfort zone.


    ''You want to be impressed? Sure,'' Liu Ye thought determinately and challenged the thieves. "Hey! What was that aim? Even my grandma can aim better! I bet a 1000 gold you can''t hit me without getting closer!"

 Chapter 112 - Snails Pace

    The four thieves squinted their eyes at Liu Ye''s challenge and didn''t hesitate a second. He was only able to gulp down a Mana Potion before the thieves began bombarding him with earth boulders. To their surprise, Liu Ye moved like a fish, escaping every rock with no margin of error.


    It wasn''t his n to y dodgeball though but rather to train his new Element. Earth fragments flew everywhere as they smashed all around him and Liu Ye used them back as his own ammunition. He countered the boulders he couldn''t dodge and tried to attack on his own while aiming at the thieves. None of them reached the targets but it was only a matter of time.


    "It feels almost the same as Water Element¡­" Liu Ye discovered as his Elemental Mastery grew rapidly. The only difference between the two Elements was a need to punch or kick the rocks to send them flying at the enemy.


    Liu Ye already mastered his aim using Ice Projectiles which prompted him to change his tactic. Big boulders wasted a lot of Mana while fist-sized rocks cost him nothing. Knowing both Ice Projectiles and rocks were stackable, it wasn''t hard to perform some cool one-shots.


    Too bad, he didn''t have much time to prepare his n.


    "What are you waiting for? Finish them quickly," Queen Luna called out impatiently, annoying the Red Desert Thieves.


    They suddenly stopped attacking and one of them shouted in anger, "We don''t have time to y with him! Let''s kill him and take all the money!"


    The rest immediately nodded and punched the boulders they were about tounch. Instead of sending them flying, their fists pierced inside them and transformed into Earth Gauntlets.


    "You want a melee battle?" Liu Ye asked with a smirk while the Water gushed out from his waterskin. "Sure!"


    It floated around him in a circle before tens of ice balls flew out from within. Before the thieves evenunched their attack, Liu Ye''s ammo neared fifty and he didn''t stop producing. With his Water Mastery growing, he could control more and more water at the same time.


    When he reached ny-five, he finally stopped, leaving some of his brainpower for ten Ice ws. They were weak individually but if Liu Ye were to stab all ten into someone''s chest, he could deal an easy 825 damage.


    "What? Why are you still standing like idiots?! Didn''t you want to fight?!" Liu Ye taunted while the Ice Projectiles rotated rapidly around him. Before they could reply, Liu Ye began adding rocks from his surroundings, creating anotheryer of defense.


    Liu Ye could see the hesitation on the Thieves'' faces but they couldn''t simply run away. Just as Liu Ye dashed head-on, they were also on the move to face him directly. "Fuck him up!"


    They ran at Liu Ye while shooting multiple boulders before breaking right through with their gauntlets covering their faces.


    -53


    -30


    -53


    Tens of red numbers appeared above their heads as Ice and Earth Projectiles smashed into their bodies but their n was too obvious. Sacrifice a bit of health to break through and attack Liu Ye four versus one.


    Liu Ye looked too casual when he immediately countered their tactic. All his projectiles shot out at three thieves while he focused on a single enemy who shouted the loudest. A single look at their footwork was enough to discover his win condition.


    "I''m here!" Liu Ye shouted at the thief''s face while his water sshed all over the drynd. When the thief tried to swing with his heavy gauntlet, Liu Ye simply crouched and swiped at his legs.


    With mud all around him, it was impossible to keep his bnce. Even before he fell, Liu Ye began stabbing forward at his open ribs.


    -413!


    -413!


    -413!


    [HP: 1111/2350]


    Liu Ye wanted to finish him off in a singlebo but his friends were already up his ass. He had no way of dodging so he jumped and took the punch on his stomach.


    Thud!


    -125


    His body wasunched to safety while his Red Dragon Armor absorbed a huge chunk of damage.


    "Haha! Is that all you got?" Liu Yeughed as he shamelessly drank a Health Potion. "My grandma can punch harder!"


    "Fuck you!" The thieves cursed at him while picking up theirpanion when Liu Ye stomped, freezing up the ground around them. Not only was it slippery for them to walk but they couldn''t even ess the Earth.


    "Anyst words?" Liu Ye provoked and kept gushing out water to freeze even more ground. "I would be more worried about yourself than him."


    "Fight us fairly you dirty Waterbender!" The injured thief called out in response as they punched the ground to break the ice but new water instantly filled the hole.


    "So funny! A thief wants fairness?" Liu Ye pointed out the irony and finished ying with them. A curtain of water appeared in front of him before a terrifying bombardment rained at the four thieves.


    They tried to dodge and block the Ice Bullets with their Earth Gauntlets but their effort was futile. Even when Liu Ye was low on Mana, he just gulped a Mana Potion to refill it until all four died.


    [Ding! You killed the Red Desert Thief. You received 8500 Experience, 15 gold, and a bag of gold.]


    All four thieves had a bag of gold as the drop and without any surprise, it gave him a random amount of gold. Too bad, none of them had more than fifty gold inside, totaling his loot to 178 gold. He only nodded in approval at such gains as he already had more than eleven thousand on him but normal yers would definitely jump in happiness.


    "How was it? Satisfied?" Liu Ye questioned as he gazed at Queen Luna who still watched him from afar and finally saw her jump down. She didn''t go to him though but insteadnded next to the thieves'' bodies and burned them with four fireballs.


    When they were charred and unrecognizable, she stomped, creating a deep grave for all of them. In a matter of seconds, she cleaned up the whole battlefield, removing any traces of the battle.


    "Remember to always clean up after yourself," Queen Luna reminded as she walked back to him. "There should be a thief camp nearby mountains and we don''t have time to deal with all of them."


    She paused to take a good look at him and added, "As for your skills, I liked how you removed their ability to bend Earth but be careful with that. You never know how many elements your opponent knows. Another issue is time. You waste too much time ying around. If you want my approval then do better."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows. "Too long? It took only like five minutes."


    "That''s four minutes too long," Queen Luna replied right away. "If you take so long to kill some petty thieves, how much do you want for stronger monsters? It will take us a week to reach Dragon City at your snail''s pace."


    Liu Ye was happy with his performance but Queen Luna crushed his ego in no time. Her standards were so high he would have to triple his level to meet her expectations.


    "How about you teach me?"

 Chapter 113 - Remote Earthbending

    Queen Luna paused at his sudden question. "What? You want me to teach you?"


    "Well, I''m a quick learner. If you can teach me a few moves orbos, I might be able to reach your expectations," Liu Ye replied casually.


    He usually preferred to train and find his way by himself but Queen Luna was a Level 120 NPC. Who wouldn''t like to see what kind of techniques she was equipped with? Too bad, it was easier said than done.


    "Why would I do it?" Queen Luna asked back while folding her arms. "You are just a mercenary I hired and you didn''t even join the Earth Empire. What if I trained you and youter fought for my enemies? Maybe if you sided with me I would think about your proposal, but until then, you can only dream about it."


    "I see¡­" Liu Ye muttered and shrugged it off as he walked away. "Alright, forget that I asked. Let''s go, we already wasted too much time chatting."


    Queen Luna was immediately rendered speechless while staring at his back. "Are you not going to ask me to join me? I can train you if you do."


    Liu Ye didn''t even turn around as he rejected her on the spot. "Nah, I''m good. I won''t blindly join anyone without even knowing what they are capable off. Maybe once weplete our mission I will see enough to evaluate your performance."


    "Huh?" Queen Luna muttered confused and suddenly boosted herself up with a gush of wind beforending right in front of him. "Aren''t you going too far? You are changing the script. You are supposed to satisfy me instead."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but smile behind his bandana and shrugged unbothered, "It''s you who wants to rope me in. You will have to do much more to convince me."


    It was hard to break through Queen Luna''s ego but surprisingly, with a bit of reverse psychology, she was showing signs of cracking. She squinted her eyes and grasped onto his leather jacket. "You are the first man who has ever talked to me so boldly. I don''t need to prove myself to anyone."


    Liu Ye remained calm and grabbed her wrist to pull her away. "I guess it is never toote for the first time. If you don''t want me then just say it. I''m fine with that too."


    Queen Luna stared him down and finally gave in. "Fine! You want to see my strength? I will show you some strength. Follow me!"


    They ran along the same path leading towards the distant mountains and it only took them a few minutes to meet another target. A group of five Red Desert Thieves jumped out onto the road and blocked their way.


    "It''s a robbery! Give us¡ª"


    The thieves couldn''t even finish their form when Queen Luna attacked with no mercy. Air gushed out from her fists and she slid on the moving rock as if she was surfing. She appeared by the thieves'' side before they could prepare their defenses.


    "Just die," Queen Luna announced their fate even before shended and shot five Air Bullets that blew them off their feet. What was the most surprising was the damage this most basic ability caused.


    -420


    -420


    -420


    -420


    -840!


    Liu Ye widened his eyes at the crit damage that dealt as much as his most powerful ability. Although it was logical knowing she was level 120 but it was still hard to swallow. She could one-shot him with just a single gush of wind.


    He didn''t even have time to calcte how much Elemental Power Queen Luna could have as she continued herbo. As soon as her feet touched the ground, the Earth trembled and wrapped the thieves in stone prisons. With only their heads sticking out, they had no way of escaping her.


    "Wait! Let me¡ª" Liu Ye called out after her, hoping he could end them himself for free Experience but he was toote. Queen Luna clenched her fists and Earth Spikes burst out from the ground, executing the thieves on the spot.


    "That only took me ten seconds," Queen Luna informed after turning back to Liu Ye. "I actually went easy on you when I asked you to drop down to one minute. Do I need to prove myself more or was that disy enough?"


    It was obvious which one Liu Ye preferred but talking with Queen Luna was always tricky. He wanted to receive her assistance and teachings but at the same time, it would be best if she offered them herself.


    "It is enough if you just wanted to impress me," Liu Ye replied as he slowly approached. "You being strong doesn''t bring me any additional benefits. I won''t get stronger just by watching your techniques. I can only improve through battle so unless you fight alongside me, there is nothing to gain for me."


    Queen Luna gazed at him deeply and wrapped her arms together. "What if I teach you some techniques? Name anything and I will teach you."


    Liu Ye was taken aback for a second, not expecting he would convince her so easily. "How do you n to teach me then?"


    The only known way to learn Abilities was to learn them from the Elemental Tree. Liu Ye already thought of alternative ways like scrolls or NPC teachers but he was yet to confirm it.


    "Simple," Queen Luna replied casually as she buried the thieves in a single move. "I will show you the ability and you will repeat after me. Seeing you know the Waterbending more, I can teach you some basics from Earthbending. Try to lift a stone and throw it at me."


    Liu Ye had nothing to lose, so he didn''t hesitate to try. He shot a nearby stone at her and she extended her hand to catch it. The rock stopped midair right in front of her palm and she took control of it with ease. "Did you see what I did?"


    Recalling his earlier battle, the thieves never tried to catch his rocks and always either smashed or dodged them. Liu Ye could tell right away that it wasn''t one of the basic abilities.


    "You stopped the rock without touching it," Liu Ye replied curiously. "I was thinking about doing the same but the rocks only react to my call if they are on the ground or if I touch them."


    "That''s because you are not focused enough," Queen Luna informed while aiming at him. "What I did was called Remote Earthbending and it''s basically an improved Earth Levitation. If you can master it, you will be able to bend earth suspended in the air or when you don''t have contact with the earth. Try it yourself."


    Queen Luna didn''t warn him when she suddenly shot the rock in his direction. He was only able to lean to the side while the rock shot next to his face. "Are you trying to kill me? How am I supposed to control it when it is so fast?"


    "Excuses," Queen Lunamented with a roll of her eyes and summoned another rock. "Focus your bending on the rock and try to slow it down. Once I shoot the rock, I no longer control it so you can take it freely. It works the same with water so it shouldn''t be hard for you. Ready?"


    Liu Ye didn''t even try to reply, focusing his mind on the iing rock.

 Chapter 114 - Passive Mastery

    The first few tries turned out to be aplete failure, almost causing Liu Ye to lose his faith in this method of learning Abilities. It was only after his fifth try that he regained his hope.


    [Ding! You have attempted to perform Remote Earthbending. Due to insufficient mastery, the ability has failed. Remote Earthbending mastery has increased.]


    "So it''s possible¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he saw the notification and didn''t hesitate to open his Elemental Tree. "Wait a second."


    He stopped Queen Luna from throwing another rock and swiftly found the Remote Earthbending all the way at the back. Not only was it an ability he could only unlock after mastering all basic abilities, but he also needed to be at least level 60 to do so. What surprised him the most was actually a small addition to the locked ability.


    [Passive Mastery: 1%]


    Liu Ye was slightly disappointed at the small progress but the sheer discovery was game-breaking. He was able to master abilities that were out of his reach just by practicing them over and over again. Although the process seemed slow, this information wouldpletely shake themunity.


    "What is it? Can you feel anything?" Queen Luna questioned after his long pause.


    "Yeah, I could actually feel the rock, but I think it will take me a long time to actually make it to move," Liu Ye replied while closing his profile. "It would be best if we can proceed and just practice along the way. You can fight alongside me and monitor me as I learn new skills."


    Queen Luna squinted her eyes, causing Liu Ye to continue before she could speak. "I''m not asking you to do anything else of what we agreed on. We will proceed with the mission and you will evaluate my performance as we fight together. Everything else wille once we are done with our mission."


    They were on a mission together so it was natural to ask her to fight alongside him. Thankfully, Queen Luna no longer argued with his logic.


    "Fine, but don''t think I will let you go easily," Queen Luna said confidently as she walked up and grabbed his jacket. "If I want something, I will get it no matter what."


    Liu Ye was walking on a thin line but he wasn''t particrly worried. He could always find an excuse as to why he doesn''t want to join her.


    "Shall we go?" Liu Ye asked with noment and shrugged her hand away. "Come. You didn''t pay me to sit around."


    Queen Luna didn''t speak anymore and followed closely behind as they ran through the main path. Liu Ye already prepared himself for another ambush but surprisingly, it didn''t happen. After ten minutes of calm running, they saw no enemies which made him anxious.


    "Do you know of any monsters we will meet along the way?" Liu Ye questioned as he covered his fingers with Ice ws. "It''s too quiet."


    They were still in the Red Desert which had nothing but rocks, red hills, and weird dry trees stretched till the horizon. They were getting closer to the mountain range which slowly disappointed him. He wanted to meet as many monsters on the way as possible and use Queen Luna''s help for an easy experience.


    "We are still far from the Lava Field so we won''t be meeting any Fire Spirits yet," Queen Luna replied as she also looked around cautiously. "Only the bandits should be around this area, so I''m guessing they either stopped by their camp for food or they are busy with something. They usually monitor this passage on rotation so I''m betting on thetter."


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes hearing about a new monster. "What are Fire Spirits?"


    "There are just small creatures that live in Lava. Don''t worry, they are nothing to be afraid of," Queen Luna assured before looking ahead in alert. "I can feel some movement ahead. I knew the bandits were busy with something."


    Liu Ye was about to question Queen Luna again but he stopped himself as she ran off the road. He followed her as they slowly climbed the hill and soon spotted arge caravan being looted by a group of bandits. Knowing the teleporting stations were present in almost every city, it seemed weird to see such a long caravan filled with goods.


    It seemed like he wasn''t the only one surprised at that sight.


    "If I''m not wrong, they are merchants who carry illegal goods or they are simply trying to avoid the transportation fees," Queen Luna pointed out while shaking her head. "Many merchants will still use trading routes like this despite the clear risks of being robbed."


    Queen Luna didn''t look happy at that sight but she still decided on the spot. "Let''s help them. They are still my people."


    She didn''t even ask for his opinion as she tried to storm into the battle without hesitation.


    "Wait," Liu Ye called out as he pulled her back. "Are you trying to kill all those merchants? Just look at the ongoing situation before you decide on anything."


    "What?" Queen Luna gave the caravan another look and then gazed back at Liu Ye as if demanding an exnation. He couldn''t help but wonder how did she want to win the war with her strategy.


    "The caravan is surrounded by at least twenty bandits while all the merchants and their guards have surrendered. It seems like the thieves don''t want to kill them and just want to take part of the goods," Liu Ye pointed out as he pulled her behind a boulder so they could have another peek. "Look, they are taking only one cart and loading it up right now. If we were to appear and fight them, the merchants would suffer coteral damage."


    He looked around the valley and added, "I suggest we wait for them to finish and then prepare an ambush on their way back to their base. This way we can recover the goods and kill the thieves without any other victims."


    Queen Luna paused at his logic and stared into his eyes. "You see, this is why I want you as my general. I need a man like you in my life."


    Before Liu Ye could reply, he felt a buzz on his wrist.


    [Ding! Your affinity with Queen Luna has increased by 50.]


    He has already lost his count on how many points their affinity had but it wasn''t necessarily good to increase it further. The more she liked him, the harder would it be to reject her which could cause some problemster.


    "Do you think we will struggle against twenty thieves at the same time?" Liu Ye asked, hoping to change the topic. "One of them seems to be their leader so he should be harder to deal with."


    It wasn''t hard to spot that one of the thieves didn''t help with anything and simply stood on the side while ordering them. Liu Ye wasn''t close enough to see his level but he wouldn''t be surprised if they had to face an elite NPC.


    "I will handle him, so just focus on killing the rest," Queen Luna suggested before suddenly slipping between him and the boulder. "Is there something particr you want to do until they are done?"


    She winked at him while holding onto his arms and teased, "How about we continue what we started in the royal castle?"

 Chapter 115 - Trap

    Liu Ye already expected Queen Luna to try to take advantage of him many times in the future but something felt different about her. Her seductive gaze was on another levelpared to before, as if this time she really wanted him and didn''t just y around.


    ''What did those engineers feed to this AI?'' Liu Ye wondered as he stared at Queen Luna''s eyes. She actedpletely like a human who could flirt, feel emotions and even adapt them depending on what happened.


    She was so real that Liu Ye couldn''t help but have doubts again. Questioning her was out of the question and leaving it as it was would only make him even more confused. The only solution was to find out the truth and Liu Ye happened to know such a method.


    "Are you thinking about it?" Queen Luna asked yfully as he was thinking of his options and grasped onto his waist to pull him closer. "Say one word and I will fulfill your wish."


    Liu Ye suddenly pulled down his mask and responded with the same intensity. He leaned over and uncovered Queen Luna''s face to gently coil his palm around her cheek, "I think I have an idea what we can do together."


    Queen Luna''s eyes brightened at his bold approach and she drew closer against his fingers. "Tell me."


    Liu Ye only pursed his lips and replied, "It''s something that two adults like us can do together and we will have a lot of fun."


    He paused while lifting her chin up and finally revealed, "How about we focus on our mission and prepare the trap as we should? Sounds fun, right?"


    Liu Ye watched Queen Luna''s excitement disappear with each following second until she finally rolled her eyes and pushed his hand away in disappointment. She squinted her eyes at him and showed her tongue, "Just you wait. I will tease you so hard you will be begging to have more of me."


    Liu Ye''s actions were just a quick way to stress test Queen Luna and even further understand her but it quickly backfired at him.


    [Ding! Your affinity with Queen Luna has increased by 10.]


    Just as Queen Luna turned around to focus on the mission, Liu Ye saw another increase in their affinity which came out of nowhere. It looked like he unconsciously made Queen Luna even more determined to get him. There was nothing he could do to stop her actions so he focused on the job.


    "We need to figure out where is their base and prepare a trap to finish them in a clean sweep," Liu Ye reminded as he pointed at the adjusting roads. "I''m guessing they came from the forests since they are aiming their cart in that direction. What do you think?"


    Liu Ye thought Queen Luna was already good but she remained silent. When he peeked to look at her face, she swiftly looked away while pouting. "Humph, don''t talk to me."


    "How else are we going to work together if I don''t talk to you?" Liu Ye asked as he spotted the thieves start to withdraw. "Look, they are already moving. We need to hurry."


    "Because of you, I lost my motivation to fight," Queen Luna replied while spreading her arms and demanded, "I need a hug."


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but roll his eyes, not expecting she would be this silly. "Can you stop ying around? They are going to escape."


    The thieves were indeed walking away from the main road and headed towards the forest yet they still remained on the hill. If they wanted to intercept them and collect the goods, they had to move fast.


    "I guess we will let them go then. What a shame," Queen Luna replied stubbornly. "I think only a back hug can light up my fire again."


    Liu Ye breathed out while rubbing his temples. Thinking of all the goods and money that would be lost, he wasn''t willing to give up on it. He stepped forward and hugged her waist hurriedly. "Is that enough?"


    ckmail was almost always useless against Liu Ye but she was just an NPC. Despite her tricks, he was still benefiting from this exchange so Liu Ye wasn''t troubled. At least until she started to push the line.


    "I want you to hug me like you mean it," Queen Lunamanded while grasping onto his arms. "You don''t need to be shy when you have already felt my breasts before."


    "Is that how a Queen should act?" Liu Ye asked speechlessly, but Queen Luna only shrugged.


    "I don''t care. It feels nice to be touched by you," Queen Luna replied in bliss as he tightened his hug. "Since you don''t want to do it by yourself, I need to trick you into being obedient."


    "If that''s your n then you are doing the opposite. I would never like someone who forces me into anything," Liu Ye replied casually and released her. "I''m going. Do whatever you want."


    Liu Ye didn''t give her a chance to respond and started running down the hill in hopes to circle around it. He didn''t look back at Queen Luna who remained in her spot and watched his back be distant.


    "He is so interesting¡­" Queen Luna muttered as she bit on her lips and her ck eyes lit up with red light. "He might be the human I was looking for¡­"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Liu Ye''s firmness worked perfectly as Queen Luna quickly caught up to him and behaved normally. She no longer pouted and instead grabbed his hand cheerfully before pulling him through the dry wood forest. He couldn''t figure out what she nned but he didn''tin as long as she was doing her job.


    "Here, let''s set up a trap on this road," Liu Ye announced as he looked around the opening in the forest. "It''s wide enough for the cart to pass through and you can still see many fresh footsteps. I''m guessing this forest road leads to their base so we can catch them off guard here."


    Normally just the footsteps weren''t enough for such deduction but Liu Ye happened to have a map. The forest road connected directly to the spot where the caravan was raided and the thieves would appear any minute.


    "We should hide within the trees and ambush them," Queen Luna suggested. "I can kill at least five before they realize what is going on."


    "No, I have a better n," Liu Ye replied as he began pouring out water all over the ground. "Use as much as you need to create Ice Spears. Once I immobilize them, just shoot them down like ducks."


    It was no other than an NPC test that would finally reveal if Queen Luna was real or fake. If she was a yer like Avi, he would only get 80% experience after damaging the thieves first. On the other hand, if she was an NPC, he would get the full 100%.


    "Won''t they realize it''s a trap after seeing so much water?" Queen Luna questioned with a face of doubt but Liu Ye didn''t have the mind to exin everything. He was focused on moving the water deeper underground before freezing it right below the surface.


    "Just trust me and prepare," Liu Ye assured while pointing at the thick tree that was tall enough to climb on. "You can hide there and attack from above when you see your chance. Also, let me know when you sense someone approaching."


    Liu Ye no longer paid attention to her and drank a Mana Potion to keep him going. Even though he could generate water endlessly, it was a slow and draining process. He didn''t overdo it though and stopped right when his mind couldn''t control more water before hiding at the opposite side of the road.


    Queen Luna threw a rock at Liu Ye''s side to signal the enemy wasing and he waited patiently with a Mana Potion in hand. Sure enough, about thirty secondster he saw a cart being pulled by arge lizard stolen from the caravan. It walked on two feet like a dinosaur but it wasn''t in Liu Ye''s attention.


    It was the red-skinned bald man who sat on the goods andughed while chatting with his subordinates.


    [Red Nightmare - Lvl. 55]


    [HP: 15,550/15,550]


    [MP: 2,600/2,600]


    A named NPC! Liu Ye only needed one look at his HP to know he would need Queen Luna''s help on that one. He finally gulped down his Mana Potion and walked out from behind the tree just when the thieves stepped on his trap.


    "This is a robbery! Throw all the gold on the ground, now!"

 Chapter 116 - Red Nightmare

    The thieves froze at his sight, not knowing how to respond. It wasn''t amon situation for the thieves to meet another robber who wants to steal from them so they took a while to process it.


    "Are you seeing what I''m seeing?" Red Nightmare questioned as his lips curled into a smile. "Is this guy really trying to rob us?"


    They all momentarily burst outughing while the Red Nightmare jumped off the cart. He walked up to the front while his subordinates followed closely behind and he cracked his fingers. "It just so happens that the caravan''s guards were not willing to fight, so it''s nice that someone else came to entertain us instead."


    "You think I''m joking?" Liu Ye asked with a stern gaze. "I will count to three! If I don''t see your money, I will kill all of you!"


    His threatening words caused another wave ofughter and the Red Nightmare raised his palm, "Don''t worry boys, I got this. You just sit tight and enjoy the show."


    The thieves immediately celebrated as if they had never seen their leader fight but Liu Ye wasn''t bothered in the slightest. He couldn''t ask for a better surprise knowing the thieves stopped right on top of his trap. It would be quite a struggle to catch them all while if they were moving but now it was a walk in the park inparison.


    Liu Ye began to slowly unfreeze the water under the surface before ring at the bald red-skin. "Don''t say I didn''t warn you! One!"


    "Look at this clown! He thinks he can look down on us just because we are thieves," Red Nightmare called out confidently. "Even if you beg now I won''t spare your life."


    "Two!" Liu Ye continued while his mind began to grow tense. He was pushing himself to his limits while trying to control the water and finally separated it right underneath each thief.


    The Red Nightmare only snickered at his counting and suddenly stomped on the ground to unleash his abilities. He frowned the very next second and looked down just as the hidden water began to resurface.


    "Watch out! It''s a trap!" The Red Nightmare announced while jumping away before the water froze on his legs but his subordinates were not as fast.


    Their whole calves froze within seconds and locked them to the ground. Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to spawn a curtain of water and start sting them with Ice Bullets. The damage he caused didn''t even matter and Queen Luna came in the right time for the clean-up.


    Swoosh!


    She jumped from the tree like a silent assassin and shot twenty Ice Spears at the ten closest targets. The Red Nightmare wasn''t even able to react when the blood stained the dusty road.


    -1500


    -850


    -1500


    -850


    Each target was pierced with two spears and died on the spot even though they tried to block it with their arms. Liu Ye couldn''t help but nce at his new notifications only to raise his eyes at the confirmation he wanted.


    [Ding! You killed the Red Desert Thief. You received 8500 Experience, 15 gold, and a bag of gold.]


    [Ding! You killed the Red Desert Thief. You received 8500 Experience, 15 gold, and a bag of gold.]


    100% experience! It could only mean Liu Ye was dealing with the NPC this whole time. He nced at Queen Lunanding gracefully and all resentment he felt suddenly vanished. He couldn''t be mad at the character in the game flirting with him as that was just the game design.


    Too bad, he couldn''t think too much about it as the battle had only just begun. The Red Nightmare was quick to counterattack as mes burst out from his fists at Queen Luna''s position. She was able to dodge the stream with ease but the lizard pulling the cart panicked. It sprinted forward, pulling all the cargo with it.


    "Damn, bitch!" The Red Nightmare cursed while dashing after the cart but multiple streams of air blocked his path. Sheunched herself up in the air and blocked his way with two Ice Gauntlets on her fist.


    "Chase the goods! I can handle them!" Queen Luna cried out but Liu Ye was already moving after it. With ten opponents dead in an instant, he trusted Queen Luna could stall them until he was back.


    The lizard was quite fast and Liu Ye could barely keep up with it even though he was running at full speed which caused him to improvise. He created an Ice Spear and aimed at the metal wheels to stop them. Too bad, they either cracked or bounced off, forcing him to be more radical and hit the lizard itself.


    Reee!


    After a third hit, it finally screeched and stumbled on its own feet before sliding on the dusty road. Liu Ye quickly caught up and snapped the ropes tied to the lizard''s back. It stood up and simply ran away free, but Liu Ye was more interested in the goods rather than killing it.


    It was filled with various crates containing herbs and crafting materials while Elemental Weapons filled the gaps between them. Liu Ye opened a few of them and was disappointed to see most of them were either umon or rare in quality. He began storing all rare items in his inventory to maximize his profit while listening to the sounds of the battle.


    The earth shook badly despite being far from the battle site so Liu Ye hurried up. He opened all his bags of gold to free some slots and received a total of 325 gold. His inventory quickly filled to the brim with items he didn''t even fully inspect when he spotted a tightly sealed chest at the bottom. Even though Liu Ye was full, he quickly cracked it open only to raise his eyebrows at his discovery.


    The chest carried ten thin metal scraps. They had the exact same length and shape while they shone in the sunlight.


    "Knives?" Liu Ye guessed in wonder but discarded that idea after a brief look. There was no handle on them and when he tried to inspect them, nothing came out as if they were just normal pieces of metal. Many would think they are useless but after ying many games, Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to free 10 slots in his inventory to store all metal pieces. If something was kept in such a nice chest, it was bound to be special. He just didn''t know it yet.


    Liu Ye nced at his notifications as he was jumping out of the cart and sighed, realizing he didn''t im any Experience for the rest of the thieves. Queen Luna was bound to kill some of them but he left their aggression zone which canceled his battle status.


    Bang!


    Just as he started running back, Liu Ye heard an explosion with mes bursting out into the sky. He almost copsed on the ground when the earth shook and he sprinted back towards the battle site.


    Liu Ye wasn''t worried about Queen Luna as she had a 65 level advantage but if the fight was still ongoing, Liu Ye couldn''t miss the free experience.. Being shameless was the fastest method to grind another level.

 Chapter 117 - Poison

    Sure enough, when Liu Ye arrived at the scene, he couldn''t see a single cut or burn on Queen''s Luna''s body aside from some dust on her outfit. On the other hand, the rest of the thieves were all dead with only the Red Nightmare still left standing.


    "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" the bald man cursed under his breath as he saw Liu Ye arrive and continued to run from Queen Luna''s bombardment. He didn''t even try to fight back and only looked around for an escape route.


    The reason for that was clearly Queen Luna''s identity which was exposed with her bandana lowered. Who in their right mind would fight the Queen if they knew how powerful she was? They could only try to escape or ask for forgiveness but Queen Luna was ruthless in this regard.


    "Give up resisting and I will give you a quick death!" Queen Luna shouted while giant blocks of earth smashed against Red Nightmare''s walls. They crumbled immediately and blew him away but he struggled up despite his body bleeding all over.


    "Killing me will only make it worse for you!" Red Nightmare cried out while gazing at her hatefully. "Only I can handle such a massive group of thieves! Once I''m dead, they will go rampant and the whole Earth Land will suffer!"


    Liu Ye only snickered at that and water gushed out from his waterskin. "Don''t worry, it won''t happen. Once we are done with you, they will be next."


    [Red Nightmare - Lvl. 55]


    [HP: 2,350/15,550]


    [MP: 2,120/2,600]


    Looking at Red Nightmare''s HP, Liu Ye just couldn''t resist taking this juicy kill for himself. He only needed one Ice Spear to execute him after Queen Luna weakened him and Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to craft more than one. There was no way he would let him escape from this one.


    "Screw you!" Red Nightmare cursed crazily at Liu Ye and his eyes burst with desperation. "If I am to die today, I''m going to take you with me!"


    Red Nightmare swiftly reached to his pouch and pulled out a red pill. Queen Luna''s expression momentarily changed but before she could say anything, Red Nightmare threw the pill at Liu Ye with all his strength.


    "Noo!!" Queen Luna eximed in worry while Liu Ye instinctively sent his Ice Spear to smash it. Only upon contact did he realize it was the worst thing he could do.


    It exploded on impact into a cloud of red smoke that swallowed him whole. He closed his eyes immediately but then his whole body began to burn as if someone just poured hot oil on him. He couldn''t be more d that he already lowered his sensitivity to pain or it wouldn''t be a pleasurable experience.


    Even without looking at his inbox, Liu Ye could tell the smoke had negative effects and his HP was decreasing. His arm kept buzzing as his notifications came one after another yet Liu Ye was unable to see anything. Sshing water all over himself did nothing to ease the burning and actually made it even worse.


    Liu Ye didn''t think it would happen so fast but he could only trust in his new partner to save him.


    "Grind God!" Queen Luna cried for his name and a sudden gust of wind blew at his body. He dared to open his eyes and he saw Queen Luna rush to him with a worried expression.


    The red smoke was still in the air and spread back to them so Queen Luna kept blowing it away before creating a water bubble to keep them safe. Only then did she approach him and lower his bandana to check on him. "How are you feeling?! Did you breathe in the smoke?"


    -25


    -25


    [HP: 630/830]


    Liu Ye''s HP kept dropping every second so he confirmed with a nod while gulping down a Health Potion to slow it down. He immediately regretted being cheap and not buying Large Health Potions as his HP still dropped by 15 every second.


    "I don''t think I''m fin¡ª" Liu Ye tried to talk but he felt pain in his voice, causing him to cough madly. Only then did he check his inbox and saw the critical notifications.


    [Ding! Toxic fumes applied poison. You will lose 25 HP every second until you consume an antidote.]


    [Ding! The poison affecting you is corrupting your organs. Every minute the damage will increase by 25 HP.]


    [Ding! The poison affecting you will paralyze your movements in the next 15 seconds. Please consume an antidote.]


    One after another gave even worse news, causing Liu Ye to start losing hope. It was going so well yet he suddenly was on the verge of dying. He looked up at Queen Luna as he struggled to stand before copsing at her as hisst ounces of strength left him.


    "Damn, hold on!" Queen Luna cursed after catching him and ced him on the ground with unusual gentleness. She let his heady on her soft thighs as she searched in her pockets for a small leather bag.


    Liu Ye could barely see at that point but Queen Luna withdrew something round from the bag and put it in her mouth. She chewed for a second before leaning down to his lips. To his surprise, she pried open his mouth and forced her tongue inside. A bitter liquid slowly dripped down his throat which caused an immediate reaction.


    His sight returned to normal and he saw Queen Luna''s neck while she glued her lips to his own. She held onto his face with both hands and wiggled her tongue in his mouth. One would think it would feel different to kiss an NPC but Liu Ye''s eyes widened at how real it felt.


    "Mhmm!" Liu Ye warned before pushing her away as soon as he regained some movement in his arms.


    She didn''t mind it and only smiled while continuing to caress his cheeks. "How are you feeling baby?"

 Chapter 118 - Red Lotus Poison

    Liu Ye didn''t reply to Queen Luna right away and instead looked at his stats to check his condition. His HP seemed to have stopped dropping, but he was still extremely weak and his mind felt drained which made him unable to bend elements.


    His newest notification only confirmed his discovery.


    [Ding! An antidote has been consumed. You will be in a weakened state for the next five minutes while your body is healing. You will be unable to use your abilities during that time period.]


    "Thank you for saving me. I think the antidote worked, but it will be a few minutes before I return to peak performance," Liu Ye informed softly as he struggled to get up only to be pressed down back into Queen Luna''s thighs.


    "Don''t move and rx for a moment," Queen Luna ordered sternly while checking his forehead for high temperature. "That bastard used Red Lotus poison which could kill us both if I didn''t react fast enough. I only had one antidote so we had to share it."


    "It''s okay, I already figured that much. It was necessary for our survival so don''t think about it," Liu Ye assured, trying not to focus his mind on what just happened. "What about the thief leader? Did you finish him in time?"


    Although Liu Ye was on the verge of death just a moment ago, he didn''t take long to return into grinding mode. Red Nightmare needed to be eliminated for almost killing him.


    "No, he ran away after I jumped in to save you," Queen Luna replied with an annoyed click of her tongue. "It''s fine. He won''t be living for long. Once we are done with our mission I will personally bring a squad to eliminate all thieves in this region. Let''s rest for now."


    "No, it''s fine. We can go right away and still catch up to him," Liu Ye decided on the spot and struggled to get up. Queen Luna tried to stop him again but he forced his way up until she eventually let go.


    "Dummy, can''t you just listen for once? You can''t even move properly and you want to chase him?" Queen Luna scolded while holding his shoulders to keep him from leaving. "Let''s wait at least until you can bend elements again. That poison is not a joke and I''m really worried about you..."


    Liu Ye gazed at Queen Luna suspiciously and saw her stare at him with a loving expression. She suddenly grew closer again and coiled her fingers around his neck with her nails gently scratching his skin. When she added a warm smile to the mix, it was clear she tried to seduce him again.


    "Calm down," Liu Ye halted Queen Luna''s advances before she went too far. "I am grateful that you saved us, but can we focus on what''s ahead of us? We need to catch the thief leader before he runs away and I don''t want it to distract us from our mission."


    Staying together would get even moreplicated and awkward if their kiss affected Queen Luna further. He couldn''t really expect an NPC to behave fully rational and logically so he could only try to convince her to chill. Too bad, it was easier said than done.


    "What? I''m not doing anything wrong," Queen Luna replied innocently while cing her free hand on his chest. "I just want you to rest properly and what''s better than a short nap on a woman''s thighs? What kind of man doesn''t like soft thighs?"


    She then raised her eyebrows as if she thought of something and added, "Oh, maybe you like breasts more? Do you want to rest on my chest? I will sacrifice myself if that can convince you to stay."


    "Stop it," Liu Ye warned Queen Luna before she crossed another line. "I told you that I am loyal to my girlfriend so stop trying to take advantage of me. I''m grateful for being saved but don''t test me anymore or I will be forced to leave."


    There were limits to everything and Liu Ye couldn''t just let her do whatever she wanted. He stepped back to free himself and surprisingly, Queen Luna wasn''t offended at being rejected.


    She didn''t show any toxic energy and nodded, "Alright then. Even though I want to tease you more, I will resist this urge for your sake. Will you introduce me to your woman one day though?"


    "If she wants to meet you I won''t mind," Liu Ye replied casually while pulling out a health potion to refill his HP. "Shall we go? We need to hurry or we won''t be able to catch him. I think I''m good at running already."


    "And how are you going to fight him once we do? You want me to finish him off?" Queen Luna questioned as she regained control of the water bubble and began moving them out of the poison mist.


    "I should be fine to join you in the battle in the next few minutes and if we catch him faster, I have other ways to protect myself," Liu Ye replied and withdrew the Ice Serpent from his inventory. "I can still use my Elemental Weapons."


    "Oh! That''s a nice dagger," Queen Luna praised and focused on bringing them out. "Let''s go then. I already injured that bastard so he won''t be able to run easily."


    Liu Ye actually expected Queen Luna to question him about the goods he found but it seemed she forgot about itpletely. She didn''t really need them as an NPC so he didn''t remind her and simply followed behind. They only walked a few steps before Queen Luna stopped and turned around with a smile.


    "One more thing though," Queen Luna muttered as she leaned over to whisper into his eyes. "I just want to say that I loved ying with your tongue. Can''t wait to do it again¡­"


    She giggled right after and put on her bandana while exining herself, "That was thest one, for now. I promise!"


    Liu Ye couldn''t find ament to her teasing anymore. No matter what he said she wouldn''t listen but she was still useful to him so he couldn''t really leave. He was simply stuck with her no matter what she did. To make it worse, their affinity just kept rising with each small thing and it happened again, this time at double the rate.


    [Ding! Your affinity with Queen Luna has increased by 20.]


    Liu Ye could only hope she wouldn''t cause any trouble for him in the future even though he knew the chances were pretty high.


    Once they were out of the toxic mist, they began searching for Red Nightmare tracks and it wasn''t long before they were running after him through the dry wood forest. The blood footprints on the ground were a clear indicator of his escape route.


    Liu Ye felt better with each second, regaining his mind''s rity and physical strength. Even his bending has finally returned when Queen Luna stopped their chase. He expected to hear some good news about Red Nightmare but she suddenly signaled to be quiet.


    "I found him but I sensed more than one person. They are standing still ahead and one of them isying t on the ground," Queen Luna informed quietly.


    It didn''t look great so Liu Ye pointed at the nearby stone formation and they climbed to get a better view of the situation. Once they saw the scene, what worried him the most ended up actually happening.


    "Someone got him before us¡­"

 Chapter 119 - Hidden Clans

    The Red Nightmare was surrounded by five people in shiny metal armors while he wasying on the ground fully tied up with metal handcuffs. They didn''t look like they were friends as Red Nightmare''s injuries were even worse than how Queen Luna left him.


    "Do you know them?" Liu Ye questioned, still hopeful he could im his experience. "They don''t look like they are bandits. They should belong to some kind of army or mercenary group. Maybe Fire Empire soldiers?"


    Liu Ye naturally eliminated them being yers as it was impossible anyone possessed such fancy armor this early in the game. Liu Ye was lucky to receive his own and others were much further behind him.


    "No, the Fire Empire has different uniforms." Queen Luna shook her head while her eyes brightened at the five soldiers. "This is the first time I see them so they must belong to one of the Hidden ns. To think we would be so lucky to meet them during this mission."


    "Hidden ns?" Liu Ye repeated in surprise. He thought there were only four Empires and the Emerald City so this information was crucial for his development.


    "Yeah, some powers didn''t want to involve themselves in the war with the four Empires and instead decided to stay neutral. They went into hiding and reached an agreement with each Empire to im small pieces ofnd for themselves," Queen Luna exined excitedly. "They often possess unique techniques and bending styles which they don''t want to share with the world. Since I already mastered four Elements, I can only focus on the special bending styles."


    "So they are like Healing, right?" Liu Ye pointed out as he recalled the dark areas in his Elemental Tree.


    Just like Healing, all other Elements had multiple Bending Styles he could master. From what he knew, there were two ways one could achieve it. One was simple and required natural talent to which Zhenzhen was a great example. She only tried it once and was able to unlock a new style with no effort.


    The other way was finding a Hidden Quest and learning it through another Master. Liu Ye didn''t know how hard the process was but guessed it would be as slow as Passive Mastery which didn''t fill him with optimism.


    "It''s exactly like Healing," Queen Luna nodded as she tapped on her neck, "Can you see the metal on the baldy''s neck? I''m guessing those soldiers are Metalbenders which is an advanced style that came from Earthbending. Some styles require two Elements to master but Metalbending requires only one just like Healing. We are so lucky that we met them."


    Queen Luna''s words were confirmed a secondter when one of the soldiers waved his hand and Red Nightmare was pulled up by the metal handcuffs. They didn''t even touch him and he levitated like a puppet. Queen Luna grew even more excited at her confirmation but Liu Ye''s expression sank.


    He got a good look at the handcuffs and realized they could actually be in trouble.


    "Let''s go. We should talk to them and be friends," Queen Luna suggested without hesitation but Liu Ye stopped her before she could jump down. "What? We need toe down before they leave. I want to learn Metalbending from them."


    "I don''t think we need to worry about that. They won''t leave until they get what they came for,"


    "What do you mean?"


    Liu Ye didn''t reply right away and instead withdrew one of the metal fragments that he found earlier. Now that he had more information it was much easier to solve the puzzle.


    "Why do you think they are interrogating him?" Liu Ye asked while letting Queen Luna inspect the fragment. "I found this fragment in the cart that was stolen from the merchants. You can see it''s simr to the metal those Metalbenders use so I''m guessing it was being transported for them. Once they learned that the caravan was robbed, they chased the thieves to recover their goods."


    "This¡­" Queen Luna muttered in confusion. "I don''t recognize this metal but just based on its sharpness and toughness, I''m sure it''s valuable. Earth Empire has one of the best craftsmen and we have a lot of mines with precious metals. The Metalbenders must be trading privately and use the caravans to transport their goods in secret."


    "Why aren''t they trading directly with the Earth Empire? It would be safer this way," Liu Ye asked for this small fragment that he was missing and it turned out to be exactly as he thought.


    "That''s because they know it wouldn''t be in their best interest," Queen Luna replied simply. "There is a reason why they went into hiding. My uncle is a ruthless businessman and he would milk them dry if he knew they needed those precious metals. Not only would he demand a higher price but I''m sure they would need to share their secrets and technology with us too."


    Queen Luna looked back at the scene and kept the Metal Fragment in her jacket. "I still want to meet them. Maybe we can buy their trust by returning their goods."


    This time Liu Ye was unable to stop her as she stood up on top of the rock formation. The five soldiers immediately felt their presence and turned their heads in her direction but she only waved at them. Liu Ye hoped he could keep the metals for future use but he couldn''t get all the benefits without any sacrifices.


    "Hold onto me, we will fly over," Queen Luna ordered andunched them in the air with Air bursting out of her feet. Liu Ye couldn''t wait until he could fly on his own as the feeling was truly amazing.


    They were still in the air when Liu Ye finally saw the NPC''s names.


    [Steel Soldier - Lvl. 100]


    Just their level alone was enough to realize Liu Ye wasn''t supposed to deal with them this early in the game. They weren''t even named NPC yet they almost rivaled Queen Luna in level.


    Red Nightmare froze when he saw themnd and cried out in panic, "It''s them! They killed all my members and stole your goods!"


    The Steel Soldiers frowned at his words and sharp metal pieces separated from their armors. The flying knives rotated around them and threatened to shoot at any moment.


    "Yes, yes! Kill them!" Red Nightmare shouted again as he dropped to the ground unattended. "They are strong and won''t hesitate to kill you! Do it before they can attack!"


    He was trying to save himself but thankfully the Steel Soldiers were not as dumb as he thought.


    "Shut up bitch.." The Steel Soldier kicked Red Nightmare''s side to silence him and aimed his palm at Queen Luna. "State your name and affiliation!"

 Chapter 120 - War

    "We are not your enemies," Queen Luna announced as she took off her bandana and pulled out her Royal Crest. "I''m Queen Luna, the Ruler of the Earth Empire. You should think twice before you aim your techniques at me."


    She didn''t exert any power to scare them but instead stared with a dominance of a ruler. The Steel Soldiers looked at each other in panic and their knives swiftly returned back to their sockets. "Apologies. We were simply taking precautions."


    "That''s fine," Queen Luna replied casually and nced at the Red Nightmare. "I hope you are done questioning that man because he is ours."


    The Steel Soldiers looked at each other and didn''t argue with her. They stepped back while pressing Red Nightmare to the ground which only added to his fears. He started to struggle to free himself but when that didn''t work, he tried his only tactic left.


    "Don''t listen to her! She is not a Queen! That crest is fake! You won''t recover your goods if she kills me! I know where they are!" Red Nightmare shouted again to persuade the Steel Soldiers but they weren''t stupid.


    "Your Majesty, would you like us to kill this thief for you?" Steel Soldier asked politely as he withdrew a sharp metal fragment to Red Nightmare''s head and Liu Ye finally reacted.


    "No, let me do it," Liu Ye called out to stop him and stepped forward with an Ice Spear forming in his palm. They wasted so much time already that he couldn''t let this chance go away.


    [Red Nightmare - Lvl. 55]


    [HP: 500/15,550]


    [MP: 1,200/2,600]


    Liu Ye didn''t wait for their permission and sent the Ice Spear straight into the Red Nightmare''s skull. He couldn''t dodge it and was executed without even saying hisst words.


    -500!


    [Ding! You killed the Red Nightmare. You received 37,700 Experience, 100 gold, and a Treasure Map. Due to the difference of 26 levels, you earned 23,200 bonus Experience.]


    Liu Ye smiled at the nice chunk of experience which pushed him even closer to level 30. The unexpected drop in the form of a Treasure Map fit perfectly in his inventory as he just so happened to withdraw one of the metal fragments. Unfortunately, he didn''t have time to check it.


    "I guess we don''t have anything else to do here, so we will have our leave," Steel Soldier informed before he and his buddies bowed ever so slightly. "Have a good day, your Majesty."


    Both Liu Ye and Queen Luna immediately noticed their suspicious behavior. Red Nightmare already exposed that they were looking for stolen goods and now they acted as if everything was solved. Liu Ye couldn''t help but praise them for being clever but it didn''t escape him.


    "Are you not looking for your goods anymore?" Liu Ye questioned, causing them to stop their retreat. "What was the point of interrogating him if you are going to leave without getting what you came for?"


    The Steel Soldiers turned around and feigned innocence. "Excuse me but I am not sure what you are talking about. What goods? We thought he was the one who stole our belongings but it turned out to be someone else. Now that you killed him, we are off to search for the real culprit."


    They gave Queen Luna a respectful nce and left once again. This time they weren''t able to take a step before they were exposed again.


    "Does it mean that you don''t want your metals?" Queen Luna asked while pulling out the fragment from her pocket. "I wonder what your leaders will say when you tell them your shipment was lost."


    When the Steel Soldiers saw the shiny metal in her hand, they looked surprised and eximed excitedly, "Your Majesty! You have found our stolen goods! That''s such good news!"


    Queen Luna was left speechless at her shamelessness and frowned, but Liu Ye stepped in before she got angry.


    "Alright, we don''t have time for games with you," Liu Ye called out seriously while pulling another fragment. "I know you are scared to expose your practices in front of Queen Luna but I assure you, we are not your enemies. We speak to you as individuals and don''t represent the Royal Family right now. Would we try to return your goods if we did?"


    His words seemed to work as the Steel Soldiers no longer faked their smiles and focused their gazes on him. "We naturally want to recover the metal you are holding but we cannot disclose any information in the process. We have orders to abandon the goods in case the Royal Family gets involved and we risk revealing our secrets."


    "Isn''t that toote for that?" Liu Ye asked casually and decided to take a small gamble. "It would be different if it was someone else but you are in the presence of the Queen. Your secret has already been revealed and you can''t hide it anymore."


    Liu Ye sliced the metal fragment across his palm and his blood spilled on the ground. "This metal is extremely sharp and since you are a Metalbender, you can use it as a deadly weapon. Your act of secretly buying and transporting such weapons is a threat to the Earth Empire. I''m giving you a chance to exin yourself or we will have to mobilize our forces to find out the truth by ourselves."


    The faces of Steel Soldiers darkened. They didn''t seem to expect the situation would turn so serious. They gazed at Queen Luna to check how she would react to Liu Ye''s words and she simply stood her ground withoutmenting. In this case, silence could only mean agreeing with him.


    "I don''t have the full authority to speak on this matter¡­" the Steel Soldier replied seriously before continuing after a pause, "But I know for sure we are not a threat to the Earth Empire."


    "How can we be sure of that?" Queen Luna countered while waving with the sharp fragment. "You are arming up secretly as if you are preparing for war. If I told my uncle about it, he wouldn''t be as calm as I am right now. I''m willing to keep this a secret but you need to be honest with me."


    The Steel Soldiers'' expression worsened but after they had another silent exchange, they finally gave in. "Your Majesty, we are willing to reveal some information in exchange for the ten knives you found."


    Liu Ye has already epted that he wouldn''t be able to keep the fragments but he knew how to negotiate the best deal. Now that he knew they were knives and not some mysterious metal, he could always get more once he learned Metalbending.


    "We can give you five of them now as a token of our sincerity and the next five after we are done talking," Liu Ye proposed and withdrew three more fragments. "That''s the fairest deal you will get from us."


    Liu Ye ced the knives on the ground and Queen Luna followed suit. It was too good of an offer and the Steel Soldiers didn''t hesitate long. They collected the knives and attached one into each their chest armors.


    "Speak," Queen Luna demanded and the Steel Soldiers finally revealed the secret.


    "The reason we are arming up is simple and your Majesty said it already.. A big war will happen at any moment."

 Chapter 121 - Alliance Proposal

    "Where did you get that information?" Queen Luna asked seriously.


    If Metal City knew about the iing war, it could only mean they got it from other empires and that wasn''t a good sign. She wanted to start a war but it seemed like everyone else thought the same.


    "Even though our city is hidden and we don''t involve ourselves in the Maind''s politics, we still have eyes and ears everywhere," the Steel Soldier replied proudly. "We have people in every Land scouting for crucial information and it seems like everyone is preparing for war. Ma''am, you are a Queen so you should know the best what your Empire is doing."


    Queen Luna squinted her eyes and a gentle waft of wind blew against her hair. "I''m the Queen, but I''m not in charge of everything. Tell me what is going on."


    Liu Ye could tell Queen Luna was pissed off that things were hidden from her but she made a good effort to not show it on her face.


    "All Empires are recruiting rogue benders from the public by offering them high benefits. They know the Emerald City won''t assist in any kind of war so they can''t use the Teleport Stations during the invasion. They n to use the power of rogue benders to fight for them instead as they can easily pass through the borders," the Steel Soldier exined but it wasn''t a new piece of information for Liu Ye.


    He already received offers from the Emerald City as well as the Earth Empire. What interested him more was the location where the tensions would be the highest. If he wanted to stay neutral, thends between all four empires would be the best to grind some experience.


    "So will it be only rogue benders who fight against each other? What about the Empires'' forces?" Queen Luna questioned curiously. It was definitely weird for her to ask but her shamelessness helped her stay calm.


    "It will eventually happen once the conflict esctes. We suspect that the Fire Empire will be the first to invade since they are already moving their soldiers near their borders," the Steel Soldier replied in worry. "Because our Metal City is close to the border, we decided to increase our forces in case we were affected by the conflict. From what I heard, our leaders have no desire to involve themselves in the war but we still need to be prepared if any Empire decides to attack us."


    Liu Ye already imagined a gigantic war with all the yers involved but the more he thought about it, the less likely it was. It would be impossible to manage and would only lead to chaos and brainless spam of long-ranged abilities. yers wouldn''t learn anything from this war and waste their time instead of pursuing the quest of bing an Avatar.


    "What about people who have no affiliation and decide to stay neutral once the war breaks out?" Liu Ye suddenly joined the conversation. "They can live their lives as normal?"


    The Steel Soldiers couldn''t help but smile at his question. "I guess you have never seen war but I can assure you that it is impossible to stay neutral unless you hide in the Emerald City. Once the four Empires go into war, all major cities will lock down and you won''t be able to enter without a special pass. Not only that but you will also be a target of all four Empires and eventually forced to join one of them for safety."


    The soldier''s words were exactly what he wanted to hear and Liu Ye pursed his lips under his bandana. He could still visit the Emerald City using his permit so it wasn''t that big of a deal.


    Queen Luna took this opportunity and approached him to pat his shoulder. "You don''t need to worry about it. You are already my trusted General that will lead my army to victory."


    Liu Ye wasn''t even surprised and simply ignored her without causing a scene. Queen Luna could say anything and it didn''t matter. It was still a game so he didn''t need to join her no matter how much she wanted him.


    "How much time do we have until the war breaks out?" Liu Ye asked to divert the topic.


    "It all depends when we see the first trigger that will escte the conflict," Steel Soldier replied while giving the two of them a suspicious nce. "Judging by the fact that the strongest expert of the Earth Empire is this close to the border, I''m guessing we won''t need to wait too long for the trigger to happen. Your Majesty, is there something you want us to pass to our leaders? Are you trying to initiate the conflict?"


    The Queen would almost never travel without an escort so their purpose wasn''t hard to deduct. Now that they were exposed, they could only use their leverage to their advantage. Liu Ye wanted to earn his share so he spoke first before Queen Luna even opened her mouth.


    "Yes, there is something we want you to pass to your leaders," Liu Ye nodded. "If they think that you can stay neutral and avoid the war then you are mistaken. Tell your leaders that the Earth Empire offers an Alliance and we will soon visit your city to discuss the terms."


    The Steel Soldiers and Queen Luna raised their eyebrows in surprise but Liu Ye wasn''t done. "I am sure the natural resources on your smallnd are hard to find which is why you need Earth Empire assistance. In exchange for joining our Alliance, we will provide you with metals and other goods at unchanged prices. You won''t need to worry about transportation anymore as we will create a special trade route that will improve the lives of your people."


    "I have no authority on such matters but it does sound like too good to be true," the Steel Solder pointed out with a doubt written on his face. "If my memory serves me right, the Metal City tried to create an Alliance before and the conditions weren''t satisfactory. The Royal Family wanted our technology and techniques. What is stopping you from breaking the agreement once you receive everything we have to offer?"


    Liu Ye only shrugged in response. "Last time you negotiated Alliance was also with someone else. Queen Luna took over the power and she is open to discuss the new cooperation. All we want is a mutual agreement to help each other during the iing war."


    The Steel Soldier paused and finally spoke after a moment of thinking, "We will pass the message to our leaders but we can''t guarantee they will agree to meet. We can''t promise anything."


    "If that''s the case, you will collect the other five knives when you decide to talk," Liu Ye replied and signaled Queen Luna it was time to leave. "Just remember the war is going to start any time soon.. We will await your invitation."

 Chapter 122 - Volcano Field

    Liu Ye didn''t wait for the Steel Soldier''s reply and simply left with no further exnation. He could see that Queen Luna wasn''t done talking but she was forced to follow him. She waited until they lost sight of the Steel Soldiers to question him. "Why did you leave them so fast? I could get more information out of them."


    "Because the more questions you ask, the more irresponsible you look," Liu Ye pointed out honestly. "Do you think they will talk with us about the Alliance if you don''t know what is going on? The Queen loses her credibility if she doesn''t have the power. They would rather talk with your uncle who clearly handles more tasks and governs the Empire."


    His words weren''t what Queen Luna wanted to hear but Liu Ye wasn''t done. "If I didn''t distract them with the proposal and cut it off right there, you could forget about visiting Metal City. Right now they will think their only choice for a good deal is talking to you."


    "What if they still don''t send us an invitation?" Queen Luna asked helplessly. "I actually tried to find the location of Metal City in the past and failed. Now that we were fortunate to meet them, we could use the leverage we have and meet the leaders right away. We might not find the same opportunity in the future."


    Liu Ye knew she was going to propose that which was exactly the reason why he stopped it. Visiting the Metal City without mastering the Earth Element would be a waste of time for him as he couldn''t even learn Metalbending. Liu Ye needed more time and Alliance negotiations happened to be a lengthy process.


    "Don''t worry, they will send the letter and present it to your hands," Liu Ye assured. "They know you are alone at the border and they will soon hear about the grand theft of the century. They will know it''s our doing and who wouldn''t want to work with a badass Queen like you? A fearless Queen who starts the war in such a fashion is an ally anyone would fight for. Unless they are stupid, they will invite us in no time."


    Queen Luna''s eyes brightened at hispliments and she hugged Liu Ye''s arm as if she forgot all the hurtful words he said. "You think I''m a badass?"


    "You definitely can be," Liu Ye nodded casually. "If we focus on our mission, you can prove that you are the most powerful Queen. Show that no other Emperor has a chance to win against you."


    Queen Luna squeezed him tighter and burst with motivation. "Let''s go then! No more stalling!"


    Because of the Steel Soldiers, Queen Luna almost canceled the mission which would ruin his ns. He needed toplete the Main Quest to unlock his Dungeon Key and this mission looked exactly like one. If the war was bound to happen in the storyline, a quest to initiate it had to be one of the Main Quests.


    "Alright then, let''s go," Liu Ye called out while trying to move but Queen Luna still held onto his arm. "Ehem, you need to let go of me first."


    Queen Luna looked up as she tightened his arm between her chest and confessed, "I just wanted to say that you looked really cool earlier. Even though you don''t want to join me, I will do everything to make you mine. Just you wait."


    Queen Luna looked at him with loving eyes as his arm buzzed. He has already experienced it a few times and it had to be no other than their affinity increasing. At that point, Liu Ye was convinced he would get points no matter what he did so he stopped worrying about it.


    At least until he received another notification right after which spiked his interest. He patted Queen Luna on the head and tried his best to free himself. "We should go. The quicker we reach the Fire Empire, the more time we can have for ourselves."


    His trick worked perfectly and Queen Luna pulled on his hand as they rushed downhill. "Let''s not waste time then!"


    Only when they reached the main road did Liu Ye free himself and was finally able to check his notifications. It was just as he expected and he couldn''t even say he was surprised.


    [Ding! Your affinity with Queen Luna has increased by 40.]


    [Ding! Your affinity with Queen Luna has reached 250. Queen Luna will now actively pursue her love for you.]


    Liu Ye nced at Queen Luna and she smiled brightly while running by his side. She looked genuinely happy which made him feel both guilty and worried. He knew he wouldn''t ept her feelings which could only lead to heartbreak and problems. Unfortunately, no matter what he did, her love just kept increasing.


    "Is there something on my face or is it just beauty?" Queen Luna asked yfully when she spotted his gaze and ran faster happily. "You can stare at this dumpy instead!"


    Liu Ye had no way of stopping this crazy NPC so he just let her enjoy. As long as their mission waspleted, she could talk and tease him however she wanted.


    With no bandits stopping them along the way, their pace increased and thendscape also began to change. The Red Desert grew hotter with each minute passed until it became unbearable in normal conditions. It wasn''t just the air but the ground also felt much hotter and the ground was covered with powdery ash.


    Liu Ye didn''t need to wait for long before a warning popped up in front of him.


    [Volcano Field - Warning]


    [yer entered the Red Zone. If the yer doesn''t meet the requirements, please return to the Neutral Zone.]


    [Rmended: Level 45, HP: 2000, Firebending]


    [Zone Buff: Fire Abilities scale with +200% Elemental Power.]


    [Death Penalty: None]


    "We are entering the Volcano Field which is one of the natural borders we have with the Fire Empire," Queen Luna informed as she pointed at the mountains in the distance. "We will reach our destination once we cross it. Normally, everyone goes around the field but it would take us a few more hours and we don''t have time for that. We just need to watch where we step and we will be fine."


    Liu Ye looked ahead in search of the volcanos she was talking about and suddenly felt the ground tremble. No more than a hundred meters away the ground parted and bright orangeva exploded upward. It sttered everywhere before the crack sealed back as if nothing happened.


    Although there was no Death Penalty in that zone, Liu Ye couldn''t help but think twice about the safety of their n.


    "Are you sure?"

 Chapter 123 - Fire Spirit

    Queen Luna pursed her lips at Liu Ye''s hesitation and assured him with a pat on his back, "Don''t worry, the volcanoes are not a problem. Did you forget that I can sense what''s underground? All we need to watch out for are the Fire Spirits that can sometimes catch you off guard."


    "Alright then, I will trust you can lead us out of it," Liu Ye replied as he gestured ahead. "I will be right behind you."


    Liu Ye wasn''t scared of dangerous ces but he also understood he wasn''t an immortal god. Pushing your limits was fine but he didn''t n on dying and losing all of his items.


    "The Fire Spirits dislike visitors so they will attack us regardless of what we do. They are the ones that cause the volcano eruptions so watch out for theva," Queen Luna exined as she ran ahead through the ashy desert. "Use your Water Element to defend and attack since they are fire-resistant."


    Queen Luna didn''t need to ask him twice as Liu Ye was already withdrawing water to shield himself from the burning air. He drank a Mana Potion and wrapped his arms with two Water Whips as he followed Queen Luna''s footsteps. The ground seemed too soft to feel safe but that quickly became the least of his worries.


    Bang!


    The ground by their side suddenly exploded just seconds after they entered the zone. The moltenva rained throughout their surroundings and mes burst out in the sky as if the devil decided toe out from hell.


    Liu Ye remained calm while dodging and pping theva but that caused water vapor to block their vision. When he could finally see the ce of the explosion, he was weed by a towering me that formed into a ck-eyed monster.


    [Young Fire Spirit - Lvl. 60]


    [HP: 30,000/30,000]


    [MP: 7,500/7,500]


    Liu Ye could only frown at its high level and HP before they had to face immediate danger.


    "Watch out!" Queen Luna warned sternly and swiftly hopped to his side. A wind curtain blew from her palm just before the Fire Spirit shot a wave of mes.


    Liu Ye could only watch from behind how two elements tried to dominate the other. It was that moment when he realized that he waspletely useless against the real powerhouses of Avatar Online. He could be a God against other yers but his small Water Whips would only graze the monsters of such caliber.


    What depressed him further was the Fire Spirit''s name. It only meant that aside from the Young Fire Spirits, there was a much more powerful version he couldn''t think of defeating right now.


    "Stand behind me! I will defeat it!" Queen Luna shouted when the Fire Spirit paused its assault and began bombarding its body with long beams of air. Many would just ept being carried by an NPC but Liu Ye couldn''t help but feel shit.


    So what if he was weak? He would still put in an equal effort and do his best to improve.


    "I''m on your right!" Liu Ye informed her to avoid bumping into each other and assisted her with his own artillery.


    The Fire Spirit had no physical body which eliminated any closebat or Ice abilities. His only choice was wrapping himself with a Water Cloak and gushing out Water Jets that passed through the Fire Spirit like bullets.


    -120


    -460


    -120


    The damage he dealt was almost four times lower than Queen Luna but as long as he avoided the fire, the damage would add up quickly, and eventually he would get enormous amounts of Experience. Judging by the 200% scaling increase for Fire Element Abilities, Liu Ye would be dead if only a single me touched his body.


    "Keep it up!" Queen Luna cheered before stomping on the ground which created a gigantic ashy wall in front of them. "Attack only when the Fire Spirit is recharging! Don''t stay at the same spot or you will get hit!"


    A Breath of Fire struck the wall just as she finished speaking and she jerked him out of his water cloak to drag him near their ashy cover. Burn immediately scorched Liu Ye''s face but he couldn''t be more thankful at her presence.


    Bang!


    Two pirs ofva suddenly exploded right at their previous spots which added another thing to worry about. He had no idea what abilities the Fire Spirit had and he had no way to sense them.


    "Thank you," Liu Ye acknowledged the help and refilled his Mana that was running low. He was always learning and at least now he knew that it was better to be always moving unless he knew the opponent well.


    "Don''t worry, I have your back," Queen Luna replied confidently while patting her wall. "We just need to keep moving and block all its mes. The Fire Spirit burns a lot of energy while moving so it won''t even chase¡ª"


    Liu Ye happened to gaze up to check how safe they were and his eyes widened at the ck eyes staring at them from above. The Fire Spirit was made out of mes so its body perfectly blended with its Breath of Fire.


    "Watch out!" Liu Ye cut Queen Luna off before she could finish and lifted a boulder from the ground to hide underneath it. Queen Luna was too slow to react so he pulled her into his embrace.


    She gazed into his eyes in surprise just before the Fire Spirit showered them with mes. Liu Ye actually thought his boulder would provide them even a bit of protection but the mes just wrapped around it and struck them directly.


    -500


    [Ding! Fire Stream applied burn. You will lose 100 HP every second for the next 3 seconds.]


    -100


    [HP: 230/830]


    Before Queen Luna kicked the ground and connected four thin walls to the boulder, Liu Ye''s HP dropped drastically. He wrapped himself with water to stop the burn but that failed miserably. His health kept decreasing until he had only 30 HP left, leading him into a critical condition.


    "Are you okay?!" Queen Luna questioned hurriedly but her worry was currently useless to him. That hit only proved his theory and returned his mindset back on track.


    Liu Ye could only trust his own abilities and relying too much on others would eventually fail him.

 Chapter 124 - Exhausting Battle

    "I''m okay¡­" Liu Ye informed while pulling out a Health Potion. "I need a moment to recover. Can the walls hold on?"


    The Fire Spirit kept pouring mes at the boulder which began to melt from the excess heat. All the walls glowed red already and Liu Ye felt as if they were in a giant oven.


    ?We can''t stay here," Queen Luna replied immediately. "Not only will the walls melt in any second but even theva underground is moving towards us. We need to evacuate."


    "What if we counter the fire with water?" Liu Ye asked curiously and listened to his instincts. He pulled Queen Luna''s waist closer and gushed out water at the fastest rate possible.


    It first wrapped around them before expanding outward. Water vapor exploded in contact with the burning walls but it quickly burst out through the holes in their build. Liu Ye nced at Queen Luna as he needed help in controlling the excess water and she understood him without a single word.


    A Waterbender could control all phases of water and vapor could be constantly reused. Maybe Liu Ye didn''t master such control yet but Queen Luna certainly did. Not even 10 seconds have passed before they were surrounded by a giant bubble of water that blocked all the mes from the outside.


    "I have an idea," Liu Ye muttered as he gulped down another set of potions. "Fire needs air to exist. We will use water to cut its supply of air and let the Fire Spirit suffocate."


    The physics in Avatar Online were simr to real world so they just had to use their brains. The Fire Spirit didn''t have a physical body and burned using the oxygen in the air. As long as he had enough water, they could extinguish its me.


    The game was thankfully designed in favor of Waterbenders and he could always produce more water as long as he had sufficient Mana.


    "We can do that but we will need a lot more water than this," Queen Lunamented as she nced at the ground and pulled away in hurry. "We need to move, now!"


    All the water Liu Ye has been carrying suddenly went into Queen Luna''s control and she opened an exit for them. They were able to get some distance from the Fire Spirit just before the ground exploded again. If they stalled for a few more seconds, they would be burned into charcoal byva.


    "What was your n again?" Queen Luna asked while hovering all the water above their heads. She didn''t even break a sweat carrying it which showed a clear disparity in their strength.


    "You need to trap the Fire Spirit in a water sphere before freezing it. Make it as thick as you can," Liu Ye instructed while adding more water supply. "I will keep adding more water for you and we can lock the Fire Spirit until it dies."


    "That won''t work though since the Fire Spirit draws its energy from its surroundings," Queen Luna pointed out. "It will just counter us with Lava and render your n useless. We need to cut its connection with the ground and attack while it''s weaker. Right now it''s growing stronger with each second."


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows at that fact and only then did he notice the Fire Spirit changes. Not only did it grow in size but it even returned to full HP. Liu Ye wanted to wait until he recovered as well yet it seemed they had to act right away.


    "Don''t worry about it," Liu Yemented as he began to gather water for himself. "Just focus on locking the Fire Spirit in ce. I will handle its contact with the ground."


    The Fire Spirit could only approach them slowly as the earth cracked open underneath it which gave them some time to prepare. Liu Ye let his health heal up to 200 HP before they finallyunched an attack.


    They nodded at each other as a signal and water shot out as if it had the mind on its own. Liu Ye aimed at the Lava Pit while Queen Luna attacked straight at the Fire Spirit''s body.


    For a second Liu Ye thought she misunderstood his n but the massive Water Bullet she shot suddenly split apart into tens of streams that wrapped around the Fire Spirit. They momentarily locked it in a water cage before turning into a giant Water Sphere that froze right after.


    Screee!


    The Fire Spirit screeched from within while exploding withva to melt the Ice Sphere but Liu Ye was there to counter it. His water jets met with theva until Queen Luna was able to pull the Ice Sphere above the ground and cut its contact with its surroundings.


    "It''s fighting back! Help me!" Queen Luna called out rmed as sweat appeared on her forehead. "The Fire Spirit is melting through the ice and I can''t keep up freezing it."


    Liu Ye began adding more water to the Ice Sphere and quickly understood why she struggled. He expected the Fire Spirit to suffer immediately but it wasn''t as dumb as he thought it will be. It used its Mana as fuel for the me and began burning multiple spots as if trying to drill a hole through.


    "Just hold on a little bit longer!" Liu Ye cheered as he watched the Fire Spirit empty its Mana and finally receive serious damage.


    -100


    -100


    -100


    Every second of suffocation cost it 100 HP and it only increased further the more it suffered. It screeched through the ice and eventually stopped struggling as if epting its fate.


    [Ding! You killed the Young Fire Spirit. You received 49,600 Experience and a Fire Soul. Due to the difference of 31 levels, you earned 33,600 bonus Experience.]


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    "It''s dead¡­" Liu Ye informed as he received a notification and Queen Luna didn''t hesitate to drop the Ice Sphere. It crashed on the ground and she fell into Liu Ye''s arms with no strength left.


    "I''m actually tired¡­" Queen Luna admitted and squeezed his neck with affection. "Let me rest for a moment¡­"


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but feel guilty for being unable to assist her enough. His contribution consisted of providing water for her to do most of the work. If she asked to rest on him, that was the least he could do for her.


    "You did a good job," Liu Ye praised while patting her on the head and withdrawing a Mana potion. "You should drink this. It won''t help much but it will help you recover even just a bit."


    Queen Luna pulled away ever so slightly to see what he got for her and opened her mouth to be fed. He could only sigh and ce the Mana Potion in her mouth so she could drink it.


    To his surprise, just as she swallowed the potion, her stats that were hidden this whole time finally appeared to him. Liu Ye only nced at them for his eyes to widen in shock.


    [Queen Luna ¨C Lvl. 120]


    [HP: 75,000/75,000]


    [MP: 550/16,000]

 Chapter 125 - Recovery Pill

    Liu Ye''s eyes widened at Queen Luna''s health and mana but her level and her status, it was understandable. She had ess to the best armors and outfits while also being a talented bender with four mastered elements.


    What surprised him more though was her almost empty mana bar which showed how much effort one needed to put in order to defeat one of the Fire Spirits. Even if one had a huge team, many would die in the process.


    "This potion is too weak for me¡­" Queen Luna muttered weakly as her mana recovered at the rate of 20 per second. "I need to consume something stronger or we will stay here all day."


    Ten of that came from Liu Ye''s Mana Potion while the rest was purely her own passive regeneration. It was quite unreal to imagine she had 200 MP Regen when he only had 2, but Liu Ye didn''tpare himself with her anymore.


    "Do you have anything?" Liu Ye questioned helplessly. "I didn''t bring any Large Potions but I will buy some when we reach the city."


    "All those store bought potions are useless on me so I have to use special pills when I overwork my brain," Queen Luna admitted and shook her hips. "I have some in the back pocket of my pants. Can you reach down and take one out?


    "I can but you need to let me go first," Liu Ye replied casually but Queen Luna shook her head while hugging him tighter.


    "No, I don''t want to. I deserve my huggies after such a tiring battle," Queen Luna argued and suggested while rubbing his back. "You have long arms so you don''t need me to move."


    Liu Ye rolled his eyes in response but he didn''t quarrel with her even though he knew what was her motive. Queen Luna was perfectly fine with talking and moving but she wanted him to touch her all over while searching for her pills.


    Sure enough, when he cautiously reached down, he was met with two tight pockets that were ced directly on her bottom. He tried to be as gentle as possible while checking its content but he could still feel her buttcheek through the soft leather.


    "Ahh¡­" Queen Luna moaned yfully when his whole palm entered into the pocket and it turned out to be empty. Liu Ye was clearly being tricked by her but he still checked the other pocket.


    "Do you think this is funny?" Liu Ye questioned annoyed when he found nothing once again. "I''m pulling you away."


    Liu Ye wouldn''t let anyone y with him like that and jerked Queen Luna away but she stopped him at the length of her arms. She held his shoulders and only tilted her head while looking at him innocently. "What? Are they not in there? I guess I must have thought we would be sitting so I put them inside my vest. Can you reach inside?"


    Liu Ye raised his eyebrows and lowered her white bandana to check her expression. He expected her smile yfully but she actually looked down shyly and apologized, "I''m sorry you have to see me in such a state. I think it''s because it has been a while since I emptied my energy. My head is spinning so I need to hold you not to fall."


    To prove him wrong, Queen Luna let go of his shoulders and momentarily staggered back into his chest. She wrapped her arms around his head and whispered weakly, "Can you reach inside? There is an inner pocket on the right side. You need to first unbutton the vest in the middle."


    It didn''t look like she was faking it so Liu Ye gave in again, this time being even more careful than before. He couldn''t see anything while she was squeezing his neck but her white leather vest was surprisingly easy to ess.


    Her vest opened wide which revealed her hooded shirt that hugged her chest tightly. Liu Ye couldn''t help but notice it probably helped her keep her breast from flying around when she was running and jumping into the sky.


    "Is that it?" Liu Ye questioned after finding a bag of small pills on the right side and Queen Luna finally pulled away.


    "Yeah, they are special Recovery Pills. Pull out one pill and put the rest back," Queen Luna replied while sticking out her tongue. "Feed me please."


    This time Queen Luna couldn''t hide the joy from her face which exposed she did it all on purpose. Knowing they were most likely going to fight more Fire Spirits afterward, she for sure knew how to y her cards. He needed to cooperate with her as he couldn''t bail out from the possible Main Quest.


    "This is thest time I''m doing it," Liu Ye warned as he pulled out a round blue pill and hid the bag on its ce. He actually wanted to inspect the pill but he gave up after nothing came up.


    "Aaaa," Queen Luna opened her mouth as Liu Ye popped the pill in her mouth and he barely escaped with his fingers when she tried to lick him. It was too easy to predict so she couldn''t catch himcking.


    Liu Ye ignored her pout after unsessful trap and started watching her stats to see the Recovery Pill''s effects. Nothing changed for the first few seconds until her Mana regeneration suddenly exploded.


    +60


    +60


    +60


    "Not bad," Liu Ye nodded in approval, but he secretly expected much more. The effects of his Mana Potion were already over so this Recovery Pill should be able to recover 1000 Mana after 20 seconds.


    At least that''s what he initially thought until Queen Luna shocked him with the truth.


    "Mhmm, this pill is great. It''s effectsst for at least an hour and I usually never feel tired no matter how much training I do," Queen Luna exined while finally letting go of him to stretch. "I should have used the pill before but I didn''t expect the Fire Spirit would tire me out."


    "Wait, what¡­?" Liu Ye paused while trying toprehend what she just said. "Are you saying this pill''s effectsst for an hour?"


    "Yeah? Why are you so shocked?" Queen Luna asked while loosening her shirt to give her chest some air. "This pill is the most desirable item made exclusively by the Royal Family. Many benders would do anything to get their hands on it."


    "How much do they cost?" Liu Ye asked with hidden interest but Queen Luna smiled as she caught it.


    "Unfortunately, they are limited in quantity and only the highest officials have ess to them," Queen Luna replied with a shrug. "If you were to work for me, I can spare you a few."


    Liu Ye went silent for a moment while calcting the pros and cons before shaking his head. "No, thank you."


    Even though those Recovery Pills seemed broken as they most likely increased the Passive Recovery by 1000 for an hour, he would still find a way to get them in the future.. On another hand, Queen Luna''s offer got better every time so it didn''t hurt to wait a bit more.

 Chapter 126 - Fire Soul

    "You are honestly so stubborn it''s unbelievable," Queen Luna announced as she rolled her eyes. "I''m not asking you to marry me. It''s just an alliance between two parties."


    "And I''m telling you that I prefer to stay neutral so I can kill anyone I want," Liu Ye replied unbothered. "How about this: I will ept your rewards but instead of joining you, I will simply kill fewer rogue benders from the Earth Empire. I will only kill if I''m attacked and focus on the rest. Is that fine for you?"


    "Of course not," Queen Luna denied without hesitation. "Why would I even let you free if you n to kill my subordinates? Don''t you think it would be better for me to kill you before you can go against me or even join other Empires?"


    Liu Ye paused, not expecting Queen Luna would go in that direction. She could always turn on him to avoid trouble and he didn''t take that into ount. No affinity was deducted and her name was still blue which meant he was still safe.


    "Do you think that threatening to kill me will make me want to join you more?" Liu Ye countered with a question. "Look, I really don''t know if we will even survive this mission, not to mention if I will fight in the iing war. I am yet to meet with my girlfriend or sister to know their opinion so let''s focus on the job for now, okay?"


    Liu Ye wanted to stall until their mission was over and he could always dip if Queen Luna got too aggressive in her poaching. Thinking about his own words, he couldn''t help but pull out his chat with Xu Yue to inform her of his ns.


    [Grind God: There might be war between four Empires. If they try to recruit you, deny everyone. Let''s stay neutral. Inform your Guild members.]


    Liu Ye wanted to close the window right away but to his surprise, Xu Yue replied almost instantly.


    [Queen of Chess: Don''t worry. They already tried and we said no. We wanted to consult you first before we decide on anything.]


    [Queen of Chess: We are he bored since the Quest is dyed and we miss you. Call us when you are done.]


    Liu Ye didn''t think a quest could be dyed since every quest should be programmed separately for each yer. He was about to ask for more details when Queen Luna walked up in front of him and blocked his chat screen.


    "So you''re telling me I should convince your girlfriend first and you will follow her?" Queen Luna asked curiously as a soft smile formed on her face. "Okay, okay, I understand now. You just don''t want to face her in battle so you are cautious. Don''t worry, I already considered this a package deal. Whatever I offer you, your sister and girlfriend would receive the same."


    It was definitely a decent upgrade but working for someone else would always limit their actions. He would be forced to direct an army for Queen Luna and be her general which wasn''t what he wanted to spend time on. The goal was to master all Elements in the game which would help him perform the same in real life.


    "As I said, quit talking about recruiting me for now. Let''s talk about it after weplete our mission," Liu Ye replied and pointed behind her to get away from her. "Oh, look, what is that?"


    He closed the chat window and walked towards the Ice Sphere before pretending to reach out inside. He didn''t forget about the Fire Soul he received after they killed the Fire Spirit and withdrew it seamlessly. He jerked slightly when a ball of fire appeared on his palm but it turned out to be harmless to him.


    [Fire Soul]


    [Description: The remains of Fire Spirit containing pure Fire Element. One can use it to greatly strengthen their Fire Element Mastery. The effects depend on the yer''s affinity with Fire Element.]


    [Minimum Effect: +50% Fire Mastery]


    [Maximum Effect: +500% Fire Mastery]


    [Requirements: Lvl. 25, Firebending]


    "Whoa¡­" Liu Ye''s mouth opened in surprise, not expecting such big numbers. He already thought it would be simr to the Elemental Stone but it definitely surpassed his expectations.


    "Is that the Fire Soul?" Queen Luna questioned as she caught up to him and nodded in approval when he showed her the fireball. "We are lucky. Usually, the Fire Soul fails to form but if it does, it will bring the bender great benefits once consumed."


    Even the +50% Elemental Mastery at theter stages of the game would be too overpowered, not to mention the maximum effect. Knowing how hard it was to raise his mastery bar already, Liu Ye wouldn''t mind stocking on the Elemental Souls.


    "Are there Spirits like this in other Lands? Maybe a Water Spirit perhaps?" Liu Ye asked curiously.


    "Of course, there are," Queen Luna confirmed while showing everything around him. "Spirits are everywhere and there would be little Elements in nature without them. Many of them are hidden and live in peace while the one we just defeated is more of a wild Spirit. They do whatever they please and often selfishly expand their territory which is why we don''t mind killing them."


    Liu Ye paused for a moment as a sudden thought struck him. "Would it be possible to still bend elements even without the Spirits?"


    Queen Luna raised her eyebrows as if he was asking a weird question. "Spirits will always be present unless someone attempted to close the Spirit World and limited the flow of Elements. This would force the Spirits to return to the Spirit World to survive. Humans would still be able to bend Elements but only those with high affinity to nature."


    "I see¡­" Liu Ye acknowledged, realizing the real world was too simr to the game. The only difference seemed to be the Spirit World which happened to be closed in real life.


    Would the wild Spirits take over the world after the Spirit World opens?


    Liu Ye could feel Queen Luna''s suspicious stare on him so he kept the Fire Soul in his inventory and changed the topic. "You should be fine to continue, right? Let''s make sure we cross those fields before the effects of your Recovery Pill ends."


    Queen Luna squinted her eyes but let it go as she began melting the leftover Ice and controlled all the water. "Sure, but now that I''m unleashed, we will do it my way."


    "What''s your way?" Liu Ye asked while having a bad feeling about it.


    Queen Luna only reached out to hold his waist and smiled while the wind around them began to blow against their hair.. "Let''s just say, it''s more fun."

 Chapter 127 Trust

    Liu Ye was already prepared for some ultimate Ability and Queen Luna didn''t disappoint him. The wind intensified with each second and began circling around them in the form of a gigantic tornado. She didn''t stop there and even crashed the Ice Sphere into small ice shards which she used as projectiles that floated along with the wind.


    -50


    -50


    Queen Luna''s mana decreased at a rapid pace but she recovered it just as fast. The Recovery Pill was simply too broken if it trulysted a whole hour. Liu Ye didn''t even think such an item should have been allowed in the game, but he wasn''t the one to make the rules. He would definitely find a way to abuse itter in the game.


    "I love Air Element," Queen Luna muttered as she closed her eyes and embraced the wind with a graceful spin. "It can be so gentle and peaceful but also sharp and chaotic. I just want to let it take me in the sky and fly into the horizon."


    The tornado seemed to follow her desires as it suddenly spun even faster, almost knocking Liu Ye off his feet. He started sliding on the ashy ground which forced him to grab onto Queen Luna''s waist for safety.


    "Are we going to use the tornado to kill more Fire Spirits?" Liu Ye inquired about the n but Queen Lunapletely ignored his question.


    "The two of us would be unstoppable, don''t you think?" Queen Luna asked while opening her eyes to look at him. "With my resources, I would only need a few months to help you reach my level. No one would be able to face us by then."


    Liu Ye only breathed out deeply as he gazed at Queen Luna with a helpless expression. It was quite obvious that no matter what he said, Queen Luna wouldn''t give up on courting him. She didn''t ept no for an answer and it was even harder to reject her again in the middle of a raging tornado.


    "I know what you think," Queen Luna continued, her fingers gently coiling around his face. "You are probably annoyed at how persistent I am but you have to understand me. There is a limited pool of men in this world qualified to stand by my side. This is actually the first time I have met someone who meets my standards. Is it weird that I''m determined to get what I want?"


    As she spoke, Liu Ye felt the wind wrap around their legs and their feet lifted off the ground. He unconsciously held her waist tighter to not fall down from the sky and Queen Luna grew closer as well with their noses almost touching.


    "It''s not weird. You should be able to pursue your desires," Liu Ye agreed. "But there is something you don''t understand."


    Queen Luna lowered their bandanas and brushed her fingers through the back of his hair, "Can you enlighten me?"


    She sounded as if nothing he said would convince her to stop but she froze at Liu Ye''s next words.


    "The man you want me to be is not the man you want," Liu Ye replied calmly while giving her a friendly rub on the back. "You want me to leave my woman for you as if she meant nothing to me. Do you want a man like that? A man that betrays their partner? What if I do the same to you? What if another womanes and charms me the way you do right now. I would have already done it once so what would stop me from leaving you as well?"


    Queen Luna leaned back, looking as if she just learned something she never thought about. Liu Ye couldn''t really me her though. The Game AI didn''t have experience with the entire human race and probably only learned by observing yers'' behavior.


    "You are right. That''s indeed not a man I want. I expect full loyalty and I would kill whoever betrays me," Queen Luna admitted while feeling conflicted. "But at the same time, sacrifices aremon in war. If I want to im victory, I can only ept drawbacks and work around them."


    Now it was Liu Ye''s time to be taken aback, not expecting Queen Luna would think of aeback this quickly. He took a nce at the ground that was twenty meters below them and decided on apromise.


    "We are wasting the effects of your Recovery Pill. How about we stay as friends for now and see how well we cooperate with each other?" Liu Ye suggested while drawing water from his waterskin. "I can help you in need and you can help me as well. I can''t work for you directly, but we can form a small alliance between us. What do you think?"


    Queen Luna didn''t even hesitate and agreed with a bright smile, "Fine, let me show you what you are losing out on."


    [Ding! Your Affinity with Queen Luna reached 250! She will now actively support you and take your side in any battle."


    [Ding! You have acquired a new Ally: Queen Luna. You are now friends with Queen Luna and agreed to help each other in need. The pact will be broken once your Affinity drops below 250.]


    They couldn''t back out anymore with an official system message and it worked for both sides. Liu Ye didn''t need tomit to her faction and could explore his options while also receiving support from the strongest bender in Earth Empire.<sub> </sub>


    What could go wrong?


    It wasn''t even a minute into their deal when Queen Luna smiled innocently and sneaked up to kiss Liu Ye on the cheek.


    "Now that we are friends, we can be even closer to each other," Queen Luna pointed out innocently and pulled up his bandana. "It shouldn''t matter if we hug each other more intimately than normal, right?"


    Queen Luna didn''t wait for Liu Ye''s reply andid her chin on his shoulder as the raging tornadounched forward. It gathered speed with each second and stormed through the Lava Field like it was its home.


    They could finally continue farming so Liu Ye postponed hisints. He freed one of his hands while holding Queen Luna tightly to his chest and froze one Ice Projectile after another to fill the tornado with bullets. Even if it didn''t do much damage, he wouldn''t receive any Experience unless he attacked as well.


    "I can sense a Fire Spirit ahead," Queen Luna informed just a few minutester and hugged himfortably. "Just watch. Let me show you true strength."


    Liu Ye wasn''tining in the slightest and observed the ming giant ahead. Its arms raged with fire as it tried to break through the barrier of wind and water but it failed miserably. Queen Luna used her mind to push the tornado forward and sucked the monster inside.


    Wind and ice shed through its body and broke it apart within seconds but it was surprisingly resilient. Fire Spirit lost hundreds of HP but its core remained intact. The Fire Soul floated within the tornado withva wrapped around it and approached the center with each spin.


    "Isn''t it getting too close?" Liu Ye warned as he started to get nervous but Queen Luna remained silent with her eyes closed. He didn''t hesitate to free his hand and began forming an Ice Spear just when the tornado suddenly slowed down.


    The Fire Spirit went on instant offense as it expanded in size just five meters away and grew back to its original form. Its ming arms locked them from all sides while the Fire Soul stared them down fearlessly, almost as if daring Liu Ye to throw his spear.


    -10


    -10


    Even without being hit by mes, Liu Ye''s health started decreasing due to high temperatures, leaving him no choice but to trust in Queen Luna. "If you have anything nned, you should do it now."


    Liu Ye was about to cover their bodies with water to stop them from being burned when Queen Luna pulled away with a chuckle. She sent him a wink and her eyes brightened as immense cold surrounded them.


    Small snowkes appeared out of nowhere and mixed into the tornado. Even when the Fire Spirit tried to spread its mes, they were immediately extinguished by the never-ending snowstorm.


    "I was just testing you earlier," Queen Luna informed yfully as she let him carry her by her waist. "I wanted to know if you trust me or you will panic. I''m d you didn''t doubt me."


    She performed a unique gesture by sliding her fingers across her arms and surprised him with buzzing lightning. She gazed cooly at the Fire Spirit before shooting from her fingers like a gun.


    Bang!


    The lightning pierced through the sky and struck straight at the Fire Soul. It exploded like a balloon and the mes extinguished, leaving nothing behind in the sea of snowkes.


    [Ding! You killed the Young Fire Spirit. You received 49,600 Experience. Due to the difference of 31 levels, you earned 33,600 bonus Experience.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 30!]

 Chapter 128 Luna

    With the addition of Queen Luna, Liu Ye''s leveling speed was simply game-breaking. No one was supposed to get near the Fire Spirits at this stage of the game, not to mention actually killing them.


    Such insane progress was bound to alert the developers but this time it was special. For some unknown reason, Grind God''s ount has been corrupted and all his gamey has been deleted. Even his live view camera showed an error.


    "What do you mean his ount has an error?" Katherine questioned sternly as multiple developers called for help. "Will there be one day without a single problem?"


    Katherine was already tired from overnight bug fixing and just wanted to take a nap when another issue came up. She was forced to get up from her office''s couch and rushed to the operation room to see whats going on.


    What she came to was just as described: the big screen designated to the top yer in the game was all ck with an error message in the middle of the screen.


    "Did you try checking if the equipment is faulty?" Katherine questioned while turning theputer on and off but the same issue applied. "What about other yers?"


    She quickly switched the live viewing to Queen of Chess and sure enough, everything seemed to be working perfectly. The ck-haired beauty was on guard duty with multiple other yers and waited for their enemies who had to do the opposite. It was one of the main storylines which forced yers to experience battling like a team.


    "Howe it''s only Grind God that''s broken? Why didn''t you inform me earlier?" Katherine asked in confusion to which the developers looked at each other while scratching their heads. They hesitated for a moment before pulling up a picture from Grind God''s gamey.


    "We discovered it must be because of Queen of the Earth Empire," the developer exined as a picture of the naked Queen Luna hugging Grind God disyed on the big screen. "We managed to recover this picture before all of his data was erased. We can see that Grind God has somehow managed to seduce Queen Luna. Instead of giving him a normal Quest, Queen Luna generated a new Hidden Quest before linking it to the Main Questline. That alone might escte the iing war since she ns to attack the Fire Empire with Grind God''s assistance."


    They could thankfully still see Grind God''s stats and his Quests were not something that should be avable to any yer.


    "So basically, it is all the game AI''s fault," Katherine summed it up and quickly dismissed them. "Don''t worry, I will settle this on my own. You all go back to work."


    The devs all nodded, knowing that Katherine was the only person responsible for the AI. It was the heart of the whole game so it was understandable to keep it a secret.


    Katherine didn''t wait to act and vanished on the spot. Having a Spirit Element allowed her to enter into her Spirit Form which was invisible to normal humans. She didn''t hesitate to dive through the floor and soon reached a spacious room without any doors.


    The developers knew the existence of that room since it housed all Avatar Online Servers but they weren''t aware of a secret that would ruin their perception of the game.


    The secret was the lone teen girl that controlled everything behind the scenes.


    "Luna, can I ask what you are doing?" Katherine questioned with a sigh as she reappeared in front of a gigantic tank full of water. "Why are you interfering with the game storyline?"


    That tank had thousands of cables connecting it to the game servers while a naked teen girl hovered inside with her eyes closed. Her body was exactly like that of Queen Luna with the exception of her face which was more youthful and innocent.


    "I didn''t do anything wrong," Luna replied calmly as her eyes opened underwater. "The storyline is still the same. I''m just altering it a bit to give myself more freedom."


    Luna gazed up to seize Katherine and added softly, "Is that a problem?"


    Katherine couldn''t be upset looking at such an innocent expression. "It''s not a problem but I wish you have told me about it. You know how important the game is for the future of this world."


    "Don''t worry, I know," Luna assured and closed her eyes again. "I''m currently busy so if you don''t mind, I will return to my tasks."


    Katherine didn''t n to leave empty-handed and countered, "Busy with a boy?"


    "Maybe, maybe not," Luna replied indifferently. "Our matters don''t concern you."


    "Actually, they do. He is the top yer in the game and we are watching him closely to make sure the game progresses in the right direction," Katherine corrected. "How can we do so if you are deleting all of his gamey?"


    "I''m not doing anything. That''s just an auto-response of my presence around him," Luna exined casually. "You will be able to see him the moment I''m done."


    "And when will that happen?" Katherine followed up and added, "I also hope your intentions are pure. Don''t do anything stupid like falling in love with him."


    Luna took her time to reply as she nced at Katherine again. This time she didn''t have a wee gaze and warned, "Stay away from my matters. You are not my mom."


    Luna raised her arm before Katherine could respond and sent Katherine back to her office against her will. It happened so quickly and seamlessly that she didn''t have a chance to react.


    "Damn¡­ Her power is growing with each day¡­" Katherinemented while a shiver ran down her spine. "How much more can her body handle¡­?"


    ***


    "Are you okay?" Liu Ye questioned when Queen Luna open her eyes again. They just crossed the Volcano Field and she copsed into his embrace for no reason.<sub> </sub>


    "I''m fine¡­" Queen Luna replied softly and didn''t move to enjoy his body just a bit longer. "My eyes went dark for a second. I think it''s because I used too much Mana in a short period of time."


    "You can rest on me a bit longer if you need," Liu Ye suggested as he leaned against a boulder and let hery against his chest. "It''s the least I can do."


    Queen Luna brightened at his offer and cuddled with delight. "Sure, just a little bit more then. Your chest is sofortable."


    Liu Ye only smiled and rubbed her back as a reward. He couldn''t pretend he wasn''t happy with his current progress. Just one look at his profile gave him smiles.


    [Name: Grind God]


    [Level: 30] [SP: 0]


    [Exp: 247,400/300,000]


    [HP: 840/840] [HP Regen: 3]


    [MP: 150/150] [MP Regen: 3]


    [Strength: 2]


    [Intelligence: 15]


    [Vitality: 3]


    [Dexterity: 14]


    [Wisdom: 5]


    [Luck: 5]


    [Physical Power: 30]


    [Elemental Power: 105]


    [Physical Defense: 60]


    [Elemental Defense: 60]


    [Elements: Water 98%, Earth 25%]


    [Arts: Waterbending, Earthbending.]


    [Abilities: Small Water Whips, Ice Projectile, Water Maniption, Ice Wall, Water Boxing, Large Water Whip, Water Jet, Phase Change, Ice Bullets, Water Cloak, Water Bullet, Ice Spear, Ice ws.]


    After killing five more Fire Spirits, Liu Ye was already reaching Level 31 which was insane to think about. His Elemental Mastery was also almost ready to collect and his passive regeneration got a boost as well.


    Liu Ye also looted four Fire Souls that could instantly boost his Fire Mastery so his mood couldn''t be better.


    "Are you better now?" Liu Ye asked after checking his profile and opened his map. He has already noticed two green dots in the Dragon City which belonged to Xu Yue and Zhenzhen.


    Liu Ye still couldn''t believe how lucky they were to have their Quest in the same city. It would be hard to meet them right away but he could always catch them afterward.


    "I''m fine already," Queen Luna replied and pulled away reluctantly. "I can''t wait to finally meet your girl."


    Thatment caught Liu Ye off guard but Queen Luna quickly corrected herself, "I mean in the future. I hope I can see her one day."


    Liu Ye squinted his eyes and eventually nodded, "One day for sure."


    It was finally their time to infiltrate the enemy territory and Liu Ye couldn''t be more ready.

 Chapter 129 Debt Collectors

    "What''s the n? How do you want to sneak inside the city?" Liu Ye questioned as he watched the city gate in the distance.


    In any normal city, all yers coulde and go freely but it seemed like the border Cities were an exception. The City Guards were checking each person going inside the city and even the merchant carts were being supervised.


    Liu Ye could enter without any problems but if the guards saw the Queen of the Earth Empire, they would definitely ask questions. Not only did she arrive without advance notice but she also had no security which was beyond suspicious.


    "Isn''t this the reason why I took you with me?" Queen Luna asked back while encouraging him with a pat on his back. "I know you will figure something out. I am counting on you."


    Liu Ye had already double-checked the details of the quest and it was too vague to argue with her. The word ''help'' included in the quest information could as well mean ''Do anything Queen Luna needs to seed'' and there was nothing he could do.


    The Dragon City had only one entrance and it was a man-made passage that dug right through the mountain range. If they wanted to find another way inside, they had to climb the tall mountains before crossing a tall wall that stretched across the whole border. Even if they could use Earthbending to cross the mountain quickly, it was still daylight and it would be impossible to stay unnoticed by the City Guards.


    Liu Ye watched all the carts entering through the main entrance and one of them caught his attention. It had multiple women in lewd outfits who cuddled around a single man who enjoyed theirpany. That alone gave him an idea.


    "Where is the Treasure Vault located?" Liu Ye asked curiously as he eyed various carts heading towards the city. "Is there perhaps in the City Lord''s castle?"


    "That''s right," Queen Luna nodded while following his gaze. "After we pass through the gates, we have to sneak inside the City Lord''s territory and find the hidden Treasure Vault inside his castle. I don''t really know its exact location."


    "Alright, I have a n then," Liu Ye decided and walked in the opposite direction from the City Entrance. "Follow me and look down. Don''t show your face to anyone."


    ? "What are you trying to do?" Queen Luna questioned confused as she followed closely behind. "You won''t find any other passages if that''s what you looking for."


    "We are looking for a good ride that we can use to pay the City Lord an official visit," Liu Ye exined casually and suggested, "Now it is our turn to be robbers."


    Wooden carts on the main road were getting scarce with each minute as they wandered away from the Dragon City but Liu Ye wasn''t interested in those. They needed something fancier to fool the City Guards.


    Liu Ye started to slowly lose hold when they suddenly spotted a sturdy carriage in the distance. It was assisted by two guards on each side and definitely belonged to a rich businessman or a higher official.


    "That''s the one," Liu Ye informed and began storing water inside his sleeves. "I will take the ones on the left and you will take the right."


    "You want to steal the carriage right here on the main road?" Queen Luna questioned in surprise before giggling to herself. "This is the best day ever."


    They continued to walk normally on the side of the road to avoid any suspicions until the carriage was close enough to inspect the NPCs. Liu Ye instantly brightened after seeing their names.


    [Rhino Soldier - Lvl. 45]


    [Royal Debt Collector - Lvl.10]


    Liu Ye literally couldn''t have picked a better ride to rob.


    As soon as the rhinos went past them, Liu Ye and Queen Lunaunched sweeping attacks at the Soldiers'' backs. A fully ted armor wasn''t heavy enough and they flew off like broken kites. Liu Ye didn''t even need to say anything when Queen Luna followed up with a stomp on the ground which locked all four in Earth Prisons.


    "Who the hell¡ª" The Soldiers cried out in anger but they were quickly cut off by Liu Ye''s Water Bubbles. All they could do was blow air into the water which only shortened their lifespan.<sub> </sub>


    "Let me finish them off quicker," Queen Luna suggested and clenched her fists tight. What followed was a brutal scene of the Earth Prisons copsing inwards which sent the Soldiers from a hundred to zero.


    Liu Ye''s Water Bubbles would take at least a few minutes to suffocate them so he didn''t mind that at all. His Experience was secured either way.


    [Ding! You killed the Rhino Soldier. You received 17,250 Experience, 50 gold, and a Fire Sword. Due to the difference of 15 levels, you earned 5,750 bonus Experience.]


    [Ding! You killed the Rhino Soldier. You received 17,250 Experience, 50 gold, and 5 ck Lotus Pills. Due to the difference of 15 levels, you earned 5,750 bonus Experience.]


    [Ding! You killed the Rhino Soldier. You received 17,250 Experience, 50 gold, and an Old Dragon Ne. Due to the difference of 15 levels, you earned 5,750 bonus Experience.]


    [Ding! Congrattions! You reached Level 31!]


    [Ding! You killed the Rhino Soldier. You received 16,100 Experience, 50 gold, and a Rhino Soldier Armor. Due to the difference of 14 levels, you earned 4,600 bonus Experience.]


    Liu Ye was so shocked by all the loot and another level up that he didn''t even notice the Royal Debt Collector has jumped off the Carriage and started running towards the Dragon City. Too bad, he only managed to run twenty meters before an Ice Spear pierced through his back and he dropped dead.


    "Damn¡­" Liu Yemented impressed before a sudden realization hit him. Since he met Queen Luna, the game has be too easy which wasn''t good for him.


    Liu Ye was leveling up like crazy but his actual strength remained the same. If he continues this path, he will eventually reach a point where he is too weak to beat stronger NPCs and too high-leveled to farm weaker mobs.


    That realization scared him for a moment but he quickly calmed himself down. He could still afford to receive Queen Luna''s help until the main quest is over before he will be forced to focus on honing his Abilities on his own.


    Liu Ye made a mental note to follow this n and dashed towards the Debt Collector''s body to discard it into the forest. They didn''t have much time before they got caught in the act by the passing merchants.


    "There is a chest inside," Queen Luna pointed out when Liu Ye returned to the carriage. "We can split the gold fifty-fifty."


    Liu Ye only nced inside the carriage and sure enough, he spotted a chest that was double the size of what he received from Queen Luna. He would ignore it for now if not for the new interaction he noticed.


    [Fire Empire Treasure Chest]


    [Description: A treasure chest containing Fire Empire Taxes. It has too many gold coins to count yourself and requires Bank assistance.]


    [Note: Visiting Fire Land''s Bank will alert the Fire Empire''s guards.]


    "We can use this carriage to carry the goods back to the Earth Empire after we empty the Treasure Vault," Liu Ye suggested and hurried her. "Let''s go. We need to collect some taxes in the Dragon City."


    "You still didn''t tell me how," Queen Luna pointed out with a puzzled look. "They won''t let us ride the carriage inside the city without the Debt Collector."


    Liu Ye didn''t reply and simply pulled out his inventory before tapping on the Rhino Soldier Armor. "Don''t worry, we are the Debt Collectors."

 Chapter 130 Infiltration

    The day has been extremely boring for the City Guards of the Dragon City until something unusual happened. They expected a scheduled visit from the tax bureau but the royal carriage arrived to the Dragon City with only a single soldier leading it.


    "Huh? Where is the Royal Debt Collector? Did something happen?" the City Guards questioned as they stopped the carriage and the lone soldier only grabbed his helmet awkwardly.


    "Well, nothing major happened besides the Royal Debt Collector straining his leg," the Rhino Soldier exined as he jumped down and approached the City Guards. "I was the unlucky one who picked the shortest stick and was forced to drive my own."


    "What do you mean he strained his leg? He doesn''t need to walk while sitting in the carriage," the City Guards questioned in confusion as they started to get suspicious.


    The Rhino Soldier only sighed helplessly as if it wasn''t his job. "He imed he is in pain and needed somefort from beautifuldies. He stopped in the nearby vige and ordered one of us to deliver the gold to the City Lord for safekeeping."


    "That''s so unprofessional and unheard of¡­" the City Guardsmented taken aback. "What about the other three soldiers? There should be four of you."


    The Rhino Soldier clenched his fist as if he recalled bad memories. "It has been a while since we tasted any women so the Royal Debt Collector invited three of us to stay with him as protection."


    "You all will definitely get in trouble with the City Lord," The City Guards replied speechlessly but the Rhino Soldier suddenly walked up to the carriage and lifted the curtain. Inside the carriage sat a handcuffed maiden with her sexy legs in full view.


    "The Royal Debt Collector took that into ount and asked me to bring the most beautifuldy for the City Lord to enjoy," the Rhino Soldier exined with a giggle and the City Guards joined him with a chuckle.


    They drooled at the view of thedy and checked the contents of the treasure chest just to be sure. Seeing it was full of gold coins, they finally rxed and punched the Rhino Soldiers yfully.


    "You lucky bastards have it all figured out. I''m so jealous," the City Guard muttered with clear envy but the Rhino Soldier only cursed as he closed the curtains. "Fuck, don''t even mention it. I didn''t even get to enjoy but it''s fine. I have ady I fancy already so there is still hope for me."


    "Good luck with that brother," the City Guard wished happily and hopped on the carriage with him. "Let me escort you to the City Lord''s castle so you don''t need to exin yourself every time."


    "I appreciate that man," the Rhino Soldier acknowledged and whispered, "I will make sure to mention you to the Royal Debt Collector. The robbers have been quite activetely so we might need additional help."


    The City Guard couldn''t be happier and he patted the Rhino Soldier on the shoulder, "Thanks brother, I owe you big time."


    The City Guard''s assistance came in handy as the city was filled with multiple different stops. He only waved at his buddies and they let them pass through smoothly. To make it even better, he was extremely talkative and gave out some insightful news.


    "We increased the number of guardstely because of a special tip from our spy," the City Guards whispered up close. "The Queen of the Earth Empire ns an attack on the Dragon City''s treasury so we are extremely careful with who we let in the city. We are still not fully ready for the war so we can''t let that happen."<sub> </sub>


    "Oh?" the Rhino Soldier was taken by surprise. "Are they crazy? Won''t that cause a full-scale war between all four Empires?"


    "What world do you live in? The war is inevitable. All we can do is stall a bit longer to prepare for a full-on attack. It is better to be the first one to strike and catch the opponent by surprise," the City Guard exined. "There is a rumor about the Metal n joining forces with the Earth Empire which gave them the guts to initiate the war."


    "To think we have such a strong invigtion system," the Rhino Soldiermented amazed. "The spy must be really close to the Earth Empire''s Queen to discover her ns."


    The City Guard only shrugged. "I don''t know about that but he is for sure a high-ranked official."


    The carriage was already close to the City Lord''s castle so they stopped talking and introduced their arrival. After checking the treasure chest, they let them pass through with no issues whilementing, "The City Lord is still asleep so thisdy will definitely cheer up his morning. He wasn''t exactly in a good moodtely."


    It seemed like the City Lord gave them a hard time so they seemed happy at the opportunity to calm him down.


    "Thedy can''t enter inside the Treasury Vault so let''s make her wait inside the carriage," the City Guard suggested as they stopped directly at the castle''s main entrance. "The Treasure Vault has extra protection hired by the City Lord himself but it doesn''t hurt to be extra cautious."


    The City Guard didn''t get a quick response and soon found the Rhino Guard spaced out while staring ahead and tapping at the sky. "You okay bro?"


    "Yeah, I''m fine. I was just wondering if that''s okay. What if some other Guards discover her and do something improper?" the Rhino Soldier pointed out. "She is still a virgin from what I heard and a totalmoner. She is chained too, so we are safe to bring her with us."


    "Unfortunately, those are the rules," the City Guard replied helplessly and jumped down the driver''s seat. "We will be back for her in no time. No one can do anything in a few minutes."


    "Alright, let''s get the treasure chest then," Rhino Soldier agreed as he followed closely behind. They both entered inside the carriage and the City Guard crouched down to pull the chest.


    It was a wrong idea to let his back unprotected.


    "Ah!!" the City Guard cried out as a sharp de pierced into his neck before he felt his whole body turn cold. Ice covered his whole neck and he soon lost the ability to move.


    Before his mind shut down, the City Guard saw the sexydy drop her handcuffs as if it was nothing and finally witnessing her face.


    It was no other than Queen Luna of the Earth Empire!

 Chapter 131 Coincidence

    [Ding! You killed a City Guard. You received 7,000 Experience and 10 gold.]


    The City Guard was level 30 so Liu Ye still received full experience for the kill. No loot dropped this time which prompted him to add his spare skill point into luck. He already had enough damage for his level and more loot was always better.


    With how fast Liu Ye was progressing, he would soon start receiving reduced experience which would make farming a waste of time. He could only focus on improving his Elemental Mastery while waiting for everyone to catch up.


    "What do we do now?" Queen Luna asked as she looked outside. "We don''t have a guide to lead us to the Treasury Vault and if we try to find it, we will definitely alert the guards."


    Liu Ye quickly swapped the Rhino Soldier Armor into his Red Dragon Set and assured, "You don''t need to worry about that. It just happens that I know someone inside the castle who can help us."


    "Who?" Queen Luna questioned suspiciously but Liu Ye remained mysterious as he pulled up the map. Judging by the position of the two green dots, the Treasure Vault was right next to the castle next to them.


    [Grind God: Are you two perhaps tasked with protecting the Treasure Vault in the City Lord Castle?]


    It was quite an unfortunate coincidence but after hearing the City Guard, it wasn''t that hard to guess. It made sense for the game to counter his Quest by hiring yers to defend the Treasure Vault. If his Quest was as easy as beating just a few City Guards then it wouldn''t have an SSS difficulty.


    [Queen of Chess: I was just wondering what you are doing here. Don''t tell me your Quest asks you to rob the Treasure Vault?]


    Xu Yue was quick to guess his purpose which saved him the time to exin.


    [Grind God: I''m tasked to rob the ce and leave no witnesses. Unless you leave, I will have to kill you guys.]


    [Queen of Chess: Can''t you wait an hour? Our shift will end soon and we can leave or even help you.]


    [Grind God: I had left a few bodies behind so I''m afraid we would be discovered by then. I will share the loot afterward so just help me this time. Where is the Treasure Vault?]


    It was selfish of Liu Ye to ask but the benefits of his quest heavily outweighed anything Xu Yue and Zhenzhen were offered. It didn''t take Xu Yue long to decide but it came with an unlucky conclusion.


    [Queen of Chess: You have to kill us together with everyone then or we get a bounty on our heads. We are on the fifth floor and there are like thirty people right in front of the Treasure Vault entrance. There are also countless guards spread all around the castle and that''s the only way up here.]


    That responseplicated things but Liu Ye didn''t expect anything else. He had an idea of climbing the castle from the outside and exploding the wall but knowing the game, that would definitely alert the whole city. They could only silently take everyone out and hope they won''t cause an rm.


    [Grind God: Coming.]


    Liu Ye left a quick response and finally closed his chat to begin their operation. "It seems like we basically need to kill everyone in the Castle without being noticed. I hope you are ready for some killing."


    Queen Luna nodded but then got closer to Liu Ye''s eyes as if she noticed something. "I can feel that you are anxious about something. Could this be about your woman? Is she here in Dragon City?"


    Liu Ye was taken aback by Queen Luna''s sudden questioning which caused her to smirk. "I knew it. You kept acting weird as we got closer to Dragon City. Could she perhaps be the person inside the castle that will help us?"


    Liu Ye was about to think of a clever lie but Queen Luna reached out to pull on his bandana and added, "Don''t try to lie to me."


    "That''s right. Both her and my sister are inside protecting the Treasure Vault," Liu Ye admitted after a short thought. "They won''t attack us so we can break in easier."


    Queen Luna pursed her lips and fixed his bandana back to ce before pulling on his neck to leave a small peck on his lips. Even though it wasn''t a direct kiss, he could still feel her soft lips on his own.


    "I can''t wait to meet the person who was capable of stealing your heart," Queen Lunamented and jumped off the carriage with a smile. "Let''s go, baby."<sub> </sub>


    Liu Ye had immediate regrets for being honest but he had no other way. Queen Luna was still an NPC and the game AI was almighty. Even though she was ying her role in the game, the AI knew if he was lying or not.


    They quickly hid the City Guard''s body by burying it underground before dashing straight towards the entrance of the castle. The Rhino Soldier Armor could give them a small surprise effect but Liu Ye didn''t n to keep changing it in the middle of the battle.


    [Fire Empire Soldier - Level 40]


    [HP: 3000/3000]


    [MP: 1500/1500]


    "Who are you? What are you doing in the¡ª'''' The four soldiers protecting the entrance immediately questioned them at sight but they couldn''t even finish when the wind swept them off their feet.


    Liu Ye had only 1% left in his Water Elemental Mastery so he didn''t hesitate to maximize the usage of his Water Abilities. He immediately jumped into closebat with Ice ws on his fingers and began stabbing rapidly with his body weight pinning the soldier.


    -277!


    -277!


    -554!


    The soldier responded by shooting mes from his fists at Liu Ye''s face only to get brutally stabbed in the eyes. Liu Ye fought with no mercy as he continued to stab without a break. With a single critical strike, he only needed ten thrusts to tank the soldier''s HP to zero.


    [Ding! You killed the Fire Empire Soldier. You received 10,000 Experience, 30 gold, and 5 ck Lotus Pills.]


    [Ding! Your Elemental Mastery bar is full. You received one Elemental Point.]


    Liu Ye didn''t even check his rewards as heunched himself at the other soldiers only to realize he was toote. Queen Luna has already taken three targets down before he could finish one of them.


    "You are slow as always," Queen Lunamented which left Liu Ye speechless. He was already at the top of thedder butpared to Queen Luna he was still a newbie.


    Liu Ye didn''t have much time as Queen Luna began casually disposing of the bodies and swiftly gulped down a set of potions. He even took out one of the four blessed cookies and increased his Mana to 250 for the next hour.


    [ck Lotus Pill]


    [Description: A single-use pill made exclusively by the Fire Empire that will strengthen your inner me.]


    [Effects: Increases Damage by 100% from all Fire Abilities for the duration of 10 minutes.]


    [Side effects: Consuming the pill has a 10% chance to prevent you from bending fire.]


    Liu Ye couldn''t help but nce at the pills he kept on dropping but they turned out they werepletely useless to him. The damage buff was great for Firebenders but the side effects made it too risky.


    "I''m done. We need to go now," Queen Luna announced before Liu Ye was finished. He was forced to open his Elemental Tree and unlocked the next ability in line to boost his strength.

 Chapter 132 Ice Fist

    New information forced its way into Liu Ye''s brain but he wasn''t as affected as before. It was an upgrade for his Waterbending which was already quite developed and couldn''tpare to his newly unlocked Earthbending.


    Liu Ye followed Queen Luna into the building as he quickly pulled up the stats for his new ability.


    [Ice Fist]


    [Description: yer can cover their fist with Ice and deal high damage with their punches. Each punch ignores a percentage of the enemy''s defense.]


    [Cost: 5 MP + 2 MP for each sessful hit.]


    [Damage: 50 + 60% Elemental Power + 100% Physical Power.]


    [Defense Reduction: Ignores 50% Defense.]


    Liu Ye gazed at all the numbers and immediately saw their unique value. Even though the damage seemed much lower than the Ice ws, it was actually higher if one calcted it based on mana per sessful hit. He had to hit more shots to achieve the same result but at least he saved mana which was crucial in extended battles.


    The first addition of Physical Power was interesting since it had a high scaling of 100% but Liu Ye already decided not to invest in it. Elemental Power was more useful as it worked on all abilities and wasn''t just restricted to closebat.


    "Perfect," Liu Ye muttered to himself as he dipped his fists into water and ice formed into a miniature gauntlet. He naturally had to test his new ability, especially after seeing its 50% damage pration.


    It wasn''t long before he was presented with testing subjects as two new soldiers showed up on their way.


    "Hey! Who are y¡ª" The Fire Empire Soldiers shouted their usual line but they weren''t able to finish it. Liu Ye and Queen Luna have made their intentions clear by rushing straight at them with their fists drawn.


    Queen Luna quickly punched twice and sent Air Shockwaves at their feet while Liu Ye followed with his own Water Jets that aimed to cut their escape route. Even when the two soldiers reacted to dodge, they were still hit and pushed back to the floor.


    -53


    -53


    Liu Ye wanted tough at the pitiful damage of his ranged abilities and quickly jumped into closebat. It was a more dangerous approach since he had less time to dodge but the effects were astonishing.


    Pa!


    -186


    Liu Ye smacked the soldier in the face which stunned him. He already made this mistake earlier and let the soldiers counterattack so he could only be more brutal. The damage was almost a hundred less but he also used three less Mana on each punch which returned itself with each following swing.


    [Ding! You killed the Fire Empire Soldier. You received 10,000 Experience and 30 gold.]


    "Hu¡­" Liu Ye breathed out deeply as adrenaline pumped through his body. It was just the game but the realism was too much for a normal person to handle.


    Liu Ye would be surprised if any normal yer would take such a brutal approach and beat the enemies to death with their punches. The game rewarded closebat with increased damage but killing with distant abilities was much easier to ept.


    ''I need to abuse closebat until the yers learn to adapt,'' Liu Ye thought as he rushed to join Queen Luna who was already running through the corridor.


    "We are too loud. Let''s move quicker. We have no time to hide the bodies," Queen Luna announced cautiously. "We will alert the City Lord either way so let''s just kill whoever we see and escape before he shows up."


    "Sure," Liu Ye nodded as they saw two more soldiers walking down the stairs to face them. He already knew they wouldn''t be able to avoid the City Lord but he wasn''t worried with Queen Luna by his side.<sub> </sub>


    "Intruders!!!" the Fire Empire Soldiers cried out at the top of their lungs and pulled out ck pills from their pockets. They didn''t hesitate to swallow them and their eyes immediately widened.


    "Watch out," Queen Luna warned just before the corridor filled with mes. They expanded rapidly but Liu Ye simply ced multiple Ice Walls on the way as they withdrew behind the cover.


    Liu Ye finally understood why the quest was ranked as SSS difficulty when the mes just didn''t stop and all his Ice Walls melted within seconds. When they thought the soldiers got exhausted, two more soldiers appeared and joined them by fueling fire through the narrow corridor.


    "Damn, they are alerting more soldiers and grouping up," Liu Yemented and he gathered more water to shield himself from the excessive temperature. With bonus damage of 100%, he didn''t n on being hit by those buffed mes.


    "It''s okay, we can kill them all in a clean swoop," Queen Luna replied calmly and walked up to him to steal some water. She dipped her arms into his water armor and two ice spikes formed on her hands.


    ''Ice Gauntlet?'' Liu Ye questioned in his mind as that was one of the upgrades left. He needed Level 50 to even think about unlocking it but it definitely looked cool.


    "I will break through the mes and finish the backline. You can kill whoever is left," Queen Luna informed without waiting for his approval and suddenly stomped on the floor. A thick b of rock ripped from the ground and she used it as a shield to block the mes.


    "Quick! Block the entrance! Lock them out!" the soldiers called out in panic as Queen Luna advanced but it was a useless effect against an expert Earthbender. She kicked the wall and she bombarded anyone on the way with tens of boulders.


    What happened next was something that only made Liu Ye ecstatic.


    They broke between the enemy ranks and Queen Luna joined him in closebat with two ice spikes piercing one solder after another. Their armors couldn''t even protect them as it pierced right through their chests and they died on the spot.


    -3000!


    -3000!


    -3000!


    Three thrusts, three kills in the span of two seconds, and Queen Luna rushed up the stairs to chase the escaping soldiers.


    ''What kind of percentages that Ability has?!'' Liu Ye cried out in wonder but he had to focus on the two soldiers she left him. They were in a state of shock but Liu Ye didn''t give them time to recover.


    Liu Ye''s boxing was just a fraction of his Martial Arts training and he jabbed the two soldiers from up close.


    -186


    -186


    They tried to punch with mesing out of their fists but Liu Ye''s makeshift water armor blocked them off. Even though the kills took much longer, his Elemental Mastery kept rising by 1% every fifteen sessful hits. If he could, he would sit there for an hour just to gather more Elemental Points.


    [Ding! You killed the Fire Empire Soldier. You received 10,000 Experience, 30 gold, and 5 ck Lotus Pills.]


    [Ding! You killed the Fire Empire Soldier. You received 10,000 Experience, 30 gold, and 5 ck Lotus Pills.]


    Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to gulp down a Mana Potion and ran up the stairs to the second floor, but it seemed like his further assistance wasn''t needed. The stench of blood hit like as soon as he entered and he was weed with tens of bodies scattered all over the floor.


    In the middle stood Queen Luna with a cold expression and two Ice Gauntlets covered in blood. The difference in strength was just immense and Liu Ye couldn''t wait to see someone who can actually match her in strength.


    "Now we can be sure the City Lord knows about us."

 Chapter 133 The Origin Of The War

    The third floor was no longer a simple tunnel that led them upwards but instead, a dining hall where all the guests of the Lord''s castle were eating their meals. By the time Liu Ye showed up, all the NPCs were rmed by the loud fighting and stood on guard.


    The only positive news was the color of their names which still remained blue which meant they weren''t aggressive just yet. That could as well change with the arrival of five Fire Empire Soldiers who stormed into the dining hall from the Forth Floor.


    "Distinguished guests! Two intruders invaded the Lord''s Castle! Help us defeat them and the Lord will reward you handsomely!" the Fire Empire Soldier shouted to gather help but Liu Ye didn''t let that slide. He knew very well this was his chance to save himself.


    "What a great Lord he is," Liu Ye praised as he apuded loudly. "He allows his guests to fight the intruders while he is hiding in his chambers. Is there something more important than protecting your own castle that he is not here? It has been a moment since we arrived. He should know about us by now."


    The Fire Empire Soldiers frowned and immediately denied it. "The Lord ising! He was caught unprepared so he had to dress up! Don''t listen to those invaders! Let''s group and fight them together!"


    All Lord''s guests were above level 60 and they were twenty of them. It wouldn''t be as easy of a fight even with Queen Luna on Liu Ye''s side.


    "Go on, let''s fight then," Liu Ye agreed right away. "Let''s not disturb the Lord. Let him finish fucking his whores while we fight with our lives on the line."


    As Liu Ye spoke, water gushed out from behind his back, and Ice Spikes formed inrge quantities. The guests immediately darkened but they didn''t face Liu Ye but rather the Fire Empire Soldier.


    "Where is the Lord? I''m not going to lift a finger unless I see the Lord request me personally." A middle-aged man informed sternly as he sat back down to finish his meal. "This is ridiculous. We are just his guests, not his soldiers."


    His short speech caused many to sit down as well, but there were still ten of guests who weren''t convinced. They faced Liu Ye and Queen Luna but she finally stepped to help him.


    "I give you ten seconds to sit down," Queen Luna ordered as she walked forward. "Anyone who isn''t sitting will die."


    The guests clenched their fists as if ready to fight when their hair suddenly blew in all directions. A waft of wind appeared inside the castle hall which almost swept them off the floor. As Queen Luna walked towards them, the air gathered around the five Fire Empire Soldiers and they floated without being able to resist.


    "Five, four, three¡­" Queen Luna counted down and the rest of the guests sat down just before the massacre happened. She dashed toward the soldiers wrapped in an Air Prison and pierced their chests with her Ice Gauntlets.


    -3000!<sub> </sub>


    The soldiers died instantly once again before falling down on the ground with a loud thud. Silence filled the hall. Not a single guest dared to move until the middle-aged man from before finally spoke. "You must be Queen Luna of the Earth Kingdom, right?"


    It wasn''t that surprising they recognized the strongest expert in the Earth Kingdom. She was the only ruler who would dare to enter the Fire Empire on her own and start killing people. It also seemed like they expected her after hearing the rumors of twonds preparing for the war.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t be killing you tonight if you remain seated until I''m gone and don''t cause any problems," Queen Lune assured while beckoning Liu Ye to follow her. "Once we leave, I want you to return to your mansions and send the news to all your high-status friends. Queen Luna has started a war against the Fire Empire and she gives you some advice. Remain in your territory when I arrive to kill your useless King or you will perish together with everyone you love."


    "It''s happening¡­" Liu Ye muttered under his nose. He already knew his Quest would be the beginning of arge-scale war but it was still amazing to see.


    "Wouldn''t the Earth Kingdom be at a huge advantage if you killed us all? Do you really think we will side with you once the war starts?" the middle-aged man questioned in confusion which brought him frowns from all over the hall.


    It felt like he was asking to be killed but Queen Luna only shrugged at his questions. She extended her palm and a fireball began dancing on her palm. She let it hover around her before she added a ball of each element and allowed all four to spiral in all directions. "Wouldn''t it be boring?"


    Queen Luna sent the balls all around the hall and announced, "I have mastered four Elements and I''m close to bing an Avatar. I could roam around yournd and destroy one castle after another before taking over the capital. I can do it all on my own but what''s the point? How will my people learn the hardships of war and be stronger? If I do everything for them, my Kingdom would be weak and I wouldn''t be able to sustain such arge territory. My only choice is allowing my army to take over."


    Queen Luna gazed casually at each guest and added, "Once I take over the Fire Empire, I will need new lords to look after thend. I will only trust those that are smart enough to recognize their chances. Why y for one front when you can y for two?"


    She didn''t say anything more and they finally climbed the stairs to the fourth floor. Liu Ye had a lot of questions surrounding the new war but he had to hold back after spotting their next opponent.


    [Lord Bordermort ¨C Lvl. 90]


    [HP: 50,000/50,000]


    [MP: 10,000/10,000]

 Chapter 134 Complicated

    Liu Ye almost thought the Lord wouldn''t show up. Not like it mattered to him since he wasn''t in a position to even fight him. With such a level difference, the Lord only needed one single attack to remove him from existence so Liu Ye didn''t mind Queen Luna taking over.


    "I will handle him," Queen Luna informed confidently. "You can go up and finish the rest on your own, right?"


    Liu Ye could only nod before Queen Luna stepped on the ground andunched him to the ceiling with arge pir. He was about to be squashed into a paste when a hole opened on the fifth floor.


    The group protecting the fault happened to be in a heated argument but they stopped at the sudden appearance of a stranger. Who would have thought Liu Ye would be thrown right in front of the vault?


    "It''s Grind God!"


    Everyone in the group momentarily recognized the top yer in the game even when his name was filled with question marks. Liu Ye wasn''t even surprised and it actually spared him the trouble of introducing himself.


    "Wee everyone," Liu Ye greeted as he watched the whole group distance themselves from him. "If you guys expected more people then I will have to disappoint you. It''s just me today."


    It was funny how the defenders were moving away from the objective they were meant to protect but no one would me them. It was Grind God they were facing, a man who could casually wipe out an experienced guild.


    Liu Ye made eye contact with Xu Yue and Zhenzhen before letting the water pour out around him. "I''m a good guy so before I kill you all, let me give you a small piece of advice. A war between the fournds is about to break out so you should join one of them if you didn''t already. They will give you some nice benefits depending on how strong you are."


    "Guys! Don''t listen to him! He is stalling while preparing to face us! Let''s fire! He has no ce to run away!"


    Liu Ye almost thought he would get away with it but someone quickly caught him and alerted everyone in the group. They immediately prepared to fight when they saw him withdraw a single ck pill and throw it toward them.


    "Watch out!" the group swiftly dodge only to realize it was aimed at one of the highest experts in their group. "Wait! Isn''t Queen Of Chess his woman?!"


    Everyone looked at the two beauties in the middle of the group just before Xu Yue attacked without a warning. She began kicking and punching in all directions, forcing everyone to block the mes in hurry.


    It was already toote when they realized it was only a diversion.


    -212


    -212


    -424!


    Liu Ye bombarded the whole group with Ice spears while gulping down on Mana potions and killed ten yers before the fight even began.


    [Ding! You killed a yer: Cosmic Reaver. You received 1350 Experience and a yer Bag. Due to the difference of 9 levels, you earned 900 less Experience.]


    [Ding! You killed a yer: Farsky. You received 1063 Experience and a yer Bag. Due to the difference of 10 levels, you earned 1063 less Experience.]


    [Ding! You killed a yer: Infernal Spear. You received 2000 Experience and a yer Bag. Due to the difference of 7 levels, you earned 500 less Experience.]<sub> </sub>


    Liu Ye naturally received half of the experience for everyone since Xu Yue began the fight but that didn''t bother him. His fists covered with ice while three Small Water Whips hovered around him and he dove into closebat himself.


    It was total chaos with no one taking the lead which quickly ended in aplete wipeout. Twenty-eight enemies fell before Xu Yue and Liu Ye bothunched at themselves with their battle instinct activated to the maximum capacity. They looked at each other before the ck-haired beauty withdrew her mes and wrapped her arms around her man.


    Only in-game friends were able to interact with other yers'' gear and Xu Yue used this feature to its full potential as she lifted his bandana to kiss him passionately. She didn''t even stop when Zhenzhen appeared out of nowhere and hugged Liu Ye from behind which forced him to act.


    "I think that''s enough¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he pulled away and turned to hug Zhenzhen instead. "You did well. Good job."


    "Hehe, but I didn''t do anything," Zhenzhen muttered cutely while enjoying his pats.


    "This is exactly why," Liu Ye replied before suggesting, "How about you two help me get the treasures out before we split up again?


    The thought of killing his sweet angel sister was gut-wrenching so Liu Ye didn''t mind postponing it as long as he could.


    "The treasury is locked though. You need a key which is in the hands of the Lord," Xu Yue informed casually as they walked towards a heavy iron treasury gate. "You have it, right? You needed to kill him to get here anyway."


    There was no doubt in her voice as if she believed that Liu Ye could kill anyone he wanted as long as he put his mind to it. The problem was he didn''t and he suddenly realized the iing issue.


    "Actually¡­" Liu Ye muttered as he withdrew his game profile. "Let''s change the n then. How about I challenge you to a bending duel so that you don''t lose your experience? We can settle it now."


    Liu Ye sent Xu Yue an invitation but she wasn''t dumb enough to ept it right away. "Why are you acting suspicious? What are you hiding?"


    "It''splicated," Liu Ye replied with a sigh. "The NPC that gave me this quest is currently fighting the lord. She has been acting strange so I don''t want her to meet you."


    Just as Liu Ye exined, the whole castle began to shake. The tremors onlysted a few seconds before they ended as quickly as they appeared.


    "She might be done already. Let''s hurry," Liu Ye informed as he re-sent the invitation. "I will tell you everything once I''m done with this Quest. I don''t want you two to get hurt."


    Knowing Queen Luna''s craziness, she might even kill Xu Yue just to eliminate herpetition so it was better for the two to never meet each other.


    "Who is she?" Xu Yue questioned with raised eyebrows and agreed reluctantly. "I trust you but I want to know all the detailster."


    [Ding! yer: Queen Of Chess has epted your challenge.]


    "Don''t worry, I will make it quick," Liu Ye assured as he withdrew a Water Whip which was the least painful method of killing. Unfortunately, he was one step toote.


    ? A hole in the floor appeared right behind them and ady in a white dress rose up on top of a stone pir. Liu Ye didn''t hesitate to strike Xu Yue despite Queen Luna appearing but she only flicked her finger to shoot a fireball that sted his whip into oblivion.


    "Hello,dies. It has been a while since I wanted to meet you."


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