Chapter Eighty: Unorthodox Maneuvers

A week had passed since the start of the semester before Director Xu formally informed Zhou Jingchen that he could join the team. Before leaving, Zhou Jingchen lingered around Yu Qian for quite a while, finally managing to secure a hug. Only then did he leave cheerfully.

The last time they had embraced was a year ago. Throughout his year in Sichuan, aside from the occasional hand-holding, Yu Qian had steadfastly refused to let Zhou Jingchen hug her, much less grant the kiss he yearned for. In truth, if it weren’t for the thought of being apart for several months, Yu Qian would never have agreed to this hug.

After Zhou Jingchen departed, Yu Qian returned to her routine of shuttling between school and home. Through her deliberate approach, Lin Su once again became her friend.

Yu Qian, Lin Su, and Chu Yueyue—a trio who would become known as the Three Musketeers of Provincial No. 1 High School—were formed in September 2007, and for years to come, they remained the pride of the school.

Through their conversations, Lin Su learned about the existence of the Six Realms Guild. The moment she found out, she was devastated, even wanting to bash Yu Qian’s head in. Yu Qian had not only blocked her path to spending money in the game but had also coaxed her into joining the guild!

Upon logging in and seeing Yu Qian idling in the guild, Lin Su couldn’t resist declaring war and struck her down. After defeating Yu Qian, Lin Su gleefully took a screenshot, determined to mock Yu Qian for a lifetime.

However, just as Lin Su was enjoying her screenshot, her screen suddenly went gray. Exiting the screenshot, she saw a circle of characters standing around her in-game avatar. Lin Su fell silent.

Nuwa, Fuxi, Pangu, Ashura... Each name belonged to someone she once considered part of a cult, and there was even a Taoist called Heavenly Principle, dancing atop her corpse!

[Susu Nine]: “That’s just too much...”

[Lady Daji]: “Aren’t you being a bit much yourself? #PickingNose”

Lady Daji tapped the fallen Cloud Shallow and Cloud Deep on the ground, clearly dissatisfied.

[Lord of Heavenly Principle]: “#Smile.”

After finishing his dance, Heavenly Principle greeted Ashura and exposed Cloud Shallow’s corpse, sending her to the Wheel of Reincarnation. As for Cloud Deep? She remained lying there.

Having finished their killing spree, Heavenly Principle and the others strolled away at a leisurely pace, off to tackle their daily quests. They were all desperate for experience points, so every task was cleared.

Lin Su watched as they slaughtered and left, forgetting her and Cloud Deep at the scene, feeling a pang in her chest.

This just wouldn’t do. At least they could have helped her up.

She revived at the Wheel of Reincarnation, refilled her health, and finally emerged. With a lingering sense of frustration, she joined a daily quest team to vent her emotions on the monsters.

At that moment, while Lin Su was channeling all her feelings into slaying monsters, she had no idea she was being exposed on the game forum!

All because she didn’t heal her teammates during the quest!

The thread was started by a team member, a mystic, who kept dying during the mission. Hiding in the back and idling, he was scolded by the team leader, and so he vented his anger on the team’s only healer, Susu Nine.

Unfortunately for him, most forum-goers were quite rational.

Searching for Immortals in Dreams: “Your gear’s bad, your skills are lacking, and you blame the healer? That’s some epic scapegoating.”

Distant Mountain Hibiscus: “Tsk tsk, if I hadn’t seen the screenshots posted, I’d have actually believed the little healer was slacking off.”

Fusu: “I’m level eighty-nine too, and I’m a damage dealer, but why is a support out-damaging me?”

...

Strawberry-Loving Cutie: “First time seeing someone expose others only to expose themselves. Thanks for the laughs, OP.”

Slight Chill: “Let’s salute first. /Fist Bump.”

The thread starter hadn’t expected his move to backfire, making him infamous instead. He was so angry he nearly started cursing in the thread.

If not for fearing public backlash, he would have done so.

He only deleted the floor with the screenshots, but this strange maneuver made the netizens laugh even harder.

Year After Year: “Is this covering up the truth? Hahaha…”

Cluck Cluck: “Exactly, covering up the truth, hahaha… Sorry, I can’t hold it in, hahaha…”

Sanlu Milk Powder Tastes Sweet: “Slick move, OP. Sending you 999, that was epic.”

...

By the time Yu Qian and Lin Su saw this thread, the matter had already blown over. Opening the post, they were met with a screen full of laughter, leaving a few black lines on their foreheads, utterly speechless.