Chapter 45: You Have to Admit Defeat
Translator: Noodletown Translations Editor: Noodletown Translations
Fang Qi only told Lan Yan a small section of The King’s Avatar. He began with Chapter 1: The Banished Battle God and ended with Ye Xiu getting the first kill, obtaining the material to enhance his Myriad Manifestation Umbrella.
Of course, Fang Qi somewhat changed the plot of the story.
Nalan Mingxue’s eyes blinked; the plot and setting of the story were extremely real, and she couldn’t find any loopholes. It really sounded like a world that existed.
But it wasn’t the Dajin Empire!
Putting its validity aside, the story itself was extremely fascinating. After all, they’ve never heard of a story that used ‘gaming’ as its theme.
A game like that was extremely new and unique to people like them!
“Right? Right? Ye Xiu is strong, right?” Lan Yan exhaled and exclaimed happily upon seeing that Nalan Mingxue had accepted the fact that the story was real.
The latter gently nodded her head.
“I really wanted to keep listening, but that awful owner stopped and went back to playing his game!” Lan Yan complained, “I feel bad for a master like Ye Xiu. He was betrayed by his own party and became a lone soul. I wonder if he went back in the end.”
…
“Achoo!” Fang Qi was playing his game when he sneezed. After innocently scanning the room, he muttered to himself, “Is someone talking about me?”
“I was in a good mood and told her a portion of the King’s Avatar. I wonder if that girl took the story seriously.”
…
The entire hall fell into silence after they heard Nalan Ying retell the story.
The silence was horrifying as if it were the calm before a storm.
“How much of what you said do you think is real?” After a long time, Nalan Hongwu finally asked as he emphasized each word. He was clenching his teeth and suppressing his anger.
If Nalan Ying hadn’t worked under him for so long, Nalan Hongwu would seriously suspect that this man was trying to humiliate his intelligence.
“That’s… what I thought as well; I thought most of the things that the owner said was made up,” Nalan Ying began to sweat; he knew how scary the old man was when he was angry!
Right now, the old man was on the verge of an anger explosion!
He felt like if he said anything else carelessly, he would be thrown into the backyard and fed to the dogs tomorrow!
Therefore, he quickly described to Nalan Hongwu how he felt while trying out Diablo II at Fang Qi’s internet café.
By the time he finished, Nalan Hongwu couldn’t sit still in his seat anymore. He squinted his eyes and sank into deep thought.
After a while, he slowly opened his mouth; his voice sounded hoarse, like pieces of old tree bark rubbing against each other. “Do you think I’m too old… and can’t catch up with the world anymore…?”
“…” Nalan Ying lowered his head, not sure how to respond to this.
After hearing Nalan Ying’s description, Nalan Hongwu said, “Get me a ‘computer’.”
He sounded excited and was filled with anticipation as he said, “I’ve lived for a long time, but this is something I’ve never heard of. Go, let me experience this magical spiritual artifact!”
Although he had seen all walks of life, he had never heard of a spiritual artifact as special as this.
“Yes, sir!”
“If it’s necessary, you can summon and command the Shadow Guards,” the old man slowly added.
Nalan Ying’s entire body shook. “I won’t disappoint you, Sir!”
…
At this moment, inside a luxurious courtyard with a lotus pond, there was a middle-aged man sitting in an elegant pavilion that was at the end of a row of carved pillars.
The middle-aged man was wearing a golden robe, which accentuated his handsome looks. He was twirling a small, delicate glass cup in his hand, and the amber liquid inside swayed as it reflected colorful light.
He looked into the cup and said casually, “You’ve really disappointed me this time.”
Standing at the edge of the pavilion was a man wearing a black robe. He had a short goatee on his chin and was about the same age as the other man. His back was facing the man in the golden robe, and his hands squeezed the railings so hard that the stone railing seemed to have sunk lower into the ground.
“I’ve ordered my people to investigate into the owner of the shop who interfered with our business last night. That was just an accident.”
The man in the golden robe drank all the wine in his cup and said lightly, “Brother Nalan, you should know that’s not what I want to hear. The only thing I care about is the result; how else can I explain things to my father?”
Then, he stood up and patted Nalan Jie on the shoulder before leaving.
After he left, Nalan Jie squeezed the railing so hard that it suddenly shattered into a million pieces!
Then, he turned around, revealing his icy expression.
…
Nalan Ying came to Fang Qi’s internet café again, but this time, he was dressed differently.
Before, he looked very much like a normal person. However, he now emitted confidence and prestige; his square face making him seem angular and decisive.
Behind him was a middle-aged army officer.
“Lord Ying…” This officer treated Nalan Ying with respect. “What are we doing here?”
“We’re buying something,” Nalan Ying replied.
“Buying something?” The middle-aged army officer froze as he looked at the alley in front of him.
“Here?”
Then, he saw the sign above the shop. “Origins Internet Club?”
“You know this place?” Nalan Ying asked.
“I don’t.” The army officer shook his head and smiled. “But my people reported that over the last few days, a couple of young masters in the city missed curfew because they were at this shop. I knew those people were all of high statuses, so I didn’t look into it.”
Nalan Ying nodded and walked in.
Fang Qi saw Nalan Ying and felt like he had seen this man before. However, he really couldn’t remember where.
Generally speaking, people with this kind of temperament were eye-catching no matter where they were. It was weird that Fang Qi couldn’t remember who he was.
Confused, he walked up to Nalan Ying and the officer as he asked, “Are the two of you here to play games?”
Nalan Ying shook his head. “We’re here for business.”
“Business?” Fang Qi repeated unhappily as he pointed at his blackboard. “I only do business that is written on the blackboard. There’s nothing else to talk about.”
“Say that again, kid!” The middle-aged army officer, who was standing next to Nalan Ying, shouted, “I can close down your shop tomorrow if I want to!”
Nalan Ying smiled and said, “This is Gong He, deputy commander of the city guards. I’d like to buy a computer from you; it’s not a loss for you, so I suggest that you agree. Money’s not an issue.”
Gong He sneered as well. “You should be honored that Lord Ying is interested in something here and learn how to tell good from bad!”
Fang Qi’s face fell. “Are you threatening me?”
“We’re not.” Nalan Ying smiled as he pulled on his sleeves. Then, he said with confidence, “I am stronger and more powerful than you are at the moment, so you have to admit defeat.”