Chapter 392: Taking Sides
Translator: Strivon
Fan Qu was the one calling. Yue Zheng just accepted a favor from him, upgrading their venue. In any case, he had to demonstrate an attitude that was out of the norm, "Hello, Brother Fan. Looking for me?"
"Do you have time to talk?"
Having heard him, Yue Zheng walked deeper into the suite. In any case, right now there wasn't anyone paying attention to him. He closed the door upon entering the suite and found a sofa to sit. Only then did he discover how tense his muscles had been.
Motherfucker. How did such a small scene become like this!?
Yue Zheng couldn't hold back a sigh before saying, "Brother Fan, you can talk."
Fan Qu said, "I suddenly recalled something when I left. Is there anybody of your group from Acumen College?"
"Yeah, what's the matter?"
Yue Zheng turned his head as he spoke. It was quite a coincidence. Through the crack of the suite's door, he just so happened to see Tian Si, the peaceful beauty, standing next to Luo Nan. She had a faint smile as she listened to Mo Peng brag. Her bearing and manners were truly incomparable!
"There's a girl. Is her name Tian Si?"
He gasped.
For a second, Yue Zheng almost believed that he had his mind read by Fan Qu. After a panic, he realized that this was probably a coincidence. He gave two grunts and said, "Yes, there is."
Fan Qu's tone was relaxed, "How do you know her?"
Yue Zheng also tried probing as well, "A younger alumni of Sixth Middle brought her. He transferred over to Acumen College when he entered the next grade. What's the matter? Do you have a grudge with Tian Si?"
Fan Qu laughed in a very exaggerated manner, "If I have formed grudges with a beauty, then I have failed in life. It's nothing. I'm just asking. You know, I've taken two years of advanced studies at Acumen College before. This Tian Si is an officer of their Alumni Society. I've crossed paths with her before, and I just recalled her. She probably forgot me completely by now."
"So it was like this." Yue Zheng thought to himself that this Tian Si was often recognized as a good resource at school. It’s got to have been at least three years since Fan Qu came out of advanced studies, and he still remembered her.
The more the resource was like this, the more effort Yue Zheng was able to muster...but he needed the chance to make a move!
There was something Yue Zheng couldn't figure out at all. Tian Si was such a beauty. She had the figure, and she had the way with words. She was a refined and graceful character at Acumen College. Why was she acting all docile toward Luo Nan, such a stiff. wooden kid?
Even if a girl wanted a fallback guy, normally she wouldn't choose someone like him, right?
Fan Qu laughed at this time, telling him, "Zhengster, you came at just the right time today. I just so happen to have a few friends from nearby colleges; Acumen College, Cloud City School of Business. People from all over, and all sorts of people. Come and play when you have the time. I'll introduce you to one another."
Arrogance was baked deep in Yue Zheng's bone. He wasn't the sort to agree easily. He just asked, "Who are they?"
Fan Qu said a few names, and Yue Zheng's eyes lit up. Yup, they were famous characters in the circle of the second generation rich.
Though his family was considered part of the upper-class in Xia City, his family was still lacking when compared to the names Fan Qu mentioned. During normal encounters, it was hard to avoid fawning over them and flattering them. He didn't like that. To meet them in this sort of gaming center was a more ideal situation.
"Okay, I will go for sure. Brother Fan, help me...introduce." Actually, Yue Zheng wanted to say 'refer', but he was affected by his pride, so he switched words.
"No problem, no problem." Fan Qu laughed heartily on his end, feeling great. Then he said, "Wait a moment," out of nowhere. It seemed like he had some work he had to do.
Yue Zheng replied, "You're busy Brother Fan. We can get in contact later."
Fan Qu said, "It's nothing," but later he still bid goodbye for the moment. Yet at the very end, he suddenly said, "Zhengster, I see that you're quite troubled with the people you're with. How about I bring over the two from my end and link up with you over there. This will give you support, and later you can return the favor."
Yue Zheng's heart started beating faster, and he said, "That's inappropriate. It's inappropriate. I should be the one going over first to say hello."
"It's nothing. Your Yue Family's pharmaceutical business is so big. Everyone is equal. Everyone there is familiar with it. You all have some relations with each other. Giving friends support is what should be done."
With Fan Qu speaking in such a way, Yue Zheng had no strength to refuse.
He thought about that group's history and level. If two people really did come over bringing drinks, delivering a fruit plate or something, his reputation within this circle would be completely supported.
"Okay, Brother Fan. Then I will thank you first."
"It's nothing. It's nothing. We're bros for life after all!"
Yue Zheng chuckled as he ended the call. Fan Qu, on the other hand, drew in a deep breath. His heart-rate had accelerated, and he felt that this was his chance to show great face.
His thoughts took another turn, and he suddenly felt a bit unfortunate.
It was unfortunate that the people in this luxury room were poor students. Though their attractiveness rating was high, they weren't people in normal circles. It would be best to greet a few friends that he normally mingled with in the following situation, then he would properly depart. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to show off, like wearing fancy clothes at night.
The thought was formed, and Yue Zheng could no longer control himself. He used the search function of his wristband as he laid on the sofa. He searched to see if there were any friends nearby doing activities.
He just wanted to give it a try is all. How was he to know that he would be so lucky. There truly was a batch of people nearby. They were here at Cloud City Water Village. Though they weren't in the same building, they were only a few steps away.
Yue Zheng hesitated slightly before waving his hand and snapping his fingers. He used his usual manners to make contact from someone in that group. "Hello, Old Su. I'm pretty close to you. Just see where I am...Aurora Cloud City. The flagship store of Frost River Reality, yes. The one that just opened. I'm with a bunch of kids here, my little sister's friends. It's quite annoying babysitting them."
He kicked his heels against the ground, pretending to create small talk. Then he began to press, "Come over to play. We can chat at the very least. You're talking about the attractiveness level? You know my little sister has good taste....hahaha, yep. You also know my taste."
"Sure, come shake them up. Shake them in the car, or shake them in bed, if you have the skills that is. Oh right, just drop dead if you ruin my little sister's plan. And drop dead if you steal my prey!"
Yue Zheng laughed as he ended the call and suddenly clapped. His restless legs stomped the ground, propping his body up. It was as if warmth channeled through his body from head to toe, making him full of strength for the time being.
He walked out the suite with large strides, and he began to ponder over what sort of activities to do next. He mulled over the atmosphere for now. For instance, he could be a bit more low-key, conceal his claws and teeth, and let these people squander around while he waited for the two groups of people come in one after another. Then he would enter the stage brilliantly, instantly being reborn with a body of gold.
His thoughts led him to be quite pleased with himself, his mouth in a wide smile. At this time, he just so happened to hear Mo Peng, the jabbering dude, speak once more, "Nanster, I saw that you no longer have doctor's orders when you scanned. Is your body completely recovered?"
"My state's fine." Luo Nan grunted in response.
"Since your body is fine, let's all go to area A. The more people, the livelier the game!"
"Me? I'll just..."
Luo Nan was just about to refuse when Mo Peng came up to him and whispered, "You, me, plus Pomegranate -- us three have preference status from the incident at the other Frost River Reality. It should be able to cover for one reality battlefield without issues, and it should be able to cover the expenses of this luxury room. This kid Yue Zheng is quite fake. We can't lose face."
Luo Nan blinked. There was face to be lost from this?
The two didn't instantly reach an agreement, causing Mo Peng to be a bit worried, "So it turned out that all the saliva I used just now was wasted, poured into the desert. Not even a blade of grass, a blade of emotion, grew in your heart, kid?"
"What grew?"
Grass, emotion, did not grow in Luo Nan's heart. Yue Zheng, who just walked over, was the one with grass in his heart! If this group of people were to be urged on by Mo Peng and all ran out to play, then how would Yue Zheng show up all flashy? Would he just kneel and cry alone in the room?
With a startled heart, Yue Zheng did not care for anything else. He rushed up with a few steps to try to seize the initiative back. Of course, he had to wrap everything with dignified reasons, "Since we're in the luxury room, let's make good use of it. There are many things here that can completely substitute for the facilities of area A. Like simulating the clan hall..."
As he spoke, Yue Zheng utilized the highest privileges of the room to configure and setup. He heard the lockers on the four walls in the ring-shaped space ring with a sound. Within this static sound, high-end back massage chairs slid out from beneath the lockers. They gathered together in the center, forming two sets of half-moon structures.
"All these chairs are connected to the central AI server and equipment specifically allocated for the room. They can completely realize the highest level of reality experience. There's no need to line up at area A. We can setup the battlefield here. We can enter the Wilderness, Ocean Soul, and other groups of war."
Yue Zheng borrowed some of the vocabulary used in advertisements in a great effort to sell to the others. It was effective. Some people couldn't hold back from going, “Wow.”
Needless of anything else, the visual effects alone were first class.
Luo Nan turned to look at Papercut, giving the meaning, Are you interested?
How could he be interested? Without professional boot-up guide equipment, whatever reality effect was simply a joke for someone like Papercut, a mentally slanted ability user. There wouldn't be any true feeling of realness.
Papercut shrugged. He knew that Luo Nan didn't have the patience to stay here, so he took the initiative to say, "You guys go ahead and play first. Nanster, Leister, and I will take a walk outside. See if there's some drinks or something..."
He was just being polite, but he never expected Yue Zheng to have taut nerves. Yue Zheng quickly laughed and said, "There's no need to go to such trouble. There's a drink fridge in the room. It's over there. Drink as much as you want. The cost is included with the room. Oh yeah, we have fourteen people. Perfect for a seven versus seven, right?"
Papercut chuckled.
Mo Peng stepped back at this time, jabbing Mo Han within the crowd. Mo Han tried slapping him back, but Mo Peng smirked and avoided the attack. He whispered as soft as he could, "Hey, we doing it?"
"Doing it!" Mo Han responded coldly. In the beginning, she didn't really feel anything toward Yue Zheng, but a girl's vanity was always satisfied when someone was chasing and flirting with her. However, reality told her that he wasn't a pursuer, but a hunter with too many male hormones. She was just prey at best.
He certainly had no face. Plus, Yue Zheng, this scoundrel, wanted to stomp on Luo Nan's, her’s, and Mo Peng's faces.
Mo Han was never one to be bullied. Her eyes swiveled as she raised her voice, "Let's first consider everyone's opinion. I want to go to the Uncanny Valley. Last time I didn't have my fill of fun due to the incident. Today, I want to grab it back no matter what. Then there's Frost River Reality especially. It left me with quite some fear...who's coming with me? Peipei? Gray-Gray?"
Mo Qiu's temperament was not one to refuse people, surrendering to Mo Han after a few 'ah's’, and Ruan Zihui was her best friend. She knew how to coordinate as a team during crucial moments. She raised her hand innocently, "Okay, okay."
She instantly turned to Tong Hui and spoke in a spoiled manner, "You're coming with me!"
Tong Hui wasn't stupid. He knew that this was the start of big drama. Of course, he had to follow his girlfriend's steps. Of course, he also used this chance to display his affection, "No problem. I'll go wherever you go!"
"Whoa!" Mo Han got goosebumps when dragging over this pair of love-dogs to her side. She took away four people this way and wiggled her eyebrows in a provoking manner toward Mo Peng.
As for Yue Zheng, who was he again?
Mo Peng chuckled. He was not to be outdone, "I feel like it’s better to get some sweat going. I want to go to the Warzone."
Luo Biyao's position was clear. He grinned and said, "I think so too. In such a big gaming center, exercise is number one."
Mo Peng asked, "Brother Qi, what about you?"
Tian Qi was in a pickle. He wasn't really looking forward to the luxury room's equipment. He was just confused about the excessively vague attitude of his sister.
He really wanted to say that he would follow his sister, to drive off wolves.
But his skin wasn't thick enough in the end. Plus, he didn't think that Luo Nan, this wooden kid, would be able to do much. He gave Mo Peng's warm invitation a bit of consideration before reluctantly nodding.
And so, even Mo Peng was able to drag three people away.
Luo Nan's side, the ability user team and Tian Si, need not to be mentioned.
With just a few exchanges of words, only three remained of those who stood by Yue Zheng's side, including himself. The other two were his little sister Yue Qin and Turner, who considered their faces.
Yue Zheng felt his scalp go numb when seeing the situation in front of him. His mind was simply blank. How could such a good hand be on the verge of collapse once more? How would he deal with the situation when the two groups of people came in the very near future?
Yue Qin was Mo Han's good friend, but right now she was in a very awkward situation. Yue Zheng had been isolated step by step. She never had the option to take a side. She was angry at Mo Han for deliberately disregarding her brother's face, and she was angry at her brother Yue Zheng as well for his inappropriate actions.
That moron! Would it kill him to maintain a low-profile for a dozen seconds? He completely destroyed that excellent hand of his early on! What a waste of a royal flush!
The most painful thing was that Yue Qin still had to find a way out for her moronic brother; it’s like a bug had infested his brain or something. Her brain spun a few circles before she suggested, "How about this? Let's all go outside to play first, and we can play Fighting Dance here when we come back. We should make use of this venue for maximum benefit..."
She turned as she spoke to hug Mo Han by the shoulder, embracing the petite Mo Han into her bosom. She appeared to be reserved and cold, but she smiled and said, "Wifey, we'll be on the same team later. We’ll make them shed blood!"
Mo Han knew that Yue Qin was doing all this for her brother, but she saw how Yue Qin easily said their old intimate nicknames for each other. She knew that this was quite rare from Yue Qin, a prideful girl. Mo Han's heart was about to grow soft, but she still spoke some hard words.
"You've been having an affair for so long. Don't come looking for me."
Yue Qin just leaned against Mo Han's shoulder, turning her head to Ruan Zihui, "If I'm having an affair, I want to find Yuanyuan too..."
Ruan Zihui sneered, "I'll make you go Gray-Gray from the Hui-Hui!"
“What about Peipei?"
"You, you all decide." The simple Qiu Peipei had long since knelt in defeat when faced with this clear yet hidden cat-fight. She hurriedly withdrew.
"Then save some time to come back, okay!" Yue Qin gently shook Mo Han's shoulder, practically acting like a spoiled child.