Chapter Twenty-Five: Long Xin

For the next three days, I trained arduously, leveling up at a snail’s pace—one level every three days. It was enough to make anyone frustrated, and so today, when I logged in, I didn’t head out to accept quests as usual. Instead, I stood by the gates of Heavenly Dragon City. The reason I waited there was simple: my friends and I had planned to gather and level up together. However, since everyone had emerged from different novice villages, their arrival points in the city varied. Worst of all, there were no teleportation arrays connecting the cities. There were system coaches, but the fare was exorbitant—so expensive that no player in the early stages was willing to ride them.

After about an hour of waiting, my friends finally appeared. I could tell at a glance—it was easy to recognize them, as their in-game appearances hadn’t changed much. At that moment, Xi came running over, waving her hand. “Dragon Bro!”

I stepped forward and gave her a warm embrace. “You all finally made it.”

Ai chimed in, “No choice. Without teleportation arrays, we had to walk, so of course it took longer.” She was a formidable level-22 warrior, wielding a faintly glowing slender sword. Her game ID was Chasing Stars and Moon—Feng Xiao Yue. In real life, she was a great beauty, and her in-game avatar was no less stunning.

Beside her stood a level-21 archer—Xi herself, with the ID Invisible Wings. Her equipment wasn’t anything special: a blue-tier Blue Xuan Bow, and the rest was basic white gear.

Not far away, a heavily armored level-20 warrior stood, his ID clear as day: Divine Moon. No need to guess—it was my best friend, Ye Shuang.

Ye Shuang was facing a level-19 summoner, a young woman clad in leather armor and gripping a staff. Her name was “Love You for Ten Thousand Years.” Clearly, that was Ai.

I strode forward quickly. “Everyone’s here.”

They all nodded. Ai exclaimed, “Wow! Dragon Spirit, you’re already level 21! That’s so high! Why am I still so low as a fellow summoner?”

I smiled. “You need to work harder.”

Immediately, Ai came over, grabbing my arm. “Dragon Spirit, will you help me level up later? I don’t want Xiao Yue to help—she’s hopeless. She died twice last night while leveling!”

I replied cautiously, “Alright, but you have to promise: let go of me first, and don’t cause trouble while leveling, or it’ll be a pain to deal with.”

Ai pouted, “Do I look like someone who’d cause trouble?”

Ye Shuang said, “Let’s get going. I’ll protect everyone today.”

I asked, “What grade is your armor?”

Ye Shuang answered proudly, “Red gear.”

I showed him the stats of my Sky-Forged Armor and said, “It’s more like I’m protecting you than the other way around.”

Ye Shuang laughed and cursed, “Dragon Spirit, you monster! Even the green gear drops for you. My god, what kind of world is this? A summoner’s defense is higher than a warrior’s—I can’t take it.”

Feng Xiao Yue said, “Looks like our Dragon has pretty good luck. By the way, I have a friend coming. Let’s wait for her.”

Ye Shuang asked, “Who?”

Feng Xiao Yue replied, “Everyone knows her. She’s someone from school who’s had a rough time.”

Instantly, the three of us guys had a dark line appear above our heads, and we spoke in unison, “It can’t be…”

Just then, a sweet female voice echoed from behind, “Sorry to keep everyone waiting!”

Turning around, the three of us were momentarily stunned, unable to speak from shock.

She wore a fiery red mage’s robe, elegant and ethereal, her long hair flowing, her snowy face touched with a gentle smile. Beneath the robe’s collar, her full, shapely chest was alluring, and further down, the hem of her robe revealed a hint of her snowy legs. Standing before us was an exquisitely beautiful female mage.

“Gulp~!” I swallowed hard, managing to squeeze out a question, “Why are you here?”

Ye Shuang forced a smile. “Never expected Xin, the campus beauty, to show up here. What a surprise, haha.”

Her name was Long Xin, president of our school club—a notorious taskmaster. The three of us had been ordered about countless times, especially me. My stamina was good, so all the heavy, tiring tasks fell to me, making those days miserable. Though I disliked it, there was nothing I could do. My relationship with her was complicated: when my father was alive, he told me that after losing his job and being unable to support me, he divorced my mother irresponsibly and remarried another woman, who bore Long Xin. One day, they had a huge argument and divorced; the woman took Long Xin away, leaving my father alone. My mother returned and, after some unknown events, remarried my father. They started a building materials business and life was decent for a while, but when I was six, a sudden car accident shattered our family all over again. Thankfully, Long Xin’s mother was kind enough to take me in until I finished elementary school. After that, they quietly moved away. The house I live in now used to be theirs; the deed is in my father’s name, so, in a sense, it belongs to me. During that time, I learned about Long Xin and my father. Later, by chance, I ran into her in high school—and, of all things, we joined the same club. She became president, I was just a member, and for three years she made my life hell. Fortunately, after failing the college entrance exam, I repeated a year, while she graduated successfully, ending my ordeal. We lost contact until today, when we met again in-game. She’s a first-rate beauty, and the club mailbox was always stuffed—not with letters, but with love notes for her. She even started a personal guard team at school, though it was just three people: me, Ye Shuang, and Xi. The so-called guard team meant we were her followers, part-time bodyguards. In truth, only I counted as a bodyguard—Ye Shuang and Xi were bookworms, incapable of fighting. So rather than three protecting one, it was one protecting three. The pressure was immense.

Seeing the three of us wearing awkward, forced smiles, Long Xin immediately said, “Hey, you three don’t want to see me, do you? Especially you, Dragon Spirit. What’s with that face? You’re my brother, aren’t you? Why are you so unwilling to see your own sister?”

I was taken aback and replied with a bitter smile, “Of course not. It’s just that I haven’t seen you in so long, and now seeing you here is a bit unexpected, that’s all. Haha.”

“Really?” Long Xin looked at me with a skeptical gaze.

I forced a smile. “Yes.”

Feng Xiao Yue said, “Alright, everyone’s here. Let’s go—off to the Forest of Death.”

With that, we set out together. On the way, I asked Long Xin, “How’s your mother?”

Long Xin’s delicate face immediately clouded over, her eyes cast down. “My mother… she’s gone.”

I was shocked. “No way—when did it happen?”

Long Xin replied, “A year ago, the day after I got into college. My mother…”

I asked, “What happened?”

Long Xin said, “That evening, after dinner, we were heading home. Something happened that I’ll never forget—a speeding car came barreling toward us, and as we crossed the street, there was no time to dodge. My mother pushed me aside with all her strength, and the car struck her hard. She flew several meters, like a broken kite, and lay in a pool of blood.” Tears streamed down her face.

I asked, “Did they catch the driver?”

Long Xin replied, “They did, but what does it matter? My mother will never come back.”

I asked, “Where are you living now? Are you alright?”

Long Xin said, “I’m staying at my aunt’s place. Their family is well-off, but my life is…”

I asked, “Why? Are they treating you badly?”

Long Xin replied, “My aunt and uncle are busy with their careers and rarely home. Their child is a boy—he’s lazy and wicked, a real pervert. Every day he tries to make me…”

I said, “No way.”

Long Xin quickly shook her head. “It’s not what you think. He just likes watching adult films, and makes me imitate the actions in them. If I don’t, he threatens to kick me out. For the sake of a place to live, every night…”

I asked, “Why don’t you tell his parents?”

Long Xin said, “I have, but they don’t believe me. No matter how I explain, it’s useless.”

“Ugh, that scumbag. His parents must be blind. If I ever run into him, I’ll smash him with a brick. You’ve been through so much this year, Long Xin. Tell me where you live, and I’ll come get you. Move in with me and stay away from that beast,” I said.

Long Xin replied, “But…”

I said, “No buts. Like you said, I’m your brother, after all.”

Long Xin said, “Thank you, brother!”