Author: Jiang Zi Bei
Volume: 4
Age Rating: Teen
Exclusive Extra: √
Translator：Ann C., Juurensha
Editor: Jin, Divi

Synopsis

Volume One
When Jing Huan’s cousin is left heartbroken and cyberbullied out of the MMO game Nine Heroes due to her online romance with top player Yearning For, Jing Huan swears revenge.

He may not be strong enough to directly kill Yearning For in-game, but leave him heartbroken and broke? With the help of a top-notch voice changer and a female Spirit Fox Den character, he should be all set!

Unfortunately, Yearning For is a stoic man who seems impervious to his flirting and cute stickers.

Such an annoying scumbag, not at all like the kind, quiet senior Xiang Huaizhi who saved Jing Huan’s life, even if they seem to share the same voice…

Volume Two

On a trip to a hot springs resort, Xiang Huaizhi figures out that flirty female Sweet Little Jing is actually in real life his snarky, cheerful, and decidedly male underclassman Jing Huan. After struggling with this revelation, Xiang Huaizhi decides that this is fine; even if he’s not attracted to guys, better that Jing Huan direct his furtive gay longing toward him than anyone else who might react badly to this catfishing. Whenever Jing Huan finds a man who can truly love him, Xiang Huaizhi will-

He’ll figure things out when the time comes.

Except Jing Huan definitely can’t pick Bishop Wood;Xiang Huaizhi isn’t jealous, he just doesn’t like Sweet Little Jing throwing away the arena points they earned together. And it’s fine if their entire university forum is busy shipping the two of them in real life. And when Jing Huan says he’s tired of chasing after his online crush because he isn’t getting anywhere with them…

Well, obviously Xiang Huaizhi has to do something big to keep him, right?

Volume Three

Jing Huan spent months crafting the perfect revenge plot, but when supposed unfaithful playboy Yearning For makes a shocking announcement on their virtual wedding night—which wasn’t part of the plan—he’s left with a horrible realization.

He’d been catfishing the wrong guy.

Consumed by guilt and panic, he’s determined to right this wrong, or at least dig himself out of this hole without breaking any hearts, but everything he tries only pulls Yearning For closer.

Meanwhile in real life, he can’t seem to shake his aloof upperclassman, Xiang Huaizhi, whose way of speech seems oddly familiar somehow…

Product Info

Volume One

Volume Two

Volume Three

Book Photos

Volume One

Volume Two

Volume Three

Preview

Volume Three

The next day, with no classes in the afternoon, Jing Huan changed into sportswear and headed out to the field to practice for the sports festival. Not that he was gunning for any medals. If anything, he was simply trying not to embarrass himself.

Lu Wenhao and Gao Zixiang tagged along, claiming they were there for moral support, though really, they just wanted to hold his phone and time his laps.

After barely two laps, Jing Huan’s breathing had grown heavier. Still, he picked up the pace, curious to see how fast he could finish a run. That was when his calf suddenly twitched—a warning sign of a cramp. He tried to steady himself, but his leg went numb, throwing him forward.

Before he could hit the ground, a strong arm hooked around his waist and pulled him back. 

“Didn’t warm up?”  

Jing Huan whipped his head around and met Xiang Huaizhi’s eyes. It took a moment for him to gather himself. “I… forgot. What are you doing here?”

Xiang Huaizhi, who had been running behind him for over half a lap, glanced at his legs. “Can you stand?”

Only then did Jing Huan notice the arm still around his waist. Through the thin fabric of his shirt, he felt the warmth of Xiang Huaizhi’s arm, the firm muscles taut against his body. It felt less like being helped up and more like being swept off his feet.

“I’m fine,” Jing Huan answered quickly. “I didn’t get a cramp, just slipped.” 

Xiang Huaizhi finally let go. “You’re done today.”

Jing Huan nodded. “Okay, you can keep going, ge. Don’t let me slow you down.”

“Let’s head back together. I’m done anyway.” 

Back at the stands, the two dorm groups had clustered together. Lu Hang, Gao Zixiang, and Lu Wenhao were talking and laughing. Seeing the two return side by side, Lu Hang grinned wide. “Perfect timing, we were just talking about going out for roasted lamb.” 

Jing Huan didn’t like lamb. It was too gamey for him. He hesitated, then turned to Xiang Huaizhi. “Are you going?” 

Xiang Huaizhi lowered his gaze to him. “Yeah. Should we go together?”

Ten minutes later, they were crowded around a table at a roasted lamb restaurant. The group ordered some beer and filled up their glasses. 

“Hold on.” Lu Hang turned to Jing Huan. “You sure about this? Last time you were out after just a few rounds.”

Jing Huan argued, “I’m fine with beer, and lamb is too strong for me. I can’t eat it without something to wash it down.”

“You don’t like lamb?” Xiang Huaizhi asked. 

Jing Huan shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s just too gamey.”

That was when Lu Hang realized something strange. With benches on either side, he should’ve been sitting next to Xiang Huaizhi while Jing Huan sat with his dormmates. Yet somehow, he’d ended up wedged between Lu Wenhao and Gao Zixiang instead. How had that happened?

He was still puzzling over it when the platter of roasted lamb landed on the table, stealing everyone’s attention.

Jing Huan’s smile thinned a little with each bite, clearly not enjoying the taste. Before long, his glass was empty. He reached to refill it, only to find every bottle on the floor was empty.

Gao Zixiang noticed him scanning the table. “Want me to grab more beer?” 

Jing Huan set his chopsticks down. “It’s fine. I’m done eating.” 

Just then, a glass of beer slid toward him. 

“I’ve still got some,” Xiang Huaizhi said evenly. He’d only taken a few sips, so his glass was nearly full. Noticing Jing Huan’s hesitation, he nudged it closer. “Go ahead and take some.”

Lu Hang nearly choked. They’d known each other for years, and in all that time, Xiang Huaizhi had never shared his stuff with anyone. Even when Lu Hang was dying of thirst after a basketball game, begging for a sip, Xiang Huaizhi would still ignore him. He’d just assumed his roommate was a germaphobe. 

Germaphobe, my ass.

Jing Huan blinked before laughing softly. “If you don’t mind, I’ll just drink directly from your glass.” The lingering taste in his mouth was still bothering him. 

“I don’t.”

Jing Huan downed the beer in one go. 

Once everyone finished eating, people started to relax, and the conversation picked up.

“They stuck me with high jump,” Lu Hang said with a wry smile. “Tried it once and thought I was gonna break my spine.” 

Lu Wenhao doubled over in laughter. “Lucky bastard. I’ve been stuck on the shot put since junior high. Who decided all the big guys have to throw the rock?”  

Gao Zixiang groaned. “You guys got it easy. I’m stuck refereeing in this weather. I’m gonna freeze my ass off out there.” 

Jing Huan sat off to the side with his legs crossed, quietly smiling as he listened. He wasn’t saying anything, but the curve of his lips made it look like he got every joke.

Xiang Huaizhi’s gaze drifted to those lips, catching on the faint sheen left by the beer.

Unaware of the stare, Jing Huan licked them lightly, then stood to fetch water. Before he could, a girl from the next table approached. Even in this cold, she wore a short skirt and tights, long legs flashing with the kind of easy confidence that drew every eye.

“Hey there, cutie.” She raised her phone in one hand, the other held out in a fist. “I’ve got something for you.” 

Caught off guard, Jing Huan instinctively reached out. The girl smiled sweetly as she opened her fist, her fingers brushing his palm, but when she pulled away, there was nothing there. Realizing the trick, he pulled his hand back with a small laugh. “Sorry, but no thanks.” 

Everyone at the table went quiet. Xiang Huaizhi stared at their hands.

Lu Hang broke the spell first. “What’s this, you filming a short?”

“Yep.” Unfazed by Jing Huan’s rejection, the girl politely asked, “Is it okay if I post it?” 

“Go ahead.” Jing Huan shrugged.

Satisfied, the girl left.

Gao Zixiang propped his chin on his hand. “You’re really something else. Back then, girls came to you after basketball games, and now over dinner.” 

Jing Huan gave him a half-smile. “What the hell are you talking about?” 

Lu Hang added, “Makes sense. If I were a girl, I’d go after you, too.” 

“Dude, if I looked half as good as Huanhuan, I wouldn’t be stuck with online dating.” Lu Wenhao’s gaze flickered to the person sitting beside Jing Huan. “Actually, if I were half as handsome as Xiang-ge, the whole world would be my oyster.”  

Jing Huan laughed. “Keep dreaming.”

Gao Zixiang leaned forward, curious. “Bet Xiang-ge gets plenty of girls too, right?”

Xiang Huaizhi lowered his gaze, but before he could say anything, Lu Hang cut in. “He used to. Then he made one girl cry, and no one has asked him out since.”

Jing Huan blinked. “He made her cry?”

“I turned her down, that’s all,” Xiang Huaizhi replied, his tone calm.

Lu Hang nodded. “Exactly. He barely said a word, just gave her a cold look. But she was too soft-hearted and left sobbing. After that, people stopped trying.” 

Earlier today, Echoes of Spring said in the guild chat that Limitless had basically dropped the potion farm battle, so she was canceling the noon and evening raids. Since there was no rush to return, they hung out for a few more hours before heading back to the dorms at nine.

Winter had hit hard. Stepping outside the restaurant was like walking into a freezer. Everyone immediately pulled their jackets closer to their bodies.

On the way back, Jing Huan shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at the person next to him. “Ge, when are you training for the 1,500 next?” 

“Not sure yet,” Xiang Huaizhi said, voice low and a little hoarse.

“Oh.” Jing Huan hesitated, then added, “Let me know. I’ll come with you.”

“Why?” 

“Huh?” Jing Huan blinked. “I just… want to run with you. That’s all.” It gets boring running alone.

Xiang Huaizhi slowed his pace slightly.  

Jing Huan felt the shift and, thinking he’d annoyed him, added quickly, “It’s fine if you’d rather run alone. Just thought I’d ask…”  

Xiang Huaizhi suddenly reached out, cutting him off. His fingers were long and elegant, the kind an artist might sketch.

Jing Huan stopped, staring at him in confusion. 

“Can I hold your hand?” Xiang Huaizhi’s eyes lowered, and his voice dipped. “I’m a bit cold.”

Behind them, the other three lagged side-by-side, the alcohol slowing them down.

Gao Zixiang grumbled, “What, those two think long legs mean they ditch us? What’s the rush?”

Lu Hang laughed. “Screw you, my legs aren’t short!”

“Neither are mine.” Lu Wenhao swung a leg forward to prove it. “You don’t believe me? Fine, I’ll prove it. Hey Huanhuan, come here so I can—what the hell?” He could hardly believe what he was seeing. “What are they doing?!” 

They’d caught up, close enough to get a good look. All three of them stopped dead, eyes rounding. Xiang Huaizhi’s left hand was in Jing Huan’s pocket along with Jing Huan’s right. In a cramped pocket like that, there was no doubt that their hands were pressed tightly together.

The three of them stopped, mouths hanging open. …Seriously?

Gao Zixiang was the first to piece it together. “They’re…just warming their hands, right?” 

“You call that warming hands? Dude, that’s straight out of a K-drama!” Lu Wenhao blurted. 

“You’ve done that with Huanhuan before,” Gao Zixiang pointed out.

“Have I?”

“Yeah.”

“But when I put my hand in his pocket, it wasn’t nearly this…” Lu Wenhao searched for the word, “…suggestive?” 

“Exactly.” Gao Zixiang shrugged. “Because you’re not Xiang-ge.”

“Fuck off. I don’t want to hear another word out of you.”

Gao Zixiang mused, “With you two, it’s more like Beauty and the Beast—except you’re definitely the beast.”  

“Screw you!” Lu Wenhao yelled, launching himself at his roommate.

The cold followed Jing Huan all the way home, seeping into his bones. He ran a hot bath in the tub he almost never used and was just starting to relax when his phone buzzed nonstop on the edge. He groaned, reached out, and swiped it open.

Lu Wenhao: [Photo]

Lu Wenhao: @Little Jing~ What do you think of the picture I took? 

Gao Zixiang: Nice. Very gay. 

Jing Huan zoomed in on the photo. It was a shot of him and Xiang Huaizhi from behind. But… had they been that close? He’d been too busy talking to even notice.

Little Jing~: Got too much storage on your phone? Want me to fill it up with some videos?

Lu Wenhao: You watch those videos too? Send ’em over!

Little Jing~: ?

Lu Wenhao: I thought pretty boys like you didn’t have “those” needs. Let’s see that collection! 

Little Jing~: No videos. GTFO. Delete that photo. Why are you taking creepy photos of your daddy? 

Lu Wenhao: Come ooon. I was gonna post it on the forum for karma. 

Little Jing~: ??? [Go die.gif] 

Lu Wenhao: No, but hear me out. Tons of people were out tonight, so someone else probably snapped a pic of you two. Better I post it than some stranger, right? Plus, I’m literally one post away from hitting level seven and getting into the group! What do you think? Is your bro a genius or what?

Little Jing~: Try it and you’re dead. 🙂

^{Translation: Ann C.
Copy Editor: Jin
Proofreader: Nineteen}

---

Volume One

Jing Huan came out of the airport just as a sudden gust of wind swept directly into his face.

He looked up at the overcast sky. The weather forecast released this morning stated that a typhoon would make landfall tonight, and the wind was already starting to pick up across Mancheng. Airplanes basically couldn’t take off in this kind of weather.

However, his cousin still insisted on booking a flight to the United States, saying that she couldn’t stay here a minute longer. If flying today was an option then she would take it, and if it wasn’t, then she’d stay at the airport-arranged hotel.

Jing Huan had just gotten into the car when his phone rang.

“Huanhuan, is your jie gone now?” It was his roommate, Gao Zixiang.

Everything sounded irritating to Jing Huan right now. “Your jie is gone.”

“Don’t be so sensitive, okay?” Gao Zixiang said. “All I’m asking is if your jie is really headed to the United States?”

It started to drizzle outside. Jing Huan watched the raindrops fall on the car window and let out a muffled “Mm.”

Gao Zixiang sighed and said, “Ah, your jie is truly pitiful, but in my opinion, it wasn’t that serious. With online matters, as soon as the plug gets pulled, who knows who you are anymore? Going abroad for such a thing really isn’t worth it.”

The moment Jing Huan remembered why his cousin left, his belly filled with anger. “Do you seriously have to bring up those fucking idiots from the game right now?”

“No, no.” Sis-cons could not be provoked. Knowing that he was in a bad mood, Gao Zixiang quickly changed the topic. “All right, hurry back to the dorm once you’re done seeing her off. There’s a wounded person today, and I can’t handle him by myself.”

Jing Huan frowned. “Who’s wounded?”

“There are only three of us in the dorm, so who do you think it is?”

No sooner had Gao Zixiang finished speaking that Jing Huan heard a choking sob, reminiscent of a pig’s squeal, coming from beside him. “Hey, Hao’er, don’t cry. Wipe your tears first.”

Upon hearing the voice of his other roommate Lu Wenhao, Jing Huan started the car. “What’s up with Hao’er?”

“It’s a long story, you should come back first,” Gao Zixiang said.

Lu Wenhao sniffled. “Buy a pack of beer before you come back, Jing Huan.”

After parking his car, Jing Huan slipped into the nearby corner store. He knew how much the two of them could drink, so he only bought three bottles of beer and hid them underneath his clothes before returning to the dormitory.

He’d barely opened the dormitory door when he heard Lu Wenhao mournfully wailing from inside, “Why did they have to do this to me?”

“What did she do to you?” Jing Huan asked as he pushed the door and came inside.

Lu Wenhao sat in the center of the dormitory room with a tissue box propped on his thigh, actually crying.

Gao Zixiang was in a tough spot, so when he saw Jing Huan, it was like he’d just seen his savior. He quickly jumped up from his chair and exclaimed, “You’re finally back.”

Jing Huan closed the door and handed him the plastic bag. “What exactly is going on?”

Gao Zixiang looked at Lu Wenhao. “Are you going to say it, or should I say it?”

Lu Wenhao’s somewhat chubby face was flushed from crying. “I won’t say it! I won’t!”

“Okay, okay, okay, I’ll say it, I’ll say it, don’t cry anymore!” Gao Zixiang sighed. “Do you still remember Hao’er’s online girlfriend?”

“They’re in voice chat 24/7. I can hear them flirting in my dreams sometimes. You really think I’ve forgotten?” Jing Huan paused. “What, did they break up?”

Gao Zixiang nodded solemnly.

“And I thought this was going to be something big…” Jing Huan breathed a sigh of relief and began to take off his coat. “Stop crying, Hao’er. So you got dumped; a man shouldn’t shed tears so easily.”

“That’s not the main issue,” Gao Zixiang continued awkwardly. “You’re aware of how much money Hao’er spent on his online girlfriend in the game, right?”

Lu Wenhao played a game called Nine Heroes, a legendary game that had been popular for ten years and was famous for its cost in both money and time. Having played the game a few years ago, Jing Huan knew that one outfit in that crappy game cost thousands of yuan.

That girl would call every day, asking Lu Wenhao for outfits. Lu Wenhao was generous, so his partner could get what she wanted almost every single time.

“It’s just buying some outfits, how much could it cost?” In an effort to comfort his roommate, Jing Huan tried to downplay the situation.

Lu Wenhao let out a choked sob. “I’ve helped increase her cultivation points for the past six months.”

“That’s still okay,“ Jing Huan said after briefly hesitating. “It’s only a few tens of thousands of yuan.”

Lu Wenhao’s crying intensified. “I bought six of her eight purple outfits. I even socketed a level fifteen gem in one of them.”

Jing Huan was at a momentary loss for words. He patted his shoulder. “Hao’er, we need to act like men. We can’t do something as petty as settling scores with an ex after breaking up.”

Lu Wenhao had just calmed down, but at this mention, his anger surged again.“Of course I wouldn’t! Why would I cry over that bit of money? No, I’m crying because I was deceived! I’m crying because I gave her six months’ worth of genuine feelings and affection!”

Jing Huan asked, “How did she deceive you?”

Unable to bear it any longer, Gao Zixiang blurted out, “That person is a man.”

“Hey, what’s the big deal, isn’t it just a man…” Jing Huan froze mid-consolement.

Lu Wenhao wailed, “Waaaaaaah—”

Jing Huan was stunned. “A man?!”

Gao Zixiang cautioned, “Don’t say it again! Haven’t you noticed that our dorm building is about to be flooded with his tears?”

“No.” Jing Huan was shocked. “How can that voice be a man’s?!” He had heard Lu Wenhao’s voice calls with his online girlfriend. The girl’s voice was saccharine sweet, lilting higher at the end of every sentence as if it was dipped in sugar. Whenever she acted flirty, his entire body broke out in goosebumps.

“It was a voice changer,” Gao Zixiang said. “This morning, his ‘girlfriend’ must have forgotten to turn that thing on and asked for a new outfit in a male voice. Hearing him act flirty nearly made me pass away on the spot… That voice was even rougher than Old Yan’s; he sounded like he was over thirty.” 

Old Yan was their counselor.

Lu Wenhao bawled his eyes out.

Jing Huan didn’t know what to say for a moment. “You guys never had a video call?”

“No, just some photos,” Lu Wenhao said. “He admitted they were fake.”

Jing Huan held his tongue.

Well, at this point, what do you think the scammer’s going to do?! Deny it?

“You never even video-called and yet you just gave so much money?”

“It’s pretty typical.” Gao Zixiang cracked open a beer and handed it to Lu Wenhao. “Isn’t seeking online romance all about setting up expectations and fantasies before meeting in real life? Hao’er just had really terrible luck to run into such a ruthless one. I thought the most toxic ones would just send fake photos…”

Lu Wenhao sniffled and said, “It’s not like I’m distressed over the money, I’m just feeling terrible and disgusted! I even deleted my character!”

Gao Zixiang was surprised when he heard this. “Deleted your character?! Have you lost your mind, Hao’er?!”

“It was just the character, I still have my equipment and pets.” Lu Wenhao wiped away his tears. “I’ve never told you this but our characters had matching names, and we even bound them to be Eternal Lovers.”

Gao Zixiang’s jaw dropped.

Eternal Lovers was Nine Heroes’ marriage system, where married couples could go to the matchmaker god, Yuelao, and apply for a marriage pact. Once the pact was signed, the marriage status between the two game characters was permanent unless they were put up for sale or a deletion request was made.

“Forget it, Hao’er. Consider this a lesson learned,“ said Gao Zixiang. “Don’t jump into the same pit twice, and in the future, no online dating even if it kills you. That way, you definitely won’t be deceived a second time!”

Lu Wenhao tearfully asked him, “What’s the point of gaming if I can’t do online dating?”

“Can’t you game without online dating?” Gao Zixiang retorted. “I’ve been playing Nine Heroes for years and haven’t gotten married once.”

Lu Wenhao snapped back, “That’s because your girlfriend is your childhood sweetheart!”

Gao Zixiang choked and turned his gaze to the person beside him. “Then what about Huanhuan? He also used to play Nine Heroes for several years, but he didn’t do any online dating, did he?”

“If I were as hot as Jing Huan, and had girls lined up outside my door to date me, why would I bother with online dating? And, when he gamed in high school, he barely had enough time for his studies. Besides, what’s wrong with online dating? Look at Jing Huan’s cousin: she’s beautiful, has so many good qualities, and yet she’s also in an online relationship…” Lu Wenhao’s chatter trailed off.

Gao Zixiang propped his throbbing head with his hand.

It’s over, he stepped on a landmine. 

Jing Huan listened silently without reacting or making a sound at all.

Lu Wenhao stammered, “Don’t, Huanhuan. I was just rambling. I’ve had a terrible day, cut me some slack.“ 

Jing Huan snapped back to reality and suddenly pulled up a chair beside Lu Wenhao. “Hao’er, are you feeling absolutely miserable right now?”

Lu Wenhao was taken aback. “Wh-what?”

After pondering briefly, Jing Huan asked, “If I gave you two choices, one to be catfished online by a man, and the other to have your account permanently banned due to a bug, which one would you choose?”

“The second one, of course!” Lu Wenhao’s face was full of confusion. “Why are you asking this?”

Does being deceived in an online relationship really hurt that much? Could it be worse than having your account permanently banned?

Jing Huan hugged the backrest of the chair, lost in thought.

Gao Zixiang vaguely felt something was wrong. “Huanhuan, what are you planning?”

The phone on the table suddenly rang. Lu Wenhao picked it up, and almost stopped breathing when he saw what was on the screen. He had to pinch himself. The other two quickly stepped forward to steady him with Jing Huan grabbing his phone to take a look.

Little Baby: Hubby, I’ve been thinking about it all afternoon, but I still feel very sad. I really do like you, but unfortunately, fate has decided our relationship must end here. [Bunny Weeping]

Little Baby: Let me send you a photo of the real me. I hope that you will remember that this silly boy will always be tenderly watching you from somewhere on this Earth.

Little Baby: [Image]

The middle-aged man in the photo appeared slightly overweight. A small patch of his hair had already gone white, and his eyes were filled with tears as he gazed affectionately at the camera.

Jing Huan stared, nonplussed.

Gao Zixiang exclaimed, “Fuck! This is fucking inhumane! Psychological torture! Hang in there, Hao’er, be strong!”  

This photo attack scared Lu Wenhao half to death. He sat frozen in shock as if he was on his deathbed. “I’m going to delete him off my friend list! I’m going to abandon this QQ account! This QQ account is tainted now!”

Jing Huan, mind abuzz with ideas, quickly intervened when he heard him. “Wait, Hao’er, I have something to say to him.”

Lu Wenhao was touched. “What, Huanhuan? Are you going to help me flame him?”

“Why flame him? It’s pointless to waste time on someone like this.” Jing Huan took the phone and lowered his head, typing rapidly.

Gao Zixiang leaned in. “Then, what are you doing with Hao’er’s phone?”

Little Baby: Haohao, darling, why aren’t you replying to me…

LWH: Are you still there?

Little Baby: OvO Darling! I’m here!

LWH: Send me the link to the voice changer.

Gao Zixiang opened and closed his mouth, baffled.

Naturally, Jing Huan couldn’t get the link to the voice changer. Instead, the other party threw out the sentence, “We were once in love, so how could you humiliate me like this?” and then blocked Lu Wenhao’s QQ.

After learning what had happened, Lu Wenhao froze for a few seconds before breaking down. “What the hell? He blocked me? He still has the balls to block me first?! I’m going to doxx him! I’m going to go all out against him!”

“Doxxing is illegal, don’t go too far, Hao’er!” Gao Zixiang’s head hurt. “Enough, everything is already deleted, so don’t think about it anymore. What’s life without some setbacks, right?”

Lu Wenhao spat out, “You call this a setback?”

“It’s a heavenly tribulation. After getting through this, your life will be smooth.” Jing Huan continued, “Hao’er, which server was your character on?”

“Match Made in Heaven,” Lu Wenhao reported before picking up a tissue to blow his nose with. “What about it?”

Jing Huan shook his head and replied, “Nothing.”

He opened his half-packed suitcase and stuffed all the miscellaneous items on the table into it.

Lu Wenhao moved his chair and sat next to him. “Huanhuan, are you moving out today? I’m in such a wretched state, why don’t you stay a few more days to keep me company?” 

The school had strict rules and treated their university students like high school students, having restricted entry and exit alongside nighttime power cuts. If it wasn’t for the rule that freshmen weren’t allowed to live off-campus, Jing Huan would’ve moved out long ago.

So, as soon as sophomore year arrived, he rented out a place in a small residential neighborhood near the school.

“I’m not staying. I’m afraid you’ll be upset if you see any more men these days.” 

Just as Jing Huan finished packing his luggage, Gao Zixiang had also just finished eating his self-heating hot pot meal. He stood up and said, “Huanhuan, I’ll help you move your things.”

Jing Huan locked the suitcase. “No need, I’ve called for a small auto rickshaw. It’s waiting downstairs.”

Gao Zixiang insisted, “Then, I’ll help carry your stuff downstairs.”

School had just started a few days ago, and Jing Huan was planning to replace things like bedding after he moved, so he didn’t have much in the way of luggage. One person was more than enough to move everything.

In the stairwell, Gao Zixiang held Jing Huan’s computer and tentatively asked, “Are you okay, Huanhuan?”

Jing Huan raised his eyebrows. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Gao Zixiang and Jing Huan’s relationship was rock-solid. Having been classmates since junior high, Gao Zixiang was relatively familiar with Jing Huan’s circumstances.

Jing Huan came from a well-off family, was handsome, and was easy to get along with—truly a favored son of heaven. The only weird thing about him was the sis-con aspect of his personality.

Jing Huan’s jiejie was named Liang Ran. He got into fights for her in junior high school, bought her milk tea and delivered meals to her in high school, and helped reserve library study spaces for her in university. If he had not been privy to the inside story, Gao Zixiang definitely would’ve had certain thoughts about this. 

They said that when Jing Huan was a child, he was almost kidnapped. It was Liang Ran who desperately clung to him, choosing to dislocate her hand rather than let him go. She managed to drag him back, saving his life. Since then, Jing Huan had only one rule: you could mess with him, but do not mess with his jie.

So, when Gao Zixiang found out that Liang Ran had been romantically deceived by a scumbag in the game, and was being chased across the server by the scumbag’s original partner, being cussed out as a mistress, he was constantly worried that Jing Huan would hire a hitman.

Unexpectedly, the person he was worried about didn’t react at all and even peacefully sent Liang Ran off to the airport.

“Huanhuan, your jie’s matters are all in-game. It’s just a bunch of data, don’t take it too seriously,” said Gao Zixiang. “She’ll surely come back after some time has passed.”

Jing Huan loaded his suitcase onto the auto rickshaw and turned around. “Let me ask you something.”

 “What?”

“How did you know that something had happened to my jie?”

Gao Zixiang paused, his expression shifty. “J-just from hearsay.”

Jing Huan frowned. “The truth. Now.”

Gao Zixiang sort of regretted following him down.

He first wanted to muddle through this subject, but seeing Jing Huan’s serious expression, he didn’t dare to bullshit and answered honestly, “That woman sent out many all-server megaphones, spamming about your jie for several days and I just…happened to see it.”

Jing Huan took a deep breath. “All-server megaphones?”

Gao Zixiang hurriedly said, “Yes, but she hasn’t sent any for the past two days, so I guess it calmed down.”

Jing Huan stood there, and it was a while before he spoke. “I see. Go back up now. I’ll invite you guys over for dinner after I finish tidying up my place.”

Gao Zixiang nodded, but he still felt uneasy. He repeated his advice today to Lu Wenhao, “Um, so, Jing Huan, you know that doxxing is illegal, right?”

Jing Huan got into the vehicle. “I know, it’s just all in-game matters. I won’t make it a real life problem.”

Gao Zixiang breathed a slight sigh of relief but still felt that something was off. Before he could ponder it further, the auto rickshaw had already set off and was heading out of the school gate.

The apartment Jing Huan rented was just over 100 square meters, new, and never lived in before. By the time he arrived, it had been cleaned.

He unpacked and put away everything from his suitcase, then turned on his computer and adeptly added Nine Heroes to the downloads list. It finished downloading just as he came out from his shower.

He looked at the Nine Heroes icon on the desktop and felt dazed for a moment.

Jing Huan wasn’t a stranger to Nine Heroes; he had been one of its earliest beta testers. The game had been out for ten years with him playing for six of them.

If it hadn’t been for his parents’ warnings due to academic issues in his freshman year of high school, he wouldn’t have quit the game.

It had been four years since his departure from Nine Heroes but Jing Huan’s return this time was not for the sake of the game itself. 

Liang Ran had recently met a man in Nine Heroes, and like other gamers, they had encountered each other, gotten to know one another, and then started an online relationship. Liang Ran greatly cherished this online boyfriend and even had plans to meet him offline on Valentine’s Day.

Unbeknownst to her, the day before Valentine’s Day, a woman claiming to be the guy’s real girlfriend appeared, chased, and spammed Liang Ran on the World Channel for several days. She even posted the chat logs between Liang Ran and the scumbag on the forum, inciting countless Nine Heroes players to all flame Liang Ran together. The whole thing could almost be described as small-scale cyberbullying.

Not only was Liang Ran labeled as “the mistress,” she was also thrust into the spotlight and vilified by thousands of people. That scumbag, however, never appeared even once and just allowed the situation to escalate.

Liang Ran, who grew up cradled in the palm of Jing Huan and their elders’ hands, had never felt this wronged before. Within days of the incident, she had a breakdown, decisively deleting her game character and going abroad for a break.

After learning about this, Jing Huan almost went to Shanghai to burn down the Nine Heroes headquarters.

The more Jing Huan thought about it, the angrier he got, especially since he had just found out that the other party had spammed the messages with all-server megaphones. These were different from server megaphones; everyone from any of the servers could see things sent by an all-server megaphone.

Liang Ran had never mentioned this to him, probably because she didn’t want him to freak out.

Fuck! No wonder my jie deleted her account!

Jing Huan opened up Nine Heroes expressionlessly, entered his alt account credentials, and logged into a server called Mirage—his jie’s former server.  When Jing Huan found out what happened, he immediately decided game matters would be resolved in-game. He was going to kill that scumbag a thousand times over in the game until he apologized and left the server.

But things were not as simple as he thought.

The fundamental reason behind Nine Heroes’ enduring popularity was because of their many gameplays options. You could become a Player Kill (PK) master, a dungeon expert, a skillful crafter, a guild leader, a famous underworld merchant, etc. Each gameplay style had its appeal, and players could choose as they wished. 

And every player’s dream was nothing more than to climb their server’s power rankings.

The power rankings were divided into various categories: Mastery, Wealth, Popularity, Reputation, Guild leaders, etc.

On other servers, these rankings were almost always dominated by different players. After all, it wasn’t easy to top the rankings, and even rarer for someone to keep up with two or more categories.

The Mirage server was the only exception.

Jing Huan had checked the official website earlier and found that, besides the Guild leader rankings, the top spot of each ranking list was occupied by the same player: someone named Yearning For.

As soon as Jing Huan logged in, he saw two players next to him chatting while they were AFK vending.

[Current] Maybe One Day: I’ve only been offline for just a few days, and the situation with Yearning For is already over? 

[Current] Mistbb:  Yeah, that mistress even deleted her character and quit the game. What did you expect?

[Current] Maybe One Day: Tsk, tsk, tsk, and I was hoping for a reversal.

[Current] Mistbb: How would a reversal happen?

[Current] Maybe One Day: Actually, that Yearning For is especially flirtatious and hits on everyone. His account is unmarried, so it’s hard to say who the mistress really was. 

[Current] Mistbb: …How do you know that?

[Current] Maybe One Day: Because he hit on me once, duh. Unfortunately, I had a booster using my account at the time lololol. He also hit on my friend. She always has a couple title displayed, but Yearning For still dared to flirt with her, nearly infuriating her husband to death…

[Current] Mistbb: So, that happened… Did her husband say anything?

[Current] Maybe One Day: Who’d dare to? After all, it’s not like he can fight against him. Even if all the Nine Heroes players came together, I don’t think they’d be able to touch a single strand of hair on his head.

Jing Huan pressed the skill hotkey, cast a spell for a few seconds, and teleported back to his sect.

Early last year, the official website had posted a screenshot of Yearning For’s character attributes, along with several videos of him PKing in the arena. Those two players were right; looking at all the Nine Heroes players, he feared that there wasn’t a single one who could beat him.

Jing Huan wasn’t actually concerned about skill proficiency; he had topped the Mastery ranking list on another server four years ago and was very confident in his skills.

But…to develop a character that could surpass Yearning For’s would take at least three years, not to mention the other party’s strength would also be continuously growing during that time.

Therefore, Jing Huan’s original revenge plan had to be temporarily shelved.

But that was fine.

He suddenly thought of a plan that was even more toxic than just killing the other party and forcing them to rage quit the game.

Jing Huan opened Nine Heroes’ official marketplace, clicked on the character filter, and started selecting the keywords for the game character he wanted to buy.

Server: Mirage.

Required level: 150, the max level.

Maxed-out cultivation and support skills. 

Gender of the character: Female.

Looking at the filtered female characters on the screen, the corner of Jing Huan’s mouth drew up, and he let out a cold laugh.

Yearning For, your daddy is coming.

(For preview purposes only; the final product may differ.)

^{Translation: Juurensha
Copy Editor: Divi
Proofreader: Alicia Zhou}

More information coming soon…