MMORPG: The Elementalist

Pretty the mixed-blood beauty had thought that Qin Ruo would agree with her, and was about to tell them about the Blue-winged Butterfly’s level and growth so that Qin Ruo would back off.

At that moment, however, Xin Yu interrupted her and glared at the pair seriously.

“Sorry, Pretty Woman, I appreciate your kindness… I’ve already promised to accept Brother Qin’s gift, and so I would accept and cherish any pet he gives me.”

Even if she was slow on the uptake, she could feel that Pretty Woman, who had been very caring for her appeared to be keeping a deliberate distance from her Brother Qin, and a faint, indiscernible enmity.

Xin Yu was unwilling to let anyone else belittle Qin Ruo, especially her own friends.

To her, regardless if the mixed-blood beauty would make Brother Qin lose face or Qin Ruo’s Pet Egg was a class above, one of them would be hurt.

She had to stand up.

“Xin Yu…”

“Pretty Woman! Sorry, I can’t take your Pet Egg.” Xin Yu had intended to dissuade her friend—leveling her gaze at the other for seconds. It was then that the mixed-blood beauty finally felt that the lovable and obedient girl could hold her own ground too.

“Alright.”

The mixed-blood beauty compromised.

“It’s your call if you insist on taking Brother Qin’s gift and pass on the Blue-winged Butterfly… Don’t regret it in the future.” As she spoke, Pretty swept an unusual glance at Qin Ruo, the latter of whom was watching Xin Yu thoughtfully.

“Mr. Qin. Did you bring your gaming headset?”

Qin Ruo withdrew his gaze from Xin Yu at Pretty’s question and nodded mildly.

In truth, he had definitely wanted to embarrass Pretty Woman when she raised her rather discourteous suggestion. An arrogant, disrespectful person would always draw the disgust of others even if they had the crutch of beauty to lean upon.

But when Xin Yu interrupted them, it was then that Qin Ruo suddenly realized he forgot about Xin Yu’s feelings: one of them was her brother while another her friend—ever kind and gentle, she would naturally feel bad if he humiliated Pretty.

Furthermore, to compete with an insolent person was pettiness.

Whatever.

He could just imagine that she did not exist. After all, Xin Yu had been cared for by Pretty for some time…

At the thought, Qin Ruo had a strategy.

***

The mixed-blood beauty had taken a step back about the Pet, but that was only for Xin Yu. She was a mark Pretty found with much difficulty, so how could she allow her to be conned by a bastard? Moreover, he was just a normal bureau office boy—would it not be all too easy to move him out of the equation?

“Since it’s boring to sitting down for a chat, why not we do that in-game?” Pretty suggested. “We could take a look at Xin Yu’s gift too.”

“Heh. I don’t think I could,” Qin Ruo replied, raising the teacup in front of him. “I’m a little tired. Just got off a plane, I’ve got to rest a little… sorry.”

“Tch. Killjoy.”

The mixed-blood beauty waved while keeping her back to him, before turning to Xin Yu.

“Then, shall we?”

“No, Pretty Woman. I’ll keep Brother Qin company today.”

“You…”

Pretty was speechless. “Silly girl, your Brother Qin have to rest and sleep. What are you going to do here? Brother Qin is not going to run away.”

Qin Ruo was at once sweating buckets. However, since he was definitely a little tired, he quickly told Xin Yu, “Yes, I’ll be resting. You should play with Pretty Woman, I’ll get your mother to ask for you when I wake up.”

Pretty was even more riled when Xin Yu obediently followed Qin Ruo’s suggestion, rolling her eyes and reeling at him. “Oh, right. A Pet’s Bound period is seven days. Brother Qin, you should go online to give Xin Yu the pet and allow her to bind it and avoid waiting for a longer time…”

“But, if the pet isn’t ready…” she added, shrugging, “then consider that I never said that…”

“Brother Qin?”

Xin Yu appeared to not sense the hidden meaning in Pretty Woman’s words and turned to Qin Ruo expectantly. She hoped to get her present earlier too, and have a pet following her like other players.

“No problem.”

Qin Ruo nodded, taking out his mobile phone to call Xiaoxiao as the mixed-blood beauty and Xin Yu looked on puzzledly…

“…”

Pretty stared at Qin Ruo in disdain. ‘Calling someone? Could he have left the Pet Egg at their inventory, or was simply getting it from them? Hmph… Could he be simply buying one from the Pet Shop?’

As she pondered, a melodious voice spoke from the mobile phone loudspeaker, drawing both her attention of interest.

“Ruo? Have you reached Xin Yu’s?”

‘Ruo?’

Pretty swiftly glanced at Xin Yu… Such intimacy? Who was she? What kind of relationship did she share with Xin Yu’s Brother Qin…?

“Yeah, Xin Yu is now beside me. Want to talk to her?”

“No need. Do you think I don’t have a conscience like you? Hmph! I’ve already called Xin Yu a few times to connect… unlike you, never asking after her after she left for Beijing…”

Xiaoxiao’s criminalizing left Qin Ruo troubled and hurriedly protesting, “Please… what are you talking about? I do call her.”

“Xin Yu can be a witness! Qin Ruo did call every day, Sister Xiaoxiao…”

Xin Yu’s reaction left Pretty dumbstruck.

Sister Xiaoxiao?

Her?

***

Xiaoxiao was a name only next to Qin Ruo’s in terms of mentions by Xin Yu. She was said to be a white collar with remarkable appearance, and was Qin Ruo’s colleague.

A female colleague who addressed Qin Ruo as ‘Ruo’.

It was complicated; it was food for thought.

Still, Pretty was much more interested why Xin Yu did not react to how Xiaoxiao was addressing the Brother Qin Ruo she loved so much—from what she knew about the girl, Xin Yu was not one who could hide her thoughts well.

Meanwhile.

“Heard that?” Qin Ruo said gleefully.

Xiaoxiao, however, grunted once and exposed him. “You really think I don’t know Xin Yu’s protecting you all the time? That cheek…”

“Okay, okay. Xiaoxiao, down to business—go in-game, and take that Pet Egg I left with you… Galbi… right, that one. Give it to Xin Yu, she’s playing now too. Her game ID is Xin Yu, just pass it to her.”

“Are you sure?” Xiaoxiao hesitated: Qin Ruo had given her the Galbis egg to replace her Silver-Winged Killer Bee, since that Tier 4 Ultimate was definitely the most powerful in H&G! In fact, the Cyclops Commander Galbis was more than a class above Pet Eggs dropping from Liches which were Tier 6 Megabosses… (There was not much of a difference between Tier 6 Liches and Galbis)

Furthermore, Pouchy, Xiaoxiao would not give up on Pouchy after having bonded with it. It was Qin Ruo’s first gift for her which had an unordinary meaning, just like how Violetmoon Devilite was unwilling to exchange her Ice Python. Moreover, the Galbis Pet Egg had supreme value, and neither Qin Ruo nor Xiaoxiao could compel Devilite with the pressure on her.

In the end, that Pet Egg was placed idly in Xiaoxiao’s inventory, awaiting a suitable master…

But Xiaoxiao was not at ease with the idea of handing it to Xin Yu: handing the most supreme Pet Egg in H&G to a novice, a girl who could not get Galbis to unleash its full talent…

Xiaoxiao was in slight disbelief.

Qin Ruo frowned at Xiaoxiao’s doubt. Sensing the disdain emanating from the other side, he nodded slightly.

“Um-hmm.”

“Alright. By the way, what is Xin Yu’s class and her level? How many sets of items should I prepare for her?”

“That’s good. She’s a Level 34 bandit.”

Qin Ruo’s brow relaxed.

After adding a few more instructions and setting a date, Qin Ruo nodded at Xin Yu. “Your present will be transferred to your inventory soon.”

“Mysterious. Fine, I’m going back to get online and see what pet you have… Right, that voice just now—your girlfriend?”

The mixed-blood beauty did not forget to turn and smile before going, leaving Qin Ruo a sharp, pointed question.

“Of course.”

Pretty was left dumbstruck again—she did not expect such an assured reply … Nor did she expect that it was Xin Yu who answered her.

Staring dumbly for what felt like half a day, the mixed-blood beauty rubbed her temples and left with a head full of questions…

“Brother Qin must really hate Pretty Woman.” Once she was out of sight, Xin Yu sighed loudly, setting into Qin Ruo’s lap again.

“Was it that obvious?” Qin Ruo smiled bitterly, spreading his hands.

“It was…”

Xin Yu clutched Qin Ruo’s face with both her hands, narrowing her eyes at his seriously and teasingly.

“Look, exactly like that—a cold face, distancing yourself from everyone else, almost at Pretty Woman’s level. I was almost scared to death by you two, and to think that you two might share something common… Phew. It’s lucky nothing happened, I’ll keep her away when we go out to play next time.”

“Alright. I know you’re scared that neither of us were giving in, so don’t let her look at the Pet Egg later and just bind it… Don’t reveal Sister Xiaoxiao or my information too, understand?”

Qin Ruo said, pinching her cheeks. “Where did that wit just now go? Silly… That guarantees both of us are not embarrassed.”

“Urgh, don’t pinch my cheeks. It’s painful.”

***

In-game, when Pretty Woman found Xin Yu in the Pet Shop, the young girl had already completed the Pet Egg binding procedure before she arrived.

“You…!”

Pretty was so irritated that she stamped her foot in the shop.

“Why didn’t you wait for me before adopting it? Silly girl… what level is it?” Having been ready to check what level of Pet Qin Ruo had prepared for Xin Yu and to convince her to exchange for another Pet Egg if it was inferior, she never imagined that Xin Yu would just go ahead.

More annoyingly, Xin Yu actually replied that she neither knew the Pet’s level nor its name…

However, Xin Yu simply filtered off Pretty’s annoyed expression and asked, “By the way, Pretty Woman… are those who can enter Underworld powerful?”

“Silly girl. Why would you ask about that? There are only twenty thousand Level 50 individuals—or in other words, Tier 5 Champions. The best of them is just level 53 too… what do you think, then? Are they powerful?”

“More powerful than you, Pretty Woman?”

“I’ll become stronger too. I’ll reach Tier 5 by tomorrow…”

As the mixed-blood beauty became full of herself, she did not notice delight flashing in the eyes of the Bandit girl before her.