Virtual World: Close Combat Mage

Gu Fei was deeply regretful when he had learned of the enemy using the jumping off suicide method to escape the city. As he was hurrying over to the north gate, he spotted several players running in his direction, and before he could even verify their identity, these men had immediately turned tail and ran. Naturally, Gu Fei had subconsciously chased after these players in hopes of being able to finish them off. Afterward, he even tried to be a little sly, no longer standing right under the city gates, but hiding himself in a certain corner. In the end, nobody even bothered to make their way over the moment people learned that there was such a god standing guard over by the north gate. Young Master Han had proceeded to swiftly make the decision to completely abandon the infiltration plan, as everyone took to leave the guild before leaping off the city walls.

However, the message Young Master Han had left behind regarding Ray’s Bar made Sword Demon somewhat skeptical. After speaking to everyone about it, Gu Fei immediately sent a message to ask Ray. Ray hurried to explain everything, and roughly let them know about what he had agreed with Young Master Han before he agreed to help set up the guild. They were all leaving now, but Ray had already organized a team of his own that would be solely focused on questing, and would most definitely not trouble Gu Fei and the others.

“Can we trust him?” Gu Fei relayed what Ray had told him to the rest and asked.

Everyone shook his head, apparently unconvinced of Young Master Han’s character at all. They felt he must be up to something, only for Sword Demon to nod his head, “There’s not going to be any problem with Young Master Han, but as for Ray… I can’t say for sure.”

“What do you mean?” Everyone asked.

“What I mean is that this step is nothing that Young Master had a hand in orchestrating, but I’m not too sure if Ray has his own plans or otherwise,” Sword Demon affirmed.

“How can you be so sure?” Everybody asked.

“I’m certain that that Young Master’s plans with regards to Ray’s Bar should have come to an end by now,” Sword Demon said.

They were all very reassured when it came to Sword Demon’s character. Seeing him give such a guarantee, all of them immediately did not have any problems with it, so they all began to analyze the issue of Ray.

“Ray should be fine, right?” Sword Demon considered Ray as a good friend, and had always felt that the man should not be any problem whatsoever.

“I hope so. Should we just tell everyone to be extra vigilant?” Southern Lone Blade suggested.

“Yes!” Sword Demon nodded. And so, both guilds made an announcement about successfully forcing their enemy to withdraw from battle. Though Ray’s Bar still had a few men left behind, whether they had any ill intent remained to be seen, thus everyone was instructed to take extra care, but that there was no need to take the initiative and provoke them unnecessarily.

“This matter is finally settled,” Sword Demon heaved a long sigh of relief. The pressure was great for a newly established guild to have faced such a challenge while suffering a defeat would not result in the guild disbanding over their failure, it would still be quite a blow to the confidence of the fresh blood that they had only recently recruited. If a guild intended to develop and grow into greatness, they first and foremost have to make the members realize the value of their guild, and Extremely Heaven Defying had essentially survived this ordeal.

Meanwhile, over by Amethyst Rebirth, July had already begun to look for Gu Fei so they could discuss the aftermath of their operation. Given how urgent the situation had been before, the ladies had all temporarily abandoned their ideals of forming an all-women guild. But now that everything was back to normal, it was of course going to be rather difficult for them to maneuver their guild back to the original state of Amethyst Rebirth.

“Shall we kick them all out of the guild?” Gu Fei was rather heartless.

“That’s not good!” July wiped her sweat. They had recruited all these people for this one battle. To kick them right after using them felt completely inhumane.

“Oh, I thought that was your plan!” Gu Fei mused.

July was extremely dejected. Did I really seem to be that sort of person, capable of doing something so inhumane?

“I don’t have any particular opinions about this. So I’ll leave it to you ladies to resolve this matter!” Gu Fei relinquished his say on the matter, most certainly acting the part of the most irresponsible guild leader in all of history.

July was unable to do anything about this for the time being, but it was fortunate that none of the newly added male players revealed their dirty ways the moment the battle ended. July would have no choice but to commit suicide if these men who joined the guild truly turned out to be just a bunch of reprehensible lechers like the men from Forever in Flowers.

Over at Extremely Heaven Defying, Sword Demon and the other experts were also discussing the issue of their future development. Because there would be two guilds involved in this talk, Sword Demon had decided to form a party specifically for this and gathered the experienced experts from both guilds to have a dialogue in the party channel.

“This is an opportunity! Now that there is nobody in the city to compete with us over the quests available, this would make the best chance for us to raise our guild level. Are you telling me we’re just going to let such an opportunity slip through our fingers?” This was Brother Assist’s standpoint.

“Ahem, let me say a few words.” Southern Lone Blade began. “During this City Wars event, even though we had inexplicably ended up in the position of the city defender’s side, and had managed to stir quite a bit of trouble for the city assaulter’s side, I feel that it is still the predestined outcome that the organizers had in mind for the city assaulters to emerge victorious. Receiving the reward upon achieving victory has always been the ironclad rule of MMO games. What sort of reward would we likely end up with if we are the losers? Perhaps we might be able to get some sort of consolation prize? Everyone here are veteran MMO experts, I do believe no one would be interested in that sort of consolation prize that would only humor a child, right?”

“You’re right!” Brother Assist immediately nodded his head to show his support. “That is why there’s no sense in us wasting our effort doing quests that will pit us against other guilds. We should instead seize this opportunity we are given and raise our guild level, set our sights a little further!”

“That’s not what I’m trying to get at,” Southern Lone Blade hurriedly interjected.

“Eh?” Brother Assist was confused.

“What I mean to say is that, since we are on the city defender’s side, we should not pointlessly waste our time with meaningless quests and set our goal on defeating the city assaulters. We need to find some vital quests to accomplish,” Southern Lone Blade announced his conclusion.

“Are you insane?” Brother Assist was astonished. He had not thought Southern Lone Blade would actually set his sights on defeating the city assaulter’s side. Was this not a plan that only someone like Miles would intend to pursue?

“Hahaha!” Drifting was laughing uproariously. “I like the way you think, Brother Southern. We may lack the numbers, but we make up in terms of our quality! Then shall we just rely on our tri-combo of Warriors, Mages, and Priests, sally forth out from the city walls and take on the enemy? Is that what you’re getting at, Brother Southern?”

Southern Lone Blade threw a side glance at Drifting and said, “The idea I have is based on reality, and it isn’t anything like your unrealistic fantasy.”

“AHAHHAHA!” This time, it was Royal God Call who was laughing loudly. “I like this idea you’re suggesting, Brother Southern. Let’s leave these absurd idiots with their unrealistic fantasies!”

“Kids should not interject when adults are talking,” Drifting offered.

“SCREW YOU. Come and have a deathmatch with me if you have the guts!!” Royal God Call leaped out.

“I’m over by the Martial Field. I’ll be waiting for you there,” Drifting said.

“Just you wait!” Royal God Call immediately set off.

“Are we even at the Martial Field?” Left Hand of Love was next to Drifting when he verbally posed his question.

“He’s a kid, so I’m just having fun teasing him, why would I be serious about this?” Drifting replied. Their current position was nowhere near the Martial Field.

“Miles, what are your thoughts on this?” Sword Demon had seen everyone express their thoughts, so he decided to single out and ask Gu Fei for his.

“Is there even a need to ask Miles what he thinks?” Brother Assist was in tears.

“I really like this idea of annihilating the city assaulters,” Sure enough, Gu Fei gave his full support as expected.

Southern Lone Blade quickly clarified, however, “We are not trying to annihilate them. We’re looking to achieve victory; our goal is for the city defenders to win.”

“That’s pretty much the same thing,” Gu Fei dismissed it nonchalantly.

“But our focus should be on the quest…” Southern Lone Blade feebly added.

“Speaking of quests, Sword Demon! Guillermo died! He got killed by players, so how do you think my quest should proceed?” Gu Fei said.

“Why are you asking me about this? You should be asking the NPC who gave you the quest in the first place!” Sword Demon corrected.

“Oh? Then I’ll head over and take a look,” Gu Fei said as he set out for the City Hall.

“If we’re doing quests, it might not be easy for us to leave the city now. There’s no way that the city assaulters would let up on their vigil of the city gates anymore,” Brother Assist mentioned.

“I have 20 pieces of teleportation scrolls with a set of coordinates written on it that leads to beyond the city,” Gu Fei announced.

“I want one, I want one I want one!” The shouting was endless.

“1000 gold coins each,” Gu Fei called out.

“D*MN!” Everyone swore.

“This was sponsored by Young Master Han!” Royal God Call protested.

“Young Master Han’s money is still money,” Gu Fei educated Royal God Call.

“These scrolls will naturally be given for everyone to use when the need arises, so there’s no need for everyone to fight over them,” Sword Demon placated the crowd.

“Questing it is!” Southern Lone Blade raised his suggestion once more. With Gu Fei’s support, the voices of those against this were much smaller than before. Thus, Extremely Heaven Defying and Amethyst Rebirth both established the goal of defeating the city assaulters. After most of them set their eyes on this unrealistic policy, they began to split up and began their search. It was also mentioned that the moment somebody discovered a vital quest, they were expected to report to the guild, so everyone could come together, brainstorming so as to not cause any wastage of their resources and avoid the guilds losing their assets.

While all the players were busy in the city, Gu Fei had once more arrived in the room holding the Vigilante Corps.

“I’m here to report that Guillermo has died,” Gu Fei declared to the captain.

The captain of the Vigilante Corps in Yunduan City slammed its fist heavily onto his office desk. Gu Fei had thought he was about to receive a stormy tirade from the NPC, but he did not expect for the NPC to cry out, “How detestable! That bunch of conniving and heartless brigands!”

Gu Fei was hardly able to react, startled for a period of time before realizing that this NPC was referring to the villainous city assaulters as ‘conniving and heartless brigands’. But honestly, Gu Fei did not feel that Guillermo was an NPC with any sort of integrity. It was helping the city defender’s forces, while hardly showing any disinclination to reject helping the city assaulter’s forces. By taking the lead for both sides on his quests, that NPC was absolutely a fence-sitter. Now that the fence-sitter was dead, what was going to happen to the quest?

“Fortunately, ” the Vigilante Corps captain’s face gradually relaxed. “I just received news that Guillermo’s assistant has appeared outside Yunduan City. Here is where he’s staying. Thousand Miles Drunk, head on over and get in contact with him. Perhaps he’s able to stand in for Guillermo and provide us with the help we need.”

With that, the Vigilante Corps captain handed over a piece of paper. Gu Fei took a look at the coordinates written on it and was extremely disappointed, “Another quest to find someone? Do you have any quest that needs me to fight?”

“Go on, for freedom!” The Vigilante Corps Captain showed a gripped fist as encouragement for Gu Fei as the Mage skedaddled away as quickly as he could.

“I got another follow-up quest,” Gu Fei listlessly messaged Sword Demon.

“Another follow-up? That’s great! What are you supposed to do?” Sword Demon immediately perked up. He could sense that this quest that Gu Fei got was anything but normal. A timed quest, unending follow-ups, competitive; every possible variation of difficulty that was found in Parallel World’s quests were represented in this single string of quests that Gu Fei had been doing. Furthermore, the quest giver had even explicitly stated how what he was doing would be a huge help to the city defenders, and it really sounded like it was something necessary for their side to come out on top.

“I’m sent to look for someone again, and this time, it is that Guillermo’s assistant,” Gu Fei complained.

“Then hurry on out then!” Sword Demon said.

“Is there anyone else who wished to come with?” Gu Fei asked.

“Me!” Svelte Dancer raised her hand. This woman was completely uninterested in searching for a quest of her own, so she preferred to randomly pick one that was available now and tag along.

“The quest might not be as simple as locating an NPC. Perhaps there might be some rather difficult fight you might have to face. Shall we arrange for a more comprehensive team for you?” Sword Demon suggested.

So Southern Lone Blade, Drifting, Slyris, Luo Luo and everyone took the initiative to volunteer.

“Those without movement speed, please know your place,” Gu Fei said.

The experts were all in a huff hearing this, throwing out curses and reprimands, but Gu Fei remained unmoved. He wanted to speed through it and had no wish of dragging a bunch of baby legs along.

“Not even any Priest?” Sword Demon reminded.

“What use would a Priest be?” Gu Fei responded with a retort of his own.

Luo Luo swore she would never Heal Gu Fei ever again.

“Royal!” Gu Fei called his name out.

“Wait a moment, I’ve got a deathmatch to fight,” Royal God Call said.

“What deathmatch, are you just gonna take his word just because he said so? Get your butt over here quick,” Gu Fei chided. And so, Royal God Call unleashed a torrent of swears and curses at Drifting, so much so that the latter had to close off the channel and privately converse with everyone.

“What about you, Sword Demon?”

“I think I’ll stay in the city!” Sword Demon was ultimately a good guild leader who was serious about his job. He currently wished to stay behind in Yunduan City and lead the guild to search for quests together.

“Xiaozhu,” Gu Fei sought out another player with fast movement speed.

“Hmph. I’m ignoring you,” Yan Xiaozhu’s elder sister just got snubbed by Gu Fei, and this was the domino effect at work.

“Glue,” Gu Fei was still picking out experts.

Under the secret threats from Southern Lone Blade, Glue did not say a word in reply.

“Will-low?” Gu Fei had thought of another name.

There was no reply. Will-low was not in this party because this was only for experts, and Will-low had not been included.

Gu Fei posed the same invitation in the Amethyst Rebirth guild channel when someone finally took the initiative, “I’ll go!”

Gu Fei felt gratified, but when he saw that the name of this player was Xi Xiaotian, he pretended he saw no one, “Is there anyone else?”

Xi Xiaotian was also fuming. Gu Fei had pretty much offended everyone in the channel.

“Okay, just the four of you then!” Sword Demon truly could not stand watching this any further.

“Gather by the Central Square!” Gu Fei was helpless. Nobody else responded to him after, and no one from Amethyst Rebirth cared to pay any attention to him as Gu Fei saw Luo Luo talking over there.

Everyone was busy again in the city. Outside the city, after Young Master Han had given the order for everyone to leap off from the city walls in every direction, he immediately found himself respawning in the nearest encampment outside the city upon death.

“It’s been tough,” Young Master Han had run into Gu Xiaoshang the moment he left the encampment.

“We failed,” Young Master Han shook his head.

“At least you’ve managed to hold those men inside for quite some time, and the various guilds need not be afraid of their every move. They were able to put up quite a good fight during this time,” Gu Xiaoshang said.

“Quite a good fight? Didn’t the northeast encampment come under attack?” Young Master Han said.

“Yes. That was also the result of the mistake we made earlier, so it was only a matter of time,” Gu Xiaoshang said.

“You’re rather optimistic about this,” Young Master Han commented.

“Someone has been waiting for you this whole time,” Gu Xiaoshang chuckled.

“Oh? Who could they be?” Young Master Han was shocked.

“They are right over there,” Gu Xiaoshang pointed, walking Young Master Han over together.

Under a big tree by the encampment, there were two men leaning up against the tree taking shade. Both came forward to greet Young Master Han when they saw the man walking over in the distance.

“It’s you guys,” Young Master Han knitted his eyebrows.

“Yes, long time no see. The city war has been really exciting,” the two men were, of course, Ye Xiaowu and Broken Water Arrow.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Young Master Han asked.

“I heard that your mercenary group isn’t on the same side this time?” Ye Xiaowu smiled.

“You heard?” Young Master Han glanced over to Gu Xiaoshang, who shrugged, expressing the fact she had not said a word about it.

“So what about it?” Young Master Han asked.

“Hehe, now you’ve had more of a first-hand experience of Gu Fei’s imbalance, right?” Ye Xiaowu mused.

“So what?”

“If something is imbalanced, of course, we would have to rectify it!” Ye Xiaowu exclaimed.

“Oh. Then I’ll leave you to your business,” Young Master Han turned around to leave.

“Wait!” Ye Xiaowu started, hurriedly giving chase.

Young Master Han furrowed his brow and stared at them, “You’re really quite the bag. I’ve already told you where we stand on this matter. This is just a game. You’re the only one who has a different stance on this, so you’re the one obstructing our gaming, got that?”

“As long as Thousand Miles Drunk is in this game, there would not be a fair environment in Parallel World,” Ye Xiaowu reiterated.

“There’s nothing fair with you as a GM messing things around either, hmm?” Young Master Han retorted.

“GM?” Gu Xiaoshang was doubtful.

“This guy right here,” Young Master Han pointed.

“How could a GM be playing the game?” Gu Xiaoshang found this revelation astounding.

“I’m not a GM…” Ye Xiaowu was dejected. Forget about the fact that he had quit his job, even while he was employed with the company, what he was doing was completely different from what a lowly GM would do. But in the eyes of the average gamer, a GM was like a God in the game, as if they were in charge of everything in the game.

“Everyone, quick come look! There’s a GM here!” Young Master Han yelled.

“GM?” Countless players heard this term and they got even more excited than hearing the super BOSS Thousand Miles Drunk as all of them looked over. Young Master Han was pointing directly at Ye Xiaowu for all to see as everyone came running over toward Ye Xiaowu, enclosing onto him mercilessly.

“This guy is a GM? Hehe, how low leveled!”

“His equipment isn’t anything spectacular either!”

“I’m not a GM. I’m just a normal player,” Ye Xiaowu was exasperated.

Everyone did not believe him. The legendary GM was able to take the form of anything in Parallel World, so it was only natural for them to be able to turn into a player too.

“Hey GM, show us a few moves, will you?”

“GM, I’ve suddenly lost 20 gold coins. Help me find out where it’s gone!”

“GM, please give me your guidance. Tell me where to find a major quest!”

These players each began beseeching the GM, only stopping short of offering joss sticks to the man.

“I’m not a GM!!!” Ye Xiaowu made a point to repeatedly emphasize this once more, but no one believed him. Batch after batch of players came around to surround him time and time again. Broken Water Arrow beside him had already given up on this front, calmly standing by the side and pretended to be an onlooker for it was at least better than being surrounded.

“Make way, make way!!!” It was finally time for the important figures to arrive. The guild leaders of the four large guilds had not split up ever since they departed from the Chinese cabbage patch. Thus, when they heard that a GM had appeared over by the northeast gate, the four of them had rushed over to take a look for themselves. They sure lived up to their names as guild leaders as their thoughts immediately became profound. For Yunduan City to have appeared such a strange force like players taking the city defender’s side. For a GM to appear, did that mean they were here to eliminate the BUG?

Oathless Sword, Brave Surge, Foe-herder, and Black Index Finger all squeezed into the crowd and stood face to face with Ye Xiaowu. With the four guild leaders of the large guilds in Yunduan City showing their faces, the crowd quietened down a little, and Ye Xiaowu once more repeated, albeit rather weakly, “I’m not a GM.”

“Then who are you? Why is everyone saying you’re one?” Oathless Sword asked.

“It’s Young Master Han. That guy played me,” Ye Xiaowu explained.

“Oh…” The four of them had all been messed by Young Master Han before, and they instantly went “oh” at the same time…