Chapter 009 – Bet

Chapter 9: Bet

Zhou Jian entered the 《Gods and Demons》 forum. He found out that several hours earlier, a message came into the European forum. The dream team had been wiped out. Although they had excellent equipments and formidable battling efficiency till they managed to send the BOSS’s health to black, their Guardians were struck by the similar shock wave that the BOSS sent out. Nearby, two Thieves were killed straight away.

Later, as if the BOSS was doped, it turned into a bully and started to wantonly killed in just a blink of an eye.

Although their Hunter’s reaction was fast. But because the skill cast delay, when the Trap was cast, two Clerics were already turned into a pool of blood. Before this, they’d already faced the BOSS which wasn’t weakened by the Pandora’s seal and was barely holding on. Now, with two Clerics dead, there’s basically no hope. Because of the lack of healing, the Guardians also died. As a result, all was wiped out. The last BOSS only had less than a tiny sliver of life. They’re only one step away from success.

The news that the European dream team was annihilated showed that the Chinese Tianzun team’s victory in the Demon’s Nest was hard earned. The players in China were very excited. Although they were not the first person to win in the new dungeon, but this did not stop them from getting excited. After all, they’re all Chinese compatriots.

At the same time, in the 《Gods and Demons》 China’s main forum was a stickied post about the Demon’s Nest secret revelation — interview with Tianzun team that easily broke into million of hits.

Zhou Jian opened this post. He thought the person interviewed should be the Tianzun team captain, Broken Saber, but did not expect to see Small White Rabbit Candy as the interviewee instead.

He thought for a while and also thought it’s normal. Broken Saber seemed to be a low key person. He didn’t like the limelight. And while Small White Rabbit Candy was estimated to be around 16-17 years old. Little girl like this naturally wanted to be in the spotlight.

In the interview video, Small White Rabbit Candy repeated the fight process vividly all over again. She only exaggerated her role in it, but for the rest, everything else was true.

Small White Rabbit Candy naturally referred that the key figure to winning this dungeon was the Ghost Killer Dark Sword. Although her expression when talking about Dark Sword was extremely uncomfortable, but this did not hinder the name Dark Sword from being known to millions of Chinese players.

Beneath this sticky was various posts of players trying to speculate on Dark Sword’s identity.

Zhou Jian looked for a while and started thinking deeply about the value of this news to himself. He’d become famous but how to make money from this?

After a little thought, Zhou Jian used his account and made a post on the forum, titled “I am Dark Sword”.

“Hello everyone. I am Dark Sword. I saw that many of you are trying to guess who I am. Instead of continuing with the random speculation, it’s better that I announced myself.”
“I used to be a special forces professional soldier. Now, I’d retired to become a bounty hunter. I can take on many variety of high risk tasks, including hunting fugitive, capturing criminals, killing fierce beasts, and escorting transport of valuable goods.”

“In addition, I have more than a level 33 and up purple Epic suit. If you’re thinking of completing the Demon’s Nest, you can also contact me. The price is negotiable.”

“Email: xxxxx. Genuine inquiries only.”

Zhou Jian originally wanted to use qq (tl: I think qq is a chatting app in China), but thought that qq was not professional. So, he replaced it with his email.

This post went out immediately and obtained a lot of hits. It’s followed by a lot of people booing. After all, a bounty hunter profession was too fantasy like. But Zhou Jian id couldn’t be cheated. So, this person was Dark Sword without a doubt.

Sitting next to the computer going through the replies, Zhou Jian was excited. This was a pleasant surprise. He believed that posting this at this moment was more effective than brushing 1000 advertisements.

But soon, Xiao Yin quickly called again. “Wow, I didn’t think that you’re a special force, and a legendary bounty hunter. You’re really ungrateful not to let your brothers know on this interesting matter.”

Zhou Jian suddenly had a big head. He forced himself to say: “Um, I was going to tell you all, but scared that no one will believe.”

“Believe. How can I not believe you. Since you’re so honest, I’ll also tell you a secret. Actually, I’m a Super Saiyan that had been guarding the Earth for several hundred years. Right now, I’m disguised as a student. Don’t go and tell anyone.”

“……..”

Zhou Jian was speechless for a while. He didn’t want to continue talking nonsense with Xiao Yin and immediately hanged up. He’s no longer in the forum and once again entered 《Gods and Demons》. Once online, his mailbox flashed with a message. He opened it and read: “You’ll die horribly.” Signature was from Running Water is Accidental.

Zhou Jian blacklisted Running Water is Accidental. Pangu city was not the only city in the Huaxia (tl: China) server. I can’t afford to stir you up but I can hide. At worst, I can go to other city. The world is so big, I don’t believe that you can find me. After I’d become accomplished, I will certainly come back and kill you.

Zhou Jian directly found the transfer NPC to go to Nuwa city in the east of Huaxia. He looked at the cost. It’s 1000 gold. Go through once would need 10 yuan. Transfer 1-2 times is fine. But a few more times is a pain on the flesh. In 《Gods and Demons》, once the player returned online would automatically return to the city. Zhou Jian was a Pangu city citizen. Naturally, he would return to Pangu city. Unless, he changed the flag positioning but at the same time, to change the flag coordinates would cost 10 yuan.

In other words, if Zhou Jian was ready to leave Pangu city, the next time he come back, he would need 10 yuan.

There’s another method, which was to become Nuwa’s citizen. But, he also had to pay a small amount to move household and it’s not cheap.

Zhou Jian had been on alert when to was practicing at the Skeleton Hole, fearing that Running Water is Accidental would come seeking revenge on his doorstep. But Nuwa city was so far away. Even if he was well connected, there’s no way he could find him so quickly.

Zhou Jian steadily practiced for 1 hour. At this time, his Tianxun rang. He looked at the id. Turns out it’s Light Cloud Fairy.

“Do you have time? I’d booked a table at SuFengZhai. I want to personally thank you.”

Light Cloud Fairy referred to Zhou Jian’s act of saving her life in the dungeon. If it’s not for him, she would had miss out on the system’s reward.

Zhou Jian had been having fun practicing. He really didn’t want to give up on practicing his level. He would have to return to Pangu city again and wasted his transfer fee. He said: “There’s nothing much to thank. Fairy is too polite.”

“Haha. Mr. Dark Sword please come out over. It’s about the message you’d post in the forum in the afternoon.” Light Cloud Fairy last few words was not through Tianxun, but rather through private chat. Zhou Jian was surprised. Is there business?

Zhou Jian said: “Good. I’ll go there immediately.”

After returning to the city, Zhou Jian did not even went offline and online. He straight away transfer directly using NPC and headed straight away to SuFengZhai.

SuFengZhai was Pangu city’s most upscale hotel. It’s famous for its elegant scenery and rich traditional culture. Those who come here to eat were not to say scholars, but were at the very least intellectuals.

In the virtual world, eating the meal here couldn’t fill the stomach. However, the taste of enjoyment was completely the same as reality. And the players would also have a sense of fullness. Once quitting from the game however, the fullness feeling would completely disappear and meal must still be eaten. Even so, there were still many who would pay to come here and eat at SuFengZhai because the prices here were one tenth of the same grade hotel in reality.

And most important of all, the virtual food could meet the needs of women. Where can you eat and not worry about getting fat. Ice-creams, cream cakes and chocolates. You can eat as many as you want.

Zhou Jian reached the private room booked by Light Cloud Fairy. Inside, there’s still another person – Small White Rabbit Candy.

Today, Light Cloud Fairy did not wear her Cleric robes, but a pure white dress. Coupled with her temperament, she had a bit of otherworldly flavor.

And Small White Rabbit Candy wore a cartoon t-shirt and jean. The close fitted clothes  was a perfect foil for her newly developed body. It really aroused the imagination.

In this kind of suppressive place, surrounded by painted golden eagle and having to talk about wine with two beauties, it’s really difficult to calm the mind. Zhou Jian took a deep breathe and calmed his mood. “Fairy is too polite. I didn’t think that Small White Rabbit Candy this young lady will come as well. It’s really my honor.” Zhou Jian had never experienced such upscale occasions before. He could only recall the banquet scenes on TV. So, he tried to make himself speak as much like a gentleman as possible.

Light Cloud Fairy smiled: “Mr. Dark Sword is really hard to please. I rarely invite others, even less to be rejected.”

Zhou Jian smiled as well. “When did I rejected Fairy. Didn’t I came here at once….”

Zhou Jian spoke until here, Small White Rabbit Candy mouthed two words, “hypocrite.” (tl: well, it’s 2 words in Chinese)

Zhou Jian was somewhat embarrassed. Light Cloud Fairy gave slightly rebuking look at Small White Rabbit Candy. “Mr. Dark Sword, come. We’ll have a meal first. The meal flavor here is very authentic.”

Zhou Jian hollow laughed. “We better first discuss on business.”

Speaking of proper business, the smiling face on Light Cloud Fairy disappeared.  Even Zhou Jian could see a little anxiety on her eyebrows. She put down her chopsticks, gathered her hair and said, “let’s private chat”.

“Ok.”

Light Cloud Fairy said: “Although I am acquainted with Mr. Dark Sword, but this involves some very important matter to me. I must confirm your status. I would like to ask you. Are you registered in the Bounty Hunter Association? Do you have any professional guarantor?”

Bounty Hunter Association? Professional guarantor? Zhou Jian was somewhat ignorant. He didn’t understand the bounty hunter profession. He thought it’s just one person pay and the other acts. He never thought that it’ll be this complicated.

Zhou Jian knew that his lie was over. This Light Cloud Fairy was not very old but had likely come from a respected family. She’d seen the world more than him. So, he had to answer truthfully. “I’m not registered. Nor do I have a guarantor. To be frank, I’m just in this industry not too long. This is the first time I heard those two terms.”

“First time heard?” Light Cloud Fairy was somewhat surprised.

Zhou Jian helplessly threw his hands up. “Alright. I’ll tell the truth. Actually, you’re my first customer.”

“First?” Light Cloud Fairy was speechless, and was somewhat disappointed. “Are you saying that this is all is on a whim. You want to work as a professional bounty hunter but didn’t know about this profession?”

“No. I’d carefully considered.” Zhou JIan said with a confident smile. “Actually, I think you’re not pursuing whether I have done this before. You just care about whether I can complete your duty, isn’t it?”

Light Cloud Fairy was lightly surprised. “Alright, we can continue to talk about it. You said in your post that you used to serve in the special forces. I would like to know of the designation of that army and your military id, please? No offense. I don’t have any other meaning. It’s just that my environment now is quite subtle, everything must be careful.”

“Uh…..” Zhou Jian was immediately speechless. He felt that this woman was not easy to cope with. At least, he couldn’t cope with her. Although Zhou Jian intelligence was not bad, he had never contacted with these areas before. He didn’t have the slightest experience. He could only tell the facts: “Actually, I’m not in the special forces. I wrote that in the post was to attract customer. But, although I don’t have a special forces background, my ability is not weaker compared to them.”

The color of disappointment on Light Cloud Fairy grew stronger. At least, she had now determined two issues. First, Dark Sword was not sent out by that person. Just by that person’s working style, would certainly not be looking for someone whose personal history appeared to be full of loopholes and obviously an amateur trying to pretend to be a professional. He would certainly look for a senior bounty hunter or real special forces who didn’t have any loopholes. Second, Dark Sword’s skill was very limited. In China, naturally, there were some families practicing in the wild. Their kung fu were basically handed down from their ancestors from generation to generation. It would be hard to find a master in those families because they hadn’t experienced the world yet and were naive. Zhou Jian was probably from such a family. Moreover, his age was small. Perhaps, he didn’t even learn those skills handed down well, let alone, fighting with others.

Thinking until here, Light Cloud Fairy sighed. She was really naive herself. She unexpectedly fantasized of finding a bounty hunter to help solve the issue. Even if there’s a skilled bounty hunter, he’s unlikely to be reduced to sending out advertising in the forum.

She reluctantly smiled and said: “Mister Dark Sword. Let’s eat. The food is getting cold soon.”

Although Zhou Jian’s had few experience, but he was’t silly. He already knew that because of his terrible reply, Light Cloud Fairy had already rejected him in her heart.

Zhou Jian himself was also quite helpless. A young man without background trying to join this line, naturally would has some difficulties. He said: “May I know where is fairy staying at?”

“Huh?”

“Seeing is believing. Fairy, do you dare to make a bet with me?”

“Oh? What do you want to bet?” Light Cloud Fairy had a little interest.

Zhou Jian thought for a while and said” “I saw the hairpin on Fairy is very pretty. I’m guessing that you have a similar one in reality. You name it. I’ll take it away.”

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