The key to room number 69 had been returned as the agreed week had passed. Hong Luo Si did not want to expose herself training the ice vein body cultivation method to an uninvited cleaning staff. It had happened once the previous week.
The excuses were mostly based on the quietness in the room at daylight and the janitors regular checking on the rooms. It had not been too bad as she was dressed both times, but surprised since she had written on a crafted door-card, not to be disturbed.
After returning the key Luo Si went outside the village and found a secluded spot behind a small halved hill
"Is that the target?" A coarse voice asked.
"Yes, but she is still too close to the village." Another rough one answered.
Two hooded figures looked in her direction from on top of the city gate.
"Tse, it's just a girl. No need to make a big deal out of it." The smaller figure did not understand why someone like the village chief would pay a huge amount of money to get rid of an undying fly. He wanted to walk out of the gates, but was stopped by the other.
"Don't be an idiot. I heard she won against some martial artists before."
"Alright, alright. You know though that I hunt girls with strong resistance the most." The coarse voice licked his lips before asking. "What's she doing?"
"Well, she is just eating some stuff and…! Get back!" The bigger man pulled his accomplice with him."
"Why? What's the matter with you?"
"The target just now looked in my direction. Does she know we are after her?"
"That cannot be. We even hid our presence."
"I don't know, man. She is one of those souls. They seem to be able to do anything."
"I know what you mean. I once killed one of those in the forest. Some days later he directly came up to me out of nowhere and even asked me if I had a quest for him. I was so spooked out, I nearly shit my pants, I shit ye not."
"Let's retreat for now."
Her eyes still fixed on the gate, Hong Luo Si had indeed precepted some watchful gazes. She relaxed a little when the figures left together with their aura.
"Are they hunters? No. they smelled more like greed then wariness and hatred. Players should also not be able to watch me so skillful. A third party?"
She licked her teeth like the crocked figure had." Either way it seems it's gonna be a fun time until the envoy arrives."
She focused back onto learning the 'Frozen glacier body' and ate the ice-based resources.
The sun made an arc and she stood back up when the sun was about to kiss the horizon.
"Hah…" Luo Si let a cold breath trickle down her jaw.
'The ice vein is finally integrated.' The gift she had received from the woman in the well had only been a burden so far. The ice vein would always act up hurting her soul when she practiced the first Han San palm strike or used directly, in the library for example.
Luo Si brushed over the lush green that would bend under the slightest breeze and plucked a soft blade of grass. It was short and easily fit inside her fist. She focused on guiding the inner coldness into her fist, before whipping out.
The blade did no longer bend to the wind and traveled in a straight line towards a tree.
Pak*
The tip hit its mark, but the body also crumbled upon impact.
"Weird. Was it just my imagination?" The fight over her body was still fresh to her. Although the battle had happened on a mental level, she could have sworn that the ice element had been much more powerful at that time. Now it felt more like on par with John Cage's.
The field in a spectrum of half a meter around her sitting-spot had turned into a morning dew field. The closest grass blades even broke like glass when stomped on as she made her way back to the mausoleum.
A girl that Luo Si passed, had thrown a second look at her as she thought she had seen Luo Si reflecting the sun. She wanted to ask what she had used to get this pristine skin effect, but Hong Lou Si had already vanished before she could take a second glance.
After logging out Luo Si went early to bed as the next day would be shared with a very dear person to her.
…
"Yay! BESTI!" A massive pair of double-D sized boobs greeted Luo Si's face under a hoodie. The latter had not even left 'Qixing Central Station' subway station when Wie Xiongtang enveloped her with tearing eyes. "It has been so long since we meet each other. It must have been hard on you."
Luo Si did not know what to do at first when she saw her best friend. At the end she lightly patted Xiongtang's back. "En. As if a century passed."
Wie Xiongtang was like Hong Luo Si a 17-year-old graduate from Guilin Highschool. Just that her breast size was a bit bigger. In fact, everything was 'a bit' bigger. Her buttock, tights, even in Hight did she overtook the latter, with half a head. In combination with her fluffy face, her appearance shined with an aura that others could just not say no to. Though the thing Luo Si valued the most on her was her ever energetic and happy soul.
If not for that annoying feature, Ren Liuxian would have made her his plaything. Yet again, there was also her father, who worked as the head instructor in a dojo and was very scary in looks, but had the nature of a second mother in his daughters' present.
"Tell me, which store do you want to plunder first? The clothing stores? Shoe store? The Boutique? No, I know the perfume store. Yes, yes to all those things!" Xiongtang was just too enthusiastic and dragged her friend to the entrance of the mall without knowing.
Luo Si felt like the little money she had brought with her was already gone with every store counted up.
"Tang tang, I'm a bit low on cash, so maybe just a tee- coffee… I think a coffee is enough." It had become habit after being stuck in SR for decades for her and many other players to drink and enjoy tee. The relaxing and transcendent feeling of enjoying a drink that was brewed with unimaginable earthly treasures, that no brewery on earth was capable of, was heavenly.
Wie Xiongtang froze, turned around and grabbed the other by her shoulders. "No, this won't do. What someone like you needs is shopping. Shopping until there is no tomorrow. And don't worry about money. I have this." She pulled a card out of her purse and victoriously fawned it in Luo Si's face.
"Is that your father's bank card?" She asked as she barely identified the name on the card. Mr. Wie Quantou.
"Hehe, I only needed to twinkle once and he immediately gave it to me. Say, am I awesome or am I awesome?"
Hong Luo SI could do nothing but follow the mountains, while shaking her head. The mall was as big as half a football stadium. Fully cascaded in glass. The light penetrating it made it shine inside out in every possible color. Water could be heard splashing from 2 different fountains on different levels.
It looked enticing in all aspects.
However, when she stepped on the doorstep, her eye ticked. 'Hmm, I don't really remember anything when I went to the mall with Xiongtang in my last life. But I feel like it did not end well.'