"Look Luo Si. You need to wear this." Xiongtang had a yellow one piece in her hand.
A shop assistant, dressed in purple, stood next to her with a frozen smile, verbally supporting Xiongtang. "Indeed, this fine dress will suit the young lady very well."
Luo Si crossed her hands, denying to even try it on. "No thanks. I think I will stick with what I have."
'This bloody shop keeper. She just wants to rip us off. Why else did she press the most expensive dress into Xiongtang's hand?!' Mentally on edge, Luo Si kept a straight face.
They had previously visited the jewelry store. The cashier had literally talked his tongue dry just to sell some silvery earrings, when all she did was take a pitiful glance at the jewelry.
Many girls drooled in front of the glass showcase, but in her eye these shiny objects were no different from garbage. She never really had a drive for shinny accessoires, preferring functionality over shininess.
Besides, the stuff in SR was way better. Not only was it more beautiful, but it also felt great when wearing. Like a phoenix feather brace for example; it would keep its owner warm, even below 0° Celsius. Yet that earring would have its color scratched of the first time it fell on the ground. The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.
She had not bought anything so far. The little money she had besides paying the rent was dedicated to buying groceries for her brother. She on the other hand ate in SR. It was another groundbreaking discovery. The first days in the cage were taxing since not only the senses felt real, but the needs as well. Only 2 weeks later did those who left the cage fill their hunger with food inside the game. They were stupefied however, when they found out that not only their character's hunger was satisfied, but also their real bodies. The African millennials praised the heavens for sending such an amazing gift.
Some even had the stupid idea of taking out the food from the game, but it just fell to the ground, just like everything else. Every item, besides clothes would fall to the ground when exiting, be it food, weapons, even coins. One had to either hide his/her belongings or ask someone to take it into custody. Luo Si was no exception and also hid her pouches and belongings, just more professional. But she knew of a way to keep the items close to her. It was also part of her goal before the beginning of university.
…
Returning to the clothing store.
Xiongtang's eyes became teary, everything she offered Hong Luo Si was denied one way or another.
"Alright, alright. I will buy something." The latter could only roll her eyes." But not that thing. If it is something I must wear, I shall choose it myself."
She walked through the store and came back with 3 clothing objects and vanished into the changing room. She came out, wearing a pair of white pants and a black long sleeve shirt underneath a turquoise gleaming tiered.
(Author: Don't ask. It's just a shirt.)
"Wow." The chesty girl clapped her hands seeing her friends' new style. Even the shop assistant had thrown a second glance at Luo Si when she stepped out of the wardrobe. She could see that each piece was actually really cheap. Although, when put together, it did not look half bad. It looked pretty good actually.
Besides that, what really amazed her was that the girl under the hoodie did not look to bad herself. 2 strands of white hair hung down on the front of the shoulders, while the rest fell of the back. It looked noble and intimidating. She was even more shocked when seeing the other's skin. It looked fair and pure to the point of making other girls envious.
"What did you do to get such sleek skin and those hair strains. They look so pretty." Only now did Xiongtang have a chance to inspect her best friend.
"Uhm…" Luo Si tried to find an excuse, when Xiongtang ripped off all price tags and slammed them on the counter.
"We take it!"
The newly dressed girl wanted to change back, but Xiongtang was quicker and stuffed the hoodie away, leaving her friend no choice but to keep the new clothes on.
Luo Si shed a tear, knowing that she fell for Xiongtang's scheme.
Thankfully, she was compensated with a popsicle ice later on. They walked down the mall, while Luo Si licked her ice. The sides equipped with massive screen boards. The displays frequently changing with different advertisements.
'Jackpot 100 million…'
'The new fragrance from L' Oral'
'New Gym. New You. New Challenge! Be the first to win…'
'Alien, the movie, in 3D…'
---
"So… You still haven't told me what you have been up to lately."
"Oh, I'm playing SR, like everyone else." Absentminded liking could be heard from the bench.
"SR?" Xiongtang raised a brow puzzled.
The licking stopped as Hong Luo Si realized she slipped up. 'Shit. I forgot that it doesn't have a name yet.'
"I mean, that's what everybody calls it. 'Super Realm.' You know, cause it's so super awesome."
"Huh, so that's what the game is called. Makes sense I guess."
Hong Luo Si mentally facepalm herself, being glad her friend bought it. It was not actually named Super Realm because it was awesome. Well partly. But in fact, it was something everyone will be talking about when the envoy arrives. Super Realm. The Realm every village-child strived towards. The goal waiting at the end of the Martial Realm.
"I have already left the cage and took a look at the map. I don't think we will meet each other in a short time." She dodged the naming topic while settling down at the malls fountain.
"Yay, me too… aww." Xiongtang was happy at first, hearing that Luo Si had made it out as well. She had gotten tips from her father after picking the same martial arts he taught.
While the duo was talking, a young seductive looking woman covered her smirking mouth when she spotted them from afar.
She was in escort of a similar aged man, wearing a tuxedo that made him stand out from every gathering, and snickered to him in a low voice. "Hey, isn't that your puppet over there?"
Her escort had a devilish smile on his face when he looked in the pointed direction. "Heh, no wonder that dog of mine couldn't find her. This cockroach has become quite disrespectful."
Liuxian thought that he had utterly ruined her at the park. But after getting served Luo Si acted like she had become a completely different person. No longer putting him in her eyes. "She has become quite rebelious. Guess I have let her off to lightly. Do I have to get my kowtow by force?"
The bad-mouthing couple was of course Ren Liuxian and his new girlfriend Lin Rong. Liuxian still had a bad aftertaste when both Kuilei and Mr. Hong failed their tasks. There were not many people who dared to defy his order. Those who did either ended up badly or had a strong backround like him. Although, Liuxian rarely took the risks on those and on the contrary was very friendly with them. Someone like Luo Si definitly did not count to that group.
Harassing the weak was just another hobby of his. Luckily, many of his lackeys followed him into the same camp. Enabling him to do the same inside SR. At least, that was how it was at the start. Even though they were behind bars,
Liuxian was able to secure and rule his own small zone. That was until one individual he had chased off underwent a miracolus change that made his fists as hard as rocks. Coming to a standstill once a handful of bodyguards were beaten, Liuxian unwillingly got himself to train as well.
Shortly after awakening a light vein in surprise he was back on track and even found a person like Fu Hantian. The Aristocrate he found was different though. While Fu Hantian was direct, this one was cunning. Tricking Liuxian to be his testsubject for free.
The fact that Liuxian had unknowingly made himself a servant pissed him off greatly, making this encouter come in handy to relieve some stress.
Pat*
Liuxian was about to start the second show for his big fish, when Lin Rong held him back. "Wait." Lin Rong had an eye for details noticing that Luo Si looked different from last time. It was not the first time these days. Everybody, she included, experienced an anonymus purification.
In fact, a new beaty standard spread the day the capsules appeared. As a young woman from a rich household, Lin Rong had invested much time and money into her skin care at all times of times, keeping the miraculous improvement miniscule. It was bad enough when some of her competitors had risen close to her level of beauty, but seeing Luo Si's smooth skin tipped the iceberg.
Lin Rong took this matter as great offence. "This has gotten personally. Let me show you how we, the Lin, deal with this."
A beggar was leaning against the glass of a shop entrance and scraped the ground with a plastic knife. Those who passed him tried their hardest to keep their distance and avoided starring at him.
The reek of alcohol formed a transparent wall around him as he was only accompanied by a cup filled with a dozen coins and a paper sign saying 'Will do anything for money.'
"Hey you!" Lin Rong walked up to him, blocking the stench, by blocking her nose with an armpit. "200 if you attack that pair on the fountain. …1000 if you kill one." She dropped a 200 yuan note on the cup, before she went back.
The homeless person, feeling nothing but greed when hearing the offer, did not take long and grabbed the note and knife. He jumped up and dashed in wild steps towards the two girls.
"Bahaha." Liuxian laughed evilly as he enveloped his arm around the host of the show. "Yes, let the money do the work. I like it."
Lin Rong though looked at him with a confused innocent face. "Money? But all I gave him was fake money."