Gu Bai threw his focus into the game every day, time passing in the blink of an eye.
And while he was there, he usually played with Tang Linyi. As time went on, Tang Linyi showed more and more goodwill toward him.
Bit by bit, Gu Bai had the impression that something was wrong. He was no idiot. Looking at Tang Linyin's appearance, he thought, was it possible that the other party took a fancy to him?
He felt this way because Tang Linyin had put forward the request to meet him in real life time and time again. And he had always acted the fool, pretending to not understand Gu Bai's silent refusal.
Due to sharing the emotions of the original host, Gu Bai obviously knew that the original host had been in high spirits recently. Other than Tang Linyin's love, nothing else could inspire such joy in the original host.
Shortly after, Tang Linyin confirmed his suspicions.
That day, after he had entered the game, he did not immediately start playing. Rather, he first listened to a series of voice messages left from his friends
[Human] Three Chi Green Point: Bai, I…. There's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time.
[Human] Three Chi Green Point: I like you. And I don't want to just be a couple with you in the game. I want you to be my girlfriend, both online and in real life.
[Human] Three Chi Green Point: Although I don't know how you look like, in any case, I like your intelligence and temperament. It has nothing to do with your appearance. I've had a great time with you… If it's too sudden, you don't have to agree right now. We can meet up first.
[Human] Three Chi Green Point: I remember you mentioned you lived in South City. Let's meet this weekend. At the Starbucks on the commercial south street downtown, 2 PM. I'll wait for you there… This is how I look.
His voice could no longer be heard, and a holographic projection of Tang Linyi's true appearance came into view.
All of a sudden, fear struck Gu Bai's heart, so much so that his eyes widened in real life. Then, he was torn between wanting and not wanting to exit the game immediately, and hurl the game helmet into the corner like it was a hot potato.
Holy crap. Tang Linyi actually liked him. But Gu Bai didn't really do anything. They just played the game together day after day. In the original plot, even when the original host did so many things, that guy did not respond. And now, this brat liked him.
And confessed his love, and wanted to meet up. Meet his ass!
Tang Linyi was a man straighter than a steel pipe. When he found out Gu Bai was a man, not to mention the didi he hated the most, he might yell "You lied to me!" And in a burst of fury, punch him to death!
It wasn't just Gu Bai who was terrified. Even the emotions of the original host violently pulsed, before disappearing in hiding.
Although the original host had feelings for Tang Linyi, he had never expected these feelings to bear fruit. He was obviously aware that Tang Linyi was straight.
If Tang Linyi found out he was a man, not only would the other party dislike the original host, he would hate and be repulsed by him for a lifetime. In fact, such a thing was difficult for most normal men to accept. Not everyone in the world was a homosexual!
After he thought to this point, since he had basically reached his goal right now, there was no point to waste more time on Tang Linyi. As such, Gu Bai tossed the game helmet to a corner, deciding to continue later.
He'd never play on that side account again!
Thus, Tang Linyi was like a different person, waiting at the Starbucks from 2 PM to 8 PM. Yet Gu Bai never showed up.
The moment he was preparing to leave, enveloped in despair, he suddenly caught sight of two girls staring at him not too far away. What they were discussing he did not know. One wore a white dress, a lively expression on her face, extremely adorable and beautiful.
At that moment, Tang Linyi's heart pounded with excitement and joy. This lively and charming appearance resembled the image he had of Gu Bai in his imagination. And since her nickname meant the color white, shouldn't she also like white?
At the same time, the two girls seemed to stare at him with much excitement.
With a lot of emotion, the other girl in a green dress said, "Xianxun, look. Isn't that Senior Tang, our school's Iceberg Prince? He's so much more handsome in the flesh, worthy of being my male god!"
"En, en. Senior Tang is truly handsome!" said Song Xianxun as she nodded, eyes glued to Tang Linyin, shining bright.
"Hey, hey. Xianxun, you already have Senior Ling Chen. Senior Tang is mine. You're forbidden from peeping at him!"
"Wang Lele, you're annoying. I've said before that I don't like Senior Ling Chen. I only think of him as a brother, so why do you keep saying this? If you say it again, I'll take care of you…"
"What, it's the truth though? Fine, fine. In any case, Senior Tang is mine. Don't fight me over him… Ah, ah, ah, he's coming over here!!"
She hadn't finished speaking when Tang Linyi couldn't fight the urge to approach them.
Originally, he had thought Bai would not come to meet him today. In the period they had played together, he became quite knowledgeable of the other party's character. Even without looking at each other, he could tell she was sometimes active and enthusiastic, but had an indifferent disposition. Not to mention, she liked being independent.
He invited her several times to meet up during this period, yet the other party rejected them all. This time, he couldn't stop himself from confessing in the invitation. Because if he didn't say it bluntly, Bai would likely never get it.
Even though he had a feeling this girl before him was Gu Bai, he couldn't be certain.
"Hello, I'm Three Chi Green Point. Do you… remember?" asked Tang Linyin nervously to confirm.
The girl in the green dress, Wang Lele, didn't seem to understand. Also shocked, Song Xianxun then immediately widened her eyes.
"Ah. Are you that side account, Three Chi Green Point?" asked Song Xianxun, thinking back to the last time she was nosy.
Don't blame her for realizing it all at once. Back then, she had just changed to a side account when she was instantly killed again. In the end, Gu Bai's treasure talisman attack blasted her side account head on. It almost electrocuted her to death, and it hurt for many days. Of course she had a deep impression of this.
Seeing her expression and hearing her words, Tang Linyi naturally thought she was Gu Bai. Surprise struck him. She really was Bai!
"Yeah, Three Chi Green Point is my side account. Thanks for saving me that time…" On Tang Linyi's handsome face was a smile.
"No need to thank me. It's only right to help others in need and in danger…"
In school, Tang Linyi was known as the legendary Iceberg Prince who could freeze people to death. So this smile that resembled a melting snow-capped mountain made others feel comfortable.
Such a gentle smile caused Song Xianxun's heart to flutter. There wasn't a girl in the world who could withstand the gentleness of the Iceberg Prince. A smile on her lips, she shook her head, pleasantly surprised to the max. Never had she thought that the side account she had saved would be Tang Linyi. Previously, she had just set up a side account when it was killed by others; she really felt deep regret over it!
"Even so, thank you all the same. Let's have dinner together…" Because of those words that made it clear she knew those details, Tang Linyi had been able to immediately confirm her as Gu Bai, inviting her to a meal straight away.
For a moment, Song Xianxun stood there stunned. Then the surprise showed on her face. She both wanted and did not want to agree. She said to the friend by her side, "You go first." Then she rose to her feet and left with Tang Linyi, not even thinking to invite Wang Lele along.
On the side, Tang Linyi looked at Wang Lele, cold enough to freeze. He obviously had no intention of inviting her. Wang Lele could only gaze at Song Xianxun's face of joy and give up. She watched them leave, expression dark and stomping in anger.
Meanwhile, Song Xianxun went to grab a meal with Tang Linyi. Although midway through their conversation, she didn't understand some of the things he said, eating with the Iceberg Prince was hard to come by. If she couldn't keep up with the conversation, she'd just act cute and fake her way through.
Tang Linyi did not find her actions strange, merely thinking she was shy. Never had he expected that girls were not only independent and intelligent online, but also vivacious in real life. Such shyness was very grounding. When it came down to it, girls being shy was hard to avoid.
As a result, the two shared a happy moment over their meal. Learning that they went to the same school was a pleasant surprise, and Tang Linyi drove Song Xianxun back to campus.
Because of this, Tang Linyi took the initiative to find Song Xianxun every day the following week. The Iceberg Prince who had always treated others in a cold manner actually did something like this out of his own volition, inspiring jealousy in the hearts of the student population.
And during this time, Song Xianxun had the notion that Tang Linyi must have recognized the wrong person from their conversation.
Although she had in fact "saved" Tang Linyi back then, the person the other party was looking for wasn't her.
Such a thought caused much unhappiness to rouse in her chest. No girl would feel happy being mistaken for someone else, especially if the other party was a boy she took a fancy to.
But as she watched as Tang Linyi treated her so well, watched as the Tang Linyi who had no interest in other girls only had eyes for her, and noticed the envious gazes of those around, she could not find it in herself to clear this misunderstanding.
After she had heard Tang Lingyi mention Gu Bai, she decided to keep this misunderstanding until the end.
"Senior Tang, don't talk about my side account Bai anymore. Or else other people will say I'm violent, and call me Dinosaur Maiden tomorrow. I rather be a cute girl than an independent badass woman!"
Song Xianxun pouted as if she were making a request in a shy and coquettish manner. That Bai girl could be so violent even while playing a game. She was definitely a Dinosaur Maiden, too ugly to dare to meet with Senior Tang. That said, most online relationships would die once the couple met in real life.
This cute and mischievous expression stunned Tang Linyi into nodding. Xianxun was right. No matter how it was in-game, in real life, she was a girl. Naturally, she would have a gentle nature. She wouldn't want others to know of her more masculine side.
"Alright, as long as you're happy."
He didn't really mind that his own girlfriend was masculine. In fact, he preferred her appearance in the game. But no matter what, as long as it was "her," he would be happy.
In this misunderstanding, the emotions of the two quickly became passionate. Even in the game, Tang Linyi and Song Xianxun, the latter whose game nickname was "Ningbo Fairy," became a married couple in the game.
Tang Linyi was rank two in the game and considered a great god. "Ningbo Fairy," who became his in-game wife, quickly shot up in popularity. Furthermore, she had Tang Linyi's protection. No one dared to PK her again.
On the contrary, Gu Bai had put out a manhunt order for Song Xianxun, so Tang Linyi had all the members of Guiyun Sect put a kill-on-sight order for him.
When Gu Bai had heard of this news while in the game, he almost collapsed on the floor, eyes widened. Anger started to flare in his chest.
What the hell? He expended so much effort, ran a huge circle, yet Tang Linyi actually still was able to become a couple with Song Xianxun. What kind of terrible fate was this? Song Xianxun, this idol-Mary-Sue-heroine's halo was too powerful!
Gu Bai did not know his act of standing Tang Linyi up would actually pull the plot back on to track. After a moment of upset, he accepted it.
Since it could not be avoided, he could only face it head-on. He just did not have the original host's one-track mind. His present in-game name had already been put out in public. He wasn't afraid of a fight.
If it were a normal keyboard video game, he would still be a little worried. But this was a holographic online game that changed according to the player's own data. If it were a 1v1, he would not be afraid, since he wouldn't actually die if he died in game. What's to be afraid of?!
In this plot, Song Xianxun's celebrity status rose. The search for treasures in the hidden area was about to begin.
This was a secret instance prepared by the game company. Word had it that whoever beat the final BOSS would receive a secret weapon. It was extremely expensive, worth 3 million.
This 3 million was enough to move and excite regular players who had jobs.
In fact, apart from receiving this 3 million, the winner would have their name forever etched on the game's list of honor, a feat of immense glory.
The previous host wanted glory in the game, to the point of being a god. And the best method to do so was to win this event!