As Xin entered the house, he found Xiaxia sitting in the living room, scrolling through her phone. Her fake blonde hair was wrapped in a towel, and she wore a casual shirt and short shorts that showed off her slender legs.
"Hey, you're back! Where have you been?" Xiaxia asked.
"Bathhouse," Xin replied, sounding uninterested. "I left you a note."
Xiaxia scoffed, not convinced. "Four hours just for a bath? I don't buy it."
Xin glanced at her briefly before heading to the bathroom to wash his clothes. "You might want to change your shorts. They make you look fat."
"Wha––!" Xiaxia's face burst red. "I'm not fat!"
But all she got in response was the sound of the bathroom door slamming shut.
Xiaxia's heart was still racing, her breath heavy as she tried to calm down. When she finally regained her composure, she stormed into the bedroom and stood in front of the mirror.
"I'm not fat," she repeated to herself, her voice shaking. She struck a few poses, trying to see herself from different angles. "He's just making up stories to annoy me."
However, her eyes then zeroed in on her thigh, and she couldn't help but pinch the small layer of skin. "Guk!" she exclaimed.
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In the bustling town of Abundant Shore, Xin dedicated his time to exploring and accepting quests from the various NPCs.
As he strolled around, he noticed a crowd of players gathered near the floating market. They were all around levels 15 to 20, forming groups of at least five members.
"Recruiting for the Floating Market Quest!" shouted a player, trying to attract more participants. "Only Level 15 and above!"
"Hey, you!" a player approached Xin and asked, "Do you want to complete the quest with us, err . . . Lord Schrodinger?"
Curious, Xin glanced at the player. He was a Halfling with two slim long horns at the side of his head, and from his equipment, he seemed to be a thief.
Xin then shifted his gaze over the player's name, Noobinator. He didn't know if players didn't take their name seriously because they could change it in the future, but he wasn't the one to judge them.
After all, his name was after his dead cat.
"You don't have to worry about the loot. We'll distribute everything fairly, and for rare items, we'll decide with a dice throw. So, what do you say?" Noobinator persisted.
". . ." Xin couldn't say anything with how the guy was talking nonstop.
"This is a golden chance," Noobinator urged, gesturing towards another player nearby. It was a bulky Orc named Troll Master, a level 21 Barbarian. "He's the strongest player on this island and will lead us against the Reef Raiders to claim those oils. With him, we can definitely complete the quest."
"Ara? Complete the quest? You must be joking."
Xin and Noobinator's attention shifted to the new voice.
Xin was surprised to see that it was Skylark again.
Skylark grabbed Xin's hand and confidently proclaimed, "We'll be the ones to clear that quest. Me and my team over there will retrieve those oils."
Xin glanced over at the other side and noticed another group forming. There were around ten of them, but their levels ranged from 7 to 15. It seemed like they were planning to tackle the quest with sheer numbers.
"And just so you know, Lord Schrodinger will be joining our group," Skylark said with a charming wink, pointing her finger playfully at Xin. "Isn't that right, Lord Schrodinger?"
She flashed him her most captivating smile, one that could easily melt any man's heart.
But Xin only pulled his hand, and uttered, "I'm not interested." He then walked away without glancing back.
Skylark pouted, slightly disappointed that Xin had refused her offer. Noobinator, on the other hand, looked a bit annoyed.
As Xin walked away, Skylark and Noobinator began arguing with each other, their voices growing louder as they tried to convince Xin to join their respective groups.
Ignoring their commotion, Xin continued his quest to dominate the NPCs, searching for the mayor in the bustling town of Seagull's Nest.
Finally, he spotted the mayor and approached him.
"Lord Schrodinger, welcome to Seagull's Nest! What can I do for you, my friend?" the mayor warmly greeted him.
They literally became friends after Xin greeted him back.
Xin tried to maintain a friendly atmosphere and keep his poker face to a minimum. He kept in mind the advice Drasta had given him about not revealing the deaths caused by the Sahuagin on the shore.
"Are you here to participate in the quest for oil? We could really need an adventurer like you," Glesga pleaded.
And when Xin nodded, his [Relationship Level] with Glesga had reached [Intimate], and his personal information became available to him.
[Mayor Glesga Seacaller
Medium Humaniod (Elf, Noble), Lawful Evil
Glesga was the only survivor when one of the falling rocks of the Baskan court mage's summoning destroyed their family tower. They were only a child when other half-elves took them in and made sure in their upbringing that they knew the Seacallers had been nobles in the Baska kingdom.
Glesga won over the surviving fishing villages and united them in an effort to rebuild at least one town. Seagull's Nest is their most prized achievement, but their stability has been put to the test with collapsing structures, lack of resources, and the threat of Reef Raiders.
Glesga will do anything to protect their city and their hard-earned status.]
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A/N
No update on Sundays. It's my rest day 🥱