Malagobi sneered, "Their company is based in Illusion City, and they only hire women, not men. Those girls must have hired you as a scout, brother. I have no grudge against you; you don't need to risk your life for a few credits. Besides, my friends are on their way. I assure you, I won't harm you."
At that moment, Edward's mind raced. Malagobi's words held some truth, but all the signs pointed to the fact that he was running on empty. Even if he was at his last breath, he still didn't have absolute confidence in taking Malagobi down.
Yet this was indeed an opportunity; he could either strike it rich or pay with his life. Edward understood one thing clearly: in this game, it was foolish to die for money and gear. But conversely, who didn't risk their life to earn those very things?
As for the kind of luck where artifacts drop like rain and beautiful women are at your beck and call, that was no longer a game but a daydream.
"There are only fifteen seconds left; he's stalling!" Oath shouted, her hopes pinned entirely on Edward.
Suddenly, Edward snapped back to reality. Malagobi had clearly lost most of his defensive capabilities; otherwise, he could have simply finished Edward off instead of talking him down.
"It's now or never." Edward raised his shotgun and sprinted across the stone bridge.
"Do you really think that shotgun can take me down? You're not worth it, brother." Malagobi sighed, swinging his energy staff. Two streams of lava erupted, forming an arch in the air. Edward didn't dodge; in truth, he didn't possess the kind of agility that would allow for evasion—there was no point in trying.
"Face the power of magma," Malagobi chuckled.
Above Edward's head, damage values floated: "—726, —771, —90, —92." Oath couldn't bear to look at the bridge; instead, she stared at her wristwatch, counting down. "13, 12, 11…"
Amid the fiery flow, Malagobi was surprised not to see the anticipated white light. Instead, he realized Edward had vanished.
"What's going on? This can't be happening!" His eyes widened in shock as he prepared to activate the lava again, but his energy staff froze in midair—his opponent was no longer visible.
The cavern echoed only with Oath's countdown: "7, 6, 5, 4, 3…"
Cold sweat dripped down Malagobi's forehead. He was a clever man, and within two seconds, he grasped the situation. Edward was wielding a shotgun, indicating he was a gunslinger. Shotguns were meant for close to mid-range combat, so it was likely he had learned the "Mimetic Stealth" skill, which allowed him to blend perfectly into his surroundings, becoming nearly indistinguishable to the naked eye. However, this skill only lasted a few seconds, typically used for escape. No one would have thought Edward would use it for an attack.
By the time Malagobi pieced this together, Oath had already reached "1." Miraculously, Edward reappeared right in front of him. Malagobi felt every pore in his body tense up; he realized that because he had momentarily hesitated, he had missed his best chance to finish Edward off.
"Face the power of bullets," Edward smiled, with red damage numbers still floating above his head.
Malagobi saw the barrel of the gun practically pressed against his navel.
"You beast, you beast!" he shouted, but the words never left his lips. Instead, there was a deafening bang as the shotgun discharged.
With a single shot, a blinding white light ascended.
Edward took a desperate gamble, and he was right—Malagobi's HP was below 300. That shot dealt "—510" damage, and a single peanut-sized bullet claimed his life, draining his last remaining HP to zero.
As Malagobi fell, his body exploded like a firecracker, scattering loot in every direction—a shower of crystal shards, swords, and rusty trinkets. Edward's keen eyes caught sight of two items shimmering with a purple glow among the debris. He used every last ounce of strength to dive and grasp them tightly.
Only then did Oath look up, astonished to see that Malagobi had been taken down by Edward. In that moment, she felt a rush of joy and disbelief, ready to cheer when she suddenly noticed Edward, too, had transformed into a white light and disappeared.
Oath was momentarily stunned before the realization hit her. Edward was only level 13. He had been nearly cooked by the lava while crossing the stone bridge, and his remaining HP couldn't withstand the burn; it was only a matter of time before he fell.
What she didn't know was that, in the last second before he shot Malagobi, Edward had only 65 HP left—barely enough strength to pull the trigger. Whether Malagobi lived or died, he was destined to go down as well.
Indeed, while true experts relied on skill, there were moments when survival depended on sheer desperation.
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When Edward woke up from the virtual game pod, he was greeted by the mouthwatering aroma of scrambled eggs with tomatoes. His throat instinctively swallowed a few times, and he quickly opened the two halves of the pod's door, climbing out of bed and making his way to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, a young man was diligently cooking. This was Edward's roommate, A-Jie.
A-Jie had moved in six months ago. The two-bedroom apartment was Edward's, and he rented one room to A-Jie for a nominal fee of 800 yuan a month, which was considered quite affordable in City C.
Perhaps feeling guilty about the low rent, A-Jie often cooked dinner for Edward in the evenings, whipping up various dishes.
Edward found it hard to comprehend how A-Jie, a charming and handsome guy who looked every bit the polished professional, had developed a passion for cooking and could make such delicious meals.
"I've told you many times, with your looks, it's a waste not to be a pretty boy," Edward chuckled as he walked into the kitchen.
A-Jie turned around and smiled, "Edward, you're awake! Dinner is almost ready."
Edward took a seat at the table, which was already filled with crispy fried chicken strips, cold cucumber salad, braised tofu, and fragrant chicken slices. He didn't hesitate to grab chopsticks and dig in.
"You played games all day again. I saw you sleeping when I got home," A-Jie said as he set down a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes.
"What? Did you go out again to see your beautiful girlfriend?" Edward asked, shoveling food into his mouth while teasing him. "Your love story is truly moving—your daily essential course: strolling through the park. I'm impressed."
A-Jie's smile widened. "What's wrong? Not satisfied? Why don't you find yourself a girlfriend? Need me to introduce someone?"
"Please don't," Edward quickly waved him off. "The last time you introduced someone, I didn't know how to respond. How did you describe her? Gentle, virtuous, hardworking, good-looking, sweet-faced? But when I met her, I found out she was 160 cm tall and weighed over 150 pounds, looking like a big ball. I even treated her to a meal that cost me over a hundred bucks!"
A-Jie laughed even harder. "I didn't lie; she has all those qualities! You just have high standards."
"Forget it; I'm poor, and the poor have their own joys. I'll just stick to my games—girls cost too much," Edward replied, his head down, focused on his food.
A-Jie watched him with concern in his eyes. "Edward, you should get a job. Playing games all day isn't a proper way to live. How will you make money without a job?"
Edward set his bowl down and looked at him. "In the past six months, I've noticed you never go to work either. So where does your money come from?"
A-Jie hesitated, "I…"
"Don't bother," Edward interrupted, raising his hand. "I know, your beautiful girlfriend must be wealthy. I've said it before; with your looks, it's a shame not to be a pretty boy…"
"Ahem, ahem!" A-Jie coughed awkwardly, prompting Edward to quickly change his tone. "Brother Jie, I know you're looking out for me. Don't worry; money will come. I was once a professional gamer."
As he spoke, Edward's smile faded, and his gaze grew distant, filled with nostalgia for the past.