The two females pointed their guns at each other, and the situation turned heated!
“Enough!”
Chen Xiaolian shouted aloud and strode forward to stand between the two girls. He then said seriously. “What are you two arguing about?”
He grabbed the muzzle of Nicole’s shotgun and raised it to point at the roof. Then, he looked at Qiao Qiao. “Qiao Qiao, put away your gun!”
Qiao Qiao took a deep breath. She had a complicated expression on her face; however, she obeyed Chen Xiaolian’s words.
“Hmph! You are a team of kids. I have no expectation for an impartial settlement from this Guild Leader. Besides, I am just a temporary guild member. All I want to say is this: people like you who try to preserve their naïve way of thinking will never get to live a long life! A soft-hearted Guild Leader who is too kind for his own good and a naïve girlfriend… I truly feel sorry for your guild.”
“Enough!” Chen Xiaolian turned his head and stared at Nicole. “A temporary guild member is still a guild member! A temporary Guild Leader is still a Guild Leader! When you are in the Floating Angels Guild, I doubt that you would dare say those words to your Guild Leader.”
“I detest that deep-seated haughtiness of your voice,” Qiao Qiao said coldly. “You may have a powerful strength, a Floating Angel. However, do not forget, you are now a member of our guild. Additionally, you are the one who requested to join us.”
“… you!” Nicole clenched her teeth.
“Break it up, you two!” Chen Xiaolian pointed to the front of the vehicle. “Nicole, go sit in front! Qiao Qiao…” Chen Xiaolian regarded Qiao Qiao with a complex expression. “Follow me to the back. We’ll talk.”
Nicole pursed her lips to the side. She then turned around and moved to the front side of the bus, sitting beside Lun Tai and the rest. After that, she crossed her arms and looked outside the windows.
Chen Xiaolian pulled Qiao Qiao to the damaged rear part of the vehicle. The outside winds blew in and ruffled Qiao Qiao’s long, black hair.
Chen Xiaolian’s eyes turned somewhat gentle and his hand reached out for her ruffled hair. He spoke in a low tone of voice. “What is wrong? It is rare for you to lose your temper like this.”
“I… am somewhat unable to control my emotions,” Qiao Qiao took a deep breath as she closed her eyes before speaking out slowly. “Xiaolian, my heart is in deep turmoil. Even though this is Japan, Tokyo… but, when I see those people commit those lawless actions without any regards to the law, killing wantonly in the streets, they are treating ordinary people as nothing!
“Most importantly, it is not only those Players doing so, even we are doing the same thing.
“My heart feels very confused, I do not know… I can no longer differentiate what is true and what is false.
“That Takeuchi Mikiko… she is just an ordinary girl, an NPC.
“But, sometimes I cannot help myself but wonder: what if that was me?
“If I had not met you and not become the same as you… if I were to remain an ordinary person…
“If this instance dungeon area is not taking place in Tokyo, Japan…
“If this instance dungeon was to occur in the city we live in…
“Then, what would happen to me?
“Would I be running desperately through the streets in panic and fear like everyone else?
“Would I be similar to those ordinary people who were blown up in a disaster or have my house burned down?
“We have seen too many of those occurrences within Tokyo! We have also destroyed many buildings ourselves. What would happen to those people staying within those buildings? What would happen to those ordinary residents living in the residential districts?
“Could it be that they deserve nothing more but to become lambs to the slaughter?
“Do they only deserve to be an NPC? One that has no rights?
“Do they not deserve any dignity? Being freely dealt with by others, trampled beneath others like ants.
“If we were ordinary people and such a fate befalls us… then, when we gaze upon the Players… the Awakened ones… would we feel angry? Hatred? Despair?
“Xiaolian, my heart is really, really confused.
“Presently, we are the participants of this instance dungeon, fighting against the Players… But, the things that we are doing… how is it any different from the Players? They view our world as a game! Our people as NPC…
“But we… aren’t we doing the same thing?
“In the end… is this true or false. Is this actually right or wrong… I, I am suddenly feeling very conflicted. I do not understand… what are we doing all these for. Is it right or is it wrong? I… I…”
Observing Qiao Qiao’s agitated eyes, Chen Xiaolian silently took a step forward and pulled Qiao Qiao into his chest. He did so in a domineering manner and he fiercely embraced Qiao Qiao.
His lips kissed down on Qiao Qiao’s hair, then down onto Qiao Qiao’s forehead. Without waiting for Qiao Qiao to say anything, Chen Xiaolian placed his lips onto hers.
“Wu…”
The girl’s eyes first widened before quickly narrowing. Then, she closed her eyes.
Chen Xiaolian kissed Qiao Qiao seriously. Then, his head drew back and he stared solemnly into Qiao Qiao’s eyes.
“This is your first participation in an instance dungeon. You will have these chaotic thoughts, you will feel confused, not knowing who you are or what you are doing… you will become confused, tangled and lost… these feelings are normal. It is very, very normal.
“I have also been in your shoes. Back when I was sucked into all this, I too had felt infuriated, confused…
“I too, was unable to differentiate what was truth and what was false…
“Once, I had been feeling even more confused than you
“Do you still remember that night on the rooftop of the hotel?”
“… I remember,” Qiao Qiao’s cheek blushed.
“Back then, I was feeling the same as you are now. Then, I remember a girl using her actions to tell me what is real. She allowed me to, in that moment, taste the ‘truth’,” Chen Xiaolian said and moved closer to Qiao Qiao, pecking gently on her mouth. “Can you feel this ‘truth’ of mine?”
“…” Qiao Qiao used an indescribable expression to gaze at Chen Xiaolian. The feeling of loss and anxiety within her eyes were gone. At that moment, there was only one figure within her beautiful pair of eyes.
“Remember what we agreed on! No matter what… we’ll carry the burden together!”
…
“Your Guild Leader and his little lover are quite the match,” Nicole observed the two of them hugging in the back; she curled the corners of her lips while her eyes revealed her disapproval. “What should I say about this? In such a dangerous instance dungeon, how could they still be in the mood to be romantic?”
Lun Tai suddenly stood up and cast a cold gaze at Nicole. “I think there is something that I need to clear up with you. Miss Nicole! Your Honourable Excellency, Floating Angel!”
“…” Nicole looked at Lun Tai.
“You are indeed an expert from Zero City,” Lun Tai said coolly. “However, I also really detest that feeling of disdain and superiority that you are giving off! Maybe to you, joining our guild is something disgraceful for someone of your status, causing you to feel dissatisfied… however, I can only tell you this… the door of this vehicle is right there! You may leave any time you like! We will not beg you to join us!”
Gazhi!
The minibus suddenly stopped!
Roddy who was sitting in the driver’s seat, suddenly turned around and regarded Nicole with a calm expression. Looking at this girl he secretly likes… it would be more accurate to say that this was the girl he openly likes, Roddy said earnestly.
“A guild must be united! It must respect the Guild Leader’s will and decisions! If you are determined to look down on us, then there is no need for us to continue working together!
“If you are truly sincere in wanting to become our temporary guild member, then please put aside your feelings of resentment and disdain towards us!
“Please learn to respect your guild mates, even if only temporarily! More importantly, please learn to respect your Guild Leader! Even if he is just a temporary one!
“Right now, this bus is not moving. The door is right there! You can make your choice!”
For these words to come out of Roddy’s mouth, everyone became surprised.
At that moment, the look that Roddy was directing at Nicole contained not the slightest trace of obsession or love, only earnestness and seriousness!
Nicole looked at Roddy with a complicated expression. Then, she abruptly got up and gave a bow to everyone.
“I am very sorry, I am the one who is not thinking properly,” Nicole slowly said. “I apologize to everyone here! Before the instance dungeon ends, I will respect the principles of this guild, its members and its Guild Leader.”
Roddy silently glanced at Nicole before turning back to restart the minibus.
…
Their bus drove through the highway. Geographically speaking, they have already left the Tokyo area.
This detail led to them feeling slightly at ease.
Judging from the details given in the system prompt, the area of effect for the transformation into monsters should be limited to the Tokyo area. As such, by leaving Tokyo, it was possible that they will no longer encounter any danger posed by those transformed into monsters…
As they travelled through the highway, they saw no vehicles at all. That caused everyone on board to feel uneasy.
“Something is not right,” Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “Logically speaking, since the instance dungeon area is limited to Tokyo City, once we leave and reach the outside world, everything should be normal. How could there be no cars at all on the high way?”
“Maybe the road we are using had been automatically turned into the instance dungeon area,” Lun Tai cupped his chin. “This possibility exists. Following the development of the quest and the changes that occur throughout the storyline, the area of the instance dungeon could undergo change as well.”
“That is not something we can take lightly,” Chen Xiaolian shook his head.
“I believe there should not be any danger for now,” Lun Tai thought about it. “The system did not state that the bio-transformation of monsters will occur outside the Tokyo area. Additionally… we should have a huge lead. We should be the first amongst the participants of the second phase to locate the quest target! I can say with certainty that the other participants must still be inside Tokyo, trying to find the quest target! Finding one person amongst a sea of humanity with just one picture is no easy task.”
“In other words, we will not be attacked for the time being? Be it monsters or other participants, we will not face any dangers from either of them?” Chen Xiaolian breathed a sigh of relief. “I think your analysis makes a lot of sense.”
“Xiaolian, there is a rest stop in front. It would be best for us to stop and refill our gas,” Roddy who was driving shouted out. “We do not have much gas left in this bus. It would be a safe bet to refill some.”
Chen Xiaolian walked to the front and narrowed his eyes to look at the road ahead. A highway rest stop gradually grew closer. It looked very quiet and spacious. There was a resting area and a shopping area in addition to a gas station.
“All right, we’ll head there,” Chen Xiaolian slowly said. “Everyone be alert, don’t be careless! Have your weapons ready for battle at all times!”
Their bus quickly exited the high way and into the rest stop. They kept moving until they reached the gas station…
The gas station was empty, devoid of cars and staff members!
Everything here… was too quiet.
…