Sawakita Mitsuo
That was the name Roddy sent over to Chen Xiaolian using the guild channel.
That was clearly a Japanese name.
After entering the restroom, Roddy was able to quickly find this name written with lipstick in a hidden spot beneath the sink.
It was clear that this name was left behind by Nagase Komi.
That was the only thing he found.
After wiping the name away, Roddy left the restroom.
Sawakita Mitsuo?
What did Nagase Komi meant by giving them this name?
After deliberating about it for a moment, Chen Xiaolian asked Roddy, “Is your mobile phone out of the Great Firewall? [1]”
After getting affirmation from Roddy, he borrowed Roddy’s mobile phone and went online to search for the name.
A few minutes later, Chen Xiaolian knitted his eyebrows.
Clearly, he had found what he was looking for.
He had a page opened up. In that page, there was a picture. The picture was none other than that of the Japanese old man.
Indeed, it was the old man sitting beside Nagase Komi.
Sawakita Mitsuo was his name.
Gakushuin University, Professor of Theology.
“Gakushuin University? What is this place? It sounds like some third-rate university for chickens.” Roddy who saw what was being displayed on the screen, messaged Chen Xiaolian using guild channel.
Chen Xiaolian smiled wryly as he replied back: “University for chickens? To think you would actually say that!”
He quickly entered the words ‘Gakushuin University’ into the search engine. After viewing the search results, Roddy became speechless.
Japan’s Gakushuin University… this seemingly simplistic name that would make one scratch their heads… [2]
Possessed a strikingly prestigious status in Japan!
An Imperial university!
Even the name ‘Gakushuin’ was personally given to it by the Japanese Meiji Emperor. Right, the Meiji Emperor from the Meiji Restoration.
The Emperors from the modern era, Taisho, Showa, Akihito… they were all former students of this university!
Although it was not named as such, it could be considered as the standard Imperial University of Japan.
For someone to become a Professor in a university designated to nurture the members of the Imperial family…
Additionally, he was a Professor of Theology!
Looking at the attire worn by Sawakita Mitsuo, it was clear that what he was wearing was the clothing of the Shinto religion.
Shinto religion… Professor of Theology!
The Shinto religion was Japan’s ethnic religion!
He was the Professor of Theology within the university for imperial family members!
Even if the Emperor himself were to meet this person, he will need to address him politely: Great Teacher.
Although he did not have a rank of Grand Preceptor or something of the likes, he was at least a core member of the Imperial family – well, an invisible one.
Someone with such an esteemed identity was actually travelling together with a female ruffian like Nagase Komi?
…
The car moved down from the Hangzhou Bay Bridge. After leaving the highway, it turned into a slightly remote road.
Not long after that, it drove past a rest stop located not too far away from the coast and continued down the road and into a small town.
The place was a standard coastal town located in the southeast area. The car then drove past a plot of windbreak trees by the coast and away from the seawall. It continued to drive on a winding road toward a hillside before coming to a halt before the peak of the hill.
Shen stepped out from the car and sighed softly. He raised his head and turned to look at the hillside.
A faint silhouette of a figure could be seen standing on a stone platform made from concrete.
A grin appeared on Shen’s face and he emerged from the car with a bottle of wine in his hand.
“Wait for me here.”
After saying that, Shen strode toward the stone platform.
The concrete platform had rusted iron fixed upon its edges. When Shen reached the side of the concrete platform, he gave it a glance and proceeded to climb up without any regard to his image.
When he made his way up the concrete platform, he caught sight of the shiny back of a bald head.
The back of a huge body faced him as the owner looked to the ocean while sitting cross-legged.
Shen walked over and casually sat down beside Tian Lie. Next, he used his teeth to bite off the cork of the bottle of wine. After spitting the cork away, he drank two mouthfuls from the bottle himself before handing the bottle over.
Tian Lie turned his gaze back and glanced at Shen. There was a complicated expression on his face as he accepted the bottle of wine. He took a gulp.
“How many times is this?” Shen wiped his mouth and looked at Tian Lie.
“Times?”
“How many times has it been that you had left the guild and I have to come looking for you to ask you to return?” There was a hint of ridicule in Shen’s face as he continued, “We are the Thorned Flower Guild. How many people are begging to the point of tears, hoping to be able to enter our guild? I am the Guild Leader of Thorned Flower Guild. The number of matters that I have to put aside to come here and get you to return… Do you know? At this moment, we have four sub teams participating in instance dungeons. One of them happens to be an [A+] class instance dungeon. I put all these aside and instead ran all the way here to accompany you to enjoy this scenery of the ocean…”
The corners of Tian Lie’s mouth curled into a grin and he handed the bottle of wine back into Shen’s hands. Next, he took a deep breath and the playful and disrespectful smile on his face disappeared.
At that moment, there was only seriousness within his eyes!
“Thank you, Guild Leader!” Tian Lie said with a sigh and continued, “And… sorry.”
Hearing the word “Sorry”, a change came over Shen’s expression.
The smile that was on his face gradually faded away.
His gaze too, gradually turned colder!
“Is there no other way?” Shen frowned and shook his head before continuing, “This is not the first time after all. You’re a mad man who would inexplicably go mad inside instance dungeons and run away. Then, I would have to drop everything on my plate to personally ask you to come back. We will drink several bottles of wine before you would return to the guild… it’s not like these things have never happened before. Why is it that this time… you would say ‘sorry’?”
“Because this time… I’m not going back.” After saying that, Tian Lie turned his head over and looked directly into Shen’s eyes.
“… … …” Shen knitted his eyebrows and carefully assessed Tian Lie’s expression. Through his expression, Shen was able to see traces of seriousness, firmness and… decisiveness!
“You’ve decided?” Shen asked in a whisper. “You’ve really made up your mind this time?”
“Mm.” Tian Lie nodded his head.
He stood up and walked to the edge of the concrete platform. Then, he turned to Shen and extended his hand.
Shen tossed the bottle of wine over and Tian Lie caught it. In one gulp, he downed nearly half the contents of the bottle and exhaled.
“This time, I’ve really made up my mind. I won’t change it.”
Shen was silent for a moment as he pondered it. Then, he said, “I need an explanation, a reason.”
There was an odd look in Tian Lie’s face as he said, “If I were to tell you… I could no longer go back, would you accept it? Perhaps there is another… me and Thorned Flower Guild, we really are incompatible. It would be for the best if we just go our separate ways…”
“Are you going to tell me that I am a good person as well?” Shen laughed as he looked at Tian Lie.
Tian Lie waved his hand and gulped down the rest of the contents of the bottle. After that, he threw the bottle into the ocean.
“Tian Lie, I have always looked highly upon you,” said Shen with an expressionless face. “Although you are an Awakened, your position in Thorned Flower is not low! I even allowed you to become an Inspector, giving you the authority over many Players! You should know that this decision of mine had received countless oppositions.”
“I know,” said Tian Lie as he nodded his head.
“Then, do you know that I have always considered you as… someone like a friend.”
Hearing those words, Tian Lie became silent.
“Follow me back. I will give you another chance to take back what you said just now.” Shen stood up and walked toward Tian Lie. He said slowly, “I can ignore what happened to you in the Tokyo instance dungeon. In fact… why the system judged that you had died only to have you standing here alive before me… if this is your secret, I will not pry into it! Return with me to the guild and we’ll act like nothing has happened.”
“… … …” There was a bitter expression on Tian Lie’s face and he said, “Very tempting… it is a very tempting offer, Guild Leader.”
“You should already know… I actually do not care about the so-called rules, the procedures and whatnot,” said Shen with a tone that was deeply laced with ridicule. “There is only one thing I care about: Joy. As long as this world can give me a sense of joy, I will be happy. As for the other matters… even if the Development Team appears before me, I could even ignore them.”
“You’ve always been a special one,” said Tian Lie. His pupils contracted and he said, “You are the most special existence that I have ever encountered.”
“If so, just return with me.” Shen exhaled and suddenly broke into a smile. “See, no one has ever managed to make me beg to such a point before.”
“Nolan died. He died in the London instance dungeon… his death is connected to me,” said Tian Lie as he looked into Shen’s eyes.
“If he’s dead, then he’s dead.” Shen pursed his lips to the side and said, “Someone as idiotic as that, I can easily recruit eight or ten of them with a snap of my fingers.”
“The failure of the Tokyo instance dungeon is also on my head.”
“I couldn’t care less. It’s just a minor technological type instance dungeon,” said Shen softly. “All we lost was a sub team and a few Thunderstorm Tanks… if we want to, we can just make a couple of them and blast them ourselves.”
“Then… what is it that you care about?” Tian Lie looked at Shen. “What could become worthy of you caring?”
Shen was silent.
Tian Lie walked until he was standing beside Shen. Then he whispered, “Is it the World Tree?”
Shen’s eyes suddenly changed!
His gaze abruptly turned icy cold and his hand shot out, gripping onto Tian Lie’s throat!
Tian Lie who was standing before Shen did not put up any form of resistance. He simply allowed him to grip his throat!
Shen narrowed his eyes and his slender fingers gripping onto Tian Lie’s neck tightened, causing Tian Lie to shudder somewhat.
“Never speak of that thing before me… remember, NEVER!” Shown upon Shen’s eyes was an undisguised feeling of loathing!
Tian Lie who was being strangled had a calm expression on his face as he looked at Shen’s hand.
Shen furrowed his brows and gently loosened his hand.
“Tian Lie, just tell me what the real reason is.” Shen took a deep breath and said, “There is a limit to my patience. Don’t try to provoke me.”
“See? This is my reason.”
Tian Lie continued coolly, “You called me Tian Lie… but the fact is, my real name is Da Gang. Just now, you said that you viewed me as something like a friend. But the fact of the matter is… someone is willing to treat me as a real friend and not something like a friend, dear Guild Leader Shen.”
“Is this the laughable human nature?” Shen let out what seemed like a laugh. “Interesting, did your human nature get stirred? This is also not the first time. Every time you ran away, was it not because your human nature was stirred? Did you kill too many people and went crazy? Or did something happened to remind you of something emotional?
“Oh, what are you doing this for this time around? Friends? Did you end up making some friends?”
After saying that, Shen’s eyes suddenly widened and he asked, “Oy, don’t tell me you fell in love with some woman? Tian Lie! If this is actually the case, I am going to laugh at you until you wish you are dead!”
Tian Lie laughed at the question and answered, “Of course not.”
He shook his head and turned to look at Shen. Then, he suddenly bent his body and made a bowing gesture.
“For everything you’ve done for me in the past, thank you, Guild Leader Shen. As for the future… I am sorry, I can no longer keep working for someone as interesting as you, I am very sorry!”