"Hi."
A low voice of greeting then sounded on the street not far from Duan Qing. Inside a certain civilian tavern, Feng Chui Mai Lang, who had already left the place, was pushing away with his big package on his back. He opened the door inside the tavern and at the same time said hello to a man who was sipping inside the door: "I knew you were still here."
"Ah, it's brother Mai Lang!"
Before the man could react, another purple-haired little girl sitting in the private room jumped up from the other side of the wine table: "Brother Mai Lang is finally back! Hurry, help Bao'er say Let’s talk about this brother! He’s been drinking for a whole day!”
"Don't blame your brother, he's just waiting for someone." He smiled and unloaded the package behind him on the ground. Feng Chui Lang replied with a smile: "Drinking is the best way for men to kill time, isn't it? "
"You're right, and..." Putting down the wine glass in his hand, the man sitting there did not waver in his expression or gaze: "How could I leave so easily if I didn't get what I wanted?"
"I thought you had given up too."
Sighing and shaking his head, Feng Chui Mai Lang, with a smile on his face, swaggered and sat opposite the man: "Well... rather, I didn't expect you to come back so soon."
"Such a big thing has happened. I can't just ignore it." Playing with the small wine glass in his hand, the man replied in a low voice: "In the past, I was indebted to that person for taking care of him. If I don't take good care of his descendants, How?"
"Originally, I was thinking of gathering the four of us to do a thorough summation, but now it seems that this is no longer necessary."
He grabbed the wine glass from the opponent's hand and poured out a little of the wine from the wine bottle placed in the middle of the wine table: "Is there no problem over there?"
"Of course not. The people in Chihun know my true identity." He smiled and pushed back the head that the little purple-haired girl stretched out, and the man with a black bandage on his hand replied with a smile: " And with the current situation, they probably won’t worry about anyone causing trouble.”
"Okay, let's let it go for now."
He raised his head and drank the wine in the glass. A serious light flashed in Feng Chui Mai Lang's eyes: "I have roughly investigated the cause and effect of the matter. Sure enough, all the contradictions still lie with the prince, nor with the prince." I know what kind of stupidity this future member of the Fleur Empire made to cause so much trouble on Tania’s side..."
"Is that true?"
"I heard this story from the underground world. If the source is... let's just say it's one of our own."
After spitting out a mouthful of turbid alcohol, his gaze lingered for a while on the purple-haired little girl who was glaring at him angrily: "But there has been an accident on Wiesel's side, and the rest We can no longer confirm how much truth there is in people, so——"
"Fat Yang Yang shouldn't have any problems, at least from Chi Hun's point of view." After answering the other party's question in advance, the man shook his head deeply: "But you know I want to That’s not what you’re asking about.”
"Are you referring to the news that the miners handed over?" He knocked his wine glass heavily on the table and replied with a smile: "This is what I want to say next."
"oh?"
"I wish you could go see it for yourself."
Pointing to the direction he came from, Fengzhu Mailang whispered towards the entrance to the dark alley that led to and from the underground world: "He seems to be wary of a series of my previous actions and doesn't want me to continue to follow." He died, so we have to find someone to take over."
"Even someone like you who is the best at acting can't do it, and I'm afraid I can't do it even more." He pulled the bandage on his hand hard with both hands, and the man shook his shoulders that were gradually getting stronger: "And -"
His words paused for a moment, and his eyes moved to the little purple-haired girl on the side who was looking at them with wide eyes. Feng Chui Mai Lang, who was also looking at all this, then smiled and shook his head. , his face became much brighter: "Haha, Bao'er is still as cute as ever! Don't worry, you can take her with you."
"They are very strong." He gestured in the direction of the dark alley: "Ensuring safety should not be a problem."
"..."
A look of interest gradually flashed in his eyes, and the mysterious man's fists gradually clenched together: "Strong? How strong?"
"I knew you would be more interested in this." Pouring another glass of wine, Feng Chui Mai Lang laughed and completely collapsed on the sofa behind him: "Go, Brother Scrap Iron."
"Since he has always regarded himself as the most unyielding guy among us four losers, he probably won't admit defeat under such a legend."
He waved his hand and didn't care at all as the tall man walked out of the room with the little girl. The two elongated shadows, one large and one small, which were completely inconsistent, also disappeared among the drinkers coming and going. After entering the street, he slowly walked to the direction of the dark alley to the south. The figure belonging to Duan Qing had already stopped at the entrance of the alley where they wanted to go out, holding the body of Ningyu Ninglan. His eyes had been stationary at the same place for a long time, as if he was waiting for something. After a long while, he frowned, and then slowly walked to the corner of the street where the figure he was looking at was: "Why don't you say anything? I -"
"I thought you had been following us."
Like a beggar wandering among the slums of Tania, a ragged and listless player appeared in Duan Qing's sight. If it weren't for his identity as a fellow player, he could see it. Duan Qing couldn't even distinguish the figure from this dark and desolate scene when he heard the other party's name. It seems that he did not hear the voice calling him. The player named Demon Hunter did not raise his scarred horse face for a long time, and the dull eyes occasionally appeared between the scattered hair. , even made Duan Qing have some doubts about his own judgment: "What's going on? You haven't really fallen to this point, have you?"
"...Are you also one of my old enemies who knows me?"
The indifferent reaction finally changed. The beggar player named Demon Hunter shifted his gaze slightly: "If you want revenge, please queue up, and I have nothing else to hand over here."
"Is it true that the tiger has fallen into disgrace?" Duan Qing's frowned brows deflected again: "How did you end up in such a situation?"
In the rustling rain curtain, the two people's eyes slowly met each other, and the beggar-looking Demon Hunter's eyes that were originally dull began to become dull as time went by. It became clearer and clearer, and finally it stopped at the maid held in Duan Qing's arms: "Secret language Ninglan? How is it possible? She is not, shouldn't she have been -"
Suddenly closing his mouth, Demon Hunter's eyes suddenly fell on Duan Qing: "Wait, who are you?"
"You turned the problem back to me so quickly." With a few helpless smiles, Duan Qing slowly put the weak body he was holding aside: "But judging from your reaction just now, you He seems to know what happened to Ninglan."
"Is it because of the recent relationship with the Duan family?" He asked the other party with a smile, but there seemed to be no smile in his eyes: "What has that old thief been doing recently?"
"……It is you."
As if he suddenly understood the identity of the gray-robed magician in front of him, the beggar-like Demon Hunter suddenly widened his eyes: "I'm afraid you are the only person in the world who dares to call that guy Duan Qingnian an old thief. One more.”
"So what? Isn't he still outside now?" Duan Qing pointed at the other person's chest: "Look at your appearance now, are you going to become the leader of the Beggar Clan?"
"It would be great if this is really the case. At least the gang leader still has some strength." Demon Hunter sighed and replied: "And I - a useless good-for-nothing, can't even be called an ordinary gang member now."
"How is it possible? You were the boss of the Demon Paradise." Duan Qing replied in a low voice: "Even without the support of the guild, your personal strength is-"
"Stop talking."
After sternly interrupting the other party's words, Demon Hunter's expression and tone fell silent again: "Those things have passed, and now I am just a useless person."
"……What on earth happened?"
"It doesn't hurt to tell you now. I have no use to those people anyway."
Moving his body with difficulty, Demon Hunter said in a sad voice: "The Knights Templar have been creating characters who can control the sword of mind. They have never given up the idea of dominating the entire virtual world. As the research progresses, this The purpose is getting closer and closer, becoming more and more real.”
"Due to a series of failures in the early stage, I was thrown into the research department to serve as an experimental subject." Speaking of this, he buried his head deeply: "Then...it became what it is now."
"The experiment failed?" Duan Qing asked in surprise: "What experiment are you doing? Could it be the one three years ago..."
"That's right, because that was the only clue left in this world after you disappeared voluntarily." Demon Hunter let out a hollow smile: "It's really sad. Everything that the people who have been ostracizing and despising have finally become what they fight for. An object of robbery—is there anything in this world more deplorable than this?”
"They didn't even hesitate to do it."
Biting his teeth, Duan Qing then set his sights on Demon Hunter again: "Let alone forcibly using the Intention Sword, even if it is to disable the safety device to increase the permeability of the nerve connection, the damage to the player will be It is also very huge and irreparable damage.”
"Yes, it is indeed irreversible."
Lifting his arms with difficulty, Demon Hunter showed his skinny hands to Duan Qing: "Although I have not turned into a vegetative state like the previous case, my nerves have also been highly atrophied. The strength of the muscles and the reflexes of the brain seem to have aged for decades..."
"Will injuries in the real world be reflected in the virtual world?" Duan Qing said sadly, "You should stop playing the game and go to the hospital to take a good rest."
"The medicine of this generation can indeed cure this kind of neurological pain, but it will cost a lot of money." Demon Hunter let out a self-deprecating laugh: "And I - an abandoned person abandoned by them. Son, what do you think I have the ability to enjoy such treatment now?"
"They wouldn't be so kind." As if Duan Qing didn't need to answer, the ragged beggar then waved his hand with difficulty: "Now I can only lie here. Lying here is the only thing I have." You’re qualified to lie down on the streets.”
"I have to say that you gave up too early." Duan Qing sighed slightly and looked at the depressed back of the other party and said in a calm voice: "Becoming stronger is not the only reason for us to stay in this virtual world. You still have There are lots of other things that can be done.”
"If there weren't so many people seeking revenge and settling scores behind me, I might consider it." Demon Hunter's voice came muffled from behind his crouched figure: "You don't even know that I have been here for a long time. What exactly have you been through?”
"Three years have passed, so I can still guess more or less." The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and Duan Qing withdrew his gaze from the other person's body. The body squatting aside then followed He also supported Anyu Ninglan's body and sat against the corner, looking at the rain curtain above his head with sighing eyes: "But since they are all destitute people from Tianya, those words of comfort have no effect now, right? in this way--"
"How about we make a deal."
His eyes did not deflect in any way, and a hint of thought flashed through his ordinary eyes: "I won't say those hypocritical polite words. The feuds and hatred between us are not as important as the same situation we are in now. So I will give you some help within my ability, at least... to help you get along better in the game world."
"Looking at your appearance, you should have deleted your account and started practicing again." Demon Hunter paused for a moment and his voice came back in a dull tone: "Where do you get the capital to put forward such a condition?"
"Don't look at me like this, I also have a guild now." Duan Qing patted his chest: "The name is Qingling Adventure Group. It is also somewhat influential in the Fleur Empire. Wait for you. After you are sent to the empire, Emperor Drenir should also give you some good looks."
"The condition... is all the information you know about the Knights Templar."
He looked at the motionless beggar's side and suggested with a smile.
"How's the deal?"
