Chapter Forty-Six: RG Club
Without further delay, the six members of Ye Yu’s team plunged right back into the main storyline quest.
They accepted their quest from Old Ghost, the bandit of Jiushan Village.
Quest Level Requirement: Level 30
Quest NPC: Old Ghost, Bandit of Jiushan Village
Quest Description: Old Ghost, the bandit of Jiushan Village, has taken note of your abilities. He wishes to recount a tale or two for you to hear.
Quest Objective: Listen to Old Ghost, Bandit of Jiushan Village
Quest Turn-in NPC: Old Ghost, Bandit of Jiushan Village
“Why does this quest sound like we’re just here to listen to stories?” Luo Feng glanced at the quest description, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
“Quit the chatter and let’s see for ourselves,” Ye Yu replied bluntly.
So, the six of them headed straight to Old Ghost’s location. There, in his modest courtyard, the old bandit lounged comfortably on a rocking chair, his expression one of serene contentment, as though he truly savored the peace of the moment.
“Ah, young heroes, you’ve come,” Old Ghost greeted, opening his eyes just a sliver, the gentle calm of his face receding as he regarded the six.
Ye Yu was genuinely impressed by the AI in “Divine Mourning.” The immersive quest initiation felt almost indistinguishable from reality. Old Ghost didn’t require a click or prompt; the quest simply began, and players could freely converse with him.
“You’ve saved Jiushan Village, and so I no longer see you as outsiders. Let me tell you what you came here to learn today.” Old Ghost’s smile was warm, yet tinged with a faint sorrow.
Just then, the world around the six shifted and blurred—they found themselves drawn into a story scene.
When Old Ghost was just starting out as a bandit, he once heard a senior in the trade say to him, “One must be principled. In our line of work, humility and subtlety are paramount. As the saying goes, ‘the greenest shoot is the first to wither.’ If we’re too brash, our downfall will only come that much swifter.”
Old Ghost’s figure remained standing nearby, not vanishing with the scene transition.
Ye Yu frowned, realizing the story had paused and awaited player input. He spoke up, “Why do you feel that way, elder?”
“A wagon rolls fast thanks to the mule in front. A master who’s slow-witted, a thief with energy. But a thief without a target is doomed to fail—either he steals too little or he can’t escape. Yet, there are those who simply don’t care about any of this. Two ruthless figures emerged, and in their eyes, all sense of honor had vanished.”
Old Ghost’s face clouded, a hint of anger glinting in his gentle eyes.
“Two ruthless figures?”
“We call them the Twin Reavers.”
At this, Luo Feng couldn’t help but laugh. “That name is pretty fierce! If it’s a man and a woman, they’d be the Malevolent Pair, wouldn’t they? Ha ha!”
Smack!
Ye Yu spun around and gave Luo Feng a whack on the back of his head, shooting him a fierce glare before turning back to Old Ghost. “So what happened? Did something go wrong?”
“They were too arrogant. If no one teaches them a lesson, who knows how many naïve newcomers to the trade will be led astray? By then, everything changes, and there’s no turning back.”
Ye Yu nodded thoughtfully. “So you want to take precautions—that’s wise. If we can help you deal with these Twin Reavers, is there anything we can do?”
“Before one can do a good job, one must first have good tools. I’ve been tracking them for some time now, following in secret. My boots are worn through and I haven’t had a moment to mend them. Now, I’m barefoot all the way to Jiushan Ridge. If you want to know their whereabouts, bring me a sturdy pair of boots.”
As soon as he finished, a quest window appeared before the six, and without hesitation, they accepted.
“Where should we get the boots?” Luo Feng asked, but Old Ghost shot him a look of disdain.
“Why are you so thickheaded?” he snorted.
The others burst out laughing, clearly amused at Luo Feng being chided.
“A good pair of boots requires top-quality boar hide. I’ve heard that southeast of Jiushan Village, near the old ruins, wild boars roam in droves. They’re Blackrock Thickhide Boars. Hunt them for their thick hides. Once you collect enough, take them to the village tailor—she’ll craft you the boots. Don’t forget to bring them to me. Time is tight, so get moving.”
The surrounding scene dissipated, returning the six to their original spot. Old Ghost rose slowly from his chair and headed indoors.
They checked their quest log and saw the update:
“Travel to the southeast ruins of Jiushan Ridge and collect 50 pieces of Blackrock Thickhide Boar Hide.”
The team shrugged. They’d already cleared all side quests in Jiushan Ridge and were close to hitting level 37. But to reach 37, or even the server cap of 40, they needed to push through the main storyline.
“Let’s go,” Ye Yu said.
They mounted their Abyssal Nightmares and rode toward the ruins marked on the map.
…
Qingcheng University, Dormitory Block B, Room 701.
Six young men sat, each wearing a Divine Mourning VR headset. One of them, clad in a vest and shorts, slowly removed his headset. His eyes were icy, and a mocking smile curled at his lips.
“We’ve got five hundred men now, and our overall strength far surpasses that birdbrain Liang Ye. Tonight at nine, I want to see if you can keep up that lofty attitude.”
In the game “Divine Mourning,” this young man’s ID was “Three Years Shy.”
A freshman at Qingcheng University—Jiaxu Xiang. He spent lavishly in the game for one simple reason: he could afford it. In pay-to-win games, cash warriors always trump ordinary players. At least, that’s what Jiaxu Xiang believed.
Just then, his phone rang.
“Ding-ling-ling—”
He raised his brows and answered, “Who’s this?”
“We’re from the RG Club, part of the Qingcheng city gaming technology circle.”
The calm, assured tone on the other end made Jiaxu Xiang’s face change. His five roommates took off their headsets and gathered around.
“RG Club? RhapsodyGame?”
A flicker of surprise appeared in Jiaxu Xiang’s eyes—he’d heard a thing or two about this club.
RG Club had six years of history, competing in national and even global tournaments, backed by several conglomerates, and recognized as a giant in the professional gaming scene.
“Would you be interested in joining the RG Club’s ‘Divine Mourning’ division as the first team on the new player server?”
“The first team on the new player server?”
“Yes. As of now, your team is the top squad on the server. If you accept, we’ll provide regular sponsorships. All we require is results. Soon, there will be a regional tournament in Qingcheng for ‘Divine Mourning’—it’s a national event.”
Jiaxu Xiang hesitated, but suddenly a figure appeared in his mind.
Liang Ye…
Could he also have a club backing him? Was he a pro gamer?
That would explain a lot.
“My fixed team won’t have to change, right?”
“No. All your current members are eligible. However, you must remain among the top ranks, or we’ll terminate the contract.”
“That’s fine, but…” Jiaxu Xiang had another question he wanted to ask.
“Go ahead.”
“Why choose us? Surely, with your resources, you know the caliber of players in this server. I may not be the brightest star right now—though I will be, soon enough.”
“You’ve already answered your own question,” came the reply. “There’s no need for me to say more.”
“By the way, Mr. Xiang—I hope you won’t mind me calling you that—you may choose a day to come to the RG Club’s Qingcheng branch for signing. The minimum contract term is one year. If you fail to meet expectations, we’ll end the contract.”
Jiaxu Xiang understood. For veteran gaming clubs, talent was everything. In the competitive world of esports, the air was thick with the smoke of battle; to stand at the summit was to climb atop the shoulders of the defeated.
“In that case, my team and I are willing to join!”
…
…