Virtual World: Close Combat Mage

Gu Fei was unfazed as he returned the smile, “You ran pretty fast!” He lowered his head and swept his gaze at her injured calf, before giving the wound a swift kick, “Your leg okay now?”

The lady felt immense pain, yet her face showed no traces of it. Just as she was about to reply, she heard Gu Fei mutter, “That’s not the bandage I placed!”

“You’re quite sharp!” she said carefully.

“Of course. How else could I not only keep up with you before, but even finding you here as well?” Gu Fei laughed.

The lady stared at Gu Fei without a word. No one knew what she was currently thinking about.

Gu Fei smugly continued, “Actually, you must have guessed that I would know your intention to trade the dagger here. Only you didn’t expect me to get here so fast, right?”

“Where are those guys?” the lady asked, obviously meaning the five people from the healer’s square.

“They’re gone!” Gu Fei said.

“Why would they just let you go?” she could not help but ask.

“Easy. I gave them that dagger,” Gu Fei said.

“They believed what you said after returning that dagger?” She felt that this was very unlikely.

“Nope! But since they couldn’t beat me, what else could they do?” Gu Fei retorted.

“They couldn’t beat you?” The lady’s face was colored with shock. She learned the Appraisal skill as well. She saw that Gu Fei was a level 16 Mage. His level might be higher than most players, but that enraged, Howling Rage’s owner was also within level 16. Furthermore, there were five of them, while he was just one.

Gu Fei laughed indifferently.

“Based on what you just said, you returned that dagger in a situation wherein they had no way of dealing with you.” If her expression from before was one of shock, her face now showed utter disbelief. While that dagger was nothing compared to Frost Memories, it was at least worth about thirty thousand dollars according to her calculations. To think that Gu Fei would let that easy money go. Could he really be not in it for the money?

“What exactly are you after?” she asked puzzled.

“I’ve told you many times. Return that dagger to me,” Gu Fei said.

The lady’s face still showed doubt.

“I know you won’t believe my words. So I brought him over....” Gu Fei pointed to his side as a figure stepped out from behind him. The person looked wretched, but his eyes, which were filled with killing intent, were trained at her. It was Sword Demon.

“Do you believe me now?” Gu Fei laughed, “You don’t need to give me that dagger anymore. Giving it to him directly will do. As for who is he, you two don’t need introductions, right?”

She looked at Sword Demon in surprise, before finally nodding her head, “Yes.”

She went back to the Exhibition Hall and canceled the transaction. She took Frost Memories and handed it over without missing a beat. However, she had actually handed it over to Gu Fei, not Sword Demon.

Gu Fei received it nonchalantly and passed it over to Sword Demon without another glance. Sword Demon revealed neither a nervous nor an insecure expression when Gu Fei took Frost Memories from her; he just maintained his murderous eyes at her from start to finish.

The lady could imagine how angry he was, but this was the Trade Exchange. Out of all the safe zones in-game, the Trade Exchange platforms could be considered as the safest.

Thousands of players shouted “Fireball!” and balls of fire would ignite in the Mage Academy. Over here, when Gu Fei called out “Fireball”, only a reply was heard from a corner of the Exhibition Hall. The Fireball who was busily admiring the Mage equipment on display hastily made his way over.

“Don’t you have something you want to say to her?” Gu Fei asked Fireball.

Fireball nodded his head and looked at her, “Lady, what’s your name?”

“Xi Xiaotian,” her face was expressionless, “And you?” she asked back.

“I’m called Fireball,” he said happily.

Xi Xiaotian had no reaction; her eyes never left Gu Fei’s face.

Gu Fei knew her question was actually for him.

“Thousand Miles Drunk,” Gu Fei sighed. He disliked the name, but he could only bear with it.

“Your real name!” Xi Xiaotian said.

Gu Fei was momentarily stunned before he replied, “Gu Fei.”

Xi Xiaotian nodded her head and backed off. She leaned her back on the wall as she glided down using it to a sitting position.

She stared at Gu Fei as she cradled her injured leg, “Violent Fei!”

Gu Fei was startled but he quickly countered, “Cheater Tian!”

Sword Demon could not help but cough lightly at this weird atmosphere.

“Uhh, she’s just a woman. No need to make a fuss, right?” Gu Fei said to Sword Demon.

“Sure!” Sword Demon agreed without much thought.

Gu Fei laughed, “Since you have Frost Memories back, are you perhaps planning to grind levels now?”

Sword Demon revealed a rare smile since entering the Trade Exchange post, albeit a really ugly one, “I’m heading out. Ping me if there’s anything else!” He left without looking at any of them in the eye once he finished talking.

“F*ck, that’s cool! The way he acted just now is almost as cool as his past fame,” Fireball said, but he quickly added, “Except for his looks, that is.”

Gu Fei sighed, “I can’t argue with you on that.”

“What about us?” Fireball asked as he looked at Gu Fei and Xi Xiaotian.

“I’m going to grind levels,” Gu Fei answered, “You?”

Fireball said nothing. His eyes looked at Xi Xiaotian up and down, yet she did not even send a look his way. Fireball was irked by this so he said, “I’ll go grind levels as well.”

“Then let’s go!” Gu Fei turned around and was about to leave.

“Hey!” Xi Xiaotian suddenly shouted.

Fireball spun around so fast that it seemed he was actually playing the game with a speed-based job class.

Xi Xiaotian still had her eyes on Gu Fei and did not bother to even glance at Fireball, “My leg!” She pointed to her calf.

Gu Fei noticed that the bandage was once again soaked in blood and walked closer, sighing as he said, “I can’t carry you. You’re really heavy.” He rubbed his right shoulder, the one he used to carry Xi Xiaotian a while ago, as he said this.

Xi Xiaotian glared at him angrily.

Sighing once more, Gu Fei reached out with his hand, “Bandage.”

She brought out a bandage roll as Gu Fei bent over and tore off the bandage strip covering her wound to begin re-applying a new one, “I say, why didn’t you use my wound-dressing method? Yours is really crudely done.”

Gu Fei soon finished dressing her wound and got up, “Done. I’m sure it won’t bleed again unless you abuse yourself, in which case I am not responsible.”

“I’m going!” Gu Fei waved to Xi Xiaotian as he and Fireball walked off. Just as he was about to exit the Trade Exchange post, Gu Fei received a system message. [Xi Xiaotian added you as a friend.]

That woman... She said her name is Xi Xiaotian and asked me for my real name. I guess that’s her real name? Everyone uses a fake name in games, yet this cheater actually dares to use her real one. Is she alright? Gu Fei silently muttered in his heart.

He did not immediately close his friends list after exiting the Trade Exchange platform.

“Thanks a lot! I wouldn’t have known that the game has a place like Trade Exchange without your help,” Gu Fei sent this message to his friend, Fleeting Smile.

“He he he! You found her there?” Fleeting Smile replied.

“Yup. The situation’s resolved,” Gu Fei said.

“Have you considered reporting her?” Fleeting Smile asked.

“This... Let’s just forget about it...” Gu Fei said.

“Protecting a scammer? Hmm... Is she a babe?” Fleeting Smile asked.

“She’s a head-turner,” Gu Fei admitted honestly.

Fleeting Smile replied, “A piece of advice; based on my past experiences, female players’ deception skills are scary but their hatred is even more so. You better watch out!”

“This game is big. I’m sure it would be hard to meet again,” Gu Fei said.

“Is that so?”

“Mmm... Maybe!” Gu Fei said frankly. Since she sent him a friend request, she might come look for him in the future.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore. I’m going to carry on grinding.”

“Leak some info about bosses, hidden quests, rare equipment, and such while we are at it,” Gu Fei said.

“Stop fooling around! I am a scrupulous gaming employee,” Fleeting Smile said.

Gu Fei was only casually joking; he naturally did not want any such game spoiler. He sent a smiley emoji and closed the chat window.

“Fireball! Ay, fu*k!” Just as Gu Fei said this, he immediately recalled that Fireball’s name was a taboo in public.

As a ball of fire emerged in front of Gu Fei, the Fireball beside him was thoroughly provoked, “Who are you cursing at?!”

“My bad,” Gu Fei said apologetically, “But your name’s really a pain in the a*s. Let’s think of a nickname for you.”

Fireball cursed the person who gave him his in-game account’s name for the hundred and eightieth time before responding to Gu Fei’s suggestion, “Call me Little Flame, then.”

“Little Flame... That’ll do!” Gu Fei said.

As the two headed to the city outskirts, Fireball suddenly remembered something, “Drunk bro....”

“Yeah?”

“Didn’t you say that that round of drinks back at the tavern was your treat? But since you ran off without a word, I was the one who paid for it in the end!” Fireball said.

“Is that so? Just put it on my tab. I’ll treat you next time for sure,” Gu Fei replied evasively.

“Why am I getting this vibe that you’re trying to rip me off?” Fireball’s awareness of danger was rather sharp.

“Why would I! Do you think I’m that sort of shameless person?” Gu Fei said.

“Originally, no. But now that you’ve said that, I’m beginning to suspect you,” Fireball worriedly said.

“I’m actually not someone who takes advantage of strangers,” Gu Fei laughed, “But when it comes to my friends, I’m the opposite!”