I nodded. “To tell you the truth, I am Falling Dust…”

Beiming Xue didn’t look surprised. She smiled. “I should’ve known from the start. Lu Chen and Falling Dust share almost the same characters, and Broken Halberd Sinks Into Sand is so strong that even the three first-rate pros of the Gods of Destruction guild couldn’t stop him. Hmph hmph, you’re at least at Candlelight Shadow, Dark Shadow Drifter, or A Dust’s level. In fact, you’re comparable to the former Heavenly King of Spirit of Grief, Frivolous Scholar!”

Yamete was also rubbing his palms together and laughing loudly. “You’re right, I did notice that Lu Chen’s strength is extraordinary. There can’t be more than five people in the entire China server who can kill a Gemini Star, Iron Pardon, in one exchange!”

I smiled at their responses and said, “I guess I don’t need to explain that part of my history then. What I’m trying to say is, the reason I built Bloody Mercenaries isn’t to make ourselves famous or become the strongest guild in China.”

“What for then?”

I sucked in a deep breath before continuing, “This is all for an oath I made…”

Beiming Xue blinked once before replying intelligently, “I understand now. Boss, you’re talking about Ancient Sword Dreaming Souls, am I right?”

“Mn. She was the one who helped me and stayed by my side when I was at the lowest point of my life. I knew then that there was no one more important to me than her. Besides that, we share the same dream, the dream to push Ancient Sword Dreaming Souls to the top and make it the strongest guild in the world!”

I stared at the celestial bodies outside the window and murmured. “I promised her that I would walk with her until the very end… so I must fulfill our promise and make Ancient Swords Dreaming Souls famous throughout China!”

Beiming Xue, Yamete, Gui Guzi, and Du Thirteen were all moved by my words. They rose to their feet in unison and raised their glasses. Yamete swept a glance at everyone before declaring, “Bloody Mercenaries’ soul lies in Ancient Sword Dreaming Souls. For better or for worse, the five of us will fight hand-in-hand, defeat any foe who stands in our way and keep your oath, together!”

Well said!

I held up my glass gratefully and said, “Thank you all for supporting me. From this day onward, the soul of Bloody Mercenaries will be to defeat any foe who stands in our way of keeping this oath! Now, let us drink to our workshop, to Ancient Sword Dreaming Souls, and to our future career and dreams!”

Clink!

Our glasses and our hearts clinked together. The world didn’t know it yet, but it turned out that we really did have the power to make China tremble beneath our feet and challenge the world for the pinnacle. The wheels of fate moved in unison, this moment engraved in the annals of Heavenblessed’s history. No one could stop us anymore.

Our self-restraint broke down completely after the joyous moment. Yamete’s face was completely red as he boasted like a true champion to Du Thirteen and Gui Guzi. He claimed that he used to be a special forces soldier, and that he killed over ten thousand bandits during a mission at the borders. It was a score that was comparable to the Battle of Taierzhuang. The company commander thought that he was too good at his job and sent him away to work as a farmer, so he said “leave the last bullet to me” before departing for home. He spent three years cross-breeding rice to great success and successfully created the high-quality rice crop called “Nan You 2”, winning the Nobel Villager Prize. During the awards ceremony, he was kidnapped by aliens to outer space, and he was returned back to Earth with a new name, “Megatron”, three years later. At the beginning of the third year of the War for Cybertron, he fell in love with Optimus Prime and betrayed the Decepticons for love. He also became the champion at Wang Xiaoya’s Quiz Show, although he hid all his achievements and entered Heavenblessed as the humble “Yamete”. He was an expert who preferred the quiet over fame, had good luck, good skill, and his APM was over 1500.

Du Thirteen salivated at the story. Gui Guzi felt like he was about to flutter to the heavens.

While the trio were having the time of their lives, Beiming Xue leaned lazily against her chair and rubbed her tummy. “I’m so full…”

I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, me too. Urk—I need to go to the toilet. Please watch over them while I’m gone.”

“Okay!”

I needed to let loose a little. After drinking an undefined number of white spirit glasses, as well as two cases of beer with the boys, I felt like I was about to float away into the sky.

……

I clung to the clean, white walls of the toilet and wobbled unsteadily at the center.

My mind felt dizzy, and a while later I collapsed at the flower vases placed next to the washwas basins. I leaned against the wall, closed my eyes and smiled a little. I was so tired and sleepy that I thought that a small nap wouldn’t hurt. It would be pretty poetic to wake up the next morning and chant a poem to the lady who swept the toilets. “Where will I be when I recover from insobriety tonight? Moored by a riverbank planted with willow trees, caressed by the morning breeze and the lingering moon.”

I was halfway to lala land when someone suddenly pushed me on the shoulder. At the same time, a melodious voice entered my ears. “Hey, Lu Chen! Why are you sleeping at a place like this?”

I opened my eyes and saw a beautiful girl through the hazy lighting. Her smooth, pale face looked as delicate as glass, and her beautiful eyes caused my heart to race a little. She was wearing a sky-blue plaid shirt and a coffee-colored mini skirt. It was a fresh and sweet combination that outlined her excellent curves perfectly.

“Hmm?” I rubbed my eyes. “Lin Yixin? Why am I dreaming about her… Nah, like that would ever happen. It looks like today’s the day I stepped on some dog shit…”

Lin Yixin’s face turned murderous in an instant. She grabbed my collar with one hand and asked, “What’s your room? I’ll carry you back. Sigh, if we run into a familiar face don’t even think to tell them that I know you!”

I shivered and woke up in an instant. It’s not a dream! If this was a dream there’s no way I would feel the soft, smooth sensation of her hand this clearly!

I barely got to my feet and leaned against the wall. Cocking my head at Lin Yixin, I asked, “Why are you here, Yiyi? I didn’t think we would be destined to meet in the toilet…”

Snorting in exasperation, Lin Yixin rolled her eyes at me and said, “I can’t believe you’re smiling in this situation! Stop dilly-dallying and tell me what’s your room already.”

“My room is Shui Yun Hall…”

“Be serious! My room is Shui Yun Hall, not yours!”

“Any room will do in that case…”

“...”

I wasn’t trying to make fun of her. I seriously couldn’t remember my room at the moment.

Lin Yixin bit her lips softly before relenting, “Never mind. Why don’t you come sit with us for a while? I’ll help you find your room later…”

“Oh! Thank you, Yiyi! You’re such a good person!”

“...”

Lin Yixin stared at me for a second before shaking her head. “You’re hopeless. Can you walk on your own? If not, I’ll support you.”

“Of course I can. Look how steady I am!”

“Oh?”

I immediately knocked over a huge vase and drew the attention of a hall manager. He ran over and said, “Miss, is this your friend? One vase costs 250 RMB!”

Lin Yixin calmly fished out 300 RMB from my pockets and smiled sweetly at the manager. “Here, you can keep the change.”

“...”

I shot her a glance, and she glared right back at me. “What’s wrong? It was your own fault, wasn’t it?”

I said with a pained look on my face, “The current exchange rate of gold to RMB is only 1 to 40, you know? It’s so hard to earn money these days…”

“Cut the nonsense and follow me!”

Lin Yixin put my arm around her neck while saying, “And don’t run into any more vases, thank you…”

Technically, Lin Yixin was in my lap right now, so I was threatening to melt when her scent entered my nose, and her pale neck swayed back and forth at the corner of my eyes.

She pushed open the door to the Shui Yun Hall, and there were a dozen or so people sitting inside. They all looked like university students.

“Eh? Who’s that, Lin Yixin?” a male student asked.

Lin Yixin put me down on a nearby chair while replying, “It’s a random dude I found in the bathroom. We should find his companions and let them escort him out of our room later!”

Sun Qingqing cocked her head at me before laughing. “You’re pretty lucky today, Yiyi. A trip to the toilet, and you brought back the leader of Bloody Mercenaries?”

The guys in the room exclaimed in shock, “Ah? He… he’s Broken Halberd Sinks Into Sand?”

“What’s wrong? Does he look different than you expected?”

“Not at all!”

I opened my eyes and glanced back and forth between Lin Yixin and Sun Qingqing. “Is… is the Snowy Cathaya guild having a gathering or something?”

Lin Yixin replied in an annoyed tone, “Today’s Qingqing’s birthday, and you’re lucky enough to stumble upon it. Have you prepared a birthday present?”

I checked the insides of my pockets before producing a lighter. “This is the only thing I have…”

“Geez!”

Sun Qingqing laughed. “Well, I suppose lighting the candles won’t be a problem at least.”

It was at this moment someone knocked on the door. A beautiful girl stood at the entrance and asked nervously, “Excuse me, have you seen my boss around here?”

I smiled. Beiming Xue had come looking for me.

Beiming Xue quickly spotted me sitting next to Lin Yixin. She walked over excitedly. “Boss, is that you?”

I nodded and replied, “You’re here, Beiming!”

Suddenly, Beiming Xue spotted Lin Yixin because I was sitting right next to her. Her hair poured down her shoulders like a waterfall, and her plaid shirt couldn’t quite hide the awesome mounds in front of her. All Lin Yixin did was glance at Beiming Xue, but somehow she managed to make herself look even more amorous and beautiful than before.

Beiming Xue stopped in her tracks like a deer in headlights. Beiming Xue was very attractive herself, but even she couldn’t help but feel a bit of pressure.

Originally, Lin Yixin was leaning toward my shoulder to say something into my ears. However, she stopped moving when Beiming Xue suddenly entered the room.

But to the young girl, our postures and expressions were suggestive to say the least. Therefore, Beiming Xue puffed up her chest and stared Lin Yixin in the eye, asking, “Who are you?”

Lin Yixin was twenty-one, only two years older than Beiming Xue. However, she was a lot more refined than the latter. She stood up graciously and answered with a smile, “I am... Lin Yixin. My in-game ID is Wind Fantasy. What is your name?”

“Ah?!”

Beiming Xue’s mouth fell open as she exclaimed in admiration, “You… you’re Wind Fantasy? You’re… very beautiful…”

“Thank you, thank you~” Lin Yixin’s smile was as sweet as it could be. “And you?”

Beiming Xue walked up to me and put a hand on my shoulder. Then, she said seriously, “I am Beiming Xue, a new member of Bloody Mercenaries. My in-game ID is also Beiming Xue!”

“Ah?”

This time it was Lin Yixin’s turn to be surprised. “Are you the dark archer on the Heavenly Ranking of Floating Ice City, that Beiming Xue?”

“That’s me!” Beiming Xue nodded strongly.

Lin Yixin looked at me and lowered her voice. “Not bad. Who would’ve thought that a first-rate pro like her would join you…”