Online Game: Evil Dragon Against The Heaven - 211

The delivery mission given by the city lord was as dangerous as the task Ye Tian Xie had once taken to investigate the whereabouts of the city guards. Although it appeared simple on the surface, it was fraught with peril. Along the way, the dust and delay in leveling up were minor inconveniences compared to the terrifying reality: the journey required traversing increasingly dangerous maps. Many of these areas were home to monsters above level 40, and some even at levels 50, 60… up to 80 or 90. Any one of these creatures could effortlessly annihilate any current player.

This was not a task just anyone could handle.

Ye Tian Xie had no choice but to purchase the fastest horse available, a Ferghana steed with the highest speed boost. He also stocked up on plenty of potions. Because of Yao Yao, he had to prepare extra magic potions as well. Then, he returned home, sat in the hall, tapped the table, and silently planned his activities for the coming days.

The ten-day timeframe conflicted with many other pressing matters.

For instance… the Wreckage of Ten Thousand Bones.

The failure of his last attempt meant he would have to wait until the day after tomorrow to re-enter the Wreckage of Ten Thousand Bones. This delay was already too long for him. Although his name was among the first to complete two of the three major system tasks worldwide, it did not guarantee that he was the only one capable of completing these missions at this stage.

Thus, he needed to finish the Wreckage of Ten Thousand Bones mission in the shortest time possible. Each day of delay increased the likelihood of other countries completing their faction tasks first.

From the moment he learned of the three major system tasks, he had resolved to be the first to complete all three. Otherwise, it would waste the superior attributes and talents that set him far above the average player.

Another issue was Liu Qi Yue’s Seven Moons Chamber of Commerce. Liu Qi Yue had mentioned that the Chamber of Commerce’s formal launch would take the form of an auction. The timing had been chosen for when the average player level hovered around level 15—a strategically ideal moment.

“Tian Xie, can I come with you?” Su Fei Fei softly asked as she sat beside him.

“It’s best if you don’t. It’s more dangerous than you think. Besides, this isn’t about fighting monsters—it’s more about escaping. The fewer people, the better,” Ye Tian Xie replied honestly.

“Oh!” Su Fei Fei answered. After thinking for a moment, she said, “It’s almost noon. I’ll go make lunch. Remember to log off in time to eat. Chenxin, you should eat on time too.”

“Mm, goodbye, Elder Sister Fei Fei,” Posui Chenxin politely bid farewell to Su Fei Fei.

After Su Fei Fei left, Ye Tian Xie turned to Posui Chenxin and said, “Chenxin, you should log off too. Your little sister is probably waiting for you.”

“I… alright. Brother Xie Tian, I’ll be back soon,” Posui Chenxin replied. After a moment of hesitation, she added carefully, “I promise I won’t slack off.”

These days, Posui Chenxin spent much more time online than before, but she always logged off at noon to care for her seriously ill sister. Sometimes, she would suddenly rush away at the sound of activity outside. Ye Tian Xie vaguely understood what was happening, but he had no intention of delving deeper. The best he could do for her was what he was already doing. The rest was up to her.

Dong dong…

Dong dong dong dong…

Just as Posui Chenxin left, the sound of knocking echoed from outside. This knocking made Ye Tian Xie’s heart slightly tremble.

There was no notification sound… Why wasn’t there a notification?

In the world of Destiny, if someone wanted to enter his home, there would always be a notification saying, 【xxx requests to enter】. However, what he heard now was just the knocking sound, akin to that of the real world, with no notification at all.

Could it be an NPC? Would NPCs have such privileges? The only possibility Ye Tian Xie could think of was that the Lord of Tianchen City had sent someone to urge him regarding the delivery of a message. After all, the Lord of Tianchen City clearly knew his residence.

Walking out of the hall to the main door, he placed his hand on it. As soon as he touched it, the door swung open.

At first glance, there was nothing but the bustling street and the buildings of West Tianchen City. There was no one standing at the door… He froze for a moment before suddenly lowering his head. Instantly, his pupils shrank to the size of needlepoints.

“Xiao Xi!” He crouched down and held the young girl by her shoulders. Silent and unmoving, her eyes were closed—just like the expression she had when he first saw her.

She seemed like a surreal, otherworldly sprite that had walked out of a dream. The shock she brought him during the rainy night yesterday had not yet faded. Today, she appeared before him again in a manner so unbelievable, so unacceptable, that it shook his heart and nerves.

He had changed Xiao Xi’s clothes before; he knew everything about her body—what she had and what she didn’t. Xiao Xi didn’t have any gaming equipment on her at all.

How… did she get here?

“Brother… brother…”

The young girl tilted her face up and softly called out. From her voice, Ye Tian Xie could hear weakness and exhaustion. His eyes fell on her face, and only then did he notice the unhealthy pallor she displayed—a sickly whiteness as if she had just recovered from a severe illness.

Ye Tian Xie’s heart tightened. He had no time to ask why she was here and urgently asked, “Xiao Xi, what’s wrong?”

“Brother… brother…”

She softly called out again. Her petite body suddenly wavered slightly before collapsing gently onto Ye Tian Xie’s shoulder. Following that, her body began to fade—from solid to semi-transparent and then, like mist, disappearing without a trace.

Ye Tian Xie maintained his crouched posture, stunned for a long time. Even when he had seen Destiny’s Hour follow him in the world of Destiny, or Guo Guo’s appearance in the real world, he had never felt this level of shock and loss. This felt like a complete upheaval of his understanding and… an overwhelming sense of unreality and illusion.

Destiny’s Hour…

Guo Guo…

Xiao Xi…

Xian’er, why is it that everything you bring to me is so extraordinary?

From the moment we first met, though we had never seen each other before, you embraced me tightly, accurately called out my birthday and told me that we were born on the same year, the same month, the same day, and at the same time…Our encounter was like a dreamlike fairy tale. Yet, over the years, I had begun to slowly forget… But your departure guided the forgotten fairy tale toward an even more illusory myth…

Xian’er, who exactly are you? Why did you bring them into my life and for what purpose?

At least now, I can be sure—you truly aren’t an ordinary woman. You let me see that celestial maidens and fairies must truly exist in this world… When I was young, I often said you were a heavenly fairy. It turns out… that wasn’t merely a compliment born from the deepest part of my heart…

Your departure must have been driven by immense, unspeakable reasons… I understand, I truly understand. Your heart is so gentle and you spoiled me as though I were an infant. Even a small needle prick or a slight choking while drinking water would make you feel heartache for a long, long time… With someone like you, how could you bear to make me sad? How could you bear to leave… knowing it would hurt me?

Even though we are no longer together, my heart tells me that your departure was so we could truly be together. For the sake of us, you chose to shoulder everything alone… Xian’er, I won’t be sad anymore. I’ll quietly wait for your return. As long as you come back, I’ll be willing to endure anything. Everything you entrusted to me will become the most precious part of my life—be it Guo Guo, Xiao Xi or Destiny’s Hour.

After an unknown length of time, Ye Tian Xie finally stood up, closed the door, and hastily logged out.

Opening his eyes, Ye Tian Xie’s first instinct was to look to his side. Xiao Xi lay quietly curled up next to him, completely still. His movement didn’t elicit any reaction from her.

Seeing Xiao Xi by his side allowed Ye Tian Xie to relax his slightly tense heart. Lowering his head, he softly called out, “Xiao Xi, Xiao Xi?”

There was no response. Xiao Xi’s breathing was light and even, but her complexion remained as pale and sickly as what he had seen in the game world.

“Oh la la, Master, don’t call her. She needs to sleep now, and she’ll need to sleep for a long, long time,” Guo Guo suddenly appeared and whispered into Ye Tian Xie’s ear.

“What exactly did Xiao Xi just do? Guo Guo, do you know something?” Ye Tian Xie turned his head to look at Guo Guo and asked. Guo Guo was someone Xian’er had brought to his side, just like Xiao Xi—someone Xian’er entrusted to him… Thinking about Guo Guo’s unusual reaction last night… Could it be that these two girls had known each other from the very beginning?

“Yiya! Guo Guo is so obedient, always staying with Master and never leaving! Of course, I wouldn’t know anything” Guo Guo pouted.

“Then how do you know Xiao Xi needs to sleep for a long time?”

“Because she’s very tired… and needs a long time to recover?”

“Tired? How long?”

“I don’t know, maybe a month, or even a year…” Guo Guo thought about it and replied in a tone filled with uncertainty.

A month… or a year?

Why would it take that long? What exactly happened to Xiao Xi? Why did she appear in the world of Destiny just now, and why did she vanish in that way?

Could it be that, like Guo Guo, she can move freely between the two worlds?

“…Guo Guo, be honest with me. Have you met Xiao Xi before?” Ye Tian Xie asked seriously.

“Ya! Of course not! Guo Guo has never met Xiao Xi before… Wuu! Master, your eyes are so strange… Do you not believe me? Yiya! Guo Guo is the most honest, never lying! If Guo Guo has seen Xiao Xi before, then may Guo Guo never eat lollipops again!” Guo Guo pouted, making a solemn vow, then muttered softly, “Wuu, what a scary vow. I really haven’t met Xiao Xi before.”

Ye Tian Xie looked at Guo Guo with a strange expression for a while, then gently covered Xiao Xi with a blanket and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.

After working for quite some time, Su Fei Fei finally finished preparing lunch. It was an exquisite meal of four dishes and a soup, causing Guo Guo’s drool to flow like a stream. On the dining table, there was an additional small bowl and spoon—prepared for Xiao Xi. Why a spoon? Because Xiao Xi didn’t know how to use chopsticks.

“Tian Xie, where’s Xiao Xi?” Su Fei Fei asked as she removed her apron and sat at the dining table. For many women, cooking was a chore, but for a select few exceptional women, cooking was a joy. Su Fei Fei leaned more towards the latter, though her attitude largely depended on who she was cooking for.

“She’s sleeping. Let’s eat first. I’ll feed her later” Ye Tian Xie said, his mind preoccupied.

“Alright, let’s eat first then. Huh? Why does the soup seem to be missing a bit… Tian Xie, did you sneak a taste again?”

Looking at Guo Guo, who was licking the corner of her mouth contentedly while standing on his knee, Ye Tian Xie put on an innocent expression.

After lunch, Su Fei Fei pushed Xiao Xi’s portion in front of Ye Tian Xie. “Tian Xie, go feed this to Xiao Xi. Children need nutrition as they’re growing. They can’t skip meals just because they like to sleep… Go on, I’ll clean up the table.”

Ye Tian Xie smiled casually, picked up the small bowl, and returned to his room.

When he opened the door, he was stunned to find that the Xiao Xi, whom Guo Guo had claimed would sleep for 『a long time』, was no longer lying down. Instead, she was sitting up on the bed. Upon hearing the door open, she turned her pale face toward him and said softly, “Brother… I’m hungry…”

Ye Tian Xie froze momentarily, then quickly walked to her side, sat down, and said gently, “Here, this is the lunch your Fei Fei Sister made. It’s very delicious… Xiao Xi, open your mouth and take a little soup first.”

Xiao Xi obediently opened her small mouth. Ye Tian Xie scooped up a spoonful of meat soup and brought it to her lips. She swallowed it gently and then opened her mouth again…

Two small bowls of food later, Xiao Xi had eaten everything. Then, she leaned limply against Ye Tian Xie and fell asleep once more. She was truly exhausted. And as Guo Guo had mentioned, it wasn’t an exaggeration. For a long period afterward, Xiao Xi only woke up for meals, enjoying Ye Tian Xie’s meticulous care as he fed her, spoonful by spoonful, like tending to a baby. Most of the time, she remained asleep, and even when she occasionally woke up, she seemed perpetually drowsy.