CHAPTER 627

【 YOUTH DURING BREAK 】

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“Ding-dong, ding-dong—”

The melodious sound of the school bell rang slowly, bringing a faint trace of energy to the drowsy classroom.

“That will be all for today. Remember to do your homeworks. Take a short walk, after I leave, get some fresh air and wash your face to clear your head before returning to class.”

The balding middle-aged teacher adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and let his gaze sweep across the rows of sleepy-looking students.

He could sympathize with these kids who were struggling to keep their eyes open.

After all, it was the first class of the afternoon.

With no afternoon break during the autumn and winter months, it was only natural for these students to be so lethargic during this time.

Especially since high school is a very stressful time of their life.

Nonetheless, today was noticeably better than usual.

In the past, at least half the class would have been “fishing” ¹ (goofing off) during the lecture, but although most were still sluggish, only a few had actually fallen asleep.

Perhaps it was because today was the end of the month, and a Friday at that, just in time for the two-day break.

The teacher did not linger. He set down his infrared pointer, tucked his lesson plan under his arm, picked up his old glass thermos that had been with him for seven or eight years, and walked out of the classroom.

As the door opened, a gust of cold wind swept in like a breath of fresh air.

“Achoo!”

The boy sitting nearest to the door sneezed instinctively.

Without a second thought, he reached over to his deskmate’s table and pulled out a tissue with practiced ease, as if he were an old vendor at the marketplace deftly flipping over some pancakes.

He blew his nose noisily, earning a disdainful roll of the eyes from his deskmate.

“Dude, bring your own stuff next time.”

“Got it, got it. I’ll bring some next week, for sure.”

He offered a sheepish grin.

Just another ordinary exchange.

The precious break between classes had arrived.

Some students who could no longer keep themselves upright collapsed onto their desks to snatch a quick nap,while thers, who had been holding back for half the lesson, bolted from the classroom so quickly their figures disappeared in an instant. ȓ𝐀𐌽o͍ＢÊŞ

But the majority of the students clustered together in small groups of twos and threes, beginning a break-time gathering that was ordinary, yet oddly unusual.

Ordinary, because chatting with their friends during breaks was nothing new for teenagers.

Unusual, because it was the first break after the afternoon’s opening class, and in autumn and winter, students were not usually this lively.

With the heating turned on, the warmth it provided made everyone drowsy. By all rights, even on a Friday at the end of the month, half the class should have already been sprawled asleep on their desks by now.

But today was surprisingly different.

“Did you finally connect? Are you online?”

“Wait, hold on… my net speed’s a little slow. This phone’s my dad’s old one, so the signal isn’t great.”

“Hurry up! There are still two people waiting! Try refreshing again, or switch your airplane mode on and off.”

“Don’t rush me… wait, I think I’ve got it. I’m in! Hold on, let me register an account on the official site first”

“Hurry up, quicky dude!”

“What the—!? It’s only been a few minutes and there are already over ten million who registered?”

“Duh! Do you even realize what game this is? It’s ElvKing!”

Similar conversations echoed throughout the classroom.

Meanwhile, a tall, lanky boy fiddled with his phone, his eyes scanning the room with a calm, almost leisurely air.

He was not particularly handsome, but his fair complexion gave him a clean and pleasant look.

It was often said that school uniforms in China could reveal a person’s attractiveness. Though his looks might have been average, the manner in which he wore his uniform, combined with his posture and demeanor, gave him an pleasant and confident presence.

On his desk, however, the manhua-style book covers and the cute, decorated pencil case painted a rather curious contrast.

He stretched and swayed now and then, humming a strange little tune under his breath, clearly in high spirits.

Watching his classmates’ excited and eager faces, he could not help but smile tp himself, the corners of his lips curving higher and higher.

His chin tilted upward ever so slightly, carrying a trace of pride.

And with the occasional gleam in his eye as he glanced around the room, his expression seemed to say, “Come on, someone’s going to approach me soon.”

Sure enough, a soft, delicate hand landed firmly on his shoulder.

“Xu Ge! Lend me your phone, quick!”

“Ow!”

The boy cried out involuntarily.

He turned his head helplessly, rubbing his shoulder, only to meet a fresh, youthful face leaning close. With a sigh of exasperation, he said, “Miss Zhao Linqian, could you maybe go a little easier next time?”

The girl was about sixteen or seventeen years old, petite and small in stature.

Her features were not especially refined, but her expression radiated energy and warmth, like a friendly girl next door. She had a charm that grew on you the more you looked, and with her simple bob haircut, she appeared all the more lively and adorable.

She let out a light laugh:

“Ahaha, you’ve been teasing me like this since we were kids. I’m used to it… cough, cough, alright, alright. I’ll go easier on you next time, Xu Ge~ now hand over your phone!”

Hearing the latter part of her voice, tinged with playful coquettishness, sent shivers down Xu Ge’s spine.

At the same time, the girl noticed his phone resting on the desk, and her eyes lit up.

Grasping his shoulder with one hand, she leaned forward with a swift motion and expertly snatched the phone:

“Ahha, got it!”

Xu Ge: “…”

Feeling the warmth of her shoulder and catching the subtle fragrance she carried, he felt a sudden flush rise to his cheeks.

Especially when his hand accidentally brushed against her softness, he realized that the girl he had known and played with since childhood was no longer the same.

“Geez, be more careful, you’re always so careless. You might end up not finding a boyfriend if you keep acting like that,” Xu Ge teased.

The girl, however, casually entered the phone’s password without looking up and replied casually:

“Then I’ll just have to make do with you. After all, nobody else would care about you besides me. Outwardly you seem so bright and easygoing, but inside you’re really just a closet otaku.”

Xu Ge: “…”

Can we not do this right now?

He glanced at her hands and then widened his eyes:

“When did you even learn my password?”

She continued without looking up:

“Mhm? Well, all your passwords are the same, you lazy ass. So it’s really easy to guess.”

Xu Ge: “…”

Guess its time to finally change his password for once, since he could not keep using his birthday everytime.

Watching her focus intently on registering an account on the Elven Kingdom’s official website, he asked with curiosity:

“You’re signing up? I thought you swore you’d never touch this game after your friends who’re into Heroes of Martial Arts got hooked on ElvKing. What changed? Why are you suddenly interested?”

Her shoulder paused for a second, fingers hovering over the screen.

She let out a short laugh.

“Humans just can’t resist things that look fun, I guess.”

Then she went back to finishing her account registration.

After a moment, she finally explained to Xu Ge, who was watching her closely:

“You see, not too long ago, I went to an exhibition. I wanted to buy some Heroes of Martial Arts artbooks, but I came across an cosplay group and was totally impressed with their elven outfits. When I asked if I could take a photo with them, they explained to me they were actually ElvKing players.”

“I was going to leave quietly afterwards, but somehow they asked if I want to watch a short film they made inside ElvKing… and that’s how I got hooked.”

“Sigh, I guess, you don’t really know until you try, eh? It was super addictive. Even just watching the videos makes my heart race.”

Xu Ge: “…”

So you dare call me an otaku, but you actually went to a game exhibition all by yourself?!

He quickly reacted:

“Wait… you went to an exhibition and didn’t even invite me?”

Zhao Linqian shot him a glance.

“Are you sure you want to come with me?”

Xu Ge remembered her quirky personality and immediately backed off.

“Uh… yeah, I’ll pass.”

He might be an otaku, but he wasn’t into any of that fuzzy stuff she was hooked into.

Then, as if remembering something, Xu Ge added:

“Wait a moment…”

“What now? I’m still registering!”

Zhao Linqian pouted.

She swiped across the display, and her large, striking eyes suddenly widened.

“Oh my… fifteen million registrations already? Are these people crazy? All at this hour?!”

“Well, the announcement came out two weeks ago, and the developers only opened the registration queue for today. Just wait until tomorrow—they’ll post the chosen number slots,” Xu Ge explained, shaking his head.

He wisely refrained from interrupting her further.

Three minutes later…

Satisfied, Zhao Linqian returned the phone, stretching happily.

“All done! Here’s your phone back!”

She clapped her hands together and her eyes sparkled:

“By the way, your new wallpaper looks great. Send me the original image later, okay?”

Xu Ge instinctively glanced at his phone’s home screen…

It displayed an unedited screenshot from Elven Kingdom.

Specifically, the image he used depicted a beautiful elven girl.

She had silver hair and violet eyes, which accentuated her unparalleled beauty. Wearing a crown atop her head and holding a scepter in her hand, she was clad in a noble, ornate celestial gown. The wallpaper showed her engaged in battle with a terrifying, monstrous demon.

The lighting and shadows in the screenshot were perfectly executed, making her appear both sacred and majestic, a stark contrast to the bloodthirsty darkness of the demon she was fighting. Her composed expression, slightly lifted chin, and starry, profound gaze added an aura of authority and mystery to her presence.

Overall, this piece was absolutely stunning, incredibly cool, and dazzling, which conveyed precisely that impression.

As for the identity of the girl in the image, although Xu Ge had never actually played Elven Kingdom himself, he knew her identity pretty well.

In fact, anyone familiar with Elven Kingdom, and even those who were not, would still recognize her, due to her popularity even outside the fandom.

Perhaps some could not name her directly, but they had surely seen her image circulating online, like her reaction memes, or even some of her… well, certain spicy ‘fanmade’ artworks.

She was the faction leader of the players, the embodiment of the World Tree, Goddess of Life, Mother of Nature, and Sovereign of the Elves—Evé Yggdrasill.

At the same time, she was the most beloved NPC amongst players, the most popular figure in the entire game, and this popularity extended even to some fan-driven social media platforms.

This particular image was reportedly captured by players during a battlefield mission in the game not long ago.

The angle and visual effects were perfect, which is why Xu Ge had carefully chosen it as his phone wallpaper.

“Seems like you’re quite fond of the Goddess, aren’t you?”

Xu Ge raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Zhao Linqian nodded enthusiastically.

“Absolutely! I saw a cosplay of the Goddess at the exhibition—it was breathtaking! But… after watching the game recordings, I realized those cosplayers didn’t even capture one percent of her beauty.”

“Yes, exactly! The Goddess is naturally stunning, and with her built-in visual effects, I don’t think anyone could capture even half of her aura. I’ve searched through countless cosplay photos of her, and none have ever satisfied me. Sure, many of the cosplayers are beautiful, but they still fall short compared to the real thing…”

Xu Ge nodded repeatedly, agreeing wholeheartedly with Zhao Linqian. Then he extended a hand in an “OK” gesture and said:

“Alright, I’ll send you the original image in the chat, along with some of my latest collections. I’ve got some great screenshots from the game, including those epic scenes from the recent Harvest Festival!”

“You’re a true friend. I’ll buy you a milk tea after school!”

The girl’s eyes curved into a smile as she patted Xu Ge on the back contentedly.

“I want a large one, with the newest flavor and the most expensive.”

Xu Ge’s expression turned serious as he replied in a solemn tone:

“I don’t have any money. I’ll get you a regular with the original flavor instead. Take it or leave it.”

Zhao Linqian shot him a glance.

“Fine, regular it is,” he conceded.

After a brief chat, Zhao Linqian asked, “By the way, what were you about to say earlier?”

Xu Ge paused, furrowing his brows. Being interrupted had made him forget what he wanted to say. After a moment of recollection, his eyes lit up.

“Right, I wanted to ask—you said you watched an ElvKing video at the exhibition, right?”

“Yes, why?”

“Was it called The Elves’ Grand Adventure? The one created by Black Cat and Velodis?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Haha! I knew it! I’ve been meaning to recommend it to you! The story is amazing, right?”

“Yeah, it was really interesting, following a time traveler’s adventures in another world combined with the Elven Kingdom setting. I only realized it was filmed in-game at the very end. At first, I thought it was a movie I hadn’t seen before! And the story is so touching! After watching it, I understood how advanced and sophisticated the NPCs in ElvKing are.”

“Exactly! You know the original author is that famous artist Black Cat, right? Of course the story is amazing!”

“Black Cat? You mean the manhua artist, Black Cat?”

“Yes!”

“Wait, why is he making films in a game instead of updating his manhua properly?!”

“Heh, seems like he also got hooked on Elven Kingdom, so he’s been delaying his updates lately…”

“Hahaha…”

Finding common ground, the two of them continued their conversation with growing excitement.

After a while, Zhao Linqian’s expression shifted. She turned toward Xu Ge, studying him intently, which made him feel a little uneasy.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“It’s odd—you like Elven Kingdom so much, but I’ve never seen you sign up for it,” she said, touching her chin and raising an eyebrow.

Hearing this, Xu Ge brightened. Leaning forward slightly with a playful smile, he replied,

“Oh, you noticed? Well, who knows? Maybe I secretly registered during class.”

“Impossible. Registration officially opened at two, and I was sitting right behind you. You were dozing through the entire lesson.”

The girl pouted.

Xu Ge: “…”

So she really had been keeping an eye on me all this time?!

He gave her a helpless glance, then grinned.

“Yeah, I didn’t sign up.”

“You didn’t? But didn’t you keep insisting that you wanted a slot? Honestly, I resisted checking out Elven Kingdom before, but half the reason I gave in was because you wouldn’t stop pestering me about it…”

Zhao Linqian looked at him curiously.

Xu Ge: “…”

Clearing his throat, he let out a small laugh.

“Actually, I already got a slot.”

He picked up his phone and pulled up a notification, showing it to her.

Zhao Linqian: “…”

Seeing the message congratulating him on winning a public beta slot, she scrunched up her nose like a little pig.

“You… how did you get that?!”

“Hehe, the official forum held an event a while back. I participated and got picked as one of the winners, which secured me a slot. Well, good luck… I hope to see you in the game tomorrow.”

Zhao Linqian: “…”

“That’s so unfair! Your luck is insane! What kind of event was it?”

“I don’t remember the exact name, but it was something like Elven Kingdom Church Reform Suggestions… You know the game’s storyline develops entirely based on player input, right? A lot of things require player choices. But this was the first time they offered such a reward.”

Xu Ge spoke with a cheerful smile. Then he patted her shoulder gently.

“Don’t worry. There are still nearly 180,000 slots left. I’m sure you can get one.”

Zhao Linqian: “…”

“Wait… didn’t they say only twenty thousand slots were open?”

She widened her eyes, tilted her head, and furrowed her brows, confusion written all over her face.

“It is twenty thousand, yes. But 2,000 of those could be purchased, each costing as much as my allowance for a whole year. Even so, they usually sold out within five minutes. Out of the remaining 18,000, 500 were given as rewards to winners of the forum event. So the actual lottery slots were just under 18,000. Rounding up, that’s still 18,000,” Xu Ge explained patiently.

“I see,” the girl muttered with a frown.

“Yeah… and you didn’t mention it earlier. If you had told me you were interested in Elven Kingdom, I would’ve called you when I joined the event. I thought you had no interest in playing at all…”

Xu Ge spread his hands helplessly. Then he glanced at his phone and exclaimed,

“Tsk… look, the sign-ups are already close to twenty million. You really need some serious luck to grab a slot.”

His expression darkened with dismay.

Zhao Linqian: “…”

“Shoo…”

She gave him a playful kick.

Ever alert, Xu Ge dodged lightly and laughed heartily.

After laughing, he composed himself and reassured her,

“Don’t worry. Statistically speaking, hardcore gamers and top-ranked players have a better chance at winning a slot. You placed in the top three in the Heroes of Martial Arts season arena, right? I think you’ll be fine.”

Zhao Linqian: “…”

“Screw it, I’ll just leave it up to fate…”

She sighed and shrugged.

Although she tried to act nonchalant, her eyes sparkled with hope.

Until the very last moment, everyone wants to be the chosen one. Everyone wants to believe they’ll beat the odds.

This too, is youth.

¹ Fishing – (钓鱼, diàoyú) is a slang term that refers to students pretending to pay attention in class while actually doing something else, such as daydreaming, texting, or otherwise not engaging with the lesson.

It literally conveys the idea of “casting a line and waiting for something to happen,” so metaphorically, it’s like they’re passively “catching” the time without really learning anything.

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