Zhan Long-Chapter 97: Recruiting Old Pals

“Don’t rush….” Dong Cheng Yue helplessly says: “We’ll make it even if we go after eating get dinner. ….”

“Okay then…”

……

Sitting down again, I grab my phone and give Song Han a call.

“Brother Xiao Yao!”

“Little Wolf, the game helmets are on sale tomorrow. How prepared are you?”

Song Han says: “I was fortunate enough to draw a purchase number. So I have one helmet already. But we still haven’t found a reliable source for Old K and Fox’s helmets. After I finish eating, I’ll go stand in line. But I only have enough money to buy one more. We’ll have to wait until the next batch for the other one, should be about one month later!”

“No need. I’ll wait in the line all night to buy the other one!”

“Brother Xiao Yao, you have money?”

“Ah, I’ll contact you tomorrow. Within three days, Zhan Long Studio will be back in business!”

“Ah, okay. Excellent. Hehe!”

The food starts to arrive as I’m hanging up.

Lin Wan Er tilts her head and looks at me: “Do you want me to take you to the outlet store? It’s not far away from here but on foot it’ll take more than an hour. It’s around 5 km…..”

I glance at her: “That’s alright. Walking there’s just fine. Back in the old days, some woman threw me 20 km away from the city at the top of some desolate mountain. I walked back all the same…”

Dong Cheng Yue curiously asks: “Oh, what was the situation? Who dumped you in the mountain 20 km away?”

I don’t respond but Lin Wan Er lowers her red cheeks.

Dong Cheng Yue angrily says: “Wow, exactly what have you two done that I don’t know about!?”

……

After eating a sizable dinner, I swipe my credit card while really regretting it. Leaving soon after, I drive Lin Wan Er and Dong Cheng Yue back to school. Because I need to look over their safety, I leave the campus after I make sure that they’ve gone upstairs. I ride a taxi over to the outlet store.

Late night 11:00PM. When I arrive at the outlets, with the dismal cold, there’s practically nobody in line. Don’t tell me, my information is wrong? It can’t be that the website’s fake!

Doesn’t matter. I’ll wait!

From the nearby ATM machine, I take out 20,000 RMB and hold them tightly. Standing at the front of the line, I look like a straight figured guard working the night duty. Actually, I’ve done this multiple times. Although I retired from the army years ago, after so years, it’s second-instinct now. Standing there, you must be vigilant at all times and clearly see all of the pedestrians’ movements at all times.

During autumn, the night is extremely cold. The highest the temperature goes is around 7 degrees. As the leaves lightly fall down, fewer and fewer pedestrians can be seen in the streets.

Bored that I’m just standing there, I take out my phone and go to Destiny’s official website. Maybe there’s some useful news. Scanning the page, alarms go off. The homepage has my name on a huge banner article that announces the creation of the first guild.

【Hot】The latest news: Player, General Li Mu, last night at 18:56 created Destiny’s first guild,【Valiant Bravery】. It is rumored that General Li Mu received the Guild Creation Tablet from Ba Huang City’s former number one healer, Xiao Yao Zi Zai. But it’s too early to tell what will happen; will [Valiant Bravery] take the lead as the best guild in Ba Huang City?!

Next, I see a series of posts.

【1 Post（ Player Frozen Graveyard）】：General Li Mu is indeed impressive. Even though he died, he still came out with the Guild Creation Tablet!

【2nd Post（Player Dusty Bones）】General Li Mu’s quite formidable!

【3rd Post（Player Q-Sword）】：Actually, Ba Huang City still has big guilds like [Vanguard], [Prague], and [Flying Dragon]. The fact that [Valiant Bravery] rushed to be the first guild doesn’t mean that they’re good. The wind cuts down the tallest tree!

TL: Proverb in china saying that the top is will be envied/meet much resistance.

【4th（Player Crying First）】: Did I see wrong? Q-Sword? Damn, it really is Fan Shu City’s number one player, Q-Sword!

【5th（Player Yue Qing Qian）】：It’s none of my business, but nobody better be bullying my brother Xiao Yao…

【6th（Player Leafy Gentleman）】：His cute girl’s getting lovestruck……

……

After reading a while, the gist of the things is that some people think highly of the General Family, others don’t. Some people were provoked and felt that [Valiant Bravery] should be punished. Like Q-Sword said, the lone tree is gets destroyed by the wind. All the pressure’s on General Li Mu and [Valiant Bravery] needs to stand firm in Ba Huang City. If they don’t, then it’s hard to say what will happen.

Still reading, another post has been added in red as “hot”——

【Hot（Original Poster：General Li Mu 】：[Valiant Bravery] is recruiting. Right now, we’re only taking Lv 40+ players with second promotion. A first level guild can only have 100 players so spots are limited. We need brothers with battle experience and capable of working in a group, who know when to retreat and when to advance. We do not want help from those who are reckless or timid. With your help, [Valiant Bravery] will be the pioneers of a new age. Add us as your friends if interested. Thank you, everyone. I promise that within a week, we will get [Valiant Bravery] to a level 2 guild. You’ll shed blood for [Valiant Bravery] but it’ll be your most dependable safe haven!

The replies to this post are a little over 10,000. Many players asked to join but from what I see, those players are between Lv 30 and Lv 40. There are only a handful of players who have asked to join and are Lv 40+.

This is understandable. Those that are Lv 40+ are considered veterans right now. Most were recruited by [Vanguard], [Prague], or the other big guilds already. Even if the top guilds don’t have a definite guild in the game, they can still recruit players based on their reputation. This is definitely a type of human resource monopoly that we can’t do anything about. The big guilds’ strength isn’t something that solo players can compare to. High level players often seek the strong support. Who would join a fledgling guild like [Valiant Bravery]?

In my heart, I can only silently pray for General Li Mu. If they get a few more experts, [Valiant Bravery] might be able to survive when Ba Huang City’s streets run red from pks!

……

A long, cold night, it’s already around 2:00 AM. Finally, two men, trembling in the cold, who look like students, appear behind me. Their pockets are bulging and one has thick eyebrows: “Dude, queued up to buy a game helmet?”

I nod without saying anything. The two also stop talking, shivering in the line behind me.

As the night continues, more and more people arrive. By the time the eastern sky brightens, there are nearly 500 people in line. The line zigzags like a dragon. Quite a few are sitting on seats as they play poker.

As the first person in line, the pressures on me to not move. I tighten my grip on my money as I stand there motionless.

“Hey dude？”

Not long afterwards, a violent-looking man with a buzz cut walks over. He looks at me, saying: “Dude, help me buy some helmets”

I point at the bulletin: “Everyone can only buy two. I want to buy two.”

Buzzcut grins, and from his pockets pulls out 5 red bills: “Here I’ll pay you 500 to buy your spot. Let me just squeeze in here.”

Behind me, two students glare at him but don’t dare say anything.

I stand there smiling and say: “No, everyone got here in the middle of the night. You can’t jump the line.”

“Screw you!”

Buzzcut finally got angry and roll up his sleeves: “Bro, why don’t I give you a taste of me. You still don’t know how many eyes Prince Ma has…”

TL: The last sentence was also a proverb which means that the person is ignorant about the ways of life – aka they are about to get beat up

Finished talking, he swings his fist at me. The two students behind me are shocked: “They’re going to start a fight?”

I can’t resist smiling, as I don’t make the slightest move to dodge. Fortunately my body’s unphased as my chest stops his fist!

“Bang!”

It’s a heavy punch, but to me it doesn’t cause any harm. Rather, Buzzcut screams, as his fist is now covered in a line of blood. Holding his right hand with his left, he grits his teeth, and says: “You cheated!?”

I faintly smile: “Isn’t now the time to run away before I start retaliating?”

As I say this, I suddenly raise my foot and an invisible stream of air blows away the dust on the ground. You’d have to be a Qi master to be able to see the subtle changes and Buzzcut certainly doesn’t get it, so I let out traces of murderous intent that makes him tremble from head to toe. Angrily carrying his hand, he leaves: “Just you wait!”

I’ve been waiting……

I look at the clock. Only 20 minutes till they start selling!

……

Not long after, the customer service window finally opens and a beautiful girl appears at the window. Looking at me with a smile, she asks: “Sir, how many game helmets are you buying?”

I raise my forefinger and middle finger: “Two! Miss, I’ll buy two……”

“Okay, please wait!”

Throwing away a huge handful of bills, the transaction is complete. I’m instantly handed two blue helmets, delicately packaged and heavy: “Sir, I wish you a pleasant gaming experience!”

“Thanks!”

As I begin to relax, I immediately bid farewell to this place I stayed all night and stuff the two game helmets into the backpack.

……

“Ring ring……”

Lin Wan Er’s cell phone rings: “Li Xiao Yao?”

“Wan Er, good morning!”

“Did you buy the gaming helmets?” She giggles.

“I got them!”

“Now what?” Lin Wan Er asks: “What’s the plan for today?”

I think: “Well, originally I wanted to get the group together, but it seems……Forget it. I’ll just return and go to class with you, since that’s my real work…”

Lin Wan Er can’t help but smile: “Don’t. I won’t to go to class today either. Where are you? I’ll come over immediately. Since I have nothing better to do, I’ll drive you to find your band of brothers…”

“Eh, are you fine with this?”

“It’s nothing. I don’t have anything urgent today….”

“Okay!”

……

Standing by the outlet, after waiting for ten minutes, a gorgeous Audi TT slowly stops on the side of the street. The windows roll down and a beautiful face with a refreshing smile appears. Who could it be if not Lin Wan Er?

“Get in the car?”

“Sure!”

When I get into the car, a group of boys behind me look on with envy. All their eyes are red and they seem unwilling to accept that such a pretty girl is actually leaving with another guy.

……

9:00 AM, after finishing breakfast, we get back in the car. Lin Wan Er asks: “Who do we go find first?”

“Song Han, he’s our Zhan Long Studio’s ace!”

“Where?”

“Wait a second…”

Grabbing my phone, I give Song Han a call——

“Brother Xiao Yao!”

“Little Wolf, where are you? I’ll come find you!”

“I’m at work!”

“Where do you work?”

“Uh, Tianshui Church in the next district over. At 10:00AM, I’ll be presiding over a wedding…… ”

“Okay, I’ll come over immediately.”

……

“This Song Han….”

Lin Wan Er shows a weird face: “Didn’t you say in the past he was the studio’s best assassin? A merciless killer, how can he preside over a wedding?”

“Oh, in real life he’s in fact a priest, an apprentice priest.”

“Hee hee, Zhan Long Studio is composed of a bunch of weirdos. Honestly, I’m also looking forward to seeing how a bunch of weirdos can run a studio…… ”

“……”

“We’re leaving!”

Ms Lin fastens the seat belt and looks at me while I stare at her. She’s extremely beautiful today. If I was that seat belt, wrapping tightly around her 34Ds, my heart would have stopped beating long ago.