Chapter 123: Playing Games? Doesn't Exist

"Look at yourself! It’s one thing that you threw all the affairs of the Heavenly Maiden Palace onto me during your years of secluded cultivation, but now that you've emerged, you run outside every single day! Where are your manners?!" In the main hall of the Flowing Cloud Daoist Palace, a middle-aged, silver-haired handsome man stood with a dark face, barking out a harsh scolding.

Su Tianji was currently sitting in the hall, holding a cup of tea in one hand, completely unbothered. "Sect Master Senior Brother, I am doing this for the good of the sect, researching new spells and weapons."

"Don't you dare mention new spells!" It was better left unsaid, for mentioning it only stoked Xue Daolv’s fury. "The disciples have already complained to me! What on earth are you teaching them? Sword Control Technique? Drunken Celestial Moon-Gazing Steps? The spells don't look like spells, the martial arts don't look like martial arts—it makes absolutely no sense! You're even teaching them how to use firearms?! If this continues, you will completely ruin these promising young talents!"

"That is why I plan to take them down the mountain to play Legend of the Sword and Fairy and Counter-Strike, so they can experience it firsthand," Su Tianji said with an air of absolute gravity.

"Play what?!" Xue Daolv’s face darkened completely, his eyes bulging wide as the veins on his forehead pulsed violently.

"Legend of the Sword and Fairy and Counter-Strike," Su Tianji said. "Sect Master Senior Brother, you are far too busy handling sect affairs to know about this. This Legend of the Sword and Fairy and Counter-Strike..."

...

Su Tianji arrived rather late today. Though her schedule had gradually grown busier after emerging from seclusion, gaming was a matter that... simply had to be done.

Not to mention she hadn't finished Legend of the Sword and Fairy yet, and even if she did, wouldn't she have to start a New Game Plus and run it back once more?

"Oh? Junior Brother Xiao didn't follow us today?"

"It's better that he didn't come. He chatters away behind us all day long without even knowing how to play, always giving blind directions. It's annoying to death." Fenghua and Yuexin followed closely behind Su Tianji, whispering in low voices.

Beside them, the face beneath a zombie mask darkened completely. "..."

Walking alongside Su Tianji at this moment was another man wearing a wooden mask. He glanced left and right, lowering his voice. "Junior Sister, are this Legend of the Sword and Fairy and Counter-Strike really that good... I mean... really that useful to our Daoist Palace...?"

Su Tianji’s face fell. "Sect Master Senior Brother, what are you wearing a mask for?"

"Of course I have to wear a mask!" Xue Daolv placed his hands behind his back and snorted coldly. "As the master of a palace, if the disciples knew I traveled this far in the dead of night just to play some game, where would I hide this old face of mine?"

"This mask has quite a history!" Xue Daolv continued. "Back then, when I snuck down the mountain behind our master's back, I would get caught red-handed and dragged back every single time... Later, I went out of my way to beg your Uncle Liufengzi for this mask... I guarantee no one can see through my true identity!"

Su Tianji: "..."

She felt as though she had just unearthed some dark history...

Xue Daolv scanned his surroundings and noticed quite a few people wearing masks just like him. With his hands behind his back, he remarked with an air of profound mystery, "See? These people must share the exact same thought as me!"

Before his words could fully land, a young man wearing a full-face paladin helmet draped an arm over his shoulder. "This mask looks pretty unique, Junior Brother. Where did you buy it?"

"Come on, come on. We're playing Counter-Strike over there and we just happen to be short a few people. You're up!"

Xue Daolv: "..."

"Would you ladies care to join us as well?"

Su Tianji: "..."

At the same time, a man wearing a zombie mask raised his hand and ran over. "Count me in! I'll play Counter-Strike too!"

As he spoke, he snuck a glance at Fenghua and Yuexin, laughing coldly in his heart. "How dare you speak ill of me behind my back. Just watch how I crush the two of you later!"

"You it is then." The youth in the paladin helmet swept his gaze over them. "We're all set, the team is full! Over here!"

Xue Daolv and Su Tianji exchanged a look. "..."

"I didn't expect these fellow Daoists to be so enthusiastic..."

"No matter, no matter! I came here precisely to try that Counter-Strike you mentioned anyway." Xue Daolv looked thoroughly embarrassed, though fortunately, his mask kept anyone from seeing it. "It is the perfect chance to see what kind of novel spiritual artifact this firearm of yours actually is."

Quite a substantial number of Lingyun Academy disciples had showed up today. Throughout the internet cafe, disciples from the academy could be seen everywhere, hiding their identities behind various masks.

There were even many who had been dragged along to the internet cafe for the very first time.

"What exactly does this Origins Internet Club do? Why is the academy banning it so strictly?" a disciple with a black cloth wrapped directly around his face asked in a low voice.

"I don't know either. I only heard it's a lot of fun. Let's see what it is first! What could possibly be so interesting? The academy never banned places like casinos, so why ban this place specifically?" Another disciple was similarly masked in black cloth; evidently, neither had ever played the games before.

"Resident Evil? Diablo... There are four games. Can we pick one to play first?"

"Should we try one?"

"Diablo. That name sounds rather exciting!"

"Counter-Strike. I just heard them talking about that one..."

"Let's each try a different one!"

At that moment, a man wearing a zombie mask stepped forward and tapped on the counter. "Xiaoyue, activate Counter-Strike for me."

With that, he handed the money to Jiang Xiaoyue.

"Why is there another one wearing this mask?" Jiang Xiaoyue muttered to herself as she accepted the spirit crystals.

"Hahaha!" Xiao Yulv laughed maniacally in his mind. "It actually works!"

He immediately rushed back to his seat.

"Hey, brother with the zombie head!" the man in the paladin helmet called out. "Go to the Terrorist side."

"Oh, oh! Alright!" Excited, Xiao Yulv followed their example and double-clicked the game.

Putting on the virtual reality headset, he leaned back blissfully in his chair, already imagining the scene of him slaughtering everyone in his path.

"Hahaha! I truly am a master strategist!"

Moments later, he noticed...

A line of red text suddenly flashed across the screen:

You are on the blacklist of this establishment. Please go to the counter for a refund and log off.

"..." Xiao Yulv's entire face turned green in an instant!

This was exactly like setting up all the perfect foreplay, only to find out at the final moment that her monthly visitor had arrived!

"Ahhhhh!!!" Out of his mind with frustration, Xiao Yulv felt an urge to murder someone!

"Where is your boss?!" Clutching onto his last shred of hope, Xiao Yulv slammed his hand on the desk and shouted, "Is the spiritual artifact here malfunctioning?!"

His sharp interrogation instantly drew the attention of many around him, and Jiang Xiaoyue looked over as well.

"Malfunctioning?" Jiang Xiaoyue walked over, utterly perplexed. "How could anything in our shop malfunction?"

At this time, Fang Qi had finally concluded his grueling session in the game training room.

Come to think of it, he still had a treasure chest left unopened after completing his quest yesterday.

He opened the system interface once more.

"System, what kind of good stuff can I get from this random treasure chest?" Fang Qi inquired.

"Please open the chest yourself, Host. The System will not disclose this information."

"..." Fang Qi’s face twitched. "What use are you then?"

Left with no choice, Fang Qi clicked to open the treasure chest on the system panel himself.

"Ding! Obtained one pack of Boss brand cigarettes."

"What?!"

Fang Qi stared blankly, peering closely at the system panel. "Boss brand cigarettes?!"

"And why is there only one pack?!" You had to know that even the smallest batch of Sprite came with two hundred bottles!