Chapter 62: Dare to Compare Equipment?

Nalan Mingxue, having already beaten Resident Evil, could well be considered a veteran player, yet due to the events of a few days past, she had spent her recent time behind closed doors recuperating, stepping out today for the very first time.

Though Nalan Mingxue's background was anything but ordinary, her disposition had always leaned toward the unassuming.

Today, however, she arrived by carriage, making no deliberate effort to conceal her presence.

One could see that her complexion remained slightly pale.

Thus, the moment she stepped through the door, Jiang Xiaoyue was left staring in utter bewilderment.

"To think someone would actually come play games while sick...?!"

Having not visited for a few days, the little shop was still the same little shop, but Nalan Mingxue noticed that something seemed to have shifted within its walls.

For instance, upon entering, one could see a cute little girl sitting flawlessly straight before the counter, maintaining a deadpan, serious expression as she stared intently at them.

"Hmm? Where is the owner?" Lanyan scanned left and right, finding that Fang Qi had already dissolved into the sea of players; only after peering for a good while did she spot a silhouette seated in a corner.

"Miss Nalan, over here!" Lanyan's eyes lit up, and she immediately walked over with Nalan Mingxue.

"To actually... ignore this princess?!" Jiang Xiaoyue felt as though she had suffered another ten thousand points of critical emotional damage.

Fang Qi was currently slaying minor monsters, a leisurely endeavor given his current level.

Just then, hearing someone call from behind, he turned his head to find two familiar faces.

Fang Qi blinked slightly in surprise, then spoke, "This is... you're fully recovered?"

"Yes, thank you," Nalan Mingxue replied, her tone remaining as cool and detached as ever.

"Just strictly business," Fang Qi nodded. "Generally, when one has just recovered, they ought to rest more at home."

Yet no sooner had these words left his mouth than he received a sharp glare from Lanyan: "If Owner Fang could sell us a computer, and perhaps throw in two cases of Sprite..."

"Patients ought to walk around more, get some fresh air, it's beneficial for body and mind," Fang Qi amended instantly, his gaze brimming with sincerity.

Lanyan was speechless.

Lanyan stamped her foot forcefully. "Owner, bring us two bottles of Sprite!"

"Very well." Happily, Fang Qi had been wanting to crack open a bottle for himself. Catching sight of Jiang Xiaoyue, who was peeking intently in their direction, he waved his hand. "Xiaoyue, help me grab three bottles of Sprite!"

"Owner Fang's shop seems to have changed quite a bit." Nalan Mingxue surveyed her surroundings; not only had the popularity surged, but the number of Diablo players had also increased significantly, and most importantly, the atmosphere today seemed far more fervent than usual.

Fang Qi looked around, and indeed it was so. "Screaming and shouting, the lot of them. In a moment, I'll make them all go mute!"

Before Fang Qi could even finish his sentence, a sudden explosion of even more shocking shouts erupted from the front row of seats.

"I'm dying! I'm dying!"

"Spells, keep up! Keep up! Disregard everything else!"

"Cast another Fissure!"

"..."

Lanyan said in surprise, "What is going on today? This is far too lively."

Nalan Mingxue looked toward the source of the sound, and through the silhouettes of several spectating players, she saw two faintly familiar backs. Her elegant brows furrowed slightly as she walked over.

The grand chorus of exclamations also drew the attention of many surrounding players.

"What's the situation?"

"It seems they are killing Andariel?" Bailang could no longer sit still. "Come, let's go look!"

"Killing Andariel?!"

"Someone has actually pushed all the way to this point?!"

"Is it An Cheng and his group?" Ouyang Zhen raised his head to look in the direction of An Cheng. "They really beat her?!"

"Shall we go see?"

"What happened?" Jiang Xiaoyue also followed along behind them, utterly mystified.

Soon, a massive crowd gathered behind An Cheng and the others.

"It dropped!"

"Two Unique items, two Rares, and... how is there also a piece of equipment with green text?!"

"Let me see? Isn't it just Rare above Magic? Unique is better than Rare, so what kind of gear is green text?"

It was no wonder they had never seen it before; compared to Rare and Unique equipment, the drop rate for Set items with green text was indeed much lower.

"Come, come, come! Let this old man try it on first!" Nalan Hongwu scooped up the equipment and threw it directly onto his body, chuckling with glee. "This old man will first taste the flavor of being decked out in top-tier gear, and we shall distribute it later!"

As Nalan Hongwu donned the newly acquired gear, his entire form was already brimming with Rare and Unique items. Those gleaming golden letters and row upon row of dizzying attributes nearly blinded the onlookers.

Instantly, a vast wave of envious, jealous, and hateful gazes swept over him.

Clad in a suit of superlative gear, Nalan Hongwu laughed heartily, shaking the scale mail upon his chest. "How is it? With this old man's gear, tearing through Act Two shouldn't be an issue at all, right?"

"The old master is wise and martial!" Nalan Jie was the first to speak. "We, of course, cannot hope to match your stride."

Nalan Mingxue stood frozen in shock.

What was this situation? Having not come for a mere few days, the family patriarch and her eldest brother had both run off to the internet cafe?!

And the old patriarch had actually already cleared Act One?!

Lanyan likewise stood dumbfounded alongside her. "The family master has even gathered a whole suit of top-tier gear?!"

Right at that moment, an untimely voice rang out, "Is Unique really the best in this game? It's not even half as good as the stinky owner's..."

The speaker was Jiang Xiaoyue. On occasion, when she was truly bored, she would run over to watch Fang Qi play games. Yesterday, for instance, she had watched for quite a while, and she distinctly remembered Fang Qi's gear being covered in dark golden text everywhere.

Yet these words of hers immediately stirred up a hornet's nest.

"What gear? To think it cannot even compare to so many top-tier pieces we gathered through combined effort?!" An Cheng was the first to disbelieve, for this was, after all, the absolute best equipment from clearing the act!

He glared at Jiang Xiaoyue with disdain, saying, "Little girl, you don't even play, how would you know?"

Jiang Xiaoyue thought to herself, just because I don't play, does that mean I cannot watch the owner play?

"No matter how good the owner's gear is, could he have a full suit of fitting Rares and Uniques?" An Huwei and the others naturally disbelieved even more. One had to know that this entire suit of gear was tailored for their current level, not low-level equipment!

"He's probably just unwilling to part with a suit of low-level top-tier gear," An Cheng said contemptuously. "In truth, it probably doesn't even compare to Magic items."

"Exactly, if you do not understand, do not speak blindly," Ouyang Cheng added.

"Where is the owner?" An Cheng scanned the area, instantly locating Fang Qi, who was currently sitting in the corner.

Immediately following this, a vast legion of players marched mightily toward Fang Qi!

Fang Qi had only just finished a quest, having managed with great difficulty to obtain a Ral rune. Returning to town, he opened his stash and withdrew the three-socketed grey shield he had painstakingly saved.

"Ral, Ort, Tal..." Fang Qi socketed the runes in sequence, then proceeded to swap out the Magic shield he had used for who knew how long.

Just at this moment, he suddenly realized a massive crowd had gathered behind him.

Fang Qi's face was a portrait of utter confusion. "Why have you all suddenly run over to my spot?"

"Owner, this girl says your gear is exceptionally good?" Nalan Hongwu's fierce eyes widened. "Care to compare with this old man?!"

Although he knew Fang Qi was already level eighteen, the Diablo map in this version was considerably larger than the original, with far more monsters. Thus, Nalan Hongwu, who had just pierced through Act One, was already level sixteen, not far behind.

If one were to say Fang Qi's gear was a bit better than what he normally wore, that would be normal. But this old man had borrowed a grand suit of Rares and Uniques just to have a good thrill, and he still couldn't best you?!

How could anyone tolerate this?!

Nalan Hongwu spoke up, his voice thick with indignation, "Do you dare let this old man lay eyes upon your gear?!"

"Inspect my gear?"

Fang Qi cast a thoroughly baffled glance in his direction, then unfurled his equipment screen:

Helm: Nadir Light Helm (Runic Word equipment, gleaming in a deep, dark gold)

Armor: Stealth Chain Mail (Runic Word)

Weapon: Malice Crystal Sword (Runic Word)

Shield: Ancient's Pledge (Runic Word)

...

Staring down at the uniform sea of dark gold text, compounded by row after row of obscenely powerful attributes trailing beneath,

Nalan Hongwu was instantly petrified into stone!

"What manner of gear is this?!"

"This has to be at least mostly Dark Gold, right?!"

"Owner, where on earth did you procure these?!"

Behind Fang Qi, every single player stood entirely dumbfounded by the sight!

"Owner, did you go and ransack the final lair of Act Two as well?!"