Chapter 946: The Ten-Year Internet Cafe Story in Another World (Grand Finale Part 2)

The great war of that era had left a profound and lasting impact upon the entire world. Though that golden shower of spiritual rain had mended the worst of the devastation across heaven and earth, and had washed away the wounds and ailments of all who bathed within its light, there were still those who had made the ultimate, heroic sacrifice. For instance, several paragons, who had been persuaded by Shen Gongbao to bring their various magical treasures to the aid of the Origin Internet Club, were undone by underhanded traps previously concealed within their artifacts by the enemy; they had perished horribly before the battle had even commenced.

Meanwhile, Gu Tingyun, suffering the backlash of the Seven-Headed Nail Book, had departed into the cycle of reincarnation, returning once more to cultivate under the lineage of the Haotian Academy.

There were, of course, those who gained from the turn of events.

Though the other realms beyond the mortal world received but a meager share of this bounty, a certain Valkyrie, who could do nothing but lie motionless in her pool of water, suddenly felt the faintest tremor in her fingertips.

"I... I can move?!" Her arm could indeed stir now, and her breathing quickened into ragged gasps. "Once I recover, I will..."

"Wait, is that the time? It seems to be eight o'clock! Let us first see what drama is broadcasting in the shop today!" Something suddenly occurred to her, and she hurriedly cast a spell to peer at the grand screen broadcasting to the leisure area inside the shop.

Immediately, a strain of music drifted forth: "I still cannot part from you... Let us keep each other company in the red dust, living our lives free and unconstrained..."

There upon the grand screen stood four massive characters: My Fair Princess!

"???"

"What sort of drama is this?!" She hastily settled back down, turning her entire undivided attention toward watching it.

...

As for the gods of old... those whose names were inscribed upon the Investiture of Gods.

At this moment, they were toiling night and day without a single thought of weariness within the most perilous rift of the world, a place where void tribulation lightning flickered constantly and where even that golden spiritual rain could not fall, contributing their meager strength to restoring this world to its former state.

Many years from now, should there come a day when their sins were thoroughly cleansed, they would finally return once more to the Investiture Altar, bearing anew the heavy responsibility of guarding this domain.

...

By this time, Boss Fang’s entire internet cafe, along with its various games and movies, had swept across the globe, while the arcade and mobile games were exported even further into sundry realms.

Time had moved on, and things had changed.

Among the veteran players of the past, some had taken up employment close at hand within the establishment. Shen Qingqing was currently serving as the head of the Cultural and External Communications Departments for the internet club; Xu Zixin had established a Gun Fu Research Association and oversaw a portion of the security outside the shop; while Dong Qingli, the proprietress of the Wind and Moon Pavilion, had followed Boss Fang’s counsel to turn her culinary arts into a franchise, expanding her restaurants all across the world.

Some were no longer the ignorant youths of yesteryear, having found their own ideals and careers. Take Song Qingfeng and his two close companions, Lin Shao and Xu Luo, for instance. Song Qingfeng had joined the Outer Ruins Exploration Corps, venturing forth to uncover the hidden mysteries of the world; Lin Shao had returned to the Lingyun Academy, where the student of the past had now taken up the mantle of a teacher; Xu Luo had thrown himself into the study of continental ruins, dedicating his life to exploring and reconstructing the forgotten ancient history of the land, leading his very own archaeological team.

Some had laid down the heavy burdens upon their shoulders, much like Naran Hongwu, truly enjoying their twilight years and wandering through the world with carefree grace.

There were others still who had become entertainment or technical streamers, bringing brilliant gameplay strategies and comfortable laughter to people all across the globe.

Even the independent warriors like Liang Shi, along with the chubby Wang Tai, now possessed their own businesses and families, bustled and hurried along by the demands of life.

And, naturally, one could not forget Naran Mingxue, who now managed one of the largest enterprises in the world—handheld gaming.

Opportunities for everyone to agree on a time to gather, to push through the wilderness all through the night or debate gaming strategies for a whole day as they used to do, were growing fewer and fewer. Perhaps... they were gone entirely.

It was the approach of another year’s end, and Boss Fang sat upon the sofa by the window, lighting a cigarette for himself.

The customers coming and going remained a bustling, endless throng.

"Have you guys played that new chicken-dinner game that just came out in the shop?" Outside the door, a few young lads of twelve or thirteen, dressed in the garments of several local clans and bearing the emblem of the Lingyun Academy upon their chests, came walking through the entrance.

"League of Legends has released limited-edition skins. They say there is a Blind Monk called the Dragon's Disciple!" Inside the shop, a youth of fifteen or sixteen remarked.

"I plan to buy the Dinghai Zhenhai Needle Monkey King!" another youth chimed in.

"I heard Instructor Wu from the Shengjing Academy is carrying people through Luke for free today!" A few more figures walked in from the outside. "Hurry, hurry! If we are late, there won’t be any spots left to leech!"

...

Outside the window, a light snow had begun to fall in a gentle pitter-patter. Boss Fang raised his head; a certain funny ball within the shop would still wrap itself in a quilt to venture out, yet the active players inside the establishment were no longer the same crowd from those early years.

That was their youth, and yet, to a greater or lesser extent, one could glimpse some shadow of one's former self within them.

The cigarette burned down to its end. Boss Fang gazed somewhat lonelily at the crowds drifting back and forth within the shop. Looking back abruptly, he realized that, imperceptibly, more than ten years had already passed since he arrived in this world.

Watching these youths come and go, there were moments when he could not help but miss the younger version of himself back in the internet cafe.

Just then, Su Tianji finished her stream, removed her virtual reality visor, ordered two cups of cappuccino, and walked over from the counter.

From outside the shop, Lin Shao, clad in tight-fitting martial attire and covered in the dust of travel and the frost of the storm, stepped across the threshold. He slapped the snowflakes from his clothes and gave a wry laugh. "A student sneaked out in secret to hunt demon beasts and ran into some danger. It took some time to track him down."

He glanced left and right. "I am not late, am I?"

"Not at all, not at all," Boss Fang smiled. "You are the second one."

"Heheh! You lot are truly early!" An Huwei pushed open the shop door, cast a glance toward the leisure area, and then looked to his side, freezing for a moment. "Brother Liang, how have things been lately?"

Liang Shi also stepped into the room from outside. "Oh, goodness me, with the year coming to an end, there really is far too much to do."

Naran Hongwu, Princess Royal Ji Yu, Mo Tianxing from the Half-City shop, Ning Bi, Xu Zixin, Shen Qingqing, and so on...

A whole multitude arrived in an endless stream, closing their umbrellas and shedding their straw rain-capes. They ordered a cup of their favorite beverage and gathered upon the sofas of the leisure area, looking exactly...

As they had in the old days.

"Everyone is a grand, busy figure now," Boss Fang said with a small smile, stubbing out the cigarette butt in his hand. "I have reserved a private room at the Wind and Moon Pavilion. It is rare for everyone to make the journey back today. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, so today we shall gather here ahead of time to have our New Year's Eve feast!"

"Hahaha! Splendid!"

"The shop is still as lively as ever..."

"Even more lively!"

"Boss, where is Xiaoyue?" Su Tianji inquired.

"I sent her ahead to the Wind and Moon Pavilion to order the food."

"Hmm? We are still missing someone, aren't we?" An Huwei looked left and right. "Where is that lad Song Qingfeng?"

"They say he set out yesterday; he should be arriving today as well."

Pushing open the shop door and looking out, one could see at the end of the street a young man nearing thirty years of age, dressed in military uniform. His face bore a touch of life's vicissitudes, and his once-handsome features were now marked by lines carved by the elements over the years. A scar traced beside his eye, and his entire bearing exuded the sharp, seasoned air of a veteran as he offered a military salute to the crowd.

"Young... Young Master Song!?"

"Hahahahaha! You fellow, how have you changed so much that you're nearly unrecognizable!"

"Come, come, come, us brothers will go have a few drinks today!"

"Not returning until we are drunk!"

Boss Fang declared, "Today, none shall return until we are thoroughly drunk!"

"Oh—!"

"Hahahahaha...!"

Their figures, at the far end of the road, gradually receded into the distance...

.

.

After the arrival of spring, Boss Fang entrusted the burden of managing the internet cafe to the people under his hand, while he himself, bearing a simple backpack, began to walk toward the far horizon.

Perhaps it was to fulfill a wish of the past, to gaze upon the entirety of these magnificent rivers and mountains, or perhaps it was to search for the path back to his former world... who could say?

A lone figure stood waiting ahead, as though by a prearranged promise.

Beneath the twilight, the wind brushed past a cool, serene countenance, lifting the hem of her pure white robes. Snowflakes drifted down upon her shoulders, yet there was an immense, unburdened sense of ease about her. A slightly detached, gentle voice asked, "Leaving now?"

"Let's go."

.