48 Chapter 48 - Not a Zero-Sum Game (1/2)
The four ladies immediately thought of retreating, but they saw another bunch of people blocking the other side of the street. July quickly posted a message on the guild channel, ”Everyone, stay put inside the guild house for now.”
When the ladies asked why, July only replied, ”Listen to me.” When July and the three ladies looked back, they saw that the people blocking the other side of the street had moved forward. The ladies did not know whether they just happened to stop in front of Amethyst Rebirth's headquarters or purposely stopped there. July could hear her heart thumping loudly as she reemphasized her message to the ladies inside the guild house. July sighed in relief when everyone followed, huddling together within and making no more rash movement.
One side of the street had been completely blocked off. Although the road over here was spacious, No Smile had brought along quite a number of people. The resulting gaps got filled up quickly by the onlookers as well, making passing through them impossible. Furthermore, the combined strength of the four of them was not enough to breakout from this airtight human net.
”What do you want?” July could only confront the person whom she had always been trying to avoid meeting.
”What do I want?” No Smile spat back, cackling for a while before he replied, ”I know you sent those people my way to f*ck with me. But I'm not blaming you. Just tell me who they are and we'll call it even.”
July laughed coldly, ”Once bitten, twice shy. Do you really think I'll fall for your words a second time?”
No Smile's grin no longer looked natural, ”I'm being honest this time.”
July shook her head and sighed, ”Smiling like this after being killed for four times; you're really quite the actor.”
No Smile's expression became rigid, as if July's words had struck a nerve. No Smile momentarily lost his cool as he menacingly threatened, ”If you're not going to reveal their identity, then I'll just hold you responsible for everything!”
”Fine! How are you going to do it, then? Drop me by four levels as well?” July smiled broadly.
No Smile felt even more aggrieved. Before he could speak, July already added, ”I'm not at level 30 yet. So even if my level drops, it won't be that great of a loss.”
No Smile's face blanched. What she said was true. Since the amount of experience points needed to level up after reaching level 30 largely increased, No Smile's drop from 30 to 29 had lost him a substantial amount of experience points. He was among the top-ranked Thieves on the experience efficiency leaderboard, having accumulated quite a lot of experience points at level 30. Now that his level had fallen from 30 to 26, these four levels alone already accounted for almost half the effort he had placed in this game so far! How could he not feel enraged?
No Smile's entire being was endlessly devastated. He needed someone to vent his pent-up frustration, so he grinded his teeth and said, ”Alright! It's as you said. We'll talk after I drop your levels! All four of you! One level each!”
Someone among the onlookers tried to rush toward the confrontation, but was stopped by another beside that person.
”What are you doing?” Gu Fei asked Young Master Han.
Just as July and No Smile were about to verbally cross swords, Luo Luo had already sent a message to Young Master Han. Since Ray's Bar was near this street, the six had quickly arrived over and squeezed into the crowd to watch the spectacle. Seeing that both parties were not reaching an agreement and No Smile was about to kill July, Gu Fei rushed to interfere, only to be stopped by Young Master Han.
”Your interference won't do any good,” Young Master Han told Gu Fei on the mercenary channel, ”They have more people here. Going in now would be suicide. What's the point of doing so?”
”What do you mean?” Gu Fei asked.
”Just like what that lady said; it's not a big loss for them to die—”
”To hell with that!” Gu Fei shrugged Young Master Han's hand off him, ”This isn't a zero-sum game,” With that, Gu Fei squeezed his way past the crowd.
No Smile waved his hand and many players of Traversing Four Seas moved to surround July and the three ladies as they awaited the next order to start the massacre.
”I'm giving you one last chance to think this through. Surely, you don't wish to see your sisters get killed together with you, right?” No Smile asked mockingly, as if he had anticipated everything. July might know him well, but No Smile had an even better understanding of her.
”Go to hell, you low-life!” someone refused his condition before July could even speak. Lie Lie, who had a feisty personality, found No Smile's actions absolutely deplorable. Using that moment to interject, she quickly slammed her foot forward and executed the level 24 Fighter skill Spurring Meteor, the one she had used on Gu Fei before.
With her speed and damage boosted, she used Spurring Meteor to head straight to No Smile.
”Lie Lie!” July shouted from behind, as Luo Luo hastily bestowed Heal on Lie Lie. When Lie Lie rushed out with her attack, a person beside No Smile also sprinted out with a similar pose and unleashed the same skill.
Since the two Fighters collided with the same skill, only their Strength and Agility stats would decide whose skill would gain priority1. Lie Lie's opponent was clearly above her, resulting into her being hit by Spurring Meteor instead. Spurring Meteor had the additional Pierce effect; this caused Lie Lie to be hurled backward, as well as dealt damage to July, Luo Luo and Xiaoyu who had tried to catch her.
No Smile sneered haughtily at their sorry sight. He was about to issue the ”kill” order when someone squeezed out among the onlookers and asked, ”What's going on? What's with the crowd?”
”What happened? Why did Miles rush in?” Young Master's Elite's group chat erupted, as everyone queried on their private channel.
”Because this isn't a zero-sum game,” Young Master Han replied bemusedly, much to the puzzlement of the rest.
”Get ready to fight, everyone. Royal, find a good hiding spot and prepare to Snipe; Sword Demon, activate your Stealth once you've covered your face; Wounds, check how long your Cyclone lasts with your remaining Rage; and Brother Assist, tell us the detail of that Traversing Four Seas' Fighter,” Young Master Han rapidly fired off these commands.