Chapter 144 - CATCHING UP WITH AH JIN (1/2)

IT was already past ten in the morning when Luo Jin woke up with a grumbling stomach.  If not for being hungry, he would probably continue to sleep past noon.  He brushed his teeth and washed his face before going out of his room.  He went straight to the dining room and asked a maid to prepare breakfast for him.  Not long, plates of different dishes were brought to the dining room table.

He was about to start eating when someone suddenly sat down on the seat opposite him.  He raised his head and saw Luo Yan smiling at him.

”Good morning, Ah Jin,” Luo Yan greeted brightly.

”Yeah, morning,” Luo Jin replied back and proceeded on eating a spoonful of porridge.

”I heard you stayed until midnight playing Arcadia.  Were the Mysteries of the door you ended up in hard to solve?”

Luo Jin's spoon stopped midway, then he continued to eat.  ”I don't want to talk about it.”

He said the words with not much emotion, but Luo Yan could still feel that his younger brother instantly fell into a bad mood the moment he mentioned the task yesterday.  It could be seen from the strain between his eyebrows and the downturn arc of his mouth.

So, what exactly happened?  Luo Yan's curiosity was piqued even more.

”I actually had a hard time.  I had to dress up as a girl and dance in front of these group of NPCs.  I was even poisoned and put into prison,” Luo Yan said, acting all pitiful.  He looked at Luo Jin, acting like he was forcing himself to smile.  ”I just wanted to know if Ah Jin was a bit better than me.  If you were, then that's good.  But if you don't want to talk about it, then I won't force you.  I'm sorry for asking.”

It took a bit of a while before Luo Jin reacted.  He was still in shock because of the first part of what Luo Yan said.  His brother had to cross-dress, was forced to dance, he was poisoned, and was even thrown into prison.  And here he was, throwing a tantrum because of the annoying things he experienced in that blasted red door.

”No, it's okay.  Sorry, I didn't mean to brush you off,” he said.  ”Were you hurt terribly doing the task?”

Luo Yan smiled, real this time, and shook his head.  ”No, I was only poisoned but I was immediately healed.  Brother Ji Yun was with me the whole time.  We actually made a good team.  The blue door we went into had us solve some ancient political intrigue that involved two countries.”

Hearing that Luo Yan was with Shen Ji Yun during the whole task last night, he already felt his temper rising.  How could that guy be so lucky?  Well, looking at his brother's happy smile, he probably had fun despite the things that he told him.  And a part of that probably had something to do with that Shen Ji Yun.

As much as it annoyed him that the guy was with his brother, it's probably better that he was instead of some random player out there.  But despite him thinking that, Luo Jin's initial impression of him still hadn't change.  He still thought Shen Ji Yun had some kind of ulterior motive.

”What about the crossdressing and dancing part?” he asked instead.

”Oh, that's only because of the role I was given.  I kind of hate the dancing part though,” Luo Yan answered then immediately added, ”We also teamed up with another player, he's from team Celestials.  He's a bit annoying because of all his side comments.  But it's kind of fun teaming up with him.  The three of us cleared the blue door perfectly and get some amazing rewards.  I got an item that could help my beast egg to quicken its hatching time.  I even got a business establishment.  I could earn money through it.  Amazing, right?” Of course, Luo Yan didn't include that new skill he earned.  If he could, he just wanted to ignore that it existed.  ”How about you, Ah Jin?”

Seeing his second brother's excited look as if he was truly eager to hear what happened to him during the task, Luo Jin just couldn't refuse him.

”I was in the red door with Su Yuqi.  The setting was some kind of medieval fantasy.  We're both playing the roles of nobles that had to attend this party where a prince from this other famous kingdom had to choose his wife,” he said, conveniently not mentioning the part of him also needing to cross-dress.  There's no way in hell he'd tell that black history to his brother.

”You're with Sister Yuqi?  That's great.  At least you didn't have to do the task alone.”

”Yes, it actually is.”

Su Yuqi's presence actually helped Luo Jin endure all the unlucky things that happened to them in that damn door.  He continued;