Chapter 155 - Li Ling's Plan

Zhihao, "But that doesn't explain why the fruits and vegetables in the mart were still fresh." 

Li Ling shook his head as he shrugged, "I don't know about that and this is just a theory. There might be secret hideouts and tunnels under us, but they may also be empty. In the end, we can't be too sure." 

Zhihao nodded, "You're right."

Wang GuiYing, "So how will we know if the underground theory is real?" 

Li Ling, "By going down, but it's better not to check it out right now." 

"Huh? Why?" Zhihao questioned in confusion. 

Li Ling looked at the man before answering seriously, "So what if they really are there? How can we be sure that they are on our side? Just because they are humans, it doesn't mean they'll be good." 

Zhihao gulped. He agreed to it. Just because someone was a human, it didn't automatically mean that they were good. Humans were perhaps the most vicious creatures of them all. After all, wasn't it humans themselves who created all this mess? They were the ones who created the Ribix, they were the ones who created the Ribots and they were also the ones who were trying to destroy all of their creations. 

Wang GuiYing scoffed, "But that doesn't mean they are necessarily bad! We can take our shot." 

Li Ling looked at him with an unimpressed expression, "And why would you want to do that? I never said we're not gonna check it out. I simply said that this is not the best time to go betting on whether we'll find something good or bad."

Zhihao, "Then what do we do?" 

Li Ling, "We'll proceed with the original plan." 

Zhihao, "Look for more Ribots?" 

Li Ling nodded, "We'll collect them all and reunite the Ribot army."

Wang GuiYing, "Wouldn't that take us a lot of time? I mean, there are so many of them on the map." 

"The ones shown on the map are the ones remaining. The rest of the Ribots are no longer in a condition where they can be operated." 

Zhihao, "So that means all the Ribots we can see on the map are usable?" 

Li Ling nodded, "They'll work just fine, and if we want to fight against the Ribix again, we'll need them all."

Wang GuiYing gulped. This was probably the first time, he was going to openly try to contribute and volunteer, "Let's divide and conquer." 

Li Ling and Zhihao looked at Wang GuiYing in silence as they waited for him to continue. 

"If we can all divide up and search, we'll find them sooner," Wang GuiYing added. 

[That's a stupid plan.] 

Wang GuiYing frowned as he asked, "Why?" 

[If you divide the group and one of you gets attacked by a Ribix, are you sure you'll get out of it alive?] 

"..."

[Don't forget that in order to clear the level, all of you need to stay alive till the end.] 

"Actually," Li Ling spoke up, "I like that idea." 

Zhihao was shocked. Even he felt that what Alvi said was right. If they divided up, it will be easier for the Ribix to defeat them. They were four and if any one of them died, the rest of them would also not be able to clear the level. It was a team game and it was supposed to be played as a team. 

Li Ling seemed to have something on his mind, "If we divide and search, we'll get the job done faster." 

Zhihao, "And what if one of us gets killed by a Ribix?" 

Although Zhihao had said 'one of us', what he truly wanted to say was: What if Wang GuiYing gets himself killed because he tripped over his own feet while running away?! Wouldn't we all lose? 

Li Ling glanced at the three players and seemed to be silent for a minute before he spoke up, "I trust you." 

"..." 

Everybody seemed to have been shocked to hear this. Even Wang GuiYing couldn't believe it. 

Wang Guiying, "You trust... Me? Why?! I'm the most untrustworthy person ever!" 

Zhihao and Zhou Xinyi nodded in agreement. Even Alvi nodded as she added, "Why would you trust him??" 

Li Ling pursed his lips and looked to be unimpressed. He sighed before continuing, "You're right. I shouldn't be trusting you. You'll be the first to run away and push us in front of an enemy. You're the worst person to trust." 

"..." For some reason, Wang GuiYing felt a bit offended but he couldn't help but agree with whatever Li Ling had said. He really was guilty of the accusation. 

"But I trust you because I know that you won't get yourself killed." Li Ling continued as he looked at Wang GuiYing, "You'll betray us but you won't betray yourself because you want to win this game too. So yeah, I trust you." 

"..." Zhihao couldn't help but feel amazed. 

Li Ling was absolutely right. 

Wang GuiYing might seem like a useless guy but if someone were to notice him and analyze all his movements closely, they would definitely realize that this man wasn't as useless as he was portrayed to be. Sure, he'll betray you and stab you in the back but he would do it for himself. He was the perfect example of a self-centered man who cared about nobody except for himself. 

"Little lover, you make it sound as if I care for nobody except myself," Wang GuiYing suddenly chuckled as he patted Zhou Xinyi's arm twice, "You're wrong. I care about him too." 

"..." Zhihao couldn't help but wonder what BBtrash was trying to say. Was he currently confessing his feelings for Zhou Xinyi? 

Wang GuiYing smiled brightly as he added, "He's my weapon and my shield. How can I let anything happen to him?" 

Zhihao pursed his lips as he heard this. It was wrong of him to think that Wang GuiYing had changed or realized Zhou Xinyi's feelings for him. 

BBtrash was too dumb! It was so clear that Zhou Xinyi was head over heels for him, but BBtrash was still blind! How could he not realize?! 

Zhihao was sure that he wasn't as dumb as Wang GuiYing. 

If Li Ling loved him, he would have definitely- 

Oh... 

Zhihao suddenly remembered something. 

His ears turned slightly red. 

I was an idiot! 

How could I have not realized it?! It was clear as day!! 

Zhihao remembered all the embarrassing times when he was jealous of Li Ling's crush. He was freaking jealous of himself! He wanted to steal Li Ling away from himself! He wanted to show Li Ling that his crush wasn't as good as Mastermo! 

What the hell?! 

Li Ling squinted but said nothing. He knew something that even Zhihao didn't know yet. Although it looked as if Wang GuiYing wasn't aware of Zhou Xinyi's feelings and tried to show that he only cared about him because of how useful he was, it was all a lie. Wang GuiYing was trying to fool them into thinking that he didn't care about Zhou Xinyi like that. 

Li Ling had been in love with Zhihao for years so of course, he knew what a lovesick person looked like. This expression Wang GuiYing was displaying? It was clear as day that he was hiding his feelings. He was trying to deny it himself.

In reality, Wang GuiYing liked Zhou Xinyi, maybe even more than Zhou Xinyi liked him. It was just that Zhou Xinyi, although more quiet, was more open and expressive about his feelings while Wang GuiYing who was supposed to be the exact opposite, the type to be more expressive and talkative was better at hiding his true feelings. 

However, he still couldn't hide it from Li Ling's watchful eyes. 

"Then you guys can just go together," Li Ling sighed. 

Wang GuiYing smiled as he nodded, "I'll make sure to protect our big Xinyi here!" 

Zhou Xinyi, "..." 

Who is protecting who here?!

Zhihao, "Then I'll also go with my boyfriend!" 

Li Ling suddenly choked as he heard this. 

"Already making it official?" Wang GuiYing cooed. 

"I'm afraid someone would steal him away if I don't," Zhihao beamed. 

Wang GuiYing, "..." 

There was no way someone would want to steal him away and even if someone else were to try, there was no way Li Ling would let anyone else steal him away! He was too scary! Only the great Mastermo would be able to find him cute! 

Blood rushed up to Li Ling's cheeks as he nodded, "Okay." 

Zhihao smiled brightly as he heard this small response. 

[Tch-] 

"Henpecked husband," Wang GuiYing commented. 

Zhihao and Li Ling acted as if they were deaf and couldn't hear the two jealous people who cringed at the PDA. 

[Then who am I going with?] 

Everybody turned their heads to look at the little Alvi who was looking back at them with big hopeful eyes. 

Wang GuiYing looked back up at Li Ling, "I don't want her. You can take her." 

[...]

[Hey! I thought we bonded!] 

It was now Wang GuiYing's turn to act deaf. 

Li Ling looked at Alvi and seemed to be thinking something.

Zhihao suddenly crouched down to her level and smiled as he commented, "I trust you, bot." 

[...]

"Let us have a peaceful date without you," Zhihao continued. 

[Are you freaking telling me to get lost?!]