Volume 3 - CH 1

Playing Fish Trapped in Secret Room

Book 3: Glory on the Other Side

Chapter 1

Rain poured outside the store.

Everyone who entered created a new puddles that the waitress had to repeatedly wipe dry.

Ai Qing supported her chin with one hand and used the other to fiddle the jewelry box in front of her.

It contained a very expensive ring.  She had only seen the same style and size of ring in the news when some celebrity proposed with it.

She had majored in jewelry appraisal in university.

Though she had forgotten more than half of what she had learned from university, she still couldn’t help taking it out to stare at it in appreciation last night.

Shortly after the plane landed last night, Grunt suddenly announced on Weibo that he was quitting StarCraft and be fully dedicated to Secret Room Storm. The announcement made a splash in the gaming world.  This was another professional StarCraft player with a long list of achievement who had bid farewell to it without any warning.  Everybody was surprised.

Even Solo didn’t expect Grunt would make this kind of decision.

Her index finger poked the jewelry box lightly.  A pair of big, long legs walked over, getting close before stopping next to her.  His sports pants and shoes were all wet.  It seemed that it was raining even heavier now.

Ai Qing pushed the jewelry box forward.  “Return this to Grunt for my sister.  She doesn’t want it.”

The person who had the focus of attention in the esports circle picked up the box.  He put the box inside his pants pocket without asking any extra questions.  “Ok.”

“Is that it?  No questions?”  Ai Qing laughed.  She supported her face with both hands and watched him sit down.  “Aren’t you good friends with Grunt?  Shouldn’t you pay some attention to his love affairs? At least pry a little and get some information for him.”

Dt was quiet for a while.

“I didn’t sleep last night. I was with Grunt while he dealt with his girlfriend for the whole night.”

“Dealt with?”

He answered with an “uhm.”

This subject thus concluded……

Ai Qing didn’t really mind.  She continued to cradle her face while biting the straw in front of her to drink her smoothie.

When she almost finished drinking, Dt spoke just in time to ask her, “Do you want more?”

“No.”  Ai Qing responded, amused.  “I regret getting a smoothie. Even my hands are cold from drinking it.”  After all, it was still March and it took courage to drink a mango smoothie in this weather.

She met with Dt to return the ring on her sister’s behalf. Afterwards, she planned to go to the computer store at the fourth floor to buy a PS4.  Dt now stood behind her listening to her chat with the store owner whether she should buy a PS4 or Xbox One.  He was actually very familiar with game consoles, but he didn’t want to make the final decision for her and kept silent.  After all, it was a joy to listen to her talking.

“Anyway the Xbox is better if you want to play the motion control games and you don’t need to buy any CDs.  I will copy all the games for you but you need to buy the copyrighted CDs for the PS4.”  The owner took the CD game out and put it on table.  “300 RMB for each.  You can sell them back to me for 150 RMB each after you are tired of playing it.”

Ai Qing picked up several CDs to examine.

She liked computer games, but wasn’t knowledgeable about game consoles.

The owner continued his explanation, totally oblivious to the fact that he was speaking to a famous esports commentator.  He thought she was just an ordinary girl who had come out to buy games with her boyfriend.

“You tell me.  Which one should I buy?”  Ai Qing finally asked for help.

“They’re both about the same.”  This was the answer he gave honestly.

……

Alright, Ai Qing didn’t really expect him to give her a long explanation-- --or about why they were almost the same.  She bought a PS4 in the end and flipped through the CDs on the counter.

Finally, she was very happy to find Call of Duty, because this was the only game she played in Slide’s store.

It was a first person shooting game similar to Secret Room Storm.

Yet it wasn’t a team game, so she could only play against the computer or a duel between two people.[1]

“This one, I think it’s good for your boyfriend.”  The owner looked at the handsome guy behind her and felt that he looked familiar.  “Take a look.  I’ll open it up for you.  Here’s the code for the official copy.  Uhm. Right.  And also, let me turn on the console and teach you how to play.”

She nodded modestly in order to not hurt the owner’s feelings.

But after he powered up the console and put in the CD, she couldn’t pretend any more as the screen came alive.  She played for several minutes while trying out the controller.

Jump, move forward, jump down from the ruins of the high building, and rushed into the bus after it was struck by a rocket.

It seemed effortless for her to aim then shoot, aim then shoot.

The owner who was going to explain how classic this game was…...was now standing next to her in respect.

He had never seen a girl who played this game so well, she was at the professional level!  His level of respect grew even stronger after the girl handed the controller to the young man behind her.

The handsome guy with the baseball hat was already eye-catching by himself, now the small crowd of customers gathering to watch drew even more onlookers.

Someone began to roll up the sleeves excitedly.  “Brother.  How about we play a game?”

Dt raised his eyelids and didn’t say anything.

[1]: Call of Duty has online multiplayer (the main appeal of the game) and has team based game modes…  I don’t know why the author thinks otherwise...