Chapter 25: Friends
[Second Reality replicates 98% of a human's senses. For players of Second Reality, there is a 2% limiting factor from their senses. Players will not get the full experience or taste from foods in Second Reality. When Host takes items out of Second Reality, he has a 100% indulgement with the food. 2% between Second Reality and Reality makes a whole lot of difference. As Host might say... Its difference is akin to Heaven and Earth.]
Dream answered Xia Shishu's burning question out of the blue.
'How would you know what I'm going to ask? Did you read my memories and predict my actions...? Well, thank you for the clarification anyway.' Xia Shishu he secretly nodded, somewhat acknowledging Dream's explanation.
"W-Why!? Why can't… Why can't I stop eating!? Mhmh! The meat is most tender, but the sauce is to die for! My appetite can't be satisfied! I can eat this for years!" Ji Anyi's eyes glimmered like the stars. If Second Reality's chicken wing tasted like her deskmate's (homemade) chicken wing, she would totally spend all her in-game money on it since she can't get fat by eating virtual foods!
"Even still… your expression seems to be a little bit over-exaggerating…" Xia Shishu mumbled to himself, still a little bit unconvinced of how much 2% from Second Reality to Reality can affect his taste buds.
Xia Shishu looked at the little skewered fish on his hand. He can't just summon another chicken wing from his inventory nor should he take the chicken wing from Ji Anyi, so he was going to have to settle with tasting the fish instead of the chicken wing.
"DELICIOUS!" Once Xia Shishu sunk his teeth into the small skewered fish's roasted meat, his eyes also glimmer in surprise! The skewered fish had tasted even better than when he ate it in Second Reality! It had a unique deliciousness that he couldn't explain. A unique taste that beats any fish meat he had eaten before!
Looking at Ji Anyi who is still trying to save every last bite of the chicken wing, Xia Shishu smiled evilly. "Hehe, how's my cooking? I'm good right?" Xia Shishu smugly asked Ji Anyi, shamelessly taking the title of the food's cook for himself.
"En! En! You're cooking skills are amazing!! The best that I've ever had!" Ji Anyi complimented Xia Shishu.
"Wow, I'm flattered. That's the first time I've ever heard you compliment me."
"That's because you've never done anything praisable before!"
"That's so not true. You've probably just never paid any attention to me before and missed out on all of my praisable actions." Xia Shishu rebuked her smilingly as he continued eating. He hadn't had such a casual talk with a friend in a long time.
"As if!!" Ji Anyi turned her head away from Xia Shishu slightly, pouting as she finishes eating the chicken wing as she did so.
"Haha well, I guess you can praise me more in the future then." Xia Shishu laughed it off before continuing eating quietly. Ji Anyi also focused on eating and before long, both of them had finished their main dish…
"I guess you don't have more, huh… I'm sorry for suddenly taking your food." Ji Anyi apologized after she finished.
"No need to apologize, classmate Ji. I can always make more, but this might be your only time eating my cooking."
Ji Anyi looked into her deskmate in the eyes… She did not observe them so closely before even though they've only been centimeters apart as deskmates.
"Don't be stingy with food, okay? Here, since I ate your food, you can eat mines." Ji Anyi tried to compromise with Xia Shishu by handing her bowl of food over. This can't possibly be the last time that she can have her deskmate's cooking!
"No thank you. You should eat it instead." Xia Shishu peeked at her bowl of food and declined. He wasn't a big fan of school lunches, and the quality would most likely not be up to par with his second reality foods.
"Well… Okay then." Since Xia Shishu declined her, Ji Anyi took her bowl back and took small spoonfuls of it… But it's taste is quite bland compared to what she had just eaten.
With Ji Anyi eating her own foods, Xia Shishu picked up the Stevia Tea that he had set aside. The food was great, but what about the drink?
Xia Shishu's actions seemed quite normal, but Ji Anyi's eyes were not to be looked down upon. She side glanced at her deskmate. The food was definitely great, so what other treasures are her classmate hiding? How do the drinks that he makes taste like?
With a sip of the Stevia Tea, Xia Shishu was quite surprised. Just like the foods, the drink was enhanced. 2% difference in realism brings upon such cool effects!
"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Ji Anyi suddenly began coughing unnaturally on the side. Her right hand clenched into a fist and she repeatedly pounds her chest.
"Oi, Oi! Are you okay? You choking?" Xia Shishu quickly asked his deskmate.
Ji Anyi nodded vigorously like there was no tomorrow.
"Calm down, classmate Ji. Here, drink this." Why did she eat so quickly? Nobody is going to steal her food! Xia Shishu gave her his drink as he pats her back.
Ji Anyi gulped down all the Stevia Tea after tasting it a little. She had planned to take only a little sip, but it was too darn good! The sweetness of the tea was just right and the taste was really exquisite. She couldn't resist…
That's right! She had planned all of this out just to steal her deskmate's food… No… She did of this to taste his deskmate's food…
"Are you okay now?" Xia Shishu asked, not suspecting Ji Anyi at all.
"Y-Yes…" Ji Anyi pretended to calm down. Of course, she felt kind of bad stealing her classmate's food, but he should be okay!
"That's good then. Geez, try to eat more slowly! You got me worried for a second. I don't want to be a witness of your death."
"..." Ji Anyi didn't answer. Maybe she had done enough bad things towards her deskmate for the day.
"Well, I'm gonna go return the thing's I borrowed from the lunch room." Xia Shishu took his stuff and prepared to dump the trash and returned the borrowed items. He didn't eat much, but it should last him until he gets home. Lina will make food for him.
"Wait for me. I'll go dump these too." Ji Anyi got up and followed Xia Shishu.
"But you're not done eating?" Xia Shishu asked her.
"Well, I just suddenly don't have the appetite anymore."
"Oh okay then." Xia Shishu wasn't gonna ask her anymore. She just wants to dump her foods and return her items like him. Let her do what she wants.
Ji Anyi and Xia Shishu strolled side by side into their school's lunchroom without any chatting. What was there to talk about? Xia Shishu didn't feel like talking anyway...
Ji Anyi, on the other hand, was still thinking about her deskmate's delicious foods and drink.
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"Yosh! Everyone present who plays Second Reality and doesn't have a team yet, gather around!" A skinny student that seems to be of Xia Shishu's age spoke to all the other students present in the lunchroom with a loud voice.
"What is it?"
"Bai Chen, what's up, bro?"
A few girls and boys gathered around Bai Chen. The two words Second Reality had caught their attention.
"As you all know, there is an update and getting to level 10 won't be a problem anymore. As soon as we all reach level 10, we can all be transported to a big city of our choice. I've looked up on the forums and a bunch of the top level player on the ranking board had already entered the big city and they had stated that a guild name can be registered for 1 gold coin." Bai Chen paused a bit so the information will seep in. "I want to create a guild and invite you all to join it. Our guild doesn't have any funds to pay you, but we won't let you down. I believe we can make this team big if we work hard together! About thirty or so people from our school had already said that they'll join my guild."
"Well, shoot. I'll join. I don't want to be turned into coin farmers by those larger teams anyways."
"Me too."
"Same here"
Bai Chen was elated. "Great! Come here and write down your in-game names down so I can add you all later after school is over with." Bai Chen took out a notebook and pen and laid it on a lunch table.
"Hmmm… This is interesting. Student Bai Chen, right? Let this teacher join too. You can't be having fun all by yourselves." Bai Chen's teacher walked up and signed his in-game name on the notebook too.
"Hahaha Teacher Li, Damn it! You're being too formal. You know me for almost a year now. Of course, you can join!" Bai Chen happily accepted his teacher. His out-going demeanor is quite well-liked by many in the school.
Ji Anyi and Xia Shishu were around when Bai Chen gave his speech. "Classmate Xia, how about joining them." Ji Anyi asked. It'll be a good thing. If she and Xia Shishu have a team of their own, they'll be able to beat Unstoppable Youths if they ever meet each other again.
"Well, Err…" Xia Shishu hesitated. The reason for hesitating was simple. He wants to try and be a solo player since he has his system to back him up. Who knows, maybe he'll be a legendary player in the future who'll lead hundreds of thousands of his own people!
"Haha. Come over here, you two! You don't have to join if you don't want to right now. Just put down your names so we can have contact with each other. I'll be sending the designated big city that our guild will be based on to everyone after we're done our research on the big cities. If we're in the same big city, we can help each other in times of need." Bai Chen's gestured for Xia Shishu and Ji Anyi to come to him after he overheard them talking.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone