[🎉 Shoutout to Inferi & Stealthkug for joining patreon. Thank you very much.🤗]
[Special Map: Level 35 Light Clan Forbidden Zone]
Unknowingly, Zhang Yue had been fighting within this forbidden zone for three days.
So far, he'd managed to clear about 40% of the monsters on the map. Judging by the remaining number, he estimated it would take at least another four or five days to complete the mission fully.
At 7 p.m., Zhang Yue planned to log off, grab a quick meal, and get back to grinding.
Just then, he received a Feixin Message from Liu Yao.
He replied, "My wife?"
"Yeah, your wife Su Jingyan." Liu Yao replied, "To protect the three guilds, she agreed to duel Infinite Guild's Vice-President, Infinite Overlord, in a best-of-three. She won the first two rounds, but she lost the third. As a result, she now has to be his girlfriend."
Before Zhang Yue could respond, another message came from Su Jingyan herself.
"Zhang Yue, where are you?"
"I lost. I don't like Infinite Overlord; I don't want to be his girlfriend. I don't know what to do… I really don't…"
"Zhang Yue, could you please come help me…"
On the other end, Su Jingyan closed her Feixin Message app, feeling defeated as she crouched down and began to cry softly.
Infinite Overlord had been grinning until he saw her crying. Suddenly, he felt an inexplicable sadness welling up in his chest.
Around him, the Infinite Guild members cheered, "Congratulations, Vice-President, on winning the heart of a beauty."
Yet Infinite Overlord couldn't bring himself to be happy. He approached Su Jingyan, crouched beside her, and softened his voice. "Don't worry; there's no rush. You're my girlfriend now, but I won't ask for anything unreasonable."
"We can take it slow and let things develop naturally."
After speaking, Infinite Overlord stood up and ordered, "Withdraw!"
The nearby Infinite Guild members were taken aback, unsure if they'd heard him correctly.
Only when they saw him log off did they finally follow suit.
Offline.
———
At a five-star hotel in Linhai City…
Infinite Overlord, who had been transferred here from Tianlang specifically to suppress the three guilds, had just logged off and was lying on his bed.
Suddenly, there was a knock on his door.
Two Infinite Guild members entered.
"Boss, what's going on? Usually, when you see something you like, you stop at nothing to get it. Now, you finally found a girl who isn't easy to win over, and you just let her go?"
The other one added, "Boss, don't tell me you've actually fallen for Su Jingyan?"
Infinite Overlord lay on the bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. "I don't know what's going on."
"I guess… she's just an exceptional girl. Sure, she's beautiful, but it's more than that—her strength, sense of responsibility, and cleverness are really… something."
Suddenly, as if making a resolution, Infinite Overlord sat up abruptly. "Wu Haotian has decided. I'll make Su Jingyan mine. Not just her body, but her heart as well." [T/N: Tch.. Tch... Boya, you are gonna die young.]
The two guild members exchanged a bewildered look.
"Wait… That's it? Just like that?"
———
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
Watching Su Jingyan cry, War God Judgement and Liu Yao couldn't help but feel disheartened.
Just then, a few Misty Rain Pavilion members rushed over to Liu Yao.
"Liu Yao, isn't your dad the wealthiest man in Linhai City? Why not use his money to rally the local professionals against Infinite Guild? If the tens of thousands of freelancers here join forces, we'd have a real chance."
"Yeah! Our Miss Su put herself at risk for your Supreme and War God Guilds. Please, help her out."
Liu Yao looked as though he was on the verge of tears. "Believe me, I've thought about it. But my dad said I've been too reckless with money lately and froze all my accounts. He said he'd only release the funds if I lead Supreme Guild to a decent placement in the Championships."
"We're being pushed around by Infinite. If he won't provide funds, how are you supposed to compete?"
"Exactly what I told him." Liu Yao grumbled, "But my dad said he doesn't care and told me to figure it out myself…"
War God Judgement frowned. "If there's no other way, let's fight them. If we can't join this year's Championships, then so be it."
While the three guilds were brainstorming solutions, Su Jingyan received a message from Zhang Yue.
"Sorry, I can't help you right now."
The words hit her like a stab to the heart.
"…Got it."
———
At the same time, within the Light Clan's forbidden zone…
Zhang Yue noticed Su Jingyan's status go from Online to Offline, and an unexplainable heaviness settled in his heart.
It wasn't that Zhang Yue didn't want to help Su Jingyan, Liu Yao, and the others.
It was because he couldn't leave the Light Clan forbidden zone.
Leaving mid-mission would mean forfeiting this unique hidden quest entirely.
And he couldn't disclose his location either.
The Light Clan forbidden zone allowed only pure Dark Faction members to enter.
If Infinite Guild somehow found their way here, his mission would be jeopardized.
Zhang Yue knew he had to finish the mission first. Then, he could assist the three guilds in taking down Infinite Guild.
"There are eight days left before the Championships, and I estimate I'll need about five to complete the mission, leaving three days."
"That should be enough time."
With that, Zhang Yue logged off, quickly ate dinner, and immediately went back online to continue his mission.
Meanwhile, offline, Su Jingyan sat on her bed, hugging her knees, feeling dejected.
"Su Jingyan, you and Zhang Yue are only friends. Helping you would be a kindness, but it's not his duty. And even if he were here, there's nothing he could do… he might even be putting himself in danger."
"Then… why does it hurt so much that he's not here…"
Just as she muttered to herself, she received a friend request from someone named "Wu Haotian" on Feixin.
Though she didn't know how he'd gotten her contact info, Su Jingyan reluctantly accepted.
"Hey there, gorgeous. It's Infinite Overlord here."
"I know."
"How'd you know? Am I really so charming that you recognized me right away?"
"Your profile pic is Infinite Guild's logo."
"Ha, so much for keeping a low profile."
Wu Haotian sent her another message. "What're you up to?"
"Sleeping." Without much thought, she replied and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.
When she returned, she found a whole string of unread messages from Wu Haotian…
"Turning in early, huh? Figures—only the best stay disciplined."
"Not like me, I'm up past midnight every night."
"Where'd you go? Asleep already?"
"Jeez… you sleep like a rock."
"Knock, knock! I can't sleep—come chat with me, wifey."
Su Jingyan frowned slightly, muttering, "This guy's insane."
She typed back, "Don't call me 'wifey'—I'm not your wife."
"Haha… Got it! If you don't like 'wifey,' I'll call you Little Yan instead."
Unwilling to respond further, Su Jingyan turned away and began blow-drying her hair.
When she came back ten minutes later, she was greeted with another flood of unread messages from Wu Haotian…
"Oh, seriously? Is he crazy or something?!l"
Fuming, she tossed her phone aside and buried her head under the covers.
Just then, ding, another Feixin notification chimed.
Su Jingyan snatched up her phone, ready to tell Wu Haotian to stop messaging her, only to realize it was from Zhang Yue.
"Give me five days at most. When I'm done, I'll crush Infinite Guild."
Reading his message, a surge of joy filled Su Jingyan's heart.
"So Zhang Yue does care about me."
"Just like when he went off on his own to take down the Assassin's Guild in the Third Realm, he's probably training and preparing himself. Once he's strong enough, he'll come back and wipe out Infinite Guild."
Thinking this, she quickly typed a reply to him: "Just… be careful out there, okay?"
[T/N: Make sure to join Discord through the link below for major announcements & giveaways.]
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥰 Support the translation and help me grow.🤓
Read upto 20 Extra chapter in Patreon
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y