Virtual World: Close Combat Mage - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Crisis of Trust

After logging off, Gu Fei rushed to work – to teach gym lessons.

There were only two gym lessons per class per week, so gym teachers all taught a few classes. And it was peak hour for Gu Fei that day as he had three lessons in the afternoon.

Gu Fei’s thoughts drifted off to the few people he had just met. Though they had different characters, they all seemed influential in the gaming world. It was probably a promising idea to learn from these people since he still lagged behind in gaming knowledge despite him being top in Kung Fu.

Engrossed in his thoughts, Gu Fei had already reached the field, where his students had already gotten in line. Gu Fei hurriedly turned his concentration back to the students and started lesson, at the same time though he could not help thinking how well mannered his students were. Unlike that Royal Heavens’ Cries who had no respect for his elders, Gu Fei thought grumpily.

Just then, Ah Fa sneaked close to Gu Fei, “Um… Uhh… Mr Gu…”

“What’s the matter?” asked Gu Fei.

“What level are you at now?” Ah Fa whispered. Gu Fei had made him promise not to tell anyone that he, a teacher, was playing online games.

“Level 30,” Gu Fei answered him.

“That’s bloody awesome!” exclaimed Ah Fa.

“Is that how you talk to your teacher?” Gu Fei suddenly turned stern. He was reminded of that disrespectful Royal Heavens’ Cries. To think that there was someone like him in his class as well.

Ah Fa pouted. He had accidentally treated his teacher as one of his bros.

“Do your exercises! Don’t think about gaming all the time! You are a student, so studying is what should be on your mind, understand?” Teacher Gu Fei scolded.

Ah Fa pulled a face, replied with an “understood” and rushed off hastily.

Gu Fei continued the lessons solemnly. The same lesson was repeated by itself three times. Though Gu Fei had to repeat himself as well in game, this was certainly a much duller process. Of course, if it were a Kung Fu lesson, that would be a totally different case. The last lesson ended and the students lined up. Gu Fei concluded the lesson and asked, “Is there anyone who wants to learn some Kung Fu with me after lessons?”

“Eh?” All the students stared at him.

Gu Fei’s eyes lit up. They seemed interested! Did he finally manage to rouse some curiosity in his students with his painstaking exposure of Kung Fu to them? “Ahem!” Gu Fei cleared his throat and was going to say a few words, but was cut off with the students dispersing in a hubbub, and someone could be faintly heard shouting in the distance, “Big news! Big news! Mr Gu is talking about his Kung Fu again!”

Seems like there’s really no use for Kung Fu in the real world, thought Gu Fei glumly.

After work and dinner, Gu Fei returned to Parallel World.

“Everyone’s waiting for you at the usual spot.” Sword Ghost’s message arrived as soon as he appeared online.

Gu Fei rushed off hastily from the Logoff Area towards Little Thunder Bar. The so-called Logoff Area was actually just safe areas, and the game requires players to log off there, the reason being that the system could lighten the burden of the servers if all the data is saved in a specific place. Nevertheless, you can still log off in places other than the safe areas, but the system could not be held responsible for any “accidents” that happened during the process, for example your top class weapon, your XP or even your character going missing.

Some players then ask, “What if I got kidnapped and moved to a really deserted area, and can’t die or log off?”

The system smiles, “The online GM is at your service.”

All the players rolled their eyes. It was a well-known fact that the characteristic trait of an online GM is that he is never online.

Gu Fei reached Little Thunder Bar in a hurry. Little Thunder smiled at him and pointed to a private room, “They are waiting for you there!”

“Thanks!” Gu Fei walked towards the room.

The five sat in the room awaiting Gu Fei’s arrival.

“Have y’all been waiting long?” asked Gu Fei as he sat down.

“Not really,” Master Han replied lightly. “Only for one whole afternoon.”

Gu Fei was a little stumped. This chap was not only narcissistic, he liked to sting people as well.

“Weren’t we going to discuss some task? Let’s do it now,” said Gu Fei.

“Well, we’re done with that already,” said Master Han. “And we’re setting off now.”

“Ah…”

“We’re done with discussing what everyone’s responsibility is going to be and yours is relatively simple, so we didn’t wait for you,” smiled Bless Brother as he explained in a good-mannered fashion. “Master, give Thousand Miles a quick briefing! Especially on what he needs to do.”

Master Han nodded and spoke, “The task is to catch the wanted and earn the reward, and the one wanted is the leader Sotu of the Black Dragon Cave bandits. This is one of the most difficult available tasks that I know of. I’ve tried it with another 26 people once for someone and 20 died along the way. 7 pulled through till the end, yet still failed the mission. But those were all normal players. With our team, it will be easier to cooperate with fewer people. Your time to shine is at the end when we face Sotu. You don’t need to join in the fight at the start.”

“Sotu stays in a wooden hut deep in the Black Dragon cave, which is too narrow for so many of us to maneuver in. We may even trap ourselves if we are not careful. Though there’s a wide space outside the hut, if Sotu leaves his hut, he will blow his whistle and the whole cave worth of bandits will rush out to help him. So we must make sure that Sotu stays in his hut, and then you will use the level 30 mage skill Continuous Fireballs which has an area effect. Though you won’t be able to attack directly, as long as the fireballs explode in the house, Sotu will naturally sustain damage. It is a slow process of course, but Sotu has no healing skills or equipment so he will die eventually for sure. Everyone can just take it as accumulating proficiency levels for your skills.”

All laughed.

“How’s it? Your part is easy, right?” Master Han asked Gu Fei.

Gu Fei nodded.

“Ok, let’s leave now. I’ve arranged with the player to meet up at 7 in front of the cave, and it’s about time.”

“Alright, you guys can go first! I’ll get back asap!” Gu Fei stood up.

“Huh? Do you have something on again?” Master Han frowned.

Gu Fei nodded. “I have to go back to Mage Academy to learn the skill Continuous Fireballs.” Gu Fei ran off as soon as he finished his sentence.

Everyone in the room was lost in thought at Gu Fei’s last line of speech. A long while later, everyone’s gaze, filled with suspicion and doubt, settled on Sword Ghost.

Sword Ghost tried to act nonchalant by raising his glass to drink, but was cut off by Master Han who grabbed his glass away.

Sword Ghost didn’t utter a word.

“Seems like you’ve made a misjudgment, Sword Ghost,” Royal Heavens’ Cries was the first to break the silence.

“I’m confident of his skills,” replied Sword Ghost.

“Heh, so you choose to believe in someone who doesn’t even learn his skills at level 30?” snorted Royal Heavens’ Cries.

“Well, if you can beat my level 25 rogue with a level 10 mage, I will believe in you too!” Sword Ghost shot back.

“What??” This was the first time that the rest of the group learnt about this incident, because it was shameful for Sword Ghost and he wouldn’t want everyone to know about such a thing. But at this moment, for everyone to be convinced about Gu Fei whom he had brought, the only choice was to reveal this disgraceful past. If it hadn’t been Sword Ghost who had spoken of this event in person, no one would have believed that a level 10 mage could beat a level 25 rogue, let alone a character controlled by the gaming master Sword Ghost.

Sword Ghost smiled wryly at the four’s expressions, “I didn’t hope for it, but losing means losing, and I lost convincingly.”

“A level 10 mage? All the skills he knows of is Fireball and Resistant Ring of Fire. How did the fight work?” Royal Heavens’ Cries muttered to himself. Though he didn’t choose the Mage Class this time round, he still paid close attention to it, and thus began wondering about what tactics a mage could use under those circumstances once he heard about this unbelievable happening.

“His skill of Resistant Ring of Fire was of such high level that you could not get close to him?” Royal Heavens’ Cries started guessing.

Sword Ghost shook his head, “Nope, he didn’t even use that.”

“Then it was his Fireball skill which was highly levelled, plus equipment which enhances fire damage, and instantly killed you?” Royal Heavens’ Cries continued guessing.

“The usage of Fireball was only perfunctory,” said Sword Ghost.

“Huh, then what did he fight you with? Don’t tell me he used the weak fists of a mage!”

Sword Ghost sighed. “If you guys think that there’s no operation in a VR game, then you are wrong. When you guys see how Thousand Miles fight monsters, you’ll understand what extreme operation is like.”

“Extreme operation?” The four wondered aloud. It was a name given by Sword Ghost, unknown even to Gu Fei, who would have never thought that his Kung Fu was regarded as operation in a game, and an extreme one at that.

Sword Ghost nodded, “That’s what he relied on to gain a place on the Efficiency Leaderboard.”

The four continued to be lost in thought.

Bless Brother was the first to speak again. “Interesting. I need to investigate this guy carefully.”

Royal Heavens’ Cries still was full of doubt, and seemed like he was ready to point at Sword Ghost and shout “You are just exaggerating!” If this Thousand Miles Drunk was truly as impressive as how Sword Ghost had described, he would be the most upset of all. He had chosen to play an alternative class as he had believed that his skill in the usage of mages was the most outstanding and unable to be surpassed, and yet he had met with an opponent so soon, an opponent whom even the number 1 player Sword Ghost was impressed with. This is impossible! It must be just Sword Ghost’s imagination!

Battle Unscathed didn’t say a word. He didn’t look as excited as Bless Brother, nor did he have mixed feelings like Royal Heavens’ Cries.

Master Han, on the other hand, only looked at Sword Ghost, “I know you don’t joke around.”

“Of course!” said Sword Ghost.

“I hope it isn’t an exception this time. Let’s go,” said Master Han as he stood up.

“Alright,” answered Sword Ghost. The five great players, each carrying their own doubts about Gu Fei, set off for the quest in the cave.