The player was already slightly drunk, his eyes blurred as he held the wine glass. He glanced at Bai Lixin, who was quietly seated beside him.
The player’s eyes froze for a moment, and he leaned over with a blushing face. “Hi, hello,” he stammered.
Bai Lixin smiled distantly but politely. “Hello,” he replied.
The player looked at the young man in front of him, then at the cocktail named “Deep Sea Temptation” in front of him. He seemed dazed for a moment, then carefully pushed the glass toward Bai Lixin. “Well, the Deep Sea Temptation I ordered earlier is a cocktail with a low alcohol content. Please have it,” he said. Bai Lixin sat still, smiling but saying nothing.
Seeing that Bai Lixin didn’t refuse, the player leaned closer and said boldly, “Well, do you want to drink something else? I can treat you to anything you want. I have more points.”
Suddenly, a hand wearing white gloves appeared beside them, pushing a cup of hot milk with a light fragrance toward Bai Lixin. “Your hot milk is ready. Drink it while it’s hot,” a mechanical voice said. The player looked at the hot milk, which seemed out of place in the bar, and was stunned.
Bai Lixin’s smile widened, and he picked up the hot milk, taking a sip. When he raised his head from the cup, there was a white milk line on his lips.
Seeing this, the player’s ears turned red, and he said with a flushed face, “Milk is good, milk is good. By the way, may I ask your name?”
The transparent martini glass was lightly tapped on the side, and the player’s eyes lost their luster the next second.
He nodded numbly and mechanically picked up the Deep Sea Temptation, drinking it in one gulp. After finishing, he added, “Yes, yes, I can drink the Deep Sea Temptation.” The player then fell unconscious onto the bar counter.
The martini glass fell from the player’s hand, rolling several times on the bar before stopping in front of Bai Lixin.
Bai Lixin reached out to help, and another white glove followed suit, gently pressing on his slender fingers.
The orange ambient light dimmed, and the distant music changed to an ambiguous and lingering violin melody.
The bartender, wearing an eagle-faced mask, leaned over slowly, his rough gloved hand caressing Bai Lixin’s fingertips. He turned the gloves slightly, allowing his fingers to intertwine with Bai Lixin’s index finger.
There was a hint of provocation in the air.
The cold mechanical voice transformed into a deep and hoarse voice. “Guest, thank you for holding the glass for me. You are so kind.”
Bai Lixin coughed lightly and tried to withdraw his hand.
In the next moment, the pure white gloves touched the corner of Bai Lixin’s lips, briefly grazing them.
The bartender, was still wearing a small black vest. A moment ago, he held a respectful posture, but now he exuded sexiness and temptation. Every part of him seemed to transform, revealing his alluring nature.
The faint scent of wine wafting around seemed to disappear as the man straightened his shoulders, staring at Bai Lixin with a half-smile. He wiped off the milk line, gently rubbing his index finger and thumb in front of Bai Lixin, then slowly withdrew.
Seeing this, Bai Lixin’s head buzzed, and his Adam’s apple rolled uncontrollably.
The man chuckled lowly, placing his index finger and thumb under his nose and inhaling lightly. With a mischievous smile, he said, “It smells so good.”
Bai Lixin felt captivated and tried to avert his gaze, but there was an indescribable allure emanating from the man, making it hard to look away.
With a blush, Bai Lixin protested weakly, “Don’t act so strangely, okay?”
Even the gloves couldn’t hide the man’s slender fingers with well-defined bones.
Casually raising the wine glass, the man gazed leisurely at Bai Lixin. “I said the milk smelled delicious. What are you thinking about?” he asked.
Suddenly, the man leaned in closer to Bai Lixin, his voice intimate and audible only to them. “Or perhaps you’d like me to try something else?” he suggested.
Bai Lixin: “…”
He struggled to resist the temptation of the man, reminding himself that he was there for a serious business matter.
Bai Lixin blinked and cleared his throat. “I have something to ask you.”
The man snorted softly. “You only think of me when you need something. You have no conscience,” he teased.
Looking around, he gestured to an NPC at the bar, indicating for them to take his place. Then, he pointed to a dark corner and said, “Let’s go there and talk. It’s not convenient here.”
Bai Lixin glanced at the small, dimly lit corner, shrugged his shoulders, and obediently followed the man.
The small private room could only accommodate three or four people.
Bai Lixin followed the eagle-masked man into the room, and with a “click,” the door closed, enveloping them in darkness.
In the next moment, Bai Lixin felt a sense of oppression approaching him, and he sat on the sofa involuntarily.
The man’s chuckle echoed in the empty room. “You really know how to find me,” he said teasingly. “Did you come to the bar on purpose? Were you trying to make me jealous by seducing someone else?”
Bai Lixin cautiously adjusted his position. “I didn’t seduce anyone. I was just sitting there,” he explained. He felt the cold touch of the man’s fingertips on his slender neck. “What do you want to know?” the man asked.
Bai Lixin blurted out, “I want to give you a movie ticket.”
The man chuckled. “That’s nice. What movie are we watching? A love action movie, perhaps?” he teased.
Bai Lixin raised his foot to kick the man playfully, but before he could, the man firmly held his leg.
“Why did you suddenly move your foot? Did I hit a sore spot?” The man pulled Bai Lixin’s ankle up, and in the darkness, Bai Lixin felt the man’s cold breath drawing nearer.
The man sighed softly, releasing Bai Lixin’s leg. “It’s a shame I can’t kiss you. Now, tell me, what do you want to ask?” he inquired.
The sofa sank as the man sat down beside Bai Lixin. Trying to control his racing heartbeat, Bai Lixin quickly explained the situation with Samael.
After listening to the story, the man pondered for a few seconds before speaking.
In that moment, Bai Lixin sensed the man stand up and heard his footsteps.
Before Bai Lixin could comprehend what was happening, dim and seductive lights illuminated the room.
The man approached Bai Lixin with his slender legs, extending his hand. “Show me the movie ticket.”
Bai Lixin retrieved two tickets from his backpack and handed them to the man, who casually took one and examined it closely.
After looking at it for two seconds, he clicked his tongue twice and said, “It really is this movie ticket.”
“Although my memory is a little fuzzy, I still remember this matter,” the man returned the movie ticket to Bai Lixin. “I’ve actually been to the beta test copy.”
“It’s not enough to just watch one movie; you need to make constant choices. Only by making the right choice can you progress to the next stage of the movie. So, you have to go through several movies before you reach the final movie—‘The Door of Truth.’ The door of truth has two doors: one for angels and the other for demons. Only one of the two doors holds the truth. Find the truth, and you can clear the copy successfully.”
Bai Lixin said, “As expected, you know this copy. That’s why I knew you were the right person to find.”
“Hmph,” the man said. If he had a tail, it would almost be like a cattail fan, “That’s right, your husband is very strong.”
Bai Lixin asked, “Did you see Samael in there?”
The man’s wagging “tail” suddenly stopped, and he said embarrassingly, “I forgot. I just remember the general strategy, but I recall that there are such existences as angels and demons.”
“You just said you invited me to watch a movie,” the man in the eagle mask looked at Bai Lixin. “It’s just this?”
Bai Lixin replied, “Otherwise, what’s the alternative?”
The man said, “The 400th floor is the movie theater. I secretly put a token there. Don’t you want it? Come to the 400th floor tomorrow, and it’s yours.”
Bai Lixin coughed and said, “Ahem, Mr. NPC, you’re displaying blatant favoritism and cheating.”
The man responded, “This is an overt power-sex transaction. So, I’m asking if you will come.”
Bai Lixin made up his mind and nodded slowly, saying, “I’ll come.”
The man immediately continued to wag his tail happily and said, “As for entering this beta copy you mentioned, give me some time to think about how to get in. Although I forgot about this copy, I always feel that it is necessary to go in.”
Bai Lixin added, “I also have this feeling, and I even think that Samael might have been brought out by you.”
The man stared blankly and fell into thought. “It’s really possible.”
He looked up at the sky, stood up regretfully, and said, “My time is up. I’ll go first. See you tomorrow, baby.”
The next second, the man opened the door of the room and walked out.
After staying in the private room for two minutes, Bai Lixin also walked out and left the bar.
Just as Bai Lixin was about to return to the dormitory on the 400th floor, a strange and urgent voice suddenly stopped him.
He turned around suspiciously and saw a muscular young man trotting all the way, chasing after him.
Bai Lixin could be sure that he had never seen this person before.
The young man appeared upright, with every inch of his tendons seeming to tell others, “I’m a man.” He was very vigilant, not in his expression, but in the instinctive tension of his muscles, always ready for battle.
It was a professional Instinct.
Bai Lixin moved two steps to the side, leaving the elevator area, and asked, “Who are you?”
The young man stood up straight, stretched out his strong arms, and said, “Hello, my name is Li Cangshan.”
Bai Lixin didn’t rush to shake hands but first looked the young man up and down. Then he extended his hand to shake hands and said, “Special forces?”
Li Cangshan froze, his originally kind and sunny expression instantly shattered, revealing the tension unique to the battlefield, “How did you see that?”
Bai Lixin swept his index finger back and forth on Li Cangshan’s body, and his fingertips landed on the opponent’s neck. “Your body subconsciously leans forward, as if ready for battle at any moment. It clearly reveals the characteristics of your profession.”
His finger moved down slowly and reached the opponent’s hand. “Your dominant hand is the right hand, as evidenced by the calluses and thickness. When you shook my hand with your left hand, you subconsciously raised your right hand slightly. That should also be your professional habit. I believe there should be other special and intimidating weapons in that place.”
Li Cangshan was dumbfounded. He followed Bai Lixin’s finger and looked at his arm in a daze, then quickly hid his right hand behind his back. “But this only shows the danger of my profession. Why did you guess special forces?”
“I actually had three answers: special forces, mercenaries, and bodyguards. But when I saw your neck and feet, I thought it should be the first type.”
Li Cangshan looked puzzled and examined his feet carefully. “What’s wrong with my feet?”
Bai Lixin explained, “Actually, when a normal person stands, they naturally separate their feet a little. It helps distribute force evenly and makes it easier. But in the military, where responsibility and discipline are strict, even the standing posture is strictly trained. After ten years of training, soldiers instinctively adopt that posture. The two black scars on your neck are likely from standing in a military posture, and your feet are naturally close together and separated by 45 degrees due to military etiquette. Mercenaries and bodyguards wouldn’t reach this level.”
“Let me be bolder. You are not only a special forces soldier, but also a member of the Chinese military, right?”
Li Cangshan’s eyes widened, and he almost yelled, “Fuck.”
He swallowed hard to contain his shock and asked a little embarrassed, “Am I really that easy to see through? I told everyone I am a college student from a sports school, you know.”
Bai Lixin found the other party’s naïve look amusing and said, “I thought you would say you’re a fitness instructor. What do you want from me?”
Li Cangshan scratched his head, feeling even more embarrassed, and said, “I want to join the guild.”
Bai Lixin: “Huh?”
Li Cangshan felt wronged and recounted how he had been rejected from joining the guild more than a dozen times.
Bai Lixin looked at Li Cangshan thoughtfully and said, “So that’s the reason. It’s no wonder, our guild has a minimum requirement of honesty on the application form. Fabricating your occupation and identity will result in failure every time.”
Li Cangshan suddenly realized. After such a long time, he finally understood why he had been rejected by the Core Fire Guild repeatedly.
Bai Lixin pondered for a moment and said, “It’s not a coincidence that you stopped me here today, right?”
Li Cangshan nodded and replied, “It’s not a coincidence. I came here specifically to find you. Can we take a moment to talk?”
Bai Lixin agreed, “Okay, let’s go to your dormitory.”
——————
In the dormitory, Li Cangshan’s expression immediately became serious as he entered work mode.
Now that he had decided to seek help from the Core Fire Guild, he no longer wanted to hide anything.
Honesty is the fastest way to communicate.
After listening to Li Cangshan, Bai Lixin sighed softly and said, “So, the country has noticed this game.”
Li Cangshan confirmed, “Yes, for the safety of Blue Star, we never thought of giving up on anyone.”
“But I need your help. Two fists are no match for four legs. Although I am confident in my abilities, I have experienced several copies where the creatures were often supernatural and weird. I don’t even know if I have the confidence to survive to the highest peak.”
“I am the only one who has entered this game now, and I cannot bet the hopes of all mankind on myself alone. There were nearly a thousand people in the advance team, but I’m the only one who got it. I don’t even know when the next person will come in.”
“I’m not afraid of sacrificing myself, but so many people can’t afford to wait. What I hope for is that even if I unfortunately die, there will be others who can fill my role and send a signal to Blue Star.”
Bai Lixin replied without hesitation, “Okay, I will help you.”
Li Cangshan was taken aback, his eyes suddenly shining brightly, “Really?”
He had originally thought the negotiations would take a long time, but it turned out to be this easy?
Bai Lixin: “Of course, our goals were originally the same.”
Li Cangshan: “What about my application to join the guild?”
Bai Lixin: “Your identity is unique. Since you mentioned being an athlete before, let’s keep it that way. Submit another guild application, and this time I will personally review it.”
Li Cangshan became excited, gripping Bai Lixin’s hand with enthusiasm, “Thank you.”
Bai Lixin: “It’s us who should be thanking you. Although we all entered this game, our reasons were different. Each of us was unfortunately entangled for our own wishes. But you came here to save others. Despite knowing that entering this world could mean disappearing completely, you still rushed in without hesitation.”
“Thank you for not giving up on us.”
Suddenly, Li Cangshan’s cheeks turned red, and he felt embarrassed.
As they were leaving, Bai Lixin’s gaze fell upon the familiar arrow hanging on the wall. “Captain Li, Li Cancan is still single. And she’s remarkable. Unless someone is exceptional and honest, I will be the first to say ‘no’.”
Li Cangshan’s face immediately blushed, “I have always been outstanding. I am the champion of all the tests in our team. And I am very honest! Moreover, I have been in love before, and when I’m in a relationship, I will treat my partner well!”
‘Is this person In front of me really not some immortal? How can they see through everything?
It’s too embarrassing, wuuu.’
