Original and most updated translations are from

volare

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TL: Zhao

Editing: Krisaia

Li Yiming held onto his dagger tightly and sat hidden in a bush. ’Who would’ve thought that she’s a streamer...’ He then thought about his own bronze rank embarrassingly.

In the end, the teams were split so that Yu Runkai and Fang Shui’er went out together, and Shao Xian and Chen Quan formed the second team while Li Yiming was alone. Even though Li Yiming knew that Shao Xian was far more knowledgeable at the game than himself, he still did not dare to let her venture out alone, given that it was more than just a game.

Li Yiming observed from afar as the minions on his team clashed against those on the enemy team. The minions on the enemy team were all wooden dolls, but were armed with bows and swords. In addition, the defensive structure also looked slightly different.

Li Yiming looked at the giant stone statues on the opposite side of the river. ’Hmmm, the stones are red instead of blue... is that it?’

A lantern was suddenly placed in front of Li Yiming, causing his heart to skip a beat by its sudden appearance.

’Is that... a ward?’

"Have a taste of my staff!" Before Li Yiming could react, a golden staff suddenly emerged from the tall grass and struck Li Yiming in the forehead.

Li Yiming was nearly knocked out cold from the blow. He put his hands to his forehead and ran back to his defensive tower without looking back.

He looked at the monkey in the distance, who was swinging his staff with vigor. Of all the foes he thought he would face, the monkey was the last opponent he would have wanted to fight against.

’Adventure to the East, the knit bag... Wukong!’ Li Yiming could not muster the courage to face the living legend who had helped him so many times, even if it was just a look-alike created by the domain.

Li Yiming gulped down a red potion to recover as he looked at the monkey who possessed a strange resemblance to Mr. Kong. He examined the golden armor, the purple crown, the boots rumored to be able to tread amongst clouds, and the golden-etched staff. ’This is not Mr. Kong, this is just a game...’ He had to keep reminding himself of that fact.

Wukong looked at Li Yiming defiantly and smiled in derision. He then delivered a spinning blow which reduced one of the sailors of the Pandaria to dust. As he traveled through the line of minions, he made quick work of all of Li Yiming’s allies as he led the charge ahead of a file of wooden dolls.

’Yiming, snap out of it! It’s not Mr.Kong! Otherwise, the game would be over the moment he grazed you with his staff!’ Bai Ze tried to pull Li Yiming back to his senses.

’You’re right. He isn’t Mr. Kong.’ Li Yiming clenched his teeth and dashed forward with his sword. Although he could no longer use his lightning techniques, Li Yiming was still confident in his swordsmanship.

He rushed toward one of the wooden dolls and slashed at its throat. However, just as he walked out of the range of his own defensive tower, his foe suddenly attacked him again. Wukong’s staff split into three in midair. Li Yiming, who was now on his guard, did a quick roll backward and tried a backhand slash at his opponent’s ribs.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

’I did it!’ Li Yiming gained confidence at his quick success. He pulled back his sword and delivered another blow at the monkey’s left eye.

Poof!

The monkey suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke.

Thud!

Li Yiming received another blow to the back of the head.

Li Yiming turned back, only to see the monkey’s contemptuous smile as he swung at him with his staff again.

’Shit, that was a clone...’ Li Yiming hurried to block the attack and ran back to his tower.

Li Yiming checked his injury; the back of his head had already begun to swell. He disposed of two other wooden dolls with the help of the tower and suddenly looked ahead audaciously. ’I’m not going to lose to a fake!’

Li Yiming regulated his breathing as he dashed forward toward the monkey once again. As Wukong repeated his move of transforming his staff into three and striking at him simultaneously, Li Yiming bent his body backward to dodge the strike and prepared himself to deliver the fatal blow.

Another thud was heard as the staff hit Li Yiming’s left shoulder, the force of the impact almost crushing him to the ground.

’That one isn’t a fake!’ Li Yiming endured through the pain of the hit and delivered three thrusts with his sword.

Poof!

Another puff of smoke, another swing of the golden staff, and Li Yiming fell to the ground from a hit to the right hip. He crawled back to his tower, flustered by the defeat he had just suffered.

’How am I supposed to fight against that?!’ Li Yiming rubbed his sore shoulder. As his foe stared back at him belligerently, Li Yiming wondered whether it was possible at all to beat him.

’He’s hiding and using these clones as bait. I can’t sense where his true location, sorry.’ Bai Ze was also powerless in the situation.

As the next wave of minions arrived, Li Yiming retreated and carefully observed his opponent’s every move. Wukong, on the other hand, seemed relaxed and confident as he swung his staff and disposed of the minions with ease.

"We can’t keep going on like this. At this rate, it won’t be long before I lose this tower." Li Yiming mumbled to himself as he let out a cry of anger and charged at Wukong just as the latter split into three copies again and attacked the nearby minions. onkey in front of him, only to find that it was a clone.

’I knew it, here!’ Li Yiming grasped his sword firmly and began to spin around so quickly, he created a circle around himself with his sword. ’Let’s see how you deal with this.’

As Li Yiming went through the ranks of the enemy minions, he unleashed a tornado of metal and blade upon each of them, forcing even Wukong to retreat. He gradually increased the pace of his attack upon realizing the effectiveness of his tactic.

Ding!

’What’s that?’ Li Yiming suddenly heard a metallic, bell-like noise. Before he even had the chance to think about it, the giant statue in front of him opened its eyes, and a giant light orb shot out from its staff down toward him. ’Shit, I’ve gone too far!’

Li Yiming stopped his spinning and retreated. However, as soon as Li Yiming abandoned his defense, the golden staff struck him again on his stomach.

’That stupid monkey again!’ Receiving another blow only further fueled Li Yiming’s rage. He endured the pain of the blow and slashed at Wukong’s throat with his sword. ’I’ll kill you even if I have to die for it!’

As he stared into the eyes of Wukong, he did not find terror, but rather scorn.

Ding!

The second attack from the tower landed Li Yiming. His body shook violently, and the world turned black and white.

"Li Yiming has been slain. First blood!" Li Yiming slowly lost consciousness as a robotic voice was heard.

* * *

In a bar where deafening music raged on, only a single person was standing in the entire room. The ground was full of empty bottles, while colorful pills were scattered on the bar counter. The air was filled with an unpleasant mixture of sweat and tobacco smells, along with a tinge of blood.

It was a man with a tall figure and well-sculpted muscles accentuated by his tight clothing. His hair was cut short and ironed into delicate curls. However, his delicate features were twisted into a stern frown.

As he picked up a bottle of beer from a woman who was lying on the ground, he raised it high over his head and poured its content down. As the golden liquid and white froth streamed down his body, he licked the corners of his mouth.

He massaged his forehead with his long, pale fingers and looked around once again, with disgust, disdain, and even madness.

If one were to look at the bodies that piled up on the ground, one would find a hole in each person’s forehead, from which blood was seeping out slowly, dripping from the eyebrows to the ears like a long streak of lipstick.

"Debauchery... death. Evil intentions... death. Shamelessness... death." The man threw the beer bottle to the side and walked toward the door by twisting his waist in a uniquely attractive manner.