Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The call was picked up quickly, and the captain replied, “Hello, you are—”
“Captain, I’m Xiao Qiao.”
There was a momentary silence. Then she could hear that he was pleasantly surprised when he responded, “Hi, Xiao Qiao, what’s up?”
Qiao Lian stared straight ahead as she asked, “Are you free now? I wanted to have a chat. It’s about Zi Chuan and Soul Fighter.”
“Oh, let’s meet up and talk then. I have a meeting now and will be available in about an hour. Let me know where you are, I’ll go look for you.”
Qiao Lian said unhurriedly, “Let’s meet at Zhou Song’s grave.”
“Ok.”
–
Qiao Lian flagged down a taxi and went to Zhou Song’s grave by herself first.
She stood before the cemetery grounds.
It was still winter, so it was cold outside.
She wore a white down jacket and her complexion was pale, as though drained of blood.
Her gaze was fixed on the picture on the tombstone.
She recalled how hard she had cried the last time she had been here and took a deep breath.
Soul Fighter.
So this was Soul Fighter.
–
When she started getting to know Zi Chuan, she found that he had a friend known by the nickname of Soul Fighter.
At that time, she had been following Zi Chuan around, hoping to have him as her teacher in these games.
It was also then that Soul Fighter and she would often show a mutual dislike for each other when they played online.
From the start, they had never seen eye to eye.
But for the sake of Zi Chuan, they tried hard to get along.
Later on, she realized that Soul Fighter was quite a skilled player too.
The three of them became a gang of reckless kids.
One time, the game launched some sort of couple skin. She and Shen Liangchuan decided to get themselves a matching pair and started to show public displays of affection in the games. Every time Soul Fighter caught them doing this, he would sarcastically remark, “Lovers die quicker.”
She would inevitably rebuke him, “Are you jealous? Soul Fighter, when will it be your turn to get a girlfriend?”
Soul Fighter would answer, “Why would I get into a relationship at such a young age? I’m not interested in getting a girlfriend.”
Time passed and he never had one.
There were times that she wanted to play a match with Shen Liangchuan, just the two of them together, but he would always be around.
She remembered there was a time when she really hadn’t wanted Soul Fighter around.
Hence, she formed a team and invited Shen Liangchuan.
The moment he joined, she started the match.
Finally, she felt like she had gotten rid of Soul Fighter for once and was rather smug about it.
After the game started, she chatted with Shen Liangchuan.
[Xiao Qiao: Weren’t you two together?]
[Zi Chuan: We are.]
[Xiao Qiao: Haha, good thing I was quick. Otherwise we’d have brought him in again!]
The other party fell silent.
The two continued playing then.
At some point, Qiao Lian started to feel something odd.
Zhou Yu’s playing style today seemed a little different.
Normally, when they attacked an opponent, they were always sharp and accurate.
But that day, after she had given a word and dashed in to attack an opponent, the guy had not followed through to back her up.
She was quickly killed!
And Zi Chuan then turned and run away.
Qiao Lian was stupefied.
She typed a few words on the keyboard:
[Xiao Qiao: You’re not haven a good day?]
[Zi Chuan: I am.]
[Xiao Qiao: You didn’t help me just then!]
[Zi Chuan: Because you deliberately left me out of the game.]
[Xiao Qiao: …?]
She was stunned for a while and then, with a sudden realization, typed:
[Xiao Qiao: You’re Soul Fighter!!]