Chapter 489: The First Gathering

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Back at the Holy Light Temple, everyone decided to have a meet up in the real world. However, with the in-game chaos, it had been continuously postponed. Now that the system was protecting the City of Light, and it was the weekend when almost everyone had free time, it would be good to have a gathering.

After informing everyone, Lin Jie and Savage Blade left their characters and went offline to prepare for the gathering.

The ones attending the gathering included the veterans and players that were with the Brotherhood from the start. Due to the large number of plus-ones, the registered number of people exceeded 100.

The location that was informed beforehand was Jiang Bei Hotel. Jiang City was not far away from the capital, and it was convenient for everyone. Furthermore, being a connected city with magnetic-levitated trains, going around China would be done in a few hours.

After Lin Jie went offline, he realized it was morning. He went on with his routine of consuming the nutrient serum before practicing his fist skills in the field. He swung out a series of uppercuts, palm fists, and straight cuts with vigor, and the air snapped with every move!

A delicate fragrance emitted from Lin Jie, and that was the smell of the nutrient serum. It was very refreshing, and streams of green air currents spread through his veins, and he was energized.

There was an absorption rate for all medicinal items, and normal humans could only absorb 10% of a nutrient serum. However, Lin Jie was able to fully absorb the serum, with the help of exercising. He appeared to be glowy and energized, instead of an exhausted man.

As he practiced, Lin Jie began to realize the intricacies of the fist work passed down from Wine God Elder. His body was way fitter than average.

In the late autumn, Lin Jie, who was training with just a singlet on, had garnered the attention of many females that had woken up for a morning run. He looked suave and cool as he punched out all the moves.

“Hu…” Lin Jie cracked his joints as he felt the soreness from his limbs. Cracks sounded as he moved, and he smiled faintly while putting on his jacket. Then he left due to the undivided female attention.

After having breakfast and settling the administrative stuff in his dormitory, Lin Jie made his way to the school gate.

Baili Changcheng had arranged a car and chauffeur for everyone for equality, so Lin Jie did not have to drive Zheng Ziliang’s car this time.

1 minute after reaching the school gate, a Mercedes Benz A20, which cost over 200,000$, appeared in front of Lin Jie. This was the car that Baili Changcheng had sent over.

“Hello, you are Lin Jie, right?” The chauffeur had a well-kept butler figure, while he had a head full of white hair. He politely opened the door for Lin Jie and said, “Mr. Zheng Ziliang has another chauffeur sending him, please board the car.”

Lin Jie understood the hidden meaning immediately and smiled. “You have something to tell me from Baili?”

“Yes, Mr. Baili Changcheng is having a family conference, and he wishes for your presence.” The old butler paused before continuing. “Furthermore, the young master has told me to remind you to get a gift, as today is Baili Ying’s birthday…”

“Baili Ying? Sakura?” Lin Jie was stunned, and his facial expression grew weird. “Why do I have to get a gift?”

“Sakura likes soft toys, in particular foxes, or teddy bears.” The old butler calmly ignored his question. After completing his sentence, he started the car and drove Lin Jie to the nearest toy store.

‘It’s called ‘Baili’? Damn, wouldn’t it be better if you just got the present for me?’

The words that appeared in Lin Jie’s head were: A forceful deal!

‘That’s right, Baili must have planned to scam me to cover the food cost…’ thought Lin Jie. He carelessly grabbed a teddy bear and glanced at the price tag, and proceeded to confirm that thought. ‘A teddy costs 6,000!? Are you kidding me? And it’s only 50cm big, the bigger one beside it cost… 20,000!’

“Let me ask you, did your young master inform you to pay for me?” Lin Jie glared.

“This… he really didn’t.” The butler was stunned as he shook his head.

“Profiteer!” Lin Jie scolded angrily.

The butler began sweating as the young master was being maligned!

It was indeed Baili Ying’s birthday today, and she was Baili Changcheng’s closest sister. However, she was a pitiful child and had to undergo limb amputation when she was young. She suffered bullying before that, and Baili Changcheng was the only one that helped her. After her mother passed away, the bullying intensified until she entered The New Age and opened Sakura’s Bar. That was when life became a bit better.

The reason why Sakura’s legs were so perfect was that they weren’t real and were generated by the system.

After entering the game, Sakura had finally gotten back her angel-like smile. As she heard more and more stories about Codename Lone Wolf, her admiration towards him grew as well. However, Lin Jie did not spend much of his time drinking, and hence she hoped to see the real him for once. This was also the reason why Baili Changcheng had arranged for Lin Jie to get a gift.

“I guess Sakura helped us out quite a bit…” Lin Jie thought for a moment and decided to get her something nice! He was surprised to find a set of 10 cute dolls that were soft to the touch and would probably be popular with the girls. Hence, he waved his hands and said, “Pack all these for me!”

The shopkeeper glanced at Lin Jie weirdly, before silently packing his items up.

…..

Jiangbei Hotel was bustling with excitement as cars drove in, and people of different attires walked out. They were in suits, school or delivery uniforms… However, their real-life identities were weakened at this instant, as everyone pointed at each other and shouted out their game names and chuckled out as they entered the hotel.

“Fat Cattle, you are really fat!”

“Wow, Bu Yi is so pretty, just a little skinny…”

“Hehe, you are Mixed Breathless, right? And this must be Dejected Night. Hi guys, I am Sakura, drinks on me tonight.”

At the entrance of Jiangbei Hotel, Sakura greeted every visitor and called out their names, just like how she did in-game. The only difference was that she was no longer able to sway her long and slender legs. She sat in the wheelchair, and there was a void beneath her long skirt that made everyone’s heart ache. She called out everyone’s name with a smile and even recognized those players that were relatively unknown.

Lin Jie got out of the car and walked to Sakura with the soft toy set in front of him and smiled. “Do you know who I am?”

“I recognize your voice…” Sakura’s eye lit up as she propped herself up and peered at Lin Jie through the toys. An angelic smile grew on her face as recognition dawned on her. “Leader Lone Wolf!”

Instantly, everyone’s attention was on him.

Codename Lone Wolf was a powerful presence in The New Age, and he was such a young student? Lin Jie smiled gently and placed the toys one at a time in front of Sakura. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you…” Sakura smiled sweetly, but a blush crept up her face. “You… Why are you giving me these?”

Lin Jie blinked and wondered if all girls reacted this way when they received dolls. I guess there was a need to buy Bu Yi something like this too. He smiled and asked, “Why not? Do you not like them?”

“I do…” Sakura did not continue her sentence. Instead, she moved her wheelchair aside and said, “Welcome, please come in.”

Lin Jie walked behind Sakura and pushed the wheelchair. “Let’s enter together, it isn’t nice if the lady boss just sits outside.”

Sakura panicked and said, “Don’t, don’t, I can’t go in.”

“We are all friends, just let the rest go in by themselves, let’s go.” Lin Jie thought Sakura wanted to greet everyone, so he brought her in without much discussion. He had to say, if Sakura’s legs were fine, she would really look like a beauty that just walked out of a comic. Her smooth porcelain skin made people’s heart ache, what a pity…

“Don’t, don’t, Brother Lone Wolf, I can’t…”

Before Sakura could complete her sentence, a waiter walked over and bowed to Lin Jie politely and said, “Hello, let me help with this.” Then he proceeded to take over the wheelchair.

Lin Jie blocked the waiter’s hand and frowned. “I can do it.”

“Sir, we have a rule that handicapped people cannot enter our hotel,” replied the waiter awkwardly. He knew that these were all Baili Changcheng’s guests and was always sucking up to him. However, he couldn’t just disregard this man, right?

“There’s such a rule?” Lin Jie raised his eyebrow and stuck his finger into his mouth and bit it, revealing some blood. He swung his finger in front of the waiter and said, “I am a handicapped person as well, can I enter?”

“Erm… yes.”

“The same applies to her as well.” Lin Jie pushed the wheelchair and was about to make his move.

“Let… let me down, I will just stay outside.” Baili Ying, the girl that had lost her legs, said softly, “Brother Lone Wolf, let me go out. How about you attend the gathering first, and I will go find you afterward?”

Lin Jie grew confused, as he could not understand what was wrong. Sakura’s surname was Baili as well, so she should be considered family, right? How could a waiter dare to chase her away?

As both parties refused to budge, they attracted the attention of others. Most of them knew Sakura and were indignant about the matter, and the scene became chaotic.

“Those handicapped are not allowed inside? Damned, I am so obese to the verge of unhealthy, so am I considered handicapped and won’t be allowed in?” Domestic Fat Cattle with his big belly was jeering the loudest. This guy was chubby in real life too. He waved his stubby hands and said angrily, “Sakura is a part of the Brotherhood, how can she be denied entry? This is too much!”

“That’s right, that’s right since the lady boss is outside, then won’t we have to stay outside as well?”

Players from the Brotherhood were all unafraid of making a ruckus. Otherwise, they would have escaped when war was declared with the Xuanyuan Alliance. With these people adding to the mess, the hall grew chaotic.

At that moment, the person in charge appeared.

“What the f*ck, what’s with the noise and all these scrubs? Come in if you want, scram if you don’t, and don’t dirty our place. Baili Ying, if your bowel incontinence acts again, clean it up!”

The sentence almost made Baili Ying faint out of embarrassment and anger as her head drooped low, almost dropping into her shirt. Which girl would be able to get scolded for ‘bowel incontinence’ in front of 100 people?

“Please show some respect!” said Bu Yi with indignation, and she hugged Sakura tight, consoling her, “Don’t be afraid, the numbers are on our side, he won’t dare to bully you.”

“Numbers? Hehehe… if it weren’t for Baili Changcheng, who is being an idiot and wasting all that money to organize this sort of event, do you think that you could step foot into this place?” The man scoffed coldly.