“So badass! Deathwing is so freaking badass!”

When the credits ended, it was pushing three. Ye Weibai and Ruan Lin walked hand in hand, like two kites tugged by the same breeze.

Out of the theater, the little girl kept chattering about the film, words bubbling like a spring. The movie based on Continent of Wind had clearly hit her heart like sunlight.

Ye Weibai, though, drifted, his gaze like a cloud that forgot to rain.

“Xiaobai… are you not feeling well?” Her worry rose first, like a small bird startled. Then her fingers squeezed his.

He caught himself, hid the shadow in his eyes like a moon behind gauze, and forced a smile to the surface.

“It’s nothing. I just thought of what to do next.” He stopped, like a stone placed in a stream.

“Hm?” She tilted her head, like a willow twig bent by wind.

“Let’s go play Continent of Wind.” Ye Weibai pointed at the sign for the internet café on the second floor, like a lighthouse glinting.

…

…

Under the night sky, the Wind Plains breathed cool. Long blades of grass rolled like waves, dancing with the breeze.

The frogs in-game croaked with lifelike timbre, laying a hush over the fields like dew.

Monsters were tough and quests were scarce, so few players came here. Tonight, only a Princess Knight and an elven rogue sat on a hill, like two stars sharing a ledge.

[Uh, Xiaobai…]

[What’s up?]

[That ring’s epic gear, right?]

[Nope. Looks like it says… semi-legendary gear.]

[S-semi-legendary?!] The girl’s eyes widened like lanterns, then she tried to act casual, her tone fluttering like a fan. [Oh? That’s… nice.]

[Yeah, pity it’s marked female-only. I can’t use it.]

[Female-only—then that’s perf—no, such a shame.] Ruan Lin’s smile was a spring leaking through her fingers. She sighed, sneaking a glance at Ye Weibai.

[Yeah. Such a pity. Guess I’ll toss it.]

The girl almost pounced. She stared in disbelief, like a cat spotting a fish. [Toss?! Why toss it? You could sell it!]

[It says Trade disabled. Only Use or Equip.]

[Huh? Equip I get. What’s Use do?]

[Wanna know?]

She nodded hard, like a drumbeat. [Mm-mm-mm!]

Ye Weibai’s mouth curled with mischief, like a fox in bamboo. [Then move your character over. I’ll use it on you.]

Ruan Lin hurried to comply, then watched his monitor with eyes bright as stars.

He selected the Princess Knight she’d walked beside him. He double-clicked Heart of Nature in his bag.

At the same moment, a YES or NO window popped on Ruan Lin’s screen, like a bell rung in a temple.

[What’s that?]

[Don’t look. Just confirm.] Ye Weibai nudged her little head aside like a leaf in the wind, snatched her mouse, and clicked YES.

Next moment.

Boom!

A giant firework shot skyward and burst, like a peony of light.

Petals of color rode the wind around them, like confetti from spring trees.

The black night turned bright as noon, like a curtain whipped open.

Music flowed like a river all at once, pouring from nowhere.

[W-what, what, what?]

Ruan Lin stared at the dazzling scene, eyes flooded like summer rain. That melody felt familiar, like a path retraced.

[Isn’t… that the Wedding March?!]

Right then, the fireworks faded, and a server-wide notice rang out, like drums across a city wall.

“Server-wide announcement, server-wide announcement, server-wide announcement.”

“The first official married couple has appeared.”

“Congratulations to ‘Countess Liadrin’ and ‘White-Night Orange.’”

Her eyes opened wider, like doors blown by wind. She pointed at the screen, stunned. [H-he… what did he say?!]

[Didn’t catch it? Server notices repeat three times. Two more to go.]

[N-no, I mean—]

Ye Weibai smiled, like tea warming a cup. [You’re my wife now.]

[Uh—] Her face turned apple-red, ripening in a heartbeat.

[Officially married.]

[B-but—]

[If you don’t like it, return the ring.] Ye Weibai’s grin flashed danger, like a blade in moonlight. [Though you’d probably need to delete your character.]

She flinched, small as a quail. [W-why do I have to delete my character?]

[Because Heart of Nature is unique. Once used, it binds. Only deleting refreshes it. Choose: delete—or be my wife.]

Ruan Lin’s eyes glossed, like a pond about to spill. [W-why do I have to choose that?]

[Maybe because Rin-chan’s hand itched and she hit accept.]

[Didn’t you click confirm?!]

[Hm? What was that?]

[Aaah, I didn’t say anything. Please don’t go back to the character screen—aaah, don’t move the mouse to Delete Character—danger! Danger!]

[Relax. My hand’s steady.]

Ye Weibai beamed, clear as a bell. [So, contestant, your choice is?]

Head down, teeth clenched, she muttered like a mosquito. [Uu… gi—]

[What? Too soft.]

[Girlfriend…]

[Can’t hear. My hand shakes when I can’t hear.]

[Girlfriend! Start with girlfriend—o-okay?]

[Hm? Is that okay—oops, hand slipped.]

[Don’t—aaah! Huh?]

She watched the Delete Character click land, yet the avatar remained, and a text box popped up like a shield.

[Kidding. I can’t delete your character. It needs a secondary password.] Ye Weibai laughed and patted her stunned head, like stroking a kitten.

[But we said it. Rin-chan’s my girlfriend now. Remember not to sit too close to any boy desk-mate.]

[Demon, demon… Xiaobai, you’re a demon!]

[Don’t bad-mouth your boyfriend. Or we could start with a kiss of affection?]

[N-no kissing! Don’t bring that face closer!]

…

…

Boom!

A vast magic array bloomed in the air, like a steel lotus.

Violent elements gathered in the Void, coalescing into a massive meteor, like a red moon torn free.

It was about to crash down on the Princess Knight frozen in ice, locked in status and unable to budge, like a statue in frost.

The enemy mage chanted faster and faster, his cast bar near full like water at the lip of a jar. He even smiled, and ignored the faint shadow behind him.

“Stellar Meteor—die—ugh!”

Ye Weibai’s elven rogue struck a stun at the last heartbeat, like a clap of thunder in clear sky.

Backstab, Eviscerate, then a Cross Choke as the finisher—clean and surgical—he erased the squishy, like a knife through silk.

Before eyes could track him, he blinked from the spot, reappearing at the Princess Knight’s side like a swallow turning.

The other team raged, disbelief flaring like sparks.

“Blink?!”

“Why can a rogue blink!”

“No, not Blink. That’s the Couple Skill—[Return]! That rogue’s the [Dragon Thief] White-Night Orange!”

“You mean the one who stole Deathwing? Then that Princess Knight is Countess Liadrin!”

“Ah… I remember now. The fear Deathwing carved into me…”

“P-priest! What’s wrong! Don’t falter! Heal! Heal!”

“I remember… my entire Elite set I farmed for a month popped off in fear…”

Shnk.

A golden blade tore the Void, cut through the priest lost in painful memory, and sent him into spirit form, like a candle snuffed.

The Princess Knight spun, unleashed a Continental Sunderslash, and took the last one of their warrior-mage-priest trio—the low-HP Warrior, like reaping a bent stalk.

“Hmph, too easy.”

She typed a line dripping with taunt, words like salt on a wound.

Outside the screen, Ruan Lin’s eyes lit, hunting her next target squad in the chaos like a hawk. She braced to charge.

“Ow!”

Ye Weibai ended it with a hand-chop, quick as wind on bamboo.

“W-what was that for!”

He pointed at the time. “It’s five. Let’s eat,” he said, like a bell ending class.

“Eh?! Eating is such a waste now. Let’s order takeout!” In a netcafé, her courage bar shot up like flame on oil.

But those who truly defied Ye Weibai were already history, like ashes scattered.

Click.

He hit the power button without mercy, like cutting a wick.

“Aaah—I’m still on the battlefield!”

Seeing her fluff up like a bristling kitten, Ye Weibai’s smile curved with danger, like a crescent blade. “Oh? Want to taste a real battlefield?”

A shiver went through Ruan Lin like cold water. She let go of the mouse. “…N-no. Sorry. I’ll eat now.”