Ou Tao was drowning in guilt. The Soul Grass had been stolen by that dark elf. Once transported to the real world, what devastation would it unleash? Could he ever face his missing mother after this?
True, the enemy had used a hostage to blackmail him. He was exhausted, lagging badly, and not a single one of his three Principle of Heaven Skills was available—while all three of the opponent’s were life-saving abilities.
Yet Ou Tao was so used to the gaming mindset: crushed by endless scrutiny, zero room for error, constantly under a magnifying glass. Even though no screenshots were taken this time… his heart still ached. For himself. He was a world champion! How could he disappoint anyone? How could he fail?
A slice of cake was set before him. Su Lianxue looked at him firmly. “The doctor said you have low blood sugar. Overworking your brain does this. Eat sweets. I know you don’t like them—but it’s necessary. It’s an order!”
Ou Tao’s eyes narrowed. Guilt tightened in his chest. He snatched the cake and wolfed it down, not tasting a thing. In moments, he’d devoured seven or eight pieces. Jaw clenched, he kept forcing down the disliked food—as if channeling grief into hunger.
“Hey, stop! You can’t get fat in one bite!”
“I need to boost my blood sugar. Next time something happens, I’ll hold on longer.”
“Enough! *Next time*?” Su Lianxue’s heart twisted. He was just sixteen. Look what he’d become. That situation was beyond human control—yet he was scouring himself for blame, when no one else was.
“Ou Tao, I don’t know what your coach, teachers, or team leader drilled into you. I don’t know if you fear losing your sister… or the pressure of the spotlight. But listen.”
Still in her maid outfit, Su Lianxue’s expression sharpened. She wrapped an arm around his head, guiding it gently onto her lap—offering her thigh as a pillow.
“Here with me, you’re not a money-making tool. You don’t have to force yourself. No one will twist a tiny failure into an excuse to demand more. You don’t need to blame yourself. No matter what happens… I, your sister, stand with you.”
Ou Tao melted into comfort. Sister Su’s thigh was soft. His cheek rested against the lace trim of her over-the-knee white stockings—one side sensing warm skin, the other the smooth silk. Warmth and care seeped in. The dull throb in his temples sank into cotton. His hunched neck, strained from hours reclining, finally relaxed. Blood pressure eased. Blood sugar balanced, sweetened by cake.
“Thank you, Sister Su… So glad you’re here.” His eyes fluttered shut. Body slackened. Drifting into sleep, he vaguely dreamed of Su Lianxue’s gentle, elder-sisterly smile… a soft kiss on his forehead.
He slept.
Elsewhere, sleep was impossible.
In a professor’s dorm at Loying Noble Girls’ Academy, slender legs clad in black stockings and leather shoes swung slowly from the bed. The uniformed girl removed her helmet.
Her mixed-heritage face held a trace of unease. She set the helmet aside. “Father, I’ve secured the item.”
“Very good!” A man in a white lab coat stepped out. “With the Soul Grass, I can finally develop the antidote to dismantle Pink Skull—the world’s largest digital drug syndicate.”
“But… Father, isn’t it cruel? Using a minor girl to blackmail a father?” The high school girl hugged her knees tightly, shuddering at the memory.
“Sir, perhaps you should have let her fight,” an AI hologram flickered between them. “Miss Shirley Wang is a 2T2B player on the Wufa Server—the world’s top sharpshooter, wielder of the Left-Hand Soul Shatterer and Luna. A woman who shoots flawlessly in any condition.”
The man abruptly shut off the AI and sat beside her. “Daughter, this was for your good. He had over a dozen rioters with him. You’re a ranged attacker; he’s a warrior—how could you duel alone? Strategy was necessary. All for science… for your mother, who lost her mind.”
“Oh… I know, Father.” Shirley Wang frowned, returning to bed and pulling the blanket tight.
“Good night.” Professor Wang kissed her forehead, closed the door, and left.
