Threeking quickly steeled himself mentally, then spoke with great displeasure, "I told you Whirlwind Boss would never agree, yet you insisted I go humiliate myself!"
Are you really in a position to throw a tantrum? Isn't it due to your own lack of ability? You didn't get a single thing from the Sea God's Treasure Map's Secret Realm, and you couldn't even snag the top players' gathering spot. I gave you every chance! Otherwise, with your skill level, do you really think you could be number one on Server 08?
Bad Ball had been feeling irritable and stressed lately too.
Whirlwind Boss had been silent for so long—so long that Bad Ball had almost forgotten how dazzling she once was. Yet now, at this most critical moment, she was making a comeback!
At first, Bad Ball didn't think this was a bad thing.
So early in her resurgence, Bad Ball tried to create various coincidences and opportunities to contact her first. If they could successfully team up, Bad Ball was willing to let her take the lead.
It wasn't that Bad Ball couldn't make her the sole focus of support, after all... someone who still carried memories of the past would never have anyone doubt her strength or adaptability.
Back then, if it had been a pairing between Bad Ball and her, they might have gone even further.
But she was so ungrateful! She was impossible to communicate with. No wonder she was the existence who had infuriated so many spheres. Through all these cycles, only that one bizarre sphere, repeatedly demoted back to its initial state, could stand her.
Now, the problem was that her rise could no longer be stopped. If Bad Ball kept trying to block her, it would affect the interests of the entire nation—and Bad Ball couldn't allow that.
But Bad Ball also couldn't bear to let things develop as they were. She couldn't possibly succeed.
Looking at this top player gathering, she clearly despised the kindness of the Mage, so why did she still insist on playing the good person?
Bad Ball had deliberately crafted a tool character like that, hoping to wake her up and make her understand that only by being ruthlessly cold, prioritizing interests and the future above all, could one go further in the long run.
But seeing her idiotic way of distributing benefits and her attitude toward future competitors, it was clear: she was still the same foolish person she had always been.
So now, for the S1 sphere who had once led China to the furthest position, they had reached a point of no return.
"Go meet Whirlwind Boss face to face."
"No. I can't beat her in a fight, and I can't outtalk her either. Why would I go?"
"To state your stance—you want to join her side."
"What?!"
"Huh?!"
Wang Buyu let out an astonished question.
Whirlwind Boss: "Good baby, help me out, okay? Pretty please?"
Wang Buyu: "Of course, of course. Sorry, I'm just a bit surprised. If I can help you, I'd be happy to. Just tell me what to do in advance, and I promise I won't mess it up. Thank you for trusting me."
When they met in person, things were fine, but once they started chatting in the dialogue box, Wang Buyu's extremely polite and overly courteous chatting style shocked Qi Xu again.
Whirlwind Boss: "Don't be so formal with me. I thought we were already good friends."
Wang Buyu: "Ah, sorry, I'm just used to it. I'll change. Before I joined the survival game, I didn't really know how to talk. And I didn't want to come off as hard to communicate with, so I tried to seem polite. That's why my replies always end up so long..."
Player Wang Buyu recalled a message.
Wang Buyu: "Got it, Whirlwind Boss. (◦˙▽˙◦)"
Qi Xu suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for this girl. Wang Buyu was truly a kind, sensitive soul who would constantly change herself based on others' opinions.
Just as Qi Xu was thinking of a suitable excuse to invite Threeking out, Threeking sent him a message first—and it was a trade request: 1,000 energy stones in exchange for an opportunity to meet...
Qi Xu quickly accepted, afraid that Bad Ball might change its mind and make The Third revoke the trade request.
After making the decision, Qi Xu directly told Threeking: "Meet me at Qinxiang Studio tomorrow at 7:50. Don't be late. I only have 10 minutes. At 8, I have an appointment with a friend."
Threeking: "Alright, Whirlwind Boss. See you tomorrow morning."
While sending that sycophantic message, The Third cursed under his breath: "Saying something so fake and flattering—do you really think Whirlwind Boss will buy it?"
Whether she buys it or not isn't important. What matters is that you convince her to take you into the Secret Realm of the International Server Treasure Map.
Threeking tried to fish for more information: "And then? Trip her up so she doesn't get first place? I'm worried she'll come back and kill me. Or do I even have a chance of coming back?"
Bad Ball's tone suddenly grew serious: "Who said anything about tripping her up? No matter how much we squabble among ourselves, don't embarrass us abroad. This is the first international showdown of this round. We need to win big. If you dare slack off or choke under pressure, I'll make sure you're dead meat, and I won't even need Whirlwind Boss to do it."
Threeking almost thought he was hallucinating.
"Didn't realize you were such a patriot."
"Mind your own business. Go train harder. You're pathetic. I gave you so many resources, and the gap between you and Whirlwind Boss just keeps widening. I must have been blind to pick you."
Though Bad Ball was telling the truth, Threeking still felt a strange sense of grievance. "Like I'm the one who wanted to team up with you? Who wouldn't want to follow Whirlwind Boss and live the good life?"
Also, there was that sneaky thief, Lao Si—if he showed up tomorrow, The Third would chew him out first thing!
Qi Xu, on the other hand, was in a good mood after finalizing the arrangement. He went straight to find the goblin.
"Great master weapon maker under heaven! Your most loyal fan is here!"
He arrived before his voice did, and as usual, Qi Xu's loud voice boomed ahead.
Wu Doudou was carefully polishing the property-enhancing patterns on a weapon when suddenly startled by the shout, nearly sending the engraving knife skidding three miles off course.
But he still excitedly dropped the knife and ran to open the door for Qi Xu. "Didn't you just get back? You were so exhausted—why not rest more before coming to see me?"
"Of course, because I missed you too much! Come on, baby sister, give me a hug!"
Wu Doudou immediately blushed and hid behind the workbench. "You, you, you! Watch your language! Keep your hands to yourself!"
Qi Xu pouted, pretending to look hurt, and Wu Doudou finally came out slowly. "Fine, fine. One hug."
Wu Doudou, with that fluffy cuteness, was just too adorable. Qi Xu couldn't help but reveal a mischievous grin, and for the first time in a long while, a sense of lightness surfaced in his heart.
..........
