So This Is How You're Supposed to Play the Game

Ming Yi got into a multiplayer online game called Swordsong. As a casual player, her favorite thing was collecting outfits and taking pretty pictures of her character. She even married someone in the game to earn the outfit awarded for reaching a certain romance level, and diligently completed quests every day. But just before she was about to claim the reward, the other person suddenly ended their relationship without a word and married someone else from their guild. The next day, they turned around and accused Ming Yi of being a homewrecking green tea who’d meddled in their relationship. The other person’s guild had a lot of influence, and soon Ming Yi was flooded with kill orders. Whenever she logged in, someone was waiting to kill her. Nobody believed her explanations, and she couldn’t beat them in a fight. Fed up, Ming Yi decided to sell her account and quit the game. On a secondhand trading site, someone asked why she was selling her account. Ming Yi honestly explained, then said pitifully: I can’t beat them. I die as soon as I log in. I don’t want to play anymore. Zhou Lian: ? That’s it? Zhou Lian: Log in. I’ll help you beat them to a pulp. Zhou Lian had always thought the game was all about throwing yourself into the fray and not caring if you died. After meeting Ming Yi, he realized that apparently this wasn’t the only way to play. Friend: What are you doing? Zhou Lian: Running a dungeon. Don’t bother me. Friend: What are you doing? Zhou Lian: Running a dungeon with someone. Don’t bother me. Friend: What are you doing? Zhou Lian: How did you know I was running a dungeon with my in-game partner? Friend: ? Zhou Lian: How did you know we were wearing matching outfits and matching hair colors? [Photo] Friend: Do not disturb :) The top player in the whole server × a casual player ■ A traditional keyboard-controlled MMORPG revival ■ The story of a lone wolf, cocky guy who loves running dungeons becoming a puppy who only wants to wear matching outfits and take pictures with his wife [Upcoming story: “What’s Scarier Than Your Gaming Buddy Being Your Nemesis? He Has a Crush on You!”] You Li found a gaming buddy in Honor of Kings. His skills were solid, he was funny, didn’t get mad at her for playing badly, and even had a schedule that fit hers perfectly. Aside from being a little conceited, he had no real flaws. The two of them fought their way through the Rift together, climbing ranks as easily as drinking water. A good gaming buddy was hard to find, and someone this perfectly in sync with her was rarer still. You Li treasured their bond, never asking what he looked like or about his life outside the game. Until one day, her buddy forgot to block her from seeing his Moments post. In the photo, the guy had just finished training his chest, his muscles bulging beneath his damp tank top. [Skillful Play Sets the Limit]: Holy crap, weren’t you supposed to be the funny guy? [Power Through Adversity]: Holy crap, I forgot to block you. [Power Through Adversity]: You’ve fallen for my good looks, haven’t you? But listen, don’t fall in love with me. My heart already belongs to someone, and I could never love anyone but my goddess. [Sunglasses] Dream on. You Li couldn’t be bothered to reply. [Power Through Adversity]: My goddess is the most perfect person in the world: beautiful, aloof, and elegant. [Power Through Adversity]: Even her name is lovely. You Li. It sounds like a round little chestnut. Cute, right? [Skillful Play Sets the Limit]: ? Which illiterate idiot had a crush on her? [Power Through Adversity]: ? What’s that supposed to mean? Are you jealous of my goddess? [Angry] [Skillful Play Sets the Limit]: I’m You Li’s roommate. [Power Through Adversity]: Dad. To find out who had a crush on her, You Li pretended to help him pursue his love, while actually luring him out of hiding. [Skillful Play Sets the Limit]: You Li will be at the old library tomorrow. She likes mature men who know how to dress. The next day, You Li went to wait for him. She’d barely sat down when her nemesis appeared in her line of sight. The library had no air conditioning, and the June heat was stifling. Lu Mingxi wore a suit, tie, and leather shoes, his face composed and stern, as he walked straight over and sat across from her. You Li: ? Why is it this poser? Bonus scene: When Lu Mingxi heard that You Li played Honor of Kings, he threw himself into the Rift, too. To duo with her in sweet harmony, he trained hard as a marksman. But later, Lu Mingxi learned that You Li never played support. The clash lane and the farm lane were a whole map apart, so they barely saw each other in a match unless they were fighting as a team. Theme: What makes a game fun isn’t the game itself, but the person you play it with