Chapter Fifty-Six: Scarlet Blaze?

After finding a seat, Liu Zong took a sip of his drink, but he quickly set the glass down, his face flushing red as he covered his mouth. The moment he swallowed, he felt a searing heat surge from his abdomen to his mouth, as if he might spit fire at any moment. At the same time, it seemed as though his very soul had been scorched, and even the fragments buried deep within felt as if they were melting.

This was utterly different from the last time he drank this kind of liquor; gone was the pleasant sensation that had suffused his body before. Now, Liu Zong realized why the proprietor had suggested that magical quicksilver would be more suitable for him—the drink he’d just tasted was clearly meant for those with fire affinities or similar attributes. What he truly needed was a liquor attuned to yin.

He hesitated, glass in hand, torn between his desire to buy another drink and his reluctance to waste what he already had.

As he wavered, the bar door swung open once more, and the sound of sprightly footsteps echoed from the entrance. Looking in the direction of the sound, Liu Zong saw a familiar figure approaching the bar counter—none other than Zhu Yan, who by all rights should still have been on the Storm Isles.

Yet Zhu Yan was not quite the same as he remembered her from the isles. Though she still had the appearance of a petite girl, her hair was now a black shade laced with a crimson glow, rather than its former red. Floating behind her was a fist-sized red mech. Small though it was, the mech was exquisitely crafted, every inch of its surface engraved with delicate patterns. Most striking of all, it bore a shield and a knight’s lance on its back, with two curved blades hanging from its waist.

The mech’s head was a design Liu Zong recognized well: a boar’s head, its tusks glowing like molten lava, radiating an aura of wild ferocity.

Once at the bar, Zhu Yan reined in her usual temperament, quietly ordering a drink. She then produced a slip of paper, seemingly discussing something with the proprietor. The owner nodded from time to time, appearing to agree with her, and finally handed her a form to fill out.

Liu Zong recognized that form; last time, Li You had given him one just like it, though his had been filled out in a far more ornate style than the one Zhu Yan was completing now.

After Zhu Yan finished writing, she didn’t take a seat to drink, but instead waited for the proprietor’s approval. Only when he nodded in satisfaction did she finally relax, picking up her glass and preparing to find a place to sit.

But as she turned, she froze in place, her eyes wide with disbelief—she had just spotted Liu Zong sitting at a booth, drink in hand.

It took her a while to recover. Eventually, she walked over to Liu Zong’s booth, her voice hesitant as she asked, “Little brother—no, wait, your name is Liu… Liu Zong, right? Liu Zong, what are you doing here?”

“As you can see, I’m having a drink,” Liu Zong replied, deliberately avoiding any mention of his identity. “But what about you, Senior Yan? Shouldn’t you be on the Storm Isles right now?”

Zhu Yan didn’t seem to mind his evasiveness. Instead, she smiled. “Liu Zong, I think you’ve lost track of time. It’s been ten days since you left the Storm Isles. I’ve already completed my plan and found what my ancestors left behind—the First Knight Mech, Vermillion Blaze Prototype.”

She pointed to the fist-sized mech floating behind her, pride evident in her voice. “I also took the opportunity to change my class at Princess’s Tomb. Now I’m a Level 1 (zero-star) player. And because I’ve acquired my ancestor’s prototype mech, I’m recognized as having the potential to reach Level 3, which gives me access to this bar.”

She took a sip of her drink and asked, “What about you, Liu Zong? I don’t recall there being a Liu family among the great clans of Yang City, and you haven’t reached Level 1 yet. How did you get in here?”

Faced with the question again, Liu Zong hesitated, then finally replied, “I obtained a game name, so here I am.”

Zhu Yan nearly spilled her drink in exasperation. So many people in Yang City had struggled in vain for a coveted game name, and yet here sat Liu Zong—a student not even at Level 1—casually saying he’d simply gotten one, so he was here.

She was sure that every player in the bar would react the same way to such a statement.

Still, Zhu Yan didn’t dare do anything rash. Even with her ancestor’s prototype mech and her successful class change, she could only claim that, given time, she would certainly reach Level 3. As for Level 4, it was but a distant hope.

Thankfully, Zhu Yan quickly composed herself, adopting a more courteous tone. “So, what brings you here this time?”

“I’ve been busy for a while and wanted to relax with a drink. Also, I picked up a few things on the Storm Isles that I probably won’t use, so I thought I’d see if I could trade them for something better,” Liu Zong answered frankly.

“Oh? Sounds like you found quite a lot on the Storm Isles. Then again, that map was originally for Levels 3 and 4, but after it was downgraded, most of its treasures disappeared. Still, if you looked hard enough, there were plenty of things left buried,” Zhu Yan said. “May I see what you found?”

Without further ado, Liu Zong placed the [Combat Scimitar (Green Vine)] on the table.

Examining its properties, Zhu Yan sighed. “If this were the [Combat Scimitar (Vermillion Blaze)], I might buy it on the spot, but this one is ‘Green Vine,’ you understand…”

Liu Zong nodded. “I know, so I wasn’t planning to offer it to you. But most players here are already Level 3, and even if they don’t have mechs like you, there must be a few with giant bloodlines. For them, this weapon is still quite decent—I’m sure someone will want it.”

Zhu Yan was at a bit of a loss for words, but she couldn’t deny Liu Zong’s logic. As he said, it was a fine weapon, and among so many players in Yang City, there were bound to be some with giant blood. Even those who already had a main weapon might consider picking up a backup, so Liu Zong needn’t worry about not being able to sell the blade.

As Zhu Yan searched for something more to say, Liu Zong suddenly asked, “Senior Yan, are you planning to make your class-change video public?”