Chapter Eight: The Whispering Breeze Patrol

Chapter 8: The Clear Wind Patrol

“Fortuneteller! How many horns do you have?” Bawang asked. Upon learning that Lin Zheng was also on a mission, they decided to help him hunt the food-mining beasts once they finished their tasks. More importantly, they felt that leveling together was more efficient. Lin Zheng opened his quest log and saw he had already collected ninety-seven horns. “Just three more to go, almost done! How about your quests? Finished?”

“Already done, just waiting for you!”

“Heh heh! Well, that’s quite the favor!” Lin Zheng laughed, though there was no trace of embarrassment on his face. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he shouted to Bawang, “Watch out!”

Before Bawang could react, an arrow whistled through the air, striking him squarely in the back.

“Bawang!” several shouted in alarm. Quickly, Xiao Miao responded, healing Bawang just in time to prevent him from being overwhelmed and killed by the monsters.

“Everyone, watch out! It’s those ‘Proud Sword’ guys!” Bawang yelled. No sooner had he spoken than a dozen players burst forth from the nearby bushes, all bearing the prefix ‘Proud Sword’ in their names. Leading them was Proud Sword Zhonghua, a fierce-looking swordsman whose face was twisted with malice, seemingly harboring a deep grudge against Lin Zheng and his group.

Lin Zheng and his comrades swiftly eliminated the lizards surrounding Bawang, then formed a tight circle to face off against the Proud Sword gang. Lin Zheng quietly asked Tina, “Who are these guys anyway?”

“The Proud Sword clan—pretty notorious here in Frostfall City,” Tina explained with innocent eyes. “Yesterday, they tried to steal our boss, but we turned the tables and killed them instead. That’s how this grudge started.”

“Oh, so they’re not exactly good folks,” Lin Zheng understood. In gaming, boss-snatching was common enough, but resorting to revenge with a large posse was low. This kind of bullying really irritated him. What was worse was that the damned Proud Sword Zhonghua had stolen the name Lin Zheng wanted to register! ‘Proud Sword Zhonghua’—such a cool name, and it should have been his! How infuriating!

“Bawang Iron Armor, you killed several of our brothers yesterday. How do you intend to settle this score?” Proud Sword Zhonghua bellowed.

“Bah!” Bawang scoffed disdainfully. “Enough nonsense. If you want to fight, then come. Don’t hide behind shameless excuses. Don’t think I’m afraid of you just because you have numbers!”

“Showing no respect? Attack! Kill them!” With tensions boiling over, Proud Sword Zhonghua waved his sword, and his men charged at Lin Zheng’s group shouting battle cries.

“I’ll take Proud Sword Zhonghua!” Lin Zheng growled, clutching his dagger as he surged forward. Bawang and the others followed close behind, attacking fiercely. “Clang!” Lin Zheng’s dagger clashed against Zhonghua’s sword. Zhonghua’s face darkened as he said, “Kid, you’re not with them, are you? I advise you to stay out of this mess and leave quickly. I don’t want to waste time with you!”

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