Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 105: Leaderboard
It was late, and Chi Zhuolin had already arranged everything clearly for his younger brother and his teammates. He didn’t really plan to stay for a family chat and, after giving Chi Yingxue a few more instructions, said goodbye to everyone.
Xu Wang escorted him out.
The hallway was quiet, and their footsteps were almost inaudible on the soft carpet.
Polite expressions of gratitude and the unnecessary had already been exchanged in the room. Now, between a team captain and a brother, the conversation naturally revolved around only one topic.
Chi Zhuolin spoke first. He knew Xu Wang was the team captain from the dinner conversation and directly addressed him as such. “Captain Xu, my brother has always been a handful. Please take good care of him during your travels.”
Xu Wang understood what he meant without Chi Zhuolin having to say it. The dinner and accommodations weren’t for his brother but for their mysterious travel group. As the team captain, he felt obliged to reassure Chi Zhuolin. “We enjoy spending time and playing together. If anything, it’s him who has elevated our group’s attractiveness and economic level.”
A compliment for both brothers and an acknowledgment of the hospitality they had received.
Chi Zhuolin understood and, with a smile in his voice, seemed reassured. “I was a bit worried during dinner, but now, seeing how reliable Captain Xu is, I’m completely at ease.”
“……” Xu Wang decided to ask Qian Ai later what had happened during dinner that made Chi Zhuolin feel so insecure.
By the time they reached the elevator, their conversation had ended.
The elevator was descending, and they had to wait for it to return to the top floor.
But Xu Wang couldn’t wait.
He wasn’t waiting for the elevator, but for a signal from Chi Zhuolin. All the way, he had been waiting for a word, a phrase, or even a glance that would let him know, “We can talk about Chi Yingxue’s real problem now.”
But there were none.
Chi Zhuolin, like a master hiding his skills, remained unmoved until his opponent made a move.
Considering it, Xu Wang could understand, as Chi Zhuolin didn’t know how much they knew about Chi Yingxue’s split personality.
The elevator was coming back up.
Xu Wang took the initiative, slightly pondering before speaking. “I don’t know if Xiao Xue has told you, but we haven’t been traveling together for long. Before, he was playing with other travel groups.”
Chi Zhuolin’s expression didn’t change much. “I heard about it during dinner.”
Xu Wang nodded, continuing, “We get along well with Xiao Xue, but…”
He stopped, as if hesitant, and looked at Chi Zhuolin.
Chi Zhuolin slightly turned his head, finally meeting his gaze, signaling, “Continue, I’m listening.”
“It’s just… sometimes his personality seems quite contradictory.” Xu Wang laughed, like a teacher discussing a student’s behavior with a parent, careful with his words. “We’re not sure which one is the real him.”
Chi Zhuolin, unaware of their level of information, and similarly, Xu Wang couldn’t be sure if Chi Zhuolin knew about Chi Yingxue’s split personality. Thus, the release of information was tactfully handled.
The elevator returned to the top floor, and the doors opened.
Chi Zhuolin didn’t move.
He continued looking at Xu Wang, changing from “silent observation” to a clear and concise response. “This one is my brother.”
Xu Wang asked, “And the other one?”
A barely noticeable coldness appeared in Chi Zhuolin’s eyes. “Yan Wang.”
The elevator doors closed and descended again.
As Xu Wang had expected, once an unspoken understanding was reached, communication was swift and efficient.
One thing he hadn’t anticipated was Chi Zhuolin’s almost emotionless tone when mentioning Yan Wang.
As if seeing through Xu Wang’s thoughts, Chi Zhuolin candidly said, “For you, it might not matter who you’re interacting with, but for me, that person is just a stranger occupying my brother’s body.”
Xu Wang didn’t know what to say and remained silent.
Strictly speaking, this was an internal issue of the Chi family, a classic example of a domestic dispute difficult for an outsider to resolve.
“Since we’ve come to this, there’s something I might need your help with.” Chi Zhuolin’s coldness dissipated, returning to politeness.
Xu Wang silently waited for him to continue.
Chi Zhuolin spoke seriously. “If Yan Wang continues to appear for more than a month, contact me,” he paused, then added, “Qian Laodi* has my number.”
*It’s a term that combines lao + di (younger brother) used to address a man that’s younger to oneself in a friendly manner, often used to show familiarity or closeness.
Xu Wang no longer had the energy to wonder why his teammate was now Chi Zhuolin’s “Qian Laodi”. His mind was occupied with what Chi Zhuolin would do if that situation arose.
“If you don’t go back now, my brother might not be able to resist coming out to see what’s going on,” Chi Zhuolin joked, pressing the elevator button again.
The earlier heaviness was gone.
The topic ended there.
As the elevator doors opened a second time, Chi Zhuolin stepped in, turned around, and nodded slightly at Xu Wang.
Xu Wang smiled back, but until the elevator closed and began descending, he wasn’t sure if he had actually managed to smile.
He just wanted to confirm the identities of the two Chi Yingxues, but now he felt like he had stepped into a deep pit…
Returning to the presidential suite, Xu Wang shook his head, putting on a cheerful team captain’s smile before knocking on the door.
The door opened instantly, almost at the speed of light.
Wu Sheng, who was about to come out and check, greeted him. “Why did it take so long?”
Xu Wang sighed as he entered. “Just discussing life.”
Wu Sheng’s brows furrowed. “Isn’t that something you should discuss with me?”
Xu Wang, already weighed down by his thoughts, found the atmosphere lightened by his advisor’s comment, laughing and responding, “Okay, I’ll just play along with them next time.”
“That can be avoided too. Leave the socializing to Qian Ai.” Wu Sheng pointed to Qian Ai nearby. “He was very successful at dinner tonight and has already established a long-term communication channel with Chi Zhuolin.”
Xu Wang followed his gaze and saw Qian Ai busy with a business card and phone.
“What’s he doing?” Xu Wang asked, puzzled.
Wu Sheng replied, “Searching for Chi Zhuolin’s company to see its scale.”
Xu Wang wondered. “Why not just ask Xiao Xue directly?”
Wu Sheng shook his head. “He said that would be too direct and make him seem materialistic.”
Xu Wang remarked, “You could leave out the word ‘seem’.”
Qian Ai looked up, annoyed. “How many times have I said, talk about people behind their backs; it’s basic social etiquette.”
Xu Wang laughed, looking around and asking, “Where’s Xiao Kuang?”
Qian Ai gestured towards the kitchen. “Making tea.”
Feeling tired from the evening’s events, Xu Wang soon felt his eyelids getting heavy as he sat on the couch.
Fortunately, Kuang Jinxin brought out fragrant tea just in time.
Each of the four friends held a cup. Xu Wang called Chi Yingxue over to join them. At first, Chi Yingxue ignored the invitation, but unable to resist the persistent calling, he finally left the balcony to rejoin the group.
Thankfully, the tea was fragrant enough to slightly dissipate his annoyance.
Just after taking a few sips of tea, Xu Wang said, “It seems we haven’t officially welcomed you to the team yet.”
“……” Chi Yingxue remained silent, suddenly realizing that this was a critical moment.
Xu Wang was straightforward. “The one who was with us before was Yan Wang.”
This statement was both an explanation to Chi Yingxue and a clarification to the other three teammates.
As expected, Qian Ai, Wu Sheng, and even Kuang Jinxin were momentarily stunned.
No matter how much they had speculated, it was just speculation. They had never, like Xu Wang, distinctly identified the two different personalities.
Chi Yingxue raised his eyebrows slightly, waiting for what would come next.
Xu Wang looked at him firmly. “Regardless of what happened before, from now on, we are a team.” He brought his teacup over, lightly touching it against Chi Yingxue’s. “Let’s pretend this tea is wine and drink as a toast to our new team member.”
Chi Yingxue was taken aback. He thought that after drinking the tea, there would be a critical evaluation, especially after the unpleasant events at the amusement park. But it was just a simple welcome?
Wu Sheng wasn’t letting it go so easily. “You shot him in the arm with an arrow at the amusement park. I reserve the right to prosecute for that.”
“You used [Don’t Lie To Me] on me,” Chi Yingxue reminded him.
Wu Sheng shook his head. “The harm isn’t equivalent. You still owe me half an arrow.”
Chi Yingxue: “……”
Xu Wang held his forehead, not wanting to join the discussion.
Qian Ai was amazed. Is there a formula for calculating this?
Kuang Jinxin, watching Chi Yingxue’s confused face, couldn’t help but want to laugh and quickly took a sip of tea to hide it.
The “welcome” was simple and ended just as simply. After a few words, Xu Wang could tell that Chi Yingxue was mostly aware of their interactions with Yan Wang. In other words, Chi Yingxue was “online” during most of their time with Yan Wang, which saved a lot of explanations.
Even the team’s tactical system didn’t need redeployment because, despite the many differences between Chi Yingxue and Yan Wang, their attitudes towards team tactics were surprisingly in sync—they both preferred to work solo, with as little collaboration as possible.
Yan Wang’s approach was: “I get carried away in battle and can’t pay attention to much else.”
Chi Yingxue’s was: “Tsk, collaboration is such a hassle.”
Though Xu Wang thought there was still room for negotiation about teamwork with Chi Yingxue, he felt that letting him be might yield better results. And if there was a sudden personality switch, it wouldn’t disrupt their tactics.
Thinking about this inevitably led him to consider Yan Wang.
Unlike Chi Yingxue, Yan Wang wouldn’t remember what happened during his absence. When he returned next time, catching up on the backstory was one thing, but Xu Wang worried about his mindset.
The desire for “recognition” was almost invisible in Chi Yingxue, but it was a rooted trait in Yan Wang’s personality. They had accepted both Chi Yingxue and Yan Wang and knew their so-called “primary and secondary personalities” were a lie. This surely wasn’t the situation Yan Wang hoped for.
How would he face them?
As the team captain, how would Xu Wang stabilize the team’s morale?
Xu Wang leaned back onto the sofa, gazing out at the night sky, and sighed deeply.
Other teams had five members; they had the advantage of six, but with every advantage came a price… It was tiring!
There was only half an hour left until midnight.
The tea had gone cold, and the casual tea party ended naturally amidst yawns.
The latter half of the gathering mainly discussed the upcoming levels and badges to collect. Chi Yingxue also provided a lot of information about 8/23.
The teammates decided to take a quick nap in the last half hour. Qian Ai, too lazy to go to the bedroom, occupied the long sofa. Wu Sheng and Xu Wang went to the master bedroom, and Chi Yingxue, initially heading to the guest room, saw Kuang Jinxin tidying up the tea table and decided to follow him into the kitchen.
Kuang Jinxin had just put down the tea tray and turned around to see Chi Yingxue standing at the kitchen doorway.
“What’s up?” Kuang Jinxin asked, assuming there was something important.
Chi Yingxue, however, was there to clear his name. “It was him who lied to you.”
Kuang Jinxin couldn’t help but laugh. It had been an hour, and Chi Yingxue was still insisting on clarifying. “The captain already said you’re Chi Yingxue. I know.”
Chi Yingxue tilted his head. There were strong emotions in his eyes—just pure curiosity. “Aren’t you angry?”
“And you?” Kuang Jinxin didn’t answer, instead asking, “Are you angry that he said he’s the real Chi Yingxue?”
Chi Yingxue paused, seemingly considering this for the first time. He blinked and quietly assessed his feelings…
“It’s okay,” he said lightly. “I guess I’m used to it.”
“I’m okay too,” Kuang Jinxin sincerely replied. “Lying is wrong, but I think I understand why he lied.”
Chi Yingxue smiled, his eyes and brows relaxing in a moment of clarity like moonlight. “He wants to replace me.”
Kuang Jinxin didn’t deny it but put it another way. “He’s afraid of disappearing.”
A visible action.
An invisible reason.
Chi Yingxue fell silent, looking at Kuang Jinxin for a long time before gently touching his lips. “Can I kiss you again?”
The request was gentle, but before he finished speaking, his body was already moving closer.
However, halfway there, his finger was bitten.
Kuang Jinxin’s bite wasn’t light, strong enough to leave teeth marks.
Chi Yingxue immediately frowned, and his advancing body stopped.
Kuang Jinxin loosened his bite.
Chi Yingxue decisively retracted his hand.
“You really are afraid of pain.” Kuang Jinxin observed. “Not everything Yan Wang said was a lie.”
Chi Yingxue paused, seemingly realizing something, and laughed lightly. “Missing him?”
His tone was slightly teasing, seemingly amusing, but with a hint of detachment and coldness.
“There’s no need to be embarrassed to admit it.” He stepped back half a step, leaning casually against the door frame. “In every team I’ve been in, they’ve always liked him more.”
“Do you like sweets?” Kuang Jinxin suddenly asked.
Chi Yingxue’s mind flashed with unpleasant memories. “Your [Candy House]? No thanks.”
Kuang Jinxin was referring to something else, but upon hearing that, he couldn’t help but smile, admitting, “That stationery was mine.”
Chi Yingxue finally found the source of the lie, giving a harsh review. “It was disgusting—not even a fraction as good as it looked.”
The emphasis on “disgusting” told Kuang Jinxin that he was indeed upset.
But anyone who had tried the candy house and claimed not to like sweets, he wouldn’t believe.
Liking it was all that mattered.
“Do you remember the [(Offense) Romantic Afternoon Tea] stationery used by Yan Wang?” Kuang Jinxin asked.
“Yes,” Chi Yingxue responded indifferently, but in reality, he remembered it all too well. When he saw the stationery’s effect, with cakes falling from the sky and splattering on the ground, his heart bled.
“This is one of the reward stationeries I got for my submission of 7/23.” Kuang Jinxin smiled brightly. “Tonight, I’m treating you to something so sweet it’ll cure your sadness.”
Chi Yingxue was initially startled, then a small flame kindled in his eyes, carefully shaped like doughnuts.
Kuang Jinxin’s slight pang of pity finally dissipated.
This person was meant to sit on the mast as a sharpshooter, to leisurely observe battles from a merry-go-round, to sneakily eat from the candy house during intense battles—he just wasn’t suited for showing weakness. Even a subconscious hint of “I know I’m not as likable as Yan Wang” made one want to pat his head and give him another piece of cake.
……
In the “Owl”, Beijing time, every checkpoint and each Endless Sea simultaneously sounded a notification.
[Report Card]: [Leaderboard] This week’s rewards have been distributed.
[Report Card]: [Leaderboard] is now open. Please check it as soon as possible.
[Leaderboard]
Top 1 – Fan Peiyang, Teng Ziyan, Wan Fengmang, Zhang Qian, Zheng Luozhu, Fang Jin, Fei Fan, Li Deng, Shao Jingyi, Yin Hengjia, Fu Wenqing, He Lanchan, Qin Rui, Wu Yanchao, Zhao Muchen, Guo Feng, He Fang, Luo Yibei, Ren Siming, Wei Yuan, Chi Yingxue, Kuang Jinxin, Qian Ai, Wu Sheng, Xu Wang, Xue Yuan.
“Captain, we made it to the leaderboard!” Kuang Jinxin, who checked the notification the fastest, exclaimed in surprise.
Xu Wang, initially expecting to see the same familiar faces on the leaderboard and thus acting leisurely, perked up upon hearing this. His spirits lifted, and he rapidly accessed the leaderboard and then checked the rewards, his fatigue instantly vanishing!
Indeed, the leaderboard was mostly occupied by familiar faces. However, with their less-than-stellar performance in 7/23, they managed to secure the last spot!
There was an extra red “3” that appeared in their [Stationery Box], indicating that the reward stationery had arrived.
Just as Xu Wang was about to see which three items of stationery they had received, suddenly five treasure chests fell down in front of everyone!
In addition to stationery rewards, they also received treasure chests?
Qian Ai’s eyes lit up. These chests seemed to reek of monetary corruption; let him be the first to be corrupted!
Seconds later, Qian Ai opened his chest.
Then, the rest of the teammates peacefully divided the remaining chests.
Their loot was as follows—
Xu Wang: 20,000 yuan.
Kuang Jinxin: 28,888 yuan.
Chi Yingxue: 20,000 yuan.
Wu Sheng: 18,888 yuan.
Qian Ai: 8,888 yuan + [(Illusory) Quit While You’re Ahead*].
*It’s an idiom referring to one should stop doing something that has already been accomplished before something bad happens.
……
4/23 Moonlight Maze.
Su Mingzhan extended his arm towards Yue Shuai, pointing at the fifth name on the leaderboard, and asked, “Captain, do these names seem both familiar and unfamiliar to you?”
“Of course they’re familiar.” Yue Shuai looked at his teammate inexplicably. “What do you mean by unfamiliar?”
Su Mingzhan sighed deeply. “We once brushed past each other, but now, the distance is growing further. I thought we should have forgotten each other by now.”
Yue Shuai: “……”
Wei Tianhang: “You’re far behind, captain. Shouldn’t you reflect on this?”
Yue Shuai: “Those who flirt with NPCs have no right to speak!”
Wei Tianhang: “I just complimented her for being beautiful. Who knew she would go berserk!”
Tao Anan: “Whether it’s a compliment or flirting depends on the face.”
Wei Tianhang: “……”
……
“Boss, there’s a new team on the leaderboard.” Zheng Luozhu showed the leaderboard to Fan Peiyang with an interest in sharing gossip. The boss, of course, didn’t need to get his hands dirty with such matters.
However, even when presented right in front of him, Fan Peiyang didn’t glance at it, asking Zheng Luozhu instead, “How are the preparations going?”
Zheng Luozhu put down his arm, seriously replying, “Don’t worry. Everything is ready. This time we will definitely turn in our 13/23 papers.”
Fan Peiyang responded indifferently, “If we fail again, I will replace everyone. All of you.”
His tone was calm, but his gaze was heavy.
Zheng Luozhu became serious. “Understood.”
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