Chapter 233: Chapter 204-1: This Game Is So Fun, You Can Even Beat Up NPCs (Part 1)
"Second Brother, so this is a virtual game? It feels way too real!"
"Third Brother, look at that chick. Those legs, that ass, that chest. I can't take it anymore, quick, quick, help me into bed!"
"You filthy mutt, get lost. What's so good about a flat-chested bean sprout? Didn't you see that noble MILF getting on the carriage? Do you have no taste?
That's the real premium product on earth!"
"Pfft, Third Brother, what do you know? Lolis with flat chests are my true love."
"Fourth Brother, you're still young and naive. Mature, seductive older women are the real deal."
On a street near the western edge of Green City, three commoners in coarse gray linen clothes had just exited the Temple of the Goddess of Life. Their faces leered as they ogled the passersby, eyes lighting up especially when they spotted pretty young women.
One of them wore a cold expression, like a poker-faced statue, clearly uninterested in the other two's lewd banter.
The one referred to as Third Brother, a young man with short hair, was puffed up with pride.
"Think about it: the three of us—HunYuan Thunderhands Cheng Kun Brothers—have dominated the gaming world for years. Who would've thought we'd live to see a virtual game like this?"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and turned to the others.
"Say the slogan!"
The other two players placed their hands atop his.
The cold-faced young man was the first to speak. "I, HunYuan."
Next was the womanizer Third Brother. "I, Thunderhands."
Lastly, the loli-lover Fourth Brother shouted, "I, Cheng Kun!"
Then all three yelled in unison.
"We three brothers, HunYuan Thunderhands Cheng Kun shall become the rulers of this world! Hurrah~!"
After shouting, they exchanged grins, clearly satisfied with their chant.
"What the hell are you yelling about?! You filthy, lowborn refugees, stop stinking up my shopfront with your disgusting odor. Get lost!!"
Just as the three players finished shouting, a fat merchant in a golden robe, sporting a huge belly and a hooked nose, stormed out of a nearby fruit shop, seething with rage.
His eyes were full of contempt as he glared at the HunYuan Thunderhands Cheng Kun trio.
"In just half a sun-hour, you've already scared away ten of my customers. Green City is getting filthier because of refugees like you. I wish the God of Death would hurry up and take you away!"
His bellow was like a dragon's roar, startling the three players.
But once they snapped out of it, anger immediately surged.
"Goddamn it, scared the crap out of me. A mere merchant dares yell at your Daddy HunYuan?"
"Today, Grandpa Thunderhands will show you why flowers are so red~!"
"Ancestor Cheng Kun will teach you a lesson!"
They had just come out of the Temple of the Goddess of Life, and the priest's Universal Comprehension spell hadn't worn off yet.
So even though they were speaking Chinese, others could understand them. The downside, of course, was that it instantly enraged the fat merchant.
"You damn thieves! Filthy bandits! I swear I'll get the City Lord's soldiers to throw you into prison!"
A bunch of refugee scum daring to shout at him? Unforgivable!!
HunYuan sneered. "An NPC dares put on airs in front of your player daddy? Even if I die today, I'm going to let you taste the righteous iron fist of a player!"
Players were fearless. As harbingers of calamity, how could they be intimidated by an NPC?
Thunderhands and Cheng Kun didn't hesitate either. After seeing on their status panels that the fat man was just an ordinary merchant, their worries vanished.
They charged in, fists raised in righteous fury.
The fat merchant's face changed drastically.
These damn refugees really dared attack him??
"Stop! You bastards, the Goddess will definitely punish you!"
The HunYuan Thunderhands Cheng Kun trio were way more aggressive than those earlier Glory players.
Not only did they have numbers, this fat merchant had virtually no combat ability. He was knocked to the ground in seconds.
"Take this, Monkey Steals the Peach!"
"Awooo~!"
"Thousand-Year Death!"
"Aaaaahhhhh!!"
"Claw spit! Dragon Grasp!"
"Ughhh!"
The fat merchant, now being mercilessly beaten, was bombarded with bizarre and ridiculous moves, to the point where he began to question the very meaning of life.
After finishing him off, the trio glanced at the unattended shop and grinned slyly.
"Second Brother, that bastard was such a jerk. As righteous crusaders, shouldn't we rob the rich to help the poor?"
"Of course. If we don't rob the rich, how will the world know our strength?"
"But… can we actually rob an NPC's store?"
"Heh heh. Only one way to find out."
Then, the street-side shop was completely looted by the trio.
To players, this was just a game. Burning, killing, looting, there was no psychological burden. Would they feel guilty for beating up an NPC?
Don't even think about it.
So the three of them robbed with zero hesitation, while the fat merchant could only watch in despair, silently cursing the lowly refugees ten thousand times in his heart.
Unfortunately, or perhaps coincidentally, though there were many pedestrians on the street at the time, no one responded to the fat merchant's cries for help. In fact, those who witnessed the scene quickened their steps to leave.
No kidding, this was right next to the Western District.
Robbing a shop in broad daylight, in full view of the public, these guys were clearly not to be messed with. Anyone who tried to intervene might very well end up dead.
The local commoners had long since figured out how to survive in this chaotic environment. The reckless and brave had already met the God of Death.
In other areas, there might still be people with a sense of justice who would step in, but the very location of the Western District meant that aside from the Green City patrol soldiers, one was unlikely to encounter any so-called do-gooders.
Even the followers of the God of Light and the God of Fairness and Justice had given up on this forgotten land of sin, let alone other professionals.
"You guys done yet? This game is way too real. Not only can you beat up NPCs, but you can even rob them freely.
Hahaha, awesome~"
Thunderhands looked thoroughly satisfied, this game's hardcore nature was far beyond expectations.
What other game let you punch NPCs you didn't like and rob them too?
Now this was a real virtual game, bursting with realism.
He glanced at the fat merchant still wailing at the fruit shop entrance and, annoyed, walked over and gave him another good beating.
"Hmph, you damn fatty. Let me tell you, Second Brother, me, and Fourth Brother robbing you today is a blessing for you. We're robbing the rich to help the poor, doing good deeds. Got it??
And you, just a measly merchant NPC, dared to scare us? Do you even know how legendary HunYuan Thunderhands Cheng Kun is?!"
"You damned bastards! What underground organization are you from?! This place is under the protection of Sinking Mist! You'll all be killed!!"
The fat merchant, lying on the ground with panda eyes and a bloated belly, shouted furiously.
These damn refugee scum, he would definitely see them hanged!
Sinking Mist? The trio exchanged glances, clearly intrigued by the name.
[T/N: HunYuan, Thunderhands, and Cheng Kun are exaggerated gamer aliases styled after classic wuxia tropes. 'HunYuan' refers to primordial Daoist energy, 'Thunderhands' implies explosive martial prowess, and 'Cheng Kun' is a nod to a notorious villain from Jin Yong's The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber. ]