Volume 1, Chapter 23: Today’s Expenses Are on Young Master Wang

Qing City, Heaven Above Heaven Entertainment Club, Suite Number One.

Wang Duojin lay on the sofa with a gloomy expression, his mood shifting between irritation and malice. He was in an incredibly foul mood. It was one thing to be slighted by Lin Yu that morning, but he had intended to make up for his losses by spending time with Su Yao in the afternoon. To his annoyance, that woman had acted high and mighty, refusing him under the pretense of returning to her dormitory to study.

Cursing under his breath and frustrated, he had hoped to blow off some steam playing cards with his friends. Yet, these idiots seemed completely oblivious, lacking any sense of the situation; from the moment they sat down, he hadn’t won a single hand.

A moment later, burning with rage, he threw his cards down and said unpleasantly, "Forget it. Damn it, you guys win every single time. There's no point to this."

However, seeing the son of Qing City’s richest man lose his temper, the young men dressed like socialites around him showed little reaction. They had no need to fawn over him, as their own backgrounds were not significantly inferior to Wang Duojin's.

"What’s wrong? Does our Young Master Wang miss his new girl?" After a short silence, a young man in a bright red shirt picked up a wine glass, took a light sip, and teased.

"Exactly. I heard that newcomer is a beauty from Qing Teng University, tsk tsk." Another chimed in. After all, the title of "Department Beauty" at Qing Teng University always carried some weight.

"Don't even bring her up to me. It just makes me angry." Facing their teasing, Wang Duojin lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and snorted coldly. These guys really knew how to rub salt in the wound.

"What's the matter? By the look of it, has our Young Master Wang not conquered her yet?" Someone immediately perked up, looking eager for the gossip. The others stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to Wang Duojin. Everyone knew that Wang Duojin was a notorious lady-killer in their circle. With his signature blend of subtle posturing, feigned concern, and financial pressure, no woman usually resisted for long. The idea that he had failed was shocking. Could it be that there was a tougher player in the game?

"Damn it, conquered? I thought she was just another piece of trash, but it turns out she’s just a stuck-up bitch!" Mentioning Su Yao made Wang Duojin even angrier. "Not only that, but because of this wench, I was slighted by someone today."

"Oh? Is there really someone in our Qing City who can make Young Master Wang feel slighted?" The others were surprised, casting curious gazes toward him. While the Wang family didn't control everything in Qing City, they were the wealthiest, and few dared to cross Wang Duojin.

"Just a country bumpkin," Wang Duojin said coldly, dismissing Lin Yu entirely. In his view, Lin Yu was nothing more than a hick who knew how to read a few books. He might be able to show off in school with good grades, but once he entered the real world, he would have to bow his head like everyone else.

"Since he's just a country bumpkin, shouldn't it be easy for you to handle him with your methods?" someone asked with a laugh, though there was a hint of mockery in his tone. After all, it wasn't exactly glorious for the son of the city's richest man to lose to a nobody.

"Hmph." Wang Duojin heard the sarcasm and sneered. If Lin Yu hadn't been so silver-tongued earlier, he would have already dealt with him. However, he quickly changed the subject. "Even though I suffered a setback this morning, I managed to get some payback in the game."

"Oh?" The group looked curious. They knew the game he was referring to: *Gods and Demons Continent*. The game had only been out for two days, yet it had already triggered an unstoppable wave of popularity, with many already anticipating the second wave of account releases.

"I spent the day corpse-camping his friend. If you offend Wang Duojin, I won't let you have an easy time—and this is just the beginning." A cold smile curled at the corners of his mouth. Thinking of this, he felt better, and the wine in his glass seemed to taste a bit sweeter.

The atmosphere in the room quieted. Everyone’s expressions turned complex. They knew exactly what "corpse-camping" meant. Especially in *Gods and Demons Continent*, a game boasting 100% realism, such an act was no less severe than a brutal beating in real life. They had assumed Wang Duojin would just teach the guy a small lesson, not that he would be this ruthless. But knowing his vengeful nature, it was to be expected.

Just as they were drinking and enjoying themselves, Wang Duojin’s phone rang. Glancing at it, his impatient expression shifted, and a smile gradually appeared on his face.

"Young Master Wang, the person you are looking for has arrived. Come quickly."

It was a simple message, but it provided an outlet for the anger Wang Duojin had been nursing all day. *Damn it, finally took the bait?* Without hesitation, he told the group, "Young Master Wang is paying for the bill tonight," and drove off in a hurry. Compared to venting his rage on Lin Yu, the money was nothing. The thought of tormenting Lin Yu in the game filled him with wild excitement. He would teach that country bumpkin exactly why he shouldn't mess with him.

***

Inside the game.

While waiting for Wang Duojin, Lin Yu briefly shared his experiences of the past two days with Lin Xin. He left out the secrets regarding his talents, but otherwise, he didn't hold back. As a veteran gamer, Lin Xin was thrilled, his heart racing especially when he heard that Lin Yu had soloed a boss.

"Listen, brother," Tang Seng, who was currently floating in the air in his soul form, pleaded, "Your target is Wang Duojin. We were just hired by him to camp the bodies. We've already paid the price. Can you be the bigger person and just let us go?"

They had no real grudge against Lin Yu; they were just hired lackeys. Besides, they had already lost a level, and losing more would be a total disaster.

"If you don't want to lose another level, keep your mouths shut," Lin Yu replied coldly. Although they were just hired help, they were still participants in this mess. He wouldn't let them go easily, especially before Wang Duojin arrived.

The two quickly fell silent. They understood that as long as they obeyed, they wouldn't have trouble, and they had no desire to provoke Lin Yu further.

"Judging by the time, he should be here soon," Lin Yu muttered, checking the system clock. It had been over half an hour since he sent the message.

Sure enough, not long after, three figures appeared, walking toward him with long strides. The archer in the lead was Wang Duojin. Because the game used holographic scanning, the players' avatars were 80% similar to their real-life selves, and Lin Yu recognized him instantly.

"Lin Yu, I didn't expect you to take down those two losers," Wang Duojin said, his brow furrowing as he looked at the soul-form versions of his hired help. He hadn't expected Lin Yu to defeat them. Even though they were weak, they were still level eight. However, when he saw that Lin Yu was only level eight himself, a look of disdain crossed his face. "Heh, that's fine. It just means I can torment you even more, and let you know that there are people a country bumpkin like you simply cannot afford to provoke."

"Oh? Then I'm very much looking forward to seeing what my fate will be," Lin Yu replied with a cold, mocking smile.