54 Stage 54: Lively Conversation

Lixin was taken aback by the unexpected video call from his cousin. It was a peculiar coincidence, considering he had just been thinking about him moments ago. Before he could even say hello, his cousin's voice rang out with excitement and energy.

"Hey fishy! How's it going?" Zeyu's voice rang through the call as soon as the connection was established.

Lixin smiled proudly as he replied, "It's going great! I've already reached level 10." He couldn't help but beam in accomplishment.

Zeyu's playful tone emerged as he responded, "Already?! That's awesome. I thought it would take you longer, considering you're a newbie and all."

"Aren't we both newbies?" Lixin said with a smile while rolling his eyes at his cousin.

"We are," Zeyu replied with an amused smirk and a hint of mischief in his voice. "But I consider myself a superior player."

"Really, now? If that's true then you must have already received an encounter quest, because I did."

"You received an encounter quest? Already?" Zeyu asked excitedly, his eyes sparkling in surprise. "Are you serious?"

With excitement filling his voice, Lixin shared the details of how he got the quest. "Yup! While I was in the library researching something for my storyline quest, I met a ghost of a little girl. There was a book I needed and she knew where it was and all I had to do was bring back a birthday present she made for her mother."

"That sounds simple enough."

Lixin chuckled and continued with his story. "Well, it turned out to be more challenging than I expected. While we were searching for her bag, the ground suddenly caved in, and we found ourselves in a dark and eerie tunnel. As we tried to find a way out, we stumbled upon the skeleton of the little girl. That's when a new quest was triggered—to bring her body back to her mother."

"Wow, that must have been quite a challenge, especially if there were monsters lurking in the tunnel," Zeyu replied with wide eyes.

"It was definitely a challenge," Lixin replied, nodding in agreement. "I couldn't even put the body in my inventory, so I had to carry it with me the entire time. Those giant mole monsters we encountered didn't make things easier. If it weren't for Berry Fairy I might not have been able to do it."

Curiosity filled Zeyu's face as he asked, "What happened after you brought the body back?"

Lixin's voice grew softer as he recalled the emotional moment. "It played out just as you'd imagine. The ghost girl said her final goodbyes to her mother before fading away. It was a bittersweet moment, and I have to admit, it almost brought tears to my eyes. But the most surprising part was what happened after we completed the quest."

"Don't leave me in suspense. What happened?" Zeyu asked as he leaned closer to the screen, his excitement palpable.

"Well," Lixin began before a boastful smile tugged at his lips. "We were given the choice to seal the questline."

Zeyu's mouth dropped open, speechless for a few moments. Finally, he burst out, "No way! I had no idea something like that could happen in a beginner's town."

"I was just as shocked when I saw the announcement," he replied. "But here's the best part: for completing the questline, I received not only a tremendous amount of experience but also a title that grants +20 to all my stats."

Zeyu's eyes widened with a tinge of envy as he processed Lixin's words. "Man, I can't believe I missed out on something so awesome. You're lucky, fishy," he said with a hint of playful jealousy.

"Don't worry, Zeyu. I promise I'll make it up to you. Once we meet in the game, I'll do my best to trigger a thrilling quest for us to tackle together," Lixin reassured, understanding his cousin's feelings.

A smile broke across Zeyu's face as he nodded. "I'll look forward to it. I can't wait to embark on an epic adventure of our own. But there is no rush. We're going to play together for a long time, after all. One will come our way sooner or later."

"We sure will," Lixin agreed before asking, "What about you? What level are you?"

"Well, fishy, I'm happy to inform you that I'm right there with you. I've reached level 10 as well!" Zeyu boasted with a bright smile.

"That's wonderful! Did you get a special quest as well?" Lixin asked with curiosity.

With a shake of his head, Zeyu replied, "Nope, I had to do it the hard way. I battled monsters all day and night."

"Looks like I misjudged you. You might be the superior player," Lixin admitted, acknowledging his cousin's hard work.

"Well, didn't I tell you?" Zeyu teased, a playful smirk on his face.

"I guess you did," smirked Lixin before asking, "So, what are you doing now?"

"I just got my train ticket to leave town," Zeyu explained. "That's why I called you. I wanted to know if you know which town you'll head to once you leave."

"I do, actually. I'm headed to Silverport," Lixin replied.

Zeyu breathed a sigh of relief. "That's where I'm headed too! I'm so glad we're not going to different places. If we were, I would've needed to buy another train ticket just to meet up with you."

"If you did that, it would be a waste of money, especially at this stage," Lixin chuckled.

He knew that even though train stations are the elite way to get around in Watashinojinsei-dan Online, since there is one in every town and travel time is instantaneous, they cost a pretty penny to ride.

"I could earn it back. No problem," Zeyu simply shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So tell me who this Berry Fairy girl is? Is she cute?"

Lixin shook his head in amusement, a smile lingering on his lips. Zeyu's carefree attitude and unwavering confidence never failed to entertain him. They continued to talk, their discussion flowing effortlessly until the sun rose, casting a soft glow through the window.

Eventually, Zeyu mentioned that he needed to go, his voice tinged with a hint of eagerness. He planned to embark on a shopping spree, hoping to seize the opportunity to purchase items while they were still affordable before making his way to the train station.

Lixin bid his cousin farewell, their promise to meet up in Silverport echoing in his mind. The excitement within him grew, fueled by the anticipation of the adventures they would experience together.

Lost in his thoughts of the future, Lixin was startled by a gentle knock on his bedroom door. Peter's voice resonated through the wooden barrier, breaking his reverie.

"Fortuitous Fish, could you come out to the living room?" Peter requested.

Lixin swiftly composed himself, ready to face whatever awaited him outside. "Sure, I'll be right there," he replied, his voice filled with curiosity of what the next phase of his quest would be.

~

Author Note: What a coincidence they are going to the same place. Lol.