Xeness

"R-REALLY?" Xeness couldn't contain his excitement and let out an exuberant shout before swiftly regaining his composure.

My concealed grin widened beneath my mask; he had taken the bait, and now it was time to reel him in. With a sense of playful mystery, I responded, "Really, but the thing is..."

Even without seeing my face, Xeness seemed to sense the change in my demeanor. I adopted a more serious tone and continued, "How can I trust you? And your information."

The pause that followed allowed Xeness a moment to gather his thoughts, but before he could respond, I pressed on, determined to make my point clear.

"You're not seriously going to say, 'Just trust me, bro,' right?" I remarked, my voice laced with skepticism. "Because that would be rather naive. Anyone in this place can point in a direction, whether it's the right one or not." I gestured with my hand, as if physically underlining my point.

Internally, excitement bubbled within me. Engaging in this negotiation made me feel like a seasoned diplomat, navigating the intricacies of a world filled with possibilities.

MMORPG, massively multiplayer online role-playing game. And I am now experiencing the Multiplayer part! this is the best.

" . . . . . . . ."

"Well, that's true; the game just started, and I still haven't created a brand for myself to back up my information," Xeness admitted with a touch of melancholy in his voice.

I couldn't help but be intrigued by his resourcefulness. "How did you even know where it was in the first place? The game just started," I inquired, my curiosity piqued.

A hint of pride laced Xeness's response as he explained, "I have a good memory, and once I entered this place, I ran around the town and memorized its structure and the major locations." His words revealed a level of dedication and cunning that hinted at a shrewd player in the making.

Xeness's confident demeanor wavered, giving way to a voice tinged with insecurity. He confessed, "But you won't believe it, don't you?... you're actually the first person to actually have a conversation with me," punctuating his words with a forced laugh.

I couldn't help but feel a pang of empathy for this player who had been overlooked in the bustling world of NEuEarth. But at the same time, I recognized an opportunity for both of us to benefit.

"Then how about this, Mr. Xeness?" Kuonh proposed with a friendly tone, Xeness went "Mr?" as Kuonh continued.

"Why not give me this first information for free as an investment? In exchange, let's add each other as friends for future business, since I feel like we will see each other often."

With a genuine smile and an extended hand for a handshake, Kuonh presented his offer in earnest.

". . . . . . "

As I stood there, beads of sweat forming on my forehead, Xeness remained silent, his inscrutable gaze fixed on me. My heart raced, and a sense of unease gnawed at me. Had I said something wrong? Was Xeness doubting my intentions?

The seconds felt like an eternity as I waited for his response. The tension in the air was palpable, and I couldn't help but second-guess my decision to propose such an arrangement. But deep down, I knew that making connections in this vast and unpredictable world was essential.

Finally, just when I thought the silence might stretch on forever, Xeness's lips curled into a faint smile. It was a smile that held a glimmer of amusement and perhaps a hint of approval. With a nod, he extended his hand towards me, and our palms met in a firm handshake.

"Fine, this first information is free," he said, his voice holding a note of playfulness. "Glad to make business with you."

Yes, you got me on the "free" part.

Relief washed over me, and I couldn't help but return his smile with genuine gratitude. In that moment, a connection was forged, and I knew that my journey in world had just taken an unexpected and promising turn.

*ting*

As I tapped the notification, a new window appeared in the corner of my field of view.

[new friend request]

I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement as I read the message. It was from Xeness. Without hesitation, I selected the option to accept his request.

[yes] [no]

With a simple press of a virtual button, Xeness became my first friend in this expansive world of NEuEarth. A message appeared in the center of my view, announcing, "1 player added to your friend list." It was a small victory, but it felt like a significant step in the right direction.

"Nice!" I couldn't help but exclaim, my enthusiasm bubbling over.

Xeness continued, "So, as for the guild, can you open your map?"

I nodded and tapped a small icon in the upper right corner of my vision, revealing a menu of options. Among them, I selected the map, and suddenly, a holographic display materialized in front of me. It showed a detailed representation of the city, and a blinking red dot marked my current location.

Xeness's finger hovered over the map projected in front of Kuonh, and with a deft point, he indicated a building on the southwest corner of the map. As his finger touched the holographic interface, a yellow flag promptly materialized at the designated spot, accompanied by a label indicating it was the guild hall's location. Kuonh couldn't help but wear an amused expression as he remarked, "So you can do that with maps."

Following the indication, a line appeared on the map, connecting the red spot marking Kuonh's current location to the guild hall. It was a clear and convenient path, making navigation within the virtual world a breeze.

Kuonh's gratitude spilled forth as he extended his hand for another handshake, saying, "Thank you; I've learned a lot from you."

Xeness accepted the gesture with a friendly smile and replied, "My pleasure." The two players shook hands once more, solidifying their newfound connection and setting the stage for a partnership that held promise in this vast new world.