Chapter 26: A Ghost?

Did he see a ghost..?

Yuyu found himself a little perplexed by Xuelang's expression, but he didn't consider it impossible. After all, the world of Yu-Gi-Oh encompassed various wonders, including the underworld, gods and demons, magic, aliens, and other dimensions. In such a world, the existence of ghosts wasn't surprising.

However, even if Xuelang encountered a ghost, there was nothing to fear. In the Yu-Gi-Oh system, there was no steadfast rule that couldn't be overcome through playing cards, be it involving gods, monsters, aliens, or ghosts.

Xuelang began explaining the details of the matter to Yuyu. After parting ways earlier, Xuelang had wandered the streets, engaging in mundane tasks, striking up conversations with passers-by for duels, and attempting to trigger tasks.

Given that most supernatural powers in Yu-Gi-Oh were related to "darkness," it was common for villains to lurk in the darkest and quietest corners of the night, seeking to attack humans.

Thus, Xuelang made a habit of exploring the darkest and most desolate alleys after nightfall.

Yuyu couldn't help but be speechless upon hearing this. He had been a gamer for many years, yet this was the first time he had encountered someone triggering a task in such a manner.

It reminded him of a certain old man he had come across on an online forum. The man claimed that he was exhausted by countless failed attempts to encounter a female ghost during his nightly walks, leaving him utterly disappointed.

"….."

Most people who sought to trigger plot events had to meticulously study and analyze the game's storyline, decipher clues, and develop strategies to increase favorability with specific non-playable characters (NPCs). However, Xuelang seemed to possess a unique ability, relying on his unwavering spirit to navigate the game world as he pleased.

"A hidden mission?" Yuyu questioned.

"Right around the corner on the bridge," Xuelang replied. "When I crossed that bridge, I heard someone call out to me, saying, 'come here.' The voice was faint, but I'm certain I heard it correctly. I looked around multiple times and confirmed that I was the only one there, with no sign of anyone else."

Yuyu's interest was piqued. Simultaneously, his mind raced, attempting to recall whether there was such a task in the early stages of the game during his previous life. However, he couldn't recollect it.

The game world had numerous branching paths, and small-scale tasks that didn't impact the main storyline and only offered minor rewards often went unnoticed.

"And then?" Yuyu inquired.

Xuelang seemed a bit embarrassed as he replied, "Well, then I turned back and ran..."

Yuyu was puzzled. "You triggered a hidden mission, and you simply ran away?"

"Because I was scared," Xuelang admitted, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "I've been afraid of ghosts since I was a child."

Yuyu remained silent, unable to comprehend how a player could be afraid of such things. In the world of Yu-Gi-Oh, even ghosts didn't pose much of a threat, considering that 80% of encounters involved playing cards, and if something went wrong, they could simply respawn after a few hours. It wasn't as if their lives were truly at stake.

In special circumstances like "dark games" aka duels with sinister characters or gambling duels, then losing could result in death. For the villains, it was a genuine life-or-death situation, but for players, it meant waiting a few hours before they could resume playing.

Nonetheless, players had a limited number of resurrection opportunities each week, only three times. While it might seem scarce, it was generally sufficient, considering it was a card game where lives weren't constantly at risk.

"Lead the way," Yuyu said, standing up from behind the counter. "I'll accompany you and see for myself."

Xuelang was elated by the offer. Yuyu was indeed a good person—or rather, a good NPC. In online games, NPCs who joined the player's party were either mere hindrances, designed to increase the game's difficulty, or they were overpowered companions who never required assistance.

Xuelang was convinced that Yuyu belonged to the latter category, a rare and invaluable NPC who would help him overcome numerous challenges in the game.

The thought of being guided through hidden missions by such a remarkable companion filled Xuelang with excitement.

"China, I'll be out for a while," Yuyu informed her.

"At this late hour?" China's beautiful eyes expressed surprise as she glanced at Xuelang. "And with him?"

She must have been wondering why two grown men were heading out in the middle of the night.

"It's something important," Yuyu replied. "I might return very late. Don't wait up for me."

"Okay," She responded hesitantly.

...

The location Xuelang mentioned quite a distance away. They walked for a while before reaching their destination.

A sturdy concrete bridge spanned across a tumultuous river, its dark waters flowing continuously under the night sky.

Legend had it that this river served as an outlet for seawater, and its width wasn't significant. There used to be a wooden bridge at this location before the city's construction, but it fell into disrepair and became impassable.

Later, the all-powerful Haima Company undertook a project to replace the wooden bridge with a modern, solid structure, reconnecting the two banks of the river.

"We're here!" Xuelang declared confidently. "I heard the voice around here."

Not too long ago, Xuelang had turned and fled from this very spot. However, things were different now. After all, he had someone watching his back.

Xuelang felt a surge of confidence, walking with his head held high, as if he had recognized his own abilities anew.

Why did ghosts matter anyway? This was the world of Yu-Gi-Oh. No matter how formidable a ghost might be, could it defeat Yuyu, the card-playing expert standing by his side?

Hidden mission, here I come!

Lost in his beautiful musings, Xuelang suddenly came to a halt and let out a scream, resembling a cat having its tail stepped on.

In front of Xuelang, a string of red letters appeared, grabbing his attention.

[The closed beta is about to end. You have one minute before forced offline. Please prepare.]

Note: Had to upload for a fourth time today after reaching close to 300 valid reads. And getting comments from other people to rather than just, "Cody_Lee_Hoffman" and "SirFawzi", the og's.