Trolling, muted and realisation

As Li Xian, Chen Dong, and Kang Li enjoyed their breakfast at Aunty Wang's small restaurant, the atmosphere felt cozy and familiar. Aunty Wang approached their table with a warm smile, holding a teapot.

"Good morning, boys! The usual today?"

Aunty Wang welcomed them, as they are her regular customers.

"Yes, Aunty Wang, the congee and tea, please." 

Li Xian said, as his mood lightened with such a bright welcome from this middle aged woman.

"And a little extra motivation, Aunty. We're planning some big changes in our lives." 

Chen Dong chipped in with a request. He signalled Aunty Wang with his eyes, implying that it is related to Li Xian.

"Oh! Tell me more. I love hearing about people chasing their dreams. Every bad ending is a new start for something good."

Feeling that something might have happened, Aunty Wang heartily responded. She knew the three very well, and they had even helped her during difficult times. As a result, she felt a strong connection with them, almost like they were her sons.

"We've decided it's time to aim higher in our careers and set some meaningful goals."

Kang Li said quietly without much excitement on his face. But everyone ignored it, as they know he is like that.

Aunty Wang nodded, pouring tea into their cups.

"That's wonderful! Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh start and a bit of determination. I'm sure you three will do great things."

Wang Chen, Aunty Wang's son, joined the conversation as he cleared a nearby table.

"Did something happen, big brother Chen?"

Wang Chen, who is only 18 or 19 years old, couldn't help but ask.

"Nothing worth mentioning! Just concentrate on helping your mom. Don't create trouble for her."

Chen Dong looked at this troublesome kid, who always says unnecessary things or questions with annoyed face, instantly shutting him up.

"How about you, Wang Chen? Are you sure that you will get admission in college this time?"

Li Xian also ignored his question, before asking.

"Hehe! I'm more than sure this time brother Li!"

Wang Chen chuckled, wiping the table, as he assured him. 

Back at their penthouse, they have cleaned it up pretty well, clearing all the beer bottles, watering the potted plants etc.

Inducing with such physical activity plus clean surroundings gave Li Xian a serene release from his stress. His pain due to break up also reduced by quite a lot.

As both Chen Dong and Kang Li watched their favourite show on the TV. He went inside his bedroom and opened his mobile again to fiddle with it.

Suddenly, in the chat group that Li Xian had recently joined, a notification popped up. The group admin, responsible for managing the conversations, sent a welcoming message to all members, including Li Xian. The message from the admin appeared in the group:

Travis Head: [Welcome, everyone! 🌟 I am the admin of this group and the head of your squad, Crimson Blood squad under the Crimson regiment. Oh! Forgot to mention... I belong to human civilisation.]

Travis Head: [We're thrilled to have you in the Multiracial Chat Group. Feel free to introduce yourselves and join in the conversations. Here's to a diverse and enriching community!]

Li Xian, glancing at the screen, couldn't help but find the situation a bit absurd. Initially contemplating leaving the group, he decided to add a touch of sarcasm to the conversation.

He wanted to just waste some time to keep himself occupied and this group is especially such group.

Li Xian: [Ah, the Crimson Blood Squad from the Human Civilisation! Quite the cosmic gathering we've got here. Are we planning world domination or just hosting otherworldly tea parties? 😄]

Li Xian, didn't give the chance for admin to respond back, wanting to play along, he followed up.

Li Xian: [Greetings, fellow Earthlings! I, too, am a proud member of the Human Civilisation. 🌍 Now, about this Crimson Blood Squad business, are we starting an otherworldly book club or perhaps organising extraterrestrial talent shows? 😂]

Travis Head: [Welcome, Li Xian! Delighted to have you on board. Just to clarify, you're a human, but not all of our members might be Earthlings.Even though I am human, I am from a different place. Let's embrace the diversity! Let's wait for the others to introduce themselves.]

Li Xian couldn't help but chuckle at the admin's clarification. In his mind, he pondered,

'Human but not an Earthling, huh? These people seriously living in a too much delusions'

Li Xian: [Oh, the wonders of technology! But seriously, how do non-Earthlings get access to WeChat? Did they drop by at a tech expo on Earth, or are we sharing cosmic Wi-Fi passwords? 😜]

Travis Head: [Great question, Li Xian! In this cosmic gathering, not everyone uses WeChat, and members connect through their local devices and technology. Each civilisation has its unique way of communication, but the overall functionalities remain consistent. So, whether it's a galactic communicator or a cosmic console, my organisation has a way to hack into. ]

After reading the admin's explanation, Li Xian decided to stop messaging. He closed the chat group and started fiddling with his mobile for a different distraction.

"Hey, Li Xian, are you up for lunch outside, or should we bring something back?"

At around an hour later, Chen Dong came to him and asked as it's already two o'clock in the afternoon.

Li Xian, considering the invitation, was about to agree when he glanced at his mobile and noticed new notifications popping up from the Multiracial Chat Group. Changing his decision, he said.

"Actually, guys, bring lunch over. I've got something to check on my phone."

"Alright then! We are going off now, don't cry later that food is cold."

Chen Dong said, as he walked away without thinking much about Li Xian's reasons.

My apologies for any misunderstanding. Let's infuse more sarcasm into the messages:

Gromm Stoneshield: [Greetings, cosmic buddies! I'm Gromm Stoneshield, proudly representing Terravale, where rocks are as thrilling as rocks get, and subterranean marvels are the epitome of subterranean marvels. Ready to forge connections in this astoundingly diverse cosmic squad. Brace yourselves for an out-of-this-world experience! 🪨]

Petra Strongforge: [Hey there, celestial comrades! I'm Petra Strongforge, the beacon of strength from Terravale. Our cities stand strong, just like our bonds, which are obviously made of the toughest cosmic glue. Thrilled to join this extraordinary cosmic gathering. Let the cosmic bonding begin!]

Luminara Luminis: [Greetings, radiant souls of the cosmos! Luminara Luminis here, the glowiest Glowkin from the luminous Luminara. In our twilight haven, we gracefully dance with the soft glow of perpetual dusk. Ready to share our not-so-unique light with this marginally diverse cosmic community. Let the cosmic glow-up commence! ✨]

Alex Starfinder: [What's up, space amigos! I'm Alex Starfinder, bringing you the wonders of humanity from the dazzling planet New Celestia. Joined this interstellar shindig to explore the cosmic banter and maybe, just maybe, make connections that span the vastness of space. Buckle up for a potentially mind-blowing cosmic journey!]

Travis Head: [ Welcome Gromm...]

Travis Head: [Welcome Petra... ]

Travis Head: [Welcome Luminara... ]

Travis Head: [Welcome Alex... ]

The group admin welcomed everyone one by one with the same message that he used for Li Xian, making him wonder whether he is simply copy pasting after editing.

Li Xian couldn't help but sense the sarcasm dripping from the introductions of the other four members. The absurdity of the races they claimed to represent left him wondering just how these individuals came up with such imaginative cosmic identities.

Admin: [Hey everyone! Officially welcoming you to the squad. I know what you're probably thinking – "Is this some scam?" Well, rest assured, it's not. There's no backing down now. And everyone of you will soon know whether what I am saying is true or not. As such I hope everyone read everything properly]

Li Xian couldn't help but feel that the admin was a bit too immersed in these cosmic roles. The elaborate introductions and the assurance about it not being a scam made him raise an eyebrow, wondering just how seriously everyone was taking this cosmic chat group.

Admin: [Time for the big news. As I mentioned before, we're part of the Crimson Regiment, and our regiment belongs to the Orion Empire, on a mission to explore a new planet. You're all recruited for this exploration under my wing.]

Alex Starfinder: [Exploring a new planet under the expert guidance of the Crimson Regiment from the all-powerful Orion Empire? What an absolutely ordinary Tuesday. Do we get cool cosmic capes for this heroic endeavour, or are those reserved for the truly "elite" explorers?]

Li Xian felt Alex's message amusing and interesting and couldn't help adding +1 as his message, followed by the other three:

Li Xian: [+1 😂 This is turning out to be the cosmic adventure of a lifetime!]

Gromm Stoneshield:[+1 🪨 Agreed! Who knew the Orion Empire had such a knack for interstellar comedy.]

Petra Strongforge: [+1...]

Luminara Luminis: [+1...]

The other three quickly learned from Li Xian, as they have also added their messages hurriedly.

Somewhere far away on the Orion planet, a middle-aged man with a strong build, adorned in the distinguished uniform of the Orion Empire, couldn't help but rub his temples looking at the messages in his device, which looks like a tablet, but made of metals and some unknown materials, exuding luxury.

His features reflected wisdom earned through experience, with a neatly-trimmed salt-and-pepper beard framing a face that bore the marks of countless cosmic endeavours.

Li Xian's sarcasm stood out, and he sighed with a mix of mild irritation and amusement. As a squad leader, he observed the unfolding banter with a measured response, deciding to 'deal' with him later. But first he decides to mute him as punishment.

Admin: [Alright, crew! A quick heads-up – Li Xian, you're on mute for an hour. Let's keep things in check, and that goes for everyone. Now, let's get down to business.]

Stunned, Li Xian attempted to message, only to find himself unable to. A sense of pity washed over him as he considered whether his banter had irked the group admin a bit too much.

Contemplating that he'd had enough fun, he decided to exit the group. To his surprise, there was no exit button, leaving him in a state of bewilderment once again.

In a state of alarm, Li Xian suspected that the group might have unleashed a virus on his mobile. Attempting to uninstall the application, he discovered an unsettling absence of an uninstall button—an absurdity that sent a shiver down his spine.

Panic set in as he considered the possibility that the group might be more than it seemed, perhaps a result of hacking or a malicious virus.

Desperate to shut down his mobile, he frantically searched for the power-off button, only to find it conspicuously missing.

A surge of anxiety gripped him, but he forced himself to stay calm, attributing the oddity to potential hacking.

A flicker of relief crossed his mind as he remembered that his phone had a removable battery. Hastily extracting it, he anticipated a shutdown, only to realise his phone remained unaffected.

A moment of realisation followed, with a thought crossing his mind that perhaps the group might indeed be real, as no matter what kind of virus, his mobile would shut down as long as there is no power supply, leaving Li Xian feeling a bit foolish as he sat there, pondering the bizarre turn of events.