Chapter 15: 15

Chapter 15: Solicitation

“What’s your name?”

Chu Yuntao measured the male student with his eye and concluded that his assorted clothing wasn’t worth 200 yuan. 

“Sun Yuan.”

Sun Yuan asked indifferently, neither humble nor arrogant, “What business do you have here?”

“My name is Chu Yuntao. You should have heard of me.”

Chu Yuntao swelled with pride at the mention of his own name, “Do you want to join my team and fight the monsters together? Let’s clear the game together.” 

“No.”

Sun Yuan rejected the offer.

“You want to be a lone wolf?”

Analyzing the pros and cons, Chu Yuntao tried to solicit Sun Yuan.

“If you’re experienced with online games, you should know that a top team is needed to conquer the hardest dungeon. Now that we’re playing a survival game in real life, it’s unlikely a lone wolf will survive long. I’ll definitely treat you well if you follow me.”

To be part of the four princes of Gu Cheng requires more than just wealth. Chu Yuntao also needed a good head on his shoulders to thrive within his social circle.

Snatching Sun Yuan’s equipment was the last resort.

The best course of action was to recruit him into the team.

Chu Yuntao was taught to appreciate the importance of human resources from a young age.

If it wasn’t for Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and Zhao Yun, Liu Bei would never have had the chance to establish the kingdom of Shu.1 Without his fierce warriors and trusted strategists, he would have been selling straw sandals till the day he died. 

Recruiting someone like Sun Yuan was better than gaining ten ordinary members.

“Great Saint, why don’t you accept his offer?”

Wang Xu suggested in a low voice, “It’s not like you’re at a disadvantage. You can just leave his team in the future if you’re unhappy.”

He was worried that Sun Yuan and Chu Yuntao would start fighting.

He would be caught between a rock and a hard place if that were to happen. Abandoning Sun Yuan would make him heartless, but helping means going against twenty people, which was unwinnable. Furthermore, Chu Yuntao had a strong family backing him.

He was the kind one should avoid offending.

“Brother Sun, brother Chu is a reputable person. Just look at the number of people who are willing to follow him due to his charisma.”

Zhang Qiuman advised.

She already had everything planned out. Chu Yuntao would definitely see her in a different light if she convinced Sun Yuan to join his team.

“I’ll deal with it when I need a team.”

As a closed beta player, Sun Yuan had an inherent advantage. All the equipment he obtains would belong to him, but he would need to share them if he forms a team.

He would also need to consider the team dynamic and relationship if he were to form one. To put it bluntly, it would be a pain when it comes to loot distribution as there would be biases.

Determining that Sun Yuan had made up his mind and was unlikely to be convinced by him, he could only frown. But he wasn’t in a rush and turned his attention towards the others. 

“What about you guys, interested in joining my team?”

Chu Yuntao smiled and gave off the vibe of a kind older brother.

“While people are hiding at home shaking like a leaf, we’re already hunting the spore monsters for points, giving us an advantage over the rest. Food and water are not a concern as the first thing we did was to secure supplies.”

Zhang Qiuman was facing a conundrum.

She could still distinctly recall the scene where Sun Yuan took on and killed three spore monsters. She was bedazzled and got moist from his domineering attitude.

Yes, she cried tears of joy.

But Chu Yuntao’s group wasn’t bad either, for there is strength in numbers. On top of that, she would be climbing the social ladder if she could be his girlfriend. 

Even if she fails, she could aim lower and seduce someone of importance in the team. So long as she succeeds, her safety is guaranteed.

On the flip side, if she were to choose Sun Yuan…

She had already been rejected once. There was also the gorgeous and famous Zhen Yu by his side.

Men do like female streamers, after all. 

She felt that she had no chance of winning against such a strong opponent.

“Brother Chu, can I join your team?”

 Zhang Qiuman asked with a smile.

“Of course, I welcome you.”

Chu Yuntao smiled back in return.

Although his looks were nothing to speak of, his confidence and calm temperament were a different matter. Being born into a wealthy family had aided and nurtured his charisma.  

“Thank you, brother Chu!”

Smiling sweetly, she ran over to his side.

“B*tch!”

Curling her lips, Zhen Yu bemoaned how Sun Yuan had saved her just now.

“Anyone else?”

Chu Yuntao asked, “This is your last chance. We’ll be screening all applicants after this and will only be accepting those who fulfill our requirements.”

Zhao Limin and Lu Wenjun looked at each other with complicated expressions on their faces.

They chanced upon a group of spore monsters while scavenging for food, hence the chase. Living through the crisis meant that they had to worry about their subsequent meals.

Joining Chu Yuntao would mean that they had to contribute to the team, but that is safer than going out alone, right?

“Brother Chu, can I join too?”

Wang Fang, who was saved alongside Zhang Qiuman, pleaded.

“Sure!”

Chu Yuntao turned towards Zhao Limin and Lu Wenjun, “What about the two of you?”

“Brother Chu, please take care of me in the future.”

They both defected as well.

“Brothers, I know that you’re worried about being exploited, but humans live a long life. How tiring will you be if you nitpick every small detail?”

Liao Wei urged, “Why don’t we move together in the future? I’ll whack whoever dares bully you.”

“Sun Yuan, you won’t be shortchanged!”

Chu Yuntao assured and turned towards Zhuo Wen and Wang Xu, “What about the two of you? Are you joining?”

“I’ll follow Great Saint.”

Despite wanting to join, Zhuo Wen couldn’t bring himself to betray Sun Yuan when he remembered how he was saved previously.

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“I… I…”

Wang Xu was pulling his hair in distress.

“Wang Xu, Mosquito2, you don’t need to care about me. Just do whatever you want.”

Sun Yuan kindly advised, “Joining a strong team will raise your chances of survival.”

“What about you?”

Zhuo Wen asked.

“I’m a lone wolf!”

Sun Yuan felt a weak kick on his calf the moment he replied. Turning around, he was faced with a dejected Zhen Yu staring right at him.

“Senior, you’re a wolf while I’m alone. Are we the lone wolf combination when together?”

Puhaha!

Some couldn’t help but laugh.

What the heck is this combination?

Lone wolf in gaming terms referred to a solo player.

“Are you sure you want to follow me? With your look, figure, intelligence, and experience as a big streamer, you’ll definitely be treated well if you follow Chu Yuntao.”

Sun Yuan advised earnestly.

“But I don’t like him.”

Zhen Yu pouted, “Besides, I’m not selling my body, even looking is prohibited.”

Upon hearing that, everyone subconsciously shifted their gaze down towards her legs.

Her slender legs in black high knee socks matched with a pair of black round toe leather shoes; when coupled with her Japanese style high school uniform, it gave off a youthful and energetic vibe.

She was much prettier than when she was streaming.

“Why do I feel as though someone stuffed a lemon down my throat?”

Wang Xu was so jealous he wanted to cry; Zhen Yu was his favorite streamer.

Ah!

I’ll never support her ever again.

“Thank you for your invitation, student Chu, but I’ll have to decline.”

Sun Yuan took a deep breath as he swept his gaze across the crowd, “We’ll be leaving if there’s nothing else.”

“Brother, do you know that you’ve just shot yourself in the foot?”

A long-haired youth swept his hair with his right hand and said, “You may go, but you have to leave all your equipment behind.”

Chu Yuntao himself would never utter such threats; it was below his status to do so. That was why he had so many underlings around; it was their job to act thuggish.

Following the long-haired youth’s words, those armed with fruit knives, U-locks, chains, and chair legs came forward to surround Sun Yuan and Zhen Yu.

The underlings were experienced and knew how to move as they often followed Chu Yuntao into battles.

Zhen Yu was instantly on her guard against them.

“Stay behind me!”

Sun Yuan tugged her towards his back.

~Make more time~ 

Sun Yuan’s phone rang out from his pocket.

“Brother, we’ve got the same ringtone!”

Liao Wei couldn’t help but shake his leg when he heard the melody, “It must be fate.”

Sun Yuan took out his phone and answered the call.

“What’re you doing now?”

Sheng Jingran’s voice was slightly distorted as it came out from the phone.

“Just roaming around and enjoying the scenery.”

He was surprised to receive another call from her.

“You sure are relaxed!”

She complained but quickly got back on track, “The hour is almost up. I’m feeling nervous now that the tower of god is appearing; what should I do? What do you think the inside of the tower is like? Will it be filled with all sorts of deadly games? And will the first person to succeed get a prize?”

Sheng Jingran babbled on about the tower of god.

She wasn’t expecting an answer but just wanted someone to talk to.

As for why she chose Sun Yuan…

It was because all the girls around her were scared out of their minds. They were all fretting about their future; it was simply impossible to hold a conversation with them.

“Do you want to team up for the tower later?”

She then invited him again.

“Let’s see how it goes.”

Sun Yuan didn’t really need a team, but now that Zhen Yu was following him, accepting another Shen Jingran doesn’t make any difference.

“I’m on the roof of the teaching building, near the vending machine. Come over quickly so we can discuss some possible threats within the tower.”

She hung up as soon as she was done speaking.

Sheng Jingran had always been cold towards her countless admirers. Similarly, she hung up as soon as she was done.

[Jingran, do you know Chu Yuntao? He’s leading a group to snatch Sun Yuan’s equipment. Is there anyone you know that you can contact to talk to Chu Yuntao? If there is, quickly ask them for help; otherwise, Sun Yuan is a goner.] 

Lu Wenjun secretly sent Sheng Jingran a WeChat message while hiding within the crowd.

“Senior, what do we do?”

Zhen Yu was on edge and had already pulled back her slingshot, prepared to attack.

 “Go to the side and don’t interfere!”

Pushing Zhen Yu aside, Sun Yuan tightened his grip on the bat as he looked towards the rest, “All of you can choose whether or not you want to attack me and snatch my equipment. But once we fight, I’ll be the one to decide how many of you die.”

His strong and stern words were like the drawing of a sharp blade unleashing its readiness to fight. Coupled with his calm demeanor, he looked very fierce and intimidating.

“I really want to take a picture of him now!”

Zhen Yu felt that senior Sun was extremely cool.

~~~

1 Romance of three kingdom

2 It is a play by adding 子 to Zhuo Wen 卓文 name to make the nickname Wen’zi 文子, which sounds the same as 蚊子 Wen’zi (Mosquito)

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