Chapter 41: Jiang Jing’s Identity

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Jiang Jing’s Identity

It was 7:00 PM, and Shi Zhile was starving. She hadn’t eaten all day.

After putting all the chicks back into the Breeding Space, she quickly built a nesting box.

When she left the space, the first thing she saw was the twinkling embers of the furnace. She took out a torch to light her way, finally getting a clear view of the scene outside.

The snow was deep and showed no signs of letting up. The moment she stepped away from the furnace, she could feel a bone-chilling cold.

The status panel showed the temperature had dropped to ten degrees below zero. She quickly opened her friends list and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the avatars for Jiang Yuxing, Jiang Yu, and the others hadn’t gone dark.

Before she could call to make sure they were safe, a video call came in from Jiang Yuxing.

She answered, and her screen was filled with Jiang Yuxing’s well-built upper body.

He was wearing a tank top, his skin still steaming. He tilted his head back, chugging water with a series of GULPS. Sweat mixed with spilled water, trickling down his neck and into his collar.

The slightly damp shirt clung to him, outlining his abs.

Shi Zhile pointed at his abs. "Why so conservative? Afraid I can’t afford the premium content? Take it off for me. I’ll tip you."

Jiang Yuxing sprayed a mouthful of water. "COUGH, COUGH, COUGH. You think I’m doing this to seduce you?"

Shi Zhile spread her hands. "I didn’t say it, but that *is* what you’re doing."

’What kind of decent guy starts a video call in the middle of the night just to put on a wet t-shirt show?’

’We’re all adults. It’s perfectly normal for a guy in the prime of his life to think about women.’

’She wasn’t against being seduced, but on one condition: she had to be allowed to touch, not just look.’

’This Jiang Yuxing was a sly one. Whenever they met in person, he was always bundled up tight, but on video calls, he was constantly showing off.’

’It made Shi Zhile wonder what on earth was going through his head.’

’She considered herself attractive—not stunning, but definitely not ugly. Still, she couldn’t compare to the unforgettable beauty of someone like Jiang Yu.’

’That’s why she’d never thought about finding a drop-dead gorgeous man for herself. Even though she knew Jiang Yuxing treated her differently, she’d never really let her mind go there.’

Jiang Yuxing calmly found a jacket and put it on. You’d have to look closely to notice how red his ears were.

"On to business. There’s a blizzard outside, and the temperature is dropping. The player death rate is going to spike in this weather, which will also stir up their resentment toward us. Should we consider cooperating with Server 2?"

Shi Zhile sat on her wooden bed. "I thought you were wary of them. Why suggest working together all of a sudden?"

Jiang Yuxing smiled. "I am a bit wary, but at least they’re honorable. We wouldn’t have to worry about being double-crossed if we traded supplies with them."

"Then why are you discussing it with me?"

"The pharmacy station is yours, so naturally, I need to consult you. Your wound is healed now, so when do you want the station back?"

’His bringing up the pharmacy station meant Server 2 wanted him to supply them with medicine, which might include poisons.’

Nowadays, Jiang Yuxing spent most of his time exploring newly spawned island regions.

The islands that had spawned before the blizzard were a mix of opportunity and danger. But now, after the blizzard had started and with all the players starving and freezing, any newly spawned islands would offer nothing but danger.

’Since he’d reaped the opportunities, it was only right that he face the dangers.’

Shi Zhile thought for a moment. "You keep using it. As long as the pharmacy station isn’t stolen or lost, you don’t need to consult me about any of your decisions.

Likewise, outside of when we’re running dungeons together, I won’t be informing you of my decisions either."

’They were partners, but only in the sense of mutual assistance.’

Jiang Yuxing took a deep breath. "I understand."

A basin of hot water sat in front of him. He cupped some water in his hands and plunged his face into it. Perhaps to make washing his face easier, he had taken his jacket off again.

Shi Zhile watched, half-reclined on her wooden bed. ’She had to admit,’ she thought, ’attractive people make everything they do look good.’

"Jiang Yuxing, can I get a feel next time we meet?"

Jiang Yuxing immediately looked away. "No! ...Ahem... We’re not at that stage yet."

Shi Zhile rushed to explain, "That’s not what I meant! I was talking about your abs."

’She’d lived this long and still had no idea what abs felt like to the touch.’

’In a game where death could come at any time, you never knew which would arrive first: tomorrow or disaster. So why not do something she’d never done before?’

’If she wanted to feel them, she should. She could shortchange others, but she would never shortchange herself.’

Jiang Yuxing: "..."

"We’ll see when the time comes."

His tone was incredibly calm, as if he hadn’t been the one who had just flusteredly rejected her a moment ago.

He hadn’t given her a straight answer. Shi Zhile didn’t like uncertainty. She nodded, her eyes glancing at a message that had come in from Jiang Jing.

’Since the Jiang Yuxing route was a dead end, maybe she should try the Jiang Jing route.’

’They say all the top-tier people end up serving their country. Even if Jiang Jing was a girl, she’d probably have abs.’

Jiang Yuxing: "What are you thinking about?"

"Wondering if Jiang... Yu’s arm is better. Nothing important. I’m hanging up, going to call Jiang Yu."

Before Jiang Yuxing could say anything, Shi Zhile hung up.

’Jiang Yu, Jiang Jing. Both have the surname Jiang and two-character names. Could they be related?!’

When the video call with Jiang Yu connected, her screen was filled by a beautiful, captivating face.

She was so beautiful that even with her cold expression, you could never tire of looking at her.

Jiang Yu, leaning lazily against her bed, said, "Shi Zhile, don’t tell me you started a video call just to look at my face."

Shi Zhile gave a light cough. "How’s your injury?"

Jiang Yu raised her arm, moving it freely for her to see. "Chuyi got some medicine from the captain. It’s almost completely healed."

"That’s good. I wanted to ask you about someone. Do you know a Jiang Jing?"

Jiang Yu sat bolt upright, a rare expression flickering across her usually cold face.

’Panic?’

’No! It was more complex than that, mixed with sadness!’

After a moment, her voice came out hoarse. "Jiang Jing was my brother. He’s dead. How do you know his name?"

’Dead?’

’It must be someone else with the same name.’

"I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. There’s a player on Server 2 named Jiang Jing, so I just..."

Jiang Yu’s cold mask snapped back into place. "It’s fine. It’s probably just a common name."

’Her brother, Jiang Jing, had been the top student at the police academy. But even the most brilliant people couldn’t always resist temptation.’

’He loved money, so he threw away the degree he was about to earn and staged a bombing as his pledge of allegiance to join *that* kind of organization.’

’Later, he died. The police found his DNA on a burned body.’

’But... but that was her brother. She loved him. She wanted him to be alive!’

’But... he’d done terrible things. Her hatred for him had surpassed her love.’

Sensing Jiang Yu’s strange mood, Shi Zhile brought out two little yellow ducklings from her Breeding Space.

"Jiang Yu, look!"

Jiang Yu looked up, her expression gradually shifting. "You hatched ducklings?"

"Not me! The incubator hatched them. Do you have any feed? I hatched too many at once and can’t afford to keep them all, so I’m giving two to you."

’Consider it an apology for poking an old wound.’

A flicker of amusement crossed Jiang Yu’s eyes. "You really can’t afford them?"

"Yep, can’t afford it!"

"Fine! I’ll raise them."

After transferring the ducklings, Shi Zhile accepted Jiang Jing’s friend request.

[Contentment Brings Happiness: Do you know Jiang Yu?]

Jiang Jing took a few minutes to reply: [I don’t!]

[Contentment Brings Happiness: Good. I was worried that if you knew her, you’d try to plead her case. It’s much simpler if you don’t.]