Chapter 70: A Brother’s Enigma and a Fashionable Nightmare

“I never would have imagined my brother capable of saying something like that…”

Happily returned to the game world, we chatted idly while effortlessly bullying the Red Water Dragon.

Yingning had just finished recounting the events that transpired in reality, and I, offering a faint smile, played the fool, content to be a dutiful listener.

“Now that I reflect on it…” Yingning mused, her gaze drifting, “my brother always seems to utter words that utterly shock me whenever I find myself unable to discern the path ahead. And those pronouncements, despite their initial strangeness, invariably prove profoundly insightful, consistently illuminating new perspectives for me… Could it merely be a coincidence?”

The Red Water Dragon, however, was already so utterly exhausted that it had virtually lost all capacity for resistance, rendering her momentary lapse in focus quite harmless.

“A single instance might be a coincidence,” I declared, utterly devoid of shame as I lauded myself, “but if it’s a recurring pattern… then it simply cannot be. Perhaps your brother is a formidable individual, ‘playing the pig to eat the tiger’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to someone who pretends to be weak or foolish to hide their true strength and achieve their goals)!”

“Impossible!” Yingning retorted, delivering a powerful cleave that struck the Red Water Dragon’s head with crushing force. The creature lay utterly still, passively receiving the assault. “My brother and I grew up side-by-side; I even know precisely how many hairs he has beneath his arm…”

“…How… how many, exactly…?” I inquired, utterly taken aback.

“None! His armpits are completely bare!” Yingning declared with a triumphant grin. “From that vantage point, if my brother ever decided to cross-dress, he wouldn’t even need to bother with shaving. We absolutely *must* get him into some women’s clothing for a photoshoot one day! That’ll put an end to his constant smugness and incessant bullying! If he ever dares to pick on me again, I’ll simply threaten to show those cross-dressing photos to his future girlfriend!”

‘My dear sister, your idea is truly fraught with peril! And in a certain sense… you’ve already achieved your goal! More successfully than you could ever have dreamed!’

“Ahem… let’s redouble our efforts, Master!” I exclaimed, my tone righteous as I hurled a Holy Smite, which landed squarely on the head of the now-fading Red Water Dragon. “To think the Red Water Dragon would simply abandon all attempts at self-preservation, entering ‘Weakened’ and ‘Life-Weary’ states! Our damage has consequently tripled, and our progress has accelerated threefold! By the time you next log in, Master, we should undoubtedly be able to conquer this colossal beast! The expansive continent of Aardell eagerly awaits our arrival!”

“Mmm,” Yingning hummed thoughtfully. “But… Xiaoya, if you were to encounter the events of yesterday, how would you respond?”

Yingning’s gaze was earnest, fixed intently upon me; it was evident that the answer to her query held significant importance for her.

“Ha? Who would dare slander me?” I retorted, my answer delivered with utter frankness. “Are their heads tired of remaining attached to their necks?!”

“…Honestly,” Yingning murmured, a light chuckle escaping her as she shook her head, “you’re just as incorrigible as my brother. Nevertheless, the Aardell Continent truly is a place where the strong prey upon the weak…” Her gaze then seemed to pierce through the very confines of the cave, reaching out towards some unknown, distant horizon. “Perhaps it is indeed as my brother once mused… that good people are like sheep, and bad people, their shepherds. Morality, then, becomes the sheepfold. Some sheep choose to leap beyond its confines, transforming into wolves, only to be relentlessly hunted down and slain by the diligent shepherds. Yet, a greater number of sheep opt to remain within the safety of the fold, forever afraid to glimpse the world beyond, ultimately destined to be slaughtered, one by one, by those same shepherds…”

“…Truth be told,” I interjected, “I’m rather fond of fried chicken.”

“I’ve made up my mind, Xiaoya!” Yingning declared, her face suddenly alight with a newfound clarity and unwavering resolve. “I shall become powerful! So powerful that no one will dare to overlook me! I will cultivate Gunfire Rose, expanding it to its absolute maximum potential—as vast and influential as Sword Sweeping the World! Perhaps only then will I truly possess the qualification to discern right from wrong!”

“Ohoho! So, Master is brimming with newfound motivation!” I cheered. “Go forth! I shall forever assist you with every ounce of my strength!”

‘And, incidentally, torment you with every ounce of my strength…’ I mused. ‘Speaking of which, a full day has passed; surely the necessary procedures for establishing the guild are now complete? The next step is simply to await Yingning’s logout, and then Oleander can make their move!’

‘A double agent… it has been an age since I last engaged in such a thrilling line of work!’

We persisted in this monotonous task of slaying monsters. As the time for logging off approached, we mutually suggested returning to the city for a brief respite, concluding our battle an hour and a half ahead of schedule to alleviate our fatigued nerves.

A mere ten minutes later, however, I found myself regretting my own suggestion with an intensity that made my very intestines churn green!

“Xiaoya,” Yingning began, her voice brimming with enthusiasm, “I truly believe this outfit is also incredibly beautiful and perfectly suited for you… Your maternal aura is so pronounced, your gentleness at its absolute maximum! You ought to wear more warm-toned garments to amplify your inherent grace, making you even more alluring and considerate… Come now, slip into these white stockings first~ Take off the dress you’re wearing, and I’ll bring over a few more pieces for you to try on shortly!”

I stood motionless within the fitting room, a profound sense of helplessness washing over me, as if I were awaiting execution. Yet, a small measure of relief surfaced from the depths of despair: the girl had only mentioned bringing ‘a few’ items to try, which had to be a stroke of immense luck amidst this burgeoning misfortune!

And then, through the narrow crack in the door, I watched in horror as a veritable mountain of clothes slowly advanced towards the fitting room entrance, with Yingning’s small head, radiating an almost manic glee, peeking out from behind the colossal pile.

‘W-what in the world…’

‘Oh no… This is a cry for help…’

“The fashion selection at the Newbie Village (TL Note: A generic term for a starting town in an RPG, implying limited choices) fashion boutique is simply too sparse,” Yingning declared, “but don’t worry, I’ll take you to a grander city later, where you can try on even more outfits!”

It was only at that moment that a chilling realization dawned upon me: this nightmare was merely its inception.

From that day forward, the very name of the game, [Pursuit II], was, through a veil of tears, silently and irrevocably struck from my memory.

And then, my hand trembling uncontrollably, I inscribed a new name beside it.

[Nuan Nuan’s Aardell Journey] (TL Note: ‘Nuan Nuan’ is the name of the protagonist in a popular series of Chinese dress-up games, implying Su Shunhua now feels trapped in a fashion game rather than an adventure RPG.)