Reign of the Hunters

Chapter 450 Heart To Heart

The final round of the PVP Tournament was broadcasted throughout all the cities in Fate. The broadcast could even be seen in the Evening Mist City’s plaza. Ye Ci looked up at the screen as she tore a piece of roasted meat and put it into her mouth.

Fleeting Time vs Lethal Poison.

Hunter vs Druid.

They were not the popular classes in Fate, but these two classes brought to the audience the pinnacle of PVP gameplay. The well timed abilities, their mechanical skills, and their positioning were a spectacle to behold.

It was not just a fight between two players, but also a showcase of the potential of the two classes.

She finally finished her meal three minutes before the fight ended. After making sure that she had cleaned away the tiny fragments of food from her clothing, Ye Ci stood up and headed towards a small house in a secluded corner of the city.

It was a place she bought in the city as it was nearly impossible for her to visit the main cities with her current status.

The door swung shut, cutting off the information about the PVP tournament. She took in a deep breath, and logged out of the game.

It was still early when Ye Ci made her way out of her room. She ran into Zuo Xiaolan who stared when she was on her way to take a shower. Surprise was clearly written on her mother’s face, “Why are you off so early today?”

“It’s nothing, I’m just tired. I wanted to take a rest.” said Ye Ci with a smile.

“I have something nice, do you want to try some?” asked Zuo Xiaolan as she headed to the living room.

“What?” Ye Ci immediately turned around when she heard her mother’s words, just in time to see Zuo Xiaolan making her way to a slightly hidden cabinet in a corner of the living room. She rummaged through the cabinet, and gave Ye Ci a smile when she noticed her daughter staring.

Ye Ci was confused. Bai Mo and Tan Polang were still online, while she was certain that her father was still in the gaming cabin as well. She and her mother were the only ones awake in the house. I wonder what’s up with her.

She walked up to Zuo Xiaolan, who pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses. The mischievous smile on her face was not fitting for someone her age. She pulled Ye Ci towards the balcony and set the glasses and bottle on the table, “Why are you still standing there? Come, have a seat.”

Ye Ci pursed her lips and asked, “Mom, are you going to drink with me?”

“Why not? Am I not allowed to do that?” Zuo Xiaolan laughed. And she proceeded to do something even more unexpected as Ye Ci sat down.

She pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and tossed it onto the table before taking one out and lighting it up and had a deep puff.

Ye Ci stared mouth agaped at her mother. She had never known that Zuo Xiaolan was a smoker. From how practiced her movements were, she was not a beginner.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Is your mind addled?” Zuo Xiaolan chuckled at her daughter before puffing out another cloud of smoke.

“Mon, you’re a smoker...”

“Is that weird?”

Ye Ci’s mother was beautiful, but she had never inherited any of her looks. Both her parents were good looking, but her appearance was nothing to look at.

“I’ve always thought that you’re a decent person.”

“You brat,” Zuo Xiaolan raised an eyebrow and smacked Ye Ci on her head, “Are you saying that I’m indecent right now?”

“You were the one who said it.”

Zuo Xiaolan turned away from her and filled the glass with wine, much to Ye Ci’s surprise, “Mom, I don’t think that’s how you’re supposed to drink it.”

Zuo Xiaolan clicked her tongue and responded, “Who cares, it’s going to end up in my stomach anyways.”

Ye Ci rubbed the bridge of her nose and looked up into the sky. Fine then, I shouldn’t have said that.

Zuo Xiaolan filled a glass for Ye Ci as well after filling her own, “Drink, there’s more if you need them.” much to Ye Ci’s confusion.

“What? Don’t tell me you’ve never drank and smoked before?”

Ye Ci was petrified. She could not muster even a single response, “Ahh, back then, I...” and she waved her hand after a slight pause, “It’s nothing. Drink. I can tell that you need some.”

“What are you trying to say, mom?”

“What is troubling you, Little Ci? Can you tell me about it?”

Ye Ci opened her mouth to speak, but she ended up swallowing her words with a sigh,a nd took a sip of wine.

The smile remained on Zuo Xiaolan’s face as she suddenly spoke, “Little Ci, there was a moment when I thought you’re not the real Ye Ci.”

Ye Ci was shocked. She continued lowering her head until she was able to calm her nerves, and looked up to smile at Zuo Xiaolan, “So I’m an impostor or something?”

“Pfffttt..” Zuo Xiaolan laughed, “Remember that day four years ago? You told your father and I that you wanted to be a professional gamer. You’ve had a big fight with us the night before, and I was deeply hurt by your rebellious behavior. But you behaved entirely like a different person the next day. It took a long while for you father and I to get used to it. We pretended to notice nothing about it, but it had been troubling us ever since. Can you tell me the truth?”

Should I tell her? Ye Ci stared silently at Zuo Xiaolan. She had always thought that the truth could be kept hidden, but it was apparent that her parents were able to notice something different.

It took her quite a while to muster her courage, “Mom, I have a secret, and I can’t tell anyone about it. But I am Ye Ci.”

Zuo Xiaolan was not surprised by her response. She stared at Ye Ci gently and said, “Then you don’t have to tell me. Don’t tell anyone about it.”

But the tension had not left Ye Ci. she continued staring at Zuo Xiaolan with her back straightened up.

Zuo Xiaolan let out a sigh. This was the Ye Ci she knew. She had always been headstrong. She would continue moving forward as long as her mind was made, even if it was in the wrong direction, “Are you very certain about Fleeting Time?”

Ye Ci was shocked by the sudden question. An unknown feeling crept into her heart as she stared silently at the glass of wine on the table.

“Little Ci,” Zuo Xiaolan smiled when her daughter remained silent, “Little Ci, you must learn to take risks when you’re at such a young age. There’s no right or wrong. You do not have to plan everything out and follow it to the letter. You’ll lose out on a lot of fun.”