Reign of the Hunters

Chapter 16 Thousand Sunsets

The voice was familiar. It was so familiar yet Ye Ci could not be sure who it belonged to.

“What? We’ve just talked in the game, and you’ve forgotten about me already? It seems that I have to call you more often.” Said the person in a cheerful tone.

“Yi Cang?” asked Ye Ci with uncertainty after a brief hesitation.

“I thought you’d forgotten me.” Yi Cang laughed out loud. It was just like so many years ago. Nothing had changed.

Ye Ci had a sense of vertigo.

It was as if she had never experience the ten years of her past life, never had done anything to hurt her friends. They were still an adorable bunch.

“Let’s have a meal together tomorrow.” Yi Cang stated his purpose after noticing that Ye Ci was silent.

Ye Ci had a sudden realisation. She remembered something. Yi Cang had also given her a call in her past life. However, she rejected his invitation as she had been busy leveling up in the game.

She would never repeat the same mistake in this life. “Sure, where to?”

“Eh? You agreed!” It was Yi Cang’s turn to be shocked.

“What? Is it strange that I’ve accepted your invitation?”

“No, it’s just that you’re a madman when it comes to leveling up. I thought you’d decline my invitation if I asked you out for a meal.” Yi Cang answered after scratching his head. He understood Ye Ci less than he had thought.

Ye Ci felt bitter. Looks like she was quite despicable in her last life. But she immediately became happy. She had the chance to turn over a new leaf. “There’s no such thing. Tell me where and when and I’ll be there in time.”

Yi Cang immediately told her the venue and both of them hung up after a brief conversation.

Early in the morning on the next day, Ye Ci went out after cleaning her room.

The city was named as the “City Most Suited For Human Life” due to its go green projects. Ye Ci could smell the fresh air right after leaving her room.

Ye Ci took a deep breath and exhaled, as if she wanted to eliminate the years of accumulated sorrow.

Ye Ci decided to walk to their gathering spot as it was still early. She was jovial for the entire entire journey to the point where she even broke into a small jog.

Although she was slightly out of breath, it felt good to be alive.

Ye Ci spotted Liu Chang right away after reaching the spot where they were supposed to meet up. She had been pacing back and forth in a pair of jeans in front of the restaurant. Liu Cang waved at Ye Ci and she ran towards her, gasping for air.

“What? You participated in a marathon or something?” Liu Chang laughed at Ye Ci and dragged her upstairs.

Yi Cang and Dong Yin were already there.

They were still the same. Yi Cang was busy with his handheld computer while Dong Yin was peering at the screen from his side. They would sometimes have a heated discussion about something. Both of them raised their head after Ye Ci entered the room and they waved at her, greeting her warmly. It was all the same, just like back then in their childhood.

A waiter handed them the menu right after they were seated.

After shirking the menu around, it landed with Ye Ci. She was stunned. Truth to be told, Ye Ci never knew the favourite dishes of her friends. She should have known them well since they grew up together. Ye Ci was overwhelmed with guilt. She knew very little about the people around her.

Ye Ci awkwardness was noticed by Liu Chang. She took the menu from her with a smile and said, “You got me so many equipment yesterday. As a reward, I shall offer you my service!” She ordered everyone’s favourite dishes.

Ye Ci sighed in relief. She stole a glance a Liu Chang, who happened to be looking at her. They smiled at each other knowingly.

The food was quickly served, but there was an extra set of cutlery on the table. Ye Ci look at the set of cutlery and asked, “Is there someone that was supposed to be here was well?”

Yi Cang took a look at his watch. He did not seem to mind, “He will be here soon. Don’t mind him. Let’s eat.”

The voice of a man could be heard even before Yi Cang could finish his sentence, “How unkind. You started without me, you brat!”

Ye Ci and her friends raised their head. A well-built man walked into the room. His pace was quick but steady. His hair was cut nicely and short. Yi Cang stood up and welcomed the man, giving him a tight hug.

Dong Yin and Liu Chang greeted the man with smiles of their own as well. Although they did not offer to hug him, they seemed to be familiar with the man.

Ye Ci did not know the man. She merely stood up and greeted him.

Yi Cang let go of the man after a short while and showed him to his seat excitedly. He said to Ye Ci, “Little Ci, hurry, allow me to introduce to you my instructor when I was in the military academy. Now we’re like brothers...”

Without waiting for Yi Cang to finish his introduction, the man extended his arm to Ye Ci, “Don’t listen to Yi Cang. What instructor? I’m just a normal citizen. The name’s He Xiao. You must be Ye Ci right? I’ve heard a lot about you. I’ve tried to invite you several times earlier on, it’s good to finally meet you!”

Earlier on? Ye Ci couldn’t help but remember. For her, it was something as far as ten years ago. There was no way she could remember that. She shook He Xiao’s hand. It was the hand of a soldier, firm and rough.

“It’s nice to meet you too. I was quite busy back then, I’m really sorry.” Ye Ci nodded with a smile.

“There’s no need to be sorry! Since we have the chance to be acquainted, we’re friends!” He Xiao was carefree. He did not care about the little details.

The group continued eating after their brief introduction. The atmosphere was harmonious. Fate was soon brought up.

“Brother He, are you playing Fate as well? I’ve tried asking you but you never gave me an answer. I will get a definite answer from you today.” Yi Cang smiled at He Xiao.

“This is exactly why I’ve asked you guys out,” He Xiao looked at the group, “I’m playing Fate, and I’ve decided to form a guild once I’ve reached lvl 10.”

“Wow! You’re forming a guild!’ Dong Yin seemed to adore He Xiao. Her eyes lit up whenever he spoke.

“Most of the members would be my retired comrades.”

“Brother He, what’s your in-game-name? I’ll add you as a friend later!”

“Thousand Sunsets.”

As the rest continued their conversation, Ye Ci was stupefied after hearing that name. She raised her head and stared at He Xiao. So this was Thousand Sunsets?

Thousand Sunsets was not quite famous at the earlier stages of the game. His fame came from the guild that he created — Steel Blooded Battle Spear. From her knowledge of her past life, Thousand Sunsets was a man of honor. He was a former military man. The entire guild was structured like the military, and the main force of his guild was formed by the best of the best.

Their guild was different from the other big guilds. It was formed after they’d started playing Fate. Its growth, however, was astonishing. They became one of the nation’s top 10 guilds in just three years. Thousand Sunset’s hard work could not be overlooked.

On a personal level, Thousand Sunsets was very good at making friends. He had his way of making friends with people of different background. There was once a saying in Fate, “It’s okay for you to not recognise the top 10 players of Fate, but it’s unforgivable if you do not know Thousand Sunsets.”

This was the proof that Thousand Sunsets was very famous in Fate.

Ye Ci had crossed path with Thousand Sunsets before, but it was not a good meeting.

At that time, Fate officially opened the Guild War event. Steel Blooded Battle Spear was the defender. Blizzard Gate was the attacker.

Thousand Sunsets sought help from Ye Ci through Yi Cang one week before the war, as she was the number one Human Sorceress. He paid her well to help defend their city. Ye Ci did not decline. Blizzard Gate reached out to Ye Ci and offered to pay three time more than Thousand Sunsets for her aid.

Three days later, the reinforcement that Thousand Sunsets was hoping for appeared in the midst of his enemy.

Steel Blooded Battle Spear and Blizzard Gate were equally matched. He was trying to break the balance by inviting Ye Ci over to his side. It did not end well for him.

In the end, Steel Blooded Battle Spear was dealt a crippling blow. The defeat they suffered took a long time to recover. This affected their progress in clearing dungeons and many of their members left because of that. Eventually the guild was nothing but a ghost of its former self, soon fading away from everyone’s memories.

This was why Yi Cang and Dong Yin had cut off all ties with Ye Ci. It also destroyed Ye Ci’s relationship with Liu Chang.

The past conflict was like a dream to Ye Ci. She had never thought that Yi Cang was contacting her for the sake of Thousand Sunsets.

There were times when Ye Ci had thought that she had everything under control. She was wrong.

“Little Ci, Little Ci. Brother He is talking to you!” Dong Yin noticed that Ye Ci was unresponsive and nudged her from under the table. Ye Ci was pulled back into reality.

“What?”

“We’re joining Brother He’s guild when it’s formed. Let’s go together!” Dong Yin was so excited her face turned a faint shade of red.