The kings Avater

They began the game in a place called the Green Forest. This Green Forest was a location that required a level 23 and above player—and luckily, Chan Guo had just barely reached that level, making her qualified.

But the Green Forest was nothing like its name. There were no green trees, no soft mossy ground, and no calm forest atmosphere. Instead, it was a vast desert stretching endlessly in every direction. The ground was covered in dry, cracked brown sand. Jagged rocks pierced through the landscape like the bones of a long-dead beast, and the wind blew harsh and hot, kicking up dust and whispering strange sounds that faded as quickly as they came.

This was one of the hardest levels for new players. Unlike the earlier enemies known as Hixers, the monsters here were faster, hit harder, and had longer life spans. They were relentless. The cruelest part? The name—"Green Forest"—was a trap. It was designed to lure under-leveled players. If someone under level 23 entered the area, the game would mask the desert with an illusion of a friendly forest. The player would walk in unsuspectingly, thinking it was just another scenic level, and then—bam—they'd be ambushed by desert demons before realizing what hit them.

For those at level 23 and above, the illusion didn't apply. The truth was laid bare: this wasn't a forest. It was a battlefield.

Before the mission began, Midnight gathered the team and cleared his throat over the mic.

"Alright, guys. Before we start, let's do an inventory check," he said firmly. "How many grenades does everyone have?"

One by one, the members reported in. CyberDiva—aka Chan Guo—spoke confidently through the mic like she was the one holding the controls, even though Ye Qiu was at the helm. Most of them had none, except for Midnight and Stormchaser, who each had one.

"Okay. What about health packs?" he asked next.

"Health packs?" PhantomX laughed. "Bro, we're all under level 50. We don't do health packs yet."

Everyone nodded or chuckled in agreement.

Then Skull let out a small laugh from the other end of the voice channel.

"Ohhh... I see what you're doing, boss. That's Everstay's old line."

"Yep," 7thsense9 chimed in with a grin in his voice. "His last inventory check before the Stacy incident."

There was a beat of silence—then a chorus of chuckles and nostalgic groans from the team.

"Come on, guys, just admit it," Midnight said. "That was sick. Definitely Everstay's top aura moment for me. Man had command presence."

The others agreed quickly, their voices filled with fondness.

As Ye Qiu listened, something stirred in his chest. He had just realized… he was sitting in a game room with his fanboys—and one very devoted fangirl leading the charge. Despite everything that happened, despite the scandal and the fallout, they still admired Everstay.

And that realization?

It felt good.

Better than he expected.

He hadn't thought he had any fans left. Not after the way things ended. But here they were, quoting his words, remembering his raids, and calling his moments aura.

Ye Qiu didn't say a word. He just sat back, fingers resting lightly on the controls, eyes lingering on the flickering screen.

For the first time in a long time, he felt… seen.

Midnight's voice cut through the team chat again. "Alright, guys, remember—our main mission is to locate the dungeon. Once we find it, we'll have access to the hidden boss, and after that, the final boss. So stay sharp."

He paused, then added firmly, "CyberDiva, you're leading this one. You've got to prove you're worthy to join the team for real. And remember—no logging out. Emphasis on that."

CyberDiva—Chan Guo—nodded confidently. "Yes, boss. Don't worry, I got this."

"Waw, that's the spirit, Cyb," Skull cheered.

"I know right," she said, grinning. "I told you I'm on full Everstay mode today."

She turned slightly and gave Ye Qiu a thumbs up—not the kind that said "good job," but the kind that screamed, you better not mess this up.

Ye Qiu watched all this unfold with quiet eyes. The team talked about Everstay like he was some kind of legend—quoting him, referencing his tactics, even hyping themselves by pretending to be him. It hit differently this time.

He realized... he really had made an impact.

For some reason, that thought gave him a quiet kind of strength. A small ember of pride warmed his chest.

But then—just as quickly—it was dampened by something else.

Disappointment.

He slumped slightly in his seat.

Sure, these fans still believed in him. But what about the others? The ones who stopped believing? The ones who felt let down, betrayed, or angry? Just because this team still admired Everstay didn't mean the rest of the world had forgiven him. And that stung.

For ten long years, Ye Qiu had played the game indoors—isolated, hidden. He'd never gone out to see or hear the live chatter about him. Never signed an autograph. Never met a fan in person. He knew he had a following, but he'd never really felt it before now.

Now, sitting in this quirky game room, surrounded by strangers who idolized a version of him they didn't even recognize sitting right beside them... it felt surreal.

He let out a slow breath and shifted his fingers on the keyboard.