DEG - Chapter 3
Chapter 3: Luo Nanqiu
The knocking did not stop.
But Breaking Waves Riding Wind refused, “Sorry, but I’m in a hurry.”
Her dagger was about to slice across the neck, intending to severely injure Jiang Xun before throwing her off the stage.
But how could Jiang Xun give her that chance?
She could recognize that this was Luo Nanqiu’s door.
She hadn’t seen Nanqiu in a very long time.
They were childhood friends and had never been apart for so long.
She missed her dearly.
She had always been lacking in familial affection and didn’t have many people she cherished.
Before she died, she was still thinking, would she never be able to see Nanqiu again?
She missed her so much at that moment.
In fact, after arriving in this game world, she also felt she would never have the chance to see her in this lifetime.
But now, her ability was telling her that she had drawn her in the gacha.
How could she give up on seeing her?
Breaking Waves Riding Wind saw Jiang Xun tilt her head slightly. Due to her limited perspective, she couldn’t see Jiang Xun’s exact movement, only feeling that in the next instant, the powerless girl’s elbow was lunging toward her cheek. She hastily retreated, only to be kicked hard in the abdomen.
It was an extremely clever angle, using her own momentum to send Breaking Waves Riding Wind flying back two meters.
Jiang Xun was a little disappointed; after all, this body’s strength was far too weak.
If it were her body from her previous life, Breaking Waves Riding Wind would have already been kicked off the stage.
And Breaking Waves Riding Wind’s expression gradually turned serious.
Because she could sense the difference in their fighting skills.
Although the girl was frail, her movements were too sharp. They were definitely honed through countless trials, allowing her to easily dispatch an enemy without expending too much energy.
Relying on skill alone, she couldn’t beat her.
In that instant, Breaking Waves Riding Wind came to a conclusion.
Having underestimated her opponent all this time, she finally activated her ability.
Blades of wind began to swirl in the air.
The few people watching from below the stage were dumbfounded by this development.
“Wait a minute…”
“If Jiang Xun has these kinds of skills, and she lost all those previous matches, then how strong were her opponents? How bad is her luck?”
“Don’t tell me this SSR is also specialized… you know, the type that’s great at making money but can’t fight at all.”
One could say the people below the stage were half right.
Just as Jiang Xun was planning to knock this person off the stage first before continuing to knock on the door to draw the person out.
And just as Jiang Xun was dodging the pursuing wind blades.
The large door creaked open, and the wind blades shot straight toward the person behind it.
Jiang Xun’s heart skipped a beat. Although the ability was blocked by the person behind the door, it was immediately followed by an angry voice.
“Jiang Xun, is this how you apologize?!”
She was reprimanding Jiang Xun.
But her voice was so sweet that even when tinged with anger, one’s first impression wasn’t of her fury.
But of a sweet, pouting anger.
Like she was being coy.
Even more, it was like she was giving you a chance to hurry up and appease her.
Something wasn’t right.
Apologize?
Apologize for what?
Jiang Xun turned to look.
Breaking Waves Riding Wind’s attention finally shifted to the person behind the door.
Now, everyone in the arena was looking at that door.
A young lady in a complex and luxurious court dress emerged. She lifted her skirt without regard for her image and strode out of the doorway, fuming.
But even though she disregarded her etiquette, she didn't seem the least bit crude.
Excellent etiquette training had long been ingrained in Luo Nanqiu’s every move.
Anyone who saw this would probably only think: what on earth did that person do to provoke this lady’s wrath?
Jiang Xun, who was dodging the attacks, also froze suddenly upon seeing Luo Nanqiu.
That was the 18 or 19-year-old Luo Nanqiu, about the same age as her current body.
The intricate and expensive jewelry couldn’t suppress the young lady’s resplendent beauty or the noble air in her eyes.
Though a raging fire burned in her violet eyes, it only made them more captivating. The dazzling jewels adorning her black hair couldn’t outshine the brilliance in her gaze.
“Nanqiu…” Jiang Xun called out tentatively.
Breaking Waves Riding Wind’s next attack followed.
Luo Nanqiu snapped out of her anger and finally realized that something was wrong with her surroundings.
She had been a bit confused as to how she had ended up in another place just by pushing open her room door.
Then, a string of explanations appeared in her mind.
Luo Nanqiu immediately understood: she was currently a product of an ability, summoned by someone named Jiang Xun, and needed to help her overcome her current predicament.
Luo Nanqiu: …
She tightened her grip on the fan in her hand.
They had just had a fight, and instead of immediately coming to appease her, Jiang Xun had gone out to fight in an arena and even summoned her?
Her anger flared, and she didn’t even notice at first that something was off about Jiang Xun’s muscle tone.
She walked straight over, neither dodging nor evading, as if she hadn’t seen the wind blades released by Breaking Waves Riding Wind.
Jiang Xun considered herself the person who understood Luo Nanqiu best in the world.
She could interpret the meaning behind every one of Luo Nanqiu’s subtle expressions.
Just like now, she knew exactly why Luo Nanqiu was even angrier.
But!
An apology should address the core of the issue.
But she had no idea why Nanqiu was arguing with her in the first place!
“Nanqiu, Nanqiu, wait, let me explain.” She could only offer some placating words for the time being.
She happened to duck just then, avoiding Breaking Waves Riding Wind’s attack, but the ends of her hair were still sheared off.
There were clearly only three people on the stage, but it was as chaotic as a farce.
“What was I expecting…” Berry Milkshake lamented with a sense of melancholy.
“As expected, they’ll only give us a quest after the NPC loses,” I Am Number One in the World pronounced his judgment.
I Heal Your Whole Family clicked her tongue, watching with great interest.
Luo Nanqiu had no intention of listening to Jiang Xun’s excuses.
Breaking Waves Riding Wind watched her approach, feeling that this was troublesome.
She still hadn’t learned her lesson about underestimating her opponents.
Because no matter how you looked at her, Luo Nanqiu was a typical noble lady of the interstellar era.
Brainless, oblivious to the situation, unable to control her terrible temper, and incredibly arrogant and domineering.
Breaking Waves Riding Wind had seen at least eight, if not ten, people like this in this world.
They were roses raised in a greenhouse, utterly delicate.
If there was any difference between Luo Nanqiu and the others she had met, it was that she was even more noble than those nobles.
So she easily categorized Luo Nanqiu, but having learned a hard lesson just moments ago, she didn’t underestimate her too much.
Her dagger stabbed fiercely toward Luo Nanqiu, intending to end the battle quickly.
The next moment.
The crisp hum of metal striking metal rang out.
Breaking Waves Riding Wind was slightly stunned.
An exquisite and luxurious fan had appeared before her eyes.
Her dagger was caught between the fan’s ribs. Tilting her head slightly, she saw the noble young lady’s slightly stern face.
There was not a trace of recklessness in her violet eyes, only a silent coldness and the annoyance of being the target of displaced anger.
Breaking Waves Riding Wind tried to pull her dagger back.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t budge.
She was very strong.
She made her assessment and immediately changed her attack method, sending countless wind blades sweeping toward Luo Nanqiu.
Luo Nanqiu merely curled her lips.
Her lips were coated with a light-colored honey glaze, making them look incredibly soft, kissable, and harmless.
With a snap, she closed her fan. The dagger, carried by the force, flew from Breaking Waves Riding Wind’s hand, tracing a sharp arc through the air before embedding itself firmly in the stone-paved stage.
The shock from the impact made Breaking Waves Riding Wind’s hand go numb, but the wind blades immediately followed.
Luo Nanqiu merely gave them a cold glance, even lightly adjusting her skirt.
Jiang Xun felt her Mental Power draining and knew that Luo Nanqiu was using her ability.
Luo Nanqiu’s ability was rather unique. It wasn’t one of the common elements like metal, wood, water, fire, or earth, nor was it a physical enhancement.
Her ability was extremely special even among special abilities.
They had once named the ability “Label.”
Because when the ability first awakened, its only use was to attach labels to people or objects.
In other words, the ability was writing notes for everything in the world.
It had some use in inheriting the family business and being a merchant, but in a fight, it was a completely useless ability.
But even so, through so many years of research, Luo Nanqiu’s ability gradually evolved, and she eventually figured out how to use it in combat.
And so, the next moment.
Those wind blades froze in mid-air, trembling with an unwilling hum.
Breaking Waves Riding Wind watched as Luo Nanqiu finished arranging her clothes, then raised her eyes to look at her. Her gaze was cold and disdainful, as if she were looking at an ant.
The fan, painted with intricate patterns, snapped open again, hiding the lower half of Luo Nanqiu’s face.
A clear, cold voice, devoid of emotion, came from behind the fan, like pearls falling onto a jade plate.
“You should just surrender.”
“You can’t even control your own ability.”
Although Luo Nanqiu’s actions were consistently noble and elegant, Breaking Waves Riding Wind had the fleeting impression that she had just rolled her eyes.
A genuine, thorough look of contempt.
Breaking Waves Riding Wind was so angry she almost laughed. Not necessarily, she thought, even though her ability was still locked in mid-air, motionless.
After all, her ability was something she’d picked up halfway; she still preferred to use her fists.
The young lady might have some strength and a good eye, but who knew how skilled she was in hand-to-hand combat!
She launched an attack at Luo Nanqiu.
Her Mental Power drained again, and the uncomfortable feeling returned. Jiang Xun couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.
Good sister!
Thanks for taking this beating for me.
Breaking Waves Riding Wind’s fist flew forward.
Luo Nanqiu sensed Jiang Xun’s Mental Power reserves and thought to herself, troublesome.
Then she glanced at Breaking Waves Riding Wind, raised her leg, and kicked her squarely in the abdomen. A simple flying kick was all it took to send her off the stage.
The wide skirt billowed in layers, like a blooming flower.
Luo Nanqiu closed her fan, took a few steps with a blank expression, and her skirt settled back into place.
The end of the battle was beyond everyone’s expectations. While others were still stunned, trying to process the outcome, Luo Nanqiu slowly walked over to Jiang Xun’s side.
She bent down and used her fan to lift Jiang Xun’s chin.
Her long, thick lashes drooped, casting a shadow over her eyes.
Now, those violet eyes, more dazzling and beautiful than any jewel, were filled with confusion and scrutiny.
“You…”
“Something’s not right.”
It seemed she had finally noticed the subtle difference between Jiang Xun’s appearance and that of the original owner of the body.
In Luo Nanqiu’s perception, she had just been separated from Jiang Xun for an hour, and Jiang Xun had always been terrible at disguise. How could she so perfectly transform into someone else?
It was as if she had changed bodies.
But she could also feel a sense of familiarity.
It made her feel that the person inside was Jiang Xun.
Very not right.
Jiang Xun, however, found this perspective quite novel.
She and Luo Nanqiu had always been close; she had never experienced Luo Nanqiu treating her like a stranger before.
That bone-chilling scrutiny…
It inexplicably excited her.
She was laughing inwardly, but on the surface, she pretended to shrink back and bit her lip.
“My ability tells me…”
“…your name is Nanqiu.”
“My name is Luo Nanqiu,” Luo Nanqiu retorted coldly. That single action from Jiang Xun dispelled the sense of familiarity she had felt.
“Where is this?” Luo Nanqiu stood up and scanned the area below the stage. Seeing the labels above the heads of the people in the crowd, she was filled with shock and uncertainty. She was sure she would never write such frivolous notes.
Nor would she know people with such strange names.
The Optical Brain on her wrist was now a blank white screen, seemingly correcting itself.
Luo Nanqiu grabbed Jiang Xun’s wrist, opened her cheap Optical Brain, and confirmed the timeline.
The current time was the year 6030 of the Interstellar Calendar.
It was 12 years after her own timeline.
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