Chapter Text
When Mobei Jun took up Shang Qinghua’s offer to level him out of the Demonic Vale, he didn’t think much of it. If this world was a game, then the monsters should be rather dim witted and die rather easily. This was his first mistake.
Mobei then looked at his buffed stats and figured with these boons, I should be able to breeze through these monsters. That was his second mistake.
His third mistake, is what really pulled him out of his blissful denial. As he watched as Shang Qinghua used his own body to defend him from a particularly large demon bear. He had been too careless, but even as he watched there was little he could do to help.
Mobei Jun had to watch as Shang Qinghua threw him behind a barrier and proceeded to clear the mini-boss own his own. This is a game. He had to tell himself that over and over as he watched the young man take the blows, his health bar not dropping much, yet as he saw the tears in his eyes he knew the pain and the fear was real.
This world was real, as real as it could be.
When Shang Qinghua was finally able to clear the encounter, he fell to his knees and his barrier fell from about Mobei Jun.
Even though he could see his HP was still above 80% Mobei quickly came over and placed a hand on his shoulder, unfortunately his touch made the man flinch, so he retracted his touch. “Are you alright?”
Shang Qinghua turned to him with a weak smile. “Of course, my health bar isn’t that low aha…”
His smile and attempt at a laugh were clearly forced, and the tears from before had left marks running down the dust on his cheeks. Looking at him like this, Mobei felt terrible.
He knew he wasn’t a friendly person, and yet even when this young man had saved him, he had been rude. But with the haze of confusion and anger cleared from his sight, with these battles affecting his benefactor to the point of tears, didn’t that make him an asshole?
With this in mind, he followed with no complaint when the young man led him off the shortest path to walk the long way.
“It will take twice as long, but we won’t run into many monsters like that one this way.” He was told.
The Immortal before him stood tall, he could see the effort he was putting in to keep Mobei at ease. Even if he was shaking in his boots, shedding tears when a particularly strong enemy would scare him into forgetting his own potential. Those eyes that read,
.
It was something new for Mobei Jun, to be the one protected and not the one protecting.
He grew up protecting himself, and then protecting Binghe. He had to admit that taking Binghe in was a rather selfish decision. Even if it is one of the best decisions he has ever made.
He was tired of being alone, of having no one he could depend on. His mother and father always cold, treating him as an adult as soon as they were able. His uncle and cousins eyeing him enviously as they drooled over his inheritance. He had never wanted any of it, but it was his burden to bear.
And then young Binghe came. Humble and kind, never wanting more than he needed, and sharing everything he did and didn’t have with Mobei. It truly has been the best decision of his life to find the young boy. The young boy that became a fine young man, whom Mobei Jun was so proud of.
As frightening as the monsters that they had faced so far were, they didn’t scare him as much as his own thoughts. Was Binghe here? Was he alone now at home? Was he safe? Would he ever see him again?
With Shang Qinghua at his side, he could certainly find him. Mobei didn’t know if it was the big numbers that were his stats, the power behind his spells, or the warm feeling of being buffed for survival. But he felt safe walking along with him.
Mobei Jun was deep in these thoughts as he walked right into Shang Qinghua’s back. A hand quickly reached out and motioned for him to be still. Instantly he was on guard, if Shang Qinghua was being this attentive then what could be around the bend?
He looked down at the shorter man...what was that look? A large grin spread across his face and his eyes shone with anticipation? Ambition? Greed?
He turned to look at Mobei and brought a finger to his lips, motioning for him to be quiet. He then motioned for Mobei to look around the bend.
A large bird stood along among the swaying grasses, its black plumage shimmering an iridescent green. The feathers than trailed behind it would have put any modern peacock to shame, as they glistened with every minuscule movement.
Shang Qinghua pulled him back behind a large boulder and motioned for him to crouch down.
“You stay here, that is a Jade Eyed Ebony Peacock, my target out here.” he whispered, “I don’t know how this being ‘real’ changes the catching mechanics, so if it runs please scare it to me! I promise these pet creatures don’t hit hard, and we’ve already gotten you to level 23.”
“Alright.” He didn’t know how to catch pets, which he assumed was their current endeavor, so he would just have to help as much as he could.
He watched as Qinghua pulled out a golden net from his sleeves, which by the way the had recently discovered had a void that led to their inventory, and then passed it to Mobei, before pulling out another.
“If it runs your way, just throw it over it! These are good nets that don’t break, so we have many tries! The peacock is a rather docile bird until provoked, but it’s also normally not afraid of people, so i'm just going to try and throw the net while i’m up close. Follow to the side slowly OK? So it can only run in one direction.”
With a quick nod they both began their respective approach. Qinghua walking rather close at a slow pace. As he got closer Mobei watched him freeze. He and the bird exchanged a glance and Mobei watched him mouth a quiet
The words had barely left his lips and the peacock charged at him, kicking him square in the chest and knocking him over.
How is this supposed to be considered docile?!
With his net thrown from his hands and a bird trying to peck out his eyes Shang Qinghua lay on the ground screaming. “It’s a Queen Ebony Peacock! She’s aggressive!”
Not knowing how else to help, Mobei Jun ran up with his net ready and threw it.
[Jade Eyed Ebony Peacock Capture Successful. Congratulations!]
Oh. The net had morphed the bird into a ball of magic that then took the shape of a scroll, then disappeared into his inventory.
Shang Qinghua lay on the floor, hair a mess with dirt all over his once pristine robes.
“God I hate birds.”
The urge to smile tugged at the corners of Mobei’s lips, but he didn’t want to risk it looking like a smirk and pushed it down. He held out a hand to the now dusty young man to help him up.
Shang Qinghua immediately went from a pout to beaming at the hand and took it immediately. “Thanks!”
When he was up and dusted off Mobei pulled out the Peacocks scroll. “Your target.”
Qinghua reached out to grab it then stopped and pulled back. “Actually, hold onto it ok? My friend that wanted it runs a sect bigger than mine, you can buy your way in with that.”
Why would he do that? Shang Qinghua had already added him to his own An Ding Peak sect, for the free buffs he said. “Your friend’s sect?”
“Yeah! I’m not a great leader, so my sect was always rather small or full of merchant types over combatants. You seem like the type to enjoy action more, and your race is a DPS type, or tank if you wanted, so being alongside someone like me who mainly keeps track of supplies and events would be boring to you I think.” He laughed shyly and added, “Cucumber bro is a good guy, and while I don’t have clear proof that he is here, I believe he is, we’ve always played this game together after all!”
That hopeful tone in his voice clicked something in Mobei Jun. It was a strange feeling, similar to the way he felt when Binghe would come home hurt, but yet different.
It began to dawn on his that they were alone. They hadn’t seen any other players, and even though Shang Qinghua would fill the silence with chatter, Mobei couldn’t. He wasn’t good at it, he wasn’t able to help Qinghua relax. While they had traveled his eyes had been full of fear and confusion, his strength in numbers the only thing maintaining his spirits. And just the simple thought of a person he used to play with was enough to light up those eyes.
Mobei didn’t want that light to fade, he had to keep it there.
“Tell me about them.” He found himself saying. He didn’t really care to know, but when the light from his eyes didn’t fade he knew it was the right question.
“Oh! I have loads to tell about our adventures! Where do I even start!” He spun on his heel and began the walk back to town again, “I’ll tell you everything I know! You’ll make a great addition to the guild I know it! Let me explain everything I remember about the game mechanics too! Just you wait Mobei Jun! We’ll have you ready for whatever the world throws at you!”
Mobei finally let a smile sneak past as he watched Shang Qinghua bounce with every step he took. The smile on the young man's face never faltering as he spoke of his friend and their exploits.
Sometime along the way Mobei Jun took the time to chance to admire Shang Qinghua’s gear. And then he saw it.
Shang Qinghua was a lair. The world nor he prepared him for this, even though he had been aware that Qinghua’s character wasn’t human. Right below his waist piece, and right where Mobei could imagine his tailbone was… a fluffy little tail was wagging.
No the world had got him with this one, as he tried to suppress the need to reach out and grasp the fluffy form. He had to distract himself from it with Qinghua’s stories, keeping his eyes on his face and concentrated on the sound of his laughter.
They walked along the narrow path, nearly side by side, as Mobei tried to understand the strange feeling welling up inside him.