Hi again! Here's another chapter, but this time it's from Wen Zi's POV. =) It took me some time to get used to being in his shoes. He's a challenging character to tackle.
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, although it is slightly shorter than usual. It's just an introduction to Wen Zi's past and thoughts. And please don't feel depressed after reading it. I was feeling sort of depressed when writing about him. *Gives Wen Zi a big hug*
To Michelle: Thanks for your comment! =) I hope that the last chapter isn't too confusing for you. Glad you love it!
To Mei Wen: Haha, it is okay. From your style of writing, I already knew that it was you. xD Wow, that means we are the 'lady boss', since we are the only daughter in the family. I also wished to have a sister, haha, but I think having a brother is cool too. I'm sure you and your brothers are close to each other, despite of the gender difference. xD Wow, Wen Zi came from the future? I didn't see that coming! That's a unique idea! I thought of many ideas on how to develop Wen Zi and Mei Ling's father, but I never thought of that before. Yeah, I don't like to write reports, but I'll need to write a few more soon, aiyoh... And all the best for your exams! Mine are on their way too! Last but not least, thanks for liking this story, Mei Wen! =)
A happy belated Halloween to everyone! I can't believe that it's already November! Time flies!
And sadly, I'll be inactive in updating this story for the coming few months. I'm facing more advanced subjects now, and most of them require me to memorise theories in order to pass the exams... Any memorising tips? xD
Chapter 43 – Hypocritical Factory (Wen Zi's POV)
I opened my eyes to stare at the cloudless blue sky.
I was smiling at myself that I had finally found her. Yes, I had found her.
Was it only yesterday that your father and I met for the first time in Second Life? If it wasn't, why do I still remember every single detail of that moment? That very moment had changed my life forever when I had made one promise to him – that I would find his beloved son, whom he had claimed to be missing in the woods.
Who would have guessed that his other child...
Would be you, Psycho?
O O O
"Can you help me to find my beloved son?"
Your father squeezed both my hands, as his tears were rolling down his old sunken cheeks. He was limping on one leg, but his swollen eyes were so bright, so full of hope, begging me to accept his quest of saving his son, whose whereabouts were known to no one.
Nobody would volunteer to take a mission which didn't provide any clues. Those who were kind enough to help this non-playable character out had all failed to return with any good news.
The game designer may have forgotten to construct a son for this virtual man, I feared.
That grown-up man was still breaking down in front of me. He may be just an artificial intelligence designed to provide some entertainment to the patrons of Second Life but how...
How could I have the heart to say 'no' to him?
"No," I betrayed my own heart, again.
"We're currently busy with another quest. Forgive me, Uncle."
"Very well said, Wen Zi. His cheap quest wouldn't give us much experience anyway. Let's go."
Abyss's smirk was hidden behind a black veil but I could still feel that very intense smile directed just for me. After lifting his bag of health potions up from the marbled floor, he turned his back against us and walked straight into the humble inn.
A few more seconds, and his shadow was gone with him. I could only stare bitterly at the wooden door that he had barged into.
We had always been the opposite of each other. It fascinated me how we both ended up as gaming partners.
Could fate have been this twisted enough to have brought Abyss and I together?
Nope, it wasn't fate that was twisted. Pa was the twisted fool.
Pa had an affair when the woman whom I had been calling 'Ma' wasn't able to conceive. The other woman gave birth to me and left me with Pa when she knew she never had a place in his household.
'Ma' treated me as kindly, as lovingly as she would towards her own child. She had shown me that blood wasn't thicker than water. She bought my first set of oil pastels and taught me how to draw and paint portraits. She wasn't the least a bit threatened when I made one selfish request to her just recently – I wanted to see the face of my real mother.
'Ma' agreed. She drew the face of the woman who brought me to life into that silly world. That was how I discovered that Abyss, my old long-time virtual friend, was tragically my long-lost half-brother...
"You're different than that heartless brat, right? You'll be helping me, right? You're going to save my baby son, right?"
That man's voice was choking in tears, but he had never let that optimistic light escape from his watery eyes. When his tears started to drop down and touched the skin of my hands, I looked down at the hands that I was holding.
These rough wrinkles on his hands looked so much like my father's. Yet they are two very different individuals, who had very distinct, contrasting personalities. This old man was the sunny sky and Pa the frozen earth.
Being my father's only son, I felt like a product manufactured in a hypocritical factory called 'marriage'. I was born only to carry my family's surname and continue our human species. My existence in reality brought no other meanings. Nothing else really mattered, so long I reproduced another heir for the family.
I wished my real life would be a dream, and vice versa. Sadly, that remained a wish.
Nothing more, nothing less.
"I'm afraid..."
I held that man's shaky hands firmly in mine and looked at him in the eye. As much as my heart wanted to help him, to offer him my words of comfort, I couldn't make a promise that I wasn't able to keep. I wouldn't want my promise to be a lie.
"I won't be able to offer you my assistance, Uncle. My apologies."
Before I could turn to walk my own path, I felt a sudden pull at my feet. I blinked and looked down at the man sobbing loudly on my boots.
"I can give you everything that I own! If you want my daughter's virginity, it is all yours too! As long as you bring my son safe back home, I'm willing to do anything! Please pity this dying old man!"
As the 'dying' old man was wailing his lungs out, sinfully loud enough to bombard every ear in the town, we eventually became the centre of attention. This great reception could be perfect for famous celebrities such as Prince and Infinite Band. Unfortunately, I detested being a celebrity.
At the sight of a few females approaching us, I made no hesitance to pull my hood lower over my face. I died once the last time an aggressive girl caught me. Out of desperation, I had to commit a 'seppuku' with my ice blade before she could pull down my pants. I wouldn't want to lose another level in the same horrifying manner again.
I was weighing the benefits and drawbacks of killing that persistent NPC with a quick spell, when my decision-making process was interrupted by some rude feminine voices.
An elegant dark elf was already standing in front of me, her twin daggers hanging at her sides. Her sharp fingers were already kneading the bone handles of those sharp weapons.
Her daggers looked very new and deadly, and she wasn't hesitating to try them out on me.
"How could you bully this old man? Can't you see he's so pitiful? Who gives you the right to treat him this way?" That beautiful lady declared aloud.
"Exactly my thoughts, xiao-mei!"
Another lady, a pony-tailed angel cladded in a bright yellow cheongsam nodded. A crystal ball was gleaming on the palms of her hands. I never saw a weapon like it before. She couldn't be a fortune teller since the job wasn't available in Second Life. What could she be then?
"Please don't be afraid, gramps," The 'fortune teller' waved her hand bashfully, "We sisters don't mind of taking care of you-"
"Gramps? Did you just call me 'gramps', little lady? I'm not that old, okay? I'm only-"
His silent pause was lingering for a less than a minute, as the strange uncle was scratching his bald head. His moist red eyes were looking up at me.
"How old are you, kid? Can I just use your age? I think I have forgotten mine."
It was rather funny, in fact very laughable, but I failed to muster a smile. I could only look at him, observing at how he was smiling at me. There was a large gap between his front rotten teeth.
That man looked very silly but very endearing at the same time. How could that be plausible?
"Hmm, I'm curious about his age too, gramps..."
"Hah! There's only one way to find out!"
As fast as a sly cheetah, that woman elf made the first strike at my face. I managed to catch her wrist and grab it tight, before she could lay a finger on my hood. One more inch, and that was the end of it. I was lucky.
"If you have asked, I would have told you. Twenty-three is my age," I said.
"Clearly, you're not intending to show us your face. You must be up to something bad, aren't you?" She seethed.
"If I were up to something bad, you want to know what I'll do to you?"
I released her arm coyly and held her hand rather firmly in mine. Then I gently kissed her hand and placed it on the shoulder of that puzzled NPC. Her face fell.
"Please take care of his quest for me. Goodbye."
"Eh? She's definitely not qualified to take the quest! Absolutely no way, son! Otherwise, she has to marry my daughter if she finds my son!"
That old man stood up and wildly shook my shoulders, his shiny bald head oscillating from left to right and left like a stubborn tick tock pendulum.
He continued whining, "You know what that means, stupid kid? My daughter will be childless! I might as well tell her to be a monk! My God!"
This fictitious character was getting too difficult, and perhaps too intelligent to handle. As I was processing to find the most appropriate reply in my brain, a strong uncomfortable odour invaded my nostrils.
I scrunched my sensitive nose. Could this be the scent of... Maybe a burnt toast?
"How dare you made fun of me, you despicable creature!"
I blinked at what I thought was burnt toast. Her dark skin was burning in hungry flames, probably due to a berserk spell. She grabbed one knife from her belt and licked its blade. As I was making one cautious step backward, my mouth was chanting a random offensive spell.
What should I do? Fight or flight?
"You better run now, tehehe," She was cackling like a possessed witch, "Cause I'm going to peel the skin off your face!"
"Xiao-mei, no!"
Author's note:
Seppuku – A kind of ritual suicide performed by the Japanese society, particularly the samurai during the ancient times.
Xiao-mei – Little sister in Mandarin
