Underworld Player
chapter-22

Bai Zhi brooded alone as he stared a hole into the prepaid card with a million yuan lying before him. He had wanted to refuse it, but a million was still a million.

"With this, I can call myself a millionaire too, huh..." Bai Zhi muttered to himself as he picked the card up and pocketed it. It was just about noon, and he was looking forward to enjoying the pleasures afforded to the rich.

Just before he left, he was reminded of the game account he had put up for sale, and decided to take it off the market after all, since he no longer needed the money.

He had 99 problems but "not rich" wasn't one!

He flung open the door confidently—and was unexpectedly stopped by a vision in a white dress. It was the campus belle, wearing a long one-piece of pure white with a fist raised like she was about to knock on the door. With the barrier now gone, her fist landed squarely in the middle of Bai Zhi's chest, giving the scene all the cuteness of a girl futilely raining her tiny fists against her love interest.

Both of them froze awkwardly.

The bag of garbage left next to the door (which Bai Zhi had been planning to dispose of on his way out) later reported that the situation was a complete dumpster fire, and they should know.

"Mind moving your hand?" Bai Zhi was impassive.

In all honesty, Lin XiaoYi the campus belle was a treat for the eyes even in casual wear and no makeup. In the long dress she had specifically picked out for the occasion and a light blush, she looked positively stunning.

Unfortunately, in Bai Zhi's eyes, the figure standing before him was only the supernatural entity who refused to leave him alone, so for all her beauty, he treated her as no more than a gilded ghoul.

"Oh..." Lin XiaoYi withdrew her hand reluctantly, slightly miffed that her once-in-a-blue-moon effort to dress up had failed to get the reaction she had hoped for.

She had gotten dolled up for the boy she liked, clearly showing her interest, but he, on the other hand, acted like she was chopped liver—naturally, it hurt her feelings. However, the unsinkable campus belle rallied quickly. She was no shrinking violet, and she would certainly not give up so easily!

"What is it now? I thought I said I should see you never. Do you have to be so persistent?" said Bai Zhi blandly as he closed the door and bent to pick up the garbage bag.

"I'm sure you know how it went. Keep bothering me and you'll end up like the others, you know?"

Of course, Bai Zhi was talking about the supernatural entity that had been destroyed in one hit by Wu Hua, and to him, his meaning was plain as day—"Your tricks don't work on me, so what's with the dogged pursuit? Aren't you better off barking up a different tree? If you keep hounding me, you'll end up just like the little boy."

Alas, the words, which seemed to Bai Zhi to express his intent so clearly, told a totally different tale in Lin XiaoYi's mind.

"See you never" meant "Return to your world and live a normal, peaceful life."

"Do you have to be so persistent" meant he was pushing her away because he did not want to drag her into perilous predicaments.

"How it went" referred to the unfortunate students who fell unconscious and were sent to the hospital.

"You'll end up like the others, you know?" meant "the best way to protect you is to distance myself!"

Thus, all this only served to confirm and reinforce the beliefs of a certain campus belle. Thus, she not only did not balk his rejection, but even gazed back at him with a growing fervor in her eyes.

Bai Zhi gave up and only curled his lip. "..Whatever."

He made his way past her and went down the stairs, garbage bag in hand and a certain weariness in his heart.

Hmm... Actually, looking at it another way, this could be a good thing. At least this is an entity I know all there is to know about. If it's decided to stick with me, then the people around me will be unharmed, and I could be said to be doing a small service to the community...

In fact, there was nothing he could do. He and this entity were really at a stalemate, since he, too, could not harm it. Even though he had obtained the status of Player, being a new Player meant that he had neither the equipment nor the skills to speak of. Attempting to eliminate a supernatural entity with his bare hands was no better than trying to take down a fortress with an army of one.

If the entity is going to keep stalking me, so be it. No skin off my back. When I get my levels up, some skills, better equipment and stuff, getting rid of it will be a piece of cake...

The combination of handsome man and stunning babe was undeniably eye-catching, especially when one was the notorious mega-scumbag, and the other was the admirable campus belle.

The hearts of countless devotees must have shattered as they witnessed their goddess, clad in a pure white dress and looking positively saintly, standing obediently next to that scumbag. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth about how even the campus belle could not resist the temptation of superficial beauty, followed by vicious curses on Bai Zhi's head.

After all, he spent almost all his waking hours playing video games, and for him to have dated pretty much the prettiest girl in each course, including a senior, in his first three months at school... there was something obscene, even blasphemous, about that.

If even the one known as Marina City University's most unattainable campus belle could not escape the jaws of this demon, it forced her devotees to reckon with a question that struck at something deep within.

As long as someone is blessed with physical beauty, does it give them the right to do as they please?

"Hey, cut it out, you're going to give them all the wrong idea." Bai Zhi had noticed the murderous stares coming from all sides, and he creased his brows in annoyance.

The one next to him was a fake, after all. If the real Lin XiaoYi heard about this scandal, she would be troubled, to say the least.

This one now had her hands clasped behind her back and was leaning forward slightly, tilting her head to look up at him. "Let them get the wrong idea! It doesn't bother me, so why are you sweating the small things, big guy?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

She had never been bothered by rumors and gossip. She followed her heart and whatever she wanted to do, she would just do it, and to heck with the rest. Except, perhaps, this time she wouldn't mind if the rumors turned out to be true...

Bai Zhi sighed in exasperation and stopped walking. "...What say we make a deal? What will it take for you to leave me alone today?"

If they continued being seen together, he had no doubt that he would soon receive death threats. The glaring eyes of the jealous mob were filled with murderous passion, and they seemed poised to lynch him any moment now, in the name of justice.

"Sure ♡ Treat me to lunch, then?"

Lin XiaoYi the campus belle tilted her head and gave him the smug grin of someone whose plan was working perfectly.

Bai Zhi was speechless.