Reign of the Hunters Chapter 228 Do Your Best!

Just believe in him, exactly how he always believed in you.

Tan Polang's words resounded like a bell, reverberating through an empty valley. They sent shockwaves into Ye Ci's head, through her eardrums into her blood, shocking her entire being.

Am I doubting Bai Mo? Am I doubting myself? Or am I doubting fate even after my reincarnation?

Even Ye Ci was not certain. However, there was one thing that she was aware of: Tan Polang's words were like a sharp dagger that had buried itself deep in her heart.

“Am I doubting him?” asked Ye Ci with a grimace.

“Are you not?” Tan Polang blinked innocently and smiled at Ye Ci, “I find that the smarter a person, the more often they start worrying and wasting their time on an insignificant problem.. As for you… You thought that you can only be helpful to people surrounding you by becoming stronger. But… Sister Ye Ci, have you ever thought that the people around you are growing stronger as well?”

Ye Ci remained silent. It was a question that she had never considered before.

“It's the same in the game. You're the undisputed godlike player of the Eastern Continent, and the role model of all Hunters. However, sister Ye Ci, because of your strength, many people, you yourself included, created the image, that everybody around you is in dire need of your protection. In truth, this is a deception.” Tan Polang shook his head, “Let's use brother Mo as an example. To you, he might be your cousin, and a man who treats you very well. You've never seen him as a strong and capable player, and I'd like to tell you that you're wrong.”

Tan Polang's words were like daggers carving into Ye Ci's festering wounds, slicing them open. She had no power to refute his words. He was right. She was indeed strong, and her strength was something recognised by many, including herself. However, she felt that she was not strong enough, as there was only one true opponent in her eyes: Fleeting Time. He was always ahead of her, like a tall mountain that she was never able to scale. In Ye Ci's eyes, there was no other expert player in Fate. Even Bai Mo… Even Bai Mo could not be considered an expert…

“Am I?”

“Of course! Brother Mo is actually a very strong player! He's among the Top 10 tanks in the Eastern Continent. You might have not fought against him in the arena, but do you know that he's on a 197-match winning streak? He's not a damage dealer, but he was able to win 197 matches straight. Don't you think that he's strong? I'm sure you can tell. You are one of the best players out there, and judging just from that number alone, I'm sure you will realise that brother Mo is not weak at all.” Tan Polang's eyes were filled with admiration as he praised Bai Mo, “Truth to be told, he's quite a reserved person. Your presence pushed his strength out of the picture, but it was never a bother to him. However, this does not mean that you can ignore his achievements!”

“Is that so…” Ye Ci mumbled. Is Bai Mo really that strong? Her impression of Bai Mo did not change from her last life. To her, he was one of the top tanks from her past, and the current leader of 'Upwards Ho!'. She realised that other than that, she knew nothing about Bai Mo.

“This is why you should believe in him, just like he has always believed in you.” said Tan Polang with a smile.

A slight taste of bitterness seeped into Ye Ci's heart as she listened to Tan Polang. She pursed her lips, and said in a low voice, “Trust is a talent as well, and it is something that I don't seem to have.”

Tan Polang was momentarily stunned by Ye Ci's words. He was rendered speechless. He stared at Ye Ci for a short moment before lowering his head and scooped one of the dishes that was closest to him into his mouth and began chewing slowly. He came to a sudden realisation. In truth, the God-tier player of the Eastern Continent, Gongzi You, was not as tough as she seemed. There was a scared and hurt soul underneath her tough appearance.

Because of fear, she refused to reciprocate.

And because of fear, she refused to trust.

The fear in her heart did not only affect her past. It might have affected her in the present, and even have a lasting effect in her future.

He spoke up after a long moment of thought, “Trust is not a talent, but a skill. And it is a skill that each of us must learn.”

“A skill?” it was something new to Ye Ci, “You must be kidding! Trust is something that you're born with. There are some who are naturally trustful of others like Liu Chang, and then you have people like me, who find it hard to trust people. It's all set from the day we're born. It's not a skill.” Ye Ci chuckled, “Young man, talent and skill are two very different things.”

“I beg to differ. How could a child know the meaning of trust if it does not learn? Being overly trustly might not be a good thing, and finding it hard to trust the people around you might not be entirely bad. However, the people who have managed to learn this skill are certainly people who are happy.”

Ye Ci stared silently at Tan Polang.

“Let's use dungeon clearing as an example. As a DPS, no matter how good and skillful you are, you're not able to face the BOSS alone, am I right? At a time like this, you can only put your trust in your teammates. You trust your MT in his ability to hold the BOSS's aggro, and have entrusted your rear to the healers. This is a form of trust, this trust is the thing that allows you to clear the dungeon. It there is no trust… How do you think it's going to end?”

“It's not the same, alright?” Ye Ci's eyebrows furrowed.

“It's the same. The trust that I'm talking about has a very wide scope, but your view of trust is narrow. Sister Ye Ci, you're a smart person, why do you have to keep forcing yourself into a dead end? I admit that you're strong, but you can't doubt the capabilities of others around you just because of your strength, and lose your trust in them. You can't shoulder all the responsibilities alone because of your lack of ability to trust. Remember, you are Ye Ci. You are not omnipotent. You can't possibly take everything on by yourself! Are you not tired?”

Ye Ci's hands trembled. She set her bowl down onto the table and sat in silence. She took in deep breaths in an attempt to calm her nerves.

“You have to try and believe.”

“I am not doubting Bai Mo.”

“But you're not believing in him fully.”

Ye Ci was rendered speechless.

She grimaced at Tan Polang after a short moment of silence, “I didn't know that you're quite a good talker.”

“No. My arguments happen to be spot on, which was why you were unable to refute them. If this had been not the case, I'm sure you would have simply ignored me.” Tan Polang knew Ye Ci well enough, “Sister Ye Ci, truth to be told, you're not the center of this world. The Earth will not stop spinning because of your absence. You're just an ordinary person. An ordinary person that also needs help from others,” said Tan Polang with a smile that revealed his dimples, “Is it that much of a big deal?”

It was indeed not a big deal.

Everything suddenly turned clear in Ye Ci's mind, as if she had received a sudden enlightenment. She was still too narrow minded, after all. It was foolish of her to doubt the abilities of people around her, trying to solve every single problem herself.

Bai Mo trusts me so much. Can't I have some trust in him as well? I should. And I should trust in him unconditionally. Ye Ci's heart was filled with relief, and a smile lit up her face.

A sudden question flashed across Tan Polang's mind as he stared at Ye Ci, “I heard from brother Mo that you have a rival that you have never been able to surpass. Who is that?”

“Fleeting Time.”

Tan Polang continued staring at Ye Ci, his thoughtful expression unfathomable. He did not expect such an honest answer from Ye Ci. Based on Gongzi You's behavior in-game and some heavy implications from Bai Mo, Tan Polang had the impression that speaking the name “Fleeting Time” in Ye Ci's presence would bring unimaginable consequences.

Because of that, he hesitated before finally asking the question. He did not expect Ye Ci to remain so calm.

It seems that the rumors were false! Ye Ci did not lose her temper the moment she heard the name of Fleeting Time. Tan Polang stared at Ye Ci expectantly. He was suddenly interested with a question: How does the top player of the Eastern Continent see the top player of the Western Continent? “Fleeting Time… Is he strong?”

Is Fleeting Time strong? It was a question that Ye Ci had never considered until now. Is he strong? Such a thing was never in the focus of Ye Ci's attention. The only concern she had was “Can I surpass Fleeting Time? Or will I always fall behind him?”

“I've never thought about it.” Ye Ci appeared to be vexed by the question, “When you say 'strong', based on what standards are you asking?”

Tan Polang almost coughed up blood. Is this how God-tier players think? Basing Fleeting Time's strength on a certain standard? Nobody can ever do that!

“By strong… I mean if he happens to be someone you can't defeat no matter how hard you try.” said Tan Polang after a long moment.

Ye Ci raised her eyebrows and snorted at his words, “If that's the case, he's not strong then. I'm capable of defeating him.”

For unknown reasons, Tan Polang doubted Ye Ci's words. He narrowed his eyes at her, and asked with a doubtful tone, “Are you sure?”

“Of course! I've even killed him some time ago! Have you seen him killing me before?” Ye Ci rolled her eyes at Tan Polang. Of course, there was something that she left out. She was able to kill Fleeting Time out of sheer luck…

“I see, I see. According to the gossip in the World Channel, it's true that you have not died by his hands before.” It was an an undeniable truth. Nobody could tell the truth apart from fabrication in a gossip. Despite appearing to agree with Ye Ci's words, Tan Polang continued to probe hard, “This can't be! Sister Ye Ci, if he's not able to defeat you, why do you still see him as an opponent that you can't surpass?”

“Urm…” Ye Ci glared silently at Tan Polang for a long moment. Shades of red could be seen on Ye Ci's white face. “You little brat! Nobody will mistake you for a mute if you don't speak!” said Ye Ci with a harsh tone.

“Ohhhh…” Tan Polang chuckled and continued digging into his meal with a smug expression.

“Hey, hey, hey! What's with that expression? Do you think that I'm lying to you? Do you think that I'm no match for that loafer? Do you think that I'll lose to that bastard?” Ye Ci, who was slightly diffident exploded into rage when she heard Tan Polang's chuckles.

Is Ye Ci lying to him? Of course not! It was something that Fleeting Time admitted himself, and was confirmed by Absalom. However, there was still a question in his mind: How did Ye Ci defeat Fleeting Time? The answer remained unknown to Absalom while Fleeting Time remained tight lipped when he asked such a question.

Only Ye Ci could satisfy his curiosity.

“I didn't say anything, okay?” Tan Polang found the situation funny. Ye Ci was quite cute when she was trying to cover up he secret.

“Then what's with the 'ohhh'?” Ye Ci glared at Tan Polang.

Tan Polang could finally understand why Fleeting Time enjoyed teasing Ye Ci after observing her expression. She was always so cold and calm, but when she was angry, her expression was amusing. The brilliance in her eyes and her expression was just so glaring.

But did Fleeting Time tease Gongzi You just because of that? I'm afraid not. Tan Polang narrowed his eyes. He could still remember Fleeting Time's expression when they talked about Gongzi You. If his guess was not wrong… If that was the case, what does Ye Ci think of Fleeting Time? Tan Polang was desperate to find out the answer to that question.

“Then again, Fleeting Time is the top player of the Western Continent, and the ideal husband of countless female players, why are you calling him a bastard?” asked Tan Polang as he chewed on his food, “This is not good. A girl like you must be modest. How can you be so vulgar?”

“Some people… They were born assholes.” Ye Ci snorted. Her anger flared as she thought of Fleeting Time's words, the thread in the forums started by Glistening Moonlight, and the customer service employee's question. Memory of the so-called “award” she received served only to fuel the already raging flames of anger in her heart.

Hiya minnsan! This awesome chapter of an awesomesauce novel translated by an awesomtacular translator(that'll be me, by the way!). Hope you guys enjoyed!

How's everyone doing? I am quite bored I guess… But ayy! Christmas event in FGO coming soon! I guess I'll have something to do by then. Oh and… To those peep who made it out of Bronze/Silver in League… Congratz! I barely got to Gold today after months of inactivity just to get that Victorious skin xD

So I guess that's about it.. Don't forget that we have a teaser next page! First in the comments type: FIRST BLOOD! and the rest of you… Type: Desu Vult!

Chapter 228 Do Your Best! (Part 2)

With a sudden movement, Ye Ci slammed her chopsticks onto the table, and Tan Polang dropped the piece of pork rib that he was about to put into his mouth. He looked at Ye Ci, and then at the piece of pork rib, “If you want it, you can just ask. You don't have to scare me like th-”

Ye Ci started ranting like a rapid fire cannon before he could finish his sentence, “What top player? What ideal husband? He's a bastard! So what if he has good mechanical skills? What does it have to do with character? Is he a good person just because he's a God-tier player? You're telling me that he's the ideal husband of many girls? Have they never played online games before? Don't they know that men like this are usually perverts in real life? Don't they have a life?”

“You are a God-tier player yourself…” said Tan Polang. According to Ye Ci, she was a perverted man, and someone who had no life. But… His voice came out way softer than Ye Ci's, and was drowned out by her words.

“So what if he's very good at the game? Do you see a lot of people succeeding in life by being good in a game? He thinks that he can pick on me just because he's good at the game? Just look at what he said and what he did! Do you think that's something a good person will do? He should have been drowned in a wicker basket and cut into millions of tiny pieces!”

Tan Polang visibly gulped as he stared at Ye Ci. He wanted to refute to Ye Ci's words, but was intimidated into silence.

If Tan Polang had not already known Fleeting Time beforehand, he would have thought of Fleeting Time as a man that was wicked beyond redemption after listening to Ye Ci's words. Besides… Many of the gamers were also leading fulfilling lives in real life… Ye Ci was being very unfair. Tan Polang had even started to feel pity for Fleeting Time. If he was indeed interested in Ye Ci… It would be a long and painful road.

He could barely hold back his laughter as Ye Ci ranted on about Fleeting Time. A bastard… drowning him in a wicker basket… Oh, Fleeting Time, just what have you done to leave such an impression in Gongzi You's heart?

Then again, Tan Polang attempted to salvage Fleeting Time's reputation. This noble person with unquestionable integrity was being described as a lowlife scum by Ye Ci. As a fan of Fleeting Time, Tan Polang could not bring himself to remain silent when the good name of his idol was about to be tarnished by Ye Ci.

“You're being unfair. I don't think that there's anything wrong with Fleeting Time's character. You've only fought against him a few times, and your conversation with him in the World Channel was literally less than 5 sentences. I don't recall reading any indecent messages from him. It's the gossip that have blown things out of proportion. Don't you think that you're being overly biased against Fleeting Time?” Tan Polang finally mustered his courage to speak up against Ye Ci.

Oh, brother Fleeting Time, if you ever succeed in wooing my sister, please remember this cannon fodder who paved the way for you. Tan Polang was touched by his own noble cause.

Ye Ci remained silent as she listened to Tan Polang. She knew that he was correct. There was indeed a lot of stories and fabrications made by the gossipping audience. However, it did not necessarily meant that Fleeting Time was not responsible in this matter. Will I be in such a situation if not for his suggestive words? My intention of crossing swords with him and defeating him was twisted into the biggest scandal in Fate…

How can this be…

“Besides, Fleeting Time is a pure, innocent, and hardworking person. Not matter how you look at it, he's a great guy! Sister Ye Ci, don't you label him falsely because some gossip.” Tan Polang began to attempt to clear Fleeting Time's name after noticing the silence from Ye Ci.

Ye Ci narrowed her eyes at Tan Polang, and a sneer slowly formed on her lips, “Tan Polang, why do I have a feeling that you seem to know that guy?”

“Urm…” Ye Ci's words were able to force Tan Polang into silence. A single thought appeared in his mind as he stared at Ye Ci's darkened expression: If I admitted that I was a Western Continent player, that I used to be in the same guild with Fleeting Time, and that I was friends with Fleeting Time… Will I live to see sunrise tomorrow? He then looked up at the bright moon illuminating the night sky. Ahh… What a wonderful world… What a wonderful life… After a moment of careful consideration, Tan Polang decided that it was more important for him to stay alive. As for Fleeting Time… That man will have to deal with Ye Ci himself.

“W-what are you talking about…” Tan Polang chuckled nervously, “I can't play much when I go to school. I've just been paying attention to the forums.. T-this is h-how I know about things like that…”

“So, do you believe what you saw in the forums? Don't you know that they're fake?” Ye Ci was reminded of Glistening Moon's thread when the forums was mentioned, and her anger flared.

“Yup, yup. You're right, sister Ye Ci.” Tan Polang could only cave under the immense pressure from Ye Ci.

“Just stop trying to speak in his behalf.”

“Alright, alright. I won't do it again.” Tan Polang could only smile wryly in the face of Ye Ci's wrath.

Ye Ci, who had lost her appetite after this conversation, ordered Tan Polang to take some cherries out of the fridge. She began stuffing them into her mouth, chewing on them as if they were enemies that she must destroy.

Tan Polang continued his meal cautiously, thinking of the thread made by Glistening Moonlight. It was the shame that he was no longer in the Western Continent. He would have gotten a lot of gossipping materials out of Absalom if he was still part of Genesis.

However, when a person had his or her mind set on a matter, they would not give up easily. The more Ye Ci was acting up, the more Tan Polang was curious about Glistening Moonlight's thread. In the end, he could not hold himself back. The matter of life and death is nothing compared to a chance to gossip, “Sister Ye Ci, I want to ask you something, but can you not get mad if I do?” asked Tan Polang who had finally mustered his courage.

Ye Ci raised one of her eyebrows and said in a menacing tone, “Do I look like someone with a bad temper right now?”

“Of course not.” You must be kidding. Can I even answer with “yes”? Even when he knew that Ye Ci was already enraged, he was forced to say the opposite of the truth.

“Ask away then. What is there to be angry about?” Ye Ci nodded calmly.

“Ahh, then I'll be asking my question. Please don't be mad.”

“Okay.”

Tan Polang had a sudden feeling that he was worthy of great admiration. To have the courage of pulling the whiskers of a tigress… He was impressed by his own bravery. He cleared his throat, and asked with a nervous voice, “Sister Ye Ci… W-were you… Were you k-kissed by Fleeting Time on that d-day…”

He did not even have the courage to complete the sentence. Ye Ci who was staring calmly at the moon immediately shot her a glare that sent chills down his spine the moment the name “Fleeting Time” was mentioned. Tan Polang could feel death creeping closer and closer right at that moment.

“Tan Polang, do you wish to meet your maker?” Ye Ci said in a low voice. Her tone was like as a feather, but to Tan Polang, it was as heavy as a mountain than could squash him into paste at any given moment.

“I'm full. I'll go wash the dishes now.” Tan Polang stood up immediately and began carrying the plates and cutleries into the kitchen. Only an idiot would remain at the dining table at this point.

Ye Ci snorted as Tan Polang fled into the kitchen. She was reminded of that day when Fleeting Time was so close to her. His breath on her face was so warm and gentle as he spoke the following words, “Little Gongzi, let's have a drink someday.”

F*ck this game! F*ck Fate! Why must the developers make it so realistic? Why must my senses in the game be so real?

F*ck you! Drink my ass! Little Gongzi my ass!

Ye Ci popped another cherry into her mouth, as if the taste of the fruit could wash away the impact that was brought upon her by Fleeting Time.

Bastard!

“Sister Ye Ci, are you alright? Why is your face so red?” Tan Polang saw the shade of red on Ye Ci's face as he walked into the dining room to clean the table after washing the dishes. He was genuinely concerned for Ye Ci's wellbeing. Any illness will affect the healing process of her wounds.

“I'm alright, carry me into my room.” Ye Ci immediately sat the bowl of cherry down onto the table.

Tan Polang lowered himself and carried Ye Ci on his back. She was not heavy at all. Or rather, she was quite light. Tan Polang was baffled. How can such a light body be packed with so much energy?

“You need to toughen yourself up more and eat some good food. You're so weak. Bai Mo could carry me around bridal style.” snorted Ye Ci as she leaned against Tan Polang's shoulders. Indeed, the youth was quite thin. Ye Ci could only express her concern in a roundabout fashion as she found it embarrassing to do it directly.

Tan Polang paid no heed to Ye Ci's behavior, “I'm still young. If it's Fleeting Time, I'm sure that he can carry you bridal style as well.” he muttered under his breath.

“What did you say?” even when Ye Ci could not hear Tan Polang clearly, she could vaguely hear the name “Fleeting Time”.

“It's nothing, you should go to bed now.” Tan Polang did not have the courage to repeat himself. He left the room and closed the door behind him after setting Ye Ci onto the bed. As he walked passed the room of Ye Nantian and Zuo Xiaolan on his way to bed, the door of the couple's room creaked open, and Zuo Xiaolan called out to him in a low voice, “Polang! Here, over here!”

Tan Polang was shocked to hear a sudden voice in the silent night. He stumbled backwards, clutching at his chest, “Mom, you almost scared me to death!”
Zuo Xiaolan chuckled, and continued speaking in a low voice, “Be quiet, Polang. Come, get in here.”

Tan Polang was baffled by Zuo Xiaolan's strange behavior, and walked into the couple's room. Zuo Xiaolan immediately closed the door, and implored Tan Polang to sit on the bed, “Polang, what were you talking about with Little Ci just now?”

“It's nothing.” Tan Polang stared at Zuo Xiaolan who had curiosity written all over her face, and then at Ye Nantian who carried the same expression. He was confused.

“What do you mean? I could've sworn that I heard the both of you talking about something?

“Yup, yup! I've even heard something about a durian[1].” said Ye Nantian, “Have you developed a sudden craving for durian?”

“No, it's not like that…” when Tan Polang noticed the determined expression on the couple's faces, he knew that he was doomed.

“That what was it that you two were talking about? What was it?” Zuo Xiaolan and Ye Nantian asked in unison.

Tan Polang took in a deep breath. Since things have come to this, I have no choice, “Alright, alright. I'll tell you everything.”

The three of them sat at the edge of the bed, and Tan Polang began his narration.

When he was finally done, Tan Polang did not forget to give the couple a reminder, “Please keep this a secret, or…” and he made a slicing motion on his neck with his hand, “Sister Ye Ci will eat me alive.”
“Aiya, don't worry about it, I know my daughter…” said Zuo Xiaolan with a smile on her face. She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed the Tan Polang's solemn expression, “Fine, we'll keep this a secret.”

“I'm going to bed now. Don't forget.” the room was just like the nest of dangerous beasts, and Tan Polang was determined to leave. If his action was found out by Ye Ci, he would not live to see the next day.

After confirming that Ye Ci was already asleep, Tan Polang immediately slipped into his room.

“Aiyo, Little Ci found a boyfriend! That's just too quick.” said Zuo Xiaolan thoughtfully as she sat on the bed.

Her words fell on deaf ears as Ye Nantian continued reading his book.

“Hey, what do you think Fleeting Time looks like? Why don't we try to get Polang to invite him over for dinner someday?” said Zuo Xiaolan.

Ye Nantian rolled his eyes at his wife, “Aren't you a little too far-fetched? It's all just gossips at this point. Why don't we give Little Ci some time?”

“You're right.” Zuo Xiaolan understood the logic behind his words, “We can at least try to find Fleeting Time in-game…”

“He's a player in the Western Continent, it's impossible” Ye Nantian snapped his book shut and laid on the bed, “Stop worrying about meaningless things. Let's get to bed, I need to buy some cooking ingredients tomorrow.”

Zuo Xiaolan was about to open her mouth to say something, but held it in, as, she laid on the bed as well.
Silence fell upon the earth, and they drifted into a deep sleep.

Bai Mo left early in the morning on the following day, but due to her injuries, Ye Ci was unable to see him off at the station. She could only bid him farewell before he left home.

After her long counselling session with Tan Polang, Ye Ci pondered deeply over the matter.. As a reincarnator, the only thing she had to do was to avoid the tragedies of the past. Her days would turn towards a better future, and there was no need to worry about anything else.

Even when she was still Ye Ci, past burdens should be left in the past, and the present is the only thing that matters.

I will no longer spend my present days being burdened by my past. For in this life, every day is a new day. Thought Ye Ci to herself.

She stood at the door with the aid of her crutches and hugged Bai mo, “Bai Mo, do your best!”

Bai Mo embraced Ye Ci as well and took in a deep breath, “You too, Little Ci.” the smile on his face was as bright as the blooming sun.

Yup, that's right, everybody had to do their best!

Translator's Note:

[1]The mandarin name of Fleeting Time, “流年”, could sound like “榴莲”, which is durian under certain circumstances like muffled voice or mispronunciation.
Hiya minnsan! Here's an awesome chapter of the awesomecause novel translated by an awesomtacular translator, Jimminx(that's me, by the way!). Hope you people enjoyed the novel!
And holy shit! I somehow got addicted to those text-based, make-your-own-choice sort of game again! Bought like fuktons of them yesterday on Playstore, and now I'm broke lol… But guys.. Listen to me… You should really try out Choice of Magics and Wayhaven Chronicles: Book One. Those story are really, really nice and I shit you not, it's worth every penny you spend.

I've also been reading some *cough cough* 18+ novels written by Midori Konton and ermmm… Don't judge me people, but her novels are very well-written. I especially like Lemma the Librarian and Youth of the Dark Lord. If you're 18+ years old… You can check it out. (Not sure if this is appropriate, lemme know if I shouldn't be talking about this and I'll delete this paragraph).

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Don't forget that we have a teaser next page! First in the comments type: FIRST BLOOD! The rest of you.. Type Desu Vult!!

Chapter end