My suspicion about the identity of the man walking alone at night made me try to find clues from the people around me, but it soon came to nothing - because something happened suddenly that tripped me up.
"What? Ask me to make a class presentation video?"
I cried out in surprise, and the squad leader standing in front of me nodded, but his tone was helpless.
"It's the school's class presentation day soon. Each class has to submit a class video. Originally, Tong Weiwei was supposed to do it, but she said she failed the exam and her parents were notified because of cheating. Her parents forbade her to participate in any activities that are not related to study, so..."
"So you want me to replace Tong Weiwei and make the class presentation video?" I felt my expression stiff.
The monitor nodded heavily and patted my shoulder: "Ling Jiantong, I know this is difficult for you, but everyone else doesn't have time, so I can only ask you for help."
I tilted my head slightly and saw Tong Weiwei sitting in the distance, looking at me provocatively. When our eyes met, she even showed a hint of a sneer, clearly watching my excitement with cold eyes.
This difficult woman, she lost the exam and wanted to drag me down with her! If I back down at this time, wouldn't that be exactly what she wants?
I was so angry that I slammed the table and said to the monitor with great pride: "Okay, let's do it. I'll take it!"
After I made my bold statement, I was still full of fighting spirit when I was notified to go to the student activity room after class to attend a meeting to discuss the video plans for each class. Although I knew nothing about video production, since I had taken over, I would do my best to do it well. Moreover, the class monitor also said that when we meet to discuss the video plan, the person in charge will also give corresponding opinions and guidance. As long as I ask for advice humbly, I don’t have to worry too much.
——But my self-confidence was instantly shattered into pieces of glass the moment I pushed open the door of the student activity room.
When I saw the girl sitting in the middle of the conference table, I almost screamed out loud - An Mujin? She was actually the person in charge of this class presentation day?
"Hey, isn't this the famous Ling Jiantong from Class A?" Seeing me standing stupidly at the door, a short-haired girl sitting next to An Mujin stared at me and said with a half-smile, "People are really different when they become famous. You came so late and made us wait. You're really arrogant."
I finally came to my senses and found that everyone in the room was staring at me. My face immediately turned red. "I'm sorry, because the get out of class is late..."
Before I could finish my words, I was interrupted by a loud snort. It was from a girl with long wavy hair. She glanced at me and said sarcastically, "To explain is to cover up, and to cover up is to make up a story. If you're late, you're late. What excuses are you looking for? Humph."
Such obvious targeting made me frown. Looking around at the people present , my heart suddenly became colder - although I didn't know any of these people attending the meeting, they were definitely familiar to me. They were all "campus beauties" and followed An Mujin every day, just like the maids serving the queen. It was hard not to notice them. Looking at their unfriendly faces, it was obvious that they were still thinking about the fact that I had ruined the relationship between An Mujin and Han Yebin, so they were deliberately looking for trouble.
The classroom was filled with a strong smell of gunpowder. An Mujin was the only one who looked calm and composed. She smiled at me and blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
"It's okay. You're not that late. Come sit down and discuss it together." She said, pointing to an empty seat.
"Thank you." I whispered and quickly sat down.
Frankly speaking, I had always had a good impression of An Mujin. Although she was regarded as the school beauty, she never took advantage of her status and had a good reputation among students. But now, facing her kind face, I felt very nervous. Coupled with the people around me who were "watching me with eager eyes", I suddenly felt a sense of crisis, like a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth.
Sure enough, when An Mujin announced the start of the plan discussion, everyone immediately pointed their spearheads at me.
"It is said that newcomers have the most active ideas. I suggest that Ling Jiantong speak out her ideas first." The girl with long wavy hair started the conversation, and the others followed suit. An Mujin still had a calm expression, as if she was not aware of the undercurrents around her. She smiled and said to me, "Then Ling Jiantong, please speak out your ideas first."
The person in charge has spoken, so I have no choice but to speak up.
"Since it is a class presentation, of course we have to show the best side of the class. We have held many class activities in the past, and left many good photos. I think we can pick out the better photos and edit them into a video..."
"Pfft." My words were interrupted by a mocking voice from the short-haired girl next to An Mujin. "Such an old-fashioned idea, you have the nerve to bring it up."
"That's right. What era is this? You're still using photos to make videos. Are you trying to be lazy on purpose?" another person said contemptuously.
My face flushed, and I opened my mouth, not knowing how to continue. Perhaps because I was embarrassed, An Mujin used her eyes to stop the provocation of those people and turned to look at me.
"Ling Jiantong, the idea you proposed has been used by many people before." She said softly, "Do you have a better idea?"
I came to this meeting to hear your suggestions and ideas! I have no idea about video shooting, okay?
Seeing that I was at a loss, An Mujin smiled more and more kindly and gave me a kind reminder.
"You can think of a more novel model, such as the recently popular micro-movies."
Before An Mujin finished speaking, several "campus beauties" had already responded enthusiastically.
"Yeah! That's a great idea. I think micro movies are great!"
"As expected of An Mu Jin, any suggestion she makes is so brilliant."
"That's right, much better than some people." At the same time, he didn't forget to glare at me.
I felt really amused and helpless when I saw these "school beauties" surrounding An Mujin and chattering and flattering her.
"Microfilm is just a form. If it is not well shot, it will not be as good as photo editing." I said, "I think as long as the core theme of the class presentation is grasped and the characteristics and culture of the class are perfectly presented, no matter what form it is, it will not make much difference."
I felt that my views were quite pertinent, but they were still met with overwhelming condemnation.
"What do you mean? Are you questioning Mu Jin's proposal?"
"You're just a rookie, why are you so arrogant? Do you have the right to speak here?"
"You were the ones who asked me to speak!" I retorted bluntly, "I am indeed a rookie. If you have better suggestions, I am all ears."
"You!" Those people looked angry and wanted to say something else, but were interrupted by An Mujin's low scolding.
"Okay, stop arguing!"
The classroom suddenly fell silent.
An Mujin sighed softly and looked at me with a hint of apology in her eyes.
"Ling Jiantong, everyone hopes to do a good job on this year's class presentation day. This is your first time participating in a filming event, and everyone may be a little unsure of your ability, so there may be some bias in their words. I hope you don't mind."
I think An Mujin knows the real reason why these people are targeting me better than I do, but she evaded the issue and just glossed over it. I felt embarrassed not to give her a way out, so I could only nod and say, "Yeah, I understand."
An Mujin seemed very pleased, she curved her eyebrows and smiled at me. Her eyes were like a clear spring, and when she smiled, it seemed as if there were stars shining in her eyes. With her fair and beautiful face, I was almost stunned for a moment.
She is indeed a goddess! If I were a boy, I would definitely want her to be my girlfriend. No wonder Han Yebin made such a big confession, An Mujin's charm is definitely worthy of such passionate pursuit.
I suddenly felt a little confused again - even though I messed up the confession, why didn't Han Yebin try again to win An Mujin back? Maybe she was really angry at the time, but she was definitely not the kind of person who would throw a tantrum and refuse to give in.
No one answered my question, but the meeting continued.
The discussion at the meeting did not mention the video shooting anymore, but mainly focused on other preparations for the demo day. I was confused until the end of the meeting, as if I was listening to a foreign language.
"Okay, today's meeting ends here." An Mujin closed the notebook in front of him and made a final summary. "Everyone go back and make preparations early. Also, you must submit the filming plan for your class presentation video within ten days. After it is reviewed and approved, you can start filming."
Everyone nodded, and then left in twos and threes. Just as I was about to leave, An Mujin suddenly called me.
"Ling Jiantong."
She walked up to me, patted my shoulder encouragingly, and spoke in a soft voice.
"Although you have no previous experience in video shooting, the Class Showcase Day is a very important event in our school. I hope you can take it seriously."
"Yeah." I nodded, "I'll try my best."
"Okay." She smiled slightly, with a gleam of brilliance in her eyes. "I look forward to your plan."
Since I had decided to do it well, there was no turning back. For several days, I kept going back and forth between the library and the student activity room, reading a lot of information, watching a lot of videos, and painstakingly writing several proposals. After submitting them, the responses I received were all the same - "This proposal is still not good enough, think of a new one."
"What? This plan was rejected again?" Ye Kexin cried in surprise.
"Yeah..." I lay on the desk and pretended to be dead. I was already weak in my voice. "They said it wasn't novel enough... but I made a novel one before and they said it was too different..."
"What on earth do they want?" Ye Kexin was indignant on my behalf. "Are they trying to embarrass you on purpose?"
I didn't say anything. Actually, I had doubts about this situation, but objectively speaking, the proposal I submitted was indeed not mature enough. After all, the class presentation day was coming soon, and even if they didn't like me, they couldn't deliberately leave the class presentation video blank.
I sighed heavily - maybe... it's because of my lack of personal ability.
When I got home that night and finished my homework, I immediately turned on my computer and searched online for video shooting references. There were only three days left before the submission deadline, and I was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, but after working hard all night... I still had no inspiration.
"It would be better to just find a piece of tofu and kill myself..." I knocked my head against the table, mumbling weakly. It was time to go to bed, I sighed, moved the mouse listlessly, and planned to shut down the computer, but I accidentally saw the game icon of "Fantasy Jianghu" on the desktop. I have been busy with the video project recently, and I haven't logged in for several days. After hesitating for a moment, I clicked the icon and entered the game.
Looking at the familiar pictures and listening to the familiar background music, my tense nerves finally relaxed a little. Just as I was thinking about doing something to relieve the pressure, the message bar lit up.
"Xiao Shui, you finally showed up!" It was Butterfly Feifei, "I haven't seen you online for a long time!"
"TUT is busy lately, so he doesn't have time to come."
"Are you going to take the exam?" Butterfly Feifei knew that I was a student.
"That's not the case..." I thought about it, and then briefly told her about the class video presentation. Finally, I asked her, "Fei Fei, do you have any experience in this area? Can you give me some ideas?"
"I've never come into contact with these things before..." Butterfly Feifei seemed to be in a dilemma. She thought about it and immediately sent another message.
“Why don’t you ask everyone?”
"Ah?" Before I could react, I saw Butterfly Feifei already speaking in the Kingdom Channel.
[Kingdom] Butterfly Flying: Is there anyone who knows how to shoot videos? Xiaoshui wants to shoot a class presentation video, please give me some ideas and inspiration!
As soon as this was said, many people responded immediately.
"Class presentation video? Is the little water princess a student?"
"What are your specific requests? Please tell me in detail."
Everyone seemed so positive, and a glimmer of hope ignited in my heart—perhaps there really is someone here who can help?
I explained the situation in detail. After listening, everyone started to discuss it. At first, I was full of expectations, but as time went by, I was filled with frustration.
"It sounds so difficult. Students nowadays have to do so many messy things besides studying?"
"You're right to come to me to watch the video! But as for filming...hahaha, I'm sorry, I can't help you."
"But it sounds fun. Next time we fight monsters, we can record a video. Hehe, it should be fun!"
"Okay, okay, I'm about to go do a dungeon, is there anyone who wants to come with me?"
"I'll go, I'll go!"
"Count me in……"
Then the topic completely went off topic and jumped to "clearing dungeons and beating bosses". After a while, no one talked in the channel anymore. I guess everyone was doing quests...
I sighed softly and clicked on the private message sent by Butterfly Feifei.
"Xiao Shui, it looks like no one has any ideas..." Butterfly Feifei probably felt that the atmosphere in the channel was awkward, and she spoke very cautiously - after all, it was she who proposed the discussion in the channel.
"It's okay..." I forced a smile. After all, I was mentally prepared. "I'll figure it out myself."
"Ah, someone here also wants me to do a task, so I'll go get busy first!"
"Yeah, go have fun!"
Butterfly Feifei didn't reply to the private message. I stared at the completely silent Kingdom Channel for a while, and inexplicably remembered what Du Yexing said before -
"Anyone can be your friend when you're having fun, but they'll avoid you when you're in trouble. When you really need them, they'll run away faster than anyone else... Is this what you call friendship in the game?"
Suddenly... I seem to understand his feelings a little.
I shook my head and logged off.
I fell asleep with my worries, and I didn't sleep well all night. I seemed to have a very long dream. In the dream, I fell into the sea. Although there were people who could swim around me, they ignored my calls for help. I could only watch those people swim away, but I sank deeper and deeper, and was in so much pain that I couldn't breathe at all. Just when I was desperate, a shrill whistle suddenly came from the distance. The sound became louder and louder, and finally turned into a phone ringing sound. When I opened my eyes in a daze, I found that the phone next to my pillow was ringing non-stop, and the name on the caller ID was Ye Kexin.
I yawned and answered the phone. Before I could say anything, the other party came up and shouted:
"Xiao Tong! Did you play games online yesterday?"
I was still a little sleepy, and I responded dazedly while looking at the bright sky outside the window.
"Oh, yes……"
"Is your name in the game 'Water-cutting Twin Eyes'?"
Ye Kexin's anxious tone finally brought me back to my senses. I was stunned for a moment and answered cautiously.
"Yeah...how did you know?"
"Hurry up and check the school WeChat group!" Ye Kexin's voice exploded in my ears like a bomb, "Someone took a screenshot of what you said in the game last night and posted it to the group!"
I finally understood what the straw that broke the camel's back meant. Although I had prepared myself mentally, when I opened the WeChat group and saw the several pages of information, my hand holding the phone couldn't help but tremble.
The information was last night - not long after I logged off the game, someone took a screenshot of my speech in the Kingdom Channel asking for help with the video shooting plan and sent it to the school WeChat group. Although I did not reveal too much personal information, the class presentation day is a special event of our school, and with a few people deliberately guiding it, it is easy to associate the "water-cutting double pupils" asking for help in the screenshot with me.
"This must be Ling Jiantong from Class A, right? The only thing left is her video shooting plan."
"Haha, you can't do it yourself, but you still run to the game for help. It's really a disgrace to our school!"
"Yeah! She still thinks she hasn't created enough topics! She really deserves to be voted as Tianyin Academy's weirdo of the year!"
After I sent the screenshots, most of the comments in the WeChat group were criticizing me. I flipped through a few pages of records, but I couldn't bear to read them anymore, so I simply closed WeChat.
I was chilled, chilled to the bone. The person who took the screenshot must be a member of Hanyan Nation. I have always regarded them as friends and partners, but I didn't expect that someone would take advantage of my misfortune and do something like this. What is this? Is it really like what Du Yexing said, that everything on the Internet is illusory, and those who take it seriously are fools?
I didn't go to school that day.
My brother has been very busy these days, and he was on a business trip yesterday, so no one is taking care of me now. So I boldly asked my head teacher for a day of sick leave, and then, like a truant student, I turned on my computer and plunged into the game.
I am not a superman, just an ordinary little girl. When faced with malicious slander and sarcasm, I will feel sad and confused. I will want to find a quiet corner and cry my heart out. But now, I just want to forget all this temporarily, hide in the virtual world of online games, and relax myself.
It is said that killing monsters is the most stress-relieving thing. After I logged into the game, I immediately rushed out of the city with my weapon in hand. Although I was not very good, I was more than capable of beating monsters that were N levels lower than me. So I gave full play to the style of "bullying the weak" and killed everyone in the low-level monster killing area outside the city, experiencing the feeling of "being alone and seeking defeat".
My "crazy killing" soon attracted the attention of some passers-by.
"Why are you, a level 30 guy, trying so hard to kill level 10 monsters here?"
"Maybe he's looking for a mission item? Or maybe he's just bored?"
I turned a deaf ear to the gossip of passers-by and just kept killing, killing, as if as long as I kept killing like this, I could sweep away all my troubles and become a fearless female knight.
From morning to noon, and from noon to night, except for a simple meal in between, I sat in front of the computer, mechanically clicking the mouse and mechanically killing monsters. I don't know how long it took, but the message prompt bar suddenly flashed - someone sent me a private message.
Is it someone from the Kingdom? My mouse hesitated at the prompt bar, but I didn't click it in the end. I turned around and continued to kill my monsters. About half an hour later, a message suddenly appeared in the world channel.
[World] Walking Alone at Night: Two Eyes Cutting Through the Water, Are You There?
I was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized something, and quickly opened the message board. Sure enough, a lot of messages popped up, and the senders were all "walking alone at night".
--Where?
——Report coordinates.
--Are you there?
——Don’t play dead.
——Hey, answer back.
I was just in a daze when Duyexing sent me another private message.
"Hey, are you there?"
I bit my lip and began typing slowly.
"I understand how you feel now."
The reply from the other end was quick: “?”
"The Internet is indeed illusory, and the friends on it are all unreliable."
I thought Du Ye Xing would ask me what happened, but he just said "oh" and then said something.
"Let's go on the mission together. Tell me the coordinates and I'll pick you up."
Until Du Ye Xing appeared in front of me and sent a request to join the team, I still felt like I was dreaming. Doing a mission? With Du Ye Xing? Or did he take the initiative to invite me?
"What mission are you going to do?"
"Go to Cangqiong Mountain to get the wishing stone."
Isn't that a random little task that only little girls and couples are interested in? Is the person standing in front of me really walking alone at night?
I was embarrassed: "Are you sure you don't have a fever?"
He ignored me and just said, "Join the team."
" ..."
"You have three seconds to join the team, otherwise I will kill you without mercy."
“…”
I clicked "Agree" on the invitation to join the team, and then I was taken to Cangqiong Mountain by Du Yexing. The monsters here are around level 50, and there is a wishing stone among the items dropped, but the chance of it appearing is very low. I knew I couldn't help much, so I stood aside and watched Du Yexing sweep the monsters, occasionally adding blood and blue (mana) to him.
After walking alone through a circle of monsters, he suddenly stopped and turned to look at me.
"Why are you so silent today?"
We haven't spoken to each other since we entered Cangqiong Mountain, but I don't think this silence is awkward, but rather a tacit understanding. But now that he asked, I can only answer.
"I'm in a bad mood and don't want to talk."
Du Ye Xing looked at me for a while and said, "It's just a small matter, is it that serious?"
I asked back, “Do you know what happened to me?”
He was silent, and after a while he sent a message.
"Where was your unyielding spirit when I was hunting you down? It's not like you to be defeated by a small setback."
I was stunned, staring blankly at the words on the screen, unable to utter a word for a long time.
After two hours of struggle, Du Yexing finally found two wishing stones from the monsters. It is said that if you stand on the top of Cangqiong Mountain and throw the wishing stones into the sea of ​​clouds below the mountain, your wish will come true. Although many people say it is very effective, I have always laughed at the legends deliberately created by the game operators. But I didn't expect that someone like Du Yexing, who doesn't understand romance, would actually drag me to the top of the mountain and force me to make a wish.
"Do you still believe in making wishes?" I was frowning.
"I don't believe it." Du Yexing paused, "But you can believe it."
Although I really wanted to say "I don't believe it either", but when I saw Du Yexing handing me the wishing stone with a serious look on his face, I couldn't say no.
At the end of Cangqiong Mountain, the green peaks are towering, the sea of ​​clouds is lingering, and the occasional mountain breeze blows, bringing with it the crisp calls of cranes. The wishing stone quietly emits colorful rainbow light in my palm. I take a deep breath and throw it hard into the mountain stream.
"I hope that when the sun rises tomorrow, all the bad things will be over!" I shouted to the distance, "All the troubles and unhappiness will disappear!"
The red-dressed girl in the game stood on the top of the mountain and cheered, while I, sitting in front of the computer, muttered to myself.
"I hope... that I can stand up strong tomorrow."
Du Ye Xing watched quietly from beginning to end. When I finished shouting, he also walked to my side and threw the wishing stone in his hand. On the top of the mountain, two figures, one red and one black, stood side by side, looking down the mountain together, as if waiting for the response of the wishing stone.
"What did you wish for?" I asked curiously.
“I hope I’m stronger.”
"You are already very strong." I said sincerely.
But Du Yexing shook his head. He was silent for a long time before he spoke softly.
"If you can protect the people you want to protect and not make them sad, then that person is truly strong."
"You are a killer who kills without blinking an eye, but there are people you want to protect?" I joked, but I saw Du Yexing staring at me without saying a word. At that moment, I felt like my heart skipped a beat and my cheeks were actually getting hot.
"I'm leaving." Du Yexing withdrew his gaze, then disbanded the team, turned around to go down the mountain, but stopped after taking two steps.
"Go back and have a good sleep." He turned and looked at me, "Maybe when the sun rises tomorrow, your wish will come true."
I nodded dumbly. The assassin in black didn't stop, ran into the woods, and disappeared in an instant. I looked in the direction where he disappeared, and slowly smiled with relief.
I don’t know whether all the bad things will be over and all the troubles will disappear when the sun rises tomorrow.
All I know is that when I began to doubt the online gaming world that I once loved the most and was almost heartbroken by the friendships in the virtual network, there was still someone willing to stay with me. This feeling was really good.
——Walking alone at night, thank you.