Sword Among Us
Sword Among Us - Chapter 40: Butterfly Effect

The trio did indeed finish their breakfast in the bathroom. When they returned to Happy and Xu Xin, the atmosphere was very strange. In the end, when Happy gave them a reminder, Bai Lang began the introductions with a stutter.

“I know all of you! You’re the ones who created South China Martial Artists Ranking Board, right? You’re the programmer, Chen Fan is the developer, and Qi Ci is the designer, right?”

Xu Xin was a very amiable person, unlike some beautiful girls who were very unapproachable. She smiled and accurately pointed out everyone’s role. She was so natural in her actions that she made the four boys look at each other at a loss. At the same time, an indescribable pride rose in their hearts, and they could not help but puff out their chests.

“Xu Xin, you’re also interested in the South China Martial Arts Ranking Board?”

“Yes.” Xu Xin nodded vigorously and started a conversation. “Many of my friends in the dorm play the game, and they watch the changes in the South China Martial Arts Ranking Board every day. They’re very enamored with the powerful players there, like Tea Words, Phoenix Dances, and Rascal. They watch their progress every day.”

When they heard this, the Three Lonely Wolves looked at each other, and their spirits lifted. Even though the people Xu Xin paid attention to were not the three of them, they were still very satisfied that the students of the University of South China were interested in and liked their website.

“It’s a pity that we girls are not very good at this sort of stuff. We take a really long time when we practice a single martial art. That’s why I’m really impressed with those whose martial art realms are high.”

Xu Xing looked really adorable with a regretful frown on her face.

When the two boys heard this, a thought flashed in Happy’s mind. Unable to help himself, he suddenly blurted out, “Where do you usually practice your skills?”

“Well…” Xu Xin answered without hesitation. “Well, we usually practice our skills on some wooden training dummies and the wild beasts in the mountains.” When she saw Happy put an expression as if he had expected her answer, she could not help but be curious. “What is it? Is there something wrong?”

At that moment, even the Three Lonely Wolves understood why Xu Xin and the other girls were so slow in their progress with their martial arts.

As the realm of their martial arts increased, the threat brought by wooden training dummies and wild beasts lessened. Once they reached the sixth realm, it was very hard for those two things to provide any experience points, so it was only natural that they could not increase their realm after that.

But it had not been long since World of Martial Arts had launched. The girls had to have not had a prolonged exposure to martial arts. Hence, they did not know the hidden rules, which was why they did not make any progress.

Xu Xin blinked, but she did not take offense. She laughed and said that as a girl, she did not play this game to wander around as a martial artist, and so, it did not matter whether her skills with martial arts were high or low. She only liked the atmosphere and environment of the game, and she also had a fondness toward the feeling of being a swordswoman. She enjoyed brandishing her longsword, which she would never get to experience normally.

The four youths smiled.

“By the way, South China Martial Arts Ranking Board is just in its beginning stages right now. What other functions will you install for it in the future?”

Xu Xin, who had given a surprise visit, was clearly much more interested in the website the Three Lonely Wolves designed. Her eyes sparkled, and she questioned them with sparkling eyes.

“Yesterday, I saw another similar website online, and it launched an offline trading platform. They used the webmaster’s information and reputation as a guarantee to provide a trading platform for items among the people in World of Martial Arts, but that function is only for the people in a certain area. They also provide an item safety guarantee system.”

“There’s something like this?”

Bai Lang, Chen Fan, and Qi Ci were instantly interested. They ignored Happy and started chatting with Xu Xin.

Happy did not mind. He listened to them quietly by the side.

Based on his memories, South China Martial Artists Ranking Board would soon add new content. It would provide an offline trading platform before many similar websites, and it would run pretty successfully. However, he did not expect that Xu Xin would actually join the discussion for this function.

The offline trading platform was very simple.

It would be open to all on-campus students in the University of South China. As long as they mentioned their identity and class, the traders involved could complete the trade within the campus while the Three Lonely Wolves bore witness to it. In fact, because of the university, there was not even a need for the Three Lonely Wolves to appear. The students could just complete the trade on their own.

Trades included the buying and selling of martial arts manuals, weapons, and equipment, as well as the exchange of in-game money with RMB.

The players could quickly and safely gather all the equipment they needed, and some of the richer students could even use RMB to get more in-game money.

Happy remembered that once South China Martial Artists Ranking Board launched this function, the most shocking trade came from a student called Lu Hu, who usually kept a low profile. He spent 50,000 RMB in exchange for in-game money from all the students in the University of South China! At that time, the ratio of RMB to in-game money was 1:10, which meant that 1 RMB was equivalent to ten taels of silver crumbs. He had bought five hundred taels of silver crumbs and then created the first University of South China Sect in World of Martial Arts in one go.

He also helped open up a new chapter for South China Martial Artists Ranking Board—it was a function known as Sect Records.

Xu Xin’s visit caused the Three Lonely Wolves’ eyes to sparkle. Soon, they had a detailed outline of the offline trading platform. While they nodded repeatedly, Bai Lang brought out his notebook and attentively took notes.

“Xu Xin’s opinions are very valuable. Why don’t we add her name into the list of developers of South China Martial Artists Ranking Board? What do you think?” Right after he said those words, the Three Lonely Wolves and Xu Xin looked at Happy, who leaned against the wall in a lackadaisical fashion. They were tempted by the idea.

“Me? Can I?”

“Of course!”

“If the department princess joins us, the popularity of South China Martial Artists Ranking Board will skyrocket!”

“I vote yes with both my hands!”

After Happy said this, the matter was settled.

In his previous life, South China Martial Artists Ranking Board was managed and operated by the Three Lonely Wolves from start to finish. But it took a small, accidental turn, and now, Xu Xin had a close connection to South China Martial Artists Ranking Board.

Happy smiled, but he had another plan in his heart.

If Xu Xin truly joined the list of developers for South China Martial Artists Ranking Board, she would definitely visit their dorm frequently in the future. If they often came into contact with each other, he might actually be able to form a relationship with the woman of his dreams. He might be able to complete his wish-turned-regret from his previous life.

However, Xu Xin’s visitation caused the Three Lonely Wolves to spend most of the day talking. The four of them were excited as they discussed the future development of South China Martial Artists Ranking Board. When noon arrived, Happy sent Xu Xin away from the boy’s dorm under the signal from the Three Lonely Wolves.

The university was very quiet and peaceful.

“Happy, did you know?” Xu Xin suddenly turned around and stared at the boy who followed behind her quietly. Her eyes were still shining with endless enthusiasm and joy. She also sounded very excited. “In truth, I wanted to be a swordswoman when I was very young, but I never got to fulfill that dream!

“When I saw all of you create South China Martial Artists Ranking Board, I was really envious. It was as if I had truly blended into the world of martial arts, but even that can’t compare to the excitement I feel now. I can’t believe that there will come a day when I will become one of the developers. I feel as if I’m dreaming, as if all those powerful martial artists are in my territory. It feels so great. How should I thank you?”

“Marry me?” Happy answered without hesitation.

When Xu Xin’s face gradually turned red due to embarrassment and annoyance, Happy could not help but laugh because of how adorable she looked.

“Haha! Don’t worry, I definitely won’t ask you to marry me. But could you answer one question?”

“What question is it?” The embarrassment and annoyance Xu Xin felt faded away. She nodded, and curiosity showed up on her face.

Without any hesitation, Happy asked the question that had puzzled him for years.

“What sort of boys do you like?”

When she heard such a straightforward question and remembered the accident that Happy caused because of his actions last time, Xu Xin’s face turned red. Her gaze drifted about, and she was instantly at a loss as to what she should do. She did not dare to meet Happy’s gaze.

In the end, when Happy could no longer hold his laughter, she realized that he was teasing her again, and she stomped on her feet before she fled with her head lowered and her cheeks flushed.