ISWTDB Ch136

Chapter 136: The BOSS is always acting up (7, 8)

Originally somewhat hesitant, the Flame Dragon completely abandoned the idea of awakening the dragon tribe after Ying Zhao said those words. He decided to first enjoy some time alone with his little servant. No! He decided to take the time to understand the changes in this continent first.

With this thought in mind, the Flame Dragon curled the corners of his mouth. He casually snapped his fingers, and the treasures piled up in the hall vanished in an instant.

A rustic silver dragon-patterned ring appeared in the Flame Dragon’s hand. He held it up in front of Ying Zhao and said, “This is for you; it’s a space ring. Inside are all the treasures from this holy palace that I promised you before. Since you’ve performed well, I also included some other equipment.”

Ying Zhao accepted the ring with a smile, not being polite at all, and slipped it onto his hand. Then he opened his control panel and, sure enough, he found the ring in his backpack.

At first, he thought it was just an ordinary storage ring, but to his surprise, it had defensive properties, and its overall attributes could be considered top-tier artifacts.

Moreover, not only did this ring contain countless gold coins and gemstone materials, but the Flame Dragon had also included several pieces of premium armor and magical artifacts inside.

All of them were tailored for the assassin class, which made Ying Zhao once again marvel at his lover’s thoughtfulness.

After checking the items in the ring, Ying Zhao raised his head, only to find the Flame Dragon staring at him intently, seemingly waiting for something.

Ying Zhao was a bit confused about what the other party wanted, blinking innocently at the Flame Dragon. He saw the Flame Dragon pout, a look of frustration on his face.

The Flame Dragon was feeling displeased, thinking to himself: This elf was so happy during the contract signing and even kissed me to show his gratitude.

Why wasn’t he kissing me after I gave him so many treasures? Does he not appreciate what I’ve done? Or does he not actually like treasures?

The Flame Dragon ground his teeth, feeling a bit grumpy, but he didn’t want to directly ask Ying Zhao for the gratitude that belonged to him; doing so would make it seem like he was eagerly waiting to be kissed by him.

After waiting for a long time without any reaction from Ying Zhao, the Flame Dragon simply huffed angrily and started walking toward the door.

Seeing the Flame Dragon like this, Ying Zhao’s eyes curved with a smile. While he initially hadn’t noticed his lover’s intentions, after being together in so many worlds, he understood what the Flame Dragon wanted.

However, teasing this immature, proud man was too entertaining! In a place where the Flame Dragon couldn’t see, Ying Zhao broke into a broad smile and quickly caught up to him.

However, when the Flame Dragon reached the entrance of the holy palace, Ying Zhao saw him boldly activating the teleportation array toward the city of Sais.

Sais City was located at the center of the five continents, making it the actual central city that didn’t belong to any particular race. It served as a hub for trade and communication, and it was the most prosperous city in the entire game, *Journey*.

It was entirely expected that the Flame Dragon wanted to enter this town to gather information about the entire continent.

But seeing that he was so unreserved, Ying Zhao hurriedly grabbed his arm, scanning the Flame Dragon from head to toe. He said, “Your Highness, are you really planning to enter the central town like this?”

The Flame Dragon nodded, not quite understanding Ying Zhao’s meaning. He looked down at his attire and felt there was nothing inappropriate about it.

However, Ying Zhao helplessly replied, “But Your Highness, your identity is special. If others see you awakening, it might cause panic, and it wouldn’t be beneficial for you to explore this continent more effectively.”

“Why don’t you change into a different outfit before we set off? Who knows what interesting things might happen!”

Ying Zhao persuaded the Flame Dragon step by step, and upon hearing his words, the Flame Dragon found some merit in it. He nodded and snapped his fingers, transforming into a human warrior’s outfit.

The dragon tribe’s appearance after transformation was similar to that of humans; their ears were slightly pointed but not as prominent as those of elves, especially since the Flame Dragon’s hair covered a lot of his ears.

Therefore, people usually identified the dragon tribe by their clothing, accessories, and weapons. The Flame Dragon dressing as a human warrior was the most suitable option.

This way, even if they encountered battles in the wild, Ying Zhao wouldn’t have to worry about being exposed unless it was a large-scale fight.

After changing outfits, the Flame Dragon smugly looked at Ying Zhao and proudly said, “Is this better now?”

Ying Zhao nodded in agreement, praising him, “This outfit suits you very well. Your Highness’s heroic presence is incomparable to anyone else’s. But I wonder how I should address you outside?”

Hearing Ying Zhao’s flattering words, the Flame Dragon’s expression brightened even more. He casually waved his hand and said, “Out there, I’ll go by the name Long Yan; just call me that.”

“Alright, Long Yan.” Ying Zhao readily complied.

But after saying that, the Flame Dragon turned to Ying Zhao, suddenly realizing he didn’t even know the name of his important servant.

He frowned and said to Ying Zhao, pursing his lips, “You haven’t told me your name yet.”

Realizing that he had overlooked such an important matter, the Flame Dragon felt he had been a bit negligent as a master. Fortunately, his servant didn’t seem to notice this point.

Ying Zhao smiled and replied, “Your Highness, my name is Zhu Mengshi, and I am the president of the Meng Shi Guild.”

​​“Zhu Mengshi.” The Flame Dragon raised an eyebrow at this title, looking somewhat displeased as he gazed at Ying Zhao. He didn’t know why, but he felt that the name was somehow off.

Seeing his lover’s furrowed brow, Ying Zhao blinked and thought perhaps the Flame Dragon was dissatisfied with the name he had given him in the game.

So, he tentatively said, “As you know, we outsiders have to use names that fit this continent. Back home, I have another name, Ying Zixi.”

Upon hearing this, the Flame Dragon’s expression finally relaxed. He nodded at Ying Zhao and said, “That name sounds much better! From now on, I’ll just call you Ying Ying!”

“Ying, Ying Ying…” When Ying Zhao heard the Flame Dragon’s nonchalant way of addressing him, the corner of his mouth twitched.

What kind of ridiculous name was that, fit for a three-year-old child! Even if you called me Zixi, or Xixi, generally speaking, people don’t use the surname to create a double name!

With a deadpan expression, Ying Zhao asked the Flame Dragon, “I think this title might not be appropriate. Can you tell me why you’re calling me Ying Ying?”

Upon hearing Ying Zhao’s question, the Flame Dragon proudly lifted his chin and replied, “Because Ying Ying sounds better!”

Just as Ying Zhao was about to raise his hand in annoyance at the Flame Dragon’s answer, he overheard the Flame Dragon mumbling to himself, “I just like the character Ying; I just like it! I’m calling you Ying Ying!”

Hearing his lover’s childish words, Ying Zhao suddenly felt that all his anger dissipated.

No matter which world he traversed to, he would always be linked to the surname Ying.

Was it because of the lingering feelings in his soul? In this virtual game world, with fewer constraints from the rules, did it allow his lover to express some small traces of himself, thus insisting on calling him Ying Ying?

In reality, among the three characters of Ying Zixi, only the character Ying truly belonged to him.

With this thought, Ying Zhao felt his heart soften completely. He bit his lip and stared intently at the Flame Dragon’s face with reddened eyes. Unable to hold back, he leaned forward and threw himself into his lover’s arms.

He wanted to embrace this person, to feel his warmth and breathe in his scent. Even if this sensation was constructed from data, who could say it wasn’t real?

The Flame Dragon was caught off guard by Ying Zhao suddenly throwing himself at him, momentarily dazed, but he instinctively tightened his arms around him.

Hearing the muffled sounds coming from the person in his embrace, he hurriedly said, a bit flustered, “You, don’t cry! I won’t call you Ying Ying anymore, okay? Just tell me what to call you!”

Ying Zhao took a deep breath, stopping the tears in his eyes, and shook his head vigorously. Then he raised his head to show the Flame Dragon a radiant smile, saying, “No, I’m just very happy. I like the title you gave me, Your Highness!”

After hearing Ying Zhao’s words, the Flame Dragon blinked in surprise. When he realized what was happening, he broke into a broad smile and felt a sense of relief wash over him.

So, it wasn’t sadness; it turned out that the title I gave was so nice that my little servant was moved to tears.

Feeling quite pleased with himself, the Flame Dragon couldn’t help but say to Ying Zhao, “What’s there to cry about? It’s just a title! Ying Ying, you’re too clingy, you know? Only a master like me can tolerate you in this world!”

While he was complaining, the Flame Dragon’s arms tightened even more. Secretly sniffing back his own tears, he felt increasingly satisfied.

His little servant was not only handsome, but he was also comfortable to hold and smelled so sweet!

One word—perfect!

After the two embraced for a while, Ying Zhao finally felt he had calmed down his emotions. As for his lover’s comment about him being clingy, Ying Zhao, having recognized the Flame Dragon’s proud nature, decided to adopt an attitude of indifference.

Thus, he followed the Flame Dragon as they boldly entered the central town of Sais through the teleportation array.

As the central city, Sais was bustling with activity. It was filled with numerous players, NPCs, and various shops where people could trade and communicate.

There were even some players who weren’t interested in combat or adventure and could choose to live a mundane life in this town. Of course, compared to other towns, Sais was the most prosperous place.

Although Journey was a Western fantasy-style game and players and NPCs had extravagant appearances, Ying Zhao and the Flame Dragon still drew a lot of attention when they appeared.

Mainly because both of them were excessively attractive; even if their looks were enhanced by twenty percent, it was easy to imagine how stunning they originally were.

Good looks always attract people’s attention, and after experiencing countless worlds, Ying Zhao had long been indifferent to the gazes of others.

As for the Flame Dragon, he had an arrogant personality. As a king of the dragon tribe, how could he not attract attention?

So, with Ying Zhao by his side, the Flame Dragon walked with great confidence, even enjoying the attention from the people around them, feeling that as the strongest king, he deserved such levels of admiration.

Ying Zhao guided the Flame Dragon through the center of the city, appreciating the local customs and culture.

Although he had already been asleep for hundreds of years in the memory of the Flame Dragon, this was merely a setting in the game.

Therefore, his impression of the concept of the central city and the changes years after the game launched was not particularly significant; he quickly adapted to the place.

However, he felt that the shops had introduced many new pieces of equipment and a variety of clothing styles, which was somewhat surprising.

Looking at the clearly marked prices in the shops and stalls, the Flame Dragon finally felt relieved. It seemed that after so many years, the prices on this continent had hardly changed, and he was still fabulously wealthy.

In that case, having this elf following him was undoubtedly the best choice. Because on this continent, no race could be richer than the Dragon Clan.

After the two of them explored the central city, the in-game time soon reached evening. Since one day in the game only equated to one hour in the real world, many players chose to continue playing during the night.

However, another group of players who preferred to follow the game’s time patterns mostly chose to rest in hotels within the town. For just one silver coin, they could have a comfortable room.

On this continent, the currency exchange units were that one gold coin equated to ten silver coins, with the silver coin being the smallest unit of currency.

Ying Zhao liked a leisurely, slow-paced life when there were no important matters at hand. So when he saw that it was getting dark, he took the Flame Dragon to the best hotel in the town.

A hotel with such luxurious decorations was much more expensive than an ordinary shop, with just an ordinary room costing one gold coin for a night.

However, for Ying Zhao, who was currently not lacking in gold coins, he naturally chose to stay there.

This hotel differed from the regular hotels in the town not only in its decoration and comfort level but also in the excellent cuisine it provided for its guests.

Although food in the game could not truly fill players’ hunger in real life, the delightful flavors could still satisfy one’s cravings.

Moreover, these delicacies were simulated and adjusted based on the authentic dishes created by star chefs in the real world by the game company.

So, for just one gold coin, Ying Zhao could comfortably stay in such a hotel and enjoy delicious food, so he certainly wouldn’t feel deprived.

The Flame Dragon accepted Ying Zhao’s arrangement with a sense of duty, believing it was what a servant should do for his master. He even felt a bit excited and looked forward to the experience of staying in a town hotel.

After all, high-level NPCs and characters like kings always resided in their own mansions or palaces.

Thus, under the ambiguous gaze of the hotel receptionist, Ying Zhao decisively spent three gold coins to book the best suite available.

NPCs in the game were very human-like, and Ying Zhao understood exactly what that ambiguous gaze meant. In this era, as long as both players were adults and consented, they could engage in certain activities in the game.

Furthermore, all sensations could be restored to a hundred percent, but any marks left on the body would be automatically refreshed and disappear after two hours.

Hence, many people enjoyed seeking excitement in such activities in the game.

However, since Ying Zhao and the Flame Dragon had only just gotten to know each other, and the man was quite a proud and childish character, still thinking of them as master and servant, he temporarily did not believe that anything would happen between him and the Flame Dragon.

So, when the hotel receptionist cheerfully asked if they needed to purchase anything to liven up their stay, Ying Zhao firmly declined.

“Hey! Ying Ying, what does he mean by buying something to help with the fun?” the Flame Dragon curiously asked Ying Zhao, feeling that the hotel staff’s gaze towards them was quite strange.

“It’s nothing,” Ying Zhao replied, not wanting to answer the question directly. After receiving the room number, he gestured for the Flame Dragon to follow him and turned to leave.

However, the Flame Dragon threw a little tantrum, stubbornly pulling at Ying Zhao. He spoke loudly, “You elf, how can you be so perfunctory with me! I want to know what those fun items are right now!”

Ying Zhao twitched his mouth, feeling that his lover was truly difficult to deal with. Seeing the curious eyes of the people in the lobby, he helplessly rubbed his forehead.

He quietly said to the Flame Dragon, “We can’t discuss that in public. I’ll tell you when we get back to the room, okay?”

The Flame Dragon nodded upon hearing this, looking at Ying Zhao’s mysterious expression. He thought that maybe it really was something secretive that people wouldn’t talk about outside. Thus, he accepted Ying Zhao’s explanation and followed him to their room.

The suite’s decoration was not as luxurious as Ying Zhao had imagined; instead, it felt cozier. Although this was somewhat unexpected, he had to say he preferred this kind of room more.

A soft carpet was laid on the floor, causing Ying Zhao to unconsciously take off his shoes. The moment his feet touched the soft texture, he felt completely relaxed.

He walked over to the sofa in the room, sat down, and stretched, feeling that the cozy atmosphere of the room was making him a bit drowsy.

The Flame Dragon, seeing Ying Zhao take off his shoes upon entering the room, followed suit and stepped onto the carpet. He then comfortably squinted his eyes.

Turning his head to look at Ying Zhao, who appeared relaxed, his gaze inadvertently drifted to the exposed soles of Ying Zhao’s feet. Unlike a woman’s petite feet, they were fair and long, with rounded and adorable toes, looking quite beautiful.

Seeing this, the Flame Dragon tilted his head and unconsciously walked up to Ying Zhao. He bent down and grabbed Ying Zhao’s foot, inspecting it repeatedly and squeezing it.

The soft texture felt just as good as he had imagined. Looking down at his own feet, he noticed that his hands were noticeably smaller than Ying Zhao’s feet.

The moment Ying Zhao felt the man squeezing his foot, he wanted to explode, quickly trying to retract his foot. However, the man’s grip was very tight, making it impossible to pull away.

He was surprised that the Flame Dragon would hold his foot, but soon, from observing the other’s expression, he realized his lover had no other intentions and seemed to be simply curious.

Nevertheless, being held and examined like this still made Ying Zhao feel inexplicably ashamed. He tried to pull back twice, but soon heard the Flame Dragon’s unhappy voice saying, “What are you doing!”

After speaking, the Flame Dragon realized he had been holding someone else’s foot for quite a while and blinked awkwardly. But seeing the blush on Ying Zhao’s cheeks, he involuntarily tightened his grip. It wasn’t until he heard Ying Zhao’s pained grunt that the Flame Dragon panicked and released his hold, standing back up.

He didn’t know why he had acted that way, holding someone else’s foot, but he felt no repulsion about it.

However, seeing Ying Zhao’s puzzled gaze, the Flame Dragon’s face flushed, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Feigning disdain, he said, “Tch, a man’s foot is so small! See? My feet are the normal size!”

Hearing the Flame Dragon’s words, Ying Zhao’s mouth twitched. He had no desire to argue with a childish brat suffering from middle school syndrome.

He couldn’t help but retort in his heart: Bro, you’re two meters tall now; are you really comparing foot sizes with my 1.8-meter height?

Fortunately, after this little episode, the Flame Dragon completely forgot about his earlier stubbornness to know what the fun items were, which relieved Ying Zhao.

Unconsciously, he reached into his pocket to touch his gold coins, originally planning to tell the Flame Dragon it was about the coins.

Because wealth should not be flaunted, he couldn’t say it in public; just counting coins could be entertaining.

He wondered if using that as an excuse would be seen through.

Ying Zhao thought, glancing at the clueless Flame Dragon, who was busy touching a huge vase in the room, and concluded quickly: Well, he probably wouldn’t see through it!

Since the room Ying Zhao chose was a suite, the two did not need to stay in the same room. The oblivious Flame Dragon didn’t mind, comfortably occupying the larger room. However, even though they weren’t in the same room, they were just a door apart, so the distance was quite close.

Ying Zhao had no objections about whether he and his lover would share a room or a bed.

He had always liked being close to his lover; it was just that their current situation was not suitable for sharing a bed. Moreover, even if something were to happen, it would require that silly dragon to regard him as his lover first.

Perhaps because he had found a man who was right beside him, Ying Zhao felt very at ease. So, he lay down on the soft, comfortable bed and quickly fell asleep.

However, the Flame Dragon in the room next door experienced an unprecedented bout of insomnia. For a dragon that could sleep for hundreds of years, this was evidently very abnormal.

He didn’t know why, but whenever he closed his eyes, Ying Zhao’s face flashed before him.