The live stream chat exploded with comments about Wang Mingzhu, but Wen Zheng's next words left the live stream assistant speechless—
"I won't be able to log on for a few months after the New Year. If I'm unlucky, I might not be able to log on at all... If I'm unlucky, I'll come back."
This level of ambiguity usually fails to excite seasoned livestream viewers, but Wen Zheng never talks about his private affairs, so the shock factor from the news skyrocketed.
After the barrage of comments subsided, Wen Zheng answered a few questions and finally saw one.
-Brother Zheng, please look at me! I'll die with my eyes wide open if I don't know the answer. What exactly does your ID mean?!
Wen Zheng: "Z is the first letter of 'Zheng'. BKC is an abbreviation for 'silent Zen'. I'm not trying to keep you in suspense, I just don't really like explaining things."
He paused for a moment, then said, "I'm sorry for the delay."
"Why is it a silent Zen?" Wen Zheng read the question: "During my chuunibyou phase, I thought it was cool, and I felt that if I said something that couldn't be understood, it was better not to say it."
Wen Zheng smiled after a long pause: "I knew I shouldn't have chosen such a name. There are some things that others might not understand if you tell them, and they will never understand if you don't tell them... This is how my life is going to be, so don't follow my example."
The barrage of comments about Wang Mingzhu continued to flood in like a torrent. Wen Zheng watched and finally said, "Mingzhu isn't coming, please stop spamming."
"Why won't he come... We didn't argue. Maybe he hates me. There's no reason, I don't know."
"I was wrong too. Who was more wrong?... Me, I guess."
"Did he explicitly tell you he wouldn't be online today? He didn't say he wouldn't be online, but he also didn't say he would be online. Wait? Instead of waiting for him to come online, we might as well just watch the New Year's fireworks under the red pillar."
It was rare for Wen Zheng to say such a long string of words all at once, and the viewers in the live chat laughed, as did he. He seemed to be floating on air, like he'd drunk some fake alcohol.
"What are you laughing at!?"
Suddenly a familiar voice rang out from behind.
Wen Zheng saw the barrage of comments explode in an instant, then turned around with a straight smile.
Bei Sining bit her lower lip, her eyes watery, looking like a balloon about to burst: "I'm online now! Why did I tell them all this!"
So you're still feeling wronged?
Wen Zheng mustered his courage, strode over, and punched him in the eye.
-yoooooooooooo
-Zheng Ge: I'm not angry.
-Zheng Ge: It's all my fault.
- The real silent Zen.
Author's Note: Brother Zheng: I won't say anything, I'll take action.
Chapter 76
"Broadcast: Welcome the New Year! Happy New Year! New Year, new beginnings! The official Survival Space team has released a New Year's greeting video. Players are welcome to visit the official website or Weibo to receive blessings. There are also rewards to be won! To claim your rewards on the official website, please enter your ID..."
Bei Sining was slammed to the ground, covering one eye, her exposed skin even her fingertips were red, staring at Wen Zheng.
Wen Zheng squatted down and used one hand to brush aside a strand of hair that was covering his face.
"Do you know you were wrong?" he asked.
Bei Sining: "…………"
"You're really capable." Wen Zheng didn't need a real answer, and said coldly, "If Ye... Xiao Bing wasn't at the company today, and the letter didn't reach you, you wouldn't have gone online. So, did I say something wrong just now?"
Bei Sining suddenly raised her knee, and Wen Zheng instinctively bent his elbow to block. Then, his wrist was suddenly restrained. The long-haired beauty nimbly flipped over, twisted and pulled him down, pressing him face down close to the ground.
“We’re not talking about that,” he said irritably. “What do you mean you’re leaving? Where are you going? Why didn’t you tell me before?!”
Wen Zheng snorted lightly and said, "Did you give me a chance to speak?"
Bei Sining was very skillful; the way she pinched the joints and positioned them meant Wen Zheng could only move his fingertips. He simply stopped struggling and said in a low voice, "Isn't it you who doesn't want to know? Or are you saying you want me to tell Dahei?"
Bei Sining's expression went blank for a moment, then her anger intensified, and she shouted, "I haven't admitted it yet!"
"Let go." Wen Zheng moved slightly, not wanting to repeat himself. After Bei Sining let go, he stood up, twisted his wrist, and patted his clothes.
"Then what are you doing up here? Just looking at me? Okay, you've seen me, you can leave now."
"..." Bei Sining hesitated, then asked, "Where are you going?"
"Why would I tell an online friend where I'm going?" Wen Zheng said, turning to him sideways.
Before she could finish speaking, the announcement for the New Year was repeated over the loudspeaker. Bei Sining, quick-witted, suggested, "Let's go eat! And celebrate the New Year together?"
"I'm not going." Wen Zheng didn't even glance at him, coldly opening the queue list: "Today is the last day of the streamer competition, I have to stream. Goodbye."
The words "goodbye" struck a nerve with Bei Sining, igniting a fire in his heart that he had nowhere to vent. Clenching his fist, he said, "I'll go with you."
"Aren't you going to eat? Are you going to celebrate the New Year?" Wen Zheng asked.
"...I'm not going, I want to play games too."
-Mingzhu: A netizen.
Mingzhu: How dare a mere online friend break off our friendship!?
-Sorry I laughed for two minutes and came back. Can someone explain the progress?
Going back, analyzing their conversation reveals quite a lot of information. I'll venture a guess—Mingzhu was being difficult, and Z was trying to soothe her. Mingzhu continued to be difficult, and Z continued to soothe her. Mingzhu persisted, and Z, growing impatient, stopped trying to soothe her. Mingzhu said: "You're not even going to comfort me anymore?"
-This is poisonous!
-This is so toxic, I actually find it somewhat reasonable, it's practically brainwashing!
My Sassy Girl?
...If I had a girlfriend like that, I'd rather stay single forever, but then I think about what would happen if Mingzhu treated me like that...
-Brain
Don't even think about it. Be careful, or Brother Zheng might see you and remember you.
Who's the drama queen?! I won't stand for it!!!
-I did a spectacular comeback! It's been so long since I've seen them stream together! Zheng Ge can finally bring his personal gadget detector; this old mother is heartbroken and sheds tears.
Looking at the platform, out of the participants in the livestreaming competition, only eight livestreamers are still broadcasting... eight famous single guys.
Don't say it, it's too heartbreaking.
Wen Zheng lowered his eyes, his hand hovering over the random queuing button for a moment.
It wasn't that he didn't cherish the last moments they had together; rather, he felt that since they didn't have time to develop a deeper relationship, stopping at this moment was fine.
He met an ordinary online friend by chance in the game, and they cooperated perfectly. If the result was good, he could relive the game for many days.
Bei Sining applied to join a team, and when he agreed, he pressed the random button. Blue light enveloped the two of them, and they turned into specks of light and flew towards the sky.
***
Welcome to the dungeon: [Twins]
Time limit: None
Level (tentative): Five stars
The small cubicle had a malfunctioning, rhythmically flickering incandescent light bulb overhead. Wen Zheng opened his eyes, but the bright light made him close them again, squinting to adjust for a moment.
"Bei Sining?"
There was no response from those around him. He opened his eyes and saw a partition door with glue residue on it.
Bei Sining was absent, and the chat window for contacting friends was blocked. He was in a confined space, isolated from his teammates. Just like the beginning of rescuing Susan, there was also a personal storyline, which is common in large dungeons. Wen Zheng didn't pay attention to it and observed his surroundings.
Behind him was a toilet, with black stains on the floor. The stall door was tightly closed, and he tried to press the button to open it, but the door wouldn't budge.
The cramped environment was frightening. Wen Zheng suddenly remembered something and glanced at the dungeon title again—[Gemini].
That sounds so familiar, where have I heard it before?
Gemini! Zheng-ge, have you forgotten? May's masterpiece this year!
- Please don't mention May, okay?
-Yeah, it took Zheng Ge so long to get rid of that image, don't even mention it, it gives the public a bad impression.
-Who said Z-da broke up with her? Has she ever said a bad word about May? I'm a May fan, and I only started following her because Z-da sided with her. I even gave her gifts to get started, so I have the right to speak, right? If you don't let me speak, I'll unfollow and turn against you.
-I'm drunk. Zheng Ge has plenty of fans, he doesn't need another one.
- Don't make a fuss
-Yeah, if you keep arguing, we'll report you. I never see you guys paying attention to which architect designed which game, and you're just making a big deal out of nothing.
-This is Z's live stream. The dungeon isn't the most important thing. We just want to watch Z. Can those who are stirring up trouble leave now?
...
The barrage of comments was so dense that Wen Zheng only remembered after glancing at it that this was a new dungeon that Yu Jin had created this year, which was said to have already achieved a platinum rating.
It was because of this notebook that he was recognized and unfortunately suffered from cyberbullying.
The Platinum Dungeon is among the best in terms of both difficulty and storyline each year. Since it was made by someone he knew, Wen Zheng asked the viewers to stop their insults and started looking for clues to distract everyone.
The door was closed.
Public restrooms don't have locks and keys, so the reason he couldn't open it must be because the plot hasn't reached that point yet.
Apart from the toilet, tissue box, and floor tiles, everything was laid out in the open. The water tank wasn't the old model that could be opened either; they quickly turned everything upside down.
Do we have to climb out through the empty space on the top of the cubicle?
still……
Wen Zheng decisively knelt on one knee, turned his head to the side, and looked out through the twenty-centimeter gap.
A pair of feet.
Next, his gaze met a pair of eyes.
"!" Wen Zheng felt a chill run down his spine and almost kicked the person, but at the last moment, reason prevailed, and he gradually calmed his breathing.
There was a child, in a similar posture, squatting in the next room, peering at him through the gap under his feet.
"Mr. Ghost," the child spoke, his voice still childish and not yet puberty. Wen Zheng judged that he was most likely still in the lower grades.