Eternal Moon northern headquarters, the dining hall.
Lin Yixin, He Yi and I were immediately greeted by the sight and smell of a tableful of delicious food when we entered the dining hall. Ling Xue, Shusheng and Zhang Chun were with us as well.
“Have you found Xinran inside the game, Lu Chen?” Zhang Chun asked.
I sat down and nodded. “Yeah. She’s currently staying in the Violet Empire.”
“That’s good, that’s good. It looks like this lunch is the celebratory feast then!”
“Oh, I’m so hungry…”
I did a quick count in my head and realized that it had been over 15 hours since I ate anything. Without hesitation, I grabbed a pair of chopsticks and slid three slices of braised pork down my throat. Ah, nothing more invigorating than a slice of meat or three. Ling Xue didn’t take a seat yet, however. She poured each of us a glass of purple red wine before raising her glass. “Congratulations to Lu Chen for finding Xinran in the game. It’s not over yet, but at least we’ve completed the first step, right everyone?”
She kicked Shusheng beneath the table right as she finished her sentence. The guy immediately bounded to his feet and raised his own glass. “Totally. We are all happy that Lu Chen found Xinran so soon!”
I drained my glass and said, “Thank you!”
Zhang Chun said, “If we take yesterday into account, it means that Lu Chen has spent 8 days and nights searching for Xinran. It wasn’t an easy journey, and it’s not over yet. If you succeed in waking up Xinran though, you will become one of the greatest heroes of the China server ever, Lu Chen!”
I was confused. “Er, I don’t get what you mean, Uncle Zhang Chun?”
Zhang Chun shot me a mysterious smile and motioned at Shusheng and Ling Xue. “Don’t ask me, ask them. They are the ones who are truly involved in this. Long story short, there is an unbelievable amount of interest invested in the awakening of Xinran. Like seriously, just look at these two. When have you ever seen them eat lunch with an acquaintance so earnestly? It’s because they are invested in this matter, of course…”
So I looked at Ling Xue and asked, “Can you explain this to me, President Ling?”
Ling Xue sucked in a deep breath and rose to her feet. She pulled her jacket closer, but it wasn’t enough to cover up her proud pair of 34Ds. She looked at me for a few seconds before starting, “I’m only going to say this once, so listen well, Lu Chen. The founding father of Eternal Moon Corporation, Dong Ren, still holds 25% of the company’s shares, even though he passed away years ago. It is because he stated in his will that the shares would be transferred to his daughter when she awakens. Xu Ning may be the CEO of the Chinese branch, but he doesn’t even hold 1% of the company’s shares. In fact, I hold more of the company’s shares than he does. Anyway, the point is…”
She paused suddenly, so I urged her, “The point is?”
She smirked a little before continuing, “The point is, if Xinran is still in a coma after she becomes an adult, the 25% shares that are supposed to go to her will be diluted into common shares. Do you know how much money that is? That is around 250 billion USD being pulled out of China’s pockets and distributed across the entire world! Xinran is already 17 years old, and she’ll be 18 next month!” (Author’s Note: Eternal Moon’s total assets are 1 trillion[1] USD)
Me: “…”
Pa…
I had fallen back into my seat before I realized it. In fact, my wine glass nearly slipped through my hand. “X-Xinran is that… important…?”
Shusheng nodded. “That’s right. Within the company, we call her the little princess of Eternal Moon. After all, she’ll immediately become the largest shareholder of the company and its true CEO across the entire globe. I don’t need to explain to you how much interest is involved in this, do I? It’s also why this building is guarded by so many armed guards. Both the VR department and the economy department have also invested much energy into our headquarters as well. That is why Xinran must awaken no matter what!”
I sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “Understood. I’ll do my best. But uh, I still can’t see how either of you have any direct interest in this matter. Even if Xinran awakens, and 25% of Eternal Moon’s assets remain in China, how do you stand to profit from this?”
Ling Xue chuckled. “Silly boy! Think about the return of capital! If the shares were to remain in China, then the China server will immediately become the biggest investor of the corporation. Our influence over the game’s many aspects will massively increase, and our ability to make money through it will increase as well. Since we are the persons-in-charge of the southern headquarters of the China server, that means we’ll be promoted to a higher position, and we’ll be paid a much bigger salary…”
“Fuck. Now I understand…”
Ling Xue straightened her skirt and looked at He Yi. “By the way, Mrs. Genius CEO of GGS—er, I mean Eve. I know Xinran and Lu Chen are very close, but—assuming that she awakens—please don’t use that relationship to target Blue Star’s piece of the pie…”
He Yi toyed with her wine glass and answered smilingly, “Don’t worry. My eyes are set on the entire world, so why would I narrow myself to just the small gaming industry that is the China server?”
Shusheng shuddered from head to toe. “No! I have a bad feeling about this! Please show mercy to our money, Beauty Eve…”
I chuckled. “Relax, you two. We aren’t the type of people who’ll pull the carpet from underneath you. Anyway, let’s finish this quickly, shall we? I want to catch a quick nap before I go back online!”
“Okay!”
……
I fell asleep almost immediately after I returned to my room and hit the pillow.
An unknown amount of time later, I awoke to Lin Yixin knocking on my door and saying loudly, “Wake up already, Little Cheat! Xinran has been transferred to the Sun Ward, and everyone’s just waiting for you to meet her! ‘A quick nap’ my ass, it’s past 7 in the morning already, you lazy donkey…”
I sat up and complained, “A mill donkey never stops rotating the mill, and yet you would call it lazy? How is that fair to the donkey at all?”
Lin Yixin giggled. “Fine, fine, I was wrong. Now get up already. I’ll be waiting for you in Sister Eve’s room.”
“Okay!”
After I washed myself and put on a new set of clothes, I went to He Yi’s room as Lin Yixin had asked earlier. I saw both girls sitting in front of a notebook reading something on the display. Also, they were dressed even better than normal for some reason. Perhaps they felt threatened after meeting Ling Xue yesterday?
I took a moment to admire both girls. To be honest, truly beautiful women would look good no matter what they wore, especially sexy and classy women like He Yi and Lin Yixin. They could put on a simple shirt and make it look like an international brand. Even from the entrance, they looked like a pair of superstars.
“What are you guys looking at?” I asked.
“We’re reading about the third ascended player…”
“The fuck? Someone ascended and became a god again?” I exclaimed in surprise.
“Yep. Why don’t you make a guess?” Lin Yixin asked smilingly.
I fell silent for a moment before trying, “Li Chengfeng!”
“He doesn’t have the karma…”
“Gui Guzi?”
“He doesn’t have the looks…”
“It can’t be… Du Thirteen?”
“He isn’t Level 250 yet…”
“Damn… who the heck is it, Yiyi?”
Lin Yixin showed me the display and revealed the answer, “It’s Sister Wang Luo. Her throne is the Order Divine Throne, and she has Unusual Physique, Flight, and Elemental Infusion. It increases her hidden Magic Attack by 180%, or so I’ve heard…”
I grimaced. “God damn, I’m moving out of her path the next time I meet her…”
He Yi giggled. “She probably thinks the same thing you know. What mage would want to fight against an inhuman divine melee fighter like you?”
I shrugged. “Let’s go. We’re meeting Xinran after we finish breakfast.”
“Yeah.”
……
After we finished breakfast, we followed two employees in white coats into the Sun Ward.
Crack!
I was the first person to enter the room. There was a huge sick bed in the high-class ward, and Xinran was lying on top of it. She was dripping, but her body had clearly been cleaned. She was currently dressed in simple patient clothes, and her eyes were closed and unmoving.
Xu Ning was standing beside the bed with his arms crossed. “Oh, you’re here. Come, Lu Chen…”
I nodded and strode over, but my gaze never left Xinran’s face for even a moment. It was such a beautiful face, and it was nearly the same as she was inside the game. It felt like a dream. Just a day ago, I would never imagine that I would meet Xinran in real life, much less the unbelievable truth behind it all.
I held Xinran’s hand and grasped it gently. It felt cool to touch.
“It’s me, Xinran. Can you hear me?”
At the side, Professor Wang was looking at a medical instrument display. He shook his head and said, “It’s not working. Her brain activity is stable and unchanging.”
Xu Ning said, “There’s no need for haste. Lu Chen still needs some time.”
I pursed my lips. “Can you guys leave the room for a bit? I would like to be alone with Xinran.”
“Sure!”
……
He Yi was the last person to leave the sick ward. She pointed at the lounge next to the ward and said, “Yiyi and I will be waiting for you next door. Wake up Xinran soon, okay? I still have seven or eight meetings to attend in the south…”
I let out a chuckle and nodded. “Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll do my best!”
“I trust you!”
……
The door closed. Now, there was only me and Xinran.
I held Xinran’s hand tightly as I took a seat next to her. I said quietly, “You said you were afraid that I’m not here in the real world, that it will all just be a dream when you open your eyes. However, this world is the real world to me. Don’t you wish to touch me in the real world, Xinran? I promised you I would show you the colors of the sun, the smell of a rose, and the songs of birds. Not in the game, but in real life, so wake up, Xinran. Your big brother doesn’t have much time left, you know?”
My sleeve slid down and revealed a patch of light purple skin. My heart ached again as I pressed Xinran’s tiny hand to my cheek while holding back the tears. “I want to hear your voice and feel my gaze on you while I’m still alive, Xinran. Wake up please, Xinran? I want to see you. I… I really don’t have much time left…”
Beep… beep…
Suddenly, I noticed a massive amount of brain activity on the instrument display.
I wiped my tears away while murmuring, “Xinran… could you hear me, Xinran?”
Suddenly, a rapping noise appeared from outside the door. I heard Professor Wang shouting, “Lu Chen, we noticed the big miss’s brain activity peaking! What did you do? Can we come in?”
I hurriedly rolled back my sleeve before answering, “Yeah. Come in!”
Everyone rushed back to the room, but their faces quickly became dyed with disappointment once more. It was because Xinran still hadn’t awakened.
“It’s only a short burst, it seems. Her brain activity still hasn’t reached the point where she can awaken…” Professor Wang shook his head in disappointment before saying, “Never mind. Let’s get out. We shouldn’t disturb the big miss’s rest any longer.”
Xu Ning also nodded. “Mn. Remember to provide her with the necessary nutrients for noon, and expose her to a suitable amount of sunlight.”
Meanwhile, Zhang Chun clapped my shoulder consolingly and said, “Don’t be sad, Lu Chen. You still have plenty of chances to try. Let’s head out and give Xinran the rest she needs.”
……
Everyone began walking out of the sick ward. I too rose to my feet and tried to leave until suddenly, I realized that I couldn’t move my hand. Xinran’s hand clenched tightly around mine, and a pair of tears dripped down her still closed eyes—
“Big brother…”
1. There are companies in the world like BlackRock that have assets worth 165 billion, but assets under their management are 10.1 TRILLION. It’s the first time I actually think author’s numbers make sense. Obviously, assets and assets under management (AUM) are two different things. It would still put Eternal Moon at double of AT&T, our world’s biggest company, and 3x the assets of Apple ☜
