Chapter Nineteen: The Spirit Fox

"What 'play' are you talking about? You and your nonsense all day."

"I just wanted to try saying what they do on TV," Zhao Gu grumbled, her dark circles making her look somewhat resentful.

Chen Fan glanced at the TV and felt utterly helpless. Same species, different leagues. Have you ever seen a girl so bored at night that she binge-watches the entire Wrong Turn series? Chen Fan didn't know how many people like this existed in the world, but Zhao Gu was definitely number one in his book.

"Where are we going today, Chen Fan?"

"I haven't gone out much in my three years of college. There's an aquarium nearby—want to check it out?" He casually suggested. After all, in his mind, girls couldn't resist cute things.

Zhao Gu had no idea what an aquarium was, but since it was something to do, she agreed.

The aquarium wasn't close, requiring an hour-long bus ride. Before boarding, Chen Fan firmly vetoed her desire to snack on the bus.

For the first time in a while, Zhao Gu was so bored she actually fell asleep on the ride. As she leaned on his shoulder, Chen Fan had a fleeting thought—if only she could stay here forever.

"Hmm, are we there yet? This bus drives worse than my Eastern Kite," Zhao Gu muttered as she got off, still throwing in a complaint.

"Where is it, Chen Fan?"

"Let me check the map." He pulled out his phone, scanned the screen, then pointed left. "Two hundred meters away. Almost there."

Just as he started walking, he realized Zhao Gu hadn't followed. Curious, he turned back—only to see her frozen in place, staring at something ahead.

"Chen Fan, I want to play that."

Following her gaze, Chen Fan spotted a store named 'Real-Life CS.'

"You really want to play?"

"Yeah! What, don't have enough money? If not, we can go buy a lottery ticket—win a million or something."

"I've got plenty. If you want to play, let's go."

"Chen Fan, you're the best." With that, she planted another kiss on his cheek.

Chen Fan touched his face, feeling a bit lightheaded. If I keep winning the lottery like this, won't the lottery center get suspicious? But hey, money's money—the more, the better. As he walked, he started calculating how to make even more.

A Provocation

The moment they stepped inside, Chen Fan felt a pang of regret. Most of the players were in teams—how were the two of them supposed to compete?

In the corner, four or five burly men sat around a table, drinking and playing cards. Their side of the store was thick with smoke. The moment they saw Zhao Gu, their eyes nearly popped out.

One of them, a guy in a white tank top, swaggered over and smirked. "Hey, beauty, need a bodyguard? Someone strong and tough? Your little protector here doesn't seem up to the job." He glanced at Chen Fan with open disdain.

Oh, so he's just slapping me in the face now, huh? Normally, Chen Fan would've kept his head down and avoided conflict. But now? With Zhao Gu around, why should I be afraid?

"What's wrong, kid? You look like you've got something to say. Wanna test your skills?" The man sneered. At his words, the other three guys stood up, closing in.

The tank-top guy strutted over to a strength testing machine, and with a powerful roundhouse kick, he sent the meter soaring. The onlookers gasped.

"Seven hundred pounds! That's insane! I can't even imagine what would happen if a regular person took that kick."

"Seven hundred pounds… ha! Ha ha ha…"

"You gonna back down, kid? If you can't handle it, just apologize to our Bro Long."

"What do you mean, I can't handle it?" Chen Fan shot back, rolling his shoulders to warm up. The crowd stared in disbelief—how much power could such a skinny guy really have?

After a few stretches, Chen Fan leaned toward Zhao Gu and whispered, "Zhao Gu, go kick that machine harder than that guy. Don't embarrass me."

"Oh." Zhao Gu nodded, strolling over casually. Then—without any warning—she kicked.

BEEP—

The machine exploded. The pressure gauge shot to its limit and never dropped back down.

Chen Fan flexed his arms casually, and the three guys who had surrounded him instantly backed off. If the girl was already this terrifying, what about the guy?

But then—

"All done," Chen Fan announced with a shrug and walked over to the staff. "We're just two people. Can we still participate?"

"Uh… yes, yes! If there's only two of you, you can play as free agents. You can also join another team once you're inside," the receptionist stammered, her face a little pale.

"Got it. Let's go, Zhao Gu."

The Outfit Choice

To avoid dirtying players' clothes, the store provided costume gear. Interestingly, they didn't just have standard camouflage—there were also stylish anime character outfits, making it quite the gimmick.

Chen Fan browsed for a while but found nothing suitable. Frustrated, he kicked at something—a large stuffed bear head rolled out.

"What the heck? This thing must weigh at least ten kilos. Who would wear this?"

Then, something caught his eye. In the corner, a particular outfit hung on display. He walked over, took it down, and held it up against himself—perfect fit.

"Wearing this badass outfit… let's see who dares to mess with me now."

Stepping out of the changing room, he realized Zhao Gu hadn't come out yet. So, he wandered into the front area to wait.

Five minutes later—

A figure emerged from the women's changing room.

The entire room fell silent.

Anyone who had played a certain Tencent FPS game would recognize this outfit instantly—it was the "Spirit Fox" operator's uniform.

A male staff member immediately covered his nose and bolted for the restroom.

Chen Fan stood there, frozen, as Zhao Gu walked towards him, step by step.

At that moment, he wondered—had he saved the entire galaxy in his past life?

The four guys from earlier? Their stares burned even hotter.

Chen Fan smirked at them, then casually pulled Zhao Gu into his arms and swaggered into the battlefield.

One of the lackeys whispered, "Bro Long, this guy's too cocky. And what's with that weird outfit? I kinda wanna beat him up."

Hearing this, Chen Fan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Big muscles, huh? Well, do you have a girl to hold? Didn't think so.

The Special Weapon

At the entrance, the staff handed Zhao Gu a prop gun. But when it was Chen Fan's turn, he got nothing.

"Uh… excuse me? Are we out of budget or something?" he asked, baffled.

The store manager rushed over, apologetic. "Sir, my apologies. You're wearing one of our special costumes. As stated on the sign in the dressing room, special outfits come with special weapons."

"Oh? What kind of weapon?"

Chen Fan felt a thrill of anticipation—had he just unlocked some hidden pro-tier gear?

The manager hurried to the counter, rummaged through the bottom shelf, and pulled out… something.

Chen Fan stared, stunned.

My outfit is already set, and you're giving me THIS?!

"First off, congratulations, sir! You've successfully activated the 'Song Dynasty Warrior' package. Here is your weapon—the Seven-Star Crescent Blade!"

Chen Fan took the massive broadsword, his face twitching.

Then, through gritted teeth, he asked,

"…Am I allowed to curse?"