Game Era – Lost Odyssey

With a pfft, Xia Feng spat out his gum, stood up, and strode toward the door. Without looking back, he tossed over his shoulder, “I don’t work for anyone. Find someone else!”

“It’s not a job—it’s an adventure. Or think of it as an unprecedented All-Around Extreme Challenge! A test of every limit a person’s got!” the host called after him hurriedly.

Xia Feng’s steps slowed, finally halting at the door, though he didn’t turn around. The host smirked faintly, took a shallow sip of red wine, licked his lips, and said leisurely, “A century-old Martini from the Athena, sunk in the Atlantic in 1873—not something money alone can get you. Don’t you want a taste?”

Xia Feng turned back, sauntering over to face the host. Casually picking up the wine glass on the desk, he tilted it, pouring the contents slowly over the papers until not a drop remained. Setting the empty glass down, he shot the host a challenging sidelong glance. “What’s my reward?”

“Nothing,” the host replied, unfazed by Xia Feng’s stunt, even sipping his own wine with relish. The answer threw Xia Feng off for a moment before he burst into laughter, mocking, “What, there’s still fools out there working for free these days? Who’d do anything without a payoff?”

“There is—you!” The host’s expression didn’t flicker under Xia Feng’s taunts. Xia Feng’s face darkened. “You calling me a fool?”

Ignoring the glare, the host gazed at his own slender hand, musing, “Or maybe Jasina too. I’ve been torn between you both all along.”

The anger in Xia Feng’s eyes faded. After a silence, he popped a fresh piece of gum into his mouth, shrugged casually, and said, “Alright, what’s the gig? I’ll humor my curiosity.”

The host looked up, a fleeting glint of triumph flashing behind his rimless glasses before vanishing. Instead of answering, he countered, “Ever played Real Illusion?”

Xia Feng snorted. “Only an idiot hasn’t.”

“Think it’s the ultimate extreme competition ground? Ever imagined a real showdown there?”

Xia Feng blinked, a strange look crossing his face. Baffled, he replied, “I don’t have the patience to slog through infancy and babbling just to grow up for some virtual match. Plus, Real Illusion doesn’t have extreme rivals, and in that world, I wouldn’t even remember who I am.”

“You mean the real-memory suppression feature?” The host smirked confidently. “What if I told you I’ve got a way to keep your identity intact, skip the long childhood, and drop you into Real Illusion as you are now—no need to learn their language either? Would you still say no?”

A spark flared in Xia Feng’s eyes. “They say Real Illusion has cheat codes for memory retention and direct entry. That true?”

“Of course it is,” the host grinned smugly, then sighed with regret. “Too bad those codes are about to expire.”

Excitement flickered in Xia Feng’s gaze but quickly dulled. He shook his head slowly. “An unfair match holds no appeal. And competing with normies? Pointless.”

“What about Dumas?”

“What?”

“Heard you claim you beat Dumas, which is why he skipped this Extreme Olympics.” The host flicked a glance at the aquamarine amulet peeking from Xia Feng’s shirt. “But did you know he’s in this city right now? While you were competing, he was on the other side, snatching three top-tier items from me at the annual Real Illusion gear auction.”

Shock stirred in Xia Feng, outweighed by confusion. The host locked eyes with him. “I don’t doubt your extreme sports chops, but I’d bet Dumas threw that fight on purpose—to dodge the spotlight and prep for a new extreme adventure. Three straight All-Around King titles? Another win’s meaningless to him. He shelled out big for Real Illusion gear—he’s heading to Atlantis. That’s where the real thrills and challenges he craves are!”

“Atlantis? What’s he doing there?” Xia Feng frowned. “I heard the gaming alliance plans to wipe it out. If Dumas goes now, he might not even finish a virtual childhood before that Cloud Universe world—and him—go up in smoke.”

“I’m not the only one with memory-retention and direct-entry cheat codes,” the host sighed. “Dumas has them too, and probably others.”

“What are they after there?” Xia Feng pressed again.

“That’s what makes this extreme competition interesting!” A gleam danced in the host’s eyes. “I don’t know what Dumas wants, or who else might be going, but I’m damn sure he’s not vacationing in Atlantis. Only an unmatched challenge would make him ditch the Extreme Olympics in such a humiliating way. If you want to truly beat him, stop him! Kill him! Whatever his endgame is!”

Seeing doubt linger in Xia Feng’s eyes, the host grinned suddenly. “Aren’t you curious about Dumas’s moves? Don’t you want to know why he’s hitting Atlantis? Don’t you crave a real deathmatch with him—a true Ultimate Hunt?”

“Something’s off,” Xia Feng sidestepped the questions, firing back, “What’s this got to do with you? Why’re you so obsessed with Dumas? What’s in it for you?”

“Curiosity!” The host chuckled. “Plus, I’ve got a grudge. Seeing Dumas flop is my greatest joy!”

“Don’t play me for a fool!” Xia Feng’s face hardened, stepping toward the door. The host shook his head with a wry smile. “Can’t fool you, huh? Fine, the truth: I bet a friend I could outsmart All-Around King Dumas with my wits. Word spread quietly in high society. When Dumas secretly headed to Atlantis, they dared me to use this chance to ruin him—take him down in Cloud Universe. Tons of tycoons jumped in on the wager, betting on Dumas to win. The stakes are astronomical, and I’m in too deep to back out. Losing means bankruptcy and a leap off a building. So, I need you—the best rider besides Dumas—to help me. Don’t you ache to take him down? Hunt him in Real Illusion?”

His pleading eyes locked onto Xia Feng, pitiful and desperate. Xia Feng wavered. The mention of Dumas ignited a flame of hatred in his gaze—a secret, a weakness.

Even without this request, learning Dumas was off to Atlantis would’ve drawn him there anyway. So, he nodded. “Fine! I’ll be your fool this once—no reward, just your pawn!”

“Fantastic!” The host clapped, elation bursting forth. “I’ll have my secretary brief you on sneaking into Cloud Universe with the cheat codes, then send you in. I’ve prepped a Real Illusion super-item for you—Cloak of Invisibility. Hope it helps. But listen: the direct-entry code’s cost is steep, and the system won’t let the same person trick it twice. You’ve got one shot—guard your game life! Let’s call this op Ultimate Hunt!”

“I’m running this show—no one’s calling the shots for me!” Xia Feng’s parting words rang out as he left.

Once the secretary led Xia Feng out, the host’s pitiful expression vanished, replaced by a smug glint. The room fell quiet for a moment before he tossed out abruptly, “Well?”

“One’s naive, the other’s cunning—like a fox and a lamb teaming up,” came the instant reply from the dark corner. “That gambling lie actually worked. Even got him soft-hearted enough to work for free!”

The host smirked triumphantly. “You don’t get it. Rich kids like him don’t give a damn about money. Offer a reward, and he’d scoff at us—too cheap. Skip it entirely, against all logic, and you spark his curiosity. People can be that twisted!”

“But now there’s no guarantee he’ll do our bidding,” the corner voice fretted.

“So what?” The host chuckled. “We never needed him to do much—just a decoy, a scapegoat. The fewer who know our real goal, the safer. I decided on the fly not to leak a hint of our plan to him. With Dumas crashing the party, let them slug it out.” His gaze shifted to the corner. “Time for you to gear up—you’re the real star of this show.”

The shadow in the corner stepped into dimmer light—a lean, upright figure in black, average height leaning short, exuding a stark, solitary pride. A stray sunbeam slipped through the curtain, hitting his face, casting its gaunt pallor into stark relief—like a living corpse untouched by daylight. His dark, icy eyes flickered with an eerie, otherworldly chill. His age? Who could pin down a zombie’s years?

“Shame Dumas nabbed those three top-tier items,” the host lamented. “To sell the decoy act, I gave the kid Cloak of Invisibility. That leaves you with just Sky Eye and Heart-Seizing Charm—tougher odds now.”

“You should’ve given him those too,” the man in black said coolly, his voice brimming with innate confidence and pride. “You know I don’t need them.”

The host studied him, admiration and trust growing in his eyes. Slowly, he extended a hand. “Good luck!” Their hands clasped firmly.