Four Split Personalities

After a somewhat painful interlude, Motan took about fifteen minutes to briefly outline his early adventure in the game to Cordova. He started with his recruitment in Stacked Rock City within the Marshal Territory, followed by the Fenrir Team heading to the Fire Claw Territory for their mission and encountering infighting among the Grey Serpents. Eventually, after learning the details of the slave trade, excluding two players, everyone on the Fenrir Team was killed and the team was disbanded...

Later on, Double Leaf stayed in the Violet Empire to cooperate with the Fire Claw, while Motan headed north in search of Fire Yang’s support from the Holy Mountain and got caught up in the Misha County incident due to a mix-up while meeting Yu Chen.

"You’ve had quite an eventful few months, haven’t you?"

Cordova glanced at Motan expressionlessly, then squeezed his fist tightly, "But that Baffi Marshal really deserves to die, and considering that the Miss Double Leaf seems to be single, it looks like I really need to make a trip to the Violet Empire."

Motan chuckled dryly and spread his hands, "I suggest you better not mess with that lady, you might get played to death."

Yu Chen, who had already heard these stories from Motan, looked calm but was somewhat anxiously fiddling with the corner of her clothing, murmuring, "It would be nice if the Holy Church Union could help. The slave trade and all that, it’s just too much..."

"Forget about it."

Cordova twisted his mouth, speaking with a look of disgust, "You should know that when the two Saintesses were fighting for their lives within the Holy Land, they received little help from them. It’s been several dozen days since the Holy Mountain Sumier has been grappling with Evil God believers, and the Holy Church Union has yet to send formal assistance. The idea of them helping the Violet Empire put down civil unrest and execute rebels is out of the question."

Motan nodded slightly, saying softly, "Not only that, even if the Holy Church wanted to help and had enough enforcement power, the Violet Empire itself might not want the former to interfere in its internal affairs. But you guys don’t have to worry too much. According to the information Double Leaf gave me, the Marshall Family has been driven into a corner. If nothing unexpected happens, defeat is just a matter of time under the joint suppression of several lords. So even if Cordova, you don’t go actually..."

"No, I have to go."

Cordova shook his head, revealing a rather fierce smile, "I’ve still got a score to settle with the Marshall Family."

Motan and Yu Chen were both taken aback and exclaimed in unison, "What score do you have with them?"

"Hehe..."

The Rune brute in front of them chuckled mysteriously, probing Motan with deep meaning, "You really have no clue?"

Motan: ???

"Ah, I should have told you. Before I turned into what I am now, my experience in the game was never all that great," Cordova sighed wistfully and said gravely, "The first time I entered the game, I was a human named Cordova, much better looking than this, exactly like me in real life. Then, while doing the introductory quest... I got caught in a crazy brawl and died within less than fifteen minutes."

This was indeed a sad story, which Motan and Yu Chen had already heard several times during the New Year. But both were considerate enough not to interrupt him.

"Playing a game, dying a few times is just normal, so I didn’t get discouraged. Instead, I created a new character immediately."

Cordova told the story lightly, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow, "The second time, I became a Sand Spirit, and to be honest, I really wanted to delete my account then. But since I was their King, surrounded by many adoring and believing kin, I endured. After that, I made a deal with a mysterious person to attack some damn Caravan. Given that they claimed the defense was weak and we had outside support, plus the reward for the quest was really attractive, I agreed. And then... leading my group to charge, my head got blown off by a Lizardman, claiming to be the second-in-command, with his last words being ’Eat my Idari Fire Gun.’"

Yu Chen’s expression had changed from bewildered to sympathetic; she was the kind of girl who, if you told her the same story ten times, would be moved each time...

Whereas Motan’s expression started to become strange, he seemed to remember something that needed attention and felt a bit pained.

"The third time..."

Cordova was still going on, his tone as flat as a millpond, "I became a human again and appeared in a city, which then inexplicably got slaughtered. Naturally, I didn’t survive either."

He laughed at himself.

Both listeners swallowed reflexively.

"The fourth time, I became a soldier, a regular member of a squad called Flame Sun within the Marshal Autonomous Army of Stacked Rock City. I had a few peaceful days..."

Cordova stepped forward to pat Motan’s shoulder, shaking his head, "Just didn’t see you at the barracks then..."

"Ah!"

Yu Chen instinctively covered her mouth, looking shocked at the two, "You were comrades in arms!"

Frankly, in a scene like this, if you removed the soundtrack and muted the subtitles, her saying ’You’re actually GAY’ would have been completely in tune.