Volume 5 - CH 74.2

Besides the curiosity, Lin Qin is also feeling slightly frustrated and even slightly angry.

Not just because Xü Beijin denied the possibility of like… While it is something that relates to Xü Beijin, it is ultimately a thing that exists solely in Lin Qin’s own mind.

But also, something which Xü Beijin also thought about a little – the fact that Lin Qin, expectant, curious, troubled, went to his bookstore, and then waited for him to wake up, waited for his answer.

Lin Qin already had an answer in his mind, but Xü Beijin denied that answer.

Lin Qin can only choose to believe that answer as well, because he does not know at all, what ‘like’ really is.

Even so, that rebellious feeling dies hard, boiling in his chest. It is his feelings. Whether he likes Xü Beijin is his own thing. Why can Xü Beijin just deny that?

… Long afterwards, when Xü Beijin is already standing by his bookshelves to pick the book to read for the day, Lin Qin adds out of nowhere, “but I think, my own answer is the most important here.”

Xü Beijin gives him a look that shows he’s not getting it.

“’I like you,’” says Lin Qin, “the subject in that sentence is ‘I,’ isn’t it?”

Xü Beijin “…”

He pauses for a moment, before turning to the good little apple, and then slowly say, “the object refers to me. So, I also have the right to participate.”

Lin Qin is furrowing his brows. He thinks what Xü Beijin said is sensible, but he is feeling ever more rebellious because of that. It is getting stronger, clearer…

Finally, he knows why he is feeling like that.

Once, he desperately wanted to brawl with Xü Beijin, but Xü Beijin has shrugged him off with a similar excuse.

Yes, ‘Lin Qin wants to fight with Xü Beijin.’ The subject is ‘Lin Qin,’ the object is ‘Xü Beijin.’ The subject wants something, but the object will not let him.

… This is basically a repeat of that.

The problem, though, is that while Lin Qin can agree that ‘being brawled’ is at least dangerous and risky, but being liked? Isn’t liking him or not Lin Qin’s own, volitional act?

Therefore Lin Qin, having justified himself so, says, “I want to fight you and you refused. Now I like you, and──You refuse again?”

Xü Beijin is speechless. Shortly after, he says, “Lin Qin, you do not actually like me… it’s true. This is a different thing from brawls.”

He furrows his brows from the stress.

“But… but…” Lin Qin seems to be grasping for the right word, and finally tells him, “isn’t it the same kind of drive that makes me want to fight you, and makes me want to like you?”

Xü Beijin “…”

Please, unless you are talking about a very specific kind of ‘brawl,’ then of course not.

Xü Beijin can only sigh and then explain, “Lin Qin, I have to say, you’re too dense for this. Don’t think about it, you won’t understand. Just remember that you really don’t like me. No, you don’t.”

Lin Qin “…”

… Say.

Isn’t Xü Beijin getting more and more uppity here? No fights, ok. Now he won’t even let him like him… Why?!

And, why is he too dense? Why will he not understand? Isn’t this… you know, just ‘like’?! Why does he know he cannot understand ‘like’?

Lin Qin is very pissed off!

He is eyeing the young man standing in front of the bookshelf coldly. He thinks, yeah, he’s mad. He doesn’t want to see the guy, let alone doing favours for him, or even fight him. Appeal to him? Yeah, right, he’d…

Xü Beijin then says, “come try this book.”

“Coming,” says Lin Qin.

Recently, there have been new rumours circulating the bottom floor of the Tower.

Not that that is any surprise, as all sorts of rumours are always floating about the bottom floor. From the unverifiable conspiracy theories, to ‘news’ that came out of nowhere, Missiontakers have always been immersed in the flows, inevitably being dragged along the whirlpools of gossip.

Not long ago, there were rumours from higher floors that ‘someone has left the Tower successfully,’ so Missiontakers on the bottom floor scrambled madly for the tickets up, even stirring up those Missiontakers who have idled around for years.

Many among them ended up talking about their fired-up experiences when they reached the higher floors. When the talks dispersed in many forms, the higher floors ended up birthing the rumour of an ‘Ultimate Nightmare.’

So, Missiontakers of higher floors are descending down in droves.

This caused a rapid change of climate on the bottom floor in a short period of time, and the atmosphere also drastically soured when the many Missiontakers from the upper floor realise they have been misled, and that the rumoured ‘Ultimate Nightmare,’ that is related to the Apocalypse, memories and grey fog, isn’t actually related to the Tower itself.

It is simply the Nightmare of an ordinary Tower resident.

It may be implying some truth behind the Tower, but who knows if it’s merely a setting from the game or if it is really the truth of Earth?

The Missiontakers are truly burned out.

So much so that a majority of them has decided to just stay at the bottom floor like this. Many of them were established Missiontakers on very high floors, who have abandoned everything to return to the very first floor, wishing for an answer to everything.

Only for it to turn out to be some product of manufactured bullshit, it seems?

Most of them, perhaps unsatisfied with this bitter end, or no longer have to will to fight their way up, have stopped on the bottom floor of the Tower.

No matter what, though, there are still some who rushed down excitedly, and left disappointed, but have steeled themselves once again to climb the floors.

All in all, the situation on the bottom floor now is a renewed peace after everything boiled over for a second.

Those original Missiontakers on the bottom floor that remained in the chaos for various reasons, and those Missiontakers that have arrived and decided to stay on the bottom floor, have reached a rather strange stalemate of sorts for now.

And it is in this atmosphere that, the situation has changed all of a sudden.