The Great Thief

”Just talk to us; we already know anyway,” Lu Li said ambitiously, giving off an air that he knew exactly where this conversation would go.

”I’m really curious as to how you found out, but I guess it doesn’t matter,” Nuo Yu said as he smiled bitterly then continued, ”But you’re right – I am the Gangnam Royal’s undercover player and I have been for a few years.”

”Not much information gets by us, but I’m really puzzled as to why you didn’t take the elite group offer,” Lu Li asked.

”Players who have successfully gone undercover for 3 years are referred to as deep undercover players. Those who have been undercover successfully for 5 years are generally referred to as gold medal undercover players. After being undercover for a long time, the job gets easier. You are treated well, and you don’t have to worry about food. So logically, the process should get easier with time…” Nuo Yu didn’t directly answer Lu Li’s question and began talking about something seemingly unrelated.

Then he bitterly cried out, ”But do you understand that this isn’t a proper way to live? I have to pretend that everything is going fine and infiltrate as deeply as possible before giving it all away. Last year, I saw several dozen psychiatrists…”

Lu Li and Square Root 3 remained silent. They knew that undercover players who were discovered were kicked out. Undercover players were like viruses to guilds. If they didn’t paralyze them, they would definitely slow them down. However, they had never thought about the feelings of an undercover player before, so they didn’t know what to say.

”So, what do you plan to do now?

”What do you guys want to do, now that you know the truth?”

”We’ll need to see what you want to do before we can make out decision.” Lu Li actually didn’t want to kick him out from the guild, even though that was probably the easiest and most effective thing to do.

”I don’t want to do anything. I haven’t given up any information about anything yet, not even the Howling Caves strategy,” Nuo Yu said weakly.

”You’re third on the Guild Quest rankings and you’re part of the team that clears the Howling Caves. Have you considered a different life?” Lu Li tentatively asked. ”Since you’re tired of it, why not change the direction that your life is heading in?”

Guild Quests rankings were very important; the top three could stand to make nearly tens of thousands of dollars. It was likely that it wasn’t much worse than being undercover.

”I promised the Gangnam Royals to be an undercover player,” Nuo Yu said painfully.

”For life?” Lu Li asked.

”Maybe. I don’t know when I finish or when they will end the deal,” Nuo Yu replied.

”Have you signed an agreement with them?” Lu Li was surprised. He had never heard of an undercover player signing an agreement. Having the recognition of the law must have at least legitimized it.

”You’ve been doing so much for them and for so many years. Did they save your life?” Even Square Root 3 had to say something.

”No. When I was still in school, my mother got sick. I had to borrow a large sum of money for her treatment but no one else would lend any to me. Luckily, I found Heart of War, who was the director of our school at the time.” Nuo Yu’s perspective of Heart of War was a complex one – filled with gratefulness and resentment at the same time.

”Can’t you just return the money?” Lu Li asked.

”He said that it was a gesture of good faith at the time,” Nuo Yu insisted.

”Gangnam Royals must be really good at doing business. To me, it seems like you have long since repaid this good faith,” Lu Li mockingly said.

”Leave this matter to me; I’ll have a chat with him,” Square Root 3 offered.

”He is a stubborn man.” Nuo Yu didn’t have much hope in the situation.

”When you are the person sitting in front of him, he may be quite stubborn. Hopefully, he isn’t when I am sitting in front of him,” Square Root 3 laughed.

Nuo Yu kept his promises. Although he was a little inflexible, he was actually a man of principle.

Square Root 3’s solution was simple – he was going to meet up with the gaming report and write up a press release. Then, he was going to send that to Heart of War.

”Aren’t you afraid of some secret retaliation?” Lu Li asked Square Root 3.

Although he had never been in a big guild before, he knew that each guild had a small hunting party that was made up of assassins. They were quite a small part of the guild, but they were used in situations like this.

”Nope. As long as there is someone watching out for me, I should be able to send the press release,” Square Root 3 sneered. ”Heart of War knows my connections; he wouldn’t take the risk.”

Other guilds might not buy it, but Heart of War might.

”No wonder the news of our movements spread so quickly, and they also paint us in such a good light. Oh yeah, do we want to kill Heart of War?” Lu Li was feeling a little trigger happy.

Poor Heart of War had no idea that Lu Li had set his sights on him. His level wasn’t low, but he had average technique. He wouldn’t stand a chance against Lu Li.

”I don’t think Heart of War will give us that opportunity; he’s not that arrogant.” Square Root 3 seemed like he had dealt with him before. He appeared to understand him very well.

”How unfortunate.”

Lu Li was farming as he chatted. He was almost halfway into level 28.

Other players had no chance of getting half a level in one whole day, but Lu Li could do it in just half a day. Although his equipment repair fees were a little expensive, he had been able to make ends meet.

At the Gangnam Royals’ Virtual Entertainment Game Company – the President’s Office.

Heart of War was furious. After he hung up the phone, he threw a jade lion at the wall and broke it. That was at least ten thousand dollars wasted.

”Damned, ungrateful Nuo Yu!” he roared.

”Do you want the hunting group to hunt him down?” his assistant asked. There had been similar occurrences in the past, and they were dealt with severely so as to deter other traitors.

”All you know is fighting and killing – do you even have a brain?” Heart of War said angrily. ”If we look for trouble now, wouldn’t it be obvious to Square Root 3 that it was us?”

”But we can’t just forget it,” the assistant responded.

”Well.” Heart of War held his forehead and let out a long sigh.

The Gangnam Royals were only just holding on to second place. If news of their spying got out, their image would be ruined. Moreover, his technique of helping out sick mothers to strong-arm their sons into working for them was worse than just sending a sleeper agent into other guilds.

Society hated the rich, and they hated heartless rich people even more.

Heart of War’s personal prestige was good. He came from a rich family that focused on education and charity.

This press release was enough to completely destroy the image they had been keeping up, but the most important thing was the evidence. Once the details of his undercover players were exposed, those other big guilds would never forgive him.

He couldn’t imagine what the consequences of this would be.

”Let’s not do anything yet; we’ll deal with this later. Doesn’t Lu Li have PVP points? Put up a large bounty on his head and don’t let him farm.” Heart of War’s lips were dry, but he had no choice but to accept Square Root 3’s terms.

Posting a bounty on Lu Li’s head would cause him trouble. Every time he wanted to farm, he would have to find an unusual spot. Otherwise, he would be surrounded by a group of players.

His levelling speed was affected, but he still rose to level 30 after three days.