Chapter 176 - Unexpected Accident
Chapter 176 Unexpected Accident
Everybody was surprised to see that Roland was really confused. Could Li Lin have misunderstood something?
Li Lin, however, smiled. “That girl looks exactly like a caring wife that you want to marry. She’s beautiful and graceful. More importantly, she’s obviously nice to Roland.”
Everybody else nodded with great interest.
Roland began to list all the girls of his age that he knew and categorized them. Soon, he found the girl that best matched Li Lin’s description. He was shocked. “Are you talking about Sands? She likes me? That’s impossible!”
Li Lin simply said, “Just recall when you’re with Night Tide Sands!”
Roland thought for a moment and said, “I’m pretty sure that she absolutely doesn’t like me.”
In the past months, Night Tide Sands had left Roland the impression that she was cold and tranquil. She never rushed into anything. Although she was rather mean when they first met, she was easy to get along with although she could be indifferent.
Roland thought that Night Tide Sands was a nice girl, but he never thought that she liked him.
Roland had girlfriends in college, and he knew that a girl’s eyes would glow when she saw a guy she liked. Night Tide Sands’ eyes did not glow at all when she saw him. But she was a great girl. She made delicious breakfast and seemed good at embroidery. After they got to know each other, Roland felt that she would make an excellent wife too.
However, it didn’t mean that she would like him back. That was not the same.
Li Lin frowned at Roland. “You can’t see it because you’re in the game.”
Roland shrugged. “I suspect that you’re only overthinking it.”
“Fine.” Seeing that Roland was not to be convinced, Li Lin sighed.
At this point, Schuck asked, “Did you do something fun together?”
“Yes.” Roland told them what happened. Everybody was lost for words after hearing that.
Pouring a cup of cola for himself, Schuck said, “Li Lin is a barbaric Berserker, it’s not unusual for him to learn blade arts. But why did you join him when you’re a Mage?” “Hehe. After I learn all of the buffing spells, I can beat all of you with a miaodao!” Since they were close friends, Roland simply chuckled and said, “Just don’t cry and ask for your mom then.”
He received five middle fingers, and Betta simply chuckled at them.
At this point, Roland said to Betta. “I’ve always felt that something is wrong. It turns out to be
you.”
Betta was surprised. “What’s wrong with me?”
“Your semester started three months ago. Why are you still here?”
“My college is located in a neighboring city.” Betta chuckled. “It takes me only an hour to go there by train… Besides, it’s the weekend. Is it really surprising that I come home during the day? I can always return to my game cabin in the house I’ve rented in that city before half past ten at night.”
Had he chosen a college near home in order to play games? Sometimes, local students of a college could apply not to live in the dormitory.
There were not many good colleges in the local area, and the one in the neighboring city that Betta went to was not as good as it sounded.
Roland was told that Betta had great grades. He wondered if Betta could’ve selected a better school.
However, he wasn’t very close to Betta, and it was not really his business.
“All right, let’s leave Betta aside. I have a thought,” Li Lin suddenly interjected. “I think we all should learn the miaodao techniques. Look, even Roland, a pure Mage, has learned a melee skill, and the rest of you who are gifted in melee fighting should learn more. Schuck is a Saint Samurai, Brazil is a Hunter, and as for Husseret… I think you could consider turning into a Rogue with heavy weapons in both hands.”
Nobody objected. After all, Li Lin was telling the truth.
“The tuition fees are not very high. I’ll pay it for you.” As he spoke, Li Lin dropped a hint at Roland.
Roland thought for a moment and did not reveal his lie.
“All right, we’ll meet again later. I’ll pay in the saber arts club first. We’ll gather there tomorrow.” Li Lin finished his beer and left the booth.
The rest of them all left the booth in the next hour.
Roland didn’t go to the saber arts club on this day, because he had to pay tribute to his ancestors with his family in the afternoon.
The ancestral hall of his family was in a village in the suburbs. Different from other people, his family had always paid tribute to ancestors on a special day.
Roland returned to his hometown with his parents.
They were among the first ones to return.
Because most people had moved to the city, the previously lively village was now dilapidated, and the only residents were the elderly and the children.
Those children were Roland’s remote nieces and nephews. They had to go to another town ten kilometers away for school on bike every day.It was an arduous journey a decade ago when the roads were not built yet, but now that all the roads were established, the ten kilometers would only take about half an hour. Roland greeted the old people in the village. They were his uncles and grand-uncles.
An hour later, most of the members of the family returned. There were almost sixty people including the children. After chitchatting for a while, they went to the ancestral hall at the back of the village with firecrackers, paper money, and candles. Firecrackers were forbidden in downtown but not so in the villages. Nobody would investigate as long as no fire was started.
The ancestral hall had been renovated and did not seem ragged at all. There was even a spacious square before it.
As usual, Roland’s fourth grand-uncle hosted the ritual. In fact, the ritual had been greatly simplified. If it were a few decades ago, they would’ve been obliged to abide by more rules, such as no drinking or eating in the day before the ritual.
At first, Roland thought that it would just be a regular ritual, same as all the rituals before.
However, when his fourth grand-uncle asked everybody to bow and pay tribute after burning up the paper money, Roland sensed something and cast his eyes at the ceiling of the hall.
He could tell that energy was taking shape above his head.
It was weak, but it was undoubtedly energy. It was similar to magic waves, but of a different frequency