Online Game: Crazy Skeleton-Chapter 1677 - 1467: Familiar Stranger (Two-In-One) _2

"Busy guy, finally remembered me? I’m in the middle of a quest. Spill it, what’s up?"

Qing Qi had a straightforward personality. Even though she had only met Su Ran once, she spoke without any sense of unfamiliarity, as if they were old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years.

"I’ve got the teleportation scroll you needed. When are you coming to pick it up?"

"The one to the Elf Forest?"

"Yep."

"Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained, I knew you weren’t the type to flake. I’m doing a quest right now and can’t leave. Could you bring it to Desert of Death, coordinates 5782:87?"

"Dude, so now I’m offering express delivery too? Take it or leave it! If you don’t want it, come get it yourself once you finish your quest."

Su Ran wouldn’t humor her temper. Getting that teleportation scroll for her was already enough of a favor; now she wanted to boss him around even more? No way!

This guy wasn’t anyone’s doormat!

"You misunderstood me! I was hoping you could help me with a special mission. It’s a team quest, and you’d get a share of the rewards—consider it my way of saying thanks. Hurry over! There are two bosses here, and I can’t handle them alone!"

Qing Qi’s voice came through quickly, sounding urgent—it seemed the situation was grim.

"A special mission? Ahem, I’m not coming for the rewards. I just want to experience what it’s like to be a courier. Hold tight, I’ll be there shortly."

"Got it."

...

Desert of Death.

The sun shone brightly without a single cloud in the sky.

"I haven’t been to this terrain in ages—kind of nostalgic. I still remember meeting Big Blood Bull here; it feels like ages ago. Time flies so fast."

Su Ran felt the heat radiating from the sands, and the dry air carried a faint burning sensation that added to his irritability. Yet this was precisely the unique charm of the Desert of Death, something the Dark Swamp couldn’t replicate.

Looking into the distance, he spotted quite a few players leveling up here, undeterred by the harsh environment. They were battling Phantom Beasts in the heat of combat, a sight that blended perfectly with the desert’s ambiance.

"These coordinates sure are remote—they’re practically at the edge of the Ancient Wasteland!"

Su Ran opened his map and realized Qing Qi’s location was buried deep in an obscure area he had never visited before.

After confirming his route, Su Ran avoided drawing attention from the surrounding players and discreetly made his way toward Qing Qi’s location.

"Hey, look! Is that Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained?"

The desert lacked trees or cover, and Su Ran’s black robe stood out conspicuously. He had tried to avoid being noticed, but he couldn’t stop the players from locking their sights on him.

"Something wrong with your brain? The Desert of Death isn’t some high-level zone. Why would Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained lower himself by coming here? That’s way beneath his status!"

"You don’t get it. This is how pros show off—they’re like emperors traveling incognito. If we’re being blunt, he’s just here to flex."

"Pfft, what do you know? Someone like Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained doesn’t need to flex. He’s the champion of the Martial Arts Tournament! That title alone could keep him bragging for a lifetime. And you think he’d care about us nobodies? Dream on."

"Sounds like you’re just his lapdog, defending him whenever someone points out his flaws. What good does it do to suck up to him? He can’t even hear you!"

"I’ll suck up all I want! What’s it to you, idiot?"

"Alright, stop fighting! It might not even be Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained. You two are making fools of yourselves arguing before it’s confirmed!"

"Get lost. Today it’s either me or him—not both!"

"Fine, I quit!"

Thanks to Su Ran’s unintended appearance, the leveling party scattered in discord, almost erupting into a full-blown fight.

"What’s up with you guys? Weren’t you getting along just fine while leveling earlier?"

Another party nearby noticed the player who had been left behind and asked curiously, "Was it over loot distribution?"

"Actually, it’s all because of Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained!"

"Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained? Did he show up? Are you sure?"

The player spoke casually, but such remarks clearly piqued the interest of the listener, whose eyes lit up with excitement.

"Wow, are you into him too? Look at you—acting like you haven’t seen a man in years!"

"Cut the crap. Which direction did Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained go?"

The listener wasn’t even concerned with leveling anymore. He rushed over to the speaker and demanded, "Quick, tell me! Don’t waste my time."

"He headed that way. But just so you know, I only saw a black-robed figure from behind—don’t blame me if I got it wrong."

The player shot an odd glance at him, not understanding his obsession with Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained. Judging by his urgency, though, it didn’t seem like an act. Then again, it wasn’t the speaker’s problem, so he returned to leveling up instead. Before leaving, he asked sincerely, "By the way, does your party have room for one more? Can I join?"

"Come in. I’ve got other things to handle anyway. I’ll leave the leader role to you—don’t ruin the party’s vibe!"

Without hesitation, the player handed over the team leader position, decisively and efficiently.

He offered these instructions and then ran off in the direction of Su Ran’s disappearance.

"What a strange guy..."

The new team leader was bewildered. Surprisingly, taking on this role wasn’t something he had anticipated. He wasn’t interested in handling these trivial matters either, so he refocused on leveling up.

...

"Uh, where is everyone?"

Upon reaching the designated coordinates, Su Ran was surprised to find nothing but yellow sand and rubble—an utterly barren environment. As for Qing Qi, not even her shadow was visible.

Could it be...

A trap to lure him in?

Su Ran’s heart tightened. He immediately shot into the air, hovering as he carefully scanned his surroundings to pinpoint any hidden threats.

Yet, strangely enough, he couldn’t detect enemies—not even a single Phantom Beast. It seemed he had misunderstood Qing Qi.

Just as Su Ran was about to send Qing Qi a message, a hurried shout caught his attention.

"Brother Spilt Water, wait up!"

Su Ran turned to look and spotted a warrior player dressed in mismatched gear running toward him in a hurry.

"You are...?"

The sight of this warrior gave Su Ran an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as though he had seen him somewhere before. However, he couldn’t recall who he was. Not even the Detection Technique could uncover the warrior’s identity. To show some courtesy, Su Ran descended to the ground and landed on a rock. He asked curiously, "Do we know each other?"

"Of course, we do! We’ve fought side by side before. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me?"

The warrior widened his eyes in mock anger and said, "Damn, you’ve gone all high and mighty now, forgetting your old friends like me? Brother Spilt Water, that’s just low."

"But you’re not on my friends list... Explain more clearly. Where have we met?"

As much as Su Ran tried to piece it together, he couldn’t recall any encounters with this player. If he turned out to be an acquaintance, it would certainly be awkward...

Su Ran started to feel anxious about whether his lapses in memory were worsening. That couldn’t be, could it?

"Not being on your friends list means we’re not friends? That’s nonsense!"

The warrior grew increasingly agitated, clearly offended by Su Ran’s response.

"Alright, buddy, just clarify this for me. I seriously can’t remember."

Su Ran searched his MMORPG memories again but still couldn’t dredge up anything about the warrior. Were it not for the strange sense of familiarity, Su Ran wouldn’t have bothered wasting brain cells on this!

"Typical of the forgetful elite! Let me jog your memory for you."

The warrior was about to elaborate when a flash of light emerged before them, and Qing Qi’s graceful figure appeared within their view.

"Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained, you didn’t even let me know you’d arrived, so I could welcome you properly... Eh? Who’s this?"

Qing Qi’s eyes sparkled with surprise upon seeing Su Ran. But when she noticed the warrior player nearby, she asked in astonishment, "Is he your friend?"

"I don’t know him. He just seems familiar, but I can’t place where we’ve met."

Not recognizing the player at all, Su Ran saw no way to introduce him to Qing Qi. He had to tell her the truth. However, if the stranger was scheming to use their trust, Su Ran vowed not to let it slide!