Chapter 3: There’s Always a Fat Guy in the Novel
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“Bro, you must be a newcomer, fresh out of the newbie village, right?”
Sporting a butcher’s-style short jacket that showcased his soft, chubby belly, the Fatty grinned at Lin Nan, making the latter’s guard go up—who knew what this guy was up to?
But Lin Nan quickly relaxed; he had empty sleeves and a pocket without a single dime. If this Fatty planned to swindle him, it was destined to be an empty endeavor.
Lin Nan replied, “Yeah, do you have any advice?”
The Fatty chuckled, “Advice? No way! I just want to find a fellow adventurer to join me for the exam.”
Lin Nan eyed him suspiciously, “Why pick me? We don’t even know each other.”
The Fatty’s face fell, “Sigh, I’ll be honest. No one else wants to team up with me, so I’ve been hanging around the city gate for the past couple of days hoping for some newbie luck.”
Lin Nan sized him up and understood immediately.
Logically, players entering this game would have tweaked their appearances to look better. Although they could only enhance their looks by up to 20%, surely they’d try to at least be somewhat presentable, right?
This just led to a scene where handsome men and beautiful women were everywhere in the game.
But looking at this Fatty, not only was he plump with a belly protruding, he resembled a water barrel.
This guy must be so massive in reality that even after the 20% enhancement, he still looked like this. Who would dare team up with him? It was practically admitting to dragging someone down.
“Listen, I was tipsy when I created my character and accidentally flipped the slider backward, making me look uglier by 20%. That’s why I’m like this now.”
Lin Nan shook his head, “Well, you were probably hefty to begin with.”
The Fatty whined, “I didn’t ask for this! Once you create a character, you can’t delete it or re-create it. I’m almost going crazy. I could’ve joined the selection last month, but I couldn’t find a teammate. Here I am lagging into this month. Bro, just help me out; let’s become sworn brothers. I’ll call you ‘Big Brother,’ how about that?”
Thinking back to how hard he’d worked to get his player opportunity, plus the genuine look on the Fatty’s face—not fake at all—Lin Nan, who had just arrived in Sky Sword City and needed a guide, finally nodded.
“Alright, but this is a one-time offer.”
The Fatty practically jumped for joy, nearly giving Lin Nan a peck on the cheek.
“From now on, you’re my bro!”
Lin Nan pulled his arm out of the Fatty’s grip with a grimace, “Don’t hug me so close; keep your distance. Yes, that’s it, stay right there. Let’s go see the city first.”
“Sure thing!”
The Fatty charged ahead like Lin Nan’s personal guard, clearing a wide path through the crowd.
Following behind, Lin Nan couldn’t help but feel good about having a little brother.
Once they entered Sky Sword City, he was truly struck by the grandeur of the place.
Compared to the flashy Thousand Bird City floating in mid-air, Sky Sword City might not seem as over-the-top, but its buildings were lined up like peas in a pod, with beautiful pavilions, flowing streams, and an abundance of lush scenery that perfectly captured the essence of an ancient metropolis.
Strolling down the wide cobblestone path, surrounded by elegantly dressed young men and women in long robes, Lin Nan was fascinated by horse-drawn carriages passing by frequently, while a few sword-wielding cultivators flew overhead, making him feel like he was immersed in a fantasy world.
The Fatty took a look at him and laughed, “When I first came into this city, I was just as awestruck! But after a while, you get used to it. Come on, little bro, I’ll take you to the best eatery in the city, Eight Immortals Restaurant. Once you try their food, everything back in the real world will taste like trash.”
“Sounds good.” Lin Nan realized he was getting a bit hungry and nodded.
Under the Fatty’s guidance, they turned this way and that until a luxurious two-story building came into view.
Since it was almost mealtime, Eight Immortals Restaurant was already half full.
After they managed to grab a seat, it was nearly packed to the brim.
The Fatty, familiar with the place, ordered a few dishes and eagerly licked his lips, looking like he could hardly wait.
Lin Nan remarked, “With your figure, you must consume at least double the usual food in the game.”
Fatty, feeling understood, couldn’t help but vent, “Who’s not aware of that? This stupid game is just too realistic! I spend double on food every day, and it’s not easy sticking around like this!”
“So you’re dead set on becoming an Outer Door Disciple?”
“Absolutely! At least once I get into the Immortal Gate, I won’t have to pay for meals anymore—that’s a sweet perk only the Immortal Gate can offer.” The Fatty sighed, “Man, I really have it rough. In the real world, I’m slaving for promotions; in this game, I’m just trying to eat enough. What on earth am I striving for?”
Lin Nan grinned, “At least you get a shot at flying with a sword in the game, going anywhere you wish.”
“Fine, I’ll drink this pot of your poisonous soup.”
As they chatted, their food arrived.
They immediately dove in, munching like there was no tomorrow.
Once every plate—licked clean, even the broth—was emptied by the Fatty, he leaned back in his chair, patting his belly, looking completely immobilized.
Lin Nan wiped his mouth and waited for the Fatty to make the move to pay.
After a while, the restaurant emptied out, leaving just the two of them.
They exchanged glances, wide-eyed.
“Bro, aren’t you going to pay the bill?” The Fatty grinned stupidly.
Lin Nan shrugged, “Since we’ve pledged brotherhood today, it’s only right that the little brother pays to honor the big brother, right?”
Fatty, “… I don’t have money.”
Lin Nan casually leaned back in his chair, saying, “I don’t have money either.”
Fatty, “……”
“Wait, bro, you’re not joking are you?”
Lin Nan held his hands up, “Not joking! I really don’t have any money.”
“You just came out of the newbie village! You’re level 8 already! After all those missions, how could you not have any money?”
Fatty yelled suddenly, a sly smile creeping onto his face, “No use fooling me; NPCs will deduct directly from the system.”
Lin Nan smiled, “Let’s not just talk about me; where’s your money? How have you made it this far without even covering a meal?”
With an air of nonchalance, Fatty replied, “I spent all the Spirit Coins I earned in the newbie village. Later, I did a bit of work for a few days, but it was too tiring. I can deal with working in real life, but in the game? Not a chance!”
Lin Nan glared at him, “So everything you said before was a lie? Your ultimate goal was just to scam a free meal?”
Fatty burped loudly, “Of course! Look at you, all oblivious and clueless—who else would I scam? Haha, let me tell you, the NPC guards at Eight Immortals Restaurant are tough. If you don’t pay, they might just level you down. I’m not kidding.”
Suddenly, Lin Nan raised his hand and shouted toward the waiter, “Hey, young man, we’re ready to settle the bill.”
Fatty snorted, “Tch, why bother? You should’ve done this from the start.”
The waiter rushed over, bowed, and said, “Dear respected guests, your total is 300 Spirit Coins.”
“What if we can’t pay?” Lin Nan asked.
The waiter’s smile vanished, “Can’t pay?”
He suddenly turned and shouted toward the door, “We’ve got some free-loading scoundrels here!”
Fatty was dumbfounded, “Hey, I mean, come on… waiter, he’s got money—he definitely has money; just deduct it from the system!”
The waiter completely ignored Fatty and coldly stated, “Two broke losers want to eat for free at Eight Immortals Restaurant? Who do you think you are? Don’t you know Eight Immortals Restaurant is a property of the Heavenly Sword Sect? Are you tired of living?”
While he spoke, three guards brandishing long swords walked in from the entrance.
“If you can’t clear this 300 Spirit Coins bill, don’t think you’re getting out of Eight Immortals. Throw these two into the storeroom at the back.”
“Got it.”
Seeing the glaring “GUARD” labels over the guards’ heads, Fatty froze in place. These guys looked formidable; he didn’t fancy getting skewered from behind only to lose half his experience and then have to endure further torture at Eight Immortals Restaurant.
He glanced at Lin Nan, who wore a neutral expression, suppressing his urge to curse.
Talk about getting blindsided; this was some serious bad luck!
After the guards cold-heartedly tossed them into the storeroom and left, Fatty jumped up, “You little punk, were you trying to set me up?”
Lin Nan shrugged, “I really didn’t have any money; how was I supposed to know you’d take me to eat at Eight Immortals? I thought this newly sworn little brother was just eager to treat his big brother to a meal, so I accepted graciously!”
Fatty choked on his words.
Fuming, he lay on the pile of straw, grumbling, “Now we’re stuck here, and I don’t know when they’ll let us out. I’m really having a rough time; looks like I’m gonna miss that entrance exam again.”
“Were you planning to scam me for a free meal before ditching me for some other sucker?”
Fatty shrugged, “Well, that’s obvious. It’s hard to find a four-legged frog, but two-legged cash cows are everywhere.”
“How did it backfire on you this time?”
Fatty, “……”
With a loud bang, the storeroom door swung open, and the waiter walked in looking disgusted.
“Time to work! Starting today, you two will help in the kitchen. You can leave Eight Immortals once your wages cover your meal costs. Alternatively, you can choose to head to prison.”
Fatty exclaimed, “I’ll work! I’ll work!”
Noticing the sheer terror on Fatty’s face at the mention of prison, Lin Nan nodded in agreement.
The waiter nodded, “Then let’s go.”
He led the two to the back kitchen, where the yard was piled high with fist-sized white radishes.
“Chop the radishes into fine shreds for pickling. Watch me demonstrate—only the proper standard counts as qualified. Any waste will be deducted from your wages.”
The waiter picked up a radish, placed it on the cutting board, raised the kn*fe in his right hand without batting an eyelid, and, with a speed that was a blur, the radish was quickly reduced to perfectly uniform shreds.
Both Lin Nan and Fatty stared, dumbfounded.
“Too thick? Too thin? Only the same as mine counts as qualified. If you can’t finish the required work, you’ll go hungry tonight.”
With that, the waiter turned and left the backyard, his expression completely deadpan.
If that guy had a Cold Value, it must have just hit the ceiling, Lin Nan thought.
Fatty swallowed hard, then turned to view the not-so-tall yard wall, whispering to Lin Nan, “Bro, can we escape?”
