Adventure World Online (AWO)

News of the little dog transforming into a handsome elf spread like wildfire through public communication channel in the game. Female players, both young and mature, could not contain their curiosity and were desperate to uncover the mystery behind this charming elf. They placed an extraordinarily high price on this scoop, regardless of how challenging or rare the associated quest might be.

Eventually, the whispers reached the ears of the Reaper's Whisperer newspaper, the only media outlet in the game capable of uncovering truths with uncanny precision—unlike the sensationalized and embellished stories published by the Journalists and Writers Association newspaper. However, even the founders of Reaper's Whisperer were left dumbfounded by this tale. With no Chang Long around, they found it increasingly difficult to unearth gripping stories to delve into. The tale of the little dog turning into a handsome elf now seemed to have become a game-wide mystery.

Players lurking around Chang Long's group dared not approach her directly for the truth. This was partly because they noticed she was heavily guarded by formidable allies (—Devi-chan, Hisa-chan, Alice-chan, and Heaven.) Ultimately, though, they sent a female player as a representative to seek answers. The allure of the reward for this information was too tantalizing to resist.

When the female player approached within range, the four ghosts stood up simultaneously and fixed their gazes on her, causing her to jump in fright. She tried to engage with them amicably, but her nerves betrayed her, and her tongue felt tied, rendering her speech incoherent. To ease the tension, Chang Long herself stepped forward to address the girl directly.

"What do you want to know?"

The female player exhaled a deep sigh of relief, composing herself before asking the burning question that had left her and her fellow players restless with curiosity. Her inquiry left the entire Chang Long group momentarily stunned.

"Where did you get the little dog that turned into a handsome elf?"

Chang Long glanced at Siegfried, whose face had turned pale. He had apparently been mistaken by the player community for the little dog-turned-elf. Siegfried stood up, ready to explain the misunderstanding, but Chang Long raised a hand to stop him. Clearing her throat softly, she turned her serious gaze toward the female player, causing the latter to blush.

"It's a secret quest."

Her response left everyone who overheard it wide-eyed with shock. Siegfried, too, stared at her with his mouth agape, stunned by her reply. Yet, he chose not to protest, sensing that Chang Long had some sort of plan in mind.

"W...what?" the female player stammered. Was she about to uncover the details of a secret quest—one of the rarest types of quests in the game?

"I said it's a secret quest. But it's quite a long one. Do you really want to know?"

Chang Long asked in a hushed, mysterious tone. The female player nodded slowly, her anticipation building. A secret quest with a reward as grand as a little dog that could transform into the dashing elf. Who would not want to know? Chang Long smirked at the girl's reaction, gently stroking her chin before beginning her tale of the so-called secret quest.

"Heh heh heh. This quest begins in the city of Ark. You must accept a task from Queen Anna, which will grant you access to the Dunne Royal Conservatory. There, you'll find an old wall. Walk through the archway of that wall, and you'll get the same quest I did."

Chang Long carefully explained everything to the female player, who was hanging onto her every word, determined not to miss a single detail.

"Will completing that quest give me the same reward as you?"

the female player asked, her excitement barely contained.

"Not necessarily. It's random,"

Chang Long replied.

"Thank you so much. You're so kind to share this with me. Thank you, thank you."

The female player expressed her gratitude profusely before rushing off. A crowd of curious players quickly followed her.

"Was it really okay to tell them that? That was basically lying to her, wasn't it?"

Siegfried asked once the snooping players had all dispersed.

"It's nothing compared to what they did to us yesterday. Now they'll get a taste of what it feels like to be relentlessly hunted by a group of players without so much as a single question asked,"

Chang Long replied nonchalantly.

"Besides, I didn't lie—I just didn't tell the whole story."

she added, sensing that Siegfried was about to press further. Siegfried smiled as he realized her point. In fact, he agreed that those players deserved a lesson, and Chang Long's method was one of the gentlest ways she could have gone about it, knowing her.

The two exchanged amused glances, unable to suppress their laughter. They could already imagine how the players who chased after that secret quest would be heaping praises on the one who shared the news—at least until they figured out the truth about the dog transforming into an elf.

Beep, beep, beep, beep.

"What's that sound?"

Devi-chan asked, his voice filled with curiosity as he heard the unfamiliar noise.

"It's my wristwatch. Time for me to log off. Looks like I'll have to seal you guys away for now."

Chang Long said as she glanced at the device.

Siegfried checked his own watch. He still had plenty of time left to play, but he wanted to log in at the same time Chang Long would. So, he set up his personal tent, which had an emergency log-off feature. By activating the option on his wristwatch while inside the tent, he could log off safely. However, it was crucial to set up the tent in a secure area; otherwise, he would return to find it completely destroyed.

"When are you coming back online? I'll log off too, so we can return at the same time."

Siegfried asked as Chang Long finished sealing away her pets and spiritual companions, she glanced at him thoughtfully.

"If nothing goes wrong, I'll be back in about an hour in real-world time. But if something does come up, I'll call you. You still have my number, right?"

"Uh, your number? Uh, um…"

Siegfried stammered, clearly struggling to recall.

"Tch. I'm logging off now. If I'm not back in-game, it means something came up,"

Chang Long said, rolling her eyes at him. Her figure began to glow softly as her avatar gradually faded from view. Realizing he had annoyed her, Siegfried scrambled to come up with an excuse before she was completely logged off. "I was just kidding. I've memorized your number by heart, you know!" the young man shouted after her. Though Chang Long kept a straight face, he caught a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips just before her figure faded away entirely.

Satisfied, Siegfried smiled to himself. He then sealed away Lycanth and Heaven before stepping into his tent to log off as well.

.....

At seven in the morning, Chang Long stepped out of her gaming pod and looked around her room. Thin, white curtains that blocked the light from outside fluttered gently in the breeze from the air conditioner, dimly revealing the overcast sky outside. It looked like it might rain. She made her way to the bathroom to freshen up, and just as she walked back out, her phone buzzed on the bedside table.

"Mi,"

she answered the call and addressed her best friend by name.

"Chang, are you free today? I want to invite you to the amusement park."

Mi's cheerful voice chimed on the other end.

"Well, I'm free, but..."

"Great. Then it's settled. I've already made plans with Mek, but I'm too nervous to go alone with him. This is our first date outside the game, so please, Chang, come with me. Pretty please."

Amy pleaded sweetly, her tone so endearing that Chang found it hard to refuse. Reluctantly, she agreed, though a slight sense of unease lingered. After hanging up, she immediately called Idsara to reschedule their in-game meeting.

"Yes, Chang!"

Idsara answered almost instantly.

"Uh… it's me. I won't be able to log in at the scheduled time. Mi invited me to the amusement park to help her out. She's going on a date with someone named Mek but doesn't want to go alone."

Chang began, her voice slightly hesitant.

"Mi and Mek... Ah, I see! How about I join you guys? That way, you won't feel like a third wheel when they start getting all lovey-dovey,"

Idsara offered. Though he could log in earlier, there was not much he could do without Chang, since the Heavenly Avian Temple quest was hers to complete. Besides, he saw this as an excellent opportunity to spend time with her in the real world on a date—something he had been hoping for.

"If you really want to, fine. Meet me at the entrance to Dreamland at nine in the morning. I need to get changed before heading out,"

Chang replied before hanging up. Idsara could barely contain his excitement. He wanted to shout for joy but held back, afraid of alarming his family. Instead, he hummed a cheerful tune as he leisurely selected an outfit for his outing.

At 9 AM, in front of Dreamland amusement park, Idsara and Mek stood waiting eagerly. A black van pulled into the parking lot, and the two immediately walked over. The van's door opened, and the first person to step out was Moddang. The two men off guard by the sight, leaving them momentarily frozen. Things escalated further when two more bodyguards stepped out from the front of the vehicle. Idsara and Mek could only gape in astonishment. Finally, Mi emerged from the van, dressed in a short skirt layered over denim shorts. Chang followed behind her, wearing a light blue T-shirt with a white, striped overshirt. Seeing the two women, the men broke into wide smiles. At least they had arrived.

"Miss, are you sure this attire is appropriate for us?"

One of the bodyguards, identified as 17, asked sheepishly. He and his companion had been instructed by Chang to dress like tourists, complete with cameras slung around their necks for their security detail. If they had not complied, Chang would not have let them accompany her.

"Of course it's fine. If you'd worn your full suits, everyone here would be on edge. It'd ruin the fun for everyone," Chang replied with a shrug, though she was clearly amused by how uncomfortable they seemed in their casual outfits. They dressed as if they had never been on a trip before and had never felt confident wearing anything other than their work clothes.

"Honestly, you guys would look much better in simple T-shirts or button-ups paired with jeans, like Mr. Id here. The way you're dressed now is kind of funny."

Mi chimed in, her comment made the two bodyguards blush a deep shade of red, their embarrassment palpable.

"Stop commenting on what we're wearing, please. It's already embarrassing enough. You ladies just go enjoy the park, and we'll watch over you from a distance,"

16 urged, his face flushed from the girls' stares. Chang chuckled softly and turned to her friends, motioning them toward the entrance to buy tickets before heading inside.

"Hey, Moddang, you don't need to trail after me all day. If you want to ride something or stop by any of the stalls, just let me know,"

Chang told Moddang with a warm smile. Moddang nodded happily. Chang never treated her as someone of lower status. In fact, Chang always acted as if Moddang were her little sisterd.

Mek—or Aden, as he was known in the game—walked alongside Mi. The two exchanged shy smiles, still a little awkward as this was their first date outside the game. Taking the opportunity, Idsara strolled next to Chang, holding out the amusement park map they had received at the ticket counter. He pointed to various attractions, asking her what they should ride first.

Moddang watched Chang and could not help but smile. At that moment, her young miss looked genuinely happy—completely different from the cold and reserved Chang she usually saw. Moddang pulled out her phone to snap a photo of Chang smiling at Idsara. As she did, she noticed the two bodyguards acting like overly enthusiastic tourists, snapping pictures of everything as if it were their first time at an amusement park.

"What are you guys taking so many pictures of?"

Moddang asked, approaching them while holding two ice cream cones she bought. They thanked her, accepting the cones before answering.

"We're just blending in as tourists. Also, taking pictures of the area is a precaution. If something unexpected happens, we can review the photos later to figure things out."

16 explained and 17 nodded in agreement. He licked the lemon-flavored ice cream before shuddering.

"Heh, maybe we should—oh, where's Miss Chang..."

Moddang laughed at 17's facial expression and turned to Chang to invite the bodyguards to look around. However, Chang and her friends were no longer in sight.

"Damn it, we lost her. Let's split up and look for her. Moddang, you can come with me."

16 and 17 immediately began searching for Chang, with Moddang trailing after 16. Since she had never been to an amusement park before, she feared she would get lost if she wandered off alone. Keeping up with 16 proved challenging, as the crowd was thick and he walked quickly, causing her to nearly lose sight of him several times.

Meanwhile, Idsara, Chang, Mek, and Mi were happily riding the carousel, completely unaware that their three companions were frantically looking for them. This was the first time they had visited an amusement park together. Id looked at Chang who gazed around the park with interest, while Mek and Mi exchanged sweet glances, openly enjoying each other's company.

"You're not even going to look at anything else, are you?"

Chang asked Idsara, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush as she noticed him staring at her without looking away.

"There's nothing else worth looking at,"

Idsara replied, despite feeling slightly embarrassed by his own answer.

"There's plenty. Try turning your head and see for yourself!"

Chang shot back. She did not just say it—she reached out and forcefully turned his head to face another direction, nearly giving him a neck cramp.

"Hey, Mi, maybe we should let those two have a one-on-one date,"

Mek whispered to Mi as he stepped off his carousel horse. Mi hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. The two quietly snuck away from the ride, deciding to give Chang and Idsara some time alone. Even though Chang and Idsara had been alone together in the game before, Chang's constant entourage of pets and spirits often made it difficult for Idsara to confess his feelings or share any romantic moments. As a result, their relationship had never progressed beyond simple friendship.

The carousel ride finally ended, and it was then that Chang and Idsara realized they were the only two left. Mi, Mek, Moddang, and the bodyguards had all disappeared. They exchanged glances, their mutual awkwardness growing as they realized they would be spending the rest of the amusement park trip alone together. Chang started walking ahead, unsure what to say or do in this unexpectedly intimate situation. Idsara chuckled softly and quickly caught up to her, walking side by side. He was just as nervous as she was, but he was not about to let this opportunity slip away. Determined, he swallowed his nerves and resolved to make today a proper date—a real one, like couples would have.

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