Adventure World Online (AWO)

"Id, I'm sorry for dragging you into this. We should've spent today having fun at the amusement park and gone home with happy memories. Instead, all of this happened."

Chang's tone surprised Id—it was so different from her usual demeanor. It was gentle, filled with emotion.

"Don't blame yourself. Neither of us could have known this would happen. Besides, if the situation were reversed, would you have let me get kidnapped alone?"

Id replied reassuringly with a soft voice that made smile appear on Chang's face.

"Of course not. I'd never let you be taken alone."

"Chang, I might not be strong enough to get us out of this mess or take down these bad guys, but I'll stay by your side. I'll protect you as much as I can. It might sound dramatic, but I'll make sure I keep my word."

The two sat against the wall, talking quietly. Chang chuckled softly at Id's words. It was not a laugh of mockery or amusement, nor did she find his words over-the-top. Instead, it was a laugh of warmth. His words felt like a soft blanket wrapping around her cold, weary body, seeping warmth all the way into her heart.

"You already are... Thank you."

Her words brought Id a similar comfort. Despite being kidnapped and surrounded by danger, the two still managed to smile. They talked late into the night, eventually falling asleep. If not for the wall between them, they might have happily leaned on each other, finding comfort in a shared embrace.

The next morning, Chang and Id were woken and escorted to a large hall in the house, perched on a hill with a breathtaking view of Sai Natee Farm. Thankhun sat on a large sofa, sipping coffee as he calmly watched Chang and Id walk in, holding hands. On the table in front of him was a stack of documents.

"Sit down. It's rude to stand looming over your elders,"

Thankhun ordered curtly when Chang and Id just stood there. The two obeyed, sitting at a distance from him. Thankhun observed how Chang avoided looking at him entirely since their encounter last night. He sighed softly, placing his coffee cup down on the table.

"Let's get straight to the point. I want Sai Natee Farm back. But I know someone as deceitful as Pichaya—your father—would never willingly hand it over. That's why I had to take you as leverage to force him to comply. While you're here, I only ask that you behave. Don't try anything foolish, and don't even think about running. Once Pichaya signs the papers to transfer everything back to me, I'll release you and your friend unharmed,"

Thankhun stated his intention to Chang, but she showed no reaction. She did not even look at him. Thankhun stood and walked out onto the balcony, speaking as he gazed out at the farm.

"This place is my home. It's been everything to me for as long as I can remember. I developed methods to improve crop yields. I experimented with crossbreeding plants to produce higher-quality harvests. I poured my life, my heart, and my soul into this land. And what did I get in return? Everything was taken from me—stolen by your father. Now I'm nothing but an employee, managing the very farm my father spent his entire life building, all for the profit of a cheat like your dad."

"My father is not a cheat. No matter what you say, that's your perspective, not the truth. What I know is that my father would never cheat anyone or take advantage of others. Every business he's built is founded on honesty and fairness. There must be some mistake, something we don't know, and you've misunderstood."

Chang said angrily as she stared directly into Thankhun's eyes, her gaze cold and filled with fury. The intensity in her eyes caught Thankhun off guard. He had grown accustomed to her sparkling eyes and bright smile, never imagining that if she were to hate him, her gaze would transform into one of icy disdain and resentment.

Thankhun had thought he could bear it if she ever looked at him with such contempt. But now, facing it for real, he felt terrible. The pain was so great that, for a fleeting moment, he wanted to abandon his entire plan—just to see her warm smile and gentle eyes again. Thankhun clenched his fists tightly to suppress his emotions, there was no turning back. The situation had already reached its climax, and it would all be over soon. Even if he did abandon everything now, he knew there was no way to reclaim Chang's warm gaze or smile.

"You've changed a lot. Not just on the outside, but your once-kind and warm heart as well. You and Thankhun from Adventure World Online—you're the same person, aren't you? You remembered me but pretended not to, didn't you? Why did you do that?"

Chang asked, seeing that Thankhun sat in silence for a while. Her words caught Id's attention immediately. He perked up, recalling that Thankhun was one of the heirs of the Seven Pirate Kings.

"Would you have been able to accept it? If I told you back then, and we grew closer in the game, what would you think of me now? Would you still look at me like this, with such coldness, knowing that I'm the one who planned your kidnapping and accused your father of being a cheat? Do you still want to know it was me?"

Thankhun replied, his voice suddenly soft and almost caring, as if he was concerned about Chang's feelings, not wanting to hurt her any further.

"You talk like you care about me, but you don't. You don't care about my feelings at all. The only person you care about is yourself. You want to reclaim your family's business, but instead of doing it the right way, you chose to kidnap me—to force my father to comply with your demands. You're nothing but a coward and a selfish person."

Her words hung in the air like a sharp blade. The silence that followed was suffocating, as if no one else were present. Chang's words pierced Thankhun's heart deeply. Coward, selfish? Did he really have other options to achieve what he wanted? How could he, when Pichaya had been the one to act dishonestly first? His retaliation was just leveling the playing field. Chang's words—naive and uninformed—only served to unsettle and weaken his resolve. Avoiding her gaze, Thankhun turned away. He took out his phone and dialed Pichaya's number, eager to put an end to this miserable ordeal as soon as possible.

At Petchklao Home, Pichaya had just stepped out of the car when his phone rang. He immediately answered, certain it would be Thankhun. As expected, the voice on the other end confirmed that his precious daughter had been taken hostage.

"What do you want?"

Pichaya asked coldly. Once, he had admired Thankhun's humility and honesty. But, as the young man had said, time changed people. The polite, honest man he had known no longer existed.

"Sai Natee Farm and all related operations. Like I told you before, if you comply without causing unnecessary complications, you'll get your daughter back unharmed. But if you try anything or refuse to sign, giving everything back to me, I can't guarantee her safety. You know where to find me. I had everything ready. The sooner you come, the sooner this will all be over."

Pichaya stood silently, listening until the call disconnected. Around him, members of the Special Protection Unit were busy tracking the incoming call. Ambassador Henrius Chadler approached Pichaya, his face tense with frustration and anger toward Thankhun's actions. Following close behind were Moddang and Aunt Im, who looked relieved to see Pichaya back home.

"Mr. Pichaya, I'm Henrius Chadler. Was that call from the kidnappers?"

the ambassador asked in slightly accented Thai.

"Ah, yes. I'm truly sorry for what happened and for your son being dragged into this mess."

Pichaya replied apologetically. Henrius offered a faint smile and patted Pichaya on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't say that. This isn't your fault, nor your daughter's. Let's focus on finding a way to bring both of them back safely,"

the ambassador said, trying to lift Pichaya's spirits. Pichaya managed a small smile in return, feeling a bit better. He walked over to the command area with the Special Protection Unit leader and Ambassador Henrius.

"He's too impulsive,"

Pichaya muttered as they all sat down. He placed a well-sealed briefcase on the table in front of him, immediately drawing everyone's attention. They turned to him, silently asking him to elaborate. Pichaya sighed and glanced at the briefcase.

"I've already prepared the documents to hand over everything that rightfully belongs to him. It's my fault for not telling him sooner. I wanted him to learn more about business management. Expertise in agriculture alone isn't enough to handle everything his father built. Sai Natee Farm withdrew from the Farmers' Association to manage on its own, but without sufficient business knowledge, it was bound to struggle. I didn't think that withholding the reasons behind the takeover would lead to something like this."

Though Pichaya did not name the person behind the kidnapping, the Special Protection Unit leader immediately understood who he was referring to. He already had a file on the man, but until Pichaya provided these details, the person had only been a suspect.

"What do you plan to do next? Should we raid their location and rescue Miss Chayarin immediately?"

the team leader asked, ready to deploy his men at a moment's notice.

"No, that's too risky. The people who kidnapped Chang are professionals. If we act recklessly, it could put her and her friend in danger."

Pichaya quickly objected. He sighed heavily, stood up, and picked up the briefcase.

"I'll go myself. I trust that he'll keep his word. This way, no one will have to get hurt."

"But what if he doesn't keep his word? There's no guarantee he won't do something harmful." Henrius Chadler interjected, clearly concerned. The Special Protection Unit shared the sentiment, they did not trust Thankhun in the slightest.

"I don't have many options. I have to do whatever it takes to keep Chang safe. That child is my life. Without her, I wouldn't be able to go on. I've already lost my wife. I won't lose my daughter too."

With that, Pichaya headed to his car, ignoring Henrius's continued attempts to dissuade him.

"This isn't good. There's no guarantee that man will honor his word,"

Henrius said, turning to the Special Protection Unit leader.

"Yes, sir. I'll have a protection unit trail him from a distance. If anything unexpected happens, we'll be able to intervene immediately to secure Mr. Pichaya. Another unit will focus on locating and safely rescuing the two hostages. In the meantime, I'd appreciate it if you could remain here to coordinate, Ambassador, just in case Mr. Pichaya contacts us,"

said the Special Protection Unit leader to Henrius Chadler.

The security team gathered and received orders from the leader before splitting into their respective assignments. Two vehicles from the security units left Petchklao Home, keeping a safe distance behind Pichaya's car. Henrius Chadler pulled out his phone and dialed a number. It was not long before the call was answered.

"Yes, this is Chadler Residence. This is John, the butler, speaking."

"John, how's Peach? Has she logged off from the game yet?"

Henrius asked about his daughter immediately.

"Oh, not yet, sir. It seems the young miss still has two or three hours left of her online session. Do you have an urgent message for her?"

John asked, sounding a bit puzzled.

"No, but keep an eye on her today. Make sure she doesn't go poking around in Id's room. Oh, and I'll also be busy again with urgent matters today, so if Peach asks, tell her that. If she inquires about Id, just say he's with me on important business and can't be reached. Tell the same thing to any of his friends who call,"

Henrius instructed firmly.

"Understood, sir. I'll handle it as you've requested."

Once John replied with conviction, Henrius hung up and turned his attention back to coordinating with the Special Protection Units, both those in the field and those stationed at Petchklao Home. Sitting down, he quietly prayed that the operation would go smoothly and that everyone would return safely.

.....

"The last known location where Chang Long was seen must have been near the border between Ark City and Tartarus City. I've searched that area multiple times, but there's still no sign of her. It's hard to believe she's been offline for so long. Every town I've checked says the same thing—she hasn't asked for maps or quest details yet. Sigh! I wonder what's keeping her busy outside the game. But it doesn't matter. However long it takes, I'll wait for her."

Aswa mumbled to himself while heading back toward Tartarus City. He speculated that Chang Long might be heading there to board a ship bound for Ameris Island, which was the path to the Heavenly Avian Temple. Though disappointed that his journey to Europa Island had not gone as planned—Chang Long had not logged back into the game during his voyage, nor had she been online for many in-game days—there was little he could do but wait, even if it seemed endless.

It was during this period that Aswa realized how little he truly knew about Chang Long. They had not even exchanged friend requests in the game, let alone shared personal details. How old was she? Where did she study? What was her real name? Aswa knew absolutely nothing about her, either in the game or the real world.

That changed recently, however, when the game sent him a confidential missive. The message revealed the names of the other six heirs to the Pirate Kings. Seeing Chang Long's name on the list had been a huge surprise. Equally unexpected were other names he had not anticipated, such as Thankhun and Crown. Even Narada, the number one beauty known for her sweet and alluring charm, had shocked him—he never imagined she could conquer all the traps in the Treasure Cave.

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