After what seemed like ten minutes, Michael appeared with a panting white face. He then faced Ragnar but quickly averted his gaze.
“Add me as a friend, and I’ll gift you the chests,” Michael said, voice barely audible.
“WHAT?!”
Gilbert and Michael’s companions immediately reacted in a negative way.
“What do you mean?!”
“Are you out of your mind?!”
“Michael, what’s going on?!”
Michael closed his eyes tight and shouted at the others. He was in a bad mood, and his group was making it worse. “He is Ragnar Axis! If you don’t want your family to go bankrupt overnight, then do as I said!”
. . .
. . .
No one said a word, and all just looked at Ragnar with gaping mouths. Who wouldn’t know one of the billionaires in the world? The man they only saw on billboards and magazines, the son from the main branch no less, was just standing right in front of them.
Eventually, faced with a much more powerful force, Michael and his group could do nothing but surrender their ill-gotten loot.
“You won’t get away with this,” Emerald hissed. Though she knew Ragnar’s real appearance to be an Adonis, she was loyal to Michael.
“Yeah. We’ll take this to the forums! You’re abusing your power,” Lyka said through the gap of her gnashing teeth though her face was red.
However, she shrunk when Ragnar looked her in the eyes. Ragnar might appear ugly, but when she knew his real appearance, that was the only image she saw in her head.
Darn it! Why does he have to be an enemy now? Lyka lamented.
Ragnar’s lips twisted into a smirk. “Go ahead, and I’ll post all your faces for stealing our mark. You’ll be popular overnight.”
“. . .” The girls caught their tongues.
The once overbearing Michael couldn’t be seen anymore and what replaced his former self was a boy with a downcast face.
Gritting his teeth, Michael gave all the Chests back to Ragnar. His grandfather had warned him. He really did like what Ragnar said. His grandfather only spoke to him within five seconds – no, not even five seconds. And the only thing he said after years and years of not speaking to his grandson.
“Do what Ragnar says, or you’ll be disowned! Stupid boy!”
Eventually, Michael and his group’s cheery mood turned depressive within a flick of a coin, and they all went home with mountains of curses under their breaths. They were so unlucky that from the many groups who attempted the forest, they crossed the one Ragnar was in. They thought they struck gold but ended with shit instead. At least they got firstblood, EXP, and gil.
When Michael and his crew were no longer in the area, that was when Rox and Roxy went to Ragnar.
“Whoa! You’re Ragnar Axis!?!” Roxy couldn’t believe that the sought-after billionaire was turned into an ugly Orc. She couldn’t even recognize him. But now that she did, she could finally detect the resemblance.
Rox elbowed his sister and gave a suggestive wink her way. “Sis, this is your chance to take home a handsome, rich man.”
Roxy coughed between her fist and slapped Rox’s head. “Don’t mind, my brother. But I’m surprised that you’re THE Ragnar Axis. The man that I only saw in magazines and billboards! Can I have your autograph? Just to show to my friends. And are you single . . . by the way?”
While Rox and Roxy were ogling at Ragnar, Ren decided to leave. He had done his part. It was time to go back to mining and hoard a lot of gil.
“Ren,” Ragnar called and went to him, leaving the siblings arguing to themselves. He then pushed Ren slightly away from the others.
“What is it?”
Ragnar lowered his voice and said, “I know now why you wanted to hide your identity. Even I couldn’t help but use my power if the situation calls for it. At least when you hide your appearance, people couldn’t do anything to you.”
Ren’s mood plummeted. Does Ragnar want to slap on his face on how rich and powerful he is as a revenge for turning him into cannon fodder? He didn’t have to. Ren already knew and painfully so. He needed to get out of here and continue mining for money. That was the only way he could be at ease and get his mind off all the useless emotions he was feeling.
“That’s right,” Ren said in a sarcastic tone. “So you better draft that contract now and send it to me.”
Ren turned back.
“Are you leaving?”
Ren only waved his hand. He was about to press [Log Out] when Evie called him.
Evie slightly looked over at Ragnar, and the latter excused himself.
Evie flashed a small smile in Ragnar’s way as a sign of appreciation, but in Ren’s eyes, it seemed to have another meaning, especially since it was Ragnar who got the chests back.
“Ren, are you leaving already?”
Evie’s soft, mellow voice stopped Ren from pressing the buttons on his screen.
“Yeah.”
“What about the loots?”
“I only did it because I felt responsible before. I suggested this forest to you, thinking that you could clear it with your low ATP, and you got wiped out in the end.”
Evie backed away a little. She was surprised at the harshness and irritation in Ren’s voice. She certainly didn’t expect it coming from the guy who was nothing but nice to her . . . well, not exactly nice but lukewarm. He was cold, yes, but never did he once use that kind of tone when speaking to her.
Ren then faced Evie with a serious face and voice.
“This is the last time that I will help you.” This mark the end of associating himself with players with this identity.
“. . .” Evie was stunned at the sudden turn of events. She didn’t know what happened for Ren to act hostile and . . . angry? Did she do something wrong?
Evie didn’t know what to feel at the moment. She was baffled and shocked that she only managed a weak, “Is that so . . . Then . . . Thank you.” Before she went back a few meters from Ren. She had her pride. She wouldn’t insist herself to someone who didn’t want her.
Evie really thought that after this, Ren and her could go and do the epic quest together. Didn’t they get a lot closer? But she guessed it was just her wishful thinking. Ren was unfeeling, and didn’t want any form of relationship with her even if it was just as mere acquaintance. It was her mistake to expect more.
Who knew that their short meeting was soon followed by a forever parting?
As Ren watched Evie’s back, he felt the woman’s sadness and disappointment radiating from her. A desolation so apparent that he almost called her name.
Fisting his fingers, he looked away. He had to reach his goal first. Like what happened now . . . he couldn’t do anything even with his high ATP and knowledge about the game. Only money could do anything.
Money is everything.