Reign of the Hunters (200+)

Chapter 204 (Part 1 & 2)

Chapter 204 We're A Team (Part 1)

Bai Mo gazed at Ye Ci, his thoughts hidden from her.

At that moment, Ye Ci felt fear. She remembered the rejection she received from the Fate PVP tournament organizers in her past life.

"You're someone without a team."

You're someone without a team. Even after such a long time, Ye Ci could still hear the words spoken to her. She wanted to cover her ears, to block out the noise entering through her eardrums into her heart. Even if she was a reincarnator, she tried her best to correct her mistakes. But... Was she still the same person? Was she still that person who was rejected by everyone?

Even in this life, was she still an insignificant persona that was rejected by everyone?

For as long as Bai Mo could remember, he had never seen such a soft a vulnerable side of Ye Ci during his 10 years of interaction with her. He might never had the chance in the next 10 years. In the eyes of her parents, relatives and other outsiders, Ye Ci had always been an overly independent child. She has never talked much, and was never good at communicating with people. In the eyes of outsiders, she was as stoic as a stone wall.

At times, even Bai Mo himself would find Ye Ci to be cold blooded. She was always headstrong, and was never gentle. Her unyielding character was not one that was befitting of a girl. It gave off an illusion that Ye Ci was tough and would never cry. In truth, there were times when she was just so vulnerable.

Realizing the truth, Bai Mo's gaze softened. He patted Ye Ci on the head and smile, "Just what are you thinking about? Why are you thinking of something like this?"

Yet, Ye Ci was so pig headed at times. She stared at Bai Mo with her watery eyes and grimaced, "I've always been like this aren't I? I've always been alone. Even if I'm in Upwards Ho!, I'm just Gongzi You, and was never 'Gongzi You of Upwards Ho!', am I right?"

"Just what are you trying to prove?"

"What am I trying to prove?" Ye Ci was momentarily stunned. She was not able to comprehend Bai Mo's words, "I don't know what you mean."

"Little Ci, everybody plays a different role in a team. With their role, everybody will experience something different. If you're not part of Upwards Ho!, if you're not part of our team, why is Upwards Ho!'s First Clear today so important to you?"

"You know that every First Blood and every First Clear is important to me..." Ye Ci appeared to be very desperate to prove that she was still the loner that she used to be. She glared at Bai Mo, as if he was her sworn enemy. There was a glint of violence in her eyes that was very alarming.

Bai Mo covered Ye Ci eyes with his hand and grimaced, "Don't look at me like that. Little Ci, I am Bai Mo, I am not your enemy." he cut Ye Ci off mid sentence, "I'm not talking about this particular First Clear. I'm talking about every single one of them."

Ye Ci bit her lips. She was trapped in a loop created by herself that she was unable to escape.

"Little Ci, I know what you're trying to say," Bai Mo retracted his hand, but his smile remained gentle, "You feel that you don't deserve to be part of the team because you only showed up when we achieve First Clear, and did not even help out with most of the dungeon clearing. You think that people only recognize you as their vice leader because of me..."

"It has always been like this, isn't it? If I'm not Gongzi You, if I'm not a so-called "Godlike Player", will they still remember me? I'm just a nobody!" Ye Ci's voice had a certain sharpness to it.

"You turned a blind eye when I defeated World Bosses alone. You allowed me to go all over the place, and have never asked me to join dungeon raids. Isn't it a sign that you do not see me as one of the guild members? Doesn't it mean that I don't belong to the team?"