The King's Avatar Chapter 3 – Special Duty: Night Shift

Chapter 3 – Special Duty: Night Shift

Win?

Chen Guo froze in shock for a second. The screen showed 'Glory,' the Arena's mark of triumph, signaling a 'K.O.' victory.

But how long had she been gone? Forty seconds? Fifty? She checked her wristwatch quickly. No doubt, less than a full minute had passed. Yet the result stunned her: the rival she'd lost to fifty-two times straight was beaten in under sixty seconds?

Chen Guo completely forgot to grab her account back right away. She hoped to watch another match to study this guy's skills closely. Instead, she noticed he'd already logged off. He stretched his arms lazily, seeming uninterested in the PC, and looked around casually. Spotting Chen Guo staring at him with huge eyes, he quickly clarified: “You hadn’t logged out yet and when I sat down, the fight had already started. Don’t worry, I helped you win!”

“How long did it take?” Chen Guo questioned.

“Forty seconds!” Ye Qiu replied.

Chen Guo's jaw dropped as he added with a hint of regret: “My hands were stiff from the cold, or I could've done it in thirty seconds.”

Thirty seconds... thirty seconds to crush the opponent she'd failed against fifty-two times in a row? Who was this guy?

A pro player from Team Excellent Era maybe? Chen Guo wondered suddenly. She recalled the Excellent Era Club was nearby the Internet Cafe. But then she reconsidered. She'd recognize anyone from Excellent Era! Unless it was that mysterious ace who never appeared in public, Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu! Excitement surged through Chen Guo at the thought, yet she knew this legendary figure stayed so low-key that he'd likely deny it if asked outright. After a brief pause, an idea hit her, and she dashed back to the front desk.

“Who signed in for Area 3, Machine 47?” Chen Guo asked the counter girl.

“Ye Xiu,” the girl answered.

“Ye Xiu... Ye Qiu? It's him for real!” Chen Guo thought thrilled. She'd truly exposed his secret identity! This proved he was indeed Ye Qiu. Seeing 'Ye Qiu' written directly might not have convinced her.

“Heh heh heh...” Chen Guo's chuckle sounded downright devious. She was ready to trade anything for his autograph. Ye Qiu's signature—nobody had one!

Right then, the receptionist added casually: “He forgot his ID card too.”

“ID card?” Chen Guo blanked out upon hearing that. Only now did she snap out of her hype-induced daze. Internet Cafes required ID for registration. No way around faking that.

“Where is it? Let me see.” Chen Guo eyed the card in the girl's hand. Sure enough, it read Ye Xiu. Disappointment flooded her, along with a wild impulse to alter 'Xiu' to 'Qiu.'

Learning he wasn't her idolized hidden pro, Chen Guo's curiosity about his skills faded fast, despite still wondering at his prowess. She stormed back to Area 3, Machine 47, and shoved Ye Xiu's ID at him: “You left your ID card behind.”

“Oh, thanks.” Ye Xiu responded at once. “Do you work here at the Internet Cafe?”

“Yep, I'm the owner.”

“Really? The boss, huh, perfect. I spotted on the Internet Cafe's site that you're hiring?” Ye Xiu inquired.

“Uh... yeah...” Chen Guo hadn't expected the sudden question. She'd just pondered testing his skills herself. This gave her the ideal opening.

“I checked the requirements and I fit them all. Pay and hours don't matter. What do you say, boss? Think it over.” Ye Xiu suggested.

“Sure, but you have to beat me in a Glory duel first.” Chen Guo declared.

“Huh? That's a rule?” Ye Xiu twisted to look.

“No need to search. I'm making it one now.” Chen Guo stated.

Ye Xiu paused in surprise. He finally grasped that his earlier win looked too pro-level. This pretty boss wanted to gauge his ability, but... he gave a wry smile and shook his head: “I can't beat you.”

“Why not?” Chen Guo was taken aback.

“Because I lack an account strong enough for yours.” Ye Xiu explained.

“Account... what's its level? Gear?” Chen Guo pressed.

“No levels, no gear.” Ye Xiu stated.

“How's that possible?” Chen Guo refused to buy it. He'd smashed her unbeatable foe in forty seconds. Someone like that without a maxed account—how'd he hone such skill?

“I gave my old account away.” Ye Xiu had no choice but to admit.

“Ah, I see... so generous.” Chen Guo sighed enviously. His power was top-tier, so his account must've been elite too. Top accounts fetched huge prices. Handing one over casually showed real boldness.

“Yeah, too generous.” Ye Xiu managed a strained smile. The account he'd handed over was the Battle God One Autumn Leaf. Merely labeling it as “generous” was honestly far too understated.

“Is it to gear up for the new server?” Chen Guo inquired.

“New server?” Ye Xiu blinked in surprise and abruptly checked the date.

Tomorrow marked Glory’s tenth anniversary. From the second anniversary on, Glory launched a fresh server each year. Registration for the tenth server had begun three months prior. Veteran players dissatisfied with their old servers eagerly awaited this moment to dive back into Glory.

Glory’s tenth server was now launching. One Autumn Leaf, from the very first server, was distant now. During Glory’s fifth expansion, numerous top players earned the right to master the Challenge skill, granting them entry to every server.

One Autumn Leaf had changed hands by now. His pro career in Glory had departed with it, yet fate aligned him with this new server’s debut. A spark ignited in Ye Xiu’s thoughts. A decade of memories surged vividly through his mind.

“New server?” Ye Xiu murmured.

“I recall that new servers allow transfers at launch, right?” Ye Xiu abruptly questioned Chen Guo.

“Only for Level 1 accounts.” Chen Guo replied.

“I’ll give it a shot.” Ye Xiu pulled an account card from his pocket and swiftly initiated a server transfer via the Glory homepage. Chen Guo stared in awe at the card: “Isn’t that a first-edition one?”

“It is.” Ye Xiu grinned. Glory released a new edition annually. A first-edition card dated back nearly ten years.

Chen Guo gazed at Ye Xiu in shock: “How long have you played Glory?” Cards didn’t age like people. A ten-year-old card didn’t imply a decade-long player.

“Nearly ten years.” Ye Xiu confirmed, linking himself inseparably to the card.

Chen Guo had viewed her five years of play as veteran status. She never imagined the man before her doubled that tenure. Ten years—that was Glory’s inaugural player wave. Persisting this long while still craving a new server demanded what kind of passion?

As these thoughts swirled, the homepage flashed “Server Transfer Successful”.

“All set.” Ye Xiu withdrew the account card. He fondly remembered the intricate details packed into this first-edition treasure.

“So you’re aiming to be a network manager?” Chen Guo raised the topic anew.

“Yes.”

“Which position catches your eye?” Chen Guo probed.

“The night shift.” Ye Xiu stated.

“Oh, you good with that?” Chen Guo exclaimed in surprise. The night shift ran from 11PM to 7AM. It paid three hundred more monthly, yet few volunteered. Hardly anyone fancied flipping their sleep schedule daily. Thus, shifts rotated among staff. A dedicated night owl would ease everyone’s burden.

“No issue at all. I prefer nights.” Ye Xiu assured.

Chen Guo scrutinized the man closely. His hair seemed neglected for at least two weeks. His complexion lacked vitality—pale and wan, the unhealthy kind. His eyes stared back dully. She’d witnessed this look countless times on the young regulars at her cafe. This fellow wasn’t youthful, yet he carried the same weary, unkempt vibe.

Unkempt or not, if he craved full-time nocturnal duty, Chen Guo welcomed it. Plus, she burned with curiosity over this ten-year gamer’s skills. She slapped her hands decisively: “Alright, you’re in.”

“Thanks a ton, boss.”

“Review the terms thoroughly. We’ll stick to them.” Chen Guo instructed.

“No worries.”

“Great, follow me!” Chen Guo acted decisively. Freshly employing Ye Xiu, she promptly directed him to sort a stack of keyboards and haul them upstairs for storage.

Chen Guo's internet cafe, known as “Happy Internet Club,” ranked as a rather upscale establishment. It featured two stories and more than a thousand machines. The upper level felt a touch compact yet exuded clear luxury—a premium zone. Within lay a hidden haven with two cozy inner chambers and a storage area. Ye Xiu, after checking out this compact space, hustled keyboards up and down. The job posting promised food and lodging. Fresh from leaving the club without a plan for what came next, Ye Xiu saw these perks as a chance to pause, regroup, and plot his future path. That alone ignited his enthusiasm for the cafe gig.

This little room struck him right away as the “shelter” spot. Its decor stayed basic, yet everything gleamed clean and orderly. Ye Xiu felt quite pleased. As he sorted the keyboards he'd hauled upstairs, his mind kept racing with thoughts.

“Alright, that's your sleeping spot.” Once Ye Xiu wrapped up, she gestured at the narrow bed squeezed into the storage area.

“Huh?” Ye Xiu blinked in surprise. He'd pictured crashing in that neat, airy room. Even the lounge sofa would've suited him fine. But this... He glanced up. A minuscule window on the storage room's west wall overlooked the streetlamps. With lights off, dim glows seeped in through the slit, giving off a spooky vibe.

“Eh, it's kinda rough. Make do for now... Truth is, my cafe doesn't need more hands. You're extra but not overflowing; minus you, we're fine too. Those flyers you spotted? Super outdated.” Chen Guo explained.

“Ah, gotcha! No worries at all. This setup's solid.” Ye Xiu shot back instantly. His easy acceptance left Chen Guo guilt-ridden. That cramped storage truly made a lousy bedroom.

“When you're off-duty, hop on the PCs and game away. No charge for staff.” Chen Guo added.

“Boss, you're too kind!”

“Cough, like one machine matters in a sea of a thousand!” Chen Guo replied.

“What's the usual customer traffic like?” Ye Xiu inquired.

“Pretty decent. Keeps me happy.” Chen Guo answered. “Night shifts are quieter, sure. Mostly uni kids from nearby grinding all-nighters. Nothing fancy—you'll get the hang of it soon enough.”

“Understood.”

“To help you settle in quick, wanna start tonight? Lets me check how you handle the graveyard shift.” Chen Guo suggested.

“Sure thing. I'm brimming with stamina.” Ye Xiu flashed double thumbs-up, signaling all-nighters were right up his alley.

“Great. Downstairs we go. My treat for a late-night bite.” Chen Guo said.

“Oh? What's on the menu?”

“Slim pickings this late. A nearby joint should still be open—grab some dishes to go. Skip the celery for me.” Chen Guo pulled two hundred bucks from her pocket and handed them over to Ye Xiu.

“But it's snowing out!” Ye Xiu pointed out.

“Right across the street. Barely a flake on you. Move it.” Chen Guo urged.

Ye Xiu sighed but headed out, snagging some midnight munchies across the way. New hire already running errands left and right, yet no gloom hit him. Just a short chat, and they clicked like old pals. Her warm vibe put him at ease. Then it hit Ye Xiu—he'd never even caught his boss's name.