MMORPG: I was BUGGED-Chapter 246: Countdown to Doom

"You don’t seem bothered even after finding out that she’s dating. Are you really her fiancé?" Xin asked.

Nathaniel stared at Xin before bursting into laughter. "Ahahaha. I think you misunderstood something here. Seraphina and I, we don’t care how many guys or girls we’re dating because, in the end, it would still be us who are going to marry each other. It’s already written in stone."

Nathaniel took a deep breath and scanned Xin from head to toe. "And besides, you’re not a threat. You’re not someone that Seraphina will choose to end up with. Not in a million years."

Xin blinked. "Is that right?"

Nathaniel’s mouth dropped. "Is that all you’re going to say?!" He couldn’t help but lose his composure, his cool demeanor crumbling against Xin’s indifferent expression.

"What else do you want me to say?" Xin asked genuinely.

Nathaniel was taken aback and couldn’t react. It took a while for him to formulate a response against Xin’s no care attitude.

Gritting his teeth, Nathaniel took a deep breath to calm himself before responding. "Just a warning, you better break it off with Seraphina fast if you don’t want your life to be a living hell. It’s not just me who wants Seraphina. There are a lot of others as well."

"Did you say something?" Xin took off his headphones, looking at Nathaniel with a question mark on his face.

Nathaniel lost his cool and argued, "You shouldn’t be putting headphones on your ears when someone is still talking to you! That’s rude!"

"Ah. Sorry. I thought that you’re going to leave already."

"Guk . . ." Nathaniel’s face flushed with frustration, but he quickly composed himself, mindful of their public setting.

If it were just him and Xin in private, Nathaniel might have considered punching the nonchalant expression off of his face as a lesson.

However, he discreetly signaled to his bodyguard, saying, "Let’s go. This isn’t the last time you’ll see me, Xin."

Xin ignored Nathaniel and went about his business.

Time passed swiftly, and before anyone realized it, Halloween was just around the corner.

Xin’s relationship with Seraphina was momentarily overshadowed by the news that the combined might of Brotherhood Legion, Shadowblade, Rising Phoenix, and Doom Bringers was attempting the Castle of Doom, making headlines worldwide.

The world buzzed with anticipation and excitement as news of the upcoming expedition to the Castle of Doom spread like wildfire. Social media platforms were ablaze with discussions, speculations, and fervent debates among gaming communities and fans.

Hashtags related to the event trended globally, drawing attention from players and non-players alike.

News outlets covered the story, providing in-depth analyses of the formidable lineup of guilds and solo players joining forces for this colossal mission.

Gaming forums were flooded with threads dissecting strategies, predicting outcomes, and sharing theories about what challenges awaited the adventurers within the Castle of Doom.

Prominent gaming influencers and content creators dedicated entire segments to discussing the expedition, offering their insights, and fueling the fervor even more.

Fan art depicting the characters involved and imagined scenarios within the Castle of Doom proliferated across online platforms, showcasing the creative energy ignited by this monumental event.

As the countdown to the expedition continued, the virtual world was a cacophony of voices, each echoing the shared excitement and curiosity about what lay ahead in this unprecedented gaming endeavor.

Finally, the day arrived for the players to assemble in front of the Castle of Doom.

"Do you think they’ll clear it this time?" Xiaxia asked, her eyes focused on the TV in the living room.

Xin shrugged. "I don’t know."

"What do you think will happen in there?"

"Beats me."

"Maybe they would win, right? I mean, look at that lineup! It’s like the best. There’s the leader of every guild, their core members, and even top pro solo players. They would surely win."

"It’s hard to say."

Xiaxia grumbled at the side and said, "Can’t you at least provide an explanation besides that one-liner sentence you’re giving?"

Xin popped a piece of popcorn into his mouth. There were many new faces on the screen that he didn’t know, and he didn’t particularly care about them.

However, Victor was on their team, so he wished them good luck. "They might be a powerful force, but the dungeon is a one-week mission, right? Anything could happen in that span. And the longest they held on was four days?"

"Five," Xiaxia corrected. "Though the total is seven days, it’s only a one-day event in the real world. The time is completely different in that dimension."

"But the more days passed, the harder it gets, right?" Xin asked.

Xiaxia confirmed with a nod.

"So, for the remaining unconcerned two days, they don’t know what will happen, and anything could pop up, so there’s still a possibility that they could fail."

"What are you talking about? Victor is on that team, and you’re saying that? Do you wish him bad luck?" Xiaxia reprimanded.

"It’s not that. It’s just . . . they shouldn’t be complacent even though they’re the most powerful team right now. And there’s also the problem of solo players and numerous guilds joining; they have to at least coordinate their attacks and cooperate with one another. Not to mention managing internal strife within a large group that usually happens."

Xiaxia waved her hand dismissively. "I’m sure that they have already thought about that and have been practicing together for some time now.

"Big guilds like that knew that stuff already, so I bet they’ve already prepared for it," Xiaxia finished.

"Is that right?" Xin yawned and shot to his feet.

"Hey, where are you going?" Xiaxia asked.

"Going to go online instead of wasting time here."

"Egh? Aren’t you curious what would happen?"

"The actual game couldn’t be broadcast online because of its secrecy. What are you going to stare at there the whole day? The broadcaster’s faces?"

Xiaxia’s cheeks pouted. "I can’t help it! I’m so hyped right now that I can’t focus!"

"Not my problem." Xin then went back to his room.

Xiaxia bit her lips and clutched her hair in suspense.

"Guuk, why can’t they allow video inside? The suspense will surely kill me!" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

While Xiaxia was frustrating outside, Xin logged into the game.

It was time to go and see the Castle of Doom.