WHEN Shen Ji Yun's victory was shown on the huge screen hanging above the ring, the crowd cheered. It seemed like they didn't mind at all that the fight didn't even last for 10 minutes. Probably because most of them were in awed of how Shen Ji Yun beat his opponent so easily despite him having a lower level. He didn't even let the other guy land a blow on him!

"How come I've never heard of this player SHEN? With his skills, he should be in the top list of the PvP rankings," one of the players on the audience area said.

"I think so as well. I have a guess though as to why," said his companion.

"What is it?" asked the other, full of curiosity.

"I think he's just using an alt account and that he's probably one of the great gods in the game."

The one who asked seemed to become enlightened when he heard that. "That's definitely highly probable. No wonder he's so strong. But wouldn't that mean that the fight had been unfair to the other guy since the very beginning?"

His friend shrugged. "Well, that guy could only blame himself for angering a great god."

[Well, that's true. In more ways than one.] – Luo Yan thought when he heard the conversation between the two players.

He looked back at the stage and saw that Shen Ji Yun already jumped off of the ring. He automatically looked in his direction. As if he just instinctively knew where he was. When his startling blue eyes met his, the ice in them seemed like it thawed, making gentle waves. As if the snow in Winter melted and Spring came.

Luo Yan's heart suddenly started to beat uncontrollably. He could even feel his whole face heating up. He unconsciously looked away and then clutched his chest. What the heck was that?

Before he could calm himself, Shen Ji Yun already appeared in front of him.

"Yan Yan," Shen Ji Yun called.

Luo Yan frowned. He didn't know if it was just him but it's like even Shen Ji Yun's voice when he called his name just sounded so gentle.

Shen Ji Yun didn't miss the abnormal blush on the rabbit's cheeks. Although it looked really adorable, he's worried that he might not be feeling alright. "Are you okay? Your face is red."

Luo Yan felt even more embarrassed. He didn't even know why he was blushing! He was scrambling to think what to answer when he felt the gazes drilling behind his back. He could even hear the murmurs around him.

Shen Ji Yun must have noticed his uncomfortable expression, because he suddenly grabbed his hand. When he raised his head and looked at Shen Ji Yun with confusion, the other only said; "Let's get out of here."

Before he could say anything, the surroundings immediately turned dark and he felt that familiar feeling of being sucked into a vacuum. The moment he opened his eyes again, they were already in front of their team headquarters.

"Are you really alright?" Shen Ji Yun asked again.

"I'm fine. Maybe I'm just feeling a bit hot."

That's probably the lamest excuse he had ever thought of. But looking at Shen Ji Yun's trusting expression, he seemed to really believe what he just said. And now he felt a bit bad. But what could he say? That his face suddenly heated up because of the way he looked at him? No way he would say that. He probably just had been caught off guard anyway.

Then he realized that Shen Ji Yun was still holding his hand. "Uhm, Brother Ji Yun, my hand…"

Because of Luo Yan mentioning that, Shen Ji Yun also only realized that his hand was still gripping the rabbit's soft hand. He let go as if burnt. This time, it was the turn of his face to heat up. But because of the mask covering the lower half of his face, it wasn't too obvious.

"Why did Brother Ji Yun suddenly challenged that player?" Luo Yan asked,

It's better to have this conversation than for him to think of unnecessary things. Besides, he was really curious as to why Shen Ji Yun did that.

"Because he pissed me off," that was Shen Ji Yun's simple answer.

Though that might have been downplaying it just a tad bit.

After that advertis.e.m.e.nt played, his brain was just filled with the image of Luo Yan wearing that red robe and dancing. Whenever he moved, those small green lights followed him and then slowly dispersed. It was truly something quite magical. For almost a minute, his mind could only focus on that wonderful image. He couldn't think of anything else. He couldn't even care about his surroundings.

When he finally came back to his senses, what he heard were those disgusting things that that player was spouting. He just snapped at that moment. Before he knew it, he was already challenging that guy to a PvP. Because that's the only way he could hurt him since there's a ban for players to actually hurt each other inside of the four cities. And he just really wanted to hurt that guy.

He was actually quite surprised that the player agreed. After all, he could decline and Shen Ji Yun couldn't do anything about it. Even though he threatened at that moment that he would die directly if he didn't agree. Now that he thought about it, that player was probably too scared to even think properly. So he just agreed on reflex. But good thing that he did. At least Shen Ji Yun managed to release some steam.

After that fight, he felt refreshed. Even his annoyance for what he heard lessen a bit.

"I don't like it when people talk about you in that way," he added.

"Oh, did you also hear what that player said?" Luo Yan asked. Sure enough, it was because of that annoying guy's dirty comments. "Actually, if Brother Ji Yun didn't challenge him. I might have also done the same."

"Then it's good that I challenged him first." What if that guy inadvertently touched Luo Yan during the fight? So, it's definitely better that Shen Ji Yun was the one who fought him.

"I seem to see you telling him something before he completely lost." Because Luo Yan was a bit far from the ring, he didn't manage to hear it.

"I threatened him not to ever show his face at your pavilion," Shen Ji Yun answered with a straight face. "I apologize for preventing a potential customer from visiting your place of business."

Luo Yan didn't expect that answer. But it still brought a smile to his face. "You don't have to apologize, Brother Ji Yun. Who needs that kind of customer, anyway? I say good riddance."

Looking at the smile on the rabbit's face, Shen Ji Yun finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want Luo Yan to think that he was making decisions for him. He just truly couldn't let that player go for saying all those… things about Luo Yan.

But he knew that that player wouldn't be the last to make those kinds of comments. There would be another and another. And Shen Ji Yun wouldn't have control over any of them. Some of those players might even go to the pavilion just to harass Luo Yan.

Should he just apply as the pavilion's bodyguard?