JUST as Luo Yan expected, after playing for two hours, he only managed to travel three quarters of the way towards the Northern area of Crescent Woodlands.  He didn't mind since travelling and fighting monsters along the way was also a good way to grind levels.  After two hours of playing, he was now at level 8.  At this rate, when he's done with the task given by the Elder and also the hidden event including Filli, he would, more or less, exceed level 10.

He walked out of his room because it's already near dinner time.  He was just walking towards the living room when he saw Luo Jin climbing down the stairs.  His eyes immediately brightened, especially after he remembered the cute profile picture of his brother's game avatar.

"Ah Jin, are you also done playing?" he asked when his younger brother reached the foot of the stairs.  Luo Jin only nodded.  "Did you talk to the NPCs like I told you to?"

"I did."

In fact, Luo Jin spent most of his time talking with those NPCs.  Not because he's being meticulous or something.  But because of the embarrassing reason that he couldn't quite control his game avatar.  He kept on tripping on his own feet and continuously bumping into things.  One of the reasons he could think of why was because he's not used to such a small body.  So it's messing with his balance perception.  The other one was because he's simply a giant noob who had no skill whatsoever.  He'd rather think it's the former.

Because if not, then what would that make him?  It's already shameful enough that he had to play using this game avatar.  There's so way he's going to accept that he's no good.  Since he already decided to keep playing this game using this game avatar, then he would make sure that he would be good at it.  He promised, before summer vacation ended, he would at least be as good as other veteran players.

"Did you get any task yet?"

Luo Jin wanted to wince when he heard the question.  "I haven't yet."  How could he, when he spent most of the time falling over?  Of course he couldn't tell that to Luo Yan.  "I only managed to talk to a few NPCs," he added.

"I see.  Then don't forget to talk to all of them.  As I've said, you might trigger a hidden event.  What level are you in by the way?  I'm currently level 8."

Luo Jin's eyes widened.  "You're level 8?" he said incredulously.

How could Luo Yan be already at level 8 while he was still at level 1?  Didn't they start playing at the same time?  How come he's so ahead of him already?  Did that mean that he's really just that bad at this?

But wait- if his second brother was now at level 8, it meant that he fought with some monsters in the game.  He remembered how life like the game was.  Whenever he fell down, he literally could feel the pain.

He looked sharply at Luo Yan.  "Did you get hurt?"

Luo Yan was momentarily stunned by the sudden shift of topic.  Then he realized that Luo Jin was probably worried, thinking that he fought with monsters since he leveled up that much.  He smiled.  "I'm fine, Ah Jin.  Even if I'm hurt in the game, it wouldn't be transfered to real life."

"I know that.  But you would still feel pain, won't you?"

"Don't worry, Ah Jin, that won't happen much.  Since I discovered that I'm really good at this game.  But Ah Jin is definitely better than me, right?"

Luo Jin looked at his second brother's big black eyes full of trust and he couldn't make himself deny his claim and tell him that he's really, really bad at it.  "Of course I am!"

After seeing Luo Jin's almost constipated expression when he mentioned his level, Luo Yan knew he's probably having some problems playing the game.  Who told him to be such a tsundere and not admit it?  But that's okay.  He'd just help him once they both arrive at Olkdale Town.

"The picture of Ah Jin's game avatar is so cute.  Are you perhaps a gnome?" he asked, all innocent and excited.

Luo Jin, once again, showed a constipated expression.  "Yeah."

"But the gnomes in Arcadia usually have flaxen hair and amber eyes.  How come you have black hair and red eyes?"

"It said on my Character Tab that my race is called 'chaos gnome'.  Not really sure how that differs from ordinary gnomes."

This time, Luo Yan truly felt excited.  "Could there be a word 'special' beside it?"

Luo Jin nodded.  "What does that mean anyway?"

"It's a new type of race division that came along with the new update.  You see, races in Arcadia could be divided into three; common, rare, and legendary.  But with this new update, there's another one - special.  That's what you got."  From what Luo Jin said about his race, he could now safely assume that 'special' pertained to a subrace of an already existing race in the game.  "I also got a special race, it's called a moon elf.  Aren't we both lucky?  Just after the day of the release of the new update we both got a special race.  Do you know how hard it was to get a race different from the four basic race?  But the two of us managed to do it."

After hearing that, Luo Jin felt a hundred times better.  At least now he knew that he wasn't just an ordinary gnome.  Now, it wouldn't be too embarrassing to walk around the game with that game avatar.  "Wait- why do you know so much about that game?"

"I told you, I read the manual."

Luo Jin almost said that he also read the manual.  Then why didn't he understand the game as much as he did?  Good thing he stopped in time.  Because wouldn't that make him look like he lacked IQ or something?

Luo Yan stared at his brother's expression and he could almost read what he's thinking.  He smiled playfully.  Then he changed his expression into a worried one.  "Could it be Ah Jin still hasn't read the manual?"

"I-- yes, I still haven't."

"Then you should read it quickly.  What if Ah Jin didn't manage to leave Origin Village because you have no idea what to do?  If that's the case, I'll be at Olkdale Town while you're still stuck there."  He acted sad.  "I don't want that."

Luo Jin looked at his brother's poor appearance.  "I won't be stuck there, okay?  I'll definitely reach level 10 by tomorrow."

"Would you?"

"Of course.  Aren't I better than you?"

"But what if you triggered a hidden event?"

"Then I'll extend it by a day."

Luo Yan looked at his brother's proud look and chuckled.  It's really fun teasing this brother of his especially when he didn't even notice that he's being teased.