The unremarkably named Lakeside Hotel was one of Lake City's premier venues for hosting guests. Its facilities were somewhat dated, having been built when the city was founded, but its landscaping was first-rate: a lakeside greenway enclosing a vast stretch of water, and three thousand acres of woodland in the city center. More than anything, it was a statement of privilege and status.
On this early morning, birds sang among the flowers and greenery throughout the hotel grounds. Long Qi, Li Taisheng, Liu Chengzai, and Yuan Wuwei were jogging along the greenway that stretched across the lake.
Compared with the other three, Yuan Wuwei looked utterly drained. Last night's game had been rough on him—Mora's battle with the Magnetized Puppet had left him badly injured, but not dead.
Dying might have been better. The painful memories would probably have been erased or blurred. Instead, he had carried the pain of being caught in the crossfire back into reality. His whole body felt wretched, and even the cool, damp breeze off the lake could not ease it.
The others, unlike Yuan Wuwei, were stealing a moment from their busy schedules.
Long Qi was not keeping watch over the card game, and Li Taisheng and Liu Chengzai had not gone up the mountain to study the Second Underground Cave. The reason was that the Transcendental Species staying at the hotel were holding another meeting.
The meeting was probably still focused on exploring the No. 1 Cave, the Second Underground Cave, and the Fog Maze. But it would likely veer toward the Dreamscape Game.
The gameplay experience and related mission Mora had brought back were well worth discussing. These few might look idle on the sprawling hotel grounds, but they could be summoned to give a report at any moment.
The same went