"Fuck, the mission failed?"
In a player-run tavern in Votradnoi, Ye Ao sat drinking with someone in broad daylight, thoroughly depressed.
"Seriously, Cowboy? Before I died, I saw Old Marlow's throwing knife hit the target and knock that old bastard down. How the hell did he survive?"
The player called Cowboy smiled, raised his mug, and drained the rum in one gulp.
"Enough, enough. Something must have gone wrong. If you're sure the table knife Old Marlow threw hit him, and hit him in the throat at that..."
"Then why didn't we complete the mission?"
"How would I know?"
Cowboy spread his hands.
"He only threw a table knife, not one of his specialized throwing knives. Hitting the man's neck so precisely was clearly already beyond Old Marlow's usual abilities under those circumstances. And the blade wasn't poisoned, so it's perfectly normal that someone managed to save him."
Ye Ao thought that made sense too. He scratched his head in frustration, sending a shower of dandruff flying from hair he hadn't washed in three or four days.
"Since you botched it, what are you planning to do now?"
Cowboy asked.
"What else? Get ready and head back to Minisia. That old bastard has to die!"
Ye Ao gritted his teeth and slammed his wooden mug down hard. The loud bang made the nearby players turn to look.
"Fuck, if I don't finish this mission, I'll have lost out big-time. I even changed my name because of it."
"Huh? What happened?"
Cowboy immediately grew curious. He glanced above Ye Ao's head... Ye Ao Henai.
Huh, Ye Ao Henai? Ye Ao drinks milk?!
"Pff... cough, cough! Buddy, why'd you go and change your name?"
"You think I wanted to?"
Ye Ao answered irritably.
"When I respawned, the system told me my character