Chapter 194: The Wedding Shore When Xin arrived home, he found Xiaxia in the kitchen, happily devouring her homemade meal.
"Where have you been?" she asked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. "And what’s that on your hands? Is that food?"
"Yeah," Xin replied.
Xiaxia’s joyful expression quickly turned into a frown. "What? While I’m stuck here with this sorry excuse for a meal, you went out to a restaurant? And you didn’t even invite me?"
"This came from Seraphina," Xin explained, arranging the food on the table.
"Seraphina?" Xiaxia’s frown deepened. "Wait . . . did you two go out? Did you have lunch? Did you . . ." Her eyes widened dramatically, almost popping out of their sockets. "Did you go on a DATE?!"
Xin stared at his sister as if she had lost her mind. "No. It’s not a date. I went to our old house to check if I could buy it back, and Seraphina offered to take me there since she was going in the same direction. After that, we had lunch together."
Xiaxia smacked Xin’s head, her voice firm. "That’s called a DATE! When it’s just the two of you, it’s a date! A girl and a boy going to a place by themselves, that’s a DATE! A boy and a girl having lunch together, that’s definitely a DATE!"
"Stop being unreasonable and help me with this food. There’s a lot here."
Xiaxia took a deep breath and stared at Xin seriously. "Do you even know what you’re doing? Are you even listening to me at all? I told you to stay away from Seraphina, and you’re doing the exact opposite."
Xin took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure. "Calm down and stop reading too much into our relationship. It’s just a coincidence that we have the same route."
"That’s how everything starts! Just going out the two of you, then having meals together. Before you know it, you’ll be watching movies, strolling in parks, and then the next thing you know, you’ll have babies!"
Xin flicked her sister’s head to bring her back to reality. "Stop with your wild imagination and focus on eating these."
"Ouch!" Xiaxia rubbed her head, but she seemed to calm down, her eyes lighting up as she saw the delicious array of sushi and the exquisite wagyu meats spread across the table.
She positioned herself on the chair and began to eat, her mind lingering on what Xin had just shared. "So, you went to our old house?"
"You’re only catching up now," Xin replied dully.
"How did it go?"
Xin proceeded to explain the encounter, and Xiaxia grumbled under her breath.
"Looks like Seraphina saves the day," she said, rolling her eyes. "Is there anything she can’t do?"
Xin chose to sidestep that topic. "Isn’t it your ex’s wedding today?"
Xiaxia stopped eating for a moment, a shadow passing over her expression. "Oh, yeah," she replied, then resumed eating as if she hadn’t heard anything.
Sensing Xiaxia’s reluctance to talk about it, Xin didn’t press further.
It seemed Xiaxia was long over Tristan, allowing Xin to proceed without any remorse about his own future actions.
"Where are you going?" Xiaxia inquired as Xin headed toward his room.
"Playing," he replied simply, closing the door behind him.
. After a refreshing bath and a change into comfortable clothes, Xin settled onto his bed. This day had been specifically reserved for the things he was going to do.
Upon logging in, Xin navigated to the nearest town with an airship route to the Sunken Shore. He still had four hours before the wedding at Gorgeous Beach in the Sunken Shore, providing him with ample time for his plans.
While most players preferred to travel to the Sunken Shore by land, traversing the forests and mountains surrounding it because it was the safest route, some daring adventurers risked the monster-infested, pirate-ridden waters to reach their destination.
However, the motto around these parts was clear: "Never let the warm waters, soft waves, and salty air fool you. This place will sink your boat, your gold, and your mind!"
Fortunately, there was a safer option — albeit a costly one — the airship that could transport him to his destination in just a few hours.
As long as he avoided triggering any in-game quests, he would remain safe aboard the airship.
Within an hour, Xin arrived at his destination, the Sunken Shore. This vast expanse of mountainous terrain was bordered by the endless Wild Sea.
Amidst the treacherous landscape, a few manmade structures managed to survive, earning them the status of central and strategic points among the locals.
The weather in this region was notoriously unstable, ranging from scorching sun to tropical storms, with unpredictable rain showers in between.
Despite these fluctuations, the water temperature remained consistently moderate, a peculiar constant in the ever-changing atmosphere.
Along the coast, numerous caves and underwater chambers dotted the landscape, serving as hideouts for smugglers and pirates, as well as lairs for amphibious monsters that preyed in the region.
Yet, amidst this tumultuous environment, there was a particular area in the Sunken Shore that boasted consistently pleasant weather.
This spot featured the clearest beach with golden sands, making it a favorite among tourists and old folks who just wanted to sightsee and seek the beauty the game had to offer.
This serene locale was not only an attraction for sightseeing, but also a coveted spot for beach weddings, provided one could afford the steep price tag.
Nestled within this picturesque setting was a popular tavern, The Orange Tree Tavern, a meeting spot that offered delectable food and drinks to its patrons.
The tavern also served as a hub for quests and interactions with NPCs.
However, on this occasion, Xin’s purpose in visiting wasn’t centered around NPCs or quests. He had come for something entirely different.
He had come into this island for one thing, and one thing only –– retribution.
The beach buzzed with activity as players and guild members scurried about, setting up for the highly anticipated wedding.
Serenity Wisp had descended upon the beach in full force, transforming it into a wedding-themed setting.