Chapter 22: An Insult to Intelligence

Watching Yang Hao leave a remark and suddenly dash into a nearby building, the crowd was left speechless. As for Cheng, though he had no idea what was about to happen, the events earlier gave him an ominous sense that something unpleasant was imminent. It seemed as though something was about to unfold.

After about twenty seconds, Yang Hao reappeared in their sight. This time, several people keenly noticed that the level-three helmet atop Yang Hao’s head was gone, replaced by a bright green helmet. Yang Hao, wearing the oversized green helmet, hurried to Cheng and spoke again, “Hey, bro, is that the legendary level-three helmet you’re wearing?”

Hearing Yang Hao’s voice, many people felt a twitch in their hearts. Did he really not know whether it was a level-three helmet?

“I’ve played this game for so long, and this is the first time I’ve seen a level-three helmet. So this is what it looks like? Doesn’t seem all that special.” Yang Hao feigned nonchalance, then suddenly added, “Brother, what do you think of my helmet? Isn’t the color prettier than yours? Don’t you really want it?”

Yang Hao spoke shamelessly, while Cheng felt a surge of blood rise in his throat. Who on earth would want it? Was he crazy? Why would he ever covet a “green hat” and abandon a level-three helmet?

“Sigh! I guess I’m just too kind. Since you like it so much, I’ll make a little sacrifice and swap with you,” Yang Hao said, then removed his level-one helmet and set it at Cheng’s feet.

Cheng’s eyelid twitched as he looked at the green helmet on the ground, but he refused to pick it up. With the experience of the previous two exchanges, Cheng was not about to let himself be tricked again. He’d already handed over most of his possessions; if he gave up his level-three helmet now, he’d be left with nothing.

He was certain that if he dropped the level-three helmet, Yang Hao would snatch it up in an instant. He could give the helmet to Lin Zijin, or to Ling Xue’er and Lu Ziqi, but Yang Hao? Absolutely not!

Once or twice was tolerable, but Cheng had no intention of letting Yang Hao play him for a fool again.

“Let’s go, the zone is about to move!” Lin Zijin suddenly spoke up from the side.

The enemies in the area had basically been cleared, leaving only their two squads. They’d already lingered here too long, and since Y City was outside the safe zone, the poison would soon sweep over them. They needed to leave quickly.

With Lin Zijin making the call, no one objected. Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. In his mind, even Lin Zijin couldn’t stand Yang Hao’s antics anymore, or she wouldn’t have spoken up just then. Her intervention seemed to be an attempt to help him out of the awkward situation.

With that, Cheng decided to ignore Yang Hao, pretending not to see him or the green helmet lying at his feet.

But Yang Hao was not one to give up so easily.

“Don’t rush! We can swap helmets before we go, it won’t take long,” Yang Hao called out just as Cheng was about to rally everyone to follow Lin Zijin. His words brought everyone to a halt.

All eyes turned to Yang Hao.

“Oh, never mind. Why don’t you go ahead? We’re not on the same team anyway. We’ll stay behind and keep searching—I refuse to believe that in this vast Y City, I can’t find a single level-three helmet.” Sighing deeply, Yang Hao finally relented.

Hearing this, Cheng’s mind reeled. Clearly, Yang Hao wasn’t letting go of his level-three helmet so easily. Suggesting that they leave and let Lin Zijin’s group continue searching? On the surface, it sounded reasonable, but the whole purpose of coming here was for Lin Zijin. Leaving now would be pointless.

This made Cheng suspicious of Yang Hao’s intentions.

After some thought, Cheng finally took off his level-three helmet and tossed it to the ground.

Yang Hao looked at the black helmet on the ground and sighed, as though he were a little regretful to receive Cheng’s level-three helmet. But soon, after equipping it and glancing at Cheng now wearing the green helmet, Yang Hao found Cheng much more pleasing to the eye.

“I told you, that helmet suits you best. You look really cool with it on!” Yang Hao appraised Cheng’s level-one helmet with exaggerated seriousness, secretly delighted.

Following Cheng’s “green hat,” Yang Hao’s gaze shifted downward, and he suddenly chimed in, “Hey, is that level-three armor you’re wearing?”

By now, Cheng was almost traumatized by Yang Hao. As soon as Yang Hao’s question popped up again, Cheng couldn’t help but move his in-game character two steps backward.

“Tch, how stingy can you get? I was only asking, why so nervous?” Yang Hao sneered, clearly unimpressed by Cheng’s reaction.

Stingy? Faced with Yang Hao’s hurtful words, Cheng felt like spitting blood again. Only asking? That was what Yang Hao said last time, too. And look at the result.

Seeing Yang Hao now wearing what was once his own level-three helmet, Cheng felt his heart twist in pain.

Though Cheng was frustrated, he was live-streaming and Lin Zijin and the others were present, so he couldn’t lose his temper. He forced a smile onto his face, though it barely concealed his true feelings.

Of course, Yang Hao and the others couldn’t see any of this.

Next, Cheng watched as Yang Hao ran over to Ling Xue’er, took off his level-three armor, and said, “Little Xue, this level-three armor is damaged, but still usable. Your level-two armor is basically useless now. Why not switch?”

After saying this, Yang Hao dropped a medical kit as well, speaking carelessly, “I’m not like a certain someone. I’m generous. Here, take the medical kit too.”

Seeing the level-three armor and medical kit at Ling Xue’er’s feet, Cheng nearly burst into tears. Damn it, that medical kit was clearly the one he’d just given! How had Yang Hao managed to offer it up as if it were his own?

What annoyed Cheng even more was that, after dropping a medical kit for Ling Xue’er, Yang Hao went over to Lin Zijin and left a pristine level-three helmet and two first aid kits at her feet.

“For you!” Yang Hao announced.

Lin Zijin accepted without the slightest hesitation; the level-three helmet that Cheng had just been tricked out of was now hers.

Watching this scene, Cheng felt his intelligence had been insulted. He could have given the items directly to Lin Zijin, but after Yang Hao’s little performance, it seemed all the credit had gone to him. Cheng’s visit not only failed to leave a good impression on Lin Zijin, but also gave Yang Hao an opportunity to shine.

His gaze fell again on Yang Hao, and suddenly Cheng realized that the man before him was utterly loathsome.