VRMMORPG: The Other World Online

After Mr Gu left the two guests in their respective rooms, President Xiu made a call through his Fold.

A young face with soft, curly brown hair and warm brown eyes came into view as a hologram.

"President Xiu," the man addressed.

The silver-haired man nodded and sat on the bed. "I have asked Mrs Bai to get hold of all the files named Cheng Xiu, Si Fei."

The man frowned. "Brother Ru…I mean…President Xiu…how can you be so sure that Cheng Xiu was the name that your sister chose for her daughter?"

"Because it was the name I chose," Xiu Ru said as he lay on the bed. He looked far younger than he did before. "I made sister promise me that she would name her first daughter Xiu. The Xiu of beauty. And seeing as she changed her name to Cheng Rui…the child must have that man's name too."

Si Fei sighed. "I have collected all the data on the Cheng Xius I could. There are 145 Cheng Xius in the country. How will you find the one that is your niece?"

"She is my niece. She can not be an ordinary existence."

Si Fei did not know how to react to that comment. Though he was very aware of the narcissistic tendencies of the President, it still took him by surprise that this trait also extended towards those who were related to him. Then again, it made sense that the President would have that kind of a personality.

"Have my parents asked where I am?"

Si Fei shook his head. "Chairman Xiu is still too weak. There is a heart demon making it difficult for the Healer to treat him. As for Madam Xiu…I am not sure. She did not want to meet up with me."

President Xiu listened to Si Fei without any expressions until he heard the news about his mother. "Find out where she is!"

Si Fei blinked. "Huh?"

President Xiu stood up and paced around the room. "What are the chances that my mother is sitting still while she is aware of the death of her daughter and that I have planned to bring her granddaughter back? No…she must be preparing to come to Earth!"

Si Fei sighed. There went the image of the cool president just after he heard the name of his mother. Si Fei felt a bit embarrassed about the new development but he also knew why the President was agitated. His mother would beat him to near-death just to make sure that he did not do anything she did not want him to.

Si Fei shook his head. "Then I will take my leave, President. I will inform you of any news that I hear about the name Cheng Xiu."

President Xiu nodded.

Si Fei cleared his throat.

President Xiu blinked. "You haven't left yet?"

Si Fei gave him a weak smile. "There is something that I have noticed and I was wondering if I should tell the President about it."

"Since you have mentioned it, you want to say it."

Si Fei shrugged.

"What is it?"

"I have seen a lot of the Upper Echelons in the Alliance come to Earth."

President Xiu frowned. "Why?"

"Something about trying to locate the MainFrame of the AI of the game The Other World."

President Xiu snorted. "You can't be serious."

"I am."

"Why do you think the sudden interest?"

Si Fei pursed his lips. "There is a name attached to the Other World Game that has everyone scampering for information."

"Name?" Xiu Ru asked. "What name?"

"Qin."

Xiu Ru blinked. "Qin? As in Scientist Qin?"

Si Fei nodded. "There are also reports of many Qiless of the Upper Class missing."

Xiu Ru pursed his lips, his eyes taking on a dark shadow. "Do you think it is the same person as…back then?"

Si Fei nodded. "Yes. There is no hiding it. What should we do, President?"

"What should we do? Why should we do anything?"

Si Fei frowned. "The Xiu family is indebted to the Qin family in many ways."

"So?"

"If we don't take any action now, wouldn't the Xiu Family be seen as people with no consciousness of gratitude?"

Xiu Ru got up and poured himself a glass of wine. He drank a mouthful and then looked at Si Fei with a cold gaze.

Si Fei shivered at the unfeeling look that was given to him.

"The Qin Family's help is something that we have always been grateful for," Xiu Ru said in his monotone voice. "And that was why we were willing to buy the TOW Project when it was first proposed by that man in the Alliance. But things have changed now. The Lu Family is no longer allied with the Qins. The Lu has declared the Qin their enemies. If we lend them a helping hand, will we not be declaring ourselves the enemies of Lu?"

"And since when have you cared about such things?" Si Fei asked, his voice agitated.

Xiu Ru paused his action of placing the Wineglass to his lips and looked at Si Fei. "What is this really about?"

"Since when has the Xius been scared of the Lu?" Si Fei asked in a stressed tone. "Haven't we always done what was right? How can you not care about…about the Qin family at such a crucial moment?"

President Xiu hmmed. "My dear Si Fei…the Qins sold the AI of the Other World a long time back…time even before we were born. Why are you so agitated? And it had better not be a lie that you are going to say."

Si Fei gulped. "That…"

President Xiu looked at him with a cold expression. "What are you hiding?"

Si Fei exhaled. "TOW Project has reached its Fifth Phase in the game."

President Xiu Froze. "What?"

Si Fei looked at him with a complicated gaze. "The Qiless who have been exposed to the latest version of the game is showing signs of awakening."

President Xiu looked at him in shock. "How is the Alliance reacting to this?"

Si Fei shook his head. "The Alliance is non-responsive. But the families behind the Alliance have started to move."

President Xiu pursed his lips. "Even the Lu's."

"Even the Lus."

"What else?"

"I fear that there is a conspiracy."

"What kind?"

Si Fei took a deep breath and said words that President Xiu had guessed but did want to acknowledge.

An AI with the ability to help the Qiless. It was very obvious how powerful and advanced such an AI should be. If they could learn its secrets, they could maybe even gain power through it.. Understand their own Qi through it.