"Celestial Jade tiles?"
Little Duck and 'White' Seele voiced their confusion in unison, while March 7th scratched her cute pink hair with her small hand.
The Express had been on the Xianzhou for some time now, and the fun-loving, energetic March hadn't rested for a moment.
Outside of official business, she was either being dragged around by the Stellaron spirit to rummage for treasure chests, or switching into Super Little March~ Mode to sweep through Xianzhou delicacies, clocking in at photo spots, and playing like crazy!
As Celestial Jade was an entertainment method rising like the morning sun on the Xianzhou, a national-level game, March 7th had naturally heard of it while hunting for fun things to do. However, due to time constraints, she only had a rough understanding and hadn't officially fallen down the rabbit hole yet.
"Celestial Jade tiles... that sounds a bit familiar. Brother Caelus, what is that?" 'White' Seele asked in a soft tone.
Although it was also their first time on the Xianzhou, compared to March 7th, 'White' Seele and Little Duck lacked some Inter-stellar era knowledge and focused more on novelties in other areas. Eating Xianzhou delicacies while watching cinematic immersion movies... even if Little Duck wanted to play games, she played video games, so the two hadn't paid much attention to Celestial Jade.
"Hiya, let me introduce it! Celestial Jade is..."
At the mention of Celestial Jade, Qingque, this little salted fish, immediately flipped over. The girl in cyan clothes hopped lively in front of 'White' Seele and Little Duck, explaining enthusiastically in an attempt to drag new friends into the pit.
A puzzle strategy game, is it?
With a thoughtful expression, Little Duck hugged the ball with both hands—she liked this posture very much, as it allowed her to feel her magnificence of a few years in the future in advance.
This was confidence! The confidence that allowed her to look straight at any 'bigness' with a calm gaze!
"It looks somewhat familiar."
Her silver eyes looked at the rectangular block lying in Qingque's open, fair palm. Little Duck felt she had seen this thing somewhere before—not on the Xianzhou, but on Earth. She had seen a similar icon in the Shenzhou region section when browsing through the game library.
Waiting for Qingque to finish explaining to Little Duck and 'White' Seele, Caelus clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention. Caelus pointed his finger with awe-inspiring momentum, his enthusiasm breaking through the obstruction in his throat:
"Everyone, let's play a tense and exciting game of Celestial Jade!"
As his voice fell, the room went quiet for an instant.
"Play Celestial Jade? But I don't know how. Bronya and Seele probably don't know either, right?"
March 7th scratched her head again involuntarily and stood beside Little Duck and 'White' Seele.
"And Stelle, do you know how to play?" March 7th looked at the gray-hair with skeptical eyes.
"Me? No, I don't." Stelle spread her hands indifferently. "Isn't a game something you learn after watching a couple of rounds? Having hands is enough."
"No need to worry about that. Qingque and I are both veteran Celestial Jade players. The two of us can teach you. Right, Qingque?"
Caelus threw the girl in cyan a look that said 'seize the opportunity to drag rookies into the pit'.
"Exactly! I will explain, I will teach, and I will bring you into the world of Celestial Jade."
Qingque patted her small chest—which was better than nothing—as a light seemed to emerge behind her like a missionary.
"Besides, I remember, Bronya, you know how to play a little, right?"
Caelus looked at the beauty with silver-gray curly hair with the familiarity of an old married couple.
Little Duck's heart tightened slightly. Did Silver Wing play this kind of game? She didn't!
To maintain Silver Wing's persona, Bronya's thoughts spun rapidly. The recent Silver Wing hadn't mentioned it to her, so perhaps she could say this. Already able to smile familiarly in a body with a healthy emotional center, Little Duck gave Silver Wing's daily faint smile:
"Hehe, I haven't touched it in so long, I've forgotten some of it. But if I familiarize myself a bit, I should be able to get the feel back quickly."
Little Duck was still very confident in her gaming talent. Puzzle strategy games were still games!
"What about Seele?"
"Seele..."
'White' Seele's small face was tense. She dared not look at the surrounding environment. Her gaze was locked on Brother Caelus or Sister Bronya from beginning to end, avoiding the toys that made her blush.
She was certainly happy that Brother Caelus invited her to play a game, but she didn't feel she could learn such a complex game as Celestial Jade in a short time. It wouldn't be good if she spoiled everyone's mood because she couldn't play.
[The other me, are you discussing playing cards?]
The voice coming from her heart made 'White' Seele rejoice.
[Me from the parallel world, you're back! It's like this...]
'White' Seele simply explained the situation to Seele.
[I know how to play this game.]
Seele gave an answer that made 'White' Seele sigh in relief. She spoke softly:
"Seele will try hard to learn."
Little Duck secretly rejoiced upon hearing this. Being able to play with Seele was just NICE!
"Alright."
Seeing both agreed, and since Qingque had described Celestial Jade so interestingly earlier, the fun-loving March 7th's interest had long been piqued.
"But..."
March 7th looked around the room filled with erotic facilities and various toys again. Her emotions became restless, blood surged to her fair cheeks, and a red flush steamed up.
"C-Can't we change locations to play? Do we have to do it in this kind of place?"
Rather, if they changed locations, March 7th would have actively gathered everyone to play without Caelus and Qingque needing to invite her.
"Ah Qi, that's where you're wrong. Although we have plenty of pocket money now, waste is a shameful behavior." Caelus spoke plausibly.
"That's right, the room is already booked, so we definitely have to use it! It's so quiet here, isn't it better than a teahouse or a game parlor?" Stelle guided patiently.
March 7th stroked her chin, scrutinizing the two's expressions carefully. Her eyes narrowed into curved slits, emitting a light of wisdom. She felt these two guys simply wanted to play in this kind of room!
"Actually, I also feel playing here is a bit inappropriate."
Qingque raised her hand, indicating she stood with March 7th. In a room filled with various props and scenarios, plus the ambiguous pink lighting, even she felt a bit bashful and constrained.
"No! You are wrong!" Caelus interrupted decisively.
"Celestial Jade is a sport that requires wholehearted devotion. When fully concentrated, who cares about the external environment? Ah Qi, when you wear headphones to binge dramas, do you care if you are in a cafe or a starskiff?"
Meeting the gaze of March 7th and Qingque, who revealed eyes of wisdom, Caelus's brow twitched slightly.
"This shows that you are thinking of dirty things!"
Caelus snapped his fingers, stood up, leaped over the octopus chair, bent forward, and brought his face close to March 7th, his eyes gleaming as if performing facial recognition.
"I'm not, I didn't, don't talk nonsense!"
March 7th's small face flushed red, and she pushed Caelus's face away with her hand. "Play here, then play here!"
Caelus stared at Qingque again.
"Alright."
Qingque shrugged. With her lazy and indifferent personality, although she minded a little, she minded far less than March 7th.
"But, I see at most four people playing Celestial Jade in teahouses, occasionally three. We have six people here, how do we play?" March 7th counted the people in the room on her fingers.
"About that."
Caelus picked up six Celestial Jade tiles from the board, speaking as he arranged them:
"Ah Qi, Seele, and Stelle are all newbies. Bronya is also effectively a newbie, so we definitely have to give you guys some consideration.
"For the sake of fairness, you guys pair up into groups. Two people can discuss and decide on playing tiles together. Qingque and I, as veterans, will play normally. How about that?"
"I agree." Stelle was the first to raise her hand in approval.
"Seele has no problem either." Seele took back control of the body and spoke.
Since Seele agreed, Little Duck naturally approved, and March 7th thought it was fine too.
"Then let's draw lots to decide the groups."
Caelus took out two One Dots and two One Bamboos, shuffling them messily on the table.
"I'll go first."
Stelle was the first to bounce out and flip a tile.
Although Little Duck really wanted to be in a group with Seele and carry her, drawing lots was fairer.
The result of the draw disappointed Little Duck greatly. She was grouped with March 7th, while Stelle was grouped with Seele.
Groups assigned, they prepared to take their seats.
"These chairs... are so weird!"
March 7th frowned at the four special chairs beside the game table. The seat surface had a warm, glass-like texture and was transparent. There was a circular indentation at the front, looking like a place to install something, and the backrest had wiring and mechanical structures.
Caelus glanced at the transparent-textured toys in the cabinet and pressed March 7th onto the chair:
"Don't mind these details."
Qingque and Caelus began teaching the group the rules of Celestial Jade.
Mahjong—Celestial Jade tiles were able to become popular among the populace so quickly due in no small part to their ease of entry; the basic rules were simple and clear.
"Celestial Jade tests a person's calculation ability and boldness. Big hands have high multipliers because they are hard to make and carry high risks, so when encountering..."
Qingque was very enthusiastic with the newcomers and imparted some experience and techniques.
Caelus and Qingque guided them through a round. Except for 'White' Seele, Stelle, March 7th, and Little Duck picked it up very quickly.
'White' Seele felt that with Sister Stelle and the other herself present, there would definitely be no problem.
"Chow, Pung, Kong... Good, I've learned it all. Let's officially start now!"
Stelle put her hands on her hips and smirked cheekily, her posture a bit exaggerated, radiating an aura of 'I am already invincible!'.
"Start, start!"
After playing two rounds, March 7th's interest was developed. She couldn't wait to join forces with Bronya and go on a killing spree!
"Before we start, there's one last thing to confirm."
Caelus grabbed a Celestial Jade tile and knocked on the table.
"What is it?"
The girls looked up upon hearing this.
"The stakes, of course! Who plays cards without stakes?" Caelus laughed.
"To be fair, that's true." Qingque nodded in affirmation.
Even she felt that playing just for winning or losing lacked some fun. Having stakes could better stimulate everyone's fighting spirit. That kind of carefree and hearty battle was the true Celestial Jade!
"Do we have to bet something?" Little Duck sat with her legs crossed beside Stelle.
"According to our usual habits, we can use snacks, red envelopes, etc., as bets." Qingque rubbed her hands.
Hero Qingque, hands itching unbearably, longing to play cards!
"We don't have snacks right now. How about sending red envelopes?"
"Sending red envelopes is so boring. If we're going to play, let's play for something exciting, a wager that can stimulate everyone's potential."
Caelus revealed the smile of a sunny, cheerful big boy.
"Hmm?"
These words made the girls look at each other, eyeing Caelus curiously. A gleam flashed through Stelle's eyes.
"Say it. No matter what we bet, our Star-Duck Team will accompany you to the end today!"
Little Duck: "..."
"That is the advanced gameplay of Celestial Jade capable of tempering human will!"
Caelus flicked up the back of his trench coat, radiating the aura of a God of Gamblers. He wiped a hand over his gray hair, slicking it back as if he had applied hair gel.
"Its name is—Strip Celestial Jade!"
________________________________________
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