[You have entered Ordo Channel 108]

[SYSTEM]: Alexander Shen has entered the channel.

[Rivet]: Another Pseudo…

[Mercybreaker]: That’s the fifteenth I counted

[Thinker]: Seventeenth.

[Mercybreaker]: What?

[Thinker]: You missed two.

[Mercybreaker]: Go get a life

[Doomspire]: Im going to report the pseudo yall probably should too

[Doomspire]: Enough reports and the system will kick him out, ive done it before in other channels

[Alexander Shen]: I feel welcomed already

[Alexander Shen]: This how you treat all civvies?

[Rivet]: Only the ones that pester us

[Rivet]: We use this chat to keep track what’s going on in Ordo

[Rivet]: We barely have enough free time as it is let alone trying to give out advice to pseudos

[Mercybreaker]: Or listen to them beg for stands

[Rivet]: Yea

[Mercybreaker]: One pseudo kept begging for stands to use in the shop

[Mercybreaker]: Thankfully he got kicked

[Chariot]: Tbh he was real fucking annoying

[Chariot]: He bothered several people in DMs until the system wisened up

[Chariot]: Who are you anyway

[Alexander Shen]: No one important I wanted to get some more information about stuff

[Alexander Shen]: Kinda why I chose 108 since I saw there wasnt as much people here

[Doomspire]: Where you at?

[Alexander Shen]: Dawns

[Doomspire]: oof

[Mercybreaker]: Get the hell out of Dawns holy shit

[Thinker]: That is about the most dangerous place you could be right now.

[Alexander Shen]: You think? When that thing came I was holed up in some basement in West Bravado

[Alexander Shen]: Still am

[Mercybreaker]: Shit where did the TF pop up again?

[Thinker]: Between Fabletown and Parable Points if I recall correctly.

[Alexander Shen]: Gallery Street I think

[Thinker]: Yes, Gallery Street. I momentarily forgot.

[Doomspire]: Still tho get out, like now

[Doomspire]: It’s gonna be a warzone tonight

[Chariot]: Me and my team got ordered to head there once the roads are cleared

[Rivet]: Same here

[Rivet]: Not to mention the army too

[Alexander Shen]: The army’s coming?

[Rivet]: Yeah current estimates put it at 13k and rising

[Rivet]: We’re going all out to kill these fuckers

[Doomspire]: Good luck to you guys haha

[Doomspire]: Im kinda glad my team didnt get picked

[Chariot]: Don’t count your blessings, you might be our reinforcements

[Doomspire]: dammit

[Thinker]: I am a magologist so I will comfortably sit in my laboratory drinking awful coffee.

[Thinker]: Good luck to you all.

[Alexander Shen]: Damn you guys aren’t in Dawns?

[Alexander Shen]: Lucky bastards

[Doomspire]: I was chilling at hq until it happened

[Doomspire]: Sucks to be you

[Rivet]: Think you can get out of West Bravado? Maybe get to OU if you can’t get out of the borough?

[Thinker]: I’m afraid none of us can help you. If I recall correctly, the closest one is Chariot and he’s in Vesper.

[Chariot]: I have my own duties

[Chariot]: Sorry

[Mercybreaker]: If you survived this long as a civvie in Dawns then you might make it out on your own

[Mercybreaker]: I heard there’s less spatial distortions there. Plus the army’s out, you’ll probably meet them first

[Thinker]: There’s no guarantee however.

[SYSTEM]: Prominence has entered the channel.

[Thinker]: Oh Lord.

[Mercybreaker]: Jesus.

[Doomspire]: I didn’t do anything don’t blame me

[Chariot]: Fuck this guy is in town?

[Rivet]: Look think whatever you want about him but he’s *still* the VGM of Oasis

[Chariot]: That shithole guild yeah

[Prominence]: Don’t mind me, the chat preview caught my eye

[Chariot]: So what do you want? You don’t talk to people like us

[Prominence]: I told you that you shouldn’t mind me

[Thinker]: In Chariot’s defense, it’s difficult to ignore a man of your status.

[Thinker]: Considering your rank and importance, we would’ve thought you’d be more occupied with other things.

[Prominence]: Currently I am on standby. As it stands, I’ve been ordered to defend Pillar Windvent and not participating in the operation that everyone’s so intensely focused on

[Prominence]: Please focus on your duties and I will focus on mine

[Prominence]: You as well, Alexander Shen. Or maybe you’re doing them as we speak considering you’re so silent.

[Doomspire]: ???

[Mercybreaker]: ^

[Mercybreaker]: You know this pseudo?

[Prominence]: He’s very well-connected. What do you think though, Alexander?

[SYSTEM]: Alexander Shen has left the channel.

[Prominence]: As expected.

***

[NOTIFICATION]

You have received 1 new Private Message!

***

[Private Message: Alexander Shen & Prominence]

[Prominence]: I can still reach you here

[Alexander Shen]: Don’t make me block you

[Alexander Shen]: Nobody told me you would be in Ordo

[Alexander Shen]: Fuck let alone getting stuck in this shitshow

[Prominence]: I have to say, I knew you were studying at OU but I didn’t expect to hear your name

[Prominence]: Alexander Shen, the TL of Slayer Team Alba, authorized for combat underneath WDO22, under the direct command of Seraph

[Prominence]: For a junior in college? Senior? You’ve done amazingly well for yourself since you left High Home.

[Alexander Shen]: I’m not in the SW program. I’m in Econ

[Alexander Shen]: was

[Prominence]: But here you are, notable enough to be recognized by Seraph

[Prominence]: Do you know how many men would kill to be in your position? Even I wasn’t as well-connected as you are when I was your age. Let alone having direct relationships with several GMs

[Alexander Shen]: Wasn’t my intention

[Alexander Shen]: I never wanted to be a slayer but shit happens, I fit in with that crowd more

[Prominence]: That I agree with

[Alexander Shen]: So what do you want with me?

[Alexander Shen]: Doubt you want to catch up on old times

[Prominence]: Maybe, I thought to check up on you

[Prominence]: Despite our differences and what happened in the past, I still think about you from time-to-time

[Alexander Shen]: I haven’t and I sleep sounder because of it

[Alexander Shen]: To me always you were the one of the few who got off easy

[Alexander Shen]: Or better, since you got promoted from HO to VGM, lucky you

[Alexander Shen]: She always said youd be a better politician than a slayer

[Prominence]: Alvillar?

[Alexander Shen]: And Juna

[Prominence]: We both suffered during that time, Alexander.

[Alexander Shen]: Hows the wife

[Prominence]: You haven’t spoken to Juna in over a year

[Alexander Shen]: Youre funny

[Prominence]: She hasn’t forgotten about you, but it sounds like you had. I never approved but you made her happy, even if it was for a short time

[Prominence]: She’s doing well by the way. Worried like heck but she’s with the rest of her class, preparing in the event that an outbreak occurs in the US

[Prominence]: Or what I predict anyway. I can’t communicate with anyone beyond Ordo’s borders

[Alexander Shen]: Fun

[Alexander Shen]: Last time we talked she said you were dead to her

[Prominence]: Regardless of how she feels, a father should look out for his daughter’s happiness

[Alexander Shen]: And a man ought to seek perfect and constant satisfaction from life

[Alexander Shen]: Anything otherwise means he’s not a man at all

[Prominence]: You still have that witty tongue

[Alexander Shen]: And yours is still slimy

[Prominence]: I remember when I first heard about you from Juna. Alexander Shen, the young man who survived Hangzhou. And the rabid dog who bites anyone who even thinks about touching him.

[Alexander Shen]: If you want to antagonize me then you need to do better than that

[Alexander Shen]: Because Oasis was a shithole filled with degenerates and corruption, from the GM to the HOs to the little guys and even their children

[Alexander Shen]: Juna’s always been an independent thinker, not like her father who listens to his cock more than his brain

[Prominence]: Ha.

[Alexander Shen]: Thats antagonizing btw

[Prominence]: I noticed.

[Alexander Shen]: Seriously what the hell do you want from me anyway

[Alexander Shen]: If you want to talk about Scorcher ask someone else

[Prominence]: Let me ask you something: Do you have any lingering feelings left for High Home? Or is it all resentment and contempt?

[Alexander Shen]: Uncle’s there

[Alexander Shen]: Friends too but those bridges were made on shaky foundations

[Alexander Shen]: Like Gray

[Alexander Shen]: Like Juna

[Alexander Shen]: We had something then we dont anymore

[Alexander Shen]: Otherwise yeah I hate that place, and out of all the men in Oasis I think youre the worst of them

[Prominence]: Really? I’m the *worst*?

[Alexander Shen]: Yeah

[Alexander Shen]: You and I both know you’re Paradise Lost

[Alexander Shen]: Always hated that pseudonym

[Prominence]: That’s not an accusation you can make lightly.

[Alexander Shen]: Of course your honor

[Prominence]: I’m happy for you, do you know that? You must be living such a better life after High Home. Seraph knows your name and she seems to be rather fond of you. You are on your own, living independently after everything that happened to you. I’m sure the same can be said for your sister

[Alexander Shen]: Don’t mention her

[Prominence]: Can I ask about Leona Ahn then?

[Alexander Shen]: No

[Prominence]: Why not? I’ve heard many good things about her. Raised by two S-Ranks who belonged to Angels. And according to personal accounts, she’s a gorgeous woman. Personable and sweet like a little puppy.

[Alexander Shen]: READ

[Prominence]: An Ordoian-Korean gem. You can’t find many women like her in today’s world: stunning, well-behaved, but with a slight fierceness so you’ll never get bored.

[Alexander Shen]: READ

[Prominence]: No wonder you’ve fallen in love with her. A broken man like you can’t help yourself from latching onto the *one* source of comfort. Right into the arms of a woman. The sensation is life. Be careful to not get addicted. Or if you’re too much of a burden, then prepare your heart for betrayal.

[Prominence]: Just like how Paradise Lost betrayed his own guildmates.

[Alexander Shen]: Go fuck yourself

[Alexander Shen]: If we ever meet and I hear you say her name out of your disgusting lips I will *fucking end* you

[Alexander Shen]: Dont contact me again

[You have blocked Prominence]

***

[NOTIFICATION]

You have received 1 new Private Message!

***

[Private Message: Alexander Shen & Fusil]

[Fusil]: Alex, I guess you were expecting this conversation

[Alexander Shen]: God give me a min

[Fusil]: Busy?

[Alexander Shen]: Something like that

[Alexander Shen]: Alright my heads about as clear as it could be

[Fusil]: What happened to you? Did something piss you off?

[Alexander Shen]: Oh you wouldnt believe

[Alexander Shen]: But this is about Vernon and I already know what you want

[Fusil]: Yup

[Fusil]: I don’t want him in Scorcher

[Alexander Shen]: You talked to him first about this?

[Alexander Shen]: And wouldn’t a call be better

[Fusil]: Nope I’m going to you first since you’re the TL who can force that order

[Fusil]: And I feel like texting

[Alexander Shen]: Alright Im gonna relay what I told Vernon and Thea to you then

[Alexander Shen]: I trust them. They took care of themselves when the disaster broke. While the world was falling apart around them, they remained calm and did what they needed to do. You cant really find that in people nowadays.

[Fusil]: But they’re kids. Vernon’s 18 scratching 19 and Althea won’t be a legal adult until next week

[Alexander Shen]: Yeah our birthdays are fucked up, literally one disaster after another

[Fusil]: Be serious about this Alex. *Why* are you letting them fight?

[Alexander Shen]: Because they’re adults

[Fusil]: Who wanna gallivant around like superheroes

[Alexander Shen]: Hey you guys are flying around wearing bodysuits and capes

[Fusil]: Stop playing around this real fucking serious

[Fusil]: Idk why you’re allowing this Alex. You went through the worst outbreak before today. Why would you let your own *sister* fight when you fucking know how bad things could get?

[Fusil]: This goes well beyond “adulthood” or “coming to age” bullshit like that. They’re inexperienced. They’re basically idiots. And idiots will get themselves or others killed.

[Alexander Shen]: Don’t call them that

[Fusil]: I’ve watched Vernon grow up before my eyes and I can’t tell you how many times he failed to have common sense

[Fusil]: Couldn’t do the smallest, simplest things. He’ll fuck that up somehow

[Fusil]: Remember when he got taken advantage of in high school? Ended up giving away several thousand stands to his “friends”? Yeah no one in our family lets him forget

[Fusil]: I worry about him everyday because he’s a natural walking disaster, more than these Comets even. So why the hell are you letting *him* risk his life when it’s supposed to be our job to protect our family?

[Alexander Shen]: Like I said, I trust them

[Fusil]: Trust isn’t enough to keep them safe

[Alexander Shen]: Theyre smart

[Fusil]: Yeah no, smarts doesn’t equal experience

[Alexander Shen]: Christ

[Alexander Shen]: Do you know what happened to Althea at the beginning of this bullshit? She barely escaped getting eaten alive by ghouls, ran to a shelter and escaped before it was shortly overran by the same fuckers. She left *by herself*, managing to find her way to OU and coming through without a scratch on her. Shes so much braver than I am, im not joking

[Alexander Shen]: Or Vernon? When the entire campus was lit the fuck up by massive insects, do you know what he did? Instead of staying down and hiding, he took a friends prototype magick rifle and began firing from the rooftop of sun hall. When I was his age I couldnt even *think* about running let alone use bloated flies as target practice

[Alexander Shen]: So wtf do you mean theyre idiots or incompetent or walking shitshows? Ive seen them fight. Ive watched them wade around knee-deep in guts. They were there when we took down the TF and they hadnt given up and left for PZ yet

[Fusil]: They got lucky

[Alexander Shen]: But after everything they had every reason to hang their coats up

[Fusil]: Jesus, stop being such a stubborn bastard and do the right thing

[Alexander Shen]: Oh fuck off

[Alexander Shen]: I understand where youre coming from but you never once looked at things from their eyes

[Fusil]: And you have?

[Alexander Shen]: Yeah

[Alexander Shen]: I lived through Hangzhou. Dont tell me you know the feeling of helplessness as everything you knew fucking fell apart. That humanity, that thing you were supposed to grow up believing? Yeah maybe it doesnt exist and we’re fucking idiots for thinking so. Me and Althea watched our mother die. We watched our father die protecting us.

[Alexander Shen]: Ive killed people in self-defense. I made the mistake of not being thorough and got my leg broken for it. I beat a man to death for trying to rape my sister. And if I was just a little bit smarter and stronger and *better* maybe we wouldnt have to go through all that pain, and I wouldnt be such a fucking mess now

[Fusil]: READ

[Alexander Shen]: In just a single day these two showed me that they were braver than I was

[Alexander Shen]: The first thing they did wasnt lying down and taking it but to *fight*, that they refused to be helpless and thats such a quality that youd be hardpressed to find

[Alexander Shen]: I wont go against their agency and lock them in PZ. Theyll definitely feel helpless then worrying day and night about our safety and Im not having that shit. So I chose to support them, *trust* them

[Alexander Shen]: Last thing I want is for them to turn out like me. Who doesnt like anything about himself. Im only here because I did too many bad things last time but out of everything Ive done, doing nothing sticks with me the most

[Alexander Shen]: Everyone in my team deserves better so thats my job as TL to ensure that. They deserve all the love and support. Im not perfect at it god fucking no but I do my best. Give Vernon that. If you dont love the attempt then thats not love at all

[Fusil]: I could never agree to this Alex

[Alexander Shen]: Then thats your problem

[Alexander Shen]: Whether you like it or not Vernon is his own man and Althea is her own woman and theyre going to grow up

[Alexander Shen]: As their guardian I want *nothing* more than their safety but at the same time I want whats best for them

[Fusil]: It’s not a game. Anyone could die here. Althea, Vernon, even you

[Alexander Shen]: I know. Thats the responsibility we accepted

[Fusil]: Please reconsider

[Alexander Shen]: Its not my decision to make

[Alexander Shen]: You can appeal to Seraph. Shes my commanding officer. Or Archknell, the operational leader or whatever the term is. Get them to listen and maybe theyll tell me to bench them, so I will

[Alexander Shen]: But besides from that yeah, its theirs to make. If they want to go to PZ then thats their right. If they choose to fight then thats also theirs

[Fusil]: What happens if they become a burden?

[Alexander Shen]: I told them before the TF thing that if they pose a greater danger to themselves or others then theyre going to PZ no hesitation

[Alexander Shen]: Theyre fully aware of the risks

[Fusil]: You’re such a stubborn asshole you know that?

[Alexander Shen]: Yup

[Fusil]: I won’t give up so easily, but if Vernon tags along, promise me that you’ll protect him

[Alexander Shen]: As much as he’ll protect himself

***

[NOTIFICATION]

You have received 1 new Private Message!

“Another one? Seriously?”

[Private Message: Alexander Shen & Leona Ahn]

He smiled.

***

[Leona Ahn]: Hey lovely, are you busy?

[Alexander Shen]: A little bit yeah

[Leona Ahn]: Do you want to have lunch with me and Althea? The other boys have their own things unfortunately

[Alexander Shen]: Sure once I finish up

At that moment, he received another PM, from Problem.

[Alexander Shen]: Maybe not, Problem just DMed me

[Alexander Shen]: Another meeting, its something important

[Leona Ahn]: Always something important…

[Leona Ahn]: For a pseudo, you’re quite a wanted man. What secrets are you hiding from us, Alex?

[Alexander Shen]: It’s nothing serious

[Leona Ahn]: I’m only teasing. I know secrecy is important. Like the missing engineers or the superweapon

[Leona Ahn]: I trust you 자기야

[Alexander Shen]: Jagiya?

[Leona Ahn]: What is it?

[Alexander Shen]: Very funny

[Alexander Shen]: Sorry I cant have lunch with you tho

[Leona Ahn]: I’ll miss you

[Alexander Shen]: Its only been a couple hours since we last met

[Leona Ahn]: And?

[Alexander Shen]: Youre exhausting

[Leona Ahn]: And you’re lucky that I know you’re teasing me

[Alexander Shen]: Hey Leo can I ask something?

[Leona Ahn]: Anything

[Alexander Shen]: Are you sick of me yet?

[Leona Ahn]: What happened?

[Alexander Shen]: Nothing happened Im just asking

[Leona Ahn]: Not right now but don’t ask that again. You know how I feel and if anything changes I’ll tell you

[Leona Ahn]: That sounded harsh let me rephrase that

[Alexander Shen]: I got the message no need to

[Alexander Shen]: Thanks

[Leona Ahn]: Are you sure you can’t come to lunch?

[Alexander Shen]: Id skip literally any other meeting

[Leona Ahn]: Fine, go be a damned hero. Message me when you get out

[Alexander Shen]: Yup yup ttyl

[Alexander Shen]: 笨蛋

[Leona Ahn]: I haven’t used hanja in such a long time but something about an egg?

[Alexander Shen]: Idiot

[Author’s Note: 자기야 (jagiya) means “honey” or “dear”, basically a term of endearment in Korean between couples. Here, Alexander was tricked into calling Leona exactly this.

笨蛋 (bèndàn) essentially means “idiot” in Mandarin Chinese, which can be used affectionately in this context. The literal meaning is “dumb egg”.

Because Koreans (let alone Ordoian-Koreans) don’t hanja often, the writing system using traditional Chinese characters, and instead hangul, what we are familiar with, Leona partly reads 笨蛋 as its literal meaning—thus egg—misunderstanding Alexander’s message.

As a result, Alexander rightfully calls her an idiot.]