No longer a pushover

Chapter 14

Noelle was instantly intrigued after hearing Cedric's plan. They quietly followed behind, watching Lucas lead his team to fight the game's boss.

The boss was notoriously difficult to defeat, requiring coordinated teamwork. When it was close to defeat, the team was usually left with low health. Usually, no one dared steal the last kill from such a famous team, but there were always exceptions. Noelle had done a strategy guide for this boss before, so she knew exactly when to strike. She and Cedric worked together seamlessly, landing the final blow just as the boss was about to be defeated.

They successfully took the last hit.

The world chat immediately posted-"Congratulations to HeartbreakCrunch for killing the Everbloom Haven boss."

When Lucas saw this, he was furious and began cursing over his headset. "What are you all doing? How could you let someone steal the last kill?"

Xenia added, "Those two must be newbies. Do they not know who we are? How dare they steal our kill!"

Lucas shouted, "Get them!"

But quickly, his screen turned black and white, and the rest of his team fell to the ground.

Lucas stared at the character named "HeartbreakCrunch" and felt something familiar about that person's gameplay. It reminded him of Noelle. He wondered if she had intentionally made a new account to steal his boss kill. However, she shouldn't be that good yet. Meanwhile, Noelle and Cedric celebrated their victory, claiming the loot dropped by the boss. But it wasn't as satisfying as defeating Lucas and Xenia.

After they played for a while, the food arrived. Cedric paused the game. "Let's eat first."

Noelle noticed a small cake that looked like the one Xenia had received earlier. She glanced at him. "Why did you buy a cake?"

"Don't women like this sort of thing? It's a reward for your good grades since you didn't embarrass me."

She was unexpectedly touched. He looked awkward and added coldly, "Anyway, it came with the takeaway order."

She picked up the small cake, sensing that it was ordered just for her. She took a bite, her mood lifting slightly.

watched her lower her head, staying silent for a long

the cake shouldn't taste bad as it was the

her head. "No, it's delicious. It's been a long time since anyone

this cake,

paused, then answered, "My parents died in a car accident on my birthday, so I haven't

the atmosphere at home

if something had fiercely stung his heart, leaving him

turned his head away, his thin lips pressed together, and his face mixed with stern anger and deep

shift in atmosphere and tried to brush it off. "I don't mind it at

all, that day marked the anniversary of her parents' death. What right did she have

emotions as he looked at her pale, quiet face. She appeared so

and almost invisible. Her well-behaved demeanor only stirred a mix of anger

getting late. Go

I still look for you here in the future?" She looked

"Aren't you

nothing you can use to deceive me." Noelle

thoughts lingering on the word "friend". He smiled

leaving now." She waved and left

about the car accident years ago when a similar cake had been smashed. His head began to ache. Since that accident, he hadn't

up the phone and stood, his

...

Liddell residence, she found Frank

unreadable expression, she

had suspected her of cheating, but he hadn't expected her grades to be the result of her genuine hard work. She had always

Something real had changed. He felt both happy and a

who had always clung to him seemed to be

the result of hard work, not just