Arknightcraft Modpack (Steve in Terra) (Minecraft x Arknight)

A great philosopher once said, "There's nothing a good barbecue can't fix."

For Steven, though, there's nothing like sharing a drink to bring people closer.

After a few rounds of drinking, the initially reserved operators began to warm up to Steven. The atmosphere grew increasingly lively, fueled by both alcohol and camaraderie.

"Let me tell you something, Steve," Ace, the usually mature and reliable man, now slightly flushed from drinking, hooked an arm around Steven's shoulder and whispered conspiratorially. "Don't be fooled by how Outcast looks now. Back in her younger days, she had a ton of admirers. But she was too focused on work, and now that she's become an auntie, nobody's chasing after her anymore."

Steven glanced at Outcast, whose expression had subtly darkened.

"Yeah, I can see that," Steven said, forcing an awkward smile, carefully avoiding further comment. He valued his life too much to step on that landmine.

"Hey, that's not fair," Scout, the sunglasses-wearing operator who usually carried an air of mystery, chimed in. He leaned over, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. "You know Misery still has feelings for Outcast. How can you say nobody's interested in her?"

The two middle-aged men clinked their glasses, sharing a knowing look and a smug grin.

What they seemed to forget was that Outcast, unlike them, was not drunk. Although their voices were low, they were far from inaudible.

"Oh? Funny, I don't recall being informed about these rumors. How about we discuss them in detail?"

With a deceptively sweet smile, Outcast grabbed the two men by their shoulders and dragged them off into a corner.

Steven stood there, glass in hand, watching the drama unfold. He thought about joining the fun but was interrupted by two other operators.

"Don't mind them," one of the women said, her tone warm and teasing. "They've had too much to drink. By the way, Steve, how old are you? Do you like your job? How much do you make each month? Do you have a girlfriend?"

Steven hesitated. Their questions felt oddly familiar—like the nosy relatives he used to deal with back home.

"Uh, I'm doing fine, I guess. I'm not that young anymore, but no, I don't have a girlfriend right now. Still single."

The two operators exchanged a look, their expressions suggesting they were appraising him—not as a comrade, but as a potential match for someone.

"That's no problem!" the taller one said with a grin. "You're handsome and charismatic. You'll find someone in no time. Interested in being introduced to a potential girlfriend?"

Her suggestion made Steven feel a pang of unease, but he answered cautiously, "I don't think so. Not right now."

"You sure? I've got a great apprentice who's single. You'd make a good match!"

Steven almost choked on his drink. This felt way too much like being roped into a matchmaking session by overenthusiastic aunts.

"Thanks, but I think you might've had too much to drink. Maybe take a break instead?"

Not waiting for their response, Steven quickly excused himself, leaving the two women laughing behind him. He couldn't believe the tables had turned—he, the one who enjoyed teasing others, was now on the receiving end.

Just as he thought he'd found a moment of peace, a warm weight settled on his shoulder. He turned to see Blaze, the beautiful, cat-eared operator, smiling at him as she poured more liquor into his glass.

"Come on, keep drinking! If they're out, you've still got me!"

Steven raised his glass with a smile, clinking it against hers. "You all trust me so easily. Why?"

Blaze chuckled. "Knew you'd ask that."

Downing her drink, she gave him a dazzling smile. "First off, like I said, you're Outcast's guest. She trusts you, so we trust her judgment."

"Second, well..." She playfully slapped his shoulder. "You noticed I'm infected as soon as you walked in, didn't you? But you didn't hesitate to take the drink I offered, and there wasn't a trace of disgust in your eyes. That told me you're someone worth knowing."

"Trust me, if I can see it, so can those old-timers. That's enough for us."

She met his gaze, her aqua-blue eyes sparkling. "The rest? Just intuition. We're elite operators, after all. What do you think? Good enough for you, Steve?"

Steven responded with a bright, carefree smile. "More than good enough. But you missed one crucial reason."

Blaze tilted her head. "Oh? What's that?"

"I'm handsome," he said with mock seriousness. "People are naturally drawn to good-looking faces. Being good-looking is like having a built-in charisma boost."

He playfully ran a hand through his hair, exuding exaggerated confidence.

Blaze burst into laughter, clinking her glass against his again.

Joining Outcast here? Definitely the right call. These people were as interesting as they came.

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