Nearby, a player couldn’t hold back a laugh, causing Zhan Shaohong to glance around with displeasure, unable to identify who dared to chuckle at him. He struggled to contain his annoyance, but as soon as his gaze returned to Gu Jiu, his frustration vanished.
He’d thought his type was the bold and seductive kind, like Chai Yingying. But upon meeting Gu Jiu, he was instantly captivated by her striking beauty. She had a classical, gentle charm, combined with a radiant elegance that harmonized perfectly, making her allure simply unforgettable.
Not liking roses was no problem. Zhan Shaohong tossed the bouquet to a nearby player and continued to his next plan.
“Would I be fortunate enough to invite you to join me for dinner?” He gestured grandly toward the candlelit dinner he’d set up. Surely, in a game world like this, a candlelit dinner would impress any woman.
“Of course,” Gu Jiu agreed with a smile.
Zhan Shaohong felt triumphant. See? Women are all the same.
“And my companions too. Let’s all sit together—it’ll be much more lively that way,” Gu Jiu added cheerfully.
Zhan Shaohong’s confident grin froze. Wait a minute… I only meant to invite the beauty, not a whole group! How romantic could a candlelit dinner be with ten people squeezed around the table?
Under Gu Jiu’s expectant gaze, however, he found himself unable to refuse. He could only watch as Gu Jiu, her companions, and several other players gathered around the table. Even those who hadn’t intended to join were already seated by the time they realized it, filling up the not-so-large table with nearly ten people.
Zhan Shaohong: “…”
Noticing Zhan Shaohong’s expression, a player quickly tried to alleviate the awkwardness. “With so many of us, there might not be enough food…”
It was a two-person dinner now stretched to accommodate ten. There was no way the food would be enough.
“No worries, I have plenty,” Gu Jiu said, pulling out several dishes from her inventory.
Wan Xingzhou joined in enthusiastically, adding more dishes to the table. Inspired by the “Death Movie” instance, he had packed a variety of delicious foods into his inventory before entering the game world, ready to enjoy at any moment.
With the table now crowded with a feast, even Zhan Shaohong had nothing more to say.
The group gathered together for a lively meal, introducing themselves to one another, the table filled with conversation and laughter.
Zhan Shaohong initially felt frustrated, but after successfully learning Gu Jiu’s name, he was delighted—though the presence of so many “third wheels” around him still annoyed him.
The lively dinner eventually concluded as night began to fall outside.
Nighttime in the game world was always fraught with danger, and the players in the restaurant were already planning to hurry back to their rooms.
Bolstering his confidence, Zhan Shaohong spoke up again, “I’m not sure what dangers this hotel might hold tonight, but I have plenty of items that guarantee nighttime safety. Gu Jiu, would you like to stay in the same room with me?”
Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow, glancing around before replying with feigned hesitation, “Wouldn’t that be inappropriate? The hotel attendant specifically had us draw our own room cards, implying that we should stay in our respective rooms. If we leave, it could trigger… unfortunate events.”
What kind of “unfortunate events” might happen was still unclear to the players.
Some cautious players had already resolved to stay in their designated rooms for the night.
A smug look crossed Zhan Shaohong’s face. “No problem! I have a decoy item that can fool any ghostly senses. They won’t detect us.” He stepped closer, thumping his chest confidently. “How about I come to your room tonight? I can protect you.”
Whether she joined him in his room or he joined her, it was a win-win for him.
Before Gu Jiu could respond, Lu Ji, having reached his limit, stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her.
“She’s staying with me tonight, so back off,” Lu Ji declared.
Zhan Shaohong looked at Lu Ji, surprised by the girl’s height. At her age, she was already tall; would she reach over 190 cm as an adult? She was far too towering for his taste. And though she was pretty, her sickly look and gloomy aura were off-putting—not to mention her flat chest. He was thoroughly uninterested.
Zhan Shaohong scoffed, “Go stay with Chai Yingying instead.”
The players accompanying him were used to his tone, but Lu Ji was infuriated. He was just about to teach this presumptuous guy a lesson when Chai Yingying stepped forward, taking Zhan Shaohong’s arm with a playful pout, “Shaohong, didn’t you promise to stay in my room tonight? How can you go back on your word?”
Her flirtatious tone was effective, and Zhan Shaohong was easily swayed.
At that moment, Gu Jiu interjected, “Sorry, but I’ll be staying with Ah Ji tonight! She’s still young and might feel scared in a place like this. I can’t just abandon her.” She gently pulled the slightly taller Lu Ji into her embrace, her expression radiating affection.
Lu Ji froze for a moment, then blushed, obediently leaning into her embrace.
Zhan Shaohong: “…”
Anyone with eyes could see that Lu Ji was practically glowing with pink bubbles of joy, while Gu Jiu wore a tender, doting smile…
Oh, so they’re a ‘couple’!
Everyone suddenly understood. Times had changed, and same-sex relationships were now quite common. Although it was unexpected, no one looked at them strangely.
Zhan Shaohong stood there, mouth agape, watching as Gu Jiu took Lu Ji by the hand and led her out of the restaurant, with Wan Xingzhou trailing behind in a daze.
Once they were outside, Gu Jiu gave Wan Xingzhou a firm slap on the shoulder. “Snap out of it!”
Wan Xingzhou blinked, looking at them both with a bit of awe. “So… you two are in that kind of relationship…” he murmured, sounding slightly wistful.
These days, all the good girls seemed to be “taken in-house,” leaving an increasing number of men single and forlorn, himself included. Each year on Singles’ Day, he could only belt out “Single Love Song.” It was a sad fate.
“Snap out of it!” Gu Jiu swatted him again. “Do we really look like it?”
Wan Xingzhou opened his mouth, his gaze falling on Lu Ji’s dark, intense eyes. There was a chaotic swirl of emotions simmering beneath the surface, dark and stormy… so overwhelming he almost imploded on the spot.
By the time he regained his senses, Gu Jiu was already walking off with Lu Ji.
He quickly followed, feeling conflicted. Gu Jiu clearly wasn’t aware, but it was pretty obvious that the young “girl” beside her had quite a thing for her. Did the lady herself even realize this?
Probably not. From what he’d seen, Gu Jiu only regarded Lu Ji as a sickly, vulnerable teenage girl deserving of extra care and attention—purely a compassionate regard for someone she saw as a peer, nothing more.
Clearly, Gu Jiu was as straight as they come. Romance with a girl wasn’t on her radar.
This realization sparked a pang of sympathy in Wan Xingzhou’s eyes as he glanced at Lu Ji. Poor kid was heading down a path of no return.
Then he remembered something. “Oh, by the way, Miss Gu, do you know who Zhan Shaohong actually is?”
“A player!”
Wan Xingzhou sighed. “…Of course he’s a player. I mean his position in Boundless City.”
Gu Jiu pressed the elevator button, and as they waited, she responded, “Judging by his behavior and the players fawning around him, he’s clearly not a potential-type player; they don’t act so dumb or arrogant. He’s also not someone with an awakened special ability, for the same reasons. So that leaves the last option—a ‘connected’ player. Based on his comments, he has an older brother who’s an S-level player in the Star Zone 0.”
Wan Xingzhou: “….”
Was it that Miss Gu was too sharp, or that Zhan Shaohong was too oblivious, making it easy to guess his background even for players who didn’t know his details?
Lu Ji’s spirits soared. Clearly, a guy like Zhan Shaohong wasn’t on Gu Jiu’s radar at all.
“You’re absolutely right,” Wan Xingzhou said, nodding. “Zhan Shaohong has an older brother, Zhan Shaoqing, who’s a big shot in the Star Zone 0. I heard he leveled up there two years ago. When Zhan Shaoqing reached B-level, he joined the Reincarnation Hall in Boundless City, and after becoming an S-level player, he officially became one of the elders of the Reincarnation Hall. Thanks to his brother, Zhan Shaohong’s status rose alongside him.”
“With a brother like that, of course, Zhan Shaohong has the confidence to act arrogantly. His brother’s items give him a safety net, making it easy for Zhan Shaohong to navigate the game worlds with just the power of his gear.”
This made Zhan Shaohong a prime target for players who saw him as a “cash cow,” all hoping to cozy up to him and secure a connection with his powerful S-level brother.
With such backing, Zhan Shaohong could do as he pleased, not only in the game worlds but also in Boundless City. Although he was technically bound by the city’s rules, there were always loopholes to exploit, giving him considerable leeway.
Wan Xingzhou was genuinely worried about what would happen now that Zhan Shaohong had his sights set on Gu Jiu. Cautiously, he asked, “Miss Gu, even if you get fed up with him, could you… not kill him? Please?”
Gu Jiu smiled, “Don’t worry, I’m not a violent person. I wouldn’t kill someone without reason.”
Wan Xingzhou: “….” Somehow, he wasn’t entirely convinced.
While she wasn’t outwardly aggressive, she did have a fiery temperament. Remembering the fate of the Herlan couple in “Death Movie,” Wan Xingzhou suspected that her gentle demeanor might not entirely reflect her inner nature.
Lu Ji, meanwhile, thought to himself that he was a violent person—and if Zhan Shaohong pushed his luck again, he wouldn’t mind taking him out.