Before the New Year celebrations were over, Gu Jiu received a message from Chai Yingying inviting her out for a gathering.
Chai Yingying was an exceptionally social person with friends everywhere. Across the 3,000 star zones of Boundless City, it was safe to assume she had connections. She was well-integrated among players and widely recognized.
In contrast, Gu Jiu maintained her demeanor as a composed and aloof young lady. She only kept people she found agreeable close to her and would never actively seek to make new connections.
This time, the meeting was once again held at the opulent Golden Splendor Clubhouse.
When Gu Jiu and Lu Ji arrived, they found that not many people were present this time. Apart from Chai Yingying, there were only a few game hunters in attendance.
Chai Yingying greeted them with a playful jab, “Finally! I was wondering when you’d show up! What have you been busy with lately? You’ve been ignoring my messages.”
Gu Jiu and Lu Ji sat down together, and Gu Jiu replied, “It’s the New Year on my side. I’ve been at home spending time with my family. I had no time to check your messages.”
When players returned to the real world, their accounts couldn’t receive messages from other players. Of course, messages could be seen once they were back in Boundless City, but Gu Jiu had been occupied either with her family or indulging in couple’s time with her boyfriend, cherishing their world together. Naturally, she wasn’t going to bother with interruptions.
If not for Chai Yingying’s urgency, Gu Jiu wouldn’t have left her cozy retreat.
Chai Yingying rolled her eyes at her. “Who are you trying to fool? Even during New Year’s, you wouldn’t stay in the real world the whole time. You’re putting romance before friendship!”
“As long as you know, no need to spell it out.”
“…”
Chai Yingying rolled her eyes again and took out two jade-white wine cups along with a small, exquisitely crafted jade flask. She poured two glasses of amber-colored wine and pushed them toward Gu Jiu and Lu Ji.
“Here, have some spiritual wine.”
An incredibly rich and refreshing fragrance wafted through the air, brimming with spiritual energy and stirring an irresistible craving in everyone present.
“Wow, feeling generous?” Gu Jiu asked with a smile, unceremoniously picking up her cup and taking a sip.
As expected of fine wine from a cultivation world, just one sip brought an intoxicating sense of lightness and contentment, filling her with relaxation.
Chai Yingying replied, “What’s the big deal? Last time, I ate so much of your spiritual cuisine. I’ve got enough points to treat you to some spiritual wine.”
A single flask of spiritual wine wasn’t much, and after one round, it was gone.
Everyone present was a B-level player. Even a small cup of spiritual wine was enough for them to digest, as the potency of such wine from a cultivation world was immense.
The players’ faces were slightly flushed from the wine, except for Lu Ji, who maintained his usual pale, sickly complexion.
Today, Lu Ji was once again dressed as a girl, clinging closely to Gu Jiu like a shy and dependent girlfriend. He was adorable and quiet, easily overlooked.
Although the game hunters present knew he was secretly a formidable player, they couldn’t help sneaking a few glances. Afterward, their feelings were complicated. This was the legendary “Sister Ji” who had long been a topic of discussion in the game hunter circles. Unfortunately, “Sister Ji” was content to rely on his girlfriend and rarely displayed his true strength.
As the wine took effect, the atmosphere grew more casual, and conversations became more open.
Today, aside from offering spiritual wine, Chai Yingying had another reason for inviting Gu Jiu—to discuss the next game.
“Are you looking to team up with us again?”
“Of course!” Chai Yingying admitted without hesitation. “Think of it as you helping us out. We can offer you points in return.”
She had an instinctive trust in Gu Jiu and Lu Ji, convinced that the two could reliably lead a team to clear games. For players who had just advanced to B-level, the first ten games were primarily for adaptation. Only after these games could they grow into skilled B-level players who could survive more easily in the game worlds.
In fact, the rules of the Multiverse game required players to go through ten games at each level precisely for this reason. These ten games served as a transition period, after which players could choose to advance or stay at their current level.
Although Chai Yingying was confident in her own abilities, she wasn’t above holding onto a reliable pillar of support.
Gu Jiu smiled and replied, “Forget the points; we can team up if you want. We haven’t found anyone else to team up with yet anyway.”
Though Gu Jiu had been a player for several months, most of her time outside the game worlds was spent training to improve herself. As a result, she didn’t know many other players. Among the B-level players she did know, Chai Yingying and her group were the most familiar. It didn’t make much difference whom she teamed up with.
Of course, Chai Yingying was a friend and capable as well, so teaming up with her was acceptable.
Delighted, Chai Yingying grabbed Gu Jiu’s hand and said, “You’re a loyal friend, Miss Gu! I’m sticking with you!”
At this moment, Lu Ji gently pulled Gu Jiu’s hand back and shot Chai Yingying a cold glance.
Unfazed, Chai Yingying changed the topic and asked, “By the way, are you two interested in joining the Game Hunters organization? Since you’re not part of any other group yet, joining us would be beneficial.”
The Game Hunters present chimed in to encourage them, eager to recruit the pair.
Gu Jiu shook her head. “I’m not interested in being a Game Hunter. In the future, once I reach S-level, I plan to form my own small team.”
The Game Hunters were momentarily stunned, then filled with admiration.
S-level was the ultimate goal for all players, but only a rare few ever reached it. Many players faltered at A-level and never advanced further.
This was the first time they had encountered someone as confident as Gu Jiu. However, anyone who had seen her perform in the game worlds wouldn’t think she was boasting. Her strength made it genuinely plausible that she could become an S-level player.
Chai Yingying teased, “Does this mean we’re getting a head start on clinging to an S-level player’s support?”
“Haven’t you already been holding onto an S-level player’s support?” Gu Jiu replied. “I heard the leader of the Game Hunters is an S-level player.”
“But our leader has never shown up. We don’t even know what they look like, or whether they’re male or female.”
Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow. “How peculiar. Now I’m even less interested in joining.”
Game Hunters: “.…” They should’ve praised their leader more enthusiastically.
After wrapping up their meeting with Chai Yingying and the Game Hunters, Gu Jiu and Lu Ji left.
When they returned to their house in Moonlit Bay, Gu Jiu received a message on her player account—a formal invitation.
The invitation was from the “Jiuhua Group.”
After reading it, Gu Jiu forwarded the invitation to Chai Yingying.
Chai Yingying called her almost immediately. “It must have been Pei Yongyong who recommended you to Jiuhua Group. She’s a member of Jiuhua Group and must’ve noticed you’re not affiliated with any other faction, so she acted quickly. Oh, by the way, do you remember that idiot rich second-generation kid Zhan Shaohong?”
“Of course.”
“Well, he seems to have found out about you. He knows you’ve become a B-level player and wants the Reincarnation Hall to send you an invitation! Miss Gu, you’re no longer some unknown newbie. From now on, more and more factions will want to recruit you. Are you really not considering joining our Game Hunters organization?” She chuckled, making yet another attempt to persuade Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu said, “If I’m unwilling, can they really force me?”
“They can’t,” Chai Yingying replied, “but they might pull some tricks. The more upright factions won’t resort to coercion, but some of the more extreme ones might act out if you reject them. They could get petty or even vengeful.”
“If you accidentally offend players from a major faction in the game world, they can’t do anything to you directly because of the Multiverse game rules. But once you return to Boundlessless City, they could stir up trouble for you—or worse, deliberately follow you into other game worlds.”
Gu Jiu smiled and listened attentively. When Chai Yingying finished, she simply said, “I understand.”
Chai Yingying wasn’t sure what she meant by that. When Gu Jiu hung up, she raised an eyebrow. Was Miss Gu really going to stand her ground so firmly?
Lu Ji, who had been sitting beside her and listening quietly, wrapped his arms around her after the call ended. Resting his head on her shoulder, he said softly, “Ah Jiu, do whatever you want. No one can force you. I’ll always be by your side.”
His eyes lowered slightly, concealing the darkness within them.
Anyone who dared to harm his Ah Jiu would find themselves tasting the wrath of destruction.
Gu Jiu kissed the corner of his lips, her expression warm and amused. “Hmm, I have you, Ah Ji.”
Her tone was playful, meant to tease her boyfriend, but Lu Ji nodded seriously, as if he were already contemplating how to subdue the semi-divine leaders of the star fragments. If they caused trouble, a thorough beating would surely make them obedient—and uninterested in recruiting her to their factions.
After enjoying a relaxing New Year’s break, the time for the next game world drew closer.
Gu Jiu left the comforts of her idyllic days with Lu Ji and returned to the training grounds. Despite already having the solid physique of a B-level player, she refused to slack off.
As someone who had been privileged and dominant all her life, Gu Jiu had strength ingrained into her being. In a competition where everyone started on the same level, she was determined to surpass them all and aim for absolute dominance.
Seeing her return to training, Wan Xingzhou and Ruan Yuan silently followed suit. If even Miss Gu worked so hard, how could they justify not pushing themselves?
Time flew by, and the day to enter the next game world arrived.
Chai Yingying arrived with a male player in tow.
“This is Jiang Ze. He’s also a Game Hunter and will be teaming up with us for this game.”
Jiang Ze was tall and lean, with a polished appearance that exuded urban sophistication. He smiled faintly at them, radiating charm—a classic example of a gentlemanly, attractive man.
“Hello, I’m Jiang Ze,” he said with a warm smile.
After the introductions, Chai Yingying handed over the prepared team bracelets to Gu Jiu and Lu Ji.
To prevent excessive collaboration among players, the Multiverse game restricted teams to a maximum of four players per game world.
At 9 p.m., Gu Jiu and Lu Ji sat in the living room of their Moonlit Bay home and entered the gray mist space simultaneously.
—
[Player is about to enter the B-level game zone: Ella Town.]
[Game Mission: Locate the cursed witch, Ella.]
[Available items: Exorcism Talisman, Defense Item, 500 points per piece, unlimited purchases.]
Gu Jiu stared at the mission and items displayed on the panel, raising an eyebrow slightly with a look of intrigue on her face.
“So this time we can buy as many exorcism talismans as we want? What a rare opportunity.”
System 387 voiced its concern: [Miss Gu, this game world looks pretty difficult. You’d better be careful. Buy as many exorcism talismans as you can—it’s not a bad investment.]
Whenever players entered the game world, the in-game store always offered items at the lowest possible price to encourage purchases, maximizing the players’ chances of survival. The unlimited purchase of exorcism talismans this time was no exception.
Gu Jiu replied, “I’d love to stock up, but I don’t have many points right now.”
System 387 was shocked. [Didn’t your boyfriend give you points?] It knew Miss Gu’s boyfriend was a major player, the kind who earned points tirelessly.
While other players took breaks, he continued grinding through game worlds like the system’s ideal workhorse.
“He did,” Gu Jiu admitted, “but I can’t bear to spend too many of his points. I’m already eating his food and living in his house—how could I be so greedy?”
[…]
System 387 almost believed her. It was nearly convinced she had some sense of shame.
But reality soon proved otherwise. Although Gu Jiu felt a twinge of guilt about her boyfriend, she still went ahead and bought ten exorcism talismans without hesitation.
“All right, send me into the game world now,” Gu Jiu said. “Ah Ji must already be waiting for me.”
Seeing how eager she was, System 387 wanted to remind her that no matter how long players lingered in the gray mist space, everyone entered the game world at the same time. There was no such thing as someone waiting for another.
But recalling how Miss Gu spoiled her boyfriend to no end, it decided against arguing. Instead, it quickly sent her into the game world.