Lu Ji turned to see Gu Jiu lift her covers.
Her eyes were open, showing no trace of sleep.
“That voice is from Qi Yuheng, right? Impressive,” Gu Jiu commented with a smile. “Looks like the tools from the game store come in handy to scare off these monsters.”
Each time players entered a game instance, the in-game store would offer items for purchase. Most of these items were usable in the game, but players had to choose carefully to get the most effective ones.
Of course, if a player was wealthy and had points to spare, they could buy everything on offer.
From what they’d gathered so far, the Holy Light Talisman worked specifically against ghosts, while the Horror Chainsaw was good for intimidation. The Barrier of Confinement was a rare defensive item useful in any game instance.
Sadly, it required too many points to purchase, but Gu Jiu wouldn’t mind buying it if she had the points.
After all, it was a life-saving tool.
Lu Ji shifted slightly to face her.
He said, “I heard Qi Yuheng is about to advance to the C-rank game arena. This is his last time in the D-rank world, and he’s the strongest among the players in this instance.”
Gu Jiu let out a soft “Oh,” but said nothing more.
Lu Ji didn’t add anything either and simply closed his eyes to sleep.
—
The following day, Gu Jiu and Lu Ji headed to the first-floor lobby, where they found the other players and newcomers looking at Qi Yuheng with admiration, as if they were gazing at a legend.
Last night, Qi Yuheng’s outburst ended up benefiting everyone—not only did they all get a good night’s sleep, but there were no unexpected incidents, and all the newcomers managed to survive.
This morning, the dining table was still filled with bird feed.
The stench of what was essentially animal fodder wafted up, unbearable to anyone with human taste buds.
Gu Jiu glanced at the newcomers scrambling for a plate of white rice. Her gaze shifted to a young boy who was being excluded in the corner.
She called out, “Come here!”
The way she ordered him around made it seem as though she was calling over a servant.
A few people glanced over, wondering if this dignified young lady was looking to recruit someone to follow her.
The boy wore a tailored school uniform, the kind you’d only find at elite private academies with sky-high tuition—schools that only the wealthy could afford. He was short, shorter than both Gu Jiu and Lu Ji, looking around fifteen or sixteen, with traces of bruising still visible on his face.
The bruises had been there when he entered the game world two days ago and hadn’t faded since, hinting that he had likely endured a beating before being pulled into the game.
During these two days, every time the newcomers fought over the white rice, the boy was left out, unable to get much to eat.
The boy looked up and saw Gu Jiu watching him expectantly. After a moment of hesitation, he walked over silently.
A bagged piece of bread and a bottle of water were tossed in his direction. Startled, he caught them clumsily, staring at Gu Jiu in confusion, not understanding why she’d given him food.
The other newcomers, who were eating plain rice, looked at him with envious eyes, a glint of longing in their gaze.
Although there was some water available on the table, the quantity was limited—barely enough for a sip per person. And while there was tap water in the villa, who dared drink unboiled water in this place?
Gu Jiu sat on a round chair draped in deep crimson velvet, nodded at the boy, and said, “Eat.”
Feeling the malicious stares from the others, the boy looked down at the water and bread in his hands. Without hesitation, he opened the bread and devoured it, washing it down with the water.
Gu Jiu nodded approvingly and left with Lu Ji.
As the two strolled leisurely through the villa, Lu Ji suddenly asked, “Why did you give him food?”
Gu Jiu leaned against the hallway, looking out at the roses in the courtyard. In a soft voice, she replied, “He’s about the same age as my younger brother.”
Lu Ji froze. This was only their second encounter in the game world, and they still barely knew each other’s real identities or backgrounds. It was the first time she had heard Gu Jiu mention her family.
She must really care for her family if seeing a boy who resembled her brother moved her to extend a helping hand.
But in this game world, such behavior might not be wise.
Lu Ji’s thought was soon confirmed.
When she noticed a group of five approaching, Lu Ji’s eyes darkened. He felt Gu Jiu was a bit too naive, but when trouble actually arose, he found himself rather displeased.
He disliked seeing Gu Jiu bullied.
The five deliberately blocked their path, their intentions blatantly obvious.
“Hey, you two must have plenty of food. Hand it all over!”
Ai Ruyi shouted at Gu Jiu, emboldened by the two burly men flanking her. She didn’t see Gu Jiu and Lu Ji, two delicate-looking girls, as any threat. On top of that, their beauty made her feel a prickling sense of jealousy, compelling her to want to ruin them.
Seeing the undisguised jealousy in Ai Ruyi’s eyes, Lu Ji’s expression turned frosty, her gaze dark as ink, void of any warmth.
Gu Jiu’s gaze swept over the five of them, showing no trace of fear or defensiveness. Lazily, she replied, “No.”
Ai Ruyi looked at them with arrogance, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she thought these two girls would be no match for them.
She sneered, “I suggest you get smart! Even though you’re experienced players, you’re no match for us in strength.”
At her cue, the two muscular men by her side flexed their brawny arms. Although the other two weren’t as muscular, as men, they figured they naturally had an advantage over women. They believed that the four of them could easily overpower the two girls.
After two days of surviving on plain rice, the newcomers had all started to consider taking food from the more seasoned players. They didn’t dare target the stronger players, like Qi Yuheng or Ge Guang, and certainly not the other men. To ensure things went smoothly, they’d even observed carefully, concluding that Gu Jiu and Lu Ji, two female players who stuck together, would be the easiest targets.
One was like a delicate young lady accustomed to luxury, and the other a frail-looking girl who spoke with a breathy voice. They seemed like perfect marks.
So, when they saw Gu Jiu give the boy food, they decided to make their move.
Gu Jiu, feeling slightly weary, leaned lazily against the wall and said nonchalantly, “Auntie, let me give you a piece of advice—don’t judge people by their appearance.”
The smug look on Ai Ruyi’s face cracked as she shrieked, “Did you just call me ‘Auntie’?!”
Gu Jiu adjusted the creases on her clothes and, with a light smile, pointed at Ai Ruyi’s face from a distance.
“Looking at your face, I can’t even imagine how many surgeries and fillers it’s had. You’re probably older than my mom, so calling you ‘Auntie’ seems perfectly normal.”
Ai Ruyi nearly choked on her anger.
What infuriated her more was that her two bodyguard roommates actually chuckled at Gu Jiu’s remark. Glaring at them, she snapped, “What are you laughing at? I’m twenty-five, forever young and beautiful. Don’t listen to her nonsense!”
The two bulky men, still partial to Ai Ruyi, quickly regained their composure. But when their eyes landed on Gu Jiu, it was clear from their lecherous stares that they were even more interested in her. They knew, however, that someone like Gu Jiu, who appeared well-mannered and from a decent family, would be difficult to get involved with. For now, they were content to keep things as they were with Ai Ruyi, their interest merely simmering beneath the surface.
If Gu Jiu sought their protection like Ai Ruyi did, they’d be more than willing.
Enraged, Ai Ruyi decided she was done with words. She gestured to the four men, saying, “All of you, go teach them a lesson! Let’s see if they can still talk tough afterward.”
Her gaze was icy and cruel, as if this was routine for her.
The four men charged toward Gu Jiu and Lu Ji with confidence.
Lu Ji’s eyes narrowed, and in one swift movement, he kicked the first, largest man squarely in the chest, sending his bulky frame flying backward.
Ai Ruyi stared, speechless. What a weakling!
Then Lu Ji moved fluidly to kick another man in his most vulnerable area, grabbed the third man’s fist mid-punch, twisted it with a crack, and finished the fourth in the same ruthless manner with a kick to his weak spot and a wrist snap.
His precise, brutal strikes left the men groaning in agony and Ai Ruyi utterly terrified.
As Lu Ji’s gaze fell on her, Ai Ruyi’s body trembled. Her legs went weak, and she dropped to her knees with a thud.
“I’m sorry! We didn’t know any better. We won’t do this again! I apologize!”
The four men on the ground: “.…”
Ge Guang and the others who happened to pass by couldn’t help but laugh at the scene.
“Old Qi was right. These two girls are definitely not to be messed with,” Ge Guang nodded approvingly, crossing his legs tightly, feeling phantom pain from watching the beatdown.
Any man witnessing this would likely feel the same.
The twin sisters among the players sneered, “I think they did great. The only way to deal with jerks is to teach them a hard lesson, so you guys know that women aren’t easy to bully.”
Ge Guang quickly defended himself, “I’ve never thought women were easy to push around, and I don’t go picking on women either!”
Pausing, he pointed to Ai Ruyi, “Look at her, she knows how to bend and adapt. You women really are amazing; there are plenty of men who couldn’t do that and insist on being stubborn.”