Dating the Fallen Lord Chapter 34

After the eye outside the window vanished, the villa became exceptionally safe.

Soon, the players noticed unusual changes in the villa. First, objects appeared that hadn’t been there during the day—for instance, a liquor cabinet had emerged in the northwest corner of the hall, stocked with over a dozen bottles of alcohol. Second, the villa itself seemed to be losing its original luster, as if a patina of age were settling over the once-new and pristine walls.

Qi Yuheng opened one of the bottles, sniffed the aroma, and remarked, “It’s real.”

He showed little surprise, understanding that these bottles were likely part of the villa owner’s collection, kept in a different space. Now that the owner had been defeated by Gu Jiu and Lu Ji, the villa revealed its true form.

He couldn’t deny it: this game world was the most dramatic one he had ever experienced.

The instance boss had actually been killed by the players.

Who would believe that?

The other players, intrigued, came over to inspect the liquor cabinet and found that the collection wasn’t very large.

“There’s a lot of empty space. Maybe the villa owner drank the rest?” someone muttered.

The six ghosts silently glanced at Gu Jiu, who was resting on the sofa, refraining from pointing out that she was the one who took the bottles.

The mirror ghost seemed tempted to reveal this and make Gu Jiu a target, but he didn’t have the courage and shrank back timidly.

The players searched the transformed villa once more and were stunned.

When they came across the warehouse filled with jewelry, jade, gold bars, and antiques, their eyes were overwhelmed by the sight.

Qi Yuheng stepped in, picked up a world-famous painting he recognized, examined it for a moment, and chuckled.

“It’s genuine… Who would have thought this boss had so many valuable treasures? It’s hard to imagine how much it gathered from parallel worlds.”

Without a doubt, this famous painting was supposed to be displayed in a national museum somewhere, so it was undoubtedly authentic.

The origin of this genuine masterpiece in his hands was intriguing. Other than coming from a parallel world, no explanation made sense. Given the immense power and mystery of the Multiverse Game World, where countless players with awakened spiritual seeds were drawn from various parallel worlds, it wasn’t surprising that a boss would amass treasures from across dimensions.

The seasoned players understood his point.

The newcomers, however, only half-comprehended, their eyes nearly blinded by the sight of these treasures. Driven by greed, one asked urgently, “Mr. Qi, can we take some of these with us?”

If they could bring these items back, they’d be set for life, with no worries about food or drink.

Qi Yuheng scoffed. “You don’t have an inventory. How would you bring anything back?”

Only items stored in a player’s inventory could be taken out of the game world. Newcomers didn’t have inventory until they became seasoned players by surviving their first game and meeting their system steward.

Except for Xu Chenfeng, the other newcomers looked disappointed and frustrated. They saw the path to wealth right in front of them, yet couldn’t take a single step. How could they not feel bitter?

In contrast, the seasoned players remained calm.

Players who had endured at least two brutal games knew that the wealth in these game worlds was insignificant. Compared to these material trinkets, what they truly desired were survival items—these were the essentials for thriving in the game world.

When players became strong, wealth and status would be at their fingertips.

This difference in mindset marked a clear line between seasoned and novice players; the newcomers had yet to undergo this transformation.

The players casually browsed through the villa owner’s collection. Seeing Xu Chenfeng remain calm, Ge Guang couldn’t help but tease, “Seeing all these priceless treasures, you’re not tempted?”

Xu Chenfeng shook his head and replied softly, “Those antiques and jewels… they exist in the real world, too. How would we even explain their origins if we brought them back? Mr. Qi says they’re real, which makes it even harder to explain. Better not to bother.”

Besides, he didn’t need such embellishments in his life.

The seasoned players appreciated his clear-headed perspective.

Ge Guang playfully ruffled his hair and laughed, “No wonder Miss Gu likes you. You’re a smart kid. Hope we cross paths in the next game world.”

A flicker of joy surfaced on Xu Chenfeng’s pale face as he carefully asked, “Sister Gu likes me?”

Someone like him—could he really be liked?

“She’s willing to protect and guide you; what else would you call that?” Ge Guang laughed heartily. “She’s got an eye for talent. She’ll go far in the Multiverse Game World.”

Xu Chenfeng smiled shyly, feeling a subtle shift in his life. Even though they’d only met by chance in the game world, it warmed him to know someone appreciated him, bringing a profound change to his life.

Though seasoned players weren’t interested in material items, they did stow some valuables in their inventories.

Unable to resist, Ai Ruyi asked, “I thought you all didn’t care about this stuff? Why take it?”

She watched them fill their inventory slots with jewels, envy gleaming in her eyes.

This was real wealth!

The housewife player chuckled, “Who knows when we might need some cash in a future game world? It’s just an emergency stash.”

They weren’t foolish; even if these items weren’t useful in the real world, they could be handy in the game world.

Some unmarked gemstones, gold bars, and other items could even be taken back to improve their real lives. This was the game’s way of being generous, compensating players who risked their lives in the game world; after all, players shouldn’t have to struggle in reality after surviving these games.

One player reassured the newcomers, “Once you’ve played through more game worlds, you’ll encounter loads of this stuff. By then, you’ll see it’s not worth much.”

This remark brought some comfort to the newcomers.

To them, it was priceless, and they couldn’t wait to bring some of it back to improve their real lives.

The seasoned players packed up all the valuables from the villa owner’s collection, leaving nothing behind.

They didn’t forget Gu Jiu and Lu Ji, either, setting aside a share for each of them, even though they hadn’t joined in the looting.

When Gu Jiu saw the items they’d packed, she raised an eyebrow with amusement and remarked, “Actually, Ah Ji and I had already packed some things when we first found the warehouse.”

Upon hearing this, the players secretly acknowledged that Miss Gu truly was a formidable individual, having discovered the villa owner’s collection even before them. It was no wonder the boss held such hatred for her.

Even so, they still insisted on handing the packed items to the two, recognizing that their success in this endeavor was largely thanks to them.

Gu Jiu accepted the items casually, as did Lu Ji.

Ai Ruyi and the other five newcomers felt a pang of envy, wishing they could also have a share.

With only two hours until dawn, the players decided against sleeping, choosing instead to wait with the six ghosts in the villa until morning arrived.

Sixteen players sat together facing the five ghosts.

The mirror ghost, however, dared not sit across from Gu Jiu. It cowered in a corner, fearing that if she became displeased, she might unleash holy symbols upon him, causing him to scatter into oblivion.

Had he known these players could actually defeat the villa owner, he certainly wouldn’t have opposed Miss Gu at the time. He would have eagerly pledged his allegiance and stealthily assisted her in taking down the boss.

But in the past, players were always the ones who fell victim to the villa owner. Encountering players capable of defeating a boss for the first time left him feeling quite helpless.

As the sky gradually brightened, a new day dawned, the sun shining brilliantly and dispelling the villa’s gloom.

When the morning sun rose, the players noticed that the gray mist enveloping the villa was beginning to dissipate, gradually revealing the true world outside.

The veteran players looked astonished. “How is this possible?”

This was the first time they witnessed such a phenomenon; the isolated game world was gradually shedding the mist that had obscured it, revealing its true face.

Qi Yuheng also displayed surprise on his face. He glanced at Gu Jiu and said, “The boss controlling the villa is dead. Without the boss’s power cloaking it, the villa is starting to restore its true nature. This villa clearly exists in some reality; it was just isolated from the real world due to the boss’s presence.”

At that moment, no one realized that Qi Yuheng’s innate ability had activated wildly, allowing him to see the truth of the game world.

All game instances originated from the real world but were separated from it by a mysterious and strange force. Countless players were thrown into these game worlds to complete tasks, where fortune and misfortune, death and rebirth all unfolded. Players came and went, dying only to “live” again in another form…

So that’s how it is.

Qi Yuheng propped his head up and slightly closed his eyes.

He thought he began to understand some of the meanings behind the existence of the Multiverse Game World.

As daylight brightened, the forms of the six ghosts in the villa became lighter.

They weren’t about to disappear; rather, they were shedding the shackles that had bound them, allowing their souls to feel unburdened.

The pregnant ghost exclaimed joyfully, “I feel like I’m going where I need to go. Thank you.”

This was directed toward Gu Jiu and Lu Ji.

The other ghosts also sensed that the villa’s hold over them was loosening. Their spiritual bodies felt incredibly light, as if responding to a different call—the place they were meant to go as spirits.

The headless ghost looked silently at Gu Jiu, a smile gracing her beautiful face. Gratefully, she said, “Thank you for showing me that dying in the game world isn’t completely hopeless.”

Gu Jiu waved her hand, telling them, “Alright, you all go now. If you’re meant to be reborn, hurry up and get to it.”

The five ghosts bowed to Gu Jiu and Lu Ji and stepped out of the villa, their forms dissipating into glimmering lights in the rising sun.

The players turned to look at the mirror ghost hiding in the corner.

The mirror ghost glanced nervously at Gu Jiu and stammered, “Um… Your Majesty, may I leave now?”

Gu Jiu responded nonchalantly, “If you’d rather stay, that’s fine. I just happen to be in need of a ghost servant.”

The mirror ghost shot out of the villa like a rabbit, disappearing in an instant.

The others couldn’t help but burst into laughter, amused by the mirror ghost’s terrified reaction. For the first time in the game world, they laughed so naturally, mocking a supposedly fearsome spirit without restraint. The novelty of this experience helped them release some of their accumulated tension.

Gu Jiu stood up and stretched, a small yawn escaping her lips. “Well, it looks like we’ll be able to leave soon.”

Today was the seventh day, and the game was about to end.

The players glanced at her; this was the game where they had experienced the fewest deaths. The three players who did die had done so needlessly, and their deaths could have been avoided.

Looking back, they realized they had practically won this game by doing nothing.

“Lying back and winning feels pretty good,” Ge Guang chuckled. “I hope we meet Miss Gu in another game world. I’d be more than happy to keep following you and win like this.”

It was the highest form of praise, and even the twin sisters nodded in agreement.

While winning like this didn’t earn them many points, most players were more focused on survival in the dangerous game worlds. Points didn’t matter as much as staying alive.

When the game finally ended, the players bid farewell to Gu Jiu.

She waved casually and turned to Lu Ji, saying, “Ah Ji, I’ll be heading to Boundless City next. I’ll wait for you there.”

Lu Ji was left in a daze, momentarily forgetting to respond.

As the players departed from the game world, a paper frog appeared in the villa’s rose garden. It opened its mouth and swallowed a small gray shard…

—

[“Miss Gu, your performance this time was simply outstanding! I’ve encountered countless players, and none impressed me as much as you! I dare say, if you manage to avoid an untimely death in the game world, your achievements will surpass those of the Red-Clad Siren or Phantom King. They’re nothing compared to you; even a single finger of yours outshines them…”]

The moment Gu Jiu entered the gray mist space, she was greeted by System 387’s overly enthusiastic praise.

Unmoved, she interrupted, “Just get to the points settlement.”

System 387, eager to please, immediately proceeded with the calculation:

[Congratulations, Player, for clearing the “Caged Bird” instance.]

[Item 2: Phantom Shadow — can exist in any shadow, requires 1000 points.]

Gu Jiu was taken aback. “Isn’t the point cap for a D-level game only 1200? Where did the extra 300 points come from?”

D-level games were the lowest tier, with a maximum points cap of 1200.

In her first game, the Cursed Village instance, she had only received 1000 points, which she’d heard was the maximum.

This time in the “Caged Bird” instance, since Gu Jiu didn’t deliberately ignore the tasks like in her first game, she was awarded the maximum 1200 points. But where had the extra 300 points come from?

System 387 responded, excitedly: [Because of you, the number of surviving players in the “Caged Bird” instance was unusually high. This extra 300 points is a reward from the game.]

Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow. “Only 300 points as a reward?”

[Miss Gu, 300 points is quite a lot! Don’t be ungrateful. It’s very rare for the game to reward players with extra points, you know.]

Not many players had ever managed, like Gu Jiu, to single-handedly control the pace and lead a team of players and newcomers to a win while hardly lifting a finger.

Gu Jiu’s expression remained calm, but a faint realization stirred within her.

It seemed that the Multiverse Game World, despite its insistence on throwing players into dangerous game worlds, wasn’t purely a death trap. If it was, the game wouldn’t reward her for causing so many players to survive.

She let the matter go, focusing instead on the available items.

Her gaze lingered on the term “otherworldly beings.” She asked, “What exactly are ‘otherworldly beings’?”

System 387 replied: [I can’t tell you, Miss Gu. But you’ll understand when you encounter them. I’d suggest, though, that Blood Roses are rare and worth purchasing in small amounts.]

At 20 points per Blood Rose, they were quite affordable.

“Alright, I’ll buy 20 Blood Roses,” Gu Jiu decided.

Twenty roses would only cost 400 points.

[And what about the Phantom Shadow? Aren’t you interested? You currently have a total of 1650 points, so even after buying the Blood Roses, you’d still have 1250 left.]

Gu Jiu replied, “I’m also going to spend 1000 points on a 100-slot inventory. Points are tight, you know. Your game hands out so few points, yet every item is expensive. I have no choice but to budget.”

System 387 shrank back, feeling as if Miss Gu’s words had some hidden undertone.

After witnessing her methods for clearing the game, System 387, much like the mirror ghost, felt a hint of intimidation in her presence, as though it should revere her like an ancestor.

—-

TL: Good news! CH 1-145 of this book is now now available to buy in my Kofi. For the second part, give me 2 weeks to finish it. I had to divide it by two cuz it’s a long one 🤷🏻‍♀️ Here’s the link: https://ko-fi.com/s/a3126609d8