After dinner, Gu Jiu noticed it was still early, so she didn’t rush to leave Boundless City. Instead, they took a stroll to aid digestion and to get a better sense of the city.
Lu Ji asked, “What kind of information are you interested in?”
“Hmm, I’d like to know about training in physical strength and combat skills.”
As someone who had grown up coddled by her family due to her congenital weak eyesight, Gu Jiu was physically weak and lacked even the slightest hint of combat skills.
At the moment, she was still in the beginner tier, so it wasn’t much of an issue. However, once she advanced to the intermediate level, the dangers in the game world would increase, and the requirements for players would become more stringent. While players weren’t expected to be entirely versatile, they at least needed a strong enough physique to evade physical threats.
“There are training grounds in Boundless City that cater to the needs of players,” Lu Ji quickly recalled the locations in the city that were suitable for low-level players to train, and he offered her a few recommendations that would be just right for her.
Gu Jiu listened with a smile and replied happily, “Thank you, Ah Ji. Starting tomorrow, I’ll try to make time to visit the training grounds in Boundless City. Will you join me for training?”
Lu Ji gave a light “mm” and suddenly asked, “Do you want to buy a house in Boundless City?”
The two of them were now walking down a secluded alleyway, where colorful flowers lined both sides of the path, giving the alley a quiet and pristine atmosphere, one that was peaceful and refreshing.
Gu Jiu looked ahead at the winding alley, her expression relaxed as her clear, gentle voice added to the charm.
“Not for now, I don’t have enough points. Maybe someday, when I have enough, I’ll think about it.”
Boundless City was indeed a great place. It was a hub for players, and as they spent more time in the game, they developed a deep affection for the city, viewing it as a second home.
Moreover, the city was rich in spiritual energy, making it an ideal place for players to cultivate—more effective than either the game world or the real world.
Many players chose to settle in Boundless City to train, and owning a home here would be very convenient. However, the number of points needed to buy a house was no small figure, akin to real-world housing prices, making it unattainable for low-level players.
Gu Jiu couldn’t help but find it ironic that, while she was a wealthy Miss in the real world, here in Boundless City, she couldn’t even afford a house.
When it was almost time, Gu Jiu said goodbye to Lu Ji. “Ah Ji, thank you for accompanying me today. See you tomorrow.”
She smiled at the girl standing there, and they had just agreed to meet up for training at the city’s grounds the next day. Lu Ji said goodbye as well, watching her disappear from view.
There was no concept of day or night in Boundless City.
The sky was always filled with twinkling stars, while the city was perpetually bathed in a gentle, warm light.
The quiet alley held few players; flowers bloomed in full splendor year-round, never withering.
After a while, Lu Ji withdrew his gaze indifferently, turned, and walked deeper into the alley. His figure gradually disappeared as he reached the alley’s end.
No player witnessed this scene.
In the next instant, Lu Ji’s figure reappeared inside a dark palace.
In the silent, shadowed palace, only the faintly glowing night pearls on the pillars emitted a soft light.
As the figure of a young woman walked deeper into the palace, her body began to transform. Her slender frame gradually grew taller, shifting from the delicate form of a girl into the lean, solid physique of a man. Her white dress morphed into a neutral long robe, draping over a strong male body.
By the time “she” took a seat on the black throne at the far end of the hall, the young woman’s face had fully changed into that of a strikingly handsome man.
At this point, there was no trace of femininity left in him.
Yet his skin remained pale, exuding an almost unhealthy aura, and his deep, dark eyes were like the unfathomable depths of the cosmos.
The man sat there quietly, his eyes half-closed, as though he were asleep.
Moments later, a paper frog leaped out of the void. It opened its mouth, releasing a small, gray fragment that floated before him.
The man extended his hand, and the gray fragment drifted onto his fingertip, hovering there.
He opened his eyes slightly, gazing at the fragment resting on his finger. With a light flick, the fragment shot into the darkness outside the palace, disappearing from sight.
—
When Gu Jiu left Boundless City, she checked the time and realized it was already midnight.
She had entered the game world at 9 p.m., and when she exited, not even a second had passed in reality. She then spent three hours in Boundless City.
Gu Jiu got up, opened her door, and went out.
“Sister, you’re still awake?”
She looked in the direction of the voice and saw a figure standing there. Calmly, she replied, “I just got up to get some water. Why are you still awake?”
Gu Mingli replied, “I just finished studying and was about to go to bed.”
He eyed her suspiciously as she approached and asked warily, “Sister, why are you dressed like you’re going out? You’re not planning on leaving, are you?”
A young woman sneaking out at this hour… What kind of scoundrel dared to lure his sister out?
Gu Jiu replied, “…I just put on whatever was nearby.”
“Is your eyesight… that bad now? So much so that you can’t even tell the difference between home clothes and going-out clothes?” Gu Mingli said, nearly tearing up.
He knew that without a miracle, his sister’s eyesight might deteriorate to complete blindness soon. Knowing this was one thing, but seeing it firsthand was still hard to accept.
Gu Jiu felt exasperated and almost wanted to give her silly brother a good knock on the head.
Taking a deep breath, she explained, “Actually, I was thinking about asking Jingyi out for a drink, but then I figured it wasn’t worth it and decided against it. I just forgot to change back.”
Only then did Gu Mingli relax. He promptly fetched her a glass of water and, after she drank it, escorted her back to her room, determined not to give any man a chance to lure her out.
The next day, when Gu Jiu woke up, her family members had already left for work, school, or to meet friends.
After finishing breakfast, she told Aunt Wang, “Auntie, I’m going back to my room to rest. If I don’t come down for lunch, it’s because I’m not hungry, so there’s no need to call me.”
Aunt Wang was a long-time servant of the Gu family, having worked there most of her life and caring for the Gu children as if they were her own.
Aunt Wang looked at Gu Jiu with concern, knowing her eyesight was deteriorating quickly, leaving her nearly blind. Each time Gu Jiu went out, the Gu family worried something might happen to her, and they feared she wouldn’t be able to cope with the reality of losing her vision. They tiptoed around the subject, careful not to bring it up in her presence.
Because her eyesight had weakened, she rarely went out lately. Every time the family saw her shut herself in her room, they grew anxious, fearing she might fall into despair. They wished they could stay by her side 24 hours a day.
Aunt Wang asked cautiously, “What if your grandmother comes back and asks for you?”
Gu Jiu replied, “If Grandma needs me, I’ll deal with it then.”
Without waiting for Aunt Wang to say more, she took the snacks and water Aunt Wang had prepared and returned to her room.
After locking the door, Gu Jiu entered Boundless City.
The moment she entered, the entire world became vividly clear again. She was starting to love this sensation. Compared to the blurry haze of the real world, the sharp clarity here gave her a sense of security.
She exhaled softly, feeling even more determined to become a high-level player.
She didn’t want to lose her sight or to make her family worry. She wanted to stand on her own.
“Gu… Gu Jiu?”
Turning, she saw Lu Ji, still dressed in her signature white dress. Gu Jiu smiled and teased, “Didn’t you call me ‘Sister Gu’ just fine last time?”
Lu Ji turned his head a bit awkwardly, unable to handle Gu Jiu’s overly gentle smile.
Gu Jiu pulled her close, like an intimate friend, and said affectionately, “Alright, if you don’t want to call me ‘Sister,’ you can just call me Ah Jiu.”
Lu Ji nodded, a faint blush tinting her ears.
Today, Gu Jiu appeared at the spot in Boundless City where she had left the previous day. Players re-entered where they had last exited.
Together, they headed to a training ground in Star Zone 98 of Boundless City.
The training ground was bustling with players, and many facilities and areas were open to players for free, a clear indication that Boundless City encouraged them to strengthen themselves through training.
Since they had different training needs, they each booked separate training rooms.
Gu Jiu focused on improving her physical strength, stamina, and some basic combat skills. She knew this would require a significant amount of time and couldn’t be achieved in one short session.
She trained intensely all morning, and by noon, drenched in sweat, she stopped to wash up in the nearby bathroom before leaving Boundless City.
As soon as she returned to her room, she heard an urgent knock at the door and her grandmother’s voice faintly calling her name.
Straightening her clothes, she walked over, opened the door, and, seeing her worried grandmother, said sweetly, “Grandma, I was listening to music and didn’t hear you earlier. Is something wrong?”
Madam Gu looked her over, sighing with relief. “Lunch is ready. Aren’t you hungry? Come down and eat.”
Gu Jiu nodded obediently and followed her grandmother downstairs for lunch.
Although she had planned to spend the whole day training, she knew how much her grandmother cared for her. If her grandmother knocked and she didn’t answer, someone would likely come in. If they found her room empty, it would surely cause a panic.
So, in the end, she decided to come back to accompany her grandmother for lunch.
After lunch, Gu Jiu excused herself, saying she wanted to rest, and promptly returned to Boundless City.
As she stepped out of the bath, she saw Lu Ji waiting quietly outside.
“Ah Ji, are you here to take a shower too?” she asked with a smile.
Lu Ji looked at her for a moment, as if confirming something, and asked, “Did you go back to the real world just now?”
Gu Jiu nodded with a gentle smile. “My eyesight is poor, and my grandmother worries about me, afraid I’ll lose hope. I needed to go back to have lunch with her, to reassure her.”
Living with her family meant she couldn’t stay in Boundless City for extended periods, unless she moved out of the Gu family’s home. But with her current condition, there was no way they’d let her live alone.
They chatted briefly, and then Gu Jiu returned to her intense training.
In the evening, she bid farewell to Lu Ji and left Boundless City to return home.
The Gu family dinners were always lively, with everyone gathered together. Gu Jiu shared dinner with her family, then sat with her grandmother watching TV—even if she couldn’t see well, she could still enjoy the sounds. Later, she went back to her room to rest.
That night, she returned to Boundless City’s training ground to continue her exercises.
You could say that nearly every moment of her day was spent either training or with her family, with only the exception of sleeping.
Three days flew by.
In the evening, Gu Jiu emerged from the training ground and reminded Lu Ji, “Ah Ji, we’re entering the game world tonight—don’t forget.”
Lu Ji responded, “I haven’t forgotten.”
Gu Jiu chuckled, “Let’s get something to eat first.”
“Aren’t you going home to eat with your family?” Lu Ji asked, looking surprised but oddly pleased.
“Not tonight. I let my family know that I’ll be eating out,” Gu Jiu explained. Over the past few days, Lu Ji had accompanied her in the training ground and hadn’t entered the game world. Gu Jiu was naturally grateful for her companionship.
Lu Ji really was a wonderful person, and Gu Jiu trusted her instinct in choosing friends.
Lu Ji’s expression remained calm as usual, but Gu Jiu could sense her happiness. When she was pleased, a faint flush appeared on her usually pale earlobes—a detail Gu Jiu had noticed in the game world, which told her that Lu Ji’s reserved demeanor hid a rich inner world.
They went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner, discussing the upcoming game quest. After dinner, they parted ways, and Gu Jiu returned to the real world.
Once home, Gu Jiu took a shower and put on an outfit suitable for going out, waiting for the time to enter the game to arrive.