Players Gather

Li Mo turned and smiled at the little girl leaning by the window. She immediately drew the curtains, went back inside, and sat down obediently.

It was lively outside the rooms. Yin Xiu had chosen to go out and look for Mom’s package. Once the other players realized what the rules meant, they would go out too, which meant everyone in this row of rooms would emerge. Their separate spaces were about to become a shared environment.

Players from different planes had gathered together. Without rules forcing them to compete, they would most likely help one another clear the instance, so it was only natural that they’d form a large group once they met. A leader would naturally emerge as well, especially in a newbie instance.

The players watching the livestream saw Yin Xiu, who had figured out the rules first and set out alone without waiting for anyone, walk farther and farther away. Then they turned their attention to the group of players slowly emerging behind him and gathering together.

“Yin Xiu’s already gone so far, and these people are only just coming out. They’re going to miss the big shot!”

“Hey, this is normal for an instance. Without competition rules, everyone meets up and shares what they’ve learned as soon as possible. Yin Xiu’s the only one who doesn’t fit in.”

“I want to see what capable people this newbie instance has in store.”

Once almost all the players had gathered, they looked around to familiarize themselves with the faces nearby. They even began testing one another, trying to gauge how much each person knew about the instance.

“Ahem!” After a brief burst of discussion, someone stepped forward and loudly cleared their throat twice, drawing everyone’s attention. “Everyone, it’s already the third day of the instance. I figure those of you who came out realized that the players need to retrieve Mom’s package.”

“Since this instance has no competition, we can help one another. Let me introduce myself. I’m Wang Guang, and I’ve cleared three instances.

“This time, I entered this instance to bring in newcomers. I’ve been living in Rules Town 378 for nearly half a year. Since this is a newbie instance, I figure I have more experience than anyone else here. If you trust me, I can lead the group for now, and we can study the rules together and clear the instance as soon as possible.”

Their manner was sincere and their words full of righteous conviction. Almost no one would refuse an offer of help.

But someone in the crowd immediately questioned Wang Guang. “What a coincidence. I’ve also cleared three instances, and I entered this one to bring in newcomers.”

The other speaker walked up beside Wang Guang under everyone’s gaze. They looked each other over, both silently sizing the other up.

During the first three days of this instance, many players had learned through the bullet comments in their own towns that a big shot was clearing the instance alongside them. But players from the other towns didn’t know the big shot’s name, nor what they looked like.

Now two people with three clears had stepped forward, sizing each other up. Unless someone with even more instance experience showed up, there was a good chance one of them was the big shot all the players in the various towns had been talking about.

“May I ask your name...?” Realizing the person in front of them might be that big shot, Wang Guang immediately softened his attitude and stepped forward to greet them enthusiastically.

That person had also come out looking for the big shot, and their thinking was much the same as Wang Guang’s. There were only two players with experience clearing multiple instances. If they weren’t the big shot, then the other person had to be the one everyone kept mentioning in the bullet comments. They hurried forward to greet Wang Guang just as enthusiastically. “I’m Zhang Si. It’s an honor to meet you, big shot!”

“Not at all. I’m the one who’s honored to be in the same instance as you.” The two began exchanging polite words, neither daring to act tough toward the legendary big shot who had calmly soothed the little girl.

“Brother Si, if you don’t mind, would you lead us through this instance?” Seeing the big shot had come forward in person, Wang Guang immediately yielded the position, ready to latch onto a strong ally.

“No, no, Brother Guang, you should lead us. I trust you.” Zhang Si wanted to latch onto a strong ally too, and assumed the big shot was just being modest.

“Thanks for trusting me, Brother Si, but I’m definitely not as good as you. You should lead the group.”

“What are you talking about? I trust you, and everyone else does too. You should do it.”

The two kept trying to hand the role off to each other. The newbie players standing nearby didn’t dare interrupt. They were just a bunch of rookies; having a big shot lead them was already great. It didn’t matter whether it was one or two.

The bullet comments watched with their scalps tingling. “What are these two geniuses doing? They’re still standing here passing the role back and forth. If they don’t hurry up and catch up with Yin Xiu, they’ll lose him!”

“I’m dying. Two players who’ve cleared three instances are leading the newbies, while Yin Xiu, who’s cleared every instance, is wandering around by himself.”

“Wait, did they both mistake the other for Yin Xiu? They’re both calling the other one a big shot.”

“Could be... They’ve never seen Yin Xiu, after all, and they don’t even know what he looks like.”

“They’re going to look so stupid.”

Everyone watched with eager anticipation, wondering what their faces would look like when they eventually realized that the person they were admiring and treating so politely wasn’t the legendary big shot at all.

On-screen, the two went back and forth for a while before finally settling on a compromise: they would both be leaders!

“I’m honored that you think so highly of me, Brother Si.”

“What are you saying? I’m the one who’s happy to be a leader alongside you.”

With their arms around each other’s shoulders, the two had already decided the other was the big shot—and that the big shot admired them so much they were willing to give up the leadership position. They couldn’t have felt more pleased with themselves.

“All right, enough of that. Let’s talk about Mom’s package first.”

Only after getting on friendly terms did the two turn to address the newbies about the instance. But when they looked back, they saw one impatient newcomer had already left the group and was heading into town on their own.

“Hey! You! Don’t go wandering off!” Wang Guang immediately frowned and called out when they saw the newcomer leave, but the newcomer didn’t even want to acknowledge him. They simply walked away.

Wang Guang grumbled, “Look at these newbies nowadays. So arrogant. Where does this one think they’re going alone? What an ignorant fool. If they don’t stick with someone experienced at a time like this, they’re just waiting to die.”

Zhang Si chimed in from beside him. “Exactly. They think surviving three days means they can clear an instance on their own, and don’t need to listen to people who’ve been through this before.”

The two kept muttering, but the newcomer was already walking farther away.

They’d seen the lights in the distance the night before and guessed there had to be a real town beyond these remote houses—the one mentioned in the background story.

As a newcomer, they really were nervous and scared. Without the bullet comments’ hints and tips on the first day, they might have died at the hands of that first woman.

Although they’d never gotten a clear look at the big shot who’d provided the tips, judging from the bullet comments, that was a cool and reserved person, calm and rational, with a subtle hint of gentleness. The two men from earlier definitely weren’t the one they were looking for.

Even if they were going to follow someone, they wanted to follow the person who had truly helped them.

As they walked along the dilapidated path, the newcomer studied their surroundings. Beyond the town lay fields and woods, while the row of houses where everyone had woken up was tucked between the trees. Only a winding path led toward the town.

Weeds grew all around, and the fields lay barren. Abandoned, dilapidated thatched cottages lined both sides of the path, as if no one had been there for a long time. The silence and desolation were eerie, making the newcomer shiver for no reason.

As they walked, they suddenly caught sight of a white figure at the end of the road.

Beneath the lush, thick leaves, dappled light fell across the figure. The person was slender, and bathed in the light, their air seemed gentle. But a long black saber hung diagonally at their waist, its dark, matte surface exuding an invisible sharpness.

The man looked up at a black cat in a tree. They stared at each other in silence, as if facing off, yet there wasn’t the slightest tension between them.

For a moment, the scene was so peaceful it hardly seemed to belong in an instance.

“Hello?” the newcomer asked tentatively, dazed.

In an instant, both the man and the cat turned to look at the newcomer. Two gazes landed squarely on them.