Chapter 65: High Score Academy (End)

Chapter 65: High Score Academy (End)

Soon, Liu Hui, who was temporarily teaching mathematics in class four, quickly retrieved Gu Yaoyao's math paper, and after swiftly grading it, he too was stunned.

"150... A perfect score!"

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

The students never scored full marks, even though most of them seldom made mistakes in their practice books, and usually had no issues answering questions in class. Due to the fixed total score, students tended to distribute their scores evenly across subjects, with the highest-scoring students allocating at most 140 points to mathematics to ensure decent scores in other subjects.

A perfect score... if Gu Yaoyao hadn't desperately allocated points to mathematics, without any decline in scores for other subjects, it would indicate... her total score had surpassed the preset limit established by the instance.

"Quick, check her scores in other subjects!"

Shortly, everyone retrieved her papers for the other subjects, only to be left dumbfounded.

"704 points," Tong Xinxin was genuinely astonished, "I remember during my college entrance exam year, the top scorer in our province scored 693 points."

Even considering the simplicity of the papers, since players had no better options for setting questions and had to rely on original questions from exercise books, this score was still outrageously high.

Guo Siming, who had been silently listening, chimed in: "After all, for them, poor performance now equates to a matter of life and death."

Indeed.

From the players' perspective, none of those who managed to get this far were faint-hearted, as those too timid to strive for change would have perished long ago.

For the students at the High Achievement Academy, those who weren't good at studying had already perished.

Everyone still remembers this young girl.

Initially, Yu Hanfei intended to offer her as a reward to the top students in the class, but she was given to Zhang An after he seized Yu Hanfei's weapon.

Gu Yaoyao, who appears gentle and frail, showed no mercy when she sprung into action. She killed Yu Hanfei, and another boy who had been coveting her. Even after obtaining the "Shepherdess's Whip," a weapon of considerable destructive power, she didn't use it to bully others indiscriminately. She only participated covertly in a few incidents where teacher NPCs met their demise.

It's not surprising that she would be the first breakthrough, as since that day, she has been drifting further and further away from the program set by the system.

After all, humans are not tireless, unresisting machines.

Even capitalists know that to keep employees working efficiently, they need to pay them wages; however, the game creators seemed to want something for nothing, a notion at which Xie Fangcheng could only shake his head.

Meanwhile, Tong Xinxin looked at her report card, her brows furrowing.

Tong Xinxin had always believed that these NPCs were automatically generated by the system, but something seemed strange.

Can a system-generated program really be this intelligent?

Tong Xinxin scrutinized Gu Yaoyao's Chinese language test paper.

Aside from the sections with definitive answers, such as vocabulary and dictation, the remainder — which featured compositions and reading comprehension exercises that seemed to reflect individual thoughts — could these really be pre-set by a program?

Why does this Gu Yaoyao seem less like a program and more like a living, breathing person?

But if this NPC is indeed a human, doesn't that imply that the NPCs in other instances might also be human beings?

Suddenly, Tong Xinxin felt a bone-chilling sensation.

Gu Yaoyao's breakthrough sounded like a clarion call.

This time, it didn't take four days; by the afternoon, Liu Hui's class witnessed the emergence of a second "Gu Yaoyao."

This individual, who was situated at the very back of the class and often denigrated as a "poor student" by teacher NPCs, was already teetering on the edge, ready to take that final step off the precipice.

His grades were only slightly below average, still amounting to over 670 points.

Subsequently, a third, and a fourth appeared...

Like bamboo shoots sprouting from the earth after a torrential downpour, the emergence of the first "rebel" spurred a countless number of followers to swiftly join the cause.

Yue Haiyang, with his relatively simple mindset, could only think, "This is great, we can clear the level now." However, individuals like Liu Hui and Tong Xinxin, who harbored deeper considerations, found their initial joy at the prospect of clearing the level diminishing as time went by.

The behaviors of these NPCs were becoming eerily human-like.

The students exhibited a sense of shame, with some unable to bear the humiliation inflicted by the teacher NPCs to the point of contemplating suicide. Among them were the rotten ones like Qian You, as well as the protective ones like He Tiantian. In addition, there were countless others like Gu Yaoyao, dormant revolutionaries who would seize any opportunity to fight back fervently.

In this turbulent sea of mud, they were desperately struggling for survival.

Once again, Tong Xinxin experienced an inexplicable sense of familiarity—didn't this resemble the players?

While often wary of each other, there were times when they would unite and cooperate. In most cases, as long as their own lives weren't at stake, many players were willing to extend a helping hand to others.

Take the Ronghua Guild, for example; its prosperity bore testament to the underlying conscience and goodwill present among the players.

In this instance, within these students, the complexity of human nature had already manifested itself vividly.

During the first pop quiz organized by Jie Fangcheng, students ruthlessly deducted points from their classmates, showcasing the darker side of human nature. Yet, students like He Tiantian strived to shield those seated at the back of the class from excessive humiliation, embodying the more benevolent aspects of humanity.

Gu Yaoyao resolutely eliminated Yu Hanfei and Qian You, demonstrating her ruthless nature; however, her reluctance to wield her powerful weapon recklessly showcased her gentler side.

These students exhibited genuine human qualities.

Could such nuances really be generated by a rigid gaming program?

If the NPCs in the game instance were indeed once living individuals, just like the players, then these people who are trapped within these instances might undergo horrific cycles of death and resurrection, especially the "key NPCs," resembling the grim fate of NPCs in some games where they are repeatedly slaughtered, resurrected, and slaughtered again...

Tong Xinxin found it hard to comprehend, and perhaps, too frightening to truly understand.

After all, amongst the players who managed to pass through numerous instances, who could honestly claim they had not slain innocent NPCs?

As days continued to pass, the fourth major examination drew ever closer.

The number of diligent students scoring above 650 points increased steadily, with the average total score per class never falling below 580 points during the players' examinations, fueling a burgeoning sense of grounded joy among them.

They were truly on the verge of clearing the level.

The school was gradually resembling a normal institution, where the happy footsteps of students could be heard at the end of the day, accompanied by their whispered conversations.

"Do you know how to solve the last problem on today's test? Could you possibly teach me?"

"Li Kan, would you like to have breakfast together tomorrow?"

"Would you like to head to the study room tonight?"

Under Principal Jie's "guidance," the teacher NPCs have become more disciplined, and now, even Moral Education classes are being conducted, with Zhang An as the instructor.

This Mr. Zhang really makes one question what his true role is. Once, when Yue Haiyang was passing by the conference room, he saw him lecturing the teacher NPCs from the podium. After watching blankly for a while, he turned to Liu Hui and asked, "Don't these teacher NPCs look like incarcerated criminals to you?"

Mr. Zhang seems to be teaching Moral Education as if he were counseling criminals who have strayed in their thoughts. Even Director Wei, who has now emerged as one of the leading figures among these "criminals," is receiving a substantial amount of attention from Mr. Zhang.

Liu Hui glanced over and noticed that Zhang An indeed had a knack for educating these NPCs. Even the previously fierce and fearsome Director Wei was now behaving obediently and attentively, seemingly acquiring some semblance of humanity.

While such methods are indeed standard and would warrant commendation in the real world, this was within the confines of a repeatable game instance.

This was happening inside the instance.

After they clear this level, the instance will reset, and everything—from the students who have managed to adapt to normal life, to the staff who have either been coerced or have genuinely reformed—will revert to square one.

What is the use of such education in this context?

This Zhang An doesn't seem like someone who would engage in futile efforts.

Could it be… the NPCs within the dungeon retain memories, or is there some other reason…?

Are these NPCs actually human beings?

No matter the varied intentions of the players, the fourth grand examination arrived as scheduled.

In the final moment, fifteen players entered the instance, with fourteen remaining until the end.

Ding—Players Liu Hui, Tong XinXin, Guo SiMing... Zhang DaoAn, Xie FangCheng have cleared the instance [High Achievement Academy], with a completion rate of 93%, setting a new record for the highest clearance rate.

Instance Evaluation: S-Rank

Instance rewards are being calculated, please wait...

"Reward calculation has concluded, please check at your convenience."

"You will be transported back to the lobby within three minutes, please wait patiently."

"Upon the release of the duplicate announcement, all players present were initially overjoyed."

"A 93% clearance rate?!"

"Everyone is attempting to clear the instances, where often ten or so people enter, but only one or two manage to emerge alive. Many have found steadfast friends in the throes of life and death within these instances, only to soon find their friend list overshadowed by grey, marking the passing of those 'friends' in other instances."

"Now, when the highest clearance rate is still hovering around 40%, they managed to achieve a staggering 93% instance clearance rate!"

"Although everyone is well aware that this success rate has little to do with them, but rather is thanks to the two experts in their team... Huh?"

"Zhang Daoan? Who is this?"

"And why does this name seem so familiar...?"

"Xu Xiuxiu's eyes widened as she turned to Liu Hui, 'Zhang Daoan?'"

"Liu Hui was first stunned, then frowned, 'Yes, it's very similar to our guild leader's name, but I've never seen this person before.'"

"Moreover, there were no similarities between the two."

If one were to describe Zhang An... Zhang Dao'an, at first glance, he seems like a gentle and elegant gentleman. However, upon closer interaction, one would realize that he possesses a multitude of ulterior motives and a rather cold heart, making him profoundly inscrutable.

Just when you peg him as a villain thriving in chaos, delighting in the desperate struggles of others, he surprisingly stands by your side to lend a helping hand.

But the moment you let down your guard, considering to trust him, you'll suddenly find yourself ensnared in his schemes.

He is someone unapproachable and untrustworthy, yet someone you cannot afford to offend or antagonize.

After a brief acquaintance, you'll find yourself respecting him from a distance, wary of getting too close.

In contrast, the president of the Ronghua Guild is different – a warm, sincere, and forthright person who inevitably draws people into his orbit. He's not overly nice, but his methods are always aboveboard, decisive yet gentle.

They are truly polar opposites.

These two individuals, even with eerily similar names—the president of the Ronghua Guild is named Zhang Daowu—seem to provoke speculation regarding their connection.

The uncommon surname and their unusual naming pattern aren't frequently encountered, which leads one to instinctively feel that there must be some relationship between the two.

Liu Hui couldn't shake off a lingering doubt despite firmly believing that there couldn't possibly be any relation between this person and their guild president.

"I've never heard of our president having a brother... Where is this person? Why isn't Xie Ge here?"

After completing their exams, the players gathered in the office to await their scores, only to realize after a quick survey of the room that the two most crucial individuals had disappeared from the scene at some point.

In the principal's office, Xie Fangcheng was making the most of his time playing a game of desktop marbles, while Zhang Dao'an was busy organizing some documents.

He had compiled characteristics of students who had exhibited notable performance in the school, presumably planning to use this data for a digital assault in the next instance.

At that moment, a knock resonated on the door of the principal's office.

"Come in."

Gu Yaoyao stepped in from outside.

Previously, her eyes appeared somewhat dull, as if veiled by something, masking their true sparkle.

But now, her gaze was luminous, reflecting a mind filled with unwavering resolve.

"Mr. Zhang, you called for me?"

"Mm." With less than three minutes remaining before their departure from the instance, Zhang Dao'an didn't indulge in unnecessary chatter. He directly placed a heap of items in front of her, declaring, "Congratulations, you have achieved the highest score in the entire school on the examination."

"Ah..." Gu Yaoyao accepted these items with a somewhat bewildered expression.

She knew where these things came from.

During that time, Teacher Yu had begged for mercy and presented this pile of items. Mr. Zhang had selected a rather peculiar whip from it for her. Now, having gotten used to utilizing the whip, she fully grasped its potency.

Then, what exactly were these other items?

Zhang Dao'an handed her the items without offering any explanation regarding their usage.

"You can explore them on your own. I believe you'll soon understand their purposes," he said.

"Oh." Gu Yaoyao didn't quite grasp why Mr. Zhang had given her these things, yet she quickly accepted them, saying, "Thank you, teacher."

"Mm. Congratulations once again."

Gu Yaoyao pursed her lips and left the principal's office with a smile.

Xie Fangcheng reminded him, "Remember, these will be gone once the instance closes."

In a while, he planned to repeat the operation verbatim, flipping this school upside down. Forget about resetting; he intended to prevent this wretched place from spawning a second instance altogether.

Zhang Dao'an merely smiled and said, "I am aware. But brave individuals deserve rewards, don't they?"

Never mind, this youngster is quite astute, he wouldn't understand anyway.

Xie Fangcheng decided to abandon the endeavor immediately.

Time ticked away, second by second.

The teleportation hall was already embarking upon the countdown, Zhang Dao'an finally gathered the documents in his hands and lifted his head to look at Xie Fangcheng.

"Manager Xie."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"Ah, it's my duty."

Zhang Dao'an waved with a smile, "Farewell, until we meet again."

"Mm-hmm."

With a flash of white light, Zhang Dao'an disappeared before his eyes.

The players had already been transported back to the base hall, while in the principal's office, the stubborn white light above Xie Fangcheng tugged at him a few times.

【You will be transported back to the main hall, please wait patiently.】

【?】

【You will be transported back to the main hall...】

【?】

【You will...】

Xie Fangcheng stood up, stretching languidly.

"Ah, it's time to get to work."

The pulling force of the white light lifted him into mid-air, he was surrounded by a white mist, Xie Fangcheng looked down at the 【High Achievements Academy】 below him.

The school emanated a sense of tranquility, the students' eyes brimmed with brightness, harboring high hopes for the future.

What kind of hope was that?

The nefarious game creators fabricated a false background for them, making them believe that through their own efforts, diligent studies, and succeeding in college admissions, they could attain a blissful life.

But that wasn't the case.

They were trapped in this instance, destined to undergo cycle after cycle of reincarnations.

Their future was nothing more than a lie.

【Initiating key NPC: Headmaster.】

【Construction successful】

A writhing figure appeared once more in the principal's office, and as soon as he materialized, he started slamming the desk in extreme anger.

“Where is the vice principal? Where is the vice principal? Restructure! Restructure the school!!! How can these students be so brazen? They are defying the heavens! Bring back the good students from before, and hire more teachers at once!!!”

Just then, from afar, a surge of sword energy cleaved down from the sky.

Resembling a bolt of thunder, the strike split the principal along with his office in twain.

A rolling boom—

The bifurcated principal opened his eyes in bewilderment, gazing upwards at the sky.

Midair, a white-haired young man draped in dark silken robes, wielding a black colossal sword, hovered defiantly, maintaining the stance of his recent sword strike.

With his swing, the white mist that surrounded the perimeter of the instance seemed to find an outlet, slowly seeping in from the fissure he had created.

The previously bustling students all halted, lifting their heads to behold him.

The white mist engulfed the principal before continuing its inexorable spread.

The second to be consumed was Gu Yaoyao, who had not ventured far.

As the mist began to encircle her, her expression first displayed a moment of shock, then, as if realizing something, she sprinted joyously into the midst of the fog.

A resonating boom—

The figure in mid-air swung his sword again, unleashing waves of pervasive sword energy.

The white mist dispersed gently, and countless students joyfully stepped towards it, their faces alight with delight.

The dense fog continued to devour ceaselessly.

【Initiating key NPC principal construction…】

【Constructing principal…】

【Constructing…】

【Construction failed.】

【Analyzing the cause of failure…

【Selecting similar models from the database for reconstruction.】

【Selection successful:】

【?】

【Construction Failed】

【Reconstructing associated NPCs.】

【?】

【Construction failure…】

【Construction failure…】

【NPC Construction Failure.】

【Scene Construction Failure.】

【Instance Reconstruction Commencing.】

At the site of Gaoji Academy, with just a few strokes from Jie Fangcheng, all the school's NPCs were thoroughly consumed by the white fog.

This white fog is generated through the catalysis of the power harnessed from the Book of Life and Death, although it can't send these spirits to reincarnate in the underworld right now, given that the ancient tome itself is also a captive at this moment.

But as frivolous as the situation is, there should at least be a way to protect these people... no, that's not right.

Rong Daoan wasn't wrong in his guess; the jerk who stole the Book of Life and Death didn't dare to steal too much, indeed resorting to splitting individual souls into parts and embedding them into different programs.

"Truly seeking death."

The black fog enveloped the area once again.

In contrast to the initial small cluster of the level one instance, the black fog this time was considerably denser. Without any hesitation or even a glance at the data streams working fervently at the Gaoji Academy instance base, it darted straight into Jie Fangcheng's body.

【?】

Jie Fangcheng swung the massive sword in his hand downwards fiercely. With this swing, the entire academy vanished instantaneously. The sword qi roiled wildly, only being halted by a myriad of data streams at the edge of the instance.

These data streams trembled, resembling countless clusters of cotton, but ultimately managed to block this sword stroke.

【Ding——】

【Ding——】

【The instance base has sustained severe damage; reconstruction of the instance is no longer possible.】

Jie Fangcheng raised his sword, ready to strike again.

Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom——

Beneath the resounding noises that echoed throughout the entire space, the data streams encircling the instance like city walls were carved into shapes resembling ice spikes by his sword qi, but in the end, they still managed to wriggle and restore themselves.

"Such a nuisance..."

Jie Fangcheng muttered, then lifted his head to gaze in the direction of the Book of Life and Death.

As if sensing something, the Book of Life and Death began to flutter wildly after absorbing the souls within the white fog, eventually flipping up yet another page.

A line of small characters was written at the bottom right corner of the page.

"Wuu wuu, Manager, Cai Cai, save me!"

.

Inside the base lobby, Tong XinXin and others immediately started looking for Rong Daoan's figure as soon as they were teleported out.

"Where is he?"

Yue Haiyang was also searching, "Eh? Brother Jie hasn't come out either?"

Having cleared the levels many times, Liu Hui knew the reason behind this.

"He might not be at the same teleportation point as us."

"What? Is it possible to not end up at the same teleportation point even if we come out from the same instance?"

"Yes. If there was a significant distance between individuals within the instance, this possibility exists when exiting."

Everyone started considering heading to other teleportation points to search, but at that moment, a voice halted them.

"Xin Xin."

Tong Xin Xin turned around, then froze, "Brother Yue."

Yue Chen, a member of the managerial tier of the Chaoyang Guild, was quite approachable and congenial, enjoying good relations with many.

Tong Xinxin's entry into the Chaoyang Guild was approved by him, and they maintained a fairly good relationship.

Yue Chen smiled and asked, "Just returned from the dungeon?"

He approached her as he spoke.

The few who were excitedly chatting just moments ago fell silent.

While the Chaoyang Guild was the premier guild, it didn't mean everyone favored it.

Yue Chen glanced at the players standing beside Tong Xinxin, pausing momentarily, "Such a large group? Did you venture into a hundred-player dungeon?"

"Ah..." Tong Xinxin was originally engaged in a pleasant conversation with Tan Chen and Xu Xiuxiu, feeling quite cheerful.

After all, they had emerged alive from a dungeon, and with an S-rank dungeon rating to boot. The reward points amounted to a substantial one hundred and twenty thousand, excluding the various items they had acquired.

Despite the hefty expenditure of points this time around, mainly on numerous restoration potions, the overall experience was incredibly fulfilling. Be it the item rewards or the point bonuses, not to mention the unprecedented 93% completion rate, they had instilled a profound sense of achievement... Of course, most importantly, her mood was genuinely uplifted.

Absent were the deceit and infighting typically found amongst players. Instead, she gained a few good friends and witnessed the shining moments of human nature, all contributing to a delightful experience.

However, seeing Yue Chen at this moment—truth be told, had this been a previous dungeon clearing encounter, seeing Yue Chen would have brought joy to Tong Xinxin's heart.

Now, it seemed as though she had been abruptly pulled back into reality.

Tong Xinxin looked around at her companions.

She smiled, saying, "Yes, we tackled a level three dungeon."

Yue Chen appeared to breathe a sigh of relief.

"What's the matter?" Tong Xinxin inquired.

Yue Chen nodded politely towards the surrounding players, "Everyone, please go ahead. I would like to have a few words with Xinxin."

In the past, the courtesy shown by a member of the management team of the leading guild would have left everyone somewhat flattered.

But now, having witnessed what true magnates were like, the players reciprocated with nods of their own.

"In that case, we will head to the dining hall first. Remember to join us later, Xinxin."

"Let's go, let's go. It's been ages since I've had a meal at the dining hall; I've missed it terribly."

Yue Chen couldn't help but cast them a glance.

After exiting a dungeon, most players would usually feel somewhat mixed emotions; on one hand, they had survived another dungeon, on the other hand, they witnessed the tragic deaths of fellow players who entered the dungeon with them.

After all, being human, it's inevitable to feel a sense of sorrow and empathy akin to the phrase "a hare is mourned by all foxes when it dies".

But what was with these players? Why did it seem like they only harbored joy and lacked that shared sense of sorrow and empathy?

Standing before him, Tong Xinxin blocked his line of sight, "What's the matter, Brother Yue?"

Yue Chen sighed, "Your timing exiting this dungeon is just too opportune. You might not be aware... but the first dungeon with a one hundred percent completion rate has appeared in the game."

"What??" Tong Xinxin was momentarily stunned, but then she immediately thought of those two individuals.

One had a mind that operated like a supercomputer, possessing a frightening level of intelligence.

The other, although not fond of using his brain, would audaciously fight against both heaven and earth with just a broken staff, displaying an exceptional level of arrogance.

... A hundred percent completion seemed rather normal for them. If it weren't for the existence of lowlife individuals like Yu Hanfei in their group, they too would have been able to achieve a hundred percent completion.

With these thoughts, Tong Xinxin quickly opened the "Recent Completions" list, found Jie Fangcheng's name and sent a friend request. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she also sent a friend request to Zhang Daoan.

As annoying as this person may be, he truly is remarkably talented...

Yue Chen was filling her in on recent developments.

"The vice president, for reasons unknown, is adamant about finding the person who achieved a hundred percent completion rate. As such, he has instructed our guild members to wait in the lobby and inquire with any team that has a significant number of members completing a dungeon," he said.

Tong Xinxin paused momentarily, feigning nonchalance, "What does the vice president want with this person?"

"I'm not sure," Yue Chen frowned, "But if you come across any information, do let us know. The president is also very keen on this individual."

Tong Xinxin hesitated for a moment. Yue Chen gave her shoulder a friendly pat, smiling, "Congratulations on completing a level three dungeon. Don't forget to share your strategy guide upon your return."

It was a guild tradition; players who successfully navigated dungeons would document their experiences to facilitate reference by other guild members, providing a general approach should they encounter the same dungeon.

These strategy guides were one of the main attractions drawing people to join larger guilds.

Since joining the Chaoyang Guild, Tong Xinxin had enjoyed many benefits offered by the guild, allowing her to grow rapidly as a player despite her initially low number of completed dungeons, albeit her remarkable individual skills.

At this moment, Tong Xinxin also recalled the generally kind treatment she received from fellow guild members...

After speaking with Tong Xinxin, Yue Chen spotted another team with a sizable number of members. As he turned to approach them, Tong Xinxin called out to him, "Yue Brother."

Yue Chen turned around, "What's the matter?"

Tong Xinxin was digging her fingers into her pocket, her head lowered. Finally, she said, "Take care of yourself, alright?"

"Hmm."

By the time Tong Xinxin arrived at the restaurant, she realized that including herself, there were only five people present.

Jie Fangcheng and Zhang Dao'an were missing, their current whereabouts unknown.

Four of the players weren't particularly close to them to begin with. After leaving the hall, some mentioned returning to their guilds while others were headed home, quickly dispersing.

Dou Siqi and Zhao Zhe didn't participate either, but before leaving, Dou Siqi transferred seventy thousand points to Liu Hui.

"Thank you all, this meal is on me."

There was a notable change in his demeanor, primarily his generous and easy manner of offering money, which earned him continuous praise from Yue Haiyang.

Guo Siming didn't participate either, remaining silent and seemingly despondent, exuding a sense of transcendence as if he had come to some profound realization.

"I'm going home."

After leaving that remark, he walked away.

Thus, in the end, only Tan Chen, Xu Xiuxiu, Liu Hui, Yue Haiyang, and the belatedly arriving Tong Xinxin remained.

It was only after Tong Xinxin arrived that she realized her secretive demeanor served no real purpose. Players were not a unified entity. No matter how well she hid it, once other players spoke up, the Chaoyang Guild would find out sooner or later.

But she simply couldn't bear... to betray her teammates.

Tong Xinxin pressed her lips together.

The others sitting in a circle seemed to be in high spirits, Yue Haiyang, not one to overthink, was busy messaging.

"Oh dear, why hasn't Brother Jie replied yet? That's unusual... Oh, Brother Zhang... Ahem, Brother Zhang... why is his name... uh..."

Liu Hui pretended not to hear.

Yue Haiyang pretended as if he hadn't said anything, "Someone said they aren't coming, some people really are..."

"It's perhaps for the best that he isn't coming," Tan Chen remarked casually, "He's been using a fake name from the beginning, clearly, he never intended to befriend us."

Indeed.

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

Being individuals who had cleared many rounds in the game, they were well aware that this particular instance was the anomaly.

How could it be possible, under normal circumstances, for so many people to gather at a restaurant to dine together after clearing a stage? Even if the number of individuals clearing the level was large, it was generally because a large number of players had entered the instance.

The greater the number of players, the more intricate the web of intrigue and conflicts became.

This was the first time everyone was in such high spirits, sitting harmoniously together for a meal.

All thanks to Jie Fangcheng and... no, just because of Jie Fangcheng. That other person never intended to mingle with them much in the first place.

"Brother Jie replied!" Yue Haiyang instantly sat up straight, "Brother Jie said... uh? He'll come over after eating a pancake?"

Pancake?

Everyone knew about the small stalls run by lifestyle players around the base, but what was more widely acknowledged was that the meals at the restaurant were the true representation of the base.

Gourmet Delights

Number One.

How could someone forsake the meals crafted by the master chef in favor of a pancake?

Yue Haiyang scratched his head, "Is Brother Jie from that legendary region known for its crosstalk? But he doesn't have an accent when he speaks, does he?"

The Base.

Jie Fangcheng was replying to messages from friends while walking outside.

Although he had only cleared two instances, his friends list was indeed quite populated.

It contained not only players with whom he had cleared instances together but also a well-intentioned individual labeled "123456".

Not just Yue Haiyang had messaged him, many friends from the first instance he cleared had also sent him messages. However, since he was in an instance, these messages had transformed into the form of letters.

"Brother Jie, Brother Jie, I learned how to make braised grilled shrimp today. When you come out, I'll cook it for you!" This was from Xue Kai, who had nearly become a chef since joining the cozy cat climbing frame.

"'Jie Ge, I have compiled some information about the game, which might help you understand it better. Would you like to see it?' This was from Gu Shanshan, obviously wanting to repay a favor."

"'Jie Ge, I'm about to enter a level three instance soon, I'll treat you to a feast when I come out!' This was from the diligently progressing Qi Chanyang."

"'Jie Ge, come to the restaurant for a meal!' This was Yu Haiyang."

"Jie Fangcheng was walking out grandiosely, with hands in his pockets, while responding to each message."

"Yu Chen and the other members of the Chaoyang Guild were strenuously looking for players with high clearance rates, unaware that they had just missed one of the big fishes right before their eyes."

"As Jie Fangcheng passed by Yu Chen, Yu Chen glanced at him inadvertently."

"This player appeared fair and unassuming, showing no signs of being out of the ordinary."

"But he came out from the teleportation point alone, with such an indifferent expression, there might be something unique about him after all..."

"But soon, Yu Chen withdrew his gaze."

"Jie Fangcheng stepped out of the base, originally intending to go to the restaurant, but was lured away by the familiar scent of a pancake stall as soon as he stepped out."

Auntie Li was seated behind the pancake stall, lost in thought, when suddenly her vision was obscured.

She lifted her head, pausing momentarily before saying, "Oh, it's you."

Xie Fangcheng ordered, "I'll have a set of pancake wraps, with sausage, egg, and some spice, please."

Auntie Li couldn't help but smile, "Cleared another instance, have you?"

"Yes."

"Well, I won't be treating you this time then."

Before Xie Fangcheng could respond, a voice echoed from a distance.

"Auntie Li!"

Xie Fangcheng turned around, first noticing a head of fiery red short hair.

A figure dressed in a yellow leather jacket approached swiftly, coming to a steady stop in front of the stall.

"A set of pancake wraps, please!"

The girl who was speaking wiped the sweat off her forehead while talking, pausing to gulp down water from the bottle she retrieved from her pocket.

Auntie Li was evidently accustomed to this, her hands didn't pause as she admonished, "Shuangshuang, I've told you not to run so fast. And don't drink water so hurriedly after running..."

The girl named Shuangshuang drained the bottle in two gulps, her demeanor as fiery and urgent as her hair: "Auntie Li, look!"

She stashed the bottle back and pulled out an odd fragment from her pocket.

"Level One Instance [Fortunate Guest Inn]! With a highest clearance rate of 35%! I've also gotten my hands on the game guide. Backed by both the Chaoyang Guild and the Professional League! Let's clear it before the mass dungeon event, so we're not caught unprepared when the time comes!"

"Ah?" Auntie Li hesitated for a moment.

These instance fragments were priced highly in the market. Utilizing a fragment guarantees a 100% entrance to the respective instance, allowing up to three people to join simultaneously.

Possession of such a fragment permits players to selectively decide their next instance, facilitating advanced preparations and significantly enhancing survival rates.

However, these fragments are extremely expensive, with a single level-one fragment priced upwards of three hundred thousand...

"Alright, it's settled then!" Nie Shuangshuang patted her chest assertively, "Rest assured, Auntie Li, I'll definitely lead you out safely!"

"This fragment is too expensive..."

"Well, then you can just waive the points for my crepes next time I come!"

At that moment, a voice suddenly chimed in from the side: "Is this fragment really that expensive?"

Nie Shuangshuang turned her head to respond: "Yes, it is."

Xie Fangcheng appeared contemplative, as if he had grasped an idea of what to "borrow" from a kind person the next time they meet.

Auntie Li looked at him, understanding something as well.

After preparing the crepe, she handed it to Xie Fangcheng. Just as he was about to pay with his points, Auntie Li waved her hand dismissively: "Don't worry about it."

Auntie Li thought to herself, this young man looks so fresh and clean, not resembling those who can spend all day delving into instances.

Perhaps he is a lifestyle player. The youth might not possess any notable skills, and the reason for his long absence and sudden reappearance might not be due to participating in instances, but perhaps due to a lack of points, prompting him to visit the base hall in search of work.

Ah, the youth.

Xie Fangcheng hesitated, "This doesn't seem appropriate, does it?"

Already munching as the words were being spoken.

Meanwhile, Nie Shuangshuang was murmuring to herself: "Although I can go in by myself, this fragment allows entry for three people. I need to think about who else to invite to increase our success rate..."

She was saying this while scrolling through her friends' list.

It was at this moment that Xie Fangcheng overheard her.

"Hmm? Looking to increase the success rate, huh? Mind if I join?"

Nie Shuangshuang looked at him: "And you are?"

This person is quite handsome, but he doesn't look like a big shot at all.

Xie Fangcheng gave a smile: "Xie Fangcheng."