Chapter 94: Digital Cruise (VII)

Chapter 94: Digital Cruise (VII)

This person!

Ning Suisui discreetly glanced at Zhou Heqi first.

Zhou Heqi was still immersed in the fantasy of soon soaring to heights with two formidable fighters by his side, envisioning becoming the most formidable small team in this dungeon, when another powerful team approached him head-on.

Ronghua Guild.

Originally, the Ronghua Guild, with its sheer number of members, was already considered a formidable force in the dungeon. Even if these players had diminished skills, wasn't there Ning Suisui who had a close relationship with Nie Shuangshuang?

But Xie Fangcheng's recent brash confrontation with the NPC genuinely startled everyone.

Damn! What kind of player is this? Is this even a player? This seems more like the grand boss of the dungeon!

Zhou Heqi was not devoid of sense; as he crossed paths with the members of the Ronghua Guild, he greeted Xie Fangcheng with a genial nod and a radiant smile.

Hearing Zhang Dao'an's remark at this moment, Zhou Heqi paused for a second: "Brother, what do you mean by that?"

Ning Suisui suddenly became very anxious.

However, Zhou Heqi stepped in front of Yan Xiaoqian, his expression becoming somewhat stern: "Hey, don't act indecently, I'm warning you!"

Zhang Dao'an: "..."

Nie Shuangshuang immediately turned her head to observe Zhang Dao'an's expression.

After getting to know Professor Zhang, although he appeared to be quite courteous most of the time, Nie Shuangshuang inexplicably felt as if he was trying to trick her.

Compared to the genuine warmth he exhibited towards Xie Fangcheng, the kindness he displayed towards others seemed somewhat insincere.

This man is both cunning and exceptionally skilled at disguising his true nature.

At this moment, with Zhou Heqi's remark, a subtle expression appeared on Zhang Dao'an's face, and the look he gave Zhou Heqi turned quite disdainful.

He looked at Ning Suisui and nodded politely: "Good taste."

Zhou Heqi swiftly drew his weapon.

Although he had acquired the premium "Poseidon's Trident," mastering a powerful weapon required time and adaptation. In this urgent situation, he was quick to draw his most frequently used double-handed axe, staring at Zhang Dao'an with an imposing demeanor.

The members of his guild behind him also began drawing their weapons, with Xiao Ba even shielding Yan Xiaoqian behind him.

"Don't worry, Sister Xiaoqian! Despite not being on the scoreboard, our strength is still quite remarkable!"

Seeing the opposite side drawing their weapons, although completely clueless about the unfolding events, the individuals from the Ronghua side also hastily pulled out their weapons from their bags, questioning while they did, "What's going on? What happened? Why are we gearing up for a fight?"

Xie Fangcheng followed suit, first safeguarding Zhang Dao'an behind him, firmly planting his staff on the ground. His expression mirrored the bewildered faces around him, but his preparedness for the upcoming brawl showcased seasoned expertise.

The two groups were now at a tense standoff near the counter for paying the ship fare, leaving the surrounding players puzzled and curiously gathering around to watch the spectacle.

This turn of events was even beyond Ning Suisui's expectations. She froze for a moment before frantically waving her hands: "No, no! He didn't mean that!"

Being astute, Ning Suisui understood the implication behind Zhang Dao'an's words very clearly.

Although unsure about how her cover was blown, she realized that this person likely had no genuine interest in them.

Zhou Heqi seemed unsure but inquired, "Really?"

Ning Suisui couldn't help but smile wryly: "Of course it's true!"

Seeing that the person involved had spoken, Zhou Heqi reluctantly sheathed his weapon.

From behind Jie Fangcheng, Jiang Daoan suddenly popped his head out, looking at Ning Suisui and said, "Keep it up."

Zhou Heqi, although completely unsure of the riddle Jiang Daoan was playing at, could vaguely sense a sarcastic tone in the young man's remark.

He immediately drew his axe again, standing on tiptoes to peer past Jie Fangcheng and demanded, "Brother, step aside and let the person behind you come forward to speak! What does he mean exactly?!"

Ning Suisui felt like she was on the verge of a meltdown.

"Brother, please hold your tongue!" she pleaded.

She knew that her strategy required speed, precision, and ruthlessness. Dragging this out would only increase their risk of exposure and the fluctuating scores of the players they had noted in the hall earlier could change any minute, possibly increasing due to various methods.

Was this guy doing this on purpose? Was this his revenge?

Revenge for Ning Suisui planning to scheme against them yesterday??

Damn it!

Ning Suisui truly hadn't expected that this bunch of people would intrude on an otherwise smooth instance run.

"Enough, let's go!" Ning Suisui forcefully dragged everyone away, educating Zhou Heqi as they left, "You drew your weapon just like that, didn't you see who was standing at the forefront of that group? Even if that certain someone is infuriating, look at the person in front of him! Even the NPC couldn't withstand a couple of smacks from him, and you're yelling at his boyfriend? Tell me, brother, how are you even more arrogant than me, the seventh on the leaderboard?"

"Boyfriend? What boyfriend?"

Ning Suisui clicked her tongue, "You can't even discern that? Come here, Qianqian, explain to him how to differentiate between straight men and gays!"

As they conversed, their voices gradually faded into the distance, with phrases like "drawing weapons," "boyfriend," and "couldn't withstand" faintly reaching the ears of those behind them, causing a great deal of confusion.

Jie Fangcheng turned his head, asking, "Who are they talking about?"

"I don't know," Jiang Daoan glanced at him before nonchalantly instructing, "Let's move on, check out the front desk."

Jie Fangcheng scratched his head.

Everyone swarmed to the front desk in a flurry.

Even those who were initially prepared to pay the boat fare stepped aside for a moment, eager to hear any insights this big brother might have.

Jie Fangcheng did not disappoint: "I don't want to pay the fee."

He declared.

The receptionist continued to smile warmly: "You and your friends are exempted."

"Huh?" Jie Fangcheng was quite astonished.

Nie Shuangshuang explained to him on the side, "The NPCs in the level five instances have high intelligence and flexibility. It seems they realized that you are not someone to be trifled with, so they simply chose not to provoke you."

Jie Fangcheng had a sudden realization, "Indeed, they are quite adaptable. The NPCs in the first-level instance were almost scared to death by me, yet they still had to stick to their scripted procedures."

He was referring to his first experience in the instance "Blue Mountain Psychiatric Hospital", where the NPCs exhibited a ghost-seeing terror upon laying eyes on him, albeit bound to act within the constraints of the instance setup.

The NPCs in the fifth-level instance not only assess the current circumstances and act accordingly but clearly possess a higher degree of autonomy compared to those in the lower-level instances.

The front desk personnel not only showed the utmost respect in their demeanor but also took the initiative to guide them.

"Our highest-grade restaurant is now open to you and your friends. Please proceed to the east area on the third floor to enjoy gourmet dishes. We have also arranged for your accommodations on the third floor as a small compensation from our cruise to all of you. Rest assured, all these come without any digital charges. Please feel free to use them."

Such good fortune exists?!

Not to mention the affluent players, even the onlooking players around were in an uproar.

They were all aware of the high intelligence level of the fifth-level instance NPCs. Sometimes, powerful players might not trigger the killing rule with their actions, while weaker ones might get thrown out to be dog feed on the spot.

But that was limited to "high-level players not being easily targeted for a kill".

When has anyone seen an NPC treating a player with such a friendly and welcoming attitude, even proactively elevating the player's status level??

Is this what the utmost high-level player looks like??

The NPCs were so amiable that it made it hard for Jie Fangcheng to find a reason to complain.

He could only cough slightly, "But my score is low, I want to increase it."

！！

What kind of statement was that?!

Wasn't this outright robbery?

Who else would audaciously ask for more money to splurge on after the hotel owner provided free food and accommodation?

Especially with Jie Fangcheng’s entitled and proficient demeanor, it made everyone even more astounded.

What exactly did this person do before? How could he say such words so calmly, without even a change in facial expression?

Even the receptionist was stunned.

"Ah... I'm sorry, esteemed guest, we are just front desk staff and do not have the authority to facilitate this," they replied hesitantly.

"Oh, the captain has the authority, right?"

The NPC nodded, "Yes, but our captain is currently not on board."

The steward had mentioned the captain being on the fifth floor in the morning, yet now he was not on the ship.

The intelligence of this NPC was indeed quite high, even capable of lying proficiently.

Jie Fangcheng didn't want to make things difficult for the reception staff, he nodded, "Alright then."

Saying this, both Jie Fangcheng and the people from Ronghua moved to check out the third floor, planning to also visit the fifth floor en route.

Just as they had barely stepped out, a surprised shout came from behind them, "What?? Why is it forty-five? Wasn't it supposed to be thirty??"

The front desk's explanatory voice reached the ears of the people from Ronghua without missing a word.

"We are genuinely sorry, sir. The resources on our ship are limited, and the fare is a guarantee for everyone's basic amenities. Due to the current special circumstances, we can only charge an additional fifteen points from the next forty-four guests. We hope for your understanding."

Forty-four guests, each being charged an extra fifteen points.

This was clearly to make up for the fare that the twenty-two people from Ronghua hadn't paid.

Someone immediately started to protest vehemently, "This is unfair! Your rules clearly stated, thirty points per person per day! If someone doesn't pay, you should collect from them, why are you charging us extra?"

The front desk continued to bow and apologize, "I'm sorry sir, this is a newly instituted policy. We are just ordinary receptionists, responsible for implementing the rules. Please understand."

Someone directly stopped the people from Ronghua.

"Boss Wei, Ronghua can't exploit us regular players like this, right? How about you guys make up the difference in points?"

Others immediately joined in agreement.

"Exactly, the original thirty points per person was just right. You can't expect everyone else to cover for you, right?"

"I only have just over thirty points, I haven't even figured out tomorrow's fare. If I'm charged forty-five now, isn't this forcing me to die prematurely?"

"Boss Wei, we are not asking you to give up more points, we just hope that you pay what is due. This isn't too much to ask, right?"

Wei Yuan looked towards Jie Fangcheng for help.

Jie Fangcheng caught his gaze and slammed his staff onto the ground with a loud "clang".

"Pay it or don't, just quit the whining."

Initially, everyone was vocal, but after he slammed his staff, not a single person on the scene dared to utter a word.

The players who managed to come to the fifth-level instance had their own calculations in mind. Initially relying on Ronghua's guild's known reasonableness to negotiate, they now realized that Ronghua had indeed changed from before.

Even Wei Yuan was somewhat surprised by Jie Fangcheng's forceful gesture.

In his mind, although Jie Fangcheng was somewhat violent and irritating, he was generally considered an easy-going and friendly person.

When Wei Yuan looked to him for help, he was also thinking that perhaps Jie Fangcheng would confront the NPC.

Instead, he started intimidating the players indiscriminately.

Wei Yuan couldn't help but say, "Brother Jie, aren't you going to intervene?"

"Intervene in what?" Jie Fangcheng asked.

Wei Yuan pursed his lips, signaling him, "The NPC is charging players forty-five points."

Jie Fangcheng asked, "How should we intervene?"

"Beat up the NPC?"

Jie Fangcheng was astonished, "You are quite violent, aren't you?"

“……”

Zhang Daoan spoke up from the side, "What use is there in beating up these reception NPCs? Charging forty-five points is the new rule. Killing these receptionists doesn't mean their points can be waived. On the contrary, without the receptionists, they would have no way to pay, and most likely would be asked to leave the ship."

"But... this is being shifted onto them because we didn't pay after all."

Zhang Daoan retorted, "Did we propose not paying the points and having the other players pay for us?"

"...No."

"It's the NPCs who changed the rules, asking the next forty-four players to pay an extra fifteen points, not us forcing them to change the rules. You need to understand this logic," Zhang Daoan looked at him, "The NPCs want to collect points but they can't overpower Manager Jie. There are many solutions, but they chose to use the other players as pawns to attack us. It's like at your job, your salary is five thousand, but this month another employee performed exceptionally well, so the company decided to give him eight thousand. Then they come to you and say, because they paid him eight thousand, they can only pay you two thousand. Would you go to the employee who got eight thousand and ask him to give you three thousand back?"

Wei Yuan was still somewhat hesitant.

Zhang Daoan simply gestured to him, "Do you think they don't know that the NPCs are using them as pawns? You think they don't know the NPCs are deliberately making things difficult for them? No, it's because they believe resisting the NPCs will lead to no good end, but they think they can take their chances against the people from Ronghua. Even though Manager Jie is so powerful, they still fear the NPCs more."

Following his gaze, Wei Yuan sighed.

Having been in this game for so long, how could he not understand why these players would act this way?

"Have we been doing it all wrong all this while?" Wei Yuan couldn't help but ask.

"No." Zhang Daoan denied firmly, "What you've been doing is right."

Wei Yuan was confused.

Nie Shuangshuang nudged him, "Brother, can you please stop asking these philosophical questions? It's enough that we are as brainless as Brother Jie."

Jie Fangcheng frowned, "Hey! Can you at least talk behind my back?"

Nie Shuangshuang chuckled, "Come on, let's see what delicacies are available today."

Yet, the group's steps seemed heavy, even Nie Shuangshuang couldn't help but glance back.

Jie Fangcheng couldn't stand the atmosphere after walking a few steps, he cleared his throat.

"How about... we decide what to eat later?"

Everyone immediately nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes!"

Everyone stood in a far corner away from the reception, preparing to see what would happen next.

Zhang Dao'an cast a glance at him.

Xie Fangcheng touched his nose, speaking in a low tone: "You see, everyone is clearly very concerned about the developments that are to follow. They can't even enjoy their meal when they come back, leading this team must be challenging, huh?"

Zhang Dao'an nodded slightly, "You make a good point, I am just a bit surprised."

"Huh?"

Zhang Dao'an smiled politely, "I thought Xie Manager being softhearted was a once-in-a-century phenomenon, turns out it happens quite frequently."

Xie Fangcheng: "…"

This youngster...

At this moment, some players gathered near the front desk seemed to have reached some consensus, with twenty-three of them standing there, urging other players to pay the ship fare.

This freshly issued rule is extremely cunning; it doesn't require the last forty-four players to pay an additional fifteen points each, but the first forty-four players to pay after Xie Fangcheng and his group must pay fifteen more points. Naturally, everyone wants to be the last to pay.

The total number of remaining players now is ninety-nine, Xie Fangcheng and his group constitute twenty-two of them. Excluding Ning Suisui and her group of seven who have already paid, there are seventy players left unpaid. Forty-four of them have to pay an extra fifteen points, leaving only twenty-six players to pay the regular thirty points.

At this moment, twenty-three players have already formed a team, led by a well-known high-level player.

"Everyone, let's not drag this out any longer. Unfortunately, the rules are clear. Please ensure you have forty-five points ready to pay before 8:30. We will start collecting the payments at 8:30, and," Liu Guangming swept his gaze over the surrounding players, "we will not accept payments from those who come after 8:30."

Given that they have twenty-three people, it's expected that some players might want to snatch those remaining three slots.

Regarding these three slots, they had it all planned out. At this moment, Liu Guangming decisively eliminated any wishful thinking among the surrounding players.

"Two of us in this group will also pay the forty-five points."

This left five slots open.

It's not necessary to ask who these five slots are reserved for, as soon, Yan Xiaotong approached with the remaining four members of the Golden Leopard squad.

Upon their arrival, Liu Guangming promptly greeted them and quickly briefed them on the current situation.

Yan Xiaotong looked at him with a seemingly amused expression, "Oh, Chairman Liu means to say that you've reserved five slots for us, allowing us to pay only thirty points with peace of mind?"

"Exactly!" Liu Guangming was attempting to win Yan Xiaotong over with his own intentions in mind.

The seven people he brought were quite skilled, but with this dungeon having a history of no successful completions, their "quite skilled" status seemed questionable.

They needed the support of a master player.

Speaking of a master, there indeed was one among the players, someone who gave the NPCs a sound thrashing in the morning.

But it was of no use, that person belonged to Ronghua, a group comprising over twenty people. If they, a group of seven, sought collaboration with Ronghua, would it be a partnership or subservience?

Fortunately, the recent events had soured most players' opinions on Ronghua. While those players were bickering with Ronghua's members earlier, Liu Guangming had swiftly assembled a twenty-three-member team.

In this team, Liu Guangming and his group were the strongest, the remaining players came from three different guilds. In this short span of time, the twenty-three individuals had already started to forge warm relationships and friendships.

After all, judging by the current situation, Ronghua might not pay the thirty-point boat fee in the future, and their collaboration seems likely to last for a substantial period.

Yan Xiaotong's gaze swept past Liu Guangming, who was standing behind her.

Liu Guangming and his group were stationed to the right of the reception desk. To the left, the solo players and members from other guilds bore expressions of suppressed anger. Some who were low on points had already arranged for others willing to pay on their behalf, but with the sudden hike in point requirements, many had immediately reneged on their promises.

Those with insufficient points were caught between panic and rage, their eyes filled with resentment as they glared at Liu Guangming.

Liu Guangming seemed confidently poised for victory, exuding grace and charisma as he offered, “Miss Yan, do you and your group have enough points? Do you need my assistance? Not in the form of proxy payment, but I can find someone with points close to yours and bridge the gap, as a gesture of goodwill for our budding collaboration.”

Yan Xiaotong uttered a thoughtful "Oh", her eyes filled with amusement as she regarded him.

“This means, President Liu, your group has ample points at your disposal, doesn’t it?”

Liu Guangming smiled, “It's quite sufficient, yes.”

“In that case,” Yan Xiaotong addressed the receptionist, “I'd like to inquire, is it absolutely necessary for forty-four players to each contribute forty-five points to make up for the deficit left by the Ronghua guild?”

The receptionist hesitated momentarily before understanding her intention, “Yes, those are the instructions we received.”

“Is it not possible for everyone to contribute sixty points instead?” she blinked innocently, “Collecting sixty points would be quicker, no?”

The receptionists exchanged glances, and Liu Guangming paused, feeling an unsettling realization, “Miss Yan, what are you implying?”

Initially in the center, Yan Xiaotong now stepped back with her team, positioning themselves to the left.

Behind her stood a group of forty-two players, forming a formidable assembly with her at the forefront.

“My suggestion is for your generous group of twenty-three closely-knit, high-point players to each contribute sixty points, while the rest of us adhere to the original rule of paying thirty points. After all, being the magnanimous leader that you are, President Liu, I presume you wouldn’t mind covering a bit more for everyone, right? Oh, if each of you contributes sixty points, only twenty-two people need to pay, leaving one person to just pay thirty. Would that lucky individual be you, President Liu?”

Liu Guangming had formed this twenty-three-person alliance confidently, banking on their unified guild membership and his team’s notable strengths. Additionally, he was convinced that Yan Xiaotong would unequivocally side with him.

After all, he had meticulously orchestrated everything, and the group of over forty players on the other side, despite their numbers, appeared to be a disjointed, chaotic assembly.

Consisting of a mixture of solo and guild players, with no renowned expert gamers among them, they seemed like a disorganized crowd compared to Liu Guangming's united front, which even generously reserved slots for Yan Xiaotong and her team.

However, he hadn't anticipated…

“You!”

At this moment, the NPC interrupted their altercation, “I'm sorry, madam, but we cannot alter the instructions we received.”

Yan Xiaotong nodded, her gaze still fixed on Liu Guangming and his group.

“Now, please ensure to settle the boat fees before half-past eight and take your leave.”

"Do you even comprehend the implications of your words, Yan Xiaotong?" Liu Guangming struggled to grasp her reasoning. "Joining us would exempt you from the forty-five-point fee. But opposing us from that side means, even after our twenty-three members have paid forty-five points, eleven more from your side will have to do the same. Can you be certain that you won't be among those paying forty-five?"

Yan Xiaotong scoffed derisively, “Indeed, we still need a few players to contribute forty-five points. Rest assured, my companions and I will pay first. As for the rest, President Liu Guangming, there’s no need to concern yourself. Please, go ahead and settle your boat fees. If not, I won't hesitate to initiate an attack on your group. Naturally, with a force as formidable as your twenty-three-member team, it won't be an easy feat.”

Yan Xiaotong cast her gaze over the players standing behind her.

At this moment, these once scattered players seemed to have found a backbone, congregating behind Yan Xiaotong, with her at the epicenter.

Yan Xiaotong asked aloud, "Would everyone be willing to lend me a hand later on?"

"Absolutely! Of course, we are!"

"Definitely! Thank you, Miss Yan!"

A chorus of support resonated from behind her.

Yan Xiaotong turned towards Liu Guangming: "Time to pay the ferry fee."

In the corner, Nie Shuangshuang watched, her eyes wide and mouth agape.

Suddenly, she turned her head.

Beside her, Zong Dao'an maintained a calm expression, seemingly having anticipated this.

"You knew this would happen?" asked Nie Shuangshuang.

Having teamed up with this person for several dungeon runs, Nie Shuangshuang acknowledged that, despite his ruthless strategies, Zong Dao'an ensured clarity and safety for the other players, barring those who blatantly disregarded morality.

Nie Shuangshuang felt something was off with his apparent indifference; his current nonchalant demeanor suggested that he was almost certain no players would perish during the current ferry fee collection phase.

Upon her inquiry, Zong Dao'an offered no explanation, merely responding with a "most likely".

Nie Shuangshuang opened her mouth to speak, suddenly turning her gaze towards Jie Fangcheng.

A sense of sorrow welled up in Nie Shuangshuang as she lamented, "Jie brother, why does it feel like we're the only ones without a clue here?"

Jie Fangcheng casually pulled out his stick, his expression indifferent: "Don't say that, I can genuinely render you clueless."