Chapter 108: Digital Cruise (Twenty-One)

Chapter 108: Digital Cruise (Twenty-One)

Beside Xie Fangcheng, the burly NPC had already been battered back to its original form by him, currently embedded in the wall, dead in a rather neat manner.

Upon his arrival, Liu Fu and his associates, who were previously fiercely fighting Ning Suisui, immediately took a half step back in unison.

They could somewhat withstand Ning Suisui's attacks; after all, while this young lady was strong, her strength was still at the player level.

What was Xie Fangcheng then? Judging by how he fought the NPC next to Ning Suisui, with a swing of his staff, the NPC went "poof" and was flattened against the wall.

This wasn't a matter of whether they could fight him or not, but rather if they could withstand a single blow from him.

However, when Xie Fangcheng initially appeared, everyone hadn't recognized him. Liu Fu was still wondering what this greenish thing was. Was it a new item or skill acquired by Ning Suisui?

Until Xie Fangcheng drew his staff.

At this moment, Ning Suisui and Xie Fangcheng stood at the doorway, and Ning Suisui didn't even make a move to fight him.

She gracefully bent her body, barely dodging a swing from Xie Fangcheng, and then flipped her palm.

【Skill: Money Rain · Rare · Level 7/7】

【Description: A rain of money will fall from the sky, in simple terms, a coin shower.】

【Note: Beware! Money doesn't normally fall from the sky; someone has to pay the corresponding price, right?】

【Effect: Expend points to bring about a light rain, moderate rain, or torrential downpour.】

Boom, rumble—

It seemed as if the very air carried the distant sounds of thunder.

Almost in the blink of an eye, Xie Fangcheng's vision blurred, and a clattering shower of golden coins descended like a downpour, threatening to bury him completely.

【Money Rain】is one of Ning Suisui's core abilities. It may appear to be merely raining coins, but what falls are not coins but rather sharp, knife-like golden metal sheets.

Furthermore, the ability adjusts the radius and intensity of the rainfall based on the amount of points expended by Ning Suisui, with the metal sheets carrying various kinds of BUFFs.

This "Golden Hoarder Rat" is notorious for her greed, famed for her reluctance to part with even a single coin.

Other players who can clear level five dungeons, like Nie Shuangshuang, often dine in restaurants after exiting the instances. Though these eateries are too expensive for ordinary players, with dishes costing thousands of points, they are just another restaurant for leaderboard players who casually spend hundreds of millions on items.

Yet, members of the "Money Leopard Squad" are seldom seen dining in these restaurants.

Ning Suisui is also known as a master haggler, always managing to acquire what she desires at the lowest possible price.

As such, many found it ironically delightful that Ning Suisui, who is so miserly, has a famous core skill that requires her to spend points to activate. No one ever considered this ability to be anything less than extremely useful, despite seeming to go against her nature.

A single golden metal sheet might be easy to evade, but when they number in the tens of thousands, it truly becomes a cataclysmic skill.

Under the onslaught of this skill, one can't help but wonder if Xie Fangcheng could possibly...

“Holy shit!”

The jingling and clanging sounds were incessant. Amidst the torrential downpour of money, Xie Fangcheng wielded his staff like an umbrella overhead, shielding himself as if caught in a rainstorm.

Even Ning Suisui hadn't anticipated this scene. Her fleeing steps halted momentarily before she couldn't help but curse: “Are you even human???”

Since acquiring this troublesome skill, utilizing it always felt like a painful sacrifice for Ning Suisui.

But despite the agony it caused her, the skill proved to be highly effective, and she never hesitated to use it when necessary.

This skill certainly justified its costly activation, invariably bringing her the desired results each time.

But this time...

With one hand holding the "umbrella", Xie Fangcheng's pace didn't slow down a bit as he rapidly charged towards her.

The two figures swiftly disappeared from the sight of the onlookers.

Shielded by the golden rain curtain, Liu Fu and the others could only watch helplessly as the green light pursued her into the distance.

This is going to be good!

Now's our chance to run!

A wave of joy swept through the crowd.

Then, they heard Ning Suisui yell again, “Are you even freaking human?”, followed by two screams of agony, before all went silent.

The flickering green light staggered back step by step.

The money shower on the ceiling was like a real rain shower, despite Ning Suisui no longer activating the skill, thin sheets of metal were still sprinkling down intermittently, albeit less densely than before.

Everyone could finally see the scene clearly.

Liu Fu continued to exclaim, "Holy shit!"

Jie Fangcheng was holding the "umbrella" with his left hand and holding Ning Suisui with his right. The situation seemed bizarre enough already; the "umbrella" wasn't large enough to completely shield him.

Ning Suisui struggled. The falling rain from above couldn't differentiate the user of the skill and indiscriminately pelted the half of her body that was exposed outside the "umbrella". As Jie Fangcheng moved, she screamed continuously, which Jie Fangcheng mistakenly attributed to the blows he had dealt her earlier, and thus, ignored.

Initially, Liu Fu and others in the restaurant were prepared to endure the residual effects of Ning Suisui's money shower and attempt to charge, but seeing Jie Fangcheng's brutality and Ning Suisui's anguish, they hastily retreated in terror.

Unaware of the reason, when Jie Fangcheng brought her back to the restaurant, he greeted Liu Fu and the others cheerfully, "Everyone is still here, huh?"

The more congenial he appeared, the more perverse Liu Fu and the others perceived him to be, and they retreated a step back in trepidation.

Jie Fangcheng wondered how these people, who seemed so fearful, dared to come in the first place. Noticing that Ning Suisui had stopped screaming, he looked down and was startled himself.

"What the hell!"

Ning Suisui was bound, with her head and legs covered in blood, leaving a terrifying trail of blood as they moved.

Had Ning Suisui not been an experienced player, and had the rain of money not lessened from earlier, she would have met her end by now.

At this moment, the previously fearless "Golden Rat" wore an expression of terror, looking at Jie Fangcheng as if he were a sadistic killer.

"Oh no!" Qiao Mai reflexively rushed over upon seeing Ning Suisui's condition and immediately administered a healing potion to her.

Ning Suisui, trembling, gulped down the potion, her eyes widened in horror as she looked at Jie Fangcheng.

"Brother, are you planning to torment me to death? Why don't you just finish me off quickly?"

Jie Fangcheng readily nodded, "Sure."

Saying this, he pulled out his stick again, appearing very agreeable.

Just then, Zhang Dao'an calmly spoke, "Hold off on that for now."

Ning Suisui glanced at him, surprised.

Zhang Dao'an continued, "Let her hand over the points and items first, then you can proceed."

Ning Suisui: "..."

Do these people have no humanity at all?!

Meanwhile, once the rain had stopped, Nie Shuangshuang and Wei Yuan finally appeared with Shu Yuan.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Nie Shuangshuang looked at the trail of blood, then turned her gaze towards Ning Suisu.

Although the wounds on her body had been healed by the system-generated potion, the traces of blood were still evident on Ning Suisu. Observing her now nearly bald head covered in blood, which was once crowned with smooth black hair, and her transformed attire where her pants turned into a skirt and boots into slippers, was quite a sight.

This is too tragic, isn't it? Such a lack of humanity!

Nie Shuangshuang couldn't help but exclaim, "Jie Ge, you're being extremely bloody and violent! Instead of torturing her like this, why don't you give her a quick death?"

Xie Fangcheng glanced at her and replied, "No rush, we will do so after she hands over the items and points."

Ning Suisu: ".........."

As a few of them conversed, Liu Fu and his group hid in a corner, glancing between Xie Fangcheng and Ning Suisu, then at Zhang Daoan.

Was there anything else left to be clarified?

The people from Ronghua had no intention of cooperating with Ning Suisu and her group. However, moments ago, this man named Zhang Daoan with just a few words managed to convince Liu Fu and his team that Ning Suisu was there to ambush them, and similarly convinced Ning Suisu that Liu Fu and the others were aiding Ronghua.

This is too cunning, isn't it?

How can Ronghua harbor such deceitful players?

After exchanging uneasy looks, everyone decided that it would be better to end the pain swiftly.

"Ahem... President Wei, we are very sorry for what happened." Liu Fu was a person capable of bending and stretching. Displaying decisiveness at this moment, he quickly pulled out an item from his pocket, "Please accept this as a token of our apology."

Nie Shuangshuang took a glance and immediately recognized what the item was, given her vast experience and frequent shopping ventures.

"It's a 'Hua Qiang Bei Android Device', a summoning item that can call upon 1-2 people at a time. Due to its randomness, it hasn't been too expensive, hovering around ten million or so."

"Ten million?" Xie Fangcheng was visibly displeased with the price, "That's it?"

"Ah?" Liu Fu was stunned.

Although Ronghua had undergone changes and Xie Fangcheng had engaged in robbery not once or twice, Liu Fu harbored beautiful imaginations in his heart. The ambush didn't actually cause any significant harm to Ronghua. On the contrary, it inadvertently helped them to handle Ning Suisu.

Nobody was actually hurt in this event! Should they really demand such expensive items as compensation?

As if reading his thoughts, Zhang Daoan glanced at him, not interested in wasting words on him.

"Fifty million points worth of items per person, or you'll be thrown to the fishes."

"Fifty million?! Why don't you just rob us?!"

Xie Fangcheng reminded him, "My friend, that's precisely what I'm doing right now."

Liu Fu: "......"

Liu Fu turned to Wei Yuan, "Leader Wei, is Ronghua really planning to become this kind of guild?"

Wei Yuan replied unapologetically, "Don't talk to me about morals. You didn't consider what Ronghua might become when you came here to ambush us."

Were it not for the adept planning of Zhang Daoan, who would have believed that Liu Fu and his seemingly amicable group of players would maintain their cordiality at all times? These guild-affiliated players are the true epitome of pragmatism, unwilling to give Ronghua even a slight edge.

After all, Ronghua will soon be their fiercest competitor in the guild rivalry.

Liu Fu's face fluctuated between shades of pallor and flush, eventually conceding with a nod, albeit begrudgingly.

"Fine."

Their small squad, consisting of five members who were quite skilled and backed by substantial resources, found it rather easy to gather items worth over two hundred million.

As he handed over the items, Liu Fu's face turned unsightly, yet he managed to muster a courteous smile.

"Ronghua is quite powerful; I foresee numerous opportunities for collaboration in the future."

Zhang Daoan merely lowered his head to inspect the items before stating, "You're short by fifty million."

"Excuse me?"

Zhang Daoan turned his head, casting his gaze towards Han Zhiyan, who was standing not too far away.

"Isn't this gentleman also part of your group?"

A pang of alarm surged in Liu Fu's heart.

Without further ado, Zhang Daoan continued his scrutiny.

He turned to a stylish man with purple hair: "You're from another team, aren't you? Spare the chatter. Hand over the items and leave with your team members."

Damn...

Liu Fu stared at him, utterly flabbergasted.

Who exactly is this person, and how did he figure it out??

In the presence of Xie Fangcheng, who stood there with a ready stance, the group had no choice but to obediently hand over the points and leave.

Once they had left, Zhang Daoan turned to Ning Suisu, who although still bound, had largely recovered.

"Captain Ning."

Ning Suisu remained silent.

She had always prided herself on her quick wit, but never did she imagine encountering someone with an even more rapid and astute mind.

Zhang Daoan seemed indifferent to her lack of response.

"Hand over the items," he said, "Considering your resources, fifty million would be an insult."

Following that, Zhang Daoan audaciously raised the stakes: "Hand over five hundred million and transfer your points to Manager Xie."

"Damn!!" Ning Suisui's facial muscles twitched at the corners of her mouth.

Five hundred million?!!

She looked at Xie Fangcheng very seriously: "Just kill me, seriously."

Without a word, Xie Fangcheng bent down and hoisted her up with one hand, once again.

Ning Suisui cursed again under her breath.

"Okay, okay, okay, I give up!"

She was forthright, hastily pulling out a green-glowing crown from her bag.

[Item: Forest Guardian - Rare]

[Description: As the guardian of the forest, you receive the praises of every lush tree.]

[Reminder: Remember to protect the forest well! Only when you gain the true approval of the forest will it reward you more abundantly.]

[Effect: Creates a forest aura around you, safeguarding yourself and your friends. The level of protection increases with the guardian's strength.]

Nie Shuangshuang was completely stunned as she watched.

"The Forest Guardian..."

Compared to the [Poseidon's Trident] that Ning Suisui had given to Zhou Heqi, although that weapon had once topped the item charts, that was a thing of the past.

But this [Forest Guardian], it genuinely ranks within the top fifty in the current item charts.

This was one of Ning Suisui's most treasured items—not because she intended to use it to safeguard the other members of the Golden Leopard Squad; after all, while she ranked high on the scoreboards, the other members of her squad were also powerful, maintaining a mutual symbiotic relationship, not requiring her to waste an opportunity to use this item to protect them.

This item was for protecting their employers during missions. With it, Ning Suisui could single-handedly shield five or six employers, allowing other members of the Golden Leopard Squad to freely seek clues and clear stages.

This item was tremendously tempting for every guild leader, acting as a protective BUFF for the entire team, thus at one time, similar items were auctioned at exorbitant prices in the market.

Now, while Zhang Daoan was asking for items worth five hundred million, Ning Suisui had produced an item ten times more valuable.

She didn't hand the item to Xie Fangcheng or Zhang Daoan, instead she thrust it towards Nie Shuangshuang who was in front of her.

Nie Shuangshuang was stunned for a moment, her feelings somewhat mixed at that instant.

How could she not understand that this was Ning Suisui's way of apologizing, but Ronghua's people were also her friends. Although Ning Suisui had to act against Ronghua for the sake of the Golden Leopard Squad, Nie Shuangshuang might understand the reasons, but it didn't mean she could accept them.

She didn't demur, silently passing the crown to Xie Fangcheng.

Xie Fangcheng glanced at it: "Looks kind of impressive, huh."

Without further ado, and without needing any prompting, Xie Fangcheng directly placed the crown onto his head.

The crown was exceedingly exquisite. Ning Suisui would only use it when escorting clients in previous years, and she was reluctant to spend money on altering its appearance, hence it remained a green-glowing item.

True to its ranking on the leaderboard, this accessory seemed even greener and more luminous than the clothes he was wearing. As he lifted his head wearing it, Nie Shuangshuang covered her eyes, peeking at him through the gaps between her fingers.

This red and green accessory combo, coupled with an aura of green light, looked like a fashion from the underworld... It could only suit Xie Fangcheng.

It's not so much that he stands out in this outfit, but rather that no normal person could pull off such an eye-searing ensemble.

Xie Fangcheng was blissfully unaware, activating the item as soon as he put it on.

A verdant glow really did emanate from atop his head, swiftly enveloping the entire restaurant.

"How does this work?" Xie Fangcheng shook his head, the surrounding green light flowing like gossamer, fluctuating with his movements.

Nie Shuangshuang's mouth hung open in shock.

Even Ning Suisui couldn't hold back: "What exactly is your power level? How can it cover such a wide range?"

"Is it wide?" Xie Fangcheng wondered curiously.

Ning Suisui gave a wry smile, "When I activate this item, it can at most cover around five people nearby."

But seeing how effortlessly Xie Fangcheng had covered the entire restaurant in a green hue, it seemed like enveloping the restaurant wasn't even his limit.

"But your concentration seems quite low," Ning Suisui analyzed, "I suspect it's because, although your power level is high, your clearance count is low. The power you've acquired in the game is weak, which means the potency of this item might not be as strong when you use it."

Xie Fangcheng nodded in agreement.

After Ning Suisui transferred the points to him, Xie Fangcheng kept his word, untying the rope that bound her.

"Can I go now?" Ning Suisui asked.

"Go, go," Xie Fangcheng gestured dismissively.

Zhang Daoan had no objections either.

Ning Suisui came with NPCs and high scores, but left empty-handed. Cooperating with the captain now seemed impossible, and there was even a chance the captain might hold her accountable later.

On the player's side, although she was strong, the universally acknowledged strongest player now was Xie Fangcheng. Her squad's power was paper-thin compared to his, and it was unlikely that other players would continue to pay a high price to collaborate with her.

Going solo, there seemed to be no way for Ning Suisui to make a comeback.

If she still aspired to vie for the ocean treasures, there seemed to be only one path left...

Just then, as she reached the doorway, Ning Suisui suddenly turned back.

She glanced at Xie Fangcheng, then at Zhang Daoan, her gaze somewhat strange.

"Bubble Command - Player Zhang Daoan, give a kiss to Xie Fangcheng beside you."

With a "plop", a yellow transparent bubble enveloped Zhang Daoan.

Within the yellow bubble, countless unseen threads of rule seemed eager to manipulate him like a puppet, forcing him to comply with the dictated command.

This was different from the rules on the ship; these were "spatial rules".

Much like water being fluid and ice being solid.

Once established, the rules cannot be altered.

Unless the person engulfed by the rules possesses formidable power, under which circumstances the bubble's commands fail to take effect.

At this moment, the invisible threads of rule within the bubble permeated Zhang Daoan, but it seemed as if he should not naturally exist; these unseen threads wandered aimlessly, unable to attach themselves to Zhang Daoan.

Ning Suisui's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Impossible! Why are the rules not affecting you?"

Zhang Daoan merely glanced at her, then with a wave of his hand, he pierced through the rule-enforcing bubble.

Xie Fangcheng also paused, turning his gaze towards Ning Suisui.

Ning Suisui stuck her tongue out at him, vanishing swiftly.

Xie Fangcheng queried, "Is she mad? Why would she make such a request?"

Zhang Daoan turned to look at him, offering a gentle smile.

"Perhaps."