Chapter 236: Return to the Game

Chapter 236: Return to the Game

Of course, at present, Xie Fangcheng was merely pondering the idea.

After all, if the Four Kings of Hell entered the virtual dungeons and mingled with the ghostly envoys and players, who would handle the countless tasks and affairs of the underworld?

And, having worked for many years, Xie Fangcheng understood too well: being overly familiar with subordinates wasn't always beneficial.

The best superiors are those who remain silent and unobtrusive, save for when they're assigning tasks.

Upon this reflection, Xie Fangcheng smirked ironically, adding: Well, after all, the Eastern Mountain Deity is dead now.

Regardless of whether the Four Kings would later engage in dungeon raids and level-ups, they surely wouldn't participate in this initial virtual dungeon.

Even Cui Jue wasn't suitable.

No matter how strong Cui Jue was, as one of the powerful Judges of Hell, the simulation dungeon's difficulty was explicitly calculated based on the average strength of players. If Cui Jue, a top-tier player, entered and skewed the average, wouldn't it be like the age-old debate about average resident income in the mortal realm?

In this scenario, while the dungeon might be a breeze for Cui Jue, it would prove too challenging for other players, nullifying the dual purpose of combat training and rewards.

For powerful ghostly envoys like Cui Jue, they could always form their own teams and dive in later.

As these thoughts floated in his mind, the majestic, familiar figures once again flashed before Xie Fangcheng's eyes.

Even though reason told him that the chances of the Four Kings partaking in dungeon battles were slim, the idea still tugged at Xie Fangcheng's heartstrings.

As for this initial simulation dungeon, after weighing the options, it seemed best to let the players enter first. They had prior experience clearing dungeons in "Do Not Respond." Given the uncertainties in the simulation, players would naturally adapt better than the ghostly envoys.

There's no need for Jie Fangcheng to worry about selecting individuals for the instance.

Gu Shanshan is fully aware of what's happening. That girl is so sharp. Just as Jie Fangcheng got the system set up, Gu Shanshan had a list ready.

Most of them are familiar faces, with Wei Yuan and Nie Shuangshuang notably included.

While Gu Shanshan has joined the finance department as a clerical staff member, both Wei Yuan and Nie Shuangshuang have become trainee judges.

Nie Shuangshuang's frankness even made Jie Fangcheng concerned for her safety: "Being a judge is easy, no thinking required!"

This was a private conversation they had over the phone. Had anyone else heard, Nie Shuangshuang might now be relegated to a menial role.

...Still, there's some truth to her words.

Jie Fangcheng, who's always been at odds with this department, heartily agrees.

The first simulated instance quietly commenced.

Guided by Yan Yun's instruction, Jie Fangcheng set up a rudimentary teleportation point.

After the familiar flash of white light, Wei Yuan and the others entered the simulated instance, and the administrator interface in front of Jie Fangcheng displayed the words "Simulated Instance in Progress".

When Jie Fangcheng accessed the basic interface of the simulated instance, there were even options to halt the instance, add participants, and adjust the difficulty, making it seem so standardized and safe, truly turning it into an endless "game".

Initially concerned, Jie Fangcheng observed the progress of the simulated instance and realized that the players hadn't forgotten how to clear it. The progress bar was gradually filling up, clearly not requiring his intervention.

That's more than enough.

Even though the players' current abilities aren't strong enough, over time and through repeated instances, just as in "Do Not Respond", they'll eventually reach astonishing levels of growth.

Of course, this is assuming no one disrupts this progress.

Jie Fangcheng, with his sword on his back, called out to the dazed Cui Jue nearby.

"Let's go."

Cui Jue looked at him, "Where to?"

Ever since Jie Fangcheng's return, Cui Jue sensed a subtle change in him.

Previously, Jie Fangcheng was clearly a corporate drone who skated by, doing the bare minimum. Most of the time, he was indifferent and laid-back, never sweating the small stuff. But occasionally, when faced with something intolerable, he'd reveal a side of him so sharp it was blinding.

However, after returning from that game... or more accurately, since the death of Dongyue Shenjun, Jie Fangcheng seemed to shoulder burdens meant to be shared by everyone solely upon himself.

Lost in thought, Cui Jue snapped back to reality, realizing this.

What else could he have done?

Currently, the Fourth Yama is still nursing old injuries. Only Jie Fangcheng has the strength to traverse the very depths of the underworld and venture into the game, "Three Thousand Worlds."

The culture in the underworld is quite conservative. The sheer number of orthodox reapers is a testament to this, as they're resistant to change.

Thus, the responsibility of researching this new system falls upon Jie Fangcheng once again. Not just that, from the way he has taken up his sword again, Cui Jue instantly realized his intentions.

"Let me handle it," Cui Jue suggested.

Jie Fangcheng, just having stretched his wrist, was taken aback by the offer.

"Are you heading to the conference room to present?" Cui Jue asked.

That's a polite way to put it. Jie Fangcheng wasn't just going to present; he was heading there to answer complex questions and convince others to ensure the system's stability during his absence, bringing more powerful reapers and players to the underworld.

Even though he's striving to save a collapsing world, within the current environment of the underworld, it seems he'd have to deliver numerous reports and engage in verbose discussions.

Clearly, diplomacy isn't Jie Fangcheng's forte. In his mind, the solution would be something like, "If you don't listen to me, I'll cut you down."

Yet, Jie Fangcheng is a reasonable person. Despite the orthodox reapers repeatedly criticizing him in meetings, he usually let it slide, continuing with his tasks unfazed.

The more Cui Jue pondered, the more distressed he became.

Meeting Jie Fangcheng's eyes, he decisively nodded, "You've been away for so long; you probably have other tasks. Even if not, take a break... You've worked hard."

Unaware of Cui Jue's whirlwind of thoughts, Jie Fangcheng agreed, "Alright."

Having said that, Jie Fangcheng sheathed his sword into thin air and returned to his seat in front of the server.

Still immersed in his thoughts, Cui Jue urged, "Take a rest. If you're worried about potential issues, I'll get someone to keep an eye out."

Jie Fangcheng looked puzzled, "Watch over what? I'm just playing on the computer for a bit."

“……”

"Weren't you off to present the report?"

Cui Jue turned on his heel, ready to leave.

"Oh, by the way,"

Cui Jue glanced back, seeing Jie Fangcheng truly engrossed in a game interface. The screen's illumination cast a stark, almost inhumanly cold shadow on half of his face.

"If they disagree, let me know," Jie Fangcheng spoke, "Whomever objects, I'll deal with them."

His tone was even and straightforward, neither a threat nor a jest.

"…" Taking a moment to compose himself, Cui Jue nodded and finally exited.

Alone in the server room, Jie Fangcheng was accompanied only by Yan Yun, the desktop pet on the screen. Its chibi, animated form looked adorably comforting, seemingly even more consoling than usual.

However, this was merely a robotic version of Yan Yun, devoid of consciousness or emotional perception. It would only respond when Jie Fangcheng explicitly voiced his needs, offering computed solutions and methods.

After playing a couple of Minesweeper games, Jie Fangcheng heaved a sigh.

Yan Yun's electronic voice chimed in.

"How may I assist you?"

Jie Fangcheng merely shook his head.

Three to four hours later, a weary yet exhilarated Cui Jue returned to the server room.

"Unanimously approved!"

The Fourth Yama wasn't ignorant. They had been observant of Jie Fangcheng's actions and recognized his intentions were for the world's betterment.

Still, there were specifics to be addressed: how to allocate players and reapers in instances, potential repercussions of players' increased strength, and so on. However, these weren't concerns for Jie Fangcheng.

Such matters fell under the jurisdiction of the Fourth Yama, the highest authority in the Underworld.

Persuading them turned out to be less challenging than even Jie Fangcheng had anticipated.

"At the end of the day, saving the world isn't solely your responsibility," Cui Jue said earnestly, looking directly at Jie Fangcheng. "I understand you might not hold the rest of the Underworld in high regard. After Dongyue Shenjun's passing, you've kept your thoughts and plans to yourself. But what I want to convey is... Manager Jie, you're considered one of us."

Jie Fangcheng is different from everyone else. He's a genuine fierce ghost, the king of them, no less.

Back when the Celestial Realm still existed, the greatest aspiration for many reapers was to ascend to it, becoming celestial beings and achieving greatness.

Jie Fangcheng didn't have that possibility; his cultivation methods were distinct from everyone else's.

However, after working in the underworld for so long, Cui Jue could confidently say that he considered Jie Fangcheng a true friend.

Facing Cui Jue's gaze, Jie Fangcheng momentarily found himself at a loss for words.

He simply patted Cui Jue on the shoulder.

"As long as they've agreed, that's all that matters," Jie Fangcheng, who'd spent no insignificant amount of time in the underworld, said, readying to leave. Unsure of the current state of "Three Thousand Worlds," he added, "Keep an eye on things here. I'm heading out."

"Alright," Cui Jue nodded, then inquired, "How are you planning to enter 'Three Thousand Worlds'? Through the depths of the underworld again?"

"Isn't that the only way?" Jie Fangcheng said, already prepared to depart.

At that moment, prompted perhaps by his words, a "ding" sounded throughout the server room.

[Ding – Detecting available server: [Three Thousand Worlds Version 7.2]. Connect? Warning: Target server is the latest version. Administrative privileges conflict with this system. You will enter as a player, carrying inherent risks. Proceed with caution.]