"Calling it 'advice' is an act of modesty on his part. Sang Liwu doesn't think Tang Lian would lose. However, if the opponent agrees, it provides a perfect opportunity for him to gauge their abilities."

"Zhou You's gaze landed on Tang Lian. The man was not just reticent; he seemed almost unwilling to engage in normal conversation. It was as if he wore a sign that read, 'Do not disturb me.'"

"'There's no need for a bout, but a theoretical discussion might be worthwhile. Why waste energy that could be used to battle mutated beasts instead?' Shao Qi stated confidently, 'You're the Tang Jiu from the 'Dawn of the Apocalypse' game, aren't you?'"

The others were taken aback, "Isn't Tang Jiu the one at the top of the leaderboard?"

Tang Lian nodded with composure, showing no inclination to engage in further conversation. Sang Liwu patted him and remarked resignedly, "Okay then, in future games, I hope you all can watch over Tang Lian. His top rank might not last long, and many will surely target him."

"In the game, Tang Lian prefers solitude, achieving high scores but also making quite a few enemies. He's even stolen prey from others. If he loses his top position, he'll likely face relentless pursuits and traps."

"Sang Liwu started playing the game as well. However, regardless of one's expertise, everyone begins as a novice warrior. He can't protect Tang Lian yet and time is pressing. The best plan he could come up with was to find trustworthy friends for Tang Lian who could assist when trouble arises."

"But after observing everyone for a few days, and noting Tang Lian's unflappable demeanor, he realized building bridges of friendship would be challenging. It felt like he was the only one truly concerned."

"Would you all be open to joining me for a drink sometime?" Sang Liwu offered, trying to build goodwill. He whispered, "The man you just killed is a Major General's nephew. The one who stood up for him is Li Ming, captain of the Scythe Exploration Team. They rank among the top five teams in Yang City. But you don't need to worry about him."

"Scythe Exploration Team — is there a particular meaning behind this name?"

"Li Ming once boastfully proclaimed that his team was the harvester of mutated beasts and that they were incarnations of the Grim Reaper, here to save the common folk," Sang Liwu said with a mocking smile. "At first, he almost attracted a following, even planning to establish the 'Church of the Reaper.' But the government has a clear policy against new religious movements, so he was quickly reprimanded."

"You don't need to concern yourselves with him. He only intervened today out of respect for the Major General. What you should be wary of is Major General Zhu, especially since his wife is the city master's own sister."

"Many are waiting to see how this unfolds. Youngsters are impulsive and easily provoked, and committing a murder in the inner city disregarding the rules is no small matter. If the victim were an ordinary person, perhaps Wang Mang's status might suppress the issue. But those attending today's banquet are anything but ordinary."

"After returning home, Zhou Hua Jin recounted the evening's events to his wife and son. Lady Zhou, stifling laughter, expressed her concern, 'Such impulsive behavior! Couldn't he have addressed the issue more diplomatically? What do we do now? The victim was the nephew of Xu Jingyi's husband, and Xu Jingyi is the city master's sister. We've now offended both the military and administrative fronts. Even with your position as the chief judge, can you really shield them from this?'"

Lady Zhou couldn't help but chuckle discreetly, "I didn't expect such a scene even before we could take action. It seems leaving now isn't a simple choice anymore."

"I will visit the city master tomorrow. Even if there are charges to be pressed, Shao Qi was the one who committed the act, not Zhou You," Zhou Hua Jin said. He was so troubled by the situation that he lost his appetite, but Zhou You and his friends seemed as nonchalant as ever. Ignorance can indeed be bliss sometimes."

"After the banquet concluded, Wang Mang pulled Zhou You and his friends aside to hand them a thick envelope, saying, 'Consider this my gesture of gratitude. The incident occurred on my territory, so I'll personally explain the situation to the Zhu family.'"

"Major General Zhu Rongwei is more bark than bite, often relying on his wife Xu Jingyi, who happens to be the sister of the city master. Hence, resolving this situation won't be straightforward. The worst-case scenario might be your expulsion from the Yang City base."

"I believe there was a rationale behind your actions and an escape plan in place. I won't pry further. If you need assistance in the future, do not hesitate to ask."

Grateful for the gesture, Shao Qi accepted the envelope and departed. The others remained unfazed, making one wonder if they truly grasped the intricacies of the situation or if they were simply fearless.

"Back at the Lychee Villa, Cheng Suyan muttered about playing a game. They logged in and played for three hours, successfully breaking into the top ten."

"Now only Tang Jiu stands tall at the number one spot, with Zhang Dingshan trailing at the end. We've done remarkably well to rank in such a short time. The top ten spots seem destined for us," Cheng Suyan, Li Yunxi, and Long Gan, all having similar scores, celebrated their collective success.

"This situation is temporary. Soon, seasoned players will catch up, and that's when the real battle begins," Shao Qi, with his sources, was well aware of the influx of experts into the game that day.

However, others weren't privy to this, assuming he was referring to the rising skill levels of their peers. The expertise in the game and real life differ after all.

"Everyone stayed awake that night. After logging out, they collectively meditated, a practice that had become an indispensable part of their daily routine."

Around 4 in the morning, a line of vehicles pulled up at the entrance of Litchi Mansion. Quickly, tents were set up at the gate, white banners were hung, and even a coffin was brought in. It seemed they were determined to have a showdown with the people of Litchi Mansion.

Shao Qi had somehow arranged for a team of security guards. Eight men split into two shifts. The moment these intruders approached, they were spotted by the security. They didn't act immediately, perhaps waiting to confirm the intruders' intentions.