Chapter 9

Once one person brought it up, others who had been hesitant to speak immediately followed suit with their questions.

[Guild] DeepForestDeer: Yeah, are we still going after her? We haven’t even avenged Xianxian losing her equipment yet.

[Guild] SpringXiao: I don’t get it. Five of you went to ambush SweetScenery. Fine if you let her escape, but how did you end up losing one of your own?

[Guild] Silent Whisper: Oh my, who knew that Little Sweet View could be so sneaky! This was just unavoidable.

[Guild] Chun Xiao: One healer, one support—why couldn’t they avoid it? Even if healing was sealed, the healer still has their own HP recovery skills.

Chun Xiao is the deputy leader of the Idle Pavilion, a woman, and it’s said she has something going on with their female guild leader, Longing Disregarded.

This isn’t much of a secret within the guild. When Longing Disregarded isn’t around, Chun Xiao is basically the one managing guild affairs.

[Guild] Momo Not Speaking: No, Xiao, Xianxian died because she was helping our guild kill someone, and she even lost her gear… You can’t say that, right?

[Guild] Chun Xiao: I’m just stating the facts.

[Guild] Xian Mengmeng: …

[Guild] Xian Mengmeng: Sorry…[crying] I didn’t expect it at the time. By the time I realized and tried to heal, I was already instantly killed by the fox…

[Guild] Chunxiao: When going on PK missions in the future, you’ll need to be more careful yourselves. Otherwise, if you get counter-killed, not only will you risk losing equipment and experience points, but it’ll also damage the guild’s reputation.

After sending this message, Chunxiao immediately minimized the game interface and continued discussing hidden quests with leaders of other major guilds in their QQ group chat.

Number One Guild Leader: I just checked with the NPC – this damn quest actually requires high-tier materials! Nine Heroes is getting ridiculous, isn’t this just forcing us to consume our reserves?!

South of Painted Tower Guild Leader: That’s unfortunate timing. Our guild just hosted an XP event recently, so we’re running low on high-tier materials.

Po Tian Leader: Hua Lou Nan Pan, you’re really something. Your guild’s asset storage is clearly full of high-tier materials. Do you think everyone is blind?

Hua Lou Nan Pan Leader: Shit! Po Tian, you bastard, you planted another spy in our guild!

Po Tian Leader: Nonsense, an acquaintance sent me the screenshot! Who would plant a spy for you? You’re not even worth it!

Hua Lou Nan Pan Leader: Oh yeah? If you dare, set us as an enemy guild then!

Leader of the Idle Pavilion: If you want to fight, settle it after this matter is resolved. Don’t waste everyone’s time arguing here.

Leader of the Idle Pavilion: Enough talk. My proposed solution is for each guild to contribute 100 stalks of Xianxu Grass, 20 Fish Heart Pills, and 5 Fire Phoenix Eyes. Our Idle Pavilion will contribute 20% more materials than yours. Anyone with objections can speak now.

The rare materials she listed would require an entire guild working together for two months to gather.

However, when the other guilds heard that the Idle Pavilion was contributing 20% more materials than them, they immediately felt less aggrieved.

Skybreaker Guild Leader: You’re offering 120%?

Idle Pavilion Guild Leader: What’s the issue?

Skybreaker Guild Leader: Hah, no issue, just a bit surprised. I originally thought your guild wouldn’t contribute a single dime.

Southern Pavilion Guild Leader: Wait, are you Chun Xiao or Xiangsibugu?

Leader of Idle Man Pavilion: ?

Leader of Southern Tower: That must be Chun Xiao. Do you think Xiang Si Bu Gu will agree if you do this?

Leader of Idle Man Pavilion: That’s none of your concern. It’s settled then, submit the materials within half an hour.

After saying this, Chun Xiao immediately exited the discussion group.

Then she opened her friend list, found the name she had long admired, and tentatively sent a “1” over.

Unexpectedly, the message was successfully sent.

[Friend] Heart’sDesire: ?

[Friend] Chunxiao: When are you guys planning to start the Demon King raid?

[Friend] Chunxiao: Did you see the system message? Give us a time so we can submit our materials.

[Friend] Heart’s Desire: This afternoon.

[Friend] Spring Xiao: Can you beat it?

[Friend] Heart’s Desire: Don’t know.

[Friend] Spring Xiao: 1

Xiang Huaizhi didn’t reply further. He kept his friend messages on because he was worried that little fox fairy wouldn’t be able to find him.

“Old Xiang, are you sure you don’t need the number one sorcerer of Nine Heroes to step in?” Lu Hang propped his chin on his hands while lying on the bed.

Without turning his head, Xiang Huaizhi replied: “Only she and I can initiate combat.”

“I know, what I mean is I could log into her account and operate it,” Lu Hang said. “You know how hard hidden quests are. The last team that triggered a hidden quest was the god-tier squad from the neighboring server – they barely scraped through after three hours of fighting. If you take Little Sweet Scenery with you, aren’t you just asking to die?”

Xiang Huaizhi said, “The BOSS difficulty adjusts according to the number of players.”

“But if you take Little Sweet Scenery with you, it’s basically soloing the Demon King… Besides, what if she jumps onto your face while trying to escape? Wouldn’t that be game over?”

Xiang Huaizhi asked him, “Do you really want to help?”

Lu Hang nodded frantically—after all, it’s a hidden quest! Who wouldn’t want to get in on the action?

“Come to the City Lord.”

Lu Hang immediately controlled his game character to walk next to Heart’s Yearning: “What’s up?”

Xiang Huai emptied his inventory slots, making plenty of room: “Toss me some high-tier potions.”

Lu Hang: “?”

“And give me a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox transformation card while you’re at it.”

“No way, a 700-gold transformation card? How dare you ask me for that! High-tier potions are ridiculously expensive too, I’ve been saving them specifically for the War God fight…”

Xiang Huaizhi raised an eyebrow: “Didn’t you say you wanted to help?”

Lu Hang retorted: “Is this helping? You’re practically asking for my life!”

“Still want that first-person view of sealing the Demon King or not?”

“?”

“Still want to kill the War God?”

“……”

“Do you still plan to bring three healers into dungeons at the same time in the future?”

Lu Heng gritted his teeth: “…You damn… how many high-tier potions do you want?”

    ——

After class, Jing Huan bought a spicy rice noodle soup to-go and hurried home.

At home, he turned on his computer, ready to log in to Jiuxia.

Hello, the server “Unreal Illusion” is currently at maximum capacity. Please wait patiently in the queue. There are 999+ players ahead of you, and the estimated waiting time is 37 minutes.

Jing Huan felt as if he had traveled back ten years to the early days of Nine Heroes, when there were only a few servers, and every player had to queue for dozens of minutes before logging in.

But it’s already 2019? Why is there still a queue?

Is the game bugged?

He tried logging into other servers and got in instantly every time, only Mirror Flower, Water Moon had a queue.

After thirty minutes, he barely managed to squeeze into the server. The moment he logged in, he received countless friend messages—all from the same person upon closer inspection.

[Friend] Energetic Little Mosquito Coil: Little sister, when are you going to slay the Demon King?

[Friend] Energetic Little Mosquito Coil: This mission only has a 48-hour time limit!

[Friend] Energetic Little Mosquito Coil: If we don’t start soon, it’ll be too late! Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Jing Huan read each message one by one before replying.

[Friend] SweetScenery: What’s wrong with the Nine Heroes server today? My game is so laggy, it took half an hour just to log in.

[Friend] EnergizedMosquito: You finally came! A bunch of new accounts flooded the server all at once, of course it’s laggy!

[Friend] SweetScenery: ?

[Friend] EnergizedMosquito: They all created alt accounts just to watch you slay the Demon King.

[Friend] Sweet Scenery: ??

[Friend] Energetic Mosquito Coil: Right now, all the streamers playing Nine Heroes are live-streaming themselves grinding the starter village quests.

[Friend] Energetic Mosquito Coil: Girl! You’re blowing up in Nine Heroes!!

Jing Huan had just read this message when a server-wide announcement popped up in the bottom left corner.

[Server-wide Announcement] Please Stop Raining: Xiao Tianjing, my heart yearns for you all! Just wait a little longer for me! I’m only two levels away from leaving the starter village! Don’t rush to kill me yet! Take your time to prepare!

[World Channel] Temporary Online Love is Fun: Damn, I’m still queuing—can a few players ahead just log off so I can move up?

[World Channel] Destiny Has You: Can anyone in the know say when these two are actually gonna start fighting? The audience has been waiting all day in the livestream.

Jing Huan: “…”

His friend’s message notification flashed again. Frowning, he opened it, ready to tell Energetic Mosquito Coil to shut up.

[Friend] Heart’s Desire: 1

[Friend] SweetScenery: 0v0! Big bro

[Friend] SweetScenery: So sorry I’m late! Had to queue for half an hour just to log in [biting handkerchief]

[Friend] HeartSeeker: Come to the City Lord.

Jing Huan immediately teleported over, only to find the City Lord surrounded by a dense crowd – he couldn’t spot HeartSeeker anywhere in the sea of people.

[Current] Fated Peach Tea: Here I come!! Sweet Little Jing is here!

[Current] Can’t Wait for Nightfall: Finally time to start the slaughter! Hurry hurry!!

[Current] Bloodthirsty Battle Intent: Why is Sweet Little Jing a Fox Immortal Cave class? How are we supposed to kill the Demon King like this? Does she even understand her sect skills?

…Just how did these people even spot him.

【Xin Xiangwangzhi has invited you to join the party.】

Jing Huan quickly clicked “Accept.”

[Party] Little Sweet Jing: Brother War God, why are there so many people here? QvQ

[Party] Little Sweet Jing: What if we wipe? That’d be so embarrassing [shocked]

Suddenly, a man’s voice came through the headphones: “Empty your inventory.”

Jing Huan hadn’t even processed what was happening when a series of yellow system messages flooded the game screen.

[Heart’s Yearning threw you a Nine-Tailed Fox Transformation Card x1]

[Heart’s Yearning threw you a Soul Revival Pill x5]

【Heart’s Desire threw you Recovery Red Beads x10】

………

Xiang Huaizhi then said, “Go deposit the money you’re carrying.”

Jing Huan was startled for a moment but quickly regained his composure: “I don’t have much money on me…”

Xiang Huaizhi gave an acknowledging hum: “First, take a look at the effects of these potions. Once the battle starts, find a corner to hide in. As long as you don’t attack the BOSS, it won’t target you—just watch out for its area-of-effect damage. Remember to heal yourself and don’t die.”

Jing Huan: “…Huh?”

“If I go down, you run.” Xiang Huaizhi paused, “Use the same method as last time when we were being hunted, understand?”