Ye Jinran was momentarily puzzled. He immediately checked Bai Yanzhou’s player status, only to find that it showed “Not inside a dungeon.”
He glanced at the rest of the data, Bai Yanzhou’s personal inventory was completely full, every slot crammed with items. It had long since exceeded the original capacity limit, which meant he must have spent quite a bit of credit expanding it.
Not in a dungeon yet buying up items, there was only one explanation. Bai Yanzhou was preparing for his next move.
The game’s items couldn’t be used in the real world; that was the one thin line separating the game from reality.
While Ye Jinran scrolled through the inventory, his gaze stopped on something odd.
A jar containing what appeared to be a human brain, immersed and preserved inside an unknown device filled with pale liquid.
It was a complete brain, the folds and ridges visible but it seemed a little too large, larger than a normal human brain. Maybe it was just an illusion caused by the refraction of the fluid but even so, the sight was unsettling.
The brain was stored inside a hidden slot of the inventory, a type of space other players couldn’t see when viewing the warehouse interface. It was designed to prevent prying eyes, offering the best kind of concealment. Ye Jinran was only able to discover it thanks to his system-level permissions.
He checked the storage record of the item and the timestamp made his eyes widen in surprise. The brain had been stored for ten years.
That meant Bai Yanzhou had obtained it not long after entering the game for the first time.
Ye Jinran had never seen an item like this before. It was likely one of a kind, a unique relic. Since the warehouse view didn’t allow access to item details, he couldn’t pull up a description.
Taking it out would be a violation of system rules and if another player discovered that he had done so, it would cause all kinds of trouble.
So, in the end, he did nothing.
Instead, his thoughts shifted to another issue, why had Bai Yanzhou suddenly started purchasing huge quantities of low-level items?
Ye Jinran already knew the name Bai Yanzhou. He had heard it from other players during the previous dungeon and even on the game forums, that name appeared frequently.
He had learned quite a bit from those discussions.
Number one on the comprehensive combat power ranking, number one on every dungeon speedrun board and number one in the community’s popularity polls.
Even though Ye Jinran had never met him, he could still form a clear image of the man just from what others said.
Ye Jinran’s first impression of him had been quite good. After all, Bai Yanzhou was one of the very first players to purchase a monthly subscription card and he had even posted proof of his purchase on the forum, stirring up a whole wave of imitation.
His caption had read: “Supporting the Infinite God Game! Hope it gets better and better!”
The tone was that of an enthusiastic gamer, someone who loved the game so much that he couldn’t wait to throw money at it the moment the payment function was unlocked, without even caring whether it was worth it.
Thinking of that, Ye Jinran couldn’t help feeling a bit curious about how the previous shopkeeper had made money. But that person was gone and their experience no longer useful. Ye Jinran preferred to start fresh, so he hadn’t bothered to investigate further.
Suddenly, the system interface flickered. Bai Yanzhou’s status bar changed. It now displays “Matching in progress…”
That meant the player had chosen to enter a dungeon but the party size wasn’t yet enough to start. The system would automatically match additional players.
The first player to select the dungeon would become the host, with the right to set entry requirements but the criteria couldn’t exclude themselves.
All team recruitment posts were listed on a special public page visible to every player. Anyone who met the conditions could apply to join.
Curiosity piqued, Ye Jinran switched to the recruitment page to see what kind of dungeon could make someone like Bai Yanzhou prepare so meticulously.
It didn’t take long to find him. Because Bai Yanzhou played under his real name, he stood out immediately among the listings.
Room 1235.
Dungeon: “Riding the Wind.”
Description: “An unprecedented superstorm is about to strike North America. While others stockpile food, I stockpile guns. Others are my food storage… What? The government claims rumors of doomsday are false?”
Notice: This dungeon is a PVP mode. The winning player will achieve the True End.
System shop will be unavailable due to spatial distortion.
Loss rate: 80%.
Difficulty: High.
Team size: 1 out of 5.
So that was it, a full-scale player battle dungeon. And with the system shop disabled inside the space, it made sense that Bai Yanzhou had emptied the store in advance.
Ye Jinran was obligated to operate physical shops in worlds where the space channels were damaged. Normally, though, the physical store in this particular dungeon had long since fallen into disuse.
It didn’t open often and with limited manpower, he had prioritized the more popular dungeons first.
But now that Bai Yanzhou had chosen this one, things were about to get lively again.
Once the players realized that someone like Bai Yanzhou, armed with countless items, was joining, there would be a rush to compete. Everyone would want to arm themselves to the teeth and demand for goods would soar.
Ye Jinran immediately decided to head there and reopen the store.
Within moments, the team composition changed. Another player had joined the room.
He glanced casually and recognized the newcomer. Amanda.
She, too, played under a nearly real name, though she had left out her surname from her ID.
The “Riding the Wind” dungeon took place in a parallel version of Country A, where English was both the official and common language. Amanda would have a native advantage, while players from the Huaxia server would likely need to buy a real-time translation service from the system shop before entering.
Once inside, players would be assigned to five different factions, each with its own hidden secret. To win, they had to protect their secret and complete their objectives.
The system didn’t force players to kill one another but since the goals of each faction often clashed, peaceful coexistence was nearly impossible.
Then, the team list updated again, and two more players joined the room.
One went by the ID “Crane Candy.”
The other, “I Am Crane’s Dog.”
Ye Jinran froze for two seconds, almost as if stunned by a sudden control debuff. A couple team? Did a couple just join the match together?
Were they seriously bringing their relationship into a PVP dungeon? Did they not realize how fast that kind of thing could lead to a breakup?
Then another possibility occurred to him. Perhaps the player called “I Am Crane’s Dog” didn’t care at all about his own survival. Maybe he had joined purely to protect “Crane Candy” and ensure she reached the True End.
In a pure PVP dungeon that was meant for solo combat, a two-person alliance like that was going to be a nightmare for everyone else.
“I Am Crane’s Dog” must have some kind of life-saving method prepared. Most seasoned dungeon players did. It could be a substitute doll that took fatal damage in their place or perhaps a resurrection item.
Those were sold in the system shop but they were so expensive that most ordinary players couldn’t dream of affording them.
Or maybe “Crane Candy” herself had mastered resurrection magic, allowing her to pull her partner back to life even after a deadly failure.
Bai Yanzhou didn’t use his host privileges to kick either of them from the team, which meant he didn’t care about this little drama at all.
Team members: 4 out of 5.
Only one slot remained and at this point, it usually filled almost immediately. Sure enough, before Ye Jinran could blink, the interface flashed, “Match successful.”
The last player to join had the ID “I Am Not The God of Medicine.”
Bai Yanzhou’s status bar changed once again, now reading “Loading Dungeon…”
Ye Jinran rose from the couch. It was time for him to move as well. He needed to tidy up the neglected physical store linked to this dungeon, he couldn’t afford to make a bad impression on any new players visiting for the first time.
He entered the dungeon’s serial number and store coordinates into his shop management panel. A faint glow shimmered in front of him as a teleportation gate opened.
He changed into a comfortable, casual outfit suitable for movement, shoved his hands into his pockets and stepped through the portal.
Loading Dungeon: “Riding the Wind.”
Historical clear count: 3.
True End clears: 2 players.
Dungeon is now active.
Current living players: 5 out of 5.
Dungeon loading complete.
Amanda opened her eyes.
She stood on a bustling city street, surrounded by crowds of people and endless streams of cars. The air was filled with noise, the hum of engines, the chatter of pedestrians, the rhythmic sound of heels striking pavement. The chaos was the very image of prosperity.
Country A, a powerful, highly developed nation, stood at the forefront even in this parallel world.
Amanda rarely joined PVP dungeons. After all, no one wanted to die. But she had two reasons for signing up this time. One, she had the advantage of being a native of this world’s A Nation. And two, her death timer was running out.
Every player chosen by the game received a personal death countdown. When it reached zero, death came instantly as a system punishment. Participating in dungeons was the only way to extend it.
Amanda’s timer had less than two weeks left. This dungeon offered a one-month extension.
PVP dungeons were notoriously lethal but the greater the danger, the greater the rewards.
She looked down at herself. She was wearing a perfectly fitted business suit, her appearance neat and professional. A small microphone was clipped to her collar and a recorder rested in her hand.
Her new identity: a journalist.
Player Amanda has received the identity: New Media Reporter.
Secret: Your company has obtained explosive inside information, a catastrophic ice storm is approaching North America and may pass through Country A.
The report cannot confirm its exact arrival time, intensity or trajectory but your network desperately needs a major news event to boost ratings and revenue.
Mission Objective: Gather intelligence about the ice storm, spread the rumor that the end of the world is coming and generate enough panic and public attention to maximize traffic.
If she were a player from the Huaxia server, she probably would have joked that she had drawn the “death-seeking” profession. That title was infamous across countless dungeons, its bearers often became the first victims of their own reckless missions.
Amanda turned her gaze toward her destination. Not far away, a public rally was taking place, a large-scale outdoor event centered on environmental protection.
The speaker, according to the advertisements, was a leading candidate for the next presidency.
Posters and banners covered every surface around the venue.
When Amanda’s eyes landed on the face printed on one of them, she froze.
The speaker was young. Astonishingly young.
And a Chinese woman.
Amanda pinched her arm hard enough to sting, then rubbed her eyes several times. When she was finally sure she wasn’t hallucinating, she couldn’t help sighing with admiration.
The political system of this world’s A Nation was truly ahead of its time.
At that very moment, inside a heavily secured car parked near the rally, “I Am Not The God of Medicine” was sweating through his palms. His fingers trembled as he tried to memorize the contents of a thick stack of papers, the speech he was apparently supposed to deliver.
Player “I Am Not The God of Medicine” has received the identity: Member of Parliament.
Secret: The government of Country A has learned through confidential channels that a massive hurricane may pass through national territory. It might bring unprecedented destruction or it might only graze the land. Panic will destabilize the economy. The public must not be made aware of how serious this might be.
Mission Objective: With the election approaching, maintain your approval rating as your party’s leading candidate and suppress public panic at all costs.
As an ordinary female college student before all this, “I Am Not The God of Medicine” had barely arrived in this world when she finished reading her system briefing and nearly fainted on the spot.
Thanks for the invite. Reporting live from Country A, I appear to be running for President.
✦ ✧ ✦
Nycreth
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
A humble coffee offering may appease the Great Translator.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Blood Moon Town: ShhhChapter 2 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (1)Chapter 3 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (2)Chapter 4 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (3)Chapter 5 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (4)Chapter 6 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (7)Chapter 7 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (6)Chapter 8 · The mist over Nanjin Village (7)Chapter 9 · The Mystery of Nanjin Village (The End)Chapter 10 · Real WorldChapter 11 · Riding The Wind (1)Chapter 12 · Riding The Wind (2)Chapter 13 · Riding The Wind (3)Chapter 14 · Riding The Wind (4)Chapter 15 · Riding The Wind (5)Chapter 16 · Riding The Wind (6)Chapter 17 · Riding The Wind (7)Chapter 18 · Riding The Wind (8)Chapter 19 · Riding The Wind (9)Chapter 20 · Riding The Wind (10)Chapter 21 Part 1 · Riding The Wind (11)Chapter 21 Part 2 · Riding The Wind (11)Chapter 22 · Real World (1)Chapter 23 · Real World (2)Chapter 24 · Golden Sands Fade Away (1)Chapter 25 · Golden Sands Fade Away (2)Chapter 26 · Golden Sands Fade Away (3)Chapter 27 · Golden Sands Fade Away (4)Chapter 28 · Golden Sands Fade Away (5)Chapter 29 · Golden Sands Fade Away (6)Chapter 30 · Golden Sands Fade Away (7)Chapter 31 · Golden Sands Fade Away (8)Chapter 32 · Golden Sands Fade Away (9)Chapter 33 · Golden Sands Fade Away (10)Chapter 34 · Golden Sands Fade Away (11)Chapter 35 · Golden Sands Fade Away (12)Chapter 36 · Golden Sands Fade Away (13)Chapter 37 · Golden Sands Fade Away (14)Chapter 38 · Golden Sands Fade Away (15)Chapter 39 · Golden Sands Fade Away (16)Chapter 40 · Golden Sands Fade Away (17)Chapter 41 · Golden Sands Fade Away (18)Chapter 42 · Golden Sands Fade Away (19)Chapter 43 · Golden Sands Fade Away (20)Chapter 44 · Golden Sands Fade Away (21)Chapter 45 · Golden Sands Fade Away (22)Chapter 46 · Golden Sands Fade Away (23)Chapter 47 · Golden Sands Fade Away (24)Chapter 48 · Golden Sands Fade Away (25) The EndChapter 49 · Main God’s DomainChapter 50 · Anomaly Investigation Bureau (1)Chapter 51 · Anomaly Investigation Bureau (2)Chapter 52 · Item FactoryChapter 53 · Defrosted Friendship (1)Chapter 54 · Defrosted Friendship (2)Chapter 55 · Defrosted Friendship (3)Chapter 56 · Defrosted Friendship (4)Chapter 57 · Defrosted Friendship (5)Chapter 58 · Defrosted Friendship (6)Chapter 59 · Defrosted Friendship (7)Chapter 60 · Defrosted Friendship (8)Chapter 61 · Defrosted Friendship (9)Chapter 62 · Defrosted Friendship (10)Chapter 63 · Defrosted Friendship (11)Chapter 64 · Defrosted Friendship (12)Chapter 65 · Defrosted Friendship (13)Chapter 66 · Defrosted Friendship (14)Chapter 67 · Defrosted Friendship (15)Chapter 68 · Defrosted Friendship (16)Chapter 69 · Defrosted Friendship (End)Chapter 70 · The Real WorldChapter 71 · Matching TimeChapter 72 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (1)Chapter 73 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (2)Chapter 74 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (3)Chapter 75 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (4)Chapter 76 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (5)Chapter 77 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (6)Chapter 78 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (7)Chapter 79 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (8)Chapter 80 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (9)Chapter 81 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (10)Chapter 82 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (11)Chapter 83 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (12)Chapter 84 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (13)Chapter 85 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (14)Chapter 86 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (15)Chapter 87 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (16)Chapter 88 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (17)Chapter 89 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (18)Chapter 90 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (19)Chapter 91 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (20)Chapter 92 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (21)Chapter 93 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (22)Chapter 94 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (23)Chapter 95 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (Complete)Chapter 96 · The Main God Invites You for TeaChapter 97 · The Player ForumChapter 98 · Training GroundChapter 99 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (1)Chapter 100 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (2)Chapter 101 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (3)Chapter 102 · Eternal Night · The One Who Strikes the Stone (Finale)