Chapter 9: Tell Me, Are You Cheating?

After finishing her chat with Zhoumo Landuochong, Chen Xiaoyan tried putting on the helmet to log in, but as expected, she couldn’t log in anymore.

It was already eleven o’clock at night.

Because she had napped for a few hours in the afternoon, she wasn’t even a bit sleepy now.

Her biological clock was completely flipped.

“Sigh, I wonder how long this update is going to take. The official hasn’t given any news at all.”

Chen Xiaoyan lay on the bed, thinking.

Holding her phone and staring at the 20,000 yuan in her Tencent account balance, her feelings were conflicted.

On one hand, she wanted to accept the money; on the other, she wanted to return it.

She wavered back and forth.

But mostly, she leaned toward keeping it—after all, it was her own fussiness that caused this mess.

However, because of Zhoumo Landuochong, Chen Xiaoyan had glimpsed the enormous market potential in Xianjie.

Perhaps her thoughts just hadn’t caught up yet.

This was what people commonly called the Second World holographic MMORPG, not the old traditional MMORPGs.

The value of the two was incomparable.

It should be said that there was simply no comparison.

With this in mind, Chen Xiaoyan’s guilt instantly dissolved, and she accepted the money without reservation.

***

After bathing, Chen Xiaoyan lay on her bed and started buying online in a spree.

Mostly instant foods.

If she wanted to make a name for herself in the game, she had to save every second possible to focus on advancing.

That was the only way to become stronger than others.

To avoid missing the login time, Chen Xiaoyan tried to log in every ten minutes.

It wasn’t until around four in the morning that she finally couldn’t keep her eyes open.

The next morning.

Chen Xiaoyan suddenly opened her eyes and anxiously grabbed her phone to check the time.

9:08.

“Damn, it’s already nine o’clock,” she cursed under her breath and immediately put on the helmet to enter the game.

【Welcome player Chen Xiaoyan to Xianjie. The game update content is as follows】

【1: We have accepted player feedback and opened the world channel permissions】

【2: Added a map feature; players are encouraged to explore its functions】

【3: Added teleportation arrays】

“World channel is open now?”

Outside the Zhenmo Tower of the Tianxiang Sect, Chen Xiaoyan stared at the update notice, astonished.

The birth of a world channel meant that players could communicate with each other, and the levels of ordinary players would catch up quickly.

Chen Xiaoyan’s face grew serious.

“Time waits for no one.”

As for the second new map function, she clicked to take a look.

The map only showed Tianxin Mountain, which was the sect base of Tianxiang Sect.

Other areas were all greyed out.

No surprises there—it probably required exploration to reveal.

The third feature, teleportation arrays.

Chen Xiaoyan was quite satisfied with this function—at least she wouldn’t have to run all the way to Shangjing to meet with them anymore.

Though she didn’t know the distance between Tianxin Mountain and Shangjing, it was certainly not close.

This game also simulated stamina; last time, just cleaning a task wore her out.

If she had to travel such a long distance, even on horseback, it would be torture.

With teleportation arrays, it was much better—she could teleport directly.

Suddenly, a streak of pink shadow flashed past her eyes, startling Chen Xiaoyan.

What the hell was that?

“Good morning, Sister Xiaoyan,” the shadow stopped in front of her and waved hello.

“Chong Chong~”

Chen Xiaoyan glared at her fiercely.

“Well, Sister Xiaoyan, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just testing the speed of the Gale Step skill.”

Looking at the innocent face of the cute girl before her, Chen Xiaoyan tapped her smooth forehead gently with a knuckle.

“Next time you scare me, I swear I’ll hit you.”

“Won’t do it again, won’t do it again,” Chong Chong shook her head, glanced toward the Zhenmo Tower entrance, and said, “Sister Xiaoyan, shall we go level up?”

“Let’s go.”

Chen Xiaoyan took Chong Chong and entered the second floor.

Her level wasn’t sufficient at first, but the tower’s level requirement was based on the highest level in the team.

This time Chen Xiaoyan chose three puppet teammates on Hell difficulty.

Chong Chong took one; she handled two.

“Sister Xiaoyan, aren’t there too many teammates?” Chong Chong looked at her worriedly.

Last time on the first floor, she thought the more teammates, the better, but they were defeated in the second wave.

If one puppet died, the challenge would fail.

“No worries. At worst, we start over. Let’s begin.”

Chen Xiaoyan smiled and clicked start.

Black mist surged.

The second floor’s monsters weren’t mutant dogs but mutant wolves.

No fancy names—just animals mutated by demonic energy, all prefixed with “mutant.”

(Mutant Wolf, Level 15)

The first wave of Hell difficulty started at level fifteen.

The black mist dispersed, revealing ten mutant wolves with sinister red eyes glaring at them.

Barbaric snarls showed their ferocious teeth as they growled low.

“Sister Xiaoyan…”

Chong Chong shivered, feeling the wolves’ terrifying aura.

The mutant wolves on the second floor were much scarier than the mutant dogs.

“Don’t be afraid; these things look fierce but aren’t that tough.”

Chen Xiaoyan patted her head and gave a reassuring smile.

“Puppets deployed, get ready to heal.”

“Okay.”

The puppets’ sects were randomized.

This time, two were from Shence Mansion, and one was from Zhenwu Gate.

Tanks, basically.

Consequently, the clearance speed was slower.

No way around it—they didn’t have enough damage output.

“Chong Chong, watch the Zhenwu puppet’s HP. I’ll handle the Shence Mansion ones.”

“Got it.”

Chong Chong focused intensely on the Zhenwu puppet.

【Puppet attacked by mutant wolf, HP -186】

【Puppet attacked by mutant wolf, HP -344 (Critical Hit)】

Shence Mansion puppets were dual-wielding spears and magic, so their defense wasn’t low.

On normal difficulty, damage might only be a few dozen points.

Well, this was Hell difficulty after all.

“Spring Breeze Lead, Umbrella Dance Heal.”

Her current spirit energy was 225; Umbrella Dance Heal recovered 450 HP per second for 10 seconds, with a 15-second cooldown.

The only divine skill she had early on.

Later, Mu Yu Han Guang would dominate everything.

Because the duration of Mu Yu Han Guang depended on spirit energy.

Once spirit energy reached 600, the duration extended to a terrifying 30 seconds.

What was that?

No cooldown and an instant lifeline?

Of course, the healer needed to keep up.

If it weren’t for level requirements in the dungeon…

Level?

What was that?

Only spirit energy was her treasure.

“Mu Yu Han Guang.”

A thread of spiritual power connected, and the leash mode was activated again.

Duration 11.25 seconds, cooldown 30 seconds.

“Spring Breeze Lead, Umbrella Dance Heal.”

With the cooldown reset, Chen Xiaoyan didn’t hesitate to cast it again.

Continuous healing skills—releasing cooldown early meant the effect ended sooner.

Chong Chong stood there, dumbfounded.

She clearly saw a Shence Mansion puppet’s health bar nearly depleted by the mutant wolves.

In the blink of an eye, the health bar shot upward like a rocket, full in seconds.

“Sister Xiaoyan, you’ve got to be honest with me—are you an insider in this game?”

Chong Chong swallowed nervously.

“Hm?”

Chen Xiaoyan turned her head, puzzled.

“Chong Chong, what’s wrong?”

“I… you…”

Chong Chong hesitated, not knowing what to say.

Finally, she sighed and said blankly, “Sister Xiaoyan, you’re a monster!!!”

Chen Xiaoyan smiled smugly.

She, of course, knew what the girl meant, but there was no help for it—this skill was gifted by Shen Qingqing and it was insanely powerful.

Chong Chong’s healing skill restored only about a hundred points per second.

But Chen Xiaoyan’s restoration was nearly seven hundred points per second, and that was without factoring in the Wind-Returning Umbrella.

The Wind-Returning Umbrella had a ridiculously long cooldown of three hundred seconds.

However, it was an AoE heal—no matter how many teammates were in range, they instantly recovered full health.

One could easily imagine future guild battles.

Two teams fight in a group battle; one team is wiped almost entirely and retreats to regroup.

The enemy thinks victory is at hand and pursues fiercely.

When the team regroups, a bunch of full-health warriors are waiting for them—how despairing that would be!

Haha, if there’s no team size limit, the Wind-Returning Umbrella is practically an invincible divine skill.

***

Outside Zhenmo Tower

Chen Xiaoyan stretched as she walked out with Chong Chong, who was now level ten.

“Chong Chong, let’s go take some experience tasks.”

Chong Chong didn’t respond, trailing behind like a living corpse.

“Chong Chong?”

Chen Xiaoyan gently patted her head.

“Ah? It suddenly filled up!”

Chong Chong snapped back to reality and exclaimed loudly.

“Filled up instantly?”

Chen Xiaoyan looked at her blankly.

“I said we’re done fighting; why are you daydreaming?”

“Sister Xiaoyan.”

“What are you doing like that?”

Seeing the girl’s pitiful and wronged expression, Chen Xiaoyan took a step back and carefully asked.

“Sister Xiaoyan, could you please tell me how to get these skills?”

Chen Xiaoyan immediately shook her head.

What a joke—these divine skills were her foundation in the game.

There was no way she would reveal them so easily.

Chong Chong, seeing her refusal, began tugging at her sleeve and acting cute.

“Sister Xiaoyan~ I can pay—any amount you want.”

“No way.”

“Sister Xiaoyan, just tell me~”

Chen Xiaoyan pushed her little face away gently, a trace of helplessness flashing in her eyes.

Wasn’t this girl supposed to be shy and introverted?

Why did she suddenly seem like a different person today?

“Chong Chong, I thought you were an introverted girl. Didn’t expect you to act so coquettishly.”

“It’s a game, not real life. I’m not shy or nervous.”

She winked at Chen Xiaoyan.

“Tell me, please.”

“Chong Chong! I need these skills to make money. I really can’t let them out. Aren’t you making this hard for me?”

Hearing this, Chong Chong was overjoyed.

“Making money is making money, Sister Xiaoyan, why not make it off me?”

Chen Xiaoyan pretended to think for a while but still shook her head.

Chong Chong grew impatient.

“If you don’t agree, I’ll pester you till I die. Hmph╯^╰”

Chen Xiaoyan laughed, hugging her bear and teasing, “What, soft methods don’t work? Going hard now? Already learned to threaten me?”

“I’m not threatening you!”

“Scroll up and look at what you just said—isn’t that a threat?”

“It’s not.”

“It is.”

“No!!!”

“Alright, alright, if it’s not then it’s not. Let’s go take those experience tasks.”

In the end, Chen Xiaoyan still didn’t reveal the truth.

Dealing with girls was genuinely exhausting.

(ps: If you have any opinions or thoughts, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Love you all (。’▽’。)♡)