“Brothers, you two, please don’t leave just yet.”
“Please wait, do you two gentlemen need any help?”
“Yes, yes, we can help with anything.”
A group of players surrounded Wu Gao and Wu Shang, their tone so deferential that they resembled children begging for candy.
This startled the brothers, leaving them both flattered and a little nervous, and they hurriedly returned the players’ salutations.
As one of the Eight Great Sects, even an ordinary disciple of the Divine Strategy Sect was a lofty, untouchable figure in the eyes of mortals.
But now, these immortals, who usually looked down on mortals, were being so polite to the two of them.
Even kindly asking if they needed any help.
Could it be that all the immortals of the Divine Strategy Sect were so approachable?
Wu Gao and Wu Shang were deeply moved.
Whatever small resentment they had felt toward the Divine Strategy Sect instantly vanished without a trace.
“Is there anything you immortal masters would like us to do?”
“Brother, no need to be so formal, just call me Juhua Xin.”
“My name is Changshan Zhao Zilong.”
“Baqiang Wuqing.”
***
Listening to dozens of immortal masters introducing themselves with such strange names, the brothers were stunned into silence.
Good heavens, these names were even weirder than that of the village blind man, Chike Shi.
“Brother, I was the first to arrive. Shouldn’t I have priority for this help?”
Juhua Xin gave Wu Gao a fawning smile.
“What do you mean, what do you mean? You want to hog the quest for yourself? Why don’t you ask the hundred of us here if we’re willing to let that happen?”
“Not cool, brother.”
“Drop that quest and let me take it.”
At present, more and more Divine Strategy Players were arriving at the foot of General’s Mountain.
Word had spread about a special quest, and the number quickly soared past two hundred, continuing to climb frantically.
Juhua Xin realized this and knew he had to seize the quest quickly.
Otherwise, if the crowd grew too large, even if he got the quest, he wouldn’t be able to get out.
“What, you hundred want to stop Wushuang Tower from taking the quest?”
“Zilong, call our people.”
“Alright!”
More than half of the hundred players’ expressions changed slightly, and they stepped aside.
They were solo players—there was no way they could go up against a guild that could rally nearly a thousand members.
A thousand out of fifty thousand players might not seem like much, but as an organized group, they could easily call for backup.
Solo players couldn’t do that.
Once targeted by a guild, there was no way out.
Leaving meant certain death.
Ask others for help?
Don’t kid yourself. Are we even close?
Why would anyone risk themselves for you?
What’s in it for us?
Only a guild could stand against another guild—unless solo players banded together.
But then, those united solo players would simply become another guild.
Some of the remaining half were members of other guilds, and they had nothing to fear.
“Wushuang Tower is so impressive? I’m telling you, you’re all doomed soon enough.”
“Doomed your ass, who the hell are you?”
“And what are you, barking like a dog here?”
The brothers watched all this unfold, dumbfounded, feeling like their worldview was collapsing.
Were these really immortals who stood above mortals?
To anyone who didn’t know better, this sounded like street fishwives hurling insults.
Wu Gao and Wu Shang exchanged glances, quietly sharing their thoughts.
“Are they really immortal masters of the Divine Strategy Sect?”
“They should be. Who would dare impersonate a disciple right at the sect gates?”
“Are immortal masters really like this? They seem just like us. How come among the Eight Great Sects, Celestial Fragrance Fairy is so different?”
“You mean those two from the other day?”
Wu Gao quirked a smile, teasing his younger brother.
Wu Shang blushed and said nothing.
“Big brother, maybe we should try to persuade them. After all, it started because of us. If we just ignore this and the Sect Master asks questions later, what will we do?”
Wu Gao nodded, thinking it made sense.
He immediately stepped between the two sides, clasped his hands, and said,
“Please, immortal masters, calm down. Don’t let this harm the camaraderie between fellow disciples.”
“Who’s got any camaraderie with these mutts?”
“Say that again, I dare you!”
“I’ll say it ten, a hundred times! Others might fear your Wushuang Tower, but Sword Pavilion doesn’t!”
“Xueyan Pavilion +1!”
Facing the number one and number three on the Faction Rankings, Wushuang Tower’s players might hesitate elsewhere.
But this was the Divine Strategy Sect.
Wushuang Tower’s main base.
Who was Peerless Under Heaven?
Number one under Divine Strategy.
This was Wushuang Tower’s local confidence—a powerful dragon couldn’t suppress the local snake.
Wu Gao was at a loss.
Both sides were shouting at the top of their lungs, refusing all attempts at mediation.
In fact, his attempts to calm them only made things worse, fanning the flames higher.
“Silence! As disciples of the Divine Strategy Sect, how can you quarrel like this in front of outsiders?”
A voice, sonorous as a great bell, suddenly rang out at the mountain’s base, striking awe into everyone’s hearts.
“Whoa, that voice is so loud it’s like someone yelling through a megaphone right in your ear!”
“Damn, is that senior using Lion’s Roar?”
The two gatekeeping NPCs were startled down again.
This time, they showed no kindness to the players—how many times would they have to deal with this nonsense?
“Why are you blocking the way here? Get back to the sect and cultivate!”
“Senior brothers, please judge for us. This guy wants to hog the quest, not share!”
“Yeah, it’s not right! We all found out about it!”
“Quest?”
The NPCs were baffled.
When did doing quests become so popular?
Rushing to get them?
Wouldn’t it be better to spend that time cultivating?
Truly a bunch of fools.
Though inwardly confused, the NPC didn’t ask further, turning instead to Wushuang Tower’s group.
“Is this true?”
“No, senior brother, I was clearly the first to arrive. Shouldn’t there be an order of arrival?”
The NPC nodded.
He then looked at the twenty-some other guild players.
“First come, first served. The quest belongs to him—there’s nothing more natural. Any objections?”
“Senior brother, don’t let him fool you! This quest can be accepted by all of us—he just wants to hog it and won’t let us take it!”
“All together?”
The NPC seemed to catch on, shooting Juhua Xin a fierce glare.
He said coldly, “Since everyone can accept it, why not let them? And you try to fool me with your words? Go to the Enforcement Hall and confess for your punishment!”
“I…”
Juhua Xin panicked.
If he left, he’d lose all chance at this quest.
But he couldn’t disobey the senior NPC’s command.
“Senior brother, can I finish the quest before reporting for punishment?”
“Mm.”
The NPC gave a slight nod, his anger subsiding greatly.
This new junior might be punished, but he still cared for the sect’s tasks.
Whatever his character, he was loyal to the sect.
“Thank you, senior brother.”
Juhua Xin breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to Wu Gao.
Because of the NPC’s intervention, the Hidden Quest that should have belonged solely to Wushuang Tower…
Now, it belonged to all Divine Strategy Players.
As for why everyone was so sure the brothers had a Hidden Quest?
They were just too immersed in the story.
In this day and age, hardly anyone escapes the influence of dramas or novels.
People like these—ignoring the rules, unyielding in the face of refusal, not collapsing in tears—just didn’t seem ordinary.
Most importantly, the youngest NPC’s eyes—full of unwillingness and anger—fit the role perfectly.
Even if not a protagonist, he was at least a major supporting character.
Either way, it was worth interacting with them.
“Why haven’t you two left yet?”