Zhu Xi Ning

"If you want to take a mission, just go to the Purification Center in the City State Center. The process is the same as back in the Nameless City."

"If you're forming a team, enter together and select the Team Mode."

Gu Xiang Kai sat there, completely unfazed, with a long trail of ash hanging from his cigarette. "As for multiplayer missions, all I can say is that there generally aren't any competitive tasks. At least, I've never encountered one."

"But that doesn't mean everyone is an ally. Many people will use others as pawns or sacrifices during a mission."

Nan Yue knew the real mission world wasn't as friendly as the schools taught, but she hadn't expected it to be this brutal.

Then again, it made sense. There were plenty of people who used others to scout the way or those who had been driven into psychopathic states by the missions.

More importantly, different levels of mission completion yielded different points, which meant they were actually competitors.

Gu Xiang Kai was somewhat surprised to see how easily Nan Yue accepted this fact.

"As for the survival guide for the digital city state..."

Gu Xiang Kai smacked his lips. "There's not much to it. The digital city states are all more or less the same. Maybe some have more food, others have cheaper clothes. Some people say the types of missions you get vary between different city states, but that's all just superstition."

Nan Yue nodded and reached out a hand toward Gu Xiang Kai.

"You know where I'm staying. I'll be going to take a mission in nine days. If I make it out, you're welcome to come find me."

Having more friends meant more paths, and Nan Yue was quite calculating in this regard.

Gu Xiang Kai looked at Nan Yue's sense of formality with disdain, but he still reached out and shook her hand.

"Take care of yourself."

Gu Xiang Kai stood up and walked out of the rice noodle shop, his figure quickly vanishing into the night.

Nan Yue watched the lights outside. At this hour, there were still many people out eating or simply standing around chatting.

This was a sight never seen in the Nameless City.

Nan Yue watched for a while before returning to her lodging.

"Boss, give me a discount! I'm a regular, and besides, the environment here is much worse than in the south of the city, yet you're asking for so many points."

As soon as she entered, she heard a crisp female voice haggling. Nan Yue took a second look and saw a girl with long straight black hair and glasses, wearing a red trench coat that looked very expensive.

Her black undershirt and the jeans tucked into her tall boots also signaled that she was definitely wealthy.

The haggard middle-aged boss rolled her eyes at her. "You're not short on this little bit of money, yet you come here every day to sponge off my room rates."

The girl with long hair smiled innocently. "I spent all my points on clothes. I really don't have much left."

Nan Yue watched as the boss eventually checked the girl in, realizing she must be a frequent guest.

"Hello there."

Nan Yue felt a momentary surge of tension when her door was knocked on. Opening it, she was surprised to see the girl with the long hair.

"I saw you just now. I didn't expect us to be neighbors. Let's get to know each other, my name is Zhu Xi Ning."

"Nan Yue."

Nan Yue felt a bit at a loss when dealing with such an outgoing person. It took her a moment before she reached out to shake her hand.

"You're quite introverted!"

Seeing Nan Yue's stiff manner, Zhu Xi Ning seemed to get even more excited.

Nan Yue thought to herself, what a strange hobby.

"Did you just come from the Nameless City? I've been here for almost a year, so feel free to ask me anything."

Zhu Xi Ning wore exquisite makeup, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at Nan Yue.

Nan Yue replied, "...Thank you."

From then on, Zhu Xi Ning seemed to have discovered a new toy, visiting Nan Yue every day.

Sometimes she would eat the prepaid meals with Nan Yue, and other times she would take Nan Yue out for special treats.

In Zhu Xi Ning's words, she had been here for so long and had only met ugly people or ugly people clouded by misery.

Now that she had finally met a beautiful girl like Nan Yue, she naturally had to make the most of their time together.

"Actually, Yueyue, your features are very heroic and super beautiful. If I take you to get a makeover and change your clothes, you could definitely make the top three on the digital city Beauty Rankings."

Eating her set meal, Nan Yue felt helpless. "You guys even have such boring rankings here?"

Zhu Xi Ning poked at the simple food with disgust. "Yeah. The upper city states have Power Rankings, so low-level city states like ours have to find other things to play with."

"This food is terrible. Let's go eat noodles tomorrow. A new shop opened in the mall where you can choose your own meats."

The prepaid meals here tasted similar to those at school—not exactly delicious, but enough to fill one's stomach.

"You should save some money..."

Zhu Xi Ning was very capable, so she had plenty of money.

But after getting to know her, Nan Yue realized that Zhu Xi Ning was a shopaholic, or rather, a perfectionist.

If she could stay in a good hotel in the north, she would never stay in a small inn in the west.

If she could eat out, she wouldn't eat the prepaid meals.

If she could drink milk tea, she would never drink water.

Not to mention her cosmetics and clothes, which were constantly being replaced with new ones.

As a result, although she earned many reward points from every mission, they were mostly spent within a few days.

"Sigh, I have to go take a mission in a few days, otherwise I won't have money for food."

Nan Yue calculated the time. Tomorrow would be her tenth day as well. Swallowing her food, she said, "I'm going tomorrow."

A look of surprise appeared on Zhu Xi Ning's face. "Great! Let's go together!"

Both of them tacitly avoided the topic of forming a team. Being friends in reality and being on a mission team were completely different concepts.

Furthermore, they didn't actually know each other that well—they were just meal buddies.

To form a team, one needed to understand the other's mission style, abilities, personality, and character within an actual mission.

Besides, teaming up meant everything was tied together, which wasn't a decision to be made lightly.

The next day, the two met up and went to the Purification Center together. Only then did Nan Yue have a chance to properly observe the place where missions were taken in the digital city state.

The Purification Center was more than twice the size of the project hall in the Nameless City. Ten entrances were open at once, so there were no long lines like back home.

Nan Yue observed for a while. Most people taking missions in the digital city state had already changed into new clothes. There was almost no one else still wearing a student uniform like her.

This was also why the people passing by cast glances of either sympathy or contempt at her.

Zhu Xi Ning glared back at every single one of them until the two reached the Inspection Port.

"I'll see you in a bit then! I hope everything goes smoothly for you."

Nan Yue nodded, her tone sincere. "You be careful too."

Zhu Xi Ning's figure vanished before her eyes after swiping her ID card. Nan Yue took a long, deep breath. She could see the tense expressions on the people around her.

Once you entered that door, there was no telling if you would live or die. If they weren't forced to this point, no one would be willing to take a mission.

Watching everyone enter the Inspection Port as if they were marching toward their deaths, Nan Yue looked down at her ID bracelet.

Finally... she was about to face her first official mission.

Nan Yue couldn't help but let a smile spread across her face.

She knew she should be nervous or afraid, but she was uncontrollably happy.

At the thought of that thing that haunted her every day finally leaving her during the mission...

She was so excited she wanted to laugh out loud.