Gu Xiang Kai let out a sharp breath. He never expected to be standing in front of two top-tier players with single-digit Qualification Exam rankings.
Although Gu Xiang Kai didn't consider himself inferior to others and had his own ways of surviving, he knew he lacked the mental agility they possessed.
Nan Yue, on the other hand, was not surprised. Chi He fixed his gaze on her. "You look like you already knew."
Nan Yue shook her head. "How could I have known? I just knew you weren't simple, and that you wouldn't die so easily."
That night at the crossroads, when she went to watch Granny Zhao burn paper money, she hadn't detected Chi He behind her at all. Being able to approach her so silently was not something an ordinary person could do.
Chi He clearly remembered that night as well, and he put on a patently insincere expression of regret. "I was careless."
As the clock struck twelve, the apartment doors swung open on their own, even though there was no wind.
Chi He stood up and stretched. "I’m heading out first. Little Yueyue, I'll see you if fate allows."
Watching Chi He walk out the main doors, both Nan Yue and Gu Xiang Kai felt a slight sense of relief.
The man was morally ambiguous. Although he hadn't personally killed anyone, he wasn't entirely blameless in Lu Li’s death.
Nan Yue couldn't understand what Chi He was trying to achieve at all.
"He’s just been doing missions for too long. He’s out of his mind."
Gu Xiang Kai summarized it in one sentence. Nan Yue sighed. More than half the people had died in this mission, and she couldn't bring herself to be in a good mood.
"Have you ever thought about forming a team?"
While Nan Yue was lost in her thoughts, Gu Xiang Kai spoke up beside her, trying to sound casual.
He was a smart man. In the digital city states, the hope of moving upward was much higher if one was in a team.
It was undeniable that there were many lone wolves among the top-tier scavengers, but he was realistic about his own abilities.
Missions were multiplayer. Since he had to be with others anyway, having a teammate wasn't a bad idea.
Of course, this was all based on the premise that Nan Yue was indeed very strong.
Gu Xiang Kai had been in the digital city states for a long time. He could have moved up long ago, but he didn't want to.
He was someone with few material needs, so living in a digital city was fine.
But he wanted to go further and live longer. Nan Yue had potential, ability, and a decent heart, making her a rare and suitable candidate.
Nan Yue looked at Gu Xiang Kai with some surprise. His persona didn't seem like the type to bring this up.
Gu Xiang Kai awkwardly looked away, frowning. "I was just asking. If you’re not interested, then forget it."
Nan Yue chuckled and began to think it over carefully.
Gu Xiang Kai was a good person, and she wasn't against teaming up. The only thing she needed to consider was that thing inside her...
But that thing seemed to be suppressed by missions. She could barely feel it while inside a mission, which was why she could finally get a good night's sleep.
If they only teamed up for missions, it shouldn't affect anyone else...
"Sure, let's do it."
Nan Yue wasn't one to hesitate. She had confidence in her judgment of people, and Gu Xiang Kai was indeed a good choice.
Gu Xiang Kai gave a soft grunt, though it was unclear if he was pleased or not, and walked forward with his hands in his pockets.
Before his figure disappeared, Nan Yue could hear his intentionally deepened voice.
"I’ll come find you once we’re back."
"Nan Yue, ID FCY091452, residence City State 66, participating project: multiplayer mission 28534. Mission result: Cleared."
"Calculating scavenger rank evaluation based on the clearing process, please wait..."
"Current evaluation grade: A+"
"Current evaluation reward: 1200 personal points."
"Congratulations, FCY091452. We hope you continue your efforts and devote your everything to the scavenger project."
"We look forward to your even more brilliant performance."
When Nan Yue returned to the lounge, Gu Xiang Kai was waiting for her.
After five days, Gu Xiang Kai had grown a bit of stubble, giving him a decadent and lonely air of world-weariness, like a homeless stray dog.
"Let’s go. I’m moving into your place."
Since they were teaming up, they needed to build enough rapport, and the best way was to live together.
Nan Yue had just arrived in City State 66 and didn't know, but Gu Xiang Kai was actually quite famous here, or rather, throughout the Digital Cities.
A famous stray dog, a lone wolf.
He never teamed up, and his methods for clearing missions were crude and self-centered. Many people avoided him when they saw him.
Many said Gu Xiang Kai could have gone to the letter cities long ago, but he stayed because he still had many lives on his hands.
The higher-tier the city state, the stricter the control and the better the security. Gu Xiang Kai didn't want to go because the Digital Cities were free.
Gu Xiang Kai had heard such talk many times, both to his face and behind his back, but he didn't care.
A stray dog? Perhaps. He had been unique since school. His grades were very lopsided; he was terrible at theory, but he was always first in mock combat classes.
Later, after being a scavenger for a long time, he gradually became irritable and weary, indifferent to the life and death of those around him.
He didn't want to go to the higher-tier city states not because he was a bloodthirsty maniac. He fought often, but his hands were perfectly clean.
He didn't want to go because he had been there once. He had gone once.
That place was full of monsters.
He indeed had the animalistic instinct to seek benefit and avoid harm. He would have a very hard time surviving there on his own, so it was better to stay in the lower-tier city states.
Just a stray dog, wasn't he?
But after meeting Nan Yue, he noticed something different. Or rather, the instinct that had saved him countless times noticed something different.
Nan Yue seemed to truly have the potential to reach the top of Eden.
Perhaps, she could even go a bit further...
As for where "further" was, Gu Xiang Kai didn't know.
But by following this person, he could live longer, and life might be a bit more exciting.
So, he thought it, and he did it.
"Alright, I'll wait for you at the inn."
Nan Yue went to the owner to renew her stay for ten days. The owner wasn't surprised she made it out, but the woman radiated a heavy sense of exhaustion.
"I have to enter a mission tomorrow too. If I don't come back, someone will come to take over this shop. I'll make sure you’re registered."
The owner looked completely drained. Even her lipstick wasn't as bright as before, as if she were heading toward her death tomorrow.
But Nan Yue wasn't too worried. After all, Zhu Xi Ning seemed very familiar with the owner, which meant the owner wasn't weak and had survived for a long time.
Nan Yue asked the owner about Zhu Xi Ning, only to hear that she hadn't returned yet.
"It’s normal. Long missions can even last a month. She could come back at any time."
The owner spoke listlessly, her eyes shifting toward the door.
Gu Xiang Kai had arrived.
He said he was going to pack his luggage, but he hadn't actually brought anything—just a single bag with two changes of clothes.
"Owner, same as her."
Gu Xiang Kai pointed at Nan Yue and extended his watch toward her.
The owner clearly recognized Gu Xiang Kai. From the sounds of it, he had teamed up with this new girl?
The owner’s gaze swept over Nan Yue’s student uniform. She hadn't realized this little girl was actually quite capable.
"Owner, is there anything else to eat here besides rice noodles?"
Nan Yue thought that since they had teamed up, they should have a bit of a ceremony, so they might as well have a meal to celebrate.
Gu Xiang Kai scoffed from the side, seemingly repulsed by this sort of aristocratic sense of ceremony, but he still said, "I know a place."
Rate on N.U.
