Xiaojuan stood behind Chao Musheng, watching as Old He disappeared through the ticket gate.
[Ding! A player has failed the challenge and has been eliminated by the system.]
Hearing this notification, Xiaojuan nearly laughed mockingly. Eliminated by the system? Even now, the system still couldn’t resist intimidating her, the only player still "alive"?
Whether it was Zhao Shang, Zhang San, or Ze, which of them had truly been "eliminated" by the system?
She withdrew her gaze and looked at Chao Musheng standing in front of her.
She wasn’t entirely sure what kind of existence Chao Musheng was in this world—a miracle, or perhaps the players’ savior?
But she knew one thing for certain: meeting Chao Musheng was the luckiest thing that had happened to her since entering this infinite world.
"Xiaojuan." Chao Musheng felt his scalp prickle under her intense stare and turned to look at her. "Are you staring at me like that because you want to borrow money?"
Xiaojuan: "..."
Well, this miracle was a little too down-to-earth. "Chao Musheng, I’m actually not that short on money."
When Xiaojuan returned to the hotel and opened her phone, she found that Chao Musheng had sent her a red packet. The amount inside was 200 yuan.
Though she’d claimed not to be short on money, her fingers moved honestly to accept the red packet.
The maximum amount for a WeChat red packet was 200 yuan, and Chao Musheng had given her exactly that. He really was the best.
In her excitement, she sent him three "Thank you, boss!" stickers in a row.
When Chao Musheng received Xiaojuan’s messages, he had just returned to the villa. Looking at the three different "Thank you, boss!" stickers, he couldn’t help but laugh.
Not that short on money? That meant she was still short on money.
"What’s so funny?" Secretary Liu walked out of the room, carrying a packed suitcase. "Did you find money on the ground?"
"I was just laughing at how stubborn Xiaojuan is," Chao Musheng said. "Secretary Liu, are we leaving now?"
Secretary Liu had a deep impression of Xiaojuan because he had never seen anyone change jobs as frequently as she did. "We can leave once the boss comes down. Did she switch jobs again?"
"She hasn’t finished her current one yet, but maybe soon." Chao Musheng put away his phone. "I’ll go upstairs and pack too."
He was already curious about what job Xiaojuan would be doing the next time they met.
"Alright. The boss is upstairs too. Once you’re done packing, come down with her." Secretary Liu was a little surprised. The world was vast, and many people never saw each other again after parting ways. With how often Xiaojuan changed jobs, how did she keep running into Chao Musheng?
Could there really be so many coincidences in the world?
He glanced at Chao Musheng’s retreating figure. Given how sharp Chao Musheng was, if someone were deliberately trying to get close to him, he would notice. So it must just be coincidence.
Chao Musheng’s suitcase was barely touched, so packing didn’t take long. He carried it out of the room but didn’t head downstairs immediately. Instead, he turned and knocked on Su Chenzhu’s door.
The door opened quickly. Su Chenzhu was holding a towel, wearing a silver-gray shirt, his hair still dripping with water.
"Just finished showering?"
Su Chenzhu nodded, and a drop of water fell onto the back of Chao Musheng’s hand.
Perhaps in a hurry, two buttons on Su Chenzhu’s shirt were left undone. The scent of fresh grass mixed with the fragrance of shower gel lingered around him. Chao Musheng reached out to fasten the second button, his fingertips accidentally brushing against Su Chenzhu’s chest.
Firm. Elastic.
A flush instantly spread across Su Chenzhu’s neck.
Chao Musheng’s hand paused, leaving the top button undone. He cleared his throat and smiled. "I’ll wait for you downstairs."
"Chao Musheng, you’re done packing already?" Secretary Liu had just finished loading the luggage when he saw Chao Musheng sitting on the sofa, his cheeks slightly flushed. "Are you feeling hot?"
"A little." Chao Musheng looked up as Su Chenzhu descended the stairs, carrying a leather suitcase with a suit jacket draped over his arm. His shirt was now fully buttoned, exuding an elegant yet subtly restrained allure.
"Boss, everything has been arranged. We can leave now." Secretary Liu noticed that Su Chenzhu’s ears were also tinged red, his fair face slightly flushed, and his gaze drifting toward Chao Musheng.
Seems both of them were feeling the heat. A little warmth was good.
Although an extreme natural disaster had occurred after the fashion charity gala, the organizers had handled the situation promptly and appropriately, and there had been no casualties. As a result, most netizens’ attention remained fixed on the red carpet events from the previous day.
The event had attracted an astonishing number of A-list celebrities, leaving even casual onlookers in awe. Pumpkin Video and Time Magazine emerged as the biggest winners.
Countless fashion brands were eager to feature their ambassadors on the cover of Time Magazine, making Chao Yin one of the most sought-after figures in the industry.
The authorities released an official statement vaguely addressing the cause of the sudden storm, focusing mainly on post-disaster reconstruction efforts. However, with the public’s attention fixated on the celebrities’ red carpet appearances, the statement quickly faded into obscurity.
Chao Musheng hadn’t returned to the company headquarters in days. When he finally did, the game development and R&D departments welcomed him enthusiastically, dragging him off to solve technical issues. They only let him go when the new semester began.
Sophomores and juniors were usually responsible for welcoming new students, but Chao Musheng escaped this duty due to his high-ranking position at Kunlun. He didn’t return to campus until the first day of classes.
"Fourth Brother, you’re practically a celebrity in our computer science department now," Eldest Brother said, handing Chao Musheng some local specialties. "Even the freshmen know there’s a senior who interned at Kunlun and ended up staying as a technical consultant."
"Can’t be helped. Such is the burden of genius," Chao Musheng replied, accepting the gifts. "Thanks, Eldest Brother."
"Eldest Brother went out of his way to save these for you," Old Third chimed in. "Yesterday, when the guys next door heard he’d brought back treats, they nearly ransacked our room. Yours was the only stash that survived—Eldest Brother hid it in his closet. Second Brother and I weren’t so lucky."
No sooner had Eldest Brother handed over the specialties than their neighbors barged in like a swarm of locusts, leaving not even a scrap of pickled vegetables behind.
"Big news," Second Brother announced as he walked in. "I heard our school is collaborating with the university next door on a poverty alleviation project next week. Our department’s been assigned a role, and two spots are open for juniors."
These kinds of projects covered a wide range of fields—medicine, science, culture, you name it. The school organized similar initiatives every year, usually involving seniors working under professors.
"Since when does our computer science department get involved in this stuff?" Old Third snatched a bag of walnuts from Chao Musheng’s arms. "What’s the deal this time?"
"Apparently, the local area is setting up some kind of engineering project that needs our department’s technical expertise," Second Brother explained, glancing at Chao Musheng. "Fourth Brother, word is this project is a big deal. Odds are, one of the junior slots will go to you."
Technically speaking, Fourth Brother was easily the most skilled among the juniors.
"Don't overthink things that haven't even happened yet." Chao Musheng warily blocked Second Brother and Old Third's attempts to snatch the local snacks, hiding them under his blanket before flopping onto the desk. "I've pulled five straight days of overtime—I don’t want to do anything right now."
Second Brother, failing to grab anything from Chao Musheng, turned to steal Old Third's paper-shell walnuts instead. "I almost forgot you’ve been a corporate drone at Kunlun for two months. You were practically trending online a few days ago. Just yesterday, a freshman even asked me if you were a student at Jinghua University and whether I knew you."
"What did you say?" Old Third asked curiously.
"I didn’t dare say anything," Second Brother cracked a walnut. "I was afraid the freshmen would bombard me with questions. I wouldn’t know how to handle it."
Most importantly, people’s intentions were hard to gauge. With Old Fourth currently in the spotlight, he didn’t want to cause him any trouble.
As class time approached, everyone gathered their books and headed to the lecture hall. It was the first day, so enthusiasm was predictably low.
The morning only had one long lecture. After finishing, Chao Musheng was about to return to the dorm to organize his clothes when a sophomore boy stopped him.
The boy had delicate features and was dressed head-to-toe in designer brands. Chao Musheng had seen him before in the student council—apparently, he was a well-known figure in the Computer Science department.
"Senior Chao." The boy’s face flushed pink. The hallway was packed with students coming and going, but upon seeing this scene, many stopped to watch.
"I’m a sophomore in Computer Science." The boy pulled out an exquisitely wrapped gift box, stamped with the logo of a luxury brand. "I really admire you. Could we be friends?"
He was tactful—no flashy flowers, no outright confession—just a request for friendship.
Everyone in the Computer Science department knew Chao Musheng was gentle and never made others feel awkward. The boy had chosen this approach deliberately.
"Sorry." Chao Musheng glanced around, noticing some students already discreetly filming with their phones.
He didn’t take the gift box. "I’ve heard you’re an outstanding student. I hope you continue to shine in your studies."
"I’ve always looked up to you, Senior Chao." The boy, misinterpreting Chao Musheng’s polite refusal, gazed at him with burning admiration. "Even if we became friends, I wouldn’t neglect my studies. In fact, I’d do even better."
He opened the gift box, lifting it slightly like a prized offering. "This watch is something I bought while traveling abroad. I hope you like it. Even if… even if you don’t want to be friends, that’s okay."
Someone in the crowd recognized the watch and gasped. "That model sells for over 500,000 on the official website!"
"This junior’s got some serious resources."
Whispers spread, but no one egged them on. This wasn’t the first time someone had confessed to Chao Musheng.
At the start of last semester, someone had even tried gifting him a sports car worth seven figures. After a long talk with Chao Musheng, they’d driven off, dejected.
"It’s a beautiful watch, and I appreciate the sentiment." Chao Musheng closed the box. "But I can’t accept it."
"Why?" The junior’s voice turned urgent. "Even if you don’t want to be friends, please take the gift."
He just thought the watch would look perfect on Senior Chao.
"Someone’s already given me a watch." Chao Musheng smiled gently. "If I accepted yours, he’d be upset."
Someone… already gave him one?
The junior stared blankly, his eyes reddening. "Senior Chao, are you just making up an excuse to reject me?"
Since entering Jinghua University, he’d kept tabs on Senior Chao—he’d always been single!
"Besides, if he can’t even handle you accepting a gift, doesn’t that mean he doesn’t respect you enough?"
"It’s not an excuse." The watch Su Chenzhu had given him was too extravagant, so he’d stored it away after the fashion gala. He pulled up a photo from the event on his phone, pointing to the watch on his wrist. "This is the one he gave me."
The junior paled. Coming from a well-off family, he recognized the watch’s value immediately.
"And he does respect me. Even if I took your gift, he wouldn’t blame me." Chao Musheng explained earnestly. "But I don’t want him to feel hurt."
"I see." The junior lowered the gift box, his spirit crushed. "I’m sorry, Senior Chao."
He couldn’t help but envy the person who occupied Senior Chao’s heart.
To think Senior Chao would consider someone else’s feelings even over a gift—what kind of luck did that person have?
The onlookers were just as shocked. Chao Musheng had someone special?!
"Senior Chao, I’ve troubled you." The junior’s eyes were red as a rabbit’s. "I wish you happiness!"
(Though he’d never wish happiness on that other person!)
With that, he pushed through the crowd and ran off, his retreating figure radiating heartbreak.
"Ah." Old Third slung an arm over Chao Musheng’s shoulder. "Another heart joins the ranks of the broken."
"Old Fourth." Second Brother shoved Old Third aside, curiosity burning. "Are you really taken?"
Even the usually stoic Eldest Brother turned to look.
Chao Musheng glanced at the lingering spectators and led his roommates out of the building before satisfying their curiosity. "I’m still single."
"Ugh!" Second Brother immediately withdrew his arm. "I thought we’d finally get to celebrate your relationship. Turns out it was just a rejection tactic."
"Old Fourth is always kinder to girls. If a girl had confessed today, he wouldn’t have turned her down so publicly." Old Third nudged Chao Musheng with his elbow. "Right?"
"Didn’t you say I’ve been trending online? I was worried someone would film that and post it." Chao Musheng lowered his gaze. "Isn’t it better to clarify things early?"
"Fine." Old Third slumped. "But our schoolmates have decent manners. They probably won’t spread the video."
"I know." Chao Musheng smiled. "I just wanted to eliminate any chance of misunderstandings."
Given a certain someone’s personality, if they saw a video of Chao Musheng being confessed to online, they’d overthink it for ten days straight without ever asking him directly.
The heart always leans a certain way.
While he disliked making others uncomfortable, he hated the idea of that someone torturing themselves even more.
"Eliminate all chances?" Eldest Brother gave Chao Musheng a puzzled look. "Old Fourth, you…"
Don’t tell me you actually have feelings for someone?
Chao Musheng just chuckled. "Let’s go. I just got paid a couple days ago—lunch is on me."
"Old Fourth, you’re as dazzlingly handsome as ever!"
"I want stir-fry!"
"Boss." Secretary Liu pushed open the office door and noticed the barely touched meal on the desk. His steps slowed. "The support project in Hanyue County is set to launch next Friday. The local leaders have extended an invitation for you to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony as thanks for your donation. Will you be going?"
"No need," Su Chenzhu replied. "Arrange for someone to attend on my behalf."
"Understood." Secretary Liu placed the documents on Su Chenzhu's desk and handed over another file from the R&D department. "The R&D team is urging HR to transfer Chao Musheng back to their department. However, since he’s currently your assistant—a direct subordinate—his transfer requires your signature."
"Does the company not allow dual roles?" Su Chenzhu pressed the R&D documents to the bottom of the pile. "Have HR issue Chao Musheng a dual-position employee card."
"Of course, Boss." Secretary Liu smiled.
He cleared away the now-cold meal and left the office to message Chao Musheng.
[Chao Musheng, great news! The boss can’t bear to let his right-hand man go, so you’re now both the CEO’s assistant and an R&D technical consultant. Double the salary—surprised?]
Chao Musheng was indeed surprised, but for a different reason. He had just received a notice from his department: next Thursday, he would accompany Professor Zhang to Hanyue County for a support project lasting 20 to 30 days.
Projects like these, involving public welfare, were highly valued by both the university and local authorities. As Chao Musheng stepped out of the department head’s office with the notice in hand, Secretary Liu’s message caught his eye.
With twenty days away from the company, the idea of drawing a double salary felt undeserved.
He immediately called Secretary Liu.
"Chao Musheng?" Secretary Liu had waited over ten minutes for a reply. Seeing the call come through, he answered promptly. "Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon, Brother Liu. I was in the department head’s office earlier and couldn’t check my phone." The September sun was still intense, and Chao Musheng ducked under a tree’s shade to continue the call.
"No worries, it’s nothing urgent," Secretary Liu said. "Since it’s break time, what did the university need you for?"
"Well…" Chao Musheng hesitated. "Starting next Thursday, I might be away from the company for almost a month."
"What happened?" Secretary Liu’s tone sharpened. A whole month? The boss would be counting the days.
"Our university is involved in support projects for underdeveloped regions, and the department head wants me to participate," Chao Musheng explained, slightly embarrassed. "I’m sorry, Brother Liu, but I think I should go."
"I see." Secretary Liu chuckled. "You should discuss this with the boss. I’m sure he’ll support your decision."
Chao Musheng laughed softly. "Yeah!"
"Where exactly are you going?" Secretary Liu asked. "Kunlun has production lines all over the country, so we have some familiarity with local customs and geography. I can gather some background information for you in advance."
"Thank you, Brother Liu." Chao Musheng had just received the notice and hadn’t had time to prepare. He knew little about the project or the location. "I’m headed to Hanyue County."
"Hanyue County?" Secretary Liu sounded surprised. "As in ‘cold’ and ‘mountain’?"
"Yes." Chao Musheng picked up on the shift in tone. "Is there a problem with the project?"
"Not at all." Secretary Liu laughed. "Today, the leaders of Hanyue County invited the boss to attend their ribbon-cutting ceremony next Friday."
"Will Mr. Su be going?" Chao Musheng’s voice lifted slightly.
"He might." Secretary Liu grinned. "I haven’t had the chance to report this to him yet."
After hanging up, Secretary Liu headed straight back to the boss’s office.
"Secretary Liu, didn’t you just leave? Why are you going back?" A colleague noticed his empty hands. "The boss hasn’t stepped out much today. Seems like he’s in a bad mood—better not disturb him."
"Who knows? Maybe his mood will improve by afternoon." Secretary Liu cheerfully knocked on the office door.
"Secretary Liu." Su Chenzhu set down his pen. "What else is there?"
"Boss, it’s about the Hanyue County ribbon-cutting again," Secretary Liu said. "Kunlun has an agricultural byproducts processing plant near Hanyue County, and they’re holding an anniversary celebration on the 15th."
"Secretary Liu, today is only the 1st." Su Chenzhu’s brow furrowed slightly. "Just have the nearest branch manager attend when the time comes."
Kunlun had countless processing plants. Since when did their anniversaries require his presence?
"I know, but that plant was recently praised by local official media," Secretary Liu coughed lightly. "You could go and encourage them."
Su Chenzhu’s frown deepened. Many of Kunlun’s factories had been commended by official media.
"Also, Chao Musheng is going to Hanyue County next Thursday. You might even run into him there." Seeing the boss’s expression darken, Secretary Liu hurriedly added, "He just told me he’ll be participating in a support project there for nearly a month."
Boss, I’ve laid out all the excuses for you. Just take the hint.
"Secretary Liu, you make a valid point." Su Chenzhu’s expression smoothed. "Hanyue County is a harsh environment. The processing plant staff work diligently year after year, boosting the local economy and employment. As Kunlun’s leader, I should witness the efforts of our frontline employees."
"Thank you for your consideration toward all our staff." Secretary Liu was a quick study. "I’ll inform Hanyue County of your attendance right away."
Chao Musheng was going, and now the boss was too. What could this be if not fate?
After returning to the infinite space, Xiaojuan sensed something amiss.
The player forums were flooded with posts discussing exploration dungeons—many of which were being deleted or locked. The System seemed intent on suppressing such discussions.
She met with a few teammates from the Anti-System Alliance and waited in the infinite space for days, but no exploration dungeon refreshed.
The player hall was packed with those entering or exiting dungeons. Xiaojuan stood in the crowd, gazing up at the sky above the hall.
Endless clouds and layers of light stretched overhead, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the hall’s glow had dimmed slightly.
The massive screen displayed countless dungeon names, waiting for players to enter randomly or by choice.
No matter how many times she refreshed the system, the exploration dungeon option never appeared.
Had the System stopped opening exploration dungeons?
Xiaojuan’s heart clenched. She had assumed there would be countless chances to meet again—so she hadn’t even properly said goodbye to Brother Chao.
The light flickered in the grand hall as the screen updated with a new 3S-level dungeon—Desolate City of Despair.
This was an unprecedented difficulty level.
[Ding, Desolate City of Despair is about to open. Congratulations, player, on being randomly selected for this dungeon. Countdown begins in ten seconds. Please prepare yourself. Ten, nine…]
The moment the system forcibly pulled her into the dungeon, Xiaojuan noticed her phone emitting an unusual golden-purple glow, as if something was trying to wrest her away from the system’s grasp.
[Beep—]
Suddenly, Xiaojuan’s system blared a piercing alarm.
[Error! The dungeon is being influenced by an unknown energy source. Anchor point shifting. Anchor point error. Anchor point error!]
[The dungeon has been generated. Players, please prepare yourselves.]
[The climate in the Desolate City is harsh, and the people who live here are ruthless and cruel. To survive and secure food, they will abandon all morality.]
[They are human—yet more like beasts.]
[And you… how will you survive?]
The players stood on a somewhat dilapidated street.
Was food… scarce here?
The players glanced around. Elderly men and women squatted by the roadside, their wares spread out on plastic sheets—fruits and vegetables neatly arranged.
A tall, burly player reacted swiftly, snatching a few sweet potatoes from the ground before bolting.
In a place where survival was a struggle, food was the top priority.
The elderly man whose sweet potatoes had been stolen: "…"
What the hell just stole his sweet potatoes?!
Were things so desperate that people were stealing a few measly sweet potatoes now?!
