In the previous round of the game, Qi Xu had been randomly teamed up with War Wolf 009, a highly dependable presence.
A single person had almost shouldered the main firepower and half the monsters.
So the team’s performance was decent, clearing six levels in the end.
Because one teammate was unexpectedly killed by a monster, the others were unwilling to continue, forcing them to withdraw—otherwise, they could have pushed further.
Since today’s dungeon was set for 24 hours,
there were no mileage requirements for the day.
In two hours, Qi Xu picked up a wooden crate—better than nothing, at least it added to the mileage count.
Not bothering to save it, Qi Xu pried the crate open right away, finding two pieces of fabric inside.
After dismantling the crate, it was almost 8 o’clock. Qi Xu bid farewell to Xiao Qi once more before being teleported straight into the dungeon.
Soon, seven people appeared before them.
Qi Xu first raised an eyebrow at Dongfang Yuan, who instinctively moved to their side.
Qi Xu then turned their attention to the others. There was a noticeably nervous and fidgety chubby guy, likely Chinese Master Chef.
Qi Xu had met War Wolf 009 before—his facial features combined to give off an air of reliability, his posture ramrod straight, making him stand out distinctly.
Golden Bell Armor Iron Shirt had posted photos in the group chat, so he was easy to recognize—dressed in all black, around 30 years old, looking old-school and meticulous.
The one smoking on the far right was probably Old White Dragon in the Waves, no older than early 20s, quite handsome but with a bit of a slacker vibe. Still dazed from the teleportation, he quickly stubbed out his cigarette before enthusiastically waving at everyone.
Bubbly Girl Guo Degang and Retired Magical Boy both looked to be in their early 20s, radiating youthful energy.
Chinese Master Chef squinted hard, scanning the group but failing to spot Boss Whirlwind... Finally, he tentatively glanced at War Wolf 009 and shuffled over with hesitant steps...
"Boss Whirlwind? It’s me, Chinese Master Chef."
"I’m War Wolf 009."
War Wolf was also looking for Boss Whirlwind, his gaze flickering between Old White Dragon in the Waves and Golden Bell Armor Iron Shirt—neither seemed to fit.
Chinese Master Chef then turned to Old White Dragon in the Waves. "Boss Whirlwind?"
"I’m Old White Dragon—who’s Boss Whirlwind?"
Old White Dragon craned his neck, scanning the group, but everyone just looked equally confused.
Chinese Master Chef suddenly asked Watch Me Cut You Down, "You’re Sister Cut You, right?"
With a sharp bob cut, downturned eyes paired with upturned brows, and arms crossed, she observed everyone with an almost... aggressively unbothered demeanor.
Dongfang Yuan folded their arms. "Yep."
Chinese Master Chef then asked a short-haired girl, "Then you’re Bubbly Girl?"
"Hey, I’m Retired Magical Boy."
The guy next to her grinned and chimed in, "I’m Bubbly Girl Guo Degang."
"Your names are... wow, completely backwards..."
"But wait, where’s Boss Whirlwind? Who’s Boss Whirlwind?!"
Once everyone’s identities were mostly sorted, the group turned in stunned disbelief toward Qi Xu.
With delicate, icy beauty, fair and flawless skin, standing nearly 5’7", their figure was lean yet toned, clad in a sleek black combat suit that highlighted their powerful muscle definition, hair tied high in a ponytail.
They looked more like a dazzling martial arts film star than someone suited for a survival game, radiating an air of refinement...
Yet their vibe was oddly contradictory—both distant and approachable.
Qi Xu had been standing to the side, grinning and enjoying the spectacle with Dongfang Yuan, in no rush to speak.
"Boss Whirlwind?"
Only then did Qi Xu flash a smile. "Hey, everyone."
Old White Dragon clutched his head, squatting before leaping up, spinning in circles, stammering, "That’s... so cool! I’d never have guessed—I always thought you were..."
Chinese Master Chef was the most bewildered of all, his heart sinking. My... ship... might be sinking! Wuwuwu, this is unexpectedly heartbreaking!
Qi Xu explained, "It’s safer this way, right? Picking a name that doesn’t sound easy to bully, to avoid being targeted. After all, my skills are just average."
Chinese Master Chef gaped. "Boss, if you call that ‘average,’ then what am I?"
Bubbly Girl Guo Degang nodded emphatically. "So true. I’ve been planning to change my name too. Ever since location cards became common, I run into troublemakers almost daily.
Some take one look at me, realize I’m a guy, curse, and speed off. Others can’t bear to waste the location card and insist on fighting—it’s ridiculous..."
Old White Dragon scoffed. "Those people are the worst. Next time, let me know—we’ll deal with them together."
Though it was their first meeting, no one felt like strangers. Aside from Qi Xu, everyone’s traits were unmistakable.
Chinese Master Chef was adorably clueless, Watch Me Cut You Down was cool and aloof, Old White Dragon in the Waves had a roguish charm, War Wolf 009 lived up to his upright reputation, and Golden Bell Armor Iron Shirt was the quiet, reserved type.
Retired Magical Boy and Bubbly Girl Guo Degang, being younger, were shy at first but quickly warmed up.
The biggest surprise, though... was Invincible Black Whirlwind, Boss Whirlwind.
Before meeting, they’d imagined Boss Whirlwind as a kind yet decisive older brother figure. In person, though... they turned out to be a strikingly beautiful girl.
And... not much of a talker, but every little detail showed how considerate they were.
Everything seemed perfect... except for my ship...
Noticing the dungeon gate had appeared, Qi Xu took the lead. "Let’s go—time to move out!"
At first, Qi Xu did feel awkward—they weren’t used to interacting like this, with so many people.
But they kept reminding themselves: this was the right path. To survive, to make the most of this fresh start in the game, they had to learn to adapt.
So they began actively directing the team, taking command.
Qi Xu had worried someone might dismiss or challenge them for being a girl, but thankfully, no one did. The seven others from the group were all pleasant to work with.
Qi Xu tossed a machine gun to Chinese Master Chef. "Take this for self-defense."
The moment he held it, his hands shook. "Uh... Boss, I don’t know how to shoot! I’m nervous—what if I hit a teammate by accident...?"
Qi Xu visibly panicked and immediately snatched it back. "Just... stay in the middle."
The whole group burst into laughter.
.........
