Though his "Cursed by Misfortune" trait was somewhat weak, his unique constitution would undoubtedly allow him to soar to great heights later on. The pet market was vast, and while some people were more self-interested, most would agree—having a loyal companion on such a solitary journey was a truly blissful thing.
And when one was this happy, spending money came naturally.
"Cursed by Misfortune" could obtain all sorts of pet-related items, from small treats to large necessities like pet nutrient pods and evolution serums... all of them rare and valuable goods in the pet category.
Moreover, the guy had good character. Back when he was at his lowest, Qi Xu had lent him a hand, and now, every night around 9 PM, he reliably sent over items that dogs or snakes might need.
He even provided pet evolution serums—basically ten bottles a day—and offered pet nutrient pods, though Qi Xu didn’t need them and declined.
Now that most well-developed players already had pets, "Cursed by Misfortune" was living much more comfortably. Yet he still kept up his generosity, proving he wasn’t the type to forget his roots.
Then there were the sisters, Muzi Li and Ballpoint Pen. Though they’d faced many setbacks early on, they’d fought their way through. Due to a special connection, even if their interactions weren’t frequent, Qi Xu still trusted the sincerity of these two.
Back then, Ballpoint Pen had vowed to trade all her future resources in exchange for her sister’s life—and she’d followed through, sending over piles of supplies multiple times. Qi Xu had never accepted, though.
First, he didn’t need them. Second, he wanted the sisters to keep their best items and focus on catching up.
Fortunately, they’d managed to close the gap during the Princess’s Banquet and had also gained a lot from the "Humanity’s Choice" dungeon, showing remarkable growth.
The Princess’s Banquet offered huge rewards, but those with duplicitous hearts couldn’t succeed. Muzi Li’s ranking in the "Humanity’s Choice" dungeon proved she had truly undergone her "Breaking Cocoon into Butterfly" transformation.
Plus, Qi Xu still remembered the clear, stubborn look in Muzi Li’s eyes when she left... A girl like that was bound to carve out her own destiny.
As for "Fiery Beauty" and "Melon Loves Melon," they were both skilled and had maintained some communication. Fiery Beauty’s meteor hammer was quite formidable—it had just been an unlucky matchup against Qi Xu.
Melon Loves Melon was the girl who’d defeated "Blessed by Luck," and she had some combat tricks of her own.
The main thing was, they were a tight-knit sister duo. Bringing in just one wouldn’t make sense, so it was better to recruit them together.
As for Warwolf 007’s other teammates, they could be absorbed gradually when the time was right.
Beyond them, Qi Xu was also interested in "Fortune God’s Only Daughter" and "Master Hui An."
Both were strong, but the timing wasn’t ideal. Fortune God’s Only Daughter carried too many secrets and wasn’t willing to trust others—Qi Xu didn’t even know how to talk to her.
She looked no older than seven or eight, yet carried the seasoned demeanor of someone who’d lived decades and seen through the illusions of the world.
Master Hui An was even more elusive—they’d only traded once, and he was so low-key he barely spoke.
After confirming he hadn’t missed anyone, Qi Xu copied and pasted the message, sending it to each person.
Almost instantly, replies flooded in.
The first, of course, came from the ever-dramatic "Egg Seven."
Warwolf 007: "Of course I’m in! Boss, I’ve said it before—I’m sticking with you! Through every storm, every challenge, I’ll follow your lead. When profits come, I’ll step back. When danger strikes, I’ll charge ahead. I’ll be your sturdiest shield, proving I’m way more reliable than Egg Nine! Let’s carve our path to glory together! Also, I hope you gather the whole Egg Family soon!"
Qi Xu: "......"
Egg Seven always had to be extra, throwing shade at Egg Nine while dragging the entire Egg Family into it.
"Just... be normal, okay?"
Warwolf 007: "Got it, Boss! Don’t worry—you won’t regret choosing me. I’m awesome."
From his words, Qi Xu could tell Warwolf 007 was brimming with confidence. He accepted the invitation without hesitation, radiating pure excitement—and a touch of chuunibyou.
But there were also polar opposites.
Cursed by Misfortune: "???"
The guy was utterly stunned, staring at his tattered backpack lying at the feet of "Invincible Black Whirlwind"—a bag so shabby she might not even bother picking it up.
His brain short-circuited. After a long moment of processing, his eyes welled up as he replied.
Cursed by Misfortune: "Whirlwind Boss... it’s me, Cursed by Misfortune... Did you mean to send this to Blessed by Luck and got the names mixed up? It’s okay, I’ll pretend I never saw it! Wishing your team all the best—may you grow stronger and thrive!
I’m not sad. Really. Not sad at all. Just... a tiny bit envious. Waaahhh..."
Qi Xu finished reading and found it both amusing and exasperating.
Suddenly, he recalled Blessed by Luck’s evaluation of Cursed by Misfortune: "A good and sincere person, just a bit... simple-minded."
Not pure-hearted, but rather naive and slightly foolish. Still, a team needs diversity. Cursed by Misfortune wasn’t particularly strong in combat, nor was he the type who enjoyed fighting.
But he was meticulous and loved gathering gossip. Later, when the guild grew, he could handle logistical tasks.
If a guild were filled only with top-tier players, who would take care of the mundane but essential behind-the-scenes work? These seemingly trivial matters were actually core to a guild’s foundation.
They needed someone trustworthy to manage them—why not start training one now?
Invincible Black Tornado: "I didn’t make a mistake. The invitation is for you, Cursed by Misfortune."
Cursed by Misfortune: "Aaaaaah! Yes! I accept! Save me a spot—let me process this first. Don’t mind me, Boss Tornado, go do your thing. Just leave me here to freak out for a bit. Seriously, I’ve made it! Today’s the day I rise! Mark my words, this day will go down in history! Hahahaha!"
Qi Xu silently closed the chat window with Cursed by Misfortune. He was right—let him have his moment. Now wasn’t the time for a coherent conversation.
Replies from others trickled in one after another.
Breaking Cocoon into Butterfly: "Received! I’d love to join. Haha, now I can call you ‘Boss’ openly!"
A Swimming & Fitness Coach Chen: "Count me in! Finally part of a team!"
Melon Loves Melons: "Of course I’ll join! Thanks for trusting me, Boss!"
Spicy is Beautiful: "Boss, mwah! Spicy’s in! I’ll work hard—been practicing with my hammer lately. One swing, one monster down! Hehe, I’ve improved! [Flying kisses][Flying kisses]"
.........
