Qi Xu decided to use up all available resources immediately instead of hoarding them, solely to boost his strength as quickly as possible.
After applying the Vehicle Enhancer, the already incredibly sturdy pink battle car seemed to gain an additional layer of translucent, multicolored metal. He tested it by slashing with Sakura Drop, but not even a scratch was left behind...
For the designated color map fragment, he naturally chose pink. Now, only two more pieces were left.
He consumed the three-dimensional attribute pills without hesitation and distributed the pet and plant nutrient potions to his beloved companions on both sides.
As for the unused backpack expansion cards, preservation slots, and advanced pet eggs, he posted them in the golden group chat, where they were quickly exchanged for energy stones or survival coins by others.
The entire process filled Qi Xu with immense joy.
It was only then that Qi Xu realized he hadn’t properly interacted with the members of Wolf Pack 006 since their arrival. Similarly, Crushed Ice Lamb and Happy Big Girl hadn’t been added to the group yet.
He first invited the latter two, as previously agreed, into the golden group chat.
But he hesitated about Wolf Pack 006. Starting a conversation out of the blue felt awkward, and he wasn’t sure what the other’s thoughts were. Old Seven had been much easier—he’d always spoken his mind freely.
So, Qi Xu sent a message to 009: "How’s 006 doing? Settling in alright?"
"Don’t worry about him. He’s having a blast. Last night, he even scolded Old Seven and me so hard that Old Seven was too pissed to enjoy his barbecue."
Qi Xu nodded. If someone could still vent their anger, it meant their emotions were being released—that was a good sign.
Invincible Dark Circles: "Got it. When we get the chance, we’ll team up for a dungeon run. Once we’ve interacted more, I’ll add them to the golden group chat. In the meantime, you and Old Seven keep working on him."
Wolf Pack 009: "No problem, boss. We’re on it."
The chat lobby was now exploding with dozens of messages per second. Many players who had just merged into the server were finally feeling the excitement of sharing a server with a top-ranked announcement legend, and a sense of belonging began to take root.
After all, the stronger the top player in a server, the more stable the server became...
At the very least, winning cross-server challenges meant everyone could enjoy a good feast. That barbecue banquet had left everyone ecstatic. Some who were less well-off chose to savor their portions slowly, stretching the joy over a week.
Such were the perks of following a powerhouse leader!
The only ones struggling to adjust were the former members of Server 711. But there was no helping it—Crushed Ice Lamb had completely vanished, as if erased from existence.
Apart from Happy Big Girl, Crushed Ice Lamb refused to speak to anyone from Server 711 ever again. The days of madness were best left in the past!
Qi Xu briefly replied in the chat lobby, thanking everyone for their congratulations and well-wishes.
Building a solid foundation among the masses was crucial. When guilds were eventually established, sheer numbers would undeniably provide an early advantage—many guild quests couldn’t even be unlocked without enough members.
After handling these trivial matters, Qi Xu finally revved up his vehicle and set off again!
The upgraded ride now seemed to have a noise-canceling effect, and the interior was so smooth it felt like gliding. This was true luxury!
Sweet Girl was the most thrilled by this change, wiggling excitedly and darting among her collection of pebbles, hopping around in pure delight.
Qi Xu set his destination for the Assassin’s Hall and even prepared a dried field mouse cake for Ah Snake—gifts were always best tailored to the recipient’s tastes.
Since he’d informed Ah Snake in advance, Qi Xu spotted the majestic black frost python coiled atop the Assassin’s Hall’s ramshackle roof long before arriving, eagerly scanning the horizon.
Its little head was held high, making the building look like it had sprouted a black telephone pole.
Qi Xu was half-afraid Ah Snake might collapse the entire structure...
Holding the dried mouse cake, Qi Xu leaped out of the vehicle and sprinted toward the giant serpent. "Ah Snake! Ah Snake! I’m here! Look what I brought you! I came straight to you after upgrading my ride! Did you see my server-wide announcement? Pretty cool, huh?"
[The Assassin’s Hall Leader, Black Frost Python, has increased its favorability toward you by 10 points. Current favorability: 75.]
Ah Snake, who rarely made friends, had been too restless to stay indoors, eagerly awaiting Qi Xu’s arrival. But now that the moment had come, it felt oddly shy.
After a brief moment of bashfulness, it loudly replied, "So cool! Congratulations—you’re the strongest human player on the server!"
Midway through its praise, it noticed the dried mouse cake Qi Xu was offering and hastily added, "You don’t have to bring gifts every time. Friends don’t need to be so formal."
"This isn’t a gift! I have a pet snake too, and it loves these. I figured you might like them, so I brought some along."
With that, Qi Xu tossed the entire cake into Ah Snake’s mouth.
The serpent couldn’t help but chew. Delicious. Absolutely delicious!
After swallowing, it pulled out a VIP card from its mouth and handed it to Qi Xu.
Though the card was slightly damp with drool, there was no foul odor—just a refreshing hint of lemon.
"Wow, Ah Snake, you’ve been brushing your teeth well! That’s awesome!"
"Just running low on toothpaste."
"Don’t worry, I’ll leave you a few tubes later."
Basic living supplies like these were no longer a concern for Qi Xu. He’d stockpiled plenty of each type, and if he ever ran out, he could always trade for more in the chat lobby.
"Hehe!"
After some casual chatter, Qi Xu got down to business.
"Ah Snake, I’d like to revoke the bounty on player HappyEnding. Is that possible?"
If he didn’t act now, the three-day deadline would pass. Still, canceling it at the last moment gave Qi Xu a sense of satisfaction—he wasn’t doing it for free.
Ah Snake cheerfully replied, "Of course! Normally, there’d be a 10% fee, but I’ll waive it for you."
Qi Xu immediately refused without hesitation.
"No, no. Friendship is one thing, business is another. Don’t mix them up. Charge me properly—I don’t want to put you in a tough spot. As the leader of the Assassin’s Hall, breaking the rules would probably get you punished, right? Not worth it."
The server-wide announcement had just rewarded him with a hefty sum of survival coins, and he’d also made a small fortune recently. With the Love Raincoats still selling steadily, money wasn’t an issue. He wouldn’t let a friend suffer over such a trivial amount.
Ah Snake deeply appreciated this kind of consideration. Breaking the rules did indeed incur punishment—usually a lightning strike. It hurt, but it wasn’t life-threatening. After so many strikes, it had gotten used to the pain.
But there was no need to mention that. No point making a friend feel guilty...
..........
