Only after Dongfang Yuan had safely left and Bian sent a message did Qi Xu finally tap the transmission button in the notification bar... Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, envisioning all the possible scenarios she might encounter and how to handle them.
If this invitation had been sent uniformly across the entire region, then this gathering would have at least 900 people. Qi Xu figured that even if she didn’t know anyone, she wouldn’t feel too awkward.
There were bound to be loners, and with the social skills she’d honed, blending into a small group shouldn’t be a problem. She could discreetly gather some information, clear up her doubts, and then leave promptly.
Qi Xu was brimming with confidence—but the moment she arrived, she froze in shock!
Every single person turned to look at her in unison. There were no small cliques as she’d imagined. These 900 people were one massive group!
A quick glance made it clear—everyone here knew each other! Not a single loner in sight. And they had all arrived much earlier than her...
For some reason, Qi Xu caught a glimpse of something frenzied and exhilarated in their eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by curiosity and scrutiny—so fast that she wondered if she’d imagined it.
"Whoa! A newcomer!"
"Did you sign the contract yet, girl?"
"Impressive! If you managed to invite the Guild Leader of the Assassin Hall, you must be someone special. ‘White Breeze Brushing By’—never heard of you before."
"What’s your beef with the Black Demon? Spill it! We’ve got time to kill."
Questions flew at her from all directions. In just a few seconds, Qi Xu felt like she’d been bombarded with dozens, if not hundreds, of inquiries.
One player, dressed in ancient robes with his hair tied up in a jade crown, stood up, waving a palm-leaf fan.
"Give the girl some time to adjust, will you? How’s she supposed to answer when everyone’s throwing questions at her?"
With that, he walked up to Qi Xu.
"Nice to meet you, friend. I’m the Divine Calculator. You... Huh? Oh damn! Boss, get over here! This one’s got a Tier-7 vehicle—no wonder she had what it took to kill the Black Demon! And she’s a psychic too—her mental energy’s no joke!"
Before the Divine Calculator could even finish speaking, a crowd instantly swarmed around her.
Qi Xu felt like her Vehicle Tier Concealment Card had been a waste... They could tell at a glance. Where was the justice in that? She’d go back and demand a refund from that lucky charm seller! Compensation, now!
Since she’d been exposed anyway—and there weren’t many in the Chinese server who’d successfully upgraded to Tier-7 vehicles—it wouldn’t take long for them to guess her identity...
Qi Xu decided to drop the act. With a confident smile, she introduced herself.
"Hello, everyone. I’m the Invincible Black Whirlwind from District 88, Zone 666. I’m here for one purpose only—to kill the Lord of Demon Island. Before joining the survival game, he had a life-or-death grudge with a friend of mine, so I came to settle it early."
Qi Xu was straightforward. If you wanted to know someone else’s secrets, you had to show your own cards first. Nothing came for free.
Just then, an exceptionally striking woman stepped closer.
Her sun-kissed skin radiated vitality, her jawline sharp yet graceful. The perfect blend of muscular strength and feminine fierceness gave her an aura of undeniable authority—eerily similar to the Warwolves.
"District 88, Zone 666? Same as Warwolf 009? I’ve seen your joint dungeon clear announcements on the global server. I’m Warwolf 001. Before the survival game, Warwolf 009 and I were teammates."
The moment she approached, Qi Xu had already guessed her identity, so she wasn’t surprised.
"Yeah, we team up often. We get along well. It’s not just Warwolf 009—004, 006, and 007 are with me too. Right now, those three went to Zone 438 to find 008. If nothing’s gone wrong, 008 should’ve already arrived in Zone 666 by now."
Qi Xu spoke calmly, both showcasing her strength and extending goodwill. She handed Warwolf 001 a letter personally written by the Warwolves.
Warwolf 001 chuckled and patted Qi Xu’s shoulder. "Relax. Just chatting. No one here means harm. You’ve had your hands full—Number Six’s stubborn as a mule, and Number Seven’s a loose cannon. Must’ve been tough wrangling them.
"At least Numbers Four and Nine are reliable. If Six ever pisses you off too much, send him to me. I’ll beat some sense into him before shipping him back."
Only then did Warwolf 001 start reading the letter. Her smile vanished instantly, her fists clenching. Seriously? A few lines to verify their identities would’ve been enough—did they really have to air every single embarrassing story about her?!
Qi Xu raised an eyebrow slightly. Warwolf 001’s words... were practically a blunt declaration that she wouldn’t leave District 01, Zone 01.
The first thought that flashed through Qi Xu’s mind was... the Warwolf fragments would never be fully collected.
"You’re not... uh..." Qi Xu wasn’t sure how to phrase it.
"I won’t switch zones. My teammates aren’t suited for District 01, Zone 01 either. They’re better off with you. My siblings might not be the sharpest, but they’ve got good instincts. You probably met Number Nine first, right?
"Number Nine seems sincere, but he’s actually the most calculating of the bunch. If he’s willing to follow you, that’s proof enough you’re trustworthy. It’s a relief knowing they’re in good hands."
The admiration in Warwolf 001’s eyes was impossible to hide, her voice softening further. Her directness left Qi Xu’s carefully prepared speeches utterly useless.
She’d been agonizing over how to discuss the future of the team with Warwolf 001. The Warwolves were the strongest combatants in her group, yet they’d been Warwolf 001’s pre-apocalypse teammates.
What if Warwolf 001, like Ember Kiss Starlight Moon, refused to acknowledge another leader and wanted to form her own team?
What choice would the Warwolves make?
That was the dilemma that had been weighing on Qi Xu—yet when it came down to it, none of it mattered.
Warwolf 001 didn’t even seem interested in reuniting with her old teammates, leaving Qi Xu momentarily at a loss for words.
"‘Invincible Black Whirlwind’—what a great name. I like it. No need to change it next time you visit."
Noticing White Little Black speaking up, Warwolf 001 stepped aside.
Qi Xu had already noticed the girl sitting at the very center of the room.
Clad in a white dress with long, flowing hair, her expression was serene yet gentle. Her attire was utterly mismatched with the ruthless survival game—yet her calm demeanor made it seem perfectly fitting.
..........
