LWGP - Chapter 96
Chapter 96: Harmony is Priceless
While Xie Lu was lost in thought, Xie Jiang suddenly contacted him. Xie Lu had been vague, but Xie Jiang was a man with eighteen minds' worth of cunning and still managed to worm the story about the clothes out of him. Then, as if his third eye had opened, the man went into full gossip mode.
"You fool, she played you."
"What 'wash your windbreaker'? To put it bluntly, she was just deliberately stringing you along, delaying the time for you to claim your little territory. Eight o'clock? She was being polite by not saying ten. Only a little rookie like you who's never been with a woman would toss and turn all night thinking about her. Were you embarrassed, excited, anxious, and flustered? You must have dreamed about her, right? Did you have to wash your pants? You little fool. I could've predicted just by pinching my fingers that she definitely slept soundly last night and got up at five or six in the morning to run dungeons!"
"Heh, that little widow. She's an expert at tricking fresh young meat like you."
Seeing Xie Jiang's words become more and more explicit, Xie Lu grew displeased. "They're just tactics," he said coolly. "You and I can use them, so naturally, she can too. There's no need to be especially harsh just because she's a woman. Also, I'm not as filthy-minded as you."
Xie Jiang fell silent for a moment, then drawled, "The speaker may be careless, but the listener hears intent. I'm afraid you must have offended her a few times, haven't you?"
His thoughts exposed, Xie Lu said, "What is it? If it's nothing, I'm hanging up."
"I was originally going to talk to your superior about the swarm wars and Eternal Night. He said you were in Luoyang, so I contacted you directly. So, tell me about the situation over there. Is it a locust plague or a rat swarm? It can't be the most disgusting ones, like cockroaches or flies, can it?"
"No, it's rats."
"That's disgusting too."
"How many?"
"Seventy or eighty thousand."
Xie Jiang was shocked, and the lazy, early-morning air about him dissipated considerably.
"You actually didn't die?"
A novice village could not possibly withstand a swarm of seventy or eighty thousand rats.
"The village next to mine was completely wiped out by a swarm of just twenty thousand rats. Later, that rat swarm came to our village, along with a locust plague. It was a lot of trouble, and we barely managed to deal with it."
Xie Jiang was still speaking casually, but Xie Lu could hear the power of his village in his words.
It was also a testament to his uncle's formidable strength.
Xie Lu didn't mention Wang Jiu's main contribution, afraid that this man and the people from Cai Market would start targeting her. He quickly fobbed him off with a few sentences and hung up before contacting his own superior.
He gave a rough report of the situation, highlighting the key information, including the rules for replacing the rat swarm leader. He also mentioned Wang Jiu, but there was one thing he deliberately left out—the fact that Wang Jiu had stopped him from shooting the young rats. Although her insight and agility were superior to his, it also revealed a ruthlessness in her heart, a disregard for the lives of others. Because this ruthlessness was built on a foundation of indifference.
It wasn't that he was biased, but he was afraid his superiors would judge her that way.
He knew well that official and public judgment was based on common standards, and they wouldn't approve of an anomaly like her.
So Xie Lu deliberately concealed it.
His superior, naturally unaware of the full story, only said, "Then she's truly impressive. This person is decisive and sharp. To be able to save so many people in a crisis shows she's someone trustworthy. Since you're in Luoyang alone, you can interact with this person more."
Xie Lu's expression was strange, but he agreed.
After ending the private chat, he mulled it over—Interact more? I feel like interacting with her is like running a high-difficulty dungeon.
There were rewards, but it was very dangerous.
On the other side, Xie Jiang, having been hung up on, wasn't the least bit angry. Instead, he spoke with great concern in his game friends' group chat.
"My little nephew is definitely going to get scammed. No, I have to get to Luoyang sooner."
"My big brother only has this one son! I can't let him go astray!"
Xie Jiang adopted the posture of a loving, doting uncle, completely lost in the role and unable to extricate himself. He even grabbed a subordinate to ask for a map.
In the group chat, the big shots of Cai Market began to discuss, eventually focusing on one thing.
Handsome Man Riding a Donkey to Find a Pig: "Where does he get the confidence to say he can save Xie Lu?"
Qingcheng Sword Cultivator: "Did he get a permanent 'Overlord + God of Courage' skin?"
Infatuated Lin Xiaoniang: "Why do I get a sense of incest here? A foot-picking, creepy little uncle covets his nephew's crush. Sounds so romantic and exciting."
Qingcheng Sword Cultivator: "Xiaoniang, that's a very sharp angle."
Two Dogs of Jiangdong: "Why do I feel like he's the one who's going to go astray?"
The Flower of Dongguan: "Astray my ass. He's shamelessly added her several times, but she still hasn't accepted his friend request. He's just looking for an excuse to go harass her. That old piece of cured meat, so shameless!"
A stream of "That old piece of cured meat, so shameless!" followed.
The uniform chain of messages was broken when the normally cold-as-a-distant-mountain Boss Cai chimed in.
"Who else among you has added her as a friend?"
The others were surprised. What was wrong?
"Look at the social circle rankings. This Wang Jiu is unfathomable."
Everyone rushed to check their social circles, followed by a wave of amazement and confusion.
This Wang Jiu seemed to be hiding many unknown secrets.
At 5:30 AM, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, the area outside the novice village was freezing. The landscape was a scene of devastation.
The people weren't afraid of the cold, but none of them looked well. Nine out of ten had a sickly pallor. Even Wang Shu and Dao Dao, the best sleepers of the group, had large dark circles under their eyes and puffy faces.
Zhao Shanxiao, Jiang Kaikai, Liao Luo, Qiao Xuejing, Wang Shu, and Dao Dao followed behind Wang Jiu, a lifeless air hanging over them.
The atmosphere was likely too oppressive, so Wang Jiu glanced back and said, "We're going to run a dungeon, not attend a funeral. Can you be a little more cheerful?"
She was only willing to waste her breath because her interests were at stake.
Liao Luo saw her looking refreshed and radiant, as if she'd had a wonderful night's sleep. His heart soured with envy. "With such a huge thing happening last night, you could still sleep?"
Even a mass murderer like him had been worried sick.
"Maybe it's because I have a bed, and you don't."
Even though that wasn't the main point, the group who had slept on the ground still felt stung.
Even Qiao Xuejing couldn't help but touch her tired face and change the subject. "The surrounding area is completely destroyed, and the landscape has changed accordingly. But this Huize Mountain…"
Everyone looked ahead and gasped in unison.
Before, Huize Mountain had looked like a normal mountain at first glance. Now, it was a desolate sight, almost completely flattened into a large slope littered with the wreckage of trees. Faintly, however, some vortexes were still visible.
It was just that many of the wild monsters were gone.
They probably all died.
"This was a stream yesterday, but now it's a river section. It seems the mountain was bombarded, rupturing the springs inside and letting all the water out," Zhao Shanxiao mentioned. Only then did the others notice that the river on their path was much more rapid than the day before. A dike must have broken somewhere.
"Many of the dungeon vortexes were probably destroyed. We don't know which ones are left. Hurry, or they'll be snatched up by others."
While Wang Shu was worried, Liao Luo and the other two were less than enthusiastic. There was no benefit in it for them; they'd rather the dungeons be taken.
But Wang Jiu glanced ahead. "There are already people there."
She wasn't lying. There were indeed many people up ahead, looking like they were on the verge of a fight.
It was only a little past five, yet someone was even more diligent than they were?
Some dungeon vortexes remained on Huize Mountain. Only three were left on the entire mountain.
It was a world of difference from yesterday.
Vortexes meant resources. Fewer resources meant more conflict.
"But there are fewer people, right? Why does it look like there are more?"
It wasn't that Wang Shu was being anti-humanitarian; he was just stating the facts. Village 444 and 441 had been wiped out yesterday. Logically, there should be far fewer people. Why did it seem like there were more?
And they all seemed very strong.
There was a crowd of about forty or fifty people, but a group of ten on the left was particularly aggressive, seemingly suppressing the other side without letting them get a word in. It looked like coercion, but they weren't fighting, instead appearing to persuade with reason.
By the time Wang Shu could see them, those people had also noticed the arrival of Wang Jiu's group. They didn't seem to be fighting, and the atmosphere was actually quite good.
However…
"Who's that skulking around!"
A red-haired youth raised his bow and shot an arrow straight at Wang Shu's head.
There was no way Wang Shu could block it. Jiang Kaikai and the others wouldn't bother. Qiao Xuejing was nearby but didn't move, because…
Swish!
A hand shot out and caught the arrow. With a flick of the fingers, the arrow was turned around and casually thrown.
Thrum! The arrow landed at the red-haired youth's feet.
The red-haired youth didn't dodge, because he knew the arrow wasn't aimed at him.
But it was enough for him to gauge his opponent's strength.
Catching an arrow with a bare hand.
Her Agility and Strength were at least double his.
The red-haired youth gave Wang Jiu a wary look and sent a meaningful glance to his captain.
If he could see it, his captain naturally could too. He smiled at Wang Jiu's group.
From Wang Jiu's perspective, she could tell this person was the leader, but he didn't look the part at all.
He was a man, around thirty, about one-sixty-five in height, with plump features and a naturally simple, rustic air. He approached with a rippling smile to greet them.
He came over, expecting Wang Jiu's group to be on guard, but to his surprise, they were all calm and composed.
Hmm? Such a steady demeanor. They must have an ace up their sleeve.
In truth, he had misunderstood. At that moment, this was the group's state of mind:
Wang Shu: Steady? My master has never been anything but grounded.
Liao Luo: Fight, hurry up and fight! The fiercer the better! Best if it ruins today's dungeon run!
Jiang Kaikai: I hope they blow up Wang Jiu's and that fatty's homesteads so I can pick up the pieces and eat a few bites!
Zhao Shanxiao: I can't show my schadenfreude too obviously, or she'll notice and settle scores with me later. I must be steady, absolutely steady. Share her joys and sorrows.
Qiao Xuejing: The captain has looked at me several times this morning. Is my complexion that bad? Have I gotten much uglier? I feel like the captain really cares about this kind of thing.
But while their thoughts were racing, Qiao Xuejing was also sizing up the other team. Their attributes didn't seem low. Compared to Wang Jiu's method of forcing "slaves" through brutality, this group seemed like a proper team. Their strength should be quite balanced, but she didn't know their specific attributes.
Judging from their appearance and constitution, a woman in a red leather jacket and jeans wielding a scimitar, the red-haired youth, and a taciturn man with a buzz cut stood out.
It was mainly their spirit; weak people wouldn't have such a strong presence in a team.
The one with the strongest presence was still this short captain.
"Hello, my name is Mei Qinghe. I brought my people here early this morning to run dungeons. Unfortunately, there are many people and few dungeons. We were thinking we'd tackle the hard ones first, clear them, and then it'll be easier for our other friends to run them. We were just communicating about it. May I ask who you are?"
It was the first time they had heard someone describe monopolizing a place so refreshingly.
Wang Shu sized up the people being "persuaded with reason" and secretly wondered where he would rank among them in terms of strength. If that was the case, just how powerful was this other group?
Could they beat his master?
No, the key point was, to fight or not to fight?
Liao Luo and the other two had experienced Wang Jiu's ruthlessness—killing without a second word—and were certain she would make a move, especially since the red-haired kid had attacked first.
But to their surprise…
Wang Jiu extended her hand and shook Mei Qinghe's. The man was short and stout, and it was impossible to tell if he was poor, but he had a very rustic air. Wang Jiu, however, sensed that his heart rate was very steady.
He didn't even spare a glance for Qiao Xuejing.
Not lecherous, good at judging situations, adaptable, hypocritical, and pretentious.
So that means he doesn't plan to fight?
Wang Jiu's mind raced, and she formulated a response.
"Hello, Wang Jiu. Turns out I'm not the only one who's so considerate of others, getting up early just to help people for fun. Seeing you, sir, I feel a particular kinship."
Mei Qinghe probably hadn't expected such a response from this woman, whose appearance and aura were so striking.
He was stunned for a moment, then quickly put on a hypocritical smile. "Oh ho, Miss Wang is as beautiful as she is kind-hearted. Truly a model for all humanity."
"You're too kind. Mr. Mei may have an unremarkable appearance, but his noble character inspires admiration."
After a stream of hypocritical pleasantries, the final result was…
Mei Qinghe: "Which one are you going to run? Go on in, don't waste any time."
Wang Jiu: "The first one on the left."
Mei Qinghe: "I see. We're doing the first one on the right. Good thing there's no conflict, otherwise it would be so awkward."
Wang Jiu: "I wish you swift success."
Mei Qinghe: "No, I wish that we can successfully help others, adding to their fortune and longevity."
The two captains finished their pleasantries, having had a friendly exchange of socialist positive energy, then turned and headed to their respective dungeons.
The remaining thirty or forty people: They're gone, they're gone! Those two shameless groups are finally gone! Everyone, there's one vortex left, let's go!
After both teams entered their vortexes.
The hot-tempered woman in jeans, Li Li, said, "It's been years, but I've finally met someone as sanctimonious, hypocritical, and pretentious as you, Short Winter Melon."
The red-haired youth, Li Li's brother Li Guang, said, "We're not fighting? I think besides that Wang Jiu and that one guy, the rest of them aren't much. We have four people with over 200 in attributes on our side, and boss, your attributes are even stronger."
The buzz-cut man, Hu Yun, said, "They're not easy to deal with. Don't act on impulse. Although they have fewer people, they look very united."
Mei Qinghe smiled, still amicable. "We're all doing good deeds. No need for blades and guns. Harmony is priceless."
That meant they weren't fighting.
On the other side, as they were teleported into the dangerous-difficulty dungeon Wang Jiu had chosen.
Wang Shu: "Master, that Short Winter Melon's group seems so hypocritical. Will they ambush us from behind?"
Wang Jiu: "Whether they ambush us or not depends on who clears the dungeon faster. But they are indeed very strong. That Short Winter Melon has an average of 500 in attributes. The other three are all over 200 average, and the remaining six are all over 100 average."
Everyone was shocked. So strong!
How did so many powerful people show up all of a sudden? The few villages from 441 to 444 couldn't produce so many experts.
"So strong, yet they didn't make a move? Are they really Buddhist vegetarians?" Zhao Shanxiao was scheming and suspicious. He didn't believe there were any benevolent people left in this world.
Persuade with reason, harmony is priceless?
Heh!
He didn't believe it, and he was sure the Demon King Wang Jiu believed it even less.
"But you can really see through their attributes, so that's why you backed down?"
As Zhao Shanxiao said this, he suddenly thought of something else.
The strength she showed when catching the arrow was probably around 400 average. With the short captain's attributes, there was actually no need for him to back down as well, so…
"He can also see through our attributes," Wang Jiu said flatly, and everyone was shocked once again.
She had deliberately revealed some of her strength, but not all of it. From Mei Qinghe's reaction, she deduced that he could probably see her attributes too.
After all, this game had many interesting items and skills. The Eye of Insight wasn't that rare, so it wouldn't be strange if he could see through her.
Besides, even without items or skills, with a team as strong and stable as his, they had probably cleared many dungeons and might even be a higher level than her.
But regardless of the process, that was the conclusion she reached.
"So, your attributes are probably similar. There are many people around, and today is likely when many teams are working hard to gain reputation to claim a territory. Time can't be wasted, so out of caution, he didn't want to fight."
Zhao Shanxiao shot a quick glance at Wang Jiu. "No wonder you didn't make a move either."
Just then, the dungeon teleportation completed. They were in the same initial canyon stream.
Wang Jiu quickly scanned the environment. "Stereotypes are bad. I'm actually a person who likes to value harmony. I generally don't resort to violence easily."
She paused, then turned to give Liao Luo and the other two a dark look. "Unless I can't help myself."
Fuck! Get lost!
The very "united" team immediately erupted into internal strife.
Zhao Shanxiao suppressed his anger and said slowly, "I think their team is stronger than ours, with more people. They'll probably finish first nine times out of ten. If they ambush us then, our slave contract only covers dungeons, not fighting. At that time…"
…don't blame them for running away.
Liao Luo and the other two stood united against a common enemy. Dao Dao and the others hadn't even had time to roll their eyes and retort.
Wang Jiu didn't say a word. She just raised a hand and threw out eight Puppet Cards.
Eight flashes of light, and eight burly, well-built puppet BOSSes appeared.
She turned her head and said flatly, "What were you just saying? More people?"
Zhao Shanxiao and the other two were speechless.
They had almost forgotten. This Demon King was loaded.
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