Chapter 74
The next morning, at 9 a.m. sharp, Chi Lin woke Lou Mi.
Lou Mi opened her eyes, her mind clear, her body energized, feeling like she could ascend to heaven. No headache! No fatigue!
Lou Lixing and Peng Ziyuan, having returned at some point during the night, were already at the breakfast table with Chi Lin, waiting for Lou Mi.
“Good luck, Mi Mi, but don’t feel pressured,” Lou Lixing said, as she left for the match. “No matter what, you’re our hero.”
Lou Mi patted his arm and stepped into the elevator with Chi Lin.
Chi Lin seemed to have something to say.
Lou Mi: “Are you coming with me?”
Chi Lin’s eyes lit up. “Can I?”
“Of course. I can’t take you to the broadcasting room, but you can sit in the front row VIP seats.”
They left together, Lou Lixing and Peng Ziyuan waving goodbye.
As the elevator doors closed, Lou Lixing teared up. “I want to see Mi Mi’s match, too! I want to sit in the front row and cheer for her!”
Peng Ziyuan: “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
“I didn’t want to pressure her, distract her… I’ve never been to a live match…”
“Well, you’ve lost your chance now. The front row VIP seats are reserved for her future wife.”
Lou Lixing: “…”
At the broadcasting building, two hours before Nine Heavens’ second match, the live stream viewership had already surpassed a hundred million.
The team arrived. Xie Buyu looked around, noticing Lou Mi’s absence. “Lan-jie, where’s Mi-jie? After last time’s close call, she’s not skipping out on us, is she?”
Zhuo Jinglan: “I called her. She said she’s driving herself, she probably overslept.”
“Overslept…” Xie Buyu mused. “I hope it’s the kind of ‘oversleeping’ I’m thinking of.”
As the team settled into the lounge, Lou Mi entered.
“Hey, everyone’s here?” She spoke before anyone could greet her.
“Where else would we be?” Zhuo Jinglan found her words strange. “Floating in the sky?”
“I’m greeting you.” Instead of arguing, Lou Mi smiled brightly and playfully punched Zhuo Jinglan’s back. “What’s with the attitude?”
Zhuo Jinglan, bracing herself for a chokehold or a body slam: “???” Who is this? So cheerful and touchy-feely? This isn’t the ferocious Lou Mi I know. She recoiled like a startled owl. “Who are you? Are you a spy sent by the enemy team to mess with us?”
Lou Mi: “…”
Zhuo Jinglan reached out to touch Lou Mi’s face. “Let me see if this mask comes off.”
Lou Mi kicked out, and Zhuo Jinglan dodged just in time. “Stay still, and I’ll kick you to the next dimension.”
“Okay,” Zhuo Jinglan said, relieved after being insulted. “It’s definitely Lou Mi.”
Lou Mi: “???”
Fu Tu, passing by with a drink, witnessed the scene and rushed to Xie Buyu’s room, practically ripping her clothes off in her excitement. “Emergency! Mi-jie’s wearing a new lipstick shade! And a new jacket! And she’s flirting with Lan-jie!”
Xie Buyu almost choked on her drink. “What?! Even Lan-jie? I have to see this!”
They rushed out and peeked into the lounge.
Lou Mi stood by the sofa, wearing an unfamiliar ginger-yellow jacket and a light gray scarf, her lips a vibrant shade, a stark contrast to her usual nude tones. As she was about to take off her jacket, her phone buzzed.
She checked it, a wide smile spreading across her face. Forgetting about her jacket, she immediately replied to the message.
“Look, look,” Xie Buyu said, shaking her head. “Even HighTowerMiyuki isn’t immune to the love bug.”
Fu Tu: “I just hope Mi-jie can play normally today, and that I won’t be buried alive again.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. Today’s Mi-jie is still going to be unpredictable. People in love see everyone through rose-tinted glasses. The enemy team might look like cute little pets to her today. We have to hold the fort, Fu Tu. The fate of Nine Heavens rests on our shoulders.”
Today, Slay was replacing Hu Hu.
Xie Buyu and Fu Tu braced themselves for a tough match, but Lou Mi didn’t give them a chance to suffer. She secured first blood almost immediately, taking out the enemy DPS.
The city erupted in cheers, the live stream comments exploding.
Before the opponents could recover, Lou Mi chased down their healer, securing another kill. Their tank, coming to the rescue, barely escaped with a sliver of health, only to be finished off by Slay.
The enemy team was down to a single support player.
Support: “…”
Fu Tu and Xie Buyu, who hadn’t even moved: “…”
Everyone had expected a close match, potentially lasting the full three hours. No one had anticipated HighTowerMiyuki’s aggressive start, so different from the previous match.
The lone support player, fighting for their dignity, held on until the end. Nine Heavens won in 13 minutes and 14 seconds.
The internet was abuzz:
“Lou Jiejie is a goddess!”
“Lou Jiejie will always be our Lou Jiejie.”
“HighTowerMiyuki was incredible today! Back to her peak form, powerful and fearless!”
After hundreds of praises, someone posted a set of photos:
“Now we know why Lou Jiejie was so dominant today. Her little sister was in the audience!”
“Her sister?! Chi Lin?!”
“It’s really her!”
The photos were taken from a distance, but modern phone cameras could zoom in clearly on faces hundreds of meters away.
Chi Lin, wearing a baseball cap and a down jacket, sat quietly in a corner of the front row VIP seats, her presence understated.
“OMG, when is the fairy sister debuting?! She’s gorgeous!”
“Aww, our little Chi Lin came to support her sister! Xue Cai CP forever!”
“Chi Lin looks so focused! Her expression is adorable!”
“Xue Cai CP is the best! So Lou Jiejie played so well because her sister was there. Does that mean last time’s distraction was because her sister wasn’t there? Lou Jiejie is so easy to read lol.”
“I think that’s the truth. Lou Jiejie was probably energized by her sister’s presence.”
“OMG, they’re even wearing matching rings! See photo 9!”
“This is true love! Don’t wake me up from this dream!”
…
The moment the live stream ended, Lou Mi vanished.
Zhuo Jinglan: “Where’s Lou Mi again?!”
Hu Hu pointed at the door. “Mi-jie just left. She said she had something to do and that she’d treat us to dinner later…”
Zhuo Jinglan: “Where did she go?!”
Hu Hu shrugged. “I don’t know, she didn’t say.”
Xie Buyu: “Obviously on a date. Didn’t you see her little sister waiting for her?”
Zhuo Jinglan: “…”
“Lan-jie, you’ve been single for too long. You need a partner, it’s bad for your health.”
“What?! You’re single too, what right do you have to say that?”
Xie Buyu put her arm around Fu Tu. “Who said I’m single? Isn’t my wife right here?”
Zhuo Jinglan: “???”
Fu Tu struggled in her embrace. “Who’s your wife? Let go of me.”
“We slept together, so you’re my wife.”
“That was because of a bet!”
“So I didn’t satisfy you?”
“…”
“Another bet tonight?”
“You pervert.”
Zhuo Jinglan, dumbfounded: “…” Wait a minute, do you guys even remember we’re in the middle of the World Cup?
Chi Lin waited for Lou Mi in the VIP area, wearing a staff pass Lou Mi had given her, granting her access to all areas. While waiting, she browsed the National Library’s digital archives, finding the culture section, filled with books on cultural exchange.
One series alone had 32 volumes, each over a thousand pages. There were dozens of similar series, and countless individual articles.
Chi Lin felt a wave of nausea at the sheer volume of text.
Information on past life regression was also a priority, but most of it was esoteric, likely fabricated. She had to sift through it all to find something useful. She had already read millions of words, a daunting task even for a book lover.
Chi Lin started with the tables of contents, hoping to save time.
As she was reading, she felt a warmth approaching from behind.
“Jiejie,” she said, without turning around. “Have you forgotten our little incident in the pond? Aren’t you afraid of a repeat performance?”
Lou Mi, who had been trying to sneak up on Chi Lin, stopped. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Chi Lin put her phone away. “That was a reflex, not intentional.”
“What are you reading?”
“Just catching up on some studying.”
“Oh, I thought you were rewatching my match. How did I do?” Lou Mi asked, hands behind her back, fishing for compliments.
Chi Lin smiled. This Lou Mi, so different from the fierce warrior in the game, was just a child. “You were amazing.”
“And since I was so amazing, do I get a reward?” Before Chi Lin could answer, Lou Mi leaned in, batting her eyelashes.
Noticing the numerous staff members passing by, Chi Lin lightly touched her shoulder. “This is a public place, behave yourself.”
“Oh, then let’s go home and misbehave.”
Chi Lin: “…”
Lou Mi enjoyed flustering her. Ruffling Chi Lin’s hair, she said, “I’m starving. Let’s get something to eat before we go home.”
“What do you want to eat?”
“Hot pot! And dessert!”
As they walked through the empty VIP parking lot, Lou Mi saw a notification about a new Return to Jianghu update, with new maps and events. She was eager to try it.
“You go ahead and play,” Chi Lin said, knowing how much the game meant to Lou Mi.
“Come play with me. Didn’t you create an account?”
Chi Lin hesitated. The photos of her with Tan Luo were still circulating online. She had also felt like someone was taking pictures of her at the match today. She wasn’t sure what kind of storm was brewing online. Would it be too risky for her and Lou Mi to appear in the game together?
Lou Mi scoffed. “Don’t pay attention to those online rumors, they’ll rot your brain. If you live your life worrying about what others think, you’ll never be happy.”
They both logged into Return to Jianghu.
The moment Lou Mi appeared, her friends bombarded her with messages.
“Lou Jiejie’s online?”
“Online right after the match? What’s going on?”
“She’s not alone, I’m in the same map.”
“OMG, she’s with that noob again!”
“What noob? That’s our little sister! Who knew the fearsome HighTowerMiyuki was such a doting sister… Taking her little sister to play right after the match?”
“So that’s why she finished the match so quickly. She was thinking about her date.”
“Looking at the match time again: 13 minutes 14 seconds. Holy crap, it’s a confession! 1314 (forever)!”
“OMG?! 1314? Lou Jiejie is so smooth!”
…
Chi Lin logged into her existing account. Wearing tattered armor and wielding a beginner’s sword, she looked like a beggar compared to Lou Mi, decked out in top-tier gear.
Lou Mi, slightly embarrassed by Chi Lin’s appearance, shook her head. “Come on, let’s get you a new outfit.”
The in-game store offered a variety of cosmetic items, but they weren’t cheap. Even common outfits started at 299 RMB, with rare ones costing thousands, not to mention limited edition items.
Lou Mi browsed the store, having Chi Lin try on various outfits. With a click and a swipe, Chi Lin would instantly change clothes, too quickly for her to even register the transformation.
Knight, Daoist, military uniform…
Nothing seemed to suit Chi Lin’s unique aura.
“Come on, I’ll take you somewhere.” Forgetting about the new maps, Lou Mi remembered the boss on the third floor of the Snowy Peak Dungeon dropped the Nether Star Snow Robe and the Lunar Crown Staff. She had to get Chi Lin a decent outfit. Though difficult to obtain, they were stunning, far more beautiful than any store-bought item.
Due to the dungeon’s difficulty and the low drop rate, only a handful of players owned both items, and most of them were auctioned off on Caps, the in-game trading website.
They left the city and hired a carriage.
As they rode towards the Snowy Peak, fireworks lit up the sky.
Chi Lin enjoyed the world of Return to Jianghu. While she didn’t understand its mechanics, its landscapes and characters resonated with her, reminding her of Dayuan.
Gazing out the carriage window at the fireworks, she felt a surge of excitement. “What festival is this? Why is it so lively?”
Lou Mi: “Probably Xue Cai Festival.”
Chi Lin: “?”
Just then, a burst of golden fireworks erupted in the distance, forming words in the sky: “Wishing Lou Jiejie and Fairy Chi a happy marriage!”
A few seconds later, another burst formed a heart around the words “Xue Cai CP,” illuminating the night sky.
Chi Lin: “…” Even in the game, there’s no escaping the marriage pressure, she thought, feeling overwhelmed by this era’s fast pace and impatience, not just for their own lives, but for everyone else’s.
“So slow…” Lou Mi, restless after five minutes, was a prime example of modern impatience. She tossed the driver ten taels of silver (in-game currency). The driver cracked his whip, and the carriage sped up.
Initially, it was just a light flurry, but as they continued, the snow intensified, the sun rising to reveal a vast, white landscape.
“We’ve arrived at the Snowy Peak!” the driver announced, jumping down and opening the door for them.
Before them stood a majestic city, nestled against a towering snow-capped mountain. Chi Lin stared, awestruck. Last time, they had been transported directly to the mountain, seeing only a vast expanse of white. This view, from a distance, was far more impressive.
“I can only take you this far,” the driver said. “The Snowy Peak is dangerous. Be careful.”
Chi Lin bowed to the driver. “Thank you for your warning…”
The other players passing by chuckled at her formal gesture. Lou Mi quickly pulled her away. “Please, don’t talk to the NPCs!”
Chi Lin: “?”
The reason the two items Lou Mi wanted were so difficult to obtain was because the quality of dropped items depended on the clear time. Only by defeating the boss within one minute was there a chance of getting the Nether Star Snow Robe and the Lunar Crown Staff. Items dropped after one minute were considered trash.
The dungeon was so challenging that even a full ten-person team of top-ranked players rarely cleared it within a minute.
The record clear time belonged to Lou Mi and A Bao. They had made history here, setting a record of 58.34 seconds, which had also marked the beginning of their bitter rivalry.
Lou Mi had never imagined returning to this place, but now, with Chi Lin, she felt no resentment, only happiness. Chi Lin’s presence had painted over the unpleasant memories with a vibrant, sweet color.
On their way to the Snowy Peak, Lou Mi had discovered Chi Lin’s talent. The treacherous paths, a nightmare for even experienced players, posed no challenge to Chi Lin. Lou Mi had planned to carry her up the western cliff, the slightly easier route.
But Chi Lin had refused. “I can do it myself.”
“It’s really difficult. I died several times my first time here.”
“Let me try.”
And she had succeeded on her first attempt.
Lou Mi: “…” Watching Chi Lin, now a small dot on the peak, Lou Mi’s first thought was: She’s a natural. Her second thought was: Why is it so hard to take advantage of her?
The first two levels of the Snowy Peak Dungeon were easy; Lou Mi could solo them blindfolded. Wielding her flamethrower, she lured the second level boss out of the cave. They stood before a massive, dark entrance.
[System Notification:
Destination: Snowy Peak Dungeon, Level 3.
Recommended Level: 100]
Chi Lin: “I’m only level 66. Can I do this?” She had started as a new player, but leveling up was fast in high-level areas with Lou Mi carrying her.
Lou Mi: “This game is very flexible. As long as you can fight, you can go anywhere, regardless of your level. Equip the gear I gave you.”
Chi Lin opened her inventory, a window appearing before her. Selecting the Golden Scale Armor, the Kirin Boots, the Ruyi Cap, and the Qiankun Twin Blades, she transformed, now glowing brightly, but… her midriff and thighs were exposed.
Chi Lin: “…”
Lou Mi: “Ahem, don’t mind the details. This set is ugly, but it’s the best I could forge for a low-level player. It’s perfect for your current level, it’ll prevent you from being one-shotted by the boss. As long as you can hold the boss’s attention and survive two attacks, I can kill it within a minute. The dungeon is full right now, we have to queue. I’ll explain the strategy while we wait. Listen carefully.”
Lou Mi detailed the strategy, down to the specific timing and positioning of each move. Even she found it complex, but when she asked Chi Lin to repeat it, Chi Lin recited it perfectly, without missing a single detail.
Seeing Lou Mi’s stunned expression, Chi Lin asked, worried, “Did I say something wrong?”
Lou Mi sighed. “You’re a genius.”
It was their turn. They entered the dungeon.
The other players queuing behind them, all in ten-person teams, were baffled. Are they crazy? Challenging the Nine-Tailed Cat with only two people?
“Idiots. They’ve never faced the Nine-Tailed Cat before, have they?”
Their team leader smacked them on the head. “You idiot, do you know who that is?”
“Ow… who?”
“HighTowerMiyuki!”
“What?! My idol?! Then who’s the other person?”
“Looks like a level 66 noob.”
“They’ll be shredded! Even HighTowerMiyuki can’t carry a noob through this dungeon.”
They started betting on how long HighTowerMiyuki and the noob named “Lin” would last.
“Five minutes, tops. If it weren’t for HighTowerMiyuki, they’d be dead the moment the Nine-Tailed Cat appears.”
“Not necessarily. That noob reached the Snowy Peak on her first try. She might be a hidden expert.”
“What? First try? You’re kidding, right? Unless HighTowerMiyuki was controlling her character, it’s impossible. I’ve been playing for three years, and I still fell twice today…”
“I’m not kidding, I saw it with my own eyes.”
As they argued, a blue light flashed at the dungeon entrance. Someone emerged.
Silence.
They checked the timer: 48.34.
48 seconds?
A new record?
Lou Mi and Chi Lin walked out, Chi Lin slightly disappointed that despite clearing the dungeon within a minute, they hadn’t gotten the desired items.
Lou Mi, however, was stunned. “What just happened… 48 seconds?” She looked back at the timer, making sure she hadn’t misread it.
She and Chi Lin, on her first run, had just defeated the Nine-Tailed Cat in 48 seconds, setting a new record?
“But the items you wanted didn’t drop.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll queue again after the cooldown. I have a feeling we’ll get them today.”
Chi Lin looked up at the leaderboard displayed above the entrance. HighTowerMiyuki and Lin’s names were at the top, followed by their time and the words “New Record” in flashing red letters.
Below them, HighTowerMiyuki’s name appeared again.
[2: HighTowerMiyuki, A Bao 58.34]
Chi Lin: “So you and A Bao came here before.”
Lou Mi: “Ahem, ahem, it’s that incident I told you about.”
Chi Lin nodded slowly. Lou Mi’s heart raced, relieved she had confessed earlier.
“Jiejie, can I use the shield that dropped?”
“Huh? Sure.”
Chi Lin immediately equipped it, her eyes gleaming with determination. She was ready to conquer the dungeon.
They played until midnight, finally obtaining the Lunar Crown Staff. The other item could wait. More importantly, they improved their record to 46.11 seconds, a seemingly unbeatable time.
Over late-night snacks, Lou Mi asked, “Have you ever considered going pro? You’re the most talented player I’ve ever seen.”
Chi Lin: “It was just luck.”
Lou Lixing, sitting beside them, said, “Xiao Lin is still young. Let her finish her college entrance exams before she thinks about her career.”
Lou Mi knew it wasn’t her place to influence Chi Lin’s career choices, especially considering the high risk of occupational hazards in esports. She didn’t want Chi Lin to damage her precious brain.
…
The news of the new Snowy Peak Dungeon record swept through the Return to Jianghu forums and other gaming communities. Everyone knew HighTowerMiyuki and her little sister had shattered the previous record, “Lin” replacing “A Bao” on the leaderboard.
In her coastal villa, A Bao’s phone buzzed incessantly. She ignored it; it was probably all about Lou Mi.
But… little sister? Chi Lin?
A Bao tapped her fingers on the armrest of her chair, her face hidden in the dim light of a single nightlight.
After a long silence, she pressed enter, connecting a video call with Xiao V.
“That Chi Lin… there’s something strange about her.”
Xiao V, holding a pet snake, looked intrigued. “Strange how?”
A Bao paused. “You’ve always wanted to try that method, haven’t you? Now’s your chance.”
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