Yingning's thoughts were plain on her face. If I hadn't gripped her sleeve tightly, she'd have jumped into the Great Pit ages ago.

No need to think! Just pull them all out!

Why wait for such a windfall—a luck only novel protagonists get?

A comeback! We're counting on these three!

"Wait!"

I had to stop Yingning. I didn't believe in free lunches like that.

I rarely play games. I don't know much about them. But I understand people.

Games are made by humans. Designers are human. Players are human too.

Human minds shape the game's flow. Every plot, every system, every choice. Even if humans only set the framework—and a high-IQ Main Brain handles the rest—the world it builds is still the designer's vision.

Like assassination: know your target inside out, and you can manipulate them easily. Make them die without a clue.

Games work the same. To predict the game, first read the designer's mind. Once you do, you control everything. Clearing it becomes effortless.

So every game is a mind game between designers and players. Those who grasp the designer's thoughts can profit by predicting updates. Most players? They just play blindly. Led by the nose into money pits... Though that was the PC era. Zhuixun II has no greedy planners. Its story designers are hard to read.

But designers are still human. Not random code.

Where there's a human, there's a trace.

"Ah, we've decided!" I covered Yingning's mouth. "You three seniors are all Saint Stage, right? Saint Stage is the backbone of the three clans! You're trapped here by the Stone Sword, unable to leave... For Yader Continent's peace, and to let souls slaughtered by the Demon Clan rest—how about we pull out all your swords?"

"Hmph... I dislike these two. But rationally, your plan is fine... Do it, and I'll keep my promise," replied the seductive female voice.

"No objections."

"Mm. I'll honor the agreement. The Divine Clan is your loyal ally."

"Alright, I'll go down now..." I inched slowly toward the Great Pit. "Oh—just took a quest. It requires uncovering a major event fifty years ago in the JiuHua Anti-Demon Alliance... Couldn't find qualified seniors to ask. May I inquire with you three?"

"Ask. If I know, I'll tell you," replied the Divine Clan's deep voice.

"The quest... In Yader Continent's year 2950, fifty years back, a genius Saint Knight pulled the epic Giant Sword Fire's Joy—rival to Frostmourne. He became a key fighter for the JiuHua Anti-Demon Alliance overnight... I need his name. Everyone's curious. They want to build a plaza in his honor."

I winked at Yingning, signaling her to stay quiet.

"Oh... that event." The Divine Clan voice fell silent briefly. Then he sighed. "Sorry. I can't reveal his name. The Jiuhua Alliance hides it to protect him. He only recently reached Saint Stage... A talent like that? The Demon Clan would stop at nothing to assassinate him and seize Fire's Joy..."

"Pfft..."

I instantly felt intellectually superior to the whole world.