"╭(╯^╰)╮" After watching Li Chou and Luo Mo leave, Lengjiang peeked out from behind He Yucheng. Seeing Li Chou’s dismissive attitude, she felt a trace of unhappiness.
Once Li Chou and Luo Mo were completely out of sight, He Yucheng turned to Lengjiang with a wry smile. "Wife, I’m sorry. I was wrong."
"!!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ？？？？" Startled, Lengjiang had no idea why he was apologizing. She knew nothing—had she accidentally caused more trouble by tagging along?
"I’ll get you a better one later to make up for it," He Yucheng said earnestly. Lengjiang stared at him, utterly confused—
"￣ω￣= Um…" she stammered.
"Master, what did you do? What happened?" Lengjiang only knew two people she disliked had come to stir trouble; beyond that, she was completely in the dark.
"Uh… Wife, maybe use fewer honorifics from now on? It sounds a little… odd," He Yucheng said with a faint, teasing smile. He’d wanted to mention it—constant formal address made him feel distant.
"ヾ(๑╹◡╹)ﾉ" Got it~ But I still wanna use them~~ It’s a game habit~" Lengjiang chirped playfully. He Yucheng gave a light whistle, trying to steer the topic: "Well… suit yourself~"
"￣ω￣= Mm-hmm, Master, what exactly did you do wrong just now?" Lengjiang, ever the one to poke sore spots, pressed on.
"Uh… it’s… really nothing," He Yucheng replied awkwardly. Could he admit he’d handed over an entire palace?
Lengjiang was a scenery enthusiast—a palace-tier residence would’ve thrilled her. But…
Meeting her suspicious gaze, He Yucheng guiltily looked ahead. "Let’s go. We’re heading to Night Castle."
"Oh~~" Lengjiang wanted to ask, but seeing he wouldn’t explain, she let it drop. Probably not important anyway.
They walked a short while until the ruins’ edge. Ahead, beams of light shot skyward. Instinctively, they ducked behind a large stone wall and cautiously peeked out.
Though called the "end of the ruins," a crumbling castle stood ahead, barely holding together. A mysterious white beam erupted from its peak while a massive brawl raged below—around two hundred players, no small scale.
He Yucheng squinted. One side: "Rain-Listening Pavilion." The other… "Gentlemen’s Guild"?
What kind of guild name is that…
Closer inspection revealed flashy outfits—shirtless "macho" members everywhere. Without flashy skill effects, this bare-handed brawl would’ve been painfully awkward to watch…
He Yucheng suddenly covered Lengjiang’s eyes. "Oops!" she yelped as he pulled her back.
"Minors prohibited," He Yucheng said with mock sternness. Lengjiang puffed her cheeks. "I’m of age!"
"Still can’t watch," He Yucheng sighed, amused and exasperated. What even *were* these guild members?
"Are they all hooligans? First time seeing a guild that recruits perverts…"
"So what now~?" Lengjiang knew he had a purpose here. But staying hidden meant doing nothing. Couldn’t they peek? What *was* out there?
She hadn’t looked closely—but curiosity burned. She tried sneaking another glance, but He Yucheng held her firmly. Trapped, she stood behind the wall with a pout.
He Yucheng observed: the two guilds were evenly matched. Casualties mounted, yet formations stayed tight—assassins diving, tanks holding lines, supports shielding. With revival magic from support-type Cursers, the fight could drag on forever.
That light beam… Li Chou mentioned "occupation." Could this be a mini Sovereignty War? Open to all, yet only these two guilds clashed. He set the question aside. The real dilemma: *which side to help?*
Affiliated with Sentinel Tomb, they could only act as reinforcements. He wasn’t Xiaoye with the UltimateArt "Flash Strike." His skills couldn’t wipe out both sides. Only option: tip the scale for one.
Rain-Listening Pavilion had threatened Lengjiang and bounty-hunted him—helping them was unthinkable. Gentlemen’s Guild… *those* half-dressed perverts? He shuddered at the thought.
Logically, aiding Rain-Listening Pavilion might secure a favor, like the Li Chou incident. But Gentlemen’s Guild? Who knew what’d happen. Still—He Yucheng chose them. No hesitation. Because Rain-Listening Pavilion had bullied *his* Lengjiang. Unforgivable. He’d sworn to crush them someday.
Decision made. He just had to accept the awkwardness of Lengjiang seeing *that*.
Next: *how* to turn the tide. Priority: eliminate Rain-Listening Pavilion’s support-type Cursers. Their defense-type Weapon Wielders were blocking Gentlemen’s Guild assassins. Gear-wise, He Yucheng lagged behind. Basic combos? Everyone had them. His role: stall the defenders.
Ideal plan: Lengjiang buffs the assassins with speed and damage. But she never casually buffs strangers—not even Recomposed Words or Moonshadow without He Yucheng begging endlessly.
So it fell to him alone. He took a deep breath. "Wife, buff me up—I’m going in!"
"φ(>ω~<} H-hentai…" She finally understood why he’d blocked her view. *Not suitable for minors*… even if she was an adult.
He Yucheng stood helplessly beside her. Her help would make him unstoppable. Without it? He wouldn’t blame her—just harder fighting. Especially with ten top-500 players on Rain-Listening Pavilion’s side. Taking out their Cursers was critical.
"Wife?" He Yucheng gave her a teasing glance. Her choice.
As if steeling herself, Lengjiang reluctantly raised her staff. A soft glow pulsed from its tip—a silent promise.
"Thanks, good wife," He Yucheng sighed in relief. He’d feared going solo would be useless.
He lifted his gaze across the dazzling skill effects, eyes darting through the chaos. Target: clustered support-type Cursers of Rain-Listening Pavilion. Gentlemen’s Guild assassins were pinned by defense-type Weapon Wielders. His job: control the defenders. Let assassins finish the Cursers.
Easier said than done. Limited control. Hit key targets. Switch fast—thanks to Forced Break.
But Concealment Jade gave him an edge: no minimap icon, blind spots exploited. No wonder Dragon-Tiger Guild coveted it.
After scanning, he spotted four support-type Cursers grouped in a corner. Two Gentlemen’s Guild assassins tried advancing—blocked by two defenders.
No words needed. Their coordination was seamless. He Yucheng dashed forward. Lengjiang tapped her staff. White orbs trailed him, closing in.
They merged into him. Speed doubled. He charged—readying Charged Thrust straight to his target’s back!
"Hm?" Outskirts players spotted him. "Another one’s coming! Stop him!"
Six or seven fighters broke from the fray, rushing He Yucheng while shouting, "Charge! Take him down!"
"…"
"Bro, hold fire! We’re on your side!"
