The sudden system alert left Ling Mo momentarily stunned. “Is it over already?”

“Mm…” Xia Xinyan nodded, unsurprised. “About time. Difficulty’s bound to ramp up from here.”

After a brief pause, Ling Mo frowned slightly. “So… we can’t bluff our way past them like before?”

“Mm.”

“Then… how did you know that trick would work earlier?”

“The game already gave us the hint,” Xia Xinyan replied with a slight smile.

Beyond boosting raw power, *Realm of Divine Descent* prioritized teaching players how to handle danger and think on their feet—skills sometimes more vital than brute strength.

Put plainly? It taught you how to exploit loopholes.

Take the instance’s opening notice: the Protection Association would attack anyone *they identified* as participants. Meaning—they hadn’t confirmed who was actually in the reality show. (Not that random tourists’d vacation here anyway. But that’s the setting. Unreasonable? Too bad.)

Players could use that ambiguity to stay safe—a clear edge for female players or those with delicate features. So yeah, character customization *did* matter.

…Unless you didn’t know how to use it. Then it meant nothing.

Later stages, though, slammed most loopholes shut. Final phases tested real skill. After all, loophole-hunters alone couldn’t take down invaders during the *Great Cataclysm*.

Case in point: now the Association targets *all* participants. Bluffing’s off the table. Next encounter? One side walks away. The other doesn’t.

Ling Mo’s shoulders tightened. “Should we… keep a low profile?”

“No.” Xia Xinyan studied the map. “Head to Flat Top Mountain. Spot the Association? Take them out.”

Ling Mo froze. “…Isn’t that reckless?”

“Isn’t that the fun part?” She tilted her head slightly. “Bonus missions *encourage* hunting them. And our gear’s solid—doesn’t charging in sound thrilling?”

Ling Mo glanced at his rifle.

She had a point.

*Tch. Since when am I less gutsy than a girl?*

He took a slow breath, pictured the gunfire, mentally pumped himself up, and nodded. “Alright. Charge straight in.”

This was the real gunfight he’d dreamed of. Backing out now? Pathetic. He’d hate himself.

Besides—he wasn’t totally green. Never touched a real rifle, sure, but he’d run with the gel blaster crew and played real-life CS. Some experience counted.

Seeing his resolve, Xia Xinyan smiled.

*Not bad. Truly living up to being my past self.*

Zero hesitation—that alone beat two-thirds of players.

…Okay, maybe *she’d* nudged him.

But result’s result.

Flat Top Mountain sat near the island’s center, close to spawn. “Mountain” was generous—low elevation, easy climb. But thick grass choked the area, wrecking visibility. A double-edged sword.

Her plan: clear three supply points en route. Probably wouldn’t finish in an hour—but she never aimed to. Clearing this instance wouldn’t be *that* simple.

For Ling Mo? Pure stealth-and-gunplay immersion.

*(And rack up NPC kills for points.)*

The first supply point lay nearby. Using tall grass for cover, they slipped close. The clearing held five girls in pink uniforms circling supply crates, rifles ready, faces sharp with hostility.

Xia Xinyan pulled Ling Mo prone, shifted beside him, and whispered almost into his ear: “Ready. Three… two… one—fire!”

Her breath brushed his ear. He shivered slightly, then steadied himself, raised his rifle, and gave a low “Mm.”

Xia Xinyan shot him a surprised glance.

*…Tch. Already immune?*

—Fine, she admitted it: she’d done it on purpose.

Watching this guy’s flustered reactions? Hilarious.

And hey—Ling Mo *was* her past self. Tormenting herself? Totally fair.

*When did I get this quirk?*

*…Guess last life was too repressed.*

She shook it off, settled prone beside him, aimed at the farthest girl. “Ready… Three, two, one—fire!”

Triggers pulled near-simultaneously. Ling Mo moved faster—four targets down in seconds. Xia Xinyan? One hit.

After the last enemy vanished in white light, they waited. No reinforcements. Cautiously, they emerged. Ling Mo checked the crate; Xia Xinyan scanned the perimeter.

Mostly ammo and spare rifles. Little useful—mostly because they were maxed out. Otherwise, Ling Mo would’ve looted it all.

“Don’t sweat it,” Xia Xinyan said, noting his wistful look. “Plenty more chances to test these guns. Focus on clearing the instance. Too much gear slows you down.”

“I know…” He ran a hand over the rifles with quiet regret. “If supplies aren’t helpful… do we still hit the other two points?”

“Absolutely.” She nodded. “Same tactic. And your aim back there? Seriously sharp.”

Flustered, he smiled. “Ah… just okay.”

She slung her rifle and stepped forward. “Let’s go.”

*Easy to please. One compliment lights him up.*

*Not bad. If he feels confident enough to handle everything ahead… saves me effort.*