The Jade Serpent vanished in a flash of white light—but not without leaving something behind. Where it disappeared, a jade-green bracelet now lay.

Tianzheng raised an eyebrow. As the one who landed the killing blow, he could pick it up freely.

[Jade Bracelet]: Bracelet, Common grade. Usable by mage-class professions level 5+. Unidentified.

A bracelet?

Even Tianzheng, mentally resilient as he was, felt a flicker of surprise.

What was hardest to drop in-game? Jewelry—necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets. Weapons and armor? Buyable from system shops. Jewelry? Only rarely sold in elusive Mystery Shops. Players got them three ways: slay high-level bosses (low odds), complete tough quests (hard), or craft from materials (tedious). Hence, high-tier jewelry was always in high demand but scarce supply.

Yet this was just a level-6 common monster. First-kill drop rates for basic gear were abysmally low—let alone a bracelet?

True, it was a low-tier white-item requiring magic-users… but Tianzheng was certain: this Jade Bracelet was the very first piece of player-dropped jewelry in the entire game.

But… wasn’t this outcome a little too absurd?

He knew his luck all too well—practically cursed. So why the sudden stroke of fortune? Had switching games actually turned his luck around?

Meanwhile, Bai Xia—who’d leveled up the moment the serpent fell—allocated her new stats and slowly approached. Though Tianzheng dealt the final blow, party XP sharing granted her just enough to level once.

Her gaze naturally landed on his hand. “Huh? Loot dropped? And it’s a bracelet?”

Unfamiliar with games of this era, she had no idea how absurd that was.

Her voice snapped Tianzheng from his thoughts. He tossed the bracelet to her without a word.

Bai Xia fumbled to catch it. After checking, a hint of disappointment crossed her face. “Ugh. Needs identification *and* mage-only?”

She moved to return it, but he waved dismissively. “Useless to me. Keep it.”

“Me? But you looted it! I’m not even a mage—”

Noting her hesitation, Tianzheng shot her a brief glance, then turned toward the forest depths. “Auction it later. List it in the system shop or online marketplace back at the newbie village. At this stage… it’ll fetch a good price.”

“Money?”

At the word, Bai Xia’s eyes lit up. Money was exactly what she lacked most.

Wait—could she actually earn real cash *in-game* to support herself? Unlinking the login device now would refund barely over ten thousand credits… and that’d dwindle fast. Job hunting in her state? Nearly impossible. Other schemes? Not feasible. But right here… a path opened.

Earning through gaming wasn’t a pipe dream. As a groundbreaking full-dive VRMMO, with effort, survival seemed possible. Players here had deep pockets. Land rare gear by luck, or grind crafting professions—profit was within reach. Earning while playing beat scrambling for random jobs any day.

Yes. Decided.

After logging off, she’d check the marketplace. Virtual items were just data… but otakus spent fortunes on 2D characters. Rich players? They’d throw cash around just to flex in *Another World*. With its hype, maybe she *could* live off it. The near future might be tough… but ahead? Brilliantly bright.

Lost in planning from start to finish, Bai Xia didn’t notice she’d followed Tianzheng deep into the woods.

Tianzheng watched the bright-eyed assassin girl with quiet amusement, seemingly unconcerned about ambushes. He knew that look—a burning hunger for money. He’d seen countless such eyes over the years. Revolting. Nauseating.

Yet… he felt no disgust toward *her*.

Her face stayed neutral, but those sparkling eyes reminded him of a hamster stuffing peanuts into its cheeks—refusing to stop even when bursting full. Somehow… kinda cute.

Tch. So it really *is* a looks-based world?

Recalling wrinkled, walnut-faced, greasy middle-aged men barking like rabid dogs… then glancing at this petite, doll-like girl beside him—Tianzheng had an epiphany.

*Ah. Next time, tell those small-fry execs: skip meetings. Send daughters or granddaughters with the files. At least my sanity stays intact.*

Wait… would that raise eyebrows?

Lost in thought, Tianzheng’s mind had wandered too.

Then—reality hit.

They’d unknowingly stepped into monster territory. Six sleek-furred gray wolves now surrounded them, eerie green eyes locked firmly on the pair.

[Forest Wolf]: Level 5 Common Monster. HP 260. A mutated wolf that occasionally grazes on grass. Generally docile, but fiercely territorial. One poses little threat; a pack demands swift retreat.

*Grazing… wolves?* Bai Xia had panicked at first—but the description nearly made her snort. Do wolves *really* eat grass?

As if answering, a wolf at the edge tore a mouthful of grass and chewed contentedly. Bai Xia went speechless.

Still… liking grass didn’t make them vegetarians. And “fiercely territorial” meant *they’d blundered right in*.

Bai Xia gulped. Against one wolf? Maybe she’d charge with her dagger. But *six*? And they clearly didn’t honor single combat.

All hope pinned on Tianzheng. She tried a cute, disarming smile—but her naturally blank lolita face betrayed her. “Pro… you’ll handle them, right? You’re so strong—you’ll wipe them all out!”

The man’s expression darkened. He said nothing.