“Are all the calls showing as unknown?”

Teasing Bai Xia had become Tianzheng’s new little hobby—but he knew when to be serious. After she finished explaining last night’s incident, his expression turned unusually grave.

“Yeah. Even a stranger’s call should show *something*, like the Tianxun ID, right? So… is my Tianxun broken?” Bai Xia nodded, a hint of worry in her voice. Though last night was probably just a fluke, for some reason, it kept nagging at her.

Tianzheng lowered his head in thought, then spoke. “Maybe it’s not the Tianxun.”

“Hm?”

“Put simply, three possibilities. First: your Tianxun malfunctioned—most common. Second: a rare service provider error. Third…” He paused, meeting her eyes. “…the other end deliberately blocked all caller info. That’s why it shows ‘unknown’.”

“The first two are fixable. But if it’s the third… well, *that* gets interesting.”

“What do you mean, ‘interesting’?!”

Bai Xia froze, a chill creeping down her spine—as if some nameless darkness had locked onto her. Tianzheng chuckled softly. “Don’t stress. Could be a prank. Log off later, contact the provider via Tianxun. They’ll check.”

“I don’t think it’s a prank… Never mind. No game-talk.”

She took a deep breath, deliberately closing the topic.

Tianzheng nodded. After orienting themselves among the ruins’ structures, they pressed on.

Deeper in, they found more items—but like the shattered swords and armor at the outskirts, all were utterly worthless.

Bai Xia’s enthusiasm faded with every step.

She was already level 9. This wasted time could’ve had them out of the starting village, exploring the wider world. *She* didn’t mind—but Tianzheng? He’d lost real progress.

Everyone grinds hard in the newbie phase. Past level 10, the Level Ranking Board unlocks—no tangible rewards, but having your name *on top* drives players to grind day and night. Top three even get flashy cosmetic titles (perfect for show-offs!).

Thanks to a massive EXP boost earlier, Tianzheng was already far past level 10—level 11 was just a few mobs away. He’d effortlessly dominate the leaderboard once players flooded out.

If this lost dungeon held *nothing*… yeah, he’d taken a real hit.

But turning back now? Impossible. Even if it meant death—they’d see it through.

…Though if it *still* yielded nothing, Bai Xia sincerely hoped the system would crash *right now*.

As if hearing her wish, by noon they reached the city’s deeper, better-preserved ruins—

“DAMN IT! DAMN IT, DO YOU HEAR ME?! WHY IS THIS PLACE EVEN BARER?!”

They searched the intact complex. Stunned silence. *Nothing.*

The outer zone, though wrecked and littered with broken gear, at least sparked hope—*maybe* a hidden treasure?

Here? Pristine halls, faint echoes of past glory… and absolute emptiness. Not a weapon. Not a potion. Not even a blade of grass.

Bai Xia clutched her head, crouched low, face radiating pure killing intent.

“Why…? My first beloved quest. My first legendary ruin. Two dream opportunities woven together… Should’ve brought joy. So why… *why* like this?”

Tianzheng’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly. *Has frustration broken her?*

She wasn’t broken—just furious. After all that effort? Finding *nothing*? Anyone would snap.

She shot upright, flipped the sky the middle finger—a gesture no good kid should ever mimic—and deadpanned: “System… damn you.”

*Of course.* Even an accidental ancient ruin in the starting village? Places like this shine *mid-game*. How could secrets unveil this early?

…So it *was* a trap.

Exhausted, Bai Xia ignored Tianzheng’s hand stroking her head.

“There, there. Don’t be mad.”

The softness under his palm felt like petting a cat at home. Worried she’d mind, he withdrew his hand reluctantly.

Before he could add more comfort—

Bai Xia sprang up, teeth clenched. “I… *refuse* to accept this!”

“Well… not *totally* surprising. And hey—the system gave 100 gold. Not bad for this stage.”

“Hmph! A measly 100 gold? Pocket change for a beggar?”

Her eyes burned with disdain. Tianzheng smiled wryly. *Minutes ago, she was ready to kiss the system.*

Shaking his head, he pulled out his own discovery reward and sent it via in-game mail. “Take mine too. Don’t let anger hurt you.”