After hanging up, Zhou Qi’an logged into the [Azure] forum.
A line of ellipses spun on the page; the forum was so laggy it was impossible to log in. Just as he was about to give up and try again later, the screen flickered twice, and his account slowly logged in successfully. A flood of new content instantly appeared before his eyes.
The moment he saw the homepage, Zhou Qi’an’s pupils dilated slightly.
“When a whale falls, all things live.”
It was followed by a prominent [HOT] tag, and the reply count had already reached over fifty pages. Han Li was always lurking on the forums, so she must have called him the moment she discovered it. For the reply count to be this astonishing in just a few minutes was incredible.
Except for the light blue header at the top of the forum, the content section was mostly white. The blood-red title, like words written in blood on white paper, exuded an ominous aura—
[…The “Map Cannon” that everyone has been talking about recently is the owner of the Holy Artifact and the Death Curse Bone.
As a bug-like “Inverse Data User,” and the only player whose initial species evolution direction is a whale, if someone can kill this special inverse data user, it will push everyone else’s evolution a step further.]
It sounded a bit absurd, but the Whaler’s Association had added a few more lines below:
[…Tielu Mall, Guangcheng Elementary – Lecture Hall, Li City – Beacon Lookout, Yujingxiang Residential District… Fifteen instance portals will soon open. The increase in a large number of high-difficulty instance portals is closely related to his existence. The whale is the true hegemon of the ocean. If he does not die, the game will continue to open a large number of five-and-a-half-star instances to balance the data.]
Zhou Qi’an sneered. The five-and-a-half-star instances were clearly designed by the Whaler’s Association, yet they were pinning all the blame on him.
As for whether the “Map Cannon” and the Holy Artifact owner were the same person, if anyone wanted to verify this conclusion, they could find clues. A newcomer possessing both of the game’s only two items that had ever triggered server-wide announcements, who was also rumored to frequently blow up instances, and the first five-and-a-half-star instance was indeed opened by him. All these coincidental and not-so-coincidental factors stacked together, other players would likely believe ninety-nine percent of what was said about the species evolution direction.
The current discussion was indeed leaning towards the Whaler’s Association’s claims being true.
“Is this legit? What’s an ‘Inverse Data User’? Is that like a data bug?”
“The Whaler’s Association seems to have a lot of players with precognition skills. Anyway, their intelligence is always accurate.”
“Does any other association have a seer? Can’t they just check?”
Players with precognition talents were already rare, and their predictions were mostly focused on game instances. No one would risk the backlash of helping someone else verify a claim. Furthermore, to thoroughly verify something, it would require the collaboration of multiple seers.
One reply stated: “We can check if the instance portals are accurate first.”
Zhou Qi’an raised an eyebrow, most of his sleepiness gone. With the prestigious reputation they had built in the past, if the Whaler’s Association could accurately “predict” the instance entrances again, they could completely sway public opinion.
“Aren’t they afraid I’ll reveal their former identities as ‘Goalkeepers’?” Zhou Qi’an thought of a possibility. He tried to post a thread to test it, and sure enough, a dialog box coldly popped up on the screen: [The thread you are posting contains prohibited words or information.]
The game did not allow posts related to “Goalkeepers.”
Zhou Qi’an shook his head. “Such double standards.” The forum never required threads to be truthful, and since the Whaler’s Association members were former game designers, announcing instance entrances in advance wasn’t a violation. It wasn’t much use for players to avoid the entrances anyway, as that was only one way to enter an instance. As long as they were strong enough, they could still be matched into the relevant map by the staff.
He didn’t know if it was an illusion, but from the moment he saw the post, Zhou Qi’an felt like he was being watched by many pairs of eyes. He walked to the balcony and glanced down coldly. A dark shadow seemed to flash by.
“Are they that impatient?” More than one person had bought information about the Holy Artifact from Red Hood. It seemed someone had already done their background check.
“Red Hood…” Zhou Qi’an narrowed his eyes. It was time to settle that score as well.
Not planning to waste too much time on this, he was about to log out of the forum when his gaze suddenly tightened, as if he had seen something unbelievable.
[Shocking! The Whaler’s Association’s love turned to hate. Whoever believes them is an idiot.]
[…What whale? Cut the crap!]
The post began with civility to attract readers. Zhou Qi’an felt it was quite unfair. This wasn’t considered a prohibited word, but his was.
[…Why does the “Map Cannon” have the Holy Artifact? Why can he accurately enter a five-and-a-half-star instance to seize the hidden item? Ha, wasn’t it because the leader of the Whaler’s Association used the power of the entire guild to calculate it? The power of precognition is truly yours! There is only one truth. The leader of the Whaler’s Association and the “Map Cannon” had a romantic entanglement in the past. The leader loved him to the point of losing all self-respect, while the “Map Cannon” is a “Phoenix Man.” After using the leader to obtain the Holy Artifact and hidden items, the latter immediately wanted to break up to chase after his “White Moonlight.” I advise everyone to mind their own business. Our people were screwed over by this association before!! …Lastly, the one whose initial species evolution direction is actually a whale is the leader of this association! “Whaler’s Association” was a pet name the Phoenix Man came up with to declare his love, meaning “I want to capture you firmly, to never be apart for all eternity.”]
This post was published a few minutes after the previous one, but its reply count had already doubled the other. Only ten percent of players were top-tier gamers; ordinary players still struggling with three or four-star instances weren’t interested in “when a whale falls, all things live.” But the audience for a juicy love story was vast, and the first post was quickly pushed down.
“Holy crap! I feel like this is the real version! The one above is so mystical.”
“Right, right, I also think the logic in this one is smoother. Otherwise, no matter how talented he is, it’s impossible to get two high-level items in a row. There must have been a seer assisting him!”
“Definitely. The Whaler’s Association predicted the instance where the Holy Artifact was and sent the Phoenix Man to get it. On one hand, the leader was brainless for love, but on the other hand, it was also a rational move. If the Whaler’s Association leader’s species evolution is really a whale, that itself affects the data balance. Once she obtained the Holy Artifact, she might face being erased by the game…”
The latest reply was an eloquent essay of several hundred words. Countless “analysis emperors” followed, descending from the heavens.
What made this post more credible was the poster. It was posted from Red Hood’s personal ID. After her Little Red Riding Hood Association replaced the Black Devil Society, her fame as the current leader was high. With her perverse, arrogant, and cruel personality, it was perfectly normal for her to call out the Whaler’s Association after they provoked her.
The wind on the balcony was strong. Zhou Qi’an’s hand trembled in the wind, and his phone almost slipped. “Is this woman insane?” Using slander as a form of clarification.
Knock, knock, knock.
Knock, knock, knock.
A sudden knock came from the door. Zhou Qi’an went to open it.
Outside stood a tall woman with chestnut hair and skin as smooth and white as a doll’s. She was wearing a red coat. At this moment, she raised an eyebrow faintly. “You open your door so casually.”
Zhou Qi’an’s face was calm. Auntie Wang’s apartment was only two floors away. If she pushed him, he would just yell for his mom. His gaze swept down to see Red Hood holding her phone. It wasn’t hard to guess she had written the slanderous post on her way over.
“…” Your night school teacher’s…
Zhou Qi’an didn’t invite her in, leaning against the door with narrowed eyes. He had just showered, and without the cover of a wig and glasses, the corners of his eyes had a natural sharpness. Red Hood had to admit that in just a short period, this young man had grown to a terrifying level.
She put away her phone and got straight to the point. “My evolution progress has reached over seventy-five percent.” Seventy-five percent was a threshold. From this point on, the mortality rate in every instance would be extremely high.
“For the next instance, we can team up.” Red Hood sent a private message, the text carrying a hint of unconscious arrogance, as she laid out the pros and cons. “The Whaler’s Association must see me as a thorn in their side now. If we team up, even if we run into their people in an instance, they won’t be able to focus on both of us.”
“…And when they are dealing with one person, the other will be able to notice and be on guard in advance.”
The air fell into a dead silence. Zhou Qi’an quickly understood the woman’s calculations. Teaming up with him now meant it was highly likely they would be matched into a five-star or even a five-and-a-half-star instance. Red Hood knew this, but stuck at this evolutionary bottleneck, she’d rather take the gamble. If she could survive a five-and-a-half-star instance, she would only need one or two more to complete her evolution. At the same time, with Ying Yu back, she could also offset the matter of selling the Holy Artifact information.
The two of them, one standing inside the door and one outside, communicated only through forum private messages. Neither moved their lips, creating an exceptionally bizarre scene.
Red Hood: “I’ve already contacted the laboratory, willing to be the public bait. I hope they can also send people into the instance.”
The Whaler’s Association was playing the know-it-all on the forum. Since they knew so much, if they could capture one alive, they could surely dig up more interesting secrets. Maybe they could even predict which instance had useful materials. She didn’t believe the officials wouldn’t be tempted. With officials and two killing machines like Zhou Qi’an, the success rate of clearing the instance would be greatly increased. She would only need to be careful of the Whaler’s Association itself.
Zhou Qi’an: “Aren’t you worried about offending this association?”
Red Hood sneered. “I only care about myself.” After completing her evolution, she would run off to the new world. She couldn’t care less if others lived or died.
She suddenly asked, “Do you know why this association is so mysterious?”
Zhou Qi’an gave the reference answer he had gotten from Ying Yu. “Few people.”
Red Hood nodded. “Correct.” There was still an attrition rate for clearing instances. Not all members of the Whaler’s Association could fully evolve either. Even if they went to the new world in the future, they wouldn’t be able to do anything to her.
Zhou Qi’an fell silent. …The process was all wrong, but the conclusion was correct.
“Consider what I said.” Red Hood turned to leave. As she went downstairs, she turned her head slightly. “No matter how much you loathe me, you shouldn’t go against your own survival rate.”
Her heeled boots clattered rhythmically as she descended the stairs, and soon her figure disappeared completely.
Zhou Qi’an was now wide awake. He casually closed the door and stood in place, lost in thought. In the team he had currently assembled, his boss had astonishing combat power, Shen Zhiyi specialized in mental attacks, the university student was in charge of healing, and Ying Yu was a pay-to-win player who could provide various items. They were still missing someone to draw aggro, a position he was originally going to take himself. Red Hood’s presence could perfectly attract firepower. After this incident, the association would probably prioritize dealing with her, which could indirectly shield him from disaster.
“The Whaler’s Association must be furious.” The mystique and style they had built by occasionally releasing information about the game’s blind spots had mostly dissipated. Juicy, love-related gossip could always shatter the filter. The most ridiculous part was that, logically, Red Hood’s story was more plausible than the first one.
Zhou Qi’an slowly opened all the windows to ventilate the room, lit some aromatherapy incense, and stood by the vent. After a long while, he half-closed his eyes. “What bad luck.” Being the subject of a malicious rumor late at night was truly unlucky.
[56007], a semi-abandoned instance.
The antique-style room and modern technology complemented each other, and the light refracted here created a distorted effect.
A man stood by the window, tall and slender, his demeanor still steady. However, the moment he turned around, the display screen beside him was directly shattered.
“Ignorant fools.”
This was also why he loathed most low-level humans. They just parroted what others said. A massive issue was laid out before them, yet they could be bewildered by a piece of unverified romantic gossip. The man closed his eyes, his slightly clenched fingers betraying that he was not as indifferent as he appeared.
If everything had gone smoothly, they could have forced Zhou Qi’an into an instance as soon as possible by creating external chaos. Even if he didn’t enter an instance, dealing with the covetous eyes around him would leave him physically and mentally exhausted. The longer he stayed in the real world, the more trouble there would be, and the exhaustion would only deepen. On the other hand, the accelerating recovery of his memories would also become a burden. No matter how powerful he was, he couldn’t withstand the toll of continuously running high-difficulty instances. The dual burden of physical and mental strain would eventually crush a person. But now, everyone was discussing themes of unrequited love turning into vengeful hate, and something about not “supporting the poor.”
The sound of several chaotic footsteps came from outside, followed by several people pushing the door open. The voice of the leading woman came through before she even entered. “The game…” Seeing the shattered display screen, her words paused, then she continued, “The game just released an announcement.”
One of them handed over their communication device. The game had announced the new instance entrances, exactly the same as the ones they had posted on the forum, but with one addition—
[Danling District — Abandoned Subway Station]
The man frowned, his expression becoming much more serious. This entrance could lead to the instance they were in, but this instance had only been roughly designed before their design qualifications were revoked. It was an uncontrollable test instance.
The woman took a light breath. “This batch of opened instances are all high-difficulty. 56007 was originally planned to be designed as a five-and-a-half-star difficulty.” Under normal circumstances, it would have been announced along with the others, but the problem was that they hadn’t set an anchor point in this instance back then.
“Could it be the game?” In the silence, someone suddenly guessed. “The game wants Zhou Qi’an to be matched into this instance, to use our hands to eliminate him, or to use…” …his hands to severely wound us. The latter half of the sentence was ultimately left unspoken.
The reason was unknown, but everyone had a premonition that Zhou Qi’an would very likely be matched into this instance. With the instance open, to balance the data, the game would either seal them in one place or… have them act as NPCs to complete the instance’s missing elements. But this was also a good thing. No one knew this instance better than them. They could use their home-field advantage to properly help their former teammate fully recover his memories.
The man didn’t respond, only waving his hand slightly, his thoughts unknown. The others tactfully left.
As soon as they were out of the room, the youngest of the group said resentfully, “Making us lose so much face. Didn’t that guy used to be all about reciprocity? Shouldn’t we return the favor a little?”
The others ignored him. Not everyone in the squad had been on good terms back then, and the young man speaking now had often clashed with Zhou Qi’an in the past. As the group went downstairs, each with their own thoughts, the last woman to descend the stairs suddenly turned around and warned, “He Yang, don’t do anything unnecessary.”
The young man named He Yang stood his ground, mumbling an indistinct reply. After the woman left, his eyes darted around, and he suddenly had a great idea. Briefly browsing the existing replies, He Yang found the ID number of a large association. Before entering the instance, Zhao Sanxun had sent them a message saying he had discovered something strange: Zhou Qi’an’s mother seemed to be a player as well. He Yang wasn’t surprised by this at all; it wouldn’t be difficult for the other man to use an instance bug to get a player slot.
“Let’s send him a welcome gift first.” He Yang sent a message to the player with that ID number.
Real World.
A little girl stroked the head of the hound next to her, posting on the forums with a blank expression.
“It’s here.”
Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly. Previously, she had tried to post comments supporting the Whaler’s Association in the gossip thread and pretended to have had a conflict with Zhou Qi’an in an instance, constantly spamming curse posts to attract their attention. But when she saw that the Whaler’s Association wanted to hire players to deal with Zhou Qi’an’s relative, Yuan immediately sneered. This association was even more vicious than she had imagined.
She took a screenshot and sent it to Zhou Qi’an, warning him to be careful. After sending it, Yuan thought again, her brow furrowing slightly. The Whaler’s Association had been educating the public for a long time; this was the first time they had shown such strong aggression.
“Something’s not right.” This association gave her a very strange feeling. They knew so much unknown information, it was impossible for the officials not to investigate their existence. Yet, until now, the Whaler’s Association remained known for its mystery, and no player had ever heard of anyone actually meeting their members. “The laboratory definitely can’t find them either.” This meant the Whaler’s Association’s risk level was very high.
Their current methods also offered a glimpse into their nature. First, they tried to destroy Zhou Qi’an’s spirit, making him fall into a state of long-term fatigue. Now, although romantic gossip was flying everywhere, it didn’t mean Zhou Qi’an was safe. Among the countless players, someone would eventually succumb to temptation. In the game, he had to be wary of instances, and in the real world, he had to deal with assassins. Back and forth, anyone would break down. “Truly dark.”
Although this association was dangerous, she didn’t like to owe people favors. This was a chance to repay him. Just a warning wasn’t enough. After a moment’s thought, Yuan started another thread:
[Confirmed! The Whaler’s Association’s love turned to hate, they’re even trying to kill his mom.]
She started by directly posting a screenshot of the chat, where the Whaler’s Association had promised a great reward to hire her to attack Zhou Qi’an’s mother.
Don’t involve family. The reason everyone was willing to support the Zangwu Laboratory was also the fear of their relatives and friends being affected in the real world. Regardless of whether they had done dirty things in private, once it was brought into the open, it would surely be met with public condemnation. The real world has real laws. Anyone who wanted to break this rule had to pay the price.
Yuan heavily typed another line: [Is this the annihilation of humanity, or the decay of morals! Everyone, please follow me to the Whaler’s Association’s thread and spit on them.]
After posting, she clicked on the original “When a whale falls, all things live” thread:
Pah.
With someone leading, some players who’d had previous encounters with Zhou Qi’an in instances gradually expressed their actions.
Ptui (Enhanced Version.jpg)
Ptui (Justice from Heaven Version.jpg)
tuituituituitui! Making moves against someone’s parents—are you orphans of this beautiful world?
