The little redhead ultimately didn't get to enjoy her barbecue feast.
That afternoon, Xiao Lang bought a high-speed train ticket and rushed back to Zaomen, determined to collect all the heroes at the wishing pool and claim the title of second place in the entire server.
Chen Jianhai didn't quite understand why Xiao Lang was so impulsive, leaving at the drop of a hat.
After all, the wishing pool wasn't going anywhere—it was right there in Lion Castle Hotel.
Whether he summoned heroes today or tomorrow made no real difference.
But Xiao Lang insisted that the server-wide faction war was happening at 8 PM that night.
Their guild had been getting crushed by the top two factions for days.
He *had* to collect all the heroes before 8 PM to turn the tide.
Before leaving, Xiao Lang even set Chen Jianhai's hero roster to private, preventing others from snooping on his account.
He repeatedly warned Chen Jianhai to stay low-key, quietly familiarize himself with the game mechanics, and avoid showing off—anything to maintain the element of surprise!
When the faction war began at 8 PM,
the moment he and Chen Jianhai unleashed their two Jiang Ziyas wielding God-Slaying Whips,
the battlefield would tremble.
Forget ten maxed-out Nezhas—
even twenty maxed-out Li Jings wouldn't stand a chance!
"Bro! I'll try to make it back by 8 PM tonight."
"If I don't, log in at 7:50, turn on voice chat, and follow my lead. I'll tell you where to go—just press whichever skill lights up! We'll crash the server with our dominance!!"
Chen Jianhai waved off Xiao Lang's anxious reminders with a carefree grin.
"Relax, bro!"
"I've commanded countless epic battles in the canyon over the years. Even if my *God Sealing Summoner* mechanics are rusty, my game sense is flawless."
"Even without your guidance, I'll hold the fort!"
---
That night, Chen Jianhai went on a rampage.
It was a massacre.
A one-sided slaughter.
An unfair war between cheaters and ordinary players!
Beneath the radiant Karma Tree in *God Sealing Summoner*'s vibrant world, Chen Jianhai swept through the battlefield. A single swing of his God-Slaying Whip harvested 3,000 kills.
By the end, he and Xiao Lang camped outside the enemy respawn point, ensuring instant death the moment they stepped out.
As the chat flooded with furious insults, Chen Jianhai—for the first time ever—didn't retaliate.
As a cheater, he silently endured the abuse… while gleefully racking up more kills!!!
*Damn, this is even more satisfying than base racing in the canyon!*
Chen Jianhai and Xiao Lang fought until 3 AM, cementing their infamy and enduring eternal scorn from the server before finally logging off, satisfied, and drifting into blissful sleep.
---
"Chairman Qin, you wanted to see me?"
At Digital Spark Game Development Company, the bespectacled man knocked and entered Qin Li's office.
"Did Boss Chen log into his account last night?" Qin Li asked.
"He did." The man hesitated.
Though they'd given Chen Jianhai the account, as an S-tier beta legend account, they still monitored its data closely to maintain game balance.
Plus, it was valuable testing material.
Qin Li noticed his expression. "What's wrong?"
The man sighed. "Boss Chen joined *Landscape of Time*, our most popular server. Yesterday's active player count was 20,000. Today, it halved."
Qin Li blinked, then burst out laughing.
"This kid's incredible! He single-handedly killed a server on his first day?"
The man stood there, miserable.
"How's the video performing?" Qin Li asked.
"Live platform views hit 6 million. Clips are trending on QiliQili, HeiLeYin, MaiLeLe, and DaYaLi too."
"Our tech team rushed to Lion Castle Hotel's wishing pool to record summoning sessions and edited highlights. The reception's been phenomenal."
No one could outdo the developers themselves.
Digital Spark's video production skills dwarfed amateur content creators.
"Per your instructions, we tagged Lion Castle Hotel in every video. *God Sealing Summoner* now tops download charts everywhere. This month's downloads and new registrations are 7 times last month's."
"We expanded from 16 planned new servers to 46. Older servers are also scaling up."
The man spoke more confidently now.
Though losing heroes and weapons to the wishing pool had cost them some negligible revenue, Qin Li's quick thinking had turned disaster into triumph.
Instead of banning Lan Qiuming, they'd embraced the meme, editing and promoting the clip while subtly steering discourse. The game's popularity skyrocketed.
New players and returning veterans flooded in, massively boosting market share.
But…
"Chairman Qin, that wishing pool is *haunted*!"
"Ten tech team members went to Lion Castle Hotel. Five who made wishes emptied the 5-star roster *and* pulled Jiang Ziya. The other five followed normal summoning rates—one 5-star per 100 pulls on average."
The man's voice trembled with disbelief.
Qin Li's eyes gleamed briefly before he chuckled.
"Lion Castle Hotel is also called the Magic Hotel, right next to Magic Century Theme Park. Maybe it's got some feng shui going on."
"Proceed as planned—focus on storylines and dungeons. Massively tweak dungeon difficulty to retain these players!"
"Yes, Chairman Qin!" The man nodded firmly and left.
---
Once alone, Qin Li lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.
On his desk sat a family photo:
Qin Mengqiu, in graduation robes, stood between Qin Li and his wife, her dark hair cascading as she smiled sweetly.
"Boss Chen… I've just handed you a goldmine."
Qin Li picked up the photo, his gaze tender.
Since he'd secured his daughter a position at Chen Jianhai's hotel, it was only fair both sides benefited.
Once gamers learned about Lion Castle Hotel's wishing pool, countless whales would flock there to summon.
While 5,000 yuan a night might deter some, many gamers happily spent far more in-game.
As the hotel's occupancy and the pool's fame grew, Chen Jianhai would reap profits and reputation—while Qin Mengqiu would inherit a thriving operation upon her return.
A win-win for all.
In fact, the moment Qin Li heard about the wishing pool incident, he'd already begun paving his daughter's path.
Everything—meticulously planned.
Now, it was up to Chen Jianhai to seize this opportunity.
---
Whether Chen Jianhai could seize it remained to be seen.
But Lan Qiuming had certainly capitalized on it.
While Digital Spark quietly manipulated the narrative, Langyi Hotel's PR team worked overtime.
The entire department focused on Lan Qiuming, editing and promoting his wishing pool footage.
Lan Qiuming, thrilled to have seniors boosting his exposure, authorized Lion Castle Hotel to repurpose his content.
Overnight, his popularity among gaming streamers exploded. Clips spread like wildfire, even dragging Hua Du Xiaoxiao back into the spotlight.
Moreover,
after Lan Qiuming's stream, Lion Castle Hotel's bookings surged. Lin Suyang couldn't have been prouder.
*See?!*
*Opportunity favors the prepared!*
If not for the boss installing that wishing pool, no amount of effort would've worked!
Now, he longed to stand before Chen Jianhai and declare:
"Behold, boss! This is the empire we've built for you!!"
"Isn't it beautiful~"
---
As dusk painted Nanjiang gold, sunlight filtered through clouds onto the cobblestone streets.
People strolled the sandy shores, while streetlights and neon signs bathed the coastal resort in vibrant hues.
Unlike Chunyang Province's hustle and bustle,
here, reclining on a beach chair with coconut juice in hand, Huang Ning lost herself in the music drifting across the sand.
*"Wake up, the world holds storms and sunshine alike."*
*"Step outside, let the breeze lull you lazy."*
*"They preach experience and the grind of life,"*
*"Yet none notice the extra layer of ketchup on your favorite fried chicken stall today~~"*
On the golden beach,
An Xia strummed his guitar, surrounded by an enraptured audience. Twinkling fairy lights turned it into an intimate concert.
Langyi Hotel's Poolside Bar usually opened at 8:30 PM.
Though it offered cocktails earlier, live music was new.
An Xia's shift started at 8:30, leaving him free to sing on the beach until then.
That afternoon, post-nap, inspiration struck. He'd hauled his speaker and guitar to the shore, singing joyfully for hours.
Huang Ning had listened attentively the entire time.
*"How does Langyi Hotel find these people… Aside from Zhu Tingting, this guitarist is another gem!"*
She'd scrutinized An Xia all afternoon—his looks, vocals, and physique all met industry standards.
*"With some professional training and a reality show debut… He could go far."*
Her eyes sharpened.
With her company's former top star gone, Huang Ning urgently needed fresh talent.
Even on vacation, work occupied her thoughts.
But such musings felt out of place amid this scenery.
*Ring ring~*
Her phone chimed.
"Ms. Huang, this is Laurice from Langyi Hotel, your dedicated concierge."
"You reserved a table at our Sunken Ship Deep-Sea Restaurant. Will you be dining as planned tonight?"
"Due to a cancellation, we can move you to a window seat. Is that acceptable?"
"Perfect. Your reservation is updated. We look forward to serving you."
"Goodbye~"
The sweet, soothing voice left even Huang Ning—a woman herself—feeling pampered.
As Nanjiang's only underwater restaurant, Sunken Ship had been fully booked since opening.
Yet to ensure guests' enjoyment, the hotel always reserved tables for in-house patrons.
After nearly a year, the seabed view had only grown more breathtaking.
Pristine sand blanketed the rusted ship's deck, while vibrant pink and yellow coral reefs thrived alongside it.
Colorful fish darted among the corals, and sea snails crept lazily along the mast.
Further out, shimmering schools of fish swirled in mesmerizing storms—slightly unsettling, yet undeniably stunning.
As Huang Ning admired the view, a server approached with her meal.
Plump, tender foie gras glistened under a glossy layer of black caviar, garnished with green herbs, white shavings, and cherry tomatoes—a feast for the eyes.