Waking up refreshed, Yu Yu felt invigorated.
As usual, she checked the forums first.
[Two days ago, Meng vanished out of nowhere. Finally found her today. This NPC's great and all, but she likes to run around everywhere—poof, gone! Look! My empire!]
Thread Starter: [Image] [Image] [Image]
[Heh, this NPC's got a ton of bad habits, but she's pretty cute. Nice voice, too. Boss Yu was right—I'm stoked for her exclusive voice lines!]
[Snuck these shots, but didn't dare lift her hood. Feast your eyes on her chin and imagine the rest. Trust me, she's gorgeous!]
Yu Yu stifled a laugh. [I ate without washing the dishes] was out here leaking Meng's pics?
Senior Meng's about to debut center stage!
Scanning the screenshots, Yu Yu realized Senior Xue had quietly rolled out the screenshot and recording functions.
But it seemed she'd added blockers.
After poking around, Yu Yu couldn't crack them.
At this hour, senior Meng was probably still asleep. @-ing her now wouldn't get a response.
Yu Yu shared the thread link with her and kept scrolling.
[This NPC's awesome, but her affinity's a pain to grind. She loves food, but no matter how much you bring daily, she stingily bumps it up just a smidge. I swear there's a cap—locked to one point per day.]
[Quests give a bit more, but not much. I'm tempted to hire someone to rob her so I can swoop in for a hero-saves-the-day moment (daily daydream).]
[Give her good food, she might smile and nudge the affinity a tad. Bad food? She drops it. Once, I brought the wrong stuff by mistake, and she nearly tanked all my progress. Life's tough, players sigh.]
[Whatever, enough about this cursed NPC. Let's talk something fun.]
[Check out what I found!!!]
[Image] [Image] [Image]
[To grind Chang's affinity, I've been swimming in the inner city moat daily, pretending I'm sneaking in to find the Duchess. Got caught every time, but yesterday, I finally reached her.]
[She's not like Meng. Seems super chill, always smiling. Ahh! I love this NPC! Meng's moody, underworld vibe can take a hike!]
Yu Yu: […Wrong. Senior Meng's got a great temper.]
I ate without washing the dishes: [QAQ Big Shot! Are we playing the same game?]
She proudly @-ed Yu Yu: [Look, Chang's rewards! Way better than Meng's! This is Archon-level clout, right? Love it!]
Yu Yu squinted, eyes widening in shock.
Holy—? Senior Chang's this loaded?
20 Affinity: [Choose any 4th-ring spell]
40 Affinity: [Custom spell optimization]
60 Affinity: [Luxury carriage]
80 Affinity: [Manor]…
Yu Yu's scalp tingled with disbelief.
[One-tap query: Senior Chang's mental state]
She remembered Senior Chang was there when they discussed affinity rewards!
She'd explicitly said not to set them too high!
Is she plotting something big? Overthrowing the Grand Archon?
I ate without washing the dishes: [I leaped for joy. These rewards? My heart and soul are hers! Meng's a nobody! But when I asked…]
[She needs mind-related stuff to boost affinity.]
[Potions, recipes, random junk—she'll raise it based on quality. Problem is, where do we get that stuff? Knew the rewards weren't easy.]
[I'd love to rob her for them, but I don't dare. Sigh, I'll fleece her bald one day!]
Yu Yu slammed the table, hyped.
I've got that! I've got that!
Logging in to find Senior Chang!
Wait…
Something felt off. Is this a trap to bust me?
That manor…
Speaking of manors, Yu Yu thought of her half-elf. Where'd Lynn scamper off to?
Zi Shu and the others said they hadn't seen her.
Her points were positive now. Time to grab a Locate Object spell.
Next time she found Lynn, she'd tag her sword with it.
Meng: [?]
A refresh showed Senior Meng's reply. Yu Yu set her post to "player-hidden" and gleefully responded, [Senior, you're up!]
Meng: [What's this? Why'd she post my pics???]
Yu Yu, holding back laughter, said, [Senior Xue rolled out screenshots. In a couple days, anyone remotely famous in Eternal Darkness will probably hit the forums.]
Meng groaned, [Can't we do something about this?]
The normal posts were fine, but the drooling ones, the "prpr" crowd… Gross.
Unfamiliar with players, Meng was instantly creeped out.
Yu Yu scratched her head. [Want me to use my permission to delete her pics?]
She doubted it'd work. Players with the means would screenshot obsessively. Deleting would only fuel their interest.
Meng pondered.
Yu Yu: [It's just a chin shot. I'll talk to the Federation, curb extreme comments, and nuke them. If you don't want your face out, I'll delete any face-revealing shots too. Sound good?]
Meng sighed, [Guess that's it. That [I ate without washing the dishes]…]
She gritted her teeth.
Yu Yu mentally lit three seconds of candles for [I ate without washing the dishes].
Sigh, Senior Chong knows about her now, and my scheme's busted. Senior Chong's gonna watch her like a hawk…
Sadness.jpg
Logging in.
Yu Yu learned the badge activation spell from the now-calm Grand Archon, then swung by Senior Chang to scope out her rewards. They were legit.
Though it screamed "trap," Yu Yu dutifully handed over her recipe.
Her affinity shot past 21, earning her [Optimized Teleportation]. According to Senior Chang, her Teleportation matched Senior Meng's version.
Both were refined from countless seniors' work, as good as the Grand Archons'. The magic circle's Teleportation upgrades had hit a wall—even Legends struggled to innovate.
Generations of spellcasters treated Teleportation as a core spell, refining and submitting it to the magic circle. People often bought the latest research, and it just… stuck.
Though not yet high-tier, Yu Yu had a fistful of 4th-ring spells.
At level 10 (42500/200000), she was mid-tier, not even peak, but her mental stat was 16, one shy of the high-tier threshold (17).
Her next mental upgrade needed 4 base attribute points. She had 3—just one short!
Each mental boost brought perks. Would this one bring something new?
High-tier was a massive leap, in-game and out. Yu Yu felt a quiet thrill.
Checking her experience—level 11 needed 200,000—she balked at the grind ahead.
At this rate, players' max was high-tier. One attribute point per level, with agonizingly slow leveling, meant high-tier's stat jumps were brutal. Where would players get points?
Maybe future updates would add attribute point sources.
Real-world mission points…
Yu Yu mulled it over, then shelved it.
High-tier first!
Argh, endless cramming!!
Leaving the castle, Yu Yu donned her pain mask. She began pestering Senior Meng, recounting her mainland heroics with dramatic flair, vivid details, and gripping storytelling.
She'd given the badge to Senior You Feng, but Senior Jin Che somehow slipped her another one before she left.
Apparently, Grand Archons' personal badges had unique properties, requiring return to the magic circle.
Pondering, Yu Yu pulled out the Grand Archon's badge, activating it with the specific spell.
Deep blue light bloomed, the words "Feng Ye" floating out, radiant and dazzling.
Yu Yu studied it, noticing tiny stars drifting in the glow, laced with intricate details.
Before she could examine further, a gasp rang out.
"Impossible!"
Yu Yu glanced up to see Senior Meng staring, utterly gobsmacked.
Yup, Yu Yu had been fiddling with the badge while strolling. Barely a few steps into the inner city, she got stopped.
"Senior Meng? You okay?"
Yu Yu pocketed the badge, concerned.
Meng: "I #@?%*&…"
Her incoherent babbling sparked a revelation. Yu Yu snapped a pic and sent it. "Senior, look! The Grand Archon lent me her badge!"
The wolf pup was floored, nearly tearing her book.
Felix had been reading, half-listening to Yu Yu's tales of glory, but now she was losing it.
How?!
She was gone, what, a few days?
What potion did she feed Teacher?
Wolf pup meltdown.jpg
When Felix went silent, Yu Yu felt a pang of disappointment.
She waved at Senior Meng. "Senior? Senior?? Senior???"
Meng muttered, "Your last name's Yu, not Leona. You're not the Grand Archon's secret kid, are you?"
Feng Ye's voice came from nowhere. "Nope."
Meng snapped to, dry-laughing. "Ahem, since the Grand Archon gave it to you, keep it safe. Don't misuse it. It's her trust in you—don't let her down. Gotta go, bye!"
She vanished in a flash.
Yu Yu blinked, puzzled. "This badge does that?"
Feng Ye's voice drifted in, wry. "No, it's because you're chatting at my doorstep."
Yu Yu glanced at the castle. "Your doorstep's huge."
Feng Ye wanted to scold her for disrespecting a Grand Archon but decided it wasn't worth the breath. "You know when to use it. Don't flash it around Silver Moon for fun, or I'll take it back."
Yu Yu had already stashed it, waving. "Got it, I'm off."
Even Senior Meng freaked out. The Grand Archon went all in.
Did my job-hopping talk spook her?
Or is she planning something big, tossing me a bone to keep me from bolting?
"Seriously, you got shares in that auction house or what?" Fuyu griped as Yu Yu walked in. "When we went, that haughty guy was all 'esteemed guest' this, 'esteemed guest' that, asking why Baroness Yu didn't show…"
"We set a deal—another auction in five days. They'll promote it in the city. Player-side hype's on us, taxing by your standards."
Yu Yu snapped back. "My standards? What standards?"
Zi Shu: "Full tax exemption. That 2000-or-less tax-free rule from last time? Seems like it was to trick the players there."
She corrected herself, "No, players aren't worth the Marquis's attention. Maybe to appease the Duchess?"
Yu Yu waved it off. "Senior doesn't need gold. She doesn't care."
She brought the wolf pup tasty treats, and she'd smile. Gold? Just a cold stare.
Shu Tu's mouth twitched. "…What's your next move?"
Yu Yu counted on her fingers. "First, coax the half-elf back. Then keep studying Healing scrolls, followed by Restoration. Push both in-game and out."
"As a researcher, I can't have zero results. That'd be embarrassing," Yu Yu said. "Healing might not shine here, but in reality, it'll make the Federation lose their minds."
"Then, with Senior Meng, we'll crack that plant shield array. No rush there."
She finished, "Lastly, level up."
"I'm hoping when I turn in the Legend's mission, he's generous—200,000 experience straight up, level on the spot, mental stat 17!"
At 17, she was dying to see what'd change, and…
Could she cast 4th-ring spells?
Yu Yu was hyped.
Could I bring game items to reality?
Mid-thought, she got yanked into a group chat.
It was the magic circle's in-game chat, packed with familiar big shots—total pros, great talkers. Yu Yu loved it here.
Feng Ye: [@Yu]
Yu Yu: [Grand Archon QAQ]
From her current act, no one'd guess her private gripes, calling Feng Ye a stingy miser.
Gui Fan, recalling it, still wanted to laugh.
Feng Ye: [We're retaking Lynx Capital, coordinating with other factions. Outsiders are joining the fight. Thoughts?]
Yu Yu: [!!! Massive campaign!!! We're here to grind!!!]
Yu Yu: [Outsiders will drop tons of loot!!! Can we split it 50-50?]
Feng Ye: […Yu Yu.]
Yu Yu caught herself.
Yu Yu: [Plan a big faction event. Faction contribution points for rewards, special prizes for top ten. Add mid-tier class gear sets—let outsiders hunt the materials. I've got experience with this.]
After a bit, she added, [Grand Archon, I sent you a reward list and plot summary from Heaven's Will campaigns. Take a look.]
Yu Yu: [First tip: don't let players see our supplies. They might get curious and set them on fire.]
Feng Ye: […]
Gui Fan: […]
Guang Chen: […]
Chang Ming: […]
Yu Yu: [If players must haul supplies, don't let them know what's inside. A layer of Illusion to disguise them as blocks would be ideal.]
Feng Ye: […Keep going.]
Yu Yu: [If you don't want players bailing halfway, set up air walls to lock them in the campaign map. There's a spell for that, right?]
Gui Fan frowned. [War's dangerous. If a massive anomaly hits or a high-tier beast chases them, and outsiders can't escape, what then?]
Yu Yu: [Death's routine for players. They'll just grumble about bad luck, stumbling into a high-tier NPC's fight.]
[Players—except achievement or gear hounds—might not love campaign quests. They could die, log off for dinner… anything. Seniors, brace yourselves, and don't get mad.]
Feng Ye: […Already getting mad.]
They'd trained outsiders to fight, not slack off.
Guang Chen: [Any way to make them step up?]
Yu Yu mused, [Got spare Silver Moon land for outsiders to farm? Or build houses? Maybe cool skins, characters, pets—limited-edition stuff. Even players who hate fighting will join for exclusive rewards.]
[Most players aren't war nuts.]
The magic circle picked young, able-bodied folks, but many were quest-driven, cosmetic collectors, explorers, story buffs, character fans, traders, inventors studying local physics, farmers, or builders wailing over Silver Moon's sky-high housing.
Feng Ye: [Dream on. No.]
Yu Yu: [The mainland's huge. It's not Silver Moon—just toss them some land to keep them hooked. Whether they farm or build, who cares?]
Guang Chen: [You're as shady as Feng Ye.]
Yu Yu, shocked: Me, compared to the Grand Archon? She's the shadiest!
Feng Ye: [?]
Skipping a spat with Guang Chen, she said, [Draft a detailed plan for me when you're free.]
Yu Yu had no choice. [Yes!]
She knew it. Why'd Feng Ye give her the badge? To squeeze her dry!
Hmph.
Seeing them dive into campaign talk, Yu Yu tuned out.
It was high-level stuff—Archons barely got a word in.
Yu Yu: "What're you guys doing next?"
Shu Tu: "Class change is too far off. I'm aiming for high-tier ranger first."
Wei Zishu, calm, said, "I want a promotion."
Yu Yu gaped.
Fuyu, smug, boasted, "I'm a rogue squad leader now. Bet you didn't see that coming!"
"Zi Shu's a bigger deal. Dunno how, but she's got clout. The Silver Lion Captain's coaching her personally. She's a lieutenant now," Fuyu said. "Next, centurion!"
"Damn, the army's biased. NPCs clearly favor warriors!"
Fuyu ground her teeth, fuming. "Shu Tu got assigned to archers—fancy, better perks. Us? We're screwed."
"Wah, rogues are the bottom rung. When's our day?!"
Shu Tu chuckled, then whispered, "I might get promoted too."
Fuyu whipped around, floored. "You too? WTF???"
Shu Tu: "Archer centurion."
Fuyu was stunned. "Rogues barely hit two hundred total. I…"
Yu Yu, pitying Fuyu's constant struggles, suggested, "Why not switch classes? Pump mental next level. Late-game stat costs are brutal, but you can catch up early."
Fuyu fell silent, finally saying, "I'm leaving Silver Moon."
Yu Yu jolted. "To the mainland?"
Fuyu: "?"
"Hell no. I'm checking out Silver Moon's other territories."
Fuyu declared, "I'm looking for a rogue's spring. If I strike out, I'll come back and switch."
Seeing her resolve, Yu Yu nodded after a pause. "Fair. You're stuck here. Might as well explore."
"Zi Shu's fine, but Shu Tu, you could try Lynn's dungeon," Yu Yu said. "Knowing the Grand Archon, post-campaign, she'll make big moves, likely tied to East Rim or Roland Territory."
"East Rim's by the sea, Roland's south of elf lands," Yu Yu recalled from books. "Players might meet other races soon."
Shu Tu perked up. "What're elves like?"
Yu Yu: "Look at Lynn."
Thinking of the half-elf, Yu Yu groaned. "That high-tier ranger, Zhi—pure-blood elf male. His skills might outshine the Duchess's high-tier rangers."
Remembering Lynn, she added, "I'll get players to hunt for Lynn. That half-elf…"
Sure, she'd told Lynn she was saving for a manor, but she didn't promise to team up next time, right?
Yu Yu felt a smidge guilty, but not much.
Logging off, she posted, "I'm heading to do the Legend's mission soon."
If she delayed, the Grand Archon would probably chew her out.
"Back, I'll keep studying Healing."
To Fuyu, she said, "If you're leaving, wait till the campaign's over. It'll have tons of goodies."
Fuyu: "Campaign?"
Yu Yu gave a rough rundown.
Zi Shu's eyes sparkled. "So I could really lead as a centurion in battle?"
Yu Yu nodded. "Probably. If the Duchess gives a post, it's legit."
"At worst, you'll command a hundred players. Your tasks might differ from theirs."
Wei Zishu buzzed quietly, clenching a fist, her tone steady. "Got it."
She couldn't match Yu Yu's clout, but under the Duchess, she was thriving.
After more chatter, Yu Yu pondered her path.
In the magic circle, she was a newbie. Fame and glory were a distant dream.
Worse, in the Federation, she was also a small fry. Becoming a researcher was easy—Federation demand, magic circle backing—but anything more? Forget it.
Beyond boosting her strength, she needed her own power.
Players were her best bet.
A Hall of Fame player, Yu Yu had pull among them, unlike in the Federation or magic circle, where she had to meow like a kitten.
The magic circle was a big shot convention—she kept her ears pinned.
Her current clout leaned on both giants. Breaking free from either was impossible. Going solo…
She'd need to hit Legend.
But Legend… even the Grand Archon wasn't one, and she was the most intimidating person Yu Yu had met.
Life's tough, Yu Yu sighs.
What could she do? Even big cats had kitten phases. Thinking of her lazy, fattening cat at home, Yu Yu huffed fiercely. "Still a big cat. I'll hit the books, beef it up."
King of beasts, how can you laze around?!
I'm grinding daily, and you're home mooching?
Before Senior Xue caught on, post-mission, she'd raid the Academy library for freebies.
~
Underground palace.
Yu Yu was even chiller than last time, leisurely riding her spectral direwolf.
What was this place for?
Beyond the lit corridors, countless dark, winding passages stretched out, blocked by iron gates she couldn't breach.
"You seem in a good mood?"
A familiar voice sounded. Yu Yu turned to see the same senior from before.
This senior was fearless—bolder than even the Grand Archon.
Feng Ye went all jittery at Legend talk, like she'd pulled some past stunt.
Yu Yu dismissed her mount. "Hey, Senior! Mood's decent. Second visit, I'm a jail-probing pro!"
Lynn and the others, listening below, stayed silent.
No matter how many times, they marveled at Yu Yu's guts.
Jail-probing… a pro?
"Did you bring food?"
Yu Yu blinked, surprised. "Don't you get a daily serving, Senior?"
The black-robed woman: "You're not going in empty-handed, are you?"
Yu Yu smacked her forehead. "Forgot. I'll log off and grab some."
She logged out on the spot.
Shu Tu had cooked a feast yesterday, but their stomachs couldn't keep up. The big cat scarfed the rest.
This morning's takeout order was oversized—several portions untouched, ready to reheat.
Yu Yu logged back in. "Thanks for the reminder, Senior. Almost forgot."
If she'd gone in without food and the Legend was in a mood, he might've torn her apart.
The black-robed woman sighed softly. "Alright, let's go."
Casually, she asked, "Think spellcasters could visit your world?"
Yu Yu: "Probably. I can bring stuff in, so they should be able to go out."
"Senior wanna visit?"
The woman: "A bit."
Yu Yu: "Hehe, then we gotta push Senior Xue to upgrade the tech. It's still a ways off!"
"Xue?" The woman nodded. "If we could go, how do you think we'd do it?"
Yu Yu pondered. "Probably max out affinity, or how else could we drag someone out?!"
"And it'd cost a fortune, right?"
Wah, wanna knock out the wolf pup and smuggle her out.
Yu Yu: "Sigh, feels so far off."
No clue when it'd happen.
The woman didn't comment, asking instead, "If our worlds merged, what'd that look like?"
Yu Yu gasped, "Blue Star's a tiny speck. Could it fit the mainland?"
The woman paused. "Maybe not physically merged."
Yu Yu: "Senior, you know physics?!?"
"I browse forums."
Yu Yu, suspicious, said, "But you seem kinda weird?"
The woman fell silent. "I handle… the magic circle's public opinion surveys…"
Yu Yu blinked, then lit up. "Senior, are you from the Council?!"
Lynn and the others' hearts raced. Here it is! With Her Eminence's pride, she won't lie! Ask, and she'll know the Legend's identity!
She won't dare talk so flippantly after!
Spill it!
Who else in the Council?
The Legend, obviously!
Even if she guesses wrong, she'll know this is the Legend, right?!
Amid their fevered anticipation, the woman seemed mildly surprised, but not much.
She calmly hummed, "Yup."
Yu Yu was thrilled. "I met a Council senior! You do surveys—aren't you the 0007 hotline agent?!"
The woman blanked. "Hotline agent?"
She mentally popped to Blue Star for a quick check.
Three seconds later, she returned, her expression exquisitely subtle. "…If you wanna call it that, sure."
Yu Yu's eyes sparkled. "Can I call 0007 to complain if I have issues? Senior Meng and them won't let me!"
The woman was speechless. "…Call it. Why not?"
Yu Yu grinned, "Got it. You said it, Senior."
The hotline agent herself said I can call. What's stopping me?!
Lynn and the others despaired.
What's wrong with this world?
How does someone skip the Legend and think of a freaking hotline agent?
What even is a hotline agent?
0007's not Her Eminence—it's Dream Sovereign, isn't it?
That one's even… ugh, can't think about it.
Yu Yu asked eagerly, "What's the Council like? The Legends?"
The woman: "What do you think it's like?"
Yu Yu mused, "Not like the Grand Archon."
A pack of high-octane schemers would stress her out—she'd grab the wolf pup and flee Allen Peninsula.
The woman found it amusing. "Oh? Why?"
Yu Yu: "Too much scheming density."
She added, "They're not all like Legend Erisbo, right?"
That Legend's sanity flickered on and off—wildly absurd. Yu Yu'd rather deal with schemers.
The woman: "…"
Dropping it. Don't want more weird remarks.
Yu Yu, disappointed by the silence, felt her momentum fizzle.
Hype interrupted.jpg
But this senior's big-boss aura was intense. With her back turned, Yu Yu didn't dare press.
Would she buy that the Grand Archon's curious?
Yu Yu doubted it.
At the door, she adjusted her robe. "I'm heading in, Senior."
The woman nodded. "Go."
Same old spot. Yu Yu burst in, hoisting food. "Your Eminence, mission delivered!"
This time, the Flame Sovereign was surprisingly lucid.
His raspy voice asked, "My staff?"
Yu Yu raised it. "Right here!"
The staff floated over, along with Yu Yu's food.
Meanwhile, Yu Yu was already checking her rewards.
[Lost Power (Completed)]
[Gained Experience +60,000, Magic Circle Points +60,000, Gold +10,000]
Yu Yu's eyes bulged.
What? Is this real?
Ten thousand?!
After twenty years, does His Eminence's stash still hold?
Is this from the magic circle or him?
He's that loaded?!
Ten thousand, ahhh!
With experience and points to boot, Yu Yu was over the moon.
Suppressing her glee, she checked the rest.
[Gained 'Puglis's Satchel']
[Gained 'Material Transfer Permit']
[Gained 'One Invitation']
She waited, then blinked, stunned.
That's it?
Where's my spell?
My big, shiny spell?!
You pulling my leg?!
Who swiped my spell?!
She'd been banking on a Legend's spell!
Sadness, so big.jpg