Before the story was triggered, the dungeon boss was only a delicate young woman. Lin Cimian could not bring himself to attack her, so he chose to carry explosives into the pool instead.
During the boss fight, countless spiders would leap out of the pool, but for now it was perfectly safe. Lin Cimian strolled through the water leisurely and almost felt like going for a swim.
The viewers were completely confused and had no idea what he wanted to do—until they watched Lin Cimian walk to the deepest part of the cavern and set down the explosives.
Gunpowder could be crafted by players and had a very high success rate. After receiving yesterday’s caravan-escort reward, Lin Cimian had immediately made more than a dozen charges. Now he took every one of them out.
Explosives had many uses in dungeons. Most were for pioneering unexplored areas or exploration, and they could blow up practically anything, including rocks.
Lin Cimian arranged the charges in a row, lit the fuse, then spun and leaped away. The tip of his foot touched a rock in the middle of the pool, and he landed lightly on the opposite bank in an extremely handsome pose.
The viewers were beginning to understand.
[Is this still treasure hunting? How did it turn into blowing up the boss’s house right in front of him and stealing his treasure?!]
[Isn’t this just wishful thinking? There’s no way the game has a bug this huge.]
[Hahahahahaha, the streamer is doing something I’ve always wanted to try. I thought it was too stupid and could never work, so I never attempted it. orz]
[Why am I so desperately hoping he succeeds?!]
[Plus one. It’s always the players getting abused by bosses. I want to fool a boss for once too!]
A few seconds later, the explosion effect filled the entire screen. As the white smoke slowly dispersed, the viewers unconsciously leaned closer to their screens and held their breaths in tension.
Lin Cimian had only wanted to experiment and satisfy his curiosity. He had never expected it to succeed. But when he looked at the rubble around him, his brows furrowed. Something was not right.
After more than a dozen charges, the cavern wall had been blasted open. Broken stones lay scattered on both sides, and a soft glow shone from within the opening. Even without zooming in, he could see the jade pendant that served as the dungeon reward.
Lin Cimian and the viewers all stared stupidly with the exact same thought.
…That actually works?!!
Lin Cimian stared at the screen in a daze, his mind filled with thoughts like, “How has no one fixed a bug this huge?” “The developers aren’t going to hunt me down, are they?” and “If I turn around and leave right now, is it still not too late?”
But he had already blasted it out. Not taking it would be an enormous waste. Lin Cimian cautiously walked forward. The dungeon boss had no reaction whatsoever; the dialogue option simply kept popping up over and over, as though urging him to speak to her.
Lin Cimian hardened his heart and ignored the pitiful-looking boss. He jumped across the pool and easily obtained the jade pendant that increased defense.
It really was a bug. He had already received the clear reward, but the system gave no completion notification. Holding the treasure, Lin Cimian jumped back across the pool and found himself caught between advancing and retreating.
At that moment, the black-clothed swordsman who had remained silent stepped forward.
[Private Chat] Good Day: Have we cleared the dungeon?
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: No, but we got the reward. How do I put this… I didn’t expect that method to actually work either.
Only after finishing his reckless experiment did Lin Cimian remember his number-one patron.
This was the man’s first time playing a game and his first dungeon. If Lin Cimian messed around like this, Good Day would have no way to correctly understand how this type of dungeon was actually supposed to be cleared. He might even lose interest in the game.
Realizing the seriousness of the problem, Lin Cimian sucked in a cold breath and hurriedly typed.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: This is not how you’re supposed to play this dungeon.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: I’ll demonstrate the proper clearing procedure right now!
The green-robed woman had kept displaying the dialogue option, yet no one had paid attention to her. Although her character expression had not changed, she somehow looked even more innocent and pitiful now.
Lin Cimian led Yan Shiyue over to her and finally triggered the game mechanic.
[Current] Green-Robed Woman (NPC): Have the two young heroes come to save this humble woman?
[Current] Green-Robed Woman (NPC): I went out to gather medicine and accidentally lost my way. Somehow I ended up here, and I haven’t been able to find a way out.
[Current] Green-Robed Woman (NPC): I must hurry home, or Father will worry! But my jade pendant fell into this pool. Could the two young heroes please help me?
Lin Cimian was speechless when he read that.
Impressive. She had gone out gathering medicine and somehow gotten lost all the way into this place, then claimed she could not find an exit. Had she somehow missed the enormous hole right in front of her?!
She might as well have written “I am suspicious” across her forehead.
Lin Cimian had just discovered a game bug and felt a little embarrassed criticizing the writing too, so he sent Yan Shiyue a message instead.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: In this kind of dungeon, you generally need to talk to an NPC to trigger the story. After that, you follow the NPC’s hints.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: She just said her jade pendant fell into the pool, so we have to help retrieve it. At this point you need to be especially careful, because an attack can happen at any time after dialogue.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: Sometimes the NPC you speak to is just a minor character, but sometimes they’re the dungeon’s main boss. This is obviously the second kind.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: You’ve only just started playing and aren’t familiar with the controls. Stand farther away so you don’t get caught in the attack.
[Private Chat] Good Day: Understood.
The black-clothed swordsman obediently retreated to the far edge of the cavern. Only then did Lin Cimian move a few steps forward. Familiar with the routine, he merely touched the water’s surface before immediately jumping backward.
The instant he created distance, a spider leg covered in dense hair stabbed violently into the exact spot where he had been standing. Green pus dripped from it and corroded a small pit into the ground.
A scalp-numbing sound like chalk scraping across a blackboard rang out. The green-robed woman’s arms bent at impossible angles, and within a few breaths she transformed into a hideous, terrifying spider.
It leaped onto the pool and supported itself on eight legs, casting a heavy shadow. Dense clusters of spiders also surfaced from the water, staring aggressively at Lin Cimian.
The graphics were high-definition [censored], the art detailed and realistic enough to send spider enthusiasts into ecstasy—or frighten someone so badly they could not sleep all night.
The gentle female voice vanished, replaced by a sinister laugh that made the scalp crawl. “What enormous courage! You dare covet my treasure! Only by absorbing the treasure’s essence of heaven and earth was I able to cultivate a human form and become what I am today. I will never allow anyone to take it from me! Tender little gentleman, if you dare take one step forward, I’ll turn you into my meal!!”
Lin Cimian lowered the volume slightly before typing an explanation.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: This kind of dungeon boss is usually a guardian type. Once you enter its territory, it attacks and won’t stop until one side dies. You can only clear the dungeon and receive the reward by defeating the boss.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: This dungeon’s reward is the jade pendant that increases defense. I’ll transfer it to you afterward.
[Private Chat] Good Day: You already got the jade pendant?
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: Mm-hm.
[Private Chat] Good Day: Then do we still need to continue?
Lin Cimian did not know how to answer and instinctively looked at the giant boss in the middle of the screen.
Its eight spider legs slammed heavily against the ground with tremendous effort. Both visuals and sound design were working desperately to create a sinister, terrifying atmosphere, but when Lin Cimian looked at the boss’s tiny black-bean eyes, he suddenly found it slightly ridiculous.
The comments were already laughing themselves insane.
[Hahahahaha, guard what?! Your treasure was stolen ages ago. Can’t you see that enormous hole?!]
[This is the first time I’ve ever felt sorry for a dungeon boss.]
[Spider spirit: Is there no one willing to speak for me?!]
[Followed. This streamer is hilarious.]
[Person above, don’t leave. Find the streamer’s recordings. Yesterday was hilarious too.]
[Help, I’m laughing so hard my bed is shaking. I woke my cat up and it smacked me twice.]
[Reasonable suspicion that the person above is showing off their cat! Sharpening knife.jpg]
Lin Cimian felt there was little point in continuing. It would only humiliate the dungeon boss a second time.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: How about we stop this one here? I’ll find another suitable dungeon.
[Private Chat] Good Day: All right.
After leaving the dungeon, Lin Cimian gave the jade pendant to Good Day. Afraid the other man would return it, he hurriedly blocked off any refusal.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: This jade pendant increases defense. Your level is still low, so wear it for protection first.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: I’m a little sleepy. I’m logging off first.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: Little fox waving.jpg
Yan Shiyue went to answer a work text. By the time he looked back at the chat box, Lin Cimian’s avatar had already turned gray.
After reading the messages, he smiled helplessly.
The cute little fox in the reaction image seemed to come alive, sneaking over to him, dropping whatever it carried beside him with a smack, then immediately scurrying away, its fluffy tail wagging so fast it left afterimages.
He was giving a gift, yet somehow acted as though he were forcing a purchase on the recipient.
Yan Shiyue smiled again, removed the gold-rimmed glasses from the bridge of his nose, and habitually pinched it. The white glow of the screen fell across his handsome, cool features.
He shut down the computer and left the study, only to be intercepted in the living room.
The kitten crouched beside Yan Shiyue’s feet, rubbed its head against his trousers, and left several long hairs behind.
The tall man lowered his eyes slightly. His features resembled fir branches heavy with frost and snow, while his dark pupils reflected the kitten. The corner of his mouth lifted faintly.
It was like ice and snow melting into flowing spring water. His gaze softened. He crouched and gently scratched beneath the kitten’s chin, patiently keeping it company as it played.
The kitten hooked its paws into his trouser leg, jumped into his arms, mischievously climbed onto his broad shoulder and back, meowed twice, then jumped back into his embrace.
Yan Shiyue laughed softly. The sound flowed through the quiet night, low and magnetic enough to make the chest vibrate.
Yan Shiyue was famous within the industry for having a good temperament, but he maintained a strong sense of distance. Only when facing small animals and children did he show an extra trace of gentleness.
He gave that gentleness to Lin Cimian too.
If Lin Cimian could buy something online, he absolutely would not go to a shopping mall.
Most of the kitchenware he ordered had arrived. He spent the entire morning busy in the kitchen, then at noon used his new wok to stir-fry a plate of green vegetables and paired them with meat he had braised the day before, giving himself a proper reward.
Eating too much made people sleepy. Only after taking a nap did Lin Cimian officially begin streaming.
Five minutes after going live, Lin Cimian stared at the viewer count with a slightly blank expression.
Today was the weekend, so everyone had plenty of free time, but wasn’t this follower growth and real-time viewer count far too exaggerated?!
The comments were lively too.
[Thank you, streamer, for helping me fleece the developers.]
[Yesterday I teamed up with my younger brother and farmed the dungeon all night using the streamer’s method. Ten jade pendants obtained! Hahaha, that felt amazing!]
[I stayed up all night. I have thirty. Side-eye smile.jpg]
[I listed all of mine in the shop. I’m using the money to eat hot pot!]
[You people are way too strong. I only got three. No, I’m going back to farm it again right now!]
After watching the comments in confusion for a while, Lin Cimian finally understood what had happened.
He had discovered the dungeon bug and obtained the reward early, but because he never followed the story path, the system did not register the dungeon as cleared. That meant players could repeatedly farm it and receive the reward forever.
Accessories had durability. Once their attributes were worn away, they had to be replaced, and they could also drop in combat. A jade pendant that increased defense had always had a strong market. Players could keep one for themselves or list extras in the shop for money.
Naturally, once someone discovered such a good thing, they told their gaming friends. By word of mouth, many people had managed to fleece the developers. In return, they followed Lin Cimian.
Lin Cimian had not expected his casual experiment to trigger this chain reaction. After several seconds of silence, his eyes lit up as he stared at the screen and opened the dungeon too.
He had given yesterday’s jade pendant to Yan Shiyue. He still needed one for himself!
Lin Cimian teased the game boss once again and received the clear reward.
Humans were greedy creatures. Seeing someone in the comments say they had farmed more than thirty pendants made Lin Cimian itchy with envy. After giving the developers an insincere apology in his heart, he struck again.
The screen did not change as expected. Instead, a window popped up.
[System Notification: This dungeon is currently under maintenance and will reopen in three days.]
Lin Cimian: “…”
[Holy shit, the developers moved this fast?!]
[I hate this! I only farmed three. I was planning to continue tonight.]
[Everyone, look at the official Weibo. They just posted an announcement and even specifically tagged Mianmian.]
[Hahahahaha, what the hell is “thank you for providing valuable feedback to improve the game”? They’re really holding it in. The actual truth is that he found a game bug and led a crowd to fleece the developers!]
[Streamer, run! You’re already on the developers’ assassination list.]
Reading the comments, Lin Cimian’s heart tightened too. His fingers unconsciously twisted his shirt into dried preserved vegetables. Still kneading the fabric, he picked up his phone and hurriedly opened the game’s official Weibo.
One glance reassured him.
The developers were actually generous. They did not pursue the matter. Instead, they thanked him and even gifted him an in-game package.
Lin Cimian looked at the comments. Once people who knew the story explained it, everyone laughed together and deeply regretted not hearing about the bug earlier.
Because the original owner had been infamous enough to create storms everywhere he went, Lin Cimian was close to developing post-traumatic stress from Weibo. It was rare for him to see such a harmonious comment section. Smiling, he browsed through it and noticed people asking who the streamer was.
He could not waste such a perfect free promotional opportunity. Lin Cimian immediately registered a new Weibo account and openly replied in the comment section.
While changing his avatar and profile information, he saw another Weibo account listed directly below it.
It was the large account on which he had announced his retirement.
Lin Cimian’s brain cramped. As though possessed, he tapped it, and the private-message page refreshed.
One glance was enough for him to hold the phone as far away as possible and cover his eyes with one hand.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend anyone. Please don’t hurt my fragile little heart!
He squeezed his eyes shut, but the image he had just glimpsed surfaced in his mind.
The messages did not seem to be greeting eighteen generations of his ancestors after all.
Lin Cimian struggled for a while before cautiously bringing the phone closer. Squinting, he peeked at the private messages through gaps between his fingers.
Obedient Bunny: Lin Cimian, come back right now and explain the gossip clearly! Are you trying to kill me with suspense?!
WALL-E Loves Humans: I just want to know whether the captain dated the contestant who shared his dorm during the survival show! They secretly dated for half a year before the captain discovered that the other guy had stolen his boyfriend back in high school.
Lin Cimian: “…” What?! Elaborate immediately!
He desperately wanted to send a message and ask, but reason stopped him.
The insulting private messages sent after his retirement had been pushed to the very bottom. The most recent pages were almost entirely people begging for gossip. Lin Cimian enthusiastically read them all from beginning to end.
Every melon smelled delicious, but unfortunately each was only half a melon, leaving him painfully hooked.
Lin Cimian and the netizens begging for gossip were in exactly the same state of mind. Both sides wanted to grab the other person by the shoulders and shake the remaining half of the melon out of them.
He sighed inwardly a couple of times, then stopped wasting time. He did daily quests while casually chatting with the comments, and time passed quickly.
Soon it was the appointed hour again. After spotting the black-clothed swordsman, Lin Cimian happily walked over and gifted him the items the developers had sent one by one.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: Once your level is higher, you can use these materials to forge a weapon. After it’s made, socket the gemstones into it. We can discuss the specifics later. You’ll probably need to collect some other materials too.
[Private Chat] Good Day: Where did these come from?
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: I found a dungeon bug yesterday. The developers sent them to thank me. I kept the ones suitable for my class. The rest would be wasted sitting with me, so I might as well give them to you.
As though proving his point, Lin Cimian made his game character spin once in front of the black-clothed swordsman. The end of his sash floated upward, sweeping a flash of orange across Yan Shiyue’s view.
Before Yan Shiyue could say anything, the viewers were already moved.
[Baby, you’re way too considerate. I want to play games with you too!]
[Listen to him. That gemstone is S+. Even if you socketed it into scrap metal, it would provide a massive stat boost. How could it possibly be useless?]
[Doesn’t the streamer feel any pain giving this away? The developers bled heavily this time. Everything they gave has excellent stats. If it were me, I’d wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and still turn on my computer just to look at it once!]
Yan Shiyue smiled, as though seeing a little fox that had hunted hard all day and carried every piece of its harvest to him, its gaze clean and clear, simply wanting to treat him well.
Yan Shiyue tapped the mouse with one finger. With his other hand, he picked up his phone and made a few movements.
The next second, meteors streaked across Lin Cimian’s stream.
Yan Shiyue sent ten in one breath.
Lin Cimian stared stupidly and immediately sent a message.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: Why did you send me gifts again?!
[Private Chat] Good Day: There were too many items this time. It’s an exception. I won’t do it again.
Seeing the final five words, Lin Cimian was instantly soothed. Hesitating, he typed:
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: It’s a deal. Don’t send any next time.
[Private Chat] Good Day: Withdraw the money and eat properly.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: Once I can sign a contract in two months, I’ll withdraw it immediately.
[Private Chat] Good Day: Why wait two months?
Yan Shiyue glanced at the popularity of Lin Cimian’s stream and felt the platform’s signing threshold could not possibly be that high. There had to be another reason.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: I won’t be an adult for another two months.
[Private Chat] Good Day: Minors can’t sign contracts?
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: A minor needs parental consent to sign. My circumstances are a little unusual, so I can only wait until I become an adult.
Yan Shiyue had intended to ask more, but his fingers stopped over the keyboard and his brows drew together almost imperceptibly.
This little streamer had already come out to support himself despite not yet being an adult. He began streaming in the afternoon and probably lived alone.
So he was not a little fox after all, but a fox cub—one that still needed protecting.
Yan Shiyue considered himself an outsider and had never liked meddling in other people’s affairs, so he naturally changed the subject without making Lin Cimian feel the slightest discomfort.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: I’ll take you through another dungeon. Do you mind if I turn on my microphone?
The black-clothed swordsman and white-robed youth traveled together to the quest location. Lin Cimian paused, gritted his teeth, and forced himself to click the microphone icon.
Fighting monsters required simultaneous explanation, so he would have to use voice. But when facing strangers, even online, he strongly resisted speaking on microphone.
Through the cold screen, Yan Shiyue always seemed able to catch his emotions accurately. His tone remained calm without deliberately comforting him, yet it made Lin Cimian feel extraordinarily comfortable and natural.
[Private Chat] Good Day: I can probably understand after watching once. There’s no need for voice explanation.
Lin Cimian let out a long breath and focused all his attention on the fight.
His level was not high and he lacked equipment, but his skill accuracy was excellent. Combined with Joyous Union’s unusual stats, which gave him a little of every type of skill, Lin Cimian’s next move was always unexpected yet strangely appropriate.
The viewers stared in disbelief, their minds full of: That works too? Let me take notes.
Lin Cimian killed the boss using only half a health bar and could not help becoming a little smug. After collecting the reward, he restrained his excitement and walked toward Yan Shiyue with deliberate composure.
[Private Chat] Good Day: Very impressive.
The corners of Lin Cimian’s mouth rose uncontrollably, his foolish smile reflected faintly on the screen.
They were only three ordinary words, yet coming from Good Day, they seemed to possess special magic that made him unbelievably happy.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: My mechanics are actually only average. If you practice hard, you can get as good as me.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: We still have some time. Want to do daily quests together?
[Private Chat] Good Day: Sorry. Something came up unexpectedly.
[Private Chat] Sleepless Tonight: It’s okay. You can turn on follow mode. Then while I do daily quests, you’ll gain experience too and level faster.
[Private Chat] Good Day: All right.
Yan Shiyue enabled follow mode, then finally raised his head to look at the secretary standing in front of his desk.
A faint cool fragrance lingered through the office. The interior was minimalist and upscale, decorated entirely in cool colors.
Yan Shiyue wore a dark British-style suit, his shirt buttoned meticulously all the way to the top, the collar resting against his slightly prominent Adam’s apple.
He had already been working all day, yet not a trace of fatigue showed. After giving a slight nod, he stood. The straight suit trousers outlined exceptionally long legs. His aura was steady, without a hint of a businessman’s smell of money; he looked more like a refined and scholarly university professor.
The secretary stepped aside. “I’ll connect the video conference to your computer afterward.”
“No need.” Yan Shiyue sat on the sofa and picked up his tablet. “Connect it here.”
The secretary did not think much of it and certainly did not dare look at the computer screen. He nodded and left.
A few minutes later, a low, magnetic voice echoed through the office.
Yan Shiyue had lived abroad as a child, and his English carried no noticeable accent. He conducted the video conference with a serious expression.
Meanwhile, his computer screen still displayed the game’s vivid colors. The black-clothed swordsman followed directly behind the white-robed youth without leaving his side.
Like a silent and reliable guard—
