Lin Hao's character dodged the monster's final blow with swift movements, then teleported behind it and unleashed a powerful ultimate move targeting its weakness.
The monster exploded in a flash of golden light, dropping some decent equipment.
Lin Hao glanced at the gear on the ground, feeling a slight reluctance to pick it up.
None of it was useful to him.
His character stood frozen, agonizing over whether to put the loot into his inventory.
If he took it, it was useless.
If he left it, it was a hard-won boss drop, and it had been tiring to defeat. It felt like a waste to abandon it.
He was truly conflicted.
In the cave, Lin Hao ran his hands through his hair in frustration. His indecisiveness had struck again.
At this moment, he wished someone would just make the decision for him.
Then he wouldn't be in such a difficult position.
Tiantiān: What's up with the streamer? Why did he suddenly stop moving?
Xìng Lín ó: What's wrong? Did he get disconnected?
Wúlài de Yǒngzhě: This streamer is about to get too powerful. Mortals, beware!
Wùliú de Xiányú: Buddy, you just said what I was thinking.
Wǒ Yǒngyuǎn Ài Wǒ de Tàizi Diànxià: Hahaha, I was just about to say the same thing.
Táoxīn: What's going on?
Huāhuā Cǎocǎo: I don't understand either?
Wùliú de Xiányú: Just keep watching.
In the end, Lin Hao picked up a good-looking defensive piece of gear and put it in his backpack, then walked out of the barren wilderness without a second glance at the remaining loot.
Táoxīn: Streamer, why didn't you pick up all that equipment on the ground? There was even level six magic-attribute gear, I wanted it so badly!
Huāhuā Cǎocǎo: Yeah, why didn't you take it? That gear is all mid to high grade, it's a shame to just leave it.
Chuāngliángān: Didn't you want those magic staffs that increase penetration?
Lin Hao walked while reading the comments, explaining carefully, "That equipment isn't useful to me, that's why I didn't take it."
He then checked the time and decided it wasn't too late to continue streaming, mentally planning which monster to fight next.
Huāhuā Cǎocǎo: ...Does that sound like something a person would say? Look at him, just look.
Wùliú de Xiányú: I already said it, this streamer is a bit of a braggart.
Xióngxióng(ー_ー)!!: What an arrogant streamer. I'm following, waiting for him to get proven wrong later.
b: Me too. Waiting to be proven wrong.
"My backpack is really full, and that equipment genuinely isn't useful to me. My character focuses on physical attack. Those items that increase magic penetration are really useless for me as an assassin."
Lin Hao explained patiently, reading the comments.
It hadn't been long since he started playing this character, but the game suddenly began to fill with many other players. Was this real people?
If so, he could find a few people to form a party. That way, playing the game wouldn't be a solo experience. Although he had many people accompanying him in the live stream, it still wouldn't be as fun as running dungeons with others.
While Lin Hao was pondering, a friend request suddenly appeared. He clicked the little red dot and saw a request from 'Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài' asking to add him as a friend.
Lin Hao's brain froze. This ID... it added him again?
He couldn't recall any man with such a cute ID.
While Lin Hao was still frozen, his live stream exploded.
Huāhuā Cǎocǎo: Holy crap, holy crap! Isn't that a top-ranked player? Haven't they been offline for ten years? How did they suddenly come online? Am I hallucinating?
Xióngxióng(ー_ー)!!: Buddy, you're not hallucinating. I saw that ID too. An ID that disappeared for over a decade suddenly reappears. What could be the reason?
Lánsè: Maybe they know the streamer and came to support them!
Wùliú de Xiányú: I think that's a possibility too.
Lin Hao glanced at the comments and noticed a message: this ID hadn't been online for over ten years. Why had they suddenly logged in and specifically added him?
This ID, ten years ago, had added him. All these facts put together...
Lin Hao couldn't help but think, could this be one of his old friends, who recognized his ID?
Or maybe they thought he was a hacker?
So they specifically added him to curse him out?
This thought made him even more hesitant to accept.
What if he was exposed in front of them? That would be a huge loss.
With this in mind, Lin Hao clicked 'Reject' and continued towards the next dungeon.
Guānghuá Xìnì: Is this streamer an idiot? Rejecting a top player?
Tuífèi Yītiān: This... this streamer seems a bit foolish.
Wúliáo Shíhòu: So stupid.
Wǔ Liù: Truly stupid.
Wǒ Yǒngyuǎn Ài Wǒ de Tàizi Diànxià: Streamer, do you know the top player? Why didn't you add them?
Just as Lin Hao was about to explain, he saw the friend request light up again. It was still the same top player.
Why were they so persistent?
Should he just accept?
If he added the wrong person, he could always delete them.
This time, Lin Hao chose 'Accept' the friend request.
As soon as he accepted, Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài sent a message.
Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài: Dungeon run?
Lin Hao replied:
Shuāng Mù Zǒu Tiānxià: Sure.
He then shared his location. In less than two minutes, a cute girl appeared, wearing a pink dress, with a small character model, holding a black magic staff, and wearing a black witch's hat.
Lin Hao looked at her ID, 'Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài'. Was she a cute girl?
Why was her gender listed as male?
He didn't understand.
Perhaps it was a girl who intentionally set it up that way?
While still thinking, Lin Hao suddenly saw a message from the friend.
Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài: Where to?
Shuāng Mù Zǒu Tiānxià: Snowfall Secret Realm? Is that okay?
Within two seconds of Lin Hao finishing his sentence, the other person replied instantly.
Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài: Okay.
The two of them teleported to the edge of the Snowfall realm. Logically, as an assassin and a mage, they shouldn't have come here.
The boss here had too much health, and the icy environment would reduce character movement speed by twenty percent.
This wouldn't affect a mage who cast spells, but for an assassin like him, it was a huge bug.
However, the equipment here was quite tempting, so they needed to finish quickly. The longer they took, the more disadvantageous it would be for them.
The boss in the Snowfall realm had a chance to drop max-level mage gear. Giving that gear to this new friend would be a good option.
A hint of happiness flashed in Lin Hao's eyes as he thought this, though he didn't know why.
Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài: I'll chip away at its health, and you deliver the final blow.
Lin Hao replied with an 'ok'.
Then he watched as the mage, like an assassin, approached the Snowfall boss's feet, unleashing spells non-stop, occasionally using her staff for a few physical attacks.
Lin Hao watched in amazement, thinking, are mages used as warriors these days?
Is that how a staff is meant to be used?
He hadn't read much, so don't trick him.
Didn't a mage's staff produce magic attacks? Why did it look like a greatsword in his hands?
And don't mages cast their ultimate skills from a distance?
Why did she suddenly run to the boss's face like a warrior to attract aggro?
Lin Hao watched her health bar dwindle and wanted to throw her a healing potion.
Just as he took out the healing potion and was about to throw it, he saw her instantly cast a great healing spell, and her health bar instantly refilled!
Was this the top player?
They could be a mage, a warrior, and even a healer when necessary. Was the top player that capricious?
Why so competitive? When he was the top player, he wasn't this all-rounded.
Could you possibly be a ranger too?
Just as Lin Hao thought this, he saw her step back, float into the air, with snowflakes as her backdrop, the strong wind blowing her hair.
She made a gesture in the air with her small hand, and an ice-blue bow instantly appeared before her.
She pulled her right hand back, and instantly thousands of arrows flew towards the monster.
The monster was killed before it even entered its berserk state.
Lin Hao stood stunned, quietly putting away the weapon he was about to draw.
Dude, you make me look so stupid!
What happened to me delivering the final blow? What happened to chipping away at its health?
Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài placed the dropped equipment in front of Lin Hao and said, "For you."
Shuāng Mù Zǒu Tiānxià: My backpack is full, and I'm an assassin. Magic gear is useless to me.
Lin Hao explained while typing on his keyboard. He hadn't done anything, and it felt wrong to take the gear the girl had painstakingly (well, maybe not) obtained.
Besides, it was all magic gear, which he truly had no use for. It would just gather dust in his inventory. It was better for the girl to have it.
However, Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài seemed to ignore Lin Hao's words and kept shoving the equipment into his backpack until there was no more space.
After stuffing everything in, she reverted to her previous aloof demeanor, standing aside and watching Lin Hao.
Lin Hao was stunned, and then the live stream audience was silent for a second, before erupting with a flood of comments.
Huāhuā Cǎocǎo: Is this the power of a max-level top player? I know how thick the snow can be in the Snowfall Secret Realm, it can drive you crazy. And this expert just one-shotted it?
Wùliú de Xiányú: Snowfall boss: Do I have no dignity?
Wúliáo Shíhòu: Is this something I can see for free? I've already recorded it!
Duō Shū: Recorded.
Xióngxióng(ー_ー)!!: This streamer wasn't worth following for nothing. It's just that the streamer is a bit of a slacker!
Zǔguó Huādū: Buddy, you've hit the nail on the head.
Dìguó Tàizifēi: Buddy, you've hit the nail on the head.
Wǒ De Yī Gè Dà Èr: Buddy, you've hit the nail on the head.
Then a barrage of people commented that the streamer was slacking off in the secret realm, doing nothing but being a background prop.
But the top player, the number one player, gave all her equipment to the streamer. What kind of human depravity or moral decay is this?
Everyone lamented why such a top player wouldn't add them. They could be so obedient!
Lin Hao looked at his overflowing backpack and then at the comments, feeling a bit weary.
They said they would get gear for him, but in the end, all the gear went to him.
And he knew he was slacking off in this secret realm, but they didn't have to say it out loud, it was embarrassing enough.
Tiantiān Zhēn Kě'ài: Where to next?
Lin Hao saw the message from the girl and was momentarily unsure how to reply. He then glanced at his watch; it was already four in the afternoon, time to go offline.
Shuāng Mù Zǒu Tiānxià: I have to log off. Played a lot today. Bye.
Lin Hao said this and ended the stream, feeling a bit like he was escaping. What if this person thought he was his past self?
He would find another time to stream.
It would be best to avoid this top player if possible. He didn't want to reconnect with people from his past right now.
Not even online acquaintances.
Lin Hao stood up and stretched his waist and neck, as he had been sitting for quite a while.
He walked out of the cave and saw many insects dragging logs and transporting them in one direction.
Lin Hao looked in that direction; it seemed to be towards the lake. Were they planning to build a house by the lake?
That seemed like a good option.
The environment there was quite beautiful, and it was cool in the summer.
The insects naturally saw their King at the cave entrance and greeted him enthusiastically in the group chat.
King, good afternoon.
Good afternoon, my little ones.
So cute, my King.
King, you're so soft.
King, only a few more days until we can live in the new house!
You have to wait for us!
Yes, yes.
Lin Hao looked at the messages in the group chat and couldn't help but laugh. Why were these insects so fond of acting cute?
"Okay, thank you. You've all worked hard too. I'm not in a hurry, take your time, don't overwork yourselves," Lin Hao said in the group chat.
As Lin Hao comforted them, they worked even harder. Their King was cheering them on, so they couldn't be slow.
For their King to live in a new house, they had to work hard!
Meanwhile, far away in a certain company in the Empire.
Everyone was looking at their boss with a mixture of fear and confusion, not knowing what had happened at his home.
Since 2 PM, he hadn't left his office or allowed anyone in.
It wasn't until 4 PM that he suddenly remembered he had a meeting and called the shareholders to convene and report on the plans for the past few days.
Instead of the expected cold and frosty demeanor, a hint of happiness could be seen in the boss's eyes.
Xiao Chen, who had been Qin Mohan's secretary for over ten years, saw his boss with such a calm expression for the first time.
He even felt like pinching himself to see if it was real.
At this moment, Shareholder A said, "I think we should shut down the game 'Dawn'. This game has no commercial value anymore."
Shareholder B: "I agree."
Shareholder C: "I agree too. It's been ten years, and there's no market for it anymore."
Xiao Chen, standing beside Qin Mohan, could clearly feel his boss's good mood slowly disappearing, until his face turned dark.
Ahhh, influential figures, please stop talking! Can't you see the boss's face has turned black?
The boss was finally in a good mood, and you're ruining it! I'll call you Daddy if you just stop talking!
Xiao Chen silently cried out in his heart next to Qin Mohan.
Qin Mohan's face no longer showed any trace of happiness. His eyes were deep, and his hands, which had been resting on the table, were now crossed. He said coldly, "Rejected. Next."
For the remaining proposals, the shareholders felt like they were sitting on pins and needles. Especially with the boss's expression, they didn't dare to speak.
Two hours.
They finally endured until the end, all of them collapsing onto the table.
They had a newfound resolve: never again would they mention that game.
Whoever mentions that game again, I'll fight them!