"You really came up with that reason," Li Nian crouched beside the dog, watching Lin Yu who was pretending to examine the canine, speaking in a low voice, "Aren't you afraid my parents might notice something's off... Coming to check on pets at home sounds way too unreliable."

"Most human judgments are based on experience—they'd struggle to imagine what else I could possibly be here for if not to examine pets," Lin Yu said calmly, "Besides, I really am a veterinarian."

Li Nian sighed: "So, why did you absolutely have to come find me offline?"

"Partly to tell you that I've officially joined the Psychological Society now."

As Lin Yu spoke, Li Nian looked somewhat surprised.

"That's quite efficient... But seeing your account got removed from the forum, I kind of figured as much."

Hearing Li Nian's words, Lin Yu asked directly.

"You got removed from the forum ages ago, how can you still see announcements?"

"Bought it from the Hunters' Association. Since you're removed now, I can tell you this... Many players secretly compile forum messages into brief reports—hot posts, ranking changes, things like that—specifically selling to us removed members and the three named organizations," Li Nian said calmly, "It's already a well-established industry chain... If you need it, I can refer you."

"Of course, this is considered a relatively mainstream channel."

Lin Yu wasn't surprised by this answer.

He knew such methods definitely existed, though Lin Yu hadn't expected... it would really be this straightforward.

"Better not, I have my own channels too—Anyway, I wanted to ask, how exactly can I meet the 'public withdrawal' requirement among the Free Alliance's joining criteria?"

"Just announce it in some crowded dungeon? Or go to the Hunters' Association holding my ID for a post?"

Lin Yu said jokingly, while Li Nian rubbed her chin.

"There's no definitive answer on that... But it definitely has to be the kind that causes 'a huge uproar'."

"Among us, the Undertaker and the Chef met this condition—you can use them as reference."

"The Undertaker withdrew from the Marauders—she slaughtered the entire Yucheng branch of the Marauders while still a member, then publicly claimed the Hunters' Association bounty and sold all the confiscated [items] at auction for ridiculously low prices."

"Through the auction's message feature, she fulfilled this condition..."

"'I won't keep degrading myself by staying in a boring, cheap organization'—those were her exact words."

"Because of this, some within the Marauders now see her as even more detestable than Order... Anyway, if she goes to the southwest now, she'd probably get hunted down relentlessly by Marauder members there."

As Li Nian spoke, Lin Yu was quite surprised.

He hadn't met the Undertaker using his Zhu Ming identity yet, but he did remember her.

That girl who came to Jiangcheng last time, wearing gothic style, speaking softly, with very pale skin.

She did seem somewhat ruthless... but he hadn't expected her to be this extreme.

"Really impressive, I can reference this approach."

As Lin Yu spoke, Li Nian sighed.

"Though I knew you might like this method, please don't reference it!"

"Anyway, listen to how the Chef did it... his method is gentler."

"This guy's former organization was Order, so his approach was to directly inform the General and the Secretary—basically the number one and number three figures in Order—about the letter-sending."

"While mailing the letters, he simultaneously published them on the forum and the Hunters' Association—though the forum post got deleted later, he posted a bounty at the Hunters' Association, randomly selecting three players who replied to his post to receive edible [items] he personally made, top quality."

Lin Yu sighed: "It does sound gentler, but that probably worked because he was already quite famous, right?"

Li Nian nodded: "True, by then he was already a very famous Chef player... The [items] he made were hugely popular at various gatherings."

"But you're not completely unknown either—especially since we matched with Furbollo in the last dungeon. With that super loudmouth around, I feel it's only a matter of time before you become widely known through his bragging."

Li Nian reminded him.

Lin Yu paused, then reluctantly admitted: "You're right!"

Even the near-indestructible nature of May May's abilities as a Doctor owed at least one-third credit to Fu Luo.

"Now that you mention it, there is some reference value..."

Lin Yu said quietly.

Li Nian said cheerfully: "Worried now? I told you earlier—Brother Wang and I could just recommend you and be done with it."

"No, joining the Psychological Society is something I absolutely must do," Lin Yu said casually, "Because I hold grudges."

Li Nian paused, then sighed: "Seems you're leaning toward the former approach after all."

She had already sensed it...

Lin Yu would likely screw over the Psychological Society hard.

"Fine, when you're ready to move, remember to notify me in advance."

"What, you're going to help me?"

Lin Yu looked at Li Nian in surprise.

Li Nian shook her head seriously: "No, I'm going to stay far away... Don't get blood on me."

As she spoke, Lin Yu chuckled wryly.

"Relax, I won't make a move until it's absolutely foolproof."

Li Nian sighed.

"I'm gradually starting to understand why you came to tell me this offline."

"Discussing these things online really isn't reassuring."

Lin Yu smiled: "Yeah, as my 'fake death' becomes harder to hide, now both Order and the Psychological Society, and even others, have started staking out my home."

Li Nian stiffened: "And you still came to my house! Isn't that redirecting trouble to me!"

"I'm already unlucky enough living in Jiangcheng, having hidden my identity this long—I really don't want to get exposed."

She said helplessly, while Lin Yu laughed.

"I did it on purpose... Just kidding, just kidding."

"There's no way I'd let anyone track me personally."

Every time before switching [False Face], Lin Yu would wander around extensively, disrupting his route for a long time, finally choosing places with almost no surveillance to complete the identity switch.

Even after switching, Lin Yu wouldn't emerge immediately, but would move covertly using the same methods for a long time.

In a massive provincial capital city—one where urban construction and planning were already chaotic—Lin Yu felt that even if someone occasionally spotted him once or twice under these circumstances, they'd just assume those already "connected" identities were meeting up.

But since Li Nian had brought it up...

Lin Yu simply asked the most important reason he came to find Li Nian.

"So, what exactly is so special about Jiangcheng?"