Chapter 93: The Girliest Xinxin

    In Jiang Shun’s opinion, the top 100 players ought to have their own unique traits and personalities.

    JJ was akin to a shooting star that suddenly smashed their way to the leaderboard, creating a huge ruckus in the forum until this day. Yet unfortunately, the aforementioned person had not shown themselves even once. Had it been Jiang Shun himself, he would have created a personal thread to share his experience so that the whole country knew who he was. The fact that JJ was ever so elusive and mysterious must be because they were down-to-earth and liked to keep a low-key appearance!

    As a member of Immortal Phoenix, one of the country’s top three organizations, Jiang Shun was entrusted with the mission of entering the same Cycle as JJ to extend a formal invitation in person, since the previous private messages they sent had gone completely unanswered.

    This was the order that had come from the leader of Immortal Phoenix himself, with a Rare level prop as a reward! And for that, Jiang Shun must move faster to pull JJ to his side before the other organizations got to them first, even if it meant entering this low-level Cycle!

    He had secretly inspected the other players along the way. Excluding the newbies, the little boy and the other intermediate players, he set his eyes on the taciturn woman, whom he believed must be JJ.

    Her personality perfectly aligned with what he had in mind – quiet, mysterious and low-key!

    However, much to his surprise, the woman’s lips twisted into a mirthless smile as she said, "You have gotten the wrong person."

    ’Impossible,’ Jiang Shun thought to himself. ’I have eliminated all of the players and it can only be her! Or else, could it be the little boy who uses his skill card upon entering the bus? Now that’s what I call ridiculous!’

    All of a sudden, a lightbulb appeared in his mind. He recalled how low-key JJ was and realized that if she were really the woman before him, then she must be reluctant to have her real identity exposed!

    Jiang Shun felt like he had been enlightened, and he showed a calm smile, "I see. Pardon me, then." He was determined to talk to her once the opportunity arose.

    Meanwhile, a subtle smile curved on the corner of Shen Nianzu’s lips. Thanks to Jiang Shun, he could finally confirm the true identity of Dance of the Wind. He flicked the sleepy Jin Jiuchi’s ear with his fingers, earning him a soft ’aoo’ as the fluffy white dog snuggled closer to him.

    Sensing a gaze on him, he turned to find Xinxin staring at him and Jin Jiuchi back and forth with a dumbstruck look. Xinxin quietly mouthed at him, ’Da Shen?’ but Shen Nianzu merely offered him a blink, neither denying nor acquiescing.

    Xinxin clasped his mouth before a gasp could escape his lips, and he gave Shen Nianzu an ’OK’ gesture.

    Amidst the players’ heated discussion where Zhang Lei enthusiastically introduced the leaderboard to the two newbies, Luo Qing spoke up, her sunburned face became even redder as she clutched the hem of her shirt, "I–I need to use the bathroom. Where should I go...?"

    The atmosphere abruptly grew silent, and at once, the players snapped their gazes to the NPCs. In response, the man gestured at the expanse of yellow sand around them, "You are free to do your business anywhere."

    Luo Qing gaped at him in disbelief. "Y–You are telling me to..." she choked on her words. "...in the open wilderness?!"

    There was no tree or rock huge enough to provide cover for her privacy, so how... how was she supposed to do it?!

    "That’s a part of the survival challenge," Zhang Lei let out a helpless sigh upon seeing the mortified tears pooling in her eyes. "You have to get used to it, Miss Luo. Just ask someone to cover for you and you will be fine."

    Desperately, Luo Qing’s eyes went to Lang Zhenya who was sitting closest to her, but the woman quickly turned her head away to express her refusal. She then shifted her gaze to the female intermediate player who went back to acting as if the whole world did not exist around her, before landing on Xinxin – the softest and girliest one – at last.

    Luo Qing pleaded with a shaky voice, tears spilling out of her eyes, "P–Please..."

    The corner of Xinxin’s lips twitched, "..." Miss, I may be the last person you ever want to ask.

    The players who knew his real gender in this Cycle were only Shen Nianzu and Jin Jiuchi. Shen Nianzu did not look like someone who would poke his nose into other people’s business. While Jin Jiuchi had no qualms in exposing him, he was in the form of a dog now and thus had no way to speak.

    Xinxin was rendered speechless for a full ten seconds, and under everyone’s unwavering stare, he finally resigned to his bleak fate and rose to his feet, "...Then I will accompany you."

    "Thank you... thank you so much!" Luo Qing showed a brilliant beam and her sparkling eyes regarded Xinxin like a savior, making him feel even more awkward.

    Soon, their lunch break ended and they returned to dig the pit. The temperature continued to rise higher toward the evening, it was so hot to the point where Luo Qing fainted out of heatstroke and had to be carried out of the pit by Zhang Lei, bringing her to the tent to rest.

    As the day drew to a close, the sun began its descent, painting the desert sky with strokes of tangerine and magenta, casting a mesmerizing glow that embraced the sand dunes and the ancient temple in an ethereal visage. It was a scene one might not encounter even for a lifetime.

    Staring at this breathtaking scenery, Fatty could not help but sigh wistfully as he propped his chin on the sturdy shaft of the shovel, his chest still heaving from the exertion, "If only I was not here to do hard labor, this place would have looked a thousand times more beautiful..."

    Everyone could not help but agree with his words.

    When NPC Anna finally made her long-awaited second appearance for the day and complimented them for a job well done, the players could not help but cheer jubilantly, even Jiang Shun heaved out a huge sigh of relief as he wiped the dripping sweat on his face.

    "Woof!" Jin Jiuchi leaped out of the pit in a smooth and powerful jump and dashed to the jade doll, panting for breath.

    He posed an adorably wretched figure with his white thick fur and forepaws being soiled by yellow sand all over. Yet strangely, the sparkling twinkles in his silver eyes were all Shen Nianzu could ever see.

    In his excitement, he pressed close to Shen Nianzu and let out a long ’aowoowaowoo’, almost tackling him to the ground.

    "Yes, yes," Shen Nianzu rolled his eyes and pushed Jin Jiuchi’s doggy face away from him lest he would be licked again. His pale purple eyes held a faint amusement as he praised the hyperactive Jin Jiuchi who still had a lot of energy after all the digging he had done today, "You will get beef jerky tonight. Good job."

    A strangely peaceful atmosphere shrouded the players as they climbed out of the pit which had grown a meter deeper since this morning.

    ... Little did they know, the real danger in the Cycle would only start after nightfall.