Liu Fu gave a simple, honest smile. "It's just a competition. We used to play when we were young—basketball and the like. We're not so different from you youngsters."
Bai Liu was silent for a moment. "You can withdraw at any time before the final registration in two months. I'll keep looking for others in the meantime—you're just backup, so don't force yourselves."
Though he said this, Bai Liu knew he had few options left. With only two months remaining, all the veteran players who were both qualified and willing had already signed up. Those who hadn't weren't about to join a rookie like Bai Liu—no one was eager to risk their life for nothing.
Xiang Chunhua and Liu Fu understood the dangers, but they wanted to repay Bai Liu. This young man, who seemed cold and even claimed to have taken their souls, might look like a villain, but everything he'd done had been to help them.
It was just a competition. Even if they died for this young man, it didn't matter—they'd lived long enough.
Longer than Guoguo ever had.
Compared to the calm acceptance of these two middle-aged people, seasoned by life and death, Mu Sicheng was far less composed.
The moment he heard Bai Liu wanted him to mentor newcomers, he exploded.
There was a brief silence on the line, then Mu Sicheng's voice rose in disbelief. "You want me to train newbies? Are you serious?! You're going to take a whole new team into the tournament?! Are you insane?! This is your solution?!"
"I'm starting to regret letting you talk me onto this pirate ship while I was out of my mind yesterday," Mu Sicheng groaned. "And I've never trained newbies in my life!"
"Do you want to quit?" Bai Liu asked softly. "You're free to leave, but if you do, you'll be competing alone in this virtual world."
"Or you can come with me and fight for a real future in the league," Bai Liu coaxed gently.
Mu Sicheng fell abruptly silent, as if something had caught in his throat. After a long pause, his voice came through, hoarse and resigned.
"Damn it, is that even a choice? Of course I'll go with you."
Bai Liu slid his spare key into the lock, but didn't turn it, instead asking quietly, "So, will you help me train the newcomers?"
There was no answer, only the sound of uneven breathing. Bai Liu waited patiently, not hanging up.
"You're really a master of persuasion!" Mu Sicheng finally burst out, aggrieved. Bai Liu could almost picture him on the other end, tugging at his hair in frustration.
At last, Mu Sicheng sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll try. But I'm telling you now, I've never done this before—I'm not one of those guild veterans. Give me the people, but I can't promise I'll get them out alive."
Bai Liu smiled. "I always prefer to assume you'll succeed—until proven otherwise."
"Bai Liu, you really are a con artist," Mu Sicheng muttered. "Were you in a pyramid scheme before this?"
"I don't do anything illegal," Bai Liu replied, turning the key and opening the door, his expression unchanged. "When have I ever tricked anyone into joining me?"
Inside, Mu Ke turned around in surprise—Bai Liu had given him a spare key and told him to wait at home.
"When do we start playing?" Mu Ke asked, taking a deep breath and clenching his fists. "I'm ready to join the team."
On the phone, Mu Sicheng immediately quipped, "That's Mu Ke, isn't it? And you say you've never tricked anyone—how did you get him on your pirate—"
Bai Liu hung up crisply. "See you in the game, Mu Sicheng."
——————
System: [Welcome, player Bai Liu, to the game. Please ensure your own safety.]
Bai Liu slowly opened his eyes, still dressed in his white shirt and slacks. Mu Ke had entered the game with him, but all players' spawn points were random. Bai Liu glanced around but didn't see Mu Ke nearby. Just as he was about to search, his system panel popped up with a vivid red warning.
[System Warning: Player Bai Liu has received a bounty.]
[System Tip: We recommend changing your appearance to avoid being tracked by assassins.]
Bai Liu raised an eyebrow. [A bounty? Randomize my appearance, then.]
[System: Entering facial adjustment program—height change (174→161), hair (black short→brown long curls), lip color (natural→cherry red), eye spacing widened, eye size increased…]
His clothes shrank and tightened to fit his new form. Bai Liu looked down at himself—now a pure, harmless-looking high school girl—and was momentarily speechless.
The system's taste in aesthetics left much to be desired.
Still, this disguise would make him much harder to recognize. But Mu Sicheng would find him anyway—he always claimed he could sniff Bai Liu out from a mile away, thanks to his "reek of money." Sure enough, not long after Bai Liu logged in, Mu Sicheng found him.
Mu Sicheng's expression was grave—until he saw Bai Liu's new look: long wavy hair, ten centimeters shorter, flat-chested, and dressed as a schoolgirl. He froze. "You… have this kind of hobby?"
Bai Liu couldn't be bothered to banter. He tugged his skirt lower to block Mu Sicheng's odd gaze and asked directly, "Stare any longer and I'll kill you. I just got a bounty—what's that about?"
"That's what I came to tell you." Mu Sicheng's face turned serious. "A guild has put a hit out on you."
A bounty, like the ad fireworks Bai Liu had seen before, was a public announcement to all players, requiring points to send—like the global shout function in old MMOs. Everyone could see it.
As Bai Liu was asking, another virtual firework exploded above his head, its shimmering tail drifting down and triggering a notification on his panel:
[System Announcement: The Zombie Guild has issued a bounty on player Bai Liu.]
[Bounty Details: The Zombie Guild promises to kill Bai Liu within three days and seize his (Siren's Fishbone) and (Ghost Mirror), two god-level NPC items, as preparation for the season! All players are welcome to watch! Please support the Skinning Zombie Guild in the league~ Heart emoji]
"Zombie Guild?" Bai Liu stroked his chin. "Is that a small guild? I've never heard of them."
"They're not small," Mu Sicheng replied, exasperated. "Bai Liu, could you please pay a little less attention to points and a little more to the major teams and guilds? You're about to enter the league."
Bai Liu: "I didn't see Zombie Guild in the top ten on the league's support rankings. If they're not even top ten, aren't they a small guild?"
He spoke with genuine curiosity, not mockery, but Mu Sicheng couldn't help but feel Bai Liu was throwing shade at the Zombie Guild, and had to stifle a laugh.
But he quickly sobered. "Zombie Guild isn't small."
He opened his system panel, scrolled through the league's support rankings, and stopped at a particular page, handing it to Bai Liu.
"They're not that famous," Mu Sicheng explained, pointing to two players on the screen, "but they have a renowned duo who founded the guild."
"And both are top-tier players, just a step away from S-rank. They're on a whole different level from someone like Zhang Kui—true professionals, ruthless killers."
——————
[Player: Miao Feichi]
[Current support: 410,000, ranked 67th among all contestants, Death Immunity Medal unlocked]
[Total points ranking: 134]
[Guild: Carrion Zombie]
————————
[Player: Miao Gaofu]
[Current support: 230,000, ranked 107th among all contestants, Death Immunity Medal unlocked]
[Total points ranking: 179]
[Guild: Carrion Zombie]
————————
Beside their solo posters was a triangular video button labeled [Popular Support Video]—[Highlight Reel: Best Duo Moments—Carrion Zombie's Bloody Father-Son Team, Masters of Flaying and Mayhem~]
The video was free to watch. Bai Liu clicked without hesitation.
Three minutes later, he finished, the video frozen on its final frame: a man with a muzzle unlocking it with one hand, then biting into another player's back. The victim screamed, mouth wide, as the attacker's teeth sank into his flesh, blood splattering everywhere.
Beside the cannibal stood a tall, Qing Dynasty-style zombie, his skin bluish-purple, his build imposing. He swatted away monsters with ease, seemingly impervious to harm. He looked steady and mature, though his corpse-like face was unsettling.
"The one eating people is Miao Feichi, the DPS. The zombie tank is Miao Gaofu—his defense is off the charts. They're a classic DPS-and-shield duo, and as father and son, their teamwork is excellent," Mu Sicheng explained. "Both have panel stats over 8,000—S-minus level. They could kill you in a fraction of a second."
Bai Liu rewound and rewatched the scene of Miao Feichi eating someone, then propped his chin thoughtfully. "So Miao Feichi's attack is biting?"
"No, he fights with dual blades. He eats people because—" Mu Sicheng hesitated, his tone complicated. "Miao Feichi has a paraphilia—he likes eating corpses, especially fresh, tender ones. He was imprisoned for attempted child abduction, but since it was only attempted, he was released."
Bai Liu looked up. "So, to put it simply, he likes eating children, and once failed at kidnapping one?"
Mu Sicheng was silent for a moment. "Yes."
But even such a horrifying revelation didn't hold Bai Liu's attention for long. He stroked his chin, deep in thought, and looked at Mu Sicheng with genuine curiosity. "But I keep such a low profile—why would they target me?"
Mu Sicheng, deadpan, retorted, "Maybe you just look delicious."
Bai Liu, in his short skirt, nodded as if enlightened. "So that's why. I thought as much."
Mu Sicheng: "…"
Please don't actually believe that!
Author's note:
Here we go! Time to clear out the nutrient solution!
From here on, things won't be so convoluted! Don't fatten me up, please!
Bai Liu has zero self-awareness: I'm just here to do my job—why is everyone out to get me?