Changyu's house was a standalone three-story building with a rather complex, flashy interior. Fortunately, Changyu's bedroom was on the third floor. The third floor, aside from her bedroom, only had an outdoor balcony. After emerging, Yu Yu immediately cast two spells.
[Detect Life]
[Detect Evil]
The spells' feedback surprised her. She looked toward the direction the pacing figure had gone and cast [Detect Evil] again.
[Detect Life], one of her newly bought 1st-level spells, could detect living beings in a small radius. Unsure of its accuracy, Yu Yu paired it with the cantrip [Detect Evil].
In [Detect Evil]'s range, Yu Yu sensed seven or eight unknown entities in Changyu's house. But [Detect Life] showed only a faint glimmer on the third floor.
Coincidentally, the person who'd just passed by had a glimmer—a living person.
Yu Yu thought for a moment. "Follow me."
"Do… what?"
"Daze them, tie them up, keep them out of the way."
"Huh?"
Shu Tu was unfazed. "We might not have enough rope."
Yu Yu: "I'll use a spell."
Soon, the unlucky midnight stroller was bound with [Animate Rope] and stashed in the bushes.
Yu Yu: "That's that. Chop the trees. I'll set up the environment."
Since becoming a Beginner Spellcaster, Yu Yu hadn't had much chance to fight. But with nearly 200 mental points, she was flush with power. Her mental recovery had sped up too. With meditation, she could restore 30 points in under three minutes; without, about six—way faster than her old 20-plus minutes.
Her second new spell was a 2nd-level one.
[Stone Wall]
[Level: 2nd-level
School: Elemental
Casting Range: Medium
Effect: Creates a 2m x 2m stone wall within 1 minute
Duration: 7+ days
Casting Time: 2 minutes
Cost: 120]
With 195 mental points, given time, Yu Yu was a modern-day logistics maestro. She was shocked to learn the stone wall lasted so long and asked Yunlun about it. Yunlun explained that earth was an inert element, hard to alter once shaped, hence the long duration. In fact, a stone wall could take over a month to crumble naturally—though a hammer would speed things up.
Ice walls were similar, lasting indefinitely in the right environment. Wind or fire walls, though? Entry-level wind walls lasted five minutes, just oversized deflection fields. So much for planning. Yu Yu had aimed to build her 1st-level spell system first, but within days, she'd bought a 2nd-level spell.
Plans couldn't keep up with changes.
Notably, evocation spells also used inert energy, lasting seven to eight hours under Yu Yu's full control—perfect for binding or releasing. Downside? 1st-level spells were still mental-heavy, less efficient than regular rope. Despite their ABC plans, chopping trees felt surreal. Zi Shu, the warrior with the highest Strength, felled a small tree effortlessly.
7788, still swinging her axe, looked puzzled. "How're you so fast?"
Zi Shu's expression was complex. "I couldn't find quests in-game, so I took a looping tree-chopping task…"
She was now a pro, her real-world and game skills interchangeable.
She touched Shu Tu's axe, conflicted. "I feel like if I keep at it, I'll unlock 'Basic Weapon Mastery.'"
7788: "…"
"What's your Strength?" Shu Tu, having chopped her own tree, asked.
"10."
Zi Shu: "Yours? Dexterity?"
"10."
Zi Shu nodded, chatting. "I've always suspected our stats align with our real-world physique."
"I posted a survey on the forums—you might've seen it," Zi Shu said. "Players' Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution usually range from 3 to 5. Barely anyone has a single stat over 7. But NPCs say normal humans have 6 in those."
"Starting with a 6 in any stat makes you elite among players, usually because of real-world training."
"Mental, Will, and Perception follow the same pattern."
"Over 7 is rare, mostly around 5, with few above 7."
Shu Tu clearly recalled the data. "High Intelligence and Will are scarce. That's talent."
Zi Shu nodded. "So I think real-world exercise might boost base stats."
"But after advancing, I hesitated. If stats carry to reality, our prior efforts might get diluted."
7788 finally finished chopping, grumbling. "Stop chatting, talk later. Why hasn't anyone interrupted us?"
"Are we Steve?" She looked exasperated. "Should've bought planks outside."
Zi Shu, calm: "Can't expose identities or leave evidence."
7788: "But why's no one stopping us? They're just letting us chop?"
Shu Tu: "Xiao Yu said the thing's trapped by Changyu. Its other bodies can't act, only wait for prey."
She split a tree like firewood. "Xiao Yu's so confident, there's probably barely any living people here."
"Where's she at?"
Zi Shu eyed 7788's tree. "Your Strength?"
"4," 7788 said proudly. "Why'd a thief need more?"
"Combat trash."
"Wei Zi Shu!!!!"
Shu Tu watched them bicker, thoughtful. They seemed to know each other already, young, probably college students.
Yu Yu: "Having a blast chatting?"
7788: "Where were you?"
Yu Yu hummed, casual. "Moving crates."
7788: "…?"
Yu Yu sighed. "I love being a logistics maestro."
"This really won't cause issues?"
Yu Yu, nonchalant: "What issues?"
"Security's on standby. The complex has just a few glimmers," she said, scanning around. "It's deeply entrenched here."
Almost the entire complex was compromised. The area had four buildings, split by a landscaped river with a single bridge. Two gates, front and back, each with four security guards—all monsters, on standby. Yu Yu even considered capturing these idle monsters.
Toss them in the river, seal with stone walls, and they'd only face pursuit from Changyu's house. But she had reservations. She wasn't here for a frontal assault. Save and run was the way. An hour later, they used chopped trees to board up Changyu's doors and windows, especially the main door, nailed tight.
Changyu's house had seven or eight idle monsters, likely people already overtaken. Luckily, the third floor had a balcony, so they'd enter there. The first-floor door and windows were useless to them—better sealed to slow the enemy.
Second- and third-floor windows got the same treatment, with Yu Yu using [Animate Rope] to hoist 7788 up to nail them.
High Dexterity was unstoppable—scaling walls, leaping from the third floor.
7788 raised her hammer. "You're too prepared."
Yu Yu checked the time. "Go borrow a car from that stroller guy."
"Once I seal the paths, we go up. It's on you, 7788."
7788's smile faded, nodding seriously. "Got it."
Soon, Shu Tu drove the car to the nearest wall, stuffed the gagged unlucky guy inside, and climbed back. "Ready."
Yu Yu raised her final wall, turning to Zi Shu and 7788's stunned stares. "Give me a sec to recover mental points."
Her walls blocked security from the gates. For directions she couldn't wall off in time, Yu Yu summoned rain and used [Frost Breath] to freeze large ice patches, hoping to buy time. Mental points were still her limit, or she'd have sealed the place into a matchbox, trapping all but Changyu's monsters.
A [Animate Rope] was pre-hung on the wall for their escape.
Yu Yu eyed the third-floor garden balcony. "I'm recovered. You?"
Shu Tu checked the time. "It's 10:30. Fog rolls in at midnight, and we need to cross the river. We've got 30 minutes."
7788 tied a rope to her waist. "I'm good."
Zi Shu gripped her sword hilt. "Monsters don't have human rights, right?"
Yu Yu, without hesitation: "I checked with Wang Rui's photo this afternoon. They said no."
The original advice was to avoid rash actions, run if possible, and not fight. But Yu Yu got what she needed. If it's a monster, it's fair game. Yu Yu floated a [Candlelight] above Shu Tu's head. "Hold your phone tight. Recording's on you."
Without a need to avoid killing, an archer's support was limited. Shu Tu's high Dexterity made her a half-rogue.
Yu Yu: "The monster's abilities test Will, so Shu Tu and I go in first. Zi Shu, stay below to catch. Once Changyu's body is out, 7788, take her down and over the wall."
"Shu Tu and I will follow. Zi Shu, watch the doors and windows, stay alert for monsters from other directions, and support as needed."
"Everything must be fast."
"Any questions?"
The three shook their heads.
Yu Yu: "Come here, buff time."
Featherfall x4.
Basic Featherfall: +2 Dexterity if below 12.
Yu Yu felt light as a swallow. "Let's go."
The [Animate Rope] was ready. Shu Tu went first, Yu Yu second, 7788 third.
Notably, Yu Yu just learned: Shu Tu's Will was 8.
Zi Shu and 7788 were both 6.
Yu Yu savored the joy of 8 Dexterity, feeling like she could soar. The balcony was full of plants, long neglected and wilting. Shu Tu stepped forward, peering through the window into the pitch-black interior.
No turning back now.
Yu Yu chanted softly.
Enchantment: [Calm Mind].
Her new spells were 2nd-level [Stone Wall] and [Featherfall], and 1st-level [Frost Breath], [Calm Mind], and [Detect Life].
[Featherfall] was on credit.
Shu Tu crept to the door, twisting the handle. It opened easily. She locked eyes with Yu Yu, who cast [Calm Mind] on her.
Shu Tu yanked the door open.