Yu Haiqing pondered for a while, deciding that he should discuss something with Xie Shuangxue. He didn’t think he was being jealous and quickly found himself a multitude of respectable reasons. Besides romantic concerns, there were other issues he was genuinely worried about.

When Xie Shuangxue was merely in the background plot, things were calm and safe. However, once the storyline involved direct interactions with players, control became difficult to maintain. And some of the comments were just too much!

Although there were harsh words in the group chat, it was a closed environment where Yu Haiqing could simply choose not to look. But out in the open, things were different. Even if Ah Xue was attractive, it shouldn’t be so blatant!

So, he saw his actions as necessary protection.

Yu Haiqing felt entirely justified. He could contact Xie Shuangxue anytime using his internal communication account number 009, but Xie Shuangxue often ignored him.

Like now.

Yu Haiqing first gently inquired if Xie Shuangxue needed his help, then after a while, he received a reply.

“No need, Sea isn’t raising any alarms, it’s stable, I can handle it myself.”

“Big brother, go and do your thing.”

“I know your work is important. When you have time, just come back to see me.”

It sounded obedient, but it seemed to preemptively shut down what Yu Haiqing had wanted to say. He stared at the communicator for a long time, unsure of what to say next.

Should he remind him that he’s still too young to be dating?

He feared that Xie Shuangxue would find him too controlling. After all, he wasn’t a child, and saying such things somehow felt begrudging to Yu Haiqing.

So he typed it out but then deleted it, setting down his wine glass with a sigh, rubbing his forehead, beginning to feel a headache forming.

Just then, Bai Qiuyan, the guild leader of White Wall, passed by with Gou Yuan. Bai Qiuyan, having watched Yu Haiqing’s expressions for a while, turned to Gou Yuan and asked, “Has he started dating someone recently?”

“No,” Gou Yuan immediately denied, “With all the work our President Yu has, where does he find the time for dating?”

Bai Qiuyan scoffed, seemingly disagreeing.

Gou Yuan didn’t know the half of it.

Even as the department head of the Gods and Demon game section, he wouldn’t monitor every scene in the game. And with Yu Haiqing’s higher clearance, if he didn’t want something seen, no traces would be found in the game’s front or back ends.

Bai Qiuyan thought he had pegged Yu Haiqing for a loner for life, but hadn’t anticipated his current antics. Despite his public rejections, it turned out he was quite adept at courting, which Bai Qiuyan found amusing and a bit distasteful. After all, incidents like these weren’t just isolated events, and Bai Qiuyan was not one to be fooled. Yu Haiqing was a complex man, and Xie Shuangxue, being under his direct supervision, did not sit well with him.

“Why do you say that?” Gou Yuan was also interested in their president’s personal life and asked, “Did something happen just now? He might have been talking about work.”

“Talking about work? Think about it, with so many people seeking him out at the tech summit, and with industry insiders present, wouldn’t it be better to discuss business face-to-face? Why would he need to sneak looks at his communicator if it wasn’t something personal? If there was a company issue, wouldn’t you know?” Bai Qiuyan said skeptically, “And that expression I saw just now? It didn’t seem right.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Bai Qiuyan asserted, “Do you think I’d mistake something I’ve experienced so often?”

Gou Yuan eyed him, then glanced back at Yu Haiqing, considering Bai Qiuyan’s history as a rich second generation with a colorful love life. He might have a point.

Gou Yuan had known Bai Qiuyan from the time at Firefly Studio, but they had only been acquaintances. It was only during the launch of Gods and Demon that they really started interacting. Now Bai Qiuyan was behaving like they were close, casually slinging an arm around Gou Yuan’s shoulders, continuing to probe, “What did you mean just now? Has Yu Haiqing really dated before?”

Gou Yuan looked at him and then wisely chose to remain silent.

He knew where to draw the line, some things were better left unsaid to Bai Qiuyan.

Indeed, Yu Haiqing had had a romantic involvement towards the end of his time at Firefly Studio, something he kept secret, but Gou Yuan had seen through it without saying anything. It was an online relationship, never having met in person.

He knew Yu Haiqing would occasionally smile at messages on his communicator and display expressions that were quite telling. The Firefly Studio office wasn’t large, and sometimes when everyone was gathered together, Gou Yuan had glimpsed a few messages flashing on the screen:

“Brother, what are you busy with today?”

“Did you miss me today?”

“This work looks so difficult, I don’t understand it at all, big brother you’re so amazing.”

It seemed like a young sweetheart, sweet-talking and good at acting coy. And during that period, there were frequent deliveries for Yu Haiqing—food, clothing, and even luxury items, all quite expensive, but the person behind them was never seen.

Yu Haiqing was quite a loner in his twenties, lucky to have found someone like that.

Gou Yuan had secretly envied him, but the relationship didn’t last. When they were driven out of Firefly, it seemed that Yu Haiqing had been dumped, and they never contacted each other again. So in the following years, Yu Haiqing threw himself into his work, Gou Yuan thought it might be due to a combination of career and emotional setbacks.

Later, when Yu Haiqing created his Gods and Demon ID as “Nine”, Gou Yuan immediately understood—it was a sign of lingering affection.

Despite many pursuing him since then, men and women alike, none succeeded. It seemed he had a case of ‘once bitten, twice shy.’

But now, seeing Yu Haiqing’s expression, it seemed eerily similar to back then.

…Could it be?

Was he dumped and then tricked back into a relationship?

Waves of shock ran through Gou Yuan’s mind, reminiscent of melodramatic soap opera plots, but he kept a sense of proportion and didn’t say much to Bai Qiuyan.

But his lack of immediate denial was telling enough.

Bai Qiuyan “Oh”ed, not pressing him further, simply going up to ask himself.

He had decided not to rush to meet Ah Xue at this summit precisely to seek out Yu Haiqing in such a formal setting, and he had legitimate business to discuss.

Ordinary players might not look at the authenticity report, but Bai Qiuyan did, and he was among the first to see it.

Bai Qiuyan wasn’t just a wealthy do-nothing; his father and elder brother ran the family corporation, and he was in charge of significant matters himself. In the game, his position as the leader of the top guild wasn’t just due to his financial contributions; his capabilities were solid.

Yu Haiqing had seen him, but chose to ignore him because he knew exactly what Bai Qiuyan would say.

“My father wants to meet you,” Bai Qiuyan said. “Since you’re here, might as well meet him, right?”

Yu Haiqing immediately pocketed his communicator, not speaking, but also not refusing, just turning to look at him.

“Endless Sea needs investment,” Bai Qiuyan continued, not as a question but a statement. “At the minimum, a partnership, or you’ll face even more difficulties. President Yu, we’ve known each other for many years. The Bai family isn’t the same as before. If you don’t trust others, you can partner with me.”

Bai Qiuyan had been wanting to collaborate with Endless Sea for more than a day or two. Personal relationships aside, business was business, especially since the character Xie Shuangxue became famous, making him even more eager.

But Yu Haiqing wouldn’t let anyone touch Sea, let alone Xie Shuangxue within it. He had been very firm at first, and even more so now.

However, merely being tough wouldn’t suffice in some matters; a more indirect approach was needed.

His choice to accept the Bai family’s invitation to the summit stemmed from a booklet issued before the summit, highlighting the Bai Corporation’s key technological initiatives intended to showcase their strength in the industry.

Among these project lists, some of which were merely for show as industry insiders would know, Yu Haiqing was aware that one item was different.

This item was titled “Simulated Human”, aiming not at ordinary robotics but at AI brains indistinguishable from human bodies.

The Bai family’s biotechnology was strong, and the project had two visions: one was to use it for scientific research as humanoid intelligent brains, capable of rapidly understanding requirements and responding; the other was to create a perfect national idol, which had been a focus for the Bai family years ago but was mostly abandoned due to the immense costs, now just a ploy to fool the uninitiated.

This was exactly Bai Qiuyun’s area of expertise.

The failure was because the Bai family had never found the right “brain”, and Bai Qiuyun, having severed ties, wouldn’t reveal the existence of his child. The abandoned project was now under the purview of Bai Qiuyan’s subsidiary.

Bai Qiuyun had even hesitated over this because Ah Xue needed a real body.

By the time Yu Haiqing confirmed who he was, he had already planned this.

But directly asking would surely expose his hand, and dealing with the Bai family was a necessary game, step by step.

“We can talk,” he finally said, “No rush.”

Previously he might not have had the capability, but now, he could do much more for Ah Xue, a responsibility he was more than willing to fulfill.

Meanwhile, in the game, Xie Shuangxue, after sending a docile message of “I’ll be here waiting for you, big brother,” looked up, his face still wearing that faint smile.

Yu Haiqing just worried too much.

He thought to himself.

The two demon-infected Feather Clan members didn’t need to be investigated; Xie Shuangxue knew what was going on, he even knew who the ultimate boss was. But the other party had covered their tracks so well, both he and the Feather Clan couldn’t grasp any proof.

Since the last time he was injured, the lord of Zi Yue Island had become more secretive, now sitting in the city only as a clone, with his real body hidden away, impossible to kill.

As the true antagonist, every move he made was calculated: first, he destroyed Penglai City forcing the Feather Clan to enter the world to trace clues, then drew people to Lu Yun Platform to divert suspicions, and used the Feather Clan’s actions to seize the divine pulse. The Feather Clan was in the light, he in the dark; any move they made would be to their disadvantage.

The two demon-infected Feather Clan members had been to the Seven Major Cities to investigate, like Ling Luo, who had sown seeds of trouble back then, now sprouting.

Those of weaker will affected by dark magic were easier for the mastermind to control, and their overtly chaotic actions served not only to incite suspicion against the Feather Clan but also to choose the location subtly.

This city, like before, was carefully selected.

Its unique location, situated between two major cities, had always been contested, and now, with the city in trouble, it was an excellent opportunity for the neighbors to make their move.

Soon, troops from the adjacent cities would arrive.

Xie Shuangxue could use this to make the NPCs in the city more alert to external threats, helping to preserve them somewhat, allowing him to avoid punishment, but no matter what the Feather Clan did, what was meant to happen would happen.

Because this was part of the second phase of the Gods and Demon world quest, also the most critical stage. Compared to the first part, which involved following clues and was relatively peaceful, the second part, centered around the storyline of Floating Dreams Cloud Realm, was full of passionate sieges and battles.

The true chaos had begun.

The land dispute between the two major cities was intensifying with manipulators fanning the flames, leading to fragmentation and confusion. Under such circumstances, the Demon Clan, led by Luo Yin, also oppressed for years, rose up, joining the fray and further complicating the situation.

This forced the Feather Clan to end their isolation.

With some forces on the continent following the Feather Clan, naturally, they would ask for their help. Due to the suspicions around the Feather Clan, many had already sought opportunities to travel to Floating Dream to destroy the Feather Clan’s base and seize more territory.

For players, their content was to choose a faction to join and help capture more land.

During this time of turmoil, there were no clear winners, even players siding with the Feather Clan weren’t guaranteed victory, and Luo Yin wasn’t purely victorious in this phase; many places suffered losses, he just laughed last, with too many uncertainties at the moment.

And all of this was up to the players.

If willing, they could even band together to claim a piece of land; as long as they could defend it, this minority could split the city’s profits. Those who preferred to wait could observe and join a few major forces, ensuring they received at least the basic rewards as long as they weren’t completely wiped out.

In fact, Xie Shuangxue’s Northlands was also an available faction.

But that place was too barren, the benefits of holding land there judged by location and other factors, rather than merely the size of the land.

Compared to highly contested areas, the Northlands in the original storyline were relatively peaceful, giving Ling Luo, newly ascended as Demon Lord, some breathing room.

The situation demanded both cultivation and contention.

Xie Shuangxue had to plan for his own territory.

After all, who said lifestyle players couldn’t be winners?

Feather Clan reinforcements had arrived, Chun Yao, distracted by a jealous Luo Yin, and Ling Luo, while guarding the two demon-infected Feather Clan members, distributed supplies to somewhat compensate for the city’s destruction. The city lord’s child had been soothed to sleep by him.

This was probably Xie Shuangxue’s chance to slip away.

The city remained chaotic, making it easy for some people to blend in, which was why he hadn’t left yet.

Soon, someone in plain clothes who blended in with the city’s populace approached from a corner. When the person looked up, a familiar face was revealed.

Qiao Zhihui’s camera had been trained on Xie Shuangxue, cleverly positioned, and he immediately recognized him.

It was the slightly older Yun Ruwei!

“I heard about the demon-infected incident in the Feather Clan and came right away,” Yun Ruwei said with a concerned look. “It won’t affect you, will it?”

Xie Shuangxue shook his head.

Qiao Zhihui had just been worried that his kid was too love-struck with Chun Yao to care, but the expression on his face now was completely different, very serious.

“It’s not me; the demonic qi on these two has nothing to do with mine,” Xie Shuangxue said. “But it’s necessary for the Feather Clan to screen. By doing more now, I can reduce His Highness’s suspicions a bit.”

“Gaining Chun Yao’s trust benefits me and you.”

“I see Luo Yin is not simple; I don’t know what role he plays, but I’ll test a few things later.”

He was just stating this, showing no emotional fluctuation, always rational. Then, Qiao Zhihui heard Xie Shuangxue discussing the current situation with Yun Ruwei, still extremely calm.

“…Go back and tell Yun Qiang to be ready. Keep the mines in the Northlands a secret. We need to recuperate and, although we don’t need to attack, we must be able to defend. I’ll help within the Feather Clan to keep their attention off you.”

Yun Ruwei nodded in understanding.

He couldn’t stay here too long and turned to leave to report back.

Qiao Zhihui, still hiding, then saw Xie Shuangxue turn and look in his direction, his tone casual.

“Won’t you come out?”

“I know you’re there.”

Qiao Zhihui was startled, his nerves tingling. Xie Shuangxue stood alone, but the pressure was immense.

He had really grown.

Before, his stakeouts would never have been noticed!

Then, he heard Xie Shuangxue chuckle softly, sounding much gentler.

“Don’t worry, I won’t make it difficult for a Continental Wanderer,” he said. “After all, you are different.”

The Northlands needed many players to defend the city; of course, he had to work hard for that.