Chapter 40: Team Successfully Formed

Xiao Muyu’s response didn’t anger Shen Qingqiu. She just sighed softly with a hint of regret. “I also want to say, if it were for you, I wouldn’t mind being a little reckless.”

Xiao Muyu regretted it again. She shouldn’t have brought up this topic with Shen Qingqiu.

“Where are we headed?” Shen Qingqiu asked with a smile, watching Xiao Muyu walk forward with determination.

Xiao Muyu turned back to stare at her. “Since we’ve agreed to team up, we should buy the team-bind card. Otherwise, when the third instance begins tomorrow, who knows if we’ll be lucky enough to end up together again.”

Shen Qingqiu found Xiao Muyu cute. Even though her words had a certain undertone, she thought this little bit of consideration from such a cold and gloomy person was particularly charming.

Xiao Muyu noticed that Shen Qingqiu was always smiling at her. The other woman never seemed to get angry. But after seeing her cold side, Xiao Muyu didn’t believe that Shen Qingqiu was so good-tempered. She didn’t care when she was throwing people around.

Shen Qingqiu leaned in. “No need to trouble ourselves. I got a very helpful item that can bind our team.”

Xiao Muyu looked at Shen Qingqiu, a mix of surprise and curiosity in her eyes.

Shen Qingqiu immediately understood. “I may not be a saint, but I’m not a liar either. Of the two gacha rewards I got from the S-rank score, one is a team contract.”

After saying that, she glanced around the area. “This isn’t the best place to talk. Let’s head back to the hotel.”

Zhou Yuan was still at the front desk when they returned. However, he kept his head down this time and didn’t dare glance in their direction. Shen Qingqiu looked at him with satisfaction before smoothly leading Xiao Muyu away.

The receptionist next to Zhou Yuan noticed something odd. She nudged him with her elbow. “Hey, your goddess just came by with a beautiful woman. Why didn’t you look at her this time?”

Zhou Yuan’s expression darkened. After confirming that Shen Qingqiu was out of earshot, he gritted his teeth. “Goddess? More like a demoness. I can’t handle her.”

Although called a hotel, it was more like a studio apartment. It had a kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. Not a large space, but well-furnished with everything necessary.

Shen Qingqiu entered, took off her coat, and went to pour a glass of water for Xiao Muyu.

“It’s a clean cup. Never used. You can drink without worry.”

Xiao Muyu looked at Shen Qingqiu wearing only a black tank top. The thin, tight fabric clung to her slender figure, accentuating her graceful curves. Her pale skin contrasting with the black fabric made her even more striking.

Xiao Muyu suddenly recalled when she had bandaged Shen Qingqiu’s wounds. Her eyes wavered for a moment before she calmly averted them.

“I just had some tea. I’m not thirsty.”

Shen Qingqiu smiled but said nothing. After sitting down, she took out the item she had drawn, looking quite serious.

“Since we’ve decided to team up, I won’t keep any secrets from you about what I have. What I told you before was mostly true. Right now, I only have the rewards I’ve drawn for clearing the last instance.”

Shen Qingqiu innocuously placed the team-binding item in front of Xiao Muyu. “It may be improper, but it is a binding item.”

Red Thread
Rarity: S
Drop Rate: Extremely low probability of dropping in any instance once conditions are met.
Item Description: A thin thread that ties fate across a great distance. When used to bind two people, they will become teammates (though not necessarily just teammates). Once bound, the connection can only be severed if the holder abandons the other or if one person dies. The red thread of fate has its marvelous uses, so don’t take it lightly.
System Tip: Don’t be a jerk!

Shen Qingqiu had openly placed the item card in front of Xiao Muyu, but the item description was questionable. What the hell was with ‘not just teammates’ and ‘don’t be a jerk’!?

Shen Qingqiu’s honesty did help reduce some of Xiao Muyu’s resistance toward the item, but the conditions still made her hesitate.

“I understand your concerns.” Shen Qingqiu gave her a light smile, seeing right through her hesitation. “But a team-bind card costs ten thousand gold coins, which isn’t cheap. I have no intention of using this red thread like that. It’s just perfect for forming a team. Besides, it functions like a contract that one party can terminate. Not that bad, right?”

Xiao Muyu was taken aback. “You mean, you’re giving it to me, and then I’ll bind you with it?”

Shen Qingqiu nodded. “I have no other choice. I just admitted that I’m fond of you, and you said you’re not interested in me. It would seem suspicious if I used it to bind you. That would only damage the trust between us.”

“Also, the whole point is to form a team. Our goals are the same—clearing the game. Whether you bind me or I bind you makes no difference, right?” Shen Qingqiu grew much more solemn as she spoke.

Xiao Muyu didn’t argue. She reached for the item card and, with a thought, a red thread immediately appeared in her hand. The thread was a deep crimson, resembling blood. It seemed to flow in the palm of Xiao Muyu’s fair hand, exuding a seductive beauty.

She gripped the red thread and looked at Shen Qingqiu. “Give me your hand.”

Shen Qingqiu extended her left hand and even playfully wiggled her ring finger a few times.

Shooting her a glare, Xiao Muyu tied one end of the red thread around Shen Qingqiu’s wrist. Shen Qingqiu just loved teasing her. She tied the other end around Xiao Muyu’s left wrist. The delicate red thread contrasted beautifully against their pale wrists.

Shen Qingqiu moved her wrist, and the red thread instantly vanished. In that moment, a peculiar sensation surged in their minds. They exchanged a knowing glance. The contract was formed.

Xiao Muyu focused and discovered a new interface on her control panel. She tapped on it to check. Mouth involuntarily twitching, she quickly dismissed the panel, her expression flat.

“Is it done?” Shen Qingqiu asked curiously, unable to see Xiao Muyu’s panel.

Xiao Muyu nodded firmly. “It’s done. I can see your information. The contract is complete.”

Shen Qingqiu sensed that Xiao Muyu was acting strange but didn’t probe. As long as the team formation was successful, she had achieved her goal.

She settled into the sofa chair, leaning back casually. With her chin resting on her hand, she smiled. “I’m curious. Last time, you drew a ‘thanks for playing’ card. Got anything good this time?”

Xiao Muyu’s expression soured. She pressed her lips together and glanced at Shen Qingqiu.

Then she said lightly, “I’m probably the unluckiest person in the world; my luck is terrible. I’ll let you handle any gacha we get in the future.”

She then briefly showed Shen Qingqiu the two items she had drawn. Upon seeing the descriptions, Shen Qingqiu’s expression also turned complicated. She wanted to laugh but restrained herself in light of Xiao Muyu’s icy demeanor.

“Laugh if you want.”

“Pfft! Your luck sure is something. These items are lacking. But speaking of which, this $ is unique. While it looks like a dollar sign, it probably doesn’t have the same connotation here. It looks more like a sealed S-card. And given the game’s nature, this phrase is quite interesting.”

Shen Qingqiu had sniggered but still gave Xiao Muyu a serious analysis.

Xiao Muyu had found it very frustrating but thought about it seriously afterward. She nodded in agreement and softly said, “The description’s line about ‘what use could an extinguished lantern possibly have’ seems to hint at something else. If the extinguished one is useless, then the lit one must be useful.”

“So how do you light it? You tried, right? It didn’t work?” Shen Qingqiu asked, knowing Xiao Muyu’s cleverness.

“Yes, at least with normal fire.” Xiao Muyu frowned. “And items may not necessarily function in Skynet World, so my attempts might not be valid. I tried the Loving Family card, and it’s prohibited here.”

Shen Qingqiu pondered for a moment. “Then we can only try it out in the dungeon.”

She gave a mysterious smile, looking at Xiao Muyu like a cunning fox. “Muyu, do you know what my other item is?”

Xiao Muyu glanced at her and noticed the card Shen Qingqiu was holding out. Xiao Muyu frowned in disdain when she caught the name. “What kind of strange attribute do you have? Do indecent people draw indecent items?”

Her sarcastic remark didn’t offend Shen Qingqiu. Instead, she grinned. “I think the system understands me very well. The items it gives are simply thoughtful.”

The card depicted a candle, but had the name ‘Arsonist of the Heart’.

Arsonist of the Heart
Rarity: S
Drop Rate: Extremely low.
Item Description: A seductive candle for typical illumination, or to light up someone’s world. Arsonist of the Heart, also known as Heartbreaker, can be targeted at an individual to increase their affection toward you. It will capture their heart for a forced duration of one minute. The time limit for any side effects is unknown.
Note: The extent of the effect depends entirely on the user’s appeal to the target. Use with caution.

“Are you that desperate for a partner?” Xiao Muyu remarked coolly.

However, she couldn’t help but feel a bit resigned. Despite them both drawing ‘thanks for playing’ previously, she and Shen Qingqiu seemed to have different fates. Shen Qingqiu had outstanding luck, getting two S-grade cards.

Shen Qingqiu shook her head innocently. She stood up to lean against the nightstand. Her long legs crossed, she stared at Xiao Muyu with a meaningful smile lighting up her eyes.

“I wanted to team up with you, and then drew the Red String. You couldn’t light your Extinguished Carousel Lantern, and I happened to draw a candle. It’s practically fate, don’t you think?”

Xiao Muyu also realized this point. She was silent, her gaze unreadable. She lowered her eyes slightly and, after a moment, gave a faint smile. “It does seem that way. Looks like I’m destined not to be able to refuse you.”

Hearing this, Shen Qingqiu was taken aback. Then, she thought of something else.

“Where are you staying right now?”

Xiao Muyu told her, and Shen Qingqiu instantly knew it was a shabby little hotel. She frowned slightly.

“Although Skynet World has basic rules and regulations, small places like that are unsafe. The players here are experienced and ruthless. They’ve taken more than a few lives, not to mention other shady activities. I don’t feel comfortable with you staying there alone.”

What she said wasn’t untrue, but her concern seemed excessive. It made Xiao Muyu feel awkward. Still, she had considered this issue before. Looking around the hotel room, Xiao Muyu couldn’t help but ask, “Do you have a lot of points?”

Shen Qingqiu blinked. “I’ve already cleared three instances. Each run earned me over a hundred points. Plus, I chose 100 points as a reward, so I accumulated about 435. I have spent over 200. Now I have around 210 left. I’m not rich, per se, but the Abyss Grand Hotel has the best deals in Skynet World. Don’t let the high price fool you. Vacancies are rare here, usually for one particular reason. Right now, they’re all booked out.”

Xiao Muyu understood what she meant. A room would become available when the occupant died.

“Well, if you don’t mind, you could stay here with me. I was joking with you earlier. You don’t have to worry about me taking advantage of you. Besides, we’re already bound together. Staying in the same place would be more convenient. When a room becomes available, you can take it. What do you say?”

Shen Qingqiu knew Xiao Muyu’s personality well enough. She spoke sincerely, setting aside her usual teasing tone.

Xiao Muyu wasn’t foolish. It was a given to save points whenever possible. As for whether she minded or not, she felt inwardly exasperated. After all, the red string had bound them, and their names had been written together in that stupid ‘matchmaking record’. There wasn’t much point in fussing over sharing the same room.

“I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

These decisive few words had Shen Qingqiu’s face lighting up with a smile.

“I’ll go help you with your things.”

“No need. I don’t have much to carry. I’ll go check out and come over myself.”

Xiao Muyu declined her offer of accompaniment and immediately left.

Alone in the room, Shen Qingqiu looked at the closed door. A faint smile curled at the corners of her mouth.

Just then, her phone rang. Seeing the familiar short number on the screen, Shen Qingqiu answered and put the phone to her ear.

“Yes, everything is going smoothly.”

“I understand, but please stick to our prior agreement. Don’t interfere too much, and don’t do anything too outrageous. You’re the one who messed up this time. You should be well aware of that.”

The voice on the other end continued, but Shen Qingqiu’s expression grew colder. She let out a frosty chuckle.

“I’m not asking for your permission. I’m informing you. I know exactly what I’m doing. From now on, I won’t always be available to take your calls. If you need to contact me, send a message.”

With that, she hung up the phone.

The eighteenth-floor room had an unobstructed balcony window, offering a broad city view. There seemed to be a boundary in the distant horizon, unperceivable with the naked eye. The existence of this world was shrouded in mystery. Yet it easily manipulated the lives of millions.

The last trace of warmth in Shen Qingqiu’s gray eyes vanished. In this place, the difference between living and dying was negligible. So, whether things were real or fake didn’t much matter anymore.

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Author had something to say:

Su Jin: I thought I was their biggest shipper. Looks like I’m wrong. Their biggest shipper is the broken system.
System: You’re still too green. The biggest shipper is the author, who has something to say.
Author: Next chapter we enter the new instance.