Since the game launch, this might just be the most buzzing topic on the forum—who would’ve thought that Xie Shuangxue would shoot to fame overnight? Especially tonight.

Qiao Zhihui, ever the professional streamer, streamed the whole event live. Even in the heat of excitement, he didn’t forget to adjust the camera, capturing every angle perfectly. And who wouldn’t be excited when there’s talk of a legendary hidden quest?

The only off-note came from some snide comments about the rewards being lackluster and how Endless Sea was stingy. But everyone knew that the quest rewards weren’t really the main focus here; any gripes like that hardly mattered in the forum thread.

Who said my “child’s” bond value was useless?

If it’s available, I’ll max it out right now!

Even casual players with some experience could pull out a few gold-tier materials, and Xie Shuangxue’s quest didn’t have many restrictions—pretty much anything within the Five Elements would work. Some of the “Golden Legend” materials that people had found useless might as well be put to good use here.

So, Xie Shuangxue’s dedicated thread had a vibe totally different from other threads. Ever since he arrived at Lu Yun Tower, the tone shifted from pitiful cries to a full-blown celebration, especially tonight, as everyone went from teary-eyed cat faces to screaming chickens in a heartbeat.

Every moment of Xie Shuangxue’s fluid moves before he took off his mask, along with every single expression after, was cherished in the livestream.

“Oh my god, my baby is too handsome.”

“I got hooked by his looks, but who knew he’d be this skilled, too?”

Some fans were also filled with regret—why didn’t they go to the City Lord’s Mansion today?

What if they had gotten in?

Because of this, Qiao Zhihui, who got to experience the hidden quest up close, became the object of intense jealousy from the thread’s fans. But he also felt a bit regretful—he hadn’t recognized Xie Shuangxue when he was close, so he barely said a word to him, and by the time he realized, it was too late. Jiu Shen, on the other hand, got even closer.

Watching the playback, Qiao Zhihui couldn’t shake the feeling that Xie Shuangxue’s expression seemed a little off when he looked back at Jiu Shen, as if he had hesitated before realizing something.

It was strange, though—ever since Jiu Shen returned to the game, he’d been elusive, rarely appearing anywhere else but showing up around Xie Shuangxue repeatedly.

Could it be that Jiu Shen had become a fan and was lurking in this thread just like the rest of us?

It was a joke, but Qiao Zhihui’s words seemed to have a mystical touch to them.

In reality, Yu Haiqing had been lurking here for a while, under the username “YU009.” This was a new account he had registered. Of course, he had a main account, even a verified one, but that one was too conspicuous. Using the ID “Jiu” would stand out even more, so he decided to go incognito.

Previously, his comments here had been brought up and criticized. Yu Haiqing understood that the emotions in the thread had been intense, and his vague words naturally drew controversy. He’d been roasted plenty on forums before, so he was well-prepared for it. Compared to the insults he usually received, Xie Shuangxue’s fan thread was actually pretty mild.

This drama was no big deal, but it did make him realize that these fans viewed Xie Shuangxue in a completely different light than he did.

Tonight, the tone in the thread was calmer, but the comments were still things like, “My baby is amazing” and “Xue Bao was like an agile kitty tonight, so cute!” The “mom-fan” vibes were strong as ever.

Not that they were wrong, but Xie Shuangxue was clearly more than just that.

Why didn’t anyone here notice that every move he made was calculated with precision, that he acted decisively even in the face of uncertainty? He wasn’t as harmless and innocent as he seemed. Anyone who truly understood would be curious to find out: What kind of character was he really? What was he planning?

Yu Haiqing wanted to find someone in this thread who saw Xie Shuangxue from this perspective, but he had no luck.

No one got it.

Tonight, his previous comments were brought up again—maybe because they’d been proven true—and now people were asking if he knew any Endless Sea inside info. His notifications wouldn’t stop ringing.

Yu Haiqing almost turned them off but noticed a few messages in his private inbox that stood out.

“Hey, fellow fan.”

“I only dare say this in private, but I don’t think Xie Shuangxue is as simple as they’re saying. He’s definitely not that easy to figure out.”

Did this person share his view?

Yu Haiqing clicked into the message thread, and as he did, more messages came through—they must’ve just logged into the forum too.

“I just logged out of the game, and I’m still in full excitement mode.”

“Ugh, Xue Xue planned it all so perfectly!”

This person saw through Xie Shuangxue’s calculations too? So, some players had also picked up on it.

Yu Haiqing replied right away, “Do you really think so?”

Seeing a response, the other person seemed thrilled.

“Whoa! You’re here!”

“I’m super hyped because of Xue Xue! Ugh, his performance tonight was perfect, at Lu Yun Tower and then tonight’s incident—ugh, my hubby is too smart and so good at baiting.”

“I totally get it! From Chen Xin to Ling Xuan and Ling Luo, not to mention tonight’s players—ha! They’re all totally falling under my Xue’s spell.”

“Because my hubby is the smartest little fox!”

Yu Haiqing: …

Hold on, these words don’t seem right. Who’s your “hubby”?

He frowned, but the other person seemed too absorbed in their rant to notice.

“I was enchanted by that bad-boy look in the trailer—Xie Shuangxue’s mind has always been sharp. I don’t get what’s appealing about that sad, cute persona everyone talks about. The streets are full of it, they just don’t get it.”

“Bad boy! We want bad boys!”

“It’s so frustrating; I feel like an outcast in that thread, unable to connect with those doting ‘mom-fans.’ I’m sneaking around just to simp on an NPC.”

There was even an emoji of someone gasping for air.

“All they ever talk about is how sad and pitiful he is. But after seeing the latest gameplay content, he really hit all my weak spots. Look at how his night gear wraps around his waist! So slim! And he totally led the players along intentionally! So cunning!”

“Then I scroll through his dedicated thread and it’s all ruined. A bad boy like this should be pinned to the bed to reveal his true colors!”

This is…not right.

Who exactly is this person? And what are they saying? This perspective is completely off the mark.

Yu Haiqing’s frown deepened, his mind filled with question marks. According to her profile, the other player was listed as female—where did she get the “equipment” she mentioned?

Meanwhile, the messages kept pouring in.

“Hey, I could tell from your comments that you’re a like-minded fan. Finding someone like you is rare.”

“Come join our group! Quick, we’ve already got a few hundred members. If you have any insider info, feel free to share it with us.”

“Sooner or later, I’m going to go head-to-head with those ‘mom-fans.’ I believe it’s only a matter of time before we carve out our place in that thread!”

Then, she sent him an invite link.

Yu Haiqing didn’t respond.

He stared at the chat box, falling into deep thought.

He rarely had time to check the forums, and he’d heard the discussions here were a bit different. But he hadn’t expected anything like this.

What kind of weird group of people had Xie Shuangxue attracted?

Meanwhile, Xie Shuangxue himself was completely unaware of all this. After seeing off the players, he carefully avoided the City Lord’s Mansion guards and returned to the Feather Clan’s quarters. As he pushed open the door, he saw Chen Xin and Ling Luo waiting for him.

Exhausted, his face pale, Xie Shuangxue stumbled in, startling Chen Xin, who quickly helped him to bed.

“This was too reckless; you shouldn’t have gone at all,” Chen Xin scolded, directing his last sentence at Ling Luo. “Did you know his injuries weren’t fully healed yet?”

Ling Luo looked taken aback. He’d been worried for Xie Shuangxue too, but he hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from Chen Xin, who was normally mild-mannered. He’d never raised his voice before.

After taking the medicine that had been prepared for him, Xie Shuangxue regained a bit of strength. His first instinct was to ease the tension. Tugging on Chen Xin’s sleeve, he spoke up, “It’s not Senior Brother Ling Luo’s fault. He was against it from the start; I insisted on going. Since I’m here, it’s only right that I do what I can.”

He then told them everything that had happened and carefully rationalized the players’ involvement.

At the moment, the Feather Clan had a favorable view of the Continental Wanderers, so Xie Shuangxue only briefly mentioned their assistance with the spell. The real focus of his story was the situation inside the City Lord’s Mansion.

“Senior Brother Ling Luo had previously investigated the usual security there, which I already knew about, but when I went there, I found out the guards were doubled. At the central area, there seemed to be an array, so the guards didn’t approach it as closely. If Lord Yun is just in seclusion, why would all this security be necessary? Yun Pannan and Yun Panlong are definitely not simple. Especially Yun Panlong—he’s in charge of all the guards, and the fact that he didn’t show up today is telling. Senior Brothers, be on your guard.”

This was the main point of Xie Shuangxue’s story.

Regardless of how things turned out, Yun Panlong was the obvious villain in the Lu Yun Tower storyline. With Ling Luo on alert and Chen Xin’s help, maybe they could avoid falling into darkness.

But as soon as he finished speaking, Xie Shuangxue’s head began to pound, and a buzzing filled his ears. His mind grew fuzzy, but he forced himself to share one last detail.

He gave Chen Xin the names and characteristics of the five players, letting him know that they’d come by tomorrow. Then, with a tilt of his head, he passed out.

Chen Xin fed him some more medicine and tucked him in, then turned to Ling Luo with a dark look that made Ling Luo tense up.

“…Senior Brother?”

Chen Xin didn’t respond immediately, as if not wanting to disturb Xie Shuangxue. Only once they were outside did he speak.

“He doesn’t owe the Feather Clan anything,” Chen Xin said softly, almost to himself. “Keep an eye on him.”

Based on rank and status, Chen Xin was indeed the highest among the younger disciples. But with his gentle temperament, people tended to forget. Now, under his gaze, Ling Luo felt compelled to stand up straight.

“I understand.”

That night, Xie Shuangxue fell into a deep sleep.

Normally, “sleep” was just a formality for him as an NPC—he didn’t truly need it. But this was the first time he’d truly defied the system rules, and after passing out, he entered a real slumber.

As he drifted off, Xie Shuangxue experienced something akin to a human sleep and dream. Strange, surreal scenes flickered through his mind.

He hadn’t quite figured things out yet, but one thing remained clear: the ID “Jiu” lingered in his thoughts.

When he finally opened his eyes, those surreal visions faded, and that ID was all he remembered.

Though Xie Shuangxue was still a bit dazed, he didn’t show it outwardly.

He got up from bed, dressed as usual, and took the medicine that Chen Xin had left by his side. A Feather Clan member passing by saw him awake and, remembering Chen Xin’s instructions from last night, let in a newly arrived Continental Wanderer.

As Yu Haiqing entered, he saw Xie Shuangxue down the last mouthful of his medicine, wincing at the bitterness. Hearing footsteps, he looked up.

If one looked closely, they’d notice a blankness in his gaze, as if he were on standby, not fully awake.

Yu Haiqing glanced at the medicine bowl, then at Xie Shuangxue, who just blinked in return, prompting Yu Haiqing to reach over and hand him a piece of candy.

NPCs feel the bitterness too, huh?

Xie Shuangxue accepted the candy, staring at Yu Haiqing in confusion.

Realizing something was off, Yu Haiqing watched him closely, and after a moment, it hit him.

Having worked in game development, he recognized this “buffering” state in NPCs—it was a temporary lag after waking up, something that would pass.

No wonder he was so well-behaved.

Unwrapping the candy, he placed it in Xie Shuangxue’s mouth. He sucked on it slowly, and even as he dressed, he hadn’t bothered putting his robe on properly, his coat still hanging on the rack.

Watching him, Yu Haiqing couldn’t help but remember the bizarre fan messages from the previous night.

Taking the coat, he draped it over Xie Shuangxue’s shoulders, guiding his arms through the sleeves one at a time. He tightened his collar and cuffs, fastening every button to the very top.

Now, that’s better.

Fully dressed, Xie Shuangxue stared blankly at his now neat appearance, his gaze slowly shifting to his cuffs, as if noticing something interesting. He raised his hand to show Yu Haiqing.

Tiny embroidered koi fish lined the cuffs.

“Extra decoration,” Xie Shuangxue murmured, blinking. “Little fish.”

Yu Haiqing immediately recognized it as something Wei Lan had secretly added.

Xie Shuangxue extended his hand, seemingly wanting to show him the little koi fish.

Looking at him, Yu Haiqing found himself agreeing with the fans who described him as a drowsy kitten. A strange emotion welled up inside him, but the moment Xie Shuangxue’s hand brushed against him, something changed.

The buffer ended, and Xie Shuangxue was truly awake.

With a single blink, his expression transformed, his smile carrying a different energy as he instantly pulled his hand back.

Yu Haiqing felt a weird pang of disappointment.

“Brave Continental Wanderer, have you brought the item I need?”

The moment he spoke, he sounded exactly like an NPC.

But both of them knew the truth.

Their private moment was brief as more players soon arrived.

Qiao Zhihui was the fastest, and after lingering outside for a while, they saw no sign of Jiu Shen. Instead, a Feather Clan member welcomed them in, and once inside, they found Jiu Shen already there.

The three guild leaders hadn’t had such a peaceful meeting in a while—at least on the surface.

Xie Shuangxue didn’t waste time. Once they’d handed over the items, he indicated the quest was complete.

Shi Jiu Jianghu assumed they’d have to break the array to finish, but the reward screen was vague, only mentioning a clue from Yun Panshan. He was the first to speak up: “I visited the City Lord’s Mansion yesterday to ask about someone named Yun Ruowei. If there’s any way to learn more or get a lead on their whereabouts…”

Before he could finish, Bai Qiuyan stepped forward. “If there’s anything the City Lord shared, let me know. I could handle all of this alone—no need for these two.”

Cherry Tomato got angry. “Everyone’s involved here! Bai Qiuyan, don’t push it!”

The temporary truce shattered as Shi Jiu Jianghu rolled up his sleeves, ready to argue, when he felt someone tug on his sleeve. Turning, he saw Qiao Zhihui’s dazed expression.

“What’s up?”

They’d all been focused on the reward related to Lord Yun and hadn’t paid attention to the five points of bond value.

Normally, bond points could be redeemed with associated NPCs for something, but as Xie Shuangxue had lost his family, it didn’t seem like he’d have anything worthwhile. Yet, with a fan’s mindset, Qiao Zhihui checked the exchange interface and found it was anything but worthless.

Currently, there was only one available item.

[Assassin Skill Specialization Boost].

Suddenly, he remembered Xie Shuangxue’s astonishing stealth and shadow-skills from earlier.

How could this be useless?

This was more valuable than Yun Ruowei’s whereabouts!