71: Chapter 71 Since you're here, leave some money to buy your life.

As dusk fell, a deathly silence hung over the plaza of Donghai City. Only the cooling lava pit continued to make a 'sizzling' sound, sending up wisps of pungent, acrid smoke.

Qin Ji stepped forward onto the scorching residual heat. With every step he took, the crowded onlookers retreated like Moses parting the Red Sea, terrified of catching even a hint of bad luck from this malevolent deity.

"Shadow Killer, why have you stopped?"

Qin Ji's footsteps paused slightly before a patch of shadow. He tilted his head, his purple-gold pupils sweeping seemingly at random toward the empty air.

A ripple like water shimmered in the air.

Shadow Killer's figure appeared in a wretched state. The face he usually kept hidden beneath a mask was now pale as paper. Cold sweat slid from his temples down his sideburns, dripping onto the dagger in his hand.

"Cough... Your Excellency Snow Emperor must be joking."

Shadow Killer swallowed hard, his throat dry. He subconsciously flipped his dagger into a reverse grip, hiding it behind his back to show he was harmless. "I'm just... passing through. Purely passing through."

As a top-tier assassin, he understood the gravity of what had just happened.

Although the colleague who had been melted was only second-rate, he had been able to strike before the main city guards could react, meaning his Agility attribute was at least 200. Yet, even with that kind of speed, he hadn't lasted even half a second against Qin Ji.

That Balrog phantom... it wasn't a skill at all. It was some kind of suppression from a higher-dimensional Law!

"Passing through?"

A playful arc curved at the corner of Qin Ji's mouth. His gaze moved past Shadow Killer and landed on the obsequiously smiling Divine Wolf nearby. "And you? The Guild Leader of the Futou Guild, are you also just passing through?"

Divine Wolf's body jolted. He waved his hands hurriedly, his face piled with the humble smile characteristic of a businessman.

"Big Boss Snow Emperor, you've misunderstood! I'm here specifically to wait for you!"

As Divine Wolf spoke, he very tactfully pulled a golden card from his backpack and presented it with both hands. "I just witnessed your Divine Might; it was truly awe-inspiring. This is our Futou Guild's Supreme VIP card. In the future, if you have any unwanted equipment, Materials, or... ahem, stolen goods from your kills, our Futou Guild is willing to buy them back at 120% of the market price!"

A smart man.

Qin Ji glanced at the gold card but didn't take it.

"I'm not short on money."

Qin Ji's voice was flat, yet it carried an air of casual flex that made Divine Wolf feel despair. "However, since you're both here, pass on a message for me."

"Whoever dares to pull little tricks behind my back again, that pile of ash just now will be their example."

After speaking, Qin Ji ignored these two big shots who could cause an earthquake in Donghai City just by stomping their feet. He turned and continued toward the Tower of Heaven.

Divine Wolf and Shadow Killer looked at each other, both seeing the relief in the other's eyes.

However.

The moment Qin Ji turned around.

Swoosh—!

An extremely faint sound of breaking air suddenly exploded.

The sound didn't come from behind, but from the bell tower above to his side!

An arrow with a pitch-black shaft tore through the twilight. Carrying a bizarre spiral energy, it actually traced an 'S' curve in the air that defied the Laws of physics, precisely bypassing the protective air currents around Qin Ji's body and heading straight for his temple!

"Twisted-String Archery?!"

Shadow Killer's pupils constricted as he cried out in shock, "Someone from the Qi Family of Heaven Bow Mountain?!"

This arrow was too fast and too cunning.

Unlike the straight trajectory of an ordinary Archer, it was like a venomous snake with eyes, locked onto Qin Ji's blind spot.

It was impossible for players at this stage to master such a technique!

Unless... they were a Martial Artist from the real world!

Qin Ji didn't look back, and he didn't even stop walking.

He simply raised his right hand with extreme casualness and lightly pinched the air with two slender fingers.

Ding!

A crisp sound of clashing metal rang out.

The spiral arrow, capable of piercing through steel plates, was caught firmly in mid-air by Qin Ji's two fingers. The fletching was still vibrating violently, letting out a buzzing wail, yet it could not advance a single millimeter further.

"Interesting."

Qin Ji tilted his head, looking at the arrow still spinning between his fingertips. "Using the vibration of wrist strength to give the arrow lateral centrifugal force, thereby changing its trajectory... is this what's called ancient martial arts?"

"Flashy but useless."

Snap.

With a slight exertion of Qin Ji's fingers, the arrow forged from fine iron instantly snapped.

"What incredible finger strength, Your Excellency!"

From atop the bell tower, a vigorous figure leaped down, landing steadily ten meters in front of Qin Ji after several bounds.

It was a young Archer dressed in green leather armor, with a longbow on his back and eyes as sharp as a hawk's. Looking at the broken arrow on the ground, a deep sense of wariness flashed in his eyes, but it was overshadowed by a feverish excitement at finding a worthy opponent.

"Qi Yun of Heaven Bow Mountain."

The young Archer cupped his fists, performing a standard Jianghu salute. "That arrow just now was an offense. I was simply excited to see a master and wanted to test the mettle of the legendary 'Snow Emperor'."

"Test my mettle?"

Qin Ji smiled, but there was no mirth in his eyes. "In my previous life... oh wait, the last person who tried to test my mettle already has grass growing two meters high on his grave."

Qi Yun's face stiffened; he clearly hadn't expected this expert to have such a volatile temper.

"Don't misunderstand! I have no ill intent!"

Seeing sparks dancing at Qin Ji's fingertips again, Qi Yun hurriedly pulled a starlit skill book from his robes and tossed it toward Qin Ji like a hot potato. "This is an apology! And a greeting gift!"

Qin Ji caught it casually.

[Skill Book: Astral Moon Purification (Rare)]

[Effect: Removes all crowd control effects from oneself (except for suppression types) and increases Tenacity by 30% for the next 3 seconds.]

[Class Restriction: None]

A cleanse skill?

Qin Ji's brow twitched slightly. This kind of item was a high-demand commodity with no supply at this stage. Especially for 'short-legged' classes without movement skills, it was practically a second life.

"I've seen your battle videos."

Qi Yun spoke extremely fast, fearing Qin Ji might melt him if he got annoyed. "Your attack power and defense are absurdly high; you're basically a stat monster. But you don't seem to have any crowd control removal. If you encounter a control-style Mage with infinite combos, you'll be in trouble."

"Our Qi Family wants to make friends with you. If there are guild wars in the future, I can bring the Qi Family members to serve under your banner."

Qin Ji toyed with the skill book in his hand, his purple-gold pupils sizing Qi Yun up and down.

An ancient martial arts Family.

They were the mainstays who fought against the alien civilization in the Late Stage of the Cataclysm in his previous life. These people did have some skill; by relying on their real-world physical abilities, they could often pull off maneuvers far beyond those of ordinary players in the early game.

Thugs who delivered themselves to his door—it would be a waste not to take them.

"The item is good. Your life is saved."

With a flick of Qin Ji's palm, the skill book turned into a streak of light and merged into his body. "As for serving under me... that depends on your performance. I don't keep useless people."

Qi Yun breathed a sigh of relief, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

In that moment just now, he truly felt as if he were being stared down by a primordial Vicious Beast. That sense of pressure was even more terrifying than what he felt facing the Old Ancestor in the Family's Forbidden Ground.

"Fine, get out of the way."

Qin Ji waved his hand, shooing away this future master Archer like a fly, and continued toward the Tower of Heaven.

After just two steps, his pace stopped again.

This time, it wasn't because of an assassin or a test.

It was because two figures he was incredibly familiar with appeared in the crowd ahead.

At the entrance of the Tower of Heaven, two flashes of white light had just flickered.

A man and a woman were standing in the center of the teleportation array, looking at the tense atmosphere around them with confusion.

The man wore newbie plate armor and held a broken iron sword. He was somewhat decent-looking in a superficial way; he was Qin Ji's good brother from his previous life, Zhao Xu.

The woman beside him wore a light purple newbie robe, the tight-fitting cut perfectly outlining her graceful curves. She had an exquisite face that inspired pity, and at this moment, she was pulling on Zhao Xu's sleeve with a pitiful look, her large, watery eyes filled with innocence and panic.

Liu Ruyan.

The woman who had deceived him for ten years in his previous life and finally plunged a dagger into his heart with her own hands.

"What's going on? Why is everyone just standing still?"

Zhao Xu was a bit dazed. He grabbed a nearby player and asked, "Buddy, what's the situation?"

"Shh! Don't talk!"

That player was pale with fright and pointed at Qin Ji not far away. "Don't you see Big Boss Snow Emperor over there? If you want to die, don't drag me with you!"

"Snow Emperor?"

Liu Ruyan keenly caught this keyword.

She followed everyone's gaze.

Under the setting sun, a man in a black trench coat, standing tall as a pine tree and radiating an aura that warned people to stay away, was standing there quietly.

Although Qin Ji's current temperament was diametrically opposed to the simp who only knew how to smile foolishly in his previous life, Liu Ruyan would recognize that face even if it were turned to ash!

"Qin Ji?!"

Liu Ruyan's beautiful eyes widened. She covered her mouth, a flash of unbelievable shock crossing her eyes, which then quickly transformed into an extremely distorted ecstasy.

It was him!

It really was him!

Who would have thought this loser's luck was so good that he'd actually become a 'big boss' in others' eyes?

Liu Ruyan's reaction was incredibly fast, worthy of an Oscar-winning actress. She instantly let go of Zhao Xu's hand, and her expression completed a triple jump from 'panic' to 'surprise' to 'aggrieved' within a single second.

Eyes reddening, tears shimmering, lips lightly bitten.

Qin Ji had fallen for this combo countless times in his previous life, his heart aching for her every single time.

"Qin Ji! I finally found you!"

With a sob in her voice and ignoring the gazes of those around her, Liu Ruyan stumbled toward Qin Ji. Her appearance was the perfect image of a small woman who had finally found someone to rely on in a chaotic world.

Zhao Xu stood in place, his face instantly turning livid. But he soon remembered the words 'big boss' from the player earlier, and a flash of sinister calculation crossed his eyes. He forced himself to suppress the urge to pull Liu Ruyan back.

Liu Ruyan ran to within three meters of Qin Ji and stopped abruptly. As if she had suffered endless grievances, she looked like she wanted to throw herself into Qin Ji's arms, yet was too timid to approach.

"Qin Ji... *sob*, I thought I'd never see you again."

Liu Ruyan was like a pear blossom bathed in rain, her voice soft and sweet. "Just now in the Newbie Village, Brother Zhao Xu and I were being chased by monsters the whole time. We almost died several times... Why didn't you come looking for me? I was so scared..."

The surrounding players watched, dumbfounded.

What was the situation?

This cold and ruthless Big Boss Snow Emperor actually had such a romantic history?

Looking at this woman whose acting was seamless, Qin Ji remained expressionless.

In his previous life, he had been led around by the nose by this outer shell. To buy her equipment, he had worked day and night; to protect her, he had stood before BOSSes countless times; in the end, he had even given her his life.

And now.

Looking at her performance, there was no anger or hatred in Qin Ji's heart, only a physiological disgust as if watching a clown's show.

"Looking for you?"

Qin Ji put his hands in his pockets and leaned forward slightly, his purple-gold pupils reflecting Liu Ruyan's hypocritical face.

His voice was very soft, yet it carried clearly across the entire plaza.

"Who are you? Are we... close?"

The expression on Liu Ruyan's face instantly froze. That teardrop hanging from her lashes, about to fall, stopped awkwardly in mid-air.

"Qin Ji, what... what are you saying?"

Liu Ruyan forced out a smile, attempting to grab Qin Ji's sleeve. "I'm Ruyan, your most beloved..."

Sizzle—!

A crimson flame sprouted from Qin Ji's fingertips without warning, precisely singeing the back of Liu Ruyan's reaching hand.

"Ah!"

Liu Ruyan screamed and pulled her hand back as if struck by lightning. A layer of blisters instantly formed on her fair skin.

"Don't touch me recklessly."

Qin Ji stood up straight, his gaze as cold as if he were looking at a pile of non-recyclable trash. "My clothes are very expensive. If you get them dirty, you couldn't afford to pay even if you were sold."

The sunset was like blood, stretching their shadows long. Qin Ji looked down from above at Liu Ruyan, who was slumped on the ground in disbelief. There was no emotional ripple in his eyes, only the Balrog phantom faintly visible behind him, letting out a savage, silent mock at this world full of lies.