Shelter

Back in the carriage, Qian Gongyu remained silent, her gaze towards 'Jiang Shi' filled with unspoken words, a thousand turns, a myriad of affections.

"If there's nothing else, I'll go out to train. I saw a training ground outside just now."

"You're still going out? What if you run into Luo Weijin and the others again? Even if they beat you to death, they'd only have to pay a bit of money!"

"Oh."

Seeing 'Jiang Shi' so calm, Qian Gongyu suddenly felt a little regretful, muttering, "I'm not blaming you... You offended Luo Weijin because of me. I just don't want you to be in danger..."

She paused, "Next time, don't take action in situations like that. It's nothing if they say a few words; I'm used to it. Now is the time for the Qian Family to endure humiliation and bear burdens. As the Qian Family Head, I should bear these pressures—"

"There won't be a next time."

"Ah?" Qian Gongyu was stunned, and as if realizing something, her mood instantly plummeted. "I see, Young Miss Shang values you so much. She can help you avoid the punishment of entering the Wandering Star Forest and give you a better future. In comparison, the Qian Family is indeed too small... I have no reason to stop you from pursuing a better future. We've only known each other for a day... If I were Young Miss Shang, I would definitely recruit you. You were so sharp just now, showing no fear even when surrounded by so many Imperial Guards..."

Qian Gongyu fell into a long, rustling ramble. Yan Qing wanted to explain that he wouldn't join the Shang Family, but he felt that explaining would give Qian Gongyu unnecessary expectations, especially since he planned to run away after the Wandering Star Forest instance. However, Qian Gongyu was a bit difficult to communicate with in this state. Fortunately, he had already mastered how to handle Qian Gongyu.

"Young Miss, shut up."

Qian Gongyu immediately shut up, looking at 'Jiang Shi' pitifully, like a chick begging its mother hen not to leave.

"Tell me about the Wandering Star Forest. Why is entering the Wandering Star Forest considered a punishment?"

"The Wandering Star Forest..." Mentioning serious matters, Qian Gongyu's expression also became serious. She sorted out her thoughts a little and slowly said, "The Wandering Star Forest has been a trial ground in the Jiang Nan region since ancient times. In the past, it was monopolized by two or three families, until the Great Liang Founder established the Great Liang Dynasty and designated the Wandering Star Forest as a national Secret Realm. Anyone can come to the Wandering Star Forest to participate in the trials in mid-March every year."

"However, nobles rarely participate in this event. The main participants are Esteemed Class disciples and their followers. The fact that Young Miss Shang and Jie Family Young Miss have come this time... Once this news spreads, the number of people here will probably double in a few days."

Yan Qing found it a bit strange.

"Didn't you say anyone can come to the Wandering Star Forest? How come it's only the Esteemed Class and Noble Class? What about the Humble Class?"

"How would the Humble Class know about the Wandering Star Forest?" Saying this, Qian Gongyu proudly raised her head. "Even the newly promoted Blue Belt Esteemed Class may not have the channels to understand. Only my Qian Family, with its long history of thirty-three generations, not those nouveau riche without any foundation, knows about the Wandering Star Forest."

Although my Qian Family is only a Blue Belt Esteemed Class, we are the top tier among the Blue Belt Esteemed Class!

However, Yan Qing didn't care at all whether the Qian Family was the beggar or the emperor among the Blue Belt Esteemed Class. He quickly urged Qian Gongyu to tell him the information she knew.

According to Qian Gongyu, the Wandering Star Forest is a three-day continuous instance. The earliest entry time is the fifteenth, and the latest entry time is the twenty-first. After the twenty-first, no new entrants are accepted.

After someone enters the Wandering Star Forest, two rankings will appear on the periphery: the "Personal Score Rankings" and the "Total Score Rankings".

Each person can stay in the Wandering Star Forest for six hours each day, but they can leave early. However, they must enter the Wandering Star Forest for three consecutive days, otherwise they will be considered to have given up participating in the event, and they will not be able to enter the Wandering Star Forest again even if it is not yet the twenty-fourth.

The reward mechanism of the Wandering Star Forest is also different from other Secret Realms, divided into two settlements. The first is after The Herald completes the three-day trial, treasure box rewards are generated based on personal scores; the second is after the entire event ends, that is, after March 24th, ten large treasure boxes are generated based on the Total Score Rankings.

According to the rules set by the Liang Kingdom, personal treasure boxes belong to the individual, but the ten large treasure boxes are shared by all participating Noble Class and Esteemed Class disciples—note, only Noble Class and Esteemed Class disciples. Black Belt guards like 'Jiang Shi' are not qualified to share the cake. This rule may seem discriminatory at first glance, and it is indeed discriminatory, but the essence should be that the imperial court encourages Scholar Clan disciples to actively participate in the Wandering Star Forest, rather than sending guards and servants to perfunctorily complete the task.

Yan Qing estimated that in the game, the ten large treasure boxes generated by the total score settlement should be the PVP content of this limited-time event. Whoever grabs them first gets them. But in reality, there would naturally be no PVP segment. The royal family, the imperial court, and the Noble Class had already negotiated a distribution plan, and they would not let stray dogs get a share.

As for the most important content of the Wandering Star Forest Secret Realm, Qian Gongyu naturally told him everything she knew—

"I don't know the specific details," Qian Gongyu said honestly, "because I haven't been there either."

"But as far as I know, the Wandering Star Forest is more of a trial than a Secret Realm. Everyone inside will encounter huge and terrifying illusions. Those with weak wills will soon be unable to withstand the pressure and withdraw early, and the longer they can persist inside, the higher their score will naturally be."

"Unlike other Secret Realms, anyone entering the Wandering Star Forest will be teleported to their respective trial grounds, so it's impossible to stick together. However, the trials are not necessarily conducted alone. As long as enough people enter at the same time, they can often form a four-person team to accept the trial together."

"In our Scholar Clan circles, the most important gain from the Wandering Star Forest is not the reward treasure boxes after the score settlement, but to use it to screen talents—anyone who can get a high score in the Wandering Star Forest proves that they have an extremely resilient mind and great potential. Any family will allocate resources to focus on cultivating them. Generally speaking, those who can persist in the Wandering Star Forest for three hours are talents who can be on the Hidden Dragon Rankings."

"The Imperial Court also hopes to use this method to select pillars of the nation, and will even reward corresponding contribution points based on each family's score in the Wandering Star Forest."

"In the past, I probably wouldn't have participated in the Wandering Star Forest. After all, I am the sole heir of the Qian Family and don't need to prove my potential. But ever since... the Qian Family's situation deteriorated, our contribution points have decreased year by year. If this continues, we might fall out of the Esteemed Class. I can only seize every opportunity to increase our contribution points and maintain the Qian Family's status as an Esteemed Class."

As she said this, Qian Gongyu secretly glanced at 'Jiang Shi', gently bit her lip, and twisted her fingers together, seemingly struggling internally.

"Jiang Shi, you should go and seek refuge with the Shang Family now to avoid punishment." She lowered her head and said slowly, "The reason I've been trying so hard to win you over is because I believe you can definitely score high in the Wandering Star Forest, which would allow my Qian Family to gain a lot of contribution points."

"If I hadn't intended to use you, you wouldn't have offended the Luo Family, and you wouldn't be punished as a result... It's my fault."

A long silence fell in the carriage, with only the rustling sounds of various birds and insects in the forest outside. After a while, Qian Gongyu noticed 'Jiang Shi' standing up, and immediately buried her head even lower, wishing she could hide her face in her chest.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

A rhythmic sound of air being cut rang out in the carriage. Qian Gongyu raised her head and saw 'Jiang Shi' standing in the open space, practicing her fist techniques.

"You, what are you doing?"

"Didn't you say it's dangerous outside? Then I'll hone my fist techniques here."

"Aren't you going to seek refuge with the Shang Family? You don't have to worry about me, after all, I can't protect—"

"I'm not worried about you, but I won't seek refuge with the Shang Family either."

"But without the Shang Family's protection, how will you escape punishment? The one in charge of the whipping is Luo Weijin's man, he won't let you go!"

"It's simple, I just won't give them the chance to punish me."

Qian Gongyu stared blankly at 'Jiang Shi', who was practicing her fist techniques as if no one else was around, and didn't know what to say for a moment. Not giving them a chance to punish her meant staying in the Wandering Star Forest for the full six hours—she didn't even know if anyone had ever achieved this theoretical record before.

Even Shang Xinlei and Jie Yuanshao wouldn't dare to make such bold claims, right?

Arrogance? Ignorance? Presumption?

She really wanted to emphasize the dangers of the Wandering Star Forest again, and really wanted to let 'Jiang Shi' know how whimsical her ideas were. But whether it was because she was reluctant to push away this treasure she had luckily found, or because 'Jiang Shi's' confidence, which surpassed even the Noble Class scions, was too dazzling, she ultimately said nothing, and instead went back to change into a set of training clothes that were convenient for movement.

"If you want to practice fist techniques, I'll go out and spar with you. Don't underestimate me, I became The Herald through fist techniques!"

"Your fist and palm techniques are very average. It seems you haven't practiced much before. I'll teach you when I have time."

"That was just me being careless, let's go again..."

"Progress is quite fast. It seems I have to get serious..."

"That was just your good luck. Next, I'm going to use my full strength!"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch—"

By the time the two returned to the carriage, Qian Gongyu was already falling apart, dirty from head to toe, and had obviously been knocked to the ground more than once.

"Jiang Shi, Jiang Shi, I accompanied you to practice fist techniques just now, now you accompany me to take a bath!"

"Okay."

"After we finish bathing, don't practice fist techniques anymore, otherwise you'll sweat again. Hurry up and go to bed, we have to enter the Wandering Star Forest early tomorrow morning. Come on, let's sleep together, my bed can still be squeezed."

"Okay."

"It's my first time sleeping with someone my age. So, what do you usually do, Jiang Shi?"

"Training."

"Let me tell you, the chickens in my hometown are especially delicious. You must come back with me to try them when the time comes."

"Okay."

"That outfit of Shang Xin Lei's is so pretty. I want to make one when I get back. Or should I order one for you too? What color do you like?"

"Young Miss, sleep."

"Oh."

Yan Qing put down his game console and looked at the notes on the Wandering Star Forest on the table.

A random team instance of up to four people, lasting three days, with a maximum stay of twelve hours each time. The content is hallucinations and mental pressure, and the scoring method is that the longer you persist, the more points you get...

I always feel that this instance is... so boring.

After all, the players don't really run into the instance. The instance uses hallucinations to put pressure on the game characters. What does it have to do with the players? And this is at least the annual limited-time instance of "The Herald". Is this all there is to the gameplay?

I still have to enter the instance to know what the mechanism is.

The next morning, the sky was clear and the air was fresh. The Imperial Guards had already assembled and guarded the entrance to the Wandering Star Forest. The Noble Class children who had finished breakfast were chatting in groups of three or five on the grass. When Shang Xin Lei and Jie Yuanshao appeared, they immediately swarmed over and formed a social circle with the two as the core.

Qian Gongyu and 'Jiang Shi' were naturally marginalized people who were not qualified to participate, and Qian Gongyu was visibly nervous, wringing her small hands like flies.

"Jiang Shi, we're about to go in... or you should go find Shang Xin Lei... If you can't hold on, don't force yourself. I heard that some people went crazy because they stayed in the Wandering Star Forest for too long... Or should we just stay until the end, and leave immediately after they go in? Anyway, Uncle Lin is on standby in the carriage, we can leave at any time!"

"Young Miss..."

"I won't say it, I won't say it."

At this time, Luo Weijin walked over, his family's elderly guard closely following behind, a pair of weathered but still sharp eyes staring at 'Jiang Shi'.

"I have prepared a Sharkskin Whip, which can flip the meat with one whip, very exciting, very beautiful." Luo Weijin said gloomily: "You better pray that you can last longer inside."

"You're the one who should pray."

"Huh?"

"If I have to leave the Wandering Star Forest early, the first thing I will do is kill you. I will not be humiliated, only die."

"Hahahaha, just you—"

At the moment when 'Jiang Shi's' left thumb pushed the White Iron Straight Blade out by an inch, the elderly guard behind Luo Weijin immediately pulled him behind him, and clenched the hilt of his sword with a serious expression. Luo Weijin laughed dryly, and seeing that 'Jiang Shi' was still expressionless, he finally realized that the other party was not joking, and fled in embarrassment, leaving a sentence of 'madman'.

But Qian Gongyu became nervous again.

"You were just joking just now, right?"

At this time, the assembly call sounded, and everyone gathered at the entrance of the Wandering Star Forest. Although it is said to be an entrance, it is actually a jungle shrouded in thick fog. There is no specific entrance at all. As long as you walk into the thick fog, you can enter the Wandering Star Forest Secret Realm.

The official in charge of security here said some encouraging platitudes, and then asked them to enter the jungle within a quarter of an hour. Because according to the Liang Kingdom's test, as long as the participants enter one after another within a quarter of an hour, it is possible to form different teams to resist the illusion, and if it exceeds a quarter of an hour, they may be 'leaked'.

Although all the information shows that the team formation is random, after Shang Xin Lei and Jie Yuanshao went in, countless people followed closely behind—what could be better than experiencing adventures together to bring each other closer? If they could team up with these two Noble Class nobles to adventure in the Wandering Star Forest, they would be willing to marry them!

The only exceptions were the Luo Family and the Qian Family. Luo Weijin seemed worried that they would take the opportunity to slip away, so he deliberately stayed until the end. Qian Gongyu bit her silver teeth and pulled 'Jiang Shi's' hand as they walked into the dense fog forest.

But such methods were obviously unable to contend with the dungeon's mechanics. When they stepped into the forest, the dense fog was like water, washing away Qian Gongyu's reluctant hand. 'Jiang Shi' walked in the dense fog for about five minutes before the fog slowly dissipated.

Appearing on the screen was an open space in the jungle. In the open space stood a very simple Small Wooden House, dilapidated and crumbling, as if it would fall with a single blow.

"Jiang Shi! Come quickly!"

Qian Gongyu poked her head out of the wooden house, waving frantically, her face full of undisguised slyness. Yan Qing thought the dungeon illusion had already begun. Only after entering the Small Wooden House did he understand why Qian Gongyu was smiling so avariciously—besides 'Jiang Shi' and Qian Gongyu, the other two teammates in this Small Wooden House were acquaintances.

Shang Xin Lei and Jie Yuanshao!

The two most prestigious connections in the entire camp were all in this team!

No wonder Qian Gongyu's saliva was almost drooling. She would probably be willing to take a beating for 'Jiang Shi' now.

"It's you," Jie Yuanshao said calmly, already in the zone, sitting cross-legged on the ground. "Let's work hard together."

"Jiang Shi, you can always come to me," Shang Xin Lei giggled.

Qian Gongyu walked to 'Jiang Shi's' side and whispered in her ear, "This may be our only chance in this lifetime. As long as we become friends with them, the Qian Family won't have to worry. You have to help me later, let me perform well, let them see the demeanor of the Thousand Family Head... Hey, hey, Jiang Shi, pay attention to me."

In everyone's eyes, 'Jiang Shi' seemed to be in a daze, standing motionless at the door, her eyes unfocused, staring into the void.

In the Thieves' Den, Yan Qing had no intention of paying attention to the thoughts between the three of them, concentrating on studying the new information appearing on the screen.

"Small Wooden House"

"Shelter Level: 0"

"Shelter Maximum Duration: 12 hours"

"Constructible Capacity: 0/6"

"Shelter Resource Reserves: 0 Wood, 0 Stone (More resources need to be collected to unlock) (Collecting resources around the wooden house will make them shelter resources)"

"Available Upgrades—"

"Shelter Upgrade Stone House: Requires 15 Wood, 5 Stone"

"Defensive Facility Wall: Requires 20 Stone"

"Offensive Facility Wooden Crossbow Mechanism: Requires 10 Wood (Can be built multiple times)"