Copper Coins and an Accident

Originally, Lu Xiu thought that the players would find a way to pass the level on their own.

With such a large population, even if it's one in ten thousand, there will definitely be a lot of geniuses among them.

But if we say...

The four instances she constructed earlier each time she verified their completion, were aided by the game memories and experiences from her previous life.

The situation is completely different for the Sifu's instance.

The game memories from my previous life were basically useless in this instance.

Because she basically removed all the game elements.

Her ability to clear the dungeon can be attributed to two main advantages: firstly, she had practiced as Architect for a considerable amount of time, and secondly, she was intimately familiar with the entire dungeon's mechanics and enemy configurations.

After all, the memories weren't stripped away.

Since she can learn and master the Neutralize method from the dungeon after practicing for a while, she can do so effectively.

It's fine for regular players.

With such a huge player base in Nine Provinces, there must be geniuses who can adapt to the rhythm at a glance and learn it in a shorter time than her.

"That shouldn't be the case----"

Lu Xiu tilted her head, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Sifu is not like Sekiro. It has all sorts of strange, enormous, and bizarre non-human enemies. The entire dungeon is also extremely long, and there are a bunch of game mechanics.

In Sifu, although the enemies' attack methods are accompanied by various superpowers, their moves are basically based on reality. The dungeon process is not very long, and the mechanism is extremely straightforward, almost like a system dungeon.

Surprisingly, no one has been able to beat the game yet.

And why is everyone criticizing the aging mechanism?

While attributes do change with age, the window for Neutralize also widens.

Didn't these players give it a try?

Why isn't there a single person posting to brag about having figured it out?

Lu Xiu lowered her arms from around the long, snow-white legs, rested her chin on her hand, and pondered for a moment, "Was the time too short? Or is it because of the high cost of Survival Points? Practice always comes at a price; even geniuses aren't necessarily short of Survival Points— "

Is it still the Sekiro arc?

Survival Points is life itself. Every time you enter a dungeon, you're gambling with your lifespan. With this mindset, how can you be hesitant to experiment with random things?

That still won't work.

"----Did I go too far this time?"

Lu Xiu suddenly thought of another possibility.

But she quickly shook her head.

Absolutely impossible.

She can complete any level.

Although she knew that she was somewhat talented, and could barely be considered a minor genius.

But the world is not short of geniuses.

There will always be people more talented than her.

From her past life to this one, Lu Xiu has seen far too many people who understand something at a glance and master it with a touch.

If this little genius can do it, why can't the real geniuses?

Therefore, it can't possibly be too extreme.

Should we just give out the completion rewards to incentivize these players?

Lu Xiu had another idea.

But after thinking it over carefully, she decided against it.

Players who have completed the first four dungeons should have a good idea of the quality of the rewards.

Let's wait and see if things take a turn for the better.

Ultimately, it's because the time was too short.

The dungeon hasn't been online for very long.

"If all else fails, then let's go with PianB."

As Lu Xiu pondered this, she flipped her wrist and pulled out a simple-looking copper coin with the marks of time from her backpack.

bite-

Lu Xiu placed the copper coin on her fingertip and flicked it lightly.

The copper coin leaped high into the air, tumbling and emitting a crisp, melodious metallic sound, before landing steadily in her fair, soft palm with a graceful parabola.

This instance definitely cannot be implemented on the front lines.

Lu Xiu was mentally prepared for this.

After all, this instance wasn't designed for the front lines—would it be too much to ask frontline soldiers to Neutralize Monster Tide with their bare hands?

This dungeon is primarily designed for top-tier skilled players and capable average players, in preparation for the new version.

Although the special event has ended.

But the official new version hasn't been released yet, and the information exclusive to Architect continues to remind her.

When she first saw that information, she thought of making the players of Nine Provinces as familiar as possible with various underworld dungeons.

The idea of Outlast was born from this.

Sifu —I suppose you could call Sifu.

Although after the special event, Lu Xiu's desire to acquire customization skills took over.

During construction.

She also forgot to consider the experience of ordinary players at one point.

But initially, her idea was indeed to let players in Nine Provinces learn about Hand-to-Hand Instance.

The framework of the Prison Rock dungeon also proves that she didn't choose the wrong theme.

There are instances of this kind in other worlds----

Once players defeat the [Sifu], they will likely no longer be afraid of the opponent's unarmed dungeons.

Frontline soldiers are unlikely to voluntarily go to the arena after the new version is released, unless it is mandatory.

Therefore, it doesn't matter much if the Sifu dungeon can't be promoted on the front lines; we won't miss out on just one more dungeon.

However, if it can't be promoted among ordinary players, that won't work.

So Lu Xiu initially said that the players would find a way out on their own.

But a Plan B has also been prepared.

As for what Plan B is----

Lu Xiu's idea was to create a lower-level dungeon.

Simply put, based on the current Sifu, using other games as models, one or two more dungeons will be created, with the difficulty gradually decreasing, allowing players to slowly grow, fight their way to the Sifu, and eventually complete the game.

It's not particularly difficult to construct.

that is----

"This is a bit troublesome----"

As Lu Xiu pondered this, she placed the copper coin on her fingertip again and flicked it lightly.

bite.

The copper coins flew up and then fell back down.

After catching the copper coin, Lu Xiu glanced at its attributes.

[Item Name: Genuine Copper Coin]

[Rating: SS]

[Type: Item]

[Effect Description: The effect is activated the moment the copper coin is tossed into the air and falls from a great height. The spacetime velocity within a 15-meter radius centered on the user is reduced to one-tenth. The user is unaffected, and the external time lasts for three seconds.]

Simultaneously, it extracts 1% of the current health of all high-health targets within range and restores it entirely to the user. Any excess healing is converted into an equivalent shield, with a maximum shield value not exceeding 10 times the user's maximum health, lasting for ten minutes. The coins are automatically returned after the skill ends.

[Cooldown: 30 minutes.]

[Note: There was a person who was invincible at the age of twenty; there was a person who survived countless near-death situations; and there was a person who made a copper coin win the Best Decoration Award, transforming all its accumulated spiritual energy into this object—even the object itself found it absurd.]

That's pretty strong.

Lu Xiu opened her palm and looked at the copper coin in her hand.

At the beginning.

She didn't really care much about the item rewards from the dungeon, because she basically didn't need them.

Aside from the fragments of the Mortal Blade: Tears of the Gods, all the other items required the Placement Function to unlock—she initially thought the copper coins rewarded from this dungeon were also unlocked.

I only took a look out of curiosity not long ago.

That's when I realized I almost missed out on a treasure.

Although the conditions for using this thing aren't exactly convenient, its powerful effects make up for those inconveniences, and most importantly, it's cool!

Not only can it suck blood, it can also the World.

wrong.

This copper coin can only slow down the flow of time, but it's barely acceptable.

"Cough cough."

Thinking of this, Lu Xiu suddenly became interested.

She straightened up from the soft sofa, gently patted her fair cheeks with both hands, cleared her throat, and then deliberately suppressed her lazy and casual demeanor, trying her best to put on a dignified expression.

Next, press your thumb against the edge of the coin and apply slight pressure.

With a crisp ding, the antique copper coin was launched high into the air, reflecting light and shadow under the indoor lamplight.

Just as the copper coin was about to reach its highest point and was about to fall, at that very moment...

Lu Xiu suddenly stretched out a fair arm, her inner chuunibyou (adolescent delusions of grandeur) burning fiercely within her. She gathered her strength in her dantian and shouted with utmost dramatic intensity, "The World!!!"

"Ding-dong"

Almost at the same second she uttered that famous line, a very loud and clear doorbell rang out from the front door.

The sudden commotion startled Lu Xiu, causing her to flinch.

The shame of occasionally wanting to act childish but getting caught instantly rose up.

Because her attention was instantly diverted by the doorbell, the copper coin that she was supposed to catch with her teacher's grace landed directly on her smooth forehead, then rolled down her pert nose and onto her proud chest.

"Who is it?!"

Lu Xiu picked up the copper coin from her chest, so embarrassed she almost dug a three-bedroom apartment out of the sofa with her toes.

She turned her head away somewhat angrily, briefly closed her eyes, and glanced at the doorway.

?

Lu Xiu tied her hair into a ponytail, then jumped off the sofa, shuffled to the entrance in her slippers, and opened the bedroom door.

Two men stood outside the door.

The person in the lead was a middle-aged man dressed in a well-fitting dark suit.

His face was serene and composed, with a refined and gentle air about him, a quality that suggested he had long held a high position. His temples were slightly streaked with gray, giving him a sense of maturity and composure honed by the passage of time.

Beside the middle-aged man, a little behind, stood a tall, thin young man.

Lu Xiu looked at the face of the person in the lead and felt that he looked somewhat familiar.

"Miss Lu Xiu, hello, I'm Li Shengkai."

Li Shengkai seemed to guess that Lu Xiu might not recognize him, and proactively reminded her, "The director of the Dungeon Resource Management Division. We met when the Titanfall Instance was released last time."

"Oh, I remember now, Director Li, is there anything I can help you with?"

Lu Xiu did have a vague recollection of it; back then, a bunch of people were blocking her doorway in the Titanfall Instance, and there was indeed such a person there—

I've just never had any contact with them before.

At the same time.

On the other side.

Sun Yi stood behind his superior, staring at the beautiful and charming young woman before him, completely stunned.

ah?

Is this Lu Xiu?

The one who created Resident Evil and Outlast, and not long ago created Sifu, Lu Xiu???

A groundhog's scream began to echo in his mind.

If he hadn't been so mentally strong, he would have confronted his director directly, asking if he had come to the wrong place!

Sun Yi did know that Lu Xiu was a woman—but no one had told him she was so young and beautiful!

I apologize for disturbing you.

Li Shengkai disregarded his subordinates' thoughts and took the initiative to say, "I've come here mainly to ask you something."

"What's up?"

Lu Xiu was somewhat surprised, as she wasn't familiar with this director.

Upon hearing Lu Xiu's words...

Li Shengkai hesitated for a moment, glanced at Sun Yi beside him, and didn't know how to start the conversation.

The main reason was that we came in a hurry.

Without making thorough preparations, and with little understanding of the girl's personality, Li Shengkai's knowledge was limited to what he knew on paper.

Therefore, he was not quite sure whether his next request would seem too presumptuous, or even make both parties unhappy.

But the advice from my subordinates was just too tempting.

Just over ten minutes ago, I saw that even a guild leader like Jiang Qiu was struggling to break through the defenses of his Sifu in this dungeon.

Sun Yi then realized that his idea was feasible and that he could fully utilize the framework of the previous Prison Rock instance.

To create a lower-tier alternative to the Lu Xiu new dungeon.

Yes.

Substitute!

The core mechanic of Lu Xiu's new dungeon can be described as simple yet profound, abandoning all the fancy elements and leaving only the purest offense and defense.

And coincidentally, the dungeon framework for Prison Rock also focuses on hand-to-hand combat!

Could we incorporate elements from Lu Xiu's new dungeon into that framework and then downgrade and modify it?

For example, Neutralize that ridiculously difficult solution to increase the margin for error for ordinary people!

For example, make the enemy's stats and attack methods less overpowered, giving players some breathing room!

SS-rated dungeons are not something ordinary players can clear.

But what about a lower-rated copy?

What if you could make your own instance a stepping stone to an SS-level instance?

The moment the idea popped into Sun Yi's head, it was like a sudden enlightenment, sending chills down his spine.

And they are facing what may be their only chance in this lifetime.

Sun Yi hesitated for less than a minute before striding into his superior Li Shengkai's office with a do-or-die attitude, revealing his audacious plan.

Li Shengkai also felt that this idea was highly feasible.

Thus, the scene we see now, with the two of them blocking Lu Xiu's door, has come to be.

But it was precisely because they were too excited.

When Li Shengkai arrived, he realized that he hadn't made any preparations at all.