Sisters

[System Announcement]

[Jian Ning, a player from the game "Nine Provinces", has completed the Dark Souls dungeon.]

Coordination Bureau.

Yan Fushou snapped out of his daze and finally remembered to ask about the reward.

But also at the same time.

A system announcement sounded.

Yan Fushou's voice stopped abruptly. Upon hearing the name, he immediately frowned, and his expression visibly turned grim.

Jian Li black and white pupils suddenly contracted, and her hands, which had been hanging naturally at her sides, clenched tightly.

"----Let's not talk about the ending of the dungeon."

soon.

Yan Fushou noticed Jian Li's expression, and the gloom on his face instantly disappeared.

He chuckled and patted Jian Li on the shoulder, "Let's continue talking about the dungeon."

Jian Ning.

Jian Li's biological older sister also possesses extraordinary Chosen Skill and talents that surpass all others in the Nine Provinces. However, unlike Jian Li's introverted and restrained nature, her sister is a warm and outgoing girl. The two sisters are like two extremes, one hot and one cold.

But in the end, the two failed to complement each other.

Instead, due to unforeseen circumstances, they ultimately parted ways.

This matter.

In fact, Yan Fushou also bears some responsibility—he should have noticed it sooner instead of believing the girl's seemingly magnanimous demeanor.

The Coordination Bureau also bears responsibility. In the early stages, in order to keep the monsters at bay, they did not screen players at all, resulting in a mixed bag of players on the front lines.

Perhaps resources will be provided as compensation when Jian Ning's Chosen Skill is removed.

Perhaps after Jian Ning loses her special skill, her request to go to the front line will be rejected.

Perhaps we should focus more on the sisters' relatives.

None of this will happen.

Jian Ning will not betray the Coordination Bureau immediately after obtaining the Root Skill.

But reality doesn't offer "what ifs".

to date.

Jian Li, the only player with two Chosen Skill, has yet to use her sister's Chosen Skill.

----It really is true that one wrong step leads to another.

Yan Fushou looked at Jian Li's tightly clenched fists and sighed silently in his heart.

He understood the entanglement between the sisters better than anyone else, and he also knew what the name Jian Ning meant to Jian Li.

But he knew even better that now was not the time to dwell on the past.

"Jian Li."

Yan Fushou noticed that Jian Li was still lost in thought, so he called her again. After she came back to her senses, he forcefully steered the conversation back on track, his tone carrying just the right amount of expectation. "Now that you've cleared it, what rewards did the dungeon give? An SSS dungeon can't be disappointing, right?"

Jian Li remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly loosened her clenched hands. She lowered her eyes, concealing the complex emotions surging within them.

J

"

Next.

She raised her fair finger and gently swiped it in the air, showing Yan Fushou the rewards for clearing the level.

And the moment you see the reward skill.

Yan Fushou fell silent.

[Skill Name: Gravelord Sword Dance]

[Rating: SS]

[Type: Active/Area Attack]

[Effect Description: Temporarily converts the [Spirit] and [Strength] attributes into the power of death, which is then injected into the player's feet. After a 0.3-second delay, a large number of giant bone swords will suddenly thrust out from the flat surface within a 10-meter radius centered on the player.]

The bone sword thrusts upwards, ignoring regular shields and frontal defenses, dealing piercing and tearing damage to the target based on both [Spirit] and [Strength] bonuses.

After the bone sword shatters, it will transform into a highly poisonous miasma that lingers for 5 seconds, reducing the healing effects of all units within the area by 90% and causing them to suffer mild poison damage every second.

[Cost: 10% of maximum health (Cannot be activated if current health is below 10%).]

[Cooldown time: 2 hours.]

[Note: A harmless, reclusive person who lives a peaceful life, was tragically killed in their home because of someone who never dies.]

Besides that.

There's another weapon.

[Equipment Name: Silver Knight Straight Sword]

[Rating: A]

[Type: Sword]

[Attribute Bonus: Strength +3]

[Effect Description: Continuously generates an electric arc when swung; attacks have a chance to inflict paralysis or electrocution.]

[Equipment Requirements: Agility ≥ 16]

[Note: The blade that once protected the knights of the Anor Londo remains effective even though the Deity have long since departed and the knights have gone mad.]

This moment.

Yan Fushou suddenly had a premonition that if Lu Xiu continued to Constructed Instance, perhaps everyone in the Nine Provinces would have an SSS skill.

certainly.

It's too early to think about these things now.

Although it hasn't been tested yet, the skills and equipment rewards from the dungeon are undoubtedly very useful and valuable.

If possible, Yan Fushou wanted all the soldiers on the front lines to have this skill and this weapon.

Thinking of this...

Yan Fushou looked at Jian Li and asked, "Can all players receive this reward?"

"I don't know, we'll have to wait until the second player completes the game to find out."

Jian Li closed the window that was floating in mid-air. "But I suspect that the player's own combat style and decision-making path will affect the rewards. I used agility-based weapons with high agility bonuses throughout the game, and the Gravelord Sword Dance was the miracle I used the most, out of curiosity."

Is that so?

Yan Fushou lowered his head slightly, lost in thought.

This seems to have started with the [Witch] dungeon—the rewards for Lu Xiu's dungeon are no longer fixed, but will change based on the player's performance in clearing the dungeon.

This has indeed caused trouble.

The rewards received by frontline soldiers are inconsistent.

However, this also has its advantages, as it allows for targeted player development.

Yan Fushou thought for a moment, then asked again, "Is it difficult for frontline soldiers to clear this dungeon?"

A ring is a ring.

We can't just ignore the front lines.

Jian Li did not answer immediately.

She lowered her eyes, seemingly deep in thought, and after a moment said, "Theoretically, it's feasible, but this instance is too large. Let's wait until the second person completes it."

"Um.

Yan Fushou nodded slowly. "Then write down your walkthrough as soon as possible."

"Know."

Jian Li nodded again, then turned and left, saying, "I'm going back now."

Yan Fushou watched Jian Li turn and leave, and gave a wry smile. It seemed that it had still had an impact.

Just as Jian Li was about to Open Gate...

Yan Fushou finally couldn't hold back and spoke up.

"Jian Li."

"What happened to your sister wasn't your fault; you were only 16 at the time. If there's any fault, it's the negligence on the part of the Coordination Bureau. Don't feel guilty."

Jian Li stopped moving.

But he didn't turn back.

Her slender, pale fingers gripped the doorknob tightly, but after a moment, they slowly released their hold.

She didn't say anything.

He simply Open Gate and left the lounge.

Yan Fushou stood there, looking at the door that had closed again, and sighed deeply.

On the other side.

After leaving the Coordination Bureau in silence, Jian Li did not go directly to her residence on Maple Leaf Avenue, but instead walked along the street for a while.

The autumn wind carried a hint of coolness, gently ruffling the tips of her silver hair.

She wandered aimlessly.

But when she came to her senses, she found herself back on Maple Leaf Avenue.

Because she had nowhere else to go.

She remained silent for a moment, but ultimately did not turn around and continue wandering aimlessly. Instead, she walked directly into the apartment building lobby.

The elevator doors slowly closed.

Jian Li looked at the row of elevator buttons, her gaze involuntarily falling on the button for Lu Xiu's floor, and she subconsciously reached out her hand.

But her pale finger hovered in mid-air for a moment before she finally withdrew it and pressed the button for her floor.

The elevator began to ascend.

soon.

The elevator doors opened.

The corridor was empty, and the light of the setting sun slanted in through the window at the end, bathing the entire corridor in a warm amber hue.

Jian Li stepped out of the elevator, her footsteps sounding particularly clear in the empty corridor.

And as we walked...

Jian Li gazed at the warm glow of the setting sun, some memories from the depths of her mind surfaced.

In a daze.

She seemed to see a familiar figure.

She was a tall, slender girl standing in the same warm afterglow. She had long, flowing black hair, and her pretty, sweet face was full of smiles, bright and captivating.

"Ah Li."

Immediately afterwards.

A voice rang out, a voice tinged with laughter, trailing off as if it had traveled from the distant past. "I want ice cream, could you go downstairs and buy some? I'll give you a running fee."

"Why don't you wait for your sister?"

"How unlovable! She's dressed so beautifully, in a dress, and she doesn't even react."

"Hey sis, can you smile? It's already pitch black, and you're keeping such a long face, it's kind of scary."

"Oh ho, there's only one piece of meat left, I'll eat it—hahaha, just kidding, open your mouth, ah~"

Jian Li in front of the door, gripped the doorknob, and gradually tightened her grip.

Click.

The next second.

The door handle is cracked.

The warm golden light was still there, but the figure standing in it had begun to blur.

Next.

The warm, golden sunset, which seemed to have covered the entire corridor, suddenly began to recede, as if being slowly pulled away and drifting away.

soon.

Everything around them plunged into darkness, and the sound rang out again, but it lacked its usual warmth.

"----Want to fight alongside my sister?"

The figure looked down at their empty skill bar, then suddenly looked up, breaking the eerily quiet silence. "Really?"

"Forget it, let's leave."

"I'm fine. I don't rely solely on my Chosen Skill. Just make good use of my Chosen Skill."

"I will go to the front line. Just because I don't have the Chosen Skill doesn't mean I'm without any combat power."

"----I don't need you, I already said that! Didn't you understand?"

"I told you! I'm fine! It's just that we lost a battle! I'm not that fragile! I don't need any recovery items. Resources are so scarce on the front lines right now, it's normal not to waste them on me. I don't need yours either, I don't deserve it."

"Why didn't you use it! Why didn't you use my Chosen Skill! If you had used it, nothing would have happened! What are you doing?!"

"Didn't you steal it?! What are you pretending for?!"

"Jian Li!!!"

I hate you!!!

I will never forgive you!!!

In the firelight.

Under a sky filled with ashes.

She screamed hysterically.

Then suddenly, she calmed down, stopped screaming hysterically, and simply said, "Go to hell."

This is the most common curse imaginable.

But it is also the most vicious curse.

The light in Jian Li's eyes vanished completely in an instant.

Then.

The flames suddenly receded.

The ashes have all settled.

Nothing was left behind.

Jian Li slowly withdrew her gaze. The setting sun was still shining outside the window, its warm golden light still illuminating her feet. Everything seemed normal.

She slowly loosened the nails that were already embedded in the flesh of her other hand, then, with her head bowed, pushed open the door and went into her residence.

The sky was getting dark.

After closing the door.

The warm sunset then completely disappeared.

The room was dimly lit.

But Jian Li didn't turn on the light, nor did she go to the sofa or bed. Instead, she squatted down by the door, leaned against the wall, hugged her fair and slender legs, and buried her face deeply in her knees.

Her long silver hair fell to her sides, gleaming with a faint, almost invisible light in the dim room.

Those long-forgotten fragments of memory—carrying the smell of burning—surged wildly at this moment.

Outside the window, the lights of Chen Capital gradually came on, but none of those lights seemed to reach inside.

The girl sat in the entryway, gradually fading into the night.

At the same time.

Maple Leaf Avenue.

Another floor of the apartment.

Lu Xiu wasn't particularly surprised when she heard the system announcement that Jian Li had cleared the level, even though she had never fought against Jian Li.

But she knew how quickly Jian Li cleared other dungeons.

That's really impressive.

So she was the first to clear the level.

Lu Xiu didn't find it strange.

However, Lu Xiu was somewhat surprised to hear the name "Jian Ning".

--

no way.

This name is too similar to Jian Li's name.

"Could this be Jian Li's relative? Her sister?"

Lu Xiu hugged her long, fair, and beautiful legs, nestled on the sofa, her expression somewhat strange. "Still alive? Then why is Jian Li so sensitive to the word 'sister'?"

After spending this time together...

Lu Xiu understood Jian Li quite well, knowing that the girl was somewhat fixated on the word "older sister."

She thought Jian Li's sister had passed away.

So I didn't ask any more questions.

But now that the name Jian Ning had been mentioned, she realized something was wrong.

This seems to be somewhat different from what she imagined.

Thinking of this...

Lu Xiu pulled over the forum window and refreshed it.

[The second player to clear the level has appeared! Awesome! It's now 2-0!]

[Wait, why does the name Jian Ning sound so similar to Jian Li? Who is she? Does anyone know her?]

[I don't know them. I know Jian Li, she's a member of the Strategy Group, and seems pretty good, but I've never heard of the other one.]

[Who cares! It's good that someone cleared the game! But if you did, please share! What rewards did you guys get?]

[Yeah! I'm really curious about the rewards for the first SSS-rank dungeon! Please!]

[----]

There was no valuable information on the forum.

Most players also found it strange.

But no one in the know came forward to say anything.

And players quickly put that topic behind them and started asking about the rewards for SSS-rated dungeons.

Lu Xiu closed the forum and fell into deep thought.

Most top players are still in dungeons, so nobody knows Jian Ning?

Or is it that most players simply don't know who this person is?

And just then...

The system announcement sounded again.

[System Announcement]

[Player Finn from Prison Rock has completed the Dark Souls dungeon.]

Lu Xiu snapped out of her daze and temporarily suppressed her curiosity about the name Jian Ning.

The player from Prison Rock has also cleared the game! ------ Looks like the opponents weren't that much worse; top players are still impressive.

The speedrun competition is likely to get really intense from here on out.

Just as she was thinking this...

bite.

Another system notification sounded.

This time, however, the system notification sound was crisper and shorter.

It was clearly given to her separately.

[Players in both Prison Rock and Nine Provinces have been detected clearing the SSS-rank [Dark Souls] dungeon.]

[The current instance has been selected as the only available scenario for large-scale battles.]

To warm up for the collective battle, enhance the confrontation, enrich the tactical layers, and give players surprises, the system encourages Architect to update the content of the dungeon before the end of the speedrun phase.

[Relevant permissions have been granted]

[Possible update directions: inserting additional exploration areas, adding hidden bosses, embedding new storylines, etc. (such as the Firstborn of the Sun), but the amount of new content cannot exceed 20% of the total original dungeon content.]

[Special Reward: In the new content for Architect, if any enemy unit kills a player during a group battle, the Architect will receive an equivalent amount of battle merit. The battle merit will be calculated based on the killed player's rank and arena performance.]

[Architect can decide whether to update. If they confirm the update, they must complete and submit the construction before the end of the race phase.]

"----ah?"

Lu Xiu stared at the window in front of her and tilted her head slightly.

Battle achievements? Team battles? New content?

Is the system inviting her to become inhuman?

Isn't that a bad idea?

And why specifically mention the Firstborn of the Sun?

It seems there isn't much information about him in the dungeon.

She sat up straight and began to read the system notification carefully.

"----In the new content for the Architect, the Architect will receive battle merit rewards if any enemy unit kills a player during a group battle phase."

Lu Xiu read the special reward aloud, and after confirming that she hadn't misunderstood, she paused for two seconds. "Testing me with this? Let me tell you—I really can't withstand tests!"

She jumped right off the sofa, full of enthusiasm.

And she had just jumped down.

A communication window popped up as well.

Lu Xiu glanced at it and saw that it was a message sent by Yan Fushou.

And the information content----

"Jian Li? Go see Jian Li?"

Lu Xiu was somewhat surprised when she saw the message sent by Yan Fushou.

Why are you suddenly asking her to go see Jian Li?

This was the first time Yan Fushou had made such a personal request to her.

What happened to Jian Li? Was it because of Jian Ning?

She couldn't help but reply to the message with a question.

But Yan Fushou seemed unwilling to say more, only asking her to go and take a look.

Lu Xiu:

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