Behind the Scenes

Looking at the old man in front of me.

Lu Xiu generously extended her hand and gave him a light handshake. "Hello—just call me Lu Xiu."

"This is Chu Huai."

Zhou Zhenyue smiled, then turned to the side and introduced, "Our Jade Capital Defense Line's ace."

Upon hearing this, Chu Huai took a step forward and first saluted.

Then, the handsome, tall man, who looked to be in his forties, looked at Lu Xiu and said, "Miss Lu, it's great to finally meet you in person."

"I didn't expect you to be even younger than my daughter."

"Thanks for the dungeon run, it was a huge help."

Chu Huai's words were sincere.

Lu Xiu looked at the middle-aged man and smiled, "It's good that I can be of help."

"That will definitely be a huge help."

Chu Huai laughed heartily, "Of course, it would be great if the dungeon wasn't so difficult. But I also know that the difficulty of the dungeon is proportional to the rewards. I've also heard what you and the Coordination Bureau said: to get a high rating, the theme and the entire dungeon process need to fit together."

"To obtain good rewards, one needs to push the dungeon process to a certain extreme."

Lu Xiu was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Li Shengkai.

The meaning is obvious.

You guys are advertising this too?

Li Shengkai shook his head and explained in a low voice, "Forget about the players, we can't let the soldiers on the front lines curse you too, can we?"

"----so."

Lu Xiu was silent for a while, then looked at Chu Huai: "Then I'll see if I can make it simpler in the future. Maybe I can make a multiplayer instance suitable for your soldiers."

Simplicity is a lie.

After all, it's not appropriate to say whether you want to play or not in front of others.

However, creating a multiplayer instance suitable for soldiers is definitely something worth considering.

I wonder what would happen if it were placed on the front lines----

"Really? Then I'll thank you on behalf of the soldiers on the front lines."

Chu Huai laughed heartily, then looked at Jian Li: "Long time no see, little Jian Li, and Sheng Kai too, long time no see."

Jian Li was silent for a moment, then nodded.

And it was probably Zi Guang who noticed Lu Xiu's puzzled expression.

Chu Huai explained with a smile, "When the game was first made into a game, Jian Li and I were partners. At that time, neither of us knew what the monsters on the front lines were like, nor did we know that the Environmental Assimilation Mechanism was irreversible."

At the time, we tried sending out scouts to see if we could retake those assimilated areas, and Jian Li and I were in one of those retake operations.

However, with the establishment of the Coordination Bureau, Jian Li went to the Strategy Group, while I really didn't know how to handle dungeons, so I stayed on the front lines. We haven't seen each other for a long time."

"I see----"

Upon hearing this...

Lu Xiu roughly understood what the post-gamification era of Nine Provinces was all about.

It's obvious.

The top players in the Strategy Group of the Coordination Bureau, as well as the vast majority of the management, had all fought alongside the soldiers.

However, after discovering that the assimilated areas on the front lines could not be reclaimed and that they could only passively resist the Monster Tide, a large portion of them returned to the inland areas and became the backbone of the Coordination Bureau, restoring order.

No wonder the Coordination Bureau wields so much power.

No wonder they were able to forcibly maintain order in this crumbling, gamified world.

After all, they were comrades who had shared life and death on the front lines.

Lu Xiu thought that—perhaps many members of the committee at the top of the Coordination Bureau have experience in frontline defense.

"Alright, what kind of hospitality is it to speak from this windy spot?"

Zhou Zhenyue waved his hand, signaling everyone to enter the city first. "Miss Lu, Director Li, let's go in first. We've prepared a welcome meal. We can discuss the location of the Lordvessel Bonfire later."

Lu Xiu naturally had no objections.

Following Zhou Zhenyue's footsteps, the group passed through the heavy gate and soon arrived at the First Defense Line Command Center located in the heart of Jade Capital.

During this time, Lu Xiu also got to know some of the other top players stationed there.

However, he didn't say much.

These players were curious about Lu Xiu, but they all restrained themselves from saying too much, which can be considered as following orders and not saying anything.

As far as Lu Xiu knew, these people were basically all guild members.

It seems Zhou Zhenyue is quite shrewd.

After finishing the meal.

Everyone else left, and Zhou Zhenyue gestured for everyone to sit down. Then, looking at Lu Xiu, he went straight to the point. "Miss Lu, Director Li must have mentioned the current situation in Jade Capital to you on the way, right? Actually, the frequency of Variant Monster appearing on the front lines is already increasing, and our troop rotation has reached its limit."

"The Lordvessel Bonfire you possessed this time is truly a timely help. Even disregarding the front lines, it can instantly transport us back to the interior, which is beneficial for maintaining overall stability in Nine Provinces. However, I wonder, are there any requirements for placing that item? Where do you plan to place it?"

Lu Xiu replied, "Any flat ground will do. As for where to put it—do you have any ideas?"

Zhou Zhenyue looked directly at Chu Huai.

Chu Huai then continued, "The Patrollers have two options. The first is that you place the Lordvessel Bonfire at the border between the Third Defense Zone and the Old City Ruins."

As he spoke.

He pointed to the map, showing the location to Lu Xiu: "Because of the terrain, this area has always been the most heavily impacted by Monster Tide, and naturally, the most prone to problems. If we can achieve teleportation and provide instant support in case of problems, we are confident that the Jade Capital Defense Line can definitely be held. As for the second option—"

Chu Huai moved his finger and continued, "Or we could place it directly behind the command center. That would be safer and would also make it easier for us to dispatch support players. Miss Lu, which option do you think is better?"

"Um----"

Lu Xiu looked at the location on the map, thought for a moment, and said, "Both of the points you mentioned are fine. I don't know the specific deployment details, but I also have a plan."

"Is the offline entrance to the Monster Hunter dungeon here?"

Lu Xiu pointed to the center of the map.

Chu Huai nodded. "That's right, it's this plaza. This location is neither too far nor too close to the front line of battle. Recently, because many players have come here to clear dungeons, it has been used as a gathering place for ordinary players."

"Could we put the Bonfire here?"

Lu Xiu said, "This place is neither adjacent to the front line nor located in the rear, and it is right on the central axis of the city, making it convenient to provide support anywhere."

Most importantly, this place also provides direct access to Monster Hunter offline dungeons. Will the Strategy Group of the Coordination Bureau also try offline dungeons later? At that time, there may not be a need for special support. So many top players from the Strategy Group can clear the dungeons in their spare time and go directly to the battlefield in wartime, which can guarantee the safety of the Jade Capital Defense Line.

"----"

Upon hearing this, Chu Huai hesitated, "Actually, we've considered this plan as well, but what if the offline dungeon entrance changes? Will that have an impact?"

Obviously.

He also knew about the location of the Witch's Instance Placement Site.

"That's exactly why I came here."

Lu Xiu explained, "Regarding the mutation of the offline Instance Placement Site, it seems that my completion of the dungeon as the Architect has the most direct impact. Simply put, my completion of the dungeon might be the fastest way to trigger the mutation."

So, should we postpone placing the Lordvessel Bonfire? Maybe I should wait until I complete an offline dungeon? If it appears in real life as Astera from Monster Hunter, then we'll place the Bonfire there; otherwise, we'll find another location."

Upon hearing Lu Xiu's suggestion...

Zhou Zhenyue and Chu Huai exchanged a glance, both seeing the interest in each other's eyes.

If the Astera from Monster Hunter could truly be brought into reality, serving as a base with a complete forging, logistics, and even ecological research system—its strategic significance for the Jade Capital Defense Line would be immeasurable!

"Okay! Let's do it that way!"

Zhou Zhenyue made a quick decision, looked at Lu Xiu, and said solemnly, "Miss Lu, then I'll have to trouble you with this."

Lu Xiu nodded slightly. "Hmm----but it doesn't matter, I need to verify some things anyway."

This isn't just polite talk.

Not long ago, while traveling a long distance in an off-road vehicle, Lu Xiu idly browsed the forums and came across some posts about Monster Hunter offline dungeons.

What kind of idea is it that yelling "Lu Xiu!" in a dungeon will freeze the monsters?

What kind of "Humanoid Cataclysm" Title is that?

What kind of lunatic is this?

Lu Xiu was completely exasperated when she saw this from the carriage.

What?!

All I did was fight a little faster and collect some monster materials, so why is my reputation being damaged?

After seeing the post.

Lu Xiu made up her mind that she had to go to the offline instance herself to see what it was really like.

Why are the NPCs and monsters inside slandering themselves?

The next day, very early in the morning.

In the early morning, the wind blowing from the sea still carried a hint of damp chill.

Lu Xiu quickly tidied herself up, changed into simple jeans and a sweatshirt, put on a baseball cap, and left the heavily guarded temporary residence. Accompanied by Chu Huai, she headed to the square located on the city's central axis.

Neither Shen Nian nor Jian Li accompanied her today.

After all, the two of them still had a mission to complete.

Yesterday, I spent the whole day traveling with Lu Xiu in the car and also attended a meeting with the high-ranking officials of the defense line, so it was a rare chance for me to rest.

This morning, the two of them went back into the online dungeon to work out the strategy.

Before leaving, Jian Li stared at Lu Xiu for a long time, her eyes clearly showing her desire to follow, but in the end she held back.

The car drove for a while.

It gradually came to a stop.

Lu Xiu stepped into the square located on the central axis of Jade Capital, bathed in the morning light.

Even though she was mentally prepared, she was still taken aback by the grand spectacle before her.

Before it was gamified, this place should have been a city landmark or something, but now, in the center of the wide square, stands a huge door, tens of meters high, made of unknown giant trees and rough mechanical gears.

The door was entwined with vibrant green vines, and through the open archway, one could even feel a gentle breeze carrying the scent of sunshine and sea.

Around the entrance, players queuing to enter the instance, sitting in twos and threes, exercising, fighting, and arguing radiated outwards from the center of the gate, densely crowding most of the square.

This, in addition to the numerous soldiers responsible for maintaining order.

People everywhere!

It was only early morning, but the square was already bustling with people, as noisy as a large farmers' market.

Lu Xiu just approached the crowd.

A cacophony of wails, shouts, and curses erupted from the scene.

"Aaaaaah! It's crouching again! It's Anjanath, it kills you in just two hits! And it's like it has ADHD! How am I supposed to fight it?! Can anyone tell me how to beat it?!"

"Help! Who posted on the forum saying that shouting Lu Xiu's name will make monsters stunned?! And that it can fool them multiple times? I didn't believe you! I shouted it a second time today! And the monster didn't believe me!! That beast not only didn't stun, but it chased after me like it was on steroids! It treated me like prey! It cost me thousands of Survival Points! You liar who posted that, come out here! Pay up!"

"Looking for a team! Looking for a team! I need Longsword Swordsman! Ten-second Spirit Gauge Charge! Guaranteed no misses with Spirit Helm Breaker! And I look cool too! Any good brothers want to carry me?!"

"Longsword Swordsman! You're all liars! Those who say Spirit Gauge Charge in ten seconds are lying! It takes forever to sharpen! Nine out of ten times Spirit Helm Breaker Pierce, you miss! And the other time you just scratch the monster! That's the norm! I'll be a dog if I ever team up with Longsword Swordsman again!"

"How dare you! Do you want to offend two-thirds of the players here?"

"Can any expert teach me how to beat the Kulu-Ya-Ku'? I can easily clear the online dungeons, but I can't beat it offline!"

"Selling a guide to playing the Kulu-Ya-Ku! Selling a guide to playing the Kulu-Ya-Ku! 3000 Survival Points, you won't regret it!"

The entire square was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Some were shifting blame for the team's annihilation, some were passionately hawking their strategy guides, and others were huddled in a corner, utterly despondent and questioning the meaning of life.

"It's quite lively, isn't it?"

Chu Huai and the soldiers escorted Lu Xiu toward the entrance, and he said with a smile, "Ever since your new dungeon trailer was released and the offline entrance to the dungeon was located in Jade Capital, countless players who were near Jade Capital have come here. The next day, players from even further away also came."

However, most players who entered the dungeon fared poorly, getting slaughtered by the monsters inside and cursing incessantly. Fortunately, the arena period provided all Nine Provinces players with a surplus of Survival Points; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to manage such a situation.

Lu Xiu glanced curiously at the soldiers around her, whose faces looked utterly helpless. "Maintaining order must be difficult, right?"

"Yeah, you'll die if you get killed by monsters in real life, but you won't in a dungeon."

Chu Huai sighed helplessly, "These players are really too difficult to manage, as long as they won't die and their lives aren't in danger."

"

Lu Xiu fell silent.

Goodness!

The fourth Calamity, right?

Lu Xiu silently complained to herself.

While the two were talking, the soldiers in front of them had already tacitly parted to create a passage leading directly to the door.

Chu Huai escorted Lu Xiu, and the two of them went straight past the long, seemingly endless queue, heading directly to the huge dungeon entrance.

This caused quite a stir.

Players who were previously passing the buck, selling guides, and asking to team up all suddenly looked over.

"Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing? What are you doing? Why are you cutting in line!"

"Oh no! Something's fishy! Something's fishy!"

"Are you kidding me! Doesn't the management regulations say that no one can cut in line? Why can they just walk in? Are they getting special treatment? It's outrageous!"

"Oh no! Something's fishy! The officials are breaking the rules, guys!"

"This is unfair! This is unfair! I'm going to complain to Lu Xiu! You're using her copies to make money!"

"Who is this? Such a grand entrance? Why are there so many soldiers? Even the head of the Coordination Bureau doesn't need to make such a fuss."

The players instantly became excited, with shouts and protests rising and falling.

The soldiers responsible for maintaining order immediately formed a human wall with grim expressions.

Chu Huai also heard the players' commotion, stopped in his tracks, and his face darkened.

These silly players—he was about to turn around and give them a piece of his mind.

But just then, a surprised and uncertain voice suddenly came from the crowd. "Wait—the one cutting in line next to Captain Chu, isn't that a girl?!"

"It really seems so! Wearing a baseball cap, although I can't see her whole face—but the lower half of her face, her figure, her aura—"

Why does it look so familiar?

As soon as these words were spoken, the sharp-eyed players in the front row fell silent and began to stare intently at Lu Xiu's figure.

Upon hearing the noise, Lu Xiu immediately sensed something was wrong.

She dressed like this precisely because she didn't want to attract too much attention—she immediately lowered the brim of her hat, quickened her pace, and arrived at the massive door in just a few steps.

"I'll go in first, Captain Chu. You guys get ready too."

Lu Xiu turned her head slightly and said to Chu Huai behind her, "If the Instance Placement Site really changes after I enter, and the first thing to materialize in reality is not the Astera, but the monster's territory—then don't hesitate, have everyone retreat immediately."

She paused, then added, "As long as it's not one of the few forbidden areas, most monsters shouldn't chase you once you leave the territory. If it is a forbidden area—then retreat further away."

Chu Huai's expression turned serious, and he nodded. "Understood. Be careful in everything you do."

In the short time it took for the two to exchange a few words, someone in the crowd finally realized what was happening.

A loud shout ripped through the sky above the square.

"That person is Lu Xiu!!"

"Holy crap—it really is Lu Xiu!! The Architect created this hellish dungeon, Lu Xiu!!"

"Where?! Where is the living Architect?!"

"Damn it! Lu Xiu!! Don't go! I challenge you to a duel!! Did you design this dungeon to be so difficult on purpose?! I want to fight you one-on-one!!!"

"Wow----I thought the live stream of the arena battles was outrageous, but I never expected to see one in person! Even though I could only see half her face, her face and figure are just too gorgeous!"

"You're beautiful, Lu Xiu! I like you! So, can you help me complete the game?"

"What's wrong with pretty girls? Does being a pretty girl give you the right to create such a torturous dungeon?! Lu Xiu, even if you're here, I'm still saying this! Please, take me with you!!"

"It was Lu Xiu who cut in line. Oh, it's alright then, Bai Mu, Bai Mu! No wonder there was such a big commotion."

"Lu Xiu, look at me! Please take me through this dungeon once, please!!"

The players' expressions changed instantly.

And then, he heard increasingly outrageous shouts coming from behind him like a tsunami.

Lu Xiu stood in front of the massive dungeon entrance and took a deep breath.

I really want to kill all these idiot players----

Unfortunately, it doesn't work.

I can only pretend I didn't hear it.

She raised her hand and placed her palm on the enormous door made of giant wood and gears.

Buzz.

A white light flashed, instantly engulfing her figure.