Even the Production Team's Donkey Doesn't Work This Hard

Why would Yan Fushou, who's far away in the Coordination Bureau and still racking his brains over Monster Hunter dungeon walkthroughs, know about what's happening on the front lines?

This is mainly because there are too many people and too much information.

Those High Sequence players who were provoked by Lu Xiu to go to the front lines almost all witnessed the entire process of Lu Xiu's real-world hunt, and many of them even recorded it.

Yes.

A player who Lu Xiu the video posted it on the forum.

The video went viral instantly after it was posted.

And it didn't just explode on forums in Nine Provinces.

Even players from other regions saw it.

Since Nine Provinces won the arena battle and Monster Hunter was released, people from other regions have been paying close attention to the situation in Nine Provinces. After the arena battle ended, the cross-region spectating function was reopened.

And until this moment.

Actually, no one has yet cleared the Monster Hunter dungeon.

Right now, most players are still stuck on the Rathalos dragon and are feeling incredibly frustrated.

As for the top players who have defeated the Rathalos, they find it even more torturous.

Because it's time to officially begin the task of taking on High Rank Quest.

Next, we'll have to fight the Pink Rathian, a subspecies of Rathian —it has higher attack power, thicker skin, and its tail whip attack is even more threatening.

After defeating the Pink Rathian, you'll finally face your first Elder Ancient Dragon.

That's right, Nergigante.

This is truly a heavyweight for players trying Monster Hunter for the first time, especially those who are actually playing as the Hunter.

Almost everyone who gets to this point will break down.

Whether you're a player of Nine Provinces, a player of Red Tide, or a player of Franca.

They're all the same.

After they broke through their defenses, all they could do was cover their heads and peek at the Nine Provinces forums, hoping to find some strategy guides or something.

But players in Nine Provinces weren't much better off.

Overall progress is faster, and a better mindset is key.

As a result, these players from other countries didn't find any Monster Hunter guides—instead, they found an even more amazing gameplay video.

Nine Provinces Architect.

I'll personally demonstrate how to use the katana!

Although it's for practical use.

Although cross-region restrictions prevent players from other regions from posting or leaving messages on the Nine Provinces Forum.

But that didn't stop them from downloading like crazy.

The post titled "[Longsword Swordsman! Pay attention! Architect will personally teach you how to play the katana! Stop messing with us!]" had only been posted for less than half an hour.

It was downloaded countless times.

It then quickly spread to forums in various regions around the world.

Moreover, as the story spread, the headlines became increasingly exaggerated.

Lu Xiu felt her vision go black just looking at it.

<Shocking! A Kyushu architect, fed up with other katana users' fighting styles, personally demonstrates how to play with a katana! A real-life version of the "See-Through and Rising Dragon" technique!>

<The Architect the Nine Provinces arcade is a woman! And she's super beautiful! She personally demonstrated how to use a katana! It looks incredibly cool when she fights!>

<Longsword Swordsman! Look at how your ancestors fought! I beg you, please stop cutting your teammates' knees!>

<Wow, this Architect is amazing! No wonder they could create a Monster Hunter -themed dungeon!! The katana can look so cool! It's truly a fantastical scene!>

My sequence level is almost 40. If I join Nine Provinces, can I add Nine Provinces's chief Architect as a friend? If not, I won't join.

As for the Nine Provinces Forum...

The hype was explosive.

The impact was particularly strong on players who were still struggling in Monster Hunter dungeons, feeling like they knew how to use the long sword but then realizing they didn't.

[Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap!!! How can it be so smooth? And why Foresight Slash in real life? Also, is Lu Xiu Spirit Gauge Charge? Isn't this a dungeon mechanic?! Can this happen in real life too?]

[It's clearly not working. Just look at the Spirit Helm Breaker; the subsequent strikes didn't deal any chain damage, it was just a single, ordinary blow.]

[So, Lu Xiu was just using the techniques of the Long Sword from Monster Hunter to fight real-world monsters? Without any adjustments? And she couldn't directly use the skill to unleash the Spirit Helm Breaker? All her actions in the video were performed manually? Including the Spirit Roundslash?]

[right----]

[--------]

[I can't tell anymore, I really can't tell! Is Lu Xiu so strong in real life that she created a dungeon like Monster Hunter, or is it the Monster Hunter dungeon that made her so strong? How can she be so cool?! Even without any system assistance in real life, I couldn't play that cool in a dungeon! Seeing this has completely shattered my confidence.]

[I still want to die after watching it a third time—especially Lu Xiu, who is not only beautiful but also younger than me and can fight so well. I feel like I've wasted my life.]

[As her ponytail fluttered, Iai Slash her sword with a quick, sweeping motion, the blade swirling, a sidestep and a backward lean—not a single superfluous movement, only a pleasing sight. Combined with the blue ribbons and her sideways gaze—ah! I can't take it! This is the front lines of Jade Capital, right? I'm going to the front lines immediately to see Lu Xiu up close!]

[----]

At the same time.

This video isn't just circulating among ordinary gamers.

Those top players.

Everyone's watching.

Red Tide.

Ulysses sat motionless in his chair, while a loop of footage played in the window in front of him showed Lu Xiu wielding a katana amidst the ruins, swiftly and gracefully slaying Variant Monster.

He could tell.

Lu Xiu did not use any damaging skills during this time.

Every move the girl made was executed using her own strength, even her Iai Slash.

Even without skill effects, her movements remained graceful and fluid, and she even managed to make fighting monsters aesthetically pleasing.

It's easy to imagine how adept she was at handling things.

"

Ulysses remained silent, watching repeatedly.

Then.

I don't know how many times I've watched it.

He couldn't contain himself any longer, so he stood up and pulled out a weapon that resembled a katana from his system inventory.

Then.

He closed his eyes, replaying the scenes from the video in his mind, and began to move accordingly.

Retreat your body, lower your blade— Foresight Slash to avoid an imaginary enemy's attack.

Immediately afterwards, Iai Slash retreated with an iaido strike, swung his sword, sidestepped to the side to dodge the attack, and then launched a spinning attack.

Even if you can't see your own actions.

Ulysses was also certain.

My own movements would definitely be extremely clumsy—even if I could forcibly imitate the movements with my extremely high combat skills, I still couldn't do what the girl in the video did, as if the knife moved as if it were her heart.

----Most importantly.

Lu Xiu really seems to have the ability to foresee the future.

No matter what the monster does.

She seemed to know everything in advance, and then reacted almost in sync with the monster, just as the leopard-shaped Variant Monster pounced on her the instant it did.

The leopard-shaped Variant Monster's limbs were still on the ground.

Lu Xiu had already retreated to Iai Slash.

The time card was accurate to the second.

That's how you manage to strike the Variant Monster mid-air.

Ulysses, however, believed he could not do that.

"..

Ulysses slowly stopped moving, his chest rising and falling slightly. He first looked at the sword in his hand, then pulled back to the window, and then looked at the girl who, even without the system's assistance in reality, still wielded the weapon with incredible skill. He murmured, "No wonder they could create a dungeon like this—so this is how you play with a katana?"

Then...

Ulysses looked out the window, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes: "Nine Provinces— "

He simply cannot do that.

Even imitation is difficult to achieve.

This was a bit of a blow to him.

I even felt a little insecure facing the Architect from Nine Provinces in the video.

The more confident a person is, the more they will be moved by the video.

Moreover, Ulysses also planned to travel to Nine Provinces ----

He did know beforehand that Monster Hunter dungeons were difficult.

But at the time, he felt that Architect must also be dungeons that they had to go through through trial and error to prove themselves.

I'm just not familiar enough with the dungeon yet.

But this video was a slap in the face for him; the Architect hadn't actually gone through the motions—combined with those posts on Nine Provinces about offline dungeons.

This Architect from Nine Provinces —his performance in dungeons might be even more terrifying than in real life.

"No!!"

After a brief period of frustration.

What rises is the competitive spirit.

Ulysses took a deep breath, pondered for a moment, then opened his friends list, found the top player who was his equal in Red Tide, and sent a message: "Kasumi, my team is too weak. I want to team up with you to clear the Monster Hunter dungeon. Are you interested?"

Xia's reply came quickly, "Can't beat Nergigante? You watched the Nine Provinces Architect's video too?"

"Right."

"Why do you want to team up with me? You should know that I hate you, and you hate me too. We're like oil and water."

"Because you're a proud person too. After watching the video, do you want to admit defeat? Don't you want to prove yourself? A Architect can use dungeon weapons so smoothly in real life, while we're still stumbling in dungeons. Are you willing to accept that? Don't you want the rewards from this dungeon?"

Xia on the other end did not reply for a long time.

After a full five minutes of silence.

"Although I hate you, I really don't want to admit defeat—come on."

"Okay, are you going to Nine Provinces then?"

"----go."

This is not an isolated incident.

Franca.

The Imperial Palace.

Rosalind, the jewel of Franca, was also watching the video on the window.

She also held a rapier in her hand, which she used to test her moves.

However, at this moment, she had already stopped swinging her weapon.

Because she was less skilled than Ulysses.

Rosalind walked to the huge French windows, gazed into the distance, and sighed.

"So she really is as strong as Liana said----"

She lowered her head and looked at the video again, watching the stunningly beautiful girl wielding a katana in the morning light. Subconsciously, she extended a slender white finger, her Fox Ears twitching slightly, and whispered, "So beautiful? Selling—cough, sacrificing myself—it doesn't seem so bad after all."

At the same time.

Just as countless players were discussing the leaked Architect tutorial video...

Jade Capital.

Jian Li and Shen Nian also came out of the dungeon to rest.

It was already noon.

With a flash of Bai Guang, the two figures appeared at their residence.

As soon as it landed.

Shen Nian, the bespectacled girl with the innocent yet foolish charm of a college student, took a deep breath, her full, proud chest heaving violently. She suddenly covered her face with her hands and cried out in anguish, "What the hell is this Nergigante?! Why does Lu Xiu like dragons so much?! Can't she like something cuter? Like a dog, a Chihuahua, or something!! Why is it so hard to fight?!"

Yes.

She and Jian Li also began to confront Ancient Dragon directly.

But it wasn't exactly smooth sailing either.

Even when they were in a two-person team, they were repeatedly hit by the Felyne Cart, and then there were one dragon after another in the dungeon— Shen Nian felt like she never wanted to see a dragon again in her life.

And on the side.

Jian Li appeared much calmer, but her exposed chest still betrayed that she had just gone through a high-intensity battle.

She lifted her head and gently untied her long, silver hair that was tied up.

Silver threads cascaded down like a waterfall.

Then.

Jian Li ignored Shen Nian's wailing and instead summoned the System Panel to send a message to Lu Xiu.

We need to know the other party's current location first.

She put away the communication panel, turned around without a word, and walked straight out the door.

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to call me?"

Seeing this, Shen Nian stopped covering her face and quickly ran after them.

After boarding the bus to the city center.

Shen Nian habitually opened the forum, wanting to see if any other players suffering in the same way had posted, hoping to soothe her wounded heart.

And then this time...

She misspoke again, her face showing disbelief.

"Jian Li, look."

Shen Nian set her system window to be visible to everyone. "While we were suffering in the dungeon, Lu Xiu was doing some amazing things outside----"

Jian Li turned her head away, glancing casually at Shen Nian's panel before quickly looking away.

Because she was looking at the same content.

The vehicle sped along the streets of Jade Capital.

More than twenty minutes later.

The car came to a smooth stop near the square that was originally located on the city's central axis.

The two got out of the car.

The once flat and open square is now completely occupied by the Astera.

Shen Nian's breath hitched.

I've had a PTSD attack.

Now she's so used to playing dungeons that she's afraid of this base.

It wasn't until I reached the third floor of the base that I saw the figure sitting high up on the edge of the cafeteria.

Shen Nian barely recovered.

Lu Xiu was sitting on the edge of the high platform, swinging her legs against the wall.

The sunlight shone on her, gilding her with a faint golden glow. Her pale skin shone with an almost transparent, lustrous sheen, making her exceptionally beautiful.

Her two chins rested in the air, seemingly writing something, and she appeared to be humming an unnamed song.

"Wow----"

As soon as Shen Nian arrived at the third floor of the base, she was immediately drawn to the blue ribbon behind Lu Xiu's head that swayed gently with her ponytail.

I saw it in the video just now.

But in reality, it feels completely different.

The main point is that it perfectly matches Lu Xiu's style.

"What is this? Look at it!"

Shen Nian came to Lu Xiu and squatted down. She hugged her round, long legs together with one arm and stretched out the other arm to dangle the blue ribbon that was emitting light.

Jian Li did the same thing, curiously touching it as well, but she touched her ponytail.

Lu Xiu flicked her ponytail, simultaneously shaking off the two men. "Don't start acting up as soon as you come out—otherwise I'll get angry too."

The two men withdrew their helmets and sat down on either side of Lu Xiu, one on the left and one on the right.

"Then move."

After sitting down, Shen Nian turned to the side, puffed out her ample chest, and said with a smile.

Lu Xiu rolled her eyes at her, ignored her, and after looking at her a couple more times, looked away and placed her fingers on the air again, typing something.

Seeing that Lu Xiu ignored her, Shen Nian couldn't help but reach out and gently touch the ponytail and the blue ribbon that emitted a faint light behind Lu Xiu's head.

While stroking her ponytail as if it were hair, she rested her soft face on Lu Xiu's shoulder, turning her head curiously to try to see the system screen in front of Lu Xiu that only she could see.

"What are you doing?" Shen Nian blinked and asked.

"Write a proposal."

Lu Xiu replied casually.

"A proposal?!"

The key word is "quality".

Shen Nian sat up straight in an instant.

The naive and naive female college student stood at attention.

Next.

She stared at Lu Xiu's profile in horror. "None of the individual monsters have even finished the game yet! -- And you're already preparing for a new dungeon?!"

Even the donkeys in the production team wouldn't dare do that!

What should we do about those who are mischievous and irresponsible?

Didn't we talk about that yesterday?

Lu Xiu replied without turning her head, "I'm making a dungeon suitable for the front-line soldiers. I just had an idea today and decided to write it down—writing it down doesn't mean I'll make it right away. It's just to confirm the values and the dungeon system."

Shen Nian was about to say something more.

But suddenly.

She seemed to be drawn to something and lowered her head.

Meanwhile, Jian Li, who was sitting on the other side of Lu Xiu, was about to stretch out and push away Shen Nian's head that was resting on Lu Xiu's shoulder.

But her movements paused, and the light followed, casting downwards.

Lu Xiu noticed their movements and, somewhat curious, followed their gaze.

In a corner of the first floor of the Astera, the Bonfire that had just been placed suddenly started moving on its own without any wind, the flames shooting up high and sparks flying everywhere.

Immediately afterwards.

A group of people appeared out of nowhere beside the Bonfire.

Lu Xiu sized up the newcomers. These people were clearly not ordinary hooligans, nor were they from the military system.

They were all wearing dark suits and looked quite old.

And very quickly.

Several SUVs stopped at the entrance of the base.

Zhou Zhenyue and Chu Huai, who had just left, have returned.

"Whoa----"

At this moment.

Shen Nian seemed to recognize the people below and gasped, "The big boss is here."

"The big boss?"

Lu Xiu wasn't familiar with those faces, so she casually asked, "How old are they?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Nian raised her head and thought for a moment, then extended her slender, white finger and pointed to the sky above. "Well, to put it simply, it's the leader of the leader of the Coordination Bureau, the highest one!"

Lu Xiu: "----"

That's really big.