Got Into Big Trouble

Since learning about the upcoming updates, Lu Xiu's inspiration has been flowing endlessly.

Various games kept flashing through her mind.

There are just too many choices.

But too many choices are the same as no choices at all.

Lu Xiu quickly gathered her thoughts; she knew she couldn't bite off more than she could chew. After thinking for a moment, she decided to first confirm her general goal and then try Construction Space.

The difficulty of construction is also a factor to consider.

As she pondered this, she summoned the System Panel and entered the Construction Space.

Three hours later.

In Lu Xiu's apartment building, a woman slowly walked out of the elevator.

The woman was about 1.7 meters tall, with a pair of delicate thin-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. She had short, pretty hair that just covered the back of her snow-white neck, and the strands of hair gently brushed against her rounded shoulders as she moved, giving her an extremely gentle and intellectual air.

She had a great figure, wearing a well-tailored women's business suit. Underneath the dark skirt were a pair of long, slender legs encased in black stockings, which perfectly outlined her shapely and graceful leg lines. She wore a pair of simple black high heels.

The overall look doesn't give off a frivolous vibe; instead, it exudes a sophisticated beauty that combines elegance, competence, and gentleness.

She stopped in front of the elevator, glanced at the watch on her fair wrist, took a deep breath, then looked down to check her outfit, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles on her skirt. After confirming that everything was in order, she walked towards Lu Xiu's residence.

Her name is Shen Nian.

Once an unknown nobody in the Old Sea.

Currently a member of the Strategy Group of the Coordination Bureau.

What changed all of this was the Sekiro instance created by Lu Xiu.

now.

She was finally going to meet her benefactor.

This made her a little nervous—although she had come with a mission to deliver the equipment [Loathing Halberd] and sniper rifle to Lu Xiu, it wasn't considered presumptuous of her to disturb him.

But she was still a little nervous.

What kind of person would they be?

Lost in thought, Shen Nian arrived at Lu Xiu's residence, raised her fair fingers, slightly bent her knuckles, and gently knocked on the door.

A crisp, restrained knock echoed in the quiet corridor.

One second, two seconds—a minute passed.

There was no movement inside the door, not even a sound of footsteps; it was as quiet as an empty room.

But according to those protecting Lu Xiu, she shouldn't have left.

Is this about Construction Space?

Thinking of this, Shen Nian was no longer impatient and did not continue knocking on the door.

Instead, she took a small half-step back, maintaining an elegant and upright posture, and patiently waited outside the door, only knocking on the door every now and then—she could have the leader of the Strategy Group contact Lu Xiu directly, but she didn't want to do that.

Because she always felt it was inappropriate to bother the other person.

Let's wait until they're done with their work.

Shen Nian stood quietly, and after knocking on the door again and finding no one answering, she took a step back, her mind involuntarily conjuring up the image of that "benefactor".

----Able to construct dungeons like Sekiro that are both exhilarating and frustrating, and capable of designing battlefields like Titanfall that are imaginative and grand—this Senior Lu must be a seasoned master, weathered by time, taciturn, and even carrying a touch of ruthlessness, right?

Perhaps, he could also be a tech fanatic with an eccentric personality and a volatile temper?

Shen Nian was lost in thought.

But no matter who the other person was, it couldn't change the respect she felt at that moment.

Without that Sekiro raid, she would probably still be an unknown nobody in the Old Sea, with no chance of joining the Strategy Group.

Time passed second by second.

About an hour later.

Shen Nian knocked gently on the door again.

This time, finally, a sound came from inside.

"Um?"

It was a clear and melodious female voice.

Shen Nian was slightly taken aback, and before she could react, the door was opened.

Her heart raced slightly. Without thinking too much, she straightened her back, ready to greet the powerful senior.

The door was pulled open completely.

However, what Shen Nian saw was neither a weathered, grim veteran nor a sharp-eyed, ruthless powerhouse.

Behind the door was a girl who looked to be around eighteen years old.

It was early autumn. The girl was wearing a soft, slightly oversized off-white knit sweater, her shapely, long legs encased in jeans. She stood there gracefully, her face full of confusion.

Her face was absolutely stunning, with exquisitely delicate features, exuding a natural, ethereal beauty. Her long, silky black hair was casually tied back with a hair tie, a few soft, stray strands clinging messily to her fair cheeks, seemingly untouched by any caress, left to roam freely.

"

Shen Nian was instantly stunned.

She stared blankly at the stunningly beautiful girl before her, so gentle and delicate that she couldn't help but want to protect her, as defenseless as the girl next door. The words of gratitude and solemn greetings that she had rehearsed countless times in her mind suddenly got stuck in her throat.

This... this is the devilish Architect who tormented countless players to the point of near death, giving them a second chance at life through the most brutal methods?!

Lu Xiu still had a hint of despair on her face. She had accidentally become engrossed in the Construction Space, and there were just too many scenes.

She rubbed her slightly sore temples, just about to take a break, when she heard a knock on the door. Standing outside was a sophisticated, elegant, and poised businesswoman in black stockings and high heels.

I don't think I've ever seen that before.

Who is it?

Both of them were somewhat bewildered.

Finally, Lu Xiu spoke first, "----Who are you?"

"Feel sorry."

Shen Nian reacted instantly, opened her backpack, and pulled out a sniper rifle and a halberd. "My name is Shen Nian, I'm here to deliver equipment and a sniper rifle to you."

Lu Xiu stared at the antique-looking weapon and the sniper rifle for a second, then realized what was happening.

Oh, it's the equipment delivered by the Coordination Bureau.

However, the name Shen Nian feels somewhat familiar.

"Thanks."

As Lu Xiu pondered this, she reached out and took the equipment, casually tossing the sniper rifle into her backpack. Then she picked up the Loathing Halberd and weighed it in her hand; it was quite heavy.

She examined the ancient-looking black halberd, which exuded a faint smell of blood, over and over for a while, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Shen Nian stood at the door, watching Lu Xiu carefully examine the equipment, and said, "Commander Li Shengkai asked me to remind you that this equipment is a double-edged sword; it's best not to use it under normal circumstances. Also, the sniper rifle requires specific conditions to use—"

She began to recount the precautions that Li Shengkai had given her.

Lu Xiu looked away from the Loathing Halberd, listened quietly, and then nodded. "I understand. Is there anything else?"

"

Looking into Lu Xiu's bright, beautiful eyes, Shen Nian knew the other was waiting for her to take her leave, but after a moment's hesitation, she still said, "And Senior Lu—I want to thank you."

"----senior?"

Lu Xiu tilted her head in confusion. "You're thanking me? Thanking me for what?"

"I challenged you in Sekiro once, when you were playing One Mind."

"

""

Lu Xiu looked at the gentle-looking older woman in black stockings in front of her, whose eyes were now filled with gratitude, and was slightly taken aback.

Then I finally remembered, that shy yet fierce wolf!

"Ah—it's you? You joined the Coordination Bureau? Congratulations!"

I never expected that.

That cautious wolf turned out to be a mature and sophisticated woman.

Thanks to you.

Shen Nian felt a little embarrassed. Looking at Lu Xiu's casual and relaxed movements, her awe did not diminish, but rather felt more genuine.

It's still hard to imagine, though, that it was she who created those instances.

But Lu Xiu is indeed very approachable.

"That's the result of your own hard work—that's right."

Lu Xiu was about to exchange a few polite words when she suddenly remembered something, and her eyes lit up slightly.

She placed the halberd beside her and looked at Shen Nian: "You were a solo player before, right? Although you later completed Sekiro and joined the Strategy Group, you should understand the needs of ordinary players in dungeons, right?"

There just happens to be a suitable candidate right now.

Lu Xiu felt it was a good opportunity to hear genuine feedback from ordinary people in person.

"Ah?"

"What kind of dungeon do you guys want to play next?"

"Play----"

"A slip of the tongue, passing through customs—you can say whatever you want. Just treat this as a market research trip."

Holding the Loathing Halberd, Lu Xiu continued, "----So, what kind of dungeon do you think ordinary people would most like to experience?"

Shen Nian was stumped by this question.

She looked at the beautiful girl in front of her, her mind racing.

What kind of dungeons do players want?

Shen Nian carefully considered her words: "I think most people still want Resident Evil -type scenario—the requirements aren't high; you just need to be patient, stay calm, and observe carefully to clear it. Although many people will feel deeply powerless during the process, at least they can clear it."

"The feeling of helplessness----"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiu's eyes lit up, as if she had just thought of something, "You guys like this kind of vibe! A sense of powerlessness, I get it. How about a dungeon where a mortal can't resist and can only Outlast?"

Shen Nian was stunned. "Huh? That's not what I meant—"

"Anything else?"

But before she could finish speaking, Lu Xiu continued, "What about action games? Anything you're interested in? You've already tried sword and halberd games, like Sekiro —besides that, are there anything else you're interested in?"

Shen Nian subconsciously said, "Maybe it's fists and feet? Many people don't like using weapons and still trust fists and feet more—"

"Fists and kicks?"

Lu Xiu's eyes lit up again. "I know, that's right, how could I forget martial arts? How about a dungeon where you die of old age as you die? A young man leaves the mountains at twenty, ready to take revenge, but ends up being sixty years old after killing his first enemy—"

"Huh? What do you mean by 'dying of old age'? Miss Lu, I didn't—"

"Do you need to deal with large monsters? Like dragons?"

Lu Xiu found that chatting with people really helped her organize her thoughts, so she quickly continued, "Have you ever encountered such a huge monster?"

Yes, it is.

Shen Nian was bewildered by Lu Xiu's series of questions, but looking into Lu Xiu's sparkling eyes, she couldn't refuse her at all.

She subconsciously added again, "I heard there are some huge, mutated monsters at the front lines, and they're quite troublesome to deal with."

That means there's demand.

Lu Xiu stroked her smooth, fair chin. "What if I threw you into a confined space, facing a giant dragon, and you, as mortals, had to fight it with the most basic melee weapons and rolling, plus a little bit of magic—would you like that?"

Shen Nian gasped in shock.

Abyss from which there is no resistance but only escape?

Will dying turn into an old man's path of revenge?

How could a mortal body withstand a dragon tens of meters long?

What kind of dungeons are these?!

Especially when combined with the dungeon Lu Xiu had previously constructed! It sounds terrifying!

"Ms. Lu, that's not what I meant. What I meant was, I have a need, but—"

"But nobody's doing it, right?"

Lu Xiu nodded knowingly. "Then I'll do it. I've been really keen on Constructed Instance lately, but I'm missing a few specific directions. Thank you for helping me organize my thoughts; I roughly know what to do first."

That's all.

She picked up the black halberd, which seemed completely out of place on her delicate frame, and put it back in her backpack. She continued, "I'll treat you to dinner later, but right now I need to take advantage of this inspiration and go Construction Space. Shen Nian —I've remembered your name."

"Bye-Bye."

"I----"

Shen Nian wanted to say something more.

Lu Xiu gave her a bright smile and then closed the door.

Immediately afterwards, Shen Nian heard cheerful humming coming from inside, along with the notification sound of the System Panel opening.

The corridor fell silent once more.

Shen Nian stood there blankly, leaning slightly forward with her hand outstretched as if trying to explain, looking like a weathered statue.

She said players would feel powerless.

Then Lu Xiu said that they should make a dungeon that players could not resist and could only run away from.

She said some players prefer hand-to-hand combat.

Then Lu Xiu said that they should make a dungeon where players would eventually die of old age.

She said there were large mutants on the front lines.

Then Lu Xiu said that she wanted to create a closed environment where players, as ordinary people, would fight giant dragons using melee weapons and tumbling.

Lu Xiu's words echoed wildly in Shen Nian's mind like death warrants.

finally.

One minute later.

Shen Nian snapped out of her daze, her beautiful eyes widening suddenly.

What did I just say?!

Not only did he not dissuade Miss Lu from doing those underworld dungeons, but he also seemed to have unintentionally helped her develop three extremely terrifying, even insane, build strategies?

That's not what I meant!

Shen Nian finally realized what was happening, and in an instant, this gentle and intellectual older sister almost burst into tears.

She covered her head with her hands.

"I only said that Resident Evil -type dungeons have a high player completion rate—I didn't say players enjoy the feeling of powerlessness!!"

""

"I was just saying some players prefer using fists and kicks—I didn't say they like dungeons where you just keep dying and getting old!"

"I only said there were aberrations on the front lines—I didn't say players enjoy hunting dragons with mortal bodies!!"

Shen Nian let out a silent squeak like a groundhog in her mind.

The thought of those senior members of the Coordination Bureau, as well as countless ordinary players, entering Lu Xiu's new instance and being tormented to the point of death and even mental breakdown by various hellish mechanisms made Shen Nian feel dizzy.

She suddenly had a premonition—she had made a terrible mistake!

Although she didn't know what the "dungeon" Lu Xiu was talking about was, her words just now might bring everyone a bunch of extremely torturous dungeons.

We're doomed.