Is This Right?

[Novice Mission One completed. Reward: ten levels of Soul Power, one God-given Spirit Ring, and one Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone.]

[Novice Mission Two activated. Form a team with anyone and achieve ten consecutive victories in two-versus-two matches. Reward: ten levels of Soul Power, one God-given Spirit Ring, one Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, a complete Soul Tool Manufacturing Manual, a Rare Materials Gift Pack, and unlock the creation of the Strongest Deity's Divine Throne Inheritance...]

Backstage, Gu Zhi grinned as he looked at the system rewards he had obtained. He marveled at how easy these missions were while eagerly anticipating the Divine Throne Inheritance mentioned in Novice Mission Two.

At this moment, Gu Zhi had no idea that countless beauties had set their sights on him. Zhu Zhuqing, the closest one, was even waiting right ahead.

"Hello, Lord Gu Zhi."

Gu Zhi had been planning to find somewhere to use the God-given Spirit Ring when a tall woman wearing a half-mask and cat-ear hair ornaments blocked his path. With just one glance, he recognized her true identity.

"Why is Zhu Zhuqing here? Oh, judging by the timeline, she should be studying at Shrek Academy... Come to think of it, it should be nearly time for them to set out for the Star Dou Great Forest, right?"

Several thoughts flashed through Gu Zhi's mind in an instant. He had never intended to get involved with the protagonist group. After all, the war between the two gods was still far in the future. By then, he should have already ascended to the God Realm.

"Need something?"

Still, Gu Zhi was interested in beauties. Now that he had a system, what kind of transmigrator would he be if he did not build himself a harem?

The Zhu Zhuqing before him was the wildest cat in all the fanfictions. Gu Zhi quite wanted to have a story with her too.

"Congratulations on achieving ten consecutive victories, Lord Gu Zhi. However, solo matches seem a little too boring for someone like you. Would you be willing to team up with me? Two-versus-two matches are your true stage!"

It was Zhu Zhuqing's first time proactively inviting someone to team up, so her words inevitably sounded a little stiff. She was clearly nervous. If not for the system mission's requirements, Gu Zhi alone could dominate the two-versus-two arena with ease.

"Oh? Two-versus-two matches are just as easy for me. To be blunt, I could take a dog onstage and still keep winning all the way through. Why should I choose you as my teammate?"

Gu Zhi knew his own advantages very well. Zhu Zhuqing wanted a free ride without paying anything? Where in the world was there such a good deal?

"Of course I believe you can do that. But if you keep winning like this, it may become difficult for you to find opponents willing to schedule matches with you later."

"And there are benefits to teaming up with me. Your opponents may see me as your weakness. They might think that if they defeat me first, they can defeat you as well... That way, there will always be people unwilling to accept defeat who dare to come onstage. Then it will naturally be much easier for you to continue your winning streak!"

It was quite something for someone as aloof as Zhu Zhuqing to say such a long speech. Clearly, she had put a great deal of thought into getting a share of Gu Zhi's system rewards.

"But what you described could be done with anyone else too. Your offer isn't enough."

Gu Zhi was not truly unmoved, but he had no intention of becoming cheap labor and doing something thankless.

"I can take less of the prize money after we win."

Zhu Zhuqing raised the stakes again, though even she felt that this bargaining chip was pitifully small.

"That was only right to begin with."

As expected, Gu Zhi rejected her again. Of course, because of the system mission, he was inclined to work with Zhu Zhuqing. But a beauty had taken the initiative to come to him—was it too much to ask for a little more benefit?

Zhu Zhuqing fell silent. She truly could not think of anything else that might move Gu Zhi. After all, he was right. He could win even with a dog as his teammate.

"Why did Zhu Zhuqing take the initiative to find Gu Zhi? Does this system mission come with a summoning function?"

"Oh no! Could Zhu Zhuqing know that she can mooch system rewards? Just by teaming up with Gu Zhi and casually completing one two-versus-two match, she can get a small amount of system rewards. If she can follow him through ten consecutive wins, she'll take off immediately!"

"Don't get ahead of yourselves. Gu Zhi is as shrewd as a monkey. He hasn't agreed yet!"

"True. How could such heaven-sent fortune be so easy to get?"

"Baby Zhuqing, trust me! Gu Zhi is a total pervert! As long as you sacrifice a little of your charm, he'll definitely agree!"

As Zhu Zhuqing considered her options, the barrage erupted again. This time, amid the flood of teasing, there was actually a suggestion that seemed useful.

"Great idea, commenter above! If there really is a plot like that, I'll buy a membership to watch it!"

"Same!"

"Same!"

Zhu Zhuqing stared speechlessly at the screen full of "same" comments for two seconds. These barrage comments felt extremely unreliable.

Leaving aside the fact that she was not someone who would sell her looks, could that kind of method even be broadcast?

Where were the moderators?

"I have something to do, so I'll be leaving first."

Gu Zhi could not wait for Zhu Zhuqing to make up her mind. He still needed to fuse the Soul Power Level, Soul Ring, and Spirit Bone first.

"Wait!"

Zhu Zhuqing hesitantly called out to Gu Zhi. She had actually already made a decision, but she did not know how far she had to go to move him.

Gu Zhi turned back to look at Zhu Zhuqing, still feeling that something was off. With her personality, she should not have been this persistent. This was only their first meeting, yet Zhu Zhuqing seemed to know him very well.

"Is there something else?"

No matter how hard Gu Zhi racked his brain, he could never have imagined that the matter of him and the Strongest Deity System had already been exposed through the barrage. At this moment, he only found Zhu Zhuqing's behavior extremely strange.

"That's it! Go, Baby Zhuqing! Give him a little benefit first! Once you get the rewards, run!"

"What kind of gold-digger tutorial is this? Is that what I came here to watch?"

"Baby Zhuqing, don't be foolish! Take Gu Zhi now, and will you still have to worry about mooching system rewards in the future?"

"That sounds reasonable! What's so good about Dai Mubai? He's complete trash! How could he possibly deserve our Baby Zhuqing? Isn't Gu Zhi far better than Dai Mubai? He's handsome, powerful, and has an amazing personality! Follow him and you'll soar straight to the top!"

"Can we skip ahead to the shameless part already? I'll buy a membership in advance!"

What were these barrage comments even saying? They were making people's minds turn dirty!

Zhu Zhuqing blushed slightly. Some of the things the barrage said were actually right. Compared to Gu Zhi, Dai Mubai really was nothing but trash.

Perhaps the barrage had planted the thought in her mind, because Zhu Zhuqing could not help imagining the scenario they described. Being with Gu Zhi really did seem like a very wise choice!

"Actually... I really like you, Lord Gu Zhi! If you don't mind, I don't want anything at all. I only want to compete with you and grow stronger with you!"

Zhu Zhuqing spoke with a mixture of nervousness and tentative probing. It would not be entirely accurate to say that she fully understood her own feelings by now. But if she had the chance, she also wanted more contact with Gu Zhi.

First, she truly wanted to share in the system rewards. Second, she hoped to develop something further with Gu Zhi...