Seeing her calves about to fall victim, Yu Yu was livid.
Lightning Beam
A forearm-thick bolt of lightning surged, striking instantly. The crocodile man seemed to be hit by a huge force and flew backwards his body charred. Yu Yu, like wielding a lightning hose, couldn't control the recoil, sweeping wildly. Pole, sidewalk, asphalt, a small tree—everything in the beam's path scorched black. The tree caught fire.
"Get down!" The pursuing police dropped flat. "Friendly, don't shoot!"
Half her mental energy drained, Yu Yu, fighting dizziness, canceled the spell.
The crocodile man's chest was blackened, a scorched hole through it. It twitched briefly, then died. Yu Yu hurried to her calves, finding them startled but unharmed.
She sighed in relief.
Her livestock empire was just starting—it couldn't fail!
"Yu… Yu?"
Untying the calves, Yu Yu turned, surprised.
"It's really you."
Seven cops—four men, three women, clearly fit, Agility at least 6.
"You…" Yu Yu recognized the woman calling her.
Wasn't this the cop she'd met reporting incidents?
She remembered her?
Yu Yu was curious.
Exchanging a glance with the captain, Yu Bai stepped forward, friendly. "You stood out, so I remembered."
Most who reported were panicked or faking calm, but Yu Yu's cool, consistent demeanor was hard to forget.
Plus…
Yu Bai sized Yu Yu up, feeling her aura had sharpened.
Dressed simply—T-shirt, black pants, a white sunblock jacket today, and a wide sunhat—her fair, clean face and dark eyes held no tension, just surprise. She was like a cool drink in summer, unforgettable.
Great first impression.
So Yu Bai recalled her instantly, even her name.
Also… her colleague's chatter helped.
Her friend had added Yu Yu on WeChat, mentioning a tiger visiting Yu Yu's doorstep—odd.
Being acquainted, Yu Bai took over chatting, while teammates stood guard, the captain photographed and uploaded, collecting the body and cleaning traces.
Chatting with Yu Yu, she said, "That move just now…"
"The 'zzt zzt zzt' one," Yu Bai mimicked a water gun, looking up. "What was it?"
Yu Yu tilted her head, asking something unrelated. "I heard there's a monster in North Bridge that absorbs memories, perfectly mimicking people…"
Yu Bai's eyelid twitched. "How'd you know?"
Yu Yu: "Lots of friends."
Yu Bai paused. "Honestly, we haven't caught it. After reports, we sent people, but… these monsters are hard to grab."
"Higher-ups plan to mobilize the public once restrictions lift," Yu Bai shared freely. "It has weaknesses—like human-level combat and emotional detachment, struggling to mimic human feelings."
"It's a… metaphysical vibe. Looks fine, but you'd sense something off instantly."
"If someone familiar acts cold, doesn't comment, complain, or laugh—or laughs weirdly—be wary…"
"But someone like me, running, jumping, laughing? Not one~"
Yu Bai made a goofy face, carefree. "At least for now. Check again later."
"Gotta live day by day."
Yu Yu: "Makes sense."
Not a guardian, but Yu Yu's Will wasn't low. Chang Yu said high Will sharpened anomaly detection.
7 Will was enough for a human anomaly detector, especially this close.
Seeing the cop mimic the water gun again, "zzt zzt zzt," Yu Yu said, "A1?"
Yu Bai wasn't shocked, showing an "I knew it" look. "Figured it was Eternal Darkness."
The balding, middle-aged captain looked up. "No worries, we know about A1. After all…"
His expression was odd. "You guys are too active."
Yu Yu: "?"
Yu Bai explained, "Yesterday, a dumb kid came to the station."
"He stealthed in front of us, swiped our phones, then proudly announced he'd save the world."
Yu Yu: "…?" Really?
Seeing her face, Yu Bai grinned. "Unbelievable, right? Too bad he was 14. We sent him home with a warning."
"Rogues are perfect thieves."
Yu Yu thought Fuyu would bawl if she heard—rogues' rep took another hit.
"If he stole money or did bad stuff, we'd struggle to catch him, because…" Yu Bai rubbed her forehead. "They say rogues can go invisible!"
"And run fast, scale walls, high perception…" Yu Yu added.
"Exactly." Yu Bai clapped. "So are you interested in scanning the code?"
Her eyes gleamed. "Although it's still a beta version, we already have a complete reward system. It's not mandatory, it's voluntary, there's compensation and insurance, how about it? Do you want to try it?"
She coaxed, "Besides you, Jiangbin District has 19 players, 3 low-tier. With you, 4!"
"Anything you can imagine, we've got," Yu Bai pointed at the calves, bold. "Even dairy cows."
Yu Yu perked up. "Show me?"
She had no problem with the Federation, but she was cautious by nature. It has absolutely nothing to do with such trivial reasons as 'I can't buy cows'.
"Scan it," Yu Bai took out the code very skillfully. "It's the beta version. It hasn't been officially launched yet, but the functions are almost complete."
"If you have any suggestions, please give us feedback in the app. We take it very seriously, so don't worry."
"Do you want me to teach you how to use it?"
Yu Yu had downloaded it.
The app? Classic official tackiness—garish red, outdated UI by a decade, but clear and usable.
"Your number?" Yu Bai asked. "Let's add contacts."
That massive lightning beam was absurd.
She—no, all of Rong City—hadn't heard of a player that wild…
Yu Bai saw it: if she hadn't called Yu Yu's name, she'd have bolted with the cows.
As a result, her name was called out and she had no choice but to stay.
Heh.
Pity Eternal Darkness's are very precious and are based on a random invitation system. The first batch was actually given to those veteran game players, which is outrageous. Although the higher-ups had decided to take it seriously, Yu Bai just wanted in-game.
Tomorrow's worries for tomorrow.
If you can't even survive today, why worry about the future?
"Come back with us to register," the captain invited, casual. "You'll buy stuff via the app through Juzhi. At that time, you will need to register with your ID card and take a photo. Why don't you solve it all at once?"
Yu Yu, done exploring the app, glanced at her calves.
Yu Bai: "We'll drive your cows and scooter back after."
Her enthusiasm was intense, but Yu Yu wasn't surprised.
She tugged her hat against the blazing sun. "…Fine."
Soon, Yu Yu was awkwardly surrounded, their eagerness palpable, bombarding her about Eternal Darkness, brimming with envy.
"…Not that hard," Yu Yu chose her words. "Combat's fairly easy."
"Food's not great…"
"Farming's rare…"
"Leveling's super slow…"
As they chatted, the atmosphere quickly became harmonious. Yu Yuyang smiled awkwardly but politely, as if he was in prison for the second time, and was surrounded by a group of policemen and put into a police car.
Teary-eyed.
Why'd she know her name?
Now she was stuck.
Chatting revealed only Yu Bai and the captain were veterans; the rest were fresh recruits, recent grads—two from Rongda, three from Dongda.
Yu Bai was just two years senior.
Yu Bai eyed the computer's photo. "You're photogenic. Even ID shots look good."
Yu Yu registered smoothly, browsing the shop. The app was crude, but the inventory was vast.
New Energy SOS Type-3 Water Purifier.
New Energy A485 Generator.
New Model Military Drone.
Plus lawnmowers, tillers, tractors, walkie-talkies… too much, Yu Yu's eyes blurred.
A military helicopter?! Who'd fly that?
Most eye-catching: food.
Rice, cooking oil, sauces, instant noodles, and more.
Daily goods section.
Yu Yu flipped to weapons, startled.
Guns.
Scrolling, she relaxed—small-caliber, no big ones.
Not that she'd use them.
Cold weapons section: swords, hammers, axes, bows, crossbows…
Many models Yu Yu didn't recognize, but Shu Tu would love them. Her bow, however good, couldn't match military-grade. Arrow supplies secured, Zi Shu could buy swords, Fuyu daggers—no more fruit knives.
Yu Yu's favorite: farming gear.
Generator to cart, cows, sheep… all added.
Yu Yu: "No staves or shields."
Yu Bai's smile froze. "…We'll have them later."
Modern folks don't use staves or shields.
"Can I share with friends? Can they use it?"
Yu Bai asked enthusiastically, "What friend? Are you a player too?"
Yu Yu responded vaguely, "Can ordinary people use it?"
Yu Bai: "Of course, but it won't be open all at once. It will be modified slowly. It's only a beta version now, and we don't know when the official version will be released."
"You know the current situation. Prices are abnormal and fluctuate greatly," Yu Bai pointed to the sky. "We are fine, but they are under greater pressure."
At this point, Yu Bai sighed, "Forget it, let's not talk about this. You have already successfully registered. Do you want to choose a username?"
"Can I still give it a name?"
Yu Bai: "Of course, to protect personal information, we are the only ones who can access your information anyway, so we don't recommend using your real name."
Yu Yu typed two characters: [ProudSun] / [Jiao Yang]
Yu Bai looked surprised.
Yu Yu was striking—pale, slender, but aloof, even her smiles distant.
Yu Bai glanced at the ID, then Yu Yu.
Yu Yu, casual: "Taken?"
"No, no one's grabbing names now," Yu Bai typed fast. "Just didn't expect that name."
Yu Yu smiled.
She'd used 'DeepCrimson' before. What's wrong with 'ProudSun'?
She likes an ID that doesn't match her real self, otherwise people will think of her at first sight and the online name would be in vain. After the registration was successful, Yu Yu left. As soon as she went out, she heard a huge cheer behind her.
Yu Yu: "?"
Why so thrilled?
Are players hard to fool?
She didn't dwell.
Yu Bai's attitude, warm or cold, didn't change her plans.
…Ugh, calling her name was such a cheat.
Why'd she run into them?
Maybe she should've let the monster eat the cows?
…No way!
"Miss Yu, where to with the cows?"
Yu Yu hopped on her scooter. "Follow me."
She noticed the police van's upper windows had black film, and the driver wore a cap with a brim.
Yu Yu tensed.
They remembered the warning, though nothing had happened yet. Shu Tu, informed but clueless on details, arrived at the complex just as the police van did. She rolled down the car window and looked at Yu Yu in front of the police car, speechless. You just bought a cow, why was it sent back by a police car?
Chang Yu, shocked, leaned on Shu Tu's arm. "Boss, what'd you do?"
Yu Yu: "…?"
Can't you think better of me?
A young cop clarified, "She didn't do anything. She helped catch an anomaly and got a bonus."
Seeing Shu Tu, he was surprised.
It was her.
Shu Tu smiled kindly.
Destiny, a global phenomenon, especially among youth. Before Eternal Darkness, Destiny's updates and esports streams drew billions. Its most famous were in the Hall of Fame. A ranking of popularity and skill, top names carried massive fame.
Fame brought fortune, so they drew huge attention. Shu Tu didn't bother hiding—she was too recognizable. Their fame rivaled real-world A-listers.
Destiny was limitless, free.
Now, it wasn't fit to shine Eternal Darkness's shoes. The cop, eyeing the big cat sniffing the van, pondered. Private ownership's illegal!
Oh, the zoo's gone. Never mind. The yellow-black cat circled, not fierce but goofy. Emperor engine, deluxe mode.
Cop: "Need help?"
Yu Yu realized she forgot to mention. "No, no, it's tame."
He stared, unconvinced.
Yu Yu: "Stay put, I'll unload."
"Shu Tu, leash Banban. Don't let it scare my cows."
Chang Yu hopped out, tugging Banban's ears, cooing, "Banban, Banban, stop sniffing. Come inside, I'll get you meat."
Banban agreed instantly, heading to the kitchen. Chang Yu, caught off-guard, was dragged two steps. Shu Tu unloaded too, moving a crate of yellow chicks. The calf's legs were weak and it refused to get off the car. Yu Yu yanked them down.
They were strong…
Yu Yu struggled to pull them down and was sweating all over.
A day when I miss Zishu.jpg
Banban's scent seemed to spook small animals.
"All good, thanks, you worked hard."
The cop gave an awkward, polite smile and left. After nearly two hours, Yu Yu got the cows to the barn, reviewing cattle-raising tips.
Confidently setting feed and water, she said, "Eat up, grow fast, I want meat."
She eyed the calves, envisioning juicy, red steaks.
Slurp.
Hungry.
"Shu Tu, what's for dinner?"
Shu Tu, nearly done, thought. "What do you want?"
"Rib soup? Char siu? Chicken legs…" Yu Yu's hunger grew.
Shu Tu checked the time. "Should make it."
"Shu Tu, you're the best!"
Chang Yu opened the door. "Boss, it ate all the dinner. What now?"
Shu Tu went in, coldly rejecting the cat's leg-hug. "Too much food makes you fat. No more tonight."
Yu Yu followed, pinching the cat's white belly. "It's fatter. Illusion?"
The cat's paws were huge—bigger than her face.
One swipe, and she'd be in ICU.
"Purr…"
The cat writhed like a caterpillar, emperor engine nonstop.
A clingy, dumb kitty.
At dinner, Yu Yu shared the app with Shu Tu and Chang Yu. "Check it out. It's real-world, so be cautious. Wait for Zi Shu and them, then we'll discuss."
Shu Tu wiped her mouth, registering, asking, "What happened this afternoon? You got spotted?"
Yu Yu, breezy: "I met an ugly crocodile that can be attacked. I'll let it try out my new magic."
To be honest, her new spell is really great, but it's too powerful. It only takes 5 seconds to drain all her mental energy. Good thing she didn't use Chain Lightning… oh, she lshe couldn't release her mental power. Never mind.
Chang Yu imitated the tone of the forum users, "How dare you show off in front of other players even though you have a health bar?"
She raised her chopsticks. "See this big knife?"
Yu Yu laughed. "You added 2 Constitution points. Feel better?"
Chang Yu thought. "I eat more, but nothing else yet."
"When Mom's back, I'll get a hospital checkup."
Yu Yu: "Stat boosts are subtle, but nutrition's key. Eat more lately."
Shu Tu cut in. "Small, frequent meals. Chang Yu's Constitution is worse than yours, digestion weak. No overeating."
Yu Yu: "Oh."
Post-dinner, not yet login time, Shu Tu and Chang Yu lingered.
Yu Yu split dish duty with Chang Yu, grabbing a steel wool pad. "Sent it to Zi Shu?"
"What'd they say?"
Shu Tu glanced, puzzled. "They're offline."
"Aren't they on leave in the dorm?"
"Fuyu's usually always online," Shu Tu mused. "Over half an hour—maybe they went out?"
"What's your plan online?" Shu Tu pocketed her phone, leaning on the door.
Chang Yu jumped in. "I follow the boss. Where she goes, I go!"
Yu Yu shot her a look. "Stop calling me boss. I have a name."
Chang Yu tilted her face. "Sister Yu?"
"Don't call me sister."
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
Chang Yu pouted, troubled.
Shu Tu suggested, "Call her Xiao Yu (Little Fish)."
Yu Yu huffed. "Think I don't know you're punning? Big Fish, Little Fish? Call me Orca."
Chang Yu's eyes lit up. "Orca?"
Yu Yu froze, flustered. "Shut up."
Chang Yu made an "oh" sound, lowered her head miserably and continued to wash.
Shu Tu coughed, redirecting. "What's your online plan? I'll reference."
Yu Yu thought. "I'll try bringing two noodle packs. Think I've cracked it."
""I'll go and hand in the task first, and then try to bribe the senior sister to see if I can get some information out of her…" Yu Yu mused. "Senior's bound to have quests to mooch. Let's see if I can get some tasks that give me high experience points. I need to level up."
"Also, that epic quest," Yu Yu groaned. "Leveling's too hard, so slow."
"How long till Zi Shu's survey? I wanna see how many are low-tier. The Grand Archon's tournament's probably soon."
Yu Yu stressed, "Look, Senior Sister can provide so many conveniences. Hugging the Grand Archon's thigh would bring bigger perks."
"This tournament's crucial. Perform well."
Yu Yu pondered more. "Bring Chang Yu, get her combat-ready fast, or she'll fall behind."
Shu Tu listened quietly, then said, "Good. I'll study herbs and arrow crafting."
Yu Yu: "…Oh, and enchantment spells."
She grimaced. "Sounds tough."
Enchantment, a spell branch, leaned toward crafting and utility—scrolls, staves, traps, even Shu Tu's special arrows. Spellcasters, total team core.
Shu Tu soothed, "No worries. I'll take a passive for potion brewing. Might work in reality."
Yu Yu's brow twitched. "Hm? Could be."
Chang Yu: "What should I learn?"
Yu Yu looked down, considering. "Depends on your guardian passives and skill leans."
"Guardians seem best against anomalies. Hope I'm right."
Chang Yu felt pressure. "I-I'll try."
Shu Tu checked her phone. "Forty minutes…"
She dialed, urging, "Stop dawdling, or your hands will prune."
Yu Yu sped up.
"Beep—"
"Beep—"
"Beep—"
The phone's sound hushed the room.
Shu Tu frowned. "Something's up…"
Yu Yu: "App, check Rongda's location for tasks."
Wiping her hands, Chang Yu copied.
Shu Tu gave a long hum, looking up thoughtfully.
Yu Yu caught her look, heart sinking. "There's one?"
Shu Tu: "…Yeah."
"Been ages since I was at school." Yu Yu adjusted her cap's brim.
Shu Tu did the same. "No issue parking here?"
Yu Yu, familiar with her alma mater, said, "No problem. I used to park there, it's fine."
Shu Tu: "Where's Building 8?"
Yu Yu rubbed her chin. "Not sure, but I know the girls' dorm area. Should be nearby."
"No dorm staff now, right?"
She turned to Chang Yu. "Stay, watch the car and stuff, be ready to back us up."
"Shu Tu, let's buy walkie-talkies tomorrow?"
Shu Tu: "App has them. Ask the cops?"
Yu Yu nodded. "Smart, saves money."
They'd taken a bounty, but no time to log in—might've missed a real-world quest.
Pity.
Chang Yu could drive, though her skills were shaky, rarely practicing. In the car, she thought drones might be useful. Ordered, express delivery—tomorrow arrival!
Yu Yu, hands in pockets, gazed at familiar sights, nostalgic.
"University's the best. Even now, fools are wandering outside."
Her words drew glares from passersby.
Shu Tu sighed. "Say less right now."
Yu Yu's Agility was decent now—though relaxed, she moved fast.
Soon, they spotted reflective tape sealing a scene.
Yu Yu: "Who wouldn't call this bad luck?"
Zi Shu, Fuyu, rough.
Yu Yu revealed a wristband. The deep blue light interweaves, mysterious and profound, and it is extraordinary at first glance.
Without any further communication, Yu Yu and the other person opened the intelligence.
Cover—
[Code: Eerie Sound (Guiyin)], Number: C325.
Keywords: Growth, Range, Ignores Distance, Compulsory