The golden leaderboard shimmered in the air, but before its brilliance could settle, another list—blindingly radiant—unfurled beside it. Cheng Shuli squinted, her eyes adjusting to the dazzling text.
[Dragon Nation Third Region, 1000th Sub-District Novice Protection Period - Wealth Leaderboard]
[1st: Crow Takes Flight (Wealth: 12.6 Gold)
2nd: Green Mountain Wanderer (Wealth: 2.5 Gold)
3rd: Glory Shines on Blue Star (Wealth: 2.3 Gold)
…]
[Weekly Milestone: 150 kilometers daily. Psst—a little secret: stay on the leaderboard, and juicy milestone rewards await!]
An announcement? And it's whispered? Cheng Shuli smirked.
She glanced between the two lists. First place on both—mileage and wealth.
Solid. Very solid.
Her gaze lingered on the mileage leaderboard. Second-place Silent Tycoon lived up to their name, stealthily climbing the ranks without a peep. Third-place Green Mountain Wanderer was even quieter, securing spots on both lists with ninja-like precision.
The system didn't waste time. Rewards poured in, crystal clear: three prizes for her dual domination.
"Congratulations, Player Cheng Shuli, for claiming 1st Place on the Dragon Nation Third Region, 1000th Sub-District Novice Protection Period - Mileage Leaderboard. Rewards: Game Coins x100, Bedding Set (Random Style) x2, Basic Water Condenser x2!"
"Congratulations, Player Cheng Shuli, for claiming 1st Place on the Dragon Nation Third Region, 1000th Sub-District Novice Protection Period - Wealth Leaderboard. Rewards: Game Coins x100, Vehicle Upgrade Material Fragments x10, Full Bathroom Set (Resizable, Uninstalled) x1!"
"Congratulations, Player Cheng Shuli, for achieving the Server-Wide Dual Leaderboard Supremacy. You've earned the exclusive title [Supreme King]! You are the unrivaled pinnacle among players, the true sovereign before any kingdom rises!"
"Title [Supreme King] Effects: Health stabilized at 80, All Attributes +3, Triggers [Majesty] when interacting with Beastman NPCs."
"[Majesty] Description: As the ruler of the Supreme Kingdom, your words carry unmatched weight, though beware—skeptical NPCs may resist your charm."
"Equip the title?"
No hesitation needed. Cheng Shuli swapped out her previous title for [Supreme King]. A triumphant upgrade.
Yet, the title sat awkwardly atop her head, like the system had plopped a gaudy crown on her while everyone else was just playing the game. A "noob tiara," perhaps?
The moment she equipped it, a wave of lightness washed over her—likely the health boost kicking in. She didn't fully grasp the stat's mechanics, but a name like Health? Higher was always better.
The regional chat was a wildfire. Crow Takes Flight's iron grip on first place shocked no one,,but the gap? Jaw-dropping. Her mileage doubled second place, and on the wealth list, second was a speck in her shadow—not even a fraction of her 12.6 gold.
[Sigma Man]: My eyes aren't lying, right? First place at 12.6 gold, and second plummets to 2.5? Is the system glitching?
[Glory Shines on Blue Star]: Damn! I was stoked to hit wealth top three, but one glance at Crow's numbers nearly stopped my heart. Boss is legit.
[Green Mountain Wanderer]: Thought I was balling with dual leaderboard top three. Then I saw my wealth's not even a sliver of Crow's… (bitter_laugh.JPG)
[Silent Tycoon]: (Quietly drops mileage second-place screenshot) Planned to flex, but the wealth list shattered my soul. Crow boss, need a loyal hanger-on?
[Little Raccoon]: Yo, nabbed a big shot! Wait—another?! Holy—nothing but legends!
[Crispy Noodle]: Just need Crow to complete the top-three set. @Crow Riding a Plane, boss, drop a word so I can screenshot it for my weird collector's itch.
Cheng Shuli grinned. A harmless request like that? She'd indulge. Besides, she was riding high—time to bask in the glow.
Dragon Nation's love for the spotlight ran deep, etched in millennia. Ancient scholars who topped imperial exams would parade through Chang'an, "hooves swift in spring breeze, beholding all the capital's blooms in a day." Why shouldn't Cheng Shuli savor her moment?
[Crow Takes Flight]: Just lucky.
The chat detonated.
[Hate Naming]: Is Crow humble or flexing? I'm lost, man, totally lost!
[Huh?]: Dude, when someone's leagues above, even their humility feels like a power move.
[Gentleman Sword]: Everyone, hit report. Crow's data smells fishy.
[Nutcase]: ??? Bro, read my username—that's you.
[Mister Lost]: LMAO, laughed so hard I bolted to the village gate and only chilled after sniffing chicken dung.
[Can I Say That?]: Dude, gross.
[Sanctuary]: Hold up—leaderboards have a report option?
[Parting Sorrow]: Yo, it's real! Costs five 500ml water bottles to report. Win, you get fifteen. Lose, and the water goes to the reported player. It's like betting!
[Green Mountain Wanderer]: Y'all, use your brains before you act.
Cheng Shuli's brow furrowed—not from guilt, but intrigue. Would the system really let players challenge its rulings? This wasn't some casual esports match where you cried foul over lag.
Her conscience was clear. Sure, she'd exploited a bug once, but her mileage? Grinded out through relentless treks. Her wealth? Scraped together through sweat and cunning. Fishy? Hardly.
This was strength.
She crossed her arms, a smug grin creeping in, before dissecting the chat's reactions. Green Mountain Wanderer's blatant goodwill piqued her curiosity. What was their game?
Her two steadfast allies didn't miss a beat.
[Liang Shanbo & Pig Charge]: Agreed. Reporters are either fools, snakes, or both. Crow boss's dominance needs questioning? She's first every time. Before you report, maybe hit a beastman town and hire a seer.
Liang Shanbo's words burned with loyalty. To her, Crow was a beacon of goodness. If Crow wouldn't swat these pests, Liang Shanbo would swing.
[Wan Yi]: No brain's fine, but don't advertise it.
Wan Yi couldn't resist a jab.
[Nutcase]: Pfft, no way someone actually reported, right?
As if on cue, the system blared a new announcement.
[Players Gentleman Sword, Tuoba, Gratitude Seeker, and 51 others have jointly reported leaderboard first-place player Crow Riding a Plane. Player Crow Riding a Plane has been compensated with 500ml Water Bottles x270!]