[Correct.]
He sighed.
"Fine. What’s next?"
Xu Ning scanned the Fate threads.
Then...
[Oh.]
Shen Tian immediately recognized that tone.
"What?"
[A heroine.]
Shen Tian stared.
"...Already?"
[Apparently.]
Near the western entrance of Greenleaf Village...
A young woman stood beside the quest board.
Her username floated above her.
**MoonPetal**
Level 5.
Mage.
Long silver hair fell down her back.
Her character’s appearance was striking.
Beautiful features.
Bright violet eyes.
A slender figure beneath a simple beginner mage robe.
The robe itself wasn’t particularly revealing.
That didn’t stop anyone.
Three men stood around her.
"Come on, beauty."
"Our party needs a mage."
Another immediately interrupted.
"Ignore him."
"Join ours."
"We’ll carry you."
MoonPetal stared.
"I’m looking for a party to clear the Forest Ruins."
The first player smiled.
"Yeah. We can do that."
MoonPetal looked at him.
"What’s your damage?"
The first player laughed.
"Does it matter?"
MoonPetal’s expression flattened.
Another player moved closer.
"Do you stream?"
"No."
"You should."
"No."
"You got Discard?" (A/N: Discord in this world)
"No."
"Boyfriend?"
MoonPetal stared at him.
Then turned away.
A fourth player approached.
"Hey, sweetheart..."
She immediately walked away.
He followed.
"I’m just asking."
She ignored him.
"Don’t be like that."
MoonPetal stopped.
Turned.
And smiled.
The man brightened.
Then she said,
"I’d rather solo."
His smile disappeared.
She walked away.
Several nearby players laughed.
MoonPetal sighed.
"This is ridiculous..."
She had been trying to form a competent party for twenty minutes.
Every group either assumed she was useless...
Or didn’t care whether she was useful.
She opened the party finder.
No luck.
Then...
A voice came from beside her.
"Forest Ruins?"
MoonPetal looked over.
A swordsman stood nearby.
**FallenWind.**
Level 6.
Simple equipment.
Calm expression.
Nothing flashy.
He looked at the quest listing.
"Recommended party size is three to five."
MoonPetal watched him carefully.
"Yes."
"You have the quest?"
"Yes."
"So do I."
Silence.
Then Jiang Feng looked toward her.
"Party?"
MoonPetal blinked.
"...That’s it?"
Jiang Feng looked confused.
"What else?"
"No comment?"
"About?"
She gestured toward herself.
Jiang Feng finally understood.
"Oh."
MoonPetal’s eyes narrowed.
Here it comes.
Jiang Feng looked at her staff.
"Your weapon is upgraded."
She blinked.
"What?"
"Level 5 apprentice staff."
"Not beginner equipment."
He looked at her boots.
"Movement-speed boots too."
Then at her level.
"You’ve been grinding efficiently."
MoonPetal stared.
Jiang Feng continued.
"If your damage is decent... We can probably duo it."
"What?"
MoonPetal suddenly smiled.
A genuine one.
"Nothing."
She sent the party invitation.
**MoonPetal has invited you to a party.**
Jiang Feng accepted.
**Party formed.**
**FallenWind**
**MoonPetal**
MoonPetal extended a hand.
"I’m MoonPetal."
Jiang Feng looked at the username floating above her.
"I figured."
She laughed.
"Real name isn’t happening yet."
"Fair."
"And you?"
"FallenWind."
"I can read."
Jiang Feng smiled.
"Then we’re even."
For the first time that afternoon...
MoonPetal looked comfortable.
"You’re weird."
"I’ve heard worse."
They began walking.
Their teamwork...
Was immediately excellent.
The Forest Ruins were surrounded by Level 6 wolves.
MoonPetal raised her staff.
"Two left."
Jiang Feng nodded.
"I see them."
A wolf lunged.
Jiang Feng activated...
**Flowing Step!**
His body shifted.
The wolf missed.
His sword flashed.
**Wandering Slash!**
**-83 HP**
MoonPetal’s spell finished.
"Fire Bolt!"
A sphere of flame flew past Jiang Feng.
It struck the second wolf.
**Critical Hit!**
Jiang Feng noticed immediately.
Good timing.
She hadn’t fired randomly.
She had waited until he pulled the first wolf away.
Another wolf appeared.
Jiang Feng repositioned.
MoonPetal didn’t panic.
Frost formed around her staff.
"Freeze!"
The wolf slowed.
Jiang Feng finished it.
Within seconds...
All three were dead.
MoonPetal lowered her staff.
"...You’re good."
Jiang Feng smiled faintly.
"So are you."
"I’m serious."
"So am I."
She studied him.
"Have you played VR games before?"
"A few."
That was technically true.
He didn’t mention being a professional.
MoonPetal narrowed her eyes.
"A few?"
"Yes."
"You move like you’re playing in a tournament."
Jiang Feng laughed.
"That’s specific."
"I watch esports."
He paused.
"...Oh."
MoonPetal noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
They continued.
Jiang Feng found himself glancing toward her occasionally.
Not because of her appearance.
Well...
Not entirely.
She was beautiful.
There was no denying that.
But more than that...
She was competent.
She listened.
She adapted.
She didn’t need him to explain everything.
When he changed tactics...
She noticed.
When she repositioned...
He adjusted.
There was a natural rhythm between them.
Jiang Feng hadn’t experienced that in a while.
Especially not after months of tension inside Titan.
MoonPetal suddenly looked over.
Their eyes met.
Jiang Feng immediately looked toward the forest.
MoonPetal raised an eyebrow.
"You okay?"
"Fine."
"Thought you saw something?"
"Maybe."
He mentally frowned at himself.
[What was that?]
He hadn’t known her for thirty minutes.
Still...
A faint warmth remained.
Small.
Subtle.
Easy to ignore.
For now.
Moonpetal frowned.
’Did he say something just now?’
Xu Ning smiled.
[There.]
Shen Tian stood on a tree branch approximately two hundred meters away.
He followed the golden Fate threads.
"That’s her?"
[Yes.]
A panel appeared.
**Name: Unknown**
**Player Name: MoonPetal**
**Role: Major Supporting Heroine**
**Connection: Jiang Feng**
**Current Relationship: New Party Member**
**Future Relationship Probability: Extremely High**
Shen Tian looked toward Jiang Feng.
Then MoonPetal.
"They look normal."
[That’s usually how relationships begin.]
Shen Tian looked at Xu Ning.
"Since when are you a romance expert?"
[I observe your household.]
"...Fair."
Shen Tian prepared to leave.
Then Xu Ning suddenly stopped.
[Wait.]
"What?"
[Something changed.]
Red markers appeared.
One.
Three.
Five.
Eight.
Twelve.
They surrounded Jiang Feng and MoonPetal.
Shen Tian’s expression changed.
"Players?"
[Yes.]
"Why are they red?"
[Player killers.]
Jiang Feng noticed first.
His footsteps slowed.
MoonPetal almost walked past him.
Then stopped.
"What?"
Jiang Feng’s eyes moved toward the trees.
"Don’t move."
Her expression changed.
"Why?"
"Players."
MoonPetal immediately gripped her staff.
"How many?"
"Not sure."
A laugh echoed.
"Pretty sharp."
Players stepped from the forest.
Five ahead.
Three behind.
Others along the sides.
Their names were hidden beneath black masks.
One carried a massive axe.
Another had twin daggers.
Two archers stood farther back.
(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)
SEND POWESTONES!!!
ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!

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