DSMC Chapter 60.1

Yan Jiyun saw Qiu Xi running out of the castle and was naturally both shocked and delighted. When the system suggested changing locations, he immediately left the castle, and it had been less than ten minutes since, so he must have used transportation. But how did he get spotted by players the moment he entered Xiaoyun Street?

He stared at Liang Yu, hoping to convey his intentions to him, but it still didn’t work. Liang Yu wasn’t subconsciously receiving his signals anymore. This NPC was too opinionated, completely impossible to command.

Yan Jiyun twisted his body and slipped out of Liang Yu’s hands. He turned back into the house to find Tang Shi and transmitted his thoughts to him.

Tang Shi was much easier to deal with than Liang Yu. He was a normally functioning, usable NPC, cost little in gift points, was willing to listen and do work. Employees like that were his favorite.

After receiving Yan Jiyun’s hint, Tang Shi walked to the balcony and asked Liang Yu, “What’s going on outside?”

Liang Yu: “No idea. Your Qingyun Town sure isn’t safe. People are always chasing and fighting.”

Tang Shi: “It never used to be this chaotic. It’s the Rose Festival these two days. More outsiders means more trouble. How can they bully a disabled person and an elderly man when it’s four against two?” he said sharply.

Then he picked up his smartphone to call “Uncle Yong” and rushed downstairs to help.

Liang Yu tilted his head and looked down at the young man and the old man being surrounded by three people. He recognized the old man. It was Butler Cao!

After glancing at Liang Yu, Yan Jiyun also followed Tang Shi downstairs. He didn’t want to sprain his foot, so he hadn’t prepared to jump onto the awning. He had just reached the first floor when he heard knocking sounds from the awning. Liang Yu was even faster, already charging toward Qiu Xi and the elderly man.

He saw Liang Yu leap forward, kicking away a player with his left foot, then an NPC with his right.

Qiu Xi saw the number tag on his arm about to be ripped off and felt despair creeping in. He didn’t know what to do. There was only an elderly butler NPC beside him.

After hearing the system notification, quick-thinking Butler Cao had found him a bicycle, and the two escaped from the castle. But who knew that the moment they entered Xiaoyun Street, they would be ambushed by players from another team?

Gu Wenzhu was nowhere in sight, and Yan Jiyun was stuck in the forced PK zone. He wouldn’t be coming to save him anytime soon.

Qiu Xi had felt hopeless at first. The enemy had at least three people, with two players and two NPCs, facing him and an old man, it was effortlessly one-sided.

He fought desperately to protect his number tag from being stolen. Just as his fingers were about to be bent backward and snapped, his body suddenly felt light. Those fighting to seize his tag were kicked to the ground one after another.

Someone cursed, “Tch! Who the hell is meddling?!”

A tall young man helped Butler Cao up. “Are you alright?”

Butler Cao looked at Liang Yu, excitement flashing in his eyes, but he quickly lowered his head and patted the dust off his clothes to hide it.

“Thank you, young man. I’m fine.” He turned to Qiu Xi. “Xiao Xi, are you alright?”

Qiu Xi shook his head to show he was okay.

The elderly Butler Cao and the pleasant-faced Qiu Xi looked just like grandfather and grandson. Anyone would sympathize with their current situation.

By the time Tang Shi rushed over, Liang Yu had already saved them. He hadn’t even gotten through to Uncle Yong yet, and the matter was settled.

“How can you bully an elderly man and a disabled person!” Tang Shi suddenly understood that the young man Butler Cao was shielding couldn’t speak.

The players chasing Qiu Xi certainly wouldn’t bother arguing with an NPC.

Qiu Xi immediately scrambled up and hid behind Tang Shi and Liang Yu. He knew these two were Yan Jiyun’s NPCs. From the way Liang Yu fought earlier, those kicks were clearly trained moves. No wonder he was the NPC of a top-tier player! One could take on three.

A fiery, plump auntie approached holding a kitchen knife.

“Who’s causing trouble here? Are you letting us do business or not?”

The players staying on Xiaoyun Street all knew that the fat auntie was the NPC of the cripple from Team F. They had tried dealing with her before, but she wasn’t only sharp-tongued, she was physically strong too, easily tossing a 180 pound man out of her shop. Gu Wenzhu always stayed quietly in the bun shop, never coming out, and players from other teams failed twice trying to rush in before giving up.

The area shutdown mode had been unexpected for all players, but it brought more excitement to the players on Xiaoyun Street. Whichever team had the most people remaining here would gain the advantage.

Players coming out of Siyun Castle had to pass through Xiaoyun Street. All they had to do was ambush at the border between the two areas and wait for prey.

There were three players from Team C on Xiaoyun Street. Only one of them had entered the forced PK battle. After hearing that the system would close Siyun Castle, the quick-thinking Team C players immediately thought of ambushing others and acted without hesitation.

Qiu Xi had actually escaped pretty fast, and he had even disguised himself. Unfortunately, he had appeared in the same scenario as the Team C players before, and they recognized his face. At first they weren’t sure, but sticking to the principle of “better to kill by mistake than miss,” they attacked.

Qiu Xi cursed his rotten luck. He had escaped so quickly yet still been targeted.

When the Team F-assisted NPCs all popped out one after another, and No. 29 and No. 16 still didn’t appear, the Team C players realized something was wrong. An NPC who could kick them away that easily had terrifying combat stats. If they kept fighting, they’d definitely lose. And since they couldn’t find the actual player involved, they couldn’t use props, so they had no choice but to retreat.

They only wanted to snag a number tag, they never intended to attract Team F’s No. 29. That guy was unpredictable. Who knew if he might take advantage of the chaos to steal their number tags?

The two players from Team C fled with their NPCs.

After the Team C players were driven off by the NPCs working together, Qiu Xi went around thanking each NPC. In his eyes, NPCs were equals. Though that only applied to the kind ones who saved his life.

Seeing Qiu Xi was safe and Auntie Pang had arrived, Yan Jiyun didn’t follow them out. Instead, he hid back inside, ran up to the second-floor balcony, and continued observing the surroundings.

The two from Team C, with their NPCs, were running toward the area that players from Siyun Castle had to pass through, clearly planning to intercept the next batch.

After all, Team C players belonged to a major guild; they immediately identified the strategy most advantageous for victory.

It was just that Team C didn’t have a good start. They hadn’t expected that the other two players from Team F were also on Xiaoyun Street.

Tang Shi and Liang Yu had no interaction with Qiuxi. Tang Shi simply thought he had done a good deed, and was planning to return with Liang Yu to continue cleaning the house.

Auntie Pang , meanwhile, led Qiu Xi back to the bun shop, especially since the young man’s knee was scraped. Who knew what Gu Wenzhu had instilled in her; she fussed over Qiu Xi with extreme concern and kindness.

At last, the two teammates from Team F were reunited, though the third teammate had only sent NPCs to help, with no sign of the player anywhere.

Yan Jiyun crouched on the second–floor balcony. The sunlight was just right, and as he watched other players’ positions, he felt warm all over, very comfortable. He wished he could just lie there and do nothing. He yawned hugely, looking exactly like a carefree housecat.

Tang Shi and Liang Yu were still downstairs, but they didn’t come up immediately. They had been stopped by someone.

It was Chen Xiaoyu, looking extremely reluctant.

Yan Jiyun quickly rubbed his face with his paw, making himself alert.

Did Chen Xiaoyu still not know Tang Shi no longer wanted to be her spare wheel?

What was she looking for Tang Shi for? That was his NPC.

Chen Xiaoyu was also an NPC, and she had already been redeemed by another player. Had that player failed to control her, leaving her to continue acting out the story from the instance?

Not impossible. Tang Shi and Liang Yu only worked when the player needed them; otherwise, they acted according to their character profiles, with each busier than the other.

Chen Xiaoyu certainly wasn’t here to get close to Tang Shi or Liang Yu. She had come with a task.

“Liang Yu, my grandfather’s birthday banquet is at noon today. Although that thing between us was just a misunderstanding, you must attend as my classmate. I already told my dad I’d bring a male classmate home to visit.” Without waiting for Liang Yu’s response, she turned to Tang Shi, speaking with a hint of arrogance. “And Tang Shi, my dad specifically told me to invite you as well. You’d better not be absent at noon. He even gave you a red envelope when you got into university.”

Yan Jiyun: “…”

He had to admit, Chen Xiaoyu had mastered the art of “moral coercion” flawlessly, and she also used Tang Shi’s background as a pressure point, constantly reminding him he was beneath her.

Tang Shi’s expression naturally turned unpleasant. Not because of the red envelope, but because he once again saw clearly the condescending attitude hidden in her words.

In the past, he had never felt much hearing such things, but now they sounded harsh. The red envelope Chen Uncle gave hadn’t been large, and he had even returned it later, but Chen Xiaoyu didn’t know that.

Tang Shi didn’t want to hide anymore and said plainly, “When I got into university, Uncle Chen did give me a red envelope, but I returned it a long time ago. Xiaoyu, I hope you won’t bring this up again. And yes, we will attend at noon.”

Chen Xiaoyu hadn’t expected to be slapped in the face so quickly. It felt like a sudden tornado. She had always thought Tang Shi was easy to manipulate, with his soft, agreeable, never resisting, always warm-hearted personality. In truth, that type annoyed her most.

Tang Shi wasn’t trying to embarrass her; he was simply telling the truth.

Liang Yu followed up by nodding. “I’ll attend too.”

Hearing Liang Yu agree comforted Chen Xiaoyu a little. Tang Shi, however, turned and went back inside.

Liang Yu also tried to leave, but Chen Xiaoyu grabbed him.

The shop downstairs wasn’t open yet. At this early hour, no one was passing by.

Chen Xiaoyu gritted her teeth. “Liang Yu, can you take back what you said about not being my boyfriend? Pretend that misunderstanding never happened.”

Liang Yu chuckled lightly. “Sorry, Classmate Chen, I don’t feel that kind of spark with you. We’re not suitable.”

Chen Xiaoyu was rejected again. Her expression shifted. “Is it because I’m not a girl from the city, so you look down on me?”

Liang Yu said, “You misunderstand. You’re more like a city girl than many actual city girls, excellent and beautiful. I just simply don’t feel a connection.”

“You’re really heartless.” With a dark expression, Chen Xiaoyu spun and left.

Liang Yu only shrugged. If he didn’t like her, he had to make it clear.