Chapter 61: Rat

The open space isn't big, at most half the size of a basketball court.

In the middle of the open space stood a tent, specks of light shining through the door curtain and casting crisscrossing shadows on the ground.

Beside the tree stumps, various mounts were tethered, some Chen Shicheng didn't recognize, and others he had seen before at the mount rental place—white cranes and dragon horses.

"Remember, everyone attending tonight's trading gathering is no ordinary person—keep a low profile!"

Shuigu Tang still gave a worried reminder before entering the tent.

Chen Shicheng nodded in understanding—even the mounts he hated to rent were here, so the people inside couldn't be simple; they were probably all big shots.

How could a mere level‑6 nobody like him dare to cause trouble? If someone took a dislike to him and killed him offhand, it would be a pointless death.

To show how much he valued this, he specially checked his mask and his clothes, making sure there was nothing that would reveal his identity or be rude, and only then did he follow Shuigu Tang into the tent.

As soon as he stepped inside, gazes swept over him.

The tent's interior was spacious, with a makeshift wooden table set up in the middle using local materials, fifteen logs placed around it as chairs, and a glowing mass floating above the table's center, providing light for the tent.

Of the fifteen chairs, only nine were occupied at the moment, the rest empty—whether because not everyone had arrived or because too many had been prepared, nobody knew.

Apart from Shuigu Tang, who could change her appearance at will, everyone present, like Chen Shicheng, had their faces thoroughly covered.

Some used masks, others simply wrapped their faces in cloth and poked two holes for the eyes, making the place look like a bandit gathering.

"Thanks for waiting!"

Shuigu Tang, upon entering, went straight to a familiar spot near the door, sat down, and even patted the chair beside her to signal Chen Shicheng to come over.

"Oh, this is the newcomer you brought; counting those others brought, plus the old players who somehow heard the news and joined, this gathering is lively."

The one who spoke, sitting in the seat of honor facing the door, was clearly a man by his build and voice.

"It's better lively—before, it was just a few people each time, how dull." The woman beside him picked up the thread, covering her mouth as she giggled.

"You're right." The man who had spoken first clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention to himself, "Alright, pretty much everyone's here—newcomers, introduce yourselves, starting with you."

As he spoke, the man pointed at Chen Shicheng seated by the door; his commanding tone and rude finger made Chen Shicheng feel a bit ill at ease.

Fortunately he remembered Shuigu Tang's incessant reminder to stay low‑key before entering; after glancing at the perpetually silent, invisible Hui Siye, he spoke up.

"Just call me Zi Shu."

"「. My name is Chou Niu」"

"「. Yin Hu」"

"「. Mao Tu」"

Perhaps Chen Shicheng had struck his head, because everyone who followed in the self‑introductions continued with the zodiac names, without a single exception.

The old-timers who had attended previous gatherings just watched them calmly, seeming unfazed by these code names. Only after the last female newcomer finished announcing her code name "Mao Tu" did the man in the seat of honor continue, "Before the trading officially begins, I have a piece of news to share with everyone."

"We old folks should all know that, since everyone's region differs, the frequency and timing of these gatherings are quite arbitrary."

"It so happens that my wife and I recently set up a guild in the real world called the Mutual Aid Society, aimed at helping each other grow; it now has over fifty members and is a decent‑sized organization in the northeast."

"If you're interested, you can join us—I guarantee you won't be disappointed, how about it?"

The woman beside him also chimed in at the right moment, "We're all old acquaintances—if you join, I can promise you'll be placed directly into management, with benefits guaranteed to the highest standard."

"「. 」"

After a long silence, one player who looked like an old man tapped the table and said, "Gan Jiang, this isn't the same as the rules we agreed on before, is it?"

"That's right—when I first started attending these gatherings, the premise was that we each hide our identities and never meet in real life, so your suggestion is good; from now on it's best not to bring it up again." Another person also chimed in.

"The times have changed!"

Gan Jiang swept a fierce gaze around the tent, and his mighty True Essence flooded the space without restraint, causing everyone's breath to catch.

"The game's been going for three years now; aside from the state's official organizations, players have all started banding together, making it harder and harder for lone wolves like us as time goes on—I'm doing this for your own good, for our future's sake; otherwise why would I risk creating this guild?"

He spoke beautifully, but all he got in return was a deathly silence.

Seeing that no one backed his proposal, Gan Jiang turned his gaze to Shuigu Tang and said, "I've heard you've recently been hunted; if you join us, I can help you resolve the trouble."

"Hehe, no need—I can handle my own problems, so there's no trouble for you to get involved."

Shuigu Tang rejected his offer without a second thought, and even gave him a white eye.

Gan Jiang hadn't expected that Shuigu Tang, whom he'd seen as a breakthrough point, would so readily refuse his goodwill; he lost face, and his expression instantly darkened.

"No matter, this is just a notice—joining isn't mandatory."

Seeing the mood turn heavy, Gan Jiang's wife quickly rose, walked over to Shuigu Tang, patted her shoulder to ease the tension, and then placed a hand on Chen Shicheng's shoulder—almost bumping Hui Siye.

"What about this new young guy—are you interested in joining us? Our guild has plenty of young ladies."

As she approached, a strong rose fragrance wafted over, making Chen Shicheng feel a bit uncomfortable.

It wasn't that he was allergic to the scent; rather, when he first started work, a woman in her thirties who had just joined his cohort came to his office, and she happened to be at the prime of life.

What's more, she coincidentally ended up in the workstation right next to his, her faint floral scent making the twenty‑year‑old him feel his blood boil; every day he caught a whiff of her perfume, and even his work felt easier.

Only much later did he realize. that the scent was that of Fuyanjie!

From then on, he found women who carried such a scent utterly intolerable—millions of times over—and every time he caught a whiff, he had the illusion that he was inhaling Fuyanjie.

(End of chapter)