Chen Nian hadn't left the meeting hall; instead, he remained inconspicuously in the corner.
This time, everyone became exceptionally obedient!
Whatever Su Jinyu said, they echoed without question—who dared to disobey even slightly?
"Then it's settled as discussed."
"Before the Blood Moon Calamity descends, we'll establish teleportation arrays between major cities to facilitate mutual support."
"We shall weather this storm together and defend our homelands!"
"The meeting is adjourned."
"A lavish banquet awaits in the hall. Help yourselves!"
With everything settled, Su Jinyu finally exhaled in relief.
She paid no heed to the others, rushing outside to search for Brother BuYu. She scoured all three decks and even the open deck, yet found no trace of him.
Soon after, the cruise ship docked.
The first offline gathering concluded successfully!
Next, everyone would return to their respective cities to continue growing stronger, preparing for the impending Blood Moon calamity.
"The night view of Luzhou City is truly beautiful!"
Su Jinyu walked alone through the bustling streets, not accompanying anyone.
Dressed in an exquisite black gown, she resembled a little princess who had escaped from a nightclub, a stunning sight wherever she went.
Today was her birthday—the most special one yet.
If there was a first time, there would be a second. Someday, she'd truly meet him. Hehe!
Suddenly, a plush Kuma bear costume blocked her path ahead.
The fluffy bear was utterly adorable.
The bear walked straight toward her, holding something in its paws.
"Is this for me?"
Su Jinyu pointed at herself in confusion.
The bear nodded, then gestured behind them, as if to say: Someone asked me to give this to you.
It was a greeting card.
Her heart racing, Su Jinyu slowly opened the card. Inside, a line of small writing read:
[Xiaoqi, Happy Birthday]
In that instant, countless fireworks erupted with thunderous booms around them.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Multicolored fireworks exploded across the night sky, illuminating the entire expanse in an instant.
Su Jinyu clutched the card, her eyes glistening with tears welling up.
"Brother Buyu, I knew you cared about me the most!"
Just as she was overcome with emotion, the Care Bear turned to leave. Yes, it was Chen Nian in disguise.
But before Chen Nian could slip away, the girl behind him suddenly lunged forward, grabbing his arm!
"Buyu, you're Brother Buyu, aren't you?!"
"..."
"Then why aren't you talking? Say something!"
"..."
"I heard your voice earlier. It's burned into my memory. If you've got the guts, speak up!"
"..."
How could Chen Nian dare speak?
Speaking would give him away!
Ugh, if only he hadn't tried to be so cool earlier and exposed his voice...
He'd expected her to rip off his costume, but instead, Su Jinyu hugged the Kuma bear's arm and beamed:
"Don't worry, Brother Buyu. I won't force you out. But you have to celebrate my birthday with me tonight!"
"..."
"Your silence means yes, hehe!"
"..."
A peculiar scene unfolded.
A beautiful girl in a black dress wandered the night market, hugging a giant Kuma bear.
Seeing her radiant happiness, Chen Nian sighed and decided to go along with it.
After roaming most of the night, Su Jinyu finally grew tired. She pulled Chen Nian to sit by the roadside and chat, but soon leaned against him and drifted off to sleep...
At two in the morning, the street held a human and a bear, nestled together.
Two in the morning.
Chen Nian calculated the time—the world boss in Linhai City would spawn tomorrow morning.
Still no notification of a successful raid...
Oh well, might as well spend a little more time with this girl and rush back in the morning.
5 a.m.
Chen Nian slipped off his Rilakkuma plushie coat and contacted a wealthy local woman in Luzhou City, arranging for her to drive over and pick up Xiao Qi.
He then slipped away quietly.
At this hour, catching a scheduled flight felt hopelessly late...
Wait—there was someone in the guild who owned an airline and had a private jet. He could hitch a ride with them.
...
The moment Chen Nian departed,
Su Jinyu instantly "woke up"!
To be precise, she'd never truly fallen asleep—she'd been feigning slumber for three solid hours!
Her goal? To lower Chen Nian's guard.
How could she waste precious time sleeping during a rare meeting with her beloved?
She dialed a number.
"I want all surveillance footage from this area—every single camera angle!"
With so many cameras around, one had to have captured it.
"Hmph. Don't think your mask will save you. This is the age of high tech. We'll catch you."
...
Earlier that day, Linhai City was frantically recruiting civilian experts to defeat the World Boss.
Countless extraordinary beings gathered on the plains!
Knights, swordsmen, elementalists of every kind, archers, rangers... and hundreds upon hundreds of powerful individuals with unique talents, all assembled here!
Before them stood the World Boss's massive black barrier.
There was only one entrance!
A number glowed on the portal: 1000.
As more people entered, the number decreased, meaning only a thousand could enter!
"This... this is the world boss..."
Gazing at the colossal beast sprawled across the plain, then at the information above its head, people felt their scalps tingle.
World Boss "Camel Mountain Demon Turtle" (Tier 1, Level 90)
This turtle stretched roughly a hundred meters long, its massive gray-black carapace bearing a mountain peak soaring into the clouds!
People felt like the tiniest ants in the world, utterly powerless against it.
"Is... is this really a monster we can defeat?"
"It's too big! Way too big!"
"My attacks feel like nothing more than a tickle to it..."
More and more adventurers entered the barrier. Once the main force was finally assembled, the official assault on the World Boss commenced.
Within the barrier, countless extraordinary beings launched attacks at the Camel Mountain Demon Turtle.
For a moment, the sky was filled with dazzling streaks of light.
Yet whether blades, spears, swords, or hailstorms and lightning, none inflicted significant damage on the world boss.
It didn't even lift its head, remaining coiled inside its shell, motionless as if asleep.
After two hours of relentless assault, the attackers still saw no progress.
"Holy crap, how do you even fight this thing..."
"We've been at it forever and feel nothing. Its defenses are impenetrable!"
"We have to keep fighting, even if it's hopeless..."
"If we fail to defeat the world boss within the time limit, the Blood Moon Calamity will descend upon our region early!"
In Linhai City, the first world boss battle had reached a stalemate....
PS: The protagonist's concealed identity now sets the stage for their eventual formal recognition! The upcoming plot features gods among gods—guaranteed not to disappoint!