The Jinx, Zhuge Yue

“Zhuge Yue? That madwoman is coming to Mingyang City?”

Xiezhi paced back and forth in the headquarters, hoping Yan Shuangying would bring him some good news.

Bei Lang was lying in the Abnormal Affairs Bureau's healing pod, ready for immediate treatment if anything went wrong.

Although cases of players being revived in reality after dying in an Instance were pitifully few, there were still precedents.

For example, if a player suffered no fatal injuries in an Instance, but simply went into shock and their heart stopped, it was possible for the Spirit Calamity Game to judge them as dead and kick them out. In such cases, immediate rescue in reality offered a chance of survival.

But the good news never came. Instead, he received something else.

Bad news.

“She left the Eagle Country a few days ago?”

“Then why am I only being told today?”

Even with his usually calm and unflappable personality, Xiezhi was growing agitated.

The reason was simple. Zhuge Yue was one of the most troublesome Spirit Calamity Players around.

This woman had a volatile personality and never considered the consequences of her actions. She was especially keen on digging up other players' secrets and didn't care about their identity at all.

She had basically offended people from every major organization, but the fact that she was still alive and well was proof enough of her immense strength.

She claimed to be a member of the Truth Society. However, the Abnormal Affairs Bureau's records showed that no organization named the Truth Society existed in any country.

This organization was merely something Zhuge Yue had imagined. Someone had once discovered her secret.

Zhuge Yue had split personality disorder.

This discovery also explained her volatile personality and why she acted so unconventionally.

Of course, this secret only remained on the Spirit Calamity app for a single day. The next day, the post and its creator had both disappeared.

It wasn't until a month later that the poster reappeared and published an insincere post praising Zhuge Yue. It was said that Zhuge Yue had doxed and caught him offline.

She had stripped his mind of every single secret, even revealing on the Spirit Calamity app that he was still wetting the bed at the age of nine. She had even tied up the poster and filmed him for a month.

The key point was that the poster was male and heterosexual.

The films were homosexual in theme.

The poster was the one who was tied up and abused.

From then on, very few players in the entire Spirit Calamity Game wanted to run into Zhuge Yue. She was powerful and fond of messing with other players.

Everyone privately described her as a landmine smeared with shit. No one wanted to touch it.

In short, this woman was the epitome of a jinx.

The major organizations were now constantly monitoring her movements just to make it easier to avoid this walking disaster. And now his superiors were saying that Zhuge Yue was coming to Mingyang City.

How could that not give Xiezhi a headache?

Who knew how many local players she would torment this time? She wouldn't care if you were from an official organization.

“What! The reason I wasn't told sooner is that the colleagues sent to investigate her whereabouts were all tied up and turned into wax figures in a wax museum for a few days?”

Xiezhi shook his head helplessly.

“Then never mind. Please pass on my condolences to those colleagues. They've been through a lot.”

He could only hope this madwoman was just passing through Mingyang City.

If someone really provoked her, they'd be finished.

After all, she was a Rogue Player who had received an 【Audience】.

“Can't I just take a stroll on the beach? Do you have any sense of romance?”

Hearing Wu Wang's lame excuse, Zhuge Yue couldn't help but smile faintly. She pointed at the formal suit and mask he was wearing.

“What kind of person wears this for a walk on the beach?” she teased. “It's obviously a prerequisite for entering an Instance.”

Pop.

She took the lollipop out of her mouth.

Waving it casually in the direction of the sea, she put it back in her mouth. A bright smile immediately bloomed on her face, as if she had just tasted some exquisite delicacy.

“Mmm~ It really does have the taste of teleportation. It's so sweet it's almost cloying. Must be at least a Hard-level Instance, right? No, wait, it seems even sweeter. Could it be a Nightmare?”

This woman's voice was like that of a friendly older sister from next door, making one feel an urge to get closer. But every word she spoke made Wu Wang break out in a cold sweat.

What the hell kind of ability is this? It's too heaven-defying!

He thought frantically.

She can taste it when someone enters or leaves an Instance? This is the goddamn seaside! Besides the salty, humid sea breeze, what else could you possibly taste?

Have you been losing so many Happy Beans that you're starting to hallucinate?

【Congratulations to Player Yan Shuangying#00000 for clearing the Nightmare-level Team Instance—Masquerade Ball】

【We are preparing to announce this good news on a full-screen broadcast! Rejoice! You have witnessed the birth of a Mental Succubus!】

【As the highest-scoring member of the team, please enter the message you wish to announce to the entire server】

【Choose whether to be anonymous】

Just as Wu Wang was wondering how to deal with her, the Spirit Calamity Game's announcement sounded in his head.

He froze.

Why did he always run into bugs? The notification was delayed when he entered the Instance, and now the one for leaving the Instance was delayed too.

But what a timely coincidence! He could use it as a disguise.

So, Wu Wang immediately entered his server-wide announcement message. This time, he did not choose to be anonymous.

“What ‘Happy Beans'? It seems you're thinking of something very rude?”

Zhuge Yue's voice cut through his thoughts.

“If you won't tell me, I'll just find out for myself.”

Whoosh!

The moment she finished speaking, a fragrant scent wafted past Wu Wang. He was shocked to find that the woman, who had been dozens of meters away, was now standing less than half a meter in front of him.

She was even reaching out to take off his mask.

Throughout the entire process, Wu Wang hadn't felt the slightest bit of alarm. If she hadn't spoken, he might have only reacted when the mask was already being removed.

Holy shit! This freak of a woman is probably even more badass than Xiezhi in his prime! Why is someone as strong as you tormenting a newbie like me?

Ding!

【Server-wide Congratulations! The Nightmare-level Team Instance—Masquerade Ball has been successfully cleared by players!】

【The following is a message from the highest-scoring player who cleared the Instance.】

【Suppose you are Li Hua. Your foreign pen pal Peter has written you a letter asking for a guide to clearing a Nightmare-level Instance. Please write a reply. Writing points: 1. You were only able to clear the Nightmare-level Instance because you participated in KFC's "Crazy Thursday" event. 2. Introduce him to the "Crazy Thursday" event. 3. Ask him to Venmo you 50. Notes: 1. The writing should be fluent and you can be creative. Around 80 words. 2. Do not use real names or places. 3. Please Venmo Peter's 50 to me, or you will get no points. 4. If you're trash, practice more.】

【A sincere greeting to all players from Yan Shuangying#00000】

Just as Zhuge Yue was about to remove his mask, the server-wide announcement suddenly appeared before her eyes and in her ears.

Her expression faltered for a moment.

She glanced at Wu Wang with suspicion, then uncertainly at the server-wide announcement. Her mind raced.

This kid has been out of the Instance for a few minutes. The server-wide announcement should be settled synchronously with the player's return to reality. So, it's just a coincidence?

She realized the timing of the announcement didn't match the time Wu Wang left the Instance. Obviously, he wasn't the one who cleared the Nightmare-level Instance.

After deducing this, Zhuge Yue's interest waned significantly. She had thought she'd coincidentally run into a player who had just cleared a Nightmare-level Instance. If it was just a normal one, there weren't many secrets worth digging into.

Her hand, which was on his mask, paused. Still, a bit unwilling to give up, she asked, “What's your ID?”

The person who cleared the Instance didn't choose to be anonymous.

Yan Shuangying, right? I'll remember that name! A player's ID can't be faked!

Wu Wang replied, “Quietly are the pipes of farewell; the summer insects are also silent for me, because I told them to men dao.”

The parenthetical note ‘dialect for ‘shut up'' appeared in her mind.

Seeing that he wouldn't answer, Zhuge Yue didn't get angry. She just giggled, her other hand taking an item out of her backpack. She casually stuffed it into Wu Wang's hand.

“Here, a toy for you as compensation,” she said. “Tell me your information before I get angry!”

Heh, think you can get rid of me with a mere toy?

Wu Wang sneered and looked down.

His eyes widened. It was a 【Fine Quality】 item.

“My ID is Pending Death#9527, height 179cm, weight 67kg, currently 23 and unmarried, had river snail noodles with extra spice for breakfast today, last time I cranked one out was…”

“Stop, stop, stop! Are you insane!?”

Zhuge Yue hurriedly cut off Wu Wang's self-introduction.

Is there something wrong with this guy's head? I just asked for your ID, and for one 【Fine Quality】 item, you were about to tell me the color of your damn underwear!

“Hmm? Could it be that you want to know the color of my underwear?” Wu Wang retorted subconsciously.

“I don't! Get lost!”

Zhuge Yue was now starting to question her life choices. She felt like she must have been so unlucky because she didn't check the almanac before leaving home.

That shouldn't be right! Usually, other people were the ones checking the almanac to avoid running into her!

What was wrong with this kid?