Chapter 174: Huazhang’s Lecture
[Host, why do I feel like you and Brother Xu’s positions with Song Bochao have flipped? All the gold coins you earn end up going to him. You two look like you’re working for him.] 005 couldn’t make sense of it.
[What do you know?] Mu Lantu drawled lazily. [Working for someone else? Impossible. This life, the next, and the one after that… never.] As the host of a god-tier wealth system, he only represented himself. Working under someone else would be beneath him.
The reason 005 couldn’t understand was simple—Mu Lantu was playing the long game.
These past two days, Song Bochao had poured nearly all his free time into revising manuscripts, barely getting a break, exhaustion showing on his face. He was seriously considering whether to become Mu Lantu’s full-time editor.
“Alright.”
Xu Huazhang knew Mu Lantu was distressed over spending too many gold coins. Neither of them had expected so many different dungeon instances to appear.
He led Mu Lantu out of the dorm, again feeling the inconvenience of shared housing—no private place to even talk.
They headed into a small grove.
“What are we doing here?” Mu Lantu sat cross-legged on the grass, enjoying the cool evening breeze.
“Baby, don’t worry about gold coins. We’ll have plenty.” Xu Huazhang split the stack of manuscripts, handing half over. “Didn’t you want to read novels?”
Mu Lantu lay back, skimming through one. “I’m not exactly worried. I actually have a better way to make money. Still refining the idea—I’ll tell you when it’s ready.”
They stayed there until dinner, then went to the cafeteria.
At the entrance, over ten small stalls had popped up—selling food, drinks, clothes, even weapons. Peddlers hawked loudly, voices clashing in fierce competition.
Some stall owners even started price wars. One shouted, “Water, 2 gold coins a bottle!” Another immediately cut in, “Mine’s only 1 gold coin!”
Others blocked students heading to the cafeteria, trying to sell boxed meals. But since the game’s backpack had no refrigeration function, the meals were already cold, greasy oils congealed beneath the plastic lid.
“My boxed meal is only 5 gold coins! One meat, one veggie, and rice!”
Some thrifty students actually bought them, making the sellers grin wide.
Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang were stopped too.
“Hey classmate, want a boxed meal? Just 5 gold coins! One meat, one veggie, and rice!”
“That’s not necessarily bad,” Mu Lantu replied with a straight face. “Show me your health certificate.”
The seller blinked. “Uh… don’t… don’t have one…”
Mu Lantu spread his hands. “Then nothing I can do.”
The vendor stared at them until they disappeared inside, then exploded: “What the hell, is he sick in the head? Health certificate? I’m in Infinite University—where the hell am I supposed to get one?!”
Xu Huazhang kissed Mu Lantu’s cheek. With a treasure like this at his side, every day was a good day.
Mu Lantu covered his face. “You ambushed me!”
“Only you.” Xu Huazhang caught his hand, leading him to the serving window.
“You KTV-ed me!” Mu Lantu accused.
Xu Huazhang shook his head. “No, I CPU-ed you.”
Mu Lantu laughed against his shoulder. He was sure Xu Huazhang had no idea what “KTV” even meant, yet somehow still managed to counter with “CPU.” No doubt about it—this was his man, always able to hit his wavelength.
Around them, students silently complained after only a couple bites: “Show-off couples… they won’t live long.”
That night, instead of running a stall, Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang wandered a bit before heading to evening study.
Li Kaige swaggered into the classroom, humming, hair slicked back, neatly dressed, chatting energetically with classmates.
At 7 p.m., evening study began.
“Task: Exit the forest. Time limit: 2 hours. Refuse, and you’ll be returned to Infinite University with no reward or penalty. Fail to accept within 30 seconds, and you’ll be defaulted in.
Success Reward: 1 credit, 100 gold coins (minimum).
Failure Penalty: Death.
[Accept][Refuse]”
Not a written exam!
Li Kaige looked crushed. With trembling hands, he hit [Refuse] just three seconds before the countdown ended.
The setting shifted—towering trees pierced the clouds, dense green canopies blocked the sun, silence broken only by insects and birds. In such a forest, even with sunlight, direction was nearly impossible to judge.
Mu Lantu calmly activated his “Three Divinations a Day” skill. Normally, one couldn’t divine their own fate. But his ability wasn’t bound by that rule—he had already stepped beyond reincarnation.
Divination: Great Fortune.
Event: Wild Deer.
He drew again, this time for Xu Huazhang.
Divination: Minor Fortune.
Event: Flowing Water.
So Huazhang would find a river?
Mu Lantu readied his pistol, picked a direction, and moved quickly.
Within ten minutes, a wild deer appeared ahead. Without disturbing it, he quietly followed, even when its path twisted endlessly.
After half an hour, the trees grew sparser. Two minutes later, he stepped out of the forest.
“Congratulations, player. Mission complete. Reward: 1 credit, 500 gold coins. You may remain in this world for 1 hour. Exit now? [Yes][No]”
He stayed to collect rare herbs near the forest edge before being forced out an hour later.
Xu Huazhang returned too, flashing a “six” gesture—600 gold coins. He had exited earlier.
Mu Lantu admired him. He needed his cheat skill to succeed, but Xu Huazhang had relied purely on skill.
Xu Huazhang ruffled his hair. “Forgot my past identity?”
Once a regent king who had fought countless battles, wilderness survival was basic instinct. Forest clues—plants, soil, water, animal tracks—all guided him.
Back at the dorm, Zhang Junyang delivered shocking news.
“Someone jumped from a building!”
Mu Lantu was stunned. “Why?”
Zhang Junyang cast a quick glance at Li Kaige, then looked away. “He thought evening study would always just be written tests like yesterday. But…”
Li Kaige hung his head, face unreadable.
Xu Huazhang nodded at Zhang Junyang and pulled Mu Lantu aside.
Even with today’s 800 gold gain, Mu Lantu wasn’t happy—restless instead. Constant missions, endless grind—it was draining and dull.
[Little five, progress?]
[Host, current decryption progress: 35%.] 005 fell silent immediately. An angry host was terrifying.
“Tired?” Xu Huazhang hugged him from behind.
“I’m fine.” Mu Lantu leaned on the windowsill, sulking.
“Want to come help me collect money?” Xu Huazhang asked softly.
Mu Lantu turned. “Collect what money? You’re setting up a stall again?”
“You’ll see.” Xu Huazhang held out his hand.
Mu Lantu slipped his hand into his palm. “I’m not doing it for the money. I’m doing it to help you.”
Xu Huazhang’s lips curled. “Mm.”
Mu Lantu looked away, already smiling.
Xu Huazhang brought him to Classroom 102 of the Comprehensive Building.
The door was open; it was empty inside.
“Empty classrooms can be entered like this?” Mu Lantu gave him a dangerous look. “Xu Huazhang, don’t tell me you’ve tried before.”
Before he could snap, Xu Huazhang explained quickly: “Never. This is Song Bochao’s intel—some students pushed others into unused classrooms, and nothing happened. I’d never hide danger from you.”
“Good.” Mu Lantu rewarded him with a kiss, gripping his hand as they stepped in. “So, why are we here?”
Xu Huazhang squeezed his hand, then released. “Time’s almost up. Go bar the back door. Then stand at the front to collect fees. 50 gold coins per person. If they bring a flyer, discount 5 coins—take the flyer back.”
Mu Lantu followed instructions, curiosity at its peak.
By 10:10, students began arriving.
One boy held up a white flyer. “Excuse me, is this where the lecture is?”
Mu Lantu saw the flyer’s title: Tips for Clearing Dungeon Missions Smoothly (1). In the corner, a bold signature—Xu Huazhang.
Huazhang had done all this behind his back, and he hadn’t noticed at all.
Hiding his surprise and anticipation, he replied politely, “Yes, it’s here.”
“45 coins, right? Sending now.” The boy transferred the fee, handed over the flyer, and rushed in to grab a front-row seat.
Balance updated: +45 gold coins.
Second student came—+45.
Third—+45.
Fourth…
The line stretched out the door.
Mu Lantu recognized many faces—half their class, plus players they’d met on missions: Ming Ruizhao, Ren Qiudong, Kong Tingxue…
Xu Huazhang chalked a line on the board:
Tips for Clearing Dungeon Missions Smoothly — Xu Huazhang
Zhao Yuanzhou, seated in the front, caught the sharp, commanding strokes of the writing, and for a moment, glimpsed the image of warhorses and clashing steel.
Behind him, students whispered:
“Don’t know if his dungeon-clearing tips will work, but with handwriting like that, it’s worth betting on.”
“Relax. Don’t you know who Xu Huazhang is? People say he and Mu Lantu are the top credit holders in the whole school! Even if we learn just a little, it’ll be priceless for scrubs like us.”
“For real?”
“Of course! Why else do you think so many came? It’s not like we’ve got money to burn.”
“Then this 50 coins is totally worth it!”
Busy collecting fees, Mu Lantu’s watch suddenly flashed with a system notification. His expression shifted, eyes lighting up with delight.
