Chapter 87
Showing off is the kind of thing that can get addictive.
Seeing those incredulous, admiring gazes from the people around him—awed by his reputation—that feeling was simply indescribable. It made his whole body feel relaxed and comfortable, as if he had suddenly become ten years younger.
Lu Chuan savored the mood carefully and reached a conclusion.
This feels great. Next time, I’ll do it again.
Though his heart was blooming with joy, he still maintained a calm exterior.
No way he could break character midway—if people found out he was faking it, how could he still show his face?
“I didn’t intend to reveal my identity, but now that we’ve entered the third round, the dungeon’s control over the number of contestants has become stricter. If I kept hiding, I feared you would mistake me for a traitor and strike me down.” Lu Chuan’s eyes showed a faint smile, giving him an aura of complete confidence.
The leader of the Dongyang guild players hesitated, wary and uncertain of what Lu Chuan was plotting. He could only keep things polite for now, “Then, Mr. Lu, you’ve been hiding within my team all this time—what exactly are you planning?”
“Nothing much. I just wanted to give my teammates a way out,” Lu Chuan replied. “I dislike meaningless conflict. That’s why, when our two groups first clashed, I decisively had my team surrender. But if I kept hiding any longer, my teammates would be killed by you. Since we’ve cooperated before, why must we fight to the bitter end? Better we each go our separate ways.”
“That’s right, leader. I never wanted to keep working under Dongyang.”
“Exactly. You’ve always treated us as cannon fodder.”
“And now you don’t even have resources left. What’s the point anymore?”
…
Seeing Lu Chuan step up and speak for them, the NPCs calmed down and immediately chimed in one after another. The place grew as noisy as a marketplace.
Dongyang’s players, watching so many NPCs support Lu Chuan, felt a chill in their hearts.
Had Lu Chuan really managed to gather so much loyalty right under their noses?
If he hadn’t revealed himself today, they might still be completely in the dark.
Truly, reputation precedes the man—none of it was false.
Lu Chuan’s meteoric rise clearly had its reasons.
At that thought, even though the Dongyang players were displeased, they couldn’t openly voice it.
“Mr. Lu does have a point. In that case, let’s compromise. If anyone wants to follow you, then let them. We won’t stop them.” The Dongyang leader finally made his decision.
After thinking it through, he realized this was the most advantageous choice for now.
Their resource warehouse had already been burned, and the remaining food couldn’t possibly feed so many mouths. Better to split the group directly.
After all, only one hundred contestants could make it into the next round. These cannon-fodder NPCs were basically doomed to elimination anyway; losing them didn’t matter much. But if they fought Lu Chuan head-on now—with Wu Yue and other Star Guild players on his side—it would only backfire.
“That’s what I was hoping for,” Lu Chuan smiled. “I’ll take my people and leave. But shouldn’t we also discuss dividing up the remaining supplies? Surely you don’t expect us to walk away empty-handed with so many mouths to feed?”
Even though he knew Dongyang had little left, Lu Chuan intended to squeeze them for whatever he could.
A cunning rabbit always has three burrows—there was no way Dongyang had really kept all their resources in that one warehouse.
If they had, they’d have to be fools.
“The warehouse is burned. What else could there be to divide?” Dongyang’s leader feigned ignorance.
“In the early days, when we were still one team, we kept clear tallies of all supplies collected,” Lu Chuan said with a faint smile. “Even after accounting for daily consumption and what was stored in the warehouse, roughly one-third of the resources are still unaccounted for. We have records of this. We’re not asking for much—just about three days of rations for each person, plus fifty weapons. Then we’ll leave.”
“You’re asking for too much!” Finally, one Dongyang player dared to challenge him, no longer cowed by Lu Chuan’s name.
“This is just fair distribution,” Lu Chuan’s NPCs retorted without hesitation. “Didn’t we contribute to gathering those supplies too? Since we did, we deserve our share.”
“Exactly! Our records are clear—you won’t cheat us out of this!”
Edith silently cursed himself for being too slow-tongued, letting the NPCs steal the spotlight instead of jumping in first.
Seeing the quarrel escalate, the Dongyang leader could no longer sit idle.
“Two days’ rations and thirty weapons. That’s my bottom line,” he said firmly. “Anything more, and we’ll be left defenseless. With supplies cut off in the third round, our big group is already an easy target for stronger contestants.”
“Deal.” Lu Chuan accepted at once.
Once the split was settled, everything else went smoothly.
Lu Chuan left with his people in grand style, nearly half the group marching away.
The once-mighty Dongyang force was reduced to half its size.
“Boss, even if he is Lu Chuan of Star Guild, we can’t just hand him people and supplies like that,” one player whispered bitterly. “He was clearly lying in wait all along.”
“From here on, large groups won’t have the same advantage as before,” Dongyang’s leader replied after a pause. “Spread the word—say Lu Chuan took a massive haul of supplies. Let him draw the attention instead of us.”
“Got it. I’ll do it right away.”
Meanwhile, Lu Chuan, Edith, and their people traveled on with their large entourage.
“Brother Lu, when did we ever keep records of supplies?” Edith asked curiously. He’d grown closer to Lu Chuan and had started addressing him the same way Star Guild’s Shasha did.
“No records. I made it up,” Lu Chuan said with a grin. “Otherwise, how would they have handed over the supplies so obediently?”
Even though they already had more than enough, scraping out a little extra was always better—better than sitting idle and watching resources dwindle.
“If the Dongyang bunch have any brains, they’ll spread rumors that we left with all the supplies. That’ll put a target on our backs.” Wu Yue interjected, unable to keep quiet. “So many people, so many resources—you’re bound to become everyone’s enemy.”
That was his hard-earned experience speaking.
In the last tournament, he’d seen it happen firsthand.
Teams—especially large ones—dominated the early rounds. Lone strong players rarely provoked them early on. But by the later rounds, teams became prime targets. Eliminating them was the fastest, most efficient way to cut down player numbers. By the fourth round, nearly all big groups would collapse, leaving only small squads of three to five at best.
Yet Lu Chuan was still marching with a small army—a walking bullseye.
“Of course we’ll attract enemies,” Lu Chuan chuckled. “But that doesn’t mean we’re out of options.”
Once they reached a safe spot, he had all the supplies and weapons laid out before the NPCs.
“Now that you’ve left Dongyang’s group, you’re free again. By now you all know the third-round rules—only 100 people can enter the fourth round. That leaves us with only two choices.”
“First, I’ll divide all the supplies and weapons evenly. Everyone can take their share and leave. Whether you hide or forfeit your qualification and walk out of the arena, it’s up to you. Honestly, this is the path I’d prefer for you. If you don’t like risk and just want to live, then take your things and go. I promised to keep you safe up until now—but I can’t any longer. I’m sorry.”
Lu Chuan spoke with genuine sincerity, and the NPCs weren’t blind to it.
They knew they weren’t strong and had little combat sense. Normally, they would’ve been eliminated in the first or second rounds. The only reason they’d survived this long was because of Lu Chuan’s leadership.
But with the third-round rules as they were, and their numbers close to a hundred, how could all of them possibly advance?
And even if they did make it, what about the fourth round, the fifth, the sixth?
They wouldn’t last.
Thinking this, a group soon stepped forward.
“Leader, thank you for keeping me alive this long. But I won’t burden you any further. I’ll give up my qualification and leave here.”
“I’ve made it to the third round already. My rewards won’t be small—more than enough. I don’t want to continue anymore.”
“Yeah, same here.”
“I just want to stay alive.”
…
This batch of people made up nearly half.
Lu Chuan wasn’t stingy. He divided plenty of supplies and weapons among the fifty who chose to leave, and even kindly reminded them: it was best to split into small teams like before, head in different directions, and leave this area as soon as they gave up their qualification. If all went well, they should be fine. If they ran into trouble, they should throw their supplies and weapons far away, and run while the enemy was distracted picking them up.
These low-level NPCs could indeed quit the match, taking their rewards with them. But for the players and the eighty high-level NPCs summoned here, there was no such option.
After all, from the start, the game’s design had always placed the focus on players and high-level NPCs.
After the first group left, the rest didn’t leave.
“Leader, I’ve decided—I want to stay and see what happens.”
“Anyway, people like us—if we leave, we might not survive elsewhere either. If we stay and fight, maybe we’ll have a better chance.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
…
The distinction between low-level and high-level NPCs wasn’t fixed from birth.
For instance, low-level NPCs could also rank up by taking part in higher-tier dungeon trials. In this dungeon, if they lasted to the end, the rewards would be enough to raise them several levels.
Although Lu Chuan was just a traveler, his leadership so far had earned their trust.
“Good. Since you all trust me, I’ll take you along.” Lu Chuan said in a low voice. “No more delay—we must take the initiative and hunt down the strong players.”
——
“Who’s there?”
A player looked around warily, but someone rushed at him with a weapon.
Caught up in the fight, he didn’t notice another player sneaking out of nowhere to snatch his pack. When he tried to chase, stones rained from all directions, blocking his path.
When he finally came to his senses, everyone was gone—like a dream.
Only his supply pack was truly missing.
…
“Edith, Wu Yue—how was that player’s strength? Could he make it to the next round?” Lu Chuan asked curiously.
“No way. Too weak,” Wu Yue replied coldly.
“There’s room for improvement,” Edith said more gently.
“Then he’s not worth investing in. On to the next.” Lu Chuan sighed.
Wu Yue’s face was cold, unwilling to speak.
One wrong step, and regret lasts forever.
The moment he agreed to ally with Lu Chuan, he’d boarded a ship of no return.
Lu Chuan didn’t go around dueling and eliminating players. Instead, he plotted meticulously—stealing supplies, covering retreats, and snatching packs even from tough opponents.
If the target was weak, they stole and left—whether that person got eliminated or robbed others afterward, it wasn’t their problem.
If the target was strong enough to advance, then the next day, when hunger gnawed at them, Lu Chuan would descend like a god—supplies in one hand, The Seal of Contract in the other.
“I can lend you supplies, but you’ll sign a contract. First, if you advance and meet me again, you can’t be my enemy—unless the system forces it. Second, whatever supplies I lend you, especially food—you must repay me in gold of equal weight once we return to reality.”
It was daylight robbery.
But players often had a reckless “money isn’t money” attitude.
Besides, with Edith on one side, Wu Yue on the other, and a troop of armed allies behind, catching Lu Chuan was near impossible.
On one hand, an unbeatable enemy; on the other, supplies offered freely.
When starving, people don’t think clearly.
Most agreed.
If they didn’t, Lu Chuan had another move.
He’d tail them. If they tried to rob others, he’d warn their targets and help them escape. If they ate their own stash, he’d sabotage and steal it.
After several rounds of this, the player would grow weaker and weaker from hunger, tottering on the edge of elimination. That’s when Lu Chuan struck again—forcing them into a contract, now at doubled repayment terms.
Since he “put in extra effort,” he said, they owed extra interest.
Even if the player burned with fury, facing elimination, they had no choice but to give in.
With high-level NPCs, Lu Chuan’s approach was different.
Nobody knew where he got it, but he flashed a business card from a notorious loan shark company.
The moment the high-level NPCs saw it, their eyes lit with recognition.
After signing the same kind of contract, they wept with gratitude.
“Such a fair lender—you even appear here!”
“Next time I’ll borrow from your company again.”
“I’ll sign—I’ll sign. By the way, is your company hiring?”
…
Edith and Wu Yue were baffled.
Especially Wu Yue. Seeing that card, he almost collapsed.
“How do you even have this? I’ve only ever heard rumors. Anyone who dealt with that company was crushed by the interest.”
Lu Chuan only gave a mysterious smile. “It’s just a loan company. Nothing special. There’s plenty about me you still don’t know.”
Wu Yue, who had been quietly thinking of breaking away, didn’t dare bring it up anymore. He was stuck on Lu Chuan’s pirate ship.
“…God of Wealth, I’ve heard of you, but this kind of profiteering—I’ll report you the moment I get out!” another poor player cursed bitterly after being forced into a contract.
Lu Chuan badgered him until he signed.
“Report me if you want. Without me, you’d already be eliminated. You should be grateful, not hostile. Fine, let others judge.” Lu Chuan didn’t even blink.
“Who’s the reason I’m on the brink of elimination? You!” the player shouted in shock at his shamelessness.
“Ridiculous. In this dungeon, if I have the power to eliminate you, that’s my skill. Sparing you without charging a ransom is already mercy.” Lu Chuan gave him a scornful look.
The player almost fainted in rage.
“I’d rather be eliminated than cooperate with you!”
He used a forced exit item, choosing to face the next dungeon summons rather than endure Lu Chuan again.
“Tsk. A hard bone.”
“Mark his name—if he ever comes to buy my houses, raise his price!” Lu Chuan snarled. “Hmph, doesn’t know what’s good for him.”
Shameless.
But effective.
Using these tactics, Lu Chuan signed countless contracts with both players and high-level NPCs.
By the fourth round, none of them would be allowed to fight him. That alone justified all the effort.
After all, his combat skills were poor.
But as a creditor, he forced his opponents to stop and wonder whether they could afford to fight him at all.
The system broadcasted the dwindling numbers from time to time.
Now, only a little over 200 contestants remained.
Lu Chuan’s side still had more than fifty.
With them, he struck Dongyang again, seized their supplies, and distributed them among his loyal low-level NPCs.
“The fourth round’s nearly here. Many are watching us now—you should give up your qualifications and leave.” At this point, even Lu Chuan felt a twinge of reluctance.
But the system’s limits on numbers left him no choice.
Otherwise, by now, he’d have gathered such a force he could flatten the entire dungeon.
“If you think well of me, once you’re out, spread the word about the Golden Luxury Estate. If you can’t find work, come there. Tell them I sent you—you’ll get a job.” He even used the chance to promote his business.
“Oh, and after you give up your qualification, can you help me tamper with your supply packs before hiding them? Maybe spoil the food without changing the taste too much?” Lu Chuan asked.
Wu Yue and Edith exchanged a helpless smile.
Lu Chuan’s schemes were endless.
Even when these low-level NPCs gave up their qualifications to leave, they still wanted to screw over some unlucky contestants.
After all, who would suspect that supplies left behind by NPCs who had already forfeited were tampered with?
“Yes, we can do that.”
“No problem.”
“Boss, we only lasted this long thanks to you.”
The low-level NPCs readily agreed to Lu Chuan’s request.
Heh—making food was difficult, but making it spoil? That was easy.
Lu Chuan finally smiled in satisfaction.
Night fell.
Many contestants, after eating the hard-won food they had just looted, were suddenly struck with violent stomach pain.
They never would have guessed—these were supplies snatched from NPCs who had already quit. How could eating them cause problems?
Just when they were about to enter the fourth round, they fell flat in the gutter.
While those powerful contestants clutched their guts, about to drop their pants for relief, Lu Chuan struck.
There was no moment more vulnerable than this.
No matter how powerful a master or NPC, they were forced into the humiliating dilemma: pull up their pants, or fight?
Lu Chuan wasn’t skilled, but his methods were shameless.
As he put it: in a fight to the death, you use every trick. Anyone dumb enough to eat spoiled food had no business surviving this dungeon.
And so, he reaped quite a few kills.
Author’s note:
Lu Chuan: I was clearly delivering blessings to you all.
