Chapter 63 – Severed but Still Connected

At 7:30 PM, the Jungfrau—the guardian of the largest glacier in the Alps.

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: Commander, we’ve been waiting forever~~~~

[Local] Mad Lad: If women had any sense of time, they wouldn’t be women!

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: Did something happen???

[Local] Milk is Mom: Thank god you’re not a jinx, or Your Sister would be doomed =_=

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: Commander, why didn’t you ask for her phone number?

[Local] Milk is Mom: What kind of grown-ass man asks a girl for her number? That’s sexual harassment.

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: Commander, aren’t you… no good with women?

[Local] Milk is Mom: ……

[Local] Milk is Mom: Laozi just doesn’t like women! I’m gay, not impotent!

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: Huh? Is there a difference?

[Local] Mad Lad: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Local] Polly: [Candle]

On such a beautiful evening, the five brothers of the Ghost Server Legion were willingly wasting their time on the desolate peak of the glacier—not for sightseeing. In a cave less than 200 meters away from them resided the beloved level 60 world boss, Zombie Hitlerot, a guy cuter than his name. This poor fellow had been mercilessly taken down by countless teams and was undoubtedly the most bullied among the newly updated bosses. Combined with the long journey and mediocre rewards, he had gradually been forgotten.

But Fang Zheng had brought the team here precisely because of this boss’s weakness. Looking at the team composition—Demon Refiner, Assassin, Zombie, Blesscaller, and a healer, plus the healer Your Sister who was inexplicably late—three out of the six were support classes. They really weren’t suited for taking on a strong boss. To put it bluntly, this dungeon run was solely to train Your Sister. This girl had no technique, no awareness, just smashed her keyboard like a god, typing as fast as a sandstorm but fighting as slow as threading a needle. She desperately needed practice.

But now, all the “study buddies” had arrived, while the “prince” was nowhere to be seen. Fang Zheng had even played the role of a caring older brother, reminding his teammates beforehand not to reveal that this was purely a training session—just treat it like a regular boss run.

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: It’s so cold~~ Brrr~~~

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: It’s summer…

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: I’m just matching the game’s atmosphere! I despise you, you have no romance!

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: [Facepalm] Even if you’re matching the game’s atmosphere, it should be us saying it. The little guy on your shoulder has been spitting fire this whole time…

The “little guy” Crossplayer mentioned was the Demon Refiner’s new pet, hatched from the Fire God Egg—a baby fire-breathing dragon.

This might lead to inaccurate associations, so let’s clarify—a tiny baby fire-breathing dragon.

Visually, it was no bigger than a Chihuahua. From its claws to its wings, its mouth to the flames it spat, everything was chibi-style. Perched on the Demon Refiner’s shoulder, it could pass for a parrot if it didn’t spread its wings or breathe fire. And even when it did, it still looked like one.

Why a dragon hatched from Fire God Zhurong’s egg was anyone’s guess—just as baffling as how a humanoid Zhurong could lay an egg in the first place. But even more baffling was that the Demon Refiner actually hatched it like a mother hen and named it 438.

[Local] Milk is Mom: Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask—why call it 438? It’s not like you have to pass down your old username just because you changed it.

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: That’s part of it, hehe [Scratches head]

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: But that’s not the main reason.

Fang Zheng listened intently for the main reason.

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: Don’t you think it’s a lot like me back then?

Huh? For the first time, Fang Zheng doubted his own comprehension skills.

[Local] Milk is Mom: Please enlighten me.

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: Even though it’s small and fragile, it holds limitless potential and boundless power!

The entire Ghost Server… fell silent.

Fang Zheng struggled to type several times but couldn’t bring himself to do it TAT

[Local] Polly: Looks like Your Sister won’t be coming anytime soon.

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: Yeah, I think so too.

[Local] Mad Lad: Then should the five of us take it on? It’s the same anyway.

[Local] Milk is Mom: What if she shows up later? If we’ve already used up our cooldowns, how will we run the dungeon?

[Local] Mad Lad: Then disband?

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: We came all this way, just to disband…

[Local] Polly: There’s a Unicorn down by the glacier. Since we’re here, might as well have some fun.

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: Agreed~\(≧▽≦)/~

[Local] Mad Lad: That thing’s only level 50. Fighting it is so boring…

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: Assassin~~~ [Puppy eyes]

[Local] Mad Lad: Why does everyone suddenly know how to act cute? =_=

[Local] Polly: The key lies with the Commander.

[Local] Milk is Mom: You guys don’t get it. A good guild must have its own unique vibe!

[Local] Mad Lad: Like being a two¹It means “dumb” in slang.?

[Local] Milk is Mom: If you don’t like that, we can go with “three²In slang, “Little Three” means “mistress / homewrecker / third party.”” instead.

[Local] Mad Lad: ……

[Local] Polly: “Neither three nor four³An idiom: “bu san bu si.” Means shady or disreputable.” sounds nice.

As the group went down the Jungfrau, approaching the Aletsch Glacier where the Unicorn roamed, someone suddenly had an epiphany and asked—

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: Didn’t we leave a topic unfinished earlier?

The Ghost Server Commander quickly stepped in—

[Local] Milk is Mom: It’s not important. Forget about it.

The obedient guild member replied—

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: Okay.

The Demon Refiner, sulking at the back of the group with his little Fire God, remained bitter that his naming explanation had gone completely ignored by his comrades.

As for why the team had been typing the whole time—well, the YY channel had become the private love nest of a certain grinding duo. Just listening to them was enough to suffocate everyone under a deluge of pink bubbles—

Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: “Left!”

Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: “Right!”

Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: “AoE!”

2B Fighter Jet: “Wifey, wifey, was I cool? Wiped ’em all out! Hahaha!”

Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: “Pride leads to regression.”

2B Fighter Jet: “Then I’ll be proud and cute~~”

Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: “Being proud and cute makes you a bottom.”

2B Fighter Jet: “I’ll go pull more mobs…”

Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: “Good boy.”

Interrupt them? That would be like barging into their private moment! The team members had long since silently and unanimously switched their YY settings to push-to-talk, afraid their noise might ruin the romantic atmosphere.

From the Jungfrau’s peak, the Aletsch Glacier looked like a silver ribbon. But once they entered, they found this icy world wasn’t desolate at all. Rare flora and fauna formed a unique frozen forest, beautiful and serene.

The Unicorn lived by a lake in this forest—a level 50 world boss that had once been quite special before the game’s updates. Back then, Huaxia hadn’t yet opened its world map, and the Aletsch Glacier was one of the few foreign environments available. So, every new player who hit level 50 would inevitably come here for sightseeing and monster-slaying. But as the game stalled without updates, players quickly surpassed level 55, and this level 50 boss was forgotten. What was once special became a mere decoration.

Now, with the new update and a flood of new maps, even newcomers had countless bosses to choose from. Plus, the Teleport Master for the glacier had been removed. Getting here required a long detour, so almost no one remembered it anymore. And the teams coming to fight Zombie Hitlerot were close to level 60—who’d waste time on a level 50 boss? Unless they were mindnumbingly bored.

[Local] Crossplayer’s Blessing: So boring~~~

[Local] Mad Lad: How much farther? I almost forgot where it was.

[Local] Refined Into a Demon 715: About 200 meters ahead, by that lake!

[Local] Polly: I made a new sub-channel in YY. Everyone, join.

[Local] Milk is Mom: You should’ve done this sooner!

Thus spoke the Five Masters of Boredom.

As they entered the YY sub-channel, the Unicorn came into view. The handsome creature, unaware of the danger, leisurely grazed.

If this thing took human form, it’d definitely be a hottie.

With this perverted thought, the Ghost Server Commander stepped forward and knocked on the Unicorn’s tightly shut heart.

A level 50 boss could be taken down with a few random attacks, so Fang Zheng, after landing the first hit, didn’t wait for Birdy or the Assassin to draw aggro. He kept attacking, ready to tank as a healer.

The Unicorn happily obliged, tossing its head and sending Milk is Mom flying several meters with its horn!

Before Fang Zheng could process what happened, his little healer slammed into the ground, losing two-thirds of his HP!

The entire Ghost Server team froze. Even the quickest-reacting Birdy hesitated for half a second. Seeing the Unicorn charging for a second strike, he barely managed to block the healer in time, using Netherworld Ghostly Claws to redirect the aggro onto himself.

“Did that thing just hit me?!” Fang Zheng was still in shock. For a boss five levels below him to take two-thirds of his HP in one strike was downright unscientific!

The answer came from Birdy, already locked in combat with the boss: “The ‘thing’ you mentioned seems to have leveled up.”

Now everyone understood. The Assassin rushed in to DPS, Crossplayer buffed the team, and 438 didn’t slack off either—recalling 438 and summoning 502. The atmosphere in the glacial forest instantly turned tense!

The Unicorn, now trapped between Birdy and the Assassin, remained fierce. Without 502’s Airborne, the incomplete team might not have survived!

But even so, the healer was under immense pressure…

“Mad Lad, what are you doing?! If it’s hitting you, dodge! Look at Birdy, he hardly needs any heals!”

Jiang Yang’s eyebrow twitched: “Damn it, he’s just resistant to heals! If he could get heals, you think he wouldn’t take them?”

Polly: “I would.”

Jiang Yang: “See!”

Fang Zheng: “……”

Mid-conversation, 502 ran out of HP and retreated, replaced by the fusion of a Gale Pet and a catfish—Flying Fish 748. 748 couldn’t use Airborne, but its attack speed was fast, and thanks to some unknown modifications by 438, its DPS had improved since the PvP Tournament. Together with Birdy and the Assassin, they quickly brought the Unicorn’s HP to critical levels—

Polly: “Careful, it’s about to go Berserk.”

No sooner had Birdy spoken than the Unicorn reared up with a piercing cry! Its reflection in the water rapidly transformed—its horn vanished, its mane shortened, and it took on human form!

Blonde hair, blue eyes, snow-white skin, and elegantly defined muscles…

He knew this thing would be a hottie!!!

Fang Zheng: “Go go go, DPS!!!”

Meng Chudong: “Why are you so excited…”

The Unicorn Prince’s attacks were far stronger than in beast form, nearly killing the Assassin. Luckily, Birdy repositioned in time to block the strike, entering Solid as a Rock with barely any HP left. This bought Fang Zheng enough time to finish his cast, healing the Assassin before the Prince fell to 748’s fins.

Old bosses didn’t trigger announcements upon death, but the XP gains for the team suggested this was no level 50 boss—at least level 55. Fang Zheng looted the corpse, further confirming this suspicion.

[Party] Milk is Mom: [Etwell’s Staff of Light]

Fang Zheng didn’t immediately pick up the loot. Instead, he posted the weapon’s stats in the party chat using a special format, allowing everyone to click and inspect its attributes.

[Etwell’s Staff of Light]

Level 55 Orange-Tier Gear

+10% to Support Skill Effects

+5% Max HP

+5% Max MP

+30 Physical Defense

+30 Magic Defense

Everything else was negligible—just the +10% to Support Skill Effects was enough.

This wasn’t just a healer’s staff. This was a god-tier healer’s staff!!!

438: “Commander, what are you waiting for? Loot it already!”

Crossplayer: “Commander, don’t worry, I won’t fight you for it. With my skills, it’d be wasted on me.”

Jiang Yang: “How come I’ve never seen this thing before?”

Polly: “Healer?”

“Ah,” Fang Zheng snapped out of his daze and swallowed hard. “You… all agree to give it to me?”

438: “Of course! Only you and Crossplayer can use it, and Crossplayer said he doesn’t want it.”

Crossplayer: “Commander, I mean it!”

Jiang Yang: “I have a bad feeling about this…”

Polly: “Yeah.”

Fang Zheng: “Awoo, I love you guys!!”

[Huaxia] Milk is Mom: [Etwell’s Staff of Light] Level 55 god-tier Orange-Tier Gear, healer staff. Serious offers only, PM me~~~~

Despite their premonitions, Jiang Yang and Meng Chudong collapsed along with the rest of the team!

At least the healer had the decency to look ashamed, mumbling, “Uh, I’ll split the money with you guys later.”

That wasn’t the issue!!!

438 felt a grand statue in his heart crumble to dust: “C-Commander, are you really that desperate for money!?”

The Commander bit his lip: “…Yeah.”

No, not just crumbled—absolutely annihilated.

The players in World Chat shared similarly mixed feelings—

[Huaxia] Glorious Golden Throne: What kind of weapon is this? Never seen it before. The stats are insane.

[Huaxia] Big H: Healer, where’d you get this? Share the intel!

[Huaxia] Milk is Mom: Serious offers only, got it? Follow the rules~~

[Huaxia] Scum Magnet: Ghost Server again?! Damn, are these guys related to the devs?

[Huaxia] War-Snow Wolf: Milk is Mom, are you insane? You’re giving up stats like these?

[Huaxia] Milk is Mom: I’ve got plenty of good gear~~~~~~~

My heart is bleeding, okay? TAT

Though World Chat was lively, few were making serious offers. Most were just fishing for the drop location or asking Fang Zheng to name his price—requests he ignored. Even the “serious” offers were often laughably low, prompting Fang Zheng to reply: Before inflation hits, take your money and buy some cabbages at the market.

After filtering through the nonsense, only two genuine buyers remained—

[Whisper] Drink Till You Drop: 15,000?

[Whisper] War-Sister Liuli: 18,000.

Ah, reliable acquaintances TAT

[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Someone’s offering 18,000.

[Whisper] Drink Till You Drop: 20,000.

[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Someone’s offering 20,000.

[Whisper] War-Sister Liuli: Go die!

Women are terrifying TAT

As he negotiated, 438 suddenly asked in YY: “Commander, no offers yet?”

Fang Zheng hesitated before weakly replying: “There are.”

438 was puzzled: “Then why didn’t you tell us?”

Because I’m afraid you’ll judge me even harder TAT

The guilty Commander fell silent, but Crossplayer pressed on: “How much are they offering?”

The Commander obediently answered: “20,000.”

438: “Someone once offered me 25,000 for Frosty Peach Blossom Branch, and I didn’t sell.”

Guilt-ridden Commander: “……”

438: “But then I used it for Demon Refining, and it did nothing.”

Guilt-ridden Commander: “…You little spendthrift!!!”

438: “So, really, once we’re past level 60, this weapon won’t be useful anymore. Might as well sell it for some cash…”

Fang Zheng sensed something off—was this… comfort?

Mad Lad: “Just saying, don’t split the money with me. It’s not my weapon.”

438: “I don’t want it either. Back then, the Commander gave me way more valuable materials without hesitation.”

“Commander, this might sound like I’m asking for hate, but…” Crossplayer’s Blessing gazed into the distance. “Ahem, I really don’t need the money.”

Fang Zheng felt a warm current flood his heart. Only Birdy remained…

Polly: “Do you need my opinion?”

“No, thanks.”

“Okay.”

Fang Zheng wiped his sweat, feeling like he’d narrowly escaped disaster.

Once the price was settled, Fang Zheng sent the coordinates. With anyone else, he might’ve been wary of being tricked into revealing the location, but with Drink Till You Drop, even the thought of suspicion felt dirty. Damn, that guy radiated saintly vibes!

Drink Till You Drop wouldn’t come to pick up the staff himself—what kind of Blood Warrior needed a BoP healer staff? He was definitely buying it for a friend. As Fang Zheng yawned sleepily, Milk is Mom remained hunched over the corpse in an unflattering pose…

Suddenly, Huaxia Express delivered 20,000 Huaxia Coins straight to Milk is Mom’s hands.

The money arrived before the buyer—Fang Zheng wanted to tell him this was how you got scammed into oblivion!!

[System] Drink Your Sister 3X has entered the game.

The sudden notification startled the team. The first to react was the Refiner, overjoyed: “Your Sister’s here!”

Jiang Yang, however, was less thrilled: “About time.”

Fang Zheng immediately sent a party invite, which was quickly accepted. Before he could ask why she was late, someone else typed faster—

[Party] Drink Your Sister 3X: This is Drink. Here for the gear.

• 1
  It means “dumb” in slang.
• 2
  In slang, “Little Three” means “mistress / homewrecker / third party.”
• 3
  An idiom: “bu san bu si.” Means shady or disreputable.