Two words filled Bai Yue Ling’s mind:
Rich Lady!
Normally, such a wealthy player would be famous, like the legendary gaming tycoon “Golden Thighs,” always followed by a swarm of sycophants while leveling.
Yet, in all her past cycles, Bai Yue Ling had never heard of “Princess.”
After hearing Princess’s explanation, she understood why—
She was planning to quit the game after today!
If she hadn’t run into Bai Yue Ling, Princess would have logged off Destiny World for good, never to return. No wonder her name was unfamiliar.
Meanwhile, Xueyu was finally ready to move.
“Seen enough of this circus? Time to hit the dungeon,” Xueyu commanded her team, marching grandly into the entrance.
The Slime Nest was a deep underground cave.
After descending via ladders, players entered a winding labyrinth with ten entrances, all leading to the boss room at the maze’s core.
Per the Adventurer’s Association rules, only one team could pass through each entrance.
To conquer the dungeon, Blood Era had formed nine teams.
They would follow pre-planned routes, converging at the boss room to take it down together.
Compared to Xueyu’s 36-person army, Bai Yue Ling’s team of four—including a level 3 burden—was bound to be slower.
That’s why Xueyu was brimming with confidence, certain the world-first kill was hers.
After Blood Era entered, Bai Yue Ling followed: “Level 3 it is. Let’s roll into the dungeon.”
As they approached, an association staff member guided them.
“My apologies, the other nine entrances are taken,” the staff pointed to the smallest cave in the corner. “This is your only option.”
Bai Yue Ling shrugged, unsurprised. To her, any entrance would do.
The four girls climbed down the ladder, the air growing chilly. The underground was freezing, even the ladder icy to the touch.
At the bottom, Bai Yue Ling felt a cold breeze on her rear, her snowy thighs swaying as she climbed, the glossy black bodysuit offering little warmth.
“Phew… If only I had a fluffy, warm fox tail,” she muttered, glancing up at her teammates.
Her eyes inadvertently landed under Ying Ye’s short skirt, drawn to the mysterious shadows, her cheeks flushing pink.
“Little White, why’d you slow down?” Ying Ye asked, her view blocked by her own ample chest.
“Uh, nothing, just cold,” Bai Yue Ling replied.
Suddenly, she thought short skirts weren’t so bad.
Tap, tap, tap, thud!
The four jumped off the ladder, curiously observing their surroundings.
They stood in a dim underground cave, lit by faint blue flames, with distant dripping sounds echoing—the slow squelching of slimes moving in the dark, starkly clear in the quiet.
At the entrance, three paths branched out.
Princess, waving her 500,000-gold fan, scanned the area: “These three paths look the same. Does it matter which we take?”
“Of course,” Silver Fang crouched, rubbing the ground with her armored finger.
“The temperature’s different. The left path’s frosty, the right’s dry, but the middle matches the current temperature.”
Ying Ye nodded thoughtfully: “So, the left has Ice Slimes, the right has Fire Slimes, and the middle’s safe… Right, Little White?”
“Nope,” Bai Yue Ling shook her head. “Your logic’s sound, but none of these paths are safe.”
“Why?”
“Because the middle has both Ice and Fire Slimes.”
“…This dungeon’s pure malice.”
Princess snapped her fan shut, deciding: “Interesting. Let’s take the middle!”
The others looked at her, confused.
Princess grinned: “Because we’ll see both kinds of slimes!”
Silver Fang blinked, annoyed: “Princess, we’re on a mission, not touring a zoo.”
Unlike the others, Princess acted like a vacationing rich lady, curious about everything.
Surprisingly, Bai Yue Ling agreed: “She’s right. The middle path’s the best choice.”
“Why?”
“Because Ice and Fire are opposing elements. Together, they weaken each other,” Bai Yue Ling explained patiently.
“Most people assume more enemy types means higher difficulty, but they don’t think deeper.”
Ying Ye and Silver Fang were enlightened:
“Little White thought of that too?”
“Little White’s amazing…”
Basking in their praise, Bai Yue Ling put her hands on her hips, puffing out her glossy black-clad chest: “Just average~ It’s basic game knowledge.”
In truth, it was hard-earned wisdom from countless past-cycle blunders.
The four chose the middle path, exploring cautiously.
The cave was narrow and damp, with water dripping from above.
Bai Yue Ling instructed: “Silver Fang, you’re tanky, so take point. I’ll guide from behind. Ying Ye, guard the rear for safety. Princess, stay between me and Ying Ye—don’t wander.”
“Got it~ This princess will behave,” Princess said, strolling leisurely behind Bai Yue Ling. Her eyes suddenly lit up: “Look, a treasure chest!”
Ahead, a faded chest lay among the rocks, its half-open lid glinting with gold.
Oddly, a bloodstain marked the ground before it.
In Destiny World, a bloodstain appears where a player recently died. Touching it reveals how they perished, warning others.
Bai Yue Ling crouched to touch the stain, and a red phantom appeared.
The figure ran to the chest, tried to open it, then seemed attacked, struggling fiercely before collapsing and fading away.
“As expected, it’s a trap,” Bai Yue Ling said. “Be careful with chests in dungeons. Never open them recklessly, or you’ll end up like that player…”
Ying Ye tugged at Bai Yue Ling’s stockings, warning: “But Princess already ran up there.”
“What?”
Princess had slipped away, excitedly lunging forward: “My first treasure chest! Let’s see what’s inside…”
Just as she reached for it, three pink slimes dropped from above, landing on her head, instantly engulfing her in sticky slime.