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Bai Yi returned to the store and immediately paid the employees. Irene received 100 gold coins, Luo Ning was given 200 gold coins, and another employee got 30 gold coins.
The employees watched in surprise as Bai Yi walked into the laboratory. He needed to devise a plan, one that would allow him to be singled out while they tracked down the Night Rose.
He opened the forum and searched for Wei Lu's live broadcast. Bai Yi was a bit surprised—it was turned off.
Just thirty minutes ago, it had still been active.
Skipping over bizarre posts like [A player killed an NPC's chicken because he couldn't find a monster and got blocked at the resurrection point], he clicked on Wei Lu's homepage. It was as professional as ever. Aside from videos about game strategies and tutorials, the latest update was simply an announcement. It stated that Wei Lu was on a secret mission, and once completed, he would share details in a future video.
Bai Yi thought for a moment, then walked out. Since Wei Lu was unavailable, he would find other high-level players. The mission had to be done, no matter who took it.
"Boss, are you going out again?" Luo Ning asked enthusiastically.
"Do you want me to tell your fortune?" she added.
Luo Ning had set up a small fortune-telling stall next to the counter. It featured a star map, with a 30-centimeter crystal ball at the center. Though simple, it looked quite charming.
Bai Yi raised an eyebrow. "You spent all your salary on this ball?"
"Hehe, for divination, you need some proper tools," Luo Ning said with a silly smile. "Boss, come on, my predictions are very accurate. My customers all say so!"
"Really? How do you do it?" Bai Yi asked, intrigued. He had never really believed in fortune-telling. As a player, no one had ever asked an NPC to tell their fortune. When he became an NPC, his time travel guilt kept him from seeking divination.
This was his first time experiencing it firsthand.
"Stretch out your hand," Luo Ning said. "I'll check your fate first."
Bai Yi extended his hand, while Irene watched with curiosity. She had once been told her fortune, only to be told she lacked wealth. While she was certain that Luo Ning was a fraud, she still felt a bit nervous. Now that Bai Yi was getting his fortune told, she couldn't help but feel curious too.
Luo Ning studied Bai Yi's palm lines, frowning as she murmured, "This... shouldn't be like this."
She then reached out, took Bai Yi's hands, and closed her eyes.
Bai Yi felt a chill run through him as something entered his body from Luo Ning's hands.
Moments later, Luo Ning slowly pulled his hands away and placed them over the crystal ball.
Suddenly, the stars on the map flickered to life before quickly fading. Luo Ning's face paled as the star map settled, with a red star flickering erratically, barely managing to stay lit.
Luo Ning opened her eyes, and a dark shadow appeared in the crystal ball, followed by a sharp flash of light.
She quickly released Bai Yi's hands and stared at him with a pale face.
"What's wrong?" Bai Yi asked, surprised.
"Gengjin Star," Luo Ning said softly. "It's always bright. This star represents death. I saw a shadow, and sharp light. Boss, someone is plotting against you."
Bai Yi was taken aback. Could Luo Ning really see this? If she could divine the presence of a powerful foe, how was that possible? When she attempted to divine stronger beings, shouldn't she see nothing?
Then he remembered what he was planning—targeting the Night Rose.
Earlier, during the Scarlet Sect incident, the gold that appeared alongside the Night Rose was from a shadow assassin, ranked gold level.
He paused for a moment, then smiled gently. "Don't worry, it's fine. Didn't you see me? Thanks for the reminder, Luo Ning. Stay safe at home for now."
As he spoke, he patted her head before turning to leave. "Irene, keep an eye on Luo Ning. Don't let her wander too far. There's going to be trouble in Dongwu City soon."
With that, Bai Yi left the shop and walked down an alley nearby.
Luo Ning stared at the crystal ball, still uneasy. She closed her eyes, placed her hands on the ball, and silently began to spy on her own future.
"Don't worry," she murmured. "Everything will be fine. The boss is a millionaire and a genius. We should be worried about ourselves. Like, when will he finally give me a raise?"
Irene chuckled but received no response from Luo Ning. The fortune-teller was deep in thought, using her abilities. She didn't want to lose the new home she had found.
Meanwhile, outside the City Lord's Mansion:
Demacia, the guards, and three top-tier players were observing a beautiful human girl with subtle intent.
She wore a loose black work suit and carried a vegetable basket, walking toward the market with a focused expression, seemingly unaware of their presence.
Demacia muttered under his breath, "Is there really something off here? It's been two days, and she's no different from any ordinary chef."
The other three players nodded in agreement. They couldn't enter the City Lord's Mansion, but this girl, Yali, had been going out to buy groceries every day. If it weren't for their mission, they wouldn't have paid any special attention to her.
"This is exactly why this situation is so dangerous," Wei Lu whispered. "In a time like this, an organization has infiltrated the City Lord's Mansion and is controlling the food supply. What does that tell you?"
The others nodded, but Demacia sighed. "We all know that, but we still need to take action. We can't afford to wait around any longer."
"Patience," Wei Lu said, "We'll have results soon enough." They continued to follow the girl as she disappeared around a corner, their movements becoming increasingly conspicuous among the NPCs.
"You want to..." Demacia began, then caught himself. "That's right, we're not the only ones distracting the enemy. Let's blend in."
The five of them quietly spread out, following Yali from different angles while communicating through their panels.
Yali seemed oblivious to their presence as she entered a nearby supermarket, bought some high-end ingredients, and returned to the mansion. After some time, they reconvened at a more secluded location.
"Well?" Wei Lu asked.
Demacia remained silent and posted a picture—a photo of a fishmonger with a subtle, yet unsettling expression. The man's gaze was too calculating, too detached.
"All of these shop owners—look closely at their eyes. It's the same everywhere."
The group posted pictures of various shopkeepers, all with the same eerie look. To the casual observer, they appeared ordinary, but their eyes were unmistakably cold and superior.
"We're not imagining it," Wei Lu said, "These people are players. And I have a feeling they're not just ordinary players. We'll have to keep watching."
As they exchanged thoughts, a prompt suddenly appeared on Wei Lu's screen.
[You obtain the special mission item: [Night Invitation].]
"Wait, what?" Wei Lu looked confused as he shared a screenshot with the group. "Do all quest items just fall from the sky?"
The others exchanged surprised looks. Demacia, after a moment's pause, posted another image—a letter with no black rose insignia.
Wei Lu opened the letter, revealing a brief description of an organization. But before anyone could read it in detail, the paper spontaneously combusted.
Fortunately, they all recorded the screen.
The information was brief but shocking:
[The Night Rose is a secret organization that has been infiltrating the Dawn Federation for over 500 years. More than half of the cities have been compromised, and their reach is vast. They operate in complete secrecy. The only sign of their influence: the soul of the deceased will carry a black, ominous aura.]
The group exchanged tense glances, realizing the depth of the situation. Wei Lu couldn't help but think of Bai Yi, his earlier suspicions confirmed.
"Looks like we've got our hands full now," Wei Lu muttered.
Then, another prompt appeared.
[Main quest activated.]