Seventeen, seventeen.

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Direct Jiuli does direct things.

She paused for a moment, holding a honey-glazed roast chicken, then ran to the spot where the assassin had just jumped into the sea to look down.

The assassin, elusive and ghostlike, had long vanished without a trace.

Jiuli: “........”

Jiuli shook her head, looking somewhat troubled and a bit disappointed.

Well, what more was there to say at this point?

Chuliuxiang quickly took the honey-glazed roast chicken from her hands and smiled warmly: “Brother Hong seems to have some business to attend to... Jiuli, have you met any new friends in the cabin?”

In short, it was time to divert attention.

New friends?

Ah! So it was “coming of age”! This was a hint for the player to quickly complete the greeting task!

...This was the first time the player encountered the usual RPG-style rummaging in Liver Valley, and was a bit excited, focusing on scavenging the cabin.

Enough, since the backpack is full, today let’s interact with every character available for conversation.

But Snow White was really strange... Just a few days ago, while fighting wild monsters, he actively helped the player gather items. What’s with jumping into the sea today?

The player felt baffled!

The player shook their head and opened the character panel.

[New Task: Greet new friends on the ship (3/7)]

The three characters already greeted were: Hu Tiehua, Yuan Suiyun, and Jin Lingzhi.

There were four more characters whose names had yet to be unlocked because they hadn’t been encountered, shown as [???].

Everyone knew NPCs didn’t speak meaningless words.

Chuliuxiang’s sudden reminder to ask if she had met new friends must have some hidden meaning.

Could completing the greeting tasks trigger special storylines?

Thinking this, the player guided pixelated Jiuli back into the cabin once more.

Jiuli wasn’t very sensitive to spatial layout; when she first explored the cabin, she was too busy rummaging through boxes to notice the interior structure. This time, she took a closer look.

The cabin had two levels: the lower level housed sailors and servants, dark and not very bright; no one was there even in broad daylight, so Jiuli glanced once and went back up.

The upper level was where she had just been searching halfway through, containing the kitchen, reception room, and cabins.

Nothing special about the kitchen; the cook was a non-interactive character who only once said, “How can you just take other people’s things?” This made the player think highly of him—an NPC not allowing the player to rummage through boxes? Preposterous!

Next was the reception room.

The reception room on the Yuan family’s ship was antique and elegant, with wooden walls on all sides. Four low tables were placed along both sides, with rush mats woven from sedge behind them. The easternmost floor was slightly raised by one step, also with a low table and rush mat, and behind it stood a six-panel folding screen. Though pixelated, Jiuli could still recognize the embroidery: the “Three Friends of Winter” painting.

In short, it had the bearing of a noble scion!

The player approved, pocketing [Tea Snacks: Date Paste Cakes] and [Antique Tea Set] from the table.

After a quick stroll, there was nothing else to take, so she withdrew.

Next were the cabins.

The cabins were symmetrically arranged with eight rooms, paired opposite each other, separated by a corridor neither too wide nor too narrow.

From the player’s godlike view, every cabin’s interior was visible.

One room was occupied by Jin Lingzhi, a pixel figure in yellow clothes Jiuli had seen earlier, with a beautiful and radiant portrait.

The door of the second room was open from the start; inside was a mess like a dog’s den, the bed’s quilt half-flipped, and strange objects resembling smelly socks scattered on the floor... Approaching revealed: Hu Tiehua’s room.

Having already greeted him, move on.

The next room surprisingly housed three people.

An elderly man with graying hair sat cross-legged on the bed, flanked by two young women.

But the door was closed...

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As everyone knows, before reaching a certain level of favorability, players cannot enter NPC rooms; attempting to do so prompts: only XXX’s friends may enter XXX’s room.

But when Jiuli hovered the cursor over the door, an option appeared.

[- Knock on the door?]

→ [Yes]

[No]

Naturally, she chose yes.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

A young woman in red strode forward and opened the door. A short sword hung at her waist, and her portrait showed a heroic and dashing figure.

Her expression was fierce and cold: “Who are you?!”

Jiuli: “Hello, I’m Jiuli.”

Honesty.jpg

A question mark bubble appeared above the unknown heroic pixel woman’s head.

Jiuli casually pulled out the date flower cake she had just picked up in the reception room.

[Jiuli] gave [Date Flower Cake] to [???]!

Jiuli: “Hello, I’m Jiuli.”

She calmly repeated the phrase.

Tsundere NPCs, she had seen them before; it took six greetings to get even a slightly red name.

She had weathered many storms—stay calm, stay calm.

But this unknown heroic woman was not so calm.

Though she frowned fiercely, she warmly accepted the gift, muttering, “Here, here, don’t be polite!”

Ah? Uh... this...?

Heroic woman: “........”

Heroic woman: “...I am Gao Yanan.”

She didn’t know why she had inexplicably accepted the gift... but since she had taken it, she couldn’t just ignore the giver.

Oh! Good, Gao Yanan.

Player acknowledged!

Another woman in white pixel clothes approached.

Her portrait style was completely different—gentle, shy, and very cute.

She greeted enthusiastically: “Ah... there was a big commotion outside just now, was that you? Jiuli, I’m Hua Zhenzhen.”

Jiuli didn’t answer her question; she rummaged through her sleeve and found... nothing.

Alas, nothing to give.

No way was she going to offer a hot water kettle to a beautiful lady—that would be inappropriate!

The silver-haired woman showed a thoughtful expression.

Suddenly, the silver-haired woman dashed out! Straight to the kitchen! Accompanied by the master chef’s shocked and angry voice, “How can you just take other people’s things again?!” Jiuli happily returned, handing Hua Zhenzhen a plate of mackerel dumplings!

Gao Yanan: “........”

Hua Zhenzhen: “........”

The two pixel women exchanged glances, both showing sweat bubbles above their heads.

Jiuli, like an owl, peeked inside cautiously.

The elderly person sitting cross-legged on the bed was in a meditative pose, eyes closed, motionless, completely uninterested in the commotion at the door, with no intention to come out and see.

If the mountain won’t move, then I will.

Jiuli tentatively stretched her foot forward...

Gao Yanan and Hua Zhenzhen stepped aside, one to the left, the other to the right, blocking the entrance.

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Gao Yanan: “The... matron does not receive visitors.”

Hua Zhenzhen: “Jiuli, you should leave.”

...As expected.

Jiuli withdrew her probing foot...

She tried to converse with the two pixel women again, but the story seemed to have ended... and with two people blocking the door, no bug exploits were possible.

- Want to try something?

A. No, discretion is the virtue of social interaction. Come back next time.

B. Yes, I insist!

Decisively choose B.

What discretion? The player doesn’t understand and need not understand, hmph!

- Then what to do?

A. Duel! Step over their bodies and pass! Ha!

B. Be more peaceful, try shouting a greeting louder.

Jiuli: “........”

If the player were also a pixel figure, a cold sweat bubble would be appearing above her head right now.

Duel? Get real! She hasn’t even beaten a single wild monster alone!

Though trying wouldn’t hurt—if the result was bad, just reload—but both ladies were very beautiful; it was hard to bring oneself to do it... Besides, the day’s storyline had been intense; reloading and replaying felt troublesome.

Choose B.

- What to shout loudly?

(Type input)

The player thought for a moment and typed on the keyboard.

Jiuli shouted: “I am Jiuli, did you get that? Hey! I am Jiuli—Is the connection bad? I—am—Ji—u—li—”

Gao Yanan: “........”

Hua Zhenzhen: “........”

Chuliuxiang, who had followed in to clean up Jiuli’s mess, almost stumbled over himself hearing this!

He knew who lived in this cabin. Hu Tiehua had been on the ship for more than ten days and, of course, had met Gao Yanan!

Gao Yanan was the top disciple of Mount Hua Sect; moreover, she was an old friend of Chuliuxiang and Hu Tiehua. They had known each other for ten years, roaming the martial world together, enjoying wine and song.

Old friends meeting on the ship—how could they not exchange a few words? Of course, due to some past conflicts, Gao Yanan barely acknowledged Hu Tiehua, instead bombarding him with questions: “How did you end up here?!”

Hu Tiehua refused to answer... what was there to say? Admit he had followed them because he noticed Master Kumei’s return to secular life? Too embarrassing!

Anyway, when Hu Tiehua was on deck earlier, he told Chuliuxiang about Master Kumei and her disciple being here.

So when Chuliuxiang came in, he saw Jiuli pestering Master Kumei...

...In all the world, there was still someone daring enough to pester Master Kumei.

Even Chuliuxiang himself wanted to avoid Master Kumei from afar...

Jiuli, truly hiding great depths!

The pixel figure with bronze skin showed a thumbs-up bubble above his head... then quickly came over and pulled Jiuli away.

Chuliuxiang: “Sorry, sorry, Yanan, Jiuli isn’t very well-mannered...”

Gao Yanan: “........”

Gao Yanan suspiciously: “Captain Xiang, your tone of apology sounds awfully practiced?”

Chuliuxiang: “........”

Chuliuxiang scratched his nose, giving no answer.