Chapter 34: First Time Being a Boss, No Experience
“Ahhh, hotpot! That’s amazing!”
“Awesome! My car has plenty of room. Why don’t a few of us share a meal in my ride?”
“Sure, let’s do it! Meeting up in person is great—we’re all one big family now.”
“Hey girls, should we go shopping? Or maybe try on those burial robes over there? Who knows, maybe they grant special stat boosts!”
“Come on, brothers from Sector 587, let’s grab a drink. I spotted a tavern just down the block.”
“I don’t know… We’ve been squeezed dry in 587 for so long that we don’t have any money left for drinks. I heard everything in this town costs underworld coins.”
“Don’t worry about it—it’s on me! We’re all in the same boat now. Boss Bone Ash won’t exploit anyone, and we’ll have plenty of chances to earn coins together.”
“Is Boss Bone Ash really that fair? I’m so jealous of you folks from Zone 444, having the number-one player across the whole server on your side. That’s incredible.”
“Hahaha, from today on, you’re part of Zone 444 too! Nothing to be jealous of anymore.”
“Oh… right!”
Down in the plaza, once Old Hei made the official announcement, the ordinary players cheered and quickly wandered off in groups to relax and explore.
Meanwhile, Lin Huai was still standing on the narrow roof of the Bell Tower, having not yet claimed all her rewards. After distributing hotpot packs to every survivor, Old Hei spoke directly into her mind.
“Congratulations, player Bone Ashes Mixed with Rice, for successfully activating the Region Merging Crystal. Rewards: all basic inventory items (excluding special items) doubled, Instance Shard x1, and Outpost Token x1.”
“Not bad at all. Keep up the good work!”
“The server-wide instance for the top monthly champions, the ‘Trial Grounds of Mount Duoshu,’ has been unlocked. Additionally, the main storyline instance, the ‘Earth God Temple,’ is now accessible. Which one do you want to enter first?”
Lin Huai scratched her head. “Is being rank one always this hectic? Do I really have to go right now? Can’t I look around the town first?”
“The Earth God Temple is a mandatory solo dungeon for all survivors. It will open after the town disappears, so you still have time.”
“The Trial Grounds of Mount Duoshu, however, is a competitive arena reserved only for top-ranked leaders. Take your time if you want. Just keep in mind that if you show up late, only the most terrifying fighters will be left for you. Good luck—I’m rooting for you!”
Lin Huai considered her options. In her previous life, she remembered that if a player missed the first wave of a main story dungeon, a second chance would always appear; everyone was guaranteed an entry.
On the other hand, she had only heard rumors about the Trial Grounds and had never set foot inside. It was a gathering of the server’s absolute elite, so she couldn’t afford to miss it.
Before entering, though, she needed to prepare. Heading into a high-stakes arena without a reliable, lethal weapon made her uneasy.
Remembering the bonus reward Old Hei had handed her earlier, Lin Huai spoke up. “Hey, Old Hei. I just secured the zone crystal and kept you in your job. Don’t you have any extra reward for me? I worked hard for your sake, you know.”
Old Hei snorted, his mechanical voice buzzing with sudden irritation.
“I literally just bought you a giant greatsword! Do you have any idea how expensive that was? My entire monthly performance bonus went into that weapon!”
“And now you want another gift? Do you think I’m made of money? Where would I even get the funds?”
“Bonus?” Lin Huai caught the keyword instantly. “So whenever I take first place or secure a zone crystal, you get a bonus payout?”
Old Hei went dead silent. After an awkward pause, he snapped back in an indignant, gritted-teeth tone.
“Isn’t it a basic human rule that asking about someone’s salary is rude? Where are your manners?”
“You’re not human anyway.”
Old Hei sighed, completely defeated. “Look, I already spent it all. I can’t afford to buy you anything else right now. How about an IOU? If next month’s bonus is bigger, I’ll make it up to you.”
Lin Huai leaned into the opening. “So the more first-place titles I claim, the bigger your bonus gets?”
Old Hei’s interest seemed piqued. “Of course my performance review is tied to yours. The better you do, the higher my scores are, and the fatter my bonus check becomes. So if you want special perks, you’d better keep winning.”
Lin Huai nodded thoughtfully. “Fair enough, but waiting until next month is a bit late, isn’t it?”
She paused. “What if I provide the funds and you do the shopping for me?”
Old Hei drawled lazily, “We don’t take underworld paper coins. No matter how many you have, they’re useless to me.”
Lin Huai raised an eyebrow. “What about Yin energy crystals? That’s the universal currency on your side, right?”
Old Hei fell silent once more. Dodging the question, he changed the subject directly: “What kind of special reward are you looking for? A magic artifact or a rare utility item?”
Lin Huai’s eyes brightened. Money truly made the world go round—it could make ghosts work and even bring the system assistant to heel!
“I need a weapon that can dominate in an arena fight. That giant greatsword you gave me burns through way too much spiritual power; my mana pool only covers a single strike. It’s completely useless for a battle of endurance!”
“Fine, give me a moment. I’ll see what I can find.”
During the team battle, most of Lin Huai’s Yang energy crystals had been spent charging the hearse’s weapons, and the rest were used to activate the town crystal. She only had a handful left, so even after doubling her inventory, the count was still low.
Yin energy crystals, however, were a different story. She had hoarded them for a long time. Even after spending a hundred on the crystal, she had over two hundred left. With the doubling reward, her stash jumped to more than four hundred!
Pleased with her wealth, she handed one hundred Yin crystals directly over to Old Hei.
The rest would go toward paying off her debt to Sister Hanba.
As the road progressed, the monsters would only grow stronger; even ordinary Safety Ambassadors would become lethal threats. Higher-tier weapons and crafting components would naturally appear down the line. For now, Lin Huai only needed an effective weapon that could carry her safely into the mid-game.
By the time she reached the later stages, she could switch to something better. Perhaps by then, her workbench would be fully upgraded, allowing her to forge her own custom equipment.
Once she settled matters with Old Hei, Lin Huai finally hopped down from the Bell Tower.
Down in the square, most of the ordinary survivors had already dispersed. Only the core members of her elite strike team were still waiting by the base of the tower.
Seeing her walk over, no one was rude enough to pry into what rewards she had received, though their eyes followed her with bright, expectant gazes.
Lin Huai was still entirely new to being a leader. Facing their quiet stares, she had no idea what they were waiting for.
Jiangzhehu Inheritor let out a soft sigh, stepping forward with a grin. “Boss, after winning a big battle like this, proper etiquette says you’re supposed to treat the troops to a celebration feast!”
Lin Huai slapped her forehead with an embarrassed laugh. “Ah, forgive me! It’s my first time being the boss, so I’m lacking experience. Excuse my poor manners!”
She smiled warmly at the group. “Name whatever you want to eat—lunch is on me!”
