Guo Yun: Plays Ye Shunguang, teammate Ye Shiyuan

Inside the Dragon Kingdom's studio, the air had solidified into a palpable sense of oppression.

The sound of keyboards clicking hasn't stopped since the beginning; the logistics department is swamped dealing with the online arguments that have erupted in the live stream.

Bingbing's lips were already a little dry.

Since the situation erupted, she has barely stopped speaking. Her throat feels like it's been sanded, and every word she utters is accompanied by a subtle stinging pain. But she can't stop, and she dares not stop. If she stops for even three seconds, the chaos in the live stream will spiral out of control like a flood bursting its banks.

"Dear viewers, please remain calm—" She couldn't even remember how many times she had said this.

What had initially been a relatively restrained debate had now devolved into pure attacks on nationality and personalities. A barrage of insults in French, English, German, and Chinese languages ​​rained down on the screen like cannonballs.

Bingbing's temples began to throb.

The logistics department banned accounts that were clearly inciting emotions in batches, but those accounts were like weeds; as soon as one was banned, three more would pop up.

They were clearly organized, using different accounts, switching between different IPs, and even their wording was carefully crafted.

The barrage of comments didn't decrease; instead, it became increasingly frenzied. Then, things started to veer in a more dangerous direction.

A comment suddenly appeared on the screen, but instead of an emotional outpouring, it was a string of text—no, not text, but a name. Bingbing's name. Followed by her birth date, her alma mater, and her previous workplaces.

Bingbing's fingers hovered above the keyboard, and she froze.

Then, the second, third, and fourth pieces of personal information were posted. Her photo, the prefix of her phone number, her parents' workplaces, the district she lived in, and even photos of her participating in club activities during her university years were all dug up and posted one by one in the live stream.

She felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her back, the chill spreading from the base of her spine all the way to the back of her head.

This is intimidation.

It wasn't a blustering threat, but a real, purposeful intimidation.

Bingbing's breathing became rapid. Her hands were trembling slightly, not from fear—well, there was a little fear—but more from anger.

She was just doing her job, she was just following instructions, she was just trying to maintain order in a public place, so why should she be treated like this?

But she didn't have time to be angry.

Because the audience in China also saw that information.

After a moment of silence, the comments from the Chinese viewers suddenly changed. They were no longer the arguments and explanations of before, but a colder, more direct counterattack.

"Doxxing, huh? Threats, huh? Is this all you foreigners know how to do? Fine, let's play then."

"The French account that posted Bingbing's personal information has an IP address in the XX district of Paris, a registered phone number of 06XXXXXXX, a real name of Jean-Baptiste Moreau, and works at XX company. Do you want me to send your whole family's information too?"

"And that John account that posted the photos, it's using a VPN, but the real IP address is in the XX district of London. Do you need me to specify the address down to the house number?"

Bingbing's eyes widened.

In that instant, she thought of many things. Perhaps it was a spontaneously organized group of skilled technicians, or perhaps it was a group working silently behind the scenes—these counterattacks came quickly and accurately, as precise as a scalpel.

Those people clearly hadn't anticipated such a swift counterattack. After a brief silence, they launched an even fiercer offensive, but the Chinese audience was equally resolute, and the confrontation escalated to a whole new level of intensity within just a few minutes.

The content of the bullet comments has completely transformed from the initial debate on viewpoints into a pure information war.

Both sides were frantically digging for information about each other, trying every possible way to silence the other. The live stream had become a chaotic battlefield, the air thick with an unseen tension.

...Hasn't the official notice been issued yet?! If this continues, it's going to turn into the third online flame war!!!

She let out a wail in her heart.

"Bingbing! A message!"

It was the voice of a bespectacled man rushing over. He had jogged all the way, his forehead covered in sweat, clutching a printed document tightly in his hand.

The document was covered with dense text, and at the top was a bright red official seal—the seal of the Dragon Kingdom's National Fortune Strategic Command Center.

To Bingbing, the sound was like heavenly music.

She whirled around, her hand almost instinctively reaching out: "Give it to me!"

Her fingers trembled slightly as she took the document. Not from fear, but from a mixture of relief and tension—she had finally arrived, but she didn't know what was written in the document, or whether its contents could quell this storm.

She quickly glanced at the contents of the document.

The above outlines the key points of the consensus reached by the four countries after emergency consultations, along with instructions to be conveyed to the athletes. The wording is extremely precise; every word has been carefully considered, and even the placement of punctuation reflects official caution. This is not an ordinary notification; it is a diplomatic document formed after repeated diplomatic maneuvering, with each sentence representing the respective positions and bottom lines of the four governments.

Bingbing's eyes darted quickly across the documents, her brain racing as she translated these highly condensed diplomatic terms into language the audience could understand.

Just as she was reading the notification, the live chat suddenly went silent for a moment.

The silence was eerie. One second it was a deluge of comments, the next it was as if someone had pressed pause, leaving only a few scattered comments scrolling by. It was as if everyone arguing simultaneously realized something—the official announcement they had been waiting for had finally arrived.

All eyes, all expectations, all anxieties were now focused on Bingbing.

Bingbing took a deep breath.

Her heart was racing, but she forced herself to calm down.

She knew how important her next task was—to accurately convey the consensus reached by the four governments through difficult negotiations.

Any deviation in wording or any inappropriate tone could destroy this hard-won, world-first consensus.

……

Somewhere on Earth, a private message:

"Kakawa: @I'm the best at insulting people, do I need to pay for this? Why don't you handle those people yourself?"

"I'm number one at swearing: @Kakawa, wasn't that Baby Alliance you guys formed just to fund this? And I'm wondering, why keep contacting me? If someone from your company hadn't revealed your online name here today, I still wouldn't know who's been sending me money and giving me a target to deal with every day."

"Kakawa: After all, you took down Lady Emerald, Miss Topa, and the airship I once rode in. Your strength is evident to all. Besides, you're the only patrol ranger around here. Who else is more suitable to do this? I don't need to say more, do I?"

"I'm number one at cursing: 'His darling, he wants me to work my ass off for the company's little cutie? Waaah, he tricked me in the first place, and now he wants this too? He's dreaming.'"

"Kakawa: So how did you escape from South Korea?"

"I'm number one at swearing: Mind your own business, I'm having a blast killing zombies right now. My little darling at the company, I'll remember you."

……

Inside the forbidden area, Ye Shunguang's mood was no better than Bingbing's in the studio—although she had no idea what was happening in the studio.

She stared at the disassembled drive disk on the drive disk page with a look of exasperation, watching the materials that once carried all her hopes turn into a string of numbers in the system's recycle bin. She felt like she was only one step away from having a stroke.

That drive disk prototype was perfect. Its main attribute was critical hit damage, and its secondary attributes were critical hit rate, attack power percentage, attack power, and penetration value. Each of the four secondary attributes was useful, and each one was exactly what she needed.

Then, it was enhanced 5 times, all of which resulted in increased penetration value...

As she watched the disassembled drive disk turn into materials in the system's recycle bin, she silently cursed the ancestors of the randomness rate of artifacts.

Then she took a deep breath and opened her panel.

Critical hit rate 50.6%

Critical hit damage 219%

Attack power 2879

Physical damage bonus 40%

Core skill level F (currently the highest).

Basic attack level 12

Evasion level 12

Parry level 12

Special skill level 12

Ultimate skill level 12

Ye Shunguang examined his panel and nodded.

This panel is good enough.

For the level of difficulty currently being presented, this configuration is more than sufficient. In fact, one could say it's almost excessive.

After all, he could beat his brother with just a blank slate, so he felt that his strength was a bit too great, right? This excessive strength made Ye Shunguang feel that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Just then, the government's notification arrived.

A message popped up on her system screen, marked with a golden "National-level Notification" label.

Ye Shunguang withdrew his consciousness from the system and then stared intently at the live broadcast room of the National Fortune System—

"National-level alert: Following emergency consultations between the governments of the Dragon Kingdom, the Republic of Gallic Chicken, the United Kingdom of John Bull, and the Federal Republic of Hanscat, the current situation is hereby reported as follows:"

I. The governments of the four countries have reached a memorandum of understanding on the code of conduct for athletes within the restricted areas of their national events. All parties agree that, at this stage, direct conflict between athletes is not in the strategic interest of any party.

Second, based on the above consensus, we hope that the Chinese athletes Ye Shunguang and Ye Shiyuan will not take any military action against the athletes from the three countries of Gaul, Johan, and Hans.

III. All parties confirm that the observation of the Chinese athletes by the athletes from Gaul, Johannesburg, and Hansus within the restricted area was verified to be intelligence gathering in nature and did not constitute a direct intent to attack. The governments of the three countries have issued a formal explanation to the Chinese government regarding this matter.

IV. Framework for Subsequent Actions: The relationship between the athletes from the four countries within the restricted area will be determined through ongoing consultations between the four governments based on the evolving situation. The athletes from the Dragon Kingdom have the discretion to handle the actions of the athletes from the other three countries within the restricted area, provided it does not endanger their own safety. If an opposing athlete engages in clearly hostile behavior or poses a real threat to the Dragon Kingdom athlete or their protected individuals, the Dragon Kingdom athlete has the right to take all necessary measures, including self-defense.

Fifth, the handling of this incident demonstrates the constructive spirit of cooperation among the four countries in addressing challenges to their national systems. All parties agreed to establish a regular communication mechanism to maintain close coordination on matters related to the restricted area.

—Dragon Kingdom National Destiny Strategic Command Center

Ye Shunguang read the prompt and was not surprised at all.

Both logically and emotionally, this notification was expected. She and Ye Shiyuan were simply too dangerous—this wasn't boasting, but a fact based on data. With their combined fighting prowess, and the enemy having no decent weapons, they could take down those nine people in no more than two minutes. Perhaps even faster, if she got serious.

If a war really breaks out, by then, the die is cast. No matter how the leaders of the countries in the real world negotiate, mediate, or exchange conditions, they cannot change the fact that the athlete is dead and the nation's fate has been damaged.

Death is irreversible, and so is the loss of national fortune. No matter how many compensation agreements are reached afterward, the dead will not come back to life, and the lost fortune will not automatically return.

So she knew from the beginning that the higher-ups wouldn't let them take action.

Not killing them, but showing them some kindness, is actually a better choice for everyone.

The Dragon Kingdom has gained a diplomatic advantage – look, your contestants are powerless against our contestants, but we chose to show mercy. Do you acknowledge this favor?

The three countries saved their athletes and their national fortunes—although it may not look good on the surface, there was no real loss of substance. The athletes came out alive, and the national fortunes were not damaged, which is the most important thing.

She and her brother didn't need to waste their time and energy on a few non-threatening people—time was more precious to them than anything else, and every minute should be used wisely.

Get more in one fell swoop.

Ye Shunguang shifted his gaze away from the system screen.

She raised her head and looked at the nine people opposite her again.

Their arms were still raised, but the posture was completely different from what it had been a dozen minutes ago. A dozen minutes ago, although their arms were also trembling, at least it was a standard hand-raising posture—arms straight, palms facing forward, like students answering questions in class. But now, the posture was completely distorted.

"...Okay, put your hand down."

Her voice wasn't loud, and her tone was calm; after all, she wasn't some kind of devilish drill instructor. Everything was over, so it was only right that they regain their freedom.

Pushing people to their limits is meaningless to her; she's not the kind of pervert who enjoys torturing others.

The expressions on the faces of the nine people opposite were so varied when they heard this that they could only be described as "spectacular".

Ye Shunguang did not continue reading.

Because Ye Shiyuan slowly walked over.

Ye Shunguang turned around and looked at Ye Shiyuan.

His expression was somewhat grave, as if he had seen some ominous sign.

His brows were slightly furrowed, the corners of his mouth were lower than usual, and when he looked at Ye Shunguang, his pupils held a complex emotion.

"What's wrong, brother?" Ye Shunguang asked.

There was a hint of nervousness in her voice. Ye Shiyuan wasn't usually one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, so anything that could elicit this expression from him must be something significant.

"Master used the Azure Sea Bird to send a message, saying that we need to go down there and do something together," Ye Shiyuan said.

His tone was calm, but Ye Shunguang could tell that the calmness was deliberately maintained. It was like a thin layer of ice on the surface of a lake, which looked smooth and even, but underneath was bottomless water.

"What important thing requires us to go together?" Ye Shunguang was a little confused when he heard this.

In this world, what would require the simultaneous use of the strongest individuals from Yunkui Mountain?

Unless the difficulty of that matter has exceeded the scope of a simple situation.

Her brain began to race, trying to extract as much information as possible from Ye Shiyuan's few words. But Ye Shiyuan clearly didn't know any more details; he was just there to deliver a message.

"I don't know either, but it's definitely not a good thing," Ye Shiyuan complained.

There was a hint of helplessness in his tone. After all, he hadn't even fully digested the memories, and being forced to do one thing after another was truly overwhelming.

Now that we've finally managed to handle this current issue, a new task has come up.

Ye Shunguang nodded. He would face whatever came his way; whatever awaited him, he would find out once he got there.

"Then let's go—"

Before she could finish speaking, a voice came from behind her.

"Wait a minute..."

The voice was somewhat hoarse, with obvious tension and trembling, but it sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet air.

Ye Shunguang's words were interrupted.

She frowned slightly and turned to look at the source of the sound.

It's Whistin.

The leader of that Gallic team, the one who, in Ye Shunguang's memory, was the first to kneel down and raise his hands, the one who made the first judgment among everyone and also bore the greatest pressure.

He was now standing in front of the other eight people. His arms were still trembling slightly—after all, he had been holding them up for so long, the soreness couldn't have subsided so quickly—but his eyes were completely different from before.

The terrified, kneeling figure of Whistin from before was gone, replaced by a Whistin struggling to keep his voice steady.

His lips trembled slightly, but he still spoke.

"I want to cooperate with you."

The moment those words were spoken, the air seemed to freeze.

Ye Shunguang was stunned for a moment.

She had imagined what Whistin would say—"Thank you for not killing us," "Please let us go," "We can give you something"—but she never imagined he would utter the word "cooperation."

Having just experienced such humiliation, having stood with his hands raised for more than ten minutes, and having his self-esteem crushed to dust, this person still had the courage to utter the word "cooperation."

Before Ye Shunguang could think it through, another person appeared beside them, and that person had already exploded.

"Are you crazy?!"

Arthur's voice was almost a shout. His face was filled with disbelief, his eyes were wide open as if they were about to pop out, and the muscles in his jaw bulged from clenching his teeth. He turned sharply to Whistling, pointing a finger at his nose, as if he were on fire.

"Cough...Are you crazy?! Do you know what you're saying?! They just now—you just now—how could you—"

His words were fragmented due to his heightened emotions, but the meaning was clear: You were forced to kneel for over ten minutes, and now you want to cooperate with them? Where is your backbone? Where is your dignity? Where is your pride?

Arthur's reaction was exactly what Ye Shunguang had expected.

Of the nine, Arthur was the one with the strongest resistance. Although he didn't actually put up any real resistance, his eyes, his expression, and the gritted teeth of resentment when he raised his hand all pointed to one thing—he didn't surrender willingly; he was forced into it by circumstances.

He kept struggling with himself, trying to convince himself that "this is just a tactical retreat" and "this is not a real surrender."

Whistin's words shattered his thin psychological defenses.

Because what Whistin said wasn't "Please let us go," but rather "I want to cooperate with you."

The word "cooperation" implies equality, that both parties have value, and that it is not a one-sided act of charity or begging. But in Arthur's view, they are not even in a position to talk about "cooperation" right now.

They were so frightened that they held their hands up for more than ten minutes, not daring to move a single finger. In this state, talking about "cooperation" was simply humiliating themselves.

But Whistin did not back down.

He turned his head and looked at Arthur, his eyes showing no anger, no shame, only a kind of calm clarity.

"I'm not crazy." His voice was still trembling, but he spoke each word clearly and forcefully. "If you had any sense left, you would be just like me right now."

These words were like a slap in the face, landing squarely on Arthur's cheek.

Arthur opened his mouth, wanting to refute something, but swallowed the words back. His lips moved a few times, and the expression on his face changed from anger to confusion, and then from confusion to a complex and indescribable look.

"You...!" Arthur was speechless.

He was speechless, not because he had nothing to say, but because he suddenly realized that Whistin was right.

If he had even a shred of reason left, he should indeed be in the same boat as Whistin right now. Because he knew better than anyone what their situation was—no weapons, no supplies, no fighting ability, and not even the most basic ability to protect themselves.

If anything happens again, in this forbidden area, they are like lambs thrown into a pack of wolves, and could be torn to pieces at any moment.

These two Chinese people in front of them were their only chance to get on good terms with them.

Ye Shiyuan frowned, took a step forward, and put pressure on Whistling.

He didn't release any murderous intent, nor did he make any threatening movements; he simply took a step forward. But that one step caused Whistling's breathing to quicken noticeably, and the eight people behind him to instinctively shrink back.

"What did you just say? What is your purpose?" Ye Shiyuan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable sense of pressure.

This is not questioning, this is interrogation.

Whistin's Adam's apple bobbed, he swallowed, and forced himself to stand firm—he didn't back down, even though his body instinctively wanted to.

"I want to cooperate with you, not in the sense of forming an alliance, but in the kind of cooperative relationship you're talking about." He tried to remain calm, speaking slowly and carefully, as if walking on a knife's edge. "Don't you have something very important to do? There's strength in numbers, so why not take us with you? If there's anything that needs searching during that process, just let us know. Or you can give us instructions based on the current situation, as long as it's not suicide."

After he finished speaking, he held his breath.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest, almost bursting his ribs. He knew what he was doing—he was gambling, gambling that his judgment was correct, gambling that these two Chinese weren't bloodthirsty lunatics, gambling that they could see the value in cooperation.

Ye Shiyuan didn't speak, but turned to look at Ye Shunguang.

The brother and sister's eyes met for a moment in the air.

In that instant, without any verbal exchange, they understood each other perfectly. This was the tacit understanding they had cultivated over the years; without words, a single glance could convey a thousand words.

Then they both turned around and looked at Whistling.

"Come on, let's go."