After AFK for five years, I returned to be number one in the entire server.

At the foot of Zongyun Mountain, Zhou Ran and Zhao Jiaxin looked anxiously at the mountain path blocked by white mist.

After discovering that Shen Yi was missing on the mountain, they searched for a long time without any response. Since there was no cell phone signal, they could only rush to a place at the bottom of the mountain where there was a signal to call the police.

They were waiting for the police and rescue team to arrive when suddenly, the thin mist swirling around the entrance to the mountain path was gently parted.

Lin Ye took Shen Yi's hand and walked down the moss-covered stone steps.

Zhou Ran and Zhao Jiaxin were stunned. They had thought that Shen Yi had encountered danger alone in the deep mountains, and they never expected to see such a scene.

In their recent observations, Shen Yi's dejected and melancholy appearance clearly indicated that the two had reached the end.

But now, Lin Ye held Shen Yi's hand tightly. Shen Yi's eyes were red. She lowered her head and followed behind Lin Ye step by step without any struggle or resistance.

This complicated situation made Zhou Ran and Zhao Jiaxin forget to greet anyone for a moment.

Lin also led her to the two of them before letting go of Shen Yi's hand.

He said to Zhou Ran and Zhao Jiaxin, "Please take good care of her for me, thank you."

After saying that, Lin Ye turned to look at Shen Yi again and left the place.

Watching that figure recede into the distance, Zhou Ran finally came to her senses and asked with a look of confusion in her eyes, "What exactly happened? I thought you had already..."

"It's nothing," she said expressionlessly, shaking her head before walking towards the station.

Jingzhou.

As the heart of the Xia and Shang dynasties, this city has always exuded grandeur and majesty.

Located in the western suburbs of the city, "Jinglan Garden" is a top-tier, highly private residential community catering to foreigners.

The security level here is astonishingly high. The well-arranged detached villas are hidden among the dense coniferous forests and artificial lakes. The architectural style is mainly composed of blue bricks and gray tiles combined with modern large-scale glass windows, exuding a sense of tranquility hidden in the city.

Gu Qingxin had just finished a mission. Carrying the long, dark red wooden box on her back, she walked along a shady path paved with pebbles to the gate of her villa.

She took out her keys to open the door, but suddenly stopped.

Outside the slightly wider courtyard gate stood a figure. Lin stood quietly by the courtyard wall covered with ivy, seemingly having been waiting for a while.

When they parted ways in Fusang last time, Gu Qingxin gave Lin Ye her phone number and left him her address in Jingzhou.

He can come here to see her if he wants to see her in the future.

Gu Qingxin's gaze lingered on Lin Ye's face for a few seconds, a gentle smile appearing on her lips.

She opened the gate and led Lin Ye through the flower-filled front yard into the large three-story villa.

The villa is bright and airy, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of the lake. The interior design is extremely minimalist, even spacious.

She lives alone in such a big house.

For an ordinary girl, dealing with daily cleaning and dusting would be a nightmare, but for her, it was all just a matter of a thought.

"Is this your first time in Jingzhou?"

"Let me take you out for a walk; there are many interesting places here."

Gu Qingxin didn't give Lin Ye a chance to speak. After putting away her belongings, she took him away from the villa.

They visited the historic royal sites and walked along the long palace paths with their red walls and yellow tiles.

They wandered through the oldest hutongs in Jingzhou, pushing open doors in some inconspicuous alleys to enter the small shops she usually frequented.

Throughout this process, Gu Qingxin showed none of the murderous intent typical of a Tian Shu Chen-level player; she was just like an ordinary young girl.

As the sun sets in the west, in a large theme park, Gu Qingxin holds a cotton candy she just bought. She stands next to a float, pointing to a funny cartoon doll on it, and chatting with Lin Ye.

At this moment, an inconspicuous black sedan was parked on a main road outside the amusement park.

In the back seat of the carriage, Xie Chen, dressed in his custom-made handmade clothes, looked through the half-lowered window and his gaze fell on the scene inside the amusement park railing.

His eyes narrowed slightly: "This is the first time I've seen Qingxin like this."

Although Gu Qingxin is usually very polite to everyone, there is a barrier hidden beneath her gentle demeanor that no one can cross.

Once someone tries to overstep their bounds, she will push them further away, even pulling out that "disobedient" weapon.

Unfortunately, Xie Chen had already witnessed the power of that sword.

But at this moment, the girl in the distance was in a completely relaxed state, smiling and laughing, her eyes sparkling—a look he had never seen before.

"Who is that boy next to her? Is he her younger brother? She doesn't seem to have any family. Is he some distant cousin?" Xie Chen looked at Lin Ye's profile and asked the subordinate sitting next to him.

Aside from the reasons mentioned above, Xie Chen couldn't imagine how such a young boy could make Gu Qingxin lower her guard and approach him so freely.

The person next to him immediately took out a tablet computer and began searching quickly.

A moment later, the subordinate respectfully reported: "Mr. Xie, his name is Lin Ye. He is currently affiliated with the Ningchuan branch of Tian Shu and is a monthly-level player. He has no kinship with Gu Qingxin."

As night deepened, Lin Ye and Gu Qingxin returned to Jinglan Garden.

Pushing open the courtyard gate and passing through the flower-filled front yard, Gu Qingxin opened the main door of the villa.

After changing their shoes, the two entered the living room. Gu Qingxin went to the island counter, poured two glasses of warm water, and handed one of them to Lin Ye.

"It's getting late, let's stay here tonight and go back to Ningchuan tomorrow."

Lin also held the water glass and remained silent for a moment.

With his current abilities, he will be able to return to Ningchuan soon, without taking too long.

But looking into Gu Qingxin's eyes, which held a hint of expectation and serenity, he finally nodded gently.

Lin Ye's gaze swept over the spacious three-story villa. There were many rooms, but it didn't seem to have much of a lived-in feel.

He casually asked, "Where do I sleep?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Qingxin suddenly stopped drinking water.

She looked up at Lin Ye, her tone teasing, like an older sister teasing her younger brother.

"We slept together in 'Star Abyss'."

Reason told Lin Ye that he should politely decline, but some instinct hidden deep in his memory bypassed his thinking and made a response for him.

"Where is your room?"

The question rang out in the empty and quiet living room, and Gu Qingxin obviously did not expect that Lin would respond to it without hesitation.

As soon as Lin Ye uttered the words, he immediately realized that this was a slip of the tongue, a subconscious reaction.