Chapter 24: Player Group Chat

At Home

Ren Ye’s face was pale yellow, and his eyes were bloodshot. “Dad, did you and that editor discuss the direction for the rest of the story?”

“No, we’re stuck on the part where the Daoist priest’s avatar dies. He’s an important setup character, and without him, it’s hard to move the plot forward.” Ren’s father rested his chin on his hand, striking a thinker’s pose.

“Why get stuck? The story isn’t published yet. Just bring him back to life.” Ren Ye tentatively suggested.

“No can do. The editor working with me said the client for this commissioned piece insisted he must die.” Ren’s father spread his hands helplessly. “You know how it is. Clients who meddle with content mid-project are usually idiots.”

“…!” Ren Ye was speechless. He felt something off deep inside but couldn’t share it with his father.

It wasn’t like he could say, “I just traveled back from ancient times and experienced events that are eerily similar to the story you wrote, and by the way, why did you somehow gain a daughter-in-law out of nowhere?”

After thinking for a while, Ren Ye said, “You and the editor will discuss this plot later, right?”

“Yeah,” his father nodded.

“When you’re done, tell me how the story develops. I think this concept is pretty interesting,” Ren Ye smiled.

“Sure,” his father casually agreed but then looked worriedly at him. “Son, are you sure you weren’t beaten up in prison? You look awful.”

Ren Ye glanced at the mirror next to his computer and saw a face that screamed “excessive indulgence.” “I’ve been staying up late on cases lately…”

“Then get some rest.” His father quickly stood up. “I’ll go buy groceries and make some soup for you. Tonight, Qingning is coming back too. Let’s have a proper meal.”

“Hehe, great.” Ren Ye’s mood brightened at the thought of his father’s cooking.

There’s no chef in the world who caters to just your taste—except your parents.

His father had learned to cook to ensure his two kids could eat well and eat enough.

Grabbing a small shopping basket from the kitchen and a bunch of keys, his father, dressed in shorts, a tank top, and slippers, left the house.

“Phew~!”

Ren Ye let out a long sigh of relief, his mood light as he returned to his bedroom, collapsed onto his bed, and pulled out the phone Huang Wei had retrieved for him from the prison. He dialed his sister’s number directly.

“Hello?” The call connected quickly, and Ren Qingning’s crisp voice came through. “Are you home yet?”

“Yeah, I’m home.” Ren Ye got straight to the point. “Can you lend me two thousand yuan? I’ve been out on cases these past few days and have no money on hand. I can’t even buy water without asking the people I’m working with.”

“No, I’m broke.”

“Dear Qingning, your brother has been down on his luck these past few years…”

Beep beep.

She hung up before he could finish.

Ren Ye stared at his phone, cursing, “Heartless little brat. Just wait until I get a big house, and I won’t save you a single room!”

Moments later, as he was about to strip and nap, his phone beeped. Ren Ye frowned, picked it up, and saw a notification from his sister, nicknamed “Shanghai’s Top Female Streamer.” She had sent him a donation of two thousand yuan.

Another beep followed—a voice message.

Ren Ye played it:

“Spend it wisely! Streaming isn’t easy these days. Everyone’s out there in yoga pants and showing thighs. The competition is fierce, okay? Do you know how many times this streamer had to call someone ‘big brother’ to earn those two thousand yuan?” She gritted her teeth in the recording.

“Blood is thicker than water. Thanks, sis,” Ren Ye happily replied. “What time are you coming back tonight?”

“How many days are you staying?”

“Six or seven. Why?”

“Then I’m not coming back tonight. I’ve got urgent matters to handle,” Ren Qingning replied quickly. “I’ll call you once I’m done. Let Dad know.”

“You’re not dating someone, are you?”

“Date my ass. Single dogs are invincible.” She added a smug emoji.

After a few more casual exchanges, Ren Ye drifted off into a deep sleep.

…

Suzhou, by the roadside

Little Wolf Warrior received a bundle of burner SIM cards from a delivery runner, then expertly circled around before heading back to his apartment.

The place was a small, single-bedroom unit with a living room. Most of the furniture was covered in white cloth, thick with dust. The floor was sticky and unpleasant to walk on.

On a decorative table by the couch sat a somewhat artistic perpetual calendar, stuck at a date over four years ago.

Surveying the familiar environment, Little Wolf Warrior took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and began cleaning.

It took over three hours before the apartment looked somewhat livable.

After taking a particularly foul-smelling dump in the bathroom, he stared at the toilet bowl and blandly commented, “Must’ve been eating well when alive…”

He took a shower, returned to the living room, and sat cross-legged on the couch. Pulling out his phone, he swapped in a new SIM card and registered a fresh account on a popular nationwide social app.

Once registered, he retrieved his old phone and accessed a group chat called “The Great Minds Gathering.” Scanning the group QR code with his new account, he entered his name and passphrase in the application form.

Not long after, he successfully joined the group.

Ding~!

Ding ding~!

“Newbie? What’s your profession?”

“Do you know the rules of this group?”

“Send a red packet! Send a red packet!”

“…”

Messages flooded in one after another.

Smirking, Little Wolf Warrior typed a polite response: “Send your mother’s red packet!”

“? What’s with that attitude?”

“Why are you insulting people?”

“No manners at all, no manners…”

“…”

The group chat erupted into chaos.

This was a specialized chat group for Star Gate players, with over 400 members. It served as a platform to exchange information, but not everyone in it was part of an official organization. At least half of the members were independent players.

Little Wolf Warrior ignored the chatter, thought for a moment, and began drafting a message:

“The Great Qian Dynasty was preceded by the Great Jing Dynasty.

After a ten-year uprising, Emperor Wu of Great Qian overthrew Great Jing.

Legend has it that the princess of Great Jing is buried on Qingliang Mountain in Qingliang Prefecture. Her tomb is shrouded in mystery, with numerous conflicting tales surrounding it. However, it’s confirmed that the Star Gate at this site holds a rare inheritance. I have detailed information about the princess’s tomb…”

“Selling Star Gate intelligence. DM me if interested.”

After finishing the draft, he sent it.

Yawning, Little Wolf Warrior got up to fetch some water and order takeout.

“Ancient Star Gate? I don’t need that!”

“Hey, rude guy, I’ve added you as a friend. Accept it.”

“I sent a request too.”

“…”

The group quieted momentarily, then became active again. Many middlemen, eager to trade information, were quick to respond.

…

Exhausted, Ren Ye slept soundly until the evening.

Still groggy, he heard the clinking of utensils from the kitchen.

“Dad, is dinner ready?”

“Drink the soup first. Dinner will be ready soon,” his father bellowed. “I figured you’d wake up around now, so I reheated it for you.”

“Coming!”

Ren Ye pulled himself out of bed and stumbled into the living room. A delicious aroma immediately filled the air.

“Wow, not bad! Even though Qingning and I haven’t been home for so long, your cooking hasn’t lost its touch.”

In the kitchen, his father was chopping meat with practiced precision, wearing an apron. “Drink up. It’s softshell turtle soup—very nourishing!”

“Smells amazing!”

Ren Ye poured himself a large bowl and took a hearty gulp.

The soup had a delicate aroma, a hint of scallions, and a rich, savory taste. Its warm, velvety texture slid down his throat, leaving him feeling utterly rejuvenated.

Whether it was psychological or not, after one sip, he felt the lingering aftereffects from the princess’s ultimate move diminish, and his mind became clearer.

“Good, isn’t it?” His father turned around, a rare smile crossing his otherwise stoic face.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting golden rays across the room. Holding his soup bowl, Ren Ye leaned against the kitchen doorframe, watching his busy father. A wave of happiness swept over him.

“It’s great. Really great.”

“Son, how long can you stay home?” His father lit a cigarette. “Are you allowed to live here for now?”

“I should be able to,” Ren Ye replied, sipping his soup. “I’ll apply later. Worst case, they can put a GPS ankle monitor on me. It’s not like I’m going to run.”

His reasoning was full of holes. Even in unusual cases, law enforcement would rarely allow a convict under surveillance to stay at home. It wasn’t just about the possibility of escape; the risk of any incident occurring was a liability no one wanted to bear.

Fortunately, his father didn’t understand the intricacies of the system. As long as the explanation sounded plausible, it was good enough to fool him.

“Alright.”

His father puffed on his cigarette, turned the stovetop to high heat, and began stir-frying chili peppers with pork. “…It’s been bothering me.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I had a call with the editor earlier. The manuscript needs to be finalized as soon as possible. The client has already been pressuring him. He wants me to go to his office to work on it, so we can discuss it in real-time and be more efficient.”

After a pause, he added, “Originally, I didn’t want to leave now that you’re back. But it’s a 30,000 yuan job… And with my situation… It’s hard to land gigs like this, you know?”

Ren Ye froze for a moment before quickly asking, “That urgent? When does he want it done?”

“He said it must be ready in six days at the latest. The first priority is fixing the plot hole around the Daoist’s death.”

“…”

Hearing the precise six-day deadline, Ren Ye’s posture stiffened, his hand gripping the bowl tightly.

…

88 Lianhu Road.

The sharp-eyed Red-Eyed Berserker had been in the office all day—his longest work session in recent years. Even his lunch had been delivered by a colleague.

His computer screen flickered as he browsed personnel files provided by both headquarters and the local Shanghai branch.

This task required meticulous attention. Sending the wrong person with Ren Ye could very well lead to two bodies being delivered instead of one.

“Snap!”

Lighting a cigarette, Huang Wei leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples as he picked up his phone for a brief break.

Instinctively, he opened a popular social app and saw over 200 unread messages in a group chat titled “Great Minds Gathering.”

Hah. Nothing but lazy people flooding the chat instead of working.

Amused and mildly disdainful, he clicked on it.

One pinned message immediately caught his attention:

“Wait, what the hell?” Huang Wei muttered as he read, his posture slowly straightening.