Chapter 5: Targeted by Long Aotian

The first person to clear Hell mode would receive a substantial reward, including but not limited to a randomly assigned top-tier mech.

Lian Fei was just about to check what she had obtained when, upon exiting the dungeon, she was immediately overwhelmed by a flood of friend requests popping up on her screen.

What? What did she do? Why were so many people adding her?

Lian Fei hesitated for a moment, fumbling through the settings like an elderly person struggling with a smartphone, finally finding the option to refuse all friend requests.

When it came to gaming, she still preferred to play alone.

With a single click, she cleared all the pending friend requests.

Just as she thought it was over, she turned back and saw a crowd staring at her like hungry wolves eyeing a plump sheep.

Lian Fei: ?!!!

"Uh... hi?" she tentatively greeted.

Yet, no one responded; they just kept staring at her intently.

Scratching her cheek, Lian Fei maintained a polite smile, but her toes inside her shoes twisted awkwardly against the sole.

Why on earth were they looking at her like that?!

As she pondered whether to log off immediately to escape this eerie atmosphere, someone pushed through the crowd, walking toward her and speaking up:

“I’m forming a PvE team focused on dungeon raids. The rewards are generous. Would you like to join?”

Lian Fei glanced over. The man was about 1.8 meters tall with a finely sculpted face.

— In DOL, there’s a face customization system that allows players to mold facial features and body shape.

Lian Fei hadn’t used her own face but had modeled one after her previous life’s appearance, also increasing her height by ten centimeters.

Currently, she was a tall young woman standing 1.82 meters with a doll-like face.

She didn’t know the man and had no interest in what he was calling a PvE team.

“No, thank you.” Lian Fei waved her hand. “I prefer playing solo.”

The man’s expression remained blank, but Lian Fei keenly caught a fleeting look of displeasure in his eyes.

Does the DOL system even detect emotions? No wonder it’s an interstellar game; she would have to be more careful.

Lian Fei quietly mused to herself.

Such a difficult dungeon, and she chose to solo it—that meant in this future Eden game, she needed to be more cautious and not reckless.

Recalling the dungeon boss moments ago, Lian Fei still shuddered.

That little cat was incredibly fast, each move deadly. She had gritted her teeth and barely managed a stalemate.

If that cat hadn’t suddenly bitten her, allowing her to seize the moment and fire a shot, she might have been worn down to death.

Lost in her own thoughts, she hadn’t heard what the surrounding crowd was saying.

After she declined the invitation, the crowd erupted in uproar.

“Wow, so arrogant! She actually rejected K’s invitation?”

“Damn it, K! If she won’t join, I will! I want in!!!”

“Don’t think you can act so high and mighty just because you cleared a Hell dungeon!”

“K! Beat her up! Show her there’s always someone stronger!”

“Heh, thinks she’s something special just because she cleared a Hell dungeon? She just exploited a loophole, it’s not pure skill!”

“But... she really went toe-to-toe with the Hell Tarto,” someone said.

Everyone fell silent.

They had all fought the Hell Hive and some had tried solo runs.

Not to mention the Zerg that far outclassed the easy and normal dungeons—many players died immediately upon entering, unable to even reach the infirmary.

Those who made it to the infirmary either had incredible luck, finding the hospital amidst the swarm, or immense wealth, buying enough equipment to fight the Zerg.

Clearly, Lian Fei was the former.

At the infirmary stood the unimaginably powerful Tarto. Many players died just upon hearing its roar.

Seeing the staggering death rate, the Hell Hive became a terrifying presence no one dared challenge—except for well-trained squads.

DOL’s realism in injury and death was taken to the extreme.

Every injury and death in DOL affected the player’s emotions and mental state in the real world.

In other words, unless one was well-trained and mentally strong, dying too often in DOL could drive someone insane after returning to reality.

Because she had fought Tarto and knew its power, they had to admit this mysterious benefactor was quite formidable.

But seeing her reject K still made them angry!

“Don’t be ungrateful. Do you even know who our team leader is?” A guy with spiky hair next to K said.

This snapped Lian Fei out of her thoughts.

“Huh?” She tilted her head.

What was going on? Was she caught in some kind of over-the-top heroic drama?!

The spiky-haired guy gawked at her bewildered look, then growled, “Who do you think you are, acting so arrogant?! K invited you because he sees potential!”

Lian Fei raised an eyebrow, expression serious: “Is he strong?”

The crowd gasped sharply.

K’s teammates glared at Lian Fei with fury, while the onlookers regarded her with pity.

Did she really think she was impressive just because she soloed a Tarto?

No, the real number one was K—the undefeated top player on the DOL combat rankings since the game’s launch!

A few years ago, K had dominated the arena, commanding respect and fear from all players.

After crushing every rival, K grew bored and shifted focus to PvE, experimenting with various dungeon strategies.

Though K usually looked cold and expressionless, everyone knew he hated being challenged.

Once provoked, K would ruthlessly eliminate his challenger.

Lian Fei didn’t understand all the nuances; she had simply asked a question.

But looking at everyone’s expressions around her...

It seemed...

Like...

She had really stumbled into some kind of epic showdown.

And she was the cannon fodder.

Doomed. Could she just run away now?

“Very arrogant, huh? Which military academy do you attend?” A girl standing to K’s right pushed up her glasses, looking at Lian Fei with icy eyes.

Lian Fei: “Uh? Military academy... well...”

Military academy? Oh right, in an interstellar era, of course there would be military academies—not just in her previous life but also in this future.

Maybe she should look into how to apply to one.

After all, she was curious about what a military academy was like in space.

She drifted off into her own musings again.

“I’ve never seen you before. Did you just register for DOL recently?” A bespectacled guy behind the girl asked.

The spiky-haired guy scoffed, “Oh, a newbie. No wonder... clueless.”

He glanced at K, who remained expressionless.

K raised a hand, rubbed the back of his neck, and twisted his head, the sound of cracking bones accompanying the movement.

“Want to know how strong I am? Fight me once in the arena and you’ll find out,” K said, staring at Lian Fei without hiding his intensity.

The palpable killing intent gave Lian Fei goosebumps.

Lian Fei: ...Oh no, she’s really stepped on a tiger’s tail.

These interstellar players who solo difficult dungeons could just as easily solo her!

She wasn’t foolish enough to wait for the inevitable humiliation!

“No, no thanks.” Lian Fei wiped an imaginary bead of sweat from her forehead. “I’m just a newbie... Ah, my mom called me to dinner. Okay, see you next time! Bye!”

With that, she immediately hit the exit button.

Watching her swift escape, everyone present was speechless.

“Hmph, lucky she's fast!” The spiky-haired guy spat.

The glasses girl pushed up her glasses again and said, “She’ll be back on DOL eventually.”

K’s lips curled ever so slightly, but there was no warmth in his smile. Coldly, he said, “I’m very curious just how strong she really is.”

He had faced Tarto before, and even with top-tier gear and teammates, he could barely hold out three minutes against it.

This girl had gone blow for blow with Tarto for ten minutes and actually killed it.

What caught K’s attention most was that all her equipment had been system gifts—none were top-tier.

K lowered his gaze, his expression darkening.

Perhaps, an interesting player had truly arrived.