“Speaking of which, why does looking at this thing give me the urge to kill?” Evangeline murmured, tilting her head up, her crimson fingernails clicking sharply as she frowned at a certain spot in the main hall.

“Same here. I don’t know what it means, but it just feels incredibly irritating,” Mikoto said, the electricity around her crackling incessantly, her tea-colored short hair bristling from the electric stimulation.

“Since we’re all annoyed, let’s just destroy it.” Mugino Shizuri meant what she said. With a dark expression, Atomic Break erupted from between her fingers, shooting toward a point in the main hall in an instant. A flash of light illuminated the spot, but to her disappointment, it remained completely untouched.

“Damn it, can’t this thing be destroyed?” Rin’s brow was tightly furrowed as she stared at the area bombarded by Atomic Break. She suddenly entertained the idea of bombarding it with the entire Gem Empire.

“Lin Luo, let’s fuse and chop it down!” Lei said, unusually assertive, forcefully grabbing Lin Luo’s arm.

“…Uh, I don’t think that’s necessary, is it?” Lin Luo managed a strained smile, his face twitching. He was trembling with fear and immense pressure at that moment. Feeling the terrifying atmosphere flowing around them, he felt an icy chill crawl straight into his heart, breaking out in a cold sweat.

He had initially assumed these girls, lacking in deep otaku knowledge, wouldn't figure things out. But he never expected their sixth sense to be so terrifyingly acute, immediately pinpointing the root of all evil based purely on intuition… It was utterly outrageous.

Following the line of Evangeline and the others’ gazes, Lin Luo cautiously looked up. There, hanging on the main gate at the center of the hall, was a plaque inscribed with three characters in golden lacquer. The characters were bold, upright, majestic—like a coiled dragon or a tiger descending a mountain. Every stroke revealed the writer’s soaring ambition, their peerless courage to defy fate, and their unwavering resolve to challenge danger.

The three characters were, unmistakably… Crystal Palace.

Yes, Lin Luo had established this Crystal Palace, based in the Sky City, but now this Crystal Palace seemed to be facing the imminent threat of demolition.

“What do those three words mean? You had better tell me honestly,” the Queen said, her slender waist swaying as she strolled toward Lin Luo, a silken, seductive smile playing on her lips as she spoke softly.

Normally, if she adopted such a posture, Lin Luo’s heart would surely flutter. But at this moment, he felt like he was hovering between hell and heaven… danger loomed on all sides.

Gazing at those murderous eyes fixed upon him, Lin Luo suppressed his inner unease, striving to calm his spirit. As the saying goes, honesty brings leniency; defiance brings severity. Lin Luo resolved to strictly adhere to this rule. He took a deep breath, adopting an air of righteous dignity. “The so-called Crystal Palace is the Hall of the Victor. Crystal signifies a dazzling, brilliant light—irresistible under divine radiance, conquering all. Palace is a symbol of peace and prosperity, where the victor, as tranquil as still water despite brutal wars, reigns over the world draped in glorious splendor. Therefore, the Crystal Palace is the Hall of the Victor, the final abode of the King.”

“Master speaks profoundly! I am utterly impressed,” Hisui clapped her hands, visibly excited.

“I was careless; I never imagined Master’s vision was so far-reaching,” Yui said, tears welling up in her eyes.

Yaye said nothing, but her eyes sparkled with heart shapes, clearly too moved to speak.

The three maidservants, inexperienced in the world’s treachery, were utterly convinced by Lin Luo’s smooth talk. Even several ABERs nodded frequently, their faces filled with expressions of agreement.

“The Hall of Victory? Not bad, the Crystal Palace is truly excellent,” Lily remarked while exuding an aura of majesty.

“The King’s final abode… Wonderful. I decree that my palace shall also be named the Crystal Palace from now on,” Nero said, her eyes full of longing.

Lin Luo looked utterly bewildered, yet felt a surge of relief internally.

However, not everyone was so easily fooled. At least Mikoto and Evangeline didn’t buy it.

Mikoto: “Bullshit, right?”

Evangeline: “Mmm, pure bullshit.”

Mugino Shizuri: “Definitely bullshit.”

Misaki: “Absolutely trying to fool us.”

Tohsaka Rin: “This guy frequently twists the wrong things into the right ones. Don't trust him.”

Lei: “Lin Luo, are you pulling our leg?”

I am pulling their leg, but can I tell them the truth?

Lin Luo certainly couldn’t tell the truth. Thus, he steadfastly clung to his ‘twisted logic.’ Of course, the young women were not easily placated; using their displeasure as grounds, they forcibly demanded the Crystal Palace be renamed. However, Lily and the others firmly stood by the Crystal Palace, and the two sides immediately devolved into a stalemate, a tug-of-war.

Finally, after negotiations, everyone agreed to decide the fate of the Crystal Palace by a vote, excluding the maidservants from voting.

Thirteen people voted in total: six young women voted against, Lin Luo naturally voted for, and his daughter, Schwarzwald, stood with her father. The other four ABERs also sided with Lin Luo. The sides were deadlocked, so the final verdict rested on one person—Kuroi Mato.

“Me?” Kuroi tilted her head, utterly bewildered. She was merely an onlooker; when did the battle line extend to her? Did even spectating incur friendly fire?

“Kuroi, we cannot have the Crystal Palace!”

“Kuroi, we must keep the Crystal Palace!”

Both sides lobbied her efforts relentlessly.

“I… I think I’ll abstain?”

“No!” Twelve voices chimed in unison.

“Then I… vote in favor.” The decision was made.

As Kuroi’s decisive vote fell, the affirmative side won. The Crystal Palace was officially established. It was a moment worthy of commemoration, an unforgettable moment. This day ushered in the Golden Age of the Crystal Palace… (Massive exaggeration.)

In any case, the matter of the Crystal Palace concluded, and Lin Luo breathed a sigh of relief. Honestly, Kuroi voting in favor was slightly beyond his expectations. While latent issues remained on several fronts, overall, it could be deemed a cause for celebration.

“Ah, forget it, forget it. I’ll find something else fun to do.” People always felt empty after a war, especially the losers. Rin waved her hand listlessly, then pointed toward one of the distant floating cities, asking Lin Luo, “What is that engraved with the character for ‘Treasure’?”

“Oh, that’s Treasure Mountain. It’s a place for treasure hunting and adventuring… just like an RPG. You enter the map, fight monsters, and get equipment,” Lin Luo replied with a smug, victorious grin.

“That sounds interesting. Does that Treasure Mountain have dimensional teleportation?” Rin’s eyes lit up upon hearing Treasure Mountain, instantly sweeping away her defeated lethargy.

“Of course, it’s right over there,” Lin Luo nodded, pointing to a pillar dozens of meters to the right.

“Great! I’ll go try it out first.” Rin was overjoyed, and before finishing her sentence, she ran toward it.

“Let’s go too, then.” Mikoto and Evangeline, who also enjoyed games, decided to follow Rin toward the gray pillar, seeing as they had nothing else to do.

The others didn't move. The ABERs found playing games too childish and preferred resting. Mugino and the others didn't want to be the first to test the waters, preferring to wait for the pioneers to gauge the poison first.

Three seconds after stepping onto the pillar, Rin, Mikoto, and Evangeline vanished simultaneously. At the same moment, a giant projection suddenly appeared before those still standing in the atrium, displaying the three of them.

“Father, what is this thing?” Schwarzwald asked curiously.

“It’s the fully automatic projection, of course,” Lin Luo replied, patting her head with a smile.

“What’s it for?”

“To help us find a walkthrough,” Lin Luo explained. “You know, that Treasure Mountain game is very difficult. You can be taken down without realizing it. If we can’t work together to find a perfect strategy, we won’t pass at all. By the way, when the game officially starts, they can see us here too, and hear what we say, which makes strategizing more convenient.”

Misaki frowned immediately. “Even with this kind of cheat available, this game must be really hard.”

At that moment, the game for Mikoto and the others officially began. Following a flash of intense light, their clothes instantly transformed. Their original attire became a set of Hero Swordsman gear—silver armor, looking heroic and striking. Each held a short sword; these were the game’s starting items—the Novice Set.

“Wow, this is amazing! This game is so realistic,” Mikoto exclaimed excitedly, examining herself from head to toe.

“It looks like it will be a good game,” Evangeline nodded slightly, though holding a sword felt slightly incongruous for her magical affinity.

“I can’t wait,” Rin said with a slight wave of her short sword.

“Mikoto, Rin, Evangeline, can you hear me?” Just then, Lin Luo’s voice sounded in their ears.

“Huh? Why can your voice reach here?” The three of them looked surprised. They were dozens of miles away from the atrium; how could his voice travel so far?

Lin Luo offered no explanation but said, “Press the button on your left hand, and you’ll know.”

“The button on the left hand?” The three instinctively looked at their left hands. Sure enough, they saw a small red button on their arms.

Lin Luo spoke again, “Yes, press that button, and you’ll be able to see us, and check your own stats, allies, and enemies.”

The three didn't hesitate and lightly pressed the red button. Immediately, a screen appeared in the upper right corner of their vision, showing Lin Luo and the others standing in the atrium. “It really is here! So magical!”

In addition to that, they saw a row of stats in the lower right corner:

Swordsman: LV1 HP Combat Power: 5

This row of stats left the three speechless. Weren't those numbers extremely low? And such a simplistic stat configuration seemed so slapdash. Was this really okay?

“As you can see, your initial class is Swordsman. You can only change class after leveling up. Also, in this game, you cannot use your own innate abilities; you can only use in-game skills.”

“Chop?”

The expressions of the three twitched again because they saw that their skill bar contained only one skill: “Chop.”

What a rip-off!

No matter how shoddy they made it, they could have at least thought of a better name for the skill. This was truly outrageous!

Despite the internal complaints, frankly, they were looking forward to this game. After composing themselves slightly, Mikoto asked, “What do we do now?”

“Hmm…” Lin Luo hesitated slightly, then said gravely, “The fun of the game is supposed to be experienced by you yourselves. However, since you are the very first users of this game, I have made a difficult decision…”

“Enough with the nonsense,” Evangeline challenged, raising an eyebrow.

“…Fine. I will tell you the walkthrough now. Take the path to the right. About a hundred meters away, there are three treasure chests filled with equipment you can use to replace your starting gear. Of course, there is a Boss guarding that area, and you must defeat the Boss to get the equipment.” This was the official, authoritative statement from the game host.

“Oh, that sounds quite simple,” Mikoto nodded.

“Wait!” Rin, however, had grown wary. Given her past experiences of being bullied by Lin Luo, she suspiciously asked, “You’re being so kind telling us this—is there some scheme behind it?”

Lin Luo broke into a cold sweat, his fingers hidden behind his back trembling nervously. He quickly stammered, “How could that be? Anyway, the first stage Boss is easy enough to beat.”

Everyone thought about it and agreed. No matter how difficult the first stage was, it couldn't be too abnormal. Even if Lin Luo had designed a trap, with their skill level, they could easily pass… Even though they were only Level 1 now, with only 10 HP and 5 Combat Power, even if their inherent abilities were unusable in this game, their battle experience remained. There was nothing to fear.

“Alright, we’ll trust you this once.” So the three closed the holographic display and bravely set off down the path Lin Luo had indicated. Yet, at that moment, no one noticed the sly, sinister smile that flashed across Lin Luo’s lips.

That hundred meters was neither excessively long nor short. The entire passage was pitch black, looking eerie and terrifying—certainly not a pleasant place. But for these three, it was no big deal, and the environment even provided an extra thrill and novelty.

The three players participating in the game were excited and nervous, and the onlookers watching from outside found the situation quite amusing.

Soon, the three passed through the hundred-meter-long passage and arrived in a wide, brightly lit room. Just as Lin Luo had said, three treasure chests were placed at the far end. Rin’s eyes lit up, and she was about to rush over to open them.

“Wait a moment,” Evangeline quickly pulled her back, warning her. “Didn't he say a Boss was guarding this place? Let’s defeat the Boss first. It would be disastrous if we were ambushed while grabbing the chests.”

Evangeline, after all, had some gaming experience and understood the awkwardness of being ambushed by a Boss.

“Right,” Mikoto agreed, nodding. But then the problem arose, “But speaking of which, where is the Boss?”

“Indeed, we can’t see a shadow of a Boss.” The three looked around the room. Besides themselves and the three treasure chests dozens of meters opposite them, there was absolutely nothing else—not even a fly, let alone a Boss.

“Is that guy trying to fool us again?” Rin suddenly had a bad feeling.

Just then, Lin Luo’s voice sounded again, “The Boss will appear ten seconds after you enter this room. Of course, if you try to grab the chests, it will appear instantly, and all its stats will double.”

“Double the stats? Are you serious?” Rin broke out in a cold sweat, secretly thankful she hadn't gone for the chests. Even a Level 1 Boss with doubled stats would be terrifying; this was just deliberately setting them up to fail!

“Then let’s wait a little while. It’s only ten seconds,” they decided. The three waited in the room for a few seconds. As soon as the ten seconds passed, a colossal figure suddenly descended, causing the entire room to shake violently.

“Whoa, what, what?” The three staggered, crying out in alarm.

When the dust and smoke cleared, and they saw the true form of the colossal creature, the three young women froze. Opposite them stood a Western Dragon over ten meters tall. While this dragon was far inferior to dragons in reality, now, deep within the game, they felt an irresistible pressure enveloping their entire bodies.

The three couldn't move a muscle, thinking, This is bad.

At that moment, the Boss’s unique skill, “Nonsense,” activated. The giant dragon shot the three a look of utter contempt, turning its head away dismissively, “Hmph. You dare covet this King’s treasure? You seek death.”

Hearing this, a hostile glint appeared simultaneously in the eyes of the three. But before they could react, a searing dragon breath roared past them.

Ding -10 Ding -10 Ding -10

Three bright red numbers popped up above their heads, and they instantly dissolved into white light… Instant kill, clean and swift.

“Hmph. True men are not afraid of adversity [a garbled compliment inserted here]. Come back and challenge me next time with a larger bust,” the dragon declared with immense arrogance, and then vanished.

In the atrium of the Sky City, everyone who witnessed this—except Lin Luo—was dumbfounded… What an idiotic game, an idiotic Boss. No explanation needed.

“You… you bastard!” Just then, the three who had just been instantly killed reappeared at the game's starting point. Rin roared furiously at Lin Luo through the holographic projection, “Are you out of your mind? We are Level 1, and you choose the first enemy to be a Level 99 Bastard! Are you even capable of playing games? A Level 1 novice challenging a Level 99 Boss? We stood there unable to move and were instantly killed by the Boss, weren't we?”

Rin had transformed into a raging spirit, fully embodying the roaring type. Mikoto and Evangeline were equally furious. This game was too rigged!

“Of course, because it’s the Ultimate Boss! Its level and attack power are significantly higher than yours. Under the pressure of the Dragon’s Might, you naturally couldn’t move and were instantly killed,” Lin Luo stated matter-of-factly.

This sentence further stoked the trio’s anger. Rin continued to rage, “Then why did you say it was easy to beat?”

“Yes, no matter how you try to kill it, you definitely won't succeed,” Lin Luo asserted righteously, showing no trace of guilt. “But if you somehow manage to kill it, you’ll obtain the Strongest Divine Equipment, and then the rest of the game will be a breeze.”

“You…” Rin was so angry she couldn't speak, her whole body trembling, her rage meter infinitely rising.

Just then, there was a sudden poof, and a puff of white smoke erupted from the three of them.

“Huh? What’s happening?” the voices of the three came from within the smoke.

“Ah!” When the smoke dissipated, the onlookers in the atrium were stunned again.

Mikoto was now wearing a Bunny Girl outfit, holding a waiter’s tray. Rin was wearing only an apron, holding a spoon. As for Evangeline, she was clad in a bikini swimsuit, her weapon a hula hoop.

“What is this?”

“Damn it, what kind of nonsense is this?”

“Bastard, explain yourself clearly!”

The three were both ashamed and furious, their faces flushed bright red as they desperately tried to cover their vital areas, their gazes fixed on Lin Luo, looking as if they wanted to kill him.

Lin Luo remained calm, his face unblushing and his breathing steady. He explained coolly, “Well, I forgot to mention one small detail earlier. There are penalties for failing in this game. Upon failure, all previous equipment is removed, and you are randomly assigned another set of gear…”

“Is this what you call equipment?” The three spoke in unison, murderous intent blazing in their eyes. They knew Lin Luo had played a trick on them.

“Yes, that is it,” Lin Luo affirmed seriously.

“K-kill… I will definitely kill you!” Rin trembled with rage, glaring fixedly at Lin Luo, her teeth gritted as she growled.

“I haven’t been this angry in a long time, Lin Luo. I will absolutely not let you off!” Mikoto’s face was equally enraged, murderous intent permeating the air.

As for Evangeline, her extreme anger turned into a cold laugh. She said coldly, “You bastard. When I get out, I will freeze you for a hundred years, and you can live clearly in an ice locker for a century!”

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” Lin Luo said calmly, shrugging his hands, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “Because I actually forgot to mention something else earlier. Once you enter this game, there are only two ways to exit: either clear the game, or stay inside for three hours. By the way, you absolutely cannot die during those three hours, or your level and the time will both reset.”

“You should have told us that sooner, damn it,” the three murmured in unison, shuddering once more.

“Then I wish you a wonderfully fast game,” Lin Luo called out to the trio, offering a warm, friendly smile.

“Fast my ass! When we get out of here, we’re going to kill you!”

Even as he was threatened so fiercely, Lin Luo showed no sign of worry. He commented casually, “Also, as a friendly tip, the path on the left is the correct route to proceed in the game. Be careful, even Level One monsters are incredibly tough. If you die again, you’ll find your next set of clothing even more revealing.”

“...Gkkkkk” The three young women’s teeth nearly ground themselves to dust.

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