7L: Go watch the replay of the Cat Cafe live stream first before you judge the “rookie.”
8L: Finished watching. I admit she has some skill, but rejecting the Hanging Mirror Directorate, Silent Pivot, and Ashen Feather Court? Isn't that just being ungrateful?
9L: Do you have some misunderstanding of the word “invite”? Guild recruitment isn't charity. Once she joins, she'll be managed, have to do quests, and hand over benefits. Why is she ungrateful just because she doesn't want to join?
10L: Exactly. The strong don't like being bound. Is that so hard to understand?
11L: Besides, the Witch's Talent isn't ordinary. The magic she used in the latter half of the Cat Cafe dungeon is not something a rookie should be able to produce.
12L: I'm still analyzing the replay. Her teleportation, recovery, arrays, curse counter-control, and purification—that's at least five different systems. Can anyone explain how she did that?
13L: No one can. This aspect has always been a mystery. The System Mall has never publicly listed a similar class system.
14L: Did she get a hidden inheritance?
15L: It's more than just a hidden inheritance. Didn't you see how the people from the four major guilds reacted? When Judge stepped forward, the entire plaza went dead silent. How many people can get the Hanging Mirror Directorate's Second Leader to personally invite them?
16L: Judge is rank 5 on the Peak Leaderboard, Guanwei is 18th, Ash is 15th, Eclipse is 16th, Luan is 17th, and Shadowweaver is 22nd. This lineup is terrifying enough anywhere.
17L: Don't forget, after the Witch rejected them, she even said points and items were of no use to her.
18L: That line was truly arrogant.
19L: Arrogant? She has the capital to be arrogant. She buys advanced recovery potions without a second thought, and pulls out high-tier spells one after another in the dungeon. The resources behind her are probably far greater than we imagine.
20L: Maybe she's just putting on an act.
21L: An act? She ran right in front of Judge. Do you think Judge wouldn't see through an act?
22L: I think the most impressive thing about the Witch isn't her ability, but how cleanly she rejected them. That kind of confidence can't be faked. With the four major guilds standing in front of me, my legs would have gone weak.
23L: It's normal for your legs to go weak. She isn't an ordinary person.
24L: Did anyone see where she went?
25L: No. A flash of spatial fluctuation, and she was gone. Guanwei seemed to want to give chase, but Judge stopped her.
26L: Why did Judge stop her?
27L: Probably because they couldn't catch up.
28L: Don't talk nonsense. If someone of Judge's caliber really wanted to chase her, it wouldn't be that simple.
29L: I was on the scene. It wasn't that they couldn't catch up; he just didn't let her chase. The Hanging Mirror Directorate doesn't seem to want to sour relations.
30L: The Eclipse Corridor side might not feel the same.
31L: Eclipse was chased and slashed down half a street by Luan. How would he have time to chase the Witch?
32L: Lmao, what did Eclipse do this time?
33L: Scroll up, someone mentioned it above.
34L: Back from scrolling. That is so Ashen Feather Court.
35L: And very Eclipse Corridor.
36L: I just want to know, who exactly is the Witch?
37L: Current profile: Female, around eighteen years old, codename Witch. Suspected of achieving a high-completion clear on her very first dungeon. On good terms with Nuo God Zhu Lingxi and Siren Pei Tinglan. Suspected of holding rare space-type items or magic.
38L: Adding to that, it seems she will team up with the Nuo God and Siren in the future.
39L: What? Siren is willing to team up with someone?
40L: He didn't explicitly agree, but he didn't object either.
41L: That's even scarier than agreeing.
42L: Camping here for the Witch's next dungeon.
43L: Same. If she starts a live stream, I'm definitely joining immediately.
44L: Don't bother. Truly capable people don't need an audience.
45L: If you don't want to watch, fine, but don't decide for others.
46L: Someone has already opened a bet on whether the Witch can enter the Peak Leaderboard in her next dungeon.
47L: I bet she can.
48L: I bet she blows up the forum first.
49L: No need for that. She hasn't even entered the leaderboard, yet the forum is already about to blow up because of her.
Arguments continued endlessly on the forum.
Some mocked Cen Yao for being too arrogant.
Some felt that by rejecting the four major guilds, she was pushing herself down a dead end.
Others repeatedly analyzed the Cat Cafe live stream replay, leaving long, detailed write-ups under every magic circle, every incantation, and every spatial fluctuation.
But whether they were optimistic or skeptical, everyone had to admit one thing.
The codename “Witch” had thoroughly entered the sight of the Horror Game's high-level players.
Cen Yao, who had painfully lost her original codename: ?
Meanwhile, the interiors of the four major guilds were not much calmer than the forum.
Hanging Mirror Directorate Headquarters.
In the conference room, key clips from the Cat Cafe were playing on loop on the projection screen.
A youth in a black uniform stood by the table, playing with a silver-white badge in his hand.
He had cold, sharp features and a high brow bone, naturally giving off an oppressive aura when he looked down at others.
The Hanging Mirror Directorate's new-generation star player, codename “Night Watch.”
Rank 92 on the Peak Leaderboard.
His real-world identity was unknown, but he was famous for his extremely strong tracking, infiltration, and night-combat abilities.
Having entered the game less than half a year ago, he was already one of the most watched figures among the younger generation of the Hanging Mirror Directorate.
“There is something wrong with her spatial ability.”
Night Watch watched the footage of Cen Yao leaving with the other two on the screen. “It's not a conventional item.”
The short-haired girl sitting on the other side of the conference table looked up.
She had striking features with slightly upturned eyes, wearing a neat red and black combat suit, with a silver longbow resting by her side.
Codename “Crescent Moon.”
Rank 97 on the Peak Leaderboard.
She was another star player of the Hanging Mirror Directorate, specializing in long-range snipes and soul-locking, boasting countless fans on the forum.
“And it's not just her spatial ability.”
Crescent Moon lightly tapped the table.
“When she faced the four major guilds at the end, she said points and items were of no use to her. If this judgment wasn't a bluff, it means she has a stable and independent source of resources.”
Night Watch said indifferently, “If you are talking about that potion of hers that can instantly restore condition without side effects, she indeed doesn't lack resources.”
Crescent Moon raised her eyebrows.
“That's why I want to meet her even more.”
“Judge didn't allow contact?”
“Judge said not to actively probe her in the short term.”
“Why?”
“Because probing someone whose trump cards you don't understand can easily turn a potential partner into an enemy.”
Crescent Moon fell silent for a moment.
She stared at the figure on the projection whose face was concealed by the witch's robe, a hint of interest gradually rising in her eyes.
“But I don't think she's really so strong that we can't test her.”
Night Watch glanced at her.
“What do you want to do?”
Crescent Moon smiled.
“Nothing.”
“But the next time she enters a dungeon, if we happen to cross paths, I'd like to see for myself.”
Silent Pivot.
In an intelligence room almost devoid of light, dozens of light screens floated in mid-air.
Each screen displayed different dungeon information, player profiles, and transaction records.
A youth in a white shirt sat in the very center.
His hair was slightly long, his skin cold and pale, and a pair of thin-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose.
Though he looked gentle and refined, he was carelessly rolling a blood-stained die in his hand.
Codename “Daylight.”
One of the most famous puzzle-solving players of the younger generation in Silent Pivot.
Rank 95 on the Peak Leaderboard.
Standing beside him was a young girl in a dark green dress, her expression cool and aloof, holding a thin sheet of paper covered in symbols between her fingertips.
Codename “Rainmaker.”
Rank 99 on the Peak Leaderboard.
She specialized in perception, dungeon weather deduction, and curse avoidance, and also enjoyed extremely high popularity.
“She rejected Ash.”
Daylight looked at the records on the screen, a hint of amusement in his tone.
“And she said she can predict the future too.”
Rainmaker lowered her eyes. “Within the Witch system, there is indeed a branch for divination.”
“But her performance didn't look like simple divination.”
“Yeah.”
Daylight stopped the die between his fingers.
Rainmaker looked at him. “What do you think she deduced?”
“Who knows.”
Rate on N.U.
