Chapter 39-Game Descent: I Am the Sole Player
Chapter 39
Lin Huijun did not let the valet park the car — why on earth was someone still working as a hotel valet after the apocalypse? Once she thought about it that way, the differential treatment bothered her a lot less.
Huang Yuci handled the check-in on their behalf. The front desk had clearly been informed in advance and did not ask Bai Shan to produce her Diamond Badge. Instead, they greeted her with the warmth of a five-star welcome.
Stepping into the hotel, Bai Shan found the décor a bit dazzling. The place was done up in maximalist style — everywhere she looked, lavish details competed for attention: Baroque chandeliers, vases brimming with fresh flowers, meticulously carved sculptures... The elaborate ornaments still gleamed, obviously well-maintained.
Bai Shan had not expected to stay in a hotel like this after the game's descent. Looking at the staff's impeccable smiles, she felt no thrill — only an odd sense of unease.
Then, in a corner of the lobby, she spotted an aquarium. Brightly coloured fish lay dead among the coral and waterweeds, some floating belly-up against the glass lid — a grotesquely vivid coffin of fish.
Only then did Bai Shan confirm they were still in reality.
"Oh, that — the equipment malfunctioned. We'll have it cleaned out right away."
The lobby attendant who had come to receive them noticed Bai Shan staring at the tank and hastened to explain.
The lifts had been shut down for safety reasons. She led the three of them up the stairs. Bai Shan's room was on the fifth floor.
"All guests staying on this floor hold a Gold Badge or above. The landline in your room is operational — feel free to contact the lobby at any time. I'm your dedicated butler, Xiao Tao. I'm in Room 509. If you need anything, you can come to me directly."
"Mm."
That was the first word Bai Shan had uttered since entering the hotel — the quintessence of a mysterious, aloof expert.
As the butler Xiao Tao was about to leave, Bai Shan quietly shifted her position. The woman turned around and walked right into her. Xiao Tao apologised profusely before departing.
The door opened onto a living room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a balcony overlooking the hotel's central courtyard pool. Compared to the opulent lobby, the suite's style was more understated and inviting.
Huang Yuci tagged along for the full tour and was even more excited than the two of them, declaring that one day she too would stay here.
"There are plenty of abandoned hotels around. You could just move into an empty one."
Bai Shan offered the more realistic suggestion.
Huang Yuci shot back: "Stay in an abandoned hotel? I don't fancy starring in Hotel Nightmare or Battle of the Mutants — and with someone like me as the lead, the rating wouldn't even crack a 4 out of 10!"
After helping the two settle in, Huang Yuci soon said she had to go. Bai Shan took a Coke from the room's mini bar and handed it to her, then cracked open a Sprite for herself. "Besides us, is anyone else staying here?"
"This place is mainly for hosting strong outsiders and their families. There are also some powerful locals who don't have... connections."
Lin Huijun could not help asking: "What do you mean by 'don't have connections'?"
Huang Yuci gave a cryptic smile, as if everything went without saying. "Sheltered high-schoolers, let me give you an example — the Xu family—"
Thud. The Sprite slipped from Bai Shan's hand, hit the floor, and splashed everywhere, soaking the beige carpet.
"Geez, you'd think a Level-17 player could hold onto a drink..."
Huang Yuci looked down, grumbling reflexively — when a lit phone screen was thrust in front of her eyes.
[Someone is listening in.]
Lin Huijun and Huang Yuci's eyes went wide. Both looked at Bai Shan in unison.
Bai Shan spoke aloud: "Forget it. I just want to know — does Cheng Yue live here?"
"...No, she doesn't. She has her own villa."
Huang Yuci answered hurriedly.
Then, as if sleepwalking, she let Bai Shan usher her out. The door slammed shut behind her, and only then did the meaning of "someone is listening in" hit her.
She had been one sentence away from bad-mouthing the Xu family right under the Xu Group's nose.
She liked to think she had some connections, but those shallow ties were nowhere near enough to guarantee that saying the wrong thing and angering the wrong people would not get her bagged and tossed into the river — and in this new era, they would not even need to go to that much trouble.
A shiver shot through Huang Yuci's entire body. She hurried away, her grand ambition of moving into this hotel thoroughly extinguished.
[The butler Xiao Tao — her Talent is super hearing.]
Bai Shan continued typing on her phone's notes app.
[This hotel exists to surveil high-level players outside the Xu system.]
The thought of being eavesdropped on made Lin Huijun's skin crawl. The comfortable, luxurious suite suddenly felt like a bed of needles.
The butler Xiao Tao had looked no different from any concierge at a high-end hotel before the apocalypse — warm smile, attentive service. For a moment it had genuinely felt like a holiday, so much so that Lin Huijun had nearly forgotten: this was a world where everyone possessed a Talent.
[Don't worry. Act like we don't know.]
Lin Huijun's mood remained heavy. She looked at Bai Shan and caught what seemed like a half-smile lurking in her eyes.
Bai Shan normally wore a cold, blank expression. A cold face did not mean she was in a bad mood. On the contrary, when Bai Shan smiled — that was when you should worry. It meant someone was about to have a very bad day.
Bai Shan was, of course, furious about the eavesdropping. She could hold her breath right now and silently assassinate the butler without a sound. But kill one butler, and there would be a second.
Bai Shan's original purpose in coming to a major city was to broaden her horizons and help her think through how to use the [Rule Pen]. On top of that, a big city offered more opportunities to pick up desirable Talents with [Admonition].
Now Bai Shan keenly felt just how naïve and trusting she had been. She had been here less than half a day and had already witnessed the treachery of the big city.
Player Association, Xu Group... treating guests so disingenuously was a recipe for disaster.
The two sat in silence on the plush sofa for a while. After turning things over in her mind, Lin Huijun took Bai Shan's phone and typed in the notes app.
[Should we find an opportunity to leave?]
Their destination was Songjiang Province. Nanzhou City was only supposed to be a rest stop for resupplying. Now it was clear this was not a good place to linger, and Lin Huijun did not want to stay a moment longer.
Bai Shan understood, but leaving now would probably not be simple either.
[Lin Huijun, don't forget your other goal — the leaderboard.]
[We're already here. Let's grab something big before we go.]
Reading Bai Shan's reply, resolve gradually hardened in Lin Huijun's eyes, and the knot of tension in her chest loosened. Fear in the face of difficulty was only human, but having set herself an ambitious goal, she could only press forward.
Besides, she had Bai Shan by her side — a girl who pulled off miraculous feats at the drop of a hat.
[Okay. My goal in Nanzhou City is to reach Level 15.]
Lin Huijun noted her target in the phone's notes app. Bai Shan leaned over to look, took the phone back, and added:
[Level 20.]
Lin Huijun nodded in admiration. Classic Bai Shan — already Level 17 and still not satisfied. But setting 20 as a target made perfect sense, because Level 20 unlocked a second Skill!
In the entire world right now, the number of people who had unlocked a second Skill was probably fewer than fifty. Even Cheng Yue, ranked 61st, had only one.
Seeing Lin Huijun's confident expression about pushing to Level 20, Bai Shan nodded with satisfaction. After all, Lin Huijun's Level 10 was still too low — one slip and she could be gone. Although Bai Shan was getting the hang of driving, she still much preferred zoning out by the window or reading a book.
With their motivation renewed, Lin Huijun was still bothered by the surveillance. Even if they had no secrets to hide, being listened to was grating enough on its own.
Bai Shan put away her phone and suddenly spoke out loud, her voice echoing shamelessly through the lavish living room.
"This hotel suite is so stingy. Only a private villa would be worthy of me."
"Cheng Yue gets one — there's no reason I shouldn't."
Lin Huijun blinked, then played along in a stilted voice: "You're right. You're even stronger than Cheng Yue. If she gets a villa, someone of your calibre should be living in an estate!"
The two of them mimicked the tone of an arrogant villainess and her sycophantic sidekick from a low-budget drama, then burst out laughing.
In a suite on the fifth floor, the professional smile had long since vanished. Butler Xiao Tao dutifully monitored the new guest, scribbling notes at furious speed, feeling an inexplicable twinge of disappointment.
She had expected the teenager who had openly provoked Cheng Yue to be something special. As it turned out, she was just an ordinary adolescent — arrogant and reckless now that she had a bit of power, naïvely equating strength with everything.
Yet even someone as strong as Cheng Yue could not do as she pleased.
Xiao Tao set down her pen and rubbed her ears, cutting off her ability.
The landline suddenly rang — ring, ring, ring. She dashed over to answer. It was the two new guests, demanding dinner, and with the exacting request for local specialities.
As if Nanzhou City had any edible local specialities left!
Butler Xiao Tao responded with a smile, then hung up stone-faced and dialled the kitchen.
Knock, knock, knock.
Cheng Yue stood outside a conference room, rapping slowly on the door. The wooden surface gave back a muffled echo.
Only after hearing "come in" did she push the door open.
Seven people were already seated inside. Cheng Yue walked in but did not sit. She stood before the conference table, hands clasped behind her back, fingers locked tightly together, her face expressionless.
"Cheng Yue, Xu Da says she saw you stopped cold by some young girl. The report from the stadium more or less corroborates it..."
"I'd like to hear your side."
The old man in the head seat appeared to be about seventy, sharp-eyed and vigorous, his triangular gaze piercing.
"The one called Bai Shan is formidable. Had I truly fought her, it would have injured the bystanders and reflected poorly on us."
Cheng Yue answered.
"I see. That's the celebrity mindset talking — you haven't fully shifted gears yet." The old man laughed heartily. "No need to be so careful. What Nanzhou City needs is a powerful Cheng Yue, not a kind-hearted celebrity."
Cheng Yue lowered her eyes. "...I understand."
The old man continued: "Of course, kindness is a virtue — but it mustn't get in the way of business. You've been in the entertainment industry since you were six. Surely you know that."
A middle-aged woman at the far end of the table tensed. She quickly spoke up: "Absolutely. Our Cheng Yue has been smart and well-behaved since she was little. I've always had complete peace of mind as her mother."
Then she turned to Cheng Yue and changed the subject. "The reason we called you in is that the company has drawn up a new-phase plan for you."
"First and foremost: push to Level 20 and unlock a second Skill. That's the most critical step. After that, help expand the Association's reach..."
"Originally, I wanted you to challenge the person ranked just above you — Selam."
The old man in the head seat cut the middle-aged woman short, his tone carrying a cold edge.
"But we can't find any information on this Selam, and we know very little about Position Swap Battles. It's too risky. We've vetoed the idea."
"The game grows more unpredictable by the day. We need you to grow stronger faster. To speed up your levelling, we've just made a small decision."
The old man's words were laden with implication. "You're nearly Level 19, aren't you? Killing a Level-17 player shouldn't pose much of a problem. The experience should be enough to push you to 20."
Cheng Yue finally raised her eyes. "...A Level-17 player?"
"Relax — we have all these people to back you up. Just like during Phase One. No one will be a match for us." Another middle-aged man at the table spoke with breezy confidence.
Cheng Yue pressed the question: "The Level-17 player — you mean Bai Shan, from the stadium?"
The middle-aged man gave a dismissive smile. "Her timing couldn't be better. An unknown outsider with nothing but a Level-10 companion — sure, she's Level 17, but against us, a Level 17 is just a walking experience pack. It's no different from a child carrying gold through a crowded market."
Cheng Yue raised a measured objection. "Doesn't the Association plan to recruit more high-level players in the future and become the southern hub? If something like this gets out, it won't look good for the Association's reputation. I can kill more monsters instead — there are still some in the surrounding counties and towns..."
The middle-aged man cut her off. "Inside Nanzhou City, we've already cleared out most of the high-level monsters. My nephew has been begging me to arrange power-levelling runs for him."
"So this Bai Shan showing up is perfect timing. She drove straight into Nanzhou City and then went out of her way to provoke you — plenty of witnesses saw it."
"Someone like that — we stage a little more 'conflict,' eliminate her in the name of public safety, and there won't be any problems. Far more efficient than hunting monsters."
"...I see." Cheng Yue closed her eyes and said softly, "Understood."
"Set it up. I'll kill her and reach Level 20."
Cheng Yue gave a slight nod and left the conference room.
She closed the door behind her but did not walk away. She stayed outside, leaning against the wall beside the doorframe.
Before the game's descent and after it — "Cheng Yue" had only ever been an IP. An IP built on hefty capital investment.
Without Cheng Yue's fame, the Xu Player Association could never have seized control of Nanzhou City so swiftly. But without the Xu Group, Cheng Yue could never have climbed to her current position.
As for who needed whom more — all Cheng Yue knew was that she had been the one chosen. Just like that talent show she had competed in four years ago: she had debuted in the centre position on her eighteenth birthday to thunderous celebration, even though her actual vote count had placed her third.
Because she was young enough. Because she already had a following. Because her mother was a minor shareholder.
Through the door, the muffled clamour of the conference room seemed to carry, faintly, her mother's voice.
Because "our Cheng Yue has been smart and well-behaved since she was little."
And so she had been selected.
The toe of her shoe shifted slightly. Just as Cheng Yue was about to leave, a shrill, furious voice erupted unmistakably from inside the conference room.
"What do you mean the hotel had an earthquake?! Are you telling me Nanzhou City has earthquakes now? Are you sure it's not some monster underground? All those top players staying there — are they just freeloading?!"
"That Bai Shan is demanding to leave the earthquake zone? Since when does Nanzhou City have an earthquake zone?! Keep her here — whatever she asks for, agree to it first!"
Cheng Yue listened. She recalled the eyes she had met in the stadium — the ones that had left such a vivid impression.
That Bai Shan was the complete opposite of her.
*
Author's Note
Bai Shan: If I don't like the hotel, I'll just wreck it.
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