Chapter 46

Chapter 46

At six in the morning, Xi Yu woke up from his sleep right on time.

He rubbed his neck and sat up from the sofa, finding Luo Xi already drinking coffee by the window.

…This man must be the one who's actually a cat, right? How could he make no sound at all?

Xi Yu spoke softly: "Good morning."

Luo Xi had been hiding in the dark deep in thought. Upon hearing the voice, he reached out and opened the curtains. The faint morning light flooded in instantly, making Xi Yu squint.

"The nutrient pod only maintains basic survival needs. While lying in it, the body's metabolism slows down completely, and only the brain remains highly active. It's actually quite harmful to health," Luo Xi said, putting down his coffee cup. "The fifteen-day immersion period is tough, and on top of that, the game planners have likely designed a very harsh competitive environment for us. At that time, your brain will only keep sending out negative signals."

Xi Yu nodded: "I'll be careful to keep my emotions stable."

Luo Xi smiled faintly: "What I mean is, most streamers take some medicine or carry a functional token to protect themselves."

"No need. Relying too much on external aids only makes you weaker." Xi Yu reached into his pocket and took out the gift from the twins: "Besides, don’t we already have tokens?"

Luo Xi didn’t insist further: "Get ready and let’s head out early. The company consultant suggested going on an empty stomach. We’ll line up at the game room directly."

Xi Yu nodded.

Luo Xi chuckled lightly: "You’re not even a little worried?"

Xi Yu lifted the blanket and stretched his limbs, then rubbed his shoulder and said, "I’m only worried that Xiao Qi won’t eat properly, and by the time I go pick it up, it’ll be all skinny from hunger."

Luo Xi was helpless, watching him walk into the bathroom, then lowered his eyes again to hide his emotions.

This esports competition wasn't just a simple event for the company—it might be a turning point in life for him or the other streamers.

Of course, Luo Xi wanted freedom and to escape this den of wolves.

But he was a bit greedy. Besides those, he also wanted more.

So compared to Xi Yu’s calmness, he was actually very nervous, very anxious. Thoughts kept spinning in his mind, but he couldn’t say a single word.

Although the number of participating streamers this time was only the tip of the iceberg in Yuntai’s massive streaming community, it had gathered all the top contenders who believed in themselves—most of them of high rank or above.

These rarely-seen androids were now crowding at the same time in the two corridors lined with brand-new game rooms, creating a spectacular scene.

Xi Yu, fully prepared, followed Luo Xi through the crowd. Just as he was about to unlock his bracelet, someone suddenly tapped him on the back, making him turn around in confusion.

Still as stunning as ever, Fei Ling smiled: "Good morning."

Xi Yu was always gentler with women. He turned and nodded: "You’re competing too?"

"Of course. Only a fool would pass up this chance." Fei Ling played with the ends of her pale pink hair, glanced nervously at Luo Xi, and lowered her voice: "I need to talk to you—can we step aside for a moment?"The streamers at the front of the line had already started entering.

Xi Yu asked in confusion, “Now?”

Fei Ling stammered, “I-I actually tried to find you yesterday, but couldn’t. I don’t have clearance for the top floors… This preliminary round is really harsh, and I was afraid that if I didn’t say this now, I might never get another chance.”

Xi Yu furrowed his brows for a moment. Believing this girl neither had the means nor the motive to harm him, he turned to Luo Xi and said, “Wait for me a moment.”

Fei Ling, the little singer, was indeed attracting attention, but she had no mind to care about others’ stares. She quickly dragged Xi Yu into a nearby café and stood on tiptoe to speak quickly: “I don’t like owing people. Since you helped me, I used my connections to look into your past. That stream you were reset from really was a highly confidential incident for the company.”

Xi Yu hadn’t expected her to go this far and smiled in response: “Yeah, I’ve heard people say something like that too.”

Fei Ling blinked her big eyes and leaned toward his ear: “But… did you know there was a natural human in that stream?”

Xi Yu’s eyes showed interest.

Fei Ling continued, “That natural human had a complicated identity—probably a rich person trying out the game, and the people playing with him were all expert-level streamers. Because that session wasn’t broadcast, only the security division knows what really happened. Normally, sessions like that wouldn’t lead to a star streamer being reset… but you ended up like this.”

Xi Yu’s expression turned serious and deep. Even though he tried to recall, there were no memory fragments related to any of that.

Fei Ling crossed her arms: “I don’t know if this info helps you, but I did my best.”

“Thank you.” Xi Yu replied sincerely. “But no matter how important the past was, it’s not more important than the match ahead. I hope your preliminary round goes well.”

Fei Ling blinked again: “...President Lin said last night that we’re all in the same game session. We…”

Xi Yu gave a simple promise: “We won’t be enemies.”

The wait had made Luo Xi visibly impatient. When he saw Xi Yu rushing back, he immediately snapped, “What were you doing? Don’t tell me you’re asking for help again? Know your own limits—”

Xi Yu interrupted his rant with a light laugh: “No, but isn’t it up to the team captain whether to help or not?”

Luo Xi: “……”

Xi Yu suddenly grabbed his hand: “Let’s go. Fifteen full days left until I reunite with Xiao Qi.”

Luo Xi looked down at Xi Yu’s pale and slender hand, felt the slight chill from his skin, and in the next moment, decisively held it back. Together, they handed in their bracelets and stepped into the brand-new game room covered in posters and holographic ads, ready to face the long and unknown challenge ahead.

【Preliminary Instance: No. 01】

【Instance Name: Galactic Odyssey】

【Start Time: March 31, 2046】

【Current Online Viewers: 19,743,753】

With the nutrient pod connected to his brain, Xi Yu quickly entered a familiar dark space.

He had fully prepared himself to face the upcoming game environment—but unexpectedly, dazzling special effects lit up around his body in the chaos.

After a few seconds of confusion, a familiar fat cat emerged from the light in a grand pose.

This time, it was wearing a European king’s red cape and a ridiculous golden crown, cheerfully announcing: “Welcome to the e-sports tournament, streamer Xi Yu! I’m the virtual host for this competition!”

Xi Yu: “……”The fat cat cleared its throat and said proudly, “Surprised? I was voted the top choice from over a hundred messenger AIs—the best image ambassador, meow!”

“Congratulations…” Xi Yu realized he was just facing a program and calmed down. “Are you here to tell me some game info?”

The fat cat put its paws on its hips. “That’s right.”

Xi Yu made a listening gesture.

The fat cat conjured a scroll out of thin air and opened it to read aloud: “The rules for the first round of the preliminary stage are as follows!”

Xi Yu crossed his arms.

Clearly to avoid any ambiguity, the game designers had the system reduce the fat cat’s anthropomorphic language, making it recite the fate-defining rules in a robotic tone.

【There are 2,234 streamers participating in this round】

【The game duration is exactly 120 hours】

【Streamers can attack each other in-game; both parties bear the consequences】

【The game includes hidden points, affected by the streamer’s actions】

【Starting from midnight on the second night, every 24 hours, the bottom 200 streamers by hidden points will be eliminated】

【Death in this round equals elimination】

【Target number of winners for this round: 500】

The fat cat finished reading, rolled up the scroll, and patted its belly. “Got it?”

Xi Yu quickly summarized in his mind: only five days total, he had to figure out how to earn points himself—if not, he could fight his way through. The elimination rate was over 70%, allowing no room for carelessness.

The fat cat added, “Oh, and to ensure fairness, this round doesn’t allow help from viewer gifts. Do your best!”

Xi Yu nodded. “Alright, I understand.”

The fat cat spread its paws. “Then go forth, brave warrior!”

In an instant, the previously calm Xi Yu was violently hurled into the depths of darkness. He spun uncontrollably, nearly nauseated, as countless stars began appearing in the endless black around him. The stars grew in number and brightness, finally forming a dazzling Milky Way—so magnificent it took his breath away.

Now slowly floating, Xi Yu adjusted his breathing and tried to observe his surroundings.

In the boundless, silent expanse of space, an ancient voice echoed softly, repeating a single sentence over and over.

【Every great warrior must protect their comrades at all costs】

【Every great warrior must protect their comrades at all costs】

【Every great warrior must protect their comrades at all costs】

...

What did that mean? Was it the ultimate goal of the game’s story?Xi Yu furrowed his brows.

Unfortunately, before he could think further, a massive battleship slowly approached from the end of the galaxy and, as if radiating an irresistible gravitational pull, dragged his body over without giving him a choice.

A brief yet seemingly endless moment of darkness.

Suddenly, a warm hand touched Xi Yu’s face.

He opened his eyes cautiously and instantly saw the familiar Luo Xi, who helped him up as he clumsily got to his feet.

At the same time, the other unfamiliar streamers around them gradually began to wake up, all with confused expressions.

The space they were in was a long corridor filled with a refined yet cold technological atmosphere. Whether walls, ceiling, or floor, everything was made of cold metal, exuding a sense of heavy toughness.

“This must be a space-themed instance. We're inside a spaceship, and we’re in military roles,” Luo Xi pointed to their identical, sharp gray uniforms, then grinned mischievously, “How’s your shooting? Can you handle a gun?”

...After training in close combat for over half a month, Xi Yu hesitated to answer.

Luo Xi let go of Xi Yu and quickly checked her equipment—sure enough, aside from the clothes on her body, there was nothing else.

By now, Xi Yu had regained his senses. “So many people... Looks like the 2,000-plus streamers really did get gathered together. Do you think someone might stir up trouble and turn the instance into a chaotic free-for-all?”

“Of course there’ll be dangerous types. Like that lunatic Mo Yi,” Luo Xi said. “That’s why we need to find Tuzi and A Qi as soon as possible.”

Xi Yu immediately became more alert. The subtly expressive faces of the nearby streamers gave him a strong sense of unease.

Luo Xi patted his shoulder. “Relax. Most people won’t risk their scores. Points determine the outcome. No one knows yet whether killing might carry heavy penalties.”

“I don’t have much experience, but I’m sure more rules will be released later. A slight change could shift everything...” Xi Yu remained uneasy. “Better to be cautious.”

Luo Xi nodded.

During their conversation, a sweet female voice echoed through the corridor: “Soldiers of the Galaxy Cruiser, the mobilization meeting is about to begin. Please proceed immediately to the auditorium at the front of the ship to await the captain’s arrival. Attendance is mandatory for this assembly.”

Though it was a broadcast, the content likely wasn’t system-generated.

Xi Yu and Luo Xi began walking in sync, following the others in the same direction.

Luo Xi suddenly put her arm around Xi Yu’s shoulder and whispered in his ear, “Until the hidden point rules become clearer, you should stay neutral.”

Xi Yu blinked.

Of course he understood what Luo Xi meant: no one knew yet what actions would earn or lose points, so the safest choice was to do as little as possible, avoid triggering any variables, and remain in the middle tier to observe the situation.

But Xi Yu still felt uneasy. “What about you?”

Luo Xi: “I have my own plan.”

Xi Yu stopped immediately and blocked her path with a serious expression. “I thought being teammates meant being honest with each other. You don’t get to take risks on your own.”

However, before Luo Xi could explain, a completely unexpected yet delightful figure suddenly ran over from not far away. “Brother Xi Yu!”

Xi Yu was stunned as Wu Zhi threw himself into his arms, and then he smiled from the heart. “You’re awake? Earlier, I…”

Wu Zhi scratched his head. “Sorry for making you worry. The nurse in the lab told me that Brother Luo came to visit me. You must’ve sent him, right?”Xi Yu looked at Luo Xi in surprise.

Luo Xi, however, looked at Wu Zhi with a face full of disdain.

Wu Zhi smiled again: "I happened to wake up on the registration deadline day, and after Yan Yan persuaded me, I couldn’t resist signing up. I didn’t expect that there were hardly any novice streamers participating."

Xi Yu rarely went down to the living area. Feeling a bit guilty about Wu Zhi’s closeness, he softly said, "Since you're here, be careful."

Wu Zhi nodded quickly: "I will, brother. You work hard too."

"Enough talking? Do you two want to start late and get punished?" Luo Xi finally lost patience.

Only then did Wu Zhi step aside and whispered, "Right, let’s hurry to the auditorium."

Luo Xi grabbed the young man’s collar: "I warn you, don’t cling to Xi Yu. No one is obliged to protect you. Save that naïve act."

Wu Zhi struggled angrily: "I’m not clinging to brother Xi Yu!"

"Let him go! What are you doing?" Xi Yu forcefully pulled Luo Xi’s arm away. "Let’s go."

Poor Wu Zhi was left behind by Luo Xi.

Not satisfied with just a few threats, Luo Xi took over ten steps, then coldly glanced back at Wu Zhi twice.

Tang Yan Yan, who had been waiting nearby, appeared: "I already told you, Xi Yu lives with him in Yuntai. I don’t know why the company would give him such a favor. In any case, Xi Yu won’t be hanging out with us anymore."

Wu Zhi dropped his shoulders in disappointment, then smiled again: "It’s okay, we’ll work hard too!"

Tang Yan Yan’s baby face showed mixed emotions but eventually curled into a smile, nodding at Wu Zhi.

Since reuniting with Wu Zhi, Xi Yu had not spoken again.

He was the first to step into the auditorium, finding a secluded seat in the grand silver hall.

Luo Xi first found Xu Tu and Bai Qi, gave them some instructions, then returned and sat beside him, flipping over the chair back. "What, you’re still mad after I helped you get rid of that parasite? You really like playing hero in front of kids, huh?"

Xi Yu didn’t respond.

Luo Xi nudged him with her arm: "Hey, do you only feel satisfied if I call you brother Xi Yu?"

"You’re talking too much today." Xi Yu finally spoke helplessly. "I just..."

Luo Xi snorted: "You just can’t help but sympathize with the weak, then doubt whether your compassion is foolish? From my view—yeah, misplaced sympathy only harms yourself and others."

Xi Yu was pierced through on his thoughts but didn’t dwell on it; instead, he asked, "Why didn’t you tell me when you went to see him?"

"I get a headache just thinking about him. He finally got unlucky; I went just to gloat," Luo Xi said harshly, "Hopefully he’s out this round. Out of sight, out of mind."

Xi Yu didn’t really believe these harsh words. After a faint smile, he looked toward the central stage of the auditorium surrounded by soldiers in black uniforms and quietly said, "Look, those uniforms are different from ours."

"They should be NPCs," Luo Xi replied. "All armed. Better not to provoke them."

Xi Yu nodded.The streamers gradually took their seats, and there were fewer moving figures in the auditorium, only indistinct whispers spreading throughout.

At that moment, the originally brightly lit auditorium suddenly dimmed, with only the circular stage still bathed in light.

A female officer with a well-proportioned figure stepped onto the stage, her voice the same sweet sound as in the earlier broadcast: "All soldiers, quiet down. The mobilization meeting now begins. Please welcome Captain Bai Sen to speak."

As the voice fell, a tall man waiting beside the stage jumped up, holding the shining microphone firmly and speaking with full energy: "Good evening to the 2,234 comrades present. I am the overall leader of this escort mission and the captain of the Star River Battleship, Bai Sen."

Xi Yu squinted his beautiful eyes and carefully examined Bai Sen’s square and serious face, then leaned toward Luo Xi and whispered, "Look, there’s an important person sitting in the front row."

Luo Xi followed his gaze, sure enough.

Being served by the dismissed beautiful female officer was a middle-aged man over two meters tall, broad-shouldered and stout. His uniform was very grand and covered with medals, clearly even more powerful than Captain Bai Sen.

Bai Sen continued speaking: "This voyage is expected to last five days. We must safely escort 50,000 humans to planet b16. They are currently in cryo-chambers, sleeping peacefully. During the voyage, no soldier is allowed to disturb them!"

The content matched the previously stated game objectives but with added storyline packaging, making it feel more real.

"The route is full of dangers, and I believe you are all aware. According to reliable intelligence, the notorious space pirate gangs have set up several ambush points, attempting to hijack the Star River ship!" Bai Sen’s tone was very serious: "Protecting at all costs is our mission! I demand that no matter when an attack occurs, you must quickly proceed to the battle readiness room to confront it. There are 1,000 combat ships ready and waiting. I guarantee that any warrior who successfully snipes space pirates and defends the Star River ship will receive great rewards!"

More than 2,000 streamers fighting for 1,000 fighter jets?

Xi Yu couldn’t help but think: judging by what he knows of the Yuntai colleagues, before they even snipe any pirates, a ruthless bloodbath will break out inside the battle readiness room.

Bai Sen finally showed a slight smile: "You are now all fifth-class soldiers, but depending on your combat performance in the coming days, you have the chance to be promoted to fourth, third, second, first class! You might even be granted an audience with General Xingtian!"

As he finished, he immediately raised his hand to signal the stout officer sitting in the audience.

The black-uniformed soldiers surrounding the stage immediately applauded sincerely.

Some of the streamers, being nosy, followed suit with scattered applause.

"Alright, that’s the important announcement. I look forward to your performance." Bai Sen calmed down: "Next is dinner time. After dinner, please go to your dormitories to rest according to the general’s guard arrangement. Meeting adjourned!"

After releasing the microphone, Bai Sen showed no reluctance. Protected by the black-uniformed soldiers, he left with the beautiful female officer and the stout officer.

The streamers again fell into a scattered and disorderly state.

Luo Xi said, "Let’s eat first, I’m hungry."

Xi Yu’s mood was not as relaxed as his; he said, "It seems that rushing to seize the combat ships to respond will definitely affect the hidden score."

Luo Xi immediately said, "I’ll go play first, you behave yourself."

Xi Yu didn’t argue: "Alright, I’ll try to investigate the Star River ship’s map clearly."

"That depends on whether you can sneak out tonight. You and Xu Tu together—her spatial awareness is very strong." Luo Xi said as he walked, then suddenly snorted coldly: "Look, the old friend’s ghost won’t leave."

Xi Yu also noticed someone he hated very much: Zhao Zhusheng.

Zhao Zhusheng was also wearing a gray military uniform, leisurely strolling with the crowd. After sensing Xi Yu’s gaze, she even smiled at him and then made a gun-firing gesture in provocation.

Xi Yu did not react, turning his head and pulling Luo Xi to leave from another exit.

Since this is a sci-fi war-themed game, the Star River ship was naturally under thorough military management.For soldiers traveling through space, bland and simple food is nothing strange.

But after successfully receiving five bags of differently colored nutrient liquids, Xi Yu still felt a bit nauseous, carefully sniffing them: "Why don’t they clearly list the ingredients?"

“What are you afraid of? At worst, it’s protein drinks made by squeezing bugs,” Xu Tu said with a smile.

Xi Yu’s expression grew even worse but he forced himself to swallow to maintain his strength.

Meanwhile, Luo Xi, sitting nearby, was busy looking around. After a moment, he finally pointed at the projection screen on the wall showing the spaceship’s temperature, humidity, and other data: “There’s a headcount.”

Xi Yu blinked, looking at the small head icon in the corner of the screen followed by a familiar number: 2234.

Above that number, there was also a military hat icon, followed by the number 1000.

Xu Tu said, “Those one thousand are probably the fully armed general’s guards? Otherwise, just letting the streamers protect the battleship would be way too uncontrollable.”

Bai Qi pushed his glasses up and studied: “General Xingtian… with a name like that, he should be a very powerful figure.”

Xu Tu snorted, “Anyway, it’s all made-up story nonsense, whatever. I hope the battle starts soon. I just saw Mu Yuan’s group having a secret meeting. Scoundrels in power, long night, many dreams.”