The moment he opened his backpack, Jian Xingyi was blinded by the golden glow radiating from one of the slots.

Whoa! Gold! It’s a golden S-grade!

He’d been thrilled when the entire slot turned purple before, but this golden glow made him even happier.

Jian Xingyi rubbed his hands together, opening the backpack with reverence.

Fire God above, I’m practically half your subject! Your priestess has blessed me—give me something good!

【Variety: S-Rank Watermelon Seed】

【Description: Deliciousness reigns supreme! A good mood boosts your fighting power! Bonus Effect: Increases Strength and Stamina by 50% after consumption】

【Origin: Dungeon Nectar】

It’s… watermelon?!

Jian Xingyi was dumbfounded.

Watermelon—there was something absurd yet perfectly fitting about it. Who could argue that watermelon didn’t deserve S-rank? A single bite on a scorching day could genuinely brighten your whole day, especially the bright red, juicy tip of a perfectly ripe melon.

…Slurp.

Jian Xingyi wiped away drool. Once these were grown, he’d be the first to eat them!

Moreover, Jian Xingyi hadn’t realized food could actually have bonuses. Weapons and armor typically had stats like critical hit rate or damage, hence their varying prices, but food could do that, too?

This was S-rank?

So exciting!

Although Jian Xingyi had upgraded several plots to B-rank, crops were already growing on them, so he’d have to wait until harvest to use the upgrades.

He could buy magical growth accelerants from the VIP store in the Merchant System, but they cost 30,000 each!

Earlier, Jian Xingyi earned 140,000 from the guild in one go, but after purchasing upgrades, synthesis materials, tools, fertilizers, and more, only 80,000 remained.

He then spent 10,000 on medicine and 30,000 on an umbrella at the Nectar and Jade Liquor Shop, leaving him with just 40,000 now.

Money was flowing out like water…

Jian Xingyi couldn’t help but feel fortunate that Haihai had plundered a pile of bullets from the corpses of Blue Sky and White Clouds members; buying bullets would have been another huge expense.

Wah, when would he ever get to live that carefree, spendthrift life?

Fortunately, the next day marked the two-day deadline, and all his crops had matured.

Jian Xingyi had previously used 13 C-grade plots, planting white radishes, carrots, rice, chili peppers, and bamboo shoots. After harvesting, he began synthesizing.

He was still eating the leftover produce from his previous D-grade fields. These high-quality goods needed to be listed for sale to earn money; he could manage with whatever was left for his daily meals.

After processing all the harvested food, while waiting for the synthesis to complete and list the items in the marketplace, Jian Xingyi began a new round of planting.

He currently owns 6 B-grade plots and 7 C-grade plots. Besides his previous crops, he added watermelons and foxtail grass. He planted them evenly and bought some pesticides from the marketplace to spray.

With everything taken care of, he waited contentedly for them to mature.

Once the foxtail grass matured, he could start breeding; when the watermelons ripened, he’d make a tidy profit and get to taste them fresh. Jian Xingyi was eagerly anticipating it.

Soon after, Lone Wolf and Haihai came knocking on his door.

“Let’s go!”

Today, they were heading to the Lava Volcano for a map side quest—the Fire Spirit Flower.

Following the guide from Grapevine Peak, they had already marked the locations of five flowers. Collecting all five crystals would summon the Flower Queen to complete the quest.

The reward for this side quest, like the dungeon, was a wish. That’s why many players came to Lava Volcano for the quest, including Lone Wolf and Haihai.

On the way, Jian Xingyi curiously asked, “What do you want to wish for?”

Jian Xingyi pondered whether he could get another S-grade seed and how to maximize his gains. He wondered what others were wishing for.

Haihai: “Combat power.”

What Haihai didn’t mention was that after returning that day, he discovered killing other players… boosted his combat power significantly.

He single-handedly wiped out half of Blue Sky and White Clouds’ members. Combined with his recent efforts to steadily grind combat power, he leaped from upper T3 tier to matching Lone Wolf’s T2 tier—placing him among the top 30% server-wide.

But the gap between T2 levels 300 and 399 was vast. For instance, both he and Lone Wolf were just over 300 as entry-level T3 players, while Lone Wolf’s older brother and Feiyi, the guild’s powerhouse, were nearing the 399 mark.

“Why should I tell you? Wait, what’s with that look?” Lone Wolf Goose got goosebumps and snapped at Jian Xingyi, ”Don’t look at me with that disgusting gaze!“

Jian Xingyi: ”Ah.”

He couldn’t hide it, huh.

No wonder he was looking at Lone Wolf with… such a loving gaze.

After all, this was walking 88 Essence and Feed Seeds!

Jian Xingyi cleared his throat. The trio headed to Dawn Town, then set off directly for the Lava Volcano.

Jian Xingyi found it surprisingly comfortable having companions now—likely because they’d grown accustomed to each other.

“Fire Spirit Flowers cover the entire mountain. We’re at the base now, so we can search from the foot to the mid-slopes. Then we’ll head home to rest. Xinghe needs to list items for sale, right? We’ll restock tomorrow before heading to the summit.“

”The crater at the peak and the magma pool at the base hold the most lava. Be cautious.”Jian Xingyi nodded. He could withstand magma briefly thanks to his timely blessing, but if he fell headfirst, he’d still be toast. 

The trees at the base were sparse and scattered. Jian Xingyi searched for a while but found almost no essence points. This place was truly desolate. All around were scorched tree trunks and branches, the ground cracked and dry, the environment harsh. 

And what about the promised protection of the Fire God, whose flames were supposed to purge all impurities? The pollution levels were so high that not even the basic trio of radishes, rice, and wheat could grow. 

If not for the tempting quest rewards, Jian Xingyi would have swapped to a lush map long ago. At least… it wasn’t that hot. Jian Xingyi wiped his sweat and caught his breath, feeling half his stamina drained.

Too bad his watermelon wasn’t ripe yet—otherwise, it could have cooled him down and restored energy! Yesterday, he’d been too busy escaping and diving into dungeons, but today’s long trek made him realize how brutally draining the weather was. How did players here even adapt?! Rumor had it there were plenty of bosses and monsters lurking here—were they supposed to fight them while barely hanging on? 

Along the way, they had indeed encountered numerous players. Jian Xingyi noticed some looked utterly drained, their expressions lifeless, while others eyed them with hostile, guarded stares.“People have been trapped in the game longer and longer,” Haihai shook his head. “Facing more deaths, more hardships—not everyone’s mental fortitude can hold up.”

Yesterday’s incident with Jian Xingyi’s death had also reminded him: except for desolate places like Peace Mountain, everywhere else… the situation was growing increasingly dire. 

Jian Xingyi worried, “Is the Fire Spirit Divine Flower unlimited?”

Otherwise, wouldn’t a bunch of people be scrambling for it? “It respawns infinitely. No need to worry about that.”

Before he could finish, Jian Xingyi fell silent. 

By the edge of the lava pool ahead—their destination and the Fire Spirit Divine Flower’s spawn point—Qingtian was searching with several underlings.“Boss, it’s that pretty boy from yesterday!”

“Xinghe, if I remember correctly, that’s that bastard Qingtian, right?!”

Jian Xingyi: “…” 

Lone Wolf and Haihai flanked him, weapons drawn and eyes fixed on Qingtian. They made no pretense of politeness, immediately pulling out lethal firearms. 

Qingtian and his seven or eight underlings weren’t about to back down either, creating a tense standoff. Though Shou had spent a fortune on medicine to bring him back, his men still carried yesterday’s trauma from Shanhai. Trembling, one whispered into Qingtian’s ear: “That pretty boy… he’s not connected to Shanhai, right?”

“He… shouldn’t be! If he were, how could he be with those two? Probably just passing through…”

After confirming Shanhai wasn’t nearby, Qingtian sneered coldly, “That pretty boy dares show his face here? This is my turf, you know!”

Lone Wolf glanced at Qingtian’s rugged square face and scoffed: “Oh, so it was you, you dumbass, chasing our guild members? Just as I thought—your skull’s as square as your ass, both stuffed with shit. You can’t hold it in when you see people. Didn’t your mother teach you to use your brain to tell right from wrong? A dog can’t change its shit-eating ways. Can’t control your urge to lick, huh?”

“Qingtian’s face flushed alternately crimson and ashen under the barrage of insults. Lone Wolf’s tirade raced on without pause, leaving no breathing room. 

Jian Xingyi was utterly stunned.

“Wh-what do you mean?!” Qingtian snapped. “Don’t think I don’t know you’re talking about Sisi! I’m fighting for justice!”

Furious, Qingtian raised his weapon, but he was the only T2 here. Though they had more numbers, victory was far from certain.

Qingtian didn’t know the true strength of Lone Wolf and Haihai, but the two radiated an air of supreme arrogance, relentlessly attacking him. What if this pretty boy called in reinforcements?

Lone Wolf: “Uphold your damn justice? Your ancestors would rise from their graves to curse you for being such a worthless descendant! Why don’t you search the public chat for the whole story? See what kind of person your Sisi really is? Everyone in the entire Peace Mountain District knows what kind of person Sisi is—she blocked people! Only you guys from Lava District still suck up to her. How embarrassing! Hilarious.”

Qingtian froze. Was that really the case? But Sisi had shown him the public chat where everyone was berating her, and she’d told him the story—clearly, someone jealous of her beauty and popularity had framed her. And…

“Brother Qingtian?”

Qingtian was still deep in thought when Sisi suddenly appeared, catching up to the group. She looked at Jian Xingyi and the others with a hint of fear.

“Why are they here…” Sisi leaned heavily on Qingtian for support.

Qingtian’s blood boiled. Pointing at Lone Wolf and his crew, he shouted, “Don’t push your luck!”

With that, he charged forward with his men.

Lone Wolf cracked his neck, drew his dual pistols, and charged straight ahead.

In short, both sides just started fighting.

“Fuck you!”

“Mad Dog! Kill him!”

Both sides grew more enraged and chaotic with each blow.

Sisi stood apart, her gaze fixed on Jian Xingyi with a haunting intensity. Her eyes seemed to ask, Why won’t you just leave me alone?

Jian Xingyi’s brows furrowed slightly.

Wasn’t Sisi the one causing all this trouble?

Both sides were locked in a brawl, leaving only Sisi and Jian Xingyi outside the fray. Sisi took a deep breath, drew her gun, and walked toward Jian Xingyi.

Jian Xingyi paused.

Sisi had at least a hundred combat points, and the gun in her hand—who knew where she’d scammed it from—was high-grade.

Sisi stared at the figure before her.

His combat power was only 6, and his companions were held back by Qingtian and the others, temporarily unable to reach him.

This was a golden opportunity.

Jian Xingyi retreated to the edge of the lava. As Sisi drew nearer, he murmured, “You’re the one who provoked me.”

This golden opportunity wasn’t Sisi’s—it was Jian Xingyi’s.

Splash—

The next moment, to everyone’s stunned gaze, Jian Xingyi grabbed a chunk of nearby lava with his bare hands and swung it with all his might, hurling it at Sisi!

“Aaaahhhhhhh—!”

Even a single drop of magma could cause excruciating pain. Though the amount wasn’t large, it was enough to drench Sisi completely. She immediately let out a piercing scream, clutching her face as she rolled around on the ground, utterly disheveled.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Qingtian ignored everything and lunged forward.

As they charged, Jian Xingyi barked, “Lone Wolf, Haihai, stay back!”

The two halted.

Jian Xingyi used half his body weight to splash water, violently stirring the lava.

A chorus of agonized screams erupted around them.

The players who had been watching nearby were all dumbfounded.

Even Lone Wolf and Haihai found it utterly baffling.

What… kind of skill is this?!

Flipping magma with bare hands?

Huh?

Qingtian felt like crying. What happened to the promised Combat Power 6?

Yesterday, this guy was running scared with his tail between his legs, chased by him. How could he be like this today…

Divine Gold?!

Half of Jian Xingyi’s body was covered in magma, perfectly embodying the map’s description of a terrifying heretic.

Qingtian hoisted the unconscious Sisi onto his back. The group slunk away, tails between their legs—not just from their injuries, but from sheer terror.

How could anyone spew lava with their bare hands?!

The Wildfire Guild dealt with lava daily, making this encounter feel even more terrifying.

Lone Wolf wanted to pursue, but Haihai pressed his shoulder and shook his head gently.

Don’t chase a desperate enemy.

Besides, they would have to kill a Guild Administrator of the local powerhouse guild on their turf. That would not be good.

But… loot is fair game!

Haihai and Lone Wolf exchanged a glance, then charged forward to snatch up the guns the enemies had dropped.

Yes!

After doing this, Jian Xingyi glanced around. At the edge of the lava lake, he spotted a small patch of clear water. Without a second thought, he rushed over and plunged his hands into the cool water.

“You… are awesome.”

“Awesome.”

Jian Xingyi gave a dry chuckle.

He never imagined a priest’s blessing would come in handy in such a bizarre situation.

After cooling down, Jian Xingyi noticed his arm was red, but it wasn’t too serious.

What none of them expected was that their fight had been recorded by a passerby and uploaded to the Lava Volcano chat channel.

【What’s going on? In the video, one’s from Wildfire’s guild, and the other isn’t from our server, right? Looks like outsiders came to bully our guild members? Beating people up and robbing them!】

【Holy crap… Who’s that lava-splashing guy…?! So terrifying!! Could he be mutated?】

【Could be a map NPC too… looks cult-like, like they’d force you to drink more lava any second…】

Jian Xingyi probably never dreamed he’d be mistaken for a cultist, nor that not only NPCs but even players here could be so “superstitious.”

【Wait?! Skybreaker’s on mic—it really is outsiders causing trouble in our zone!】

【Heard they’re from Peace Mountain. What’s the deal? Just some no-name guild, and they dare challenge us?】

Half an hour later.

Jian Xingyi’s group found their target near the lava—the Fire Spirit Divine Flower.

The fiery red, translucent flower bloomed within a rock crevice. The trio harvested the crystals.

【Harvest successful. Absorbed 【Essence】 x5】

Jian Xingyi paused.

It seemed the pollution levels were too high; even the Fire Spirit Divine Flower could only yield a meager 5.

No matter, though. The synthesized Flower King Essence should yield more. He already had three!

Lone Wolf and Haihai still needed four more, but since he’d accidentally obtained two in the dungeon, he only needed two more to complete the quest!

As they prepared to head toward the mountainside, something felt off along the way.

Why did it feel like… everyone seemed hostile toward them?

Initially, it was mostly wariness, but now it was pure malice.

Haihai murmured, “Something’s very off.”

Lone Wolf frowned. “After gathering the one on the mountainside, let’s head back first.”

But when they reached a grove of dead trees on the mountainside, they found more and more regional players closing in around them.

“…They’re ambushing us at the Fire Spirit Divine Flower’s location,” Haihai whispered. “We can’t go on. Let’s retreat first.”

Jian Xingyi shot a reluctant glance at the Fire Spirit Divine Flower nearby.

But the flower bloomed precariously on the cliff edge of the mountainside, swaying dangerously in the wind. Its location was truly… perilous.

The players grew in number, eyeing them hungrily, calculating how to corner them.

After all, Haihai and Lone Wolf weren’t Shuixi, and players weren’t NPCs. Jian Xingyi could only nod.

Life comes first.

The trio took off running, but several players still caught up.

“If you’ve got the guts to cause trouble here, then don’t run!”

“Think we’re easy to bully, huh?!”

“You called in the Guild Administrators right off the bat? Nice try!”

Lone Wolf and Haihai immediately pulled out their motorcycles.

“Hop on!”

Jian Xingyi was pulled onto the back of Lone Wolf’s bike, closer to him.

The trio experienced what it felt like to be hunted rats, fleeing in disarray.

“Don’t you dare come back!”

More players were chasing them from behind.

Lone Wolf turned his head and flipped them the bird.

“Even if you begged us, we wouldn’t come back!”

Jian Xingyi couldn’t stop laughing.

After the three returned to the guild, Lone Wolf and the others immediately sold the stolen guns, splitting the profits among themselves. They then reported the incident to Heiye. Heiye mentioned the Guild President hadn’t replied yet. He wasn’t sure if he was playing dead or truly still out on an expedition.

Jian Xingyi frowned. “That’s weird. Didn’t the incident with Sisi on our server get broadcast to the public chat? Why does it feel like the Lava Volcano folks aren’t online?”

Haihai shook his head. “With so much information and gossip flying around daily, even if outsiders know about it, they can’t be sure everyone gets the full details. They might not recognize the girl in the video as Sisi or understand our history. All they see is the fact that we beat their people up in their own territory. With a little spin, we can stir up their regional solidarity.”

Lone Wolf snorted coldly. “Screw them! We’ll go on stream to clarify things first. Believe it or not, it’s up to them. Worst case, we just won’t go to Lava Volcano. If there’s food, we won’t sell it to them!“

”That’s one way to look at it…” Jian Xingyi frowned.

His merchant level was currently 1. He’d roughly calculated that his crafting table was currently full of food. Once he sells that batch and waits for the next harvest, he should be able to unlock registration level 2.

Once upgraded to Level 2, his merchandise would target a broader audience, unlocking an additional region for listing—starting with the nearest Lava Volcano. For now, his customer base would remain limited to two regions.

Jian Xingyi took a deep breath and stepped forward… a historic step in his life.

A small step for Xingyi, a giant leap for farming!!

Jian Xingyi declared, “Have Heiye give me the contact info. I’ll personally seek out the Wildfire Guild’s Guild President.”

Enough is enough! When will this end?

But while waiting for Heiye’s reply… Jian Xingyi beamed, “For now, let’s sell this harvest!”

This place holds plenty of profit potential!