The sky curtain makes you a useless class monitor, yet you act arbitrarily for eternity?

Jiang Liyu came to her senses.

Ye Chen turned his head to look at her, his tone calm.

"No one will team up with you, but you still have your master!"

Jiang Liyu's eyes slowly reddened.

She looked at Ye Chen's profile, wanting to say something, but her throat was blocked.

Ye Chen did not urge her.

He simply held her hand and didn't let go.

Jiang Liyu lowered her head, her fingers tightening little by little, and turned to hold Ye Chen's hand.

"Um."

She nodded emphatically.

"Disciple will follow Master."

Ye Chen responded.

"That's right."

He paused, then added, "Six people per team is for easier coordination, not because you can't survive if you have fewer than six people."

"Tomorrow, my apprentice and I will take the lead."

Jiang Liyu looked up at him.

"Is it just the two of us?"

"What, you think there aren't enough people?"

"no."

Jiang Liyu shook her head.

She gripped Ye Chen's hand even tighter.

"I think that's enough."

On the other side of the stands.

[Si Chen]: According to the script, it's your turn to appear, Du Xinghe!

【Sichen】: @John·Weird, you should also get ready. After the Star Crossing is over, it will be your turn to refute.

【Crossing the Galaxy】: Received!

[John the Strange]: Don't worry!

Si Chen put away the system panel, his expression returning to its solemn state.

Before the noise of forming teams had subsided, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.

"etc!"

The sound came from behind the crowd.

"Before we go out to hunt monsters, there's one thing we need to make clear!"

The crowd automatically parted to make way.

A young man with long blue and white hair stepped out from the crowd.

He wore a wide-sleeved immortal robe with a blue-white gradient, and a light blue diamond-shaped spiritual pattern was embedded on his forehead. His icy eyes were calmly fixed on the arena.

The young man held a folding fan in his hand.

"Two thousand of us have already died!"

"The beta testers bear a large responsibility for all of this!"

The surrounding chatter quickly subsided.

Du Xinghe looked around at everyone, his tone clearly filled with anger.

"As soon as the game launched, those beta testers abandoned the regular players, scrambling for the best monster-hunting spots, hoarding intelligence, and only caring about getting stronger themselves!"

"They should kneel down and apologize to the dead, and hand over their money and equipment!"

His gaze swept across the stands.

"There must be a beta tester hiding here!"

"Step forward!"

After he finished speaking, the crowd fell silent for a moment.

Then, murmurs arose from all corners.

"Did the beta testers really take all the benefits?"

"I heard they have a lot of advanced equipment."

"That guidebook, wasn't it originally compiled by them?"

"Who knows if they've hidden some of them?"

"Why do they get the best resources while we have to figure things out on our own?"

Some people stood up in strong emotion, while others simply frowned and watched.

More people turned their attention to the high-level players in the stands.

Ye Chen's eyes darkened.

He was a beta tester.

Moreover, he does possess a considerable amount of information and equipment that ordinary players cannot access.

He didn't look up, but kept his breathing as low as possible, sitting down next to Jiang Liyu without saying a word.

Jiang Liyu noticed his silence and glanced at him sideways.

Ye Chen raised his hand and gently pressed on the back of her hand, indicating that she didn't need to worry.

Just as the situation was getting out of control, John Strange walked out from the other side.

He held a thick intelligence book above his head.

"Everyone, calm down!"

Du Xinghe turned his head and his face immediately darkened.

John the Stranger ignored his gaze and opened the booklet in his hand.

"You all got this strategy guide for free from the town's item shop, right?"

He patted the cover.

"The people who compiled and wrote this intelligence report were precisely those beta testers."

"The Black Fox's activity area, the Corpse Tiger's weaknesses, and the Bloodmane Wolf's attack habits are all described clearly."

"The intelligence has been made public and is available to everyone."

John Strange looked up, his voice carrying throughout the stands.

"Even with intelligence, people will still die here."

"Whose fault is that?!"

"Why are people still dying?!"

"Because this is not a safe starting area."

"We've gathered here today to wipe out the first wave of ferocious demons and protect our homeland, not to fight amongst ourselves and dwell on the past!"

He slammed the intelligence book shut.

"If I really want justice for the dead, I'll join the fight tomorrow!"

"Don't force people to hand over their equipment here!"

The commotion in the stands gradually subsided.

Those who had previously echoed Du Xinghe exchanged glances and lowered their voices.

"He has a point."

"The guidebook is indeed free."

"What's the point of arguing about this now? We'll still be fighting monsters tomorrow, won't we?"

Du Xinghe stood in the center of the crowd, his lips moving slightly.

According to the script, he should continue arguing.

But Si Chen's notification had already come through the group chat.

Si Chen: [That's enough. Don't escalate the conflict any further.]

Crossing the Milky Way: [Received.]

He glanced at John the Strange, his face still showing some resentment.

"I'm just seeking justice for those who have died."

"Once the crackdown is over, I will continue to investigate the fact that the beta testers concealed information."

After saying that, he turned and retreated back into the crowd.

The murmurs from the stands gradually subsided.

No one noticed that John the Stranger secretly made a gesture to Si Chen as he turned around.

Si Chen did not respond.

He simply gripped the dark gold staff again and resumed control of the situation.

"Division of labor in combat."

"The frontline team should focus on containing the Corpse Tiger, avoiding brute force attacks and instead targeting its head."

"The team entering the dense forest should prepare mind-clearing and illusion-dispelling artifacts. Black Fox is skilled in illusion magic, and no one can leave the team."

"The teams entering the wilderness should form a tight formation, beware of Bloodmane Wolves flanking and attacking, and not leave any gaps or isolated groups."

He paused for a moment, then continued:

"Demon beast cores and ordinary materials will be distributed according to actual battle merits."

"Rare spoils obtained from slaying the leaders of the three races shall be held by the team that contributed the most to the battle."

No one raised any objections.

The first round of encirclement and suppression has officially entered the preparation stage.

Si Chen looked up at all the players.

"Assemble outside the city at six o'clock tomorrow morning."

"For the sake of our homeland, and so that no more compatriots may die in vain."

His voice was steady and powerful.

"Everyone, give it your all!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!!"

Inside the arena, shouts rose in waves, one after another.

Thousands of players raised their weapons, their fighting spirit surging towards the dome.

Despite the enthusiastic atmosphere, Ye Chen frowned.

He didn't like the noise.

Jiang Liyu had been keeping an eye on Ye Chen.

Sensing his mood, she stood up on her own initiative.

"Master, this campaign has now concluded."

"My disciple is a little tired. Can you come back with me to rest?"

Ye Chen also happened to be thinking about leaving.

Since she had already spoken, he stood up, following her lead.

"Okay then."

Jiang Liyu led him outside.

As she passed the exit of the stands, she slowed her pace for a moment and looked back at the crowd.

Mengzhu sat quietly amidst the surging fighting spirit of the crowd.

She kept her head down, her hands resting on her knees, and never looked back.

Jiang Liyu looked at her for a few seconds, then looked away.

"If you want to go, just go and talk to her."

Ye Chen followed her gaze and saw the purple-haired girl again.

Based on Jiang Liyu's previous reactions.

He had already guessed that the purple-haired girl was Jiang Liyu's former friend.

"Once you say what's been bottled up inside, you won't feel so bad."

"No."

Jiang Liyu turned around, her icy blue eyes looking at Ye Chen.

Even if everyone explains things clearly, things can never go back to the way they were before.

She gripped Ye Chen's fingers tighter.

"Now... I have my master, and that's enough!"