System Failures

At this moment, within the AI control center for the game ‘Jianghu’, numerous staff members were working through the night.

“Chairman, the command has been issued. Are we certain we want to proceed with this? It’s illegal,” a middle-aged man asked, his brow furrowed.

“What’s there to fear? It won’t affect the players; it’s just a pile of data. Begin,” Jiang Kaiyang stated, a look of indifference on his face.

They seemed to be conducting some kind of experiment. As Jiang Kaiyang gave the order, everyone sprang into action. Although they didn’t know precisely what they were doing, the AI controlling Jianghu rapidly began its calculations.

Meanwhile, Ye Qingyun had finished showering and was now settled in bed. He activated sleep mode, a state that promised a more immersive gaming experience by completely severing his connection to the outside world.

Ye Qingyun slowly opened his eyes, then sluggishly climbed out of bed. The makeup Li Yulian had applied still adorned his character’s face, a detail Li Yulian had informed him of long ago.

The patterns on the forehead and the color of the lips, for instance, were indelible. Li Yulian had crafted them using a particularly expensive material, a pigment produced by the authorities specifically for marking slaves.

Once marked with this substance, it fused with the skin, becoming impossible to wash off unless one literally peeled off the skin. Yet, these markings were all on Ye Qingyun’s character’s face; one couldn’t possibly peel off the skin of the lips and forehead.

That was certainly out of the question. Besides, since it was merely a game, players weren’t overly concerned with their appearance, so Ye Qingyun didn’t dwell on the matter too much.

The game character had already spent half a month in this world. Consequently, some of Ye Qingyun’s character’s movements and expressions had begun to change according to Li Yulian’s instructions. When the character walked, her waist swayed alluringly, yet her face remained as cold as ice.

This was Li Yulian’s specific request: the character’s body language and movements had to become seductive and charming, while her face maintained an aloof demeanor. Thus, Ye Qingyun’s character now presented a profound contradiction, her aura as cold as ice, yet her figure captivating, creating a sense of both illusion and reality.

She was undeniably alluring, yet simultaneously exuded an inviolable, sacred aura. This blend of the divine and the demonic was truly tormenting.

After Ye Qingyun’s character finished her ablutions, he called up her personal information.

Name: Ye Qingrou (Commoner)

Title: Rose Fairy

Age: 18

Internal Cultivation: Creation Art, Second Stage [Arm Strength 5, Physique 10, Agility 14, Internal Breath 7, Aura 5]

Strength: Beginner

Identity: Sweetwater Lane (Singing and Dancing Girl) (Top Courtesan) (Official Courtesan)

Hidden Identity: Princess of a Fallen Kingdom (Fate Defier)

Charm: 100 (Absolute attraction to men) (Half effect on women)

Fame: The Capital (2500)

Equipment: Rose Dancer’s Garb (Identity Set)

Talent: Bloodspirit Demonic Eyes: Effects: Enchantment, Soul Absorption, Illusion.

Life Skills: Music (Mastery) Dance (Mastery) Literary Talent (Proficiency)

Over the past half-month, Ye Qingyun’s character’s performances had improved significantly. Consequently, a ceaseless stream of people came to watch her, and now all of The Capital knew of the Rose Fairy with her innate blood-red eyes, residing in the Flower District.

However, while this reputation might be prestige for men, for the women of The Capital, Ye Qingyun’s character was their number one enemy. In men’s eyes, she was a fairy; in women’s eyes, she was nothing but a vixen.

Ye Qingyun’s character prepared for her performance as usual. Sweetwater Lane was packed today, with many players interspersed among the crowd. Distinguishing players from NPCs was difficult, as they lacked obvious identifying features unless they explicitly revealed their identities.

Nevertheless, some peculiar movements could give them away.

Indeed, many people were conversing at this moment, and their chatter made it clear they were players.

Within Sweetwater Lane, a chubby player was currently surveying his surroundings, searching for other players. Identifying them was both simple and complex. One could simply declare, “I am a player,” and anyone who heard it would naturally pay attention.

The NPCs of this world had no comprehension of what a ‘player’ was, so some used this method to find like-minded individuals.

This group was destined to behave strangely, unable to blend in with the majority of the crowd present.

At the entrance of Sweetwater Lane, some thirty to forty players, having heard the rumors, stood gathered.

“Hey, is this Rose Fairy really a player? She looks just like an NPC. If she is, I’d love to add her as a friend.”

“How would I know? Didn’t the world announcement mention her? We’ll find out once we test it.”

The players chattered amongst themselves, each offering their thoughts as they brainstormed ways to get Ye Qingyun’s character’s contact information. To add friends, they had to do so in person and reveal their identities.

However, Ye Qingyun’s character consistently remained quite distant from them, leaving no opportunity.

Time ticked by, and soon it was time for the performance.

Then, Ye Qingyun’s character, ethereal in a flowing purple gown, emerged from the passage. Her every step, her every curve, and her every gesture captivated the audience, players included.

“Oh my god, my heavens, the Goddess is getting more enchanting by the day! Especially her waist, and those eyes!” the players exclaimed, their faces alight with excitement.

“Goddess, are you a player? We’re all players!” Just then, the chubby player opened his mouth and shouted towards Ye Qingyun’s character.

Hearing these voices, Ye Qingyun’s character paused slightly. She instinctively glanced towards the group, and seeing her reaction, the players immediately confirmed her identity.

“Shut up! What’s all this ruckus about ‘players’ or not? You lot better settle down and stop disturbing us from watching the Fairy’s performance!”

At that very moment, a ferocious-looking burly man, radiating an intimidating aura, roared at the players. His shout was like a tiger’s roar, shaking the players and sending them into a dazed state.

‘This fellow is no ordinary person,’ Ye Qingyun thought, a slight tremor of surprise passing through him. He quickly scanned the burly man.

[Unknown Male, Strength: Masterful, Not to be provoked], the system warned.

Startled by his roar, the players also shut their mouths, fearing they might be instantly killed if they weren’t careful.

“My lord, why such anger? Everyone here is a guest,” Ye Qingyun’s character said softly.

Though her voice was soft, it was remarkably melodious and clear, audible to everyone present.

This calm, gentle voice immediately soothed the burly man’s anger.

“Eh? Alright, alright, I’m not angry. You few, quiet down,” the burly man quickly said to Ye Qingyun’s character with a smile.

Such was the power of beauty; a single sentence could avert potential trouble in the Flower District.

The players, seeing Ye Qingyun’s character speak on their behalf, were ecstatic. However, they refrained from making any further noise. Though numerous, they were no match for the burly man.

After all, the burly man’s name appeared blood-red in their eyes, a color signifying death.

Ye Qingyun’s character nodded towards the group of players. Then, Ye Qingyun began selecting a performance. For every new act, the initial performance was system-controlled, acting as a tutorial. After this guided session, he would perform independently, though the actual difference was minimal.

Each day consisted of four performances, and during this period, Ye Qingyun’s character had begun performing new acts, which yielded higher profits.

Soon, Ye Qingyun’s character began her performance. The acts were now highly sophisticated, involving both instrument playing and dancing simultaneously. Currently, only the guqin and pipa allowed for such a combination; the guzheng, however, did not.

Singing, dancing, and accompanying oneself—such a performance was undoubtedly challenging. However, for Ye Qingyun’s character now, it merely resulted in a degree of fatigue.

Her voice, the melodies she played, and her dance—each element captivated the audience’s minds, drawing them into a state of utter absorption. Those who truly understood the depth in Ye Qingyun’s character’s eyes found their very souls swept away.