“You guys are just…”
Standing beneath the pristine white walls of Sky City, Guan Ying’s lips twitched as he looked at Yan.
“Too incredible.”
“Well, it’s not bad.”
Yan replied with a smile.
Just moments before, Yan had given Xiao and Guan Ying a tour of Sky City. Predictably, the two were utterly awestruck by the ethereal white castle, much like Yan himself had been upon first seeing Moon Mountain.
‘Could it be that not only these specific guild buildings are so exceptional, but perhaps all [Guild Buildings] opened on the new server possess such unique characteristics?’
This thought began to take root in the minds of several people.
“Oh, right, Yan.”
As if struck by a sudden realization, Xiao abruptly lifted her face, her gaze fixed on Yan with curiosity.
“Does [White Cloud Snow]’s Sky City also have restricted areas?”
“That’s right.”
Yan nodded, then, realizing something, he looked at Xiao with a questioning gaze.
“Could it be that [Three-Chi Ming]’s Moon Mountain also has restricted areas?”
“Indeed, the sixth and seventh floors are temporarily inaccessible. Even I, as the guild leader, can’t enter them.”
Xiao replied, spreading her hands in a gesture of helplessness.
“On my side, the third floor is restricted…”
Yan said with a wry smile.
While Sky City and Moon Mountain essentially covered the same practical area, Moon Mountain boasted more floors, whereas each floor in Sky City was considerably larger.
“It seems our two guilds are in similar situations, then…”
Xiao remarked with a slight smile.
“Since Yan’s place isn’t fully open either, I feel much more at ease. It’s likely these are new guild areas that will be unlocked in a future update.”
“Hey, hey, don’t seek solace from me, alright…”
Yan retorted with a wry laugh.
“Speaking of which, Yan.”
Xiao suddenly adopted a serious, puzzled expression, her bright eyes fixed on him.
“Are there also restrictions on how one can enter Sky City?”
‘Also?’
Yan caught the emphasis in Xiao’s words, and he turned his gaze to her.
“Yes, indeed. Only the teleportation arrays in the four cardinal directions—east, south, west, and north—allow access to Sky City’s island.”
He disclosed truthfully to Xiao, holding nothing back.
“However, once you’ve stepped onto the island, you simply push open Sky City’s gates to enter the guild.”
“So, it is as I suspected?”
Xiao’s expression shifted to one of understanding as she thoughtfully pinched her chin.
“Moon Mountain is actually quite similar. Although it’s a pavilion built atop an accessible isolated mountain, there are only four stone-paved paths leading up. The rest of the mountain is incredibly steep, utterly unscalable by normal means.”
‘So Moon Mountain is like that too?’
Yan and Xiao both wore expressions of deep thought.
‘What could be the Game Master’s intention in placing such restricted entrances around the guilds?’
‘Guild members can freely teleport back to the guild hall, and ordinary players wouldn’t idly wander into other guilds anyway.’
‘Unless…’
Yan and Xiao almost simultaneously realized a potential scenario.
“Could it be that future events will introduce activities where guilds can occupy each other’s territories?”
Yan met Xiao’s raised gaze, uttering the words in astonishment.
Otherwise, there would be no reason to design the guild’s exterior to resemble a war fortress.
“That’s certainly a possibility.”
Xiao nodded, agreeing with Yan’s speculation.
“However, only five [Guild Certificates] have been released so far. They wouldn’t start a war now; what about players who want to create their own guilds?”
She tilted her head, offering a slight smile.
“I don’t believe any game would be so insane as to deny ordinary players the chance to establish a guild…”
“True.”
Yan couldn’t help but chuckle as he nodded gently.
“If that time truly comes, our two guilds will be enemies.”
Xiao declared, raising her small, pink fist slightly.
“I won’t be lenient with you, Yan.”
“Haha, of course. Bring it on.”
Yan responded with a laugh.
“Well, the tour’s complete. We’ll head back now.”
Xiao said, smiling as she waved a gentle farewell to Yan.
“Alright, feel free to drop by anytime you’re free.”
Yan waved goodbye to the two, smiling as he spoke.
‘After all, they were still friends.’
“Mhm.”
Xiao nodded, standing beside Guan Ying, and then a blue light, indicative of teleportation, surged around them both. It appeared they were warping back to their guild.
‘Well, they probably just established their guild and have a lot of unfinished business.’
‘The same goes for my side, though I can just dump all the trivial matters onto Nan Shi. Even back on the old server, Nan Shi, as vice-guild leader, understood his guild far better than Yan, the actual guild leader, did.’
Yan’s lips curved into a mischievous grin as he mused, then turned and walked into the guild hall within the pristine white castle.
****
“Therefore, let’s temporarily elect a provisional vice-guild leader now.”
Yan settled into the head seat of the long table, surveying the few people around him.
“They’ll be responsible for handling daily guild affairs, posting guild quests, and so forth. While the tasks might be a bit tedious, they’ll earn a substantial amount of guild contribution points. Once the guild shop becomes well-stocked in the future, you’ll be among the first to redeem excellent items~”
He enticed them with a mischievous grin.
“Ah… For something as troublesome as choosing a vice-guild leader, couldn’t you just designate someone yourself, Yan?”
An Dong leaned back in his chair, his sturdy arms clasped behind his head, seemingly uninterested in such a topic.
“No, no, no, we must uphold democracy.”
Yan said, smiling at him.
“In the future, decisions regarding significant guild matters will also require everyone’s vote by a show of hands.”
“Of course, I do have a veto right, though.”
Yan added, half-jokingly.
This was only natural; if a guild leader lacked even that basic level of privilege, wouldn’t the entire guild fall into disarray?
Even so, Yan’s guild would still be remarkably democratic, unlike other guilds where decisions rested solely on the guild leader.
“Ah… fine.”
An Dong shrugged, straightening up in his seat, a hint of seriousness now in his demeanor.
“So, does anyone want to be vice-guild leader?”
Yan’s gaze drifted to Tian Jiu on his left.
“Tian Jiu, do you want to?”
“N-no… I…”
Tian Jiu waved her hands frantically, seemingly flustered by Yan’s sudden direct address.
“I… I can’t…”
She appeared at a loss for words, her face flushing red as she lowered her head.
“Well, that’s true. After all, Tian Jiu has only just started playing this game; it would be a bit difficult to ask you to be vice-guild leader.”
Yan offered a gentle smile, his gaze at Tian Jiu carrying a hint of apology.
“Mhm… mhm.”
Yan had articulated the very words Tian Jiu had wanted to use to decline, which instantly put her at ease, and she nodded softly.
Yan smiled faintly at Tian Jiu, then turned his attention to Qing Bai, who sat beside her.
“What about you, Qing Bai?”
“Not interested.”
Our young lady averted her face, giving Yan, the guild leader, no regard whatsoever, and refused him cleanly.
“Alright…”
Yan could only offer a wry smile, shrugging helplessly before turning to Xiao Qing, who sat to Qing Bai’s left.
“Xiao Qing?”
“Disciple… this disciple is already content to have joined Master’s guild. As for vice-guild leader… this disciple dare not shoulder such a heavy responsibility.”
Xiao Qing declined, sounding somewhat apprehensive.
‘Well… it’s not the feudal era, and there’s no saying of ‘serving a lord is like serving a tiger’ here. It’s just being a vice-guild leader; is it really that terrifying?’
Yan broke out in a cold sweat, his gaze shifting to the right side of the long table.
“Brother An Dong?”
Hearing Yan call his name, An Dong raised an eyebrow, a proud smile gracing his lips.
“I’ve even handed over my real-world clothing factory to Suo Liya…”
‘He’s another hands-off boss…’
Yan wasn’t sure what expression to show, so he simply turned his gaze to Lian, who sat beside An Dong.
“What about Lian?”
“…”
Lian raised her left hand, briefly running it through the long hair braided into small sections behind her head, her gaze at Yan complex.
“…I can do it.”
“Really?”
Yan asked, smiling with a touch of surprise.
“However… I don’t want to.”
Lian offered a slightly apologetic smile.
“Alright…”
Yan felt a bit drained, saying with a helpless laugh.
‘After all, you can’t force someone to do something they don’t want to do.’
“If there truly isn’t anyone else, and Yan finds himself unable to manage alone, I will lend a hand.”
As if feeling a little awkward about refusing Yan, Lian said this with a gentle, slightly apologetic smile.
“Thank you, Lian.”
Yan looked at Lian with watery eyes.
‘This person truly is an angel.’
‘But…’
‘Hehehe, I never intended for anyone else to take it anyway.’
‘These trivial matters are perfect for a designated helper.’
“Therefore, I declare that [White Cloud Snow]’s provisional vice-guild leader will be Nan Shi.”
A barely perceptible, mischievous smile played on Yan’s lips as he turned his gaze to Nan Shi.
“Nan Shi, you have no choice.”
“Why me?! Everyone else got asked, but with me, you just announced it directly?”
Nan Shi leaped indignantly from his chair, complaining to Yan with a mixture of anger and laughter.
“What happened to our promised democracy?”
“But I did ask everyone else, didn’t I? That’s quite democratic.”
Yan showed a wronged expression, spreading his hands to the others.
“Am I not counted as a person!?”
Nan Shi frowned, looking at Yan.
“Mhm.”
“Yan! You scoundrel!”
Nan Shi pounced, and the two began to playfully scuffle in the guild hall.
‘It was truly only at times like these that one understood the meaning of the word ‘frenemy’.’
“I was wrong, I was wrong!”
Yan, scrambling wildly around the hall with Nan Shi in pursuit, laughed as he begged for mercy, covering his head.
“Yan and Nan Shi have such a good relationship, don’t they?”
Tian Jiu said, smiling as she watched the two playfully bickering, an expression of envy and longing on her face.
“Who has a good relationship with this guy?”
Nan Shi gritted his teeth in annoyance as he spoke, grabbing Yan’s collar. They remained still for a moment, as if unable to hold it in any longer, and then both burst into hearty laughter.
“You shameless fellow,”
He chided Yan, still laughing.
“Thank you for the compliment; the feeling is mutual.”
Yan cupped his fist in a gesture of respect.
“Fine, I’ll do it, alright?”
Nan Shi seemed to resign himself to his fate, giving up his resistance.
“You could have just said that earlier,”
Yan said with a smile, tidying his clothes, which had become a little dishevelled from their playful scuffle, before returning to his seat.
“That’s all for the guild matters to be decided this time… but there’s something else…”
He said, smiling at the others.
“If any of you have friends who wish to join our guild, feel free to invite them. Our guild has no restrictions; a friend of a friend is still a friend.”
“However, if unknown players approach you, seeking to join [White Cloud Snow], please direct them to Nan Shi, who will be responsible for screening them.”
Yan, seated at the head of the long table in the guild hall, addressed the group.
“Well, although I say ‘screening,’ it’s really just a way to slightly control the number of players joining the guild.”
Yan offered a helpless smile, briefly explaining the reason to their puzzled gazes.
“Currently, other guilds possessing golden [Guild Certificates] haven’t yet begun to aggressively recruit members. If we were to do so without any restrictions, we would likely become a target for everyone else.”
The promise of “a 5% single-attribute boost simply for joining the guild” was undoubtedly a tempting slice of cake. Furthermore, the guild boasted several powerful players who had made a name for themselves in the first event, serving as a major draw for prospective members.
If they were to accept players indiscriminately, it was likely that Yan’s [White Cloud Snow] would become a super-large guild with countless members within a few days.
Regardless of Yan’s personal wishes, if his guild were to become dominant, the other guilds would probably take issue with it.
Moreover, there were already signs within the game that guild wars would be introduced.
Yan had no desire to stir up trouble right after establishing his guild; he simply wanted to enjoy playing the game casually with his friends.
“Does everyone understand what I’ve just said?”
Yan asked, smiling as he looked at the people seated at the table.
“We understand.”
They nodded, replying in unison.
And just then…
****
[World Channel]:
[Zhen Bupo]: [Iron-Blooded Queen] An Ruina’s guild—[Queen’s Royal Guard] is now recruiting players! All players are welcome to join actively, and you’ll receive a 5% single-attribute boost reward upon entry~ Interested parties, please add [Fist Master] Ivan as a friend to get in touch.
[Ivan]: [Iron-Blooded Queen] An Ruina’s guild—[Queen’s Royal Guard] is now recruiting players! Welcome…
Interested parties, please add me to get in touch.
‘An Ruina’s guild!?’
‘They’ve started public recruitment?’