Chapter Fifty-One: The Clouds Fall, the Moon Descends (Part One)

At this moment, in the city of Falling Cloud, almost everything was developing in a positive direction. The rented shops had officially opened for business, and the influx of players greatly stimulated current consumption—whether it was the tavern, the quest hall, or the shops themselves, everywhere was bustling with the constant flow of players.

Amid this endless stream of transactions, a portion of the gold found its way into Li Ren’s pocket. Of course, this was all perfectly legal taxation. These funds, in turn, promoted the further development of the quest platform, and the exchange of soul tasks had never ceased since. With only this initial capital, Li Ren was already reaping a continuous harvest of gold and souls.

The constant white glow from the teleportation array was no longer worthy of any notice from the players. By now, everyone took it as completely normal. Even those who didn’t really need to come to Falling Cloud City found themselves compelled to do so after hearing their friends brag, “Have you been to that legendary Falling Cloud City? The place is just…”—and after a long string of such boasts, they would end up paying the 30 gold teleportation fee just to save face. Fortunately, most who hadn’t visited yet possessed enough souls, so after exchanging them, the transfer fee was hardly an issue.

Naturally, these visitors would also indulge themselves in those uniquely renowned taverns their friends had spoken of—now that they had money, there was no need to worry about spending it. And when they returned, they would, of course, boast to their own friends in turn. In this endless cycle, the one left quietly smiling in the end was Li Ren, the mysterious city lord who had never shown his face to anyone.

At the headquarters of Violet Falling Clouds Pavilion—

“Hey, Sister Falling Moon, have you heard about that super popular Falling Cloud City lately?”

On a small hill just outside the guild’s base—a tiny village—lush green grass blanketed the ground, dotted with vibrant yet hardy wildflowers. The warm sunlight bathed the landscape, cozy and gentle without a hint of harshness. A soft breeze rustled as two young girls, full of youthful energy, stood together, their silky hair gently lifted by the wind.

What a scene—like a paradise, a beautiful, untouched tableau without the taint of mortal existence!

The younger-looking girl who spoke wore her worries openly, her face clouded with concern, yet her innocence and charm made one’s heart ache with affection.

“I’ve heard of it. That Falling Cloud City seems to be all the rage. But who knows whose city it really is? It might even belong to an NPC. There’s no way a player could have that kind of power right now. And you, silly girl, stop moping around—we’re already developing our base pretty quickly!”

The two were Falling Moon and Gentle Water. Ever since their last meeting with Li Ren, they hadn’t seen him again, nor even glimpsed him online, which made both of them anxious. Had Li Ren not suddenly come online for a short while a few days ago, they might have worried themselves sick.

Though Gentle Water heard Falling Moon’s words, she still looked indignant. “Hmph! If Brother Bones were still here, our base would definitely be better off than Falling Cloud City—at the very least, we’d be doing just as well!”

Hearing Gentle Water’s sulky tone, Falling Moon couldn’t help but laugh. This girl—just how important was that person to her, to make her so full of confidence in him?

“But if Bones really were here now, maybe the base upgrade quest wouldn’t be progressing the way it is,” Falling Moon thought to herself. She noticed Gentle Water’s inexplicable trust in Li Ren, but didn’t realize she herself harbored a subtle dependence on him as well.

“Sister Falling Moon, why don’t we go to Falling Cloud City too? Let’s see who built that place—how dare they leave us behind like this! And maybe we can steal some of their ideas while we’re at it,” Gentle Water suggested suddenly.

“I suspect ‘stealing ideas’ isn’t your main goal. Maybe you’re hoping to catch sight of your elusive Brother Bones—after all, I’ve heard some powerful players can completely hide their information, even their online status.” Falling Moon looked at Gentle Water slyly, and sure enough, the latter’s cheeks flushed under her gaze.

“Hmph! I’m not! The Land of the Gods is so vast; how could I find Brother Bones that easily? If you won’t go, I’ll go by myself!” Seeing herself about to get in deeper, Gentle Water stomped her foot, pretending to be angry as she turned to leave.

As expected, Falling Moon’s voice called after her, “Alright, alright—I’ll go with you. Happy now?”

Gentle Water turned back with a sly grin. “I knew you were the best, Sister Falling Moon!”

Falling Moon stroked the younger girl’s smooth, silky hair and smiled gently. In the end, only the heavens knew whose wish would truly be fulfilled by their visit to Falling Cloud City—yet it seemed even the heavens, watching these two angelically beautiful girls, smiled down upon them.

With a flash of white light from the teleportation array, the two lovely girls appeared in Falling Cloud City.

The city’s once gloomy, somber atmosphere had softened under the impact of the swelling crowds. At least, the initial impression was no longer frightening.

Gentle Water felt just that—though she was still somewhat ill at ease, the presence of so many people prevented any real fear. Perhaps this was human nature: a place might be dangerous no matter how many visited, but when surrounded by crowds, one’s anxiety faded. Ostrich mentality? Perhaps.

“It’s so gloomy here. I really don’t get why so many players come. Just look at our guild base—it’s so much prettier. Why won’t they come to us instead?” Gentle Water muttered, grumbling to herself.

“You mean to say you still haven’t figured out what makes Falling Cloud City special?” Falling Moon was a little surprised.

“I know—it’s that soul exchange thing. I don’t even know how many I’ve collected, and I’m not sure what happens after the exchange. If it turns out to be useful, wouldn’t that just benefit all these others?” Gentle Water still harbored strong hostility toward the new city—no doubt a touch of jealousy, given how much faster it was developing than their own guild base. What an adorable girl.

“We don’t know if it’s useful yet, but I’ve heard that once you accept a quest here, you’ll see this hidden attribute for yourself. We may as well go and unlock it.” With that, Falling Moon pulled Gentle Water toward the quest hall. All around, players bustled in and out of the shops, the city vibrant and thriving.

“Falling Cloud City really might become a megacity soon, at this rate. If this momentum continues, that day may come sooner than anyone expects,” Falling Moon mused as they walked.

Both girls were preoccupied with thoughts of city-building, completely oblivious to the stir their beauty caused among the other players. Furthermore, with no safe zones in Falling Cloud City, the thoughts of certain individuals grew more and more restless.

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