Main Text Chapter One: The Female Ruffian and Master Yiping

Chapter One: The Rogue Girl and the Daoist of Tranquility

"Hello, good morning. I saw your company’s job listing in the newspaper and wanted to ask if you’re still hiring—oh! All positions are filled? Alright, sorry to bother you. Goodbye!"

With a long sigh, Lin Zheng hung up the phone, spread open the newspaper, and marked an X over another job ad. The page was already riddled with red marks. Another morning wasted, leaving Lin Zheng quite disheartened. Was finding a job really this difficult? Every company he called that morning was already full—wasn’t this a bit much? Or were those people just brushing him off? Maybe he really needed to show up in person to prove his sincerity. But if that’s the case, why do these companies post so many job ads in the first place?

The more he thought about it, the more grievances crowded his mind. Just as Lin Zheng was muttering to himself, there was a sudden click—someone opened the front door.

"Hey, Lin! Come help me out!" a voice called from the doorway. Lin Zheng set the newspaper aside and went over. Standing there was someone whose face was hidden by the boxes she carried. The entryway was piled high with supplies: instant noodles, daily necessities, and more.

"Are you getting ready for hibernation or going into seclusion, you rascal? It’s only June—winter’s a long way off!" Lin Zheng stared speechlessly at the mountain of stuff.

As he helped her with two boxes, a fair and lively face emerged—bright and full of youthful energy, though at this moment, flushed and panting with excitement, her image was thoroughly ruined! As Lin Zheng had just called out, she looked more like a ruffian than a lady. This was Yang Qi—Lin Zheng’s close friend and roommate. Due to her unladylike behavior and the occasional crude remark, Lin Zheng had nicknamed her "the rogue," and it stuck. Most girls would be incensed by such a name, but to Lin Zheng’s bewilderment, she didn’t care at all.

Yang Qi rolled her eyes. "Less talking, more helping. You’ll see what it’s all for in a minute!" Though exasperated, Lin Zheng helped her haul everything inside. When they finished, Yang Qi dove onto the sofa, gulped down a can of juice, and let out a long belch—completely unconcerned with her image.

"Today nearly killed me!" Yang Qi panted. "You have no idea—the superstore was packed! I was almost squashed flat! But, hehe—"

"Alright, catch your breath first," Lin Zheng said, genuinely worried that she might faint from lack of air.

"Was it really that bad? What on earth did you buy? And—" Lin Zheng’s gaze swept over her striking figure, "In that crush, weren’t you afraid of being taken advantage of?"

"Hmph! Any guy who’d dare try hasn’t been born yet!" Yang Qi said triumphantly. Instantly, Lin Zheng envisioned a string of hapless perverts being taken down by her infamous knee strikes. No doubt, wherever Yang Qi went, misfortune would follow for the unlucky. Amitabha—may she at least leave them with some dignity!

Lin Zheng spared half a second’s sympathy for those would-be rascals. "What a heroine! But seriously, what did you buy this time?"

"Only something amazing!" Yang Qi took another swig of juice, chest swelling with pride. "You know that game I play?"

"Your game? 'Phantom Spirit'? Sure—I thought it was shut down?" Lin Zheng looked puzzled.

Yang Qi slapped her thigh, eyes shining. "There’s a sequel!"

"A sequel? You do seem a bit out of it today," Lin Zheng teased.

"Shut up!" Yang Qi rolled her eyes. "I mean 'Phantom Spirit II' just launched!"

"Oh?" Lin Zheng was mildly surprised. "It’s barely been closed a minute—already a sequel? How does it compare to the Japanese game 'Fantasy'?"

"No comparison!"

"Then what’s the point? If it’s not as good, why bother?"

"Heh!" Yang Qi grinned. "This time, the tables are turned! I’d love to see those Japanese publishers' faces—serves them right! They’ll lose a fortune. Just thinking about it is so satisfying!"

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"That’s impressive!" Lin Zheng’s interest was piqued. "So what’s the deal with this 'Phantom Spirit II'?"

"In a word: realism!" Yang Qi said. "The first game had an anime style, and let’s be honest, our domestic animation can’t compete. But the new system is hyper-realistic. It’s like being transported to another world—anime can’t even compare! That’s why I rushed out this morning to buy the login equipment." She pointed proudly to the boxes they’d just carried in. Hearing this, Lin Zheng finally understood what was going on.

"Phantom Spirit" was a revolutionary online game developed in China. Though it hadn’t achieved full virtual reality as in the novels, players could actually immerse themselves in the game world. The invention was groundbreaking, rapidly capturing a massive share of the global gaming market and earning China a fortune in foreign exchange—profits so staggering they made businesspeople and politicians worldwide turn green with envy.

Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last. Traitors inside the company stole the technology, and soon the Japanese game "Fantasy" appeared. In the anime-style gaming market, "Phantom Spirit" was outmatched, and its decline was swift. Now, the Japanese had just launched "Fantasy," pouring in astronomical sums with no return yet, and suddenly "Phantom Spirit II" dropped out of nowhere. Anyone could see it—the first game was a decoy, meant to lure them in. Now, the Japanese were being played, and their backers would suffer heavy losses as well. No one knew which government official had devised this ruthless scheme. It might be a bit self-defeating, but given the nations’ long history of rivalry, the Chinese public could only cheer!

"Lin, you haven’t found a job yet, right? Forget job hunting—come play with me! There’s endless business in this game. Look, I even bought you a login device!" So one of the boxes was for Lin Zheng. Stunned by her high-handed decision, he hesitated. "But I’m not a pro like you, Yang Qi. I don’t know how to make money in a game!"

"It’s easy!" Yang Qi smiled. "If you really can’t do anything, just hunt monsters—grind for coins and materials. Once you level up a bit, you can earn at least a hundred or two a day, three or four thousand a month. Not bad! There are plenty of rich players who can’t be bothered to grind. They’ll pay—no worries about the market!"

"Sounds pretty good," Lin Zheng mused, stroking his chin.

"Of course! Would I ever trick you? Come on, let’s set up our devices!" With that, Yang Qi dragged him off to put everything together.

After half an hour with the manual, the two of them finally assembled the login pods. They looked a bit like the biological pods in movies—fully adjustable for size, since everyone’s different.

"Okay, the servers open at one. We’ve got time—let’s eat first," Yang Qi said, glancing at the clock. Lin Zheng eyed the pile of instant noodles in the living room and chuckled. "So that’s why you bought all that food!"

"Exactly! Though, some people go even crazier—I saw a guy carrying three times as much as me just now…"

After eating, it was only twelve-thirty, so Lin Zheng decided not to waste the extra time. He searched the "Phantom Spirit II" website to get a better understanding; no point going in blind and wasting time learning the ropes. Even if Yang Qi thought he’d just be tagging along, he still needed some basics.

He found the site and clicked in—only to have a sword slash down from the top of the screen, startling him. The visual effects were intense, clearly designed to impress. The sword split the page, and the game’s spokesperson appeared, draped in white, sword in hand—a fairy descended to earth. Her beauty was devastating; Lin Zheng could only describe her as a femme fatale. How did they find someone this stunning? The hottest actresses couldn’t compare. Lin Zheng, a perfectly normal young man, couldn’t help but swallow at the sight—whoever married her would be truly blessed. No—he was consumed with envy! That’s how men were: even knowing a beauty was out of reach, the thought that she’d marry someone else still sparked a pang of jealousy.

"Why did you have to show me a woman like this? How am I supposed to find a wife now?" Lin Zheng groaned at the ceiling. Yang Qi came over, and even she, the rogue herself, couldn’t help but scoff at the fairy-like figure. "It’s just good makeup! If I did myself up, I’d look just as good!"

Lin Zheng glanced at her. Indeed, despite her ruffian ways, Yang Qi was a great beauty. But remembering her antics, he could only shake his head—there was just no comparison.

"What are you shaking your head for—are you saying I’m not pretty enough?" Yang Qi puffed out her chest—the impressive 34D nearly hit him in the face.

"You’re plenty pretty! But a rogue and a fairy are hardly the same thing," Lin Zheng shrugged.

"You—!" Yang Qi was exasperated, but true to her nature, she didn’t take it to heart. She grabbed Lin Zheng’s head and laughed, "That’s right! I’m a free-spirited beauty, not some prim fairy. Anyway, that girl’s a big deal, Lin! If you could land her, you’d never have to lift a finger for the rest of your life. Heh heh!" She looked downright lecherous—not for nothing was she called a rogue.

"What do you mean, a big deal?" Lin Zheng asked curiously, glancing at the spokesperson’s autograph. Blue Lapis—a name that rang a bell. That face seemed familiar too. Then again, every wolf sees a beauty and thinks she looks familiar. Just then, Yang Qi said, "Who’s our Premier?"

"Blue Tianzheng, of course," Lin Zheng replied, then froze. Same surname—could it be… "She’s his granddaughter!" he gasped.

"Surprised, aren’t you?" Yang Qi grinned. "She’s a real princess! If you could marry her, you’d never have to worry about anything again!"

"Truly a princess—she fits the bill!" Lin Zheng shook his head in admiration. "Look at our country’s princess—she’s got the look! Unlike those Western princesses, who are grandmas still called 'princess'—that just ruins fairy tales for the kids. Well, beauties will never run out, but I’d better check the game details…"

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The game world was a fantastical land where Daoist arts, magic, and martial skills coexisted with firearms and machinery—like Earth invaded by creatures from another world, with mythological elements woven throughout.

There weren’t many starter classes to choose from: Archer, Warrior, and Mage, though each had four advanced paths in the Chinese server. For Archers: Divine Marksman, Gunslinger, Hunter, and Sword Duelist. Warriors could become Swordsman, Heavy Blade Knight, Armored Warrior, or Chivalrous Hero. Mages could progress to Priest, Sorcerer, Summoner, or Daoist Priest. Of these, Sword Duelist and Daoist Priest were unique to the Chinese server.

Just at the first advancement, there were already so many classes, with even more on the second. Each first-tier class split into two further specializations, not to mention regional exclusives—the variety was staggering!

Lin Zheng skimmed through the options, quietly picking out a class that interested him, then browsed other information. Time was short—the game would launch soon. Before he knew it, it was one o’clock. He shut down the computer and climbed into the game pod.

But as soon as he lay down, a sharp pain shot through his head and he bolted upright. "Damn it! Why does entering the game have to hurt so much? It’s killing me!" He rubbed his temples, groaning. After a while, he cursed under his breath, "What the hell is this…" Still, he lay back down. This time, there was no headache—his consciousness slipped safely into the game.

The world went black, and when his vision returned, he found himself in a bustling, ancient village.

"Welcome to the world of 'Phantom Spirit II.' Please name your character. Barring special circumstances, this name cannot be changed afterwards," a pleasant synthesized female voice intoned.

Lin Zheng came to his senses—the game made you choose a name after entering! "Better pick something with some depth," he thought, preening a little. "How about 'Proud Sword of China'?"

"Sorry, that name is taken."

"Really? Then 'China’s Hero.'"

"Sorry, that name is taken."

"For crying out loud! How about 'Ximen Blows Snow'?"

"Sorry, that name is taken."

"I give up…"

After more than ten minutes, Lin Zheng, exhausted, muttered, "Daoist of Tranquility."

"This name is available. Confirm?"

"Of course the random one works," he thought with a sigh. "But I didn’t even want to play a Daoist—now I’m stuck as a fake priest… whatever." He didn’t want to waste any more time on names, so he confirmed. He picked Archer for his class, skipped adjusting his appearance, and dashed out of the village, ready for battle.