During dinner, Han Zhanâs phone buzzed.
He took out his phone and saw a message from Bob.
The content was simple: a screenshot with a Little Dragon Person giving an okay gesture.
Seeing this, Han Zhan understood immediately.
While shoveling rice into his mouth, he said, "Dad, Iâve successfully cleared all the stocks you were stuck with in the market."
"Pfft." Han Qiuming almost spewed his rice back into the bowl.
Shan Yunmei shot him a fierce glare.
There are guests, donât make a fool of yourself!
Han Qiuming understood the threat in Shan Yunmeiâs eyes and quickly straightened up.
"Xiaozhan, I really appreciate your humor."
"In the humor department, your mom ranks first, and you definitely come second."
Han Qiumingâs words didnât elicit much of a reaction from Han Zhan, but Gongyang Jin, who was quietly eating beside them, couldnât suppress a chuckle.
Who would have thought that the new leader of Great Xia, so commanding outside, would get teased by his own dad at home?
"Dad, Iâm talking serious business here," Han Zhan said, sounding a bit dissatisfied.
"Serious business, oh, serious business. I, Emperor Qin Shi Huang, pay up," Han Qiuming threw out another popular meme, proving he too was riding the internet wave.
"Ding dong."
Just as he finished speaking, his phone rang.
"Whoa? For real? Let me see if itâs just some spam."
Han Qiuming took out his phone and glanced at the message nonchalantly.
Suddenly, his eyes were glued to the screen, not moving a bit.
Then, as fast as lightning, he put his phone away and looked at his son with burning eyes.
As if seeing a rising stock market genius.
"Uh, Xiaozhan, I admit I laughed a bit too loudly just now."
"Do you have some special stock trading techniques? Care to teach me?"
Han Zhan silently picked up his bowl and took a bite of rice:
"Dad, youâre really funny."
...
After dinner.
Han Zhan proposed to take Gongyang Jin home, to which Shan Yunmei and Han Qiuming quickly agreed.
After leaving the house, the two walked along the road.
"Were my parents a bit too much for you?"
Walking shoulder to shoulder under the streetlights, Han Zhan and Gongyang Jin looked like a couple out on a stroll from a distance.
Hearing Han Zhanâs question, Gongyang Jin smilingly shook her head.
"Iâve never seen my biological parents since I was a kid; it was Chen Zhongxia who took me in and raised me."
"The concept of parents is always blurry to me. But today, seeing your parents, I suddenly understood the role they play in a family."
"I should thank you, Ah Zhan. I really enjoyed todayâs meal."
These were heartfelt words.
Once upon a time, Gongyang Jin also imagined what her parents would look like.
But as time went by, growing up and experiencing more, the concept of parents gradually faded.
Seeing Gongyang Jinâs serene smile, Han Zhan felt that this was her true self, not the Alliance Leader of the Anti-Xia Alliance, the female villain of the City of Extreme Evil, the Cold-faced Killer, or the Ice Mountain Sword Cultivator.
He silently took her hand, deciding to explain the connection between himself and this world to her.
"Xiao Jin, actually, I and they..."
"I know everything."
Gongyang Jin interrupted Han Zhan.
"You know everything?" Han Zhan was a bit surprised, realizing that Gongyang Jin was even sharper than he thought.
"Yes, I know." Gongyang Jin nodded.
"Initially, I was also confused, but during the conversation with your mother, especially when she asked about my job, I realized one thing."
Gongyang Jin paused there.
Han Zhan didnât speak, waiting for her to continue.
"What I realized is that every participant entering the Slaughter Battlefield is assigned a role."
"Like my role is a Sword Dojo teacher. Bobâs role is an internet cafe computer. And your role is the son."
Han Zhan: "???"
What exactly do you know?
I am speechless.
Thinking Han Zhanâs silence meant agreement, Gongyang Jin continued:
"According to the rules of the Slaughter Battlefield, each participant can earn sufficient Gold Coins of Evil by playing their role well."
"Moreover, the better the role play, the more Gold Coins of Evil one can earn."
This was a rule Gongyang Jin summarized.
Not incorrect, but it was a bit different from what Han Zhan intended to explain to her.
As Han Zhan was about to speak again, a tattered beggar stumbled toward them.
"Handsome guy, pretty lady, have mercy... have mercy..."
The beggar, holding a ceramic bowl with a dozen coins inside, extended his mud-covered left hand towards Han Zhan.
He looked pitifully miserable.
Suddenly, a chilling, fierce knife glint was drawn from the beggarâs loose, shabby robe, stabbing toward them.
"Watch out!"
Gongyang Jin darted in front of Han Zhan, lifting her foot fiercely.
The beggar, whose attack direction was preemptively predicted, failed to hit, and the knife in his hand was instead kicked away by Gongyang Jin.
The beggar, caught by the force, fell backward, sprawling.
The worn hat covering half of his face fell off, revealing his true face underneath.
"Life and Death Apostle?"
"No, should call you Dream Demon Frog!"
Han Zhan recognized the attacker.
"Heh heh, didnât expect, huh, that I could find you so quickly."
The beggar, scrambling up from the ground, locked his fierce eyes on Han Zhan and Gongyang Jin.
"After unlocking Tier One Ability, I copied numerous lifeforms to search the city for other participants."
"As long as youâve been active in this city, you canât escape my watchful eyes!"
If Bob used a clever method to find people, then Dream Demon Frog used a brute force approach.
No finesse involved, just breaking technique with strength, winning by number.
"Eager to find us, are you planning to deal with us while weâre just at Tier One? Arenât you underestimating us a bit too much?"
With Han Zhan and Gongyang Jinâs individual combat strength among the top of their tier, they wouldnât be easy opponents.
Looking at the seemingly confident Frog, Han Zhan was puzzled.
"What if you add me?"
From the shadows away from the streetlight emerged a tall figure.
Fallen Knight!
The Fallen Knight, also controlled by the Dream Demon, wasnât surprising to see here.
Han Zhan and Gongyang Jin exchanged a glance, seeing the burning battle intent in each otherâs eyes.
"At the same Realm, you might not necessarily be our match."
Clang, clang.
The Fallen Knight, without his warhorse, walked toward them.
The cold, hard armor clattering on the ground echoed crisply throughout the street.
"Whether weâre a match, weâll only know by fighting."