FIMA Ch139: Don’t Be Afraid

Gu Siyuan controlled his curly-haired, wild-looking brute ‘Smurf’ and followed Tao Xiangwen’s elegant, white-clad swordsman ‘Only for Combat’ to the entrance of the new dungeon.

Although the new Island of Gloom wasn’t a Nightmare-tier dungeon, it still had relatively high character requirements. Players had to be at least level 75 to even qualify to enter. Consequently, there weren’t too many people gathered at the entrance right now, but every single one of them was decked out in flashy, gleaming, golden equipment—especially in stark contrast to ‘Smurf’, a blank account wearing nothing but rags and wielding a rusty broadsword.

Because he stood out so much, he instantly attracted the gazes of many players waiting to form parties.

The ‘Current Area’ chat channel immediately livened up.

[Such a blank account, his combat power must be super low. Can he even clear the dungeon?]

[Are you blind? Didn’t you see Great God ‘Only for Combat’ is taking him? He’s probably just hugging a thigh to get a free carry! So jealous…]

[You’re the blind one! Who’s hugging whose thigh here? Do you see that his ID is literally ‘Smurf’ (Xiao Hao)?]

[F*ck, could this be the same ‘Smurf’ from yesterday? The ‘Smurf’ from Great God Qianfan’s live stream?!]

[It has to be! This aura, this curly hair, these rags, this broadsword… it’s our Big Boss! The Big Boss is teaming up with Great God ‘Only for Combat’ to run the new dungeon today…]

[Holy sh*t, we’re in luck, hehe…]

Tao Xiangwen accidentally glanced at the ‘Current Area’ chat and frowned. He couldn’t quite understand it. What on earth were these people talking about? Because his own skills were already top-tier, he rarely bothered watching other Great Gods’ live streams.

Gu Siyuan completely ignored the chat. Remembering Tao Xiangwen’s earlier comment about wanting to “hug his thigh,” his slender fingers tapped lightly as he created a new party, made himself the leader, and sent an invite to Tao Xiangwen.

Seeing the notification on his screen, Tao Xiangwen immediately clicked accept, but then turned his head, unable to hold back a laugh: “Siyuan, are you really going to command the dungeon run later?”

Gu Siyuan’s sword-like eyebrows arched, and he said coldly, “Is there a problem?”

Sitting barely two meters away, Tao Xiangwen felt the oppressive aura radiating from him and instantly caved: “No problem.”

Tsk, if we fail the dungeon, we just waste an entry ticket and a little time. It won’t affect my rankings or win rate. Not a big deal. He looked back at his computer screen, only to find that the party was already full.

Huh? It’s only been a few seconds…

Usually, the higher the dungeon level and difficulty, the more cautious players were when selecting teammates. Tao Xiangwen felt a moment of secret delight. It must be because of me. Although he wasn’t as wildly famous as Xie Fengqing or Lu Qianfan, he was still ranked in the top 100 on the server. Any veteran player would recognize him. They’re definitely here to hug my thigh.

Just as he was thinking this, the map scene flashed, and their party was teleported into the dungeon.

The three randomly joined teammates were incredibly lively, with multiple chat bubbles popping up above their characters’ heads.

[I’m actually in a party with the Big Bosses! I can’t believe it!]

[Big Boss, I’m here to hug your thigh.]

[Teaming up with the Big Boss… I’m turning on my stream to record this.]

Tao Xiangwen felt a bit smug and floaty.

Gu Siyuan simply typed two words: “Be quiet.”

The map for the Island of Gloom was indeed complex. There were forests, swamps, lakes, and valleys—designed to be as disorienting as possible. But the most important elements were the island’s natives: the monsters hiding in the wooden cabins and castles.

Gu Siyuan made his character leap onto a treetop, scanned the surroundings to confirm their current location, and then—for the sake of easier commanding—directly turned on his microphone.

“Follow me,” he said.

His voice was deep, low, and icy.

Everyone’s minds instantly cleared. The three teammates were even more excited. The Big Boss’s voice sounds so boss-like!

Their party spawned at the island’s docks. To leave this area and enter the center of the island to fight the boss, they first had to cross a swamp. The swamp was infested with poisonous toads. If alerted, the toads themselves weren’t the main issue—it was their venom, which was notoriously difficult to deal with. Countless players had met their demise here.

Seeing Gu Siyuan charge straight toward the swamp as if he saw nothing, Tao Xiangwen frowned: “Captain, are we just going to brute-force it? Shouldn’t we coordinate a formation?”

Gu Siyuan’s icy voice rang out over the mic: “Step exactly where I land. Do not make a mistake.”

Tao Xiangwen was about to say something else, but the other three teammates had already replied in unison: “Understood.”

In the next instant, Gu Siyuan’s curly-haired brute shot forward like an arrow, landing on a broken wooden boat in the middle of the swamp, then ricocheting off it to step onto a specific rock ahead. His movements were so blindingly fast that the camera angles shifted at a dizzying pace.

Without hesitation, the people behind him followed, stepping precisely on his landing spots one by one. Although their speed couldn’t match his, they were high-level players after all, so their jumping mechanics were quite stable. During this entire process, the demonic toads in the swamp seemed to be fast asleep, not moving an inch.

The final landing spot near the opposite shore was on top of a dwarf pine tree. However, because the fourth person moved a little too slowly, the last player failed to land steadily. The resulting commotion instantly caused a massive toad to surface from the muck.

“Crap!” The teammate panicked.

But right at that moment, the curly-haired brute, who had already landed on the shore, seemed fully prepared. A flurry of rapid keyboard and mouse clicks echoed in the dorm room. In an instant, a flawless chain of ultimate skills was unleashed, instantly killing the toad before it could even spit its venom.

The last person finally landed safely, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. They had successfully crossed the swamp.

Tao Xiangwen was astonished and turned to look at Gu Siyuan.

That final combo of ultimate skills was not simple. Furthermore, their path through the swamp had been way too smooth. Did Siyuan memorize the entire map and the exact coordinates of every monster? I ran this yesterday and I barely remember a thing…

At this time, messages popped up above the three teammates’ heads again.

[Thank you, Big Boss, for the safe landing.]

[The Big Boss is literally a walking map! He must have memorized the entire dungeon layout!]

[Heh, playing the Ice Snow Island yesterday was even more satisfying. The Big Boss used the map to stealth-kill so many elite monsters!]

Gu Siyuan ignored the flattery and said flatly, “Keep up.”

For the rest of the run, under his command, the team passed through swamps, forests, and canyons, yet they only had to engage in combat three times and use one antidote and one health potion. The rest of the time, they either bypassed the danger completely, or Gu Siyuan obliterated the monsters with a combo ultimate before they could even launch an attack.

The person who felt this the most profoundly was Tao Xiangwen.

At one point, they encountered a mini-boss. It was quite powerful, and fighting it solo would exert a lot of pressure. Tao Xiangwen was just about to step in and help. However, Gu Siyuan utilized master-class kiting techniques and his intimate familiarity with the map’s terrain to slowly and brutally kite the mini-boss to death using his blank account.

Usually, when other players used these kinds of underhanded kiting tactics, it looked rather sleazy and cowardly. But when Gu Siyuan executed it, his movements were incredibly flashy and gorgeous, making them feel as though they were watching a masterclass tournament match.

[The Big Boss’s mechanics and combat awareness are simply off the charts!]

[Got to witness the Big Boss’s god-tier positioning again!]

[Big Boss, you truly deserve the title of Tactical Master and Walking Map!]

When it came to the final Boss, because Gu Siyuan’s blank account lacked the attack power to effectively chip away the Boss’s health, he organized a coordinated team siege.

At this moment, Tao Xiangwen finally got to shine. He was a top 100 player on the server, after all; whether in combat experience or mechanics, he was far superior to the others. Especially when dealing with this kind of tanky, high-HP boss, he had long ago developed a personalized, highly effective combo routine based on the system’s base skills.

However, before he could even be smug for a full minute…

He noticed that Gu Siyuan immediately began using the exact same offensive routine. It looked very similar to his own, but it was sharper, more precise, and far more perfect.

Tao Xiangwen turned his head. Staring at the fingers flying across the keyboard and mouse just a short distance away, he asked in disbelief, “Did… did you just learn that on the fly? You learned it just by watching me once?!”

Gu Siyuan glanced at him but didn’t speak. His keyboard and mouse continued to clatter loudly. His finger speed was pushed to the absolute limit, as if he were playing a passionate, rapid-fire piano concerto.

Finally, with an aerial chain-thrust directly hitting the boss’s vital point…

A massive ‘VICTORY!’ flashed across the screen.

Tao Xiangwen leaned back in his gaming chair, his mind replaying everything that had just happened, still somewhat unable to process it. He turned to glare at Gu Siyuan: “Holy f*ck, if you have this kind of game sense and these kinds of mechanics, were you just acting the whole time you partied with Great God Xie before? What was the point? Are you addicted to being a sugar baby or something?”

Gu Siyuan ignored him. He picked up the dropped materials and loot, then clicked to disband the party.

After a moment of silence, thinking about how he had practically been hard-carried the entire game, Tao Xiangwen nodded slowly: “I guess… being a sugar baby is actually pretty awesome.”

Tao Xiangwen continued, “You were acting way too hard before. With your abilities, the new dungeon record would definitely be yours. It’s fine for your blank account to run dungeons, but you still won’t be able to rank in the PK arena. That means you won’t be able to participate in the upcoming New Year’s welfare event. The rewards for that are huge; it could fully gear up this blank account from head to toe…”

Gu Siyuan said indifferently: “When I checked the official website earlier, I read the event details. The rewards aren’t only obtainable from the PK arena.”

Tao Xiangwen’s eyes widened: “The PK arena ranking is the easiest way, and it has the most slots. The only other way is through the forum’s contribution point rankings, and there are only ten slots total for that.”

Gu Siyuan remained completely unfazed: “As long as it exists, it’s fine. Even if there was only one slot, it would still be mine.”

“…” Tao Xiangwen.

Alright, you’re the boss. You’re the king of acting cool.

Once this week passed, all the major courses for their class officially concluded, bringing them into a half-month-long revision and exam period.

On Saturday evening, Gu Siyuan and Tao Xiangwen left the dorm together and headed to a restaurant not far from the campus. Today was December 31st. Their class was relatively tight-knit, and it had become an old tradition to organize a class dinner on this day every year to ring in the New Year together.

When Gu Siyuan arrived at the restaurant entrance wearing a black down jacket and brown leather boots, a few classmates who were shivering with their hands stuffed in their pockets and their necks drawn in took one look at his tall, straight, and elegant figure, and couldn’t help but feel a surge of jealousy.

We’re all wearing down jackets and jeans, so why do some people manage to look so good, with even more presence than a runway model? Is this the capital he relies on to be a cheating scumbag?

Looking up again, they saw Xie Fengqing had also just arrived.

Xie Fengqing was wearing a puffy, short white down jacket with an orange-yellow turtleneck sweater underneath. It made his red lips and white teeth stand out, giving him a strikingly fresh appearance, looking just like a warm, molten lava custard bun.

Tsk, damn it, fashion really is completed by the face.

One in black, one in white. They looked like they were wearing couple’s outfits. However, the aura surrounding them was exceptionally terrifying, like the Black and White Reapers of the Underworld, as they walked toward the hotel’s banquet hall side by side.

For this dinner, seating was arranged by dormitories. Since Gu Siyuan was in a mixed dorm and Xie Fengqing was a day student living at home, the two “strays” were grouped together at the same table.

Whether intentionally or not, the others at the table had claimed their seats early. Being the last to arrive, the only two empty seats left were right next to each other.

Gu Siyuan’s expression didn’t change as he sat down with perfect composure.

Xie Fengqing gritted his teeth. Refusing to lose out in terms of presence, he boldly sat down right beside him.

The entire table stared at the two of them.

What if someone says the wrong thing and they just start throwing hands on the spot? Flipping tables and hacking at each other? How exciting would that be…

Of course, these were all just wild fantasies.

As modern students of the 21st century, there was nothing that a smartphone couldn’t solve. Once seated, both Gu Siyuan and Xie Fengqing impatiently pulled out their phones, transforming into internet-addicted youths. There were no legendary sparks flying.

The internet truly brings peace to all.

Their tablemates sighed, seemingly quite disappointed by the defusion of the war.

Cough cough…

Gu Siyuan unlocked his phone and checked the official Great Wilderness forum. The comprehensive dungeon guide he had posted a few days ago had already reached nearly a million views. At this rate, his forum points would undoubtedly secure him a top-three spot, making the New Year’s event rewards an easy grab.

Who says only those who win in the PK arena are heroes?

A classmate sitting nearby accidentally caught a glimpse of his phone and immediately smiled: “Siyuan, you’re also reading the guide written by the Big Boss ‘Smurf’? I wonder which Great God’s alt account that is. I tried it yesterday, and it was absolutely insane. I seriously suspect the author is the game developer’s biological father.”

Gu Siyuan replied casually: “No need for biological fathers. It’s just an ordinary guide.”

Xie Fengqing, who naturally had a low alcohol tolerance, had poured himself a glass of coconut juice. Hearing them mention ‘Smurf’ and guides, he immediately knew what they were talking about.

Although his previous interaction with that ‘Smurf’ guy in the game hadn’t been pleasant—he even suspected the guy was delusional—after reading the guide, he had to admit the author was highly talented. He privately acknowledged that even if he were to write one, it probably wouldn’t be any better than that.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but glare at Gu Siyuan, thinking to himself: You’re utter trash at this game. All you know how to do is scam money and be a sugar baby, and you actually have the nerve to call someone else’s god-tier guide ‘ordinary’?

Gu Siyuan, sharp as ever, instantly turned his head to look at him and asked coldly, “What’s wrong?”

Xie Fengqing pursed his lips: “You think this guide is very ordinary?”

Gu Siyuan nodded without hesitation: “Yes.”

“So, you’re saying that if it were you, you could write a better one?” Xie Fengqing’s face was brimming with a mocking smile.

Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow and simply said: “There are indeed still some flaws in the guide. It can be further improved.”

“Cough…” Xie Fengqing nearly choked on the coconut juice in his mouth.

Even when they were dating before, he had never realized this guy was this shameless!

Gu Siyuan grabbed a tissue and handed it over, looking as if he couldn’t bear to watch: “Keep your emotions stable.”

Xie Fengqing couldn’t help but glare at him: “You still have the nerve to speak?”

At the front of the banquet hall, the university counselor was giving the customary pre-dinner speech. Just as he was reaching an impassioned crescendo, he caught sight of Xie Fengqing at the back, completely ignoring the speech and whispering with the person next to him.

The counselor immediately pointed a finger at Xie Fengqing: “You child, why are you talking so much? What’s so interesting? Come on, stand up and share it so everyone can hear.”

“…” Xie Fengqing lowered his head.

This is true karmic retribution. Why does nothing good ever happen whenever he interacts with Gu Siyuan?

Seeing this, the counselor laughed and added, “Why are you hiding? Yes, you, the male comrade with the bottle of coconut juice in front of him. Stand up and tell us what was so funny that you couldn’t stop for even a second?”

Xie Fengqing puffed his cheeks in anger, shot Gu Siyuan a fierce glare, and prepared to stand up.

Gu Siyuan met his gaze and slightly parted his thin lips: “Don’t be afraid.”

“…” Xie Fengqing.

Easy for you to make sarcastic remarks.

However, in the very next instant, he saw a hand with distinct, prominent knuckles suddenly reach in front of his eyes. The hand grabbed the coconut juice in front of him, twisted off the cap single-handedly, and took a sip straight from the bottle.

Xie Fengqing’s eyes widened in shock.

Gu Siyuan placed the coconut juice down on the table directly in front of himself, stood up, and with an utterly cold and deadpan expression, said:

“I didn’t say anything funny. I just have a naturally low threshold for humor. I just love to smile.”

“…” The counselor blinked with great difficulty.

What kind of stunt is this?

And what kind of nonsense is he spouting right now?

Support me on Ko-fi