Mom looked at Su Jin's little face full of confusion. After hesitating for a moment, she asked softly, "Xiao Jin, were you… kidnapped?"
Coming to Jecheng overnight from the imperial capital, losing her bag, phone, ID card, and having no memory of how she got here — it all sounded a little too suspicious. If this wasn't a kidnapping, then what was it?
Su Jin blinked, then said uncertainly, "It shouldn't be. I mean… I'm fine, right?"
"Okay, okay, let's not dwell on it. As long as you're safe now, that's all that matters," Dad said cheerfully. "You lost your bag and phone, fine — just get new ones. ID card? Just reapply."
"Yes, Xiao Jin," Mom added gently, handing over more peeled crab meat. "Don't think about unhappy things anymore. Eat, eat more."
"Thank you, Auntie." Su Jin accepted the food and quickly got back to munching, temporarily forgetting her confusion.
Wang Xian, though still puzzled by how she got here, shook off the unease. His parents were right — she was safe now, and that was what mattered.
After dinner, Mom and Su Jin sat down together for a long chat, bonding naturally as they always had. Dad, on the other hand, grabbed his gear and dashed out — apparently, he had an appointment to grind monsters with the neighbors. Of course, he wanted Wang Xian to tag along as a [Compassion]-buffing toolman, but Wang Xian had more pressing plans.
Back in his room, Wang Xian opened up the system menu and toggled his friend message filter — specifically allowing messages from friends.
As expected, the moment he lifted the block, a flood of notifications blew up his interface.
It was Cheng Yao.
"Uncle, you liar!!!" "Uncle dead!! Uncle smelly!!!" "Knife.jpg" "Tomato.jpg" "Bomb.jpg" "If you don't reply I'll never talk to you again!" "I mean it!!!" "Okay maybe reply just a little…" "Still mad though!!" "TOMATO.JPG!!!"
The messages just kept coming, wild and emotional, ranging from accusations to emoji threats. Wang Xian could only sweat in silence as he scrolled through pages of her spam. The pattern was obvious:
You lied.
I'm angry.
I'll ignore you forever (unless you reply).
Now that she had successfully become the hidden class [Flower God], Wang Xian made a firm decision — he would keep Cheng Yao close. Her class was insanely strong support, and with Su Jin — the living, breathing luck buff — they had the perfect trio.
Wang Xian smirked. With [Compassion] on his side, a support goddess, and a walking treasure magnet, he'd shoot up the power rankings in no time.
He replied to Cheng Yao with a single message:
"I'll take you to level up the day after tomorrow."
Then, before the next tidal wave of messages could hit, he turned the block back on.
Why the day after tomorrow?
Because it was the start of the Zhongyuan Festival — the most chaotic, game-changing holiday in the entire Dragon Kingdom after digitization.
Known traditionally as the Ghost Festival, it had now taken on a whole new meaning. Starting on the first day of the seventh lunar month, ghost gates would open across the land, unleashing mysterious ghost-type monsters. These weren't true ghosts, but wild monsters with unique mechanics.
They were neutral — they wouldn't attack unless provoked.
But the real highlight of the Zhongyuan Festival wasn't just ghosts. It was the chance to become a member of the Ghost Race.
For two weeks, players could earn points through events and quests. The top 100 point earners by the fifteenth night would earn a limited, once-a-year chance to transform into a Ghost, a special race with powerful benefits and equally dangerous drawbacks.
Ghosts were immune to physical attacks — assassins, archers, and melee classes couldn't even scratch them.
But in exchange, they suffered 100% more magic damage.
It wasn't for everyone, but for mages, it was paradise. No longer would they need to fear assassins backstabbing them from stealth. Many mages willingly gave up their human forms just to live free from sudden death — and it turned them into nightmare spellcasters, bullying physical classes with impunity.
Every country had its own unique digital festivals tied to its culture — like Christmas events in Western servers. But for the Dragon Kingdom, Zhongyuan Festival was a turning point.
And Wang Xian fully intended to dominate it.
With his talents, his team, and a very specific plan in mind, he would take every advantage this ghostly event had to offer.
Ghosts, points, and power — let the Ghost Festival begin.