Chapter 86: The Scheming Frog’s Request
Xi Wei sensed something unusual in his sleep.
Having just dozed off and not yet sunk into deep slumber, he could still perceive slight movements and quickly distinguish between dream and reality.
His eyes snapped open in surprise to find Loli nestled in his arms.
“M-Master? You’re awake already?”
Loli’s eyes glimmered with affection, her pretty face flushed with an intoxicating blush that deepened further upon seeing Xi Wei awake.
She tried to push herself up but lacked the strength, her body limp as if boneless, and she collapsed back into his embrace, murmuring shyly:
“Master just fell asleep… Loli couldn’t help it, so… so…”
“So you decided to ambush me, huh?”
Xi Wei snorted, feigning anger as his large hand slid down her delicate back, caressing her soft, smooth waist before giving her tender flesh a gentle pinch.
“Ah!”
Loli let out a coquettish cry, burying her burning face against his chest, her long lashes fluttering as she bit her rosy lips, too embarrassed to meet his gaze.
After playing the ostrich for a moment and seeing Xi Wei unmoved, she had no choice but to tilt her head up and lightly peck his neck, pleading in a sweet, sticky voice:
“It’s been so long since I got to be close with Master… I couldn’t hold back…”
“And this time was so dangerous—Loli almost never saw Master again…”
Her expression flickered with lingering fear before shifting to indignation.
Pouting, she nipped his shoulder and grumbled softly:
“Hmph… From now on, Master must take Loli with him no matter what. Loli can protect you now.”
Xi Wei hadn’t truly been angry to begin with. Seeing his little maid so adorably pouty, he relented, stroking her tender cheek with a large hand as he promised:
“Alright, I’ll take you with me everywhere from now on.”
“Hehe~ I love you, Master.”
Loli giggled sweetly, her soft arms wrapping around his neck as she planted a few more kisses on his cheek before finally settling down, nestling against him.
She was already feeling drowsy.
“Sleepy?”
“Mhm… Master, aren’t you tired too? You just fell asleep earlier.”
Loli looked up at him with bleary eyes, confused.
“Not anymore. Still want to sleep?”
Xi Wei smirked before flipping her over, eliciting a yelp as he pinned her beneath him.
“Hehehe… No one’s sleeping tonight!”
—
Early the next morning, Xi Wei summoned Scheming Frog and Gou Fugui to the meeting hall of Winter Fort.
Though they were players, he had to admit—without their help, his ashes might’ve been scattered by now.
Out of gratitude, Xi Wei intended to reward them properly.
“Your Majesty, we traveled all this way to Winter City just to join your ranks. That alone is the greatest reward for us.”
When Xi Wei mentioned rewards, Scheming Frog cut straight to the chase, making his request without hesitation.
Yet this simple request gave Xi Wei pause.
He wasn’t an idiot. He knew exactly what “joining” meant—they wanted to be integrated into Winter City’s player system, becoming official Winter City players with all its perks, including respawning near Winter Fort upon death.
Xi Wei couldn’t poach players to his side on his own, so he turned to the System for help.
“System, can you help these two players switch factions?”
“You must’ve gained a lot of energy from analyzing the Abyss’s Resurrection Crystal, right?”
[Ding! The System has no idea what the Host is talking about.]
The System played dumb before continuing:
[Converting Abyss players into Winter City players involves world-rules manipulation. The System cannot perform this operation. However, the Host may first use Psyche Seeds on the players.]
[Psyche Seeds are themselves rule-based artifacts. Once fully effective, the Host may spend some Villain Points to switch the players’ factions.]
“Psyche Seeds work on players?”
“System, are you sure?”
Xi Wei was baffled—it sounded absurd.
[Ding! Psyche Seeds can influence players’ in-game avatars. When players log out, the effect disappears. Upon relogging, it resumes.]
Now Xi Wei understood.
First, the System claiming it couldn’t do this was nonsense.
The real issue was likely energy consumption, hence the suggestion to use Psyche Seeds to influence the world rules on the players first.
Typical profiteer behavior—despite its usual cluelessness, the System’s mercenary nature never changed.
Second, while Psyche Seeds worked on players, there might be a strange side effect:
Players would feel instinctive loyalty and respect toward him in-game.
But once they logged out, they might wonder why they’d been so deferential to an NPC.
Not that Xi Wei cared.
This method would work.
Seeing the King of Winter lost in thought, Scheming Frog and Gou Fugui exchanged uneasy glances.
Was His Majesty unwilling to let them join Winter City?
The less composed Gou Fugui wore his disappointment plainly, while Scheming Frog remained calm, watching Xi Wei intently—though his clenched fists betrayed his nerves.
Xi Wei didn’t keep them waiting long.
After some deliberation, he produced two Psyche Seeds.
Using these on Loli or others might’ve bothered him, but for players?
No hesitation whatsoever.
Still, he opted for full transparency:
“Due to certain circumstances, I can’t immediately integrate you into Winter City’s forces.”
“But if you’re willing to accept Psyche Seeds, I can arrange your transfer to Winter City’s Foreign faction after some time.”
Scheming Frog and Gou Fugui looked at each other.
They didn’t know what Psyche Seeds were, but at least the King hadn’t outright refused them.
So Scheming Frog asked curiously:
“Your Majesty Winter, could you explain what Psyche Seeds are?”
“What price would we have to pay?”
—
(PS: Edited Chapter 1 and Vol. 2 Ch. 678, expanded Qi Wub’s backstory, removed some Earth-related settings, and toned down the parallel universe mentions.)
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