Since the main city didn’t have a prison, Uncle Zhou could only be temporarily held in the detention room hastily set up inside the police station. It wouldn’t take long before his sentence was delivered—the crime he committed was far too obvious. Just an hour would be enough to issue the verdict. After that, he would be escorted by train to a prison near Hope City.
“I didn’t try to attack him. I didn’t even really look at his face. I only made a self-defense judgment. You can’t detain me just for that reason.” Uncle Zhou’s expression was panicked. He could hardly imagine that after losing Shi Qiu, City Lord Bei Ji would lose him, too.
“Intentional or not, if the crime deserves sentencing, then a sentence must be passed. Sometimes car accidents aren’t something you want to happen either, but does that mean you don’t bear any responsibility?” Qi Jingwei was currently taking down Uncle Zhou’s statement, recording it into the case file. All this information would later be uploaded to Uncle Zhou’s identity card, leaving a blemish on his record in Hope City.
“I have to go back. There’s still someone waiting for me. Someone very important!” Uncle Zhou was extremely anxious.
“To us, the City Lord is also an important person. So your actions are unforgivable.” With that, Qi Jingwei handed the fully completed form over to Uncle Zhou. “Stop struggling. Just sign it. You’re going to prison either way, so let’s not waste each other’s time, okay? It’s already late. We still need to get off work and sleep, not sit here dawdling over a case where there’s no suspicion whatsoever.”
Uncle Zhou’s face turned pale. He clenched his fists, recalling the moment he first stepped into the police station. It was starkly different from the calmness on the streets. The entire station exuded an oppressive authority and solemnity. The officers in their black uniforms were all robust and strong, and every movement they made followed a precise and orderly plan, not deviating in the slightest.
He remembered how Shi Qiu had been taken away without the slightest chance to resist. Even a being as powerful as Shi Qiu was helpless—how could he possibly fight back? No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn’t think of a way to escape.
“Before I go to prison, can I apply to see someone?” Uncle Zhou asked.
“We’ll notify your relatives about your imprisonment, assuming you still have any family in Hope City.” Qi Jingwei’s tone was at least somewhat gentle. Compared to others who blindly followed the City Lord, he was already being fair, just, and reasonable.
“No, what I mean is, I want to see him in person. He’s my family. I have to say goodbye before I go to prison. He’s a fragile child. I need to give him some encouragement, help him become stronger.” Uncle Zhou looked exhausted, but he pleaded earnestly.
“…Alright.” Qi Jingwei shrugged. “You can make a call to the person you want to see. We’ll be escorting you back to the prison in Hope City. You can have your person wait at the train station. When you transfer trains, you’ll be allowed a brief conversation with them.”
Uncle Zhou’s face turned a sickly shade of green, but after hearing Qi Jingwei relent, he finally let out a breath of relief, only to add, “He doesn’t have a phone.”
“Where is this person of yours?” Qi Jingwei brought up all the records on his computer and spoke slowly, “I’ll help you contact him.”
Uncle Zhou gave the current location of Bei Ji.
In the end, Uncle Zhou signed his name on the prison admission form. He felt as if every stroke was unbearably difficult to write. As one of the highest-ranking leaders of Hope City, he never imagined he would one day end up imprisoned here. And the most absurd part was—he hadn’t even done anything wrong.
But thankfully, what he needed now was only one thing: endurance. He had to endure until Ao City made their move on Hope City.
Uncle Zhou knew this with absolute clarity—the main city was beyond their reach. Forget about that boundless and terrifying Nightmare Beasts Forest, which was already impossible to cross—even the people within the main city were insurmountable barriers they could never overcome.
But the main city was out of the question. Hope City, on the other hand, might not be.
Uncle Zhou was taken into a police car by two uniformed officers, one male and one female. They were currently heading toward the train that would take them out of the main city. He could only watch helplessly as the black expanse of the Nightmare Beast Forest drew closer and closer. The fear of the apocalypse hadn’t changed in the slightest. He was terrified, filled with dread, but the people around him showed not a trace of the same fear.
At that moment, the female officer sitting beside him suddenly said, “The Creator’s miracle is coming.”
Uncle Zhou’s heart skipped a beat. The Creator’s miracle? What was that?
However, their vehicle came to a halt. And it wasn’t just them—every car still on the road had stopped as well. Uncle Zhou noticed that the two officers escorting him both turned to look in the same direction. His heart skipped a beat, a strange and dreadful feeling rising inside him and pulling him along.
“It’s here,” said the female officer.
And in that moment, Uncle Zhou saw something in this life he could never comprehend.
In the distance, a pillar of brilliant light suddenly rose into the sky.
The light was intense, radiant—a holy light descending from above, like a cleansing of the world. A vast, dazzling brilliance lit up the night sky, yet it didn’t sting the eyes. No one could tell whether it was a blessing from the heavens or a benediction from the earth. Even someone like Uncle Zhou—who had believed he would follow City Lord Bei Ji for the rest of his life—was shaken with the urge to kneel and worship in awe.
He didn’t know what it was. But as that light slowly faded, Uncle Zhou’s eyes widened.
This was absolutely not his imagination.
The area that should have been the Nightmare Beasts Forest had been swallowed up by that sacred light!
Because they were near the train, and the train was close to the city’s edge, Uncle Zhou could see it clearly with his own eyes. The place that had once been the dreaded forest was now completely gone, replaced by a stretch of empty, yellowish-brown land. The soil was clean, fertile, and utterly free of any impurity.
“So beautiful… I love you, my revered Creator,” the female officer said, her eyes shining. Her loyalty had surged, and with the greatest reverence and devotion toward the Creator, she could barely control the reverent affection swelling inside her.
And the other officer—clearly a tall, powerful man with a slightly sinister aura—was now dazed and mesmerized, utterly enchanted by this so-called miracle of the Creator.
Uncle Zhou felt his whole body trembling. He even started to think this might all be nothing but a dream.
Their vehicle started moving again. The two officers were speaking words he couldn’t understand.
“Every time I see it, I feel the same. The Creator is truly beyond compare.”
“How delightful. This time, we will be welcoming another large group of compatriots. One by one, they’ll fall in love with the Creator.”
“No one could possibly dislike the Creator. No one could dislike this city. Congratulations to those compatriots—they’ve finally escaped the sea of suffering.”
“This time, the miracle created by the Creator covers such a vast area. It’s much bolder than before. Looks like the Creator’s courage and capability have both grown. The Finance Department’s going to be busy. Things have been developing so fast lately, the Creator must be under a lot of pressure. When I get home, I’ll ask my parents if they’re interested in opening a shop in Hope City or something.”
Uncle Zhou couldn’t quite understand everything these people were saying, but he could tell that the terrifying phenomenon of the Nightmare Beast Forest being directly wiped out was being referred to as a miracle of the Creator—and apparently, such miracles happened often.
Who was the Creator? The City Lord? Or the Divine Lord?
Regardless of who it was, Uncle Zhou now clearly understood a truth that he once never dared to even imagine—God exists.
His head buzzed. The resolve he had once held so firmly wavered once again. Hope City had the main city at its back, and that main city was protected by a god. Could Ao City… could Ao City really win?
But if they lost, then he would end up in prison for a ridiculous reason.
Surely this world couldn’t be one where he alone was doomed to suffer.
As the train pulled in and he saw City Lord Bei Ji, the very person he had always followed, Uncle Zhou fell into a brief silence.
The timid and fearful City Lord Bei Ji burst into tears the moment he saw Uncle Zhou, rushed up, and embraced him tightly, trembling all over.
In Uncle Zhou’s mind, the image of the City Lord of Hope City—or rather, the City Lord of the main city—surfaced. That person, too, looked extremely weak. Whether it was a coincidence or not, the two city lords actually bore a certain resemblance to each other.
If they were really that similar…
Could it be proof that even his City Lord Bei Ji could replace the City Lord of the main city?
Uncle Zhou softly comforted his City Lord Bei Ji, reassuring him to stay strong, to not be defeated, to be brave enough to try, and to fear nothing.
Uncle Zhou’s hands were locked tightly in handcuffs, so he couldn’t embrace or console his fragile City Lord. He leaned against the City Lord’s shoulder and whispered, “The main city is only protected because it’s covered by the Nightmare Beast Forest. It’s not as strong as it looks.”
Bei Ji trembled all over. Uncle Zhou felt the City Lord Bei Ji give a very slight nod on his shoulder.
Uncle Zhou smiled in satisfaction. Even if it meant staking everything on a single bet, he absolutely refused to end up more miserable than anyone else.
——
He Fang expanded the main city.
The reason was simple: right now, there were too many outside missions, which caused the wild NPCs to increase without limit. There had to be someone who could lead these wild NPCs, but it was extremely difficult to suddenly pick qualified ones from the wild. After all, up to now, the only city He Fang had fully registered was Angel City.
The ratio between main city NPCs and wild NPCs was becoming increasingly unbalanced, creating the risk of a massive gap. That was something He Fang did not want to see.
The main city’s NPCs were important, so after calculating the available resources, he still prioritized increasing the number of NPCs in the main city. Currently, resources are tight. The mines in the main city could only produce a limited amount of resources each day. But interestingly, there were now many mineral veins scattered throughout the post-apocalyptic land.
Because of the earlier large-scale map expansion, the system helpfully marked where mineral veins could be found on the map.
When the time came, he would just need to send Guo Miaofeng out to investigate. If the mineral resources were confirmed to be rich, development could begin immediately. So for now, He Fang had not pushed to open any new mines.
But the real reason He Fang wasn’t planning any further expansions was that he had no money.
Because for wild NPCs, buying housing costs money, even short-term housing costs money. Although most of the factory expenses were paid by the NPCs themselves, various resources still had to be purchased from He Fang. What once seemed like a perfect, ever-increasing financial system now felt like splashing water, utterly insignificant. He Fang finally experienced what it meant to spend as much as you earned.
This time, He Fang simply flattened the ground entirely. There wasn’t much to salvage from the destroyed city beneath the Nightmare Beast Forest. After seeing Ao City, He Fang lost all interest in these ruined cities. Might as well just flatten them—it even saved money.
After calculating the current supply and demand, He Fang still decided to open up some farmland. In his view, no matter how poor you were, you couldn’t be poor when it came to food. Other things could be delayed, but food couldn’t.
Severely lacking in talent. Severely.
He Fang took another stroll through the talent exchange market. There were plenty of people, but their skills were all over the place.
He felt that the talents in his city were all spec’d into high-end, classy, top-tier tech, like professional elites walking out of a major metropolis. Things like spacecraft design engineers or specialists in desert and wasteland treatment—none of it really suited the current situation in Hope City.
To be honest, He Fang felt a bit disappointed.
But then…
He Fang quietly opened the files on the people brought back from Bei Ji.
After all, they were once the leadership team of Hope City. They understood the apocalypse well and were much more down-to-earth, practical, no-frills management personnel. Among them were quite a few with unique labels, too, like Mobile City Design, Repair, and Retrofit Specialist, and Academic Researcher in Behavioral Psychology. Even though those titles sounded a bit confusing, they were actually extremely useful skill sets in the apocalypse.
He wanted them.
He wanted to give it a try.
Could these people be useful?
If they could be put to use, then at least in the short term, the original state of Hope City could be fully restored. Once they brought back the people from Hope City, the city would be completely replenished. He would have Hope City as it was before its destruction.
All he needed to do was assign a few NPCs from the main city to supervise.
He Fang wanted them badly. In the end, he decided to take the initiative and approach Bei Ji to test the waters.
The Ao City they relied on was definitely going to fail, so why not just surrender to Hope City instead?
Besides, he was also curious to see what kind of person the former City Lord of Hope City, North Ji, really was.
He Fang had a strange feeling in his heart.
How to describe that feeling? It was like wanting to see what your partner’s ex looked like—a subtle, unavoidable urge to compare yourself.
He Fang had never been in a relationship, but he figured that his description was probably accurate enough.
Before heading out, for the first time, He Fang wondered whether he should dress himself up a bit more handsomely.
After all, “Ruins Without Restart” was such a realistic world. He had to be realistic, too.
But since it was a base-building game with no need for outfit changes, the only clothing he could change in the game was his armor.
And then He Fang fell into deep thought.
What kind of outfit… counts as a good-looking one?
As a hardcore homebody, He Fang usually wore pajamas. Any other kind of clothing felt unnecessary. Even if he wanted to log out and scan a real outfit into the game, it would probably be a struggle.
This kind of thing… It’s definitely better to ask a girl for help, right?
Maybe… Lu Hu?
When He Fang found Lu Hu, he watched with wide eyes as her already fox-like, enchantingly sly expression curled into a smile that sent chills down his spine.
He wanted to run.
But he wasn’t able to escape.
He got thoroughly “dealt with” by Lu Hu in the fitting room.
——
Bei Ji was terrified. Shi Qiu and Uncle Zhou, both of them had left his side. The two people he trusted most were now locked up in prison.
Bei Ji had a strange feeling, as if everything happening now had been deliberately orchestrated by those people. And yet, all the reasons they gave sounded perfectly legitimate.
With the people who once protected him gone, Bei Ji felt cold all over. It wasn’t even nighttime yet, but he had no way to get a message to Ao City. It felt like there was a ticking time bomb clenched in his heart, one that could explode at any moment, without warning.
His breathing became labored. Curled up inside the temporary shelter they had set up, fear overwhelmed him until he couldn’t help but cry quietly. His eyes were red from the tears.
At that moment, someone outside the door said: “City Lord, may I come in now?”
That was the voice of someone from his own side. Although Bei Ji was afraid, he let down his guard around his own people. He stammered for quite a while before finally making a sound, and the person on the other side pushed the door open and came in.
“City Lord, right now, both Shi Qiu and Uncle Zhou have been arrested. Our current situation is admittedly quite awkward, but so far, no one has taken any action against us.” The man, tall and broad-shouldered, stood in front of Bei Ji. “So, whatever we do now is still possible. Please give us your command, City Lord.”
A command?
He had never truly managed the city’s affairs himself. He honestly didn’t know what he was supposed to do. It felt like something needed to be done, but instinctively, he also felt that he was incapable of doing anything at all.
Perhaps because Bei Ji hadn’t given any response for so long, the person requesting a command was already beginning to grow anxious: “City Lord!”
“I don’t know!” Bei Ji shouted angrily.
Perhaps normally, everyone just went along with Bei Ji, but now, with Shi Qiu and Uncle Zhou—the only two who could make decisions—both gone, without a command from Bei Ji, they would be completely lost.
“City Lord, the patrolling soldiers of Hope City have been showing up outside our temporary residence for some unknown reason, and every single one of them looks energized and high-spirited. They’re clearly plotting something. If you don’t come up with a countermeasure soon, our scattered group will be easily crushed!”
The one reporting the situation was also deeply concerned. It was indeed a very strange development.
Originally, the patrolling soldiers had been going about their duties normally, but suddenly, for some reason, they seemed to become obsessed with patrolling. They would frequently appear around them, and it wasn’t clear if it was just his imagination, but these soldiers were all standing tall and proud, looking sharp and upright. Their uniforms were immaculate, not a single thread out of place, their hair perfectly groomed, as if they were participating in a patrol soldier beauty contest.
Their frequent appearances around the area, coupled with such a striking presence, had everyone on edge, their nerves stretched to the breaking point. Yet their leader—their City Lord—wasn’t reacting at all.
“If you all have a way, then just go do it! Why does everything have to come to me?!” Bei Ji was utterly terrified, but at the height of that fear came anger instead. It was an anger born from sheer terror—an overwhelming, unfamiliar rage that made him feel like a stranger to himself.
“What are you saying, City Lord? How could we possibly make decisions?” The man’s expression was clearly one of disbelief.
“Why can’t you? Aren’t you here to help shoulder my burdens? Now that He Fang isn’t around, hasn’t Wei Qixuan been managing things just fine? Even if Wei Qixuan isn’t here, every soldier here has the ability to make decisions. If they can do it, why can’t you?”
Bei Ji’s retort left the man speechless.
They had no authority to make decisions. All of their orders had always come from those above. They had never been trained to issue commands freely—doing so would be considered a challenge to the City Lord’s authority. But now, what was this? Was the City Lord openly suggesting they challenge his authority?
“City Lord!” Suddenly, someone burst in—without even knocking. The person spoke urgently, “It’s He Fang! He Fang, the current City Lord of Hope City, is here!”
In that moment, Bei Ji could hear the sound of his own heartbeat—each thump heavy and terrifying. He was curious; What kind of person was this current City Lord of Hope City? But at the same time, he was afraid. Afraid that the difference between him and He Fang would be too vast.
In a city like Ao City, with such a powerful and awe-inspiring emperor, that was someone far beyond his reach—someone he wouldn’t even dare to envy or compare himself to. But when it came to Hope City, the city he had abandoned, Bei Ji still harbored a sliver of superiority. After all, He Fang had only picked up what he had discarded.
Bei Ji disliked interacting with people. Even back when he was City Lord, he always had others bring things to him. Yet now, he took the initiative to walk out himself.
It was a bright and sunny day. Apart from those who were out scouting, everyone stationed here had already gathered. Bei Ji stood just inside the doorway, looking out. They saw a car.
Even though such flashy and impractical vehicles were no longer used in this era, the jet-black paint, the sleek and striking design, and the spotless surface—all of it screamed extravagance and luxury. That car came to a stop right in front of their door.
Bei Ji saw that the first to step out of the car was a noblewoman. A woman so stunningly beautiful that every city would long to have someone like her. She was like a blazing sun. The moment she appeared, even the sun itself seemed to lose its brilliance beside her. Her fiery red hair, lifted casually by her fingertips, resembled a humble flame being toyed with at will. Any trace of heat or restlessness could be effortlessly played with in the palm of her hand.
At the same time, two others got out of the car as well. Dressed in pitch-black suits with meticulously styled hair, they looked like embodiments of old-world nobility. And yet, it was not their bearing, but their astonishingly flawless faces that commanded reverence. With such appearances, the first thought to arise in everyone’s mind was: “People from the main city.”
At that moment, the surrounding patrol soldiers suddenly began to form ranks. One by one, they stood in perfect military posture, their expressions upright and resolute. There had been no order, and yet they all moved in unison with flawless discipline. Around them, even the farmers working the fields couldn’t help but lift their heads, their eyes filled with light, as if expecting the arrival of something, or someone.
What exactly they were expecting, everyone already knew in their hearts.
And then, that noblewoman—clearly of high status—personally opened the car door. The pride in her bones, the kind that would never stoop before anyone, was at that moment lowered toward the person sitting inside the vehicle. This single gesture drew everyone’s attention, and into their view entered a shade of white so pure it seemed unfit to exist in this world.
The person who stepped out from the backseat was shielded by a black parasol. But when the parasol was lifted, all of them saw—it was a young man… no, perhaps calling him a youth was more appropriate. Yet his aura was so untainted, so pure, he resembled a boy untouched by the world.
Compared to those around him, his clothing was far more relaxed. He dressed without concern for others’ eyes. His skin was fair, as if it would blush at the mere kiss of sunlight. The simple, clean design of his clothes subtly outlined his figure—not perfect perhaps, not by the side of those others—but his gaze was gentle, softly falling upon everyone nearby. A faint blush colored his cheeks. In the blink of an eye, it felt as if everyone around him had fallen for him.
However…
Those who fell for him were mostly people from the main city and the farmers, not people from Bei Ji’s side.
When Bei Ji saw such a grand display, the gap in his heart was immense. However, upon seeing the young man’s face, he was slightly surprised.
Because the people from the main city had appearances that were simply heaven-defying, everyone had held extremely high expectations for the city lord of the main city—He Fang. They had always imagined just how breathtakingly stunning he must be. Yet now that they saw him, he was merely a delicate and handsome youth.
Bei Ji was momentarily dazed. For a moment, he even thought to himself that maybe he was actually a bit better-looking than that boy.
But the respectful demeanor of those around him, and the eyes of some who secretly looked over—full of affection and admiration—made it seem as if that seemingly ordinary youth standing there was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen in their lives. As if he were their god, their life, their faith.
At that moment, Bei Ji and the others all felt a strange sensation. Were these people… brainwashed?
Although the boy did carry an air of nobility, that was all. His presence was fairly average, really not something worth praising too much. People relied on clothes to look the part, and Bei Ji couldn’t help but feel a sudden sense of “If it were me, I could do it, too.”
“Hello.” The youth, carefully shielded under the parasol so not a ray of sunlight could touch him, walked up to Bei Ji. His most expressive eyes wandered around a bit before finally settling on the guard standing in front of Bei Ji. “Excuse me, are you Bei Ji?”
Bei Ji: “……”
In that instant, everyone’s heart filled with a sense of absurdity—a feeling almost like humiliation, as if this was a deliberate show of dominance from City Lord He Fang toward Bei Ji.
“This is our City Lord, Bei Ji.” The person being questioned quickly stepped aside, revealing City Lord Bei Ji, who had been quietly shrinking at the very back.
Everyone stared as the youth clearly froze in surprise. Then, the slight blush on his cheeks deepened rapidly until his whole face turned red—even the tips of his ears flushed. The young man raised a hand to cover his cheek and coughed lightly, saying: “I want to speak with Bei Ji alone. All of you wait outside. Without my order, no one is allowed to enter.”
As a city lord, He Fang didn’t seem to possess much authority at first glance. His words were light and airy, lacking any real weight. And yet, everyone immediately bowed and respectfully responded with a resounding yes, giving him full honor and compliance.
Seeing such a scene, the people from Bei Ji had no way to refuse either. They could only watch as He Fang entered their temporary residence and went into a room alone with Bei Ji.
The guard standing at the doorway felt something strange stir in his heart. Could it be that all this grand setup was purposely done just to make up for the city lord’s lack of real authority?
But just then, he suddenly heard a short, sharp squeal come from nearby. Looking over, he saw the parking lot attendant—who had been secretly peeking in their direction all this time—with a dazed, almost fainting expression.
“I can’t… I can’t take it anymore… My lord, the city lord, is just too wonderful… He’s too handsome… My heart has been captured… What is this divine outfit… If our lord keeps appearing like this, my heart won’t be able to handle it…”
Bei Ji’s guard: “?”
At that moment, one of the farmers tending the fields nearby said, “The city lord truly is dignified. Just look—whenever he appears, even those patrol soldiers suddenly look so full of drive and spirit. The city lord definitely has his own way of commanding these people.”
Bei Ji’s guard cast a complicated glance toward the patrol soldiers.
He noticed something odd about their expressions—their faces were flushed, their eyes burning with fanaticism. Their gaze was locked, unblinking, onto the door. Though their facial expressions were taut and serious, the admiration in their eyes had reached an extreme. If not for their strict military discipline, they might have already burst out in frenzied praise for their lord.
A ridiculous thought rose in Bei Ji’s guard’s mind: Perhaps City Lord He Fang didn’t need to appear authoritative… because he didn’t need to be. With just a single sentence, everyone around him would obey without question. He had no need to waste effort maintaining an image—his presence alone was enough.
In that moment, everyone felt a deep, wholehearted respect for this City Lord He Fang. To gather so many powerful people under his banner, to have them follow him with unwavering loyalty—that alone made him a terrifying figure.
And it wasn’t just loyalty. He had the kind of charm that made everyone understand and accept it.
Take a look at those patrol soldiers.
One by one, they all look like they’ve been completely dazzled by their city lord.
This is just not normal!
At this moment, He Fang’s brain had basically turned into a pile of mush.
Because of a small suggestion he made, he hadn’t expected Lu Hu to react as if a new door had been opened—and to actually give him a full-on makeover.
He Fang knew his appearance was pretty average, but as the saying goes, clothes make the man. When Lu Hu finished dressing him up, He Fang was genuinely a little stunned.
As a standard otaku, he had always just chopped at his hair with scissors once it got long, quick and random, and that was that. But Lu Hu had actually picked up the scissors herself to do his styling. It was the first time He Fang had ever exposed his forehead this clearly. The overall look was clean, comfortable, and sunny… though not exactly ideal for someone with social anxiety.
He Fang had never imagined that simply tidying himself up could have such a powerful effect. It was like he’d turned into a whole different person.
Ordinary was still ordinary. He Fang didn’t think he was suddenly drop-dead gorgeous.
But for some reason, as he walked along the way, he felt like everyone around him was giving him these warm, enthusiastic looks.
Even knowing they were just game NPCs, He Fang still felt a little embarrassed. And with all the vehicles, the guys in black suits acting like bodyguards, people assigned just to hold umbrellas… Lu Hu even got all dressed up just to personally open the car door for him.
Originally, according to Lu Hu’s grand plan, he had wanted to bring three cars, roll out a red carpet on the ground, invite Yuan Zhiran to hold He Fang’s hand, make Qi Jingwei kneel down and act as his human chair, and even drag Zhu Yan out to be his secretary.
The more He Fang listened to Lu Hu’s grand production, the more ridiculous it sounded. In the end, they cut it down and cut it down again until it became what it is now.
He Fang was already overwhelmed with shame from Lu Hu’s flashy setup, and now his head was spinning even more after mistaking someone for someone else—he was utterly mortified. Even though it was just a game and concepts like “shame” didn’t really apply… still… still… There had to be some kind of baseline, right?
The moment He Fang stepped into Bei Ji’s residential area, he instantly felt relieved. For some reason, when he had been outside just moments ago, it had felt like eyes were on him from every direction, burning holes into him with their stares. It was unbearable—downright unbelievable!
Now he turned his gaze back to Bei Ji. The other party was sizing him up, and He Fang was doing the same in return.
Bei Ji was observing his appearance, while He Fang was checking his stat panel.
That stat panel, to be honest, wasn’t impressive at all. It had the kind of numbers you’d expect from a completely average—maybe even slightly weak—wild NPC. Probably because he had lived a life of comfort and luxury, his physical stats were a bit more fragile than most.
He Fang looked at the tags: Coward, Dodder Vine, Traitor, Fool.
He Fang raised his eyebrows in surprise. What was going on here? Was this part of the “Ruins Without Restart” official quest setting? While many NPCs didn’t have tags, the ones that did show up were usually fairly objective. But why were all of Bei Ji’s tags negative?
According to the rules of “Ruins Without Restart”, “Coward” usually implied caution, “Dodder Vine” might indicate tenacity or naivety, and “Fool” didn’t really line up with how tags were usually used at all.
It was like the system was actively hostile toward Bei Ji. Was that just his imagination?
The former City Lord of Hope City couldn’t possibly be exactly like those tags made him out to be, right?
“Nice to meet you, Bei Ji. I’m He Fang,” He Fang took the initiative and spoke up, clearing his throat lightly.
His expression was subtle, but with a hint of pride. At least in his own opinion, he hadn’t lost face in this entrance.
“……” Bei Ji averted his gaze, seemingly uninterested in engaging with him.
“I thought you’d really want to see me. I heard you’re eager to reclaim your position as City Lord of Hope City.” He Fang put on the air of a powerful city lord, trying to get Bei Ji to shape up.
“……” Bei Ji remained silent.
“I’d like to hear your thoughts,” He Fang said, trying to act magnanimous, as a city lord should. Maybe Bei Ji was just frightened? He should give him some time!
“……”
But after a long while had passed, He Fang narrowed his eyes slightly. Was this a bug, or was this just how interactions with Bei Ji were supposed to go? Was Bei Ji outright refusing to talk to him?
Looking at Bei Ji’s posture, he was a delicately featured young man, appearing younger than He Fang. His body was curled up slightly, his eyes cast downward. That posture looked awfully familiar to He Fang. It was exactly how he looked when he talked to people in real life.
Could it be… he was socially anxious, too?
He Fang wanted to confirm it, so he moved a little closer to Bei Ji. Bei Ji immediately took a step back, arms crossed in front of him in a clearly defensive gesture.
He Fang didn’t press any further. When it came to social anxiety, he had far deeper experience than most people.
Longing for connection, yet unable to communicate… Hoping someone would treat him like a normal friend, show him patience and understanding… while at the same time knowing all too well that no one would spend that much energy on someone who offered no real benefit in return.
Originally, he had just wanted to show off. But the moment he realized this person might be the same kind of person as him, he couldn’t help feeling a pang of sympathy. He Fang started to think that maybe his initial mindset—wanting to compare himself and win—was a bit too hasty.
Remembering the reason he had come here in the first place, he said, “Bei Ji, I’ve been working hard to revive Hope City. Is Hope City now the kind you once dreamed of seeing?”
Among Bei Ji’s tags was the word “traitor”, but Bei Ji clearly didn’t seem like someone with a strong will of his own. Back then, he had done his best to bring all of Hope City here, so it wouldn’t be fair to say he had truly abandoned it.
“Bei Ji, Ao City is definitely going to lose.” Even though He Fang couldn’t get a response from the other person, he still tried hard to catch some reaction from Bei Ji’s subtle movements. “Ao City will launch an attack against us, and they’ll use the captives against us. But they’ll fail. The captives, we’ll take all of them back. If nothing unexpected happens, the people of Hope City will all return.”
“Angel City is currently maintaining its original functions. Yuan Sanjin, who was originally its city lord, is now exercising that authority under the title of deputy city lord. I will hand power over to the one who can use it properly.”
“Although Hope City has gone through drastic changes, both the people of Hope City and those from Arrival City will be returning. To avoid chaos in the short term, I think it’s best to have the original administrative personnel help with the transition, so I want to use your people, including you.”
“Bei Ji, I can’t let you be city lord again. Wei Qixuan is already the deputy city lord. But as someone who once governed Hope City, you definitely understand far more about it than I do. Do you still have the heart to protect Hope City?”
This wasn’t a perfect plan, but it was the most effective way to manage the inevitable disorder that would come once the Hope City residents returned. Bei Ji couldn’t become the city lord again because the people of the city held resentment toward him.
But if he still cared about Hope City…
“Ao City will definitely win.” Just as He Fang was lost in thought, Bei Ji suddenly spoke. His voice was soft, almost like a whisper, but his tone was unmistakably hostile. “Hope City was mine to begin with. I don’t need a thief to hand it back to me like charity.”
![Flying Dust [Fei Chen]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9k.png "Flying Dust [Fei Chen]")
![Dissatisfied [e-sports]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4997572.jpg "Dissatisfied [e-sports]")
I’d be a fanatic too if I were them, he’s just that charismatic 🤣👏