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In the [City of Chaos], Little Blue floated mid-air, visibly bored. With her left hand cradling her chin and her right scratching her back, she grumbled, “Huff… So dull. I wish I could stroll outside.”

“Yet, I pledged to Master to stand guard here. Ugh, what an awful master,” she sighed.

Suddenly, an elegant voice pierced the silence. “What was that you said?”

Startled, Little Blue plummeted from the sky. “Waaah!” A hand snagged her leg, sparing her a painful landing.

“Master! Oh, how I’ve missed you!” Recognizing the radiant face, Little Blue’s demeanor immediately brightened.

Yaeger gave her a teasing squint. “So, do you miss your ‘horrible’ master or your ‘magnanimous’ master?”

After a split second of thought, Little Blue ventured, “The mag— Ow!” She was cut off by a swift spanking.

“That’s for speaking ill of me,” Yaeger declared, her voice accompanied by sharp smacks and Little Blue’s yelps.

When the discipline ended, Little Blue gingerly rubbed her sore backside. “Oh, it stings!”

“Notice anything out of the ordinary while I was gone?” Yaeger inquired, adjusting her wind-tousled black hair.

“Absolutely not! I’ve been diligent. Really, nothing happened!” Little Blue was savvy enough to keep any mishaps a secret.

“Is that so?” Yaeger leaned in, their faces almost touching.

Suppressing a scream for fear of tentacle whips, Little Blue confirmed, “Yes… truly!”

“Good girl,” Yaeger smiled, patting her head.

‘Just a pat? Do I look like a child to you?’ Little Blue thought, feigning happiness. Yet, she was indeed an excellent actress.

“Feel free to wander, but don’t stray far,” Yaeger said.

“Yay! You’re the best, Master!” Little Blue felt a wave of liberation wash over her as she pranced in the sky, her joy comparable to that of a freed inmate.

After all, she had been confined underground for ages. Now above ground, she was eager for some fun and vanished in a streak of blue light.

“She’s only fond of me when I give her something. What a pragmatist,” Yaeger sighed, shaking her head.

She then accessed the game interface and browsed the forums, curious about the fallout from the previous night’s events and their implications for Jade City.

‘Hopefully, it’s not catastrophic,’ she thought. In the best-case scenario, Richard would overlook her role and she could proceed to swindle more cash from Jade City.

Otherwise…

‘Launching the [City of Chaos] into reality will have to wait.’ According to her strategy, she planned to use [Dimensional Break] to teleport the city to Roc City by midnight. The exact location was still undecided.

“Been searching the city since dawn, and the gates still haven’t opened?” Yaeger mumbled, casually scanning forum posts.

“So, they’re trying to expose me? Intriguing.”

She glimpsed a trending post but brushed it aside. Ordinary players weren’t worth her time.

In any case, she would eventually cross swords with some of these people. When that time came, she wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate them. “Seems like Richard hasn’t figured out the connection between Alicia and me yet. That buys me a few more days to con people,” Yaeger mused, breathing a sigh of relief. A few more days would be sufficient for her to amass a small fortune.

“You two, Taurus Zhang and S.K.Y., better start saving,” she chuckled. Thinking of money reminded Yaeger of a particular opportunity. She was now wealthy enough to invest in that venture. “I’ll need Kastina to manage this,” she thought. It wasn’t a place any average Joe could buy; mere wealth wasn’t the ticket. “In comparison to peddling materials or elixirs, the profit margins there are far superior. I must acquire it,” Yaeger said, clenching her fists determinedly.

Just then, a flash of white light erupted. “Princess!” Yunuen appeared.

“Ah, Yunuen, you’re here,” Yaeger greeted, gracing her with a radiant smile that made Yunuen’s heart flutter.

“Good morning, Princess,” Yunuen chirped as she skipped closer.

“You’re up early. Did you get enough sleep?” inquired Yaeger.

“More than enough! I hardly got this much sleep even during school days,” Yunuen said, beaming.

Hearing this reminded Yaeger that Yunuen was still a high school junior. ‘If I didn’t know that both worlds will collide, plunging Earth into turmoil, I’d tell her to focus on her education,’ Yaeger thought. “Ever consider returning to school, Yunuen?” she asked.

“I’ve thought about it, but it’s increasingly competitive with limited openings for average students like me. I think it’s too late to improve my grades,” Yunuen replied, a tinge of regret in her voice.

“That’s understandable,” Yaeger said, patting her on the head. “Maybe you’ll reconsider in the future.”

Yaeger kept her thought, ‘There won’t be a future for that,’ to herself.

Amidst the silence, another flash of white light occurred, and Little Fairy materialized. “There you are,” said both, almost in unison.

“I knew you’d come,” Yaeger added.

“I…of course, I’d be here,” Little Fairy responded nervously, clutching her shirt.

Things had taken an odd turn, and she felt unsure how to proceed. “Made up your mind?” Yaeger approached and whispered.

“I…I…” Little Fairy hesitated, biting her lip.

“If you decline, you won’t hear from me again,” Yaeger assured, touching her shoulder gently. If Little Fairy refused, Yaeger would have Nangong watch over her temporarily, heal her legs, and repay any debts manifold. After that, they’d part ways.

Yaeger’s loyalty was reserved solely for those she deemed irreplaceable allies, a principle she adopted post-reincarnation.

As Little Fairy looked up, ready to speak her mind, her words were eclipsed by an effervescent voice. “Master, I’ve returned!” Little Blue zoomed in, disrupting the tension. “This place is so dull, absolutely nothing here! Hey, Master, what’s going on? Wait, don’t hit me!”

Adorable squeals instantly filled the air.