Dawei briefly considered adding Iris Liuli as a friend—but after a moment of reflection, he gave up on the idea.
This is a high-end map. We're all climbing the same ladder. One more friend is one more pair of eyes watching you—and one more threat if things turn ugly.
Not to mention, he was now somewhat of a celebrity in the gaming scene. On the forums, they called him the Low-Key Godslayer. Anonymous, mysterious, efficient. But once you accepted a friend request, your online presence wasn't so low-key anymore.
Besides, what if this Iris didn't appreciate him snooping around and decided to crush him with her dragon-blood build?
Hard pass.
Meanwhile, across the country in a sleek gaming studio lined with pastel-colored monitors and ergonomic chairs, things were heating up.
Alice Studio.
Inside, a player named Shanwei Coco—currently logged into the president's high-level character—suddenly noticed another player climbing the Infinity Tower.
Her eyes narrowed.
That tower was exclusive to the Dragon City faction line—and getting access to that storyline had cost the studio millions in research and bribes for information. Seeing another player in that map meant only one thing:
A competitor had appeared.
She immediately messaged the company's founder and president: Sophie.
"President, another player's cleared into Dragon City. He's in the tower—second place on the leaderboard."
"Pull me into the live chat," Sophie replied calmly.
A nearby staffer chuckled. "Look at her, trying to act composed, but the president's clearly fired up!"
Another giggled. "She's serious mode now. All business."
Sophie rolled her eyes. Despite being the boss, she never acted like it. The atmosphere in Alice Studio was more like a dorm of gaming sisters than a workplace. She was their leader, sure—but she was also one of them.
Still, her heart was racing.
The player who'd just appeared in Dragon City? That had to be the Low-Key Brother—the mysterious, god-tier player whose reputation had exploded after clearing a god-level mission solo. She had already spent seven million yuan recruiting Qiushui, the ninth person worldwide to complete an S-level quest… but even Qiushui's achievements couldn't match the rumors around this guy.
She tapped her fingers against the desk, staring at the name on the leaderboard:
#2 – Song Changdown.
"President, should I try to add him as a friend?" Coco asked.
Sophie hesitated.
"What if he's a guy?"
The girls went silent.
That was a real problem.
Unlike traditional guilds, Alice Studio was an all-female outfit. Their members not only gamed together—they lived together. Contracts included full residency, unified schedules, and collaborative streaming sessions. Tossing a man into that mix wasn't just awkward—it was dangerous to the entire brand dynamic.
"We'd have to rent him a private place," someone murmured. "Wouldn't that make him feel isolated?"
"Or worse, entitled."
Sophie exhaled slowly. As the boss, she had to think about everything. Not just skill—but integration, team chemistry, even public perception.
Then Coco said, "I tried adding him. He has friend requests blocked."
Sophie blinked. Then relaxed.
That gives me time.
She nodded. "He hasn't cleared the first floor yet. Let's watch. See how he plays. If he's worth it… I'll make a move."
Back in the Infinity Tower, Dawei wasn't thinking about studios, offers, or fame.
He was thinking about power.
He stared at the Kill Value Redemption Screen, weighing his options.
Equipment was short-term. Attribute points were permanent—but slow. Still… his build was strong, his reaction speed solid, and his weapon was an artifact that scaled with stats. If anyone could brute-force through the early pain, it was him.
"This is the master's path," he muttered. "No shortcuts. Just domination."
[System Prompt: You've exchanged 100 Kill Value for +1 Attribute Point.][Attack +5. Effective immediately within current map only.]
He didn't even hesitate—he dumped the point into Attack.
His logic was sound. HP? He had lifesteal. Mana? Useless in the tower. Defense? Already boosted by achievements like Perfect Defense, scaling with incoming damage. Speed? He had more than enough. What he lacked… was raw damage.
And now?
His base damage was 12. With the attribute point, it jumped to 17, and with the Dark Edge's +30% boost, he was slicing through mobs with over 22 per hit. Add crits and break effects into the mix? He was death in motion.
"One second, four knives. Bring it."
Dawei dove back into the tower with renewed confidence.
From Floor 60 to Floor 70, it was a slaughterhouse. No mob lived longer than two seconds. Then, he hit Floor 71.
The boss spawned—another elite, bulked out and gleaming with magical armor.
-21-23Life Regen +3Break Defense -40
A few cycles later, the boss exploded into golden shards.
The loot? Disappointing.
[Broken Old Sword – Duplicate]You already own this item. It cannot be redeemed for Kill Value again.
Dawei snorted. "Whatever. I'm here for the kills, not the trinkets."
He opened his panel, redeemed another kill point, and dumped it right back into Attack.
[System Prompt: Attribute Point Applied – Attack +5]
"Let's go, floor 72," he growled.
His blades gleamed. His kill count climbed. The tower loomed.
And somewhere in a brightly lit gaming studio across the city, a girl named Sophie was watching intently.