All the players turned their eyes toward Lu Feng at the same time.
They really wanted to ask one question—
What do you mean by that?
How did teaming up with Ma Jun suddenly become a dead end? They genuinely wanted to know.
Lu Feng didn't keep them in suspense. He raised a finger and lightly pushed up his glasses. A flash of light reflected off the clean lenses.
"Have you thought about this," he said calmly,
"what level of missions Boss Ma is going to take?"
"The system already warned us—only take cases that match your own level."
"In other words, the cases he picks will definitely be far beyond what we can handle."
"If he gets a high-tier mission, Boss Ma himself might clear it casually," Lu Feng continued,
"but what about us?"
"If we run into real danger and he can't spare the attention to protect us, wouldn't we be dead on the spot?"
Lu Feng's reasoning was clear, tight, and flawless.
Even Ma Jun nodded slightly in agreement.
This guy knows his stuff.
Ma Jun was definitely going to take high-level cases. He had no intention of lowering his rewards just to accommodate others.
As expected of someone from Huaxi Academy—his mind was sharp.
The players immediately came to a realization.
"That's true."
"Lu Feng makes sense."
"Teaming with the boss is actually too risky."
"Last time in a Fiend-tier dungeon, it was already nine deaths for one survivor. We really can't gamble."
Lu Feng snapped his fingers.
"Exactly."
"Teaming with the boss carries huge risks."
"But this is a mandatory mission. Someone has to step up as the sacrifice."
He thumped his chest solemnly.
"I may not be talented, but I've had a sacrificial spirit since childhood."
"I'm willing to team up with Boss Ma—to fulfill everyone else!"
Lu Feng spoke righteously, his face flushed with passion, exuding a heroic, death-before-retreat aura.
The players were stunned.
It took them a moment to react.
"Damn!"
"You sly bastard!"
"We almost got fooled!"
"So you scare us half to death, then turn around and steal the slot for yourself?!"
"Shameless to the extreme!"
Ma Jun was also momentarily stunned.
The more he looked at Lu Feng, the more he felt—
This guy is real talent.
Faced with the furious players, Lu Feng remained calm and unmoved.
"What you say doesn't matter," he said coolly.
"In the end, it's still Boss Ma's decision. Isn't that right?"
He turned his head toward Ma Jun.
The moment he faced Ma Jun, his expression instantly changed into a dazzling, sunflower-like smile.
"Boss, I have an IQ of 150. I've had a photographic memory since childhood, and I've also trained in massage techniques. Whatever you assign me, I'll handle it even at the cost of my life."
"I'm absolutely the best choice as your partner!"
"Pick me!"
Lu Feng looked at him expectantly.
Ma Jun coughed lightly twice.
"Brother, I admit—you're very impressive."
"But… sorry."
"I like girls."
As he spoke, Ma Jun turned his gaze toward Jiang Han, his expression softening noticeably.
"Come on, Jiang Han. Let's go together."
He extended his hand.
Thump!
Jiang Han felt her heart skip a beat.
The moment she met Ma Jun's eyes, an unfamiliar emotion surged up inside her.
She didn't know what it was—
only that her whole heart felt sweet and light, so happy it almost wanted to fly.
"What? You don't agree?"
Ma Jun's voice even carried a faint hint of grievance.
Such a small tactic was second nature to him.
Countless big shots had honed these skills into his bones.
Jiang Han immediately shook her head in a panic.
"No—no, that's not it!"
Without even realizing it, she reached out her slender, pale hand.
Ma Jun naturally took it—and even casually squeezed her palm.
Jiang Han's face instantly flushed red.
Don't be fooled by her usual cold, iceberg-goddess demeanor.
Deep down, she was just a girl who had suffered grievances since childhood.
That aloof exterior was nothing more than her armor.
Only when Ma Jun held her hand did she finally realize—
She was actually holding hands with a boy.
She had never done that before.
Seeing her reaction, the other players immediately understood.
Hugging the boss's thigh was no longer an option.
Time to form their own teams.
Lu Feng looked utterly disappointed.
What a pity.
He genuinely wanted to team up with Ma Jun—even if it was dangerous.
After seeing Cao Zhiming's reaction earlier, he knew one thing for certain:
Someone like Ma Jun was exceedingly rare in the ten-year history of the Horror Game.
As a member of Huaxi Academy, he needed to gather more detailed information about Ma Jun—
And ideally, recruit him into Huaxi Academy.
Lu Feng glanced at Jiang Han, who had already turned into a shy, blushing girl, and sighed softly.
He lost fair and square.
Anyone with functioning eyes would choose Jiang Han.
"Boss, then we'll split up and move separately."
The players dispersed to form their own teams.
Ma Jun quietly released Jiang Han's hand.
Her fingers were long and pale, but the edges of her palm were covered with thin calluses.
It was easy to imagine how much hardship this girl had endured.
"Let's go," Ma Jun said. "We'll pick a case."
"Time is tight."
The warmth vanished the moment their hands parted.
Jiang Han felt a faint sense of loss.
Hearing Ma Jun's voice again, she snapped back to her senses.
What am I thinking about?
This was a dungeon of the Horror Game.
She quickly pulled herself together and followed Ma Jun between the file cabinets.
Very soon, one bizarre case after another completely captured her attention.
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