“Thank you, Boss! I’ll keep working hard! I’m really looking forward to what’s next!”
After receiving her boss’s approval and a reward, He Feixian expressed her gratitude and prepared to leave.
In the entertainment industry, only the sharp survive—and it didn’t take long to realize from the housing arrangements and how things played out on day one that her boss wasn’t the social type.
He Feixian, smart as she was, knew not to overstay her welcome.
But just as she was about to take her leave, she noticed Su Shisan was wearing sneakers instead of slippers.
“Boss, are you heading out?”
Su Shisan nodded.
“To the Capital. Want to come?”
NPCs couldn’t be stolen by others—Builders could summon them back via their contracts—so there was no need to worry about losing them.
“The Builder Capital?” He Feixian’s eyes lit up.
“Yes please! I’d love to see it!”
She had once been an F-rank Builder. If not for the forums, she wouldn’t have even known the Capital existed.
And even if she had, back then her level was too low to get anywhere near it. Who would’ve thought that now, as an NPC, she’d finally get the chance?
Once she confirmed she wanted to go, Su Shisan handed her a black mask. Then she clipped two barrettes in her own hair and also put on a mask.
He Feixian was simply too beautiful. NPCs could be bought, sold, and gifted—so if they didn’t want to attract trouble, it was safer to wear a mask.
And if the NPC was masked, it’d be suspicious for her companion not to be.
They reached the front door and opened it—only to be greeted by a towering, majestic European-style triumphal arch. Bold white script across the top read: Builder Capital.
But the scene beyond it was nothing like what Su Shisan had imagined.
The Capital wasn’t some business district or government hub—it was a giant amusement park.
Ferris wheel. Pirate ship. Bumper cars. Rollercoasters. Slot machines… Even just standing at the gate, you could spot every classic ride in the book.
He Feixian was just as stunned.
“The Builder Capital looks like this? It’s an amusement park? Wow—I haven’t been to one in ages.”
“Let’s check it out.” Su Shisan nodded slightly and stepped inside first.
Since it was the start of the month and no one had dungeon assignments yet, the place was packed. Most people were walking alone; only a few moved in groups of a dozen or so.
Quite a few wore masks, just like Su Shisan, so they didn’t stand out at all.
Interestingly, every Builder was accompanied by a System. But not all were eyeball-shaped—some looked like tiny skeletons, sea urchins, or little pumpkins.
Cute or creepy, most of them had changed their default appearance. The original eyeball look was actually rare now.
“Ever think about changing your look?” Su Shisan asked.
“If you want, I could send you 100 points a month to start saving up.”
She’d browsed the Builder Market before and seen System skins for sale. You could only buy them from the Item Mall, and they weren’t tradable.
Even the most basic skins cost around a thousand points, and anything fancy—like glowing or with trailing effects—was pricier.
The System wiggled in appreciation.
“Thanks, Shisan, but I don’t need it. The ones in the Mall are ugly. I like how I look now!”
Systems had personalities too—and this one clearly loved its original form.
“Fair.” Su Shisan nodded.
“You’re already adorable as is.”
The eyeball flushed red, looking visibly shy.
He Feixian stared at them with a strange expression. When she realized the System could blush, she gave it another once-over, then said sincerely, “You two really are a perfect match.”
The basic infrastructure of the Capital felt like a real amusement park—but with one major perk: almost no lines. Only the rollercoaster had a small queue.
Games could wait. The two picked up their pace, wanting to explore the whole place.
Beyond the amusement area was a complex of venues: aquariums, cinemas, bars…
Clearly run by Builders, with staff at the entrances trying to attract customers—very different from the laid-back vibe of the amusement park employees.
Unlike the bustling front area, this part wasn’t as crowded. Many wandering here were clearly new D-rank Builders like Su Shisan.
It was easy to spot the rookies—probably because the Capital wasn’t huge. The veterans all walked with purpose, knowing exactly where they were headed.
The newbies, on the other hand, glanced around with wide-eyed curiosity—just like He Feixian.
Newbies were always the best target market. Several people weaved through the crowd of recent arrivals, trying to sell who-knows-what.
He Feixian leaned in and whispered, “Boss, do you think that bar is doing anything shady?”
She’d spent years in showbiz. It might sound glamorous, but the sleaze was just as real. Massage parlors, foot spas, private clubs… she knew what went on behind the scenes.
“There are no laws here,” Su Shisan replied, dodging the question—but her meaning was clear.
Compared to players, Builders had far less social and daily pressure. And when people were comfortable, they got… creative.
If there was any place for in-person mingling, someone was bound to exploit it.
Especially since the System had once said: “Evil” is a key quality in a good Builder.
Su Shisan had no doubt that not just the Builder Capital, but even the Player Capital probably had its share of sex, drugs, and gambling. Whether this particular bar was involved remained to be seen.
As they spoke, a clean-cut guy in an oversized red hoodie came jogging over. With his fresh-faced look and puppy-dog eyes, he seemed like your typical wholesome college boy.
“Miss, interested in checking out our place?” He looked straight at Su Shisan, clearly aiming for the one with a System.
“I work at the massage parlor in the back district. Our techniques are top-notch—guaranteed to please.”
He didn’t say anything explicitly suggestive, but considering what they’d just been discussing, neither Su Shisan nor He Feixian took it at face value.
And even if it was innocent—who cared?
Su Shisan, however, was curious about something.
“Are you an NPC or a Builder?”
“NPC,” the boy said, lowering his gaze with a pitiful expression.
“No self-respecting Builder would take a job like this…”
Su Shisan and He Feixian exchanged a look. Neither was moved.
He was good—his performance was just vulnerable enough to seem real. Plenty of guests probably bought it.
Unfortunately, he was up against the wrong pair. Su Shisan had zero interest in men. No matter how pretty the package, it didn’t register with her.
As for He Feixian—she was an award-winning actress. She saw through him instantly, spotting the disdain flickering behind those big, innocent eyes.
She’d even worried that her boss might fall for it… only to meet a pair of calm, utterly detached eyes.
Right. What was she thinking? Her boss had “Cultivates Emotionless Dao” written all over her.
Just as they were about to walk away, a chubby middle-aged man rushed over, calling from a distance, “What are you doing out here? Miss Fang asked for you by name!”
He came closer and gave the two women a quick once-over. His greedy gaze landed squarely on He Feixian. Mask or not, he saw right through it—this was a stunning beauty, and an NPC at that.
The massage parlor boss immediately put on a pleasant smile.
“You must be a newly promoted D-rank Builder, right? So young and promising!”
Su Shisan’s face stayed blank.
“Just lucky.”
Realizing she wasn’t in the mood to chat, the manager’s eyes turned cold for a moment—but he kept smiling.
“Is this lovely lady your NPC? With her looks, she’s wasted with you. Why not sell her to me? I can—”
“Boss, can we go now?” He Feixian cut in before he could finish, eyes pleading.
“Mm.”
Su Shisan turned and started walking away.
Snubbed by a newbie, the manager’s face darkened. Sure, Builders were heavily protected by the System—but where there were rules, there were always workarounds.
He threw a look at the boy.
The college-boy NPC ran after them.
“Wait—wait! Don’t be mad, Miss! The manager’s just… not great with words. If you’re upset, I’ll treat you to a free massage!”
Seeing no reaction, he dropped his head.
“If you don’t like me, we’ve got other types too…”
Su Shisan ignored his tone entirely and asked, “Do you have a lot of NPCs working there? All bought from the System Mall?”
He chuckled sheepishly.
“Oh, no—most of us were sent by Builders… It’s more cost-effective than hiring NPCs from other dungeons.”
That made He Feixian instantly wary. What if Su Shisan decided to “send” her over too, just to earn a few more points?
After all, they only had to run one dungeon a month. Plenty of time to work side gigs. And it was still better than getting sold off completely.
But Su Shisan didn’t have that in mind at all.
Instead, she said thoughtfully, “Different NPCs must go for different prices. But who’d ever admit their NPC is worth less than someone else’s?”
“That boss must be pretty talented to keep everyone balanced.”
It was such an unexpected takeaway that the boy froze.
“Huh?”