I handed over the game to the gaming industry, and the government gave me a hacked version.

Chapter 109 My Foolish Little Brother

Lord of Qianguang City?

Chen You glanced at the little girl beside him, who was clutching his clothes tightly and looked very nervous.

This task was designed to be incredibly convoluted and complicated.

He silently complained about the game planner in his mind, then took Meng Xiao's hand and, under the player's awe-inspiring gaze, walked towards the City Lord's Mansion.

"My lord, my... my uncle is the city lord?" Meng Xiao's voice trembled with disbelief.

"Okay," Chen You replied. "Don't be afraid, I'll take you there."

The night in Qianguang City is more bustling than in Zhaocheng, and the architectural style on both sides of the street is more grand and magnificent.

This is clearly a higher-level stage.

The two did not ride any mounts. Meng Xiao's short legs could not walk fast, and by the time they arrived at the city lord's mansion, the night was already deep.

Chen You naturally wanted to use the auto-pathfinding feature, but Meng Xiao immediately hid far away when she saw the rabbit.

There's no other way but to make do with NPCs.

In front of the city lord's mansion, two rows of guards holding halberds and wearing heavy armor stood solemnly, all of them at level 25, their eyes as sharp as eagles.

"Halt!"

The head of the guards stepped forward and stopped Chen You.

Chen You succinctly stated: "Chen You, an adventurer from Zhaocheng, is escorting Meng Xiao, the daughter of the hero Meng Tu, to seek refuge with her uncle, Lord Mengde."

The captain of the guards gave Chen You a scrutinizing look, then turned his gaze to Meng Xiao, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

He seemed to have some recollection of the name "Meng Tu," but ultimately maintained a professional indifference.

"Wait here."

He turned and went inside to announce his arrival, leaving Chen You and Meng Xiao to wait in the cold moonlight.

After a long while, the captain of the guards returned and made a "please" gesture to Chen You, but his tone was not very warm.

"Lord of the city is in the backyard, please follow me."

Passing through layers of corridors, the mansion's interior luxury and grandeur are on full display.

But the further you go in, the colder the air becomes, and even the flowers, plants and trees are trimmed like knife edges, exuding a rigid aura that keeps strangers away.

The backyard was extremely spacious, with the ground paved with large, dark blue-green stones.

In the center of the courtyard, a burly figure was moving about under the moonlight.

He was shirtless, his bronze muscles bulging and taut, exuding an explosive sense of power.

He held a heavy battle sword in his hand, and each swing of it brought a whooshing sound as it tore through the air.

The wind from the blade whipped up fallen leaves, instantly shredding them into dust.

The movements were expansive yet incredibly precise, brimming with the menacing aura of iron and blood.

Meng De (Lord of Thousand Light City)

【grade:???】

Health Points: ???

……

A series of question marks reveals the huge gap in status between the two sides.

The captain of the guards led Chen You and Meng Xiao to the sidelines, then bowed and withdrew, not daring to disturb them.

Meng De seemed not to see them, continuing to practice his swordsmanship as if nothing was amiss.

After finishing a set of sword techniques, he slowly stopped and slammed the sword into the weapon rack with a clang.

He picked up a towel and wiped his sweat before turning his cold gaze over.

"What is it?"

His voice, like his swordsmanship, was cold and hard, devoid of any emotion.

Chen You gently pushed Meng Xiao forward and calmly said, "Lord Mengde, this is Meng Xiao, the daughter of your younger brother Meng Tu."

Meng Xiao timidly raised her head and whispered, "Uncle... Uncle."

Meng De's gaze lingered on Meng Xiao for less than a second. There was no joy in his eyes at the long-awaited reunion with his loved one; instead, a barely perceptible hint of annoyance and disgust flashed across them.

It was as if the person in front of him wasn't his blood-related niece, but a huge problem.

"My foolish brother always likes to do stupid things that he thinks he knows best," Mengde said with a tone full of contempt.

"He died fighting for a city that had nothing to do with him; that was his choice, what does it have to do with me?"

He didn't even glance at Meng Xiao, and directly gave an order to a servant in the corner:

"Go to the accounting office and get ten silver coins as a reward for this adventurer."

The servant bowed and accepted the order, and soon came over carrying a money bag containing ten silver coins.

Mengde waved his hand, as if shooing away flies.

"You can leave now."

He then pointed to Meng Xiao, who was standing beside him, her face pale with fright, and added to the servant:

"As for this child, just find a servant's room in the backyard and don't let her come out and cause me any trouble."

The entire process was extremely cold-blooded.

Ten silver coins?

To the average player, this might be a decent income.

But for Chen You, this was even less than the amount of drugs he took.

Moreover, this isn't about money.

Chen You frowned slightly.

He wasn't angry about the disrespect he received; he just felt... something was off about the plot.

According to normal game logic, escorting a hero's orphan to find their family should lead to being moved, accepted, and then receiving a generous reward, thus starting the next quest chain, right?

Why did it turn into treating beggars here?

"My lord..." Meng Xiao's face was pale and her lips were trembling.

She stared incredulously at the tall, aloof figure in the courtyard—her blood-related uncle, who seemed colder than any stranger.

The servant had already walked up to Chen You with the money bag, bowed slightly, and wore a professional fake smile.

Chen You did not look at the money pouch.

His gaze fell on Meng Xiao, whose body was trembling like a leaf in the wind due to fear and sorrow.

The last glimmer of light in the little girl's eyes went out.

"Did something go wrong with the mission?" That was the first thought that flashed through Chen You's mind.

He quickly recalled every step from receiving the task to the present.

Zhaocheng, Centurion Luo Yi, Bai Yu Hui Ji, Ningjing Cemetery... Oh right, the cemetery!

The hidden quest "The Disturbed Rest" that I triggered by accident.

Could it be that the mission caused the subsequent plot to take a turn for the worse?

Game designer, you really don't follow the usual path.

Chen You mentally scoffed, then shifted his gaze from the servant's face back to Meng De.

Mengde had already turned around, seemingly too lazy to look at them again, and was preparing to go back inside.

"etc."

Chen You spoke, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear.

Meng De paused, but without turning around, he coldly asked, "Too little?"

His voice already carried a hint of impatience and murderous intent.

The oppressive aura belonging to a high-level expert enveloped Chen You.

Under such pressure, ordinary players would probably not even be able to stand up.

But Chen You just stood there quietly, as if he didn't feel anything.

He ignored the servant who was still holding the money bag, walked to Meng Xiao's side, and gently patted her shoulder.

Then, he took something out of his backpack.

A simple, unadorned wooden box.

It was the special reward obtained upon completing the hidden quest in the cemetery—"The Hero's Gaze".

He had tried using this box before, but it was unusable and he couldn't open it.

And now...

The moment Chen You took it out, the otherwise unremarkable wooden box suddenly trembled slightly.

A faint, warm white light appeared on the surface.

The light was soft, carrying an air of solemnity and sanctity that could not be profaned.

There is a play!

With a firm resolve, Chen You gently applied force with both hands.

"Click".

With a soft click, the wooden box opened.

The moment the box was opened, there was no dazzling golden light as I had imagined, nor any divine weapons or magical artifacts.

Inside, lying quietly, was only a badge.

A badge, also carved from white feathers, was exactly the same as the one Chen You gave to Meng Xiao.

However, between the feather patterns on this one, there was a faint golden shimmer.

Below the emblem, there was a yellowed letter.

Chen You didn't take the badge, but instead took out the letter.

At that very moment, Mengde, who was about to step away, suddenly froze.

He suddenly turned around and stared intently at the letter in Chen You's hand. For the first time, a violent emotional fluctuation appeared in his cold eyes.

It was shock, disbelief, and a hint of... fleeting resentment.

"What is that?!" His voice became hoarse.

Chen You did not answer him, but slowly unfolded the letter.

The letter paper did not contain handwritten words, but rather streaks of light intertwining on it.

As the letter unfolds, a phantom light and shadow are projected from it.

Under the cool moonlight, it coalesced into a slightly blurry human figure.

He was a man wearing Zhaocheng standard armor, with an ordinary face but exceptionally resolute eyes and a gentle smile on his lips.

It was Meng Xiao's father, Meng Tu.

"elder brother."

Meng Tu, amidst the light and shadow, spoke, his voice tinged with weariness yet still gentle.