In the Thief’s House, Shang Xinlei and Yan Qing were having lunch together as usual.

Today, they were enjoying Dragon Sturgeon prepared in three ways: fish head soup, one side steamed with ginger and soy sauce, and the other side grilled. Although it didn’t sound like much, the Dragon Sturgeon was a demon from the Third-Turn Secret Realm, capable of slaughtering Third-Turn Messengers in the river. This demonstrated the Dragon Sturgeon’s massive size and weight.

Such a ferocious demon, yet as an ingredient, it was a rare delicacy—fresh fish soup, sweet steamed fish, and fragrant grilled fish.

Besides satisfying their appetite, the energy from Third-Turn ingredients was incomparable to ordinary matter. Even if Yan Qing filled himself with regular food, he would quickly become hungry again, needing to eat six meals a day just to survive. But after a meal of Dragon Sturgeon, he could last an entire day without food.

In the world of "Messenger," there was a food system and even life professions such as cooks, but it didn’t include satiety mechanics found in survival games. Food only provided buffs and wasn’t a necessity for players. The game assumed players didn’t need to eat or use the toilet.

However, in reality, high Qi Blood required high energy consumption, and messengers were ravenous eaters. Ordinary food staples struggled to meet their daily needs.

But high-end ingredients from the Secret Realm could. Besides demons, ordinary animals in the Secret Realm also had levels, dynamically changing with the Secret Realm’s level. For instance, in the First-Turn Secret Realm, level 5 cattle might appear, and in the Third-Turn Secret Realm, level 15 cattle might be present, with higher Qi Blood than a First-Turn Messenger.

This was perhaps designed for players needing to store energy through attacks, leaving powerful animals for players to accumulate attack counts. However, it conveniently solved real-world food shortages.

Not to mention, these Secret Realm ingredients were indeed more delicious than conventional ones. Such good things wouldn’t circulate outside; only the privileged were entitled to them. This time, Yan Qing was lucky to enjoy them thanks to Shang Xinlei.

"Did something good happen to you?" Shang Xinlei suddenly asked, looking at him with bright eyes. "You seem very happy today."

Yan Qing blinked, spooning a large piece of fish into his bowl and said casually, "Today’s fish is very tasty."

"Hmph, if you don’t want to say, then don’t," Shang Xinlei said with a dissatisfied snort, "as if anyone cares to know."

If she had pressed further, Yan Qing might have become wary and evasive, but her words stirred a contrary impulse in him. "Didn’t you say before that Shu Dao Mountain was an extremely dangerous Demon Path Evil Land?"

"Did you send someone there? How many did you send? You wouldn’t have sent Jiang Shi to such a filthy place, would you?"

"I sent one, someone you don’t know."

"Did they infiltrate?"

"No, fought their way in," Yan Qing said calmly, "fighting from Changle City up Shu Dao Mountain, personally cutting down over a dozen Demonic Messengers, including a Demon Path Third Transition."

Shang Xinlei’s first reaction was disbelief. Charging into Demon Path Evil Land and killing over a dozen people, including a Third-Transition demon, was akin to assuming Demonic Messengers were pigs to be slaughtered at will.

However, she knew Yan Qing wasn’t one to speak recklessly and wasn’t good at lying. Often he could use a lie to foster connection, but he insisted on stating cold, hard facts, as if wanting others only to see his worst side.

"What power level?"

"Second-Turn."

"What token did you equip them with?"

"Rare, legendary, and exotic all present."

"Did you lend out the Bingzi Pepper Forest?" Shang Xinlei glanced at the long knife at Yan Qing’s waist. "With the Bingzi Pepper Forest, such achievements wouldn’t be impossible—"

"No, Bingzi Pepper Forest wasn’t used. She fought up there using her own skills," replied Yan Qing, "She’s a Heavy Rain Messenger and possesses a token that increases attack speed. Even Demonic Messengers aren’t her match for a single round." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Shang Xinlei suddenly understood, "So that’s it, a Heavy Rain Messenger. No wonder. But it’s surprising your subordinate became a Heavy Rain Messenger and could skillfully wield this power to slay multiple foes... she must have had a tough life."

Yan Qing finally sensed something amiss, "Why do you think Heavy Rain Messengers have tough lives?"

"Your person is a Heavy Rain Messenger, and you don’t even know?" Shang Xinlei appeared quite surprised, "Heavy Rain Messenger is a forbidden profession, harming oneself before harming others. Whenever the Power of the Storm is invoked, it inflicts immense damage on the Messenger themselves."

"I once thought of transitioning to a Heavy Rain Messenger. After all, it’s among the top-ranked strongest vocations in both Second and Third Transitions. But after thorough research, I abandoned the idea."

"When using the Power of the Storm, a Messenger’s speed reaches an exaggerated level, making instant kills of equivalent demons or messengers trivial. This is the greatest strength and the biggest disadvantage of a Heavy Rain Messenger."

Yan Qing understood, "Are you saying the Messenger’s body can’t withstand this power?"

"Most people can’t," Shang Xinlei nodded seriously, "Many professional characteristics affect the Messenger but are mild and manageable later. Yet, the power of a Heavy Rain Messenger is extremely violent. When fully unleashed, the Messenger’s body accelerates to incredible speeds, with muscles, organs, bones... every blow in the storm paid with their own flesh and blood."

"Historically, many Heavy Rain Messengers experienced muscle tears, bone fractures, organ damage after triggering one storm, and some even died," she said.

Thus stood the conflict between gameplay and realism, Yan Qing thought to himself.

Any system was initially designed based on fun, not realism.

The Heavy Rain Messenger shows an entertaining yet unrealistic type, with neither Second-Turn nor Third-Turn Messengers capable of controlling the Power of the Storm. Using it was self-destructive, but no designer expected their game to become real. Without a food system, this world couldn’t have High-Turn Messengers — just a Third-Turn Messenger could consume this land into poverty.

The Heavy Rain Messenger was merely a minor example of the conflict between game and reality.

As for why smaller accounts were unaffected... such accounts didn’t eat, relieve themselves, or sleep.

"Don’t worry; my person can perfectly master the power of the Heavy Rain Messenger. Ordinary Third-Turns aren’t her match," Yan Qing said confidently. "She’s now infiltrated Shu Dao Mountain, and might soon inherit Si Wuxie’s legacy."

"That’s your subordinate, not you. Why are you so pleased with yourself?" Shang Xinlei said, disapproving of his smug expression.

"My subordinate’s achievements are my achievements." Yan Qing asserted righteously. It was he who had spent the morning painstakingly running through Shu Dao Mountain while the smaller account only needed his control, and Yan Qing had to consider many things.

"Shameless." Shang Xinlei stuck out her tongue, "Speaking of which, what’s the name of your subordinate?"

"Rabbit Heroine." Without much concealment, Yan Qing knew Shang Xinlei would instantly associate this codename with him upon hearing it.

"Rabbit... Heroine?" Shang Xinlei was puzzled, but quickly grasped the key point, "Female? Is she pretty?"

"Fairly adorable," Yan Qing offered a moderate assessment, "Delicate and petite."

"And you let her go alone to the Demon Path Evil Land?" Shang Xinlei widened her eyes at Yan Qing, "I’m not saying you should only send a man, but didn’t I suggest earlier to send multiple people together? Surely you’re not short on manpower? If it’s one person, choose someone with a fierce appearance to at least reduce the risk of danger rather than selecting a weak one who’d attract undue attention!"

"Yet, she succeeded in ascending Shu Dao Mountain, didn’t she?"

"What if she couldn’t? What if she fell into a trap? Didn’t you consider—"

"I certainly thought she might die," Yan Qing’s tone turned icy. "She was beset by Demonic Messengers according to my intention. Demonic Messengers aren’t fools. Why would they rashly gather a major crowd to deal with a woman who could infiltrate Demon Path Evil Land? No matter how delicate and charming she appears."

Shang Xinlei asked, "Then why did you do it?"

"I wanted to test her capacity," Yan Qing responded flatly, "I equipped her with the best tokens and enabled her to transition to the most violent profession to see what extent she could reach. The results came in, eliminating ordinary Third-Turns posed no problem, but facing the top Third-Turns, like the three Great Guardians of Shu Dao Mountain, proved beyond her reach."

Shang Xinlei studied him intently, observing every detail on Yan Qing’s face, as if they were meeting for the first time, having never known him before.

"Are you serious?" she asked.

"Have I ever lied?" Yan Qing countered.