Early the next morning, a few of them gathered to have breakfast together. It was a rare break, so they took the time to discuss some instances they had experienced before, exchanging experiences, and exploring the use of props, such as how to pair them and when it’s most suitable to use props with limited uses.

Xu Huo had recently come into a windfall; some of the props he had gathered hadn’t yet been sold off, so he simply laid them out for everyone to pick what suited them.

Most of the players he had killed before were Rank-B players, so there might not be many good Rank-A props, but there were definitely a lot of good Rank-B props.

Yuan Yao was on a video call with Liu Jia and, at the sight of the table filled with props, his eyes went wide and he exclaimed, "Share and share alike!"

"Then come over," Xu Huo said nonchalantly, as a few more pieces or less wouldn’t make much of a difference in selling price.

"I’ll be right there!" Yuan Yao quickly said, "Save me some good ones!"

He was quick to arrive, rushing in just a few minutes after putting down the communicator. He dashed in and sprawled over the table, exclaiming, "Xu Huo, you’re amazing! Are all these props you can’t use?"

"They’re all for sale. Pick a few you like," Xu Huo casually picked one and handed it to him, "Try this one."

Yuan Yao eagerly accepted and, after a few excited tries, pretended to be modest, "I haven’t even reached Rank C, and here I am using a Rank-A prop. Isn’t it too extravagant?"

"If you don’t need it, you can return it," Xu Huo glanced up at him.

"I need it, I need it!" Yuan Yao quickly stored the prop in his luggage compartment, adding, "I just feel a bit embarrassed for owing such a big favor... But speaking of this, great kindness needs no thanks. I’ve always seen Brother Xu as a real brother. Among brothers, there’s no need for polite words but rest assured, Brother Xu, if you need anything in the future, I’ll be there for you!"

"No need for you to go to such lengths," Liu Jia nudged him from the side, "Stop talking nonsense."

After that, everyone earnestly began selecting props.

The configuration of props generally involves two aspects, attack and defense. Attack props include melee combat types and ranged attack types, with defense being the same. If props are scarce or if one is not familiar with their use, it’s best to have a set prepared in advance. This saves time in selecting props during confrontations.

Zhou Ning and Liu Jia were still quite reserved, but Yuan Yao had no such worries, although he felt a bit embarrassed about taking advantage of others’ generosity, so he repeatedly hinted for them to pick the good ones.

In the end, Xu Huo selected relatively good props from their selections, along with some special items with quirky effects and various potions.

"Enough, enough," Liu Jia blushed as she watched him select without stopping, "It’s really too much..."

"They’ll all be sold eventually," Xu Huo said, "I’m not short of money right now."

Yuan Yao, full of envy, cozied up to him, clutching his arm sweetly, "Brother Xu, you’re like a real brother to me!"

Xu Huo pushed him off.

Yuan Yao didn’t mind at all; he slapped his thigh and said, "Let’s head out for a good meal today, my treat!" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The Girl in the painting quickly expressed her intent to invite some friends to join them for the meal.

"Friends?" Yuan Yao and the others paused, "When did you make friends?"

It’s not that they underestimated her, but she rarely interacted with anyone except Xu Huo. Moreover, her unique way of thinking often led those who tried to reach out to retreat in the end, so it was rare to hear her mention the word "friends."

"Friends I made yesterday?" Xu Huo asked.

The Girl in the painting nodded, "Met them while shopping, they want to be my good friends. They treated me to a meal yesterday, so today, I’m treating them."

"No one in Ting City hasn’t heard of Li Chun, I suppose," Liu Jia tentatively said, "Are they just regular folks?"

"They’re not players," The Girl in the painting waved her hand, "Just some regular people who aren’t very wealthy."

Everyone present fell silent. Right now, when it comes to wealth, indeed, no one could compare to her. Although the finances of Ting City didn’t belong to her, the government and the Special Defense Department could buy anything for her without limit.

Xu Huo agreed without objection.

The Girl in the painting gestured in a "V" for victory and then designated a member-only restaurant, mentioning she had already agreed yesterday to treat them there for a meal.

"Younger Sister Li Chun has great taste," Yuan Yao cheerfully called the restaurant, "If it were any other day, I’d have to book a table in advance, but with you, it’s different."

Booking was quite easy. As soon as the restaurant heard that the Girl in the painting was coming, they immediately promised to reserve the best room for them. They just didn’t expect so many would end up coming for the meal.

Besides Yuan Yao and the others, in the morning, Tan Yang called as well, hoping to represent some Player Organizations and have a meal with Xu Huo, not to form any alliances, but simply to make a social connection. They intended to move their families to Ting City, so it seemed appropriate to reach out morally and ethically.

Xu Huo had no objections, "Since you’re all here, let’s do it together."

So Yuan Yao sent the address to Tan Yang and his group.

As they were about to depart, Sima Xiao’er also wanted to join in the fun. He and some members of various divisions were now fans of Xu Huo, eager to meet their idol up close, so they pleaded with Sima Xiao’er. Sima Xiao’er was persistent and begged Xu Huo to give him this face, so he could impress the Special Defense Minister.

What could Xu Huo say, really? Let’s all go together anyway, especially since they missed this meal at the last event.

When they arrived at the waterfront restaurant, they happened to run into Gu Yu, who was filming nearby.

"I was just saying I’d find you after I finished, but here we are, why not have a meal together?"

There weren’t really too many people – two tables were more than enough; however, when Yuan Yao went to confirm the tables, he returned with a strange expression, then said to the Girl in the painting, "Your friends... have arrived."

The Girl in the painting cheerfully went outside to greet them. Two minutes later, a large group of people surged in through the doorway, a few young women leading dozens of children who were chattering noisily. The adults wore apprehensive expressions, especially upon seeing Xu Huo and others enjoying tea, their faces turned pale.

They might not recognize Xu Huo and the Girl in the painting, but Tan Yang and Sima Xiao’er were quite famous in Ting City, not to mention Gu Yu. The gap between players and ordinary people was no longer just about wealth disparity, so they immediately realized that the person who invited them was actually a player!

The Girl in the painting didn’t notice their apprehension and invited them to sit.

"You’re having a gathering, aren’t you...?" One of the women quivered her lips and said, "There are too many people today... Maybe we should reschedule..."

Not understanding, the Girl in the painting raised her communicator, "Didn’t you tell me to invite you? Isn’t this the most expensive restaurant in Ting City?"

In such a place, words can’t escape the players’ ears, and Liu Jia, setting down her cup of water, stood up, "I’ll go have a word."