Reborn as a Transcendent-Chapter 677: Trifold Preparation of [Death of Love]

At the Rosen Hotel, in this very moment.

“Princess says she’s on her way!” Nangong set her phone down, her voice full of excitement. The entire group lit up with joy, each of them smiling brightly.

“Should we invite Rakshasa and Little Fairy too?” Yunuen asked.

“It’s already quite late. It might not be appropriate, and they live far from here,” Nangong replied, shaking her head.

Although her relationship with Rakshasa wasn’t the best, Nangong wasn’t the kind to exclude someone out of personal bias.

“It’s too late now. Let’s plan it for another time,” Mylene agreed.

“Exactly. We don’t know if the Small Sword Group has something else planned. Better to stay cautious,” Snowy added.

“I didn’t think of that…” Yunuen said, clearly embarrassed.

“It’s fine,” Nangong said, gently patting her shoulder. “We’ll find time for everyone to meet next time.”

“Okay!” Yunuen nodded enthusiastically.

“Snowy, have your people keep a close watch on Little Fairy,” Nangong said, her tone turning serious. After what had happened to Yunuen, she had no intention of letting history repeat itself. If Little Fairy were abducted, she wouldn’t be able to face Princess.

“Of course,” Snowy replied, nodding before pulling out her phone to send a message.

“I’ll have my people monitor things too,” Mylene offered.

“As for Rakshasa—”

“She’s perfectly safe where she is,” Mylene interrupted before Nangong could finish.

“The higher-ups must value her a lot,” Nangong said, pursing her lips. “Do all Closed Beta players get this kind of treatment?”

“Her case is a bit unusual. I can’t share the details,” Mylene replied.

“I see.” Nangong didn’t press further. Instead, she turned to Sachiel. “Lil’ Sachiel, did you let the kitchen know?”

“Yes. I told the general manager. They’re already preparing everything,” Sachiel said, putting her phone away with a smile.

“Great. Now all that’s left is for Princess to arrive,” Nangong said cheerfully.

She had only seen Princess recently, but as the saying went, days could feel like years. Time passed differently when you missed someone, it dragged in a way that ordinary moments never did.

Just then, a soft noise came from the window. Everyone turned and saw a breathtakingly beautiful girl floating outside in a pure white dress, waving at them. It was Yaeger, radiant as ever.

“Princess!” they exclaimed, nearly jumping to their feet in unison.

Nangong was the first to act, rushing to open the window. As soon as she did, a gentle, comforting fragrance drifted in. Yaeger floated into the room and gave everyone a quick glance. “Good evening, everyone.”

“Good evening, Princess!” Sachiel practically bounced toward her with excitement, followed closely by Yunuen and the others. The entire suite was suddenly filled with warmth and energy.

But while things were joyful here, elsewhere the mood was far gloomier. At the Adventurers’ Guild in Jade City…

Taurus looked furious. “What have you all been doing? It’s been a full day, and you still haven’t found Black-hearted Princess!” he roared, slamming the table in rage.

‘Useless trash,’ he thought, though he kept those words to himself. Everyone present lowered their heads without saying a word.

Everyone in the room was a core member of the Death of Love Guild. In other words, they were all paid professionals. They were paid to get results, and they had delivered nothing. None of them dared speak up, unless they wanted to quit on the spot.

‘The Jade Empire is enormous. If she really wanted to hide, finding her would be like searching for a needle in the sea,’ S.K.Y. thought. In his view, Taurus was just venting.

Watching everyone lower their heads like scolded children only fueled Taurus’ rage. But rather than explode again, he forced himself to cool down and reevaluate their situation.

“How many more have reached Level twenty recently?” he asked, forcing down his irritation and speaking with measured calm.

“Another two thousand. At this rate, the main force will be fully formed after one more day of leveling,” S.K.Y. replied steadily. By now, there was an invisible wall between them, and it felt unbreakable.

“Very good,” Taurus said with a nod, satisfied by the report. The fire of his anger began to cool. His guild was already among the top five in Cathay. Once the entire main force surpassed Level 20, Death of Love would not only become the most powerful guild in the nation but also break into the top five globally.

‘Heh… by then, every player across the world will know the name Taurus Zhang.’ The idea of becoming an international icon among players made him grin.

When the others saw him smiling, a wave of relief swept through the room.

“Good work,” Taurus said, giving S.K.Y. a firm pat on the shoulder.

S.K.Y. offered a faint smirk, his expression calm and unreadable. In that moment, Taurus sensed the distance that had grown between them. His heart skipped slightly before he pulled himself together and began to reflect.

‘So he’s still bitter over that slap. We used to be so close, like brothers… Is it really worth holding onto something so petty? If he just stays loyal, he’ll achieve greatness and wealth.’ Taurus clenched his jaw. He had already decided, once his plan was complete, S.K.Y. would be removed. Someone like him couldn’t be left unchecked.

Taurus slowly withdrew his hand and continued. “Are you telling me we still have no idea where Black-hearted Princess is?”

The room fell silent. After a moment, someone stepped forward. It was a young male Priest in his twenties, average-looking, with the in-game tag [Big Bowl Noodles]. “Young Master Zhang, I might have something,” he said. “We’ve been investigating for the past few days and have pieced together her general movement pattern.”

“Then why haven’t you found her?” Taurus snapped in frustration.

His expression shifted slightly as he paused to think, then finally spoke. “Young Master Zhang, it’s not from lack of effort. Her range of activity is just too vast.” As he spoke, he unrolled a rough sketch.

The diagram outlined Yaeger’s movements, from Jade City, to the wastelands, then the docks, the swamps, and finally the Canyon of the Dead.

Looking at the diagram, Taurus finally grasped the scale of the issue. ‘This is worse than I thought. She’s practically crossed half a province.’ Finding someone across that much terrain was no different from searching for a needle in the ocean.

“Here’s what we’ll do. Split into two teams. One will search around Jade City, the other near the docks.” After some thought, Taurus decided that populated areas offered the best chance.

“Young Master Zhang, there’s a new report,” S.K.Y. said. “A plague is spreading near the docks. It’s unlikely Black-hearted Princess would be there.”

Taurus was about to agree, but something clicked in his mind. “S.K.Y., that reasoning is flawed. You know what they say, the most dangerous place is often the safest. Normal people might avoid a plague zone, but we’re players. Why would we care?”

His words struck like lightning, snapping everyone out of their daze. Of course—they weren’t NPCs. Why should a plague matter to them?

“I was too caught up in the game’s logic and forgot the bigger picture. That was careless.” S.K.Y. instinctively reached to adjust his glasses, only to remember they didn’t exist in this world.

“As expected of Young Master Zhang. You spotted what none of us could.”

“You’re incredible, sir!”

“Truly sharp, as always.”

The room filled with praise and flattery, which brought a satisfied smile to Taurus’ face. After letting the praise continue for a while, Taurus finally raised a hand, signaling everyone to quiet down.

“The docks are more dangerous,” he said. “Only send people above Level twenty. If you find any clues, report to me immediately. Do not alert her before I give the order.”

“Yes!” S.K.Y. and the core members responded together.

“We also need to prepare a backup plan,” Taurus said, tapping the table rhythmically with his fingers before continuing.

“What are you planning, Young Master Zhang?” S.K.Y. asked.

“If we still can’t locate her, then we’ll need to draw her out,” Taurus replied coolly, casting a glance around the room.

“How do you suggest we do that?” a core member asked.

“The simplest method would be to take a hostage,” S.K.Y. replied.

Taurus nodded. “Indeed.”

“But her subordinates, Mahou Shoujo Yunuen and Little Fairy, left Jade City a while ago,” the core member added, looking hesitant.

“What? And you’re only telling me this now?”

Taurus’ right eyelid twitched sharply. If they hadn’t been in public, he would’ve kicked off his boots and stabbed the man with the pointed heel.

Everyone fell silent.

Someone had definitely brought it up the day before, but Taurus hadn’t been paying attention. Now he was blaming them for it. If he weren’t their boss, several of them might have already jumped him.

“Forget it. Just keep tracking their movements. Once we capture one of them, Black-hearted Princess is bound to appear,” Taurus said, waving his hand impatiently.

“Young Master Zhang, I might have another way to lure her out,” S.K.Y. said, leaning in.

“Let’s hear it,” Taurus said, stepping closer.

S.K.Y. leaned in and quietly whispered the third plan into his ear. Taurus’ eyes lit up with delight, and a satisfied smile slowly spread across his face.

In the real world, inside the Rosen Hotel suite, the girls sat around the table chatting as they enjoyed their meal. The atmosphere was warm and full of laughter.

“Princess, you have to try this one!” Nangong said enthusiastically, continuing to serve Yaeger with unrelenting zeal.

At first, Yaeger tried to refuse, but Nangong’s persistence wore her down. Eventually, she allowed herself to be doted on.

Sachiel, Mylene, and Yunuen watched with a mix of amusement and envy. Across the table, Pixie began doing the same. Nangong glared at her, so irritated she looked like she might punch her square in the chest.

Once supper was over, the group lingered around the table, sipping tea and chatting casually. Eventually, Mylene brought up the real reason for their gathering. “Sister, there’s something I need to tell you…”

Yaeger listened quietly, then paused in thought before replying.

“Personally, I don’t think it’s dangerous at all. But if it’ll ease your minds, Mylene and Lil’ Pixie can come with me.”