Race To Rizz Gu: (Part One)

Still, even if Fang Zheng had found Touching Grass Gu, he couldn't use it, and instead pocketed it as he went home. 

Scene Transmission!

"Wait, WHAT?! Your older brother really said that?" Uncle's brow furrowed, throwing major "sus" vibes, voice colder than a DM from an ex. Aunt sat nearby, staring at the fresh red scratch marks on Fang Zheng's face, giving off major "awkward silence" energy.

"Yeah, when I rolled up, he was at the inn, working as a cat maid. It went down like this," Fang Zheng replied, giving the recap like he was reading a script.

Uncle's frown deepened, forming three dramatic lines, like a manga character. After a beat, he sighed, giving off major "I'm about to drop some wisdom" energy. "Fang Zheng, my guy, you gotta remember. Shen Cui isn't Fang Yuan's personal merch. We assigned her, fam. He can't just flip her like an NFT. If you wanted her, you should've just asked, we'd have given her to you, no cap."

"Wait, fr?" Fang Zheng was shook, like he just found out his favorite streamer was unbanned.

Uncle waved his hand, giving off major "go forth and prosper" vibes. "You gave your stones to Fang Yuan, so here's six more, on the house. Use them to rizz up your Gu and secure that W. We'll be proud, you'll get clout."

"Dad, I'm feeling some feels..." Fang Zheng was suddenly tearing up, like he was watching a sad TikTok.

Uncle sighed, giving off major "tough love" energy. "Go rizz up your Gu, you're on a timer."

After Fang Zheng dipped, Uncle's face went full rage mode, giving off major "boss fight about to start" vibes.

Bang!

He slammed his hand on the table, hissing, "Hmph, that little goblin. He used our employee as a trading card! He's playing 4D chess!"

Aunt said, "Babe, chill. It's just six stones, it's not that deep."

"You don't get it! Fang Yuan's C-tier, he needs stones to craft the Moonlight Gu. With his noob skills, six stones is a low-tier build. But with twelve? He's gonna get that dub!" Uncle gritted his teeth, giving off major "I'm about to expose his secrets" energy.

"A Gu Master's leveling speed is cracked with enough loot and no debuffs. In two or three years, we'll have a Rank 2 main character. The lower Fang Yuan's rank, the less chance he has of claiming the family throne next year. We'll throw some roadblocks now, let him fall behind the meta. Academy resources are for the top grinders. With his stats, he'll be perma-stalled without them. It's a toxic loop. I wanna see him try to claim anything then!"

Aunt asked, "Even if we don't grief him, he'll only be Rank 1 mid-tier. You're Rank 2, why you pressed?"

Uncle stomped, giving off major "boomer rant" energy. "Woman, you're clueless! Should I just one-shot the younger gen? He wants the title, I can't just ban him. I'll use the rulebook. It says: To be leader at sixteen, you need Rank 1 mid-tier. Otherwise, no free clan resources. Got it?"

Aunt nodded, like she was finally understanding a meme.

Uncle narrowed his eyes, sighing like he was dropping a lore bomb. "Fang Yuan's too smart, too calculated. He saw through my power play. At his age? That's straight-up terrifying! I wanted to keep throwing shade, but he dipped. I wanted to use Shen Cui as a spy, but he flipped her for six stones, like a stock market trade."

"If only he was as brain-dead as Fang Zheng. Treat Fang Zheng better. He's A-tier, and he's got beef with Fang Yuan. We'll nurture that. He'll be the ultimate weapon against Fang Yuan!"

Two days went by, like a loading screen.

Scene Transmission!

In the room, the lights were off, giving off that "haunted house" aesthetic. Moonlight was hitting different, casting a frosty glow. Fang Yuan was cross-legged on the bed, eyes closed, grinding the Liquor worm. A tiny bit of its body was tinted green, like a progress bar at 10%, but its willpower was still on that "unbreakable" level.

Fang Yuan's progress was screaming "skill issue!"

"Two days and nights, two hours of sleep each, twelve stones drained, and only 1/15th progress. Someone's gonna speedrun their Gu rizzment soon."

Fang Yuan was aware of the L he was taking. His stats were low-tier, and the Liquor worm's willpower was a whole boss fight, way harder than a regular Moonlight Gu. Falling behind the meta was his reality.

"A temporary setback is a minor inconvenience, as long as I get this Liquor worm..." Fang Yuan was chill, no anxiety, no cope. Suddenly, the Liquor worm did a glow-up, curling into a little dumpling.

"It's going Super Saiyan!" Fang Yuan opened his eyes, shook. The Liquor worm was emitting a blinding white light, like it was charging a special attack.

It was going all-in, like a final boss phase!

The Liquor worm had decided to throw hands!

A strong willpower was flowing from the worm, through the essence, and straight into his primeval sea, like a DDoS attack.

Gu counterattacks were a rare occurrence, only happening with Gu that had that "main character" willpower. In this situation, most noobs would be throwing their controllers right now.

Though surprised, Fang Yuan was lowkey hyped. "A final stand? That's a W. If I clutch this, its willpower gets nerfed. I need maximum focus, no outside interference. Or else, it's GG... Please, no one come knocking."

He was gearing up to gather his essence, ready to 1v1 the worm's willpower, like a raid boss.

But then, a glitch in the matrix happened!

In the middle of his aperture, chilling above the primeval sea, a wild Gu just spawned.

BOOM!

A power aura dropped, like a surprise album release.

Rank 6 aura surged from the Gu worm!

This aura was straight-up cosmic, like the Milky Way just did a waterfall drop, or a flash flood hitting the mountains. But also, it was like a final boss just woke up, its crimson eyes snapping open, scanning the area like "who's this hater lackin' in my crib?"

"Wait, is that the Spring Autumn Cicada?!" Fang Yuan was shooketh, like his favorite streamer just got caught cheating.