Chapter 39: Surge in Popularity, Damn, I'm Surrounded by Bai Fu!
Excavation‑Princess wondered if she had seen it wrong.
She staggered back several steps, then rubbed her eyes hard. When she reopened them, the stone stele—taller than a person—still stood before her, and the inscription on it remained just as she had seen monts ago.
She was certain that this stele hadn’t been in the alley earlier.
In other words, it had been erected recently—and it had been erected by Bai Fu.
Otherwise, the signature on the inscription wouldn’t be Bai Fu.
“Fu‑fu isn’t dead?”
As this thought surfaced, even her breathing froze.
This discovery completely caught her off guard, yet it struck at the deepest longing in her heart.
She stood there in a daze for a while, then suddenly pinched her right thigh.
This wasn’t the ti to space out.
She had to quickly find a passerby NPC and ask about the situation, lest she got excited for nothing.
Excavation‑Princess dashed out of the alley. Her luck wasn’t bad—she had only run past two streets when she encountered a passing scavenger.
She hurriedly stopped the scavenger: “Hello, I am...”
The scavenger froze: “Aren’t you that outsider who directed our retreat the other day? So you’re not dead after all. Bai Fu was worried sick about you yesterday.”
At those words, Excavation‑Princess let out a long breath, followed by an excitent she couldn’t conceal.
Hahaha, Fu‑fu really isn’t dead!
She tried her best to restrain herself, but the smile at the corners of her mouth gave her away.
“Can you tell what happened these past couple of days? And where did Fu‑fu go? I just went to her house looking for her, but she wasn’t there.”
“It’s like this...”
The scavenger told Excavation‑Princess everything he knew.
After learning how Bai Fu had believed the Player was dead and would never return, Excavation‑Princess was stunned.
If she had idolized Bai Fu before because Bai Fu could bring her trendous popularity and help her go further in her career as a ga content creator, then the situation had changed slightly now.
Even though Bai Fu was just an NPC, wasn’t she far warr than most people she’d t?
Her heart had been touched.
To Excavation‑Princess, Bai Fu was no longer rely a simple NPC, but a virtual companion with whom genuine emotion could be exchanged.
Damn it, she was fired up!
Excavation‑Princess was now full of fighting spirit.
After lying low for a day, this was the perfect mont for the Dragon King’s return to fiercely slap back at those mockeries with green garlic!
After bidding farewell to the scavenger, she imdiately opened her livestream.
...
In the Star‑Play Society, inside a post discussing whether Bai Fu was truly dead, Players were casually chatting.
【Looks like Excavation‑Princess took a hard hit from this one. Haven’t seen her show up in hours】
【Who wouldn’t be down after sothing like that】
【The ga’s already back online. Has anyone confird Bai Fu’s status?】
As the conversation continued, a new reply suddenly popped up.
【Excavation‑Princess is live! Everyone go watch!】
That shout instantly attracted a crowd of trolls and Bai Fu fans.
They sward in all at once, and within just two or three minutes of going live, over ten thousand people had already gathered in Excavation‑Princess’s livestream.
The Players who flooded in sensed sothing off. Excavation‑Princess was sitting on a rock, her expression tense. She didn’t speak or make any unnecessary movents—she was simply playing videos.
All the videos were about Bai Fu, and they were played in chronological order.
From being rescued by Bai Fu in the alley, to teaming up with Bai Fu to take down Big Bro Biao, to sohow accepting the assassination quest targeting Bai Fu, to Bai Fu being forced by Cao Wenliang to strike at the Player, and finally to Bai Fu risking exposure to warn the Player at the base...
【What is Digging‑Treasure doing?】
【Is this the new era of performance art? A cyber morial hall?】
The watching Players were utterly confused, but no matter how puzzled they were, they kept watching, curious to see what kind of sche Excavation‑Princess was pulling.
As the scenes flashed by one after another, the emotions in the livestream gradually began to stir.
【Digging‑Treasure, my condolences】
【What a sha. Why did Bai Fu have to die...】
【Aaaah, damn the Truth Society, I’ll fight you to the bitter end in blood and fire!】
Until the scene flashed where Bai Fu, smiling, handed the Induction Bait to Starfish‑bro and then leapt off the pickup alone to stop over thirty Type II Amoebas, Excavation‑Princess’s face was already full of emotion.
【Honestly, not long ago I thought the sa as everyone else—that this was the end of the story. Bai Fu appeared like a beam of light, then turned into a streak of radiance saving the Abandoned Cooling Plant. Though the story was short, at least it had a beginning and end and moved the heart. But...】
She suddenly went quiet and walked toward a small alley.
【You all have no idea what I found here】
This hooked the Players’ curiosity completely.
They followed in Excavation‑Princess’s footsteps to explore the alley, and as they went along, they discovered a stone stele had appeared in the middle of it.
【Is this what Digging‑Treasure was talking about?】
【It’s just a stele, what’s so weird? Don’t tell it’s related to a Hidden Quest?】
【Don’t say it... could this be Fu‑fu’s gravestone?】
【Co on, who puts a gravestone in the middle of a road?】
Seeing the live‑stream comnts floating on the virtual screen, Excavation‑Princess knew the timing was perfect. She stopped.
【I’m not going any further. You all look for yourselves】
She locked the cara on the stele, then zood in until the text on the stone was clearly visible in the livestream.
【To commorate the brave ones who sacrificed themselves to save the Abandoned Cooling Plant——
Bai Fu】
Including “Bai Fu,” there were a total of 22 large characters.
Recalling the video clips that Excavation‑Princess had just played, at that mont the Players felt they weren’t looking at text, but at 22 bullets—each one shooting straight through the virtual screen and slamming directly into their hearts.
Bang! Bang bang bang!
Anyone with a brain could understand what a signature from Bai Fu ant.
Yes, Bai Fu wasn’t dead!
This news alone was explosive, but combined with the inscription on this morial, its impact was akin to a supervolcanic eruption, blasting the live chat into silence for several seconds.
First to fall were the Players who loved Bai Fu.
They had worried for hours, and now this sudden good news made them jump for joy.
Who had ti to type in chat?
Next to be struck were the Players who had been unhappy because their favorite NPCs were overshadowed by Bai Fu’s popularity.
They felt utterly defeated.
At this mont, one thought erged in all their minds.
It’s over. Bai Fu’s popularity is going to skyrocket.
Unless a more uniquely compelling NPC shows up in the next plotline, if Bai Fu enters the popular female NPC contest, every other NPC will have to settle for second place!
Lastly ca the blow to the trolls.
They ca to watch Excavation‑Princess flop, but instead witnessed sothing earth‑shattering.
An NPC building a monunt for Players—this was the first ti most had ever seen such a thing.
Even bystanders felt a thrill.
Who doesn’t like to be respected and held in high regard?
Very soon, the trolls started enjoying themselves again.
Trolls go wherever the fun is.
Even though they couldn’t troll Excavation‑Princess now, this event was so hot they weren’t worried about finding more fun elsewhere.
【Aweso aweso aweso】
【You can always trust Fu‑fu—the NPC who cares the most about Players, and also their strongest support】
【Hahaha, I knew it! Fu‑fu wouldn’t die so easily】
【I declare, the story Developer is a god today!】
Watching her livestream instantly flood with comnts, Excavation‑Princess smiled slightly. No rush—she still had one trump card.
【Don’t you all find this alley kind of familiar?】
Familiar?
A sharp‑minded Player finally caught on.
【Holy crap, isn’t this where Fu‑fu and Digging‑Treasure t for the first ti?】
As soon as that ssage popped up, the comnt flood in Excavation‑Princess’s livestream hit a new peak.
【I knew it! That’s why the morial stele was built in such a remote place—it’s where Fu‑fu first bonded with us!】
【I’m actually crying. I can’t believe Fu‑fu even considered this】
【Aaaah, I can’t take it. How can my wife be this thoughtful】
Excavation‑Princess grinned and began recounting everything she’d heard from the scavenger.
【Fu‑fu got lucky. Just as she was about to be surrounded by those Type II Amoebas, Starfish‑bro managed to scatter the Induction Bait. More than half the Amoebas were drawn away, and she seized the chance to cross the wasteland and return to the Abandoned Cooling Plant】
【Wasn’t there a sudden version update that forcibly logged us out? Fu‑fu waited a long ti for us, but never saw us resurrect. She thought we had really died, so she suggested building a morial for us】
【Yesterday, reinforcents from the Gene Primordials arrived. Fu‑fu went with them to Lynn. Her task here is complete—she probably won’t be coming back】
【I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to Lynn. I’ll find Fu‑fu and tell her we didn’t die, so she doesn’t have to bla herself】
Excavation‑Princess’s words resonated with many Players.
They decided to leave the Abandoned Cooling Plant too and go to Lynn!
Throughout the livestream, Excavation‑Princess didn’t say a single word about green garlic, yet countless Players had already run off to help her green garlic others.
The Community underwent a wave of purging. Many Players who had confidently claid Bai Fu was dead quickly deleted their posts and vanished once they caught wind of the news.
Others followed the lead of Convert to My Fu—deleting their accounts to reroll and choosing Origin Star as their new character’s starting planet.
They weren’t just doing it because they liked Bai Fu.
After this incident, they realized Bai Fu really was as unique as Excavation‑Princess had described.
【I an, is there a chance that Bai Fu is actually the protagonist of Origin Star’s main storyline?】
No joke—there really was a chance. Judging by the current state of things, even if Bai Fu wasn’t the protagonist, she was definitely a critical supporting character!
Many min‑maxing Players felt it was better to stop aimlessly exploring other starter planets and instead migrate to Origin Star and cling tightly to Bai Fu’s thigh.
How beneficial was it to latch onto Bai Fu? Excavation‑Princess and the others had already proven it clearly.
In the battle with Yulia and during the Insect Tide event, thanks to Bai Fu’s unexpected performance, the Players at the Abandoned Cooling Plant, who should have lost big, ended up profiting massively.
Their average level was now the highest among all novice villages.
No doubt about it—being carried by an NPC felt as sweet as sugar!
So trolls even posted a newbie guide on the main board of the Community.
【Step one: Buy the ga device and register an account;
Step two: Create a Human race character and select Origin Star as the starter planet;
Step three: Enter the ga. If your newbie village isn’t the Abandoned Cooling Plant, delete the character and restart from step two. If it is, imdiately start grinding Bai Fu’s favorability】
Under the influence of this surge in popularity, Star‑Play Society briefly beca Bai‑Play Society.
So Players were shocked to realize they weren’t playing 《Beyond the Stars》, but 《Damn! I’m Surrounded by Bai Fu》.
The biggest impact of this surge was that the number of Players on Origin Star shot up to the limit.
Many Players trying to reincarnate onto Origin Star received the ssage: player limit reached, reincarnation unavailable.
Seeing this, Bai Fu, who had been spectating the whole show, couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth.
If they didn’t set a limit, wouldn’t this be a disaster?
Just imagine—a tiny Abandoned Cooling Plant suddenly getting cramd with tens of thousands of Players.
How horrible would the gaplay experience be?
Just figuring out how to solve the food issue would be enough to scare most Players away.
“You really know how to stir up hype.”
Bai Fu looked on with satisfaction at Excavation‑Princess, who was still active in her livestream.
Once Excavation‑Princess arrived in Lynn, Bai Fu planned to set her up as a model: first hand her a Profession Knowledge Book, then absorb her into the Garden of Silence, and after that reveal so newly‑woven backstory.
See that? Hanging with Crow ans starving three out of four als. But if you roll with Bai Fu, you eat at every day. With treatnt this good, how could you not co?
Unlike before, Bai Fu now had a longer‑term vision.
The boost she received yesterday made her realize that if she wanted to continue getting stronger, popularity among Players alone wasn’t enough. She also had to actively participate in various plotlines.
Only then would the ga have enough “reason” to strengthen her.
Given that storylines ca with all sorts of risks, she really needed the help of Players to reduce that danger.
Even if not for that—just to fend off assassination attempts from the Truth Society—she still needed the Players’ support.
Earlier, she had received word from Xia Shi, who was sitting beside her: the Truth Society had issued assassination bounties against the three of them.
Although the bounty level wasn’t high, it was still issued by the Truth Society, one of the five major powers on Origin Star—she couldn’t afford to be careless.
Speaking of Xia Shi, Bai Fu recalled sothing interesting.
Xia Shi had a very unique Special Talent—Great Luck. So far, she’d only seen it on Xia Shi.
At first, Bai Fu didn’t think much of it and just inwardly cursed her as a damn Luck Goddess. But after Bai Fu herself received a 【Lucky】 Talent, she realized the situation might be more complex than she thought.
Great Luck, huh? Could it actually be a protagonist’s aura?
She seriously suspected that Xia Shi was originally the protagonist of the main storyline for the Abandoned Cooling Plant novice village.
In a normal plot, Players would probably gradually uncover the Wildfire Gang’s hidden secrets through interactions with Xia Shi and ultimately assist her in taking them down. But due to Bai Fu’s interference, Xia Shi had been pushed to the narrative’s margins.
Of course, this was all just Bai Fu’s speculation—she needed more evidence.
What she could confirm was that Talents like 【Lucky】 and 【Great Luck】 had huge potential.
Don’t underestimate that 10% bonus.
As levels increased, things would rely more and more on probability checks.
Reading a Profession Knowledge Book required a probability check; analyzing a Blueprint required a probability check; crafting items required a probability check; lotteries required a probability check... A flat 10% bonus brought incredible gains. Right now it guaranteed her the Blood of Evolution Template. In the future, it might even let her roll a divine skill.
Bai Fu was a little envious of Xia Shi. Her own Lucky bonus was already 10%—Great Luck might give over 20%.
“We’re here.”
Just as Bai Fu was deep in thought, Xia Shi’s voice rang in her ear.
She looked up and saw the vehicle had stopped.
Earlier, reinforcents from the Gene Primordials had swept the roadside clean of Type II Amoebas, so this return trip to Lynn took nearly half the ti it had taken before.
“Anya.”
Bai Fu softly called out, then picked up her massive suitcase and jumped off the vehicle.
Unlike the ruined‑looking Abandoned Cooling Plant, the Lynn settlent was a real city.
The central area had towering buildings, including a radio tower nearly a hundred ters tall.
“Lynn, here I co!”
A joyful smile appeared on Bai Fu’s face.
At the sa ti, over a dozen new Players spawned at the Abandoned Cooling Plant.
These Players were different from the others—their usernas all carried the prefix “Iron Rain.”
They were mbers of the well‑known guild, Iron Rain Guild.
“Guild Master, should we grind so levels here at the Abandoned Cooling Plant first, or head straight to Lynn?”
The Iron Rain Guild Master, Sword Qi Soaring, replied: “We’re going to Lynn. But this ti, we won’t go looking for Bai Fu.”
“Huh?”
“Too many people are going after Bai Fu. Before we grind enough favor with her, we won’t get any real benefits. Rather than waste ti there, I think we should join another faction.”
“Should we join the Gene Primordials?”
“No, we’re joining the Truth Society. No one wants to join them right now. That ans we’ll be the first batch in and can monopolize all their quests. Besides...”
Sword Qi Soaring laughed heartily.
“Bai Fu is a key character in the main storyline. If we help the Truth Society go after her, we’re sure to rake in a ton of Faction Contribution Points. With Excavation‑Princess and the others streaming every day, we’ll have no shortage of Bai Fu intel.”
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