Inside the Labyrinth City of Orario, there were a few rules that every adventurer had to keep in mind.
One: Gods aren't allowed to leave the city at will.
Two: Registered adventurers can't linger outside the city for extended periods — unless they have a special permit.
Three—
"Oh~re~wa~Ganesha~da~!"
...Yeah. If you knew that guy, those rules were more like loose suggestions.
Today was Ling Shu's first day in Orario. Naturally, he hadn't built any connections with the city's resident elephant-headed loudmouth god.
Fortunately, first-time arrivals didn't need an entry pass or anything fancy.
According to a guild staffer Ling Shu ran into:
"Orario is the central hub of the world. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people show up daily, hoping to become adventurers."
"If we had to run background checks on every one of them, we'd never get anything done."
"Besides, it's not like the dark factions from seven or eight years ago are still running wild."
"All we need to do is scan you with this magic tool to check for Falna — if it confirms you don't have any god's blessing, and you're not an enemy spy or a wanted criminal, you're good."
At that moment, a gatekeeper casually waved a crystal orb across Ling Shu's back, confirmed he was just an ordinary person, and let him through.
Indeed—
Logically speaking, anyone without Falna trying to start trouble in a city full of adventurers is basically holding a lantern in a shithole — asking to die.
Still, just because the risk was low didn't mean it was zero.
Ling Shu could already think of at least nine different ways to cause chaos and get away with it.
Not that he had any such plans.
But—
"Dark factions, huh?"
He knew that name well.
In this world's original timeline, that particular brand of evil had nearly brought Orario to ruin.
Sure, most of them were just clowns pretending to be villains... but a few?
When they invaded Orario, they didn't exactly come through the front gates either.
With thoughts racing, Ling Shu stepped fully into Orario's city streets.
He was self-aware enough to realize he was already being watched.
No surprise there.
Modern clothes really don't blend in around here.
All he had on him was a wallet, some keys, and a smartphone — the same stuff he'd had in his pockets when the meteor hit.
If it weren't for that cursed "Seven Choices" mission, he'd have picked Hestia or Loki's Familia in a heartbeat.
Instead, here he was... worrying about not having a weapon on him.
First things first: find out where Soma Familia is located.
That kind of detail wasn't something you could look up in a guidebook or wiki.
And Orario definitely didn't accept RMB.
Which meant — technically speaking — Ling Shu was completely broke.
If I don't complete the mission today, I'm spending the night on the streets.
And Orario at night? Yikes.
Let's be real — it was basically the same thing as playing Russian roulette with every step.
Even if the guild guards claimed that dark factions weren't active anymore, that didn't mean the city's adventurers were all upstanding citizens.
Sure, the Ganesha Familia served as the city's law enforcement, but overall?
Orario wasn't that different from a lawless zone.
People died here. Often.
And even if you got lucky and survived...
They'd probably rob me blind anyway.
Ling Shu had no interest in being stripped down to his boxers on day one.
So if he wanted a roof over his head and didn't want to sleep in a back alley—
He had less than half a day to complete the mission.
If he failed...
"I guess I'll go simp for Freya."
He muttered the words like a man who'd already sold his soul.
And then—
"Simp for Freya?"
A soft, confused voice spoke up — right next to his ear.
A girl's voice.
Ling Shu jumped out of his skin.
He immediately took three steps back and turned to look.
A gray-haired maid stood behind him.
"…Whoosh—!"
He didn't even hesitate.
Run.
"Wait—!"
The voice behind him called out, trying to stop him.
To Ling Shu's ears, it sounded just like—
"Fellow cultivator, please stay!"
Instant goosebumps.
Don't think I haven't watched Danmachi. I know exactly what kind of twisted crap Freya gets up to with her alts and her favorite little red-eyed bunny boys.
"Freya Familia is my last resort. Once you go in, you're not coming back out. That's assuming they'd even take me in the first place."
His opinion hadn't changed.
So—
Loose lips sink ships, dumbass. That almost cost me everything.
Ling Shu gave himself a few symbolic slaps on the mouth and bolted toward Orario's city center.
There — looming like a mountain — stood the massive tower built atop the Dungeon entrance.
Babel Tower.
And just next to it was the Guild's headquarters.
Ling Shu had a clear plan.
Once he got there, he could just ask a staff member where Soma Familia was based.
Only—
He forgot one very important detail.
Babel Tower...
Was also where Freya lived.
Thirty minutes later.
"…"
Ling Shu was tied up like a pig for slaughter and hauled into a throne room.
His mind had gone completely blank.
This was the top floor of Babel Tower — the Freya Familia's inner sanctum.
In front of him sat a woman with bold features and a confident smile, one leg crossed over the other, swirling a glass of red wine.
Her hair was silver. Her expression? Playful, dangerous.
Behind her stood a massive man built like a fortress, quiet and still — a living wall.
That was when Ling Shu knew...
Yeah. I've strayed way off-script.
It had all happened so fast.
A burly boar-man had dropped out of the sky, grabbed him by the back of the neck at the entrance to Soma Familia's base, and carried him off like a sack of potatoes.
And now—
"What an interesting little toy."
Freya smiled as she examined the smartphone she'd lifted from his pocket.
Of course, she couldn't unlock it — her fingerprints didn't work.
She just stared at the lock screen image of a cartoon duck with fascination.
On the table beside her lay Ling Shu's keys, wallet, two bank cards, and... a stack of Renminbi.
"Tell me."
Her eyes narrowed.
"What exactly did you mean by 'simping for Freya'?"
"…"
Great. One dumb comment and I've already outed her alt account side quests.
Ling Shu began to seriously wonder if he'd make it out of this room alive.