As for what Zhīgēng said...
Lin Yu had absolutely no idea what she was talking about!
How to enter 'Death Game' dungeons in advance or anything of the sort, Lin Yu simply didn't know how to do it.
Although he could deduce from Zhīgēng's words that "knowing dungeon content in advance and choosing when to enter a dungeon" should be feasible among high-tier players.
Before, Li Nian had also specifically come to the same dungeon with him.
But...
Lin Yu was completely clueless about the specific operations.
He only knew that there were items that allowed players to form teams, but he had no idea what kind of item allowed someone to preemptively lock onto a dungeon and enter it without another's consent...
Lin Yu didn't know.
However...
Lin Yu was immensely grateful for one thing.
"Rather than saying I did it on purpose, it's more like... it's fate."
"Fate brought me here, granting me this game where I can directly face the Gods."
Thankfully, the persona of 'Fluoxetine' allowed for speaking in an unconventional manner.
Indeed...
After Lin Yu's speech, Zhīgēng silently sighed.
Though helpless, she showed no suspicion whatsoever.
"Alright, alright."
She muttered softly, then waved her hand as if resigned.
"Trying to get anything out of you was never going to be possible anyway..."
"I'll just have to investigate what you're plotting on my own."
At this, Zhīgēng fell into thought.
"Logically, it feels unrelated, but for some reason..."
Zhīgēng looked at Lin Yu, her eyes filled with confusion.
"Your appearance here, I always feel it's somehow connected to your previous trip to Jiangcheng."
Hearing the words "Jiangcheng" in Zhīgēng's statement.
Lin Yu's heart almost skipped a beat.
He had intended to use Zhīgēng's words and reactions to indirectly deduce more about 'Fluoxetine'.
But he never expected...
She would just casually bring up the very thing Lin Yu wanted to know most.
No...
Saying that now was still a bit hasty.
Although 'Fluoxetine' had indeed killed him in Jiangcheng.
What Zhīgēng was referring to might not necessarily be the matter of 'Fluoxetine' killing him.
So...
Lin Yu subtly tilted his head, feigning interest as he spoke.
"Oh, you're surprisingly sharp..."
"But, do you really know what I did in Jiangcheng?"
Lin Yu asked casually.
Zhīgēng sighed: "How little you trust my abilities. While others might not know, I had already figured out most of the situation before going to Jiangcheng."
"Of course, it's understandable that you want to keep it hidden..."
"After all, among all the potential players assessed so far, you're only the second person with an 'S+' level of potential—even most people within your own organization probably only think he's A- or A."
As Zhīgēng spoke, Lin Yu's heart pounded wildly.
The Psychological Society possessed an item that could assess a person's potential and had never made a mistake.
According to the assessment of that item, the higher-ups of the Psychological Society would divide a person's potential into seven grades, from S to F.
The higher the grade, the greater the potential, and the further one could go in the 'Death Game'.
Not only players who had already joined the game, but even those who hadn't yet become Death Game players could receive their own grade assessment.
This assessment result was mostly semi-public—those lunatics from the Psychological Society would even proactively send the potential assessments of players they had recently evaluated to other organizations.
And precisely because of this behavior, Lin Yu was very familiar with their assessment standards.
Those who received a B rating, almost without exception, were able to undergo 'Promotion' around the eighth dungeon, and nearly a quarter of those with a B+ rating could even succeed on their first attempt.
Most of the experts who held up the facades of various organizations had received ratings above B.
As for A...
Among those he had encountered, Tycoon and A Nian were in that tier.
Even the other few players at this very dinner table were in that tier.
After learning about the Psychological Society's assessment standards, Lin Yu couldn't help but guess.
He might have been categorized at an A rating for some unknown reason.
But...
Zhīgēng's words made Lin Yu realize a possibility.
"I'm S+?"
This possibility even sent shivers down Lin Yu's spine.
He forced himself to remain calm, speaking with a smile.
"That's quite a baseless conjecture. I won't admit it."
"S+ or whatever... how could such a high-level assessment appear so easily?"
Zhīgēng sighed.
"It seems you still think I'm trying to trick you."
"I have proof...'Jiangcheng Media University', is that enough?"
"Do you really think your casual actions could hide from me, a third-tier Painter who has already undergone Promotion?"
Zhīgēng's words were almost conclusive.
Based on her statement, Lin Yu thoroughly confirmed...
"It really is me."
With a rather complex emotion, Lin Yu looked at Zhīgēng.
"Correct answer—so, are you going to try and snatch him away?"
Lin Yu said with a grin.
"I have no such intention. It's just... being S-tier, or even S+, makes me inevitably wonder."
"Has he already been noticed by the Gods? If so, which God favors and watches over him? Could it be the God of Joy?"
Zhīgēng pondered.
Lin Yu chuckled.
"Well, I don't think so."
So, being S-tier meant being noticed by the Gods was an inevitability.
And as for the answer to the question that bothered Zhīgēng...
Lin Yu knew it very well.
Although it had disappeared due to his disguise, Lin Yu could still sense it with just a slight focus.
That simple crow mark on his wrist.
"You seem to know something?"
Zhīgēng looked at Lin Yu, asking curiously.
"Of course—but I won't tell you."
Lin Yu said, grabbing the dangling rope with one hand.
"Since you're so good at investigating these things, then keep digging on your own—my dear third-tier Painter!"
After speaking.
Lin Yu rose from his chair and waved gently to Zhīgēng, bidding her farewell.
Without any protective measures, without any wrapping or knots, he simply held onto the rope and, under Zhīgēng's astonished gaze, disappeared into the dim, stacked clouds.
Zhīgēng watched it all, dumbfounded.
"What a lunatic."
She mumbled, then pulled out a sketchpad and drew a seemingly sturdy, metallic-looking hanging basket.
After taking the hanging basket from the paper and placing it on the table, wrapping ropes around it several times to secure it, and testing its weight capacity by pulling hard, Zhīgēng finally climbed inside.
Then, holding onto a section of rope dangling from the hanging basket above her, she began her extremely slow descent.