Note:

A meager offering to the god Ye for his upcoming birthday. May your harem ever expand. May you top less and bottom more. I offer the rare morsel Xu Boyuan one of the few you top for.

Blue River: Oi! Who told you to use me as an offering!?

Lord Grim: I gladly accept.

Blue River: ...

No Beta

"No Clerics."

The requirement rang through the voice chat system. Fortunately, Xu Boyuan was ready for such a demand and had already informed Bound Boat and the other core players of the possibility. He had by this point preselected a team that would most likely be accepted by the eccentric player. It was all in the hope that none of the players who were currently present were offended. Though, as he was talking about Lord Grim, the other could offend other parties just by breathing.

There was a slight pause when Blue River presented the planned lineup to the at that time unknown god. A high damage party consisting of pure dps, no tanks or healers. And to speed up the whole process Xu lightly asked "did you want to take charge?"

There was a considering pause, as if Lord Grim could not think of any reason on why Blue River, a guild leader, would offer. "En. It would make things easier."

Had it been like before there would have been a lot of ruffled feathers. But, as Blue River their own leader made the request and also prepared the others on the possibility of it and explained why may be a good idea, none of the other member paid it any mind. Lord Grim even seemed relieved that he didn't have to push the point, though knowing him he might just be too used to leading. It was actually a no-brainer for Xu as Blue Brook was the one who wanted to be lead to a new record. It was simply logical to give the reins of the party to the god.

Watching Ye Xiu now, as he moved Lord Grim, Xu made sure to keep Blue River to the other end of the line. While god Ye led, Xu Boyuan tried to provide as much support as he could. In the beginning Blue River had thought that god Ye was just arrogant, so he didn't even talk about strategy. Now, Blue knew, the other simply forgot in his rush to get the materials. As they say, gods thoughts were simply to far ahead that it was incomprehensible to mere mortals. When the others questioned the "one wave rush" without a tank or cleric, Xu tried to explain the technical aspect of the move and how it was possible to actually do it with pure dps, as long as the members are skilled enough and/or cohesive enough to pull it off. It was like his job in any other group really. Explaining to the normal players what the leaders, pro players and gods actually wanted. It was no different from his work at the Heavenly Realm when Changing Spring would type in one word answers or even an emoticon. He wondered if this was how Jiang Botao felt with his own god in Samsara.

Not even waiting for instructions, Blue River had his party killing off the isolated spots of goblins. He was glad that his party took his warning to heart and carried mp restorers when he briefed them on the possible lack of clerics. "We will be hitting them, hard and consecutively. There may only be enough time for your CD and you'll be casting your next skill. Keep your MP up or find someone to fill in if you think you can't do it" was the warning he gave them.

"I believe that Lord Grim will give us quite a show." Xu DM'ed as he watched the whole party panic. Seeing it from the other side.. It was actually hilarious to watch. At times he wondered if this was the reason that these gods and great tacticians found it so very entertaining to watch and never explain things completely.

"He is too freaking bold?!"

"Do I throw Doll Shururu now!?"

"He's gonna die, we're gonna die too!"

Were they really that excitable? But then Blue River really couldn't blame them. As he watched Lord Grim come running towards them with that many goblins aggroed to him.

The whole of the goblin village seemed to be at Lord Grim's heels. It was a sight to behold. Xu Boyuan discreetly took screen shots as he started the video capture on his computer. No matter how much smack he mentally threw at Ye Xiu, Xu knew the other was a god for a reason. A first generation god even. That meant that true there were less flashy moves to be seen but the skills used were brutal and effective. It had a beauty all on it's own.

"Everyone be ready to charge." Blue River DM'ed to his own people, having fallen back to his habit of second party lead or 'party babysitter in the middle of a dungeon run' as he did before. He had multiple incredulous replies from the other members.

"The melee and range goblins aren't together as a group. We won't be able to do effective AOE skills on them if they are separated into two groups." Xu explained as he readied to run after their non-communicative leader. "Lord Grim will need to make the melee at the front turn back and mix with the range at the rear."

Truly it was a good strategy. If only the gods would explain themselves to the mere mortals that walk the world of Glory.

"Raging Flames attack be at the ready to cast as soon as he calls. Blizzard after. When both effects are done be ready to cast Doll Shururu on his mark." Xu typed as he watched Lord Grim do the Z-shake which was just as amazing to watch as the last time. "Watch your CD's and be ready to recast as soon as he calls for it."

"Prepare to catch up with me!" Lord Grim voice messaged to the party.

With the forewarning that he gave the party grit their teeth even though Xu knew the others were truly rattled by the sight of the goblin village bearing down on them. It was like a yellow light at the start of a car race. A beat and then another. The sound effect of Aerial Fire brought a smile to Xu's lips. "Go!"

Like a shot they ran after the mob like it was a strategy that they had done countless times before. A practiced move as one would expect of a team that has worked with each other many a time. This was his party. The ones he has played with though in different forms from the heavenly realm. His own people. It was heart warming to see their trust in his words.

Xu watched them all run ahead of him even though his avatar would not lose out in speed if it really came down to it. He was used to keeping a step behind now. When before he would be up there in the front-line. Now he held back and watched other peoples backs. It was a force of habit after partying with the likes of god Ye Xiu and all of Happy. He didn't have their instincts. His skills were all from training again and again till muscle memory clicked in and his thought was a tap away. It was nothing to the likes of Tang Rou or Qiao Yifan. In that party all he needed to be was to be there and catch anyone who might slip up or help in the sidelines. It was a great and decisive blow to the pride of someone who was once called one of the Five Great Experts of Blue Brook guild.

After the first round, and with this time actually using Wave Wheel Slasher on the Frost Thain. Xu breathed a sigh of relief. Feeling oddly relieved in being able to correct one of his first big personal blunders in front of the god. If everything went as he remembered then he just needed to prod the other here and there. The One Wave Rush was all they needed. One look at god Ye and Xu knew the other was a lot more relaxed than when they first entered the dungeon.

That was good. A relaxed Lord Grim was a less demanding and shameless Lord Grim. Now they needed to only make everything run as smoothly as the beginning. "Put your backs into it everyone. We're here for the record. No matter how good Lord Grim is we need to pull our weight or else we'll be the embarrassment of Blue Brook guild!"

The moment the announcement sounded and everyone was transported outside the dungeon Blue River left the party. Not even waiting for Lord Grim, Blue River indicated that they will need to go to a city so that he could access the guild storage and give Lord Grim his materials. Xu skipped the pleasantries and the cajoling that he had done before. It was pointless. As soon as Lord Grim and the others were transported to a city Xu started to transfer the agreed upon items to Lord Grim. Xu knew the god had no interest in staying or even joining. So to speed things through, and to have the annoying god leave as soon as possible, Blue River sent the materials one after the other. If the other had no business with them then the less time the other had to poke and prod for more items. And as shameless as the other can be Xu worried that the other would suddenly ask for more as their new record was a lot faster than the first record Xu remember they had made previously.

"There. I think that is everything that we've agreed on." Xu voiced out as he removed the other from the Blue Creek guild. He was itching to get as far away as he could from the god without arousing suspicion. The less they interacted the better. His back and shoulder ached from phantom pain even by just looking at the others avatar. Once the other leaves he was going to grab a blanket. His room seemed to never get warm enough lately. "Thank you for helping with the record."

It was a business transaction. It was only polite. His screen was slowly filling up with pop ups from fellow members who didn't understand why I removed the other from the guild. Everyone still thought trying to catch the other and making him stay was the plan. Xu knew better. God Ye Xiu was not for guild Blue Creek.

Xu waved at the immobile avatar knowing the other was likely double checking the items sent in his inventory and even likely already upgrading his weapon. Starting to move away and at the same time multitasking answering Bound Boat and even Plantago Seed the 10th server guild leader of Herb Garden. Xu Boyuan was surprised to see a DM from Lord Grim pop up.

"Not bad not bad. You seem to have a knack with PVE. I hope to work with you again guild leader."

Xu felt chills run up and down his spine and sent a sweat drop emoticon in reply. Inside he was cussing at the last line. Not if he had anything to say about it, or at least only those times he knew he had to work with the other.

He disregarded this change in the previous conversation and the fact that the others avatar remained even after the dungeon run. It wasn't as if the other didn't stand in the middle of the city and stare into space while upgrading the Myriad Manifestation Umbrella. In fact at this point in time it was still safe for him to do that. Blue Brook, apart from Happy guild, has always been a safe guild for Ye Xiu.

Xu Boyuan rubbed his temples as his head throbbed in time with his heartbeats. The aftermath of the record breaking run was not as fun and entertaining as Blue River remembered. He blamed it on knowing that from then on he had unknowingly become the Grim Lords point of contact for Blue Brook. And to keep BB alive during this time he will need to keep the guild as far away from the disaster that is Lord Grim as much as he can. The multitudes of PM's that came flooding after were no longer funny. In fact, unlike before, he let the other 10th guild masters in on the reason for the record. This way Lord Grim will have access to more materials earlier. And mayhap not bother him too much. If Xu was lucky, god Ye would find Cold Night more to his liking.

Xu Boyuan shook his head and powered down his computer. Having back aches were enough for Xu. He didn't want to actually feel the slugs hit his back again. He didn't want others to suffer the same fate though.

Maybe this time around he can write a guide. He will call it:

"Natural Disasters and Hidden Bosses in Glory: An idiots guide in avoiding Lord Grim"

Loosely as in very loosely based on Sharing Rain and Dew. Pleas read that light novel translated by IAmABanana. It will be spoilers for the end of the fic but still please read it.