Bonus chapter! Thank you to Ele3 for the donation! ^^
***
The main city area in the game served as a resting and safety zone for players.
Merely staying for a day required a payment of 10 points, with less than a day still counted as a full day.
Despite this, most players chose to rest in the main city area since it’s the only place where they could stay safely for seven days without being forced into the game.
There was also an exclusive game forum for players, containing numerous dungeon guides and a place for players to exchange or purchase items.
Because some players feared being retaliated in the main city area after offending others in the dungeon, the game system provided a way to temporary modify their appearance.
Ruan Qing spent 50 points to alter his appearance, making himself look ordinary, before entering the main city area.
The game’s main city area resembled a bustling technological city, lively yet giving off a cold feeling.
Looking around, Ruan Qing noticed many places selling goods, as well as various entertainment options.
It seemed not much different from the real world, except that the residents here seemed a bit off.
Perhaps from spending too much time in the game, they either exuded uncontrollable madness or were entirely on guard, having lost the typical demeanor of an ordinary human.
So when Ruan Qing innocently appeared in the main city area, he attracted the attention of many players.
“Are you a newcomer to the main city area?” a gentle female player, resembling a caring older sister, approached Ruan Qing.
Ruan Qing hesitated for a moment and nodded slightly.
“Silly boy, you’re not even of age, right?” the female player sighed. “The main system is really getting careless, bringing in underage players now.”
Ruan Qing shook his head and answered innocently, “I’m twenty-two.”
“Twenty-two?” The female player was surprised. “I really can’t tell. Did you spend points on your appearance?”
“Yes,” Ruan Qing honestly nodded.
The female player remarked. “That’s right, isn’t it? In this terrifying infinite game, although extremely dangerous, as long as one has enough points, they can get anything they want. Not to mention optimizing one’s appearance, they can even change their face directly.”
However, the female player, looking at Ruan Qing’s face that had no other merits besides youth, fell into silence.
What exactly was optimized here?
Optimization was related to the original appearance; there were probably two possibilities after optimization.
One was originally being too ugly, and the other was not having enough points.
This player probably had only cleared a dungeon for the first time upon coming to the main city area, so having a few points was normal.
The female player revealed a gentle smile. “It’s your first time here, right? I happen to be free now. Do you want me to show you around?”
Before Ruan Qing could respond, the female player added with a smile, “Of course, it’s not free.”
She extended a hand and playfully winked at Ruan Qing. “Just five points.”
For players struggling on the brink of death, anything free was obviously suspicious.
While the game’s main city area prohibited player-versus-player combat, it didn’t restrict other interactions.
And offering some service to increase points seemed like a normal way to get some.
After all, just guiding and explaining could easily earn five points, much easier than entering a dungeon and risking one’s life for points.
Ruan Qing also smiled. “Sure, that would be great.”
Ruan Qing’s current face was just randomly selected from the system. Not ugly, but rather ordinary—so average that he wouldn’t stand out in a crowd.
But with this smile, his features suddenly became lively, complemented by those clean and beautiful eyes.
It gave off an indescribable sense of beauty.
The female player paused for a moment, looking at Ruan Qing’s smile and then focusing on his eyes.
That was probably the only outstanding feature of the young man before her.
Clean and pure, sparkling like stars.
A strange feeling arose in the female player’s heart; she couldn’t shake the sense that this face didn’t quite match those eyes.
“I’m Yu Rou. You can call me Sister Xiao Rou. And you?”
“Wang Xiaoqing.”
The game’s main city area was vast, almost borderless.
The female player took Ruan Qing around the most important places in the game’s main city area.
While wandering, the female player explained things about the game to Ruan Qing.
“If you perform exceptionally well in the game, you have the chance to receive items.”
Ruan Qing, somewhat puzzled, asked, “Receive items?”
Ruan Qing’s question did not surprise the female player. After all, for a newcomer to survive and complete, the game was already commendable; getting an excellent rating was nearly impossible.
Naturally, he wouldn’t know about receiving items in this way.
“Yes, players generally obtain items through four methods,” the female player explained slowly.
“The first is the most common, purchasing in the in-game store, which is the most expensive.”
“The second is trading between players, exchanging items they don’t need with others.”
“The third is having the opportunity for a lottery draw if you perform exceptionally well in clearing levels.”
Ruan Qing furrowed his brow. “What about the fourth?”
The female player smiled, “The fourth is the most challenging; directly obtaining it from the key NPC in a dungeon. These items are the best and might even grant some of the NPC’s abilities.”
Ruan Qing pondered, “Do you have to receive it as a gift?”
“Of course not,” the female player looked at Ruan Qing with surprise, as if his question was shocking, “It’s already merciful for game NPCs not to kill players. How could they possibly give players items!?”
The female player paused after saying this, “There’s no precedent for it, anyway; whether there was or not, no player knows.”
Ruan Qing looked at the female player. “Then how can one obtain it?”
“Kill the NPC or complete the dungeon,” the female player said somewhat uncertainly, indicating that she herself hadn’t obtained items in this way.
Ruan Qing responded with a casual tone in his mind, ‘System, where are my items?’
Ignoring the lottery, whether he performed well or not, was not for him to judge.
But killing NPCs was a concrete action; he had killed Wen Li in the first dungeon and Wang Qing in the fourth, yet he hadn’t seen a trace of any items.
If it weren’t for this trip to the main city area in the game, he might still be in the dark.
The system did not respond to Ruan Qing’s words, as if it wasn’t there at all.
Just as Ruan Qing was about to speak again, the system’s icy voice, seemingly delayed for half a day, echoed in Ruan Qing’s mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to player Ruan Qing for obtaining the item ‘Illusion Soul Bell.’]
Ruan Qing, with an expressionless face, spoke. ‘Is there anything else?’
The system hesitated, [No.]
Bonus chapter! Thank you to Ele3 for the donation! ^^
***
The main city area in the game served as a resting and safety zone for players.
Merely staying for a day required a payment of 10 points, with less than a day still counted as a full day.
Despite this, most players chose to rest in the main city area since it’s the only place where they could stay safely for seven days without being forced into the game.
There was also an exclusive game forum for players, containing numerous dungeon guides and a place for players to exchange or purchase items.
Because some players feared being retaliated in the main city area after offending others in the dungeon, the game system provided a way to temporary modify their appearance.
Ruan Qing spent 50 points to alter his appearance, making himself look ordinary, before entering the main city area.
The game’s main city area resembled a bustling technological city, lively yet giving off a cold feeling.
Looking around, Ruan Qing noticed many places selling goods, as well as various entertainment options.
It seemed not much different from the real world, except that the residents here seemed a bit off.
Perhaps from spending too much time in the game, they either exuded uncontrollable madness or were entirely on guard, having lost the typical demeanor of an ordinary human.
So when Ruan Qing innocently appeared in the main city area, he attracted the attention of many players.
“Are you a newcomer to the main city area?” a gentle female player, resembling a caring older sister, approached Ruan Qing.
Ruan Qing hesitated for a moment and nodded slightly.
“Silly boy, you’re not even of age, right?” the female player sighed. “The main system is really getting careless, bringing in underage players now.”
Ruan Qing shook his head and answered innocently, “I’m twenty-two.”
“Twenty-two?” The female player was surprised. “I really can’t tell. Did you spend points on your appearance?”
“Yes,” Ruan Qing honestly nodded.
The female player remarked. “That’s right, isn’t it? In this terrifying infinite game, although extremely dangerous, as long as one has enough points, they can get anything they want. Not to mention optimizing one’s appearance, they can even change their face directly.”
However, the female player, looking at Ruan Qing’s face that had no other merits besides youth, fell into silence.
What exactly was optimized here?
Optimization was related to the original appearance; there were probably two possibilities after optimization.
One was originally being too ugly, and the other was not having enough points.
This player probably had only cleared a dungeon for the first time upon coming to the main city area, so having a few points was normal.
The female player revealed a gentle smile. “It’s your first time here, right? I happen to be free now. Do you want me to show you around?”
Before Ruan Qing could respond, the female player added with a smile, “Of course, it’s not free.”
She extended a hand and playfully winked at Ruan Qing. “Just five points.”
For players struggling on the brink of death, anything free was obviously suspicious.
While the game’s main city area prohibited player-versus-player combat, it didn’t restrict other interactions.
And offering some service to increase points seemed like a normal way to get some.
After all, just guiding and explaining could easily earn five points, much easier than entering a dungeon and risking one’s life for points.
Ruan Qing also smiled. “Sure, that would be great.”
Ruan Qing’s current face was just randomly selected from the system. Not ugly, but rather ordinary—so average that he wouldn’t stand out in a crowd.
But with this smile, his features suddenly became lively, complemented by those clean and beautiful eyes.
It gave off an indescribable sense of beauty.
The female player paused for a moment, looking at Ruan Qing’s smile and then focusing on his eyes.
That was probably the only outstanding feature of the young man before her.
Clean and pure, sparkling like stars.
A strange feeling arose in the female player’s heart; she couldn’t shake the sense that this face didn’t quite match those eyes.
“I’m Yu Rou. You can call me Sister Xiao Rou. And you?”
“Wang Xiaoqing.”
The game’s main city area was vast, almost borderless.
The female player took Ruan Qing around the most important places in the game’s main city area.
While wandering, the female player explained things about the game to Ruan Qing.
“If you perform exceptionally well in the game, you have the chance to receive items.”
Ruan Qing, somewhat puzzled, asked, “Receive items?”
Ruan Qing’s question did not surprise the female player. After all, for a newcomer to survive and complete, the game was already commendable; getting an excellent rating was nearly impossible.
Naturally, he wouldn’t know about receiving items in this way.
“Yes, players generally obtain items through four methods,” the female player explained slowly.
“The first is the most common, purchasing in the in-game store, which is the most expensive.”
“The second is trading between players, exchanging items they don’t need with others.”
“The third is having the opportunity for a lottery draw if you perform exceptionally well in clearing levels.”
Ruan Qing furrowed his brow. “What about the fourth?”
The female player smiled, “The fourth is the most challenging; directly obtaining it from the key NPC in a dungeon. These items are the best and might even grant some of the NPC’s abilities.”
Ruan Qing pondered, “Do you have to receive it as a gift?”
“Of course not,” the female player looked at Ruan Qing with surprise, as if his question was shocking, “It’s already merciful for game NPCs not to kill players. How could they possibly give players items!?”
The female player paused after saying this, “There’s no precedent for it, anyway; whether there was or not, no player knows.”
Ruan Qing looked at the female player. “Then how can one obtain it?”
“Kill the NPC or complete the dungeon,” the female player said somewhat uncertainly, indicating that she herself hadn’t obtained items in this way.
Ruan Qing responded with a casual tone in his mind, ‘System, where are my items?’
Ignoring the lottery, whether he performed well or not, was not for him to judge.
But killing NPCs was a concrete action; he had killed Wen Li in the first dungeon and Wang Qing in the fourth, yet he hadn’t seen a trace of any items.
If it weren’t for this trip to the main city area in the game, he might still be in the dark.
The system did not respond to Ruan Qing’s words, as if it wasn’t there at all.
Just as Ruan Qing was about to speak again, the system’s icy voice, seemingly delayed for half a day, echoed in Ruan Qing’s mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to player Ruan Qing for obtaining the item ‘Illusion Soul Bell.’]
Ruan Qing, with an expressionless face, spoke. ‘Is there anything else?’
The system hesitated, [No.]
