C11 The Players' Deductions

The hundred early-access players were all keenly interested in the man whose confidence shone even with a dark complexion. His reputation preceded him, and everyone had been closely monitoring his in-game performance. When he mentioned discovering that the developers had laid numerous pitfalls in the game, everyone perked up, eager for him to elaborate.

Unreserved and transparent, the dark-faced man didn't hold back any secrets. Having deciphered the official announcement, he now considered the other ninety-nine players as allies. It was time for a collective effort to maintain their lead.

"With the character customization aside, let's focus on the main mission in Beginner Village," he said confidently. "We've barely scratched the surface, only encountering an artificial tunnel that might lead underground. The announcement was explicit: there are NPCs below, and our task is to escort them back to the village. Considering our bare-bones Beginner Village, does that make sense to you all?"

Junero was puzzled. "Understand what, exactly?"

Mount Fuji chimed in, "It's just a quest, right? There'll be plenty of monsters to fight off. What's so special about this mission?"

"Does this prove the game has NPCs?" questioned Brother with a sniper rifle.

Amidst the speculation, the man with the dark face and unwavering confidence clarified his thoughts, spurred on by the others' curiosity.

"In my view, why is Beginner Village so rundown and lacking? We have no skills, no equipment—nothing. It's all intentional for this mission. I'm betting the NPCs we're set to rescue are functional ones, like blacksmiths, shopkeepers, skill trainers, and the like. Only with their arrival will Beginner Village truly live up to its name, marking the real beginning of our journey in the game!"

He continued, "Take note of the new reputation system in the prompts. What does that imply? It means we'll be interacting with NPCs, which supports my earlier theory. And as for the world's destruction—do we even need to ponder that? Without a functioning Beginner Village, how can the game progress? I suspect the developers might let the world end, only to have us start anew and re-experience the game from the beginning!"

Shadow of Wind was skeptical. "What's so unusual about that? Games always have NPCs, don't they?"

Zhuge Bayun: "This is pretty much what I expected. The world's backstory is gradually being revealed. I bet we can glean more info from the NPCs. Has Brother Old Shit stumbled upon anything else?"

Foam, with a confident smirk: "First off, it's Foam, or Old Black if you must. Damn right, there's more. The updates and anticipated changes didn't touch on the economic system, but they did reiterate the significance of experience points. My guess? We'll have to build the economic system ourselves in-game because bartering can't be the only way, right?"

Shen Wanjin: "That's a possibility. If I get to help build an economic system from scratch, it'd be worth dying for!"

Nako jabbed: "You profiteer, eat my spear! After raking in all those fees in the dungeon, you're still playing these games?"

Foam, chuckling: "Hey, it's just speculation. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. The establishment of safe zones is likely in anticipation of the growing player base. The health game guidelines are clearly in place for the same reason. As early adopters, we need to leverage our head start to stay ahead!"

Running toward the sunset: "Advantage, huh? What, because we picked up a few extra bricks?"

The group fell silent for a half-minute following Running toward the sunset's comment, hitting a nerve. Currently, aside from a curved blade, the most formidable weapon was a 'siege hammer' crafted from a log. Most players were still making do with sharpened sticks as spears or using them as clubs.

Foam, with renewed vigor: "Think about it—new players will spend time testing the waters. We just need to rescue NPCs quickly, and I'm sure we'll earn plenty of goodwill. Weapons and such will follow naturally. Plus, considering the next update will introduce magic and skills, it's likely they'll come from the NPCs. So let's max out our favorability. We can't let the later players catch up to us first hundred, can we?"

Foam's words ignited the group's competitive spirit. Though they were only a day ahead of the second wave of players, they were now fiercely determined to uphold the honor of being the first to enter the game.

Likes rabbits: "The announcement said no malls or fashion item sales, so where's their profit coming from? More importantly, what if I want to switch up my outfits?"

Shen Wanjin: "I'm bummed out too. I had ten million ready to go, but who knew the announcement would be so blunt?"

A band of players was drenched in sweat, with Zhuge Bayun's fingers trembling as he typed, "Looks like we'll have to craft our own outfits. But as for making a profit, with a game like this, who's worried about not finding ways to make money?"

Amidst the players' fervent discussions, the survivors in the underground world clung to Faang Qiubai's words. Despite harboring a myriad of doubts, they refrained from any rash actions or excessive questioning, driven by the hope of rescuing their kin.

With Faang Qiubai gone, they began whispering among themselves. Sohlin, the bearded dwarf elder, expressed his confusion, "These are Brave Ones from another world. Should we really be so indifferent, summoning them at our whim?"

"If the Father has decreed it, it must be right... But do we truly have to be so cold and scornful, only offering a smile once they've fulfilled their quest?" White Elf Eve shivered at her own words, troubled by the thought of the gentle White Elves being forced into such behavior... What was the god really planning?

"You're absolutely right. We must adhere to the Father's plan and rescue our siblings as soon as possible. Let's all get some rest," concluded Morphy, the human warrior with unmatched strength among them. Taking his advice, they all clutched their weapons and lay down on the stone beds, settling in for a brief rest while awaiting the arrival of the Brave One from the Otherworld.

When the time was right, Faang Qiubai initiated the lottery for the second wave of players. With some regular players achieving unexpected results, he shelved his initial idea of bringing in more professional gamers for the time being. Therefore, this lottery was touted as being completely fair and impartial.

After posting the names of the hundred fortunate players on the homepage and forum, Faang Qiubai dispatched the gaming helmets and promptly launched the server. Almost instantly, a hundred players logged in simultaneously.

Upon logging in, everyone was greeted by a character customization screen. The odd sensation of standing there, avatar bare, was as bizarre as one could imagine. Yet, to save time, players quickly tweaked their appearances and, feeling relatively satisfied, proceeded into the game.

Once back in the game, it seemed as though nothing had changed. The excavated pits and felled trees remained untouched. The world was just as they had left it, save for the players' attire, which had been switched to standard-issue plain cloth garments, and the new main quest prompt that each player now noticed.