Chapitre 91: Legendary Equipment
Demacia had been feeling a little disillusioned lately. White Plague had been out of sight for days, and the Federation had become unusually vigilant, putting all major cities on high alert.
Wei Lu, always keen on new tools, had spent five gold coins on a mobile phone from this world. It quickly became a useful source of information.
It was said that a congressman had caused an uproar and lost his head to a legendary berserker wielding an axe. This event had pushed Dark Rose into the Federation's crosshairs. The organization, once thriving in the shadows, had now disappeared, vanishing entirely from sight.
Demacia sighed as he stared at the unfinished task list.
"Brigade Guards, any updates? Aren't we heading out soon?"
With the disappearance of Night Rose, the area outside the city was no longer a forbidden zone, and they could finally explore the altar of Night Rose that lay beyond the city walls.
Unfortunately, only he and Wei Lu were still pursuing Night Rose-related tasks. The other three had failed in their search, but they were determined to continue. After all, once they changed their class, the world would undoubtedly get more interesting.
"Don't worry, it's not a problem. I have a lead."
Wei Lu smiled as he settled beneath a tree, his eyes distant. He was combing through the forum for useful details.
The beauty of being a player was that anyone could browse the forums, and among the countless posts, Wei Lu could always find the vital pieces of information he needed. It was how he had earned his reputation as a master of scientific knowledge.
"What did you find?" Demacia asked eagerly, walking over to sit beside him. "Do you need my help?"
Wei Lu didn't hesitate. "Take a look at these posts I've organized and tell me what you notice."
Demacia clicked on the messages and a series of posts appeared.
[What kind of mission is this? Are you sure a Level 5 civilian like me can complete it? What an absurd game designer!]
[Are these NPCs completely incompetent? Look at this mission—it's insane. Mission: Commoners Rise. Description: The Federation doesn't treat civilians as people, so it's time for a change. Kill the city lord and create a new world for the people of Beiyuan City. Difficulty: Impossible.]
[Fuck this game. I followed the mission, killed the city lord, and then some NPC in a cape killed me. What an idiot game planner.]
[Why do so many missions lead to certain death? Most of them target businessmen and officials. How depressed are these NPCs?]
Demacia's brow furrowed as he read through the posts. His sharp instincts were telling him there was something familiar about this.
"Why does this feel so familiar?" he muttered.
Wei Lu paused, clearly exasperated. "It's not Bai Yi's. Bai Yi's mission was a grand-scale operation with a real chance of success. These are different. You should be paying more attention."
Demacia reread the posts with growing focus, then froze.
"Hiss—Is this a game? The NPCs are figuring out the pattern by which players accept quests!" he said, eyes wide in realization.
Wei Lu paused, his voice steady. "Exactly. If you treat this world as a real one, with players as real entities—like Bai Yi, Sabo, and other official leaders—it makes sense. They're testing us. Look at Bai Yi, the genius. Why would he restrict us to five tasks a day, with two of them offering no rewards? It's all a test."
Demacia's eyes widened further. "Is this game really that twisted?"
Wei Lu nodded. "97% realism means that aside from our player panels, everything else is just like the real world. If the real world were to interact with players, this is what it would look like. Consider Bai Yi, Sabo, and other high-ranking officials—they're all running tests on us."
Demacia blinked, still processing. "So, this isn't just about completing missions. It's about understanding the world around us?"
"Exactly," Wei Lu replied, "Look at these posts again, and think of them as a pattern. Night Rose isn't hiding. They're targeting us."
Demacia looked at Wei Lu with awe. "You figured all that out from these posts?"
Wei Lu's grin was smug. "Most of the NPCs in these posts are commoners or lower-tier transcendents. Sure, there are clever ones among them, but what caught my attention was the sudden surge of 'smart' civilians after that councillor's exposure. It's no coincidence."
Demacia's excitement built as the pieces clicked into place. "Night Rose isn't gone—they've been watching us, waiting for the right moment!"
With newfound resolve, Demacia clapped Wei Lu on the shoulder. "I'm submitting the intel near Dongwu City. Don't worry, you're getting your fair share of the reward. You uncovered the pattern—this is big."
He quickly started scouring posts related to Tobu City, analyzing patterns, and looking for anomalies.
At first glance, the posts seemed like simple complaints from unlucky players. But with a focused search, Demacia saw something far more troubling. There were far too many posts detailing impossible missions with seemingly no explanation, and the game company had remained silent. It was clear now—there were forces operating behind the scenes, using the players.
The Guard Brigade's god-level mission seemed to be tied to this broader conflict, unlike Demacia's personal task. The more he uncovered, the more he realized that Night Rose was not only targeting the city but had been quietly observing players, adjusting their actions based on the mission reports they gathered.
Meanwhile, in the inner city at Dawn Pharmacy...
[You've crafted a Silver-Level Energy Gun Barrett. Experience points +1000. Additional Experience +1000.]
[You've crafted a Silver-Level Rage Potion. Experience points +800. Additional Experience +800.]
[You've crafted a Silver-Level Flesh and Blood Seal. Experience points +2000. Skill point +1. Additional Experience +2000.]
White Plague, after days of intense crafting, had reached Level 44, with only a fraction left to level up. As the experience flowed in, he crafted more items for the soldiers, including silver-grade weapons and potions. But there was something more pressing on his mind—something unsettling that gnawed at him.
The body of the mutated lord Bolton had brought back was powerful. It came from the abyss—a force connected to hunger, rage, and insatiable thirst. White Plague had felt the dark energy stirring the moment the body was brought into his presence. He knew it would make the dark forces stronger.
He hadn't yet used the power of the abyss to its fullest. His mental strength was rising—he was approaching a terrifying 530, putting him on par with some of the strongest gold-tier beings.
As he crafted, he considered his next steps, aware that his mental fortitude could soon face a major test.
Meanwhile, the Federation had begun preparations. New schools were being built, and with Bai Yi's quiet leadership, things were moving forward—albeit slowly. The ancient god kingdoms were still a distant threat, but White Plague felt the tension building. Something was coming, and the forces in play were becoming more unpredictable.
Bai Yi, deep in thought about the state of the Federation and its future, received a call from Luo Ning.
"Boss, Miss Diane has arrived. She wants to see you."
Bai Yi's mind snapped back to the present. He smiled, remembering the special pendant he'd been waiting for. Was it finally here?
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone