Chương 6: Wandering Along the Coastal Path
Xin found himself uncertain about the implications of having infinite CHA in the game. He wondered if this was a common occurrence or if it made him special in some way.
However, being alone in his current situation, he had no one to ask or compare with to gain clarity on the matter.
Nevertheless, Xin realized that he had limited time each day to play the game due to his outdated headgear. With only two hours available, he couldn't afford to waste any time.
He decided to save his questions for Xiaxia once he logged out from Guildbane.
Hmm . . . What am I going to do now?
Xin found himself in a state of confusion, unsure of what to do next. Playing Guildbane was a completely new experience for him, as he had never been into gaming before.
In fact, the most he had ever played on his phone were simple puzzles and games like Tetris.
To begin, Xin carefully examined the game's [Menu], trying to familiarize himself with its features and options. He then focused his attention on his avatar, taking the time to understand its capabilities and movements.
As he immersed himself in the game, Xin couldn't help but be amazed by the incredible realism. It felt as though he had been transported to another world, where he could sense the environment around him. He could even taste the salty air and feel the refreshing ocean breeze against his skin.
The level of immersion was beyond anything he had ever imagined!
With a better grasp of his avatar's abilities, Xin turned his attention to the in-game features. He learned that Guildbane was designed to engage all the senses, although the sense of pain was diminished to just 10% to prevent overwhelming the player's brain.
Feeling more confident, Xin decided to explore the game world and pressed the [MAP] button located on the side of his screen. As he did so, a detailed map of the game world appeared before him.
A piece of information popped up when he pressed [Abundant Shore].
[ The coastal region known as the Abundant Shore consisted of two distinct areas. The first is Seagull's Nest, a bustling community nestled in a picturesque bay with cliffs eroding by the crashing waves and beaches scattered with large boulders.
The second area is Luckernaught coast, a vast expanse of land featuring gentle grassy dunes, low-lying sandy beaches, and occasional rocky outcrops. This area has started attracting both settlers and raiders due to its natural beauty and resources. ]
<WARNING! If you desire to leave the Newbie Island and explore Guildbane, you can do so by using the [Teleportation Crystal] located on the island.
However, it is recommended to wait until you reach Level 5 before venturing out, as it would ensure a smoother and safer experience>
So . . . what am I going to do in here exactly? Xin was at a loss.
Maybe look around and talk to the islanders?
If what he knew about this kind of game, he needed to complete quests and grind and level up. And recalling what his sister said, he needed to sell loot in order to earn money.
As Xin walked along the Coastal path, he noticed a mix of characters — some were controlled by other players, while others were non-playable characters (NPCs).
The players had indicators showing their health points (HP) and magic points (MP) beneath their names, distinguishing them from the NPCs who only had names above their heads.
"Hey there!" an NPC greeted Xin when he casually walked near her.
Her name was Flora, and she was harvesting grass and flowers at the side.
"Are you an adventurer?" she asked.
Xin nodded.
Flora beamed.
[CONGRATULATION! Your Relationship Level with Flora increased to ACQUAINTANCE!]
Egh?
Xin was baffled.
Wasn't relationship level with NPCs took time to forge? That was according to what he read in the information in his [LIBRARY].
Usually, players started off with [Stranger], [Acquaintance], [Friends], and finally, [Intimate].
But his [Relationship Level] just shot to [Acquaintance] with just a nod.
Was this because of his infinite CHA?
It was another question that he needed to ask Xiaxia once he was back in the real world.
He only ran through the information in his [LIBRARY] and didn't bother to read all of the notes in there, so he wasn't sure. It was easier to ask his sister later.
"Are you here to forage, too?" she asked with a sweet voice and even sweeter smile.
Xin nodded. "Ah . . ."
He was about to say something when another notification popped on his screen.
[CONGRATULATION! Your Relationship Level with Flora increased to FRIENDS!]
This doesn't seem normal. Xin thought.
Even for a first-time gamer like him, he knew that something was not right.
"I'll let you in some secret." Flora leaned and whispered, "If you're harvesting a foraging spot like this, it's important that you don't [Forage all at once] but choose to [Pick one by one]. By doing so, you increase your chances to more items and even increase your percentage of foraging rare things."
"Ah . . . is that right?"
Flora beamed. "Yes!"
[CONGRATULATION! Your Relationship Level with Flora increased to INTIMATE!]
Egh?
Flora giggled. "Teeheeheehee~ I'll let you have this."
She shoved something onto Xin's hand while looking all flustered to the side.
[ACQUIRED!
❶ Golden Clipper (Tools)
This clipper allow you to forage rare herbs and flowers.
NOTE!
This clipper can only be used if your [Foraging] life skill is already [Intermediate] and above.
❷ Golden Fruit x1
This fruit, when consumed, increased your chosen [Life Skills] to one level. ]
Hmm . . . Xin thought that the items she gave were nothing important, and he recalled his [LIFE SKILLS].
There was [Beginner], [Intermediate], [Master], and [Grand Master].
The more he leveled these skills, the more he would acquire rare items.
Foraging from the natural world could be as simple as collecting flowers on a hilltop or as complicated as chiseling a gemstone deposited from a cliff face.
However, Xin didn't know that what he had acquired were very rare items enough to auction for hundreds of thousands.
[Golden Tools] were very rare in Guildbane and couldn't be bought. They could only be acquired through a quest or crafted by a Master Crafter.
Ignorance of its importance, Xin just casually ate the [Golden Fruit] and increased his [Foraging] skills to [Intermediate] so he could use the [Golden Clipper].
"This coast is a treasure trove!" Flora exclaimed. "Where water meets land is an environment of constant change. What was once a morass of salt-carved rock or an idyllic, palm-lined beach can be disguised in moments by the incoming tide.
"Navigating the lands and outlooks adjacent to the coast can provide a wealth of foraging ingredients, from mosaics of glimmering sand to peculiarly shaped shells. While the coast might make one immediately think of oceans and seas, some inland lakes are sizable enough to create sweeping beaches with long stretches of coastline as well."
"Ah . . . Is that right?"
Flora swept side to side while blushing. "If you want, I can show you the best foraging spots in this area."
[You can now marry Flora! Proceed to the necessary task to ask her hand in marriage and live your life in happiness and bliss!]
SO FAST!
Xin did read something about NPCs that were marriageable once you're [Relationship Level] with them reached [Intimate].
But . . . why was it so fast?
It was only his first day in the game, and now he had an NPC wanting to marry him.
Was this normal?
"No thanks," Xin said.
He then quickly proceeded to try out the clipper and harvest on a foraging spot away from Flora before the girl could say anything weird.
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