章節 70: Player with Exploded Equipment
The arguments on the forum continued to rage, but the players were undeterred. Despite the huge changes in Dongwu City, no player had quit the game.
This included the player who had been fed the itchy powder. The game's realism was so high that no one wanted to waste the progress they had worked so hard to achieve.
However, with the intense realism came a new challenge: hunger.
The players quickly found the exit, and soon, ten thousand players emerged onto the streets of Dongwu City, each moving in strange ways. Some rolled forward, others hopped, and a few even ran with their hands hanging behind their backs, lowering their bodies as if imitating cartoonish characters.
The spectacle was unlike anything the residents of Dongwu City had ever seen. With 6,000 elves, 2,000 humans, 1,000 orcs, and various other races, the streets became a chaotic parade of bizarre behavior.
Curiously, no one bothered them for the time being. The city's residents watched, perplexed, but did nothing.
Wei Lu observed the scene with a mix of amusement and concern. "This game is way too realistic," he muttered. "You'd better not imitate them unless you want to be the subject of ridicule. Look at those people pointing fingers—these small details are what make me question if this is even a game."
The live broadcast room's numbers had dwindled, but millions were still watching. These were the die-hard viewers who had remained intrigued after the recent wave of events. It was clear that everyone was curious about this fully immersive virtual experience.
As the players ventured out of the civilian district, some eagerly used their copper coins to buy food, while others looked around for quests or ways to navigate the unfamiliar surroundings.
Wei Lu, absorbed in the booklet he held, sighed. "The currency system here is a bit confusing, but once you get used to it, it makes sense in the context of this world. They're really forcing the common people to progress."
He showed the live stream viewers the law he was reading:
[It is forbidden to build entertainment facilities in civilian areas, except for casinos and taverns.]
"This means the poor have no entertainment, so they envy the nobles. They'll fall into debt or addiction, and then resort to gambling. It's a dark system, but it's also genius."
He continued, pointing out two other laws that particularly stood out:
[Each city must have at least five schools in its civilian area, funded by credits, and schools cannot charge fees.]
[The inner city must remain open to civilians, with an entrance fee no higher than ten copper coins. Knowledge halls must not set up checkpoints.]
"These two laws are terrifying. The Federation may send people to the brink of despair, but it still leaves a clear path for survival. Whoever designed this system is a genius!"
As Wei Lu marveled at the laws, his attention shifted to the street corner, where something unsettling caught his eye.
A player emerged from a grain shop, happily carrying a bag of copper coins and two steamed buns. Just as he rounded the corner, a goblin, hidden in the shadows, suddenly lunged out and stabbed the player in the throat.
The player's body dissolved into particles, and the steamed buns and purse fell to the ground. The goblin hesitated for a moment, clearly startled by the player's sudden disappearance. Then, grabbing the dropped items, it retreated back into the shadows.
Wei Lu stood frozen, stunned by what he had just witnessed. It had always been players killing monsters for loot, but now they were the ones being killed.
Instinctively, he touched his waist and quickly deposited his copper coins into his inventory panel, clutching the law book tightly in his hand.
The city was far more dangerous than he had realized! And the game… was becoming more realistic by the minute.
The viewers in the live stream flooded the chat with expletives. "F*ck!" was spammed across the screen countless times.
This game had only been in beta for two hours, and players were already overwhelmed with shock.
Complaints piled up on the forums. Some players claimed they were tricked by NPCs—selling them equipment only for the NPCs to disappear with their payment. Others said they'd accepted tasks from NPCs, only to be sold to the black market and locked in cages, forced to commit suicide to escape.
The most common complaint involved quest items—players would struggle to obtain them, only for someone to steal them before they could hand them in.
And reporting it to law enforcement? Useless. The response was always the same: "You're not dead, just retrieve it yourself. And don't kill anyone."
These complaints quickly spread, and the players in Dongwu City began to adapt, becoming more cautious and alert. The game was much darker than the outside world.
At least in the real world, things weren't so open and ruthless.
Bai Yi, meanwhile, watched the forums with satisfaction. The features of this game had been talked about for years in his previous life, and few games dared to be so realistic.
Of course, it wasn't entirely realistic—players' underwear couldn't be taken off, and their hunger and thirst would only manifest as simple indicators to prevent inappropriate content.
But even with those limitations, this game was more immersive than anything players had experienced before.
As for why players weren't in an uproar over these dark elements, they would soon find out.
In the game Dawn Rising, before the player's natural disaster attribute became famous, the "Thief" attribute had garnered attention. NPCs could kill players, and players could steal from NPCs, with very few restrictions. The only rule was that no one could be killed inside the city.
Bai Yi smiled as he reviewed his personal attributes.
[Your specialty, Light and Dark Activation, has changed the name of the dark side to Alchemist.]
He had figured out how to test his dark side and how to exploit the players. Now, he just had to wait for them to grow. Then, the real rewards would begin.
As he pondered this, he dialed a number.
"Mr. Baibai, what can I do for you?" a voice on the other end asked, low but respectful.
Bai Yi smiled. "Mr. Ma Yuan, is the black market interested in buying a batch of Barretts?"
Ma Yuan paused, the tone of his voice shifting. The respect he had for Bai Yi grew as he replied, "Of course, I can take as many as you need. How much are you selling them for, Mr. Bai Yi?"
"Just the standard price in my shop. But I need the black market to help me find some soul crystal cores—and some illegal items as well," Bai Yi replied smoothly.
"No problem. I have some stock ready. When do you want to come over?" Ma Yuan asked without hesitation.
In the past, Bai Yi had bought from him. But now, with his growing influence, things were different. Not only did Ma Yuan want to curry favor, but he also knew not to offend Bai Yi.
"I'll come by now. Just wait for me at home."
Bai Yi hung up, then made his way to the assembly line, where he was overseeing the replacement of Barretts at Dawn Pharmacy. He had other channels to explore as well, including ways to secure the equipment that players were struggling so hard to obtain.
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