Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Feng Bu Jue swung his sword in one fluid motion—swift, precise. Unshaken by fear, his reflexes remained razor-sharp despite the bloodless corpse’s lunge. Leaning backward to evade its razor claws, he swept his blade horizontally in a single, seamless motion.
He blinked in surprise as the sword sliced through the creature like soft tofu. Muscles and bones tore open across the monster’s chest, spewing blood in a crimson arc. The warm, sticky liquid splattered his face, the metallic tang filling his mouth and nostrils. The game’s realism was uncanny—too uncanny… and undeniably revolting.
The wound triggered a horrifying transformation. The corpse howled, its body melting at the injury like wax, collapsing into a puddle of viscous, pus-like sludge.
Feng Bu Jue finally examined his weapon’s stats:
Name: Blood Wraith Must Die
Type: Weapon
Quality: —
Attack Power: —
Element: None
Special Effect: —
Can Be Carried Beyond Scenario: No
Note: This blade is an early work by legendary dwarf craftsman "All-Get-Dead." Acquired by a cunning goblin merchant in exchange for several bottles of "Ergot Distilled Liquor", this sword later inspired its creator to forge "Goblins Must Die" two weeks later.
Before he could study the details, a system voice chimed: [Newbie Tutorial Complete. Automatic teleportation in 60 seconds.]
A new menu unlocked on his interface—60 seconds ticking down, with an "Instant Teleport" option. Feng Bu Jue selected it, his body dissolving into white light.
The next moment, he stood in the elevator again. The bloodstained sword was gone, his clothes spotless. The elevator’s bright lights flickered normally, its mirror reflecting only him. The past fifteen minutes felt like a fleeting, nightmarish illusion.
[Scenario Complete. Calculating Rewards.]
[Experience Gained: 70 | Currency: 700]
[Items Acquired: None]
[Quests: 0/0]
[Secret Quests Completed: 0 | World Knowledge Unlocked: None]
[Terror Value Spike: 0 | Peak Terror: 0% | Average Terror: 0%]
[Fear Rating: "Fearless" – Additional Reward Available.]
[Skill Points Earned: 30]
[Skill Point Bonuses: +30 Experience | +300 Currency]
[Scenario Completion Reward: Novice Satchel ×1]
[Calculation Complete.]
The wall screen displayed these messages as the system added: [You have reached Level 2. Stamina Max Increased: 200/200.]
A new "Proficiency" tab appeared in his menu. Six categories existed, but five remained shrouded in shadow, labeled N/A. Only Universal was active, marked F—Abysmal, near-useless, 20% success rate for related skills.
Feng Bu Jue recalled the game manual: N/A meant "powerless", while F was barely functional.
The elevator doors opened again, revealing not a corridor, but a spacious, metallic room five times the elevator’s size. Overhead lights illuminated two hollow glass pillars at the center.
He paused at the absurdity of his Terror Value—three zeroes. The game classified fear into five tiers: Fearless, Brave, Panicked, Terrified, Petrified. A "Fearless" rating with zero spikes bordered on implausible. The devs should’ve added a Suicidal category.
Technically, he’d aced the tutorial. Vitality and stamina stats didn’t factor into rewards; surviving unscathed or near-death yielded identical results. His reward was optimal, yet he sighed, approaching the left pillar. A prompt materialized:
Select Satchel Type
Two options hovered—a back-hugging crossbody pack or a hip-worn belt bag. He chose the former. White light coalesced into the satchel within the pillar. The glass swung open, and he retrieved it.
The system explained: [Your satchel holds 10 items. Items must fit the opening. Live creatures require taming. Do not attempt to enter the satchel yourself.]
[Equipment displays all wielded items. No slot limits—wield a dagger in one hand, a baseball bat in the other, and brass knuckles on both. Clothing is non-removable default gear; customize in "Exchange" post-login.]
Though "Exchange" existed, the game’s beta restricted players to default attire. Many companies rushed monetization during beta, selling skins and gear prematurely.
Not this studio. Their strategy? Hardware sales. Terrifying Paradise launched at 95% completion—AI handled bug testing, leaving beta solely to promote their new Gaming Pod NL2055. Virtual trading was banned; the in-game market vanished, and currency transfers between players were blocked.
Arrogant? Perhaps. But they trusted their vision: Success was inevitable. Profit could wait.
At the second pillar, a prompt appeared:
Choose Additional Reward:
1. Random Level-Appropriate Equipment
2. 2,000 Currency
3. 80 Experience
Feng Bu Jue scoffed. Currency was useless today; experience at Level 2 offered only 40% of the needed 200. He chose equipment.
White light flared. A stone materialized.
He grabbed it, squinting at the stats:
Name: Stone
Type: Weapon
Quality: —
Attack Power: —
Element: None
Special Effect: None
Note: A common, jagged rock occasionally used as a weapon. Can be carried between scenarios but is typically discarded.
Silence. Then:
“Are You Kidding ME?!”
The room echoed his cry, the words bouncing off the walls—“Me? Me? Me?!”
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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