Chapter 290: A Newcomer's One Day (4)
Lonely Like Snow
Eager and slightly breathless, Lonely Like Snow clutched the Refined Gold Armor tightly in his arms, his companion Lucky Emperor trailing behind with a dejected expression.
But before he could even step out of the crowd, several high-level Players blocked his path—some clad in full Armor, others draped in long Robes.
Lonely Like Snow immediately recognized them: members of a noble Guild, come to collect him personally.
The lead figure extended a hand with polite, practiced grace.
"Hello. I’m Fengyun, Deputy Leader of the Royal Power Guild. I wonder if you’d be interested in a business deal?"
As a Newcomer, Lonely Like Snow couldn’t afford to be careless. He quickly shook the man’s hand.
"What kind of deal?"
He already suspected the purpose, but asked anyway.
Fengyun smiled faintly, gesturing toward the armor in his arms.
"You know why we’re here, don’t you?"
"This heavy plate requires at least 18 Strength to wear. A piece like this? It’s wasted on someone like you—just a Newcomer.
Instead of dragging around a useless golden burden, why not sell it? We’re offering 200 gold coins. That’s more than enough to live extravagantly at this stage of the game."
Lonely Like Snow suddenly remembered the warning from SingoGuide: "Never sell good gear to big Guilds—especially not to Royal Power. They’ll exploit your inexperience, corner the market, and crush you with their monopoly."
His resolve hardened.
"I’m not selling at that price."
Fengyun adjusted his glasses, as if expecting this. He chuckled lightly.
"You’ve read the Hardcore Player Guide, haven’t you?"
"Let me be honest—no other Guild in the region can afford this kind of gear. 300 gold coins is our absolute maximum. Take it now, while you can. Refuse, and you’ll be the one regretting it later."
Lonely Like Snow hesitated, then clenched his jaw.
"No. Not for that."
Fengyun’s expression darkened slightly, though he kept his composure.
"Then here’s a better offer: a Privilege. You can join Royal Power Guild—officially, with full benefits. But the condition is simple: the armor becomes Guild property."
Lucky Emperor beside him shifted nervously, whispering, "Can I come too?"
Lonely Like Snow felt torn.
This was a golden opportunity—a ticket straight to the pinnacle of game resources. Even Singo, who despised the elite Guilds, had to admit their strength and influence.
But as he looked into Fengyun’s eyes, he saw cold condescension—like the man had already won.
A spark of fury flared within him. Not rage, not yet—but the quiet, burning defiance of a Common Newcomer refusing to be pushed around.
"I don’t need it," he said, each word deliberate, firm.
Fengyun’s face turned stone-cold. He bit back a curse.
"Fine. Then we’ll see how far you get with a piece of gear you can’t even wear."
With that, he turned, leading his entourage away without another word.
Lucky Emperor gripped his arm, panic rising.
"Bro, are you crazy? We finally got a rare drop—why go head-to-head with a Great Guild like Royal Power?"
"Look at them," Lonely Like Snow muttered. "They don’t respect anyone. What choice do I have?"
"You’ve just made a huge mistake. That’s Royal Power. If they target you, they’ll ambush you at the City Gate without hesitation!"
"Maybe… we should just leave and join someone else?"
Just then, a familiar voice echoed from behind.
"Great Guilds aren’t the only ones with power, you know."
They turned.
There stood the same Mage Player in his long, wild Robe, his face now curled in a sly, knowing smile—radiating the air of a sage who’d seen too much.
Lonely Like Snow stepped forward, cautious.
"May I ask—your name?"
The Mage extended a hand, revealing a Wand embedded with a glowing Crystal Ball, and a delicate Coin Emblem etched into his palm.
"My humble title? I am Charlotte—Leader of the Magic Coin Guild."
"I heard you were looking for a Guild."
Lonely Like Snow hesitated, then replied carefully.
"Yes. But not one that steals its members’ gear."
Charlotte smiled, serene. "Of course not. Our Guild is built on partnership—on shared ideals."
"Then welcome to Magic Coin."
Lucky Emperor instantly switched to a grinning, fawning expression—no trace of the earlier conflict. He mumbled, "So… can I join too?"
Charlotte’s eyes twinkled. "Of course. We love recruiting promising Newcomers."
The two Newcomer Players erupted in joy. Magic Coin was no small name—it was a top-tier Great Guild, and their Magic Affairs Office in the city was packed with eager players every day.
Charlotte watched them, a slow, enigmatic smile spreading across his face.
His gaze lingered on Lonely Like Snow.
“A tankless Guild full of fragile mages… I’ve been needing a proper tank.”
“Let this Newcomer become a Paladin. Put on a Shield Spell, wear that Gold Armor—stand in front of the front line. A perfect Meat Shield.”
“Let him absorb every hit. Let him be the wall. Perfect.”
Then he turned to Lucky Emperor—his smile twisted, almost unnatural.
“And this so-called ‘Lucky Emperor’… oh, finally, someone even more cursed than me.”
Behind that smile lay a deep, festering wound—the scars of a soul shattered by gacha obsession, twisted by years of psychological imbalance.
But the two Newcomers hadn’t noticed. They were still lost in the thrill of belonging.
---
In the Royal Palace, Kai Xiusu lay sprawled across the Iron Throne, his eyes scanning the floating Character Sheet in the void.
"Five thousand Players total. Over thirty thousand chose to be born in the Kingdom of Ashen. The remaining nearly twenty thousand are scattered across Anzeta."
"Still not enough reach…"
"Ah well. Doesn’t matter. They’ll all return to my grasp soon enough. As long as they stay in the Anzeta Great Wasteland, they’ll never escape my influence."
"The War—the Conquest, no—Liberation of the entire Northern Regions… is about to begin."
Kai Xiusu gave a subtle shake of his wings. His Scales shimmered with inner light. In his pale golden eyes, flames flickered—like embers of a world waiting to burn.
For weeks, he had remained in the Palace, healing, studying ways to break the Curse, suppressing the endless hunger for destruction within him. He hadn’t fought in a long time.
But now, with the Anzeta War fully ignited, the moment of battle would come for him—inevitable.
A distant Tiefling Guard voice echoed from the doorway.
"Your Majesty, Meizhuolashi requests an audience. Says it’s urgent."
"Let him in."
A new piece of intelligence from Nocturne.
And soon, Duke Leo in the South would feel the tremors—too.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
