Chapter 68: Internal Test (Part 3)
Facing the relentless chatter of the Players, Meizhuolashi stepped forward and raised his blood-stained greatsword high.
“Silence!”
But the Players only grew louder—like teenagers in full rebellion—spewing out endless taunts and jokes.
“I’m just gonna go wild, babe.”
“No male wives, let me take it!”
“What’s with this red-skinned Non-Player Character acting so full of himself? One day, I’ll make you crash hard.”
“This gear is so cool—can I buy it in the shop?”
“He’s so cocky… I love him.”
Meizhuolashi’s scalp prickled. Still, he pressed on, gritting his teeth.
“Heroes from the Unknown Realm,” he declared, voice firm despite the growing irritation, “I am Meizhuolashi, the provisional overseer of Bathor City, a Tiefling Warrior beneath the banner of the Red Dragon. You may call me Meizhuolashi. I have come at my master’s command to greet you.”
“But know this—Bathor City… indeed, the entire Ashen Hollow—has no room for idle bystanders. You must prove your worth to me.”
“You can see for yourselves: Bathor City is newly founded, still raw and unfinished. We need your Strength. We need your hands.”
Meizhuolashi spoke with what he hoped was heroic passion, but aside from a few diehard roleplay enthusiasts, most Players weren’t listening.
“This armor’s kind of cool—probably a minor boss level, right?”
Mantou instinctively pulled up his Character Sheet and cast a Scouting.
[Loading data...]
[Loading complete!]
[Based on your current capabilities, you can perceive the following information.]
Sword of the Oathbreaker – Meizhuolashi
Affiliation: Ashen Nest – Bathor City
Core Abilities: ???
Challenge Rating: ???
Favor Level: -5 (Mild Disfavor)
“According to official records, only when a NPC’s Challenge Rating exceeds your level by five or more do they remain hidden. Is this New Player Village NPC that strong?”
“Wait… why’s my Favor Level negative?!”
He looked up—just in time to meet the Tiefling’s gaze, sharp and cold, flickering with warning. The man had noticed the peek.
“Damn… even Scouting gets caught?”
Mantou sheepishly closed his sheet, snapping back into a rigid salute, silently vowing to listen this time.
Meizhuolashi swept the crowd with a piercing glare, then continued, voice calm but edged with authority.
“You may accept quests. Bathor City will reward you accordingly.”
“Please wait a moment.”
His tone shifted abruptly.
“Captain, we found them,” Damakos reported, stepping forward.
A group of burly Tiefling Guards carried out a fresh corpse—riddled with arrows—from the cave, placing it beside the previous one. Still the same man: Langli BaiTiao.
Only this time, he never even got to deliver his line before he died.
Meizhuolashi already knew from Kai Xiusu that Players would respawn. He also knew the rules—there were limits.
In Alerzage, each Player could respawn only once every ten minutes. Each resurrection carried an Experience Point Penalty based on current level, and each player was granted only three resurrections per day. After the third death, they’d be stuck in the Forum, just loitering and chatting.
“Holy crap… this NPC’s this smart?”
“They’re actually watching the respawn points?”
“This AI is pure psychological warfare.”
“Good. Good. Let the troublemaker finally get his comeuppance. Remember what happened in that other game—his antics brought the final boss straight to our Capital City. He deserved every bit of it.”
“Now he’s a fan favorite.”
“I’m heartbroken seeing Players trapped… but when it’s Langli BaiTiao? I’m thrilled.”
“Turns out, there are good Non-Player Characters in the world after all…”
A chillingly polite smile spread across Meizhuolashi’s face.
“Ladies and gentlemen… please, be quiet.”
“This was merely a small warning.”
The moment he spoke, the entire crowd fell silent—like a class of students caught cheating by the teacher.
No one wanted to start their journey with a death penalty. And with Langli BaiTiao’s arrow-riddled corpse still lying there, Meizhuolashi’s words carried undeniable weight.
Following the Red Dragon’s instructions, Meizhuolashi began outlining the city’s systems.
“The Blacksmith Shop sells weapons and armor. The Market offers food and water. The Tavern serves drinks and has rooms upstairs. The Quest Board in the plaza allows you to accept missions. And the Bathor City Adventurers’ Guild is where you claim your rewards.”
From his description, the Players began to grasp the structure of Bathor City.
After the quests were published, corresponding task data appeared on their Character Sheets—tasks like Wall Construction, House Building, Hunting Outside, and Hunting Hostile Monsters.
The system would award Experience Points (XP) based on difficulty and effort. Faction Contribution, however, was managed directly by Kai Xiusu, the faction’s overseer.
But most of these tasks leaned heavily toward survival and labor—commonly known as “grinding.” The classic “kill monsters, level up” gameplay was scarce. After all, Storm Ridge was nearly fully claimed by Ashen Hollow. The only remaining monsters were in the wilder forests beyond.
“So many quests…”
“This Hunting Furious Boar mission gives a full set of standard City Guard gear—game over, I’m already on my way to god-tier.”
“Real physical stats, buddy. You probably can’t even beat a chicken.”
“Says the guy who can’t beat a chicken!”
“Ugh… more grinding already?”
Fresh into the game, the Players were fascinated by the variety of tasks—so much so that they barely noticed the third corpse being carried out and placed in line with the others.
Three bodies, neatly aligned in a row.
A silent, grim epitaph for the chaotic “jokester” who’d tried to make a name for himself.
Though Bathor City had taken shape—its foundations laid, its walls rising—it was still only five years old. Its population remained small, its resources meager. Everything was rough-hewn, underdeveloped.
The biggest problem? Labor shortage.
Ashen Hollow’s limited aid helped, but it wasn’t enough. Not in time.
Now, with hundreds of Players arriving—each capable of working without rest, undeterred by death—Bathor City could finally begin to grow. It could finally build, defend, and thrive.
And so, the Players began their exploration.
“Whoa… why’s there an Ogre in the Tavern?! Don’t they see him?!”
“No, bro—don’t hit me! I’m a good Human!”
“That big-nosed Goblin’s a patrol? I thought he was a monster!”
“That Two-Headed Dragon can actually understand us.”
“Ogre, Goblin, Two-Headed Dragon… and that one… uh… Tiefling. Why does this newbie village feel so off?”
“The Dragon Statue in the plaza is actually kinda cool. He must be our boss.”
“Wait… did we just spawn inside the boss’s lair?”
Meizhuolashi stood atop a small platform, silently watching the Players scatter across the city—accepting quests, wandering, talking.
He observed the chaos they brought, the disruption, the sheer unpredictability.
Yet beneath it all, he saw something else: potential. Unfolding. Alive.
For the first time, he understood what the Red Dragon had meant.
“Lure with rewards. Threaten with force.”
The Tiefling Holy Knight exhaled slowly.
He knew now.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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