Page 285

Lonely as Snow felt a sudden brightness before him. A bustling and prosperous city appeared, surrounded by hundreds of newbie players in starter uniforms just like him.

"It feels so real..."

"There are so many people."

"Is this Northwind Fortress?"

"This city is beautiful. Scenery lovers are gonna adore it."

Lonely as Snow looked around and found the environment peculiar. While the architecture had a medieval style, smoke rose in the distance, and classical European buildings were interspersed with five- or six-story office blocks.

Tiefling guards wielded magical rifles while clad in orthodox armor, creating a distinct steampunk vibe.

Wyverns soared in the sky on patrol, while ogres and hobgoblins walked openly through the streets. Humans nearby paid no attention, as if it was perfectly normal. To many newbie players, the scene was surreal.

"Whoa, monsters!"

"What are you yelling about? This is just Northwind Fortress’s charm."

Lonely as Snow muttered to himself, "So, this is the Northwind Fortress that Singo recommended as the best starting point for newbies.

According to the guide, I need to earn faction contribution points and exchange them for Dragonblood Elixirs to kickstart my progress.

Apparently, the best newbie job is... mining. "

He glanced at the plaza ahead, which was packed with newbie players, making it nearly impossible to move.

Out of the fifty thousand players, nearly twenty thousand had chosen Northwind Fortress as their starting point. The city’s population had effectively increased by half, leading to significant congestion.

On the plaza’s bulletin board, various advertisements were posted, while others shouted through loudspeakers.

"Guild recruiting newbie players! Must be online eight hours a day. Hardworking and resilient players preferred."

"Weapon Manufacturing Plant No. 3 hiring workers! Daily pay: 100 faction points."

"Newbie training program! Learn to become a qualified Paladin tank!"

"Starter gear for sale! Only 100 copper coins!"

"New guild [Cassius’s Loyal Dogs] recruiting! XP-focused group for like-minded players!"

"Praise the Omnissiah! Elite guild [Machine God Cult] hiring high-quality talents! Top-tier benefits await. Higher education preferred."

"Our guild urgently needs biologists and geneticists! Researchers with published SCI papers or significant achievements will directly enter the guild’s leadership and receive the [Gene Warrior] role with top-tier benefits."

"Royalty reigns supreme! Top-tier guild [Royal Authority] recruiting newbies! Pro players preferred. Real-life experience in boxing or martial arts is a plus."

Lonely as Snow rubbed his chin, feeling overwhelmed as he read the announcements. He muttered, "These people treat gaming like a full-time job. Can’t a casual player catch a break?"

"Tsk, tsk. The elitism is real."

He wasn’t planning to join a guild.

According to Singo’s guide, aside from the top-tier guilds, most guilds offered minimal support to regular players. Many even scammed newbies under the guise of "training programs." Meanwhile, elite guilds had requirements far beyond the reach of average players like him.

Lonely as Snow was self-aware. Apart from being a little good-looking, he was average in every other aspect, with gameplay skills no better than mediocre.

He followed the flow of people until he reached his destination.

There sat a fierce-looking hobgoblin, impatiently waiting. A wooden signboard stood in front of him.

"Endless Mine recruiting 50 miners. 20 copper coins per day."

"This must be it," Lonely as Snow muttered.

Just as he was about to inquire, someone grabbed him from behind.

"Hey, dude, are you here to play the game or be played by it? Seriously going to slave away in the mines?"

Lonely as Snow turned to see another newbie player, also dressed in starter clothes, with the glowing nickname "Luck King" above his head.

Lonely as Snow said, "Mining has the highest cost-effectiveness for newbies. Singo’s guide says so."

"Singo? That dog!"

Luck King’s eyes widened.

"You believe that spawn advice? That’s just bait for newbies like you."

Lonely as Snow didn’t argue but asked, "Aren’t you a level-one newbie too?"

Crossing his arms confidently, Luck King said, "But I’ve got insider info! My buddy’s a beta player. I’ve got this game’s tricks down cold."

"So, do you trust me or not? Let’s be friends."

After a moment’s hesitation, Lonely as Snow nodded.

Though this self-proclaimed "insider" seemed unreliable, he was friendly enough. Making friends couldn’t hurt.

Luck King led him to the most crowded spot, where hundreds of players jostled together. Among them were high-level veterans, faces flushed with excitement as they chanted "It’s gonna drop!" and "Buddha, bless me!" Curious, Lonely as Snow watched.

Pointing ahead, Luck King smirked. "Right here."

Lonely as Snow followed his gaze and saw a large shop with the sign "House of the Dragon’s Blessing." Inside were thousands of beautifully decorated metal boxes.

"Cassius’s Treasures?"

Lonely as Snow frowned, growing even more skeptical of Luck King.

Singo’s guide had mentioned this event, harshly criticizing it as a "scam designed to bleed newbies," a "fool’s favorite pitfall," and a "poverty machine," with one of the lowest ratings.

Singo even added, "You’d be better off handing your gold directly to me—at least you won’t get addicted."

"You’ve heard of this event?"

Luck King’s eyes lit up with excitement, gesturing wildly.

"It’s a treasure trove! A launch-exclusive event, first come, first served. Most newbies don’t even know about it."

"Isn’t this supposed to have terrible odds? Singo explicitly warned about it," Lonely as Snow said, exasperated.

"Who cares about Singo? Everything he says is BS. Didn’t he also claim faction contributions were useless?"

Shaking his head knowingly, Luck King added, "You don’t get it, do you? This is the launch stage!"

"Think about it. Even if the devs are stingy, would they scare off new players with low drop rates? This event is pure newbie welfare! Sweeten the pot now, then hit you with the stick later. Cassius’s Treasures are the sweet part!"

"Any proof?"

"Insider info! C’mon, I’m laying it all out for you. If you don’t believe me, just watch me grab my rewards later. Don’t regret it then!"

Luck King patted his chest confidently, speaking with unwavering assurance.