2: Chapter 2 Ink Cartridge

"It's really gone!"

Mo Bai immediately logged off and searched around, but the Nine-layered Rubiks cube he had used as a pendant had long since vanished without a trace.

This left him staring blankly at the Gaming Helmet for "the true game."

If his initial thought was just to simply play the game and try to make some money, everything changed at this moment.

"My original plan to try being a content creator and make a living off gaming can be canceled.

If this game is truly extraordinary, then... can I really become a superman?"

With his heart pounding, Mo Bai searched the forum and found that no one else had experienced this situation, but he did find a clue regarding "supermen."

Does "the true game" call these supermen "Transcendent"?

Mo Bai looked at the post on the forum.

"Long time no see, I am Ender Little Four. I'm very happy to share my experience with 'the true game' with everyone.

First of all, Little Four entered 'the true game' as soon as it was released and has gained some understanding of the game's background. Please listen as I explain it slowly."

"The game's setting is a human empire facing a sudden natural disaster called the Demonic Tide. The demonic energy caused animals and plants to mutate into terrifying demonic beasts, dealing a massive blow to the human empire and causing heavy casualties.

However, at the same time, the emergence of magic power and demonic beasts also brought about a transformation in the life levels of the people of the Grey Empire.

Ten years ago, the term 'Transcendent' first appeared. It is a collective name for life forms that have surpassed the level of mortals.

As for us players, the setting is that we are projections summoned by the Emperor of the Grey Empire through a treasure to resist the impact of the Demonic Tide.

From this, it can be inferred that our class change path after leveling up is to become a Transcendent.

It's worth mentioning that each of us is born near a village in the Grey Empire; it won't be very far. You just need to search a little to find traces of human activity.

Also, can anyone tell me why the wild mobs I encounter either run away the moment they see me, can't be seen at all, or circle around to ambush me from behind?

How am I supposed to kill mobs and level up?"

Mo Bai looked at the post, pondering these two words.

"Transcendent."

After a slight pause, Mo Bai put on the Gaming Helmet once again.

As the silicone interface touched his brow, sleepiness washed over him, and he slowly woke up within his slumber.

lucid dream technology—this was the principle behind "the true game" as Mo Bai understood it.

This game is actually just a dream shared by everyone, so even an incredibly realistic death in the dream only leads to a sudden awakening once the boundary is broken.

It's just a nightmare; even pain has a layer of isolation—it's real, yet feels a step removed.

Only... "How did I die?"

Mo Bai hovered over his corpse in a transparent soul form, looking down as several wild wolves feasted on his body.

"This... I lost ten experience points too, only 6 left."

"experience points: 6/100."

Mo Bai immediately searched the forum using "experience points" and "death penalty" as keywords and quickly realized what had happened.

"Oh, I see. So the death penalty is losing ten experience points.

But if you don't have any, there's nothing to deduct."

He scratched his head, looked at the ink box in his mind, and with a single thought, the experience in the experience bar moved into the ink box.

"ink box: 6/100."

"Experience: 0/100."

After completing this step, Mo Bai cracked his neck and looked at the three wolves eating heartily.

"Enjoying your meal, are you!"

"Revive!"

As Mo Bai clicked the Revive button, the corpse and bloodstains on the spot completely vanished. The wild wolves, who had felt full, were stunned, staring blankly at Mo Bai as he appeared in the same spot.

"Die for me!"

Prepared, Mo Bai grabbed his "Stone Blade" and smashed it toward one of the wild wolves.

"Bang!"

One wild wolf was left dazed by the blow, but soon the three wolves growled and lunged at him, pinning him to the ground and biting frantically.

"Hiss, it really hurts!"

Mo Bai hissed in pain, but while desperately protecting his neck, he also frantically aimed his stone at one wolf and smashed it.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Before long, one wild wolf was beaten to death on the spot by Mo Bai.

"experience points +17!"

The moment he gained the experience points, Mo Bai transferred them into the ink box.

"ink box: 23/100."

"Perfect!"

Mo Bai gave one last strike to a wolf, but felt his body growing weaker and weaker, eventually bleeding out and dying.

"Revive!"

Mo Bai appeared again, and the wild wolves that were about to eat the meat were startled.

While Mo Bai held onto one and pummeled it desperately, the other wolf tucked its tail and turned to run, disappearing into the dense bushes in the blink of an eye.

The remaining wolf soon turned into experience points for him.

"experience points +16."

As per his custom, he transferred them directly into the ink box.

"ink box: 39/100."

"Just sixty more experience points to upgrade the ink box.

I wonder what effect the upgrade will have."

Anticipation welled up in Mo Bai's heart, but looking around, no more wild wolves appeared.

"This... where am I supposed to find mobs to kill?"

He was stunned.

This game was so realistic that killing mobs couldn't even be called grinding; it was more like a hunt.

"But if it's hunting... I could probably make some Bird Snares."

Mo Bai pondered for a moment, felt his linen clothes, and then stripped off quite a few linen threads from them.

He then went to a small clearing in the nearby bamboo forest, cleared away the bamboo leaves in the center to reveal the soil, and bent down a thin bamboo stalk that had been stripped bare.

The finger-thick bamboo was bent to the ground, with a hemp rope tied to its end. The other end of the rope was tied into a loop, and finally, a small bamboo stick was inserted into the ground in an arch shape to secure the rope loop.

Before long, the snare and the trigger mechanism were set up on the exposed soil in the middle of the clearing.

"All set~"

"Fortunately, I haven't lost the skills from my childhood."

The first one was a bit clumsy, but he gradually became more proficient with the subsequent ones.

Soon, Mo Bai had set up more than ten Bird Snares. However, his linen clothes had become somewhat ragged; besides the tears from the wolf claws, there were also many man-made gaps.

This stuff seemed to be recognized as equipment, so it couldn't be restored along with his revival.

He left the bamboo forest, but stopped after just a few steps.

"Hmm? A Spicy Strip?"

A Small Green Snake was coiled on a small bamboo stalk. The snake, about the thickness of a chopstick, made him feel a bit uneasy.

Although he knew he wouldn't die, he still didn't dare to grab it.

"Bang!"

Mo Bai gripped the stone tightly, caught the right moment, and smashed it down hard.

"Hiss! Hiss!"

The Small Green Snake was flattened in the middle, struggling and twitching on the ground.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"experience points +5."

"Well, about fifty more points to go."

Mo Bai grinned slightly and returned to the tree by the Shelter. The three wild wolf carcasses were piled under the tree, the flowing blood emitting a strong metallic scent.

However, nothing was lured over.

Seeing the sky gradually darkening, he quickly climbed up to the Shelter and lay on the small platform, looking at the emerald green leaves above.

He hadn't made a fire, so he didn't eat anything, but his body, refreshed by death and revival, wasn't hungry either.

Listening to the chirping of birds in his ears and the howling of wolves in the distant forest, Mo Bai gradually drifted into sleep.