17: Chapter 17 Is This the Real Game?

A new system prompt window popped up without warning, completely filling his field of vision.

[Scene Battle 'Zhao City's Rebirth' Completed.]

[Newbie Tutorial Mission officially concluded. Newbie Protection Mode activated.]

A series of blue characters announced that this heart-stopping journey through the dead city had finally come to an end.

Before Chen You could even breathe a sigh of relief, his gaze was firmly captured by the final line of text.

Newbie Protection Mode?

As he focused his mind, a detailed explanation of this mode automatically expanded.

[Newbie Protection Mode: Duration 30 natural days.]

[During the protection period, you will be immune to all damage from active attacks by other Adventurers.]

[Warning: If you actively attack other Adventurers, the Newbie Protection Mode will immediately deactivate.]

Adventurers? That must be what players are called here.

Chen You's mind was racing.

Thirty days! A full month of absolute safety!

This meant that for this month, he wouldn't have to worry about being stabbed in the back while walking down the street, nor fear being casually crushed by some high-level player.

It seems that besides the number-crunching and story planners, the system planners for this game have at least some brains!

His heart, which had been pounding violently from the boss battle, finally began to calm down.

A sense of security, an unprecedented sense of security, enveloped him.

However, before the joy on his face could fully bloom, another prompt window popped up right after.

[New Mission Triggered: The City Lord's Summons]

[Mission Content: The Lord of Zhao City awaits your arrival at the City Lord's Manor. Please proceed there promptly.]

City Lord?

What City Lord could there be in this dead city?

The very moment this doubt arose in Chen You's mind, the entire world changed.

Boom!

A surge of sound, without any warning, shattered the deathly silence and violently flooded his ears.

The cries of street vendors, the chatter of pedestrians, the clanging from a blacksmith's shop, the hearty laughter drifting from a tavern...

Countless sounds intertwined, forming a torrent named 'hustle and bustle' that instantly engulfed Chen You.

He looked up in stunned disbelief.

The gloomy black fog that had shrouded the city's sky had, at some point, completely dissipated.

In its place was a soft, bright light source illuminating the entire city.

The previously dilapidated, empty streets were now lined with all sorts of stalls, hung with colorful banners.

What shocked him most was the crowd on the streets!

Those 'other players' that had only existed in his imagination before had now materialized into real figures, jostling shoulder to shoulder, flowing in an endless stream.

Chen You stood dumbfounded amidst the sea of people, feeling like an audience member who had suddenly stepped from a black-and-white silent film into an IMAX blockbuster. His brain momentarily short-circuited from information overload.

So, that lifeless Zhao City from before was just a 'dungeon' or 'plane' for the newbie mission?

Only now had he truly entered the main world map of the 'Source Realm'?

'Out of the way!'

A rough voice exploded by his ear.

Before Chen You could react, a tremendous force slammed into his shoulder.

He staggered, nearly falling.

[You have received physical collision from Adventurer 'Savage Thunder'. Damage -0 (Newbie Protection Mode active).]

He steadied himself and looked up.

The one who had bumped into him was an exceptionally burly 'person'.

The reason for the quotes was that he barely maintained a humanoid shape.

But he was at least eight feet tall, with knotted muscles all over and skin the color of weathered rock.

His arms were especially thick and long, hanging almost to his knees, making him more resemble a giant ape walking upright.

The 'ape-man' player seemed somewhat surprised that he hadn't managed to bowl over this seemingly frail little guy.

He stopped, turned his brutish face, and glared fiercely at Chen You with eyes the size of copper bells.

He snorted two jets of air from his nostrils, then cursed under his breath before continuing on his way.

Chen You clenched his fists.

It seemed the players in this game weren't particularly friendly.

He silently watched the retreating back of the player named 'Savage Thunder' and stopped dwelling on it.

The most important thing right now was to survive, and then grow stronger!

Suppressing the annoyance in his heart, he began to carefully observe this real world that had just unfolded before him.

This observation sent even greater shockwaves through his mind.

The 'people' on the street came in all shapes and forms, bizarre and strange, like a convention of alien creatures.

Not far away, a stall owner had a single huge eye right in the center of his face, which swiveled as he enthusiastically hawked potions in bottles and jars to passersby.

A female player with an arrogant posture walked past him. A pair of delicate, antelope-like curved horns grew from her forehead, and her skin was so white it seemed to glow.

There was also a bald guy... wait, that wasn't baldness. His entire skull bulged upwards into a smooth, domed shape, looking supremely intelligent (or perhaps supremely creepy).

Chen You instinctively touched his own face.

Smooth, symmetrical, with all five facial features present and in their normal positions.

He suddenly realized a horrifying fact.

On this bizarre, kaleidoscopic street, he, this utterly ordinary, plain, purebred human, was the most glaring freak!

Not a single 'person' here looked like him.

'So... the 'Xian' class really is civilization-exclusive...' Chen You murmured to himself.

He finally understood deeply the meaning of that initial system prompt.

These bizarrely shaped players likely all came from different civilizations, each possessing their own unique class systems.

And he was the sole representative of the huaxia civilization.

Just as his mind was reeling, he noticed a new icon had appeared in a corner of his game interface.

It was a pair of crossed swords, sharply designed, emitting a faint red glow.

Below the icon, a line of constantly ticking numbers stabbed painfully at his nerves.

[PVP Protection Countdown: 29 days, 23 hours, 58 minutes, 17 seconds]

The sense of security he had just gained, enough to let him rest easy, was instantly replaced by a powerful sense of urgency.

One month!

This countdown reminded him that peace was fleeting. The bloody law of the jungle was this world's eternal theme.

'Damn it, can't waste any more time,' Chen You exhaled a heavy breath.

He had to seize every single minute and second, transforming the nation's unlimited budget into real, tangible combat power on himself!

Forcing himself to stop looking at the parade of various 'divine beings' coming and going, he focused his mind and opened the loot interface he had just obtained.

Three items lay quietly in his inventory, glowing with the blue light signifying 'Rare' quality.

[vengeful spirit battle blade (Rare)]

[Type: Two-handed Blade]

[Class: Warrior]

[Equip Requirement: Level 10, Strength 80]

[Attack Power: +120]

[Special Effect: Grudge Slash~ Each of your attacks has a 15% chance to inflict the 'Grudge Erosion' debuff on the enemy.]

Hiss!

Chen You sucked in a sharp breath.

Such powerful attack!

A whole tier above his novice iron sword!

And it even came with the 'Grudge Erosion' special effect that had given him such a headache before.

But the equipment requirements and class restriction were equally glaring.

He wasn't a Warrior, and his level wasn't high enough.

He shifted his gaze to the second item.

[Tattered General's Armor (Rare)]

[Type: Heavy Armor (Chestpiece)]

[Class: Warrior]

[Equip Requirement: Level 10, Constitution 60]

[Defense: +80]

[Maximum HP: +200]

[Negative Effect: Weight of the Dead~ Wearer's movement speed reduced by 15%, stamina consumption increased by 20%.]

A piece of equipment with powerful stats but obvious downsides.

Chen You frowned slightly, temporarily setting these two items aside.

'Can't equip them anyway. I'll let Director Li and the others take a look later when I get back.'

His attention fell on the final item.

It was a bronze tiger tally the size of a palm, with an ancient design. A seal-script character for 'Zhao' was carved on it, and it felt cool to the touch.

[Zhao City Military Token (Quest Item)]

[Type: Token]

[Description: Possessing this item grants you the recognition of Zhao City's authorities. This is your proof for meeting the City Lord.]

So that's it.

Chen You tightened his grip on the cool military token, raised his head, and looked toward the end of the street.

There, a mansion more grand and imposing than all the surrounding buildings stood quietly.

Two characters, written in a bold, flowing script on the plaque, read: 'City Lord's Manor'.