[Sorry, I really don't know who else to tell.]
Yu Yu tactfully replied, [Can you still log in? If you don't mind, how about we talk in the game?]
She recalled the red text she saw today: "Prohibited from spreading, restricted description, restricted sight and sound."
Perhaps some anomalies had stranger methods of spreading than she imagined…
At this thought, Yu Yu couldn't help but shake her head. If that's how it spread, hadn't she seen it too?
For now, the girl's silhouette didn't seem to have reached Rong City…
Regardless, Yu Yu decided it was time to rein in her rampant curiosity.
[Sounds good.]
Logging in. Yu Yu donned her hood, mentally preparing to hand the newbie off to an NPC to escort to Silver Moon City, then make a swift exit.
Safe. Steady.
"Huh? Boss! Boss, carry me!"
Yu Yu appeared in the starting plaza and was immediately spotted. The game got new players daily, and Moon Bay Town was practically bursting. From the forums, it seemed some players were now spawning in three other towns. No idea what those were like.
"Hi, I'm Changyu."
Yu Yu thought she looked vaguely familiar. "Yu."
"You're the Boss?"
"Yup."
Seeing her secretive demeanor, Changyu, though curious, didn't press.
Yu Yu: "Follow me to the Academy first."
She needed to check if she could bring someone to Silver Moon. If not, she'd ditch the newbie.
Ahem, losing face was minor compared to the trouble this newbie's opening line hinted at.
"Sure, sure!"
The newbie was a pretty little thing, though she looked frail. Yu Yu doubted her Constitution was even 3.
"I… I don't know what to do…"
"She's trapped in my bedroom…"
"But I… I can't get out either…"
"And Thursday is when the cleaner comes to my house. I'm scared…"
"If the cleaner gets hurt because of me…" She seemed dazed. "If she gets out… I don't know what'll happen…"
Yu Yu had planned to play mute and ignore everything, but her ears perked up.
Huh? Who're you talking about? Trapping an anomaly in your bedroom?
Cleaner? What cleaner?
"If she hadn't tried to take over my body, I wouldn't have even noticed that so many people had already been replaced by her…"
Wait, wait, wait… what did you do?
Yu Yu almost blurted it out.
"I don't think I can hold on much longer…"
The pretty newbie's eyes reddened as she spoke. "My parents haven't come home yet… If they find out I'm already dead, I don't know what they'll do…"
Yu Yu couldn't hold back. "What did you say? You're already dead?"
The newbie, eyes red and voice trembling, said, "Yeah…"
"You're dead and you can still play the game?"
"My bracelet didn't go with my body," she explained. "I only realized I could still go online when I saw it…"
Yu Yu was dumbfounded. "Tell me more?"
Dead and still gaming? No body?!!
Changyu began recounting in detail. Yu Yu's expression grew increasingly incredulous. "So you're saying… you resisted that thing's temptation, and not only that, you used your own body to trap it?"
"It can work like that??"
"Pardon my asking, but have you always had anything… special about you?"
Like, being a chosen one or something.
"…I've been sickly my whole life," Changyu said weakly. "Doctors said I wouldn't live past twenty. Does that count?"
She started tearing up again. "I really didn't make it past twenty. My twentieth birthday is still two months away."
It took Yu Yu a while to find words. "…What're your stats? Anything unusual…?"
Changyu shared her panel. "Look."
[Changyu]
Status: Townsperson
Class: Trainee Guardian
Level: 1 (0/100)
Money: 0
Reputation: 0
Intelligence: 7
Will: 9
Perception: 5
Strength: 1 (0)
Dexterity: 2 (0)
Constitution: 2 (0)
Changyu explained, "The numbers in parentheses appeared after I died. Maybe after death, I don't have Strength or those stats anymore."
Yu Yu thought her own stat spread was lopsided, but LongFish was on another level!
Not a single physical stat above 2? That's absurd. Her lifelong frailty wasn't just talk—she was exceptionally weak.
Yu Yu: "You said that thing can take over bodies? Can it access their memories?"
"Yes," Changyu said without hesitation, her words chilling Yu Yu. "If it hadn't tried to take my body, I wouldn't have known…"
"Known that Aunt Chen and the others had already…"
Her eyes reddened again. Yu Yu still couldn't quite believe it. But with 9 Will… maybe it was possible?
If anomalies were so widespread, couldn't humans have some resistance?
Pondering, Yu Yu led her to the Academy.
She hadn't decided what to do yet, so she'd get the newbie to Silver Moon first.
"…Proof?" Yunlun propped her chin. "Yeah, there's something like that."
"The High Archon thinks outsiders are erratic and weird, so he issued this order for the four towns' outsiders," she said. "If there's abnormal outsider they can't get a slot to Silver Moon. Even if they get there, if they don't follow Silver Moon's laws, they'll be expelled and barred from the four towns."
"Something happened in Full moon Town, I think," she added vaguely. "But that's got nothing to do with you."
"You're level 5 already. Want to take the test? If you pass, you can join the Magic Circle!"
"You'll get a beginner Mgic Circle robe and standard gear. Buying it yourself costs at least 20 gold coins!"
"Oh, and you can access the Academy list now, but no discounts."
Yu Yu accepted without hesitation. "I'll take the test."
Yunlun grinned and assigned her a quest: [Magic Circle Beginner Test—Heretics from the Outer Sea are like vile scale-fish, endless and disgusting. Investigate the Woodheart Church's goals. If necessary, eradicate them! (Can form a party)]
Yu Yu glanced at it. "Can I enter Silver Moon City?"
Yunlun didn't hesitate. "Of course. Your robe is your pass."
No surprise there. Yu Yu: "Can I bring someone?"
Yunlun frowned. "Who? If they're an outsider, no. They need enough points from quests to get a certificate from Senior Ka'an."
Yu Yu mused, "But she's a Trainee Guardian. Without Silver moon, she can't advance her class, learn skills, or level up."
She suddenly realized something. Players said you had to test your stats before picking a class, and failing meant being turned away. But she hadn't gone through that. Like Changyu, her starting panel already had a class. Hers was Trainee Spellcaster; Changyu's was Trainee Guardian.
Why?
Did the game assign classes based on the person? If she hadn't wanted to be a spellcaster, what would've happened?
Yunlun looked confused. "But Guardians don't have a trainee phase. You need Intelligence, Will, Strength, and Constitution to qualify. How could she…"
She stopped, staring at Changyu in shock. "What's your Will?"
"9," Changyu said softly.
Yunlun leaned back. "Hold on, I'll ask the teacher."
Soon, she returned with a document. "You're right, she's an exception. We can't be too rigid. This is the Academy's certificate. Show it to the guards, and they'll understand."
"Is Senior not here today?" Yu Yu took the document.
"She's already in Silver Moon," Yunlun said regretfully. "Otherwise, you could've gone with her. That'd be easier."
Yu Yu asked abruptly, "Do you know my Intelligence?"
Yunlun froze, then gave a dry laugh. "Hahaha…"
Yu Yu didn't mind. She preferred kindness with a reason over baseless goodwill. Wasn't it just because she was awesome?!
Yu Yu was very confident. She still had questions about Changyu's situation, but Yunlun didn't seem like the right person to ask—she clearly knew nothing.
Yu Yu: "Let's go. I'm taking you to Silver Moon."
"How?"
"Rent a cart."
Soon, Yu Yu found a player-run cart service.
Yes, Eternal Darkness was so open that players could do anything. Some genius gathered materials, hired loggers, and opened a cart business. Like the farm and restaurant chain Yu Yu invested in. Once her status rose, they'd expand to Silver Moon.
The vision was grand, but for now, it was still in early planning. NPC money was hard to earn, so they started with players. Like this cart service. They boarded, and Changyu was shocked. "Players pull the cart?"
Yu Yu glanced at her, puzzled. "What else? Players are cheaper than oxen or horses, and they can't afford animals."
"Exactly! Sit tight, it's our first run, so half price. Round trip's only 4 silver, and we'll treat you like royalty."
"My Dexterity's 10, Strength's 7, and I've got Dash. We'll get you there fastest, guaranteed."
Yu Yu settled in, brushing her hood. "Good. Don't disappoint me."
"Boss Yu, don't worry!! You're our VIP! This one's on us! Just spread the word afterward, and we're forever grateful!"
"I will," Yu Yu nodded primly, looking at Changyu. "What're you waiting for? Get on."
Changyu climbed aboard, dazed.
This game… was nothing like she imagined…
The player was as confident as he claimed, activating Dash and zooming off at a speed no ox or horse could match. Yu Yu didn't browse forums for nothing—she knew how to save energy. Recalling her own experience, with her pitiful Dexterity, walking to Silver Moon would've killed her. Now, with an even weaker Changyu, well…
The cart left the gate, and Yu Yu spotted familiar faces. Xiang Qin and her group were still grinding early levels, just settling in at level 3. Seeing players pulling a cart, they looked faintly confused.
"Players can earn money pulling carts for NPCs?"
"You don't get it. Carts are nothing. We've fired kilns, and the Archon's placing orders!"
"But that's not an NPC. NPCs aren't a market yet. That's Boss Yu."
"Who else but Boss Yu could splurge 4 silver on a cart!"
"It's not far. Just walk!"
"But even if you get there, you can't enter… wait, can Boss get in?"
"Boss's Boss! So jealous!"
Xiang Qin's trio: "…"
They were out of touch.
Boss Yu? An old acquaintance?
No such ID in the Hall of Fame. Weird. The player cart was legit. Yu Yu chatted with Changyu and arrived at the gate just before logging off. Though they said it was free, Yu Yu gave the player 2 silver and booked a pickup time for the return trip.
The player was thrilled, pounding his chest and promising to wait at the gate. He was happy, Yu Yu was happy. Players worked hard so she could profit. She'd pay an extra 5 copper for bug silk later.
Sigh, she was too kind.
After telling Changyu to hang in there, Yu Yu was kicked offline. Compared to before, her online time was growing. Maybe one day, she could stay in the game all day. Checking the time, Yu Yu resumed her routine, waiting for the fog to clear. She headed out to buy seeds and basic tools.
No foresight, no future.
Whatever lay ahead, she had to prepare. Like starting a garden by her door, planting simple crops, burying potatoes. And getting fishing rods, nets, traps—if she couldn't buy food later, she wouldn't starve.
The big cat was at the river, maybe fishing or something, so Yu Yu seized the chance to bike away. As expected, the zoo's queue was useless. No one came to catch it. Soon, Yu Yu returned with seeds and tools.
The outside chaos couldn't disturb her peace. The riverside suburb was remote and quiet, with a cool breeze. Yu Yu sat at the table, watching a video.
[The Correct Way to Plant Potatoes (Part 1)]