The cramped alcove felt like a pressure cooker. Hemlock's fear was palpable, a sour scent mingling with the sewage stench. The crossbow in his hand trembled slightly, aimed not at me, but at the oppressive darkness beyond the torchlight where something watched us both.
"Whisperwind..." Hemlock repeated, his voice strained. "That bow... it ain't just wood and string, boy. It's cursed. Attracts... things. Things you don't wanna meet." He flicked his eyes towards me, then back to the shadows. "How do you know the name? And why does that presence cling to you?"
The watcher. Hemlock could sense it too. This changed things. It wasn't just observing me; its presence was tangible enough for a perceptive NPC to react.
"I heard whispers," I lied smoothly, keeping my voice calm despite the tension. "Rumors of a bow unmatched in speed and silence. As for the presence… perhaps it's drawn to those who seek power." I met his gaze directly. "I need that bow, Hemlock. Name your price."
He hesitated, torn between fear and the glint of gold he'd seen. The pressure from the unseen watcher seemed to intensify for a moment, as if scrutinizing his decision.
"Price?" Hemlock laughed, a harsh, broken sound. "Gold ain't enough. Not for Whisperwind." He lowered the crossbow slightly, but his eyes remained wary. "That bow ain't finished. Needs a core. Heartwood of an Elder Treant, soaked in moonlight for a hundred cycles."
An Elder Treant. A Level 30 world boss. Impossible for me right now. A quest, then. Not a simple transaction.
"And," Hemlock continued, his voice dropping again, "it needs to be quenched. Not in water. In the blood of a Shadow Stalker."
Shadow Stalkers. Elite Level 25 stealth mobs, notoriously hard to track, hitting like ghosts from the dark.
He was sending me on suicide missions. Testing me? Or genuinely outlining the requirements? Likely both.
"Get me those components," Hemlock grunted, avoiding my eyes now, focusing on the shadows again as if expecting an attack. "Bring them back here, if you survive whatever's sniffing around you. Then… maybe… we talk about finishing Whisperwind. Now get out. Before you draw it right into my hole."
The unseen presence seemed to lessen slightly, as if satisfied with this outcome. Or perhaps, its focus shifted.
I nodded slowly. "I'll acquire the components."
No point pressing further now. I had the quest, the path forward for the bow. Hemlock was spooked, and lingering would gain me nothing but trouble.
I turned and stepped back out into the grimy alley, the heavy brick wall sliding shut behind me, sealing Hemlock and his paranoia back inside.
The immediate confrontation was resolved, but the mysteries deepened. The watcher's influence, the bow's curse, Hemlock's fear… pieces of a puzzle I couldn't yet comprehend.
But first, reality called.
I found a secluded corner in Oakhaven, ensured no players were nearby, and initiated the log-out sequence. The vibrant world of Epoch faded, replaced by the familiar dimness of my small, rented room.
Pulling off the VR helmet, the transition was jarring. The real world felt sluggish, mundane, the air thick compared to the crisp virtual environment. My body felt heavy, clumsy after inhabiting the Agility-unshackled form of Fierce Arrow.
Ten years ago… this room had been my prison. Now, it was a launchpad.
I checked the time. Early morning. I'd been in Epoch for nearly 18 hours straight, fueled by adrenaline and the System's power. My stomach rumbled – I hadn't eaten properly since logging in.
Basic needs first. Instant noodles, devoured quickly while my mind worked.
The 400+ gold. It wasn't just virtual currency. Epoch had official, regulated channels for exchanging game gold for real-world currency, established early on due to massive player demand and RMT (Real Money Trading) issues. The exchange rate was still volatile but decent in these initial weeks.
I accessed my linked bank account through a secure portal. Initiated the transfer. Convert 400 Epoch Gold.
The system processed it. Minus transaction fees and exchange rate fluctuations, over $20,000 USD appeared in my previously near-empty account.
Twenty thousand dollars. Earned in less than a day of focused gameplay. In my past life, a sum like that would have taken me months, maybe years, of grinding menial jobs.
This was just the beginning. A drop in the ocean compared to the wealth I would accumulate.
But it was enough. Enough for the first step.
My family. In my previous life, their small import/export business struggled, burdened by debt taken on during an economic downturn, ultimately collapsing under pressure from larger competitors – competitors linked, I later learned, to Wang Kai's family empire. My own failures in Epoch meant I couldn't help them then. Couldn't save them from the stress, the arguments, the eventual loss of their life's work.
That wouldn't happen this time.
My knowledge wasn't just about Epoch. It encompassed the next decade of real-world events. Market trends, technological breakthroughs, political shifts, corporate scandals.
I opened a new browser tab. Stock market pre-trading data.
My fingers flew across the keyboard, searching for a specific, obscure tech company. 'Synapse Dynamics'. Currently trading for pennies. Dismissed by analysts as vaporware.
I knew better. In six months, they would announce a revolutionary neural interface technology. Their stock wouldn't just climb; it would explode, becoming one of the decade's biggest unicorns.
Using a newly opened online brokerage account, I dumped $15,000 of my freshly acquired funds into Synapse Dynamics stock. Buying up thousands of shares at rock bottom prices.
It felt… surreal. Clicking buttons, moving numbers, knowing I was setting events in motion that would generate millions. Rewriting reality with knowledge paid for by virtual monster kills.
The remaining $5,000? That was for immediate family relief and personal expenses. Enough to keep the wolves from the door while my larger investments matured. I wired a portion directly to my parents' account with a simple message: "Early loan repayment. More soon." They wouldn't understand where it came from, but it would ease their burden, buy them time.
With the financial wheels turning, another memory surfaced, sharp and painful.
Xie Yao.
Her face, bright and hopeful in our early days, contrasted starkly with the weary disappointment in her eyes the last time I saw her in my previous life. I had been consumed by Epoch, by my failures, pushing her away, unable to offer her the stability or future she deserved. Wang Kai, with his smooth words and family wealth, had stepped into the void I created.
Regret was a bitter poison.
This time…
I searched her name online. Found her social media profile easily. Still a student at Oakhaven University, just as before. Pictures of her smiling with friends, studying in the library, living a life completely untouched by the darkness that had consumed my past self.
My heart ached. Could I just… reinsert myself into her life? Would she even want the obsessive gamer I still fundamentally was, even if that obsession now yielded real-world power?
Show her the changed self, the outline echoed in my mind. Success. Strength. Reliability.
I needed to be more than just Fierce Arrow, the virtual god. I needed to be Lin Feng, the man who could protect her, provide for her, build a future with her.
Not yet. It was too soon. I needed to solidify my real-world standing first. Make the Synapse Dynamics investment pay off. Secure my family.
But the goal was clear. Win her back. Erase that particular regret.
Just as I closed the brokerage window, contemplating my next move in Epoch, a familiar, cold chime echoed faintly, not from the computer speakers, but directly in my mind.
[Ding! Host has successfully utilized game-generated resources to influence external reality reality.]
[Detecting significant deviation from Host's previous timeline trajectory.]
[System Objective 'Reality Echo 1' Completed.]
[System Experience Gained.]
[Infinite Arrow God System Level Up! Current Level: 7]
[Ability Updated: Attribute Unshackling (Lv 7)]
[New Attribute Unshackled: Perception]
[Description: The conventional limits placed upon your Perception attribute by the world's laws have been removed. Enhances awareness, insight, and ability to detect subtle details in both virtual and external realities.]
Level 7. And Perception unshackled.
Not a combat stat like Strength or Agility. Something… different. Something that bridged the gap between the game and reality.
I focused, trying to feel the change. The dusty room didn't look sharper, exactly. It was more… layered. I noticed the faint tremor in the floorboards from traffic outside, the almost imperceptible hum of the cheap refrigerator, the subtle variations in the paint texture on the wall. Details I would have ignored before now registered clearly, effortlessly.
My mind felt sharper too, processing information faster, drawing connections. Hemlock's fear, the watcher's presence, the bow's requirements, the stock market data, Xie Yao's profile picture… patterns seemed to emerge more readily.
This Perception… it wasn't just about seeing better. It was about understanding better. Detecting lies, noticing hidden motives, predicting actions. Invaluable. Both in Epoch and, crucially, in the real world battles to come. Against Wang Kai. Against whatever else lurked in the shadows.
A notification flashed on my monitor. A financial news alert.
'Synapse Dynamics (SYDY) sees unexpected pre-market surge following unsubstantiated rumors of a pending tech license deal. Analysts remain skeptical.'
A small surge. Just a tremor before the earthquake.
But it was proof. My actions had consequences. Ripples were spreading.
My real life was starting now. Funded by a virtual world, guided by future knowledge, empowered by a god-like System, and watched by unknown entities.
The game was just beginning.