As usual, Li Rui had a plan in mind.
"Brother Ba, what's the best initial attribute?"
"So far, the highest record for Secret Realm agents nationwide is one initial talent and ten initial attribute points."
Wang Ba said, "Of course, this is just a starting point. After you register, you will also enter various dungeons to level up your Secret Realm agent level, at which point you'll have the chance to gain more attribute points, skills, and talents. These powers will affect the real world too."
"But that's for later. Right now, you just need to handle the newbie registration in half an hour. Don't worry about breaking any records. Getting four initial attribute points will count as passing."
"Okay, thank you, Brother Ba, thank you, Sister Yan," Li Rui replied politely.
Wen Yan liked newcomers who were polite and well-mannered. She grabbed Li Rui's hand and said, "Follow me."
The two went to a windowless room next door, where there was something that looked like a massage chair, but with noticeable iron shackles for the hands and feet.
"Once you enter the Secret Realm, you'll lose consciousness. These are protective measures."
Li Rui understood, sat in the chair, and buckled the iron shackles. Wen Yan also brought out a disposable mouthguard, like the ones boxers use during matches.
"To prevent you from biting your tongue when unconscious," she explained.
Once everything was ready, Wang Ba and Wen Yan both sat in the room, one shaking his left leg, the other his right, obviously not at ease.
"Relax, it's no big deal," Li Rui said.
"Mm, I'll try… why are you doing the comforting?!"
Wang Ba admired the kid's composure, "Don't be too cocky. Remember, the administrator will do everything to dock the newcomer's initial attributes. It'll curse, deceive, and try all sorts of tricks to reduce your starting conditions, so handle it carefully. Don't get arrogant, and as long as it has no excuse, there's nothing it can do to you. Understood?"
"Got it," Li Rui replied casually.
As the countdown was coming to an end, with only a few seconds left, he felt an irresistible drowsiness, and finally closed his eyes, losing consciousness.
...
Swish, swish, swish.
His consciousness fell into a boundless darkness, a feeling that lasted for at least a dozen seconds, and then some lights appeared below. As he got closer, he saw it was a platform paved with black marble tiles.
Bam!
Li Rui landed on the platform, feeling real pain all over his body, but he wasn't hurt.
He lifted his head and saw a wooden desk in front of him, with a puppet in a red and green uniform sitting at the edge, its two legs dangling in the air, the joints making a clanking sound.
"Small, weak, doesn't look very smart, and a dumb-looking rookie."
A stiff voice came from the puppet's mouth, "Though I don't want to say it to someone like you, the core code requires me to, welcome to the Global Secret Realm Game!"
Li Rui immediately understood why Wang Ba despised this fellow so much.
"Are you the administrator?"
"Use that human brain of yours, of course! What else could I be besides an administrator, get over here."
The puppet jumped off the desk, pulled some contracts from behind its butt, and tossed them onto the desk, "Sign these, and from now on you'll be a Secret Realm agent. Hurry up, don't waste my time."
Li Rui picked up the main agreement and glanced through it. It was like a game disclaimer, even with anti-addiction certification, but the last line...
[Encountering various unknown dangers in the Secret Realm Game that affect player's life safety, consequences are self-borne.]
Seeing his indifference to the provocations, the puppet was unsatisfied.
"Stop dawdling, newbie, sign it."
Changing its tactic irritably, "With your current dullness, I feel like only giving you the guaranteed minimum of one attribute point."
It suddenly leaped onto the desk, laughing condescendingly, "But... I'm such a kind administrator, so I'll give you two points, hurry up and sign the agreement before I change my mind."
Li Rui scratched his cheek with a finger, "How do I sign the agreement?"
The puppet realized it had misjudged; this young human was indeed easy to fool, making it unintentionally joyous.
Thunk.
It jumped down from the desk again, extending its right hand.
Meanwhile, the contracts flew from Li Rui's hand and disintegrated like paper shredded by a shredder, transforming into glowing data streams circling around its arm.
"Grab my hand, and I'll connect you to the system for registration, no need to thank me."
The puppet smiled expectantly, finding the dummy even easier to fool than anticipated.
Li Rui nodded, extending his own right hand to grip the other's.
At that moment, all the data streams suddenly contracted, seemingly attracted to the point where the two hands clasped together.
The puppet's painted mouth curled upward.
"Haha, foolish newbie, you've been tricked. Your initial attributes could have been higher, but I used my excellent intellect to deceive... huh? Ah——"
The words were cut off mid-sentence, turning into a scream.
Because instead of arguing about intellect, Li Rui pulled it into an elbow strike to the chest, then....
Heaven-Reaching Palm! Iron Mountain Lean! Fierce Tiger Climbs the Mountain!
After a smooth combo, Li Rui swung the puppet, barely 1.4 meters tall, into an over-the-shoulder throw.
Snap.
The puppet lay on the ground, its brain buzzing, unable to speak before it felt a weight on it.
Li Rui sat on the guy, pinning its arms behind its back, "The registration isn't complete, is it? I want to have a chat."
"You're finished! Do you know who I am? You——" the puppet shrieked hysterically.
Slap.
Li Rui landed a heavy slap on its face.
"I warn you——"
Slap.
"What you're doing is——"
Slap!
"Stop——"
Slap!!!
"I was wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong! Sorry!"
The puppet lay on the ground, its brain buzzing even louder.
Is this a dumb rookie or a living King Yan?
Li Rui looked down at him, "Now, can we have a calm discussion?"
Is talking while sitting on someone called calm?!!!
The puppet dared not speak but nodded furiously.
"Let me ask you, how many initial attribute points can you have at most?"
"Ten, twelve."
"Aside from attribute points?"
"One skill, one talent, and that's the maximum."
Li Rui's eyes shifted, "Equipment?"
"No equipment!"
Slap slap slap slap.
Several more hard slaps.
"Big brother, big brother! Please, this is newbie space! Really no equipment!"
"Aren't you the administrator, can't you conjure some?"
"I'm just a net admin, I can't alter the program, do you understand?"
Li Rui nodded, "Then first get my attributes and skills to the highest standard."
The puppet didn't dare say a word against this, immediately agreeing, "Brother, you must first release me."
Li Rui confirmed this guy had no physical advantage, so he let go.
The puppet did seem conquered by this bandit, and the two shook hands once more.
Li Rui saw a dialog box-like prompt appear before him.
[Attribute points +12.]
[You have a new talent.]
[You have a new skill.]