"Damn!"
Rogel was startled.
As soon as he spoke, the pixel character struck a Kun Fist pose and leaned against the small boat with an Iron Mountain Lean.
"..."
Rogel was both shocked and speechless.
Then, he tried several more times and discovered that the game not only responds to voice but can also be controlled by his thoughts.
Rogel quickly checked the app store where he downloaded the game and found that the game had disappeared.
This made Rogel a bit excited.
He had stumbled upon a legendary Golden Finger!
But he soon calmed down.
So what if he could control the game character with his mind, the game couldn't make him money.
Thinking of this, Rogel felt as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over him.
But quickly, he thought of something else.
"Maybe I can bring items from the game into reality?"
Rogel rubbed his chin.
Isn't that how it's always written in online novels?
Thinking of this, the pixel character, under Rogel's control, picked up the kitten nearby.
Manifestation.
Rogel silently recited in his mind.
"Meow!"
After a blurred mosaic appeared in the air, a small ginger cat appeared by Rogel's side, meowed at him, and looked around with confusion in its eyes.
It seemed a bit puzzled as to why it had suddenly moved from the boat to here.
Items from the game could really be manifested!
Rogel excitedly punched the air; this was even more thrilling than winning a million-dollar lottery.
After a while, he calmed down a bit and conducted a few more tests, eventually discovering that only items from the game could be manifested and retracted, while reality items couldn't be sent into the game world.
Also, the items manifested from the game were linked to the last saved file he used.
If he obtained an item, manifested it, and then reverted to a previous save, the manifested item would also disappear.
The last discovery was the information about this small boat.
[Small Boat (Upgradeable)]
[Type: Equipment]
[Quality: White]
[Defense: 3]
[Durability: 10/10]
[Explanation: A makeshift small boat.]
After taking a look, Rogel shifted his focus elsewhere, and when he looked again at the pixel character on his phone, his eyes were full of eagerness.
"There should be Extraordinary Power in this game world..."
Thinking of this, Rogel became even more eager, with an urge to dive into action.
However, the game currently had no tasks or storyline, seeming very open-ended.
"Oh right, didn't Mom give me a pearl?"
Thinking of this, Rogel manipulated the game character to fetch the pearl.
[The mystic knowledge you've accumulated and your intuition tell you that this pearl is a good thing.]
After taking out the pearl, a string of information popped up.
Before long, his hand felt heavier, and a palm-sized exquisite pearl appeared.
"It's so big."
Rogel thought about the small money he could get from selling the pearl.
But he quickly calmed down.
This pearl can't be sold!
First of all, he wasn't sure if the pearl had further use in the game.
And the game information had already indicated that this pearl was not simple.
Moreover, since it was an item manifested from the game, any potential miraculous phenomena or danger could certainly cause unnecessary trouble.
Rogel was someone who hated trouble.
What would happen if an ordinary person gained superpowers?
Rogel didn't know about others, but his dream was just to write novels, not worry about food and drink, and occasionally enjoy a good meal.
As for more ambitious dreams, at most it'd be finding an ideal girl to marry, having kids, and living worry-free about cars, houses, and money with a leisurely life.
A very ordinary salted fish dream.
"Never mind, I'm not short on money for now."
Rogel put the pearl back into the game.
He was an online novel writer; although his works weren't very successful, they ensured he wouldn't go hungry and even left him with a small surplus each month.
Even though his parents and his life weren't affluent, they weren't particularly in need of money either.
So, Rogel planned to think about making money when the time was right in the future.
"Oh right, I have a fishing rod, let's fish first."
With a thought, Rogel had the pixel character sit by the boat's edge, take out a fishing rod, and cast the line into the sea.
Plop.
Water splashed, the float bobbed, and the sea surface shimmered once more.
Sea breezes passed by, seabirds occasionally cried.
On the vast blue sea, the small boat drifted, the small ginger cat quietly curled up, emitting light purring.
Peaceful and serene.
Rogel quietly watched the fishing rod for any movement.
There was no sea chart, no route, or game map on the boat; in other words, Rogel had no idea where his next destination was.
For now, all he could do was fish.
Blub.
The float sank heavily.
A bite!
Rogel hurriedly controlled the pixel character to reel in the line.
The pixel character seemed very confident; without needing Rogel to operate, it deftly released and retrieved the line, consuming its stamina, and finally lifted it effortlessly.
[You caught: Floating Wood ×1.]
[Fishing Skill experience increased, current Level lv1.]
Rogel's face darkened immediately.
What the hell.
He's supposedly the Fishing Master, so why did he catch this trash?
Rogel paused, suddenly realizing that his game character's Fishing Skill was only at level one.
Maybe it's because the level is too low?
Rogel pondered.
Talent is one thing, but level is true strength.
Then Rogel checked the Floating Wood he caught in the Item Inventory.
He wondered if it was useful; if not, he planned to throw it away to save space.
[Floating Wood]
[Type: Material]
[Quality: White]
[Explanation: A piece of wood floating in the sea.]
It can be used as material; seems like it has some use.
Right, wasn't the small boat upgradable? What materials are required?
[Small Boat → Wooden Boat.]
[Upgrade Requirements: Wooden Plank ×15, Artisan Lv1.]
Alright, seems like it can't be upgraded in the short term.
Though Rogel could try to gather the Wooden Planks needed for the small boat upgrade, he had no way of learning Artisan Skills.
"Guess I'll just fish to pass the days."
Rogel felt a bit helpless.
He continued to control the character to fish.
Even though the character's Fishing Skill level was very low, it seemed that the Fishing Master's bonus meant he rarely came back empty-handed.
It's just that most of his catches were insignificant things.
[You caught: Floating Wood ×1.]
[You caught: Rotten Plank ×1.]
[You caught: Sea Fish ×1.]
[You caught: Sea Crab ×1.]
[Fishing Skill experience increased, current Level lv2.]
[Fishing Skill experience increased, current Level lv3.]
...
[You are out of stamina.]
After catching a real eel, the game character's stamina bar and fullness gauge both hit zero, and the sky also darkened.
The character was a bit out of breath.
"Then let's eat and sleep."
Rogel controlled the character to return to the boat's cabin, taking out stored bread and water, and a small dried fish.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
Hearing this sound, Rogel couldn't help but crack a smile.
Damn, why does eating bread make a sound like Steve gnawing on meat?
"Meow~"
After receiving the small dried fish, the small ginger cat meowed with sparkling eyes.
"Alright, time to sleep."
The character yawned and lay down in the boat's cabin.
The small ginger cat also joined him, curling into a ball, its tail rolling up.
The game screen gradually darkened.
The next day, as the sun rose again, Rogel saved the game.
"I should eat too."
Glancing at the sky outside, Rogel got out of bed, went downstairs, and bought a can of iced cola, some braised meat, and a piece of fried chicken.
"Today deserves a celebration."
Of course, Rogel wouldn't admit he was just giving in to his cravings.