Interview, Forum

Wang Zhifan carefully examined the Rare Tier brass emblem pendant in his hand and found that it did indeed seem rather unusual, carrying an indescribable sinister aura.

The entire pendant consisted of two parts: a slender brass chain and an aged brass emblem attached to it.

The brass emblem was roughly the size of an adult's thumbnail, a fairly regular circular piece of brass.

One side of the brass disc bore an engraved inverted pentagram. At the center of the pentagram was a ring of fine, unknown writing that no one could understand, giving off an ancient, evil, and mysterious air.

The other side of the brass disc had two rows of raised, vicious fangs. The design was neither complicated nor ornate, yet one glance made it clear that they were not the teeth of any known creature, inexplicably evoking a sense of strangeness and terror.

"Though this pendant looks a little odd, its effect according to the description is pretty good. It provides a stable 7% damage increase, so I can wear it directly."

Like most of Wang Zhifan's equipment, such as the Blade of the Wolf Fiend and Wolfhide Armor, he only took them out of his personal inventory when he needed them. He almost never brought them out normally, since he needed to keep a low profile and avoid letting interested people discover that he possessed too many good items.

But this Rare Tier Chapter of Gloom pendant was different. It was very small, and as long as he wore it around his neck beneath his clothes, it would be difficult for others to notice. Even if they did see it, they would most likely take it for some tacky accessory like a cheap fake gold chain. Therefore, Wang Zhifan planned to wear it all the time as an everyday accessory.

After considering his new Rare Tier acquisition, it was time to test his luck. Wang Zhifan did not hesitate. He picked up the pale yellow scroll and casually tore it apart. As the Fine Tier Warrior Skill Upgrade Scroll rapidly crumbled into dust, a panel message flashed before his eyes: You have used a Warrior Skill Upgrade Scroll (Fine Tier). Your class skill Basic Blade Art Lv3 failed to upgrade.

"Just as expected, it failed. I can't say I'm surprised at all."

With only a 10% chance of successfully upgrading a skill, Wang Zhifan had never expected to succeed on his first attempt. He even felt that he might fail ten times in a row. Still, he was willing to keep trying, because after personally experiencing the enormous difference between Lv1 Blade Art and Lv3 Blade Art, he was extremely curious about what lay ahead. He knew that once he succeeded, the gains would surely be tremendous.

Having dealt with the two unexpected rewards, Wang Zhifan then checked his current personal panel.

Name: Wang Zhifan.

Status: Normal.

Level: Lv1.

Experience: 98/100.

Class: Blademaster.

Constitution: 18.

Strength: 19.

Agility: 17.

Spirit: 16.

Skills: Basic Blade Art Lv3.

Equipped: Chapter of Gloom (Rare Tier).

Personal Inventory: Blade of the Wolf Fiend (Rare Tier), Wolfhide Armor (Fine Tier).

"My experience bar is almost full. I'll probably reach Lv2 after clearing tomorrow's dungeon. I wonder what kind of improvements the Blademaster class will gain upon leveling up."

Having inherited all of the original owner's memories, Wang Zhifan had learned through information the original owner gathered while lurking on the Player Forum years ago that every player received improvements upon leveling up. However, the specific improvements were not standardized. Supposedly, they depended on the player's class and exact level.

For example, regarding the highly sought-after gunner-type classes on the forum, Wang Zhifan knew that they gained 1 point of Agility when advancing from Lv1 to Lv2, and unlocked a class skill called Bullet Time when advancing from Lv9 to Lv10. Mage-type classes generally gained Spirit when leveling up, and at Lv3, they could independently choose a new spell.

As for the Blademaster class Wang Zhifan had chosen, hardly anyone discussed it on the forum, so he did not know much about it. Still, he guessed it probably involved things like increased attributes and unlocked new skills.

Levels were quite important to players. Though they could not completely represent a player's strength, they at least reflected a player's experience. Generally speaking, higher-level players were usually stronger than lower-level ones, though that was not absolute.

Feeling somewhat bored and expecting that there would be nothing important to do today, Wang Zhifan turned on his laptop in the rented apartment and prepared to surf the internet.

He had originally intended to browse the Player Forum as soon as he opened his browser, but unexpectedly noticed an unread notification. When he clicked on it, he found that someone had replied to the résumé he had submitted yesterday, inviting him to an interview.

"Dear applicant, I am an HR representative from Celestial Hegemony Game Company. I have read the personal résumé you submitted to us and would like to invite you to a job interview at eleven o'clock tomorrow morning..."

"A company actually invited me to an interview? According to its company profile, it's a newly established small-time outfit, and the pay is a little low..."

Wang Zhifan was somewhat surprised that the résumé he had submitted yesterday had actually received a response, but he had temporarily resolved his financial problems and was no longer so desperate to work for money.

After thinking it over, however, he still decided to make time to take a look tomorrow. If it suited him, he would take the job. Having another source of income was better than being unemployed, and it would also help him keep a low profile.

Wang Zhifan then replied to the game company's HR by email, saying that he would arrive on time tomorrow. Afterward, he officially entered a dark web inaccessible to most Xia Kingdom citizens: the Player Forum, and began browsing its newest posts.

"The Special Administration Bureau is recruiting elite players above Lv50 on a long-term basis. Successful applicants will receive special official allowances..."

"A Lv48 veteran tells everyone how to clear every dungeon smoothly."

"A class recommendation guide for newcomers."

"Given the increasing number of non-players entering the forum, I'll mention a few things non-players need to pay attention to."

"As of early this morning, 2,139 players have been confirmed dead in dungeons this month, including one Lv43 veteran..."

"Big shots, I really want to become one of the players you talk about. Where can I buy a gunner class card?"

"Today, I nearly died in a dungeon, yet the rewards I got were pitiful. I regret becoming a player. I'm already starting to miss the peaceful life I had before becoming one."

"A personal speculation regarding the increasingly frequent Ash Domain invasion incidents lately."

"Let's talk about several top domestic players I know."

"Another mysterious massacre in Arizona, United States! Suspected to be the work of a high-level player!"

"It is reported that India has added another twelve permanent Ash Domain zones this month, though the country's authorities have denied it."

"Korea has recently seen rampant cult activity, which is believed to be strongly connected to player groups in multiple countries."