Traveling Frog? Traveling Embers!

Embers?

As Eye Bag and his two companions cried out in terror, everyone froze. They had heard that large-scale deaths on the battlefield sometimes resulted in an ominous phenomenon – embers – but was it actually happening before them? And on their side, with their blacksmith?

But without exception, they all took a few steps back, afraid the figure would pounce on them.

The God of Cookery frowned and said in a deep voice, "Shao Chai Kun, what do you think?"

Shao Chai Kun observed Yan Hua's micro-expressions, his expression sinking. "That foolish, idiotic look, the same idiotic appearance. I've seen that look before, it's definitely Yan Hua."

The others nodded.

He looked exactly like himself.

Such a vivid, silly expression wasn't something anyone could imitate.

Yan Hua was also bewildered, taking half a step back. "What are you guys talking about? Why are you surrounding me? I just fainted last night, I didn't die at all. I just got stuck in a bug and didn't log out."

The more he acted like himself, the colder Eye Bag and his two companions felt.

Even as the "Yan Hua" in front of them picked his armpit while talking, looking like a grown man scratching himself, how could the three of them not recognize this as his habitual action?

They had been dorm brothers from college until now.

His tone, expression, catchphrases, and actions were all identical.

Suddenly, the three felt a bone-chilling cold erupt in their hearts, crawling up their spines and straight to the crown of their heads.

This game... was too bizarre!

How was this even possible?

If they hadn't been told, even after spending so much time together, they wouldn't have realized it wasn't the real Yan Hua.

"Impossible, is it an AI imitation?"

Su Yu Niang's expression showed a hint of curiosity, and she began to expound, "We have to believe in science. Analyzing this from a logical perspective, the only possibility right now is that he's been replaced by an intelligent AI, a new NPC, imitating his words and actions from when he was alive. After all, from the old steward, we know the AI in this game is extremely intelligent."

Jiu Cai Rong listened to Su Yu Niang's analysis, his cowering expression showing his timidity. He was the type who couldn't watch horror movies.

He was a person who trusted his intuition, and his intuition told him this was too eerie. "I'm saying, is there any possibility? That it's not AI, but the game has actually become haunted?"

Su Yu Niang glanced at him. What a useless, cowardly steward.

"Honestly, we find this terrifying," Eye Bag said, swallowing hard. The more he looked, the more frightening it became, like experiencing the uncanny valley effect.

They always felt.

To perfectly imitate someone, you'd need their memories, their social circle, their real-life experiences.

But how could an AI in a game have memories from real life?

They had an indescribable feeling, like a faint sadness felt when looking at a close friend's tombstone, their emotions inexplicably churning.

If they had to describe their feelings.

It was like they had just attended Yan Hua's funeral, only to suddenly see Yan Hua's vengeful spirit appear before them, that instinctive sorrow of a close friend's departure.

They suddenly understood completely. The mortals in this world who saw the embers of their loved ones, working, walking, eating in their rooms, felt that intense sorrow, wanting to rush forward and embrace them, weeping.

Emotions churned, always arising for no apparent reason.

"Yan Hua, do you remember the name of the shop we used to go to often?"

They asked him questions about real life, and he couldn't answer most of them, as if he had lost most of his memory.

This was normal, after all.

As embers, they only retained vague memories of their past lives, depending on their strength.

Only truly powerful beings possessed complete memories of their past lives after death. Weak living beings couldn't remember much at all.

But at this moment, while it was bizarre for the three who had known Yan Hua for a long time, it seemed novel from the perspective of the other blacksmiths.

"Is this the 'ghouls'?"

"Can I touch it?"

"No wonder we don't have to log off at night."

"I get it, everyone, this is a special hidden pet system!"

"Pet?"

"Ghouls fill the gap of not being able to log off at night. Let them help us work and forge at night, having their own habits and knowledge."

Everyone's eyes suddenly lit up.

Hidden pets?

Good heavens, so this is what they were waiting for?

This was a clone system!

Their strength depended on the personality, abilities, and skill level of the blacksmith themselves.

For example, if one's forging skill was very high, their 'ember' after death would possess the same knowledge and would even help you forge, like an identical twin brother!

Your embers can patrol, scout, forge iron, and build houses for you at night. It's like having another player, another blacksmith, another you!

Of course.

If you're a lazy bum who constantly slacks off, your embers will inherit your personality, also slacking off, stealing from everywhere, and opening treasure chests.

They might even inherit your spirit of "how can I be content living below others," laughing and joking, then using their Fourth Calamity attributes to ambush and kill you, staging a filial piety spectacle.

The more everyone thought about it, the brighter their eyes became.

This setting is simply too game-changing!

When you think about it carefully, the potential for extending gameplay is endless.

"I really want one too. If it were exactly like me, it would definitely be cool."

"Yeah, I've always wanted a brother in real life. And this one looks exactly like Yan Hua, it's made too realistically. I'd believe you if you told me the real-world parallel universe Yan Hua died and transmigrated here."

"Wake up, everyone. The probability of [embers] appearing is very low. To raise one, you might have to die hundreds of times before one drops. Can you afford to die that much? This is a pet exclusive to the wealthy."

"I'm not scared. I'm a primary school student, I have the time to grind. I'm going to make money and get one no matter what. I'll put a leash on it and walk it down the street, making you all envious!"

Everyone chatted enthusiastically, the place erupted in excitement!

They were starting to understand the nature of this manor.

Are they trying to cuckold us again?

This time it's the legendary clone cuckoldry?

This must be one of the core gameplay mechanics!

The creativity of this game is absolutely explosive in the entire industry!

But the "Yan Hua" they were watching was also full of envious glances.

Jealous.

Wanting.

Damn lucky European emperor!

Double EXP!

A full double!

And it would stay up all night forging iron for you and earning money to help you revive. Who wouldn't want that?

"Yan Hua" trembled in fear. These people... are so terrifying.

I'm clearly not a ghoul. I was just faking my death back then. And even if you mistakenly think I'm a ghoul, you're not scared at all?

They became even more excited. Can these perverted hands get off me?

I'm just a male college student who's never had a girlfriend. I just got stuck by a bug and can't log out, just like in Sword Art Online.

Yan Hua looked pitifully at the Yan Xia trio.

Yan Xia and the others looked at their good brother, and for a moment, it was as if they were seeing the real person. The three of them stepped forward, "Don't bully our brother!"

After all.

This Yan Hua had no idea he was already dead, nor that he was a fake. He maintained his pre-death habits, even staying up all night forging iron to save money to revive the three of them.

Having such a bro is too touching.

At this moment, Jiu Cai Rong, who had been stroking his chin in thought, suddenly said:

"Wait, we can't go down the mountain, but can our [embers] go down the mountain? After all, there shouldn't be any restrictions on these kinds of spirits, right? If they can go down the mountain, wouldn't that be no different from us going down the mountain ourselves?"

Everyone: "..."

As expected of you, capitalist Jiu Cai Rong.

Humans die and become ghosts, that's normal, right?

But you've thought of such an outrageous method: players commit suicide, become ghouls, and let their vengeful ghosts work, going out to adventure...

This is probably the most explosive idea throughout history.

Su Yu Niang, however, was incredibly excited:

"Sword Forging Manor is too much fun! I've only just discovered the true meaning! This is like Frog Travel, no, it's Travel Embers!"

"Our brothers and sisters, going down the mountain one after another, searching for materials in towns and villages outside, taking quests, fighting monsters... and then bringing resources back for us to forge iron."

"This is the correct way to play, I've realized it!"

Embers are the core setting of this novel, and many main storylines will unfold based on them.

Adding one more update.

Can't add any more for now, I have to wait for recommendations.