Prologue: February 14th

In the year 2050 AD, Spring.

It had been exactly one year, two months, and fourteen days since the release of [Innocent World]!

This not-so-novel yet fiercely market-penetrating spiritual virtual game now boasted over a million devoted fans, who spun countless legends and stories on the continent known as 'Innocent' every night.

It was 'every night' because the game still stubbornly adhered to the bizarre concept of 'only supporting sleep mode login,' causing countless try-hards to complain while miraculously maintaining their physical health...

February 14th, 1:00 AM.

[Connection established, reading character information]
[Welcome back, Lawful Good Mo Tan. Loading Innocent World, good night.]

Southwest of the Innocent Continent—Pamila Port

Mo Tan appeared on a bench. Thanks to system intervention, no one would notice his slightly abrupt appearance for three seconds, which was one of the few differences between players and NPCs in this game.

"So, it's Valentine's Day..." He stretched his shoulders slightly, then sighed softly, "It's not like I can't find someone to spend it with, but if I can't control myself, it'll be a huge problem. I guess it's better to pass the time here. Hmm, I'll go check out the Shadow Labyrinth again today..."

Let's take a moment for a digression. Mo Tan's phrase 'if I can't control myself' didn't mean he felt he might commit some lewd act against a woman that would warrant at least a decade in prison. It was due to other circumstances. As for what exactly those were... don't worry, even if you didn't read the introduction that carefully, it will be explained later~

"Hey, what's our knight doing here, spacing out?" A crisp, pleasant voice sounded behind Mo Tan, interrupting his thoughts.

Mo Tan quickly turned around, but saw nothing...

"Hey! Are you implying that I've stopped growing for over a decade?!" A petite gnome girl with delicate features and a sprinkling of freckles hopped up and down in place, complaining, "Can't you lower your head a little when you turn around?"

Mo Tan gave the girl an apologetic smile, shrugging, "Sorry, Milu, but you have to understand that if the person who greeted me just now wasn't you, but Moor, that big oaf, even a slight downward shift in my gaze might cause permanent mental trauma."

"Heh~" The gnome girl named Milu snorted dangerously, dangerous elemental energy flickering at her fingertips, and sneered, "So, you think my voice sounds similar to that of a sloppy, muscle-brained, slow-witted, one-eyed ogre who can't even find north most of the time!?"

Faced with this gnome sorceress, who also belonged to the Lawful Good alignment but had an exceptionally fiery personality, Mo Tan immediately raised his hands in surrender and spent two minutes self-critiquing his inappropriate remarks...

"I saw you organizing your equipment just now, where are you planning to go?" Milu, who had already calmed down, sat beside Mo Tan, sipping a suspiciously colored reagent while tilting her head.

Mo Tan casually pulled out a piece of parchment, which was half a scribbled map, and said, "I'm planning to go to the Shadow Labyrinth again."

"Goddess Iliana be praised! Mo Tan, it's a miracle you came back alive last time!" Milu exclaimed, "You've only rested for a few days, and you're going to that hellhole again!"

Mo Tan had already put away the map at this point, and had also confirmed that his healing potions, magic scrolls, Miracle Badge, and heavy flail were all in their proper places, nodding, "Yes, I have to go."

"Is it for... Little Dick?" Milu asked softly, her voice filled with a hint of emotion, a hint of self-loathing, a hint of admiration, and more unspoken words.

Mo Tan nodded.

Little Dick was an ordinary dwarven boy in Pamila Port, whose family were also ordinary blacksmiths. Mo Tan's relationship with the family of three was only that he had commissioned Old Dick to repair his armor, but he had ventured deep into the Shadow Labyrinth dozens of miles away several times during this period to cure the sick Little Dick, just to find the withered leaf flower that was said to grow in the depths of the labyrinth and could treat corrupt blood disease.

Even other players or NPCs who belonged to the Lawful Good alignment rarely did this, after all, there was a big difference between being kind and being a pushover.

At least Milu couldn't do it.

But Mo Tan, or rather, Mo Tan as one-quarter of himself in the Innocent World, would do it, not only without hesitation, but also without expecting anything in return.

Mo Tan was a good person in every sense of the word. He was a gentleman, polite, kind, fair, brave, and compassionate. Everyone who knew him would give such an evaluation without the slightest discount.

"Take this." Milu was silent for a moment, then suddenly handed him a small, exquisite magic wand, swinging her small legs that were suspended in the air because they couldn't reach the ground, "I can't risk my life for someone I don't know, but at least I can give a ridiculously kind guy some good stuff."

Mo Tan took it and looked down.

[Milu's Guardian Wand (3/3)] Quality: Excellent Requirement: Lawful Good Alignment Weight: 1.5kg Usage: Create a flame barrier for ten minutes / Summon a totem with low defense (attributes depend on the environment) / Fire a mixed elemental pulse. [Note: A magic wand made by the young gnome mage Milu, containing multiple elemental attributes, can effectively deal with various situations. Expensive.]

When Mo Tan saw the last four words in the note, he immediately looked up, intending to decline, but found that the gnome girl had already left, so he had to keep this favor in his heart, and put this excellent quality consumable into his backpack before getting up and leaving...

He had to hurry, because he didn't know when his night would end.

[You have been forcibly disconnected, please select whether to reconnect.]

"Yes."

[Reconnection starting...]
[Connection established, reading character information]
[Welcome back, Chaotic Neutral Tan Mo. Loading Innocent World, do whatever you want!]

East of the Innocent Continent—City of Freedom

"Heh~" The corners of Mo Tan's mouth, hidden under his hood, curled up slightly. Then, his entire body suddenly merged into the shadow beneath his feet. After a while, he, who had been sitting in a noisy tavern, appeared on the street, with two more money bags in his hand.

No one could recognize him. His current appearance was completely different from the gloomy hooded man shrouded in a gray cloak in the tavern. At this time, Mo Tan was wearing a pair of delicate and elegant gold-rimmed glasses, a snow-white robe decorated with rose-colored lace, holding a huge book in his left hand, and holding a silver harp in his right hand, looking like a bard, of course, being a bard was indeed one of his identities...

Casually tossing a silver coin to the half-dragon selling fruit beside him, Mo Tan exaggeratedly bent down and picked up an apple from the stall, then plucked the strings of the harp with his backhand, creating a melodious and soothing melody, and sang loudly with emotion:

"Black King, standing in a thorn-filled palace~ gazing~ scepter!"

"White Elephant, roaring and looking around~ roaring~ battlefield!"

"Queen meditates, poison rose teacup collides~ killing intent~ hidden!"

"Knight's frenzy, invincible with sword, defenseless~ battle flag~ flying!"

"What will you think in the next second?"

"At that moment, who is getting hurt for me?"

"Who makes a move, exchanging it for a piece of his paradise?"

"Be a puppet, lingering by her side!"

"Chariot, black flag dances~ flying~ booming!"

"Under the white horse, the female knight~ is injured~ softly sings!"

"Whispers of longing echo in my ears~ sounding!"

"Black soldiers unsheathe their swords~ rebel!"

"Still remember the small workshop~ table"

"Gray us still have no~ faith"

"You lean on it with your sword~ softly sing"

"I ignorantly and silently obsess~ watch"

"Now you and I, wearing different paint~ standing on~ the battlefield!"

"But can't forget, the distant gaze of the past~ you are~ in my heart!"

"Chariot heavily damaged, collapsing helplessly in the wilderness~ my heart~ is infatuated!"

"The sound of horses' hooves, like the gaze in memory~ each other~ confused!"

Mo Tan was playing the harp wantonly, dancing in the street, his body swaying with the melody. Even the sound he made when he took bites of an apple in between lyrics sounded like accompaniment. Almost everyone's eyes were on him, and Mo Tan, whose expression was sometimes sad, sometimes wild, sometimes gloomy, and sometimes flamboyant, was enjoying the attention.

Do whatever he wants, as long as he's happy. So what if he casually picks a couple of wallets or suddenly bursts into song? Even if it doesn't benefit him at all? As long as he's happy~

Anyone could tell that this seemingly unrestrained bard and the upright warrior who was temporarily staying in Pamila Port were two completely different people, although in many ways, they really were two people...

But even Mo Tan himself couldn't deny that they were actually one person.

But it doesn't matter~ No one can connect them. Even if someone has heard of both of them, they couldn't imagine them as the same person~

Because players all know that everyone can only create one character in Innocent World.

As for the NPCs, they wouldn't be foolish enough to recognize two guys who, despite looking quite similar, have completely different personalities and positions as the same person.

In fact, 'their' social circles in the game are completely different.

"Knight's sorrow, pear blossom with rain on her face~ whispers~ softly sings~"

Closing his eyes and finishing the last verse, Mo Tan, with a pile of silver and copper coins at his feet, bowed to the crowd that had gathered around him.

Before the crowd had completely dispersed, Mo Tan had already stepped lightly into an alley, and soon, as expected, was surrounded by several masked figures.

"Hmm~ Long time no see, Muse." Putting the harp into his space pocket, Mo Tan smiled and greeted the long-eared figure at the head, whose entire face was wrapped in a leather armor mask: "What brings you here?"

The elf called Muse sneered, "Tan Mo, you're really hard to find..."

Mo Tan shrugged and spread his hands, "You know that we otherworldly people often evaporate into thin air for a while, so it's normal that you can't find me, right?"

Muse drew the double blades from his waist with a backhand, arching his body slightly. "Anyway, you have one minute to prepare your last words."

The other surrounding figures also drew their respective weapons...

The orc shaman took a few steps back, slamming his thick wooden totem to the ground with a clang.

Two human rangers quickly scanned the area, and after ruling out ambushes and traps, lightly climbed the low houses on both sides, subtly blending into the surrounding environment.

And the last two burly dwarf heavy armor warriors slowly approached Mo Tan, holding broad shields.

"Hey~" Mo Tan rubbed his forehead in distress. "Why so much gunpowder? This is the City of Freedom, there are too many people around, bloodshed isn't appropriate, right?"

"Don't worry..." Muse lightly scratched the scroll wrapped around the hilt with his fingernails. A strange elemental fluctuation came, and the alley was immediately plunged into darkness. His voice, filled with anger, exploded in Mo Tan's ear: "Do you know how much trouble you've caused?"

"Which one are you referring to?" Mo Tan didn't turn his head, but simply raised his hand and caught the sharp blade that was attacking like a poisonous snake from behind, and smiled: "The Karg Town mass poisoning incident?"

[Cunning Fox Intuition]

Cunning Passive Skill

Mastery Requirements: Cunning School Level 6, Dexterity 30, Intelligence 30

Effect: When visibility is extremely low/blinded/eyes closed, you can sense the lifeform with the strongest killing intent towards you within a certain range.

[Note: Only prey that can always escape is qualified prey.]

"Or..."

Mo Tan suddenly disappeared from the spot, and instantly appeared behind a human ranger who had just drawn his bowstring to a half-moon. Before the others could even catch his movement, they saw a head fly into the sky, followed by the sound of blood splattering and a burst of light laughter.

"The time I accidentally offed your particularly peculiar employer last time?"

[Dagger-Fan Cloak]

Cunning-type Active Skill

Mastery Requirements: Cunning School Lv. 10, Dexterity 30

Consumption/Restrictions: 200 Focus

Effect: After use, perform a directional teleport within twenty meters. Cooldown: five minutes.

[Note: Although it's called Dagger-Fan Cloak, you don't actually need a dagger, fan, or cloak. So please don't argue with a skill.]

"Stop him!" Muse roared, two bloody shadows flying from the dagger in his hand. The elf's night vision allowed him to spot Mo Tan's location immediately and react as quickly as possible.

A wail echoed, coming from the orc shaman who had just buffed himself with the Power of Earth!

"Or maybe... it's because I conveniently took the Black Tower Thieves' Guild's Shadowfang Dagger?"

Mo Tan's figure slowly emerged from behind the fallen orc, holding a dark, lusterless, slender dagger in a reverse grip, grinning at Muse.

[Shadowfang]

Weapon Type: Dagger

Quality: Unique Epic

Attack Power: Extremely High

Attributes: Cunning Level +2, Curse +1, Dexterity +20

Traits: Bleeding, Tearing, Silence, Additional Skill: Shadow Wolf Fang

Equipment Requirements: Cunning School Lv. 15, Dual-Wield Specialization Lv. 15, Dexterity 35, Unbeliever

[Note: A dagger passed down from the Godslayer Society of the Primordial Era, representing the fang of the Five Beasts of Godslaying. Only unbelievers and God-despisers can use it.]

[Shadow Wolf Fang]

Equipment Skill (Active)

Consumption/Restrictions: 30% of the user's maximum health

Effect: Instantly teleport behind the target (must be within sight), dealing the theoretical maximum damage to them (guaranteed critical hit, enjoys backstab bonus). Cooldown: one hour.

[Note: a, b, c... etc., why is it abc!?]

"That's impossible!" Muse shrieked hysterically when he saw the dagger in Mo Tan's hand. "No one can use Shadowfang!"

And at that moment, the magic scroll he had activated exceeded its time limit...

Pfft!

The instant the darkness faded, Muse saw a smiling face inches away, smeared with a few streaks of eerie blood, and his heart was pierced at the same time.

"Most of the Thieves' Guild aren't followers of the Night Goddess Dilia, but of Izanar, God of Lies, so of course you can't use it," Mo Tan whispered in Muse's ear. "By the way, when I said 'blood isn't suitable,' I never meant my own..."

Muse was already starting to lose consciousness, his gray pupils dilating as he stared at Mo Tan, trembling as he said, "You... why..."

"Ah..." Mo Tan scratched his head. "Yeah, why do I do those things? Probably just chasing answers, doing what I want to do."

Muse didn't react. The second-in-command of the Black Tower Thieves' Guild had already stopped breathing.

[You have been forcibly disconnected. Do you want to reconnect?]

"Yes."

[Reconnecting...]

Bang!!

Mo Tan's game pod was forcibly opened from the outside, a strand of dark hair appearing before him.

"Get out!" the owner of the hair said calmly. "Come help me deal with some trouble..."

Prologue: End