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The Transcendent Game might provide him with substantial wealth and social status in the future, but for now—at least for now—he couldn't find a way to cash out. He was broke.

Besides, he, Mu Yuan, possessed lofty moral character. How could he possibly resist something like registering his identity and abiding by the law?

This had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that his identity had probably already been confirmed by the authorities.

The official, judging by the situation, was quite certain he was a real player.

And he did want to get more information from the officials. If he could freeload, even better.

Mu Yuan didn't fully believe it, but freeloading was freeloading. Whether it was true or not didn't matter. His mind was stuffed with a pile of confusion, so he weighed his options, picked one, and tested the waters with a question.

"They say top-tier troop types can overturn rivers and seas. What exactly is a top-tier troop type, and how far do you have to train one to get that kind of power?"

"This question..."

Yang Kong was about to answer when he realized the topic covered a lot of ground. That one question touched on at least three or four points. Good grief!

Some parts even hit the blind spots in his knowledge.

Ahem, steady. This kid was just a newbie. He could just gloss over the parts he wasn't sure about. A newbie wouldn't know the difference.

He paused for a moment, then said, "Actually, most of us players have a hard time getting high-grade or top-tier troop types. But even common troop types can gain terrifying power if you raise them to a high enough level.

"Uh, let me first give you a rundown of the troop grade system. You probably saw on the panel that a freshly recruited troop is 'Zero Order Level 1.' Zero Order is also called the Apprentice Grade. Troops at this stage are still pretty ordinary, within the mortal range.

"Once a troop reaches Level 9, you can start working on a breakthrough. Break through to the Professional Grade, also called the Soldier Grade. At this stage, a troop can already split boulders, smash through walls, and even dodge or block bullets—all kinds of incredible abilities. Most veteran players' main troops are at this level.

"Above that is the Second Order Elite Grade, Third Order War General Grade, Fourth Order Commander Grade... and Commander Grade is already a powerhouse in its own right."

But just how strong a Commander Grade was, Yang Kong had never seen. He was just a desk worker, after all.

"Of course, breaking through major grades isn't easy. Not only do you need to max out the experience, but you also have to consume quite a few rare materials to help push the breakthrough. You understand that, right?"

Mu Yuan understood, of course.

This was standard game mechanics. Soul Sand was like experience books, and rare treasures were breakthrough materials. He was all too familiar with this system. He never thought that after crossing worlds and entering the Transcendent Game, he'd still have to grind for materials like a good little worker.

"Not only that, but breaking through major grades also has a chance of failure. And that failure rate is closely tied to the troop's grade. That's why everyone chases high-grade troops. But high-grade troops are hard to come by."

"So, common troops have no chance to... advance to a higher grade?"

Mu Yuan asked.

Yang Kong: "Of course they have a chance. Anything is possible on the Eternal Continent. Some treasures have the effect of baptism, transformation, or evolution. But those treasures are so rare that they're not much easier to get than recruiting a rare troop type."

From Yang Kong's mouth, Mu Yuan also figured out the troop grade classification.

Common, Rare, Elite, Epic, Legendary, Mythical. Each major grade was further divided into one to three stars.

So, the Skeleton Soldier could be called a top-tier Common-grade troop. ←_←

"What if a player randomly gets a high-grade troop at the start? Wouldn't that be an instant leap to success?"

"That situation can't exist. Even Old Players have a hard time recruiting rare troop types, let alone newbies. Besides..."

Yang Kong paused. "Even if a player did randomly get a high-grade or top-tier troop, a newbie couldn't handle it. Because many high-grade troops already have some intelligence in the early stages. A few with exceptional talent can even awaken self-awareness, speak human language, think for themselves, learn, and improve... And these powerful troops won't—can't—submit to a new player.

"However, high-grade troops really are powerful. For example, Rare-grade troops usually have skills. Before even stepping into the Professional Grade, they can manipulate energy. Higher-grade troops even have innate abilities. Beating low-grade troops is like a father beating his son."

So that's how it was, but...

Mu Yuan switched back to the game interface, looked at the skills on Deathbone's panel, and then at this skeleton that was practicing on its own, constantly improving, and even talking. He fell into deep thought.

"Oh, right, right."

"High-grade troops, truly so mighty. I'm super jealous."

Mu Yuan asked a few more questions one after another, until it seemed like he was giving Yang Kong a headache, before he reluctantly stopped.

Opportunities to freeload information like this might not come again in the future.

"Ahem, don't worry about the information problem. This forum right now is just a guidance forum. There's not much info, and it's a mixed bag. For real game players, our Xuan Kingdom has also built a communication platform—the Tai Xuan Forum. I'll send you the invitation code later. You can find most of the information in the Tai Xuan Forum."

Mu Yuan had already guessed that the Xuan Kingdom had a massive information exchange platform, but freeloading was more fun.

Yang Kong quickly changed the subject. "Next, I want to talk about a more important issue. It concerns the safety and future of you new players.

"You should have experienced how tough it is for players in the early stages on the Eternal Continent, right? As time goes on, your player territory will become more and more conspicuous, attracting the attention of more and more enemies. Survival will get harder and harder."

True.

He himself aside, quite a few players on the forum had posted help threads. They had suffered heavy losses on the first or second day. If they kept going, the chance of dying wasn't just high—it was absolute.

"New players have few troops, mostly Common one-star grade, and no experience. Even if they stumble upon some opportunities during exploration, it's hard to survive the Novice Trial. You have to know, during the trial, players will face even fiercer assaults.

"The territory can't be held. But losing the territory doesn't mean losing your life. So, our advice to most new players is to abandon the territory and move your game character to a safe location. Then you won't have to worry about your life anymore."

That seemed feasible. A pretty slick move.

But...

"Losing the territory must have a big impact on the player, right? And a player can't cross the wilderness to find a safe place on their own strength."

"The impact is indeed significant. Without a territory, the player's identity drops from 'Prospective Heaven Chosen Lord' to 'Heaven Chosen.' They get a limit on the number of troops they can command, can't have Troop Buildings, and so on. Their future prospects are far worse... Ahem, I'm saying too much. Lord players are certainly better off than non-lord players, but there's a premise here: we have to ensure survival first."

"For newbies without a transcendent background or who aren't Lucky Ones, my advice here is to prioritize staying alive."

Yang Kong continued, "As for the relocation matter, if you accept our proposal, the officials will dispatch an elite squad to your location and escort you to a Large City established by our Xuan Kingdom's big shots."

"Dispatching an elite squad to traverse layers of obstacles to escort your in-game character will cost no small price. I'll be straightforward here—that cost will be covered by the Lord Altar you dismantled. A self-dismantled Lord Altar still retains considerable value, so not only will you not need to worry about relocating to a safe zone, you'll also receive an additional amount of Soul Sand."

"Of course, pinpointing your game territory takes time and requires your cooperation, and official manpower may not always be abundant. You'll need to hold out for at least a few days until the escort squad arrives."

According to Yang, the Daughter Lover, player spawn locations weren't entirely random. Players from Xuan Kingdom would most likely spawn on the periphery of Xuan Kingdom's already-explored territory.

He, Mu Yuan, was from Baijiang City, so he would spawn in Baiyun Province, in the area corresponding to Baijiang City. The margin of error wouldn't be too large.

Baiyun Province's officials had already established a Large City, wielding considerable power and influence on the Eternal Continent. This was the prerequisite for any rescue.

Otherwise, given the vastness of the Eternal Continent, dispatching an elite squad from a much farther location for rescue would be completely impossible in time, and the danger would be multiplied countless times over.

"Carrying out this rescue operation, the official personnel will certainly profit, but the players are also very willing. After all, the vast majority of players have no choice. Without official rescue, they can't even keep their lives. And as long as official forces step in, players can escape life-or-death crises while still retaining their player status. It's a complete win-win."

Mu Yuan pondered.

"You're right, but I still want to give it a try."

Yang Kong: "Since you agreed, I'll sign you up... Huh? Wait, what did you say?!"

Yang Kong: "???"

Had he failed to describe the dangers of the Eternal Continent, or was this young lad a bit single-minded?

Brother, this was a matter of life and death, you know.

Wait, Yang Kong thought of a third possibility. This kid looked very calm. If his initial troop type wasn't bad either, he would indeed be somewhat confident.

But often, those who know how to swim are the ones who drown.

During his time as a Guide, he had seen players who were brimming with confidence only to be utterly crushed. Of course, he had also encountered true geniuses who passed the Novice Trial on their own merit and developed independent territories.

This was a path overgrown with thorns.

On the other hand, those players who lay down and enjoyed the ride early on could live comfortably.

Like him, for instance.

But Yang Kong also knew that for players like this, brimming with confidence or being single-minded, it was hard to change their minds with just words.

He also admired them. Xuan Kingdom hoped more players would break through the Novice Trial, allowing Xuan Kingdom's territory and influence on the Eternal Continent to expand continuously.

He emphasized the dangers of the Novice Trial and then warned, "Regardless, you must be careful when exploring the surrounding area in the early stages. You can't afford any mistakes during this period. Also, if your thoughts change, feel free to contact me anytime... Remember, remember, don't push yourself too hard. If something really happens, it'll be too late."

"The officials also provide considerable support to lords who aspire to pass the Novice Trial, including Troop Remnant Souls, Soul Sand, equipment, and so on. But to receive these benefits, new players need to prove their potential, which means passing an assessment... For specific details, you can consult your local Player Association."

"Lastly, lastly, Old Bro will say one more thing. Don't forget to register at your local association. Our player community occasionally has competition, but more often than not, it's cooperation for mutual benefit. You can trade resources with other players, exchange information, or team up to raid Monster Camps, and so on, and so forth."

"And most importantly, stay safe. Only by living do you have a future."