Purple Talent!

Gao Linzhi nodded. Now this was the real world.

A fixed exchange rate between gold, silver, and copper would have been a disaster.

Looking at it this way, the gold-to-silver exchange rate was close to 1:100, not too different from the real world. In reality, one gram of gold cost 500 yuan, while one gram of silver cost 7.5 yuan.

Clearly, players had had an influence.

As she spoke, Han Xiaowei handed Gao Linzhi another Bamboo Token, this one with a simple web address on it.

"This is the Archipelago players' forum. Once you log off, you can visit it online. You don't need to verify your identity. It has tons of detailed background information about the game, as well as guides to help new players avoid common pitfalls."

"I won't say any more. I have to get back to work, too. Go check out the forum after you log off."

With that, Han Xiaowei turned and went back into the same room.

Gao Linzhi put away the Bamboo Token, but inwardly, he sneered.

As expected, there were pitfalls everywhere.

The moment he logged into that forum, his real identity would be exposed.

Even if no identity verification was required, logging in online would still leave an address.

Just then, he said to the Fourth Elder, "Fourth Elder, I'd like to see the village's Guard Contract. If the terms are fair, I'd like to become one of the village's guards."

The Fourth Elder immediately opened his eyes, looking a little surprised. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Gao Linzhi nodded.

He was an Ordinary Player with unlimited revives, after all. As long as there weren't any major traps in the contract, it would be fine.

For the first time, the Fourth Elder got to his feet. Then he pulled an old Bronze Metal Plate out from his robes.

The writing on it was ancient, all in traditional characters.

But upon closer inspection, it was still readable.

"Guard Contract. Ten-year term. Neither party may harm or deceive the other.

"During the ten years, the principal must provide training resources, while the guard must follow the principal's orders in battle. The guard may refuse any mission that would mean certain death.

"Those who break the agreement will suffer Heaven's wrath!"

"Are those the only terms?" Gao Linzhi asked when he saw this.

"Yes, those are the only terms." The Fourth Elder smiled.

"Just ten years?"

"That's right, ten years. But the village is often attacked by monsters, so there's no denying it's dangerous." The Fourth Elder spoke candidly.

Gao Linzhi understood.

Players had a way out. They could simply log off and hide whenever monsters showed up.

Most of them wouldn't sign a contract like this.

No matter how good the terms were, signing meant facing monsters and supernatural horrors head-on. The risk was too great.

Gao Linzhi thought it over, then took the Bronze Metal Plate.

At that moment, a game prompt appeared.

[Employment Contract: A fair, standard employment contract. Can be terminated early for 1,000 Skyfall Stones.]

He no longer had any concerns and nodded. "All right, I'll sign."

He still had over ten thousand Skyfall Stones.

The Fourth Elder immediately stood up, beaming. "Excellent, excellent! From now on, you're one of us here in East Wolf Village!"

"I'll take you to meet the Great Elder right away. He'll assess your aptitude and potential, and help you choose a profession."

Gao Linzhi nodded.

When it came to expertise in supernatural powers, players couldn't compare to the locals—not in the short term, anyway.

Given enough time, though, that might change.

Just as the two were about to leave, a woman came running over from the distance.

Gao Linzhi glanced at her. She had dignified features, a slender waist, and long legs. There was something oddly familiar about the way she moved.

The name above her head read "Clear Water, Blooming Lotus."

"Hello, is this where people sign Guard Contracts? I want to sign one," Clear Water, Blooming Lotus asked.

"Oh? Is today this old man's lucky day? Two Descenders in a row want to sign Guard Contracts with the village?" The Fourth Elder sounded delighted.

Just then, two players came running over from the distance. They wore plate armor, stood over six feet tall, and were powerfully built.

The names above their heads read "Xu Clan* Old Seven" and "Xu Clan* Old Eight."

Gao Linzhi's heart tightened. Could that Clear Water, Blooming Lotus be Lin Qing?

The two plate-armored men caught up, but didn't attack. Instead, they shouted at the woman.

"Lin Qing, don't think you can escape the company's control just by running to East Wolf Village!" Old Seven shouted.

So it really was Lin Qing.

Her identity had been exposed so quickly.

Gao Linzhi sighed inwardly.

"Lin Qing, do as the company says, and you might still have a chance to live. Otherwise, you'll die horribly!"

"You don't want something to happen to your family, do you?" Old Eight added.

"From this moment on, I don't have a family anymore!" Lin Qing said coldly. "Whether I die sooner or later, I'm still going to die."

"You really don't care whether your parents live or die? We know how hard they worked to raise you and help you get your master's degree. That's how you qualified to become a customer service manager for the company!" Old Seven threatened.

"If they really want what's best for me, then now that I have a new hope, they'll be glad to die for me. They won't hold me back. I'll carry their hopes with me as I start a new life.

"If they aren't willing to die for me and want to sacrifice me so they can live, then they never truly cared about me. And if they never truly cared about me, whether they live or die has nothing to do with me." Lin Qing's expression was indifferent.

Holy crap. That's cold...

Gao Linzhi was thoroughly stunned.

He'd never expected Lin Qing, who was always so cheerful, to be this resolute when cornered.

Xu Clan* Old Seven and Xu Clan* Old Eight were just as speechless.

Seeing that neither man had a response, Lin Qing turned to the Fourth Elder. "Fourth Elder, please help me. I'm willing to fight for the village and serve as one of its guards."

The Fourth Elder looked up at Old Seven and Old Eight and said calmly, "The village forbids you Descenders from fighting within its boundaries.

"Neither of you may make trouble for her here."

"Fine, Fourth Elder. We'll leave. But Lin Qing, just you wait. You can escape for now, but you can't escape forever!" Old Seven left them with a threat.

At that, Lin Qing clenched her teeth. "Elder, I want to join the village as a guard, too."

"Well..." The Fourth Elder hesitated.

Clearly, he didn't want to invite even bigger trouble by taking Lin Qing's side.

The village had long ago established a ban on players fighting there. It was meant to attract more Rogue Players, boost the village's economy, and increase its production capacity.

The Corporate Players wouldn't hold a grudge against the village over that.

But actively meddling in disputes between players went against that purpose. The Corporate Players would start treating the village as a target.

"I have a Purple Talent!" Lin Qing suddenly shouted.

Old Seven and Old Eight's expressions changed drastically. They stepped forward, clearly meaning to grab her.

"Purple Talent? Good! We'll protect you!" The Fourth Elder exclaimed, delighted.

He immediately stood between Xu Clan* Old Seven and Old Eight, the two plate-armored men.

With a single sweep of his arm, he sent them both spinning around.

Old Seven and Old Eight were stunned.

They felt an overwhelming force hit them, impossible to resist.