The Terrifying Beginning

In the game.

Ancient Moon Village.

Chen Manor, guest room.

The warm sunset cast its glow on a young man's face.

Fang Yue slowly opened his eyes.

"The sun hasn't set yet?"

Fang Yue was a bit dejected. If the sun hadn't set, night hadn't arrived.

He got up and tried to move his body.

To his surprise, although the status bar still showed the "Severely Wounded" status, his body could move freely.

He just couldn't exert himself or make large movements. He was like a sickly person, only able to move slowly. Otherwise, a blood loss notification would immediately pop up above his head.

Even so, Fang Yue was happy. He didn't have to lie in bed like a paralyzed patient.

He checked his condition and found that his friend list had many messages.

Shi Wuliao: "Brother Ye, I heard you were severely wounded. I brought people to visit you, but Captain Chen stopped us. Are you okay?"

Niu Niu: "Brother Ye, did a villager set you up? Give me a name, and once my divine skills are perfected, I'll deal with him!"

Tactical Breathing Fox: "Brother Ye, I didn't spread the news that you were crippled, only that you were severely wounded. By the way, is that Meridian Disorder really incurable?"

Others had also sent many concerned messages one after another.

These messages were all sent shortly after he had gone offline.

Scrolling further down, about two or three hours ago.

Some people had sent messages again.

"Brother Ye, still not online? Is there any way to get Lifespan? Waiting online, a bit urgent!"

"Professional Player Brother, I want to buy Lifespan. Do you have any to sell?"

"I'm buying Lifespan at a high price, or a method to obtain Lifespan. Brother Ye, any news?"

Clearly, the Players he had brought into the village were also starting to worry about Lifespan.

Lifespan was like a character's death countdown, making these Players anxious as ants on a hot pan.

However, Fang Yue was offline at the time, so he naturally didn't reply, and they didn't send any more messages.

Only Shi Wuliao suddenly sent another message half an hour ago.

"Brother Ye, contact me immediately when you see this message after going online! I have business to discuss with you!"

Business?

Fang Yue sent a message back in confusion, and Shi Wuliao immediately replied with surprise.

"Brother Ye, you're finally online!"

"Mm, what's this business you're talking about?"

"It's like this, Niu Niu and some other Players and I teamed up to take on a mission from the Patrol Team..."

Fang Yue read the message from Shi Wuliao and quickly understood their intentions.

The Players in Ancient Moon Village were all driven to desperation by the approaching Lifespan.

They learned from Niu Niu, who was mixed in with the Patrol Team's reserve members, that taking on missions from the Patrol Team could earn Lifespan rewards, so they formed a team to accept the mission.

Initially, Niu Niu wanted to take on the mission alone, but considering safety issues, he brought Shi Wuliao along, and Shi Wuliao then brought others.

The news inevitably spread, leading to the current situation where five people accepted the mission together.

But Shi Wuliao still felt unreliable, so he thought of Fang Yue, a professional Player, and wanted to ask him to oversee the operation.

A professional Player who got the first kill on an Anomaly could surely handle such a small matter.

"One price, 50,000 yuan! The Patrol Team has a team of 6. Each of us 5 Players will contribute 10,000 yuan to ask Brother Ye to ensure our safety and successfully complete the patrol mission! If we encounter an Anomaly and you can handle it, I'm willing to purchase the final kill right at a price of 1 Anomaly / 10,000 yuan!"

Looking at the price they offered, it would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted.

The problem was, Fang Yue himself was crippled. How could he ensure their safety?

"It's not that I won't take the job, it's that I'm currently severely wounded and my combat power has decreased. I can't guarantee your safety, so I'm sorry."

"Is Brother Ye's injury that serious... When will you recover?"

"Uncertain. Maybe I'll recover tonight, maybe I'll never recover."

Shi Wuliao was speechless upon hearing this.

Recovering in one night versus possibly never recovering.

The difference was quite significant.

"If you recover tonight, around what time?"

"Uncertain. Maybe right after nightfall, maybe close to dawn."

Fang Yue spoke the truth.

This time, Shi Wuliao didn't reply.

Just as Fang Yue thought he had given up, a message suddenly arrived.

"Brother Ye, how about this: we've decided to lower the reward to 5,000 yuan, plus 50 silver coins, if you'll join our team to keep us safe. Don't rush to refuse; I'm not asking you to be in peak condition for this price. All we need is for you to join our temporarily formed patrol squad and ensure our safety."

There was such a good deal?

Fang Yue felt a pang of guilt; the money seemed too easy to earn.

"Brother Ye, don't stay silent. We can pay you upfront! You're a professional Player, after all. You can't refuse a job, right?"

They could even pay upfront?

"I'll take this job!"

Fang Yue replied instantly, then comforted himself.

"I have to trust [Night's Breath]. It's a Human Rank Talent, it should be fine."

Upon seeing the message, Shi Wuliao was overjoyed and quickly sent his location, urging Fang Yue to hurry over.

Fang Yue didn't dawdle. He pushed open his door, ready to leave.

Creeeak.

As the door opened, a sudden shriek of "Ah!" came from the doorway, followed by the sound of a ceramic cup hitting the floor and shattering.

Fang Yue looked down and saw a well-dressed middle-aged woman lying on the ground, staring at him in shock.

"Madam!"

"Madam!"

Behind the middle-aged woman, two maids rushed over in a panic, helping her up.

Madam?

Wasn't that Captain Chen's wife?

"Madam Chen, are you alright?"

Fang Yue quickly asked with concern.

Madam Chen had recovered by then and smiled gently.

"I'm fine. More importantly, Young Master Ye, you're still injured. Where are you going?"

"I feel much better, so I won't disturb you at the manor."

"But Doctor Hong said..."

"Madam Chen, I really am much better. Those of us who practice martial arts recover quickly from injuries."

"Alright then, I can't stop you. As for my husband, I'll tell him when he returns."

"Thank you, Madam Chen."

Fang Yue thanked her and brushed past Madam Chen, heading outside.

The two maids glared at Fang Yue's retreating back.

"Ungrateful wretch. Madam specifically brought him medicine soup, and this is the attitude he has towards a refugee."

"Exactly! He doesn't appreciate kindness! A thankless soul!"

Madam Chen shook her head and said nothing.

She didn't have any particular feelings about Fang Yue's recklessness. It was just that her husband had shown him some consideration.

Curiosity had led her to personally bring the medicinal soup to meet him.

Now that she had met him, he was just a normal person.

Madam Chen bent down towards the broken cup fragments, extended her fair right hand, and reached for the shards on the ground, preparing to clean them up.