Morning. The sun shone brightly.
Outside the entrance to Shelter No. 11, more than two hundred new players were packed together.
After their initial surprise and commotion, most of the new players were now focused on An Ya, who had suddenly walked out of Shelter No. 11.
[Hey, I know this NPC. She's the sidekick who hangs around Bai Fu, right?]
[That's right, it's her! She's the beginner's guide for the Silent Court faction!]
[Man, she's so cute. I wonder how she'd react if I pinched her cheek. She'd probably cry for ages, right?]
[Don't get handsy, bro. These NPCs have seriously good AI. If you go pinching her face and make her mad, you won't be able to join the faction or accept any quests.]
[For real. If I remember correctly, An Ya has a suit of Power Armor. Careful, or she'll show up wearing it and mow you down.]
Most of these players were entering the game for the first time, but they weren't unfamiliar with Above the Stars. They'd even heard of Bai Fu, An Ya, and the Silent Court.
They had Digging Princess to thank for her tireless promotion.
Ever since Star Travel Society's First Above the Stars Most Popular Female NPC Contest, Digging Princess had sparked one hot topic after another by getting into battles with players from all walks of life. And those battles had mostly revolved around Bai Fu. As a result, anyone who had followed Above the Stars for a while and spent time browsing online had probably heard Bai Fu's name by now.
But knowing her name didn't mean these players would favor Bai Fu when playing the game.
In the earliest rumors, Bai Fu had been no more than a hidden character whose storyline might not come to light for