Things of "Primal Darkness"

Here it comes, finally. I wonder if that skeleton is the unknown being.

Yang Qizhou was excited.

The earlier text had hinted at this. The unknown being in the River of Death had noticed the player character, and a boat had occasionally appeared on the river.

He had suspected then that the River of Death might be more than just a place where player characters died and revived. It might be a vast map with its own storyline, one that simply hadn't been unlocked yet.

After that, the character had died a few more times and returned to the River of Death, but aside from the message "You have been noticed by an unknown being," nothing had ever triggered a storyline.

Yang Qizhou had thought he'd guessed wrong and had been frustrated for quite a while.

But now it was finally happening.

Pale text continued to appear.

"You wanted to tell the skeleton, 'What're you looking at? I'll beat you up,' but this was his territory, after all, and even a mighty dragon was no match for the local snake, so you gave up on the idea."

"You see the skeleton walking toward you."

"You ask, 'What can I do for you?'"

"The skeleton sizes you up. Curiosity shows in the gray flames burning in his eye sockets, but soon he shakes his head, a hint of disappointment in the gesture."

"You're confused by what he's disappointed about and can't help asking."

"The skeleton replies that you carry the aura of 'Primal Darkness' and are the person 'we' are looking for, but you're still too weak—nothing but trash."

"The skeleton also expresses regret at having shown himself this time."

What was "Primal Darkness"? He didn't seem to have any related items on him. Yang Qizhou scratched his head, puzzled.

The game continued.

"You really want to beat up the skeleton in front of you, but when you consider the consequences of offending a 'Hidden Being,' you wisely abandon the idea."

"You ask what 'Primal Darkness' is."

"The skeleton doesn't answer. Instead, he tells you who he is."

"The skeleton calls himself Archer. He is an Angel of Rest born in the Second Era. At the beginning of this era, he founded the Society of Rest to prepare for the resurrection of the great 'Lord of the River of Death.' He is currently recruiting the members he needs."

"The skeleton expresses regret that you're far too weak to meet his recruitment requirements, but still gives you two choices."

"One: Offer up the 'Primal Darkness' item on your person. He will personally turn you into an undead, making you eligible to become an outer member of the Society of Rest."

"Two: Hand over the 'Primal Darkness' item on your person and contribute to the resurrection of the Lord of the River of Death. You will receive his protection while traveling across the Ancient Earth."

Yang Qizhou frowned. The whole thing felt deeply suspicious.

An Angel of Rest born in the Second Era must have lived through several changes of era. He had to be an ancient being, yet his entrance had no grandeur at all. He had the form of a skeleton, wore clothes made of grass, and his words exerted none of the pressure you'd expect from an angel.

And both choices required him to hand over the "Primal Darkness" item. Wasn't that motive a little too obvious?

Yang Qizhou thought it over carefully, then decided to choose "Two."

He'd considered that if this "Angel of Rest," Archer, was telling the truth, then after becoming an undead, he would most likely be stuck in the River of Death.

The River of Death might be a vast map too, but the Ancient Earth, where the unknown and the mysterious coexisted, clearly held more possibilities.

As for the "Primal Darkness" item,

Yang Qizhou had no idea what it meant and didn't give it much thought.

Besides, even if he had cared, there was nothing he could do. The game text offered only two choices, and both meant losing the "Primal Darkness" item. Unless he planned to quit playing World of Weirdness, he would have to pick one eventually.

"You choose 'Two.'"

"'Angel of Rest' Archer thinks highly of you and says that you will have his protection when you travel across the Ancient Earth."

"'Angel of Rest' Archer takes the 'Primal Darkness' item from you."

"You lost the 'Garment of the Hidden World.'"

Wait, what?

The "Primal Darkness" item was the Garment of the Hidden World? That was a quasi-legendary Old Day Item! Its negative effects were terrifying, but it was just as powerful. The game character had relied on it to cross the Wilderness, where the unknown and the mysterious coexisted, and reach Dark Fog Town.

Yang Qizhou's face darkened. He was so furious he nearly spat up blood.

What happened next nearly made him keel over.

"You feel the gaze of an unknown being in the River of Death again."

"You suddenly realize that the skeleton before you isn't the unknown being you thought he was. Perhaps he even made up his identity as an 'Angel of Rest.'"

"You fly into a rage and try to grab 'Angel of Rest' Archer."

"He chuckles, jumps into the River of Death, and disappears."

"The raven's cry echoes through your mind. A strange realization wells up from within: you can choose to use the ability of the 'Doom-Bringing Raven' to return to the last moment when you made a choice."

"So, unlucky explorer, will you return to the past, or watch helplessly as the 'Garment of the Hidden World' is swindled away?"

"Please make your choice."

What the hell!

Game, did you see that the "Garment of the Hidden World" I got was too powerful and would throw off the balance, so you pulled this crap? That was dirty as hell.

Yang Qizhou steeled himself, his face twisted with fury, and chose to use the ability of the "Doom-Bringing Raven." I've never taken a loss this big. Even if I quit playing World of Weirdness and leave the text stuck right here, I'm getting the "Garment of the Hidden World" back.

"'Doom-Bringing Raven' takes effect. You return to the moment when you last made a choice..."

"You have regained the 'Garment of the Hidden World.'"

The mysterious skeleton who called himself "Angel of Rest" Archer appeared before you again, offering you two choices just as he had in the previous timeline.

"One: Offer up the 'Primal Darkness' item on your person. He will personally turn you into an undead, making you eligible to become an outer member of the Society of Rest."

"Two: Hand over the 'Primal Darkness' item on your person and contribute to the resurrection of the Lord of the River of Death. You will receive his protection while traveling across the Ancient Earth."

"You remember what happened in the previous timeline and know that the skeleton before you is coveting your 'Garment of the Hidden World.'"

"A new possibility unfolds, giving you a third choice."

"Use the 'Stone of Truth' to ask about the true origins of Angel of Rest Archer. However, this might incur his wrath. If he truly is an ancient being born in the Second Era, your situation will be extremely dangerous."

"Please make your choice."

Without hesitation, Yang Qizhou chose "Three" and activated the Stone of Truth.

He had already planned not to pick either of the two choices. After reloading, the "Garment of the Hidden World" would be back in his hands, so he could just wait it out. Now that a third choice had appeared, he naturally had to try it.

At worst, he'd die.

If you died, you'd be done for; if you didn't, you'd live forever.

Only cowards backed down.

"You refuse to hand over the 'Primal Darkness' item and activate the effect of the 'Stone of Truth.' For the next five minutes, Angel of Rest Archer must answer your questions and cannot lie."

"You glare at the skeleton and ask who he really is."

"He tells you the truth."

"Turns out he isn't an 'Angel of Rest' born in the Second Era at all. He's an explorer from another world. After coming into contact with a sacred object dedicated to the God of Fate, he crossed over to the Ancient Earth and, by a twist of fate, was reborn as one of the 'People of the River of Death.'"

An explorer from another world?

Yang Qizhou shuddered. This was actually a player.

"You continue asking him why he targeted you."

"He answers that every time you come to the River of Death, the 'Old Gods' sleeping in the river always react. So he suspected you had something related to the 'Primal Darkness' item and wanted to get his hands on it."

"Because fate has been reset, he has already lost his memories of the 'Garment of the Hidden World' and doesn't know the properties of this quasi-legendary Old Day Item."

"You press him further. 'What do you mean by "Primal Darkness"?'"

"He says he doesn't know either. He only learned from other People of the River of Death that the unknown gods and Ancient Dominators in the River of Death are all desperate for items of 'Primal Darkness.'"

Meanwhile, in an apartment complex,

the chubby boy was sweating profusely as he tapped frantically at his phone screen, shouting like a madman, "What the hell, stop! You're about to see me in my underwear!"