I Want to Skip This

Silver Wolf flipped through the materials Yan Zhiting had just sent over. After reading them carefully, she made a rough summary.

"This is incredible. There are actually two versions:"

First, the world's origin was created and established by the gods. In the Primordial Era, the world was united, and all species were dragons, regarded as noble beings. Because of a moment of greed, the Abyss beyond the world invaded it. After years of futile resistance, the gods created humanity. From the moment humans were born, they bore the mission of defeating the Abyss... Five hundred years ago, after the War of Fantasy, the Abyss was severely wounded and driven back beyond the world. Until recently, the gods fell silent, the Abyss attacked again, and the Goddess of Life summoned travelers from another world.

Second, in the distant Primordial Era, the Abyss crushed this world again and again. Then, in this despairing world, a Primordial being was born. They broke the world free of chaos. Seeing the Abyss's evil, they came to comprehend the purity of life. Afterwards, they created life, creating humans, dragons, Elves, dwarves, and other species. Everyone fought the evil Abyss together... Five hundred years ago, after the War of Fantasy, the Abyss was severely wounded by humanity. With Their silence, the Abyss seized the opportunity to invade once more, while people from another world descended upon this world.

"Just reading all that and summarizing it is already such a pain. It's hard to imagine how exhausting it is for those lore players who gather information, make deductions, and slowly piece the story together." Silver Wolf propped up her cheek, a trace of fatigue showing on her face. "Still, the War of Fantasy looks like a key turning point. But why does it feel so much like a certain game?"

Silver Wolf stretched, then snapped her fingers crisply.

The door behind her opened, and Flower Binder slowly walked in. "Wolf Venerable."

Silver Wolf stood and walked over to Flower Binder. "Let's go. We'll do the main quest together."

"Yes..." Flower Binder glanced at Silver Wolf, who did not even reach her chest, then silently took the lead.

Vernacular Poet and Windchaser were waiting outside, while that silent type, Sunken Crow, was nowhere to be seen.

Yan Zhiting was gone as well. At that moment, Flower Binder explained, "The guild leader has already gone back. The rest of the main quest is in your hands."

Silver Wolf was puzzled. "Why aren't we going together?"

Vernacular Poet coughed and began explaining in a serious tone, "The quest can't be given to teammates who join later. Only whoever is in the party when it's accepted can receive it."

Windchaser nodded.

Silver Wolf pointed at the empty spot. "Where's that silent type?"

"Who?" Windchaser did not understand who she meant at first.

Vernacular Poet shrugged. "Obviously, he went to make his breakthrough. Besides, we're going to talk to the goddess next. He's always like this."

Silver Wolf thought about it briefly. That silent type really did not seem suited for dialogue quests.

Vernacular Poet nodded lightly and took the initiative to ask, "Then shall we get going?"

"Quit talking and move."

Windchaser poked her head out from behind Vernacular Poet and said with a giggle, "It's fine. He'll respawn when he gets back later."

Silver Wolf felt that the atmosphere was simply incredible, and could not help sighing. "As expected, you can see anything on the internet."

They then left Platinum Courtyard. On the way to meet the goddess, some players spotted Silver Wolf, but they mostly just watched from afar, not daring to approach and ask questions.

"So many players in the main city... Everyone's levels are pretty low."

At a glance, Silver Wolf saw that most players were around level fifty, while even level sixty players were rare.

Flower Binder silently followed beside her and explained, "Those still in the main city are generally new players or independent players."

Silver Wolf rubbed her chin and gave it serious thought. "So, does that mean all the high-level players have been monopolized by guilds?"

"They were attracted into joining," Flower Binder corrected her wording.

The independent players nearby did not dare approach and ask questions. After all, with a guild leader's younger sister and someone like Flower Binder traveling together, no independent player would go looking for trouble.

Silver Wolf looked at the... medieval-style facilities lining the way: artisan shops, the Adventurers' Association, taverns, and so on.

"Enough with the other-world setting already. I got sick of this stuff ages ago." Silver Wolf stopped looking at the buildings and opened the system forum instead. "If you ask me, your secrecy work isn't very good."

Flower Binder continued explaining with a smile. "Everyone has their own choices. No one's choice in the game is wrong."

"Does that answer mean you can catch the mole, or that you can't?" Silver Wolf turned to look at Flower Binder, who was a head taller than her.

Flower Binder's professional smile.JPG

"Fine, I get what you mean." Silver Wolf shrugged and stopped making things difficult for the working woman.

At the same time, though, she muttered inwardly, No wonder Platinum Courtyard became the top guild. So they really do pay salaries and stuff.

Naturally, Windchaser explained without any burden, "Actually, everyone joined because they like big sis."

The moment she said that, Vernacular Poet, who was leading the way, visibly paused. "Sister Hua is still here... Do you really want her to teach you a lesson?"

"!" Windchaser sucked in a sharp breath, then looked at Flower Binder cutely. "Wuwu, Sister Hua definitely won't report me, right?"

Silver Wolf watched the drama unfold.

Flower Binder kept smiling. "Of course."

Seeing Flower Binder completely in work mode, Silver Wolf could not muster any interest at all. If you treat a game like work, doesn't it lose all its fun?

At last, they arrived beneath the grandest tower in the main city.

Silver Wolf looked up and put on her goggles, gazing at the silver-white tower. Data appeared before her:

[Sky Tower]

[Status: Damaged]

[Once a tower that stood tall enough to reach the heavens across the planes]

"The goddess is inside?" Silver Wolf asked.

Flower Binder patiently explained, "Yes. I'll wait outside in a moment. If anything unexpected happens, contact me immediately."

Windchaser nodded. "Yep."

Vernacular Poet made an OK sign. "No problem."

Silver Wolf then followed Vernacular Poet and the others into the tower.

The inside of the tower was completely different from what Silver Wolf had imagined.

She had thought that a place supposedly inhabited by a goddess would be something like a temple.

For example, there should have been white stone pillars, enormous statues, golden light everywhere, and several robed people kneeling on the ground in prayer.

But reality was not like that at all~

The instant she stepped into Sky Tower, Silver Wolf stopped walking and began observing carefully.

Why is there nothing here? There are barely even any decorations. It feels so... poor? Why is there only one path leading upward?

On both sides of that path floated enormous pages in midair.

There was no writing on those pages, only streams of flowing light.

Silver Wolf looked up.

[Sky Tower: Shattered Star]

[Status: Damaged]

[Function: Unknown]

[Warning: Some areas cannot be analyzed]

[Analysis: Perhaps related to the Primordial origins of the world]

"..." Silver Wolf fell silent for a second. "Interesting. Looks like the plot's about to make some major progress."

Vernacular Poet turned back in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Hehe." Silver Wolf chuckled, then spoke cryptically. "You'll find out soon enough."

"? What does that mean?" Windchaser blinked. "Wolf Venerable."

Silver Wolf did not explain. She simply continued walking forward. "Let's go."

The farther upward they went, the more obvious the changes in their surroundings became.

The simple stone stairs gradually turned into translucent paths of light.

"I remember the story mentioning the era when this place was whole." Vernacular Poet suddenly spoke.

Silver Wolf looked at him. "Oh?"

Vernacular Poet looked around. "This place used to be called the Tower Reaching Heaven, used by the people of the world to communicate with the gods."

"But after that great war five hundred years ago, Sky Tower suffered catastrophic damage."

Silver Wolf looked thoughtful. "The War of Fantasy?"

"Yeah." Vernacular Poet nodded. "The current mainstream theory is that the War of Fantasy was a thorough cleansing operation."

The corners of Silver Wolf's lips rose slightly. "Heh, there was even a great purge."

As they chatted, a door appeared ahead.

The door was enormous, yet it bore no carvings.

There was only a simple, wondrous pattern upon it.

Vernacular Poet walked forward and reached out to touch it.

The next second.

The entire Sky Tower began to tremble, and vast amounts of light flowed from the pattern on the door.

A voice slowly rang out.

[Welcome back in triumph, travelers from another world]

Boom—

The great door slowly opened, revealing a sky.

More precisely.

It was a sky sealed at the top of the tower.

Countless stars floated within it. There was no ground beneath their feet, only a transparent platform.

At the very center was a figure.

Silver Wolf looked over immediately. It was a woman seated amid the starlight.

Her long hair cascaded down, and her clothes were not luxurious, even remarkably simple.

Yet simply by existing there, she made the entire space seem like nothing more than her backdrop.

Silver Wolf instinctively put on her goggles.

Data surfaced.

Yet the next second, the light on the goggles flickered.

[Stop looking, little one.]