Cao Renqi

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Cao Renqi secured a closed-beta slot because he wanted to experience a fully immersive VR world, not compete for rankings. He arrived on the Flower Country’s southeastern coast with hundreds of other players. After discovering that even a level-1 fisherman had far better attributes than he did, Cao traveled with the group to town rather than risk the wilderness alone. He spent most of his first day sightseeing, then helped the fisherman sell fish when hunger caught up with him 12 13.

Five days later, Cao was selling abalone at the docks when he used Detect on Adrian. The result revealed no usable details beyond an “Extremely Lethal” danger rating. Adrian noticed the inspection, introduced himself, and gave Cao a freshwater errand. Cao supplied two bottles of purified water despite the poor reward, hoping it would lead to more quests 14 15.

Adrian then opened his Personal Shop to Cao. Cao bought Basic Heat Control rather than combat equipment, but later returned to buy Dashing Slash and Basic Swordsmanship. The latter unlocked Apprentice Swordsman; even after improving his attributes and raising Dashing Slash to level 2, he still lacked the Strength and Agility required to use it 15 19. Cao returned when the open beta began and met Golden Spirit, a player who recognized his forum nickname 34 35.

Appearance

• Pudgy face and build; Adrian describes his expression as sleazy 14.
• Rough voice 35.

Personality

Cao approaches the game as a casual visitor. He prefers sightseeing and meeting people to hunting monsters or racing other players for levels, although he will take practical work when he needs food 12 13. He is easily frightened by the gap between himself and powerful locals, yet becomes eager when he thinks Adrian might offer a valuable quest or skill 14 19.

His purchases reflect unusual priorities: he favors a cooking skill over beginner weapons and is particularly interested in Life Return’s promise of precise bodily control. The skill’s one-million-Beli price keeps it out of reach 15.

Abilities & Skills

Detect

• Reveals some information about a target, subject to the gap in level and attributes. Cao uses it on a Flower Country fisherman and later on Adrian 13 14.
• Adrian’s details appear as question marks, with only an “Extremely Lethal” danger rating visible 14.

Basic Heat Control

• Purchased from Adrian’s shop as a cooking-related skill. Learning it also prompted progress toward unlocking a secondary profession 15.

Swordsmanship and Dashing Slash

• Basic Swordsmanship unlocks Cao’s Apprentice Swordsman class 19.
• Dashing Slash can carry its user up to ten meters toward a target during a sword swing. Cao raises it to level 2, reducing its cooldown, but cannot use it while his attributes remain below its minimum requirements 19.

Equipment / Items

• Beginner outfit — a short-sleeved tunic, trousers, and straw sandals. The set has no attributes and cannot be dropped 12.

Relationships

• Adrian — the powerful player-facing merchant and instructor who gives Cao errands and sells him his first cooking and swordsmanship skills. Cao wants more quests from him, but Adrian judges him too weak for further work 14 15 19.
• Flower Country fisherman — Cao helps sell his fish after arriving in town and continues working at the docks during the closed beta 13 14.
• Golden Spirit — an eccentric veteran player Cao meets at the start of the open beta. Golden Spirit recognizes Cao’s forum nickname, much to Cao’s embarrassment 34 35.

Trivia

• Cao objects to “One-Step Quick Man” and asks Golden Spirit to call him “One Who Roams Ten Thousand Miles” instead 35.
• He shared news of Adrian’s Personal Shop on the player forum, drawing both envy and mockery from other players 19.