Five minutes later, the two people were wandering near the castle.
"Oh, don't be angry."
"You're just trying to scare me."
"No, that's just how this world is designed. Didn't I tell you to check the official website for the character guide and background settings? What did you look at?"
"After seeing the good-looking NPCs, I've made a stamp-collecting plan— Ed, Seraphina, Xilǐ'er, Number Four, and Number Seven are all quite good-looking..."
"Alright, alright, stop reciting the menu."
Listening to the other party's self-righteous statement, [ Pond Fish and Old Abyss ] realized that his friend might never be able to fight alongside him again.
But that's fine, everyone has their own gaming style, as long as they're having fun. However... she looked at her friend and said seriously:
"... Promise me you'll always keep an eye on the area displayed in the upper right corner of your vision, and absolutely never leave the [safe zone]. Unless there's a special situation, don't even go into the [neutral zone], I'm afraid you'll get kicked to death by a jungle monster."
"Isn't that a bit much? I clearly increased my defense."
"That's just your two legs; in short, don't go to dangerous places."
"Okay, so what kind of casual games would suit me best?"
Upon hearing this question, [Pond Fish and Old Abyss] fell into thought:
The game is limited to the neutral and safe zones, suitable for casual players, avoids excessive fighting, and can still provide assistance at times so players aren't completely uninvolved...
Her gaze swept around, finally settling on a wooden sign.
[Selling a small-scale Deadwood Vine farm, containing 15 Deadwood Vine seedlings, 3 Strangler Fig seedlings, 2 empty tree cavities, and a collection of cultivation tips.]
[Pond Fish and Old Abyss] nudged his friend, pointed to the sign, and asked:
You just said you like growing flowers?
[ Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop ] I subconsciously swallowed, thinking of the vine that greeted me and said:
"Actually, I don't think I like it that much..."
Don't be modest, I already know what suits you best.
[Pond Fish and Old Abyss] suddenly laughed:
"Let's go, I'll take you through the beginner quests first, then we'll go buy this farm!"
But I have no money...
"I have money."
Led by [ Pond Fish and Old Abyss ], the two crossed a simple pontoon bridge and arrived at the opposite bank of the river on the west side of the ancient castle.
The place was bustling with activity; a dozen or so players could be seen working diligently at a glance.
What are we doing here?
[ Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop ] I asked a friend.
"Of course, we're here to kill monsters and complete the quest. After thinking it over, this is the fastest way. I'll leave it with one last breath, and you remember to finish it off."
"But..."
[ Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop ] looked at the bustling logging team around him and asked:
Where is the monster?
"... Well, I can only say that since there are more players, this forest isn't as terrifying as it used to be... Two weeks ago, this place was full of Strangler Fig, and everyone could only move forward back to back, not daring to touch a single big tree."
However, ever since the construction crew began preparing to build houses and boats, many of those guys have run away and disappeared into the deeper forests.
"You mean, that plant can also be afraid and run away?"
"You'll get used to it. Every creature that survives in this world has its own unique skill. Although the Strangler Fig doesn't have a sturdy shell, it can move slowly when it senses a threat, just like a snail. Although it seems slow, it's hard to find its tracks after a night."
"But that person's farm clearly had Strangler Fig seedlings?"
"That's why he included breeding techniques; this is no creature that an ordinary person could tame."
The two chatted as they crossed the logging site on the other side of the river.
Besides some players chopping down trees, there are also a few NPCs from the Upperstream Village helping out with some less strenuous tasks.
[ Pond Fish and Old Abyss ] saw several familiar faces covered in sweat. After searching his memory for a while, he finally recognized them as the volunteers from the church battle.
As expected of volunteers, their awareness is truly high!
Not only did they participate in such dangerous battles, but they also set a good example by being among the first to contribute their strength to the growth of the Second Holy See...
Thinking of this, [ Pond Fish and Old Abyss ] felt a sense of pride, feeling that this game was truly adept at understanding people's psychology.
After greeting a few familiar players, the two entered the untouched forest.
As the sounds of the axe and saw gradually faded, the [ Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop ] began to feel a cool breeze blowing around it.
Just as if they had left a human settlement, as the two ventured deeper into the forest, she began to sense its terrifying nature.
She instinctively grabbed her friend's sleeve and carefully moved forward, when suddenly a delicate fragrance wafted into her nostrils.
Before I could even think about why this game could even simulate taste, a prompt suddenly appeared in front of the [ Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop ]:
[Parasitic toxin test: Constitution 8, Willpower 8, passed, not effective.]
"Huh?"
She was about to say something when she saw her friend cover her mouth with her hand, and a message notification from her companion appeared in front of her:
[Pretending to be dizzy]
Although she didn't know why, she fell to the ground under the other person's guidance. Although it was a bit exaggerated, she didn't seem to have any major problems.
[ Pond Fish and Old Abyss ], on the other hand, darted into the bushes to hide.
The novice girl lay motionless among the withered branches and fallen leaves, initiating a chat using the player communication system:
What's the situation now?
Did you not trigger the judgment?
"Triggered, but not effective."
"... If even 8 points of physique and willpower can be taken down, then the "Plum Blossom" Deer can displace the Strangler Fig and become the new 'newbie killer'."
So what are we doing now?
"Fishing."
"Then who am I?"
"Fish bait."
After lying there for about a minute, [ Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop ] could feel the low-lying plants beneath it starting to wriggle under the pressure from the outside world.
Just when she thought her fishing plan was about to fail, a rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes on the other side of her.
A deer with beautiful markings emerged from the Muli, while [ Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop ] lay motionless, having already activated the photo system to take a picture with the little animal.
The next moment, the "Plum Blossom" Deer, its gait still carrying a touch of elegance, revealed its sharp canines.
"Huh?"
Seeing the sharp canine teeth hurtling towards his neck, [ Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop ] was completely stunned.
Suddenly, a green vine lashed out from the edge of its field of vision, quickly wrapping around the "Plum Blossom" Deer's neck and tightening its grip.
"Aha!"
[ Pond Fish and Old Abyss ], manipulating Deadwood Vine with special gestures, leaped out of the bushes with a strange cry.
"You've been tricked!"
She shouted excitedly and reached out to pull her friend up from the ground.