《Cultivation Online [A VR LITRPG Adventure]》


 Chapter 01 - The New Lease

    Cultivation Online


    With a flash of pale-blue light, my surroundings changed. Darkness morphed into colours, which in return turned into a variety of shapes.


    Suddenly, I was no longer in my bed; I was standing in a large plaza, wearing a surprisingly scratchy grayish-white tunic and a pair of brown cloth pants which offered little to no protection.


    My outfit was obviously not rare since every other person standing on the plaza alongside me wore the same thing. Even the girls did.


    ¡°Wow, look at the graphics!¡± A nearby man said, waving his hand around in front of him.


    ¡°Bro, did you feel that? Did you feel the breeze just now?¡± Another young man said, excitedly caressing his cheek.


    Similar phenomena were occurring all over the plaza as new players struggled to acclimatize to the most technologically advanced VR game of the century.


    ¡°It''s like another world.¡± I thought as I looked up at the sky, where I saw three birds with four wings flapping away in the distance.


    I really was in a fantasy world.


    Deciding to move on before the starting plaza became too crowded, I walked in the first direction that struck my fancy.


    On the way, I disturbingly took note of the fact that the NPCs working in the background had no indicators differentiating them from players. Consequently, one wouldn''t be able to tell if someone was a player based on their appearance alone.


    A red-eyed teenager with unnaturally crimson hair ran past me in excitement.


    ¡°Okay¡­ maybe I was wrong.¡± If all players had designed their characters as flamboyantly as that guy, it would be easy to distinguish them.


    Just as I was about to exit the plaza, however, a notice board filled with fliers grabbed my attention.


    Joining the small crowd in front of it, I read the notices.


    ¡°The guards are employing new trainees huh, that¡¯s sure to attract some attention.¡±


    The next piece of paper had a cat drawn on it.


    ¡°Someone''s lost their cat and is looking for it.¡± I smiled as I recalled the similar notice I''d recently seen in the real world. ¡°This smells like a quest.¡±


    In fact, the majority of the numerous fliers on the board contained information about a variety of different tasks and potential occupations.


    Yet, the notice that grabbed my attention was naturally the largest one, with an ornate crest of a white tiger embellished on it.


    ¡°The White Tiger Sect is recruiting new disciples.¡± I read slowly. ¡°Age requirement: between the ages of thirteen to eighteen.¡±


    Suddenly, I understood why the character customization had insisted on creating a teenager.


    It was so we would be eligible to join sects.


    Shaking my head I memorized the time and place for the recruitment and moved on.


    Even without excited players clamoring around, I reckoned that the city would still have been bustling with activity. Now, with the flurry of players running around, the streets were nearly impossible to traverse.


    Initially, it had been a novel experience, but the longer it took for me to get anywhere, the more annoyed I got.


    And I wasn''t the only one.


    Three times I had already witnessed angry NPC guards apprehend mischievous players. Some of whom were behaving very childishly.


    ¡°At least they act their current age.¡± I smiled to myself. I reckoned I was a lot older than the majority of these players, heck, I even had children of my own playing somewhere in this virtual world.


    Reminded of my children I awkwardly opened my friend tab.


    ¡°There doesn''t seem to be a way to send friend requests without being physically present¡­¡± I noted to myself. ¡°I guess I will have to talk to them later and ask where they wound up.¡±


    According to the guide who''d helped me with the character customization, players were spawned according to their real life location. And since I lived in a different country, it was probably safe to conclude that my children would be far away at the moment.


    Finally, I reached the city¡¯s outer gate. Even here, players were scurrying around, probably looking for lost treasures and hidden quests.


    As far as I could tell, Cultivation Online was a hyper realistic VR game. There were no actual quests or classes, instead, one progressed by cultivating a mystical energy called qi.


    As someone intimately familiar with the Wuxia/Xianxia genre, I was incredibly excited about the prospect of cultivating, defying heaven, and grasping immortality. I dare say more so than my children, who were more interested in the adventure that the new online game heralded.


    Even if it was all in the VR world.


    Naturally, first on my priority list was learning how to cultivate. The urge to sit down in the lotus position and blindly grasp in the dark was strong, but I reckoned that even if I somehow managed to create my own cultivation method (which I strongly doubted) the quality wouldn''t compare to a cultivation method taught by an established sect.


    And so far, I''d only heard of the White Tiger Sect. A prestigious name, at least from a Xianxia perspective.


    The new recruitment would occur in a remote village called Durnatel, located two days away from the starting city of Easton.


    Approaching one of the more angry-looking guards standing by the gate, I balled my fists in greeting like I had seen other NPCs do to people of repute.


    ¡°Excuse me sir guard, would you be so kind as to give me directions to Durnatel?¡± I asked, figuring it wouldn''t hurt to show a bit of humility.


    The guard scoffed in response.


    ¡°Another lad with a deathwish?¡± The guard clicked his tongue in irritation. ¡°Be gone with you, not any street rat can become a cultivator.¡±


    Opening my inventory, I stealthily flaunted a pair of copper coins, betting on the nature of human greed.


    Again, the guard scoffed in response, but he took the coins nonetheless.


    ¡°It''s your life.¡± He shook his head in disapproval before continuing. ¡°Go to the eastern gate. There you should find a caravan headed for Durnatel. Look for a merchant called Quan Zan. Tell him Guard Yang sent you. Now be gone.¡±


    I didn''t forget to ball my fists in gratitude before I left, two copper coins poorer.


    As soon as I went away, two other players rushed the irritated guard who I had just left behind.


    ¡­


    Finding the eastern gate took some effort, but thankfully I found a nice old grandma who didn''t mind giving me directions for free. When she heard I was heading to Durnatel, all she asked for in return was for me to keep an eye out for a young lad called Ye Feng. Apparently, her grandson was also aspiring to become a cultivator.


    Offering her my heartfelt gratitude, I naturally promised to do so.


    To my surprise, the eastern gate was a lot more bustling than the southern one. Not only were there more players here, but several caravans were either entering or leaving the city, bringing people and goods with them.


    After asking around for a bit, I eventually found the caravan with a merchant named Quan Zan in it.


    ¡°Greetings Quan Zan, Guard Yang told me to approach you for passage to Durnatel.¡± I said, balling my fists in greeting. The gesture had worked for me so far, and until it didn''t, I figured it was as good as any.


    ¡°That miserable old guard did?¡± Quan Zan looked me over with a pair of bushy, raised eyebrows. ¡°What a surprise, you must have left quite the impression on the old geezer if he sent you to me.¡±


    Hearing the merchant¡¯s words, I looked back on the encounter I had had with the guard and the two copper I had handed him for the information.


    ¡°I definitely didn''t leave any sort of impression.¡± Nevertheless, it would be a blunder to correct the merchant''s misconception since it suited my current objective nicely.


    ¡°I heard your caravan is heading for Durnatel; I''m willing to serve as a guard if you let me accompany you.¡±


    The merchant looked at my arms with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°You know how to use a sword?¡± He asked.


    Remembering all the years I had spent learning kendo in my youth, I nodded.


    ¡°I''m decent.¡± I said.


    The merchant responded with an amused smile; he didn''t seem to believe me.


    ¡°Since you''re recommended by old Yang, it would be foolish of me not to humour your request. Fine, you will join our caravan as a guard, but know that there will be no reimbursement unless you prove yourself useful. Is that clear lad?¡±


    Nodding my head I balled my fists in gratitude.


    ¡°Good." Quan Zan looked at the rest of the bustling caravan. ¡°We will leave in two more hours, and we won''t wait for you if you''re not here by then.¡±


    ¡°I won''t miss it.¡± I promised easily. It wasn''t like I had anything else to do.


    Quan Zan dismissed me with a nod.


    After looking around for a bit, I eventually found a nice, secluded shade from which I could observe the happenings of the gate.


    I still couldn''t get over how lifelike the game was. The NPCs acted incredibly naturally and behaved indistinguishably compared to real humans.


    Treating them like mindless NPCs would definitely be a blunder.


    Suddenly, a group of players ran past me, heading for the gate.


    ¡°A guild?¡± I smiled as I remembered all the time I spent with my old gaming buddies. As I grew older, more and more real-life responsibilities meant that I didn''t have as much time to play videogames anymore.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°I wonder if they are also playing CO.¡± I thought to myself. Maybe I should try reconnecting with them?


    Nibbling on the bread in my inventory, I realized I actually did have tasks to complete before I headed off.


    And so, with eight whole copper coins to my name, I searched for a place to procure some provisions.


    ¡­


    After a lot of haggling I was left with a measly two copper coins. In exchange, however, I had procured three loaves of stale bread, and a second-hand waterskin with crisp water sloshing around in it.


    Looking at my inventory, I nodded satisfactorily. It wasn''t much, but if rationed properly, it would get me to Durnatel.


    I hope.


    With a bit less than an hour left until the caravan left, I decided to quickly logout and catch-up on some real life chores.


    After a visit to the bathroom, a cheese-and-ham sandwich, and some text messages to my children, I was ready to log in again.


    Disappearing from my quiet one-bedroom apartment, I reappeared in the bustling street of Easton.


    When he noticed me, Quan Zan greeted me with a nod before returning to the conversation he had with two other men, probably merchants.


    When the horse-led carriages began rattling and moving, I couldn''t help but to feel a childish sense of wonder course through me.


    ¡°Amazing.¡± I smiled as I walked alongside one of Quan Zan¡¯s wagons.


    Outside the gates, multiple wide-open fields with some form of grain growing in them stretched into the distance. With a clear blue sky blanketing the city and its surroundings, it truly seemed like I had traveled back in time.


    Now that we were leaving the city, it quickly became clear that I wasn''t the only resourceful player who''d found a way to join the caravan.


    After some surveillance, I counted at least a dozen teenagers who I thought were potential players. Without any indicators, it was all guesswork.


    The caravan itself consisted of around twenty carriages and around forty horses. Riding on the carriages were the merchants and more affluent people who could afford to.


    Excluding the players, there were at least twenty swordsmen tasked with protecting the caravan and its wares.


    After about an hour of sightseeing, a sudden prompt appeared before my eyes.


    [¡°Attention! This is a world-wide announcement congratulating player Fishbones for being the first person to successfully create an original cultivation method!¡±]


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Another player exclaimed behind me.


    I couldn''t hide my envy either.


    ¡°Damn, should I have tried cultivating by myself after all?¡± An original cultivation method, who didn''t want to create one for themselves?


    Ultimately, however, when considering the thousands upon thousands of players logged in right now, someone was bound to do the impossible.


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head. ¡°I''m doing the right thing.¡± Even if I beat the odds and successfully created a cultivation method, I still wouldn''t have the resources to advance my cultivation without a sect backing me up.


    In the long run, joining a sect was definitely the best option I had available.


    After six more hours of uneventful traveling, but with beautiful scenery, one of the caravan leaders announced that it was time to take a break and feed the horses. Helping the rest of Quan Zan¡¯s workers set up a temporary camp, I was surprisingly rewarded with a copper coin afterwards.


    ¡°I guess this is another way to prove myself useful.¡± I smiled as the coin joined two of its new friends in my inventory.


    ¡°Oi boy!¡± I looked around only to realize that the ¡°boy¡± the approaching young man was referring to was me.


    ¡°Oh right, my character is fifteen.¡± I smiled at my forgetfulness.


    Seeing the smile on my face, the young man smirked challengingly.


    ¡°I heard from Mister Quan that you''re supposedly handy with a sword.¡± The young man rested one of his hands on the sword tied to his waist. ¡°Personally, I¡¯d be surprised if a scrawny little rat like you can lift, much less swing, a sword.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately,¡± I answered slowly, realizing that there was a small group of swordsmen watching our interaction in amusement. ¡°My proficiency with the sword isn''t contingent on your approval.¡±


    Shock turned into laughter as the group watching heard what I said.


    The young swordsman in front of me wasn''t laughing, however. Instead, his previous smirk had turned into a displeased frown.


    ¡°Oi oi oi, you started this young man.¡± I thought inwardly.


    ¡°Oh?¡± The young swordsman forced a smile. ¡°Since you''re so confident, you would not mind making a little wager, would you?¡±


    Raising an eyebrow at his words, the young man continued.


    ¡°A spar. If you can last twenty, no, ten bouts against me, I''ll give you a silver. How does that sound?¡±


    Intrigued, I looked between the young man and his friends who nodded, urging me to agree.


    ¡°And if I lose?¡± I asked simply.


    The young swordsman smirked as if he''d already won.


    ¡°Dont worry, I''ll go easy on you. If you lose, you will just have to do my chores for the rest of the caravan.¡±


    Just as I was about to agree to the wager, he added, ¡°And you will refer to me as your grandfather.¡±


    Immediately, the observing group erupted in laughter.


    Personally, it took me a few seconds before I realized that it was an insult.


    ¡°I don''t mind sparring with you, but don''t you think the terms of your wager are a bit too one-sided?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The young man raised an eyebrow in response.


    ¡°My grandfather is worth more than a measly silver coin.¡± I shook my head exaggeratedly, in reality, my grandfather was dead. ¡°Instead of a silver, if I win, I want your sword.¡±


    Again, the group watching cackled as if what I had said was the most hilarious thing they¡¯d ever heard.


    Even the young swordsman chuckled in response.


    ¡°Fine, if you can last ten bouts, I''ll give you my sword. Though I doubt you can carry it.¡±


    Realizing I forgot something I quickly added.


    ¡°Oh, and I''m also going to have to borrow a sword.¡±


    ¡­


    Feeling the heavy metal sword in my hand, I looked around at the crowd that had quickly gathered. Apparently, word of our little bet had spread like wildfire in the caravan.


    ¡°I guess everyone wants a bit of entertainment.¡± I remarked inwardly.


    On the opposite side of the clearing stood the young swordsman who looked like he really enjoyed all the attention he was getting. Like most NPCs, the man was tanned and fit. It didn''t exactly take a genius to conclude that the young man was stronger than me.


    ¡°I can do this.¡± I hadn''t held a sword in what felt like ages. And I had never actually fought with a sword capable of shedding blood before.


    An older swordsman stepped forth, glancing at me before focusing on my opponent.


    ¡°The spar will be until first surrender or until ten bouts have elapsed. No permanent injuries are allowed. Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°Yessir.¡± My opponent said.


    I just nodded.


    ¡°Last chance to back out.¡± The older swordsman said, looking at me. When he realized I wasn''t caving in, the experienced swordsman shook his head in disappointment.


    ¡°Begin.¡±


    Immediately, a couple of players began howling at me from the crowd, but my focus was glued to my opponent.


    Approaching with a smirk, he attacked with an overconfident overhead swing.


    Holding my one handed sword with both hands, I parried the sword aside before stepping into his guard.


    Shocked at my boldness, the swordsman didn''t have enough time to react before I swiftly bashed the pommel into his sternum.


    Retreating two steps, the young swordsman clutched his chest in agony. I didn''t doubt for a second that his chest hurt excruciatingly.


    However, I wasn''t one to give my opponents time to recollect themselves.


    Swinging the heavy sword with both hands, I took advantage of his bad composure.


    Unfortunately, the young swordsman wasn''t completely useless.


    My hands vibrated as metal clashed against metal. However, realizing that my opponent, who had only used one hand, wasn''t faring much better, I swiftly repositioned before kicking him in the knee.


    Ignoring the painful scream that erupted from my opponent, I swung my sword again.


    This time, the young man failed to react in time.


    And thus, holding the shaking sword with two hands against his neck, I waited for someone to announce my victory.


    Only to remember that it was a fight until either surrender or ten bouts, and if I remembered correctly, the fight had ended in four.


    ¡°Surrender.¡± I said to my opponent, unwilling to shed blood if I didn''t have to.


    When the young swordsman gritted his teeth, I recognized what he was about to do immediately.


    Stepping aside, I dodged the disorganized lunge and kicked him in the other leg.


    This time, my opponent keeled over.


    Resting the heavy sword against his chest, I looked the young man dead in the eye.


    ¡°Surrender.¡±


    A glint of unwillingness and hatred flashed in his eyes, but when he felt the weight of the sword against his still aching chest, the young man reluctantly closed his eyes.


    ¡°I¡­ surrender.¡±


    ...

 Chapter 02

    Chapter 02


    After a brief moment of silence, I was showered in applause. Only my opponent¡¯s closest confidants remained silent. The rest of the spectators erupted in cheers. The loudest of whom came from my fellow players.


    ¡°Oh my god! Bro just wiped the floor with that turd.¡±


    ¡°Wow! Did you hear that bone crack? Fuck, man¡¯s definitely in a world of pain right now.¡±


    ¡°Dude, that was absolutely awesome! Where did you learn how to fight like that?¡±


    Ignoring the questions for now, I instead focused on the new prompt that had appeared after the fight.


    [¡°By successfully defeating an armed opponent in a bout of swordplay, you have unlocked the proficiency ¡°Swordsmanship¡±. You can check the progress of your proficiencies under the proficiency tab.¡±]


    Surprised, I opened the tab which I had hitherto not known about.


    [Proficiencies]


    [¡°Swordsmanship¡± - Beginner Lv.1]


    ¡°Cool.¡± I muttered beneath my breath. The tab was spartan, but would without doubt prove useful once I started accruing more proficiencies.


    Turning, I looked at the senior swordsman who surprisingly nodded at me respectfully.


    ¡°Well done, young man.¡± The man congratulated me on my victory while his friends took care of my moaning opponent. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I last saw someone as young and skillful with the sword as you.¡±


    The serious look on the man¡¯s face faded as he smiled before joking.


    ¡°I cannot help but think that you remind me a bit of myself!¡±


    The rest of the swordsmen groaned in unison.


    ¡­


    The senior swordsman introduced himself as Hou Wen and he was apparently the leader of a small guard detail working for one of the more affluent guests of the caravan. While he was a bit secretive concerning his employer, Hou Wen loudly expressed how glad he was that quote ¡°not all caravan guards were a useless waste of space¡± end of quote.


    The eavesdropping players had not appreciated that comment.


    Surprisingly, I didn¡¯t have to badger any of them to uphold their end of the wager as before five minutes had passed, I was handed a sturdy sword kept in a scabbard. Immediately, I recognized the scabbard as the one which previously had been tied to my opponent¡¯s waist.


    ¡°This is definitely worth more than a silver.¡± I thought with a satisfied smile, the weight of the sword reassured me.


    When the guard detail retreated to lick their wounds and laugh at the poor sod who¡¯d lost against me, three players approached.


    ¡°Man, that fight was epic.¡± The first teenager said dreamily; he was a young man sporting black curly hair and bright yellow eyes. The yellow eyes easily distinguished him as a player.


    ¡°Yeah, you wiped the floor with that guy. Well done.¡± Another player said; a young woman with purple hair. Moreover, she seemed awfully fixated on the sword that I had now tied to my belt.


    The third player remained quiet, but, like his peer, he looked at me in admiration. The boy looked like he had chosen the youngest age option when he¡¯d created his character but otherwise looked quite natural with blonde hair and blue eyes.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I answered before realizing I didn¡¯t know their names. ¡°You are?¡±


    ¡°Oh right!¡± The curly, black-haired boy laughed. ¡°The name¡¯s DarkKnight, but you can call me Dark.¡±


    ¡°I am not calling him Dark.¡± I immediately decided.


    ¡°And this is my younger brother Li-*cough*, I mean Atom.¡± The black-haired teenager gestured at the blonde boy who liked like he was thirteen. ¡°He¡¯s not actually thirteen, of course, but at least now, his appearance actually matches his introvertness.¡± Dark laughed.


    Meanwhile, Atom glared at his older brother.


    ¡°You suck.¡± He simply said.


    ¡°And I am Luna.¡± The young woman introduced herself with a handshake, not afraid of eye-contact.


    ¡°Nice to meet you all.¡± I returned smilingly. ¡°My name¡¯s Bishop.¡±


    ¡°Great, now that that¡¯s out of the way.¡± Dark smiled what he probably thought was an endearing smile. ¡°You don¡¯t think you can teach us how to do that?¡±


    ¡°Fight, you mean?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    Before Dark could respond, however, Luna interjected.


    ¡°That was a skill, right?¡± She said, referring to something I had done during the fight. ¡°That parry, I mean. I searched in the city, but there weren¡¯t any skill instructors.¡± Her eyes narrowed.


    Shaking my head I answered honestly.


    ¡°No skill involved I¡¯m afraid.¡± I said before realizing I was, in fact, lying. ¡°At least no Skill-skill. I was merely doing what I have learnt in the real world.¡±


    ¡°Arrrgghhhh!¡± Dark exclaimed in exaggerated dejection. ¡°Of course! God forbid the game should be user friendly!¡± He complained about how spartan the game was.


    After a brief hesitation, I decided to share my discovery with them.


    ¡°Although I haven¡¯t found any skills yet,¡± I emphasized. ¡°I did unlock a proficiency called ¡°swordsmanship¡±.¡±


    Seeing the teenager perk up at my words, I continued. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you can unlock it too if you start fighting with a sword. In fact, I bet there are loads of different proficiencies out there.¡±


    ¡°Proficiencies? Maybe I can be an archer after all.¡± The young boy, Atom, muttered to himself.


    ¡°But those require weapons, don¡¯t they?¡± Luna was quick to point out the issue. ¡°And there is no way you could be persuaded to sell your sword, is there?¡±


    I didn¡¯t even have to answer, it seemed.


    ¡°Maybe I can do what you did.¡± Dark mused out loud. ¡°Maybe I just need to challenge one of the guards?¡±


    Observing him, it was like a light bulb had been turned on in his head. Opening my mouth to warn him, I hesitated before ultimately deciding to close it again.


    ¡°If he wants to try it, it¡¯s his choice.¡± Suddenly, I remembered what Guard Yang had said.


    ¡°It¡¯s your life.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡­


    As I expected, Dark didn¡¯t unlock any proficiency. Yet, his time wasn¡¯t entirely wasted as he did become more proficient at taking a punch. Watching his endeavors, there were multiple factors that contributed to his failure.


    Firstly, the remaining guards had learnt their lesson and they took their challenger seriously from the get go; no more overconfident overhead swings to take advantage of. Secondly, albeit quick on his feet, Dark fumbled whilst handling his sword which, to his evident surprise, was a lot heavier than he had thought. Thirdly, and finally, after losing his few remaining copper coins, there weren¡¯t many who were willing to accept his little gauntlet anymore.


    At least the guards got a good laugh when Dark addressed one of them as grandpa. I reckoned it did much to alleviate some of the harsher feelings induced by my victory.


    Unlike their travel companion, Luna didn¡¯t challenge any of the guards, instead, like me, she patiently observed Dark¡¯s efforts and took note of what worked and didn¡¯t work.


    Finally, Atom seemed like the kind of person who would rather opt out of a fight whenever he could.


    Caressing my new sword, I smiled as I helped Quan Zan pack up camp.


    Apparently, we still had three more hours until nightfall, and the caravan leader wasn¡¯t willing to waste it.


    Now that I was properly acquainted with three of the players in the caravan, we naturally chose to travel together.


    ¡°Do you think the sect recruitment will be difficult?¡± Dark asked as we walked side by side. Next to Dark, Atom fiddled with a twig he¡¯d found on the side of the road. Luna was half a step behind me.


    ¡°There will most likely be some kind of test.¡± I said, not afraid to offer my thoughts on the issue. ¡°But I can¡¯t say how difficult it¡¯ll be.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll probably pass it easily¡­¡± Dark muttered quietly; his eyes glancing at the sword hanging from my waist.


    ¡°Maybe.¡± I said. ¡°But without knowing what the test assesses, I¡¯m not taking anything for granted. And I doubt combat ability is the only thing they will look at.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Luna asked.


    Turning around to look at her, I hesitated before answering.


    ¡°How familiar are you guys with the Xianxia genre?¡± I answered her question with one of my own.


    ¡°I know a bit.¡± Dark revealed. ¡°When they announced the release of Cultivation Online, I studied it of course. Xianxia is about attaining immortality, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± I responded. ¡°It¡¯s more of a mix of different philosophies. Inspired by Chinese religion, martial arts, traditions, mythology, and Daoism, xianxia is about cultivating qi to strengthen the body, mind, and spirit. In doing so, you basically ¡°level up¡± and become stronger. In some cases, you even unlock supernatural powers.¡±


    ¡°Yeah I read about that.¡± Dark added. ¡°I heard we can fly and get telekinetic powers.¡±


    ¡°Cultivators can, yes.¡± I corrected. ¡°At this point of the game, everyone is still mortal.¡±


    ¡°Except Fishbones.¡± Luna pointed out.


    ¡°Maybe.¡± I assuaged. I doubted he¡¯d progressed far without support.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get how any of this has to do with the test though?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°So, in most Xianxia stories, one must be talented enough to be accepted into a sect. Naturally, it differs in different stories, but basically, talent dictates your innate ability to absorb, refine, and cultivate qi.¡±


    ¡°So the test will assess our talent?¡± Dark asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s my conjecture.¡± I nodded. Ultimately, however, it was all guesswork. The playerbase would flip if something as arbitrary as chance or fate decided who gets to be an omnipotent immortal and who is destined to remain as powerless as an insect.


    ¡°Shit, I¡¯m feeling kinda nervous all of a sudden.¡± Dark laughed awkwardly. ¡°It kinda reminds me of tests back in high-school hahah..¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± I said. ¡°In the end, all any of us can do is our best.¡±


    Unfortunately, my words did little to assuage their worries.


    Or my own.


    ¡­


    When dusk approached, the caravan stopped for the night. Apparently, traversing the road at night was a fool¡¯s errand. Though we had yet to see any, the guards claimed there were monsters - and worse - lurking behind the treelines, waiting anticipatingly for foolish travelers to wander into the woods.


    For some reason, when I looked into the ancient forest, I didn¡¯t doubt their words the slightest.


    Unlike the last pitstop we¡¯d made, a proper camp with tents was set up. The horses had to be groomed and a parameter had to be established. Like last time, I helped out and earned a copper coin for my efforts.


    ¡°Slowly I¡¯m becoming the richest player out there.¡± I thought as I nibbled the stale bread I had bought.


    Around camp, I noticed that the remaining players had formed several cliques, with mine being one of them.


    Surprisingly, some players had wandered off, leaving the safety of the caravan to fend for themselves. I both respected and derided the decision. Yet, like the wise guard had said, it was their lives.


    According to Quan Zan, we¡¯d made good ground today and would most likely arrive at Durnatel sometime tomorrow evening.


    I didn¡¯t necessarily look forward to another day of travelling on foot but I was excited about our destination.


    Unwilling to sleep on the forest floor, I didn¡¯t hesitate to log out for the night.


    ¡­


    Silently, I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. In it, a middle-aged man with way too many gray hairs stared back at me. Compared to my youthful character in Cultivation Online, my real body seemingly had much to make up for.


    Sighing, I brushed my teeth, sent a couple of text messages to my children, and went to bed.


    ¡­


    The next morning was starkly different compared to my normal morning routine. I basically inhaled my morning coffee, forwent scrolling on my phone entirely, and dipped in and out of my long shower with a toothbrush in my mouth.


    Then, before I had even said so much as a word, I logged in to Cultivation Online again.


    Back at the camp, I took a deep breath, savoring the fresh, woody smell of pine and the earthy smell of moss. Looking around, I quickly discovered that I might have rushed a bit too much. Most NPCs were still fast asleep.


    Impatient to get started, I walked off to do some morning exercises.


    Holding the heavy one-handed sword in both hands, I frowned as I recalled my old kendo drills.


    ¡°Relax your shoulders.¡± I thought as I repositioned my feet. After a few breaths, I started.


    ¡°Was it always this difficult?¡± I complained as my arms began to ache. Nevertheless, I stubbornly continued. I had once been able to do all these drills without stopping, as such, I wouldn¡¯t need to rest now either.


    Nearly an hour later, I had gone through three different drills and was positively leaking sweat.


    ¡°This is going to smell later¡­¡±


    Still, I wouldn¡¯t stop smiling as I read the new prompt.


    [¡°You have invented a new ¡®Basic Swordsmanship Training¡¯ exercise. As the creator of this exercise, please name it.¡±]


    After thinking for a bit, I decided.


    ¡°Bishop¡¯s Kendo Drills.¡±


    [¡°Bishop¡¯s Kendo Drills executed. Performance rating 31%.¡±]


    [¡°Results: +1 Swordsmanship Lv. (Beginner 1 > 2); upper body strength, breathing, and endurance have improved marginally.¡±]


    ...

 Chapter 03

    <h2>Chapter 03</h2>


    Fortunately, the rest of the morning passed expeditiously. The merchants and their workers were obviously competent at their work as before long, the camp was reassembled and the horses fastened to their wagons.


    For some reason, despite helping out, I didn¡¯t receive a copper coin this time. However, after some deliberation, I decided to abstain from asking why.


    Additionally, as the caravan leaders announced it was time to take off, a worrisome problem appeared


    Dark and Atom were still offline.


    When I asked the still drowsy Luna if she could contact them, she shrugged and explained that they had met in Easton and weren¡¯t actually friends in real life.


    Thus, it was with a heavy heart that we continued on our journey to Durnatel.


    ¡­


    Luna wasn¡¯t nearly as competent as Dark at conversing with other people. And since she didn¡¯t show any interest in fostering a conversation, I similarly chose to focus on the journey we had ahead of us instead.


    Looking around the caravan, it dawned on me that Atom and Dark weren¡¯t the only players who¡¯d missed the caravan¡¯s take off.


    ¡°I hope they¡¯ll survive.¡± So far, the roads had seemed safe to traverse, at least during the day. But then again, that might be because of the large group I was in.


    ¡°Hopefully, I¡¯ll see them in Durnatel.¡±


    The caravan continued without any obstacles or issues and despite my worst fears, no bandits attacked us. Then again, with the number of armed guards employed by the caravan, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised.


    A couple hours after midday, the caravan stopped to rest. Many of the players groaned as they collapsed to the ground, not used to this kind of physical labour. Unlike them, however, I actively approached Hou Wen¡¯s guard detail.


    When I arrived at their camp, the swordsman I had beaten up yesterday immediately glowered at me; yet, when he noticed that I wasn¡¯t perturbed by his glare, he scoffed and ignored me.


    ¡°How petulant.¡± I sighed in disappointment.


    ¡°Well well well, if it isn¡¯t the prodigy swordsman!¡± Hou Wen greeted me with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smile. Around him, four other veteran guards sized me up like I was a lamb ready for slaughter.


    ¡°Hello Hou Wen.¡± I greeted with a clasped fist, an action which had an immediate positive effect on the group of mercenaries. ¡°I¡¯m here to request another spar.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The leader looked at his men, some of whom seemed intrigued by the idea. ¡°Are you looking to make another wager perhaps?¡±


    Shaking my head, I clarified. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a wager, all I¡¯m looking for is a way to improve my swordsmanship before the White Tiger Sect¡¯s recruitment.¡±


    Hou Wen smacked his knee in laughter before standing up to stretch his back.


    ¡°Spoken like a true swordsman indeed!¡± Hou Wen sized me up with a predatory smile. ¡°I know I said it yesterday, but you truly do remind me of myself when I was younger.¡±


    For some reason, no one groaned this time.


    ¡°I do not mind giving you a quick lesson, young man.¡± Hou Wen threw a look at one of his men, who nodded before walking away to one of their carriages. ¡°But first, isn¡¯t it time you introduced yourself?¡±


    Realizing my faux pas, I quickly apologized.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± I said, feeling a bit chagrined. I still wasn¡¯t used to having to introduce myself to NPCs. ¡°You¡¯re right of course. My name is Bishop.¡±


    ¡°Swordsman Bishop huh.¡± For some reason, the NPC showed no outward reaction over my foreign name, which obviously wasn¡¯t of Chinese origin like theirs.


    ¡°Maybe the NPCs have been programmed not to notice it?¡± In the end, it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Well, hurry on then Bishop, draw your sword. I ain''t got all day.¡± Hou Wen smiled, holding his scabbard in his hand, his sword still sheathed.


    Looking around their camp, I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Here?¡± I asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we move somewhere more suitable for a spar?¡± Moreover, there was the risk of accidentally hurting someone.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first lesson I''ll teach you today, Bishop.¡± Hou Wen took a step towards me, and something about his stance immediately put me on guard. ¡°Sometimes, you will have to be ready to fight even in lousy conditions.¡±


    Before I could answer him, he attacked.


    Scrambling to deflect his scabbard, I winced as I realized it was a feint.


    Dodging in panic, I barely avoided getting beaten into a pulp in the first exchange.


    ¡°Which brings us to my second lesson.¡± Hou Wen smiled as he renewed his attack, keeping me on the defensive and unable to launch an attack of my own. ¡°An experienced swordsman will take advantage of your proclivity to look your opponent in the eye during a fight.¡±


    Hou Wen glanced at my right arm, only to flick his wrist and swing at my left.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I panicked as his sword seemingly coiled like a snake before me. Acting on instinct, I blocked the blow with my arm; fortunately for me, Hou Wen¡¯s scabbard wasn''t sharp. Unfortunately for me, it still hurt like a motherfucker.


    Off balance and in pain, I struggled to keep up with my opponent, who was already preparing another swing.


    Lifting my sword to block, my eyes widened as a single collision was sufficient to fling it away from my grasp.


    ¡°And finally,¡± Hou Wen rested his heavy sheath on my shoulder. ¡°When facing a physically stronger opponent, evade or redistribute, don¡¯t try to block.¡±


    Somehow, the spar was over before it even had a chance to begin.


    Luckily, only the guard detail and Luna witnessed my embarrassing display of swordsmanship.


    Before I could thank the man for his lessons, however, a consoling prompt materialized before me.


    [¡°You have been taught a valuable lesson in swordsmanship by the Guard Captain, Hou Wen. As a result, your swordsmanship proficiency has increased immensely.¡±]


    [¡°Results: +2 Swordsmanship Lv. (Beginner 2 > 4). Spatial combat awareness has improved marginally.¡±]


    Dusting myself off, I clasped my hands in gratitude; meanwhile, I did my best to ignore the sharp pain that suddenly pierced through my aching arm.


    ¡°Thank you for the lessons, Hou Wen.¡± I said honestly. Though a bit unfair, the spar had given me a lot to think about.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    First, I realized I was way too trusting of strangers. Hou Wen¡¯s attack startled me more than it should have. I wasn''t in civilized society any more, and it was time I started acting like it. Moreover, it would be a waste of my brand new sword if I wasn¡¯t prepared to use it at a moment¡¯s notice


    Second, I wasn''t an experienced swordsman. I had some sparring experience, sure, but when it comes to actual fights, I struggled to keep up with my opponent.


    Third, unlike the majority of people in the real world, these NPCs actually know how to fight. Hou Wen''s advice about not relying too much on my opponent¡¯s eye-movements was something of an eye-opener; pun intended.


    After some self-reflection, a new goal emerged. I had to adopt a more holistic approach in my swordsmanship moving forward. Although it would be difficult, in order to avoid falling for feints so often, I had to start paying more attention to my opponents¡¯ hips and and shoulders.


    ¡°But I have no idea how to defend myself against that coiling sword art of his¡­¡± I sighed in defeat.


    ¡°Don''t be too hard on yourself, Bishop.¡± Hou Wen smiled encouragingly. ¡°As a matter of fact, I would be a lousy guard captain if I couldn''t even teach a brat a thing or two every now and then.¡±


    ¡°That''s right kid!¡± One of the observing guards whistled in agreement. ¡°You still did better than Tan Fang usually does.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± One of the other guards, probably Tan Fang, immediately raised his voice and defended himself. ¡°You ought to take a long and hard look in the mirror before you start critiquing others, Jian. Also, I wasn''t the one whose overconfidence lost him a sword yesterday.¡±


    The young man I defeated yesterday grumbled something incoherent, probably an insult of some kind.


    ¡°Oh come on. You are not still touchy about your loss, are you Huan? I say get over it already. Honestly, you should probably take a page out of the kid''s book. At least he knows how to lose with integrity and honor.¡±


    ¡°What you know about honor wouldn''t even fill a page, Jian.¡± Huan, the swordsman I defeated yesterday, snapped harshly at his fellow colleague.


    Jian stood up looking ready to throw hands when Hua Wen suddenly interrupted the bickering men with a loud whistle.


    ¡°That''s enough useless posturing out of the two of you.¡± Hou Wen spoke with a tone that begot compliance. ¡°You will act in accordance with your stature, especially when in the presence of outsiders. Do I make myself clear?¡±


    ¡°Yessir.¡± To their credit, neither Huan or Jian hesitated to comply.


    ¡°Oh and by the way, Bishop.¡± With his guard detail in order again, Hua Wen turned his attention back to me. ¡°If, for some reason, you do not pass the White Tiger Sect¡¯s recruitment tests, know that you are always welcome to join my merry little band of miscreants. We could always use another sword prodigy or two.¡± Hou Wen said with a wink.


    Thanking him again for the lessons, I retreated to lick my wounds in solitude. Though I''d done my best to show a good face, underneath the surface, I hated how easily the guard captain had dismantled my swordsmanship.


    ¡°I never should''ve stopped practicing.¡± I grumbled to myself.


    ¡°That sure was a¡­ spectacle.¡± Luna said as I returned to ¡®our¡¯ wagon. ¡°I thought you knew how to use that thing.¡± She said, gesturing to the sword tied to my waist.


    Glaring at her, I bit my tongue in an effort to not say something stupid. Unlike the young guards, I was in control of my emotions, and not the other way around.


    After a few seconds of breathing, I found that the anger had lessened greatly.


    ¡°I can always become better.¡± I muttered dismissively.


    ¡°And mark my words, I will.¡±


    ¡­


    Overhearing some of the other players¡¯ conversation, I heard something quite interesting. Apparently, our trip hadn¡¯t been as effortless as I had assumed.


    Earlier, some of the guards and players walking in the front of the caravan had had to fight an ill-tempered boar that some of the players claimed had been absolutely massive. Though personally, I doubted the credibility of their words. If the boar really had been the size of a horse, I bet I would¡¯ve at least seen it. The fight had ostensibly ended quickly when the guard NPCs had joined the fray.


    Still, the appearance of a wild beast reminded me of Dark and Atom¡¯s setback.


    ¡°They¡¯ll make it.¡± I tried to persuade myself. According to my friendlist, they were both online now at least. Hopefully, they will catch up with us soon.


    While waiting for the caravan to resume, I wanted to practice with my sword, but since my arm was still aching, I refrained from doing so. Thus, like Luna, I sat down in the lotus position, trying various sorts of breathing patterns in hopes of creating an original cultivation method.


    Before long, I caught the caravan leader¡¯s yelling. It was time to pack up.


    ¡­


    The sun was beginning to set when we finally arrived at the walls of Durnatel. When I first started playing this game, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d immediately spend two days travelling with a caravan. And although it had been tiresome at times, I actually found the whole experience to be quite enjoyable. Not only did I improve my swordsmanship proficiency, but I also got to experience nature in a way that I very rarely got to in the real world.


    And so, we entered the Durnatel town gate.


    ¡°Wow.¡± My eyes darted around to gape at the bustling activity.


    Despite being substantially smaller than the starting city of Easton, Durnatel was absolutely packed with people, especially teenagers frolicking around. And according to Quan Zan, the reason was obvious: it was all because of the White Tiger Sect¡¯s forthcoming recruitment.


    Luna left without saying anything, and honestly, good riddance. The standoffish attitude she¡¯d begun displaying during our trip made me glad that I hadn¡¯t bothered to add her to my friendlist.


    After exchanging some grateful goodbyes with the caravan¡¯s NPCs, I left the caravan to do my own thing.


    A plethora of food stalls sold a variety of meat skewers and confectionery, some of which looked and smelled really appetizing. But with only four copper to my name, I reluctantly moved on. Sugary sweets were my one true weakness out in the real world, it didn¡¯t need to be my vice here as well.


    My miserable financial situation didn¡¯t stop me from window shopping however.


    Some teenagers were scuttering around the streets playfully, greatly irritating a few stall owners. From the 2nd floor windows of the adjacent buildings, NPCs were staring down at the crowd, chit-chatting about god knows what. The only inn I could find had a wooden sign that said ¡°NO VACANCIES¡± hanging on the door.


    And then, just as I was wondering where to go, I saw him.


    My first cultivator.


    ¡­

 Chapter 04

    <h2>Chapter 04</h2>


    Wherever the white-robe clad cultivator went, the crowd parted like the red sea did for Moses. Suddenly, it was crystal clear who was native and who was a player.


    The NPCs bowed reverentially at the cultivator, while the players seemed to see him as some form of tourist attraction. They gawked and snickered as he walked past them, some even made fun of his robe, calling it tacky.


    Then, just as I thought the players couldn¡¯t get any stupider, an eighteen year-old boy with spiky, yellow hair approached the cultivator with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. The surrounding NPCs¡¯ faces paled as the disrespectful youth swaggered across the street.


    Subsequently, the yellow-haired youth did the unthinkable.


    Brandishing a sturdy¡­ stick¡­ he attacked the cultivator without any planning or foresight. He attacked the high-level NPC, in the middle of town, surrounded by witnesses.


    Before I could facepalm, a flurry of movements seized my undivided attention.


    What ensued took place in the blink of an eye. One second the cultivator was striding along the street composedly, the next, he was holding an ornate sword and the yellow-haired player¡¯s head could be seen traveling in an arc through the air.


    Someone in the crowd screamed as the player¡¯s severed head and body dematerialized into pixels. And after a few seconds, there was no trace left of the yellow-haired player.


    But it was too late; everyone had seen what had happened. A player had just been beheaded, in the middle of a town nonetheless.


    Stunned silence took place as the cultivator indifferently looked around, searching for something in the crowd. When he supposedly didn¡¯t find what he was looking for, he sheathed his sword and continued to saunter away, acting as if nothing had happened.


    As if he hadn¡¯t just killed a man, albeit a player.


    When the cultivator finally disappeared, it was as if everyone in the crowd had collectively been lifted from under a spell.


    Chatter erupted as a number of players discussed what they had just witnessed. Many condemned the cultivator¡¯s actions, arguing that the town was supposed to be a safezone; others snickered, claiming that the yellow-haired player had gotten what he had deserved, proclaiming that provoking a cultivator was a death-sentence.


    One person, seemingly a friend of the dead player, surprisingly started to ineffectually shout for a gamemaster to appear, arguing animately that what had happened must¡¯ve been a bug of some kind.


    There was no way a game company would allow this kind of NPC behaviour, was there?


    Watching the NPCs'' petrified reactions to what had transpired, I suspected it wasn¡¯t a bug, but a feature. When the company claimed that Cultivation Online was a hyper realistic VR world, they meant that.


    However, as luck would have it, the yellow-haired player would respawn in a while, only with a severe debuff plaguing him for a few hours. According to the information I had found online, the death penalty in Cultivation Online was quite lenient as long as you remained a mortal. But, once you started cultivating and amassing qi, dying could have grievous consequences. Depending on the nature of your death, you could even become ¡°crippled¡±, losing the ability to cultivate.


    Sighing softly, I resolved to stay as far away as I could from cultivators from now on. Even if the death penalty was lenient at this stage of the game, I definitely wouldn¡¯t be a fan of the experience.


    Moreover, the ease at which the cultivator had killed a man disturbed me.


    Thus, following the stream of teenagers, I continued exploring the town.


    ¡­


    Somewhere on the opposite side of the town¡¯s entrance, I found the place where the White Tiger Sect would host the recruitment. A large, elevated platform had been constructed out of meticulously chiseled stone. In front of the platform a sign said:


    ¡°The White Tiger Sect¡¯s annual recruitment starts at noon every day until the summer solstice. Only youths between the ages of thirteen and eighteen may participate. Failure to comply will result in immediate termination.¡±


    Confused, I searched for an NPC who could answer some of my questions. At a nearby corner, I found a nice-looking grandma selling crab cakes for a copper apiece. Seeing as there weren¡¯t any customers frequenting her stall at the moment, I decided to try my luck.


    ¡°Good evening.¡± I said, balling my fist in greeting. ¡°Any chance I could buy a crab cake and some answers along with it?¡±


    ¡°Depends,¡± The grandma smiled as I produced one of the precious copper coins from my inventory. ¡°On the nature of your questions young man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking to participate in the White Tiger Sect¡¯s recruitment tomorrow.¡± I said, money and crab cake exchanging hands. ¡°Any tips for a newcomer?¡±


    ¡°Do as they say.¡± The grandma answered immediately. ¡°The White Tiger Sect does not have much patience for disobedience.¡±


    Nodding my head quickly she continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen many of their recruitments over the course of my life, short as it may be compared to the immortals.¡± The grandma sighed. ¡°And since what I¡¯m about to tell you is no secret, I do not mind sharing what I have seen with a well-mannered boy such as yourself.¡±


    I smiled at the compliment, unsure if I deserved it. I wasn¡¯t even a teenage boy, after all.


    ¡°Did you know that Durantel isn¡¯t the only town blessed with hosting the White Tiger Sect¡¯s annual recruitments?¡± Seeing the surprise on my face, the grandma chuckled. ¡°Indeed, the White Tiger Sect¡¯s domain stretches much farther than the contested borders of our kingdom.¡±


    The grandma continued before I could say anything.


    ¡°The recruitment is always overseen by two immortals.¡± The grandma pointed out. ¡°And although they may seem young, don¡¯t be fooled. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they are older than me.¡±


    I nodded understandingly.


    ¡°Using one of their crystals, they will check if you have what it takes to join their ranks.¡± The grandma sighed. ¡°Most people do not pass this test.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°There really is an aptitude test.¡± I frowned at the discovery.


    The grandma must¡¯ve noticed my consternation as she continued.


    ¡°But lately, a lot more people have been accepted.¡± The grandma added quickly. ¡°To my memory, I don¡¯t think they have ever accepted as many as they did yesterday.¡±


    Nodding slowly, I conjectured that some players must have managed to participate in yesterday¡¯s recruitment.


    ¡°They had to have run through the night to get here so quickly¡­¡± I noted inwardly. Either way, a day¡¯s headstart wouldn¡¯t matter in the long run. Attaining immortality is a marathon, not a sprint, at least according to all the novels I have read.


    ¡°I noticed on the sign that they will continue hosting recruitments until the summer solstice.¡± I said. ¡°When is that?¡±


    Raising an eyebrow, she looked at me funnily. My question must¡¯ve surprised her as she answered slowly.


    ¡°Tomorrow of course.¡±


    Handing the old lady another copper coin, I asked another question.


    ¡°And, what happens to the ones who get accepted?¡±


    The grandma smiled as she placed the copper coin in her pouch. ¡°As you would expect, they are given a letter of acceptance and directions to the sect.¡±


    Looking around she added whisperingly. ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that many do not make it all the way to the sect. Son, if you are indeed one of the chosen ones, I implore you to act with utmost prudence, for always remember: heaven is jealous of heroic genius.¡±


    With much to think about, I clutched my hands in appreciation and gratitude.


    ¡°Thank you grandmother.¡± I said, hoping that she wouldn¡¯t take offense at my choice of words. ¡°You have given me lots to think about.¡±


    ¡°Of course dear.¡± She smiled a smile only grandmothers know how to smile. ¡°I always try to help my customers.¡±


    Just as I was about to leave, her countenance suddenly reminded me of someone very similar.


    ¡°Oh, and by the way.¡± I looked at the grandma who was busy preparing another batch of crab cakes. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to have met a young boy around my age who goes by the name of Ye Feng?¡±


    ¡°Ye Feng?¡± The grandma¡¯s eyes narrowed as she furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I added hurriedly. ¡°A young man from Easton with an oval-shaped face and a defined chin.¡± I repeated the description I¡¯d received from the old woman in Easton knowing perfectly well that I wouldn¡¯t recognize the boy even if he sat on my face.


    ¡°Ye Feng¡­ Yes, that name does ring a bell.¡± The grandma said before shaking her head remorsefully. ¡°But alas son, I can¡¯t remember where I heard it. It¡¯s not exactly an uncommon name either.¡±


    Thanking her nonetheless, I proceeded to take another stroll around town, savoring my freshly baked crab cake.


    ¡­


    ¡°The only thing worse than a bully, is a group of bullies.¡±  I thought as I shook my head in disappointment. The more time passed, the more players emerged from the woodwork. Most knew how to behave themselves, but some liked to prance around pretending to be the hottest thing since sliced bread.


    Currently, a group of thugs were taking advantage of the fact that the patrolling guard was away to pick on two female players.


    ¡°Come on baby.¡± One thug said, smirking at one of the girls. ¡°Do you know how much work I had to put in to procure a room at the inn?¡± The thug shook his head, pretending to be tired.


    ¡°I just need someone to pamper me a bit.¡± He added. ¡°I don¡¯t even mind paying for it. How does five copper sound?¡±


    ¡°Five copper?¡± One of the thug¡¯s friends interjected. ¡°Dude, I would suck your dick for five coppers. This bitch should feel honoured.¡±


    The thugs roared in laughter.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking repulsive.¡± The woman in question scoffed in disgust, her face pale as a piece of paper. ¡°Come on Lilac, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± She grabbed her silent friend¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hey hey hey!¡± The thug sidestepped to block her way. A shit-eating grin evident on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Tom is just jesting.¡±


    The thug sized them up with a pair of lewd eyes, stopping unnecessarily long on the silent woman¡¯s well-endowed chest area.


    ¡°How about you Lilac? That¡¯s a pretty name by the way. You¡¯d fancy having a good time, wouldn¡¯t you honey?¡±


    Just as I was about to step in to knock some sense into the crude bastards, another group of players beat me to the punch. Led by a handsome young man with a pair of angry, blue eyes, the street quickly became crowded.


    ¡°I know some people like to roleplay as villains in VR games.¡± The handsome young man said, looking the hooligan in the eye. ¡°But I guess the role comes natural to some.¡±


    ¡°A villain?¡± The thug¡¯s eyes widened before looking at his friends for verification. ¡°Is this guy for real? Did this dude seriously just call me a villain?¡±


    The group of thugs chortled.


    His face red, the handsome player looked ready to draw his sword when a displeased voice cut through the crowd.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Break it up immediately!¡± Two armed guards clad in chain mail pushed through the crowd looking ticked off and ready to fight.


    Since the guard seemed to have the situation under control, I decided to move on.


    ¡°A lot of players chose to be eighteen it seems.¡± I remarked inwardly. In hindsight, it wasn¡¯t strange. If given the choice between playing as an adolescent and a young adult, most would probably choose the latter. Honestly, the main reason why I chose to play as a fifteen-year-old was because of the novelty of having a character 30 years younger than my real age.


    When I still felt hungry, even after eating my last piece of bread and the crab cake, I realized that it wasn¡¯t my character, but my real body that was forcing the issue.


    Sighing, I reluctantly logged out.


    ¡­


    As soon as I took off my VR HeadGear and looked around my empty bedroom, an overwhelming sense of dejection swept over me.


    Compared to the VR world with its bustling activity, exciting drama, and vivid colours, real life felt bland and tedious in comparison.


    ¡°And then there¡¯s my body.¡± Like it or not, all the years of working as an electrician had taken its toll on me. Compared to the sprightly young physique I had in CO, my real body was slightly overweight and a lot more rough-looking. I wish I could say I had a valid reason for my unhealthy lifestyle, but apart from laziness, I really didn¡¯t.


    More dejected than I cared to admit, I didn¡¯t hesitate to order some home-delivery to sooth my depression.


    Neither of my children had responded to my previous text messages, but I persuaded myself that they must be busy playing CO.


    My son and daughter, their mother, and my wife¡¯s new husband James all lived in England, while I resided in the US. I still saw my family occasionally during holidays and whatnot, but as they grew older, their old man in the US fell lower and lower on the priority list.


    I didn¡¯t blame them, of course. It¡¯s a natural part of becoming a young adult to want to find your own place in the world. Even I had gone through something similar when I was eighteen.


    I just wished they would respond to my messages more often.


    ¡­