【Mochi】 scrolled through the comments one by one, his face darkening with every second.
He closed the forum and pondered for a moment before leaving the respawn point and heading back toward the direction where he had been attacked.
On one hand, he wanted to get his money back; the alley was secluded, so there was a chance no one had picked it up yet.
On the other hand, being killed by an NPC for no reason at all left him absolutely fuming.
If he didn't get his revenge, he wouldn't be able to live with himself!
It was one thing to be a pushover in the real world, but how could he let himself be bullied like this in a game?
Full of bravado, 【Mochi】 vowed to find that madman, throw a sack over his head, and give him a sound thrashing!
...
Liming City Amusement Park.
In the northwest corner of the park sat a haunted house, partially obscured by a grove of withered yellow bamboo. A crooked sign stood at the entrance, reading "Scream Out Loud: Cowards Beware."
The writing was faded, the ticket window was shut, and a wooden board reading "Temporarily Closed" hung from the iron railings, swaying and creaking whenever the wind blew.
The area was deserted, devoid of other visitors. Only Yue Shi stood at the entrance of the haunted house, his brow slightly furrowed as his gaze swept across the ground, seemingly searching for something important.
He paced back and forth, occasionally crouching to inspect the ground, his expression one of anxious frustration.
As the wind brushed past, his long hair lifted and shimmered in the sunlight. Set against the backdrop of the dilapidated haunted house, he looked like a celestial being who had stepped right out of a painting.
A player named 【Peony】 had been watching Yue Shi for a long time.
She had merely been passing through, wandering the amusement park for half the day and trying every ride.
She didn't particularly enjoy them, but she didn't know where else to go.
This game provided no quest markers or map icons, and the NPCs didn't have question marks or exclamation points over their heads.
After finally snagging a spot in the closed beta, she felt like an ant tossed into the ocean, completely devoid of direction.
Then, she had caught sight of Yue Shi.
That face, that physique—it was enough to blind her with its brilliance!
How could she even describe the feeling?
She used to badmouth celebrity stans for being mindless, but now she finally understood them a little.
Seeing an NPC with such exquisite character modeling made 【Peony】's heart skip a beat.
One percent was pure awe, while the other ninety-nine percent was sheer excitement!
Such a distinctive NPC certainly wasn't some ordinary extra; the developers wouldn't waste effort making a background character's model so perfect.
She surmised that this long-haired beauty was either tied to the main plot or was the trigger for a hidden mission.
After wandering this city for two days, she had finally stumbled upon an NPC who looked like he had a story!
At this moment, 【Peony】 had no room in her mind to appreciate his looks; she was driven by pure ambition!
If she could be the first player to trigger a key storyline, she couldn't even imagine how much she would gain!
With a bit of marketing, she could rake in massive traffic and use the momentum to become a game influencer, making a fortune!
Judging by the way the NPC was frantically searching for something, it looked like a classic quest intro cutscene, didn't it?
【Peony】 straightened her clothes, tucked her windblown hair behind her ear, and stepped forward.
“Um, hello?” she greeted tentatively.
Yue Shi looked up and gave a polite smile. “Hello.”
Not only was he handsome, but his voice was also pleasant. 【Peony】's heart raced even faster, but she didn't forget her objective. “You seem to be looking for something. Do you need some help?”
She gave herself a mental thumbs-up. The tone, the expression, the perfectly timed helpfulness—it was flawless.
Yue Shi’s eyes lit up. “You're willing to help? That’s wonderful.”
“I was just visiting the haunted house, but when I came out, I realized my pet was gone. I've been searching for a long time, circling the area several times, but I can't find it anywhere.”
“It might still be inside. Could I ask you to help me find it?”
Classic. Absolutely classic!
This was the textbook definition of a newbie quest!
In 【Peony】's mind, she was already translating: Helping an NPC recover a lost pet would likely reward her with coins and experience, or perhaps trigger a subsequent hidden mission.
Either way, it was better than wandering around aimlessly.
【Peony】 didn't stop to wonder why Yue Shi wasn't going into the haunted house himself instead of just pacing outside.
In all the games she had played before, NPCs were always like this—staying in one spot, waiting for a player to trigger the story.
【Peony】 patted her chest. “Leave it to me! I'll definitely find your pet. By the way, what kind of pet is it?”
Yue Shi pulled out his phone, swiped a few times, and turned the screen toward 【Peony】.
On the screen was a snow leopard cub curled up on a sofa, eyes narrowed as it napped. It looked incredibly adorable, making one itch to pet it.
【Peony】 stared at the photo for a few seconds, marveling at how extraordinary this NPC's pet was.
A snow leopard wasn't exactly a common house pet. No wonder he was so frantic.
“Wait here, I'm going in to look for it.”
【Peony】 took a step toward the entrance of the haunted house, then suddenly stopped as if remembering something. She turned back, sheepishly rubbing her thumb and forefinger together.
“Um, if I find your pet, is there... a reward?”
Given the game's high realism, she felt it was necessary to negotiate the payment beforehand.
If he didn't give her anything and left her working for free, she'd be at a total loss.
She couldn't assume he was a good person just because he was handsome; morality had nothing to do with looks.
Yue Shi nodded with a smile, pulled out a wad of cash, and stuffed it into 【Peony】's hand. “Don't worry, I'm not short on money. If you can find my snow leopard, I'll make sure you're well-compensated.”
【Peony】's eyes lit up at the sight of the money; she clearly loved wealth more than handsome men.
She snatched the money and trotted toward the haunted house, beaming with joy.
She was a bit puzzled that an NPC would pay the reward before the mission was even completed.
That was quite unusual.
But with the cash already in hand, why would she refuse?
Perhaps it was just part of this NPC's quirky personality.
【Peony】 pushed the door open and entered the haunted house.
The wind made the "Temporarily Closed" sign creak once more.
Yue Shi stood in place, watching as 【Peony】 vanished into the darkness of the haunted house. The anxious look on his face slowly dissolved.
The snow leopard cub bounded out from the shadows at the side of the haunted house, its tail held high. It walked up to Yue Shi and rubbed its head against his calf.
Yue Shi scooped the cub up and gave it a vigorous rubdown in his arms.
A contented purr vibrated from the cub's throat.
How could the little cub ever get lost?
It was merely a trap. The players had fallen for it without a second thought.
Rate on N.U.
