When you first set foot on your adventure, it’s only natural to be curious about your surroundings. There are usually two typical reactions: most people want to walk around and get familiar with the environment, or, without a second thought and without even accepting any quests, they just grab their weapons and rush out into the wild to fight monsters and level up. Generally speaking, such players can be divided into three types—newbies, half-baked newbies, and experts. For a newbie, my advice is: have a good chat with the first NPC who approaches you—at least that way, your life won’t be in danger.

……

“This is a village 60 miles outside Wind Whisper Town, a place adventurers rarely return from. Wish you a pleasant journey on the continent of Rheinlons…”

The system’s deep and pleasant voice gradually faded away, and Charles Bennett’s vision was still shrouded in darkness, so he could only rely on his hearing to make sense of his surroundings.

The song of nightingales drifted in on the damp breeze, and scattered voices rippled like waves, growing louder and louder until the noise became almost deafening.

Suddenly, everything brightened before Charles Bennett’s eyes, and his vision finally returned. The night sky was sparsely dotted with stars, with no moon on the horizon. A faint, thin light spilled down from above, outlining a hazy scene…

But where Charles Bennett stood, there was nothing hazy about it at all. Dozens of torches were wedged into the cracks of ruined walls, illuminating the surroundings in patches. Looking around, all he could see were the figures of all kinds of players—humans, night elves, undead, taurens, orcs, trolls… Players of every race gathered in small groups, their faces glowing with excitement in the dim firelight. To Charles Bennett, this scene looked somewhat strange.

As Charles Bennett cautiously observed his surroundings, more and more players appeared around him, making him feel as if he were in the middle of a bustling marketplace. The overwhelming noise made him frown involuntarily.

“I’d better find a quieter place and get familiar with the environment first,” Charles Bennett decided instinctively.

Just as Charles Bennett was about to push through the crowd to find a secluded spot to observe, a voice from behind made him stop in his tracks.

“Young adventurer, please wait. This must be your first time here, right? You don’t look very familiar with Wind Whisper Town!”

Charles Bennett turned around and saw a burly man with brown hair standing behind him, smiling as he watched him.

“Luke Miller? The village’s guardian. NPC?”

Charles Bennett glanced at the strong, brown-haired warrior, hesitating slightly. In real life, Charles Bennett was a rather seasoned bounty hunter, confident in his ability to handle all sorts of emergencies and adapt quickly to new environments. However, that didn’t include game environments.

The hunter’s survival instincts flashed through his mind, and Charles Bennett immediately recalled the “Newbie Survival Guide” written by his close friend William Harris, deciding it was safer to follow the advice of a gaming veteran.

Charles Bennett straightened his expression and smiled politely. “Good evening, honorable warrior Luke Miller.” Charles Bennett was already well-versed in the customs and etiquette of the major kingdoms in “Night Lord,” and his words and actions were just right. Even though he knew the NPC before him was nothing more than a string of virtual data, Charles Bennett still forced himself to get into character.

Sure enough, when the warrior Luke Miller heard this, his expression softened even more. The fatigue on his chiseled face faded a little, and he gave a wry smile. “Good evening? I’m not feeling good at all! I haven’t slept for two whole days and nights—those damned groundhogs, those damned fire warblers, and those damned evil beastmen…”

Charles Bennett listened carefully to every word of Luke Miller’s complaints, committing them to memory, while his eyes quickly scanned the surroundings. The crowd of players around him was now like a sea of people, but through the gaps between them, Charles Bennett still managed to catch glimpses of the village.

Broken walls, charred tree stumps, and, in the dim firelight, a dozen or so pointed-roof houses faintly visible…

“It’s precisely because of your bravery, warrior Luke Miller, that the village has survived!” Charles Bennett replied calmly, having more or less figured out the situation in this ruined village, and offered Luke Miller a modest compliment.

The warrior Luke Miller looked even more friendly, straightening up and gesturing to Charles Bennett: “Thank you for your praise, young adventurer. Since it’s your first time in Wind Whisper Town, let me be your guide.”

“Thank you for your generosity, warrior Luke Miller,” Charles Bennett said gratefully.

And so, Charles Bennett followed the proactive warrior Luke Miller as he led him on a tour of the village. Charles Bennett carefully observed the ruined settlement while attentively listening to Luke Miller’s explanations.

But before they had gone far, Charles Bennett heard a group of players nearby loudly complaining.

“Howard, how did you die right after entering the game without even fighting any monsters? You got killed in the village?”

“Don’t even mention it, damn! I’m telling you, whatever you do, don’t go to the south side of this crappy village—there are traps and bear traps everywhere. I just wanted to check out the map, took a couple of steps, and got killed by a bear trap. Instantly died and respawned.”

“Bear traps? Traps? Seriously? Are you kidding me?”