Chapter 1: A New Journey

This is ... ...

This is Nim language, one of the official languages of the Dragon Soul Continent

How is this possible? Could it be that there is a problem with the game?

At that moment, a sudden wave of intense pain surged from Rod's chest, causing him to grit his teeth and halt his movements. It was only then that Rod realized his left shoulder and chest were completely wrapped in bandages. Although he was unaware of what had transpired, the dark stains seeping through the bandages clearly indicated that he had sustained serious injuries

The gale swept through the canyon, stirring up waves across the grassland

Just as Rod was carefully examining the room, the door suddenly opened

For us merchants, this is also a rare business opportunity

Wait, left shoulder

Although Rod did not elaborate in detail, Lijie seemed to understand something as she nodded. After carefully examining Rod's wound, she finally stood up

The wild buffalo, bent down to graze on the tender green grass, lifted its head and gazed at the sky. There, a wooden merchant ship, several dozen meters long, was suspended in the air, its fully unfurled sails billowing in the wind, moving slowly forward.

Standing next to the middle-aged man is a slightly overweight businessman, sporting a peculiar head of curly hair and dressed in a merchant's robe. His small eyes are slightly squinted, as if he is calculating something while gazing at the scenery before him. Judging by his demeanor, it seems as though even this beautiful view could be sold for profit.

Rod lowered his head and gazed at his right hand, which was not the character he had created in the game, not that muscular and wild physique. Instead, the arm before him was slender and weak, its skin a sickly pale due to years of not being exposed to sunlight. This was his body in reality, and he was well aware of this fact

This is definitely not a game

Rod reluctantly turned his head, and through the window, he could see the blue sky and white clouds. Where was he? What was this place? What had happened? Was he still dreaming? Or was he still in the game? At the very least, Rod could be certain that the current location was definitely not his small rented apartment. As he thought of this, confusion immediately surged in Rod's mind. He frowned slightly and then attempted to sit up.

You haven't eaten for two days; you must be very hungry. Please wait a moment, I will go get some food right away. Oh, by the way, I also need to report this matter to the leader. I believe he will come to see you soon.

By the way, how is the young man we rescued doing now? He hasn't died, has he

I understand

The blonde girl blinked her eyes in slight confusion, and the ponytails on either side swayed gently with her movements. Her bright blue eyes were clear and transparent, giving off a lively impression

After saying this, the young girl politely nodded slightly to Rod, then turned and walked out of the room

Rest assured, there are not that many contingencies. Wealth and honor are sought through risk; this is precisely why I am spending such a large sum to hire you. It's just a few snakes, isn't it

The merchant extended his hand and patted the man's shoulder

I am not sure either, sir, but it seems it should be a very fierce beast. I hope we do not encounter it.

Rod was taken aback; he immediately recalled that during his previous battle with the Void Dragon and the Library, he had indeed been attacked on the left side. However, that was his character in the game getting injured, which should not have any bearing on the player himself. Yet now, it was he who was injured in person

Oh! ! !

Rod can be certain of this: although technology has advanced significantly, and as the world's first virtual reality MMORPG, Dragon Soul Continent employs a considerable amount of high-tech innovations, according to the rules, players cannot experience pain. This is designed to help distinguish reality from the game, while also considering the reduction of barriers for players. When a player is injured, instead of simulating pain, the game employs various methods to interfere with normal gameplay, such as reducing the player's movement speed and obscuring vision with a red color that signifies danger, to provide warnings and reminders. However, according to the rules, players cannot experience pain, which serves to differentiate reality from the game and to lower the entry threshold for players. This behavior sparked considerable debate in society when holographic simulation technology first emerged, and the operating company of Dragon Soul Continent is certainly aware of this.

No matter when one looks, this trend is always so magnificent

This is fine

A middle-aged man clad in leather armor stands beside the deck, gazing down at the vast grasslands and beautiful scenery.

Upon hearing the man's response, the merchant nodded in satisfaction; however, he soon furrowed his brow.

Upon hearing Rod's response, Lijie was not surprised, as many adventurers on this continent prefer to explore alone. Therefore, Rod's stated identity did not raise any significant issues.

That is not a world they should be involved in

My name is Lijie Nuoailu, and I am a member of the Xingyue Mercenary Corps, a spiritual master. You can simply call me Lijie.

Although he was still unable to organize the situation before him, Rod hesitated for a moment and then reported his identity and ID in the game

Rod furrowed his brow, unsure of what to say. He turned his head and looked at the mirror on the adjacent wall, where his face was clearly reflected. It was indeed his face, no doubt about it, but it should not be appearing here.

But how did I get hurt? Moreover, this doesn't look like a hospital at all? Rod looked up and saw that the entire room resembled a cabin, with no lights, no phone, and certainly no call bell. A wooden table, two chairs, and a cabinet fixed to the wall were all the furnishings here. For some reason, Rod felt as if he had seen this scene somewhere before.

Lijie has already bandaged his wound, and he is currently in a deep sleep, so there should be no danger to his life

As he spoke, the man instinctively glanced at the entrance of the cabin, then turned his head back to look ahead

From the Eastern Highlands, he is an adventurer

If it were not for this, I fear we would not have been able to transport the goods to the central region so quickly. To be honest, when I initially planned to expand into this market, I faced opposition. However, it now appears that my choice was indeed the right one

What happened

Your injury is quite serious. To be honest, I am somewhat worried about whether you can hold on...

The man's expression grew somewhat serious as he turned his head and cast his gaze toward the mountains in the distance. The towering peaks obscured his view, preventing him from seeing what lay beyond. However, he could vaguely discern that the sky in the distance was not a clear blue, but rather tinged with a hint of somber darkness

However, what kind of injury did that young man actually sustain? From the appearance of the wound, it resembles that of a large lizard—yet, are there such peculiar creatures in the northern part of Parfield?

The young girl confidently introduced herself to Rod

However, what exactly are you fighting against? Why have you sustained such severe injuries? I recall that in this plain area, there shouldn't be any particularly fearsome monsters.

Rod opened his eyes

Have you forgotten?

Rod's initial situation was quite bleak, but his recovery ability was remarkably good

Although the situation before him was chaotic, Rod quickly calmed down. This was a testament to his psychological resilience as a top player and the leader of the world's most powerful online gaming guild. During his conversation with the blonde girl in front of him, Rod learned about his current circumstances: he was gravely injured and lying in the Pafield Plains, and the airship of the Silver Scale Trading Company happened to pass by and rescued him, according to the blonde girl's account.

However, if I may speak frankly, you did not choose the major shipping routes, but instead opted to take this path. While it may save time, the level of danger will also increase. I have heard that the other side has not been peaceful recently. Moreover, I believe you have also heard the captain's warning that there seem to be wind serpents in the vicinity lately. In case of...

A blonde girl dressed in a white robe walked into the room, and she looked at Rod, who was half sitting up, with her eyes wide open in surprise

He stared blankly at the ceiling in front of him, his mind in a haze. He remembered that he should have been leading his team in battle against the most powerful and largest BOSS, the Void Dragon, on the ruins' high platform, and that he had successfully achieved the first kill. He was certain he had received the achievement and system notification, but then, the Void Dragon's final strike took his life. According to the original plan, Rod was supposed to resurrect in the graveyard and then log out. However, at the moment he was killed by the Void Dragon, the entire world instantly turned pitch black, as if forcibly isolated, and then Rod lost consciousness

How do you feel? Are you okay?

Two days ago, you collapsed in the Parfield Mountain Plain, sustaining quite serious injuries. If it weren't for the cargo ship of the 'Silver Scales' Guild passing by, the situation would have been quite dire. I truly do not know what you were fighting against; the left side of your body was severely injured, and it was indeed a very dangerous moment.

The language spoken by the girl was neither Chinese nor English, yet Rod was able to understand her clearly. This surprised Rod somewhat, as he recognized the language.

Hearing the girl's inquiry, Rod smiled awkwardly. What could he say? Should he tell Lijie that he was injured while fighting against the Void Dragon, one of the so-called Five Dragons of Creation?

You are awake? That's wonderful!

Because I was attacked at night, I did not clearly see what the assailants were. There were many of them, and they were fast. I think, perhaps, they were things from 'over there'.

My name is Rod Alant

Adventurer, I see now, this is why you find yourself all alone in such a remote mountain deep in the wilderness

However, the young girl did not pay attention to Rod's expression; she quickly walked to his side and carefully examined his left shoulder and chest