Chapter 23: Novice First Experience

Shortly after, the elderly fisherman returned to the beach accompanied by a stranger.

The newcomer was a tall man with a messy head of orange hair. His muscular upper body was exposed, and he wore a simple green cloak on his back, concealing a massive battle axe nearly as tall as himself.

"Wow! He's really tall!"

"Must be around three meters, right?"

"Check out those muscles! Impressive!"

"Is he even human? Wearing muscle armor, huh?"

Players marveled at the sight.

The robust man removed the battle axe from his back, swung it forward, and sent countless gravel flying into the air.

He disdainfully glanced at the so-called 'pirates' in front of him and declared loudly, "I am Boo, the squad leader of the Sapposai under Happo Navy! You refugees, if you want to eat a decent meal, find a job in an orderly manner. Our Kano Country does not welcome useless trash!"

After a momentary pause, Boo continued, "Look at your height; you probably don't have much strength. You can't be warriors, so just honestly go plant crops in the fields. The dock also needs labor for packaging and unloading. In Kano Country, as long as you work hard, you won't go hungry..."

According to the description of Boo, the squad leader under some "Happo Navy", players probably understood the situation to some extent.

In the game, the term 'refugee' serves more as an identity symbol than a profession. To earn acceptance from the locals, one must at least attain the status of 'commoner.'

In the crowd, a guild player respectfully approached Boo and asked, "Lord Boo, I wonder if we can join the 'Happo Navy'?

Upon hearing this, Boo burst into laughter. "You want to join the Happo Navy with your height?" He casually tossed his huge battle axe, almost as tall as a person, in front of everyone. The axe's blade, gleaming coldly, stuck into the ground with a sharp sound.

Boo announced to the crowd, "Come and give it a try. Lift my axe, and I might let you join my team!"

Players looked at the enormous battle axe in front of them, with most of them eager to give it a shot.

In the game, feats deemed impossible in real life were achievable through attributes and levels, adding to the game's charm. Joining "Sapposai" by lifting the axe could mean starting with a powerful profession and distancing oneself from others.

The high-level players looked at each other with challenging glares.

"I'm claiming this profession!"

"You bunch of scrubs, just wait and see how I perform later!"

Soon, a group of players lay defeated on the ground, their health points nearly depleted.

Boo shook his head and sighed, "I told you, don't aim too high. Combat professions aren't for everyone. You refugees should live a peaceful life."

As if sensing the player's resentment, Boo added, "See that grove over there? If anyone still isn't afraid of death, go into the mountains and try hunting! Hunting in the mountains is safer than fishing in the sea."

The players turned their attentionto that direction, and suddenly, a dense greenery appeared in their line of sight. The mountains were lush with layers of peaks, and pure white clouds and mist surrounded them, creating an ethereal scene akin to a fairyland. It surpassed any five-star tourist destination in real life by a considerable margin, leaving the experiences of other online games played before far behind.

"Can it be dangerous in such a gorgeous place!"

"In such a beautiful place, how dangerous could it be inside?"

A group of skeptical players immediately rushed towards the mountain. In just a few minutes, only a small handful of people returned with dejected expressions.

"These monsters are too strong! You can't even see their levels. Their legs are thicker than mine!"

"Yeah, exactly! It's like a tank charging at you when they attack! No F key for dodging!"

"Our fallen comrade messaged us! Damn! Not only does dying deduct experience, but the respawn time is also half an hour, and it keeps accumulating? You can only die five times in a week? What the hell game is this!"

Seeing the miserable fate of the monster-fighting group, the more sensible players immediately abandoned the idea of leveling up quickly by fighting monsters for the time being. It's better to run missions and earn experience honestly when you're at a low level.

The old fisherman who had caused a misunderstanding just now suddenly became popular. A large group of players sought his advice on the skill of "Fishing."

"Didn't Boo just say that hunting in the mountains is safer than fishing at sea?" one player asked in confusion.

"You heard it too, he said 'go to the sea' to catch fish," a player next to him asserted confidently, "I'll just fish by the shore, how dangerous can it be?"

Agreement echoed around.

"Yeah, that's right!"

"There's really nothing to be afraid."

Suddenly, not far away, a small sea king emerged from the sea's surface while hunting.

A massive creature, several dozen meters tall, emerged from the sea, its mouth filled with interlocking teeth and holding a strange, large fish. It leaped out of the water, creating numerous splashes and emanating a fierce aura.

The beach fell silent.

After a while, a player suggested, "It's safer to stick to the shore."

"Agreed, going into the sea is impossible—absolutely impossible."

"In that case, why don't we go check out the nearby towns? This place is too remote, and there isn't much we can do here."

Cao Renqi, nearly transparent like a ghost, nodded eagerly upon hearing this. He had wanted to explore the city but hesitated due to the game's challenging wilderness. Following the group made him feel more at ease.

A group of players immediately left the old fisherman behind, and headed towards the direction of the nearby town, lively and bustling.

About half an hour later, they reached the town's entrance. After a quick inspection by the gate guards, they entered the town.

"Surviving in the game's wilderness is challenging, but it feels so realistic!" The players looked at the scenery in the town, praising it continuously. "It's like really traveling back to ancient times! The architectural style, the level of detail, it's much better than Hengdian, isn't it?"

"I have to admit, the people in this world are so big!"

"Yeah, balls has also become bigger!"

"Brother, although I don't know what you're saying, you seem a bit off."

"Do game developers consider real-world average height? With so many tall people, it looks intimidating…"

"We're just playing a game, bro!"

After a quick chat, the players who entered the town scattered, blending into the crowd like water drops in the sea.

From what he'd learned earlier, "One Piece" was an incredibly free game. To gain an early advantage and outpace others, he couldn't waste valuable closed beta testing time.

Unlike the serious gamers focused on leveling up, Cao Renqi stood out less conspicuous.

As a laid-back player lucky enough to join the closed beta, Cao Renqi didn't immediately dive into money-making quests. He joined the game for the experience and enjoyment!

"Hey, this girl looks really good!"

"I love the blonde-haired one; she's so cute!"

"..."

"I, Cao Renqi, would rather starve or be killed by monsters than go do quests for money!"

After aimlessly strolling around town, the hungry Cao Renqi ended up at the pier, assisting an old fisherman with shouting and selling fish.