Chapter 6: The Road to Level 5

Qin Sheng was deep in the Novice Village, his dual daggers flashing through the air as he took down monster after monster. Each battle sharpened his skills and brought him one step closer to his goal. His focus was absolute; he had no time to dwell on the past. The game had become a brutal, unforgiving place, and he had no choice but to adapt quickly.

The creatures in the area, weak and scattered, offered little resistance to his newfound strength. With every monster he defeated, he absorbed their skills and stats, growing stronger. As he moved deeper into the forest, his progress felt satisfying, a small escape from the aching emptiness inside him.

But suddenly, as he delivered the final blow to a large boar-like monster, a loud ding echoed in his mind—a system notification.

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[System Message (Global Announcement):

Player Qin Mei has died after failing to level up and perishing in the game. Her death will be marked in the history of this chaotic world.]

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Qin Sheng froze. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the message. His sister. Qin Mei. She was gone. The very woman he had abandoned, whose life he had let slip away... was now lost to this hellish game.

The impact of the notification hit him like a tidal wave, pushing aside his sharp focus. His breath quickened, and for a moment, the world around him felt hollow. Regret surged through him like a poison, filling the emptiness with guilt.

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But despite the pain clawing at his chest, Qin Sheng forced himself to refocus. He couldn't let this consume him. His sister's death—though tragic—had been the consequence of her own failures, and there was nothing he could do to change it. The regret would always be there, but he would not allow it to break him. He had a purpose: survival. To protect the people who still mattered. And above all, to get stronger.

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Shaking off the sting of the message, Qin Sheng took a deep breath and returned to his hunt. He focused on the game, his movements swift and precise as he took down more monsters. His dual daggers moved like extensions of his will. He wouldn't let his grief interfere with his growth.

As he defeated another monster, the familiar notification sound echoed again. His experience points increased, and he felt the rush of leveling up..

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System Message (Level Up):

Player Qin Sheng has reached Level 5!

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At that moment, Qin Sheng's attention was diverted by another system message. This time, it was a much more personal notification—a warning.

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System Message (Private to Qin Sheng):

Warning: Player Qin Sheng, you have now reached Level 5. The Hunger System has been unlocked. You must return to reality to eat and replenish your health. If your hunger level exceeds 90%, your stats will begin to decrease.

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Qin Sheng stared at the message in disbelief. His journey had just taken a turn. He had grown stronger, but now, he had to deal with the physical reality of his body in the real world. He couldn't stay in the game indefinitely.

But before he could think further, a new notification appeared on the screen.

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System Message (Global Announcement):

Player Qin Sheng has reached Level 5. The Hunger System has now been unlocked, requiring all players at Level 5 and above to return to reality to maintain their health.

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He took another deep breath. His focus returned, and the reminder of his physical limitations didn't feel like a burden—it was a new challenge. After all, he'd faced worse. But first, he needed to sell off some of the loot he had acquired from killing monsters. Equipment, weapons, and other items filled his inventory. It was time to exchange them for in-game currency.

He made his way to the nearest town's marketplace, and the bustling crowd of players took notice. Qin Sheng stood before the various NPC vendors, selling off his newly acquired equipment. The items fetched a decent price, and he quickly amassed enough currency for his next steps. His reputation had already started growing, and this exchange would help him gather the necessary resources to move forward.

As he completed the transaction, the system once again reminded him of his growing responsibilities.

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Private Message (to Qin Sheng):

System Notification: "Warning: Player Qin Sheng, your hunger level is at 90%. You must return to reality to replenish your health. If you fail to do so, your stats will begin to decrease, and your effectiveness in the game will be reduced."

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Qin Sheng sighed. It was time. He had become stronger, but now he had to return to reality to sustain his physical body. He prepared to disconnect from the game for the first time. As the system signaled the end of his session, he looked forward to re-entering the game as soon as his hunger was dealt with.