Return To This First (2)

The account is worth tens of thousands of yuan, and with that kind of real-world gain from virtual effort, something quietly began to take root in Dawei's heart—ambition.

Compared to quietly going home to farm in his later years or saving up just enough capital to run a roadside shop, the path laid before him now was different. His character, Burdock, was no longer just a lucky novice. He was a high-end player with god-slaying achievements, an elite class, and rare loot. He had stepped onto a different tier of the game—one where history is written, not followed.

He looked at his friend requests—hundreds of them. His mailbox was overflowing with messages ranging from fan letters to shady sponsor offers to vague "collaboration" proposals from third-party game boosters and guild leaders. Without hesitation, Dawei encrypted his friend system, deleted the entire batch of messages, and made it so that only system contacts and direct NPCs could ping him.

"Too noisy." He snorted. "Brother just wants to play the game."

Game companies and PR agents could take their checkbooks elsewhere. Their chessboards were too big, too political, and too far removed from the way Dawei liked to play: hands-on, ruthless, and solo.

While waiting for the storyline to progress, he idled in-game, checking trading markets, researching equipment synergies for Weapon Masters, and occasionally flipping through forum threads just to see what kinds of conspiracy theories people were crafting around "Burdock the God-Slayer." He chuckled at posts that claimed he was a developer account, or a testing bot gone rogue, or even a hidden final boss in disguise.

After four days of waiting, the main story finally resumed.

The great sage Dioser returned, limping and bloodied, his robes scorched and torn. His presence alone triggered an automatic cutscene. The air in the Sage's Hut grew solemn as his walking staff tapped against the old stone floor.

System prompt: [Ji Lisi] has been removed. The curse of the second minion is lifted.

Dawei let out a long breath. One more pawn off the board. He had half-expected Dioser to come back in a coffin.

Now only the final boss remained—the Vampire Count Sindro.

But the moment Dioser walked in, instead of resting or explaining the next step, he immediately opened a dialogue window.

System Prompt: Would you like to accept the main quest [Determination of Darkness]?

Dawei's eye twitched.

"So eager?" he muttered aloud, watching Dioser shuffle toward him, visibly drained of energy but still carrying that calm, enigmatic expression that made you want to punch him.

Dioser said softly, "The rest is up to you now."

"Rest?" Dawei blinked. "You mean you're stepping back? You killed a maid, and now you're retiring? You dig the pit, I get buried?"

"No, listen—"

"I'm not listening!" Dawei said instantly. "I can't fight Sindro. Are you out of your mind? I barely survived Jugutra with sheer luck. Sindro's on a whole other level. You think I didn't see his status panel? He has the word 'divine' in his passive skills."

Dioser didn't even flinch. "You're right to be cautious. That's why I trust you."

System prompt: [Great Sage Dioser]'s favorability has increased: Trusted.

A chill ran down Dawei's spine. Favorability boosts? Dialogue trees? This was the prelude to being force-fed another suicide mission.

"I'm being set up," he muttered darkly. "This is the most obvious plot railroad I've ever seen."

"But you can kill him," Dioser said again, eyes calm, lips thin with confidence. "You have the power. It just needs to be awakened."

"Nope. Nuh-uh. Not falling for it. I've been baited once already." Dawei folded his arms, glaring. "That's exactly the tone scam callers use when they say, 'Sir, your car warranty is about to expire.' I'm not biting."

Dioser raised a hand, but Dawei was already backing away.

"Don't you 'but' me. Life doesn't need more buts. You're about to say something crazy, like 'You just need to survive three minutes with Sindro and inject this potion made from the breath of a sleeping god and the tears of a fallen dragon.' Forget it!"

Despite his dramatic protest, Dawei couldn't deny that curiosity had already taken root.

Sindro wasn't just the final boss of this arc. He was the source of the werewolf virus, the controller of Jugutra, and the dark architect behind Montico's tragedy. Killing him might not only fulfill the main storyline—it might also unlock the true ending of Burdock's path as a Weapon Master.

But still…

"I need a little more than trust and sage riddles," Dawei muttered to himself. "I need a plan. A map. A dragon-slaying sword. Or, hell, a god-tier grenade."

And then it hit him. Dioser didn't need to fight anymore. Because the final war wasn't going to be one of brute strength. Not at first. It would be infiltration. Planning. Using the one weapon no other player had: the curse running through his own body.

The infection.

Burdock—the virus-bearer, the werewolf, the failed experiment.

The key wasn't to face Sindro in glorious battle—it was to bring the plague to his throne.

Dawei's eyes sharpened. "No one slays a god in a fair fight. You slay them from the inside."

He opened the quest window.

[Determination of Darkness]

Objective: Infiltrate the Frozen Cathedral and uncover the Count's Anchor of Immortality.

Warning: This mission path will permanently alter your character's fate.

"Now we're talking," Dawei whispered, and hit 'Accept'.