Beginner's Ring

Rong City was a sprawling metropolis, and its traffic was, well, exactly what you'd expect from a big city.

Yu Yu, fresh off her shift, hopped onto her trusty electric scooter and zipped toward her house-hunting destination.

The air was clear for now. The fog typically rolled in at night, dissipating by noon, making the afternoon and pre-midnight hours prime time for activity.

She'd even heard rumors of proposals to shift work hours—starting in the afternoon, sleeping through the day. Apparently, some companies had already adopted this schedule, and the results weren't half bad. But schools, hospitals, and other public institutions clung to the old rhythms, unchanged for now.

"What? The bridge collapsed? Didn't they just renovate it a few years ago? How could it collapse?"

"No clue. They say it happened last night, and they still haven't figured out why."

Yu Yu, idling at a red light, couldn't help but glance over.

When Rong City folks talked about "the bridge," they meant one thing: the Chongjiang Bridge.

The city was split by a river, its east and west banks staring across the water. Without the bridge… well, who knew if the river tunnels were still operational? With the fog's interference, ferries were likely grounded too.

This fog was wreaking more havoc than anyone realized. Was national logistics holding up? Could crops still grow? Would vegetable prices skyrocket?

Lost in thought, Yu Yu decided she'd stock up on supplies once she secured a rental. Who knew when this fog would lift?

It had been a week, and there wasn't a hint of it stopping. Come to think of it, the fog had appeared the same day as Eternal Darkness's open beta…

The light turned green. Yu Yu shook off her musings and zoomed forward. Her destination was still a ways off, and she'd forgotten to charge her scooter yesterday. The battery was running low. She pulled over, opened her map app, and searched for a nearby fast-charging station. As she scrolled, her ears twitched.

Was that… a villainous line?

"Scream all you want. No one's coming to save you."

A young man's voice drifted over. Curious, Yu Yu peeked around the corner and saw a surprisingly deep alley.

"Chang Yuchi, aren't you usually so high and mighty?"

Yu Yu located the nearest charging point, amused that someone in this day and age would use such a cheesy line. How embarrassing. Shouldn't he be all red-eyed, voice hoarse, pinning someone against the wall with a desperate, "My life is yours"? Or maybe, "Little goblin you've caught my eye"?

Grinning, Yu Yu hopped back on her scooter and cruised into the alley. Just a quick look. She wasn't getting involved. The voice had sounded close, but the alley was deeper than she'd expected, with several branching paths. If the cheesy villain hadn't kept ranting, she might've gotten lost. Her scooter barreled into a trash can with a crash. Yu Yu sputtered, reversing quickly. The toppled bin dumped its contents right onto the loudmouth, and the stench was… unforgettable.

"You… you idiot! Are you trying to die?!"

Yu Yu let go of the handlebars, and the scooter lurched forward. The guy yelped, dodging just in time. Only then did Yu Yu notice the person he'd been cornering. She was stunning, fragile-looking, like a porcelain doll.

But…

"You're in deep trouble," Yu Yu said calmly.

The guy, face green, stared at his ruined clothes, clearly unable to handle the smell.

"She's dying," Yu Yu added.

"Die, you jerk! Who do you think you are?"

Yu Yu's tone remained flat. "I was just checking my map and noticed a police station less than two hundred meters away. Oh, and I made a quick call."

The guy's face drained of color. "I was just joking with a friend! It's not what you think!"

Yu Yu glanced at the red-faced, gasping beauty. "She's dying."

Only then did he look, and his eyes widened in panic.

Yu Yu's voice was almost pitying. "There's a traffic light with cameras right outside. And those side alleys? Dead ends." She paused, then revved her scooter. "Oh, look, they're here. Bye."

She had a house to see. Time to slip away.

She passed the police as they arrived. One officer glanced at her but didn't stop her. The girl might have asthma, allergies, or maybe a heart condition. Either way, she'd likely be rushed to a hospital.

At the next red light, Yu Yu checked her phone's recording. She wasn't impressed. She'd heard the guy's voice from so far away, yet her phone barely caught it until she'd crashed into the trash can.

Her phone was trash.

She reviewed the photo she'd snapped, confirming her suspicions. Despite the dim alley, she'd clearly seen the anger in the girl's eyes, but the photo was a blurry, dark mess.

Sighing, she uploaded the recording and photo, password-protected them, and backed them up to her computer and a burner account. Unless the girl didn't pull through, the odds of her turning on Yu Yu were slim. She pocketed her phone just as the light turned green.

"How much?"

"Two thousand."

Yu Yu turned to leave.

The agent yanked her back. "This is a standalone two-story house! At this price, it's practically a steal!"

"Someone died here," Yu Yu said flatly.

"Exactly! If someone hadn't died, would you even get a shot at it?"

Yu Yu's expression didn't budge. "It's by the river. Too damp. Barely any amenities."

"Damp? You get a river view! And no amenities? The place is lit up like a Christmas tree!"

"It's all fog. Can't see a thing," Yu Yu shot back. "And nowhere to buy food."

The agent faltered, choking on his words. "Look, the owners aren't hurting for cash. They're not desperate for rent money…"

Yu Yu cut in. "This neighborhood's empty, isn't it?"

The agent nearly coughed up a lung. "Empty? No way! It's just… people aren't home right now…"

"I rode through every street on my way here. Checked every house. No signs of life."

The agent froze. What kind of tenant was this?

Yu Yu cracked a faint smile. "You're not about to tell me it's haunted, are you?"

"Pah! Don't jinx it!" The agent, clearly rattled, spat twice for luck.

It was past eight now. Downtown would be bustling, but here in the river suburbs, it was dead silent. Especially this neighborhood. Yu Yu didn't know the details, but the agent sure did.

Not a soul lived here.

Where had everyone gone? He was just a middleman; how would he know?

This cursed fog. If it weren't for that, he wouldn't be out here closing deals at night.

Yu Yu pressed on. "So, where's the owner? No owner, no tenants? If you don't spill, I'm out, and you've wasted your evening."

The agent groaned internally.

"Don't go, don't go!" he said, defeated. "I don't know where they went, okay? But it's not because of the fog. They left long before that. Don't ask me why—I'm just an agent. Rich folks' business is beyond me."

"Maybe they thought the feng shui was bad?" he added weakly.

"How'd the person die?"

The agent's face shifted again.

"You can't tell me? If you don't, why would I dare live here?"

"I give up," the agent muttered. "It's late, and you're asking this? Aren't you scared?"

"What, did you kill them?"

The agent nearly choked. But her bluntness eased his nerves a bit. "No, no. They say it was… some disease. Late-stage, creepy stuff. Probably just…"

"It's quiet here, so the family sent them to pass away in peace."

Yu Yu nodded. "Body's gone, right?"

The agent was almost used to her boldness by now. "Gone. They even paid top dollar for a cleaning crew to scrub the place spotless."

"Five hundred?" Yu Yu offered.

The agent's voice cracked. "Are you robbing me?!"

"Someone behind you?"

"Don't try to scare me! Five hundred? In your dreams!"

Yu Yu sighed, feigning regret. Wasn't he all timid before? The second money was on the table, he grew a spine. After fierce haggling, they settled on 1,048.8. An odd number, but Yu Yu didn't care. Probably just the agent being stingy.

"Pay for a year," the agent coaxed. "This place is a gem. We'll renew annually."

Yu Yu's face was stone. "What if I die and the money's wasted?"

The agent's smile froze. Could she stop saying "die" in this creepy place?

"Month-to-month?" she suggested.

The agent's courage surged back. After more heated debate, Yu Yu agreed to pay every three months, with a one-month deposit. They entered the house, exchanged keys, and signed the contract.

Yu Yu mentioned paying in a few days, which the agent resisted… until her "friendly" insistence wore him down. The rental was settled. Yu Yu rode home, pleased. On the way, she took a call about her police report and arranged to visit the station tomorrow.

Notably, the deposit she'd just gotten back, plus her last 1,800 yuan, was about to vanish. Instant noodles it was. Rong City's housing prices were steep. Her old, cramped apartment cost 960 a month. This spacious place for 1,048.8? A no-brainer.

Besides, she didn't have time to fuss over housing. Her career came first. By which, of course, she meant her job. The moment she got home, Yu Yu grabbed her VR wristband. She was late logging in. Dinner could wait until morning. Her loot, however, could not.

"You're awake?"

Yu Yu stirred, feeling oddly refreshed. Blinking, she sat up.

Didn't players' bodies vanish when they logged off? Why was this animation different?

"I heard you outsiders disappear into thin air," said a cool-looking rogue, lounging nearby and nibbling on dark bread. "But it seems that's not quite true. Got a Constitution of 3?"

Yu Yu checked her stats. "…Yeah."

"Seriously?"

Yu Yu narrowed her eyes. "I can hear the sarcasm."

"You outsiders are pathetically weak," the rogue said. "Strength, Dexterity, Constitution—barely anyone breaks 6 in any stat. And failing all three? That's practically standard. I've never seen such frail people."

Yu Yu changed the subject. "What's a Guardian?"

The rogue smirked, clearly enjoying an NPC discussing stats. Yu Yu seized the chance to dig.

"Guardians?" The rogue's tone was dismissive. "They're important, sure. A smidge more than you spellcasters."

"What do they do?"

The rogue's interest waned. "Healing, protection, tons of stuff. Too much to list. They're vital."

"What stats do they need?"

"Willpower. They need 7, higher than your lot," she said. "Don't even think about it. Willpower's fixed—you start with what you get, and it stays that way, even at Legendary rank. It's the gold standard."

"Can I multiclass?"

The rogue's face froze.

"You've got 7 Willpower? No way. Aren't you maxed out on Intelligence?"

Yu Yu frowned. "Can't I have high Intelligence and Willpower?"

The rogue's expression crumbled.

It took her a moment to recover. "You're… something else. No wonder the Academy's got its eye on you."

Yu Yu blinked. "???"

Since when was the Academy watching her?

They'd just let her borrow a few cantrips. That hardly counted as attention.

It was all the devs' tricks, trying to bait her into spending real money.

The rogue regained her composure. "Want to see your loot?"

"Obviously." Yu Yu's face lit up with a grin.

The rogue led her to a storage room, guards flashing big smiles along the way. Yu Yu returned their enthusiasm with a radiant grin of her own.

She was thrilled.

The rogue, faintly amused, said, "Here it is."

Her haul was stored in a small room, taking up half the space.

Yu Yu forgot the NPC instantly, grabbing a nearby scroll.

[Scroll: Summon Wolf Pack]

[Scroll: Spell Eavesdropping]

[Scroll: Lesser Illusion]

[Scroll: Wind Wall]

Her grin widened. These weren't on the first-circle spell list, which meant…

The rogue leaned against the wall, bored.

Yu Yu moved to the potions: [Holy Healing Potion (Small)] x3, [Slow Recovery Potion (Small)] x5, [Potion: Barkskin] x1.

Nine potions, four scrolls.

[Sleeping Bag]: Increases stamina and mental recovery speed by 25%.

Even the chest had been brought back. Yu Yu flung it open.

[Woodheart Camp Iron Boots] x1

[Woodheart Camp Leather Boots] x2

[Woodheart Camp Leather Bracers] x1

[Exquisite Nanmu Longbow] x1

[Woodheart Camp Short Dagger] x1

[Woodheart Camp Long Dagger] x1…

The chest was packed tight. The monsters had clearly gone all out. Two pairs of leather boots, one pair of iron boots, leather bracers, a longbow, a long dagger, a short dagger. They looked brand-new, and Yu Yu liked them. This was probably meant for a full party, but she only had to split it with Shu Tu.

Oh, right, Shu Tu…

She'd left a message when she logged off, and Shu Tu had replied quickly.

"My ranger friend's coming soon. Can she join us?"

The rogue perked up. "We already rewarded her."

"But she gets a share," Yu Yu said.

NPCs wouldn't get player loot splits.

The rogue studied her. "It's your stuff. Divide it as you like."

Yu Yu eyed a box on the table. "This is mine too? I didn't see it at the camp."

The rogue nodded. "Yeah, the captain wrangled it from Archon Ka'an."

"Take a look. Like it?"

Yu Yu opened the box and was instantly dazzled by two gleaming gold coins.

Gold!

She could smell the money. Time to raid the Academy's spell list.

There was also a ring.

[Beginner's Ring]

Quality: Fine

Weight: 0.1

Durability: 200/200

Attributes: Dexterity +1, Constitution +1

Feature: [Feather Fall]

Description: A ring crafted by a mother for her cherished child, hoping they'd stay true to their heart.

Blue gear…

The ring glowed deep blue, and Yu Yu was delighted.

"Well?" the rogue teased. "The captain said Archon Ka'an chased her for miles over this, muttering about some big shot it's tied to…"

Blue gear wasn't supposed to be valuable, but…

Reading the description, Yu Yu felt it was special.

"I love it."

"Good."

Instead of slotting it into her inventory, Yu Yu slipped the ring onto her finger.

It was bright silver, shaped like a graceful bird, with tiny, illegible inscriptions. Up close, she couldn't make them out.

Equipping it, she felt lighter. Her HP hit double digits: 10.

Her updated stats:

Intelligence: 12

Willpower: 7

Perception: 5

Strength: 3

Agility: 6

Constitution: 5

Level 4 (6471/10,000 XP). She'd missed a couple of mobs—NPCs didn't wait.

[Feather Fall]

[School: Conjuration

Level: 2nd Circle

Range: Self Only

Cost: 15

Cooldown: 6 hours]

Yu Yu knew Feather Fall from her studies. It let you drift down like a feather, safe from fall damage. As a second-circle spell with no casting time and only 15 cost, it was clearly the ring's doing. The six-hour cooldown confirmed it.

Hidden quests really paid off.

As she pocketed the gold, Shu Tu rushed in.

Seeing the stash, she smiled. "Thought you forgot."

Yu Yu split the loot, ignoring the NPC's presence.

The rogue watched quietly.

"Seven-three split?" Yu Yu offered.

Shu Tu nodded. "Fine."

Yu Yu blinked. "?"

No haggling?

After a moment, she continued. "I want all four scrolls. You cool with that?"

"No objections," Shu Tu said.

"Want to just… not take anything?"

Shu Tu shot her a look. "No."

Yu Yu relaxed. "Pick what you want. We'll convert the rest to gold."

She rattled off the items like a menu.

Shu Tu listed her picks: "Longbow, short dagger, long dagger, bracers. One pair of leather boots. I don't need the rest."

Yu Yu calculated quickly. "I checked the forums. Lots of players got gear this time, so it's not as valuable. Not like before…"

"Take some potions. The sleeping bag's yours too."

"You don't want the sleeping bag?" Shu Tu asked.

Yu Yu grinned. "I'm not sleeping outside." Only rangers played savage.

Shu Tu nodded, not arguing. "Fair."

"Take the Barkskin potion. If I'm desperate enough for Barkskin, I'm probably dead anyway."

"Two Slow Recovery, two Holy Healing. Enough?"

"Plenty," Shu Tu said.

"Pleasure doing business."

"Likewise."

Yu Yu sorted her haul: all four scrolls, one Holy Healing (small white bottle), three Slow Recovery (small red bottles), one pair of leather boots, one pair of iron boots, [Sneak], [Shadow Leap], [Scroll: Fade into Shadows], plus the dead rogue's gear—mask, hood, leather armor, boots, and pants.

She equipped the new leather boots, and simple, sleek boots appeared on her feet. Nothing fancy, just a slight speed boost, 1 armor, and 1.5 kg of weight. The only perk? Cobblestones didn't hurt her feet anymore. At least these had soles.

Yu Yu didn't feel like selling gear herself. Too much hassle. "Want this stuff?" she asked Shu Tu.

"Five silver each. Take it all. I'm too lazy to sell."

"Rogue skills—name a price, and they're yours."

These weren't junk. They were standard gear, and players had cash now. Yu Yu was keeping up.

Shu Tu shook her head. "Pass."

Yu Yu gaped.

Shu Tu was a pro player, high on the Hall of Fame, backed by the Azure Waves guild—a real powerhouse. Yu Yu figured she'd snap up gear to outfit her guild's combat team.

"I'm a solo player now," Shu Tu said, catching her shock. "What do I need all that for? I can't use it."

She'd left her guild. She was a casual player now.

Yu Yu paused. "Oh."

Shu Tu waved goodbye and left. Yu Yu bid the rogue farewell, distracted as she exited the barracks. Shu Tu, quitting her guild? Why?

She couldn't wrap her head around it.

Shaking it off, she headed to the Academy.

Time to learn some spells.