Chapter 28: Terra Times

Dandao Dantart really were here to "chase" Felix. Heaven knows he had been trying to catch up to Felix ever since the open beta began. After learning that Felix had appeared in Noel Town, he spared no effort to travel there from the distant region of Siracusa. Along the way, he completed missions and used the money he begged for to pay for travel expenses—managing to support himself just enough to get by.

After spending a stretch of time wandering alone through no-man's land, Dandao Dantart experienced what was likely the loneliest and most terrifying chapter of their gaming life. It was like piloting a spacecraft alone through a vast, empty universe—endless darkness surrounding him, without the faintest sign of life.

But as he drew nearer to Kazimierz , he finally began encountering signs of human civilization. Hitching rides along the way, he eventually reached the town of Noel.

He hadn't expected to be this lucky on the road—to actually run into Felix! His guiding star! His god of destiny!

…Ahem, well, that might sound a little exaggerated. Dandao Dantart definitely liked girls, not guys. But still, the calm smile on the man standing before him—damn, it was heart-melting.

"Were you looking for me?" Felix asked.

"Yes." Dandao Dantart paused to think for a moment. "I think I'm a good worker. If I can be of help to you... please don't turn me away."

Felix chuckled. He had heard that Dandao Dantart had a reputation for honesty and integrity in their past life, but no one ever mentioned that he was also surprisingly good with words. As for the players—Felix did intend to foster a few close subordinates. Dandao Dantart were skilled operators, and in the future, they'd even place on the Blue Star rankings. Most importantly, he wasn't currently tied down by a fixed team, which made him easy to direct.

"Since you're here, I'll bring you along," Felix said. "I've got work to do in Columbia, and I may need your help."

Dandao Dantart was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. This NPC was just too amazing!

He sat obediently in the passenger seat, hands neatly placed on his knees, looking every bit the good boy. Felix said nothing more, simply turned on Kazimierz 's radio, stepped on the accelerator, and drove toward Columbia.

Two months had passed since the game's launch, and the number of players had climbed to nearly a million. Thankfully, the world of Terra was vast, and novice players didn't run into serious resource shortages during missions. Each starter zone was far apart from the others—so much so that if friends happened to choose different beginner villages, they'd likely never run into each other without planning. Most players made arrangements to reunite at a novice town later.

Columbia was once a federation under Victoria's rule, but later gained independence through war. Since then, it had entered a modern era—one marked by massive expansion and bold development. The population threw themselves into a wave of pioneering. Although exposure to Originium on the job was nearly unavoidable, that never slowed down the advance of the pioneer teams.

Their motto was: "Terra blesses us." It reflected their identity as the most grounded and hardworking laborers on the face of Terra.

In Columbia's outskirts, near the mobile city of Trimount, lay the town of Barichara—a gathering place for many pioneers. Compared to Noel Town, Barichara was busier and offered a greater variety of tasks.

Columbia had a rich tradition of pioneering, and its people had truly earned the title of pioneers. Players in Barichara could accept quests directly from the pioneer NPCs—and some players even chose to take on the role of pioneers themselves. This made them the origin of Terra's first wave of gathering-focused players.

There is a production system that turns materials into equipment—and naturally, there's also a gathering system designed for collecting those materials. The gathering system was modeled after the work of Columbia's pioneers. Trade between Kazimierz and Columbia is frequent, and a portion of the goods exchanged between the Chamber of Commerce and Felix comes directly from these pioneers.

Compared to Noel Town, Barichara has fewer players. That's because most of the players based in Kazimierz tend to head toward Noel Town. As Felix drove into the outskirts of Barichara, he passed several players walking by with pickaxes and shovels in hand.

His arrival naturally caught the attention of the local patrol guards. Felix stepped out of the car, and Dandao Dantart instinctively stood in front of him like a bodyguard, his expression stiff as he tried to appear composed.

Columbia is a nation built by immigrants, home to people of all races. It's also quite popular among players. Unlike Kazimierz , which exudes a strong commercial atmosphere, Columbia feels more grounded—more bourgeois. Some players have even speculated that Columbia represents the United States in real life, which has contributed to its popularity among American players. In the months following the game's launch, many players whose starting zones were elsewhere migrated here.

Dandao Dantart was feeling a bit numb after sitting in the car like a statue for nearly a month. Still, life inside the vehicle hadn't been completely dull. Felix would assign him one or two simple tasks each day—practicing skills, or performing a set of military drills in front of him. The experience rewards weren't excessive, but just enough for Dandao Dantart to gradually catch up in level. His backside, however, was paying the price.

Felix explained to the two guards that he was a messenger, handling a bit of business. After presenting a certificate from the Laterano Notary Office, the guards saluted and let him pass, promptly notifying the town's mayor of his arrival.

The local residents didn't react much to his appearance—but the players did. The moment they spotted him, excitement spread like wildfire. A month ago, forum chatter revealed that a high-level NPC had appeared in Noel Town and was giving out generous rewards. Players had been envious of those in Noel Town who could switch jobs early. Now, seeing the pioneer himself in person, many of them had eyes shining red with hope.

Amid the general excitement, one player couldn't hide his joy. His ID was Magic ZX, a Perro player and a well-known UP host on a popular two-dimensional video platform. He was beloved among players for his humorous commentary and catchy rhymes. Magic ZX was known for creating videos where low-level beginners beat bosses using the most basic gear. Many new players who had watched his tutorials knew how to handle mechanics before even encountering the bosses themselves. With entry-level gear and a good strategy, even a dog could win—so the saying went.

Alongside strategy content, he also posted lore breakdowns and NPC analyses. When The Ark launched, he was immediately drawn in by the vast worldbuilding and sprawling landscapes. As a creator with millions of fans, he had secured a spot in the beta test through the video platform and had already released several episodes focused on Columbia and Originium Slug strategies.

So far, no player had managed to locate the mysterious white-haired catgirl featured in the game's promotional art. But word on the forums hinted that another high-level NPC had appeared before the players. One look at this man—with clear, knowing eyes that seemed to carry the weight of many lifetimes—and Magic ZX was convinced: this NPC had a story.

He had already prepared to make a video about this high-level NPC pioneer. From personal experience to detailed character analysis, it was sure to pique player interest and generate a wave of engagement. Just one click would lead to three more—after all, everyone was curious about the first high-level NPC to appear before them.

Magic ZX was practically overjoyed when he saw Felix arrive. This meant he no longer had to save half his money for the return bus fare—he could spend it all on equipment today!

Upon arrival, Felix followed the same procedure as he had in Noel Town: he handed out a few simple collection tasks and then opened his shop.

This time, he had updated his inventory with a medium-sized shield suitable for Defender users, as well as an iron sword for close combat. As soon as the shop opened, players rushed in to hand over their currency. Once their favorability score hit five, they checked out the book section—and were stunned to discover that in just a short time, this high-level NPC had stocked a full set of core profession books!

Many players pinched themselves to make sure they weren't dreaming. Then, with no hesitation, they began buying in droves.

These books had been acquired through the Chamber of Commerce. In addition to the basic profession manuals, Felix had also purchased supplementary promotion books.

For the players, simply unlocking their main profession was already a major achievement. Even if they hit roadblocks with the conditions and requirements for advancement later on, that was a problem for the future. After all, promotion books weren't exactly easy to find or obtain.

With a roar, the players surged forward, surrounding Felix in three layers, clamoring to buy equipment and skill books.

Another flood of LMD and experience points flowed into Felix's account. He felt completely at ease.

Dandao Dantart, who had already slipped through the back door to purchase his equipment in advance, didn't join the crowd. Arms crossed, he stood at a distance, watching the lively scene unfold. He couldn't help but sigh—such a charming man was truly sinful!

When players casually uploaded screenshots of Felix's breathtaking appearance to the forums, the reaction was explosive.

"What?! The pioneer is in Columbia now?! I'm going my way over right now!"

"Look at Yan Country! All the pretty girls are crying for his love! We want job changes too!"

"Wait—what's the movement pattern of this high-level NPC? Why does he keep popping up in novice towns? Could it be that Ark feels bad about making us suffer through the early game without skill books, and added this NPC as an Easter egg to spare us?"

"The person above—didn't you watch the official promotional video? It clearly states that Laterano has many messengers. That's exactly the same as the profession Dream Chaser speculated about. A messenger delivers letters, right? Isn't it perfectly logical for one to appear in different towns?"

"Didn't he also express his opinion on the Infected before? Could he be part of a hidden main storyline—maybe even the protagonist NPC of the salvation route?"

Currently, based on player-shared information, the leading candidates for protagonist NPCs include the gentle, adorable white-haired cat girl from the official site, as well as the Sarkaz Regent and his sister, both key figures in Kazdel's ongoing civil war. Qiu Muyu had previously posted a transcript of her conversation with the pioneer on the forums, which gave players deeper insight into the Infected and helped them understand why ordinary people fear them so deeply.

Naturally, speculation about his identity ran wild. It all started with Dream Chaser's post, and soon other players began compiling theories and analyses.

One theory claimed the pioneer was simply a mysterious early-game merchant who helps players initially but vanishes in the mid-game.

The second theory—which had more supporters—suggested that the pioneer was actually a major character in the main plot, perhaps even the initiator of the main storyline. Given his unique stance on the Infected and the fact that he was a Sankta, many players couldn't help but connect the dots.

A large number of Sankta-race players supported this view. According to what they had heard from NPCs, Laterano harbored a cold, distancing attitude toward the Infected. In contrast, the pioneer's empathy and philosophy marked him as an outlier.

Could this be his true story arc—a quest to find his own path to save the world?

The idea resonated with many players.

This, in turn, led to a surge of players crowding around him in recent days, bombarding him with questions about his views on the Infected and his role in the broader narrative—hoping to trigger a hidden main quest. Many speculated that the reason he had previously opened up to Qiu Muyu was due to her charm. After all, she was a beautiful woman.

So, in the following days, Felix found himself surrounded by groups of heavily made-up female players, all hoping to gain his favor. His appearance already appealed to many female players, and they were more than happy to chat him up—eager to see how he would react.

Every day, Felix was enveloped in floral perfumes and soft voices. The last time he had experienced something like this was in his previous life, surrounded by a group of beautiful female slaves in Kazimierz .

Of course, not everyone came with admiration in mind. Some players, feeling a bit too bold or full of themselves, tried to pick a fight with him. Columbia, being a favorite among many experienced "old Mi" players, naturally attracted its fair share of aggressive PvP fans.

At first, it was a few idle players who tested him. Then a small guild set up an ambush. Felix didn't say a word—he simply drew his twin pistols and gunned them all down.

When they respawned five minutes later and tried again, they were ambushed in turn. It wasn't until their death cooldown extended to a full day that Felix finally let up.

Of course, this also meant their favorability had plummeted into the negatives—making it impossible for them to purchase any equipment from Felix.

Several of the reckless players took to the international forums, wailing in frustration, while foreign players laughed at their misfortune. Unlike the Chinese player base, which often operated with a strong sense of unity, many foreign players preferred to play in small, independent friend groups. They weren't particularly concerned about others' outcomes. After having a good laugh on the forum, they simply turned around and headed straight to Felix to buy equipment for themselves.

Felix discovered that the NPC module came equipped with a built-in language translation function—which turned out to be incredibly useful. In his previous life, his English vocabulary barely extended beyond "Good Morning," and the only word he had memorized was "abandon." Thanks to the translation system, foreign players could now understand his Chinese perfectly, and he could comprehend whatever gibberish they threw at him—even Martian.

As for the foreigners themselves, Felix harbored no strong prejudice. In his previous life, he had actually found some amusement in watching them flee in panic after getting stomped by Chinese and Russian players.

While browsing the forums, his eyes caught a pinned red-thread post at the top. The bolded title read: "Terra Times."

This was a well-known series produced with input from various strategy teams and professional players. Its content was wide-ranging—covering official news updates about Ark, player-sourced intelligence, humorous in-game stories, updates on pro player movements, plot analysis, and more. Terra Times had a large fanbase—and Felix was among its loyal followers. He always looked forward to new episodes with great anticipation.

He clicked the link.

In the video, two men and one woman sat in front of the camera like professional news anchors. Behind them, the scenery of Terra flickered and shifted dynamically.

The female host greeted the viewers energetically: "Hello everyone, I'm Yue Ye."

"I'm Xiaolang-san," said one of the young male hosts, smiling.

"And I'm Yang Yan XF," added the other.

"Welcome, everyone, to the latest issue of Terra Times!"