Chapter 29: Appetite and Ambition

Xiaolang began, "Welcome, everyone, to Terra Times—a program dedicated to sharing in-depth game information, uncovering plot developments, exploring strategies, and enriching your Ark experience."

Yang YanXF nodded in agreement. "This marks our first in-depth exploration of Ark and the world of Terra. The newly launched game Ark has brought an overwhelming amount of content. From the countries we've come to know to the factions discovered by players, there's so much worth diving into."

Yue Ye smiled and chimed in, "It's already been a month since the servers went live, and the player count has grown by over a million... Just a quick aside: your character designs look really cool."

Xiaolang flicked his wolf ears playfully—true to his name, he had chosen to play as a Lupo. Meanwhile, Yang YanXF sported a pair of horns, representing the Sarkaz race.

The three hosts conducted the show within a VR space, giving them full freedom over their avatars' appearances and chosen races.

As the debut episode of Terra Times, the content was packed. Over the next fifteen minutes, the hosts introduced the unique traits of various races and the benefits players receive when born in different regions. They also summarized the intelligence currently available regarding major national powers. Naturally, they touched upon the state of warfare in the current era. At present, most players relied on clubs and cold weapons. Only a small number had access to advanced gear like crossbows, given their rarity and cost.

Yes, firearms did exist in this world—but only players of the Sankta race and a handful of others with the appropriate secondary-class attributes could equip them. For the majority, guns remained out of reach. The hosts explained that firearms were considered too technologically advanced for early-stage players. Everyone was still brawling with swords and sticks—the game wasn't designed to let players wield guns and dominate the battlefield right away. "This isn't one of those cliché time-travel novels where someone guards the city gate with a machine gun," they joked.

They also delved into professions, which naturally took up a good portion of the episode. After all, a player's chosen class would shape their entire gameplay experience in Ark. While there were a variety of primary professions, many of their corresponding sub-classes had yet to be fully explored. For players suffering from decision paralysis, the sheer volume of choices was overwhelming. The hosts analyzed the weapons and resources currently accessible to each profession and offered reasonable predictions about how future attribute panels might look. In the end, they concluded that accurate, detailed data would have to wait until more strategy groups or dedicated players shared their findings.

Eventually, as the conversation shifted to community highlights, the topic of "pioneers"—a group quite popular among the player base—inevitably came up.

Xiaolang said, "I think players who frequent the forums are already aware. Since Terra Times began three months ago, a mysterious high-level NPC has entered the spotlight. Everyone's curious about him, but we know very little. Other than the fact that he's a Sankta from Laterano, we know nothing else. So what kind of role do you think this pioneer will play in the future storyline?"

Yang YanXF paused for a moment before saying, "According to reports from players, the danger rating of this Pioneer is classified as top-level red. Some foreign players attempted to attack him, but without exception, they were instantly killed."

Yue Ye began analyzing the character. "What does the title Pioneer represent? Does it imply he's someone who paves the way? Or is he an explorer of the unknown? Could this Pioneer have any connection with the cute cat girl featured on the official website? That said, players have been online for a month now, and there's still no sign of that official NPC."

"That's right," Xiaolang brought the topic back. "At this point, it's still just player speculation that this Sankta Pioneer may be the key figure who will initiate a series of main quests. Earlier in the game, we saw that he stayed in Noel Town and sold various main and sub-class transfer books—these are exactly what every player is desperate to obtain in the early stages."

"From that perspective," Yue Ye added, "the Pioneer does align with the image of a mysterious businessman. It's also possible that the developers designed this mentor-like character to provide some initial support to new players."

"We were lucky enough to get a glimpse of this high-level NPC's combat capabilities through a player's live stream…" A side window popped up on-screen, playing a clip of Felix's battle against the Claw Beast over a month ago in Terra time. Yang YanXF explained, "According to feedback from players who were present during that fight, they received team bonuses from the Pioneer. This indicates that the Pioneer is a support-type character."

"From the firearms he carries," Yang YanXF continued, "we can deduce that he likely has the sub-class Gunsmith. That's not surprising for a Sankta—using firearms is as natural to them as drinking water. His protective suit and the mechanical parts wrapped around his calves suggest he might also have the Mechanic sub-class, capable of crafting mechanical devices."

Clearing his throat, Yang YanXF added, "In Ark, there are only a few known main professions, but the number of sub-classes remains a mystery. The official site hasn't revealed any details, so all information must be pieced together by players. The Gunsmith and Mechanic subclasses were inferred by our strategy team and top-tier players during the production of this program."

"This Pioneer also sells the Technician subclass," Yue Ye added. "That class allows players of other races to equip hand cannons, though without enjoying the racial bonuses the Sankta receive. The stat requirements to equip these weapons are quite high, and without the right attributes, they can't be used... Judging by his fluid fighting style, it's safe to say he himself possesses the Technician subclass."

"There are still many mysteries surrounding him. For example, based on the weapons he offers for sale, it appears he also has the Blacksmith subclass."

"In summary," Xiaolang concluded, "he seems to be an NPC occupying more of a logistical or support role—but his frontline combat capabilities should not be underestimated. In future storylines, we might expect him to offer even rarer equipment to players. Within the narrative, it's likely he'll take on the role of either a merchant aligned with a faction or perhaps even a commander."

Xiaolang gave a brief summary, and the other two hosts nodded in agreement.

After a short break, the three shifted the discussion to information about professional players in the competitive scene—something that many players were keenly interested in. After all, who wouldn't want to see the Chinese region take home a championship trophy?

"I don't know if you've noticed," Xiaolang began, "that when creating a character, players are given two innate talents at birth. These talents significantly influence a player's development path. Getting a powerful talent is like hitting the jackpot."

"The value of an account can also skyrocket due to its talents," added Yue Ye, "but since there's currently no official rating system, it's impossible to objectively evaluate how valuable a given talent really is."

Yang YanXF picked up the thread. "The Midlane King, Cloud and Evil Geniuses from the U.S., Samurai, Sunflower, and Secret from Europe, Devil King from Japan, and Seven Stars, Tiger, and Tianyi from South Korea—all of them announced their entry into Ark on their official social media accounts last week. I believe it won't be long before we start seeing full-fledged professional leagues forming within the game."

The global esports scene has always been highly competitive. Each region has produced standout talent in various games. While China's esports capabilities are not to be underestimated, the country has seen fewer championship wins in recent international competitions. This has had some impact on the promotion of games within China, as well as on local players' morale. Naturally, as Chinese players themselves, the hosts hoped to see their home teams rise to the top.

"During the closed beta," Yang YanXF continued, "our very own Liquid and Dynasty teams had already announced their participation in Ark. These two teams have carved out significant legacies in the history of esports. In addition to them, several other professional teams have also jumped into Ark."

"This concludes this episode of Terra Times," Xiaolang said as the program wrapped up. "We look forward to seeing you next time. Leave a comment with your Ark ID below the video for a chance to win a small gift from us. The lottery results will be sent to you through a dynamic post…"

The episode ended, and Felix, watching from his end, was impressed by the sheer amount of information unearthed by the players. He hadn't expected the strategy teams to have progressed so quickly. Many promising sub-professions were already being discovered and discussed, making the early game landscape more exciting. As for the professions he had access to, it probably wouldn't be long before someone came knocking, begging him to sell the Gunsmith and Mechanic profession books.

But for now, he had no plans to make a move.

As for the other sub-profession books, he had quite a few of them on hand—all of which he had formally applied for through the Chamber of Commerce. Some of the specialized knowledge didn't come cheap.

Meanwhile, Dandao Dantart quickly adapted to life in the Columbia community. He began doing Pioneer work with great enthusiasm, happily chipping away at stones. With Felix remaining in the area for a few more days, Dan Tart saw no need to rush off.

The following morning, Felix drove a pickup truck out of the camp and headed toward the nearest mobile city—Trimount.

He had to move quickly—after all, the round trip between Kazimierz and Columbia took two months. He still needed to allocate time to return to Kazimierz as well.

Upon entering Trimount, Felix felt an immediate sense of relief. The city's softly colored buildings were a refreshing change for his eyes, which had grown tired from watching gaudy TV commercials back in Kazimierz . After checking into a hotel, he immediately began operating the system terminal in his room.

Once connected to the stock market, Felix checked how many shares he could purchase with his twenty million Longmen coins. However, he was also aware that simply buying publicly available shares—those accessible to ordinary shareholders—would be meaningless. Doing so would make him just another regular investor, even if he held a large number of Rhine Lab's shares. It wouldn't make him an actual stakeholder in the company.

Moreover, with his current funds, he could easily buy up all the public shares available, but that wouldn't satisfy his ambitions.

Being a shareholder didn't automatically grant him influence over company operations. While shareholders typically receive voting rights, the extent of their influence depends on both the number of shares they hold and the company's internal policies. In some cases, only major or controlling shareholders have a say in decision-making processes.

With twenty million, however, Felix had just enough to position himself as a decision-making shareholder. This opportunity was only available because Rhine Lab had only been publicly listed for two—no, three—years. A few more years of institutional investment and development, and his twenty million would barely be enough to cover equipment costs.

With that thought, Felix put on his coat and headed out.

After walking for ten minutes, he arrived at the gates of Rhine Lab Science. Although the company had been listed for three years now, it was still relatively small in scale. Only in recent years had it transitioned from a "lab-first" structure into a more commercial organization. Even now, their funding was limited—there was no wild spending or burning through tens of millions without blinking.

Rhine Lab hadn't formally established a department system yet. Its general operations were split into a few parallel divisions focused on research and administration. The hallways were filled with young researchers moving about in a hurry, their faces lit with excitement. The whole environment felt more like an academic institute than a commercial enterprise.

After Felix explained his intentions to the receptionist, she quickly contacted someone in upper management who had the authority to handle such matters.

He waited in the lounge for a short while before a mature woman walked toward him, dressed in a style that was distinctly Colombian. She had long silver hair and carried herself like a film actress—one who should have been gracing a stage rather than working in a lab.

"Hello, my name is Yara Booker Wilson. You can just call me Yara. Please, come with me."

Business negotiations weren't something Rhine Lab could take lightly, especially given its current lack of public recognition.

So when several senior executives heard that an investor was waiting downstairs—an investor with an astonishing amount of Longmen coins—they were all stunned. Up until now, only venture capital firms had been paying attention to them. Aside from those, only official agencies had taken interest. None of them had ever expected a private investor to show up.

"The mech suit you're wearing looks very advanced. I wouldn't be surprised if you told me you were a doctor specializing in machinery."

Felix chuckled. "There are no doctors that young."

The two made their way to the office and took their seats. Felix knew that the next part of this conversation would determine the trajectory of his future with Rhine Lab. To be honest, as a scientist, it was thrilling to envision shaping the future alongside a group of people with ambition and dreams.

"I appreciate Rhine Lab's slogan: 'Answer with wisdom, expand with thinking.' I believe Rhine Lab and I share many values, and that brings me a great deal of satisfaction." Felix leaned back in his chair. Though young, his tone carried a mature calm, without the slightest hint of immaturity. "I see myself working with Rhine Lab in the future—perhaps even settling here to conduct research on mechanical weapons and engineering systems."

"My name is Felix Shawn Lanshem. Just call me by my name."

Yara Booker Wilson offered a polite smile. "May I interpret that as... you're here on behalf of Rutland officials?"

"No, there's no Laterano backing me." Felix returned the smile. "I'm just one person. I don't represent any organization. So, are you interested in discussing what comes next?"

Yara Booker Wilson poured a cup of coffee for him, then gave a slight nod. "I'm all ears, Mr. Felix."