PFC Chapter 382, the second player logs in.
Chapter 382, the second player logs in.
Qinling Command Center.
Chen You opened his eyes on the recliner.
The overhead operating lights emitted a cold, white light.
He sat up and rubbed his slightly sore neck.
The continuous high-intensity online activity, coupled with his struggles with that two-meter-tall muscular female NPC in Cangxing City, left him feeling somewhat mentally exhausted.
An assistant stepped forward and handed over a glass of warm water.
"Director Li and the others are in the conference room," the assistant said in a low voice.
Chen You took the water, drank a sip, stood up, and walked out.
The Qinling Command Center has been completely rebuilt; the metal walls on both sides reflect a cold light, and a team of fully armed security personnel stand with guns at their sides.
As Chen You walked by, they all raised their hands in unison to salute.
Chen You nodded in response and pushed open the door to the conference room at the end of the corridor.
The meeting room was dark, the curtains were drawn, and a projection screen in the middle was lit.
Li Guoan sat in the main seat, holding a thermos cup in his hand.
Zhang Yunhai, Sun Feng, and several other core members sat on either side.
At the end of the table stood a girl.
Chen You's gaze fell on the girl.
That's Lin Miao.
She changed into a black tactical combat uniform, with her hair tied back in a high ponytail.
His originally fair face now had a healthy glow, and he stood tall with long, even breaths.
Chen You could clearly sense the flow of spiritual energy within her body.
It is undoubtedly a first-level refinement.
"Director Li, is it settled?" Chen You asked Li Guoan.
Li Guoan put down the thermos and tightened the lid.
"Moyu of the Dragon Scale Squad is indeed stronger in terms of tactical skills and individual combat capabilities."
"However, the expert panel concluded that there may be discrepancies in how the Source Realm judges players in various aspects."
Sun Feng pulled up a set of data charts.
"We believe that female characters may have an advantage in certain situations or tasks within the Source Realm."
In other words, the expert group wanted to see how different genders were treated in the Source World.
Chen You found a seat and took out the silver bracelet that gleamed with a cold, hard metallic luster.
The bracelet made a dull thud when it was placed on the table.
All eyes in the conference room immediately focused on this small metal ring.
"I have to make this clear beforehand," Chen You said, looking at Lin Miao. "This is a sub-account; there's no first-time recharge bonus or any way to spend real money."
"This means that once you go in, you'll be a complete novice player."
He paused, then added it again.
"The first monster you encounter when you go in should be a two-meter-tall mutated chicken."
"If it pecks you, your nervous system will send a 100% pain signal to your brain."
"I was chased all over the mountain and almost died in it."
Lin Miao met Chen You's gaze and stood up straight. "I'm not afraid to die."
"I'm afraid you'll die," Chen You interrupted her without any politeness.
"Don't underestimate your enemy, and don't be reckless. Survival is the top priority."
"Your only task is to survive, leave the starting village, and reach any neutral main city."
Chen You then looked at Li Guoan.
"As soon as she leaves the starting village, send me her coordinates. I'll go meet her immediately."
Lin Miao paused for a moment, then nodded emphatically.
"Understood. The primary objective is to survive and leave the village to reunite with you."
Chen You pushed the bracelet toward Lin Miao.
Lin Miao stretched out her hands, solemnly picked up the bracelet, and fastened it on her left wrist.
The metal ring automatically retracted, conforming to the skin, and flashed a faint blue light.
Li Guoan stood up, staring coldly at Lin Miao.
"Comrade Lin Miao."
"Here!" Lin Miao straightened her chest and raised her head.
"We have the capacity to make mistakes, but we don't have the quota to lose personnel," Li Guoan said in a deep and powerful voice.
"The timer begins the moment you connect to the Source Realm, ten minutes in."
"Regardless of whether you encounter monsters or not, and no matter how far you've progressed in the beginner quest, you must forcibly disconnect after ten minutes and log off to report your situation."
Li Guoan extended a finger and tapped the table.
"The country isn't in a rush for these ten minutes. We need firsthand data feedback to make targeted adjustments. Do you understand?"
"Listen carefully!"
"Go and get ready," Li Guoan waved.
Two researchers pushed a modified life support and hibernation pod into the conference room.
Lin Miao lay down inside the cabin, and researchers quickly attached various monitoring patches to her head and chest.
On the monitoring screen next to him, heart rate, blood pressure, and brain wave index began to fluctuate.
Chen You stood beside the hibernation pod, watching Lin Miao close her eyes.
"You really can't play this game without spending money," Chen You muttered to himself.
Without gold coins to pave the way, ordinary people facing those enormous and terrifying monsters are almost certain to die.
But he was also confident, since Lin Miao was only at the first level of Qi Refining.
The cultivation system enhances physical attributes in all aspects.
Her current bone density, muscle explosiveness, and nerve reaction speed have far exceeded human limits.
"Connection initiated." Sun Feng stared at the main screen and reported loudly.
The indicator light inside the hibernation pod changed from green to red.
Lin Miao's breathing instantly became extremely calm, and a sharp peak appeared on the EEG chart before stabilizing on a high-frequency band.
The meeting room fell silent.
Everyone stared at the fluctuating numbers on the screen.
Time passed second by second.
The Origin Realm, the starting point for new players.
Lin Miao opened her eyes.
There was no dizziness or feeling of weightlessness.
Her feet were firmly planted on the soft grass, and the air filled her nostrils with the fragrance of earth and the fresh scent of grass.
She looked around.
Not far away was a row of dilapidated thatched huts, and the sky was an unreal azure blue with a few white clouds hanging in the sky.
A cold, mechanical voice rang in my ears.
[System notification: Welcome to the Source Realm.]
[System notification: Unknown energy fluctuations detected within the player. Reassessing initial attributes... Assessment complete.]
Current level: Level 1.
[New player quest updated: Kill mutated chickens (0/1).]
Lin Miao looked down at herself.
She was wearing a rough cloth dress and had nothing in her hands.
There were no weapons and no armor.
She closed her eyes and felt the energy within her body.
The spiritual power is still there.
"Giggle—"
A piercing and muffled screech shattered the tranquility of the newbie village.
The bushes were forced open, and a huge creature emerged.
It stands nearly two meters tall and is covered in stiff, black and red feathers.
Its claws, as if cast in steel, were deeply embedded in the soil.
The sharp beak gleamed with a chilling light, and its two fist-sized eyes were fixed intently on Lin Miao.
This is the "newbie monster" that Chen You mentioned.
Any ordinary person would have their mental defenses crumble instantly in the face of such a size difference.
The mutated chicken spread its wings, creating a foul stench, and with a burst of power from its thick legs, charged wildly toward Lin Miao.
The sharp beak flew straight at Lin Miao's head.
Lin Miao did not retreat.
Her legs were slightly bent, her toes gripping the ground tightly, and the spiritual energy within her body surged wildly through her meridians to her right arm.
If you have no weapons, then use your fists.
She stared at the ever-growing beak, and just as the mutated chicken was about to touch her, Lin Miao moved.
She slid to the side to avoid a direct impact, clenched her right fist, and her spiritual energy formed a faint flow of energy at the tip of her fist.
Power originates from the waist, flowing smoothly through the body.
Lin Miao punched the side of the mutated chicken's neck.