Chapter 3: Arrival at Ancient Pool Village

Soon, Lin Yi completed the character creation, and a flickering white data panel appeared.

Player: Evergreen Mountain
Status: Normal
ID: 007
Gender: Male
Level: 1
Experience: 0/100
Satiety: 80/100
Strength: 6 (Normal male limit 10; affects physical damage and maximum weapon weight you can wield...)
Constitution: 8 (Normal male limit 10; affects maximum health, health regeneration speed, basic toughness...)
Agility: 7 (Normal male limit 10; affects movement and reaction speed...)
Endurance: 11 (Normal male limit 10; affects stamina cap, stamina recovery, carrying capacity, and resistance to negative emotions)
Profession: None
Advanced Attributes: Not yet unlocked
Spirit: Unknown
Inner Power: Unknown
Faith: Unknown
Spiritual Energy: Unknown
Initial Talent: Universal Talent (Red) - LV1
...

The attribute list was long, and Lin Yi took a moment to understand his own stats. It seemed his basic four-dimensional attributes were linked to reality. After all, he had been idling playing games for a long time; his strength and constitution were far below average, with the only advantage being decent endurance. When faced with grind-heavy games, he could push through for two days and nights straight.

As for advanced attributes, they hadn't unlocked yet due to the lack of a profession. It appeared that in this Apocalypse game, besides leveling up, choosing a profession was also a key focus.

At that moment, as if three minutes had passed, Lin Yi felt the thick fog around him enveloping him, as though a pair of enormous hands were pushing him out of an ancient wooden hall.

"Ding! Player randomly spawned... Player spawned in Gutang Village!"

The scene shifted, and Lin Yi opened his eyes again to find himself standing at the entrance of an ancient village. Ahead stretched a low city wall that extended dozens of meters with no end in sight, flanked by numerous militia wielding weapons.

Though called a city wall, it was actually just a compacted earthen mound, offering limited defense.

Beside the entrance stood a half-meter-high stone stele inscribed with the three characters "Gutang Village." Remarkably, these were Chinese characters, written with graceful strokes and imposing presence.

"Another new arrival. Lately, it seems more and more players have been spawning in the village..."
"The more, the better. The more players, the less pressure on us..."
"Yeah, it's been unsafe at night these past few days..."

Two militiamen nearby spoke quietly, their voices low but still clearly heard by Lin Yi.

Silently, Lin Yi touched his coarse hemp garment, feeling its rough, prickly texture. The soil beneath his feet was also hard and unyielding.

Could this game be so realistic?

Was this a real world or just a game world?

Glancing around, Lin Yi noticed no typical reception NPCs like those in ordinary games. Dressed in rough hemp cloth, he approached the nearest militiaman. Mimicking the tone of the two soldiers’ conversation, he clasped his fists and asked politely, "May I ask, sirs, as a newcomer to Gutang Village, what kind of place is this?"

One militiaman glanced at Lin Yi and nodded. "You’re polite—much better than the last newcomer. But we’re just ordinary villagers and don’t know much. You should find the village chief or the elder inside; they can answer your questions."

"Also, a word of advice: walk around the village first, get a feel for things. Don’t rush out yelling about slaying monsters and leveling up. Otherwise, you won’t even know how you died, and we’ll have to come collect your corpse."

"Thank you both!" Lin Yi said earnestly, then followed their directions into the village.

Gutang Village seemed small. Walking along a narrow path, Lin Yi caught a vague view of the entire settlement.

The houses were scattered and mostly made from yellow clay. Some had yards with chickens, ducks, and geese. Others looked dilapidated. On the road, villagers appeared occasionally. As a seasoned player, Lin Yi knew the importance of gathering game information and tried to engage with them.

Unfortunately, most villagers seemed indifferent, stepping aside as he approached.

A few beggars were willing to answer questions, but only in exchange for food or money.

Lin Yi was empty-handed, so no deal could be made.

Eventually, he arrived at the village center.

Here, the houses were mostly brick and tile, orderly arranged under the shade of ancient trees, giving the village a thriving, vibrant feel.

After some inquiries, Lin Yi finally found an elder of Gutang Village.

The elder was about sixty, wearing a brown fine cloth robe, with sharp eyes and an extraordinary aura. Just one glance from him made Lin Yi feel his eyes sting.

“No wonder the shrine reacted earlier—it's because a new arrival has come.”

Lin Yi bowed respectfully and asked, “May I ask your name, elder? And what place is this?”

The elder, seemingly accustomed to greeting newcomers, replied calmly, “My name is Gu He. This is Gutang Village on the Apocalypse Continent. We have lived here for generations. You, however, are selected arrivals from foreign worlds, chosen by the shrine.”

“Arrivals can stay for three hours each day. Beyond that, you will be expelled. In Gutang Village, you can earn money and food through trade or quests, or leave the village to hunt beasts and strange creatures for experience.”

“As for anything more, I cannot answer, as I have never ventured far beyond this village.”

Lin Yi nodded thoughtfully. This reception NPC seemed responsible, sharing detailed information.

He clasped his fists and asked again, “Thank you, Elder Gu He. May I ask, if I wish to leave this world voluntarily, how would I do so?”

Gu He glanced at him. “You have a mediating symbol on your wrist. Sensing it allows you to exit or enter this world. Of course, the symbol can be hidden at will.”

Lin Yi rolled up his sleeve and saw a string of indecipherable golden symbols shimmering faintly. They resembled the invitation code he had just entered—characters, but not English letters.

Though he now knew how to return, Lin Yi was in no rush. He asked, “Elder Gu He, as a newcomer, I seek your guidance. Also, I’ve heard the area outside the village is dangerous. What threats lie beyond?”

Gu He smiled faintly. “You’re quite eloquent for a new arrival. Since I have time, I’ll tell you.”

“You are weak just after spawning. Don’t venture out these days. Outside the village dwell bloodthirsty beasts, cunning poisonous creatures, and eerie spirits that prowl after dark. You can’t handle any of them yet.”

“Though small, Gutang Village is complete and protected by the shrine, granting basic self-defense ability. So don’t worry about your safety early on. Spend time in the village, learn some skills to support yourself. There’s a butcher in the east who might teach you some external martial arts if you become his apprentice. To the west, a woodcutter wields sharp skills and external techniques as well.”

Hearing this, Lin Yi felt encouraged. He bowed again, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder Gu He. May I ask if I could become your disciple?”

Gu He laughed heartily. “Become my disciple? Ha! Many have asked that since they arrived. You just spawned in Gutang Village; no one knows your character or talent. I won’t accept you now. But if you make great contributions to the village, I might take you as a pupil.”

Clearly, the elder refused Lin Yi, which he had expected.

For now, though a novice village, Gutang’s elder Gu He was evidently a high-level NPC of considerable rank.

To apprentice under him, special tasks must be completed.

After leaving Gu He, Lin Yi wandered around Gutang Village.

Now knowing how to return, he wasn’t in a hurry to leave. With time on his side, he wanted to explore more and gather information.

However, after nearly half an hour, Lin Yi hadn’t encountered any other players.

Could there be many novice villages in this Apocalypse game world? Or were too few players entering this game?

Having circled twice, Lin Yi was roughly familiar with the village layout when hunger suddenly hit.

Checking his status panel, he saw his satiety had dropped to 60.

Clearly, it was time to eat.

“Just as Elder Gu He said, early on I should focus on earning a living within the village. As for venturing out to fight monsters, I’ll wait a bit longer.”

With that, Lin Yi headed toward the butcher’s house in the eastern part of the village.