CHAPTER 630

【 INVITATION FROM THE IRON-RANK VETERAN 】

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Exploring ruins was one of the most popular activities in Elven Kingdom.

Xu Ge had watched numerous videos about it, and among them, the most beloved dungeon for players to explore was the “Shattered Divine Kingdom.”

That place existed in another dimension, scattered with ruins dating back a thousand years.

However, if he remembered correctly, there was a level restriction imposed on that dungeon.

He didn’t know the exact requirement, but he was certain that newbies like him couldn’t enter at his current level.

After a moment’s thought, he asked, a little uncertain:

“…Senior, I’m only at level 1, so I still can’t go dungeon exploring at my level, right?”

“Heh, no worries. Level 1 newbies is exactly what I need! You’re not going in there to fight mobs anyway but just scout for traps along the path. Newbies like you don’t incur much penalty from dying since you’re only level 1, so you can die over and over, and it won’t matter!”

FacetheWind said with a grin, one hand on his waist while the other rested on the massive greatsword slung over his shoulder.

So I’m just being used as cannon fodder…?

Xu Ge suddenly realized.

But still—

“Wait, even level 1s can now enter a dungeon? I thought it had level restrictions.”

He frowned as he asked again.

At this, FacetheWind finally realized what Xu Ge was worried about and gave him a surprised look.

“Oh, you’ve read the walkthroughs?”

“Yeah.” Xu Ge nodded.

The veteran laughed loudly, shoved his greatsword into a crack between the paving stones, and clapped Xu Ge warmly on the shoulder.

“Relax. It’s not one of the dungeon outside but a ruin here in the Elven Forest. So even you newbies can enter.”

“Eh? So its located inside the Elven Forest?”

Xu Ge’s eyes lit up.

He had thought all the ruins in the surrounding area had already been picked clean by veteran players.

After all, monsters or loot inside ruins on the main map never respawn, unlike those inside dungeons.

That’s why there weren’t any decent magical beasts left near Chosen City anymore.

“What kind of ruins are we exploring, Senior? I’m guessing since it’s located inside the Elven Forest, the loot mostly belongs to the ancient elves?” Xu Ge asked eagerly. 𝘙ÀNÒ₿ËṢ

FacetheWind shook his head.

“No, it’s not an elven ruin, but one made by Titans.”

A Titan ruin?

Xu Ge knitted his brows, sifting through everything he knew about Elven Kingdom.

But he came up blank.

He had never come across any guides or videos mentioning Titans, let alone their ruins.

“What’s that? A new NPC race in the game?” he asked curiously.

“No, it’s not a new race. The Titans, also called the Giant Cyclopes, were once on par with the dragons. They were a powerful race with a civilization as prosperous as the elves, but according to the lore, they went extinct a long time ago. Recently, an oracle from the Goddess revealed a nearby ruin they left behind.”

“Since it’s situated inside the Elven Forest, anyone can enter. But the place is filled with traps. Plenty of parties have already been wiped out by those pesky contraptions, making exploration a huge pain in the ass,”

FacetheWind explained with a click of his tongue.

“I see…”

Xu Ge nodded.

He had heard that the penalties for dying grew exponentially with each level.

For someone like FacetheWind, dying even once would surely cost a fortune since the others party was a max-level Iron-rank powerhouse.

In that case, dragging along a newbie like him to serve as a meat shield or trap detector was indeed quite an ingenious move.

“Senior Wind, count me in! Also… I have a companion who hasn’t arrived yet. Can you include my friend in your offer so the two of us can scout together?” Xu Ge asked.

“Eh, brother, you have a companion? Well, that’s even better! I was just about to look for another person!”

FacetheWind’s eyes lit up.

He was about to say more when his brows suddenly lifted.

In a sharp motion, he drew his greatsword, stepped back, and at the same time pulled Xu Ge toward the side of the road before the youth could react.

Suddenly, hoofbeats thundered from across the street.

Xu Ge turned his head just in time to see a column of majestic-looking knights charge past, led by a warrior draped in a crimson cloak.

The warrior wore a gleaming silver face helm that revealed only his eyes, with polished shoulder plates on either side. Heavy, ornate scale armor encased his body, and strapped to his back was a moon-bladed glaive etched with exquisite patterns. His mount was a striking unicorn clad in golden scale barding that shimmered in the light.

Behind him, the rest of the knights looked nearly identical, though some carried bows or swords, and their steeds varied. While a few also rode unicorns, most were mounted on white warhorses.

But all of their shields bore the same emblem:

A stylized golden ‘L’ with a battle axe driven through its center, set against a black background.

Aside from the knights, the procession also included mages, druids, and even a few priests on horseback.

Unlike the knights, however, these latter batch wore no armor and carried no shields. Instead, they were clad in magnificent mage cloaks and dignified priestly vestments, each bearing a staff more extravagant than the last. Embroidered across their robes was the same emblem worn by the knights.

Altogether, the company numbered around thirty, and every single one of them radiated an oppressive aura that left Xu Ge feeling really intimidated.

He gazed at the procession, eyes gleaming with envy and excitement. The company of knights thundered past quickly, leaving only dust in their wake.

Watching their silhouettes disappear into the distance, Xu Ge’s eyes sparkled like stars. He couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

“Who were those people? They looked so cool!”

Calling them cool would be an understatement in his opinion. Them riding in formation with their warhorse cavalry like that was practically straight out of every young boy’s fantasy.

Meanwhile, FacetheWind cast a glance at the retreating squad and smirked sourly.

“Judging from the emblem on their equipment, those guys are likely the Knights Templar from the Azeroth Alliance.”

“Knights Templar?”

Xu Ge’s eyes lit up.

Even their name sounded impressive!

“Mhm. They’re basically a mercenary group, or more like a raiding party if you ask me. Anyway, the Knights Templar are a guild under the Azeroth Alliance. As you saw, they’re a bit elitist, since every one of their members are a Silver-ranker.”

All of those players on horseback are Silver-rankers?!

Xu Ge sucked in a sharp breath.

He turned again to where the knights had vanished, muttering in awe:

“No wonder they had such overwhelming presence. They were all Silver-rank veterans…”

“Heh. Their attitude is the least of it. If you ever provoked them, their aura alone could scare a level 1 newbie like you to death.”

FacetheWind chuckled humorlessly.

After laughing, he tilted his chin upward proudly.

“Of course, I’m not afraid of them. I’ve still got the confidence to trade a few blows with any of their members, just as long as they’re not max-level Silver-rankers.”

“Senior, you’re so cool too!”

Xu Ge promptly gave him a thumbs-up, showing sincere respect. Seeing his earnest admiration, the older player burst into a hearty laugh.

Then, with a slight pout, FacetheWind added,

“Honestly, they’re just lucky, that’s all. If I had managed to snag a class advancement slot, I would’ve surpassed them already. Tsk, I could’ve broken into the top 300 of the combat leaderboard, no problem.”

“Heh, bro, don’t let their swagger fool you. In fact, among the Seven Great Guilds, the Azeroth Alliance is actually near the bottom, only a bit stronger than the ‘Long Live the Goddess’ guild. What’s more, their members aren’t exactly all that impressive.”

“If you’re talking about real bigshots, it’s the Big Old Four you have to look at—especially the First Legion, Heart of Nature, and Moe Moe Committee!”

“Top players like Boxlunch, StirFryTomato, Salty Cat, Féng, JasmineUndertheMoonlight, and Demacia—all top-tier veterans—are from those guilds.”

“As for the Guildmaster of the Knights Templar—the one riding the unicorn in that party we just saw—while he’s the strongest in the Azeroth Alliance, even he only ranks somewhere in the 100s on the combat leaderboards.”

“So you can imagine what kind of monsters fill the top 10, right, bro?”

Hearing this, Xu Ge nodded in amazement.

“Yeah, I guess, I could imagine…”

He remembered watching a video of the Valkyrie, JasmineUndertheMoonlight, online.

That legendary female player, ranked in the global top ten, had once single-handedly defeated five max-level Silver-rankers at once.

Seeing how she easily dealt with them, Xu Ge realized some people were just built different.

Even with the same level and equipment, their strength was in another league altogether.

Speaking of which—

“Senior Wind, which guild are you from?” Xu Ge asked curiously, eyeing the older man’s impressive gear.

“Me?”

FacetheWind blinked, scratched his messy hair, and replied:

“I’m with All-Stars, though I’m not one of the core members.”

“All-Stars? As in the pro esports guild? I’ve seen some of your guild’s videos online! So you, Senior, are part of that guild? That’s awesome! I heard the bigger the guild you belong to, the better the benefits are.”

Xu Ge rubbed his hands together, astonished.

“What big guild? Compared to the Big Old Four, we’re nothing.”

FacetheWind waved dismissively, then glanced toward a certain spot in the city.

“See that hanging garden? That’s Moe Moe Committee’s branch HQ here in Chosen City. It used to be their main headquarters, until they moved it to Mountpeak City.”

“If you ask me, no one beats Moe Moe when it comes to membership perks. Their max-level members get houses assigned just for joining. Can you believe that? Even in Mountpeak City, the housing prices aren’t exactly cheap.”

Xu Ge: “…”

He had heard about the insane real-estate market here in Elven Kingdom. It was said that any good locations were so expensive that it had become a running joke online.

“Moe Moe Committee, huh… I heard they have a lot of girls in that guild.”

Xu Ge stroked his chin thoughtfully as he said this.

“Mhm, Mhm.”

FacetheWind nodded, then glanced around at the nearby girls in the area. With a regretful shake of his head, he sighed.

“Sigh, what a waste… Elven Kingdom is rated all-ages. We have such amazing character models, yet nothing explicit beyond that. Honestly, the potential here is way higher than those R18 Japanese games…”

“…R18 Japanese games?”

Xu Ge raised a brow.

Their eyes met, and a spark of mutual understanding passed between them.

Huh, so this senior shared the same kind of ‘cultured’ preference as him?

“Hehehe…”

They clasped hands, exchanging a knowing laugh.

“Right, didn’t you say you had a companion? Where is your friend?”

FacetheWind glanced behind Xu Ge curiously.

“Uh… I’ll call my friend again.”

Xu Ge scratched his head. His gaze unfocused for a moment, like he was looking at something far away.

A short while later, he blinked back to reality and said sheepishly:

“Sorry, looks like my friend’s still in the character customization screen.”

“Pfft—hahaha! Still in the character creation, huh? That’s always a time sink. Back when I made mine, I spent a whole hour tweaking my face alone.”

FacetheWind chuckled.

“I know right? That’s why I just copied from a template and just tweaked it a little.”

Xu Ge touched his own cheek as he explained. Honestly, even though it was his own face, the elven features in it were so different—smooth, delicate, and soft to the touch.

“Don’t worry, Senior. I already reminded my friend.” he added.

“Alright then. Let’s wait at the tavern. Its the perfect chance for you to meet my companions. We’re forming a full party this time. Besides me, there are a few more players coming along.”

FacetheWind spoke with enthusiasm, then led Xu Ge toward the tavern district.

Chosen City had plenty of taverns, enough to fill an entire district. Most were run by guilds, though some were privately owned by individuals.

Among them, the two most famous were Amway Tavern, which was operated by Heart of Nature and known for its affordability, and Black Dragon Tavern, run by Moe Moe Committee, which was renowned for its luxury.

Though… calling a tavern “luxurious” did feel a bit odd.

FacetheWind led Xu Ge straight into Amway Tavern.

The building was wooden, exuding a medieval atmosphere. Inside, local elven musicians played soft classical melodies.

The tavern was bustling with patrons, mostly players, while servers moved gracefully about—either elegant maids or stylish butlers.

Their outfits matched the tavern’s color scheme perfectly, eye-catching yet fitting the atmosphere. And, of course, they were all NPCs.

Guided by one such NPC, FacetheWind and Xu Ge were seated at a table tucked away in the corner.

“One jug of elven flower tea, three jugs of premium ale, seven cups of water, one plate of fried potatoes, a deluxe iron-pan pizza, and a fruit platter.”

FacetheWind ordered without hesitation.

“Your orders have been received, sirs. Please wait a moment.”

The beautiful elven maid gave a graceful bow before departing.

Xu Ge clicked his tongue in wonder as he watched her leave. FacetheWind grinned.

“Doesn’t feel like an NPC, right? Heh, that’s how insane the AI is in this game. Without the usernames above their heads, you’d never know they weren’t real players.”

“Of course, us players can also hide our usernames from anyone below our level. So if you’re a max-level Silver-ranker, you could essentially pass yourself off as an NPC. As long as you don’t run into another player of the same rank, no one will ever suspect a thing.”

The older player said with great relish.

Before long, the elven maid returned.

“Your drinks are here, sirs. The rest will be out shortly.”

She placed four crystal bottles on the table. One was filled with a clear pale yellow liquid that gave off a sweet, enticing fragrance. The other three were golden, frothy, and carried a sharp alcoholic bite.

FacetheWind poured a glass of the pale drink for Xu Ge and smiled.

“Go on, give it a try. This is elven flower tea, which was voted as the number one drink here in Elven Kingdom. I’m sure you’ll love it.”

Xu Ge nodded, lifted the cup, and took a sip.

His eyes lit up immediately afterwards.

“It’s really good!”

“I know, right?”

The older player laughed heartily.

They chatted casually while waiting. After a few moments, several more patrons entered the tavern.

“Hey, guys! Over here! Over here!”

Hearing the door open, FacetheWind turned his head and called out to the newcomers in his trademark uncle-like voice, instantly catching their attention. The group glanced toward him, smiled, and walked over to their table.

Xu Ge watched with curiosity.

This group of newcomers consisted of two men and two women.

One of the men wore leather armor with a cloak, resembling a seasoned hunter. The other carried a curved bow on his back and had a steampunk-style magical firearm holstered at his waist, clearly marking him as a skilled marksman.

As for the women, one appeared to be a druid in sleek, battle-ready spellcaster gear, while the other sported the classic mage look, complete with a pointed hat and a curved wooden staff slung across her back.

Evidently, each one of them carried the aura of a seasoned veteran.

The group soon reached their table and sat down with practiced ease.

Xu Ge, on the other hand, felt a little stiff.

“Let me introduce him,” FacetheWind said. “This is the newcomer I found. He’ll be the vanguard scout for our upcoming ruins exploration. His username is… uh, Ye Ye?”

When he mentioned his username, the older man deliberately paused, then gave Xu Ge a strange look.

“…Bro, you’re not worried someone’s going to come after you with a name like that?”

Xu Ge gave a dry chuckle, quickly deflecting.

“Cough… it’s just a pun I wanted to play with. Call me however you like, Senior Wind…”

The older man waved it off.

“Then I’ll just call you Coconut. ¹ It’s more easier to say.”

Xu Ge: “…”

After that, Senior Wind introduced the rest of the party.

And just like the older man, all four were also members of All-Star Guild, each of them a max-level Iron-ranker.

Xu Ge memorized their usernames and added them as friends.

Their food and drinks soon arrived. They dug in, ordering another round of dishes as they went. It was only then that Xu Ge realized it was already lunchtime here inside the game.

Though, none of them had eaten yet.

The tavern’s food turned out surprisingly good—something similar to Earth’s Mexican flavors. Even though he wasn’t particularly hungry, Xu Ge found himself eating heartily.

If not for everyone’s elven appearance, he might have thought he was at some mexican restaurant back in China.

Between bites, he also learned their party’s main goal:

They were heading to the ruins in search of possible Titan artifacts.

“Artifacts like that have always been top-tier offerings in this game. So offering them to the Goddess racks up huge contribution points,” one explained.

“And with the latest update, the system added a limited-time reward pool—you can use contribution points to get lottery tickets for Silver-class advancement slots. The rates are even boosted right now. Everyone’s going nuts for it…”

“Of course! Who doesn’t want to advance to Silver-rank ASAP?” Senior Wind added, downing a gulp of ale before letting out a loud burp.

Xu Ge nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

They continued eating and chatting, and before long, half an hour had already slipped by.

FacetheWind drained the last drop of his ale, checked the system time, and frowned slightly.

“Coconut, your friend still isn’t here?”

Xu Ge: “…”

“Cough, sorry about that. I’ll hurry my friend along,” he said, sounding a bit sheepish.

“…Alright, then we’ll wait a little longer.”

The older man nodded in understanding and casually ordered another mug of ale.

“Hey, ease up on the drinks, will you? We’ve still got a task coming up!”

Senior Wind’s teammates all shot him exasperated looks.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! I can handle my liquor!” the older man chuckled.

Thus, they went on drinking and chatting as another ten minutes slipped by.

FacetheWind: “…”

He glanced at Xu Ge, looking a little annoyed.

“Hey, Coconut, maybe give your friend another call?”

Xu Ge: “…”

Scratching his head awkwardly, he pressed his palms together in a mock-apology.

“Right, right, my bad. I’ll message my friend again!”

He pulled open the chat app and fired off another message.

“My dear Miss Zhao, are you done yet? Everyone’s getting impatient here!”

He typed quickly, almost desperately.

“Coming, coming! I’m almost done with customizing my character! Just send me the location, I’ll head over right away!”

This time, Zhao Linqian finally sent back some good news.

Xu Ge let out a long sigh of relief, shot her the address, and added,

“Make it quick, alright?”

“Got it! Got it!”

With everything settled, he finally relaxed. Turning back to the expectant faces of the others, he gave an embarrassed smile.

“My friend said they’re almost done. I already sent this tavern’s address, so they’ll be here soon.”

“You know, you could just invite your friend to the party. We just can go pick them up along the way. Wait—don’t tell me you two aren’t even on each other’s friend lists?”

FacetheWind asked, puzzled.

Xu Ge opened his mouth, froze, then smacked his forehead.

Right. He never actually added her and just used an external chat app to contact her.

Actually… come to think of it, had Zhao Linqian even told him her username?!

Just then, the tavern doors swung open again and an elven girl in a novice mage robe stepped inside.

Her long, sky-blue hair shimmered under the light, and even among players her looks ranked above average.

She glanced around, eyes lighting up when she spotted Xu Ge’s group. Without hesitation, she marched over and gave Xu Ge a firm smack on the shoulder.

“Yo! I’m finally here. Did you wait long?”

Her voice rang bright and lively, startling the whole table.

FacetheWind blinked in surprise.

“A… girl?”

Xu Ge glanced up at the username above her head and froze.

“…Na Na?”

“Nah, Nah, You have to properly call me your Nana, my dear grandson.” ² the girl said with a smug little grin, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes playfully.

Xu Ge: “…”

Footnotes:

¹ Coconut in Chinese is 椰子 (yēzi) which is a wordplay for Ye Ye’s username.

² “奈奈” (奶奶 / Nai Nai) is a chinese affectionate nickname for a grandmother or elderly woman. Literally, it could just be a name, but in Chinese family terms, it’s often used to refer to a beloved grandmother figure. And Nana could be translated as Grandma in other language too.

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