CHAPTER 71: 071 EASTER EGG OF JIAMUCHENG

Outside Jiamucheng.

[Crazy Man], [Bitter Melon Vine], [Silver], and several other Hidden Guards were carrying the pelts, fangs, and other spoils from beasts they had killed on West Mountain. They had just reached the main road when a group of players led by [Lonely Old Man] blocked their path.

"Looking for a PK?" [Crazy Man] threw the pelt from his shoulder to the ground, drew the blade from his waist, and asked, his brow furrowed.

He couldn’t help but be wary. During the players’ more reckless times, the Hidden Guards had imprisoned many, forcing a good number of them to delete their accounts and start over. Now that everyone’s levels had risen, it was only natural for some to seek revenge.

"Jiamucheng players are family; we don’t attack our own," [Lonely Old Man] said with a smirk. "Crazy Brother, we wanted to discuss something with you today."

"Speak," [Crazy Man] replied, not sheathing his blade.

"Before we talk, I’d like to ask you all a question." [Lonely Old Man] smiled faintly. "Are you planning to continue as Hidden Guards?"

"What are you getting at?" [Crazy Man] frowned.

"Crazy Brother," [Lonely Old Man] said, "the third batch of accounts has been released, and it’s a large one."

"Mm," [Crazy Man] nodded.

"Greg, the Divine Status holder from Fiore City, joined an organization called Thorn Star and learned the Stealth assassination skill. He’s already Level 28," [Lonely Old Man] continued.

"Wilderness Wolf of Yimucheng is Level 26 and currently the deputy leader of the Black Tiger Gang. His next step is to establish a foothold in Qian City. He doesn’t want to work for others anymore and is actively recruiting players on the forums to join the Black Tiger Gang, planning to oust the current Gang Leader and seize control. Barring any accidents, he’ll become the first player to establish their own gang," [Lumberjack No. 1] said.

"Boss, Lao Mi was actually the first," [Lumberjack No. 2] reminded him. "He’s the leader of the Jiamucheng Beggar Gang now."

"Don’t mention that loser," [Lumberjack No. 1] glared at him. "A guy playing house with a bunch of Beggars isn’t playing the same game we are."

"So, what are you all trying to do?" [Crazy Man] asked, frowning.

"Crazy Brother, you’re Level 18 now, right?" [Lonely Old Man] asked.

[Crazy Man] looked at him but didn’t say anything.

[Lonely Old Man] just smiled. "The highest-level players in Jiamucheng are probably you Hidden Guards. Yet your group, the first beta testers, is barely keeping pace with the second batch of Pioneers from other Novice Villages. You’re a whole stage behind them. Does that seem normal to you?"

"Normal or not, our levels are still higher than yours," [Silver] retorted.

"I’m not trying to mock you," [Lonely Old Man] said with a smile. "Very few from the third batch of beta testers are willing to choose Jiamucheng. If this continues, we’ll be left further and further behind."

"These days, Jiamucheng players are becoming a joke on the forums," [Lumberjack No. 1] said. "You’ve probably heard the two most common sayings: ’Spend the most money to play the hardest game.’ And ’Others play the game; we get played by the game.’ Do you think that’s fair?"

[Crazy Man] frowned as he watched the two take turns speaking.

"To change the current situation, Jiamucheng players must unite," [Lonely Old Man] said. "Our players have fallen into this predicament because everyone is fighting for themselves. Crazy Brother, this game is different. You can’t make it big going solo. If we band together, we’ll have a chance to reap the greatest rewards."

"Band together?" [Bitter Melon Vine] repeated.

[Lonely Old Man]’s gaze swept over the Hidden Guards. "Crazy Brother, have you ever wondered why the game developers specifically chose to increase Jiamucheng’s difficulty?"

"Isn’t it because the devs let Lin Bai run wild?" [Silver] replied.

"Exactly! It’s because of Lin Bai." [Lonely Old Man] clapped his hands and laughed. "Actually, our way out has been obvious all along. Currently, we know Lin Bai has mastered Descending Dragon Palm and Palm Thunder, a short-range burst-type Qinggong, and a Catching Technique targeting the hands. To use these Martial Arts, he must also possess formidable Inner Strength. His knife skills are excellent too, and recently he seems to be dabbling in Alchemy at the City Lord’s mansion..."

"He also owns that Haunted House Restaurant, the one supposedly inhabited by ghosts," [Lumberjack No. 1] reminded them.

"Correct." [Lonely Old Man] nodded. "Meaning, Lin Bai is a multi-talented NPC with a skill tree unlike any other Novice Village NPC. The developers wouldn’t design an NPC like Lin Bai without a reason. So, he’s Jiamucheng’s Easter egg. If we take him down, we can finally hold our heads high."

"You’re planning to kill Lin Bai?" [Crazy Man] quickly understood.

"Yes," [Lonely Old Man] confirmed.

"Killing him will definitely mean huge drops!" [Lumberjack No. 1] said excitedly. "In the history of gaming, what player doesn’t kill NPCs? Compared to others, we’re practically playing this like a life-sim..."

"Just the few of us killing Lin Bai? Sounds impossible!" [Bitter Melon Vine] exclaimed. "The level gap is too wide."

"Since when do players care about levels when taking down a BOSS?" [Lonely Old Man] chuckled. "No matter how difficult, we have to take him down. If we don’t, players from other cities will. Then we won’t even get a scrap."

"Do you have a plan?" [Crazy Man] asked.

"The Master Artifact Refiner brothers at the Blacksmith Shop made a batch of crossbows," [Lonely Old Man] said. "Miracle Doctor Flower, our medic, concocted a colorless, odorless poison. Anyone below Level 10 who drinks it will last a minute at most. Lin Bai has high Inner Strength, so he might resist longer. We’ll increase the dosage; as long as he ingests it, it should be enough to weaken him significantly."

"Poisoning him won’t be that easy, will it?" [Crazy Man] asked.

"Not for us, no. But what about his precious disciple?" [Lonely Old Man] chuckled.

"Deng Li Buduo?" [Silver] asked.

"No player is willing to endure torture from an NPC." A faint smile touched [Lonely Old Man]’s lips. "To be honest, we already persuaded Deng Li Buduo to join this plan before we came."

"And if the poison doesn’t work?" [Crazy Man] asked.

"We fight," [Lonely Old Man] replied. "The crossbow arrows and your waist blades have all been coated with poison by the Blacksmith Shop brothers. I’ve already contacted a batch of third-round beta players who’ve obtained accounts via the Xianxia network. Once they log in, they’ll harass Lin Bai with Crossbow Arrows to drain his Inner Strength. Newbies aren’t afraid of losing levels anyway. We higher-level players will observe for an opening and then strike, taking him down in one concentrated effort."

"The location?" [Crazy Man] asked.

"Chef’s Divine Food Stall," [Lonely Old Man] said. "Lin Bai is too smart; we can’t trick him out of the city. His stall is in a remote spot, practically deserted late at night. Perfect for an ambush."

"Have a few people log off right near Chef’s Divine Food Stall," [Crazy Man] suggested. "When we make our move, they log back in suddenly. That’ll catch him by surprise."

"So, Crazy Brother, you agree?" [Lonely Old Man] smirked.

"How do we split the loot?" [Crazy Man] asked.

"Standard procedure: loot is distributed by contribution," [Lonely Old Man] said, glancing at [Crazy Man]. "Once we take out Lin Bai, we can take out a second NPC. Why worry about future gains then?"

"Have you considered the aftermath?" [Bitter Melon Vine] asked. "Killing someone in the city gets you a warrant from the Government Office. Even if we manage to steal anything, we might end up hunted by all NPCs. Once wanted, we can’t even enter higher-level cities. Ultimately, the Novice Village is just a stepping stone. To learn advanced skills, we still need to go to those cities."

[Lonely Old Man] stated, "A red name would be a problem in other games, true. But in a game striving for realism, getting a new identity is too easy. Do you really think NPCs don’t kill? When we move, we’ll be in black, faces covered. Once Lin Bai is dealt with, you Hidden Guards can grab a few newbies and toss them in jail as scapegoats.

"If the City Lord insists on investigating, we offer money; the Wild Wind Gang can help us smooth things over. Why do you think Wilderness Wolf dared to move against the Black Tiger Gang’s leader? Because he figured out these rules. Gentlemen, we’re Players, not transmigrators. We’ve never been model citizens. Only by becoming powerful can we gradually gain more say..."

[Crazy Man], [Bitter Melon Vine], and the others exchanged glances, then nodded simultaneously.

"Alright, it’s settled then," [Crazy Man] said. "We’ll discuss the details later. Let’s aim for success on the first try."

[Lonely Old Man] laughed and nodded. "Crazy Brother, I’ll have to trouble you with coordinating the Hidden Guards. Remember to find trustworthy people. The NPCs are too sharp; they might pick up on something from our slightest actions. Before we make our move, it’s best to act normal. Any planning should be done outside the city. And most importantly, no one streams before we kill Lin Bai, to prevent any diehard fans from tipping him off."