Chapter 217

Chapter 217

Just half an hour ago.

All players who met the quest requirements had hastily rushed to Arkham. Those who hadn't yet arrived were also on their way, but they were temporarily circling around Arkham to accept quests and grind for experience to level up.

Players that Lane knew or didn't know formed small teams. Since Lane couldn't keep the portal to the Dream World open all the time, he decided to activate it once every 24 hours to send in a batch of players.

The first group of players had already successfully reached the forest within the Dream World.

The Dishonorable Idol looked at the scene before him with curiosity, surrounded by his close friends and family. "Wow, this is completely different from the real world."

In the Forest of Pan in the Dream World, the plants had bizarre appearances. This was understandable since many players had seen the strange botanical garden in Lane's Divine Kingdom. However, they didn't expect the sky to be entirely different as well.

Especially the massive crimson blood moon. It was breathtaking the first time they saw it. Few people had a phobia of large objects; most were instead deeply attracted by the crimson radiance.

"I can't... I have to take a picture over there in that clearing!" The Dishonorable Idol's friend felt that looking through the gaps in the treetops wasn't enough. He excitedly ran to a less wooded area.

"Hey!" The Dishonorable Idol recalled the information from the player forums about how dangerous the Dream World could be. He instinctively reached out to stop his friend, but it was too late. His friend had already reached the clearing, and the red moonlight bathed him. He lifted his head, snapped a few high-definition photos of the enormous red moon, and then heard a system notification in his ear.

"Rationality Assessment: Failed"

"Sanity Level: 30"

"Physical Constitution Assessment: Failed"

"Mutating..."

"Eh?" The friends and family of the Insidious Idol found their perspective oddly lowered. Glancing down, they saw their flesh melting under the crimson blood moon.

"Mutation Failed"

And then, their vision plunged into darkness.

Less than three seconds after entering the Dream World, the first player had suffered a casualty.

"F*ck." The Insidious Idol was stunned, and the other players, noticing the commotion, also panicked, hurriedly distancing themselves from any area where the moon was visible.

"This place is damn dangerous," the Druid couldn't help but remark.

"Not just risky," Matcha Latte crouched down, plucking a 'weed,' her expression a mix of emotions as she continued, "but the rewards are tremendous."

The Druid was taken aback and, likewise, squatted to cast a Herbology Identification on the 'weed' in Matcha Latte's hand.

"Enchanted Flying Scale Grass: A core ingredient for B-grade magic potions - Fortifying Elixir. Drinking it permanently increases armor by 5."

The fruit of all those auditing classes had finally shown. Nowadays, a significant portion of MU players were Master Naturalists. The professors who taught them across various disciplines would likely have mixed feelings – damn, these kids daydreamed during lectures but could still apply what they learned; it was unfair how the world worked.

There was no choice. Players gained skill points even when AFK, though max-level Skill Point Masters hadn't emerged yet (AFK wouldn't work later). Most veteran players could proudly claim that they alone formed a team!

Now, as the Druid looked at the hard-to-find herb in his hands, his face twitched.

Players around them gasped occasionally, clearly realizing that these seemingly insignificant weeds were actually B or C-grade herbs.

This wasn't a high-risk map; it was a treasure trove!

Instantly, their scavenging instincts kicked in. One after another, they crouched to weed the ground, while some quick-witted ones rushed to other parts of the forest – if the resources on the ground were so abundant, why compete with so many others here?

For a moment, the families dwelling in the woods suffered.

They watched helplessly as the players arrived and began plundering their surroundings, not sparing even the grass or stones as they stuffed everything into their pockets.

The Soul Devourer Butterfly leader, who had rushed back hurriedly, turned pale when it saw its chrysalises vanish once more.

They had been careless!

The mischievous child had grown up, but its mischievous followers remained!

"Woah!" The players gazed in awe at the sky-darkening swarm of Soul Devourer Butterflies and wondered aloud, "This looks somewhat familiar. What is it again?"

One of the veteran players, who had been playing since the game's launch, looked up and was left dumbfounded. "What the hell? There are that many A-rank anomalies?!"

Before they could even attempt to flee, they were surrounded by the enraged butterflies. However, the Soul Devourer Butterfly leader recalled Lahn's earlier request and merely hung the players from the trees, demanding the return of the chrysalises.

"Chirp chirp chirp (Hurry up and give us back our homes!)"

"What's it saying?" a player asked curiously.

The veteran player pondered, "Hmm...I remember these butterflies became Lahn's pets in an earlier event. It's clear now; this must be the official Pet System introduced by the developers!"

Soul Devouring Butterfly: ???

Think again!

Similar incidents unfolded elsewhere in the forest. Knowing players' nature well, although Lane forbade them from killing other players, he didn't stop them from retaliating against those who overstepped their bounds. The woods were bustling with activity as players scoured the area, only to be hunted down by the forest's inhabitants and hung from trees after mistakenly entering their domains.

Hmm, considering MU and New Harbor, Panthea's denizens might need some time to coexist with the players.

"About seven dead, I suppose," Lane observed at the heart of the forest, sensing the decrease in player numbers. It wasn't the denizens responsible; two perished under the moonlight, three ventured too close to the forest edge and began to mutate upon stepping onto the tainted land, while the remaining two fell to creatures that hadn't pledged allegiance to Lane at the forest's border.

In less than ten minutes since entering the Dream World, seven out of the initial fifty players in this supposedly safe forest had already perished.

Lane sighed. That was why the Dream World was a high-risk, high-reward zone. In his previous life, only high-level players could barely survive a trip there before returning to the real world.

But now, unlike in his past life where players needed Dream Potions to enter the Dream World, they only needed to wait for a 24-hour cooldown before re-entering through the portal he opened. The cost was significantly reduced.

Lane accessed the player forum and, as expected, some had already realized the danger and posted preliminary guides.

Title: Preparing for Dream World Exploration

Depraved Idol: Attached Image - Red Moon.jpg

Depraved Idol: I have to say, it's truly stunning. My friend took this photo, though he unfortunately met his end right after. But seriously, every frame could be used as a screensaver!

Insane One: Impressive, this is breathtaking.

In the world of dreams, players had caught a glimpse of the red moon when Lan opened the door during the first main quest.

Back then, no one paid attention to the moon's beauty. Everyone was too focused on the giant arm that suddenly appeared and the single eye peering into the mortal realm. Who had the time to appreciate the moon?

But now, having actually entered the dream world and seeing the crimson blood moon almost occupy a third of the night sky, they realized how exquisite the moon truly was.

Not only did the veteran players become even more active, but even casual players and sightseers were drawn out, expressing their desire to level up quickly just to bask under the moon in the dream world.

Druid: Player Melting.jpg

Druid: Laughing to death here, does the moon look good? It can kill you, you know!

Black Cat: You're right. Just appreciate the pictures, don't actually go to the dream world to enjoy the moon. Otherwise, dying as soon as you enter would be such a waste.

Matcha Milk Green: Indeed, the wonders of the Dream World go beyond its landscapes.

Matcha Milk Green: Various Herb Chart.jpg See that? They're just pulled from the ground, and you'd have a hard time getting them even with money in the real world.

Crazy One: Man, I bet Professor would go nuts if he came to this world! So many core ingredients for potions!

Immoral Idol: Not just that, there are also strange creatures and minions in the forest. But they won't kill us; at most, we'll be hung on trees – quite an intriguing experience.

Black Cat: The resources inside are truly abundant, and this is just the beginning of our exploration of the Dream World. It's a world of both danger and opportunity.

Blood Apprentice: Wait for me guys! I'm coming right away! Qwq Damn, the level restriction is so unfriendly to new players.

God Among Us: Indeed.

Druid: Huh, haven't you reached the level yet, big guy? Didn't you enter the game with the second version?

God Among Us: I didn't really grind levels... My current level is mostly from main quest experience. Just a little more to go.

Black Cat: Well, considering the main quest experience you distributed before, I guess you've done zero grinding, huh!

God Among Mortals: Hm, I don't think levels are that crucial in this game.

Druid: ???

Crazy No More: ???

Blood Kin: Apologies for intruding. Is this the world of those who utilize real-life skills?

The picturesque landscapes and perilous resources of Dreamworld, as conveyed by the pioneer players on forums, sparked interest among all gamers. It was no wonder the game's map became so popular. If not for Lane's level restrictions and the 24-hour interval between batches of players, the Pasturage Forest would likely have been overrun by gamers by now.

Hmm, considering the creatures living in the forest... Well, gods should still be kind.

At this moment, Lane suddenly glanced towards the forest's edge, raising his eyebrow in surprise. "Players are already attempting to explore beyond?"

And they were fortunate enough to stumble upon the equipment he had left behind.

Cutting to a different perspective, while most players were engrossed in exploring the forest, Druid's team had a clear objective as they marched towards its edge.

"Are you really not collecting any herbs in this forest?" Matcha Latte, with her hands clasped behind her back, curiously observed their surroundings and asked, "They might be picked clean before you know it."

"Calm down, this forest is vast, and it's only our first location in the Dream World," the Druid said with a gleam in his eyes. "In the games you've played before, did the officials ever place the best items right at the spawn point?"

Though not as sharp-minded as the Black Cat nor as eloquent as God on Earth, the Druid had played plenty of games!

During the closed beta when all players were still exploring the game, he fearlessly ventured into the high-risk Arkham Hospital map at a low level. He'd devotedly, um, invested in Lane as an NPC even before his functionalities were fully revealed.

In short, he always displayed the courage to pioneer new territories and the decisiveness to let go when necessary.

"And our main mission here in the Dream World is to explore it. While they're busy scavenging for resources in the forest, it's our prime chance to get ahead!" The Druid said enthusiastically, so eager to maintain his lead that he hadn't even started streaming!

The Black Cat nodded in agreement. "You're right. We'll definitely be the first to claim the quest rewards!"