Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The bus swayed rhythmically, lulling Ying Yuanxing, seated in the back, into a deepening drowsiness. Unconsciously, his eyes drifted shut.

Yet, Ying Yuanxing dared not truly fall asleep. He remembered the dangers lurking in this city, so he merely rested his eyes, ears still attuned to his surroundings.

Thus, he missed the eerie, terrifying appearance of the anomaly boarding the bus, a sight that sent shivers down the spines of the remaining viewers.

The audience wasn't particularly afraid of these anomalies; after years of watching livestreams, they had grown accustomed to their horrifying visages. Moreover, separated by the screen, these anomalies posed no real threat. Their true concern was for Ying Yuanxing.

They had accepted his decision to leave Hongxing Company for his own safety, but if he were to be killed by a random anomaly, they would be utterly devastated.

“Is the streamer really that timid?”

Watching various anomalies board and exit the bus while Ying Yuanxing kept his head down, seemingly half-asleep, some viewers couldn’t help but question his behavior. Though he didn’t appear fully unconscious, his relaxed demeanor seemed out of place. Could someone so seemingly at ease truly be timid? Compared to other new players, Ying Yuanxing’s reactions stood out as unusually calm.

“Does anyone else feel like the streamer has no idea what’s going on? Or is it just me?”

“I feel the same way. Even if he has some kind of trump card, his composure around anomalies is just too strange!”

Ying Yuanxing believed he was being cautious, but to the audience, he was practically reckless.

In the early days, when humans knew little about anomalies, such behavior might have made sense. But now, with a deeper understanding, people like him hardly existed anymore.

…

Inside the Dawn Bureau, investigators finally uncovered the information about the selected players from Xia State.

Most players’ identities were easily verified, but Ying Yuanxing’s records proved exceptionally difficult to trace. If not for his name and distinctive appearance, they might not have found him at all.

The team leader scanned through Ying Yuanxing’s file, his brow furrowed. His background wasn’t much different from the others—except that four years ago, Ying Yuanxing had been in a car accident, leaving him in a vegetative state. He had remained unconscious in a sanatorium until he woke up upon entering the anomalous game.

It was unclear whether this was a stroke of luck or misfortune. If he hadn’t woken up, the sanatorium's deteriorating conditions might have cost him his life. But waking up only to enter the anomalous game was like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Had he awakened just two days earlier, he might have had time to learn about the anomalous game. Now, he was entering totally unprepared.

Then again, being unaware of reality might spare him some despair if death came.

Recalling the new players’ performances, the team leader felt a pang of dread.

After explaining Ying Yuanxing’s situation, the office fell silent. As observers of the livestream, they had seen his behavior firsthand. At first, they were puzzled, but now that they understood his circumstances, everything made sense.

“So, Ying Yuanxing might not even realize he’s in the anomalous game? He might not even know the things around him are anomalies?” someone asked in disbelief.

“Based on his behavior, that’s the likeliest explanation.”

Someone gasped. The Salvation Game had selected countless players, but none had ever been in such a situation.

Compared to this, they would’ve preferred Ying Yuanxing had left Hongxing Company out of fear. Otherwise, even if they sent help now, there were countless opportunities for him to die before rescue arrived.

“If he suddenly finds himself in an unfamiliar place with a new identity, what would he assume is happening?” someone else asked.

“Probably that he’s transmigrated or isekai'd. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have adapted so quickly,” came the reply.

Most in the room were young and familiar with web novels. Even those who didn’t read them understood concepts like transmigration. Comparing Ying Yuanxing’s actions, the theory made perfect sense—he likely believed he had crossed into another world.

“First, find out where Ying Yuanxing is heading. Check if there are any nearby players who can inform him of the truth. Offer an anomalous item as a mission reward,” the team leader said after a moment of silence.

As for what Ying Yuanxing would do after learning the truth, that was up to him.

Had he still been in Hongxing Company, the Dawn Bureau could’ve mobilized players to protect him for the huge benefits he offered. But now, he had nothing to offer other players.

They couldn't force players to help him.

Players in the anomalous game could only return to reality once every three months for a single day. Some no longer cared about the real world, let alone the Dawn Bureau. Others still valued their lives outside, making risky assignments impossible.

As for offering more incentives, the Bureau lacked resources. Anomalous items were scarce, and they couldn’t justify excessive expenditure. Countless Xia State players had died in the anomalous game without rescue—this mission for Ying Yuanxing was exception enough.

The office fell quiet again. The team leader glanced at Ying Yuanxing’s file, his four-year-old photo still bright, untouched by apocalyptic gloom.

…

When the stop was announced, Ying Yuanxing opened his eyes. Though he had only been resting them, he felt somewhat refreshed.

Looking out the window, he realized the bus ride had taken longer than expected. He had boarded at 2 PM, and now it was around 5 PM, the sun already sinking behind the hills.

The doors opened, and Ying Yuanxing stepped off with his backpack. At the station, he spotted a tall figure standing there.

“Are you Brother Ying?” The young man smiled warmly, his tanned skin and amber eyes radiating energy.

“I’m Ying Yuanxing. And you are?” Ying Yuanxing responded immediately.

“I’m from the carpenter’s family in the mountain hinterlands. My mom was supposed to pick you up, but she’s busy with work, so she sent me instead.” The young man grinned. “Oh, I haven’t introduced myself—I’m Yuan Xiu.”

Hearing the name, memories surfaced in Ying Yuanxing’s mind.

The Yuan family was well-known in the surrounding villages for their carpentry. Many had sought apprenticeships under them, but their daughter proved most skilled. After the elder Yuan passed, Yuan Xiang inherited her father’s craft and even moved to the city due to her growing reputation. But for some reason, she later returned to the village, working as a carpenter to get by.

This made Ying Yuanxing realize his recollection of this world wasn’t complete. Without meeting Yuan Xiu, these details might've stayed forgotten.

Still, he shrugged it off. The original owner hadn’t spent much time in the village, so even if his behavior seemed off, no one would question it.

But one thing puzzled him—he hadn’t informed the village of his return.

The doubt flashed briefly before he brushed it aside. After all, he was in a game, and this was likely part of the storyline.

After making small talk, Ying Yuanxing followed Yuan Xiu toward the village.

He had assumed the road would lead straight there, but to his surprise, the village wasn’t connected by a proper highway. Instead, they had to take a narrow path through dense woods.

Stumbling along, Ying Yuanxing expected to tire quickly, but after a while, he found himself moving effortlessly, without feeling tired at all.

“Brother Ying, we should hurry. If it gets dark, the forest becomes dangerous,” Yuan Xiu’s voice floated eerily ahead.

“Dangerous?” Ying Yuanxing asked skeptically. What could be dangerous in the woods?

“You’ve been away too long. These past few years, man-eating monsters appear in the forest at night. If we don’t reach the village before sunset, we might run into them,” Yuan Xiu said darkly.

Monsters?

Ying Yuanxing didn’t think Yuan Xiu was lying. After all, games like Stardew Valley had monsters too—maybe this world took inspiration from it. Still…

If he had transmigrated into a game world, where was his character panel?

Entering a game world without a personal panel—what's the difference between that and an ordinary transmigration without cheats?

Ying Yuanxing thought to himself when he suddenly noticed something odd in the corner of his eye.

What is this?

Focusing his gaze, he spotted a faint green vertical bar, hard to see against the forest backdrop.

A stamina bar?

Ying Yuanxing was certain this wasn't there before—not in the office, nor on the bus. The bus interior was mostly white, so a green bar would've stood out immediately. If it had appeared then, he definitely would've noticed.

That meant it must've appeared after he got off the bus. As for the exact timing, he wasn’t sure, since Yuan Xiu had immediately captured his full attention, and the mountain path had left him too focused to notice.

Before this, even if he’d suspected he’d transmigrated into a game world, nothing had confirmed it as concretely as this moment. Now, he was absolutely certain—he really was inside a game.

As for why the stamina bar only appeared now, Ying Yuanxing guessed it was because he’d reached Taoxi Village. Maybe game features only unlocked once the character successfully entered the game.

He tried summoning a map next, but unfortunately, it didn’t work. Maybe he just hadn’t found the right method.

……

Compared to earlier, the livestream chat was unusually quiet. Perhaps the initial excitement had drained their emotions, or maybe the hours without danger had lulled them into relaxation.

But Yuan Xiu’s words instantly made the audience tense. Even though he seemed normal, viewers knew better—in the anomalous game, there were only two types of entities: those who’d already revealed their true nature and those who hadn’t yet. And Yuan Xiu’s words sounded exactly like the latter.

Despite their dissatisfaction with Ying Yuanxing leaving Hongxing Corporation, the audience couldn’t help but worry for him.

"Probably nothing serious, right? In the anomalous game, villages are dangerous, but judging by the host’s earlier words, he’s just returning home. Usually, the first day is safe."

"Normally, yeah. But what that tanned guy said fits way too well with the classic ‘danger ahead’ warning."

"Anyone know about Taoxi Village? Kind of worried for the host."

"Feels familiar, like I’ve heard it somewhere before."

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Why? I don’t get it."

"Oh shit, I remember why the village name sounds familiar—isn’t that the No-Survivors Anomalous Domain?"

"Because in the anomalous game, any place name that sounds familiar is either dangerous or extremely dangerous."

"Just looked it up—it’s an S-class Anomalous Domain. For a newbie to go in there is basically suicide."

"Can't even describe the host’s luck. Escaped an A-class domain only to land in an S-class one."

"Can the host still run?" someone asked, recalling Ying Yuanxing’s earlier escape from Hongxing Corporation.

"Don’t even think about it. The host probably only got out of the company because of Taoxi Village. He’s already in the game now. Unless a higher-level Anomalous Domain appears, there’s no escape. If you like the host, better watch while you can—this might be your last chance to see him."

The chat fell silent. One by one, viewers began leaving, afraid of getting too depressed. Those who stayed were the ones who genuinely liked Ying Yuanxing, and watching him die would really hurt.

Right now, they couldn’t risk that. In this era, slipping into depression was easy—but recovering a healthy, energetic state was much harder.

Watching the viewer count drop, the Dawn Bureau staff sighed. They’d initially hoped to help Ying Yuanxing, but after seeing his hometown’s name, they knew the reward probably wouldn't help.

Not only were there no Xia State players near Taoxi Village, but as an S-class Anomalous Domain, it was even more cut off than Hongxing Corporation.

If Ying Yuanxing had stayed at the company, other players could've waited till he left work and contacted him outside. But now that he’d settled in Taoxi Village, the only way to get to him was to enter the village itself.

The invitation Ying Yuanxing received was basically a key granted by the domain. Without it, outsiders could only force their way in—and forcing your way into an S-class domain meant death.

The bounty reward was just one anomalous item. Players who wanted it wouldn’t dare enter, and those brave enough to try wouldn’t risk it for a single item.

Besides, Ying Yuanxing probably wouldn't survive long enough for anyone to reach him.

Recalling Yuan Xiu’s earlier words, the staff member took a deep breath and opened a document, ready to record Ying Yuanxing’s death. They’d done this countless times before—should’ve been numb by now. Yet, something about Ying Yuanxing’s situation bothered them.

Being a professional, they quickly steadied themselves and focused on the screen. After his ominous warning, Yuan Xiu continued leading the way when Ying Yuanxing showed no reaction. For now, things seemed normal.

But both the staff and the audience sensed something was off.

"Damn, the forest darkened unnaturally fast. And is that fog? Is the anomaly planning to strike under cover of darkness?"

"Feels highly likely."

"Looked it up—Taoxi Village’s anomaly usually doesn’t send someone to meet new arrivals. No way to guess how this new one will act."

"The more normal an anomaly seems, the crazier it is. Can’t watch this. I'm leaving."

The forest had grown so dark that the audience could only make out two blurry, overlapping figures. Then, suddenly—one of them collapsed.