As Mu Yuan walked through the guild, he was truly amazed—even though he was just a greenhand who'd only been in the game for a day and a half, meaning his perspective was practically nonexistent.
Inside, there weren't just a lot of players; occasionally, you could see some troops.
There were muscular, brotherly Big Goblins.
The one Mu Yuan met in the game world was nothing compared to them—not even close to a younger brother. The sense of oppression was entirely different.
However, in the guild, Big Goblins were just a very common troop type, and it even seemed a bit jittery.
Because a graceful silhouette walked past not far away.
Tall, slim, elegant, with a delicate face, pointy ears, and long green hair like a waterfall.
"Is this... a Rare Three-Star Level Nature Elf?!"
Old Brother Mai Wa exclaimed in amazement, his eyes filled with envy.
Who wouldn't like a strong and charming lady that fit their type?
Mu Yuan also took a few extra glances. Don't get it wrong; this was mainly because it was his first time seeing a living troop type in reality.
He needed to observe more to broaden his horizons.
"Will we... be able to recruit such troops in the future?"
Hearing Old Brother Mai Wa's words, the receptionist smiled awkwardly yet politely.
She deliberated and said, "The lord who commands the Nature Elf is a big shot in our Baijiang Association."
The underlying meaning was: Do ordinary players want to recruit a Nature Elf? Keep dreaming!
But Old Brother Mai Wa didn't catch that implication. He rubbed his chin and said, "So, does it mean that as long as we pass the trial to become a lord, there will be more opportunities to recruit such rare troops?"
The guide said, "That's not wrong. Lord players, compared to ranger players, get more resources and opportunities. Over time, the gap between these two types of players will only widen."
"However, becoming a lord player isn't that easy. As players, you should be aware of the dangers in the Eternal Continent. Players need to maintain their territory's survival for a month and also safely pass through extremely dangerous trials."
"The guild hopes more players will pass the trials and establish territories, but also advises players to act according to their capabilities."
The guide wasn't a player, but she was professionally trained and had extensive 'newcomer theory knowledge'.
Mu Yuan got a lot of free intelligence here.
At least, when it came to the details of the Lord Trial, Old Yang was vague, but the guide had no problems. As expected, Old Yang was still too unreliable.
Mu Yuan gathered the intelligence:
"During the Lord Trial, Red Mist blankets the land, and monsters become frenzied and bloodthirsty, making them harder to deal with than usual. Therefore, to survive the Lord Trial, players not only need their territories to be strong enough but also need some strategies."
"Players should try to clear as many surrounding monsters as possible before the trial arrives."
"However, with just the limited power of players, clearing all monsters is impossible. Therefore, players need to set up a real defense line in front of their territories, targeted based on the types of surrounding monsters."
Previously, Old Yang mentioned that the officials would provide some support to outstanding newcomers, helping them through the Lord Trial.
The support provided by the officials includes troops skilled in defense like two- and three-star troops, trap blueprints, defensive buildings, etc.
Even just looking at it, Mu Yuan was envious, not to mention Old Brother Mai Wa and Liver Emperor.
Liver Emperor, who was near exhaustion, got a second wind, gathering and seeking information.
The girl explained, "The resource assessment has two parts, a written test and a military test. The written test assesses the player's operational command skills, while the military test evaluates their troops' combat power and performance."
"The purpose of the resource tests is to determine if a player has the potential and possibility to pass the Lord Trial. Therefore, the test is scheduled for six days later, the first Sunday after gaining game eligibility."
"This allows players to demonstrate their abilities while giving them enough time to make full use of these resources."
"However..." The girl shook her head. "The competition for this resource test is extreme. It's not easy to secure a spot—in fact, it's extremely difficult because lord players are already a minority among players. Only very few can pass the trials and establish themselves on the vast Eternal Continent."
Hearing what the guide girl said, Old Brother Mai Wa and San Ying couldn't hide their disappointment.
"You need at least three or four Three-Star troops and to develop your main troops to level 4 or 5 to have a chance at a spot? That's way too hard! No, this is simply impossible for ordinary players like us!"
Indeed, the official support benefits weren't so easy to obtain!
Old Brother Mai Wa widened his eyes.
Mu Yuan contemplated that he already had three Three-Star Skeleton Soldiers. With a few days of effort, he would definitely have more than three rare species troops.
At that time, should he display one rare species or ten Three-Star Soldiers?
This was truly a tough decision.
Really tough.
Thinking about it, Mu Yuan sighed along with the other players, "Yeah, this is way too difficult. For ordinary guys like us, there's simply no chance of survival."
Old Brother Mai Wa patted him on the shoulder, comforting him instead, "Don't get discouraged, little brother. We were at least lucky to qualify as players, already stronger than many others."
Unexpectedly, Old Brother Mai Wa turned out to be a decent guy, but Mu Yuan had already decided to become one of the roll kings.
...
With the guide girl's lead, they quickly completed their identity registration.
The process wasn't complicated.
The officials didn't require players to fill in their territory or troop information. Of course, players could choose to, and some players wrote like they were after a job application, aiming directly for official institutions.
After the identity registration, the forum function officially opened for players.
At this point, Liver Emperor bid farewell, planning to return home to continue gaming hardcore in Supernatural Game.
Mu Yuan also kind of wanted to return to hardcore gaming, but he thought since he was already here, he might as well look around more. Getting more intelligence would help with exploration and development.
Moreover,
"Is that the trading market up ahead?"
"Yes, it just coincides with the newcomer period. Many veteran players also come around. The market is much more bustling these days than usual."
So they headed for the market.
Mu Yuan originally intended to trade out a few Remnant Souls. Seeing this, he was interested, and the other newcomers, experiencing this for the first time, were filled with curiosity.
The trading market... Would they witness trading among veteran players and the legendary scenes of treasure auctions?
Just thinking about it made them excited.
But soon, inside the market, the new players looked at the stalls before them and fell silent.
"The best starter kit for newcomers, step right up and grab the bargains."
"Remnant Souls for a rock-bottom price, supporting trades in Soul Sand or Xuan Country Coin."
"The most suitable remnant soul for newcomers—the cheap Little Skeleton Remnant Soul, don't miss out."
Mu Yuan: "..."
The vibe felt somewhat off.
In the imagination, it was supposed to be veteran players earnestly presenting treasures, appraising, trading, and splurging wealth. Why were nine out of ten stalls catering to newcomers? Were the veteran players really this enthusiastic?
However,
When Mu Yuan approached Booth No. 9, his eyes lit up—wasn't this the Little Skeleton Remnant Soul he had been longing for?
Seeing his interest in buying, the shop owner instantly became more enthusiastic, constantly beckoning him.
"Come, come, young man, let me introduce you to this Little Skeleton troop type."
"In many people's eyes, Little Skeletons are a weak troop type. Thinking this way would be a huge mistake. Little Skeletons, while not strong, are only One-Star Soldier. But in my opinion, Little Skeletons are definitely the top of the line among One-Star Soldiers. Why do I say that? Let me explain it to you, uncle style."
"Little Skeletons don't need food, don't require rest, and can be commanded by the lord for any arduous tasks... These advantages are precisely what newcomers need the most. Think about it. At the start of the game, troops are already limited. If you also need a shift system, wouldn't you be even more short-handed?"
This seems to make a lot of sense?
Some newcomers stopped, showing signs of interest.
A guide girl opened her mouth, wanting to speak but ultimately said nothing.
Veteran players at surrounding stalls scoffed. Sure, everything Old Zhang said was true about Little Skeletons, but he didn't mention any weaknesses. Little Skeletons have a rigid combat style, slow movement, and poor coordination with other troops.
Otherwise, why would there be the saying "Little Skeletons and Goblins, Coiling Dragon and Phoenix Chick"?
But they wouldn't speak up. After all, like Old Zhang next door, they also wanted to 'scam' from newcomer players.
No need to worry about newcomers being broke. They may not have Soul Sand or treasures yet, but isn't there still Xuan Country Coin?
Veteran players also need to make a living, and now was the best time to clear out inventory that wouldn't sell otherwise.
Seeing that Mu Yuan was genuinely interested in buying, Boss Zhang said, "I know you newcomers lack Soul Sand and can't come up with other things at this stage. How about this, uncle will take a loss and sell it to you using Xuan Country Coin."
But purchasing supernatural items with Xuan Country Coin, even at the lowest level, has always had a significant markup.
It's definitely not affordable for ordinary households.
Old Brother Mai Wa looked at Mu Yuan with wide eyes: Weren't we all supposed to be poor guys? Didn't expect you to be a whale? I misjudged you!
"Uh..." Mu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then said carefully, "Only accepting Xuan Country Coin, can't we trade something else? Like a Remnant Soul."
Boss Zhang: "???"
What? Wait a minute, you actually have a Remnant Soul (°ο°)?