Upon hearing the slightly accented "native language," Murphy instantly understood what he had summoned, and a wave of ecstasy surged up in his heart.
Although they weren't the world-destroying Burning Titans he had hoped for, wielding massive swords and always ready to wreak havoc... In some respect, these two fellows here represented something even more terrifying.
But, they were calling themselves NPCs?
So, in their eyes, this was just a game?
Ah, the wisdom of mortals!
Murphy had already been living here for a month, and he could affirm that this was not a virtual game, but a real-life Another World. Theoretically speaking, these two players had also experienced a sort of trans-dimensional journey.
What's even better was, they knew nothing about this.
In a single moment, a squinting Murphy already had a rough plan laid out in his head, an outline that probably summed up to several hundred thousand words. But he immediately cooled down.
At this moment, what was most important was to gain control of these two fellows, and further foster their misconceptions, lest they get scared by the truth.
Just like your first conversation with a new employee!
It's fundamental to draw a big and round cake; with a little advancement, one can even talk about dreams and aspirations. As someone who has been struggling in society for over a decade, Murphy knew these tactics like the back of his hand.
[Newbie Guiding Quest (1/6): Initial Summoning (Completed)
Reward: Test Invitation Code refilled to 10.
Hint: Currently, 2 Invitation Codes have been used. Do you want to send out the remaining Invitation Codes?
Developer's Note: Some things don't get better with more, just like how bigger isn't always better. Sometimes, a small thing can also be lovely. Most times, it's better to move forward step by step, instead of rushing in the moment you see a hole...
I can continue on, but I think you get the idea.]
"Send! Why not send?"
Upon seeing the prompt, Murphy immediately chose to send out all eight remaining Invitation Codes. What could he do with just two players?
They couldn't even get a dungeon started!
If the native creatures saw that, they would think less of Murphy, believing he could not summon more larval players. And right now, he was burdened with a suicidal task – the more help, the better.
However, after confirming the send out, the display of Murphy's "Extra-Dimensional Creature Summoning" still read [2/2].
Seems like recruiting these "testers" would also take some time. Though Murphy didn't understand how these things worked in the players' world, it wasn't something he needed to worry about at the moment.
[Newbie Guiding Quest (2/6): Command Testers to Complete Initial Basic Testing (Movement, Jumping, Attacking, and Daily Actions), Test Duration: 30 minutes.
Reward: Unlocking of new function.
Developer's Note: At the early stage of a project, all sorts of BUGs and complaints will be encountered. But don't panic when problems arise, take a deep breath. You can't solve it anyway, so just come up with a white lie and move on.
This shouldn't be a problem, right?]
"Ahem"
Murphy cleared his throat, getting the attention of the two players who were happily hopping about, attracted by every new discovery.
Indeed, these two needed some management!
The shorter one was relatively reserved, currently trying to take off the boxers automatically equipped upon "entering the game". As for the taller one, he had already ran off to rummage through the basement's trash can.
What the hell? Other than Cui Si the "King of Losers'" various bottles of alcohol, what else could you find there? Were you planning to summon the King of Losers with seven broken alcohol bottles to fulfil your wish of becoming a loser in Another World?
Brother, don't think like that, you've got a live example of a tragic ending right in front of you!
"Hehehe... This batch of summons is of surprisingly high quality."
Murphy let out a chuckle, his voice filled with the unique gloominess of vampires.
His eyes shone in the dark basement, and the reddish glow made the shorter player shrank back timidly, muttering under his breath about how creepy it was.
Isn't this obvious?
A normal person stumbling upon a genuine vampire like Murphy in a dark basement would've already been scared off their footing. Only these fearless players would still have the mood to make a joke.
"Rude and vulgar beings, stand at attention!"
Murphy adopted an NPC's tone of voice, touched the hilt of his sword with his left hand, flicked his right hand, and a weak spark of Dark Spiritual Energy shot out from his fingers. This scared the player who was rummaging through the trash can.
"Listen! I am preparing for a significant venture. Sadly, this world is filled with fools, and I can only turn to Another World. Though you two might be a little weak, you seem smart.
Maybe you'll be of help."
The Vampire adjusted his hood, trying to create an aura of a dark creature.
He stroked his chin, saying:
"But first, I need to verify if you two are healthy, if you have enough vitality, if you are sharp enough. I don't need handicapped goods. If you don't pass my test, I'll offer you as 'back-up blood bags' to the terrifying Vampire Countess upstairs."
He tried to scare the two players but failed to sense any fear from their faces. This left him feeling somewhat defeated, afterwards he waved his hand dismissively and turned around, saying:
"You should look around first. This dilapidated place can barely accommodate people, but I don't have time to personally explore the secrets it has hidden for over 300 years.
Go find it.
Use your wits, and bring me the most valuable thing you can find after 30 minutes."