Engaging in a conversation about lollipops with a little one who knows nothing about them is obviously a rather absurd behavior. Therefore, whenever Candy brings up the topic of lollipops, Alex wisely chooses to remain silent. However, this seemingly harmless and innocent little one clearly has her own thoughts. No matter how Alex tries to pry, she refuses to disclose who she is, why she exists in the Eternal Moment of Destiny, or why she calls him "master." Her responses range from a simple "I won't tell you" to an incredulous "Oh la la, I really don't know!"
Newbie Village.
Standing at the entrance of Newbie Village, looking at the bustling crowd coming and going, facing the gazes directed at him, Alex couldn't help but glance sideways at the little Candy perched on his shoulder. With his appearance tweaked by 20%, combined with his already decent looks and a hint of demonic charm and dangerous aura, he inevitably attracts numerous glances wherever he goes—yet not a single glance is directed at Candy on his shoulder.
Could it be that everyone in the "Destiny" world has such a little companion? Alex couldn't help but wonder, before promptly quashing his absurd speculation.
"Candy, can't they see you?" Alex tentatively asks.
"Oh la la! Master is very clever. How could so cute and obedient a little loli like me let so many people see me? Candy is very powerful. Unless I want to, they can't see me or touch me. Right now, only master can see and touch me." Candy says proudly, her black eyes shining with mischief. Clearly, not only can other players not see her, they can't even hear her voice; no one looks in her direction when she speaks.
Alex casts a peculiar glance at the little dot on his shoulder, pondering how many secrets and wonders this mysterious little companion still hides.
"Can you go back in there?" Alex points to the Eternal Moment of Destiny on his chest. Since Candy could float out from there, she should be able to go back in.
"I can if I want to. But it's very dark inside. I don't want to go back." Candy pouts, playing with her soft hair with delicate hands, her shiny black eyes taking in the surroundings and the flow of people.
Alex stops asking further questions and strides toward Newbie Village. Accustomed to traversing the world alone, he now has a chirpy little spirit accompanying him like a bird, but this feeling of having someone by his side doesn't seem bad either... Thinking of this, the corners of his mouth curl imperceptibly. As for Candy's origin and the secrets hidden within the Eternal Moment of Destiny, time will gradually reveal the answers. He longs to know them, yet he won't succumb to needless impatience.
At this moment, less than an hour away from entering the world of "Destiny," the connection between the accessory that shouldn't exist in this world and the Eternal Moment of Destiny, the core of this world's energy, makes him vaguely realize that this world of "Destiny" is extraordinary.
There are only a few houses in Newbie Village, and although the crowd is crowded, it's far from the exaggerated chaos of entering the game. The elderly village chief stands in the middle of Newbie Village, addressing the crowd of people coming to receive quests. Alex walks up to the village chief and politely says, "Hello, village chief. Is there anything I can help with?"
Regardless of one's status or temperament in the real world, maintaining politeness towards NPCs in the game world is always a necessary rule. Otherwise, what awaits might not be a task but malicious guidance, or worse, being driven away directly. Each NPC here has its own independent personality and thoughts, no different from the most ordinary person.
"Ding... Due to your extraordinary charm, the goodwill of Village Chief 60001 of Newbie Village has increased by +20." The prompt sound in his ears makes Alex grit his teeth. The base charm value of 10 points is indeed not in vain, plus the additional 10 points of charm from the Eternal Moment of Destiny, his charm value far exceeds the average player's level.
The village chief, who was previously annoyed by the constant stream of players, visibly brightened upon seeing Alex. A smile graced his face as he spoke, "The core of this world's energy, the Eternal Moment of Destiny, has disappeared, its whereabouts unknown. Without the power of the Eternal Destiny Moment, the seal of the Destiny Tower has finally collapsed, allowing all eight demon kings to escape. The overflowing demonic aura is affecting all the lands, even the gentlest of creatures have become ferocious..."
The village chief's opening words were identical to those of the strange old lady encountered earlier. Alex patiently listened until the village chief finally got to the point, "Adventurer from another world, you've shown me a glimmer of hope for the birth of another hero. Even the once docile chickens have been tainted by a terrifying aura. Would you be willing to help me eliminate thirty angry chickens?"
"Ding... Village Chief 60001 of Newbie Village asks for your assistance in eliminating thirty angry chickens. Task attributes: Normal, Task deadline: None, Task reward: 80 experience points, 5 bottles of Minor Healing Potion."
This is a basic task that even a level 0 player can undertake, with no appeal whatsoever to Alex. Instead of accepting, he gazes earnestly at the village chief and says, "Village chief, since you see hope for a hero in me, such a simple task would be beneath a hero. I believe this task has been assigned to many others from my place of origin. I hope to receive a task that they are incapable of completing."
If these words were spoken by another player, they would likely be met with disdain and a lecture on arrogance, perhaps even being chased away. But facing Alex's charisma of 20, the village chief's smile grows warmer after a brief moment of surprise. He nods and says, "Very well, you have shown me the pride befitting a hero. Your aura, gaze, and spirit make me increasingly believe that you will become a true hero, to resist the demons that threaten the world. As you wish."
The prompt sound signaling the cancellation of the task to hunt angry chickens chimes in his ear, and the smile fades from the village chief's face, replaced by a hint of nostalgia and sadness. "Not far to the north lies the Evil Wolf Valley, where various wolves affected by the demonic aura roam, becoming ferocious and bloodthirsty. They often surge out of the valley, plaguing the once peaceful Newbie Village. My son was once your size. That year, he went there alone to eliminate the threat of the Evil Wolf Valley, and he never returned..." He sighs deeply and continues, "Brave adventurer, could you go to the Evil Wolf Valley and bring back 100 wolf teeth? I wish to use these teeth to craft a tombstone for my son, to honor his brave yet brief life."