Pioneers were free.
Three days after rumors of big guilds tried to make Granary's Rule was spread, they finally came into fruition.
There were four rules in the rule:
No Player Killing: Players cannot kill other players. This was the most important rule, and it was a must. No Stealing: Players cannot steal from others or rob them. This was a must because it was the foundation of trust. No Scamming: Players cannot cheat or scam others. This was a must as well, or else it would break the game's balance. No Harassing: Players cannot harass or discriminate against others based on their gender, race, or religion. This was a must because this world was already hard enough, and players didn't need unnecessary hate and discrimination.
These rules were a must for the new world. As more and more people entered the game, the need for a law and a system became more urgent.
If someone was found breaking the rules, the five big guilds 'Enforcers' would come and punish them. They were the strongest in the city, and they could take care of anyone who violated the rules.
There was no punishment system in the game, so it was the best they could do. At least this gave people hopes for a stable live and relieved them from the phantom fear that they would be killed any time.
Some people didn't like the rules because the big guilds decided them without consulting solo players, but most were grateful. The rule was a start for the new world, and it gave them hope that the world could still be good, even in this chaotic situation.
Hunter was satisfied with the rule. It was the first time he was happy with a law. He didn't believe the big guilds, but he knew it was necessary.
"They are really thinking this through." Schnee commented as she was reading a book.
"Yeah. The fact that they didn't just try to control the city with their strength is admirable. It shows that they have some sort of conscience and understanding."
"Or they actually wanted to try but was too afraid to. Who knows? But this is still a good step. They may have ulterior motives, but as long as people are relieved by this law, it's a win-win situation."
"True. Let's hope this stays for a long time."
"Yeah. And I wonder what they are planning for the bigger picture. There are so many questions, like how would they know if someone broke the rules? But I guess they won't be able to know. They are just going to hope for the best and punish people if they find out."
"Yeah. That's the problem with the new world. There are no laws and no police, so it's easy for people to get away with anything."
Both of them were silent, their minds deep in thought.
'This is not a game anymore. Not the same Frontier Online we used to play. Our tests in the last 10 days have proven that. Now, we need to adapt and grow, or else we will not survive.'
A sigh escaped their lips as they stared out the window, their minds drifting to the future.
"Well, what are you going to do today? I am thinking of collecting herbs and crafting potions." Hunter asked, his voice low. "And I will meet Dirk to listen to the information relayed to him regarding that Mage."
"I see. And me? I will be helping the guild. I heard there was a group of bandits in the forest. Not players, but Indigenous. The Silver Wolf's guild leader actually asked for my help. Hehe, he knows what I like and I also get items from this."
Schnee grinned and put her book down. She stretched her body, and her joints popped loudly.
"So, that's it. We're going our separate ways today."
"Yeah. I guess so. Be careful, though."
"You too."
Schnee smiled and waved her hand as she walked out the door. She didn't need him for today. She would go and enjoy her day with the bandits.
As for Hunter, he went to the Alchemy Lab and spent the whole day crafting potions. Creating a potion wasn't the same as before. It was harder and required more steps.
Hunter had to collect ingredients, grind them, mix them, and boil them. It was a tedious process, but he didn't give up. He had always been passionate about Alchemy, and he wanted to use it to his advantage.
"Hmm, let's try this."
He mixed the ingredients and put them on the stove. The fire was weak, and he frowned as the potion turned into a black slimy liquid.
'Damn, it's not working. Why isn't it working?'
Hunter sighed and rubbed his temples.
'Maybe I need to practice more.'
And so he did.
He collected the ingredients, ground them, mixed them, and boiled them. He did it again and again, trying to get the perfect balance of ingredients and temperature.
He spent the entire day practicing, and he was satisfied with his progress. From 50 tries, he had 20 perfect HP potions. It wasn't a lot, but it was better than nothing.
"Phew. This is exhausting."
Hunter slumped on the chair, his mind dizzy. He closed his eyes and leaned back, his thoughts racing.
'This is hard. Something that I can finish with a click of a button now needs effort and patience. How annoying. I even wasted a lot of expensive ingredients.'
Alchemy wasn't the same in this world. It was harder and needed a lot more attention.
'But this is good. If I can perfect this, then I can get a lot of advantage in battles and even sell potions. I bet they will sell higher than ever now that the world is different. But it's not only that. I will be able to use potions for my personal gain, too. I will have a lot of uses for this.'
Hunter smiled. This was a scheme to get him more advantage, and he was looking forward to it.
"Oops, look at the time. I need to meet Dirk now."
He stood up and stretched his body, his joints popping. He didn't have a watch or phone, so he had to rely on the system to check the time.
He left the Alchemy Lab and walked toward the tavern from before.
As he arrived, he saw Dirk sitting alone in a corner, sipping his beer. He sat on the empty table next to him, and they greeted each other.
"So, have you found anything about the Mage?"
Dirk's face was serious, and he nodded.
"The interrogation's result has come out after 3 days. They said that Scarlet is part of a group called 'Black Rose', a group of mercenaries. They have been active in the game since the beginning, but we never knew their identity or their location."
"Black Rose, huh. A group of mercenaries… A group like that has formed in just 10 days?"
"Yeah. We didn't know much about them because they are careful and they never attacked anyone big. They just focused on weak players, which was why no one could pinpoint their location. Before the Cataclysm, they were just a small group. But after the game changed, they suddenly took all kinds of requests."
Cataclysm, a way to describe the transition from the real world to the game.
"And they took the request of the killer who murdered Jason."
"Yes, unfortunately. But we found out something interesting."
Dirk leaned backward, his face serious.
"It seems they are not the only mercenaries. There are many others who are active in the game, and they are willing to get dirty for the money. Their numbers also grew, based on what we know."
"That's not surprising." Hunter commented, nodding his head. "After the transition, everyone is trying to make or join a group. It's only natural that those who are willing to kill for the money will do it. There are no rules, and people will do anything for their survival."
"True. It's just that the five big guilds have a different view of this." Dirk said. "I can't say anything about the others. Our information is lacking, unfortunately. But, I hope you're careful. They WILL do anything as long as they are paid."
"Thanks for the warning." Hunter stood up, and his voice was cold. "Then, I will take my leave."
"Be careful. Don't let your guard down." Dirk warned once again. "We don't know where that killer gets the mercenaries' contact."
"I will. And about the Mage herself?"
"Rune silenced her." Dirk answered. "That's all."
"Thanks. See you around."
Hunter waved his hand and walked away.
'Mercenaries, huh. And someone who informed the killer about them.'
Maybe it would be interesting to meet them or their leader at least once. Schnee would be glad, he bet.
As for him, he had his own plans.
'It's not time for me to join any guild or group yet. We don't like being tied down by rules or organization. So, I will wait and see how the situation goes. Also...'
Ten days had passed since the Cataclysm. During that time, there were many things that changed, especially the Indigenous, the NPC.
'Quest has disappeared. No one has gotten quests from NPC since the Cataclysm. That's really bad.'