Evening, Reverse Wind Port.
A returning fishing boat unexpectedly rescued three exhausted individuals from the sea.
Two men and a woman, the former two were nearly unconscious, while the lone woman displayed remarkable resilience, tightly grasping the arm of Fisherman Bernie:
"Please… take me to see the lord of Reverse Wind Port immediately… I will reward you handsomely… hurry…"
Observing the woman's robust physique and calloused hands, it was evident she was a seasoned fighter accustomed to wielding weapons.
Bernie dared not refuse, maneuvering the small boat to dock without pausing to unload his catch. He hurried to find the knights stationed at the port and assisted the three weary souls to the marquis's residence.
As he turned to leave, Bernie found himself with a heavy coin pouch in hand.
He sought a secluded corner, opened the pouch, and nearly blinded himself with the gleaming reflection inside!
It was filled with gold coins!
For a lowly fisherman like Bernie, who eked out a daily income of only two or three hundred copper coins—equivalent to two or three silver coins—this pouch containing fifty gold coins represented a fortune he could toil for six or seven years without sustenance to earn!
"What on earth are these three individuals' identities…"
Bernie hastily secured the pouch within his garments, unwilling to linger in the vicinity, hastening away.
He did not allow the windfall to cloud his judgment, first, he returned to the port to unload the day's catch.
As usual, he sold the unsalvageable types of fish directly to the market and loaded the suitable ones for drying and curing onto a small cart, which he pushed homeward.
Bernie endeavored to maintain his composure, yet those familiar with him noticed a certain distraction in his demeanor, he could scarcely recall how he made it back to his house...
"Daddy's home!"
Hearing his daughter Veira's voice snapped Bernie back to reality.
"I—today I…"
He intended to recount his astonishing and surreal experience, but as he noticed Liang Xiaohong emerge behind his daughter, he suppressed his impulse and offered a forced smile in greeting.
This young man had left a favorable impression on Bernie, yet their acquaintance was still too brief, discussing the fifty gold coins would be unwise for the time being...
Liang Xiaohong's mood appeared equally unsettled, devoid of curiosity regarding the old fisherman's secrets. He silently took the cart to the backyard and began assisting with the processing of the fish.
The bruises on his face and head throbbed faintly, serving as reminders of last night's tumultuous ordeal.
A whole day had passed, and he still had not extricated himself from this "game"!
"Has no one noticed my physical condition in all this time? What a nightmare…"
As he filleted the fish with increasing force, Liang Xiaohong felt a growing bitterness.
After cursing inwardly, he recalled that he was no longer residing in the villa, the upscale apartment he currently inhabited was devoid of a round-the-clock butler or maid.
What good did it do to indulge in eating, drinking, and other bodily functions within the game? Would his real-life body starve to death if he prolonged his absence?
The more he contemplated, the more dread swelled within him, causing his movements to grow increasingly cumbersome!
"What's wrong… does last night's injury still hurt?"
Veira recognized that Liang Xiaohong was unwell and approached him with concern, only to be brusquely pushed aside!
Seeing her fall yet retain her caring expression eased Liang Xiaohong's frustration somewhat, he extended a hand to help Veira up, awkwardly apologizing in broken local dialect:
"I'm sorry, it's my fault."
Liang Xiaohong began to comprehend that his chaotic antics within the "game" would not suffice to extricate him.
He could only hope that his family would notice his disappearance in reality and come to the apartment to forcibly remove the gaming apparatus...
...
The next day, Fisherman Bernie surprisingly granted himself a day off.
Typically, he would rise before dawn to fish, but today he indulged in the rare luxury of an extra hour of sleep.
Upon waking, he eschewed the usual coarse black bread and instead ventured out to buy three pieces of cake for breakfast, leaving Veira astonished:
"Daddy, is today a special occasion? Why such an extravagant treat… it must be expensive, right?"
"Not at all, each is merely fifty copper coins, indulging occasionally isn't a problem!"
Bernie chuckled heartily, casually slicing the cake into smaller, more manageable pieces.
"Fifty…?"
Veira was left speechless.
For a single breakfast to consume nearly an entire day's income of her father was shocking!
Yet seeing Bernie's cheerful demeanor, Veira refrained from further questioning, not wishing to spoil the mood.
"You should have some too."
Handing a plate of cut cake to Liang Xiaohong, she turned to offer him a piece.
"…Oh, thank you."
Liang Xiaohong responded absentmindedly, his expression blank as he mechanically speared a piece of cake with his fork and brought it to his lips.
Another night had passed, and still no one had discovered his absence?
Or perhaps someone outside had already removed the gaming equipment, yet he still hadn't been able to exit?
Worry gnawed at him, and he suddenly overheard the old fisherman discussing topics like "war" and "foreign races."
A jolt of realization struck him!
Previously, a netizen had mentioned that Liang Xiaohong's death at the hands of a thug might have been due to a specific quest.
Could his current inability to exit the "game" also stem from needing to complete a task?
Steeling himself, he placed his plate down and asked: "Excuse me, what do you mean by war…"
Liang Xiaohong's local dialect remained imperfect, requiring considerable effort on Bernie's part to elucidate the situation.
Upon purchasing the cake, the old fisherman had witnessed numerous knight and wizard parties gathering at the port.
Inquiring with the well-informed cake shop owner, it appeared that the Storm Navy, which had set out two days prior, had engaged in a troublesome battle with foreign foes, necessitating the call for reinforcements.
The lord marquis of Reverse Wind Port personally issued a proclamation, recruiting sailors and laborers to assist the military on board, offering a daily wage of five silver coins!
Liang Xiaohong's eyes lit up at this revelation, was this not a quintessential special mission?
"I want to assist in the battle!"
He hastily exclaimed, dashing out the door, leaving the fisherman and his daughter in stunned silence.
They were not overly concerned, the Storm Navy had established a formidable reputation, and merely joining the crew as laborers would not necessitate direct involvement in combat.
Liang Xiaohong should be fine… right?
...
At the port, an opulently adorned carriage arrived, and the lord marquis descended with a warm smile, amiably greeting the sailors and laborers who had come to answer the call.
After a moment, he returned to the carriage, turning to the golden-haired youth seated in the main position and respectfully inquired:
"Your Highness the Third Prince, do you not plan to make an appearance?"
"No need."
The Third Prince dismissed him with a wave of his hand, then turned to the female knight Kuntina to his left:
"Your health is still fragile, it would be unwise for you to leave the port on this expedition."
"No, please forgive my stubbornness, Your Highness, the adversary is not easily dealt with, and the intelligence I possess will prove invaluable!"
Kuntina's expression was resolute.
Among the three breakout teams, hers was the only one that had successfully escaped, yet it had ultimately returned with only three survivors.
The other two, having received treatment, had traveled overnight to the royal capital.
Kuntina's mission was to assist the Third Prince in holding off the foreign forces until the King and the Chief Wizard arrived!