“It’ll be here soon. Three, two, one.”
Yue Wu began counting down, and then the ‘show’ he had promised truly began.
“What in the world is this?!”
“Damn it! I can’t break free.”
“What’s with these chains? Why can’t I get out?”
“And I feel my strength slowly draining away.”
The moment the group rushed into the room, they triggered the Chains of Heaven trap Yue Wu had set inside. One by one, they were bound as if for a humiliating display.
“Baolen, what do you think of their poses?”
Yue Wu led Baolen to the doorway, guiding him to witness ‘knowledge’ he had never encountered before.
“I can’t quite tell, but I still think Big Bro and the others are amazing. I, Baolen, could never do that.”
Baolen looked at the bound bandits with a hint of disappointment, then glanced at his own physique, growing even more disheartened.
“As long as you put in the effort, you can definitely do it too. Believe me.”
While Yue Wu and Baolen chatted, the leader of the home invaders began to plead for mercy.
“Esteemed Mage, please spare us! We didn’t know it was you. If we had known you were a mage, we would never have dared to disturb your rest. So, please, forgive us! We are just a group of poor, hungry people.”
As the bandit leader finished speaking, the other bound individuals echoed his pleas. Only Baolen listened, utterly bewildered.
“Big Bro, haven’t we always eaten our fill? Why are they saying they’re hungry? Lying is wrong; the gods will punish you.”
Baolen’s seemingly simple nature, oblivious to the world’s harsh realities, inadvertently shamed every robber present with his blunt honesty.
“Baolen!”
After Baolen’s interruption, the leader’s face flushed crimson with rage. He yearned to tear the chubby boy in half the moment he was free.
“Ah! Big Bro, did I say something wrong? But I remember you eat four meals a day, and Corin eats three…”
Baolen counted on his fingers, delivering a perfect finishing blow that left everyone else in stunned silence.
“Your name is Baolen, isn’t it?”
Yue Wu couldn’t help but chuckle, patting Baolen’s shoulder as he asked.
“Yes, I’m Baolen Tristraine. My family used to herd sheep, and I’ve killed many wild beasts. What about you, you plump sheep?”
Baolen introduced himself to Yue Wu with a foolish grin.
“Yue Wu, from Huaxia in East Asia, on the Asian Continent.”
When Yue Wu revealed his origin, everyone present, save for the simple-minded Baolen, froze. Or rather, they were too terrified to move.
“Big Bro, what’s wrong with you all?”
Baolen saw his leader and the others tense up, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads as they dared not stir. He was utterly perplexed by their reaction.
“You… you fool! Don’t you know about the Asian Continent?!”
Baolen’s leader, exasperated by his denseness, couldn’t help but scold him.
“Huaxia is one of the great nations of the Asian Continent, shrouded in mystery. It is considered the pinnacle of power on the continent.
It’s said that formidable individuals roam its lands, and one could casually encounter several powerful experts, or even super-experts, just walking down the street.”
On the vast expanse of the Asian Continent, two nations stood out with significant territories.
One was the Ross Empire, the largest in terms of land area, situated in North Asia. Its people were renowned as battle-crazed individuals, truly a warrior nation in every sense.
The other great power was Huaxia, located in East Asia. Though numerous smaller states existed within its borders, they all revolved around Huaxia, which boasted the longest continuous existence among all nations.
Huaxia was a land steeped in mystery. It was said that sectarian forces and martial arts schools thrived in every corner of the country, with powerful experts visible everywhere.
A mid-tier sect, or even one of higher power, could effortlessly lay waste to an entire nation. Huaxia harbored the greatest number of formidable individuals across all continents.
Furthermore, Huaxia had once famously declared, ‘Harm my Huaxia, and we will strike, no matter how far.’ A few insignificant smaller nations, foolishly daring to challenge this proclamation, began raiding and pillaging villages along Huaxia’s borders.
In response, Huaxia dispatched over two thousand A-rank experts and ten S-rank powerhouses to exact vengeance. Consequently, that small nation was erased from the annals of history.
Most importantly, Huaxia and the Ross Empire were staunch allies. Consequently, no one on the Asian Continent dared to harm a citizen of Huaxia.
Firstly, there was the formidable warmongering capability of the Ross Empire to fear. The Ross Empire had once sounded the war horn against all nations on the distant American Continent, a conflict that raged for over a decade.
The war nearly brought the entire American Continent to its knees. Had the people of the American Continent not swiftly developed mechanical countermeasures, and had Huaxia not dispatched envoys to halt the conflict, the war would likely have dragged on much longer.
Therefore, the Ross Empire publicly announced its alliance with Huaxia, becoming the ‘guardian god’ of the peaceful nation. While Huaxia had no need for such protection, the Ross Emperor simply enjoyed intertwining his country with Huaxia’s destiny.
Secondly, Huaxia boasted an immense population, with many of its powerful experts dispersed across various continents worldwide. They had even established organizations specifically to assist their expatriates, a model soon emulated by other nations.
As a result, no one from any country dared to harm a Huaxia citizen without due cause, or rather, without reporting it through proper channels. Otherwise, the consequences would be severe.
Within the game, in the year 610—the very beginning of its narrative—every player experienced the initial storyline: the invasion of various continents by demonkind. During this crisis, the great nations convened to consolidate their forces against the demonic threat.
This led to a system where all players, regardless of their origin, began with the same initial class selection. However, advancing to specialized professions often required extensive travel.
Many foreign players gravitated towards Huaxia’s unique class options, such as the Qigong Master, Swordsman, Rogue, and Martial Artist, among numerous others.
Yue Wu, however, opted for the relatively obscure Western Priest class. In the game *TEW*, the Priest was predominantly a pure support role, possessing very few offensive skills.
Consequently, few players chose this profession, and even fewer managed to master it effectively. The Priest carried immense responsibility as the primary support in any party, and its self-preservation capabilities paled in comparison to a Qigong Master’s.
Yet, after a significant late-game patch, the Priest class finally carved out its own niche. It gained the ability to learn both Light and Dark magic from the Mage class, providing ample space for offensive contributions. It even ascended to become one of the top five classes in Player-versus-Player combat.
“Are you surprised?”
Completely unaware of the historical trajectory at the time, Yue Wu had no idea what they were so afraid of. After all, he was merely a transmigator who had inexplicably crossed over, and his knowledge of the game’s history amounted to a few casual glances during gameplay.
“Never mind. I’m a bit tired. You can all go back to wherever you came from.”
Yue Wu yawned and walked into the room, releasing his control over them with the Chains of Heaven. He then added, as an afterthought:
“If you disturb my sister when she wakes up, you’ll all be waiting with your necks ready.”
Yue Wu’s smile appeared exceptionally terrifying in their eyes, like that of a bloodthirsty beast. They all scattered, fleeing for their lives, leaving a clumsy Baolen lagging behind, still carrying an unconscious accomplice over his shoulder.
“It’s getting late. Time to sleep.”
Yue Wu re-confirmed that there were no remaining dangers in the vicinity, then closed the door and lay down on the sofa to sleep.
****
In the early morning, Jeanne D’Arc awoke to find Yue Wu sitting on the sofa, lazily sipping the red tea provided by the tavern. He was muttering to himself, though she couldn’t discern his words. Jeanne D’Arc walked over, wished him good morning, and then went to wash up.
“Breakfast is getting cold. Do you want to come out with me after you eat?”
“Alright.”
Jeanne D’Arc quickly finished her breakfast, gathered her belongings, and followed Yue Wu out.
“Take this. Don’t lose it, though it’s fine if you do.”
Yue Wu handed Jeanne D’Arc an exquisite pouch. Curious, she took it, opened it, and was startled.
“Brother, this?!”
Inside the pouch were dozens of gold coins and an amethyst carved into a cross, immediately stunning Jeanne D’Arc. She hadn’t expected Yue Wu to give her such things.
“The money is your allowance. Buy whatever you want. If it’s not enough, I’ll give you more. As for the amethyst, well, I originally intended to carve a beautiful shape, but it ended up as just a cross, hahaha.”
Yue Wu explained, a hint of embarrassment coloring his voice as he elaborated on the amethyst. He had initially believed all his in-game skills, including his life skills, would have transferred with him.
His intention had been to carve the amethyst into the likeness of Jeanne D’Arc, as he remembered her from his past. Yet, with each clumsy attempt, it had repeatedly morphed into a simple cross.
Only then did he realize he had never maxed out his sculpting skill; it was merely at level one. While he could manage simple designs, anything complex was utterly beyond his current ability.
“Brother, thank you.”
Jeanne D’Arc didn’t care about the gold coins in the pouch. Her sole focus was the gift Yue Wu had made for her. Even if it wasn’t perfect, or particularly beautiful, and had numerous flaws, Jeanne D’Arc didn’t mind at all. She loved it and would cherish it.
****
At the entrance of the Mercenary Guild in the Kingdom of Faslan, Yue Wu watched the bustling crowd within. He was suddenly reminded of the skirmishes he’d encountered while taking quests in the game, and the friends he’d made during those clashes, causing him to fall deep into reminiscence.
“Brother? Aren’t we going in?”
Seeing Yue Wu lost in thought again, Jeanne D’Arc gently shook his arm to bring him back to his senses.
“Sorry, I was just thinking about old times again.”
“Old times? What kind of times?”
“I met them right here, at the entrance of the Mercenary Guild. Now, I’m the only one left.”
“……”
Though Jeanne D’Arc knew Yue Wu was exceptionally strong and had imagined him surrounded by equally capable companions, she had not realized the extent of his solitude. He had lost not only his family but also his comrades, leaving him utterly alone.
A wave of sorrow washed over her, and she silently made a solemn vow in her heart: she would strive to become stronger and remain by his side, always.