Chapter Five: Mission in Progress

In "Global Monster OL," between levels 0 and 10, each level grants one free attribute point. Between levels 11 and 20, each level grants two points. With every ten-level interval, the number of free attribute points increases by one. Before level 50, a player can acquire a total of 150 free attribute points.

According to the description on the Double Card, if Zhao Nan manages to reach level 50, he will possess a staggering 300 attribute points. This means that at level 50, he would have the attributes of a typical player at around level 70 or higher.

Such a thing, if exposed, would be catastrophic...

Zhao Nan was deeply aware of the importance of such an artifact in the days ahead. Once players adapted to the game, many underwent drastic changes in temperament. Law and morality were completely discarded within the authentic game world.

He clenched his fists tightly, exhaled, and quietly closed the backpack panel. It was best to hide this item, never mentioning it to anyone.

Yet the excitement in his heart would not fade. In his previous life, due to innate shortcomings, his early development was sluggish—one slow step led to many. As a result, his strength barely placed him around two thousandth in the world. But with the Double Card, doubling free attribute points before level fifty...

Wait and see. The pinnacle of players—I will reach it, too...

...

Time flew by, several hours passed in anxious suspense. At that moment, the whole world heard the system's voice once again.

"The game will update in three minutes! Please check your mail for details!"

Beep beep beep beep beep beep——!

In the next second, the same notification sounded throughout the world. Players opened the mail panel on their wristbands in confusion.

"Congratulations on surviving the first wave of elimination. Whether you are male or female, old or young, being able to read this mail proves that you have enough strength—or luck—to continue in the game! After the first update, 'Global Monster OL' will divide the world into safe zones and monster zones! The game is full of endless possibilities, so explore to your heart’s content. Enjoy the game!"

Three minutes was not nearly enough to digest the information in the mail. But as soon as the time was up, all players instantly lost consciousness.

Zhao Nan sighed, curled up his body, hugged his head, and his mind went blank with everyone else.

When his consciousness returned, his body was aching and he heard countless screams.

"Ouch! You're crushing me!"

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"That hurts—!"

"Bastard, where are you touching me?!"

"Pervert!"

"Mom—!"

...

Zhao Nan shook his head, cursing the system’s twisted sense of humor. This update had dropped everyone into the same place—the so-called spawn point in the game.

The city Zhao Nan was in had a permanent population of over five million. Even if only a tenth became players, that meant fifty thousand people. Imagine so many people squeezed into a space the size of a football field—it was suffocating.

It was a sea of people. Zhao Nan barely managed to push his way to the edge of the crowd, where he could finally take a proper look around.

He could vaguely see the outline of a football field, but the green grassy turf had become a crimson floor, and in the center floated a massive crystal—the Soul Crystal.

The Soul Crystal was the most important thing in a city. If its brightness faded to nothing, the city’s defenses would disappear, and it would fall into the monster zone.

Around the Soul Crystal were four smaller crystals—Teleportation Crystals. As levels unlocked, they could be used for instant travel between cities or to special locations. Of course, such instant teleportation was extremely expensive.

At this moment, the entire field was covered by intertwined old tree roots. Zhao Nan quickly climbed to the top layer of the field and looked out.

The whole city was covered in green; giant trees grew on streets and buildings alike, as if plant life and architecture had organically merged.

Meanwhile, many figures appeared throughout the city. Some looked entirely human, some had pointed ears and beautiful features like elves, some were dwarves—short with huge beards. There were even beastmen, with animal heads on human bodies...

Zhao Nan knew these creatures had only appeared after the game’s first update—they were NPCs. These NPCs didn’t know their existence was fabricated by the system. They had their own worldviews, real flesh and blood, emotions like humans, and could even reproduce.

Players, in the eyes of these NPCs, had a unique title—the Chosen.

Seeing the players still crowded at the spawn point, Zhao Nan quickly left the football field. After this update, human players adapted to the game at an astonishing speed; in about three days, almost everyone had fully entered the "Global Monster OL" player state.

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...

As a veteran, Zhao Nan knew the importance of "firsts." In "Global Monster OL," there were countless rewards—if you were lucky enough to claim some kind of first, you'd receive special rewards. Of course, since the game covered the globe and generated endless quests, it was unrealistic to claim every first.

But some firsts must be claimed.

For example, the first person worldwide to accept a quest.

At the door of the nearest general store to the spawn point, Zhao Nan was speaking with a female orc.

"Do you accept Lady Kelly's request to collect zombie dog teeth?"

"Accept!"

"Ding! Congratulations, player Zhao Nan, you are the tenth person to accept this quest. You are rewarded with fifty percent more money!"

Zhao Nan’s face darkened. He had rushed to be the first to accept the quest, yet he only managed tenth place?

He shook his head, then relaxed. The number of players in this game far exceeded anyone’s imagination. With the whole world playing at the same time, someone was bound to get first—some people were just insanely lucky.

But now was not the time to dwell on that. Zhao Nan quickly left the general store and headed toward another part of the street.

Since he had lost the first-to-accept status, he might as well hurry to complete a rather special chain quest.

Anyone who has played the game knows: you have to fill up on monster-related quests in a given area before heading out of the city to grind. That’s the best way to level up and save time.

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