NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10: The Beginning!
After confirming the time for his next Cthulhu RPG Game, Liu Xing sought out the administrator from the society he had spoken to previously—Lu Zi.
"Oh, you've already decided on the time for the next game?" Although they weren't conversing face-to-face, Liu Xing could sense the surprise in Lu Zi's words.
Liu Xing scratched his head. He understood why Du Liu might think this way. After all, playing the Cthulhu RPG Game was a life-risking endeavor. No one knew if they'd survive the next game, so most players opted to delay their participation, cherishing their remaining days. They wouldn't join until the very last moment.
Furthermore, by noting the time when players joined the society from the announcements, Liu Xing inferred that players who passed the Beginner's Room challenge typically earned between twenty to twenty-five points. He believed there wouldn't be many players "rushing to their dooms" like him—probably only a handful.
Regarding the 10 bonus points given upon registering for the Cthulhu Role-Playing Game Hall, Liu Xing suspected that everyone had likely converted them directly into cash.
Considering this, he typed a response, "Well, the end is inevitable. Why prolong it? Plus, I need to gather funds to buy the beginner's gift pack."
He told a white lie here. In the Cthulhu RPG Game, teammates always existed in a state between trust and distrust. No one could be sure if a teammate might secretly be a fanatical devotee or even a Ghoul or a Deep One—entities from the Cthulhu Mythos. Ghouls and Deep Ones in their younger years resembled humans. Hence, while trusting teammates, one always had to be wary of a backstab.
While observing Wu Lei play the Cthulhu game, Liu Xing had witnessed teammates betraying each other more than once, or even Wu Lei betraying his teammates with a sly grin. "Better them than me" seemed to be Liu Xing's life principle. After all, in the reality of the Cthulhu RPG Game, the overly altruistic wouldn't survive long.
Aware of the risks, Liu Xing was naturally cautious and refrained from revealing that he had already purchased the beginner's gift pack to Lu Zi.
"Ah, so you also exchanged those initial 10 points for cash. The beginner's gift pack is a good investment. With a bit of luck, you could get two life-saving items. Players with a positive attitude, like you, usually last longer than those with a negative one. I have stats that show players who delay until the last day or two have only a 20% survival rate. In contrast, proactive players like you have an 80% survival rate. All the players I've seen progress to the next level possess your positive mindset," Lu Zi sent a lengthy reply after a moment.Liu Xing agreed wholeheartedly with Lu Zi's sentiments. It was akin to cancer patients: those who actively seek treatment and maintain a positive outlook tend to live longer than those resigned to their fate.
"Alright, I'll add your name to the announcement. Remember, at 5 pm on the game day, I'll pull all participants into a discussion group. In the game, player names won't be displayed, so you'll need a secret code to identify each other," Lu Zi stated. Shortly after, Liu Xing saw his name appear in the announcement.
Ten days later.
Liu Xing returned to his residence at 3 pm. Over the past ten days, he had thoroughly enjoyed himself. Currently, he had 100,000 in cash. He deposited half into a bank account, the password to which his family knew. If he were to perish in the Cthulhu RPG Game, they'd receive this 50,000 as "compensation". He spent the remaining amount, fulfilling some of his wishes—details of which he considered too personal to share.
After a refreshing shower, Liu Xing logged into the Cthulhu Role-Playing Game Hall and entered the society page. He saw that all eighteen society members participating today were already in the discussion group set up by Lu Zi.
Upon Liu Xing's entrance to the discussion group, the members quickly established a code. The protocol involved one individual inquiring if the other's birthday fell on November 3rd, 1994. The person being questioned would respond that their blood type was "A," and the original inquirer would then reveal their zodiac sign as Scorpio. Completing this sequence confirmed association with the group.
Once the code was set, it was only four o'clock. Members of the discussion group felt that it was best to address challenges head-on, and they decided to start the game immediately.
Liu Xing took a deep breath, clicked his mouse, and subsequently entered the "Ghoul Region's Game Matching Interface."
Three seconds later, with a soft "ding," Liu Xing's vision blurred, and he found himself seated in a car.
Scenario: Castle Lord
Difficulty: Easy
Player Count: Five
Background Story: In 21st century England, many ancient and majestic castles still stand. Old-time nobles continue to reside within these fortresses. In a fictitious town named Eins, located near Manchester, there lies one such castle. However, none of the town's residents, save for the innkeeper, have ever met the lord of the castle.
Player's Character Card
Name: Liu Xing
Profession: Doctor
Education: Graduate
Place of Birth: Rongcheng, Sichuan, China
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Backstory: Liu Xing, hailing from a family with generations in traditional Chinese medicine, started learning about it from a young age. Despite his youth, he's skilled in the medical arts. While in college, he also self-taught psychology. Though Liu Xing's physical fitness is somewhat lackluster, he possesses an extraordinary jumping ability, dominating the men's high jump event in his college's athletic meet.
Connection to the scenario: During his hospital internship, Liu Xing finally got a week-long break. Being a Manchester United fan, he traveled to Manchester to watch the Manchester Derby. After the match, he heard from a fellow fan about a town called Eins, located thirty kilometers west of Manchester. It boasts a castle open for foreign tourists. However, since there isn't a direct passenger route from Manchester to Eins, Liu Xing had to take a taxi to visit the town.
Character Attributes
Strength: 55
Constitution: 40
Willpower: 80
Luck: 80
Agility: 50
Appearance: 70
Body Size: 45
Intelligence: 85
Inspiration: 90
Education: 87
Knowledge of Cthulhu Mythos: 0
Sanity Points: 80
HP (Health Points): 8
MP (Magic Points): 16
Damage Bonus: None
Skills: First Aid 80, Medicine 78, Psychology 70, Psychoanalysis 70, Persuasion 60, Investigation 60, Jump 70.