Chapter 3:

After An Xiaomo left, Yun Shan continued alone.

In fact, she was not only well-versed in gaming knowledge but also aware of many secrets.

Take, for instance, the terminology.

NPCs commonly referred to wild creatures as “demonic beasts” because of their aggressive and hostile nature.

Those bonded were called “battle pets.” It wasn’t just to distinguish them from the demonic beasts but also because, after bonding, battle pets generally displayed a more docile temperament.

For players, “Doomsday Camp” was just a game. Therefore, any wild creature was simply termed as a “beast.”

Based on their levels, they could be labeled as “gray-tag beasts (one-star beasts),” “white-tag beasts (two-star beasts),” or “blue-tag beasts (three-star beasts).”

Due to the multitude of terms, newcomers often struggled to grasp the different names at first.

It took her a while to get used to it as well, only with time.

“Stop right there, hand over your backpack,” a stern voice interrupted Yun Shan’s thoughts.

Glancing over, she noticed two gray-tag male players surrounded an NPC teenager, attempting a robbery within the bushes.

The NPCs had black names, making it impossible to discern their levels; their strength could only be judged by their appearance.

　

Evidently, the two assumed the NPC in front of them was an easy target for bullying.

The NPC’s name was Zhu Hong.

The moment Yun Shan saw the name, she already anticipated the outcome.

Zhu Hong’s gaze turned slightly cold. “What do you want with my backpack?”

“Why so many questions? Just do as I say,” one impatient person retorted.

“Weren’t you gathering various herbs earlier? There’s something we need in there,” another person, wearing glasses, soothed their tone, attempting to defuse the situation. “Don’t worry, we won’t harm you. I promise, once we have the herbs, we’ll let you go.”

A smirk curved Zhu Hong’s lips.

Swiftly, he loosened the ropes and tossed the backpack to the ground, seemingly giving up the struggle. “And I can leave like this?”

“Of course,” the man in glasses smiled.

Suddenly, a twist of events occurred.

Both gray-tag players acted simultaneously, aiming to silence Zhu Hong.

Silver needles darted through the air, piercing vital points, and before the two players could even get close, they were swiftly incapacitated.

Zhu Hong lifted the backpack, coldly uttering two words, “Seeking death.”

Yun Shan held her breath, attempting to minimize her presence as much as possible.

Whether it was the two gray-tag players or Zhu Hong, who was skilled with throwing needles, they were all formidable opponents for her right now.

That was the downside of outdoor activities—safety wasn’t guaranteed, and encounters like robberies were always a possibility.

What made it even more absurd was their willingness to kill for just a few herbs…

Zhu Hong, with the backpack slung over his shoulder, was about to leave. Suddenly, he halted, swiftly turning back.

Yun Shan hid in the corner, not making a single movement.

At that moment, an arctic wolf emerged, its eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty glint. It stared at Zhu Hong, its expression hostile.

“Troublesome,” Zhu Hong clicked his tongue lightly, quickly walking away.

Only then did Yun Shan let out a sigh of relief.

***

After a twenty-minute walk, she finally reached Mirror Lake. The surface of the lake shimmered, crystal clear and reflective like a mirror. Lush green grass and vibrant flowers adorned the lakeside.

Yun Shan searched around and soon found the Calming Grass.

It was a pale blue herb, unremarkable in appearance, sporadically growing around the edges of Mirror Lake, blending in like common weeds.

Yun Shan dug into the soil, extracting the herbs intact.

Suddenly, screams shattered the tranquility of Mirror Lake.

Howls of wolves, squeals of pigs, barks of dogs—sounds intermingled, resembling a brawl among countless demonic beasts.

Yun Shan gathered eight Calming Grass plants, hastily preparing to leave.

However, she hadn’t taken more than a few steps when she bumped into Zhu Hong.

His face was smudged with ash, injuries marked his body, his clothes torn in multiple places—a picture of utter disarray.

Their eyes met, Zhu Hong first froze, then shouted, “Danger! Run!”

Arctic wolves, crimson-bellied pheasants, black-striped pigs, white heron duck, tiger-striped rabbits—scattered around lay a mishmash of creatures.

The air reeked of blood, as though a massacre had just taken place.

Yun Shan was momentarily stunned.

At that moment, someone approached slowly.

Clad in a black windbreaker, his face chiseled and handsome, eyes stained red with blood, black text floating above his head read “Lu Ming.”

It was him… no wonder.

Yun Shan immediately grasped what was happening.

Zhu Hong manipulated silver needles, attempting to sneakily injure Lu Ming.

However, before the needles could approach, they were all deflected.

Lu Ming advanced, his demeanor icy and intimidating, akin to a demon.

The herbs dropped to the ground, and Yun Shan seemed stunned, rooted in place, unable to move.

Seeing no chance to save her, Zhu Hong reluctantly retreated alone. But he did not leave.

Step by step, inch by inch.

The distance between them narrowed to the point where Lu Ming could almost grasp Yun Shan’s neck with a lift of his hand.

In the next moment, he abruptly pulled Yun Shan into an embrace, pressing close to his neck and deeply inhaling.

Yun Shan froze.

Yun Shan, like a practiced human-sized pillow, neither struggled nor resisted, just standing there as he held her.

“Why does your scent smell so good?” Lu Ming took a deep breath, his symptoms of headache visibly easing, the redness in his eyes fading as he held her tighter.

Yun Shan replied, “It’s innate.”

[Affinity (Non-upgradable): 1. Beasts find you very approachable, greatly reducing their desire to attack. 2. You can effectively pacify Beasts.]

People are also a kind of animal. Some might feel an affinity towards her and be pacified by her presence.

However, some individuals are so consumed by greed that it surpasses the influence of her innate abilities, prompting them to attack.

“Feels so good…” Lu Ming closed his eyes, experiencing an unprecedented sense of calmness.

As time passed, it became hard to track time. His breathing slowed, becoming long and steady.

Yun Shan gently placed him on the ground and quietly stepped back. “Let’s go.”

“How is he?” Zhu Hong asked.

“He’s sick, very ill. It’s better not to get close. Let him sleep properly, and he’ll be fine when he wakes up,” Yun Shan explained in a professional tone.

“What happens if someone approaches?” Zhu Hong inquired.

“They might disturb him, and his illness might worsen,” Yun Shan warned.

Zhu Hong’s expression stiffened.

“Leaving him alone is best for everyone,” Yun Shan picked up the herbs, preparing to leave.

“Wait!” Zhu Hong opened the backpack and offered some herbs. “Consider this payment for the consultation.”

Yun Shan hesitated.

“Take it.” Zhu Hong insisted, “I know him. It’s only fair I contribute.”

“Okay,” considering the early-game scarcity of funds, Yun Shan accepted without hesitation, slinging the backpack onto her shoulders.

The wooden stick rested by her waist as she stowed the herbs in the bamboo basket, leaving her hands free.

Yun Shan held a crimson-bellied pheasant in her left hand and a white heron duck in her right. Finally, she glanced at the scattered beast corpses that couldn’t be taken, a hint of regret on her face. “I’m leaving.”

Zhu Hong turned around, noticing Lu Ming peacefully asleep. He found a spot further away and sat down, silently watching over him.

***

Yun Shan returned with a full load, her steps somewhat lighter.

To avoid encountering players or attracting attention, she purposely chose a secluded path, taking a longer route.

Whether Zhu Hong or Lu Ming, she knew them from a past life, so she understood what was really going on.

Players were consciousness projections, and their levels didn’t matter much. But NPCs were different—the higher their star rating, the more susceptible they were to mental illnesses.

Lu Ming, as the only four-star powerhouse in the Red Maple Camp, suffered greatly from these illnesses. During episodes, he became unrecognizable to his loved ones, filled with hostility, and acted solely on instinct.

To prevent accidental harm, whenever he had an episode, he secluded himself in sparsely visited places. It was a surprise this time that something drew him out.

In truth, he was a prodigy and could have ascended to five stars long ago. But to prevent his condition from worsening, he relentlessly suppressed it, even at the cost of sacrificing his cultivation.

Until one day, a horde of beasts appeared, surrounding the Red Maple Camp with a massive army of demonic beasts. Apart from numerous one-star, two-star, and three-star demonic beasts, there were also three four-star beasts.

In order to protect the camp, Lu Ming forcefully broke through and ascended to a five-star powerhouse. Unfortunately, during that battle, he was besieged by demonic beasts, suffered severe mental trauma, and was left with debilitating aftereffects.

What was even more unfortunate was that upon reaching five stars, his condition spiraled out of control. He was conscious less often, lost his rationality more frequently, and spiraled into a semi-mad state.

In her previous life, Yun Shan met Lu Ming much later.

The old ailment was hard to heal, worsened by new injuries, excessive wariness towards players… the confluence of various factors made the treatment process exceptionally challenging.

Encountering him on the first day in the game this lifetime provided a small comfort in an otherwise tragic life.

While his condition wasn’t too severe yet, Yun Shan wanted to cure him.

As for Zhu Hong, skilled in using flying needles and skilled in killing.

It was said that several years ago, he and his family were attacked by demonic beasts, and when they were near death, Lu Ming saved them. Since then, Zhu Hong had been deeply loyal to Lu Ming, following his orders without question. He risked his life multiple times to protect Lu Ming, seeking no reward.

That was him in his youth, and he remained the same even as a four-star.

Through the ups and downs of time, his original intentions remained unchanged.

***

With the commotion of wild beasts, both NPCs and players hurried back to the camp, heightening their vigilance.

Yun Shan moved freely and swiftly, returning to the mission hall in no time.

“Cloud Mushrooms, Silver Needle Grass, Devil’s Vine, Calming Grass…” After the final count, Miss Jin, the counter attendant, was pleasantly surprised. “There are quite a few intermediate to high-grade herbs here. In total, they amount to 211.8 points.”

Having finally saved enough money, she no longer had to endure hardships in the wilderness. At that moment, Yun Shan felt genuine joy.

After confirming the details, Miss Jin transferred the points to Yun Shan.

Without a second thought, Yun Shan turned and headed towards the central area.

The layout of the Red Maple Camp was quite meticulous.

The central area was where the NPCs resided, while the outer area was designated for players’ accommodation. Despite expansions in scale, the layout remained consistent.

The peripheral land was available for buying and selling.

Upon acquiring ownership, players could establish shops, cultivate land, and engage in farming.

During her most illustrious period, Yun Shan once bought the entire eastern region and raised hundreds of three-star demonic beasts as guardians.

Every time she ventured out, NPCs would regard her with immense awe. There were even NPCs (fearing she’d leave the game) eager to introduce potential partners to her…

Unbeknownst to her, the central area was now within sight.

Yun Shan glanced at her status bar.

Stamina: 44/100%

Satiety: 56/100%

She decided to buy food first.

In the “Doomsday Camp,” prices weren’t high. Taking the steamed bun shop as an example:

White flour steamed bun: 0.8 points each.

Cornmeal steamed bun: 1 point each.

Sorghum flour steamed bun: 1 point each.

Flower roll: 1.5 points each.

White congee: 1.5 points per bowl.

Meat bun: 3 points each.

However, the stronger one’s power, the more energy they required, and the larger their appetite. It was essential to eat meat. Mere consumption of mixed grain buns provided limited satiety.

Yun Shan wasn’t lacking in points for the moment, so she bought two meat buns and strolled while eating.

Author’s note: Yun Shan, truly a “Player Disaster of the Fourth Day,” her actions filled with uncertainty.

Yun Shan: “There’s no system-assigned construction task. I can set my own tasks! Infrastructure development—why would I need system commands!”