Chương 1: Set Sai

On another Earth in a parallel universe, a small, unknown company called Huiyue Group suddenly stunned the world. They had created a revolutionary full‑immersion gaming device. Players only needed to put on a special helmet and connect to the network. Their consciousness would leave their physical bodies and step into a highly realistic virtual world, where all senses were replicated, and complex actions could be performed just as in real life. The game was named Mystic Wasteland Dao Realm.

Once you logged in, you would see a world completely independent of reality. Mountains, rivers, clouds, mist, plants, and creatures all followed their own natural rhythms, as if a god had personally carved out this new dimension. Yang Fan scrolled through the official promotional announcements, and his professional instincts kicked in immediately.

"What a load of hype. They talk about creating a whole new world? As if there's really a god out there. Only the gullible would buy this nonsense." The chat group he belonged to, a group of online shills, had already exploded with messages.

"This is obviously exaggerated marketing. How is it possible to control the game solely through consciousness? If they really had that kind of tech, they'd conquer Earth, not make a game."

"The guy above is being conservative. With that tech, the entire galaxy would bow to them."

"Enough with the sci‑fi, we're talking about a game."

"Pfft, some nobody's new game dares to challenge Huateng Corporation? I bet this game won't last a month before the servers shut down." Huateng Corporation was one of the world's leading game giants, almost monopolizing China's gaming market. The sudden appearance of Mystic Wasteland Dao Realm had undoubtedly disrupted Huateng's established strategy. Most members of that chat group were external contractors for Huateng. Whenever Huateng released a new game, they would flood forums and platforms with praise.

But when a competitor launched a new title, they would swarm in with negative reviews. That was the current state of China's online gaming industry: companies didn't focus on game quality; they focused on public opinion warfare. Yang Fan was one of them, a full‑time shill for Huateng, occasionally taking on promotional gigs from other companies. Since they were external contractors, they weren't fully tied to Huateng, so outside work was fair game.

The same game could see him writing glowing reviews one day and slamming it the next. This back‑and‑forth happened so often that sometimes Yang Fan felt like he was developing a split personality. But he had no choice. It was all about making a living. As a poor man, he could only lie online to survive, even if it stung his conscience. Seeing the frenzy in the group, Yang Fan knew a new job order was coming.

Sure enough, the group admin, Sima Duwei, posted a new task: five cents for every negative comment posted about Mystic Wasteland Dao Realm. The group jumped on it, and soon the internet was flooded with scathing reviews. As one of the main shills, Yang Fan was swamped. But he still had a shred of professional pride. He believed in a simple rule: no investigation, no right to speak. So he gritted his teeth and spent his hard‑earned salary for the six months to buy a game helmet from Sima Duwei.

"Only by experiencing it firsthand can I criticize it with conviction. It's all for work, definitely not because I'm curious," he told himself. But in truth, he was also drawn in by the game's promotion. If it really was that good, it would attract a massive player base. As one of the first to enter, he could gain a level and equipment advantage, then make money by trading in‑game items and currency, finally leaving behind the shill life.

At 8: 30 AM, half an hour before the official server launch, Yang Fan pushed away his keyboard, went to the kitchen to whip up a quick meal, then returned to his seat, put on the helmet, and connected to the network. [System Notice: Congratulations, you have successfully connected to Mystic Wasteland Dao Realm. Please enter your game name.] A soft, ethereal light panel appeared in his consciousness. Yang Fan instinctively wanted to use his usual online handle, "Greenwood Hero." But he reconsidered.

That name had made too many enemies in various circles. If he used it in the game, he would probably be hunted down the moment he stepped into the starting village. No way. He needed a fresh start. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Entering a new game was like setting sail into the unknown. He hoped to discover new lands like Columbus. So he decided on the name: "Set Sail." [System Notice: Your game name is Set Sail. Confirm?] [System Notice: Confirmed. Binding consciousness identity, please wait...] [System Notice: Brainwave frequency scan complete. Loading game world...] [System Notice: Please select your faction world. This choice is permanent and cannot be changed.] Yang Fan then remembered that the game had multiple independent servers: China, India, Europe, America, Japan, Russia, and more. Each server corresponded to a completely different realm. For the China server, it was the legendary world of xianxia cultivation.

Having always harbored a fascination for that world, he didn't hesitate and chose the Chinese faction. [System Notice: Chinese faction selected. Loading world...] A brilliant light exploded before his eyes. There were no crude game textures. Instead, an entire living cultivation world rushed at him. Warm mountain breezes brushed his cheeks, carrying the fresh scents of wildflowers and grass. Birds chirped crisply in his ears.

In the distance, layered green peaks rose and fell, wrapped in thin veils of milky white mist that curled upward. Beneath his feet lay soft grass dotted with colorful blooms. Ancient trees stood with gnarled trunks and lush canopies, while faint wisps of spiritual energy drifted through the air like gossamer. Everything he saw carried the unique, ancient texture of a xianxia world, utterly unlike the stiff, artificial feel of ordinary MMOs. It all felt real enough to touch.

Yang Fan tried raising his hand, not through mouse and keyboard, but with a single thought; his arm moved. Excited, he spun around in a quick one‑armed cartwheel, his robes fluttering.

"Wow, so smooth! This feels incredible!" He willed his character panel open, and a translucent pale‑blue screen appeared at the edge of his vision. Attribute Value Name Set Sail Level 1 Title None School None Official Rank None Spirit 1 Constitution 1 Agility 1 Physical Attack 1 Magic Attack 1 HP 10 Talent 0 Charm 0 Luck 0 Experience 0/10 Yang Fan quickly scanned the panel, cross‑referencing with the official info he had read.

Spirit determined physical and magical attack; one point of Spirit equaled one point of attack. Constitution governed HP, with one point giving ten HP. Agility affected movement speed and skill casting speed. As for Talent, Charm, and Luck, the official site had not explained; everyone started at zero, likely hidden attributes.

"Set Sail, young hero? Set Sail?" An old, gentle voice pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up and saw a white‑haired old man standing nearby. The man wore coarse gray clothes and had a kindly face. Behind him were rustic wooden houses, the starting village, Peach Blossom Village. The village was surrounded by ancient trees, and in the distance he could vaguely make out fields and cooking smoke drifting into the clouds. It was the picture of a pastoral paradise."Grandpa, are you calling me?"

"Young hero, I am the village chief of Peach Blossom Village," the old man said slowly, a hint of worry in his brow.

"Lately, a pack of wolves has been causing trouble in the shrublands northwest of here. Those beasts are fierce and violent, and several villagers have been injured passing through. I humbly ask you to help us drive away those wolves." [System Notice: The village chief has issued a quest: Kill the wolves in the shrublands (0/10). Accept?] Yang Fan understood immediately. This was the classic starter quest, a staple of Chinese MMOs. He didn't hesitate and accepted.

[System Notice: Congratulations, you have accepted the quest: Kill the wolves in the shrublands (0/10).]"Thank you for being willing to help," the chief said, his expression brightening. He handed over an ancient short sword.

"This is our village's heirloom, forged in ancient times, tempered through centuries. Legend says it can cut through iron and jade like mud. I hope it serves you well." [System Notice: Congratulations, you have received a weapon!]"Whoa, a legendary sword right at the start? Full perks?" Yang Fan's heart leaped with excitement. He immediately opened his inventory to inspect the weapon.

Attribute Value Name Heirloom Sword Quality Gray Physical Attack 1 Special Effect None Note The village chief's ancestral sword, said to cut through iron like mud. Yang Fan looked at the stats and let out a wry laugh. The attributes were utterly mediocre, just a plain gray‑grade weapon. But on second thought, it made sense. Freebies couldn't possibly be true treasures.

Chinese MMOs always hyped up "free legendary gear" and "invincible at level one," but when you actually faced a boss monster, you would get one‑shotted. What Yang Fan didn't know was that this starter sword was indeed special, but it required a hidden quest to unlock its true power. It was an Easter egg the developers had planted. But that is a story for later. Games were meant to be played slowly, not rushed. For now, he would stick to the village chief's quest.