Chương 7: Leaving the Village

The dense pine forest stretched on endlessly, ancient trees blocking out the sky with their thick canopies. Dappled light filtered through the leaves, and strong winds swept through the woods, sending fallen leaves swirling in all directions. Deep within the forest, a figure moved with agility and precision, dodging and weaving with crisp, practiced motions. It was Yang Fan. He had just reached level 5 and immediately equipped the Fine Leather Boots he had received as a quest reward.

He pushed off the ground with sudden force, leaping half a zhang into the air with lightness and grace. As he rose, he swung his sword down, the blade cutting through the air with a sharp whistle before slamming into a thick tree trunk. A thunderous crack echoed through the forest! The ancient tree split and crashed to the ground, sending up clouds of dust and dead leaves. Landing steadily, Yang Fan could clearly feel the massive improvement the boots provided.

His movement speed had increased significantly, and his jumping distance and landing agility were far beyond what they had been before. His overall mobility had improved by more than just a notch. He was about to continue grinding with his new movement capabilities when a cold system notification suddenly rang in his mind: "Your body has been detected in a state of extreme hunger. You have been forcibly logged out." Yang Fan removed his game helmet with a sigh. His stomach was empty.

He hurried downstairs to the supermarket, bought a few soft loaves of bread, and wolfed them down in the hallway to quickly fill his empty stomach. After a brief rest, he put the helmet back on and logged back into the game. Level 5 was a turning point for new players in Mystic Wasteland Dao Realm. Reaching this level meant leaving the starting village behind and venturing into the wider world. Yang Fan walked straight to the village entrance and, sure enough, triggered the level 5 main storyline quest.

The village chief looked solemn, his gaze steady as he slowly spoke: "Young hero, set sail. Do you know that beyond Peach Blossom Village lies a vast and boundless world?" Yang Fan's expression remained blank, his heart unmoved. Having browsed the forums extensively the night before, he already knew all the newbie storyline tricks. This long, tedious background segment could not be skipped; he could only endure it.

His only thought was for the chief to finish quickly so he could leave the starting village and head to a new grinding zone. The village chief, oblivious to Yang Fan's impatience, launched into a long-winded recitation of ancient history: "In ancient times, the world was not yet unified. Countless tribes fought endlessly, and war raged across the four seas. The human race was weak and suffered constant oppression and slaughter at the hands of foreign races.

At this critical moment of survival, Emperor Xuanyuan rose to meet the call of heaven, shouldering the fate of the nation. He cultivated virtue, trained his troops, and campaigned east, west, south, and north, sweeping away the barbarian tribes and finally unifying the Central Plains. The people rallied behind him, peace was restored, and the emperor established the Xuanyuan Empire, dividing the realm into nine provinces..." The dry, drawn-out history lesson made Yang Fan's eyelids heavy with drowsiness.

He forced himself to endure. After what felt like an eternity, the lengthy narrative finally came to an end, and a system notification chimed in: "Congratulations. You have completed the storyline quest 'Rise of the Empire.' Reward: Complete World Map." Yang Fan already knew the game's world structure. The entire continent belonged to the Xuanyuan Empire, which governed nine provinces. Each province ruled nine prefectures, each prefecture oversaw counties, and each county managed towns and villages.

The hierarchy was clear, and the territory was vast. He immediately unfolded the map and scanned it, pinpointing his current coordinates. He was in the westernmost province of the empire, the remote frontier region. The main city of the western province was Dunhuang. To reach it, he would have to take a series of teleportation arrays from Peach Blossom Village to Baishi County, then to Longxi Prefecture, and finally to Dunhuang itself.

Looking at the dense, boundless territory displayed on the map, Yang Fan felt a sense of awe. The game's world was far more massive than he had imagined. Without the map's precise coordinates, the tiny Peach Blossom Village would have been impossible to find. He put the map away, filled with anticipation. Finally, he could leave behind the tedious starting village and the flattering, empty-promising village chief and step into a brand new game world.

Just before he left, the chief once again spoke earnestly and handed him a letter of recommendation, asking him to deliver it to the magistrate of Baishi County. Yang Fan was about to leave the starting village for good, so he saw no reason to refuse. He accepted the letter and the accompanying quest. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. He knew that Mystic Wasteland Dao Realm offered exceptional freedom. The main storyline was not the only path.

Following the system's main questline would lead him into military service and national defense, following the orthodox imperial route. Alternatively, he could completely ignore the main quest and explore freely, developing his character at his own pace. Once he stepped out of the starting village, the entire vast world was open for him to explore without restriction.

With a flash of teleportation array light, Yang Fan's form flickered, and he instantly left Peach Blossom Village, arriving at the frontier town of Baishi County, located at the foot of Spirit Spring Mountain. Though Baishi was just a small border town, it was surprisingly bustling and prosperous. The streets were wide and orderly, with inns, taverns, clinics, and pawnshops lining the roads. The western part of the town was a lively commercial district.

Along the bluestone-paved streets, vendors set up their stalls and crowds of people bustled about. A candied hawthorn stall was surrounded by laughing children, and the cries of merchants mixed with the chatter of passersby, creating a lively, prosperous scene. Yang Fan wandered through the streets, walking three full laps in hopes of stumbling upon a rare hidden quest. But after exploring thoroughly, he only encountered mundane grinding and material collection tasks. Nothing stood out.

He could not hide his disappointment. Pushing aside his frustration, he stopped wandering and followed the map to the county government office at the center of town. The imposing hall was solemn and dignified. Yang Fan stepped forward, bowed, and handed the village chief's letter to the magistrate seated within. The magistrate read the letter carefully, his expression gradually turning serious.

He looked at Yang Fan and said in a grave tone, "Young man, the foreign tribes are harboring ambitions and secretly building their strength, plotting to overthrow our Xuanyuan Empire. As citizens of the empire, we must defend our land to the death! Our Baishi County is on the western border. Outside, the seven Rong tribes eye our territory greedily. Inside, bandits and outlaws stir up trouble and disturb the peace.

Recently, our scouts reported that the Black Snake stronghold on Spirit Spring Mountain has been secretly colluding with the Mianzhu Rong tribe. I want you to go to Black Snake stronghold, investigate, and uncover the details of their conspiracy!" A system notification appeared immediately: "The magistrate of Baishi County has issued a quest: Investigate the collusion between Black Snake stronghold and the Mianzhu Rong tribe. Accept?" Yang Fan understood. The main quest was not fixed for all players.

After leaving the starting village, each player would trigger a different main quest based on their region of origin. He had seen another level 5 player the day before who had triggered a grain delivery quest, completely different from his investigation mission. Without much hesitation, he accepted the quest.

"Excellent, young man!" The magistrate nodded with satisfaction, his tone earnest.

"A young man must be determined and resolute, for the road ahead is long. The empire may seem peaceful on the surface, but beneath the calm, turbulent currents are stirring. In times of chaos, crisis and opportunity walk hand in hand. Seize the moment, and you may leap over the dragon's gate and rise to great heights! Though you are but a commoner now, if you fear no hardship, dedicate yourself to your country, and serve the people with all your heart, you will eventually rise to prominence and become a true hero.

I have great faith in you. Here is my family's martial technique, a small token for your journey. The road ahead is long, filled with both trials and the promise of a brighter future!" A system notification followed: "Congratulations. You have received a skill book: Grass Running." Yang Fan's eyes lit up with surprise. This was the first exclusive skill he had obtained since entering the game.

But as soon as he heard the words "family martial technique," the excitement faded, replaced by a familiar sense of exasperation. This magistrate was exactly like the village chief in Peach Blossom Village. They were both talkative, loved empty promises, and used the same approach of giving rewards upfront before sending players on difficult tasks. They were truly two of a kind. He opened the skill book to check its detailed attributes.

Attribute Value Name Grass Running Quality Gray Skill Effect Increases movement speed by 20% for 10 seconds. Cooldown 60 seconds Level Requirement 5 After reading the attributes, Yang Fan could not help but complain inwardly. This skill was extremely underwhelming. A mere 10-second speed boost with a full minute cooldown? So much for "Grass Running." It was barely a short burst of acceleration, more gimmick than practical use.

Sure enough, anything labeled "family heirloom" in this game was just ordinary, forgettable gear. He mentally placed the magistrate in the same category as the village chief: broke NPCs who loved making empty promises. But something was better than nothing. Yang Fan activated the skill, adding his first movement technique to his arsenal.

He then organized his gear, turned, and stepped out of the county office, heading beyond the town walls toward the mist-shrouded Spirit Spring Mountain to investigate the Black Snake stronghold's secret collusion.