Perhaps it was due to his excitement that Zhang Pingfan woke up before six, whereas in the past he wouldn't have gotten up for work until nearly seven.
The first thing Zhang Pingfan did upon waking was check his mobile banking. A six-digit balance already awaited him.
"Oh my, I thought I was dreaming, but it's all real."
Zhang Pingfan had just woken from a dream, thinking everything was fake.
Looking at the game helmet beside him, he realized that without it, he might be sleeping under a bridge today.
"I've placed all my hopes on you, you have to make me proud!"
He checked the time; it was still early, but his stomach was already grumbling.
After washing his face, Zhang Pingfan went out.
The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the breakfast shop at the entrance was already open.
"Boss, three fried dough sticks and a cup of soy milk!"
"Hey, you're up early today, kid. What job did you find to be up so early?"
The boss was familiar with Zhang Pingfan, having lived there for several months.
"It's alright, just trying to make a living!"
"Indeed. We don't have degrees, can't compare to white-collar workers. My son, you know him, quit his good job yesterday to play games all day, that game called 'Myth'!"
Zhang Pingfan did know the boss's son, who had graduated from university and found a job he wasn't too happy with. After all, with so many people, it was hard to find a satisfactory job.
"Your son plays Myth too? I heard this game can make money!" Zhang Pingfan said.
The boss disbelieved him, "You young people are truly something. Games cost money, how can they make money? Don't listen to those experts spouting nonsense. They won't give us money."
Zhang Pingfan smiled. Making money or spending money in games depended entirely on one's own ability. Didn't he just earn over a hundred thousand yesterday? Of course, Zhang Pingfan wouldn't tell anyone.
"Kid, you don't happen to play this game too, do you?"
Zhang Pingfan shook his head, "With my financial situation, how could I?"
"Indeed. My boy, I don't know what time he slept last night. I really need to sort him out!"
Zhang Pingfan said, "Boss, I'm done eating. I've scanned the code, take a look. Young people have their own ideas, give him some time. If it doesn't work out, he can go back to work. Anyway, he's not like me."
"Heh, if only my son were this obedient. Alas!"
Zhang Pingfan said goodbye and returned to his cramped dwelling.
He had given up his job, and yet someone was as dedicated as he was. It seemed he couldn't slack off.
Donning the helmet, Zhang Pingfan re-entered the game. It was only 6:08 AM.
The game 'Myth' had no night, but the overall tone shifted to a dim hue. At this time, the novice village was hazy, and the number of players visible was not large.
Zhang Pingfan checked the surrounding defensive structures; they had not been damaged.
He then opened the system level leaderboard.
Currently, the highest level in novice village 88 was only level 8, the second place was permanently level 7, and those outside the top ten were all level 6. The overall level was around 6.
Zhang Pingfan then opened the official forum. It was better not to compare; compared to others, the players in his novice village were disgracefully weak.
"Their highest level is 9, and the overall level is around 8. My novice village is a full two levels behind theirs. Truly the most garbage novice village."
As for other posts, Zhang Pingfan glanced at them casually. They were all discussing novice village 88, which had persistently high popularity on the forum.
Back in the game, Zhang Pingfan went to the pond again, but the old fishing man was nowhere to be seen.
"What's going on? Did he go home to sleep?"
Zhang Pingfan looked at other NPCs; weren't they all operating 24 hours a day? Could there really be an issue?
With questions in his mind, Zhang Pingfan returned to his small courtyard.
"System miss, are you there?"
【Ding! Master, I am here!】
"Can I check other NPCs?"
【Ding! Some can.】
Zhang Pingfan frowned. He was the chosen one, how could it be only partial?
"Then help me check the information of the fishing old man in the novice village!"
【Ding! The opponent's level is too high, currently unable to check!】
"As expected, there's a problem!"
While Zhang Pingfan waited anxiously, the sky gradually brightened, and more and more players came online.
Zhang Pingfan sat quietly by the pond, waiting. This NPC definitely had a problem.
As expected, when it was seven o'clock, the fishing old man returned to the pond.
Zhang Pingfan suppressed his emotions, waiting motionlessly for the other party to speak.
Indeed, the first thing the fishing old man did after sitting down was to ask Zhang Pingfan.
"Yesterday I saw the village chief making village defensive fortifications. How is it going?"
Zhang Pingfan said calmly, "No major issues. Besides, it's so peaceful, how can a beast tide appear so easily? Old man, are you really accurate?"
The fishing old man smiled, "Let me calculate again. It should arrive in about an hour. Doesn't the village chief plan to run?"
Run, my foot! This is my base camp, how could I possibly run? More importantly, why aren't you running?
"Old man, if you aren't running, why should I be afraid? At worst, we'll perish together with the demonic beasts!"
"Haha, young people truly have courage. Then I'll entrust my old life to the village chief. Don't disappoint me!"
Zhang Pingfan said all this, but the old man didn't reveal any extra information. However, he did learn that the beast tide would start at 9 AM.
Having obtained the exact time, the quest also changed.
"Look quickly, the quest has changed. The beast tide starts at 9 AM! It ends at 11 AM, a total of 2 hours!"
"I see it. There really is a beast tide, and it lasts for 2 hours. Is it that tough?"
"There are still 2 hours until the beast tide, hurry and call for backup! With our current numbers, it's completely insufficient!"
"I heard that beast tides are also a time for equipment to drop a lot. We have to pick up some decent equipment today!"
"Exactly. Anyway, our levels aren't high, let's just charge in!"
Someone also posted on the forum, hoping that players who saw the message would come online quickly.
"No way, novice village 88 has a beast tide on its second day of opening?"
"Damn it, isn't this a one-sided slaughter? Can novice village 88 hold out?"
"No wonder the rewards are so good. So the quest difficulty is this high. Can they complete this quest?"
"Novice village 88 has only one level 8 player, and no high-level players. For them to complete the quest is a pipe dream!"
Last night, it was indeed rumored to be a beast tide, but there was no specific time, so people were still somewhat skeptical. Now that the specific time was revealed, other players had to believe it whether they wanted to or not.
Not only that, but the game's operating company also issued a statement at 8 AM.
Novice village 88's data is completely normal, all rewards correspond to the relative difficulty, and there will be no further individual statements. Everything will be based on the actual situation in the game. We do not create games, we are just game transporters!
As soon as the announcement was made, the presidents of the three major guilds called the game operator, but the reply they received was still the same.