Chapter 23: Challenged by an NPC!
“So many people?” The newcomer was none other than Ye Qiu.
Seeing at least a hundred players gathered, he frowned slightly.
He activated his ability to inspect the leading figures.
[Player: Smokey Clouds Fade]
[Character: Shi Jian]
[Class: Martial Artist]
“A brawny young man… an NPC?” Ye Qiu took a closer look at the tall, muscular youth named “Shi Jian.”
While he was observing others, they were also observing him.
“That’s the NPC who can freely enter and leave the newbie village!”
“Thousand Faces Gentleman latched onto this NPC, which allowed him to enter the village and successfully recruit other NPCs!”
“Is he really an NPC?”
“Of course! If he weren’t an NPC, would he be a player? The game just launched, so how could a player freely enter and leave the novice village?”
“This NPC seems to have a good relationship with Thousand Faces Gentleman.”
“Hah, what’s the use of that? Didn’t another NPC just die? Now this one shows up, he’s probably doomed too!”
The players whispered among themselves, pointing at Ye Qiu.
In most of their eyes, Ye Qiu had already become an NPC of Novice Village 0001.
Even Zhao Hanyan thought so.
Her eyes were locked onto Ye Qiu, as if she wanted to discern something.
“You’re here!” Thousand Faces Gentleman, Ning Qianjun, quickly approached Ye Qiu with his adorable younger sister, Ning Qingyue, by his side.
Ning Qianjun was carrying a corpse.
“What’s this?” Ye Qiu’s expression was one of surprise as he saw the body in Ning Qianjun’s arms.
Ning Qianjun hurriedly recounted what had just happened.
After finishing, his face was filled with frustration, and he let out a heavy sigh.
Upon hearing the explanation, Ye Qiu immediately understood.
This was the downside of recruiting NPCs and forming teams with them!
To prevent an NPC from leaving or betraying them, players had to maintain their favorability, which meant offering benefits, spending time, and even investing money.
But most importantly, they must not let the NPC die!
If an NPC died while in a player’s party, the player would suffer penalties.
For example: Reduced XP gain from monsters, lower item drop rates, inability to accept quests, and restricted access to NPC areas.
However, these weren’t even the most severe consequences.
Ye Qiu remembered something from his past life.
There was once a player who recruited an NPC, but that NPC died unexpectedly.
When the NPC’s family and friends found out, they hunted that player down!
Even though players could respawn after death, the NPCs didn’t care.
They killed the player over and over again, camping at the respawn point.
In the end, that player was slain repeatedly, from Level 15 all the way down to Level 0.
Until they deleted their account and were permanently unable to log in.
Only then did the NPCs finally stop!
This was exactly why Ye Qiu never recruited NPCs or teamed up with them for leveling.
He simply didn’t have the time or patience to manage relationships with NPCs.
For this situation, Ye Qiu had no intention of intervening.
He only gave one piece of advice, “Do more good deeds. It will increase your reputation and reduce the duration of negative debuffs.”
“I see…” Ning Qianjun smiled bitterly and nodded.
Even if he could reduce the duration of the debuff, it had already wasted his leveling time.
Now, the gap between him and the top players would widen, and there would be no way to catch up.
Ye Qiu had no intention of solving Ning Qianjun’s problems.
Instead, he asked, “You mentioned the pit is ready. Where is it?”
Ning Qianjun snapped out of his thoughts.
He stopped dwelling on the problem and was about to lead Ye Qiu to inspect the progress.
Ironically, he had to thank Zhao Hanyan.
After she arrived, she had led a large group of players to tirelessly dig trenches and pits.
That’s why it was completed so quickly.
But just as they were about to leave, someone blocked their way.
“No rush to leave.” Zhao Hanyan smiled mischievously at Ning Qianjun, then glanced at Ye Qiu. “The NPC I recruited says he wants another sparring match with you.”
“You—!” Ning Qianjun was furious.
He put down the corpse of the middle-aged swordsman NPC.
Pointing at Zhao Hanyan, he cursed, “Zhao Hanyan, don’t push your luck! If you keep causing trouble, I’ll log off right now and come find you at your house to settle this in person!”
Ning Qingyue also glared at Zhao Hanyan and shouted, “Zhao Hanyan, don’t be so arrogant! This game’s realism is nearly 100%, and pain is just like in real life. Here in Novice Village 0001, my Ning family has more influence than your Zhao family. Don’t think I won’t recruit players to camp you at the respawn point every day!”
Hearing this, Zhao Hanyan’s playful smile finally faded.
She clicked her tongue and said, “Tsk, no need to get so mad. This isn’t my decision. It’s what my NPC wants. I’m just passing along the message. It has nothing to do with me!”
Just now, that burly NPC had insisted on a fight again. Zhao Hanyan had no control over her NPC’s actions.
She could only let it happen!
She was just as frustrated!
According to her older brother Zhao Mingyuan, she was supposed to be on friendly terms with the Ning family in Novice Village 0001.
After all, their families had already arranged a marriage.
In the future, Ning Qingyue was supposed to marry into their Zhao family.
Avoiding conflict would have been ideal!
But now, because the NPC she recruited was a battle maniac…
He had just killed an NPC that Ning Qianjun recruited, and now, he wanted to kill a second one!
Absolutely ridiculous!
Yet, there was nothing she could do about it!
At this moment, the brawny NPC, Shi Jian, stepped in front of Ye Qiu.
He grinned and said, “I sense a strong scent of blood on you… You’ve just killed a lot of living things, haven’t you?”
Ye Qiu raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the NPC’s words. “And what does that have to do with you?”
Others might not know, but Ye Qiu — who had lived through two lifetimes — understood very well.
The NPCs in this game were real people. They had their own thoughts.
Shi Jian chuckled, “I enjoy battle, but I rarely find a worthy opponent. What do you say? Wanna fight?”
Ye Qiu remained unmoved.
He was Level 8, while this NPC was Level 10.
Anyone with common sense wouldn’t accept this fight!
Ning Qianjun hurriedly grabbed Ye Qiu’s arm and said, “Don’t fight him! This NPC doesn’t hold back. He fights to kill!”
To him, Ye Qiu was a golden lifeline. He couldn’t let anything happen to him!
Besides, he still wasn’t sure whether Ye Qiu was a player or an NPC.
If Ye Qiu was a player, then how could he have entered and left the novice village so easily on the first day?
If Ye Qiu was an NPC, then how could he add friends and send private messages?
Regardless, he would not allow Ye Qiu to be dragged into this mess!
However, things didn’t go as he wished.
Shi Jian had already raised his hands, On his knuckle dusters, razor-sharp blades gleamed.
[NPC Shi Jian has issued you a challenge!]
[For the next hour, all counterattacks will be considered self-defense. No crime points, no reputation loss, no red name status.]
[Since NPC Shi Jian is in a party, attacking any of them will still count as self-defense!]
The system’s voice echoed in Ye Qiu’s mind.