"Come to think of it, GM, why aren't there any wits stats?"
But he doesn't answer him. Hey! He's got the right to ask questions! Don't think you can get away with ignoring him after throwing him into this crappy dream!
"By the way, show me the stats again; I saw something weird!"
The screen comes back to him to display what he's asking for. Ah well, finally, this thing listened to him!
"... there! What's this - in brackets multiplier x4 - next to the strength ?"
[ Your strength will be multiplied by 4 in certain circumstances. You have not yet encountered such a situation. The GM can therefore give you no further details. ]
"... You do know that 0 x 4 is still 0, right?"
[ You'll be able to increase your strength once you've earned stats points. ]
"Nianiania if I don't know what it's for, it's useless! What's it going to be, like, the guy comes face to face with a caterpillar, he's scared, his strength is increased tenfold against caterpillars, or something stupid like that, is that it?!"
Silence. Of course it's not going to answer him! What's the point of bothering to improve a zero stat? Still, he doesn't have much choice - his luck's beyond maximum, it won't go any higher.
He sighs as he sees the 24-hour timer and the choices that appear leave him in deep thought. Might as well improve the areas in which he's not too bad... well, given his stats, that leads him to believe that Shoi-Ming is bad all over.
Does spiritual strength mean strength? Yeah, no... and wisdom? There aren't even any stats, so why is this guy wise? He just surrenders when he's in trouble. And yet, he admits that reading sacred texts interests him, as their GM's lore was still fascinating. Go for it.
[ You have chosen: Study of sacred texts. Your statistics evolution : 0 ]
What do you mean, zero?!
At least, he can learn more about the "Purification Ceremony of the Five Dragons" and what awaits him tomorrow. The scrolls are particularly detailed, revealing aspects that his game master had not explained to him.
Certain grey areas become clearer, and what were once inconsistencies, now make sense.
The Five Dragons Purification Ceremony is an ancestral ritual of the utmost importance in SEFM. Its purpose is to seal off the demonic energies of the region beneath the Mountain Peak of the Ethereal Clouds, ensuring that the world of spirits and demons remains under control for years to come.
The ritual begins at sunrise, when the first light of dawn pierces the horizon. Each sect leader, bearing the title of "Dragon", goes to his respective mountain to perform his part of the ritual.
The other four surrounding mountains also see their members perform similar ceremonies.
The purification process involves a series of symbolic gestures and chanted mantras, aimed at purging negative energies and strengthening the barriers that keep demons imprisoned. Participants must draw on their spiritual strength and connection with the heavens to successfully complete the ritual.
At the summit of each mountain, specially prepared altars are erected, adorned with sacred symbols and protective talismans.
Sect leaders stand before these altars, accompanied by their most devoted disciple - Shoi-Ming here in the case of the Ethereal Clouds - ready to confront the dark forces that will manifest themselves during the ritual.
No kidding. This is what they call a "tutorial quest"?! What's next?
[ Free time until tomorrow ]
Great! No more choices to make.
But that timer still gives him cold sweats, it doesn't disappear. There's nothing more stressful. It's like a sword of Damocles ready to fall on him at any moment.
Tomorrow, at dawn, he will join his peers to take part in the ceremony. It's a good thing the sect leader is in charge, but... to shame him because he can't keep up with them—
"Now that's getting old! I want to change character! When do I wake up?!"
Please... this character is at zero everywhere and you give him such an important quest?! He doesn't mind if Shoi-Ming gets the finger pointed at him and becomes the laughing stock of the cultivation world, but the problem is that he's the one in that body!
There's no way he's going to be humiliated, he doesn't want to, he doesn't like it, he's the popular guy nobody looks down on, unless they want to be lynched.
Why does he have to play the victim, is it karma? Well, why would he think that? Everyone he's ever beaten up has always had it coming.
It's as if he found himself level one surrounded by level fifty players, it's ridiculous. Even Dark Souls is "fairer" than that. And what happens if he dies, does he wake up? He doesn't believe in his wacky ideas of reincarnation, let alone in his RPG.
Does he really have to play the game? It pisses him off.
"GM, I want to know more about Shoi-Ming, it's the least you can do, isn't it? I have to play him In Character!"
The blue screen came back into view, displaying a :
[ The fault lies with the player for not listening to the GM when required. ]
"What? Come on! I'd already listened to the main part, the rest didn't matter to me. I had the idea!"
[ Perfect, in that case you don't need the requested information. ]
"Huh?! But I need it! "
Oh no, the blue screen is starting to disappear, but damn, it's trollish at this level! Please don't leave him in this mess! He's so lost! He may be lucky, but Shoi-Ming is in deep trouble, as if his life were hanging by a thread!
"Wait, for his title! His connections! Can I, at least, know that?!"
The screen returns and three small dots slowly appear, and an animation with them unfolds before his eyes, as if the GM were considering whether or not to answer him before scrolling the text in his robotic voice.
[ Shoi-Ming, Right-hand man to the head of the Ethereal Clouds Sect. Title "The cowardly snake hiding behind the clouds". ]
Ugh.... just seeing that title made him nauseous, great, he knew he had a bad reputation, but this is downright sad. He could only sigh as he ran a hand over his face, already tired at the thought of having to play such a character.
[ Shoi-Ming never wanted to have disciples. ]
He doesn't know whether to be surprised or not. He has nothing to teach anyone. It's a double-edged decision: it looks suspicious for the leader's right-hand man not to have a disciple, and puts him in an awkward position in the eyes of others who may question his status.
But taking on a disciple would reveal his incapacity in all areas, especially cultivation.
He could always have put on a brave face by accepting a disciple, then paying for a private teacher to train him, and taking credit for him by buying the silence of the shidi and the other shizun.
It's what he would have expected from such a hypocrite and swindler.
But if the other two turned him in, that would be the end of him. Either way, he's screwed, so he had to choose the solution that would bring him the least trouble.
[ You've already come across one of his relations, the sect leader: Zi Xuan, the other is his best friend: Jun Hie. ]
Jun Hie? Wait, that sounds familiar.
Isn't that... no... the traitor?
Yes, that's the name of the traitor in their campaign!
If there's anyone he can't stand except Shoi-Ming, it's him. As luck would have it, the two are good friends. Crossing his arms, he concluded that this was definitely the worst life-size RPG game he'd ever played.
[ As for the rest, that will be presented to you in due time. ]
"Of course! Thanks for nothing! "
Now all he has to do is meditate and try to relax as best he can.
The next morning, as the first rays of sun gently kiss the mountain tops, the atmosphere in the Ethereal Clouds Sect is electric with anticipation. Disciples are busy in the inner gardens, preparing floral offerings and fragrant incense for the upcoming ceremony.
Excited murmurs fill the air as everyone prepares to play their part in this sacred ritual.
More and more sect members gather on the main square, dressed in their finest and wearing sacred ornaments. Drums echo through the valley, marking the start of the procession to the mountain summit, where the ceremony will take place.