Liu Xing checked his clothes and saw he was wearing a Manchester United jersey, which perfectly matched the story. Most importantly, Liu Xing was a Manchester United fan in real life. So, he had reason to suspect that the Cthulhu game lobby had read his mind, knowing he was a Manchester United fan, and thus making such arrangements?!
If that were true, it would be a bit too terrifying. After all, if the Cthulhu game lobby had access to all his personal information, then if they truly wanted to kill him in a game, they could easily exploit some of his private information to plot against him.
Of course, it could just be a coincidence; that was all Liu Xing could comfort himself with.
Liu Xing also noticed that the watch on his wrist indicated it was around 8:00 AM. So, although the game time limit hadn't been announced, it should be around a day. And the boss of this Cthulhu game lobby was most likely the lord of this castle.
After a while, the game officially began.
Liu Xing felt an instant surge of force. After all, he was sitting in a speeding taxi.
Liu Xing maintained his balance and began to examine the taxi driver, only to discover he was actually Chinese!
Although Asians, especially those from East Asia (China, Japan, and South Korea), look similar to foreigners, Liu Xing was confident he could tell the other person's nationality at a glance.
Thus, Liu Xing felt the taxi driver was likely Chinese, and most likely a player like himself.
After all, this was the introduction phase of the Cthulhu role-playing game, and players would come to the scene for various reasons, just as Liu Xing himself had traveled to Ains Town because of his interest in the castle.
So, perhaps the player playing the taxi driver had traveled to Ains Town for his own reasons, then, for some reason, stayed there like him, and finally joined him on his way to the castle.
Liu Xing found his analysis convincing and well-reasoned.
Of course, just to be safe, Liu Xing decided to exchange secret codes with the taxi driver.
Liu Xing chuckled at first, then said to the taxi driver in Chinese, "Master, you must be Chinese, right?"
The taxi driver nodded. "Yes, I immigrated here a few years ago, but luckily, I couldn't find a good job, so I ended up driving a taxi. I'll drop you off at Eins Town later. I have to go back to a board game a friend is organizing. I hope to be there around 4:30."
Hearing this, Liu Xing was certain that the taxi driver was a gamer like him. Because the taxi driver mentioned board games, and Cthulhu role-playing games are a popular genre in Europe and the United States, and Liu Xing had also entered the Cthulhu role-playing game around 4:30.
So, Liu Xing understood that the taxi driver was hinting at him.
After all, this was a real-life Cthulhu role-playing game. It wasn't like playing a group or online group, where players could be known. Therefore, initial testing of each other was essential. After all, if you encountered an NPC and said something you shouldn't, you'd be considered a "game overrunner," and the penalties for that could be unbearable.
So, after a friendly exchange, Liu Xing was pleasantly surprised to discover that the player playing the taxi driver was actually a member of the same group as him.
The player's online name was Sansi, and the character card he used was named Chen Ling, exactly the kind of combat-oriented player Liu Xing had been looking for. In Chen Ling's setting, he was a veteran.
After learning they were members of the same group, Chen Ling's attitude toward Liu Xing improved. Especially after learning that Liu Xing was a doctor, Chen Ling assured him that Liu Xing's safety would be his responsibility. He also agreed that unless there were special circumstances, Chen Ling and Liu Xing would work together.
And so, Liu Xing had an extra bodyguard.
However, Liu Xing soon began to regret teaming up with Chen Ling. Chen Ling was a typical chatterbox, capable of spinning even the most ordinary incident into a legendary tale full of twists and turns. Liu Xing could tolerate that, but Chen Ling also had a bad habit of gesticulating when he got excited. That was why he had almost gotten into a car accident just now because Chen Ling took his hands off the steering wheel.
Liu Xing stared at Chen Ling speechlessly, contemplating the possibility that Chen Ling had tricked him into death.
After driving the taxi for over ten minutes, Chen Ling arrived at the main stage of this Cthulhu role-playing game—Ains Town.
The town of Ains resembled other English towns with minor differences. The "minor differences" naturally referred to the ancient castle located west of Ains. Of course, to Liu Xing, the castle didn't look particularly grand. Judging by the main structure, it was only about seven or eight meters tall and probably two stories high. However, the grounds were quite spacious, roughly the size of two football fields, leading Liu Xing to believe it had a back garden.
After getting out of the car, Liu Xing handed Chen Ling a hundred pounds. This was the fare agreed upon between "Liu Xing" and "Chen Ling" before coming here, and Liu Xing had to fulfill his promise.
Chen Ling naturally accepted it and helped Liu Xing retrieve a suitcase from the taxi trunk. It was clearly Liu Xing's luggage. According to the game prompts, Liu Xin's bottle of green tea that restored SAN points, the candy given by Mr. Ke, and the amulet with the old seal were all inside.
As for what else was in the suitcase, Liu Xing would have to wait until he found a chance to open it.
As the plot unfolded, just as Chen Ling was about to leave Eins Town, Liu Xing saw all four tires of the taxi blow out simultaneously...
Seeing this, Liu Xing couldn't help but lament the rather unfocused plotting. Who had ever seen a stationary taxi suddenly have all four tires blow out simultaneously?
Chen Ling, with an air of "I knew it would happen," got out of the car and said to Liu Xing, "Looks like I can take you around Eins Town now, and see if there's any repair shops here."
Liu Xing nodded, and they entered Eins Town together.
Eins Town wasn't large, and Liu Xing and Chen Ling quickly spotted a repair shop, though it was closed. Next door, a tavern was open.
In any game, a tavern is always a good place to get intel, so Liu Xing, under the pretext of "fellow countrymen meeting each other," invited Chen Ling in for a drink and, at the same time, to gather some information.
After all, it was still morning, and the town of Ains wasn't very large, so naturally, the population wasn't very large. So, besides the owner, there was only one other customer in the tavern, enjoying the English specialty of fish and potatoes.
Just as Liu Xing and Chen Ling reached the bar, ready to ask the owner for some information, a sudden commotion erupted outside the tavern, and two men and a woman entered.
The moment the three entered, Liu Xing heard that familiar electronic synthesized voice again.
"All players have reached the plot trigger point. The introductory phase is over. Now enter the main plot!"