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墨書 Inktalez
Huo Suixin's seemingly casual movements, upon closer observation, revealed a level of detail far more refined than Yan Yan's. As a result, her accuracy was astonishingly high. Although Yan Yan had ten years of gaming experience, she was essentially a latecomer; many of her technical skills were developed through intuition and trial and error, shaped largely by the lessons learned from her experiences. This contrasted sharply with Huo Suixin, who had received formal training, exuding an air of ruthless efficiency born from a more instinctive approach.
After observing for a while, her curiosity about Yan Yan's skills grew. "Yan Yan, how did you learn archery?"
She stepped closer and raised her hand to correct a slight misalignment in Yan Yan's posture. Such habits could lead to increased strain on the wrist over time, but she momentarily forgot that this was just a game and that there were no real-world consequences. The correction was purely instinctual.
"I figured it out myself," Yan Yan replied, relaxing as Huo Suixin adjusted her stance. Aware that the question touched on sensitive topics, she chose not to hide anything but also refrained from elaborating too much. "I had some learning experiences before." She left the latter part unsaid, tilting her head slightly to meet Huo Suixin's calm gaze with her own dark eyes. "Sui Xin, did you train at an institution?" The precision of her movements indicated extensive professional training; it was no wonder Zhao Hunter regarded her highly. Such talent was enviable, and even she harbored her own ambitions.
"You should call me 'sister,'" Huo Suixin said with a hint of exasperation as she patted Yan Yan's arm. Despite having corrected the girl multiple times, she still refused to address her appropriately. It was amusing that someone several years older than her could be so stubborn; she couldn't help but feel curious about this girl. She resolved to seek out the beautiful sister mentioned by Yan Yan to uncover any secrets.
As she observed Yan Yan's quirky demeanor, memories flooded back to when they were still in S Zone. Whenever Yan Yan was deeply engrossed in studying at home, Strict Language would barge into her room with various tricks to lure her outside for fun.
Due to her health issues, Mother Yan and Strict Father were not overly strict with her; their main concern was that their eldest daughter was happy. They invested significantly more effort into educating their daughters. Consequently, when at home, Yan Yan spent nearly all her time studying in the study or her room, rarely venturing out. Each time, Strict Language would come up with different schemes to coax her outside. When she pondered what to do next, her eyes sparkled with mischief.
A fleeting look of nostalgia crossed Huo Suixin's face as she noticed the hint of reminiscence in Yan Yan's expression. She gently squeezed Yan Yan's hand and said:
"I used to be very interested in archery and received professional training at an archery center. Looking back now, it's been almost ten years; I’m actually a Level Seven archer in real life." A hint of pride shone in her eyes as she recalled the confidence she felt while drawing back the bowstring.
"No wonder your movements are so precise," Yan Yan nodded in agreement. "In Zero Point, having professional skills gives you a significant advantage." After saying this, she glanced at the Golden Longbow in Huo Suixin's hands and asked, "Is that Longbow Silver Grade?"
With a resigned nod from Huo Suixin confirming it was indeed a gift from Senior Zhao—who had used it for hunting in his youth—Yan Yan continued, "It looks quite similar to my Longbow 'Golden Wings' that I use in real life."
"Yes."
As soon as the words left her mouth, an arrow flew from the bowstring and struck the wooden target perfectly. Five arrows lined up neatly on the slender piece of wood; upon closer inspection, each arrow was spaced precisely apart—an impressive display of accuracy.
Huo Suixin suppressed her astonishment and shot a curious glance at the girl who stood half a head shorter than herself. Feeling challenged in her authority, she shifted from a previously relaxed demeanor to one focused on completing Zhao Hunter’s assigned tasks.
Her movements were standard and fluid—textbook examples of archery technique—but they lacked the raw edge needed for survival in Zero Point’s harsh environment. This meticulousness felt out of place in such a brutal world where bloodshed was often necessary for growth; many players fell victim to this lack of aggression and were ultimately eliminated from Zero Point.
"Sui Xin, what do you think of Zero Point?" The sudden question made Huo Suixin’s mind race; she sensed that there was more depth to Yan Yan’s inquiry than it appeared at first glance. After some thought, she replied earnestly, "It's a very interesting game." Pausing briefly as if reconsidering how serious her response sounded, she added, "It should become a new world."
Though uncertain in tone, this statement sent a jolt through Yan Yan; it was clear that Huo Suixin possessed an impressive level of insight.
"Yes, it will become a new world," Huo Suixin affirmed confidently enough to catch Yan Yan off guard. "In such a new world," she gestured toward players rushing into the forest to level up by defeating monsters nearby, "do you think it's normal for survival of the fittest to prevail?"
"You mean—" Huo Suixin seemed to realize something significant and suppressed any unrealistic thoughts bubbling up inside her as she cautiously asked: "Are you suggesting that jungle law will apply in reality?" While aware of Zero Point’s fierce competition and having considered how real-world rivalries might intertwine with it—especially given how family members fought fiercely over resources—it never occurred to her that reality and gaming could be so deeply connected. Hearing this made it seem like the overlap between game dynamics and real-life implications ran deeper than she'd imagined. Should she warn those family members?
Understanding that Huo Suixin hadn’t fully grasped the implications behind her words, Yan Yan chose not to elaborate further; it was still too early for such discussions anyway. Moreover, strength equated to power; currently feeling as weak as an ant compared to others made her acutely aware that anyone could easily crush her without effort. In her past life, being weak while knowing too much had led to inevitable doom; this time around, she vowed not to sit idly by.
She would repay every debt owed without fail.
Suppressing the dark turmoil within her and clearing the blood-red hue from her eyes, she turned her head at the sound of the last arrow piercing the wood and the fluttering tail feathers. Looking at Huo Suixin, she said, "Sui Xin, your arrows lack vitality."
The implication was clear: in this brutal competition for survival, one must possess both the courage to forge ahead and an indomitable spirit to endure until the end.
Huo Suixin stood still, gazing down at her Golden Longbow. Yan Yan's words seemed to echo those of her mentor from long ago. "Sui Xin, your arrows are missing the most fundamental quality of an archer—spirit. I know your nature; you’ve always been indifferent to everything. However, you are my proudest student, and I hope you can go further on this path instead of being weighed down by your family."
For years, her archery had stagnated at the seventh level without any progress. Her mentor's subtle hints and the concern from other friends in the training group had not gone unnoticed. She was confident in her skills but fully aware of her laid-back attitude. The missing element was evident to everyone.
How bitter—
She pressed her lips together, determination gradually shining in her eyes. "Yan Yan, I’m ready to retrain my archery skills. I will break through to the eighth level." Her tone was solemn and earnest, yet her expression was carefree and unrestrained, as if she were still that easygoing Sui Xin, but also not quite the same Sui Xin. Something within her was quietly changing.
Noticing her transformation, Yan Yan smiled slightly. She had changed her mindset; she had finally realized that dwelling on her past self had placed immense pressure on those around her and had shackled herself with heavy burdens. Such a mindset would surely lead to trouble in the long run.
Today, Sui Xin awakened herself, allowing her to seal away the blood-red memories buried deep within.
This experience from a past life would become a driving force for her journey in this life; it would never be a hindrance!
A towering pile of firewood stood before them, with equal spacing between each log. Five arrows were evenly inserted into each piece of wood, forming a perfect array of hundreds of arrows that pierced straight into the logs. From a distance, it resembled a spiky ball—a true delight for those with obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
This orderly spiky ball showcased their precision in controlling arrows and their mastery of archery.
The morning slipped away amidst the array of arrows under Zhao Hunter's satisfied gaze as they left his home.
Zhao Hunter withdrew his gaze as they departed and approached the densely packed pile of firewood filled with arrows. His eyes scanned half of Huo Suixin's side; in the first batch up front, some arrows lacked sufficient force, leaving their tips protruding slightly. Frowning at her laid-back nature, he noted that the subsequent batches were uniformly shot without any flaws.
As he shifted his gaze to the left side, every arrow was equally well-placed—straight and true—each feather pointing in the same direction. He nodded in satisfaction before turning to leave.
Just as he turned away, he noticed a red line precisely one inch above each arrowhead lodged firmly in the wood. His eyes widened in shock; astonishingly—
Every single arrow penetrated three inches into the wood!
Not more or less—exactly one hundred twenty arrows were embedded three inches deep!
Due to variations in arrow length, it wasn’t immediately apparent at first glance; looking straight on, each arrow appeared at different heights. However, seeing them from the side revealed their uniform depth—a truly stunning display of control! No, it wasn't just control; this incredible feat demonstrated an astonishing willpower and resilience—almost monstrous!
He brushed his fingers over an arrow’s feather with a sigh. Once upon a time, there had been someone equally extraordinary—but alas—
As if recalling something significant, his face became a tapestry of nostalgia and regret. For such talent, perhaps there was little he could teach; letting that master take over might create another miracle...
Meanwhile, Yan Yan and Huo Suixin walked along without realizing Zhao Hunter's thoughts. Huo Suixin was preoccupied with thoughts of breaking through in archery and hurriedly exchanged a few words before logging off in the Safe Zone.
Yan Yan hurriedly ran to the Blacksmith Shop after parting ways with her companion.
Upon arriving at the Blacksmith Shop again, she found it bustling with players, unlike the quiet atmosphere from before. They were all waiting to repair their weapons and equipment.
“Hey, get in line! What are you doing cutting in? Yes, you, the Undead Skeleton! Why are you staring? Don’t you know you need to wait in line? Everyone else is doing it!”
“Yeah, exactly! We’re all waiting here; have some decency…”
“Sorry, everyone, I’m in a hurry to fix my gear,” the Undead Skeleton explained with a smile.
“What’s the rush? We’re all eager to repair our gear too; we’re just waiting here…”
“I need to turn in a quest! If it weren’t for my weapon’s durability running out, I wouldn’t be here—”
“I’m trying to level up too! I’m so close to hitting level five; this waiting is such a waste of time!”
The Undead player, drenched in verbal attacks, reluctantly moved to the back of the long line, wearing a bitter expression.
“Girl, come here,” Zhang the Blacksmith called out as he noticed Yan Yan standing outside the crowd. With his apprentice finally arriving, his mood lifted slightly despite being surrounded by players. Business had suddenly picked up so much that he hadn’t even had time to sip his freshly brewed Osmanthus Wine. Suppressing his impatience, he said, “Girl, you can handle these repairs.” As Yan Yan approached and handed him another bottle of Osmanthus Wine, he turned and entered the shop without looking back.
“Bang—” The door slammed shut.
In front of the bewildered players, Yan Yan expressionlessly picked up the bright red hammer. The sound of her strikes echoed in their hearts.
They watched as the girl’s slender wrists rhythmically hammered away at the weapons. Her pale fingers contrasted sharply against the black hammer. Behind the one-point-two-meter forge table, only her thin upper body was visible. Aside from her expressionless beauty, she looked just like any other girl!
Is this NPC looking down on me for being clueless? That backpack clearly belongs to a player!
Can a blacksmith really swing a hammer like that?—
“Whoosh—”
The large hammer swung with impressive force. The continuous “clang clang clang” of her strikes made those who had been slapped in the face by reality swallow their words.
Are they employing child labor?
Come on, if you’re hiring child laborers, step forward; I promise I won’t hurt you.
With a blank expression, Yan Yan spent the afternoon amidst the gazes of players who were either frustrated or skeptical, diligently repairing dozens of weapons.
Soon, a rumor began to spread in the novice village:
The new Blacksmith NPC at the Blacksmith Shop is a soft and cute girl, but unfortunately, she has a blank expression.
Player: Silent
Race: Human
Class: Archer
Level: 5
Strength: 19
Agility: 14
Intelligence: 5
Stamina: 7
Charm: 4
Remaining Attribute Points:
Equipment: Raccoon Outfit (Bronze Longbow), Raccoon Bracers (Bronze Longbow), Mink Knee Guards (Bronze Longbow), Mink Boots (Bronze Longbow), Rabbit Fur Pants (Bronze Longbow), Bronze Longbow (Bronze Longbow)
Inventory: 5 sets of Arrows (Bronze Longbow)
Money: Copper
Skills: Gathering (Beginner 49/5), Aiming
Forging (Beginner 58/5)
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