Dark Eldar

"Marin, Marin, I love you, like a mouse loves rice." This is rumored to be the last words of a powerful sorceress after obtaining the golden artifact, the "Mysterious Bell of Na'ais."

The Xinbaolong Hotel (831331) was already bustling with activity even before nightfall.

Those wanting to enter for free include: an orc (leader), half-orcs, a few fallen mutants, dwarf warriors, and mages. Some genuinely want to enter, while others are just joining in, hoping to rack up kills or get a small advantage... Logically, they should possess the qualities of a level 500 hero. However, the current situation proves that rapid leveling isn't necessarily a good thing. (Note: In previous versions, including the ancient public beta, "leveling up" was always extremely difficult. But this time, with the sudden opening of the 999 level cap at level 30, it's equivalent to boosting the previous otherworldly magical civilization by 9 or 10 times. Is the "otherworldly zone" really going to decline? Judging from the market hype and popularity, and the waiting times in the queues, it will remain popular for quite some time. But why did the Dark Elf race start massively profiting as soon as they appeared at level 30? Nobody knows the real reason. There are many rumors circulating in offline forums and online communities, but the "headquarters," including the "core layer," always remains highly mysterious...)

Loki, the former otherworldly sorcerer (level 568), sat elegantly on the sofa in the lobby, enjoying classical music (background music). The newly built and decorated hotel in the new map had excellent soundproofing. The noise of the savage orcs outside was barely audible inside. But Loki, with his keen hearing, heard it all clearly. Even in complete isolation, he possessed the "lip-reading" skill (lip-reading; purple, a rare skill, requiring Exalted reputation with the centaur clan and exchanging materials at the centaur tribe before it could be purchased on a limited basis).

In the early stages of Loki's game, while forging his artifact, he didn't forget about gaining "faction reputation" (achievements) for rare items and skills. He often tried to "play both sides"... Some monsters are always hostile to certain hero races, while others are "friendly." Loki, of course, didn't indiscriminately kill innocents. During his leveling process, he tried his best to avoid any events or side quests that would damage his reputation. If he sacrificed some reputation for fun today, what would happen tomorrow? Even if he gathered all the rare materials, getting the "artifact" would be impossible.

There is another type of hero, outwardly "upright" and seemingly never committing any heinous acts, but that is all a facade. Without deeper understanding, one can never know just how "dark" a hero's "heart" truly may be.

Outside the hotel, the already tense situation escalated even further! A level 500 berserker (his red name was active), relying on his high health and defense, seemed to disregard everyone and every hero. The "experience orbs" (items) had not only inflated his level but also his desires. Right now, compared to the lower-level beautiful sorceress Yunita (level 458), he wanted more than anything else—her leggings and her staff (Invincible Staff, purple, level 50, transmogrifiable).

Cloth armor is useless to warriors, but the troublemaking orcs recognized it as a "bind-on-equip" item. This means there's still a possibility of it being dropped... (Note: To increase the fun of PvP, "Multiverse" added a bizarre feature in its last 20 major updates, which heroes particularly disliked! It strongly boosted the "market," especially the "secondary market" and the "black market"... leading to an increase in heroes using red names! However, the protected areas in the otherworld have maintained a relatively peaceful state. Non-VIP heroes are always afraid of VIP heroes! After all, one is a "formal graduate," and the other is a "self-taught." But there are exceptions, such as the freelancer Ludar, the former leader of the rebels, and the newly risen rare elite Barbarian King, etc.)

All the red-name accounts outside that could be used had already been opened. The scene was quite spectacular!

The NPCs inside the hotel were not frightened by this.

Hotel Manager, Level 99. He is a refined and gentle human. His leather shoes are shiny black, and he dresses impeccably, with a sharp black suit serving as his "business attire" (free; provided by the system).

"Honorable Grand Mage, greetings! Would you like to go outside for a look? Or would you like your wine cup refilled?" the human NPC manager asked softly.

His meaning was simple: "You may leave if you don't intend to make a purchase; I won't see you off further."

Loki hesitated for a moment, then said:

"OK, here are my 100 gold coins. Use them first, and I'll pay later if I need more. Is that alright, Manager?"

Chaos reigns outside. The manager's main employer, Unita SS, is still being bullied, yet the NPC manager is already "making money"? He certainly wouldn't dare charge his beautiful female clients. Perhaps he's just suspicious of the calm Loki FS on the sofa? (The FAQ is most likely AI, or it could be a free ID. No hero in the game can actively question an "NPC" unless they undergo "deep awakening"? Their fate will either be immediately forced to fix the bug, or they'll become—a "wanderer.")

Upon receiving the gold coins, the NPC manager was naturally pleased. He habitually put them into his personal stash of gold in his large backpack. (In order for this NPC ID to be successfully transformed into a "hero" in the future, the shareholders of the New Baolong Hotel are also willing to make "appropriate losses". The difference in order subsidies is omitted.)

The NPC manager smiled at the bikini-clad, bunny-tailed female hero (Banshee SS) standing in front of the bar.

The naive SS-class heroine immediately understood and happily ran over to pour Loki a drink (tip not included).

Every industry has its "rules." Earning extra money is no exception. Unless introduced by the lobby manager NPC, they generally won't proactively "strike up" others. Because doing so is extremely dangerous...

"Dark Eldar" ranks highly in readers' poll for best fantasy novel!