【 HUGGING THE THIGH OF A BIG SHOT 】
—
The sky was an endless shade of blue, deeper than the sea itself. A few tufts of cloud drifted lazily, stretched thin by the wind until they lted into the mirror-like canopy above.
Xu Ge swore he had never seen a sky this pure before in his life.
Just like the seasons on Earth, the world of Elven Kingdom had also stepped into late autumn and early winter, bringing with it a slightly cooler temperature.
The golden sun hung high in the sky, its dazzling rays spilling down and warming Xu Ge’s body with a soft, cozy glow.
Every so often, he would see winged beasts soaring through the sky.
From ti to ti, winged creatures would sweep across the sky—majestic dragons with scales glinting in the sunlight, proud griffins that beat their wings with thunderous strength, and, more often, huge birds whose piercing cries carried far and clear.
Xu Ge couldn’t help but lift his gaze each ti one passed above him, his eyes following their path through the blue expanse.
Most likely, those people riding on each creature’s back were players, judging by the gleam of their equipnt.
Xu Ge’s eyes lit up as he stared at those figures soaring through the air.
Flying.
For any young man, the very word carried with it an irresistible allure.
Then, without warning, the surroundings suddenly dimd.
What followed next was a vast shadow rolling across the ground like a moving cloud, darkening everything in its path.
Looking above him, Xu Ge noticed sothing enormous was passing overhead, blotting out the sky.
His eyes widened at the sight, awe flashing across his face as his lips ford a round “O.”
“Whoa?!”
The shout burst from him before he even realized it, carried by pure instinct rather than thought.
Slowly, its massive form ca into view: a colossal airship, its design a breathtaking fusion of both magic and steampunk aesthetics.
It was flying at a low altitude, barely a hundred ters above the ground. It resembled the Zeppelins he had seen in his history books back on Earth. Yet this otherworldly version easily dwarfed its real-life counterparts, stretching over two hundred ters in length. ŗΆꞐȯ฿Ёš
Its outer surface shimred with intricate magical arrays, lines and sigils woven so seamlessly that from where he stood, they appeared to be decorative patterns. On its tail fin glead a radiant scepter-shaped emblem, catching the sunlight with each tilt.
Beneath the massive envelope hung a gondola that appeared to be made of wood and steel, and at the airship’s bow, a tall wooden statue of the goddess was erected, looking serene yet commanding, while at the stern, a large steampunk-style propeller churned with a steady whir, pushing the vessel forward.
Even the gondola itself bore runes and engravings, with every inch etched in enchantnts. From its railings, several human-like figures leaned out from ti to ti, their flowing hair and robes fluttering in the wind as they gazed curiously at the world below.
“The Goddess! That’s definitely the airship, ‘The Goddess!” Xu Ge shouted in excitent.
He had heard of this airship before.
In fact, ever since the second beta, he had been following what was happening in Elven Kingdom as an armchair player. His favorite pasti during breaks was watching stream recordings of strears and videos uploaded by popular ElvKing creators.
And in one of Big Mu’s videos, a famous ElvKing strear, he had seen this very airship being featured.
From what he rembered from that video, this airship had only been completed last week. It was the result of a massive community effort, a project where many top players had joined forces to accomplish such an undertaking. Rumor had it that more than a thousand players had contributed their ti and skills to its design and construction.
Honestly, compared to the fantastical flying airships shown in movies or the sheer might of real-life aircraft, this otherworldly airship might not seem all that impressive.
But gas are different from reality.
Just as a person might only nod respectfully while watching a docuntary about the Forbidden City, yet gasp in amazent when soone manages to recreate the very sa city block for block inside the ga Minecraft, seeing an airship like this actually built inside the ga was a shock all its own.
The impact ca from the gap between what you thought was impossible, and the fact that soone had gone and actually done it.
From what Xu Ge knew, the players of Elven Kingdom were probably the most creative of any gaming community at the mont, even surpassing the building craze of Minecraft back in its heyday.
Part of that ca from the ga’s unmatched degree of freedom, and the other part ca from the players themselves, with their unique mix of cultural knowledge and practical skill.
At first, the older players had rebuilt Earth’s landmarks in-ga, constructing the ga’s towns and main cities just like how they looked in real life.
But now that most of those veteran players had reached the level cap, more and more of them were spending their free ti nowadays experinting with new kinds of gaplay.
In particular, replicating things from Earth have beca especially popular trend.
Over the past month, many players had poured their creativity into all sorts of ambitious projects. Airships, hot air balloons, and similar machines that required a certain degree of industrial know-how—but were still relatively simple enough compared to modern intricate technology—quickly rose to popularity and beca fan favorites.
There were even rumors of a certain whale-princess wanting to replicate cinemas, TV stations, and steam trains.
Overall, the world of Elven Kingdom was steadily filling with these new marvels. So projects had already been completed and proudly displayed in towns and cities, while countless others still remained a work in progress.
Of course, certain advanced technologies were beyond the reach of amateurs.
Alas, that was the limit of the tech tree. Even if the theory seed feasible, without an industry expert to lead the project or the necessary skilled manpower to properly handle the complex workload, so things simply could not be replicated.
But that was where magic ca in.
Magic was, after all, a way to bypass all those rigid technological barriers and physical limitations, which was essentially cheating. With the elves being naturally born with a high affinity for magic, even the weakest player could cast a simple light spell, activate a magical array, or trigger a scroll after just a little training.
In this context, players could easily use the convenience of magic to compensate for any lack of technical knowledge or skilled labor shortage.
The crystal projection screens were a pri example of this.
Similarly, the supposed steam trains, according to rumors, were only able to run after being “magically modified” into fantasy versions of themselves.
Of course, many of the various gadgets created were not truly practical in their usage. So might have had limited functional purposes, but more often than not the initial motivation was simply to look cool or to claim the bragging rights of having built it first.
But even by accident, the players ended up creating all kinds of strange and useful inventions—so of which were already having a huge impact on the daily lives of the local population.
The crystal projection screens being the most famous of them all.
Even Xu Ge knew that so top guilds had already began to established their own “dia companies.” In the Elven Forest alone, the center of their faction, many taverns now had crystal projectors installed to broadcast competitive events.
By now, they had beco so imnsely popular with both players and locals alike that attending or watching these broadcasts had beco a daily routine for many, sothing that would have been unimaginable beforehand.
Drawing his drifting thoughts back, Xu Ge once again lifted his gaze to the airship above him.
His gaze sparkled faintly as he murmured,
“I wonder what it’s like to ride on one of those…”
It had to be incredible!
The airship was moving quite fast.
It drifted steadily across the sky, then slowly began to fade into the distance.
Xu Ge kept his eyes locked on its silhouette until it slipped past the trunk of a massive tree and finally disappeared from view.
But then his gaze was drawn to that colossal trunk itself.
Compared to it, the airship looked like nothing more than a pocket-sized toy.
The trunk was so wide that staring at it felt less like looking at a tree and more like facing an endless wall of wood.
But unlike a horizontal wall, this tree stretched upward almost endlessly, rising vertically instead.
Xu Ge’s eyes kept moving upward as the trunk stretched higher and higher, until it eventually went past the clouds, with its top completely out of sight.
“It’s the World Tree…”
Xu Ge whispered, excitent bubbling in his voice.
The World Tree!
It was the most breathtaking natural wonder in Elven Kingdom, said to rise up to ten thousand ters in height.
And more than that, it was the true form of the goddess herself, the faction leader whom they, the players, had sworn to serve, protect, and remain loyal to.
Whilst basking in the awe-inspiring presence of this towering, mysterious World Tree, Xu Ge couldn’t help but recall all the sights he had experienced so far.
The majestic airship with its steampunk aesthetics, the griffins and dragons spreading their wings through the sky. The bustling streets lined with buildings infused with Earth’s many cultures. The pointed dos and solemn temples carved with elven styles and architectures.
What filled Xu Ge’s mind was a world of dazzling sights, bursting with fantasy and wonder, steeped in magic yet touched by exotic charm.
This was Elven Kingdom.
A brand-new world that had captured the hearts of countless players!
With the accompanying cheerful elven lody—the Chosen City’s own exclusive BGM—playing in his ears, Xu Ge felt a surge of ease and joy inside his heart.
The warm, soothing, and beautiful classical symphony blended seamlessly with the lively city atmosphere.
Right now, his body felt unbelievably light and powerful. With an excited, silly grin, he could not help but leap, jumping nearly a ter and a half high.
The feeling was unlike anything in reality.
It was as if gravity itself had lessened, or as if his body were brimming with boundless amounts of energy, like a superhuman awakening to new powers.
Intuitively, he sensed that moves he could never pull off in the real world would now co much easier.
Even those jaw-dropping parkour stunts he had seen in movies and gas… he felt certain he could now perform them here as well.
Right now, Xu Ge truly felt like he had beco the ‘chosen one.’
His chest filled with soaring pride.
No wonder the players were called as such.
He couldn’t help but whistle, then broke into a run, leaping joyfully through the city streets.
“Elven Kingdom, here I co!” he shouted with a laugh.
His voice drew plenty of stares from veteran players in the vicinity. Their expressions ranged from odd to amused, from those wearing understanding smiles to those teasing him for it.
Being under so many gazes, Xu Ge’s face flushed bright red.
He suddenly felt a wave of embarrassnt at the childish antics he had just made.
And in that mont, he realized another difference.
Because the feeling he experienced was so real, he couldn’t help but imrse himself in the mont. When those strange looks ca his way, he suddenly rembered that it was still a ga and felt shy.
Clearing his throat, Xu Ge quickly composed himself.
He slowed his steps, trying to blend in and carry himself as he imagined a quiet, elegant gentleman would.
But his plain beginner’s gear, his sparkling eyes darting left and right, and the way he gawked at everything like a country bumpkin entering the capital—all of it gave him away instantly.
Just another wide-eyed newbie, plain as day.
It wasn’t long before soone called out to him.
“Hey, hey! Little brother! Wait a sec! Hold up!”
The shout ca from behind him.
But Xu Ge didn’t hear it.
He was too captivated by the sights around him, wandering about while fiddling with the system interface.
It was only when a big hand clapped onto his shoulder that he quickly jumped in fright.
“You there, brother! Please wait a mont!”
The sudden touch nearly made Xu Ge leap again.
He swiftly turned his head and found himself facing a tall, broad-shouldered warrior.
It was a male player, with brown hair and blue eyes, dressed in shining silver armor that glead brilliantly under the sunlight. Red ribbons decorated his plate armor, adding to his imposing look.
On the man’s back rested a massive greatsword etched with ornate engraving. His face bore a broad, friendly smile full of energy.
Xu Ge glanced at the na floating above the man’s head.
Userna: FacetheWind
Curious, he tried using [Appraisal]
But the system only gave him a string of question marks.
Noticing Xu Ge’s odd expression, the man chuckled, patted his shoulder again, and said with a grin,
“Oh brother, don’t even bother with that. You see, I’m level 40 which is the max level cap. You won’t be able to appraise .”
A max-level veteran!
Xu Ge’s eyes lit up with admiration.
Level 40 was the standard cap in Elven Kingdom, the so-called graduation level.
But why “standard”? That was because Elven Kingdom had a leveling system unlike most gas.
Here, max level wasn’t always the sa. For most players, reaching level 40 was already the peak.
But above level forty, a few lucky players who managed to earn a class advancent slot could keep on leveling further. They could break past the Iron-rank and step into Silver-rank, which increases the level cap to lvl 50.
And Silver-rankers were on a completely different league of their own compared to the standard Iron-rankers. Unless an Iron-ranker was fully decked out in complete legendary-grade gear, there was practically no way to stand against them.
In fact, one Silver-ranker could crush ten Iron-rankers without breaking a sweat.
This unusual progression system had drawn plenty of complaints from the player base.
But Elven Kingdom was one of a kind. No matter how strange the chanics were, people kept coming back for more.
Like it or leave it—after all, tens of millions were still waiting in line to play. That’s the power of a monopoly.
According to the stats, there were just over three thousand Silver-rankers across the entire server, and the number was still slowly growing.
But compared to the hundreds of thousands of standard players, those 3,000 were still rare. Factoring in the ga’s massive world maps and multiple cities, Silver-rankers mostly ended up scattered far and wide, to the extent that most average players rarely ever saw one.
Which ant that even an Iron-ranker capped at forty, ard with divine-grade gear, was already considered a big shot.
Xu Ge had watched plenty of ElvKing videos. So he could tell imdiately that the greatsword slung across this man’s back, along with the shimring armor he was wearing, was nothing like an ordinary equipnt.
The glowing effects practically scread divine artifact-grade.
No doubt about it, this guy was definitely a max-level veteran!
Maybe he was even one of the strongest amongst the Iron-rank elites in the server.
Instinctively, Xu Ge pulled up the system leaderboard, typed in the man’s userna, and sure enough, there it actually was!
Ranked around the three-thousand nine-hundred mark on the entire server.
A powerhouse bigshot on the top-four-thousand!
Xu Ge couldn’t hide the envy on his face.
The warrior, whose userna floated above his head as FacetheWind, clearly enjoyed the admiration.
The other party grinned wider and said, “Brother, you just started the ga, right? Want to level up fast? Well lucky for you, I’ve got a task to clear. If you help out, I’ll take you monster grinding afterward and get you straight to lvl 10.”
A big shot’s thigh to cling to!
Xu Ge’s eyes lit up.
In Elven Kingdom, the early leveling was really notorious for being downright slog. Not that the task themselves were boring—since the ga’s sense of progression was way more rewarding than in other MMOs—but the grind was abysmally slow at the start.
With so many new features and such a massive map, few people had the patience to follow the system’s progression step by step. And when you compared yourself to those veterans strolling through town fully decked out in legendary gears, drinking and bragging in taverns on their latest grand feats, it was practically impossible not to feel jealous.
For newbies in apprentice-rank, their choices were really limited, especially before reaching Iron-rank and unlocking dungeons.
Following the system’s typical progression ant running back and forth across cities doing grunt task for scraps of EXP and contribution points.
Back in the day, newbies could still farm low-level monsters in the wild. But nowadays, the mobs around the Chosen City had long been wiped out, and areas further away were far too dangerous. Therefore, the only option left for them was to scrape by on daily repeatable tasks for their asly rewards.
Which was essentially the slowest, dumbest thod possible.
Fortunately, players had long since figured out a better way to level up:
Mainly, power leveling with the aid of an older player.
The ga rewarded cross-tier monster kills heavily. So if a level-one newbie, under the protection of a Silver-ranker, managed to land a hit on a Silver-rank mob, they would received an avalanche of EXP—enough to jump ten levels in a single go.
Even being carried by a max-level Iron-ranker was a blessing, as they could easily drag newbies into fights against upper-Iron mobs, pushing them straight into Iron-rank themselves.
And once a newbie reached Iron-rank, the ga finally opened up to its full potential. At this point, a player could either continue being carried along, dive into dungeons or enter the Demon Lord Labyrinth, or simply grind solo to take on higher-value quests from NPCs.
Of course, aside from those few rare kind veterans who were willing enough to carry newbies for free, most older players demanded paynt—cash, contribution points, or gold coins.
The higher their rank, the higher their fee.
Sotis, instead of money, they’d set conditions.
Complete a task for them, and in return, they’d help you level up.
Xu Ge had seen guides about this.
The classic examples were mining on their behalf, or testing so risky new strategies that could get you killed.
But those guides were already old, dating back to the second beta.
So who knew what the veterans wanted nowadays?
Certainly not mining anymore as those task had long been relegated to the orcs instead. Word was that Rivendell’s mines were chock full of them.
“What kind of task, senior?” Xu Ge asked eagerly.
He had already decided: if this task wasn’t too difficult, then he would definitely latch onto this big shot’s thigh.
Maybe even drag Zhao Linqian along with him…
FacetheWind chuckled.
“Nothing hard. I just need you to scout ahead for us in so ruins.”
“…Scout ahead? Ruins?”
Xu Ge blinked in surprise.
〘 PREVIOUS 〙
〘 NEXT 〙
— —
Reviews
All reviews (0)