Chapter 4: Runner


    [Wee to Virtual Pod!]


    As Shen closed the gaming pod, the interior lit up, and the screen appeared in front of him. He was marveled a little bit by the new pod. This was nowhere near the beforehand pod where you could just enter the game or virtual space for study or work.


    He realized that the pod could be used as aputer too. He could browse the forum, any site, or even connect the pod with his phone. On the left side, there was a slot to instead the Tribe Online''s card to ess the game. One card, one ount, and one person.


    Yes, one person is only allowed to have one ount and to get the gaming card one had to use their ID Card, and a minor needed their guardian to sign a paper or something. No smurf, no selling ounts because one needed a face scan to log in into the game.


    Sky was doing their best so the new yers'' gaming experience would not be ruined by the toxic people. At least that was what they emphasized during the interview.


    On the top right corner screen, he saw the countdown of Tribe Online. It was less than seven minutes before theunch. Shen forked out his phone and connected his phone to the gaming pod. So if someone called during the game, the call could go through.


    After doing the setting here and there, he noticed the dimmed "Tribe Online" on the top right corner brightened up. He touched the screen.


    [Do you want to operate Tribe Online?]


    [Yes/No?]


    He chose yes without hesitation. The pod instantly cked, his heartbeat jolted in a shock for a moment. This kind of feeling reminded him of the ident that cost his right knee.


    He lost consciousness, it was simr to this one. His vision ckened and when he opened his eyes, he wasying down on the hospital bed. It was kind of a trauma for him.


    Of course, when his vision came back, he was in a white room, not a hospital bed this time. He was standing in front of a two meters mirror that reflected his avatar.


    Yes, the virtual avatar he would use to y in Tribe Online. It was the same face, even the hairstyle was the same one in the photo of his ID Card. Sky allowed the user to tone the skin and change the hairstyle, but they did not allow you to change your appearance.


    [Wee to Avatar Room~]


    [You can make a subtle change on your avatar and also try to get used to the avatar movement. We have implemented new technology]


    The next words were hard to understand for Shen who just barely graduated from high school. He skipped as he looked at his face, his skin got whiter because he had stopped running but still a bit tan.


    His nose bridge was quite tall, and his slightly V-shaped chin made him look above average. With his ck eyes that stared at the mirror with firm confidence, he was quite desirable.


    Of course, the man never knew the value of his look since he had been pursuing his goal. He never strayed from his goal, and in fact, he was quite popr in his high school. He had many girl friends, but all of them were just friends, not more.


    Shen tried to move his neck to the right, "huh!?" He was surprised that it felt like he moved his physical body instead of a virtual avatar.


    He threw a few punches forward like a boxer. An uppercut, straight punch, a jab, and dodge to the side. He felt no difference, it was as if he was in his real body, "No wonder it cost millions, this far much advanced than the beforehand pod."


    "What about" he looked down on his right knee. He started with a walk, and then he started to increase his pace. He felt like he returned to the past before the ident, "Let''s do that."


    Shen took a deep breath as he squatted down. It was the stance before he started to sprint. Taking another deep breath, he dashed forward. The avatar room was boundless, he could keep running, and he would never reach the end of it.


    After a quick sprint, Shen stopped running. He knew this was just a virtual reality, but he could not help but enjoy it after what happened yesterday. He felt refreshed after a quick run.


    "Ah, this is not a running simtion, let''s enter the game and maybe gain a few levels before lunch," He came back to his original spot, "So, how do I enter the game?"


    Shen scratched his hair for a moment as he tried to recall the guide he read a week ago. He forgot to re-read the guide after setting his pod.


    "Hello!?"


    [Hello~ Wee to Tribe Online''s Avatar Room, User Yan Sheng~ How may I help you?]


    A pleasant female voice responded to his call.


    "I want to enter the game!" Shen replied quickly. Now he remembered the advanced AI Sky installed in the pod. He could log in to the game through the AI.


    [You have to set your user name for the game before you can enter the game. Or do you want to use your registered name?]


    There was a screen box that appeared in front of him with a keyboard below it. There was a rectangle box with his name on it.


    Of course, Shen would not use his real name in the game. No one used their real name for the game. Just as he was about to delete the name, his finger stopped midair.


    The game did not allow him to change his appearance. He was basically entering the game with his real face, might as well use his registered name too?


    "Nah," Shen shook his head. He deleted his name and typed a new name, Runner. It was the same name he used in the Universe Online. He was about to tap the confirm button, but his finger stopped midair once again.


    "Or should I get a new one? They would recognize me if I use the same name," Shen did not want to be recognized as he had fame back then in the Universe Online.


    "Nah, screw it!" He tapped the confirm button.


    [Do you want to use Runner as your in-game name? Yes/No?]


    He tapped the yes button. The word "Runner" shone in blue before it disappeared. It appeared again above his head, he could see that through the mirror.


    [Please set your pain tolerance level!]


    [Based on your medical report we received from the hospital through user agreement, you are allowed to set the pain tolerance to the maximum (Level 10)!]


    [We rmend setting the pain tolerance between Level 2 and Level 4!]


    [If you are new to the game or you don''t have any experiences ying a virtual game, we rmend setting the pain tolerance in Level 1 or deactivating the pain tolerance!]


    "Let''s set it at Level 3 Or Level 2?" Shen was hesitating to set the pain tolerance at Level 3 since the game was so real that he almost could not tell the difference, "Let''s set it on Level 2. I can change it againter."


    [Wee to Tribe Online!]


    [No Quest but Conquest! Let''s start your conquest!]