***
"Master... MASTER! I've finally found a way out!" Blues yelled at the top of her lungs, her voice brimming with joy. "We're finally getting out of this wretched forest!"
Hearing Blues's shout, Rouya Crowell felt tears pricking her eyes. Standing amid these towering trees that seemed to stretch endlessly, she had never felt more helpless. For a whole month, they had done nothing but wander in circles. On the bright side, the forest was surprisingly safe—there were no monsters or beasts to fear, and plenty of fruit grew everywhere to ease her hunger. But the downside was just as clear: she hadn't gained anything, stack at Level 3.
In this survival game, strength was everything. To stand a chance, she had to level up, and to do that, she needed experience points. Yet this rainforest offered no way to earn them, leaving her progress completely stalled. What's more, leveling up here was far more difficult than in any other virtual game she had played before.
"I spotted a clear path just a short distance away," Blues explained eagerly. "It looks well-trodden, so it must be the main route people use to enter and leave the forest."
"Blues, are you absolutely sure about this?"
"There's no other option. This has to be the way out. Come on, hurry up!"
"But what if it doesn't lead anywhere good?" Rouya asked cautiously.
While she had played virtual games before, she was far from an expert. She only dabbled in them occasionally, using them as a brief escape when the pressure of her studies became too much. As a straight-A student who always kept everything in her life balanced, gaming was never more than a casual pastime—she was certainly never addicted.
"Do we really have a choice?" Blues replied firmly, her voice filled with resolve. "Even if it takes us somewhere dangerous, this is our only way out. We have to take the risk."
She had to admit, Blues was right. They had no choice but to follow the path. Even if danger lay ahead, she would just have to face it and find a way through. After all, if she wanted to level up, she couldn't keep avoiding challenges—she had to be ready to confront whatever came next.
Steeling herself, she followed Blues toward the path she had mentioned. It was clearly a well-trodden route, worn smooth by frequent use.
They walked along it until, suddenly, a vast field of golden rice—ripe and ready for harvest—stretched out before them. Beyond the crops, she could also make out the outlines of houses in the distance.
"We actually made it out!" Blues cheered, jumping for joy. Rouya, too, could barely contain her excitement as they stepped past the forest boundary and into the open fields.
After spending a whole month in the shadows, she found herself craving the warmth of the sun on her skin. Never before had she appreciated sunlight or sunbathing as much as she did right now.
"Hey... is that a beggar?" Amidst their excitement, a rough, aged voice called out from nearby.
"I don't think so. How could there be a beggar in our village?" a younger man replied.
"Well, you know our neighbor sometimes acts like one, begging for food out on the streets," the first voice retorted.
"But she doesn't look like her at all. Look closely! She's with a Pixie Guide. She must be a traveler coming from far away."
"You're right. My eyes aren't what they used to be—I didn't even notice the pixie beside her."
Rouya and Blues both froze at the sound of the conversation, turning toward the side of the path where the voices came from. Standing there were an elderly man leaning on a walking stick, followed by a younger man carrying a sack over his shoulder. Their simple clothes and appearance marked them as ordinary villagers who worked the land.
"Hey, Blues, do you think every NPC in this game is supposed to be stunningly good-looking?" Rouya whispered into her ear. "Look at that young villager... doesn't he seem far too handsome to just be a villager? And even the old man—you can tell he must have been quite the heartthrob when he was younger."
Blues had no answer for that. She had noticed the same thing. These two were far better looking than what you'd expect for ordinary characters. Was it some kind of system glitch?
Rouya didn't wait for her response and walked straight up to the pair. Since they were NPCs, they were likely to offer quests or missions. Even if they didn't, they were her best source of information right now.
"Hello there! Are you from this village? I'm a traveler who got lost," she said. "I was wondering if you've met anyone else passing through here like me?"
"No, you're the first traveler we've ever had visit us," the man replied.
"Oh? Then... could you tell me how to get to the nearest big city?"
In Rouya's mind, cities were naturally where other players would gather. She knew that while playing solo had its advantages, you couldn't clear a survival game entirely on your own. Even if she became the strongest player possible, she would still need a team. To beat the game, forming a party was essential.
"There are no big cities nearby," the old man replied. "If you really want to find one, you'd have to cross the Silent Meadow Rainforest."
"Silent Meadow Rainforest?" Rouya asked, puzzled.
"That forest you just came out from? That is exactly what it's called."
"What?" Rouya grew even more confused as she glanced back at the towering trees she had just emerged from. It was named the Silent Meadow Rainforest—but why use the word "meadow"? Did the meaning of the words becomes different inside the game?
But that wasn't the most important thing right now. The real shock was this: to reach the nearest city, they had to cross it. Did that mean she had taken a wrong turn all along? Had she been moving further and further away from the intended route for new players? It seemed like from the very start, they had been heading in the completely wrong direction!
Blues realized it too, and a strange look came over her face. That was the reason they hadn't found other players or cities—they were walking the wrong way the entire time.
***