That's it?
Aside from a flash on the screen, Wayne saw nothing else. He even ran upstairs and circled the net cafe and the blacksmith shop, but still found nothing.
What a ripoff!
According to standard tower defense games, shouldn't spending money result in some machine guns, turrets, or even missile launchers appearing around the house? Even a Pea Shooter would have been nice...
He ran back to the cellar and pressed the coin return button on the vending machine. There was no response. He realized he had likely been scammed. He pressed the button several more times, but not a single gold coin came back. He cursed, "Crap, a total scam!" and raised his foot to kick the machine.
At that moment, a shrill scream of "Eee-aaargh!" came from upstairs.
Wait... that soulful groan, why does it sound so familiar?
Wayne ran upstairs and looked around outside the house. He saw a figure in the darkness bolting toward the woods by the roadside. Their hair and buttocks were clearly on fire. As they ran, they frantically patted their head and rear with both hands.
The sprinting speed was incredibly fast—Wayne certainly couldn't catch up. Furthermore, there were no streetlights in Goldshire, and the woods at night were pitch black. The person disappeared into the shadows after managing to put out the flames.
He checked the entrance of the net cafe. The lock looked like it had been tampered with, but it hadn't been picked.
It seemed the defense system was effective after all. It was just a pity he hadn't seen the actual process. To be safe, Wayne slept inside the net cafe that night.
The night passed without incident. The next morning at 7:00 AM sharp, the sound of blacksmithing woke Wayne up. He had planned to discuss with the three employees about moving the opening time to 10:00 AM while keeping their wages the same. However, a few words from the old hand, Andwin, made him realize that this blacksmith shop didn't exist solely for profit.
Replacing horseshoes for a caravan meant they could reach their destination safely. Repairing equipment for passing adventurers meant they were more likely to survive the challenges of the wild. Buying low-grade ore gathered by novice adventurers provided the shop with daily supplies while giving those beginners a basic return for their risks.
To many, it was a blacksmith shop, but it was also more than that. It wasn't about being intentionally noble, but these reasons were exactly why the shop could sit at the very center of Goldshire alongside the famous Lion's Pride Inn without being asked to relocate.
Wayne knew Andwin wasn't lying. In the memories of the body he now inhabited, his uncle Argus and Andwin had indeed worked from dawn to dusk for decades. This shop had become a well-known landmark with a solid reputation. Ultimately, Wayne knew Dughan was willing to pay because of his uncle's face. If this shop were in Moonbrook, controlled by the Defias Brotherhood, the leaders wouldn't pay to play—they'd bind you up and loot the place, and that would be considered mercy.
With no other choice, he went back to his room, buried his head under the covers, and caught some more sleep.
...
"Wayne!" "Boss Wayne!" "Wayne boyo!" "Where is everyone? Open up!"
Dazed, amidst the clanging of iron, a man's flamboyant shouting drifted into Wayne's ears. He opened his eyes—damn, it was only 11:45 AM and someone was already calling. Could a guy get some sleep? He got up, washed briefly, and walked to the net cafe next door.
The man in leather armor was clearly a bit disappointed, but Wayne had seen that expression many times before. The leather-armored man stood up, and Wayne said coldly, "No. You played yesterday. You have to wait until tomorrow."
Wayne pointed to the rules on the wooden sign and said nothing more. After a yawn, he put on the goggles, activated the screen, and entered the game.
The man in leather armor saw the images appearing on the screen and asked skeptically, "He... how did he get inside that black frame?"
Then he leaned in and whispered in the leather-armored man's ear: "The key is that it can improve your combat ability."
What? Slaying monsters without fear of death, and improving combat strength? How can there be such a good deal in this world?
Wayne used the fastest time and the most flamboyant maneuvers to speed-run a Yian Kut-Ku quest. Then he said to the man in leather armor, "Want to play? If not, don't interfere with my business."
The man said, "Fine, I'll try it. How does this work?"
Wayne: "Pay first, play later. The prices are on the sign."
The leather-armored man's eyes hadn't moved from the screen since he entered the room. Now, seeing the price on the wooden sign, he immediately cried out, "5 gold to join? 1 gold per hour?!"
"Do I look like an idiot to you? Legend says a Tauren Druid swindler sells Silvered Bronze Breastplates for only 5 gold apiece, and you want 6 gold just for the first hour?"
Wayne said with a sleepy face, "The membership fee is a one-time payment. After that, it's 1 gold per hour."
Wayne didn't find it strange. Just like the crowd yesterday, this price was indeed too expensive for most ordinary people. Many were interested, but few could afford it.
"Play if you want, or don't. This shop is here, and plenty of people know about it. If I were a scammer, people would have come for me long ago. If you won't play, I'll play myself."
Wayne put on the goggles to continue his game. The leather-armored man was fuming. Every shop he visited across the land welcomed him with smiles and bows. How could he not be angry coming to this mysterious little shop and meeting such an arrogant boss?
The Sergeant quickly tried to soothe him: "Brother, just try it. If you really think it's no good, the money is on me, alright?"
"Fine! I want to see what kind of magic this thing has to make you so obsessed." The leather-armored man took 6 gold coins from his pouch and slammed them on the table. "But let me be clear—if I find out you're cheating people, don't blame me for turning hostile!"
Wayne's face almost showed black lines. He took the money and said, "Play first. If you still want to burn the place down afterward, I'll help you..."
Verdan felt more and more that Wayne was incredibly arrogant. "Fine, you've got a tough mouth. Don't come begging me later!"
He put on the goggles and entered Monster Hunter G. Within two minutes, Verdan's mouth hung open in shock.
Then he pulled Wayne outside: "He's also an officer at Westbrook Garrison, responsible for leather armor supplies. Don't underestimate him—his family background is even bigger than mine. Rumor has it he's quite close to the little King's Countess tutor!"
Wayne: "Countess? Which Countess?"
"Don't worry about that. In short, Verdan has money and influence. If he likes it, you won't have to worry about customers!"
Suddenly, Verdan shouted from inside: "Why am I not generating Rage when I attack or get hit?"
As soon as Wayne heard "Rage," he knew Verdan was a Warrior. Just as Mages need Mana and Rogues need Energy, Rage is a Warrior's unique energy system, generated by attacking or taking damage. The more Rage, the more skills a Warrior can unleash.
Verdan: "Damn, how am I supposed to fight? This is forcing me to use regular swings!"
He turned to Wayne: "Wayne, am I right?"
Wayne nodded, but then complained, "Why does Wayne sound so weird coming from you...?"
"I recall your surname is Menethil...?"
Wayne: "You're the Menethil! Your whole family is Menethil! My name is Miller..."
Under the guidance of the two, Verdan utilized a "hit and run" strategy—attacking the Blue Garuga, running away to use a potion when low on health, and then returning to attack again. Surprisingly, he killed the monster on his first try.
Returning to Kokoto Village, Verdan received the "Slay the Yian Kut-Ku" quest and was about to head out when the screen went black: "Purchased game time has expired. Please top up."
That was an hour already?
Hearing the 1:00 PM bell ring outside, Verdan didn't say a word. He pulled out 7 gold coins, intending to play until the shop closed. This time, however, he placed them politely on the table and gave Wayne a forced smile.
Thinking his quota for the day was met, Wayne sat aside watching the screen, feeling a bit bored. He had seen this game content too many times before. While it was exciting to play in VR, watching a "noob" play was truly uninteresting.
Thinking about the vending machine's quest—it had been three days, and he had four members. He needed six more. He had to use his brain.
Just as Verdan was burned to death by the Yian Kut-Ku's fire, Wayne spoke: "This game supports multiplayer."
"Multiplayer?"
Wayne: "Uh... it means several people can play together. Up to four people can form a team. With more people, you can coordinate and divide tasks, making hunting much simpler. It's similar to how you guys fight in a war."
The two immediately got excited: "You mean the two of us can team up to kill the Yian Kut-Ku?"
Wayne nodded. "Yes, but..."
At this, even Verdan took off his goggles and looked at Wayne.
"But I don't have enough members yet. I'm afraid if I buy more sets of equipment and no one plays, I'll lose money. Why don't you guys help me find a few more people to become members?"
The two looked at each other, their minds racing. But the thought of multiplayer and more machines was extremely enticing. After all, watching each other play was nothing compared to playing together.
"Deal! How many members do you need to make the math work?"
Wayne: "At least six more."