Chapter 7: The 365 Ways I Died in the Holographic Online Game

A few days later, Su Qingyue wore a poker face as she used her administrator privileges to block one post after another. She numbly issued mute penalties ranging from one month to a year to those players who made shockingly bold remarks.

Of course, she still didn’t know this yet.

Clearing her throat, Su Qingyue said, “Nightfall will come in just a few hours. Let’s set up camp here and make some adjustments.”

No sooner had she spoken than a dozen system notifications appeared before the players.

[Daily Task 1: Set up camp. Reward: 500 experience points, 5 reputation points.
Daily Task 2: Prepare food. Reward: 500 experience points, 5 reputation points.
Daily Task 3: Clear nearby beasts. Reward: same as above.
Task Description: Leave a good impression on your sect leader!
Note: Complete all tasks before nightfall. All players must accept these tasks.
Bonus Reward: After completing all three tasks, unlock Novice Task 2: Spirit Root Awakening.]

Players could accept all three daily tasks or choose one or two. The rewards were reputation and experience points.

Awaken spirit roots? The players were instantly electrified, their hearts burning with excitement.

Cultivation! This was cultivation! Who among the people of Huaxia didn’t dream of cultivating immortality?

Failure was absolutely impossible. It was just a matter of fate—if they died, they could simply revive a few times. Besides, the experience from the main quest was enough to level them up five or six times!

Lan Ling exchanged a glance with Xiao Mo. “So the faster we finish these daily tasks, the sooner we can awaken our spirit roots! What are we waiting for?”

“Charge! We women of the Eagle Clan will never fall behind!”

Other players weren’t fools either; the thought of awakening their spirit roots filled them with irresistible excitement. Groups of three or five set out to complete the tasks.

*

Meanwhile, in a room somewhere within the Xuanyuan Sect, Lin Aohuang sat across from several disciples, all wearing faces full of indignation.

“Young Sect Leader, are we really just going to let Su Qingyue off like this?”

“Exactly! She’s always been so arrogant and proud. Of course, we have to take this chance to teach her a lesson!”

They thought back to the once-promising genius girl, the unattainable top-tier beauty and righteous immortal cultivator, who had suddenly lost everything and fallen into ruin.

As ordinary disciples, they were eager to have their ‘fun’ with this former prodigy.

They had felt some pity when she died, but now, knowing that even a noble lady from a great family like her could be trampled and humiliated by them, they were thrilled, trembling with excitement.

Lin Aohuang leaned back casually and yawned, clearly uninterested. “She’s lost her Golden Core and is even weaker than the average person. There’s no threat at all. She’s little more than a pig waiting to be slaughtered in a sty. What’s the point in bullying ants?”

The others exchanged glances, signaling each other silently. They said nothing and left, while Lin Aohuang gazed thoughtfully after them.

A tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs. Who wouldn’t want to trample on this young lady?

Very well, let them have their fun for now. As long as they don’t go too far, there will still be some leeway left for the young sect leader. They won’t kill her.

After leaving, the group whispered excitedly, “I think we have some bounty missions close to the Su family’s ancestral grounds. She’ll probably go there, right?”

“Exactly. After finishing our tasks, let’s go have some fun with the young lady and give her a warm welcome!”

“Hahaha, just remember to leave her some life. Don’t play her to death!”

“What’s the big deal? Bring plenty of healing pills and try out various torture methods to broaden our horizons. Then drug her and keep playing!”

“Don’t forget, she’s the beauty of the Northern Continent!”

At these words, they all involuntarily recalled Su Qingyue’s tender, exquisitely beautiful, yet cold and aloof face, swallowing hard with greedy anticipation. “Then bring plenty of that kind of medicine too!”

They were eager and let out wicked laughter.

Storm clouds loomed, but Su Qingyue was completely unaware.

Of course, even if she knew, she would only scoff and sneer.

After all, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse!

Those newly established Foundation Stage trash disciples—she might have lost her Golden Core, but she wasn’t so easy to bully. She was so ordinary, yet so confident.

But she could leave them to the players; they should be happy to battle a cultivator and fight bosses.

System: Wow, isn’t this an early-stage mini-boss battle? Nice, free experience grinding for players. Ding! Your free level-up gift pack is now available.

Players: Wow, thanks for nature’s blessing! Young Sect Leader Lin Aohuang, can you send more of these?

After choosing their tasks, players automatically received tent assembly parts, gathering tools like knives, shovels, bamboo baskets, and hunting weapons such as knives, bows, swords, or broadswords.

Some quick-witted players thought that if they could bring back some delicious meat, perhaps the beauty would add a little favorability bonus!

Since hunting could complete both the food preparation and beast clearing tasks simultaneously, Flying Dragon in the Sky and the goofy Tian Tian happily led a team out to hunt, while Lan Ling and Xiao Mo began devising a plan.

Lan Ling, ever meticulous and steady, said, “Let them scout ahead first; no rush. We shouldn’t venture too deeply into that forest. It looks peaceful but is actually dangerous. Let’s gather some wild fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms that can be eaten immediately.”

Xiao Mo nodded in agreement and added, “As for animals, I suggest wild chickens, rabbits, or fish from the stream. They’re easier to catch without injury or blood loss, saving time and ensuring enough quantity.”

In such a realistic game, players might even have to skin animals by hand. Large beasts were too troublesome; even if they could defeat them, processing the carcass would be a challenge.

Players who had tested the invisible barrier already reported that death would cause loss of experience points.

They started at level one, and dropping to zero level would halve their attributes, which was too costly. So early in the game, avoiding death was best.

However—

“Hahaha, the first death only costs 10% experience. Rounded off, you get a free daily resurrection!”

“Free bungee jumping! So thrilling! Woohoo!” A crowd had already gathered by the cliff, lining up for the bungee jump.

Free bungee jumping was incredibly tempting, especially for overworked office workers and reclusive gamers.

Su Qingyue was dumbfounded, thinking, “??? This isn’t what I imagined at all! I was too careless. I should have set it to 20!”

She suspected that if death had no penalty, players could write a whole book titled “365 Ways I Died in a Holographic Online Game.”

Fortunately, not all players were causing trouble; most were diligently completing tasks.

“Brothers, everyone’s seen this game. Such a perfect experience, the world’s first holographic game has terrifying potential. We must strive to improve ourselves during early exploration!”

“Exactly! Seize the opportunity. When the game becomes popular, first testers like us will earn a lot!”

One player shouted, “Hurry up and finish the tasks so we can awaken our spirit roots faster!”

There was no more idle chatter; everyone threw themselves into the tasks with full energy.

A group of them watched the rabbits leisurely grazing on the green grass. The plump bunnies were completely unaware of the danger approaching—the humans were already nearby, yet they kept nibbling on the grass.

Players: Roasted rabbit, spicy rabbit head, cold rabbit bites, rabbit jerky, rabbit stew with vermicelli—so delicious! Big fat bunnies, come to the pot!

Thanks to nature’s—no, the game developers’ generosity, so many plump rabbits had been arranged at their spawn point.

Su Qingyue: ???