Chapter 4
Translator: syzc
Chapter 4: Job Training
Mumu asked probingly, “Have you considered applying at the manager. That way, you’ll be assigned directly to the choke-points and popular spots. You’ll be able to level in a few days.”
Qing Ya pouted and shook her head, declining this suggestion without hesitation, “I’ll never go there. That’s simply surrendering your fate to someone else. You have to go wherever someone else tells you. The way things are now is better. Although leveling is harder, but I’m free.”
Mumu also thought so.
Only an experienced person would know how much harship is involved with rising from a newbie to a mainstay profession NPC.
He had almost given up at one point, thinking he might as well just join someone else; however, at that time, he saw Qing Ya come out of the newborn tunnel, so full of vitality and enthusiasm.
It made him recall his past self, who was also full of drive. He recalled the grand plans he had for himself, and his lofty ideals…
It reignited his hope and will to go on.
Mumu comforted her, “Actually, you’re doing pretty good right now. Not even half a year and you’re already level 4. Much better than me back then. So don’t pressure yourself too much, just take things slow.”
Straining the mind all the time will increase the chance of breakdowns.
If one broke down, they could only became a fixed NPC and then be placed somewhere by the system and stay there forever.
Mumu had already forgotten how long he had struggled for before he finally managed to win a travelling merchant NPC position.
Travelling merchants were a type of functional NPCs. Unlike village and city NPCs, they do not receive protection from the city, but the good thing is they can go anywhere they want. They were more free.
However, most of the players now stay at the main cities or high level hunting grounds. The area he was responsible for had fewer players. Even the trash items like branches, feathers, and scrap iron would rarely be sold to him.
Since his buying price was low, anyone who still had bag space would avoid selling to him, let alone buy from him.
Heaven have pity. Mumu was already trading at the lowest profits possible. Any lower and he would be doing it for nothing.
A merchant’s experience comes from the contribution from trading with a player, so if no players sold their unneeded items to him or bought things from him, he would have no income.
Mumu sometimes thought that tiring himself by overworking everyday made him worse than the [Dog] in the city.
Even just by laying around and sunbathing all day, there will still be countless players who want to ‘interact’ with the dog.
Just randomly releasing a [Find the Dog’s Bone] or [Dinner Time] quest and people will happily go do it, and the contribution points and experience will magically start surging in.
Qing Ya smiled and nodded. She happily said, “I know. Wait until I flourish, then I’ll treat you to a feast.”
The two of them, who had finished eating and drinking, chatted about their plans. They cheered each other on, then each returned to their busy lives.
Mumu returned to his path, carrying his goods and wandering. Not a ghost could be seen along the path.
Many times, he wanted to give up and say, “Screw it. I’ll just give up and join the server. I’ll just go wherever the server wants.”
However, whenever he thought of the newbie Qing Ya; so active, optimistic, and full of enthusiasm; he would find that there was a bit more strength left in him.
He completely gave up the idea of tying himself to a server.
Qing Ya was right. Although joining the server would present you with more promotion opportunities; at the same time, you would be limited to the server.
Since he had been around for so long, he knew many things.
He knew that professional NPCs were simply pieces of code with consciousness.
A server is a world, with many extensions through the web.
Bringing the world to life, is something a fixed NPC could never accomplish.
So independant NPCs, codes with consciousness, like them were required and were sent to special coordinates.
To join a server meant to have one’s own program engraved to a server or extension.
The professional NPC who have been bound to a server, even if they reach the highest heights, they could only be peerless in the server. Even if they became [God], they were no longer able to access and enter other worlds… unless it’s through hacking.
However, other servers would treat the hacked code as a virus and eliminate it.
… Before Qing Ya applied to the new position she wanted, there was another important matter — Training.
In simple terms, it’s pre-mobilization training.
Afterall, a beginner professional NPC like herself, without strong behind-the-scene support, they could only slowly pile on experience, a bit at a time.
Sometimes, even after days or weeks, they might not meet a player.
With no players, they have no way to work.
Without work, they can’t earn contribution points.
Without contribution points, they can’t earn experience.
Without experience, they can’t level.
An NPC who can’t level will forever be a low grade NPC.
After a cycle ends, these low grade NPCs will be recycled or perhaps directly converted into fixed NPCs.
… Qing Ya packed her remaining rice cake into her only bag space, and then directly headed towards the training hall.
Since she had no weapons or tools, her one bag space’s only purpose was to store some rations.
The big training hall was always full of people, because this was the required training before taking up new posts. If one does not clock in, one would be unable to use the exit tunnel.
Qing Ya still remembered her first time charging through the newborn tunnel with countless other newbies. At that time, the sign hanging on her chest was flashing the words “Training Hall”. She ran together with the other newbies through the complicated metal passages. Even after a long time, she still had no idea where the “Training Hall” was.
In the end, she even got separated from the other newbies. Then, Qing Ya saw two older sisters that wore different clothing from the newbies.
They were Nina and Mimi.
Qing Ya and the other newbies all wore silvery gray tube like dresses, only exposing their head and two arms.
As for Nina and Mimi, one wore a light pink dress that went down to her ankle, the other wore a two piece silver outfit.
They were surprised that these newbies would run so far.
If the newbies didn’t manage to complete the training within a set amount of time, they would be refreshed. Although to a newbie, refreshing just meant restarting from the tunnel, but Nina and Mimi still brought Qing Ya to the training hall.
Once in the training hall, they still had to find seats. Only once seated will the system acknowledge that you’ve participating in the training.
Qing Ya remembered that the training hall was also full back then. She had timidly looked around the strange place for a long time, unable to find a seat.
Soon, when her sign had started counting down, a voice called out to her, “There’s an empty seat here.”
Thus Qing Ya quickly ran there and sat down. The countdown stopped perfectly at 1… Phew, I nearly had to return to be melted down again.
Eh, why would I think ‘again’?
Qing Ya felt lucky and glanced gratefully to see the apathetic and dispirited Mumu.
This was how fate brought them together.
… Qing Ya nimbly moved through the training hall, because she had gone through the training a few times now, so she was already very experienced.
She effortlessly found a seat and sat down, then began to earnestly listen to the voice that seemed to come from every direction.
“…Remember, your mission is to arouse the players’ excitement no matter the means. Whether you kill them, or you are killed by them, or trade with them and recycle the trash that they don’t want, or distribute quests…”
“In short, your mission is to make them spend time, spend energy, and spend money on this game.”
“As long as you do that, there will be contribution points, energy, and experience to be earned.”
“However, the premise is that you must not, by any means, give away your true identity as a professional NPC, otherwise there is only one outcome — to be melted down. If the players catch on on their own, you will also receive strict punishment.”
Only a long time later would Qing Ya learn how strict the teacher meant when they said ‘strict punishment’… It was… Hah…
“As long as you stay within the programmed range, you may use any methods. Please note: ANY…”
“Good luck, professional NPCs!”
Qing Ya listened through the exciting training program once again, and felt full of fighting spirit once more.
TN: (Update) Sorry I wasn’t clear before. This is a teaser for now. Will be focusing mainly on White Emperor.