Prologue: February 14th
Year 2049, Spring
It had been exactly one year, two months, and fourteen days since the release of "Realm of Innocence." This virtual reality game, not particularly innovative yet launched into the market with an almost ferocious momentum, boasted over a million followers now, and countless legends and stories had been written on the continent called "Innocence" during many nights. Nights, because the game still stubbornly adhered to the peculiar principle of "sleep mode login only," to the lament of many die-hard gamers, yet miraculously keeping them in good health...
February 14th, 1:00 a.m.
[Connection complete, loading character information]
[Welcome back, Lawful Good Mo, preparing to enter Realm of Innocence. Good night.]
...
Southwest of the Innocence Continent — Pamela Port
Mo Dan appeared on a bench. Thanks to the system's intervention, no one would notice his rather abrupt arrival within three seconds, a rare distinction between players and NPCs in this game.
“Today’s Valentine’s Day...” He moved his shoulders a bit, then sighed softly. “I could find someone to spend it with, but if I lose control, it could get troublesome. It’s better to pass the time here. Hmm, maybe I’ll check out the Deep Shadow Maze again today…”
A brief aside: his “lose control” wasn’t about fearing he might commit acts with any female that would earn him a decade-long sentence, but rather due to other circumstances. What those are… don’t worry; even if you skimmed the synopsis, the story will explain later~
“Hey, what’s our knight doing here daydreaming?” A clear, pleasant voice rang out behind him, breaking his reverie.
Mo Dan turned quickly, but saw nothing...
“Hey! Are you implying I haven’t grown in years?” The dwarf girl with a delicate face and a sprinkling of freckles bounced with frustration. “Can’t you lower your head a bit when you turn?”
Mo Dan smiled apologetically and shrugged. “Sorry, Milu. But you know, if the person greeting me wasn’t you but rather Mor, that big oaf, just dropping my gaze slightly might cause permanent psychological trauma.”
“Ha~” Milu, the dwarf girl, gave a dangerous snort. Elemental energies flickered at her fingertips as she sneered, “So you think my voice sounds like that scruffy, muscle-brained, slow-witted, one-eyed ogre who can’t even find north most of the time!?”
Faced with this fiery gnome sorceress of the Lawful Good faction, Mo Dan raised his hands in surrender and spent two minutes reflecting on his inappropriate comment…
“I saw you sorting your gear earlier. Where are you headed?” Having calmed down, Milu sat beside Mo Dan, sipping a suspiciously colored potion and tilting her head.
Mo Dan produced a piece of parchment, half-covered with a rough map. “I’m going to the Deep Shadow Maze again.”
“Goddess Ilana above! Mo, surviving last time was already a miracle!” Milu exclaimed. “You’ve only just recovered, and you’re going back to that cursed place!”
Mo Dan had already stowed the map, checking his belt for healing potions, magic scrolls, a miracle badge, and his heavy flail, all in place. He nodded. “Yes, I have to go.”
“For... Little Dick?” Milu asked softly, her voice tinged with emotion, self-loathing, admiration, and much left unsaid.
Mo Dan nodded.
Little Dick was just a regular dwarf boy in Pamela Port, his family ordinary blacksmiths. Mo Dan’s connection to them was simply having Old Dick repair his armor. Yet, lately, he had risked his life several times to venture deep into the Shadow Maze dozens of miles away to find the withered leaf flower said to cure blood rot, hoping to heal the sick child.
Even among other Lawful Good players and NPCs, few would go so far; after all, kindness and being a pushover are very different.
At least Milu couldn’t do it.
But Mo Dan— or rather, Mo, who was a quarter of Mo Dan on the Innocence Continent— would do it, without hesitation or expectation of reward.
Mo was a good man in every sense: gentlemanly, polite, kind, just, brave, compassionate. Everyone who knew him would say so, without reservation.
“Take this.” Milu paused, then handed him a delicate magic wand, swinging her legs that didn’t reach the ground. “I can’t risk my life for a stranger, but I can give a little help to someone so kind it’s almost excessive.”
Mo Dan accepted it, glancing down.
[Milu’s Guardian Wand (3/3)]
Quality: Excellent
Requirement: Lawful Good faction
Weight: 1.5kg
Use: Creates a flame barrier for ten minutes / summons a low-defense totem (attributes depend on environment) / fires a mixed element pulse.
[Note: Crafted by young gnome sorceress Milu Chian, infused with multiple elemental properties, effective in various situations, costly to make.]
Seeing those last four words in the note, Mo Dan looked up to decline, only to find Milu had already slipped away. He quietly remembered the favor, packed the high-quality consumable, and left…
He had to hurry, since he never knew when his night here would end.
...
[You have been forcibly disconnected. Would you like to reconnect?]
“Yes.”
[Reconnecting...]
[Connection complete, loading character information.]
[Welcome back, Chaotic Neutral Tan Mo, preparing to enter Realm of Innocence. Indulge yourself!]
...
Eastern Innocence Continent — City of Freedom
---
“Heh~” Mo Dan’s lips curled faintly beneath his hood. Suddenly, he melted into the shadow at his feet, and after a moment, he was no longer in the bustling tavern but on the street, two coin pouches in hand.
No one could recognize him. His appearance was completely different from the dour hooded figure in the tavern. Now, Mo Dan wore elegant gold-rimmed glasses, a snow-white robe adorned with rose-colored lace, cradling a massive book in his left hand and a silver lyre in his right, the very picture of a bard— which indeed was one of his identities.
He tossed a silver coin to a nearby fruit-selling half-dragon, exaggeratedly bowed to snatch an apple from the stall, then strummed his lyre, letting a soothing melody drift as he sang loudly with emotion:
“The black king stands in the hall of thorns, gazing at the scepter!
The white bishop, roaring into the fray, shouts across the battlefield!
The queen contemplates, poison in the rose tea cup, danger hidden!
The knight rages, sword unsheathed, banners flying!
What will you think in the next moment?
Who is wounded for me at that instant?
Whose move brings another paradise?
Be a puppet, linger beside her!
On the chariot, black flags wave, thunder roaring!
Under the white horse, the lady knight is wounded, singing softly!
Whispers of longing echo in my ear!
The black soldier draws his sword, turning it against fate!
Remember the little workshop, on the table…
We gray ones had no faith yet.
You leaned on it, sword in hand, singing softly.
I watched, naive and silent, enamored and vigilant.
Now you and I, painted in different colors, stand in battle!
Yet I can’t forget those distant glances— you in my heart!
The chariot falls, crushed in the wilds— my heart mad!
Hooves echo, like the gaze in memory— both lost!”
Mo Dan played the lyre with abandon, dancing in the street, swaying to the rhythm. Even the crunch of his apple between verses sounded like accompaniment. Nearly everyone’s eyes were on him, his expression shifting from sorrow to wildness, gloom to flamboyance; Mo Dan relished their attention.
Do whatever you want, as long as it makes you happy— pilfer a couple wallets, sing loudly and suddenly; so what if it has no benefit? Happiness is enough~
Anyone could see this unrestrained bard and the upright warrior lingering in Pamela Port were two very different people, though, in many ways, they truly were two people…
But even Mo Dan couldn’t deny they were the same person.
No matter— no one could connect them. Even if someone heard of both, they’d never imagine them together.
Players all knew: each person could only create one character in the Realm of Innocence.
As for NPCs, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to mistake two similar-looking but completely different personalities and alignments for one.
In fact, “they” had entirely separate social circles in the game.
“The knight’s sorrow, face streaked with tears, whispers and soft song~”
Eyes closed as he finished the final verse, Mo Dan found a pile of silver and copper coins at his feet and bowed to the gathered crowd.
Before the crowd dispersed, Mo Dan slipped briskly into an alley, soon predictably surrounded by masked figures.
“Hm~ long time no see, Muse.” Stowing the lyre, Mo Dan smiled and greeted the elf leader, whose face was wrapped in leather armor. “Got business with me?”
Muse, the elf, sneered. “Tan Mo, you’re hard to find…”
Mo Dan shrugged. “You know, we outsiders vanish for stretches. Not finding me is normal, right?”
Muse drew twin blades from his waist, crouching. “You have one minute to prepare your last words.”
The others drew their weapons as well…
The orc shaman stepped back, slamming his massive wooden totem to the ground.
Two human rangers quickly scanned the area, ruling out ambushes and traps, then climbed the low buildings on either side, blending into the environment.
Lastly, two burly dwarf heavy-armored warriors advanced with shields raised, closing in.
“Ah~” Mo Dan rubbed his forehead, troubled. “Why so much hostility? With all these people in the City of Freedom, spilling blood isn’t ideal, is it?”
“No need to worry…” Muse sliced a scroll wrapped around his blade with a nail, and an eerie surge of elemental energy shrouded the alley in darkness. His fury exploded in Mo Dan’s ear: “Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused?”
“Which one?” Mo Dan, without turning, casually caught the venomous blade darting at his back, laughing. “The mass poisoning incident in Karg Town?”
[Cunning Fox Instinct]
Cunning passive skill
---
Requirement: Cunning School level 6, Dexterity 30, Intelligence 30
Effect: In extremely low visibility/when blinded/with eyes closed, can sense the most hostile life forms within a certain range.
[Note: Only a prey that always escapes is a worthy prey.]
“Or was it…”
Mo Dan vanished abruptly, instantly appearing behind a human ranger whose bowstring was just half-drawn. Before anyone else could react, a head soared skyward, followed by the splash of blood and a chuckle.
“I accidentally killed your last employer with those peculiar tastes?”
[Blade Fan Cloak]
Cunning active skill
Requirement: Cunning School level 10, Dexterity 30
Cost/Limit: 200 Acuity
Effect: Teleport up to 20 meters in a chosen direction; cooldown five minutes.
[Note: Although it's called Blade Fan Cloak, you don’t actually need blades, fans, or cloaks— don’t take skill names too seriously.]
“Stop him!” Muse shouted, sending blood shadows from his daggers. Thanks to his elven night vision, Muse immediately spotted Mo Dan’s position and reacted swiftly.
A howl erupted— the orc shaman, who had just cast earth strength on himself!
“Or maybe because I casually took the Shadowfang Dagger from your Thieves’ Guild in Black Tower City?”
Mo Dan’s figure emerged behind the fallen orc, holding a pitch-black, slender dagger, grinning at Muse.
[Shadowfang]
Weapon Type: Dagger
Quality: Unique Epic
Attack: Extremely high
Attributes: Cunning +2, Curse +1, Dexterity +20
Traits: Bleed, Rend, Silent, Bonus Skill: Shadow Wolf Fang
Equip Requirement: Cunning School level 15, Dual Blade Mastery level 15, Dexterity 35, Faithless
[Note: A dagger passed down from the Godslayer Society in the Primordial Era, representing the fang among the Five Divine Beasts. Only Faithless and God-Disdainful may wield it.]
[Shadow Wolf Fang]
Weapon Skill (Active)
Cost/Limit: 30% of user's maximum HP
Effect: Instantly teleport behind a target (within sight), dealing theoretical maximum damage (guaranteed critical, backstab bonus); cooldown one hour.
[Note: A, B, C... Wait, why A, B, C!?]
“That’s impossible!” Seeing the dagger in Mo Dan’s hand, Muse screamed hysterically. “No one can use Shadowfang!”
At that moment, the time limit on his magic scroll expired…
Thud!
As darkness lifted, Muse saw a blood-streaked face inches from his own, and his heart was pierced viciously.
“Most members of the Thieves’ Guild are followers of the Night Goddess Delia or the God of Lies Izanarl; of course you can’t use it~” Mo Dan whispered in Muse’s ear. “By the way, when I said ‘spilling blood isn’t ideal,’ I never meant my own…”
Muse, consciousness fading, stared wide-eyed as his gray irises expanded, whispering, “You… why…”
“Ah…” Mo Dan scratched his head. “Yes, why do such things? Perhaps it’s just chasing answers, doing whatever I want along the way~”
Muse, second in command of Black Tower City’s Thieves’ Guild, was already dead.
...
[You have been forcibly disconnected. Would you like to reconnect?]
“Yes.”
[Reconnecting...]
Bang!!
Mo Dan’s game chamber was forcibly opened from the outside. A lock of jet-black hair appeared before him.
“Come out,” its owner said coolly. “Help me deal with some trouble…”
Prologue: End