Chapter One: Who Is Tricking Whom

As the clock's hands drew near midnight, the bustling Lava Fortress gradually quieted after a day of noise. Raindrops fell softly onto the cobblestone streets, their gentle patter making the night feel even more tranquil.

The servers for "Echoes of the Gods" underwent routine maintenance every night at midnight in real time. When that hour arrived, players out in the wild would sheath their swords and retreat into their tents, resting to avoid the ferocious enemies that prowled under the cloak of darkness.

Those in the city lingered, reluctant to leave the enchanting world, before finally logging out and lying back on soft beds, savoring the day’s magical adventures and dreaming of tomorrow’s unknown journeys as they drifted off to sleep.

Lu Kuan was not so fortunate.

The muddy roads outside the city were particularly troublesome. After traveling half the night, his gray-white leather armor glistened with moisture, while his lower half was smeared with mud, making him look, from afar, like a scallion freshly pulled from the earth—an image that carried a certain inexplicable humor.

He struggled to pull his foot free from a pit of rotten leaves, shook the muck from his boots, and spat in frustration. How was it that every time he ventured out, he encountered this wretched weather?

If not for the vital importance of this bag expansion quest, he would never have lingered in the Black Forest for days. Fortunately, his class was Ranger and he had level three in Scouting; otherwise, the sprawling woods would surely have been his grave.

There was no helping it. He’d missed the game’s launch when he reincarnated; now he had to hurry to reach level ten and catch up with the leading group of players.

Time waits for no one.

Thinking back to ten days ago, Lu Kuan still felt as if he were dreaming—he, already thirty years old, had inexplicably returned to his senior year of high school, just about to sit for the college entrance exam!

After the initial shock and euphoria, he quickly regained his composure and began to carefully replan his life, step by step.

More importantly, he now had a chance for his parents to change the course of their lives, to live out their days in happiness, instead of passing away early and leaving him alone in the world.

The rain persisted, but at least the arduous journey was drawing to a close. Pushing through the brush, Lu Kuan quickened his pace, and suddenly, the view opened up before him.

Lava Fortress lay below the hillside, its lights twinkling in the distance. Under the glow of magical torches, the city’s rain-soaked stone buildings shimmered with a dreamy luster. Lu Kuan’s lips curled into a faint smile; he tightened the longbow on his back and strode down the slope.

Lava Fortress was nestled in the heart of the Green Basin, on the plains just south of the Frostfire Mountains—one among hundreds of small cities in "Echoes of the Gods." Thanks to its natural location, the fortress was always a key hub for north-south travel in the basin. Though modest in size, it was fully equipped and served as a frequent supply stop for players leveling up in the surrounding wilds.

At that moment, the auction house within the city was brightly lit by magical crystal lamps, making the pristine hall as luminous as day. Compared to other parts of the city, the auction house bustled with more players, coming and going in lively streams. Lu Kuan stood in an inconspicuous corner, habitually narrowing his eyes as he swiftly browsed the items on offer.

The game world was open from 8 PM to midnight each night, which, in game time, translated to a full twenty-four hours—perfectly synchronized with the real world. Thus, before maintenance each night, players would come here to deposit their spoils into the auction house.

Not only did this free up their inventory, but with a bit of luck, they would find their items sold by the next day—pockets heavier with silver coins, ready to buy supplies, repair gear, and prepare for the adventures ahead—a win-win situation.

During this period, all sorts of freshly acquired materials and equipment flooded the auction house, their value and prices varying. If one happened upon a novice who carelessly listed high-grade materials at a random price, it was a golden opportunity for profit.

“You have successfully bid on 75 units of Superior Iron Ore for 20 silver coins.”

“...9 pieces of Softened Jadeite for 1 silver and 6 copper coins.”

“...5 batches of Refined Agate Thread for 10 silver coins.”

Lu Kuan rapidly switched between various menus, quickly purchasing five or six types of materials.

The official game site had already announced that in three days—on the second day after the college entrance exam—the first advancement quest would be released, with generous rewards but formidable challenges. Most of the miscellaneous items Lu Kuan bought were quest materials needed for various class advancement missions; once the system released the quests, their prices would skyrocket.

Of course, only Lu Kuan knew this secret.

After scanning the auction listings again to ensure he’d bought up all the relevant materials, Lu Kuan couldn’t help but shake his head in disappointment.

The relentless rain around Lava Fortress had kept players from braving the muddy wilds, causing a sharp drop in new auction listings. Fortunately, there were still a few days left to stockpile before the advancement quests went live.

Glancing at the time, he realized there wasn’t enough to collect his purchases from the mailbox, so he logged out of the game.

His vision flickered, and suddenly his ears were filled with the clamor of voices. Removing his virtual helmet, Lu Kuan found himself surrounded by neat rows of seats and helmets—every spot occupied.

This was "Zero Distance," an internet café in Donghai City. For ordinary players who couldn’t afford their own VR headsets, it was the most economical way to immerse themselves in "Echoes of the Gods."

Among the crowd were many familiar faces, including several students from his school. On the eve of the college entrance exam, they still couldn’t resist the lure of the game world, gathering here for one last spree.

Lu Kuan pulled his game ID card from the helmet and was about to leave when a slightly sharp voice rang out behind him, “Hey? Isn’t that Lu Kuan?”

The voice was unmistakable. Lu Kuan frowned and turned to see a group of young men coming down the aisle.

Leading them was a long-haired boy—Liu Xueliang, a classmate of Lu Kuan’s. He excelled academically, his father was a businessman, and rumor had it that his uncle held a director’s position at the city’s finance bureau. His arrogance was well-known.

Recently, Liu Xueliang had somehow learned that Lu Kuan owned a family heirloom jade pendant and had tried several times to buy it.

The pendant had been passed down through Lu Kuan’s family for seven generations, cherished as a treasured heirloom.

Wearing a flashy watch and stylish clothes, Liu Xueliang approached with a broad smile, “Of course I have to say hi to a classmate! Haha—by the way, let me see that jade pendant of yours again, just once more!”

“I have other things to do. I’ll be going now,” Lu Kuan replied crisply, turning to leave.

“Hey, don’t rush, don’t rush,” Liu Xueliang quickly grabbed Lu Kuan, grinning. “Think about what I said last time. I’ll pay this much!”

As he spoke, Liu Xueliang flashed five fingers in front of Lu Kuan.

Five thousand?

Lu Kuan scoffed inwardly.

Five thousand yuan was equal to three months of his father’s salary—a huge sum for his family.

In his previous life, Lu Kuan hadn’t resisted the temptation of money. The jade pendant had eventually been sold to Liu Xueliang for six thousand yuan. It wasn’t until much later that Lu Kuan learned he’d been played for a fool—the pendant’s true value was at least a hundred times greater than that!