"Watch out! Stronger monsters are coming!"
Chen Mo warned in a low voice, his sword arm tensing slightly. The warm energy inside him raced along the path of the Sword Profound Heart, his gaze locked firmly on the depths of the beach.
Wanshuang paled and clutched her medicine hoe, retreating behind Chen Mo. Her eyes were wide with tension as she stared at the dark figures drawing near.
Night had not yet fallen fully over the game world. In the shallow water of Liusha River Beach, six or seven Ironclad Crabs—larger than ordinary ones—charged wildly. Their dark brown shells looked heavy, and their pincers snapped with crisp click-clack sounds. Their presence alone was several times more intimidating than the previous monsters.
Chen Mo's pupils narrowed.
His Sword Control Art was still at the Beginner level, and his inner warm energy was limited. He had already used up a lot of stamina defeating three ordinary crabs. Facing six or seven Ironclads at once, a head-on fight was absolutely unwise.
"These crabs have high defense but slow speed. I'll hold them back. Retreat to the high slope behind you—they can't climb up there!" Chen Mo ordered quickly without turning his head.
"Okay! Be careful!" Wanshuang didn't hesitate. She immediately hurried toward the dirt slope not far away.
She knew full well that she was only a Herbalist, with no combat ability. Not being a burden was the best help she could give.
Chen Mo took a deep breath, planted his feet shoulder-width apart, and held his ordinary iron sword diagonally toward the ground. He adjusted his stance strictly according to the basic sword forms in the game, with no flashy moves at all.
The first Ironclad Crab rushed forward. Its thick pincer sliced through the air, snapping hard at Chen Mo's waist.
Chen Mo stepped lightly, dodged smoothly, and flipped his wrist. The sword struck precisely at the joint gap of the crab's shell.
Clang!
A dull collision echoed. The Ironclad Crab staggered back, leaving only a faint white mark on its shell.
Defense was indeed extremely high.
Chen Mo understood at once. He didn't linger in combat. Relying on reaction speed and agile movement far beyond ordinary players, he weaved continuously among the crabs—blocking, dodging, striking accurately—wearing down their stamina little by little.
He didn't seek a quick finish. Every move was steady and methodical, matching the rhythm of his real-world training, slowly merging his real and in-game sword skills.
Wanshuang stood on the slope, watching the figure moving calmly through the crabs below. Amazement filled her eyes.
She had played the game for a while and seen many new players fight. Most panicked and clashed head-on. Few could be as calm and composed as Chen Mo, with every attack and dodge perfectly precise.
"Mo Chuan… he's incredible," Wanshuang whispered to herself.
A few minutes later, the first two Ironclad Crabs ran out of stamina and collapsed on the beach, motionless.
Chen Mo gasped lightly, a thin layer of sweat forming on his forehead. His in-game stamina was dropping fast, and he could feel exhaustion clearly—exactly like the feeling after physical activity in reality.
This game was terrifyingly real.
The remaining four Ironclads still charged fearlessly, closing their circle tighter. Chen Mo's space to move shrank, and the situation grew dangerous.
"Mo Chuan, catch!"
From the slope, Wanshuang suddenly called out, tossing down a light green potion.
Chen Mo caught it behind his back, twisted off the cap, and drank it in one gulp.
A cool sensation slid down his throat at once. His declining stamina and health quickly recovered, and his weariness faded significantly.
"Thanks," Chen Mo said in a low voice.
"Don't mention it! You saved me earlier—this is the least I can do!" Wanshuang replied quickly, worry in her eyes. "Can you still hold on? If not, retreat first. We'll think of something slowly."
"I'm fine."
Chen Mo tightened his grip on the sword and charged back into the crabs.
With the support of the healing potion, he fought freely. He perfectly blended the warm energy cultivated in reality with his in-game sword skills—blocking more steadily, dodging more nimbly, attacking with increasing precision.
Several more minutes passed. The last Ironclad Crab let out an unwilling hiss and crashed heavily onto the beach.
Chen Mo finally stopped, exhaling a long breath. His stamina was nearly gone, and his body was soaked with sweat.
He knelt and began dissecting the Ironclads according to the game rules, collecting shells, meat, and hard pincers—materials he could sell to NPCs for copper coins, the basic survival currency in the game.
Wanshuang walked down from the slope and squatted nearby, watching Chen Mo handle the materials skillfully, curiosity in her eyes.
"Mo Chuan, your sword skills are amazing! Where did you learn them? I've played so long and never seen anyone as steady as you."
"Practiced on my own," Chen Mo replied briefly, not pausing his work.
He didn't want to reveal the secret of reality and game merging—it was his greatest trump card.
Wanshuang didn't press further. She helped sort the materials obediently, occasionally handing over clean leaves to wrap the shells, her movements very skilled.
"I'm a Herbalist. If you need healing or antidote potions later, come find me. I'll give you a good price," Wanshuang said with a smile, clean and gentle like the breeze on the beach.
Chen Mo paused for a moment, looked up at her, and nodded lightly. "Okay."
She was the first player to reach out to him since he entered the game, the first person to connect with him.
In this strange, hyper-real game world, this kindness felt especially precious.
Just then, Chen Mo's gaze suddenly fell on a patch of grass at the beach corner. A faint green light glimmered there, almost invisible if you didn't look closely.
His heart stirred. He walked over quickly with his sword, pushed aside the grass, and saw a small plant with round leaves and dewdrops on top growing quietly.
[Dewdrop Grass]
[Basic Herbalist Material]
It was exactly the herb Wanshuang had mentioned she needed to collect.
"Here you go," Chen Mo plucked the Dewdrop Grass and handed it to Wanshuang behind him.
Wanshuang's eyes lit up. She took it delightedly. "Wow, it really is Dewdrop Grass! I've been looking for ages. Thank you, Mo Chuan!"
Her eyes curved into crescent moons; she looked truly happy.
Chen Mo shook his head. Before he could speak, a system prompt sounded in his ear—no dramatic sound effects, only a simple line of text floating before his eyes.
[You have assisted each other with Player Wanshuang. Bond +10]
[Current Bond: 10]
Chen Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.
Bond value?
He had never seen this prompt before. It seemed player interactions in the game were not meaningless.
Wanshuang also saw the prompt and looked surprised. "There's even a bond value! What does it do?"
"No idea," Chen Mo answered honestly.
His knowledge of the game was limited to sword skills and mental technique cultivation. He knew nothing about other system mechanics.
"Who cares! It's better than nothing!" Wanshuang smiled and carefully put the Dewdrop Grass into her bag. "Mo Chuan, I need to collect a few more herbs deeper into the beach. There are more monsters inside. Could you… come with me?"
She spoke cautiously, afraid Chen Mo would refuse.
Chen Mo glanced at the sky. In-game time was nearly evening. It was the perfect chance to explore the map, practice sword skills, and gather more materials while helping her gather herbs.
Besides, with Wanshuang the Herbalist along, he had an extra layer of safety.
"Sure," Chen Mo nodded.
Wanshuang was overjoyed. "Great! I'll feel much safer with you around. I promise I won't slow you down!"
They packed up their things and walked deeper into Liusha River Beach, one after the other.
Wanshuang led the way, identifying herbs. Chen Mo followed behind, on guard, clearing low-level monsters that spawned along the path now and then. Their coordination grew smoother.
The terrain deeper into the beach was more complex: overgrown weeds, scattered puddles, and more monster types. Besides crabs, there were fast-moving Water Rats and Loach Demons hiding in mud. Every one required Chen Mo's full attention.
He still used no fancy sword skills, relying entirely on basic slashes, blocks, and dodges to improve his combat experience and Sword Control Art proficiency little by little.
Wanshuang gathered herbs peacefully nearby. Whenever danger appeared, Chen Mo always stepped in front of her at once, giving her complete peace of mind.
Before they knew it, the in-game sky turned completely dark. Moonlight spilled over the beach, casting a faint silver glow.
Wanshuang's bag was full of herbs. She said contentedly, "Mo Chuan, I have enough. Let's head back. Stronger monsters spawn on the beach at night—it's dangerous."
Chen Mo nodded and turned to leave—when his gaze suddenly locked onto a huge dark figure by a black pool ahead.
It was more than three times the size of an ordinary Ironclad Crab. Its shell glowed with a cold luster, and a pair of blood-red eyes stared straight at them, radiating ferocity.
Wanshuang followed Chen Mo's gaze. Her face turned pale in an instant, her voice trembling.
"Mo Chuan… w-what kind of monster is that…?"