Chapter 4: A Tangled Identity
Wushuang stumbled out of the crumbling portal, his head pounding. The air was thick with the clang of metal and the acrid scent of coal smoke. Towering structures of steel and glass pierced the crimson sky, their windows glowing with an electric light. Steampunk contraptions filled the bustling streets – a scene ripped straight from LOTSF, the virtual reality realm he knew so well.
Disbelief warred with a cold dread. This couldn't be real. Yet, the sights, sounds, and smells were undeniably real. He was no longer in the familiar world he once knew. He was in City A, the central hub of LOTSF, but… different.
A calloused hand landed on his shoulder. He flinched, his hand instinctively reaching for the strange sword at his hip. A young man with kind eyes and a worried expression stood before him.
"Lin Feng?" the man asked, his voice laced with concern.
The name hung in the air, a foreign sound on Wushuang's tongue. Lin Feng? Who was Lin Feng? A surge of dizziness washed over him, followed by a splitting headache that seemed to crack his skull open.
Images flooded his mind – a rundown orphanage, a frail boy with a weak cough, the sting of a fist connecting with his jaw. Disjointed memories swirled – an orphaned brother named Lin Muchen, his desperate struggle to earn money for his brother's treatment, the crushing news of Muchen's death, and finally… a Blightwolf.
The pieces clicked into place. He wasn't Wushuang. He was Lin Feng, a young man who had gambled his life entering Dungeon Gates to earn money for his sick brother. The Blightwolf attack, the blow to the head – it all explained the strange world around him.
He blinked, the headache receding. The young man, his only good friend Fang Yuanjun according to the unearthed memory, still beamed at him.
"Thanks, Huiying," Wushuang managed, his voice hoarse, as he turned to Huiying before he turned to Fang, "Let's go."
Huiying, just nodded her head as she watched them leave. Fang, oblivious, slung an arm around Wushuang's shoulder.
"So, how much did you level up this time?" Fang asked, his voice laced with excitement.
As they navigated the bustling streets towards the Hunter Center to claim their rewards from the Gate, Wushuang couldn't help but ask, "Fang, about the levels you mentioned… is that a real thing here?"
Fang glanced at him, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. "Levels? Of course, haven't you noticed your experience points adding up as we fought those kobolds inside the Gate?"
Wushuang, his mind reeling, clutched the strange sword in his hand. It felt oddly comforting, a tangible connection to a world he no longer understood. He had a body that wasn't his, a past filled with loss, and a predicament that stretched far beyond the boundaries of a game.
Reaching the bustling Hunter Center, a plan began to form in his muddled mind. He needed answers, but where will be start?
The Hunter Center loomed ahead, a massive edifice of burnished steel and stained glass. Its architecture was a bizarre fusion of high-tech and steampunk – sleek metal panels gleamed beside towering smokestacks that belched plumes of coal smoke into the crimson sky. A constant hum of machinery filled the air, punctuated by the clatter of gears and the rhythmic hiss of steam.
Wushuang followed Fang through the imposing double doors, his senses overwhelmed by the cacophony within. The vast hall buzzed with activity. Adventurers of all shapes and sizes milled about, a motley crew of humans, dwarves, and even the occasional hulking orc. Some were heavily armored, their weapons glinting under the harsh electric lights. Others sported patched leather armor and dented weapons, veterans of countless dungeon crawls.
A holographic display materialized in the center of the hall – a swirling vortex of light that resolved into a massive, three-dimensional map of City A. Glowing red dots pulsed around the edges, marking the locations of active Dungeon Gates. This was the Hunter Mission Board, Wushuang realized with a jolt. It pulsed with a faint blue light, highlighting several areas around the outer districts.
Cyborg ladies with intricate clockwork gears embedded in their arms manned the reception desks. Their movements were a blend of graceful efficiency and the whirring of gears. One cyborg lady, her copper faceplate gleaming under the lights, looked up at them with glowing blue eyes.
"Welcome, Hunters," she said, her voice a metallic monotone. "Seeking to register your spoils or claim your rewards?"
Fang, oblivious to Wushuang's internal turmoil, grinned. "We just cleared the Kobold Cavern, retrieved a few artifacts, and need a level assessment." He nudged Wushuang, who offered a tentative smile.
The cyborg lady gestured to a metal archway that shimmered with a faint blue light. "Proceed through the Gate Check. Once your gear is cleared and your Cores are scanned, you can head to the Rewards Counter at the back."
Fang stepped through the archway with a confident swagger. Wushuang, his heart pounding in his chest, hesitated for a moment. This was his first step into this strange, real-life LOTSF, and the weight of his situation settled upon him. He gripped the hilt of the strange sword, took a deep breath, and followed Fang through the shimmering portal.