Second World Online

The next day, exactly at the same hour after my medical check-up schedule and midday rest routine were finished, I once again lay down inside the medical capsule. The password Link In was spoken, and in an instant, my consciousness was pulled back across the brightly glowing data tunnel.

The white light faded, replaced by the view of the wooden ceiling of my rented inn room in StoneBrook City. I slowly rose from the virtual bed that creaked softly, then stretched both arms high. The soft cracking sound from the joints of my Elf avatar felt so satisfying. There was no stiffness, no numbness, and most importantly, no infusion needle stuck to the back of my hand.

"Ah... the air here always feels fresher," I muttered while walking toward the wooden window, letting the bustle of players’ voices and the clanging from the blacksmith district enter my ears.

However, my virtual stomach suddenly made a soft sound. The Second World Online system indeed simulated hunger when a player’s Satiety indicator began to drop, although it would not directly drain HP. In the real world, I had just finished a full bowl of bland porridge that almost made me nauseous. That strict medical diet was good for the recovery of my stomach and nerves, but my tongue felt as if it had gone numb.

"It’s time to look for a culinary escape," I said with a crooked smile, straightening my leather cloak and stepping out of the inn room.

With a firm resolve to pamper my tortured sense of taste, I walked out of the room, descended the wooden stairs of the inn, and stepped onto the streets of StoneBrook City that were already crowded with morning player activity.

My destination today was not the blacksmith, not Master Geppetto’s wood workshop, and not the apothecary either. My destination was the Culinary District.

In Second World Online, food was not merely cosmetic decoration or simple HP recovery. Food prepared by players with the Cooking Sub-skill could provide buffs or temporary status increases that were crucial for hunting. Unfortunately, the current food buff system still heavily depended on the RNG mechanism or the luck of the cook during the cooking process.

A cook could not definitively determine what buff would come out of their dish. Sometimes a meat-based dish could provide additional Strength, but at other times it gave Agility or even a strange buff like ’Increased Swimming Speed’ that was completely useless on the grasslands. The higher the rarity level of the ingredients and the higher the Cooking level of the cook, the greater the probability of obtaining an extraordinary buff with a long duration. And of course, the better the buff, the more insanely the price of that food would skyrocket on the market.

The moment I entered the Culinary District area, my nose was immediately bombarded by a symphony of appetizing aromas. The smell of freshly baked bread, melted cheese, butter, mushroom soup, and roasted meat mixed together in the air. However, my nose ignored all of that and caught one specific aroma that I greatly missed.

The aroma of burned chili, black pepper, and sharp spices.

I followed the source of that aroma and stopped in front of a simple tent stall guarded by a chubby player with cooking expertise wearing a red apron covered in spice stains. Above his head was the account name [MasterGourmet] with a stacked knife-and-fork icon symbolizing intermediate Cooking Sub-skill. On his iron grill, more than a dozen large chicken wing pieces were sizzling, coated in a thick bright-red sauce that looked deadly yet extremely tempting.

The wooden board in front of his stall read: [Inferno Chicken Wings – Price Varies Based on Buff].

Without wasting time, I approached that player. My eyes immediately locked onto the rows of cooked chicken wings displayed in the glass case. Each piece of chicken had its own buff label because of the random cooking results. Some provided additional HP regen, some provided fire resistance, but my eyes focused on one giant chicken wing with the thickest red sauce placed in the corner.

I used the basic identification skill.

[Super Spicy Inferno Wings]

Rarity: Uncommon

Consumption Effect: Restores 20 Satiety (Hunger).

Active Buff: Increases Intelligence (INT) and Dexterity (DEX) by +10% for 1 Hour.

Price: 1 Silver Coin 20 Copper Coins.

The price was indeed rather expensive for a single-use food item that only lasted one hour. For comparison, ordinary wheat bread without a buff was only priced at 2 Copper Coins. However, an additional 10% INT and DEX was a very significant boost. DEX would increase my agility, accuracy, and critical rate as an Archer, while the additional INT would slightly accelerate my Mana regeneration that often leaked when using Wind Walk or Piercing Gale Arrow.

"I’ll take this one," I said while placing the silver and copper coins on the wooden table.

The cook player laughed heartily seeing my choice, then handed me a wooden plate containing the chicken wing coated in bright-red sauce. "Solid choice! You got a pretty rare RNG roll. Be careful, I made the sauce with Southern Forest Devil Chili. The spiciness is insane, enough to make a dragon cry!"

I carried the plate to one of the empty tables in the corner of the stall. Sitting with surging anticipation, I stared at the chicken wing in front of me. Thin smoke still rose from its surface, carrying a spicy aroma that made my eyes water slightly.

It had been more than a year in the real world since I last touched spicy food. No chili sauce, no bird’s eye chili that used to be my favorite food during late-night study sessions. Everything had been replaced by clear vegetable broth and porridge.

With bare hands, I reached for the still-hot chicken wing and bit into it deeply.

Crunch!

The perfectly grilled chicken skin was crispy on the outside, yet the meat inside was very soft and juicy. And a second later, the explosion of spicy flavor slammed into my tongue. The seasoning was extraordinarily bold, a combination of the savory taste of roasted garlic, caramelized sweetness, and the brutal yet highly intoxicating sting of chili. A wave of heat immediately spread from my mouth throughout my throat, making me pant and break out in a cold sweat, yet I could not stop chewing.

"Oh my god... this is extraordinarily delicious," I gasped between chews, my eyes watering from the spiciness, yet a wide smile bloomed on my face.

I ate the virtual dish extremely heartily, ignoring the gazes of several players who passed by and stared at me as if I were a madman. Every bite was a small rebellion of mine against the bland taste of the real world. The pain from this spiciness felt liberating. It was a reminder that I could still ’feel’ something extreme.

In less than five minutes, the giant chicken wing left only clean bones. I licked the remaining spicy sauce from my fingers with satisfaction, then drank a glass of cold water provided by the cook to extinguish the fire in my mouth.

Ding!

[You have consumed Super Spicy Inferno Wings. Satiety full. Active Buff Effect: INT and DEX increased by +10% for 00:59:59.]

A refreshing warm sensation suddenly spread from my chest throughout my limbs. I could feel my avatar body becoming a little lighter, my vision feeling sharper, and the flow of mana inside my body feeling more smooth.

While wiping my mouth, I opened my character panel and began thinking about what I should do next today.

I stared at the Whispering Ash bow sheathed on my back. This weapon was still relatively new, its durability still very high, and its attack power still more than sufficient to face monsters around the city. With the Blood Oak Arrow ammunition and the poison I had just made yesterday, my armament could be said to be very adequate. So, for now, I did not need to return to the wood workshop or waste time crafting new weapons.

My main target now was leveling. I was currently at Level 18. From the information I had read in the system guide, Level 21 was the first milestone for a player. At that level, we could take the equip mid-tier equipment that provided far greater status bonuses.

"I need a grinding place that is fast, efficient, and provides a large amount of EXP," I thought while spinning a copper coin between my fingers.

Recalling several discussion threads on the Second World Online forum that I had read before sleeping last night, veteran players recommended one specific location for late-teen-level players who dared to take risks: the Northern Zone of Area 2.

Unlike the bright Whispering Plains grassland or the dense Forest of Death, the Northern Zone was a giant muddy swamp known as Murkwater Swamp. That place was unpopular among players for one main reason: its environment was extremely annoying. The ground consisting of suction mud pits drastically slowed player movement (movement speed debuff). For Melee players such as Knights or Warriors, fighting in the swamp was a nightmare because they could not charge or maneuver properly, making them easy to surround by monsters.

However, as compensation for the high difficulty of the terrain, the monsters in Murkwater Swamp provided approximately 30% higher EXP points compared to same-level monsters in other areas.

"A swamp, huh?" I muttered softly. "Mud will indeed hinder my movement, but with this additional 10% DEX buff, my agility should still be above average. Moreover, I am an Archer. As long as I can find a solid foothold like tree roots or rocks, I don’t need to run around much. I only need to shoot from a distance."

The decision had been made. Time to hunt solo again.

Without delaying any longer, I stood up from the stall, checked the supply of standard antidote potions in my inventory, and walked toward the northern gate of StoneBrook City.

The journey from the city boundary to the Northern Zone took about twenty minutes on foot. The farther I walked north, the green grassland scenery gradually faded, replaced by vegetation that began to rot. The virtual sky that had previously been bright blue was now covered by a thin grayish-green fog hanging low. The air became damp, stuffy, and smelled like a mixture of rotten eggs and wet moss.

When my leather boots finally stepped into the border of Murkwater Swamp, I immediately felt the difference.

Squelch... Squelch...

Every step I took produced a wet sucking sound. Thick mud up to ankle height gripped my boots, making my legs feel twice as heavy as usual. The game system gave a small notification in the corner of my vision.

[Environmental Warning: Swamp Terrain. Movement Speed reduced by 15%.]

"Ugh, no wonder the forum calls this place hell for Knights," I complained while trying to pull my foot from the mud’s suction. Fortunately the DEX buff from the spicy chicken wings earlier canceled most of this debuff effect, making my movement not as slow as a snail.

I began stepping deeper carefully. Giant dead willow trees stood upright like wooden skulls, with long Spanish moss hanging from their branches, swaying in the gentle wind and resembling eerie green curtains. The stagnant swamp water was murky brown, decorated by giant water lilies and swamp gas bubbles that occasionally popped.

The quiet condition of the swamp was very conducive for hunting without disturbance from other players. As far as the eye could see, I did not see a single party group around me.

I lowered the Whispering Ash bow from my back, pulled a standard wooden arrow from the quiver, and nocked it onto the bowstring. My eyes scanned the surrounding environment, searching for my first prey.

It did not take long for me to find a target. About forty meters in front of me, near a clay mound protruding from the dirty water pool, I saw something resembling a moss-covered log shifting slowly.

However, a log did not have vertical yellow eyes staring hungrily around.

I squinted, using the identification skill from a distance.

[Sludge Croc – Level 19]

The nearly four-meter-long giant crocodile appeared to be sunbathing, enjoying the little sunlight that managed to penetrate the fog. Its thick scales were completely covered by wet mud, acting as perfect camouflage as well as natural armor.

This was not a stupid wild cow that moved in a straight line. Swamp crocodiles had extremely fast zigzag movements when they lunged out of the water, and their thick skin would absorb a lot of physical damage from ordinary arrows.

I had to play tactically.

My eyes moved quickly analyzing the surroundings. Right to the right of my position, there was a giant dead mangrove tree, with its large and thick roots protruding above the mud surface, forming a kind of dry and sturdy platform or small stage.

Very slowly, trying not to make loud water-splash sounds, I moved toward that mangrove root and jumped up onto it. Finally, my feet were free from the mud’s suction. Standing on this one-and-a-half-meter-high root gave me the advantage of high ground and a clean line of sight toward the monster.

I took a deep breath, calming the beating of my heart, and raised my bow.

My target was not its mud-armored body, but the small gap where its wrinkled neck met the base of its skull, right behind its yellow eye.

My bowstring creaked softly with the maximum draw. I did not use Corrosive Wyvern Toxin that poison was too precious for a low-tier monster like this. Instead, I used my basic skill.

[Power Shot]

The wooden arrow in my hand began to glow with a faint blue light as the system channeled a small portion of my stamina into it. Time seemed to slow as I focused my entire concentration on one weak point of the crocodile.

The benefit of the 10% Dexterity buff was truly felt now. My left hand holding the bow felt extremely stable, without the slightest vibration, as if mounted on a steel tripod.

Whoosh!

I released my grip. The arrow shot through the foggy swamp air at a terrifying speed, leaving a thin blue light trail behind it.

The Sludge Croc seemed to sense the movement of air or hear the whistle of my arrow. It tried to turn its large head to respond to the threat. However, its reaction was a few seconds too late.

Thud! CRASH!

[Critical Hit! Weakness Exploited!]

[-620 Physical Damage!]

The Mana-reinforced arrow slammed precisely into the base of the crocodile’s neck, piercing its relatively thinner scales in that area. The penetration power of Power Shot made the wooden arrow embed so deeply that it almost touched its spinal nerve.

The giant reptile roared with a hoarse and bass voice that shook the surface of the swamp water. Dark red blood sprayed from its wound, mixing with the mud. Its HP bar immediately plummeted drastically until less than two-thirds remained.

Provoked by the extraordinary pain, the crocodile’s yellow eyes immediately locked onto my position on the tree root. It did not flee. On the contrary, the ambush monster switched into aggressive predator mode.

With a speed far exceeding its bulky body size, the Sludge Croc charged forward. Its short muscular legs churned the mud brutally, splashing filth in all directions, sliding straight toward the mangrove tree where I stood like a scaled missile.

"So fast," I muttered, yet I did not panic.

I had already predicted its movement pattern. From atop this tree root, the distance was about thirty meters. With its speed, it needed about three to four seconds to reach the base of my tree.

That was more than enough time for me to release at least two additional arrows.

My hand moved like lightning toward the arrow quiver on my back, a smoothness of motion greatly aided by the food buff. I drew a second arrow, nocked it, and immediately shot without using Power Shot to save casting time.

Thud!

[-210 Physical Damage!]

My second arrow embedded in its right shoulder, not dealing a critical attack because it missed the weak point due to its swaying movement, yet enough to drain its HP further. The crocodile did not slow down at all; its mouth filled with rows of saw-sharp teeth was now wide open, ready to crush the wooden root beneath me while tearing my legs.

Ten meters. The distance was too close for a normal aim.

Exactly when the crocodile prepared to leap and close its deadly jaws toward my foothold, I smiled faintly. I jumped backward from the edge of the root, floating in the air while flipping my body downward, drawing a third arrow, and aiming straight into the wide-open giant mouth.

Whoosh! Thud!

[Lethal Hit! – 850 Physical Damage!]

My wooden arrow pierced the soft upper roof of its mouth and embedded directly toward its brain. The crocodile did not even manage to close its jaws. The momentum of its charge made it crash into the mangrove root with a hard Crash! sound, making the dead tree shake violently.

Yet its body was already paralyzed before the collision occurred. In less than one second, the giant muddy body shattered into neon-blue light fragments that scattered upward into the fog, leaving the silence that once again enveloped the swamp.

[You have defeated Sludge Croc (Level 19). Gained 580 EXP.]

I landed smoothly on the slightly muddy swamp ground behind the mangrove tree, my boots sinking a little, yet my balance did not waver at all thanks to my agility status that was currently at its peak.

I exhaled a long breath, pure satisfaction flowing through my veins. The sensation of this battle distance calculation, accuracy, and reflexes was far more satisfying than shooting wild cows on the grassland yesterday.

I walked around the tree root and picked up several pieces of items dropped by the crocodile on the mud.

[Item obtained: Croc Scaly Hide x2]

[Item obtained: Swamp Mud Gland x1]

[Item obtained: 22 Copper Coins]

My eyes sparkled seeing the Swamp Mud Gland. This was a pretty good alchemy material! Although not a deadly poison, this gland could be processed into a movement-slowing potion if thrown at an enemy. Finally, I obtained loot that was useful for my other profession.

I stared at the EXP bar in the corner of my interface. It was still quite long to reach Level 19, let alone Level 21. However, with the buff from the spicy chicken wings that still had about 50 minutes remaining, and the abundance of dangerous yet tempting prey in this swamp, I felt extremely motivated.