After lingering at the respawn point for a moment, Bai Xia swiftly retraced her steps without hesitation. She was dead set on finding out what monster had scored first blood on her so fast.
Dagger already drawn mid-stride—she knew stepping close meant instant death, but she still planned to slash a few times just to vent.
Luck was on her side. Not long after turning back, still some distance from the woods, she spotted the culprit.
Her built-in examine skill activated. Monster info flashed clearly:
[Jade Snake]: Level 6 Common Monster. HP 300. A large forest serpent, stunningly beautiful. But remember: the prettier it looks, the deadlier it is. Beware its venomous fangs.
“S-Snake… SNAKE!?”
Seeing the Jade Snake coiled lazily on the path, sunbathing, the once-fierce Bai Xia froze completely, rooted to the spot.
It wasn’t fear of the level gap… Okay, fine—she *was* a little scared. But not because it was Level 6.
If it were any other monster, even Level 10, she wouldn’t flinch. This terror? Purely because it was a snake.
Bai Xia had two lifelong phobias: legless creatures, and too-many-legged ones. Snakes squarely belonged to the first.
She hadn’t always feared them this much. But after waking up one childhood morning to find a snake coiled beside her pillow… that cold-blooded image haunted her forever.
Honestly, not bolting right then was her being polite.
Even knowing it was just game data, the snake’s cold-gleaming scales and icy reptilian eyes sent a chill down her spine.
Why a snake?! And why did it look so unnervingly real?!
Dagger clenched tight, Bai Xia sighed in despair. Was her journey to conquer *Another World* really ending before it began—all because of this emerald roadblock?
Blocked. Gloomy. Courage nowhere to be found. She could only admit: she was still too weak.
Might as well retreat to the newbie village. This forest was a main leveling zone—surely some passerby would clear this snake soon.
Just then—a figure brushed past her side.
"…Damn!"
Startled (her focus locked ahead), Bai Xia yelped and jumped aside.
The man, not expecting such a reaction, paused and glanced back instinctively.
Bai Xia met his gaze defiantly… then felt a sharp pang of envy.
His avatar was unfairly handsome. A face she’d grudgingly rate 8/10, and even beneath plain newbie cloth armor, his silhouette hinted at curves that’d make girls squeal.
She was *so* jealous.
She wanted that model too—even fake! If a real guy looked like this, how much would he earn as a male host in one night?
Why craft such a perfect avatar? Couldn’t he go cute and featureless like others?
Unaware of her inner rant, the man studied her, then pointed toward the snake. “Not fighting it?”
“Huh?”
“It’s your target, right? You’ve been standing here awhile. Planning how to take it down?”
His tone was cool, voice unexpectedly gentle. Bai Xia froze.
*What the hell?* She was planning to *run*!
But saying that? Too embarrassing. Admitting she was scared of a newbie-zone monster? Never.
After a quiet cough, she straightened up. “Exactly. Didn’t expect you to notice.”
“But you’re Level 0. It’s Level 6. Sure?”
“Ahem… Gaming’s about pushing limits! Why else come here? It’s just a tiny grass snake. With caution, I’ll handle it.” She puffed her chest, mimicking veteran confidence.
He simply nodded. “Valid point. Challenging limits *is* the fun. Still… for you, monsters under Level 4 suit better. That gap’s too wide. Weren’t you one-shot earlier for stepping on its tail?”
Bai Xia: "…"
How long were you watching?! And don’t play innocent!
His faint, knowing smirk made her want to punch him. Before the urge fully bloomed, he chuckled softly. “Want to party up? Take it down for revenge?”
System chime cut in:
“Player [Tianzheng] has sent a party invitation. Accept?”
What trick was this? Confusion dulled her annoyance—until she saw his level. She accepted instantly.
Tianzheng. Human Warrior. Level 5… *Already* Level 5?!
*Another World* had launched just five hours ago. Official info said leaving newbie village took *days*. With spawn points constantly cleared, hitting Level 3 was impressive. Level 5? How?!
While Bai Xia reeled, Tianzheng summoned his iron sword and strolled toward the snake.
Not a newbie blade. It shimmered faintly, far more ornate than standard issue.
Before she could speak, he stepped into attack range.
Clearly not expecting help from a Level 0 newbie. His message was clear: *Stay back. Watch.*
Bai Xia opened her mouth… then closed it.
The moment Tianzheng crossed the threshold, the sunbathing Jade Snake snapped into action. Its massive body coiled and shot forward—a streak of emerald lightning, fangs bared!
No telegraph. An ordinary player would eat the hit, take damage, and suffer poison.
Bai Xia braced for impact—then…
*Shh!*
He sidestepped slightly, evading the strike with surgical precision. In one fluid motion, his silver-glowing blade slammed deep into the serpent’s gaping maw!
*Another World* rewarded weak points. Head or heart strikes boosted crit chance, damage, and often stunned.
The snake’s mouth was fragile. With near-matching levels, that single hit carved off a full fifth of its HP.
Bleed effect triggered. Brief stun locked it in place. Sword scraped upward—seamless transition into the Level 5 Warrior skill: Revolving Slash!
Four energy blades spiraled into a radiant ring, striking four times in a flash. The health bar plummeted.
Two casual follow-up swings. The serpent collapsed. Total time: under five seconds. Bai Xia stood utterly dumbfounded.
H-holy crap… This guy’s a god!
