Chapter 6

    Checking In

    Pun stepped out of the bank feeling light and breezy, with a crystal card in his pocket worth 10 orbs or 10 million beads. The sky was still dark when he left the bank, but the darkness had been reduced by 20%, and there were streetlights illuminating the way. Even in the evening, the atmosphere was lively and bustling. Pun looked down the street towards the signs pointing to various hotels.

    Having money now, he thought, why not enjoy his first meal in a hotel? He walked down the street he had taken to the bank. Buses were still running at intervals, and many players had their own modes of transport, whether beasts or mechanical types.

    The hotel Pun entered was massive, towering up to a hundred or so floors as far as he could estimate. The hotel shone bright white as if spotlights were trained on it. The entrance was decorated with green trees and colorful flowers. It wouldn't be different from hotels in the real world, if not for the white flowers and green trees that moved and swayed to the soft music emanating from the hotel. Various insects with green lights fluttered among the flowers. Pun must have been staring for a while because he was nudged by someone.

    "Excuse me, sir. May I assist you with anything?"

    Turning around, Pun saw an employee in a black suit with bunny ears. He was immediately impressed by the hotel's service. Why, you might wonder? Would you greet a player dressed in starter clothes like this?

    "Do you have a restaurant here?"

    Following the employee into the hotel, Pun noticed some players looking down on him, as if he was going to dine and dash. But Pun wasn't bothered; his father taught him to be calm and composed, to be cool in hot situations, and to burn everything down when it was time to heat up. He applied his father's teachings in such a quirky manner, wondering if other families taught the same.

    Walking after the employee, Pun remembered he had received a special privilege card from the bank. The employee handed it over along with a card, and Pun presented it to the employee.

    "I have this special privilege card from the bank. Can I use it here?"

    The employee's eyes nearly popped out at the sight of the card and then addressed Pun with more reverence than usual.

    "So it was you, sir. The bank had contacted our hotel about someone with this card; they would receive special privileges. My apologies for the less-than-perfect welcome. Let's go to the top floor."

    The other guests, overhearing the employee, looked surprised, and whispers began anew. It was Pun's lucky day that the hotel wasn't busier, or news of Pun might have spread even further… He stepped into a glass elevator with the employee, and from there, he could see the entire city, the office buildings, and at the edges, a port to the east and grasslands intermingled with forests to the north and south. Pun couldn't help but muse aloud.

    "The starting city is this big; how big is the main city then?"

    Not sure if he spoke too loud or the employee had keen hearing, but the response came.

    "Since players from all over the world and other planets play on the same server, the game area has to be large enough to accommodate many players. It's normal for the area to be vast."

    "Ding! Floor 101."

Stepping out of the elevator, Pun intended to ask the employee another question, but the breathtaking view from the top floor captivated him. The cool breeze carried the sweet scent of flowers and a hint of the sea into the room. There was only one table, and a chamber orchestra was playing softly. Pun took a seat, and the employee beside him clapped. As the clapping stopped, courses of food began to arrive.

    "I wonder, does this card cover the room as well, or do I need to pay separately?"

    After Pun finished eating, he felt like taking a rest. Since it was only around 2:30 AM, he thought it would be better to wait until morning to look for an internet cafe.

    "Yes, sir, this card also covers accommodation. May I know how many days you'll be staying? Because in two days, we'll have the ' Peek-A-Boo!! Come on Baby' event of the Dream Come True game. Would you be interested in joining?"

    Pun was indeed interested in the event, but he was keener on venturing into the forest.

    "No, thank you for the information. But what exactly is the 'Peek-A-Boo!! Come on Baby' event? The name sounds quite cute."

    He might not participate, but it didn't hurt to ask.

    "Nobody knows exactly, sir. There are just signs about the event at the plaza. It starts on March 10th, Dream Year 8,006, at 8:00 AM. I believe participants need to be in the city to join."

    Pun listened, realizing he'd have to leave the city before the event since it seemed like a lot of people would be joining. He followed the employee, looking up at the sky and getting startled.

    "Isn't it just past 2 AM? At most, it's around 3 AM. Why is it so bright?"

    "It's almost 6 AM, sir. Maybe you saw the wrong time because it's around 2 AM in the real world."

    Pun chuckled at himself but continued to his room. The room was spacious, not just big, but also luxurious. The bed was king-sized, but Pun slept alone, probably meant to prevent players from falling off the bed in their sleep. Before the attending staff left, he pointed to a red button at the headboard, saying it was for emergencies or if service was needed immediately. Before parting, he asked,

    "What time should we bring your breakfast, sir?"

    "I'll press the red button when I wake up."

    After showering and getting into bed, Pun wondered how to shower in the first place. But curiosity led him to the bathroom, where the familiar voice in his head asked if he wanted to change into a bathrobe.

    "Yes."

    Poof!

    His clothes disappeared, leaving him in just a towel and a bathrobe. After filling the tub with water at a comfortable 23 degrees, Pun took off the robe, keeping the towel due to the system's restrictions, and soaked in the tub. Relaxing in the water, he eventually put on the robe, which instantly dried his body, and his attire changed to pajamas as he got into bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he felt the day's learning weighing on him. Tomorrow, he'd have more adventures, but for now, rest was necessary.

    He just thought how excellent the hotel's service was, unaware that even the cheapest room cost 5,000 beads per night, and he, staying in a VIP level room, was racking up a significant bill of half an orb…

    ~~The sky is dawn, the crows take flight, seeking for those of its food~~

    As Pun woke up to a bright morning and cheerful music, he stretched and pressed the red button, greeted by a soft voice different from before, asking,

    “Good morning, sir. It is 9.30 AM. Right now. Is there anything we can help?”

    “You could prepare breakfast, please, thank you. I’d like to take a shower first.”. After arranging for breakfast and taking another shower, he dressed and was greeted by the inviting aroma of food. Breakfast included congee with egg, warm baked bread, hot cocoa, water, and properly chilled sweet rambutans. After eating, noticing the waiter was different from before, perhaps his puzzled look prompted the waiter to speak,

    "You will have a total of 4 attendants dedicated to your room, sir. The one you met last night is assigned from midnight to 6 AM. I cover from 6 AM to noon, another from noon to 6 PM, and the last one from 6 PM to midnight. May I know if you plan to go out or if you would like to rest further?"

    Hearing this, Pun was once again amazed. Such comprehensive service! He wondered about the size of the staff to provide such coverage.

    "I'm thinking of going out for a bit."

    "In that case, the hotel will arrange a vehicle to take you to your desired destination."

    Following the employee to the elevator, Pun, to be cautious, called up the map to look for an internet cafe. After finding the location, they reached the ground floor. Exiting the elevator, he noticed the place was more crowded than before, likely with people coming for breakfast. The luxurious car prepared for him attracted more curious glances. It seemed unusual to them that a player in beginner's clothes could ride such a luxurious vehicle.

    "Hello, I am the chauffeur number 001, at your service. Where would you like to go?"

    Pun smiled at the driver. "First, to the OO Internet Cafe, please."

    As the car moved, Pun realized walking there would have taken him about half an hour. During the ride, he observed his surroundings, noting the diverse outfits of other players, from heavy armor to elegant dresses, hinting at their professions. Some women were dressed so provocatively that he thought his mother would have insisted on them taking a course on how to dress properly if she saw them.

    "Here we are, sir. Just call me via your watch when you need a pickup."

    Stepping out of the car a bit dazed but nodding to 001, Pun found himself at a shop teeming with merchandise. Entering, he saw rows of computers. There were a certain number of customers, but Pun could not find any sales staff. Only the instruction sign was presented, instructing how to use the machine,

    1. inserted your crystal card into a slot, 2. the screen lit up, prompting him for information, and 3. the fee was 100 beads per hour.

    /Insert the information you want to search/

    "I want to know about someone named Temple of Illusion, also known as the Goddess of Weaving."

    Information about Temple of Illusion, including her guild and the fact she's known as the Goddess of Weaving, appeared on the screen. She was the guild master of guild Hundred Li of Fragrance and the level 100+ Aqua master (unverified information). Her shop was called Weaving Princess which had branches on every continent. The interesting level was 10 while it was ranked 5 in beauty. It was in the 30th of how formidable it was.

    Her known personality: she was a gentle person, liked weaving and designing clothes. She was the best player in creating clothes, being awarded as the best clothes maker.

    P.S. This information was gathered from opinions of common players, resulting in 50% credibility.

    Despite being stunned by the details, Pun felt lucky Mai was making his outfit, marveling at her dangerous ranking among players.

    Before leaving the cafe, he inquired, "What's the forest in the Dream World like?"

    /A forest with ferocious monsters, dense trees, and dangers./

    The sound of the computer rang up with the picture on the screen. Pun wondered why was the information this rare. He then, asked,

    “I’ll ask the same question but in details,”

    /No information…/

    Hearing that, he was startled in wonder how rare the information was. He took out the card. Pun left the cafe, deciding to explore the public market nearby without calling for the hotel car. He walked leisurely, planning his purchases based on a list his father had prepared, accessible via email as instructed.

    "Now, how do I open the email?"

    Touching his watch, he commanded it to open the email, and the familiar voice in his head activated again.

    /Player Woodsman wishes to access emails. Is that correct?/

    “Yes.”

    /You have a total of 1 email. Would you like to open it?/

    “Yes.”

    /From: Paireepinart Rakkaewprasert. Subject: Essential items list. 1. Tent 2. Rope 3. Knife 4. Raincoat 5. Winter clothes 6. Summer clothes 7. Firestarter 8. Flashlight 9. Spotlight 10. Saw 11. Shovel 12. Fishing gear 13. Necessary seasoning ingredients (available in sets, inquire with NPCs) 14.....15.....150. Incense sticks 151. Seven colored cloths, each seven elbows long. **Son Pun, Dad has listed everything deemed essential. If funds are insufficient, prioritize what’s crucial. I imagine you’re having fun, but when your mother returned, she scolded me for letting you play too long. She probably worries you might be hungry. Prepare yourself for a scolding when you get back, son. I can’t help you there (I'm in trouble too). P.S. Brother Ram wanted me to warn you about the guild "Sage Gangsters", as it’s the most feared. Also, watch out for players marked in red. P.P.S. Your brother Ram asks you to email him your game name and current location since he’s also in the game but hasn’t played much lately due to being busy./

Pun read through and smiled to himself. Huh, Brother Ram never told his beloved younger brother he played this game; I could have joined much earlier. Now, he was probably wandering in the forest. Thinking of the forest of his dreams, a place only imagined, it seemed reality was not far off.