Chapter 13: Differences and Chaos

Too many questions seemed to revolve around "us."

Zhou Baiyu really wanted to know what was going on with the world and what exactly the version update was about.

However, Lin was not someone who would answer every question:

"You have quite a few questions, but I'm sorry, knowledge needs to be paid for."

"I must tell you that professions other than Voyeur need to pay a hefty amount of pioneer value to get information from middlemen."

"By the way, the first trial is known as the Pioneer's Test."

"The Pioneer's Test will have double the pioneer value, and the higher the difficulty of the first trial, the more pioneer value you'll get."

Lin said approvingly:

"You did quite well, surviving in a place where it was almost impossible to live, and it could even be said that you set a record. Perhaps for quite a while in the future, pioneers will be talking about you."

"As for you right now, you could be considered quite wealthy."

Zhou Baiyu was about to ask how to check his own pioneer value when he remembered, and the word "attributes" flashed through his mind.

[Identity: attendant.]

[Profession: Mutator.]

[Status: Corruption value 0.55.]

[Evaluation: This is truly incredible, although the process was filled with darkness and content that can't be unlocked in the youth mode, you survived. So please, enjoy the fruits of your victory. You have earned 430 points of pioneer value.

This should be enough to exchange for a fairly nice start the next time you enter the Advanced World. Of course, you can also save it up, but most misers end up dying with their money unspent.]

[Personal unique traits: "Sixth Sense Player" "Orator" "Unstable Growth" "Unknown Trait" (The unknown trait will be unlocked when the corruption value reaches 100.)]

Pioneer value: 430 points.

Zhou Baiyu had no idea about the purchasing power of this sum of pioneer value.

Lin tapped the bar counter with her pipe and said:

"The goods on Side A are wines of memory and knowledge, divided into four grades: turbid wine, clear wine, yellow wine, and red wine."

"Red wine provides the highest value of information, followed by yellow wine, while clear and turbid wines are unlikely to yield much, but they are cheap."

"As you drink, there is a certain chance that part of your memory will be erased and also a chance of randomly acquiring some knowledge. The more expensive the wine, the higher the chance of getting important information."

"All the information in the Side A cabinet is related to your profession and world history, and these pieces of information come from us middlemen. So they're quite expensive."

"What would you like to drink? I'll mix the drink for you."

Lin narrowed her eyes like a shrewd merchant, her hand already reaching behind to the cabinet.

Zhou Baiyu was shocked.

This profession really was filled with randomness; he finally understood his profession and just how unreliable the gods behind it were.

Even buying information was full of randomness; you might drink and gain insights, or you might drink and make mistakes.

After some thought, Zhou Baiyu shook his head and said:

"I don't drink, I want to know how to contact other pioneers?"

Lin pointed to the second wine cabinet:

"Good question, this is the contact wall."

"You can see a lot of information here, it's like a forum, known as the Voice of the Pioneers forum."

"You can also post your information here, like you cleared version 2.21 Enchanting Demon Nest."

"If you release this information, it's bound to cause a sensation, but that's not necessarily a good thing. Of course... even if you don't say anything, others will speak for you."

At this point, Lin narrowed her eyes again and warned:

"Remember one thing, little brother, you can only talk about the results in the Voice of the Pioneers, and you cannot reveal detailed processes."

"For example, you can tell everyone that you cleared the version 2.21 Enchanting Demon Nest. But as for how you cleared it, you can't divulge that."

"Unless you pay a large amount of pioneer value. What's more, you cannot mention anything about 'us' in the original world, or you will be erased."

The word "erased" startled Zhou Baiyu.

He finally understood why he could never find any messages about "pioneers" or "us" on the internet.

The only things he could find were messages of those who failed the challenge and were forced to commit suicide.

After calming down, Zhou Baiyu summarized:

"So, in the Voice of the Pioneers, there are free messages and paid messages, and the paid messages are often the details of how to clear different versions."

"And these details, whether posted or read, require a large number of pioneer value?"

Lin added a bit of tobacco to her pipe, and then got lost in a blissful haze of smoke.

After a while, Lin slowly nodded and said:

"Yes, clever little brother, remember this, pioneer value is very important, it can enhance your abilities, it can exchange for some life-saving items. It can give you everything you want."

"Anyway, how to earn Advanced World points, how to spend them, it's all pretty complex. Of course, my only duty is..."

"To drain all your Advanced World points."

Zhou Baiyu chuckled inwardly. This woman really doesn't bother to hide anything, huh? She's just too sincere. I'm crying here.

Zhou Baiyu said,

"I want to see the free information."

"No problem, as long as you're at the transfer station, you can check anytime."

Lin gave another beckoning gesture, and Zhou Baiyu's mouth twitched, as if he already knew what was going to happen.

As expected, another puff of smoke sprayed onto his face. It looked quite provocative.

In that instant, Zhou Baiyu felt as if he saw a huge panel, with countless pieces of information making the whole world seem bustling.

On bar B, the bottles of alcohol disappeared, replaced by an electronic screen. This was the Voice of the Advanced.

The screen was filled with free information posted by various people.

Smiling Demon: A first level Spirit Summoner, about to head to version 1.14's White Bone Bridge. My role is a chef, is there any big shot willing to save me...at a discount, save me! I only have the minimum Advanced World points left, but I'm rich in the real world! I'm rich! I drive a 911! Save me!

Resolute Child: Storm Justice is recruiting second-level experts, no Mutators, no Mutators, no Mutators! Mutator Sima, damn you, you mutated my treasure into junk.

Chicken Wrangler: I've got the advanced guide for version 1.26 "Bearing a Ghost Child", guaranteed to get you back alive! And by the way, without my guide, even if you've been through later versions, you won't survive. Nine Advanced World points, no haggling! Gather fifteen people, and I'll make the guide!

Muscled Lawyer: Baichuan Refuge, recruiting elites from all walks. We've successfully cleared version 1.2's "Descent Demon" with a C rating. We've pieced together quite a bit of information on various versions! Join us, and the guild will sell you update information at rock-bottom prices.

Message after message crazily scrolled across the screen.

Some people were asking for help, some were selling information, and others were recruiting.

At this moment, Zhou Baiyu finally understood that the so-called "we" actually referred to the pioneers.

Lin added,

"The 'we' who post update announcements are the gods who caused all this, but as I've told you before, those gods have become rules after a great war."

"And the 'we' you've joined is the world of the pioneers."

The two 'we's were indeed different.

Zhou Baiyu had in fact suspected as much before.

He watched as messages rapidly scrolled by:

"Can I post messages on here too?"

"Of course, but remember what I said, don't challenge the rules unless you're willing to pay a hefty sum of Advanced World points."

"What if I use code to communicate with people? What if someone reads my mind? What if I write an acrostic poem?" Zhou Baiyu was being a bit of a pain.

Lin seemed patient, perhaps not often having a customer,

"The gods are watching you. Those who try to bypass the Advanced World point mechanism eventually turn into dust of version 1.0."

"Maybe when you reach the sixth level and become part of the Chaotic Order, you can defy the rules. But for now, you'd better follow them."

Zhou Baiyu nodded, beginning to understand a few things.

"As long as you're willing to pay Advanced World points, humans can exchange information about different versions. Heh, no wonder."

Clearly, there was a conundrum here.

Every pioneer was caught in a ticking survival countdown. No one knew if they could survive the next challenge.

To stay alive, everyone preferred to improve themselves. Using Advanced World points to get a good start would maximally increase the chances of survival.

As for posting a guide, that would cost a hefty amount of Advanced World points.

If you posted a guide for version 1.1, but then most people got summoned into versions above 1.11 for some time...

Your guide would likely not sell, and your Advanced World points would just go to waste, possibly reducing your survival rate in the next summon.

So while there is the option of posting guides for other versions and some people buying them, ultimately, they're few and far between.

And the vast future has countless versions, each version containing countless areas.

For humanity to fully explore these areas, to piece together a complete apocalypse timeline, to fully understand the catastrophes of the future, the origins... it's almost impossible.

This vast future is like countless puzzles; perhaps all the pioneers combined have only pieced together the tip of the iceberg so far.

Of course, there are definitely some who have made a fortune by selling high-level guides.

Zhou Baiyu thought it over; his own guide was probably not enough to help others cope, and others might not get the attendant as a starting role.

Moreover, the Enchanting Demon leader Midel had already been taught to be very clever by him.

So releasing this guide would be harmful to others.

Therefore, Zhou Baiyu turned to the third bar:

"I've endured and persevered, worn to the brink over seven days, just to meet you, Lin. I should be treated a bit specially, right? Besides Advanced World points, there should be some other rewards for clearing, right?"

"Heh, you're quite greedy, but you did perform unexpectedly well~ indeed, there are extra rewards."