Ritchie!
Seeing this ID, John felt a rush of nostalgia.
The image of a confident and slightly roguish young man came to mind.
Ritchie was both his in-game ID and his real name.
In John’s previous life, when the monster tide army attacked, Ritchie had sacrificed himself to buy John time.
If Ritchie were still alive, he would undoubtedly be by John’s side, fighting to the end.
In reality, Ritchie’s background was not simple. His family had military connections, which meant he could indeed obtain a high-end game pod.
Unlike the typical wealthy second-generation who only knew how to indulge in pleasures,
Ritchie admired strength and sought power.
After being easily defeated by John in the past, he had become John’s devoted follower.
“Get online, I’ll add you as a friend,” John replied to Ritchie and reconnected to the world of Gods.
He was still on the tree, the hammock of interwoven branches still intact.
Below, a pack of Bloodthirsty Demon Wolves roamed.
The concealment talisman was still in effect, so the wolves didn’t notice John.
Ignoring the wolves, John opened his friends list and entered Ritchie’s ID, sending a friend request.
Soon, the request was accepted, and Ritchie sent a message.
Ritchie: “You want to buy a game pod? Send me a screenshot of your game gold.”
John smiled and instead of sending a screenshot, he initiated a trade and placed the Diamond Giant Shield in the window.
Ritchie was also a knight and had an opportunity later to become an Earth Knight.
John remembered Ritchie’s expression of envy and desire when he saw Aron with the Diamond Giant Shield in the past.
However, Ritchie hadn’t used his background to pressure Aron into giving up the shield.
Compared to Aron, Ritchie deserved the Diamond Giant Shield more.
And was the right fit for it.
John had completed the hidden quest with Ritchie in mind and was glad to have reconnected with him so soon.
…
In another novice village, a young boy stared at the trade window in shock, swallowing hard.
A low-grade artifact, the Diamond Giant Shield, was offered for just one copper coin. Ritchie’s finger hovered over the “Accept” button, trembling slightly.
“Damn, a gentleman does not take handouts!” Ritchie cursed, grabbing his shaking hand with his other hand. His reason overcame his desire, and he decisively rejected the trade.
He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of moral victory, though a part of him regretted it. Ritchie: “Bro, what do you mean by this?”
He felt insulted and demanded an explanation from Godslayer.
Godslayer: “An artifact for three conditions. First, help me get a high-end game pod; second, I know you’ll look into my background, so help me keep my personal information top secret; third, be my follower.”
“Damn!” Ritchie cursed aloud at Godslayer’s message. This guy was not only crazy in his ID but also in real life.
Moreover, he seemed to know his identity.
Ritchie: “The first two conditions are fine, but the third one is impossible. Pick another.”
He really wanted that Diamond Giant Shield.
Godslayer: “Then just the first two conditions.”
Ritchie received another trade request. It was the same as the first time: the Diamond Giant Shield for just one copper coin.
He was numb to it now.
It seemed like Godslayer really wanted to give him the artifact.
Was there a catch?
Ritchie: “Bro, aren’t you afraid that I’ll take the artifact and run? With my skills, you can’t do anything to me.”
Godslayer: “Would you?”
Ritchie gritted his teeth at Godslayer’s message.
He felt like this guy had him figured out.
“Fine, you win!” Ritchie cursed, looking at the trade interface. This time, he decisively accepted the trade.
Ritchie: “Since you’re so sincere, I’ll keep the third condition open. If you can beat me, I’ll agree to be your follower.”
Godslayer: “Deal. I’ll send you my address. Get me the high-end game pod as soon as
possible.”
Ritchie: “No need. I’ve already traced your IP and got your information. The game pod will be delivered tomorrow.”
Ritchie felt smug. He thought he had turned the tables.
Godslayer, real name John, was just an ordinary person. With his identity exposed and the artifact in hand, he must be panicking.
Godslayer: “Okay.”
Just one simple word.
Ritchie couldn’t stay calm.
He didn’t seem to care at all. Was he slow to react, or did he have something to rely on? Ritchie: “Aren’t you going to say something softer? Aren’t you afraid I’ll mess with you
behind your back?”
No reply came.
Ritchie then realized that Godslayer had already logged off.
“Damn!” He felt an urge to reach through the internet and teach John a lesson.
But soon, his attention was drawn back to the Diamond Giant Shield.
He caressed it, eyes full of affection, murmuring, “An artifact! I must be the first player in the world of Gods to get an artifact.”
The only downside was that he couldn’t use it yet. It required 500 points of strength.
Ritchie was itching to use it. It was like marrying the goddess of his dreams but not being allowed to consummate the marriage.
He opened his friends list and saw that Brian was online, immediately sending a private
message.
Ritchie: “Dad, help me get a set of equipment that boosts strength. Also, give me the authority to log into Sky Net and modify someone’s information.”
He quickly received a reply from Brian.
Brian: “Why do you need strength-boosting equipment as a knight? And don’t do anything
reckless!”
Ritchie: “I know, it’s just for an ordinary person, it won’t have any impact.”
Ritchie worked quickly. By noon the next day, John received his message.
His identity information was completely hidden, accessible only to those with higher
authority.
In addition to a high-end game pod, Ritchie had gifted John a high-end villa worth twenty million to better conceal his identity.
John accepted the arrangement with a smile. The price of an artifact far exceeded thirty
million.
The villa was located in the suburbs of Down City, not far from John’s current location.
After hailing a cab, he arrived at the villa community in half an hour.
His identity information was already recorded, allowing him to enter the community under the envious and suspicious gaze of the driver.
The villa had three floors, spacious and bright, with a simple yet elegant design. It was fully equipped with various furniture, appliances, and entertainment and fitness equipment.
Having experienced the apocalypse, John no longer had a strong desire for luxury. These amenities didn’t interest him much.
He went to the third-floor bedroom where the high-end game pod was already installed and filled with nutrient fluid, allowing for a maximum online time of one month.
John couldn’t wait any longer and lay down in the game pod, connecting to the world of Gods.
[Identity verification successful]
[Welcome, adventurer Godslayer, to the world of Gods]
The notification echoed, followed by a spinning sensation. John’s figure appeared at the place where he had last logged off, on the hammock made of woven tree branches.
Boom, boom…
The sound of magic explosions and combat reached his ears.
“Someone’s here!” John instantly became alert. Anyone appearing here had to be a strong
player.
Ahead, three fiery red Flame Spirit Foxes were besieging a woman.
She wore tight black leather armor, her long black hair flowing, and her delicate face was icy
and stern. She was being forced back in a disheveled manner by the Flame Spirit Foxes.
Sini!
John recognized her immediately.
Indeed, only she could have tracked him down from Aron’s side.
Sini noticed John and her eyes lit up. She called out for help, “Hey, give me a hand!”
John remained motionless.
He knew Sini’s background.
She was a product of an Ancient Martial Arts Family, trained to serve and appease nobility,
bound by a contract that obligated her to obey Aron.
In his previous life, Aron had given Sini to John to win him over.
John never treated her as a slave.
Over time, they grew close, and Sini eventually opened her heart to him. However, during a battle, she took a powerful hit from a ninth-tier warrior for John, crippling
her cultivation and becoming an ordinary person. To avoid being a burden, she left without a
word.
Whoosh!
A Fireball came crashing down, and Sini rolled away awkwardly, shouting again, “If you don’t
help, I’m going to die!”
John still didn’t move.
He knew Sini’s personality and that to win her over, he had to let her suffer a bit first.
Boom, boom…
Two Fireballs hit Sini consecutively. At only level 7, she stood no chance against the level 10
Flame Spirit Foxes and was instantly killed.
…
At the novice village resurrection point,
Sini emerged with fury burning in her icy eyes. “What a peculiar guy,” she muttered.
It was the first time she had been at a disadvantage with a man. Her carefully planned damsel-in-distress scenario had backfired, resulting in her death.
Sini’s mission to approach Godslayer was to complete Aron’s task and gain her freedom.
Now, however, she was filled with curiosity about Godslayer. Her eyes hardened with determination. “I need to find out exactly who you are.”
Sini left the novice village, quickly heading back to where John had appeared.