Chapter 12: 012 First Interaction

Malicious gaze?

Before leaving the camp, Captain Hu hadn't been very detailed, because there were indeed a lot of enemies.

Could it be something from some force?

It wasn't until Song Ying had closed enough distance for a reaction that he turned on his flashlight and aimed it toward the target.

"Who's there?"

He was experienced and knew that not everyone appearing near the military camp was a vicious enemy, but he hadn't explained right away to train Bai E's mindset.

In reality, there were always some humans with ill intentions who would sneak near the military camp to steal.

As artificial humans, they were not allowed to kill regular humans at will.

If the situation was serious, they could only arrest and hand over the culprit to the city's judiciary for trial before getting official permission to kill.

If it wasn't serious, then they had to judge for themselves, and they could administer a light punishment.

...

Kuang Xin, caught in the flashlight beam, felt as though he was looking at the sun, his vision filled with a dazzling light, and could only vaguely discern the silhouettes of three humans through the halo.

So he immediately raised his hands and stood up.

"Your Honor! I'm a good citizen! I am a good citizen!"

He keenly knew that he was still a newbie in this game and stood no chance against these soldiers from the barracks.

He fondly remembered how in another game, his max-level character was wiped out by a guardsman at the village gate with a couple of swipes, causing him to hold a healthy respect for soldiers as official game characters ever since.

"What are you doing here?"

You asked coldly.

"I..."

Kuang Xin found himself at a loss for words.

The game lacked dialogue boxes or selectable dialogue sentences, and the excessive freedom in choice left him bewildered when confronted with such a situation.

After hesitating for a moment, he decided to explain truthfully, "I heard that I could get some bullets you don't need around here..."

Bullets you don't need?

How could such precious resources be unwanted? Who was this ignorant person?

Song Ying and You frowned momentarily.

Bai E, who had been following behind Song Ying and You, had remained silent, just quietly sizing up the individual with his gaze.

[You are using your ability to observe individuals' characteristics...]

The conversation around him faded away like a distant chant, and the surrounding world quietly blurred, leaving only the human, waving his arms and babbling nonsense...

[Face smeared with chaotic bloodstains]

[Behavior is erratic and abnormal]

[No genuine fear]

[Through careful observation, you realize a certain possibility...]

"There's nothing you want here."

Suddenly stepping forward, Bai E took the initiative to speak, drawing the attention of the three present.

Pressing down the flashlight in Song Ying's hand that was aimed at the individual's eyes, Bai E stepped closer, allowing the man to clearly see his face.

"This is a military camp, not a place for you. Leave now."

[Your action has been noticed by the camp's soldiers, and you are about to be expelled.]

On hearing the panel's prompt, Kuang Xin's face fell instantly, looking rather pitiable, "Really nothing?"

That was information I bought with 100 black water coins...

Bai E lifted his rifle muzzle, his expression calm and detached, "Or perhaps you'd like to visit the security team?"

On the way to camp, Song Ying had clarified some basic knowledge with Bai E.

[Unlocked information: Security Team.]

Security Team? Prison? Solitary confinement?

Kuang Xin's hair stood on end, "No, no... I'm leaving! I'm leaving right now..."

"I'll escort him out."

After explaining to the two behind him, Bai E followed behind the strange human to escort him away.

For situations not too serious, handling it themselves and ensuring an expelled individual was a sufficient distance away were experiences Song Ying had shared with Bai E.

"Hmm."

Song Ying nodded, showing no intention to follow.

Watching the receding figures, You's eyes were somewhat cold. S~eaʀᴄh the Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"It seems he has some ideas of his own?"

"Who isn't?"

Song Ying sighed softly, "Curious? Or kind? Who knows? Whatever..."

As time passed, every artificial person would gradually awaken to their unique individuality and personality.

Loyalty to the city, loyalty to the empire, loyalty to humanity were basic principles,, yet humans were unable to enforce further prohibitions upon them.

Even amongst artificial persons, there were different likes, dislikes, and concepts.

...

Kuang Xin glanced at the shadow cast from behind with the corner of his eye, unwilling to accept that the intelligence he had bought for 100 Blackwater coins had been for naught.

Eager to say something, but the reverence he had for the grunt prevented him from knowing how to start.

Unexpectedly, the seemingly cold soldier behind him took the initiative to speak.

"Are you a player?"

Of course, Bai E would not ask directly like this.

He was unsure whether the person in front of him was a player, and he was also unsure what it would mean to reveal his and the player's identities.

Treated as an Easter egg?

Or attracting attention?

But it's always better to be cautious.

He was neither a true NPC nor a true player, an alien to both sides.

"What do you need bullets for?"

Kuang Xin didn't know if he was having a delusion.

The other's words were calm, lacking the sharpness of the earlier interrogation.

Could it even be perceived as a tad friendly?

"I need to complete someone else's request to go hunting, but hunting requires bullets, and I have none..."

Kuang Xin was talking to an NPC, so he started voicing his grievance, trying to see if he could elicit a bit of NPC sympathy.

According to the law of conservation of luck, if there were bad NPCs, there must be good ones as well.

Most importantly... he firmly believed that the lesson he had bought for 100 Blackwater coins must have some significance.

Otherwise, wouldn't that loss be in vain?

Bai E was also pondering in secret.

In fact, he was troubled too—

He had too many bullets.

Using the training rifles at the shooting range to acquire proficiency in shooting had a limit, and he had advanced his specialization level so fast that even if he hit the bullseye with the training rifles using rubber bullets, he wouldn't gain any more experience.

The training field cannot produce War Gods; otherwise, this world would have been full of demigods by now.

Apart from actual combat training, there was no other aspiration.

However...

With informants all around the military camp, how could he explain summoning an endless supply of bullets out of thin air?

Not to mention, it was hard for him to find an opportunity for real combat.

While others lamented the scarcity of bullets preventing them from effectively enhancing their abilities, he had to worry about how to utilize his abundant resources without drawing attention.

5000 refined brass bullets, this was his largest asset at the moment.

Having resources but unable to convert them into actual combat capability was quite disheartening.

Players...

It was quite common for players to take quests from NPCs to improve themselves, but he wondered if, as an NPC, he could somehow benefit from the players...

"I do have some bullets..."

Bai E said thoughtfully.

His casual words triggered a hidden mechanism, and he heard a prompt from the game system.

[Interaction system activated.]

[Do you choose to issue a quest to the target player "???"?]

[Available quests for issuance: Basic Combat, Basic Resources, Basic Construction, Basic Mixed.]

[Basic Combat Quest (3/3 available for issuance): Permission (single quest common experience limit 50~100, daily quest common experience limit 50~300, or half the quota of special experience from your personal abilities); Outlay (according to your current moral reputation, you must provide commodities worth at least 20 Blackwater coins); Return (all "basic attribute improvements" and half of the "special experience gains" the target player earns during the mission).]

[Basic Resources Quest (3/3 available for issuance): Permission (single quest technology point limit 0~1, daily quest technology point limit 0~3, or half the quota of special experience from your personal abilities); Outlay (based on your current moral reputation, you must provide commodities worth at least 50 Blackwater coins); Return ("specified resources," all "basic attribute improvements" and half of the "special experience gains" the target player earns during the mission).]

[Basic Construction Quest (0/0 available for issuance): Permission {faction-specific currency (requires target's recognition, currently no permission to issue)}; Outlay (provide commodities or services equivalent to the value of the faction-specific currency); Return ("specified construction goal," all "basic attribute improvements" the target player earns during the mission).]

[Basic Mixed Quest: A combination of Combat, Resources, and Construction Quests with permissions, outlays, and returns stacking according to their category. (Depending on the adaptability between the combined quest types, the permissions, expenditures, and returns may vary.)]

He can issue quests?