Chapter 2619: Nine Medals
Xu Huo checked the information terminal to learn about medals in the game and discovered that Zone 001 displayed an exceptionally wide variety of medals. Besides the more common "Light Gentleman" and "Pure Heart" medals, which were typically awarded to players with a sense of justice, there were also "Crime Buster," "God of Truth," and others. Zone 001 had a dedicated medal enthusiast forum where many players showcased their methods of obtaining various medals.
They called them instance Easter eggs.
Indeed, the game never lacked adventurous people, but such a concentration as in Zone 001 was rare. However, most medals functioned more like Easter eggs—hidden gimmicks. Only the "Light Gentleman" and "Pure Heart" medals could be exchanged with the Game Government for Gray Player status.
The Game Government might accept other medals, but usually for other purposes, and those medals seemed to be fewer in number than the "Light Gentleman" and "Pure Heart" medals, insufficient to exchange for Gray Player status.
To be honest, it was difficult for a single player to obtain enough medals in instances on their own, but the Game Government didn't insist that the medals must be earned personally—stolen or snatched medals counted as well.
The game issued medals, and the Game Government seemed to be reclaiming them?
Could it be that the game's official items weren't uniformly produced by the Game Government?
This question couldn't be answered accurately under the dimension, so Xu Huo went to ask Old Sir Xi and Master Cong.
The two didn't know much about the Game Government, but Master Cong mentioned that a like-minded friend had told him that items naturally appeared continuously in every district after evolution began. This was most frequent when a district first formed and just fully integrated with the game. Afterward, items still appeared, but in smaller numbers, making them hard to track. The implication was that certain places in A-level wormhole points became more prone to generating items due to the game's presence.
This wasn't hard to understand. Item creation was essentially an abnormal change in an object caused by an excessive concentration of special power during evolution. When the game detected these items, they became usable by players. Since every district could produce them, the core area of the dimensional rift game naturally wouldn't lack such items.
"As for mass-producing identical items, that possibility should be very small," Master Cong said. "Medals must have all passed through the hands of Artificers."
"Why do you think the game and the Game Government are separate?" Old Sir Xi, who loved to argue and had a sharp perspective, asked. "Why couldn't this be a benefit the game gives to players?"
"Hard to say, maybe it's intuition," Xu Huo replied. "Or maybe it's a hope of mine."
Master Cong nodded at this. "Ordinary objects can burst with life in human hands, let alone a high-intelligence entity like the game system. Humans created it, but they may not fully understand it."
"This isn't difficult," Old Sir Xi said. "Let's get a few medals another day to take a look. If the contents inside are different, then we'll find a way to get more. Isn't it said to promote player evolution? It'll be useful anyway."
Xu Huo looked at the stones that hadn't been fully unpacked yet. "What conditions are needed to create Super Items?"
Old Sir Xi immediately looked at him with disdain. "If you're so capable, go find an Artificer who can make Super Items for you! I can't make them!"
Xu Huo smiled. "Didn't you say you still have decades to live? If I gather the materials, I'd want to entrust them to someone trustworthy to make the items."
Neither old man thought he was boasting. Old Sir Xi softened a bit. "Do you think Super Items can be casually crafted? Even with top-tier materials, success isn't guaranteed, especially for high-level items containing temporal and spatial power."
Most Artificers were ordinary people. Turning materials into items required specialized instruments. It was obvious that even in A-level wormhole points, Super Items couldn't be mass-produced—limited not only by materials but also by instruments.
"Young people shouldn't aim too high. Super Items depend on luck," Old Sir Xi said, stroking his chin. "But your idea isn't bad. One day, I'll be able to make a Super Item."
Master Cong looked at him disapprovingly but said nothing.
"Speaking of which, the latest model of the Artificer Instrument is now publicly available at a decent price. Take a look." Old Sir Xi pretended to casually pull out his communicator.
Xu Huo's smile remained unchanged. "Master Cong said the Artificer Instrument you just moved in was released only half a year ago and is already the best available."
He nodded to the two of them. "You're busy. I'll head out first."
Leaving the room, he thought about the balance on his game panel and then recalled the price on the communicator, feeling a bit short on funds.
"Mr. Xu, your visitor has arrived," a household robot informed him.
Xu Huo met the players from the District Government in the reception room. Besides the white-haired old man he had dealt with before, he brought five relatively young players.
"The medals you mentioned earlier, I've brought them." At the white-haired old man's signal, the youngest player in the group placed a box on the table and opened it.
In addition to two "Light Gentleman" and two "Pure Heart" medals, there were five other medals, including "Crime Buster."
"These medals aren't rare items in my district. Nine medals naturally can't let you re-enter a Night Tour instance adventure. As previously agreed, I brought a few people, hoping you could guide them in Mental Evolution," the white-haired old man said.
It wasn't that Zone 001 lacked Mental Evolution experts, but the appearance of Xu Huo's childhood personality had been truly stunning. Even in a coma, his spiritual power remained active, capable of protecting itself and possessing a degree of autonomy—a level that Zone 001's Mental Evolvers could never reach. They had been looking for an excuse to learn a thing or two, and coincidentally heard he wanted medals.
Zone 001 players had obtained many medals, but those who earned them were often stubborn. Few were willing to sell, and many medals had already been collected by the District Government to exchange for resources with the Game Government.
"No problem." For Xu Huo, this was just a side task, but he warned in advance, "My evolution direction is a bit different from ordinary Mental Evolvers. Your people might not learn anything."
"It doesn't matter." The white-haired old man remained composed. "Having an opportunity is good enough. If they can't learn, it's due to their limited talent."
Xu Huo ignored this seemingly self-deprecating remark that actually pressured the five, and added, "I've spent quite some time in Zone 001. I'll be starting my next instance soon, so I can only stay for another week at most."