Chapter 259: The VR World’s Entry and the Ore

Kai, Mei, and Farrah were still unsure about this VR World. They have already heard the Perfect World numerous times since yesterday.

Perhaps it was already time to learn more about this place.

"Are we going to get paid for our work?. Since Cornelio wasn’t here yet, they might as well take this opportunity to safely learn about the VR World.

"Yes! There’s a payment! You will receive it after..."

Kai nodded as he was slowly being convinced. Furthermore, it wasn’t like there was a VR Café in this city where they could just enter and use the Pods for a certain price per hour.

Perhaps, entering Perfect World under the Aries Faction’s guidance might reveal more about their systems, their resources, and the way they produced the coveted Skill Crystals that he heard from the people outside.

Kai asked once again. "Four hours, you say?"

Maya nodded quickly. "Yes. Four hours in the mines... There should be 30-minute breaks. It won’t interfere with your meeting with Cornelio. By the time you’re done, he should be back. I remember that you will earn two to five C-Grade Energy Cores depending on your performance."

Maya then continued explaining the benefits it would give to them... The free items, the training, the free unlock of the location, the relationship to their Faction, and many other perks they could obtain.

Kai glanced at Mei and Farrah. Both gave subtle nods.

"Alright," Kai said at last. "Show us the way."

"Yes!"

Maya heaved a sigh of relief, finally feeling the pressure ease from her shoulders.

"Good... you don’t know how much this helps," she muttered, then gestured for them to follow.

She led Kai, Mei, and Farrah down a corridor lined with banners of the Aries Faction until they reached a wide chamber.

At this point, they had already introduced themselves to each other.

"We’re here, Kai..." Maya muttered.

The air inside was cool as they probably had to maintain the temperature of the VR Pods.

Soon, they saw the VR Hall stretched before them... rows upon rows of polished pods arranged in perfect symmetry. More than sixty pods stood in line. Without a doubt, these pods were the third-generation version.

Kai recalled that it had adaptive comfort systems, advanced neural synchronization, optimized energy usage, and many other features.

"Whoa..."

"This looks cool."

"You must really trust these things. I wonder how you can all feel confident that the A.I. Civilization wouldn’t hack into this thing."

The three of them were simply amazed.

Fifty of them were already occupied. It was obvious from the faint pulses of light flickering across their surfaces as users remained connected.

Then, ten pods sat open with their hatches lifted, waiting for new entrants.

Kai studied them carefully.

Each pod was large enough to hold a person comfortably, with padded interiors and a single cable running into the walls for each pod...

The faint hum of machinery filled the hall, accompanied by the occasional beep of monitoring devices.

Maya cupped her hands around her mouth and called out... "Bart! I need you here!"

At the far end of the hall, a man looked up from a chessboard.

He was tall, with rolled-up sleeves and grease stains on his uniform. Across from him sat another man dressed in white robes, clearly a medic.

This man didn’t look at the group as he studied the board.

Bart, on the other hand, groaned and pushed his chair back.

"Always when I’m about to win..." He stood, brushing off his hands, and walked toward them.

Maya quickly explained the situation.

"These three will be entering Perfect World for four hours. They’re new, so I need you to handle the connection process."

Bart nodded, his demeanor shifted to a professional one. "Alright. Let me explain how this works." He gestured toward the nearest open pod.

"Here’s how it works. Once you lie down, the pod closes and connects to your neural signals. The system calibrates your vitals, then boots you into Perfect World’s login interface. That’s where you’ll create your character. Name, appearance, and your starting attributes... all of that is chosen before you enter the world itself. No one spawns without finishing that step."

He chuckled with his own joke before he tapped the pod’s side. "After creation, you’ll spawn in Beginner Town... Lyria. Everyone starts there. It’s crowded with new players, merchants, and guides. Don’t get distracted. The town is designed to orient newcomers, but you’ll want to head straight to the Aries contact."

Mei leaned forward. "Who do we look for?"

Bart nodded. "There’s a liaison named Dalen stationed near the training grounds in Lyria. He handles Aries recruits. Once you speak to him, he’ll register your character under the faction and arrange transport to the Aries mining site. That’s where you’ll be working."

Farrah frowned. "So we’ll have to walk through the town first?"

Bart smirked. "Exactly. Think of it as a tutorial. You’ll see the bustle of Perfect World... players trading, training, forming parties. It’s overwhelming at first, but it gives you a sense of scale...Just 15 minutes would do. Once you reach Dalen, he’ll send you by caravan to the Aries restricted zone. The mines are located in the foothills outside their territory. You’ll probably arrive there in another 15 minutes..."

He then grew serious. "Inside the mines, you’ll be given basic gear... pickaxes, ore sacks, and a map. Your job is to collect mystic iron ore. After you’re done, you will hand over the sack to the officer outside the mine. Anyway, you’ll earn C‑Grade Energy Cores based on performance."

Kai studied the pods and gently nodded... "So it’s character creation, then Lyria, then Dalen, then the mines."

Bart nodded firmly. "That’s the path. And remember... Perfect World feels real. Pain, fatigue, and even exhaustion register. But don’t panic. If anything goes wrong, the pod forces a disconnect. That’s why I’m here, and why the medic watches your vitals."

"Ahh? Real pain? Wait a moment... Isn’t this a game?" Mei repeated as she thought that it wouldn’t be too troublesome for them to work.

But Bart gave a slow nod. "Yes. Not the kind that leaves scars, but enough to remind you that actions have weight here... Swinging a pickaxe for hours will tire your arms. If a rock falls, you’ll feel the impact. It’s part of the immersion. Without it, people would treat Perfect World like a toy. Well, it’s not like we can control the Perfect World’s settings. Still, with the Third Gen pods, you’d get to easily use your skills once your body got scanned."

"Ahh... So it was like that." Kai gently nodded.

Farrah still frowned at this as she felt uneasy. "So exhaustion, strain... even injuries register?"

The medic, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. His voice was calm and reassured them. "You won’t get injured. It’s all about the mind... Still, that’s why I’m here. The pods monitor your vitals constantly. If your body shows signs of overload...too much stress, pain, or Spirit drain, the system forces a disconnect. You’ll wake up here, safe. Think of it as training wheels. The danger feels real, but it’s controlled. Don’t worry... The mine is pretty much safe unless the place collapses..."

Kai nodded. "So it’s harsh, but not reckless."

Bart smirked. "Exactly. It’s designed to push you... You might even get bonus stats while mining. It’s one of the safest place to increase your endurance. Furthermore, for newcomers, the faction keeps things simple. Mining duty is straightforward. You’ll get breaks every thirty minutes, and the work is monitored. If you collapse in the VR world, the pod pulls you out before anything serious happens. But again, you won’t work there until you collapse." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Mei exhaled slowly, her concern easing.

"That... actually makes sense. If Perfect World is meant to be used as a training ground, then feeling the strain is part of it."

Farrah still looked skeptical, but she gave a reluctant nod. "At least they’re not throwing us into combat right away."

Maya, who had been listening intently, smiled faintly. "That’s why the arrangement is perfect for you three. You’re new, and the mines are safe compared to the battlefields. You’ll learn how the world feels, how your bodies respond, and you’ll earn cores while waiting for Cornelio. It’s a fair start. After all, you will lose your login rights for 24 hours once you die inside."

"Oh? You can’t login one full day if you’re killed inside?" Kai asked.

"That’s right..." Maya replied with a smile.

Kai nodded as he glanced at the pods again.

He understood that it was indeed one of the safest ways to step into Perfect World without risking his life in combat zones.

"Alright," Kai said finally. "We’re fine working for a few hours to experience it... If this is how Perfect World works, then we’ll learn it properly."

Bart grinned, satisfied. "Good. That’s the right attitude. Now, let’s get you connected."

As he said this, one VR Pod opened up, and it wasn’t an alarming situation.

Whoosh~

The hatch of the pod nearby lifted, and a man in his twenties smiled as soon as he saw the group.

He was filled with excitement!

"Haha! I found a Mithril Ore, Sir Bart, Miss Maya!"