Dan paced back and forth, grappling with the bewildering sensations of smell and tears, experiences that had never been part of the game before. He cried again, feeling the raw weight of his emotions in a way that the game's mechanics had never allowed. Then, with a sense of determination, he pinched himself.

To his surprise, he felt real pain—sharp and distinct, unlike the dull sensation the game had always provided. In the game, pain had been toned down, barely noticeable. But now, it was unmistakable. Dan's mind raced with questions. What had changed? He hadn't been informed of any updates, and to make such changes, he would need new VR gear. How was this possible?

Dan shook his head, realizing there was no point in overthinking it for now. He needed to focus on finding other admins or players to help him.

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Dan soared higher into the sky, his heart pounding with each passing minute. One minute turned into five, then twelve, yet still, there was no sign of any town or city. Frustration boiled inside him until he couldn't contain it any longer.

"Why is there no town or city? Where the hell am I?" Dan yelled into the empty air, his voice echoing through the vast forest.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Dan forced his frustration aside and continued flying. He knew he couldn't afford to lose his composure. Eventually, he spotted a river and decided to land near it. As he approached the water's edge, he felt a glimmer of hope.

"Well, look at that. I found something in this forest, finally," Dan said aloud to himself. "There should be a city or town near rivers. Now, which way should I go? Upstream or downstream?"

Dan decided to go downstream and began flying in that direction. After two minutes of flying, he spotted the distant outline of a town. A smile spread across Dan's face. "Finally, a town!" he exclaimed, his excitement mounting as he increased his speed, flying toward the settlement