I paid good gold for her cooperation, and now I'm surrounded by loud chattering assholes in a busy marketplace, upside down on my back on a bench under a young tree idly munching on a random twig. Which White Silk snatches from me and throws onto the ground behind the stone bench I'm resting on. She literally storms out of whatever store she's in every few minutes to make sure I'm not eating, then races back to keep shopping. She wasn't kidding about how cheap everything is. Unless she's spending her own money.
She won't carry me through the stores because I won't stop trying to sample the different colors and materials to see if they do anything, but she still won't take me home. Pffft. I snort at the thought. "Home". When'd that random apartment become my home? My latest sleeping spot? Hells, this bench can be my random sleeping spot. If I wasn't worried about some rando kidnapping me after I wake up from my pre- or post-cultivation nap. Speaking of. Time for my "hourly" broadcast.
-*I need to take a nap and void cultivate. And food,*- I try again, not bothering to roll over as I eye the debris on the ground under the tree.
There's no garbage to pick through, I've eaten it already, and she's already run off most of the people who were trying to give me free food, I'm apparently cute and silly, and I can't think of anything to do that won't knock me out immediately. I need to cycle, but I want to save my energy for trying to void cultivate. At this rate I'm not gonna be able to stay awake long enough for her to realize that I don't really have a choice.
Try running? Takes energy. Void right here? Dunno how long I'll be gone. Scream and make a scene until she's so embarrassed she takes me back to the safehouse. ... ? No protests? Guess we have a winner. I wind up, taking a deep breath that creates a quick little vacuum that is easily filled before I remember that doing things with focus and will, sometimes even idly with intention, might trigger an actual skill or technique. So I might get the scream out, but I might pass out immediately after.
-*New caretaker, who dis?*- I say, no target in mind.
It's weird how some people clench and jump when scared. It looks like I goosed them, just a cheeky boop somewhere you don't want strangers to boop you. A very personal almost internal booping. There's clenchers, duckers, and it looks like two jackasses thought it was an attack, one shouting, fist cocked and spinning, and another asshole straight up just slapped some poor old woman across her face. What'd she do?
-*Wow, rude!*-
[Piercing Shot Successful]
[Successful Use: 4/100]
[Qi -30]
[Karma -5]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,796,824/23,855,384]
[Current Qi: 711,058/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,421,538/107,275,977]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,21K,178P,54R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,526St]
I piercing shot him, drag him off balance, and release him as I finally drop off. Oh, right. Energy. Got it... I wake up swaddled on a bed in the corner of the white room. Ah... Back in my padded cell. To the void!
I slip into my rolling hills.
[Launch Successful]
[Successful Use: 4/100]
[Con. Qi -2]
[Qi -2]
[Karma -5]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,796,822/23,855,383]
[Current Qi: 711,056/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,421,533/107,275,977]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,21K,178P,54R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,526St]
I swear this used to be free while I was in my void. Or did it cost and I just didn't notice the changes? Probably that one? Nothing for it... I do a shitty barrel-roll before plopping myself in front of my house. I trundle my happy ass inside and waffle between cultivating in bed or in the kitchen. I still don't want to burn the place down... Pottery jar in the kitchen, groom and cook then try to finish the void quest. Sounds like a plan!
-Break!- I tap my forelegs together then shuffle off to get started.
Some dry brined fish in the pottery jar. A lotus pod in the jar. A chunk of bread in the jar. Water in the jar-o! A little will to get the heat script going... And now we wait. I rub my forelegs together while chuckling maniacally, turn, then cackle maniacally. I'm gonna lay in bed while this cooks.
Main room, hallway, should decorate, righthand room, it's closer to the kitchen even if both rooms exit in the same direction. A quick hop and flop and I'm on a firm, but still comfy, little mat bed. Let the grooming commence! Another ten copper string bracelet banked, -- unless it's the same -- and I remember to check on the food. This combination is a combination, but next time I'll try one that works. Good thing I can eat anything.
-Work now!- I crow after finishing the pot.
Back to the room, back to the bed, up comes the spatial storage inventory screen and~ cycle on the screen.
Cycling the Void
Achievement 50+
I shudder as I'm hit with sudden vertigo. How the fuck did I fuck that up? Wait. Crap! I'm supposed to cycle with the screen open, not cycle the screen. I wake up, in my void, standing outside, on my feet, just gagging with my head lowered. Okay, so that was a thing. But what'd I do?
I lower myself to the ground, open my screen, -- when'd it close? -- and cycle.
Collect 10 of each
Mortal Currency
10/10
Emperor
21/10
King
178/10
Prince
54/10
Regent
179/10
Dalin
155/10
Denii
105/10
Kin
Collect Currency I Completed
Void Palace expanded
Achievement 100+
Cool, but why did I need to do this and why was it so hard? Gold's not easy to come by. It's like I'd have to go on a bank heist or murderous -- and looting! -- rampage in order to complete it.
Collect 10 Artifacts
68/10
Artifacts
Sky Road Key 1 Spirit Crystal 1 Polished Mutton Fat Jade Construct 1 Jade Slip Construct 1 Denii Bracelet 1 Crystal Phoenix Egg 1 Swift Saber 1 Spatial Storage 45 Essence Viewing Orbs 5 Good Luck trinket 1 Wimble Orb 10
Artifact Collector I Completed
Void Palace Expanded
Achievement 100+
To who? I have artifacts? How many? Oh!
Collect 100 Gold 209/100
10
Emperor
21
King
178
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Prince
Gold Collector I Completed
Void Palace Expanded
Achievement 100+
... There should be some kind of acknowledgement.
Collect 200 Gold 209/200
10
Emperor
21
King
178
Prince
Gold Collector II Completed
Void Palace Expanded
Achievement 100+
So I can at least see what all I've accomplished.
Collect 50 Artifacts
68/50
Artifacts
Sky Road Key 1 Spirit Crystal 1 Polished Mutton Fat Jade Construct 1 Jade Slip Construct 1 Denii Bracelet 1 Crystal Phoenix Egg 1 Swift Saber 1 Spatial Storage 45 Essence Viewing Orbs 5 Good Luck trinket 1 Wimble Orb 10
Artifact Collector II Completed
Void Palace Expanded
Smorgas-Board Unlocked
Achievement 100+
2000 Achievement Points Attained
Imperial Permissions Unlocked
Imperial Task Board Unlocked
Or so I can read what the hell's happening. ... Nothing? The fuck is a Smorgas-Board? Oh! Fack. A pun. Really? Tch! I focus and think "Smorgas-Board" and get a quest board. For void things? Wait. I have an internal bounty board? No, wait, I just unlocked it. Did I unlock one for cultivating? What's it called? Or did I not? I kinda wasn't paying attention to the spam and I almost tuned out on this shit. Why did this shit happen? Is it bug me or something the emperor did. Fack... Do I have a log yet?
I take a deep breath, focus on my log, manage to open it, and resist the urge to immediately close it. Fack, just thinking about researching this sum biscuit is wearing me out. Must. Not. I close it and turn back to the Smorgas-Board. I can go over the log while I'm grooming or normal cycling. Or read and eat. No, I'll probably eat everything if I idle nom. So. What void quests can I do. No, wait! How big did my space get?
I close the board, try to keep an eye on any notifications, and do a quick spin. Can I see the stuff I unlocked in my notifications log thingy? Notifications?
🦋 Artifact Collector I Completed
Void Palace Expanded
Achievement 100+
🦋 Gold Collector I Completed
Void Palace Expanded
Achievement 100+
🦋 Gold Collector II Completed
Void Palace Expanded
Achievement 100+
🦋 Artifact Collector II Completed
Void Palace Expanded
Smorgas-Board Unlocked
Achievement 100+
🦋 2000 Achievement Points Attained
Imperial Permissions Unlocked
Imperial Task Board Unlocked
Wait. I unlocked a task board? Is that like the deed or quest board? Does this mean I don't have to go to the constables or is this a different quest set? I still need to see what happened to my void "palace" but let's go! Task Board! ... Imperial Task Board? Another board, this one in gold and red instead of blue and purple expands. There it goes!
Squares with names. Focus on da square, da square expands to its own little window on top of the window, and there's more information, including names, ratings, locations, rewards, and issuer? These aren't made by the emperor? Does he know about this? Wonder if I should ping him...
-*I'm lookin'...*-
Fack! I'm a ducker! I used to be a spitter, but now I'm not even fam...
-*You're a dork,*- the emperor snorts, proxy swirling back into existence beside me. -*Looks like you did some void bug stuff.*-
-Doing void bug stuff,- I correct him, trying to remember what the frick I was doing. Oh! Imperial Bounty Board!
-*Yeah, no, I didn't do this,*- he mumbles, opening and closing tasks. He leaves a few up and I guess these are the ones he wants me to check into. -*Bingo.*-
I still have the Frozen Coffin thing to turn in, which I can't until I Get Gud, which is what I'm trying to do, and I still need to check my void.
-*It hasn't changed from the small hills. You're still cycling my will, but you're getting close to being able to sustain this place without infusions from me,*- he says casually. -*You're welcome, by the way.*-
-Thank you Daddy Warbucks,- I simp and get pushed over. -Oh, help me, step-emperor!-
The world pulses, a loud boom and a wave of pressure nearly pulping me before the eye pops. Got 'im! Fucker. Giving me more work. What was he looking at? I refocus on the task board, not even bothering to get up, and see that there's a bunch of retrieval quests by all kinds of gem name bastards from the imperial city. Monarchs wanting a wimble Monarch retrieved and brought to them. Individual thems, not collective. Did they legit use a bounty board to try to get someone to give me to them? I shrug and right myself, checking for damage. Makes sense, I suppose.
Some of the "honey do" quests are crossed out, just a thin X that doesn't hide the text. When do these get taken down? Oh! There's a timer in the bottom left. Ooh, and a date and time on the top of the main task board! I focus on it and it expands into a calendar with quest related events. Let's go! I got a calendar! Sort of. I can see quests coming and going, completed or expired, but I can't see who finished some of the quests. Weird.
-Back on task, me!- I shout, arms in the air. -Which one?- I snark off to myself before shifting a little to my right, "hands on my hips". -Don't get smart with me --. -
-*I will sing.*-
Wow! What a threat! Him laughing or snorting unfiltered hurts like hell. Him face-palming can put me in the hospital. My head might explode if he tries to "once more with feeling" a karaoke night in my void. Should avoid. ... What was I doing? I see greyed out boxes and remember that I was going over who had bounties on me and who already got stomped.
Jade Monarch is down. There's a Ruby, Onyx, Emerald --.
-*Watch out taking them on,*- the emperor interrupts. -*Emerald was the color of the old imperial system. Thousand Valleys and a lot of sympathizers will get pissy if you take out the emerald, even if they don't want a Crawling Hands Monarch in the Imperial City.*-
Great. A job everyone wants done that no one wants to do that I'll be condemned for doing. And I'm supposed to do this, why?
-*'Cause you can, and it'll unlock new shiz.*-
Bastard... I do want new shit... Sacred hells this world would suck if I was a completionist. Or I'm just a completionist's nightmare. So many quest boards. Quests. Retrievals. Me grabs. Jade down, along with some Yellow Wheel person, a Ruby, a Sky-Faced Monarch and a Sky-Winged Monarch. Pretty sure I didn't eat all of them. Did they get got by the others?
-*Kinda pissed that there are people handing down Imperial Quests without my permission. 'Cause they're not real imperial quests unless approved by me. Just because you make a quest while in the Imperial City doesn't make it an Imperial Quest!*- The emperor grouses then sucks his teeth at me idly mocking them. -*Well, I'm going to let you get back to not being a scrub. Good job and good luck!*-
Ass... I snicker while closing the Task, no, Imperial Task Board. What's Task Board get me? Task Board? Another window. With quests. Local tasks I can do and turn in for Golden Rivers. Without finding a constables. I still have to go to one to turn it in, but the location, and the Sky Road, can be marked for my convenience. Since fucking when?
I close the Task Board, open the Smorgas-Board, and get ready to grind some, is it reputation? Achievement points are a thing, but I was unlocking shiz without them. Or was I just not getting notifications. Fack! Worry about it later. Quest now! Which quest? Money, items, Qi collection? Didn't I do some of that or does it not count since I did it before this shiz unlocked. Pretty sure I can go through some storages and unlock more shiz. And I want food again.
I turn to the house and it's like a living area attached to a warehouse. Which is actually the kitchen. Go upgrades! I race inside and there's a food prep station, with examples of food, and a pot already cooking. Is this part of why the emperor was distracted? Cool. So what's this? Looks like the lotus pod thing, but the pits are pulled out. And peeled. I eat the peels, 'cause I can, even if they're 'tatoe-y and delicious. Why wouldn't I eat them? Separate, not cooked in boiled mass.
So pod, pits removed, thinly sliced with what looks like chopped fruits. Wait, is this a salad and not a stew? I eat the different ingredients, prepped and otherwise, then eat the finished product which is sitting on a bowl on the side. Delicious, refreshing, and re-energizing. POG! Kinda filling, which is confusing seeing how it's just chunks of juicy sweetness. Fiber maybe?
-For the hoard-ing!- I crow before accessing the Smorgas-Board. -Oh! Qi Collection! I 'member.-
Collect 5000 Void Qi 0/5000 Condensed Qi
Aw~. Wait, Condensed Qi is void qi? Or do I need to specifically get better Qi for it to count? Bank open! No, wait! Water, flour, washed root veggie greens, a dash of wine, set to boil. Another pot of taters and water set to boil. Gonna mash that and then eat everything with smoked fish. Nailed it! Maybe. Have to try it when it's done to know for sure. What was I doing?
Wait for food to cook. Then cycle. Fack. Groom and logs, ugh~. I fall onto my side, weakly flail about instead of properly grooming, and open my log page. Weird symbols resolving to text I can read. The border, which I thought was just a brick frame has symbols which resolve into more text. Filters~, yay...
Combat. Crafting. Cultivating. Cultivating. Cultivating. Okay, what? Oh! Roman numerals and parenthesis. Fack, that's a lot of different ways to cultivate. I know a few different ways to cultivate. And there are a few cultivation tabs that are empty. So I know of the cultivation methods, I can do, I hazn't done? That's actually pretty interesting. Cooking, pffft! Apparently I make a lot of "failed stew". Ha! Skills, notifications, got that one--. Oh! The log goes back farther. The notification list only lists like, last five seen. Cool. Um.
I smell something. Food! I get up take off my greens soup, take my taters and mash them with some brine runoff, then grab some smoked fish. I sit down to nom, turning back to my logs in better spirits.
Communication. Finances. Loot. Loot! I throw my forelimbs up and mock scream before going back to eating and reading. There's so many filters. Familiars? No. Family. Persephone. Brood IV. Meh. Like. Cool that I can make super awesome managers, but how the fuck do I make a bug army to protect me. Pretty sure bugs just make drones. These bishes were not drones. Did I accidentally more people into this world? Did I system them? Make them into bugs, not even primary bugs, then they had to Get Gud? They did an amazing job. Just blasted through shit.
I clean my mess in better spirits, somehow more proud than sad, and do a quick comb down. And find the fricking bracelet again. Why. Is this. In my silk? I slip it over my antenna, using it as a "hairband". It wants to be out? Maybe someone will steal it. Now then. Bed and void cycling. No, wait! Me cycling! Qi condensing. Fack! Could have fucked that up.
Not a nap. Not a nap. Not a nap! I keep chanting while marching to bed. Not a nap! I bring up my paperdoll. Focus on my image. Then cycle. And wait. And try not to think of pink elephants. Or food. Or eating pink elephants. Would they taste citrusy? Strawberry banana elephants? Or passionfruit? Berry elephants. ... Wow, fail.
[Qi Condensing Successful]
[Successful Use: 3/100]
[Con. Qi +2]
[Qi -18]
[Karma 100]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1796,822/23,855,407]
[Current Qi: 711,036/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,421,628/107,275,977]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,21K,178P,54R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,526St]
This is gonna take forever! I can't focus enough to stay focused and let the cutscenes happen, unless there isn't one, and I want to take a nap. Imma nap. I keep the image of me in mind and immediately nod off.