Apocalypse: Everyone Levels Up, I Return to the Time Before the Server Opened-Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Monsters… Appear in Reality!!!

At the foot of Tiger Mountain, Ning Qianjun stood there looking helpless and listless.

Beside him were three others.

Leading them was an elderly man with a sharp, penetrating gaze.

Despite the erosion of time, his posture remained upright and firm. He wore simple white clothing, and his level didn’t seem particularly high.

At his side were two young men, fully equipped and clearly high-level.

Facing the elderly man, they showed utmost respect and seriousness.

“Xiao Ning, has he still not arrived?” The old man, who had already been waiting for nearly three hours, finally spoke, his voice calm and without the slightest trace of impatience.

Hearing this, Ning Qianjun quickly approached and carefully replied, “Senior Xin, the NPCs in this game are highly intelligent and have their own will. He’ll come, definitely, but as for when exactly, I can’t say.”

The old man chuckled softly. “You still think he’s just an NPC?”

Ning Qianjun froze for a moment, then forced a bitter smile. “I did suspect he might be a player… but I’m only just about to reach level 10, and yet that mysterious NPC already killed a level 10 NPC days ago! He even tore apart a level 10 monster — a Blue-Eyed Tiger Beast — with his bare hands!”

Just thinking about it again, Ning Qianjun couldn’t believe that mysterious figure was a player. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

It was simply impossible!

Moreover, the “NPC” was incredibly generous, handing out Purple Rare staffs, Pink Spirit hairpins, and even permanent attribute-boosting rare potions to others!

No player could possibly afford to do that!

After listening, the old man pondered for a moment, then slowly said, “After the Tiger Mountain incident, some staff went up there. They found equipment scattered everywhere, but… according to what we know, NPCs killing monsters shouldn’t cause equipment to drop.”

Ning Qianjun was stunned.

He wasn’t aware of that.

He only knew that a few officials had climbed Tiger Mountain that day and found no sign of anyone.

“NPCs not dropping loot is just a current theory,” Ning Qianjun argued, stubbornly believing that One Leaf Knows Autumn was an NPC.

“Maybe the rules are different. Like, maybe if players party with NPCs and their level is higher, loot drops; or NPCs alone might occasionally cause loot to drop too… Otherwise, where would all those NPC reward items come from?”

But even as he said this, he felt his reasoning was full of holes.

If NPCs really did drop loot normally, wild monster areas would’ve already been completely occupied by them!

Maybe… he had guessed wrong?

Maybe that mysterious cloaked figure was a player after all?

Still, it was too far-fetched.

Even the strongest players were barely level 10 now, and killing a Blue-Eyed Tiger Beast solo was practically impossible!

After a long pause, Ning Qianjun lowered his voice and asked cautiously, “Senior Xin, why are you so concerned about this? Even if he’s a player, isn’t it just… a game?”

While speaking, he stared intently at the old man’s face, trying to glean any hint of information, but failed.

The old man seemed like a master sage: completely unreadable.

The old man smiled slightly and said, “Trying to fish for information, are you?”

Ning Qianjun quickly tried to deny it. He wouldn’t dare speculate on someone of such power!

But before he could even open his mouth, the old man spoke again, “No need to be so tense. Your family and others have already been informed. After you log off, your elders will summon you to a meeting. You’ll hear everything then.”

Ning Qianjun froze.

What could it be?

A heavy sense of unease gripped him.

Something… very bad is coming, and it had something to do with the game!

The old man continued calmly,

“Might as well tell you in advance. In the real world… monsters have appeared.”

As soon as he said those words, Ning Qianjun’s eyes widened in shock.

His face was filled with disbelief, even a subconscious refusal to accept it.

The old man’s voice remained steady. “Not just here. Monsters have appeared in several places abroad too. And they match monsters we encounter in the game.

“For instance, outside the capital city, a few Lynx Beasts were found. Fortunately, the army arrived in time and eliminated them using heavy firepower. Some were even captured alive.

“And… when these monsters were killed… they dropped loot!”

“Just like in the game!

“The only difference is… humans don’t gain experience by killing monsters, and if you’re killed by a monster, you cannot revive.”

Ning Qianjun’s head buzzed violently, his mind going blank.

He almost stumbled and fell!

The old man, for once, showed a rare trace of sorrow on his face.

“None of this has been made public. Governments worldwide are working together, trying to suppress it quietly with military force, to avoid mass panic.

“This world… needs stability, peace, and normalcy.

“But if monsters continue appearing… weaker nations will collapse first.

“And World War III… might even break out because of this.”

As someone from the upper echelons, the old man knew much more than ordinary people and could see the grim future ahead.

Finally, Ning Qianjun swallowed nervously and stammered, “S-Senior Xin… you’re not joking, right?”

He hoped desperately it was just a joke. But this was not April Fool’s Day. And Senior Xin was not a man who joked.

“Xiao Ning,” The old man patted his shoulder, revealing a rare fatigue. “You and your family hold most of this country’s resources. In the future… if chaos really does break out, I hope you’ll stay true to your heart and protect our suffering nation.”