Going back to Stardew Valley… wasn't happening, at least not for now, no matter how tempting the peaceful farm life seemed compared to this chaos. If he couldn't survive in the big city and just ran home with his tail between his legs, where would Rowan put his face and salvage his pride? How would he face the friendly townsfolk of Pelican Town after bragging about his upcoming adventures? How would he face Haley, the girl he'd been trying so hard to impress?
He kept going, gritting his teeth stubbornly.
After this painful lesson, he learned yet another crucial survival rule of Liberty City's unforgiving streets. Now, whenever he made deliveries, he carefully hid the scooter in inconspicuous locations where thieves wouldn't immediately spot it, and if he carried two packages simultaneously, he would bring the second one along with him while delivering the first, carrying it awkwardly but safely.
Completely fail-proof. As expected of his genius intellect.
Rowan worked tirelessly, weaving expertly through the bustling streets of Liberty City as the hours passed. Along the way, he observed many unfamiliar establishments, meat processing plants with suspicious-looking back doors, taxi companies with flashy neon signs, and shady establishments he didn't quite understand. Gang shootouts occasionally erupted in the distance, but they didn't particularly interest him anymore since his biggest wish now was to become a wealthy tycoon rather than getting involved in criminal activities.
Step one of his master plan: earn the first bucket of gold in his entire life.
"Whew…" Another sharp whistle pierced the air.
Rowan's face darkened immediately, and he almost started cursing loudly. "Wrong direction, you ignored a red light. Fine: 50 cash," a different werewolf officer announced sternly, stepping into his path and blocking his route.
Why are there so many ridiculous rules in this city?! But after everything he'd experienced today, he'd built considerable resistance to disappointment and injustice. All those accumulated setbacks finally pushed him past his breaking point, igniting a rebellious spirit.
He absolutely refused to surrender this time.
"Ah! Look over there!" Rowan shouted, pointing dramatically at the sky.
The werewolf officer froze, confused. Where? He turned around instinctively and indeed saw what appeared to be a flying magic bike… well, actually one that had been launched violently into the sky from a catastrophic crash, its rider probably screaming. Car accidents happened constantly in Liberty City's chaotic traffic, so he was thoroughly used to such sights.
When he turned back around;
"Damn it!"
"Where'd he go?!"
Rowan had already disappeared with his scooter, weaving into traffic.
[You refused to pay the fine. Your wanted level has increased.]
A single glowing crime star appeared ominously above Rowan's head. He was still fleeing wildly through the streets when he noticed it, and panic immediately set in.
"Whoa, that serious?!" he yelped.
At the next busy intersection, a dog-headed officer spotted him and began chasing aggressively, forcing him to speed up his scooter even more desperately. Luckily, they were on foot and couldn't possibly catch his motorized vehicle, though their shouting followed him for several blocks. After successfully shaking them off by taking several random turns, he spotted a small urban forest park and immediately dove inside recklessly.
He belly-flopped dramatically into some thick bushes, sticking his butt up awkwardly while his face pressed into the dirt.
"Can't see me, can't see me, can't see me…" he whispered it like a mantra.
After a tense while hiding motionlessly, the crime star gradually faded and disappeared completely. Rowan's eyes lit up triumphantly; the system worked exactly as he'd hoped! He dusted himself off carefully and stood up, leaves and twigs falling from his avatar. He was rapidly starting to understand the game's underlying mechanics through trial and error.
Day one in Liberty City for the beta testers concluded with that, and many players were being thoroughly "educated" by the harsh realities of urban life. Complaints echoed loudly throughout the testing facility.
Inside a luxurious manor located far from the testing center, Clara received a specially manufactured holographic login device directly from Alto's staff, delivered with extraordinary care. A few days earlier, Alto had personally received a special letter from her, and he knew exactly who this player was; she had a massive amount of dedicated followers on the Stardew Valley community forums, and her comprehensive guides were consistently extremely popular and helpful to new players.
After learning through her letter that she couldn't appear in person at the testing facility due to serious physical limitations, Alto understood her situation immediately and responded with sympathy. He'd directly sent her a custom device specifically configured for remote use, usable only by her through biometric binding. She only needed to sign the standard agreements and provide regular feedback like other testers.
Clara hugged the cool-looking helmet happily, her face glowing with genuine excitement. Charles, her father, looked at her enviously, clearly wanting to try the device himself.
"Clara, how about I test it for you first, just to make sure it's safe?" he suggested hopefully.
"Sorry, Sir Charles, but the device is biometrically bound and can't be used by anyone other than Miss Clara," the staff member quickly explained apologetically, cutting off that possibility.
Clara looked at her father and gave a helpless but secretly pleased expression, enjoying this rare moment where something was exclusively hers.
"Ah… I see, haha… perfectly understandable," Charles conceded gracefully.
"Miss Clara, please sign this confidentiality agreement here and here," the staff member indicated.
After everything was properly settled and documented, she eagerly put on the sleek helmet, her hands trembling slightly with anticipation. Her consciousness began sinking slowly, that familiar floating sensation she'd experienced in other Dreamscape applications, but somehow more refined.
Skipping the violent opening shootout sequence entirely, fighting really wasn't her preferred style, she entered the detailed character creation interface. She excitedly browsed through the diverse available races and repeatedly adjusted facial features and body proportions with meticulous attention, fascinated by the incredible customization options.
So interesting and immersive!
Finally, she chose a deerfolk character, thinking the graceful species suited her personality perfectly. The Moon Elf girl Clara transformed completely into an adorable little deer girl, complete with elegantly curved horns and a distinctive black nose that twitched expressively.
After confirming her choices, she spawned in a narrow city alley, and Clara immediately walked out eagerly to observe her surroundings with wide-eyed wonder. Previously, she'd only glimpsed the city briefly in the promotional trailer, but experiencing it personally revealed its incredible charm and attention to detail. She especially wondered where the famous rabbit officer Judy would appear, since she'd become an instant Judy fan the moment she saw her in that trailer, the crisp uniform, the sleek hover bike, patrolling the city fearlessly, fighting crime with determination.
While wandering the bustling streets aimlessly, a gorgeously dressed antelope girl walked past nearby, holding an expensive designer purse and talking animatedly on her phone, moving gracefully, making Clara look at her admiringly. Clara found herself ogling the stylish clothes and wondering where in the city she could eventually buy similar outfits for her avatar.
Suddenly-
A shadowy black figure rushed out explosively from a side alley and violently snatched the purse in a practiced motion.
"Ah! Robbery! Someone help!" the antelope woman screamed helplessly, her voice pitched high with genuine fear.
Clara witnessed everything, her view unobstructed. The figure ran incredibly fast, a black-clothed lizardman with distinctive scales catching the light, and her sense of justice ignited instantly, burning away any hesitation.
"Bad guy! Stop right there!" she shouted, surprising herself with her boldness.
Power surged unexpectedly through her small deer body, reminding her that, after all, the protagonist had previously been a professional mafia hitman, so their refined combat skills and physical conditioning weren't fake or just for show. She dashed forward with startling speed and blocked the lizardman's escape route, planting herself firmly in his path, her arms spread wide defensively.
"No running away!"
The lizardman sneered condescendingly at the tiny deer girl blocking him so boldly, clearly not taking her seriously. His long forked tongue flicked out mockingly between his sharp teeth as he reached out to simply push her aside roughly.
"Move, kid."
But she didn't budge even slightly, her hooves planted firmly. Her small body contained a hidden strength that shocked him, and he stumbled backward slightly from the resistance. He got angry quickly; this brat was courting death. His amber reptilian pupils shrank to dangerous slits as he raised a scaled fist threateningly.
Clara had never actually fought anyone before in her entire life, either in reality or in games. Her bravery was purely impulsive righteousness, overriding common sense. Seeing him attack aggressively, she panicked completely and wildly swung her small pink fists in defensive desperation.
"Ah! That hurts..." The lizardman suddenly clutched his rapidly bruising eye and stepped back, genuinely hurt.
Terrifying! He stared at her in absolute shock, reassessing her.
Clara was equally shocked by what had just happened. Am I actually this strong?!