The afternoon suns were high in the sky when Lanine and Rika found their spot near the Destiny Platform again.
The alcove behind the elder's house was quiet. Peaceful. No one came here. No one bothered them. It was the perfect place to sit and think and try to make sense of everything that had happened in the last two days. The test. Rika's mother. The revelation about her constitution. Ghost waking up in Lanine's head. It was a lot.
Rika sat against the wall. Closed her eyes. Accessed her system.
Lanine did the same.
Before you dive in, Ghost said quietly. Let me give you some advice.
What kind of advice?
The kind that keeps you alive. Ghost's voice was patient. Like a teacher explaining something to a slow student. There are billions of people from your universe scattered across this world. They are talking. Sharing. Complaining. Dying. Some of them are figuring things out. You need to know what they are learning.
Like what?
Like which areas are dangerous? Which resources are valuable? Which sects are worth joining and which will use you as a training dummy number seven? Ghost's voice dripped with dry amusement. You think the Molten Core is your only option? There are hundreds of sects. Thousands. Some are good. Some are traps. The Chat knows which is which.
Lanine frowned. You want me to spy on people.
I want you to be smart. There is a difference.
Lanine opened the World Channel.
Messages flooded past. Hundreds of them. Thousands. Endless. Overwhelming. He forced himself to focus. To look for patterns. To look for repeated warnings. To look for anything useful.
"Does anyone know what is good to eat in this place? I tried a purple fruit and my tongue turned blue for three hours. It is still blue. I look ridiculous."
"Stay away from the eastern forest. Seriously. Just stay away. I am not joking. I went in there with a group of five. I came out alone."
"Found a cave with glowing rocks. Does anyone know what these are worth? They are about the size of my fist and they hum when you hold them."
"Those are energy stones you idiot. Do not sell them for cheap. They are worth a lot."
"Help! My group is surrounded by things with too many legs! I am sending coordinates to anyone who can help! Please someone help us!"
"If anyone is near Thornveil the Molten Core sect is recruiting. Tests every three years. The next one just happened though. You missed it."
"Three years? I heard the Crimson Flame sect tests more often. Every year I think."
"Crimson Flame is smaller. Molten Core is bigger. Depends what you want. A bigger sect means more resources. Smaller sect means more personal attention."
"Does anyone else feel like they are being watched all the time? Like something is always watching from the trees?"
"It is the wildlife. Stay in groups. Do not go alone. Whatever you do do not go alone."
"Found a stream with water that flows uphill. Drank it. Now I can hear what rocks are thinking. They are very boring. One of them is named Gerald and he complains about the weather constantly. He says there is too much rain. Back in his day they had droughts for centuries."
Lanine snorted.
"What?" Rika asked. She opened one eye to look at him.
"Someone drank the weird water. Now they can hear rocks. One of the rocks is named Gerald and he complains about the weather."
"I did that too. Drank the water I mean. Not name a rock Gerald."
"Same."
They looked at each other. Started laughing. It was the kind of laughter that came from exhaustion and relief and the strange realization that they were not alone in their weird experiences. Other people had done the same stupid things. Other people had made the same mistakes. Other people were just as lost and confused as they were.
---
Focus, Ghost said quietly. No anger. Just gentle redirection. This is funny yes. But look for patterns. Look for warnings that come up often. Look for names that come up often. The truth is in the repetition.
Lanine stopped laughing. Started scrolling more carefully.
"Anyone been to Thornveil? Is it safe? I am thinking of heading that way."
"Thornveil is fine. Big city. Lots of guards. Lots of people. Just do not go to the eastern district at night."
"What is in the eastern district?"
"Nothing good. Trust me. Nothing good. I went there once. I do not want to talk about it."
"The Molten Core sect is decent for people who use fire. Not the best in Fulmina but decent. They have good resources. Good teachers. Reasonable requirements."
"Decent? I heard their Sect Master is pretty strong. Level Eight. Soul Strengthening. Three minor levels into it."
"Level Eight is strong. There are stronger but Level Eight is nothing to ignore. She has been around for a long time."
"Does anyone know about the Sunken Ruins? I keep hearing about them."
"Sunken Ruins are death. Do not go there."
"Seconded. Do not go there. People die there all the time."
"Thirded. Seriously I knew someone who went there. They did not come back. No one ever comes back."
"What is in the Sunken Ruins?"
"Nothing you want to find. Ancient death traps. Monsters. Curses. Bad news all around."
Lanine made a mental note. Sunken Ruins. Very bad news. Avoid at all costs. Do not even think about going there.
---
They scrolled for another hour. The messages kept coming. Endless. Relentless.
Rika found the regional channel for Fulmina. The messages were more local. More practical. People talking about specific places. Specific dangers. Specific opportunities.
"Axo Stone Village has a mine. Decent quality stone. Traders pass through every few weeks. Good people there."
"Anyone been to Duskfall? Thinking of heading north. Looking for somewhere quiet to settle."
"Duskfall is small. Friendly people. Good hunting nearby. Decent water source. Not many cultivators though so if you are looking for training you might want to go elsewhere."
"Warning: Stitch-hound pack sighted near the Thornveil road. At least six of them. They are aggressive. Travel in groups. Do not go alone."
"Stitch-hounds are easy if you know their blind spot. Just one is fine. Six is a problem. Run if you see six."
"Easy for you to say. You are not the one being chased by six monsters with too many legs."
"Fair point. Still run."
"Does anyone know what energy stones are actually used for? I have some but I do not know what to do with them."
"Currency mostly. Also cultivation. Weapons. Arrays. Formations. Basically everything. You can trade them for stuff. You can use them to power things. You can absorb them for energy if you are desperate."
"Where do you get them?"
"Mines. Killing things. Trading. Same as everywhere. Same as any world with resources."
"I do not have any."
"Join the club. Most of us do not. We are all poor and scared and trying not to die."
Rika looked at Lanine. "We do not have any energy stones."
"I noticed that."
"We should probably get some."
"I noticed that too."
Smart girl, Ghost murmured. Listen to her. Energy stones are the foundation of everything here. Without them you are nothing. You cannot buy things. You cannot trade. You cannot power arrays. You cannot do anything. Get stones.
---
More messages scrolled past. Hours of them. Days of them. Weeks of accumulated knowledge from people who were learning the hard way.
"Does anyone actually understand how cultivation works? I have been trying to absorb energy for three days and nothing happens. Am I doing something wrong?"
"You have to feel it first. Close your eyes. Reach out with your mind. It is like—I do not know—like trying to hear something very faint. Like trying to feel a breeze that is not there."
"That is useless advice."
"It is all anyone has. Figure it out yourself. That is what everyone else is doing."
"Anyone want to form a group? I am near the Thornveil area. Looking for people to travel with. Safety in numbers right?"
"Group? Trust no one. People will rob you. Kill you. Eat you. This world is full of monsters and most of them used to be human."
"That is how you end up dying alone."
"That is how you avoid getting robbed in your sleep."
"Are you paranoid or something?"
"Are you alive or something?"
Rika laughed. "These people are really insane."
"Welcome to the universe I guess."
"Was your planet like this?"
"It was worse. We had this thing called the internet. It was like Chat but with pictures and videos and people arguing about everything all the time. Politics. Sports. What kind of sandwich was best? Everything."
"I have no idea what that means."
"Consider yourself lucky."
---
That is enough for now, Ghost said. You have some useful information. Thornveil in three days. Stitch-hound pack on the road. Sunken Ruins are very dangerous. Energy stones are valuable. Avoid the eastern district at night.
That is it?
That is plenty for one day. You will learn more over time. Check the channels regularly. See what changes and what stays the same. See who is reliable and who is lying. Ghost paused. Notice how no one is talking about higher cultivation levels?
Lanine thought about it. You are right. Everyone is talking about surviving. The basics. No one is mentioning anything beyond Body Strengthening. No one is talking about Level Two or Level Three or anything like that.
That is because most people have not reached that level yet. The people who have reached it are not wasting their time in World Chat. They are cultivating. Or they are dead. Either way, they are not here. Another pause. Remember that. The people with real power are not shouting about it. They are moving in silence. They are not telling strangers on the internet what they know.
Lanine closed his Chat interface.
Rika opened her eyes. "Are you done?"
"I am done for now. What about you?"
"I found a channel for people who cannot cultivate." Her voice was quieter now. More thoughtful. "It is really sad. A lot of despair. A lot of people are giving up. A lot of people are talking about ending things. But it is also kind of hopeful. Some of them are finding other ways to survive. Crafting. Trading. Guiding. One person said they are making a living by mapping dangerous areas for cultivators who do not want to do it themselves. Another person is making tools and selling them. Another person is farming and trading food."
"That is smart."
"Yeah." She paused. Thinking. "Maybe I will find something like that. If the kitchen thing does not work out. If I cannot cultivate. Maybe I can still be useful."
"You will find something."
"You do not know that."
"I know you." He stood. Offered her his hand. "Come on. We have three days until we leave. Let us make the most of them. Let us explore. Let us learn. Let us get ready."
She took his hand. Let him pull her up.
"Partners?" she said.
"Partners."
---
They walked back through the village. Past the Destiny Platform with its gentle pulsing light. Past the training ground where kids were still practicing their forms even in the evening. Past the market where merchants were calling out prices for the last customers of the day.
Lanine's hands stayed in his pockets.
The glow had finally faded. His skin looked normal again. Human.
That is good, Ghost said. You are learning to control it. Keep practicing. By the time we reach Thornveil, you should be able to hide it completely. No one will know what you are unless you want them to.
I will try.
Try harder. Ghost's voice was serious. Your life depends on it. Your secret depends on it. Rika's safety depends on it. If people find out what you are they will come for you. And they will use her to get to you.
You are very dramatic.
I am very old. Ghost said. There is a difference. I have seen things. I have lived through things. I know how this world works. Trust me.
Lanine almost smiled.
Hey Ghost?
Yes?
Thanks. For the advice. For being here I guess. For helping me figure things out.
A long pause. The kind of pause that held more than words could say.
Then softly: You are welcome kid. Now do not get too emotional. It does not suit you. Save the feelings for your girlfriend.
She is not my girlfriend.
Not yet. Give it time.
Lanine smiled for real this time.
Three days until Thornveil.
Three days to prepare.
Three days with Rika before everything changed again.
He planned to enjoy every second.