Chapter Twenty-Seven: Matters Public and Private

After hearing this, Liu Zong was instead a bit confused. “Then I…”

“You’ve obtained a Titan Artifact. Whether or not you’ve accepted the associated quest, whether or not you have the ability to complete it, you must have a unique in-game name, and it must be officially recorded. That’s precisely why I pulled you directly out of the game—because this is official business and must be handled face-to-face.”

With this explanation, Liu Zong didn’t quite know what to say. He now understood that the item he’d acquired was the key to reaching Level 4. After all these years, how many players had achieved Level 4? There were only five in all of Yang City. So, every new possibility had to be registered.

Understanding this, Liu Zong no longer hesitated and asked directly, “What do I need to do?”

“It’s very simple. Choose your name—preferably one that can be easily adapted into both Eastern and Western forms. Once you’ve decided, just report it to me.”

As Li You spoke, he pulled up a virtual light screen and placed it before Liu Zong.

Liu Zong glanced at the screen and saw his own likeness and most of his personal data displayed at the top. Below that was the Titan Artifact he’d tucked away—a treasure Liu Zong knew to be exceedingly rare; even the Hunters had never seen such a thing.

Further down were two blank fields, presumably for entering a name and generating a badge.

Placing the light screen before Liu Zong, Li You explained, “Your Titan Artifact was crafted from a Cyclops and modified into a Hundred-Eyed Giant. Though it’s been altered, the Cyclops’ bloodline still lingers.

“On top of that, you’ve benefited from a few lucky breaks: the first was the bonus from the Pearl King, the second from the boost after the first three contenders gave up, and the third from being the first to open the treasure chest. So, the Cyclops’ bloodline in this artifact is nearly at fifty percent.

“Do you know the legend of the Cyclops?”

Liu Zong nodded. “I’ve heard a bit—they’re said to be the children of Uranus and Gaia, brothers of the Titans.”

“That’s right. The Cyclops bloodline is the closest to that of the Titans, which means your quest will be even more challenging—certainly beyond your current level.”

Here, Li You raised his eyebrows at Liu Zong, who could only bow his head in acknowledgment. He understood perfectly well that this quest was not something a Level 0 could accomplish.

“All you can do for now is engrave your name on this artifact and store it away carefully. The name you engrave will be your in-game name, so take your time and think about what you want to be called in the game.”

Liu Zong hesitated, then asked cautiously, “Do I have to decide right now?”

“You can wait a bit, of course, but be aware: a Titan Artifact without an engraved name can be traded.” Li You shot Liu Zong a knowing look.

At that, Liu Zong became serious. This was both an opportunity and a choice. He realized that Li You was being polite only because this was official business. If he missed this chance or chose poorly, Li You would be the first to ‘buy’ the Titan Artifact from him.

With that in mind, Liu Zong said directly, “My Titan Artifact comes from the Cyclops, so can I use ‘Giant’ as my in-game name? Just ‘Giant’ won’t do—maybe… Liu, Willow Giant? No, that doesn’t sound right. Green Willow Giant? Still off. Zong Willow Giant? Ancestor Willow Giant? No, ‘Ancestor’ is too grand. What about… Zhu, as in Vermillion… Yes, Vermillion Willow Giant. That’s it.”

“Vermillion Willow Giant? Has a bit of a druidic ring to it. I see what you’re doing—you’re quite the trickster,” Li You commented, listening to the name.

“I wouldn’t call it trickery. After all, I do have natural affinity for mana. My parents even thought I’d end up a plant-based druid,” Liu Zong joked, relaxing at last.

Li You didn’t respond, simply engraved the name onto the light screen. Instantly, the artifact displayed a new item name: [Charred Spear of the Vermillion Willow Giant].

After the name was engraved, the two blank fields filled in. Liu Zong saw that the first, presumably for his name, now listed several suitable options he could use.

“Only ‘Vermillion Willow Giant’ is your exclusive in-game name; the others are just aliases or references. Within a small circle, you’ll have exclusive use, but in case of conflicts, it’s usually first come, first served—names like Vermillion Willow, Willow Vermillion, Liu Zong, and so on, plus Western versions like Weiler or Red,” Li You explained.

With that, he pointed to the other field, where a partial emblem had appeared.

At this point, the emblem was just a deep violet background, with no other symbols or imagery.

Li You began to explain, “No player designs their own badge. The game assigns it, adjusting based on your circumstances. Since you haven’t chosen a profession yet, your badge remains blank.

“As for why it’s violet, that’s simple: violet is the color for the Yin attribute. You have an affinity for Yin-type physical and magical power, so the background is entirely violet. Otherwise, magic affinity would leave the top third blank, and physical affinity would leave the right third blank.”

After this series of explanations, Li You finally put away the documents, evidently pleased. “All right, that’s all done. Now, let’s talk about something personal.”

“Personal?” Liu Zong was caught off guard. He didn’t think there was any personal business between him and Li You.

Seeing Liu Zong’s confusion, Li You broke into a broad smile. “It’s nothing serious. Since you’ve obtained a Titan Artifact and are set to reach Level 4, plenty of people will be eager to recruit you. I’m no fool—I wouldn’t miss such a great chance to connect. So, before I let you go, let me tell you my intentions.

“This time, I’m here as an advocate for my alma mater: Blue Skies Domain University in the Nine-Bend Primordial Star Region. It’s the nation’s premier academy for dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, especially focused on nurturing lord-class talent.

“I’ve already informed them about you. They’ve authorized me to offer you a spot: as soon as you reach Level 1 and choose a profession, you can transfer in at any time. If you take the entrance exam, you’ll receive bonus points for special admission, and they guarantee you can graduate at Level 2, unlike regular students who take sixty study years to finish.”