Strategy game? Then I'll have to control you properly.

"Let's pack up and head back. We're exhausted, and it's getting late."

"Speaking of which, where did that person and Lady Lillie go...? Ah, they're here."

In the underground plaza where the miners were taking a temporary rest, piles of ore were stacked to one side, and everyone was breathing slowly, waiting for Lillie to return.

When Lillie appeared, she was completely distracted and her eyes were glazed over.

Lin Miao, who was traveling with them, paid no attention to her surroundings. She ran back and forth between the square and the mine tunnel, collecting all the ore that the miners had discarded into her backpack and urging everyone to return to the stone house.

On the way back, Allen cautiously approached and whispered, "Lady Lillie, did you go deeper into the mine? Did something happen?"

Lillie nodded with a wry smile, her voice soft: "Yes, something did happen."

She led the way at the front of the group, her gaze occasionally drifting to Lin Miao beside her. Then she slowly began to tell everyone about her experiences: the deadly battle with the necromancer underground, Lin Miao's sacrifice to protect her, and his resurrection.

Upon hearing these words, the residents immediately became agitated.

Having no knowledge of this world, they were filled with disbelief and shock when faced with the miracle of "resurrection," and murmurs of discussion rose and fell among them.

This eerie and somber atmosphere persisted until everyone returned to the entrance of the stone house.

Attila was already waiting at the door. Seeing everyone return, he stepped forward and said, "You've all had a hard day... What's going on? The atmosphere here is a bit strange."

Lillie didn't hide anything and told her father, Attila, everything that had happened underground.

Attila listened quietly, then nodded slowly, his expression more calm than expected: "Yes, it is indeed astonishing. But thinking about it carefully, given our current situation, it wouldn't be surprising if something even more outrageous happened."

"But...but..." Lillie opened her mouth, her tone still filled with lingering confusion and worry.

Attila never expected that things would develop in a way that completely contradicted his expectations.

"Um?"

Just as Attila had arranged for everyone to rest and was about to set off back to the village, stepping into the portal, Lin Miao's character suddenly appeared out of thin air and blocked his path.

"What...what do you mean by this?"

Attila trembled with fear and hurriedly knelt down on the ground.

Seeing this, the surrounding clansmen also prostrated themselves in respect, so no one saw that Lin Miao was holding the blue pearl that had just fallen from the necromancer's body in his hand.

◆◆◆

"The [Mage] trait and the [Martial Arts] trait cannot be stacked, yet they are perfectly compatible with Attila's [Leadership] trait?"

Lin Miao paid no attention to the villagers kneeling in front of her; all her attention was focused on the instructions for using the prop in her hand, and she even breathed a little softer.

He had long understood the significance of traits. Even though people like Lillie who were born with traits were not uncommon, the villagers' almost reverent reaction when they acquired traits from the game was enough to prove that it was a miraculous power capable of overturning fate.

The more people who possess certain characteristics, the stronger the survival barrier of the entire settlement becomes, and the safer the road ahead.

This [Mage] trait item was dropped by him after killing a necromancer in the game. Even though its level is not high, the difficulty of obtaining it and its name alone reveal the power it contains.

Of course, he also prepared for the worst. Perhaps, like the perfectly designed class system in a game, Attila simply didn't have the talent to match this power.

But ultimately, you have to try it to know.

With a flick of her finger, Lin Miao sent the item imbued with special properties flying toward Attila, who was looking completely bewildered.

Just like when using potions before, the item turned into a glimmer of light the moment it touched Attila, and automatically took effect as it entered his body.

Attila (tribal chief)

[Traits: Leadership, Mage]

[Deployment: Minecraft]

"It really worked?!"

The change was immediate. Lin Miao right-clicked on Attila, and the opponent's status bar instantly refreshed. The previously isolated [Leadership] trait bar now prominently featured the [Mage] trait.

Unlike the bright yellow personal occupation attributes like miners and farmers, this line of text is pure white, exactly the same as Lillie's [Martial Arts] and Attila's original [Leadership], representing the pure white of the core combat attribute.

However, at present, the extent of this power, how to activate it, and whether it can be effective outside the game world are all still unknown.

The next moment, Attila suddenly shuddered, and a low groan escaped his throat.

He clearly sensed a warm yet unfamiliar torrent surging from the depths of his blood to his limbs and bones. His drooping hands trembled uncontrollably, and he mumbled intermittently about the unfamiliar power surging within him.

Even Lillie, who could hold her own against a necromancer, couldn't help but glance at her with surprise.

Clearly, this change is real, and from the current perspective, it is definitely a positive improvement.

"But I always feel like something's missing."

Lin Miao watched the residents returning to the village one after another, his brows furrowed as he fell into deep thought.

Even though the villagers were gradually gaining new power, a lingering sense of regret remained in his heart, and this doubt was finally confirmed after witnessing Lillie's battle today.

To be fair, the necromancer in the game wasn't a particularly formidable opponent; if he were to fight seriously, he could be defeated in thirty minutes at most. However, due to the system's interference and materialization distortion, coupled with the alienation caused by contact with real-world villagers, the necromancer's strength now far surpasses that of the original game character.

The villagers, with their current strength, had no chance of winning against the countless monsters remaining in the game, including even the boss-level monsters, that they would have to face in the future.

Just then, a brand new system prompt popped up on the screen.

[Recommended Third-Person Action RPG Games]

Activation cost: 2500P

He does need a new approach to solve the problem of sustained resource supply and achievement point acquisition.

Previously, the system recommended the mind-bending sandbox game "Minecraft" to the villagers suffering from resource scarcity. This time, it recommended a third-person action RPG that Lin Miao had given up on halfway through because of its hellish difficulty.

What kind of power is hidden in a game where you fight monsters, level up, and farm equipment by following the storyline, and what can it bring to this village on the verge of collapse?

"Never mind, I'll just take a nap first."

Lin Miao glanced at the time and stood up from her chair.

It was already late at night, and the villagers, including Lillie, should have been resting. With nothing to do at the moment, they might as well recharge before making a decision.

◆◆◆

"Father, it's very late. I understand your joy, but pacing back and forth like this, you can't rest at all."

That night, Lillie stepped out of her house and looked at Attila, who was bathed in the bright moonlight and could not hide his excitement, and sighed softly.

"I can't sleep." Attila's voice trembled uncontrollably. "This power is surging in my veins, and my chest is burning. I just can't close my eyes."

Since returning from the portal, Attila was like a man on fire, his whole body radiating uncontainable ecstasy.

On the eve of his return, the gift bestowed upon him by that great man was a miracle called "magic".

To this day, they are still unaware of the full extent of this gift. All Attila knows is that, through the artifact in that great man's hands, a magical blessing has been etched into his bloodline.

Even though countless practices and experiences are needed to truly master this power, Attila was already overjoyed at this moment.

After all, the idea that a mortal with no talent could receive the blessing of magic without any side effects was something that had never been witnessed in person, nor had it ever been mentioned in any past rumors.

"Father," Lillie's voice carried a hint of helplessness, "I can sense that the flow of magic within you has become fixed. Even if you practice swordsmanship with me, you won't be able to fully unleash this power."

As a warrior, all she could teach her father was the swordsmanship she had inherited from her master.

But as the name of the trait suggests, the power of the [Mage] is never above the sword.

"There will always be a way." Attila showed no sign of discouragement, his tone filled with unwavering conviction. "Lillie, that lord wouldn't bestow this power without a reason. Since He gave it to us, He must be guiding us in the right direction."

Moreover, even if he can't use special magic for the time being, his strong physique, unique to those with awakened characteristics, has already made him several times stronger than before.

"That's true, I should go to sleep early." With that thought, Attila finally stopped in his tracks. "Who knows what will happen tomorrow? That lord might bring new surprises. I must be in the best condition to meet His arrangements."

He turned and walked towards home, the moonlight casting a long shadow of him, each step revealing an unprecedented determination.

The next morning.

"Alright everyone, let's get ready to go! Only when we give it our all can the village truly be safe!"

Attila, still unable to hide his excitement, gathered the villagers who were going to enter the portal that day and marched towards the rift.

The other members of the team had already heard the news of Attila's awakening of magic, and each of them had anticipation and longing in their eyes, their steps were lighter than usual.

"what?"

The change happened in that instant.

Just as Lillie lifted her foot to step into that familiar black portal, an invisible, hard barrier suddenly bounced her back.

She staggered back two steps before regaining her balance, her face filled with panic as she reached out to push against the familiar black rift. But the portal, with equally forceful power, refused her entry, as if an invisible rule was preventing her from entering.

Lillie (Daughter of the Chieftain)

【Characteristic: Martial Arts】

[Deployment: Dark Souls]

"I can't get in! Why is that?!"

"What happened?! What's wrong with Miss Lillie?!"

Unable to view their own status bar, the villagers instantly panicked. No one noticed that the deployment section at the very bottom of Lillie's status bar had already been quietly changed.

With the deployment changed, she could no longer enter the original game world.

◆◆◆

"Speaking of which, I quit this game after only playing half of it because its difficulty was insanely high, practically hellish."

Sensing the commotion in front of the portal, Lin Miao tapped her finger and launched another game.

It wasn't the Minecraft game he'd been playing for the past few days, but rather Dark Souls, which he had just activated after waking up, at the cost of all his achievement points.

This third-person action RPG is vastly different from previous all-ages sandbox games, both in terms of gameplay and its oppressive and somber atmosphere.

[Current number of residents eligible to enter: 0/1]

"Since only one person can go in..."

In the initial stages of this game, only one resident is allowed to enter at a time.

That's why Lin Miao chose Lillie.

To fully understand this game, to figure out why the system recommends it, and what kind of power it can bring, there is no one in the entire village more suitable than Lillie.

……

"Lillie!"

Attila watched helplessly as his daughter before him transformed into a wisp of light and vanished without a trace in front of everyone. He screamed in fury and frantically reached out to grab her, but his fingertips grasped only emptiness.

"Clan Chief!"

"W-What's going on?!"

The villagers were completely panicked, and screams filled the air.

"Calm down, everyone!" Attila clenched his fists, forcibly suppressing the sob in his throat and the panic in his heart, and forced himself to calm down. "It was that person who took Lillie away."

He experienced the exact same scenario. The first time the game started, he and three others vanished instantly before the villagers' eyes, swept into the world made of blocks.

Based on this memory, Attila instantly became certain of the answer. He knew that the man was not an enemy, much less would he harm Lillie.

"Lillie will be alright." Attila turned around, her voice calm and reassuring to the panicked villagers. "That great one must have had His reasons for taking her away. All we can do is fulfill our duties and not hold Him back."

"Really... is it okay?" a villager asked in a trembling voice.

"If even Lillie can't withstand the trial, then our worries are futile." Attila took a deep breath, suppressing the reluctance and worry in his heart, and turned around first, stepping across the black portal.

All he could do was his best.

……

the other side.

Lillie, who had been swept into this unfamiliar world alone, quickly forced herself to calm down, gripped the longsword at her waist, and slowly looked around.

"Where exactly is this?"

Overhead, dense, gloomy clouds hung in the air, and the air was thick with the damp smell of humus. Before my eyes unfolded a scene so realistic it was almost grotesque, completely different from the blocky world.

The rough rocks, the tangled tree roots, the withered trees swaying in the wind—every detail was terrifyingly realistic, making it impossible for her to tell where she was.

She fell in the middle of an ancient path in an unfamiliar forest. At the end of her vision, a gloomy and majestic ancient castle stood faintly. Her hand, gripping the hilt of her sword, unconsciously tightened slightly.

"Hmm!"

Just then, she caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of her eye.

A knight, clad in heavy armor and wearing a tattered red cloak with his face mask covering his entire face, stood quietly not far away, watching her intently.

He's a knight!

Lillie tensed all her muscles instantly, drew her longsword, and pointed the tip directly at the figure.

The greatest enemies of the scattered tribes of the same kind are the competing tribal warriors, but the knights of the surrounding kingdoms also frequently clash with them.

From childhood, she had heard too many tales of knights burning, killing, and looting, and a sense of wariness and hostility toward this identity was ingrained in her very bones.

"No, why are you acting so wary again? I thought you were used to it."

Watching Lillie's tense expression as she repeatedly manipulated her character to sit down and stand up, trying to make her recognize her, Lin Miao couldn't help but click her tongue and helplessly shook the mouse.

Fortunately, after her initial wariness, Lillie's gaze fell on the repetitive sitting and standing motion, and her hand holding the sword slowly lowered.

In Minecraft, she had seen that adult perform the exact same action countless times in His avatar.

Even though the figure before her was completely different from the one in the blocky world, she could still keenly sense from these familiar actions that the same aura, unique to that person, was the same.

"Excuse me... where exactly is this place?" Lillie took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and bowed to the red-cloaked knight in front of her to ask.

Naturally, Lin Miao, who couldn't understand her language, could only smile helplessly, control her character, and point to the faintly visible ancient castle in the distance.

The path leading to the castle serves as the game's tutorial, while everything that happens inside the castle forms the game's first act.

Without explanation, without clarification, without even a word of comfort, I was about to follow a stranger into an unknown and dangerous place.

Lillie simply bit her lower lip, gripped her longsword tightly, and quickly followed the figure in the red cloak.

It was this person before them who gave their father a miracle, gave the tribe a way to survive, and gave them hope to live on.

The time they spent together had already etched an unshakable belief into her heart: as long as she believed in Him and followed in His footsteps, she would surely receive a reward commensurate with it.