My family runs an adventurer's guild.

In addition, there is a short story titled "The Story of the Castrated Cat," which recounts the circumstances surrounding Cuenca's castration by his "human owner from another world."

Faced with this situation, the old cat Kunka couldn't help but tremble, tremble again and again, until finally the veins on his forehead bulged, and he almost had an epileptic seizure.

"...How...how could this happen? My God. Did the entire town witness my tragic experience in this other world?"

"...Grandpa! It's not just our whole town that knows, it's probably the whole country! Believers from all over the world can enter the Kingdom of the Sleeping God!"

The grandson said with an "innocent" look, "...In the entire kingdom of the God of Sleep, there are probably thousands of people who have seen the whole process of you being castrated!"

Meow! The whole country knows I was castrated in another world?! And it was all broadcast live?!

Good heavens! How am I supposed to save face now?

Hearing his grandson's naive words and seeing the strange looks from the passersby, Kunka was filled with shame and indignation. He felt a surge of anger rising in his face, his chubby round face turning red, but he didn't know who to vent his anger on.

After much thought, I realized that the only way to settle this score was with the Adventurers' Guild that had orchestrated this "Otherworld Dream Parade."

So he grabbed a broom and angrily ran straight to the Adventurers' Guild across the square, kicked the door open, and roared.

"...Meow! Phil, you little rascal! You've ruined my reputation! Meow!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A few days later, Lulutia, the Silver Dragon, returned from her audience with the King in the capital city of Thousand Sails. As soon as she entered the Adventurers' Guild, she saw Phili sitting behind the counter with his head drooping, several claw marks on his face, and an aura of decadence that resembled that of a salted fish.

"...Oh! What happened to my little Phil? Did he try to seduce or flirt with some girl and get scratched?"

Miss Silver Dragon Lulutia chuckled and ruffled Firi's hair. She then pulled a small packet of dried plant stems and leaves, resembling tea leaves, from her pocket into a brocade pouch. "...You seem to need some strong, top-quality catnip right now! This is a gift I bought for you in the capital. Try it!"

"...My dear mistress, at my age, my body doesn't seem to be developed enough to be in heat yet, does it? The murderer is old Kunka from town!"

Phili looked at the brocade pouch filled with catnip, but still sighed dejectedly, "...Damn it, I wasn't the one who castrated him, nor was I the troublemaker who drew that 'Castrated Cat Picture' and spread it everywhere. Besides, I made it clear beforehand that traveling to another world was risky and that I would bear all the consequences. Why is he still holding a grudge against me? Those guys who got hit by cars, shot, or kicked into the sewers and drowned haven't even complained yet..."

“…Oh, I was so stupid, really!” He looked up blankly at the ceiling, paused for a moment, and then continued, “…I only knew that interdimensional adventures were dangerous, and that New York in the Marvel world was full of hidden talents, so I never intended to cause any trouble. But I didn’t know that the six guys who followed me there didn’t even have the basic common sense of living in a modern metropolis. Even if they didn’t cause any trouble, they could still lose their lives.”

Before they left, I repeatedly warned them to be careful and not run around, and they all seemed to listen. But once they got there, they immediately let loose. Some darted into the road, nearly getting hit by cars several times, and one actually did. Others rushed into shops, knocking over things, and were chased out by the counter staff with a stun gun. I was so busy managing one thing that I almost exhausted myself.

Okay, so you guys were so cocky, thinking you were all that great, huh? Well then, show us your adventurous talents! But when it really came down to it, five little cat people couldn't even beat three stray cats, and two of them even abandoned their companions and ran away! You really made Totoro Town lose face all the way to New York! Tell me, with such laughable fighting skills and teamwork, what kind of adventurers are you? And then, after the adventure ended and we came out of the Temple of Sleep, they all came to complain about me, as if I deliberately made them suffer…”

As she rambled on, Phil almost burst into tears, unable to utter a coherent sentence for a moment.

Lulutia, the silver dragon, nodded in agreement. In the few days since she left Totoro Town, the story of Cuenca, the retired cat-man official, being castrated in the Marvel universe had become a hot topic on the social media platform of the Sleeping God Kingdom, and had even spread to the gossip in the street taverns. No wonder old Cuenca, the "most famous eunuch cat of the year," was so furious and anxious.

Especially since his actual body hadn't been castrated... To prove his virility was still intact, Cuenca recently ignored the disapproving looks from his wife and children and went to the town's brothel several times. As a result, because of his advancing age—he was already a retired old man—he attracted even more ridicule from the prostitutes and their clients, such as "short and weak," "can't last more than three seconds," and "my mouth is sore and I still can't get hard," etc.

—Let's take a moment to mourn for the protagonist of "The Cat Castration Story," the disgraced old Cuenca, the "most famous eunuch cat of the year"...

I'm not a eunuch.jpg

Then, apart from Cuenca's "cat neutering story," the various ways other cats in the Marvel universe died have now become a topic of conversation among the people of Totoro Town, and even in the capital city of Thousand Sails, rumors are circulating—naturally, they are treated as jokes.

The advantage of this phenomenon is that it gave the seven previously unknown cat-people of Totoro Town a boost in popularity, turning them into rudimentary "internet celebrities" in this fantasy world. The disadvantage, however, is that it severely dampened the townspeople's enthusiasm for participating in "otherworldly dream tours"—everyone felt that while these "dream tours of other dimensions" seemed safe, they offered absolutely no privacy, and it would be quite embarrassing if something went wrong…

In short, the residents of Totoro Town have shifted from being eagerly anticipating this "dreamlike adventure to another dimension" to being "objective and calm"—no wonder, since the previous pioneers had such a terrible experience traveling through the Marvel universe.

The resulting negative impact even caused some trouble for Lulutia, the Silver Dragon, who was far away in the palace seeking funding and support.

Therefore, after Firi, the magical pet cat who stayed behind in Totoro Town, finished rambling on about his frustrations and helplessness, his mistress Lulutia also told Firi about her experience when she went to the capital city, Thousand Sails, to meet the king...

Author's message

P.S.: The increase in blades and monthly tickets is gradually decreasing, so it seems that this bounty is almost over. In short, the bounty will continue until tonight, and after it is completed, I will resume my normal 4000-word daily update.

Random Thoughts: A Time Capsule from the Former Soviet Union Fifty Years Ago

The time capsule left by the people of the former Soviet Union for future generations in 2017 on the anniversary of the October Revolution in 1967 has been opened, and its contents are deeply moving.

Novosibirsk, "Exploring the Moon and Mars"

"Dear descendants, today is a special day marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Soviet Union. Warmest congratulations on this great and glorious anniversary. Our era is very interesting, and I imagine yours is just as interesting. We are still building communism, and you must already be living in communism. You have beautifully developed our blue planet, explored the moon, landed on Mars, and are constantly venturing into the universe. Have your spaceships already broken out of the Milky Way? Have you already negotiated scientific and cultural cooperation with representatives of civilizations on other planets?"

Murmansk: "Many new secrets of nature have been discovered."

"We have only taken our first steps into the universe, but you should already be able to fly to other planets. Many new secrets of nature that were yet to be discovered have been found, the climate has been altered, and the Arctic gardens have been explored. May the eternal flame of Lenin's thought, ignited in 1917, burn forever in your hearts. Long live!"

Ryazan City, "I Envy You, Comrade"

"My life is very good now. (At university) there are all sorts of excellent independent activities and different clubs. Many students (at the Ryazan Radio Academy) participate in research. I also enjoy sports, drama, and movies. Every semester I study hard in the classroom, laboratory, and library. During summer vacation, I go to collective farms and wastelands to help build clubs, dormitories, and other facilities. This is called a labor semester. By 2017, our university will probably be a larger and better institution of higher education, training engineers for the 21st century—the century of new scientific discoveries and achievements. I envy you, comrade."

Arkhangelsk: "Pioneering Great Achievements in the Milky Way"

"Arkhangelsk should have no more wooden areas or roads by now. The city is undergoing transformation in our time. Construction is booming throughout Arkhangelsk, and we've been building all along. You probably live better lives than us, making a name for yourselves in the galaxy and making the earth more beautiful. I envy you for being able to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Soviet Union, but we envy even more the young people who can keep working. We have clear goals, a bright future, and countless things we want to do. Skills, intelligence, ideas, and energy all have their uses."

"The 21st Century is the Century of Communism's Triumph!" (Maikop District, Republic of Adyg)

"Adyge, once a desolate and lawless zone during the Tsarist era, has been transformed into a place with an advanced socialist economy and industry, and a high literacy rate and cultural level. In the next 50 years, I believe that advanced humanity will have achieved a decisive victory over imperialism, the irreconcilable enemy of all nations. Hasn't communism been established on the basis of scientific and advanced Marxism-Leninism? May the 21st century be a world where communism triumphs!"

Bounty settlement and one-day continuation of bounty

Now settling the bounty. Before the bounty was set, the total monthly votes were 450, the total number of blades was 245, and the monthly reward was 13506.

During the bounty period, monthly tickets increased by approximately 200, rewards increased by 8000, and the number of blades reached 859.

In the three days since its release, 38000 words have been updated. After deducting the daily minimum of 4000 words, an additional 26000 words have been added, thus reaching the full word count for the reward.

There are still some drafts in reserve, so the reward will continue for one more day. For every 100 blades, 2000 more words will be added. I hope everyone will throw more blades!

Chapter 103, Online Games Can't Be Without a Starting Village

"...Hey Phil, you've really messed things up in the Marvel universe this time. Not only did you kill yourself and make Cuenca the most famous neutered cat in our country this year, but you've also caused me a lot of trouble! The royal family's funding for this research has been significantly reduced as a result..."

As Miss Silver Dragon Lulutia poured herself a cup of herbal tea, she complained to Phili with a similarly melancholy tone.

As mentioned before, after the experimental sleepwalking adventure in the Type-Moon world ended, the current lord of Totoro Town, Princess Catherine of the Golden Dragon Kingdom, who was burdened with the "Eternal Loli Curse," happily rushed back to the capital, Thousand Sails City, to show off and claim credit to her father.

King Alaric Ingram, the "Builder" of the Golden Dragon Kingdom, was also very interested in this "safe, cheap and risk-free" adventure in another world after hearing his eldest daughter's triumphant description. Although this "dreamlike" adventure could not bring back any physical items as spoils from other worlds, it was absolutely safe. Even if the adventurer died in another world, he would only suffer some mental trauma.

Even if there are no spoils to be gained, at least the adventurers can broaden their horizons and acquire some knowledge and wisdom from this other world.

As a long-lived golden dragon, King Alaric knew very well that the importance of knowledge often far surpassed that of gold and silver treasures!

Anyway, this kind of "sleepwalking" otherworldly adventure has no cost; it just means that the people who participate in the adventure can stay at home and sleep more.

If we could get those rich kids in Thousand Sails City who have nothing better to do than cause trouble, play pranks, philander, and fight over women to stop going out and instead spend their days dreaming of other worlds, then not only would the pressure on public security be reduced, but the social atmosphere would also improve significantly.

—If given a choice, any ruler would prefer his subjects to be otaku rather than biker gangs and hippies…

Therefore, after learning about this from his daughter, His Majesty Alaric-Ingram immediately dispatched his attendants to Totoro Town to summon the three initiators of this interdimensional adventure: the demigod golden dragon Harald, the silver dragon sage Helena, and Miss Lulutia, the guild master of the Totoro Town Adventurers' Guild.

The main purpose was to inquire about the technical details and limitations of this "sleepwalking" otherworldly adventure, as well as any potential adverse side effects. Only then could His Majesty the King use this information to decide whether or not to fund and promote this new invention.

Meanwhile, the well-informed and fashionable wealthy and powerful people in the capital city of Thousand Sails also learned about this immediately—just like in the feudal era on Earth, the fashion trends in the Golden Dragon Kingdom have always followed the trends of the court.

No matter how novel it is, as long as it receives praise and endorsement from members of the royal family, many people in high society will follow suit.

As a result, these powerful and wealthy individuals couldn't help but feel very curious about this, and even wanted to try their hand at "dreamwalking" in another world.

However, just as Lulutia, Harald, and Helena were entering the palace to meet the king and explain their "sleepwalking" otherworldly adventure, news of Phil's "Marvel World Death Trip" and Grandpa Cuenca's "Cat Castration Story" also reached the social circles of the royal capital, Thousand Sails City. There were also many believers of the goddess of sleep, "Mengmeng," in Thousand Sails City who could watch Phil and his companions' journey in real time in the divine kingdom.

As a result, when this news became a hot topic of conversation in the royal capital's taverns, those who were originally eager to follow the trend and participate in the interdimensional adventure were also given a cold shower, feeling that they should think carefully about this matter and see how others do it first.

—Although they grew up listening to stories of adventure heroes and genuinely yearned for novel adventures and cool battles, they weren't incapable of handling failures in adventures… After all, this kind of "sleepwalking" otherworldly adventure wouldn't actually harm their bodies; even if they unfortunately died, it would be no different than losing a game of cards. If they couldn't even handle this kind of setback, then such guys wouldn't have the face to show their faces in the world.

However, for unfortunate old Kunka, being inexplicably castrated by "natives of another world," then forced to pose for photos with his own testicles, and finally having his story spread worldwide, ruining his reputation... such humiliation and disgrace were far beyond their capacity to bear. Therefore, those who had initially clamored to participate in the next otherworldly adventure all fell silent and adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Even King Alaric, who had initially been equally enthusiastic, became hesitant and uncertain about the matter.

Finally, King Alaric consulted with his favorites and felt that although this "sleepwalking" adventure in another world was safe, reliable, and promising, it was not yet perfect and had many flaws. In order to be on the safe side, it was better not to rush to promote it for the time being.

Therefore, after the audience concluded, the court of Thousand Sails City only approved a small amount of funding before sending Miss Lulutia back to Totoro Town to continue researching and refining this new "dreamlike" otherworldly adventure project, and then deciding whether to promote it based on the situation...

While Lulutia and her two friends were somewhat frustrated, they also had to admit that their rudimentary "dreamlike" otherworldly adventure mode was far from perfect. It had many flaws, both in software and hardware, some of which were even fatal.

For example, broadcasting the entire otherworldly adventure of the volunteers without their consent—from their cool and stylish displays to their embarrassing and disastrous failures—without any attempt to conceal their actions, is a serious violation of their privacy rights. While it provides plenty of amusement for onlookers, it also severely discourages bystanders from joining in.

After all, no one wants to become the next clown to be ridiculed like that.

But can simply shutting down the live stream promotion window for the otherworld adventure solve everything?

That doesn't seem to work either. The seven cats' adventure in the Marvel universe has been such a flop that it can't be turned around by simply hiding it.

So where exactly does the problem lie?

"...I think the biggest problem is that none of the members who participated in this other-world adventure are actually adventurers!"

Before entering the Marvel universe, they had no experience whatsoever in eliminating slimes or fighting goblins in the forest. Suddenly, they found themselves in a completely unfamiliar city in another world, surrounded by strangers. Who knew what dangers lurked within them? Naturally, their judgment faltered, and they fell into a state of confusion—it was like grabbing any random passerby and using them as a top spy; making a fool of themselves was normal, and it would be a miracle if they didn't.

After thinking for a long time, Phil speculated, "...So, before letting those newbies who dream of adventure actually participate in various challenging interdimensional adventures, we need to set up a low-difficulty beginner village for them to train them in the basic qualities of adventurers!"

Chapter 104, On the Importance of Starting Villages in Online Games

In general, for the Golden Dragon Kingdom, which was established in the New World and somewhat similar to the early United States, being an adventurer was a relatively respectable, honorable, and acclaimed profession, somewhat similar to the explorers of the Age of Exploration in Western Europe.

For more than three hundred years since its founding, the Golden Dragon Kingdom, which established itself as a colony in the New World, has been constantly expanding its territory to the western wilderness, gradually extending its territory from a small area centered on [Thousand Sails City] to the western wilderness west of [Great Cliff].

And generation after generation of adventurers who braved the wilderness with their own provisions were the vanguard of this great colonial, conquest, and expansion movement.

To this day, the country remains in a phase of rapid colonial expansion, with vast tracts of land west of the Great Cliff still waiting to be conquered.

Therefore, encouraging and promoting adventure has always been a national policy of the Golden Dragon Kingdom, as well as a social atmosphere that the government has tried its best to guide.

The upper class and the kingdom's official institutions often organize grand celebrations to recognize and reward adventurers who explore the unknown.

In the markets and taverns of cities throughout the Golden Dragon Kingdom, hymns praising those famous adventurers are often heard.

To wield a magic wand and sword with style and become a legendary adventurer is the biggest dream of many children.

The problem is that admiring, yearning for, and praising adventurers is one thing, but actually becoming an adventurer yourself is quite another.

Because, strictly speaking, the yearning and admiration that most ordinary people have for adventurers is nothing more than a case of loving dragons but fearing them in return.

The so-called "Lord Ye's love of dragons" refers to someone who may appear to like something, but in reality, they don't truly like it.

They are even less willing to pay too high a price for the things they like.

For example, modern military enthusiasts may be fascinated by various cutting-edge weapons and strategies and tactics, but if they were to actually put on military uniforms and go to the front lines to fight, these "professional" military lovers would probably immediately become terrified and try every means to evade military service.

Furthermore, both modern China and Japan have many "Three Kingdoms enthusiasts" who spend their days playing Three Kingdoms games, watching Three Kingdoms-themed TV series, movies, and anime, fantasizing about being able to come to this heroic era where famous generals and strategists emerged in abundance, to outwit and outmaneuver the heroes of the late Han Dynasty, and to create their own great achievements... But if they were really asked to travel back to the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period and breathe pure, unpolluted fresh air, they would probably immediately miss the smog of their hometown.

Similarly, the worship and yearning of adventurers by the various subjects of the Golden Dragon Kingdom is largely nothing more than a case of loving dragons but fearing them in return.

For example, the thousands of cat-people residents of Totoro Town all possess night vision and climbing skills, but they mostly use these skills to navigate at night, not to become nighttime assassins. While they are indeed more adept at night raids than humans, it doesn't mean they are born nighttime stalkers who can be easily pulled out and calmly perform at their highest level in life-or-death situations.

Of course, the "dreamlike" otherworld adventure that Phil and his mistress are currently playing, which is derived from the Type-Moon universe, is similar to the arrival of heroic spirits in the Holy Grail War, and can also increase the combat power of players who go to other worlds.

The problem is that adventurers are neither gladiators who only need to flaunt violence, nor low-ranking soldiers who only need to obey orders. Instead, they are independent combat units that need to conduct reconnaissance, gather supplies, formulate tactics, and even be responsible for their own profits and losses.

A fairly successful adventure team could be described as a low-budget version of a special forces unit.

It is conceivable that the quality of an adventurer is not solely determined by his combat prowess, but also by his observation skills, judgment, combat experience, communication skills, wilderness survival skills, and the quality of his teamwork.

A qualified adventurer, besides combat prowess, also needs excellent physical and mental qualities, as well as the ability to handle unexpected events. Otherwise, no matter how skilled they are in combat, they will have fatal flaws. These qualities can only be acquired through experience gained from repeated adventures.

If someone has never trained as an adventurer, nor possesses the qualities and mindset of a skilled adventurer, but is suddenly granted immense power and thrown into a completely unfamiliar world, it's like a fool suddenly winning a billion-dollar lottery. This person will often lose control after the initial euphoria, immediately letting loose and acting recklessly, quickly embarking on a path of self-destruction.

In short, these amateur adventurers, who are just passing through the world out of interest, usually only perform at an amateur level after sleepwalking to another world, even with the power granted by the God of Sleep through the transmigration system. They are not Bear Grylls at the top of the food chain, nor are they Lara Croft, who is invincible with a climbing axe. They are just a group of ordinary people who are curious but do not know their own limitations.

Sending them to play wilderness survival games would definitely turn them into suicide missions; sending them to be heroes and fight monsters would most likely turn them into monsters' prey.

Just like a penniless lottery winner who can't manage his huge winnings and quickly squanders them, newbies who are given power by cheat codes can't effectively use the strength others have given them and often suffer unexpected defeats, getting beaten by seemingly weaker enemies.

Even with advanced weapons and valiant men, you can't immediately get an elite force; you need thorough training and integration.

Of course, due to the unique nature of the "sleepwalking" otherworld adventure mode, even if adventurers repeatedly feed monsters, it doesn't seem to matter much. Apart from psychological trauma, it doesn't cause any physiological effects; it's pretty much like having a nightmare...

However, even if it's just a nightmare, no one can stand having nightmares non-stop!

This will seriously affect the adventure experience of "players" traveling to another world!

Since the experience of time travel is so terrible, who would be willing to bring their own food and go looking for trouble?

If Phil and his mistress want this "dreamlike" otherworldly adventure mode to be as popular as a successful online game, then they cannot let the "players" enter open dungeons of unknown difficulty from the beginning and directly fight high-level monsters and big bosses—this would cause them to gradually lose confidence and interest after being crushed countless times, and eventually develop an instinctive fear and aversion to adventure.

Therefore, before newcomers embark on their adventures, the operators need to prepare a beginner village that provides teaching and training services...

Chapter 105, I Choose You! The Great Tomb of Nazarick!