Hualong felt completely overwhelmed by all the new information from today. There was just too much to process, and he couldn’t piece it all together in such a short time.

He was just about to reply when someone else beat him to it.

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(Private Chat 1)

BunkerCommsOfficer: Did Uncle Lynx tell you about the Dark World yet?

LewdAsuna: No, I’ve only met Uncle Lynx once. He just told me to join. Didn’t say anything else.

BunkerCommsOfficer: …

BunkerCommsOfficer: You’re done for.

BunkerCommsOfficer: Listen carefully - don’t trust anything anyone tells you, especially not the other two who were called up with you this time.

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(Private Chat 2)

SylphCaller: You hear that? Let me give you some advice. Since it’s your first time playing, don’t waste points on items. There’s no telling which map you’ll land in, so skip the gear and buy a character instead.

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(Private Chat 1)

BunkerCommsOfficer: This time, there are three of us from the QQ group. You, sinAmaterasu, and LeftHandIsMyFriend. Don’t believe a word they say, because…

BunkerCommsOfficer: …soon, you could all end up as enemies. They might stab you to death with a knife, and you might have to do the same to them. That’s the only way you’ll survive!

BunkerCommsOfficer: If they message you privately, don’t trust anything they tell you, especially if they urge you to buy a character. Never, ever do that.

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(Private Chat 2)

SylphCaller: As a seasoned veteran, I know what I'm talking about. Go for a loli, especially a pink-haired one. Aren't pink-haired little girls just the absolute cutest?

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(Private Chat 1)

BunkerCommsOfficer: And whatever you do, avoid pink-haired characters! There's a meme in our Surface World about pink-haired girls secretly being evil. It's all in good fun here, but in the Dark World, it's a serious taboo.

BunkerCommsOfficer: Whenever the game rules require killing someone, pink-haired characters are always the first to be targeted. I'm not joking! It's an unwritten rule.

BunkerCommsOfficer: Never reveal what you really look like. If anyone tries to get your photo through QQ, don’t send it to them - never ever.

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(Private Chat 2)

SylphCaller: If you make it through, how about giving me 100 points as a consultation fee?

SylphCaller: If you don’t want to spend points, you could just buy self-defense gear instead. Should you have the looks, you might not even need to buy a character… if you have a forgettable face, for example. Send me a photo, and I can help check if you’re “qualified.”

———————————————

(Private Chat 1)

BunkerCommsOfficer: I almost forgot the most important thing.

BunkerCommsOfficer: From the moment you joined this QQ group, you stopped being an ordinary person.

BunkerCommsOfficer: This group is basically a gateway to another world. Any day, any hour, the group owner DivineCandle might send out one of those roll-call messages, just like the one that called you earlier.

BunkerCommsOfficer: When your name is called, a specific time is announced. The moment that time arrives, everyone who was named gets transported into the Dark World to play a game. But don’t think it’s some harmless kids' game.

BunkerCommsOfficer: People die. Even in a simple game of rock-paper-scissors, the loser’s head explodes, like a watermelon hit by a bullet. You’ll see brain matter splatter everywhere.

BunkerCommsOfficer: There are all kinds of game modes: team-based, group, and solo. If it’s group mode…

BunkerCommsOfficer: Have you noticed our QQ group is called “Hamster Squad”? There are lots of groups like ours. If it’s a team-based game in the Dark World, people in the same QQ group become your teammates. We’ll be allies. And if it’s a group war, then our entire QQ group fights every member of another group. That means all 81 of us would be up against every single person from another group. And then there’s solo mode…

———————————————

(Private Chat 2)

SylphCaller: You there? We're almost out of time. Can you hear me?

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(Private Chat 1)

BunkerCommsOfficer: In solo mode, you don’t have teammates. Anyone could be your enemy. But pay close attention to the game rules; the admin might temporarily assign teams. For example, if there are four players, they might split into two teams - blue and red - to compete against each other.

BunkerCommsOfficer: But team assignments are unpredictable. In solo mode, even people from the same QQ group could turn against you.

BunkerCommsOfficer: That’s why everyone tries to gather intel first. People try to learn each other’s appearance, personality, and behavior patterns. Once you're inside the game, any information you’ve exposed could get you killed. Even something as small as being left-handed could be enough to doom you. So never share anything personal with anyone.

BunkerCommsOfficer: Every new player starts with 100 points. You can use them to buy all sorts of things, like guns or bulletproof vests. But you can’t bring them directly into the Dark World. They can only be swapped in when you find a similar item inside. For instance, if you buy an AK-47, you can replace a standard assault rifle you find in the Dark World with your purchased AK-47. The same goes for other items. Only exchange is allowed. On the other hand, even a pistol might be able to swap with your AK-47; it really depends on the system’s judgment.

BunkerCommsOfficer: And the most important purchase, buying a character, requires extreme caution.

BunkerCommsOfficer: This is essentially creating your avatar. You can design it however you like. Your first character costs 100 points. Each one after that costs ten times more. The second is 1,000 points, the third 10,000. So don’t waste your chance. Most people only ever use their first character. Very few can afford or even need a second one, unless you’ve done so many terrible things you need a new face to avoid being recognized… or you just want to become young again.

BunkerCommsOfficer: There’s also strategy behind character creation. You could make a hulking Arnold Schwarzenegger-type muscleman or a delicate, petite anime-style girl. Age can be adjusted within a ten-year range of your own. So a 20-year-old can create a character aged anywhere from 10 to 30.

BunkerCommsOfficer: You might think, “If I get to choose, why not go big and strong?” Sure, some people do. But generally, there are two types who pick that build: the genuinely powerful, and the ones just pretending to be.

BunkerCommsOfficer: In a free-for-all with no teammates - let’s say, a ten-player battle royale - everyone will gang up to take out the biggest threats first. That usually includes pink-haired characters and Schwarzenegger builds.

BunkerCommsOfficer: So character creation is a mind game. Even if you design a physically impressive avatar, you’ll become everyone’s primary target. That’s why I recommend creating a girl between 20 and 25 years old. She shouldn’t look too plain. Average looks can make you seem like you're trying too hard to hide, which also draws suspicion. The point of picking a female avatar is to appear weaker - especially the fragile-looking type - which tricks enemies into thinking they can easily take you down. But don’t make her actually that weak. That’s why I suggest the 20–25 age range.

BunkerCommsOfficer: Are you still listening? Feels like I’m talking to myself here.

LewdAsuna: I’m here, senior! Thank you so much for the advice.

BunkerCommsOfficer: Remember, buying a character isn’t like hiring a bodyguard. The character you create is you. You’ll be the one using it. Don’t mess it up. Think of it like crafting your own game avatar. Also, after clearing a game, you’re guaranteed a base gain of 500 points, plus extra depending on the game’s rules.

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…