Chapter 34

Various votes, please!

...

Although the assistant spirit is just a manifestation generated by a set of data, the (he/she) who appears in human form actually has their own personality and is not purely emotionless data. The personality of the assistant spirit mainly refers to the personality of the challenger they belong to, and although there might be some differences in expression, the essence is almost the same.

Take Tang Cheng's assistant spirit, for example. She has a calm personality, and when she speaks, it's hard to detect any emotion, as cold as ice. This coldness and calmness are also traits that Tang Cheng possesses, but they are usually overshadowed by his eccentric behavior, making it hard for others to notice.

In fact, if Tang Cheng were to fully and thoroughly display this coldness and calmness, to use a popular phrase nowadays, even he would be afraid of himself.

As for the assistant spirit's sly and sharp-tongued nature, have you ever seen Tang Cheng being humble and polite?

Therefore, this black-haired, straight-haired assistant spirit's personality is actually 70% replicated from Tang Cheng's personality. As for the remaining 30%... perhaps even the central system of the cycle space felt that Tang Cheng's perverted side was too despicable, so it didn't let the assistant spirit inherit it.

The assistant spirits of other challengers are mostly 90% replicated. An optimistic challenger will have an optimistic assistant spirit, a tragic challenger will have a tragic assistant spirit, a middle-schooler-like challenger will have a middle-schooler-like assistant spirit, and a cowardly challenger will have a cowardly assistant spirit. There are many variations, but these are not important and don't need to be detailed.

In short, after realizing that the black-haired, straight-haired assistant spirit on his shoulder also has a personality, Tang Cheng was quite happy. After all, facing a set of emotionless data is far less interesting than facing someone with a personality. If he were to say something like, "The wind today is so boisterous," and the other side didn't respond with, "But this wind is slightly sobbing," but instead said, "After detection, there is no wind today," it would be too disappointing.

Then, Tang Cheng remembered a question, "By the way, we've known each other for so long, but I don't even know your name. Assistant spirits should have names, right?"

"We have only been together for 38 minutes and 29 seconds, less than an hour. Whether by human lifespan or my cognitive system, this time cannot be considered long," the assistant spirit corrected expressionlessly, then continued, "Assistant spirits themselves do not have names. Data does not need a name, but if the challenger needs one, they can set a name for their assistant spirit."

"Alright, from now on, you will be called Xiao Pingguo. My Xiao Pingguo, not bad, not bad." Tang Cheng immediately gave her a name and repeated it a few times, looking quite satisfied.

A hint of disgust seemed to flash in the assistant spirit's calm eyes. "May I ask, what is the meaning of this name?"

"There's no particular meaning, just a random choice. Don't you like it?"

"......It doesn't matter, I'll be called Xiao Pingguo."

Huh?

Tang Cheng turned his head to look at the small black-haired, straight-haired assistant spirit. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt a hint of unwillingness and helplessness in her pause. He couldn't help but feel a bit moved, "Do assistant spirits have to obey the commands of the challengers?"

Xiao Pingguo was silent for six seconds. "Yes."

"You didn't tell me this important basic information from the beginning... Ah, I get it, you must have been afraid that I would make strange requests, so you kept it a secret, right? But unfortunately, this great lord's keen eyes saw through your trick at a glance. This is true wisdom!"

Tang Cheng looked down at Xiao Pingguo with a condescending smile. "But you worry too much. A man like me, who is noble, great, and upright, would never make strange requests. But as punishment for keeping this from me, I'll have you change the way you address me..."

"Are you asking me to call you 'big brother' or 'master'?" Xiao Pingguo shot him a disdainful look before he could finish.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Tang Cheng burst into laughter, his hands on his hips, and he wagged a finger in front of her. "Naive, so naive. Big brother and master, those are terms used by perverted men who are unsatisfied with their desires. A man as unique as me would never do that. Nowadays, it's all about being extreme and daring... Call me 'dad'!"

"......" This time, Xiao Pingguo was silent for half a minute. It's not clear if she was consulting the central system, but from the result, it seemed meaningless. When Tang Cheng smiled and said, "Say it once, let me hear it," Xiao Pingguo finally gritted her teeth and forced out two words, "Dad!"

For Xiao Pingguo, this was a humiliation!

But Tang Cheng was very satisfied. The feeling of building his happiness on someone else's humiliation was simply great, and he immediately put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily.

There were at least a few hundred challengers on this square. Although the square was large enough to accommodate them without feeling crowded, it also made those who appeared here very noticeable. Tang Cheng's unrestrained laughter made him stand out even more, attracting many people's attention.

"Where did this lunatic come from?"

"Never seen him before, must be a new player."

"New players are so arrogant, they're just asking for trouble."

"No, I think it might be a publicity stunt, deliberately drawing our attention to get invited into a team... Old Wang, isn't your team still short a tank? Why not take him in?"

"Are you kidding? That guy looks like a lunatic. Even if my team is short on members, I can't take in a lunatic. I don't want to die!"

"Forget it, there's no need to worry. Even if this lunatic somehow gets through the beginner dungeon, he'll die in the main dungeon. Let's not pay attention to him."

"That's right, let's continue with our own business... Hey, brother, from the look of your curious eyes, you must be a new player who just arrived in the cycle space and doesn't have a team yet, right? Want to join my team? I, Xiao Daren, am the most generous. Come on, let's talk."

"Don't listen to him. This Xiao Daren is actually the most stingy. Everyone calls him Xiao Rooster, a penny-pincher! Brother, come to my team. We need a DPS, and I think you have great potential. Come on, this way!"

"Brother, come to my team. We need a healer, and the benefits are excellent, with three insurances and one fund!"

"No, no, no, brother, come to my team. New players joining the team get a rebirth cross immediately..."

"......"

Soon, the attention of those people shifted from Tang Cheng to other new players... Experienced challengers can easily tell whether someone is a new player or a veteran at a glance.

These veteran challengers didn't deliberately lower their voices, and Tang Cheng heard every word clearly. At first, he didn't care, but as he listened, he became curious and turned to ask, "Xiao Pingguo, what do they mean by 'team'? Don't I already have a team? I remember when I returned to the cycle space, the telecom girl, the mobile girl, and the shut-in were still alive. Weren't they on my team?"

"Yes," Xiao Pingguo replied without hesitation, as quickly as a computer. "The beginner dungeon is just an elimination round. Strictly speaking, those who enter the beginner dungeon are not yet considered challengers in the cycle world. Only after passing the beginner dungeon and entering the cycle space can they be considered true challengers and new players."

"The cycle world opens a beginner dungeon at regular intervals to absorb fresh blood from the outside world. Regardless of how long the beginner dungeon lasts, all successful new players return to the cycle space at the same time. Each team leader can learn this time from their assistant spirit, so they come here to recruit new players to expand their teams... Only after passing the main dungeon once can new players shed their 'new player' status."

"I see, so I have no connection with the telecom girl and the others?"

"If Dad... Dad means the people who entered the beginner dungeon with you, then yes," Xiao Pingguo nodded, pausing slightly at the word "Dad." "Of course, you can re-form a team with them. If Dad needs to, you can pay the corresponding survival points, and I can contact their assistant spirits. Forming a team doesn't require a cost, as long as both parties agree... However, from a rational perspective, I don't recommend Dad forming a team with them."

"Because of lack of experience?"

"Yes, new players lack the experience to survive in the cycle world. A team composed entirely of new players has a 99.9% chance of being wiped out. Therefore, most players choose to join a team before the main dungeon, although a few choose solo mode."

"Solo mode?"

"The cycle space has three modes for dungeons. The first is the solo mode, suitable for lone wolves. This doesn't mean that solo mode only has one player; it just means that players can freely choose their stance. Depending on the tasks of each player, they can form alliances with other players or become enemies."

"The second is the team mode. In this mode, the team's interests come first, and the system's tasks are aimed at the entire team. The rewards after passing the dungeon are higher in team mode than in solo mode, but the danger is also greater. There is a 70% chance of encountering other teams, and if the tasks of two teams conflict, it will inevitably lead to a fight to the death."

"As for the final third mode..." Xiao Pingguo's tone paused slightly, and she looked at Tang Cheng, her eyes flashing with a dangerous light. "It is the area battle, which has the greatest opportunities and the greatest risks in the entire cycle world, with a death rate of 90%."