"Ding—"
A harsh chime rang in his ear. Lin Xiu abruptly opened his eyes, and an unfamiliar forest came into view. Towering ancient trees blotted out the sun and sky, the air was heavy with the damp scent of humus, and the low growl of an unknown beast echoed from the distance.
He looked down at his attire. His usual casual clothes had somehow turned into a black martial outfit, with a cold, gleaming dagger tucked at his waist. Even more shocking to him, a translucent attribute panel was floating right in front of him:
[Name: Lin Xiu]
[Class: Assassin]
[Level: 1]
[HP: 100/100]
[MP: 50/50]
[Skills: Stealth (Beginner)]
"This... isn't this 'Dimensional Dungeon', the game I played all night last night?" Lin Xiu muttered to himself, reaching out to touch the attribute panel, but his hand passed right through it. He clearly remembered being at his computer playing the final dungeon, so how had he transmigrated into the game in the blink of an eye?
"Hey! The newbie over there!"
A crisp female voice came from behind. Lin Xiu turned around and saw a girl with a high ponytail walking toward him. She was wearing a white clerical robe, holding a staff embedded with a blue sapphire, her delicate facial features radiant in the sunlight.
"I am Bai Zhi, a Level 10 Priest." The girl walked up to him and extended her hand. "Judging by your look, you're a newcomer who just got transported over, right? Want to team up? We happen to be missing an assassin for the first dungeon, 'Gloomy Forest'."
Lin Xiu was momentarily stunned. This familiar opening line... wasn't it the novice tutorial plot in the game? It was just that the original NPC had become a living, breathing player.
"My name is Lin Xiu." He shook the girl's hand, the tactile sensation startlingly realistic. "Level 1 Assassin."
"Your level is a bit low, but that's okay." Bai Zhi flashed a sly smile. "I'll carry you for EXP. Oh right, a warrior is coming over later too, and he's quite a formidable character."
Just as her voice trailed off, heavy footsteps approached. Lin Xiu looked up and saw a tall, burly man walking toward them. The man wore heavy silver armor, carried a greatsword on his back, and had a stern expression on his sharply-defined face.
"This is Lu Chen, a Level 15 Warrior," Bai Zhi introduced. "The three of us make a standard party."
Lu Chen merely gave a faint nod, his gaze sweeping over Lin Xiu. "Newbie?"
"Yeah, just got transported here," Lin Xiu replied, while noticing a ferocious scar on Lu Chen's right hand that stretched from the back of his hand all the way to his forearm.
"Let's get started then." Lu Chen turned and walked toward the depths of the forest. "Our primary mission in the first dungeon, 'Gloomy Forest', is to clear out fifty Shadow Wolves and ultimately defeat the Wolf King. Newbies, keep up and don't fall behind."
Lin Xiu followed closely behind the two of them, his heartbeat involuntarily quickening. He could sense a dangerous aura permeating the air, with wolf howls echoing back and forth in the distance. He was acutely aware that this was not a game, but a real life-and-death struggle.
Suddenly, rustling sounds came from the bushes ahead. Lu Chen immediately raised his greatsword, and Bai Zhi's staff lit up with a soft white glow.
"They're here!" Lu Chen shouted in a low voice.
Three massive Shadow Wolves lunged out from the bushes, their crimson eyes particularly striking in the dim forest. Lin Xiu instinctively tightened his grip on his dagger, feeling sweat bead up on his palms.
"Newbie, watch your positioning!" Bai Zhi reminded him. "Remember, you're an assassin. You need to make use of the terrain and your Stealth skill..."
Before her voice could fade, a Shadow Wolf had already lunged at Lin Xiu. Instinctively, he sidestepped as his dagger flashed with cold light, precisely piercing the Shadow Wolf's throat.
[Gained EXP: 50]
[Level increased to Level 2]
Lin Xiu was momentarily stunned; this body seemed to still retain the muscle memory from the game. He looked toward the other two. Lu Chen had already easily dealt with two Shadow Wolves, and Bai Zhi was casting a Heal spell on him.
"Not bad." Bai Zhi blinked at him. "Looks like you're quite talented."
Lu Chen also cast an approving glance his way. "Let's keep moving. Ahead is the Wolf King's lair."
Lin Xiu took a deep breath and caught up with their pace. He knew this was only the first dungeon, and even harder challenges awaited him further ahead. Yet for some reason, he found himself somewhat looking forward to the adventures to come.
Deep within the gloomy forest, the Wolf King's roar was deafening. Lin Xiu gripped his dagger tighter, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Perhaps this accidental transmigration was the beginning of the most exciting adventure of his life.