(VRMMORPG) Fallen Realm Online: Rebirth of The Strongest Demon

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The vast terrain stretched out boundlessly—over 10 hectares {(435,600+ square feet or 40,470+ square meters)} of land dotted with people standing in disciplined lines, their starting points obscured by their immense length.

Right now, thousands of people were waiting, their expressions marked by resignation, despair, fatigue, and anticipation.

Almost every one of them was drenched in sweat, drinking bottle after bottle of chilled water, some of them on the verge of tears, witnessing the seemingly motionless progress of their queues.

The crowd was as diverse as the city itself: young men and women dominated the scene, but there were also elders, middle-aged people, and those from every rung of society.

Whether they were from middle-class upbringings, wealthy families, or even people belonging to elite lineages, all of them stood mixed under the blazing sun with no apparent privileges or favoritism granted.

Though many appeared weary, the glimmer in their eyes was unmistakable. It was as if they were waiting for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and no matter the duration, they were willing to wait for their turn.

….

"I have never realized our city had such a substantial wealthy population as this," a quiet, astonished voice said suddenly, though his voice was quickly drowned out by the hum of murmurs from the lines and the bustling crowd.

The voice belonged to a composed young man, who was seated in a wheelchair, his presence, though frail and malnourished, strikingly stood out.

His face was a masterpiece of tranquil allure, his pale skin as delicate as a newborn's, and his sharply defined face reflected the trials of life.

He bore an expression of calm wonder as he gazed at the energetic scene around him.

Behind this handsome young man was another striking figure, a young woman who was gracefully pushing the wheelchair.

Her clothes were old and worn, bearing the marks of hardship, yet they couldn't hide her natural grace, while her delicate face, despite being touched by signs of deprivation, reflected awe and disbelief as she absorbed the scene around her.

These two were Xylen and Aurelia, who had left the mansion earlier, amidst the disdain and jeers of the servants.

Their first stop had been the bank, and only after Xylen had unfrozen his account did they finally come here to the purchasing center for the first gaming pod to be released.

"They said nearly everyone was interested in the gaming pod, but I never imagined the turnout would be this massive," Aurelia muttered in a soft voice, almost to herself, her shock evident in both tone and expression.

Xylen also exhaled deeply, his gaze sweeping across the enormous throng.

"What puzzles me is how they managed to control a crowd of this magnitude so effectively," he remarked, and Aurelia seemed to finally return to her senses, then searching through her mind, she explained;

"According to the news that had caused some chaos in the city some days ago, Rex Corps had issued a stern warning to all the potential buyers of their gaming pods, stating that they wouldn't tolerate any misconduct or preferential treatment and that anyone caught causing trouble at any of their purchase centers would be blacklisted."

"Oh," Xylen murmured, though his tone suggested skepticism about the effectiveness of such warnings on a crowd this size.

Despite his years of isolation, he understood perfectly well from books and Aurelia's stories that people, especially those from privileged backgrounds, weren't easily kept in check.

Just as Xylen finished pondering this, a tall young man in lavish, colorful attire strolled past him and Aurelia. His shoulders were squared, and his chest puffed slightly in an air of confidence and superiority.

What attracted Xylen was the young man's domineering aura of arrogance, and just then;

"These Rex Corps guys are laughable indeed," the young man abruptly sneered, his voice heavy with contempt. "Do they truly believe someone of my caliber would stoop to lining up with this rabble? The sheer audacity!"

The young man had intentionally not lowered his voice; instead, he had deliberately spoken much louder than necessary, and as expected, his words were immediately heard by several people, sparking outrage.

Many instantly glared at him angrily. Yet, upon recognizing the speaker, their expressions shifted to unease while the ones who weren't scared merely scoffed but kept quiet.

"That's Young Master Tim," someone whispered, with others responding in reverence or envy.

But following their shock, the same expression appeared on everyone's faces, and that was: mockery.

"Hmmm." Xylen's brows furrowed at this scene, intrigued by the reaction, and then he found his answer.

"Please join the queue or exit the premises," a monotone voice suddenly announced.

Then before anyone could react, a masked figure in black appeared from seemingly nowhere, blocking the young man, who had intended to skip the queues.

The crowd's attention instantly shifted to the confrontation, their astonishment turning into barely contained grins.

Meanwhile, Tim… his face instantly turned black, then;

"And who do you think you are to tell me what to do? Do you know who I am?" he demanded angrily, his voice loud and commanding.

The masked individual, however, remained unfazed.

"Please refrain from causing a disturbance. This is your final warning," the figure said, still emotionless.

"Huh?" Tim was stunned, but then he flared.

"Let me show you what happens when you challenge me." He scoffed.

Without hesitating, he moved to shove the masked man, however, he was swiftly sidestepped, landing face-first on the ground.

"You dare?!" Tim roared, stunned and indignant. But the masked figure didn't react.

"You are hereby banned from purchasing or using any Rex Corp products now and in the future," he declared flatly before grabbing Tim as though he were a weightless object and dragging him toward the exit.

This shocked Tim to the core.

"Do you know who I am?! My father is the assistant general of this city! You'll regret this!" his furious shouts echoed, but the masked figure ignored him, disappearing with Tim in tow.

As soon as they were gone, the crowd erupted into cheers and laughter.

"Hahaha! Does he think being Young Master Tim means a thing here? He should have seen plenty of his fellow so-called elites who have been blacklisted before him," someone jeered.

"I love Rex Corps for this. If it had been different organizations, they'd have given these arrogant brats priorities and favoritism," another added excitedly.

Witnessing this scene and hearing the crowd, Xylen exclaimed quietly.

He and Aurelia finally understood Rex Corp's method of maintaining order, and not to lie, they were both astonished, especially Aurelia, who knew better the strength and influence of people like Tim.

"Let's find a line," Xylen said after a moment, and they resumed navigating through the massive crowd.

Finally, after over 15 minutes, they found a queue that seemed to be slightly shorter than the rest.

They decided to join it, but just then;

"For a single coin," a playful, excited voice called out to them. "I'll sell you a talisman that will cure your paralysis."

"This…"

It was as though a jolt of lightning had surged through the two of them, their eyes snapping toward the speaker.

Though the two had no idea what to have anticipated, what they saw, however, instantly left them completely dumbstruck, their eyes widening at the sight.

It was an elderly man in countless tattered clothing, his body reeking as though he hadn't bathed in years, making him appear like a madman.

Aurelia and Xylen stared in a trance for a moment, then;

"You…" Aurelia's face flushed with anger, but she took a sharp breath, forcing herself to remain calm.

"Sir, even if you're struggling, just ask for help. There's no need to resort to… this," she said, her tone strained but firm, her protective gaze shifting briefly to Xylen.

As soon as the old man heard her, he was stunned, then puffed, an offended expression appearing on his face.

"And why would you think I'm trying to scam you two paupers?" he retorted, making Aurelia freeze for a second before seething with indignation.

"Please, sir, I can tolerate anything but an insult to my brother!" she retorted sharply, causing the old man's offended expression to fade as he raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Fine, fine. No insults," he said, as though placating a child.

Then fumbling into his possessions, a torn bag that was slugged against his shoulder, he pulled out several crumpled pieces of paper.

"You are so lucky. This is the last piece I have for a rare condition such as yours," he said, removing one of the pieces of paper, then not waiting for a response;

"This talisman personally created by me is all you need. It will guide you to a location within the Fallen Realm where you'll find the cure for your curs… illness."

"Huh?"

Aurelia and Xylen exchanged bewildered glances, clearly dumbstruck again.

"Sir," Aurelia said, exasperated. "Even if you're trying to deceive us, at least make it believable. How could a cure for my brother's condition be found in a… mere game?"

The old man was not offended, instead, merely chuckled, his eyes gleaming with mystery.

"Will you buy it or not? Mark my words—you'll regret passing this up," he said, focusing intently on Xylen, his eyes seeming to contain something that made Xylen's heart skip a bit.

"I…" Xylen's mouth opened.