Chapter 144 - 112: The Firewood Gatherer and the Firewood Thief

Spirit Candle Forum.

[Guys, I ran into something creepy today!]

The player with the ID "Hair-raising" didn’t immediately log back into the game. Instead, he posted everything he had just seen and heard on the forum, tagging Li Miao and Shore, who had previously encountered the Firewood Gatherer.

The post quickly sparked a heated discussion on the forum.

"Is this guy a Firewood Gatherer too?"

"Why couldn’t you move when he squeezed his own heart? What kind of bizarre Ability is that?"

"I feel like it’s a hidden organization completely different from the Firewood Gatherers."

"..."

The players all chimed in with their own opinions.

Some speculated about the Pottery Man’s origins, others were curious about his Abilities, and some thought this must be the main storyline introduced by the Spirit Candle officials.

Among the replies, the comments of three veteran players were upvoted to the top.

Storyteller: "I wonder if everyone has realized that Spirit Candle’s background story should be divided into two types."

"I call them ’static’ plots and ’dynamic’ plots."

"Static plots are naturally the backstories pieced together from monster info, item descriptions, text, and small bits of story within each instance. This type of plot is always present, and every player can see it clearly."

"Dynamic plots, on the other hand, refer to things like the Candlekeepers, the Candle Guardian Witches, the expansion of the Spirit Candle’s Power, the Firewood Gatherers, and the recently appeared Pottery Man..."

"This type of plot doesn’t appear in every player’s instance; it’s not fixed. But it should be closely related to our own progress."

"Unlike static plots, where you can die and come back, you can only experience a dynamic plot once. I estimate that if you log back on, that Pottery Man will definitely be gone."

"Perhaps we’ll encounter a major event related to these dynamic plots in the future. It will most likely only give us one chance..."

Storyteller’s comment attracted a large number of replies. Players agreed with his assessment, also believing that they might truly encounter such a major event in the future.

Most players were eager and greatly anticipated the subsequent content.

Brother Miao Won’t Fail the Exam: "The Firewood Gatherer we met before... was different."

My Son Failed, But I’m On Shore: "The previous Firewood Gatherer could be communicated with. This one... based on your description, I think it’s very strange. It seems like he was specifically targeting you."

I do Bull’s Push-ups: "You should hurry up and log on to check. Maybe you’ll get a reward like those two did?"

"..."

After carefully reading through the comments and posts, Hair-raising’s eyes lit up.

’I don’t really care about any of that dynamic plot stuff,’ he thought, ’but if you’re talking about rewards, well, now I’m wide awake!’

Thinking of this, he excitedly logged back on.

However, when he saw the game’s notification, his vision went black.

[Your Candle Spirit Body has been stolen. 50 Wax Oil has been consumed for its reconstruction. Please beware of another attack from the ’Firewood Thief’! (Details can be found in the official forum information.)]

"Forget getting no compensation, they even deducted my Wax Oil!"

The unlucky guy’s face was a mask of misery.

...

At the same time, the Spirit Candle officials also released two information cards for the "Firewood Gatherer" and the "Firewood Thief," along with two related images.

[Firewood Gatherer]

[Danger Level: Unknown]

[Explanation: A wayfarer of unknown purpose, protected by an unknown Power. Possesses the Ability to communicate, but their whereabouts became unknown after they crushed the Mars. An enemy? Or a potential friend?]

[Firewood Thief]

[Danger Level: High]

[Explanation: A visitor with an unknown purpose, attempting to steal the Candle Spirit Body. The pot on their head is not a mask, but a tissue-like structure similar to skin. Do not make eye contact. Proceed with caution!]

[Note! If the Candle Spirit Body is stolen, the Wax Oil cost for relighting will be higher! Please proceed with caution!]

After seeing the two information cards released by the Spirit Candle officials, the forum instantly exploded.

Some players even deliberately logged off to check out the two information cards on the forum.

This was the first time the Spirit Candle officials had ever released information cards.

It seemed that Storyteller’s deduction was correct after all. These factions were likely closely tied to the development of the Spirit Candle World’s dynamic plot.

Storyteller: "It seems we can still try to communicate with the Firewood Gatherer, but the Firewood Thief is most likely a hostile faction. Moreover, the death penalty will be relatively more severe."

My Son Failed, But I’m On Shore: "Don’t make eye contact with it? Where the hell does this thing even have eyes? What the heck am I supposed to make eye contact with..."

Battle Bliss: "What’s all this nonsense? Just chop it up and be done."

Sitting and Not Forgetting the Dao: "Bring it on, hehe. A perfect chance for me to try out my new Skill... hee hee."

I do Bull’s Push-ups: "I wonder what the pot on its head is for. (thinking)"

My hamster’s name is Guagua: "Let’s call this Pottery Man ’Pot Head,’ what do you guys think? How’s that for a nickname? (expectant)"

Pai Daxun: "Who cares if it’s a Firewood Thief? Does it drop Magic Pearls?"

Wudi: "Hah, a clown-like character. He just hasn’t run into me. (picking nose)"

The Suppressor of All Foes: "@Wudi, heh, you clueless newbie. This thing won’t give you a chance to get a Resurrection and keep fighting."

"..."

Most players treated the matter with a teasing, carefree, and joking attitude. Only a small number of more serious veteran players were contemplating its implications.

After all, to them, it was just part of the game’s story. What was there to be afraid of?

Of course, the fact that the death penalty was higher was still something worth being cautious about.

...

「Qi Xin Chapel.」