Chapter Three: The Gate of Dimensions

Once the idea of leaving the city took root, it grew unstoppable. Yi Shen was a man of action, his execution swift and decisive. He returned home a little after five in the afternoon, and by the time all his preparations were complete, it was already nine at night. Nevertheless, he set out resolutely.

Yet, Yi Shen was not one to act on impulse alone. Unlike the hard struggle of those in the slums, Yi Shen drew upon the money and Federation credit points he had accumulated over the years, preparing to purchase his first set of equipment.

There were two currency systems in this world. One was the Federation’s own currency, now universally called credit points, primarily used by lower-level citizens, those unwilling to risk the wilderness, or most civilian logistics workers, to facilitate the flow of funds. The other was the currency used on the system panel, named contribution points by the system, which were mainly earned by killing monsters and could be exchanged for supplies and materials in certain special locations.

When explorers returned from hunts with equipment or item drops, they preferred to trade in contribution points, which held value more reliably.

Though his parents had yet to return, as the child of a “middle-class” family, Yi Shen still had five hundred thousand credit points at his disposal. These could be exchanged at a rate of 1:100, yielding over five thousand contribution points. That would be enough for a set of beginner’s gear, and—most importantly—a skill book.

This was what made Yi Shen so eager to set out; he wanted to test whether he truly could cast skills with neither cooldowns nor resource costs.

Skill books were expensive, but five thousand contribution points were enough for the most basic fireball spell. Yi Shen believed that, as a mage with the unique talent Mage’s Heart, even the most ordinary fireball could achieve perfection in his hands.

...

“Whew.”

After another hour or so of bustling about, Yi Shen finally purchased all the necessary supplies from the marketplace in the southern district. He had already budgeted and researched these needs before his memories had merged after crossing over. After all, as a high school student locked away in the school with little else to do, these were the things he loved to study. In terms of theoretical knowledge, even low-level explorers might not compare to him.

“Fireball (F): Gather the magical energy within your body to conjure a fireball, dealing approximately 30 base magic damage to the target.”

“Acceleration (F): Channel the power within your body to increase your speed by 30% for ten seconds.”

Besides the simplest defensive gear, Yi Shen bought two skill books: Fireball, an offensive spell, and Acceleration, a general-purpose skill. Both were F-rank and unrestricted by level, so even at level 2, he could learn them.

It was said that skills of D-rank and above, in addition to higher base damage, came with attribute bonuses. But with his limited funds, basic skills would have to suffice for now.

For defense, Yi Shen mainly bought potions and elixirs. Low-level equipment didn’t sell well in these markets, and even if it was as low as level three or four, he wouldn’t be able to equip it at his current level. Forcing it on would only change appearance without conferring any stats.

With everything in order, Yi Shen headed to a certain high-rise near the slums. After a brief negotiation, he boarded a special bus.

The buses here were unique. By regulation, those under eighteen were not permitted to leave the city for combat. But many families had lost parents on the battlefield or had no other source of income, so beyond the official system, there were always other ways out.

For example, these buses belonged to a merchant guild’s logistics team. It was common for them to take people out for supply runs, and on Yi Shen’s bus, he saw at least three or four children of similar age. They weren’t going out to fight, just to do odd jobs near the Gates of Worlds, which was enough for a decent living near the slums.

As for Yi Shen, he was of age, his paperwork complete; this method was simply more convenient.

As the bus drove on, Yi Shen opened his information tablet. His destination was a Gate of Worlds known as the “Desert.”

Near Jingmen’s safe zone, there were roughly sixteen Gates of Worlds of varying size. Through the relentless efforts of explorers, detailed statistics had been compiled.

For example, there were three Gates of Worlds suitable for newcomers: “Desert,” with monsters ranging from level 1 to 30; “Dusk,” also level 1 to 30; and “Library,” with monsters from level 1 to 40. Each gate housed a vast world, and within each, monster levels varied greatly by region.

The Desert was the closest and had remained the most stable in recent years, making it Yi Shen’s first choice.

...

After about forty minutes, the vehicle left the boundaries of Jingmen’s safe zone and finally stopped at a special plain. Much of the plain was paved with unique bricks, and Yi Shen noted a number of mechanical devices.

In this world, while explorers pressed ever onward, the scientists of old had never ceased their research. Physics still held sway here. Large-scale weaponry could not be brought through the Gates of Worlds, but for defense, it still played a considerable role. In logistics and energy detection, humanity’s technological civilization retained a significant edge.

Deeper into the plain, a massive violet gate loomed—a swirling sphere of purple void rather than a true doorway. One could only wonder at the courage of the first to venture through such an ominous portal, yet someone had, and a new continent was discovered.

Now, after much publicity and explanation, everyone understood this was a stable spatial conduit.

Outside the Gate of Worlds, vendors and shops abounded; prices here were roughly fifty percent higher than in the city. Though it was already late at night, the crowd was larger than expected. Yi Shen wandered among them—the quality of equipment here was indeed superior to that in the city.

With his parents absent and no school mentors to restrict him, Yi Shen was free to move as he pleased.

Drawing a deep breath, he finally stepped into the purple dimensional gate.