《Absolute Death Game》


 Chapter 1 - 1 The Fall of the Empire

    <h4>Chapter 1: Chapter 1 The Fall of the Empire</h4>


    ording to reports, Kunlun Avenue experienced a wild beast attackst night. Experts suspect that it might have been a Northeast tiger that escaped from the zoo. The zoo''s management has denied these ims. The police are currently investigating the matter and ask the public to pay close attention. If anyone has any leads, please contact the police immediately."


    Xu Li was leaning against the bar watching the news when the door to the teahouse suddenly opened. A young man in a suit and leather shoes walked in. He appeared to be under thirty but had a rather mature air about him. Carrying a briefcase, which seemed to contain aptop or something simr, he entered. Seeing a new customere in, Xu Li hurriedly went over to greet him.


    "May I ask how many are with you, sir?" she inquired.


    "Just me. I''ve booked a private room on the second floor," he replied.


    "Oh, that must be Mr. Xiao Buli. Please follow me," she said


    Once on the second floor, she had the waiter bring up a pot of tea and then he closed the door of the private room, opened the briefcase, and indeed, there was aputer inside. After booting it up, he logged into a game.


    Looking at the familiar scenes on the screen, Xiao Buli sighed.


    The game he was ying was called "Jiuzhou Domination." He had devoted six months of energy to this game. But don''t get him wrong, he wasn''t some gaming addict; he was a professional gamer¡ªa Strategy nner with the Qingyang Studio.


    Unlike typical professional gamers, Qingyang Studio profited by exploiting the game''s glitches and mastering its rules. Usually, they would research a game as soon as it was released to assess its quality and potential profit points to decide whether it was worth investing in. If so, they''d proceed with further research and nning. Through precise calction and exploring the game''s content, they quickly grasped the economic mechanisms and equipment obtainment methods within the game to turn a profit.


    Using this method, he and his team had earned substantial profits from several popr games.


    But this time, they encountered trouble. They had set their sights on "Jiuzhou Domination," a game that touted national warfare, right from its beta testing. In this game, the map was divided into nine sections, known as Jiuzhou. All the dungeons and instances suitable for leveling and looting were scattered among these nine sections. Each section had a main city that provided yers with quests and supplies for restocking. These main cities could be conquered by yers, and each city had surrounding viges, strongholds, and passes, creating aplete virtual world. To promote the game, the operatorsunched an unprecedented slogan: the first guild to capture all nine main cities would be named the "King of Jiuzhou," winning a prize of one million RMB.


    Upon hearing this news, Xiao Buli immediately led his team to join the game and established the renowned guild, the Qingyang Empire.


    After six months of bribery, scheming, warfare, and ughter led by Qingyang Guild, the Qingyang Empire had conquered eight of the server''s main cities. The various great guilds on his server had been either fragmented or crushed by him, losing their qualification topete for the title of King of Jiuzhou. Only the Iron Blood Alliance maintained some strength, clinging to thest city not yet conquered by him. However, the fall of the Iron Blood Alliance was just a matter of time¡ªunless something unexpected urred.


    Just as he was preparing to advance west and finish things off once and for all, the game suddenly updated. The new version introduced many changes which weren''t significant, but what truly upset Xiao Buli was a change in the mization of the game, shifting from a time-based charge to a free-to-y model with item fees.


    Upon hearing this news, the leader of Iron Blood Alliance, Long Aotian, was overjoyed. He immediately purchased a Dragon Soul Set worth a million RMB and a Demon Sword costing five hundred thousand RMB from the in-game store and personally joined the battle to defend the city that evening.


    It turned out that in front of a true cash yer, all strategies and tactics were as ineffective as clouds, and solidarity was worthless. Long Aotian singlehandedly guarded the main gate of Liangzhou City, and Xiao Buli, leading his elite forces, attacked more than a dozen times, all in vain. That night, the battle that seemed to be a sure win ultimately ended in defeat.


    Yet, this defeat was just the beginning. It was unclear where Long Aotian got so much money from, but he equipped several of the alliance''s top yers with RMB-purchased gear and recruited many solo yers to the guild. The next day, theyunched a counter-attack. The grand blueprint of the Qingyang Empire crumbled like rotten wood. In less than half a month, the eight main cities that Xiao Buli controlled fell one after another. Despite their numerical superiority, the Qingyang Empire lost every battle, while the Iron Blood Alliance''s momentum seemed unstoppable¡ªit looked like they would soon unify Jiuzhou. As theirst city, Youzhou City, remained in their hands, Xiao Buli had no choice but to employ his final tactic.


    As the penultimate main city was about to fall, he pooled all the gold coins left in the guild to create over thirty guilds and applied for siege rights with each. This move cost him over one and a half million gold coins, roughly fifty thousand RMB. When the Iron Blood Alliance arrived at the gates, they were awkwardly informed that they would have to wait at least a month before they could siege, meaning even if they razed Youzhou City to the ground, they wouldn''t be able to im ownership.


    This certainly couldn''t salvage the Qingyang Empire from its fate of dissolution, but it could buy some time. Battles were raging on other servers as well, with some showing signs of unification. Left with no choice, Long Aotian opted for negotiation. He offered Xiao Buli three hundred thousand RMB to hand over Youzhou City. While this was certainly less than the one million RMB prize announced by the gamingpany, it was much better than leaving empty-handed.


    Xiao Buli had no other options but to ept the offer, and today was the day for the arrangement to be fulfilled.


    Half an hourter, the door of the private room once again opened. Startled by a soft cough, Xiao Buli snapped out of his reverie.


    Looking up, three people entered, among them a charming, smiling handsome man¡ªit must be Long Aotian from the Iron Blood Alliance. The other two were burly bodyguards dressed in ck suits and sunsses, one of them carrying a briefcase.


    Why does this feel like a mafia negotiation? Xiao Buli couldn''t help but mock himself amidst the rush.


    "Did you bring the money?"


    Long Aotian waved his hand, and the briefcase was immediately opened. ncing at the neatly stacked cash inside, Xiao Buli let out a dejected sigh. Half a year of management, and this is still a less than ideal oue.


    He nodded, reopened hisptop, and the white walls of Youzhou City remained unchanged, though they were no longer his.


    Upon seeing him log in, many guild members who were resting or idle in the city immediately messaged him.


    "Boss, you''ve finallye. When are we going to counter-attack?"


    "Boss, you haven''t been online for days, are you brewing some grand n?"


    "Boss, shouldn''t we also pool together some money to buy a few Dragon Soul Sets? With the right gear, we''ll definitely take it back!"


    Reading those messages, Xiao Buli forced a bitter smile. Without responding, he walked directly into the City Lord''s Hall. When he went to select the option to surrender the city, Xiao Buli hesitated for a moment, "I only have one request, please don''t expel my brothers."


    Long Aotian nodded nonchntly, "Of course, I too have immense respect for these battle-worn warriors. Theirmitment to stand by each other till the end shows they are truly trustworthy. Under my rule, they will surely be part of us and gain better prospects and development opportunities."


    Xiao Buli nodded. As members of the upying guild, they could enjoy many in-game benefits. At least he had secured a settlement for his people, and he felt he had done right by them, to the best of his ability.


    He opened the guild management page and chose to apply for a merger with the Iron Blood Alliance. Long Aotian immediately epted it, and amidst a sequence of system announcement chimes, the Iron Blood Alliance became the first guild to unify the entire server.


    System Notice: Congrattions to the Iron Blood Alliance for being the first guild to unify Jiuzhou in Jiuzhou Domination, Guild Leader Long Aotian awarded the title of King of Jiuzhou, and will receive a grand prize of one million yuan from the game''s operators.


    System Notice: A new version of the game ising soon, with more and better content waiting for yers to explore. Stay tuned!


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Reading the system announcement, the guild channel instantly erupted in an uproar, a mix of voices rising. Xiao Buli had no interest in those words; he simply logged out of the game, closed hisptop, and sighed deeply. Turning to nce at Long Aotian, he saw thetter was also closing hisptop, preparing to leave.


    Offhand, Xiao Buli asked, "What does the title of King of Jiuzhou mean to you?"


    Long Aotian shrugged, "Nothing."


    As he turned to leave the room, he suddenly paused and looked back, revealing a victor''s smile, "Everything."

 Chapter 2 - 2 Rainbow Bar

    <h4>Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Rainbow Bar</h4>


    In the evening, Xiao Buli arrived at Rainbow Bar, bringing with him the case full of money.


    The decision-makingyer of the Qingyang Empire wasn''t just him, but included all the members of the studio. To obtain the title of King of Jiuzhou and to snatch the million-dor prize, it was only through the united efforts of the entire studio that the guild''s operating funds were assembled. After all, for a guild that aspired to be the top server-wide, even in a time-charging game, even with various in-game nning and operations, outside investments were inevitable. The studio had invested hundreds of thousands of RMB in it.


    This time, due to the matter of city offering, there were continuous disagreements within the studio. After all, the million-dor prize suddenly shrank to three hundred thousand, and nobody would be pleased about that. However, everyone was clear about the major trends within the game. From the moment the game shifted from a fee-charging model to a free one, everyone understood that they no longer had control over the game''s development.


    "Alright, everyone, no need to look so glum, we did make a tidy profit this time after all,"


    As Xiao Buli spoke, he ced the case of money on the table. "All three hundred thousand are here; after deducting our initial investment, we still have about one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty thousand left. At least our efforts over the past six months haven''t been in vain. Let''s split the money."


    "What do you mean ''haven''t been in vain''? Which game haven''t we easily conquered before? With our strength, was there ever a time we didn''t make a hefty profit? This time we spent half a year and put all the early game earnings into it, but in the end, only made a few hundred thousand. There are six of us. Once we split it, there''s hardly any money left."


    The speaker was Xie Tiankong, responsible for advertising and promotions. He wasn''t very good at ying games but excelled at making game videos. It was thanks to his several exciting game videos uploaded to video sites that Qingyang Empire recruited arge number of yers.


    "What can we do about it? Free games have be mainstream now. Apart from a few old games still making a profit thanks to their veteran yers, almost all new games are uniformly free. Take Jiuzhou Domination, for example. When it was time-charged, the monthly profit was only a few million, but now that it has switched to item-charging, I heard that in just half a month, dozens of Dragon Soul Suits have sold, one set for one million each. Just think how much money that is. Not to mention the less expensive RMB equipment. I''ve heard that after a while they''re going to release the Yan Huang Set, which is even better than the Dragon Soul Set, and then the Pangu Set, probably making even more money per set. Longteng Company is going to rake it in. We don''t have millions to invest, so why would the gamingpany consider our opinions?"


    The one interrupting was Han Wenhuan, in charge of strategicmand. He had a gift for strategy and tactics, and almost all the major battles in the game were directed by him. Even when the forces were at their most disadvantageous, he could win ultimate victory through superior tactics. However, in thest half month''s battles, the tides hadpletely turned, and no matter how much he outnumbered his opponents, he would lose every battle. No tactics could ovee the absolute strength of RMB yers, leaving him, proud of his military prowess, thoroughly disgusted. His words now carried a hint of sourness, but the reasoning was irrefutable.


    Wen Huan''s right. Gamepanies create games to make money, especially in the currentndscape of free games dominating the market. No one would turn away from money. The change in Jiuzhou Domination''s pricing model isn''t surprising. Besides, those matters have little to do with us. After all, there''s no longer any need for us to y this game," Xiao Buli said tly.


    "Then, boss, which game will we conquer next?" asked Li Shuren, who was an insider in the online game development industry, privy to many internal details and a significant asset to the studio.


    "There won''t be a next one. There are hardly any new pay-to-y games on the market now, and there is no possibility for us to make a profit in free games," Xiao Buli shook his head as he spoke. He was right; from equipment to materials, from experience to gold coins, from fashion items to pets, the gamingpany had monopolized everything. As long as yers had the money, they could buy everything they wanted in the store. There truly wasn''t a way for the studio to profit anymore.


    "So, is the studio just going to end like this? The Qingyang Empire will just be history?" Mr. Bang asked, somewhat incredulous. His real name was Gu Shaobang, and he was also the owner of the bar. Unlike the others in the studio, Mr. Bang, a rich second-generation, mingled in the studio just for fun and didn''t care much about the ie.


    The Qingyang Empire was a Great Guild that had survived through numerous ssic games, once formidable in the online gaming world and quite renowned. No one would have thought to see such a day. Hearing Gu Shaobang''s words, and considering the current state of the online gaming world, everyone present felt a surge of emotion.


    Xiao Buli nodded nomittally, "Considering the current situation, it seems so."


    Mr. Bang nodded with a touch of mncholy, sipping the vodka in his ss, but no one responded, and the private room fell into silence.


    Xiao Buli didn''t say anything more and began to divide the money. The stacks of cash were distributed, and Xiao Buli, never taking more because of his role as the guild leader, did not make an exception this time. One hundred and fifty-eight thousand was split evenly into six parts, each person receiving just under thirty thousand. Although dissatisfied with the reduction in ie, everyone seemed revitalized when they received the money. Thest one to take their share was Xiao Ge, the youngest member of the studio, not even twenty this year, a standard post-90s kid with the highest gaming talent among them. He had even been a professional esports yer for a while, winning several smallpetitions, butter retired in frustration over the grueling training and low prize money. He was also the chief fighter of the Qingyang Guild. After taking his share of the money, Xiao Ge didn''t leave but looked at Xiao Buli silently.


    "What''s up?" Xiao Buli looked up at the tall young man before him, his slightly childish face showing a trace of worry.


    "You know me, guild leader. I''m not like them. Even if they stop ying games, they have skills, they can find decent jobs. Aside from gaming, there''s really nothing I''m good at, and I have no interest in other fields. So, if there''s any simr opportunity to make money, please remember to contact me, alright?"


    Xiao Buli opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words. In the end, he could only nod, "Definitely."


    Only then did Xiao Ge manage a forced smile and cheer up before walking away.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 3 - 3 Qilin Studio

    <h4>Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Qilin Studio</h4>


    "Demacia!" With a shout, Garen instantly sped up, raising his sword high, about to bring it down in a mighty sh¡ªbut at the critical moment, the Lady of Light, Lux, used a sh spell to escape. Light Binding¡ªthe feet of Garen were frozen in ce, followed by the luminous singrity¡ªFinal Spark!


    One attack flowed into the next, and Garen, already at half health, was inevitably pinned down in front of the base crystal.


    Xiao Buli picked up the still-lit cigarette from the ashtray and took a deep drag, but the faint smile that had appeared on his face due to defeating his opponent quickly disappeared.


    League of Legends was the online game simr to DOTA he had recently been using to pass the time. Compared to MMORPGs, this type of game didn''t have much in the way of profit potential, but it was enough to kill time.


    Looking at the victory screen, he reflected on the recent events. Xiao Buli wasn''t ready to leave the world of online gaming just yet. He kept tabs on the gaming market, trying every new game to see whether it was worth investing time and energy. Sadly, these games were either pay-to-win cash pits or low-quality knockoffs with nothing to offer. It wasn''t just a matter of investing his energy; even spending half an hour on them felt like a punishment. With nothing better to do, he could only y somepetitive games for entertainment.


    "Come sit at my bar tonight," a voice from the body on the ground suddenly said.


    After a moment of hesitation, Xiao Buli typed out "Okay."


    Four hourster¡ª


    "Here, try the cocktail mixed by our beautiful bartender¡ªthe ''Sexy Bomb'' is sure to impress," Mr. Bang ced a dozen cocktails on Xiao Buli''s table. It was after eight in the evening, and the bar wasn''t officially open yet, just staff bustling around cleaning up. Xiao Buli looked at the sses in front of him¡ªtwelve neatly arranged in a tray, their transparent liquid reflecting the bar''s lights, dazzling to the eye.


    He picked up a ss and looked at it, "VODKA?"


    p, p, p, Mr. Bang exaggeratedly apuded. "As expected of the God of Alcohol, you knew the base spirit without even tasting."


    Xiao Buli chuckled. The transparency of the drink made it hard to be anything but vodka. He drank it down, the burning sensation reaching his stomach immediately¡ªa strong liquor indeed. "Not bad!" praised Xiao Buli.


    "Haha, with your praise, our beauty can officially be promoted to senior bartender," Mr. Bang said, still grinning from ear to ear.


    Xiao Buli just smiled. Gu Shaobang had been his friend since middle school, and among the people at the studio, their rtionship was particrly solid. Even after Qingyang Studio dissolved, the two maintained contact.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After exchanging knowing smiles, Mr. Bang''s expression slowly turned serious. "Boss, I think I might have found it."


    "You mean¡ª?" Xiao Buli began to say but stopped, Mr. Bang nodded seriously. He pulled a somewhat crumpled newspaper from the back pocket of his jeans, "Look at this."


    Mr. Bang pointed to an advert circled by him in the paper. The ad was sizable, indicating that the other party had spent quite a bit of money. It was written in bold letters: y games and earn a sry over ten thousand a month!, Qilin Studio urgently hiring professional gamers for power leveling, starting sry 8000 plusmission, amodation provided, if you''re skilled enough,e join us... Waiting for you... The advert included a contact number for applications.


    Compared to the size of the ad, the content seemed sparse,cking specific details which made Xiao Buli skeptical. These days, there were no such things as pies falling from the sky; a sry of eight thousand a month with additionalmission was an offer not even Qingyang Studio at its peak would dare make. As a realist who never fancied wishful thinking, his first instinct was to ssify the advert as a scam. However, on second thought, if it wasn''t a scam, it clearly meant something significant: he had never heard of Qilin Studio or knew what they were all about, but the game they were investing in had to have significant profit potential to offer such high pay; yet, after considering all the current online games in the market, none seemed to fit the bill.


    Could there be a major online game release on the horizon? He wondered. If that were the case, it would be crucial to get early ess. It might even allow Qingyang Studio to reopen; perhaps this was the reason for Mr. Bang''s excitement.


    Although he felt that the advertisement was unreliable, seeing Mr. Bang trying to contain his excitement, Xiao Buli couldn''t bear to refuse. "Fine, I''ll take a look, but I hope it''s not a scam."


    "You definitely won''t regret it," Mr. Bang said, bumping fists with him in excitement.


    In the bustling center of City B, Ginza za was surrounded by upscale office buildings. Standing in the open area of the za, Xiao Buli felt that the early spring weather was not suitable for exercising. Nheless, there were a few citizens taking walks, and asionally, some white-cors in suits hastily passed through.


    It''s just game power-leveling; wouldn''t renting a residential ce do? Xiao Buli was puzzled. From his years of experience running studios, renting a space in such a location for a gaming studio did not seem like something a normal person would do. With a yearly rent of at least several million, what kind of game could generate enough profit to justify this?


    Following the overly sweet voice''s instructions from the phone, Xiao Buli took the elevator to the 18th floor of Ginza Block C. As the elevator doors slowly opened, he was somewhat astonished. Directly opposite in the corridor, a long queue had formed of applicants, many of whom looked quite professional. Several even carried specialized mice and keyboards or thick resumes. The scene was not on the same level as when he had recruited staff previously.


    However, this was not surprising. With a guaranteed minimum sry of eight thousand a month and rumored bonuses, suchpensation would be considered mid-level in otherpanies. And, there were no special requirements, just good gaming skills. This seemed like a rather modest requirement, so the fiercepetition was understandable.


    After queuing up and filling out the form, Xiao Buli sat bored in the waiting area of the corridor. The interviews were conducted in several rooms, where the applicants were not allowed to talk to each other. Some guards, dressed like they were from Hacker Empire, kept patrolling the area. Nearly two hourster, when Xiao Buli was on the brink of falling asleep in the corridor chair, a security guard called him to enter Room One for his interview.


    "Tell me, which games have you yed?" asked an interviewer who looked like a college professor.


    Xiao Buli counted on his fingers and reported back. Considering certain factors, he did not disclose the fact that he had been the leader of Qingyang Guild. Naturally, he had yed many online games, like "Legend," "Miracle," "World of Warcraft," and others. His interest in games was quite broad, but he rarely got obsessed with one, unless it was necessary for work. However, there were exceptions. At least one non-profit game had kept him immersed for a decade, and he still yed it asionally even now.


    "You''ve yed ''Diablo II'' for ten years?" The interviewer looked at him strangely. No wonder, considering a vintage game like Diablo, which was not an online game, ying it for a decade was indeed surprising.


    Xiao Buli nodded, "Correct." He found the interviewer''s amazement odd. In his view, "Diablo II" was undoubtedly one of the most ssic games. Many online games nowadays couldn''tpare to it in terms of gamey, aside from having better graphics.


    "Have you yed an expert level character?" asked the interviewer, seeming somewhat eager.


    An expert level character, also known as hardcore mode, is a special way of ying a game where the yer has only one life. If the character is killed by monsters, the yer''s character dies permanently without any chance of resurrection. yers who choose this mode are rtively few, mostly those who enjoy the thrill of facing challenges and are experienced veterans.


    Xiao Buli nodded again, "I''ve yed with one."


    "What level?"


    "Max level," he said nonchntly.

 Chapter 4 - 4 Expert Level Character

    <h4>Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Expert Level Character</h4>


    For ordinary game characters, reaching max level is just a matter of time, but for expert level characters it''s not that simple, since any death could cause all previous efforts to go to waste. So, under normal circumstances, to cultivate such a max-level character is nearly considered a feat to boast about to the average person.


    "No cheating?" asked the university teacher who had been taking notes with great interest, looking up from his work.


    "I never cheat when ying games," Xiao Buli said as he shook his head, not at all ufortable about lying. Of course, he would cheat whenever the situation called for it, sometimes even writing his own hacks to gain an advantage in games. However, when it came to ying Diablo 2, he really hadn''t cheated.


    "Then please show me your character."


    This was naturally no problem. The yer data for the Battle version of Diablo was stored on the server, simr to how online games felt, and Xiao Buli logged into his long-unyed ount and summoned his level 99, expert mode, Fighting Series specialized assassin.


    When the university teacher interviewer saw the character d in Dark Gold equipment actually appear before his eyes, he showed a pleasantly surprised expression, but he didn''t make a decision right away. Instead, he had someone take Xiao Buli to the second interview hall for a hand speed test, using a well-known real-time strategy game, Starcraft 2. Facing theputer, Xiao Buli didn''t hesitate much. Although Xiao Ge was revered as Qingyang Studio''s number one yer, to hold a position of authority, his own gaming skills were also substantial, and he quickly passed the first round of tests. Then, he was led to the third interview hall for a survival ability test in a very old game¡ªLegend. Testers needed to use a level 20 spellcaster, equipped with no gear, to survive for half an hour on the third floor of Aoma Temple and kill at least 100 monsters.


    To those who had never yed this game, such a setup might not seem very daunting, but Xiao Buli knew the challenge well. A level 20 spellcaster only had 77 health points, the monsters in Aoma Temple hit hard, averaging around twenty-five health points of damage per hit, which meant you''d die roughly after three hits. The real problem was that there weren''t just melee-attacking monsters, but there were also Dark Warriors that could attack from range. The only health potions testers had were six small golden sore medicines that could restore 20 health points each. Additionally, the game had a mechanic where running also consumed health points, although, considering the spells had been set to unlimited, there was no need to carry mana potions.


    This test would be quite challenging for yers who had never yed this game or the spellcaster ss, but for Xiao Buli, it was hardly a challenge. He was beyond familiar with this map from his time ying Legend. He knew a trick, which was to keep running clockwise and gradually lure the monsters together, thus avoiding being surrounded by enemies. While the Dark Warriors dealt ranged attacks, they had a certain alert range. By attentively avoiding entering the area range of the Dark Warriors and kiting, one could manage it.


    Unsurprisingly, hepleted this test too, breaking through three consecutive challenges. Xiao Buli felt a bit more rxed. When he entered the fourth interview room, it was getting dark outside, and he was starting to feel hungry, but unexpectedly, the testers were thoughtful enough to quickly distribute boxed meals from thepany to each interviewee who hadn''t left. Opening the simple meal box, sushi?? Xiao Buli was amazed at thepany''s generosity. A downtown office building, luxurious decorations, Hacker Empire edition bodyguards¡ªthe extravagances didn''t stop there. Now even a boxed meal was as luxurious as sushi, which probably cost more than fifty or sixty yuan even at wholesale prices. What kind of game studio was this, exactly?


    As he pondered this, Xiao Buli silently finished his dinner. After eating, he began the final test, a game that he had never seen before on the market. With Xiao Buli''s understanding of games, he quickly realized that it was very likely that thispany had developed the game specifically for testing purposes. The graphics were cartoonish and even a bit crude; yers appeared in a maze right from the start. The game wasn''t aboutbat but resembled a room escape, with yers encountering a series of puzzles as they attempted to flee the maze. They had to solve these riddles while simultaneously dealing with monster attacks.


    Luckily, Xiao Buli was quite familiar with puzzle-solving games, having cracked them using his natural intuition and analytical abilities, even when ying Japanese or English versions in his early years, not to mention this rtively simple test game. In about fifteen minutes, he sessfully exited the maze.


    YOU¡ª¡ªARE¡ª¡ªTHE¡ª¡ªWINNER


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As the text appeared on the screen, sounds of fireworks came through the headphones, and the rough game graphics shed with colorful spots as a celebration for the testee. Xiao Buli''s mouth curved into a smile; it seemed his skills were still quite up to par.


    Going back to the first interview hall, the "university teacher" extended a hand to him, "Congrattions, you have sessfully passed our test. Your base sry will be set at eight thousand yuan. In addition, any virtual materials you submit during your game y can earn you additional ie. Do you have any objections?"


    Xiao Buli shook his head indifferently, yet inside, he was filled with wonder. A sry of eight thousand, plus othermissions? With such generouspensation, what exactly was the nature of this job?


    "Alright, here is the contract. I hope you will read it carefully before signing," the university teacher handed him a folder. The contract was brief and offered excellent conditions, if one could overlook those odd uses.


    Conversations with other employees outside of work-rted content are prohibited during employment.


    During employment, you must reside in thepany-provided employee dormitory and are prohibited from going out except on rest days.


    If characters in the game die, the contract is immediately terminated.


    ...


    A cautious Xiao Buli patiently read and reread the short list of a dozen or so provisions three times. Looking up at the man opposite him, he saw he was still looking at him with a smile, devoid of any impatience or pressure. After some thought, and finding nothing uneptable given his penniless status, even though some of the stiptions were severe and even odd, he did not hesitate to sign his name.

 Chapter 5 - 5 Acquaintances

    <h4>Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Acquaintances</h4>


    Next, the university teacher called over a clerical staffer who had a Sassoon haircut and big eyes that made her look quite cute. Despite her girlish figure, she had a baby face. She smiled sweetly at Xiao Buli and introduced herself, "My name is Qin Shimoon, and I''m the leader of the logistics support group here. I''m responsible for all the trivial matters, so if you have any issues in daily life, you cane to me. Now, let me take you to see the dormitory." From the sweetness in her voice, Xiao Buli inferred that she was likely the one who had answered his job application call.


    Xiao Buli followed her out.


    Outside Interview Room No. 1, there were several other people who appeared to have passed the test as well. Two of them looked to be in their early twenties, one of them gentlemanly with sses, and the other a bit of a brash fatty. The third person seemed very young, around seventeen or eighteen, wearing sportswear and holding a keyboard and mouse, curiously looking around¡ªa sight that reminded him of Xiao Ge.


    The fatty smiled at Xiao Buli in a friendly way as he walked in, but the other two didn''t show much reaction, just standing by themselves on the sidelines. As for the fourth person, wearing a hooded ck jacket, he had been sitting on a chair from start to finish, his face shrouded by the hood as if he were deep in thought, and perhaps due to the lighting, his face under the hood looked somewhat blurry.


    "So, please follow me," Qin Shimoon said as she led the group towards the elevator.


    "For the convenience of work, the workspaces and dormitories are both on the 19th floor." As they entered the elevator, Qin Shimoon continued exining to everyone. The elevator opened to reveal a passcode door; the petite girl stepped forward and expertly entered the code. The door immediately emitted a sound of airpression, revealing that it waspletely sealed, and Xiao Buli felt a small surge of surprise.


    Upon entering the door on the 19th floor, there was a spacious hall with a row of sofas, a few coffee tables, and some chairs that looked like a rest area. "This is themon area where you can smoke and take breaks. Next to it is the pantry. You can write down any snacks you want or cigarette brands you prefer on the suggestion board at the door, and I''ll arrange to get them for you. The corridor on the left has the studios, which are divided by team: the Green Dragon Group responsible for dungeon raids, the White Tiger Group responsible for outdoor BOSS raids, the Vermilion Bird Group responsible for game intelligence gathering, and the Xuanwu Group responsible for logistics and collecting game materials."


    "However, you''re all still on your trial period, so you won''t be assigned to a group yet. You have one month to familiarize yourselves with the game and improve your skills. After a month, we''ll assign you different duties based on your performance and your character''s development. The corridors on the right are the dormitories. Each person has a private room with an en suite bathroom. Oh right, there''s also a public restroom on the right side of the hall for guests."


    "My office is across from the pantry. If there''s anything you need, you cane to me. I will do my best to serve everyone." Her final words, earnest and strong, couldn''t help but make people feel the young girl was even more adorable. After speaking, Qin Shimoon took out several maic cards from her pocket. "These ID cards are not only the keys to your room doors but also your identity badges within thepany. Please keep them safe."


    "Tomorrow you will officially start working on theputers. For today, just get familiar with thepany environment. Also, remember to strictly follow thepany rules. Don''t me me for not warning you, but your conversations can be overheard at any time and ce." After speaking, she pointed to the ceiling, where a camera that looked like something out of a spy movie was swinging from side to side, making its presence known.


    It was Xiao Buli''s first time working at a bigpany, and there seemed to be surprisingly many rules. However, as long as he followed them, there seemed to be nothing too difficult to adapt to. After Qin Shimoon left, the few people looked at each other with big eyes and small eyes, all feeling a bit at sea. The fatty, who seemed more sociable, took the initiative to speak, "Since we''re going to work together in the future, let''s introduce ourselves. My name is Han Baiqiang, and well, thepany doesn''t allow us to say more, so I won''t extemporize."


    "I''m Sun Bin," said the one with sses, a hint of a mocking smile on his face that made Xiao Buli feel somewhat ufortable.


    "My name is Li Baocheng, it''s my first time working, please take care of me, big brothers," the young man said politely, his face marked with a humility rare for his age.


    After a silence, the other person didn''t introduce themselves. Xiao Buli looked back curiously, but that person had already left when no one knew.


    ```


    What a strange fellow, he thought to himself, and turning around, he saw the others looking at him with puzzled expressions, so he introduced himself, "My name is Xiao Buli." After saying that, it seemed there was not much else to say, after all, thepany''s regtions were in ce, and the group dispersed.


    The dormitory provided by thepany was quite nice. Although it was not big, it was veryfortable, clean, and tidy, and it was equipped withplete facilities. There was not only a private bathroom but also a t-screen TV mounted on the wall and a personalputer on the bedside table. In a certain sense, the environment was even morefortable than his home. What surprised Xiao Buli the most was, ording to the manual, there was even a dedicated gym in the dormitory area. It really had the style of argepany.


    After taking a quick nce around, Xiao Buli nodded in satisfaction, turned around, and walked out again.


    When Xiao Buli walked back to the lobby, he saw a figure that felt familiar. The person was at the snack cab, selecting drinksfortably. Hey, wasn''t that Wu Tao?


    He knew this person; he had also worked at Qingyang Studio for a while but left for some reason after not too long, and the two of them weren''t close. Unexpectedly, he ran into him here; it seemed likely that Wu Tao left Qingyang Studio toe here. At least they were acquaintances. He was about to go up and greet him when Wu Tao turned around, nced at him, and his face immediately turned green.


    Wu Tao signaled to him with his eyes, quickly turned into the nearby bathroom, and Xiao Buli, puzzled, followed him into the bathroom after a moment''s thought. As soon as he entered, Xiao Buli was about to speak when he saw Wu Tao immediately gesture to him to keep quiet. Xiao Buli was somewhat baffled but noticing Wu Tao''s nervous demeanor, he kept silent. Wu Tao quickly checked the bathroom stalls to make sure there was no one else, then came over to him.


    In a hushed voice, he asked, "Chairman? What are you doing here?"


    "Heh," Xiao Buli hummed, somewhat helpless at his overreaction, and emotionlessly spat out two words, "Working."


    Seeing Xiao Buli''s nonchnt expression seemed to make Wu Tao realize something, and he couldn''t help but smile bitterly, "Listen, Chairman, this is very important. When you see the bosster, pretend you don''t know me, no matter what."


    Xiao Buli was curious, "Why?"


    "Because there is an unwritten rule here that anyone working here must not know each other. If it''s known that you and I are acquainted, neither of us can stay."


    "What? There''s such a rule!?" Xiao Buli was instantly skeptical.


    Seeing the half doubtful, half believing expression on Xiao Buli''s face, Wu Tao became anxious, "Just believe me this time, how could I possibly harm you?" He spoke quickly and, although his voice was lowered, Xiao Buli could tell Wu Tao really wanted to shout out those words fiercely. This made Xiao Buli even more curious.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    After pondering for a moment, Xiao Buli nodded slightly, as if to agree. Seeing his nod, Wu Tao hurriedly left, not even having time to say a word of greeting.


    ```

 Chapter 6 - 6 Absolute Death Domain

    <h4>Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Absolute Death Domain</h4>


    Xiao Buli rolled his eyes helplessly, somewhat at a loss for words over the unexpected encounter.


    That evening, Xiao Buli went home to pack some things and returned overnight to his workce. Despite thepany''s numerous red gs, his curiosity about the game he was about to y had only intensified.


    The next morning, Xiao Buli got up early, as he was always a disciplined man. Although it was his first time working for someone else, it didn''t make him feel ufortable. After freshening up and looking at himself in the mirror, his reflection seemed a bit more profound¡ªprobably a side effect of long-term involvement in all sorts of scheming and strategies. His gaze was a tad too sharp. He cracked a slight smile to soften his expression, ready to start the day''s work.


    He thought to himself as he walked out.


    Thepany provided three meals a day, and in the dining hall, he encountered his colleagues. Much to his surprise, there seemed to be quite a few of them working together¡ªabout sixty or seventy people. Apart from a few uniformed staff, the rest were likely professional gamers, all of a simr age, ranging from twenty to thirty years old, wearing uniforms that clearly divided them into four groups, just as Qin Shimoon had described.


    "Hey Xiao, over here," he turned his head and saw it was the young man named Li Baocheng calling him.


    Carrying his tray, he walked over to where Sun Bin and the chubby guy were also sitting. The man in the hood whose name he didn''t know wasn''t there. He didn''t ask, as it was none of his business.


    The four of them sat eating when Han Baiqiang couldn''t hold back his curiosity, "What game are we actually going to y?"


    Sun Bin smirked coolly, "Whatever the game, it must be quite special; otherwise, they wouldn''t offer such high sries to hire us."


    Han Baiqiang gave him a disdainful look, thinking thement was obvious. "Anyway, how do you guys n to y? This game is probably going to be tough!" he probed further.


    Sun Bin smirked again, "For a true expert, any game should be as straightforward as carving up an ox. What''s this about difficulty? But for those average yers, of course, they should be extra cautious. After all, I assume none of you would like to lose this job." As he spoke, he nced at the three of them with that peculiar mocking look in his eyes, as if he was the so-called expert, and the others were the ''average yers'' he referred to.


    Whether Li Baocheng didn''t catch the hidden meaning in his words or not, he excitedly said, "Sun is right. No matter how difficult the game, it probably isn''t unsolvable. We just need to be cautious in our approach. Not to brag, but my gaming skills are certainly not average. If I could pass the tests at thispany, I assume you guys are pretty impressive too. You could say we are the elites of gaming. If we join forces, what game could possibly pose a challenge?"


    Han Baiqiang initially felt irked by Sun Bin''s words but then nodded confidently, "Naturally."


    Without having seen the game, Xiao Buli just smiled and nodded in agreement, not joining in on the discussion. His years as a professional gamer had taught him not to judge prematurely¡ªa habit he maintained at that moment.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Like most jobs, the work hours here were from nine to five. As it was almost nine o''clock, Qin Shimoon and a man who wore sunsses indoors as well, walked over. The man was quite tall at one meter ny, with a muscr build, drawing the attention of the others.


    "Are you guys settling in alright?"


    The four nodded, and Qin Shimoon, still with her sweet, charming smile, pointed to the man beside her, "This is Li Jian. You''ll be familiarizing yourselves with the game together, and he''ll also be the supervisor for the new recruits."


    The group greeted Li Jian, and Xiao Buli nced behind the two of them, not seeing the man in the hood. He thought to himself that perhaps an introduction wasn''t needed for that person. However, with his cautious nature, he instinctively refrained from asking further questions. Maybe that person wasn''t quite like the rest of the new recruits.


    After breakfast, the four of them followed Li Jian into a room with white curtains and an examination bed, making it resemble a clinic. The group looked around curiously.


    "Before you enter the studio, we need to give each of you a simple physical examination," Li Jian exined, seeing everyone''s puzzled expressions.


    So that''s how it is, Xiao Buli nodded, quite like what you''d expect from a bigpany.


    A medical staff member in a white coat gave each of the four a quick examination, shining a torch into their eyes, checking their tongues, asking about basic health conditions, and finally drawing a little blood from each. Compared to regr medical examinations, this process seemed somewhat informal.


    After letting them rest for a while and drink some water, Li Jian finally took them to another room. This one seemed more appropriate¡ªit wasrge and appeared to be specially prepared for the neers, with dozens ofputers split into different booths.


    "This ce used to be used for training new employees, but now it''s seldom used. Make yourselvesfortable."


    As the four were choosing theirputers, Li Jian started to exin, "I suppose you''re all familiar with online games, surely all veteran yers. So without further ado, let me introduce your job duties."


    The group perked up, sitting down to listen attentively ¨C after all, this was about their job performance, and they couldn''t afford not to take it seriously.


    Suddenly, Li Jian cleared his throat, "The game you''ll be ying is called ''Absolute Death Domain.'' It''s extremely difficult and has some simrities to ''Diablo II'' in Expert Mode. Your character absolutely cannot die; once dead, there''s noing back to life. Considering game ounts are very rare and you can only create one character per ount, as soon as your game character dies, your contract with thepany also ends. So, please remember, do not rush into challenging high-difficulty monsters in the game. Stay low-key; otherwise, if you die, you must leave. Understood?"


    Everyone agreed, and Xiao Buli felt even more curious ¨C no death allowed? Could it be an Expert Level Character? But even for Expert Level Characters, couldn''t they just rebuild a character upon death? Or perhaps this game is still in the testing phase? That seemed to be the only exnation.


    Although he was already aware of these terms, he still found it odd to hear Li Jian emphasize them again and again.


    Nevertheless, he chose not to ask further questions, instead quietly taking note in his mind.


    "Next, in the game, all items on your character are owned by thepany; you only have the right to use them. Anymand given concerning your game character must be executed immediately. Understood?"


    The four nodded again.


    Li Baocheng seemed to be on the verge of saying something but then hesitated. Meanwhile, Han Baiqiang, more direct, asked, "So if the higher-ups order us to die, we have toply?"


    Li Jianughed, "Exactly. If thepany requires your game character to die, you must obey. However, if your character''s death is due to thepany''s fault, although you''ll still be dismissed, you can receive a minimumpensation of one hundred thousand yuan. But remember, we will only pay this money if we have proven that themand we gave was mistaken and caused your character''s death. So don''t try to engineer the death of your character."


    After hearing this, they exchanged nces, all detecting the surprise in each other''s eyes ¨C one hundred thousand yuan, that was no small sum.

 Chapter 7 - 7 The Ridiculously Difficult Challenge

    <h4>Chapter 7: Chapter 7 The Ridiculously Difficult Challenge</h4>


    Li Jian then introduced the operating method of this game, which was fundamentally simr to the third-person perspective of World of Warcraft, an online game. However, ording to Li Jian, this game was very special and quite difficult. As he spoke, everyone listened intently. When he mentioned the high difficulty, a knowing look crossed Han Baiqiang''s face, Li Baocheng wore a nervous expression, while Sun Bin just sneered coldly, seemingly unfazed by the so-called high difficulty. Xiao Buli wondered where he got such confidence from, but considering that he stood out from so many applicants, he must have some skills.


    "Very well, you can now start entering the game. Your ount and password are on your maic cards, just follow the instructions to input them. Additionally, your game characters have already been created. Don''t ask too many questions, just y. Since the first month is a trial period, we won''t provide any assistance or assign work to you, nor do you need to report your in-game earnings to us. However, once you''re assigned to a team, you must follow thepany''s orders, as every action you take will be under ourmand. Since this is your first time ying, to prevent you from dying too early, I''ll stay here to answer some questions for you. If you have any, just ask me."


    Xiao Buli listened to Li Jian''s exnation while taking a seat. He nced at the machine''s number, 013¡ªa very lucky number indeed.


    Theputer was extremely sophisticated and booted up in almost the blink of an eye, making Xiao Buli feel as if it had only been in standby mode. The stark screen was empty except for a game icon. It seemed certain settings had been made, even basic icons like My Computer, Recycle Bin, and Network Neighborhood were not disyed.


    Turning back as if to seek confirmation, Xiao Buli caught Li Jian''s knowing smile, "To prevent wasting time during work hours, allputers in the studio have this setup. But if you wish to ess the inte, you can use theputers in your rooms."


    Xiao Buli nodded, finding the rule eptable. While contemting, he double-clicked the skull-like game icon. Apanied by an eerie music sound, the screen shed, and he entered the game, inputting his ount and password. His character immediately appeared on the screen, below which was the character panel.


    Character Name: Xiao Buli.


    upation: Commoner.


    Intelligence: 13. ¡ª Highprehension, extremely strong analytical abilities, average memory.


    Strength: 9. ¡ª Carrying capacity of 45 pounds, Attack power 9, (one point of Strength corresponds to five pounds of carrying capacity and one point of attack power).


    Speed: 9 ¡ª Your running speed is average.


    Agility: 12 ¡ª You have a pair of dexterous hands.


    Stamina: 9. ¡ª Stamina Points 90 (1 point of Stamina corresponds to 10 Stamina Points).


    Physique: 10. ¡ª Health Points 100. (1 point of Physique corresponds to 10 Health Points).


    Charm: 12. ¡ª You''re fairly good-looking.


    Spirit: 13. ¡ª You possess a spirituality that surpasses the ordinary.


    Luck: 7. ¡ª¡ª Your luck is a bit poor.


    The character in the game looked about eighty to ny percent simr to him, heh, there was even a character creation system.


    He had no idea how such attributes were determined. Were theypletely random? Xiao Buli stared at the numbers and attribute evaluations on the screen, lost for a moment. These simple numbers may mean nothing to others, but having yed games for so many years, he knew that even a slight difference in numbers could carry different implications. The attributes weren''t assigned by the yers but were predetermined. Could it be based on the tests and medical check-ups he hadpleted earlier? Suddenly, he had the feeling that this game character''s attributes seemed to be linked to his own physique, but why would that make any sense for a game? Xiao Buli preferred to think that thepany intended them to develop into certain types of professions, which would make sense. But then why were the character''s appearance and name so simr?


    He shrugged nonchntly. Who cares? It''s just a game. He chose to enter the game, the screen shifted, and he was already in a formal game scene. That was quick; there was no loading time? Xiao Buli mused with interest.


    The birthce seemed to be a square in a small vige standing in the wilderness. The sky was very gloomy, and the colors were quite monochromatic. The surrounding buildings looked old and ancient, stylistically akin to the oppressive dark gray often seen in dark-themed games. However, the lighting effects were outstanding, making him, a seasoned gamer, quickly feel as though he were truly there. Even many well-made single-yer games might not achieve this kind of immersion. It was surprising indeed that such a game had never appeared on the market before, not even a whisper about it. It didn''t seem logical.


    With a series of white shes, three more people appeared beside him, likely Han Baiqiang, Sun Bin, and Li Baocheng. Xiao Buli easily distinguished their characters as they looked very simr to their real-life counterparts. Seeing the scenery in the game, all three of them looked around curiously like him, the very image of wonder-stricken observers.


    "I''ve got it!" eximed the chubby guy sitting to his right, "We must be game testers, right? This has to be a new generation online game that hasn''t hit the market yet." Xiao Buli jumped at his loud voice, nced at him, then shook his head with a smile.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    No one responded, only Sun Bin snorted coldly and turned away. The chubby guy coughed awkwardly and settled his plump body back into his booth.


    "Shall we leave the vige?"


    Li Jian''s voice suddenly came from behind. Xiao Buli turned and saw he was speaking to Li Baocheng.


    "Yes... Can we not?" Li Baocheng''s voice hesitated in response to the leader''s question.


    "Of course not, I just wanted to remind everyone," Li Jian raised his voice so the others could hear him, "With your current equipment and attributes, stepping outside the vige could mean certain death.


    "However..." Li Jian hesitated, "Who knows? This game has no set rules, and maybe a rare event might ur. But from what I understand, I wouldn''t rmend taking the risk."


    "What do you mean? Can''t we beat any monsters as we are now?" the chubby guy asked.


    "Pretty much," Li Jian responded loudly. He was temporarily the leader of this four-man squad, and thepany certainly didn''t want any unnecessary casualties. He felt it was better to be thorough, as there had been incidents where a whole group of newbies had been wiped out on their first day.


    "Though if you''re particrly lucky, you might encounter a stray dog, and if your skills are good enough, you might defeat it." Xiao Buli noticed that within a few short sentences, Li Jian had used many conditional words. Did that represent a very slim chance, or was it his way of being sarcastic toward beginners? "But even if you win, it wouldn''t matter," Li Jian continued, "There''s no character leveling or Experience Points design in this game, and dogs don''t drop any equipment. If you have the dissection skill, you could get some skin and meat from its body, but dog skin... seems like it won''t sell for much." Li Jian helplessly pursed his lips; this damned game was really something. Who on earth hade up with it?

 Chapter 8 - 8 Intelligent NPC

    <h4>Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Intelligent NPC</h4>


    Buli was taken aback when he heard this. To think that he couldn''t even beat the weakest monsters¡ªthis game truly lived up to its reputation as a high-difficulty game. With his years of gaming experience, he had never seen anything like it. To y it safe, he decided to first stroll around the vige.


    The vige was bustling with many NPCs, giving it quite the realistic feel of an actual vige. He approached an old man who seemed amiable and clicked on him, but no options appeared. Instead, a nk speech bubble popped up.


    "Team Leader Li, how do you talk to NPCs?" Li Jian happened to walk up behind him, and Buli took the opportunity to ask.


    "Oh, see that dialogue box? Just type what you want to say in the box, and the NPC will respond to you," Li Jian immediately exined patiently, "But remember, if you say the wrong thing, you might get an unexpected result, so you should never just type recklessly."


    Really? Buli thought to himself that it sounded too sci-fi. How massive a server would be needed to support such randomness?


    Skeptically, he typed "Hello" into the dialogue box and hit enter.


    The old man immediately replied, "Hello, young man. Is there something you need in our vige?"


    It actually works? Buli cursed "SHIT" in his mind, thinking it was incredibly sci-fi. Perhaps it was just some simple preset responses. Hoping for the best, he thought to himself, but then he quickly dismissed the idea. Before having solid evidence, it was better not to jump to conclusions.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He then typed another sentence, this time intending to test it further, so he wrote a rather long message, "Hello, elder, I''m new to this ce and was wondering if I could temporarily stay here?"


    The old man smiled, "Of course, you can. As long as you abide by thews and avoid causing trouble, we, in Dahuang Vige, wee guests from all directions. I am the vige head of Dahuang Vige, you can call me Elder Huang."


    Buliughed, the kind ofugh that felt a bit ridiculous but also contained the surprise of facing somethingpletely unexpected. He couldn''t deny the intelligibility of the NPC. Still, deep inside, Buli was continuously specting about the principles behind this text recognition system, (It must recognize certain characters'' settings, which wouldn''t be difficult, no, that''s wrong. The sentence structures are so natural, with no sense of discord. It couldn''t be achieved with ordinary trantion software).


    (However, it''s impossible that behind these NPCs there''s someone controlling them, right? Thebor costs would be unbearable for a game.) He quickly counted, and just in this vige alone, there were at least a hundred people, not to mention the towns there would beter in the game. Who knows how many people would be required to manage that?


    (It seems it must still be some kind of character recognition feedback system, just very advanced and powerful, powerful beyond theprehension of ordinary people.) With his thoughts confirmed, Buli continued ying the game.


    "I don''t suppose you know where one could find work around here?" he asked. Since he couldn''t earn experience by fighting monsters, he figured he might as well do some quests to earn money and buy some equipment.


    "Ah, are you looking for work? Then you''ve asked the right person. We used to have many young people working here, but recently they all left one after another. We have lots of jobs that need filling," the elderly man coughed, seeming in poor health. "Ah, I remember, there''s a ce at the eastern end of the vige that could use some help, you can go and ask there."


    Buli jogged all the way to the eastern end of the vige and found it was a farm, with a farmer standing in front of a pigsty looking quite distressed.


    "Hello, is there anything I can do to help you?" Even though he found it bothersome, Buli still asked politely.


    "Ah, what a coincidence, I''m in need of a swineherd. It''s dirty and tiring, but the pay is quite good¡ªI can give you fifty copper coins a day. Of course, if you don''t do well, I will deduct from your wages. Are you interested?" The farmer seemed obviously delighted at seeing Buli, speaking excitedly with his hands and feet.


    A dialog box popped up in front of me, "The farm owner invites you to change your job to ''swineherd''. Do you ept?"


    Swineherd? There''s actually such a profession? Bing a swineherd and then swinging a pig feed spoon on the battlefield? No, this must be a lifestyle profession. It''s fine to do it temporarily just to earn some Game Coins first, but I need to understand this job conversion system thoroughly. It would be quite the joke if I couldn''t change back after the switch.


    After pondering for a moment, I turned around and asked, "Manager Li, are you familiar with the swineherd profession?"


    "Swineherd?" Li Jian approached Xiao Buli''sputer with interest, gazing at the screen thoughtfully before shaking his head. Xiao Buli noticed that, contrary to the profession''s peculiar nature, Li Jian didn''t seem to find it amusing. "I don''t know about that. My first profession was a lumberjack."


    "Lumberjack?" (First profession? So, you can switch to other professionster.) Instantly, Xiao Buli concluded the answer he was seeking in his mind.


    "Exactly. A widow in the vige referred me to it. So, this game really depends on luck. Talking to different people may yield different results, and even talking to the same person might not give the same oue each time. Of course, some say jobs are assigned based on your innate talents. Anyway, I started as a lumberjack." Hearing Li Jian''s exnation, everyone stopped clicking their mice and perked up their ears to listen, for any bit of experience with a new game was invaluable.


    "So, what are the benefits of changing to a lumberjack?" Li Baocheng asked.


    "Of course, changing to a lumberjack allows you to gain the ''Lumbering'' skill. When I leveled up my Lumbering skill to LV3, I gained the Axe Mastery skill, and when it reached LV5, I gained the ''Downward sh'' skill, along with an increase of 1 point of Strength and 1 point of stamina to my Attributes. When my Lumbering skill reached LV10, my Heavy Chop was upgraded to LV2, Axe Mastery to LV3, and both Strength and stamina increased by two points. Additionally, I gained a skill called ''Enduring Stamina'', which reduced physical stamina consumption by twenty percent. Then, I went to change my job to Axeman. Using the money saved up from lumbering, I bought a set of equipment. Completing all these took about twenty days, and by then, I could take on one or two bandits by myself. Not long after, I was assigned to the White Tiger team and became a formal employee¡ªby the way, I was the fastest to change over to abat profession among the new hires at the time."


    When it came to games, Li Jian didn''t seem as cool and unsmiling as he had been when he first started wearing sunsses.


    Realization dawned on Li Baocheng, "I see. So, you''re saying that no matter the profession, as long as you level up the skills to a certain extent, you can gainbat skills. Does that mean we should start by developing from a lifestyle profession?"


    "That seems to be the case."


    "Are there any limits to how many times you can change professions? Can you switch at will, or is there a cap to the number of times you can change?" Xiao Buli inquired from the side.


    "If you''ve yed for a while and find you don''t like it, you can change at any time, of course, you must meet the conditions. This game has a very high degree of freedom; as long as you meet the conditions, almost anything is possible. Furthermore, different types of professions can exist simultaneously; the same type of professions will only disy the highest priority one. For example, I am both a lumberjack and an Axeman."


    "Does that mean I can learn all the professional skills if I work hard enough?" Xiao Buli continued to probe.


    On hearing this, Li Jian thoughtfully shook his head, "In theory, yes, but a skill will decrease in proficiency or even degrade if not used for a long time. So, if you learn every skill, you might end up mastering none, because you have to keep using the skill consistently."


    Xiao Buli nodded, gaining a new understanding of the game''s mechanics. This insight annoyed him slightly, as it seemed all his previous gaming experience amounted to nothing in this game. Swineherd it is, then. Whatever. Earning eight thousand a month and then feeding pigs in the game, haha, it''s quite the dark humor.

 Chapter 9 - 9 Comprehension - Taming Skills

    <h4>Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Comprehension - Taming Skills</h4>


    Back at the game screen, the farmer had already begun urging him, so Xiao Buli didn''t hesitate to choose¡ªept. The farmer then exined some knowledge about feeding pigs to him.


    System prompt: yer Xiao Buli has changed his profession to ''swineherd'' and learned the upational skill¡ªBreeding. You can view the details of this skill in the Skill Bar.


    Upon opening the Skill Bar, there indeed was a new skill. Xiao Buli moved his mouse over it.


    Breeding: A skill that allows for the feeding and care of animals, based on understanding their habits, so they can grow continuously under human supervision. Current skill level LV1.


    Although it wasn''t a powerful skill, it was still pretty good to learn for free.


    He chose to start working, but the screen switched to a minigame. Feeding pigs wasn''t at all difficult; a whole row of twelve pigsy in their pens eating, with a chibi character above them throwing down food. If a pig went too long without eating, it would be angry, turning red in color. If it became extremely angry, a warning would appear above its head, and then it would break through the pen and run away. The yer had to ensure that none of the pigs ran off, so they had to calcte the amount of pig food, the character''s Movement Speed, and the pigs'' hunger levels to seed in the game. Overall, it was quite an amusing minigame.


    Ha, ha, ha, Xiao Buli began to focus and started taking care of the cartoon pigs. What he thought would be a simple game gradually made him tense as time progressed. Due to his unfamiliarity, he identally let two pigs escape. The farmer immediately ran out of the house and cursed him, threatening to fire him if there were any more slip-ups.


    Xiao Buli naturally wouldn''t take an NPC''s words to heart, but he became even more serious. Unlike the typical fun minigames designed purely for the yer''s enjoyment in most online games, this game was surprisingly difficult. Sitting up straight, Xiao Buli clicked ''start'' once more. It was the same game, but Xiao Buli''s performance had improved significantly. His fingers danced back and forth across the keys like ying the piano. With his now better understanding of the game, not a single pig ran away this time. After the game ended, Xiao Buli looked at the screen with anticipation; he should be able to receive a rating above A-level for his efforts. The pig feeding rating was disyed.


    System prompt: Five pigs gained weight because they ate enough food, four pigs were unhappy for not getting enough to eat, and three pigs lost condition because they ate too little.


    Pig Feeding Rating: D¡ªBarely passable.


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    Looking at this rating, his usually expressionless face showed some change¡ªnot anger but surprise. Was that all? How could his careful y and seriousness lead to such an ordinary score? It seemed this game truly deserved its high difficulty rating; even its apanying minigames were so professional.


    It turned out that pig feeding was indeed a long and arduous task. However, the high difficulty level sparked hispetitive spirit. Xiao Buli clenched his fist to loosen up his fingers and rubbed his slightly sore pinky before diving into the pig feeding game again.


    Generally speaking, leveling up any profession''s skills is rtively easy in the early stages of any game, and this game was no exception. Coupled with Xiao Buli''s professional gamer qualities and serious attitude, he found this seemingly simple minigame to contain some tricks. For example, the white pigs ate the fastest, the ck pigs were the quickest to anger, and the spotted pigs wouldn''t run away when extremely angry but would instead fall into a deep sleep. If the sows were full, they too would sleep, and then the piglets would drink their milk, which maximally conserved pig food. Before he knew it, the entire morning had passed. Completely immersed in challenging the game, Xiao Buli hadn''t noticed time flying by, and with a sh of gold, his Breeding Skill rose to LV5.


    System prompt: After a long breeding career, you''ve gained insight into Taming Skills through the pig feeding process. Current level LV1.


    Taming Skills: With a grasp of the wild habits of beasts, you can tame them to serve you. The sess rate and level of Tame are rted to the target''s Wildness.


    System prompt: After long-termbor, your Movement Speed has increased slightly, and your stamina has improved a bit.


    Taming Skills! When Xiao Buli saw this skill, he was somewhat enlightened; indeed, it made sense to associate Taming Skills with pig feeding. It seemed that skill acquisition in this game was quite systematic. He decided to quickly level up pig feeding to ten; that way, he should be able to get Taming Skills to level two.


    "Ha ha, so cool, I''ve learned abat skill," a voice suddenly sounded from behind, interrupting his thoughts.


    Xiao Buli turned around to look, and the one cheering was Sun Bin, who had changed his profession to a farmer and was helping other people to till thend.


    "No way, how did you get so fast?" Li Baocheng''sint came through, "By the way, how high did you level up your ''Farming'' skill?"


    "Not high, not high, just LV5," Sun Bin boasted with a pro gamer''s demeanor. After all, it seemed he was making the fastest progress among the group. However, the arrogance that once adorned his face had faded quite a bit, and a thinyer of sweat seemed to emerge on his forehead¡ªit looked like leveling up his farming to LV5 had taken quite a bit of effort.


    Upon asking, it turned out that when he leveled up Farming to LV3, he had learned a skill specialization for polearm weapons, and when he reached LV5, he acquired the ''Wild Dance'' skill. The former is a prerequisite skill for learning advanced polearm techniques, while thetter is a small-scale AOE melee skill.


    Xiao Buli secretly realized something, it seems like those who could pass the test were indeed no ordinary people. Sun Bin might seem arrogant and impolite, but his gaming skills were certainly not beneath his own.


    Seeing that all four had found jobs in the vige and had no ns to leave, Li Jian too found aputer to sit down at and logged into the game. Han Baiqiang curiously looked back at his screen. On the screen, Li Jian''s character was a burly warrior wearing full-body scale armor with a helmet adorned with bull horns and holding a massive dual-ded steel axe. He indeed looked imposing.


    "Nice gear, huh? Hey, why does your character look so ''buff''?"


    Hearing Han Baiqiang''s envious exmation, Li Jian turned his chair around and replied, "Don''t be fooled by how buff my character looks now. At the start, he was as skinny as me. After I took up Lumbering, the character''s physique started to bulk up as Strength and Stamina increased. It seems this game has incorporated Rocky''s physique growth system; your character will get more and more stylish over time."


    Hearing Li Jian''s exnation, Han Baiqiang let out a long "Oh."


    Xiao Buli also caught the conversation and curiously turned his head to nce at Li Jian. Even under the guise of a suit, it was not hard to see that his physique was quite burly. He was certainly tall, but where was there a hint of ''skinny''? Could it be that Li Jian was very sensitive about his build? Shaking his head, Xiao Buli didn''t dwell on the issue and turned back to continue feeding the pigs.


    After a hasty lunch, Xiao Buli returned to hisputer. This kind of life felt strangely familiar, quite simr to when he used to rush through games. Usually, by this time, he would have leveled up by at least ten or twenty levels in a game, and if it was a locally made game, leveling up thirty or fifty times was also possible, having in hundreds or thousands of monsters. Now, he hadn''t even left the Newbie Vige yet. Indeed, every game is a world of its own.


    The Breeding Skill slowed down further with each level, and before he knew it, Xiao Buli finally seeded in leveling it up to LV7. As the screen shed with golden light, a silent "YES" cheered in his mind. He rubbed his sore neck and looked around to see the others still striving. ncing out the window, the sky had already darkened, and nearly five o''clock was shown on theputer clock¡ªtime really flies.


    Leaning back in his chair to rx his neck, Xiao Buli was ready to continue the battle when suddenly a soothing tune, signaling rxation, filled the air. Li Jian stopped his actions and checked the time. "Oh no, it''s time to get off work. Everyone, quickly find a safe ce to log off," he said.


    Li Baocheng, who seemed like he wasn''t ready to stop ying, teasingly asked, "Can I volunteer to work overtime for free?"


    Li Jianughed but helplessly shook his head, "If only I could, I''d work for free every day, but sorry," he gestured a no-go with his finger towards Li Baocheng, raising his voice, "Company policy, you can only y up to eight hours a day unless... there''s a special circumstance." He said with an apologetic look, pushing up his sunsses on the bridge of his nose.


    Xiao Buli and the other two turned to look at Li Jian after hearing this. If possible, they certainly wouldn''t miss the chance to work overtime, especially considering Qin Shimoon''s previous statement that their performance this month would directly affect their subsequent groupings, and different groupings likely meant different ies.


    However, seeing Li Jian''s helpless expression, they could only agree reluctantly and dragged their feet in logging off the game.


    Li Baocheng deliberately slowed his logout speed. Watching Han Baiqiang and Sun Bin leave, he hurried to Li Jian''s side.


    "Manager Li, what''s the max level for this skill? I''m progressing quite fast, right?" Li Jian was waiting for everyone to leave to fulfill his managerial duties. Contemting Li Baocheng''s question, he eventually answered, "Most skills max out at level 10, but who knows? The biggest joy of this game is you never know what will happen next."


    Xiao Buli was about to exit the room when he probably caught Li Jian''s answer. So, reaching Max Level in Breeding should be quickly attainable, and by then, he should be able to switch to a stronger profession. Xiao Buli thought as much and didn''t stay to listen to their continued conversation.

 Chapter 10 - 10 Feed Mission

    <h4>Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Feed Mission</h4>


    Stretching outzily, the group arrived at the dining hall, where a sumptuous dinner awaited them, featuring both Western and Chinese dishes. There were fried golden chicken legs, chicken wings, hot dogs, as well as Chinese dishes like sweet and sour spare ribs and Moo Shu Pork. As for main courses, there were burgers and rice, and even desserts like fruit sd to finish the meal, all meticulously prepared and visually appealing enough to whet anyone''s appetite. For some reason, Xiao Buli found his appetite better than it had ever been. Usually, after a whole day of gaming, due to theck of physical calorie burn, his appetite was poor and he could hardly eat anything, but today, he devoured a huge te of food and still felt it wasn''t enough. However, it seemed that he wasn''t the only one with a hearty appetite¡ªeveryone else was eating ravenously. When they were almost done, they inevitably started sharing their gaming experiences, exchanging what they had learned that day.


    Sun Bin knew that he had transferred to a farmer to help people tillnd. Han Baiqiang, on the other hand, had be a cksmith''s apprentice, reportedly because the vige cksmith saw potential in his 13 points of stamina and 13 points of Strength. However, he hadn''t officially started learning Forging yet and was instead helping the cksmith mine ore in the nearby caves. Unfortunately, mining as a skill was rtively hard to level up; it hadn''t even reached LV5 yet, so he had only mastered a two-handed weapons specialization skill, and nothing more.


    "Wow, Han, I didn''t expect that. Will you be able to forge some equipment for us in the future?" Li Baocheng said in a tone that was half ttery.


    "Of course, no problem," replied Han Baiqiang, clearly unable to resist being praised, immediately boasting, "Just wait until my skill level is higher; I''ll cover you guys'' equipment then."


    Xiao Buli just smiled and said nothing, for he knew that once the month was up and he became an official employee, he would have to follow thepany''s arrangements, and he didn''t believe what Han Baiqiang said woulde true.


    Li Baocheng, however, didn''t seem to have thought of this and was so excited he didn''t know what to say. On the other hand, Sun Bin, upon seeing this, couldn''t help but snort coldly, seemingly displeased at having his thunder stolen. Han Baiqiang pretended not to notice and turned to Li, "By the way, Li, what profession did you transfer to?"


    "I''ve transferred to a butcher, currently helping the vige hunters by dissecting prey. I just leveled dissection to LV3 and learned Dagger Mastery, but haven''t learned any other skills yet. The hunter said once I level dissection to LV5, I''ll get another skill called ''Backstab.'' He also mentioned that if I help him handle all his game, he''ll teach me hunting skills," said Li Baocheng nonchntly, his pride, however, not so well concealed.


    After some thought, Xiao Buli understood why Li Baocheng was so proud. Since the death of a character could result in the loss of a job, ranged professions were evidently much safer than melee ones. He guessed that Li Baocheng probably also had this in mind, aiming to be a hunter so that he mightter be an Archer or a simr profession.


    Should he also consider transferring to a simr profession? After all, he had Taming Skills, and if he learned ranged attacks as well, he could let his pets tank the monsters while he shot Arrows from behind¡ªthat would be quitefortable. But after some consideration, he gave up on the idea. With the high degree of freedom in this game, there was no telling how many powerful professions there were; it was probably best not to limit his sights to any one fixed profession just yet.


    Returning to his room, Xiao Buli, feeling bored, flicked through the channels on TV, his mind continually revisiting the scenes from the game he had yed that day. Though he was only starting to explore the game, it was already beginning to attract him¡ªbe it the near-perfect realistic graphics, the unique NPC interaction system, or even the somewhat cumbersome way of acquiring skills; it was nothing like the online games he had yed before. However, he was not one to be swayed by personal preference; although the game was interesting to him, he didn''t think it would be epted by the majority of gamers out there. Perhaps some hardcore gamers who enjoyed difficult games would be devoted fans, but for most casual gamers, the slow pace of even not being able to leave Newbie Vige in a day was unlikely to gain quick eptance.


    For yers ustomed to games with auto-navigation, fixed dialogues, and level-up rewards prevalent in domestically produced games, this kind of game that required thoughtful study was unlikely to be a sess.


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    And while the graphics were realistic, they might not necessarily appeal to the majority of Chinese yers who prefer a more splendid style.


    What a headache. Just when I had found a great game, I found myself unable to get involved. It seemed that staying put at thispany was the only option for now, to see if there would be an update in the future.


    Emotionally, I didn''t want the game to change and be simpler just to please the yers, but logic told me that unless the game became a bit more user-friendly, it would never take off in thepetitive Chinese online gaming market and might even end up being a dismal failure, ultimately dying without a trace.


    While thinking this, I stayed a while longer. After letting my food digest a bit, Xiao Buli made his way to the treadmill by the window. During their time at the studio, he and his colleagues would often exercise together because sitting in front of theputer for long periods could indeed be tiring. He picked up a dumbbell from the side and gave it a couple of lifts. Hmm, not bad, but his muscles were sore, as if he had already overdone his exercises. It seemed like Li Jian''s physique was probably something he had worked on after joining thepany. After all, being idle since five certainly requires men to do something with their excess energy. With the sound of musicing from theputer speakers, Xiao Buli began his workout, sweating profusely. His body wasn''t too shabby. But today, he felt especially tired. After bathing and climbing into bed, his body began to ache all over, as if he had been feeding pigs all day. It looked like he would really need to keep up with his exercise routine. Before he could turn over, Xiao Buli fell asleep.


    When Xiao Buli woke up the next day, besides a sore arm from being pressed down, the rest of his body felt fine. After moving about a little and washing up, he left the room. After breakfast, the group arrived early at the studio''s entrance to wait for Li Jian to open the door.


    "WELL, WELL, WELL,"ughed Li Jian, sportingrge sunsses, finally arrivingte in what seemed like an attempt to keep everyone on their toes. Upon reaching the door, he checked his watch and waited another minute, making sure that the hand pointed to nine before casually opening the door.


    Without waiting for the door to openpletely, Li Baocheng and the others squeezed in, settled into their spots, and among them, Xiao Buli who had some manners, nodded at Li Jian as a form of greeting when he entered.


    Skills like "breeding" seemed to level up even more slowly as they progressed, and even though I was getting proficient with the minigame, achieving an A-level rating each time, it wasn''t until after two in the afternoon that Xiao Buli saw the LV8 upgrade notification sh. No wonder it took Li Jian so long just to level up his "Lumbering" skill; it was probably fast for an average person. But at that moment, a problem arose: we were out of pig feed.


    "Oh drat, because you worked so hard, all the pig farm''s feed has been used up. So please, go out to the wilderness beyond the vige and bring back some piggrass," said the owner of the pig farm.


    System prompt: The pig farm owner wants you to bring back some piggrass. Do you ept this quest? Yes/No.


    PS: There is another Chapter tonight.

 Chapter 11 - 11 Harvesting

    <h4>Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Harvesting</h4>


    Mowing the grass? Xiao Buli furrowed his brows. He had not anticipated such a twist. To every gamer, it wasmon knowledge that having one higher-level skill was far more beneficial than two lower-level ones. He was quite reluctant to have his leveling process disrupted, but there was no helping it; that''s just how the game was designed. As he moved his mouse to click ''ept,'' Xiao Buli paused. This game was unlike any he had yed before; it didn''t feature fixed quest rewards. Blindly epting the quest might result in working for free. In that case, he should probably negotiate for a better deal. Yes, he definitely needed to get the details straightened out first. He figured he might even be able to set some terms himself.


    "Excuse me, but mowing the grass isn''t really part of feeding pigs, is it? What kind ofpensation are you offering me?" Xie Tiankong didn''t ask if there would be a reward; this was a negotiation tactic, forcing the choice of ''how much'' instead of ''whether.'' Why am I trying to outsmart aputer? Am I starting to treat the in-game NPCs like real people? At this thought, Xiao Buli couldn''t help but find it somewhat amusing.


    The farmer seemed somewhat annoyed as he rubbed his hands and replied, "Why bring uppensation at every turn? Young people these days... really, I don''t know what to say."


    No refusal? Xiao Buli thought there was an opening. Given the high degree of freedom in the game, the use of negotiation tactics must surely have its ce.


    After the farmer finished speaking and saw that Xiao Buli had no reaction, realizing he hadn''t bluffed him, he gave Xiao Buli a sidelong nce and reluctantly said, "Since you''ve worked so hard for such a long time, here''s what I''ll do: for every hundred jin of grass you mow, I''ll give you two copper coins. Don''t set any more terms now; if you ask for more, I might as well do it myself."


    That really worked. Xiao Buli decisively chose to ept. Although it was just two copper coins, it gave him a further insight into the level of freedom in the game. Being able to bargain freely with NPCs put it ahead of renowned games like "Ancient Scroll" in terms of freedom. Just who developed this game?


    He didn''t linger on the subject and instinctively prepared to set off.


    "Hold on a second. What''s the hurry? You haven''t even taken the tools you need for mowing." As he spoke, the farmer turned and went into the house to retrieve a rusty scythe which he handed over to Xiao Buli, while exining some mowing techniques to him.


    System Prompt: You have learned the ''harvesting'' skill, current level LV1.


    System Prompt: You have obtained an item ¡ª Rusty Scythe.


    Rusty Scythe (One-handed Sword): Attack 1¡ª7 (Gray Quality).


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    Weapon Special Effect: Tetanus ¡ª After injuring the target, there is a very slight chance to cause a tetanus effect, dealing 14 points of disease damage over ten seconds.


    After equipping the scythe, Xiao Buli headed straight to the grassy fields behind the vige. Upon arrival, he indeed found a vast meadow, filled with tall grass over a meter high. It seemed like another task of repetitivebor. Xiao Buli took a deep breath and began his character''s harvesting efforts.


    After a tedious half-hour, when the harvesting skill reached LV2, Xiao Buli couldn''t help but curse under his breath. If feeding pigs could still be considered somewhat interesting and challenging, then mowing was nothing short of torture¡ªpure, repetitivebor. Watching the skill experience bar crawl up like a snail climbing a tree, even he, with countless all-night leveling sessions under his belt, was left speechless.


    Given the way levelling up and quests work in this game, it''s no wonder it would never catch on. If it weren''t for the fact that he was ying as a job for someone else, Xiao Buli would''ve been ready to quit a long time ago. No matter how good the graphics or how amazing the NPC dialogue system is, how can a game without any fun attract yers? Did the designers of this game have their brains filled with shit?


    At this moment, Xiao Buli actually felt an urge to kill the game designers. Who would y this crappy game, with its dazzling effects but such a shitty way of levelling up? It''s infuriating. The little appreciation he had for the game hadpletely vanished, plummeting like the stock market in a bearish trend. When the repetitive task of harvesting made his finger joints feel numb, the market had truly crashed.


    However, Xiao Buli''s mindset slowly calmed down. As a professional gamer, enduring the drudgery was essential. His face was expressionless as his fingers flew across the keyboard.


    His carry weight was 45 pounds, and the amount he harvested each trip was just shy of earning him one copper coin. On average, it took five minutes to fill up his carry weight, and harvesting consumed stamina points as well. After about half an hour, he''d need to take a break, drink some water, eat some food, and recover some physical strength before continuing. In one hour, he earned a mere ten copper coins, and that was it. This amount of money wasughable in other games¡ªwhere even a new yer could defeat a couple of trash minor monsters and get the same drop¡ªbut in this game, it would take an hour of work to earn. The economic system of this game was ridiculously exaggerated. However, despite the pitiful amount, the increase in copper coins was currently the only motivation for Xiao Buli to feel he wasn''t bustling about in vain.


    By around four in the afternoon, after the thirtieth delivery of harvested pig grass, the harvesting skill finally rose to level three. Apanied by a sh of golden light, a line of text appeared on the screen.


    System prompt: After a long time of harvesting experience, you have gained an insight into the "One-handed Sword Mastery" skill, currently at LV1.


    One-handed Sword Mastery!? The busy day finally yielded some reward, which sounded like a very practical skill. Xiao Buli quicklymanded his tired fingers to open the skill bar and nced at the skill description.


    One-handed Sword Mastery: You have a bit of understanding of using one-handed swords, allowing you to operate such weapons better inbat. Learning skills rted to these weaponses more naturally to you. This skill is also a prerequisite for Swordsmanship skills.


    Hmm, it seems like this skill is somewhat more beneficial than Taming Skills, at least it''s useful in battle. After giving it some thought, Xiao Buli decided to level up the "harvesting" skill to Max Level regardless of the boring process. Amidst the repetitive and monotonous tasks, it took him a full three days, but he finally levelled up harvesting to LV10. He also mastered One-handed Sword Mastery to LV3, and at LV5, learned an active skill called "Chain Sword Strike".


    Chain Sword Strike: Strike the target repeatedly with your weapon, inflicting multiple instances of weapon damage. Each subsequent hit reduces in power due to diminishing strength. Using this skill consumes 5 Stamina Points, with a cooldown time of 10 seconds.


    Additionally, by maxing out the harvesting skill, he also gained 2 agility and 2 strength attribute points. His strength was now at 11 points, and his carry weight had increased to 55 pounds. He wasn''t quite sure how the increase in attributes was calcted.


    Looking at the numbers on the screen, Xiao Buli shook his stiff neck, feeling like he was finally returning to reality. He turned his head to look at the other three yers, who werepletely focused on theirputer screens. Their expressions suggested that even blinking seemed like a major loss.


    The game seemed difficult, yet many aspects demanded less technical prowess and more a capacity for hard work and endurance. Xiao Buli turned his head back; it appeared these past few days involved absolutely nomunication between them. Besides gaming, their daily lives seemed to slip away into obscurity, including his own. Day and night, it felt as if his life had nothing else but the game. Had he eaten these past few days? Had he exercised? Thinking carefully, even Xiao Buli was somewhat unclear¡ªhis life outside the game seemed like a dream. Looking at the busy NPCs and newbies in the vige, Xiao Buli wondered why such a crappy game was sopelling. Everyone was desperately levelling up as if trying to prove something to the most important person in their lives¡ªto show their capability.


    When he finally returned to the farmer to feed the pigs again, as opposed to harvesting, Xiao Buli was somehow looking forward to the not-so-interesting task of feeding pigs. Thinking back to his initial disgust for the swineherd role, Xiao Buliughed to himself at life''s ironies.

 Chapter 12 - 12 Basic Swordsmanship

    <h4>Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Basic Swordsmanship</h4>


    This time his movements were much more agile, and after spending two more days, he sessfully leveled up his Breeding Skill to LV10. There wasn''t much worth noting over these two days, except for an incident where an enchanting woman emerged from the farmhouse owner''s room and sashayed back and forth in front of Xiao Buli, causing him a spell of frustration because he was unable to continue feeding the pigs with the NPC there. After a few rounds, seeing that Xiao Buli had no reaction, she put her hands on her hips, huffed coldly, then looked at the dumbstruck Xiao Buli, sighed helplessly, and went back in.


    This woman must be the farmer''s wife, I guess. Not sure if there might be some special hidden quest that could be triggered, but with the max level of the Breeding Skill in sight, he decided it was better not toplicate matters unnecessarily. Xiao Buli didn''t ponder any further and immediately threw himself back into the vigorous enterprise of pig-feeding. With a sh of golden light, he finally seeded in leveling up his Taming Skills to LV2 and also grasped another skill¡ª''Wild Beast Knowledge''.


    Wild Beast Knowledge: (Knowledge Skill) Due to long-term contact with animals, you have gained a certain understanding of the lifestyle of wild beasts. (This skill can improve the sess rate of Taming Skills), unlocks the Beast Compendium feature, and the animals you understand will appear in your Skill Bar in the form of apendium. Taming Skills have a 50% higher sess rate when applied to animals already listed in the Beast Compendium.


    Currently, the Beast Compendium only contains one creature¡ªpigs.


    Besides the skills, leveling the Breeding Skill to max level also improved attributes; this time there was an increase of one point each in stamina and speed.


    Upon deciding to resign from the farmer, thetter seemed quite reluctant to let him go, babbling on and on. However, noticing Xiao Buli''s apparentck of interest in responding, the farmer understood his resolution to leave. So, somewhat helplessly, he took out a purse and counted out the wages for the past few days, totaling over four hundred copper coins, of which two hundred were thepensation for four days of pig-feeding, and the remaining were from three days of grass-cutting profits.


    Opening the character panel once again, he found that his character''s attributes had improved significantly. Although there was no leveling system, his strength must have considerably increased.


    Character Name: Xiao Buli.


    upation: Swineherd/Harvester.


    Intelligence: 13. ¡ª Highprehension, extremely strong analytical ability, average memory.


    Strength: 11. ¡ª Can carry 55 pounds, base attack power 11, (one point of Strength corresponds to a carrying capacity of five pounds, and one point of attack power)


    Speed: 11 ¡ª Your running speed is average. (Speed determines Movement Speed and attack speed)


    Agility: 14 ¡ª You have a pair of very agile hands. (Agility determines hit rate and dodge chance)


    Stamina: 13. ¡ª Stamina Points 120 (1 point of Stamina corresponds to 10 Stamina Points).


    Physique: 10. ¡ª Health points 100. (1 point of Physique corresponds to 10 Health Points).


    Charm: 12. ¡ª You''re quite good-looking.


    Spirit: 13. ¡ª You possess a spirituality that surpasses ordinary people.


    Luck: 7. ¡ª Your luck is a bit bad.


    Skills¡ª


    Life Skills: Breeding LV10, Harvesting LV10.


    Knowledge Skills: Wild Beast Knowledge LV1.


    Combat Skills: Taming Skills LV2, One-handed Sword Specialization LV3, Chain Sword Strike LV1.


    Money: 4 silver coins and 23 copper coins.


    The currency exchange rate in this game is 100 copper coins = 1 silver coin, 100 silver coins = 1 Gold Coin. The sum of his earnings over the past week amounted to just over four silver coins. Without even calcting, Xiao Buli knew this game had to be the hardest he''d ever yed in terms of making money.


    So what should he do now? Should he focus on improving his Taming Skills, or should he learn the so-called Basic Sword Skills?


    "You''re ying pretty well,"


    an abrupt voice sounded from behind him, startling Xiao Buli, because he hadn''t heard any footsteps before. He instinctively turned to look and found it was the guy with the ck hoodie, who had passed the test with him. Having only met this fellow once without ever speaking to him, and never having seen him again afterward, Xiao Buli had almost forgotten him. Unexpectedly, the man had now suddenly shown up.


    "In truth, Taming Skills aren''t very useful. They might be handy early on, butter on, they be virtually worthless because tamed wild beasts cannot be revived after death. You have to repeatedly capture new ones, so they can only be used as consumables. There are quite a lot of limitations,"


    Xiao Buli responded with an "Oh," but said nothing else. "What about Swordsmanship skills, then? Are there simr skills to learn in the vige?"


    Of course, the militia captain of Dahuang Vige is a master swordsman, you can learn from him."


    Following the man''s guidance, Xiao Buli made his way to the vige barracks and easily found the militia captain at the guard post by the vige''s main gate.


    He chose to inquire about the captain''s skills, and indeed, the militia captain affirmed that he had Swordsmanship skills to teach. What Xiao Buli couldn''t ept was that he actually demanded a tuition fee of three silver coins! Could he see the pittance Xiao Buli had in his hands? He thought to himself. The 4 silver coins and 23 copper coins were his earnings from a whole week''s work, and having to spend most of it on learning a skill was a bit hard to swallow.


    Seeing Xiao Buli''sck of response after a while, the militia captain couldn''t help but sneer, "What, too expensive for you? Humph, I wouldn''t bother teaching anyone else if it wasn''t for your decent potential."


    Decent potential? Was it because of the One-handed Sword Specialty LV3 skill? It seemed that all the grass cutting and pig feeding weren''t in vain. Three silver coins really were not cheap, but based on Xiao Buli''s gaming experience, he knew skimping on learning skills was definitely not an option. After weighing the pros and cons, he resolutely decided to pay the tuition fee.


    After taking the three silver coins as tuition, the militia captain took out a one-handed longsword and began exining and instructing Xiao Buli.


    Because it was a game, there was naturally no need to put in much effort to learn. Not long after, a set of Sword Forms was executed, and with a sh of golden light, a line of text appeared on the screen.


    System Notification: You have learned Basic Swordsmanship LV1. You can view this skill in your Skill Bar.


    Xiao Buli opened his Skill Bar to take a look.


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    Basic Swordsmanship: State Skill, activating this state provides you with higher uracy and blocking efficiency while using a one-handed sword inbat. Current Swordsmanship level LV1.


    Skill Notes: This is a basic set of Swordsmanship skills, created after long and careful refinement by many veteran warriors. It integrates various Sword Forms such as lifting, blocking, stabbing, and shing. Although the moves are simple, they are very suitable for beginners. Proficiency 0/100.


    However, leveling up this Basic Sword Skills wasn''t as simple as harvesting or breeding. Nor could it be improved through life skills like the One-handed Sword Specialty; one must engage in actualbat to gain Skill Experience, and with each level gained, the experience required would increase.


    But it did seem to be much more useful than his previous skills. As Xiao Buli turned to say thanks, the man was already gone, and he didn''t know when he had left.


    He looked around and saw other yers were immersed in theirputers. The man wasn''t among them, and it seemed that no one had noticed him leave. It was really quite strange.

 Chapter 13 - 13 Rest Day

    <h4>Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Rest Day</h4>


    ncing at his current attributes and skills, Qin Shimoon thought it belied his significant progress since he first entered the game. Perhaps it was time to venture into the wilderness beyond the vige to encounter some monsters. After all, it would be a bit embarrassing to have yed the game for so long without having fought a single monster. Unfortunately, it was already time to finish work for the day.


    "OK, everyone, pay attention, tomorrow is a day off, you can leave thepany to take care of your personal affairs, like shaving your beard or something?" Li Jian humorously said, pointing his finger at Qin Shimoon, who only then realized that he had neglected his appearance over the past few days, his beard had entirely taken over his chin, feeling all fuzzy to the touch. "However, everyone take note, before leaving, you must report to Miss Qin, and also, Miss Qin will give each of you a phone to keep turned on 24 hours, just in case thepany needs to call you back at any time. SO, HAVE FUN."


    "A day off, huh?" For the first time, Xiao Buli felt the passage of time, as if transitioning from the world of the game back into reality, which seemed surreal. What to do on a day off? As a frencer, he had no real concept of what a rest day entailed, and this left him feeling somewhat lost. Perhaps he should first report his safety to Mr. Bang, as his own "disappearance" over the past few days might have worried him. Since they had almost alwaysmunicated within the game, Xiao Buli hadn''t yet had the chance to tell Shaobang that he had started the job, and felt that he should talk to him about the game''s content, fearing he might be disappointed.


    Early the next morning, Xiao Buli was waiting outside Miss Qin''s office, ready to report his departure and collect his phone.


    "Good morning, Xiao Buli." Qin Shimoon''s voice was as ever full of vitality and sweetness.


    "You''re here to report your departure, right? Hehe," said Qin Shimoon, smiling knowingly as she opened the door, her cuteness amplified. Xiao Buli nodded slightly in response.


    The reporting process was simple. He filled in his departure time and Qin Shimoon gave him a passcode card for the digital lock. Xiao Buli, always sensitive to numbers, noticed the code wasn''t the same as before, an indicator of their regr updates on the door''s security code, to maintain thorough security measures.


    A cutting-edge smartphone was assigned to Xiao Buli, who quirked an eyebrow at thevishness. Since joining thepany, he found that everything one needed for daily life was well-provided for. Not only was the cafeteria''s refined and delicious food free, but the lounge also offered an assortment ofplimentary snacks, cigarettes, and fruits. Even though due to the game, there was seldom enough time to sit and enjoy them, whenever anybody ate, fresh supplies were promptly replenished. Thus, working here meant one''s monthly sry was essentially pure profit. It seemed that to reinforce how capable thepany was, even the everyday contact phones were thetest models, costing close to five thousand yuan¡ªa fact that made Xiao Buli click his tongue in amazement.


    After leaving thepany, Xiao Buli immediately called Mr. Bang, only to find out that he was not in the bar but at home. Having no other option, Xiao Buli went to his house instead.


    Mr. Bang came from a wealthy family. Although he usually lived in the city, his family home was outside the city, a beautiful manor with a view of ssical Chinese gardens, located in the suburb. Whenever the weekend arrived, he had to ''obediently'' return home. Mr. Bang often joked that if he ever found himself in dire straits, he''d set up a table at the entrance and charge admission fees, iming that the spectacle would attract more attention than any tomb or garden, easily bringing in dozens of visitors a day to sustain his lifestyle of indulgence. However, these remarks were usually made in jest among friends. At home, he reverted back to being the obedient son in front of his parents. The existence of that distant yet real manor served as a constant reminder to Xiao Buli of the gap between them.


    The guard at the gate, upon hearing Xiao Buli''s introduction, quickly called Mr. Bang for confirmation and opened the gate. An excited Shar Pei dog, drooling all over, rushed towards him, startling Xiao Buli, though he didn''t dodge. Somehow, he sensed the dog wasn''t hostile.


    In the face of the animal baring its teeth and barking furiously, Xiao Buli chose to look it in the eyes. After a few seconds of eye contact, the dog''s growling gradually subsided until it vanished. Xiao Buli smiled, realizing the dog merelycked affection.


    He reached out to scratch the Shar Pei''s chin, and while the dog was initially wary, it quickly sumbed to the pleasure and closed its eyes. After a while, the dog rolled over, wagging its rotund body and trying to wiggle its stub of a tail, appearing like a huge silkworm cocoon.


    Xiao Buli found this amusing; he usually wasn''t fond of pets like cats and dogs, but at that moment, he felt inclined to tease it. While stroking the dog''s exposed round belly, Xiao Buli knew that exposing its belly was a dog''s way of showing affection. Together, man and dog yfully frolicked in front of the main entrance, making the guard''s jaw nearly drop. Could it be that this "General Barton" belonged to him?


    "Wow," Mr. Bang said, stunned by the scene upon his quick arrival after receiving the call. When had his family''s "General Barton" be so harmless? "Have you learned some Taming Skills?" asked Mr. Bang, who was immersed in gaming for years.


    "Yeah, how did you know?" Upon hearing that, Xiao Buli responded with surprise, naturally associating Taming Skills with those from his game, and giving Mr. Bang a strange look.


    Mr. Bang was stunned for a second and then burst intoughter, "When did you also grow a sense of humor?" He chuckled and gestured for Xiao Buli toe in.


    Laughed at by Mr. Bang for a while, Xiao Buli soon realized that what Mr. Bang asked was just a joke. His serious answer must have seemed like a wittyeback to others. Xiao Buli smiled helplessly, finding it funny that he was now confusing game with reality. The more he thought about it, the funnier it became, and the two of them walked inughing together without another word.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Does your family live inside the park?" Xiao Buli joked as they walked on. Mr. Bangughed sheepishly, "I''m really helpless, very helpless."


    After passing by the staggered pavilions, they reached Mr. Bang''s residence. Contrary to Xiao Buli''s expectations and different from the white walls and ck tiles they had passed, Mr. Bang''s ce was a very modern building that seemed somewhat out of ce within the estate. "I just couldn''t stand those somber and oppressive styles. Modern architecture suits me better, but it took me years of battles to win this from my grandfather. The location is a bit off, but at least living here, I don''t feel like a zombie from the Ming and Qing Dynasties," Mr. Bang exined, seeing Xiao Buli''s expression.


    They sat down in the living room, and Mr. Bang eagerly asked while taking a drink from the cab for Xiao Buli, "So, Vice-President, is that game any good? Is there anything worth investing in?"


    Taking the whiskey on the rocks that Mr. Bang handed him, Xiao Buli nodded and then shook his head, "It''s much better than expected, but also much worse than imagined."


    Mr. Bang immediately had a puzzled look on his face, "What do you mean by that?"


    "Simply put, the game''s graphics and engine are near perfect, able to crush any other online game on the market right now. With just a little bit of hype, it could definitely attract a massive yer base. The potential is huge," Xiao Buli exined.


    "But," Xiao Buli sighed, "the design of the game is problematic, has no leveling system, and obtaining in-game currency is extremely difficult, practically making it unyable."


    Gu Shaobang was surprised, "Even you think it''s unyable? That''s a bit of an exaggeration, isn''t it?"


    Xiao Buli exined, "Let me put it this way, I''ve been ying for a week now, eight hours a day, and have only earned 4 silver and 23 copper. Then, I spent 3 silver coins on a Basic Swordsmanship skill in Newbie Vige, so tell me if I''m exaggerating."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Shaobang was speechless for a while. He had never heard of such a bizarre game before and pondered with a frown, "So, does that mean this game is a no-go?"


    "Not necessarily. I think the game is still in the testing phase, because there are very few yers that I''vee across, almost like a LAN game. I assume the content will be modified in the future," Xiao Buli spected.

 Chapter 14 - 14 Triple Wave

    <h4>Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Triple Wave</h4>


    While two people were chatting in the living room on the first floor, an old man dressed in a long robe walked in. As soon as he entered, Xiao Buli immediately understood what Mr. Bang meant by "Ming-Qing Zombie."


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Young Master, the master heard that you have a guest and invites him to the front hall for a chat." Seemingly oblivious to Xiao Buli''s strange expression, the butler with a stern face nodded respectfully yet assertively to Mr. Bang.


    Mr. Bang was used to seeing odd things, but the idea of meeting his grandfather made him feel somewhat troubled. He nced at Xiao Buli, who nonchntly shrugged his shoulders. Havinge to someone''s house, it was only natural to meet the host, no matter how big the "house" was.


    Following the butler''s lead, the two walked across two courtyards and through a moon gate into a garden. There they saw an energetic old man with white hair and beard, exuding an air of an hermit, dressed in Practice Clothes, waving a Pine Pattern Ancient Sword. With every move, he didn''t show a trace of old age. Xiao Buli watched the old man, who appeared to be performing an unknown Swordsmanship, moving slow yet fast, enveloped in the light of his sword, wless. Absentmindedly, Xiao Buli also began to make gestures, starting small and gradually growingrger, but his movements were different from the grandfather''s. An expert onlooker would recognize that all were counters. Xiao Buli was crossing swords with the old man from afar.


    As the two entered the garden, the old man had already taken note. However, in sword dance, continuity is key. Despite noticing the neers, he did not pause but continued until he hadpleted the set of Swordsmanship, before going over to talk. Watching from a distance with a cold eye, he felt some displeasure. Over the years, Shaobang had been a good-for-nothing, first abandoning the family business to y games, then being dragged back by his father, andter opening a somewhat unsavory bar in the city. Despite advocating democracy and appearing liberal on the surface, at heart the old man was very traditional. He utterly disdained the brightly dyed hair and bare-chested youngsters, so naturally, his opinion of Xiao Buli, a youth visiting his house, was dismissive.


    However, as Xiao Buli''s movements grewrger, the old man began to discern the subtleties and took interest. After a moment, he stopped and looked at Xiao Buli, asking with curiosity, "Young man, do you also understand Swordsmanship?"


    Xiao Buli quickly stopped and with great deference replied, "I have never learned it, but the elder''s dance is impressive, and I seem to perceive its brilliance."


    This remark lightened the old man''s heart. ttery never goes out of style. Thus intrigued, he pulled out a short stick from a nearby rack and, with a sudden toss, threw his Longsword toward Xiao Buli. This move was extremely dangerous, for despite not being razor-sharp, it could cause injury if it struck. Nevertheless, Xiao Buli almost instinctively caught the hilt and swung the sword in a graceful arc.


    "Come," the old man said as he saw Xiao Buli catch the sword, albeit with some hesitation, yet with quite skilled technique. He immediately got excited, drew a stance, and stood ready.


    At this point, Xiao Buli was in a difficult position. The person facing him was Mr. Bang''s grandfather, someone he should respect, and it seemed improper to cross swords upon their first meeting. However, the old man''s stance left him no choice. He steeled himself and entered the ring.


    He truly had no experience with Swordsmanship, only vaguely remembering how he had imitated martial arts from childhood movies using a stick. Now holding a sword, he felt somewhat at a loss. But the elder was visibly excited, hard-pressed as he was to find a sparring partner in his daily life, and he certainly wouldn''t miss this opportunity.


    "Here ites," the elder shouted, using the stick as in ce of a sword, andunched a strike toward Xiao Buli''s face. Cautiously, because he did not know Xiao Buli''s capability, and also because he genuinely hoped to exchange a few moves, his attack was a slow, leading strike.


    As the stick approached, Xiao Buli''s hesitant mind suddenly made a decision. He parried, deflecting the stick away.


    "Good!" the elder eximed with approval. Despite the meeting of stick and sword, they did not sh solidly as he turned the real strike into a feint, flipped like a hawk turning in flight, and pointed the stick swiftly at Xiao Buli''s waist. Xiao Buli, seeing the elder changing moves again, clumsily guided his sword down to defend.


    Thus, after a dozen or so exchanges, although Xiao Buli still had only the power to counter and no skill to initiate, his movements became faster under the elder''s guidance. With a "snap," the elder''s stick touched Xiao Buli''s wrist, causing the Longsword in his hand to fall to the ground. His wrist went numb, but he knew the elder had shown mercy.


    "Kid, are you sure you''ve never practiced before?" the elderly man''s stick still at the ready, he asked loudly.


    Xiao Buli hurriedly shook his head.


    "Good, another round," the old man seemed to be intrigued by Xiao Buli, flicked the sword hilt with his stick, and tossed the longsword over again. Xiao Buli caught it with much more finesse this time. The two of them engaged inbat once more,pletely ignoring Mr. Bang to the side.


    At this moment, Mr. Bang was actually enjoying his leisure. His grandfather had also pressured him to practice swordy since he was young. He sat down by the root-carved tea table set aside, and the housekeeper immediately came over to pour tea for the young master. Mr. Bang cracked sunflower seeds, sipped on Dragon Well tea, and observed the situation on the field.


    Even though he meant to go easy, the old man''s swordy still had Xiao Buli scrambling. However, with the warm-up from the previous round, Xiao Buli seemed to slowly grasp some tricks of the trade. His hands became faster, and asionally he managed to execute a few moves, no longer just defensively as before.


    The elder executed "Immortal Points the Way," and Xiao Buli saw the stick pointing straight at his brow. Somehow, a spark of inspiration shed in his mind. He tilted his head back and, taking advantage of the spent force of the opponent''s sword, lunged forward, turning defense into attack. His longsword twined around the stick, coiling three times,pletely neutralizing the old man''s power and deflecting the stick to the side. With the longsword in hand, he pointed straight forward at the old man''s face.


    "Ah!" Mr. Bang, who had been watching the scene leisurely from the sidelines, cried out in rm.


    The old man at the center of the field also inhaled sharply. In the blink of an eye, his energy sunk to his dantian, he bent and stepped back, performing an "iron bridge" move, his whole body arching backwards. Despite such a fast reaction, his beard was still grazed by the sword.


    As the sword thrust forward, Xiao Buli was also stunned on the spot. But the momentum of the sword could not be stopped. Fortunately, the old man''s foundation was profound; otherwise, that strike... Xiao Buli stood still, cold sweat breaking out in the palm of his hand.


    The old man managed to touch the ground with one hand, after all he was of advanced years, and it was somewhat challenging. Mr. Bang hurriedly dropped his sunflower seeds to help.


    "Good, that ''Triple Wave'' was beautifully performed," despite some pain in his back, the old man still praised.


    Hearing this, Xiao Buli came back to his senses, quickly sped his fist, and said, "My apologies, elder."


    The old man waved his hand at those words, and with the help of Mr. Bang, he made his way to the tea table to rest.


    "Triple Wave? Was that the ''Triple Wave'' I just did?" Xiao Buli still couldn''t believe it, standing there, looking at the sword in his hand and the beard scattered on the ground.

 Chapter 15 - 15 Practice Swordplay

    <h4>Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Practice Swordy</h4>


    As someone who had never been exposed to swordsmanship, he found the move to bepletely unfamiliar, yet it seemed to have a certain ir associated with the mortal world. After twirling his longsword into a flourish, Xiao Buli hurried over to apologize to the old master.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was actually his first timeparing skills with another swordsman, and although it almost ended in disaster, he couldn''t deny that it was quite thrilling. No wonder so many people enjoyed wielding des against each other.


    After taking a sip of tea, the old master seemed to have recovered his strength. He still supported his somewhat crumbling waist with one hand and shook his head, "I''m too old; these arms and legs aren''t as agile as they used to be," he said, pointing at Xiao Buli who stood beside him with a guilty face, "But you, young man, are not being honest. Given your posture, you must have at least a few years of practice. How can you im you''ve never learned?"


    Xiao Buli couldn''t help but give a wry smile. He was just as puzzled ¨C even more so than the old man ¨C as to why he seemed so experienced. Perhaps the old man simply felt he was partially dishonest, yet still there could be a pretext for lying, but what about himself? He knew his own limitations all too well. He had never practiced martial arts, and due to his gaming habits, his physical condition was even worse than others.


    "Indeed," Xiao Buli thought to himself in confusion, "Why does it feel like I''ve actually practiced before?" He didn''t refute the old man''s remarks. Could it be that he was a natural-born martial arts prodigy? Recalling his movements, he felt an aura of mystery surround him. Could it be that swordsmanship, not gaming, was his true talent?


    Mr. Bang, witnessing the bizarre conversation between the elderly and the young man, stepped forward to help Xiao Buli out, "Old master, I''ve known Xiao for so many years and I can assure you he has no martial arts background. Really, not to mention swordsmanship, I used to help him in fights. Otherwise, he would have been chopped up long ago."


    The old man rubbed his waist, and his question wasn''t out of a true belief that Xiao Buli was lying. From the initial panic to the slowly emerging skill, he could see that the young man likely wasn''t lying. After all, lies need a purpose. Why tell such a lie to a stranger? And just to embarrass himself in front of his grandson? After hearing his grandson''s exnation, he was almost entirely convinced.


    "So you''re saying you''re self-taught?" The tone of the old master softened as he came to believe Xiao Buli. "The swordsmanship moves you used are simple and straightforward, without much sophistication, but extremely concise. They would be far more useful in actualbat than those shy spells. To think you were able to execute them effortlessly ¨C by that ount, you really might be a rare martial arts talent." By attributing genius to him, he made his own defeat seem less awkward.


    "Huh?" Xiao Buli was stunned by those words. Am I a genius? Could it actually be true? Turns out I am a martial arts genius? I''ve truly been on the wrong path before. But on second thought, his genius in swordsmanship was rather useless in the modern world. Unless he could dodge bullets like in Hacker Empire, it wasn''t particrly useful.


    Even though he thought this way, his expression remained unchanged. Seeing this, the old master couldn''t help but feel surprised. His grandson''s friend seemed to be quite shrewd for his age, which didn''t quite fit his youthful appearance. However, the old master''s years of experience told him that Xiao Buli didn''t value swordsmanship as much as he did. The old man said, "Indeed, swordsmanship as abat skill doesn''t hold much practical value these days, but it''s excellent for strengthening the body and cultivating one''s character. Enhancing your physical capabilities is not just about having the ability to protect yourself, but also greatly boosts one''s self-confidence and courage. That''s why I insist that you should practice swordsmanship."


    Thest part of his speech was addressed to Mr. Bang, who thought to himself that his grandfather was mistaken; martial arts were still useful in a fight. Nevertheless, he dared not say it out loud and instead nodded emphatically at Xiao Buli, looking very serious.


    To this, the old master seemed pleased.


    Listening, Xiao Buli nodded slightly. There was sense in the old master''s words, and besides, having multiple abilities couldn''t hurt. Practicing more in the future would surely be beneficial, so he lowered his stance somewhat.


    "Of course, if you want to advance further, I could teach you some basic beginners'' techniques," the old master offered, surprising Mr. Bang. His high-principled grandfather,bined with the renown of the Gu family, rarely found anyone worthy of his attention. Now, it seemed he wanted to grow closer to Xiao Buli. But Mr. Bang knew that before this morning, Xiao Buli''s life revolved around gaming. Getting him to learn swordsmanship would be a tough sell. Besides, he knew Xiao Buli well: although he always appeared indifferent, he was actually quite proud on the inside. Mr. Bang was worried that these two might start another disagreement over bing disciples.


    Stealing a nce, Xiao Buli indeed showed no reaction to the old man''s proposal, just standing there, lost in thought. The old master didn''t rush him, simply picking up his tea cup to sip. Time seemed to freeze in that moment.


    Actually, Xiao Buli wasn''t struggling as much as it seemed on the surface at the moment, nor was he about to have a showdown with his grandfather to the death as Mr. Bang thought. Right now, his mind was pondering one thing: could his natural talent for swordsmanship really be a gift from the heavens? Why did it feel somewhat unreal? Although he had exined it away as genius before, hearing the old man speak so highly of him made him start to doubt it himself.


    "Xiao," Mr. Bang had somehow moved next to Xiao Buli without notice, extending a hand to gently pull him back to reality. Could you just give a response already? Speaking of the old man, he had finished his cup of tea, but if he were to put down the cup now, it would seem like too much time had passed. One would think the old man should be unable to save face and would have left in a huff by now. However, it was rare for the old man to find someone who could exchange a few moves with him, and he didn''t want to give up so easily, so he kept holding the empty teacup in one hand, pretending to drink the air filled with the scent of tea, stubbornly enduring it. Mr. Bang felt tired just looking at his grandfather''s arm, but he couldn''t point it out, because where would that leave the old man''s pride? That''s why he shifted over and nudged Xiao Buli, calling out softly to him.


    "Oh," Xiao Buli came back from his reverie, and regardless, this was a good thing, wasn''t it? He offered Mr. Bang an apologetic smile. Xiao Buli then casually sped his fists together, "In that case, I shall formally be a disciple under the old master today, Master above..."


    The old man''s arm was numb from holding it up, and when he heard this, he hurried over to help, "No need to mention it, no need for ceremonies. If it''s possible, let''s just be friends despite the age difference, and spar whenever we have time."


    Mr. Bang, standing beside them, was petrified. You two are going to be buddies despite the age gap? Does that mean I''ll have to start calling you ''grandpa'' now?


    Xiao Buli quickly thanked him, saying things like he didn''t dare to aspire so high, and they both got a bit too wordy for their own good. Eventually, they cleared some space and began going through their motions in the old man''s small garden practice area.


    With the intent to teach fully, the old man didn''t hold back. He exined each move brilliantly and precisely. One was earnest in passing on the knowledge, the other quick in learning. By noon, they were exchanging blows and their swordsmanship flourished on the field. Poor Mr. Bang was on the side, sipping tea and crunching on seeds, yawning to the heavens.


    Speaking of Xiao Buli, as he exchanged moves with the old man, he was somewhat amazed. Swordsmanship was indeed not simple. Compared to his previous instinctual attacks and defenses, the old man''s understanding of swordsmanship was undoubtedly a hundred times stronger. A simple move had light and shadow, truth and feint, advancement and escape. The so-called ''advance to attack, retreat to defend,'' where a skillful swordsman''s every move hid the threat of death, yet was not mere brute force. His previous instincts now seemed rather rough and unsophisticated.


    Xiao Buli''sprehension also amazed the old man. He seemed naturally cut out for swordsmanship. Xiao Buli could almost immediately learn and see through the techniques taught to him. Even the more obscure moves became proficient after some practice, and he brought out their nuances vividly. He was very good at integrating different elements, quickly grasping the subsequent moves within a few sword technique patterns. asionally, a stroke of his sword would leave the old man marveling like a divine work of art. Before long, Xiao Buli''s level of swordsmanship had greatly improved and was even faintly on par with the old man himself, although, of course, this was also because the old man''s own swordsmanship wasn''t particrly outstanding ¨C but still, it was a valuable foundation that benefited Xiao Buli a lot.


    With repeated urging from the butler and Mr. Bang, the young and the old reluctantly put down their swords and went into the house to eat. Undoubtedly, there was no respite at the dining table either, as they discussed the intricacies of sword techniques back and forth. Mr. Bang, it seemed, was just there for the ride, and finally, in despair, he invoked a family heirloom teaching that his grandfather often instructed their younger generation with: "No talking while eating, no talking while sleeping." The two of them burst intoughter at this and stopped their conversation. However, asionally when picking up food, their chopsticks would sh and they would not stop until they had parried a few times. A wave of brotherly sentiment filled the room, blinding Mr. Bang with its intensity.


    After lunch was over and another hour of practice in the afternoon, since it was the weekend, the Gu family had a rule to return home for a family meal. One after another, the Gu family''s descendants sped back in luxury cars. They gradually entered the garden to meet the old man, and only then did the two begrudgingly put down their longswords. The old man went to the front hall to chat and instructed Mr. Bang to make sure to take good care of this young friend and insisted that Xiao Buli stay for dinner.


    Mr. Bang thought to himself, well, now you''ve made a friend.


    Seeing it was gettingte and after the old man left, Xiao Buli said his goodbyes to Mr. Bang, wanting to leave. Dinner and the like, Xiao Buli knew it was just going to be awkward for him to attend with such a family. Mr. Bang knew all too well, but, even though he could guess that his grandfather would me him for Xiao Buli''s absence at dinner, he reluctantly agreed and had the butler arrange for a driver.


    Mr. Bang still felt a bit apologetic, "Hey, I''m really sorry, big brother. My grandpa can be really stubborn and is used to being the head of the family, a bit overbearing at times. It must have been tiring to spend the day entertaining him." Mr. Bang didn''t believe anyone would genuinely enjoy learning swordsmanship, especially Xiao Buli, whom he thought was just humoring an old man for his sake.


    Xiao Buli caught the meaning behind his words but didn''t bother exining too much, just dismissing it with a carefreeugh. Mr. Bang watched him leave the Gu family mansion, and then he returned, scratching his head as he tried to figure out how to exin to his grandfather that his new ''toy'' had run away.

 Chapter 16 - 16 Data Disarray

    <h4>Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Data Disarray</h4>


    After visiting Mr. Bang, Xiao Buli went home to pack up a variety of misceneous items. Before darkness fell, he returned to thepany. In just one week, he had grown ustomed to this rhythm of life.


    The next day, another Monday rolled around. Usually, he had a strong dislike for this day, but now that sentiment had shifted. Standing at the entrance of theputer room, everyone seemed eager to start. It appeared that a day''s rest hadn''t dampened their enthusiasm; on the contrary, it had intensified their fighting spirit.


    As for the game, it really wasn''t all that fun anymore. There was neither the thrill of ughtering powerful monsters nor any exciting plot twists. However, the sense of aplishment that came with gradually improving one''s own strength was something that simply couldn''t be ignored.


    While waiting, Xiao Buli contemted the Taming Skills and Basic Swordsmanship in his mind, deeming both crucial. If possible, it would be nice to develop them concurrently.


    "OK, let''s get started then," Li Jian arrived as if carried by the wind, looking refreshed and radiant. While speaking, he opened the door to theputer room. It seemed that despite having yed for so long, he was quite eager. A group of five swiftly upied their seats, their speedparable to the masses that rush to grab seats the moment subway doors open.


    He quickly turned on theputer, and when he logged in, he was back where hest logged off, at the vige entrance. The militia captain who had been guarding the door was gone, reced by two militia wielding spears. Ignoring the greetings from those two NPCs, he immediately opened his character panel. Although the gamecked a leveling system, the enhancement of attributes and skills was still noticeable in the improved strength. It was difficult to tell from raw data alone which of the two paths, Taming Skills or Basic Swordsmanship, held an advantage. He decided to prepare to leave the vige to test out the effects of both skills and to see the fruits of his recent efforts in strength improvement.


    As he thought, he began inspecting his attributes and skills.


    Profession: Swineherd/Swordsmanship Apprentice.


    Intelligence: 13. ¡ª Higherprehension, strong analytical ability, average memory.


    Strength: 11. ¡ª Can bear a weight of 55 pounds, base attack power 11 (one point of strength corresponds to a carrying capacity of five pounds and one point of attack power).


    Speed: 11 ¡ª Your running speed is average. (Speed determines Movement Speed and attack speed).


    Agility: 14 ¡ª You have a pair of exceptionally nimble hands. (Agility determines hit rate and evasion probability).


    Stamina: 13. ¡ª Stamina Points 120 (1 point of stamina corresponds to 10 Stamina Points).


    Physique: 10. ¡ª Health Points 100 (1 point of physique corresponds to 10 Health Points).


    Charm: 12. ¡ª You are quite good-looking.


    Spirit: 13. ¡ª You possess a spirituality that surpasses the ordinary.


    Luck: 7. ¡ª Your luck is a bit unfortunate.


    Skills ¡ª


    Breeding: LV10. (Life Skill) You have learned the skill of how to breed animals.


    Harvesting: LV10. (Life Skills) You have learned the skill of harvesting crops or other nts.


    Taming Skills: LV2. By grasping the habits of wild beasts, you can tame them to serve you. The sess rate and degree of taming depend on the target''s level of wildness.


    One-handed Sword Specialization: LV3. You have some understanding of using one-handed swords, allowing you to wield such weapons more effectively inbat. It''s also easier for you to learn skills associated with this type of weapon, which is an important prerequisite for learning swordsmanship skills.


    Wild Beast Knowledge: LV1. (Knowledge Skills) Due to your extensive contact with animals, you have gained a certain understanding of the habits of wild beasts. (This skill can improve the sess rate of your Taming Skills), and unlocks the Beast Compendium feature. The animals you are familiar with will appear in your Skill Bar inpendium form, and your sess rate at taming animals already in thependium is increased by one level.


    Chain Sword Strike: LV1. You strike your target consecutively with your weapon, dealing multiple hits of weapon damage, with each subsequent hit inflicting less damage due to declining strength. Each use of this skill consumes 5 Stamina Points, and the skill has a cooldown time of 10 seconds. (Requires a one-handed sword weapon).


    Basic Swordsmanship: LV3. This is a set of beginner''s swordsmanship skills, created by veteran warriors after long-term refining for practicalbat. It incorporates various Sword Forms like thrusting, blocking, stabbing, and shing, making it very suitable for beginners.


    Just as he was about to close the interface, Xiao Buli suddenly felt something was off. Wait a second, he reread it from the start. Basic Sword Skills LV3? He scrutinized it again carefully, and there was no mistake¡ªthe Basic Swordsmanship he had learned the day before yesterday had somehow reached LV3, and he had no recollection of practicing this skill at all?


    Could someone have tampered with his character? This thought immediately sprang to Xiao Buli''s mind, and it seemed like the only exnation. He turned to look at Li Jian, who was currently controlling his character, fighting a zombie. Xiao Buli hesitated for a moment, then walked over and waited behind Li Jian. After watching him fell the zombie with an axe, he reached out and patted his shoulder.


    What''s up¡ª


    What! Li Jian turned around abruptly, and without his sunsses on, Xiao Buli could clearly see his eyes glowing red.


    Xiao Buli''s heart skipped a beat. Seeing that Li Jian appeared annoyed but showed no other reaction and seemed not to feel anything off about himself, Xiao Buli quicklyposed himself and asked, "The skills on my character have somehow leveled up two tiers, and I wanted to ask if someone used my ount yesterday?"


    Without a second thought, Li Jian replied, "Definitely not, thepany takes ount security and personal privacy very seriously. No one is allowed to use someone else''s ount without permission. As for the sudden skill upgrade, maybe it''s some server data error. These things happen."


    Xiao Buli nodded, epting this more or less usible answer. It seemed to be the only reasonable one. Although he was still puzzled, it was a good thing no matter how you looked at it, so he didn''t dwell on it any longer¡ªtime waits for no one.


    Xiao Buli was ready to leave the vige immediately to test the power of thesebat skills he had learned. As he thought about it, he dragged Basic Sword Skills, Chain Sword Strike, and Taming Skills into his quick ess Skill Bar. After some thought, he decided to buy a sword as well, for all the swordsmanship skill in the world is useless without a weapon. His previously owned rusty scythe was reimed by the farmer when he resigned, leaving him empty-handed.


    Arriving at the vige cksmith, he saw a burly, shirtless man hammering a Longsword with repeated powerful strokes¡ªit was none other than Han Baiqiang. Upon seeing Xiao Buli walk in, the big man greeted him, "Hey, what brings you here?" In this world where NPCs wandered everywhere, it was somewhat gratifying to see a familiar face.


    "Just shopping around. I''ve learned Basic Swordsmanship and want to buy a weapon to test it out outside the vige."


    "What! You''ve learned Basic Swordsmanship!?" Han Baiqiang in front of hisputer was taken aback, typing quickly to ask, "I was thinking of learning it too, but the militia captain said my basics were too poor, and he wouldn''t teach me. How did you manage to learn it?"


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "To learn Basic Swordsmanship, you need the prerequisite skill of One-handed Sword Specialization. You have to learn that first," Xiao Buli shared openly while picking through the swords on the stall and recounted how he acquired One-handed Sword Specialization.


    After listening, Han Baiqiang was overjoyed. "I see, I see. Although I don''t know One-handed Sword Specialization, I do know Two-Handed Weapon Specialization. I should be able to learn other types ofbat skills. I''ll go and ask about that in a bit. Thanks, buddy. Tell me what weapon you want, and I''ll give you a discount."

 Chapter 17 - 17 First Battle with Wild Dogs

    <h4>Chapter 17: Chapter 17 First Battle with Wild Dogs</h4>


    "You can decide the price?" Xiao Buli was surprised.


    The digital Han Baiqiang in theputer shook his head smugly, "Not exactly, I just help to sell on behalf of others, and the price can''t be lower than the cost. However, I do have some authority to offer discounts." It seemed he felt a secret thrill about his pivotal role at the vige''s cksmith shop. "But giving you a discount is quite risky for me," Han Baiqiang continued, implying that Xiao Buli owed him a favor since he was getting a deal. "If I make more money, I can improve my rtionship with my master. When Sun Bin bought his spear from me, I sold it to him at the standard price, but I won''t make a profit from you."


    Sun Bin bought a spear? Xiao Buli was slightly shocked, it seemed that Sun Bin was not willing to be left behind and was already preparing to venture out of the vige early. Otherwise, why would he buy a spear?


    He chuckled knowingly, "Then, thanks a lot." It''s just a game, yet we still have to use each other, Xiao Buli thought, but he didn''t show it outwardly. "I only have a little over a hundred copper coins now, give me a rmendation."


    Only a little over a hundred copper coins, huh? Then take this one, Han Baiqiang suggested as he listed an item on the screen.


    Iron sword: Priced at 80 copper coins.


    Weapon notes: This one-handed sword, made of raw iron, is fairly sharp butcks flexibility. If not used carefully, it can easily break; you''d better handle it with care.


    Attack 2-8.


    "Dizzy, such a crappy weapon," Xiao Bulimented the inted prices while feeling a pang in his pocketbook¡ªevery single copper coin emanated a tale of woes, didn''t they? But it seemed that this was the only option avable.


    Xiao Buli reluctantly nodded and epted the weapon.


    Equipping the weapon and ncing at the three skills in the skill bar, Xiao Buli finally felt the familiar rush of a traditional online game. It gave him a sense of security, as if he was in control of the game once again. He arrived at the vige entrance once more, where the two guards dutifully warned him as he was about to leave the vige, "Are you nning to venture out? It''s very dangerous outside the vige, so you''d better be careful."


    Xiao Buli thanked them and stepped out, not daring to go too far. He just wandered around near the vige, cautiously moving forward bit by bit. The wilderness stretched out in every direction, with the greyish-ck mud looking uninviting and even the nts being scarce. It was a deste world, reminiscent of the style of dark-themed games, with a light rain starting to drizzle from the sky, a rather mournful scene.


    In the midst of this fine, drizzling rain, a wild dog suddenly appeared within sight. This must be the weakest monster Li Jian had mentioned. So, bring it on.


    As soon as the wild dog spotted Xiao Buli, it entered a state of alert, its body rising and falling as if it were barking, inching closer, its fur bristling. Clearly, this was an angry male dog, its bloodshot eyes fixed on Xiao Buli. This made Xiao Buli feel somewhat uneasy, but he stood his ground, not moving as the distance between man and dog closed. Suddenly, the wild dog quickened its pace and lunged ferociously at him.


    Xiao Buli steadied his mind and activated Basic Sword Skills; a BUFF status immediately appeared over his avatar''s head.


    Just as the wild dog was upon him, Xiao Buli sharply dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. As the wild dog brushed past him, he lifted his sword and struck, but no blood spurted out¡ªit seemed he had missed. This game employed a non-targetedbat system, which was different from those games where you just stand and hit monsters.


    While the wild dog was stillnding and hadn''t turned around yet, Xiao Buli executed Chain Sword Strike!


    Xiao Buli immediately unleashed his only active attack skill, hitting the wild dog with three consecutive strikes. Three bright red numbers burst forth: 12, 9, 7.


    It inflicted 28 points of damage in an instant. Xiao Buli didn''t know how many health points the wild dog had, but he guessed it couldn''t be much more than his own. A few more hits like that, and he should be able to finish it off,


    The wild dog, in pain, let out a yelp and suddenly its body turned red, seeming to activate some kind of skill, biting down hard on Xiao Buli''s leg. Xiao Buli felt as if his own calf was in pain, the realistic graphics and his deep immersion made him empathize greatly with his character''s plight. 15! A bright red number burst out, what''s this, the wild dog''s attack strength isn''t weak either.


    System prompt: The beast has entered Fury state.


    The wild dog hasunched its Rip and Bite skill on you, and you''ve entered a bleeding status.


    A blood drop DEBUFF appeared over his character''s portrait, losing one health point every second.


    If it weren''t for his skills bolstering him, he''d truly be no match. Xiao Buli thought this as he furiously shed at the wild dog. Since he had activated the Basic Swordsmanship skill, his attacks were no longer wild swings, but rather sharp moves with a bit of rhythm. This game seemed to have a move judgement system simr to "Assassin''s Creed," where the system would automatically make the yer''s character use the most effective moves to attack depending on the situation. Moreover, this game appeared to also have a hit stun system, where sessfullynding hits would often prevent the wild dog from counterattacking for a short time. After a few rounds ofbat, Xiao Buli gradually got the hang of the rhythm, delivering a series of effectivebos that left the wild dog unable to retaliate. After several rounds, the wild dog couldn''t take it anymore and turned tail to run, disappearing in the blink of an eye with incredible speed.


    Xiao Buli, whose leg was still dripping blood, was stunned. Damn, since when can monsters run away?


    But thinking about the freedom this game offers, it wasn''t too hard to understand.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He nced at his health points, and in just this short period, he had lost one-third. Luckily, the bleeding DEBUFF had disappeared at some point. It seemed he couldn''t continue like this. Having not fared well on a test of his mettle, Xiao Buli decided to head back to the vige first.


    Just as Xiao Buli turned around, he suddenly noticed at the edge of the screen, not far from him, the wild dog hade back, trailing him from a distance, seemingly unwilling to let its enemy get away so easily, yet fearful of the weapon in Xiao Buli''s hands and not daring to approach. Suddenly, an idea struck Xiao Buli, and he chose the option to lie down from the action menu, then calmly watched the wild dog''s reaction.


    After hesitating for a while, the wild dog slowly moved a bit closer, then after a while, a bit closer still, as if seeing that its enemy was not reacting, it approached yet a bit more, now within attack range. Xiao Buli abruptly unleashed a Chain Sword Strike towards the wild dog''s head. The wild dog, startled, turned and fled, but the sword struck its leg, causing the wild dog to stumble and its speed to slow down.


    Seeing an opportunity, Xiao Buli immediately sprang up from the ground. Just as he was about to swing his sword, a thought struck him. Killing a wild dog wouldn''t yield much experience, and since he''d already tried Basic Sword Skills and Chain Sword Strike, why not give Taming Skills a shot? While thinking this, he used Taming Skills on the wild dog. Though the wild dog was bloodied all over, it was still on guard, aware that escape was hopeless and seemingly determined to fight back with all it had. One Taming Skill went out, and for a moment the dog appeared somewhat perplexed, but it quickly returned to its defensive stance.


    System prompt: Hatred value too high, Tame failed.


    Damn, Xiao Buli was surprised. In past games, battling pets before taming them was a necessity, huh? What the hell is this hatred value? He threw another Taming Skill at it.


    System prompt: Hatred value too high, Tame failed.


    Xiao Buli suddenly felt a sense of helplessness, what the heck. But at that moment, the wild dog didn''t give him any more time to think,unching an attack. With no other choice, Xiao Buli unleashed another Chain Sword Strike, and the wild dog, after enduring the impact, finally fell to the ground.


    System prompt: You''ve gained 5 practical experience points.


    With the wild dog''s body in tow, Xiao Buli, dragging a limp leg, made his way slowly back to the vige.

 Chapter 18 - 18 Taming the Wild Dog

    <h4>Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Taming the Wild Dog</h4>


    Walking through the vige gate, Xiao Buli''s wounds slowly healed, and the changes to his body and surroundings finally made him feel somewhat safe. Leaning against the big tree at the vige entrance, Xiao sat down, which was also to allow his body to recover as quickly as possible. Reflecting on the encounter just outside the vige, although it was a close call without danger, it had made him break out in a cold sweat. Even when facing the lowest level monsters, he had to be fully alert. After all, a game character''s life was only once, and for Xiao Buli, who took the game as seriously as life itself, such a mistake was not permissible.


    Moreover, thebat power of the monsters in this game had somehow surpassed his expectations. Despite having been cautioned by Li Jian, and having yed for a week himself, the fact that he had just managed to defeat a stray dog was rather speechless. Anyway, it was time to check out the spoils of battle.


    He reached out to open his inventory, and there was the body of a stray dog. Xiao Buli clicked to view the item''s attributes.


    Stray Dog''s Corpse: This is the corpse of a stray dog, with blood stains and sword wounds all over it, weighing 24 pounds. By using the dissection skill, you can obtain some materials from it.


    Dissection? I have no idea how to do that, better just sell it to the butcher. With this thought, Xiao Buli stood up and headed with his only spoils of the past few days toward the outskirts of the vige.


    The vige butcher doubled as a hunter, located in an inconspicuous cottage on the outskirts of the vige. Xiao Buli went straight to the outside of the hunter''s house, just in time to see Li Baocheng skinning a rabbit.


    "Hey, what are you here for?" Seeing Xiao Buli on the screen, Li Baocheng asked curiously.


    "Killed a stray dog, want to see if the butcher can buy it for some money."


    "A stray dog? You went out of the vige??" Li Baocheng immediately asked, surprised, on the screen. "Let me take a look."


    Without answering, Xiao Buli clicked on trade and showed the body of the stray dog to Li Baocheng.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Li Baocheng lifted up the body of the stray dog and examined it, seeing blood stains among the fur and clotted blood adhering to the hair, making it look filthy, but the fierceness of the battle was also evident. Li Baocheng frowned, thinking to himself that Xiao Buli was usually quiet but not slow in progress, and Sun Bin seemed to have started venturing out of the vige too. Should he also speed up his pace? No, better wait and see. There were so many ces to explore in this game; there seemed to be no need to venture out too early. After all, he could also know the information they got from venturing out of the vige and let them pioneer the pathway ahead.


    In the blink of an eye, Li Baocheng had made up his mind and a hint of a smile appeared on his face.


    "Wow, Xiao, you are so amazing. You can leave the vige so soon!" Li Baocheng seemed to say with admiration then, like a true professional, he added, "This thing of yours isn''t worth much money. How about I dissect it for you for free and you can get some materials. However, you have to leave the leftover scraps to me."


    Dissect for free? Xiao Buli understood that Li Baocheng was suggesting this because he wanted to practice his skills. But it was a win-win proposition, so why not? Therefore, he nodded in agreement.


    With swift motions, Li Baocheng neatly processed the carcass, quicklypleting the dissection and obtaining a piece of low-quality dog meat and a piece of inferior fur.


    As he traded the items to Xiao Buli, Li Baochengughed awkwardly, "There''s no helping it, my skill level is too low, this is all I can manage."


    Xiao Buli still thanked him and opened up to look at the dog meat.


    Dog Meat: Ingredient (This piece of dog meat appears to be contaminated by some force, emitting a pungent smell).


    Dog Skin: Tanning Material (This piece of dog skin appears to be contaminated by some force and is covered with ck spots).


    That was all.


    "By the way, what do you need the minced meat for?" Xiao Buli, who was about to leave, turned back and asked. He paid close attention to collecting all information in the game.


    "Oh. Minced meat can be used as bait for traps. A hunter just taught me some wilderness survival skills. If you encounter hostile wild beasts in the wild, you can throw some meat to them. Once they''re full, their hostility will decrease. They''ll remain hostile creatures but won''t attack anymore. So I usually collect some in preparation for leaving the vige in the future," Li Baocheng shared openly.


    "Oh~ I see," said Xiao Buli, nodding as he turned to leave. But after taking a few steps, he had a sudden sh of inspiration. Reminded by Li Baocheng, he also realized that the key to good rtions with animals in reality was feeding them. He hadn''t expected that this was also possible in the game. It seemed the game''s design closely resembled real life with its vast freedom, NPC characters with their own personalities, and the advice from Li Jian not to speak carelessly with NPCs. It looked like one could utilize real-life experiences to test in the game. If attacking creatures garnered hate points and even affected skill performance, then perhaps feeding meat could also improve the sess rate of Taming Skills? Thinking of this, Xiao Buli turned back again.


    "Do you have any good meat for sale? Sell me a few pieces," said Xiao Buli upon returning. Li Baocheng, who hadn''t realized when Xiao had wandered back, reluctantly showed him some.


    After some picking, Xiao Buli spent twenty copper coins and bought two pieces of boar meat. The expense pained him and he thought about sneaking into a farm to steal a couple of pigs someday. But he dismissed the thought as just a thought. For if he were caught, he''d almost certainly be wanted, and that would force him to leave the vige prematurely. With his current strength, that would probably be a death sentence.


    Having obtained the meat, Xiao Buli was eager to leave the vige immediately, but before he could depart, he needed to fully recover his health. The game''s health recovery rate was incredibly frustrating; there were no health potions for sale, either. With no other choice, he had to have the vige medic bandage him up, which cost another five copper coins. He wondered if, as he leveled up and began teaming up for battles, it would always be this cumbersome. Then he headed out of the vige once more.


    Rogue dogs were still amon sight outside the vige. Xiao Buli hadn''t gone far before he encountered another one. This dog looked better than the ones he''d seen before¡ªit wasrger, a typical rural Yellow Dog, and seemed much tamer, not as fierce as the first one he''d seen. Xiao Buli stayed at a distance and threw out a piece of boar meat. The wild dog, seeing this, did not attack him immediately but instead ran towards the meat.


    After eating the boar meat, the wild dog''s name color changed from a blood-like bright red to a less striking brownish red. It sniffed around the ground near him, circling, but did not attack right away.


    Haha, it really worked. Seeing the wild dog''s actions, Xiao Buli grew more confident and used his Taming Skills on the wild dog.


    As his character bent down and gently caressed the wild dog''s back, the dog shone with a white light and was sessfully tamed. Its demeanor also changed immediately, its tail wagging ingratiatingly.


    System notification: Your Taming Skill level is LV2, the target''s Wildness level is LV1. You have sessfully tamed the target; from now on it will be your ally inbat. When it is in a good mood, it will respond to yourmands. If the Loyalty is below 50, there is a chance it will flee, and if Loyalty is below 30, there is a possibility of itshing out. Current Loyalty is 55. You can increase your pet''s Loyalty by feeding, petting, ying, and training it.


    Please name your pet.


    "I''ll call you Meatball," said Xiao Buli, typing the two characters for "Meatball" into the pet name column, and instantly, the wild dog''s name changed to Meatball.


    After ncing at Meatball''s Attributes, Xiao Buli finally understood why Li Jian said that a newbie couldn''t defeat a wild dog.


    Meatball: (Beast).


    Intelligence: 7.


    Strength: 8.


    Speed: 14.


    Agility: 12


    Stamina: 12. ¡ª Stamina Points 120 (1 point of Stamina corresponds to 10 Stamina Points).


    Physique: 10. ¡ª Health Points 100. (1 point of Physique corresponds to 10 Health Points).


    Combat Skills


    w Strike: LV1. A routine attack skill where the user scratches the enemy with their ws, causing basic attack damage.


    Wildness: LV1. This is a proud and untamed beast, longing for a free and wild lifestyle, full of aggression and challenging to coexist with humans peacefully. Long-term taming will reduce the level of this skill.


    Rip and Bite: LV2. Inflicts a strong damage to the target, causing them to bleed and deal 10 damage over 10 seconds. Consumes 5 Physical Strength Points, skill cooldown time 5 seconds.


    Pounce: LV1. Fiercely pounces towards the target, dealing double w Strike damage and causing the target to lose bnce. Consumes 10 Physical Strength Points, skill cooldown time 15 seconds, must be used within a 3-8 meters range.


    Sprint: LV2. elerates speed in a sh, increasing Movement Speed by one hundred percent,sting 10 seconds.


    Furious Bark: LV3. With a piercing howl, it causes the target to be Impetuous, a certain chance to inflict the ''Impetuous'' effect on the enemy, reducing their dodge chance and attack uracy. The Impetuous effect can stack up to tenyers, after which the target willunch an all-out attack on you. Using this skill does not consume Physical Strength Points and has no cooldown.


    Agility: LV1. This creature has an excellent sense of smell and hearing, any slight movement may catch its attention. Its alert range is increased by twenty percent, and its Reveal ability is enhanced by twenty percent.


    After dizzily looking over all the Attributes and skills, Xiao Buli thought dejectedly: Okay, even the lowest-level monster has so many skills; I really can''t imagine how powerful those stronger monsters are.


    To avoid the pet running away due to low Loyalty, Xiao Buli fed it another piece of boar meat and yed with it, sessfully raising its Loyalty to 80 points.


    That should do it. With his newly caught pet, Xiao Buli returned to the vige with his head held high.


    However, to be on the safe side, as soon as Xiao Buli entered the vige, he went straight to the butcher to buy a few more pieces of meat as reserve; just like in World of Warcraft, pets need to be fed frequently, but this was even morevish. After all, currency in this game was too hard to earn. Fortunately, it was only a wild dog¡ªif it were a stronger pet, he doubted his money would have been enough for the pet''s expenses.


    Moreover, if the pet dies, you have to catch it again, which also requires a good sum of money. No wonder the guy with the cap said pets weren''t practical¡ªit really isn''t a lie.


    "Damn, Xie, you even got a pet now!" Seeing Xiao Buli again, his magic already surprised Li Baocheng in front of theputer.

 Chapter 19: The Path to Upgrading Taming Skills

    <h4>Chapter 19: Chapter 19: The Path to Upgrading Taming Skills</h4>


    ```


    "Oh~," seeing Li Baocheng''s reaction, Xiao Buli was somewhat pleased, but he wasn''t a man to keep secrets, so he immediately answered, "I''ve used Taming Skills. Just caught it."


    "Taming Skills?" Li Baocheng repeated, his desire for the ability making him ask without thinking, "Can you tell me where you learned it?"


    "Weren''t you nning on being an archer?" Seeing Li Baocheng''s eagerness, Xiao Buli curiously asked.


    "Of course, but having a pet would be so cool. I won''t lie to you, when I used to y World of Warcraft, I yed as a hunter, and in that game, hunters could have pets. And with this game''s high degree of freedom, I guess mixing and matching shouldn''t be a problem," Li Baocheng hurriedly exined, worried that Xiao Buli might hesitate and not tell him. Li Baocheng''s n was to look awesome with a pet that could tank monsters while he shot arrows from behind. What could be morefortable than that?


    Xiao Buli answered without think of hiding anything, "At that time, I asked an old man in the vige, who introduced me to find work at a farm where I became a swineherd. After feeding the pigs for a certain time, I learned this skill."


    Having said this, Xiao Buli stopped paying attention and began to carefully ponder his path to leveling up. He thought that both Taming Skills and Basic Sword Skills were good abilities and didn''t conflict with each other, providing full effects inbat. So, until other skills appeared, Xiao Buli decided to develop both skills simultaneously. Moreover, based on what Li Jian said, if he developed each skill properly, they could each be a standalone ability. Therefore, Xiao Buli decided to ask around to see which skill information he could find first and then delve deeper into that skill.


    He walked a few steps and ran into the vige leader he had met before. He went over to ask him. During this time, whenever he wandered around the vige, he would greet the old man. Initially, it was just for fun to see if the NPC really had different thoughts each day, butter he realized that the NPCs in the game seemed to have memory functions. The old man would not only say hello but sometimes ask whether he was happy working at the farm, or he wouldment that "the child is really sensible." Over time his rtionship with the old man had warmed up, and the old man seemed happy to have someone to chat with.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Elder, could you tell me who to see if I want to learn Taming Skills and Sword Skills?" in Xiao Buli''s words, respect and politeness still shone through.


    The old man stroked his beard, chuckling as he looked at him, and thought for a while before saying, "For swordsmanship, you can ask our militia captain for guidance; he was once a soldier who had been to the battlefield and has quite good sword skills. As for Taming Skills, I''m not really sure; it seems there''s nobody who possesses that kind of skill."


    Hearing this, Xiao Buli felt deted, having already learned the militia captain''s sword skills; essentially, he could ignore them. It seemed that there was no higher level of existence in this vige. However, he thought his Taming Skills should still have room for improvement here. It would be nice if that guy were around. While he was thinking this, he subconsciously turned his head, only to find the man in the cap standing right behind him, staring nkly at his screen.


    "Are you looking to improve your Taming Skills?" the man in the cap asked indifferently.


    Xiao Buli nodded.


    "You can''t just directly ask about Taming Skills and the like, because NPCs in the game can''tprehend skills like we yers do. Even the farmers at the pig farm won''t have Taming Skills. They might not even know what Taming Skills are," he exined.


    "What do you mean?" Xiao Buli''s mind had a sh of insight. He was a highly intelligent person, and quickly inferred the answer, "Are you saying one could inquire about professions rted to animals?"


    The man in the cap nodded slightly, "Perhaps you''ll find something, you never know."


    Though his words were vague, Xiao Buli was already fairly certain. He turned back to the dialogue box and typed, "So, are there any jobs rted to animals?"


    "Jobs rted to animals?" The old man would always answer any question Xiao Buli had. "Maybe you can ask Master Yang," the old man suddenly suggested after thinking for a moment.


    "Master Yang? What does he do?"


    ```


    "Oh, he''s a ranch owner with a huge flock of sheep," the old man said, gesturing expansively as if the sheep were truly boundless. "However, Master Yang generally doesn''t interact with strangers, but if you go, I can write you a letter of introduction; once he reads it, he''ll surely trust you," the old man kindly offered.


    "From a swineherd to a shepherd now?" Xiao Buli couldn''t help but find it amusing, but having the experience as a swineherd, Xiao Buli was somewhat looking forward to it. If nothing went wrong, this job should be able to enhance his Taming Skills, right?


    Level two Taming Skills could already tame wild dogs, so if he leveled up two more times to reach level four, would he be able to tame wild wolves or even fierce beasts like tigers? As he pondered this, he couldn''t help but turn back to thank the man in the hood, only to find that he had disappeared without a trace.


    "What a strange fellow, where did hee from?" Xiao Buli mumbled to himself, but his attention was quickly drawn back to the game.


    After thanking the old man for the handwritten letter and asking for detailed directions to Master Yang''s farm, Xiao Buli set off with Meatball.


    The ranch came into view quickly, and as expected, it was on a field at the edge of the vige. Xiao Buli had never been here before; looking at the boundless field before him, he thought that the ranch owner must be quite wealthy. Although this was a virtual world, it still seemed to adhere to the rules of reality¡ªowning such a vast prairie meant that Master Yang must be a very powerful NPC.


    Master Yang was standing beside the sheepfold drinking tea. With the vige chief''s letter, everything went smoothly. After Xiao Buli exined his purpose, Master Yang hesitated for a moment and then agreed. "So you want to work for me? That''s not impossible. Having read the vige chief''s letter, he says you''re a fine young man. But shepherding must be done on the fields outside the vige; it''s been dangeroustely, it seems there are some risks," Master Yang said slowly, stroking his distinct goatee.


    "Danger, you mean wild dogs?" Xiao Buli inquired.


    "Yes, that''s right. These hungry beasts always lurk around; if they find the chance, they''ll definitely strike at the sheep. The worst part is, sometimes they form temporary packs, so if you''re not strong enough, you might get hurt as well. If you''re afraid, it''s better to forget about it."


    Xiao Buli looked at Meatball beside him. He had already killed a rabid wild dog and acquired a pet. At this point, he didn''t have much fear of wild dogs, and with Meatball as apanion, it should be... "No problem, leave it to me," he decided and confidently volunteered.


    Master Yang nodded appreciatively, clearly admiring the young man''s bravery. He then taught him some knowledge about grazing. System prompt: yer Xiao Buli has changed his profession to ''Herdsman'' and has learned the ''Grazing'' skill; current skill level is LV1.


    Grazing: One method of livestock breeding. It is a way of feeding under supervision where herbivorous animals eat grass on pastures and transform it into livestock products.


    In addition to this, he also acquired a weapon¡ªthe herding whip.


    Herding Whip (Special Weapon): Attack 1-1.


    Weapon Effect: When attacking animals, there is a certain chance to inflict a state of fear. The higher the wildness level of the animal, the lower the chance of causing fear.


    An incrediblyme weapon, it seems to have no other use besides herding sheep.


    PS: There''s another Chapter tonight

 Chapter 20 - 20 The Shepherd

    <h4>Chapter 20: Chapter 20 The Shepherd</h4>


    Having epted the task, Xiao Buli arrived at the grasnd and officially took charge of the sheep herd. The cultivation method for the Grazing Skill was different from breeding and harvesting he had done before. After receiving the sheep, he checked the task description in the task bar.


    The responsibilities of a herdsman were: 1, ensure the sheep could eat enough grass. 2, make sure the sheep stayed within the ranch area and none were missing. 3, make sure the sheep were not killed by nearby wild beasts.


    Master Yang''s sheep numbered over fifty, and Xiao Buli didn''t need to feed them, but rather just to make sure the flock stayed together, and that there was plenty of grass nearby, which might sound simple and leisurely, yet this job was much more difficult than the previous two.


    In the beginning, Xiao Buli wasn''t troubled by wild beasts, as he had circled the grasnd and found no threatening creatures, and he had assigned Meatball to patrol the perimeter, so that he would be the first to know if any monsters attacked. Meatball, well-fed and with high Loyalty, was not something Xiao Buli feared would turn against him in a fight.


    However, this flock was difficult to manage; on the surface, the seemingly docilembs just quietly grazed, but imperceptibly, the formation would scatter, withmbs slowly expanding their grazing area, asionally scampering off a considerable distance. Xiao Buli received a whip upon epting the task, and whenever he saw stragglers, he went over to drive the sheep back to the flock with the whip. Managing the fifty-sheep herd was neither too big nor too small of a task, a situation that left Xiao Buli a bit overwhelmed, hustling after the ones on the east side only to find others scattering in the west, plus, to his dismay, sometimes being rammed angrily by the sheep after he whipped them.


    The first time this happened, he was caught off-guard and was directly hit, losing 8 health points and being bowled over, acquiring a dizzying DEBUFF, taking quite a while to recover. Meatball, seeing its master attacked, ran a few steps toward him but was pacified by Xiao Buli and returned to its patrol line.


    At that moment, themb that had rammed him obediently trotted back to the flock after the sh, and seeing its trembling little tail made Xiao Buli feel another wave of frustration. From then on, when driving the sheep, not only did Xiao Buli have to watch whether any sheep on the other side were straying but also be cautious of nearbymbs that he was driving to see if they showed any inclination to attack. Thankfully, the sheep charged in straight lines, making them not too difficult to dodge.


    Fortunately, not all sheep exhibited aggressive behavior, it was only asional that one or two mischievousmbs appeared. Soon, Xiao Buli realized that his main job would probably be dealing with these unruly sheep, but luckily they did not inflict high damage and never attacked him altogether, so as long as he was careful, it wasn''t hard to keep going.


    Xiao Buli''s maneuvering could not be described as anything but strong, and it didn''t take him long to adapt to the sheep''s charging. Aside from being hit a few times in the first half-hour, he afterwards wasn''t struck again.


    So when the Grazing Skill reached Level 3, a sh of golden light appeared.


    System prompt: yer Xiao Buli, after a long time spent dodging the sheep''s charges, you have grasped the ''Emergency Dodge'' skill, currently at Level LV1.


    Emergency Dodge: Move a short distance to the side with extreme speed, each use consuming 5 Physical Strength points, skill cooldown time 10 seconds.


    As Xiao Buli read through the system exnation, he thought to himself that this seemed like a pretty good life-saving skill, especially for a non-targeting game like this one.


    While pondering, Xiao Buli dragged the skill into his quick ess bar and tried it out a couple of times. He discovered that the skill was simr to the side roll in some action games and a bit like the slide step in fighting games. With this skill, dodging goat attacks became much easier. Equipped with the Emergency Dodge skill, he confidently joined the joyful activity of evading goats.


    It wasn''t until the afternoon that he finally faced his first challenge from a wild beast.


    At that moment, Xiao Buli was avoiding an oing goat on the east side. As his abilities improved, these unruly little goats not only became more numerous, but their frequency and number of charges seemed to increase as well. He was intently watching the little goat charging towards him when Meatball''s bark drew his attention. He swiped the screen and saw a lean, grey stray dog charging towards a lonemb on the west side.


    This was a suburban grey stray dog, and the early spring weather meant it was shedding its winter coat. The dog''s already dull coat now looked even dirtier. The winter fur clung to the animal, tangled up, making it appear as if the dog was wearing a torn cotton coat with the filling exposed. The down-on-its-luck gray dog silently sneaked over to where threembs had strayed from the herd and were hiding in the dense grasnd to graze, unnoticed,


    Xiao Buli hurried towards the west, while Meatball, in a vignt state, remained in its original position, able to follow the previousmand perfectly unless its master was attacked. Xiao Buli was anxious in his heart but could only run over. He saw that the goats weren''t dumb¡ªalerted by the rustling wind, they lowered their heads, their sharp horns ready, and charged towards the dog. Just as themb and the dog were about to sh, the dog suddenly leapt up, avoiding the direct hit with a Pounce, and scratched away dozens of health points with a few swipes. By the time Xiao Buli got closer, Meatball, who was close to the wild dog, also quickly followed up, and before Xiao Buli could attack, Meatball pounced, then started a Crazy Bite. The dog''s fur, mixed with blood, fell to the ground as they fought. While the stray dog and Meatball were entangled, Xiao Buli quickly approached from behind, waited for the right moment, and delivered a Chain Sword Strike, killing the pitiful dog in a matter of moments. The dog''s eyes still red fiercely, as if holding a grudge against the enemy before it, or perhaps pining for its distant cubs. This look made Xiao Buli feel ufortable; it seemed that even realistic game effects aren''t always a good thing.


    The stray dog also brought him 5 points of Practical Experience. He didn''t know what use it had, but he figured it woulde in handyter on.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Grazing continued for two days, during which he killed more than a dozen stray dogs, umting 75 points ofbat experience. Although these dogs didn''t drop any equipment, the dog meat and hides they produced did bring in some ie, just enough to feed Meatball and for treatments at the clinic.


    Still, herding came with its own rewards, which were slightly higher than pig farming, so over the two days, his savings increased somewhat, now reaching a total of three silver coins.


    When he finally got the Grazing Skill up to LV5, Xiao Buli heard the sound he had been longing for. With a ding, his Taming Skills finally reached LV3.


    (Just as I thought, my guess was right. It seems that by taking on animal-rted professions like grazing, there''s a chance to increase the level of Taming Skills. Besides breeding and grazing, what else is there that''s rted to animals?) Xiao Buli continued grazing while nning his next move. He supposed hunting might be another option, since hunters specifically deal with wild beasts. Beyond that, he couldn''t think of anything else at the moment, as he still needed to get to know the vige''s popce better.


    In any case, his Grazing Skill wasn''t Max Level yet, so Xiao Buli nned toplete that before asking the vige chief for advice. Before that, he thought that as long as he continued grazing, his Taming Skills should be able to reach LV4.

 Chapter 21 - 21 Fighting Club

    <h4>Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Fighting Club</h4>


    ```


    Xiao Buli took another look at Meatball. Over the past two days, it had been through quite a few battles, killing numerous creatures like itself. However, when he checked Meatball''s attribute status, there was surprisingly no increase in any attributes or skills, nor any numerical changes, except for its Loyalty rising to 95 and gaining over a hundred points of Practical Experience. Other than that, it was exactly the same as when he had first captured it. Being unable to level up meant that as his own abilities improved, the pet would be less and less useful. It seemed that pets truly were only good as a support force for leveling up early in the game;ter on, aside from serving as a one-time consumable, they didn''t seem to have much use. This was probably why the man with the hood had said Taming Skills were not very useful in theter stages of the game.


    At least in the early stages of the game, Taming Skills were quite helpful. If it wasn''t for Meatball''s assistance, it wouldn''t have been easy to kill so many wild dogs.


    (Well, might as well learn it for now) He was thinking this as he was about to close the pet''s status panel when he suddenly noticed that there seemed to be some changes after all in Meatball''s stats. Meatball''s original description was, ''It is your ally in battle, responding to yourmands when in a good mood.''


    Now it had changed to, ''It is your faithful follower, who will loyally execute anymand that isn''t particrly distasteful to it.''


    It seemed that the higher the level of Taming Skills, the stronger the control over the pet.


    As Xiao Buli was contemting this, his phone''s notification ringtone suddenly sounded.


    He had set this ringtone himself, just ten minutes before the lunch break, which meant that lunchtime was about to start.


    Upon hearing the ringtone, Xiao Buli stopped what he was doing and moved his character to a small hut on the ranch before logging off.


    The other few yers found safe areas to log off as well. Once the lunch break bell rang, Li Jian called everyone off theirputers.


    After nearly half a month, everyone had be very familiar with thepany''s routine. Following Li Jian out of the studio in single file, Xiao Buli, as usual, walked at the end. But when he stepped out of the studio, he was surprised to find Qin Shimoon waiting at the door, beckoning to him when he appeared, as if she had been waiting for him specifically.


    Today, Qin Shimoon had changed into a different outfit, looking much more mature as if she was a different person altogether, with that typical business-like expressionmon in the workce on her face.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Is there something you needed, Miss Qin?" Xiao Buli asked directly.


    Qin Shimoon nodded, "Yes, there is something I need to discuss with you. Pleasee to my office."


    At the invitation from a beautiful woman, Xiao Buli was somewhat puzzled, but he didn''t say anything and followed Qin Shimoon into the manager''s office.


    Qin Shimoon closed the door behind her and sat down in the chair behind her office desk, sizing him up with a scrutinizing gaze.


    This made Xiao Buli chuckle, "May I know how I may assist you?"


    Qin Shimoon''s face was unusually serious as she nodded, leaning forward slightly, "There''s something I need you to answer honestly and seriously. Mr. Xiao, have you ever had any history of mental illness?"


    Upon hearing this, Xiao Buli''s first reaction was not anger, but a sense of ridiculousness. Why was she asking such a question all of a sudden? But then he became wary, knowing she wouldn''t ask such a thing without reason, "Why do you ask?"


    "Someone reported to me that you''ve been talking to yourself frequently while gaming, and it seems as if you''re having a conversation with someone, yet there''s no one around you..."


    Talking to himself? Impossible, Xiao Buli thought, he certainly never had such a habit. He quickly realized the misunderstanding might have stemmed from his conversation with the man in the hood.


    "There seems to be a misunderstanding. I wasn''t talking to myself; I was discussing game content with someone else."


    "Who?"


    ```


    "I don''t know," Mr. Xiao answered honestly, "But you should know, right? Isn''t he the guy who passed the interview with us?"


    "Li Baocheng? Han Baiqiang? Or Sun Bin?" Qin Shimoon listed the names one by one, with a hint of sympathy on her face.


    Mr. Xiao shook his head: "None of them. It''s another guy."


    "Another guy?" Qin Shimoon''s face revealed a strange expression, "The thing is, there were only four new people this session, including you."


    Mr. Xiao felt a sudden jolt in his heart upon hearing this. Only us four? That''s not right; there was definitely a fifth person! Wasn''t that guy with the hoodie one of them?


    "There really wasn''t a fifth person? But I''ve seen him several times, including on the first day I came here, and I even talked to him, just forgot to ask his name."


    Qin Shimoon shook her head firmly, "Absolutely not, and besides the neers and your team leader, other people are not allowed to enter the neers'' room so casually."


    Now Mr. Xiao was truly confused. He had clearly seen that man; was the guy ying a trick on him? But what would be the point of that?


    Could I really have developed a split personality? Just like the protagonist in the movie "Fighting Club" who, for some reason, split off another personality that would appear whenever I encountered difficulties?


    No, that couldn''t be right. Mr. Xiao was a very rational person and wouldn''t easily jump to such far-fetched conclusions. He instinctively felt that there must be another problem.


    Seeing his reaction, Qin Shimoon seemed to be unsure herself and then said very patiently, "Can you describe what this person looks like, then?"


    Mr. Xiao had no choice but to recall and describe as best he could: "He''s a guy in a ck jacket, looks very ordinary, nothing memorable about him, oh right, he always wears a hoodie like he''s afraid of the light, and he seems really familiar with the games."


    As Mr. Xiao described the man''s appearance, he watched Qin Shimoon''s expression, which gradually turned into a very odd look.


    "Damn, here ites again," he faintly heard Qin Shimoon mutter.


    "What?"


    "Oh, it''s nothing," Qin Shimoon waved her hand dismissively, but Mr. Xiao had already seen that she obviously knew about this guy. He felt a wave of relief¡ªit wasn''t his own problem then.


    Qin Shimoon hesitated for a moment, seemingly considering how to exin. Her face suddenly showed a very sincere smile, "Oh, I remember now, the person you are talking about must be the chairman''s nephew. He sometimes wanders into thepany, and because he is a rtive of the chairman, we can''t really do much about him. It seems it isn''t your problem after all. I''m sorry for the misunderstanding and for taking your time and causing you trouble. Let''s leave it at that, I still have work to do, you can go now."


    While she was speaking, Qin Shimoon had already picked up the phone and was no longer looking at him.


    Mr. Xiao didn''t know what to say upon receiving such an answer. After all this fuss, it turned out to be such an oue. That such argepany could make this kind of foundational error left him speechless.


    As he walked out of the manager''s office and closed the door behind him, Mr. Xiao''s mind suddenly stirred¡ªsomething wasn''t right. The man in the hoodie was dressed in clothes that looked like ordinary street market goods, the kind that cost a hundred or two per piece. How could the chairman''s nephew be wearing something so shabby? And this didn''t exin why no one else had seen this person; there had to be more to this.


    He had intended to turn back and clear this up, but after a second thought decided against it. After all, he was just an employee; even if he was misunderstood, did the other party have any reason to exin anything to him?


    With these thoughts, he headed toward the dining hall.

 Chapter 22 - 22 Internal Message

    <h4>Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Internal Message</h4>


    By the time I walked into the restaurant, Li Jian and Li Baocheng had already started eating. There was a full te of food in front of each of them, and they were wolfing down their meals. Seeing mee in, they all showed a curious expression.


    "What took you so long? What did Miss Qin call you over for?" Han Baiqiang asked, his words muffled by the food in his mouth, while the other three also looked on with curious faces.


    Despite their seemingly innocent faces, Xiao Buli sneered inwardly. It must have been one of them who snitched about his conversation with the guy in the peaked cap, yet here they were pretending to be oblivious, which seemed quite fake.


    However, he didn''t intend to call them out on it; first, because he wasn''t certain who it was, and second, because pointing it out wouldn''t be of any benefit. "It''s nothing, just some trivial matters," he said nonchntly as he grabbed a stainless-steel te to get some food, randomly picking food while contemting which one of them had tattled on him.


    Li Jian was the least suspicious, as he was the team leader; if there was an issue, he could simply ask, there was no need to keep things from himself.


    Han Baiqiang''s straightforward nature seemed to suggest he wasn''t the type to snitch, but he couldn''t bepletely ruled out either.


    Sun Bin was the most suspicious. With his ostentatious behavior, in Xiao Buli''s view, he was either too arrogant or too insecure. If he had orchestrated this stunt just because Xiao Buli yed the game better than he did, it would fit perfectly with the typical melodramatic movie plot.


    As for Li Baocheng, he seemed very naive, but he couldn''t be cleared of ying dumb to catch the wise either.


    Who would have thought that even ying a game involved so much scheming? It really wasn''t easy to get by in a big corporation.


    Lost in thought, Xiao Buli had already filled his te and, as he turned around, he happened to see a familiar figure walking past him.


    It was Wu Tao. The two hadn''t spoken a word in half a month, but now Xiao Buli felt he could ask him for information. After all, Wu Tao was a veteran and should know some inside news.


    Watching Wu Tao take a seat at an empty table, Xiao Buli walked over too.


    He set his te down opposite Wu Tao and asked with a smile, "Excuse me, but is this seat taken?"


    Wu Tao looked up at him, his face immediately filled with distress. He was silent for a moment and kept giving Xiao Buli meaningful nces, obviously not wanting to be associated with him. However, Xiao Buli stood there obliviously, and after a long stare, it was Wu Tao who gave in, dejectedly saying, "No one''s using it, you can do as you please."


    "Then I won''t stand on ceremony," Xiao Buli said as he sat down. He extended his hand to Wu Tao and introduced himself, "Hi, I''m Xiao Buli."


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Wu Tao gave Xiao Buli a look, saw his sincere expression, and thought to himself how well he could pretend. Nevertheless, in order not to reveal the truth that they knew each other, he reluctantly reached out and shook hands, "Hello, I''m Wu Tao."


    "Then I''ll call you Brother Tao."


    "No need to be so formal; I can''t handle it. Just call me Taozi or Tao."


    Xiao Buli ignored the underlyingint in his tone and continued, "Then, Taozi, can I ask you about something? Do you know about the chairman''s nephew?"


    "The chairman''s nephew? Who?" Wu Tao was taken aback, clearly having no idea who that was.


    "The guy in the ck jacket, who, ording to Miss Qin, oftenes around for no reason."


    Wu Tao waspletely baffled, "Never heard of it, what do you ask for?"


    "Nothing much, just asking," Xiao Buli finished speaking and thought for a moment that it might be better to rify things, so he briefly recounted the incident with the man in the cap.


    After hearing this, Wu Tao was also taken aback. He nced around and, seeing no one paying attention to them, whispered, "You didn''t run into a ghost, did you?"


    A ghost? Upon hearing this, Xiao Buli felt likeughing. How could there be ghosts under the bright daylight, and even if there were, they should appear at night, right? Moreover, he didn''t believe in the existence of such things as ghosts in this world.


    Seeing Xiao Buli''s unconcerned expression, Wu Tao lowered his voice even further, "I''m not saying this without reason. It''s not the first time something like this has happened. It is said that before, someone went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and saw a person ying games in theputer room. That person went over to tap him on the shoulder, and when the person turned around, guess what he saw?"


    "What did he see?"


    "Nothing at all, the person just disappeared into thin air."


    "Is that person still at thepany?"


    "Yes, yes, he''s from the Green Dragon Group, named Bai Yunfei, and you can ask him if you don''t believe me."


    Xiao Buli nodded but had already dismissed Wu Tao''s view. How could such creatures as ghosts exist? It seemed impossible to get any more information out of this guy.


    After a hasty lunch, Xiao Buli said goodbye to Wu Tao and went to the doorstep of the studio, only to unexpectedly find two expressionless security guards standing at the door, both looking like special police in ck sunsses, stopping Li Jian and the others from entering. Han Baiqiang appeared somewhat displeased and was loudly asking them something.


    Xiao Buli patted Li Baocheng on the shoulder, "Little Li, what happened?"


    Li Baocheng shrugged, "Who knows? They said theputers are broken, but even if they''re broken, it shouldn''t be all of them."


    As the two of them were talking, Qin Shimoon walked out from theputer room, "I''m sorry, everyone, there''s a problem in theputer room that needs to be addressed, so please take the afternoon off."


    Since the manager had spoken, Han Baiqiang couldn''t say much more. Li Jian nodded to Qin Shimoon and then turned around, "You''ve all heard her, we have the afternoon off, let''s disband."


    Although they were given time off, it''s not as if they had much freedom, not being allowed to leave thepany at will, so several people started chatting in the lounge. Li Jian, who could go online in White Tiger Group''sputer room, didn''t stay, and without him, the team leader, around, the others were less reserved in their conversations.


    "How could this happen? Theputers were all working fine when we logged off just now. I think there''s something fishy going on here," Han Baiqiang said, ncing at Sun Bin, probing, "Sun the Great Expert, what do you think it could be?"


    Sun Bin gave him a look and said indifferently, "Some things are better left unguessed if they''re not meant to be known." He sat there with his arms crossed, looking as if he knew some inside information.


    Xiao Buli didn''t join the conversation, but he couldn''t help thinking that it might be rted to the conversation they had at noon.


    While they were chatting, Li Baocheng, who had just gone out to the bathroom, walked in with a mysterious look on his face, "Hey, guess what I saw?"


    "What?"


    "A bunch of guys in protective suits with some equipment entered ourputer room. I don''t know what they''re up to, but it looked like something out of a biohazard situation."

 Chapter 23 - 23 OO that XX

    <h4>Chapter 23: Chapter 23 OO that XX</h4>


    Really? Han Baiqiang was somewhat shocked after hearing that, a glint of understanding shed in Sun Bin''s eyes, but he said nothing. Xiao Buli also found it a bit exaggerated, yet it seemed there was no reason to lie about such a thing.


    That hat-wearing man must indeed be someone special, or Qin Shimoon wouldn''t be so anxious. But what exactly was going on? Although Xiao Buli considered himself highly intelligent, he was confounded this time.


    On the second day, when he was finally able to ess theputer, Xiao Buli entered theputer room and was met with a strong scent of air freshener, as if someone was trying to cover something up.


    Theputer room seemed to have been thoroughly cleaned from the inside out, giving off a shiny appearance everywhere.


    Once he sat down and logged into the game, Xiao Buli forced his attention back to it. Today, as usual, was for Grazing. He''d grown quite skilled at it, and before noon, his Grazing Skill had already risen by 7 levels. He figured that at this rate, he may reach Max Level by tomorrow.


    Just as he was determined to work even harder, he suddenly heard a timid voice from Li Baocheng across the room, "Li, could youe over and help me check something?" His tone was different from his usual open and slightly ingratiating one¡ªit seemed he really encountered some trouble this time.


    Li Jian had always been in the room, ready to help them with their questions, but since the four had gotten on the right track, he mostly spent his time ying his own character.


    Xiao Buli didn''t pay much attention, and his movements didn''t slow down. At this moment, he had no idea that this question would bring about a significant change for everyone.


    After Li Baocheng called Li Jian over, the two whispered back and forth, and the more they did so, the more it piqued curiosity. Han Baiqiang, sitting next to Li Baocheng, was all ears, asionally hearing Li Jian''s strange clicking sounds but unable to discern any specifics.


    After a while, Li Jian chuckled bitterly and raised his voice, "I''m afraid I can''t help you with this one. I''ve never seen anything like it, nor have I heard other teammates mention it."


    Li Jian deliberately spoke loudly; after all, it wasn''t good to hide such a situation¡ªit might need to involve the others. Sure enough, upon hearing this, Xiao Buli couldn''t help but be curious. As he had justpleted another round of Grazing, he shepherded the flock back to the pen and looked up.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Having heard what Li Jian said, Li Baocheng''s face fell, realizing that it was no time to worry about losing face. Li Baocheng raised his voice, "Guys, can youe to the pig farm? I have something I''d like to discuss with you, and by the way, there are some equipment rewards." Though the prospect of getting equipment sounded like good news, Li Baocheng''s tone was far from excited¡ªit was as if he had been stripped of his equipment.


    This announcement not only piqued Han Baiqiang but also Xiao Buli and Sun Zibin''s curiosity. They all found it odd and wondered what Li Baocheng was up to. He had just seemed to be in a predicament, yet now he mentioned rewards. However, getting equipment was incredibly appealing to them at the moment. No matter how poor the equipment, it held great value for the group, who were almost bare of any gear.


    This was exactly why Li Baocheng had deliberately added that line to ensure they woulde.


    Xiao Buli and Master Yang requested leave, and they headed to the vige pigsty. Upon arrival, Xiao Buli was the first to get there, not seeing the others yet. "Where are you?" he called out loudly.


    "Come into the farmhouse; once you''re inside, you''ll see me,"


    Xiao Buli was quite familiar with the environment of the farm, but he never knew one could actually enter the farmhouse. He was puzzled as the farmer always locked the door tight whenever he left, guarding it as if hiding some big secret. Xiao Buli had never seen the inside before.


    He pushed the door open and went inside, only to be dumbfounded by the scene before him. The shrewd farmer, who often haggled with him, nowy on the ground covered in blood, his hefty stomach sliced open with a gaping wound, his intestines spilling out. Combined with the game''s slightly realistic graphics, it made Xiao Buli''s scalp tingle. On the bed not far awayy the seductive woman he had seen only once before, suspected to be the farmer''s wife. She was naked, her chest covered in blood, her body pale and lifeless, already reduced to a naked corpse¡ªit was quite the R-rated scene.


    "Damn, what the heck? How did this happen?" Overwhelmed by shock, Xiao Buli didn''t have time to type and blurted out loud.


    As he screamed, Han Baiqiang and Sun Zibin also rushed over, and both of them were stunned as well. After a moment, Han Baiqiang turned and asked weakly, "Did you kill these two NPCs?"


    Li Baocheng awkwardly grinned and nodded.


    Turning back to the screen, Han Baiqiang felt a mix of amusement and disbelief.


    "I wouldn''t have guessed, Little Li, you''re pretty hardcore. I didn''t expect you to be into this kind of thing," Sun Zibin''s voice carried a mix of sarcasm and schadenfreude, "After all, we''re ying a game, right? It''s just a game, eh?" His implication was clear: even in a game, could you not restrain your true swineherd nature?


    The veteran gamers well knew that NPCs were always sacred and invible in games, or at least appeared to be. Although some games allowed you to kill NPCs from enemy factions, they typically didn''t drop valuable loot, nor did they usually result in serious consequences. However, this game was different from any they had yed before; everything seemed incredibly realistic. Compared to the "Ancient Scroll", famous for its freedom, where killing a chicken could lead to a viger''s bounty and serious consequences, no one knew what the repercussions in this game might be.


    "I really can''t be med for this." Li Baocheng''s voice was almost whiny, "I thought it was just a game, so what harm could it do? Besides, I thought maybe it was part of a quest."


    Li Baocheng then gave a rough ount of what had happened. After seeing Xiao Buli with his pet, he resolved to learn Taming Skills. So, during his spare time apprenticing for a hunter, he went to the farm with the goal of mastering these skills. He easily became a swineherd and learned the breeding skill. But before long, that seductive woman began to strut about,ing and going, provoking Li Baocheng''s curiosity. He clicked on her, and she struck up a conversation with him.


    As a longtime gamer, and having heard Li Jian mention the high degree of freedom in this game, Li Baocheng assumed there might be some hidden quest. So he began to flirt with the farmer''s wife, using the same skills that usually worked on QQ, and to his surprise, the NPC responded. After a bit of chatting, she invited him inside to talk. Thinking he was onto something, Li Baocheng gleefully followed her in, only for the woman to start undressing once they were inside. Li Baocheng thought, since it hade this far, he might as well go through with it to see what would happen.


    "Wait a second, are you saying this game has an... adult content system?" Han Baiqiang interrupted him to ask.


    PS: There''s another Chapter tonight

 Chapter 24: Lifesaving Straw

    <h4>Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Lifesaving Straw</h4>


    "Ah," Li Baocheng also helplessly nodded, and the three of them suddenly had their eyes wide open, stopped for a few seconds, then burst intoughter all at once, "Hey, how did it feel when you were doing it with her?" Han Baiqiang teased whileughing.


    Li Jian had been standing behind Li Baocheng, and at this moment he also had a wry smile on his face.


    Li Baocheng was asking for help, so naturally, he couldn''t lose his temper, but he still felt somewhat angry and red in Han Baiqiang''s direction after hearing his words.


    Xiao Buli smiled and nced at Li Jian, "Team Leader Li, I didn''t take it seriously when you said this game had high freedom, but now it seems this game''s freedom is really fucking high." After saying that, the three of themughed out loud again. Li Jian, having understood the situation beforehand and most concerned about the possibility of his recruits dying, didn''tugh as exaggeratedly, but nudged Li Baocheng to continue speaking. Seeing Li Jian''s serious expression, they knew the matter was serious, so theirughter stopped after a while, and they listened to Li Baocheng''s continuation.


    "I was in the middle of it with the farmer''s wife when suddenly the farmer came in, cursed me for adultery, and picked up a kitchen knife to chop me. Luckily, I had learned Dagger Mastery and Backstab in the process of studying dissection, and I also gained ''Emergency Dodge'' while hunting. Plus, the farmer was pretty clumsy, not too formidable, so with my exquisite operation, I ended up killing the farmer," Li Baocheng continued, his voice filled with deep regret. "s," he sighed, then continued, "Who would have thought the farmer''s wife would get so scared when she saw me kill her man? She started screaming, and in a moment of panic, it was either do or die, so I ended up stabbing her to death too." Having said that, Li Baocheng let out a heavy breath.


    After hearing Li Baocheng''s story, everyone in their respectivepartments couldn''t help but still feel likeughing, but no one made a sound. "Speaking of which, this NPC should still respawn, right?" Han Baiqiang suppressed hisughter and kindly began to analyze.


    "Impossible," Li Baocheng''s voice grew even heavier, "After I killed them, I received a system prompt saying I''dmitted murder and would be discovered in twenty-four hours."


    Li Baocheng had wanted to ask Li Jian if he could take him away from the vige, but after checking, Li Jian told him that the two of them were tens of thousands of miles apart, too far for immediate help, and besides, thepany had rules that Team Leaders of the newbie group are only responsible for exining some game content and aren''t allowed to directly help newbies.


    So, it was down to seeing whether the other three were willing to leave with him; otherwise, in this world, with his skills, he''d likely be cannon fodder. After exining this, Li Baocheng looked hopefully at Li Jian.


    Li Jian immediately understood but, as someone who had been through it before, he wasn''t nning to offer much help to Li Baocheng. He simply stated, "With Li Baocheng''s current situation, your only choice is to use these 24 hours to leave the vige as quickly as possible. While the world offers a high degree of freedom, transportation andmunications between regions are underdeveloped. Once you leave the vige, you should be able to avoid pursuit. The problem is, I can''te to take him away, as my character is too far from you guys, and thepany doesn''t have a policy to assist newbies like that, so he can only rely on himself. However, the survival rate of a single person in this world is extremely low, almost negligible, so his only hope is if you all band together and leave as a team."


    Li Jian and everyone else discussed the current situation, and seeing everyone''s expressions turn serious, after all, it was a decision that would affect their future development in the game. Everyone began weighing the pros and cons.


    "Of course," Li Jian added, "you can also choose to ignore him, considering this is your probation period. As I''ve said before, thepany won''t assign you any missions, nor do you need to report your actions back to thepany. You are facing a life and death situation, and if you choose not to care about a teammate, that''s understandable. Thepany will only do a summary at the end of the month, basing your duties andpensation on your performance throughout the month."


    Hearing Li Jian say this, Li Baocheng looked up at him in surprise, to which Li Jian simply shrugged helplessly. Although he sympathized with Li Baocheng''s predicament, he had to maintain a neutral stance, informing everyone of their rights was also his duty.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But Li Baocheng knew that Li Jian''s words might have just extinguished the thoughts they had just started to form. After all, he was the old-timer here, and his words held guidance and hints for everyone. Sure enough, upon hearing this, Han Baiqiang looked somewhat relieved. It seemed he wasn''t eager to leave Newbie Vige and venture out, even though a setback might be a blessing in disguise. However, in this game, you only have one life, so it''s better to be safe.


    Sun Bin''s eyes shed with a sharp light, and Li Jian''s words, "Thepany will determine everyone''s position and treatment based on performance during the probationary period," caused a stir in his heart. Could it be that the process of interacting with teammates also affects the final evaluation? Would helping Li Baocheng through this ordeal perhaps earn him some points? Maybe because of his willingness to help a teammate, he could even be considered for a team leader role.


    "But how are we going to leave the vige?" Sun Bin thought of this and suddenly asked aloud.


    Upon hearing his words, hope appeared in Li Baocheng''s eyes, while Xiao Buli felt a wave of surprise. This guy had always seemed aloof from the group, so why was he suddenly showing such Righteousness? Could it have been that he had misjudged him?


    Li Jian looked at Sun Bin with a half-smile and responded loudly, "Oh, even the closest town is very far from this vige, and there are many monsters along the way. Even if all four of you left together, with your current strength as neers, it would be very difficult to reach it safely." Li Jian''s words plunged Li Baocheng''s heart into the abyss. If the difficulty had not been so high, perhaps everyone would have been possibly willing to make a dash with him, but in a life and death situation like this, it looked like he truly had no hope at all.


    As expected, upon hearing Li Jian''s words, Sun Bin''s gaze flickered uncertainly, and he began to have second thoughts.


    "However," Li Jian''s tone shifted, "every so often, a merchant convoy passes through this vige. The convoy has its own guards for protection, and because they are NPCs, as long as you follow them, there is basically no danger. Judging by the amount of time you have been ying, it should be about three or four days until the next one arrives." Having stoked the suspense, Li Jian revealed another shortcut. Xiao Buli, who had just been frightened, also breathed a sigh of relief.


    Upon hearing this, Li Baocheng immediately became flustered. Three to five days, even if everyone was willing to apany him, it would still be toote.


    "Is there really no other way? What kind of monsters are along the road?" Thinking of this, Li Baocheng hurriedly asked.


    "As for the monsters, they''re not really that strong; after all, it''s just a beginner area. If you go from the vige to the nearest big city, on the first day, you should not be able to get out of the ck Wastnd. Therefore, you''ll only encounter low-level monsters such as wild dogs, Corpse-eating Dogs, Walking Corpses, and the like. Once you get past this ck Wastnd, you''ll enter the outskirts of the Misty Forest. Then, the strength of the monsters will increase - you might encounter wild wolves, wild boars, bandits, and robbers. If you''re lucky, you might evene across Demon Beasts. With your current strength, there shouldn''t be too much danger in the ck Wastnd, but once you enter the Misty Forest, it''s hard to say. I''m afraid it would be difficult for one person to take on a bandit alone, but if the four of you work together seamlessly, dealing with two or three bandits shouldn''t be a problem. However, bandits typically move in groups, and with your strength, encountering them would likely lead to annihtion," he concluded.


    Xiao Buli felt a surge of thought upon hearing this, "When exactly will that merchant convoy arrive, in three days or four? And from which direction do theye?"


    Li Jian was taken aback by the question, wondering why he asked, but still replied, "They generallye from the nearest big city, and let me calcte the time¡ªyes, it should be three days from now."


    "So you''re saying, if we start heading towards the big city tomorrow, we should be able to meet them after about a day''s journey, right?"


    After doing some quick mental calctions, Li Jian nodded slightly, "You''re correct. If nothing unexpected happens, if you leave at this time tomorrow, indeed, you should meet the convoy halfway before it gets dark."


    "Is that so?" A fresh hope sprang up in Li Baocheng, "Brothers, how about we all head to the big city together?" Although he knew the hope was slim, this was Li Baocheng''s only lifeline at the moment.

 Chapter 25: Blue Equipment

    <h4>Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Blue Equipment</h4>


    The room fell silent for a moment, and after a while, Han Baiqiang suddenly typed, "Forget it, I''m not going on an adventure. This game doesn''te with respawns, and I neither have equipment nor levels. I''m staying out of it."


    Sun Bin snorted coldly but clearly agreed with Han Baiqiang.


    Li Baocheng nced at Xiao Buli, who just shook his head apologetically. The four of them had roughly be friends over thest half a month, and if Sun Bin and Han Baiqiang were willing, Xiao Buli was actually ready to help out. After all, they couldn''t stay in Newbie Vige forever, and leaving one day earlier wasn''t a big deal, especially since he was quite confident in his own skills. However, if it was just the two of them, he would reconsider; his confidence didn''t stretch that far.


    Just as everyone was about to leave, Li Baocheng grew anxious, "Wait a minute, if you go with me to the big city, I''ll give you money and equipment?"


    Han Baiqiang immediately paused, money and equipment? "You didn''t mention it before, how are you going to split the equipment? And how much money do you even have?"


    "I have one Gold Coin."


    One Gold Coin! Everyone was shocked upon hearing this. After ying for so long, all of them knew how hard it was to earn money in this game. Xiao Buli didn''t earn even 5 silver coins after a week of feeding pigs and cutting grass, and Sun Bin and Han Baiqiang weren''t doing much better. One Gold Coin was a big deal¡ªtaking on entry-level jobs, it would take months to earn that much.


    "One Gold Coin! How did you get it?"


    "I found it in the house after killing those two people. If you help me out, I''ll split it with you," Li Baocheng was no longer hiding the fact, "And it''s not just money. I also found a few pieces of decent equipment. If youe with me, I''ll share them with you as well."


    He was speaking while already listing the equipment attributes on the screen.


    Butcher''s Bleeding Knife (One-handed Sword): This is a sharp and pointed steel dagger, with a blood groove on the de, often used to bleed animals or peel their hides. Attack 3¡ª17.


    Weapon Special Effect¡ªBleeding: When an attack hits, there is a chance to cause a bleeding effect, making the target lose 2 health points per second for 10 seconds. This effect can stack up to three times, and each subsequent stack halves the effect.


    Butcher''s Bone Chopper (One-handed Axe): This chopper, made of fine steel, has a heavy de and a sturdy edge, making it easy to chop through bones. Attack 5¡ª15.


    Weapon Special Effect¡ªBone Break: When an attack hits, there is a chance to cause a bone break effect, reducing the target''s speed by 30% for 60 seconds. This effect can stack up to three times, and each subsequent stack halves the effect.


    Fine Pigskin Jacket (Leather Armor¡ªChest Armor): This is a jacket made from tanned pigskin, offering good warmth and some degree of defense. Cold resistance +10%, Armor +6, Physique +1.


    Fine Pigskin Bracers (Leather Armor¡ªBracers): These are bracers made from tanned pigskin, studded with a few copper nails, providing minimal defense and some enhancement to wrist strength. Armor +2, Strength +1.


    Gold Ring (essory¡ªRing): This is a gold ring engraved with simple patterns. Although it has nothing special, it''s still worth some money. Charm +1.


    When he posted these items, Han Baiqiang, originally about to leave, stopped in his tracks. Apart from the ring, which wasmon quality, the rest were rare quality items. The game''s equipment grading system was somewhat simr to Diablo but slightly different, ranging from gray (poor, crude, damaged), white (normal), light blue (fine), dark blue (very fine), silver (superior), gold (exquisite), dark gold (legendary level), and green (with growth potential).


    Since entering the game, the best they hade across were white items, and most of what they got were gray items, such as Xiao Buli''s iron sword and Sun Bin''s wooden spear. Naturally, they were astonished to see several blue-quality items (even if they were just light blue).


    "Holy moly, these are some sweet gears. Did you strip them off that guy?" Han Baiqiang pointed at the two corpses and asked. Once he got affirmation, his face instantly lit up with greed, "This NPC-killing business is really lucrative. How about we team up and take out the rest of the NPCs too?"


    Yet Xiao Buli just smiled faintly. "Do as you please, but leave me out of it."


    Han Baiqiang shot him a puzzled look. "What do you mean by that?"


    Xiao Buli exined, "You only see the loot but what if we get caught? This pig farm owner was only unnoticed because no one saw. Even so, Little Li still got a bounty on his head in twenty-four hours. If we''re spotted killing, we''ll probably be captured and killed on the spot, right? Also, Little Li only managed to kill because the farm owner was weak. How do you know the other NPCs are just as feeble? What will we do if they call for reinforcements when we can''t take them down quickly? Remember, even if we seed, we just get some virtual items in the game. They''re not of any real value, but if we fail, we could lose our jobs. For a matter with such a huge disparity between risk and reward, I''m not taking part."


    After hearing Xiao Buli''s words, Han Baiqiang immediately cooled off. Xiao Buli was right. Although ying NPCs seemed highly rewarding, the risks involved were just as substantial. It''s just like with Li Baocheng¡ªif he had to go alone without help, no amount of gear or money would mean squat, and he''d likely die out in the wild.


    "As long as you help me with this task, each of you can pick one piece of equipment, and we''ll split this Gold Coin evenly amongst us. How about that?"


    "Deal, I''m in!" Han Baiqiang agreed on the spot. "As for the gear, give me that Butcher''s Bone Chopper."


    As a cksmith''s apprentice, he knew the value of that weapon. Most weapons on sale at the cksmith''s shop were made of iron, and the only steel Longsword (light blue quality) wasn''t for sale¡ªit seemed to be attainable only through a hidden quest. Getting a blue weapon with special effects now was pretty thrilling.


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    Without any hesitation, Li Baocheng counted out twenty-five silver coins and handed them, along with the weapon, to Han Baiqiang.


    Han Baiqiang took them but didn''t rush off. He knew it was better to have more people when leaving the vige. He nced at Sun Bin, "What, you chickening out?"


    "Hmph, as if I''m scared," Sun Bin seemed unable to stand being provoked, "Count me in as well, then. I''ll take the Pigskin Jacket."


    After dividing the loot, Li Baocheng looked towards Xiao Buli. Xiao''s impression of Li Baocheng shifted slightly. This guy didn''t offer up the gear and Gold Coin earlier; he only did so when he saw people leaving, probably hoping to benefit without contributing. Later, probably realizing it wasn''t going to work, he reluctantly bled some riches, guessing he still had some things up his sleeve. Li Baocheng may seem naive, but he might also be a wolf in sheep''s clothing.


    However, Xiao wasn''t the least bit surprised by such behavior and didn''t intend to get upset over this small discovery. He simply sighed inwardly and nodded in agreement.


    "Of course, I have no objections. Then, I''ll take that One-handed Sword," he said.


    With the weapon and twenty-five silver coins in hand, Xiao Buli was far from ecstatic. Having yed so many games, his view of virtual items within games had be quite indifferent. No matter how great the current gains seemed, they would likely be inconsequential once his strength improvedter.


    He equipped the ''Butcher''s Bleeding Knife'' and examined it. The sword was very short, just two feet long, with a blood groove etched into the de, giving it a deadly appearance. With this weapon, his strength had certainly improved.


    "Let''s go prepare separately then. It''s half-past ten now. Tomorrow at ten, let''s meet at the vige entrance and set off on time. Remember to bring food and water. Any questions?"


    Seeing no one speak up, Xiao Buli nodded. "Alright, that''s it."

 Chapter 26 - 26 Plan Changes

    <h4>Chapter 26: Chapter 26 n Changes</h4>


    "So let''s go our separate ways to prepare now. It''s ten-thirty now, and we''ll all meet at the vige entrance at ten o''clock tomorrow morning, ready to set off. Remember to bring food and water. Any questions?"


    Seeing no one spoke, Xiao Buli nodded, "Then that''s settled."


    "Wait a minute, since when do you get to decide when we start?"


    Xiao Buli inwardly cursed himself for feeling shameful; he had grown ustomed to being a leader and had unconsciously started arranging everyone''s actions, forgetting that this was no longer his studio.


    Turning to see that it was Sun Bin who had spoken, he asked, "Do you have a better n, then? I''m all ears."


    Sun Bin said, "Of course I do. In fact, there''s no need for such trouble. We can simply wait for the merchant caravan to arrive and then go. All Little Li needs to do is to go offline in the wild and hide for two days. When the caravan arrives in two days, he can log back on, right?"


    "That might not be possible," Li Baocheng said hesitantly, "Would thepany agree to that?"


    All four sets of eyes suddenly focused on Li Jian, who had been listening to the conversation. He paused, thenughed, "Hehe, thepany hasn''t stipted that you must log in every day. As I mentioned earlier, thepany won''t assign any tasks to you this month, so you arepletely free in the game."


    Sun Bin looked smug as if to say, I told you so.


    After hearing this, Li Baocheng''s face turned from green to white. He had been too flustered earlier to consider this and wouldn''t have needed to distribute his money and equipment if he knew this was an option.


    Damn it! How could this happen! Li Baocheng cursed inwardly, realizing he hadn''t paid enough attention to the details. Otherwise, with all that equipment, his strength would have definitely far surpassed the others. Thankfully, he still had some reserves.


    Despite his regret, he showed a relieved expression, "That''s great, then there''s no need to bother everyone. I felt a bit guilty earlier."


    After speaking, he saw that the three others remained unresponsive, not mentioning the money and equipment they had just divided up, and he knew he wouldn''t be getting it back. If he insisted, he would only iste himself, so he sighed inwardly, resigning to consider it as buying favor.


    After thinking it over, he felt unreconciled about letting the three off so easily, "Even so, I still need to leave the vige a bit farther. Who knows how the vigers might react, or if they''ll wait where I log off. So please, I ask you to escort me a little further outside the vige."


    They felt obligated to do this, as it was only a short distance from the vige and not too dangerous, so they agreed to set out at ten o''clock the next day to escort Li Baocheng outside the vige before dispersing.


    Upon leaving the pig farm owner''s house, Xiao Buli began purchasing equipment. He hadn''t bothered before due to ack of money, but now that he had some, he couldn''t be frugal.


    He went to the vige leatherworker and selected some Light Leather Armor:


    (Leather Armor¡ªChest) Armor +4.


    A pair of Light Leather Boots (Leather Armor¡ªBoots) Armor +2, Speed +1.


    They were bothmon white-grade items, yet still cost him twelve silver coins¡ªequipment in this game wasn''t cheap. Then Xiao Buli stopped by the vige inn to buy some steamed buns and a five-liter water dder; as physical strength consumed in the game needed to be restored with food and drink, these items were essential.


    He also bought camping equipment like torches and flint, since he nned to leave with the merchants in a couple of days, and it was necessary to purchase in advance.


    Everything was prepared, and when lunchtime arrived, the group logged off and gathered in the restaurant. Thanks to the morning''s gains, they all seemed very happy, even the wealth-parting Li Baocheng, who put on a forced smile, seemingly without regret about the morning''s events.


    Xiao Buli went to pick out food for his tray, and again saw Wu Tao. He intended to gather some intelligence for tomorrow''s action, because some things were inconvenient to ask Li Jian, and this was a good chance to consult with Wu Tao.


    Holding his tray, Xiao Buli walked over and pretended to be surprised, "Huh, it''s you again, what a coincidence."


    Wu Tao had no words for this approach anymore and could only nod his head with a chuckle, "Yeah, quite the coincidence."


    "You don''t mind if I sit down, right?"


    "Do as you please, even if I wanted to stop you, I couldn''t, right?"


    With a slight smile, Xiao Buli sat down, eating his meat-filled burger while casually asking as if by ident, "That''s Tao, right? I wanted to ask you something. How much do you know about the ck wastnd outside Newbie Vige?"


    "The ck wastnd?" Wu Tao''s face showed a hint of hesitation, "What do you want to ask about it for?"


    "Tomorrow, a few of us n to leave the vige for some business. I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of dangerous monsters are in the ck wastnd."


    "The ck wastnd isn''t too dangerous. The monsters at the vige gates are mainly stray dogs. Once you leave the safe area beyond the gates, there are Corpse-eating Dogs and Walking Corpses roaming about."


    "Are the Corpse-eating Dogs and Walking Corpses strong? Why would they appear in the ck wastnd, a newbie area like this?"


    "The ck wastnd is said to have been an ancient battlefield in the past, so many human remains are buried beneath the wastnd. Due to the influence of Evil Demonic Power, some of the corpses have risen again. They are mindless Demon Creatures whose only purpose is to devour human flesh and blood. Those are the so-called Walking Corpses. Although it sounds scary, they are actually very weak monsters that newbies can easily handle, iparable to Zombies."


    "As for the Corpse-eating Dogs, after stray dogs consume a number of corpses, undead energy umtes in their bodies, turning them into half-dead creatures, which are the Corpse-eating Dogs. However, these creatures aren''t much stronger than stray dogs. Their health points double, and with half-creature, half-Undead attributes, their Rip and Bite skill turns into a poisonous bite, losing the Sprint skill, but other than that, there''s not much change. They''re not difficult to handle either."


    "So that means the ck wastnd isn''t really dangerous, right?" Xiao Buli couldn''t help but ask with a sigh of relief.


    "It''s not that simple. Sometimes, even low-level areas like the ck wastnd can spawn rtively dangerous mini-BOSSES. A couple of months ago, there was an incident where a new team was wiped out by a Corpse-driving Warlock BOSS in the ck wastnd. It took a group of enforcers from the White Tiger Group to take down that Corpse-driving Warlock, and a ''Reincarnation of the Corpse Ghost'' Skill Book was dropped, which I couldn''t learn because it didn''t suit my ss. Bai Yunfei, that kid, got it."


    So, you could actually get Skill Books in this game, which kind of resembled "Legend." He thought for a moment, then asked, "What happened to those newbies who were wiped out?"


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "What else could happen, they were kicked out, of course. Our elimination rate for newbies is very high. Once someone dies, they are kicked out immediately without any room for negotiation. So it''s better if you''re more careful and not rush out of the vige too soon."


    Realizing that the newbies were indeed expelled, Xiao Buli discarded thest bit of wishful thinking from his mind. However, he didn''t n to give up. He was just nning to leave the vige to drop off someone, not to venture deep, so he shouldn''t be so unlucky as to run into a BOSS, right?


    While thinking this, Xiao Buli thanked Wu Tao and left with his tray.

 Chapter 27 - 27 Corpse-driving Warlock

    <h4>Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Corpse-driving Warlock</h4>


    After lunch, the four of them went back to work, and Xiao Buli was busy all afternoon. With nearly a day''s time, he decided to take this opportunity to level up his Grazing Skill to Max Level. However, progressing Life Skills became increasingly difficult atter stages. By the next day at 9 a.m., he had only managed to level Grazing up to eight and had not yet grasped LV4 Taming Skills. But indeed, blue equipment proved to be extraordinary; with the Butcher''s Bleeding Knife, he could kill wild dogs in just two or three strikes, and his improving proficiency significantly increased his efficiency.


    It seemed he would have to wait until after escorting Li Baocheng out of the vige to level up further.


    Checking the time, it was almost ten o''clock. Xiao Buli thought it best to set out early.


    Aftlyer equipping himself and bringing along Meatball, Xiao Buli arrived at the vige entrance, only to find that Li Baocheng was already waiting there. He was d in a full set of Leather Armor, and Xiao Buli did not know where he had acquired it. Li Baocheng had two daggers at his waist and a bow with Arrows on his back. Beside him stood a gray hunting dog that looked somewhat like a wild dog but was significantlyrger. It was called ''Ash Messenger'' and it looked quite impressive¡ªfar more majestic than Xiao Buli''s ordinary-looking Meatball.


    "Your pet is not bad, where did you catch it?"


    "Bought it from the hunter for five silver coins," Li Baocheng said proudly. Xiao Buli thought to himself that this guy must be quite rich to spend silver coins on such an extravagant pet.


    What he didn''t know was that Li Baocheng was entirely unaware that pets could not level up, and he thought that buying a top-quality pet meant it could level up with him.


    In reality, Li Baocheng''s Taming Skills level was not sufficient to tame the wolfhound. After all, its Wildness level was two, and one would need level three Taming Skills to Tame it. However, having been a hunter''s apprentice for so long, his Beast Compendium included a directory of canine creatures, providing him with a level boost when Taming canines, which is how he managed to tame the unruly beast.


    But at this moment, he was too concerned to feel proud, looking around anxiously, he asked, "Why aren''t those two here yet? It''s almost time."


    "Here theye," replied Xiao Buli, and sure enough, Han Baiqiang and Sun Bin were walking out of the vige. Both men were fully armed; Han Baiqiang carried a Butcher''s Bone Chopper Knife in one hand and a cksmith''s hammer in the other, and wore stiff Leather Armor along with an iron-rimmed helmet¡ªugly, perhaps, but stillmanding. Sun Bin was dressed in a fine Pigskin Jacket, topped with a leather helmet, and wore a ''valiant'' battle robe over it, which was essentially a cover that looked exactly like what the Militia wore. He nted a red-tasseled spear in his hand.


    Xiao Buli was puzzled, where had Sun Bin acquired this attire?


    The four men sized each other up and gained a mutual understanding of their respective capabilities. After a brief exchange, they set off.


    Since it was almost their first time venturing out of the vige, the farther they moved away from the settlement, the more tense they became despite not having seen any formidable monsters¡ªeveryone except Sun Bin, who lookedpletely unconcerned, as if he had been here before.


    After about five or six minutes of walking, the group arrived at a dip in thendscape formed by piles of stone, guarded by a crude wooden gate with two Militia standing behind it.


    Noticing them approaching, one of the Militia cheerfully greeted Sun Bin, "Is that you, Sun? Aren''t you here to take over the shift?"


    "Does this guard actually know Sun Bin?" The group looked at Sun Bin in surprise after hearing this. But Sun seemed unaffected by their astonishment and typed his reply. Of course not, today isn''t my shift. I''m heading to the ck Wastes with a few friends for something.


    He didn''t type this response in the NPC dialogue box but shouted it directly. Surprisingly, the Militia was able to understand, "I see, then I wish you all a safe journey. The Walking Corpses and Corpse-eating Dogs have been increasing in the ck Wastestely. It''s best to make a quick trip."


    As they spoke, the two Militia opened the gate at the dip.


    Once through the gate, they saw seventeen or eighteen bodies on the ground, both wild dogs and humans, but all looked abnormal. The wild dog corpses were particrly ferocious, still exuding viciousness even in death, while the human corpses were withered and rotten, as if they had just been dug out of graves. Sun Bin walked by the sight as if ustomed to it, so Xiao Buli and the others had no choice but to follow.


    As they passed through the gate, a prompt suddenly appeared on the screen.


    System Notification: You have entered the ck Wastes.


    The deste scenery before them grew even more obscure, the ground turned an ominous gray-ck, the grass became sparse, and there seemed to be a faint mist pervading the air, reducing visibility at a distance. The asional trees they could see also appeared corroded and decaying, as if the whole world was sumbing to corruption and decline.


    Seeing how familiar Sun Bin was with the ce, Xiao Buli felt a mix of emotions. It seemed Sun Bin did indeed have the merit to be arrogant; even in terms of game exploration, he was more skilled than Xiao Buli. He recalled Han Baiqiang mentioning that Sun Bin had purchased weapons and ventured out of the vige earlier than he did. Connecting this with the recent conversation with the Militia, Xiao Buli concluded he had found the answer.


    "I say, Old Sun, have you been out here before?" Han Baiqiang abruptly asked in a loud voice.


    "What do you think?" Sun Bin responded with a question of his own. Xiao Buli then said quietly, "If I''m not mistaken, after farming, your second job was to serve in the Vige Militia, wasn''t it?"


    "Ha, you got it right. Indeed, after learning Wild Dance and mastering Basic Spear Skills with the militia captain, I joined the Vige Militia. Every day, I had to guard the entrance to the ck Wastes for three hours to prevent the Walking Corpses and Corpse-eating Dogs from bringing the gue over the wall."


    "So you''ve been killing lots of monsters these days?"


    "Of course, I''ve killed over a hundred by now."


    "Why kill so many monsters? For equipment?"


    Sun Bin chuckled, "Don''t even mention it, nothing dropped, but I did earn quite a bit of battle experience. Maybe you guys don''t know, but battle experience can directly be used to upgrade skills."


    Xiao Buli thought to himself that this made sense, but the battle experience he had gained in the past two days was too little, so he hadn''t considered this before.


    "There seems to be someone up ahead," Han Baiqiang suddenly warned.


    Sun Bin looked up and said, "That''s not a person, just a walking corpse."


    Indeed, as the target drew closer, everyone could see its true appearance: a shriveled body, a rotting face, and clothes that had long rotten away, leaving only a few stubborn strands hanging onto it.


    "Damn, that''s disgusting," Han Baiqiang couldn''t help but curse. The game was overwhelmingly realistic; it was a wonder how it would pass inspection during the open beta. "Is this thing tough?" he asked.


    Sun Bin shook his head. "Not tough, I can take on five by myself."


    However, despite saying so, no one was willing to step forward to act as a minesweeper since they couldn''t gauge the enemy''s strength properly. In the end, they let Li Baocheng, who yed a ranged role, take a shot at it. He drew his bow and aimed at the walking corpse, sending an arrow flying.


    With a thud, the arrow sank deep into the body of the walking corpse. The creature paused for a moment but immediately continued to advance, emitting low growls from its mouth. Without hesitation, Li Baocheng fired another arrow, this time hitting the walking corpse right in the head. It seems its neck had been nearly rotten through already because the head was shot off in an instant.


    The headless corpse swayed a couple of times before copsing.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "So, how much experience did you get?"


    "Only two points," replied Li Baocheng, disappointed. Even a wild dog would give at least five points of battle experience. Despite looking frightening, the walking corpse awarded so little experience; it was truly useless.


    The group advanced a bit further, encountering numerous walking corpses along the way, but they were all quickly dispatched. These creatures were very slow, and their health points were low, so after a few rounds, not even their ''oil skin'' got scratched. However, the corpse-eating dogs did pose a small threat. Compared to the walking corpses, these half-dead beasts had a much stronger attack drive and were faster. Still, dealing with one or two at a time proved not to be difficult. ording to Sun Bin, these walking corpses are invincible unlesspletely destroyed¡ªthey would soon stand up again after absorbing the energy of the earth. The best solution was to burn them.


    After about half an hour, the ck wastnd still stretched on endlessly, and the weapons around them began to intensify. Xiao Buli inwardly eximed at the vastness of the game''s map. Han Baiqiang, however, stopped and said, "We should be far enough now."


    Li Baocheng was not quite at ease. "Let''s go a bit further. It''d be terrible to get trapped."


    Han Baiqiang wasn''t keen to continue walking. Reluctantly he said, "Is that necessary? There are only a few militiamen in that vige. With the ck wastnd being so vast, how could they possibly find where you logged out? I think those NPCs probably won''t even leave the vige. Right, Old Xiao?"


    Xiao Buli didn''t mind either way. Sun Bin stood by, watching indifferently, and decided to practice his moves on a couple of corpse-eating dogs since there was nothing better to do. As they were arguing, Li Baocheng''s ''Ash Messenger'' suddenly let out a threatening, low growl, followed by Meatball''s barking as well.


    At first, nobody paid much attention, but then Xiao Buli remembered Meatball''s passive skill¡ªAgility LV1, which increased the detection range by twenty percent. Could it be that Meatball had sensed some threatening enemy getting closer?


    While thinking, he looked towards the road ahead. Through the dense fog, a jingling sound was heard, crystal clear through the headset.


    ("It seems like something ising our way. Could it be that a merchant caravan has arrived early? That seems unlikely. Regardless, it''s still best to hide and see.")


    Xiao Buli thought to himself and ran towards a nearby bush beside the road. Seeing this, although Sun Bin and the others did not know what he was doing, they followed him instinctively.


    "What''s up, Old Xiao? Why are you running?"


    "Don''t ask, just look over there!"


    The group hid behind the bushes and looked at the road from a distance. In the misty air, silhouettes began to emerge. Initially, there were only a few, but as they got closer, the number increased. Along with the dense figures approaching, the sound of the bells became clearer. Finally, a figure in a gray magical robe appeared from the fog, wearing a straw hat and holding a short wooden magic wand in one hand and ringing a bell in the other. Following him were hundreds of walking corpses, densely packed behind him, marching like an army from the underworld.


    These walking corpses were normally the weakest of monsters. The group had killed many along the way and had long since stopped paying attention to such weaklings. However, seeing so many gathered together now, the horrifying aura they emitted made everyone''s scalp tingle.


    It was a corpse-driving warlock! Xiao Buli immediately made the judgment. Wu Tao''s words echoed in his ears. ("Just my luck to run into this¡ªif we''re discovered, it''s almost certain we''ll be wiped out.")


    "Don''t just stand there, let''s get out of here!"


    With a yell, Xiao Buli turned and ran!

 Chapter 28: The Grey Duplicate

    "Stop looking, scram!"


    Xiao Buli yelled and turned to run.


    "What is that thing?" Han Baiqiang didn¡¯t immediately run but instead asked.


    "The Corpse-driving Warlock, the BOSS of the ck Wilderness!"


    "BOSS!" Hearing Xiao Buli¡¯s words, the three of them were scared, startled. In other games, the presence of a BOSS could be a cause for excitement, as it meant the potential to drop top-tier equipment. Especially a randomly spawning BOSS in the wild, that was definitely thrilling. But the problem was this wasn¡¯t an average game.


    If they died, they would lose their jobs, andpared to the unknown value of BOSS drops, such a risk was just too great.


    Therefore, within moments, all three made their own decisions, following Xiao Buli and running away from the direction of the Corpse-driving Warlock and his army of Walking Corpses, non-stop.


    As they ran, they looked back¡ªa wave of his hand, and seven or eight Corpse-eating Dogs charged out of the ranks of Walking Corpses, pursuing the four men. Despite theck of Sprint skills, even a normal running pace wasn¡¯t slower than the four people, so they gradually caught up.


    Hearing the conversation, Li Jian also logged out of the game and came to the back of the group.


    "Corpse-driving Warlock? You ran into a Corpse-driving Warlock?" Li Jian asked, somewhat excitedly.


    "Yeah, just back there," Xiao Buli answered while also making sure to keep running. Behind him, Han Baiqiang¡¯s speed seemed to be the slowest and he was gradually being caught up to.


    "Don¡¯t even think about fighting that thing; you can¡¯t beat it." As Li Jian spoke, he nced at the coordinates disyed on Xiao Buli¡¯s screen,mitting them to memory.


    "You guys be careful not to die; I have to step out for a bit."


    The others were too busy running to really pay attention, and they subconsciously agreed. Li Jian turned and left the studio, taking out a phone¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t thepany-issued one.


    "Hello, is that Old Gao? I found a wild BOSS, a Corpse-driving Warlock. Yes, the one that wiped out the newbiesst time. It seems to have just respawned. Don¡¯t tell the team leader. Get Long and Zhang Hao involved, quickly hire a carriage to the ck Wilderness, and meet at the Demon Hunter Camp.


    I¡¯ll be there soon."


    After hanging up, his excitement had yet to dissipate. ording to regtions, he was supposed to inform the team leader about such a discovery, who would decide who to send to take down the BOSS. He could have received a bonus for his information, but this time he had no intention of doing so. Compared to a bonus of a thousand or two, there were things he cared about more waiting for him.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After the call, Li Jian went back to the studio, logged into his ount, and set off for the Demon Hunter Camp.


    Let¡¯s leave Li Jian to his own devices for the moment and talk about the four who were sprinting away. They had run far in one go, and the Corpse-driving Warlock was long out of sight. However, the Corpse-eating Dogs caught up; Han Baiqiang was carrying the most weight and was the slowest.


    He saw his Stamina Points were nearly halved and knew he couldn¡¯t shake them off, so he abruptly turned around and unleashed an Earth Cleaving sh behind him.


    He had gauged his strike perfectly¡ªthe timing was such that one of the Corpse-eating Dogs charged right in front of him, practically delivering its head under his hammer¡ªSt! With a crushing effect, he smashed the dog¡¯s head to bits¡ªinstakill! Han Baiqiang didn¡¯t even have time to be startled with triumph when the remaining six dogs all surged forward.


    After a round of attack, his health points had instantly dropped by one third, and that was only because he had the ¡¯Copper Body Iron Arm¡¯ skill he had gained from cksmithing, which mitigated some of the damage. Otherwise, an average person would probably have been finished off there and then.


    "Quick, save me!" Han Baiqiang shouted as he swung his hammer in huge circles and smashed it down, the ¡¯Spin¡¯ technique with its additional knockback effect forcefully repelled the attacks of the Corpse-eating Dogs.


    Just as the second wave of attacks was about tond, a feathered arrow zipped under his crotch and pierced through the eye of a Corpse-eating Dog, instantly blinding it and causing it to spin chaotically on the spot.


    Four people plus two dogs vs. six Corpse-eating Dogs was quite an easy scenario, so the moment Xiao Buli and the others saw Han Baiqiang being attacked, they all stopped and turned to join the fight. The two dogs rushed past Han Baiqiang, one on each side, blocking the second wave of attacks for him. Han Baiqiang stepped back in shock, cursing to himself about the downside of running slow.


    But thankfully, his teammates were reliable, and he looked at the three with even more gratitude in his eyes.


    The battle ended quickly, and the six Corpse-eating Dogs soon added to thebat experience of the four yers. However, as usual, they dropped no equipment.


    Li Baocheng dissected one of the dogs and all he got was rotten dog meat and rotten dog skin, things that weren¡¯t even worth selling.


    "Such a meaningless battle," Xiao Buli mumbled to himself.


    "Where are we now?" asked Li Baocheng as he looked around. "Huh, what¡¯s that over there?" His gaze suddenly caught by something strange.


    It appeared to be a cave of sorts, with the entrance sealed by a faint gray barrier, rendering the interior indiscernible, and it looked quite odd.


    "This should be the entrance to a dungeon, right?" Sun Bin said uncertainly while tending to Han Baiqiang¡¯s wounds. One perk of being a militiaman was that he received quite a bit of golden sore medicine, which allowed for slow recovery of health points outside ofbat.


    "It does look very much like one!" Xiao Buli chimed in, genuinely feeling that their luck was exceptionally good¡ªthey¡¯d just encountered a wilderness boss and now they had discovered a dungeon.


    "But why didn¡¯t Li Jian ever mention that there was a dungeon in the ck Wilderness? Could it be that he didn¡¯t know about it either?" Sun Bin asked, his toneced with doubt.


    Han Baiqiang said, "Hey, just ask him and we¡¯ll know, right? Hey Jian, do you know about a dungeon in the ck Wilderness?"


    A dungeon in the ck Wilderness? At the mention of this, Li Jian immediately stood up and came over. He had already mounted the carriage and didn¡¯t need to pay much attention to it, and upon seeing the gray barrier on Han Baiqiang¡¯s screen, he couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in wonder, "This is indeed an entrance to a dungeon.


    You guys really are extraordinarily lucky toe across such things one after another."


    Hearing Li Jian¡¯s tone suggested that it was a great discovery, Han Baiqiang couldn¡¯t help getting excited too, "Could it be that Jian also didn¡¯t know about this dungeon?"


    Li Jian nodded, "There are plenty of dungeons in this game, but because the game map is so vast, finding one is not easy. Moreover, dungeons are one-time affairs¡ªonce you clear it, it¡¯s gone, so they are bing rarer and rarer." After finishing, he added, "It¡¯s a pity that your dungeon is only a gray one, otherwise it would be worth reporting.


    Discovering a worthwhile dungeon can get you a reward of several hundred to a thousand dors."


    "Dungeons have colors too?" Li Baocheng couldn¡¯t help asking curiously.


    "Of course, just like equipment is differentiated by color to indicate quality, dungeons are ssified in the same way. Gray dungeons are also called mini-dungeons because their maps are generally very, very small. They usually contain only one boss, the loot is quitemon, and naturally, the boss¡¯sbat power is usually very weak, which makes it quite suitable for you guys."


    "Does that mean we can take on this dungeon?" Li Baocheng asked excitedly upon hearing it was suitable for them. This was mainly because it was too abstract to measure yer strength in this game; it was hard to assess.


    In other games, half a month of y would at least you a full set of blue or green gear, by which time you would¡¯ve learned numerous skills, and regardless of the equipment quality, it would at least look impressive. How many levels you gained and which dungeons you could tackle was clear-cut, as you just needed to look at the levels of the monsters inside.


    But in this game, they were still wielding such shabby weapons after half a month, and a light blue piece of equipment was treasured like a gem with no concept of levels at all, which made dungeons seem quite daunting.


    "Of course you can take it on. A gray dungeon in such a low-level area is definitely doable. Just be a bit cautious, that¡¯s all," Li Jian answered with confidence.

 Chapter 29: Remains of Lu Jiang - Reanimated Zombie

    Li Jian thought about it and decided it was better to rify things since they were going to run a dungeon, so he began exining, "Before, since you all were still in the exploration phase without muchbat, I didn¡¯t go into much detail. But now, I think I better clear things up. In this game, equipment, dungeons, monsters, and skills are all distinguished by color."


    "That is, there are eight different qualities: gray, white, light blue, dark blue, silver, gold, dark gold, and green."


    "This applies to dungeons as well as monsters. Gray are minion, henchman-type monsters, white aremon monsters, light blue are elite monsters, dark blue are higher-level elites, silver are mini-bosses, and gold are major bosses. Monsters with gold and silver names are already quite formidable, and they usuallymand arge number of minions in coordinatedbat.


    We in the White Tiger Group have only fought a silver mini-boss three times and a gold major boss once. The silver mini-boss was manageable, but we lost quite a few people fighting the major boss that one time."


    "Monsters with dark gold names are ultimate bosses, often serving as the overall leader of a monster faction, akin to Sauron in ¡¯Lord of the Rings¡¯, the Lich King in ¡¯World of Warcraft¡¯, and Deathwing alike. Up until now, we haven¡¯t faced one, so we don¡¯t know how powerful they are. As for green monsters, they are quite peculiar. These monsters have high growth potential.


    They are very weak when they first spawn, but if given the chance to grow, they can quickly be extremely formidable. So if any of you have Taming Skills, pay attention¡ªif youe across a green-named beast that can be tamed, don¡¯t let it go. They are the only ones with a clear growth attribute and are very worth having."


    "So, from now on, when you encounter monsters, you can judge their strength just by the color."


    After his exnation, they all remembered that the Walking Corpses they faced before indeed had gray names, which were obviously very weak. The name of the Corpse-driving Warlock they encountered just now seemed to be dark blue. It was a good thing they ran away quickly; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t even know how they died.


    A high-level elite couldmand so many minions; it was hard to imagine how strong the armies of monsters led by the silver, gold, and even dark gold bosses must be.


    Li Jian went on to say, "As for dungeons, they¡¯re also ssified by color. Gray is the lowest level, like the kind you¡¯ve encountered now, which we usually refer to as cers, often nothing more than a passageway and a big pit, typically easy for three to five people to handle, and sometimes even soloable.


    White dungeons are called underground caves, which require five people working together to clear, usually featuring higher-level elite monsters. Light blue dungeons are called underground mansions, and dark blue dungeons are called underground vaults. The difficulty between the two isn¡¯t significantly different, but there is a substantial difference in size.


    Such dungeons usually have several dark blue high-level elites as gatekeeping bosses, and silver mini-bosses as the final boss, which require the main forces of the Green Dragon Group to have a chance of clearing."


    "Silver dungeons are named Underground Labyrinth, and gold dungeons are called Underground City. These dungeons contain gold-named major bosses, and nning a meticulous strategy along with a considerable amount of preliminary work is required to even attempt them. Otherwise, it¡¯s basically suicide.


    As for dark gold dungeons, they are called Underground Kingdom, because the interior is almost like a small country, with countless bosses within, possibly hundreds, but no one has ever found one, so no one knows exactly what they are like."


    Having listened to Li Jian¡¯s introduction, everyone had a basic understanding of the difficulty of the dungeon before them. Li Baocheng, eager to give it a try, asked, "So, shall we go for it?"


    "Of course, we should. If we don¡¯t even dare to tackle the lowest-leveled gray dungeon, then how are we supposed to get byter? No matter how careful we are, we can¡¯t expect to never fight monsters," Han Baiqiang was right in his response.


    Xiao Buli and Sun Bin also agreedpletely. The theory was simple¡ªif they didn¡¯t face lower-difficulty dungeons now, they would probably die miserablyter when confronted with unavoidable, more challenging tasks. Instead of avoiding it now and waiting to dieter, it was most rational to lower the risk to an eptable level and enhance their own strength.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Since they had decided, they no longer kept their abilities secret and reported them to each other. Even for the simplest of dungeons, they needed to understand each other to better coordinate and fight.


    Han Baiqiang¡¯sbat skills included three. Copper Body Iron Arm LV3 (Passive Skill): Reduces 3 points of impolite damage received, very useful when dealing with groups of low-level monsters.


    Earth Cleaving sh LV2: Delivers a fierce strike with the main hand weapon against an enemy, with a certain chance to cause crushing damage, ignoring the target¡¯s defense to deal maximum damage.


    Spinning Strike (requires a hammer-type weapon): A fan-shaped AOE attack that can produce a knockback effect.


    Sun Bin¡¯s skills also included three abilities, Basic Spear Skills LV2, simr to Basic Swordsmanship, it¡¯s just that the weapon of choice became the spear.


    Wild Dance LV3: A short-range AOE skill, it inflicts average damage, but can be used frequently.


    Coordinated Six Strikes LV1: Launch a series of rapid thrusts at a target, resulting in substantial DPS.


    Li Baocheng had fourbat skills.


    In addition to Taming Skills, he also had Basic Archery LV1: Capable of shooting with crossbows, enhancing damage and uracy with ranged weapons. Since the game doesn¡¯t lock on, uracyrgely depends on the shooter, however, Li Baocheng imed he was exceptionally skilled at shooting games before, so his uracy was also quite high.


    Backstab LV3: Initiate a close-range attack from behind the target that can cause triple the damage of a regr attack.


    Emergency Dodge LV1: Same as Xiao Buli¡¯s Emergency Dodge, it allows for a quick short-distance evasive maneuver.


    Having understood each other¡¯s skill types, Xiao Buli pondered for a while. With that in mind, why not let Li Baocheng take charge of pulling the monsters, have Han Baiqiang force the BOSS into a stunned state, then the rest of us focus all out on damage output? The game¡¯s threat mechanics are still unknown, and weck healing abilities, so we won¡¯t set up a tank and healer.


    Instead, everyone will act as DPS. If there are minor monsters, let the two dogs handle them, and let¡¯s try to kill the BOSS in the shortest time possible. What does everyone think?


    Xiao Buli¡¯s n could be said to be the best possible made with the current essible game information, so nobody had any issues with it.


    After eating and drinking for a while, and nearly fully restoring their physical strength and health points, the group entered the dungeon nervously yet excitedly. Inside, they foundplete darkness, but Xiao Buli was well-prepared, equipping a torch from his backpack in the off-hand weapon slot.


    As the fire lit up, they could see the scene of this mini-dungeon more clearly; it really was just a cer, with a narrow corridor over a meter wide and roughly seven to eight meters long. In just a few steps, they reached the end of the corridor, where a circr room about ten meters in diameter awaited.


    System prompt: You have entered the Forsaken Burrow.


    At the end of the Forsaken Burrow, a figure stood alone with their back to the group, barely discernible in the flickering shadows of the torchlight. True to the lowest level dungeon, there were no minor monsters, only the BOSS.


    Clicking on the monster¡¯s icon revealed a light blue Elite Monster named ¡¯Remains of Lu Jiang¡ªReanimated Zombie.¡¯


    Xiao Buli guessed that the zombie must have been named Lu Jiang in life. Just as this thought crossed his mind, Li Baocheng had already shot an arrow its way.


    -2, a bright red number popped up above the zombies head, indicating a mere two health points lost. Roused by the attack, the zombie finally turned around slowly. Unlike the fully rotten walking corpses, this zombie¡¯s skin was a ckish-green color but was preserved extremely well, even allowing one to discern the body shape and facial features from before death.


    Upon seeing the zombie¡¯s face, Xiao Buli was taken aback. Then, a chilling sensation that pierced right to his marrow quickly enveloped him, causing his scalp to explode with fear and almost freezing him on the spot¡ªthat zombie looked exactly like the elusive man with the hood.

 Chapter 30: Han Baiqiang鈥檚 Gigantic Red Hand

    Seeing the appearance of the zombie, Xiao Buli was momentarily stunned, followed by a bone-chilling cold rapidly seeping into his whole body. He felt his scalp exploding and was almost frozen in ce¡ªthat zombie looked exactly like the elusive hooded man.


    That¡¯s right, exactly the same. Even though one was d in tattered leather armor, and the other was wearing a ck leather jacket, one¡¯s skin was pale with a green tinge, and their eyes emitted a deathly aura, while the other looked no different from an ordinary person, the resemnce between the two was uncanny.


    What in the world was going on? Were the NPCs in this game designed based on the appearances of real-life people? Or was it just a coincidence? Xiao Buli¡¯s mind was a mess of thoughts. No, it couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. If it were, wouldn¡¯t that be too much of a coincidence?


    Piecing together the fact that the hooded man was the nephew of the chairman, Xiao Buli gradually formed a seemingly reasonable exnation¡ªthis game was most likely developed by thepany itself, and the production team based some of the NPC designs on real people¡¯s appearances, such as the hooded man¡¯s.


    But even if you turned yourself into an NPC, you¡¯d want to make it look nicer, right? Why would you make it a zombie? Maybe the game developers really despised the hooded man? Xiao Buli knew of simr incidents in the gamingmunity; for instance, in Diablo by Blizzard, there was a corpse named White who was said to represent a guy in real life that the developers despised.


    It was highly likely that this Remains of Lu Jiang was a simr case, or at least, that was the only exnation he could think of.


    While he was momentarily lost in thought, a myriad of ideas had already spun through his head, but the others didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. They had already charged forward. Xiao Buli quickly gathered his wits and focused on the battle ahead. Whatever the case, he had to deal with the present situation first.


    It has to be said that as the leader of a Great Guild, his psychological quality was very high. Even when faced with such bizarre and almost eerie situations, he was able to calm down instantly, without affecting his emotions.


    All four were veterans of such games, and almost in unison, they nked the zombie from either side, swiftly surrounding it in a textbook cross formation.


    It seemed that because Li Baocheng had shot it with two arrows earlier, the zombie targeted Li Baocheng straight away. It extended its forelimbs and let out a low growl, moving towards Li Baocheng in slow, shuffling steps.


    Is it really this slow? Well, then I won¡¯t hold back. Li Baocheng shot arrow after arrow at the zombie, thinking this while numbers indicating minor damage of 2 and 3 health points each popped up. Although the damage was slight, he was safe, and the reanimated zombie was almost like a stationary target, allowing Li Baocheng to shoot at will.


    He even felt that if he had enough Scissors Arrows in his bag, he could kite this minor boss all by himself.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But just as the boss was about five meters away from him, something unexpected happened. The zombie suddenly lurched forward, leaping four to five meters in one bound, instantly reaching Li Baocheng and swiping at him.


    FUCK! Li Baocheng cursed in fright. Thanks to his quick reaction, he managed to dodge the strike with an Emergency Dodge.


    Seeing this, the other three knew they could not just stand by and hurried forward to join the assault, Chain Sword Strike, Coordinated Six Strikes, Earth Cleaving sh¡ªa series of attacksnded on the zombie, red numbers shing wildly. Still, it was uncertain how high the zombie¡¯s defense was because after taking three solid hits, its health points had dropped by less than one-tenth.


    The zombie seemed to feel pain and let out a wild howl, its ws swiping back in a wide arc. The three men backed off quickly. Xiao Buli and Sun Bin almost instantly reacted, stepping back to dodge the attack, whereas Han Baiqiang was a step too slow and got hit, instantly losing one-third of his health points.


    What a powerful attack! Han Baiqiang was taken aback. He was protected by his heavy leather armor and had the Copper Body Iron Arm skill to reduce damage, yet he had lost a third of his health points in a single blow. If it had been someone else, they would probably be below half health by now.


    The zombie¡¯s attack power was on par with thebined force of the seven Corpse-eating Dogs they encountered earlier.


    Not daring to show off, he executed a Spin, forcing the zombie to stagger back. Spotting an opportunity, Li Baocheng quickly moved up behind the zombie and, with a swift forward thrust of his dagger¡ªBackstab! The tripled basic damage was not for show, plus the blue dagger in his hand he had looted from the Pig Farm Owner dealt a hard blow, taking down a tenth of the boss¡¯s health points in one go.


    After delivering that stab, Li Baocheng immediately retreated; he did not dare to withstand the boss¡¯s attack directly.


    The boss had well over a thousand health points, and its defense and attack were ridiculously high. Fortunately, unlike World of Warcraft, where the game used a targeting system, and considering the zombie¡¯s slow speed, it gave the four yers room to maneuver,


    The group exchanged blows back and forth, and after several rounds, the boss had lost half of its health points. Perhaps feeling that it couldn¡¯t go on like this, the zombie suddenly stopped and let out an extremely mournful howl. Xiao Buli checked his character¡¯s status and saw no negative effects, so he immediately looked around and sure enough, the ground at their feet began to move.


    One by one, dry and rotten hands emerged from the ground, followed by the mutted bodies of Walking Corpses, as seven or eight of them were being awakened from the earth.


    This is bad; the boss is summoning minions.


    What to do?


    Xiao Buli almost immediately made a judgment. He had a lot of experience with this kind of situation, having led the main group from the guild to pioneer dungeons and fight bosses many times before; often, it was his on-the-spot decisions that secured victory.


    "Sun Bin and the fatty will clear the minor monsters, I¡¯ll hold off the BOSS with Little Li, hurry up!"


    Sun Bin and Han Baiqiang both possessed AOE skills, making them the perfect candidates for dealing with the minor monsters. Meanwhile, Xiao Buli and Li Baocheng each had the Emergency Dodge skill, which gave them a degree of self-protection while dealing with the BOSS.


    Because the situation was urgent, the proud Sun Bin didn¡¯t have the time to argue with Xiao Buli about who was in charge; he just snorted coldly and charged towards the Walking Corpses that were emerging from the ground.


    Wild Dance! Wild Dance! Still Wild Dance! Although this AOE skill was average in damage, its advantages were a short CD, low cost, and a decent attack range. It could be used frequently. A series of three Wild Dances sessfully attracted all the Walking Corpses, leading them towards Han Baiqiang.


    "It¡¯s up to you now!" He said as they passed by each other.


    "Just watch me!" Han Baiqiang¡¯s Spin Skill had already recovered, and he went straight in for the tightly packed group of Walking Corpses, swinging his Bone-breaking Knife wildly. With one sweep, five or six Walking Corpses lost half their health points. Several of them were also afflicted with the bone-breaking effect, slowing their already sluggish speed even further.


    The two quickly cleared them out.


    Without its minions, the Zombie BOSS was utterly out of options. Despite regaining health once through absorbing earth qi and attempting to close the distance with leap attacks several times, all attempts were dodged by the four well-prepared yers.


    Its health points kept dropping, ten percent, five percent, two percent¡ª"Done!"


    Finally, apanied by cheers from the four yers, the Zombie BOSS copsed with a thunderous fall.


    "Well done!" Xiao Buli said excitedly. Although he had yed countless games and conquered numerous BOSSes before, this was undoubtedly the most thrilling. After all, dying meant losing his job, and the no-failure premise made the battle exceptionally stimting.


    Once they had calmed down a bit, the question of who would open the corpse arose again.


    Normally, this task would have been handled by him, but this time he had to yield. He nced at Sun Bin, who also looked back at him, but before they could speak, Han Baiqiang had already sauntered forward brazenly.


    "Hahaha, the great lucky hand, opened four items in one go." Han Baiqiang seemed oblivious to any wrongdoing, and the others didn¡¯t bother toment, as the four pieces of loot dropped by the BOSS had already appeared on their screens.


    Pale Ring: (essory¡ªRing): Luck -1, health points upper limit +40.


    "Enve Zombies" (Skill Book): This is a tattered sheet of paper that contains methods to enve Zombies, appearing to be a page from "Enve Undead." To learn this skill, 12 points of spiritual power are required.


    Corpse Pill (Gray¡ªMaterial): This is amon inner core found within Zombies, frequently used in the creation of Magic Artifacts and refinement of Elixirs. It¡¯s also a precious casting material for Necromancy Spells. Since it has only absorbed Yin Energy for a short time, the quality of this Corpse Pill is quite ordinary.


    The Diary of Lu Jiang (Quest Item): Using this item can trigger a quest.

 Chapter 31 Lu Jiang鈥檚 Diary

    Seeing these four items, Xiao Buli pursed his lips and thought to himself that it really was a stroke of big "red" luck, with four people and just enough items for each.


    In the past, when he was the guild leader dealing with loot, he had often yed dirty, to the point where it had almost be a habit. Now, seeing the items Han Baiqiang had rolled, he realized that luck was indeed a real thing.


    "So, how do we split them?" Xiao Buli asked.


    "What else but to auction them off?" Li Baocheng was the first to speak up. "Whoever offers the most money takes the item, then we split the money from the auction equally."


    Han Baiqiang¡¯s eyes shifted as heughed, "You rascal, you¡¯ve looted more than one Gold Coin from those two NPCs you killed earlier, haven¡¯t you? I bet you¡¯ve got quite a sum in your bag. If we go to auction, the four of us together probably couldn¡¯t outbid you, that¡¯s not fair."


    Li Baocheng, whose secret had been exposed, couldn¡¯t help but his face turned red, thankful that no one could see him behind the screen.


    "Then what do you propose we do?" he muttered.


    "The international rule, ROLL the dice," came the response.


    The so-called ROLLing dice means getting a random number within a certain range, simr to throwing dice, except the numbers are determined by the system.


    "ROLL the dice? Does this game have a ROLL dice system?" Sun Bin asked.


    This question really hit the nail on the head. Xiao Buli, who had been ying for so long, had never tried it. He typed themand /ROLL into the chat box and hit Enter with force.


    System prompt: You ROLLED a 5, (1¡ª100).


    A 5! A ck line immediately crossed Xiao Buli¡¯s face¡ªhis luck was too rotten.


    "There really is a ROLL dice system, so let¡¯s do it," he said, unfazed. His inner monologue was simply, "That ROLL just now was just a trial run."


    The other three didn¡¯t make any fuss and promptly agreed, "Then let¡¯s ROLL. Whoever gets the highest picks first, but can only choose one item."


    "I¡¯ll go first! I¡¯ll go first!" As Han Baiqiang spoke, he eagerly ROLLed and got a 95.


    "Nice luck," said Li Baocheng, "Now watch mine." He followed with a ROLL and got a 74, not too shabby either.


    Sun Binughed arrogantly. "It¡¯s my turn now." After his ROLL, however, a 13 came up, leaving him utterly speechless.


    Xiao Buli thought to himself that although his rolls were always under 20, he couldn¡¯t possibly do worse than Sun Bin. With a tap on the keyboard,


    System prompt: You ROLLED a 4.


    ..........


    Han Baiqiang smugly chose the Corpse Pill, as he was nning to follow the cksmith path, and the Corpse Pill was quite valuable to him.


    Li Baocheng picked the "Enve Zombies" Skill Book. Though it was a lousy low-tier skill, it was still a Skill Book after all.


    Sun Bin, having no other choice, picked the Pale Ring. In fact, he was quite content with this piece of equipment left for him. The 40 health points increase to his health limit was a very good attribute. You have to realize that his original health points were only 140, and with this ring, it was nearly 200, even 10 more than Han Baiqiang¡¯s.


    More health points meant he was less likely to die, which, for a game with only one life, was definitely a great thing.


    Even though there was an attribute of -1 luck, his luck wasn¡¯t high to begin with. The more lice there are, the less they bite, and he figured that the Luck attribute probably wasn¡¯t all that important anyway. At worst, it meant he wouldn¡¯t be likely to get good equipment from killing monsters¡ªbig deal, he could just avoid looting corpses in the future.


    With thest item, "The Diary of Lu Jiang," a quest item, going to Xiao Buli by default for having the lowest roll, its value should not have been the least. However, with the game¡¯s brutal difficulty, equipment that came directly into one¡¯s hands was always more tangible than benefits from a quest that requiredpletion. Who knew if the quest might involve risk?


    After the items were distributed, Xiao Buli double-clicked the diary. Apanied by a sh of golden light, a line of text appeared on the screen.


    System prompt: You used "The Diary of Lu Jiang," and epted the quest¡ªThe Last Wish of Lu Jiang. Completing Lu Jiang¡¯sst wish will grant you Lu Jiang¡¯s Blessing. Until youplete this quest, you will be haunted by the Soul of Lu Jiang, and your Luck will decrease by 2.


    A semi-transparent figure suddenly materialized beside him, looking about eighty to ny percent simr to the Zombie BOSS they had just killed. The only differences were the intact Leather Armor on the figure and a face that looked normal. This semi-transparent figure was called "Shadow of Lu Jiang," and clicking on it with the mouse revealed thebel "Ghost¡ªUnattackable."


    "You must save her!" the Shadow of Lu Jiang said loudly, not only appearing as text on the screen but also audible through the headset. Moreover, the voice acting was quite professional, with urgencyced with pleading, and the pleading filled with determination, making Xiao Buli think that the voice acting for localizations of big foreign games must have really messed up not to hire him.


    He nced at the others, but they seemed to have noticed nothing about the figure that had abruptly appeared among them.


    "You must save her!" the Shadow of Lu Jiang repeated, then ran a few steps beside Xiao Buli¡¯s character, turned back, and again said, "You must save her!"


    It seems this will just keep looping, and it¡¯s just the same sentence over and over. Xiao Buli got a bit annoyed by the incessant voice, so he turned off the background music in the game settings, but the voice didn¡¯t disappear.


    "You must save her."


    Damn, there¡¯s no end to it, he simply took off his earphones.


    "You must save her!" the voice still stubbornly prated his ears. The problem is, save whom? This mission is so vague, why can¡¯t it be clear?


    Wait a second, Xiao Buli suddenly noticed something that was not quite right. Why hadn¡¯t the diary disappeared? In the past when he yed games, mission items would usually vanish once the mission was triggered, but that "Diary of Lu Jiang" was still in his inventory. He clicked on it with his mouse and discovered it was actually a readable file.


    Perhaps it contained information on the mission. Thinking this, he clicked to turn the pages and some scribbled text immediately appeared before his eyes.


    March 4th, sunny weather:


    Today is a good day, oh what a good day! I actually gained Taming Skills from feeding pigs. Could I be the protagonist of a novel? Hmm, it really is possible. Might as well write it down.


    March 5th, sunny weather:


    The pig farm owner asked me to cut grass. I was reluctant at first, but then I unexpectedly gained expertise in one-handed swords from cutting grass. So cool, I seem to be able to learn Swordsmanship now. I wonder who teaches it.


    March 6th, overcast weather:


    It¡¯s raining outside, the first rain this spring. I wonder how my sister is doing. After asking around the vige for a long time, I found out the militia captain teaches Basic Swordsmanship. Although it¡¯s nothing fancy, I still learned it. My poor silver coins!


    There were dozens of such entries, and the more Xiao Buli read, the stranger he found the diary to be. It seemed like it was recorded by a yer just like him. How did it be a mission item?


    March 12th, sunny weather:


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Today is Sunday, as usual, I went to see my sister. There doesn¡¯t seem to be any sign of improvement. Looks like I have to work even harder. I hope I can pass this month¡¯s assessment smoothly.


    Sister¡ªwith no sign of improvement? Xiao Buli keenly caught a clue and continued reading. The sister was mentioned several more times. It seemed like this Lu Jiang had a sick sister, and he became a professional gamer to treat her illness.


    March 21st, overcast weather:


    For the highest treatment and ie, I¡¯ve decided to go to the ck Wilderness tomorrow to farm the BOSS. Although it¡¯s a bit difficult, the ck Wilderness is the easiest map and there should be no problem. To be honest, I¡¯m quite apprehensive about going alone, but luckily my colleagues are really righteous. After hearing about my sister¡¯s situation, they agreed to go with me.


    I just hope nothing goes wrong.


    There was nothing after that, just a nk space.


    After reading thest entry, Xiao Buli had pieced together the events. If this diary wasn¡¯t a game Easter egg intentionally created by the programmers, then obviously, this Lu Jiang, like him, was an employee of thepany. He had somehow obtained this object that could record text and entered his gaming progress into it. Then, when he and his teammates went to fight the BOSS, they were wiped out.


    Based on what happened to him bing a zombie and the story Wu Tao had told Xiao Buli about the team wipeout, Xiao Buli felt that Lu Jiang was likely one of those new people, and the one who caused the team wipeout, because he was killed by a Corpse-driving Warlock, resulting in him turning into a zombie, with the diary bing a mission item left on the zombie¡¯s body.


    But if that¡¯s really the case, then how should heplete the mission? Is he supposed to take down that Corpse-driving Warlock to avenge him? But that Corpse-driving Warlock has already been wiped out by the White Tiger Group!


    "You must save her!"


    This voice just happened toe faintly from the earphones at that moment.


    Save her? Save who? Is it to save his sister? But that¡¯s something that happened in real life. Are they saying that by saving his sister in reality, he canplete the mission? But how could there possibly be such a connection between the game and reality?


    Xiao Buli looked at the semi-transparent figure on the screen with confusion. It seemed to sense his gaze, and the continuously pacing semi-transparent figure stopped. The figure faced the screen seriously, its eyes earnest and imploring, "You must save her¡ªplease!" he said, almost begging.


    For some reason, Xiao Buli felt that those words were truly spoken to him¡ªthe him outside of the screen.


    "FUCK!" This is insane. He jumped up from the chair abruptly, nearly knocking the stool over in his panic. Looking again, the Shadow of Lu Jiang had returned to its original form.


    The others looked at him strangely, not understanding his outburst. Xiao Buli waved his hand dismissively, "No good, I can¡¯t hold it in anymore. You guys wait for me, I need to use the restroom. I¡¯ll be right back."


    He ran out as soon as he finished speaking.


    Rushing into the restroom, he turned on the faucet. Xiao Buli fiercely sshed the cold water onto his face. It¡¯s just a hallucination, just a hallucination. Otherwise, it¡¯s just a coincidence. There¡¯s no way there are such supernatural things in the world! He kept muttering to himself.


    When he lifted his head, however, the mirror above the washstand reflected a figure standing behind him. It was Lu Jiang¡ªthe man with the hood, who was standing behind him with his hands in his pockets. Xiao Buli whirled around sharply, and indeed it was him.


    The man with the hood¡ªLu Jiang, seemed a bit off. His body looked very strange, part of it seemed very real, while another part had a semi-transparent look, some of it looking as if it were fading away, like a 3D image with less-than-ideal effects. Only it appeared in a more horrifying manner.


    Lu Jiang opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but all that came out of his throat was a series of indistinct whimpers. Xiao Buli felt all his hairs stand on end as he edged towards the door, and as he bolted from the restroom, he thought he heard the ghostly words of that spirit¡ª"You must save her!"

 Chapter 32 Li Jian鈥檚 Help

    Lu Jiang opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but his throat only emitted a series of iprehensible whimpers. Xiao Buli felt all his hairs stand on end. He crept along the wall toward the exit, and as he dashed out of the bathroom, it seemed to him he heard the ghostly voice clearly¡ª"You must save her!"


    Damn, talk about seeing a real live ghost! In his heart, that was the only thought Xiao Buli had at the moment. Living in a materialistic modern society, notions of ghosts and deities were long deemed absurd. Although he sometimes wondered about the existence of another world after death, and whether ghosts were real, he never imagined he would one day actually witness such legendary beings.


    At this moment, only thepany of fellow human beings could provide him with some sense of safety. So without any hesitation, he headed straight for theputer room in the novice area. However, when Xiao Buli, who seemed to be running away, reached the entrance of the novice area, he stopped in his tracks.


    After a brief moment of panic, he forced himself to calm down. Through his experiences over the years, he had learned one thing: Panic would never solve any problem. If he rushed in and blurted out that there was a ghost, would they believe him? The answer, obviously, was no. Even if he showed them something from the game, it wouldn¡¯t mean much.


    For instance, in World of Warcraft, there¡¯s a quest where a ghost-like presence appears by your side and keeps talking; it doesn¡¯t prove anything. Besides, they obviously couldn¡¯t see Lu Jiang¡¯s ghost; otherwise, they would have seen Lu Jiang themselves on previous asions.


    At the same time, he thought of something deeper. When he first mentioned this to Qin Shimoon, her reaction was rather odd¡ªshe seemed to know something and even offered to cover it up. Could it be that she had already known about the haunting?


    Anyway, it appeared that Lu Jiang¡¯s ghost didn¡¯t have any malicious intent¡ªhe only wanted him to save his sister. Maybe this was indeed a way toplete the quest. But how did Lu Jiang die? He was only dismissed a few months ago¡ªhow could he have met with an ident so quickly?


    But no matter what, he had to save this sister. Xiao Buli didn¡¯t know what fate awaited someone who defied an undead spirit, and he didn¡¯t want to find out. At this moment, he remembered some second-rate horror films he had seen before. If a yin soul refused to leave the world of the living, it was most likely because it had unfinished business.


    Finishing that business should allow it to rest in peace, right?


    All sorts of spections jumbled in his head, causing him to hesitate about whether to spill the beans. He turned to look back at the corridor, where the marble floor reflected the sunlight shining in from outside, bright and clear. It didn¡¯t look haunted at all, making him wonder if what had just happened was simply a hallucination.


    If he truly spoke the truth, he¡¯d likely be taken for a madman. He sighed and forced his trembling hand, which had been about to push the door open, to clench into a fist and shoved it into his jacket pocket.


    With a twitch of his mouth and a blink of an eye, he became the ordinary gamer once again. Pushing the door open, he entered the room without a hint of disturbance.


    The three people inside the room seemed to have grown impatient with waiting.


    "Back so soon? Weren¡¯t you down with diarrhea?"


    While forcing a smile, Xiao Buli sat down in his chair. He needed to ask Qin Shimoon for some time off; he had to wrap up this quest quickly.


    As he was thinking, he shifted his attention back to the game.


    The semi-transparent figure had somehow disappeared, but the DEBUFF above his head was still there¡ªLuck minus 2. For someone whose Luck Value was already quite dreadful, this was really unlucky. He checked the Attributes panel.


    HIs Luck was at only five points now. Compared to the average of ten, that was really dismal. The system¡¯s evaluation was¡ª"You¡¯re a very unlucky guy."


    To encounter ghosts even in broad daylight, this assessment was indeed too urate.


    Suddenly, Xiao Buli noticed that the dungeon seemed a lot brighter than before even without torches, and he could see clearly. Looking toward the entrance of the dungeon, he found that the gray magical barrier had disappeared, and he could now see the outside scenery directly.


    (So that¡¯s how it is. As long as the monsters inside the dungeon are cleared, the magical barrier of the dungeon will disappear and it will revert to a normal cave. It seems this is the origin of the one-time dungeon)


    Exiting the dungeon, which was no longer a dungeon, he saw several walking corpses circling around Li Baocheng at the entrance, and Xiao Buli initially tensed but then realized it must be the effect of Enve Zombies.


    "Hey, a level one Enve Zombies can control four walking corpses, imagine if it reached level ten, wouldn¡¯t that be impressive?" Li Baocheng said with some pride.


    "Cut it out. Walking corpses have neither speed nor attack power; they¡¯re only good as targets to draw fire. Plus, this skill needs a corpse to use, which is useless if there are no corpses." Han Baiqiang couldn¡¯t stand his boasts and spared no effort in delivering the blow.


    This statement is indeed true. The skill to enve walking corpses allows one to control the walking corpses in battle, but the enved walking corpses can¡¯t inherit the skills and attributes they had in life, so they basically fall down with one hit, really not much use.


    Moreover, not just any corpse will do; it has to be a corpse that has absorbed Yin Energy to qualify as a walking corpse, to be controlled. And once a walking corpse evolves into a zombie or some other somewhat more powerful form of undead, the skill to enve zombies is no longer sufficient to control such powerful undead. All in all, it¡¯s a very tricky skill.


    Li Baocheng just grinned and didn¡¯t say much, but Xiao Buli was not interested in discussing this question with them at this moment. He urgently wanted to return to the vige to log off and then find Qin Shimoon to ask for leave, to see if there was really someone like Lu Jiang¡¯s sister.


    However, as soon as he mentioned going back to the vige, the group began to have divergent opinions on how to return.


    "The caravan won¡¯t arrive until tomorrow. What will you guys do if you run into that Corpse-driving Warlock on your way back now? In my opinion, it¡¯s better for us to wait here for a while. Once the caravan arrives, it will be safe to follow them. With the caravan guards around, that Corpse-driving Warlock probably wouldn¡¯t dare to make a move on us."


    Li Baocheng, however, was set on dragging everyone down with him. If the others went back to the vige, he would have to log off and hide. After the caravan arrived, he couldn¡¯t join immediately either, because the caravan would first visit the vige and stay for a day before returning. The round trip would take more than two days, costing him two and a half days of leveling time.


    Without doubt, he would fall behind the others. If they all stayed together, it would be much better.


    But if he could think of this, so could the others. Sun Bin, brandishing his long spear with a touch of pride, said, "I would rather take the test. Even if we encounter that Corpse-driving Warlock again, although I dare not guarantee victory, getting away unscathed is well within the realm of possibility."


    "That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right, if you ask me......" Han Baiqiang was about to boast a little himself when he suddenly remembered that he seemed to be the slowest runner here. If they encountered a monster and were chased, he would likely be at the bottom again. That was a deal he couldn¡¯t afford, so he swallowed his words before they left his mouth.


    Xiao Buli also felt that setting out recklessly was not a good idea. The recent example of Lu Jiang was not far off, and at this moment, he vaguely felt that Lu Jiang¡¯s death was very likely rted to the game, otherwise his quest wouldn¡¯t have appeared in the game.


    Looking at the screen¡¯s somewhat dark tones and the deste scenery all around, he inexplicably felt a sense of danger lurking everywhere.


    "Ah, forget it, I¡¯ll go back and help you guys out this time."


    Li Jian suddenly said reluctantly from the side.


    Upon hearing Li Jian¡¯s words, the four of them were overjoyed. Really? Was he that kind-hearted?


    Although Li Jian had been helpful before in familiarizing the four with the game, he generally only answeredmon knowledge questions. Once it was beyond that scope, he often mmed up, clearly adopting a strictly businesslike attitude. His unexpected offer made Xiao Buli somewhat skeptical.


    However, Han Baiqiang excitedly said, "That¡¯s great, Li, you really are a true bro."


    Li Jian then added, "But I can¡¯t say that I am confident about taking on that BOSS alone. Luckily, the White Tiger Group doesn¡¯t have much going on these two days. How about this, I¡¯ll call a few brothers and we¡¯lle back to escort you guys to the vige. If we encounter the BOSS, we might as well take care of it."


    Xiao Buli suddenly understood. He thought, what¡¯s the deal here? This guy isn¡¯t going to be so kind for no reason. It turns out he¡¯s after the BOSS¡¯s loot. That Corpse-driving Warlock is a terrifying existence for the four of them, but it should be a simple matter for the group of veterans to deal with.


    Still, he was somewhat grateful. After all,pared to the virtual items in the game, Li Jian was offering much greater assistance.


    Seeing the four of them look grateful, Li Jian couldn¡¯t help but smile inwardly, though he put on a warm and hearty expression and said, "Tell me where you are now. Me and my brothers will take a carriage over. It should take less than an hour to arrive. Oh right, you guys must not let this out. ording to the rules, I am not supposed to help you neers.


    If the higher-ups find out, it¡¯s no big deal if we lose some pay, but you guys are probably going to get fired."


    "Of course, of course, we definitely won¡¯t talk about it." Han Baiqiang, frightened, hurriedly agreed and anxiously said to the other three, "You all heard it, this matter is no small thing, don¡¯t go spreading it around."


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Xiao Buli and Li Baocheng both nodded lightly, while Sun Bin simply snorted coldly but didn¡¯t say anything.


    PS: There will be a rmendation next week, should be able to update a little more by then.

 Chapter 33: 33 White Tiger Group quartet

    "Heh, the ck Wilderness, who would have thought I¡¯d be back here? The days when I was a newbie are truly nostalgic, feels like they just happened yesterday." Gazing at the familiar somber scenery in front of him, Gao Lianyu, who was seated in the carriage, couldn¡¯t help but be sentimental.


    Gao Lianyu, a Shield Bearer by profession, was the chief tank of the White Tiger Group, known simply as the MT. d in a set of refined Mysterious Iron Heavy Armor, he looked like a walking tin can.


    This armor had also been enchanted with ¡¯False Life,¡¯ a strong rune array, andbined with his physique of nearly thirty, he had umted more than five hundred health points, a veritable beef tank. With the super high defense of the Mysterious Iron Heavy Armor, he was practically a human version of a Transformer.


    "Stop sulking, Old Gao, we¡¯ve got serious business to attend to," said Ma Long, who was driving the carriage. Known as Long within the White Tiger Group, there were many skilled riders, but he was the only one adept at driving vehicles. His profession was a Ranger, a powerful DPS ss, especially effective against the squishy magic system professions.


    As he spoke, Ma Long hopped down from the carriage, dressed in ck Ranger gear, with two curved des slung across his back. A ck panther followed closely at his side, a spitting image of the Shadow Ranger Trist from COP.


    Following him down from the carriage was Zhang Hao, wearing a ck and white Magical Robe. His profession was Onmyoji, and in this game where mage professions were scarce, any profession with a mana bar was highly valued, let alone an all-weather profession like the Onmyoji that could both heal and deal damage.


    As the chief healer and chief magic DPS of the White Tiger Group, Zhang Hao¡¯s sry was even higher than Gao Lianyu¡¯s. He was the kind that people begged toe. However, for this operation, he was the most proactive one, since the equipment and Skill Books dropped by a Corpse-driving Warlock, a magic system BOSS, were mostly suitable for him.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Hey, Old Li, where are your guys?" Ma Long, scanning the deste surroundings, couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Li Jian was thest to jump down from the carriage. As a berserker who¡¯d advanced, every move he made seemed imposing. He looked around the environment and pointed towards a dirt slope, "There they are. Let me call them."


    "Hey you guys,e on out, we¡¯re here," Li Jian shouted towards a hut where a few other people were.


    As he spoke, four neers in shabby gear came around from behind the dirt slope¡ªit was Xiao Buli and his group.


    Seeing the appearance of these four, Xiao Buli couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue. There was a saying that one would not mind inferior goods untilparing them with others, and before he had worried about the unattractive armor designs in the game, but now that he saw the high-level yers, he realized the game¡¯s design was quite spot-on.


    The equipment on all four of them had its own distinctive features, the dominant ones dominated, the mysterious ones mysterious, and they gave off a very practical feel, as if such gear would indeed be powerful even in real life.


    "Hehe, they¡¯re just like we were back then, equally fragile. I mean, if I did a Death Spin through them, they¡¯d probably..." Ma Long typed and talked through the team channel.


    After hearing him, Li Jian sternly warned, "I¡¯m telling you not to mess around. Our strength is not yet such that we can act carelessly. Although the four of us are powerful, who knows how strong the guys from Qilin Group have gotten..."


    Ma Long chuckled, "I was just joking."


    "Let¡¯s get moving then. You guys stay in the carriage, it¡¯s safer there. You cane down after we¡¯ve cleared the BOSS," he said.


    "That BOSS seems to move around. Want me to help you folks look for it? I can Enve Zombies, you know." Li Baocheng pointed towards a few Walking Corpses he had just subdued as he spoke.


    His action made Zhang Hao, behind the screen,ugh uproariously. Newbies¡ªso endearing.


    "Then I¡¯ll take that offer." As he spoke, he cast ¡¯Enve Undead¡¯ on those Walking Corpses, forcefully taking control from Li Baocheng. He then cast a Corpse Transformation Spell, and the four dumb, stationary Walking Corpses suddenly swelled, their rotting flesh sprouting ck fur, and in the blink of an eye, they turned into four ck Fur Zombies with more than double the strength and speed.


    Li Baocheng watched, dumbstruck. To think this could work¡ªThe ck Fur Zombie, called ck Evil, seemed to be only the most basic type of zombie, iparable to the previous small boss, but if theybined forces, they would certainly be enough to wipe out the four of them. Still shaken by this development, the group obediently mounted the carriage.


    Li Jian nodded at Zhang Hao, who immediately reached into his backpack and pulled out an object.


    Yin Yang Eyes¡ªActivate!


    In the game, his eyes immediately turned into two colors, one ck and one white. At this point, Zhang Hao¡¯s screen hadpletely changed color as well, disying only ck and white like two ipatible gases spreading everywhere. These two colors represented Yin Energy and Yang Energy.


    Through the changes in these two types of energy, Zhang Hao could deduce based on his experience where powerful Undead might be lurking nearby.


    "The Yin Energy to the west is heavy. I can feel a strong presence of Yin Energy in that direction, which should be the Corpse-driving Warlock," he said.


    Li Jian nodded, "Then let¡¯s set off."


    After deactivating the Yin Yang Eyes, the carriage set out. Without neers slowing them down, the four moved swiftly and soon caught up with the rear of the Walking Corpse army. Hehe, it seems we are up against something a bit more formidable than thest one.


    They halted the carriage and the four of them faced the densely packed mass of Walking Corpses. Seemingly noticing them, the Corpse-driving Warlock alsomanded his army of Walking Corpses to surround them.


    Facing a force a hundred times their number, the four of them showed no sign of concern. Gao Lianyu brandished his Refined Iron de at Li Jian, almost as if challenging him, "Want to bet to see who can kill more?"


    Li Jian gripped his great axe and smirked, "Who¡¯s afraid? Zhang Hao, start the fight."


    Zhang Hao sighed. He had nothing on these two violent guys. Raising his hand, he cast Enve Undead! This spell, more advanced than the Corpse-Driving Technique, immediately freed a dozen Walking Corpses from the control of the Corpse-driving Warlock, and they began to fight the surrounding Walking Corpses, throwing what was a tightly packed formation intoplete disarray.


    Nevertheless, the Corpse-driving Warlock¡¯s control over the Walking Corpses wasn¡¯t so easily usurped, but this hadn¡¯t been Zhang Hao¡¯s intention. He was merely creating an opportunity for the two to break in.


    Just then, Li Jian and Gao Lianyu charged in together.


    Gao Lianyu was like a bulldozer, his heavy armor allowing him to face the Walking Corpses without fear of injury. These low-level creatures couldn¡¯t break through his defense. He bulldozed his way through countless Walking Corpses until he stopped in front of a giant corpse with dark green ck skin.


    An Elite Guard? This little boss seems to have some quality. Gao Lianyu thought as he raised his shield, ready for a good fight. Meanwhile, Li Jian cut in from another angle.


    If Gao Lianyu was a bulldozer, then he was the meat grinder. His great axe spun like a whirlwind, slicing every Walking Corpse, good or bad, into two halves. Thus, began a ughter contest between the two of them.


    While the Corpse-driving Warlock was struggling to maintain control over his army, now thrown intoplete disarray by the two men, a shadow sneaked up behind the Warlock, enveloping the yet unaware man like the shadow of the Grim Reaper.


    PS: Starting tomorrow, there will be two updates every day. I hope everyone continues to support.

 Chapter 34 Evil Spirit Reincarnation

    If Gao Lianyu was a bulldozer, then he was a meat grinder. The giant axe in his hands spun like a whirlwind, and wherever he went, Walking Corpses, regardless of strength, were all equally cleaved in half. Apetition of ughter had begun between the two men.


    At the same time, just as the Corpse-driving Warlock was directing the army of Walking Corpses into disarray due to the interferences of the two men, a shadow stealthily approached from behind the Warlock, enveloping the oblivious man like the shadow of death itself.


    This person was none other than Ma Long. Relying on the slow and dull reactions of the Walking Corpses, he used the Ranger¡¯s Disguise skill to slip through the sparse crowd of corpses and circle to the back of the Corpse-driving Warlock.


    From the shadows, a nimble figure suddenly made a killing move.


    Ultimate Skills: Death Waltz! Ma Long unleashed his powerful move from the get-go, spinning around the Corpse-driving Warlock so fast that afterimages were created, shing his dual des repeatedly at the boss within the circle. Red damage numbers kept popping up incessantly.


    However, the Corpse-driving Warlock seemed insensible to pain, and despite taking many blows, he showed no sign of stiffness. He lifted a hand and countless rotting arms burst from the ground at his feet, reaching frantically for Ma Long¡¯s ankles, and he was dragged to a halt mid-move.


    Before even having a chance to consider how to break free from Immobilization, the Corpse-driving Warlock already sprayed a puff of green smoke in his face, and Ma Long was immediately stained a sickly grey-green color.


    System Notification: You have been afflicted with Dposing Corpse Poison, all your Attributes have been reduced by 2 points, and you are losing 4 health points per second.


    The duration of this DEBUFF was a whole minute, and Ma Long thought to himself, if it¡¯s not resolved soon, it¡¯s going to cost someone their life in a minute.


    His health points were just over two hundred, and he simply couldn¡¯t withstand such damage. Therefore, he hurriedly activated the Ranger¡¯s life-saving move, ¡¯Wild Heart¡¯. The poison effect on his body was immediately cleared, and he also broke free from the control of Corpse Binding Skills. But he could use Wild Heart only once a day; if he got poisoned again, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to resolve.


    No sooner had Ma Long cleared the poison than he saw a washbasin-sized fireball condensing in the hands of the Corpse-driving Warlock. Unlike the normal crimson fireballs, this one was a pale green color.


    Zhang Hao caught sight of that fireball and was rmed. He knew the power it held, "Ma Long, get back! It¡¯s a Nether Fire Orb."


    Hearing his teammate¡¯s shout, Ma Long didn¡¯t hesitate to activate Wilderness Rush, which caused his speed to suddenly double, and he hightailed it out of there. He wasn¡¯t far off when the Corpse-driving Warlock¡¯s fireball wasunched. Because it was a non-targeting game, he wasn¡¯t hit directly.


    The green fireball exploded just behind him, sting away several Walking Corpses who couldn¡¯t dodge in time. Although it missed him, the sshing damage still hit him. The Nether Fire Orb didn¡¯t have strong direct damage, but it came with a burning effect, charring away more than thirty of his health points before dissipating.


    Such a powerful killing force! Ma Long inwardly took a sharp breath.


    "Let me handle him. You just need to control those minor monsters," Zhang Hao gave an order, and his four ck Evils immediately charged forward.


    Ma Long did not try to show off. He pped on a herbal patch to slowly heal himself and rushed towards a few isted minor monsters.


    The four ck Evils hadn¡¯t even reached the enemy when two strong Corpse Monsters blocked their way. These were the hulking Zombies that Li Jian had previously encountered. There were probably only four in the entire army of Walking Corpses, two of which had faced off against Li Jian and Gao Lianyu, but the remaining two had always stayed by the Corpse-driving Warlock¡¯s side.


    ck Evil was merely a low-level type among Zombies; even with four against two, the fighters were evenly matched. However, Zhang Hao was no slouch. Mysterious Yin Wondrous Method¡ªUndead Dposition!


    A stream of dark energy was continuously drained from one of the Corpse Monsters, which was the fundamental force that propelled undead creatures¡ªYin Energy. As the Yin Energy waspletely extracted, the Corpse Monster¡¯s body suddenly slumped and fell to the ground.


    The battle quickly became one-sided. The four ck Evils easily dispatched the remaining Corpse Monster four against one. Meanwhile, Li Jian and Gao Lianyu had each dealt with their opponents as well. They fought their way to the Corpse-driving Warlock¡¯s side, and Ma Long reappeared behind the Warlock, his ck Panther by his side.


    Looking at the Corpse-driving Warlock surrounded and helpless, the team closed in for the kill...


    A minuteter¡ª


    "Foolish mortals, you have no understanding of what you¡¯re up against. Death is merely the beginning¡ªAh!!!"


    With a piercing scream, the beleaguered Corpse-driving Warlock finally copsed, defeated.


    "Heh, I thought at the very least there¡¯d be some sort of ultimate move at the end, but it ended just like that." Gao Lianyu had barely finished speaking when the situation suddenly changed.


    "Foolish mortals, death means nothing to me. Tremble before the Power of the Underworld God!"


    A ghastly figure suddenly floated up from the Corpse-driving Warlock¡¯s body. It bore some resemnce to the Corpse-driving Warlock, but it was translucent, and its body appearedrger and more imposing, surrounded by an eerie ck aura.


    The originally dark blue name had now turned silver, and its strength had actually increased by a level, with only two words for a name¡ªEvil Spirit!


    "FUCK, I knew it wasn¡¯t going to be this easy!" Gao Lianyu cursed as he swung his sword, only to pass right through the Evil Spirit. "Damn it, this thing is a phantom."


    The Evil Spirit reached out and swiped at him, causing a harsh, metallic scraping sound. Gao Lianyu was so frightened that he hurriedly raised his shield. "Damn it, I¡¯m losing health, this thing¡¯s attacks are so strong."


    A few people hacked away in a frenzy, but it caused no damage. Meanwhile, Zhang Hao observed the battle and began casting a spell. His spell seemed to be a kind of ultimate skill, taking a full ten seconds to release.


    Pure Yang Wondrous Method¡ªHoly Word Technique! A pir of pure white light, thick as a bucket, came crashing down. The intense white light shone on the Evil Spirit that had formed from the Corpse-driving Warlock, immediately causing white smoke to rise from it, like boiling water poured over ice cream. In a few seconds, it dissipated and melted away entirely.


    Xiao Buli was shocked. He¡¯d originally thought that Zhang Hao was a profession simr to the Necromancer, but now he realized that he could also use holy spells simr to those of a priest. That was indeed pretty buggy.


    "Phew, that scared me to death. Lucky we had Old Zhang. Let¡¯s see what we¡¯ve got. Zhang Hao, you have the highest Luck stat, you open it," they said.


    Zhang Hao unapologetically nodded and clicked open the corpse. The loot that appeared made him frown.


    "How¡¯s it, did we get any good stuff, any Skill Books?"


    "There is actually one." Zhang Hao spoke as he distributed the Boss loot, with a Skill Book at the top of the list.


    "Evil Spirit Reincarnation": This art was created by the Necromancers of the Grand Yin Sect. Practitioners of this art will not die immediately upon death; instead, they will transform into a powerful Evil Spirit and continue to fight. The Evil Spirit can sustain itself for twenty-four hours and will naturally dissipate after the time is up.


    To learn this spell, you need basic Necromancy and 14 points of spiritual power.


    "Damn, another Reincarnation Skill, totally speechless," Ma Longined upon seeing the drop.


    Reincarnation Skills only take effect after the user dies, a real pain without exnation. Last time, the Green Dragon Group got a "Reincarnation of the Corpse Ghost", and this time they got an "Evil Spirit Reincarnation". It seems like this is all Corpse-driving Warlock type Bosses drop.


    But it was still better than nothing. Zhang Hao told the other three, then stashed the Skill Book in his own bag, as he was the only one who could learn it.


    The rest of the drops were a few sky-blue colored pieces of equipment of just average quality. The three of them divided them up, thus concluding this SOLO battle.


    "Right, that thing the Corpse-driving Warlock transformed into must be the so-called Evil Spirit, huh? Seems pretty powerful, immune to physical attacks. Makes one wonder if Zhang Hao will be that thing after he dies."


    Li Jianughed and said, "You better hold your tongue, with your unlucky predictions alwaysing true."


    "Coincidence, it¡¯s just a coincidence," Gao Lianyu said, though without much confidence, mainly because he had a bad track record with his jinxing.


    "Alright, the Corpse-driving Warlock has been taken care of. You guys can safely head back to the vige; we won¡¯t stick around, bye everyone!"


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After saying goodbye to the newbies, the foursome set off on their homeward journey with their horse-drawn carriage.

 Chapter 35 Assassination Mission

    Several neers were driven off the horse cart, watching the departing vehicle in silence for a long time.


    Turning around to see the ground scattered with carcasses, hundreds of Walking Corpses had been ughtered in less than ten minutes¡ªhigh-level yers¡¯bat prowess was indeed very strong.


    "Don¡¯t just stare, it¡¯s only a game after all. No matter how strong they are, what can they do? Besides, once we¡¯ve learned some new skills and got new equipment, we¡¯ll definitely be no weaker than them," Sun Bin said with a hint of indifference.


    Having confirmed their coordinates, the four of them parted ways. Li Baocheng nned to use his Corpse-Driving Technique in the ck Wastnd to grind some Practical Experience and level up his skills. With the spell-controlled four Walking Corpses plus his hunting dog pet, he wouldn¡¯t be in too much danger in the ck Wastnd.


    By the time the caravan returned from Dahuang Vige, he could just go with them to the big city.


    When the three returned to the vige, Xiao Buli subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.


    It was not until this moment that Xiao Buli truly felt somewhat safer. The constant state of high alert had given him a real sense of adventure that previous online games had failed to provide.


    Upon entering the vige, the three were questioned by the militia captain.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Do you know that kid called Li Baocheng?" As he spoke, several militiamen surrounded them, ready to take action if necessary.


    However, the three were not too nervous, as they had already discussed how to respond earlier. "We know him, but we¡¯re not that close. May I ask what¡¯s the matter?"


    The militia captain said sternly, "Good that you admit it. My men said you went to the ck Wastnd together this morning. Where is he now?"


    "He said he wanted to try his luck in Nine Dragons City and asked us to take him to the ck Wastnd. He even gave us a few silver coins as a reward. When we got there, a horse cart was waiting for him, and he left with the cart."


    "What! It really was that guy who did it." The militia captain said angrily, looking very upset: "If you see him again, you must report to me. He killed the owner of the pig farm and his wife. He¡¯s a very dangerous person. Of course, if you can bring him to justice yourself, that would be even better.


    The vige has issued a bounty for him, and the notice is posted on the vige square¡¯s bulletin board. If you¡¯re interested, you can take a look."


    Watching the militia captain leave with his men, the three breathed somewhat easier, realizing this incident would not affect their activities in the vige.


    They nced at the bulletin board, and indeed, there was a mission they could ept.


    Chase Fugitive: The fugitive Li Baocheng is suspected of murdering the pig farm owner Zhu Wuneng and his wife. Anyone who captures him or brings back his head will receive a reward of 50 silver coins and the goodwill of all vigers in Dahuang Vige. Do you ept this mission, Yes/No?


    Of course, they didn¡¯t n on epting the task, but seeing an NPC issue a bounty for a yer was still something new to them. Just as they found it interesting, a burly man wearing Leather Armor and carrying a bow and Arrows approached¡ªit was a hunter from the vige.


    "Zhou, are you really nning to take on this task?" a militiaman standing by the bulletin board asked the hunter.


    "Yes!" The hunter named Zhou replied seriously, "That apprentice of minemitted such a grave mistake. As his master, I must take responsibility to clean up our own house. Dead or alive, I must bring him back to give the vige an exnation."


    After speaking, he took down the posting with one swift motion, and the mission instantly disappeared from the bulletin board.


    Watching the hunter slowly wander off into the distance, the three of them were stupefied. NPCs could actually take on missions ¡ª this was indeed a revtion.


    "Little Li, you¡¯re in trouble!" Han Baiqiang eximed loudly.


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Your master has epted a mission to hunt you down, and it looks like he¡¯s heading towards the ck Wastnd."


    "No way," Li Baocheng said, also turning pale with shock. He still harbored a deep fear of his master, who was far superior in Taming Skills and archery. If it really came to a fight, he had little confidence in prevailing.


    "Damn, this is bad. I have to log off immediately!" Seeing Li Baocheng panic, Han Baiqiang felt a secret sense of relief. Thankfully, he had taken Xiao Buli¡¯s advice back then; otherwise, Li Baocheng wouldn¡¯t have been the only one being hunted. He turned to look at Xiao Buli and saw his eyebrows knitted together, seemingly troubled by something.


    Ring-ring-ring, a pleasant chime suddenly rang out, signaling that it was twelve o¡¯clock ¡ª lunchtime. But after what happened with Lu Jiang, how could Xiao Buli be in the mood to eat?


    He said goodbye to the others and chose to go directly to Qin Shimoon to request time off.


    "You want to take leave to go out?"


    Sitting behind the office desk, Qin Shimoon¡¯s face showed a hint of difficulty, "Generally speaking, if there¡¯s a valid reason, I shouldn¡¯t refuse a half-day leave. But concerning some of thepany¡¯s rules, I am powerless to help, so I hope you can understand." The meaning was clear ¡ª no leave would be granted.


    "Is that so," Xiao Buli thought. Although he hadn¡¯t worked in argepany before, he had some understanding of their way of doing things. They usually strictly adhered to rules and regtions, and it was difficult to make exceptions. However, considering Qin Shimoon¡¯s stance on the Lu Jiang matter, an idea suddenly urred to him.


    "The truth is I¡¯m requesting leave because I have no other choice. Last Sunday, my mother took me to see an old man to have my fortune told. This old man is quite renowned and supposedly very urate. After looking at my physiognomy, he said that this year was unfavorable for me, that I am gued by a wronged spirit.


    Therefore, I must burn some paper money for the spirit on the mountains on the thirteenth day of the third month so it will leave on its own. Otherwise, I will meet an untimely death and even bring harm to those around me. Naturally, I don¡¯t believe in this sort of thing, but my mother is quite superstitious. To ease her mind, I had no choice but to agree to do as she said.


    But if it¡¯s really impossible, then let¡¯s just forget about it. Burning the paper money a few dayster probably won¡¯t be a big issue; if it really doesn¡¯t work out, I can just deceive the olddy, I guess."


    After finishing, Xiao Buli prepared to leave, but before he had taken a few steps, Qin Shimoon called out to him. He turned back to see her expression was somewhat reluctant and tinged with a helpless smile, "Just wait a moment, let me think about this."


    Xiao Buli thought to himself that there might be a chance. In mostpanies, such a reason for leave would likely result in a scolding from one¡¯s superior. But Qin Shimoon was obviously uneasy, so she wouldn¡¯t react that way now.


    If Xiao Buli alone had died, she wouldn¡¯t have minded much. But that phrase "harm to those around me" had made her worried. After a moment of contemtion, Qin Shimoon nodded slightly, "In that case, perhaps we can make an exception this once."


    Xiao Buli, hearing this, thought to himself that Qin Shimoon indeed knew about the ghostly rumors in the studio. His face, however, showed no sign of this realization, instead disying surprise and gratitude, "I truly appreciate it, Qin. It¡¯s really too much trouble for you to deal with my mother¡¯s superstitious beliefs. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t take the leave after all; I hate to inconvenience you."


    "It¡¯s no trouble at all, let¡¯s just put the olddy¡¯s mind at rest," Qin Shimoon said with certainty, handing over a door card and to Xiao Buli.


    Watching Xiao Buli leave the office, Qin Shimoon¡¯s eyes revealed a trace of doubt. She dialed a number on the phone, "Hello, Sima? There¡¯s a matter I need you to handle. Yes, it¡¯s about a neer to thepany ¡ª his name is Xiao Buli."


    PS: There will be another chapter tonight.

 Chapter 36 Approaching the Truth

    Luck had just stepped out of the building where hispany was located when he made his first move to a specialized mobile phone store to buy a new phone. Although thepany had provided him with an excellent smartphone, he now dared not use it carelessly. Who knows if it had been bugged?


    Though he had never seen ¡¯pork,¡¯ as the saying goes, he had seen ¡¯pigs on the walk.¡¯ An avid movie watcher, Luck chose to err on the side of caution.


    However, he didn¡¯t dare dispose of thepany-issued phone either.


    Standing outside the building, he intended to hail a cab. This street was typically bustling with taxis, but, unusually, he had waited over ten minutes without spotting many, and the ones he did see were already upied. Finally, he saw an empty taxi and hurriedly gged it down.


    The cab headed straight toward him, but when it was just seven or eight meters away, he realized the driver seemed to be on a phone call, unaware of his presence, and wasn¡¯t slowing down. FUCK! Luck leaped back in terror, and whether it was luck or sheer reflex, his feet slipped as if on ice, gliding two meters back¡ªnarrowly dodging the taxi¡¯s hood.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Staring at the taxi as it drove off into the distance, Luck was still shaking from the close call. He could have been hit if his reaction had been even a split second slower. How had he managed to move out of the way so quickly anyway? Looking down at the ground, he saw nothing but ordinary paving stones. He tried to step back again and nearly sprained his back.


    It seemed to be just a burst of physical ability in a moment of crisis, he thought. Maybe it¡¯s better not to rush, he quietly admonished himself. He patiently waited another ten minutes and finally managed to get a cab.


    While riding in the taxi, he dialed thergest hospital in the city. Luck didn¡¯t have much information to go on; Lu Jiang¡¯s diary had only mentioned his sister¡¯s name, the hospital where she stayed, and that she suffered from a kidney disease. He knew nothing more, so he had to do some investigating to n his next steps.


    After several calls and inquiries, he finally got some information. Indeed, three months ago, a girl with the surname Lu was admitted to this hospital with renal failure. However, the severity of her condition and her identity were details the hospital staff found inappropriate to disclose.


    It seemed he had no choice but to visit personally. Having made up his mind, Luck asked the taxi driver to take him directly to the city hospital.


    Upon arriving at the hospital, he quickly found out that the doctor who had treated Lu Wan¡¯er was someone named Zhou. When he arrived at Dr. Zhou¡¯s office door, since it was noon and patients were sparse, only a man in a ck trench coat sat on the bench outside. He appeared engrossed in an Englishnguage novel, not seeming like he was there for medical care. Luck didn¡¯t pay him much mind.


    With an appointment already scheduled, he knocked and entered the office.


    "Hello, I¡¯m the one who called earlier. I¡¯d like to consult you about something," Luck said as he handed over his business card. Taking the card, Dr. Zhou read the impressive title¡ª¡¯General Manager of Qingyang Network Technology Development Consulting Co., Ltd.¡¯ Paired with Luck¡¯s designer suit and mature, stable demeanor, he seemed a man of status. Dr. Zhou¡¯s tone immediately grew more polite.


    Using such tactics was familiar ground for Luck. Unlike the stereotypical unkempt technophile or professional gamer, Luck¡¯s frequent interactions with a variety of people while managing his studio had taught him the importance of maintaining a presentable appearance and making a good first impression.


    A few words were exchanged, and the conversation turned to Lu Wan¡¯er. "You said earlier she¡¯s been discharged. Does this mean her illness has been cured?"


    "How could that be?" The doctor seemed quite touched by the subject. "Her condition is not so easily remedied. One kidney ispletely necrotic, and the other is nearly failing. Without a kidney transnt, there¡¯s no hope for recovery. Probably ran out of money and went home to wait for death¡ªit¡¯s a story I¡¯ve seen too often."


    Luck sighed inwardly at the grim words, then calmly asked, "How much would a kidney transnt cost?"


    He was mentally braced for the answer. Over the years, he had saved more than two hundred thousand yuan. If need be, he was willing to spend it. After all, averting misfortune through financial loss was surely better than being haunted by an angry spirit.


    The doctor sighed, "All in all, it would likely cost about five to six hundred thousand yuan¡ªthe costly part is finding apatible kidney. But looking at the situation, that family doesn¡¯t seem wealthy. I doubt they could afford it."


    What! So much money! Luck¡¯s heart sank. If it were a matter of ten or twenty thousand, he could¡¯ve gritted his teeth and paid it. Even up to two hundred thousand might have made him pause, but five to six hundred thousand was far beyond his means. And to make such arge sacrifice for someone he didn¡¯t even know?


    That felt almost uneptable.


    I¡¯d save your sister if I could, but without the means, I¡¯m helpless.


    However, he figured it wasn¡¯t time for despair just yet. That family must have some money of their own. It was better to assess the situation before giving up hope.


    "Could you give me her family¡¯s address, Dr. Zhou?" he asked after a moment¡¯s thought.


    "Well, our hospital always maintains patient confidentiality. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t give you that information."


    Luck sneered inwardly at Dr. Zhou¡¯s bureaucratic demeanor. "Here¡¯s the thing," he exined, "I¡¯m close friends with her brother. Before he had his ident, he entrusted me to save his sister. That¡¯s why I brought money this time. If you could give me their address, I could get in touch with them and get the treatment started.


    So please, make an exception just this once, for the sake of helping someone."


    Dr. Zhou seemed pleased by the prospect. "Alright, I¡¯ll make an exception just this one time," he said, drawing open a drawer and rummaging through a pile of files. "Ah, here we are. This is the patient¡¯s information. But you can only look at it here; you can¡¯t take it with you."


    After memorizing the address, Luck nodded to the doctor and excused himself. The man in the ck trench coat was gone when he stepped out; he didn¡¯t appear to be a patient after all. Luck didn¡¯t think much of it; his priority was to find Lu Jiang¡¯s sister.


    Half an hourter, the taxi stopped outside a somewhat dpidated housing estate. The buildings appeared old, seemingly from the ¡¯60s or ¡¯70s. Xiao Buli, following the address from the information he had, was checking the building numbers as he walked. Suddenly, there was a loud ¡¯bang¡¯ from behind that startled him, "FUCK!"


    He turned around to see that a flowerpot had somehow fallen from a balcony and shattered to pieces two meters away from him.


    "Lucky I was walking fast," Xiao Buli silently congratted himself, thinking, "What¡¯s with today, first nearly hit by a car, and now almost hit by a flowerpot? My luck really sucks."


    After searching for quite a while, he finally found Lu Jiang¡¯s home in a very narrow stairwell and knocked on the rusty, stained security door. It took a while before someone responded, "Who is it?" A gruff, muffled voice came from behind the door.


    "I¡¯m a friend of Lu Jiang. I¡¯m looking for his family," he said.


    The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard, looking very down-and-out.


    "Who are you?"


    "I was Lu Jiang¡¯s high school ssmate. I heard he got into trouble, so I came to visit."


    "Come in," the man said after sizing up Xiao Buli from top to bottom, not finding him to look like a bad person.


    Stepping into the house, Xiao Buli was shocked to find the room empty, devoid of any furniture. It made the living room of over ten square meters seem even more spacious and bleak.


    There were only a few old stools and a tattered sofa. A wooden crate was being used as a makeshift dining table, topped with a ss bottle and two cups.


    "Have a seat," the man said as he somewhat embarrassedly moved the bottle and cups to the windowsill.


    "I¡¯m Lu Jiang¡¯s father. So, tell me, what is it you want with him?"


    "Nothing much, just that it¡¯s been many years and I wanted to see him."


    "He¡¯s dead," Lu Jiang¡¯s father said painfully, grasping the bottle.


    "Dead!" Xiao Buli pretended to be shocked,


    "Yes, dead."


    How did Lu Jiang die? Xiao Buli suddenly asked.


    The man¡¯s face revealed a mix of grief and unwillingness, and he said with a bitter smile, "I don¡¯t know."


    "You don¡¯t know?" Xiao Buli repeated, genuinely surprised this time.


    The man then recounted the events.


    "That day he came home looking very upset, saying he had been fired from his job, but he received 8,000 yuan in severance pay. After giving me the money, he said he was tired and went to sleep. The next morning when I went to wake him for breakfast, I found him already dead, in a very strange state."


    Lu Jiang¡¯s father wore a reminiscent expression and his voice turned to a murmur, "The look on his face was one of fear, as if he saw something terrifying before he died. Although it had only been one night, hisplexion was so ashen it seemed like he had been dead for a long time. I was immediately stunned and hastily called the police.


    Later, the forensic doctor said he died of poisoning, a strange fungal toxin usually found in the bodies of long-dead animals."


    A sense of rm struck Xiao Buli, and almost subconsciously he probed, "Corpse poison?"


    Lu Jiang¡¯s father paused, "Perhaps so."

 Chapter 37 Xiao Buli鈥檚 Guess

    Xiao Buli felt a sudden lurch in his heart as he tentatively asked, "Corpse poison?"


    Lu Jiang¡¯s father paused for a moment, "Probably."


    When Xiao Buli uttered that question, it wasn¡¯t after careful deliberation; it was a subconscious reaction. However, after posing the question, a realization dawned on him¡ªwhy had he thought of that?


    After a brief contemtion, he understood the source of his idea. In the game, Lu Jiang had been killed by the Corpse-driving Warlock. That morning, he had already witnessed the Corpse-driving Warlock¡¯sbat methods, which amounted to nothing more than the Nether Fire Orb, corpse poison, and closebat attacks by Zombie minions.


    The Zombie Lu Jiang had turned into appeared very much intact, so obviously, it wasn¡¯t possible that he was burned to death by a Fireball nor likely that he was strangled by a Zombie. Clearly, he must have died from the Corpse Poison, which probably also exined why he turned into a Zombie. But that was in the game, could it be¡ª


    A sense of incredulity surged through Xiao Buli¡¯s heart. Could it be that the way one dies in the game is replicated in real life?


    But how could that be possible? That couldn¡¯t be exined by science at all.


    Yet he quickly self-mocked, encountering ghosts didn¡¯t seem very scientific either. Byparison, this exnation didn¡¯t seem so far-fetched.


    Xiao Buli¡¯s mind was in turmoil; he listed the information he currently held, point by point.


    1. Lu Jiang died on the same day he was expelled.


    2. The cause of Lu Jiang¡¯s death was a strange toxin.


    3. This toxin was very likely corpse poison.


    4. In the game, Lu Jiang was killed by a Corpse-driving Warlock, who also released corpse poison.


    5. The Zombie that Lu Jiang turned into in the game was very much intact, so Lu Jiang couldn¡¯t have been killed by a spell like the Nether Fire Orb or physical attacks¡ªcorpse poison was the only exnation.


    But if being killed by corpse poison turned one into a Zombie, why was there no such transformation in reality?


    "Where is Lu Jiang¡¯s body?"


    "Of course, it was cremated," Lu Jiang¡¯s father said matter-of-factly, seemingly puzzled by Xiao Buli¡¯s question.


    So that was it, cremation naturally prevented any change into a Zombie, and with that, everything made sense.


    However, reaching this point, Xiao Buli felt even more confused. Why would someone killed in the game die in real life? And what did all this imply? Could it mean that the game and reality were interconnected?


    At this thought, he suddenly remembered another matter. Earlier on the road, he had encountered danger sessively, first nearly being hit by a car, then almost struck by a flowerpot¡ªcould this also be his own "luck?"


    By deduction, he recalled many strange events that had recently urred. The peculiar movement technique he used to dodge the car, wasn¡¯t it quite simr to the Emergency Dodge in the game?


    The moves of the Chain Sword Strike, weren¡¯t they exactly like the Triple Wave technique he had used that day?


    He had never learned Swordsmanship before, but during the sparring with Gu Shaobang¡¯s grandfather, he had been able to perform as though practiced, and the moves his character automatically used while fighting monsters in the game felt familiar¡ªnow it dawned on him, weren¡¯t they strikingly simr to the Swordsmanship he had learned from the old man?


    There was also the mysterious elevation in his Basic Swordsmanship level, his inexplicable affinity with pets¡ªall the minor events he had overlooked were now vividlying together in his mind.


    The disbelief in his heart grew stronger, yet his doubts about the matter became increasingly undeniable.


    And he thought about the implications behind it. If these low-level skills learned in the game could be used in reality, then what if he learned powerful Martial arts or Immortal Techniques and Taoist magic?


    The thought of being able to utilize all sorts of supernatural powers from the game in reality had Xiao Buli trembling with excitement, but after the thrill had passed, he gradually calmed down. If things were truly as he imagined, then thepany must also be aware of this, and that meant thepany¡¯s background was anything but simple.


    However, up to this point, these were still his guesses. Whether they were true still needed further confirmation, but before that, he had to understand the situation at hand.


    Xiao Buli refocused his attention on Lu Jiang¡¯s father, who didn¡¯t seem to have noticed his distraction, mumbling to himself in a rambling manner, "Lu Jiang lost his mother early on, and I barely managed to raise the two kids. I never expected that now, one after another, they would all leave me. Ah, it¡¯s all my fault for not working hard enough and not knowing how to save.


    I don¡¯t even own our house; it¡¯s rented. If I had enough savings, I might have been able to save Wan¡¯er..."


    While talking, Lu Jiang¡¯s father picked up his ss again, looking as if the wine could drown his thousands of sorrows.


    "How is Wan¡¯er doing now?" Xiao Buli asked with great nervousness. Before, he didn¡¯t think much of it¡ªif Lu Jiang¡¯s ghost entangled him in the game and he couldn¡¯t y, he would simply quit. But after his recent spection, he didn¡¯t think so any longer. Even if he stopped ying the game, the curse would still haunt him constantly. Therefore, the curse had to be lifted at all costs.


    He didn¡¯t want to die without understanding why.


    "Wan¡¯er is alright for now, but if she doesn¡¯t have surgery soon, I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯tst much longer,"


    "How much is still needed for the surgery? You can¡¯t possibly have no savings at all, right?"


    "That¡¯s not the case," Lu Jiang¡¯s father seemed somewhat more alert when it came to his daughter, "These days I¡¯ve sold everything I could at home and finally scraped together over two hundred thousand, but we are still short by three hundred thousand. It¡¯s a pity I don¡¯t have many rtives; otherwise, that might have been enough."


    "It¡¯s good she¡¯s not dead!" Xiao Buli silently breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He was truly afraid that Lu Wan¡¯er had already passed away¡ªthen he would have been truly desperate. Three hundred thousand was a lot, but he had two hundred thousand, and borrowing one hundred thousand from Mr. Bang would be enough.


    Still, he felt it was better to be sure before making a move.


    "May I see her?"


    Lu Jiang¡¯s father hesitated for a moment but then nodded his head, "Go ahead, you might not have another chance to see her. She might be asleep right now, so keep your voice down."


    While speaking, he pushed open the door to a bedroom inside.


    The two of them, Xiao Buli, entered quietly. The bedroom seemed like a different worldpared to the outside. It was a typical teenage girl¡¯s room with pink wallpaper on the walls, a basket of fresh fruit on the desk, fresh flowers in a water bottle and plush toys in the corner, and afortable small bed by the window.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Under the thick quilt, the pale little face of a girl was revealed, frowning even in her sleep, looking pitiable.


    Aptop was ced on the bedside cab, and it looked like it might be the only valuable piece of electronics left in the house. From what Xiao Buli could see, despite selling everything he could, Lu Jiang¡¯s father was still trying to maintain thefort of this bedroom. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit moved and admired this seemingly destitute father.


    Thinking back on his past, this slight touch of emotion became thest push he needed to make his decision.


    After leaving Lu Wan¡¯er¡¯s room, Xiao Buli tried to appear nonchnt as he said, "I will pay the three hundred thousand. Contact the hospital as soon as possible and try to arrange the surgery for Wan¡¯er earlier." Xiao Buli said this without hesitation.


    "What!" The eyes of Lu Jiang¡¯s father instantly showed an excited expression as he suddenly grabbed Xiao Buli¡¯s hand with a frighteningly strong grip, "You¡¯re not joking, right?"


    Xiao Buli shook his head, gravely saying, "At a time like this, how could I be joking? Lu Jiang and I are the best of buddies, irond. I¡¯mmitted to helping with this."


    Lu Jiang¡¯s father almost knelt down, looking overwhelmed with excitement and continuously thanked him, while Xiao Buli thought to himself, Please don¡¯t thank me. If only your son could stop haunting me, that would be better than anything.


    Xiao Buli withdrew two hundred thousand from the bank, which was pretty much hisrgest asset aside from his apartment. In addition, he borrowed one hundred thousand from Gu Shaobang. Gu didn¡¯t ask what it was for, but after getting the money, Xiao Buli felt a bit embarrassed. He had always strived to keep financial matters clear among friends.


    If not for the urgency of the situation, he would not have chosen to borrow money from a friend.


    Maybeter he could tell him everything. After considering it briefly, Xiao Buli decided it would be best to keep it to himself for now. Aside from the fact that such an unbelievable story might be difficult for Gu Shaobang to believe, Xiao Buli himself was somewhat unable to believe his own spection.


    After delivering the money to Lu Jiang¡¯s father, he didn¡¯t just let the matter go. Instead, he asked Lu Jiang¡¯s father to sign an agreement, which stipted that this three hundred thousand could only be used for Lu Wan¡¯er¡¯s medical expenses and nothing else. It wasn¡¯t that he distrusted Lu Jiang¡¯s father, but the matter was too important to leave any room for carelessness.


    He didn¡¯t head straight back to thepany afterward but decided to go home first. There was something he had to check.

 Chapter 38 Disease-Expelling Skills

    Another morning, another day in the game began. As Li Baocheng walked along the road to the newbie zone, he pondered how he would evade his hunter master today. He was very wary of the hunter master he had not spent many days with. Not only was the master far stronger inbat, but his tracking ability was also first-rate.


    Yesterday afternoon, Li Baocheng spent hours moving in the direction opposite the vige, leaving behind many false trails, hoping to confuse the other party.


    However, Li Baocheng woke up this morning feeling that what he had done was somewhat absurd. After all, the other party was an NPC. He figured the system would probably pinpoint his location and then head straight for him. His own arrangements probably wouldn¡¯t work.


    Maybe he was too invested, or maybe the game¡¯s details were made too realistically that he subconsciously used real-life strategies against his in-game opponent.


    But from some of the game¡¯s detailed settings, it might not be entirely useless. Maybe NPCs would fall for this ploy?


    As he contemted the contradiction, suddenly he noticed Xiao Buli standing at the door wearing a wool hat and a down jacket, looking somewhat wilted.


    Li Baocheng was startled. Xiao Buli was always very particr about his image, usually donning a suit and leather shoes. Why was he so casual today?


    "Old Xiao, what¡¯s wrong with you!?"


    Xiao Buli turned around, nced at Li Baocheng with a faint smile on his sickly face, "Nothing much. Just a bit of a cold, that¡¯s all."


    So that was it, Li Baocheng thought. He exchanged a few apparently concerned words with Xiao, and as the doors to the newbie zone opened, he walked in.


    Xiao Buli followed Li Baocheng inside and sat down at hisputer, his face regaining its seriousness. He obviously hadn¡¯t just caught a cold. As soon as he got home yesterday, he started experimenting with the skills he had learned in the game, trying to confirm the connection between reality and the game.


    Oddly enough, no matter how he experimented, Taming Skills, Emergency Dodge, and Chain Sword Strike wouldn¡¯t work, as if the abilities he had disyed inadvertently before were just some false memories.


    The only technique he could perform convincingly was Basic Swordsmanship, but he couldn¡¯t be sure whether this was due to the game or something he learned from Gu Shaobang¡¯s grandfather.


    In the end, out of options, he switched to reverse thinking. If the changes from the game couldn¡¯t be smoothly brought into reality, then changes from reality to the game should work. Hence, after taking a cold shower and being exposed to the cold wind for a while, Xiao Buli indeed seeded in catching a cold.


    Looking at hisputer screen, Xiao Buli took a deep breath. Whether his spection could be reality would depend on this attempt.


    As he opened hisputer and entered the game, with the appearance of his game character, he immediately opened the status bar. Next to the haunting DEBUFF, another DEBUFF over his character¡¯s head made him blink in surprise, followed by a mix of shock and tion that flooded his body.


    Weakness: Due to the affliction of the disease, you are in a weakened state, under which your five basic attributes are reduced by 25%.


    The so-called basic attributes were Strength, stamina, physique, speed, and agility.


    He didn¡¯t know why intelligence, spiritual power, charm, and luck were not included in the basic attributes, but none of that mattered now. Xiao Buli now had confirmed something ¨C the game indeed reflected changes in himself from reality, and conversely, his enhancements and weakenings in the game should also manifest in reality.


    Despite having spected this, discovering that it actually happened still left him speechless with astonishment. How could this be possible? What was the operating principle? Do all changes manifest?


    His mind in chaos, he hesitated for a while but then decided to proceed with the next test. He went to the vige¡¯s medical hall to see Doctor Ji and chose to seek treatment.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Doctor Ji: "Ah, your illness seems quite severe. How could you be so careless? But with me here, it¡¯s not much. Take this medicine home, boil three bowls of water down to one, and stew it once a day. You should recover in three days."


    System prompt: Physician Ji rmends you purchase Qingre Powder. Do you ept?


    Qingre Powder*3: Abination pack of herbal medicine for treating themon cold. Requires Cooking LV1 to use. Price/30 copper coins.


    Xiao Buli hesitated, then chose to refuse. Three days was too long for experimentation.


    "I was wondering if Physician Ji has a faster treatment method. I n to leave the vige soon and don¡¯t have so much time to treat the illness," Xiao Buli typed and asked.


    After pondering, Doctor Ji replied, "A faster method isn¡¯t out of the question, but it requires me to expend a great deal of energy. If you need it, you¡¯ll have to pay a higher fee."


    System prompt: Physician Ji offers you the Qigong Disease-Curing Technique at a cost of 3 silver coins. Do you ept, yes/no?


    The fee had suddenly increased tenfold. Three silver coins were equivalent to 300 copper coins, the same price as learning Basic Sword Skills. But to obtain the information he wanted, it was worth it.


    Xiao Buli chose to ept the treatment. Physician Ji immediately began to gather his energy. As a soft green glow emerged around him, Physician Ji¡¯s expression grew intense; it seemed somewhat like a casting animation. Xiao Buli clicked on Physician Ji, and the casting time showed as 10 seconds, quite a lengthy process indeed.


    The green light gradually concentrated in Physician Ji¡¯s hands and, with a firm push, the green light enveloped Xiao Buli. As the light faded, the DEBUFF above Xiao Buli¡¯s character vanished and his attributes returned to normal.


    It was truly miraculous. Xiao Buli thought as he shook his head; his head still ached. Why hadn¡¯t it worked? Might it take some time to be effective? Lu Jiang seemed to have died the evening after he was killed in the game. Xiao Buli estimated that the effect should take somewhere between 3 to 10 hours to manifest.


    "Physician Ji, you have such amazing skills. I¡¯m very interested in medical treatment. I wonder if I could have the honor of learning this technique?"


    Physician Ji shook his head and said, "To learn the Disease-Expelling Skills, one first needs to master Primary Qigong, which I also acquired only after expending a great deal of effort and enduring many hardships. It won¡¯t be easy for you to learn it."


    Xiao Buli was slightly disappointed, but he didn¡¯t get discouraged. He understood that such things were bound to have restrictions.


    "May I know what are the prerequisite conditions for Primary Qigong?" he asked.


    Doctor Ji replied, "One needs a physique and willpower that surpasses that of normal people."


    Physique probably refers to physical strength, and willpower must mean spiritual power.


    Xiao Buli¡¯s spiritual power was at 13 points. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was enough, "Then, where can one learn Primary Qigong?" he continued to inquire.


    Doctor Ji replied, "You can learn it at the martial arts schools in Nine Dragons City, but you need to pay a hefty tuition fee."


    So that was the case. Xiao Buli understood somewhat. Previously, when he had asked the militia captain where he could learn more advanced Swordsmanship, the captain had said the same thing¡ªit seemed that one really only had the opportunity to learn truly high-level skills in the big cities. This vige merely provided some clues rted to skills.


    In the morning, Xiao Buli continued to learn Grazing. By noon, he had finally raised his Grazing Skill to LV10 and sessfullyprehended level 4 Taming Skills. His Wild Beast Knowledge also advanced to a new level, reaching LV2, and he improved by 1 point in both physique and Movement Speed attributes. Looking at his Attributes, they seemed quite impressive.


    After the first phase ended¡ª


    Character Name: Xiao Buli.


    upation: Herdsman/Swordsmanship Apprentice.


    Intelligence: 13.¡ªYou have rtively highprehension, extremely strong analytical ability, and average memory.


    Strength: 11.¡ªOptimal carrying capacity 55 pounds, maximum carrying capacity 110 pounds, base attack power 11. (One point of Strength corresponds to a carrying capacity of five pounds and one point of attack power.)


    Speed: 13¡ªThanks to long-term training, your running speed is quite fast. (Speed determines Movement Speed and attack speed.)


    Agility: 14¡ªYou have a pair of very dexterous hands. (Agility determines hit rate and evasion probability.)


    Stamina: 13.¡ªStamina Points 130 (1 point of Stamina corresponds to 10 Stamina Points).


    Physique: 12.¡ªHealth Points 120. (1 point of Physique corresponds to 10 Health Points).


    Charm: 12.¡ªYou¡¯re quite good-looking.


    Spirit: 13.¡ªYou possess spirituality that surpasses ordinary people.


    Luck: 7 (£­2).¡ªYour luck is terrible.


    Skills¡ª


    Life Skills: Breeding LV10, Grazing LV10, Harvesting LV10.


    Knowledge Skills: Wild Beast Knowledge LV2.


    Combat Skills: One-handed Sword Specialization LV3 (Passive), Chain Sword Strike LV2, Basic Swordsmanship LV3, Emergency Dodge LV1.


    The bell for the lunch break suddenly rang.


    Xiao Buli stood up from his chair, surprisingly without feeling dizzy. Could his illness have already healed? He shook his head and felt no difort. After walking around, he didn¡¯t experience any unusual sensations.


    It seemed his cold had indeed been cured, which was something that couldn¡¯t be exined by human immunity alone, especially considering he hadn¡¯t taken any medicine from start to finish.


    It looked like this game could indeed directly remodel one¡¯s own body. The thought struck him with both shock and joy. Although he still didn¡¯t understand the underlying principle, he knew he had discovered an earth-shattering secret.


    Now was the time to proceed with the next step of his n!


    PS: There will be another chapter tonight.

 Chapter 39 A Good Person

    "So, he went to the home of a newbie who died before?" Qin Shimoon asked, gazing out of the window, her face devoid of expression.


    "Exactly, and he even gave the family some money for their little girl¡¯s medical treatment. It may not be much to you or me, but for that kid, it must have been a considerable sum. I must say, Amanda, this youngster seems to have quite a bit ofpassion." The man in the ck trench coat sitting behind her sprawled casually in the chair opposite the desk, appearing very familiar with her.


    "Whether he haspassion is not our concern. I only care if he¡¯s discovered the secrets of the game," Qin Shimoon said coldly, her voice devoid of any emotion.


    The man in ck shrugged, "Who knows? He must understand something by now, but what does it matter to us? As long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with our ns, it¡¯s fine. There are other employees who know the secrets, after all. Of course, if you think it¡¯s necessary, I can take him out anytime."


    "Let¡¯s not, we might spook the others. You weren¡¯t seening in, were you?"


    "Of course not, so you can leave now." After Qin Shimoon finished speaking, she didn¡¯t hear a response. Turning around, she saw the man in ck had already disappeared, "Hmph, still loves to y the ghost, I see." Qin Shimoon snorted coldly, with a trace of scorn.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Buli, who was blissfully unaware that he had narrowly escaped bing someone¡¯s target, was munching on a hamburger provided by the restaurant while mulling over his situation.


    All this time, although he was interested in the game, Xiao Buli had not used his full strength. He didn¡¯t want to stand out too much, nor did he want to exert himself excessively. So, he simply held the mentality of ¡¯doing well enough,¡¯ without long-term nning or maxing out his analysis of the game. But now, everything had changed drastically.


    Before, he thought that even if his game character died, the worst that could happen was losing a job with decent benefits. It would be regrettable but eptable. Now, however, he hade to understand that if he died in the game, he might very well die in reality, too. At this moment, Xiao Buli had decided to release all his energy.


    He quickly summarized the information he had about the game and nned his next moves.


    It was undoubtable that the Newbie Vige had limited content left to explore. There were still many basic skills and professions to learn, but he figured there would be opportunities to learn those in the bigger citiester on. There was no need to rush.


    Besides, he only had one day left, and there wouldn¡¯t be enough time for a ss change, so he decided it would be more worthwhile to gather as much information as possible before heading to Nine Dragons City.


    Then, another thought struck him. If he could use the game¡¯s abilities (albeit inconsistently), then others must be able to as well. He looked up and observed the other yers around him. He hadn¡¯t noticed before, but now it was clear that most didn¡¯t seem like professional gamers. They were exceptionally fit, far beyond ordinary people, and looked very vibrant.


    It was one thing for a few to be like this, but a whole group? It likely had to do with attribute enhancements from the game.


    It wasn¡¯t just others¡ªhis own physical fitness had also significantly improved, something he had only just realized. However, as for skills, he guessed that most people probably didn¡¯t know how to use them yet, or it would have definitely spread by now.


    These were real-life strong individuals who were just unaware of their own strength. He felt a sense of superiority, as if he were the only sober person in a world of drunks. However, when his gaze fell on Li Jian, he noticed that Li Jian was looking in his direction. He couldn¡¯t see the other¡¯s eyes because of the sunsses, but Xiao Buli suddenly remembered the red eyes hidden behind them.


    He had always found it peculiar, but now he realized that Li Jian must know something, likely even more than he did.


    Li Jian¡¯s silence was probably due to not wanting to attract the attention of thepany¡¯s upper echelons, the ssic ¡¯y dumb to catch the wise,¡¯ and that¡¯s why he¡¯d risk getting fired to do his own thing. So what about the other three people with Li Jian? The answer seemed quite obvious.


    Xiao Buli thought quickly. It seemed best not to feel too superior. Although the changes brought by the game were subtle, there had to be many other observant people who had noticed. Since none of them had shown it, it was clear they all had the same idea of quietly making a fortune. He decided it was best to keep a low profile and not reveal his true thoughts.


    With that in mind, he lowered his head and silently continued eating.


    In the afternoon, the merchant caravan arrived just as Li Jian had said it would.


    The caravan brought arge number of urgently needed supplies to the vige and also purchased all of the furs and mountain goods the vigers had umted. Watching the NPCs bustling about, Xiao Buli¡¯s screen suddenly shed with a golden light.


    System Notification: You havepleted the ¡¯Lu Jiang¡¯s Final Wish¡¯ quest. Lu Jiang¡¯s resentful spirit has been put to rest, and your curse has been lifted.


    System Notification: You have obtained 100 Merit Points. Forpleting a final wish quest, you have obtained the title ¡¯A Good Person¡¯.


    System Notification: You have received Lu Jiang¡¯s Blessing.


    Upon checking his avatar, indeed there was a new buff, Lu Jiang¡¯s Blessing,


    Lu Jiang¡¯s Blessing: Under this status, your Luck Value is increased by 10 points for a duration of 7 days.


    10 points of Luck! Xiao Buli was instantly delighted. After the unlucky events of yesterday, he knew just how important luck was. However, a duration of only seven days was still too short. It seemed he must make haste to do some important things while the buff was active.


    He then looked at his attribute column, where a new Merit Points attribute had been added, showing a current total of 100 points. He read the description of the attribute,


    Merit Points are a measure of one¡¯s contribution to the workings of the Heavenly Dao, achieved by ying evil force monster leaders andpleting tasks aligned with good factions. Merit Points can negate the ughter Points incurred by killing, and they can also be exchanged for corresponding skills and equipment in various temples, making them a very precious Hidden Currency.


    It seemed to be quite important, Xiao Buli thought, although 100 points might not be a lot. Nevertheless, it was better than nothing.


    He then looked at his title column, which now contained only one title.


    (Title) A Good Person: While using this title, you automatically receive a 10-point favorability bonus when interacting with good-aligned characters (including Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good). You automatically receive a 10-point favorability penalty when interacting with evil-aligned characters (including Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Evil).


    The favorability of the person you interact with will affect the oue of your conversations and your chances of persuasion sess. yers may activate only one title at a time.


    This title was indeed useful, at least for now, as it seemed he hade into contact with more characters from the good factions than from the evil. Add to that the rewards of Luck Value, Merit Points, and the like, it appeared the three hundred thousand had not been spent in vain.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The title ¡¯A Good Person¡¯ coulde in handy right now, coupled with his now impressive 17 points of Luck, he should be able to find out quite a bit of useful information.


    PS: I inadvertently discovered a great book yesterday, and once I started reading, I lost track of time, which is why I didn¡¯t updatest night. I¡¯m making it up today with this and another updateter.

 Chapter 40: Encampment

    Having made up his mind, Xiao Buli immediately sprang into action. He focused on inquiring about skills and job advancements. Many of the NPCs in the vige all had some unique skills, but they were basically of the non-teachable type, much like Physician Ji¡¯s Qigong Disease-Curing Technique. However, as long as he asked the right questions, he could easily dig out the origins of these skills.


    There were generally two ways to acquire these skills: one was learning from a high-level NPC, and the other was inadvertently obtaining a Skill Book and learning from it.


    It seemed that Skill Books were quite prevalent in this game, even NPCs had ess to them. Moreover, like yers, NPCs could also learn a new skill instantly upon using a Skill Book, which could be considered a bug-like existence.


    As for job advancements, Xiao Buli also had a rough grasp of the situation. Mage Professions were especially rare in this game, even to the point of being extremely hard to find. Most of the basic professions were Strength or Agility-based, such as Axemen, Swordsmen, Archers, and Gunners.


    These professions, after meeting certain conditions, could advance to more advanced jobs like Berserkers, Sword Saints, Divine Archers, and Mounted Gunners. Plus, some professions had several possible advancements.


    Different basic professions, whenbined with other basic ones, could produce new jobs. For instance, a Swordsmanbined with a Beast Tamer could give rise to the Ranger profession, and an Archerbined with a Mounted Gunner could produce a Military General. It could be said that there was a countless number of professions, and no one knew exactly how many there were.


    Xiao Buli¡¯s goal was still a Mage Profession. After all, the skills of Swordsmen and Archers, even if learned, seemed of little use in reality. He couldn¡¯t very well open a martial arts school, and even if he did, it would be for teaching boxing and kicking. Swordsmanship and archery were really not that useful, other than for a few hobbyists¡¯ entertainment.


    But if he could learn a Spell, that would be incredible. Even the simplest Spell, if brought back to reality, would fall into the category of superpowers.


    If he couldn¡¯t find a Mage Profession, he could reluctantly settle for jobs like assassin, Qigong Master, or Martial Monk. These professions often had some supernatural abilities. For example, a Qigong Master could emit Qigong Waves and use Internal Energy for healing and defense. Assassins could utilize shadows to Stealth and disappear, and Martial Monks could seal acupoints.


    Such abilities would be pretty great in reality, and learning just one could be of lifelong use.


    By the second day, the caravan had finally finished its harvesting and was ready to set off back to Nine Dragons City. Xiao Buli and the other two naturally couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. They approached the owner of the caravan, asking to travel together, and after paying a fee of five silver coins each, the caravan leader agreed to let them ride together in a carriage.


    What came next was quite simple: they just needed to leave their characters on the carriage and follow along. ording to the caravan owner, it would take no more than two days to reach Nine Dragons City.


    Although after getting on the carriage their characters would move with the convoy, the three of them still did not dare to be careless, as death carried serious consequences. Therefore, each of them stayed in front of theirputer screens, watching closely, with Xiao Buli being the most focused, for reasons that went without saying.


    Since it wasden with goods, the carriage wasn¡¯t much faster than walking, and definitely notparable to the one that Li Jian and others had, which had raced quickly. It took more than an hour of travel before they gradually reached the spot where they had parted ways with Li Baocheng.


    Informed in advance, Li Baocheng was already waiting on the side of the road and ran up to the caravan as soon as he saw it.


    Fortunately, since the quest had already been picked up, the caravan was unaware of Li Bioacheng¡¯s situation. Therefore, after collecting ten silver coins, they allowed him to join. Li Baocheng finally breathed a sigh of relief; he couldn¡¯t dare to log on these past days for fear of his master¡¯s pursuit.


    The caravan wasn¡¯t particrlyrge or small, with a total of seven carriages. The people involved, including the drivers, merchants, ountants, and helpers, numbered over a dozen. However, these were weak NPCs inbat. The real protection for the caravan came from twelve fully armed guards, four gunners, four shield and sabre wielders, and four archers.


    Besides them, there was a Guard Captain riding a tall horse, d in chainmail, and holding arge spear. This Guard Captain¡¯s profession seemed to be an Advanced Military General, radiating a faint blue glow. As soon as Xiao Buli got near the Guard Captain, a mon hatred and anger¡¯ BUFF appeared on his icon, which added +5 Armor and expanded the realm range by +10 meters.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It looked like an aura Skill given by the Guard Captain.


    On the road, they encountered numerous Walking Corpses and Corpse-eating Dogs, but these monsters posed no threat under the caravan guard¡¯s attacks. They continued to walk into the evening. As the greenery became more abundant and the roads more rugged, they gradually reached the edge of the ck wastnd.


    "The map in this game is really huge," Xiao Buli thought. He opened the map to look, and the areas they had traveled through were marked. They had been walking in the ck wastnd for over three hours but still hadn¡¯t left its boundaries.


    Examining the scale of the ck wastnd in rtion to the main continent, he found the wastnd to be terrifyingly small, upying just a tiny bright circle on the lower left corner of the map¡ªprobably less than one percent of the entirendmass. Yet, this was already almost as big as the entirety of World of Warcraft¡¯s map. It was hard to imagine just how vast the entire game map was.


    As time approached five o¡¯clock, the caravan showed no signs of stopping, making the four of them somewhat anxious.


    "Li, what would happen to our characters if we went offline now? Would they continue to move with the caravan?"


    "Of course not. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: I¡¯ll mention it to the higher-ups, and you can work overtime tonight."


    "Overtime? Is that okay?" Sun Bin asked hesitantly, because Li Jian had always seemed like the kind of person who strictly followed the rules, which made Sun Bin a bit surprised.


    Li Jian said, "Didn¡¯t I tell you earlier? We can¡¯t do overtime except under special circumstances. But now we are in a special situation. You might not know this, but even for us advanced yers, going on a long journey is quite troublesome. This game basicallycks instant travel methods like Teleportation Portals or griffin nes.


    yers mostly rely on riding horses or driving carriages to traverse the map bit by bit. Horses and carriages are convenient but only work on t roads and ins. Once we enter dense woods or mountainous and swampy terrains, we have to walk. Sometimes we have to search for a safe campsite until midnight, so it¡¯spletely reasonable for you to work the night shift in situations like these."


    Understanding this, the group felt reassured and continued following the caravan. They marched on until past seven o¡¯clock. As the game world darkened, the caravan reached the edge of the Misty Forest. The dense mountain woods unfoldedyer uponyer, and from the depths of the night, asional heart-wrenching howls of wild beasts echoed.


    "If we continue forward, we¡¯ll enter the Misty Forest. It¡¯s not peaceful in there, so we shouldn¡¯t move tonight. We¡¯ll depart early tomorrow morning."


    Following the caravan leader¡¯smand, the convoy came to a halt and formed a horseshoe-shaped semicircle behind a hillock, with the caravan guards springing into action. Some went to find firewood while others arranged the campsite.


    Xiao Buli found that he could use his harvesting ability on the dry weeds in the wilderness, so he gathered arge bundle of dried grass and brought it back to the camp.


    "Alright, I¡¯ll have someone keep watch tonight, so you can all get a good night¡¯s sleep," the caravan master announced.

 Chapter 41: 41 Charge

    The weather in this game, just like in World of Warcraft, was synced with reality. By a little past seven, it was already pitch ck. A few people, after hearing the caravan owner¡¯s words, thought that was it for the day and went to find a tent to crawl into¡ªlogging off in different locations could affect your status when you log back in.


    If you log off in a room, you¡¯d get a "full of spirit" buff when you log back on, which increased the proficiency gained while learning skills, and apparently had some other uses. If you logged off in the wilderness, you wouldn¡¯t get this, so all four chose to enter a tent before logging off.


    Xiao Buli was about to log out when he suddenly remembered a question.


    So, he left the tent and asked the caravan captain, "Excuse me, what time will we be starting out tomorrow?"


    "We shall depart at the first quarter of the Mao hour tomorrow. You fellows best not bete."


    "The Mao hour, what time is that?" Han Baiqiang chimed in at that moment.


    "What time? What does that mean?" The caravan owner seemed to have no concept of the hours. Xiao Buli had long known about the game¡¯s quirks, so he didn¡¯t find this strange.


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    After logging out of the game, Han Baiqiang couldn¡¯t help but stretch and yawn, "What time do we need to log in tomorrow, Xiao Buli?" "The Mao hour is between five and seven o¡¯clock, and a quarter is equivalent to fifteen minutes. That means the caravan will leave at five fifteen. So, we have to get up by five at thetest, otherwise there¡¯s a risk of falling behind."


    "Five o¡¯clock?! That¡¯s brutal," Han Baiqiang groaned in dismay. "The design of this game is such a pain. I haven¡¯t had to wake up this early since high school."


    "It¡¯s just getting up a bit earlier, no problem for me," Sun Bin said before giving Han Baiqiang a sly look. "Of course, you can log in a bitter, but we won¡¯t wait for you."


    "Come on, I didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t do it. Justining a bit, man. By the way, is the restaurant still open? I¡¯m craving fried chicken legs."


    Chatting and joking, the group left the neers¡¯ studio and just happened to see Li Jian as they walked out.


    "Oh, Li, you¡¯re still waiting for us?"


    "Yeah. How did your schedule go, everything smooth?"


    "Pretty smooth, it¡¯s just that we have to get up early tomorrow. The caravan sets off at five, would it be alright for you to help us open the door then?"


    "Of course, that¡¯s no problem. Oh, you three go ahead, I¡¯ve got something to discuss with Xiao Buli."


    Li Baocheng and the others nodded and went on their way, while Xiao Buli watched them leave, feeling a bit puzzled. He wondered, what did Li Jian want with him?


    "I heard you took a day off yesterday to burn paper for the restless spirits on the mountain. That can¡¯t be true, can it?" Li Jian asked half-jokingly.


    However, Xiao Buli did not think the other was just joking. He nodded calmly, "It¡¯s true. My mother is quite superstitious, and she believed a fortune teller who said I was haunted by a restless ghost this year. She insisted I burn paper money on the mountain for the wandering ghosts and wild spirits on March 13th. Of course, I don¡¯t believe in it, but to set her mind at ease, I did it anyway.


    Strangely enough, Manager Qin actually gave me the day off. Manager Qin really is a good person. But why do you ask?"


    "Heh heh, is that so?" Li Jian chuckled, then asked, "So, have you received any unusual quests in the gametely?"


    Xiao Buli was instantly startled. Why would he ask that? Could he know about Lu Jiang¡¯s matter? But how could he, it shouldn¡¯t be known by others. Only he could see the Soul of Lu Jiang; even Han Baiqiang and the others couldn¡¯t.


    Could Li Jian see it as well? No, that¡¯s not right! Suddenly he remembered something: among the three White Tiger Group members with Li Jian that day, one seemed to be an Onmyoji. Could he also see the Soul of Lu Jiang? It seemed very likely.


    With this thought, he knew he probably couldn¡¯t keep hiding it, at least he shouldn¡¯t tantly lie. Nodding, he said, "I did indeed receive a strange quest. The one who gave me the quest was actually a ghost. He asked me to deliver a sum of money to his family, and after Ipleted the quest, I was given the title ¡¯A Good Person,¡¯ along with 100 Merit Points and a Luck buff."


    What he said was more or less the truth, only he didn¡¯t mention that the quest waspleted in the real world.


    Li Jian listened, nodded, and said, "Well, your luck is really not bad. Merit Points are valuable assets, definitely useful when you level up. I won¡¯t disturb you during dinner then, goodbye." After speaking, he turned and left.


    Watching Li Jian¡¯s retreating figure, Xiao Buli hesitated. Should hee clean to him? After thinking it over, he decided against it. Since everyone had silently chosen to make a fortune quietly, it was better not to burst their bubble. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if Li Jian harbored any suspicions about him.


    The next morning, Xiao Buli was awakened by a ringing sound. To make sure he would wake up on time, he had purposefully set an rm in his brain. Opening his eyes, he saw the dark room and rubbed his face in annoyance. ustomed to a 9-to-5 lifestyle, waking up early was undoubtedly a painful matter.


    But there was no helping it; he knew the consequences of dying in the game. And since the game didn¡¯t have anything like town portal scrolls, if he didn¡¯t keep up with the caravan on time, being left in the wilderness could be very dangerous. So, despite being extremely reluctant, he forced himself to get up.


    Dressed neatly and washing his face with cold water, he felt somewhat refreshed.


    By the time he got to theputer room, Li Jian had already arrived early, bringing with him several cups of steaming coffee.


    "Have some; it¡¯ll help you wake up." Compared to usual, Li Jian seemed much more polite today. Han Baiqiang and the others also arrived one after another, lookingckluster as they hurriedly booted up theirputers to log in. Upon logging in, they saw the caravan crew packing up the campsite, ready to set off.


    The in-game sky was just dawning, appearing dim and overcast, while the torchlight flickered, illuminating only the vicinity and adding an air of tension.


    None of the four had any preparation to do and directly boarded the carriage.


    The convoy set off, traveling along a rugged mountain road, heading deep into the Misty Forest.


    Although this road was a must-pass to Nine Dragons City, it was far from smooth. Just like the previous day, their characters didn¡¯t need any input once aboard the carriage, but because they had to keep an eye on their own characters, everyone had to stay in front of theirputers.


    With nothing better to do, Sun Bin chatted up the Guard Captain, and in doing so, surprisingly found out he could learn a skill. Perhaps due to the relevance of their professions, after epting five silver coins, the Guard Captain taught him a charging skill.


    Charge LV1: Launch a powerful charge forward, sprinting ten meters at high speed. The charge will stop upon hitting a target, dealing double the weapon damage to it (can only be used when equipped with a polearm).

 Chapter 42 You鈥檙e Already Dead

    By 7 a.m. it seemed as though the end of the journey was still an eternity away, with no sign of it concluding anytime soon. Luckily, Li Jian was exceptionally polite today and had called to have breakfast delivered from the restaurant by that time. The four men ate toast and drank milk while staring at the screen, all feeling somewhat bored.


    "I might as well be feeding pigs or herding sheep," Xiao Buli thought to himself. Isn¡¯t this ce supposed to be dangerous? Why can¡¯t I see a single monster? There¡¯s not even the sound of wild beasts or birds chirping.


    "All of a sudden, the carriage came to a halt."


    "What¡¯s the matter? Why has the convoy stopped?" Li Baocheng asked, stuffing bread into his mouth.


    Sun Bin said, "I don¡¯t know, maybe the convoy leader will have an answer."


    "There¡¯s no need for that, I guess we¡¯ll be moving again soon," Han Baiqiang said as he shoved another piece of bread into his mouth.


    The three men didn¡¯t budge, but Xiao Buli felt something wasn¡¯t quite right, as he saw the convoy¡¯s guards taking a defensive stance. He hurriedly jumped down from the carriage and ran to the front of the convoy, arriving just in time to catch up with the merchant and the guard captain, Captain Wang.


    "Captain Wang, is there a problem? Why has the convoy stopped?"


    "It¡¯s too quiet!" the captain said sternly, "Plus, this terrain is very suitable for an ambush...."


    Xiao Buli nced around and saw it was just as the captain said. The convoy was now stopped in a gorge with slopes on both sides, covered in dense forests. But wasn¡¯t it said that traveling with the convoy was safe? Could it be that an unexpected plot twist was about to happen?


    "Everyone, be careful. It looks like something is about to happen!"


    He turned and shouted back at the others, and when he faced the screen once more, he saw the caravan master pierced through the head by an arrow.


    -148, arge, crimson number burst forth. The caravan master was instantly killed on the spot without any suspense.


    "Damn, it¡¯s an ambush by the ck Mountain bandits!"


    Captain Wang shouted orders while directing the convoy¡¯s guards to rapidly regroup around him. Suddenly, hordes of bandits emerged from the forests on both sides of the gorge.


    They all bore names with "ck Mountain" in them¡ªck Mountain Lackeys (spearmen bandits), ck Mountain Looters (sword and shield bandits), ck Mountain Raiders (javelin and shield bandits)¡ªnumbering around thirty to fifty, and they did not seem to represent their full strength.


    As soon as Xiao Buli sees that the situation was unfavorable, he turned to run. He didn¡¯t believe such a small group of guards could withstand such an onught. It¡¯s better to flee while they are still drawing the enemy¡¯s fire.


    He had only run a few steps when an arrow whistled over his head, narrowly missing him and thudding into the shaft of the carriage. Xiao Buli broke out in a cold sweat, a stark reminder that death was indeed omnipresent. He quickly jumped over the shaft to the other side of the carriage, using it for cover, and ran to the rear of the team in one breath.


    The caravan¡¯s workers and the coachmen were already in disarray, while Han Baiqiang and the others hadn¡¯t run yet and were still looking around uncertainly.


    "What do we do, what do we do? Should we go up and help?" Han Baiqiang asked in panic, having no idea where he had thrown his bread and his hands hovered over the keyboard uncertainly.


    "Help with what, just run!" Xiao Buli did not hesitate as he rushed past the three men and straight into the opposite forest. The fear of death muddled his mind. He had always known the cost of dying in the game, but he never thought that one day he¡¯d be so close to his own demise.


    This feeling of not being in control of his fate made him lose hisposure for the rarest of moments, and he just kept running, not even daring to look back¡­


    Then suddenly, Han Baiqiang let out a tragic scream.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Xiao Buli¡¯s heart skipped a beat, although he hadn¡¯t known them for long, he truly did not wish for anyone to die.


    "I got hit by an arrow, but thankfully I¡¯m not dead! That arrow just now took out half of my health points, luckily, it only hit me in the butt and didn¡¯t cause a critical hit, otherwise, I would have been killed instantly."


    As Han Baiqiang spoke, he frantically moved his character to hide behind the wagon, along with him were Li Baocheng and Sun Bin, the three of them had hesitated for a moment and none could escape, now they were trapped behind the wagon as arrows flew past their heads one by one


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    It seemed there was only one person shooting the arrows, but the power was astonishing, a hit to a vital spot was practically an instant kill, so none of the three dared to poke their heads out.


    Dammit, I wish I could shoot arrows with that kind of power, Li Baocheng thought to himself while straining his camera angle to nce up the hill, and he instantly felt a chill, the archer was far away from them, way beyond his attack range, he couldn¡¯t even see the name, only a vague silver color--that meant the archer was a minor boss-level enemy.


    In this game, archery is done in a parabolic fashion, with his current strength and the quality of his bow he couldn¡¯t shoot that far, so it looks like a counter-attack is out of the question, but staying here was also a dead-end. As soon as the caravan¡¯s guards were all killed, when the bandits surrounded them, they too would meet their end here.


    Suddenly, Sun Bin had a stroke of inspiration, "I¡¯ve got it, let¡¯s log off quickly!"


    Xiao Buli then realized, right, we can log off, logging off means we won¡¯t die!


    He hurriedly clicked to exit the game and saw that he had returned to the character selection screen and couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. He was finally safe, he thought.


    But behind him, Han Baiqiang suddenly cried out in panic. "Hey, why can¡¯t I log off?"


    Xiao Buli quickly stood up and looked at Han Baiqiang¡¯s screen--


    System Notification: Since you are currently in abat state, you cannot log off. You can choose to forcibly exit the game, but your character will remain in the game until you leavebat or log in again, and you canplete the official logout process after leavingbat.


    So you couldn¡¯t log off in the middle of a fight, luckily I ran fast, Xiao Buli thought to himself, feeling fortunate.


    Now they really felt desperate, the three of them watched as the caravan¡¯s guards fell one by one until only Captain Wang was left, desperately holding on.


    "There¡¯s only one shooter, let¡¯s charge together, as long as we¡¯re not hit in a vital spot we shouldn¡¯t be killed instantly, and there are three of us. If we run together, unless we¡¯re incredibly unlucky, we should be able to get away," Sun Bin suggested.


    All the while, he checked his equipment and health points, thanks to his exquisite Pigskin Jacket and the Pale Ring, two items that boosted health, his health points were close to two hundred which was more than Han Baiqiang, he definitely had the best chance to escape.


    Li Baocheng and Han Baiqiang, upon hearing this, also steeled themselves. Han Baiqiang said, "Okay, I¡¯ll count to three and then we run together, one! Two! Three!"


    The three of them charged out almost simultaneously, at the same time, the archer hidden in the woods aimed at them. Li Baocheng, the fastest, bravely ran at the front of the group, Sun Bin, seeing this, quickly activated his newly learned ¡¯Charge¡¯ skill and suddenly overtook Li Baocheng. But before he could feel relieved, an arrow with a chilling gleam pierced through his character¡¯s heart.


    The screen shed a number -234 dramatically, and Sun Bin¡¯s mind buzzed. He watched as his character screamed, clutching his chest, and copsed on the ground as if his soul had been ripped out, stunned in ce.


    The screen gradually dimmed, and a few blood-like bright red characters appeared at the center of the screen¡ªYou¡¯re dead!

 Chapter 43 Eight Thousand Yuan (Revised Edition)

    Sun Bin¡¯s mind buzzed, and he watched as his character screamed, clutching his chest and copsing to the ground, as if soulless, he stood there dumbfounded.


    The screen gradually darkened, and several letters as red as fresh blood appeared in the center¡ªYou are dead!


    He lifted his head to look at Li Jian, who was looking at him as if he were looking at a dead person, a gaze that made him very ufortable. It¡¯s just a game, isn¡¯t it? He opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Yes, it¡¯s just a game, but it was also a well-paying job. He hadn¡¯t forgotten the contract that emphasized repeatedly that death in-game would result in termination. Now he even felt like dying, with a frighteningly dark expression.


    Li Baocheng, while madly sprinting forward with his character, secretly celebrated his luck. By now, he had also realized that the arrow had been aimed at him, but when Sun Bin rushed past him, he got startled and subconsciously slowed down. That moment saved his life, but at the cost of Sun Bin¡¯s death.


    He nced at Sun Bin, who was still sitting there dumbfounded, seemingly lost in thought.


    "Run, Little Li, we are not out ofbat yet!" Han Baiqiang¡¯s voice jolted Li Baocheng, who quickly started running again.


    Sun Bin¡¯s mind was still nk; Han Baiqiang¡¯s words seemed unusually faint, as ifing from far away, until a strong arm rested on his shoulder, and he instinctively turned around.


    It was Li Jian, looking at him with a pitiful expression, "You know the rule; it¡¯s time to leave."


    Sun Bin opened his mouth. He wanted to plead but couldn¡¯t swallow his pride. It¡¯s just a game, give me another chance. I¡¯m just having bad luck; my gaming skills are impressive, he was screaming inside, but he couldn¡¯t make up his mind to beg, and Li Jian did not give him the chance to decide.


    Sun Bin felt himself being hoisted up, as the usually amiable guy proved unexpectedly strong. He was practically dragged out of the newbie room, leaving behind a heavy silence.


    Sun Bin had no idea how he left thepany. He only remembered being summoned by the beautiful Manager Qin to the office, where he was paid his wages of 8,000 yuan for the month, and then escorted out of the building by two security guards in ck suits.


    Standing on the street, he felt a bitter taste in his heart. Ah, to lose such a good job just like that, what a mess.


    Thankfully, there was still the 8,000 yuan. He patted his chest pocket, the weight of the cash bringing him somefort. It wasn¡¯t for nothing after all. Miss Qin was quite kindhearted, paying 8,000 yuan for just half a month; that¡¯s quite a profit, he consoled himself, deciding it was best to head back to where he was staying. Thinking this, he reached out to hail a taxi.


    Sun Bin did not have a ce in this city he could call home. Three months ago, he came to the big city full of dreams, imagining he¡¯d make a life for himself through hard work. But reality was cruel, and he nevernded any decent job. Atst, finding a job with good pay that matched his skills, he ruined it all.


    It seemed his uncle was right when he left his hometown; maybe he was only fit to be an inte caf¨¦ manager in a small city. Well, he might as well go home in a few days.


    With these thoughts, he hailed a taxi and gave the driver his old address. Half an hourter, he returned to his rented amodation.


    The ce was rented together with another guy from out of town. Opening the door, the house was empty, probably because the roommate was out working and hadn¡¯te back. Having been away for half a month, the ce looked shabby, but he knew nothing had changed in the room; it was himself who had changed.


    ustomed to the well-decorated office of the bigpany, returning to his humble abode naturally felt different.


    "Forget it, a golden house or a silver house is no match for my own doghouse," he muttered to himself while grabbing a can of beer from the fridge and sitting down in front of the couch, turning on the TV and starting to watch as he sipped his beer.


    He didn¡¯t pay much attention to the television, absentmindedly flipping through channels while lost in thought, wondering why he was so unlucky, what he would do after returning to his hometown. As he sat like that, not knowing how much time had passed, the light in the room suddenly dimmed inexplicably.


    Is it cloudy? Or has it gotten dark so quickly? He turned curiously to look out the window. It was pitch-ck outside, with the sun leaving a vague shadow on the ss, as though something had cut him off from the sunlight.


    What the hell is that? He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things. A burst of static came from the TV behind him, and when he turned back, he saw the screen was full of snow, with a loud static noise that was strangely unsettling.


    He hurriedly turned off the TV, but the darkness intensified without this sole source of light, as if something was absorbing the light around him. The peculiar atmosphere in the dark made him uneasy; instinctively, he walked towards the window, intending to open it and find out what was going on.


    But just as he was about to touch the ss, a mysterious force emerged from the darkness and mmed him backward without warning, causing him to fall to the floor.


    His chest felt as if it had been pierced, the pain almost stopping him from breathing.


    Damn it, could it be a heart attack? He reached instinctively for his chest, but instead felt a sticky liquid. Confused, he lifted his hand; through his increasingly blurry vision, he saw his hand covered in fresh, red blood.


    How could this be? Thest thought shed through Sun Bin¡¯s mind, and then¡ªhe died.


    The darkness suddenly vanished, the bright midday sun shining in through the window, casting light on Sun Bin¡¯s shocked and lifeless face.


    Four hourster:


    The police car screeched to a halt in front of themunity gate with a sharp brake, and the door opened. A petite female police officer stepped down from the vehicle.


    Situ Yu scrutinized the ordinary-lookingmunity with a frown.


    At twenty-four years old, she had been on the force for only a few years. However, with a bachelor¡¯s degree and some connections left from her family, she quickly reached the rank of third-grade police inspector within two years.


    However, having been a third-level police inspector for two years, although the older generation¡¯s connections were useful, getting promoted without handling any significant cases was not an easy task. Yet, the public security environment in City B had always been good, with even robberies being a rarity, let alone any major cases for her to tackle.


    But things had changed in recent times, one murder case followed another; within a mere six months, over a dozen people had died.


    When the first murder case urred, Situ Yu did not participate in the investigation since her resume and qualifications barely made the cut, and there were many who wanted the opportunity to solve cases and gain merit¡ªshe, a youngster with just a few years under her belt, had no chance. However, as the murder cases kept increasing, she also got involved.


    Unfortunately, after several months, there was not a single lead.


    "Sir," an officer greeted her hastily with a salute as he saw her approaching swiftly.


    "What¡¯s the situation?" Situ Yu asked in a businesslike manner.


    "The victim is a twenty-four-year-old male, named Sun Bin, a migrant worker."


    "Cause of death?"


    "The chest was pierced by a sharp weapon, and the initial assessment suggests it could be something like a dagger. However, no murder weapon was found at the scene."


    Situ Yu waited for the officer to say more, but when he didn¡¯t, she interrupted with raised brows, "Is that all?"


    The officer smiled mysteriously, "The deceased had this left on him."


    As he spoke, the officer took an evidence bag out of a kraft paper bag from his chest; inside it was a thick stack of renminbi.


    "8000 yuan?"


    Situ Yu almost subconsciously asked.


    "Correct, eight thousand!" The officer¡¯s face bore excitement, while Situ Yu sighed internally, here we go again.


    The recent murders in City B appeared unrted at first, but as the police consolidated and summarized the cases, a pattern emerged: each victim had been carrying a significant amount of cash just before death¡ªeight or nine thousand, sometimes ten, with the highest being twelve thousand.


    The most frequently urring sum was eight thousand yuan, as with an instance a little over a month ago when four victims were simultaneously found each carrying eight thousand yuan.


    What in the world was going on? What secret was hidden behind this? Situ Yu quietly pondered.


    "Where¡¯s the person who reported the crime?" she asked.


    "The scene has been secured, and that person is right there by the police car," the officer replied.


    As the two spoke, they had arrived downstairs where a young man, the one who had reported the crime, was sitting at the rear door of the police car, still with a look of shock on his face. A policeman stood next to him, taking notes temporarily.


    Situ Yu took the paper and pen directly from the officer¡¯s hand, gave him a look hinting at him to leave, and once the officer had gone, she raised an eyebrow at the young man, "Did you report the crime?" she asked upfront.


    Looking up and seeing a dashing and beautiful policewoman, the young man inhaled deeply, trying to hide his frightened expression. No matter how timid, a man always tries to y the hero in front of a beautiful woman.


    "Yes, I¡¯m the one who reported it."


    "So, what exactly happened?"


    The young man took a deep breath and recounted, "It was like this, I came home from work in the afternoon, pushed the door open, and saw him lying there on the ground, blood everywhere, so I immediately called the police."


    "What was your rtionship with the deceased?"


    "Roommates. We rented a ce together. However, he hasn¡¯t been living here for the past half a month, said thepany he recently started working at provided amodation."


    "What¡¯s the name of thatpany?"


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    The youth shook his head, "I don¡¯t know, he never told me. When I asked, he said thepany had rules not to disclose anything about it."


    Damn, not this again! Situ Yu was so frustrated she almost threw her pen. It was always the same oue. It seemed that thispany was the focus; it must have issues. Although they did not know the name of thispany, perhaps they could find some clue among the deceased¡¯s belongings.


    She tossed the notepad to a nearby officer, "You, and you, you,e with me upstairs. Move all of the deceased¡¯s belongings to the station. I want to check them one by one."

 Chapter 44 The Real Adventure

    "This is useless, this is useless too, damn it, is there really not a single useful thing?"


    As Situ Yu spoke, she tossed a pile of inspected rubbish to the side. She had been searching for over two hours now, the evidence room¡¯s flickering lights were straining her eyes, she couldn¡¯t simply let it go¡ªwait, what¡¯s this?


    Situ Yu¡¯s attention was suddenly drawn to an old magazine discarded on the ground, revealing a gap with something seemingly stuffed inside it. She flipped through the magazine and pulled out an old, folded newspaper from the middle.


    It was a job ssifieds advertisement, filled with various job-seeking, hiring, sale, rental, and lease requests. She quickly scanned them, noticing that some ads were circled with a ballpoint pen; there were about seven or eight in total, all frompanies looking to hire. She checked the date¡ªit was from half a month ago.


    I¡¯ve found it! A surge of tion shot through Situ Yu as she grasped the newspaper and headed for the Director¡¯s office.


    Knock knock knock, a series of knocks lifted Director Zhou from hisputer.


    "Come in," Director Zhou said in a somewhat hoarse voice. The door opened, and an excited Situ Yu walked in. Seeing that it was her, Director Zhou¡¯s expression softened.


    Situ Yu and he were somewhat rted; after all, Situ Yu¡¯s grandfather was his former superior. Director Zhou had a fondness for this ambitious young woman, finding her eagerness rare among today¡¯s youth. When it was her knocking, he jokingly asked, "Is it you, Xiao Yu? Weren¡¯t you investigating that case? Could it be that you have found a clue?"


    "That¡¯s right, Director. I think I¡¯ve found some clues."


    As she spoke, she spread the newspaper in front of Director Zhou. "Look at this, it¡¯s a newspaper left by the deceased, dated half a month ago. Clearly, he was job-hunting at the time, and had marked several positions he nned to apply for.


    If my guess is correct, thepany he entered during this half month is among these circled ones, and thispany might well be the workce of the victims who died in the several previous cases. I believe if we find thispany, it will be key to solving these cases."


    Situ Yu said excitedly, not noticing the suddenplexity on Director Zhou¡¯s face, "If possible, please issue me an investigation order. I guarantee I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this."


    Director Zhou frowned, his face showing some difficulty, not quite looking as pleased as one might expect. Situ Yu initially didn¡¯t notice, but after a long wait and seeing no praise from him, she felt odd, and ncing at Director Zhou¡¯s facial expression, she grew even more puzzled.


    "What¡¯s the matter, Director? Is there a problem?"


    "I cannot give you this investigation order," Director Zhou said gravely.


    Situ Yu became anxious immediately, "But Director¡ª"


    "There¡¯s no ¡¯but¡¯!" Director Zhou¡¯s expression was unusually serious, "The police department is a ce that adheres to judicial procedures. We cannot rashly handle cases based on our spections. What would we be then? The victim died indoors from a stabbing, but there is no sign of forced entry on the doors and windows, no trace of a violent struggle at the scene.


    Thus, it¡¯s quite obvious he might havemitted suicide, perhaps due to job dissatisfaction or other reasons. Any experienced officer can see that. You cannot link unrted cases based on tenuous guesses, making assumptions about a case is a cardinal sin for a police officer; remember that."


    Seeing that the young woman was not satisfied, Director Zhou could onlyfort her with these words: "I know young people like you are energetic, want to aplish great things, want to rid society of evil, all good intentions, but sometimes solving cases isn¡¯t just about enthusiasm. I am telling you this for your own good.


    I will keep this newspaper for now, you seem rather unstable at the moment, so you will not be in charge of this case for the time being. I will transfer you to the Public Security division for a while. It¡¯s gettingte, you better go home, don¡¯t make your parents worry."


    Angry and helpless from Director Zhou¡¯s speech, Situ Yu stormed out, mming the door behind her.


    Director Zhou sighed as he watched Situ Yu¡¯s retreating figure. He took a lighter from his pocket, ced the newspaper on top of it, seemingly intent on burning it, but he hesitated.


    A strong urge welled up in him to unfold the newspaper, to take a closer look at those circledpanies. Just as this impulse grew stronger, a deep voice suddenly emerged from the corner,


    "What are you hesitating for?"


    Director Zhou¡¯s hand jerked; he looked up in rm. In the chair across from him, a man wearing a ck trench coat had appeared in the office at some point, smiling at him.


    "Good evening, Director Zhou, it¡¯s been a long time since west met."


    "What are you doing here?" Director Zhou asked coldly; his stern voice could not hide the tremor within.


    "What do you think?" replied the man in the trench coat as he rose from the chair and casually sat on his desk, leaning forward toward him and snatching the newspaper from his hands to take a look.


    "Heh, didn¡¯t expect you had a fewpetent people under you," he remarked.


    "I warn you not to think ofying a hand on her."


    The man in the ck trench coat nced at him with disdain, "I¡¯m not that bored. I don¡¯t kill people just for the sake of it¡ªunless there¡¯s a real threat. Especially not such a cute little girl."


    Director Zhou¡¯s expression softened slightly as if he had aged ten years. You guys are bound to run into trouble sooner orter. Even if I don¡¯t look into it, someone else eventually will. Even though he said this, he still offered the lighter proactively.


    "Seems like you know your ce," the man in the ck trench coat said, but he didn¡¯t reach for the lighter. Instead, he clenched the newspaper tightly in his hand, and a burst of sparks erupted. When he reopened his hand, the newspaper had turned to ash.


    Seeing this trick that seemed like magic, Director Zhou was hardly surprised; obviously, it wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen it, "Just who are you people?" he said as he slowly put the lighter back in his pocket, then quietly opened a drawer, but before he could reach inside¡ª


    "It doesn¡¯t matter who we are. What you need to know is that we are people you cannot afford to mess with. Oh, and if I were you, I wouldn¡¯t keep a gun in the drawer next time. It¡¯s too easy for others to get to it," he said while tossing a gun in front of him.


    Ignoring Director Zhou¡¯s ugly expression, the man in the ck trench coat did what he came to do, smiled, waved at him, and then disappeared into the air like he had melted away.


    Director Zhou slumped back into his chair, his eyes filled with anger and helplessness.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªDivider¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The next day, Xiao Buli exceptionally got up veryte.


    For the neers like them, thepany hadn¡¯t set any strict working hours. However, to make a good impression on thepany executives and to achieve more growth in the game, the four of them always logged in on time.


    But today, Xiao Buli just wasn¡¯t in the mood. He stood in front of the washbasin, looking at his reflection in the mirror, and for the first time, he began to hesitate.


    "Should I continue?" he asked his reflection.


    The death of Sun Bin had shown him the brutality of the game. Although he had a premonition, it was only when death actually urred before his eyes that he realized being cautious sometimes wasn¡¯t enough.


    Sun Bin¡¯s ability in the game wasn¡¯t much worse than his; in some aspects, it was even stronger. But he had died without a chance to fight back, soundlessly.


    Was there anything different about himself?


    Perhaps this was a mistake from the beginning, and now it was time to end this mistake. He thought about this, almost immediately wanting to run to Qin Shimoon to resign, to stay far away from this strange game.


    But reason told him that would be wrong. Not to mention the three hundred thousand he had invested in trying to save Lu Jiang, which left him without savings and in debt, he didn¡¯t even know if he could get past thepany. From all the signs he had seen from this Qilin studio, he didn¡¯t believe they would let him go that easily without taking any action.


    Continuing in the game might lead to death, but it might also lead to a powerful strength.


    If he were to resign now, he could also possibly die and certainly wouldn¡¯t gain any strength.


    So if death was a possibility either way, why not take a chance? At least this way, he could control his own fate, couldn¡¯t he?


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    His reason gradually took over. A calm analysis had always been his strength.


    And don¡¯t I still have a high Luck Value of 17? With such high luck, there¡¯s no reason I should die easily. As long as I take advantage of the Blessing BUFF from Lu Jiang and find a safe area while itsts, there should be no problem, right?


    I¡¯ll treat this game as a real adventure, measure everything by real-life rules, and use my strategic nning skills to solve dilemmas, "You can do this, Xiao Buli!" he eximed, not only to encourage himself but to state his full confidence.


    As he uttered these words, his decision was made.


    After washing his face, the man in the mirror looked a bit downcast. He tweaked his eyebrows to make himself look more optimistic. Well then, let the real adventure begin!

 Chapter 45 Lone Journey

    Xiao Buli and the other two, fearing that the ck Mountain Bandits would be waiting at their log-off location, did not dare to log back in yesterday afternoon, hoping that the silver-named mini-boss and the bandits had already moved on.


    As he pondered this, he walked out of the neer area¡¯sputer room, and immediately, upon entering, heard Han Baiqiang and Li Baocheng¡¯s shouts.


    "Don¡¯t run, they have a speed buff in mountain terrain, we can¡¯t outrun them! Let your pet hold off the leader, and we¡¯ll take down the smaller ones first," came Han Baiqiang¡¯s voice.


    "Damn, that¡¯s some high damage, I¡¯m running out of health, hurry up and take the aggro!" Li Baocheng yelled.


    Xiao Buli was taken aback, thinking that these two guys were bold to have engaged the bandits.


    He hurried over to look at their screens, where the two of them were facing three ck Mountain bandits, one ck Mountain Looter, and two ck Mountain Lackeys.


    The ck Mountain Looters were White-Named Monsters, while the ck Mountain Lackeys were grey-named, also known as minions. Although grey-named, monsters part of a system usually had decentbat power, which is why Li Baocheng and Han Baiqiang were not taking any chances.


    Right then, the ck Mountain Looter was tightly entangled by Li Baocheng¡¯s pet ¡¯Ash Messenger,¡¯ while the two of them dealt with the two ck Mountain Lackeys, managing to fight effectively thanks to their decent skills.


    One ck Mountain Lackey was being kited by Li Baocheng, his bow and arrows continuously hailing down on it. But his speed was ultimately slower than the pursuer, and since he was retreating, he was quickly caught up with.


    Just as the Lackey charged at him with a red-tasseled spear, Li Baocheng moved forward rather than back, dodging the charge at thest moment with an Emergency Dodge, then swiftly got behind his opponent, finishing off the weakened foe with a Backstab.


    "Well done!" Xiao Buli quietly cheered in his heart, as this yer who yed possum finally revealed his true strength.


    Spin! With a powerful hit, Han Baiqiang made another bandit Lackey stagger back. Li Baocheng, having dealt with his own foe, immediately rejoined the fray. With thest ck Mountain Lackey going down, victory seemed assured.


    One minuteter, the remaining ck Mountain Looter was also taken down.


    It was finally over, and the two exhausted victors began bandaging their wounds to restore health and Physical Strength while looting their spoils.


    "Hahaha, they dropped money! These bandits are really loaded," eximed Li Baocheng excitedly, as he stripped the defeated monsters of their equipment.


    "Where are you guys?" Seeing the fight was over, Xiao Buli sat down at hisputer and asked.


    "We¡¯ve moved away from where we logged off. We nned to wait for you to leave together, but Old Han suggested we log in to check things out. As soon as we did, we ran into bandits and had to run all the way here. After shaking off most of the monsters, we were left with just three minor bandits; we¡¯ve just taken care of them.


    This godforsaken ce doesn¡¯t even have a map; finding you would have been a hassle, so we headed north," they replied.


    Xiao Buli sighed internally, thinking these two were really not considerate, not even waiting for him. It seemed he could only rely on himself.


    However, they weren¡¯t logged off in the same ce to begin with, and even if they had logged on together, they might not have been able to meet up. He wasn¡¯t worried about being on his own. With this game¡¯s severe death penalties, they might not stick together when danger arose anyway; better to go it alone.


    After logging into the game and observing his surroundings, it seemed Xiao Buli¡¯s luck was a bit better than his twopanions¡¯. There were no monsters nearby, just Meatball loyally following by his side.


    The man and his dog made their way through the woods toward the mountains, judging that the bandits were likely to target the main road through the Misty Forest since caravans typically moved by horse-drawn vehicles and could only take this road. By contrast, the mountains might be overlooked, and they might bypass them altogether.


    He opened the world map while walking, and 99% of the vast map remained unexplored. However, significant locations like Dahuang Vige, the ck Wastnd, the Misty Forest, his current location, and Nine Dragons City were marked.


    He drew a line from his current position to Nine Dragons City, crossing unexplored territory, while the main road required a detour. Perhaps he could try to cut straight across.


    Upon consulting the map again, and recalling what he had learned from the caravan owner, the main road through the Misty Forest was usually rtively safe, harboring the asional wild animal but seldom bandits due to certain reasons.


    The current appearance of the ck Mountain Bandits was likely an exception, so if he could bypass this mountain and avoid the bandits¡¯ ambush, the main road should be safe.


    With that decision made, he set out for the mountain.


    After walking some distance, he encountered an impassible cliff and had to continue around. To avoid danger, he let Meatball take the lead. Although Meatball wasn¡¯t much in a fight, it had an Agility skill that increased its alert range by 20%, allowing it to spot monsters in advance.


    In his view, passing through an unexplored area carried significant risk, yet he believed his Luck Value of seventeen would see him through. Indeed, for over half an hour, they encountered only passive creatures like deer, rabbits, and pheasants.


    The only threat was ame lone wolf, which one man and one dog were not intimidated by; sensing low chances of victory in a fight, the wolf detoured around them.


    But although he hadn¡¯t encountered any powerful monsters, the path became increasingly convoluted. The dense andyered woods around him dazzled the eyes. The sunlight, fragmented by the branches and leaves into countless broken columns of light, created an astonishingly realistic y of light and shadow. But this realism made him increasingly ufortable.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Fog had begun to rise, though not thick, but thick enough to further obscure his vision. He rubbed between his eyes, trying his best not to let the environment affect his mood, and as he circled around a patch of thorny bushes, Meatball suddenly stopped, whining and reluctant to move forward.


    There¡¯s danger! He quickly realized and scanned the surroundings, but saw nothing. Then suddenly, the figure of a tiger appeared in his line of sight.


    Xiao Buli tensed up immediately. He clicked on the tiger¡¯s name with his mouse. It was just a minor monster with a white name. But it was still a freaking tiger. If he were ying any other game, he wouldn¡¯t bat an eye at a tiger. In many games, tigers are justmon minor monsters that even newbies could easily kill.


    But because this game was so realistic, the strength of the tiger had to be measured by real-world standards.


    If he were in reality, given an iron sword and a dog to face off against a tiger, what would the result be? He didn¡¯t need to think to know the answer.


    Xiao Buli froze for a moment, but after a few seconds, he realized the tiger hadn¡¯t moved and didn¡¯t seem to have noticed him yet.


    Thank the heavens; his Luck Value was not in vain. Now all he had to do was back away slowly.


    With that thought in mind, he retreated backwards. Somehow, the tiger stood up and looked in his direction.


    Damn it, he¡¯s been spotted! He immediately realized, and thought that even a wild dog had a level 1 Agility, so the tiger must have a simr skill and probably at a higher level.


    Without hesitation, Xiao Buli turned and ran, ncing back from an over-the-shoulder view as he did. The tiger had indeed spotted him and was pursuing with light, swift strides. At that rate, he guessed it would catch him in less than ten seconds. Suddenly, a six or seven-meter-high cliff appeared in front of him.


    Xiao Buli didn¡¯t think twice and jumped off, losing half his health points and emerging at the bottom with a limping DEBUFF above his head.


    Limping: Due to an injury to your leg, your Movement Speed is reduced by thirty percent.


    This is just my luck, throwing this at me now. But he couldn¡¯t afford to stop and continued to run ahead. The tiger reached the cliff¡¯s edge but didn¡¯t dare to jump. Just as Xiao Buli started to feel a glimmer of relief, he saw the tiger taking a side path around the cliff, clearly not giving up on the chase.


    He still had to run. As he pressed on, the tiger didn¡¯t reappear, but he couldn¡¯t afford to stop. Running and running, soon he couldn¡¯t even see the path anymore and could only squeeze forward through the gaps between the trees. Unexpectedly, an open, overgrown field appeared before him, and a gate made of two stone statues emerged in his view.


    The statues, resembling some unknown beast, were ferocious and terrifying, covered in moss as if they had been there for many years. On either side of the statues were dense barriers of thorns, tall and thick with no gaps, their thorns like the walls that separated the forest from the world behind the gate.


    Through the entrance between the statues, a clear space and several paths leading in different directions were visible, like the entrance to a maze.


    What kind of ce is this? A hidden map? A mysterious dungeon? But that¡¯s not right; the entrance to a dungeon should have a light screen.


    He was thinking and hesitating whether or not to go in.


    Before he coulde to a conclusion¡ª


    Aowu! A roar suddenly sounded from behind. Out of nowhere, the tiger pounced from the woods andnded a few meters behind him. Now, there was no choice but to enter.


    Almost instinctively, he dashed forward, but he was still a few meters from the entrance, and he knew the tiger would catch up to him before he could get there. Ctrl+1! That was the default pet attack key. At that point, Xiao Buli couldn¡¯t worry about the consequences and immediatelymanded Meatball to attack, then ran without looking back.


    Meatball whimpered, seemingly unwilling, and charged at the tiger.


    Pounce! Leaping into the air.


    At the same moment, the tiger alsounched into the air, pouncing toward the iing attack. Meatball was helplessly flipped over, followed by a ferocious Rip and Bite¡ªan advanced skill of ripping and biting. Meatball let out an indistinct whimper and was dead.


    Xiao Buli had no time to feel sad and continued to run frantically into the area behind the stone statues. A few stridester, the tiger had not followed; he turned to look. At the edge of the gate, the tiger paced back and forth, unwilling to advance, chewing on Meatball¡¯s body while watching his direction warily.


    Could there be some problem? He looked at his high Luck Value of seventeen again, the attribute evaluation¡ªnothing short of a protagonist¡¯s halo.


    That calmed him down a bit. Looking around, he noticed the thorny bushes were growing densely but not chaotically; they seemed to be following some pattern. Could it be that these bushes were nted intentionally?


    He was puzzled and didn¡¯t know whether to continue forward or not. Looking back, the tiger still hadn¡¯t left, lying near the entrance, devouring Meatball¡¯s remains while keeping a vignt eye on him.


    With a bitter smile in his heart, Xiao Buli asked himself, what other choice did he have?

 Chapter 46 Labyrinth

    Having made up his mind, Xiao Buli walked towards the deeper parts of the maze. Initially, there was only one path, winding and turning with no straight sections in sight. Fortunately, there were no forks, so Xiao Buli didn¡¯t have to pay much attention, and he simply kept walking. It didn¡¯t take long before he arrived at a small square measuring about ten meters on each side.


    The square was very regr,pletely square in shape, with three exits facing different directions around its perimeter. In the center of the square stood arge stele with a strange poem neatly inscribed in standard script.


    A horizontal and a vertical line connect the north and south, the west does not shine while the east does.


    Choose left at even splits, right at odd, when hearts align understanding is not far sought.


    Worn iron shoes will find no ce to go, though paths run everywhere, none lead home.


    Vast changes lie within illusion; do not contend; doubting gods and ghosts leads only to a lifeless end.


    What does this mean? Xiao Buli was momentarily confused after reading the text on the stele. It was clear that the doggerel was some kind of hint for navigating the maze, seemingly to indicate the method to escape.


    But isn¡¯t this guidance too damn lowbrow? Isn¡¯t the point of a maze to prevent outsiders from entering? Why design such hints? Is the designer of this maze sick?


    Although he didn¡¯t understand why there would be such a cheesy setup, he had seen plenty of such designs in many games, so he wasn¡¯t surprised. Nevertheless, Xiao Buli decided to ponder the meaning.


    "A horizontal and a vertical line connect the north and south," seems to suggest that the maze has two passages, one at the north and one at the south. If the one I came through is at the south, then the exit should be in the north.


    "The west does not shine while the east does," must mean that the path to the west is impassable, and the path to the east is the way out.


    "Choose left at even splits, right at odd," probably means when facing two forks, choose the left one and when there are three, choose the right. "When hearts align understanding is not far sought," does this mean as long as the meaning of the poem is grasped, one could walk out of the maze?


    "But what does, ¡¯Worn iron shoes will find no ce to go, though paths run everywhere, none lead home,¡¯ mean?" Xiao Buli thought hard but couldn¡¯te up with an exnation.


    And as for "Vast changes lie within illusion; do not contend; doubting gods and ghosts leads only to a lifeless end," this made even less sense to him. Thest two sentences just didn¡¯t seem to mean anything at all, or it seemed like they might mean something, but when they werebined with the earlier lines, they made no sense.


    However, at least he felt sure about the first four lines, though they seemed too simple. After hesitating for a while, he decided to walk and see. It would be great if the maze was indeed this simple, and with some uncertainty in his heart, he set foot on the path to the east.


    There were many forks along the way, and he generally followed the instructions from before, "Choose left at even, right at odd." But after not too long, he came to a junction with four different paths.


    This wasn¡¯t covered in the instructions! He felt speechless inside, recalling the earlier poem, there really was no mention of this. Wait a minute, four is the square of two, so that should count as an even number, right? Then I should choose the left side.


    With this thought, he headed down the path farthest to the left.


    Ten minutester, the path suddenly opened up, and Xiao Buli was stunned by what he saw¡ªhe had returned to the same small square with the stele, facing the same three paths, with the stone monument right before his eyes.


    This is utterly bizarre, he thought. Although I¡¯ve been turning left and right, I¡¯ve clearly been heading north all along, so how did I end up back here? And I was following the instructions on the stele, wasn¡¯t I? Did I misunderstand something?


    He read the poem from top to bottom once more, but still, he couldn¡¯t think of any other possibility.


    Maybe the poem is just a lie meant to confuse me? Perhaps I could try walking in the opposite direction as a test.


    With this thought, he chose the path to the west, still following "right at odd, left at even." Yet, fifteen minutester to his astonishment, he found himself back at the small square with the stone monument once more.


    Xiao Buli felt bewildered; it was the first time he found himself stumped by a game. No matter how difficult the games he yed before, he always managed to find a solution. He had yed quite a few puzzle games, where all you needed to do was find some items, arrange them in a certain order, and easily solve the puzzles. But he had never encountered something as bizarre as this before.


    What¡¯s happening here? He opened the map to check his coordinates, but they were just question marks: ???/???.


    Perhaps he could draw the map. He asked someone for a piece of paper, and then he chose the middle path, walking while sketching a rough outline of the route. However, he quickly realized it was futile because, after twenty minutes, he found himself back at the small za, even though the drawn route on the map was clearly advancing forward with constant turns.


    He didn¡¯t set off again, instead he began to think hard, pondering over and over until another possibility urred to him. Could it be visual deception? These maze corridors looked perfectly straight, but perhaps they were slightly off, and the corners that appeared to be right-angled were also deviated.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This kind of discrepancy wouldn¡¯t matter after a turn or two, but after many turns, it would be significant, and one¡¯s sense of direction could be distorted. Was he actually heading south when he thought he was going north?


    If that was the case, then there was truly no solution, as there was no way to measure the angles of the passageways in this maze.


    He looked around at the several corridors, even starting to doubt which was south and which was north.


    ¡¯Searching in vain for what¡¯s hard to find, paths leading everywhere but I am trapped.¡¯ This saying really came true.


    ¡¯Elusive changes need no contention, doubting ghosts and gods leads to death without life.¡¯ What did that even mean? How could one not suspect ghosts and gods in such bizarre events?


    Xiao Buli¡¯s mind kept spinning, but no matter how much he thought, he couldn¡¯t find a reasonable exnation. He opened his Attributes panel again.


    Those seventeen points of Luck Value, which were once his greatest source of confidence, now seemed rather ridiculous¡ªhe felt annoyed by thatment of "The protagonist¡¯s halo is nothing special after all." Which protagonist has ever been as unlucky as me?


    But Xiao Buli wasn¡¯t someone who gave up easily. He calmed himself down and tried again. This time, he did not follow the instructions on the stele; instead, he took the right path at every intersection, be it at a trio or duo of choices. ording to his logic, this route might lead him into a dead end, but definitely not back to the starting point.


    Yet, once again, after only more than ten minutes, he found himself back at the small za where the stele stood.


    It really was like seeing a ghost! The thought suddenly rose in Xiao Buli¡¯s mind. Other than supernatural forces, he could not think of any other exnation. If it were before, he might not have thought so, but after the incident with Lu Jiang, he did not dare to make rash judgments about such matters.


    After two more attempts with the same result, he realized more and more that this maze didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary maze; it was not something that could be exined with visual deception.


    By noon, there was still no oue. Every time, he would end up back where he started, but as he took different routes, he gradually discovered that the maze seemed to be constantly changing. Walking the same path, the first intersection initially had three ways, but the second time he retraced this route, the first intersection had turned into two ways.


    Eventually, he even thought of retreating, taking the southern path to leave the maze, only to be surprised to find that he still ended up at the starting point¡ªthe small za with the stele.


    Xiao Buli thought to himself that this must be a system BUG! Should he try finding a GM? However, Xiao Buli wasn¡¯t even sure if this game had GMs, let alone their specific contact method, considering the game didn¡¯t even have private messaging.


    Forget it, let¡¯s go eat first, and then see.


    Xiao Buli knew he was already confused and thinking more about it would not yield any results. It was better to step away for a while. Fortunately, there were no monsters in the maze, so logging off was not an issue.


    Today¡¯s lunch included his favorite sweet and sour ribs and beef noodles. However, as he ate his beloved meals, he found them tasteless.


    "Hey, what¡¯s up? Ran into a tough problem?" Xiao Buli looked up and saw it was Wu Tao.


    "Tao, right? I have a question for you, do you know how to contact a GM?"


    "GM?" Wu Tao seemed to find the question amusingly odd, "I don¡¯t even know if this game has GMs."


    Hearing this response, Xiao Buli couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed.


    "What¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re looking for a GM to help with a problem? That¡¯s not like you. Didn¡¯t you used to solve any issue you encountered in games yourself?"


    Xiao Buli thought to himself that was true, but in face of this game, his past experience seemed utterly useless, leaving him feeling at a loss.


    After a nce at Wu Tao, Xiao Buli thought that, having yed games for so long, maybe Wu Tao knew something. With this in mind, he shared his encounter with the maze.


    After listening, Wu Tao was visibly shocked, "You¡¯re so lucky. Even though I don¡¯t know what the deal is with this maze, judging by the nature of this game, whatever is hidden inside must be extraordinary for it to be so difficult."


    PS: Apologies for thete update, two more chapters tomorrow.

 Chapter 47 Exhaustive Search Method

    Wu Tao¡¯s words didn¡¯t give him any particr surprise, he knew without thinking that abyrinth with such high difficulty wouldn¡¯t be set up here without reason.


    Moreover, ording to his consistent gaming experience, since there were no monsters in thebyrinth, there wouldn¡¯t be a BOSS waiting for him to fight at the end of it either.


    Undoubtedly, what was hidden behind thisbyrinth should be some good stuff, maybe a treasure chest that once opened, could grant super awesome equipment, or perhaps an apple treeden with magical Golden Apples, eating one granting eternal life, eating two allowing one to ascend to immortality.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But it could also be something like a cursed Demon Sword, acquiring this sword would grant great Strength, yet one might be tempted and corrupted by the sword, lose their mind, Xiao Buli spected all kinds of possibilities, and ording to the nature of this game, it really wasn¡¯t impossible.


    However, no matter what was hidden behind thebyrinth, the prerequisite was that one had to get through thebyrinth to see it.


    Seeing Xiao Buli deep in thought, Wu Tao couldn¡¯t help but find it funny, "Boss, it seems like your gaming level has regressed, you don¡¯t look like your old self now."


    Xiao Buli nced at Wu Tao, asking somewhat curiously, "What do you mean?"


    "Back when you led us in games, you always had the demeanor of a sage from another world, as if you had everything under control, and when we asked you for advice on a tough problem in the game, you could alwayse up with all sorts of bizarre methods to solve it. Although sometimes the solutions you gave were really far-fetched, they always worked.


    But now, you give off the feeling that you¡¯re just like the old me when I encountered a problem, no more than an ordinary person."


    Upon hearing Wu Tao¡¯s words, Xiao Buli couldn¡¯t help but want tough, thinking to himself that he didn¡¯t even know when he had been regarded as an Immortal.


    But gradually, he couldn¡¯tugh anymore, he figured out why Wu Tao felt that way.


    In the past, when ying games, he always viewed the game as an outsider because, as a realist, he knew that everything in the game was fake. Naturallycking immersion, he wouldn¡¯t get sentimental over touching storylines, nor would he be frightened by horrifying scenes, and he wouldn¡¯t be daunted by seemingly insoluble problems because he knew it was just a game.


    As long as the game¡¯s creators didn¡¯t have some sort of brain glitch, there would definitely be a way to solve it. He was just a spectator, able to judge with absolute calmness how to proceed in the game, where to start in order to solve the problem at hand.


    However, this game made him immerse himself into the game world for the first time. For someone who wanted to experience the game world, it might be a good thing, but for someone trying to survive in the game, it was not.


    As the saying goes, concern leads to chaos. The more he cared about the life and death of his game character, the less he could analyze problems calmly. Thankfully, Wu Tao had pointed it out, or he might never have realized it.


    "Thanks for the reminder, I owe you one," he said very seriously to Wu Tao. Wu Tao, seeing his reaction, felt somewhat embarrassed, "Don¡¯t say that." After thinking for a moment, he asked, "But speaking of which, what do you n to do?"


    Xiao Buli smiled slightly, "Ask Baidu."


    After finishing, he nodded to Wu Tao, and just as he stood up, suddenly a piercing pain shot through his leg, damn it! A chill went through his heart, it couldn¡¯t be that theme leg DEBUFF had taken effect, could it?


    His bone felt as though it had broken, so painful.


    "What¡¯s wrong with you?" Wu Tao asked with concern.


    "Nothing much, just thinking about some tough problems in the game," he replied.


    "Oh, I see. Be careful when you¡¯re exploring the maze, okay? Take it slow, and don¡¯t worry about being a littlete. Just don¡¯t die, because if you die, there goes your job. The cost of death is just too great."


    Xiao Buli merely smiled faintly at Wu Tao¡¯s well-meaning advice. He knew all too well about the cost of dying in the game.


    Standing up once again, Xiao Buli tried to act as if nothing was wrong as he made his way back to the dormitory. Sitting down, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a long sigh¡ª it was so painful. He rolled up his trousers to look, and saw no marks, but a gentle pinch brought a piercing pain.


    (It seems that it¡¯s not just death that leaves a mark on the body, pain does too, and like death, it shows up a few hourster.) This realization gave him a sense of urgency. It was clear that he needed to get out of this maze as soon as possible.


    As he thought about this, he turned on his personalputer. The saying goes, "When stumped on internal affairs, ask Baidu; when confused about external matters, ask Sogou." Xiao Buli used to enjoy researching online, and this time he decided to see if the inte could help solve his dilemma.


    He searched for ways to navigate a maze and did find a seemingly feasible method¡ªexhaustive search.


    To Xiao Buli, this exhaustive search seemed like a super dumb method, but it was absolutely effective.


    This so-called exhaustive search involved sticking to one wall of the maze and following it wherever it led¡ªwhether you encountered a fork in the path or a dead end, you just had to keep following that one wall. This method was definitely effective against nar mazes, regardless of how ingeniously or deceptively they were designed, because it would surely lead you out.


    Of course, it would be a different story for a three-dimensional maze, but fortunately, this particr maze had yet to present any situations involving stairs.


    Another potential failure would be if the entrance and exit of the maze were both located in the center rather than on the edges, which would likely result in a tortuous loop using the exhaustive search. However, at least for now, he had confirmed that the entrance was definitely not in the center of the maze, so that wasn¡¯t a concern.


    The worst case would be if, after a long time, he ended up back at the entrance, but that was still better than being trapped and dying in the maze.


    This method could be quite annoying to use, as it might require traversing all the branching paths before finding the way out. It would be manageable in a small maze, but in arge one, it was hard to predict how long it would take¡ªhours were likely, and a day or two was possible.


    But this was the only effective solution he could think of at the moment.


    Enduring the pain in his leg, Xiao Buli returned to the gaming room. Li Jian and the others hadn¡¯te back yet, and the studio was quiet with just him there. He booted up theputer and logged into the game, staring thoughtfully at the figure standing in front of the stone stele.


    He checked his inventory and saw that he had enough food to support him for another two days. Walking in this game also required Physical Strength, and even though it was used up slowly, if he ran out of food and Physical Strength before getting out, he would starve to death. Before that happened, however, Xiao Buli would log off in advance; he had no intention of starving to death in real life.


    Two days wasn¡¯t certain to be enough for him to find his way out of the maze with the exhaustive method, but now it was the only option he had left to try. Sticking to one wall, he set off once again. Navigating a maze with exhaustive search was truly frustrating; often, you could see a long dead end with one nce, yet you had to walk into it and back out again, multiplying the time spent.


    Nevertheless, if it meant getting out of this damned maze, it was all worth it. But after more than an hour of walking, he found himself back at his starting point.

 Chapter 48 The Bystander Sees Most of the Game

    Xiao Buli didn¡¯t feel panic or anxiety, he had entered that state from the past, able to calmly analyze the problem.


    Could the exit really be at the center of thebyrinth? It seems like the exhaustive method is useless now, am I really going to be finished this time!


    Xiao Buli tried not to let the fear of death affect his thinking and began to try to solve thebyrinth as an outsider. He took out the paper he had used to draw the map and listed the possible reasons for the current situation, one by one.


    The problems with thebyrinth might include the following.


    1, Thebyrinth is alive or has a mechanism design, manually changing the routes, making oneself unable to find the way out.


    2, Thebyrinth is normal, but there are ghosts or something like that interfering, causing him to fall into a cycle repeatedly.


    3, Thebyrinth is normal and there are no ghosts, but some kind of special technology that exists in reality is being used to prevent him from getting out.


    What would the former me have done?


    He remembered the experience of going through the Stone Tomb Formation when he yed the game "Legend".


    The Stone Tomb Formation is abyrinth made up of many simr rooms, each with four doors, and each time one leaves and returns, the room onees back to is never the same. One must master the changing patterns of the rooms when shuttling through to sessfully reach the next level of the Stone Tomb.


    Initially, on his first attempt, almost everyone didn¡¯t know the correct path and could only wander aimlessly. Sometimes one could wander for a day and still not find the way out, ending up having to use a town portal scroll to return to town. He was also trapped in the Stone Tomb Formation, but he did not easily give up.


    To determine the correct path, he came up with a method of throwing Gold Coins. In each room, he would throw a variable number of Gold Coins and then determine whether he had been there before based on how many piles of Gold Coins were in the room. This is actually a method of elimination.


    The current predicament could possibly be solved with this method of elimination as well. As long as he threw a certain number of copper coins at the entrance of each fork in the road he had passed, he would know if he had been down that road the next time he passed that fork.


    Once all the paths he had taken were eliminated, the remaining path would certainly be the correct one¡ªthis is the so-called elimination method.


    It¡¯s just not clear whether one can throw things on the ground in this game.


    He opened his inventory, clicked on money, and dragged it outside to find that he could indeed discard it.


    Let¡¯s throw a copper coin for a start.


    He entered the Arabic numeral 1, chose to discard, and sure enough, a copper coin appeared on the ground; it was very small but still clearly visible.


    Good job, he thought to himself, no problem then.


    Then he started on his way. At the first fork, he chose the path on the right and threw a copper coin at the entrance of the path he had passed. This way, every time he reached a fork, he would look around to make sure he wasn¡¯t going back the way he came.


    After more than ten minutes, he found himself back at the square.


    He never thought he would seed on the first try anyway. The essence of the elimination method was to continually eliminate the routes that one had taken and proven wrong. Just as he was about to choose a different path and continue on his way, he suddenly realized something was amiss¡ªthe copper coin he had previously thrown on the ground had disappeared.


    This discovery made him stop in his tracks.


    What was going on? Xiao Buli fell into thought once again.


    (Could it be that things thrown on the ground in this game are refreshed by the system? There was such a design in the former "Legend".) If that was the case, then it would really be a terrible pitfall.


    He stared at the ce where the copper coin had vanished for a full five minutes. If even the method of throwing things didn¡¯t work, then he really would be...


    Suddenly his pupils contracted sharply, noticing something slightly different. Behind that stone stele, a pale human hand was faintly visible, its fingers slightly curled as if beckoning him over.


    What was this situation? He rubbed his eyes; no mistake, it was a hand.


    Could there be someone else in thisbyrinth? Or is it simply a monster guarding thebyrinth? He shivered involuntarily, almost instinctively cing his fingers on the hotkeys for severalbat skills, activating Basic Swordsmanship, and slowly walked around behind the stone stele.


    When he saw the scene behind the stone stele, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply. Lying there was a rotten corpse with nothing left but bones, and that hand belonged to this corpse.


    Could it be that he picked up the copper coin? Was this a zombie or some other kind of monster? Xiao Buli waited tensely for the attack, but after a while, he found that the corpse did not move at all.


    He clicked on the corpse with his mouse, and the name that showed up was ¡¯Body of the Nameless Adventurer.¡¯ It seemed to indeed be a dead person. Xiao Buli breathed a sigh of relief, scrutinizing the appearance of the corpse. It was dressed in shabby leather armor, clutching a rusty iron sword to its chest, and its boots were so tattered that several holes had formed.


    He clicked on it with his mouse, and it showed that it could be searched.


    After choosing to search, a loot window popped up immediately, showing that there were four items that could be taken from the body.


    Rusty Iron Sword: A sword covered in rust, its original appearance unrecognizable.


    Rotten Purse: Opening it yields a certain amount of coins.


    Damaged Light Leather Armor: It has lost its intended defense capability and is nothing but valueless trash.


    Damaged Light Leather Boots: So worn and full of holes, they are nothing but worthless trash.


    What was this all about? How did an additional corpse suddenly appear? Staring at the body, Xiao Buli suddenly felt a chill as he realized that this corpse looked a lot like himself.


    It was not a resemnce in features, as the rotting corpse was beyond recognition, but whether it was the weapon or the equipment, it all looked exactly like what he was currently carrying¡ªiron sword, light leather armor, light leather boots¡ªwasn¡¯t this all his current gear?


    His mind was a whirl of confusion for a moment. Could this corpse be predicting his own demise? Or had he actually already died in the game, and his actions now, just like Lu Jiang¡¯s, were nothing more than repeats of his behavior while alive?


    This thought broke him out in a cold sweat. To assure himself this wasn¡¯t real, he pursed his lips¡ª


    A taste of sweet and sour pork ribs.


    This taste calmed him down quite a bit. It seemed he wasn¡¯t a ghost yet. So, what could the reason be? Pondering, he opened his equipment window and when he looked at his weapon, he froze. He wasn¡¯t equipped with the iron sword but with the Butcher¡¯s Bleeding Knife. He remembered now, after getting this weapon, he had sold the iron sword.


    This corpse could very well be another yer who died here or perhaps just the body of an NPC, and it was unexined why it would suddenly appear in the maze.


    It seemed that because he had searched it, the body that had originally been leaning against the stele suddenly bent over, revealing a dark mark on the backside. Seeing that mark, he felt as if he had grasped something.


    The body had definitely not been recently moved; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have left such a mark. So, if the body hadn¡¯t been moved, it surely couldn¡¯t be that the square was moving... or could it simply be¡ªhis mind shed with insight, and he suddenly understood everything.


    Xiao Buli suddenly felt like bursting outughing, havingpletely figured out the secret of the maze, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of emotion. He was clever, but his cleverness had led him astray. He had been fooled by such a simple illusion; indeed, the saying held true¡ªthe observer sees clearly, the participant is confused.


    Clearly, this maze must have many identical stone steles and little squares containing them, and theyout of these little squares with the steles was also identical, each with four roads leading to the east, west, south, and north.


    These squares were actually nodes connecting the entire maze. No matter if yers believed the poem¡¯s guidance or not, no matter which road they chose, they would always end up at another little square¡ªthe intruders would think they had returned to the starting point, but in reality, it was not the case at all. They moved from one node to another.


    If they believed the guidance on the stele, they might have been getting closer to the exit.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, at this time, the intruders wouldn¡¯t know this and would feel that they had chosen the wrong path earlier. They would try a different way, but this would lead them into the maze¡¯s trap. Once intruders switched paths, they deviated from the initial correct route. No matter how they walked, they would end up in an identical square, even if it was only a short distance from the entrance.


    Since the intruders no longer believed the stele¡¯s guidance, they would never find the right path and would end up trapped in an endless loop until they died in the maze.


    The real method to get out of the maze was clearly written on the stele: ¡¯In the Mystic Hollow Pce¡¯s manifold changes, one need not to fret. Doubting gods and ghosts, the dead find no rebirth. Wearing out iron shoes in fruitless searching; though pathways run in all directions, none leads to exit.¡¯ No matter what happens, you must continue ording to the records on the stele.


    The more you overthink, the more lost you be, until you trap yourself and meet your end, with neither death nor life.


    Now, as long as one follows the stele¡¯s guidance¡ªturn left at even and right at odd¡ªone should manage to navigate through the maze, right?


    Having understood this, he gave a slight bow to the corpse. Whether you are an NPC in the game or a yer who once strayed into this maze and ended up dying here, thank you for your help¡ªeven though that wasn¡¯t your intention.


    Having thanked the unfortunate soul, Xiao Buli prepared to set off once again. He nced at the three paths in front of him; turn right at odd, and the right path also happens to be towards the east. So that was the way to go.


    This time, he followed the stele¡¯s instructions, turning right at odd and left at even. After walking for more than ten minutes, he arrived at another little square with a stele. However, the square no longer contained the corpse. He sneered to himself, sure enough. But to confirm that the poem hadn¡¯t deceived him, he threw the damaged light leather armor on the ground as a marker.


    Moving on, ten minutester, he reached another square, which was barren with nothing inside. This time, he dropped the damaged light leather boots.


    The third time, he left the rusty iron sword behind. Then, after another ten-plus minutes of walking, the path he traveled seemedpletely different from the ones he had taken before. Atst, the view opened up suddenly, and sunlight once again appeared before his eyes.


    Finally, he had made it out!


    A feeling of being resurrected from a hopeless situation surged within him. As he walked through that door, he almost burst into tears¡ªit was just too damned hard.


    Before him was a bamboo forest that seemed like the Immortal Realm, a far cry from the harsh environment of the Misty Forest. A stone path through the bamboo led deep into the valley, where there stood aplex of ancient Chinese-style buildings. Not far away, on an archway, there were three soulful characters¡ªMystic Hollow Pce.

 Chapter 49 Mystic Hollow Palace

    Before him was a bamboo forest that looked like a scene out of an Immortal Realm, iparable to the deste wilderness of the Misty Forest. A gstone path ran through the bamboo, heading straight into the depths of the valley, leading unexpectedly to a group of buildings in the style of ancient Chinese architecture.


    On a nearby archway were inscribed three characters brimming with spiritual energy¡ªMystic Hollow Pce.


    At this moment, Xiao Buli couldn''t help but reflect on his luck. If it wasn''t for the corpse he had stumbled upon, or if he hadn''t thrown that copper coin, he would probably still be wandering in thebyrinth. Could this be the power of those seventeen points of Luck Value?


    But how could that be possible? The corpse had clearly been lying in thebyrinth for quite some time. Could it be that if he only had seven points of luck, the corpse would have suddenly vanished? Or perhaps the idea of Luck Value was merely psychological, with no real effect at all.


    He really couldn''t figure it out at the moment. The clues he had were too few, and the matter itself had already exceeded his understanding.


    Just as Xiao Buli was pondering over this question, the sound of the system prompt brought him back to his senses, refocusing his attention on the game.


    System Prompt: yer Xiao Buli, you have discovered the hidden area¡ªMystic Hollow Pce and achieved the title¡ªExplorer, increasing your Prestige Points by 10.


    Explorer (Achievement): Discover an unknown hidden area that is not known to the world.


    The game also has achievements? Xiao Buli found it somewhat amusing, but he was unsure what use Prestige Points had.


    Next, he prepared to explore Mystic Hollow Pce. Looking at the Taoist-style architecture in front of him, he felt a tingling sensation of excitement. Mystic Hollow Pce, both by its location and by its name, seemed to have a significant connection to Taoism. How marvelous it would be if he could find Immortal Taoists living inside?


    Furthermore, imagine if he could be a cultivator¡ªthat would be amazing.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The thought of using spells in real life even made the usuallyposed Xiao Buli somewhat excited.


    However, the more excited he became, the more cautious he was. He opened the title panel and activated the title "A Good Person." There was no standard known for ancient schrs seeking disciples, but generally, good people should have an easier time than bad, right? Having such a title should definitely score him some points.


    With the title activated, Xiao Buli limped along the small path through the bamboo forest towards the valley. The closer he got, the more he marveled at the tranquil elegance and ancient oriental charm of the architecture. It wasn''t long before he arrived at the main hall of Mystic Hollow Pce, where two imposing stone lions stood outside the entrance.


    Initially thinking they were merely decorative, Xiao Buli was startled to find they had health bars upon targeting with his mouse.


    Armored Xuan Lion (Rune Puppet): Unactivated, they were both high-ranking elites with dark blue names.


    Even the gatekeepers were formidable. Mystic Hollow Pce indeed was no ordinary ce, and seeing this, Xiao Buli slowed his pace.


    As he hesitated, a Taoist Boy named Qingfeng Mingyue emerged from the pce gate, "My Pce Master summons you inside."


    With no other choice, Xiao Buli no longer hesitated and stepped toward the gate. As he entered, he saw an elderly Taoist with silver hair like snow, d in a Wuji Dao Robe, sitting on a futon in the center of the great hall. Upon checking his name, it showed as Xuanxu Zi (Pce Master of Mystic Hollow Pce).


    Strangely, this NPC was only a White Name.


    Xuanxu Zi gestured with his whisk to the futon on the ground, signaling Xiao Buli to sit down. Once Xiao Buli was seated, he asked, "Who are you, and what brings you here?"


    "I am merely an adventurer who was traveling with a caravan to Nine Dragons City. I did not expect to be intercepted by ck Mountain Bandits on the way. In the process of fleeing, I lost touch with mypanions, andter, to escape a hungry tiger, I fell down a cliff. I was then forced into abyrinth, and after wandering for a considerable time, I finally emerged and arrived here.


    I had no intention of causing disturbance, I seek your forgiveness."


    Xiao Buli tried his best to narrate the sequence of events using the linguistic stylemonly used by NPCs, without hiding any details. Since the other party could guess his arrival, perhaps he could predict the future using spells; concealing the truth might not bode well. Besides, there was nothing to hide, to begin with.


    "Hehe, it''s rare for someone to navigate through the Ny-Nine Linked Rings Formation outside. Ordinary people mostly cannot make it through. Could it be that you have some exceptional ability?"


    Xiao Buli dared not hide anything. Who knew whether the NPCs in this game shared system resources? It was better to tell the truth.


    "It''s not that I have any particr skills. By chance, I noticed a corpse at a node, which gave me an epiphany. Otherwise, with such a sophisticated formation, I really don''t know if I could have made it out."


    The Pce Master Xuanxu Zi smiled slightly, apparently quite pleased with the subtlepliment.


    "Do not belittle yourself. Regardless of the reasons, the fact that you have emerged from the Ny-Nine Linked Rings Formation isudable. Moreover, to be forthright without boasting about your achievement ismendable in a young person like you."


    Hearing the words of Xuanxu Zi, Xiao Buli quickly replied in agreement, "When I fell down the cliff, I broke my leg. I wish to recuperate here for some time, and I would be grateful if the revered immortal would amodate me."


    Xuanxu Zi gently stroked his silver beard, "Hmm, your countenance does seem to be that of a benevolent person. Very well, you may stay in this valley for three days. However, once you recover after three days, you must leave."


    Xiao Buli was initially taken aback by the swift agreement. Had he really gone through the entirebyrinth ordeal only to be allowed to stay for three days and then be asked to leave? Surely this couldn''t be the case.


    But he did not be discouraged. Such matters were certainly not that simple; otherwise, among the veteran members, not one in ten would have a blue-named profession. It seemed further exploration was required, and three days should be enough.


    At that moment, Xuanxu Zi spoke again, "As to your leg injury, take this elixir first."


    A pop-up window appeared on the screen. Xuanxu Zi wants to trade with you, do you ept, yes/no?


    Upon clicking yes, an additional elixir appeared in the trade bar.


    After the exchange, Xiao Buli clicked on it with his mouse.


    Bone Healing Elixir: A miraculous healing elixir that, once taken, can eliminate all negative statuses rted to sprains and bruises.


    What a great item, Xiao Buli thought to himself, and without another word, he consumed it. The DEBUFF of hisme leg above his head instantly vanished. The remedy was truly instant, proving Xuanxu Zi to be indeed a hermit of exceptional skill.


    "The Immortal''s elixir works wonders, it truly fills me with utmost admiration. I must confess, since childhood, I have aspired to be a doctor, to heal the world. I earnestly request the Immortal to ept me as an apprentice," Xiao Buli said as he opened the emotes action bar and knelt down straight in front of Xuanxu Zi.


    His intention to take on a master was not to learn medicine¡ªthough it wouldn''t be bad as a Life Skill¡ªbut with modern medicine being so advanced, it wouldn''t be that useful in reality. Compared to that, he was more interested in learning Spell-like supernatural abilities.


    However, asking directly to learn spells seemed too abrupt and was unlikely to seed. It could even cause Xuanxu Zi''s antipathy. Thus, Xiao Buli took this indirect approach to win his favor. Once epted into Xuanxu Zi''s tutge, he might be able to learn any spells early on.


    Yet Xuanxu Zi remained unmoved, "Although your aspiration ismendable, I do not ept disciples lightly. You''d better heal yourself and leave early. Qingfeng Mingyue, see our guest out."


    After saying all this, Xuanxu Zi closed his eyes to meditate and spoke no more.


    A system notification once again appeared on Xiao Buli''s screen.


    System notification: Based on your performance in the conversation, Xuanxu Zi''s favorability toward you has increased by 25 points, and your Prestige in Mystic Hollow Pce has increased by 50 points.


    Prestige!? Xiao Buli''s heart leaped with joy; he was very familiar with this concept.


    The Taoist Boy''s name was Qingfeng Mingyue, Xiao Buli thought, usually shouldn''t there be two people? But more pressing matters were at hand. Following Qingfeng Mingyue to the guest room, and after Qingfeng Mingyue left, Xiao Buli hurriedly opened his own Prestige tab.


    As he was checking, he realized four Prestige systems had already been activated in his Prestige tab.


    Dahuang Vige: Amiable Prestige¡ª535/1000. After spending time with you, the vigers of Dahuang Vige have be quite familiar with you, and their attitude towards you has be friendly.


    Grand Yin Sect: Indifferent 0/300. Although you haven''t actively shed or conducted any hostile actions against the Grand Yin Sect, as a mysterious and inscrutable organization, they maintain a high level of wariness towards all outsiders.


    ck Mountain Bandits: Indifferent 0/300. Although you haven''t actively shed or conducted any hostile actions against the ck Mountain Bandits, as a bandit group known for their looting and piging, they maintain a high level of wariness towards all outsiders.


    Mystic Hollow Pce: Neutral 50/300. You have not had much interaction with Mystic Hollow Pce yet, hence their attitude towards you will be entirely determined by your future actions.


    Clearly, Prestige was crucial. There was no chance of bing an apprentice while neutral, but if he could raise his Prestige to friendly, he assumed it would likely lead to a sessful apprenticeship. The recent conversation with Xuanxu Zi hadted him 50 Prestige points, but this was probably a one-time thing for a first meeting, and the title ''A Good Person'' surely also lent a big help.


    Considering 25 points of favorability corresponded to 50 Prestige points, that meant 1 point of favorability equaled two Prestige points.


    Since Xuanxu Zi''s favorability could increase Prestige, favorability from others in Mystic Hollow Pce should, too. However, he only had three days to make use of this, so he had to act quickly.


    Although Xuanxu Zi had told him not to wander around, just staying in the guest room wouldn''t raise his Prestige. After some thought, Xiao Buli decided to venture out.


    He left the guest room and, not daring to bother Xuanxu Zi, followed a small path deep into the valley.


    After winding his way through, he arrived at the front of an ancient temple. This temple,pared to the surrounding buildings, looked out of ce, old and worn. There was also a huge talisman drawn on the door, apparently sealing something inside.


    Just as Xiao Buli was about to get a closer look, he suddenly heard a cold shout, "Who dares to trespass into Mystic Hollow Pce."


    PS: There will be rmendations next week, at which time I should be able to maintain two updates per day.

 Chapter 50 Green Name NPC

    Xiao Buli just wanted to get a closer look when he suddenly heard a cold shout, "Who dares to trespass into Mystic Hollow Pce."


    A figure descended from the sky along with the voice.


    Holy crap, a Sword Immortal! Xiao Buli got a shock when he saw the person''s appearance¡ªthe man was dressed in white robes as pure as snow, handsome yet exceedingly cold and detached, standing on a flying sword that hovered mid-air, with another sword radiating a cyan light floating nearby, ready to strike at any moment, and two scabbards strapped to his back.


    He didn''t dare to be negligent, fearful that he might get chopped without rhyme or reason, so he quickly typed, "My name is Xiao Buli. I identally encountered danger and took refuge in Mystic Hollow Pce, and I am grateful to Xuanxu Zi for allowing me to stay here for a few days."


    The man''s face softened slightly after hearing this, but he still said quite impolitely, "If that''s the case, then let it be, but this is not a ce for you. Leave quickly. I won''t say much since it''s your first offense, but mind your life if you dare to intrude again." After speaking, he withdrew his flying sword, waiting for Xiao Buli to leave.


    System notification: Because you trespassed into a forbidden area, Gu Yuexuan, the eldest senior brother, has lowered his favorability towards you by 30 points, and your Prestige in Mystic Hollow Pce has decreased by 30 points, currently at 20/300.


    Xiao Buli thought, no way, just like that I lost 30 points? If I lose again, won''t my Prestige turn cold? Then I might not necessarily die, but I''d probably get kicked out, making this trip to Mystic Hollow Pce useless.


    He checked the ''Sword Immortal''s'' name, Gu Yuexuan (Disciple of Mystic Hollow Pce), and turned out he was an NPC with a green name.


    He had never seen such colored names before; they must represent the so-called characters with growth potential. What a pity it wasn''t a beast, or else he could''ve captured it as a pet.


    He slowly backed out of the secluded courtyard, thinking that he shouldn''t rush to gain Prestige Points and should first ask Qingfeng Mingyue where he could and couldn''t go.


    As he thought this, he prepared to head back to his guest room, but since it was his first time out, he wasn''t very familiar with the paths, and he somehow found himself in a ce that looked like a pasture.


    A young man dressed in leather armor with sword sleeves appeared before him. This person appeared to be in his twenties, and unlike the cold demeanor of Gu Yuexuan, this robust and handsome young man had a sunny and unrestrained look about him, with a sheathed longsword on his back, carrying a wooden bucket and feeding a flock of Immortal Cranes.


    These cranes seemed no different from ordinary Immortal Cranes at first nce, but they were enveloped in a faint white light, suggesting something extraordinary about them.


    Upon checking the name, it was another NPC with a green name, Jingci (Disciple of Mystic Hollow Pce). It seemed this person must also have a significant status, but weren''t green names supposed to be rare?


    The man turned around and saw Xiao Buli, asking with surprise, "Hey, who are you?"


    With one meeting already past, Xiao Buli was calm andposed. He opened the etiquette actions panel, chose to bow, and then typed, "My name is Xiao Buli. I took shelter in the valley due to an ident and was taken in by Xuanxu Zi. I was on my way back to the guest room, but I happened upon these Immortal Cranes that you were feeding, please forgive my intrusion."


    After typing, Xiao Buli''s heart was extremely uneasy; if his Prestige Points decreased again, he would be finished.


    What seemed like an eternity was only a few seconds, but Jingji suddenly burst intoughter, "Haha, the kid knows his stuff. These are the Immortal Realm Spirit Beasts ¡ª Auspicious Cloud Immortal Cranes that master brought back from the Immortal Realm. They are quite troublesome to feed."


    Xiao Buli''s mind quickly hatched a simple n and he replied, "How troublesome can it be? They seem quite manageable to me."


    Jingci seemed unhappy with Xiao Buli''s attitude and said, "Hmph, of course, it''s easy to say, but you don''t understand the art of breeding, how could you see the difficulty in it."


    Xiao Buli thought to himself that he had fallen right into his trap, "Frankly, I do have some understanding of Breeding Skills. If you don''t believe me, why not let me have a try?"


    Seeming unable to resist a challenge, Jingci pondered for a moment, "There''s no harm in trying, but if you''re just fooling around, don''t me me for being impolite."


    System notification: You have triggered the quest ¡ª Jingci''s Test. You have obtained feeding privileges for the Mystic Hollow Pce Beast Pen. Do you wish to start feeding? Yes/No.


    Xiao Buli hesitated with his cursor over the ept button but didn''t click immediately. Clearly, if he failed, his Prestige would surely drop more than before, and his trip to Yuxu Pce would be over. On the flip side, if hepleted the task well, he would probably earn Jingci''s favor and, thereby, gather more Prestige. Sess or failure depended on this one attempt.


    With that thought, he took a deep breath, rubbed his knuckles, his gaze electric, and lightly tapped the confirm option.


    The game began.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Xiao Buli breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he entered the scene; feeding the Immortal Cranes seemed quite simr to that little pig-feeding minigame. It was the same, with a little figure dropping food down for a group of Immortal Cranes eating below. Apart from using Immortal Cranes instead of fat pigs, there didn''t seem to be any difference.


    But after only a few moves, he realized something was wrong; these Immortal Cranes weren''t waiting for the food to fall like the pigs he had fed before. Instead, they kept moving around. Xiao Buli had to calcte the hunger level of each Immortal Crane while also estimating the speed of their movement to adjust his timing. Suddenly, the difficulty of the operation had increased significantly.


    Xiao Buli couldn''t afford to rx at all. His fingers moved swiftly, his gaze shifting continuously from one Immortal Crane to another, and calctions ran non-stop in his mind. The intense concentration caused his stomach to cramp, but at that moment, he could care less about that.


    For the first time, he fully immersed himself in the task, no longer leisurely as he was when feeding pigs; this time, he was staking everything on it.


    The twenty minutes of feeding time felt as long as a century. As one Immortal Crane after another became full and flew out of the Beast Pen, Xiao Buli''s spiritual power also neared its limit. Finally, thest Immortal Crane was satisfied, he exhaled and copsed, almost falling, onto the chair.


    Thankfully, he had the foundation of a level 10 Breeding Skill. Each level of the Breeding Skill increased the overall feeding time by ten percent. His level 10 Breeding Skill had doubled his feeding time; otherwise, he definitely wouldn''t have been able to pass this time. He looked at the feeding evaluation.


    System Notification: Seven Immortal Cranes have increased their spiritual energy storage by eating enough Spirit Bait. Two Immortal Cranes remained unchanged due to consuming insufficient Spirit Bait. Three Immortal Cranes have their spiritual energy congested due to overeating and require guidance.


    Breeding Evaluation: C¡ª¡ªPassable.


    Xiao Buli thought to himself that there was a problem with eating too much. Indeed, Immortal Cranes are difficult to serve. If he had known earlier, he would not have fed them so vigorously.


    With some trepidation in his heart, he wondered if his results were good or bad, but Jingci looked at him with a surprised expression, "What did you do before,d? Your breeding is not bad at all."


    System Notification: Due to your outstanding performance, Jingji''s fondness for you has increased by 20 points, and your Prestige at the Mystic Hollow Pce has increased by 20 points. You are now Neutral, 40/300.


    Thank heavens, at least it increased a bit. Xiao Buli finally rxed within.


    "Hehe, not bad, not bad. It''s mainly because it was my first time feeding and I wasn''t familiar with the temperament of the Immortal Cranes. If I feed them often, I should be able to improve," he said with an apparently casual demeanor.


    Upon hearing this, Jingci seemed somewhat embarrassed and said, "Why don''t you help me feed them a few more times? Honestly, feeding these silly birds is both tiring and boring. If it weren''t for the Contribution Value for my sect, I would have quit long ago."


    Xiao thought he was just waiting for this opportunity. It seemed the first batch of Prestige points woulde from this Jingci. He immediately responded, "It would be my honor."


    With a week''s experience of pig feeding as a foundation and the boost from a level 10 Breeding Skill (doubling the feeding time), Xiao Buli''s subsequent feedings went smoothly. He easily handled the second feeding, earning a high evaluation of B-minus. However, this time he only increased Jingci''s fondness and Mystic Hollow Pce''s Prestige Points by 10 points each.


    It appeared that the Prestige rewards from repeated breeding tasks were diminishing.


    After continuing until past four o''clock, Xiao Bulipleted two more feedings, increasing Jingci''s fondness by another 20 points and reaching Neutral 70/300 in the Prestige of the Mystic Hollow Pce.


    Xiao took a short break, ready to go for another round to push his Prestige to 100, but Jingci seemed somewhat distracted.


    After Xiao finished one more round of feeding, Jingci smiled and said, "Let''s call it a day, shall we? If these silly birds eat any more, they might burst. Xiao, do you have time tomorrow? If you can, I hope you''ll continue to feed them for me for a while."


    Just as Xiao was about to agree, there was a sudden boom, shaking the entire screen. Xiao wondered what was happening as he looked around. Not far away, a building with carved beams and painted rafters was billowing smoke.


    "Damn it, that girl has blown up the Alchemy Furnace again! No good, she''sing this way, let''s get out of here quick." Saying this, the figure flickered and vanished into thin air as if invisible.


    Although Xiao was confused, he could tell something wasn''t right and also prepared to take off, but it was toote. A ball of fire suddenly exploded next to the Beast Pen, not with great force. When the mes cleared, a girl in fiery red clothes appeared before Xiao, the patterned fire apparently the result of some kind of teleportation Spell she had used.


    The girl was quite pretty, her jet-ck hair simply tied with a golden ring and devoid of any decoration. She held a short rod akin to a Wizard''s magic wand in one hand, while her other hand cradled arge-bellied gourd, looking around furtively.


    "Second senior brother, why are you running? Come on,e and try the Myriad Turn Silver Elixir I''ve just concocted!" After calling out for a while with no response, the girl felt somewhat embarrassed. Turning to Xiao, she shed a malicious look and spoke with a sweet voice, "Hey, handsome, you''re lucky today. Come try my freshly concocted Myriad Turn Golden Elixir!"


    Xiao clicked on the girl''s name with his mouse, Ji Xiangyun (Disciple of the Mystic Hollow Pce)¡ªit was yet another NPC with a green name.


    PS: Starting from the 26th, there will be a category image rotation rmendation, with two updates every day.

 Chapter 51 "Wild Beast Knowledge: Immortal Realm Edition

    (Are green-named NPCs really that worthless, or is it because Mystic Hollow Pce is set by the system to be so powerful that it can gather so many NPCs with high potential as disciples?) Xiao Buli understood in a sh.


    From Jingci''s reaction earlier on, it seems that this Ji Xiangyun must be quite a troublesome person, right? Best not to take the elixir.


    Typing he said, "I am neither injured nor ill, I''d better not take this medicine."


    Ji Xiangyun, upon hearing this, was unwilling to give up, "My Myriad Turn Spiritual Pill can cure diseases and heal injuries if you''re sick or hurt, detoxify you if poisoned, and even if you''re healthy it can strengthen your physique. Who knows, it might even permanently improve your attributes."


    Xiao Buli got a bit confused, "Wait a second, what exactly is the name of this medicine? Is it a silver pill, a golden pill, or a spirit pill?"


    Ji Xiangyun giggled, "Well, I haven''t quite decided yet. I''m waiting to see the effects after you''ve taken it to decide on a name."


    So, she wants to use me as a guinea pig, Xiao Buli thought to himself.


    (The risks are too big, and the benefits are unclear. Better to refuse.)


    Thank you for your kind offer, Miss, but before he could finish typing, and send the message, Ji Xiangyun suddenly said, "You should think carefully, you know. If you refuse, it might decrease your favorability."


    Xiao Buli froze for a moment, why did it feel so incongruous to hear such a thing from an NPC?


    He hesitated for a moment and tentatively asked, "What do you mean by favorability?"


    "What favorability? I didn''t say anything," Ji Xiangyun denied bluntly, "Hey, are you going to eat it or not? I must tell you, there are benefits to eating my elixirs."


    System Notification: Triggered the quest ''Ji Xiangyun''s Medical Experiment''.


    Quest details: Try eating the elixir refined by Ji Xiangyun. Completing this quest can earn Ji Xiangyun''s favorability.


    Xiao Buli looked at the quest trigger notification and the saved conversation between the two for a long moment, then suddenlyughed. If it weren''t for the fact that the other party''s words were colored like an NPC''s, he would have almost thought she was another yer. But then again, this wasn''t a game that followed normal logic, was it?


    "May I ask who has been testing the medicine before me?"


    "Of course, it was Second Senior Brother," Ji Xiangyun replied.


    (I see, so it shouldn''t be that dangerous; otherwise, Jingci wouldn''t still be alive to this date.)


    "Then, may I ask if Master Xuanxu Zi is also proficient in alchemy?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Of course, I learned my alchemy from him. But his alchemy skills are much more formidable than mine," Ji Xiangyun said.


    Xiao Buli breathed a sigh of relief, (That way, if I do get poisoned, Master Xuanxu Zi will be nearby. He surely can''t just stand by and do nothing, and who knows, maybe he will take me as his disciple out of guilt for his disciple''s mistake? Hmm, it''s not very likely, but I cannotpletely rule it out.)


    "Hey, are you going to eat it or not?" Ji Xiangyun urged again.


    After weighing the pros and cons, Xiao Buli decided to ept the quest.


    epted Quest: Ji Xiangyun''s Medical Experiment.


    Quest details: Try eating the elixir refined by Ji Xiangyun. Completing this quest can earn Ji Xiangyun''s favor.


    Ji Xiangyun became immediately overjoyed, "That''s more like it. Here, my precious Immortal Pill is right here."


    Xiao Buli nced at the quest item he had received.


    Mysterious Blue Pill: A pill made by an unknown method, emitting a strange smell, with unknown effects.


    (I do have a protagonist''s aura with seventeen luck points, maybe I could really gain some attributes.)


    With that thought, he double-clicked on the pill and swallowed it.


    As he swallowed the pill, his character suddenly fell to the ground and started trembling.


    System Notification: After swallowing the pill and feeling a strange sensation flowing through your body, you feel weakened. Your strength has permanently decreased by one point.


    What does this mean? Doesn''t seem too good, he nced at his character''s portrait and noticed a new icon indicating weakness DEBUFF, its effect was a 10% reduction in all attributes for 24 hours. He then opened the attribute panel for a look and jumped, his strength value had indeed decreased by one point, and it seemed to be permanent.


    Xiao Buli sighed. It wasn''t going to be that easy, but at least he wasn''t dead, so he could ept this oue.


    Ji Xiangyun looked terrified, "Hey, are you alright?"


    "Still not dead," Xiao Buli responded tersely as he typed, his character appearing to be in agony, which made him worry if this pain would manifest on his own body.


    At his answer, Ji Xiangyun smiled, "Don''t be like that. I wouldn''t let your sacrifice be in vain."


    No sooner had she spoken than a system notification appeared on the screen.


    System Notification: Thanks to your fearless spirit of self-sacrifice, Ji Xiangyun''s favorability towards you has increased by 30 points, and your prestige at Mystic Hollow Pce has increased by 30 points.


    It turned out to be a way to earn prestige points after all. Not a total loss, Xiao Buliforted himself, checking the prestige points which were now at 100/300. At this rate, reaching a friendly reputation level within three days should be achievable.


    "Alright, it''s gettingte, I need to rest. See you tomorrow."


    Watching Ji Xiangyun vanish in a st, Xiao Buli also shut down theputer to log off, and as he lifted his leg, he noticed that he couldn''t feel any pain from the injury on his leg anymore.


    When Xiao Buli woke up the next morning, his whole body felt as if it had been run over by a car; he was sore all over, and he could barely muster the strength to walk. This must be the side effect of that pill.


    As he walked into the dining hall, Li Baocheng and Han Baiqiang were happily discussing something. They quickly stopped their conversation when they saw Xiao Buli enter.


    "Hey, Xiao, you don''t look so hot. Are you sick?"


    "It''s nothing, just a bit of a cold."


    Han Baiqiang took over the conversation, "Old Xiao, guess what, we found Nine Dragons Cityst night, and we''ve settled down there. Next, we n to save money to change sses. Where are you now, and when can youe over?"


    Xiao Buli shook his head listlessly, "I''m afraid I''ll need some more time, I''m trapped in a valley with a tiger outside and I can''t get out for now."


    "That''s too bad," Li Baocheng said, though his face betrayed no disappointment. Han Baiqiang patted his shoulder but didn''t say anything else.


    A whileter, Li Jian arrived and seeing Xiao Buli in this state, he advised him to rest a bit. Xiao Buli dared not agree; his time was extremely limited. If he failed, all his efforts would have been in vain.


    After a quick breakfast, he went to theputer room and logged into the game. Before him was the sunny Mystic Hollow Valley. The beautiful, picturesque scenery made Xiao Buli a bit curious. Since entering the game, whether it was Dahuang Vige, the ck wastnds, or Misty Forest, the game had mostly presented a deste and bleak atmosphere, with a very obvious dark theme.


    However, this valley seemed like apletely different world, which made him even more curious about what kind of existence Mystic Hollow Pce really was.


    After his moment of reflection, he headed to the Beast Pen, where Jingci was already waiting.


    "Ah, Buli, you''vee! My little apprentice sister didn''t give you a hard time yesterday, did she?"


    Xiao Buli replied, "It wasn''t too bad, she just gave me a pill to take."


    "You don''t look so good. Maybe I should do it myself today."


    Xiao Buli said, "No worries, I can handle it." He thought to himself that if Jingci really felt bad, it would be good if he could earn some favor points.


    Jingci saw this but said nothing else, "Well then, let''s start."


    Fifteen minutester, the first feeding was done, but this time he only gained 5 favor points and 5 Prestige Points. It seemed like it was going to get slower, but Xiao Buli was already prepared and wasn''t disappointed. He kept working.


    He had only fed the beasts twice and just increased his Prestige to 110/300 when suddenly, a st of me exploded beside them. When the smoke cleared, Miss Ji Xiangyun made her dramatic appearance once again.


    Jingci''s instinct was to run, but Ji Xiangyun said, "Don''t worry, Second Senior Brother, I''m not here for you."


    Then she turned to Xiao Buli, "How about it, are you still interested in continuing?"


    Trigger quest: Ji Xiangyun''s Second Medical Experiment. ept / Decline?


    Quest details: Take the pill concocted by Ji Xiangyun. Completing this quest will increase Ji Xiangyun''s favor toward you.


    Xiao Buli thought, do I even have a choice? It seemed like this girl had him pegged, but indeed he didn''t have an option; in order to raise his Prestige as quickly as possible he couldn''t let any opportunity pass him by.


    He clicked ept. This time the pill was a small, ck tablet.


    Mysterious ck Pill: A pill made by an unknown method, emitting a strange smell, with unknown effects.


    Aside from the color, there was no difference, so he went ahead and double-clicked his mouse without another word.


    Once again, his character copsed to the ground, a Weakness DEBUFF stacking on him once more, though fortunately the previous one was about to end.


    System Notification: As a strange sensation emerged in you, you feel even weaker, permanently decreasing your stamina by 1 point.


    Checking his Attributes, his stamina indeed decreased by 1 point.


    System Notification: Due to your fearless spirit of self-sacrifice, Ji Xiangyun''s favor towards you increased by 20 points, and your Prestige in Mystic Hollow Pce increased by 20 points.


    This was a fast way to boost Prestige, but the hit to his Attributes was painful. Fortunately, in this game, Attributes could be increased through the practice of Professional Skills, otherwise, it would truly be a ridiculously demanding quest.


    (The cost of gaining Prestige was steep, but it was still eptablepared to the rewards.) Xiao Buli thought calmly and asked Jingci, "Can we continue?"


    What he didn''t notice was the amused look that crept onto Ji Xiangyun''s face as he resumed feeding.


    Byte afternoon, Xiao Buli had earned 100 points of favor by helping Jingci feed Immortal Cranes, thus gaining 100 Prestige Points for Mystic Hollow Pce.


    ncing at his Prestige, which was now 200/300, Xiao Buli was about to continue earnestly with the feeding when Jingci stopped him.


    "Brother Buli, you really have helped me a lot and I would feel terrible imposing on you further, especially since you don''t seem to mind. The Immortal Cranes have grown big enough, and I think they can now fend for themselves in the valley, so there''s no need to trouble you anymore, Brother Xiao.


    I can''t possibly repay you for the great favor you''ve done for me, but here''s some of the knowledge I''ve recorded about the wild beasts of the Immortal Realm. If you wouldn''t mind, please ept it."


    System Notification: You havepleted the quest ''Jingci''s Free Labor''.


    Quest reward: "Wild Beast Knowledge: Immortal Realm Edition".


    Xiao Buli sighed with some relief but also with disappointment; he had feared that the continuous Prestige boost couldn''tst forever, and it seemed that was now true.


    However, it hadn''t been for nothing, and the unexpected quest reward was a pleasant surprise.


    He inspected the Skill Book he received.


    "Wild Beast Knowledge: Immortal Beasts Edition": This is an informative book on wild beast knowledge. Using this item, you will learn how to tame the wild beasts of the Immortal Realm. The prerequisite skill ''Wild Beast Knowledge'' is required.


    What a great item! Although he didn''t know what made Immortal Beasts so special, they must be far superior to ordinary beasts, probably akin to special pets or spirit beasts in World of Warcraft?

 Chapter 52 Advanced Swordsmanship

    Strictly speaking, Xiao Buli wasn''t the most outstanding member n the Qingyang Studio when it came to gaming skills. In terms of operation, he couldn''t match Xiao Ge, inmanding he was no match for Han Wenhuan, and his understanding of game production was not as good as Li Shuren''s. However, he had an advantage that the otherscked: a superior analytical ability.


    Recently, due to excessive concern for his character in the game, Xiao Buli had been somewhat lost in the confusion of being too involved. But as he gradually returned to his original perspective of detached observation, his grasp of certain details he might have overlooked in the past became increasingly clear.


    He opened the Skill Bar and looked at "Wild Beast Knowledge" only to find that a new branch skill had appeared underneath, specifically about Immortal Beasts.


    Immortal Beasts: These are a general term for the beasts living in the Immortal Realm. Unlike the wild beasts of the Mortal Realm, Immortal Beasts that have been absorbing the Spiritual Energy of the Immortal Realm for a long time have evolved a variety of magical Spell Abilities, mainly healing and enhancement abilities, making them excellent allies for supporting roles inbat.


    Although "Wild Beast Knowledge: Immortal Beasts Section" was just a Skill Book, the implications it contained were very rich in his eyes. Firstly, since there was a chapter on the Immortal Realm, there must certainly be an actual ce called the Immortal Realm.


    And since there was a chapter for the Immortal Realm, there should be other chapters as well, such as ones for the Demon Realm, Divine Realm, and others, and likewise, these realms must also exist.


    If Immortal Beasts absorb Immortal Qi and possess healing and enhancement Spell Abilities, then surely the wild beasts of other realms must also have their own distinctive Spell Abilities. Depending on the enemy, bringing different wild beasts to assist in battle would be the core concept behind Taming Skills, right?


    As he thought about this, he asked Jingci for confirmation. Perhaps because of the high 100 points of affection, Jingci answered all his questions without hesitation.


    "Of course, there are many other worlds; I''m not sure how many there are in total. However, I do know what the other branches of Wild Beast Knowledge are.


    If I remember correctly, the sections are ''Wild Beast Knowledge: Immortal Realm Chapter,'' ''Wild Beast Knowledge: Demon Realm Chapter,'' ''Wild Beast Knowledge: Netherworld Chapter,'' ''Wild Beast Knowledge: Divine Realm Chapter,'' ''Wild Beast Knowledge: Devil Realm Chapter,'' and ''Wild Beast Knowledge: Exotic Beasts Section.''


    "So that makes a total of five different realms? Then what are the Exotic Beasts introduced in the Exotic Beasts Section?"


    "Exotic Beasts are special wild beasts that exist in the Mortal Realm and are different from ordinary beasts, generally mutated from normal creatures and extremely rare in number."


    (This must be the currently most essible special pet.) Xiao Buli thought and continued to ask, "Have you been to the Immortal Realm?"


    "No, although my master has. It''s said that only those who be Immortals can go there."


    "Are these Immortal Cranes actual Immortal Beasts?"


    Jingci nodded, "Yes, these are Immortal Beasts."


    Just as Xiao Buli intended to further inquire, a cough suddenly sounded from behind him, "Ahem."


    Xiao Buli turned around, and who else could it be but Ji Xiangyun. He thought to himself, here we go again. Ji Xiangyun hade to find him three times in a row before. Each time it triggered a quest: ''Ji Xiangyun''s Third Medical Experiment,'' ''Ji Xiangyun''s Fourth Medical Experiment,'' and ''Ji Xiangyun''s Fifth Medical Experiment.''


    As a result, two of the experiments had consecutively reduced his speed and physique by one point each and even worsened his Weakness status to the fourthyer. The third time he took an Elixir, he had a stroke of luck, and it boosted his Strength by five points, but the effectsted for only an hour before fading, leaving Xiao Buli disappointed.


    Although the experiments were not very sessful, Ji Xiangyun was thrilled with the results of the third trial, and his affection for Xiao Buli also reached as high as 80 points.


    This time, who knows what Elixir he wanted him to try.


    "Alright, I won''t say much else. After I went backst time, I carefully re-optimized the form, this time it will definitely seed. Come on, eat this."


    System prompt: You have triggered the quest ''Ji Xiangyun''s Nth Experiment.''


    Quest content: Test the Elixir refined by Ji Xiangyun. Completing this quest will earn goodwill from Ji Xiangyun.


    ept the quest, receive a suspicious red pill.


    Xiao Buli directly swallowed it, and his character''s body suddenly turned red, the size increased notably, looking somewhat like the effect of the Bloodthirsty Art in World of Warcraft. Looking above his character''s head, there was a new BUFF called ''Giant Strength.''


    Giant Strength: Your Strength has increased by 10 points. This effect will continue for one hour.


    "Oh yeah! It finally worked!" Ji Xiangyun cheered ungracefully. After shouting twice and realizing someone was nearby, she stopped and looked at Xiao Buli excitedly.


    System prompt: Due to your fearless dedication, Ji Xiangyun''s fondness for you increased by 20 points, and your Prestige in Mystic Hollow Pce increased by 20 points.


    Ji Xiangyun: "I really feel bad for having you help me for so long; thankfully, it''s finally aplished. From now on, I won''t have to bother you anymore. Oh, right, these are some sessful Elixirs I made in the past. I''ll give them to you as a reward."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    System prompt: You have acquired items¡ª¡ªLifeblood Pill*3, Strengthening Bone Pill*3.


    Lifeblood Pill: Use to recover 40 health points within 20 seconds (can be used duringbat).


    Strengthening Bone Pill: Use to recover 40 Stamina Points within 20 seconds (can be used duringbat).


    Xiao Buli was seeing Elixirs that could be used inbat for the first time; it was indeed a nice gain.


    However, it was quite clear that it would no longer be possible to continue gaining Prestige from Ji Xiangyun.


    He checked his Prestige Points, which were currently at 220/300, still 80 points shy of reaching Friendly status. But how to proceed from here?


    Although Ji Xiangyun seemed not so easy to talk to, now that the fondness was at 100, it should be possible to ask for some information. So he typed and asked, "Aside from you and Jingci, are there any other disciples in Mystic Hollow Pce?"


    Ji Xiangyun: "Of course, there''s our eldest senior brother."


    Upon hearing this, Xiao Buli immediately thought of the white-robed Sword Immortal from before. "May I ask if the eldest senior brother has any particr hobbies?"


    "Heh, are you trying to curry favor with him? That might be difficult. Our eldest senior brother is a martial arts fanatic; he has no hobbies other than practicing Swordsmanship. Unless you can find a profound Swordsmanship he has never seen before, it''s probably impossible to gain his good graces."


    Seeing this answer, Xiao Buli couldn''t help but frown. He did know a little about Swordsmanship, but something like Basic Swordsmanship, if presented to the eldest senior brother, would surely be embarrassing.


    His first thought was to ask Li Jian for help. Although thepany''s policy was not to aid neers lightly, Xiao Buli never believed such rules were absolute. In his view, there were three kinds of people in the world: those who make the rules, those who follow the rules, and those who break the rules.


    To him, Li Jian certainly didn''t seem like the second type of person.


    As for the rule-makers above Li Jian, they create rules for the better development of thepany. If he could learn spells and be a Mage Profession, it would undoubtedly be of great benefit to thepany. Li Jian would surely realize this and would likely still offer help.


    But after hesitating for a moment, he temporarily dismissed this idea. Unless absolutely necessary, he still hoped to maintain some necessary independence.


    Since he couldn''t get help from the game, he would have to think of a way in reality. The improvement in Basic Swordsmanship and the appearance of the cold DEBUFF made him realize that reality could also affect the game. If he learned profound Swordsmanship in reality, then there should also be a chance in the game.


    But does such profound Swordsmanship even exist in reality? After thinking for a while, he came across a Swordsmanship technique that was said to be extremely profound, even considered one of the top-level martial arts in many Wuxia novels.


    Xiao Buli, testing the waters, typed and asked: "Have you heard of Tai Chi Sword Skills?"


    "Tai Chi Sword Skills? What kind of Swordsmanship is that? It sounds quite powerful," Ji Xiangyun seemed quite curious.


    Jingci''s reply was much more realistic, "Never heard of it. But surely you don''t mean that you know this so-called Tai Chi Sword Skills?"


    The responses from both made Xiao Buli happy at heart. It seemed that this Tai Chi Sword Skills might not exist in the game, and the only question left was whether Tai Chi Sword Skills were indeed the ''profound Swordsmanship'' he was looking for?


    However, thinking alone would be of no use in finding the answer; he had to try it to know.


    PS: There is another chapter tonight.

 Chapter 53 Tai Chi Sword Skills (Pseudo)

    For the next hour or so, Xiao Buli was far from idle, having wandered through every essible ce in Mystic Hollow Pce, yet he didn''t uncover any more clues that could boost his Prestige. It seemed he had no choice but to start with Gu Yuexuan.


    As five o''clock approached and it was nearly time to finish work, Li Jian suddenly stood up from his seat.


    "Everyone, pause what you''re doing for a moment, I''ve got something to say. Tomorrow is Sunday, and ordinarily we''d have the day off. However, since everyone is at a critical juncture in the game, there might be those who can''t really leave it be. So, if you don''t want to leave thepany, you can continue to work overtime.


    I''ll exin it to Manager Qin, of course, there won''t be any overtime pay," he said, half-jokingly. Li Baochengughed appreciatively as if Li Jian''s joke was very funny, while Han Baiqiang just curled his lip.


    "So, is anyone nning to stay?" Li Jian asked, his gaze sweeping over the three men.


    "Li, I''m staying," Li Baocheng said excitedly. "I''ve taken on an epic quest recently, and with a little more effort, I can change my ss, so I certainly won''t waste any time." He spoke with the enthusiasm of a protagonist in some hot-blooded manga.


    Han Baiqiang nodded unhappily, "I''ll stay too, I''m also close to changing my ss."


    Li Jian nodded, seemingly approving of their decision, then he turned toward Xiao Buli. Xiao Buli, however, shook his head, "I n to go out tomorrow."


    Li Jian smiled and said no more.


    Early the next morning, Xiao Buli collected his phone and left thepany.


    He went directly to the Gu family estate in the suburbs, and since he had already notified Gu Shaobang the day before, it was easy for him to meet Old Mr. Gu.


    "You want to learn Tai Chi Sword Skills?" Sitting in the living room of Old Mr. Gu''s house, he asked with great surprise.


    "Yes, I do. Could old Mr. Gu teach me?"


    Old Mr. Gu nodded, clicking his tongue in wonder. He seemed to find it hard to understand why a young man like Xiao Buli would want to learn Tai Chi Sword Skills.


    "You haven''t been reading too much wuxia fiction, thinking Tai Chi Sword Skills are really powerful, have you?"


    Xiao Buli didn''t answer his question, but instead tried probing, "Aren''t they?"


    "Of course not. Perhaps ancient Tai Chi Sword Skills were quite formidable, but nowadays the version we have is virtually unusable in a fight. At least I''ve never seen it be effective. The moves are the same, but the power seems to have been lost, probably because many techniques and intricate details weren''t passed down properly," he said.


    "By the way, which version of Tai Chi Sword Skills are you interested in learning?"


    "Different versions? There are many versions of Tai Chi Sword Skills?"


    Old Mr. Gu nodded, "Certainly, there are quite a few different versions of Tai Chi Sword Skills. Broadly speaking, they can be divided into three types. The first is what ancient people practiced, reportedly very effective inbat and supposed to be used in conjunction with a Mental Method Mantra.


    However, by the modern era, it morphed into the second type, which is imed to be powerful but is really not practical in a fight. The techniques are the same, but likely because a lot of skills and nuances were not passed down, they lost their effectiveness."


    "The reason this happened, I suspect, is because the ancients valued this knowledge highly, often teaching some while withholding some, and a lot of things about swordsmanship just can''t be conveyed in text alone. Without face-to-face instruction, it''s hard to be clear.


    Since they didn''t have video cameras back then, the true essence was basically lost in transmission, though the general techniques were preserved. But even so, there are still many who practice this kind of swordsmanship, hoping to rediscover the legendary power of Tai Chi Sword Skills. However, whether anyone has seeded, I can''t say, at least I don''t understand it," Old Mr. Gu said.


    "And the third kind?"


    "The third kind is what you see old men and women practicing in parks, a simplified version that''s easy to learn but serves little purpose beyond exercise and health."


    Having said this, Old Mr. Gu sighed, "Actually, the set I practice isn''t much use either, it''s just a bit moreplex."


    After finishing his exnation, he nced at Xiao Buli and asked with a smile, "Now that you''ve heard my introduction, do you still want to learn?"


    "Of course, I want to learn."


    "Oh, do you perhaps think you can grasp its mysteries and master the real Tai Chi Sword Skills?"


    Xiao Buliughed, "Who can say for sure?" yet he showed no signs of wavering.


    "Alright then, if you really want to learn, I''ll teach you, but I must make it clear, I''m very strict with swordsmanship training. You better be mentally prepared," the old man was fond of teaching, and seeing Xiao Buli nod his head, he immediately sprang into action.


    He changed into practice clothes, and the two headed to the training ground where the old man casually took down two treasured swords hanging on the wall and tossed one to Xiao Buli.


    "Tai Chi Sword Skills are easy to learn but hard to master. The moves themselves aren''t difficult to learn, and it''s easy to mimic them, but the subtleties and delicate variations between the moves are hard to grasp. Additionally, beginners often make mistakes with coordination and continuity of movements. Due to limited time, today I will only teach you the general forms.


    As for mastering the intricate variations, you''ll have to work hard on your own. Come, I''ll demonstrate it from the beginning for you, watch closely, kid!"


    Having said that, the old gentleman began his performance. Although he couldn''t im a deep understanding of swordsmanship, just watching the old man''s movements was enough to be impressive and a pleasure to the eye.


    Afterpleting a set of sword techniques, the old man started exining each move to Xiao Buli from the beginning. After each demonstration, he had Xiao Buli practice it. Naturally, some taps and knocks were inevitable throughout the process, but Xiao Buli, being the petitioner, dared not take offense and learned quickly with an open mind.


    Perhaps because of his background specializing in the One-handed Sword and his focus on form rather than detail, Xiao Buli mastered the general routine of the entire sword technique in just one morning. After the lesson, he practiced the entire set from start to finish. Though somewhat unpolished, he could already put it to use.


    His understanding of Tai Chi Sword Skills was naturally nowhere near mastery, and there were many discrepancies and omissions between the transitions of the techniques. However, the old man was astonished at Xiao Buli''s speed of learning swordsmanship.


    "You''ve learned quite fast, kid. Although it''s not quite there yet, your imitation is passable. So, now that you''ve learned the technique, have you discovered any mysteries?"


    Xiao Buli, noticing the old man''s teasing tone, replied with a slight smile, "Not yet, but who knows about the future?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Hearing this, the old gentlemanughed heartily, "If you reallye to understand something, that would be great. Don''t forget to teach me then."


    "Certainly, certainly," Xiao Buli agreed promptly, as if he hadn''t picked up on the old man''s yful tone.


    Xiao Buli didn''t stay for lunch; he only had one day left. Upon returning to thepany and checking in, it happened to be lunchtime, so he decided to grab something to eat first.


    Walking into the cafeteria, Xiao Buli noticed that there were surprisingly few people dining today; perhaps most had gone home for the weekend. Nevertheless, there were still some people around¡ªa group at a table across the way with quite a few beer bottles on it. It was Li Jian and his White Tiger group friends drinking with Li Baocheng.


    "Cheers! Little Li, you did a great job transitioning to your new ss so quickly. Impressive, much better than when I started. I really see great potential in you. Why don''t you stick with us from now on? We could use a long-range ss," said Ma Long, pouring beer and speaking at the same time.


    "That would be thanks to the few big brothers," Li Baocheng said with a beaming smile as he dutifully toasted each person in turn. Seeing Xiao Buli walk in, he seemed very pleased with himself and smirked at him, "Hey Xiao, want to join us for a drink?"


    Xiao Buli inwardly chuckled; Li Baocheng really was a funny fellow.


    He shook his head and ignored Li Baocheng''s obvious attempt at showing off. He had more important things to do.


    After grabbing some portable food from the dining table, Xiao Buli went to the data center, picked aputer in the farthest corner, shut the door to the smallpartment behind him, put on headphones, and then logged into the game.


    The moment the game loaded, Xiao Buli felt a rare surge of excitement. Sess hinged on this moment! Thinking this, he opened his character''s Skill Bar and saw a new skill added, his face instantly revealing a hint of surprise.


    Tai Chi Sword Skills (Imitation) LV1: This is a set of swordmanship based on Taoist philosophical concepts, seemingly profound and mysterious. However, due to missing some crucial details, its power is significantly reduced, and aside from strengthening the body, it appears to serve no special purpose.


    Sword Skill Effect: Activating this sword technique reduces your attack speed by 30% and increases physical strength consumption by 30%.

 Chapter 54 The Smithing Master and the Wanderer

    Tai Chi Sword Skills (pseudo) LV1: This swordy is created based on Taoist philosophical principles and seems extremely profound and mysterious. However, due to theck of certain details, its power is greatly reduced. Apart from strengthening the body, it appears to have no special use.


    Swordsmanship Effects: When you activate this swordy, your attack speed decreases by 30%, and your physical strength consumption rate increases by 30%.


    The swordsmanship itself could be said to be utterly useless. Not only does it fail to enhance anybat attributes after activation, but it also reduces the attack speed by 30%, while the physical strength consumption rate speeds up by 30%. If brought into battle, it would be less effective than a simple sh.


    However, the ''seems extremely profound and mysterious''ment gave Xiao Buli a glimmer of hope. He remembered that in many novels about crossing into martial arts worlds he had read before, the protagonists could bluff their way through with Tai Chi Fist or Tai Chi Sword Skills.


    ording to the theories in those novels, even though the power of Tai Chi Fist and Tai Chi Sword Skills might be deficient, the theories behind them were very advanced. The only problem was theck of a Mental Method Mantra or the support of matching inner strength, which made them seem so weak. But this was only for ordinary people.


    Once it fell into the eyes of those legendary masters in the Martial World, it naturally would be different.


    He hoped this theory was correct.


    With this on his mind, he walked towards the sword training field of Gu Yuexuan.


    The ce where Gu Yuexuan, the eldest disciple, practiced swordy was in a bamboo forest deep in a valley on a piece of opennd.


    The closer Xiao Buli got to his destination, the more he could sense the unusual aspect of this eldest disciple. Along the way, he saw many bamboos that had been cut down, with cuts so neat and smooth that there were almost no rough edges, as if they had been cut by aser.


    Such clean cuts were obviously not possible with an axe; the only exnation was that these were the results of Gu Yuexuan''s sword training.


    From a distance, he saw a figure practicing swordy in white clothing as white as snow; sensing someone approaching, Gu Yuexuan stopped his movements and stood with his sword at the ready.


    "Is it you? What do you want?" Gu Yuexuan asked Xiao Buli with an expressionless face.


    "I''ve heard that Brother Gu''s swordsmanship is unmatched, and I wanted to ask for some guidance," Xiao Buli replied.


    Gu Yuexuan sized him up, saying skeptically, "You?" Xiao Buli exined, "I certainly do not intend to spar with Brother Gu. My swordsmanship is naturally not worth mentioningpared to yours. I''m fully aware of that. Actually, not long ago, I happened upon an old Taoist who taught me a set of swordy.


    He imed it was extremely powerful, but only a true master of the sword couldprehend its strength. I didn''t believe it, and after learning it, I found it to be a very peculiar set of swordy, with no power to speak of. However, when the old Taoist used it against opponents, it was incredibly powerful.


    I couldn''t figure out the key to it, so I wanted to ask Brother Gu to help evaluate this swordy."


    Gu Yuexuan nodded nomittally, "Then show me."


    Without another word, Xiao Buli geared up and began to practice the moves in the air.


    Initially, Gu Yuexuan looked disdainful, but after a while, he seemed to be more serious. When Xiao Buli finished his performance, looking expectantly at Gu Yuexuan, Gu Yuexuan just snorted.


    "Hmph, it''s just so-so, but it does have some interesting points," Gu Yuexuan said, then walked away without paying further attention to Xiao Buli.


    What does that mean? Xiao Buli was puzzled as he watched Gu Yuexuan''s retreating figure. He had envisioned many possible reactions from Gu Yuexuan but didn''t expect such an oue.


    Was it a failure just like that? It seems that luck really can''t solve everything.


    No, I must ask him for a clear answer. Xiao Buli didn''t understand where he had gone wrong. However, after searching the entire bamboo forest, he found no trace of Gu Yuexuan.


    Despite his confusion, he grabbed a hamburger and ate it thoughtfully until, after finishing two hamburgers, he began to piece together two possibilities.


    The first possibility was that Gu Yuexuan simply didn''t value the swordy, so he left directly.


    The second possibility was that Gu Yuexuan hadn''t understood the swordy yet and needed time to digest it.


    "I hope it''s the second option," Xiao Buli thought to himself.


    He wandered around the vicinity for another couple ofps, but came up empty-handed. He had intended to help Qingfeng Mingyue with some tasks to see if he could increase his Prestige, but Qingfeng Mingyue had made it clear to him that, since he wasn''t from Mystic Hollow Pce, he wouldn''t assign any work to him.


    Left with nothing else to do, Xiao Buli saw no other option but to log out of the game and leave the gaming room.


    As he entered the lounge, he unexpectedly saw Han Baiqiang smoking in the smoking area near the venttion duct.


    "Hey, good afternoon," Han Baiqiang greeted him, sounding utterly bored, while he blew smoke rings.


    "Good afternoon," Xiao Buli replied. Normally, he didn''t like to smoke, but he was feeling so agitated that he was tempted to give it a try. He took a pack of some foreign brand cigarettes from the cigarette cab and lit one up.


    He never inhaled smoke into his lungs when smoking, but seeing Han Baiqiangfortably puffing away made Xiao Buli curious to try it. He inhaled and immediately started coughing. It seemed he really wasn''t cut out for smoking.


    "You don''t smoke often?"


    "To be exact, I don''t smoke at all," Xiao Buli rified.


    "What''s up, you encountering some trouble?" Han Baiqiang usually seemed carefree, but he could be quite attentive at times.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Xiao Buli shook his head, "Just some minor troubles, nothing serious. By the way, did you seed in changing your profession?"


    Han Baiqiang nodded.


    "What profession?"


    "I''ve be a Smithing Master, an advanced profession of a cksmith, capable of forging weapons and armors," Han Baiqiang exined.


    Upon hearing this, a thought shed through Xiao Buli''s mind, "A Smithing Master? That means you''re nning on taking the logistics path."


    Han Baiqiang nodded again, "Yeah, fighting all the time is fun but risky. Since this job is so important, I think it''s safer to walk the logistics path. It might be boring and perhaps earn less, but at least I don''t have to worry about losing my job."


    Xiao Buli thought to himself that Han Baiqiang was indeed a practical person. Actually, if he didn''t know the secret hidden behind the game, he might agree with Han Baiqiang''s choice: to pick a specialized profession, make equipment, refine Elixirs, and so on.


    But once he truly understood that the real abilities within the game could be brought into reality, he found it difficult to ept such a professional choice.


    Besides, even if he took the logistics path, it wouldn''t necessarily be absolutely safe. Xiao Buli could easily think of several potential scenarios that could lead to death. Compared to that,bat professions could at least protect themselves when dangerous situations arose.


    "What profession did Li Baocheng choose? He seems quite popr."


    "Wanderer. It''s said to be very advantageous in field battles, capable of exerting great power in the wilderness, somewhat like a Ranger but focuses on ranged attacks," Han Baiqiang said.


    Xiao Buli thought to himself no wonder Li Baocheng was so confident he would be assigned to the White Tiger Group, such a profession could indeed only maximize its power within the White Tiger Group.


    It seemed that both of them were not foolish, either. Although it was ultimately thepany that assigned groups, determining one''s direction of development in advance would certainly have an impact at the time of assignment. After all, if thepany had any sense, they wouldn''t likely ce a Smithing Master in the Azure Dragon Group, or a Wanderer in the Xuanwu Group.

 Chapter 55 Mystic Hollow Palace Entry-level Disciple

    Xiao Buli had also considered which group he would be assigned to. The Vermilion Bird Group was Xiao Buli''s ideal choice since, although the Green Dragon Group and the White Tiger Group might be allocated more resources and receive better treatment, the casualty rate was estimated to be quite high.


    Moreover, the Vermilion Bird Group, specializing in espionage, would certainly be privy to information that members of other groups did not know.


    Xiao Buli did not n to stay with thispany indefinitely. If he could obtain the game client, he would look for an opportunity to leave.


    Unfortunately, getting hold of the game client was not so easy. He had tried to copy the client before butpletely failed. He hadn''t even been able to find any files on hisputer that remotely resembled the client¡ªit was as if the game were an absent ghost.


    After all, Xiao Buli had experience creating game cheats, writing autofarm scripts, and even ying withputer hacking as a nearly professional hacker. However, despite hisputing skills, trying to understand how this game operated was still utterly baffling.


    It seemed the only option would be to move the entireputer out, but taking such arge object from thepany was not going to be easy.


    Therefore, after considering the possibility of failure, Xiao Buli secretly decided that if he could not learn any spells or the like tomorrow at the Mystic Hollow Pce, he would try to change his upation to something like an assassin or thief. That way, his chances of being distributed into the Vermilion Bird Group would greatly increase.


    The next day, Xiao Buli, as usual, arrived at theputer room on time. After logging into the game, he prepared to continue searching for opportunities to increase his Prestige Points. Although yesterday''s efforts had proven fruitless, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, he did not intend to give up.


    However, he had not gone far when a white figure descended from the sky andnded in front of him.


    "You''re here;e with me," Gu Yuexuan said nonchntly, though his words made Xiao feel anything but casual.


    Xiao thought there might be a chance; Gu Yuexuan would not have sought him out for no reason, likely because of the Tai Chi Sword Skills. With this in mind, he followed his senior disciple brother into the bamboo forest.


    Once they reached the bamboo forest, Gu Yuexuan stopped, turned around, and spoke earnestly, "I took your swordy technique back with me yesterday and studied it carefully. Although the moves are still rough and quite unnatural in ces, the swordy concept is extremely profound. I pondered over it for half a day and also grasped some sword principles myself. I''ve always disliked owing favors.


    Although you came to me for guidance, I indeed benefited from it."


    "I''ve revised the swordy technique once over, enhancing its power and its special effects to a greater extent. While it can''t be considered a peerless martial art, it is certainly a decent technique. If you are willing, I can teach it to you, and then we''ll be even," Gu Yuexuan offered.


    System notification: Gu Yuexuan wants to teach you Tai Chi Sword Skills (True). Do you wish to learn?


    Xiao''s heart leaped with joy. Tai Chi Sword Skills (True) was an excellent find¡ªif it was as powerful as the legends said, it would surely be an unrivaled technique in the real world. Just as he was about to ept, he suddenly stopped.


    In a matter of mere seconds, he rapidly analyzed the potential consequences of his next decision.


    If he chose to ept, it was clear that he would obtain the Tai Chi Sword Skills (True). Yet Gu Yuexuan mentioned he did not like to owe favors; learning this technique would mean they were square, probably implying that he might not increase Xiao''s favorability with him anymore. Although it was only a possibility, such an oue could signify the end of his journey at the Mystic Hollow Pce.


    All the Attribute Points and efforts he had spent would be in vain.


    But what if he refused? He would then owe a favor to Gu Yuexuan, who, from their previous conversation, obviously appeared to be a very proud and arrogant individual. Such people can hardly stand being in someone else''s debt. Perhaps by leveraging this owed favor to ask for his help to join the Mystic Hollow Pce, Xiao could seed.


    With this in mind, Xiao steeled his heart despite the pain of his decision. The primary goal was still to increase his Prestige to a friendly level; even if there was only a partial chance of failure, he could not afford to learn Tai Chi Sword Skills (True).


    He then slowly moved the mouse over ''No'' and firmly clicked it.


    "To be frank, I do not have much interest in the art of killing that swordy is. I study it asionally only for self-defense. What I truly wish to learn are the skills to heal and save lives. If Gu can teach me some healing spells, I would be immensely grateful," Xiao said.


    Gu Yuexuan fell silent at once. Xiao was genuinely worried the other might have such skills and would just casually teach him one to send him on his way. But it seemed that, just as he had guessed, Gu Yuexuan, being abat-oriented NPC with Sword Control Technique as his main skill, likely did not possess such abilities.


    Gu Yuexuan: "I do know a few spells like that, but they require prerequisite skills to learn, which you can''t possibly have."


    Xiao Buli breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, "But I don''t know what the prerequisite skills are?"


    Gu Yuexuan said impatiently: "It''s no use telling you, these prerequisite skills can only be learned by joining the Mystic Hollow Pce."


    "Is that so? Then could Gu help me out and speak on my behalf, so I can be a disciple of Daoist Master Xuanxu Zi? As long as Gu speaks for me, even if Daoist Master Xuanxu Zi refuses, I will have no regrets," Xiao Buli said with utmost sincerity. Gu Yuexuan seemed quite troubled by this request, but after thinking it over, he still nodded, "Alright, I''ll make an exception and help you out."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    System prompt: You have gained Gu Yuexuan''s approval, your Prestige in Mystic Hollow Pce has increased by 100 points, but Gu Yuexuan''s favorability towards you has decreased by 20 points.


    WHAT? Xiao Buli thought he had read it wrong and carefully examined it again, finding out that he really hadn''t made a mistake. The Prestige had reached a friendly 20/1000, but his favorability with Gu Yuexuan indeed had decreased by 20 points.


    It seems that rewarding kindness with ingratitude wasn''t very honorable after all. Although the Prestige Points increased, the favorability decreased. However, no matter what, things had ultimately worked out. With this, he should be able to join the Mystic Hollow Pce.


    Seeing the time steadily approaching noon, with the time limit of his three-day stay at Mystic Hollow Pce almost up, Xiao Buli no longer hesitated and headed straight for the main hall of Mystic Hollow Pce. Before he reached the entrance, he saw Qingfeng Mingyue approaching him.


    "Your timing is perfect, the Pce Master is looking for you. Come with me."


    Following Qingfeng Mingyue, they arrived at the main hall. Upon entering, he found not only Xuanxu Zi but also Jingci and Ji Xiangyun present, seated on either side of Xuanxu Zi.


    "Three days have passed, and it is time for you to leave. I will send Jingci to escort you out of the valley. After you leave the valley, do note back. I have reset the Ny-Nine Linked Rings Formation outside. If you fall into it again, you are guaranteed to have no chance of surviving," said the old Daoist as he flicked his whisk, seemingly entering a meditative state once more.


    Before Jingci could step forward, Xiao Buli quickly blurted out the reasoning he had prepared: "Daoist Master Xuanxu Zi, the world is now fraught with danger, and dark forces are gradually enveloping the earth. Humanity faces an unprecedented crisis. I genuinely wish to learn some skills to roam the world as a chivalrous defender and eradicate this evil. I beseech you to grant me this favor."


    It wasn''t clear if it was Xiao Buli''s persuasive words or his friendly Prestige that had an effect, but Xuanxu Zi opened his eyes, looked at the others, and asked, "What do you think?"


    Jingci said, "I think this Xiao brother is quite decent; let''s ept him."


    Ji Xiangyun also said, "Though he seems a bit slow and foolish, he isn''t too bad. I don''t see a big problem with it."


    "How about you, eldest senior brother?"


    "I have no objections." A voice suddenly came in from outside the door; it was Gu Yuexuan''s voice, yet he didn''t even show his face.


    After considering for a while, Xuanxu Zi, inscrutable, nodded, "Since that''s the case, you may stay. However, learning the spells of Mystic Hollow Pce won''t be easy. Starting from today, every afternoon you will learn the basic principles of Taoist Arts from me. Only if you prove your talent will you be able to further learn the Taoist magic of our Mystic Hollow Pce."


    System prompt: You have received Xuanxu Zi''s approval and joined the organization¡ªMystic Hollow Pce. You received the title¡ªMystic Hollow Pce Entry-level Disciple (Complete advancement tasks to earn the Mystic Hollow Pce Disciple title).


    PS: Not feeling too well today, will continue tomorrow

 Chapter 56 Tao Te Ching

    System Prompt: You have obtained the consent of Xuanxu Zi to join the organization¡ª¡ªMystic Hollow Pce. You have acquired the title¡ª¡ªEntry-level Disciple of Mystic Hollow Pce (Complete the advanced quest to acquire the title of Disciple of Mystic Hollow Pce).


    Title: Entry-level Disciple of Mystic Hollow Pce, those who possess this title can earn Contribution Value and Prestige Points bypleting sect quests.


    Prestige Points can elevate your status within the sect, while Contribution Value can be used to exchange for spells, equipment, mounts, etc. You can exchange items at the Quartermaster of Mystic Hollow Pce and exchange skills at the Skill Instructor of Mystic Hollow Pce.


    Xiao Buli nced and noticed that the names of the people of Mystic Hollow Pce had changed from the neutral yellow border to the same faction''s green border, and the title bar under everyone''s name had also changed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The title of Xuanxu Zi had be Sect Leader of Mystic Hollow Pce, and there was an additional line¡ª¡ª''Skill Instructor of Mystic Hollow Pce''. Qingfeng Mingyue''s title had also be Quartermaster of Mystic Hollow Pce, which he had not seen before. It seemed that such a change was only visible to members of Mystic Hollow Pce.


    System Prompt: Prestige System for members of Mystic Hollow Pce activated.


    System Prompt: Special Profession¡ª¡ªTaoist Advanced Quest activated;plete the quest to advance to the special profession¡ª¡ªTaoist


    Taoist: The basic profession within the Taoist magic system professions, which can be advanced to different types of advanced professions based on different development directions.


    After looking through a bunch of system prompts, Xiao Buli opened the prestige column and found, as expected, that there were many sub-prestiges under Mystic Hollow Pce prestige.


    Xuanxu Zi: 30/100, somewhat favorable impression.


    Qingfeng Mingyue: 0/100, impartial treatment.


    Gu Yuexuan:¨C50/0, slightly repulsive.


    Jingci: 0/300, ordinary friend.


    Ji Xiangyun: 0/300, ordinary friend.


    Xiao Buli had originally thought that a favorable impression of 100 was already the maximum. Now it seemed that it was just enough to be considered a friend, with ''Kindred Spirits'' and ''Sworn Friends'' being two higher levels of favorability. It seemed he had a long way to go to truly earn the friendship of this NPC.


    He spoke to Qingfeng Mingyue and inquired about the items that could be exchanged with Contribution Value. The lengthy list immediately dazzled Xiao Buli.


    Clear Wind Sword (light blue one-handed sword): Forged with high-quality blue steel, this treasured sword is light and sharp. Attack 7-23, Magic power +2. (Manufactured by Qingfeng Mingyue)


    Exchange requirement: 25 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige¡ªFriendly.


    Bright Moon de (dark blue one-handed sword): Made of high-quality patterned steel, the half-moon-shaped de is very suitable for shing, Attack 10-20, Armor Pration +2. (Manufactured by Qingfeng Mingyue)


    Exchange requirement: 25 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige¡ªFriendly.


    Spirit-patterned Bamboo Armor (dark blue chest armor): Armor made of spirit-patterned bamboo, light and nimble, and provides some defense against magic damage. Armor +6, Nature Resistance +5, Physical Strength recovery speed increased by thirty percent. (Manufactured by Qingfeng Mingyue)


    Exchange requirement: 30 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige¡ªFriendly.


    Lifeblood Pill: Exchange requirements ............................


    Just these items alone, which only required friendly prestige to exchange, were much better than anything he currently had ess to, not to mention those items that required Reverence and could be exchanged for silver equipment¡ªincluding silver equipment.


    What surprised him was that most of the equipment here was manufactured by Qingfeng Mingyue, who looked like a very young Taoist Boy but apparently was a master of craftsmanship.


    Above Reverence, there were categories of Reverence and Adoration for prestige, but he could not check what could be exchanged at that level. However, just the thought was exciting to Xiao Buli.


    Dark Gold equipment might even appear at that point.


    It seemed that Contribution Value was indeed something valuable.


    Scrolling down, although most items that could be exchanged for more than Reverence prestige were blocked, there were still a few items, inexplicably revealed, that caught Xiao Buli''s eye all of a sudden.


    Auspicious Cloud Immortal Crane (Flying Mount): A crane from the Immortal Realm with the special ability to perform levitation, capable of carrying loads far exceeding its own weight for rapid flight.


    Exchange requirement: 800 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige¡ªReverence.


    Good stuff, very good stuff, Xiao Buli thought. With this thing, no matter how big the world, he could go anywhere, and the life-saving effect was absolutely top-notch. Encountering danger, just take off into the sky, then who could catch up? But 800 Contribution Value points, that was dozens of times more than those blue-colored equipment, and he had no idea how long it would take to save enough.


    As for the Revere prestige, he wondered how long would it take to reach it.


    He closed the exchange interface, still longing for more. Compared to these external things like equipment, ammunition, mounts, and the like, what he valued more was learning spells.


    The exchange of Contribution Value for spells couldn''t yet be done, because ording to Xuanxu Zi, he wasn''t yet capable of learning spells directly.


    This made him even more eager for the uing learning session.


    At one o''clock in the afternoon, he arrived on time at a side hall in the Mystic Hollow Pce called Mingwu Hall, where he sat opposite Xuanxu Zi.


    Although he had met Xuanxu Zi twice and had a conversation with him, he still felt quite unfamiliar with this old man who exuded the aura of a reclusive sage. Sitting opposite the old Taoist, he couldn''t help feeling a bit nervous.


    Xuanxu Zi said, "Before I teach you the knowledge of the Dao, I must ask you a few questions. The first question is, do you believe in the Dao?"


    A dialogue box popped up before Xiao Buli¡ª


    1. I believe.


    2. I do not believe.


    Xiao Buli was momentarily stunned. This time, unlike before when he had to provide the answer himself, the question had turned into a multiple-choice question. After hesitating for a moment, he still decided to choose 1, "I believe."


    Xuanxu Zi smiled slightly and said, "Do you really believe? Then I ask you, what is the Dao?"


    This time, it required him to type in the answer himself. After thinking for a while, Xiao Buli felt unsure how to respond and could only answer, "I don''t know."


    Xuanxu Zi shook his head, "If you don''t even know what the ''Dao'' is, how can you truly believe in it?"


    "Then what is the Dao?" Xiao Buli couldn''t help asking.


    "The meaning of Dao is manifold, but at its most fundamental, the Dao refers to the origin and universalws of the universe. In fact, there is scientific evidence for the existence of the Dao. Do you believe that if you shake a box with a broken puzzle inside, it would automatically assemble itself?


    Theplexity of the universe far exceeds that of a puzzle, and yet some people actually argue that the universe randomly assembled itself. Can you believe that?"


    Xiao Buli thought about it and felt there seemed to be some truth to it, but he wondered what this had to do with learning spells.


    Then Xuanxu Zi immediately asked the second question.


    "Do you have anything else you want to know about the Dao?"


    Another dialogue box popped up.


    1. How was the Dao generated?


    2. What is the ultimate purpose of the Dao?


    3. What benefits can learning the Dao bring us?


    Xiao Buli thought it best to be honest; it seemed pointless trying to y mind games with this old fellow. So, he chose 3.


    Seeing his choice, Xuanxu Ziughed and said, "You really do have some spiritual insight, knowing what we should be most concerned with. Well then, let''s officially begin our lesson."


    Having said that, he gave him a book. Xiao Buli nced at the title: "Tao Te Ching." He double-clicked it, expecting it would be like learning a Skill Book¡ªa sh of golden light followed by a system notification saying "You have learned the Tao Te Ching" and the Skill Book would disappear.


    But to his surprise, clicking it did nothing; it only disyed the item''s description.


    Tao Te Ching: A knowledge-based book that seems to have no special purpose other than to enhance one''s cultivation.


    When he opened the Skill Bar, there indeed was a skill called "Tao Te Ching," but its color was gray, indicating it was unusable.


    Tao Te Ching (Unlearned): A knowledge-based skill that seems to have no special purpose other than to enhance one''s cultivation. It requires continuous study and meditation to improve the skill level. It cannot be upgraded usingbat experience. Current skill level LV0.


    Upon closer inspection, he realized that this Tao Te Ching, like Lu Jiang''s diary, was a book that could be read. He right-clicked, and the first page appeared, the opening chapter of the Tao Te Ching.


    The Dao that can be told of is not the eternal Dao; The name that can be named is not the eternal name...


    Could it really require studying bit by bit? Xiao Buli thought to himself in amazement, considering the game''s nature, it wasn''t impossible at all.

 Chapter 57 Finally Got a Blue Stripe

    Although learning this was indeed somewhat baffling to him, for someone living between the online and the real world, texts like the Tao Te Ching were quite abstruse. However, having ovee so many difficulties before, Xiao Buli absolutely would not allow himself to be stumped by such a challenge.


    Therefore, Xiao Buli began his journey of learning the Dao. He quickly discovered that this task admitted no shortcuts because Xuanxu Zi would quiz him from time to time. If he could not answer, the Tao Te Ching skill experience would not increase in the slightest. Correct answers could raise the experience by about 50 points each, and consecutive correct answers would grant bonus experience.


    To advance from LV0 to LV1 required 100 points of Skill Experience, LV1 to LV2 needed 200 points, LV2 to LV3 needed 300 points, and so on.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In one hour, Xuanxu Zi questioned him a total of ten times. If all were answered correctly, reaching LV3 would not be a problem; even answering half correctly should at least allow him to reach LV2. However, Xiao Buli only answered correctly two or three times, gaining just a small increase in experience, barely enough to reach LV1.


    Xuanxu Zi seemed to sigh in disappointment, "s, it seems yourprehension is toocking, ultimately not cut out for learning the Dao. Let''s stop here for today; we will continue tomorrow."


    Upon leaving Mingwu Hall, Xiao Buli did not feel disheartened. Today''s failure was merely due to hisck of preparation. But now that he knew that the so-called foundational theory of Taoist magic was the Tao Te Ching, things seemed much easier.


    He was a determined and tenacious person. Once he recognized the importance of something, he often could make great efforts and put them into action. Thus, he simply went back to his dormitory, downloaded an electronic version of the Tao Te Ching from the inte, and spent an afternoon memorizing it.


    Fortunately, the book was quite short, containing only around five thousand characters, so it wasn''t too hard to memorize.


    The next day during the lesson, his answers were much more confident. Toward the end, he almost seemed to reply with ease, and as a result, he leveled up the Tao Te Ching skill to LV3 within one hour.


    Xuanxu Zi said with satisfaction, "I didn''t expect yourprehension to be quite impressive after all. It seems I didn''t make a mistake taking you as my disciple. Now that you have memorized the Tao Te Ching, starting from tomorrow, let''s begin discussing its specific meanings."


    It seemed it wasn''t over yet. Xiao Buli thought. Luckily, the version of the Tao Te Ching he had downloaded came with a trantion. He figured he could just answer ording to that when the time came.


    But the next day, he realized he had been a bit presumptuous. Because of the time limits, often he didn''t have enough time to search for the answers before time was up, and so on the third day, he only got two or three questions right again.


    It looked like he had to return to his old methods! Xiao Buli thought.


    Of course, this old method wasn''t about memorizing the entire book verbatim. The original text was short enough, but the trantion was well over a hundred thousand words¡ªfar from easy tomit to memory in ten days to half a month. Xiao Buli''s solution was to use theputer in his dormitory to write a small plugin over a few hours, specifically for this task.


    Even though it couldn''t be installed in the game, he could use it on his ownptop. This meant that by inputting a line from the Tao Te Ching, he could get the answer within seconds.


    By the fourth day, Xiao Buli once again demonstrated his power. With thebination of aptop and a search plugin, answering questions flowed naturally for him. The skill experience for the Tao Te Ching soared, increasing at a rate of about 1.5 levels per day.


    Apart from studying the Dao, Xiao Buli did not stay idle. At Qingfeng Mingyue''s, there were many daily quests avable, including mining, nting medicinal herbs, lumbering (bamboo), cutting grass, and breeding, quite simr to those in the vige. Xiao Buli took on the tasks of cutting grass and breeding. Working diligently each day, he was able to earn about 10 Contribution Points each day.


    Meanwhile, as he was ardently studying the Tao Te Ching, Li Baocheng and Han Baiqiang were also making progress. After changing professions, Li Baocheng learned several advancedbat skills only avable post-ss-change, and with support from the White Tiger group, he was able to start leveling by hunting monsters near Nine Dragons City.


    As a ranged profession, following along meant he could still gain a substantial amount of experience.


    He even joined the group in clearing amon difficulty, color-white dungeon, and fought two rare Elite Monsters that spawned in the wild.


    Because of the game''s death penalties, yers typically only engaged monsters and dungeons they could easily overpower, ignoring anything slightly stronger or even equal in strength. Even though the dungeon and the Elites weren''t that powerful, after a few days, he still managed to obtain a few decent pieces of equipment.


    Every time he met Xiao Buli, Li Baocheng always made a point to show off his gains, but noticing Xiao Buli''s consistentck of reaction over time, eventually gave up.


    Han Baiqiang took on several Forging tasks, supplying equipment to NPC armies of the Nine Dragons Legion in Nine Dragons City. His Skill Experience also skyrocketed, and it seemed as though the Xuanwu Group had already set their eyes on him. At least from the outside, it appeared that among the neers, he was the only one who seemed to be making almost no progress.


    But Xiao Buli didn''t care, his concern for the few thousand dors difference in monthly sry had long since been trivial in his eyes, and as long as he learned spells, he was sure his treatment would definitely not be poor.


    By Saturday, Xiao Buli had earned more than 70 Contribution Points, and the "Tao Te Ching" finally reached LV10.


    As thest Q&A session ended, a sh of golden light suddenly enveloped Xiao Buli.


    System Notification: After a long period of dedicated research, your spiritual power has increased by 1 point.


    System Notification: After a long time studying and contemting the "Tao Te Ching," you haveprehended ''Taoist Heart'' with a current skill level of LV1.


    System Notification: Since you haveprehended the ''Taoist Heart'' skill, you have advanced in your basic profession to ''Taoist'' and unlocked the Mana system.


    When the "Tao Te Ching" reached LV5, his spiritual power had already increased by one point, so Xiao Buli was not surprised by the first notification, but the next two caught his attention.


    He hurriedly checked the description of the Taoist Heart skill.


    Taoist Heart: Byprehending the ''Way,'' you have grasped the fundamentalws of the world''s operation. With this skill, you are able to learn orprehend more supernatural abilities¡ªthis is a pre-requisite skill necessary for learning Taoist magic.


    Looking below his Energy Bar, sure enough, there was a new blue value bar. Seeing that blue bar, Xiao Buli couldn''t help but smile; atst, he had be one of those ''blue bar is king'' characters from the Mage Professions.


    At this time, the skill exchange system also opened up. Talking with Xuanxu Zi, he discovered that he could now use Contribution Points to exchange for skills.


    He hadn''t spent a single Contribution Point these days, saving up for this very moment, and quickly opened the skill exchange list next to Xuanxu Zi.


    There were hundreds of exchangeable skills in the list, and like equipment, exchanging skills required Contribution Points and Prestige, in addition to prerequisite skills¡ªnone of the three could be missing.


    Although there were many skills, there were not many that met his current standards. After summarizing a bit, Xiao Buli listed out the skills he could learn¡ªthere were about a dozen. These low-level spells required at least 20 Contribution Points, with the most expensive being 40 Points. If he were to learn all of them, it would cost nearly 450 Contribution Points.


    If he had enough time to earn Contribution Points, Xiao Buli couldpletely learn all these spells before leaving the Mystic Hollow Pce, and he felt that if he exined the situation to thepany, there should be no problem.


    But the problem was that he didn''t want to tell thepany about the goings-on within Mystic Hollow Pce; he needed to protect his secret, so he would have to learn as many spells as possible before the month was up.


    He calcted a bit; including Sunday, there were only 7 days left in the month. Subtracting the day it would take to travel to Nine Dragons City, at most he could earn another 70-80 Contribution Points. This meant he would have a total of 140-150 Contribution Points to use, enough to learn 6-7 spells, which meant he had to make some choices.


    PS: It seems I really spent too much ink on Mystic Hollow Pce, and some readers are getting impatient. But don''t worry, the protagonist is about toe down the mountain soon, and even more exciting stories lie ahead.

 Chapter 58 Spell Selection

    Actually, the key is to determine what kind of role one envisions for themselves. Initially, Xiao Buli thought that if he could learn spells like the Invisibility Technique or Earth Escape Skills, he could then join the Vermilion Bird Group. Therefore, his skill development naturally leaned toward subterfuge and life-saving.


    However, among the spells he was currently able to exchange, there were no such skills avable. Even the most basic Shadow Escape Skills required a Taoist Heart LV2 to learn, which forced Xiao Buli to reconsider his positioning.


    ording to the clues he gathered from Li Jian, Wu Tao, and others, the Mana-based sses were the most scarce in this game, whether it was magic system DPS or support healers; both were extremely rare. In contrast, the tank roles that are usually very popr in other games were not in short supply, and physical DPS were ubiquitous.


    Among them, the healing and support sses were the most desperately needed within the Mana-based sses. After all, most of the time, a magic system DPS can be reced with physical DPS, but healing and support are irreceable.


    Thus, Xiao Buli positioned himself as a hybrid ss capable of both healing and dealing damage, with even more emphasis on healing abilities. In choosing his skills, he took both aspects into ount. Eventually, he selected eight spells to prioritize for learning and listed them in his notebook, although he was not sure how many he would actually be able to learn.


    Burst Talisman (Instant Cast Spell): Converges the power of mes with spiritual power onto the talisman,unches it at the target to inflict damage, range 30 meters, deals 5+9 (spiritual power¡Á0.6) = 14 points of me damage, consumes 3 points of Mana, and uses one piece of Talisman Paper.


    Exchange requirements: 20 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige Friendly, Taoist Heart LV1.


    Thunder Talisman (Instant Cast Spell): Converges the power of lightning with spiritual power onto the talisman,unches it at the target to inflict damage, range 30 meters, deals 5+7.5 (spiritual power¡Á0.5) = 12.5 points of lightning damage, consumes 3 points of Mana, and uses one piece of Talisman Paper.


    Exchange requirements: 20 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige Friendly, Taoist Heart LV1.


    Ice Talisman (Instant Cast Spell): Converges the power of ice with spiritual power onto the talisman,unches it at the target to inflict damage, range 30 meters, deals 5+6 (spiritual power¡Á0.4) = 11 points of ice damage, and reduces the target''s movement speed by 10% for 3 seconds (this effect can be stacked up to three times), consumes 3 points of Mana, and uses one piece of Talisman Paper.


    Exchange requirements: 20 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige Friendly, Taoist Heart LV1.


    Resurrection Skills (Instant Cast Spell): Uses spiritual power to heal a target, restoring their health points, range 30 meters, allowing them to heal 10+15 (spiritual power¡Á1) = 25 points of health over 5 seconds. Consumes 5 points of Mana.


    Exchange requirements: 25 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige Friendly, Taoist Heart LV1.


    Touch of Healing (3-second Casting): Uses spiritual power to heal surface wounds of the flesh, removing or weakening an injurious effect (bleeding, tendon cut, fracture). Must be in close proximity to the target to use, consumes 10 points of Mana.


    Exchange requirements: 30 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige Friendly, Taoist Heart LV1.


    Summon Rune Soldier (3-second Casting): Summons a Rune Soldier to fight for you,sts for 30 minutes. Consumes 30 points of Mana, one piece of Talisman Paper, (you can control a number of Rune Soldiers equal to your Taoist Heart level).


    Exchange requirements: 40 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige Friendly, Taoist Heart LV1.


    Spirit Armor Skills (2.5-second Casting): Uses spiritual power to enhance the target''s Armor, increasing their Armor Value by 7.5 (spiritual power¡Á0.5) points for 30 minutes. Range 30 meters, consumes 5 points of Mana.


    Exchange requirements: 25 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige Friendly, Taoist Heart LV1.


    Ethereal Armor (3-second Casting): Uses spiritual power to conjure intangible armor to protect a target, Ethereal Armor canst for 30 seconds or absorb 100 points of damage, and the target will not receive any external damage before the Ethereal Armor dissolves. Range 30 meters, consumes 10 points of Mana, one piece of Talisman Paper.


    Exchange requirements: 30 Contribution Value points, Mystic Hollow Pce Prestige Friendly, Taoist Heart LV1.


    There were a total of eight spells that he could currently learn, each of which appeared to be quite useful. However, since his Contribution Value points were limited, Xiao Buli needed to make judicious choices.


    Among them, the Burst Talisman, Thunder Talisman, and Ice Talisman seemed somewhat redundant in effects, so he nned to choose just one. After much deliberation, he finally selected the Ice Talisman. After all, his positioning was primarily support-oriented, and a spell with a slowdown effect would better demonstrate this role.


    However, even after passing on two spells, it was still a stretch. Exchanging these six spells would require a whopping 175 Contribution Value points, which did not quite match his calctions.


    It seems that if it really came down to it, he would have to give up one spell. As he pondered, Xiao Buli first exchanged for the Ice Talisman, Ethereal Armor, and Resurrection Skills.


    These three spells were the skills he needed the most at the moment: one for attacking, one for defense, and one for healing. With these three spells, his professional role was essentially taking shape.


    The golden light shed three times consecutively, and Xiao Buli''s skill bar was updated with these three spells, which were much easier to acquire than the gradual process of reciting the Tao Te Ching.


    Both the Ice Talisman and the Ethereal Armor required Talisman Paper to cast. Fortunately, this paper didn''t have to be purchased with Contribution Value. At Qingfeng Mingyue''s two silver coins per pack, Xiao Buli spent 20 silver coins to buy 10 packs, with 50 sheets per pack, totaling 500 sheets of Talisman Paper¡ªwhich he estimated wouldst him for a while.


    He went to the training grounds of Mystic Hollow Pce and ced these three abilities on his most convenient shortcut keys. He lightly pressed 1 towards a training dummy, and with a snap, a piece of Talisman Paper emitting a blue halo flew out, -11, a bright red number appeared above the training dummy''s head, and at the same time, the dummy was coated in ice blue.


    After releasing five or six Ice Talismans, Xiao Buli stopped. Although the Ice Talisman wasbeled as an instant cast, it took about one second per talisman on average. The damage output was actually lower than his physical damage. However, spell damage might seem low, yet it had an iparable advantage over physical DPS: it ignored armor.


    No matter how high the target''s Armor Value was, it could deal full damage, which was very useful against those with extremely high defense.


    Next, he experimented with the Ethereal Armor spell. The casting motion of this spell was quite pleasing to the eye: he folded his hands together with eyes slightly closed. A ball of white light gradually gathered in his hands, and after three seconds, he abruptly opened his eyes and pointed at his target.


    The training dummy was immediately enveloped in ayer of white, semi-transparent, invisible armor. Xiao Buli approached and delivered several shes, which produced nging sounds as if striking a highly resilient, tempered ss. It took five or six sword strikes to shatter the Ethereal Armor.


    Xiao Buli nodded in satisfaction. The Ethereal Armor''s damage absorption ability was decent; it would definitely be useful in critical moments.


    He then cast a Resurrection Skill on the training dummy, but the spell was ineffective. After a moment''s contemtion, Xiao Buli understood. The Resurrection Skill only worked on living beings, and mechanical units like training dummies obviously could not enjoy its effects. It seemed he would have to test it another time.


    After using those seven or eight spells, his Spiritual Power Value had depleted by nearly a quarter. Unfortunately, it couldn''t recover on its own. First, it could be slowly restored by meditation-rted skills¡ªroughly one point of Spiritual Power Value per minute, fully replenished in half an hour. Second, it could be automatically restored by sleeping each day.


    Third, one would need Miracle Elixirs, which were costly. Xiao Buli had seen simr elixirs at Qingfeng Mingyue''s; a Heart Cleansing Pill that recovered 30 Spiritual Power Value in ten seconds cost 5 Contribution Value, whereas converting a Lifeblood Pill that recovered 40 health points in twenty seconds cost merely 1 Contribution Value. The difference was substantial.


    Xiao Buli thought that his next skill should be a meditation-rted one. However, before that, he decided to review his current attributes.


    Intelligence: 13. ¡ª Higherprehension, extremely strong analytical ability, average memory.


    Strength: 10. ¡ª Optimal carrying capacity 50 jin, maximum carrying capacity 100 jin, basic attack power 10, (one point of Strength corresponds to five jin of carrying capacity and one point of attack power).


    Speed: 12 ¡ª You''re quite fast. (Speed determines Movement Speed and attack speed).


    Agility: 13 ¡ª You have a pair of very dexterous hands. (Agility determines hit rate and the chance to dodge).


    Stamina: 12. ¡ª Stamina Points 120 (1 point of stamina corresponds to 10 Stamina Points).


    Physique: 11. ¡ª Health Points 110. (1 point of Physique corresponds to 10 Health Points).


    Charm: 12. ¡ª You are quite good-looking.


    Spirit: 15. ¡ª Mana 150, Spell Power 15. (1 point of Spiritual Strength corresponds to 10 Spiritual Power Value points, which corresponds to 1 point of Spell Power).


    Luck: 7. ¡ª Your luck is a bit unfortunate.


    Skills¡ª


    Life Skills: Breeding LV10, Grazing LV10, Harvesting LV10.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Knowledge Skills: Wild Beast Knowledge LV2 ¡ª Wild Beast Knowledge Immortal Realm (subsidiary skill), Tao Te Ching LV10.


    Combat Skills: Taoist Heart (Passive) LV1, One-handed Sword Specialization LV3 (Passive), Taming Skills LV4, Chain Sword Strike LV2, Basic Swordsmanship LV3, Tai Chi Sword Skills (False) LV1, Emergency Dodge LV1.


    Spellcasting Skills: Ice Talisman LV1, Resurrection Skills LV1, Ethereal Armor LV1.

 Chapter 59 Selection of Professional Skills

    The spell was learned, but a new problem had emerged. How could he use these spells in reality?


    Xiao Buli didn''t immediately start experimenting, as past experience suggested that it would take at least a few hours for the changes in the game to reflect in reality.


    He restrained the urge to run back to his room and wildly cast spells on himself, and continued with the daily tasks of his sect. Since he had alreadypleted the harvesting and breeding tasks, he reluctantly chose lumbering, an activity he wasn''t particrly good at.


    Although it might mean earning Contribution Value at a slower pace initially, he would still gain Attribute Points, so it wasn''t a total loss.


    Finally the evening came, and Xiao Buli hoped by then he would be able to use the spells. Back in his room, however, he began to feel perplexed again.


    The game hadn''t taught any incantations, let alone how to cast spells in reality. Moreover, it seemed that talisman paper was needed for the spell to work.


    The only spell that didn''t require talisman paper was Resurrection Skills, which required an injured target to be effective. He thought for a moment and remembered the fish tank in the kitchen where they often kept live fish, perhaps that would work for experimenting.


    At night, he took the opportunity to slip into the kitchen. Fortunately, due to it beingte, there was no one around. He chose a small fish and hid it in his pocket before returning to his room.


    After securing his room door, he did not start experimenting in the bedroom, but went directly into the bathroom.


    He made a cut on the fish''s body with a fruit knife and held the fish in his hands, silently invoking the Resurrection Skill. There was no effect.


    He hadn''t expected it to be so easy to seed, so this time he ced his right hand on the fish, somewhat reminiscent of a Wizard casting a spell on a Crystal Ball. He imagined a white light, symbolizing the Resurrection Skill, emitting from his hand, but after a long while, there was no response.


    Is it because my Spiritual Power isn''t focused enough? Or could it be that I need an incantation? He recalled that there was no incantation involved in the game.


    Forget it, focus the Spirit! He stared intently at the increasingly weak fish, with nothing else visible in his sight but the fish¡ª"Resurrection Skill!" he shouted. Yet¡ªthere was no response, and after a few final struggles, the fish flipped over, spat out white foam, and stopped moving.


    What exactly is going on here? Xiao Buli thought to himself as he flushed the dead fish down the toilet. Previously, the Basic Swordsmanship and Chain Sword Strike came naturally to him in emergencies. Could it be that the first use of a spell required him to...?


    As he thought, he picked up a fruit knife and looked at his left hand, measuring along the palm for quite some time.


    For the sake of the spell, here goes nothing! He gritted his teeth and hesitated no longer, cutting down with the knife.


    Intense pain arrived as expected, with the knife prating about half a centimeter into the palm, and after he made a cut more than a centimeter long, he stopped, the bright red blood flowing down the palm lines dramatically.


    Xiao Buli took a deep breath and began trying to use the spell to heal the wound. He concentrated his Spiritual Power on the wound just like before, imagining some form of energy passing through and healing it, but still there was no response. Despite staring until his eyes hurt, nothing happened.


    Xiao Buli raised his right hand, imitating a Wizard from a movie, then closed his eyes, like a fortune-teller in deep meditation. After trying for an hour, the wound on his hand showed no signs of healing.


    FUCK! Xiao Buli smashed the fruit knife against the wall in frustration, huffing and puffing for a while before he managed to calm down. However, he wasn''t someone easily discouraged. He believed there was an issue with his method¡ªthe game''s magic was beyond doubt, he must have mastered the spell already, it was just that he didn''t yet know the method.


    Perhaps he should start with Passive Skills first.


    He dressed the wound on his hand and went to bed early.


    Due to the pain in his hand, it was difficult for him to fall asleep. It wasn''t until around eleven or twelve that he managed to doze off, but even then, his sleep was restless. The pain continued to torture him, keeping him in a state of semi-consciousness. In his haze, he thought how nice it would be if the pain wasn''t so bad.


    Suddenly, a cool sensation came from his hand, as if he had applied menthol to it. The pain gradually subsided, and Xiao Buli finally fell into a deep sleep.


    When he woke up the next morning, he was surprised to discover that the palm of his hand no longer hurt. Removing the bandage, he found his left palmpletely healed, not even a scar remained¡ªonly some dried blood to show that it had indeed been injured the day before.


    Xiao Buli was overjoyed at first; the spell had indeed worked. But then he fell into confusion, wondering how exactly could he use these spells?


    This question could only be answered through practice. For this reason, during the day he continued to work feverishly on acquiring Contribution Value. Despite how hard he worked, it was in vain. Tasks like lumbering and harvesting, which wereborious in nature, only awarded 5 Contribution Points each, and he could onlyplete two such tasks a day at most.


    In order to maximize his gains, he spoke to Li Jian and arranged to start an hour early in the morning and finish an hourte in the evening. Coupled with the hour saved from not studying the Tao Te Ching, he eventually decided to have his lunch at the workroom as well, saving another hour. That way, he effectively gained four extra hours a day, and he could now earn 15 Contribution Points per day.


    During the breaks frombor, he would run to Xuanxu Zi to study the hundreds of skills avable for exchange.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He initially nned to exchange for those seven spells, but clearly some modifications were needed. First, he needed to learn how to restore Spiritual Power Value, so he had to learn meditation. Secondly, he didn''t know how to make Talisman Paper. In the game, one could use silver coins to solve that problem, but there was nothing like that in real life. And even if there was, he wouldn''t trust it.


    After inquiring with Qingfeng Mingyue, Xiao Buli was told that not only spell-rted skills were exchangeable at Xuanxu Zi''s ce but also professional skills, with Talisman Paper crafting being one of the auxiliary skills within a professional field. Upon checking with Xuanxu Zi, he indeed found several professional skills avable for exchange.


    There were a total of four: Alchemy, Rune Crafting, Mechanism Puppetry Technique, and Refining Treasures.


    Alchemy allowed for concocting various Elixirs, essentially equivalent to the World of Warcraft Alchemy, only that the Elixirs in this game were more precious and more effective.


    Rune Crafting was somewhat abination of Enchanting and Inscription. It enabled crafting Talisman Paper and talismans, as well as carving Runes into equipment to add special effects to them.


    The Mechanism Puppetry Technique could initially create some interesting trinkets. Later on, it could even be used to makebat puppets that could fight alongside the owner. (The ''Armored Mystic Lions'' at the entrance of the Mystic Hollow Pce were rather powerfulbat puppets.) It also included the ability to make flying mounts like the Griffin.


    Refining Treasures was even more impressive, capable of producing legendary Magical Treasures. For instance, something called the ''Jade Tiger,'' which was a jade sculpture that could be carried in a bag. In times of crisis, it could transform into abat pet to assist in battle. Or the ''Brilliance Orb,'' which could generate a protective shield with a thousand health points, usable once per day.


    There was also the formless mask. Wearing it allowed one to take on the appearance of any person one had seen before. This might just be a toy in a typical online game, but in the highly realistic ''Absolute Death Domain,'' it was undoubtedly a heaven-defying treasure.


    However, regardless of which professional skill it was, exchanging to learn it wasn''t expensive. But the price for subsequent blueprints and materials was exorbitant. Especially the Refinement Treasures specialty required not only powerful spells to create corresponding treasures but also a variety of heaven and earth treasures as basic materials.


    Just hearing the names of these materials, Xiao Buli felt that even if he spent all he had, he wouldn''t be able to afford them. Moreover, a single Magical Treasure often required several, or even dozens of different materials to be crafted, which was synonymous with burning money excessively.


    Thus, after a slight hesitation, Xiao Buli chose to learn Rune Crafting, which he needed the most at the moment. Although he couldn''t afford the more advanced Runes yet, being able to craft his own Talisman Paper was still very useful.


    Meditation was a very cheap skill, costing only 20 Contribution Points, while Rune Crafting was merely 10 Contribution Points. It took Xiao Buli only two days to learn these two skills.

 Chapter 60 The Temptation of Four Advanced Professions (Revised)

    Meditation is a very affordable skill, costing only 20 Contribution Points, and Rune Crafting isn''t much more at just 10 Contribution Points. Xiao Buli earned enough Contribution Points to learn these two spells in just two days.


    However, while researching the skills avable for exchange, Xiao Buli discovered a spell that looked somewhat familiar to him.


    Ten Thousand Swords Art (5 seconds casting¡ªguidance required): Use spiritual power to conjure 45 (Spiritual Power x3) Shadow Transformation Flying Swords to attack enemies within a fixed range, each flying sword dealing 10% of the base weapon damage, consuming 30 Spiritual Power Value.


    Exchange requirements: 120 Contribution Points, Taoist Heart LV1, Sword Control Heart Method LV3.


    Although the requirement for Taoist Heart was only LV1, the spell was marked as non-exchangeable. Xiao Buli read further and realized there was another prerequisite skill required.


    Xiao Buli then asked Xuanxu Zi, "Master, how can I learn the Sword Control Heart Method?"


    Xuanxu Zi said, "The Sword Control Heart Method is an exclusive skill of the Sword Control Master. Unless you change your profession to a Sword Control Master, you cannot learn it."


    "Sword Control Master? What kind of profession is that? Could it be an advanced profession of the Taoist?"


    Xuanxu Zi smiled and nodded. "Exactly, that''s correct."


    "But what are the conditions for advancing to a Sword Control Master, and are there other professions that can be advanced as well?"


    "The requirements to advance to a Sword Control Master are extremely high. As for other professions¡ªwell, since you wish to know, I might as well tell you. The Taoist is a verymon base profession avable for conversion in many ces, but the advanced professions that Taoists from different sects can be are each unique.


    There are only four advanced professions avable in Mystic Hollow Pce, and the requirements for each are not what one would call easy. The four professions are Cursed Swordsman, Sword Control Master, Immortal Skill Master, and God Descending Envoy. As for the abilities and advancement requirements of these four professions, you just need to look at the painting behind me."


    Xiao Buli looked behind Xuanxu Zi and saw indeed andscape painting on the screen. It bore four lines of verse.


    In the left hand the Pure Yang Sword, in the right the thunder''s light.


    With a gesture summon storm and rain, with a wave the sun shines bright.


    Ride the wind across all seas, sword control roams through deste sights.


    At a flick shock heaven and earth, with a turn set yin and yang right.


    Though the poem wasn''t particrly good, its tone was extremely arrogant. Who had written it, Xiao Buli didn''t know. Xuanxu Zi casually pointed at it, and the lines of the poem separated, with golden text emerging beneath each line.


    Xiao Buli looked closely and saw written:


    The Cursed Swordsman, so-called ''In the left hand the Pure Yang Sword, in the right the thunder''s light.'' A miraculous profession that fuses swordsmanship with magic, achieving unity of sword and spell, its power far greater.


    Those who master it to its utmost depths can move freely among myriads of people, ying enemies as easily as mowing grass, beheading generals as simple as reaching into a bag, known as the ''Limitless Sword Saint.''


    The Immortal Skill Master, so-called ''With a gesture summon storm and rain, with a wave the sun shines bright.'' A miraculous profession capable ofmanding the forces of nature.


    Once mastered to the utmost depths, one can call the wind and summon rain, bring forth lightning and thunder, even revive the dead and mend bones back to flesh, almost indistinguishable from an Immortal, known as the ''Loose Immortal.''


    The Sword Control Master, so-called ''Ride the wind across all seas, sword control roams through deste sights.'' A miraculous profession that seeks enlightenment through swordsmanship.


    Once mastered to the utmost depths, one can ride the wind with sword flight, travel thousands of miles in a day, y an enemy from a thousand miles away, take a person''s head in the blink of an eye, known as the ''Sword Immortal.''


    The God Descending Envoy, so-called ''At a flick shock heaven and earth, with a turn set yin and yang right.'' A miraculous profession thatmunicates with Ancient Gods, summoning them to temporarily gain a portion of their power. Once mastered to the utmost depths, one can turn heaven and earth upside down, reverse the Qiankun, known as the ''Closest to God.''


    Xiao Buli gazed longingly, thinking to himself, my goodness, that''s incredible. If I could possess any one of these four abilities, whether in virtual reality or in the wide world, I would have so much freedom. And what could even this so-called Qilin Studio do to control me then!?


    ```


    Upon this realization, he subconsciously asked, "However, I wonder how one can advance in these four professions, and what are the requirements?"


    With a smile and not a word, Xuanxu Zi pointed casually, and instantly, rows of silver text appeared on the screen behind him.


    Cursed Swordsman: Advancement requirements, Taoist Heart LV3, spiritual power 20, any swordsmanship skill LV10, possession of the title Swordsmanship Master.


    Upon advancing, one can learn the core skill: Curse Sword Unity.


    Profession Introduction: The Cursed Swordsman is an all-rounder who studies both curse magic and swordsmanship. After prolonged cultivation, they have mastered the magical ability to integrate swordsmanship and curse magic into one. Spell skills can be enhanced up to LV5, and spell skills can be fused with swordsmanship skills to create unique skills exclusive to the Cursed Swordsman.


    Immortal Skill Master: Advancement requirements, Taoist Heart LV5, spiritual power 30.


    Upon advancing, one can learn the core skill: Taoist Magic of Nature.


    Profession Introduction: Immortal Skill Masters are those who, after long-term dedication to the Tao, have achieved a level of understanding allowing them to control and utilize the forces of nature. Spell skills can be enhanced up to LV10, increasing spell power by twenty percent and halving the required experience points for leveling up spell skills.


    Sword Control Master: Advancement requirements, Taoist Heart LV1, one-handed sword specialization LV10, any three sword technique skills LV10, possession of the title Sword Control Grandmaster.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Upon advancing, one can learn the core skill: Sword Control Heart Method.


    Profession Introduction: Sword Control Masters are swordsmanship masters who haveprehended the Tao through their sword arts. Because of their extreme passion for swordsmanship and basic understanding of the Taoist Heart, they have mastered the magical ability to control flying swords with their spiritual power for attack and defense.


    However, this specialization leads to a weaker ability to learn ordinary spells, with spell skills only able to be heightened to LV1. They can learn and use Sword Control spells.


    God Descending Master: Advancement requirements, Taoist Heart LV10.


    Upon advancing, one can learn the core skill: Power of Descending God.


    Profession Introduction: God Descending Masters are the purest of hearts in the world, possessing the magical ability tomunicate with ancient divine spirits, and can even temporarily borrow a part of their power. Most of the time, they are indistinguishable from regr Taoists, but once in a God Descending state, they possess the power to destroy heavens and earth.


    Xiao Buli couldn''t help but frown; while the advancement requirements for these four professions were different, none seemed easy to him, especially thest one, the God Descending Master. It might appear the simplest with only needing Taoist Heart LV10, but in reality, it was the most difficult. He didn''t even know how to level up the Taoist Heart skill yet.


    When he previously asked Xuanxu Zi, Xuanxu Zi told him that the skill Taoist Heart could only beprehended by oneself and could not be learned through cultivation or teaching. Whether one''s skill level could be elevated was entirely down to personal fate and not to be forced.


    It was as good as not saying anything. From the advancement conditions of these professions, it was evident that improving Taoist Heart was increasingly challenging at each level, and it wasn''t a skill that could be mastered simply through effort. Inparison, sword technique skills were much easier to learn; with enough time and experience, one could eventually achieve them.


    Emotionally, Xiao Buli preferred to advance as an Immortal Skill Master. Commanding the wind and summoning rain, animating the dead¡ªthese were undoubtedly more practical than Sword Flight, which was merely equivalent to a free flight mount. However, Xiao Buli didn''t feel that he had the patience to slowly unravel the mysteries of the Taoist Heart skill.


    After all, this world was too dangerous; advancing a day sooner meant gaining greater power a day earlier, being in control of one''s destiny a day earlier. If he was given the chance to advance to Sword Control Master or Cursed Swordsman now, Xiao Buli felt it would be hard to resist such temptation.


    Thus, he immediately passed over the option of bing a God Descending Master, and simrly, had half-passed the option of Immortal Skill Master. For the time being, his attention was still focused on the professions of Cursed Swordsman and Sword Control Master. The Cursed Swordsman gave him a vibe simr to the Demon Sword Master in fantasy games, yet different.


    As for the Sword Control Master, he had already glimpsed a bit of its prowess from Mystic Hollow Pce''s senior brother and realized it was a very powerful ranged and melee physical DPS profession.


    It seemed that after going out, the main focus should be on cultivating swordsmanship. As for which profession to transition into, that would depend on which conditions he met first.


    If there was an opportunity to advance into an Immortal Skill Master, that would naturally be best, but if the Taoist Heart level was truly insurmountable, then Sword Control Master and Cursed Swordsman were also eptable choices.


    Xiao Buli thought to himself.


    In the following days, Xiao Buli refrained from experimenting with spells. Considering that there were cameras everywhere in the studio except for the bathroom, he wasn''t sure where he could safely practice spells. He also didn''t have talisman paper; although he could ask Qin Shimoon to purchase some, there was a risk of arousing suspicion.


    Therefore, he decided to suppress the urge and simply wait until the end of the month to experiment at home.


    Afterpleting several more tasks for his sect, the day to set off for Nine Dragons City finally arrived, with just one day left in his one-month period as a beginner.


    ```

 Chapter 61 Cleaning House

    After several days ofpleting sect tasks, just one day before the end of the one-month apprenticeship period, the day to set off for Nine Dragons City finally arrived.


    Early in the morning, the three of them had just started ying for a while when Li Jian walked in from outside.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Everyone, stop what you''re doing for a moment, I have something to say."


    Once the three had leisurely prepared themselves to listen, Li Jian spoke loudly, "Today is the final day of the apprenticeship period, and tomorrow, senior management from thepany wille to review your performance over the past month. This evaluation will determine your positions, team assignments, and sry treatment.


    So, please ensure that you move your characters to the safe zone in Nine Dragons City and log out before tonight''s session ends. If you encounter any difficulties, let me know in advance, and I willmunicate with Manager Qin. I don''t want things to get ugly at that point."


    After he finished speaking, he waved his hand to indicate the end of the discussion.


    As Li Baocheng and Han Baiqiang turned back to their screens, Li Jian approached Xiao Buli.


    "Xiao Buli, will you be able to get to Nine Dragons City by tonight? Do you need me to speak to Manager Qin to send someone to pick you up?" As he spoke, he nced at Xiao Buli''s screen. Xiao Buli had beenying low these past few days, so low-key that it struck him as odd. What kind of bind was this guy in to still not have made it out to meet up with them in Nine Dragons City?


    Disappointingly for him, it seemed that Xiao Buli had logged off the game, perhaps to listen to his speech, but he didn''t pay much mind to it. After all, it was just a newbie; no matter what, how much trouble could they stir? Real life was not like those third-rate web novels filled with fortuitous encounters after a stumble.


    At most, Xiao Buli might have stumbled upon some hidden map and wished to explore it alone. The Misty Forest was probably not very challenging.


    Xiao Buli heard him but shook his head, "No problem, I''ll definitely be able to reach Nine Dragons City by tonight. Is there anything else?"


    "Nothing else," Li Jian shook his head and walked away.


    Once Li Jian had left, Xiao Buli logged back into the game and, facing the familiar vista, sighed. It was finally time to leave.


    He opened his character panel. In thest few days, he had umted another 60 Contribution Points, and by upgrading his Lumbering skill to LV10, he also increased his Strength and Stamina by two points each. Xiao Buli felt these five basic attributes were quite easy to enhance and nned to learn more simr professional skills when he had time to further raise these attributes.


    With these 60 Contribution Points, he once again visited Xuanxu Zi''s great hall. The first spell he wanted to exchange for this time was "Summon Rune Soldier," having a summoned beast to tank the monsters would always add a sense of security. Secondly, he also wanted to exchange for "Spirit Armor Skills"¡ªa very practical buff skill.


    However, no matter how he calcted, he didn''t have enough points. Unless he gave up on "Summon Rune Soldier," which wasn''t very useful in team battles anyway, he could exchange for two slightly cheaper spells. Yet, Xiao Buli needed the Rune Soldier to help him get out of the Misty Forest.


    If only he could have stayed a few more days. Xiao Buli thought with some regret, but there was no helping it¡ªtomorrow was the day of the apprenticeship period''s settlement, and he certainly didn''t want to be discovered by thepany''s high ranks having found this ce, the Mystic Hollow Pce.


    "Master, could you make it a bit cheaper?"


    Almost jokingly, Xiao Buli typed the question without any real hope.


    Xuanxu Zi: "Cheaper is definitely not possible." Xuanxu Zi''s response wasn''t surprising, but the next sentence piqued his interest.


    "However, I can give you a well-rewarded task, and even preallocate some of the task''s reward points to you."


    What luck! Xiao Buli was delighted and curious at the same time, "May I ask what task the master has for the disciple to undertake?"


    Xuanxu Zi seemed somewhat embarrassed to say, "To tell you the truth, it''s quite shameful. Although my Mystic Hollow Pce may not be prominent in the eyes of the world, it has been established for a few hundred years. Thirty years ago, a dishonorable disciple emerged from our ranks. This personmitted many evils and behaved improperly.


    I have sent people out several times to purge our sect of this individual. Unfortunately, although he is not particrly skilled in anything substantial, he is extremely adept in the Art of Mysterious Phantoms, capable of changing appearances. After escaping our sect''s pursuit numerous times over three decades, we still haven''t resolved the situation.


    If you can kill this person and retrieve his head, you will be awarded 500 Contribution Points as a task reward. As the master of the Mystic Hollow Pce, I can also advance you 100 Contribution Points as operational funds."


    System Prompt: You have triggered a sect task, ''Purge the Betrayer.'' Do you ept? Yes/No.


    Could this be such good fortune? Xiao Buli thought, but he didn''t hastily ept the task even though the 100 Reward Points were very tempting.


    "May I know what the punishment would be in the case of failure?"


    "As long as you earnestly undertake the task, there will be no punishment even if you fail. Also, the 100 Contribution Points will not be reimed."


    Xiao Buli reasoned that there was nothing more to consider. He was currently both short of Contribution Points and methods to raise his sect''s Prestige. The previousbor-intensive sect tasks had only raised his Prestige by a little over 200, roughly equivalent to the Contribution Points earned, still far from the 1000 Prestige Points needed for respect. Continue your saga on empire


    He immediately epted the task and received 100 Contribution Points, plus 100 Prestige Points for the Mystic Hollow Pce.


    He checked the detailed introduction of the task.


    Purge the Betrayer (Sect Task): Kill the betrayer ''Xuan Zhenzi'' of the Mystic Hollow Pce, return with his head to the master of the Mystic Hollow Pce, and you will receive Contribution Points and Prestige Points from the pce forpleting this task.


    The task did not provide the exact location of Xuan Zhenzi, but Xiao Buli was unconcerned. In his opinion, it would be better not to encounter him¡ªthe name suggested that Xuan Zhenzi was of the same generation as Xuanxu Zi, having defected from the sect thirty years ago, and might be quite formidable seeing as he had survived for so long.


    He decided it was best not to act rashly; in the future, if he were to engage, he should recruit more people for the task.


    With these 100 Contribution Points, Xiao Buli now really had some leeway. He directly exchanged for the "Touch of Healing," "Spirit Armor Skills," "Thunder Talisman," and "Burst Talisman," leaving him with 25 points. After hesitating for a while, he exchanged for an Invisibility Talisman at Qingfeng Mingyue''s.


    Invisibility Talisman: A productbining the Taoist Invisibility Technique with Rune Crafting. Upon use, it makes a unit invisible for 30 minutes. Any offensive action or spell casting will cancel this state, and approaching high-alert units may also reveal the invisible unit (made by Qingfeng Mingyue).


    In reality, what Xiao Buli really wanted to exchange for was the Teleportation Talisman, which could have directly transported him back to the Mystic Hollow Pce, making it easy to return to learn more spells in the future. Unfortunately, that item required 100 Contribution Points to exchange, so Xiao Buli had to settle for the next best thing.


    With this talisman, he felt even more confident about reaching Nine Dragons City.


    PS: Another chaptering tonight.

 Chapter 62 Broken Fang

    By nine o''clock, Xiao Buli was finally ready to leave, and both Ji Xiangyun and Jingci came to see him off.


    Jingci said with a smile, "Little junior brother, I don''t know how long it will be before you return, I really do hate to see you go."


    Xiao Buli said, "It shouldn''t take too long, when did my second senior brother be so sentimental? Is there something going on?"


    Jingciughed, "Haha, you know me well. Actually, I wanted to ask you for a favor. If you have the chance, could you find the other parts of Wild Beast Knowledge? If you can bring them back for me, I won''t leave you shortchanged."


    System Prompt: Mentor task ''Thirst for Knowledge'' triggered.


    Task Details: Find the parts of Wild Beast Knowledge for your second senior brother Jingci. Each part collected will increase your Prestige and Contribution Value at Mystic Hollow Pce.


    Xiao Buli readily epted, as he was in desperate need of Prestige at the Mystic Hollow Pce.


    Ji Xiangyun also stepped forward, "Hey, since he''s already asked, I won''t be shy either. I need some alchemy materials, here''s a list I''ve made. Get them for me too, don''t worry, I won''t leave you shortchanged."


    System Prompt: Mentor task ''Ji Xiangyun''s Experimental Materials'' triggered.


    Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire


    Task Details: Collect alchemy materials for your third senior sister Ji Xiangyun. Each type collected will increase your Prestige and Contribution Value at Mystic Hollow Pce. Do you ept? Yes/No.


    Xiao Buli epted once again.


    He looked behind them; the eldest senior brother had note. It seemed that without enough favorability, tasks would not trigger. After bidding farewell to the two, Xiao stepped on the path out of the valley.


    Using the valley''s teleportation tform to directly transport to the maze''s exit, Xiao Buli looked around at the familiar scenery, took a deep breath, and stepped forward with gusto.


    "Junior brother Xiao, please wait a moment," a voice suddenly called from above, and soon after, Gu Yuexuan descended slowly from the sky.


    Xiao Buli''s eyes lit up; it seemed there was another task for him.


    Gu Yuexuan looked around cautiously as if he was on high alert. "Did the Pce Master give you a mission?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Yes, he asked me to clean up the sect''s rebel, Xuan Zhenzi. Is there a problem?" Xiao replied.


    Gu Yuexuan said, "To be frank, I do need a favor." As he spoke, he took out a bead, "After killing Xuan Zhenzi, please use this on him. When you report back to the Pce Master, bring it back to me, but this matter must be kept absolutely secret. Whether you ept or not, you must not tell the master, and if you help me with this, I am willing to teach you a set of swordsmanship as a reward."


    System Prompt: Hidden task ''The Eldest Senior Brother''s Secret Mission'' triggered. Completing this task will earn you the swordsmanship taught by the eldest senior brother. Do you ept? Yes/No.


    Already in over his head, Xiao Buli epted once more and received the task item ¡ª Soul Absorption Pearl.


    Xiao Buli examined the bead.


    Soul Absorption Pearl: A treasure bead capable of absorbing soul shards.


    What a strange task, Xiao thought. Isn''t Gu Yuexuan a Sword Control Master? What does he want with soul shards? And why does he specifically want Xuan Zhenzi''s soul shard? But no matter what, a set of swordsmanship was a valuable reward. So as long as he had the time, it wouldn''t hurt toplete this mission on the side.


    After parting ways with the eldest senior brother, the first thing that Xiao Buli did was not to hit the road immediately, but to sit down and prepare for battle, arranging hisbat skills on familiar key positions and summoning the Talisman Soldier.


    The attributes of a Talisman Soldier are determined entirely by the summoner''s spiritual power, one point of spiritual power brings 10 health points, 1 Armor, and an attack power of 1-1.


    Xiao Buli''s spiritual power is 15 points, so the Talisman Soldier he summoned is abat unit with 150 health points, 15 Armor, and an attack of 15-15. Not particrly powerful, but enough to serve as cannon fodder.


    The Talisman Soldier canst for 30 minutes. Utilizing this time, Xiao Buli decided to leave the forest as quickly as possible. Although his strength had increased, he still thought it best to avoid trouble whenever possible.


    Unfortunately, fate had other ns. Not long after he started walking, a familiar roar reached his ears, sounding much like that of a tiger.


    Damn, it''s always what you most fear that happens, Xiao Buli thought to himself. Surely it''s not lingering nearby? The threat of the tiger was still significant, but now Xiao Buli was not as frightened as he had been before. He didn''t run away immediately but listened carefully.


    The roar didn''t seem too far away, to the north, and it was mixed with some strange cries, as if the tiger was fighting with some kind of beast.


    Xiao Buli hesitated for a moment, then decided to go take a look.


    Following the direction of the sound, he cut through the forest and saw the same tiger that had chased him before, confronting a wild boar the size of a calf with ck skin.


    He looked at the name of the wild boar and was surprised to find that it was a rare named beast, Broken Fang (Elite Beast).


    It was an Elite Beast, but the disparity in strength between monsters in this game was clear. Even as an elite wild boar, it seemed unable to withstand the tiger''s onught, covered in wounds and bleeding profusely. Inparison, the tiger, though slightly disheveled, appeared far more leisurely.


    After assessing the situation for a moment, Xiao Buli decided to take action. With ''Broken Fang'' serving as a tough shield, it was an excellent opportunity for him to deal damage.


    Resurrection Skills! A white light fell upon Broken Fang, and its health points slowly started to recover, its wounds beginning to heal. At the same time, Xiao Buli noticed the boar''s red name turn to brownish-red.


    The tiger seemed to realize something was amiss and let out a furious roar before pouncing again. The two fierce beasts instantly tangled, ws tearing against the boar''s ck skin, the boar responding with vicious tusks aimed at the tiger.


    In terms of attack and defense, the wild boar clearly had the upper hand, with the tiger only causing 5-6 drops of blood to be lost per swipe, while the boar could deal tens of damage to the tiger with a hit.


    However, the tiger''s attack speed was extremely high; for every strike from the boar, the tiger could w three or four times, and its evasion rate was also exceedingly high, dodging most of Broken Fang''s attacks, leaving it howling in frustration but without a solution.


    However, as Resurrection Skills continuously fell upon Broken Fang, the ck wild boar held on.


    Xiao Buli, who was watching from the side, spotted the problem: the tiger''s speed and agility clearly suppressed Broken Fang. Even with his continuous healing, it might not be enough to secure a victory. This situation was not good. When the beasts separated again, Xiao Buli aimed at the tiger and shot an Ice Talisman.


    With a smack, the tiger, unprepared, took a direct hit and immediately, a -11 appeared above its head. Such damage was not significant for the tiger, but the Power of Frost contained in the talisman turned it a light blue, slowing its speed instantly.


    Ao wu! Stung by the sneak attack, the tiger seemed very angry, and upon spotting Xiao Buli, it abandoned the boar and charged straight at him, as foes often see red when they face each other.


    Attack! Xiao Buli ordered his Talisman Soldier to engage and shielded himself with Ethereal Armor. Another Ice Talisman flew out, and with a smack, the tiger''s speed slowed again, and the Talisman Soldier''s sh followed¡ª13. The red numbers popped up, but the tiger didn''t hesitate and continued to elerate, Xiao Buli thought that the Talisman Soldier obviously couldn''t pull aggro effectively.


    As it rapidly approached, Xiao Buli didn''t dodge because he saw the wild boar moving behind the tiger, apparently gathering strength. Thus, he decided to take a risk.


    Pounce¡ªThe tiger leaped forward, ws outstretched menacingly. But it was blocked by the Ethereal Armor with a thud. At the same time, ''Broken Fang'' suddenly elerated, hitting the tiger''s nk like a ck cannonball.


    With a crisp crackling sound, the tiger was knocked over. When it got up, a debuff named ''Bone Crack'' appeared above its head, reducing its speed by 30 percent.


    Nice! Xiao Buli acknowledged the boar''s timing and readiness, but even then, he did not dare to rx. Hemanded his Talisman Soldier to engage, and Burst Talismans steadily bombarded the tiger. Finally, with an agonizing roar, the tiger was in.


    Too bad it dropped nothing. Xiao Buli looked at the tiger''s corpse and felt regretful, as beasts in this game didn''t drop money or equipment. If he knew how to dissect, he could have obtained materials such as tiger skin and bones, but unfortunately, he did not have the skill for dissection.


    Looking back at the wild boar, it now showed as a yellow neutral beast, probably thanks to the several Resurrection Skills from before.


    Watching the boar that was staring nkly at him, Xiao Buli suddenly had an idea, (I wonder what the Wildness level of this boar is; can I Tame it?)

 Chapter 63 Nine Dragons City

    ```


    The "Broken Fang" seemed to still be cautious towards Xiao Buli, fixating on him with a direct stare, as if observing what Xiao Buli was about to do.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Xiao Buli decided to give it a try. Although taming could fail and possibly trigger the beast into a Fury state, he felt confident in his ability to take down the boar after the operation he just performed. So, after creating some distance, he released his Taming Skills on the wild boar.


    A white light connected him with Broken Fang. The boar seemed impatient, shaking its massive head trying to shake off the strange feeling, but to no avail. A few secondster, there was a sh of white light on the boar¡ªit had been sessfully Tamed. Xiao Buli checked Broken Fang''s Attributes and was pleasantly surprised.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Broken Fang (Elite Beast).


    Intelligence: 8.


    Strength: 18.


    Speed: 12.


    Agility: 8.


    Stamina: 24. ¡ª Stamina Points 240 (1 point of stamina corresponds to 10 Stamina Points).


    Physique: 30. ¡ª Health Points 300. (1 point of physique corresponds to 10 Health Points).


    Combat Skills


    Horn Strike: LV2. A standard attack skill that uses sharp tusks to stab at the target, dealing base attack damage.


    Savage Collision: LV4. The skill can be unleashed from a distance of 8¡ª30 meters, charging ferociously at the target, inflicting 18+12 (Strength + Speed) = 30 points of blunt hit damage and knocking down or unbncing the target (depending on the target''s size), consuming 10 Stamina Points, with a cooldown of 30 seconds.


    Wildness: LV4. This is a stubborn wild beast, longing for freedom and a wild lifestyle, filled with aggressiveness, and difficult to coexist peacefully with humans. Prolonged animal taming will lower the level of this skill.


    Thick Skin: LV3. The skin of this beast is incredibly tough, rendering it difficult for regr attacks to cause effective damage, reducing physical attack damage by 6 points each time.


    Fury: Once the wild boar''s Health Points drop below thirty percent, it will enter a Fury state, attacking enemies recklessly, unstoppable unless it is killed.


    Survival Instinct: LV2. Health recovery speed is increased by twenty percent, and the duration of poison is reduced by twenty percent.


    Sprint: LV1. It can instantly elerate, increasing Movement Speed by one hundred percent for 5 seconds, consuming 5 Stamina Points, with a cooldown of 30 seconds.


    Agility: LV1. This creature has an excellent sense of smell and hearing, any movement might catch its attention, increasing its detection range by twenty percent, and its ability to Reveal hidden enemies by twenty percent.


    System Notification: This creature can be mounted. It can be converted into a mount at the Beast Pen. Once converted into a mount, it will no longer be usable inbat. Mounts tamed using Taming Skills will also upy a pet slot.


    Quite a nice pet! Xiao Buli felt somewhat relieved in his heart. Although there were no spoils of war from the battle, just acquiring this wild boar was worth it. The creature would make an excellent meat shield, and surprisingly, it could also serve as a mount¡ªvery nice. For now, he would keep it with him and consider converting it into a mountter when he no longer wanted to bring it along.


    ```


    However, what perplexed him slightly was that his Taming Skills were only level four; logically, he shouldn''t be able to Tame a wild boar with a Wildness level of four. To achieve that, at least level five Taming Skills were needed. But after a moment of thought, he understood. His Beast Compendium had an entry for ''pig'', reducing the default difficulty of Taming by one level.


    He hadn''t felt it was much use before, but now he realized it was somewhat useful.


    He cast Resurrection Skills on Broken Fang twice more, and as its health points gradually recovered, its Loyalty also increased to over 80. The wounds on its body alsopletely healed. The boar, d in pitch-ck, indeed looked majestic. Xiao Buli decided to give it a new name.


    After looking it over for a while, he saw its pitch-ck appearance and muttered to himself, "Then I''ll call you Coal Ball."


    With ''Coal Ball'' in tow, Xiao Buli made his way along the mountain road. The rest of the journey went by without further threats; a man and a pig were not something average beasts could take lightly, and Xiao Buli had no interest in hunting wild animals to level up, so whenever they encountered beasts, they tried to avoid provoking them.


    As for the ck Mountain Bandits he was worried about, they seemed to have disappeared without a trace. By noon, he had finally left the range of Mist Valley, and a line of blue text shed on the screen.


    System Prompt: You have entered Bull Rush in.


    Bull Rush in was already within the jurisdiction of Nine Dragons City. Not far along, Xiao Buli even saw a patrol of the Golden Dragon Legion''s cavalry, marching back and forth on the road in formation.


    Your next chapter awaits on empire


    Seeing these horsemen, Xiao Buli breathed a sigh of relief, as generally seeing the city guards meant that he had entered a safe territory.


    By three o''clock in the afternoon, he had finally arrived at the gates of Nine Dragons City.


    Nine Dragons City was located in the heart of Bull Rush in, encircled by a moat. Its towering walls were majestic and magnificent, with nine gates, each topped with the carved head of a ferocious Giant Dragon, which was how Nine Dragons City got its name.


    Walking through the city, Xiao Buli found that, even in this capital, NPCs still outnumbered yers, who were rtively rare. Of course, there were some yers around, and asionally he could catch a glimpse of one or two yers whose presence quickly vanished.


    Judging by their equipment, they were quite impressive; he wondered where they came from and whether they, like him, were working for someone else.


    Xiao Buli didn''t rashly approach them but headed straight for the city''s Adventurer''s Pub, the ce where he and Li Jian''s group had agreed to meet. As he entered, he saw a burly figure in ck Scale Armor and a horned helmet, sitting in a corner chair.


    Beside him sat two men, arge, burly one in shiny new chainmail, and another in ck Leather Armor with a strong bow, agile in posture, with a grey wolf lying at his feet¡ªit was Li Jian, Han Baiqiang, and Li Baocheng.


    Xiao Buli headed to the remaining empty seat at the table and sat down directly. "Hey, I''ve arrived."


    "Thank the heavens, I thought you wouldn''t make it out," said Han Baiqiang with relief. Li Baocheng gave Xiao Buli a once-over, examining his equipment. The corner of his mouth, behind the screen, revealed a smirk of triumph, (Such shabby gear; seems like he''s not doing too well. Looks like I''m the best performer among the neers).


    At that moment, Coal Ball wedged itself behind Xiao Buli, grunting as ity down beside his feet, making the screen seem to shake with a thud, startling the three men. They took a closer look and realized that the mountain-like creature was actually Xiao Buli''s pet. "Man, where did you catch this thing?"


    Li Baocheng immediately had a realization, "Right, since there''s a pig in the Beast Compendium, I should be able to Tame a wild boar too. If only I knew, I wouldn''t have caught this grey wolf."


    But it was toote for regrets; there wasn''t enough time to catch a new pet in the wild now.


    Li Jian wasn''t very surprised, after all, it was just a slightly bigger wild boar to him, nothing too special. What he was concerned about was something else.


    He said indifferently, "Now that everyone''s here, let''s all log off. Tomorrow, thepany''s higher-ups areing here to assess your probation period. Get a good night''s sleep tonight, and make a good impression on the peopleing from the headquarters. Don''t worry, even if your performance hasn''t been good, you won''t be fired.


    At worst, your benefits might just be lowered." Li Jian seemed to say casually, but Li Baocheng couldn''t shake the feeling that he was implying something about Xiao Buli.


    All three logged off the game and left theputer room under Li Jian''s watchful eye.


    Watching the three leave, Li Jian''s expression became solemn as he pulled out his phone, "Hello, Zhang Hao? I think we''ve all been mistaken. That neer named Xiao Buli¡ªhe''s already activated blue stripes."


    PS: Another chapter tonight.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 64 Green Dragon Group

    This was an exceptionally clean office, with a marble floor so spotless and reflective it was like a mirror, genuine leather office chairs, crystal ashtrays, and a decorative sword in a sharkskin sheath mounted on a ck wooden rack¡ªthere was a mix of ice-cold and luxurious aura.


    Dugu Han was sitting on the leather sofa behind the office desk, listening to Qin Shimoon''s report. The usually capricious beauty appeared well-behaved and professional, her voice calm and gentle as she recounted the recent events in full detail, with a clear and well-organized delivery.


    Suddenly, Dugu Han interrupted her report and asked with a frown, "So, are you saying that one of the four neers is dead?"


    Qin Shimoon nodded, "Yes, but someone has already dealt with it. It won''t cause any trouble."


    "What about the others? Any casualties recently?"


    Qin Shimoon shook her head again, "Since there haven''t been any special operationstely, there have been no casualties for the time being."


    "It seems thepany has really cked off while I was away," Dugu Han snorted contemptuously, "letting them freeload is uneptable. The boss''s big n is at a critical stage; we need arge amount of equipment and Skill Books. Make them run more instances, get more top-grade gear, and don''t worry about casualties. A few deaths are no big deal. If necessary, just recruit some more neers."


    Upon hearing this, Qin Shimoon hesitated, "But it seems the police have started to notice, I''m not sure if we can keep it under control if this continues."


    "You don''t need to worry about that," Dugu Han said nonchntly, "The power the boss possesses is vast, beyond what you can imagine." Qin Shimoon had no further objections after hearing this and changed the subject, "Will the general manager attend the new recruits'' review this afternoon?"


    "I won''t go. You can handle such trivial matters with Ouyang," said Dugu Han, waving his hand dismissively. Qin Shimoon nodded, turned around, and left the room.


    As the door closed behind her, a trace of cold sharpness shed in Qin Shimoon''s calm eyes, "Hmph, what an arrogant guy."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Xiao Buli, Han Baiqiang, and Li Baocheng were originally quite nervous about the so-called corporate executives. However, they received a notice at noon that the executives had other matters to attend to and the final review would be handled by Qin Shimoon.


    This somewhat rxed the trio, as Qin Shimoon, the logistics manager, was known to be easygoing. Having her in charge of the review suggested they might receive better treatment.


    At one o''clock in the afternoon, the three were called to a testing room, where Qin Shimoon and a man who looked like a college professor had already been waiting, Xiao Buli remembered him as the person who had conducted his interview.


    "Good afternoon, guys," the man greeted the trio politely, shaking hands with each of them in turn. "My name is Ouyang Zhengde, your auditor. Just call me Ouyang. After the review, we''ll be working together, so please take a seat and rx."


    With the auditor being so courteous, the atmosphere in the room gradually became more rxed.


    "Alright, let''s get started," said Ouyang Zhengde as he pointed to a row ofputers nearby. "Please log into your characters. I will score you based on your Attributes, Professions, Skills, Gear, money amount, Prestige, etc. In the end, your scores and achievements will determine your positions andpensation. Let''s start with you," he said, pointing at Han Baiqiang.


    Han Baiqiang nodded and logged into his character.


    "Hmm, it seems your Basic Attributes have grown quite well, wow, you''ve made quite a bit of money, are you on a professional path?" Thest sentence was a question.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Han Baiqiang nodded, "I''ve transitioned into a Smithing Master, able to forge a variety of armors and weapons. I made this money crafting gear for the army."


    "I see," mused Ouyang, nodding thoughtfully as he wrote down a number on his notepad, "Let''s move on to the next one."


    Li Baocheng logged into his character with some pride¡ªhe certainly had reason to be. His bag was stuffed with equipment looted from humanoid monsters like bandits and Zombies. Although not worth much, they looked imposing nheless.


    His basic attributes were quite impressive, hisbat skills were also numerous, and most of his equipment was decent¡ªat least for a newbie, that is. And finally, there was a grey wolf following by his side.


    Ouyang did some calctions and seemed indifferent, giving a slight curl of his lips before writing a number in his notebook.


    "So it''s you then, I seem to remember you¡ªaren''t you the one who yed that Dark game?"


    Xiao Buli nodded, but without trying to ingratiate himself, he directly logged into his character, and soon his character appeared on the screen, with ''Coal Ball''¡ªthe ck pig¡ªlying beside him.


    "Your profession is¡ªSwordsmanship Apprentice/Daoshi, you actually transitioned to a profession with mana, good job, buddy," said Ouyang, somewhat surprised.


    "Your equipment is really poor, but that''s not a big deal. The Xuanwu Group has plenty of materials, and we can put together a set for you anytime. Not bad on the skills, and they''re all spellcasting skills, good stuff, you''re a talent."


    The aplishments of Xiao Buli were barely worthy of mention, his attributes had hardly increased, and his equipment was terrible, but just the fact that he changed his ss to the Daoshi profession was enough to make Xiao Buli look down on his peers.


    Ouyang discussed with Qin Shimoon for a few moments, then pointed toward the door, signaling for the group leaders toe in.


    In no time, the leaders of the four divisions walked in.


    Ouyang gave the four a brief introduction to the three individuals, then announced, "Based on the results agreed upon between Manager Qin and me, Xiao Buli has outstanding trial performance, with a basic sry of twelve thousand. He will join the Green Dragon Group, Han Baiqiang..."


    "Hold on, this allocation seems somewhat inappropriate," interrupted Wang Yifan, the leader of the White Tiger Group, suddenly cutting into Ouyang''s speech. He was a pale-faced man in his thirties, but now hisplexion was flushed with anger.


    "The Green Dragon Group already has three Mage Professions among eleven people. Our White Tiger Group has nearly thirty people, and we only have three Mage Professions, with only one capable of healing. By all ounts, any new Mage Professions should be allocated to us."


    "Watch yournguage, Leader Wang. This isn''t some kind of democratic council. What I''m stating is a decision, not asking for your opinion," Qin Shimoon suddenly said coldly. Her ordinarily gentle appearance suddenly took on an air of authority, silencing Wang Yifan with hermanding voice, leaving him nodding subserviently, not daring to raise any further objections.


    "So that settles it. The Wanderer will join your White Tiger Group, and as for the Smithing Master, naturally that''s for the Xuanwu Group."


    After finishing, Ouyang nced apologetically at the only woman among the four group leaders, Wu Min''er of the Vermilion Bird Group, who seemed unconcerned, simply shrugging her shoulders with an indifferent air.


    "Tch, always sending the crappy stuff our way." Wang Yifan red at Li Baocheng unhappily, making Li feel rather annoyed.


    What''s there to fuss about? If you don''t want me, I don''t want to serve you either! Though he thought this way, he naturally didn''t voice it, since after all, the other party was still a group leader. It was important to maintain a good rtionship, thought Li Baocheng, a hint of jealousy in his gaze as he looked at Xiao Buli, thinking how quietly this guy had changed to a Mage Profession.


    Apse in judgment, apse indeed. It seems I can''t afford to becent in the future.


    As for Xiao Buli, the main party involved, he remained poised throughout. He didn''t feel too strongly about which group he joined, as the differences in sry of a few thousand yuan were no longer significant to him. What he cared about more was whether he could study his spells in peace.


    The Green Dragon Group would be fine, at least in terms of resources, it was the best.


    Over the previous month, he had learned a bit about the differences between the White Tiger Group and the Green Dragon Group. In general terms, the Green Dragon Group was made of elites.


    Since dungeons had a limit on the number of people who could enter, and the monsters inside were often more formidable than those outside, with better drops, the Green Dragon Group simply couldn''t afford to have any ckers. They were very strict about selecting members, and resources were naturally more inclined toward them.


    Inparison, the White Tiger Group fared much worse. Apart from a few core members with strong abilities, the rest were a hodgepodge of mediocrity, with uneven strength and no rationality in their assembly. Essentially, anyone who wasn''t outstanding andcked special skills was shunted to the White Tiger Group.


    Fortunately, there were no number restrictions when fighting wilderness bosses, and they yed a numbers game. So, over time, that''s just the way things were.


    "Alright, everyone can disperse now. Take your new members back with you. Also, Leader Wu, stay for a moment. Please report the information you''ve collected recently on the new dungeons."

 Chapter 65 Masters of the Green Dragon Group

    Xiao Buli followed the leader of the Green Dragon Group out of the room, and thetter immediately turned around and shook his hand enthusiastically.


    "Hello, I''m Zhang Yaoyang, the leader of the Green Dragon Group. From now on, we are colleagues, and we must help each other out, okay?"


    His enthusiasm startled Xiao Buli, making him wonder who the neer really was.


    "Come with me,e with me; our Green Dragon Group is just over here." As he spoke, Zhang Yaoyang dragged Xiao Buli into the corridor of the Green Dragon Group and pushed open the door to theputer room, where they both entered.


    Compared to the neer''sputer room, the Green Dragon Group''s was much more luxurious; not only the machines, but the interioryout was also much more spacious. There was a mini-bar, a smoking room, and all kinds of small amenities, even with windows¡ªa prime location in an office building.


    "How about that, not too shabby, right? Let me tell you, our Green Dragon Group is one of the most capable teams under thepany''s management. We''re not on the same level as those poor, low-ss guys from the White Tiger Group."


    As he spoke, Zhang Yaoyang took off his coat, casually hung it on a coat rack, and handed Xiao Buli a Coke from the bar''s fridge.


    Xiao Buli epted the Coke and looked around. Some members were absorbed in ying games, including two female members. A guy who seemed somewhat disheveled sat on a high stool in the bar, pouring himself a drink of amber-colored alcohol, seemingly unrmed about drinking during work hours. Noticing Xiao Buli''s gaze, the man turned around and raised his ss to him.


    Xiao Buli responded by lifting his Coke, and the casual atmosphere made him feel quite rxed.


    "Hey everyone, take a break for a moment," Zhang Yaoyang called out, but no one responded; the ttering of keyboards continued alongside the whispers, showing no sign of quieting down.


    Zhang Yaoyang, resigned, shrugged at Xiao Buli and raised his voice again, "This is Xiao Buli, our new member¡ªa healer."


    Suddenly, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their gaze toward them.


    Wu Tao, brimming with excitement, peeked out from behind aputer, "Nice, boss, I told you that you were reliable. See, you''ve quickly brought us a healer." But then he paused abruptly when he saw Xiao Buli clearly.


    A girl, average-looking but with a bold temperament, approached. She wore baggy sweats and a green stic hair clip on her ponytailed hair. She eyed Xiao Buli skeptically, "You''re a healer? What profession?"


    "Daoist."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Hehe, then we''re in the same line of work. I''m an Exorcist¡ªthe advanced profession of a Daoist. You can stick with me from now on."


    "Wooow, someone''s caught Hua''s eye."


    "Hua, that''s not fair. Are you treating our great leader Zhang like he''s invisible?"


    "Boss, aren''t you going to keep her in check? Hua''s getting more and more arrogant."


    Zhang Yaoyang seemed used to being ignored by his subordinates, and amidst the teasing, he sighed and said, "Don''t mind them too much; they''re used to beingx and can be a bit disrespectful. Let me introduce you around. There aren''t many of us in the Green Dragon Group, but each one is an elite of elites. First is this one, Hua Yueying, our Green Dragon Group''s top nurse."


    Seemingly dissatisfied with being called a nurse, Hua Yueying defiantly turned and gave him the middle finger. Zhang Yaoyang, however, spread his hands with an expression of ''who''s afraid of whom.''


    "Next up is our Necromancer, Bai Yunfei, the one with the pretty boy face."


    Xiao Buli took special notice because Wu Tao had mentioned him before. Bai Yunfei was indeed very pale, almost unnaturally so, the kind that usuallyes from spending too much time indoors, but it seemed particrly abnormal among this group of people.


    "Five Elements Warlock Du Yibo, our Green Dragon Group''s top artillery, an expert in clearing the field." A sses-wearing man with an indifferent look gave Xiao Buli a nod.


    "Those three are our group''s major magic users, and now that includes you too," Zhang Yaoyang said, smacking his lips with an envious expression, "Then there are our four tanks: the chubby one is Wang Gang, the burly one is Zhang Qiang, both Shield Bearers by profession, the one with the buzz cut is Wu Tao, a Qigong Master, and that handsome young guy is Zhao Yunlong, a Martial General.


    That''s all four of our Dragon Group''s tanks."


    After finishing, he pointed to a young girl with heavy ck eyeshadow and nail polish, exuding a gothic vibe, "Assassin Yaoyao, her real name unknown."


    "Wanderer Li Chuang, the one with the unshaven face. Swordsman Liu Xing, the one who was drinking earlier. Alright, anything else you want to know?"


    "What''s your profession, team leader?"


    "I''m a Beast Tamer," Zhang Yaoyang answered with a smile ¡ª "Called the ''Dog King''." Suddenly, a mischievous voice came from the side, causing Zhang Yaoyang to curse andugh.


    While they were joking around, Zhang Yaoyang''s phone suddenly rang. After a brief conversation, he hung up.


    "The higher-ups want to see me; it might be about the dungeon. Who can exin the rules here to the newbie, OK?" With that, he nodded to Xiao Buli and walked away.


    Before anyone else could speak up, Wu Tao quickly approached, "My name is Wu Tao, I''ll exin things to you."


    Xiao Buli nodded and followed Wu Tao to a pair ofputers sitting side by side in the corner.


    Sitting down in front of oneputer and looking into the eyes of his subordinate from the past, Xiao Buli didn''t quite know what to say for a moment. The atmosphere turned a bit awkward, so he looked around and noticed many slogans on the walls. Written in bold brush strokes, they had a postmodern elegance to them.


    The first slogan read: Please try not to use the toilet during the game ¡ª or at least quit the game before going to the bathroom.


    The second: Do not log off in the path of cavalry patrols.


    The third: Please feed your pets on time and ensure your bag is stocked with sufficient food ¡ª especially if your pet likes meat.


    The fourth: If you see a pretty female ghost, remember to run and don''t even think about flirting.


    There were at least a dozen such slogans. Xiao Buli pointed at them curiously, "What''s all that about?"


    "Hey, it''s a long-standing tradition of our Green Dragon Group," Wu Tao exined. "Every time someone in our group dies because of a mistake, we write down the lesson and hang it on the wall, like what you see there. Of course, it''s not just from our Dragon Group.


    For instance,st month, some poor guy from the White Tiger Group forgot to log off when he went to the bathroom and ended up killed by a Saber-Toothed Wolf, hence that slogan about not using the toilet during the game. You''ll get used to it. Don''t be fooled, even though we all are experts, there are plenty who''ve died due to idents."

 Chapter 66 Sudden Incident鈥擟ounterfeit Copy

    ```


    "You''ll know after a while, despite our group being full of experts, there have been quite a few unexpected deaths."


    After saying that, Wu Tao added, "Of course, I''m talking about in the game."


    Xiao Buli sighed, thinking to himself that this guy probably still didn''t know the real truth behind the game. He looked around at the various slogans that felt like tombstones, signifying the game''s brutality.


    However, deep down, Xiao Buli still harbored a slim hope that the reality might not be as terrifying as he feared, but he couldn''t help asking, "Is the casualty rate for our Green Dragon Group high?"


    "Of course, after all, dungeons aren''t like the wilderness; if you can''t beat them, it''s hard to run away, and you encounter all sorts of strange circumstances inside. Bosses keep transforming, and the ones to really watch out for are those with multiple phases. One slip-up could easily lead to death. So even when we''re ying low-level dungeons, we can''t say it''s a guaranteed win.


    But although there''s some risk, we also earn a lot, right? How much did they offer you for a month''s sry?"


    Xiao Buli replied, "Twelve thousand."


    "Look at that, a full half more than the newbies in the White Tiger Group. I''m making fifteen thousand a month now, but the mages in our group are all earning eighteen thousand. You''ll probably get there sooner orter. Plus, there''s extra allowance for every dungeon run, and if you turn in something good, there''s additional rewards too.


    With a bit of luck, earning twenty or thirty thousand a month isn''t out of the question."


    Wu Tao said this with pride, but Xiao Buli only felt sadness for him, thinking that this was a gamble with one''s life. Twenty or thirty thousand, is that a lot?


    "Wasn''t your original dream to open a restaurant? How did you end up back in this line of work?"


    "Hey, it''s all because of money troubles. Not gonna lie, back then I got myself a girlfriend," Wu Tao said as he pulled out a photo. The young girl in the photo was petite and seemed full of charm. Xiao Buli found it strange, thinking how could Wu Tao, who didn''t look like much, have such a pretty girlfriend? Is it real?


    "How about that, she''s pretty, isn''t she? Unfortunately, her parents disagree. They say I don''t have a house or a car, let alone a career. How could they possibly marry their daughter to me? So I thought about opening a restaurant, but starting one requires money. That''s why I came here when I heard about this job.


    Once I save enough to open a restaurant, I''ll resign and go back home to get married." Wu Tao spoke with his face full of longing, as if a happy life was just within his grasp.


    Xiao Buli''s heart stirred and he joked, "Then you better hurry up. Your girlfriend is so beautiful, don''t bete and let someone else snatch her away."


    Xiao Buli meant it sincerely; although the two were merely acquaintances, he didn''t want anything bad to happen to Wu Tao. It would be best if he could resign and go home sooner.


    "Absolutely, I''ve got it all nned out..." Wu Tao''s words trailed off as he stopped talking mid-sentence, chuckled twice, and didn''t continue.


    Xiao Buli felt that there was more to what he said and was about to inquire further when the door to the Green Dragon Group''s machine room was opened once again. Zhang Yaoyang hurried in and announced, "Hey! Hey! Hey! Fellows, good news, we''re starting work."


    "Does that mean a new dungeon has been discovered?" The swordsman named Liu Xing lifted his drink and asked.


    "Yeah, and it''s rted to our newbie here."


    Xiao Buli was startled, thinking, why is it connected to me again?


    Zhang Yaoyang pointed at Xiao Buli, "Remember when you were robbed by the ck Mountain Bandits on your way to Nine Dragons City?"


    Xiao Buli nodded, and Zhang Yaoyang continued, "The distribution of monsters in this game is generally very regr; they don''t just wander about. ck Mountain is nowhere near the Misty Forest, so it wouldn''t make sense for the bandits to appear in the Mist Valley. After Li Jian reported it, the higher-ups deduced there had to be an event, and the Vermilion Bird Group was dispatched to follow up.


    And believe it or not, they discovered a small fortress in a deserted mountain near the Mist Valley, and inside that fortress was a dungeon¡ªour target for today."


    "We''re hitting it today? What''s the quality of the dungeon?" someone interjected from the side.


    "Deep blue, it should be an open-air dungeon." Upon hearing Zhang Yaoyang''s words, the room fell silent. Xiao Buli observed everyone''s expressions and noticed an absence of excitement or joy; apparently, no one liked tackling such difficult dungeons.


    "Come on, don''t look so glum. The task has been assigned from above, and we''ve got to do it whether we like it or not. Let''s just prepare as best we can and aim for a clean run with no casualties," Zhang Yaoyang tried tofort them, sensing the mood in the room.


    "Easy for you to say. For a dungeon of this level, we''d normally need half a month of research plus preparations for supplies. There''s no such thing as just jumping in. Have you forgotten thest time in the Demon Spirit Cave?" Hua Yueying, the chief healer, spoke out, instantly winning the support of many people.


    Various voices arose, and Zhang Yaoyang became increasingly irritated, mming his hand down on the table, "It''s just a fortress dungeon. How many times have we done those? It shouldn''t be too hard, there won''t be any problems."


    "The fortress dungeons we''ve cleared before weren''t deep blue level."


    "Right, right, maybe you could speak to the higher-ups? Ask for a few days to prepare before we take it on."


    "You think I don''t want to? I nearly wore my mouth out arguing with Manager Qin, but he said this order came from the top executives and that it has to be done. So stop dragging your feet, everyone."


    ```


    Zhang Yaoyang, seeing everyone stillzing around, couldn''t help but get angry and said, "Fine, fine, fine, you''re all bosses, I can''t control you. If you really don''t want to fight, I won''t force you. Just go ask the manager to transfer groups. That''s all I have to say. If you don''t want to get fired, then start running this instance."


    Seeing his determination, most people began to prepare to run the instance in silence. After all, despite theirints, no one wanted to lose their job. The only exception was Liu Xing, who still wore a cold smile on his face, as though deep in thought. After a while, he downed his drink in one gulp, took a deep breath as if he had made a big decision, and sat down in front of theputer.


    Wu Tao looked puzzled, seemingly speechless over Liu Xing''s attitude, but Xiao Buli felt as if he could sense that Liu Xing probably knew something about the inside story.


    As he thought this, he also logged into his ount and looked at his character''s shabby equipment. "Group Leader, do I need to run the instance too?" he asked.


    "Of course, you''re a healer, how could you not participate?" came the reply.


    Wu Tao whispered a few words into Zhang Yaoyang''s ear, resulting in an enlightening moment for him. "Wait here. I''ll get the Xuanwu Group to put together a set of equipment for you," he said.


    After making a phone call, a capable-looking guy soon pushed the door open and walked in.


    "Who needs the equipment?" he asked.


    Xiao Buli raised his hand, and the man sat down next to him. With plenty ofputers in the room, he logged into the game with ease and started running towards Xiao Buli''s location, asking, "What''s your profession, and what kind of equipment do you need?"


    Seeing the benefits of working, Xiao Buli wasn''t shy to ask for what he needed. "I need a sword, a set of leather armor, a set of jewelry, and it would be even better if you have magical treasures, elixirs, and spirit talismans.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The priority for attributes should be health points, movement speed, armor, spell power, and mana." He had made sure to prioritize survival, cing health points at the top of the list.


    "You wear leather armor?" the man asked with a puzzled look at Xiao Buli, but shook his head before he could respond, thinking to himself that the game''s equipment system was so mixed up he couldn''t be bothered with mage professions wearing leather armor.


    "I don''t have any magical treasures; our studio can''t afford to make those yet, and the few we have were distributed a long time ago. I do have elixirs and talismans, but those are allocated with a quota, distributed by the group leader. I don''t have the authority to allocate those. Anything else is doable," he exined.


    In no time, a set of equipment was delivered to Xiao Buli, traded over, a uniform blue quality. Xiao Buli checked each item carefully.


    Ironwood Rune Sword: Attack 5-20, Spell Power +2, (crafted by Luo Yang).


    Gleaming Sapphire Ne: Spirit +1, (crafted by Duan Feihong).


    Emerald Spirit Stone Ring: Max Mana +20, (crafted by Duan Feihong).


    Emerald Spirit Stone Ring: Max Mana +20, (crafted by Duan Feihong).


    Sturdy Cowhide Chestte: Armor +10, Physique +3, (crafted by Xiong Tianfu).


    Sturdy Cowhide Leggings: Armor +6, Physique +2 (crafted by Xiong Tianfu).


    Sturdy Cowhide Bracers: Armor +2, Physique +1 (crafted by Xiong Tianfu).


    Light Cowhide Boots: Armor +3, Speed +2 (crafted by Xiong Tianfu).


    Magnificent Evil-Repelling Crown: Armor +3, Charm +2, (crafted by Jiang Shuiliu).


    After gearing up, Xiao Buli''s attributes significantly improved, especially his health points, which increased by a full 60, nearly reaching the 200 mark, giving him some much-needed confidence.


    He also gained a preliminary understanding of the Xuanwu Group''s manufacturing capabilities, which seemed to cover everything from weapons to jewelry, and from leather armor to cloth armor¡ªthey truly had it all.


    PS: Please rmend and add to your favorites.

 Chapter 67 Soul Out Of Body

    ```


    Upon arriving at the East City Gate of Nine Dragons City, they saw twelve knights lined up in a row, already waiting there, one of whom Xiao Buli did not recognize, but was the guide sent by the Vermilion Bird Group.


    "Eh, you don''t have a horse? Dizzy, it was my oversight, I forgot you haven''t learned riding skills yet." Zhang Yaoyang was somewhat annoyed as he smacked his head, "That Zhao Yunlong, you''ve learned expert-level riding skills and can carry someone, right? You''ll be the one to carry him then. We need to get you a horseter, Wu Tao, remember to push his reputation with the Golden Dragon Legion."


    Once Xiao Buli got on Zhao Yunlong''s horse, the team set off. Since he was being carried, there was no need to watch the screen, so Xiao Buli started to ask Wu Tao about the game''s content.


    "What''s with the Golden Dragon Legion?"


    "The Golden Dragon Legion is the army controlled by the rulers of Nine Dragons City. Reputation with them is a must. When your reputation reaches reverence, you can learn advanced riding skills and buy warhorses with a speed of 280. Otherwise, you can only ride a travel horse with a speed of 150."


    "Also, you can buy quite a few blue chainmail and leather armor pieces, various types of weapons, and forging blueprints. But you probably won''t need thoseter on. Aside from that, there are also several powerful battle techniques avable like the Tyrant Spear Skills, but you need to reach reverence before you can learn them."


    Xiao Buli nodded, understanding the importance of mounts in the game. It seemed that reputation with the Golden Dragon Legion was indeed essential to build up. "Oh, any other reputations I need to work on?"


    "If you are a Necromancer, Onmyoji, or Corpse-driving Warlock, then you must also work on the Grand Yin Sect''s reputation. If you''re a Daoist or an advanced profession of Daoist, then you should build reputation with the Sanqing Sect. I don''t know much about the rest."


    Xiao Buli chatted for a while and then noticed that under Wu Tao''s energy bar, instead of a blue mana bar, there was a white bar, which he found somewhat strange, "You''re a Qigong Master, is that white thing internal energy? How is this calcted?"


    "Indeed, it''s internal energy. It''s quiteplex. I practice three different sets of Inner Strength, each with different additional effects. Depending on the situation, I can switch between them, and it seems I''ll be able to learn even more Inner Strength techniquester on."


    Xiao Buli nodded, thinking whether he could also practice Inner Strength in real life. It was something he felt would be worth testing when the opportunity arose.


    Naturally, riding was much faster than running. In less than an hour, the group reached the foot of the deste mountain. When they hadn''t even reached the top, they already saw bodies scattered everywhere.


    Xiao Buli was taken aback, "Has someone been here already?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "It was the White Tiger Group''s people. They came ahead to clear the field for us." The man named Zhao Wei dismounted while speaking, and everyone else followed suit. The higher they went up the mountain, the more bodies there were. When they reached halfway up the mountain, they saw the White Tiger Group''s members, about thirty strong.


    A dozen melee fighters formed a line, pushing forward in a sweeping move, with a dozen long-range members behind them. A Divine Archer specifically responsible for marking targets¡ªif any bandit got marked, a barrage of long-range attacks would immediately focus on them, nearly all of them resulting in instant kills.


    While the White Tiger Group wasn''t as elite as the Azure Dragon Group, with each member being a standout, their coordination and performance were still quite decent. Plus, they outnumbered their enemies, which made dealing with these wild monsters rather easy.


    Just as they were about to clear them all, suddenly a high-level elite¡ªthe Bandit Stronghold Guardian, Qiu Ba¡ªappeared, wielding two huge sabers and charged down. This field bossunched ferocious attacks, causing the formation to be a bit disordered.


    "Hey, Azure Dragon Group,e over and help!" Someone on the other side noticed their situation and called out.


    Xiao Buli saw that no one else was moving and asked, "Aren''t we supposed to help?"


    "They do their job, we do ours. Everyone get in line, I''m going to distribute potions now." Zhang Yaoyang said nonchntly. Xiao Buli didn''t say anything else, knowing that in suchrge corporations, rules were strict, and rushing to help would not only lead to no rewards but might also lead to mistakes.


    As he thought this, he observed the people around him, noticing that aside from the health bar and the energy bar, everyone''s third bars were all different: some had blue mana bars, others white inner strength bars, red rage bars, and ck shadow energy bars. Under that Swordsman Liu Xing''s inner strength bar, there were even a few red bead-like things hanging.


    "What are those for?"


    "Those are Hearts of Mysteries. You get them when you learn Ultimate Skills. There are also Hearts of Rage, usually kept for key moments to use for Ultimate Skills."


    Xiao Buli thought to himself about the Ultimate Skills, noting that Swordsman Liu Xing had two Hearts of Mysteries, meaning he could use Ultimate Skills twice.


    While talking, the elixirs were distributed to Xiao Buli''s group. Although he already had potions, he did not hesitate to click trade, and Zhang Yaoyang traded him two Lifeblood Pills and two Heart Cleansing Pills, one to restore health, the other to restore mana.


    ```


    After the trade, Zhang Yaoyang specifically cautioned, "Don''t use this thing continuously, it has resistance, and it would be a waste if it''s used improperly."


    Xiao Buli and Wu Tao asked in detail before they understood. It turned out that in this game, yers are able to take medicine in session, but after swallowing the first pill, a ''Medicine Resistance'' DEBUFF would appear above the yer''s head, reducing the effectiveness of simr potions by fifty percent within two minutes.


    This state could be stacked, meaning if the first Lifeblood Pill could restore 100 health, the second would only restore 50 health, the third 25, and by the fourth it couldn''t restore health at all.


    Therefore, unless it''s a moment of crisis, it''s better not to consume medicine continuously.


    Xiao Buli thought to himself that he had gained more knowledge. After distributing the medicine, a cheer suddenly erupted from the side; the high-level elite had been taken down.


    "Alright, it''s up to you guys now," Wang Yifan called out to them.


    Zhang Yaoyang ignored the leader of the White Tiger Group and asked the person from the Vermilion Bird Group who was leading the way, "That would be Zhao Wei, right? Tell us about the situation inside the instance."


    "It''s a 10-man instance. The first boss is a Hunter Boss, and I don''t know whates after that," he said.


    "What?" Zhang Yaoyang was instantly dissatisfied, "What has the Vermilion Bird Group been doing? You didn''t even get clear information about the instance."


    "I couldn''t help it, that Hunter Boss had a lot of dogs that could Reveal stealth, I couldn''t get into the instance at all," he answered.


    But Xiao Buli''s mind stirred at the mention of the Hunter Boss. He remembered the Divine Archer who hunted them in the Mist Wilderness, who had almost taken his life and killed Sun Bin. Could it be the same one? But could outdoor bosses and instance bosses switch between each other just like that?


    Zhang Yaoyang said, "It doesn''t matter, let''s just enter the instance and see." The entrance to the instance was at the gate of a mountain stronghold, a deep blue barrier that seemed as unfathomable as the sea.


    Zhang Yaoyang looked at the entrance to the instance and pondered for a while, then said, "Since it''s an open-air instance, Yaoyao should stay out. Wang Gang, Zhang Qiang, which one of you is going in?"


    Both were Shield Bearers, apparently not needing to go in together.


    Zhang Qiang said, "I''ll go in," so the lineup was decided.


    The group formed a team and filed into the instance, which revealed the scenery of a mountain stronghold''s interior. They didn''t charge in right away, instead forming a circle to wait for Zhang Yaoyang to arrange tactics.


    Zhang Yaoyang said, "Old Bai, we''re counting on you this time."


    Old Bai, that is, Bai Yunfei, nodded, sat down with crossed legs, and said, "Protect my body, don''t disturb me."


    After speaking, he began Casting. As a white light gradually condensed on him, a half-transparent shadow walked down from his body. The semi-transparent shadow, which looked exactly like Bai Yunfei, disyed the name ''Soul of Bai Yunfei''. Meanwhile, Bai Yunfei''s status in the team turned grey, a color that only appeared when one was offline or dead.


    Clicking on Bai Yunfei''s body showed ''Corpse''.


    Xiao Buli was startled, "Eh, is this¡ª"


    "Soul Out Of Body, in this state, he''s a ghost, and normal monsters won''t be able to see him, it''s safe for him to scout inside the instance," Wu Tao exined.


    Xiao Buli''s shock had not yet subsided. If Bai Yunfei could use this ability in the real world too¡ªsuddenly, he remembered the story Wu Tao had told him about Bai Yunfei seeing ghosts, and he realized what was going on...


    Thinking of this, he nced towards Bai Yunfei''s position. Bai Yunfei''s paleplexion reflected the white light of the screen, looking extremely focused. Maybe it was a psychological factor, but this typically very silent and introverted guy gave off an eerily ghostly vibe at that moment.

 Chapter 68 Hunter and Prey

    When his attention returned to the screen, the translucent figure had already disappeared inside the stronghold. It took over half an hour before the figure returned.


    As the Primordial Spirit and the physical body united as one, Bai Yunfei''s character stood up once again.


    "I''ve finished the reconnaissance," Bai Yunfei said in a voice that was not loud but very clear. "There are three silver-ranked bosses in total. The first boss is that Hunter Boss, called the Pursuer, Zhou Kaihuang, apanied by five elite hounds. Besides that, there are no other minor monsters nearby."


    Zhou Kaihuang! Xiao Buli was taken aback upon hearing this. It wasn''t for any other reason than the fact that Zhou Kaihuang was the very same hunter from their vige. How did he end up as a boss in the copy? And why did he end up hunting us in the first ce? Could it be rted to Li Baocheng?


    But that seemed excessive.


    "The second boss is a mounted militarymander boss named Guardian Wang Borang, with no followers."


    Another familiar face; Wang Borang used to be the guard captain of the caravan. Xiao Buli couldn''t help but feel that something strange was afoot upon realizing that he had also defected to the bandits.


    "The third boss wields dual des, called Traitor Luo Zhan, with two elite monsters capable of Stealth as his followers."


    Wanderer Li Chuang suddenly spoke up, "I know this Luo Zhan; isn''t he the Assassin Trainer from Nine Dragons City? I found it odd when I noticed the Assassin Trainer was reced a few days ago. I wondered where this fellow had gone. Turns out he ended up in the copy."


    Everyone else also expressed their amazement. It seemed that NPCs bing bosses in a copy was indeed a novel urrence. Bai Yunfei continued, "Besides that, I found a rare elite in the dungeon named Interrogator Duan Yimao. He shouldn''t pose much difficulty. There are also a few NPCs imprisoned in the dungeon which might trigger quests."


    "Have you figured out what the backstory of this copy is?" Zhang Yaoyang asked. In general, copies in games didn''t just spring up out of nowhere; they often had some story background, unlike many domestic online games.


    Since there must be a reason behind the appearance of a copy, it seemed a bit far-fetched for the ck Mountain Bandits to set up a stronghold on this deste mountain for no reason at all, especially since there were no trade routes or loot to speak of.


    Bai Yunfei hesitated, "It seems like they are building something. At the end of the copy, I saw many captured ves, all yellow-named neutral units, constructing an altar-like structure. That might be the reason why they came here."


    "Heh, just as I thought; no matter what this altar is about, there might be a follow-up story. Alright, guys, let''s get ready to start, but let''s set up our tactics first."


    "The first boss is a ranged boss with followers, so we''ll use our usual method. Wu Tao and Zhang Qiang will start by pulling the minor monsters away, then Zhao Yunlong can keep charging the boss. That should do it."


    "Everyone prioritizes clearing the minor monsters, then kills the boss. Any questions?"


    "Hold on, I need to assign the healing," Hua Yueying spoke and then said to Xiao Buli, "Report your skills, and I''ll arrange the healing assignments forter."


    Xiao Buli listed all his support skills. After thinking it over, Hua Yueying remarked, "Looks like your sect is quite different from mine. I don''t even have some of these skills. Ethereal Armor is an excellent support skill. Let''s do it this way; I will handle the main healing duties, you take care of anyone continuously losing health, and make good use of Ethereal Armor as a clutch rescue skill.


    When you see someone in danger, give them a boost to prevent unnecessary casualties. Also, remember to manage your mana."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Xiao Buli nodded. This was all within his expectations, and there were no problems.


    Seeing no one else had anything to say, Zhang Yaoyang nodded, "Then let''s begin."


    The bandits inside the copy were clearly much stronger than those outside, all of them elite monsters, and even their names had changed.


    ck Mountain Lackeys (Demonized Human), ck Mountain Looters (Demonized Human), ck Mountain Raiders (Demonized Human).


    "Eh, why are they demonized monsters? I thought those were only in the Dark Forest!" Wu Tao, sitting next to Xiao Buli, couldn''t help but blurt out.


    "Demonized monsters? What''s that?"


    Upon Xiao Buli''s question, Wu Tao exined, "The Dark Forest used to be called the Thousand Pines Forest. ording to the official NPCs, a few months ago, an evil Strength suddenly emerged within the forest, starting to corrupt nearby creatures and residents. Whether it was humans, wild beasts, or even nts, none could escape fate of being devoured by this Strength.


    Any unit that was controlled had a suffix like (Demonized XX), and their abilities became considerably stronger than ordinary humans or wild beasts. Last month, the higher-ups suspected that a copy or a big outdoor boss might have emerged, so they sent the White Tiger Group to scout and clear the area. But they couldn''t find the way, and many died; in the end, they had to return defeated."


    Xiao Buli was still unfamiliar with the Dark Forest, but he now had a rough idea of what demonized monsters were. Could it be that Zhou Kaihuang was also demonized?


    While thinking this through, he followed the group and cleared the minor monsters. Fearful of identally drawing aggro, his pet Coal Ball was set to passive mode, closely following beside him.


    Although the minor monsters were significantly stronger, they weren''t a challenge, and the group made swift work of them, eventually arriving at the first boss who sat on top of a doghouse, watching the five hounds below tearing apart a human corpse.

 Chapter 69 - 68 Hunter and Prey_2

    Xiao Buli thought to himself that at least the monsters in this game dungeon yed by the rules; they weren¡¯t as perverse as the monsters in the wild, defying all logic. If the bosses were to block the entrance of the dungeon, that would be terrible.


    The Pursuer, Zhou Kaihuang (Demonized Human Race), it¡¯s really him! Xiao Buli looked at the former Hunter Trainer with mixed emotions. He couldn¡¯t believe this guy had be a boss here. But upgrading from a light blue elite straight to a silver-ss mini-boss¡ªthis kind of power boost was quite perverse indeed.


    In front of Zhou Kaihuang were five demonized hounds, all elite monsters, one of them an enormous mastiff that was a high-level elite.


    Seeming to have noticed the group¡¯s arrival, Zhou Kaihuang startedughing without waiting for the fight to start, "Great, more prey hase to my doorstep. Now, my dogs won¡¯t have to worry about going hungry." He then leaped down from the rooftop as he spoke.


    Hua Yueying raised her hand and cast Mind Revtion, and the number on the health bar suddenly appeared above Zhou Kaihuang¡¯s head¡ªa full 4000 health points.


    Finally, Zhang Yaoyang showed the qualities of a true team leader, "Alright guys, get ready to start. Tanks, take the front; healers, get ready; DPS, go all out, Let¡¯s GO!"


    The battle erupted in an instant, with the five hounds pouncing at Zhou Kaihuang¡¯smand. Zhang Qiang lifted his shield, Wu Tao channeled his Internal Energy, and the two stood firm like nails at the forefront of the team.


    Unlike the lock-on mode games they had yed before, the definition of a tank in this game was very vague. Because the monsters were highly intelligent, they often chose to directly attack the cloth-wearing sses at the back of the team.


    It was hard to protect teammates by generating threat, so tanks had to employ a human wall tactic, relying on their collision-sized bodies to block enemy attacks.


    With a loud crash, the two men and the five dogs collided. The two deflected attacks to the left and right but s, two dogs slipped through. However, they weren¡¯t the only ones who could tank; Zhang Yaoyang whistled, and his two ck and two yellow hounds attacked simultaneously. Although his dogs were outsized by the opposition, their numbers were an advantage.


    Under two-on-one conditions, they barely held up. Zhang Yaoyang also took out a bow and shot sporadically. The main fighting power of a Beast Tamer was in their pets; the Beast Tamer himself wasn¡¯t very strong inbat, but it was better than nothing.


    The rest of the team went all out with their attacks. Meanwhile, Zhao Yunlong rode his warhorse, trying to outnk Zhou Kaihuang. The strength of a warriory in the ability to fight on horseback (though only outdoors), which considerably improved mobility. Zhao Yunlong circled around the battlefield and charged at Zhou Kaihuang with a spear thrust.


    Suddenly, a rope trap sprang from under his feet, tripping Zhao Yunlong off his horse.


    "Be careful, everyone, this BOSSys traps," Zhao Yunlong shouted as he jumped up and continued fighting on foot, moving towards Zhou Kaihuang while being healed by Hua Yueying. But a silver-ss BOSS didn¡¯t have weak attacks. Running and shooting arrows was like kiting; after several rounds, Zhao Yunlong¡¯s health was nearly depleted, and it couldn¡¯t be healed fast enough.


    Zhao Yunlong knew he couldn¡¯t run¡ªthe arrows would reach him no matter how fast he was. Gritting his teeth, he called out, "Heal me, quick!" Just as his health was about to bottom out, a white light shield suddenly enveloped him, blocking the next two arrows. It was Xiao Buli¡¯s Ethereal Armor saving his life.


    Taking advantage of this brief respite, Hua Yueying¡¯s Sweet Dew Curse finally lifted his health bar.


    During the time Zhao Yunlong bought, the five hounds were finally taken down. Zhang Yaoyang said, "Okay, focus all firepower on the BOSS, tanks move to the front."


    A swarm of melee sses rushed forward, surrounding Zhou Kaihuang. The BOSS, having lost the advantage of distance, waspletely passive and couldn¡¯t fight back. As the BOSS¡¯s health dropped by one third, suddenly, Zhou Kaihuang leaped high andnded on the kennel.


    With that, the melee fighters couldn¡¯t continue their attacks and had to pull out their bows and throwing knives to shoot intermittently, while the ranged sses didn¡¯t stop firing, continuing their full-on assault.


    "Phase 2ing up, be careful!" Zhang Yaoyang yelled.


    Pursuer Zhou Kaihuang, "It looks like you¡¯ve really got something. Now I¡¯m going to get serious!" As he said this, he drew his bow and nocked an arrow, seemingly gathering strength for a shot.


    A red line extended from his bow, locking onto Du Yibo, and a target-like mark appeared above Du Yibo¡¯s head. As the most powerful damage dealer among them, the Five Elements Warlock was the first to be targeted by Zhou Kaihuang.


    Just as Du Yibo wasfortably casting Giant Fireballs, a message suddenly popped up on his screen.


    System Notice: You have been marked by the Hunter¡¯s Eye.


    Zhang Yaoyang was the first to react, "Not good, someone take the hit!"


    The advantage of a non-targeting game was that ranged attacks like fireballs and arrows could be intercepted.


    "I got it!" Wu Tao¡¯s figure shed suddenly between Du Yibo and the BOSS, invoking Qi-Protecting Aura, his internal energy in motion. Ayer of white protective True Qi enveloped his entire body. In the next moment, a cold light pierced through him, and blood sprayed. Despite using his life-saving skills to absorb some of the damage, Wu Tao¡¯s health points still dropped by nearly half.


    "Damn, that¡¯s some high damage. Someone else take over tanking next."


    "Not good, I¡¯m targeted too!" Hua Yueying also shouted. This time, Zhang Qiang stepped up, taking the hit for her.


    "Everyone, watch out for his targeting skill. If you¡¯re targeted, run behind the wall or get behind a tank."


    A prompt suddenly appeared on Xiao Buli¡¯s screen:


    System Notification: You have been targeted by the hunter¡¯s eye.


    He looked around quickly and realized that it was toote to hide behind a wall or find a meat shield. He hurriedlymanded Coal Ball to move forward.


    With a stter, the plump Coal Ball was struck, losing a significant amount of health points, and entered a state of fury. It let out a howl and charged toward Zhou Kaihuang, then mmed into the dog house, getting stunned, and relentlessly circled beneath it.


    Damn, so that works too?


    Xiao Buli waspletely speechless, quickly casting Resurrection Skills on Coal Ball twice. Once its health points recovered to over thirty percent, Coal Ball finally came back to its senses and sheepishly trotted back.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    They continued dealing damage for a while. In the meantime, the BOSS targeted several more victims, always picking on the cloth-armored sses with lower health points, but the members of the Green Dragon Group used various methods to block the attacks. As the BOSS¡¯s health dropped to less than a third, it underwent another change.


    Pursuer Zhou Kaihuang: "Hawk, your master needs your help!"


    A sharp cry suddenly rang out in the sky, and a gigantic hawk swooped down from above.


    Entering Phase 3, the BOSS reverted to its normal firing mode.


    "Zhang Qiang, you pull the hawk. Everyone else keep up the damage."


    Finally, with a scream, Zhou Kaihuang, whose health was drained, stumbled and fell off the dog house.


    Lying on the ground, he stretched out a hand in defiance¡ª


    Pursuer Zhou Kaihuang: "I always knew that one day the hunter would be the hunted¡ªahhh!!!"


    The members of the Green Dragon Group: "Yeah!"


    Xiao Buli was also slightly excited. It was his first time actually taking down a BOSS in this game, and the feeling was thrilling. Although he was a newbie and acted cautiously, he managed not to make any mistakes.


    He also witnessed the strength of the Green Dragon Group for the first time. Even though it was their first time facing this BOSS and they had no information on its skills, they relied on their quick reflexes and teamwork to achieve a one-shot victory without any casualties. Having such a team for dungeon runs did give some reassurance.


    "Quick, check the body to see what dropped," the crowd mored. Zhang Yaoyang, without any hesitation, dutifully approached Zhou Kaihuang¡¯s corpse. "Hey, there¡¯s an item that can trigger a mission."


    PS: Here¡¯s a 4,000-word gift.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 70 The Reins of the Devils Realm Warhorse

    This was a general BOSS; it looked like it should have a charging skill. In an open area, it''s very difficult for the tank to protect the people behind them. Zhang Yaoyang briefly referred to past BOSS fights and quickly came up with a tactic.


    "Everyone gather in the corner, tanks on the outside, ranged inside." Xiao Buli had some impression of this corner hugging tactic¡ª it was moremonly used in "Legend", and this tactic was only possible when the concept of collision volume existed. It had virtually vanished since the poprity of 3D games, but unexpectedly, it seemed to see the light of day again.


    Soon, the party regrouped in a corner with tanks, melee yers, and pets forming a human wall outside, and all the fragile professions stuffed inside. This was the best formation to counter a charging BOSS.


    "Li Chuang, pull the mob!"


    Li Chuang nodded, raised the silver longbow he had just received, drew the bow, and let loose an arrow. It struck Wang Borang squarely in the chest, disying a beautiful red ''-34''.


    Trampler Wang Borang: "Invaders, you must be exterminated! Under my iron hooves, none shall live!"


    After speaking, he spurred his horse forward,nce in hand, charging at them. With the formidable power of horse and rider united, there was a loud crash as Zhang Qiang, who was at the very front, was sent flying, but Wu Tao immediately took his ce.


    The tactic proved to be extremely effective. Since everyone was crowded together, the BOSS had no chance to charge back and forth and could only engage in closebat. As he was on horseback and couldn''t exert force effectively, his attacks weren''t very strong. In short order, he had lost half his health.


    Suddenly, the warhorse beneath him neighed and copsed, turning into a wisp of ck smoke and disappearing.


    We''re entering phase 2, everyone be careful.


    Trampler Wang Borang: "Damn you, you''ll pay for this!" Without his warhorse, Wang Borang went into an unstoppable stampede, hisnce whirling wildly. Its extra-long reach casted heavy spear shadows over everyone, and almost half of the party was affected.


    "Spread out, move quickly!" Seeing the impending disaster, Zhang Yaoyang urgently issued themand. In fact, without his prompting, everyone else had already seen the danger, and almost as if by agreement, they all scattered in different directions, leaving only a few melee fighters and hounds and boars to stall the BOSS.


    The ranged professions formed a circle and began stationary shooting, throwing all kinds of slowing spells. Wang Borang, deprived of his horse, could barely move and was quickly kited to death. With a thump, he fell to the ground.


    Trampler Wang Borang: "Is this the end of my conquest¡ªah!!!"


    Green Dragon Group: "Yeah!"


    "Haha, we''ve taken down two BOSSes so quickly; it seems this dungeon isn''t much of a challenge," Wu Tao said excitedly.


    It seemed to be as Wu Tao said, the dungeon run was going smoothly. But sess or failure often hung by a thread, and if they had chosen the wrong tactic earlier, allowing the BOSS to disy his true power, it would only take minutes to result in deaths, so Zhang Yaoyang didn''t let his guard down because of their victories.


    "Don''t be too optimistic, everyone. There are still BOSSes ahead. Let''s quickly distribute the loot," Zhang Yaoyang said as he announced the first piece of equipment.


    The first piece.


    Refined Iron Chainmail (deep blue chestte): Armor +24, reduces damage from piercing attacks by 30%. Strength +3, Stamina +4.


    Description: Crafted from top-notch refined iron, this armor provides excellent defense. The added armor pieces offer better protection against piercing damage.


    "Low bid of 30 points, anyone interested?"


    This time, the bidding war was between Zhang Qiang and Zhao Yunlong, who escted to 50 points. Zhao Yunlong hesitated for a moment, "Has the boss''s spear dropped?"


    Seeing Zhang Yaoyang''s shake of the head, Zhao Yunlong bit the bullet and put down a full 100 points. Zhang Qiang couldn''tpete since he had already obtained the ring and reluctantly gave up.


    The second item was a skill book.


    "Spirit Snake Spear Skills": Legend has it that this spear technique was created by the famed Spear King Zhou Tong, inspired by the movements of a venomous snake hunting for prey, known for its agility and ferocity.


    "Damn it, why didn''t you say so earlier?" Zhao Yunlong was dumbfounded; he really wanted that item too.


    "You didn''t ask me, but don''t worry, no one is going topete with you for it. However, as usual, the lowest bid for a skill book is 100 DKP," Zhang Yaoyang exined.


    And thus, another heavy debtor was born.


    The third item, however, was a mount.


    Devil''s Realm Warhorse''s Reins: Use to summon a Fierce me Warhorse from the Devil''s Realm for riding orbat, increasing movement speed by 310%, with a 24-hour cooldown for summoning.


    "Damn, it''s a summonable mount!" Zhao Yunlong was shocked, "Mine, mine, it''s definitely mine."


    "Hey, why should it be yours? Anyone can ride this thing," everyone erupted in uproar.


    The excitement wasn''t unreasonable because both the traveling horse bought from the mount merchant with a speed of 150 and the warhorse bought from the Golden Dragon Legion''s quartermaster with a speed of 280, just like pets tamed with Taming Skills, could be killed. Once killed, a new mount would need to be purchased, and it wasn''t convenient to ride them around.


    But the Fierce me Warhorse summoned by this ''Devil''s Realm Warhorse''s Reins'' was different. Not only was its speed a whopping 310, but it could also be summoned daily, essentially an immortal mount, not to mention its impressive looks.


    Almost everyone began to prepare to bid, but Zhang Yaoyang didn''t start with a low price; instead, he directly ced it into his own bag.


    This stunned everyone.


    "Damn, leader, that''s not cool, how can you ninja-loot?


    "Yeah, yeah! Even if you''re the loot dictator, this isn''t the way to do it."


    Facing everyone''s strong reaction, Zhang Yaoyang wore a mocking expression and didn''t react until everyone fell silent. He then said, "Are you done? If you are, then shut up. Do you really think we could use this thing? It must be handed over, we still have three out of five quota items for this month''s offerings that haven''t been sorted."


    His words poured cold water over everyone. Right, we are working for someone else, after all. Ordinary equipment and Skill Books were one thing, but such a premium item was surely meant for those higher up. Once everyone realized this, they fell silent, each sighing heavily.


    "Don''t lose heart; turning in such great loot will surely bring us a hefty reward, at least a couple thousand bucks each in bonuses. Where else could we get such a deal in other games? Getting a Point Card as a bonus would be considered good."


    Xiao Buli didn''t pay much attention; no matter how good the item was, it wasn''t like a skill that he could bring into reality. It wasn''t some amazing piece of equipment, so its allure wasn''t that great for him. However, this incident did serve as a wakeup call. After all, working for someone else wasn''t a long-term n.


    If one day they identally got an incredibly powerful Skill Book from a boss but had to hand it over, it''d be extremely frustrating.


    "Alright, let''s continue with the next boss," Zhang Yaoyang said after the loot was distributed.


    Bai Yunfei suddenly spoke up, "Wait a moment, leader. Shouldn''t we take care of that rare elite first?"


    "Where is it?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Bai Yunfei pointed towards a side passage leading to the entrance of a dungeon.


    The party filed in, only to find two jailers and a rare elite¡ªThe Interrogator, Duan Yimao inside.


    Duan Yimao was only a normal elite, iparable to the previous two bosses and was taken down quickly, dropping only one piece of equipment.


    Cruel Hook (light blue One-handed Sword): Attack 7¨C23. When attacking, there is a chance to cause the target to bleed, dealing 14 points of bleeding damage over 7 seconds and generating additional threat.


    Clearly an item suitable for a tank, it was imed by Zhang Qiang for 30 DKP.


    Besides that, a key dropped as well.


    Dungeon Key: Can be used to unlock a cell door (consumable).


    Looking around, they found four cell doors that could be opened, but since the key was a consumable, it seemed they could only choose one to unlock.


    The first cell held an old Taoist leaning on a banner inscribed with ''Iron Ruler Diviner.''


    The second cell imprisoned a strong man named Niu Dazhuang.


    The third held a fat fellow, looking like a wealthyndowner from the countryside.


    The fourth cell contained a tortured corpse beyond recognition.


    "Which one should we save?" Zhang Yaoyang asked hesitantly.

 Chapter 71 The Traitor Luo Zhans Killing Move

    "Who should we save?" Zhang Yaoyang asked hesitantly.


    The crowd was abuzz with discussion, but for a time, they could not reach a consensus; after all, there were no clues about the situation at hand.


    Xiao Buli asked curiously, "Why don''t we just ask them? Wouldn''t we know then?" The ''them'' he referred to were naturally the NPCs.


    Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly fell silent.


    Xiao Buli felt several people''s gazes on him and couldn''t help but ask, "What, did I say something wrong?"


    "Haha, you didn''t say anything wrong; on the contrary, you''re absolutely right!" Liu Xingughed and then directly shouted to the NPCs, "Hey, what''s in it for us if we save you?"


    Wealthy Landowner: "Save me, please. As long as you get me out, I''ll give you money, I have a lot of money at home."


    Niu Dazhuang: "If you rescue me, I''ll help you fight those thieves."


    Old Taoist: "This old man truly has nothing to repay you with, but if you could save this old man, I could predict your fortune for free."


    Corpse: ".........."


    After a brief discussion, the group came to a basic consensus. It was clear that saving the Wealthy Landowner would provide a mary reward, though it probably wouldn''t be much. Besides, with the support of the Xuanwu Group''s funds, they didn''t really need the money.


    Saving Niu Dazhuang would likely provide an NPC to assist in battle, but given his appearance, he didn''t seem too powerful,parable to an uncontroble tank that might even cause trouble by luring monsters randomly.


    The Old Taoist''s fortune-telling was probably some sort of BUFF, but as for the corpse, it was unclear¡ªperhaps there would be a quest item, or possibly nothing at all.


    "Let''s save the Old Taoist. The uing BOSS fight might be tough, and having a BUFF would be better. The others don''t seem to provide much help for our uing battle," Wu Tao suddenly said.


    Seeing no objections, Zhang Yaoyang nodded. "Then let''s save the Old Taoist." Zhang Yaoyang said as he used the key to open the cell door imprisoning the Old Taoist.


    With a creak, the iron gate of the cell slowly opened, and the Old Taoist walked out with a chuckle, "I see that you all have ruddyplexions and radiant auras. Your uing adventures are sure to be blessed with good fortune, easily within reach. However, as the saying goes, where there''s fortune there may lie misfortune, and where there''s misfortune there may rest fortune.


    This stroke of luck might just be the prelude to misfortune next time; you all must be careful."


    Xiao Buli''s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. He would not dismiss the words of NPCs in this game lightly. Since the Old Taoist had spoken thus, there might well be some reason for it.


    Yet the Old Taoist spoke again, "Since we have met by fate, this old man shall exert his modest effort." Saying this, he waved the banner in his hand, and suddenly, a white light filled the screen, and everyone received an additional BUFF over their heads.


    Luck Shines High: Your luck is increased by 1 point for 24 hours.


    Xiao Buli thought to himself thatpared to the blessing Lu Jiang gave them initially, this was far inferior, but it was still better than nothing.


    Ignoring the crying and screaming of the strong man and the Wealthy Landowner, the group left the dungeon and returned on the same path. Xiao Buli suddenly felt someone tugging at his sleeve. Turning around, he saw Wu Tao, "What''s up?" he asked.


    Wu Tao spoke mysteriously, "After we finish the dungeon, don''t leave. Yaoyao knows how to pick locks, and nobody knows about it; I only know because I''m on good terms with her. After the others leave, let her unlock all these cells; who knows, there might be something good in it for us."


    Xiao Buli looked at Wu Tao''s cunning expression and thought to himself that this guy was quite sly. Why hadn''t he noticed this when they were in the same guild? However, he naturally wouldn''t divulge such matters.


    They didn''t walk far along the main path before they encountered the altar Bai Yunfei had mentioned before; it was three or four Zhang high, built with huge rocks and massive wood. Hundreds of captured ves were transporting stone and timber back and forth, constructing the altar.


    All these ves were neutral units with yellow names, indicating they would not initiate attacks on adventurers. However, many ck Mountain Foremen wielding whips around them were undoubtedly red-named monsters.


    "Li Chuang, lure the foremen out and kill them, but be careful not to aggro those ves."


    Long-range pulling of monsters in this game was a technical job since it''s a non-lock targeting game, and carelessness could easily lead to misfires. Fortunately, Li Chuang had excellent shooting game techniques, and with a few precise shots, he lured the red-named ck Mountain Foremen out one by one, dealing with them effortlessly.


    With the foremen dead, the captured ves broke free from the chains on their bodies and scattered without a trace. The group did not pay much attention and continued their way inward, soon sighting the mountain stronghold''s Hall of Righteousness. A few minor monsters guarded the entrance, and they fought their way inside.


    Seated on the chair at the center of the Hall of Righteousness was the BOSS¡ªan assassin dressed in ck leather armor with twin des at his back¡ªa formidable sight¡ªTraitor Luo Zhan.


    Traitor Luo Zhan: "Oh, do we have guests? How rude of me. Well, let me entertain you all properly."


    With a loud bang, the door behind everyone firmly shut. The battle burst forth¡ªthree tanks took the lead, two healers frantically healed, and the rest went all out with their damage.


    This Luo Zhan was much weaker than everyone had anticipated; he only had 3000 health points. However, he was incredibly fast, dashing around and hard to hit. Yet, after a barrage of slowing spells were cast on him, he slowed down, since being a small-volume boss, he was susceptible to control abilities.


    His health points quickly dropped by a third and seamlessly entered P2 phase without a hitch.


    The traitor Luo Zhan: "Damn it, it seems I''ve underestimated you all."


    With a gesture, two ck Mountain Stalkers, who had been hiding behind him, leaped out. These two assassin monsters had semi-translucent shadowy bodies, each with over a thousand health points, elite monsters.


    Zhang Yaoyang shouted urgently, "Zhao Yunlong, pull the one on the left; Wu Tao, take the one on the right; Zhang Qiang, tank the boss. Focus fire on the minor monsters, hit them fast and hard!"


    The P2 phase seemed to pose no real challenge either. The minor monsters had a lot of health but didn''t pack a powerful attack. They were swiftly dealt with, and the group turned their focus back to the boss. Everyone''s guard was down, thinking the dungeon wasn''t that hard.


    When the boss''s health dropped below 1000, he suddenly leaped into the air.


    Traitor Luo Zhan: "You can actually hit me; that is surprising. But, can you do the same in darkness?" While speaking, he shot out four darts in quick session, extinguishing the torches that illuminated the room from the corners. Darkness engulfed the space, followed by a series of muffled sounds of des piercing flesh.


    What''s going on? Xiao Buli realized his screen had gone ck and was shocked, instinctively casting Ethereal Armor on himself, but clearly, he wasn''t the only one affected.


    "Damn, why is my screen ck!"


    "It''s the game''s light effects! Light your torches." shouted the yers in front of theirputers, but the torches were stored in their bags, and in the chaos, they weren''t easy to find.


    A loud boom thundered as a me sprang up from the middle of the room, the Five Elements Warlock Du Yibo was the first to react, summoning a firewall to provide temporary illumination and saved everyone from being picked off in the darkness.


    "Good job, Yibo, keep the light up. Zhang Qiang, go get the boss!" shouted Yaoyang, but upon calling a second time, there was no response.


    Looking closely, they discovered that Zhang Qiang, who was holding off the boss, had already fallen in a pool of blood.


    "Damn, what''s there to tank, I''m already dead!" said Zhang Qiang with a morose expression. Shield Bearers, as tanks, excel in using shields to block frontal attacks. In terms of armor and skills, they don''t have much over other sses. In the darkness, he couldn''t effectively block, and no one knew how many hits he took, nor was there anyone to heal him.


    His high health points of over four hundred were drained in an instant.


    "Second tank, take over! Stop standing there!" Yaoyang shouted, his heart sinking a bit. He hadn''t expected such caution only to lead to death at thest moment. Buli was sweating coldly, relieved that it wasn''t him the boss had attacked in the darkness.


    Seeing the boss in a Fury state heading for Du Yibo, Zhao Yunlong stepped forward, "Ha! Do you dare to fight me!"


    Of course, he wasn''t typing idly; that was the warrior''s aggro-pulling ability ''Solo Charge'' which could only be used on a single target but had excellent effects. The boss, hearing this, actually turned and charged at him.


    After a round of focus fire, there were no more surprises this time. With the light of the fire, the boss couldn''t y any tricks, and with a final scream, the boss fell.


    Traitor Luo Zhan: "The light¡ªI see the light, really... so dazzling... ah!!!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Green Dragon Group: "......"


    There was no cheer; everyone silently looked towards Zhang Qiang, both in the game and in reality.


    "Hey, don''t look so gloomy; you''ve made a sacrifice for the group. You''ll definitely get a severance pay of 100,000 yuan."


    Zhang Qiang''s mood lifted a bit after Yaoyang''sforting words. Xiao Buli scanned everyone and saw that although a few seemed to rx a bit, most had aplicated, unspeakable look on their faces. Liu Xing, in particr, had an incredibly dark expression.


    He stood up from his seat as if wanting to say something, his fists clenched tight, but in the end, he remained silent, turned away, and poured himself a drink from the liquor cab.


    Xiao Buli nced again at Bai Yunfei, who was constantly staring at Zhang Qiang''s back as if there was something on it. In his gaze was not anger or sorrow but seemingly a hint of¡ªfear?


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 Chapter 72 Dark Magic Power

    Zhang Qiang was escorted out of the Green Dragon Group''sputer room. ording to thepany''s policy, a yer employee''s character, once dead, must leave the studio immediately and take their pay.


    Since the dungeon wasn''t over yet, everyone could only hurriedly bid farewell to this colleague they had spent several months with, say goodbye, and then turn their attention back to the screen¡ªafter all, they were just colleagues who worked together and could hardly be said to be familiar with each other.


    The only one feeling somewhat sentimental was Wang Gang. He and Zhang Qiang had passed the tests together as newbies, struggled together in Newbie Vige, fought monsters together, adventured together, and had even chosen the same profession. It was a pity that from today onward, they would have to part ways.


    "Let''s start dividing the equipment," Zhang Yaoyang said. Everyone responded, but without the previous excitement, feeling more subdued at the sight of Zhang Qiang''s mncholic departure. However, Zhang Yaoyang still insisted on fulfilling his responsibilities as a team leader.


    The first drop was a deep blue one-handed sword.


    Heart Piercer (One-handed Sword): Attack 11-24, when attacking, may¡ªenter Insight state for one second, ignoring the target''s Armor with sure critical hit on the next attack.


    Equipment Introduction: This narrow, sharp weapon seems to have been forged specifically for assassination. Its thin de is exceedingly keen yet seems fragile; only a highly skilled Swordsman can unleash its full potential.


    The attack power was very high, and the weapon''s special effect seemed unique. It required a very high reaction speed to wield it well, as the effect onlysted for one second. It wouldn''t be very useful for basic attacks, but if used to execute a powerful move at that instant, its effect could be astonishing.


    "Starting bid 50 points, anyone interested?"


    Xiao Buli nced at his Ironwood Rune Sword and decided to pass.


    It was clear the only person suitable for this weapon here was Swordsman Liu Xing, but Liu Xing remained silent.


    "Liu Xing!" Zhang Yaoyang called out, "Are you interested?"


    "What''s it to you," Liu Xing said with a touch of resignation, not even putting down his ss.


    Zhang Yaoyang smirked coldly, "With this sword, you''ll be even more formidable, able to defeat more bosses, and obtain more Skill Books. Perhaps one day, you''ll be able to roam this world alone, with no one to stop you. Then, you can go wherever you want."


    Xiao Buli was startled by these words. Was there a hidden message in what Zhang Yaoyang was saying? He wanted to catch a glimpse of Zhang Yaoyang''s expression, but Zhang had already turned away.


    "If you don''t speak, that means you agree. 100 points, the sword is yours."


    Liu Xing pondered Zhang Yaoyang''s words and suddenlyughed, "100 points is too much, make it 50 points." He then bowed respectfully to Zhang Yaoyang and added, "Thank you."


    This seemed like just a small episode, but Liu Xing''s mood had substantially improved.


    Zhang Yaoyang seemed to have just done something very ordinary, his expression calm as he began to distribute the second drop, which was once again deep blue Leather Armor.


    ck Jiao Leather Vest (Leather Armor¡ªChestte): Armor +20, Physique +4, Stamina +2, Elemental Defense +10.


    Equipment Introduction: Armor made from the hide of the legendary Exotic Beast ''Jiao,'' offering excellent defense, and providing some resistance to Five Elements damage.


    ```


    Starting at a low price of 50, anyone interested?


    The demand for top-notch protective gear suddenly spiked, perhaps spurred by Zhang Qiang''s death, and everyone rushed to outbid each other. Yet, in the end, it was none other than the top bidder, Zhang Yaoyang himself, who snagged the item for 120 points.


    The third piece of equipment turned out to be a silver grade item, but it had an unusual design¡ªit was a ck eye mask.


    Betrayer''s Dark Vision (Cloth Armor£­Helmet): Equipping this item allows you to see clearly in the dark.


    Item description: When you look through this ck eye mask, you will find the whole world shrouded in an ominous darkness.


    This was a peculiar piece of equipment. Despite being silver grade, it had no attributes and didn''t even provide a bit of Armor. Its only effect was to allow clear vision in the dark, which made it seem like a rather useless item¡ªif this were a typical online game.


    However, Xiao Buli had a different opinion now.


    Zhang Yaoyang hesitated and then said, "Normally, it should go to Yaoyao, but since she didn''t participate in the kill, I can''t just decide on my own. Even though she''s a girl, everyone should still bid for it. Of course, it''s fine to sell it to herter. The starting price for the silver equipment is 100, anyone interested?"


    No one peeped a word. The eye mask, which seemed to have a rather negligible special effect, felt more like a toy, and spending 100 DKP on such a toy seemed rather ridiculous.


    "Damn, this is silver grade equipment, stop being shy everyone," Zhang Yaoyang was still energetically marketing his treasure, but unfortunately, no one was fooled.


    "Can''t you give it some face? Maybe for 80 points?"


    "If no one really wants it, then just give it to me," Xiao Buli suddenly spoke up, and everyone turned to look at him in surprise.


    Wu Tao was tugging at his sleeve, "Boss, what are you doing? What''s the use of this thing?"


    "I think it might be somewhat useful," he said.


    There are reasons behind his words. Xiao Buli''s strongest ability was analysis. From his perspective, a few more points of Armor or a couple dozen more health points were of little use to his uing ns. What he needed now were items that offered special effects.


    The keyy in the item''s description, ''The entire field of view shrouded in an ominous shadow.'' It seemed that ever since entering the game, Xiao Buli had continuously heard the term ''Dark Magic Power.'' It appeared that all the terrifying creatures and sources of evil stemmed from this, but no one could clearly describe what this Dark Magic Power was.


    Yet, seeing the description of this item, Xiao Buli felt it couldn''t be a coincidence.


    "Are you really going to take this item? Can I ask why?" Seeing that Xiao Buli was interested, Zhang Yaoyang was somewhat hesitant and asked with confusion.


    "Because it looks cool," Xiao Buli replied with augh, which caused everyone to be taken aback.


    "Come on!" A wave of speechlessness echoed around, and Zhang Yaoyang was rather at a loss for words. He looked at the faint smile at the corner of Xiao Buli''s mouth and felt that he couldn''t quite see through this neer anymore.


    Shaking his head, he still gave the equipment to Xiao Buli.


    Removing the extravagant ''Magnificent Evil-Repelling Crown'' from his head, he equipped the eye mask in the helmet slot. The game screen immediately turned ck and white. After observing his surroundings, it gave him the impression of watching a ck-and-white TV. It took some getting used to, but it wasn''t too bad. Suddenly, he noticed something unusual on the opposite wall, which had seemed empty.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After careful observation, he gradually realized it wasn''t just his imagination. A dark, shadowy entity that resembled a human figure was slowly emerging from the wall.


    ```

 Chapter 73 Soul Reaper

    Xiao Buli was taken aback and subconsciously removed his eyepatch from the helmet''s position, restoring the vision to normal, but the wall was nowpletely bare, showing no sign of anomaly.


    Upon putting it back on, the figure once again appeared; observing closely, it seemed to maintain a sitting posture, which was very odd.


    "Captain, there seems to be something behind the wall."


    Upon hearing this, Zhang Yaoyang inquired in detail, and Xiao Buli exined the situation in a few words, immediately putting everyone on edge.


    Du Yibo said, "Captain, should I st the wall open?" As the game allowed for destructible environments, he was quite fond of ying the role of a demolition team.


    Zhang Yaoyang pondered for a moment but then shook his head, "Wang Gang, is the light screen at the entrance to the instance still there?"


    "It''s been there all along," Wang Gang and Yaoyao answered together.


    Just as he thought, Zhang Yaoyang mused, once an instance in the game was cleared, the light screen at the entrance would naturally disappear, signaling the end of the instance. The fact that the light screen hadn''t vanished meant the instance wasn''t over, and something like a hidden boss might very well be behind that wall.


    "Everyone, eat and drink for recovery quickly, Wang Gang, with our few people, you go into the instance," he said.


    The team sat down to eat if they needed to eat, meditated if they needed to meditate, and Xiao Buli also began to meditate. Although he hadn''t been the main healer, he had spent quite a bit of mana on casting Ethereal Armor and Resurrection Skills for others, and even with the supplements from elixirs, he hadn''t been able to keep his mana full. He truly needed to recover now.


    It wasn''t long before Wang Gang rushed in.


    After more than ten minutes, everyone''s health points, physical strength, mana, internal energy, and all kinds of other messy stuff were fully restored, and Zhang Yaoyang nodded, "Let''s get our buffs up and prepare for battle. Considering the fight might be triggered immediately after the wall breaks, let''s get our formation ready first."


    They had already buffed up when they first entered the instance, but due to the long duration of the fight, many buffs had expired. At the captain''smand, a series of colorful glows shed among the team.


    Du Yibo bestowed Rock Skin on the closebat fighters, Bai Yunfei bestowed Evil-Repelling Skills on everyone, Hua Yueying bestowed Spirit Armor Skills, and as for Xiao Buli ¡ª his level of Spirit Armor Skills was too low, so he didn''t waste much mana.


    Besides that, a whole array of Amulets with various effects from Xuanwu Group were bestowed as well. Though only one boss remained and it seemed wasteful, they couldn''t care less about that now for the sake of safety.


    Once everything was ready, the formation still arranged as 3-5-2, Xiao Buli and Hua Yueying were positioned at the very back of the team.


    Seeing that everyone was ready, Zhang Yaoyang gave the nod, "st the wall."


    Upon hearing the order, Du Yibo began casting, and a fireball in his hand grewrger and more blinding. The Five Elements Warlock''s Fireball Technique could be charged, and the longer the charging time, the greater the power, with a certain level of charge even adding explosive ssh damage. He hadn''t dared to use it before for fear of injuring teammates, but now he had no such concerns.


    Du Yibo charged his fireball for a full 10 seconds, the fireball getting asrge as a washbasin before he released it.


    Ten-stage Charged ¡ª Fireball Technique!


    With a deafening explosion, the violent shockwave sted half of the wall into dust, revealing a hidden chamber behind it. It was a vast hall with a stone path leading straight to the end, where dry, headless corpses littered both sides of the aisle¡ªstacked haphazardly as if left by enved workers. The gruesomely realistic special effects nearly matched those from certain horror games.


    Enshrouded in a ck cloak, a figure sat on a throne made of skulls at the far end of the hall. The boss''s name was¡ªSoul Reaper Yan Qi (Abyssal Demon n).


    Upon seeing the boss''s name, Xiao Buli was momentarily taken aback. Just an elite with a deep blue name? This didn''t make sense. The previous three bosses were silver-named, so why was this hidden boss so weak? But then, he understood when he saw the suffix. The Demon n and the human race shouldn''t be considered part of the same system, just as a white-named tiger could defeat an Elite Wild Boar.


    Although this member of the Demon n was only an elite, perhaps he was much more formidable than the prior three human minor bosses.


    The group tread carefully through the horrific corridor to the throne where the boss resided. Hua Yueying cast Mind Revtion on the Soul Reaper, revealing a health pool of 8000 points. Everyone''s heart shuddered at the sight, and as if sensing something, the boss suddenly lifted his head.


    Soul Reaper Yan Qi: "Foolish mortals, you dare to meddle with the grand designs of the Demon n. This shall not be tolerated¡ªall must¡ªdie!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After uttering some rather unoriginal lines, the boss stood up from his throne. His figure wasn''t imposing, but as he stepped down from his throne, the ground beneath him erupted into mes. His aura was so intense that even the seasoned Green Dragon Group felt a shiver down their spines.


    "Leader, maybe we should pull back," someone suggested, but it was toote. The boss waved his hand, and dark mists billowed around them, mes raging, engulfing the entire hall and even cutting off their retreat¡ªa situation they had never encountered before.


    "Everyone, fight your damned hardest. I don''t want us to wipe here," barked Zhang Yaoyang, his voice cracking with tension. No one dared to object; they all understood that this time, they might truly be facing a foe like no other. One misstep could spell total annihtion.


    Xiao Buli''s palms were sweating, and he silently cursed his luck to be involved in a battle of such difficulty on his first day with the Green Dragon Group.


    "Zhao Yunlong, Wang Gang, pull the minor monsters! Wu Tao, get ready to take on the BOSS!"


    Armor is meaningless before a magic system BOSS; instead, Qigong Masters, with their certain spell resistances, prove to be more useful. Wu Tao, without a second thought, stepped forward andunched a basketball-sized, semi-transparent Qigong Wave at the target.


    Bang¡ª33.


    The boss, hit by the Qigong Wave, immediately retaliated. With a lift of his hand, a ck fireball hurtled toward them.


    Qi-Protecting Aura! Ethereal Armor!


    In an instant, twoyers of protective shield enveloped Wu Tao. With a booming sound, mes dissipated, both shields vanished, but Wu Tao''s health points scarcely decreased.


    Relieved, Zhang Yaoyang took a slight breath.


    "Keep me healed. I''m going in!" Wu Tao roared as he leaped forward, charging at the boss. Meanwhile, Zhao Yunlong and Wang Gang nked him from both sides.

 Chapter 74 Is there no end to this?

    The attacks of Soul Reaper Yan Qi did not seem particrly terrifying. The ck fireballs wereunched every five seconds on average. With the protection of the Qi-Protecting Aura and Ethereal Armor, plus the constant healing from Hua Yueying in the background, Wu Tao was able to withstand them.


    However, as they watched the BOSS''s health gradually decrease, everyone was not relieved but instead became more tense than ever.


    It''s almostmon knowledge in online games that bosses be more challenging towards the end, and it seemed that this game was no exception.


    Sure enough, when the BOSS''s health had dropped by a quarter, the BOSS began to make a move.


    Soul Reaper Yan Qi: "Do you think you can defeat me simply by outnumbering me? Then let me show you what real numbers look like! Rise, my ves, and contribute your final value."


    From within the surrounding ck mes, figures without heads rose up and began to converge on the group in the middle, so numerous they seemed almost countless.


    Xiao Buli clicked on one with his mouse. The monster was named ''Headless Walking Corpse'' with just over a hundred health points, but there were way too many of them.


    "Everyone, group up! Clear the minor monsters quickly! Zhao Yunlong and Wang Gang,e back and clear these things, fast!"


    Zhang Yaoyang was directing everyone to regroup while once again releasing four hounds.


    Armed with high Armor, Zhao Yunlong was the first to brandish his spear and plunge into the crowd of corpses.


    "Ultimate Skill¡ªTyrant Fishing Rod Style!" His spear swung continuously like a rod through the crowd, each swing taking down more than a dozen Walking Corpses. After five or six such strikes, he had taken down at least twenty Headless Walking Corpses, but having only one Heart of Mysteries, he could muster no more after this burst.


    Wang Gang activated his Savage Collision skill, bulldozing back and forth through the crowd like a bulldozer. Although it didn''t deal much damage, it effectively impeded the advance of the oing horde. Du Yibo threw a Giant Fireball, which exploded upon impact and flipped five or six Headless Walking Corpses into the air, but it was still not enough to stop the advance of the horde.


    The sheer number of minor monsters was overwhelming, wave after wave, seemingly endless. As they continued to gather and almost surround the formation, the yers had no choice but to tighten their ranks even further.


    "Use your ultimate if you have it, or it will be toote!" Zhang Yaoyang screamed desperately. Just as his words ended, Xiao Buli noticed a figure stepping out of the crowd.


    It was Liu Xing, who bent down to his sword, performing a gesture like he was about to use a charged skill.


    But aren''t Swordsmen known for theirck of AOE skills? Xiao Buli thought to himself. In the next instant, his question was answered. Liu Xing''s figure began to spin like a top, a whirlwind of Sword Qi swirling around him as he plunged into the horde.


    Ultimate Skill¡ªWind Rolls The Scattered Clouds!


    This move seemed to be an enhanced version of de Storm, whirling for a full ten seconds before stopping. When he did stop, a circle of dismembered corpsesy around him, having carved a path through the engulfing horde.


    Wow, what a domineering ultimate. Is this the power of an Ultimate Skill? It seems that Physical Professions might not be so inferior to Mage Professions after all. I wonder if I''ll ever have the chance to learn one? As Xiao Buli pondered this, he momentarily lost focus.


    "Stop daydreaming and shield the tank!" Upon hearing the shout, Xiao Buli snapped back to reality and quickly began casting Ethereal Armor on Wu Tao again.


    Once the minor monsters were cleared, everyone was finally able to resume their offense, deliberately slowing down this time to give everyone a chance to recover.


    Just as the BOSS''s health reached half, it started its monologue again.


    Soul Reaper Yan Qi: "Don''t think it''s over yet. Their bodies may have decayed, but their souls will still answer my call. Appear, my ves!"


    The throne constructed from human skulls suddenly exploded, and from each skull emerged a translucent wraith. Hundreds of wraiths circled in the air, issuing piercing screams that in aputer case-opened studio felt like a haunt of specters.


    After circling for a few rounds, these wraiths descended and began attacking the people in the middle.


    The damage from the wraiths was minimal, and they were very easy to dodge, with a meager ten or so health points each. At first, everyone was somewhat relieved, hoping it wouldn''t take much to deal with them, but quickly realized things were not that simple.


    "Damn it, why can''t I kill these things?"


    Li Chuangined as he shot an arrow at a wraith, only to see it pass right through without causing any damage.


    The others had simr issues, only the Five Elements Warlock''s fire spell caused some damage to these wraiths, but even that was limited. Everyone struggled to dodge, looking rather pathetic. Only Bai Yunfei was not attacked; the wraiths seemed to not notice him at all, passing back and forth without everying a finger on him.


    "Old Bai, you''re a Necromancer, right? Hurry up and deal with them."


    "It''s no use; my forte is harnessing the Power of Taiyin, which against these spirits is like pouring oil on fire. They can only be hurt by Sun Power."


    "Hua, hurry up and help me!"


    Hua Yueying responded irritably, "Didn''t you see I''m healing?" While saying this, she still cast a beam of white light towards the densest cluster of wraiths, which melted away just like ice cream meets boiling water under the light''s touch.


    After shining on the wraiths and killing a few, Hua Yueying noticed her mana starting to run low. "Damn, I don''t have any area damage skills. But I might have a trick to try; Xiao Buli, cover for me for a bit."


    Without waiting to see if Xiao Buli could keep Wu Tao alive, she immediately started channeling her ultimate move.


    Xiao Buli hurriedly spammed Resurrection Skills and Ethereal Armor on Wu Tao, his heart racing as he watched Wu Tao''s health constantly drop.


    "Quick, heal me or I''m gonna die!" Wu Tao shouted while gulping down a giant potion. It felt like an eternity, but in less than ten seconds, Hua Yueying''s ultimate was finally unleashed.


    "In my name, I beckon thy life, Yellow Turban Strongman, appear forthwith at mymand!"


    As Hua Yueying''s character let out a delicate shout, a beam of golden light descended from the sky and a muscr, half-transparent figure began to emerge within it, d in a yellow turban and wielding a Decorated Giant Axe, imperiously appearing beside Hua Yueying, half-floating in the air.


    Upon sighting the Yellow Turban Strongman, the wraiths seemed to fear him, scattering away hastily.


    Zhang Yaoyang couldn''t help but be speechless, "Damn, why didn''t you summon this thing earlier?"


    "Once a day, works only on Undead." Hua Yueying''s exnation was brief but clear. While exining, she swallowed a Seven-Star Resurrection Elixir and continued to restore Wu Tao''s health, thankfully keeping him from dying.


    Right after entering the fray, the Yellow Turban Strongman started harvesting the surrounding wraiths. With a swing of his great axe, the de sliced through the air, dispersing the wraiths, soul and spirit alike. Not only did his attacks deal double damage to spiritual bodies, but they also inflicted soul searing effects.


    Even if they weren''t in outright, just a graze could burn away the pitiful health of these wraiths in mere seconds. After a few sweeps, he cleared out all the aggrieved spirits.


    "Thank heavens you''re here," Zhang Yaoyang sighed in relief and reorganized the formation, continuing to barrage the BOSS fervently.


    As the BOSS''s health dropped to a quarter, predictably, it began to speak again. Each speech indicated an imminent powerful attack from the BOSS, instantly tightening everyone''s nerves.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Soul Reaper Yan Qi: "To have held out this long before me, you have caught my eye, lowly human Wu Tao. ept this honor."


    Wu Tao, who had been tanking the BOSS, suddenly found himself floating and saw a sh of red light from the Soul Reaper''s hand, casting an unknown spell on him. The next moment, the BOSS''s name shifted from the red border that signified an enemy to a green border indicating an ally, and a new DEBUFF ''Soul Reaper'' appeared in the top right corner of the screen,sting for 30 seconds.


    Drawing on his simr gaming experience, he almost instantly realized, "Everyone be careful, I''ve been controlled!"


    "Dispel it, quick!" Zhang Yaoyang shouted, his heart suddenly leaping.


    Proving her professional gamer skills, Hua Yueying almost instantly reacted as Wu Tao''s name changed color, casting Dispelling simultaneously.


    Demons and devils begone!¡ªA sh of white light and Wu Tao''s name remained the same vivid red of an enemy unit. He also used ''Heart As Still Water'' to be immune to Zhao Yunlong''s ''Solo Charge'' taunt effect and rushed towards the two healers on this side.


    "It can''t be dispelled."


    "Then wipe him out!" The words blurted out by Zhang Yaoyang gave Wu Tao quite a shock.


    Most hesitated, but Li Chuang, without a word, let fly an arrow.


    "Don''t do it!" Wu Tao cried out as a red -35 appeared above his character. Zhang Yaoyang came to his senses, "Damn, I forgot we aren''t ying Warcraft. Stop attacking, Li Chuang, can we not be so literal?"


    Fortunately, the rest weren''t cruel enough to focus fire on Wu Tao. He took only one arrow and didn''t drop dead, as Hua Yueying timely cast a Demon-binding Curse! Six pirs of light shot up from the ground, creating an invisible cage that trapped Wu Tao and didn''t let him out.


    The spell''s duration was very short but enough for him to break free from the ''Soul Reaper'' status as Wang Gang quickly took over tanking the BOSS again.


    "Good, he''s controlled. The rest of you, beat the BOSS with everything you''ve got!"


    After a fierce beating, the BOSS''s health was finally depleted, freeing Wu Tao from the control of the Soul Reaper Skills.


    Was it finally over? Everyone thought so, but things turned out not as optimistic as everyone hoped. Although the BOSS copsed, the ck mes around didn''t disappear; a sinister and low voice echoed in the great hall.


    Soul Reaper Yan Qi: "The human shell is truly fragile and useless, it seems it''s time to show the true power of the Demon n!"


    The lifeless corpse of the BOSS suddenly stood up once more. Its body cracked bit by bit as if something was burrowing out from within. As the human skin fell away like shed snakeskin, a hideous and horrendous giant over three meters tall appeared before everyone. Its entire body was wrapped in a shell-like ck Armor.


    The creature stretched out its hand, and a massive sword emitting ck Demonic me materialized from thin air, held tight in its grasp.


    "Come on, did this guy believe in the Spring God or what? Is this never going to end?" Zhang Yaoyangmented.


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