Chapter 13: Came to deliver itself to me (1)
Point out any errors I made in the chapters, as I'm very lazy and sometimes can't be bothered to reread them. Also give your opinions on something I should change or add
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After changing his appearance, Feng called out his Friend Window and looked for Gentle Snow.
...
In the core area of Kuruk Fields, one could see groups of Grassland Lion Cubs every hundred meters or so. If a party's positioning were slightly off, they would attract tens of Grassland Lion Cubs towards them. Moreover, at the large tree located in central region of the fields, there lived a Level 6 Elite Grassland Lion. That place could be said to be a forbidden area for Level 6 players.
However, inside this forbidden area, Gentle Snow's party was constantly clearing the surrounding Level 6 Grassland Lion Cubs. They were clearing out an empty land for the purpose of hunting the Elite Grassland Lion. If ordinary players were to see their daring actions, they would definitely exclaim in astonishment.
A party waged battle against more than ten Grassland Lion Cubs.
Wearing a suit of azure armor, Gentle Snow valiantly battled. She was like a War Goddess, fighting one against ten thousand. A simple slash from her had sent three Grassland Lion Cubs flying. Simultaneously, she was dodging the claws of the remaining two Lion Cubs. If an expert were to see Gentle Snow battle, their eyes might have popped out of their sockets by now. Although her single slash seemed simple, she struck the vital points of all three Grassland Lion Cubs. Her dodges were even more accurate. It was like she possessed eyes at the back of her head. Without even turning her head, she was able to avoid the claw strikes that came from behind her.
On another side, the Flame Witch, Zhao Yueru, was like an artillery cannon. A single Frostflame Blast from her had taken away a third of the Grassland Lion Cub's HP. Just when the Grassland Lion Cub switched Hatred and was about to rush at Zhao Yueru, the woman, herself, revealed a smile of disdain. As her mouth chanted the final verse of an incantation, her lily-white hands finished writing the incantation. Following which, a flame dragon appeared. The dragon spewed scorching hot flames, immediately decimating the Grassland Lion Cub rushing towards Zhao Yueru.
Zhao Yueru's control over magic was extremely subtle, reaching its pinnacle. Her chanting and tracing were even more extraordinary. Normally, players would need 3 seconds to complete both actions, but Zhao Yueru only spent 1.6 seconds. Her Completion Rate was even at 86%, increasing the damage of Fire Dragon's Roar by 120%. This single move instantly took away two-thirds of the Grassland Lion Cub's HP.
A few moments later, more than ten Grassland Lion Cubs lay dead on the ground.
"Rest for a while and prepare to lure those two Elite Grassland Lions over. Shield Warrior, you'll tank one, while I handle the other," after tidying up the loot, Gentle Snow commanded as she looked towards the two patrolling Elite Grassland Lions in the distance.
Just as everyone was resting, Gentle Snow received a single message signed with the name of 'Black Flame.'
Looking at this signature, Gentle Snow's brows slightly wrinkled. Previously, she put out word that she wished to discuss matters of cooperation with the Black Flame Forger. It did not take long before she received a reply. Originally, she had felt rather joyous at the fact. However, a few moments later, she received another pile of similar messages. All of them claiming themselves to be the Black Flame Forger. However, after undergoing a simple questioning and identification, she discovered that all of these players were fakes. Every one of them wanted to swindle some money from her.
"Snow, is it another harassing message? Why not you just set it so you can only receive messages from your friends. That way, these messages won't bother you anymore." Zhao Yueru suggested after noticing Gentle Snow's unnatural behavior.
Gentle Snow shook her head, saying in a serious tone, "I'm not acquainted with the Black Flame Forger. If the real Black Flame Forger were to contact us, and we weren't able to receive his message, wouldn't we have posted that thread for nothing? I'll still take a look at it. In any case, it is very easy to determine the authenticity of the Black Flame Forger."
However, Gentle Snow suddenly froze when she read the message.
That was because this message had very clearly proven the authenticity of this Black Flame. He wanted her to go to the Virtual Trade Center, and using the password he had given, enter a designated Trade Room to trade for the Glimmer Chestplate Forging Design.
"It seems that I finally have some gains after waiting for so long." Gentle Snow revealed a faint smile. From the contents of the message, she could clearly feel that this Black Flame was the real deal. Otherwise, he would not suggest trading the Forging Design at the Virtual Trade Center. After all, Black Flame impostors would not have a Forging Design.
"What is it? Did the real Black Flame contact you?" Looking at Gentle Snow nodding to her question, Zhao Yueru became immediately excited. Wishing to meet this mysterious Forger, she asked, "When do we meet him?"
"I just contacted him. However, he does not want to add us as friends. He only said he wants to meet at the Level 8 map, Physis Canyon, in four hours. Physis Canyon isn't that far away from our current location. I'll buy the Forging Design first; then we'll quickly clear up these Elite Grassland Lions. If we hurry over, we should be able to make it." Even Gentle Snow was clearly excited right now. There were so many first-rate Guilds in Star-Moon Kingdom, yet, she didn't imagine that the Black Flame Forger would actually be willing to cooperate with them. She couldn't help but admit that they were extremely lucky or maybe that Black Flame had some other plans. In any case, she wouldn't be able to see through the thoughts of this Black Flame.
"Great! Then let's hurry! If we make him wait too long, it would be terrible if he didn't want to meet us anymore," Zhao Yueru abruptly stood up, excitedly saying so.
"Look at you in such a hurry... We still have time." Gentle Snow rolled her eyes at Zhao Yueru. She did not imagine that Zhao Yueru would be so interested in Black Flame. Normally, she would not be as enthusiastic towards other people she met.
Meanwhile, Feng, the target of Gentle Snow and Zhao Yueru's conversation, had already departed from Red Leaf Town. He was running towards the White Sand Ruins again.
After activating Seraphic Speed twice, Feng soon returned back to the bunker of the Blascksteel Dwarves. Moving along the main street, Feng arrived before a steel building after making several turns and detours. The building was the City Hall, and when Feng entered the building, the Town Mayor, a Level 30 Elite NPC, quickly noticed him. As it has been a long time since any outsiders entered this small Town, the Mayor happily went up to welcome Feng.
"Hello, Adventurer! Welcome to Stonehammer Town! I am Blackbeard, the Town Mayor!" Blackbeard warmly said.
"Hello, Lord Mayor. It is my first time coming here, so I wonder if I could be of any use to you?" Feng performed respectfully, as such actions would give NPCs a more favorable opinion of him.
Blackbeard caressed his thick beard. After thinking for awhile, he said, "Adventurer, our small Town indeed needs help. The weather of area around here is getting hotter by the day, and our water supply is continuously diminishing. As a result, it is getting harder for the inhabitants to live in this small Town. I will pay a sufficient price, so I hope you can help us obtain a large water supply or something that can help with the heat."
System: Do you wish to accept the Quest, "Blackbeard's Request"?
"I will be happy to help," Feng responded.
System: Quest "Blackbeard's Request" accepted. Offer 100 bags of Clear Water or 5 cups of Cold Beverage to the Town Mayor Blackbeard.
Following which, Feng retrieved the Fruit Juice he had prepared. For every 5 cups of Fruit Juice Feng offered, he could obtain 2 Copper Coins, an increase of 1 point to Blackbeard's Favorability, and 100 EXP.
Following which, Feng handed over Fruit Juices without stop. After he handed over 880 cups of Fruit Juice, he obtained a total of 352 Copper Coins and 176 points of Favorability. He also obtained 17,600 EXP.
Afterwards he brought Violet Cloud's new type of Fruit Juice, "Lord Mayor, what do you think about this kind of Fruit Juice?"
After seeing this new Fruit Juice, Blackbeard took it in his hands and gave it a whiff. Suddenly, both his eyes shone as he excitedly said, "This cup completely surpasses the previous five cups. Adventurer, I wonder how many of these do you have? I am willing to pay an extra 1 copper Coin to purchase it."
Since Blackbeard liked the new Fruit Juice, Feng naturally continued the transaction without stop.
He had a total of 920 cups of the new type of Fruit Juice. Every cup earned him 3 Copper Coins, 1 point of Favorability, and 100 EXP. It could be seen just how much Blackbeard loved this item.
In such a way, Shi Feng easily received 2,760 Coppers and 920 points of Favorability. He also received 92,000 EXP, bringing him closer to level 8.
After completing the transaction, Feng suddenly received a System Notification.
Blackbeard's Favorability of him rose to 1096 points, reaching the level of Revered.
System: Congratulations! You are the first player to achieve Revered Favorability with an NPC. Rewarding 1 Mysterious-Iron Treasure Chest.
Feng opened the refined Mysterious-Iron Treasure Chest. Inside the Treasure Chest, there was a piece of equipment and an Ornament.
[Dark Pursuer's Cape](Secret-Silver Rank)
Equipment Requirement: Agility 70
Defense +20
Strength +4, Agility +8, Endurance +4
Movement Speed +2
Evasion +6
Additional Ability: Silent Steps: Allows the user to arrive at the target's back silently. Maximum range of 40 yards.
Cooldown: 3 minutes.
[Interpreter's Pendant] (Mysterious-Iron Rank, Necklace)
Level 7
Equipment Requirement: Intelligence 30
Intelligence +6, Endurance +2
Magic Damage increased by 5%.
He equipped the Dark Pursuer's Cape and stored the Interpreter's Pendant. He was still going to give it to Blackie since he could only use one necklace at a time, and he already had Shadow's blessing. He then talked to Blackbeard again. The Town Mayor finally opened his mouth. Moreover, he did not hide any secrets this time. He was treating Feng like his close friend and Feng received the Stonehammer Key
System: Unique Quest "Steel Fortress Barrutia" accepted. Player is required to go to Physis Canyon to look for the fallen Steel Fortress Barrutia and obtain the Titan's Heart from within it. Town Mayor Blackbeard will provide an extremely bountiful reward for it.
Feng bought the Bronze and Iron ranked Forging Designs from Blackbeard and left the bunker. He started running towards the location of the crater for his quest in a straight line and activated the Rocket Boost [1]
Two streaks of crimson flame flared, slowly lifting Feng off the ground. The Rocket Boots reached their maximum speed in twenty seconds, turning Feng into a streak of light. Feng flew high over the Physis Canyon, over the trees and the Birdmen. When only thirty seconds remained on the Rocket Boost's duration, Feng activated Seraphic Speed, further increasing his speed.
Just as the duration for Rocket Boost ran out, Feng arrived at his destination. After arriving, Feng discovered that the place was filled with wandering Mechanical Golems. The Mechanical Golems were around a person's height.
[Mechanical Golem] (Common Monster)
Level 9
HP 1,500/1,500
The Mechanical Warriors were double the size of the Mechanical Golems, and their hands were holding a blade and shield.
[Mechanical Warrior] (Elite Monster)
Level 9
HP 3,000/3,000
The Mechanical Knights were the most terrifying of them all. They rode Mechanical Horses, and they held long pikes. They were over 6 meters tall, just like a two-storied building.
[Mechanical Knight] (Special Elite)
Level 10
HP 7,000/7,000
In the deepest parts of this horde of Mechanical monsters, there was a pair of tightly shut steel gates. There were over 800 Mechanical Puppets and Mechanical Warriors and there were over a hundred Mechanical Knights tightly guarding the front of the steel gates. Feng simply rushed towards the monsters.
Before he even came close to the 30-yard range, the monsters discovered him. The monsters' eyes flashed a red glow, all of them turning their heads and staring at the intruder.
"Alert! Alert! Intruders detected!"
Feng simply started grinding his Skill Proficiency on them. Two hours later, all of the mechanical monsters were dead. Meanwhile, Feng's experience had increased by a large chunk, reaching Level 8 and continued for a while, before stopping close to Level 9.
Feng spent over 10 minutes picking up all of the drops. He was able to equip Shadow's Blessing after reaching Level 8, which had increased the loot and given him better drops. Feng learned the skills he needed from the drops and stored the rest.
At some point during the Skill Proficiency grinding, a message from Gentle Snow arrived. The message stated that they had to delay the meeting time by an hour suddenly, and as a compensation, aside from buying the Forging Design at price of 50,000 Credits, they would give him an additional 20,000 Credits.
Arriving at the large gate, Feng found a moss-covered keyhole. He then inserted the broken obsidian crystal given to him by Blackbeard. After inserting the obsidian key, there was no reaction from the steel gate. It was still as unmoving as ever. Feng simply punched it.
Di... Di... Di...
Suddenly, a dazzling golden light radiated out from the keyhole. Countless energy runes flashed on the pair of three-storied gates. After which, the gates slowly opened, letting out ear-piercing creaking sounds. Following which, Feng entered through the gate.
System: You have discovered the Steel Fortress Barrutia.
After running through the large hallway, Feng arrived at an area with a humongous smelting furnace. The surrounding steel walls around the furnace were linked together with steel stairs, and at the bottom of the furnace was an endlessly deep pool of water.
However, Feng did not head along the stairs towards the next exit. Instead, he leaped and jumped towards the pool.
Halfway down, Feng activated Gravity Liberation. His falling speed sharply reduced, his body slowly descending like a feather.
During his descent, Feng suddenly noticed a passage on the walls. Feng slowly floated over, accurately landing in the hidden passageway. He used Phantom Kill to trigger the trap before going in. After opening the treasure chest, he immediately stored the items without even checking on them. He activated Seraphic Speed and rushed towards the passages leading to the other areas of the Steel Fortress, when the fortress' alarm rang out.
"Alert! Alert! There is an intruder in Area F! Activating self-defense system!"
Feng continued towards the passages, and just as they were about to seal shut, he passed through. Only then did Feng look at what he got from the treasure chest. There was a Mysterious-Iron ranked Blackstone Shield.
[Blackstone Shield] (Mysterious-Iron Rank)
Level 10
Equipment Requirement: Strength 25
Defense +69
Defend Rate 29%
Strength +7, Endurance +10
HP +200
After equipping, all damage received from the front will be reduced by 10%.
There was also a Mysterious-Iron Mastery Book. When used, players would randomly receive 10 to 50 Free Mastery Points.
"My luck is even better in this life. I should get at least 40 points; though, I won't complain if you give me more." Feng said before selecting to use the Mastery Book.
Following which, the System started displaying a pile of random numbers ranging from 10 to 50. As long as Feng yelled 'Stop,' the final number to appear would be the number of Mastery Points he would obtain.
"Stop" Feng confidently stopped it immediately.
The wheel of numbers abruptly halted, and Feng stared blankly at the number.
18 points.
Currently, his One-handed Sword Mastery was still at 20 points, placing him at the level of Basic Swordsman and increasing his Base Damage by 10%.
If including the 8 Free Mastery Points he obtained for leveling up to Level 5, and the 5 points he had remaining from before, he now had a total of 31 Free Mastery Points. He just barely had enough to promote his one-handed sword mastery.
Feng decided not to complain and immediately added 30 Mastery Points to his One-handed Sword Mastery. Instantly, his One-handed Sword Mastery rose to the level of an Intermediate Swordsman, increasing his Base Damage by 15%.
Afterwards, Feng continued forward and, just as set foot into the corridor, the alarm once again rang out.
"Alert! Alert! The intruder has already invaded Area A of the fortress, the Magic Corridor. Activating Guardian Statues on duty!"
Feng then heard loud booming noises coming from the corridor, as if some gigantic machine had started moving. He immediately used a Speed Scroll, dashing through the Magic Corridor at flying speed.
After taking several turns in the Magic Corridor, Feng discovered a machine that had a flashing red light. Although this machine was just the size of a football, it was constantly producing alarms, as if it were a tool meant for guiding the Guardian Statues.
[Sentinel Guard] (Common Monster)
Level 10
HP 200/200
When Feng was nearing the 30-yard range, just as the Sentinel Guard was about to break into a run...
Feng's eyes locked onto the Sentinel Guard, and he casually threw the Abyssal Blade towards it
Xiu!
The sword flew towards the Sentinel Guard.
Precision Throw!
The throwing distance of the skill was just at 30 yards, and it caused 150% of his weapon's damage.
The Sentinel Guard was extremely vigilant. It rapidly moved its body, immediately dodging the Abyssal Blade, however the sword suddenly curved and struck the Sentinel guard, instantly killing it.
Peng!
System: Level 10 Sentinel Guard killed. Level difference of 2. EXP obtained increased by 200%. Obtained 480 EXP.
Feng activated Windwalk, his speed once again increasing by a notch as he rushed to pull out his sword that pierced into the ground. He then rushed towards the Magic Corridor's exit. Without the guidance of the Sentinel Guard, the Guardian Statues were like flies that lost their eyes. They ran around all over the place, completely unable to find Feng.
More than a dozen minutes later, after getting rid of another three Sentinel Guards, Feng finally escaped the Magic Corridor, arriving at the control room.
There was a barrier in the central region of the control room. A dark grey colored sphere of iron was placed inside the barrier. This sphere of iron was the heart of the Steel Fortress, and it was the fortress' source of energy. It was the Titan's Heart.
Feng looked around, but didn't see the Dark Clown or its magic array. He immediately rushed towards the Titan's Heart. To collect the Titan's Heart, Feng either had to deplete all the energy the Titan's Heart possessed, or he would need to have the key to remove the barrier.
Fortunately, Feng had the key. He unlocked the barrier protecting the Titan's Heart, then stored it in his bag. He took out a Return Scroll and activated it. When only one second was left before Feng teleported, he heard footsteps from the entrance of the control room.
'To late.' Feng thought to himself with a grin as he turned into a streak of light.
"Who's there?!" The Dark Clown faintly sensed a presence while entering, but there was no one in the control room now "WHERE'S THE TITAN'S HEART?!!!" He suddenly noticed that the precious Titan's Heart he needed was missing.
While the Dark Clown was freaking out, Feng had already returned to Red Leaf Town, heading to the Auction House.
The twenty Forging Designs he put up for auction have already sold out, averaging at a price of 5 Gold Coins, earning him around 100 Gold Coins and bringing the total number of Gold Coins in his possession to over 200. He cleaned out the Hard Stones and Card Sets before placing another twenty Forging Designs along with items he and his party didn't need. Some items from the Moonlight Forest, some from the mechanical golems and other monsters.
Although the items would only earn him a few Gold Coins, it was better then nothing. As for selling the items for Credits? He couldn't be bothered to waste time on that. They would only earn him a few thousand Credits, and since he's going to get a few million from Aqua Rose soon, he didn't need that small amount, so it was easier to simply put the items on auction.
Seeing it was about time, he went to the Bank to store some stuff before rushing to Physis Canyon. On the way, he used the Demon's Mask to alter his own appearance, to the same one as Black Flame's from his previous life, the look of his equipment and his level. When he got there, Gentle Snow hadn't arrived yet, so he looked for a rock to sit down on, before looking at the System notifications he received from the Auction House. The items have mostly sold, earning him another 100 Gold Coins.
Just as he was planning what to do after turning in his quest, he sensed that someone was approaching.
"You're here." Feng looked up and gazed at Gentle Snow and her party, who were slightly surprised to be noticed.
"Are you Black Flame?" Gentle Snow asked while sizing him up. She was immediately shocked at the immense pressure she felt from him, it felt like standing in front of a humanoid lord. The closer she got, the more danger she felt, her instincts screaming at her to run.
"I am." Feng, who didn't bother restricting his aura, spoke in a slightly deep tone.
Hearing Feng's answer, moreover receiving the information proving Black Flame's identity, Gentle Snow's beautiful eyes focused. She secretly used an Observation skill.
Suddenly, Gentle Snow stared blankly. She was unable to discern Feng's name. The information only showed him as an unknown Level 6 player.
Gentle Snow originally thought that Black Flame only had good forging skills, many lucky encounters, superior strategies, and relatively good gaming skills. She never imagined that Black Flame's gaming skills were not just the average kind of good. He was definitely a top-tier expert. Otherwise, he would not be able to obtain such a high-grade item.
Special Items that could hide a person's identity, even Ouroboros did not possess a single one of such an item. They had also never heard of any other first-rate Guilds obtaining one. Meanwhile, not only did the mysterious man in front of her possess such an item, but Gentle Snow could also feel a powerful strength emanating from the equipment he was wearing. Even though the equipment's special effects were hidden, a single glance at the equipment's delicate make and the magical markings circling it told Gentle Snow that it was a set. In fact, Black Flame's equipment might not be any worse than hers. Her equipment was obtained through the efforts of the Elite party behind her. How much time had they spent obtaining them? How did the man in front of her obtain such good equipment?
Gentle Snow attentively gazed at Feng. She was even starting to suspect whether or not Black Flame was an independent player or the leader of a mysterious organization. Otherwise, how would he possess such financial and physical resources to carry out all those tasks? His title of Chief Forger was even publicly acknowledged by the players of Star-Moon Kingdom. Just carrying out tasks such as forging and organizing would take up most of his time, so how was it possible he obtained such a good set of equipment?
"Hello, I am called Gentle Snow, First Vice Leader of Ouroboros." Gentle Snow stretched out her jade-white hand in a very formal manner.
The party members behind Gentle Snow were all shocked. They never imagined their leader would actually take the initiative to shake hands with someone else.
Was this older gentleman in front of them that powerful to necessitate such formality?
"Hello, you can address me as Black Flame." Feng simply shook hands with Gentle Snow. "I have contacted you this time to cooperate with your Ouroboros. I wonder what your opinion of this is?"
"Of course, we welcome it very much. If you are willing to become the Chief Forger of our Ouroboros, just state your price," Gentle Snow said with confidence. She guessed that Feng would demand an exorbitant price. However, as long as they could successfully poach Feng, then everything would be worth it. Moreover, with her current influence, satisfying Feng's appetite was no problem at all.
"Miss Snow, I think you are misunderstanding something here. I will not be joining your Guild. Instead, I will be using an equal status to cooperate with your Guild. If Miss Snow is unable to make this problem clear, we do not need to continue this discussion."
Finished speaking, Feng turned to leave.
Seeing as Feng was about to leave... The members from Ouroboros were stupefied. There was actually a man who would treat Gentle Snow in such a way. He even discarded the chance to work with Ouroboros without hesitation.
"Please wait." Gentle Snow urged Feng to stay, saying, "You, too, should know that our Ouroboros is a first-rate Guild. There are not many powers out there who possess the qualifications to work with us. If you can prove that you have the ability and capital and that your proposal would bring Ouroboros great benefits, then we can come to an agreement."
"You sure think highly of yourself, don't you?" Feng turned and said "The real question is if Ouroboros is qualified to work with me. I had originally been intending to go to an Empire and work with a Super Guild when I reached Level 10, but a friend of mine recommended you, so I thought I'd see if you're worthy. However, seeing as your not even at the Half-step Refinement realm, and think so highly of First-rate Guilds, I suppose he was wrong. As to if I have enough qualifications, you can see with this." Feng took out one of the Level 10 Mysterious-Iron Equipment Forging Designs that he bought from Blackbeard after he was done speaking, waving it in front of Gentle Snow's face.
Everyone became immediately became stupefied by Feng's words, but their attention was then drawn by the design in his hand.
"How could it be?!" Gentle Snow could not believe what her eyes were seeing. Her heart was filled with extreme shock, "How did you obtain a Level 10 Mysterious-Iron Forging Design?"
"Trade secret. Don't think too much about it." Feng kept the Forging Design, "Anyway, I'll be leaving."
"Alright, I agree. State how we should cooperate then." Gentle Snow grit her teeth, yielding to Feng in the end.
"Didn't you hear what I previously said? I don't wish to cooperate with you anymore." Feng said in a deep tone.
"You?!" Gentle Snow's expression suddenly turned cold. However, very quickly, she calmed back down. She no longer had her high and aloof attitude, her face revealing a calm smile as she said, "I apologize for my previous poor manners. I wonder if you can reconsider? Our Ouroboros is willing to pay double the price of the other Guilds."
Fend looked to be in thought for a moment before nodding "Fine, since you're sincere."
After this scene, everyone else thought that they had heard wrong. The incomparably proud Snow Goddess actually surrendered. Moreover, she even apologized for her previous behavior. How terrifying was this Black Flame?
Currently, Zhao Yueru's eyes were shining as they looked at Black Flame with admiration. She knew full well how proud and intelligent Gentle Snow was. Since meeting her, Zhao Yueru had never seen a person who could make Gentle Snow apologize.
"I wonder how you wish to cooperate?" Gentle Snow sent a glare towards the snickering Zhao Yueru behind her, then looked back at Feng and asked.
"It's very simple. I am planning to establish a loose Lifestyle organization called Horizon Alliance and recruit all sorts of Lifestyle players. You just need to help me advertise it and spread its influence, and I'll give your Guild a discounted price. I'll even sell you equipment and tools that are unavailable to the public," Feng unhurriedly said.
"You really want to establish such an organization?" Gentle Snow was slightly shocked. Although she did not think highly of Feng, the terms he stated were very attractive.
Zhao Yueru's eyes widened in shock. She unbelievably looked at Feng, feeling he was too insane.
After everyone else heard Feng, they all thought that Feng simply had too much money to waste. He was actually trying to establish such an organization.
"You don't have to worry about this. When the time comes, I will naturally notify you to help me advertise the organization and spread its influence. In any case, you all don't have anything to lose. Of course, I will give you all some remuneration in advance. Ten Glimmer Chestpiece Forging Designs should be enough for your Guild to nurture quite a few Forgers."
Following which, Gentle Snow signed a contract with Feng, stating that she was willing to help Feng spread his organization's influence throughout the entire Star-Moon Kingdom. After doing so, Feng must repay her with a hundred pieces of Level 10 Mysterious-Iron Equipment. At the same time, Ouroboros will be able to purchase equipment and tools from Feng at a discounted price.
Of course, Feng didn't really care about Gentle Snow's advertisement. He went through this much trouble simply to meet Snow as Black Flame and form and alliance that would later help Zero Wing during its initial stages.
Gentle Snow looked rather happy after receiving the ten Glimmer Chestpiece Forging Designs. She passed the Forging Designs to an Assassin, letting him take the Forging Designs back to the Guild. Then, she looked towards Feng, inviting him, "I see that the number of Humanoid Monsters is quite high here. Although their levels are slightly higher, it is a good place to level up. Why don't you level up with us? It would be much faster than leveling up by yourself."
"No need, I have some matters to attend to. Since we're done here, I'll be leaving first." Feng said and turned towards the White Sand Ruin's direction, before activating Seraphic Speed and running at full speed.
He immediately disappeared from their view, leaving only an afterimage. Gentle Snow turned towards the direction Feng was looking at before he disappeared, only to see a small black dot getting further away, completely disappearing in a few seconds. Leaving the members of Ouroboros frozen on the spot for a while.
White Sand Ruins, Stonehammer Town.
Feng changed his appearance back to Ye Feng's, as well as the look of his equipment, before heading inside the city hall. When the Town Mayor Blackbeard saw Feng entering, he went forward and greeted Feng in a very welcoming manner.
"Brother Ye Feng, you've come. The Fruit Juice you sold to me the last time was just too good! It captivated everyone in our little town. Now, we can't sleep properly if we don't drink a cup before bed every day," Blackbeard joked.
"Lord Mayor Blackbeard, is this the Titan's Heart that you wanted?" Feng smiled, taking out the Titan's Heart as he asked.
When Blackbeard saw the gray-colored, metallic sphere, his mouth suddenly opened wide in shock.
This shape, this color, this texture... It was exactly the same as the Titan's Heart mentioned in the legends.
"Correct, this is the Titan's Heart. It is exactly the same as the one recorded in the ancient records. I never thought that I would be able to personally see it in my lifetime. Brother Ye Feng, I truly did not think that you were such a powerful Adventurer. For bringing back our Blacksteel Dwarves' glory, I represent all Blacksteel Dwarves in thanking you sincerely," Blackbeard excitedly received the Titan's Heart, continuously thanking Feng.
System: Unique Quest "Steel Fortress Barrutia" completed. Rewarding 1 Blacksteel Insignia. Obtained Blackbeard's Recommendation Letter. Obtained Peak Book of Magic. Rewarding 100,000 EXP. Reputation at Blacksteel Town has reached Worship.
Feng was surprised by the different rewards, but guessed it was because the Titan's Heart had all of its energy this time. He then checked the Blacksteel Insignia.
[Blacksteel Insignia] (Dark-Gold rank)
Unique Equipment
User restriction: Ye Feng
The Blacksteel Insignia is the highest medal of honor amongst the Blacksteel Dwarves. After equipping it:
Forging success rate increased by 10%.
Proficiency has a 15% chance to increase by 1 extra point.
When forging, there is a 3% chance to increase the forged item's Attributes.
After checking the Blacksteel Insignia's attributes, Feng headed towards the Weapon Shop and bought ten Level 5 Iron weapons. Following which, Feng called out the leveling interface for the Abyssal Blade. He then fed these ten Weapons and the Level 5 Secret-Silver Saw he got from the Hazard Gnome to the Abyssal Blade.
After choosing the weapons to devour and clicking Level Up for the Abyssal Blade, the Abyssal Blade suddenly let out a dragon's roar. Countless black flames started emerging from the blade of the sword. The black flames then transformed into a dragon's head, immediately biting at the weapons that had been chosen. The dragon devoured the weapons, bite by bite.
In the blink of an eye, the black flame devoured all eleven weapons, and all of their essences flowed into the Abyssal Blade. The Abyssal Blade no longer looked like a fire poker, and it now gave off a faint cold feeling of sharpness. The blade's color and luster had also become more rustic, similar to a blade covered in dust for many years.
When Feng held the Abyssal Blade once again, the weapon felt slightly heavier than before. He then checked the Abyssal Blade's Attributes.
---
[Abyssal Blade] (Magic Weapon, One-handed Sword)
Attack Power 43
All Attributes +16
Attack Speed +6
Ignore monster's level by 5 Levels.
Attacks have a 15% chance to cause 2 times damage
10% chance to induce Doom Curse, reducing all stats by 40%, lasting 30 seconds.
If wielder belongs to any Swordsman Job, all Skill Levels +2. Increase Free Ability Points received by 2 points for every increase in Level.
Equipment Level 5. Can be leveled up. (Devour ten Level 10 Bronze Equipment and one Level 10 Mysterious-Iron Equipment to level up to Level 10). Can be evolved (Unknown).
Additional Skill 1: Phantom Kill. Instantly creates a doppelganger. You can control this doppelganger. Doppelganger will have 50% of original body's Attributes and all Skills. At the same time, doppelganger and the original body can be swapped. Duration of 35 seconds.
Cooldown: 5 minutes
Additional Skill 2: Abyssal Bind. Binds enemies and prevent movement, reducing Defense by 100%. Duration of 3 seconds.
Cooldown: 1 minute
Additional Skill 3: Nine Dragons Slash. Instantly create nine phantoms of the Abyssal Blade for the wielder to use, each phantom sword is capable of dealing up to 30% damage. Duration of 24 seconds.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
The Abyssal Blade was personally created by master smith Olysses using the Black Dragon King's fangs as material. It is one of thirty-six famed swords, and it is ranked 31st. However, this sword has been cursed by the Black Dragon King. Aside from being able to provide the wielder with immense strength, there will be a Backlash every period. However, after being remodeled by Jack using a Star Crystal, the strength of the Backlash has been greatly reduced. If the wielder is unable to suppress the Backlash, the wielder will receive the curse of the Black Dragon King, permanently reducing All Attributes by 50%.
Unable to be dropped.
Unable to be traded.
---
After sheathing the Abyssal Blade, Feng took out a Return Scroll and started chanting, returning to Red Leaf Town. He cleared out the Hard Stones and Card Sets again before placing another batch of Forging Designs in the Auction House. He then looked at the time. It was almost 8 o'clock in the morning now, so Feng immediately called out the System Interface and chose to log out.
Upon waking up early in the morning, the first thing Feng did was train his body. This action had long since deeply ingrained in his bones. He then made a trip to the Nutrition Center and bought some more A-rank and B-rank Nutrient Fluids, once again with Snow's money. At this point, he treated scamming money from her like a career.
He then met up with Blackie at a restaurant and ordered some high-class nutrition meals. When they finished, Feng gave Blackie the nutrient fluids before they parted ways. Feng then sent a message to his parents. He sent them 3,000 Credits, telling them not to send him living expenses any longer. He told them that he had already found a good job, and that he was able to support himself financially.
At 7 o'clock in the evening, after having his meal, Feng drank a bottle of A-rank Nutrient Fluid and logged in.
Currently, the amount of players in Red Leaf Town grew even greater. The streets were filled with players selling Level 0 to Level 2 Common Equipment and basic skill books.
Feng looked through the system notifications that were notifying him about the selling of the Forging Designs, he noticed that the price wasn't decreasing by much. He then placed 100 designs to be sold in batches over the next few hours.
Afterwards, he went on a shopping spree in the Auction House and Trade Market, buying materials for the Silver Dawn, other equipment, some Magic Scrolls and necessary potions for the dungeon and some other stuff that would be more valuable after the update.
At this time, a communication request came from Gentle Snow.
"Three hours from now, meet up in front of Dark Moon Graveyard's entrance. Get your team prepared for it and bring the necessary potions. Our Ouroboros must definitely snatch the First Clear of this Dungeon this time, so we'll be looking forward to your performance," Gentle Snow's tone was very indifferent, as if she was giving out a command. It was completely different from their meeting just now.
"Will do." Feng simply said, ignoring her tone, since he knew she'll be changing it in a few hours.
Neither of them traded unnecessary words, immediately disconnecting the call. Feng then contacted Blackie, telling him to come back to Red Leaf Town, before resuming his shopping spree. Some time later, Blackie informed him that they were back, so he went to meet up with them.
"Brother Feng, we're over here." Blackie stood up and shouted as he saw Feng walking over.
The others, as well, stood up to welcome Feng when they saw him approaching, sending gazes of appreciation at him. If Feng had not let Blackie carry them, they most likely would not have been able to reach Level 6 so quickly, and very likely, they would still be struggling at the bottom of the ranks.
Currently, most of the veteran players in God's Domain were Level 4, and a minority had reached Level 5. Meanwhile, thanks to Blackie's help, they had surpassed the experts.
Originally, this reason alone already caused them to be extremely grateful towards Feng. They all decided to continue following Feng. They never thought that Blackie would actually be willing to sign a contract with them, allowing them to join Zero Wing Workshop and become one of its official members. They could also enjoy a monthly salary of 4,000 Credits.
Although they requested to lower the treatment they received, Blackie had firmly rejected all of them. He had said that Feng had personally declared it as such, and no changes were permitted.
Helpless, they could only sign the contract, becoming official members of Zero Wing Workshop.
Although they looked well-off now, deep in their hearts, they were very clear about their own strengths. It was practically impossible for them to get invited to a Workshop. It would be a good thing if they could even become outer members, not to mention official members.
"Let's make a trip to the Warehouse first."
Everyone was confused. What were they going to do at the Warehouse?
However, they did not question Feng's decision, only following him.
Arriving at the Bank, Feng retrieved all the equipment that could be used by his party members.
Everyone was dumbfounded when they saw the equipment. They had ceaselessly grinded monsters and had even killed quite a few Elites. Yet, all of their gains combined could not even rival the equipment Feng had obtained by himself. The quality was, of course, much higher. It was all Level 5 Bronze Equipment, surpassing the Level 2 or Level 3 equipment they obtained by leaps and bounds.
Blackie wasn't surprised of course, so he silently swapped all his equipment that could be swapped. The other party members also fully swapped out their equipment. Their Basic Attributes right now far surpassed those of the elite members of large Guilds.
"Let's go."
[2]
Dark Moon Valley, Dark Moon Graveyard.
Countless tombstones stood around a dilapidated chapel. In the midst of night, one could hear wails of agony coming out from the tombstones. Meanwhile, Kobold Assassins roamed the dark and hidden locations around the broken down chapel.
This place was the most famous location of Dark Moon Valley.
Due to this place being the closest and the first twenty-man Team Dungeon activated near Red Leaf Town, it held high importance to the many Guilds stationed in Red Leaf Town. Compared to the previous six-man Party Dungeon, the various Guilds were paying the most attention to this Team Dungeon.
That was because Team Dungeons and Party Dungeons were different. Not only was the difficulty for Team Dungeons higher, but the equipment that dropped from them was also better. Moreover, only by clearing a Team Dungeon would a Guild be able to prove their strength. Aside from that, there was a gigantic Glory List beside the Teleportation Gate of every Team Dungeon. On it, the names of the Team and players who obtained the First Clear for the Dungeon would be listed for latecomers to admire.
Of course, aside from the First Clear, the record for the fastest to clear the Dungeon would also be recorded, with the reserved record set at three hours. As long as a team surpassed the record time, their names would be recorded. However, this record was not permanent, but only temporary. As long as another team could obtain an even shorter record time, they would replace the current holders of the record.
Currently, players filled all of the Dark Moon Graveyard. Aside from the various large Guilds from Red Leaf town, there were plenty of temporary groups attempting to challenge this Team Dungeon.
"Wow! It's just as expected of the competition for the First Clear of the Team Dungeon. The equipment on these guys is just too gorgeous! Our temporary group has no chance of competing against them at all."
"That's only natural. Why don't you look at just how many times these Guilds have cleared the Level 3 to Level 4 Party Dungeons? Even the team belonging to the weakest Guild here would have seven to eight pieces of Bronze Equipment on each party member. Look at Martial Union over there; all of their members are wearing Bronze Equipment. Their leader, Ironsword Lion, is wearing the Wolf Fang Set Equipment that can only be obtained from the Level 4 Dungeon, Black Wolf's Den."
"Ironsword Lion's equipment could be considered quite good amongst the unrated Guilds. However, look over there at the third-rate Guild, Heaven's Crowns. The equipment on their elite team's vice-leader, Passenger of Wind, is the Spirit Wind Set Equipment obtained from the Level 4 Advanced Dungeon, Ghost Fortress."
The players of temporary teams gazed at the equipment of the Guild teams in envy. They spoke about the items as if enumerating their own family's valuables, and the more they spoke, the more drool leaked out from the corner of their mouths.
Only the Elite parties of Guilds could clear those high difficulty Party Dungeons. Unaffiliated individuals like themselves could only look on with envy.
Just as everyone was sighing in admiration at the equipment of these elite teams, Stabbing Heart of Assassin's Alliance led a group of players over. The equipment of the group was extremely unified. All twenty players wore the same Level 4 Bronze Equipment. Amongst them, the two silver daggers hung around Stabbing Heart's waist looked extraordinarily radiant.
"Crap, it can't be, right? Those are Gemini's Thorns that only drop from the final Boss of the Hard Mode of Ghost Fortress," an Assassin who was a dagger-fanatic cried out in shock.
Suddenly, the team leaders and upper echelons of the other Guilds all cast sidelong glances over to Stabbing Heart.
This design and color were exactly the same as the information displayed on the official announcement.
"As expected of a second-rate Guild; the Assassin's Alliance's strength cannot be taken lightly. They managed to clear the Hard Mode of Ghost Fortress without anyone noticing. Meanwhile, until now, we have merely killed off the first Boss of Hard Mode," Passenger of Wind sighed with regret.
"Humph! So what if they managed to clear the Hard Mode? We will still start from the same starting point from now on. The difficulty of a Team Dungeon is not something a Party Dungeon can compare to. Clearing it depends more on the commands given," Ironsword Lion wrinkled his brows, snorting in disdain. He believed that his own techniques were no weaker than Stabbing Heart's. If he had not been ambushed by that Ye Feng, causing him to lose a level, the party he led might have been able to clear the Hard Mode of Ghost Fortress.
"Interesting," when Shadow's leader, Zhang Luowei, heard the discussions of the other Guilds, a faint smile appeared on his face. He was immensely arrogant, as if he did not place importance on any of these players.
The various Guilds present were unwilling to comply with each other. After all, God's Domain had only recently begun; nobody would know what the future would bring. The Assassin's Alliance was only this powerful due to their strong initial foundation. However, the First Clear for the Dark Moon Graveyard could not be obtained just by relying on a strong foundation. At best, the Assassin's Alliance would only have a minor advantage over the other Guilds.
The First Clear of this Team Dungeon this time around was considered a shuffling of power in Red Leaf Town. Whoever obtained the First Clear would increase their prestige in Red Leaf Town, improving their Guild's development. It would have a great effect on attracting new players to join their Guilds.
Everyone looked at the time. There was still over twenty minutes before the opening of Dark Moon Graveyard. They all stood by a side, patiently waiting.
"Sister Snow, this place is really lively!" Xiao Yue'er giggled, pulling on Gentle Snow's delicate arm as she took a look at her surroundings.
Gentle Snow nodded. She looked around with an indifferent face, her expression as cold as ice. She did not pay any attention to the Guilds present. Instead, she was looking for a certain someone.
Although Gentle Snow and her group kept a low profile when they arrived at the Dark Moon Graveyard, everyone's sights still unconsciously turned towards the group; including the upper echelons of the various Guilds.
They still possessed the chance to compete in the case of second-rate Guilds. However, it was but a fleeting dream for them to compete against a first-rate Guild. The main reason being the gap between a first-rate Guild and a second-rate Guild was just too wide. Not only was there a difference in the number of players in the Guild, but there was also the difference of the quality of players and fundings.
Just by standing in this place, Gentle Snow caused a great pressure to loom over the upper echelons of the many Guilds present. As for the cause for this pressure, aside from the disparity between their Guilds, the disparity between personal strength was also one of the causes. As long as one played virtual reality games, they would certainly know of the Snow Goddess. However, this name was not praise for Gentle Snow's stunning complexion, but for her frightening strength.
"As expected of the Snow Goddess. The equipment on her body is likely the most top-notch equipment available to players at this stage of the game," Stabbing Heart inwardly admired the silver-red battle armor that Gentle Snow wore.
Just as she was looking around, Feng and his party arrived, unhurriedly walking towards her
"Looks like I arrived right on time." Feng commented when he saw that the dungeon hasn't opened yet.
"Since you're already here, leave your party, and we'll reform the group." Gentle Snow said, as she checked Feng's and the others information, she shockingly discovered that Feng had reached Level 8.
Currently, the Level 6 players in all of Red Leaf Town were top-tier players. She had been leveling up this entire time and has barely reached Level 6 recently, yet Feng had reached Level 8. Even Black Flame was only Level 6.
As for Blackie and the others standing behind Feng, all of them were Level 6. They were also fully geared with Bronze Equipment, and such a standard was relatively good amongst temporary teams. She became shocked once again when she saw their levels.
Feng's party then disbanded, all of them joining Gentle Snow's team.
All of the surrounding Guilds and players saw Feng join Gentle Snow's team. Judging from the equipment of Feng's party, it was obvious that Feng and the others were not members of Ouroboros. However, it was extremely odd that they were still able to join Gentle Snow's team and enter the Dungeon together.
The equipment worn by Feng's party did not seem very high-leveled. They wore only scattered pieces of Bronze Equipment, not that different from the equipment of a temporary team.
This was the important struggle for the First Clear of a Team Dungeon. Was Gentle Snow so confident in being able to easily obtain it that she'd invite a group of people like this?
Only Stabbing Heart knew of Feng's strength. Now that both powerhouses had joined, the competition for the First Clear of the Dark Moon Graveyard had just become much harder.
"Brother Zhang, that's the brat that set up our men," Flaming Tiger hatefully commented when he saw Feng.
"So, it is him?" Zhang Luowei raised his brows. He could not help but pay more attention to Feng. He then said in a deep tone, "Since he has some connection with the Snow Goddess, try not to stir up trouble with them in the future. I don't wish for us to go against a First-rate Guild right now."
Being able to wipe out Flaming Tiger's group, and having a connection with the Snow Goddess, this person was not that simple. He still needed to do some investigations of this person. If this person had just joined the Snow Goddess by chance, he would definitely make this person pay for his actions.
"Yes, I understand, Brother Zhang." Flaming Tiger glared at Feng, only gritting his teeth as he answered.
However, it was a different situation on the side of Martial Union.
Every member of Martial Union could not help but wish they could get rid of Feng right that instant. It was especially true for Ironsword Lion.
Previously, he put out the word that he would kill Feng back to Level 0. Now that he saw Feng had already reached Level 8, three levels higher than Ironsword Lion, himself, he felt extremely humiliated.
"What is that group of Assassins doing? They actually allowed him to wash away his Red Name, and even rise to Level 8." Just the fact that Feng was standing in this place, unscathed, caused the light on Ironsword Lion's face to fade. His face turned crimson from anger, saying, "Immediately contact the party of Assassins. What exactly is going on here?"
"Boss, what's up?" one of the Assassins standing guard in front of the Hotel asked.
"What's up?" Ironsword Lion nearly suffocated from anger when he heard those words. He bellowed, "I told you all to pay attention to Ye Feng, yet, what have you all been doing?"
"Boss, we've constantly been keeping an eye out for him. However, Ye Feng has not set foot outside the Hotel. I'm guessing that he must be afraid," the Assassin said, puzzled.
"You've constantly been keeping an eye out for him? Then you tell me; who is this person that I am looking at?" Ironsword Lion sent a screenshot, asking coldly.
"Impossible! We've really been constantly keeping an eye out for Ye Feng, and he never came out!" The Assassin, immediately dumbfounded, looked at the screenshot.
"You're a bunch of rubbish that can't even keep watch over a single person! Get out of Martial Union immediately! I don't wish to see you any longer!" rage completely flooded Ironsword Lion's mind. Shortly after, he turned to glare at Feng, saying to his subordinate, "Call some men over, as many as you can. After they're done with the Dungeon, I want him dead immediately."
"Boss Ironsword, this wouldn't be a good move, right? No matter how you put it, he still has some connection with the Snow Goddess. If we create a bad relationship with Ouroboros, it would be detrimental to the development of our Guild," a Druid said.
"Out in the streets, we live by depending on our reputation. Now that someone has stomped our reputation to the ground, who cares about anything else?" Ironsword Lion said in disdain, "So what if she's the Snow Goddess? She still hasn't met this daddy right here. I don't believe that a stupid skank like her could do much to me. If she knows how to be tactful, I can still give her some face. If not, then I'll kill her back to Level 0 as well."
"Boss is right! God's Domain just has slightly more players. How prestigious was it during those years that we swept across Martial World? Now, we can also sweep across God's Domain just like before. What should we be afraid of?"
The players that had constantly followed Ironsword Lion all voiced out their agreements, all of them releasing the aura of a mad dog from their bodies.
In their opinion, one had to be fierce when playing virtual reality games. Compared to Wuxia games, God's Domain merely had more players. Moreover, they had to take into consideration so many problems every single day. What good was worrying about each and every little thing? Won't everything be solved if they just killed these first-rate Guilds into submission? They had only depended on being fierce to succeed in the previous Wuxia game they played, and it would be the same in God's Domain.
Only the Druid, who had only recently joined, helplessly shook his head.
These people were insane!
Feng could sense the gazes on him and knew about what Martial Union was doing, but he didn't care. He only discussed the matter of cooperation with Gentle Snow.
"The items dropped from the Dungeon will be distributed according to Job requirements. If both sides require the same equipment, then there should be no problem if we just Roll for it, right?"
"We don't have any problems with the distribution of equipment. However, I want priority over the recipes and materials for Lifestyle Jobs."
Zhao Yueru's first instinct was to complain, but remembering what happened before, she swallowed her words and merely looked at Gentle Snow. The other members of Gentle Snow's team were also feeling aggrieved.
Gentle Snow, who had an ice-cold expression, hesitated before she opened up her mouth, saying, "Recipes for Lifestyle Jobs are extremely important to our Guild. Your request, I cannot agree to it."
Gentle Snow's single sentence determined the final verdict, not allowing anybody to refuse.
After having worked with Black Flame, Gentle Snow discovered the importance of Lifestyle Jobs. Although their influence towards God's Domain was small right now, who could guarantee that it would remain so in the future?
Hence, she would not let even a single recipe that dropped from the Dungeon slip by.
With Gentle Snow's approval, the confidence of the members of Ouroboros grew. Every one of them looked towards the foolish-looking Feng.
"Ignorance really is bliss." Blackie chuckled, causing the others to look at him in puzzlement. A person from a mere First-rate guild, and who's not even in the Half-step Refinement realm, had actually dared to deny a Domain realm expert something this simple. Although a single Domain realm expert can't completely destroy a First-rate guild, they can definitely cripple it. Thus, as long as the guild didn't have a powerful background, they would avoid provoking a Domain realm expert at all cost. Even Super Guilds wouldn't want an extra enemy unless there's a good reason.
However, Gentle Snow currently had no knowledge of the Realms of Refinement, and she can't tell the enormous gap between hers and Feng's standards. She couldn't even tell that Blackie has reached the Void realm, so she had no idea that she was playing with fire by denying Feng's request. That's why Blackie had said that ignorance is bliss.
"How about this, then? We'll hold a party auction for the Lifestyle recipes that drop," Feng said. He was just trying his luck, if she still denied him he would just do the same thing as in his previous life.
Gentle Snow frowned. She knew that both Feng and Blackie are experts, if she didn't even agree to this, it would be disrespectful, so she chose to agree. An independent player won't be able to compete with the wealth of their guild anyway, so she would still get the Lifestyle recipes.
"Alright, then. We'll hold an auction for them." Gentle Snow agreed, shocking her team members. The time for the Dungeon's opening already arrived. The other Guild teams were all entering the Dungeon, one after another. Hence, Gentle Snow said in the team chat, "Let's go in then."
Before entering the Dungeon, Gentle Snow had set the Dungeon's difficulty at Normal. That way, after entering the Teleportation Gate, everyone would be sent to the Normal Mode of the Dark Moon Graveyard.
Immediately after everyone entered the Dark Moon Graveyard, a chilling wind ambushed them, causing their entire bodies to shiver.
It was past dusk in this place, and a red moon hung above the sky, shining down on the earth. Gravestones littered the wasteland, and the gigantic stones formed one gigantic maze. A strange atmosphere filled the place, coupled with countless wails of anguish.
"I'll divide up our responsibilities first, so when the time comes, just make sure you do your own part." Gentle Snow was not even the slightest bit shocked by the strange atmosphere. Instead, the corners of her lips curved upwards, forming an excited smile.
Although they wasted several minutes, they properly determined each team member's responsibilities. That way, whenever anything unexpected occurred, everyone could react with the quickest time possible.
"Alright, Scout Party, search for a path. We will follow behind at a slower pace." Once Gentle Snow was satisfied with the team's formation, she arranged for two Assassins to scout ahead.
After entering the wasteland maze, the two Assassins immediately reported the situation they discovered. Gentle Snow responded immediately, allowing her team to advance towards the best possible route and easily avoid the traps set up by the Kobold Assassins and Kobold Warriors.
[Kobold Assassin] (Common rank)
Level 5
HP 1,600/1,600
[Kobold Warrior] (Elite rank)
Level 5
HP 3,500/3,500
If they triggered the trap here, they would have to go up against more than thirty Kobold Assassins and seven or eight Elite Kobold Warriors. Such a situation would definitely cause major losses to the team.
Thanks to Gentle Snow's quick decisions, the team inched closer and closer towards the maze's exit. On the way, they only needed to kill a small amount of Kobolds.
Not long after, two blood-curling screams came through the team's chat.
"Scout Party, what happened?" Gentle Snow hurriedly asked.
System: Player White Cry has died.
System: Player Wind Shadow has died.
"What happened?" When Zhao Yueru saw that the two players who died were both from the Scout Party, her heart filled with questions.
However, nobody answered Zhao Yueru.
Everyone immediately tensed up. They watched their surroundings vigilantly.
The mysterious deaths of the two players informed the members of Ouroboros of one thing.
Both players who died had very good techniques. Otherwise, they wouldn't have become elite members of Ouroboros. Their sudden deaths and the lack of even the slightest information could only mean one thing... this place had become extremely dangerous.
"Everyone, pay attention to your surroundings! Healers, stand in the middle! Protection Party, guard the healers! MTs, prepare to activate your lifesaving skills at any time! Dagger Party, prepare for battle!" Gentle Snow was not frightened by the situation. She immediately gave out commands, staying combat ready.
The members of Ouroboros also no longer dared be careless. Although they were confident in their equipment, even possessing the confidence to overcome the Dark Moon Graveyard, this confidence still gradually faded after the two players were instantly killed. They could not help but become cautious and timid.
As for Feng's party, they were even more nervous. Inside their hearts, they were still considering themselves to be a bunch of noobs. Meanwhile, the elite members of Ouroboros before them were experts. Their techniques surpassed them by leaps and bounds.
"Something's coming. MTs, pay attention," Feng warned as he looked towards the fog that floated nearer.
Everyone abruptly tensed, looking over.
"What's that?" The Shield Warrior discovered a blurry figure inside the mist.
The figure was hidden inside the murky fog, preventing anybody from getting a clear look at it. The team only knew that the thing was gradually wobbling closer, step after step, crawling as slow as a snail. As the distance between the two sides shortened, the wails of anguish became louder, causing all those present to have goosebumps.
Just when the figure was about to leave the fog...
"MTs activate your lifesaving skills." Feng simply said.
However, the Shield Warrior paid no attention to Feng's words.
Although the Shield Warrior did not pay attention to Feng's words, the Guardian Knight, Cola, had always trusted in Feng. He had, at the first instance, activated Protection Blessing on himself.
Just as the figure within the fog was about to reveal itself, two black rays of light shot out from the fog, reaching the MTs on the frontlines in the blink of an eye.
These two rays of light were as swift as bullets. The bulky MTs had no way of dodging them.
At that moment, Gentle Snow only shouted, "MTs, use your lifesaving skills!"
Unfortunately, Gentle Snow was still one step behind.
One of the black rays immediately pierced the Shield Warrior's body, a damage of -1,600 appearing above his head. He was killed instantly.
The Shield Warrior's eyes affixed to his chest where the black ray penetrated, unwillingly passing on.
Meanwhile, after activating Protection Blessing, the damage Cola received reduced by 50%. In addition to the Secret-Silver ranked Sky Armor that he received from Feng, Cola only received slightly more than -500 damage, losing slightly more than half of his HP.
Everyone was dumbfounded after seeing this. A Level 5 MT wearing Bronze Set Equipment died, just like that.
Meanwhile, more figures started appearing out of the fog.
When Gentle Snow recalled the terrifying black rays from before, she immediately commanded, "Healers, heal! Everyone retreat. Guardian Knight, cover everyone else's retreat. Anybody with a Defense Skill, pay attention and protect the Guardian Knight."
Hearing Gentle Snow's commands, Cola hesitated slightly. He turned to look at Feng, intending to wait for Feng's command.
"Retreat then. Pay attention to your positioning and maintain a straight line with the people behind," Feng nodded his head.
After receiving Feng's orders, Cola immediately took action.
Seeing such a scene, Gentle Snow felt slightly upset in her heart. However, she did not voice it.
On the other hand, Zhao Yueru was not as willing. A noob like you, instead of listening to Snow's commands, you actually listened to that lucky dog shit's words? Was he trying to imply that the Snow Goddess' strength and commands weren't as reliable as Feng's?
However, just as Zhao Yueru was about to open her mouth, she immediately snapped it closed.
That was because, while Cola was retreating, he was actually able to simultaneously use his shield to block the black rays that fired towards the other players. He was even able to dodge the attacks of the black rays while, at the same time, retreating in an orderly manner. Such a feat was absolutely impossible for a fresh noob to accomplish. His skills were even better than their own Shield Warrior's by a thread.
With four healers healing him, Cola was able to maintain his HP above the safety line. During the occasional desperate moments, Feng would use Parry to help Cola block the black rays, allowing Cola to retain his life.
Such scenes caused the members of Ouroboros, who had been previously dissatisfied with Feng, to have a change of heart. They questioned whether they were able to carry out such actions. Moreover, Feng rescued Cola multiple times now, proving that it was not just a coincidence, but skill.
As long as Cola did not die, the remaining team members would remain safe. It could be said that Feng was holding onto the lives of the entire team.
"It would seem...that I have still been underestimating him." Gentle Snow started viewing Feng in a different light. Although she, too, helped Cola block some attacks, her actions were not as natural and pleasant as Feng's. He was capable of blocking the attacks while not hindering Cola's movements.
After everyone retreated some distance, they were finally able to clearly see the figures within the fog.
They had gigantic bodies with the height of two people. Their arms were both equipped with black, metallic claws. When they attacked, their claws were like swords shooting forth and sheathing quickly after, all within a blink of an eye.
[Kobold Zombie] (Special Elite)
Level 6
HP 5,000/5,000
Just a single Kobold Zombie was headache to them. However, there were a total of six Kobold Zombies that appeared from the fog. Such numbers practically demanded their lives. To make matters worse, a group of Kobold Warriors also appeared in their path of retreat.
Everyone finally understood the difficulty of a Team Dungeon. Its difficulty was practically over ten times that of a Party Dungeon.
"We're finished," Zhao Yueru felt despair in her heart when she saw the number of Elites and Special Elites, "How are we supposed to fight this many Elites and Special Elites? Moreover, they have both ranged and melee to cooperate with each other."
The other team members similarly agreed with Zhao Yueru's opinion.
"Is there no way for us to pass through?" Gentle Snow creased her brows. She was unwilling to just leave the Dungeon like this.
At that moment, Feng opened his mouth, saying, "If we utilize the terrain properly and cooperate well with each other, it is not entirely impossible."
The members of Ouroboros felt displeasure in their hearts when they heard Feng. He was wholly mocking the inability of Gentle Snow's commands.
"Easier said than done. Who would know how to deal with this many Elites and Special Elites? Go ahead, if you can," Zhao Yueru finally snapped and sneered, looking at Feng with disdain.
Ridiculed by Zhao Yueru in such a way, the expressions on Feng's party members turned dark.
"Sure. After observing the surrounding area and those monsters, I've thought of a way to get through the fog. I wonder if Miss Snow would be willing to let me take command?" Feng faintly smiled as he looked at Gentle Snow.
"If you can lead everyone across the fog, it won't be a problem to pass leadership to you."
Gentle Snow's iceberg-like expression faintly changed. Being able to get through the fog was a good thing. She was also not a petty person. It was just that, for some reason, when she looked at Feng's smile, she had a faint feeling of disharmony as if all of this was within Feng's grasp.
"Snow, I was only joking. How could you give this bastard leadership over the team?" Zhao Yueru panicked. Ouroboros' First Vice-Leader was actually being commanded by an outsider. Wouldn't that make them the laughingstock of the other First-rate Guilds? They would call out Ouroboros for their inability.
"If you have any other methods to pass through, I won't really mind," Feng shrugged, spreading his hands to signify that he did not care.
Zhao Yueru wanted to dissuade Gentle Snow. She had only been speaking out of anger before. If Feng had really become the team's leader, then wouldn't an upheaval occur within the team? Who would be willing to submit to an independent player?
"Okay, now is not the time to care about reputation. Clearing this Dungeon is our priority. From now on, Ye Feng will command the team. His words are my words. If anybody doesn't listen, you'll know the consequences," Gentle Snow said in a chilling tone.
Gentle Snow naturally knew Zhao Yueru's concerns. She, too, had considered the problems. However, if they gave up the Team Dungeon's First Clear due to this little reputation, that would truly cause their Guild to become the laughingstock of other Guilds.
"Alright, then. Whatever you say. However, if he doesn't command us adequately, only blindly giving out orders, I won't obey." Zhao Yueru shot a glance at Feng in anger.
"Since I will be commanding the team from now on, let's first leave the Dungeon and re-enter it once everybody gathers," Feng took out a Return Scroll and started chanting.
Using a Return Scroll inside a Dungeon would automatically send players back to the Dungeon's entrance, saving players the wasted time running back.
The others also promptly took out Return Scrolls after watching Feng do so.
Indeed, three people had died in the team, so some reorganization was necessary.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone