Chapter 2
The sun had moved in a westward direction, progressively dyeing the vegetation and the forest with a bloody hue.
Heading north, a squad of men and horses were slowly making their way along the mountain road. There were about a dozen of them, with most circling a delicately made horse-drawn carriage. Accompanied by armed guards, two towering horses were leading the way, side by side.
"Young Hero Lin, we are escorting the little city lord's fiancée this time. Brigands are frequently spotted near Mount Qingniu. We must be more cautious," cautioned Huang Sanyuan, who was riding his horse.
"Mountain bandits…" Lin Shaoyu laughed contemptuously, "If they dare to show up, let me demonstrate the power of the iron spear in my hand. With such a tranquil journey, I've been longing for some action."
"Thanks to Young Hero Lin, we've managed to travel safely so far. However, this mission of escorting Miss Su to Black Stone City for her wedding is of paramount importance, we should vividly take caution," replied Huang Sanyuan.
"Steward Huang, you worry too much. Who would dare to rob us? Do they wish for death? Ha ha," laughed a foot soldier, walking alongside them.
Hidden within the tall grass, Xu Shenji and Cheng Dalei were lying in wait. "Young Chief - ah, no, boss - it's going to get dark and I doubt anyone else will pass by. Let's retreat," proposed Xu Shenji.
"Wait," Cheng Dalei bit down on a blade of grass. According to the system's instructions, he was bound to complete his first robbery before sunset. Although the system was silent about the consequences of failing the mission, who knew what could happen?
Clop, clop, clop...
The sound of galloping hooves approached, causing Cheng Dalei's eyes to light up: "Here they come."
"Yes, they're coming. But their numbers…" Xu Shenji's bitter countenance belied his words. He started counting - including the coachman, there were thirteen guards, all clad in leather armors: "Boss, we should retreat. Don't be impulsive."
"I understand how you feel," Cheng Dalei assured him, jumping onto his horse. "But I am willing to live and die with you."
"But I don't feel the same," Xu Shenji retorted, peering at the increasingly closer convoy, with his heart pounding harder. Suddenly biting the bullet, he drew out a short dagger hidden on him and jabbed it into the rear of his thin horse.
The horse surged forward in pain, like a gust of wind, directly charging at the convoy.
"Hold! I am the Frog King of Frog Fort on Frog Ridge. If you value your lives, flee!", he bellowed.
Despite his age, Xu Shenji's voice was loud and clear, startling a flock of birds near them into flight. And he not only had a loud voice, but he could also run fast. He hadn't finished shouting when he spun on his heel and fled.
"Sorry, boss. I have a daughter to feed. I'll pay respects to you later," he yelled back.
While desperately trying to control the runaway horse, Cheng Dalei gave a mental middle finger to Xu Shenji. Betraying me is one thing, but "Frog King"? What kind of bandit nickname is that?
Finally, when he managed to rein in his horse, he found himself squarely in front of the convoy. Blades drawn, a group of men pointed their weapons at him, wearing expressions of utter disbelief.
"Just...just you alone?," Huang Sanyuan asked, incredulous.
Looking at the glistening, sharp blades all around him, Cheng Dalei figured that being killed by the system might not be such a bad idea.
"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding. I am not the Frog king." Cheng Dalei took a deep breath and suddenly shouted, "I am the Gentleman Scholar, Xu Shenji. If you don't want to die, leave a ransom!"
Huang Sanyuan finally processed the unbelievable information - a single bandit challenging his whole convoy.
"Do you know who we are, young man? Life is hard, don't throw yours away," Huang Sanyuan advised with a deep sigh.
The surrounding guards burst out laughing, their blades clanging against the sheaths.
A girl suddenly poked her head out of the carriage. Her face, as fair and delicate as a goose's egg; her skin, so fine it could break with a gentle sigh, and her eyes, wide and curious. Upon seeing Cheng Dalei, she neither laughed nor feared but quietly observed him.
Cheng Dalei's heart fluttered, he never thought he'd encounter such a breathtakingly beautiful woman in this world.
Ding. Hidden mission activated: "Stealing the Bandit's Lady."
Ding. The difficulty of this mission exceeds your current power. You have the option to reject.
Cheng Dalei had an idea. He knew that hidden missions were typically hard to trigger and often high in difficulty. But once completed, the rewards were extraordinary.
Success would mean wedding night bliss, failure would mean losing his head. If he didn't have the guts, how could he be a bandit? So he accepted the mission.
"Stop laughing, stop laughing," Lin Shaoyu managed to suppress his laughter. "A thief has finally arrived. If you scare him away, it'll be on you. Remember, this thief is mine to handle. No one else meddle in."
"We have always heard about Young Hero Lin's exploits. This time we'll finally get to see it firsthand," a soldier remarked.
"Young Hero Lin, be careful. If you kill him in one go, there'll be nothing left for us to see," joked another.
Lin Shaoyu urged his horse forward, an iron spear clutched in his hand: "Thief, if you can survive three rounds under my spear, I'll let you escape with your life."
Cheng Dalei focused his attention on Lin Shaoyu, information about him appearing in his mind.
Name: Lin Shaoyu (Rookie Ranger)
Skill: Wave Breaking Spear
Hidden Attribute: Aspires to be a hero
As a seasoned gamer, Cheng Dalei comprehended the tiers - Ordinary, Excellent, Top Level, Peerless, Legend. Lin Shaoyu was at the lowest level: "Ordinary." A mere beginner like him and yet so arrogant. Cheng Dalei thought he was some super strong character.
"Under my axe, no nameless ghost will die. Who are you? State your name!" As Cheng Dalei observed his surroundings and formulated plans, he subtly edged his horse closer to Lin Shaoyu.
"I am Lin Shaoyu from Guangling," Lin Shaoyu responded earnestly, knowing respect for enemies was a requirement of a hero. Seeking to uphold the same decorum, he asked in return, "And you are? The Frog King or the Gentleman Scholar?"
"Well…" Cheng Dalei scratched his head, amused by Lin Shaoyu's seriousness, "How about... Ye Wen of Yongchun?"
"Huh?"
Lin Shaoyu's eyes widened in surprise. Despite his many travels through the Empire's thirteen domains and one hundred and eight cities, he had never heard of a place called Yongchun. The name too seemed a bit odd.
At this moment, their horses' heads were side by side, and Lin Shaoyu had entered the attack range of Cheng Dalei's axe. But Cheng Dalei wasn't one to lose an opportunity. Swinging his axe towards Lin Shaoyu's head, he shouted, "I'll take your head!"
His technique followed a precise trajectory, as if he had practiced this move countless times before. Lin Shaoyu was just pondering whether he should say something courteous like "I've long heard your name" to not embarrass himself in front of his enemy, when Cheng Dalei's axe was upon him. Shocked and taken off guard, Lin Shaoyu hastily tried to block it with his spear. But with the weight of the axe exceeding that of the spear, along with Cheng Dalei's upper hand in composition, Lin Shaoyu was knocked down from his horse with a single blow.
Commanding his horse to advance, Cheng Dalei leaped onto the carriage, kicking down the coachman. Slashing his axe onto the horse's rear, the terrified horse let out a deafening neigh and bolted forward like a runaway tank. Cheng Dalei swung his axe left and right, which created an opening for him to burst through the surrounding forces.
"Chase him! If you let the young lady escape, you're all dead," Huang Sanyuan shouted from atop his horse.
Dumbfounded, the surrounding guards were still trying to comprehend what just happened. How could the spoilt brat manage to abduct the young lady right under their nose?
Lin Shaoyu climbed up from the ground and remounted his horse, his grip on the spear tightened. He vowed to wash away this dishonor of being ambushed.
Ding. First successful robbery mission accomplished, reward: 1 lucky draw.
Ding. First stage of "Stealing the Bandit's Lady" completed, reward…
Chapter 3
"Ling'er, quickly close the gate of the Fortress…" Xu Shenji rushed back to the Mountain Fortress at a breakneck speed.
"Dad, how come you're back alone? Where's the young Master?"
"Alas, that naive boy is already dead. If not for my unrivaled ingenuity, strategic brilliance, and most importantly, my quick feet, you would have lost your father."
Xu Shenji suddenly slapped his forehead, a pained expression showing on his face.
"Dad, the dead can't be brought back to life; you shouldn't be too upset." Xu Ling'er sighed softly.
"Upset? Why would I be upset? I'm upset about that horse, what a pity... sigh..." Xu Shenji perked up, "We have to leave the Fortress. Take whatever you see. I remember there are some soybeans in the kitchen."
...
As he was galloping on the horse, Cheng Dalei was sweating profusely. Lin Shaoyu and his men were closing in quickly. If they catch up, chances are he would be left with no way out but death.
Ding, you have acquired a lottery draw. Would you like to draw now?
"Draw, draw, draw..." Cheng Dalei whipped the horse.
Ding, a vigorous young man, are you going to 'draw' on the horse or are you going to draw a lottery?
"I will draw your uncle!" Cheng Dalei exploded in anger, "Is this system trying to kill me? Even now, can't it be more straightforward? I want to draw the lottery!"
Ding, lottery draw begins.
A capsule-toy machine appeared in his mind. As the capsule swiveled, Cheng Dalei became increasingly anxious. Every second felt unbearably long.
Looking back, Lin Shaoyu was getting closer. His eyes turned red and he held his spear forward. If he catches up, there was no doubt that he would fatally wound Cheng Dalei.
"System, can you speed it up a bit? I don't have much time."
Finally, a capsule fell from the capsule-toy machine. The capsule opened slowly, flashed brilliantly, and then disappeared.
Ding, congratulations. You have obtained the unremarkable but excellent hunter, Qin Man.
Huh, so the lottery can even draw live people.
But where was the person? His surroundings were barren, not a soul in sight. Could it be that the person would descend from the sky, or should he chant a spell, and then...
"Go, Pikachu!"
"I summon you in the name of Sakura."
"All Overwatch heroes, all Overwatch heroes...are you coming or not!"
"Let the gathered hope direct towards a new horizon, become the shining path! Synchro Summon, Noble Knight!"
"Balala Energy, transform..."
Behind him, he could already hear heavy horse hooves. Lin Shaoyu gritted his teeth, his eyes turned bloodshot, and the spear was held high in his hand. The horse carriage was only a horse's length away.
"Boss, there's no need to panic, Qin Man is here, and there should be no harm."
Above the mountain path at a distance, stood a hulking eight-feet tall man. His square face and wide eyes were complimented by a large stick in his hands. He had the air of a single hero who could keep ten thousand enemies at bay.
So this was the way, Cheng Dalei thought, but had no time to give it much thought as he swiftly drove the horse carriage past Qin Man.
Lin Shaoyu charged towards him, looking as if he would collide with Qin Man.
"Quickly move aside, I can't stop the horse!"
"Dismount!"
With a deep growl, Qin Man hit the horse's head with his great club. The running horse reared its forelegs, Qin Man sidestepped slightly, reaching out to grab the horse reins. His facial muscle tensed, revealing lines as rigid as those of rocks.
"I told you to dismount."
With power rising from the ground, uniting his waist and the horse as one, Qin Man was able to flip the charging horse over with a loud thud.
Cheng Dalei gasped as he saw the scene, struggling to control the racing horse. Such great strength this man possesses.
Huang Sanyuan led his men and arrived at the scene, only to be taken aback by the sight before them. He summoned his courage and said, "Hey, we are under the command of the City Lord of Black Stone City. If you don't want to die, let the man go. Otherwise, once the army arrives, they will level this place to the ground."
Qin Man tossed a stone at Huang Sanyuan with his club. With a swoosh, the stone hit Huang's mouth, knocking out a tooth.
"Scram!" Qin Man spoke laconically.
The group of people were filled with fear and finally understood the power of Qin Man. They quietly retreated.
Qin Man dragged his club to Cheng Dalei's side and raised his fist in a traditional salute, "Boss, I, Qin Man, have come to pledge my allegiance."
Cheng Dalei focused his attention on Qin Man, an additional piece of information appearing in his mind.
Name: Qin Man (The Unknown Outstanding Hunter)
Age: 31
Skill: Plum Blossom Spear (Three buds)
Hidden Attribute: None
A hunter living in the vicinity of Blackstone City, he joined the Frog Fort as he was wanted by Black Stone City.
Cheng Dalei suddenly understood that the system can't have rewards appear out of nowhere. It will always arrange a reasonable way for them to appear.
Originally, Qin Man was a hunter living near Black Stone City with his wife. However, after the City Lord heard about the beauty of Qin's wife, he sent his men to capture Qin's wife while Qin was out. Out of desperation, his wife jumped off a cliff. When Qin returned to find his wife's lifeless body, he killed several guards in a fury and became a wanted man in Black Stone City. Thus, he came to seek refuge in Frog Fort.
Facing the man of iron, his face bearing a painful expression, Cheng Dalei could not bear to ask any further. For himself, this might be just a character background, but it was Qin Man's real-life experience. Cheng Dalei sighed lightly, it was indeed tough to survive in this world...
Just then, the skinny horse that Cheng Dalei had left behind unexpectedly trotted towards them on its own accord.
"Big Brother Qin, get on the horse, let's go."
...
"Ling'er, carry that pot on your back. Look around and see if there's anything else you can take."
"Dad, I can't carry any more."
"You think I'm not finding it tough? But we need these things to survive when we go down the mountain." Xu Shenji scolded his daughter.
"How about I give you a horse?" Cheng Dalei had just returned to the Fortress and saw the scene: Xu Ling'er carrying a pot, and several cloves of garlic hanging around her neck. Xu Shenji was even more exaggerated, he did not let go of the Taishi Chair.
"Boss…you didn't die!" Xu Shenji was taken aback, then he choked up: "I'm relieved now that you didn't die, Boss. I know you must think that I am worthless, and you don't have to drive me away, I aremre leaving on my own."
"Go on, go on." Cheng Dalei waved his hand, "but when I registered, I used the name Xu Shenji. They are looking for this person at the foot of the mountain right now."
"You!" Xu Shenji's eyes widened at once, he drew a deep breath and said, "Although I'm old, there are still a few tough bones in me. If they dare to give you a difficult time, they can grind my old bones to dust."
Cheng Dalei gave him a cold glance and threw the reins of the horse carriage to him.
"This is Qin Man, get acquainted with him. Ling'er, feed the horses. Brother Qin, cook. Think Tank, lock the people in the horse carriage in my room." Cheng Dalei took a deep breath, "Tonight, I will have my wedding night."
After assigning the tasks, Cheng Dalei started inspecting the system interface. He had just completed another mission but was too anxious to claim the reward.
Fortress: Frog Fort (run-down beginner Fortress)
Population: 4
Skill: None
Ding, you have completed the primary phase of the mission to steal the Bandit's Lady. Award: one of the individuals in the Fortress will awaken a hidden attribute.
It was an attribute reward, and there were a total of four people in the Fortress. It's uncertain who would receive this reward.
"Boss, something terrible has happened. Something terrible!"
Xu Shenji rushed over in a hurry. Cheng Dalei instinctively shifted his focus onto him, and suddenly froze.
It turned out that it was this old fox, Think Tank, who had awakened a hidden attribute.
Vous aimerez peut-être aussi
Commentaire de paragraphe
La fonction de commentaire de paragraphe est maintenant disponible sur le Web ! Déplacez la souris sur n’importe quel paragraphe et cliquez sur l’icône pour ajouter votre commentaire.
De plus, vous pouvez toujours l’activer/désactiver dans les paramètres.
OK