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Translator: Craxuan
Editor: darklord5555
Chapter 28: Haul and Challenge
Yue Qiang was sure that, had the doctor Ming Que been a real human and not an NPC, he would definitely die from anger.
Just now, he had faked the appearance that his attacks were weak. At first the doctor Ming Que thought that Yue Qiang wasn’t willing to save him, then he thought that Yue Qiang did not have the ability to save him. Then, after he had taken out four items in a row, this Yue Qiang had eliminated all the enemies within a matter of seconds.
System Message: You have acquired the item ‘Goldmaker Pill’
Item Description: Refined by a famous Fang Ji Practitioner. It can increase a weapon’s attack power when reforged into with that weapon.
System Message: You have acquired the items ‘Inner Canon’ and ‘Outer Canon’.
Item Description: ‘Inner Canon’ and ‘Outer Canon’ are both famous literary work written by a famous Fang Ji Practitioner. It contains the detailed explanation of the body’s network, the refinement methods of a variety of pills and other Fang Ji techniques. It is ranked seventh out of the top ten classic literatures and is incredibly rare! 16 points of Mind is needed before the entry level of both books can be learned.
System Message: You have acquired the item ‘Nameless Pill’
A sticky-looking pill that looks extremely worn. It is said that it can increase one free distribution stat point (please use at your own risk).
Not a bad haul!
Looks like this dialogue system was really useful. He had extorted four treasures out of doctor Ming Que while he was in danger. Great profit man, great profit! Yue Qiang felt no guilt from capitalizing on another person’s needs whatsoever. He’s just an NPC after all, wasn’t he?
Looking at them closely, the item he was most interested about was actually the two books ‘Inner Canon’ and ‘Outer Canon’. He hadn’t found anything resembling a martial arts esoterica or theurgy after playing this game for so long, you know. These two books might have ordinary titles, but they were obviously related to the study of human network. Since the game had looked so realistic, it was improbable that he would learn a powerful technique or esoteric or something in a flash of golden light like in other games. It was very likely that he would have to read the books to acquire a skill!
Moreover, when Yue Qiang first entered the game, his quest wasn’t to perform a combat quest or anything, but to learn the ‘Analect’! He literally typed more than 400 sentences from the ‘Analect’ before he successfully completely a hidden quest. This also caused him to pay extra attention to ‘book’ type items in this game.
There was still a ‘Gui Gu Mathematics’ in his bag that he didn’t read. He wondered what kind of amazing effect it would have.
He had also learned a new information at the same time he received these books: there was a top ten classic literatures leaderboard in this game.
In other games, leaderboards such as weapon and equipment, technique, class and even beauty were incredibly common, but a book leaderboard was quite rare. He wondered what kind of pleasant surprise reading a book that could only be read with special stats would give?
Other than these two books, he also regarded that ‘Goldmaker Pill’ that could increase a weapon’s attack power significantly. At worst, he could still increase the attack power of his blackish iron rod. One might well say that its attack power had skyrocketed from nothing to something.
As for that pill that he had originally looked forward to, said to be able to increase one free distribution stat points, Yue Qiang actually hesitated whether he should consume it immediately.
Even the system itself had given out the message: ‘please use at your own risk’, not to mention the string of rather lousy adjectives… Never mind. Let’s put it in the bag first.
While Yue Qiang was examining his blackmailed trophies, the doctor Ming Que also did some simple treatments to his wounds. Right now, his health had regenerated less than half a bar and reached a yellow health status. He was definitely a doctor type NPC alright.
On the display screen, Ming Que had stood up and wanted to walk away immediately at first. But then, he suddenly came to a halt.
He grew interested in Yue Qiang’s weapon, ‘A Blackish Iron Rod’.
“I am afraid to ask, young sir, but have you gotten this blackish iron rod from the blacksmith Tan Xiong?” Ming Que said with half-baked, ancient-not-ancient classical chinese characters.
“It is so. This is the favor I have gained from the blacksmith Tan Xiong after I have completed the matter he requested me of.” Seeing that the NPC had suddenly let out a most interested expression, Yue Qiang himself had taken note immediately. Could it be that there were yet some secrets behind this weapon that was without any attack power?
However at this moment, Ming Que suddenly said nervously, “Careful young sir, the enemy is here.”
Yue Qiang hurriedly turned around. He was so engrossed in examining his items and trophies that he actually forgot that there was still a mini boss character chasing him relentlessly from behind.
The mini boss Zhao Sergeant was definitely not an easy mob. If Yue Qiang was to fight with him head on one-on-one, there would be no chance of victory at all. Even now, he was simply relying on his recently upgraded skill Run LVL 2 to be able to contend with him calmly. Moreover, he guessed that this mini boss’ Agility stat must be very low or the same as him: so pitiful that he did not have an Agility stat at all.
While the Zhao Sergeant chased Yue Qiang all over the map, the doctor Ming Que watching from the sidelines popped out a dialog box,
“I see that young sir is having a hard time fighting against the Zhao Sergeant. Why don’t you lure him to the giant crossbow log house at the village entrance, and with the giant crossbow’s powerful might kill him in one go?”
Yue Qiang thought that it was a good idea. The old man might look wretched, but he was still pretty good at coming up with ideas. He sneaked a glance back at the doctor in the thick of combat, but realized that the old man had run off with unbelievable movement speed. When he vanished into the distance, he even left behind a shrinking dialog box,
“I see that young sir’s footwork is extremely masterful, and believe that you will be able to stall this Zhao Sergeant. This old one shall leave ahead!”
This cowardly NPC!
Eh, forget him. Yue Qiang was going to kill mini boss and loot some equipment anyway. And so he ran while stopping at times baiting the mini boss towards the direction of the giant crossbow log house.
The giant crossbow was getting closer and closer. He could see from far, far away the mounted giant wooden bolt already. Yue Qiang noticed that a whisper in purple font suddenly appeared at the bottom of the screen:
Gongshu Shaoyang whispered to you: “Young sir, you did well. Has the enemies at the abandoned mountain path been eliminated?”
To think that this NPC could even whisper to a player. Yue Qiang was gradually getting used to the many surprises in this game, as he typed swiftly and replied to the girl Gongshu.
You whispered to Gongshu Shaoyang: “That’s not all; I have also saved the hunter Tu Xu and the doctor Ming Que. It’s just that this Zhao Sergeant is too strong, and with my current abilities I can only barely contend against him.”
Gongshu Shaoyang whispered to you: “That’s all right, you have already completed your mission above expectations.”
“Thank you for the compliment. So…”
“I will control the giant crossbow to attack the Zhao Sergeant behind you. When the time comes you must avoid the line of fire between the giant crossbow and the enemy!”
“Roger that!”
“In addition, the amount of time taken to prepare the giant crossbow for every shot is incredibly long. This time it’s a rush, and the shot cannot be fully prepared. The shot will only have half of its original power. Therefore, if the giant crossbow could not kill the Zhao Sergeant in one blow, then you will still have to deal the final blow.”
Could a crossbow bolt with only half its power still instakill the mini boss? If so, then how much attack power would a fully powered giant crossbow has?
Yue Qiang continued to bait the enemy at the front, while paying close attention to the chat window at the corner. Before long, a message appeared at the bottom:
Gongshu Shaoyang whispered to you: “Haste!”
This was the command to launch the bolt!
