Chapter 10

Glancing at Wine God Huahua again, Xiao Yu found that the guy was standing there, staring blankly at Li Yunlong while muttering nonstop, "How strange, this wild boar—why, why isn't it attacking you?"

He had seen madmen before, but never a madman playing an online game. Which asylum had this one escaped from? How had he even managed to reach level 9? How on earth did he level up?

"Brother Wine God, can you hide?"

Xiao Yu asked patiently, though he had no idea if this fellow understood human speech.

"Oh, hide where?"

"Behind the tree. Don't let anyone see you..."

"Okay!"

Wine God Huahua seemed a bit more normal, unexpectedly hiding behind a tree just as requested.

Not long after he hid, two players from Wuji Temple in the distance came running over.

"Huh? Where are they? Didn't you say they were around here?"

"The coordinates are right. They shouldn't be far. Look around."

"This Ceng Jing Shu Guang is really a piece of trash. Not only did he steal Yanyan's quest, but he killed her and dropped her weapon, saying not a single person in Wuji Temple is any good. Way too arrogant!"

"Exactly. The boss originally wanted to talk things over with him, but this guy actually turned off his private chat. Who would have thought someone would kill him as soon as he entered the game? His days are probably numbered."

"Yeah, in any game, how many people targeted by our Guild manage to keep playing? Looks like this punk will have to change his ID."

Every single word of their conversation reached Xiao Yu's ears. He couldn't even begin to describe how frustrated he felt. This Wuji Yanyan was far too good at stirring up trouble. It was clearly her own fault for trying to force herself on him and getting her eggs scrambled in the process—how could she turn around and claim someone tried to bite through his clothes just to steal milk?

The sound of their footsteps grew closer and closer. Knowing he couldn't hide any longer, Xiao Yu flashed out from behind the tree.

By now, he could clearly see their classes. One was from the Great Spear Sect, with the ID Wuji Naonao, level 8. The other had the same class as him, a Witchcraft Poison Master, level 7, with the ID Wuji Xiaoqi.

Seeing someone suddenly emerge from behind the tree startled the pair, but they reacted instantly.

Wuji Naonao leveled the long spear in his hand and demanded, "Ceng Jing Shu Guang?"

Xiao Yu nodded. "One on one, or together?"

Wuji Xiaoqi let out a chuckle and lightly tapped the iron claws on both hands together. "Who does solo fights in a video game?"

"Then I won't be polite!" With that, Xiao Yu lunged forward, his toes touching the ground before instantly dodging to the side. Three successive *swish* sounds rang out right where he had just stood, completely evading Wuji Xiaoqi's Wind-Breaking Claw.

Seeing Wuji Xiaoqi make his move, Wuji Naonao swept his long spear outward, sending a flash of cold light shooting forward.

"Chasing Wind Spear!"

"19!"

With a dull *thud*, the spear struck Xiao Yu, draining a mere 19 points of health. Xiao Yu dashed back in a hurry, pressing his back against a tree. Wuji Xiaoqi's Wind-Breaking Claw followed up instantly as he closed the distance, his palm flipping over to strike directly at Ceng Jing Shu Guang's chest.

"Mad Gu!"

"MISS!"

This seemingly sure-hit attack had missed! Wuji Xiaoqi froze, staring in disbelief at the MISS text that had already faded from above Ceng Jing Shu Guang's head. Suddenly, he felt a jolt in his body, and bright red numbers began erupting from his head.

"23!"

"29!"

...

Realizing he had been hit, Wuji Xiaoqi gritted his teeth. Instead of dodging, he pinched another Gu Insect in his hand. Just as he was about to cast a skill, he saw that Ceng Jing Shu Guang had already stepped out of attack range. At the same time, three gushes of blood sprayed from his body, plunging him into the Bleeding state!

"28!"

"25!"

A level 7 Poison Master only had 240 health points. After taking these two skills, half of Wuji Xiaoqi's health was wiped out. He hurriedly scrambled to the side, afraid the opponent would attack again. At that moment, he suddenly noticed another person standing by the tree nearby!

Wine God Huahua!

He hadn't expected this guy to have backup!

"Watch out, someone's behind the tree!" Wuji Xiaoqi shouted to his companion while casually launching a Wind-Breaking Claw at Wine God Huahua.

Wine God Huahua was hiding behind the tree, pondering why the wild boar wouldn't bite people, when he suddenly noticed his health plummeting rapidly. Startled, he leaped into the air, his head swiveling wildly. "Huh? Who? Who hit me? Is there a wild boar?"

After searching around and finding nothing out of the ordinary, his gaze finally landed on Wuji Xiaoqi not far away.

"D-did you just hit me?" Wine God Huahua pointed at Wuji Xiaoqi and asked.

Wuji Xiaoqi was somewhat bewildered. Was this guy missing a few screws? He had been hiding behind a tree trying to pull off a sneak attack, yet he acted like he was sleepwalking and didn't even know who hit him?

"Yeah, so what? Didn't expect that, did you? Trying to sneak attack us? Got caught, didn't you..."

Wine God Huahua didn't catch a single word of what the little Poison Master said after that. The moment he heard the word "yeah," he attacked!

"Damn it, how dare you hit me! Watch me smash you to pieces! Wine, Wine God Cup Smash!" Wine God Huahua bellowed, his left hand flashing outward as a cup brimming with wine went flying!

[Cup Smash]: A basic Drunkard skill. Hurls a cup filled with wine at an opponent to deal minor damage, with a certain chance to inflict the [Stun] effect on the target for 1 second. Upon shattering, the cup deals [Splash] damage to three nearby targets.

Wuji Xiaoqi hadn't expected his opponent to strike without warning. By the time he realized what was happening, the cup had already crashed into his head. With a crisp *crack*, the little Poison Master felt his head ring with a *buzz* as he entered the [Stun] state. When he finally came to, Wine God Huahua was already right in front of him.

"Th-this kid is way too fast!" The little Poison Master clearly remembered his brain being fuzzy for less than a second, yet within that single second, the opponent had managed to close the distance?

"Wine, Wine God Table Kick!" Wine God Huahua roared again, lifting his right foot. With a crisp snap, he kicked straight toward Wuji Xiaoqi's thigh.

[Table Kick]: A basic Drunkard skill, evolved from kicking over tables during drunken rampages. Deals heavy damage to a single target and has a certain chance to inflict a [Knockback] effect, with the knockback probability increasing as the skill level rises.

"35!"

*Ding!* System Prompt: You have been attacked by your opponent and knocked back 3 meters!

Taken by surprise, the little Poison Master suffered two consecutive attacks, and his health instantly hit rock bottom. Terrified, he scrambled to hide behind a tree, but before he had taken even two steps, a blur flashed before his eyes, and the Drunkard was already standing right in front of him.

"Eight, Eight Immortals Step!" the Drunkard shouted once more.

[Eight Immortals Step]: A specialized Drunkard movement technique created by Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals. Allows rapid movement to the opponent's position in an extremely short time.

"Cup Smash!"

"17!"

The little Poison Master finally understood what was going on. No wonder this guy had suddenly rushed right up to him—he had used a movement skill. But what good did understanding do him now? When he saw Ceng Jing Shu Guang flash out from the side, he finally remembered that he had apparently forgotten to heal himself...

A true gaming expert would never make such a mistake.

And so, Wuji Xiaoqi died. With a flick of the black iron claws in Xiao Yu's hands, his health bar emptied completely.

Since Wuji Xiaoqi had struck Wine God Huahua first, Ceng Jing Shu Guang gained no Murderous Intent value for killing him. Seeing his companion wiped out and a two-on-one instantly turned into a one-on-two, Wuji Naonao immediately froze, not daring to attack.

"Well? Two against one. Can't say I'm bullying you, right?" Ceng Jing Shu Guang said leisurely.

The fellow chuckled. "Right, you aren't. But if I want to run, can you catch me?"

Xiao Yu let out a helpless sigh. He knew the guy was telling the truth—if he wanted to run, there was no way Xiao Yu could catch him. Unless he could one-hit kill him, his current repertoire of just two skills meant he truly had no way to deal with him, not to mention having Li Yunlong as dead weight.

"No, I really can't catch you," Xiao Yu admitted.

Hearing this, the guy became even more arrogant. "So, you still can't escape. I'm going to keep an eye on you. When the rest of the guild gets here, if you attack me, I'll run; if you don't, I'll stop. How about that? Angry yet?"

Xiao Yu smiled helplessly and sent a few text messages to Wine God Huahua, though he had no idea if this unhinged fellow could even see them.

After waiting a few seconds, Wine God Huahua's eyes suddenly widened. "R-really?"

"Yeah, I promise to tell you!"

"Great! Wh-when do we start?"

"Remember the order I told you. Don't mess it up..."

"I w-won't!"

"Good..."

Wuji Naonao was completely bewildered by Xiao Yu's words, asking with smug satisfaction, "What? Trying to figure out a way to chase me down?"

Xiao Yu shook his head. "No..."

"Then what are you muttering about? It's useless. People from our guild will be here any second. Haha, just wait to die!"

"We're trying to figure out a way... to kill—you!"

The moment Xiao Yu uttered the word "kill," Wine God Huahua made his move.

"Cup Smash!"

Wuji Naonao had been extremely cautious. Seeing the Drunkard strike, he immediately turned to run back, but the moment he took a single step, his vision blurred, and Wine God Huahua was already standing right in front of him!

"Eight Immortals Step!"

"Table Kick!"

"35!"

*Ding!* System Prompt: You have been attacked by your opponent and knocked back 3 meters!

So what if he was knocked back? Could it stop him from escaping? Wuji Naonao chuckled inwardly and bolted, but his feet suddenly felt as though they had rooted themselves into the ground, unable to budge an inch.

At that moment, the system prompt rang out.

*Ding!* System Prompt: You have been hit by the skill [As Maggots to Bone]. Unable to regenerate health for 10 seconds, unable to move for 5 seconds, unable to use skills for 5 seconds.

As Maggots to Bone? Unable to move?

The fellow was completely dumbfounded. Being unable to move was fine, and not being able to use skills wasn't the end of the world either, but being unable to regenerate health was a death sentence! Great Spear Sect characters naturally had high health pools, which was what Wuji Naonao had relied on to be so arrogant, but now...

Five seconds was more than enough time for a lot of things to happen.

Wine God Huahua used one second to close the distance, and the remaining four seconds to unleash four skills: two Cup Smashes and two basic attacks.

Xiao Yu spent three seconds recovering mana, then delivered a Mad Gu followed by two basic attacks within two seconds.

Wuji Naonao broke out in a cold sweat as he watched his health bar plummet like a punctured sandbag, plunging a thousand miles downward with absolutely nothing he could do to stop it.

Barely surviving those five seconds, Wuji Naonao hastily took a step forward, but Ceng Jing Shu Guang's Wind-Breaking Claw struck him at that exact moment...

In the final fraction of a second before death, Wuji Naonao caught sight of several figures appearing in the distance...

Although it was just a small bit of coordination, Xiao Yu deeply appreciated Wine God Huahua's quick reactions.

This seemingly unhinged fellow possessed reaction times and awareness during PK that were far beyond ordinary. In just a short moment, he had completely grasped Xiao Yu's intentions. [As Maggots to Bone] had a range restriction; if Wine God Huahua hadn't knocked Wuji Naonao back 3 meters right toward him, he might not have been able to lock him down.

"S-so now you have to tell me. Wh-why didn't the wild boar bite your friend?" Wine God Huahua started muttering again.

"..." Was this kid genuinely crazy or just playing dumb?

"Because he's an NPC!"

"NPC?"

"Yeah, let's hurry up and go. More people are coming!"

Xiao Yu saw more figures running toward them from deep within the forest. This time it wasn't just one or two—it was a massive group, easily numbering over a dozen!

"Haha, I finally figured it out! S-so he's an NPC!"

Wine God Huahua suddenly burst into laughter, clapping his hands in delight.

"They say idiots are the happiest people. Looks like it's true..."

Xiao Yu shook his head helplessly, ignoring him further. He called Li Yunlong out from behind the tree and strode quickly out of the forest.

"I say, young hero," Li Yunlong followed unhurriedly behind.

"What is it? Can't your lazy ass walk any faster?" Seeing the group from Wuji Temple closing in behind them, Xiao Yu began to grow anxious.

"Don't get so angry. How about we chat?"

"Chat my ass! Didn't you see a whole mob of people chasing me?"

Li Yunlong completely ignored Xiao Yu and continued, "You said you were going to protect me, but I'll be damned if I understand this: there are even more people hunting you down than there are trying to kill me. You're being chased around like a grandson, and you can't even protect your own skin—what kind of ability do you have left to protect me?"

Xiao Yu was dumbfounded by the NPC's roasting. Was this still semi-intelligent AI? How did he manage to curse people out more viciously than actual players?

"What... what do you mean?"

Li Yunlong proudly lifted his chin. "Nothing special! This Wild Boar Forest is practically half my home. Probably no one is more familiar with every blade of grass and tree here than I am. Seeing as you've been reasonably dutiful in escorting me, I'm willing to help you out once. I wonder if you're interested?"

*Ding!* System Prompt: Do you accept Li Yunlong's help now?

Turn down help when it's offered? Xiao Yu selected "Yes" without a moment's hesitation. Right then, Li Yunlong walked over to a large tree, stabbed the longsword in his hand directly into the trunk, and with a series of creaking mechanical sounds, plumes of smoke suddenly billowed from the surrounding ground. The smoke grew thicker and thicker, rapidly filling the entire forest.

*Ding!* System Prompt: Li Yunlong has activated the Wild Boar Forest mechanism. For the next five minutes, thick fog will engulf the entire forest!

Such a lucky break? Xiao Yu was ecstatic. With this thick fog rolling in, visibility would drop below ten meters, making it a breeze to escape the forest.

Not daring to hesitate a moment longer, Xiao Yu quickly oriented himself, shouted at Wine God Huahua to keep up, and led Li Yunlong toward the edge of the woods.

Five minutes later, Xiao Yu stood outside the Wild Boar Forest.

The contrast between inside and outside the forest was staggering. The moment he stepped out, he was plunged into a sea of humanity. Nearby players surged around like a tidal wave. At that moment, the first-kill announcement for the [Wolf King] echoed through the zone, and the team leader was none other than the top-ranked player, [Falling Feather Dancing Queen].

Having finally shaken off the pursuit of Wuji Temple, Xiao Yu let out a long breath of relief. Suddenly, he remembered Wine God Huahua. Ever since leaving the forest, he hadn't caught a single glimpse of the guy. Although the fellow was a bit touched in the head, he really owed him thanks for the help today; otherwise, making it out of that forest alive would have been questionable.

He sent a private message and waited for a while, but received no reply. Leading Li Yunlong, Xiao Yu hurried back toward Novice Village.

Along the way, they didn't run into anyone from Wuji Temple. Even if they had, it would have been impossible to pick them out in the crowd. The Novice Village's collision-free overlapping feature stacked countless players right on top of each other, making it virtually impossible to find someone inside.

Arriving at the Stagnant Water Pool, Bai Susu wept tears of joy. Before Xiao Yu could even speak, the system prompt chimed.

*Ding!* System Prompt: Congratulations on completing the escort quest! You have received Experience +10,000, Gold +1, Reputation +40, Meridian Divine Needles x5, Primary Skill Experience Books x2, Black Wood Fragments x1, Meteoric Iron Fragments x1, [Black Iron Ring] x1.

As the quest rewards appeared, a white light flashed over Ceng Jing Shu Guang, boosting him straight to level 11. He quickly opened his inventory and saw that the [Black Iron Ring] was actually a level 10 Blue-tier piece of equipment!

[Black Iron Ring] (Blue-tier) Level: 10 Class: Unlimited External Attack: 4-4 Internal Attack: 4-4 Weight: 1 Durability: 90/90 Additional Attributes: Internal Attack +3 Accuracy +2

Not bad. They finally handed over a Blue-tier piece of gear. After slipping the ring onto his finger, Xiao Yu turned his attention to the two packages in his bag: the [520 Treasure Chest] and the [Pig King First Kill Package].

"Time to finally open some boxes!"

Rubbing his hands together, Xiao Yu opened the [520 Treasure Chest] first.

*Ding!* System Prompt: Congratulations on opening the [520 Treasure Chest]! You have received Experience +10,000, Gold +10, Reputation +500, Attribute Points +10, Meridian Divine Needles x5, Primary Skill Experience Books x5, Black Wood Fragments x2, Meteoric Iron Fragments x2, [Dark Iron Claw] x1, and the cosmetic [Black Fog Cloak] x1.

With rewards this abundant, Xiao Yu felt a bit dizzy looking at all the extra items piling up in his bag.

Experience and gold were easy enough to handle, and gear could slowly be acquired later in the game. Attribute points, however, relied entirely on luck. While some bosses could drop skill books granting attribute points, the drop rate was practically negligible.

Surprise aside, Xiao Yu glanced at the [Dark Iron Claw]. It was actually a Red-tier weapon!

[Dark Iron Claw] (Red-tier) Level: 10 Class: Witchcraft Poison Master External Attack: 37-75 Internal Attack: 75-150 Weight: 4 Durability: 90/90 Additional Attributes: Internal Attack +16 Accuracy +6 Attack Speed +2 ...

It actually added attack speed! The rarity of this weapon was easily comparable to standard Gold-tier gear!

Swapping out the [Black Iron Claw] on his hand, Xiao Yu put on the [Black Fog Cloak].

The moment he donned the cloak, Ceng Jing Shu Guang's entire figure seemed veiled in a shroud of dark mist. His tall, imposing frame appeared even more upright and mysterious wrapped inside the black cloak, while the two golden short-blade tattoos on his forehead were set off to be even more dazzling and eye-catching.

Cosmetic items didn't grant attributes; they were purely for looks.

Yet in any online game, a good-looking cosmetic item was undeniably worth just as much as any top-tier piece of equipment.

Clothes make the man, saddles make the horse. If a guy wanted to pick up girls without dressing decently, who would give him the time of day? If a woman wanted to get picked up without dressing nicely, who would pay her any mind? The purpose of cosmetics was to provide those hormonal, restless youths with a neon sign shouting to the opposite sex: I am gorgeous, and I am lonely...

With the [Black Fog Cloak] equipped, the tattered set of novice gear on Xiao Yu was completely covered up. Taking a look at the surrounding players, he couldn't help feeling like a crane standing among a flock of chickens.

After clearing out the treasure chest, Xiao Yu opened the [Pig King First Kill Package].

Compared to the chest, the contents of this package were not inferior in the slightest.

*Ding!* System Prompt: Congratulations on opening the [Pig King First Kill Package]! You have received Experience +10,000, Gold +5, Reputation +300, Attribute Points +2, Meridian Divine Needles x5, Primary Skill Experience Books x3, Meteoric Iron Fragments x5, [Sky Blue Robe] x1, [Sky Blue Helmet] x1, [Sky Blue Boots] x1, Inventory Expansion Stone x1, and Warehouse Expansion Stone x1.