《Reincarnation of the Strongest Healer》


 Chapter 1: A New Beginning

    <h4>Chapter 1: A New Beginning</h4>


    Year 2194


    Green me City, 42nd floor of Twilight Star Hotel.


    The luxurious hotel room exudedvishness, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing a breathtaking view of Green me City.


    The dazzling lights of the metropolis twinkled below as the room''s upant, a man in a sharp suit, stood near the expansive window, his eyes fixed on the extravagant pool party unfolding beneath.


    The pool party celebrated the takeover of an heir to the Reaver Guild, now officially a Super Guild due to the addition of the heir in the immensely popr VRMMORPG, Divine World. At the current time, Divine World had ensnared nearly 90 percent of the world''s poption, leaving only the remaining 10 percent who couldn''t afford a virtual helmet or cabin.


    Yet, despite the vibrant festivity below, the man near the window felt a palpable sense of istion and abandonment.


    "Former Vice Guild Leader Xu Feng, the guild board directors had already announced that you are to delete your game ount in ordance with the contract. Of course,pensation would be paid out as well as a mansion on the outskirts of the city. Consider this the generosity for your contribution to the Reaver Guild."


    The disembodied voice echoed through his smartwatch, yet Xu Feng''s stoic expression remained unchanged.


    The guild''s rise to Super Guild status owed much to his two decades of dedication. Hence, the board directors'' decision sought to erase him entirely from the game, preventing any chance of resurgence.


    "They know if I retain my game ount, they will be ruined. But then again, it was the naive decisions of my younger days..." A hint of bitterness and regret colored Xu Feng''s gaze as he observed the lively pool party.


    Even if he deleted his game ount and attempted a fresh start, climbing back up would be a futile endeavor.


    Turning away from the window, Xu Feng admired the hotel room''svish interior before deciding to rest on thefortable bed.


    How long had it been since he could truly rx? The memories of the bloodshed and schemes in Divine World flooded his mind. Many friends were made, but they, too, abandoned him when he fell from the top.


    As he stared at the morous ceiling, Xu Feng removed his suit andy on the bed. Closing his eyes, he vowed never to repeat the same mistakes.


    If given a chance to redo his life choices, he would seize it without hesitation.


    Despite the boisterous pool party outside, Xu Feng quickly sumbed to sleep.


    ¡ª


    Beep! Beep! Beep!


    Amidst the great sleep, Xu Feng was awoken by the sound of an rm clock.


    ''What''s going on?'' Confused, Xu Feng rubbed his eyes slowly, his hand seemingly trying to reach for the rm clock to stop the beeping sound.


    He was positive that he didn''t set any rm clock, so why was there even a beeping sound to begin with?


    After a few seconds, Xu Feng found the rm clock and stopped the beeping sound.


    He then tried to nce at his smartwatch to check on any updates. The smartwatch could contain lots of messages and emails. It had already be routine for him to always check on it whenever he woke up.


    However, Xu Feng was astonished when the supposed smartwatch on his wrist was nowhere to be found. Moreover, that wasn''t the only thing astonishing.


    He was in an unfamiliar yet familiar ce. Confusing, right?


    "Why does this look like the dorm that I used to live in?" Xu Feng''s astonishment wasn''t unfounded.


    After all, this was the dorm that he had lived in during his school days before moving to a better neighborhood once he was recognized for his strategies and skills in Divine World.


    Was he dreaming at the moment?


    That was the only usible exnation for how he had gone from a fancy hotel room to his dorm room. Or maybe, it might have been his subconscious mind working and giving him such an illusion of being able to return to his past.


    "Howughable." Xu Feng smiled bitterly at such a scenery. If such an illusion was being shown to him, then it was quite clear that he had indeed been lying and deceiving himself.


    Who wouldn''t be furious about being ousted after you worked hard and toiled your sweat to develop the guild?


    As Xu Feng believed that he was merely dreaming or hallucinating, he heard a "Ding" notification sound.


    His smartwatch was nowhere to be found, but Xu Feng found his old phone that he had used in the past. Amused, he decided to let this illusion y out. Now that he had all the time in the world to waste after losing all of his position, Xu Feng could afford to idle away.


    Once he grabbed his old phone and nced at the notification, he smiled at the surreal situation.


    There was only a simple message, but it was this simple message that made Xu Feng want tough at the absurdity of the situation.


    Zhao Kai: Xu Feng, where are you? The schoolpetition is about to start!!!


    Zhao Kai was a friend of his and had joined the game, Divine World with him. Yet for some reason, Zhao Kai suddenly disappeared from the game and even stopped contacting him.


    It was as if he had been disintegrated or snapped away from existence, so how could Xu Feng not find this situation surreal? No matter how much time he attempted to contact Zhao Kai in the past, it would always go through voicemail.


    Nevertheless, it seemed like this illusion had read the regret in his mind. He had always wanted to investigate what happened to his friend, only to end up in a dead-end every time.


    With the opportunity now arose for Xu Feng to finally be able to contact Zhao Kai, he decided to mess with him. He was in an illusion after all.


    His finger rapidly tapped on the screen and replied to Zhao Kai.


    The message was very simple.


    Xu Feng: Who are you?


    After sending that message, Xu Feng felt energetic. Having been ghosted by this man and tried every method to search for him, it was about time he paid him back a little interest. "Hmph, I''m not a petty person, but you deserve this treatment."


    However, less than a few seconds after Xu Feng had sent the text, Zhao Kai had responded, albeit vulgarly.


    Zhao Kai: @$!#!


    Zhao Kai: Are you joking with me? You dare to pretend to not know me now huh???


    Zhao Kai: Xu Feng, do you have no shame?


    Xu Feng''s brows twitched slightly at the speed at which Zhao Kai was texting.


    Isn''t this illusion a little too real?


    Turning the phone to silent mode, Xu Feng didn''t n on going into a texting warfare with Zhao Kai. He had only nned on venting a little of his frustration and the goal was achieved already.


    Just as Xu Feng was about toy back down on his bed, mainly to wake up from this illusion, the dorm of his room door was barged open.


    Stunned, Xu Feng turned his head slightly and saw a somewhat angry bear-like human. That human was none other than Zhao Kai, and his face was beet red.


    "Feng... how dare you pull a prank on me?" Zhao Kai lifted his sleeves up, almost as if he was trying to mimic those third-rate viin actions you would find in the corner of a dirty street for a brawl.


    If he was still living in the past, then Xu Feng might have reacted. But having lived through numerous obstacles that had shoved into his life, he was toozy to even entertain such pointless action.


    "This illusion of mine has already gone rogue." Xu Feng no longer held any interest and wished to just wake up.


    Meanwhile, when Zhao Kai saw theckluster reaction from Xu Feng, he was thoroughly stunned. ''This Feng is really trying to prank me this far huh?''


    Nodding his head, Zhao Kai rushed forward and grabbed Xu Feng by the shoulders. He then proceeded to shout like an abandoned woman, "Feng, even if you want to avoid the schoolpetition, you are still obliged to attend. I don''t care what kind of prank you are trying to pull, but you ain''t escaping from me."


    Being grabbed by the shoulders suddenly, Xu Feng had enough of this illusion.


    "Enough of this nonsense. What schoolpetition? I''ve long graduated from school." He retorted, feeling exhausted by the nonsense development.


    Even if he had been ousted, it still remained a fact that he once stood at nearly the top hierarchy with an abundant amount of influence among others.


    As if he would let this kind of illusion mess with his mind.


    "Graduate from school? Feng, have you slept too much? We still have 2 years of semesters left." Zhao Kai''s eyebrows were raised as he nced at Xu Feng with a skeptical expression.


    "Look at the time already, Feng. We can''t afford to waste any more time." Before Xu Feng could even respond to him, Zhao Kai proceeded to shove his phone toward him, trying to signal the urgency of the matter.


    When Xu Feng nced at the time, he was baffled.


    The time on the phone was listed as February 14th in the year 2174.

 Chapter 2: Preparation

    <h4>Chapter 2: Preparation</h4>


    A few minutes had passed since Xu Feng took note of the date and time on Zhao Kai''s phone.


    Initially, he disregarded it as a potential illusion of the past. However, the physical pain he experienced when Zhao Kai grabbed his shoulders was too intense to dismiss as mere illusion.


    To make matters more perplexing, Xu Feng realized that several valuable items, including his smartwatch, were missing.


    Ignoring Zhao Kai and pushing his hands away, Xu Feng stood up, determined to investigate his current situation.


    His actions left Zhao Kai bewildered.


    ''Is Feng finally losing his sanity to sleep?'' Zhao Kai wondered. The abnormal behavior and the altered aura of the current Xu Feng were a stark contrast to Zhao Kai''s memories of him.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng paid little to no attention to Zhao Kai''s reaction as he walked around the dorm room. During the process, Xu Feng even decided to pinch his hand as hard as possible, only to realize the simtion of the pain was indeed real.


    "Have I really reincarnated to the past?" Xu Feng muttered, feeling excited yet anxious at the same time. Reincarnation¡ª everyone was somewhat familiar with this term, but for it to exist in reality was a different matter.


    Who doesn''t wish to have a chance of reincarnation and redo all of their life choices?


    "Hey Kai, can youe over here?" Xu Feng decided to put a theory to the test, hoping to confirm his deduction.


    Confused, Zhao Kai slowly walked toward Xu Feng.


    However, once he got into a close vicinity, Xu Feng suddenly threw a punch into his cheek, causing him to stumble backward. A bruise was subsequently visible on Zhao Kai''s cheek.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng felt a slight tinge of pain from having to throw the punch, essentially confirming his theory.


    ''It''s true!!'' Feeling the tingling pain on his palm, Xu Feng realized he had truly got back to the past.


    Of course, it might have still been far-fetched to decide the conclusion now, but Xu Feng no longer cared. After all, he realized his vision was quite blurry, which indicated that he was no longer wearing contact lenses.


    Scrutinizing around for a bit, Xu Feng soon found his old pair of sses as he put them on.


    As for giving Zhao Kai a punch in the face, Xu Feng was already being generous by throwing only one punch.


    After putting on the sses, Xu Feng walked toward a mirror as he nced at his reflection.


    Looking at himself, Xu Feng was somewhat bitter.


    The current him was tall and lean, with a rtively average build.


    His physical appearance contrasts with some others who may have more imposing or physically dominant traits. His brown hair was usually neatlybed, but due to waking up, the hairstyle at the moment was not particrly shy and seemed to be in a mess.


    As for the rectangr shape of his sses, it gave others a feeling of him being a nerd.


    ''Sigh, looks like I have a lot of work to do if I wish to regain my fit physique.'' With his current standard of perspective, Xu Feng deemed himself below average.


    While Xu Feng was disappointed at his physique, Zhao Kai, who was punched in the cheek, finally regained hisposure.


    At first, he waspletely dazed and bewildered by the unexpected punch.


    After all, he might bementing andining about Xu Feng, but he never expected thetter would throw him a punch in retaliation.


    They were friends, and friends usually acted like this.


    "What''s wrong with you today, Feng?" Calming his emotion, Zhao Kai was inspecting the man in front of him. He was acting way too weird.


    So weird that the bruise mark on his cheek did not matter at all.


    "Nothing, I just felt like giving your face a punch." Xu Feng answered, unwilling to give much context to the current ordeal.


    Something like reincarnation was merely a myth or a fictional event that everyone wished and dreamed of happening. Hence, if he started spouting nonsense like he had reincarnated, then there was a high chance that people might truly think he had gone insane.


    Hearing such an exnation, Zhao Kai breathed in and out, deciding not to argue with him at the moment. The schoolpetition took priority first, so he could not afford to be idle anymore.


    "Anyway, let''s go and head to the schoolpetition." Without even waiting for Xu Feng''s response, Zhao Kai grabbed his arm and started dragging him out.


    However, not even a secondter, Xu Feng brushed his hand away as he stood in ce.


    "Kai, the schoolpetition... just forget it." If it was still the past, then he might have regarded the schoolpetition as important. But with the Divine World being released tomorrow, he had no intention of wasting his time on a mere schoolpetition.


    Once Divine World was released, everyone''s focus would turn to the virtual world.


    Not even those bigpanies were able to resist the temptation of the Divine World. After all, it was not just a simple virtual game anymore, but it was a game that would redefine the world.


    "Are you being serious right now, Feng?" Startled, Zhao Kai was staring at Xu Feng as if he had been possessed or not. Just a few days ago, Xu Feng was bbering about how he was going to be in the top 10. Yet now he was telling him to forget it?


    Was he ying with him?


    "You can go ahead if you want, but leave me out." Xu Feng knew it was impossible to convince him to give up on the schoolpetition. Hence, he didn''t bother to waste any talk with him as he turned to the left corner and proceeded to leave.


    Now that he had this kind of chance, he would not waste a single minute on trivial things like the schoolpetition.


    He was going to prepare himself fully for the Divine World. To take advantage of the information that only he had.


    ''The decision that I''ve made in the past was indeed a valuable lesson.'' Xu Feng smirked coldly. Now that he had learned, he would never let anyone trample over him again.


    ¡ª


    After leaving the school, Xu Feng wasted no time in heading toward a shopping street. There were two items that he needed to purchase: a virtual helmet and Life Water.


    A virtual helmet was obviously an item that allowed a yer to connect to the virtual game world. As for Life Water, this was a grand invention that allowed a person to be mentally refreshed as well as improved physical condition.


    Normally, Xu Feng would never buy a single Life Water because of the fraudulent price of even an inferior quality. However, that was the past mindset and not the current mindset.


    Having understood the true value of Life Water, he would be a fool to not purchase one when he could afford one.


    It was just a shame that his life savings could only allow him to buy two and a virtual helmet.


    "Thanks for the purchase, customer. Your totales to 5700 dors." The female worker behind the counter said sweetly, packaging the item neatly for him. Her action didn''t surprise him one bit.


    Who wouldn''t be so sweet when a wealthy customer had spent so much?


    With extreme heartache, Xu Feng resolutely paid the price in full, instantly blowing all of his life savings, of those included are his schrship money. The virtual helmet cost 1500 dors, and each Life Water cost a whopping 2100 dors.


    If other students were to learn of how he managed to waste all of his life savings in one shopping spree, then they would have fainted on the spot.


    Having finished his shopping, Xu Feng proceeded to return to his dorm and drank a Life Water.


    In just one gulp, the expensive Life Water was consumed. Nevertheless, a joyful expression could be seen on his face as the changes happened instantaneously.


    ''Phew, although my physical condition isn''t considered ideal, it''s still doable for now. As for my mind, I feelpletely refreshed.'' Xu Feng was d that the money didn''t go to waste.


    While Xu Feng was satisfied with his changes, in the school auditorium, amotion was created. Never once did they expect a student to disqualify themselves by not showing up.


    "This Xu Feng is pretty arrogant. He actually dares to skip the schoolpetition."


    "What do you know? Xu Feng knows his limit, so naturally, he chooses not to show up. Hahaha!"


    "Look, isn''t that Zhao Kai over there? He''s friends with Xu Feng but look at his ashen expression and bruised cheek. I bet he regrets being friends with him now."


    ''Feng... you really know how to cause trouble.'' Zhao Kai was bbergasted that Xu Feng really didn''t show up. At first, he thought Xu Feng was trolling with him, but who would have thought it wasn''t?

 Chapter 3: Login

    <h4>Chapter 3: Login</h4>


    Zhao Kai was currently in a somewhat miserable fate, having been unable toprehend the illogical actions of Xu Feng. Needless to say, everyone here who was a participant and eligible to partake in the schoolpetition had shown up.


    Only a fool would skip it or even bete to it. Yet here we are, with someone having the confidence and nerve to skip it entirely¡ª without a hint of regret too.


    When Zhao Kai recalled the determined expression and tone of Xu Feng, even he was nearly convinced that the schoolpetition was a trivial matter.


    "Heh, look at that Zhao Kai. Does he still think he has a chance in thispetition?"


    "Hey, don''t talk him down too much. You''ll hurt his tiny heart."


    "Hahaha, you''re right. My bad~"


    Zhao Kai clenched his fist when he heard his fellow ssmates'' words. They were fellow ssmates, yet their toxic mouths never shut.


    ''No wonder Feng doesn''t care about thepetition. Even if we win, it won''t change the situation.'' Having such thoughts, Zhao Kai seemingly lost interest in the schoolpetition as well.


    What was the worst that could happen?


    Reputation ruined?


    As if they had any good reputation to begin with. Just based on these toxic ssmates, there was no point in proving anything to them.


    While he was having such a thought, Zhao Kai suddenly heard a "ding" sound. Taking his phone out, he read a simple text.


    Xu Feng: If you ever change your mind, go buy a virtual helmet and ignore the schoolpetition.


    ''Did he know I was going to give up from the start?'' Zhao Kai thought but quickly shook his head. There was no way Xu Feng knew he was going to change his mind.


    ¨C


    Dorm Room 21


    After sending Zhao Kai a text, Xu Feng shut his phone as he began a simple set of exercises.


    "Kai might still continue thepetition, but it doesn''t matter. Sooner orter, he will find how pointless it is." Xu Feng never nned on having his text convince Zhao Kai.


    After all, before the surge of poprity Divine World had taken the world by storm, everyone''s focus was on the schoolpetition. Winning it would guarantee them a bright future in life. Hence, Xu Feng didn''t n on wasting his energy and breath to convince him to do something else.


    Instead, he was more focused on himself and prepared for theunch of the Divine World.


    Back then, he was a newbie, having understood zero things, and eventually got conned into joining a ck-hearted guild. But now that he had reincarnated, he was going to monopolize all the great things for himself. As for the rest, they could have the scrap leftovers.


    With that in mind, Xu Feng continued his routine exercise, prompting him to be sweating quite a lot. He couldn''t be considered fat, but it was indeed difficult for him to exercise for a long duration when he barely moved his body around.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng persisted and refused to give up. Others might not know about the Divine World, but he knew it was not just a simple game.


    ''Divine World optimization and immersion are on a whole new level. By the time those big conglomerates realized how big the Divine World was, they would already be behind.''


    ¨C


    A day had subsequently passed, and Xu Feng remained oblivious to the crowd outside the school. The students were celebrating their victory in the schoolpetition.


    Gazing through the windows, Xu Feng fixed the position of his sses before taking a seat by his bed. His hand held the virtual helmet as he heaved a sigh of relief.


    "It''s time..." With a determined look, Xu Feng wore the virtual helmet and logged into the Divine World.


    Soon, the vision around Xu Feng turned dark before a glow of light shone at the far end of a path. There wasn''t a need to walk toward the end of the path because the light seemingly zoomed forward, nearly blinding him in the process.


    Having closed his eyes temporarily to avoid the blinding light, Xu Feng slowly reopened them and was met with a system prompt.


    System: Hello brave adventurer, wee to the Divine World. To begin your very first step in the great Divine World, please choose the sses that you prefer the most.


    Looking at the system prompt, Xu Feng was hit with a wave of nostalgia.


    How long had it been since he saw the starting screen?


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng finished reading the system message, and a list of avable sses was promptly shown to him.


    In total, there were 10 sses avable for him to choose from and each one of them was unique in their respective sses.


    Warrior: Gun Knight, Berserker, Knight Lancer


    Mage: Sorcerer, Summoner, Arcane Mage, Cleric


    Specialist: Gunner, Assassin, Swordsman


    Warriors are frontline fighters known for their physical prowess andbat expertise. They excelled in close-quartersbat, wielding a variety of weapons and heavy armor for protection. Warriors y a crucial role in soaking up damage, leading charges, and disrupting enemy lines.


    Mages harness the arcane arts to cast powerful spells and manipte magical energies. They are often characterized by their intelligence, casting abilities, and vulnerability in physicalbat. Mages contribute to battles by dealing devastating damage, controlling the battlefield, or supporting allies with magical enhancements.


    Specialists are agile and skilled individuals who excel in specificbat styles or tactics. They often rely on finesse, precision, or specialized tools to outmaneuver opponents. Specialists y diverse roles in a group, ranging from stealthy infiltrators to ranged marksmen.


    Seeing the description of each ss, Xu Feng smiled lightly. Others might only think of these as basic sses, but not for him.


    Without hesitation, Xu Feng chose the Cleric ss and a description of the ss was given.


    System: Cleric''s role blends divine magic with support abilities to aid allies inbat. Its attributes channel the power of deities for healing, protection, and light-based magic. Cleric''s abilities heal wounds, provide buffs, and possess defensive spells, making them essential support figures in group battles.


    "As expected, they don''t bother to tell you that a ss can be built differently." Xu Feng was not surprised at the brief description of a Cleric ss.


    System: Are you sure you wish to choose the Cleric ss?


    "Yes," Xu Feng answered straightforwardly. His tone was filled withplete confidence.


    System: Cleric ss epted. Please designate a name for yourself, Brave Adventurer, and your appearance for Divine World. Keep in mind that the adjustment of appearance is only possible up to 10 percent.


    For appearance, Xu Feng decided to adjust it to the maximum percentage possible. After all, it was best to remain unknown to others when ying Divine World from the real world.


    As for the username, Xu Feng didn''t think much about it and simply used a different family name to rece Xu: Lin Feng. There are a ton of Lin Feng out in the world anyway, and he was toozy to think of a cool name.


    System: Congrats on creating your character, Adventurer Lin Feng. Please select the birthce that you want in the Red Sun Kingdom.


    ''It''s finally here... the loophole that everyone failed to recognize until it was toote.'' Xu Feng breathed heavily as he didn''t choose a birthce immediately.


    Instead, he nced at the system prompt and asked, "Almighty Being, I found my skills a bit toockluster and not qualified yet to enter the Divine World. Please allow me to gain some experience to fully prepare myself for the uing adventure."


    Silence¨C the atmosphere turned silent right after Xu Feng announced such an unusual request.


    Normally, yers who joined the Divine World would be eager to hurriedly begin their adventures. They were afraid of missing out and allowing others to have a head start over them. But it was precisely because of this mindset that had caused many to be filled with bitter regret.


    Just because the system prompt tells you to choose your birthce immediately does not mean you should follow and listen to it blindly.


    ''If others realized they had missed this golden opportunity, I wonder what kind of expression they would make.'' Xu Feng mused, not feeling any bit of guilt for those rushers.


    Divine World was not just a simple game, and anyone who continued to mistakenly believe so would suffer.


    Patiently waiting by the side, Xu Feng showed no sign of urgency or anxiousness on his face. He was like the calm wind, observing the atmosphere without nning on interfering.


    There was no need to rush things. Haste makes waste. Besides, Xu Feng was confident that no one else would be doing the same thing as him.

 Chapter 4: Holy Sanctuary

    <h4>Chapter 4: Holy Sanctuary</h4>


    A few minutes had passed by, and Xu Feng was able to see a response from the system to his pleas.


    System: Requests to gain some experience for the uing adventure have been approved, Adventurer Lin Feng. You shall be sent to the sanctuary, but remember, there is a time limit of one hour. Once the time limit is over, you shall be teleported to a random birthce. Do you wish to proceed with it?


    ''Damn, sure enough, there isn''t free lunch in this world.'' Xu Feng twitched his brows slightly.


    Others might not worry about being randomly teleported to a birthce, but not for him. A birthce was essentially the starting location of their adventure, and depending on the location, a lot of things could be changed.


    In other words, the system was warning him that he could gain some fruitful experience in the sanctuary, but there was no guarantee it would be sessful. At the same time, it was stated that regardless of failure or sess, he would be teleported randomly without his consent.


    It was a gamble, and the system was asking if he dared to ept such a gamble.


    Needlessly to say, Xu Feng gritted his teeth as he epted the condition. Since he had already gone to this point, it would be dumb of him to give it up.


    ''Whatever, the random birthce is merely an inconvenience and not a real problem.'' Xu Feng was not the stubborn type who didn''t know how to adapt to a situation.


    System: Adventurer Lin Feng has epted the condition. Transportation happening in 3 seconds.


    The moment the system prompt appeared, 3 seconds passed rather quickly and Xu Feng could see the ground beneath him forming a circle-type formation.


    The circle soon illuminated brightly, and Xu Feng subsequently disappeared.


    A few secondster, he reappeared in an unfamiliar ce. Looking at the map in the system, Xu Feng realized where he was.


    Holy Sanctuary


    System: You have been teleported to the Holy Sanctuary. Your time limit of one hour begins.


    Soon, arge timer appeared in the sky and Xu Feng understood once the timer reached zero, he would be teleported out of there without any dy.


    "How is this possible? It''s the Holy Sanctuary?" Xu Feng murmured in disbelief.


    The information that he had obtained back then was definitely not this. The yer back then discovered this kind of method and widely boasted about it because this worked only one time.


    Some didn''t believe him and restarted their ount to attempt it, only to be denied by the System, leaving many people frustrated.


    With this incident, it essentially verified the yer''s other statement of the location to be Sky Wind Empire.


    After all, the Sky Wind Empire was not just any simple empire.


    It had a unique aspect of letting yers undergo a ss Change Quest specializing in their empire.


    yers could only enter the Sky Wind Empire once they reached level 50, which is why when the person discovered this earlier, the yers were still in their heyday of level 20ish.


    Additionally, the yer that imed to arrive there, and managed toplete his ss Change Quest as level 1, shocked everyone senseless. No one doubted the yer any further with such concrete evidence. Therefore, he was highly sought after by numerous big guilds, along with many wanting to purchase information about the ss Change Quest.


    However, Xu Feng was not a bit disappointed to see that he didn''t teleport to the Sky Wind Empire. In fact, he was even more exhrated to be teleported to the Holy Sanctuary instead.


    "Fortune is by my side." He eximed in joy.


    Holy Sanctuary¨C this was not a location that yers could enter. Even back then, when those yers were reaching close to the apex failed to find a clue linked to this ce.


    He had anticipated the location to be Sky Wind Empire, but this surprise was more than wee for sure. Only a fool wouldin about this unexpected event.


    ''Whatever, no n is absolute anyway.'' Although this was quite unexpected and kind of ruined his initial n, Xu Feng was not disheartened.


    What kind of unexpected scenarios had he not encountered in his past life?


    "Welp, the ss Change Quest I n on taking was just to make my path easier. But this is even better." Xu Feng admired the sky and environment of the Holy Sanctuary.


    The architecture of the Holy Sanctuary was grand and majestic. Tall, ivory-colored spires reached toward the virtual sky, adorned with intricate carvings depicting celestial beings and sacred symbols.


    The Sanctuary featured lush gardens with vibrant flowers and exotic nts. These Sacred Gardens are meticulously arranged, creating a serene environment.


    At the heart of the Sanctuary, a Fountain of Purity flowed with crystalline water. The fountain symbolized cleansing and rejuvenation, offering buffs to yers whoe to bathe in its divine waters, enhancing their spiritual connection.


    It was no exaggeration for this location to be called the Holy Sanctuary. Just by being here, Xu Feng could feel a vast amount of mana surrounding the atmosphere and buffing him. These buffs were just the passiveness of the Holy Sanctuary.


    Xu Feng truly wanted to admire the scenery more, but with the time limit ticking down, he could only stop himself from sightseeing.


    ''Let''s check the map on the location of that baptism.'' Xu Feng opened his mini-map and began scrutinizing each area.


    Currently, he was dressed in the beginner equipment of a Cleric, but none of that mattered. After all, the so-called training was never meant to fight monsters to begin with. Instead, it was supposed to be an early exploration for them in a city.


    Whether they gained an opportunity or not depended on the yer itself, and in his past life, that yer was indeed lucky enough to undergo a ss Change.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng knew he was definitely more lucky than that yer.


    Walking around the streets, Xu Feng was heading toward the famous baptism area which only a small number of yers were ever able to get into. As he was walking, he noticed many NPCs giving him some nces, given his equipment was beyond the term shabby.


    Luckily though, the NPC at the current stage had not gained much intelligence yet. They could still interact normally, but they aren''t life-like enough yet until the Divine World system undergoes another update.


    After a while, Xu Feng stopped at a building that was simr to arge colosseum. His hands were visibly trembling slightly, not from nervousness or anxiety, but from excitement.

 Chapter 5: Guardian Of The Sanctuary

    <h4>Chapter 5: Guardian Of The Sanctuary</h4>


    In the heart of the Holy Sanctuary, Xu Feng stood before the grand colosseum-like structure where the crazed and rumored sacred baptism would take ce. The building''s architectural magnificence reflected the divine nature of the ritual about to unfold.


    As he entered the Colosseum, Xu Feng marveled at the interior, adorned with intricate patterns and radiant symbols.


    A sense of anticipation and reverence filled the air. The Colosseum''s design seemed to channel the divine energy that permeated the Holy Sanctuary.


    At the center of the colosseum stood the Baptismal Altar, a tform bathed in a soft, celestial glow. This was the focal point of the sacred ritual, and only a select few yers had ever set foot on this hallowed ground.


    With each step forward, Xu Feng felt a surge of mana coursing through him, resonating with the divine energy of the Holy Sanctuary. The buffs from the Sanctuary enhanced his senses and awareness, preparing him for the transformative experience that awaited.


    ''It really isn''t an exaggeration when those yers said they wished they could remain here forever.'' Xu Feng felt like he was connected with every fiber of his muscles, allowing him to transcend beyond the mortal bound.


    As Xu Feng approached the Baptismal Altar, an NPC d in ethereal robes appeared. This NPC, known as the Guardian of the Sanctuary, exuded a dignified aura. Their eyes gleamed with otherworldly wisdom, and a sense of purpose radiated from their being.


    Although there wasn''t any hostility, Xu Feng was suffocating from the pressure the Guardian emitted.


    "What is the reason for your appearance here, adventurer?" The Guardian of the Sanctuary asked in a somewhat autonomous tone.


    "Greetings, respectable Guardian of the Sanctuary. I wished to be baptized by the Baptismal Ar." Xu Feng bowed his head slightly and said respectfully.


    He dared not to show any hint of disrespect toward the guardian. The guardian in front of him could easily swat him away like a fly.


    The NPCs might not have much intelligence early on, but they could still discern hostile and non-hostile entities.


    And if they felt threatened or disgusted, then they would act upon such desire and make a move.


    The yers in the past were ignorant of this and decided to troll around, only to end up regretting their actions. Being killed by an NPC was anything but fun, especially when the NPC were nobles or held a certain reputation in the area.


    Losing experience and dropping a level was considered a blessing. The worst case scenario was to be thrown in prison based in real-time, essentially crippling them from being able to game for that certain amount of time.


    The guardian here was not only a noble but also held a high reputation. Thus, Xu Feng had to put on his most respectful and solemn expression.


    "The Baptismal Ar is off-limits to outsiders." The Guardian of the Sanctuary responded.


    But before Xu Feng could be despaired or disheartened at the response, the Guardian of the Sanctuary continued his words.


    "However, seeing how you have the permission of the Divine God, you are permitted to enter for 10 minutes only."


    The Divine God that was spoken about was referred to as the System that the yers knew.


    To yers, the System was the interface and the main connection for them to be in the Divine World. However, to the NPC, it was the Divine God, a domineering figure that managed the world they were in.


    "Thank you for your generosity," Xu Feng quickly gave his thanks.


    He was truly gambling on whether or not he was able to be baptized, given that it would have given him a tremendous boost¡ª a boost even better than a ss Change.


    Thus, he was inwardly exhrated that he was actually able to do so.


    ''I truly have to thank that idiotic bragging yer for sharing such precious information. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have such an advantage.'' Xu Feng once again praised that yer for their great generosity.


    If that yer had known this event would ur, then he would have definitely beaten the crap out of himself for bragging so much.


    s, it was a little toote, and Xu Feng was going to reap all the benefits for himself.


    Having gained permission to enter, the Guardian of the Sanctuary sidestepped a bit to make way for him.


    "Remember, the time limit is 10 minutes. If you are not out by then, there will be punishment." The Guardian warned.


    Xu Feng nodded his head. He would definitely keep that in mind and ensure that he would be out by then.


    As for trying to test the Guardian''s patience and staying longer than 10 minutes, an amateur might do it, but definitely not him.


    Walking toward the secretive area, Xu Feng was greeted by arge pool filled with glistening crystal water. Naturally, the liquid in the pool was anything but simple.


    Although he had never experienced what baptism was, he knew this glistening crystal water was able to awaken his potential to an unimaginable height.


    Taking a step forward, he swallowed a mouthful of saliva. It wasn''t because of nervousness, but because of excitement.


    "I''ve always been envious of those lucky bastards, but who would have thought I would be those lucky bastards one day." He mumbled, trembling in ce.


    As much as he wanted to jump straight into the pool and enjoy the baptism, Xu Feng knew it couldn''t be that simple. After all, there was quite a bit of information regarding the pool in the Baptismal Altar in the past.


    The time needed to be baptized varied from person to person. Some could be easily done in a matter of seconds whereas some would be done in minutes.


    The crux of the matter was how willing the person was going to go, meaning he needed to embrace all the pain without cowering to restructure his body. Overall, it depended on the will of the person to be baptized.


    Breathing deeply, Xu Feng soon controlled his breathing, immersing himself to be one with nature. His eyes remained closed for a few seconds, and by the time he reopened them, there was only calmness and determination in them.


    "Let''s do this," he uttered, diving into the pool without any hesitation.

 Chapter 6: Baptism

    <h4>Chapter 6: Baptism</h4>


    After diving into the pool, the first thing Xu Feng felt was a cold sensation erupting throughout his body. It was as if he had gotten frostbite, but even that was an understatement to his current situation.


    The icy chill of the water seeped into every pore of Xu Feng''s being, sending shivers racing down his spine.


    He had expected the baptism to be intense, but nothing could have prepared him for the sheer magnitude of the sensation coursing through him. ''Damn, those people really aren''t exaggerating about this baptism being the same as undergoing hell.''


    As he submerged himself deeper, the frigid water seemed to envelop him in its embrace, pulling him into a realm of pure elemental energy. His senses heightened, and Xu Feng could feel every molecule of water swirling around him, each carrying a potent charge of divine power.


    With each passing moment, the cold became more intense, bordering on unbearable. Yet, despite the difort, Xu Feng remained resolute. He knew that this was a trial he had to endure if he wished to unlock his true potential.


    "This little bit of pain is nothing!" He gnashed his teeth, clenched his fist tightly, and continued to endure.


    As the seconds ticked by, Xu Feng''s vision began to blur, the edges of his consciousness fading into darkness.


    Soon, he felt as if the world was threatening to consume him, but he fought against it with every fiber of his being, clinging to the hope that this ordeal would soon be over.


    Just when he thought he could bear no more, a surge of warmth washed over him, cutting through the icy veil that had enveloped him. It was a sensation, unlike anything he had ever experienced, a pure and radiant energy that filled him with renewed strength and vitality.


    ''This is...'' Xu Feng was astonished inwardly at the sharp change.


    With a gasp, Xu Feng broke the surface of the water, his chest heaving as he gulped in lungfuls of air. He had emerged from the baptismal pool reborn, his body pulsing with newfound power and purpose.


    As he stepped out of the pool and onto the sacred ground of the Baptismal Altar, Xu Feng felt a sense of rity wash over him. He had undergone a transformation, both physically and spiritually, and he knew that he was no longer the same person who had entered the sanctuary mere moments ago.


    "I feel like I''m a part of this world now," Xu Feng murmured, having felt his connection with the Divine World had increased tremendously.


    "No wonder those who managed to baptize themselves are so powerful and have such quick reactions. The difference is like heaven and earth."


    Back then, he had scoffed at them and was even somewhat envious of these lucky individuals. After all, who didn''t want to be stronger in the Divine World whose influence would soon affect their real world?


    The stronger an individual is in the game, the more influence and power they will gain in the real world. He had attempted to reach such a stage in the past as well, but he was justcking that little bit.


    It was merely that little bit of obstacle he needed to ovee, yet that little bit seemed more massive than thergest mountain.


    "Adventurer, your time is nearly up. Please evacuate the area in due time, otherwise, there will be punishment."


    Xu Feng snapped out of his daze when he heard the Guardian giving him a warning.


    ''It didn''t feel like many minutes had gone by.'' Despite the confusion about how he nearly reached the time limit, Xu Feng quickly tidied his clothes.


    Due to the magical effect of the seemingly ordinary water, his clothes werepletely dry, almost as if they had never been soaked before.


    Not trying to test his luck any further, he exited the area and was greeted by the sight of the Guardian.


    The Guardian merely gave a nce at Xu Feng before nodding its head. It was clear that the Guardian didn''t care whether or not Xu Feng had seeded in the baptism. The only thing it cared about was the time limit not being crossed.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng still gave his thanks with the utmost respect.


    "Thank you for the opportunity, Guardian of the Sanctuary." He calmly said and left in a smooth manner.


    As soon as he exited the building, Xu Feng could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It was indeed nerve-wracking to be in the presence of such a formidable being as a mere newbie.


    "There''s less than half an hour," Staring at the timer in the sky, Xu Feng didn''t realize how much time he had lost for this baptism.


    Although regrettable that he failed to capitalize on the time to its best value, he was still grateful for the opportunity.


    Being thrown into an unexpected location, it was difficult to n what to do on the spot. Hence, Xu Feng started pondering over what kind of benefits he could gain in the Holy Sanctuary.


    Information revolving around the Holy Sanctuary was limited, and most of the yers were a stingy bunch that kept any critical information to themselves.


    Had it not been for some who simply wished to be noticed and gain fame, then he would have been clueless about the baptism.


    "Wait a minute... There should be quite a lot of magical herbs in this sanctuary. If I can snatch some of them, then I can easily concoct a few rare potions." Almost like a bolt of lightning had struck him, Xu Feng suddenly thought about the possibility of stealing some rare magical herbs.


    Normally, the rare magical herbs could only be seen in thetter stages of the game.


    Therefore, the potions that could be concocted in the early stage of the game were considered irrelevant. After all, they were low-level potions with minimal effects.


    Potions that could buff a yer''s stat were practically non-existent.


    "Hehe, it''s time to milk those rich yers dry." A creepy smile appeared on Xu Feng''s face as he lifted his sses up a little bit, causing a sharp glint to reflect on the lens.

 Chapter 7: Deceive

    <h4>Chapter 7: Deceive</h4>


    With the goal of getting the rare magical herbs avable in the Holy Sanctuary to produce some rare and high-quality potions, Xu Feng quickly got to work.


    The NPCs on the street might be robotic and seem unalive, but Xu Feng was able tomunicate with them in a roundabout manner.


    He would first greet them politely and talk amicably, being overly friendly.


    The responses he got were some fixed dialogues, but with his careful words of choice, Xu Feng managed to piece each clue bit by bit to get the information he wanted.


    In the end, he spent nearly another ten minutes to finally pinpoint a location that houses multiple rare magical herbs. The location was unsurprisingly and unoriginally called Miracle Herb Garden.


    ''The patrol guards of the Miracle Herb Garden might not be at the level of the Guardian of the Sanctuary, but with my current attributes, it''s impossible to confront them directly.'' Xu Feng cursed silently in his mind.


    Why must there be guards in the garden?


    The garden merely had some herbs, and they should have just left those poor herbs alone.


    How insecure must these people be to assign guards for the garden?


    They''re so despicable and overly paranoid!


    Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Xu Feng decided to inspect the patrol guards closely. He was going to analyze the situation first, and if deemed impossible, then he could only give up.


    Just the fact that he was able to be baptized had already benefited him far beyond his original goal anyway.


    Standing across the Miracle Herb Garden, Xu Feng watched as the NPCs repeatedly walked past the area. Throughout this time, the patrolling guard showed no reaction and remained in their station.


    A few more minutes passed by, and Xu Feng was astonished to see the patrolling guard suddenly show some reaction. It was toward an NPC dressed in more fancy clothingpared to the others, almost as if they were trying to show their respect.


    "Interesting..." He murmured, rubbing his chin at this development.


    ncing back at the sky to check on the time, Xu Feng realized he had wasted 10 minutes or so inspecting.


    "Whatever, it''s worth the risk. I''ll be kicked out of here anyway once the time limit is done. I might as well risk it for the biscuit."


    Determined, Xu Feng tidied his clothes a bit, and as much as he wished to get fancier clothes simr to the ones that the patrolling guard had shown respect for, time was against him. Not to mention, he doubted he would even have the money to afford such clothes.


    Exuding an air of confidence and demeanor akin to a noble, Xu Feng proudly walked toward the Miracle Herb Garden''s perimeter.


    "Halt, this is private property, and no one is allowed inside without permission." One of the patrolling guards spotted Xu Feng and warned in their usual tone filled with zero emotion that resembled a real human.


    Their weapons were extended forward, hinting that it would turn violent soon if he didn''t retreat.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng kept his calm, and in fact, began sneering coldly.


    "Hmph, a mere patrol guard dare to stop me?" Xu Feng red at the patrolling guard in disdain.


    "The Guardian Of The Sanctuary has bestowed me permission to enter here and grab a few herbs after sessfully being baptized. And yet here you are, halting me from my path. Are you trying to hinder my growth and prevent me from being a force to the Holy Sanctuary?"


    The patrolling guard was stunned briefly and seemed confused by the outburst from Xu Feng.


    It seemed as if the patrolling guard was trying to ponder over the information, but how could Xu Feng allow him?


    In a bluff, it was best to act dominantly and confidently.


    However, the main aspect that most forgets about is to give your opponent zero time to think. Otherwise, the bluff would easily shatter as more time goes by.


    "What? You don''t believe me huh?" Xu Feng continued to act haughtily and spread his arms wide.


    "Use your eyes and look at me. Do you not see my baptized state or do you think I''m daring enough to use the name, The Guardian Of The Sanctuary to deceive others?"


    Although still suspicious of Xu Feng''s im, the patrolling guard indeed squinted its eyes and inspected him more thoroughly. A few secondster, the patrolling guard was astonished to see the baptized state from Xu Feng.


    Hesitation soon appeared on its expression, seemingly unsure of what to do.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was starting to curse silently in his mind. ''Damn, baptizing is a sacred and rare thing to achieve. There shouldn''t be any problem with it.''


    He was hoping his arrogant demeanor and the fact that he was baptized would quickly bypass the guard to avoid giving them the chance to verify the information. After all, his lies would instantly be exposed if someone went ahead to check.


    The situation was getting tense and awkward, with the patrolling guard standing still like a statue.


    ''Ugh, no other choice.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly.


    With a snort, he stepped forward and shouted at the guard, "I don''t care if you refuse to believe me, but my time is running out. I''ll be heading inside to grab the herbs, and you can use that time to verify my information. I''m sure you would have no problem with it, given that I''ll be right here when you return."


    His suggestion was equivalent to saying he would be in a "house arrest" and they could always detain him if he were caught lying.


    However, if he was indeed speaking the truth, then there was no harm in letting him enter early to retrieve the herbs he was bestowed upon.


    "Very well, you shall enter but not allowed to leave until we verify your statement." The patrolling guard spoke emotionlessly.


    ''Hahaha, sess!'' Xu Feng wasughing with joy from the inside but kept his cool on the surface, merely nodding his head in response.

 Chapter 8: Robbing

    <h4>Chapter 8: Robbing</h4>


    Miracle Herb Garden


    Having sessfully bluffed his way inside and giving the patrolling guard a reason to let him enter early, Xu Feng was kindly escorted by the other guards.


    "The herb garden is immensely precious, so you''re only allowed to take what you''re bestowed with. If you take something you''re not supposed to have, then there would be punishment. Is that clear?" One of the guards warned severely.


    Despite the tone usage, Xu Feng doubted it was the guard''s true emotion and more of a programming code. After all, the body posture and fluctuation of emotion didn''t match the guard''s tone usage.


    Previously, when he was pretending to be an arrogant person, he made sure his body posture and emotions matched the arrogant tone.


    Of course, the guards most likely didn''t care about his efforts in acting, but that didn''t mean he would do it half-heartedly.


    If you''re going to do something, then either give it your all or don''t do it at all.


    That was Xu Feng''s motto!


    "Rest assured, I''m not ignorant enough to ignore the rules of the Miracle Herb Garden." Xu Feng calmly responded. Inwardly though, he was snickering at them since he was a fake from the get-go.


    Take what you''re bestowed with?


    What a joke that was!


    He was never bestowed with anything, and he calcted the time needed and the time he might be exposed already.


    Therefore, the moment he finished robbing the necessary herbs, the guards should have already realized he was deceiving them all along.


    However, by then, he would already be kicked out from the Holy Sanctuary automatically by the System.


    "We''ll stand guard outside since more people inside the garden would harm the environment." The guards said before taking their stance right by the entrance of the garden.


    "Hmph, you speak as if we''re polluting the garden." Xu Feng sneered and entered the garden. Simultaneously, he was thanking and praising these guards for being so generous.


    By standing outside the entrance, it meant that he wouldn''t be scrutinized by them when he tried to take some herbs, saving him from giving an exnation.


    Just how generous could these guards get?


    ''My bad luck seemed to be turning for the better.'' Tears of joy would''ve been gushing out of his eyes if he hadn''t controlled his emotions properly.


    Although overly excited and jubted, they were all concealed in his mind. On the surface, his facial expression had never changed, much less shown any emotion.


    This was something that he had gained from being at the management level in his "past". If others tried to replicate this, it would be difficult unless they had gone through the same or simr obstacles and journey that he did.


    Turning around, Xu Feng determined their line of sight was limited, so by going to the sides, they wouldn''t be able to spy on him.


    And as much as he wanted to close the door, Xu Feng rejected that thought because it would raise the guards'' suspicions and their vignce.


    Taking a right turn, Xu Feng''s eyes glistened in sparkle. The sight of numerous rare and unique herbsy in front of him.


    "If I don''t bring these home with me, then it''ll truly be a sin." He murmured, keeping his pace steady and calm.


    The guards might not be able to see him, but their ears could still detect his footsteps.


    If he was to be agitated and tried to rush ahead, then it would be the same as alerting them.


    Only by being calm and collected, along with steady movement would the guards lower their doubts on him further.


    This was the benefit of having experienced the might of these NPC guards in the past. Others could only me themselves and make this mistake themselves to find out.


    Arriving near a herb, Xu Feng smiled in joy. "Sunfire Lotus, an amazing herb that grants fire resistance and enhances physical strength. So long as I synthesize this, I''ll be able to take in arge amount of money."


    Opening his inventory and practically emptying most of the Sunfire Lotus, Xu Feng proceeded on his next conquest.


    Starlight Blossom, Moonshadow Fern, Frostvine Orchid, and numerous more herbs were rapidly vanishing from the Miracle Herb Garden at an astonishing rate.


    All of the herbs had finally found their true home¡ª his inventory space.


    It was a good thing that the same herb type could bepiled together as one inventory space, otherwise, Xu Feng would be crying in pain for not being able to rob all of them.


    As time slowly passed by, the guards outside were getting oddly suspicious.


    s, thanks to the game still being in the early stages, the guard didn''t attempt much action and remained in their position.


    After some time more had passed by, and nearly 70 percent of the herbs were robbed clean by Xu Feng, leaving only the center 30 percent untouched.


    ''The center herbs are rare, but not as precious. Also, the guards would definitely react if they personally saw me snatching all of them.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    He was greedy, but not greedy to the point of not knowing his limit.


    sping his hands, Xu Feng realized he had actually be fatigued from picking up all the herbs.


    Due to the environmental effects of the Garden, Xu Feng was capable of picking them up without any side effects and had gone overboard.


    After all, herbs like these are normally found in the wild, and they are not easy to harvest. Either high-level monsters were guarding the herbs or it was the environment affecting the yers.


    Calcting by the time, Xu Feng knew he had around a few minutes left before being kicked out.


    However, right when he was calcting silently, Xu Feng and the guards heard an angry shout from afar.


    "That person was lying! Capture him at all cost, guards!"


    "Damn, talk about arriving not too fast and not toote. What is this crap?" Xu Feng clicked his tongue and quickly dashed toward the entrance.


    Initially, the guards outside were dumbfounded by his action, but soon, they realized Xu Feng wasn''t surrendering.


    "Have fun waiting outside," Xu Feng smiled gently and fluently shut the door, almost as if this wasn''t his first rodeo.

 Chapter 9: Cowardly And Timid

    <h4>Chapter 9: Cowardly And Timid</h4>


    Closing the door tightly, Xu Feng smiled bitterly as he wondered if someone was toying with him.


    Like why?


    There was probably only a minute left till he would be kicked out.


    So just why would the guards verify the information he was lying at this moment?


    Couldn''t they have waited until he was kicked out first?


    ''Ugh, maybe this is the Divine World System ying a horrible joke on me. Or a punishment for trying to cheat and get a headstart?'' Xu Feng scratched his head as he pondered over the timing of such a coincidence.


    s, he could barely get any time to ponder things over with the constant banging sound of the door outside.


    "Despicable liar, open the door or else your punishment would be even more severe!" The guards outside shouted in fury.


    "So now you all decided to act humanlike and want to deceive me back?" Xu Feng rolled his eyes, finding the situationughable.


    Obviously, he would be a fool to believe their words that the punishment wouldn''t be more severe.


    Deceiving the guards and ransacking their sacred garden herbs, each one of them was a huge offense.


    BANG!


    Another loud banging sound echoed throughout the garden, prompting Xu Feng to be alerted.


    Fixing the position of his sses, Xu Feng understood the magnitude of the current situation. He had underestimated the guards'' desire and anger of wanting to detain him.


    Despite the grim situation, Xu Feng was rather calm now.


    "Enough of the banging, okay? I''ll open the door, but the banging just now has caused quite a rumble in the Garden." He announced loudly.


    "As long as you know that you''re in the wrong. Quickly open the door and ept your punishment. I promise to be lenient if you cooperate."


    "I want to open the door quickly too, but thanks to whoever was making the banging on the door, the scenery here is a mess. Lots of soil is scattered around with some of the herbs even being uprooted. If I don''t tend to them now, then they''ll lose their medicinal effect."


    Instantly, the atmosphere turned silent, almost as if the guards outside were thinking about what to do.


    As for Xu Feng, he was naturally spouting nonsense.


    A sacred garden could easily be toppled over because of a few banging on the door?


    What kind of nonsense was that?


    The main point of speaking such stuff was to stall them.


    At the same time, it would make the guards pause for a moment. After all, they believed he was trapped in here so there was no rush in arresting him.


    However, if the herbs became spoiled or had their medicinal effect diminished because of their unwillingness to let him tend to them, then the fault would be ced on the guard, and not him.


    It was a wicked and shrewd lie that Xu Feng made up on the spot. Not only was it extremely effective, but Xu Feng could also take this time to rob the remaining 30 percent of the herbs.


    Previously, he needed to be cautious with his actions and refrain from disturbing the central herbs, which were in full view of the guards. But now that his personal facade had been exposed, there was no longer any need to be polite with them.


    To leave behind such precious herbs, despite having the opportunity to pocket them, would be a sin¡ªa sin so grievous that it could curse him and his entire lineage for centuries.


    "Bless the game for having easily fooled NPCs." Xu Feng prayed sincerely as he swiftly cleaned up the entire herb garden.


    The harvest that he earned today could be quadrupled into real currency if he yed his cards right.


    Just as he was joyfully celebrating in his mind, the banging on the door resumed, this time with a greater force than before.


    ''What? They weren''t fooled? No¨C that''s impossible. The guards clearly hesitated when I mentioned the possibility of herb destruction.'' Xu Feng was stunned initially.


    He didn''t understand what made the guards regain theirposure to act so decisively.


    There must have been an unknown variable at y that caused his deception to fail.


    With the situation rapidly changing for the worst, Xu Feng retreated to the far end of the wall, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the door.


    "If only I''m not a cleric, but a sorcerer right now, then I would have been able to dy them longer." He knitted his brows, realizing the w of being a cleric at such an early stage.


    As a level 1 cleric, there were limited abilities that could be utilized. He would have to level up in order to unlock the abilities that are useful.


    Currently, Xu Feng''s skill trees contain five abilities: Heal, Blessed Protection, Blinding Strike, Blessing Valor, and Sacred Fire. Out of the five, only one of them, Sacred Fire, actually deals damage to the opponent.


    Just when Xu Feng finished buffing himself with supporting abilities, a loud boom echoed throughout the garden.


    BOOOM!


    The door broke open from the brute force of the guards, causing some debris of the door to scatter across.


    "Immediately surrender now or else you will die a painful death, despicable liar!" One of the guards brandished his spear, issuing a stern warning.


    "Now that ites to this, you all leave me with no choice." With a resigned sigh, Xu Feng realized there was no avoiding confrontation.


    Instead of sumbing to panic, Xu Feng calmly produced a Sunfire Lotus herb he had acquired earlier. Cradling the delicate herb in his left hand, he cast Sacred Fire.


    With a deft motion, the Sacred Fire flickered dangerously close to the herb, eliciting gasps from the guards.


    "Do not push me further. I am but a cowardly and timid soul. Any sudden movements or shouts might result in this herb meeting an untimely demise," Xu Feng''s trembling voice carried a hint of fear, echoing through the tense atmosphere.


    The guards, observing Xu Feng''s nervous demeanor and the perilous proximity of the Sacred Fire to the herb, faltered in their resolve.

 Chapter 10: Removed

    <h4>Chapter 10: Removed</h4>


    Following the subtle threat from Xu Feng of destroying the herb, the guards could only stand in their position, unwilling to provoke him further frommitting the act.


    The herbs were precious, and the culprit was in front of them, which meant that sooner orter, he would be apprehended.


    However, if their actions caused the culprit to destroy the herbs altogether, then the losses would be tremendous.


    Therefore, they were stuck in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat, with Xu Feng leading the situationpletely from start to finish.


    ''Hah, what a bunch of idiots indeed. If this was an upgraded version of the game, then this bluff of mine would be useless.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    It was no exaggeration to say the guards weren''t humanlike and were just a bunch of robots at the moment.


    After all, the Sunfire Lotus herb in his hand currently had attributes such as increasing fire resistance to a yer.


    So what was his mere Sacred Fire going to do to the herb?


    Even if it dide into contact, the Sunfire Lotus would still be glistening with zero damages.


    ''As if I would risk burning my wealth,'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly.


    He was meticulous in everything and was long ready for the situation to change drastically. Despite not wanting the situation toe to this, there was no regret in his actions.


    No pain, no gain.


    That was amon phrase, but one that stood true no matter the situation.


    "My hands are trembling with those spears pointing at me. Please, I''m very cowardly." Xu Feng continued his act and proceeded to tease the guards further by making the Sacred Fire closer to the herb.


    His realistic actions prompted the guards to retreat a few steps, clearly afraid of him actually destroying the herbs.


    ''Look at these guards. Do they think I will destroy my own wealth?'' There was simply no chance of him ruining the herbs when he had spent so much effort into ransacking them.


    Once the guards retreated close to the entrance, Xu Feng distanced the Sacred Fire from the herb and sighed in relief, continuing with his act.


    "Go outside and let me cool down for a second. I can''t even escape from here, so there''s no harm in it, right?" He then shouted, albeit in a somewhat panicked tone.


    His statement was quite logical and there was indeed no other escape path other than the entrance door, which they were tightly guarding.


    Therefore, the guards nodded but gave a final warning, "We''ll only give you a few minutes to think of your actions. If you really destroy the herbs, then you''ll never see the daylight in your lifetime again."


    Xu Feng nodded his head in understanding, but silently, he was urging them to exit the garden. ''Just leave already. By the time you all stood outside, I''ll be gone by then. I want to see how you''ll threaten me afterward.''


    Sometimeter, the guards left the garden and actually closed the door. In their mind, Xu Feng was like a trapped rabbit, with no escape paths. Thus, they didn''t mind closing the door.


    Luckily for Xu Feng and unfortunately for the guards, if they had known Xu Feng was going to be kicked out very soon, then they would have risked it all to detain him on the spot.


    With the door closed, Xu Feng finally breathed out a sigh of relief as he nced at the time remaining.


    One minute...


    Although one minute seemed like a short time, to Xu Feng''s current situation, it was rather long.


    "How did these guards realize my lie so quickly? The location from the Miracle Herb Garden to the Baptismal Altar is quite far. Just how did that guard manage to travel so fast?" He knitted his brows, seemingly unable toprehend this unusual variable.


    Even if the guard did suspect him and wanted to verify the information as soon as possible, it should have still taken the guard at least 15 minutes to arrive there.


    That time interval was the estimation that he had done to rob the herbs and be kicked out.


    However, the estimation waspletely wrong, causing him to confront the guards and resort to deception to stall for time.


    Patiently waiting for the time to countdown, Xu Feng rxed his muscles when the number hit 0.


    "Finally, goodbye guards, and thanks for your lovely herbs contribution." Xu Fengughed heartily as he eagerly waited to be kicked out of the Holy Sanctuary.


    s, hisughter came to an abrupt halt when he saw a system message pop up.


    System: Due to Adventurer Lin Feng''s misconduct in the Holy Sanctuary and his misdeeds of ransacking the Miracle Herb Garden, punishment would be imposed upon him.


    "W-What???!"


    Xu Feng''s mouth was wide open when he read the system message. It never urred to him that the system of the Divine World would be personally imposing a punishment upon him.


    This kind of process went against all logic and information he learned from his past.


    Never once had there been an incident of a system personally imposing a punishment on a yer unless they were caught and detained by fellow NPCs.


    While in the midst of confusion, the system continued to send out a few messages.


    System: Given that the arrival of Adventurer Lin Feng here in the Holy Sanctuary was because he wanted to gain some experience and had obtained approval from the system. Therefore, Adventurer Lin Feng falls under the administration and jurisdiction of the system.


    "So I was under surveince by the system due to this loophole," he facepalmed, clearly not expecting this kind of plot twist.


    "Then what punishment would I face? Am I going to have my herbs confiscated or the baptism revoked?" Xu Feng asked in concern.


    s, there was no longer any response from the system as he was directly removed from the Holy Sanctuary.


    His vision blurredpletely and there was a sensation and feeling of him being tossed around like a rag doll, causing him to feel nauseous.


    "Is this part of the punishment?" He screeched, covering his mouth.

 Chapter 11: Harsh Debuff

    <h4>Chapter 11: Harsh Debuff</h4>


    After being thrown around like a rag doll, Xu Feng''s vision finally gained rity as he seemed to have arrived at a town.


    There was a teleporter in front of him, meaning that he should have been teleported from the Holy Sanctuary to this town.


    At the same time, he heard chattering from the sides with yers interacting with one another. These yers didn''t have much equipment on them either and seemed to have just started the game.


    ''Phew, at least I didn''t spend too much time in the Holy Sanctuary and cause me to be behind others.'' Xu Feng was quite relieved to realize this point with a mere nce.


    Just as Xu Feng was feeling quite relieved, he heard an angry shout from behind.


    "Hey, move aside already. Don''t you know the traffic here is high?"


    Xu Feng didn''t get agitated by the angry shout as he turned around to the person shouting angrily. It was a muscr man with a wooden shield on his left hand and a steelnce on his right hand.


    ''So it''s a Knight Lancer ss yer.'' He thought to himself, inspecting the gears of the person.


    "Sorry, I''ll move away now." He smiled with a somewhat apologetic look and said softly, exiting the teleporter tform.


    A teleporter tform served as a function of transportation for yers between locations. Depending on the distance, the cost and usage of the teleportation could vary in price.


    And being a town¡ª one that is a starter town location for yers finishing their character creation, the teleporter tform was usually free of charge and yers would be able to return to the town without needing a Teleport Scroll or Return Scroll.


    Thus, blocking others in this crowded space naturally led to frustration from fellow yers, so Xu Feng didn''t take offense to the harsh tone directed at him.


    After moving away from the teleporter, Xu Feng began to ponder the potential punishment imposed by the system.


    The first thing he checked was his inventory, and only when he saw the herbs were there did he sigh in relief.


    ''Phew, at least the system wasn''t so cruel as to take back the herbs I painstakingly obtained,'' Xu Feng thought, patting his chest. With his main concern resolved, he now wondered what other punishment the system might have in store for him.


    The fact that he wasn''t imprisoned or had his herbs confiscated made him thoroughly confused.


    After all, the system did state punishment would be imposed and there was no way the system would lie to him.


    It wouldn''t and couldn''t do so either. There was a saying for those who yed Divine World.


    Believe in the system more than you believe in your parents, lovers, and friends!


    Parents, lovers, and friends could lie to you, but the system won''t.


    "Sigh, whatever, let me check my status screen first." Fixing the sses position, Xu Feng decided to open his status screen for the first time since arriving in the Divine World.


    ¨C


    yer Name: Lin Feng


    ss: Cleric


    Level: 1


    Experience Points: 0/100


    Attributes: Strength 8, Agility 7, Endurance 9, Intelligence 12, Vitality 10


    ¨C


    At first, Xu Feng merely browsed through his status screen without much thought until he noticed the experience points were highlighted in a darkish-red color.


    "Huh, what''s the meaning of this?" He mumbled, clicking on the experience points.


    As soon as he clicked on it, Xu Feng realized the so-called punishment that was imposed upon him after reading the system message prompt.


    System: Due to Adventurer Lin Feng''s ethics, the experience points gained from killing normal monsters are reduced by 99 percent for the duration of 3 days.


    Although 3 days didn''t seem to be a long time, one must understand that the game had just been released. To have your experience points drastically reduced by 99 percent at the start of the game was equivalent to being behind by the rest for a month.


    After all, a fresh start of a game is the most important time for a yer and those who are pros or those who y games for a living.


    Normally, anyone receiving such a harsh debuff would be disheartened and might even lose their will.


    Xu Feng''s body was trembling, and from an outsider''s perspective, he was someone going crazy, causing others to give him a side nce and avoid him like a gue.


    Of course, Xu Feng realized the surroundings, but he couldn''t be bothered. He was simply too speechless at the moment.


    ''Ahh, system, how could you believe this kind of debuff would set me back?'' Xu Fengughed inwardly.


    The debuff was targeted at normal monsters, meaning the system thought he would be like other average yers, trying to gain experience by killing the "tutorial monsters". Tutorial monsters, as in those low-level and easy-to-kill mobs that could increase a yer''s level as soon as possible.


    But most importantly, what are ssified as normal monsters in the Divine World are those found in the wild.


    As if he would spend the time hunting for them when he got a bunch of rare herbs.


    ''Let''s open the map and check where in the heck did I get sent to,'' he thought to himself, opening the map interface.


    Riverwood Town


    That was the name of the town that Xu Feng was thrown into, and he couldn''t help but silently curse at the system''s despicable move.


    "Damn, to think I''ll be thrown at Riverwood Town under the jurisdiction of the Aetheria Empire. Aren''t you trying to force me to be sandwiched to death by those wealthy heirs?" He was definitely annoyed by the circumstance, but there was nothing else he could do.


    To attempt to transport himself to other regions would cost him quite a fortune, not to mention the loss of valuable time.


    To be unlucky enough to be thrown into an empire region meant thepetition was going to be fierce.


    However, that doesn''t mean it was all bad because if he could maneuver his scheme properly, then this supposed bad fortune could turn into a gold mine.


    ''The system thinks it screwed me over, but I, Xu Feng, am not afraid of a challenge.'' He clenched his fist tightly, and a glint of determination shed behind his sses.

 Chapter 12: Riverwood Town

    <h4>Chapter 12: Riverwood Town</h4>


    Riverwood Town was a bustling hub for newly minted adventurers, excitement permeated the air like a palpable energy.


    The town bustled with eager yers walking through the cobblestone streets and lively marketces. Within the marketces, it was amon sight to see wooden signs adorned with intricate carvings that marked the entrances to shops and guild halls, inviting exploration and discovery.


    To add to the lively atmosphere, NPCs, indistinguishable from their human counterparts, roamed the streets, offering quests and guidance to the fledgling adventurers.


    Most of the yers d in basic armor and wielding simple weapons would have their eyes wide with wonder as they took in the sights and sounds of this virtual world.


    Meanwhile, deep in the center of Riverwood Town was the town square, where groups of yers gathered, forming impromptu parties and exchanging tips and strategies for their next quests.


    "Looking for a party of 5 to kill some Hobgoblins! Must be at least level 2!"


    "Our newly formed adventure team, KillingGods, is looking for people to join. No level requirement!"


    "Recruiting level 3 and above yers for the zing Depth Dungeon!"


    Different types of yers shouting for recruitment or looking to be recruited could be heard from all angles, and Xu Feng was not an exception to this as he was forced to listen to their shoutings.


    ''These yers really got a lot of time in their hands. Recruiting in public is just a waste of time and only a few would be lucky enough to recruit actual good yers.'' Xu Feng thought, finding these yers in the town square ridiculous.


    If there were indeed pros or skilled yers, then they wouldn''t be frantically looking for a party or an adventure team here. Instead, they would improve their image and hope the famous guilds would take notice of them.


    Although the game had just started, the starter town offered many features.


    From the cksmith forging weapons to the innkeeper serving hearty meals, yers could also go to the Town Hall to establish their own guild.


    After all, surrounding the town were dense forests filled with monsters and hidden treasures, beckoning yers to venture forth and test their mettle against the dangers that lurked within.


    To encourage yers actively, letting them believe they have the freedom to do whatever they want was the main point of a starter town.


    Additionally, there are many tips and guides avable through the channel of "NPCs" to assist clueless yers.


    asionally, there would be one or two NPCs walking toward Xu Feng directly and requesting him to do some quests.


    In response, Xu Feng would put on his usual gentle smile and politely reject them, stating that he was working on a quest already. Of course, that was a big fat lie, and he had not epted a quest at all.


    ''I''m already being inflicted with a huge debuff, so what''s the point of doing your quest when you won''t give me experience points in return.'' Xu Feng wanted to roll his eyes when these types of NPCs approached him.


    Unlike most games that have experience points granted to yers uponpletion of a quest, there are quests in the Divine World that don''t reward them.


    And most of the quests in the starter town wouldn''t reward experience points to maintain bnce and prevent others from hoarding the quests.


    Thus, Xu Feng had zero interest in doing the quest, even if their request was to kill a few mobs.


    After all, besides him, other yers didn''t have a negative 99 percent experience gained and would do those quests.


    Taking a deep breath and ignoring the crowds, Xu Feng slowly made his way toward the Town Hall.


    As Xu Feng arrived and stepped inside the Town Hall, he was greeted by sturdy oak walls adorned with simple yet elegant tapestries depicting scenes of local history and lore.


    The interior of the town hall could be said to exude a sense of modest grandeur. The floors were made of polished stone, worn smooth by the countless footsteps of visitors and officials alike.


    Large windows allowed ample natural light to filter into the space, casting a warm glow over the room. A simple chandelier hung from the ceiling, providing additional illumination when needed.


    A few potted nts added a touch of greenery to the room, while maps and charts disyed on the walls offered information about the town''syout and surrounding areas.


    And near the entrance, a receptionist sat behind a small wooden desk, her demeanor professional yet friendly as she greeted visitors and directed them to the appropriate areas of the town hall.


    With a warm smile, she weed yers to the town and offered assistance with any inquiries they might have.


    "Hello, what can I help you with today, adventurer?" Upon noticing Xu Feng walking toward her, the receptionist smiled and asked gently.


    Not beating around the bushes, Xu Feng directly responded, "Hi, I want to exchange a few rare herbs for money, and I wish to conduct the trade in a private room."


    The receptionist, initially stunned by his request, quickly regained herposure.


    "Adventurer, are you sure you want a private room to conduct the trade?" She asked, somewhat in a daze. "If the herbs that you mentioned are indeed rare, then there would be no problem. But if it isn''t, then there''s a fee you must pay for such mobilization."


    To summarize, the receptionist was trying to kindly warn Xu Feng of the consequences and to reconsider his decision.


    After all, the current stream of yers could barely get an upgrade in their gears, much less have rare herbs that the town might find valuable. Hence, it wasn''t the receptionist trying to look down on Xu Feng, but it was the reality of the situation.


    "You may rest assured, receptionist." Xu Feng smiled and proceeded to retrieve one of the herbs that he had ransacked in the Miracle Herb Garden. He discreetly showed it to her, making sure no one else besides her would see it.


    THUD!


    The receptionist''s palm mmed on the wooden desk and her eyes widened in shock.


    She swallowed a mouthful of saliva nervously and said, "Wait here for a while, adventurer. I will get someone specialized in herbs."

 Chapter 13: Herbalist Elias

    <h4>Chapter 13: Herbalist Elias</h4>


    Once the receptionist finished telling Xu Feng to wait, she simply dashed out from the main lobby of the Town Hall and ran upstairs.


    The ordeal created some scenes, with yers turning their attention to Xu Feng.


    "Hmm, what''s the deal with that yer? What made the receptionist so anxious?"


    "The receptionist is an NPC and they don''t usually have much emotion. Yet that yer caused her to run upstairs."


    "The yer has the novice robe and novice staff, so presumably, it''s either a Sorcerer, Summoner, Arcane Mage or a Cleric."


    The yers were quick to discuss among themselves as they began guessing Xu Feng''s ss and wondering what he did.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng pretended to be deaf and blind, ignoring these gossiping yers. Though inwardly, he was bbergasted at the reaction of the receptionist.


    Why did she have to create such a big reaction?


    Usually, the NPCs at this stage of the game won''t have much emotion, which was why he dared to reveal his rare herb here. Yet he seemed to have miscalcted once again.


    ''Could this be the butterfly effect? Since the herbs I have shouldn''t be avable at this moment, it causes the abnormal behavior of the NPCs.'' Xu Feng wondered silently.


    Knitting his brows, Xu Feng realized that he needed to pay close attention to his future actions. The advantage of knowing future events was great and could allow him to capitalize on it, but it needed to be done with caution.


    He won''t be blinded by momentary greed that would cause him to lose even greater profit. One must be far-sighted and n further ahead to stay on top.


    ''Good thing I realized this early on, otherwise things will be bad.'' He thought to himself and began to reconsider the uing trade.


    Before this, he wanted to reap arge profit, but that would have to be postponed now. He can''t afford a possible mishap and crashed the market early on.


    That wouldn''t be the mindset of a profiteer.


    And neither would he wish for that kind of oue when he wanted these filthy rich heirs or yers to donate him generously.


    How could he possibly not drain them dry of their wealth?


    In fact, it would be a crime to give them an easy life.


    As Xu Feng was thinking evilly, his outer appearance might not change, but the natural aura and pressure he exuded caused some yers to be wary of him.


    They became somewhat terrified of him and wondered what kind of scheme he was cooking.


    Within a few minutes, most yers who had finished their business in the Town Hall left hastily, unwilling to be around Xu Feng, who appeared mysterious.


    Their actions, however, didn''t affect Xu Feng one bit. He was nonchnt, and patiently waiting for the receptionist to return.


    Time slowly passed by, and soon the receptionist came downstairs with an elderly man.


    The elderly man had silver hair and a white goatee on his chin. Despite the appearance of an elderly, his physical build resembled more of a youthful male.


    "Apologies for the dy, but are you the adventurer with those rare herbs?"


    Not even waiting for the receptionist to introduce, the elderly man took it upon himself to ask Xu Feng.


    Xu Feng nodded his head, ncing at his surroundings in the meantime.


    The NPCs might not act too human-like at the early stage of the game, but that doesn''t mean they arepletely dense and incapable of interacting with yers. Thus, the elderly man was rather keen with his indication of wanting to speak privately in the room first.


    "Ah, how impolite of me. Please head upstairs with me." The elderly man smiled amicably and proceeded to walk where he came from.


    After the elderly man began to head upstairs, the receptionist kindly guided Xu Feng.


    As for the remaining yers in the town hall, they were all shocked senseless, their eyes glued on Xu Feng, who followed them upstairs without any hindrance.


    "How did that yer manage to get upstairs?"


    "This is unbelievable. You need toplete a certain amount of quests and gain the required reputation to head upstairs. Yet that yer had alreadypleted the pre-requisites?"


    "I need to inform my Guild Leader about this news!"


    The yers were frantic as they scurried around the town hall.


    Some are busy contacting their friends, while some are busy contacting their respective team leader or guild leader about the incident.


    ''Heh, these yers are really doing me a free advertisement. I''ll have to thank them in return by milking their wealth dry.'' Xu Feng snickered inwardly when he heard themotion in the lobby.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng arrived at a roombeled Herbalist Elias.


    His footsteps paused, his eyes locked onto the name, Elias. ''This elderly man is Herbalist Elias??!''


    Xu Feng was astonished, clearly not expecting to meet such a character this early on.


    "Is there something wrong, adventurer?" The receptionist asked in concern when she realized Xu Feng stopped right before the doorstep.


    Snapping out of his daze, Xu Feng shed a gentle smile and shook his head.


    "Nothing, I was just thinking something earlier." He said, not divulging much information.


    Not finding it suspicious, the receptionist nodded her head and guided Xu Feng to sit on afortable couch, opposite the elderly man.


    Once Xu Feng took his seat and the receptionist closed the door, the elderly man began introducing himself.


    "It''s nice to meet you, adventurer. I''m Elias, and a person specializing in herbs. I''m also quite interested in rare herbs that are hard to find in this region." Elias said softly in a seemingly calm tone.


    s, his eyes and bodynguage betrayed him.


    Xu Feng''s keen perspective had detected that the elderly man in front of him was filled with anticipation and excitement.


    Normally, based on his usual antics, Xu Feng was going to reel him in slowly to prioritize maximum profit.


    However, knowing this person would soon be a legendary and crucial figure in the Divine World, he decided to take some losses this time.


    ''Take it as an early investment for a greater yield in the future.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.

 Chapter 14: Trade

    <h4>Chapter 14: Trade</h4>


    "It''s good to meet you too, Herbalist Elias." Xu Feng smiled amicably, ensuring none of his shrewd thoughts were exposed.


    "I''m Lin Feng, and I came here specifically to conduct a trade with a person of value." He introduced himself in return, his tone filled with politeness.


    "A person of value?" Elias raised an eyebrow, seemingly confused by the use of words.


    "Ah, apologies for my blunt remark, Herbalist is. I''ve been traveling in the wilderness for a while, but none have been able to detect the true values of the herbs in my possession. And today, I''ve finally found someone who understands the herbs'' value and its importance." Xu Feng exined, casually lying with a straight face.


    His expression and bodynguage werepletely natural, almost as if he was speaking the truth. Of course, to lie with a straight face takes experience and confidence, otherwise, the lie would be easily exposed.


    This was also why he was able to deceive the guards from the Miracle Herb Garden despite having zero proof of identity. His demeanor and gestures alone were able to convince them.


    Meanwhile, Elias'' expression brightened up the moment Xu Feng finished his exnation.


    Although it was a simplepliment, Elias was delighted to hear someoneplimenting his recognition of great herbs.


    "Haha, you sure know how to sweet talk someone, adventurer." Eliasughed heartily.


    "So I heard from receptionist Sandy that you wanted to conduct the trade of herbs in a private room. May I know what kind of price you wished for?" He subsequently asked, getting down to the business.


    It appeared that he could no longer wait to get his hands on the herbs under Xu Feng''s possession.


    The conversation continued to drag on for a while, only because Xu Feng wanted to manipte Elias'' emotions.


    If Elias could get the herbs easily without much difficulty, then he would only take it for granted and not appreciate him much.


    ''Those who take things for granted will never be grateful.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly, having learned this lesson quite painfully. He would nevermit the same mistake twice.


    Sometimeter, Elias was no longer able topose himself further.


    "Adventurer Lin Feng, just speak your mind freely and tell me how much you want in exchange for the herbs." He said, his body trembling slightly from excitement and anxiousness.


    "I believe Herbalist Elias would give me a great offering," Xu Feng smiled amicably, proceeding to retrieve half of the rare herbs onto the table.


    Half of these herbs are things that Xu Feng won''t be able to capitalize upon for profits. These were merely herbs that were rare and had a valuable price value on them, simr to gems like diamonds.


    Elias'' eyes sparkled in glitter when he saw all of the rare herbs glistening on the table. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and was barely able to control his actions of snatching all of the herbs into his pocket.


    "You are free to inspect them, Herbalist Elias." Xu Feng chuckled softly.


    "Originally, I nned to sell it at a higher price, but seeing your enthusiasm and admiration of the herbs, I decided not to. Instead, I hope that we can discuss and share our views of the herbs such as recipes." He added, painting himself in an honorable light.


    Receptionist Sandy, who was standing by the background, seemed to find Xu Feng''s words confusing and misleading. Yet she couldn''t pinpoint exactly what was wrong in his speech.


    As for Elias, he was exhrated after being ced in anticipation and nervousness all this time to notice the hidden intention of Xu Feng''s speech.


    "Haha, of course, Adventurer Lin Feng. It''s always been my pleasure to share some of my views of herbs with a fellow enthusiast." Eliasughed heartily, his hands already picking up the herbs.


    The moment his hand came into contact with the herbs, it was as if Elias had be possessed.


    His eyes sparkled brightly, and his facial expression changed drastically. Going from an elderly man, the current Elias disyed a behavior no different than a five-year-old kid.


    ''Is it really true that NPCs are still somewhat robotic in the early stages? Howe this old man can disy such emotion?'' Xu Feng was dumbfounded by the scene in front of him.


    He couldn''tprehend the emotion and actions disyed by Elias.


    ording to his knowledge, the NPCs would only begin to show such in-depth human-like behavior during the game''s third update.


    ''Seems like my actions are really affecting the world,'' he thought to himself, feeling more certain about how his actions and influence had impacted the Divine World.


    s, there was no turning back now that he hade this far, and neither would he suddenly get cold feet and attempt to reverse the situation.


    At best, the game would simply proceed forward at a faster rate than in the past.


    This kind of development would merely affect the yers who had zero knowledge of the game and are still trying to explore this vast new world.


    Why should he shackle himself to allow others to catch up?


    Time slowly passed by, and Herbalist Elias had long submerged into his own world, asionally mumbling a herb name from time to time.


    Xu Feng also didn''t wish to interrupt his moment for now, lest he might get a bad impression instead.


    Thankfully, Xu Feng''s waiting time was saved by the receptionist.


    "Herbalist Elias, I''m sorry to disturb you, but time is running out and I remember you telling me to remind you of the matter." Receptionist Sandy stepped forward and reported.


    A few secondster, Elias regained hisposure upon the mention of the matter.


    "Ah, how embarrassing of me." Elias scratched his head, seemingly ashamed of his earlier demeanor.


    "Adventurer Lin Feng, I apologize for wasting your precious time. Topensate for that, here''s an old book of mine that I kept regarding my research of herbs and recipes."


    System: Congrattions to Adventurer Lin Feng for opening the rapport rtionship with Herbalist Elias!

 Chapter 15: Rapport

    <h4>Chapter 15: Rapport</h4>


    In Divine World, the rapport rtionship was a notable feature, enabling yers to establish various levels of rapport with NPCs.


    NPC rtionships typically began at Neutral, progressing through stages such as Amicable, Friendly, Trusted, and Affectionate as yers interacted more positively.


    Conversely, there were also negative rapport stages, including Tensed, Strained, Hostile, and Enemy, reflecting deteriorating rtionships.


    However, one must keep in mind that only certain NPCs in the Divine World would have a rapport rtionship. After all, these certain NPCs have a high impact on the Divine World.


    And it was precisely because of this fact that Xu Feng was taking his time carefully in interacting with Herbalist Elias, an NPC who would have arge impact in thetter stages of the game.


    ncing at the rapport feature being activated, Xu Feng inspected the status listed with Herbalist Elias calmly.


    Rapport Status with NPC: Herbalist Elias


    Current Rapport Level: Amicable


    Recent Interactions:


    -Completed a generous trade with Herbalist Elias.


    -Engaged in a friendly conversation about herbalism and potion-making.


    Notes:


    -Herbalist Elias seems to appreciate your assistance and values your knowledge of herbalism.


    -Continued positive interactions may lead to further improvement in rapport level.


    ''As expected, trading rare herbs like this at the start has directly increased the rapport level from Neutral to Amicable.'' Xu Feng was pleased with the result.


    Increasing a rapport level was not an easy feat to achieve as it could take at least a month or more to gain the NPCs'' trust.


    "Although it''s quite unfortunate that our discussion would have toe short, I hope Adventurer Lin Feng can ept this money. Otherwise, I''ll feel guilty of taking so many of these rare herbs." Elias said, putting a pouch that seemed to be filled with money on the table.


    At the same time, his hands were extremely swift, directly snatching all the herbs that were on the table. The herbs were all stored within the ring that was on Elias'' hand.


    Such action would normally cause confusion to those who had never witnessed this scene before, but Xu Feng already knew what kind of ring Elias was wearing.


    In simple terms, it was a magic ring that had arge dimension space to store arge quantity of items. It could be said to be a simr concept to a yer having their inventory and storage capacity.


    And given that NPCs don''t have a personal inventory of their own, most would love to own a magic ring for themselves.


    Unfortunately, a magic ring cost too much to make and the technique for creating one seemed to have been lost already.


    Hence, the scarcity of a magic ring and the reason why there are still jobs avable for people to deliver goods from far away.


    "It seems like Adventurer Lin Feng is indeed extraordinary." Eliasplimented, having noticed there were little to zero reactions from him when he stored the herbs in his ring.


    "You tter me too much, Herbalist Elias." Xu Feng shook his head and politely refused thepliment. "Only a person of your stature could use such a magic ring."


    Nodding his head, Elias subsequently bid him farewell. "I have some business to do. You are free to use this room as you please. Receptionist Sandy would assist you if you need help with something."


    As soon as Elias exited the room, Xu Feng took the pouch that was on the table and nced at the money he was given.


    ''300 silver coins... Elias sure is a generous man.'' Xu Feng was satisfied, having felt like he had earned a lottery. By explicitly not mentioning a price, he was letting Elias decide on the value of the herb.


    From his calction, he would be pleased to earn somewhere between 100 to 150 silver coins.


    After all, the herbs weren''t that valuable once yers increased their levels, given that the region where these herbs are grown could be explored sooner orter.


    Thus, earning between 100 to 150 silver coins was a blessing already in Xu Feng''s mind.


    At the current stage of the game, yers were only given 10 copper coins to start with.


    Copper coins are the lowest value of the currency, followed by silver coins, and then gold coins. 100 copper coins are worth 1 silver coin, and 100 silver coins are worth 1 gold coin.


    To summarize, this trade alone had earned Xu Feng a grand total of 3 gold coins, but that wasn''t even the most valuable one. Instead, it was the old book that Elias had generously gifted him.


    Flipping through the pages of the book, Xu Feng''s expression remained unchanged, but his mind seemed to be practically dancing in joy.


    ''I merely wanted one recipe to synthesize a greater potion, but Elias gave me so many recipes in one go.'' He eximed inwardly.


    Normally, a recipe would cost around 1 silver coin or more, depending on the rarity and quality of the potion. In other words, some of the recipes could cost a whopping 100 gold coins for yers.


    What was worse was that these yers would have no choice but to ept their fate of being extorted.


    Without the recipes, even if you have valuable herbs, you are not able to synthesize any potions. To put the cherry on the topping, recipes are untradable, essentially meaning only one yer could learn the recipe since it could not be shared among others.


    Putting the coins in his inventory, Xu Feng instantly became the wealthiest yer currently in Divine World.


    Who else but him could possibly possess 3 gold coins at the moment?


    As Xu Feng was starting to get lost in his own world, Receptionist Sandy became concerned and asked from the side, "Um, are you okay, Adventurer Lin Feng?"


    "Ah, yes, what''s the matter?" He snapped out of his daze and turned to her, raising his brows.


    "I''m just wondering if you are still going to use this room," Sandy said with a somewhat awkward tone, her eyes ncing at the clock.


    "Right, you still have to work in the lobby." Xu Feng was able to understand her predicament.


    "You can just leave me be and take this as thanks for your assistance." He added, giving her 5 copper coins.

 Chapter 16: Game Forum

    <h4>Chapter 16: Game Forum</h4>


    Sandy was initially stunned by the generosity of Xu Feng and wanted to decline his money, but Xu Feng insisted on her taking it.


    "You helped me tremendously by connecting me with someone like Herbalist Elias. Hence, this money is well deserved and you shouldn''t feel any guilt in epting it." He said, practically shoving the money to her face.


    Without a choice, Sandy could only reluctantly ept the money. Though her acting needed some improvement since Xu Feng could tell she was excited.


    After repeatedly thanking him, Sandy promptly exited the room, leaving him alone.


    As the door closed, Xu Feng breathed out a sigh of relief. Sandy might not have been a candidate for the rapport status, but she was still a receptionist nevertheless in the Town Hall.


    Having an amicable rtionship with her would only prove useful in the future.


    After all, just because an NPC doesn''t have a rapport status doesn''t mean they won''t have an impression toward a yer.


    In fact, these NPCs are usually difficult to deal with because yers have no information about them, meaning they could only try their best to increase the invisible rapport with them.


    Thus, by generously tipping Sandy with 5 copper coins, Xu Feng was investing in her and wasn''t actually being a phnthropist.


    "This unexpected haul is really a good feeling." He muttered, havingpleted at least 60 percent of his current goal, albeit with some alterations due to some mishaps.


    Despite the mishaps, Xu Feng was rather d of this development. The gain from this unexpected development was definitely superior to his original goal.


    A wealth of 3 gold coins and 5 copper coins, along with numerous recipes which he had already learned, things were going great.


    "Anyway, time to check on the forum and see if anyone''s been talking about me." Xu Feng sped his hands and opened the game forum.


    The game forum was a lovely feature provided for yers to interact with others who are in the same or different regions.


    It was a great information-sharing tform for yers, but it was mainly arge gossip group to be blunt.


    yers who wanted to spread rumors or witnessed something special and wanted to share them woulde to the game forum to talk about it.


    ncing at the game forum which was filled with all kinds of topics, Xu Feng decided to filter them to a specific region.


    Aetheria Empire, Riverwood Town


    -Breaking News: A mysterious yer was able to head upstairs to the Town Hall!


    Attached: Screenshot evidence of the mysterious yer walking upstairs


    -Shocking!!! A yer can head upstairs to the Town Hall? A hidden quest maybe?


    -yer capable of entering the 2nd floor in the Town Hall!


    Among all of the posts, there was one that garnered the most attention and had the most activities, with countless yers discussing it.


    After all, the poster was a yer named OneManMedia and to prove his credentials, the yer even added a screenshot image of his back in the attachment.


    Since screenshots or videos taken from the Divine World could not be altered, it was the greatest concrete evidence. The downside of this function was screenshots and videos actually required in-game currency to use.


    Thus, the yer who had used the trick that Xu Feng had now stolen could not produce sufficient evidence.


    He had just started, so he did not have enough money to take any screenshots or videos. Instead, he had to rely on talking and letting people verify him personally to prove his ims.


    "A screenshot cost 20 copper coins, but this yer was able to afford it this early on. Am I supposed to be impressed or disappointed?" On one hand, Xu Feng was thankful that OneManMedia had helped advertise him, but on the other hand, he found him to be a spendthrift.


    At the current stage, yers would rather spend their money wisely on gears or other useful things. Yet this yer was willing to waste 20 copper coins to take a screenshot.


    Either this yer was very bold or they were very dumb. Xu Feng hoped it was the former since it meant that this OneManMedia had the potential to be useful.


    It was just a shame that Xu Feng couldn''t recall such a yer which meant that he didn''t be an influential person.


    He had memorized most of the famous or influential yers back then to study and analyze them to prepare himself. Thus, he was positive that a yer going by the user OneManMedia had never entered his list of targets.


    ''Seeing how OneManMedia was willing to waste 20 copper coins for this screenshot, I suppose he''s an ambitious person.''


    For an ambitious person to not make a name for themselves usually involves two reasons. One, he was unsessful and failed miserably, or two, he seeded but eventually got buried by the top and forgotten.


    Tapping his finger silently on the table, Xu Feng decided to put this yer''s name in his mind. Whether the yer was a clever person or just a reckless fool, Xu Feng could determine after some tests.


    Clicking on the forum, Xu Feng proceeded to read thements left by other yers in the region.


    Herald Fist: Where is that yer currently? I wished to meet with them for a possible coboration.


    Gentle Wind: I have sent a private message to you, OneManMedia.


    Crimson Rose: Are you positive it''s a yer and not just an NPC dressed like a yer? It''s quite difficult to tell from the angle of the screenshot.


    Lotus Lime: Why are you allmenting here? The poster literally said it was in the Town Hall. Just move your fat body there and wait in the lobby!


    Herald Fist: ??? Do you think I don''t want to wait in the lobby? I''m a busy person and have to do quests to level up for the first-clear achievement in the dungeon.


    Lotus Lime: Yet you have the time to be in the game forum. Sheesh, I didn''t know you were a ninja that could clone yourself. Forgive me, Ninja Fist~


    Reading thement from Lotus Lime, Xu Feng nearlyughed a bit. At least there was one sensible person who could actually read and connect the clues, as well as crack hrious jokes.


    "Herald Fist, Gentle Wind, and Crimson Rose... you three are definitely some pretentious folks." He gave his verdict and fixed his sses, a somewhat sinister grin appeared on his face.

 Chapter 17: Reeling Them In

    <h4>Chapter 17: Reeling Them In</h4>


    Going through the game forum, Xu Feng changed his status to an anonymous user. Unlike these yers who are casually using their usernames in public, Xu Feng preferred to remain anonymous.


    Although he wasn''t afraid of revealing his name to others, he didn''t wish to be exposed so early on in the game.


    Only a fool would want to reveal their achievements openly without having any background or sufficient power to deflect against others.


    ''Hmm, how should I make my entrance?'' Xu Feng knitted his brows, pondering over what to type. It needed to have an aura of mystery, but also not too mysterious that would raise suspicions.


    After thinking for a while, Xu Feng gave up and decided to be straightforward, typing on the forum post.


    Anonymous User: Seeing how active you all are, do you think that mysterious yer would be willing toe down and be caught by you?


    Lotus Lime: Hmm, good point. If I''m the mysterious yer, then I''d probably go into hiding as well.


    Herald Fist: Hmph, we''ll just camp for him till hees down. I doubt he would be willing to stay upstairs for his entire life.


    Crimson Rose: If you really do that, then you''ll just leave yourself a bad impression. Also, do you even have the time to camp in the lobby?


    Herald Fist: Hah, I can easily send one of my subordinates to wait!


    As Xu Feng was calmly reading their responses and reactions, he suddenly received a notification.


    Opening the notification, it was actually a private message from Gentle Wind.


    Gentle Wind: I suppose you are the mysterious yer, right? Otherwise, you wouldn''t have gone anonymous and joined in on the chat. Can we talk more in-depth, especially in regards to how you are granted entry to the upper level in the Town Hall?


    Astonished, Xu Feng didn''t expect the yer to catch on to his intention to be Gentle Wind. ''What a surprise. I thought it would be Lotus Lime private messaging me.''


    Just when he was thinking of that, another notification sounded to him, and Xu Feng chuckled softly at the message sender.


    Lotus Lime: Hey, anonymous user, or should I call you the mysterious yer from the screenshot? Other yers are just lurking around to check on the situation, but only you managed to decipher the intention of the supposed mysterious yer in the talking. So I''m quite positive you are feeling the pressure right now and wanted to test the water.


    "Reeling in two big fishes. Not a bad harvest." Xu Feng smiled, wondering how capable these two yers could be.


    Could their wealth be in the millions or hundreds of millions?


    Just thinking about their wealth changing owner to him caused Xu Feng to be excited. Nevertheless, he didn''t be blinded by greed as he calmly pondered who to respond first.


    Lotus Lime''s message was ambiguous, having expressed zero intention of her objective. In fact, she even attempted to test him in return by asking if he was feeling the pressure from the attention he was getting.


    Maybe this kind of baiting tactic might work on someone, but definitely not him. To him, this kind of pressure was akin to child''s y.


    Meanwhile, Gentle Wind was more straightforward and asked if they could talk more in-depth. Most likely, she wanted to gain some information from him, such as the privileges he was currently receiving.


    "What a shame, Lotus Lime. I had expectations for you, but you disappointed me with the private message." Xu Feng shook his head, choosing to reply to Gentle Wind.


    With the private chat window opened, Xu Feng began teasing Gentle Wind.


    Anonymous User: Oho? In-depth talk about my methods in gaining permission to ascend to the upper level huh. How positive are you that I''m the mysterious yer in the screenshot and not just some poser?


    Gentle Wind: Had you been a poser, then you wouldn''t have brought up such a topic. Also, what harm could there be in gambling? If I guessed wrong, then it''s whatever, but if I guessed right, then I can gain more in return.


    Reading her message response, Xu Feng was amused. His initial assessment seemed to have been proven wrong. At first, he thought Gentle Wind was a poser, trying to act all high and mighty, but who would have thought the poser turned out to be him.


    "Alright, it seems like a misjudgment from me and I have wronged this Gentle Wind." Rubbing his chin, Xu Feng decided to stop stalling her.


    Anonymous User: Are you possibly trying to get the first-clear achievement from the dungeon, Scorched Caverns?


    As soon as Xu Feng sent out this message, the other party seemed to have gone silent, having not responded for a few minutes. Despite this, Xu Feng was more rxed than ever, given that it meant Gentle Wind was now in deep thought.


    Meanwhile, somewhere in the Forest outside of Riverwood Town, amidst the dappled sunlight filtering through the dense foliage, a woman stood in a small clearing.


    She exuded an air of elegance and gracefulness, her posture straight and confident. Her chestnut brown hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, framing a face with delicate features and piercing emerald green eyes.


    "Qing Rou, why are you standing there in a daze?" A female voice echoed from behind.


    Surprised, Gentle Wind turned around and noticed it was her friend.


    "Autumn Breeze, how many times must I remind you to call me by my username. If others learned of my identity because of you saying my name, then what''s the point of creating a username?" Feng Qing Rou, otherwise known as Gentle Wind in Divine World, lightly chided her friend.


    "My bad, Gentle Wind. I was just concerned about you earlier and spoke wrongly." Autumn Breeze stuck her tongue out and apologized.


    "Anyway, what''s been upying your mind?" she asked, smoothly shifting the conversation to avoid any further reprimand.


    Gentle Wind breathed out a soft sigh, her expression turning solemn. "It seems like we might have to beware of a certain yer."

 Chapter 18: Mastery Level

    <h4>Chapter 18: Mastery Level</h4>


    Gentle Wind was truly astonished at the beginning when the yer she had privately messaged asked such a direct question. For some reason, she could feel the confidence and domineering demeanor from the message sent.


    The way that the yer asked her seemed as if they could obtain the first-clear achievement.


    ''Could this yer really have some information that others don''t know? Is it a beta user? But is that even possible?'' Gentle Wind knitted her brows.


    Beta users are often used to describe people who had the chance to y the game first before it was released in public. They are people who would have an advantage over others once the game is officially released, even if some of the elements within the game are changed.


    However, the concerning point about this was that the Divine World''s developer was a mystery.


    No one knew who the developers were, including the distributors. But one thing was for certain, the people behind it are definitely powerful and influential.


    Additionally, rumors of people being beta users of the Divine World before its release were practically non-existent.


    Or maybe it was confidential information that was well-kept hidden from the public.


    "Seriously, Gentle Wind. Can you stop being in a daze after saying such things? At least exin it to me first!"


    Autumn Breeze was annoyed that she was being ignored once again, especially when Gentle Wind suddenly revealed they might have to beware of someone.


    Gentle Wind was about to exin the private message but decided not to.


    After all, it was merely her conjecture and not a confirmed fact. There was still a possibility that she was overthinking it and was being trolled.


    "Never mind, just go with the rest of the members to grind levels. We need to reach level 5 as soon as possible." Gentle Windmanded.


    "..."


    Speechless, Autumn Breeze wished to strangle Gentle Wind who roused up her curiosity, only to conceal the matter in the end.


    "Ugh, whatever. I''m sure you have your own ns anyway like always." She rolled her eyes and proceeded to return to the team to ry the order.


    Watching her leave, Gentle Wind shed a small smile before turning her attention to the private message. Taking a deep breath, she began typing her question, hoping to confirm her conjecture.


    Gentle Wind: Are you perhaps saying you can help us achieve the first-clear achievement?


    Anonymous User: Clever, that''s indeed my meaning. Though, it won''t be me assisting you but someone else that''s under me.


    Gentle Wind: How can I be sure that you aren''t talking big?


    Anonymous User: If I''m not mistaken, you''re the one that came to me, and not the other way around. You either trust me or you don''t.


    Gentle Wind: Sorry, you''re right about that. Let me change the question. How are you going to help me get the first-clear achievement?


    Anonymous User: I''m sure you''re probably grinding your level to reach level 5 as soon as possible, but that''s not necessary. Being at levels 3 and 4 is fine. Just message me at that time, and I''ll send someone to assist you.


    Gentle Wind was astonished by the arrangement and wanted to enquire for further details.


    s, she didn''t dare to step over the line and potentially cause the opposing party to change their mind. Thus, she could only wait until she reached level 4 and the rest of her members became level 3 or 4.


    ''What an exhausting conversation that is. From start to finish, it was this person leading the conversation and I can only say yes.'' Gentle Wind sighed softly.


    The feeling of being led by others in the nose was definitely not great, but if the person could really do as they said, then it would be worth it.


    Having rposed herself, Gentle Wind quickly reunited with Autumn Breeze and the rest as they strived their best to gain experience points at the quickest time possible.


    As Gentle Wind was preparing to meet the requirement set by Xu Feng, he was currently using Herbalist Elias''s room to begin his synthesis of potions.


    The synthesis process isn''t difficult because the instructions are noted down on the recipe.


    What made it difficult was the sess rate of the synthesis.


    After all, the creation of potions all boiled down to luck and the Mastery Level of the said recipe. Mastery level was a level that described how familiar a person is with a recipe, blueprints, inscriptions, design, etc.


    There are five types of Mastery Levels, starting with Novice, Apprentice, Adept, Expert, and Master.


    As one advanced in their mastery level, the sess rate increased ordingly: Novice had a 50% sess rate, Apprentice had a 60% sess rate, Adept had a 75% sess rate, Expert had a 90% sess rate, and Master had a 100% sess rate.


    Naturally, the current mastery level that Xu Feng had for any type of recipe was Novice.


    ''Hopefully, the amount of herbs that were gifted to me generously could produce more potions.'' Xu Feng prayed inwardly, retrieving a few sets of herbs that are required for the Fire Resistance Potion.


    The herbs he retrieved are Sunfire Lotus, Emberleaf, Cinderbloom, and megrass. Each one of these herbs costs quite a lot in the marketce, with Sunfire Lotus being the rarest one.


    After all, the Sunfire Lotus herb itself had the attribute of providing fire resistance to yers, and any type of herb that offered resistance was sought by many. In the beginning, yers didn''t think much of these types of things, ignoring thempletely, but that was their biggest regretter on.


    As the game progressed, yers would soon realize the value of resistance-type herbs and potions, particrly when they encountered hostile environments.


    Hostile environments are a pain to deal with because they cannot be nullified, only suppressed temporarily.


    "Sigh, I definitely need to earn back the money from Gentle Wind. Otherwise, I''ll be a sinful man and be damned for eternity." He murmured, stretching his hands as he began the synthesis and praying for his luck.

 Chapter 19: Fire Resistance Potions

    <h4>Chapter 19: Fire Resistance Potions</h4>


    As Xu Feng began the synthesis process, he meticulously arranged the ingredients on the alchemical workstation, courtesy of Herbalist Elias.


    Taking a deep breath and fixing his sses, he muttered, "It''s do or die now."


    With a determined expression, he first selected the Sunfire Lotus herb, its vibrant petals radiating warmth and vitality. This herb would serve as the mainponent of the potion, imbuing it with the essential attribute of fire resistance.


    Next, Xu Feng reached for the Emberleaf, a delicate herb with fiery hues.


    Adding the Emberleaf to the mixture, he observed as its essence mingled with that of the Sunfire Lotus, enhancing the potion''s potency ever so slightly. The more potent a potion was, the stronger the effect would be.


    With the Sunfire Lotus and Emberleaf seamlessly integrated, Xu Feng turned his attention to the Cinderbloom. This herb, with its robust aroma and sturdy leaves, was intended for its ability to prolong the effects of potions.


    By incorporating the Cinderbloom into the concoction, Xu Feng ensured that the fire resistance granted by the potion would endure for an extended period, sparing yers the need for frequent reapplications.


    Lastly, Xu Feng added the megrass, its verdant des contrasting with the fiery hues of the other ingredients. It was primarily included for its mild cooling properties to counteract heat exposure.


    With each ingredient carefully measured and added to the mixture, Xu Feng observed as the potion began to take shape before his eyes. Now all he could do was to wait for the system to finish the process with a sess or failure.


    "Please be a sess..." Xu Feng stared intensely at the potion, his eyes seemingly threatening it to form properly. Otherwise, there will be blood to pay.


    And whether it was by luck or threat, the potion sessfully formed after five seconds.


    System: Congrattions to Adventurer Lin Feng for being the first yer to synthesize a potion: Fire Resistance Potion. Do you wish to announce your achievement in the local region?


    Amused, Xu Feng wondered if the system was enraged by his antics and wanted to throw him into the center of attention. After all, by sessfully synthesizing the Fire Resistance Potion, he was able to gain 10 experience points, bypassing the punishment imposed by the system earlier.


    The debuff only applied to monsters in the wild, but Xu Feng never nned on earning experience points like most average yers.


    Who said only wild monsters give experience points?


    "I bet you are mad, but too bad, so sad. There''s nothing you can do when I''ve been awful civilian." Xu Feng teased, choosing the "NO" option without hesitation.


    He had tried his best to stay anonymous all along, so why would he choose to expose himself?


    Wouldn''t that have defeated the whole purpose of being anonymous?


    Unfortunately, the system seemed quite adamant and even decided to add a confirmation prompt, clearly hoping he would change his mind.


    Of course, it was a joke, and Xu Feng understood that the confirmation prompt was merely a safety measure for yers who might inadvertently make the wrong decision.


    Some individuals could be rather clumsy or oblivious, managing to mess things up despite the presence of confirmation prompts.


    It was almost as if they were drawn to the "yes" button like bees to honey, unable to resist pressing it as if they werepeting in an Olympic sprint.


    System: Are you sure you won''t wish to announce your achievement, Adventurer Lin Feng?


    ncing at the confirmation prompt, Xu Feng pressed the "YES" button and confirmed that he did not want to publicize his achievement.


    Could achievement bring him money?


    No, those achievements would bring him unnecessary attention and trouble from jealous people. With his current state, it was still not the correct time toe out in the open and be the center of attention.


    "If only I was born with a diamond spoon, then I wouldn''t need to worry about publicizing my achievement. Life is really unfair." Xu Feng sighed softly.


    To clear out his mindset, he decided to proceed with synthesizing even more potions.


    By the time he sessfully synthesized 15 potions, Xu Feng had risen up to level 2, but he was not happy. After all, in contrast to the 15 sessful syntheses, he had failed a whopping 42 times in return.


    "Damn it, this 50% is a lie as always. What 50%? It''s more like 35%." He cursed in anger.


    Just when Xu Feng was about to rage further, he suddenly paused himself and wondered what had happened to him.


    ''Wait a minute, why am I losing my temper so easily?'' He questioned himself.


    Usually, his emotions would be calm and collected, having barely fluctuated much to prevent others from reading him. Yet here he was, flying into a rage just because of a 35% sess rate.


    Although it was a far cry from the 50%, it still doesn''t justify the fact that he was losing his cool from a difference of 15%.


    Fixing his sses, Xu Feng temporarily paused the synthesizing process and rxed a bit.


    ncing at the ceiling for a while, he soon figured out why he was overacting. It was because of the fact that he had an advantage no one had, so now he was feeling pressured to always stay on top.


    By stumbling on something repeatedly, his conscience was screeching him to hasten the pace, lest others would catch up to him and his advantage would soon be gone.


    "How depressing is it? I actually made such an amateur mistake." Xu Feng chuckled bitterly.


    Without realizing it, he managed to ruin his mentality and nearly made a fatal mistake. After all, if he failed to realize this sooner, then it would have been disastrous in the far future.


    Having this kind of mindset was no different than having a ticking bomb in his brain, ready to explode at any moment. And when that happened, it would be extremely difficult for him to bounce back.


    He had already experienced a different type of bomb in the past when he was ruthlessly discarded by the Reaver Guild. There was no way he would allow himself to be ced in such a situation again.


    "It''s merely some minor setback. It''s not a big deal. What kind of storm have I not faced?" He snorted, havingpletely restructured his mindset.

 Chapter 20: Auction Market

    <h4>Chapter 20: Auction Market</h4>


    After restructuring his mindset and to not be pressured by something intangible, Xu Feng''s emotions soon became tranquil. Despite continuous failure in synthesizing, there was barely any reaction or changes in his expression.


    The entire time, Xu Feng was patient and continued with his process until all the herbs were used up.


    In total, Xu Feng sessfully synthesized 48 potions and 94 inferior potions. As for how many failed, he didn''t even bother counting since he simply moved on right away.


    The 48 potions are the precious ones, with Cinderbloom added, meaning the duration of the potion''s effectsts longer.


    Meanwhile, the inferior potions are the ones that Xu Feng cheaped out on, having neglected the Cinderbloom. Thus, the potion''s effects duration was short, but it was the perfect potion in Xu Feng''s mind.


    After all, the shorter the duration of the potion''s effect, the more the yers must purchase to continuously consume for their adventure, dungeon, or whatever they are trying to do that requires it.


    ''Oh, I can just smell the money raining down from the sky already.'' Xu Feng shed a sinister smile.


    As evil as his conduct may be, it was the reality of the world. Even in the real world, people love to cut corners to lower production costs while increasing their prices.


    It was amon practice, so he shouldn''t be condemned for doing this. In fact, he should bemended for being the first to p the yers with a reality check that whether it was real life or in-game, they would be extorted.


    "Ahh~, I''m really a saint. I seriously need to stop being so generous." Xu Feng gushed, having zero shame whatsoever.


    "Anyway, I should check out the Auction Market and leave this room already. I can''t believe how much time I wasted in synthesizing. Hopefully, I can get the auto-function skill soon."


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng retrieved all the newly synthesized potions from his inventory. He cleaned up some of the mess and proceeded to take the secret passage.


    The secret passage was designed to allow the people upstairs to exit the area without being seen or bothered by the people in the lobby. After all, the Town Hall could be said to be the most important area for influential and powerful people.


    Naturally, this secret passage is not known information, and only a few people are allowed to learn of this. The same applied to Xu Feng, but that didn''t mean he didn''t have the knowledge already.


    Hence, without alerting Receptionist Sandy and the group of yers that were camping by the lobby, Xu Feng had already left the Town Hall.


    To those still waiting in the lobby, they continued to believe the mysterious yer to still be upstairs or had logged out of the game temporarily.


    ''I might as well let them immerse in the illusion that I''m still upstairs.'' Gleefully looking at the bunch of lostmbs in the lobby, Xu Feng calmly walked around the street, finding a bench to sit on.


    The process of unlocking the Auction Market was fairly easy.


    One needed to reach level 2 and pay a fixed amount of coins corresponding to one level to unlock. This meant that the higher one''s level was, the more they needed to pay to unlock the function.


    Therefore, it was best to unlock it as soon as one reached the level 2 requirement.


    As for why he felt the need toe outside, Xu Feng didn''t like the feeling of being trapped in a room.


    Though the truth was that being in the room would constantly remind him of the number of failures and the loss of precious herbs.


    Although he wouldn''t rage about it anymore, it still pained him nheless.


    The feeling was akin to having seen your money being dumped into an ocean, forever gone.


    Opening the Auction Market tab that was still grayed out in the prompt, Xu Feng quickly searched for the option to pay.


    System: Are you sure about paying 10 copper coins to unlock the Auction Market?


    10 copper coins might not seem a lot to the current him, but it was a massive amount to most yers. However, that was the main aspect of the Auction Market in requiring such a fee.


    The Auction Market was not open for the mediocre yers, and only those who could earn big bucks in a short span of time would be qualified to be here.


    After paying the 10 copper coins without a blink of an eye, Xu Feng was soon greeted by the unlocked interface of the Auction Market.


    There might not be many items being auctioned in the current listing, but he was indeed surprised to see there were at least thousands of yers online in the Auction Market.


    Online yers: 2,358


    Current Listings:


    [Iron Sword] (Level 2)


    Seller: DragonKnight69


    Starting Bid: 10 copper coins


    Buyout Price: 30 copper coins


    Time Left: 12 hours


    [Enchanted Robes] (Level 3)


    Seller: MysticalMageZ


    Starting Bid: 8 copper coins


    Buyout Price: 25 copper coins


    Time Left: 8 hours


    [Hunting Bow] (Level 2)


    Seller: ShadowArcher


    Starting Bid: 15 copper coins


    Buyout Price: 2 silver coins


    Time Left: 10 hours


    [Iron te Armor] (Level 3)


    Seller: Anonymous User


    Starting Bid: 20 copper coins


    Buyout Price: 3 silver coins


    Time Left: 6 hours


    ''Most of the items being auctioned are level 2 gears, with some being level 3. These people sure know how to grind.'' Xu Feng was amused, especially by some of the usernames and a yer who wished to remain anonymous.


    To reach such a level without any advanced knowledge could be considered an achievement in itself. It meant that these yers were already ahead of the majority and could call themselves "rankers".


    Of course, whenpared to him, they were no different than a bunch of clowns, moring around.


    "Gears are indeed a wonderful increase of strength, but it''s very limited and can be used by one person only. How could theypare to the universal potions that everyone could benefit from?" He snickered, ready to make a killing with his inferior potions stock.

 Chapter 21: Frenzy

    <h4>Chapter 21: Frenzy</h4>


    As Xu Feng began to register his item, he was once again hit with the reality of the cruel system.


    Even when one wanted to list their items for auction, they needed to put in some money as a guarantee.


    Essentially, if one failed to sell the item they listed, then a percentage of the guarantee money would be taken away by the system once the time limit ends.


    ''As disgusting as this feature was, it does help prevent an overflow of garbage items.'' Xu Feng understood the intention behind this structure, but being on the short end of the stick made it somewhat bitter.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng paid the money forward as a "guarantee" and proceeded to begin his listing.


    In his possession, there are 94 inferior potions, so Xu Feng nned on auctioning them in batches of 5 potions. For those unwilling to do some math calctions, Xu Feng was going to have 18 batches.


    However, he wasn''t going to outright auction them off. After all, he needed the yers to understand the value and importance of these inferior potions.


    Thus, Xu Feng started off by selling the remaining 4 potions individually to test the water and allow the yers time toprehend its value.


    [Fire Resistance Potion] x4


    Seller: Anonymous User


    Starting Bid: 5 copper coins


    Buyout Price: 1 silver coin


    Time Left: 6 hours


    Reading the preview of the interface that would be published, Xu Feng nodded his head and confirmed it.


    "Huh? Fire Resistance Potion? How did a yer manage to get a potion already?"


    "This anonymous user is selling them individually and there are only 4 avable. Damn it, I need to get my hands on it."


    "This Fire Resistance Potion is exactly what we need for the dungeon, Scorched Caverns. We must get our hands on this potion at all costs!"


    "Jeez, luckily I didn''t purchase those expensive gears yet. How can those gears be more useful than these potions?"


    The moment the Fire Resistance Potion appeared on the Auction Market, every nook and cranny of the region went into a frenzy, each wanting to bid for themselves.


    Of course, there are some people who hesitate if they should spend 1 silver coin directly to buy it out. After all, there were 4 of them, and everyone had the same thoughts in their mind: there was no way other yers had sufficient funds to bid.


    Thus, a bidding war soon erupted, with each bidding increased by 1 copper coin.


    Meanwhile, in a somewhat secluded forest, a female voice could be heard shouting in a frantic tone.


    "Gentle Wind, big news! There''s someone auctioning a Fire Resistance Potion!" Autumn Breeze rushed ahead and stopped just a few meters away from Gentle Wind.


    "I just checked the attributes of the Fire Resistance Potions, and it seemed they are the perfect counter to the Scorched Caverns. If we obtain them, then the first clear achievement is guaranteed to be from us, Silver Wind." She said enthusiastically, showing Gentle Wind the Auction Market.


    Gentle Wind was astonished, her eyes glued on the intense bidding war for the Fire Resistance Potion.


    "The seller just posted a few minutes ago, but the bid price is already at 73 copper coins."


    "Yeah, should we also join the bidding and increase it by 5 to scare the others away, Gentle Wind?"


    "No need for that," Gentle Wind shook her head and opened her own Auction Market. Afterward, she decisively clicked on the buyout price and purchased it, shocking Autumn Breeze on the sideline.


    Simultaneously, in some other locations, multiple yers had their mouths wide open, seemingly in shock.


    "What the hell? Which rich bastard purchased the buyout price already?"


    "God damn it, I should have clicked the buyout price. That bastard didn''t y by the rule and just swept it off!"


    "Hmph, the next Fire Resistance Potion is opening in 10 seconds. Screw the bidding! I''m going to buy it immediately."


    Due to Gentle Wind''s antics, almost everyone stopped their naive thoughts of hoping to cheap out on the potion.


    None of them dared to risk it again and allow the mysterious buyer to get it.


    Even though it was quite costly and could damage their funding, they couldn''t care less anymore.


    If the same mysterious buyer obtained all 4 of the potions, then wouldn''t it mean the first-clear achievement was going to be them?


    Such horrific thoughts were enough to unite them all with the same mindset: they wouldn''t let anyone else have it but themselves, no matter what.


    As everyone else had their fingers ready on the "buyout price" button, back on a street in Riverwood Town, Xu Feng was yawning, seemingly bored by the event.


    Truth be told, he was about to fall asleep on the bench to get some rest.


    Moving around didn''t tire him, but it was the sitting and waiting for the synthesize that truly tired him out. One would rather have something to do and move around than be forced to sit and wait patiently for a result.


    ncing at the Auction Market interface, Xu Feng saw his potion being published again, albeit this time, it was purchased in an instant.


    ''I underestimated the wealth that these yers could gather in such a short time.'' He sighed, feeling somewhat defeated. Had he known these yers were more decisive, he would have set the buyout price higher.


    The bidding war was officially over, and it was the start of whoever had the fastest finger in clicking.


    It was just a shame that Xu Feng wouldn''t have an idea of who the buyer was. Otherwise, there could be an interesting development with such information in hand.


    System: Congrattions to Adventurer Lin Feng. The items you have auctioned in the Auction Market have been sold out. After deduction of the tax, your totales to 2 silver coins and 70 copper coins.


    ''The original deposit was returned to me, but the tax was 30 copper coins. Just how ck-hearted can this tax be?'' He twitched his mouth.


    Aside from being an interface avable to connect a yer with others, the interface didn''t offer anything else. Yet they are brazen enough to take a 10% sales tax right from the get-go.


    "I want to enjoy this kind of life too," he ced his palm under his chin andmented.

 Chapter 22: Making a Killing

    <h4>Chapter 22: Making a Killing</h4>


    Right after Xu Feng epted his fate of being a poor man, he turned to the Game Forum.


    Aetheria Empire, Riverwood Town


    -First appearance of a resistance potion in the Auction Market!


    -4 Fire Resistance Potion sold in an instant by yers with a buyout price of 1 silver coin!


    -Would we see a first clear achievement dungeon soon?


    Sure enough, the discussion of the topic had quickly shifted from a mysterious yer eligible to head upstairs in the Town Hall to the Fire Resistance Potion sold from the Auction Market.


    It was within Xu Feng''s expectation that this topic would drown the previous topic anyway. Thus, he wasn''t a bit worried about being camped by multiple yers in the lobby.


    After all, the potion he just sold was highly scrutinized thanks to the beginner dungeon nearby Riverwood Town, Scorched Caverns.


    Due to the system warning of the dungeon being extremely hot and cautioning yers to have some fire resistance, the yers around the region became more alert, hoping to find such items.


    Of course, there are bound to be yers who ignore such warnings and enter the dungeon, believing it to be a piece of cake, only to end up suffering miserably.


    Not only did their gear durability drop tremendously, but they were also afflicted with an ailment status.


    Dying in a dungeon doesn''t penalize yers too much, but the aftermath of suffering in the hostile environment upon revival still continued.


    Thus, yers were enlightened by the fact that they shouldn''t tackle these dungeons without preparation.


    ''Well, it''s thanks to those foolish yers venturing ahead that let the others know how important it is to be prepared. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to sell my potions.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    Having investigated the region and the avable dungeon, he chose to synthesize the Fire Resistance Potion for a reason.


    If one wants to sell things, then they must ensure the items they sell are in high demand. After all, no one would care about how good your things are if they can''t be put to use.


    This was the concept of demand and supply.


    ''I''ll let those mysterious buyers test the potions out first before selling them in batches.'' Xu Feng smirked evilly.


    To ensure that the buyer wouldn''t stall for time and attempt to wait if there would be more potions avable, he decided to fan the me.


    Making a post of his own, Xu Feng naturally used the "anonymous user" identity.


    -Usage of the Fire Resistance Potion and methods to conquer the Scorched Caverns.


    Using this title as the clickbait, Xu Feng began to reveal bits of information on how to clear the dungeon. Of course, it was information mixed with lies and truth.


    The intention of making such a post was to create an illusion to the buyers that it was possible to clear the dungeon and that they should act swiftly, lest others would take the achievement from them.


    It was a devious n to ensure they would reach the middle and end section, only toe up short every single time. Facing such a situation, their desire for sess and belief in being able to do it would soon overwhelm them.


    By that time, he would be like a god, offering batches of these potions to let them attempt it again and again.


    ''Ahhh~, once again, I''m really too generous.'' Xu Fengmented silently, feeling the burden of having such a kind heart.


    As he was praising himself, Xu Feng suddenly received a private message.


    Startled, Xu Feng opened the message and was quite surprised.


    Gentle Wind: How many more Fire Resistance Potions do you have? I wished to purchase them with real currency.


    ''Look at this Gentle Wind go. Her brain is really functioning pretty well.'' He smiled softly.


    It was not as if he didn''t expect Gentle Wind would contact him again.


    After all, he had just mentioned to her previously that he could help her get the first clear achievement of the Scorched Caverns, and a yer suddenly auctioning the resistance potion appeared.


    If she couldn''t even pinpoint this connection or even suspect him to be rted, then he would truly be disappointed.


    Though the speed of her messaging him had somewhat startled him a bit.


    If it was him, then he would at least wait a bit or speak about another topic. He would definitely not be so straightforward and ask for the price, going as far as using real-world currency as payment too.


    But now that she had done this, it meant that she had lost all initiative.


    Not to mention, he could easily deny being the person who auctioned it.


    What proof does she have against him?


    Meanwhile, Gentle Wind seemed to be anxious about not being responded to yet and decided to send another message.


    Gentle Wind: I can offer you 100,000 dors if you''re willing to give me a batch of them.


    ''She''s getting desperate...'' Xu Feng''s expression turned solemn as he realized the situation.


    Despite the Divine World being recently published, the poprity and hype of it was no joke. Therefore, the exchange of currency from real-world money to in-game money was very high.


    100 copper coins equaled 1 silver coin, and 1 copper coin in-game was equivalent to 10 dors, then 1 silver coin would have been worth 100 copper coins, which was 100 times 10 dors = 1000 dors.


    Therefore, with 100 silver coins, you would have 100 times 1000 dors = 100,000 dors.


    Of course, the exchange rate is subject to change in the future depending on the circumstances, but right now, Gentle Wind was essentially offering him a value of 90 percent higher.


    Even if he were to sell them in batches, the best he could earn was probably around 50-60 silver coins, equivalent to 50,000 to 60,000 dors.


    It was a far cry from the amount that Gentle Wind was offering to him.


    ''I''m actually making a killing here,'' Xu Feng''s sses glinted in a sharp light once he noticed this golden goose.

 Chapter 23: First Business

    <h4>Chapter 23: First Business</h4>


    Having calmed his emotions, Xu Feng never expected Gentle Wind to be a golden goose.


    The straightforwardness and the courage to offer such wealth in an instant weremendable.


    Impressed, Xu Feng seriously wanted to reply yes right away, but he didn''t.


    And no, he wasn''t trying to act mighty here. The money was definitely impressive and he quite liked this personality of Gentle Wind.


    However, there was his principal or earning the maximum value. To cater to Gentle Wind''s request and potentially risk losing all future business partners, was no good.


    As a profiteer, he needed to maintain good rtionships with most of the wealthy yers and ensure that every one of them had a fair game. Fair game as in he would be the one controlling and deciding who would get which achievement.


    ''You''re desperate enough, and I''ve already promised to give you the first clear achievement. So why the rush?'' Xu Feng fixed his sses and decided to respond back to Gentle Wind, lest she might be overly anxious. Anonymous User: Gentle Wind, I''m ttered by your offer, but it''s a shame that I''m not the person who auctioned those potions. Nevertheless, I can still ept your payment, albeit with the context changed.


    Gentle Wind: Change the context? What do you mean by that?


    Anonymous User: What I mean is that I won''t be giving you a batch of the potions, but I can guarantee you having the first clear achievement in return for 150,000 dors.


    Gentle Wind: That''s quite arge amount you''re asking for.


    Anonymous User: I doubt it''s too much if it meant a guaranteed head start against other guilds you''repeting with. I''m sure you are desperate to show some results too. An increase of 50,000 dors shouldn''t be much for someone of your stature.


    Gentle Wind: Indeed, that money isn''t much, but what if you fail? Why should I believe you are capable of seeding?


    Xu Feng smirked coldly at this time once he read that question, "I''ve got you now, my little precious golden goose."


    Without the need of trying to persuade Gentle Wind further through words, Xu Feng directly sent an attachment to her instead.


    From the attachment, it was a contract overseen by the Divine World System, ensuring that no parties are allowed to breach the contract. There was no escape from the System''s Judgment once caught unless they wished to bid their farewell to the Divine World permanently.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of a forest, Gentle Wind was stunned by the contract uses.


    ''This yer is really getting more and more mysterious as time passes by.'' Gentle Wind had no choice but to admit defeat this time.


    It seemed as if the other person had read her through like a book. With the contract uses listed, she would be reassured by this cooperation.


    After all, the person stated that she would receive a batch of potions no worse than the ones auctioned in the Auction Market for free if they were to fail the dungeon.


    Additionally, all payments would be returned to her, meaning she wouldn''t have wasted her investment and still receive more potions in the end.


    ''Hah, you say you aren''t the person who auctioned those potions but are confident to return me higher quality ones in case you failed. Then, aren''t you just admitting you have higher quality potions in hand and were teasing me earlier.'' Gentle Wind became speechless when she read back on their previous conversation.


    Despite knowing that she was being yed and deceived earlier, there was nothing else she could do.


    The advantage was on the other party, and if she angered them, then they could easily swap business partners. However, the same could not be said for her.


    "What''s the matter, Gentle Wind?" Autumn Breeze turned to her with a concerned expression.


    "You looked stressed... is it that mysterious yer you''re chatting with again? Why don''t you just block them already?"


    As soon as Autumn Breeze finished her sentence, Gentle Wind flicked on her forehead and lightly scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about? If I block that person, then would you be able to give me a batch of Fire Resistance Potions?"


    Feeling wronged, Autumn Breeze rubbed her forehead and stared at Gentle Wind with puppy eyes.


    "Read this contract use and you''ll know." Gentle Wind shared the details with her, given she was toozy to exin to her.


    Sometimeter, Autumn Breeze was astonished and was about to shout loudly, but Gentle Wind was quick enough to prevent her.


    "Shh, don''t yell. This is top secret." She warned her sternly.


    Autumn Breeze nodded her head repeatedly in understanding. She wasn''t foolish either to think someone would attempt to break a contract overseen by the system.


    Before Divine World was published, there had been other VRMMORPGs with the system capable of overseeing everything.


    There had never been one incident of a contract being overseen by the system that failed to deliver judgment on people who had breached the uses.


    "Since you signed the contract, it''s in effect already. So what do we do now?" Autumn Breeze asked, and quickly stepped backward, managing to avoid another flick on her forehead.


    With her finger paused mid-air, Gentle Wind rolled her eyes and exined, "Naturally we need to get the members to level up as soon as possible.


    Although that person didn''t mention the time, we need to hurriedly reach the requirement."


    "Yes, I''ll tell them to work harder," Autumn Breeze said, dashing away. She looked no different than a guilty child, who wanted nothing more than to escape from their mother''s punishment.


    Looking at Autumn Breeze escaping, Gentle Wind wondered if she could one day be carefree like her as well. Not having to worry about her appearance and other people''s perspective of her.


    Sighing softly, Gentle Wind closed the message and calmly joined Autumn Breeze, along with the rest of the Silver Wind members. They were going to spend most of the time here until each of them level up sufficiently to tackle the Scorched Caverns.

 Chapter 24: Currency Exchange

    <h4>Chapter 24: Currency Exchange</h4>


    ''Hah, what a good haul!'' Xu Feng''s expression was stoic on the surface, but inwardly, he was dancing in joy.


    The money might not have been much, given he had dealt with much more in the past. However, with his current state, earning such a wealth could only be dreamed of by many others.


    He was confident in clearing the Scorched Caverns, mainly because of his diligence and unwavering attitude.


    Having studied most of thepleted dungeons and analyzing how yers were able to achieve such feats, he was filled with an abundance of knowledge.


    "I''m d that I didn''t waste that time for naught. Maybe I should give thanks to the Reaver Guild for forcing me to study all of them." He snickered coldly.


    Had it not been for them threatening to remove his position if he couldn''t deliver a detailed report of each dungeon, along with the shortcuts and loopholes, he might have been a helplessmb now.


    After all, who would bother to spend so much time analyzing and investigating multiple beginner dungeons that had long been cleared by others?


    The rewards were ridiculous and terrible once a yer had surpassed the initial stage of a beginner and had ventured into higher-level locations.


    To summarize, it was no different than having a level 100 yer investigating a level 1 dungeon. The level 100 yer could easily one-shot every single mob with no problem even if they gave in zero effort.


    ''Sigh, no point in remembering those things yet. When the time is ripe, I''ll make them suffer the worst punishment ever.'' Xu Feng fixed his sses and decided to rx himself.


    Now that things had progressed to this stage, all he needed to do was wait for the person who bought the potions to begin to follow his method.


    He wasn''t worried about the possibility of being exposedter on. After all, the ones he sold were inferior quality potions, meaning the duration of effect was diminished tremendously.


    Thus, it would be impossible for them to actually seed by the time they reached the finale. He had calcted this and was despicable in his demeanor to ensure no one else but he could enjoy the fruit of sess.


    "I should probably log out for now," he murmured, feeling the need to upgrade his real-world lifestyle.


    Although he believed in the game''s privacy to protect yers'' identities, Xu Feng still wanted to have double insurance. Living in the school dorm when he no longer had any intention of contributing to the school was pointless.


    Of course, the main reason was that he didn''t wish to spend his money to continue to live in the dorm when he could livefortably elsewhere.


    Having made up his mind, Xu Feng first linked up his bank ount with the Divine World System and opened up the Exchange of Currency interface.


    After pondering for a while, he decided to start with 50 silver coins to exchange with real-world currency.


    In hindsight, 50 silver coins are equivalent to around 50,000 dors, but thanks to the sudden appearance of the Fire Resistance Potion and the apparentck of funds that most yers are encountering. Xu Feng could rake in more than just 50,000 dors.


    By purposely listing each silver coin to be worth 1,500 dors, and a batch of 5 silver coins to be 6,500 dors, he was going to trap them into believing they were making a bargain, saving themselves 1,000 dors.


    Once he confirmed everything was listed correctly, Xu Feng published it and a few secondster, the batch of 5 silver coins were quickly sold out.


    ''As expected, those wealthy yers have already assigned people to camp in the Exchange of Currency and ordered them to grab as much in-game currency as they can.'' Xu Feng was not a bit surprised by the oue.


    In the past, when he was still a low member of the Reaver Guild, he was assigned to such a job as well.


    Thus, he knew fairly well of their internal methods and the price they were willing to take out.


    What he offered was barely the limit of what they would be willing to afford.


    After all, no matter how wealthy one person is, they wouldn''t be foolish enough to overpay for something. And even if there was this kind of foolish person, they probably wouldn''tst long either in the Divine World.


    Money was indeed an important asset to seed in a game, but it was not the most crucial one. The most crucial one was how they could maneuver in the game and adapt to the unexpected situation to benefit them.


    "Seems like the money is just rolling in constantly." Xu Feng mumbled, having turned off the notification sounds that were constantly popping up to inform him of the exchange being done.


    Among the 50 silver coins listed, he had already sold 27 of them in a matter of minutes.


    Only 2 silver coins were purchased individually whereas the rest of the 25 silver coins were purchased in batches.


    In total, Xu Feng earned 35,500 dors. An amount that was many times higher than his previous life savings.


    Who said video games can''t make money?


    Look at him right now!


    The money he just made could be someone else''s sry for the year, and that too in a short span of time.


    ''Yep, it''s time to get a smartwatch to make things easier.'' Xu Feng nodded his head. The Divine World could be connected to his phone, allowing him to ess things like the Game Forum, Auction Market, and private messages.


    However, it was rather inconvenient to use a phone for such a matter when a smartwatch was superior.


    The reason being so was that the specific smartwatches he wanted were designed to integrate with the Divine World game, providing a cohesive gaming experience.


    By connecting his smartwatch to the game, he could enjoy enhanced functionality and smoother interactions, enhancing his overall gaming experience.


    ''Time to log out.'' Xu Feng thought and exited out of the Divine World.

 Chapter 25: Azure District

    <h4>Chapter 25: Azure District</h4>


    As soon as Xu Feng clicked the logout button, he felt a slight sense of disconnection with the Divine World.


    It was a newfound feeling¡ª something he hadn''t experienced before.


    Upon removing the virtual helmet, Xu Feng wondered if it was due to the baptism effect that made him feel a sense of loss.


    After all, being baptized made him feel like he was a part of the Divine World.


    And by logging out, he was getting the feeling of being extracted from the world forcefully.


    ''Hopefully, it''s just a one-time thing and not every time.'' Xu Fengmented silently. He did not want to have this kind of weird experience each time he was to log out of the game.


    Putting down his virtual helmet, Xu Feng noticed the dorm was empty.


    "Seems like everyone else is still in the schoolpetition." He mumbled softly.


    Although he had spent quite a long time in the game, the real-world time didn''t pass by a lot. It was no exaggeration to say that people could legitimately experience 2 days in the game while the real world had just gone by 1 day.


    Of course, the time ratio was still a mystery and experts had tried to rack their brain cells to investigate the phenomenon, only to end up with little to no results.


    Thus, it became a norm to expect a virtual reality game to experience time faster than the real world and that people could actually take their time to enjoy the game regardless if they have a job or not.


    Looking at his phone which was quite old in model, Xu Feng sighed softly. He was truly one poor bumpkin.


    No wonder why he couldn''t get any girls in the past when he was in school. It all made perfect sense now.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng changed his clothes and left the dorm.


    The first essential matter was to get a smartwatch and connect it to his game ount.


    The smartwatch was equipped with multiple authentication factors and only the owner of it can ess any of the functions. Therefore, no one would be worried if their smartwatch was lost or stolen.


    After all, they are automatically locked since there was an active sensor detection, as well as security measurement that detects if it was truly the owner or an imposter that was using another means to ess it.


    This means that even if someone attempts to steal the owner''s authentication factors method, they are still unable to ess it. Such a method was thetest technology achieved by humankind and not even the developers of such security could ess it without the owner''s permission.


    ''I should change my phone as well to thetest version.'' Xu Feng thought to himself. Being secured cyberly was an important matter and he did not want to take any chances.


    Patiently waiting outside by the school''s gate, a car soon arrived in front.


    "Hello, are you Xu Feng?" The driver lowered his window slightly and asked, having only spotted Xu Feng at the school''s gate.


    Xu Feng nodded his head and proceeded to give the pin code to confirm his identity.


    Once that was done, he took the passenger''s seat and put on his safety belt, he calmly said, "Take me to the Azure District."


    "Got it," the driver smiled politely and changed gear, driving straight to the location.


    Time slowly passed by, and Xu Feng paid for the fare, giving the driver a generous tip.


    "I might call for you again if I''m done with my business." He said.


    Having received a generous tip, the driver was naturally pleased and told Xu Feng to call him whenever he needed a lift.


    "Youngsters nowadays are really rich." The driver then mumbled, slowly driving away to take on the next order.


    As the driver drove away, Xu Feng stood in awe as he surveyed the bustling Azure District.


    Known for its wealth and extravagance, this part of the city was where the affluent came to splurge on luxury items.


    Boutiques and stores lined the streets, offering everything from high-end fashion to cutting-edge gadgets like smartwatches. It was a ce where anything could be bought, but that was only if you had the money to afford it.


    After admiring it for a few more seconds, Xu Feng began to walk around, finding the store that had the items he wanted.


    Unfortunately, though, he was unfamiliar with this area since he was never here at this time of year.


    In the past, he only came here after many years had passed, and by then, lots of things had already changed.


    Thus, even though Xu Feng had a recollection of theyout of the Azure District in his mind, there were bound to be some differences. And these differences are quite noticeable at first nce.


    The decoration and store names are different, albeit with the same kind of building styles retained.


    "Let''s see where those high-tech devices are sold," Xu Feng walked near a holographic screen that listed his current location and the stores in the district.


    Numerous holographic screens of this wereid out everywhere, ensuring that the customers wouldn''t get lost.


    ''Okay, it''s on the upper floor level. Not a surprise since the security must be more strict there, providing greater protection.'' He didn''t find the arrangement surprising and was about to turn around when he encountered the most cliche scene possible.


    A woman suddenly held him by his arm and whispered, "Psst, help me pretend to be a couple first. I''ll pay you back some money for the trouble."


    ''Damn, did I really be a lucky bastard?'' Xu Feng''s first instinct was to believe himself to be that kind of lucky protagonist who always encountered hot women in every corner.


    s, he quickly came back to reality when he noticed quite a few uniform-like people rushing down, clearly frantic and anxious.


    "How much am I getting paid in return?" Xu Feng kept his distance from her despite the womantching onto him and instead asked for the price to do the act.

 Chapter 26: Cover Up

    <h4>Chapter 26: Cover Up</h4>


    Xu Feng was caught in an unexpected cliche moment, but he still had his brain cells intact.


    Instead of focusing on the figure or appearance of the woman, he wanted to know how much he was going to get paid for the act.


    After all, the one desperate here was not him, but the woman here. If she doesn''t pay him enough, then exposing her wouldn''t hurt.


    With his expertise, Xu Feng could easily detect the womantching onto him to be some rich heiress and those uniform-like people are the bodyguards. Their expression and demeanor clearly didn''t show they were trying to kidnap her but were filled with worry that something might happen to her.


    ''Heh, I won''t take advantage of you physically, woman. But I will definitely earn myself some extra cash.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly, eagerly waiting for the woman''s response.


    "I''ll pay you 10,000 dors if you help me avoid those people," the woman was swift and decisive, instantly offering an exaggerated amount.


    ''Damn, I''ve really struck gold this time. Just a little act and I can earn that much. Does money grow on trees nowadays?'' Xu Feng was astonished by the woman''s decisiveness. She didn''t even blink her eyes one bit. It was almost as if she was just discarding some small change.


    "Deal, wrap yourself more tightly to me then. They areing." He whispered softly, pulling her into his embrace. During the action, Xu Feng made sure he didn''t touch her inappropriately and was just giving an illusion of an intimate embrace from an outsider''s point of view.


    Meanwhile, the woman was somewhat shocked by his demeanor, having expected to be taken advantage of slightly.


    ''It''s a good thing I didn''t lose my eyesight and chose a scoundrel to cover up.'' The woman thought to herself.


    Just as this time, she heard the people behind her shouting and searching anxiously.


    "Where did Young Miss go?"


    "She just ran down, so she can''t possibly go far!"


    "Go to the exit just in case she manages to run that fast. We need to find her soon. If Young Miss is harmed in any way, then we''re doomed."


    "Okay, all of us split into four directions. I doubt the Young Miss would remain here since it''ll be too obvious."


    When thest bodyguard announced that arrangement, Xu Feng on the side, with his arms wrapped around the woman was smiling bitterly.


    ''Just how terrible is your judgment?'' He wondered silently.


    Nevertheless, he had to thank this bodyguard for his "clever" input, otherwise, who knows how long he must pretend.


    Although embracing such a smooth and fragrant young woman was nice, he wasn''t some dog in heat or a virgin¡ª well at least not in the past.


    The main point was that he could still control his emotions and mind, preventing him from turning into some pervert.


    Not to mention, he was a busy man and couldn''t afford to waste his time on such cliche scenarios. If it weren''t for the extra cash, he would have left already.


    "Are they gone yet?" The woman in his embrace suddenly looked up and whispered.


    As he listened to her question and nced at her, Xu Feng finally took notice of her captivating appearance. Her subtle allure and warm confidence were evident in her amber eyes and chestnut hair, framing soft features.


    Almost mesmerized by her appearance, Xu Feng was quick to snap out of his daze and responded, "Not yet. There''s still a few bodyguards left to check the surroundings."


    "Are we being suspected then?" She asked in concern, her hands gripping on his clothes somewhat tightly.


    "I doubt so. They have nced over us a few times, but with you wearing a hat to cover your chestnut hair and resembling no different than most people, they didn''t suspect us." He calmly exined.


    To reassure her further and prevent any more wrinkling of his clothes, he continued, "Not to mention, they were shouting ''Young Miss'' earlier, creating quite themotion. Any normal person being chased would have fled the scene to avoid capture. Plus, considering the guards didn''t even suspect most couples, you probably don''te into contact with many men either."


    By the time Xu Feng finished his exnation, the woman could be seen visibly shocked, her hands gradually loosening a bit on his clothes.


    ''Just a few nces and this man can gather so much intel from it.'' She was stunned by the man she hadtched onto temporarily.


    Although such insight might not be rare, it was hard to find someone capable of analyzing this quickly on a whim.


    Time slowly passed by, and the guards finally concluded that the Young Miss they were searching for was not in the area. Thus, they all subsequently left, most likely to join the rest of theirpanions to search elsewhere.


    It was at this time that Xu Feng gently pushed the woman in his embrace away.


    "The guards left already, so you should be safe now." He exined, fixing his wrinkled clothes.


    His clothes were still left with the warmth and perfume fragrance of the woman when he touched them.


    Watching Xu Feng fixing his wrinkled clothes, the woman''s face turned slightly red, seemingly embarrassed by her conduct.


    "I-I''m sorry about that. I can get you a new one," she offered, trying topensate him for his effort.


    "No need, the 10,000 dors you offered me is enough." Xu Feng declined in a t tone. His swift declination caused the woman to twitch her mouth slightly.


    Had it been anyone else that she offered topensate, they would have already danced happily in joy.


    What was worse was the fact that she realized he wasn''t posing in an attempt to gain her attraction which most idiotic men do, believing it was a good strategy.


    She could subtly sense the man in front of her seemed upied and simply wanted to leave as soon as possible.


    ''Did I lose my attraction and charm?'' She wondered silently, even touching her smooth face a few times.

 Chapter 27: Compensate

    <h4>Chapter 27: Compensate</h4>


    While the woman was flustered and questioned her attractiveness, Xu Feng finished fixing his clothes.


    He then looked at her with a stoic expression, "Anyway, so how are you going to pay me. Is it through cash or eCash?"


    "Ah?" The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the sudden demand.


    "What''s the matter? Are you trying to renege on your words now that the storm has passed?" Suspicious, Xu Feng wondered if he had just been scammed by her.


    It was a verbal agreement after all, and no contract was signed.


    Thus, even if the woman wanted to renege on her words, there was not much he could do about it aside from ming his bad luck.


    "N-No, that''s not what I mean." Panicked, the woman hurriedly shook her head.


    "I don''t have much cash on hand and as for eCash...." She exined, albeit stalling a bit in herst few words as her face gradually turned more and more red.


    At the same time, she was hoping that the man in front of her was clever enough to understand her hint to save her the embarrassment of finishing the sentence.


    "Sigh, I should have known." Xu Feng facepalmed as he instantly understood the implied meaning.


    Carrying arge chunk of cash was naturally out of the question, so it made sense that the woman didn''t have much cash on her. As for eCash, it was even more obvious with her behavior.


    Since she was clearly running away and avoiding some kind of people, making a transaction with eCash was equivalent to exposing her location to them. Therefore, she can''t use this method temporarily unless she wants to be spotted.


    "I wasn''t lying aboutpensating you," the woman eximed, afraid he might mistake her as a scammer or someone who used others without repaying.


    "It''s fine, you can just go your own way. I''ve wasted enough time." Xu Feng fixed his sses and said, wanting to escape from this nuisance woman.


    He should have known that being paid 10,000 dors for such a trivial matter was too good to be true.


    He shall simply let this be a lesson and refrain from making the same mistake again¡ª not that he expects another dumb cliche scene like this to ur. If it truly urred again, then he might really need to have his fortune read.


    Just as Xu Feng was ready to leave, the woman suddenly extended her hand and held onto his wrist. "Wait, what is your name? I said I will pay you, and I will."


    Xu Feng held a deadpan expression while wanting to move away. Yet her grip seemed too strong and he was unwilling to let his clothes get any more damage.


    Sighing softly, he said, "Let go of me first."


    Although a bit suspicious, the woman nodded her head and slowly released her grips. Meanwhile, Xu Feng used this time to utter a few words.


    "That''s my online payment system, and if you''re sincere then you would remember to send the money in there. Otherwise, just do me a favor and nevere to my sight again." He exined and promptly headed upstairs, leaving the woman in aplete daze.


    It was only after a few minutes had gone by did the woman memorize the information and realized Xu Feng''stter sentence.


    "Nevere to his sight again? He really finds me a nuisance?" The woman was speechless.


    "Tsk, just you wait till I resolve my situation first and I send the money to shut your mouth. I refuse to fall into your tricks and attempt to search for you." She clicked her tongue, refusing to ept the reality that someone really wanted nothing to do with her, especially with her graceful and beautiful appearance.


    Women are quite difficult to interact with sometimes.


    When you actively chase after them or pay more attention to them, then they will find you annoying.


    However, when you actively avoid them, then they would believe you are just trying to y hard to get.


    As for the thoughts of actually not being interested in them¡ª that would never happen. They are too confident in themselves, simr to how men usually pride themselves as strong and muscr and refuse to admit defeat.


    And while the woman was lost in her own thoughts, Xu Feng himself had finally gone upstairs through an esctor, searching for stores.


    ''What a waste of time. I can''t fathom why anyone would enjoy those kinds of cliche scenes.'' He was annoyed and wished to redo his choices if there was ever a chance.


    Instead of assisting the woman, he would have pushed her out and dashed away. Not helping either party and not getting involved in a mess was the ideal solution.


    It was just a shame that the incident was his first experience ever, so he failed to make the correct decision. To summarize, he was simply inexperienced andcked the proper knowledge.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng found the store he was looking for and entered, being greeted by a woman at the entrance.


    "Wee esteemed customers," the woman smiled professionally, ignoring the fact that Xu Feng wasn''t dressed fancily.


    "Is there anything you need help with?" She added, offering her services.


    ''Right, after that cliche scene, I thought I''d be looked down upon with my current attire. Seems like I''m overthinking too much.'' Xu Feng was initially stunned by the warm greeting he was getting.


    However, he quicklyposed himself and nodded his head.


    "Do you have thetest smartwatch and phone model?" He asked, ncing at the woman''s chest name tag that said Elena.


    "You are in great luck, esteemed customers. We have just received a batch of thetest smartwatch and phone model today." Elena responded with a smile.


    "That''s fantastic then," Xu Feng was pleased with that.


    Unfortunately, trouble and cliche crap seemed to search for him actively after reincarnation.


    While their conversation was in harmony, another saleswoman stepped forward and interrupted them.


    "Save your energy, Elena. Look at this person''s attire and his appearance. It''s clearly a person who''s cutting school considering the time right now. Do you seriously think he would have the money to afford it?"

 Chapter 28: Taught a Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 28: Taught a Lesson</h4>


    The moment the haughty saleswoman finished her words, both Xu Feng and Elena frowned slightly.


    Before Xu Feng could even get the chance to respond, Elena stood forward, shielding him from the other party.


    "Sandra, we are trained to be polite and respectful to the customers. Speaking in such a tone is only going to get you into trouble." Elena warned, squinting her eyes.


    "Heh, are you really trying to lecture me after only working here for around a week?" Sandra snickered coldly, paying no mind to her warning.


    "I''ve been working here for a long time and just a nce is enough to tell whether they are truly customers or just a waste of time." She added, purposely staring at Xu Feng.


    Her implication was quite clear that she meant to say Xu Feng was obviously a poor bumpkin.


    Hearing those words, Xu Feng was usually quite restrained of himself, but he couldn''t help but wonder what was the deal with this Sandra.


    Even if he dressed quite ordinary, she shouldn''t have gone so overboard with her words--- unless there was a more important individual that Sandra was looking out for.


    Sure enough, his deduction was on point when Elena began to speak on behalf of Xu Feng.


    "Sandra, I know you''re just trying to chase away customers because you were informed an important person mighte here anytime. But what you''re doing is no different than ruining the reputation of our store." Elena chided.


    "Hmph, since you know we''re going to have important peopleing in, then why are you even greeting others? Just shove these peasants away!"


    As if knowing that arguing with Elena wouldn''t help, Sandra decided to point her finger at Xu Feng and raised her voice, "You can just leave and go to some shabby stores for your smartwatches. Our items are too expensive for you!"


    "Oh? Too expensive you say?" Xu Feng was nearly at a breaking point to p the crap out of this woman''s face.


    He began to fix the position of his sses and was about to give Sandra a reality check that he could indeed afford it until another woman suddenly dragged his arm and ced her behind him.


    ''What the hell is going on?'' Confused, Xu Feng didn''t even get a chance toprehend the situation when the woman snorted coldly.


    "You have a lot of nerves to reprimand a friend of mine, Sandra!"


    It was almost as if a bucket of cold water had sshed on Sandra''s face, she instantly became pale and retreated a few steps.


    Stuttering, she wanted to defend herself, "M-Miss, I didn''t know he was your friend. If I had known he was your friend, I wouldn''t have dared to block him even if the sky fell down."


    During this brief interaction, Xu Feng finally recognized the woman who had dragged him behind was the same woman he was trying to escape from.


    At the same time, he noticed Elena had a brief smirk on her face, almost as if she expected such an oue.


    ''How hrious. No wonder why she was so polite to me.'' Xu Feng instantly understood many things from that small gesture.


    From the beginning to the current situation now, Elena knew he was involved with this dominating woman who was overwhelming Sandra and had purposely riled Sandra up to create such an effect.


    How devious and malicious of her!


    But Xu Feng must say that she was indeed a great schemer, and wanted to give her a thumbs up.


    Since he now realized it was a plot created by Sandra, he decided to take a step back and watch the scene unfold. Either way, Sandra had irritated him, so why should he assist her?


    Had Sandra been polite in asking him to leave, Xu Feng might have helped her out. It was just a shame that her own character was terrible and allowed others to scheme against her easily.


    ''Have a taste of your own medicine now,'' he was positive that today might be the end of her career, and even if it wasn''t, a demotion was guaranteed.


    "Miss Zhang, I apologize for the situation." Elena quickly bowed down and apologized for the negligence. "I didn''t take care of the situation properly which caused your friend to be humiliated."


    Her tone was filled with repentance and created a glorified effect of admitting to being in the wrong despite not being in the wrong.


    Her actions were by no means a plea for Sandra''s behavior, but one that sentenced Sandra to doom.


    After all, Miss Zhang, or Zhang Jingyi''s facial expression turned even fiercer.


    "You''re really good, Sandra. It seems like your standards are really immacte. Does that mean if I was to dress a bit poorly, then I am some poor bumpkin as well?" Zhang Jingyi asked, smiling widely.


    Panic and horror quickly surfaced upon Sandra''s face as she went down on her knees, begging desperately, "No, Miss Zhang. I was wrong. It''s just that we have an appointment with Director Gao, so I didn''t want him to be disturbed."


    "Wow, so Director Gao''s importance is that high in your opinion huh. I''m afraid my Zhang''s Electronics is beneath you." Zhang Jingyi sneered.


    When Zhang Jingyi spoke those words, it was as if a guilty verdict had been handed down to Sandra, sealing her fate.


    However, it was right at this moment that Xu Feng stepped up and said, "She''s just trying to ensure an important person does not get offended during his time in your store, Miss Zhang. There''s no need to fire her over this matter."


    "Are you sure? She was quite rude to you and even humiliated you." She raised an eyebrow, seemingly confused by his attitude.


    "Well, it''s not like what she said didn''t have some truth in it." Xu Feng shrugged his shoulders.


    "I''m indeed dressed poorly, so being suspected of not being able to afford the items here is understandable. Besides, you''ve already taught her a lesson with that scolding, and I doubt she would dare to behave in such a manner in the future."

 Chapter 29: Free

    <h4>Chapter 29: Free</h4>


    After some consideration, especially with Xu Feng''s suggestion, Zhang Jingyi decided to be lenient and agreed with him.


    She was here to give him some face for assisting her earlier, so it would be bad to reject his suggestion. Not to mention, Sandra was indeed an employee who had worked for a long time and rarely made mistakes in her duties.


    "You''re lucky that he was magnanimous." Zhang Jingyi nced at Sandra and said. "Hurry up and thank him for the mercy."


    Sandra, having realized the person she had humiliated earlier was the very same person to reach a hand out and save her from losing a job, was shocked.


    Nevertheless, she adapted to the situation quite swiftly and bowed to Xu Feng with a grateful expression. "Thank you for the mercy, Sir."


    "Alright, go back inside and wait. I need to talk with him privately. Also, don''t you dare mention my appearance here to anyone, otherwise, you''re going to feel my wrath." Zhang Jingyi dismissed them, clearly impatient.


    Sandra was naturally happy to oblige her orders and went back inside.


    As for Elena, her expression might not have shown it, but her bodynguage clearly indicated she was displeased with the result.


    She took a few small glimpses of Xu Feng, seemingly dumbfounded by his actions.


    Was he a whipped person, to begin with?


    How else could one exin that they would be merciful despite being humiliated quite ruthlessly?


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng merely returned a smile to Elena when he spotted her taking a few glimpses of him.


    ''Heh, although your schemes are nearly wless, you failed to understand one simple fact. It''s whether or not your target was going to detect your ploy and how they would react about it.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    Sandra might have indeed been rude to him, but Elena''s scheme was much worse than the former.


    After all, Elena was using him as a spearhead to target Sandra, and he would never be a spearhead for anyone.


    If he were to be a spearhead, then it must be done in his own free will.


    There was no way he was going to be a spearhead for anyone trying to order him or by schemes.


    As Xu Feng was recalling the days of him being ordered around constantly, Zhang Jingyi began to focus her attention on him.


    "Anyway, it''s a good thing you didn''t run far and actually came to a store that is under me." Zhang Jingyi said, void of any of her previous domineering and cold aura.


    "..."


    Xu Feng was exhausted by this point.


    All he wanted to do was purchase a smartwatch, and phone, and possibly find a new house location. So howe there are so many other events appearing and blocking him?


    Knitting his brows, Xu Feng held a bitter expression and asked, "Why are you chasing after me? It can''t be that you saw me in a plight and came in just to assist me, right?"


    "You can''t be serious, right? I haven''t even gotten your name yet and you left already. I, Zhang Jingyi, am a person who remembers debt and gratitude." Zhang Jingyi announced, taking this opportunity to formally introduce herself while asking for his name again.


    Never once had she needed to ask for a person''s name twice.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng remained silent, clearly reluctant to reveal his name.


    "If you tell me your name, then I can give you thetest smartwatch and phone for free. The money I said I will give you remains as it is." She offered.


    And almost instantaneous, Xu Feng''s frown expression turned into a smile.


    "I''m Zhao Kai, nice to meet you." He said, extending his hand out for a handshake, and shamelessly using his friend''s name.


    The way he changed his attitude and behavior astonished Zhang Jingyi.


    "Right, you are this type of person." Zhang Jingyi chuckled bitterly. She recalled earlier when she went to his arm and asked for a cover-up, Xu Feng had asked her how much she was offering.


    "No wonder you said Sandra wasn''t incorrect." She added, not knowing what else to say at the moment.


    On one hand, he was a gentleman that didn''t take advantage of her physically during their embrace, but on the other hand, he was one damn money-grubber. If there was a chance to obtain money, he would take it without hesitation.


    Despite knowing his personality, Zhang Jingyi was somewhat appreciative of him.


    After all, he didn''t bother to conceal his personality and was rather straightforward and honest with his conduct.


    s, if she had known about Xu Feng''s conduct in the Divine World, then she might have retracted all of her opinions.


    "Anyway, can we head inside now and retrieve my smartwatch and phone?" Xu Feng smiled softly and asked, seemingly eager to get his product already.


    Helpless, Zhang Jingyi nodded her head and proceeded to be the guide for him in the store.


    "Our stores received a new batch, so there are quite a lot of options you can choose from." She then began to introduce each product individually, as well as their features.


    "Okay, no need to introduce them. I''ll take the ck-colored smartwatch along with the phone." Xu Feng halted her and pointed at the two items near the disy shelf.


    "Very well then," Zhang Jingyi smiled lightly, signaling Sandra to do the manual work. It could be said that it was somewhat her redemption, so Sandra was quite meticulous in the packaging.


    "Here you go, esteemed sir," Sandra tried her best to not sound awkward as she handed the item to Xu Feng.


    Xu Feng epted the items happily¡ª it was free after all.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Jingyi was about to open her mouth and speak, but Xu Feng was even more shrewd.


    "Oh noes, the bodyguards came back," he shouted loudly, his tone filled with panic.


    "What?" Zhang Jingiy was rmed and hurriedly hid behind, clearly anxious about being discovered.


    And it was at this time that Xu Feng took his opportunity and dashed away. ''Later Miss Zhang, but I don''t wish to be involved with your business any further. I''m just a poor man with no background.''

 Chapter 30: Scary

    <h4>Chapter 30: Scary</h4>


    After dashing with all his might, Xu Feng managed to escape quite far away.


    Luckily, he had consumed a Life Water previously, alleviating him from being exhausted quickly.


    "Phew, that rich heiress better not find me again." He muttered.


    The online payment system he gave her was not traceable, meaning she wouldn''t be able to find him based on that information.


    As for the name Zhao Kai, simr to his concept of using Lin Feng as an in-game name, there are many simr or same names as such. Therefore, she won''t be able to find any clues either.


    Of course, it wasn''t that he was not interested in women, but based on his experience and intuition, such women were definitely troublesome ones.


    They won''t do you any good aside from hindering you and possibly causing you to encounter unnecessary obstacles.


    With that being said, Xu Feng also didn''t n on having any romance either. His foundation was practically nonexistent at the moment and he was just getting started.


    How could he let himself be distracted?


    ''Now I just need to search for a good housing location and move there.'' Xu Feng began to walk away while setting up the smartwatch and phone simultaneously.


    Swapping his phone was quite easy, but the smartwatch itself took some time.


    After all, there were numerous steps and safety measures to be implemented to ensure everything was functioning well without any possibility of a breach.


    Once the smartwatch setup was done, Xu Feng wore it and instantly, the notification from the Divine World began appearing.


    Most of the notifications were about the silver coins he ced to be exchanged for money.


    Reading all of the notifications, Xu Feng managed to sell all 50 silver coins. 5 were sold individually whereas the rest of the 45 were sold in batches, helping him rake in a total sum of 66,000 dors.


    Originally, a portion of that money was going to be spent on the smartwatch and phone, but thanks to the rich heiress, Xu Feng managed to avoid paying.


    ''Welp, at least there''s one good thing that came out on top of it. And if she is really a person who keeps their promises, then another 10,000 dors will be in my pocket.'' Just thinking about how he was easily earning this kind of big money was sending him to cloud nine.


    Had he still decided to be a fool, then he wouldn''t have made it here. He would still be in the schoolpetition,peting for useless crap.


    As Xu Feng began to look for a decent house within his budget, back at Zhang''s Electronic, Zhang Jingyi realized something was amiss.


    "Wait, the bodyguards wouldn''t return here since they had searched this area before." She muttered,ing out of her hiding spot.


    When she realized Xu Feng''s figure was nowhere to be seen, she quickly red at Sandra.


    Having made such a blunder earlier, Sandra had wised up and understood her meaning.


    "When the esteemed sir shouted about some bodyguards, he ran away while you went into hiding, Miss Zhang." She exined, visibly nervous.


    Although Xu Feng had requested to spare her job, she could still be transferred to some barren location with just a singlemand of Zhang Jingyi.


    She was afraid that Zhang Jingyi might me her for letting the man escape.


    "Sigh, am I that scary?" Zhang Jingyi knitted her brows, seemingly confused as to why he was running away from her so desperately.


    "Not scary, definitely not scary at all." Sandra shook her head repeatedly.


    "If I''m not scary, then why are you trembling?"


    "I-I-I was still nervous about the earlier incident."


    "Whatever," Zhang Jingyi rolled her eyes, clearly uninterested whether she was telling the truth or not.


    "Elena!" She suddenly turned around and called out.


    "Yes, Miss Zhang?" From out of nowhere, Elena appeared in front of her, her head lowering slightly.


    "Your schemes are pretty nice, but next time, don''t try to make use of people who have interacted with me. Is that clear?"


    "Huh?" Looking visibly confused, Elena tried to feign innocence.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Jingyi merely snorted and crossed her arms. "Did you seriously think that man earlier had a good temper? The reason why he didn''t request Sandra to be punished was most likely he hated being used more than anything. Hence, he would rather let Sandra off the hook than to allow you seed with your plot."


    Astonished, Elena tried to go on her knees and plead innocent, clearly not expecting to have her scheme exposed.


    s, Zhang Jingyi waved her hand in time and announced, "I don''t care if you are in apetition and want to kick the other person out. Competition is wee to increase the work quality, but you need to know the limit."


    Knowing that it was futile to exin, Elena merely nodded her head in understanding.


    As for Sandra, she might have kept silent, but her expression clearly indicated that she was definitely going to remember this debt.


    "Don''t think you''re safe either, Sandra. Had it not been for your rash behavior, do you think others could take advantage of you?" Zhang Jingyi''s scolding brought her back to reality, prompting her to lower her head in shame.


    Seeing her two employees have their heads lowered, Zhang Jingyi was honestly exhausted to even interact with them.


    If you were going to act shrewd and devious, then at least be capable of acting upon it and leave no clues.


    How pathetic of them to attempt such an act, but allow others to know it was their scheme?


    "Anyway, the smartwatch and phone that I gave to that person. I want to track him down, so hurry it up."


    It was as if they had been pardoned, both Sandra and Elena quickly went to work and did what they were told.


    It was just a shame that they couldn''t aplish what was assigned.


    "Um, Miss Zhang, the person seemed to have activated the smartwatch and phone already and knew how to delete the tracking." Sandra swallowed a mouthful of saliva nervously as she ryed their findings.


    "Am I really that scary?" Zhang Jingyi twitched her brows, clearly in dismay.

 Chapter 31: Housing

    <h4>Chapter 31: Housing</h4>


    Zhang Jingyi was wondering if she truly had a frightening appearance. She even touched her face multiple times and nced at the mirror, reflecting her beauty.


    "Why would anyone want to run from me?" She asked. "It can''t be another one of those tricks that my family arranges and wants to get me to be curious, right?"


    All she wanted to do was repay the favor and have a background check on the person. After all, she needed to ensure that this person wasn''t some arrangement done by her family.


    Although she knew this could be another ploy arranged by her family in hopes of getting her to be in a rtionship, she must say it was kind of working.


    Not the rtionship part, but the curiosity part about who that man was and why he was acting so weirdly. If that man was truly acting upon her family''s arrangement, then she would dly allow him to experience a world that only women would understand.


    However, if it wasn''t, then she needed to ask what was wrong with her that made him so afraid.


    As Zhang Jingyi was thinking of tracking this person down, she realized she had been lingering around for a long time and needed to escape.


    "The two of you will erase any information regarding this, as well as the smartwatch and phone giveaway. Is that clear?" Zhang Jingyi red at them and warned sternly.


    "Yes, Miss Zhang!" Both Sandra and Elena responded almost immediately as they began to delete all files and data, as well as the security camera footage.


    While they were doing these things, Xu Feng himself was already entering a real-estate enterprise.


    "Hello, sir, how may we be of help today?" One of the workingdies greeted Xu Feng and asked politely.


    "I want to look for a house, preferably one that is close to amenities and conveniences." Xu Feng replied tly.


    Just earlier he had confirmed with Gentle Wind and received advance payment. With the contract overseen by the System, he would be doomed for eternity if he failed to fulfill the condition.


    Thus, Gentle Wind was rather straightforward and transferred the money to him.


    So with her 150,000 dors as well as the 66,000 dors he made by selling some silver coins, the fund he umted was 216,000 dors¡ª enough down payment for a decent house.


    Naturally, Xu Feng could increase the funds further, but he wouldn''t jeopardize his business for momentary benefits over long-term benefits.


    The flow of silver coins must be strictly regted and the market prices would be determined by him.


    While Xu Feng was thinking about his next n, the employee began to introduce each housing. She opened up a tablet that featured a holographic screen as she hovered around each location.


    "Over here is a nice district and offers quite a few amenities." She said, exining the terrain and security aspect of the location.


    Xu Feng nced at the location and nodded his head silently. The location was decent, but not quite the standard that he wanted.


    "Huh? What about this one?" Xu Feng asked, pointing at a location that was ideal for him.


    Looking at the location that Xu Feng had pointed at, the employee held an awkward expression.


    "Uhh, about this location... it''s kind of unique." She smiled sheepishly.


    "Unique?" He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by unique? Was there a murder here or did someonemit suicide in this house?"


    "..."


    The employee was subsequently speechless by the insane deduction that he made up.


    She quickly shook her head and decided to exin before his imagination got the best of him. After all, she noticed a few customers were ncing at their location upon hearing what Xu Feng uttered.


    "That''s not the case, customer. It''s just that the owner of this house is currently having some financial difficulty so they decided to open up a room for rent."


    "I came here to look for a house, not to rent. Why would this ce even be listed then?" Xu Feng questioned, clearly disappointed by the reason.


    This house was the exact kind he wanted to move to. Not only was security great along with many amenities, but there were a lot of wealthy people in this district as well, followed by manypanies.


    It was the perfect location to set his future foundation without having the need to transport much.


    Meanwhile, the employee''s face gradually turned bright red, clearly ashamed of the situation as well. They were here to offer houses for purchase, so to list a house for rent only was like a p to their face.


    It was no different than a restaurant iming everything was fresh, but then the waiter suddenly said these foods were frozen. One could just imagine the shame and struggle the waiter must go through to even spout these words to the customers.


    "We can look for other houses, esteemed sir." The employee forced a smile, trying to shift the topic.


    "No need, I''ll just take this one and since it''s a rental, the price must be cheaper, right?" Xu Feng waved his hands and said.


    "Are you sure about that, esteemed sir?"


    "Do I look like I''m joking?"


    "No... then please follow me here toplete the procedure." The employee resigned to her fate.


    Although it was a rental price, it still cost him 50,000 dors. To justify the high rent, the employee went through about the great quality of the house, as well as the environment.


    Xu Feng pretended to be listening, but secretly, he was beginning to plot how he would turn this house''s ownership over to him fully.


    ''Heh, suffering from financial difficulty, then I can just work on that.'' He sneered inwardly.


    Once the transaction was done, the employee handed him the key. After all, she suggested showing him the house personally¡ª maybe out of embarrassment, but Xu Feng politely rejected it.


    The house location was not an unfamiliar ce to him either.


    ''A branch of the Reaver Guild. Just watch how I''ll make sure this branch will cease to exist soon.''

 Chapter 32: Bait

    <h4>Chapter 32: Bait</h4>


    While Xu Feng called for the same driver to get to his "new house" location, back at Divine World, things were getting chaotic.


    BAM!


    A yer d in armor with ance on his hand, struck against ava beast, creating a thunderous impact that echoed through the fiery caverns.


    The beast roared in agony, its molten form sttering against the rocky walls.


    As the battle raged on, other yers joined the fray, their spells and weapons shing against the relentless onught of monsters.


    Sometimeter, theva beast finally fell to its death, with the yers gaining a significant amount of experience points.


    "Boss, this potion is really amazing. We can fight against theseva beasts without worrying about the hostile environment. Additionally, their attacks are severely weakened as well thanks to our increased resistance." The Knight Lancer yer eximed joyfully.


    If Xu Feng was here, then he would have recognized the Knight Lancer yer to be the very same one that had scolded him earlier when he first arrived at Riverwood Town.


    "Hmph, why bother speaking the obvious, Ardent Lance?" The boss, Herald Fist, snorted coldly at his subordinate.


    "Don''t you know I spent a lot just to grab two potions! If it weren''t for the limited potions and being distracted, then I wouldn''t have lost thest potion." Regret filled his expression as he recalled this matter.


    Though the truth was that he didn''t have sufficient funds and was forced to watch thest potion being purchased by someone else. Nevertheless, he was still exhrated to obtain two out of the four avable potions.


    And just when he was wondering how to use these potions carefully, given it cost a fortune, a generous yer decided to post on the forum on how to tackle the Scorched Caverns.


    Obviously, Herald Fist wasn''t foolish enough to follow the guide right away and waste his potions.


    Instead, he had his subordinates enter the Scorched Caverns first without the use of potions and follow the guide. Sure enough, the guide was urate, and they only ended up in defeat because of theck of fire resistance.


    To ensure that it was true, Herald Fist didn''t hesitate to test the theory three more times until he confirmed it was doable.


    Thus, he was now with his trusted aide, Ardent Lance, along with the elites of his guild to officially attempt the first-clear achievement.


    "Hurry up, people!" Herald Fist loudly shouted. "I and Ardent Lance''s potion duration has a time limit, so we must reach the finale fast."


    "Yes, boss!"


    With the battle outcry, Herald Fist, Ardent Lance, and the rest of the members began to proceed forward, their pace rapidly increasing.


    As Herald Fist was determined to be ahead of the rest of the other guilds, outside the dungeon, arge group of people were gathering.


    "Do you think Herald Fist will achieve the first clear?"


    "He has a 90 percent chance. Herald Fist himself leaked that he got two out of the four Fire Resistance Potions from the Auction Market, and his members already tested the theory from that anonymous yer as well."


    "It seems like the Tyrant Fist guild will be the pioneers this time."


    "Indeed, Herald Fist is really lucky to have so much funds so early on. His fingers are also so damn fast to click the buyout optionpared to others!"


    "Heh, it''s definitely because his thing down there is no good so he needs to resort to finger to satisfy his partner. That''s the only reason why he has fast fingers!"


    While the yers discussed among themselves and showcased clear envy and jealousy at Herald Fist and his seemingly "secured" first-clear achievement, in a distant area, someone else was livid.


    "Gentle Wind, are you sure that person isn''t fooling you?" Autumn Breeze asked.


    "I know we have the contract, but what if he doesn''t care about this game and just wants to earn some quick bucks. You''ve even sent him the money already too." She added, feeling confused by her friend''s action.


    "Haha, just calm down for a bit, Autumn Breeze." Gentle Wind chuckled softly, her expression tranquil. "It''s not even certain that Herald Fist would seed. Maybe he will soon begin cursing and throwing his fist randomly."


    Hearing that nonchnt response, Autumn Breeze narrowed her eyes and stared at her suspiciously. "Do you know something that you haven''t told me, Gentle Wind?"


    "You''ll know in due time."


    "Ugh, what''s with the mysterious acting? Just tell me. I''m your bestie." Autumn Breeze started acting coy, hugging her arms and asking with puppy eyes.


    Despite the cute actions, Gentle Wind merely smiled and responded in a roundabout way. "There''s no need to know now aside from the fact that Herald Fist will definitely be an embarrassment soon. By that time, you can use some of our funds to take a screenshot of his green face."


    Almost instantaneously, Autumn Breeze started pping her hands, her eyes eager in anticipation of such a scene.


    "Hahaha, that Herald Fist was so arrogant in the previous game too. If I can see him being frustrated to the point of his face turning green, then that''s something to be shared with everyone." She cheered gleefully.


    Watching her bestie imagine the downfall of an arrogant person, Gentle Wind didn''t bother toment on it and instead began private messaging someone.


    Gentle Wind: Herald Fist has taken the bait and is in the dungeon currently.


    Anonymous yer: Heh, thanks for the heads-up. Rest assured, he won''t be able toplete the dungeon and more potions would be soon avable for auction.


    Gentle Wind: Are you not going to give me a few like you promised?


    Anonymous yer: The potions I''m putting for auction aren''t that great. But if you still want them, then I can give you a few out of favor for paying me in advance.


    Gentle Wind: I''ll take your word for it then.


    As Gentle Wind unconsciously held a smile on her face, on the other side of the message, Xu Feng himself arrived at his new house location.


    Closing the message prompt that was being projected from his smartwatch, he thanked the driver and gave him a good tip as well.


    "Herald Fist has taken the bait, so I must hurry up with this business and log back in to make a fortune." He murmured, staring at the magnificent skyscraper.

 Chapter 33: Skyscraper

    <h4>Chapter 33: Skyscraper</h4>


    The magnificent skyscraper stood tall, and from his perspective, he could barely see the top of the building.


    The house that he rented was technically an apartment, but also not quite an apartment, given he was renting a mini room of an apartment. Not to mention, this skyscraper was one of the few that had each vacant apartment room to be the size of a medium house.


    One could just imagine the sheer size of the skyscraper and the amount of money poured into it for the building.


    Any owner of the apartment had full ownership, and not even the skyscraper owner could do anything to them unless they broke any of the major rules of the building.


    It was because of such unique rules implemented in this skyscraper that Xu Feng was determined to take ownership of one as well. After all, you would be protected by the skyscraper owner from any external threat not belonging here.


    Not to mention, many floors in this skyscraper don''t include just housing space for people.


    Instead, it had fully functionalpanies who rented the area to do business. Thesepanies could only rent and not buy and could be considered the main source of ie for the skyscraper owner.


    ''This skyscraper owner is really a person''s life goal.'' Xu Feng would be kidding if he wasn''t envious of such a person.


    Who didn''t want to earn money consistently while doing absolutely nothing?


    Of course, it was just him daydreaming because anyone capable of doing such things had a huge background and wealth behind them.


    As if there would be a vacant space for the ordinary to achieve such things as well.


    Entering the lobby that looked asrge as two ser fieldsbined, Xu Feng was positive anyone would be lost or filled with pressure to enter here for the first time.


    The atmosphere was simply too differentpared to the outside.


    Slowly heading toward the elevator section, Xu Feng was ready to see his new house.


    However, he was halted by a security guard, who clearly found him to be unfamiliar.


    "Apologies, but what is your purpose here?" The security guard asked, his tone neither overbearing nor overly polite. He was merely enquiring for Xu Feng''s purpose, given that thetter was somewhat of a stranger and was attempting to use the elevator designated for house owners.


    In this elevator section, there are multiple types of elevators¡ª each with their designated floor. Some elevators are avable for the public area, some are for thepanies, and some are for the house owners.


    Security for the elevators in public areas was more rxed, whereas there was some authentication required for thepany''s elevator.


    As for house owners, these were the most critical ones, hence the security guard needed to determine Xu Feng''s identity.


    After all, those eligible to own a house in this skyscraper were certainly no ordinary beings.


    And as if he had expected to be halted, Xu Feng was swift to prove his identity and authentication to the security guard.


    "Apologies sir, you may proceed to use the elevator." Once the security guard was able to verify and confirm the information, he became polite and allowed Xu Feng to ess the elevator.


    "Thanks for your hard work," Xu Feng thanked the security guard and entered the elevator, his demeanor calm and smooth.


    Pressing the 36th floor, Xu Feng calmly waited for the elevator to ascend.


    Meanwhile, the security guard was confused, scratching his head.


    "When did there was a change of ownership here? Howe I wasn''t notified?" He wondered aloud, clearly not expecting to see a new tenant.


    s, he soon brushed past the matter and returned to his guarding duty.


    Who cares if it was a new tenant or not?


    That person had all the information required and he authenticated it already. Thus, it was no longer his business anymore.


    ''Best to not know too much and stay put. This job pays me well, and I can''t afford to lose it, otherwise, that tiger wife of mine will definitely hit me with the slipper.'' The security guard thought to himself, his expression turning vignt, afraid ofmitting a mistake.


    While the security guard had such a mindset, Xu Feng arrived at the 36th floor.


    Upon exiting the elevator, Xu Feng noticed the hallways were simply too huge. Luckily, there were room numbersbeled on the holographic screen, allowing them to not get lost.


    "Let''s see.... Room 360 is toward the North side from here." Xu Feng analyzed the map and got the information he needed.


    ''There are cameras installed everywhere huh.'' He noticed that there were no blindspots, and became more reassured with the location.


    Although he had heard great things about this ce in the past, the truth was, he had only been here to apany others. Thus, he rarely paid attention to the details of the structure, given he had never truly owned one himself.


    Of course, that might not be the case soon since he was already nning on how to resolve the other party''s financial situation. He might not have the money, but with his knowledge, it wouldn''t be difficult to give the person some pointers.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng arrived at room 360 and unlocked the door using the key as well as scanning his iris. These authentications were all done back at the previous store by the employee, saving him quite the trouble and hassle.


    A beep sound resounded softly, and the door was unlocked. Opening the door and entering the room, Xu Feng''s eye sockets nearly popped out.


    "W-What the hell is this?" He had to remove his sses and rubbed his eyes twice to determine he wasn''t hallucinating. "This is actually real?"


    The interior of the house was simply too advanced¡ª being no different than a presidential suite- the kind of environment from a five-star hotel.


    "Is the owner ying a joke or something? How could such a person have any financial difficulty?" He muttered, seemingly unable to fathom the possibility of the owner struggling financially when they had thetest technologies.

 Chapter 34: Domino Effect

    <h4>Chapter 34: Domino Effect</h4>


    A few minutes had gone by, and Xu Feng practically explored each and every cranny of the room. He didn''t expect to be able to rent such a ce at the price that he was asked to pay.


    This simply didn''t make any sense to him!


    ''Did my fortune really increase?'' He questioned himself, feeling like this was too good to be true.


    It was just a shame that Zhao Kai was not here at the moment. Otherwise, he would have definitely given thetter another punch to the face to check if it was the reality or not.


    Despite the excitement of his findings, Xu Feng didn''t allow himself to get too distracted.


    Such vanities were naturally pleasing to the eyes, but there were more important tasks up ahead for him. He could not afford to idle his time away, admiring these vanities that didn''t belong to him¡ª at least not yet.


    Just as Xu Feng was about to head to the supposed bedroom assigned to him, he suddenly received a message.


    The message was from an unknown person, but he recognized the numbers on it.


    "Oh, this is the owner huh." Xu Feng muttered, opening the message.


    [Hi, I''m the owner of room 360 and you are allowed to use the facility in the house, but if you break anything, then you must pay for everything. Also, there are security cameras everywhere so don''t try to do anything funny. I''ll be returning to the roomter on to greet you, so feel free to do your own thing.]


    Right after he finished reading the message, he heard a somewhat beeping sound on the ceiling. Lifting his head upward, he then saw a camera nodding itself up and down, seemingly implying that it was watching him.


    ''How humorous.'' Xu Feng thought, not a bit offended by the actions. Given that the person was desperate enough to rent out a bedroom for 50,000 dors, some sort of security measures being implemented was understandable.


    Unwilling to spend too much time with this person, he replied back with a simple "ok" emoji as well as making a hand signal toward the camera.


    Afterward, he proceeded to enter the bedroom assigned to him.


    "Not bad, it''s spacious andfortable." Hemented.


    Though most of his attention was focused on arge gaming capsule. This was also the main reason why he was adamant in choosing this ce despite being somewhat suspicious.


    His virtual helmet was nice with great synchronization, but it was an inferior item whenpared to the real gaming capsule. He wouldn''t be forced toy in bed while gaming anymore.


    Instead, he would be lying in thefortable cushion of the gaming capsule with a monitoring system equipped to ensure his body''s health was kept at the optimal state.


    Just a single nce at this gaming capsule, and Xu Feng could determine its value to be at 100,000 and above.


    And precisely because the owner was generous enough to allow him to use the gaming capsule, Xu Feng didn''t mind being scrutinized a little bit. It was a small price to pay for such a great bargain.


    Moreover, the security cameras are equipped in the living room and kitchen room. Private areas such as the bedroom and bathroom didn''t have security cameras.


    ncing at the bedroom for a few more seconds, Xu Feng proceeded toy on the gaming capsule, choosing to log back into the Divine World.


    Like always, there was a momentarily brief darkness before Xu Feng regained his vision. Upon opening his eyes, Xu Feng was dumbfounded by the sheer number of yers crowding the streets.


    ''What the hell happened to the sudden influx of yers?'' Previously, when he logged out of the game, the streets were still somewhat spacious.


    However, now it looked like there was no space to even walk around. Checking his game notification, Xu Feng realized there were quite a bit of unread messages in the inbox.


    "Right, I was doing the application and muted my notification..." He mumbled, realizing he had forgotten to turn on the notification after finishing the housing application with the employee.


    Since he was filling out some important documents, he didn''t want to be disturbed at that time.


    Although he did ce a timer to have it turned on automatically after a certain time, the time runs differently in the gamepared to the real world.


    Thus, lots of things could have happened while he was busy with his other tasks.


    ''It seems like the bait worked wonderfully and attracted numerous yers to migrate to Riverwood Town.'' Xu Feng soon figured things out after reading Gentle Wind''s message and the Game Forum posts.


    Apparently, Herald Fist was on the verge of tears when he was so close to achieving the first clear achievement.


    And the reason why he failed was due to the duration of the potions running out.


    Therefore, he started spamming lots of messages in the Game Forum, requesting for the mysterious seller to show up and sell the potions to him.


    He even went as far as saying he would put out 10,000 dors to buy a batch¡ª equivalent to 10 silver coins in-game.


    s, Herald Fist was impulsive, and instead of posting the forum in a specific region, he published the post to other regions as well, prompting yers from elsewhere to realize the situation.


    A yer could make a forum post based on their region or publicly where everyone could see regardless of their location.


    To simplify things, it was the equivalent of a local and global difference. By publishing the post globally, he was announcing this to every yer.


    Smiling bitterly, Xu Feng didn''t know how to react to this.


    On one hand, Herald Fist helped publicize his items for free, but on the other hand, the domino effect he was striving for had increased tremendously from his original scope.


    ''How am I supposed to stay hidden and earn a profit when everyone has their attention on this matter now? How did this Herald Fist even be a guild leader with such a mentality?'' Xu Feng wondered silently.

 Chapter 35: Go Big or Go Home

    <h4>Chapter 35: Go Big or Go Home</h4>


    After realizing the severity of the situation, Xu Feng soon adapted to the change and began to make new ns.


    Now that the appearance of Fire Resistance Potions had been revealed to the masses, there was no longer any need to conceal it further.


    Additionally, his post had gone to the top 3 thanks to the extensive guide where yers didn''t doubt its legitimacy¡ª courtesy of Herald Fist verifying and confirming the strategy from his frantic forum post.


    ''Everyone is following the guide precisely, with only a few variations in between and with so many other yers confirming it''s true. I doubt it would take much longer for someone to obtain the first clear achievement.'' Xu Feng fixed his sses slightly, analyzing the possibility of the situation.


    As much as he wished to achieve a greater shock factor, yers aren''t foolish enough to not find a breakthrough soon, especially when some could have a stroke of luck andplete the dungeon through brute force.


    While he was thinking that it was time to give everyone the shock of their lifetime, Gentle Wind was messaging him again.


    Gentle Wind: Riverwood Town is experiencing an explosion in poprity. Many yers from other regions areing here en masse. Are you still confident about getting the first clear achievement?


    Anonymous User: Rx, Gentle Wind. There''s no need to worry much.


    Gentle Wind: How could I not worry? Even without those potions, I heard some teams and guilds are reaching the final stage as well.


    Anonymous User: Then let them achieve it.


    Gentle Wind: ???


    Anonymous User: It seems like you have misunderstood me from the beginning, Gentle Wind. You''re only speaking of their progress in the Easy Mode. But the first clear achievement I''m guaranteeing is Hell Mode. Not Easy or Normal Mode. Let''s get that clear.


    "Hmm, she''s not responding yet." Xu Feng checked the time and realized a few minutes had gone by since there was a response. "So she really did misunderstand me. Well, not that it was surprising anyway."


    He was never the type to achieve some mediocre results. If he were going to do something, then it must be a banger. The first clear achievements were amazing, but that also depended on the difficulty of it.


    Everyone else was currently trying to obtain the first clear achievement on the Easy Mode level, but his intention had always been Hell Mode.


    Therefore, he was never worried about others taking the first achievement on Easy Mode level.


    After all, who would care about it anymore once the higher difficulty level was achieved by someone else. Matter of fact, their achievement and feeling of glory would soon turn to a feeling of shame.


    A shame that could not be washed away because while they were celebrating like kings, another party had swooped in and aplished greater results. Them acting like kings would instantly turn into a bunch of clowns, parading their pitiful achievement.


    "Seems like Gentle Wind managed to rpose herself." Xu Feng muttered, reading her response.


    Gentle Wind: Your intention and the contract of our deal was always about the Hell Mode difficulty?


    Anonymous User: Naturally. Otherwise, why would I demand such a high fee?


    Gentle Wind: Surely, you must be jesting... how can it be considered a high fee if you were talking about Hell Mode?


    Anonymous User: Well, you''re my first customer after all. And the first customer usually gets some privilege. Anyway, have your members reached the threshold of my requirement yet?


    Gentle Wind: I was just about to mention this to you. We''re ready on our side.


    Anonymous User: Great, wait by the forest and I''ll arrange for my subordinate to meet you there.


    With that message sent, Xu Feng also started listing the inferior Fire Resistance Potions in the Auction Market.


    Online yers: 6,875


    Current Listings:


    [Fire Resistance Potion x5]


    Seller: Anonymous User


    Starting Bid: 10 copper coins


    Buyout Price: 3 silver coin


    Time Left: 12 hours


    Since the value of the potions increased extensively thanks to Herald Fist, Xu Feng decided to raise the price.


    Not only that, but he also purposely ensured that no one else would know how many batches would be sold, essentially enticing them to buy it as soon as possible, otherwise, they would lose their chance.


    Go big or go home, these yers are now trapped in his little cages, having been psychologically manipted into splurging more for their imaginary future sess.


    ''Oh, Herald Fist, because of your actions for attracting so many yers here. I hereby give you my thanks and listen to your request. Now empty your pocket and ssh me with the money.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    Originally, he wasn''t going to be that ruthless with the pricing.


    However, with the influx of yers arriving here, causing the difficulty to rise tremendously for him to navigate, he decided to be ruthless.


    Meanwhile, the moment he put up the listing of the potions, yers nearby him started shouting in fervor.


    "Hot Damn! The potions are back in the Auction Market!"


    "What? Really? Holy smoke, it''s actually back and this time it''s in batches!"


    "This mysterious seller is really shrewd. Now that the potions are in high demand, they are going to make a killing again. 3 silver coins as the buyout price... I don''t even have 50 copper coins!"


    Seeing them shouting in such fervor, with some being envious, and others being frantic, Xu Feng was pleased.


    He was anticipating the rapid fortune he was going to make so he decided to join in on the fun and entice them further.


    "The seller might have listed it up because of the increase of yers here, but knowing the potion is such a rarity. I wonder if this is the only batch or not." He shouted loudly, bringing the attention to others that this might be the only batch being sold.


    "Right, who knows if there are going to be more?"


    "Indeed, I tried to look for information and NPC stores in the area, but none of them have these kinds of potions."


    "I came from Greenbird Town, and they don''t have these items either. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have traveled here."


    As the yers started to panic among themselves, Xu Feng equipped a mask that he bought from a vendor and began walking toward the forest at a calm and steady pace.

 Chapter 36: Destination

    <h4>Chapter 36: Destination</h4>


    As Xu Feng continued to head toward the forest, he would constantly hear people shouting and running around.


    Most of them were talks about the potions in the Auction Market, and some were talks about borrowing money.


    "Hey, lend me 40 copper coins. I''ll pay you back doubleter on."


    "Buying silver coins with real-world currency. Send me a private message if you are interested."


    "Our guild is purchasing coins inrge batches as well!"


    Hearing these shouts, Xu Feng felt heartache. Had he waited for a little longer, then with the sudden rise of demand for coins, he could have sold for more real-world currency.


    ''s, what a blunder. Luckily I only sold 50 silver coins and still have more in stock.'' Xu Feng attempted to ease his heart pain. It was just a shame that the further he walked, the more he heard about the yers willing to overpay for the in-game currency.


    Luckily, he was experienced and managed to calm his emotions in time. Otherwise, he would have spat out a mouthful of blood from the losses.


    ''Calm down. One can never be too perfect. We''re humans after all.'' He thought to himself, choosing to turn deaf for the moment. So long as he could not hear them, there would not be any more heartache.


    Time slowly passed by, and Xu Feng received a notification by the time he stepped foot outside Riverwood Town.


    System: You have entered the neutral area!


    Neutral area¡ª just as the name suggested, he would no longer be protected by the NPC guards from Riverwood Town.


    This meant that there would be monsters attacking him, and possibly other yers as well. After all, yers killing other yers in the neutral area won''t be detained by NPC guards.


    Although they won''t be detained and captured by the NPC guards, yers who killed others will still gain something called a bounty tag.


    Bounty tags are essentially abel for yer killers, otherwise known as PKers, and when those with bounty tags are killed, their death punishment is more severe.


    ''Will I meet with a bounty tag yer now?'' Xu Feng wondered silently, treading through the forest. To be fair, he wasn''t afraid of being hunted despite being quite low-level.


    Looking at his status screen, he could only smile bitterly because the harsh debuff was still active, meaning he couldn''t even actively attempt to hunt for monsters.


    -


    yer Name: Lin Feng


    ss: Cleric


    Level: 2


    Experience Points: 840/10000


    Attributes: Strength 9, Agility 9, Endurance 11, Intelligence 15, Vitality 12


    Free Attribute Points: 5


    -


    "Sigh, the game experience points demanded are just outrageous." He scratched his head while allocating his free attribute points to Intelligence and Agility.


    With 3 going to Agility and the remaining 2 going to Intelligence.


    He didn''t pay much attention to Strength, Endurance, and Vitality yet, as Intelligence and Agility attributes were more important to him.


    Strength increased a yer''s physical attack power, while Endurance boosted maximum HP and Stamina. Vitality helped in the recovery of HP and MP, which he considered somewhat less useful for his Cleric ss.


    Thus, Xu Feng regarded these three attributes as rtively inconsequentialpared to Intelligence, which increased magical attack power and maximum MP, and Agility, which enhanced Attack Speed and Movement Speed.


    Having finished allocating the attributes, Xu Feng proceeded forward to the destination that Gentle Wind informed him about.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng arrived at the destination and saw multiple people gathering around.


    Right as he stepped near the vicinity of their gathering, a person came forward, scrutinizing him.


    He was a tall man with no shield ornce equipped, but upon closer inspection, Xu Feng noticed his belt had guns hidden.


    ''The specialist Gunner ss huh.'' He deduced silently, merely standing still and staring back at the man.


    "This is a restricted area currently. Please leave now." The man announced, clearly not expecting Xu Feng to be the person they were waiting for. He was also cautious of him due to Xu Feng wearing a mask and concealing his appearance.


    Additionally, just like how Xu Feng had deduced him to be a Gunner, the same goes for him as well, having deduced Xu Feng was a Cleric.


    "Your guild leader is Gentle Wind, correct?" Xu Feng responded calmly.


    "If so, then I''m sure she is the one I''m looking for. Or do you want to continue to stop me and hinder her ns?" He added, provoking thetter on purpose.


    He wanted to test whether or not this Gunner was an impulsive person or not.


    If this Gunner was impulsive, then Xu Feng might request Gentle Wind to have him leave the team. To have an impulsive person alongside to do the Scorched Caverns was essentially asking to have the chance of sess lower.


    Meanwhile, the Gunner was clearly displeased by the attitude and tone of Xu Feng, but he managed topose himself.


    Instead of losing his anger, he nodded his head and asked for the code.


    The code that was made between him and Gentle Wind earlier to determine the subordinate he sent was verified and not an imposter.


    Since he was clearly the real deal, Xu Feng had no problem with saying the code.


    "Alright, our guild leader is waiting for you for a while." The Gunner said tly, turned around, and proceeded to walk without caring if he was following or not.


    ''Hmm, he can still keep his cool.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, following him at a fixed distance.


    Maybe it was because of the people he interacted with in the past, but Xu Feng was greatly astounded by the logical people he was interacting with now.


    Back then, those people always held a mighty and overbearing attitude, believing themselves to be the king. They were prone to irritation and outbursts at the slightest mishaps.


    Little did Xu Feng know that the reason why he didn''t receive such treatment was due to his standings having changed dramatically. Back then, he was only doing the bidding for others, but now, it was him in control.


    Gentle Wind wished to cooperate with him, and he came under the guise of the "subordinate" of the mysterious yer. Thus, the Gunner needed to pay attention to his behavior and attitude, lest he might identally anger the subordinate and displease Gentle Wind.

 Chapter 37: Gentle Wind

    <h4>Chapter 37: Gentle Wind</h4>


    Having followed the Gunner, Xu Feng soon arrived at the true destination.


    Throughout the route, he noticed many yers were inspecting the areas, clearly afraid of other unknown yers infiltrating their base.


    ''How pointless is this though?'' From their perspective, they were nning to do something big, but from Xu Feng''s perspective, it was just a trivial task.


    As long as they listened and followed hismand properly, they could easilyplete the Hell Mode difficulty.


    There was no need for all this secrecy and manpower. Though he can''t speak much of them either, considering he was hiding his appearance with a mask as well.


    Sometimeter, the Gunner stopped his footstep as he greeted the woman in front of him politely. "Guild Leader, I''ve brought the person that you''re waiting for."


    "Good work, Steelshot. I''ll have a talk with the person while you and the rest get ready." Gentle Wind nodded andmanded.


    The Gunner¡ª Steelshot nodded his head and returned to his team.


    "Are you the subordinate sent by the person I''ve been messaging?" Gentle Wind''s gaze scrutinized Xu Feng, assessing his gear and demeanor.


    Simultaneously, Xu Feng also evaluated Gentle Wind.


    Gentle Wind''s sorcerer attire consisted of a basic robe adorned with modest symbols, paired with a leather belt and fingerless gloves. Her staff, crafted from sturdy oak and tipped with a crystal, hinted at her budding magical prowess.


    As Xu Feng observed her staff, he recognized it as the Arcanewood Staff, typically avable for equipping at level 4. ''She must have grinded a lot while I took a small break.''


    "Indeed, I am." Xu Feng calmly replied. "Boss sent me here to assist you in getting the first clear achievement."


    "Oh? Is your boss not going to show up at all?" Gentle Wind seemed surprised, clearly not expecting the person to remain hidden.


    She had initially thought the person wanted to meet them by the dungeon and merely sent someone here for a preliminary introduction.


    "Heh, Boss is a busy person and has too many businesses to do." Xu Feng chuckled humorously, putting on a new personality to prevent thetter from connecting him to the person she was messaging.


    "Are you a Cleric by any chance?" Gentle Wind raised an eyebrow.


    "Yep, I''m a Cleric and level 2 at that. Amazing, right?"


    "What nonsense is this!" Before Gentle Wind could even respond, herpanion had interrupted her.


    "Autumn Breeze, remain polite." Gentle Wind lightly chided her. Though based on her tone, it was evident that Gentle Wind was skeptical of this arrangement as well, but can''t voice it out.


    Thus, having Autumn Breeze interrupting and making a scene would be better.


    And having received her signal, Autumn Breeze proceeded with her actions, stepping forward.


    "Your Boss received the payment from us already, but not only did your Boss fail to show up, they even sent a level 2 Cleric. Are you trying to mess with us?" She snorted coldly.


    As if he had expected such amotion from the start, Xu Feng merely kept his cool and slowly retrieved a few Fire Resistance Potions.


    "The current market for the Fire Resistance Potions is sky high right now. Even with enough funds, you might not even be able to obtain them. And what I have right here is a superior version than the ones you see in the Auction Market. So tell me, does it look like we''ll use such high-quality potions as a joke?" Xu Feng questioned back, deflecting Autumn Breeze''s doubts.


    Seeing was better than hearing, and now that they witnessed Xu Feng retrieving the genuine Fire Resistance Potions, their doubts gradually lowered significantly.


    "Do you mind if I inspect one of them?" Gentle Wind softly asked.


    "Be my guest," Xu Feng smirked and allowed Gentle Wind to inspect each of the potions he had brought out.


    Sure enough, once Gentle Wind finished reading the description andparing it to the one she had managed to purchase previously, the difference was clear.


    The ones that Xu Feng revealed were superior and greater than the ones listed in the Auction Market.


    A few minutester, Xu Feng''s voice broke the silent atmosphere. "I suppose no one else should have any doubts that we''re trying to mess around, right?"


    Although Autumn Breeze wished to speak further, Gentle Wind signaled her to stand down. Nothing could be more concrete than the set of potionsid tly in her eyes.


    "The effects and duration of the potions you brought are indeed superior." Gentle Wind admitted the genuineness of it.


    "Heh, I''m d we managed to get that cleared." Xu Feng sped his hands together and asked, "The Scorched Caverns only allow 20 yers maximum, so how many yers are you bringing along with their sses."


    Nodding her head, Gentle Wind began to give a brief report of her arrangement.


    "Aside from you being a Cleric, we have another 2 yers. Followed by 6 Sorcerers, 1 Summoner, 4 Berserkers, 2 Assassins, 1 Gun Knight, 1 Knight Lancer, and 2 Gunners."


    Hearing the list, Xu Feng couldn''t help but shake his head repeatedly.


    There were simply too many varieties in the sses, and some of them could even be a burden.


    "This arrangement is no good, Gentle Wind." Xu Feng gave his honest opinion on this matter.


    "Assassins are not needed in this dungeon, so having them is a waste of slots. 1 Gunner is enough considering we have 6 Sorcerers already. I suggest allocating the remaining members to 3 Gun Knights, 2 Knight Lancers." He added, inputting his own desired arrangement.


    In his suggestion, there will now be 3 Clerics, 6 Sorcerers, 1 Summoner, 4 Berserkers, 3 Gun Knights, 2 Knight Lancers, and 1 Gunner, making up a total of 20 slots.


    Naturally, conflicts were bound to rise when Xu Feng essentially eliminated the Assassins yers, causing them to be livid.


    "What nonsense are you saying? Don''t you know Assassins are proficient in dealing with traps? Or are you trying to say you can detect them better?" One of the Assassins retorted, clearly finding the new arrangement to be ridiculous.

 Chapter 38: Team Leader

    <h4>Chapter 38: Team Leader</h4>


    Amotion urred, especially among Gentle Wind''s Assassin yers, who were clearly displeased about being eliminated solely because of their sses.


    Not to mention, it was eliminated because of an outsider, Xu Feng. To them, it was like a p in their face.


    Just before the conflicts could expand further, Gentle Wind quickly waved her hands, prompting her members to settle down.


    She didn''t believe the person was trying to cause a conflict and should have their own reason for such an arrangement.


    "Uhh¡ª" Right as she was about to call him, she suddenly realized she hadn''t gotten thetter''s name yet.


    "Lin Feng, you can call me that." As if realizing her predicament, Xu Feng gave his in-game name to her.


    After all, once the first clear achievement was achieved, the announcement would be broadcast in the local region regardless if he wanted to or not. At that time, his in-game name would be exposed anyway, so it was best to be honest ande up with another alias for the "mysterious yer" persona.


    "Okay, Lin Feng, do you have a reason for such changes?" Gentle Wind asked.


    "It''s not that I want toin, but the Assassins are required to search for the traps hidden in the Scorched Caverns. Without them, it would be hard to navigate and advance forward, especially when the traps areid randomly with each new attempt."


    "I understand your concern, Gentle Wind. However, there''s obviously a reason why I made such an arrangement." Xu Feng raised his hand up and said, prompting her to stop persuading him.


    His tone of speech was quite evident for Gentle Wind toprehend that he didn''t wish to divulge the reason.


    Pondering over the options, Gentle Wind sighed softly in the end.


    With the contract serving as the foundation, she didn''t suspect thetter of trying to sabotage them. After all, thepensation for breaching it was extremely heavy.


    "Since you wanted such an arrangement then so be it. Though we might have to wait a little longer." Gentle Wind calmly said.


    "Guild Leader??!" The rest of the Assassin yers were stunned on the spot when they heard their leader agreeing to the outsider. They tried to rebuke it but were reprimanded instead.


    "Enough!"


    Gentle Wind''s expression turned stern as she red at the Assassin yers, causing them to close their mouths and lower their heads.


    "Am I the guild leader here or are you the guild leader?" She then asked coldly, feeling ashamed of her members for such a disy.


    She was the guild leader, and these were the members. In situations like this, they should just oblige to hermand without uttering a singleint.


    Otherwise, weren''t their actions equivalent to demonstrating her authority was constantly being challenged from an outsider''s perspective?


    "Go and level up on your own while I call for the others!" Gentle Windmanded.


    The Assassin yers didn''t dare to make a sound as they vanished from the scene, activating their stealth skills.


    "Sorry for the shameful disy, Lin Feng." Once the Assassins left, Gentle Wind softly apologized to Xu Feng.


    "No need for the apology, Gentle Wind." Xu Feng shook his head, clearly not minding the reaction.


    "If I were them, I would have probably done the same since I''m an outsider and haven''t even proved any of my abilities yet. It''s natural to feel discontent and irritated."


    Toward that statement, Gentle Wind merely shed a soft smile, unwilling to respond to it.


    The statement might seem polite at first nce, but there was a hidden meaning in them. The meaning was no different than saying her members were immature and failed to think before they talked or acted.


    ''Although hateful, he''s reminding me to pay more attention to the chain ofmand.'' Gentle Wind thought to herself, realizing a substantial w in her guild members.


    A few minutester, Gentle Wind began calling for other yers that Xu Feng had requested.


    By the time she finished, she asked, "I supposed you''re going to act as the team leader and do themanding, right?"


    Xu Feng nodded his head. If they were going toplete the Hell Mode difficulty, he needed full control of the team''s movement and actions.


    With the Team Leader position decided upon Xu Feng, Autumn Breeze, Steelshot, and some other members were quite displeased.


    Nevertheless, they remained silent, having witnessed a prime example of the punishment for speaking out of line.


    "Anyway, I want to ask if you''re willing to join my guild, Silver Wind, temporarily. I want this first clear achievement to be fully disyed as our guild." Gentle Wind asked, knowing her request was somewhat presumptuous.


    "Hmm, that''s a bit difficult." Xu Feng tilted his head slightly, acting as if he was ced in an awkward situation.


    "I know it''s a bit too much to ask for you, but I don''t mindpensating you for the trouble." She quickly said, clearly afraid he would reject her request.


    After all, the contract use never stated he had to join their guild.


    Therefore, it was presumptuous of her to request such a thing, but she realized the importance of this matter now when it was revealed the dungeon they would be doing was the Hell Mode difficulty and not the Easy Mode difficulty.


    An Easy Mode difficultypletion would garner some poprity, but it was worthless whenpared to the Hell Mode difficulty¡ª especially when it was a guild thatpleted it.


    So long as the announcement disyed their guild name only, it was a guaranteed increased fame and many yers would request to join their guild in response.


    "Sigh, if you are adamant like that, then I need to contact my Boss about it. I have no authority over this." Xu Feng feigned an exhaustive tone, opening his private message as he pretended to be contacting his imaginary "boss".


    "Thank you, and you can tell your boss that money is definitely not a problem." Gentle Wind smiled, appreciating him for rying the message on her behalf. It was better to have him message than her doing it personally.

 Chapter 39: Zhao Kai’s Decision

    <h4>Chapter 39: Zhao Kai¡¯s Decision</h4>


    Some time had passed by, and with Xu Feng meticulously pretending to contact himself, the new agreement was promptly made.


    Gentle Wind would increase the payment by 10,000 dors and with each increment of 100 yers she managed to recruit within 1 week of the achievement obtained, she would pay an additional 1,000 dors.


    In return, Xu Feng would join her guild, Silver Wind temporarily and give her all the credits for the achievement.


    Signing the contract on behalf of his "boss", Xu Feng chuckled softly. "My boss told me to ry this: happy cooperation."


    "Happy cooperation to you as well." Gentle Wind smiled, feeling like a heavy stone had lifted from her body.


    The money was no problem to her. In fact, she was rtively surprised that the other party didn''t care about the achievement and seemed more focused on the money.


    There were times she even began to suspect the other party was a poor person, but that thought was quickly submerged.


    After all, she can''t fathom how a poor person could manipte the market and create such a frenzy right at the early stages of the game. Not to mention, the production of the Fire Resistance Potions was still a mystery.


    The Game Forum was practically about to be ripped apart with so many yers discussing the origin of such potions.


    While the two were discussing in harmony about what they would do in the dungeon, Autumn Breeze began whispering with Steelshot.


    "Psst, don''t you think our guild leader is acting quite weird this time?" Autumn Breeze asked. "We haven''t even stepped foot in the dungeon, but the guild leader seemed so confident that we will seed."


    Steelshot nodded his head in agreement. "Agreed, so many people such as Herald Fist have failed the Easy Mode difficulty already. But we''re going to be tackling the Hell Mode difficulty. I''m already betting that we will experience the death penalty already."


    "Anyway, that person called himself Lin Feng, so do you have any information regarding him yet?" Autumn Breeze asked, finding thetter to be overly suspicious.


    He was merely a Cleric and a level 2 at that, yet he was acting like some big shot. Without even properly introducing himself, he already decided to make the changes in their arrangement.


    Just what kind of person does that?


    Meanwhile, Steelshot shook his head helplessly as he tried to ask a few of his friends to investigate, only to end up with a "who" in response.


    "Unfortunately, we don''t have many details regarding him, Autumn Breeze. It seems like he had just recently appeared in Riverwood Town since there are no records of him ying monsters in the forest either."


    "Tsk, so pretentious!" Autumn Breeze clicked her tongue, clearly disappointed by the result.


    "Whatever, if he''s really just clowning around, I''ll make sure to give him a taste of my fury. How dare he waste the guild leader''s time!" She crackled her fist and sneered evilly.


    Although Steelshot didn''t say anything, his expression was obvious that he would join in with her to make Xu Feng pay the price if he was just showboating.


    Time slowly passed by, and Xu Feng officially epted the guild invitation to join Silver Wind when the rest of Gentle Wind''s members arrived on the scene.


    System: You have joined Silver Wind Guild!


    ''Did it really need a system prompt for this?'' Maybe it was because it was his first guild, so the system made a prompt, or maybe a part of his memory simply didn''t wish to remember this.


    After all, he was no different than a hunting dog with that notification back then.


    "Alright, we''re ready." Gentle Wind''s words snapped him out of his daze.


    Simply nodding his head in response, Xu Feng allowed Gentle Wind to take the lead. It was discussed the Team Leader position would be him, but that would be showcased in the dungeon.


    Currently, on the surface, he would need to act as a mere guild member of hers.


    From the perspective of others, Gentle Wind was themander or leader who would personally lead her guild members to victory, garnering all the fame and reputation whatnot.


    This worked heavily in Xu Feng''s favor anyway since he didn''t wish to be put in the spotlight¡ª at least not at the moment.


    Gentle Wind''s influence was great and her backing seemed sufficient enough to handle the pressure, but the same can''t be applied to him.


    ''Oh Zhao Kai, hopefully, your dumb brain can finally be enlightened and join the game soon. I need some more manpower to continue my mysterious persona y.'' Xu Feng prayed silently, hoping he would join soon.


    With Zhao Kai on board, there were many things he could delegate to him instead, essentially working him to death.


    As Xu Feng was having such malicious thoughts, back in the real world, Zhao Kai, who had left the schoolpetition in a fit of rage suddenly felt a cold shiver.


    "What the hell?" Zhao Kai swallowed a mouthful of saliva, feeling his arms that seemed to have some goosebumps.


    "Who''s thinking evil of me?" He murmured, finding the sudden chill to be a bit creepy.


    s, after brooding it over and finding zero clues, he scratched his head and proceeded to touch the virtual helmet that he had recently purchased.


    "It''s all Feng''s fault! Had he not ditched thepetitionpletely, I wouldn''t have been ridiculed and gotten angry. Now I even bought this expensive ass helmet. Ugh, my food money is gone now." Zhao Kai teared up in pain at the loss of precious money.


    If only he hadn''t been influenced by Xu Feng, then he wouldn''t have garnered such thoughts and be so impulsive.


    Too bad there was no going back since he tried to refund the virtual helmet right away but was told he was only going to receive half the money he used to purchase it.


    "Tsk, I y this damn game then. I''ll beat Feng up in the game since I still haven''t repaid him for that p." Fumed with rage, Zhao Kai swiftly put the virtual helmet on as he began his journey in the Divine World.

 Chapter 40: OneManMedia

    <h4>Chapter 40: OneManMedia</h4>


    While Zhao Kai had made up his mind to join the hyped game, Divine World, Xu Feng, Gentle Wind, and along with the rest of her members arrived at the entrance of the dungeon.


    Upon their arrival, the nearby yers were instantly attracted by them. Some were admiring Gentle Wind''s beauty, while some were reporting the situation back to their respective leaders.


    "Hey look, isn''t that Gentle Wind? Ahh, just look at her beauty. I will die to just stand next to her~"


    "Save it ugly bitch. With your looks and mediocre skills, do you think you even have a chance?"


    "Fuck, you can''t even let me daydream a bit in a game?"


    "Yeah, if I let you continue, then I''ll be disgusted to even be your friend. Be realistic and ept your single life man. Also, I need to start posting this big news in the forum. I might get many likes andments this time with Gentle Wind finally joining in on the fun."


    "You are not my brother!"


    Although most of the yers were whispering among themselves, there tended to be a few folks who were beyond shameless and had no intention of whispering.


    "You''re quite the popr person, Gentle Wind." Xu Fengplimented, praising her ability to attract such attention right from the start without doing much.


    "Surely you must be joking, Lin Feng." Gentle Wind chuckled softly. "If I truly had such ability, then why hadn''t you been charmed by me already?"


    "Haha..." Xu Fengughed awkwardly at the joke she threw at him.


    Naturally, she didn''t intend to charm him but was merely talking about how he didn''t react like those male yers earlier. And probably because of this Gentle Wind actually gave him quite a good amount of respect.


    Since he didn''t turn lewd or lustful despite seeing her and was able to remain calm and concise with his objective in their interactions, she viewed him in a good light.


    Including with his somewhat awkwardughter in response to her teasing, Gentle Wind was more reassured.


    She had witnessed too many men attempting to act aloof and cold to catch her attention, but they all failed miserably. With a single nce and her intuition, she could sense these men were all filled with nefarious intent toward her beauty.


    "Alright, I won''t tease you any further, lest it might raise suspicions." She chuckled softly.


    Xu Feng nodded his head but gave some advice as well. "If you''re trying to gather attention, I suggest you announce your objective to everyone here. After all, announcing your objective and actually seeding in it would be more explosive than announcing itter on."


    The difference between the two was merely the announcement time, but the effect one would receive was vastly different.


    To announce your objective beforehand would cause others to be more frantic once you seeded because it showcased your guild''s ability and manpower are miles ahead of others.


    Pondering for a moment and finding him to be correct logically, Gentle Wind couldn''t help but change her evaluation of him.


    "Are you secretly a guild manager, Lin Feng? You seemed quite adept in these types of situations." She half-jokingly and half-seriously asked, clearly intrigued by his foresight.


    "Just somemon sense." Xu Feng pointed his finger on his brain, tapping it slightly.


    s, his actions somewhat infuriated those behind him, having mistaken his words for jabbing them forcking suchmon sense.


    ''Tsk, what a poser!'' Autumn Breeze thought to herself. ''Just you wait and see. If you fail and make us lose face, then we''ll definitely thrash you to no end.''


    While Autumn Breeze was ready to retaliate at any given moment, Gentle Wind took upon Xu Feng''s advice as she stepped toward the center.


    "Hello, everyone." Gentle Wind waved her hand and shed a graceful smile, causing the nearby yers to nearly faint.


    Her actions were equivalent to a famous celebrity who suddenly greeted her beloved fans with a warm and graceful smile.


    One could just imagine how explosive the reaction would be in such a scene.


    "I''m sure some of you are just here for fun, while some of you are anchoring for your respective guilds or teams. But I''m here to make an announcement first. My guild, Silver Wind, will achieve the first clear achievement." She announced, exuding an air of confidence.


    "As expected, Gentle Wind is going to attempt the Scorched Caverns as well for the achievement!"


    "Hmm, Herald Fist had already failed miserably and he''s still going to make another attempt once he finishes his preparation. Is this going to turn into a guildpetition soon? Tyrant Fist versus Silver Wind: the rush for the first clear achievement!"


    Seeing the yers'' reaction and how they believed she waspeting against Herald Fist, Gentle Wind was once again dumbfounded by Xu Feng''s foresight.


    He had already predicted some would make a connection between the two and even instructed her how to respond to it. ''Could it be he''s from the future? Just how can he predict so much?''


    "The yer who mentioned thepetition. What''s your username?" Gentle Wind kept her calm and asked.


    The yer who made thement fixed his posture and nodded his head.


    "Nice to meet you, Guild Leader Gentle Wind! I''m OneManMedia, a Swordsman ss, and I wish to ask if you are trying to increase your guild''s reputation bypeting against Herald Fist through this dungeon clearing?" OneManMedia questioned professionally, seemingly turning into a media reporter.


    ''OneManMedia... wasn''t this the person who posted in the forum regarding the mysterious yer ascending the 2nd floor in the Town Hall?'' Gentle Wind was astonished to meet with this yer here.


    After all, if it weren''t for his forum post, she wouldn''t have made it here and be acquainted with Lin Feng as well as his Boss.


    Nevertheless, Gentle Windposed herself rather quickly and smiled brightly.


    "You''ve asked quite a good question, OneManMedia. However, I must correct one thing. I''m notpeting against Herald Fist, given that we''re not even in the same stage. I''m going to be clearing the Hell Mode difficulty."

 Chapter 41 Scorched Caverns

    41 Scorched Caverns


    Gentle Wind''s announcement was equivalent to a bomb, causing the entire atmosphere to turnpletely silent. Even OneManMedia has his mouth wide open, clearly astonished and stunned by the information he received. "H-H-Hell Mode difficulty???" OneManMedia nearly choked himself, clearly not anticipating this kind of explosive announcement from Gentle Wind. "Yes, the Hell Mode difficulty, and not the Easy Mode difficulty. Thus, your question is a bit wrong since we''re not evenpeting for the same thing." Her confirmation caused the nearby yers to go into an uproar.


    "What the hell? This is unreal, right?" "Herald Fist is attempting Easy Mode, but Gentle Wind was like: Nah, too easy, I''m going for Hell Mode!" "Wait, what if Gentle Wind fails? Wouldn''t she be aughing stock?" "Fuck, who dares tough at my goddess? Even if she fails, she still has the courage that no one else does. Who else but Gentle Wind would attempt Hell Mode and announce it with such confidence?" As the yers started going into a frenzy, with some actively sending private messages left and right, Gentle Wind knew the effect she desired had been achieved.


    Just as she prepared to turn around and begin the dungeon, OneManMedia asked discreetly, "Wait a minute, Guild Leader Gentle Wind. May I know if there is a reason for your overwhelming confidence in seeding?" Unlike most yers, OneManMedia seemed to have noticed a critical point and was eager to find the answer from her. Surprised, Gentle Wind merely shed a smile, refusing to answer the question. As if she would be foolish enough to reveal such a secret to others. She spent so much money to secure this and somewhat monopolize this. Yet they want this kind of information for free? Dream on!


    Scratching his head slightly, OneManMedia wasn''t disappointed by theck of response. If it was so easy to obtain information, then he wouldn''t havee here to gather news personally. ''Either way, it''s safe to say Gentle Wind has a hidden trump card that other team leaders and guild leaders don''t have.'' OneManMedia thought, excited by this information. Meanwhile, Gentle Wind returned to her team and asked, "Everyone''s ready now, right?" "Yes, Guild Leader!" Everyone shouted in unison, including Xu Feng, lest others might suspect him. His integration into her members was smooth and refined, nearly fooling Gentle Wind as well for mistaking him as a real guild member. ''Why can''t I have a subordinate like this as well?'' Gentle Wind was feeling envious of the mysterious person in her private message. To be able to have such a subordinate was every leader''s dream. Shaking her head, she knew it was pointless to brood over this matter as she began to select the Hell Mode difficulty. System: You have selected the Hell Mode difficulty with 19 other members. Do you confirm with the listed information? 19 other members were listed in another system prompt, and after reviewing it twice, Gentle Wind confirmed the information. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Soon, a blinding white light shrouded her, Xu Feng, and the rest of the members.


    By the time they regained their visions, they were greeted by an eerily scenery as well as a system message.


    System: You''ve entered Hell Mode in the Scorched Caverns! Defeat the boss, Inferno Tyrant! All stats are reduced by 20% due to intense heat. Debuffs increased by 10%.


    The Scorched Caverns were a rugged and unforgiving environment, characterized by searing heat and the ominous glow of moltenva. The air was thick with the smell of sulfur, and the ground beneath their feet was cracked and parched.


    Lava flows had carved intricate patterns into the rocky walls, casting an eerie orange light across the caverns. asionally, pockets of molten rock bubbled and spewed forth, creating small geysers of fire that dotted thendscape. The heat was oppressive, causing beads of sweat to form on yers'' brows as they navigated the treacherous terrain.


    "Quickly consume the Fire Resistance Potions that were allocated to you." It was at this time, Xu Feng''s voice brought the rest to their attention. They had never attempted the dungeon, afraid of the penalty as well as Gentle Wind''s instruction to focus on leveling up. This was their first time experiencing such a realistic environment that affected them wholeheartedly, hence they were in a daze. Luckily with Xu Fneg''s reminder, they didn''t have their status affected too much. "Just like we agreed before, I''ll takemand. And whoever doesn''t listen to me and causes us to fail, the responsibility is on you, Gentle Wind. Is that clear?" He turned to her and asked solemnly. It was as if his persona hadpletely changed, turning into a fierce and dominating leader. The sudden change was so unexpected that it nearly caused Gentle Wind to falter as well.


    Nodding her head in agreement, Gentle Wind also held a solemn expression as she turned toward her members. "You best listen and not question a thing. Our guild reputation lies in this venture." She warned sternly. "Yes, guild leader!" Every member fixed their posture and responded seriously. Satisfied, she gave a simple nod to Xu Feng, indicating that the stage was his now.


    "Okay, Autumn Breeze, you''re a summoner so I''m going to need you to use your level 1 skill, Lesser Elemental, to bait the enemies." Xu Feng instructed. However, he wasn''t finished as he continued to instruct the others regarding their respective roles. "Berserkers, Gun Knights, the two sses will remain at the front at all times to defend. As for Knight Lancers, you will stay in the rear to protect the Sorcerers. For the other two Clerics, your only job is a heal bot, healing whoever I said to heal. You are not allowed to heal if I don''t say anything." He added, being extra fierce toward the Clerics. Once he finished that arrangement and was ready tomence the operation, Steelshot suddenly raised his hand and asked, "But what about me?" Being a Gunner, Steelshot thought he was going to shine, but never did he expect Xu Feng topletely forget about him.


    Xu Feng stared at Steelshot for a few seconds before saying, "You''re useless for now. Just stay in the center group and be protected like a docile vase!"

 Chapter 42 Mission

    42 Mission


    When Steelshot heard that he was beingbeled as a docile vase and useless, the first thing he wanted to do was rage up. s, Xu Feng''s next statement drenched his rage dry. "If you continue to stall for time and ask such unnecessary questions, then I suppose you must be a spy, right? Otherwise, what is your intention in interrupting me?" "I''m not a spy!" Steelshot quickly retorted, afraid that others might really believe in his nonsense. "Then stay in the center group and shut your mouth!" Xu Feng wanted to roll his eyes at this person. The duration of the potion was already dwindling yet he still dared to ask such a dumb question. Was he trying to mess with him? Seeing the situation was somewhat festering, Gentle Wind red at Steelshot, clearly warning him to just listen and not dy them. Although she wasn''t quite pleased with the tone usage from Xu Feng, she understood there must have been a reason for his arrangement. After all, it seemed like he knew the dungeon quite well. She even began to wonder if his level was so low was due to him entering the dungeon repeatedly to investigate and receiving a harsh penalty in the process. Meanwhile, Steelshot grudgingly walked toward the center group and did his role as a "docile vase". As humiliating as it was, he didn''t dare to argue further, especially with Gentle Wind''s stare. He was truly afraid of being kicked out of the guild under the suspicion of a spy when he was not.


    ''Where''s the justice for Gunner? How can I be useless when I can deal tons of DPS?'' Steelshot cried inwardly. DPS which stood for damage per second was critical when fighting bosses or monsters because the more damage output you dealt, the faster they would die. Thus, he can''tprehend the reason Xu Feng chose not to utilize him when he could output damage just as much as the Sorcerers. s, Xu Feng had no intention of exining every little detail to them, especially with how much time was wasted with that small banter. "Everyone follows me closely behind," Xu Feng took the front position, astonishing the others. After all, he was a Cleric, meaning he was an easy target, extremely vulnerable to monsters'' attacks. Nevertheless, nobody dared to utter a voice ofint when they noticed Gentle Wind keeping silent. "Be cautious not to step 5 meters away from my circumference position. Otherwise, you might trigger a trap and alert most of the monsters here." Xu Feng warned, treading each step carefully. ''Ugh, feeling this intense heat and the structure really reminds me of the terrible days.'' He cursed silently, feeling nauseous at this dungeon which he had been forced to attempt over and over again to finish the detailed report. Though he can''t say it didn''t help him now since he knew where the traps''youts were based on the dungeon structure. What Gentle Wind said previously regarding the traps being random was actually incorrect. It wasn''t that the traps were random, but the fact that each dungeon structure offered different trap cement. Most won''t realize this in the early stages because their minds are too upied with killing monsters and attempting to clear the dungeon. Therefore, they would miss out on trivial details regarding the structure of the dungeon. The differences in them were quite minimalistic to say, and only if one scrutinized and studied them properly would they recognize the changes. Advancing for a few more steps, Xu Feng raised his hand, signaling the rest behind him to halt their movements. "Is there something wrong?" Gentle Wind spoke up and asked in concern. They had barely advanced much and yet they were signaled to stop. Hence, she became concerned and wondered if something had gone wrong. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "It''s not that there''s something wrong, but those monsters are Searing Specters." Xu Feng responded, pointing at the creatures ahead. Following his pointing, Gentle Wind noticed a few flickering mes, their forms wavering and shifting like the heat haze rising from moltenva.


    "Those are monsters?" She gasped in shock, clearly not imagining those flickering mes that had blended in with the environment to be monsters. There wasn''t even an indication of a red HP bar above their head. Normally, monsters would have a ring red HP bar on top of their head to indicate to yers that they are monsters. "Just because there''s no HP bar on them doesn''t mean they aren''t monsters. You have to remember this is Hell Mode difficulty and not your walk-in-the-park dungeon." Xu Feng softly warned. In future updates, monsters will no longer be easily indicated for the yers and they need to rely on their intuition to determine which are the monsters. After all, some monsters are friendly and could possibly give out mission quests as well. To make things even moreplicated, some of these monsters could have good diplomatic rtionships with NPCs, and you would be in deep water for assaulting one. "Anyway, they are extremely troublesome because they can easily alert our presence to every other monster with their unique ability, Infernal Vignce." He exined. With this ability, they act as vignt sentinels of the Scorched Caverns, their spectral essence attuned to the slightest disturbances in the environment. When intruders approach, the Searing Specters emit an eerie wail that reverberates throughout the caverns, alerting nearby monsters to the presence of enemies. To simplify things, they are the so-called watchdogs. "What''s with all this pointless talking? We can just kill them all no matter how many arrive. We''re just wasting time here while the duration of the potion is decreasing still." Autumn Breeze suddenly interrupted, feeling that Xu Feng was being overly cautious and extra. From the start, it had been him leading and there were zero fights. In fact, they couldn''t even move a bit further away from him, lest he would scold them.


    "Autumn Breeze, I know your mind isn''t that bright, and you have a grudge against me. But can you read the system mission again for the dungeon?" Xu Feng asked sarcastically. "The mission is to defeat the boss, Inferno Tyrant, and not some other monsters."

 Chapter 43: Searing Specters

    Upon being ridiculed by Xu Feng''s statement, Autumn Breeze''s face flushed with redness.


    To be told that she was not only ignorant of the main objective but was also insulted for her not-so-bright mind, she truly wanted to give him a punch to the face.


    It was just a shame that she couldn''t rebuke him since what he said madeplete sense. The system mission indeed only stated the defeat of Inferno Tyrant and nothing else.


    Realizing she was at a disadvantage, Autumn Breeze could only grumble lightly and kept her mouth shut, unwilling to speak up again.


    Who knows if Xu Feng would scold her again?


    It would have been beyond humiliating to be scolded repeatedly¡ª in front of her fellow guild members no less.


    Not even Gentle Wind would scold her so harshly and directly like this.


    "Anyway, how do you think we should proceed?" Gentle Wind calmly asked, paying no mind to the farce.


    Being a guild leader was naturally taxing to one''s mentality, having to manage many members. Thus, she had gotten used to members having disputes among others.


    "No need to worry too much. It''s just a little troublesome and we can easily surpass this obstacle if someone can listen to mymand well."


    As Xu Feng finished his sentence, he turned his attention to Autumn Breeze, his intention being quite clear as to who he was referring to.


    "..."


    Autumn Breeze frowned slightly as she twitched her mouth. "I''m not incapable of following directions, okay."


    "Good, because whether this will be easy or difficult depends on your performance. No pressure." Xu Feng shrugged.


    Gritting her teeth, Autumn Breeze vowed to follow his direction to the tee, ensuring he wouldn''t get any excuse if it failed.


    "You can rest assured, so long as you make themand, I''ll oblige it." She told him seriously.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng was satisfied that his provocation worked.


    By provoking her in this manner, the percentage of failure decreased substantially.


    After all, she wouldn''t want to detour from hismand unless she wanted him to have another chance to reprimand her.


    "First, activate your Lesser Elementalist." Hemanded.


    Without even bothering to question, Autumn Breeze summoned a Lesser Elementalist. The Lesser Elementalist materialized as a spectral figure, its form flickering with ethereal mes.


    Its body appeared humanoid,posed of swirling fire and ash, with fiery eyes that zed with intensity. Wisps of smoke trailed behind it, leaving a trail of smoldering embers in its wake.


    "Alright, now navigate your Lesser Elementalist to approach closer to the Searing Specters." Xu Feng instructed.


    Although worried about being discovered with such action, Autumn Breeze still controlled her Lesser Elementalist.


    Just right when the Lesser Elementalist subtly attracted the attention of the Searing Specters, Xu Fengmanded her to unsummon.


    Thankfully, her reaction speed was quite fast and unsummoned Lesser Elementalist.


    Nevertheless, she held a scornful expression at Xu Feng, believing he was messing with her.


    ''First, you ask me to summon it and then de-summon it. Just what do you want to do?'' She screamed internally, wanting to ask these questions but refrained from doing so.


    Though it wasn''t needed when everyone else began to notice the Searing Specters acting weird. They seemed somewhat confused, swirling left and right with no precise directions.


    It was at this moment that Xu Feng signaled for the Sorcerers to be ready.


    "When those Searing Specters stop moving, immediately unleash your Lighting Arc at mymand. Split into a team of 2, and remember, the interval is around 5 seconds, so ensure you don''t mess up." He warned sternly, his eyes focusing on the swirling movement of the Searing Specters.


    With Xu Feng focused entirely on the Searing Specters, Gentle Wind quickly assigned a team of 2, with 3 Sorcerers on each side.


    At the same time, Gentle Wind was paying more attention to the actions of Xu Feng.


    Unlike most yers who would simply rush forward and kill monsters, Xu Feng was cautious and meticulous. He was unwilling to alert the monsters or exert too much of his team''s stamina.


    And maybe if it wasn''t because of her members'' constant distrust of him, forcing him to exin most things, they would have advanced quite far by now.


    ''It seems like I need to discipline them further. They have been toox and filled with quite the ego.'' Gentle Wind eximed inwardly, feeling ashamed of her terrible insight into how fragile her members were.


    Just a few sentences or actions were enough to irritate them.


    How could one manage a guild when their members are so easily manipted or provoked?


    "Now! Fire your Lighting Arc!" Xu Fengmanded.


    Instantaneously, Gentle Wind along with the other 5 Sorcerers fired their Lighting Arc simultaneously at their respective targets.


    Each of the 3 Sorcerers'' Lighting Arc was fired on one of the Searing Specters and the other 3 on the second one.


    The lighting shed with the Searing Specters, creating a spectacr disy of crackling energy as it arced through the air, illuminating the cavern in a dazzling array of colors.


    The Searing Specters writhed and recoiled from the onught, their ethereal forms wavering under the intense assault of magical lightning.


    Inspecting their movement closely, Xu Feng promptly activated Blinding Strike as well as Sacred Fire.


    A few secondster, the Searing Specters ceased their struggle, dissipating into particles.


    ''Phew, didn''t alert the other monsters.'' Xu Feng breathed a sigh of relief. Despite knowing the oue already, it was still a bit worrying in case something unexpected urred.


    "Alright, let''s move forward." He ordered, not giving Gentle Wind and the others a chance to question him regarding his knowledge in dealing with these Searing Specters.


    After all, the actions he did were a consecutive effect that required intensive knowledge of the monster and when to act upon it. It might have looked simple and easy on the surface, but just a slight miscalction would have resulted in disaster.


    Time slowly passed by, and Xu Feng finally led the team safely to a passage with three different directions.


    ''Herees the annoying part.'' Xu Feng sighed inwardly, feeling exhausted at this particr process.

 Chapter 44: Baiting Strategy

    Facing three different directions avable for pathing, Xu Feng wanted to curse the person who developed the terrain.


    No matter which path you chose, it would all lead to a dead-end¡ª well somewhat of a dead-end.


    He called it a dead-end because there would be monsters appearing that were out of their league temporarily.


    Although still kible, the time consumed on killing would be tremendous, meaning he would have to cough up more Fire Resistance Potion for them.


    To be forced to consume another one was something Xu Feng was unwilling to do.


    After all, the potions aren''t just useful in the Scorched Caverns but can be useful in many other ces as well.


    "There are three passages here. What route should we take, Lin Feng?" Gentle Wind asked softly.


    Rubbing his chin softly and turning his attention to her, Xu Feng suddenly detected Steelshot from the side.


    ''Right, he''s a Gunner¡­'' His lips curled upward as he stared intensely at Steelshot.


    Meanwhile, Steelshot felt a chill running down his spine when he realized Xu Feng was staring at him.


    He might not have been able to see his expression since Xu Feng was still wearing a mask, but he could somehow sense a malicious smile was being shed upon him.


    ''What does this bastard want now?'' Steelshot wondered silently. ''Stop staring at me and look away. I didn''t even go against your instruction and stayed in my position obediently.''


    "Steelshot!" Xu Feng suddenly called out, prompting thetter to nearly have a nervous breakdown.


    "W-What is it?" Steelshot asked, albeit somewhat cautiously.


    "Earlier you said I forgot about you, so now I''m giving you a chance to shine." He replied courteously.


    s, his courteous tone was equivalent to a devil''s whisper to the current Steelshot. After witnessing the crazy ordeal and how Xu Feng dealt with the Searing Specters so efficiently, he was now afraid of him.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration that he would meet his demise once Xu Feng decided to target him specifically.


    "You must be kidding, Senior Lin Feng." Steelshotughed awkwardly.


    "I''m just a small character, and am willing to remain put in the center group." He added, going as far as using honorific to address him now.


    No one else within the team med Steelshot for his change of attitude.


    None of these people here were fools and had been ying numerous virtual games before the release of Divine World.


    Thus, they knew exactly how fearsome and terrifying Xu Feng''s ability was with that wless fight. To urately calcte and predict the enemy''s actions in a split second was no easy matter.


    "Hmm, are you trying to waste my time again, dear Steelshot?" Xu Feng questioned.


    "Come over here so we can proceed further." He instructed.


    Steelshot wanted to refuse, but when he noticed his fellowrades, especially those Berserkers and Gun Knights from the front, stepped aside to create an open path for him.


    He wanted to swear at them. ''Traitors!! You all are goddamn traitors! Why are you pushing me to my death?''


    Without a way to retreat, Steelshot swallowed a mouthful of saliva as he attempted to gather his courage, and walked toward Xu Feng.


    Once Steelshot was in front of him, Xu Feng patted his shoulder and said, "You''re courageous, Steelshot. As a Gunner, you have the highest agility among us here, so you will be given a very important job."


    Before Steelshot could even react, Xu Feng turned around and pointed at the right passage.


    "Go over there and attract aggro from the monster. I believe in you and your survivability."


    "..."


    Attracting aggro was a game terminology that meant the yer would actively seek and provoke the monster into targeting them only.


    And usually, these types of action are done by Warrior sses in Divine World, given they can withstand several hitspared to other sses.


    Hence, being assigned such a job when he was a Gunner, Steelshot had the impulse to fire a bullet at Xu Feng.


    However, what pained him deeply was the fact that he didn''t hear a single rebuke from his fellowrades.


    He even turned to Autumn Breeze, seeking assistance, but she merely tilted her head sideways, clearly ignoring his plea.


    ''Didn''t we agree to be in a pact against him, Autumn Breeze? Why did you ditch me?'' Steelshot cried inwardly.


    "Alright, stop wasting time, big boy. We''ve got work to do!" Xu Feng suddenly said, going behind Steelshot and kicking him in the butt, propelling him forward to the right passage.


    Despite feeling a somewhat pained sensation in his butt, Steelshot''s emotions were more damaged, having received full-blown emotional damage.


    Discarded and betrayed by his fellowrades, Steelshot could only cry bitterly in his heart as he ventured deep into the right passage.


    As Steelshot''s presence slowly vanished from the dark passage, Gentle Wind asked, "Are you getting revenge on him for the earlier instance?"


    "If I''m going to be petty, then I wouldn''t have done just this, Gentle Wind." Xu Feng responded casually.


    "As a Gunner, his agility stat is higher than us all, so his survivability is naturally higher. Also, we need to save as much mana as possible. By sending Steelshot alone, he alone would help save the 19 of us from depleting our mana." He added, exining his actions to her.


    Nodding her head in understanding, Gentle Wind realized she seemed to have misunderstood him.


    However, she quickly retracted her thoughts once she heard his next sentence.


    "Now this next action of mine is me being petty." Xu Feng chuckled menacingly.


    He turned to Autumn Breeze and ordered, "Autumn Breeze, summon two Lesser Elementalists and have them rush toward the left and middle passage respectively. Ensure that you anger them and retreat to the right passage."


    Speechless, the crowd was immensely stunned by the wickedness of Xu Feng.


    Can this even be identified as petty anymore and not murder?


    "Don''t look at me like that! This is called a baiting strategy: one for all. Steelshot''s sacrifice will be remembered in our hearts." Xu Feng patted his chest lightly, seemingly trying to glorify Steelshot''s magnanimous deed.

 Chapter 45: Wailing Noises

    Although Xu Feng''s tactic could be said to be despicable, none of the yers attempted to speak it aloud.


    Yes, it was despicable, but it was also necessary and logical. Instead of causing the entire team to have their mana severely depleted, they would only have one person now.


    And since Xu Feng had chosen Steelshot for the job, and not them, they were inwardly d.


    At the same time, they wanted to thank Steelshot for attracting Xu Feng''s pettiness, allowing them to escape this crisis.


    "Seems like no one has any objection regarding my ns." Xu Feng nodded his head after a few moments. Naturally, he expected no one toin about his n, especially when he emphasized it was done by pettiness.


    However, what they didn''t know was that he truly believed Steelshot would survive the ordeal since he buffed him with his skills during that kick.


    Blessed Protection and Blessing Valor were given to Steelshot. Additionally, his arrangement of having Autumn Breeze attract the other two monsters in the passage was to assist him instead.


    Most yers always seemed to have a misconception of a dungeon containing monsters that attack yers only. But what they didn''t know, monsters among each other in the same dungeon could also be enemies.


    This was the reason why Xu Feng had no hesitation in throwing Steelshot in the open whilst giving an excuse to conceal this critical information.


    When the time came for the questioning, he would merely feign ignorance and praise Steelshot''s great fortune for escaping death.


    He only had a business contract with Gentle Wind, and not some kind of good rtionship. As if he would divulge so much important information to her for free.


    ''Step 1 and step 2 are done. Now the final step is merely the Inferno Tyrant boss.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, feeling satisfied by the current result.


    The spawn of the monsters was indeed randomized, and theva beasts especially are troublesome monsters, having been capable of inflicting a burn state on yers.


    Luckily, they didn''t need to confront them and avoid them with his careful movement.


    However, Xu Feng didn''t think his luck would continue when fighting the Inferno Tyrant boss.


    After all, this troublesome boss could summon its ownva beasts, and it was not something he could prevent.


    ''I''m afraid half of these people would die during the boss fight.'' He concluded in his mind.


    Time slowly passed by, and Autumn Breeze sessfully baited the monsters out of the passage, albeit with some dy as instructed by Xu Feng.


    "Remember to wait until one of the monsters enters the right passage for at least 10 seconds before bringing the second one out, Autumn Breeze." Xu Feng warned again.


    The timing was crucial here to ensure the monsters wouldn''t meet each other until they were in the right passage. Otherwise, a fight wouldmence in front of their very eyes and Xu Feng would have to give his condolences to Steelshot''s unfortunate sacrifice.


    "Stay hidden," Xu Feng ordered a swift retreat when Autumn Breeze gave him a signal.


    Sure enough, a secondter, a ferocious beast filled with magma in its body rushed out and chased after the Lesser Elementalist controlled by Autumn Breeze.


    "It''s about to die, Lin Feng." Autumn Breeze mumbled, feeling anxious.


    "Don''t worry, just ensure it''s near the entrance of the right passage before it dies." He reassured her.


    Nodding her head, Autumn Breeze did as told, and just right when it reached the entrance, the ferocious beast shed its mighty w against the Lesser Elemnenatlist.


    Afterward, it snorted coldly, hovering around before entering the right passage, mistaking it as its habitat.


    "Good job, now when''s the next one arriving?" Xu Feng praised and asked.


    "My other Lesser Elementalist is not that lucky. It died before even reaching the exit." Autumn Breeze smiled bitterly.


    Her control of her summons was clearlycking experience, so it was inevitable that she had failed. In fact, it was already nice that she seeded with one.


    Patting her shoulders softly, Xu Feng chuckled. "If it fails, then it fails. No need to brood over the matter. It''s already amazing of you to manage to aplish one of them."


    Contrary to everyone''s expectations, they didn''t expect Xu Feng topliment Autumn Breeze. Having witnessed his strict demeanor since entering the dungeon, they thought he would begin scolding her.


    "Are you being sarcastic?" Even Autumn Breeze could not help but suspect him of speaking sarcasm.


    "You overthink too much," he flicked her forehead and turned around.


    "Since two monsters are now upied in the right passage, it''s time to advance forward through the middle passage. Don''t let your fellowrade''s honor be wasted." He announced, taking the lead once again.


    As for the rest, they were somewhat speechless by his shamelessness.


    To utter something like arade''s honor without any shame when he practically forced Steelshot to be a scapegoat was unbelievable.


    "Let''s go," Gentle Wind told her members, clearly reminding them to not think about Steelshot''s situation. What had been done was done, and there was no going back anyway.


    "Yeah, it''s Steelshot''s fault for being a Gunner ss and having the highest agility among us." Autumn Breeze chimed in, causing the rest to look at her in surprise.


    You were clearly the person most against Xu Feng, but now you changed sides so easily?


    Could it be you have been brainwashed because of hispliment?


    It was just a shame that they couldn''t continue to ponder over the matter when wailing noises echoed from the right passage.


    "Sigh, I''ll treat Steelshot to a meal after this. Otherwise, he might really hold a grudge."


    "What''s the point? He''s definitely holding a grudge so just save your pocket money."


    "Hmm, you''ve got a point. To be fair, he kinda deserves it for his behavior earlier anyway."


    "Let''s stop talking and follow Lin Feng. I don''t want to be the next ''Steelshot''."


    Almost unanimously, the guild members of Gentle Wind seemed to have decided to follow Xu Feng''s direction without question.

 Chapter 46: Smooth Route

    While Xu Feng was busy inside the dungeon, Scorched Caverns, outside of the dungeon, was filled with numerous yers.


    "Is it true that Gentle Wind is tackling the Hell Mode difficulty currently?" Herald Fist roared at a nearby yer on the scene and enquired.


    "Y-Yes, Gentle Wind made the announcement and something urred when she entered the dungeon. The entrance blinked bright red three times." The unlucky yer quickly exined the situation, unwilling to be a target for Herald Fist.


    "Damn it," Herald Fist clenched his fist angrily. "How is she so confident?"


    "I think she might have stocked up a lot of the new potions that were listed in the Auction Market." Ardent Lance suddenly said, opening his Auction Market.


    "So far, there have been 10 batches sold in the Auction Market and the buyers always chose the buyout option. We only managed to buy 3 of the 10 batches sold, meaning there are 7 batches sold to unknown buyers." He exined.


    "Fuck, if it weren''t for those useless bastards that can''t even buy the silver coins fast enough in the Exchange of Currency interface, would we havecked the funds to buy them all out?" Herald Fist was frustrated, feeling overly annoyed by the situation.


    He had lots of real-world currency, but he couldn''t even purchase in-game currency fast enough thanks to other yers'' swift fingers.


    ''Are these all single yers?'' He wondered silently, having believed that was the only way they could train their fingers to be that fast. ''I''ve treated those useless bastards too well and they are now enjoying life. I''ll need to punish themter on.''


    Just as Herald Fist was thinking of punishing his ipetent subordinates, Ardent Lance suddenly eximed in shock. "Boss, someone is selling silver coins in batches again, but the asking price is too much."


    "Too much?" Herald Fist held a disdainful expression. With his wealth, how could the asking price be too much?


    Checking on the Exchange of Currency himself, Herald Fist nearly choked on his own saliva.


    "What kind of greedy bastard is this?" He shouted in a disbelief tone, scratching his head.


    The anonymous person was selling each silver coin for 15,500 dors whereas a batch of 5 silver coins for 75,000 dors,


    The prices previously were merely 1 silver coin for 1,500 dors and 5 silver coins for 6,500 dors. Yet the current asking rate was multiplied times higher than it.


    "W-We''re not forced to buy it, boss." Ardent Lance swallowed a mouthful of saliva and said. "Let this anonymous person suffer the consequences for asking such an exorbitant price. I doubt anyone would buy his silver coins."


    SLAP!


    Astonished, Ardent Lance didn''t know why he was pped by Herald Fist.


    "Fool, if I don''t buy it, and others buy it for the potions. Then what am I supposed to do? Buy it all!" Herald Fist eximed loudly.


    "I, Herald Fist, am not short of money!" He announced, making sure everyone present was able to hear him clearly.


    "Understood, boss!" Ardent Lance nodded his head and quickly purchased the silver coins, albeit with a slight heartache. This was money that he couldn''t even earn with his current sry, yet this anonymous person managed to earn it in one go.


    "They''re all purchased, boss¡ª" Ardent Lance reported, but halted himself when he saw a new batch of silver coins instantly listed up again. "Um, boss, there''s another new batch¡­"


    "..."


    Silence, Herald Fist didn''t know how much money he was going to burn this time to prevent others from having an advantage.


    "Buy them all and then camp on the Auction Market. We''ll start doing the Hell Mode Difficulty once we gather enough potions!" Gritting his teeth, Herald Fist was prepared to lose a lot of money.


    After all, everything would be worth it once he snatched the First Clear Achievement of Hell Mode difficulty. Not even for a second did he believe that Gentle Wind would be capable of such a feat.


    ''Gentle Wind is clearly making a risky bet, and she''s going to pay the price dearly once she fails miserably.'' He thought to himself.


    As Herald Fist was standing ferociously by the entrance, seemingly terrorizing the others that no one was allowed to enter the dungeon, back in the dungeon, Xu Feng suddenly halted his movement.


    "What''s the matter, Lin Feng?" Gentle Wind quickly asked, her tone somewhat cautious. Every time Xu Feng made a pause, it meant something unusual urred.


    "Oh nothing, I was just surprised by something." Xu Fengughed it off and subtly turned off the system notification temporarily regarding yers purchasing his coins and potions.


    ''What a jackpot. Some idiotic rich folks really purchased them in bulk. It was indeed nice to have Gentle Wind make the announcement and cause the others to get a sense of pressure.'' He eximed inwardly, feeling blissful to have trapped such a filthy rich idiot.


    Originally, he nned on dying the dungeon for as long as possible within the potion''s duration because he wanted others to actually purchase his listed items.


    But now that a rich fool had done it in advance, Xu Feng no longer needed to dy it.


    What was the point of bulk buying if the first clear achievement was already taken?


    There was only one of them, so even if others decided to redo it, there would be zero achievement given to them. In other words, once a guild or adventure team obtained the first clear achievement of any difficulty, it would be useless to attempt it.


    "Are you sure there''s nothing wrong?" Gentle Wind raised an eyebrow in concern.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng said, "Yeah, there''s nothing wrong and I have a feeling we''re going to have a smooth route ahead of us."


    "Smooth route?"


    "Mhmm, I think we might encounter the boss and avoid most of the fighting."


    "I-Is that so?" Although stunned by his remark, Gentle Wind didn''t n on being negative either. It would indeed be a good thing if they were going to have a smooth route after all.

 Chapter 47: Inferno Tyrant

    With most of his objectivespleted now, Xu Feng no longer dyed their journey by acting overly cautious.


    Instead, he confidently advanced forward while secretly inspecting the surroundings.


    As each inspection went on, the more confident Xu Feng was, given he was familiar with the mechanism and the monsters.


    The passage wasn''t that long and dangerous, given the monster was baited out by Autumn Breeze already. What made it difficult was the endpoint of the passage.


    At the endpoint, there would inevitably be monsters camping, and he would not be able to use any loopholes or tricks to avoid them.


    However, knowing it and divulging the information were two different things. He needed to be careful when divulging the information.


    "Alright, near the endpoint would be monsters camping there." Xu Feng turned around and exined.


    "I''ve explored the Hell Mode difficulty earlier and managed to reach the endpoint before being killed, so we must be extra careful." He added, revealing "fake" information on how he was so knowledgeable.


    "Aha, I knew it." Autumn Breeze suddenly sped her hands.


    "I knew something was fishy when you seemed quite familiar with the environment and the monsters. It all makes sense now. You''re level 2 because of the severe death penalty while exploring the dungeon, right?" She added, feeling quite proud of her deduction.


    Nodding and scratching his head, Xu Feng''s action was no different than admitting it.


    s, little did they know that the current Xu Feng wanted to lift Autumn Breeze up for such great assistance.


    ''Jeez, you really are wonderful. I''ll just let you mistakenly believe that your statement is the truth.'' He eximed inwardly.


    Thanks to Autumn Breeze''s statement, no one else, including Gentle Wind suspected him otherwise.


    After all, there was no way a person would suddenly think of a "reincarnation" possibility as the reason for him being knowledgeable.


    Thus, the only usible and logical reason here was that he attempted the Hell Mode difficulty dungeon multiple times, prompting him to be stuck at level 2.


    "Anyway, let''s not talk about this trivial matter and focus on the important things." Xu Feng tried to brush the matter aside, acting perfectly in line with someone who had been caught red-handed and wanted to avoid embarrassment.


    "Hehe, sure Team Leader." Autumn Breeze held a gleeful smile, remaining ignorant of the truth.


    Ignoring her tease, Xu Feng''s aura subconsciously changed to a domineering and fierce one.


    Since he was no longer required to stall, it was time to get serious and end this dungeon.


    Gentle Wind, Autumn Breeze, and the rest of the members were able to sense this change from Xu Feng.


    The pressure was palpable despite not actually feeling it physically. Despite beingpletely stunned by the aura of Xu Feng, they managed topose themselves rather quickly as they followed him closely.


    Sometimeter, they reached the endpoint of the passage, and ncing from above, they all noticed that underneath them was like a mini arena stage.


    And in the mini arena stage, there was only one monster present: Inferno Tyrant.


    The Inferno Tyrant loomed ominously on the arena stage, its massive form towering over the area like a living inferno.


    With moltenva coursing through its veins, the creature radiated intense heat, causing the air around it to shimmer with waves of distortion. Its body was encased in rugged, obsidian-like armor, adorned with glowing runes that pulsed with fiery energy.


    Twin horns protruded from its head, gleaming like polished onyx, while its eyes burned with a fierce, otherworldly glow.


    Each step of the Inferno Tyrant sent tremors rippling through the cavern floor, and its deep, guttural roars echoed off the rocky walls, instilling fear in Gentle Wind''s guild members.


    With every movement, it seemed tomand the very elements themselves, bending fire to its will in a disy of raw, primal power.


    "A-Are we seriously supposed to defeat that?" One of Gentle Wind''s members, a Berserker ss, asked in dismay.


    "Stop being a coward, Rageheart!" Autumn Breeze snapped out, pping Rageheart on the back of his head.


    "You''re a Berserker, and it''s your job to confront these types of monsters. If you can''t even stand your ground, then you might as well delete your ount and remake a new ss."


    Rageheart, upon being reprimanded by Autumn Breeze, merely shed a bittersweet smile.


    Weren''t the other people feeling the same sense of dread upon witnessing the Inferno Tyrant''s appearance? The only wrong thing he did was ask if it was possible to defeat it.


    It was a question that any normal person would have asked.


    "There''s no need to chide him for being frightened by the Inferno Tyrant''s appearance, Autumn Breeze." Xu Feng suddenly chimed in.


    "The Inferno Tyrant has an Aura of Intimidation that instills fear toward nearby yers with its mere presence. The most affected ones are tanks such as Gun Knight, Knight Lancer, and Berserker." He exined, saving Rageheart from the embarrassment.


    "I-Is that so?" Autumn Breeze was taken aback by the exnation.


    She then turned to Rageheart and apologized, admitting her fault straightforwardly. "Sorry about that, Rageheart."


    "It''s fine, Vice Guild Leader." Rageheart smiled and scratched his head, not ming her a bit.


    "Although Lin Feng said the intimidation affected tanks the most, you can see the others are trembling slightly. Yet Lin Feng is still calm and collected. Our mentality simply needs work." He added, pointing at his fellowrades.


    Sure enough, Autumn Breeze realized the others were intimidated as well, and when she nced down, she noticed her hands were trembling subconsciously too.


    ''So I was intimidated as well, eh?'' Autumn Breeze was shocked inwardly.


    She then nced at Gentle Wind and noticed she was in the same situation.


    However, when she turned to look at Xu Feng and saw himpletely normal, she was stunned.


    ''H-How is he fine?'' Her eyes nearly popped out from the astonishing scene.


    Literally, all of them were intimidated, but Xu Feng was perfectly fine.


    Just when she began to wonder what secret he was hiding, Xu Feng turned to them and cast Blessing Valor.

 Chapter 48: Raid Start

    As Xu Feng cast Blessing Valor toward the team, the intimidation received from the Inferno Tyrant diminished substantially.


    "You''ve cast Blessing Valor on yourself since the start?" Autumn Breeze seemed to have been enlightened from her earlier confusion.


    Xu Feng was happy to take the credit for such and nodded his head in agreement.


    Thanks to her "deduction" once again, she allowed him to avoid answering that it was because he had been baptized which caused him to have high resistance to intimidation.


    "Indeed, I thought your Cleric would know better to cast Blessing Valor from the start so I didn''t bother to give themand. But s, who would have thought?" He added, shaking his head, seemingly ming himself for hisck of insight.


    However, everyone knew he was indirectly calling their Cleric useless and inefficient for not knowing what to do.


    Others were still fine with the subtle disappointment, but the two Clerics wanted nothing more than to bury themselves alive.


    Just how embarrassing was it to be called for their slow reactions?


    "Ahem, what do you suggest we do now, Lin Feng?" Gentle Wind faked a cough at this time and enquired, most likely to avoid any embarrassment from happening to her members.


    To look into it further, she was trying to hint to Xu Feng to not go overboard with his words even if it was true.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng had no intention of ming her members either. He was merely trying to warn them to have faster reactions next time.


    After all, if he wasn''t baptized, then he would have immediately cast Blessing Valor the moment they were about to reach the endpoint of the passage.


    This wasmon sense and typically, the standard for yers.


    But maybe it was because they didn''t expect how realistic the Divine World would be and failed to adapt to the mechanics temporarily.


    "Listen, when we initiate the raid, everyone must listen to mymand precisely. Don''t you go and attempt to do your own things, meaning even if your teammates are about to die, you are not allowed to do anything unless I tell you to. Is that clear?"


    Once again, Xu Feng heavily emphasized to them to listen to hismand precisely.


    He knew how to defeat such a frightening boss, but that was on the basis that everyone cooperated properly and didn''t attempt to do any hero y.


    "Rest assured, Lin Feng. My guild members will follow yourmand. If anyone is caught disobeying, then I''ll remove them from the guild." Gentle Wind reassured him, purposely deepening her tone in herst remark.


    "Good, then let me exin some things first. The Inferno Tyrant has a total of 10 active skills, with the most deadly one being Incinerate. Incinerate targets a single yer and incinerate them instantly. In other words, the unlucky yer who got targeted will be insta-kill." He revealed some bits of information, lest these bunch of people would be no different than headless chickens.


    Pondering over the information, Gentle Wind asked, "Is it possible to manipte who gets targeted?"


    Despite being suspicious of how he knew such information, she knew better than to ask such sensitive questions. Instead, she wished to prioritize the sess of the raid.


    "As expected of Gentle Wind." Xu Feng chuckled. "Indeed, I can somehow manipte the boss to target a yer, but who do you wish to sacrifice?


    Stunned, Gentle Wind began to knit her brows, seemingly in deep thought.


    ''Clerics are definitely impossible since we''re short of them already. Sorcerers are needed for huge DPS, so it can''t be that. Steelshot is probably a goner, so it''s unfortunate as well.'' She sighed inwardly.


    In times like this when she needed Steelshot to be cannon fodder, he was not there because he was used already.


    After debating for a few seconds, Gentle Wind smiled cheekily at him, "I suppose you can decide among whom to be sacrificed. You''re the Team Leader for this raid after all."


    Passing the ball back to Xu Feng, he seemed rtively calm by her cheekiness, almost as if he expected such a response already.


    For a guild leader to decide who to sacrifice, it was indeed a difficult question. After all, no matter who she chose, the person chosen wouldn''t feel happy about it.


    However, if it was his choosing, then the chosen person could only curse their terrible luck.


    Since Xu Feng already made a bad reputation for himself by mercilessly using Steelshot as a scapegoat, what else could he not do?


    "Very well! Then Gun Knights, Knight Lancers, and Berserkerse to the front!" Xu Fengmanded.


    He then turned to the Clerics and instructed them to cast their buff to the tanks only.


    Their initial reactions were filled with surprise, given the norms were supposed to split the buff between the tanks and the damage dealer. Yet Xu Feng''s instruction focused heavily on the tanks.


    Nevertheless, they didn''t dare to question it and quickly cast their buffs to the tanks. And since their levels were higher than Xu Feng''s, their buffs were naturally better and had more varieties than him.


    ''Sigh, curse that damn system for imposing such a debuff on me. I didn''t even get caught by the NPCs so why must it interfere?'' Xu Feng was frustrated by the situation, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    The system was an intangible being. Fighting against it was no different than asking a person to punch the air as if the air would receive any damage whatsoever.


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng prayed for a massive level up from the abundant experience points of the Inferno Tyrant.


    "Alright, tanks, activate your skills and hop into the arena stage." Xu Feng raised his hands, officially starting the raid.


    "Let''s go!!!!" The tanks roared in unison as they raised their weapons and activated their skills.


    "RAWR!!!"


    The Inferno Tyrant roared in fury upon spotting the intruders in its habitat.


    At the same time, the arena stage was soon being filled with magma, astounding the others aside from Xu Feng.


    ''What a Burning ze skill cheat code. Why can''t I do the same?'' Xu Fengmented silently.

 Chapter 49: Burning Blaze

    The Burning ze was a cataclysmic event triggered by the Inferno Tyrant, marking a significant phase transition in the battle.


    As the boss''s rage intensified and its power reached its zenith, the very fabric of the arena stage began to warp and twist under the overwhelming heat.


    Fiery fissures erupted from the ground, spewing moltenva and scorching mes into the air. The once stable ground trembled and cracked, giving way to rivers of magma that snaked across the arena, creating hazardous terrain.


    "What the hell is this?" One of the Berserkers uttered in disbelief.


    "We haven''t even attacked but the boss is already changing the stage. Just how messed up is this game?" Another Berserker voiced theirint, clearly astonished by the scene.


    They merely leaped down from the top and had yet to even initiate an attack, but the boss was filled with rage already.


    However, their astonishment would only prolong further when the changes hadn''t stopped.


    Amid this chaos, pirs of fire erupted from the ground at irregr intervals, casting flickering shadows across the battlefield. The air became thick with smoke and ash, obscuring vision and making it difficult to discern friend from foe.


    As the Burning ze consumed the arena, the temperature rose to unbearable levels, causing them to sweat profusely and struggle to catch their breath.


    The crackling of mes and the roar of moltenva drowned out all other sounds, instilling a sense of dread and urgency in those who dared to challenge the Inferno Tyrant.


    "Stop being distracted by the environmental change and focus on the front!" Xu Feng''s voice echoed throughout the stage as he cast Blinding Strike at the boss.


    The Blinding Strike doesn''t do damage, but it affected the Inferno Tyrant''s eyesight slightly, prompting the Burning ze to stop temporarily from altering the stage further.


    "The environment is now hostile against us and we will continuously take fire damage over time. But fret not, our Fire Resistance Potions are decreasing the damage, so do your best and attack the boss!" He added, telling them to remain focused.


    With Xu Feng''s wake-up call, the Gun Knights, Knight Lancers, and Berserkers stopped overthinking as they charged toward the Inferno Tyrant.


    "Enjoy this strike of mine!" The Berserkers screamed simultaneously, activating their skill, Crushing Blow, which delivered a powerful melee strike, dealing bonus damage.


    Originally, the skill was also supposed to knock back the opponent, but given the Inferno Tyrant status as a raid boss, that effect was nullified thanks to its immunity.


    Nevertheless, the damage was dealt, followed by the Gun Knights that activated Rapid Shot, firing a quick session of bullets at the boss.


    "As expected of a raid boss, my shots are dealing peanut damage." One of the Gun Knights clicked their tongue at the mediocre oue.


    The ringrge red Health Points(HP) bar of the Inferno Tyrant still shone brightly, with barely any changes to it.


    "No need to be too disappointed. We can just chip it down slowly." A Knight Lancer snickered coldly, activating Shield Bash, and striking the boss with its shield, hoping to stun them.


    s, the Inferno Tyrant''s immunity was still great and the stunsted only for a brief second before it started to move again.


    Just as it was ready to retaliate against the tanks in response to their puny damage, Xu Feng was able to detect its actions first.


    "Sorcerers, now! Fire your spells at his right molten arm!" He ordered decisively, detecting the Inferno Tyrant''s movement and determined it was trying to use Magma Burst.


    If the boss sessfully activates it, the Magma Burst will cause a volcano eruption, dealing area-of-effect(AOE) damage and knocking the tanks back.


    Thus, Xu Feng could not allow it to use it andmanded the Sorcerers to attack now to interrupt its sequence.


    Thankfully, the Sorcerers were efficient and unleashed a collective number of spells at the boss''s right molten arm as instructed.


    "Lightning Arc!"


    "Firebolt!"


    "Frost Nova!"


    As each of the Sorcerers fired their spells while calling the skill name, Xu Feng was somewhat left in a daze.


    ''Are they seriously calling their skills aloud? Just be discreet about it when using them!'' He was dumbfounded by their actions.


    Only an idiot would be calling out their moves to let their opponent know about it!


    Luckily, the boss was just a programmed monster and it was still in the early stages of the game.


    Otherwise, their spells would have been rendered useless if the boss was capable of deflecting or defending them.


    It was a pity that Xu Feng had no time to correct their behavior, given the Inferno Tyrant was further enraged by their collective actions.


    "Everyone retreat back to the center and Clerics, start activating your protection skills. Tanks, use your shield to defend the front and side." He yelled out.


    A brief secondster, everyone followed Xu Feng''s instructions without hesitation, forming a defensive stance.


    Just when everyone barely managed to finish forming their defense, the Inferno Tyrant made another move.


    As it unleashed another one of his active skills, the very air seemed to ignite with blistering heat. mes danced across its massive form, wreathing it in an aura of searing fire that sent waves of scorching heat radiating outward.


    As the boss reared back, a deafening roar echoed through the cavern, heralding the impending onught. With a mighty roar, the Inferno Tyrant unleashed torrents of me from its gaping maw, casting molten fireballs and searing projectiles in all directions.


    The ground trembled beneath the relentless barrage, and their defensive stance was shaken repeatedly.


    Some yers were forced to dodge due to not having enough coverage.


    As they weaved through the inferno, their clothes and armor were singed by the intense heat. The air crackled with the sound of burning embers, and the acrid scent of smoke filled their nostrils, making it difficult to breathe.


    "Don''t panic and focus on healing the tanks! Ensure the tanks survive this ordeal!" Xu Feng cast his own healing toward the tanks, focusing solely on the one receiving the most damage.

 Chapter 50: Infernal Presence

    A few minutes had gone by since the Inferno Tyrantunched its retaliation against them, and the damages were already far beyond what they could imagine.


    "My shield''s durability is dwindling at a rapid rate." One of the Gun Knights said in desperation, clearly anxious about the shield breaking down at this critical juncture.


    The intense heat of the Inferno Tyrant was disyed crystal clear to them.


    The durability of their shields decreased with each passing second.


    What they were afraid of was not losing their shield, but losing the very protection that was shielding them from the molten fireballs and other searing projectiles.


    "No need to worry about your shield''s durability. The boss''s attack will stop in another 3 seconds. Afterward, there is an interval of cooldown where we will have the chance to unleash another round of offensive stance." Xu Feng calmly told the group.


    His voice was usually annoying to them, to say the least. After all, he was not exactly a likable fellow, especially with his conduct and harshness.


    But in the current moment, his voice was like a reassurance sound, blessing them with confidence and reliability. Being able to hear his calm and collected tone despite the drastic situation helped reassure them greatly.


    Thus, with the encouragement from Xu Feng, the tanks up front persisted in their defense, followed by the other two Clerics'' constant support.


    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity despite only 3 seconds having passed, the Inferno Tyrant stopped its Fiery Retaliation.


    "Now, Sorcerers, attack with everything you got, and remember to avoid those molten armors and attack the molten flesh itself for more damage! Tanks, try your best to immobilize the boss. It might not show much effect on the surface, but it''ll work at the very least." Xu Feng quickly instructed.


    Meanwhile, the Cleric was about to buff the tanks again but was halted by Xu Feng.


    "Stop! Your mana is probably low now, so use this time to drink your mana potion. I need them to replenish above 50 percent by the next rotation."


    "Yes, Leader!" Unbeknownst to the two Clerics, they had started subconsciously addressing Xu Feng as the Leader instead of his name.


    After all, what they cared more about was capabilities, and Xu Feng disyed his capability amazingly well throughout this ordeal. Their initial displeasement with him, as well as his somewhat arrogant way, was quenched.


    Sometimeter, the ringrge red HP bar of the Inferno Tyrant was starting to diminish and could be spotted.


    "It''s working," Autumn Breeze eximed. "This boss is really deserving of its status of being Hell Mode difficulty."


    "Don''t be too happy yet, Autumn Breeze." Gentle Wind suddenly said, casting numerous of her spells at the molten flesh whenever her cooldown was gone.


    "Look at Lin Feng''s posture. He''s been staring at the boss for quite a while now."


    "Indeed, I think he''s trying to predict the boss''s next move." She responded, but then a question popped up in her mind.


    How was he able to deduce the boss''s next move?


    Did he study its attack pattern in such a short amount of time?


    Being able to predict a boss''s next attack pattern and determining the best course of action was the norm for any yer wanting to do a raid.


    However, the problem here was that the time required to do so was consuming.


    The dungeon also had a level requirement that they must be level 2 to enter.


    In other words, she arrived at a discovery that Xu Feng must have been continuously tackling the Hell Mode difficulty repeatedly, prompting him to lose many levels in the process. Yet that didn''t deter or dishearten him from his objective as he continued to tackle the dungeon.


    ''From his reaction to his clear and concisemand, he must have extreme persistence and endurance to keep it up.'' Autumn Breeze thought to herself, realizing there were many more secrets in this person.


    Simultaneously, Gentle Wind was also having such thoughts, except she was more wary about the mysterious person she had been messaging.


    The mysterious person remained anonymous in her contact and was able to send out such a capable and frightening subordinate to assist her.


    ''If the subordinate is already this terrifying, then what is this person''s true capability to subdue such a subordinate?'' Gentle Wind wondered silently, feeling nervous about the situation.


    ''Damn, did I overdo it?'' Xu Feng noticed the two women were starting to get distracted and sensed they were ncing at him asionally.


    It wasn''t that he wanted to show off, but if he didn''tmand the team properly, then it would have just resulted in a wipe-out.


    Thus, in a situation like this, along with the contract agreement, Xu Feng couldn''t risk getting a wipe-out result, nor could he stop concealing his ability.


    ''Whatever, they might be suspicious for now, but they won''t do anything about it.'' Shaking his head, Xu Feng stopped worrying about an event that would happen in the future.


    After all, the most important task currently was to defeat the Inferno Tyrant.


    Focusing back on the battle, the Inferno Tyrant was infuriated by the constant bombardment of spells, along with the tanks'' attempts to immobilize it.


    Just at this moment, the air slowly thickened with the suffocating heat of the boss''s aura, and the yers found themselves struggling to maintain their focus.


    Sweat poured down their faces as they gritted their teeth against the oppressive pressure, their movements sluggish and uncertain.


    Despite their best efforts, their attacks faltered and veered off course, their uracy was hindered by the searing heat that surrounded them.


    Spells fizzled out mid-air, their trajectories warped by the Infernal Presence that hung heavy in the cavern.


    "It''s getting harder to aim our spells at the molten flesh." One of the Sorcerers cried out, her face dropping beads of sweat.


    The intense heat emanating from the boss made it difficult for yers to concentrate, reducing their uracy and increasing the likelihood of their attacks missing.


    ''How troublesome!'' Xu Feng knitted his brows, realizing the boss was much more clever than he had anticipated.

 Chapter 51: All Planned

    The cleverness of the Inferno Tyrant in utilizing its active skill, Infernal Presence to disrupt the team''s momentum and cooperation prompted Xu Feng to realize his underestimation of its intelligence.


    ''They might be nerfed currently, but it seems like their battle instinct hasn''t decreased at all.'' He concluded, feeling the need to re-evaluate the monsters in the Divine World.


    When pressured well enough, these monsters could sometimes regain their battle instinct and put up a strong resistance.


    "The intense heat is affecting all of us." Gentle Wind smiled bitterly when her spells were either fizzled out mid-air or missed the target.


    Only one-third of her spells managed tond on the target, but even then, the damage was greatly diminished.


    Despite that, her situation was actually greater than the rest, with some of them even missing their spellspletely.


    As everyone''s struggle became more apparent, Xu Feng''s pressure increased tremendously. Clearly, everyone was now expecting him to make a response.


    ''Isn''t this just forcing me to showcase more?'' He smiled bitterly. The situation seemed grim, but it wasn''t unsalvageable.


    After all, if he didn''t anticipate all the different types of scenarios, then he wouldn''t have even bothered attempting this raid.


    However, the problem was he didn''t want to show off too much. The more he showed off, the more attention he would receive, and by that time, the excuses and lies he came up with would be exposed sooner orter.


    No lies would be able tost too long if you have to use many more lies to cover up the initial one.


    Faking a cough, Xu Feng turned to Autumn Breeze and asked, "Do you have any Lesser Elementalists that are of Ice or Water element?"


    Surprised, Autumn Breeze took a brief second before nodding her head. "Yes, I have a Water Elementalist, but not ice yet."


    She was surprised mainly because she didn''t think he would ask such a basic question. Given his expertise so far, she thought he would have known about her skills tree.


    Naturally, Xu Feng also knew she only had Water Elementalist, but to lessen his capability, he forced himself to ask such basic questions.


    "Alright, summon the Water Elementalist and have them go toward these locations." He instructed, informing her of the specific coordination.


    "But will it work?" Autumn Breeze raised an eyebrow. "The heat is too intense, and my Water Elementalist is barely capable of withstanding the heat before it gets vaporized."


    "It''s either if you can do it or you can''t." Xu Feng changed his tone, turning into a strictmander.


    Stunned by the change of tone, Autumn Breeze realized she had asked too much. Without dying it further, she waved her wand and summoned three Water Elementalists, controlling them to head toward the coordinates that Xu Feng had listed out.


    And with no surprises, the Water Elementalists were vaporized by the intense heat after 10 seconds.


    Just when Gentle Wind and Autumn Breeze began to wonder about his actions, Xu Feng suddenly yelled out a retreat.


    "Split into three teams, with 2 tanks going with 2 Sorcerers. Clerics are divided into one team each at the vaporized area!"


    "There''s two extra tanks in that case." Gentle Wind quickly calcted.


    "The extra two tanks will be in the center, as well as Autumn Breeze. We are going to be the frontal core." He exined in a heartbeat.


    With the new arrangement, the members quickly coordinated to their best effort.


    1 Berserker and 1 Gun Knight were situated on the left side, along with 1 Cleric and 2 Sorcerers.


    And on the right side, 1 Berserker and 1 Knight Lancer was the tank, along with the 1 Cleric and 2 Sorcerers.


    Meanwhile, in the center, the remaining 2 Berserkers, 2 Gun Knights, 1 Knight Lancer, Autumn Breeze as the Summoner, Gentle Wind along with another timid female Sorcerer.


    Xu Feng stood behind them, mainly because they believed he was the weakest one, and he was toozy to even try to exin that he was not some weak healer.


    In total, the 19 of them were now coordinated into a strategic position, with the remaining member, Steelshot, who was probably still wailing at his miserable fate in the passage.


    A few secondster, the members were somewhat confused initially by the position Xu Feng told them to go. But upon arriving at the position, they finally realized the pressure of the Infernal Presence had diminished.


    Although not by much, their original pressure had indeed lessened because of Autumn Breeze''s skill, effectively countering the intense heat emitted by the boss.


    However, what made it frightening was their current position now was quite ideal in attacking the boss.


    With so many different positions, it would prove difficult for the boss to target them all in one attack.


    ''Wait a minute, if we can split off to make it difficult for the boss to target us, then why didn''t we do so from the start?'' Autumn Breeze began pondering over the reasoning.


    Suddenly, she recalled the time when the Inferno Tyrant retaliated in response to their offense with Fiery Retaliation.


    ''If we had been split off by that time, then we would have suffered immense casualties.'' She felt a sudden chill upon realizing how intimidating and strategically-minded Xu Feng was.


    The Fiery Retaliation from the boss was deadly, and if it weren''t for the fact that they stood together and defended simultaneously, a lot of them would have mostly died.


    "He had it all nned¡­" She mumbled, having no choice but to admit Xu Feng''s foresight and insight was far superior to theirs. The look she had for Xu Feng changedpletely from their initial meeting.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng felt like crying when he could sense the deep stare that Autumn Breeze had. Given she was a Summoner, and not supposed to be near the front, she stood next to him, albeit further to the left.


    Thus, he could sense it and wanted nothing more than to beat the Inferno Tyrant to a pulp.


    All of his arrangements were slowlying to light one after another because of his sudden battle instinct.


    ''Why can''t you just ept your death peacefully? It''s not like you won''t respawn when another challengeres in!'' Xu Feng clenched his fist.

 Chapter 52: You Had to Ask

    As Autumn Breeze''s impression of Xu Feng continuously increased, Xu Feng himself was feeling anything but proud.


    ''Please stop being impressed by me.'' He wanted to hide his ability as much as possible. He did not want to show off at all.


    This was supposed to be a quick business deal, with no attachment.


    How was he supposed to advance further if people became interested in him so early on?


    Suddenly, Xu Feng was enlightened and seemed to have realized a great method to get Autumn Breeze to dislike him.


    Turning to her, he chuckled lightly and said in a somewhat cute tone, "Pretty awesome, right? Sometimes I really am just that amazing, don''t you agree? Others say I''m acting awesome, but I''m just born awesome. Ahh, this is why I never like to reveal myself often."


    "Indeed, you are really awesome." Autumn Breeze shed a graceful smile and gave him a thumbs-up.


    "..."


    This kind of unexpected response nearly stumped Xu Feng. Clearly, he was expecting her to be disgusted at his supposedly "cute" tone and acts.


    s, if Xu Feng knew his disy of capability so far hadpletely changed her impression of him, then he wouldn''t have attempted such an embarrassing act.


    After all, now that he had proven himself, whatever words he said would be soothing to one''s ears.


    Not to mention, Autumn Breeze only hated those who talked big but couldn''t back it up. Thus, she was absolutely fine with his impromptu act, despite being surprised initially.


    Feeling his face burning up, Xu Feng was relieved that he had a mask covering his face. Otherwise, he might really have to dig a hole and bury himself.


    ''Ahh, didn''t you hate me earlier and was always against me? What''s with the sudden change of behavior?'' Hemented inwardly, realizing his charm was just simply too high to be stopped.


    Thankfully, there was no time for small banter when the Inferno Tyrant''s attack phase resumed.


    "Alright, focus up! The left side will be called Team 1, and the right side will be called Team 2. When I make themand for your specific team, you will do as follows." Xu Feng shouted loudly.


    "Autumn Breeze, start off by summoning your Lesser Elementalist and shield it. I want you to control it toward the open area there." He turned to her and said, pointing at arge empty area.


    Initially confused, Autumn Breeze soon realized what he was trying to achieve.


    "Got it," she said, summoning the Water Elementalist specifically and shielding it properly this time. By the time the Water Elementalist appeared, the Inferno Tyrant seemed to be infuriated.


    Its ring magma eyes were locked on the Water Elementalist.


    It was quite clear that the appearance of the Water Elementalist reminded them of the failure of pressuring the intruders.


    "Very clever," Xu Feng praised her, having instantly grabbed the aggro from the boss.


    "Of course, Autumn Breeze''s intelligence is not one to be fathomed with." Gentle Wind suddenly chimed in, seemingly acting quite mysteriously.


    Her words seemed to have hidden some deep meaning, but Xu Feng''s mind was too upied to care about at the moment.


    While the Inferno Tyrant overlooked the rest and focused solely on the Water Elementalist.


    Xu Feng began hismand, "Team 1, use Brutal Bash and Armor Piercing Round bullets at the left of the molten leg. Sorcerers, remain in your position and try your best to angle the trajectory of your spells before firing."


    Turning his attention to the right side swiftly, he instructed, "Team 2, use Savage m and Jousting Sweep simultaneously at the left molten arm. Same thing for the Sorcerers, but remain steady and calm. No need to rush things."


    "As for us, we shall wait." Xu Feng then mumbled softly to Gentle Wind while asking for the timid female Sorcerer username.


    "You''re talking about SilentWhisper?" Gentle Wind raised an eyebrow. "Did she do something wrong?"


    "Ah, no, I was just curious since she''s a Sorcerer like you." Xu Feng shook his head.


    And he continued, "Later on, it''s going to be the final struggle of the boss, so I''ll need you to remain focusedpletely. There can be no mishaps."


    "I understand." Gentle Wind nodded and clenched tightly on her staff, her expression turning solemn.


    Sometimeter, Team 1 and Team 2pleted their task wlessly, as the Inferno Tyrant focused its attention entirely on the Water Elementalist, ignoring the others.


    In its mind, the pitiful amount of yers attacking him was nothing but futile damage.


    Just when it finally caught up to the Water Elemenalist and annihted it with a fierce magma palm strike, the Inferno Tyrant finally realized its movement was disturbed.


    The collective damage dealt upon his left leg and left arm made him somewhat bnced on one foot. The gravitational impact of it was slowly causing him to fall down.


    "Now, Gentle Wind and SilentWhisper, aim your spells at the boss''s right torso." Xu Fengmanded and buffed Gentle Wind specifically.


    With the buff, Gentle Wind''s spell damage increased, as well as its knockback effect, prompting the Inferno Tyrant to copse from its mighty height position.


    At the same time, Xu Feng was eyeing someone very closely.


    ''Oh, they can still endure it huh. Well, it''s not like you have a chance either.'' He thought to himself, wondering if he should allow them an opportunity.


    It was just a shame that his thought process was interrupted by another loud roar from the Inferno Tyrant.


    "It''s roaring again?" Autumn Breeze rolled her eyes. "Does it know anything else other than roaring?"


    As soon as Autumn Breeze finished her question, the Inferno Tyrant started to float in the air, deflecting everyone that was nearby it, specifically the tanks such as Berserkers and Knight Lancers who had to go on melee range.


    While the rest were astonished by the situation, the Inferno Tyrant started spitting out magma from its mouth.


    From within the magma that was spit out, they slowly merged until their appearance looked no different thanva golems.


    "You had to ask, didn''t you?" Xu Feng gazed at Autumn Breeze, followed by Gentle Wind, and nearly everyone in the area.

 Chapter 53: Despair

    A moment of silence urred, with almost everyone gazing at Autumn Breeze, mainly because she had to ask if the boss could do anything else other than roaring and the boss proceeded to summonva golems to hismand.


    The timing of such an incident couldn''t be any worse for Autumn Breeze, as they now believed she was a jinx.


    "T-there''s no way the boss reacted because of my question, right?" She smiled awkwardly.


    It was clearly not her intention to try to make the raid any more difficult than it already was.


    Luckily, Gentle Wind sighed softly and turned to Xu Feng, "You aren''t going to help her out?"


    Since he had mentioned it earlier that the boss would undergo a final struggle, she had a reasonable suspicion to believe he knew this would have happened.


    "Heh, you all can stop gazing at Autumn Breeze like this. Regardless if she asked such a question or not, the boss would still proceed to summonva golems to assist it." Xu Feng calmly exined.


    With his credibility now, they finally stopped their gaze on Autumn Breeze.


    Meanwhile, she looked somewhat aggrieved toward Xu Feng. "If you knew it would happen, then why did you make it seem like I was a jinx?"


    After all, it was due to his statement that caused everyone''s attention to be directed at her.


    "My bad, I just wanted to test something. I supposed we''re even now, okay?" Xu Feng scratched his head, referring to the time when she repeatedly judged andbeled him as a fraud.


    Although it still left a bittersweet taste in her mouth, Autumn Breeze could only brush past the matter and not try to argue.


    Of course, Xu Feng didn''t do this merely to tease Autumn Breeze, but he was waiting patiently for that person to make a move.


    And sure enough, during the time when everyone''s attention was focused on Autumn Breeze, that person made a move, confirming his earlier suspicions.


    ''Well, at least that''s another headache gone.'' He thought to himself, proceeding to instruct others on how to deal with the ongoing incident.


    "Follow the previous arrangement and split into your respective team. No one is to focus on theva golems. Tanks, you are to simply deflect them but don''t waste any effort on it." Xu Fengmanded, astonishing the rest.


    "If we don''t deal with theva golems, then they''re just going to continuously amplify." Gentle Wind suddenly chimed in, clearly nervous about theva golems overwhelming them.


    "Rest assured, I know what I''m doing." He chuckled softly and went closer to her, whispering something into her ear. His volume was so low that only Gentle Wind could hear it, leaving Autumn Breeze and the others nearby curious.


    Meanwhile, Gentle Wind''s expression slowly changed from confusion to surprise. She even made a gasp but quickly covered her mouth.


    "Shh, keep it a secret." He warned gently.


    Nodding her head, Gentle Wind kept quiet and decided to wait for the timing of his signal.


    As Xu Feng returned his focus to the Inferno Tyrant and instructed the rest, Autumn Breeze slowly crept toward Gentle Wind.


    "Speak, what did he whisper to you about?" She asked in a low but subtle tone.


    "I''ll inform youter." Gentle Wind responded and lightly tapped on her right shoulder. The moment she did that action, Autumn Breeze''s expression changed for a brief moment before she returned to her originalposure.


    She then proceeded to throw a tantrum, seemingly acting as if she was infuriated by Gentle Wind.


    Her actions managed to fool everyone, except Xu Feng, mainly because he could somehowprehend there was more than meets the eyes with Autumn Breeze.


    He had a strong feeling that her so-called childish and impulsive actions were all an act.


    s, Xu Feng didn''t have the opportunity to analyze further when the Inferno Tyrant resumed its attacking phase. Luckily, the members now knew what they were dealing with.


    Even without the instruction of Xu Feng, they already knew what to do as they began to adapt to the situation, saving him a great amount of energy and effort.


    ''Phew, at least they aren''t called elites for no reason.'' Xu Feng breathed a sigh of relief. Given the attack pattern was simr to the previous one, the protocol was the same.


    As the Boss''s HP bar began to drop below 50%, changes began to ur once again. Its resistance to damage increased tremendously, but the most ring change was the fact that theva golems began to merge.


    Theva golems that were ignored previously started to merge andbine into one giant being. Its size was nearly identical to the Inferno Tyrant''s size.


    "You have got to be kidding me?"


    "Is this seriously how all Hell Mode difficulty is going to be?"


    "Just how are we supposed toplete the raid when the difficulty is insanely crazy?"


    Gentle Wind''s guild members started to despair at these abrupt changes.


    Despite pouring so much effort and sweat into this, they started to lose hope of winning.


    At first, they wanted to me Xu Feng''s misjudgment for telling them to ignore theva golems from the start, but their rationality prevented them.


    After all, regardless if they were to target theva golems from the start or not, there would still be many leftovers anyway.


    "No need to despair because this isn''t even the finale yet." Xu Feng suddenly announced, garnering every attention upon him.


    "It''s your show time, Gentle Wind." He snapped his fingers and said.


    "I''ve been ready!" Gentle Wind sneered as she unleashed her most powerful and mana-consuming spell.


    However, what caused everyone to be astonished was the fact that her spell was targeting neither the Inferno Tyrant nor theva golems.


    "Why is the guild leader aiming at a wall?"


    "My eyes must be blind¡­ yeah, that should be it."


    Disbelief colored their eyes as none of them believed their guild leader would miss so horrendously.


    Just when everyone was wondering what the hell was going on, the wall that received the impact of the spells cracked open, and soon a familiar voice echoed in the arena.


    "I''m still alive!"

 Chapter 54: Sacrifice

    The blissful tone and joyous moment of someone screaming they were still alive caused a tremendous shock to the guild members.


    "Holy crap! He''s still alive?"


    "They say good guys die early, while evil guys live a long time. I supposed it''s the truth."


    "Indeed, otherwise how else can you exin Steelshot to still be alive?"


    They were astonished by the sudden appearance of Steelshot, whom everyone believed to have been sacrificed already.


    However, their astonishment had merely begun as the closer they looked, the more nervous they were.


    Their mouths were wide open as they realized two ferocious monsters were just right behind Steelshot.


    "Damn, is he abating the monsters over to us?"


    "It''s over, this raid is a bust!"


    "Enough of the despair talks! Can you still call yourself elite for such a shameful disy?" Gentle Wind loudly scolded, clearly embarrassed by her guild members.


    Just how could their mentality be so bad?


    Maybe the situation and scenario were far different than the other games they had yed, but to react in such a way in front of Xu Feng was extremely embarrassing for her.


    "Stop being distracted and focus on the Inferno Tyrant!" Xu Feng shouted, reminding them that there was still the raid boss present.


    While everyone was brought back from their initial shock, they started to coordinate with each other to attack the Inferno Tyrant.


    As for Steelshot, he quickly rejoined Gentle Wind.


    "Guild leader, I didn''t disappoint you." He reported.


    "Mhmm, good job in baiting them at that precise location." She praised, watching the two ferocious monsters fight each other with their might.


    Steelshot smiled brightly but asionally would make some small nces at Xu Feng.


    ''How did he know I''ll still be alive and that I won''t be in any harm?'' He wondered silently, clearly not expecting a message to be sent to him while he was trapped in the dead-end passage.


    What made him even more curious was that the buff he received from him was just adequate enough for another monster to suddenly join in and attract the monster he was facing into a confrontation.


    Due to this sudden change, all he needed to do was stand at the corner, avoiding any collision or damage.


    Naturally, he was crying and cursing Xu Feng whenever he had the chance to do so, but who would have thought his guild leader would suddenly inform him of what to do next.


    "He nned this from the start¡­" Muttering, Steelshot subsequently stood behind Autumn Breeze, purposely avoiding Xu Feng''s line of sight.


    Although he survived, the event was still somewhat traumatizing and he did not wish to be kicked to the frontline again.


    While everyone was focused on their own tasks, Xu Feng sneakily walked toward the two ferocious monsters. Upon approaching them, he retrieved a Fire Resistance Potion and threw it at them, mimicking a baseball pitcher.


    Startled, the two ferocious monsters temporarily stopped their fighting and bare their fangs at Xu Feng, clearly identifying him as an enemy.


    However, the moment the potions were shattered by their tough hide and the liquid slowly drenched their body, their vision became blurry.


    "Heh, go and be my lovely tools." Xu Feng sneered coldly, watching the two ferocious monsters slowly regaining their vision.


    As their vision became clearer, they ignored Xu Feng and instead dashed ahead toward theva golem.


    BOOM!


    A loud collision urred between the two ferocious monsters and the alva golem, attracting attention almost instantaneously.


    "What the¨C"


    "The monsters are attacking each other?"


    "Is this even a game? Howe everything is so out of the norm?"


    Nearly everyone was stunned by the scenes in front of them, and even the Inferno Tyrant temporarily halted its actions and nced at itsva golem being friendly attacked.


    "Roar!"


    It tried to use a guttural roar tomand the monsters to stop, yet there were no reactions. The two ferocious monsters seemed to be drunk and were gnawing and shing at theva golem wantonly.


    Infuriated, the Inferno Tyrant changed its focus toward the disobedient ferocious monsters. Soon, a battle royalemenced within the monster''s group.


    "Don''t be idle and drink your mana and health potions now. Clerics, remain in your position and wait for further instruction." Xu Fengmanded at this time, telling them to use this opportunity to recover their health and mana.


    However, some were confused as to why the Clerics were not allowed to assist them.


    Nevertheless, they didn''t dare to idle around any further and did as instructed.


    Time slowly passed by, and Xu Feng''s lip slowly curled upward beneath the mask.


    ''Seems like you couldn''t wait any longer, but the same goes for me. This raid indeed needs to end soon.'' He eximed inwardly, patiently waiting for theva golem and the two ferocious monsters to die.


    Despite the Inferno Tyrant''s constant barrage of attacks against the two ferocious monsters, they still managed to annihte theva golem until theirst breath.


    Seeing the situation deteriorate into such, and losing his support, the Inferno Tyrant''s eyes gleamed in dark redness.


    ''Here ites¡­'' Xu Feng clenched his fist, finally ready for the Inferno Tyrant''s strongest active skill, Incinerate.


    "On mymand, everyone buffs Rageheart to the maximum!" He shouted, giving some buff to Rageheart, the Berserker.


    Confused, Rageheart didn''t expect to suddenly be buff.


    "Huh? Why are you buffing me?" He asked in shock.


    "Fret not, you aren''t the only one." Xu Feng chuckled somewhat sinisterly as he gave his remaining buff to the inconspicuous and timid female sorcerer, SilentWhisper.


    "I forgot to mention, but Incinerate doesn''t really target a single person. It can target multiples so long as the conditions are met, and currently¡­ you two traitors have met that condition." He added, his tone turned colder by the time he finished the sentence.


    "G-G-Guild leader, I''m not a traitor." SilentWhisper panicked and quickly turned to Gentle Wind, her expression filled with sorrow and grief.


    Despite her sorrowful tone and aggrieved look, Gentle Wind didn''t even have the opportunity to respond when Xu Feng intervened.


    "Either way, even if you''re not a traitor, you should dly embrace the role of being sacrificed for the greater good of the team. After all, once Incinerate is used¡­ that''s when we''ll have the time slot to defeat the boss."

 Chapter 55: Final Bout

    Both SilentWhisper and Rageheart were filled with disbelief at the actions and cold tone of Xu Feng.


    Just why were they chosen to be sacrificed?


    And most importantly, how did he manipte the situation into causing the Inferno Tyrant to focus on them?


    It was just a shame that their doubts couldn''t be answered when the Inferno Tyrant already had its eyes locked onto both of them and unleashed a frightening wave of heat, vaporizing them in an instant.


    Incinerate¡ª the most powerful attack from the Inferno Tyrant¡­ not even Xu Feng dared to say he had the confidence to help someone deflect it at their current level.


    ''They were guilty as charged. Evidence is not needed.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly, not feeling an ounce of guilt for sacrificing them.


    Although he might not have evidence to prove his ims, he was positive of his intuition and suspicions thus far.


    Not to mention, Gentle Wind herself was recording the dungeon from the start. Hence, they could always rewind the scenes to analyze.


    Meanwhile, the most astonished one was Steelshot, clearly terrified of being chosen to be sacrificed next.


    "I-I''m going to be killed, right?" He mumbled, ncing at Gentle Wind.


    "Don''t overthink too much, Steelshot. Lin Feng never suspected you at all." Gentle Wind shed a calm smile, patting him on the shoulder.


    With her reassurance, Steelshot breathed a sigh of relief and decided to give his utmost effort. As if he was willing to make any mistakes and be mistaken as a traitor.


    ''That man could coldly sacrifice anyone in a heartbeat! I definitely can''t get on his bad side.'' Steelshot thought to himself, holding his gun tightly.


    "Alright, stop being in a daze and follow mymand. It''s the final bout and you''re all going to receive a glorious moment soon!" Xu Feng shouted loudly, snapping everyone out of their daze.


    Being informed of the glorious moment in which theypleted a Hell Mode difficulty at such an early stage, blinded them all with greed. As for the matter of SilentWhisper and Rageheart being sacrificed, that would be forter.


    "Woo, let''s defeat this damn Inferno Tyrant!"


    "I''ll show him who''s the real boss here!"


    "Buff me and watch me tank his shot!"


    As everyone''s dopamine level reached a new height, the Inferno Tyrant became miserable by the second. Each of its attacks was no longer threatening or unknown to the yers, courtesy of Xu Feng''s constant guide.


    ''Phew, I can finally take a back seat now.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, turning his attention to Gentle Wind.


    "I suggest you start to takemand now and only publish this part of the video to the public to showcase your leadership ability." He kindly gave her a suggestion.


    Nodding her head, Gentle Wind shed a smile, "Thanks for the hard work."


    Although his meaning might be subtle, she was able toprehend his true meaning.


    Other than the fact that she would now takemand of the guild, she was also reassured that there were no longer going to be any more surprises that she couldn''t handle.


    How could she not be thankful when he literally set everything properly for her?


    He didn''t need to do any of this to assist her, considering the new contract uses were only about the credit being given to her, with or without proper evidence.


    Thus, Xu Feng was technically doing her a favor by letting her gain valuable evidence.


    As Gentle Wind was ready to take on the mantle of leading the guild, Xu Feng decided to be even more generous.


    "I might have gotten those two traitors killed, but who knows if their mouths would remain shut." Xu Feng whistled, looking elsewhere.


    "Rest assured, they''re not going to be able to." Contrary to his expectation, it was Autumn Breeze who responded to his hint.


    "Oh¡­ I see then," He nodded, unwilling to enquire further.


    Since she had mentioned it like that, then he was quite positive that they already made some arrangements. After all, only a fool would not take precautions regarding their members, especially those categorized in the elite.


    Though it was indeed a shame that he spotted not one, but two traitors within Gentle Wind''s elite group.


    ''Was this the reason why I haven''t heard of Gentle Wind in the past?'' He began to wonder.


    With her decisiveness and straightforwardness, Xu Feng found it unbelievable that such a person remained unknown during his time.


    That was not including the fact that her beauty was quite top-notch!


    ''Maybe just like me, she had some unforeseeable conflict and was ejected from the Divine World.'' Sighing softly, Xu Feng stopped trying to be curious and just let nature take its course.


    What he had with her was merely a business deal, and once the raid waspleted, so would their cooperation.


    ''I need to start preparing things.'' Xu Feng thought, beginning to n for his next steps.


    As Xu Feng pondered his next actions, the raid reached its climax.


    "Keep firing and don''t give it a chance to recover!" Gentle Wind shouted loudly.


    "Keep in mind of its regenerative movement! The moment you spot them, immediately interrupt the actions!" She added, having learned very well from Xu Feng.


    Simr to most bosses in typical Virtual Reality Massively-Multiyer Online Role-ying Games(VRMMORPG), their actions could be interrupted.


    And once interrupted, it would go into a temporary stun phase, allowing yers to take advantage of it.


    Having been sidecast on the back, Gentle Wind took extra notice of when and where Xu Feng made hismand to interrupt the boss.


    ''Damn, she''s learning from me. Should I have charged her extra for the lesson fee then?'' Xu Feng thought, feeling like he had been scammed.


    While he was wondering if he had taken a loss this time, the Inferno Tyrant was battered and weakened by the relentless onught of spells and attacks.


    It stumbled backward, and its massive form began wavering unsteadily on the edge of the arena stage.


    With a deafening roar, it lost its bnce and plummeted into the depths below, disappearing amidst a cloud of smoke and me. The cavern trembled as the tyrant''s roar faded into silence, signaling the end of its reign of terror.


    System: Congrattions to Silver Wind Guild forpleting the Hell Mode Difficulty of the Scorched Caverns!

 Chapter 56: Silver Wind Guild

    The System announcement of their raid achievement was announced three times.


    Initially, the members of Gentle Wind were still in disbelief and shock that they actually defeated the Inferno Tyrant.


    However, with the loud announcement of the System resounding three times in a row, they finally realized the aplishment they had done.


    "Sheesh, we actually defeated the Hell Mode Difficulty!"


    "Number 1, we''re definitely the number 1 guild currently!"


    "Hahaha, who dares to say they''re better than us now? If they dared to, then I want to see themplete a Hell Mode difficulty in such a level!"


    As the members loudly cheered and started hugging each other for their achievement, Gentle Wind seemed to be in a daze. She was not stunned by the achievement but seemed more upied by something else in her mind.


    Suddenly, she felt a light tap on her right shoulder. Turning around, she realized it was Autumn Breeze.


    "Heh, now that you made such an achievement, I doubt your path will be rocky anymore." Autumn Breeze smiled gracefully, void of her previous childish and amateurish demeanor.


    "Indeed, the gamble paid off big time." Gentle Wind smiled in response, having made a sneak nce at Xu Feng.


    "I just wonder what kind of person couldmand such a fearsome man." She mumbled.


    Toward this question, Autumn Breeze held a helpless smile as well.


    "I''ve been trying to investigate this Lin Feng person, but to no avail. All I know is that the person behind him is formidable¡­ to be willing to give up this kind of achievement to others who are definitely not simple people."


    "If it were so easy to investigate, then we wouldn''t be having a headache now."


    "Well, let''s forget about that and savor your victory. I''m sure you wouldn''t let this great opportunity go, right?" Autumn Breeze chuckled softly.


    Curling her lips upward, Gentle Wind''s smirk alone was enough to indicate that she was definitely not going to be foolish and not bask in such glory.


    As these two women were discussing among themselves and distributing the rewards, outside the dungeon, everyone went into an uproar.


    "H-H-How is this possible?" Herald Fist stuttered in disbelief.


    He nearly tripped himself as he staggered backward, clearly not expecting the sudden system announcement.


    "That''s Hell Mode Difficulty level! The Easy Mode Difficulty was gruesome enough, so just how did Gentle Wind and her Silver Guild achieve it?" He shouted, his expression alternating between anger and astonishment.


    Given the fact that Gentle Wind entered the dungeon with only her members, the system made an announcement of their guild as well, with the members being listedter on.


    As Herald Fist became frustrated, the others were more astonished by the feat of Gentle Wind.


    "As expected of my Goddess Gentle Wind~"


    "I know right. The goddess is just on another level. Before entering, she even announced that she would get the first-clear achievement of hell mode. Now look at it, she has done it!"


    "No, I cannot idle here. I need to apply to the Silver Wind Guild right now! It''s the best guild currently."


    "Indeed, it''s way better than the tyrannical and usually arrogant Tyrant Fist Guild who are all bark and no bite!"


    yers began dissing Herald Fist and his guild mercilessly. After all, with the system announcement, it was undeniable proof that Herald Fist had been beaten by Gentle Wind.


    Meanwhile, one person stood in a daze, his vision focused on the members list.


    ''I did an investigation after knowing Guild Leader Gentle Wind was going to tackle Hell Mode, so I recognized most of the yers here. Their username didn''t change at all, but who is Lin Feng? There''s no data on him.'' OneManMedia thought to himself, feeling the event was somewhat fishy.


    Nearly everyone on the list was a regr and known member of Gentle Wind''s guild in other games as well, yet the username Lin Feng had never shown up once.


    This clearly meant three possible situations.


    Lin Feng was a regr member who decided to have a change of username.


    Lin Feng was someone who recently got promoted to be in the elite reserve.


    Andstly, Lin Feng was an outsider and merely joined the guild temporarily.


    Out of the three possibilities, OneManMedia had a feeling that it was thest situation.


    For such an important raid, he doubted Gentle Wind would choose someone who recently got promoted. Additionally, changing a username was quite unlikely once you and yourrades got used to the name.


    Hence, leaving the possibility of Lin Feng being an outsider, and most likely the key factor in their sess.


    Of course, it was a far-fetched hypothesis, but OneManMedia felt he was on the right track.


    While everyone was holding their own thoughts, multiple bright lights shone in the entrance.


    The atmosphere instantly turned silent as everyone held their breath, their gazes locked on the dungeon entrance as yers began emerging.


    The first person in revtion was Gentle Wind, followed by Autumn Breeze, Steelshot, and the rest of the members.


    "Goddess Gentle Wind!!!"


    "I want to join the Silver Wind Guild!"


    "Ahhh~ my heart is about to faint!''


    Almost everyone cheered loudly once they noticed her presence, clearly enthusiastic about her glorious return.


    ''Tsk, I''ve lost all face and money this time!'' Herald Fist gnashed his teeth, giving Gentle Wind one final nce before leaving hastily. He was afraid of losing his cool and starting an attack against her, which would definitely result in their reputation to suffer heavily.


    Meanwhile, Gentle Wind was filled with joy upon seeing the high enthusiasm cheers and how many requested to join her guild.


    Waving her hand and smiling cheerfully in response to the crowd, Gentle Wind announced gracefully.


    "Thank you, everyone, for your cheers and praises! I''m d to hear of your enthusiasm to join our guild, and happy to announce that we will start our guild recruitment in a few days. For further information, feel free to visit our websites or Game Forum where we will post the instructions."

 Chapter 57: Recruitment

    The original cheers and praises were heightened further once Gentle Wind gave confirmation that she was officially recruiting people for the Silver Wind Guild.


    Numerous people within the area were already posting in the Game Forum, spreading this news. Additionally, there were even some people wondering if they should leave their current guild to join Gentle Wind''s guild.


    After all, the current hype and poprity of her guild, as well as her achievements were undoubtedly the number one.


    Who else but Gentle Wind''s guild managed to seed in a dungeon raid¡ª that too in the highest difficulty level?


    Of course, some factors such as her beauty were clearly included, but just that no one would be foolish enough to scream that aloud.


    "Where did Lin Feng go?" While Gentle Wind kept her appearance in responding to the crowd, she softly asked Autumn Breeze about his whereabouts.


    s, Autumn Breeze was distracted earlier by the enthusiastic crowd and failed to keep an eye on Xu Feng.


    "Huh? He''s not here?" She responded in confusion, clearly not expecting him to just vanish from the scene.


    "Sigh, it seems like Lin Feng really doesn''t want the attention or fame." Gentle Wind sighed softly, having somewhat predicted him to have left the scene secretly.


    "I didn''t even manage to get his contact information." She added, seemingly regretful that there hadn''t been a proper opportunity to ask.


    Previously, her mind was fully upied by the Scorched Caverns raid, and she was more concerned with the strategy than socializing.


    It was a good thing that she still got the conversation with Xu Feng''s boss, so not all hopes were lost. As much as she respected this mysterious boss, she wanted to do her best to poach such a talented individual to her guild.


    ''Lin Feng''s talent and adaptability is just too good to be ignored.'' She eximed inwardly, promptly making an excuse to the crowd to leave, citing exhaustion.


    Elsewhere, Xu Feng breathed a sigh of relief after leaving the premises for a good distance.


    "Phew, I knew the effect was going to be tremendous, but still, I underestimated them." He mumbled, clearly stunned by the frantic crowd.


    Luckily, he managed to sneak away when everyone was distracted by Gentle Wind and Autumn Breeze beauty. Otherwise, the consequences were going to be unimaginable once he got entangled there.


    Just when Xu Feng turned on his notification again, he was startled by someone.


    "Hello, sorry to intrude upon you, but I''m OneManMedia, and I hope to get an interview from you, Lin Feng." The person introduced himself.


    ''OneManMedia? The person who spent quite the early fortune to snap a screenshot of me heading upstairs¡­'' Xu Feng regained hisposure as he realized who this person was.


    He didn''t expect someone would actually be focusing on him and follow him so closely. However, once he noticed the sword near his belt, Xu Feng seemed to have an idea.


    ''He must have activated a simr concealing skill¡ª probably Shadowstep.'' He concluded.


    With "Shadowstep," the swordsman could swiftly maneuver through the shadows, blending into the darkness and making it more challenging for enemies to detect their presence.


    It could be considered a beginner skill, but also not quite as one needed to upgrade the required skills to obtain this skill tree route.


    Skill Tree was akin to a tree with multiple branches, and each branch is independent from others. In other words, OneManMedia needed to build his skills in a specified skill tree slot to unlock Shadowstep.


    Since this game had guns and spells involved, being a swordsman was actually a tough ss.


    After all, they needed to approach close to their opponent to strike. Thus, with multiple long-range attacks from other sses, it became difficult for a swordsman to win a fight.


    However, just because it was difficult doesn''t mean it was impossible, and what OneManMedia built for his ss was quite on point. To have Shadowstep was an essential skill of a swordsman.


    ''His intuition and information gathering seem adequate. And he got some brain to know where to prioritize his ss to minimize the disadvantage.'' Xu Feng thought.


    Meanwhile, OneManMedia was somewhat nervous, afraid of being mistaken for a yer Killer(Pker) when he noticed the silent response he received.


    "Um, please don''t be mistaken. I meant no harm and only wished to interview you." OneManMedia exined, going as far as raising his hands up to prove his innocence.


    As a swordsman, his hand should always be near the sword hilt. That way, he could always unsheathe it at a moment''s notice. Thus, to raise both his hands up was an indication that he didn''t have any intention of fighting.


    Staring at him for a brief moment, Xu Feng finally asked in a confused tone, "Why are you interviewing me? Everyone else is focusing on the Guild Leader."


    His manner of speech was natural and polite, even when addressing Gentle Wind.


    OneManMedia smiled bitterly, "I''ve done some investigation once Guild Leader Gentle Wind announced her intention to raid the dungeon at Hell Mode Difficulty. Thus, I can somewhat recognize most of the usernames listed by the system, except you."


    "So you decided to follow me based on that?"


    "Not just that. I might be overthinking here, but I doubt Guild Leader Gentle Wind is foolish enough to risk the sess by bringing a newbie or someone recently promoted to the elite reserve."


    "And what do you mean by that?"


    "What I mean is that the key factor of their sess has to be rted to you. After all, Guild Leader Gentle Wind wouldn''t invite such a random person to her team suddenly unless they are needed," OneManMedia revealed.


    "But I could have just been someone who just changed his previous username." Xu Feng shrugged his shoulders, still feigning ignorance.


    "I''ve thought about that too, but the possibility is simply too low. No one would suddenly change their username once theirrades got used to them."


    Hearing his responses and exnations, Xu Feng smiled slightly beneath his mask.


    "If you want an interview, it''s not impossible. But you must join my future guild."

 Chapter 58: Informant

    Astonished by the sudden recruitment, OneManMeida was speechless.


    He only wanted an interview, so how did it be a recruitment?


    That too with him being the target of the recruitment.


    "I apologize, but I only wanted to get an interview, and not join someone else''s guild." OneManMedia declined politely and stated his objective yet again.


    In case his username wasn''t straightforward enough, he was literally called One Man, meaning solo.


    A person who enjoyed their freedom, and doing things alone without being restricted by anyone or anything.


    "There''s no need to decline it so fast." Xu Feng chuckled softly. "Although I did say I want you to join my guild, it hasn''t even been created yet. I also don''t n on restricting any of your actions once you join my guild."


    Despite the exnation, OneManMedia wasn''t convinced as he once again politely declined.


    Seeing how adamant he was, Xu Feng had no intention of pushing it further. There was no need to rush when attempting to recruit talented individuals.


    Not to mention, he was quite sure that something must have happened to OneManMedia, otherwise, there wouldn''t have been zero data regarding this yer.


    What he threw out was merely a bait and a lifesaver route for him that would be utilized in the near future.


    "It''s fine if you don''t want to join my future guild, but shouldn''t you offer something in return if you want an interview from me?" Xu Feng asked calmly whilst dropping a tiny hint.


    Sure enough, OneManMedia instantly picked up on the hint and understood the meaning behind his words.


    ''He''s epting the interview and asking for something in return¡­ This means he''s indeed the key factor to Gentle Wind''s sess.''


    OneManMedia was beyond excited to have struck gold this time.


    Who would have thought his intuition was truly on point?


    However, right after the excitement, OneManMedia soon turned somewhat gloomy as he now needed to find an equal value of exchange if he wanted to conduct the interview.


    He knew the opposite party was definitely going to ask for something valuable, especially when he rejected them twice in a row on their recruitment attempts.


    "I don''t have much valuables on me," OneManMedia confessed.


    The current him could be considered the poorest yer of the poorest. To consecutively take screenshots to post in the Game Forum to gain some followers, he had bankrupted himself in return.


    Thus, he was quite desperate right now, especially when he hit the jackpot that the person in front of him was the key factor in the sess of the Hell Mode Difficulty raid. The profit he would gain in return for the interview would be immense.


    Remaining silent for quite some time, Xu Feng calmly said, "You don''t need to pay me any in-game currency. Instead, you can be my informant, gathering some information and rying it to me."


    "Huh¡ª but that''s a bit difficult to do¡­" OneManMedia frowned.


    Information is even more valuable than money sometimes because of how critical that information can be utilized. Not to mention, it was no easy task to gather sensitive or worthy information.


    "You can think about it for a while. There''s no rush." Xu Feng waved his hand and was about to leave.


    "But I don''t even have your contact information!" OneManMedia shouted in a panic.


    "I''ve just sent you a private message. Also, I must correct you one thing, I''m just a subordinate. My Boss is the one running things behind the scenes." He responded, sending a "hi" message to OneManMedia, and establishing a private conversation.


    Additionally, he even dropped another "bomb" for him, by mentioning his alias mysterious boss figure. To reel someone in, one needed to drop enough bait for them to be trapped.


    Sure enough, OneManMedia was stunned on the spot, having made another huge discovery. He was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn''t even realize Xu Feng had already left the scene.


    After all, Xu Feng was somewhat surprised by the notification he received.


    He temporarily logged out of the game once he returned to Riverwood Town, just in case he might be targeted by some Pkers. As he got out of the gaming capsule, he opened his phone message and read the text.


    Zhao Kai: You were right, Feng¡­ The schoolpetition means nothing when they''re just a bunch of ungrateful people. I left in a rage midway and bought the virtual helmet for the game.


    ''It seems like the timeline had truly been changed because of my actions.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    In the previous timeline, Zhao Kai never left the schoolpetition andpleted the entire process, albeit with little to zero recognition in the end.


    Hence, Xu Feng didn''t want him to waste time on it, even though he knew it was probably a futile persuasion.


    For some reason, Zhao Kai always seemed anxious, almost as if he was pressured into needing to prove himself.


    It was just a shame that he never had the chance to ask when he subsequently disappeared from his life while he got busy with the Reaver Guild.


    "Let me give him a reply now." Xu Feng mumbled, sending him a text.


    Xu Feng: I''m d you have learned how pointless thepetition is. So where are you now in the Divine World?


    Once the text was sent, Xu Feng patiently waited for a few minutes, but there was still no response.


    "Seems like he''s upied in the game." He muttered, not finding the situation surprising. Even he had to cut off from reality when doing the dungeon raid because he needed to be in full concentration and could not afford to be distracted.


    Just as Xu Feng was ready to reenter the game to proceed with his next move, he suddenly heard a ringing-kind of like sound. The ringing kind of sound was projected from the door, indicating someone was entering the apartment room.


    Smiling bitterly, Xu Feng realized his n was dyed yet again, considering it was time for him to meet the owner of this apartment.


    "Sigh, was it a mistake to rent this room or not?" He mumbled, feeling somewhat exhausted.

 Chapter 59: Owner

    The feeling that Xu Feng was having was quiteplicated.


    On the one hand, he was d to have rented a room in this great skyscraper, but on the other hand, he was suspicious of the owner.


    The employees who assisted him in obtaining the rent mentioned the reason it was avable was due to the owner having financial difficulty.


    However, upon inspecting and analyzing the interior, it was hard to say they were experiencing any financial difficulty.


    Even if they were struggling, the cost of the rent wasn''t that high either, so it didn''t really make sense since the rent was within his budget as well.


    ''I should just stop overthinking things and just ask the owner straightforwardly. Since I''m going to be living here for a while, I need to know what kind of person they are.'' He thought to himself, exiting the room and walking toward the living room.


    From afar, he could see a slender woman''s figure gracefully moving about the living room. Her long, curly brown hair cascaded down her back, adding to her mature appearance andmanding presence, which left him somewhat astonished.


    "Hi, you must be the owner, right?" Xu Feng waved his hand and asked.


    The woman turned around and nodded her head as she stared at Xu Feng.


    "Indeed, you can call me Erica. I''ve got your data from the agency that listed my room, but I still want to know your name from you directly." The woman, introducing herself as Erica, responded in a stoic tone.


    "Nice to meet you, Erica. I''m Xu Feng." Xu Feng gave a nd introduction of himself without revealing anything aside from his real name.


    Since he needed to list real information to rent the room, he couldn''t give out a fake name or use someone else.


    Meanwhile, Erica herself was watching every move of Xu Feng when she asked her question. She was checking and scrutinizing him, most likely to ensure he wasn''t some horny man in heat.


    Not to brag upon herself, but she could be considered a beauty, so to rent it for a man was already quite bold of her. Of course, that was because she knew how to defend herself, having learned how to fight.


    Thus, she was somewhat pleased to see his eyes didn''t wander around her body aside from the first few seconds, probably to get a clearer look at who she was.


    ''At least he didn''t have some creepy looks on me, but that could just be a pretense.'' Erica concluded silently.


    "Alright, I''m sure you must have been briefed by the rules and where you cannot go in this apartment, right?"


    "Mhmm, you can rest assured that. I won''t intrude on ces I''m not supposed to be."


    "Good, then you can do your own stuff. I''m just here for a few things before leaving." She calmly said and went to her room.


    A few minutester, she came back out and exited the apartment.


    ''You''re here for a few things, but you came and left empty-handed¡­'' Xu Feng twitched his mouth.


    With his keen insight, how could he not tell that her real motive was just to interact with him briefly? Once she aplished that and had an early judgment on him, her objective was done.


    Fixing his sses, Xu Feng didn''t find her behavior abnormal, given he would have done the same if their position were to swap. Not to mention, he appreciated how fast the interaction was, saving him quite the time and money.


    "Well, time to begin my next phase without dy." He muttered, returning to his room and hopping into the gaming capsule.


    While he logged into the game, outside the apartment, Erica''s phone was ringing constantly.


    "Ugh, how annoying." Erica rolled her eyes as she picked up the phone and answered the call.


    "My dear Erica, why are you causing trouble for me?" A sweet voice resounded immediately once themunication connected.


    "Enough of the sugary words, Father! You cut off my allowance just because I refused to go to the blind date which is so damn old school now." Erica scoffed, not buying his sweet tone.


    "And just because of that, you decided to rent one of the rooms out of your apartment? I''ve been informed that it''s a male that rented it. Aren''t you just trying to frustrate me at this point?"


    "I''m just repaying you tit for tat, Father. I don''t care about the blind date or who you think is best for me. My romantic life is decided by me."


    "Aiyah, my precious daughter. Your mother back then also reacted in such a manner, but who am I? I''m James Winston, and I managed to charm your mother through effort. So why can''t you give your blind date one chance?" Erica''s father, James Winston asked in an aggrieved tone.


    "I''m different from my mother."


    "Just how are you two different? Your appearance is nearly alike and even your demeanor is identical. The two of you are always bullying me."


    "Shall I call Mother about what you just said?


    "... Forget it, I''ll give you back your allowance so just kick that new tenant out. My precious daughter is living with a stranger¡ª a man on top of that? Fat Chance!"


    "Well, too bad because we signed a contract already," Erica responded tly and disconnected the call without giving James a chance to respond.


    Meanwhile, on the other side, James, who was seated in the presidential room, was rendered speechless.


    "This daughter of mine is just a carbon copy of ire." James smiled bitterly. In his life, there are only two people who would dare to disconnect him on the spot, and that was his wife and daughter.


    No one else would dare to attempt such a thing toward him other than them.


    "Sigh, my daughter is stubborn as a cow, so there''s no way she''ll cancel the tenant contract. But that doesn''t mean I''ll just stay put." James clenched his fist as he pressed a button on the desk.


    "Yes, Mr. James."


    "My daughter rented a room to a stranger, and I want you to unravel everyst bit of details about that stranger. Remember, be discreet and ensure my daughter doesn''t know about it."


    "Understood, Mr. James."


    ''I swear if there''s something unclean about that man, then I''ll rip them to shreds.'' James vowed silently, knitting his brows with his finger.

 Chapter 60: Changes in Riverwood Town

    Unbeknownst to the fiasco that urred between Erica and her father, James, Xu Feng had arrived at the Town Hall once again.


    The moment he entered the Town Hall lobby, the area was still crowded like previously, albeit much more manageable now.


    ''It seems like most yers are now interested in the Silver Wind Guild now.'' Xu Feng deduced inwardly.


    "Sigh, forget it, that mysterious person had note down since forever."


    "Yeah, why did my Guild Leader want me to even camp here when that person is probably hiding? The Game Forum literally announced him outright, so why would he reveal himself?"


    "Agreed, I might as well use this time to see when Guild Leader Gentle Wind is recruiting. At the very least, Silver Wind Guild is better than my current one."


    As Xu Feng walked around, he heard numerous yers discussing Gentle Wind''s recruitment.


    Their attention and focus are shifting at a rapid pace, with many evenining about being forced to wait for some "mysterious" yer.


    It didn''t take long for these yers to feel a puff of rage as they decided to drop their assignment and follow the masses to test their luck in joining the Silver Wind Guild.


    "Hey, brother, are you going to apply to the Silver Wind Guild as well?"


    As Xu Feng was minding his own business, he was suddenly called out by a random yer.


    Smiling softly, he shook his head in response. "I''m too low-level, so I definitely won''t be epted."


    "Ahh? Is that so? Good luck to you, brother!" With Xu Feng''s clever response, the yer no longer bothered him as he followed ahead of the masses.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng''s smile turned bitter as he recalled his level.


    ''That damn system is really cruel! How is the Inferno Tyrant regarded as a "normal" monster and gave me 1 percent of the total experience points only?'' He cursed silently.


    Despite his cursing, 1 percent of the total experience points of the Inferno Tyrant still helped him level up once. Though it could have been much more, and that was what made him frustrated.


    Inferno Tyrant was considered a raid boss, and not a normal monster. So for the harsh debuff to apply made zero sense. It was illogical andplete bullcrap.


    s, there was no way he could voice hisint to anyone because the System itself was like an overlord in the game. Whatever it stated was the final verdict, and no one else could overrule that.


    While he was frustrated by the oue, Xu Feng was spotted by a familiar receptionist, Sandy. She was just about to open her mouth to talk, most likely to greet him, but Xu Feng quickly signaled her to stop.


    He then pointed at her desk, seemingly trying to act as a regr adventurer.


    It was a good thing that Sandy understood the signal and didn''t expose him on the spot. After all, there were still some yers in the lobby, waiting to turn in their mission forpletion.


    Thus, if Sandy openly greeted him, then wasn''t that equivalent of announcing his special privilege or identity on the spot.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng walked toward the receptionist''s desk and asked in a low but subtle tone, "What''s the matter? You seemed quite frantic."


    "Ah, Adventurer Lin Feng, surely you must be teasing me. Didn''t you know your deeds have been spread across the town already?" Sandy responded, even shing a warm smile.


    "My deed?"


    "Of course, toplete the notorious Scorched Caverns dungeon at your level is astonishing. Even Herbalist Elias wanted me to send his congrats to you on his behalf."


    "Is that so?" Having cleared up his initial confusion, he now found it surprising that news of his achievement had already spread to the NPCs at such an rming rate.


    Although there were many more members on the list ofpletion, his name was quite familiar to the likes of Sandy and Elias, given their prior interactions.


    "Mhmm, Herbalist Elias knew you were going to achieve something big with the rare herbs you have given to him. Hence, he told me in advance to provide you with this if you happen to make some big achievement." Sandy smiled brightly as she informed, handing him a silver shield-like badge.


    As Xu Feng nced at the silver shield-shaped badge, he received a system notification prompt.


    System: Due to your meritorious and amazing achievement, you have been granted a Noble Status, Baron!


    ''A noble status just like that?'' Xu Feng was astonished at the reward. The noble status was something every yer vied for because it allowed them to gain many esses and privileges that would benefit them thoroughly.


    Benefits such as being granted the authority to construct any buildings, hiring NPC guards, and even owning a piece ofnd within the game world, were among the many privileges of a Noble Status.


    Additionally, yers with Noble Status often received special quests and invitations to exclusive events, providing unique opportunities for advancement and prestige.


    It was a remarkable reward that could significantly enhance Xu Feng''s influence and capabilities within the game.


    ''Let me check the noble status first.'' Xu Feng quickly investigated the noble status he received.


    After all, some noble status was limited to certain regions and areas only.


    They are not universal and only the ces that recognized or acknowledged the noble status could be utilized.


    A few minutester, Xu Feng''s expression remained stoic on the surface, but inwardly, he was dancing in joy.


    The noble status was not limited to the Riverwood Town, but the Aetheria Empire. The difference between having a noble status limited to the town and the empire was massive.


    If the status was limited to the town, then once he left the town, he would be an ordinary adventurer again.


    However, with his noble status limitation on the Aetheria Empire itself, any town he would visit in the future that was under the jurisdiction of the empire would have to treat him with a certain respect.


    ''Forget about the 1 percent experience points gained! I''ll take that kind of punishment anytime in exchange for a greater reward!'' He eximed inwardly.

 Chapter 61: Noble Status

    There were many different types of status in the Divine World. Every yer began as an adventurer--- the lowest status possible.


    To rise up in status, yers must not only rigorouslyplete missions requested by the NPCs, but they must also achieve some meritorious service to be eligible for a promotion.


    However, the promotion from adventurers to the new status was not of noble rank, but merely that of a citizen status.


    Nevertheless, citizen status was still more important than adventures, given that citizen status means that they have been acknowledged as a resident of the said area or region.


    To simplify things, the ranks are listed from bottom to top: Adventurer, Citizen, Baron, Sub-Mayor, Mayor, Lord, Viscount, Earl, Marquess, and Duke.


    Adventurer rank is universal, meaning it applies everywhere, but the rest of the status is dependent on the scope of limitation.


    Thus, to be promoted to two status levels and granted the highest authority, Xu Feng was naturally pleased by the result.


    His Baron status was directly under the jurisdiction of the Aetheria Empire, and not just some Towns.


    "Receptionist Sandy, is this status also given to the other members whopleted the raid along with me?" Xu Feng quickly asked, inquiring the details if he was the only recipient or if there were many more.


    Sandy smiled lightly as she shook her head, "I''m afraid that''s not the case, Adventurer¡ª Baron Lin Feng. This reward is exclusive to you, having gained the recognition of Herbalist Elias."


    Her addressment toward Xu Feng had subsequently changed as well, going as far as using a more polite tone now that Xu Feng was granted a Noble Status.


    His nobility now could be said to have reached a new height, especially when it had gone over the scope of Riverwood Town. Even the Town Mayor would have to be respectful despite the actual rank being higher than a Baron by 2.


    After all, a Town Mayor''s jurisdiction was only within the town, but Xu Feng''s status surpassed the town.


    "That''s quite unfortunate then," Xu Feng feigned a regrettable tone, showing a gloomy expression.


    However, inwardly, he was cheering andughing in joy. To be able to monopolize this noble status for himself was amazing.


    "Herbalist Elias was indeed not wrong to have praised you highly. Although it''s regrettable that only you have received this status, our Riverwood Town is happy to spread your achievement along with your guild members to other nearby towns." Sandy informed him.


    As much as Xu Feng wanted to reject this suggestion, given it would expose his name further to other yers, it was a little bit toote.


    After all, the crowd outside the dungeon should have been rigorously posting on the Game Forum without pause.


    Thus, he nodded his head in agreement with the suggestion and continued with his fake act ofpassion and loyalty.


    There was no hate between him and Gentle Wind, but there was also no way he would give them free benefits either. If they want something this great, then they must pay an equivalent price to obtain it.


    ''Herbalist Elias¡­ I really want to give you a hug now if possible.'' He was grateful to Elias for such an amazing gift. His unexpected gift helped nullify all the punishment that the System had imposed upon him.


    Comparing temporary experience points losses versus the gain of a Noble Status, was simply tooughable.


    Anyone in his shoes would choose to have their experience points debuffed in exchange for a Noble Status¡ª even if it was only limited to a single town, they would still ept such a thing in a heartbeat.


    "Anyway, Herbalist Elias looked forward to your progress and requested me to inform you to meet him in the Herbalist Association whenever you have the time." Sandy kindly said.


    "I will, and thank you." Xu Feng nodded his head.


    "Is there anything else that you''ll need my assistance on?" He inquired, clearly expecting a mission to be brought forth at this moment.


    Sure enough, Sandy''s eyes lit up as she nodded her head.


    "Indeed, there are some that our Town needs assistance with. There has been an insurgencytely with former mercenaries unsatisfied with the towns and have been causing trouble. If possible, please capture them and deliver them to the prison." She revealed, assigning him a mission.


    System: Receptionist Sandy has informed Adventurer Lin Feng of an insurgence undergoing in the shadow. Would you be willing to assist her?


    ''An insurgence mission huh.'' Xu Feng was amused. Insurgence doesn''t happen often, but when it does, the rewards are usually quite amazing.


    Not to mention, this kind of mission was to guarantee a reputation increase and possible rapport gain from unknown NPCs.


    Of course, with great rewards naturallyes great risk. Insurgence was usually filled with enemies that were at least 2-5 levels above the normal yers.


    After all, the difficulty wouldn''t be set in easy mode. If that was the case, then what was the point of hiring them to do the work when they could have handled it.


    Pondering for a brief moment, Xu Feng readily epted the mission without hesitation.


    "It''ll be my honor to assist the Riverwood Town in such a crisis." He responded, acting righteous as he clicked on the "yes" from the system prompt.


    "Great, I''ll look forward to your sess, Baron Lin Feng." Sandy sped her hands, seemingly grateful that he had epted the mission.


    "Given your noble status, you are allowed to take two items in our vault to assist you. The two items would be yours to keep if the mission is sessful." She added, giving him some benefit already.


    Feigning a shocked expression, Xu Feng smiled sheepishly and thanked Sandy sincerely.


    ''Heh, if it weren''t for the Baron status, then I really wouldn''t dare to ept an insurgence mission this quickly.'' He eximed inwardly.


    During those brief moments of thinking, he had already set up a n in his mind. Otherwise, it would be foolish of him to ept a mission without thinking of the consequences.

 Chapter 62: Vault

    Following closely behind Sandy, Xu Feng made sure to remain inconspicuous.


    He waited until most of the yers had left and told Sandy to pretend that she was assisting him in turning over some mission. To have Sandy agree to it, Xu Feng made up a lie that there could be possible spies hidden in the Town Hall, so they must remain casual.


    Despite being somewhat clever and more human than most NPCs, Sandy was still quite easy to be deceived.


    ''Of course, that should be attributed to my great charm and persuasiveness, right?'' Xu Feng thought to himself, feeling quite narcissistic.


    He soon regained hisposure and stopped having such silly thoughts once Sandy brought him to the entrance of the vault.


    "Here we are, Baron Lin Feng." Sandy introduced, not bothering to lower her volume now that they were somewhat alone.


    The vault was located in a discreet and restricted area. Normal adventurers are barred from setting foot here and once caught, they would be detained and imprisoned for 3 days in real time.


    As Sandy activated a mechanism, the heavy wooden door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit chamber filled with rows of shelves and cabs. The air was cool and musty, hinting at the treasures hidden within.


    Entering the vault, Xu Feng was instantly greeted by the sights of numerous treasures.


    The shelves were lined with various artifacts and precious items, each carefully cataloged and protected by magical barriers.


    Gold coins gleamed in the dim light, stacked neatly in piles, while gemstones of all colors sparkled from their settings.


    Priceless paintings adorned the walls, depicting scenes of mythical creatures and ancient battles.


    However, what attracted Xu Feng the most was the ragged scrolls.


    These ragged scrolls were nestled among the other treasures, their edges frayed and their parchment yellowed with age.


    "You seemed interested in those ragged scrolls, Baron Lin Feng," Sandy said, upon noticing his attention was distracted by the yellow parchment scrolls.


    Xu Feng nodded his head, not bothering to hide his intention.


    "Indeed, those ragged scrolls are very useful, but it''s a shame that I''m only allowed to take two items." He smiled bitterly.


    On the surface, he was shing a disappointed look, but inwardly, he was praying for Sandy to have a change of heart. ''Come on, increase the limit of items I can take. Don''t you see how bitter and disappointed I look?''


    His acting was extremely realistic, causing Sandy to turn hesitant, almost as if she felt bad about the circumstances.


    Noticing her subtle expression and movement, Xu Feng knew he was very close to his objective.


    "Sigh, the enemies of the insurgency should be numerous. Even if I wish to eradicate them and capture them, the time required would be unimaginable." Hemented, ming himself for his inadequacy.


    "If Baron Lin Feng only wished to take the Ragged Scrolls, then I''m authorized to allow you to pick some more," Sandy said with much difficulty.


    ''Yahooo!''


    Xu Feng screamed internally, but kept a calm expression on the surface.


    "Huh? But is that alright? These Ragged Scrolls are very important and powerful." He asked, sounding uncertain about the arrangement.


    "Yes, the Ragged Scrolls are indeed difficult to find, but our Town still receives distribution of them from the Aetheria Empire''s top Mages. These Ragged Scrolls are Tier 1 and Tier 2, so it should be fine." She exined.


    Ragged scrolls are essentially powerful spells that are locked within the yellow parchment papers, and they are ranked individually by their Tiers. The higher the Tiers, the more powerful the attack was.


    ''If only you had shown me this earlier, then I wouldn''t have struggled much in the Scorched Caverns.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    Even a Tier 1 Ragged Scroll was more powerful than a level 10 yer. So it goes to show just how rare and important the scrolls are. After all, there are no cooldown restrictions or usage limitations.


    As long as you have the Ragged Scrolls, then you can spam it as much as you want. In other words, it was like a machine gun that didn''t run out of ammo.


    One could discern how powerful a machine gun was if it could continuously fire without stopping.


    "Since you''ve said it, then exactly how much I can bring out?" He turned to her and asked.


    "If you are only going to pick Tier 1 Scrolls, then I can allow you to choose a maximum of 6. But if you are going to pick only Tier 2 Scrolls, then I''m allowed to let you choose 3."


    "Then what if I want a mix of both?"


    "If it''s a mix of both, then the distribution is 3 to 1, meaning you can choose three Tier 1 Scrolls and one Tier 2 Scrolls."


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng realized the options avable.


    Either he chooses six Tier 1 Scrolls or he could choose three Tier 2 Scrolls. And if he can''t decide, then he could choose in-between.


    Overall, depending on his choices, he could leave with either three scrolls, four scrolls, or six scrolls.


    It was a difficult choice, to say the least. He might have future memories intact, but he wasn''t a know-it-all person.


    There was no way he could remember all the details precisely, especially when he had never truly dealt with the insurgency other than hearing about it.


    "Can I inspect these scrolls more thoroughly?" Xu Feng asked.


    "Naturally, let me help you organize them," Sandy responded, taking out the scrolls and cing them neatly in a row for him to inspect.


    "It''s going to take some time, so I hope you don''t mind."


    "No worries, you can take your time. I''ll wait by the side."


    With that being said, Sandy promptly stood by the door, trusting himpletely.


    Of course, Xu Feng wasn''t going to attempt any exploit and secretly stash a few of them in his inventory. The circumstances between here and the Holy Sanctuary were different.


    If he were to be caught here, then all the good rapports he made with Sandy and Herbalist Elias would crumble in an instant.


    ''Ugh, why can''t you all be generous and give them all to me if you really want me to assist you? This game is just forcing me into the highest difficulty mode.'' He sighed inwardly.

 Chapter 63: Ragged Scrolls

    With all the time given to him to inspect, Xu Feng began calcting all types of possibilities in his mind regarding which Ragged Scrolls would offer him the greatest benefits.


    Contrary to most belief, these Ragged Scrolls don''t only contain offensive spells, but many other utilities as well.


    Scroll of Elemental Insight, Scroll of Healing Remedies, Scroll of Shadowcraft, and Scroll of Arcane Lore were among the Tier 1 categories.


    However, none of these scrolls are offensive. Despite not being offensive, that didn''t mean these scrolls were useless. In fact, some of them were even more useful than mere offensive spells that are just 1-time or 3-time uses.


    ''This Scroll of Shadowcraft helps unveil the basics of shadow magic. If I learn this, then I can manipte the darkness subtlety and conceal myself.'' Xu Feng picked up the scroll as he pondered inwardly.


    As a Cleric, his health points were naturally among the lowest possiblepared to other sses. Not to mention, his defense attribute was practically non-existent, meaning he would easily be killed if he lost his focus.


    With that in mind, Xu Feng knew he had to eliminate the second choice of choosing only Tier 2 Scrolls. After all, he could not afford to give up the chance to dabble with shadow magic.


    Shadow magic was umon and aside from the scroll in front of him, the only method to learn is through the guidance of someone adept with shadow magic.


    They are usually learned through the yer''s ss Change, but here he could learn it for free.


    Only an idiot would give up this opportunity!


    With this scroll chosen, Xu Feng proceeded to nce at the Scroll of Healing Remedies. Originally, he didn''t n on dabbling much of the herbology, but with Herbalist Elias'' sponsor, he would need to study them a bit more.


    ''They do say a n is merely a path, but not one without divergence.'' He eximed inwardly.


    Now that he had chosen two Tier 1 Scrolls, Xu Feng continued to gloss over the rest.


    s, none were adequate enough for him. They were either offensive spells or utilities unrted to his ss or to his specific needs.


    "Sigh, let''s nce at the Tier 2 Scrolls then." He murmured.


    Picking each scroll individually and looking at the system information prompt regarding them, Xu Feng took his time analyzing.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng found two scrolls that interested him dearly: Scroll of Forbidden Arts and Scroll of Divine Blessing.


    Both scrolls could be considered the pr opposite of each other, with Divine Blessing granting insight into invoking blessing and divine blessing.


    Meanwhile, the Forbidden Arts would assist him in learning darker magic, offering knowledge of necromancy, blood rituals, and other sinister spells.


    ''Damn, is the game trolling me specifically?'' At this point, Xu Feng wondered if he was being trolled. After all, these two scrolls were amazing in their own right and would advance his ss further.


    Yet he could only choose one ording to the agreement with Sandy. Or he could toss out his previous Tier 1 Scrolls decision from earlier and stick with three Tier 2 Scrolls.


    Although the scrolls he chose thus far contained zero offensive spells, Xu Feng found them even more valuable. Hence, he was struggling right now with the decision.


    Frustrated, he turned to Sandy, who had been standing by the door, and asked, "Is it possible to choose two Tier 1 Scrolls and two Tier 2 Scrolls?"


    Unfortunately for him, even if he feigned a pitiful and frustrated expression, Sandy remained firm this time as she shook her head in response.


    "Apologies, Baron Lin Feng, but these are the rules being set. I can''t manipte it or help you in this aspect." She said apologetically.


    "Then what if I give up one of the Tier 1 Scrolls?" He then asked, clearly trying to find a sweet spot for a deal.


    Sure enough, Sandy began knitting her brows, seemingly in deep thought.


    Considering the original deal, what Xu Feng did was mitigate the mixed deal. By choosing only one Tier 1 Scroll and two Tier 2 Scrolls, he was essentially changing the distribution from 3 to 1 into 2 to 1.


    "This is quite problematic though¡­" Sandy smiled bitterly and said, clearly in a difficult position.


    "But shouldn''t it be possible since I''m a Baron? Like I should at least have this kind of benefit, right? I''m sure you won''t get into trouble if you use my new noble status as the shield." Xu Feng persuaded her sweetly, going as far as using his nobility status.


    After what felt like an eternity, Sandy finally sighed softly as she stared at Xu Feng intensely.


    "You really love to make things difficult for me, Baron Lin Feng." She pouted but still nodded her head. "I suppose with your Baron status, it should still be possible for you to choose one Tier 1 Scroll and two Tier 2 Scrolls."


    "I appreciate your help," Xu Feng smiled brightly as he quickly grabbed the scrolls he wanted.


    It was just a shame that he would need to return the Scroll of Healing Remedies, but sacrifices were needed.


    If he couldn''t even afford to give up something, then he should just quit the game.


    Meanwhile, Sandy began logging the scrolls that Xu Feng had chosen.


    "You''ve chosen the Tier 1 Scroll, Scroll of Shadowcraft, and the Tier 2 Scrolls, Scroll of Forbidden Arts and Scroll of Divine Blessing. Is that your final decision?" She asked, confirming the information with him.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng responded, "Yes, I''ve chosen them after much consideration."


    "Very well, these scrolls now belong to you. I hope they can assist you well with the mission. The Town Mayor is currently unavable, but he should return in a few weeks. Hopefully, the crisis is resolved before his return." Sandy suddenly said, revealing some critical information.


    ''A sudden time limit for the mission huh.'' Xu Feng was quick to pick up on the hints that were subtly dropped for him.


    Most yers were always impatient, and constantly skipping or ignoring the dialogues of NPCs. However, doing that in the Divine World was equivalent to asking to be ignorant, and missing the crucial information.

 Chapter 64: Receptionist Sandy

    The Divine World was unlike most games where the mission offered tons of information and guides on how to seed.


    Instead, you would need to figure everything out yourself with little to brief information given.


    Though they aren''t that harsh either and as long as you triggered some certain event, you might receive some important information.


    And just now, Xu Feng seemed to have triggered that with Sandy, prompting thetter to reveal that the Town Mayor was currently not in Riverwood Town.


    In addition, the Town Mayor would return in a few weeks, and ording to his knowledge, that meant he had around 5-7 days.


    ''The time zone that NPCs operated on differed from us yers, so their few weeks are just 5-7 days. As expected, this must be the alternative plotline because of my mitigation in the original deal.'' Xu Feng quickly deduced the reason for the change.


    Despite knowing he was the reason for the sudden deadline, he had no regrets.


    After all, Sandy only mentioned that the Town Mayor would want the crisis to be resolved before his return. This meant that he would still be safe and sound, albeit with the loss of good rapport with the Town Mayor.


    In other words, this was an incentive bonus if he was efficient in his mission.


    "Rest assured, Sandy. I won''t disappoint you or the Town Mayor with these scrolls in my hand." Xu Feng responded confidently, shing a bright smile.


    "Great, I hope to see your sess as well. There are many people who would like to meet with apetent adventurer, much less someone with a noble status from the Empire." Sandy sped her hands.


    System: Congrattions to Baron Lin Feng for opening the rapport rtionship with Receptionist Sandy!


    Stunned, Xu Feng didn''t expect Sandy would have a rapport status. Most importantly, the system prompt no longer addressed him as Adventurer, but as Baron now.


    Opening the rapport feature, he went to check on Sandy''s information.


    Rapport Status with NPC: Receptionist Sandy


    Current Rapport Level: Amicable


    Recent Interactions:


    -Received a noble status from her on behalf of Herbalist Elias.


    -epted a mission from Sandy regarding the insurgency rising.


    -Engaged in a friendly conversation about the mission.


    Notes:


    -Receptionist Sandy seemed to have high hopes for your sess in resolving the insurgency.


    -If the yer seeded in the mission before the Town Mayor''s return, it might lead to improved rapport and a bountiful reward.


    ''This is unbelievable¡­'' Xu Feng twitched his brows slightly. What caught his attention was the notes part, in which he might receive a bountiful reward.


    Instead of saying "it might," Xu Feng was more inclined to believe it was a guaranteed reward. Otherwise, the system wouldn''t have bothered listing that in the notes.


    A rapport status of an NPC revealed confidential information that could not be found anywhere and the best part: it was always urate.


    "Okay, I''ve confirmed everything and shall return to my post. If you need anything else, I''ll be at the receptionist''s desk." Sandy said once the two of them exited the vault.


    Xu Feng gave a polite response before exiting the Town Hall, feeling quite confused. Never once did he expect there would be a rapport status for Sandy.


    ''I guess it really helps by tipping others generously.'' He thought to himself, wondering if it activated because of his generous tipping and continuous amicable conversation with her.


    ncing at the sky, Xu Feng realized his knowledge of the game seemed to be more expansive. There were things he was exploring that he never did or knew about, and for some reason, he was feeling excited.


    Instead of feeling worried that the game might be developing into something more unknown to him, he was actually anticipating to figure out what other new things he would find.


    Maybe that was just how a real gamer would feel once they have believed toplete most of the objectives in a game. They would seek more thrilling and difficult events, especially going into excitement once a new update urred.


    "Well, I guess it isn''t so bad." He murmured, being quite optimistic about the situation.


    He was not a bit worried that new changes could hinder or dy his main objective. After all, he was someone who had gone through numerous crises and difficult obstacles.


    If he were to falter due to some trivial changes, then he might as well stop trying to get revenge or even challenge the filthy rich. Not to mention, he would have wasted this miraculous chance of returning from the future.


    As Xu Feng began to head toward the Mercenary Association, a ce that catered to NPC who worked as a mercenary to gather some information, he received a notification.


    The notification came from the real world via his smartwatch.


    By connecting his smartwatch with the Divine World, it allowed him to receive notifications on both sides, whether it was the game or the real world. This was another reason why a smartwatch was an essential part of a yer who wished to make a living through Divine World.


    Opening the notification, Xu Feng noticed the sender was Zhao Kai.


    "Looks like he finally read the messages I''ve sent." He mumbled, checking on the message.


    Zhao Kai: Hahaha, Feng, this game is really immersive. I feel like I''ve been reborn in another world. Anyway, I checked the map and I''m in Greenbird Town currently.


    ''Greenbird Town huh. If I recall correctly, there are some yers from there migrating to Riverwood Town.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, opening his map as he began to investigate where Greenbird Town was.


    To his astonishment, the town was extremely far from Riverwood Town, requiring at least 3 teleportation and some more walking to arrive here.


    "These migrators are really risk-takers." He had to praise these yers for their courage and determination toe all the way here.


    If it was him in the past, Xu Feng wouldn''t have dared to take such a risk that was not only time-consuming but also potentially dangerous. After all, you could easily be robbed or killed during the trip when you''re traveling alone.

 Chapter 65: Broke

    Having learned that Zhao Kai''s current location was Greenbird Town, Xu Feng sent a message and asked him to travel to Riverwood Town.


    Xu Feng: Can youe over to Riverwood Town as soon as possible. There''s no future in Greenbird Town.


    With the development of the situation, Greenbird Town no longer held much value. Otherwise, the yers who originated there wouldn''t have spent so much money and time to migrate over to Riverwood Town.


    This was the harsh reality of the Divine World. Just because both are towns, the differences between them are massive.


    s, the reply from Zhao Kai nearly caused Xu Feng to stumble.


    Zhao Kai: I don''t think I can travel there. I''m broke.


    Xu Feng: Wait, how are you broke? With 10 copper coins given as a starter, the teleportation would only cost you 1-2 copper coins to teleport elsewhere other than your beginner town.


    Zhao Kai: About that¡­ I saw some goodies so I purchased some.


    ''Goodies?'' Confused, Xu Feng was unable toprehend his meaning.


    What kind of items caught his eye to spend his entire fortune?


    No, the question should be, what kind of good items would cost 10 copper coins only?


    Xu Feng: What items did you purchase and what are their stats?


    He would really go insane if Zhao Kai purchased some garbage items and wasted his fortune for naught. ''Maybe he found a good bargain and the item was amazing.''


    Trying to think positively, Xu Feng patiently waited for a response.


    After a few minutes, Xu Feng finally received a response, and the more he read it, the more he wanted to strangle Zhao Kai.


    Zhao Kai: uhh¡­ about that¡­ I was kind of in a rage when I started, so when I walked through the streets, I smelled some good food. I couldn''t control myself and bought a lot, filling my stomach to the brim.


    Xu Feng: Is that the reason why you said the game is immersive? Not because of the fact that you can control your body as if you live in this world, but the fact that you can feel your hunger subsided upon consuming food.


    Zhao Kai: Yep, sounds about right. Feng, you really know how to summarize my meaning. I give you 3000 likes!!!


    "Fuck!!!" Xu Feng suddenly cursed in public, causing quite amotion in his surroundings.


    As most yers paused their tasks temporarily, their attention locking onto Xu Feng, he smiled awkwardly in response.


    "Haha, I just lost my auction bid." He quickly gave an excuse for his swearing.


    Sure enough, the yers soon lost interest and returned to their own tasks.


    "Tsk, so it''s just another loser that lost their bid."


    "Heh, I bet he''s broke and that''s why he lost. There''s no way he lost because of the time."


    "Haha, just look at his gears and you can tell he''s not even level 5 yet."


    The yers gossiped among themselves regarding Xu Feng''s current condition, prompting him to hurriedly leave the scene to avoid being the topic of discussion.


    Never once had he lost hisposure as much as now!


    ''This damn Kai is really one of a kind.'' Xu Feng twitched his mouth, clearly frustrated by his conduct.


    Who the hell blows their entire fortune away from buying food?


    Was he really that hungry?


    Despite feeling frustrated by Zhao Kai, he also needed to praise thetter for discovering something quite early on.


    The fact that he felt full while eating in the game meant that he subtly discovered that the game could affect reality somewhat.


    This was not easy to discover despite it being a simple purchase of food and consuming it.


    After all, Xu Feng couldn''t think of another person who would purchase the game to buy food to consume.


    Instead, everyone would be focused on their character stats, missions, levels, and fame.


    Finding a discreet location, Xu Feng double-checked his surroundings to ensure no one else was nearby.


    ''Phew, I actually lost myposure and became aughing stock.'' He smiled bitterly, clearly not expecting his awesome image to be ruined by a few messages from Zhao Kai.


    Taking a few seconds to calm his emotions, Xu Feng asked Zhao Kai for his username in the game.


    Luckily, unlike before, Zhao Kai managed to respond swiftly.


    ''Shadow de huh? How cringe is this name?'' He thought to himself, not realizing his naming sense was no worse than Zhao Kai either.


    With the username and the tag that was unique solely to Zhao Kai, Xu Feng sent a friend request to him.


    "You should be honored, Kai. So many people want to add me as a friend, but only you managed to be my first." He smirked pridefully.


    For the people who had been private messaging him, those didn''t count since you don''t need to be friends to send a message.


    However, Xu Feng was quite positive that most of them wanted to add him as a friend officially. After all, with his extensive knowledge and current resources, only a fool would want to slight him.


    Sometimeter, Zhao Kai epted Xu Feng''s friend request once he returned to the Divine World, and the first thing he did was video call him.


    "..."


    Speechless, Xu Feng epted the video call, which was only avable to friends and guild members.


    And speaking of guild members, Xu Feng had already left the guild the moment his business with them was done. Had he remained any longer, he was afraid Gentle Wind might pester him to stay a bit longer.


    ''That woman''s eyesight near the end of the raid was akin to a predator. She''s definitely trying to poach me into her guild, but how can that be possible.'' He eximed inwardly, finding the situation humorous.


    He was his own boss, but no one else knew that, so it was hrious to be poached by others from him.


    "Alright, speak, where are you?" epting the video call, Xu Feng got straight to the point, directly asking for his whereabouts.


    Just because they are now friends in the game doesn''t mean they could see each other''s location. The only thing they could see was whether they were online or not.

 Chapter 66: Repayment

    With the video call, Xu Feng could see the gears that were on Zhao Kai.


    To his surprise, Zhao Kai was holstering a gun near his belt, which meant he was a Gunner ss. Or at least that was what Xu Feng had in mind.


    ''You picked a gunner ss, but call yourself Shadow de. Just how does your mind function?'' Xu Feng wondered silently, feeling more and more speechless by Zhao Kai''s conduct.


    "Okay, stop ying with your gun and tell me your current location already?" Annoyed, Xu Feng asked once again, having noticed Zhao Kai was being distracted.


    "Ah, right. My bad, it''s just that the gun makes me feel cool and authoritative." Zhao Kai scratched his head andughed aloud, unbothered by his surroundings.


    Nevertheless, he still opened his map and checked his location.


    "Yes, I''m currently in a ce called Verdant Valley," he sped his hands and answered.


    "Verdant Valley¡­" Xu Feng twitched his mouth slightly. Verdant Valley was nowhere near Greenbird Town as it required at least half a day of walk time with his current level and gear.


    No, the question was, how did he not die when traveling there as a beginner?


    "Did you not encounter any monsters on the way?"


    "I''m not sure, Feng. I was just walking around and eating the food I bought. The food was amazing and helped me calm down that I lost track of time and whereabouts."


    "Unbelievable." At this rate, Xu Feng wondered if Zhao Kai was the true protagonist.


    His luck and conduct were so abnormal yet could make others envy him.


    Even he did not dare to venture that far to the Verdant Valley, especially with his current gear that needed an extensive upgrade.


    While Xu Feng was pondering how to get Zhao Kai toe over to his town, Zhao Kai suddenly recalled something.


    "Oh, right, I forgot something, Feng. The person who sold me the food told me to get to Willowbrook Vige to deliver a letter to him in exchange for more food. Do you know where that is?" Zhao Kai asked.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was stunned on the spot when he heard the name Willowbrook Vige.


    Willowbrook Vige was nestled amidst the rolling hills and meandering streams of the countryside, but that kind of description was a disguise.


    It sounded mundane, but in fact, it was located in a discreet ce, and without proper authorization, one could not enter there.


    What made the ce important and why he could subtly recall the name was because of the famous cksmith located there.


    ''I struggled so much just to gain some head start, but this lucky bastard stumbled upon a chain mission by purchasing food? Are you joking with me?'' He screamed internally, wanting to strangle Zhao Kai on the spot.


    Luckily, his control of facial expression on the surface was near perfection, having remained quite stoic.


    "Since it''s a mission, the letter itself should have indicated some hints of the location." He calmly exined to Zhao Kai.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, or don''t tell me you never bothered to inspect the letter?"


    Hearing that question, Zhao Kai shed a cheeky smile, his meaning being quite clear that he had indeed not inspected the letter at all.


    ''When did he be such a foodie?'' Xu Feng cried inwardly, wondering if he was still the Zhao Kai he knew.


    Or maybe this was the consequence of his actions. Had he not attempted to convince him to join the game, then he wouldn''t have achieved this.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai used this time to retrieve the letter and indeed noticed some symbols on it.


    However, he was unable to make heads or tails with the symbols, looking extremely lost and confused.


    "Feng, what does this symbol mean?" Zhao Kai turned to him and asked.


    "Forget it, I''ll make my way to you so just send me your coordinate." Xu Feng knitted his brows, having given up on trying to have thetter go to him.


    After all, if he helped Zhao Kai with his mission, then he could possibly use this opportunity to be acquainted with the cksmith.


    Gears might be an external factor and should not be relied on heavily, but that doesn''t mean one should neglect their gears.


    Now that the opportunity had arisen for him toe into contact with a famous cksmith, he would be a fool to not take advantage of it.


    ''Sigh, just treat it as a repayment for the punch I gave him earlier.'' He thought to himself, making it seem as if he was the one returning the favor and not the other way around.


    His skills were great, but he was limited by the beginner gears that were given to every yer at the start.


    Hence, joining Zhao Kai to assist his mission, as well as to gain some upgrades would be Xu Feng''s main objective under the pretext of helping him.


    It was akin to killing two birds with one stone.


    What a genius he was!


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng received the precise coordinates from Zhao Kai, after having instructed him on how to do so as well since thetter doesn''t know how to do so.


    With the coordinate now revealed, Xu Feng was astonished by his location.


    ''Just how the hell is he still alive?'' He wondered silently, seemingly amazed by Zhao Kai''s luck.


    Zhao Kai was surrounded by a ton of high-level monsters, but he remained unscathed, which goes to show that he somehow managed to avoid them all.


    ''Wait, it could possibly be because of the letter in his inventory.'' Xu Feng suddenly paused and thought of a possibility.


    Maybe it was because he was assigned to deliver a letter that he somehow got an invisible magical protective charm, warding off the monsters.


    ''If that''s the case, then isn''t it suicidal of me to try to meet him there?'' He twitched his brows.


    Faking a cough, Xu Feng decided to make an excuse.


    "Kai, you are too far away, so we''ll meet in the nearest town. You are closer to Oakwood Town, so we''ll meet there instead." He said, sending him the coordinate or direction there.

 Chapter 67: Oakwood Town

    Oakwood Town was a quaint settlement nestled amidst towering oak trees and sprawling farnds.


    With simple wooden houses and a bustling marketce, it served as a weing hub for adventurers starting their journey in the Divine World.


    At the teleporter tform, Xu Feng subsequently arrived at the town after spending a hefty amount of coins.


    ''Ugh, just like that, I lost 6 copper coins in one trip.'' He sighed inwardly.


    Although he could be considered wealthy, to lose money like this definitely stung him a bit.


    After all, he wouldn''t have needed to teleport all the way over here had it not been for Zhao Kai.


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng promptly walked to a nearby bench and sat, patiently waiting.


    As he was waiting patiently, he received a message from Gentle Wind.


    Gentle Wind: Hello, Lin Feng''s boss, I came here to express my gratitude and thanks on behalf of your subordinate. He was excellent.


    ''Lin Feng''s boss? Express gratitude? What does she want now?'' Xu Feng tilted his head slightly, seemingly confused by her message.


    Was she here to rejoice in her rewards from the Inferno Tyrant?


    Given their prior contract, Xu Feng didn''t take any of the rewards from the Inferno Tyrant.


    That was despite the fact that some of the loot was amazing. He kept his principles and integrity, honoring the contract.


    Anonymous User: I suppose Guild Leader Gentle Wind is enjoying the rewards from the Scorched Caverns. As for gratitude, there''s no need for it when we are merely obliged by the contract uses.


    He responded somewhat politically, keeping a great distance from her.


    Just because he assisted her greatly didn''t mean he was trying to establish a more thorough rtionship with her.


    Meanwhile, Gentle Wind on the other side was rendered speechless by the somewhat cold response from Xu Feng.


    "He sure is putting his guard up." Gentle Wind smiled bitterly.


    "Not surprising. With a capable subordinate like Lin Feng, he would definitely act cautious." Autumn Breeze chimed in from behind.


    "Based on his response, it''s clear that he doesn''t want to interact much further besides business talk." She added, understanding his intent.


    Nodding her head in agreement, Gentle Wind also understood the meaning.


    However, understanding andplying were two different things.


    "If I didn''t check on the recording and notice just how many things Lin Feng was secretly doing to prevent casualties, then I wouldn''t have mustered up the courage to contact him again." Gentle Wind sighed softly.


    Previously, her mind was upied by the bountiful rewards, followed by the enthusiastic cheer from the crowd, prompting her to be unable to review the recording footage.


    And now that she had somewhat gotten everything under control, she checked on it, only to realize Xu Feng had been discreetly buffing and healing her guild members in a timely manner.


    Without this assistance and great timing, she was positive that the casualties would have been sky-high.


    "Well, I have to admit that Lin Feng is extremely adept in his skills, even superior to the Clerics under us. But his deduction skill is a littlecking." Autumn Breeze suddenly said.


    "After extensive investigation, Rageheart had indeed betrayed us and was helping your rival, but not SilentWhisper. She was just really timid and terrible that she got mistaken for betraying us."


    "Ahem, we can''t me Lin Feng given the situation back then. SilentWhisper could only me her bad mechanic skills for being sacrificed, but we willpensate her a bit on behalf of Lin Feng." Gentle Wind faked a cough, defending Xu Feng''s action.


    It was definitely not a crime to be terrible at the game, but it surely was if you were terrible enough to be mistaken as sabotaging the team.


    That was especially true when they were ying at a high-risk difficulty.


    Therefore, even if Xu Feng was half correct in his decision, Gentle Wind had zero intention of ming him for it.


    Had it been her who had discovered and found them suspicious, she would have done the same thing.


    After all, it was better to be safe than sorry.


    "I''ve already gone ahead to pacify SilentWhisper. When I got there, she was bawling her eyes out and apologizing for being nervous at that moment." Autumn Breeze smiled awkwardly.


    "It''s indeed unfortunate for her to be wronged. But anyway, that rival of mine must be feeling like crap right now."


    "Hah, your rival is being reprimanded hard ording to my spy. Even the board directors this time were overwhelmingly disappointed at him and were praising you."


    "These board directors are just a bunch of useless old men that got lucky with their purchase of shares. Once I have enough shares, I''ll turn the table on them." Gentle Wind snickered coldly.


    She then turned to Autumn Breeze and shed a coy and docile expression. "Zhao Xin, when will you stop your behavior and help this little sister out?"


    ''Zhao Xin? Not good, she''s doing it again.'' Autumn Breeze eximed inwardly, retreating a few steps.


    "Didn''t you say to only call us by username and not by real name?" Autumn Breeze, otherwise known as Zhao Xin, responded.


    "Ohe on, my big sister Zhao Xin. There''s only us two here and no one else. Won''t you help this pitiful little sister out?" Gentle Windtched herself onto Autumn Breeze, shing a cheeky smile.


    "You are ying rogue, Qing Rou!" Autumn Breeze screeched, trying her best to push her face away from her.


    s, Gentle Wind was like a leech, unable to be removed easily no matter how hard she mustered her strength.


    "If ying rogue will get you to help me, then I don''t mind." Gentle Wind smirked.


    "My dear and lovely Xin. You have full control of the Zhao Enterprise. Also, haven''t I been indulging in you to act willfully and naive despite your actual capability?"


    Speechless, Autumn Breeze knew she was caught in her trap this time.


    "Ugh, if I help you, then how are you going to justify yourself? Don''t forget, your father would definitelyin to my father at that time for intruding in your family business." She softly exined.

 Chapter 68: Tides Has Turned

    Zhao Xin,monly known as Autumn Breeze in the game, was actually the heiress to the Zhao Enterprise. Her personality and behavior contrasted deeplypared to how she was in the real world and game.


    Not only was she extremely fierce and domineering in the real world, but she was also the person inplete control of the Enterprise.


    Her father, Zhao Liang was even sidelined, given Zhao Xin''s grandfather, Zhao Guofu doting on her and trusting herpletely.


    "My grandfather dotes on me and even transfers all his shares to me, but I can''t do things that disappoint him. If your father, Feng Jian,ins to him, then it wouldn''t look good for you." Zhao Xin calmly exined the situation.


    Naturally, she would be happy to assist her, but if she did, then the situation would technically worsen for Feng Qing Rou instead.


    The Zhao Enterprise and Feng Enterprise had a cooperative rtionship, so it would be impolite of her to intervene in the Feng Enterprise, given her unique identity.


    After all, it could easily be maliciously used by others to spread rumors of Zhao Xin wanting to swallow the Feng Enterprise.


    Such a malicious rumor would definitely cause unimaginable chaos, and even her grandfather might start to question her motive.


    "You should know that my grandfather will still believe me, but those brothers of mine would definitely make a mess. They''ve been trying to drag me down all along." Zhao Xin smiled bitterly.


    Meanwhile, Feng Qing Rou remained silent for a few minutes.


    What Zhao Xin said was a warning to her and the consequences of their actions.


    And it wasn''t the first time Zhao Xin had mentioned this specific matter. As much as she wanted to assist her, the multi-thread line of the rtionship wasplicated and involved too many things.


    "Of course, I know about it, Xin. You told me this a long time ago, and that''s why you could only assist me through virtual games to help me gain a foothold. But this time, it''s different. The Divine World is not just a simple virtual game." Feng Qing Rou released her grip on Zhao Xin and said, her expression resolute.


    "The Divine World immersion ispletely different from the other virtual games, and I can feel its impact in this world is going to be immense. It''s only a matter of time before everyone realizes the potential of the Divine World. Hence, I must use this time to grasp the opportunity fiercely."


    Hearing her deration, Zhao Xin remained silent.


    How could she not understand Feng Qing Rou''s emotions?


    Her brothers were exactly replicants of her, albeit minus the hideous appearance and despicable demeanor. They were all trying their best to gain authority.


    "Are you positive that you want me to intervene now?" Zhao Xin asked in a solemn tone, void of her previous yful and childish expression.


    It was as if she had undergone a huge transformation, turning into a domineering and fierce person.


    Feng Qing Rou shed a determined expression as she nodded her head.


    "The tide has turned with the recent sess of clearing the Scorched Caverns Hell Mode difficulty. The Silver Wind Guild earned explosive poprity and the board directors are finally recognizing my ability. If I don''t act now, then I will lose the chance."


    "Very well, I''ll give you some of the capital funds to fight, as well as giving you some of my trusted subordinates."


    "Not just that, Xin." Feng Qing Rou suddenly smiled. "I also want your vastwork and ability to search for this Lin Feng. With his skills, as long as I can employ him under my guild, I can definitely earn more merits."


    "Now you''re just asking for an impossible task." Zhao Xin rolled her eyes.


    "The security of the Divine World is so strong that even my greatest hacker can''t infiltrate. In fact, he nearly went into aa from an unexpected electricity shock." She added, stating that it waspletely impossible to track Lin Feng.


    "Looks like the only option is still this Anonymous User who continues to keep his identity a mystery." Feng Qing Rou sighed softly, feeling helpless.


    "Hehe, rest assured. I can just y rogue and shameless to get Lin Feng." Zhao Xin suddenly grinned. "Don''t forget, no one knows my real identity except you, and I love to rx when ying games."


    "Right, you are the best, Xin~" Feng Qing Rou sped her hands joyfully, having forgotten Zhao Xin''s entric style.


    Despite managing arge enterprise, and being aloof in the real world, she preferred to rx in the game instead. To her, it was a breather and a rxing day where she could escape putting a strong front for others.


    Maybe in a way, Zhao Xin herself was also quite simr to Feng Qing Rou''s situation.


    Both needed to put a strong front to avoid being underestimated or looked down upon.


    "Alright, stop sulking now and go back to your work, Qing Rou. You still have the guild recruitment and nning your next steps in the Divine World. I''m sure Herald Fist is already rushing to level up hard to reach a city first." Zhao Xin kindly warned her, while opening her message feature.


    "What about you then?" Feng Qing Rou responded with a question of her own. "Don''t you need to deal with your businesses?"


    "Heh, I''ve already finished them." Zhao Xin snickered and waved her hands.


    "Alright, don''t bother me. I''m going to contact Lin Feng now." She added.


    "Huh? When did you get his contact?" Startled, Feng Qing Rou was surprised her bestie was able to obtain his contact. Even she was unable to, given the circumstances and unfortunate timing.


    "I got his contact when he decided to split us into three teams. I pestered him like crazy to get him to open a conversation with me." Zhao Xin shed a proud smile on her face,pletely void of her previous serious demeanor.


    "Ahh, you really are like a rogue." Despite saying that, Feng Qing Rou gave her a thumbs up.


    Meanwhile, back on the bench at Oakwood Town, Xu Feng was rendered speechless when another person contacted him.


    "Just what is this y? After the big boss, now the mini-boss decided to show up?" He murmured, seemingly in disbelief that he was contacted repeatedly by Gentle Wind and Autumn Breeze.

 Chapter 69: Poaching

    Sitting by the bench, Xu Feng was getting a headache, believing he was being poached by two people simultaneously.


    ''There''s no way these two who are like peas in one pod would message coincidentally at the same time.'' He fixed his sses and opened up the message.


    Autumn Breeze: Hi, Lin Feng, the raid ended in a sess. So shouldn''t we have celebrated for the aftermath, instead of sneakily leaving?


    "And here I thought I was shameless enough." He twitched his brows, having underestimated how shameless Autumn Breeze could be.


    Did she really take him for an idiot or a fool?


    Just what kind of excuse was that?


    No, maybe it wasn''t an excuse, but her indirect manner of asking him to show up and stop hiding.


    Taking a deep breath, Xu Feng finally realized that this Autumn Breeze looked simple on the surface, but was actually quite the schemer underneath.


    ''Damn, this woman is really nefarious.'' He eximed inwardly. Not only was she indirectly telling him to show up, but she was also saying how heartless and dishonorable he was by sneakily leaving without a word.


    "She''s even more difficult to interact withpared to Gentle Wind." Xu Feng pondered long and hard on how to respond to the message.


    If only he didn''t open the message, then he could have kept it there without the need to read it.


    However, now that he did and it was marked as read, he was sure Autumn Breeze also noticed it.


    Thus, even if he attempted to change the status to unread, it was already toote, and doing so might even give her another leverage to screw him over.


    After pondering long and hard, Xu Feng decided to y rogue as well.


    Lin Feng: Who are you?


    Since Autumn Breeze obtained his contact through constant pestering, there was no point in going anonymous with her.


    Luckily, the Divine World was quitex in this aspect and allowed users to go anonymous or not with different yers.


    His response to her trapped question could have been said to be a textbook answer. ''Heh, by pretending to not recognize you, what charges can you use me of?''


    Sure enough, the advantage soon returned to him when Autumn Breeze was forced to exin who she was.


    Autumn Breeze: You are really heartless, Lin Feng. How could you forget about me when we literallypleted the raid together just recently?


    Lin Feng: Ahh, right, yes, my bad. What do you want?


    Autumn Breeze: Our Silver Wind Guild is now experiencing exploding poprity because of your contribution, so we wanted to have a celebration.


    Lin Feng: I''ll have to pass. My boss just assigned me a new task, so I can''t afford to idle around.


    ''Heh, you wanted a celebration? More like you wanted to poach me.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly, having understood her intention rather quickly.


    After all, it was amon tactic to use celebration as a disguise to conceal their true intention. Had he attended the celebration, then they would surely bring up the topic of recruiting him to their guild.


    Having experienced what it meant to be discarded like a stray dog, Xu Feng would rather kill himself than allow himself to suffer that kind of path again.


    Even if Autumn Breeze and Gentle Wind weren''t such people, Xu Feng still wouldn''t ce his bet on them.


    The only person he could trust was himself.


    A few minutes had gone by, and Autumn Breeze hadn''t yet responded, proving his response was concise and swift.


    It was clear that his message and intention had been delivered perfectly. She knew not to push the boundary further and just leave it as it was for now.


    Right at this time, Xu Feng suddenly heard a shout from afar.


    "Feng, I''m over here!"


    "..."


    Speechless, Xu Feng wondered what was wrong with Zhao Kai for shouting.


    ''Does he really need to shout my name?'' He twitched his brows. Luckily, the saving grace here was that he only called him by his first name, and it was amon one at that.


    If he decided to call him Xu Feng, then it would have been disastrous. He had been trying to conceal his identity, but Zhao Kai nearly exposed him the first thing they met up in the Divine World.


    Unwilling to be the focus of attention, Xu Feng stood up and rushed toward Zhao Kai, dragging him away to a discreet corner.


    "Shush, Kai, from now on, only refer to us by username¨C" Xu Feng suddenly paused when he realized his in-game username was now somewhat popr.


    The Game Forum was filled with posts of the raidpletion, along with the list of members that were in it.


    "Anyway, just stop being so loud and attention-seeking. You don''t even act like that in the real world." He sighed softly.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai scratched his head and smiled briefly. "Well, I didn''t mean to be attention-seeking, Feng. It''s just that I felt free and alive herepared to the real world. I don''t even feel the pressure that I always felt there."


    "I supposed it''s not that bad to act carefree." Xu Feng suddenly said, patting on his shoulder. "Just make sure to call me Feng and nothing else. I don''t want others to know my identity."


    "Gotcha, Brother Feng." Zhao Kai shed a cheeky smile and proceeded to point at himself.


    "Call me Shadow de in here as well."


    "Alright, Shadow de who actually uses a gun and not a de."


    Sometimeter, the two were about to exit Oakwood Town but were subsequently dyed upon Zhao Kai''s insistence on getting some food.


    "Brother Feng, buy me a meal? I''m starving." He acted coyly, sending a cold shiver down Xu Feng''s spine for his acting.


    Had it been a gentle and charming woman, it would have been cute, but him?


    With a disgusted expression, Xu Feng moved away from him and asked, "Didn''t you just eat like a pig earlier?"


    "Yeah, but that was hours ago. My stomach is grumbling now." Zhao Kai then proceeded to rub his stomach shamelessly in front of him.

 Chapter 70: Redwood Inn

    Exhausted, Xu Feng was promptly forced to take a detour temporarily to indulge Zhao Kai in his foodie life.


    Despite wanting to advance further and be up ahead, he decided it was not bad to take some time to rest.


    Maybe if it wasn''t for Zhao Kai''s insistence, he would have continued his old habit of constantly working.


    ''I might have changed slightly, but I still tend to overwork myself.'' He smiled bitterly.


    Thepetitiveness in the Divine World during his time as an upper echelon of the Reaver Guild was intense. Even just taking a small break could have resulted in deadly consequences.


    However, the current moment was still in the early stages, and thepetition was rtively mild.


    Not to mention, with Zhao Kai''s coy acting giving him goosebumps, Xu Feng would rather feed him full than receive that kind of disgusting behavior again.


    "Don''t ever try to act coy again, or you''re not getting any food." Xu Feng warned sternly.


    "Rest assured, you won''t see that persona ever again." Zhao Kai attempted to show a solemn expression but somehow made itical looking with how hard he was trying.


    "I''ve heard that the Redwood Inn here has some great specialty, so we need to go there specifically." He added, seemingly turning into a food expert.


    ''So you did research, but only on food?'' Xu Feng was baffled.


    He couldn''t fathom why Zhao Kai would waste his energy and time on mundane stuff that doesn''t really improve one''s stat and progress.


    As the two walked on the street, it slowly transitioned to Zhao Kai leading the way, his eyes wandering around seamlessly.


    He looked no different than a country bumpkin who had just gotten to a big city.


    "Why are you acting like this?" Xu Feng mumbled, using his hand to cover part of his face, trying to avoid being seen.


    As Xu Feng quietly followed behind the enthusiastic Zhao Kai, they finally arrived at Redwood Inn.


    Before even entering inside, Xu Feng could hear numerous chattering andughter echoing from the interior.


    "Come on, Brother Feng. Let''s head inside." Zhao Kai shouted once he realized Xu Feng was distracted slightly. To ensure his stomach was filled, he proceeded to grab his arm and began dragging him along.


    "Don''t forget that you punched me in the face earlier, so now I''ll call it even if you pay for the food." He then whispered softly, reminding Xu Feng of his earlier action.


    Startled, Xu Feng chuckled softly as he shook his head. "And here I thought you had forgotten about it. Whatever then, eat to your heart''s content."


    Although it was a pity to waste money on food, Xu Feng was going to purchase the best out of it. After all, food in the Divine World can provide a buff to yers as well, but they are on the more expensive side.


    Since it provided them with a good buff and a way to make it up to Zhao Kai, he decided to bleed a little of his money.


    As they entered the Redwood Inn, they were greeted by the dim lighting which cast a warm glow over the rustic wooden furniture, creating a cozy ambiance.


    yers and NPCs clustered around tables, engaged in animated discussions, or huddled over cards and dice games.


    Waitstaff bustled about, weaving skillfully through the bustling crowd, delivering trays of steaming food and frothy drinks with practiced ease.


    ''These yers really have no future.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, wondering why these yers even bothered ying games if they were just going to waste their time here.


    s, he could only swallow those thoughts because he was now part of these yers due to being dragged by Zhao Kai.


    "Hello, how many people?" One of the staff greeted them.


    Zhao Kai shed two of his fingers out, and with a cheeky smile, he said, "Two people, and make sure to bring out your best beverage. My brother is rich and will treat me generously."


    "Alrighty then, right this way please." The staff smiled and guided them to a table closer to the window side. Given the center zone was pretty much upied, the table near the window side was a quieter zone.


    Once they were seated, the menu was promptly given to the two of them.


    "Woah, look at the pictures of these foods, Feng. It''s like we''re in a real inn and not just some game." Zhao Kai eximed in joy, his eyes glistening at the sight of the food picture that was tempting.


    "What happened to Brother Feng, Shadow de?" Xu Feng twitched his mouth, seemingly speechless at how fast his tone and attitude changed once he swindled him into the inn.


    "Tsk, I''ll call you that when we''re outside." Zhao Kai waved his hand, his eyes never leaving the menu selection.


    "But for now, let''s order these dishes. The spaghetti bolognese, Caesar sd, fish and chips, and some BBQ ribs." Drools began dripping down from his mouth as he mentioned those dishes'' names.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was rendered speechlesspletely. Not only were the dishes he ordered expensive, but they are also food that gives good buffs.


    ''Fuck, he''s been ying the pig all along but was actually a tiger.'' Xu Feng cursed silently, having realized he was yed by Zhao Kai.


    What naivety?


    What innocence?


    Could he be called a brainless foodie who only had food in his mind when he made such meticulous calctions?


    "The meal altogether would cost around 1 Silver Coin, Kai. You really think highly of me." Xu Feng red at him and said, not even bothering to use his alias.


    Zhao Kai shrugged his shoulders and shed a smug smile.


    "Hehe, with my understanding of you, there''s no way you wouldn''t have a few Silver Coins by now. Also, this is a good ce to listen in on these yers talking about recent events. It''s much better than browsing through the Game Forum and having to filter the information ourselves." He subsequently said, pointing at another group of tables filled with yers.

 Chapter 71: Frustrated

    As the Redwood Inn continued to be filled with chattering and lively atmosphere, at one table situated near the window, the atmosphere was quite different.


    "So you''ve been toying with me all along huh?" Xu Feng fixed his sses, creating a sharp glint in reflection as he questioned Zhao Kai.


    "Not at all. I don''t overthink much like you do and I really came in here to enjoy some food. But I thought you would want some reasons along the way to follow through." Zhao Kai responded, proiming his innocence.


    "You should know I really don''t want to involve myself withplicated things, especially when it''s a game. But for you, I did some investigation and research so that I won''t be a burden. You definitely wanted my assistance, seeing how you tried to convince and persuade me previously to drop the schoolpetition and join you."


    Smiling briefly, Xu Feng nearly forgot Zhao Kai''s intelligence was no less than his, albeit with less usage.


    He got the brain, but he doesn''t want to use it much, mainly because he wanted a carefree life.


    However, just because he didn''t want to use it and remain carefree, doesn''t mean others would let him be. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have lost contact with him in the future.


    ''Back then, I was upied by the Reaver Guild, so I couldn''t assist you. But not this time.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly, clearly enraged about what happened to Zhao Kai.


    "Well, I''m d you picked up on that, and I just treat it as a repayment for punching you in the face." Xu Feng calmly said, calling the staff from earlier and ordering the dishes that Zhao Kai mentioned, plus extra.


    "Oh? Brother Feng, you really know how to treat a fellow brother." Zhao Kaiughed heartily.


    "But there''s too much food. Even if this is a game, there''s a limit to how much I can eat. I was so damn full previously by stuffing myself too much." He scratched his head, seemingly embarrassed by the ordeal.


    Imagine nearly killing himself because he over-eats?


    That was definitely an embarrassing event and not something he would wish to divulge.


    "Shadow de, you did do some research, but not enough. You have an inventory, and you can store the food there without worrying about it rotting." Xu Feng exined.


    "Right, we have our inventory slot. How could I forget about it when I had the letter stored there?" Zhao Kai sped his hands, acting as if he had been enlightened.


    Xu Feng was speechless at the reaction. One moment, he was like an expert and intelligent folk, but the next moment, he turned into a fool-like person.


    ''Sigh, I need to learn how to interact with Zhao Kai in the future.'' He made a mental note to himself.


    He was afraid of losing hisposure and mannerisms if he continued to interact with him in such a way.


    As the two patiently waited for the food to arrive, they soon began to listen in on the conversation of other yers.


    "Hey, can I borrow some copper coins from you?"


    "What? Didn''t you ask me that a while ago? Do I look like a bank to you?"


    "Ohe on, I''ll return double when I make it big. The Silver Wind Guild is actively recruiting, but they are based in Riverwood Town."


    "Damn, you mean that guild who had justpleted a Hell Mode difficulty? I thought they were in some other global region and not around us."


    "Exactly why I need the funds necessary for my travel. This is a golden opportunity to join a rising guild."


    The yers were discussing the Silver Wind Guild recruitment and their excitement in wanting to be a part of the elite guild.


    After all, anyone who had managed toplete the Hell Mode difficulty dungeon at this stage when no one else was able to even clear Easy Mode spoke volumes of the achievement.


    "It''s this Silver Wind Guild topic again. I kept hearing them that I''m annoyed by now." Zhao Kai shook his head and said, seemingly disappointed by the discussion he was eavesdropping on.


    "It''s not a surprise that this kind of event would garner tons of attention everywhere." Xu Feng casually said, acting as if he wasn''t an involved party.


    "Tsk, it''s just some First-Clear Achievement and extra advance rewards that might give them a head start whenpared to others. It''s not that big of a deal. Games are meant to be fun."


    "But games are also meant to bepetitive, otherwise, why would anyone want to level up and grind for equipment?"


    "I guess it just depends on the yer''s mindset." Zhao Kai knitted his brows.


    "Anyway, there''s no point in listening to the conversation further. Let''s talk about you. Did you choose a Gunner ss?" Xu Feng smiled, shifting the conversation topic.


    He was not a bit interested in the recruitment process of the Silver Wind Guild, especially when two people had already attempted to poach him.


    Others might have wished for such an opportunity, but not him.


    Why should he care about such an achievement when he could easily obtain them himself?


    A few seconds went by, and Zhao Kai confessed, "I''m not a Gunner."


    Stunned, Xu Feng raised an eyebrow as he inspected him again. "How are you not a Gunner when you only have guns?"


    "Well¡­ aside from guns, I can also equip another thing, but I found it too unsightly to look at." He smiled sheepishly.


    "..."


    Although his exnation was subtle, with Xu Feng''s insight, how could he notprehend the meaning?


    There was only one other ss that used guns and could equip one more thing in the Divine World. And that was the Gun Knight ss.


    "Zhao Kai, you are really trying to frustrate me to death here, aren''t you?" Xu Feng said in an exhausted tone.


    "You choose the name Shadow de, but you use a gun as a weapon. Not only that, you chose a Gun Knight ss but refused to equip the shield that gives you extra attributes simply because its appearance is not to your liking. Just what are you even doing here then?"

 Chapter 72: Relax a Bit

    Being called out in the open, Zhao Kai remained calm and collected, almost as if he was unaffected by the words.


    However, his outer appearance could not fool the keen eyes of Xu Feng.


    "Alright, it''s your style, so I can''t say much. But just know that you''re making your life difficult." Xu Feng ultimately sighed and said.


    At the end of the day, it was his character and his freedom, so he shouldn''t attempt to intrude upon it.


    "Thank you, Brother Feng." Zhao Kai smiled widely, clearly appreciative of Xu Feng for knowing the boundary and respecting his decision.


    Maybe it was because both of them knew each other''s personality well and understood when to stop which helped enable theirsting friendship.


    "Do you want any advice on how to build the character since you are going on such an unorthodox path?" Xu Feng asked, seemingly trying to help his buddy out.


    Additionally, he realized once again the future had been altered due to the butterfly effect.


    He was positive of Zhao Kai being a Gunner not just because of the equipment he saw, but because of the past timeline of him being a Gunner.


    However, it became quite clear that the timeline was now starting to change, and his knowledge advantage was decreasing slowly. Despite that, Xu Feng wasn''t bothered or worried about losing such an advantage.


    The path he walked on was never about relying on some future knowledge advantage but based on his intuition, research, and strategy.


    Sure, knowing some advanced information is beneficial, but one must also know how to utilize it to their advantage. That was the key point, and he would be foolish to fail in the utilization.


    If perhaps some of the key knowledge elements had been altered due to the butterfly effect, then he would simply adapt to the new changes and make alterations to his n.


    "Whatever, I trust you, Feng. I only started to y the Divine World because of you anyway. Just don''t make me equip the shield that is heavy and unsightly." Zhao Kai readily responded, adding some of his input as well if Xu Feng wanted to assist him.


    "Give me some days to ponder over it, and it''s not like unequipping the shield is a bad thing. At the very least, your appearance would fool others into believing you''re a Gunner when in reality, you''re a Gun Knight who is capable of being a tank." Xu Feng calmly said, reassuring him that it wasn''t overly terrible.


    Sometimeter, the staff returned with a te full of dishes and they ced them on the table in an orderly fashion.


    "Please enjoy your food," the staff said with a smile.


    "Finally, this is the highlight of the Divine World. Their food is just otherworldly and almost makes you feel like you will undergo nirvana." Zhao Kai eximed, his mouth nearly drooling at the mere sight of the glistening dishes.


    "Undergo nirvana?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow. "You''re not trying to tell me that you would experience your clothes being burst or ripped open with a single bite of the food, right? That only happens in nonsensical gourmet fantasy or fan service moments."


    "Tsk, you don''t know about that, Feng. Trust me, when the food is that good and melts in your tongue, that feeling is real, albeit minus the clothes being shredded." Zhao Kai rolled his eyes, grabbing a fork as he dug in on the spaghetti bolognese.


    A slurping sound was created as Zhao Kai enjoyed the spaghetti to his heart''s content.


    Smiling softly, Xu Feng dug in on his spaghetti as well, ensuring to savor every bit of the vor. This order alone cost him 1 Silver Coin and 10 Copper Coins, mainly because it provided an extremely good buff.


    Agility Enhancement: Improves movement speed and attack speed by 15%.


    Health Regeneration: Restores 5% of maximum health every 10 seconds.


    Mana Regeneration: Restores 5% of maximum mana every 10 seconds.


    Stamina Recovery: Reduces stamina consumption by 20%.


    Critical Hit Rate Increase: Raises critical hit chance by 5%.


    All these buffssted for an hour which was necessary when treading the uing Verdant Valley. It was also precisely because of the necessity that Xu Feng agreed to indulge Zhao Kai in his foodie interest.


    "No need to force yourself to eat everything. If you can''t finish them, then just store them in your inventory forter." Xu Feng warned, having witnessed Zhao Kai''s antics of grabbing so many different foods and stuffing them in his mouth.


    If he didn''t know any better then he would have mistaken him for a beggar who had been starved for days.


    Luckily, the other yers were too immersed in their own conversation and their table location was quite inconspicuous as well for others to notice them.


    Otherwise, Xu Feng might really ask for a second table and switch his seat.


    Time slowly passed by, and Zhao Kai finally felt his stomach bulge a bit.


    "Ahh, I swear this isn''t a game, but another way to fulfill your hunger." He eximed in bliss, rubbing his tummy as if he was some old man.


    "Unbelievable¡­ you should join some food-eating contest." Xu Feng sighed, unable to fathom how he was able to consume so much food.


    Just the spaghetti bolognese alone had filled his stomach already, and he could barely eat a few BBQ ribs. After all, it would be a lie if he wasn''t tempted by the aroma and fragrance emitted from the tenderized ribs.


    As Xu Feng paid for the food, he felt a bit of heartache for losing his hard-earned money.


    ''I''ll make sure to exploit others thrice for this expenditure.'' He vowed silently, wondering if Herald Fist was in need of information or items.


    That person had been yed like a fiddle, so by throwing some more juicy bait out for him, he could easily earn big money.


    "Anyway, let''s get this show on the road. Just this dy has caused us quite a bit of time." Xu Feng stood up and said, getting ready to leave the inn.


    "What''s the rush, Feng?" Zhao Kai scratched his head. "You really became weird. You''re constantly rushing now, almost as if you are in a state of urgency. Just rx a little bit and take a deep breath."

 Chapter 73: Do You Trust Me?

    With Zhao Kai''s seeminglyx attitude, Xu Feng wanted to scold him at first but halted himself in time.


    Zhao Kai doesn''t know his sense of urgency stemmed from his years of expertise, so even if he attempted to exin these, he might not get it.


    Taking a deep breath as he suggested, Xu Feng smiled softly.


    "Well, I suppose we should rx a bit when ites to food as well. The menu earlier had a lot of good food, but I guess we can wait a long time till we can try other new food." He calmly said, hitting right at his weak spot.


    Sure enough, Zhao Kai''s attitude and behavior seemed to have taken a 180-degree turn as he stood up.


    "What are we still doing here, Feng? We have a mission to do." He eximed, seemingly in a hurry.


    "Huh? But didn''t you just tell me to rx a bit and take a deep breath?"


    "Screw that! What rxation? There''s no time for rxation!"


    "Hahaha, I''m d we''re on the same page then."


    Laughing heartily, the two smoothly exited the inn as they made their way to Verdant Valley.


    As they walked near the streets, the two of them suddenly took a right turn, entering a discreet hallway.


    "Alright, why don''t you peep reveal yourself already?" Zhao Kai suddenly said, pulling out his guns.


    However, a minute had gone by and there was no movement at all.


    "Wow, they got scared by you, Shadow de. Your words must have frozen them as they log out to cry to their mommy." Xu Feng snickered coldly.


    "Huh? Their mommy? That''s impossible! After all, they''re busy cooking in my house and waiting for me to please them." Zhao Kai eximed in shock.


    "Are you sure they''re cooking in your house and not mine?"


    "Of course, I just sent one of them to heaven earlier."


    "Die bastards!" Just as the two were smack-talking, an unfamiliar voice echoed through the discreet hallway, followed by a barrage of spells.


    "Woah, they really fell for the oldest taunt in the book," Amused, Zhao Kai easily dodged the iing spells, clearly expecting a sneak attack.


    As for Xu Feng, he merely buffed himself and tanked the spells on purpose, prompting his health point bar to decrease slightly.


    "Why didn''t you dodge?" Confused, Zhao Kai didn''t know why his buddy didn''t just dodge.


    Both of them already knew they were being targeted back at the Inn. Hence, they acted rowdy and ignorant to bait them out whilemunicating through private messages.


    Therefore, in theory, Xu Feng should have been able to avoid the attack, especially when he was the first one to sense something was amiss.


    "Put away your guns, Shadow de." Xu Feng instructed. "We arew-abiding people after all."


    "Did you eat the wrong food¡ª" Zhao Kai quickly corrected himself before he finished his question.


    "No, that can''t be when we had the same thing." He muttered, wondering why Xu Feng would want him to withdraw his weapon. Despite his confusion, he listened and withdrew his guns, making them both vulnerable.


    "Hoh, it''s good that you know to surrender. Now cough up all your money!" One of the people among the group of ambushers announced.


    s, his presence seemed non-existent to Xu Feng and Zhao Kai as they both ignored him and immersed themselves in their conversation.


    "Look at the trouble you bring, Shadow de. Ordering that much expensive food and allowing others to know about our wealth." Xu Feng chided him.


    "Ohe on, clearly it''s their fault for being greedy. How could it be med on me?" Zhao Kai responded, defending himself.


    "You''re right, greedy people would target us regardless if we have wealth or not." Nodding his head, Xu Feng found his logic reasonable.


    "Have the two of you fooled enough already?" Enraged, the group of ambushers was infuriated by theirck of acknowledgement toward them.


    "Cough up all your money, otherwise, don''t expect to leave this town unharmed!" They demanded coldly.


    Seeing the situation turning grim by the seconds, Zhao Kai whispered somewhat anxiously, "Hey, Feng, are we really not going to retaliate?"


    "Rest assured, we won''t even need to lift a finger. Just continue to act nonchnt and stall for time."


    "Can we even stall any longer? Look at them holding their weapons menacingly."


    "Do you trust me?"


    "Of course, I do."


    "Then that''s all that matters." Xu Feng smirked, ncing at the bunch of ambushers.


    "Boss, let''s just kill them and rob them. Although the loot would be minimized, we can still get a ton seeing how rich they are." One of them was impatient and suggested killing them outright.


    After all, yers in the Divine World who died would have their items dropped, and depending on their luck, they could either lose their valuable items or invaluable items.


    "Feng, please tell me that these ambushers aren''t being for real. Are they really trying to kill us in the town? Don''t they know the consequences?" Zhao Kai asked.


    "When people are blinded by greed temporarily, they forgo all consequences." Xu Feng exined, having witnessed this type of scene multiple times.


    To a logical person, they might be saying how retarded their actions were, but to these people who are blinded, they think it was the best course of action.


    With these two constantly talking down on the ambushers, they finally had enough as they advanced forward,unching deadly attacks.


    Zhao Kai, on instinct, wanted to defend and retaliate, but Xu Feng held him by the shoulder and dragged him back.


    He then shook his head, reminding him to not make a move while he calmly watched the attack fiercelyunching at them.


    Just when they were a few millimeters away from being hit, the attacks were deflected and Zhao Kai mistakenly thought Xu Feng made a move.


    However, he quickly came to realize it wasn''t Xu Feng as numerous noises echoed through the hallway.


    "How dare you openly attack in Oakwood Town!" The thunderous voice, followed by a rumbling of footsteps astonished both Zhao Kai and the ambushers.


    Only Xu Feng was carefree, almost as if he expected the oue.


    ''And this is why one must study the geography of their location.'' He eximed inwardly.

 Chapter 74: Robbers

    "How did the NPC guards arrive so quickly?" One of the ambushers was astonished.


    "Fuck, we were yed by them!" Another one was more clever and realized they had fallen into a deeper trap than they initially thought.


    "That''s right, this hallway looks discreet on the surface, but it''s secretly connected to the NPCs Training Ground. Thanks to you dummies making such loud noises, it attracted them over here." Xu Feng suddenly eximed, letting these ambushers know what was up.


    "Oh, so that''s why you told me to stay put." Zhao Kai sped his hands, having realized Xu Feng''s terrifying insight. Even when baiting out the enemy, he had calcted the strategic location to confront them.


    At first, he thought that Xu Feng merely wanted to find a discreet ce to finish the enemies tracking them.


    Who would have thought Xu Feng had another n in mind?


    And one that doesn''t involve moving a muscle.


    "You have my like, Brother Feng!" Zhao Kai gave him a thumbs up in respect and admiration.


    Xu Feng rolled his eyes at his response, taking a step forward to the NPC guards.


    When the NPC guard noticed his approach, he was cautious initially, but his face turned solemn upon detecting something.


    "Baro-" Before the NPC guard could call out his noble status, Xu Feng stopped him.


    "Hello, guards, these people just attempted to rob me and even harmed me in the process. How do you think we should handle it?" Xu Feng greeted him and proceeded to exin the situation.


    The moment Xu Feng finished his statement, the NPC guard''s eyes turned cold.


    Zhao Kai and the ambushers might not know the current status of Xu Feng, but these NPCs were different. With a bit of scrutiny, they could easily detect the Baron status Xu Feng held.


    Now that he was informed some lowly adventurers had the nerve to openly initiate an attack within the town, but their target was also a Baron, whose jurisdiction was directly under the Aetheria Empire, the matter had turned serious.


    "Quickly detain these criminals!" The NPC guard ordered sternly.


    Upon hearing that, some of these ambushers naturally wanted to retaliate, with some even trying to flee the scene.


    However, their efforts were futile. In front of these powerful NPC guards, the yers were no different than ants.


    Thus, within a few minutes, all the ambushers totaling 5 people were captured and detained.


    If it was the normal protocol, these yers would all be sent to jail for 3 days in real-time before being released.


    Unfortunately for these unlucky ambushers, of all the people they had to target, they had to choose the one yer who currently held a prestigious noble status. Thus, the normal protocol does not apply to them.


    "Sir, the criminals have all been detained. What do you wish to do?" The NPC guard asked, cleverly avoiding to call his nobles status.


    Their intelligence was shown very subtly, but Xu Feng was able to detect it and realized the NPCs are slowly able to act very human-like.


    To even understand his intention and avoid calling his status made him somewhat anxious.


    ''It seems like I need to act fast.'' He thought to himself, realizing the Divine World was changing at a rapid rate.


    "My friend and I were visiting Oakwood Town due to its scenery and reputation. s, it was unfortunate that we met with such an incident." Xu Feng sighed in a bitter tone.


    "We will definitely increase the security here." The NPC guard turned rigid and said solemnly, clearly afraid of Xu Feng leaving the town with a bad memory.


    It would be over for their town if Xu Feng went ahead andined to the upper management that he was ambushed and attacked right under their nose.


    "I know, and I trust in you." Xu Feng patted the NPC guard and slowly guided him to the corner.


    "I don''t want to make a big deal out of this and neither do you. Let me take all of their possessions and you throw them in jail for a few weeks, and I''ll pretend nothing happened." He whispered softly.


    The NPC guard was stunned initially, but upon weighing the pros and cons, he felt this wasn''t so bad.


    After all, they wouldn''t be punished and the matter would be resolved, given Xu Feng had already imed he would pretend nothing happened. A noble''s words were still convincing and he doubted a noble would go back on their words.


    "Only that and no more?" The NPC guard asked, seemingly still suspicious of how easy the resolution would be.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng exined, "I like Oakwood Town, and I don''t want a few lowly adventurers to dampen the town''s reputation. Aside, you rescued me in time before any real danger urred so I don''t want you to be punished either."


    Thanks to his convincing words, the NPC guard readily agreed with his suggestion, having ordered the guards to strip the ambushers of their entire property.


    The only thing left on them were the clothes to avoid having them exposed.


    "No, you can''t do this to me! This isn''t how it works."


    "Yeah, just throw us to jail. Why are you taking away our items and money?"


    "This is definitely a bug. I want to make aint!"


    Agitated, the ambushers were livid upon seeing their entire belongings stripped from them. Worse, they saw how cozy the guards were to Xu Feng, especially when they watched how their possessions were given to him right afterward.


    It was only at this moment that they truly understood one thing.


    The role of a robber was never them, but these two despicable men who had lured them into the discreet hallway.


    "How dare you make a fool out of me! I recognized your faces and I''ll ensure you won''t see the daylight once I return." One of the ambushers threatened as they were dragged away by the guards, most likely going to the jail cell.


    ''Heh, recognize my face? You all will be detained for a few weeks in real-time and you can''t even ess most of the features when jailed. By the time youe out, the world has already changed.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.

 Chapter 75: Robbed

    As the cries and angry voices of the ambushers slowly dissipated from the discreet hallway, the situation could have been said to be resolved.


    "Is there anything else you need, Sir?" The NPC guard asked, clearly still a bit worried that Xu Feng might be displeased.


    "No need, you''ve already done more than enough." Xu Feng smiled, holding a sack of pouches filled with money.


    It was no wonder these ambushers were so agitated. Their wealth was no joke, and even Xu Feng began to wonder how many yers they had robbed.


    The bounty tag of them must have decreased and they were clever enough to wait a while until their status was clear before entering the town. Otherwise, they should have been detained immediately if they entered with a bounty tag.


    There was simply no way these yers were able to obtain such vast wealth with their crooked ways and greedy behavior. Hence, Xu Feng quickly determined their wealth was obtained from other yers.


    As the NPC guard was about to ask for leave, Xu Feng kindly gave him a silver coin as a tip.


    "Don''t try to refuse it. This is my thanks for saving me from earlier." Xu Feng said sternly, making it clear that he would not ept a refusal.


    The guard''s initial surprise melted into a grateful smile. "T-Thank you, Sir."


    He epted the tip with a bow, then ordered the other guards to exit the hallway while bidding farewell to Xu Feng.


    As the guards left, Zhao Kai turned to Xu Feng, eyes wide with admiration.


    "You''re too cool, Brother Feng. You earned all that without lifting a finger!" He eximed, giving him a thumbs up.


    Xu Feng chuckled, slipping the money and the items into his inventory. "It''s all about knowing the right moves."


    "But why tip the guard? We could''ve used that silver coin for more food," Zhao Kai asked, scratching his head in confusion.


    From his understanding of Xu Feng, he was a through and through stingy person. To see him tipping someone, especially when it was an NPC, made him confused.


    Xu Feng sighed, rubbing his temples. "Listen, don''t underestimate the NPCs. They remember how you treat them. A small tip now could mean they''ll save our skinster."


    He then leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "And keep that to yourself. There''s no need to enlighten others about it.


    Had it been others, he would have concealed the information sternly. Though it didn''t matter much since Zhao Kai simply nodded his head, seemingly unbothered by the information once he learned his intention.


    "Alright, shall we start heading to the Verdant Valley?" Zhao Kaiughed cheekily, quickly changing the topic.


    "Yeah, but first take this gun." Xu Feng responded and handed him a gun.


    As Zhao Kai received the gun, he began to inspect its stats.


    ¡ª


    Ironbolt Rifle


    Type: Rifle


    Rarity: Umon (Green)


    Level Requirement: 5


    Attack Power: 15-25


    Range: 35 meters


    uracy: +5%


    Durability: 100/100


    Special Ability: Piercing Shot (Has a 10% chance to ignore 10% of the target''s armor)


    Description: A sturdy and reliable rifle crafted from iron.


    ¡ª


    "Woah, this gun is insane, but Feng, the level requirement." Zhao Kai eximed in joy, followed by a tinge of bitterness. The level requirement for equipping the gun was level 5, but he was nowhere close to it.


    "Did you go stupid as well?" Xu Feng flicked on his forehead. "Where are we headed to now?"


    "The Verdant Valley." Zhao Kai answered.


    "And what''s in the Verdant Valley?"


    "Monsters?"


    "Yes, monsters are there, so we can just level up while continuing on with the clues from the letter." Xu Feng exined, feeling an urge to punch him in the face again.


    Such juicy monster experience points were naturally amazing, but with his debuff still active, he would gain peanuts. Nevertheless, it wasn''t a bad idea to farm the monsters since it would be on their path anyway.


    Letting Zhao Kai gain some fighting experience and learn thebat mechanics of the Divine World was beneficial. Not to mention, he could start leveling up faster to make up for the time he spent indulging himself in food.


    "Anyway, now that the robbers have been apprehended, and you got a new weapon. So what''s your current level?" He then proceeded to ask.


    "I''m just level 3, Feng." Zhao Kai smiled embarrassingly, clearly not realizing Xu Feng himself was level 3 as well.


    After all, he believed Xu Feng must have grinded a lot, especially when he had gotten a head start.


    Naturally, Xu Feng wasn''t going to divulge the fact that he had been hit hard by the system with a debuff due to his misdeeds.


    If he did divulge it, then Xu Feng was positive Zhao Kai would definitely make fun of him and say how he deserved it.


    "Not bad, at level 3, you can actually start building your skill tree." Nodding his head, Xu Feng decided to assist Zhao Kai with his character build.


    Although he wasn''t experienced with this kind of abnormal y style, his knowledge was still helpful in the situation.


    Following his suggestion, Zhao Kai opened his skill trees that had three different branches: Marksman Skill, Vanguard Skill, and Tactical Support Skill.


    The Marksman Skill specialized in enhancing rangebat abilities and uracy whereas the Vanguard Skill specialized in bncing ranged and meleebat, enhancing both offensive and defensive capabilities.


    Meanwhile, Tactical Support skills specialized more in crowd control and team support abilities.


    To summarize, the Tactical Support skill tree was more orientated for the tank ystyle with Vanguard Skill as the secondary priority.


    However, that was only for the usual Gun Knight ystyle and did not apply to Zhao Kai, given he had clearly refused to equip the shield.


    "Since you won''t equip a shield, then your priority skill tree is Marksman, followed by Vanguard." Xu Feng instructed.


    "First, get all the beginner skills in the Marksman category, which is Steady Aim, Rapid Fire, and Precision Strike. Next, you will get the Fortified Stance skill under the Vanguard category."


    "Got it!" Zhao Kai saluted, acting as if he were a soldier listening to themander.


    Xu Feng sighed, his fingers itching to give Zhao Kai a good punch on the face again.


    "Sometimes, I wonder if you''re doing this on purpose," he muttered.

 Chapter 76: Verdant Valley

    After assisting Zhao Kai in building his character regarding his abnormal ystyle, the two finally exited Oakwood Town.


    The town had much to offer to beginners, but Xu Feng remained disinterested in them.


    Sure, there were asionally some NPCs offering missions, with a minority of them giving out great rewards in return.


    However, those great rewards were not attractive to him, given his goal was set much higher.


    It was also because of this that he didn''t even nce at the drop loot from the Inferno Tyrant. Those loots did not apply to him aside from maybe increasing some of his wealth if he were to sell them.


    "Feng, are you sure we can traverse the Verdant Valley safely?" Zhao Kai asked as they approached the perimeter.


    "Shadow de, didn''t you cross this area here before my arrival? So what''s with the sudden cold feet?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow, perplexed by Zhao Kai''s anxiety.


    "Well, that''s because I didn''t care much about my character. If I die, then so be it, but you''re different. I doubt you would want to die a pointless death." Zhao Kai confessed, revealing his genuine concern for Xu Feng.


    Previously, he was all alone and only cared about enjoying the delicacy of the food that the Divine World had to offer. Thus, he truly couldn''t be bothered about being ambushed or killed by some yers.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng suddenly chuckled after hearing Zhao Kai was concerned about him.


    "What made you think I''m very feeble and easy to be killed?" He subsequently asked, clearly not expecting Zhao Kai to mistake him for a flower vase.


    "You still had to ask?" Zhao Kai scoffed. "I saw you healing yourself after taking a direct hit from the ambushers, which means you''re a Cleric. A Cleric''s health point is abysmally low and weak in defense as well. Anyone could easily PK you!"


    "..."


    Truly one should not underestimate Zhao Kai despite his childish and seemingly foolish behavior.


    Never once did he expect a slight revtion of his ability would be picked up by him, and even enable him to deduce his ss.


    "Since you know I''m a Cleric with such subtle clues, then let me guess. You have been intentionally frustrating me on purpose as revenge for the punch, right?" Xu Feng''s sses glinted as he stared at Zhao Kai.


    Startled, Zhao Kai shuddered for a brief moment as he quickly regained hisposure.


    s, that tiny little bit of movement was unable to hide from Xu Feng. His sharp eyes caught the brief moment of unease.


    "Very good, Shadow de!" he smiled menacingly. "Come over here and let this brother give you a pat."


    "Hahaha, no need. We should focus on our objective, Brother Feng." Frightened, Zhao Kai hurriedly retreated and increased the distance between them.


    Realizing the situation was amiss, Zhao Kai turned on the turbo and he started dashing away.


    "I''m sorry~" he echoed as he ran further and further away.


    "Get back over here, Shadow de." Xu Feng roared, losing hisposure as he began to chase after Zhao Kai.


    The cat-and-mouse chase continued for a while before Xu Feng ultimately had to stop, cursing at his stats for being inferior to Zhao Kai.


    ''Tsk, just wait till I upgrade more of my Agility. I''ll see if you can escape faster next time.'' He clicked his tongue and gave up his revenge temporarily.


    It was not bad to have fun in a while, but now that they could be said to have entered the danger zone, they needed to stop fooling around.


    The Verdant Valley was a deceptive expanse of dense greenery, where thick underbrush and towering trees created a canopy that blocked out much of the sunlight.


    The terrain was uneven, with sudden drops and hidden ravines that made traversal treacherous.


    A sluggish, murky river snaked through the valley, its dark waters hinting at unseen dangers lurking beneath.


    Eerie fog often rolled in unannounced, obscuring vision and amplifying the unsettling silence. They were only asionally broken by distant, unidentifiable sounds, most likely from the monsters lurking in the area.


    "The monsters here are around levels 5-7, so we''re dead meat if we encounter a group of monsters, especially when we are near the fog." Xu Feng warned solemnly.


    "Rest assured, Feng. Previously I memorized the route I took and these ces don''t have many monsters." Zhao Kai revealed, sharing his map which had a ton of indications and key points highlighted.


    Unlike most maps in a game where they are fixed, yers themselves could modify the map at will, highlighting key terrains.


    However, such features were only discoveredter on by yers and the usefulness of adding their own notes on the map.


    Who would have thought Zhao Kai himself was already utilizing the feature to his benefit?


    "You are really ying a pig to eat a tiger." Xu Feng eximed, stating that he was acting like a fool to deceive others into lowering their guards against him.


    Others might think he was just a foolish foodie who only had food in his mind, but secretly, he was nning and plotting all of this.


    Zhao Kai shrugged his shoulders, and defended his actions. "If I don''t y a pig, then I probably won''t live long. Those who show off or reveal too much, tend to die early."


    Nodding his head in agreement, Xu Feng no longer bothered to continue with the topic as he inspected the map done by him.


    The map was quite detailed, and having seen the symbols of the letter that Zhao Kai obtained, he now has a somewhat idea of where the hidden Willowbrook Vige was located.


    "This area of the map that you marked is most likely the ce we need to go to." Xu Feng said, pointing at the highest concentration of eerie fog.


    It was marked as dangerous on Zhao Kai''s map.


    "Ugh, I knew this letter was bad news." Zhao Kai scratched his head, clearly annoyed that the most dangerous area was most likely their destination.


    "Stop acting so surprised when you clearly explore everywhere aside from this!" Xu Feng rolled his eyes as he exposed him on the spot.

 Chapter 77: Eerie Fog

    Aside from exploring the area, Zhao Kai alsobeled everything he had witnessed and the dangers of the area.


    The meticulous work done somehow made Xu Feng suspicious of something and as he pondered deeply, piecing the puzzles together, he finally understood one thing.


    "Shadow de, did you drop a few levels because you died too many times from marking these?" Xu Feng asked coolly.


    Sure enough, redness rose from his face, clearly indicating that he had indeed died too many times which resulted in his drop of level.


    ''Damn, so he was actually higher level than me, but lost it because of dying.'' Xu Feng cursed silently, having realized the debuff was truly taking a toll on him.


    "How many more secrets are you concealing from me?" He subsequently asked, clearly wanting to know just how far he had advanced.


    "Well, not as much as you, that''s for sure." Zhao Kai responded cheekily.


    "At the very least, you can expect me to know my way and how to fight. These monsters are truly too realistic and unpredictable." He added, having been reminded of his early struggle of fighting the monsters.


    "They''re not that unpredictable once you figure out their pattern." Xu Feng exined.


    "I''ve tried to, but it''s hard toprehend their patterns." Zhao Kai frustratingly said.


    "Obviously, it''s not going to be easy to predict them. Otherwise, everyone would have be a pro. It takes time and experience toprehend their patterns."


    "Tsk, you speak as if you have a lot of experience. Didn''t you just y a few hours earlier than me?"


    "Do you want me to smack you again?"


    "Huh? What did I just say? Ugh, I can''t remember. This amnesia of mine is getting worse." Zhao Kai suddenly clenched his head, feigning a painful expression.


    Unamused, Xu Feng fixed his sses and ignored his crappy acting as he began to wonder how to proceed forward.


    ''The eerie fog will obstruct our vision, and I''m afraid Kai might not be able to aim properly. The status ailment is probably the challenging part and not the monsters.'' He knitted his brows, feeling the pressure.


    Unlike the Scorched Caverns, he was not overly familiar with the Verdant Valley. Thus, he needed to be cautious and tread every move carefully.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai suddenly stood next to Xu Feng and wrapped his arm around his shoulder, pulling him somewhat closer. "Stop thinking so much, Feng. The worst thing that could happen to us is death. It''s just dying, and I''ve already experienced it."


    "What happened to you worrying about my safety earlier?" Xu Feng twitched his lip.


    "Tsk, your attitude earlier clearly told me not to worry about you." Zhao Kai rolled his eyes. "We''re brothers anyway. What''s there to be afraid of a mere fog?"


    "Fine, but make sure to listen to me if I ever make amand." Xu Feng said, albeit with some grumble as he pushed his arm aside.


    Sometimeter, the two entered the eerie fog, and soon a System prompt appeared, warning them of the status ailment.


    System: You have been exposed to the eerie fog! Your strength and defense are reduced by 12 percent!


    "As expected, status ailment as usual. Though it didn''t even bother mentioning how our vision is now limited." Xu Feng smiled bitterly at the system prompt.


    As helpful as the warnings were, the system prompt doesn''t always list out everything for the yers. After all, this was not some nanny or babysitting game.


    "Our vision might be affected, but our senses remain." Zhao Kai remained optimistic and eximed.


    He was not a bit afraid of having his vision limited. It wasn''t like he became blind or anything. It was just going to be a bit hard to navigate and detect danger from afar.


    "I supposed it''s not that bad." Nodding his head, Xu Feng proceeded to buff Zhao Kai early on. His mana was full at the moment anyway, so using his spells now and letting it regenerate slowly while advancing forward was more probable.


    By buffing him constantly, Xu Feng won''t need to worry about not being able to react in time to assist Zhao Kai.


    "Our map might be blurred, but we can still make our own mark." Xu Feng advised, ncing at his map.


    Upon entering the fog, the original clear map was covered in fog, preventing the yers from being able to take advantage of the map feature to navigate around.


    Nevertheless, that didn''t mean there was no loophole to such implementation.


    Although most of the path was blurred by the fog, they were still able to nt their footsteps. By doing so, they could see their previous footsteps and prevent themselves from walking in a circle.


    "Hehe, I''ll leave those tedious tasks to you, Feng." Zhao Kaiughed heartily.


    "I''ll just remain a bit forward to tank for you in case of any danger." He added, holding his gun with a vignt expression.


    Despite knowing he was being handed the tedious work, Xu Feng didn''t mind as he couldn''t trust Zhao Kai in his attention to detail. He would rather make his own navigation mark than let others do it.


    As they advanced forward through the fog, random noises started to echo from all directions. The unsettling ambiance intensified with each step.


    Eerie howling pierced the silence, as if distant wolves were mourning under a pale moon. The sporadic dripping of water resonated like the tapping of ghostly fingers on ancient stone.


    asionally, a creaking sound emerged from the sides, reminiscent of old, wooden doors slowly opening to reveal unseen horrors.


    "Damn, is this a horror game or what? What''s with all these random sounds constantly?" Zhao Kai snorted, waving his unupied hand around to brush aside some of the fog. Luckily, his courage wasmendable and no goosebumps were appearing.


    "Don''t be distracted, Kai!" Xu Feng warned sternly, his instincts practically screeching at him that they were being locked on already.


    "Get ready to shoot when I tell you the coords." He narrowed his eyes and instructed.

 Chapter 78: Battle in the Fog

    "You''ve sensed something?" Zhao Kai asked, his expression turning solemn, devoid of his previous carefreeness.


    His hand held tightly on the gun, with his finger ready to pull the trigger whenever.


    "Shhh," Xu Feng ced his pointy finger on his mouth, warning him to keep quiet.


    Nodding his head, Zhao Kai stepped a little back and equipped a shield.


    ''This Kai¡­'' Speechless, Xu Feng nearlyughed at his actions.


    It was quite obvious that Zhao Kai was not happy with the shield, but he still equipped it anyway.


    His thought process?


    It was most definitely his worries for Xu Feng on being a Cleric that made him react in such a manner. With the shield equipped, it boosted his confidence in defending the enemy from killing him.


    After all, the uracy of his attack was definitely lowered with the limited vision even if the system didn''t warn them about it.


    ''Why did Feng even choose such a weak ss anyway?'' Zhao Kai pondered inwardly, holding the shield in a somewhat awkward manner with his left hand.


    His unfamiliarity with the shield made it clear that he never loved to equip the shield.


    As the atmosphere turned to pin-drop silence, Zhao Kai was now sure that they were being targeted as well. Previously, there were still some creepy sounds, but now they seemed to have vanished without a trace.


    "Unequip the shield, Kai." Xu Feng stepped forward and whispered.


    "You''re not familiar with the shield and your build is not for it anyway. No need to worry about me and focus on yourself and aim."


    "A-Are you sure?" Zhao Kai asked in an uncertain tone, clearly still worried for his safety.


    "Yes, I''m sure. If you equip something you''re not used to, then we''ll only be in more danger. Just trust me."


    "Alright then." With that said, Zhao Kai stashed his shield away in the inventory.


    Just right at this moment, Xu Feng turned 30 degrees to the right and pointed, "Shoot there now!"


    "Say no more!" Zhao Kai quickly angled his gun in the direction and pulled the trigger without hesitation.


    BANG!


    The bullet trajectorynded on something, causing a whining howl to echo among the fog.


    "Shadow Wolves huh." Xu Feng muttered, having distinguished the sound of the howling.


    The Shadow Wolves were creatures of nightmare, their forms almost indistinguishable from the dense fog that cloaked the Verdant Valley.


    They had sleek, muscr bodies covered in fur as ck as midnight, with patches of dark gray that helped them blend seamlessly into their surroundings.


    Their eyes glowed with an eerie, luminescent yellow, piercing through the mist like beacons of dread.


    Long, sharp ws clicked softly against the ground as they moved with predatory grace, their movements so silent that they seemed to melt into the shadows.


    With Zhao Kai sessfullynding an attack on one of them, Shadow Wolves started to emerge amidst the fog. Their elongated snouts revealed rows of razor-sharp teeth when they snarled, and their breath hung in the cold air like wisps of smoke.


    "Geez, they''re shadow wolves? You might as well call them cowardly wolves!" Zhao Kai gritted his teeth.


    "Coming at us with a pack. Don''t they know any honor? Fight me one versus one!" He eximed coldly, pointing his gun at the wolves.


    There were a total of four Shadow Wolves, including the one that he had shot initially.


    However, just one bullet was barely able to do much. This was still a game after all, and his attack power was pitifully low.


    "Nice shot, but it didn''t even graze the wolf, much less damage it." Xu Fengmented.


    "Are you on my side or the wolves'' side?" Disbelief filled Zhao Kai''s eyes when he found Xu Feng still had the leisure time to tease him.


    The person who should be the most afraid now was Xu Feng.


    Yet not only was he not afraid, he was even makingments as if he were amentator.


    "Naturally, I''m on your side, but you seriously need to learn how to fight." Xu Feng shook his head and said, "Aim at their critical flesh to double the damage instead of just shooting randomly."


    "Their critical flesh?"


    "The neck, heart, eyes, joints, and the lower abdomen are their weaknesses. If you aim your gun there, the damage would be multiplied."


    "Oh, so it''s just like real-life hunting wolves!" Zhao Kai''s mouth was wide open, seemingly enlightened by the information.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng facepalmed at his reaction. Something like this should have beenmon sense.


    s, there was no time to converse further when the Shadow Wolves started to pounce on them.


    Luckily, Xu Feng already anticipated their movement and narrowly avoided their razor-sharp ws from shing him.


    As for Zhao Kai, he was courageous as he directly shed with one of the Shadow Wolves, causing his health point to drop by 10%.


    However, it wasn''t because he went numb and foolish. Instead, he purposely shed with one of them to ensure a close distance.


    "You think you''re so cool because you blend in with the fog, right? Now let''s see how well you can see," he sneered coldly, raising his gun and firing a precise shot at the eye of the Shadow Wolf.


    The shot rang out with a deafening crack, piercing the dense fog and finding its mark with deadly uracy. The Shadow Wolf let out a pained howl, a sound that reverberated through the fogden terrain. Its movements became erratic, the once stealthy predator now blinded and vulnerable.


    "Great shot!"


    Xu Fengplimented, taking advantage of its injured state, andunched his own spell, Sacred Fire. The Sacred Fire wasunched precisely to target its injured eye, causing the Shadow Wolf to whine and whimper in agony. Their actions were instantly deemed despicable by the other three Shadow Wolves. Their eyes red menacingly at Zhao Kai and Xu Feng.


    "Oh, you''re mad?" Zhao Kai scoffed at their reaction.


    "Well, I''m furious as well." He added, ring menacingly in response as well, mimicking the wolves'' action.


    "Be furiouster, Kai. Come and shoot this injured wolf dead first." Xu Feng shouted, telling him to focus on the priority.

 Chapter 79: Shadow Wolves

    Having heard Xu Feng''s despicablemand, Zhao Kai was more than ready to oblige it.


    Retreating to Xu Feng''s side, Zhao Kai nced at the struggling Shadow Wolf as he mercilessly fired multiple rounds of bullets.


    Rapid Fire and Precision Strikes were used simultaneously as Zhao Kai targeted all the critical flesh mentioned by Xu Feng.


    However, the other three Shadow Wolves aren''t just going to sit still and watch. As Zhao Kai attempted to kill the injured one, they took advantage of his distraction to target Xu Feng.


    ''Ugh, why am I the one pulling the aggro?'' Xu Feng smiled bitterly as he realized he had be the target. Just because he was a Cleric and the weakest among the two, they believed he was an easy target.


    "Talk about being discriminated against." He fixed his sses andmented. "Focus on killing the wolf, Kai. Don''t worry about me."


    After saying that, Xu Feng started running away.


    As much as he wanted to retaliate and give the Shadow Wolves a piece of his mind. The current him was simply too weak with next to little offensive spells.


    ''Just wait till the damn debuff goes away and I mass level up.'' Xu Feng vowed inwardly, running all over the ce in a zig-zag line.


    Running away in a straight line was literally the worst decision anyone could make. A straight line was the shortest distance in contrast to a zig-zag line that forced the enemy to change their trajectory, causing their speed to decrease.


    s, Xu Feng''s agility could hardly bepared to the agility of the Shadow Wolves.


    Within a few seconds, he was caught by them and was forced to buff himself to minimize the damage. Their ws were sharp and dealt a heavy blow to him, who had a low defense.


    As his health points decreased by 25%, the Shadow Wolves howled in excitement.


    "Idiots wolves!" Xu Feng rolled his eyes as he quickly healed himself, regaining almost half of the lost health points.


    Infuriated by their thwarted attack, the Shadow Wolves grew even more aggressive.


    They howled and snarled, their fury palpable in the cold, foggy air.


    Their eyes glowed with a menacing light, and they moved with increased ferocity, their coordination bing tighter as they prepared for another assault.


    However, Xu Feng remained calm as he patiently waited for them to pounce on him.


    He might have been forced to buff himself temporarily to minimize the damage of their attack earlier, but that didn''t mean he was defenseless. He proudly took the attack, knowing the damage it would cause in return for an opportunity.


    These Shadow Wolves were clever and instantly knew who was the main threat.


    Who wouldn''t take out the healer as soon as possible and allow them to live?


    After all, a healer could constantly provide assistance in the background, making it difficult for the enemy to kill anyone.


    "Come at me," Xu Feng smirked as he raised his left hand and extended his fingers, then beckoned the wolves with a sharp, deliberate motion. His hand moved fluidly, fingers curling toward his palm in a taunting gesture.


    The wolves might notprehend his words, but the actions disyed by him were definitely enough for the wolves toprehend.


    This kind of taunting ability was a universalnguage, and the Shadow Wolves were provoked by Xu Feng''s actions.


    With a loud snarl, the wolves dug their paws fiercely into the ground and, with a powerful push, sprang toward Xu Feng with incredible speed.


    As the distance between them closed further, their eyes glowed red with a malevolent glint.


    Their sharp, glistening fangs dripped with saliva, and their muscr bodies, covered in coarse, bristling fur, exuded a menacing aura.


    Just when they were about tond a frightening attack, Xu Feng suddenly curled his lips upward.


    "You love staring so much, then stare at this." He smiled coldly and cast Blinding Strike. Given their close proximity and the Shadow Wolves'' miscalction of Xu Feng''s capability, the Blinding Strike hit them right in the eyes, blinding them instantly.


    The wolves howled in pain and confusion, their aggressive momentum halted by the searing light.


    Taking advantage of the situation, Xu Feng swiftly shouted to Zhao Kai, "Kai, quicklye here and use Rapid Fire on them!"


    The timing was impable as Zhao Kai had just finished killing the injured Shadow Wolf and heard Xu Feng''s shout.


    Within a few seconds, Zhao Kai regrouped with Xu Feng, but there was no chattering among them. Instead, Zhao Kai quickly fired a rapid session of bullets at the wolves who were still struggling from the blindness effect.


    Critical Strikes were constantly triggered by how easy and vulnerable the current wolves were.


    Time slowly passed by, and the ambush of the Shadow Wolves was officially resolved, with Zhao Kai gaining a hefty amount of experience points.


    "Sweet, if I just kill a few more of these dumb wolves, then I''ll level up back to my prime." Zhao Kai cheered enthusiastically.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was gloomy, looking as if the world had befallen him. The experience points from the Shadow Wolves were indeed fantastic, but it was just a shame that he only got 1 percent of them.


    ''This debuff is really starting to get on my nerves.'' As much as Xu Feng wanted topose himself, it still hurt a lot when all those delicious experience points slipped right by him.


    "Stop cheering so loudly and store the wolves in our inventory. Their flesh and body could be sold to NPCs for money." Xu Feng scolded him, clearly not being jealous of Zhao Kai.


    "Right away!" Zhao Kai responded cheerfully as he remained ignorant of the debuff ailment that Xu Feng was having.


    Additionally, their teamwork and cooperation could not be said to be ideal, but at the very least, they now had a somewhat understanding of each other''s ystyle.


    "Anyway, let''s proceed forward and remember to remain cautious. These Shadow Wolves that we encountered are merely the scouts. We might encounter more devious and shrewd monsters as we advance." Xu Feng warned sternly, ensuring that Zhao Kai wouldn''t becent about their earlier sess.

 Chapter 80: Level Up

    With Xu Feng''s stern warning, Zhao Kai no longer acted with excitement as he focused up.


    Although he didn''t really care much about the Divine World, Zhao Kai was willing to listen to assist Xu Feng.


    After all, it became quite clear to him that Xu Feng''s attitude and behavior toward the Divine World were serious. His mannerisms, demeanor, and strategic ys made him realize just how much research he had done.


    ''Sigh, I''m being infected by Feng now. Why am I overthinking so much?'' Zhao Kai shook his head, hoping to clear his mindset.


    Leave the thinking part to Xu Feng while he will be the one to do the most killing.


    Who told him to be the only good damage dealer among them?


    "Approximately how much percentage are you away from leveling up to 4, Kai?" Xu Feng suddenly asked.


    "About 30-40 percent."


    "How far were you earlier?"


    "Around 60-70 percent."


    "..."


    Upon realizing that the 4 Shadow Wolves were able to boost his experience points by 30 percent, Xu Feng wanted to cry.


    Life was truly unfair.


    Or maybe it was truly fair, given Xu Feng''s misdeed had brought him a huge advantage over others.


    Of course, Xu Feng would never admit his wrongdoing. The herbs in the Miracle Herb Garden were going to be wasted by the NPCs anyway.


    By kindly taking the herbs away from them, Xu Feng was able to assist and help people.


    Yet instead of being repaid by kindness with his kindness, he was repaid with punishment. The system had truly done injustice to him.


    "Since the experience points are nice, let''s grind a bit in the fog before we look for the location." Xu Feng suggested.


    "Are you fine with that, Feng?" Zhao Kai nced at him skeptically. "We don''t need to grind for monsters if you''re busy with things."


    "Hmph, worry about yourself more. I''m experienced while you''re not." Xu Feng rolled his eyes in response, baffled by his constant concern.


    Sure, time was ticking down for him, but he wasn''t a bit worried. What was important at the moment was to get Zhao Kai to level up and obtain new skills.


    After all, he wouldn''t have much free time in the near future to help Zhao Kai gainbat experience and learn the fundamentals of the Divine World.


    "Fine, but I don''t want to take too much of your time." Zhao Kai scratched his head, having understood Xu Feng''s intention. He was no fool and knew Xu Feng was trying to educate him regarding the game.


    It was just that he didn''t want to dy his tasks. Had he known beforehand that he would distract Xu Feng, then he would have waited tillter on before informing him about joining the game.


    s, it was a little toote, and it would be rude of him to reject his goodwill.


    "Then let''s proceed toward this path." Xu Feng pointed in a direction and said. Having encountered the Shadow Wolves and adapting to the eerie fog, he could somewhat infer the location of the wolves'' camp.


    Although it wasn''t going to bepletely urate, it should be adequate enough for them to encounter more monsters on the way to farm.


    With that goal in mind, the two spent the next few hours grinding for monsters, and asionally almost dying in the process.


    There were numerous times that Zhao Kai got caught in a pincer and nearly died. His movements were still rigid and clumsy at times, resulting in his predicament.


    Luckily, Xu Feng''s perception as a Cleric was amazing and always ensured Zhao Kai''s health did not fall below 10%.


    Despite Zhao Kai''s seeming enthusiasm and motivation, his stamina was starting to take a toll on him.


    "Haa haa, I can barely move my fingers to pull the trigger, Feng." Zhao Kai panted heavily. Sweat started dripping on his forehead as his stamina dropped abysmally low.


    The food buff from the Redwood Inn had long expired with how much time they had spent grinding. Not to mention, his stamina recovery wasn''t enough to restore his constant actions.


    "How are you still fine, Feng?" Zhao Kai sat on the ground as he nced at Xu Feng, realizing thetter was still fine. He was dumbfounded at how Xu Feng could still move around and barely had any sweat.


    "I don''t make any unnecessary movements." Xu Feng tly responded. "You kept running around and showing off, so your stamina decreased tremendously. Be more practical next time."


    Knitting his brows, Zhao Kai seemed to be pondering his advice, but the next moment, he shrugged his shoulders.


    "Nah, what''s the point of ying a game if not to show off?" Heughed heartily.


    Right afterughing, he finally slumped to the ground.


    "I need a break," he gasped, wiping sweat from his brow.


    Afterward, he retrieved the food that was bought from the Redwood Inn earlier. With some utensils, he started making some slurping and munching sounds right in the open.


    "You are unbelievable¡­" Xu Feng facepalmed, feeling helpless at Zhao Kai''s nonchnt attitude.


    Nevertheless, he didn''t reprimand him, given Zhao Kai had managed to level up once and almost reach level 5.


    Throughout the hours of grinding, Zhao Kai rarely made any mistakes. When he did make the mistake, he was called out and instructed by Xu Feng on how to correct them, and he was able to fix them shortly after.


    Seeing how blissfully Zhao Kai was enjoying his food, Xu Feng decided to go on the Game Forum to check up on thetest news.


    Upon opening it, he was instantly attracted by a post with many discussions¡ª a post by OneManMedia.


    ''An exclusive interview with the Silver Wind Guild Leader, Gentle Wind?'' Xu Feng was stunned for a brief moment.


    Then he came to realize something.


    ''These two were in a cahoot from the start.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly.


    It was no wonder why OneManMedia seemed to know much more than the rest and was able to ask good questions to bring the focus of attention to everyone else.


    "No, maybe it wasn''t a real coboration but a temporary one." He murmured, opening his private message list and clicking on OneManMedia.

 Chapter 81: Arrival

    After opening the contact of OneManMedia, Xu Feng turned on Anonymous mode to converse with him as the mysterious boss.


    Anonymous User: You are quite a clever person. To use my appearance at the Town Hall to obtain a deal with Gentle Wind and then proceed to attract my subordinate''s attention in wanting to recruit you.


    A few seconds after sending the message, OneManMedia replied to him.


    OneManMedia: Are you really the boss of Lin Feng? If so, then I offer my apologies because it was not my intention to use you to gain a foothold. Also, my deal with Guild Leader Gentle Wind is just to help her advertise her raid while giving some brief information about my findings.


    ''Oh, so he really did make a deal.'' Surprised, Xu Feng couldn''t believe himself to have hit the mark. He sent that message out merely to test the water, yet OneManMedia was quick to expose himself.


    Of course, the message could have been perceived as an imposter, but the fact that he mentioned his subordinate was attempting to recruit him ensured it couldn''t have been an imposter.


    After all, the conversation between those two was a secret. Without Lin Feng informing his boss, there was no way he would have known.


    Thus, OneManMedia was quick on his feet and deduced the sender must have been the real boss of Lin Feng. Even if he deduced wrongly, no harm could be done since he was a solo yer anyway.


    Anonymous User: My subordinate did rmend you to me, and you rejected him, which is quite a surprise. Lin Feng rarely recruits people.


    OneManMedia: Lin Feng did mention it in return for an interview. But I don''t like to involve myself with guilds, corporations, or teams. My coboration with Guild Leader Gentle Wind was an exception because I needed funds.


    Anonymous User: Rest assured, I''m not here to reprimand you or anything. I just want to remind you that the recruitment has a time limit and by that time, even if Lin Feng wants to rmend you to me again, it''ll be pointless. After sending that final message, Xu Feng closed the conversation. To hook someone, one must be patient and throw out a good bait.


    By subtly implying that the recruitment had a time limit, he was highlighting that there would be more bigger things that he would do.


    If OneManMedia was truly a clever person, then he should know his underlying meaning and make his choices wisely.


    "Who were you messaging?" From out of nowhere, Zhao Kai suddenly appeared behind him and asked curiously.


    Turning around, Xu Feng nced at him and his greasy mouth. "Did you just finish eating?"


    "Yeah, I was starving so the food just vanished into my stomach." Zhao Kai rubbed his stomach, satisfied with the food, as well as the additional buff that came with it. Now he wasn''t as exhausted and fatigued as before.


    "Then let''s proceed with our journey. We''re nearing the end." Xu Feng nodded his head andmented.


    "Nighttime is about to begin and when that happens, the monsters here will gain a huge buff. We would be no better than dead men when that happens." He exined, letting Zhao Kai understand the danger.


    Frightened, Zhao Kai anxiously readied himself to start advancing again.


    As he fumbled with his gear and nced nervously into the fog, he snapped, "Why didn''t you tell me earlier that the monsters would be more difficult at nighttime?"


    "Well, you didn''t ask me?" Xu Feng shrugged, unwilling to take the me for this matter.


    "This kind of thing doesn''t need to be asked, Feng. It should be told in advance." Zhao Kai grumbled, increasing his pace.


    "Do you even know where to go?"


    "..."


    Faking a soft cough, Zhao Kai slowed down his pace and waited for Xu Feng. "Stop being so slow, Feng. I don''t want to confront these buffed monsters when they''re already difficult enough."


    Xu Feng chuckled softly at his impatience, finding his behavior hrious.


    "We''re already arrived, Shadow de." He teased, revealing that they were at their destination.


    "Arrived? Where?" Confused, Zhao Kai started looking left, right, up, and down, hoping to see the so-called Willowbrook Vige.


    However, all he saw was a mist of fog and nothing else. Hell, he wouldn''t even know if they were actually still moving forward or not!


    The navigation was fully done by Xu Feng, and to be honest, he was amazed and stunned by his ability to navigate in such a foggy area.


    Everywhere he looked seemed no different than the starting position.


    "You''ll get used to utilizing the map feature efficiently sooner orter." Xu Feng smiled and patted his shoulder.


    "Take out your letter first." He instructed.


    Nodding, Zhao Kai retrieved the letter from his inventory and handed it over to Xu Feng, only to be rejected.


    "No, the letter must be opened by you, otherwise the teleportation won''t work." Xu Feng shook his head and warned.


    The letter was indeed something they needed to deliver to Willowbrook Vige, but it also acted as the medium for the teleportation. Only the person that was assigned to it could utilize the true function.


    If it was anyone else aside from Zhao Kai, opening the letter would have no effect.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai''s hands seemed to freeze as he held onto the letter. He was hesitant to open the letter, knowing it was a rude and disrespectful action.


    "Are you sure we need to open the letter? I''m not supposed to read the content." He turned to Xu Feng and asked reluctantly.


    "Yes, the letter is merely a facade. The content inside is protected and encrypted. Only the intended NPC that you need to deliver it to will be able to decipher andprehend it." Xu Feng exined.


    "Ugh, screw it. Worse goes to worse, we''ll just be bad guys." Losing his cool, Zhao Kai ripped open the letter and soon, a circle formation appeared beneath his feet.


    "Don''t mind me!" Right at this moment, Xu Feng hopped on Zhao Kai''s back, creating a piggyback ride scene.


    "Get off me, Feng! You''re heavy!" Astonished, Zhao Kai wanted to fling him off but it was a little toote.


    Both of them subsequently disappeared from the eerie fog, leaving zero traces behind them.

 Chapter 82: Discovery!

    System: You have discovered a hidden location, Willowbrook Vige!


    As the system prompt appeared, somewhere in the sky, two people could be seen freefalling.


    "Feng, quickly get off me!!!" Zhao Kai screeched in panic when he realized Xu Feng was using him as a safety.


    "Hey, one person taking the full damage is better than two." Xu Feng, like a persistent leech, remained steady as he clutched tightly on Zhao Kai''s back.


    "My health points are lower than yours, so unless you want to be a bad friend and let me die from fall damage, then you will take one for the team!" He added, warning Zhao Kai of the consequence of flinging him off.


    "I just knew you were up to something!" Zhao Kai cried in agony as he closed his eyes, knowing it was toote to even attempt to fling him off his back.


    THUMP!


    As Zhao Kai fell right to the ground, creating a small crater as dust began to pile up from the impact. His health became abysmally low, with only less than 2% of them remaining.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng casually got off from Zhao Kai, brushing aside some of the dust that got onto his clothes and sses.


    His health remained perfectly fine, "Phew, that was quite dangerous. I truly am blessed."


    "..."


    Still on the ground with his face kissing it, Zhao Kai curled his fingers together slowly, forming a fist. Just how heartless and cold-blooded was Xu Feng?


    He was safe and sound because he tanked the whole fall damage for him. Yet instead of even giving him thanks, he had the audacity to say he was blessed?


    "Feng, I want to punch you¡­" He eximed, struggling to get up. The pain sensation in the game was minimized so he wouldn''t actually feel much pain, but the damage done to his body was still in effect.


    To fall from such a height, any regr human would have been injured heavily or died.


    "You''re over-exaggerating too much, Shadow de." Xu Feng fixed his sses and said, "As the delivery man, do you think they will kill you upon arrival? The design is quite mischievous as usual, ensuring you only have around 2% health."


    After saying that, Xu Feng proceeded to heal Zhao Kai''s health and extended a hand out to help lift him up.


    Although still somewhat skeptical of his exnation, Zhao Kai also couldn''t pinpoint anything wrong with his exnation.


    He was indeed a delivery man, and it made zero sense why they would have him killed upon teleporting to the destination.


    Once Zhao Kai stood up, he began to inspect the surroundings. Apparently, they were teleported to the outskirts of Willowbrook Vige.


    The outskirts of Willowbrook Vige were peaceful, with thick forests and rolling hills, dotted with ivy-covered cottages and glowing flowers that gave a magical touch.


    Cobblestone paths lined with tall willow trees wound through the area, adding to the tranquil atmosphere.


    Staring with a dazed expression, Zhao Kai asked, "Are we still near the Verdant Valley? What happened to the eerie fog? The environment and vibe here is so different."


    He couldn''t fathom the sharp contrast of scenery from just previously. The dark and gloomy atmosphere was reced with a tranquil and beautiful atmosphere.


    "Did you not read the system prompt?" Xu Feng chuckled softly.


    "You mean the discovery of the Willowbrook Vige?"


    "Mhmm, strictly speaking, we are still within the Verdant Valley, but also not quite. It''s more like we''re in a separate dimension and the NPCs here are living in their own world."


    "Separate dimension? So like a parallel world or a new world within the world itself."


    "Uhh¨C sure, if that''s how you want to word it." Xu Feng coughed, clearly confused by his summarization and conclusion. Nevertheless, he found it pointless to exin theseplicated things to him.


    "Alright, let''s enter the vige now." He calmly said, walking toward the vige''s entrance.


    "Wait up!" Zhao Kai clicked his tongue and quickly followed behind.


    Once they neared the vige entrance, two guards started to re at them with an unfriendly expression.


    "Um, do you think we''re wee here?" Zhao Kai moved closer to Xu Feng and whispered.


    "Of course, just show them the letter and exin the reason for our arrival." Xu Feng responded.


    Nodding, Zhao Kai quickly retrieved the letter and showed it to the guard with a somewhat nervous expression. After all, the letter was opened and as a delivery man, that was the biggest taboo thing one could do.


    No one would appreciate the delivery person opening any type of package that they were supposed to deliver to a recipient.


    However, to his surprise, the guards didn''t seem bothered by the letter being opened and simply granted them entry.


    "It was that easy?" Zhao Kai asked the moment they entered the vige without any hups.


    "What else did you think?" Xu Feng rolled his eyes, feeling exhausted by his constant worries.


    But if he had to choose between hisx attitude or worried attitude, Xu Feng would choose thetter. At the very least, it meant that Zhao Kai was starting to take the Divine World seriously and not some simple game.


    s, Zhao Kai''s behavior easily changed once the "crisis" was over. He began to walk around and admired the scenery.


    Inside the vige, small, thatched-roof cottages clustered around a bustling square, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere.


    The square was lined with shops, each disying colorful wares, while the well-known cksmith''s forge emitted a warm, constant glow. The sound of hammers ringing against metal mixed with the chatter of NPCs, made the vige feel lively and full of life.


    "Is this really a vige?" Zhao Kai asked curiously, clearly astonished by the lively atmosphere.


    "Oh, they even got some food stalls!" His eyes lit up once he spotted some food vendors selling their food to the vigers.


    Without hesitation, he quickly rushed up to line up behind the vigers, unaware that his appearance had already attracted quite the attention among the NPCs.

 Chapter 83: EX Skill

    Zhao Kai''s addiction to the food from the Divine World was shown in full disy.


    His attention to his surroundings seemed non-existent as his eyes were locked on the skewers that the food vendor was selling.


    Although there wasn''t any drool in his mouth, Xu Feng doubted it would take long for them to appear.


    ''When did this Kai be such a foodie?'' He wondered silently.


    From his memories, Zhao Kai was never some foodie and was quite normal regarding food. He would eat whenever he felt hungry, but it was never this excessive or loving food.


    To make things worse, he was now being looked at by the NPCs as if he were some kind of animal in a zoo.


    The Willowbrook Vige was clearly isted, given it was located in a separate dimension. And since they were the very first yers arriving here, it would be impossible to not attract their attention.


    Waving his hands and smiling amicably to greet the vigers, Xu Feng made sure to leave a good impression on them.


    ''You are all my precious employers or customers in the future. How could I not make you all love me?'' He began to greet them even if some were wary of him or outright avoided him like a gue.


    "Hey, Feng, stop greeting the vigers ande over here to give me some money. I''m still broke." Zhao Kai suddenly shouted from afar, causing the vigers who were about to interact with Xu Feng to be hesitant.


    ''You goddamn Kai! Do I owe you in the previous life?'' Retaining a friendly smile on the surface despite wanting to beat Zhao Kai up for ruining his deed.


    "Sorry everyone, my friend just arrived here and is eager to try out the local food to enjoy." He apologized to the vigers for his friend''s behavior and excused himself.


    A few secondster, Xu Feng caught up to Zhao Kai and resisted his urge to punch him. Instead, he shed a smile and promptly paid for the skewers.


    Once Zhao Kai got his skewers, Xu Feng grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him away, hoping to avoid catching any more bad attention.


    The attention he wanted was to let the vigers feelfortable around them. However, thanks to Zhao Kai, the vigers were wary of them.


    "Why are you such a foodie, Shadow de?" Xu Feng knitted his brows and asked. "I don''t recall you ever being such a foodie."


    Still munching on his meat skewers, Zhao Kai responded, "I don''t know either, but there''s just this intense urge I have whenever I see some delicious food or when I smell the food aroma."


    "And when did this symptom ur?"


    "It was right after I purchased the food from that random person¡ª the one that told me to deliver this letter."


    "Were you the first customer?" Xu Feng narrowed his eyes and questioned, seemingly suspicious of the situation.


    Previously, he merely thought Zhao Kai was just trying to enjoy a new life and food, but his excessive behaviorter on for food made him decide to investigate.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai finished one of the skewers already as he closed his eyes, seemingly trying to remember the interaction.


    ¡ª


    "Hello, boss, the food smells great. You must have sold a lot today."


    "Haha, I wish! Unfortunately, I haven''t sold any. It seems people are busier than ever."


    "How can that be? Here, I''ll buy some. They smell amazing, and I''m in a foul mood, so the food might help."


    "Is that so? For 10 copper coins, the food is yours, and I''ll throw in a special gift for being my first customer and doing me a favor."


    ¡ª


    "That''s about it," Zhao Kai finished rying the interaction he had with Xu Feng.


    "A special gift huh¡­" Xu Feng muttered, having realized that Zhao Kai might have purchased something more than just food with 10 copper coins.


    After all, it was unheard of for someone to blow their entire wealth at the start of the town for some food.


    The beginner town was meant as a foundation for yers, so the food was rtively cheap as well, with 2 copper coinssting yers a week''s worth of ration.


    ''Special gift¡­ fond of food¡­ stomach seemed like a ckhole¡­'' As Xu Feng slowly pieced the clues together, he had a horrific oue in his mind. "Share me your skill list, Shadow de." He proceeded to ask, wanting to check his skills for himself.


    Normally, it was rude and considered offensive to ask another yer for their skill set, given a yer''s skill set should be one of their greatest secrets.


    It was no exaggeration to say that wanting to see another yer''s skill set was like wanting to see them strip naked.


    If others were to learn of a yer''s specific skill set, then it goes to show their advantage inbat would be greatly diminished.


    Not even the rankers and pro yers would divulge much of their skills aside from their known or famous skills that had been recorded and spread far.


    Luckily for Xu Feng, Zhao Kai didn''t seem to care much about such in-depth details and shared his skill set with next to zero hesitation.


    With the skill set revealed, Xu Feng began scrutinizing the list, and sure enough, a few secondster, he finally found the crux of the matter.


    ''Just what is this Kai doing?'' Xu Feng cursed silently. He had assisted him earlier in building his character, so shouldn''t he have discovered this part?


    "Don''t you know you have an EX Skill?" He sighed exhaustively and interrogated. "It''s no wonder you became such a foodie!"


    "EX Skill? What''s that?" Confused, Zhao Kai tilted his head slightly.


    "An EX Skill is an exclusive skill that bypasses the character ss restriction. These types of skill could either be passive or active, and they are usually very difficult to obtain." Xu Feng facepalmed, feeling quite jealous of his luck.


    How could he obtain an EX Skill for simply wanting to elevate his foul mood?


    This was so unfair!!!

 Chapter 84: Gluttony

    Having discovered the crux of Zhao Kai''s sudden insatiable hunger and foodie behavior, Xu Feng realized he needed to reflect upon himself.


    ''The symptoms were there, but I somehow missed it.'' He bit his lip softly.


    This was definitely an oversight on his part. There were many troubles he could have prevented if he had just discovered it earlier.


    "Shadow de, deactivate the Gluttony EX Skill for now." Xu Feng instructed, guiding him on how to manually turn it off.


    The Gluttony EX Skill empowered the user through the consumption and absorption of enemies and resources, enhancing stats and unlocking unique abilities.


    Due to Zhao Kai''s low level, the current skills avable to him were only a partial fraction of the real thing.


    ¡ª


    Essence Drain:


    -Effect: Absorbs a portion of the target''s health, replenishing the user''s health by 10%.


    -Cooldown: 20 seconds.


    Mana Feast:


    -Effect: Absorbs a portion of the target''s mana, restoring the user''s mana by 15%.


    -Cooldown: 30 seconds.


    Skill Assimtion:


    -Effect: Temporarily grants the user a random skill from the target for 30 seconds.


    -Cooldown: 2 minutes.


    Power Conversion:


    -Effect: Converts absorbed essence into a temporary 20% increase in attack power.


    -Cooldown: 1 minute.


    ¡ª


    The skills were awesome, but the side effect of having it active was insatiable hunger and many more which would only ur if the skill was used for a long duration.


    Luckily, Zhao Kai was ignorant and didn''t overuse the Gluttony Skill much, otherwise, the consequences would have been hard to imagine.


    "Shadow de, the Gluttony Skill is an active skill unless you manually turn it off like now. It was set as active by default previously, so you have been slowly using the skills subconsciously." Xu Feng exined, clenching his fist.


    He was frustrated with himself for not detecting it earlier, especially when the subsequent hunting of the monsters during their grind had be easier.


    He was overlycent and thought their teamwork was near wless, causing the grind to be easier.


    However, it became easier mainly because Zhao Kai had been subconsciously activating Gluttony and absorbing the monster, granting himself a buff.


    The buff ovepped with his own buff, making it even more difficult for him to detect the changes.


    "You don''t have to me yourself too much, Feng." Zhao Kai smiled brightly and patted his shoulder. "The me should have been mine for not checking it."


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng smiled, "I supposed we''re both at fault then.


    With that said, he continued to warn and advise Zhao Kai, "Anyway, the Gluttony EX Skill isn''t bad, aside from making you feel extremely hungry after usage. As long as you turn it on duringbat only, you should be fine."


    "Got it!" Zhao Kai gave a thumbs up but then nced at the remaining skewer he had left.


    "It''s true that my desire for food has decreased a lot, but it''ll be a crime to let these skewers go to waste, right?" He chuckled, handing a few of them to Xu Feng.


    Speechless, Xu Feng shook his head as he grabbed the skewers. Soon, the two of them began to eat the skewers as they searched for the recipient.


    "Hi, do you know where we can find a person named Thorin Forgefire?" Zhao Kai asked a passerby viger, only to end up frightening them away.


    Confused, he scratched his head in response and turned to Xu Feng. "Do I look that scary? I''m just asking a question."


    Xu Feng held a stoic expression and ignored his question. He was toozy to even answer that question.


    ''If you didn''t have that Gluttony side effect active, then would we have been stranded out here?'' Discreetly, Xu Feng made sure to distance himself from Zhao Kai, hoping to inquire with the vigers that he had made some progress previously.


    "Stay here for a while," he instructed him, having found a familiar viger''s face from earlier.


    Running toward the viger, Xu Feng shed his signature amicable smile and asked, "Hi, I''m new to the vige and I heard there was a famous cksmith, Thorin Forgefire. Do you know where I can find him?"


    "Oh, you''re looking for Thorin? He''s usually busy with forging, but you could find him near the East corner there. You just need to follow the sound of the hammering." The viger kindly pointed in the direction of the location.


    "Thank you for your help." Xu Feng bowed in respect and said before excusing himself.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai''s jaws nearly dropped when he saw how easily he was able to gather information.


    He nced at the viger and then at Xu Feng repeatedly, his mouth stuttering, "H-H-How did you get them to talk with you? No, why aren''t they even running away from you?"


    "Maybe if you hadn''t been focused on yourself and the food, then you would have learned a thing or two." Xu Fen responded, grabbing the remaining skewers that were in his hand and eating them.


    "Huh, my skewers!"


    "I paid for it."


    "M-Meanie¡­" With his head lowered, Zhao Kai''s expression turned gloomy as he followed behind Xu Feng lifelessly. Even if there were no more Gluttony side effects active, the skewers actually tasted good.


    s, there was nothing else he could do, given the food was indeed paid for by Xu Feng. Not to mention, with the constant guidance from Xu Feng, helping him to navigate the Divine World, he had already repaid the punch.


    As they continued to walk, they heard the hammering sound echoing from afar.


    "Stop sulking already." Xu Feng chided. "If you behave properly and manage to gain the rapport of Thorin, then I don''t mind treating you."


    Instantly, Zhao Kai''s expression changed. Excitement and enthusiasm reced his earlier sulking and gloomy expression.


    "Oh, just tell me what I need to do so I don''t mess this up." Zhao Kai clenched his fist and said with a determined tone.


    "Are you sure you deactivated the Gluttony skill?" He raised an eyebrow and questioned, finding his enthusiasm a bit overboard.


    "Naturally, but good food is hard to resist in general." Zhao Kai pounded his chest and responded righteously.


    However, the next moment, he scratched his head and asked, "By the way, what do you mean by rapport? Is it another quest of some sort?"

 Chapter 85: Forgefire Blacksmith

    After spending a few minutes exining the rapport system to Zhao Kai and emphasizing how to behave with the NPCs, Zhao Kai finally understood why the vigers were friendly with him.


    "No wonder the vigers were willing to interact with you." Zhao Kai sped his hands and eximed. "You were respectful and friendly to them."


    "Not just that," Xu Feng shook his head.


    "You also need to make sure to integrate yourself with them, meaning you want them to feelfortable and take you as one of them." He corrected him.


    "But how''s that possible? We just entered the vige and you already became one of them?" Skeptically, Zhao Kai raised his eyebrows and looked at him.


    "Isn''t that thanks to your outrageous behavior?" Xu Feng scoffed.


    "Thanks to you, it made things easier for me to be the good guy while you are the¡­" He added, not bothering to finish thest word as it was pretty obvious what it was going to be.


    "Tsk, so I became your stepping stone." Zhao Kai clicked his tongue, feeling displeased that he was used.


    Unfortunately, he could only me himself for it.


    Who told him to act so rashly and paid no mind to the vigers from the start?


    However, as he pondered further, he realized this mishap wouldn''t have urred if Xu Feng had warned him earlier?


    ''I''ve been yed for a fool!'' Like a thunderbolt had struck upon him, Zhao Kai realized this was Xu Feng''s revenge for his earlier scheme of frustrating him on purpose.


    ''Damn, how petty can he be?''


    Sometimeter, they arrived at the cksmith store.


    "So this is the Forgefire cksmith Shop," Zhao Kai muttered, ncing at the exterior of the shop.


    The building''s exterior was marked by arge, intricately wrought iron sign that disyed an anvil and hammer, symbolizing their craft.


    Thick, wooden beams reinforced the stone walls, and a wide, open doorway allowed the sounds of nging metal and the warm glow of the forge to spill out onto the cobblestone street.


    "Do you remember what to do when we entered?" Xu Feng asked, not paying much attention to the shop''s details.


    After all, most cksmith shops had simr designs, especially the hammering sound. Though that didn''t mean the quality was the same, given different cksmiths could produce different products.


    Some cksmiths were proficient at weapons, while some were proficient at armor, etc.


    "Rest assured, Feng. I''ve kept your words in mind." Patting his chest, Zhao Kai reassured Xu Feng that he wouldn''tmit the same mistake twice.


    Nodding, Xu Feng extended his hand as a gesture of telling him to enter first.


    With an air of confidence and pride, Zhao Kai calmly entered the Forgefire cksmith Shop.


    What greeted him immediately was a woman in the center of the forge.


    Her auburn hair pulled back in a braid and green eyes focused intently on the glowing metal she hammered with precision.


    She was d in a leather apron over soot-streaked work clothes, and her muscr arms moved skillfully, as each hammer strike resonated with dedication.


    Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, highlighting the intense effort required for forging.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai began ncing around the interior for another few seconds, wanting to see if there was anyone else in the shop, only to realize it was just the woman. He turned his head to Xu Feng, seemingly trying to ask him for advice through expression.


    However, Xu Feng merely shrugged his shoulders in response as he had no idea either.


    He might know a bit more than the average yer, but that didn''t mean he knew everything.


    If that was the case, then why would he even bother working hard?


    Knowing that Xu Feng wasn''t going to help him, Zhao Kai mustered up his courage and asked, "Hello, I''m looking for a cksmith named Thorin¡ª"


    Swoosh!


    Before Zhao Kai could finish his question, a hammer whizzed past him, missing him by mere millimeters before crashing onto the floor with a loud ng.


    He swallowed a mouthful of saliva upon realizing he had just escaped death. His body remained perfectly still, most likely stunned by the sudden action.


    As for Xu Feng, he quietly took a few steps back, drawing a clear line between him and Zhao Kai.


    Just from the impact of the hammer on the floor, Xu Feng was able to determine the strength of the woman and that she was not to be underestimated.


    Hence, he was totally not going to get involved in it when it was Zhao Kai who provoked thetter.


    ''cksmiths are indeed temperamental people when working.'' He concluded.


    ''You really screwed me over here, Feng!!!'' Meanwhile, Zhao Kai was on the verge of tears, feeling like he had been yed by Xu Feng again.


    Even after a few seconds had passed, he didn''t dare to move a muscle, afraid of another hammer whizzing by, and this time, on him and not just by a few millimeters.


    Luckily, the hammering onlysted for a few minutester, before the woman stopped and turned her attention to the two neers.


    "Speak, who are you and why do you want to see my father?" She held her hammer and pointed at them, asking for their appearance.


    "Umm, we are¨C"


    "Not you!" The woman snorted when Zhao Kai attempted to introduce themselves.


    She then pointed her hammer at Xu Feng, "You tell me and why are you here at Willowbrook Vige?"


    ''I see¡­ it''s because we''re strangers and unfamiliar people here.'' Xu Feng quickly deduced, understanding the reason for her hostility.


    Two unknown individuals showing up unannounced in a secluded vige would naturally raise rms. That was especially true when they were cksmiths, with their skills and expertise probably desired by many.


    "Please don''t be rmed, Miss cksmith. We''re here to deliver a letter to Mister Thorin on behalf of someone, and hence how we were able to arrive here." Xu Feng kept a calm expression and exined.


    He made sure to be careful of his demeanor, so as to not rm the woman and cause her to attack them. ''This is unreal. A cksmith is even deadlier than some wolves.''

 Chapter 86: Fiona Forgefire

    Thanks to Xu Feng''s meticulous and delicate exnation, the woman nodded her head.


    Nevertheless, she still asked for the letter to verify them.


    "Where''s the so-called letter? If what you just said is a lie, then don''t me my hammer for swinging toward you." She kindly threatened.


    "Why are you still standing like a dork? Hurry up and give the letter to this Miss.!" Xu Feng instructed.


    Hearing his friend''s instruction, Zhao Kai snapped out of his daze as he retrieved the letter.


    With the utmost respect, he held the letter in two hands and bowed in 90 degrees.


    Here''s the letter, Miss cksmith," he said, copying Xu Feng''s way of addressing her


    Snatching the letter in a swift motion, the woman made a simple nce and sniffed the letter. Her actions somewhat confused Zhao Kai, but he was clever enough to stay silent this time.


    A few secondster, the woman nodded her head, "This is indeed a letter from Uncle Gorrick. The lingering smell and the unique letter symbol."


    "See, we weren''t lying!" Zhao Kai retracted his body as he stood proudly and said.


    However, a single re from the woman prompted Zhao Kai to go back to his 90-degree bow.


    "What''s your name?" The woman then asked.


    "I''m Fiona Forgefire, and most vigers here refer to me as Fiona, but you are only qualified to call me cksmith Fiona for now." She added, introducing her name in the process.


    "Good evening to you, cksmith Fiona." Xu Feng gave a polite bow and continued, "I''m called Lin Feng and mypanion here who was rude earlier is Shadow de."


    "Rude?" Zhao Kai red up and curled his fingers into a fist, wanting to punch him for not warning him earlier.


    s, it was as if he was a mouse that had met a cat, upon noticing Fiona''s stare, his mouth went shut as he started looking around, acting ignorant.


    "Hmph, at least there is one sensible person among you." Fiona snorted coldly and turned her attention back to Xu Feng.


    "My father went away to gather some materials for a forge, so he won''t be back for a while." She exined, returning the letter to Xu Feng instead of Zhao Kai.


    It was most likely she had a bad impression of Zhao Kai from his earlier interruption, so she was displeased with him and treated him as invisible air.


    As for the return of the letter, it meant that Fiona was going to let them wait until her father had returned before handing it over to him personally.


    Xu Feng also wasn''t going to ask why she couldn''t just keep it since it was to his benefit. By retaining the letter, it gave them a legitimate excuse to continue to wander around the vige and an opportunity to get some items forged by Fiona.


    Although Xu Feng can''t tell the levels of Fiona, based on her oppressive aura and strength, it wasn''t hard to say she was at least in or above level 30s.


    With that in mind, Xu Feng gave the letter back to Zhao Kai for safekeeping.


    Afterward, he stepped forward and asked, "Since we''ll need to wait a while, is there anything you need our assistance on? Our strength might not be adequate, but surely there must be something that we weaklings can assist you with to save you the time in forging."


    Pleased by his word of speech, Fiona smiled briefly.


    "At least you know you two are weaklings. It''s good to know your limit." Shemented, turned around, and inspected the materials.


    "I''m short of some monster parts, so you can help me gather them. They''re usually located around the Verdant Valley, but I''m too busy to venture out."


    "Monster parts? What kind of parts are you seeking, cksmith Fiona?"


    "I''m missing some Shadow Wolves, Pyrite Drakes, Stonehide Boar, and Ironwood Treant. If possible, I want 50 for each of them."


    "Can you even call that some?" Zhao Kai interrupted and questioned in a baffled tone.


    50 each of them was equivalent to 200 whopping monsters in total!


    Just how were they supposed to gather them in such a short span of attention?


    Not to mention, the difficulty of even killing 200 of them!


    "Haha, excuse mypanion''s behavior." Xu Feng chuckled loudly before raising his left hand and delivering a hard smack to the back of Zhao Kai''s head.


    The smack echoed loudly, and Zhao Kai nearly fell to the ground from the impact.


    "No matter," Fiona raised her hand and said, excusing his offense. "I feel sorry for you instead for having such an inconsiderate and impulsivepanion."


    Putting a smile on the surface, Xu Feng secretly messaged Zhao Kai privately in the process to reactter and leave everything to him.


    "Mypanion was indeed impulsive, but he wasn''t wrong that 200 monsters are somewhat out of our capability." Xu Feng said, exining the difficulty of the mission.


    "Understandable," Fiona nodded her head in agreement. Their mediocre strength in her eyes was definitely not enough to handle the Pyrite Drakes, Stonehide Boar, Shadow Wolves, and Ironwood Treant.


    Unbeknownst to her though, Xu Feng and Zhao Kai had already dealt with quite a few Shadow Wolves.


    However, Xu Feng concealed the matter from Fiona, lest she might actually believe they were capable without her assistance.


    "Here, you can borrow some of the equipment I have forged in the storage room there. Remember, you''re only allowed to take 3 pieces of equipment max. And if you do a good job, then I don''t mind selling them to you at a discount." Fiona pointed at the storage room near the right-end corner door.


    "Thank you for the generosity, cksmith Fiona." Xu Feng quickly, whileughing inwardly. ''Sell them to me? Heh, once they''re in hand, it''s hard for you to get it back.''


    Pleased with the thought of having some free helpers to gather supplies for her, Fiona waved her hand to tell them to pick some already.


    Just as she was about to resume her forging, she remembered something.


    "Oh right, since you probably arrived here through the letter''s hidden teleportation feature. It would be hard for you to return now that the effect is gone. Take the medal by the table and head to the Vige Teleportation tform to register yourself."

 Chapter 87: Storage Room

    Thanks to Xu Feng''s impressing and pleasing Fiona, she decided to be a bit generous and allowed them to have a method to return to the vige.


    Though, the main reason was most likely that she needed them to return in the first ce to deliver the monster parts.


    And it was right at this moment, a system prompt appeared for both Xu Feng and Zhao Kai.


    ¡ª


    Mission Quest: cksmith''s Supplies


    Mission Giver: Fiona Forgefire


    Description: Fiona Forgefire, the cksmith of Willowbrook Vige, has requested your assistance in gathering essential materials for her craft listed below.


    -50 Shadow Wolf Pelts


    -50 Pyrite Drake Scales


    -50 Stonehide Boar Hides


    -50 Ironwood Treant Bark


    Rewards:


    -Increased Reputation within Willowbrook Vige


    -Gain ess to the Willowbrook Vige through any teleportation tform.


    -15,000 Experience Points


    -40 Copper Coins


    -Possibility to Trigger (Rare Custom Weapon or Armor crafted by Fiona Forgefire)


    Objective:


    Gather and deliver the requested materials to Fiona Forgefire in Willowbrook Vige.


    ept Mission? [Yes] / [No]


    ¡ª


    Zhao Kai nced at Xu Feng for a split second and epted "Yes" only when he saw thetter nod his head.


    "Alright, I''ve said my piece, now hurry up and choose the equipment to assist you. Don''t make me wait too long." Fiona said in a somewhat annoying manner, having wasted enough time chattering with them.


    Her mannerisms didn''t surprise Xu Feng as that was how most cksmiths were. They only have eyes in their craft and nothing else.


    "Go to the storage room first, Shadow de." Xu Feng instructed while he walked toward the table where a single medal was ced.


    Picking up the medal and inspecting it carefully, Xu Feng was d his effort hadn''t gone to waste.


    The medal was crafted from ironwood, featuring an engraved hammer and anvil design surrounded by etchings of mes and sparks.


    To make it even more intricate, it was embedded with Pyrite Drake scales and inscribed with Fiona''s signature on the back.


    Such intricate design was made to prevent anyone from creating a fake medal when registering.


    ''Without this medal, I''m afraid we won''t even be able to step foot here again until they are opened to the public.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    After all, there was a teleportation tform within the Willowbrook Vige, but it was off-limits to outsiders.


    This meant that Xu Feng and Zhao Kai would no longer be able to return unless they encountered someone like Uncle Gorrick again to offer them a medium to teleport here.


    However, that problem was now resolved with Fiona lending the medal to them for registration.


    ''This Kai nearly ruined everything with his outburst.'' He sighed inwardly.


    Had he failed to react in time and smacked Zhao Kai on the back of his head, Fiona might have retracted her mission from being displeased and angered.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng quietly walked toward the storage room without disturbing Fiona, who was currently engrossed in her forging, hammering with intensity.


    Upon arriving at the storage room, Xu Feng nced at the interior.


    The storage room was dimly lit, with rows of sturdy wooden shelves lining the walls, filled with various tools and materials.


    Metal ingots, leather straps, and wooden handles were neatly organized inbeled crates.


    As he continued looking at the storage room, from afar, Xu Feng was able to hear the excited voice of Zhao Kai.


    "Oh, this is good!"


    "No, this is even better than the previous!!"


    ''This Kai is really too carefree.'' Xu Feng shook his head and stepped forward, meeting with Zhao Kai, who was engrossed with the weapons.


    He was holding different types of guns in excitement, almost like he couldn''t bear to part with them.


    What surprised him further was that Zhao Kai already changed into a new armor.


    "Were you lying about your level earlier?" Xu Feng twitched his mouth when he inspected the armor more intensively.


    Zhao Kai smiled sheepishly as he took off the armor and allowed Xu Feng to look at the stats, saving him quite the effort in exining.


    ¡ª


    Irond Marksman Armor


    Type: Armor


    Level Requirement: 5


    Defense: +30


    Durability: 100/100


    Attributes:


    -Agility: +10


    -uracy: +5%


    -Health: +50


    Special Ability:


    -Precision Shield: Has a 10% chance to reduce iing ranged damage by 20%.


    Description: A well-crafted armor designed by Fiona Forgefire, providing excellent defense and enhancing the wearer''s agility and uracy.


    ¡ª


    Handing the armor back to Zhao Kai, Xu Feng questioned, "How did you level up to 5 all of a sudden?"


    "About that, I received the mission questpletion when I handed the letter to cksmith Fiona." Zhao Kai wore the armor and said, finding the situation a surprise as well.


    After all, they were supposed to wait for Thorin to return, but somehow the mission quest was listed aspleted.


    "That''s indeed weird." Xu Feng knitted his brows, seemingly confused by the circumstances as well.


    "Well, let''s stop thinking about something in the future and pick our equipment." Zhao Kai suddenly said and retrieved a few staff.


    "I spotted these staff from earlier and thought you might like it." He added.


    "Thanks, but no need." Xu Feng shook his head, rejecting the staff. They weren''t bad, but his standards were too high for these staff to enter his eyes.


    Not to mention, even if he grabbed them, he still couldn''t equip them. Most of the equipment here required the yers to be level 5 or above. Hence, it was pointless for him to even look at them.


    What was the point of holding onto something that one could not use?


    For money?


    As if he would be retarded enough to sell weapons and allowed others to get a massive advantage for a pitiful amount of money.


    Although he could manipte the market and earn a huge profit in return, the cons overshadowed the pros. Unlike the consumable potions, the weapons or armor could be recycled among them and be permanently used.


    ''I''ll think about this market when things are more certain.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, unwilling to dabble into this risk at the moment.

 Chapter 88: Price To Pay

    As Xu Feng rejected the goodwill of Zhao Kai, thetter was somewhat displeased as he shoveled one of the staff into his hand.


    "Listen, you might not be eligible to equip it yet, but what''s the harm in having a backup forter?" Zhao Kai scolded.


    And with a fierce re, he continued, "Also, just like what cksmith Fiona said. You can lend the equipment to someone who might need it for a fee. The contract here is absolute, so you don''t have to worry about the other party reneging their words."


    BOOM!


    As if an explosion had just urred in Xu Feng''s mind, he was astonished by Zhao Kai''s words.


    What he just said wasn''t nonsense, but something that madeplete sense.


    "Right¡­ who said we must sell weapons or armor to others? We can simply lend it out for a fee." He mumbled softly.


    He turned to look at Zhao Kai in a new light. "How did you even think of that, you filthy genius!"


    Zhao Kai shrugged his shoulders, "I''ve merely learned this from someone. Compared to her, I''m not that much of a genius since she''s even more ruthless and devious than me when ites to business strategy."


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng didn''t n on prying further as he could sense it was not a topic that Zhao Kai wanted to discuss.


    "Well, I guess it''s not bad to collect them temporarily, but I''ll only borrow two while you use my other quota to choose four." Xu Feng said, wanting Zhao Kai to have a bit more leverage in choosing the equipment.


    After all, he was the only one among them eligible to actually equip them.


    Additionally, Zhao Kai was going to be the main damage dealer for the mission requested by Fiona.


    Zhao Kai didn''t argue with Xu Feng and readily agreed to his suggestion, clearly understanding thetter''s thought process. Not to mention, he had indeed spotted quite a few equipment to his liking but was worried about the quota in picking.


    "Right, once you''re done choosing, we''re going to discuss your skills upgrade now that you''re level 5." Xu Feng informed, grabbing another armor and cing it in his inventory.


    Zhao Kai merely gave an "okay" hand sign as he immersed himself in the equipmentid on the shelf.


    Knowing that he was probably going to take a while, Xu Feng promptly exited the storage room, not bothering Fiona at all.


    There was no need to exin to her since she could clearly sense the surroundings.


    Only a fool would truly think Fiona waspletely upied in the forging and remained clueless about her surroundings.


    In fact, her perception was very high, so even if one made next to little noise, she could perceive them clearly. Thus, Zhao Kai shot himself in the foot by interrupting her when she had already sensed him long ago when the two of them entered the shop.


    Xu Feng simply didn''t bother to remind him because of his conduct earlier.


    Who told Zhao Kai to frustrate him on purpose?


    There was always a price to pay for messing with him!


    Waiting outside the cksmith shop, Xu Feng began reading through the Game Forum, hoping to find some interesting news.


    Unfortunately, there doesn''t seem to be anything interesting aside from the fact that Herald Fist was threatening to dere war on Gentle Wind for cheating.


    Using his guild, Tyrant Fist to make an official post, Herald Fist was demanding Gentle Wind to reveal the method of her Hell Mode difficultypletion.


    After all, it was indeed hard to believe anyone capable of achieving such a feat when most guilds, including very famous ones, failed toplete even the Easy Mode.


    "This Herald Fist is really one troublesome fellow." Xu Feng muttered, having understood his insidious plot by making such an official post.


    By questioning the legitimacy, he prompted many to attempt the Hell Mode difficulty dungeon as well.


    And once those yers that made an attempt realize the intense hostile environment and monsters, they would believe Gentle Wind had made a foul y or cheated to win.


    Of course, no one would actually believe that and was merely trying to pressure and force Gentle Wind to reveal the method on how toplete it.


    ''The equipment dropped from the Scorched Caverns is still attractive, so these yers would definitely not watch and let Gentle Wind hoard them all for her guild.'' He eximed inwardly, finding them quiteughable.


    Gentle Wind might indeed find a way to fight the Inferno Tyrant thanks to the recording and his strategy, but the pretext was that she could reach the boss area.


    Without his navigation guide, it would be a grueling task.


    Sure enough, within a few minutes since the post made by the Herald Fist was spread like wildfire, Xu Feng received a message.


    Opening it, he noticed it was Gentle Wind contacting him again.


    Gentle Wind: Hello, sorry to bother you again, but can we borrow your subordinate, Lin Feng? We want toplete a few more Scorched Caverns.


    "Look at her. She''s only asking this now huh. How cute!'' Xu Feng chuckled softly, having predicted that she must have attempted it again, only to end up in aplete failure.


    Anonymous User: How''s that possible? Did you not have enough Fire Resistance Potions to do a few more raids?


    Xu Feng teased yfully. There was a reason why he didn''t have any problem in giving her some more potions.


    So what if you have potions?


    Can you utilize it to the maximum benefit?


    The situation was simr to giving someone a car, but they didn''t know how to drive. In other words, it was only there to look fancy and nothing else.


    Gentle Wind: What conditions do you want, Lin Feng''s boss? Let''s not beat around the bushes.


    Anonymous User: There''s no need to be impatient. I''ll be publishing a guide soon on how toplete the Scorched Caverns, but since you''re my first customer. I''ll give you a privilege when the time is right.


    With that sent, Xu Feng closed the message andughed, "Took you long enough, Shadow de. I thought I''d have to wait a long time here."

 Chapter 89: Registered

    "My bad, the equipment was just too good so it took a while to choose." Zhao Kaiughed, shing his new armor and weapon.


    He especially loved the new gun in his hand, pretending to shoot it everywhere.


    "Are you not going to use the Ironbolt Rifle?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow and asked. "That''s a good weapon, you know."


    Zhao Kai suddenly shed a grin as he turned around and pointed at his back, "Can''t you see I equipped it already?"


    The Ironbolt Rifle hung securely on Zhao Kai''s back, its sleek designplementing his stance, ready to be drawn at a moment''s notice.


    "..."


    Speechless, Xu Feng clearly forgot that he could indeed equip it like that thanks to his disgust toward the shield.


    "Not bad, right?" Zhao Kai ced his hands on his hips andughed merrily. "Now I can cover short or long ranges at ease. The monsters will no longer be a danger to me."


    "Yes, but that is if you can actually hit them and prevent them from approaching closer." Xu Feng sighed, feeling helpless at him.


    "Anyway, let''s head to the vige teleportation tform and register ourselves first."


    "Huh? But what about the upgrading of my skills?" Confused, Zhao Kai thought he had forgotten about the matter.


    "It''s just upgrading your skills." Xu Feng facepalmed. "We can do that while walking there or are you telling me you''re a robot and can only do one task at a time?"


    "Geez, I was just confused, okay."


    "And I''m the fool to be your friend. I feel like I might get some pimples from how much you frustrate me."


    "Ohe on, you know that''s not true." Zhao Kaiughed and wrapped his arm around Xu Feng''s shoulder. "We''re brothers, so how can I be frustrating?"


    Just like that, the two of them continued their pace toward the vige teleportation tform while Xu Feng assisted Zhao Kai in upgrading his skills catered to his y style.


    "When can I get better skills?" Zhao Kai afterpleting his upgrades.


    "Level up or do a ss change quest." Xu Feng responded emotionlessly.


    "ss change quest? You mean like those unique branches of a ss?"


    "Yeah, somewhat, but not all ss change quests are good. Some are just traps for greedy yers. The good thing about it is that it''s not irreversible or permanent, so yers can always keep changing if they want."


    "I see¡­" Zhao Kai nodded, and ced his hands behind his head. "Whatever, I can just ask you if a ss is good since you seem to know a lot."


    "You trust me too much." Xu Feng shook his head and chuckled. It wasn''t bad to have him trust him, but blindly trusting one too much was detrimental.


    However, he was stunned when he heard the response from Zhao Kai.


    "There''s a lot of untrustworthy people in this world, but you''re not included, Feng. I doubt you would harm me since there''s no reason for you to do it." Zhao Kaiughed, ncing at him with a genuine smile.


    "Ugh, please don''t ever do that again."


    Xu Feng quickly distanced himself from him, lest others might have misunderstood their rtionship.


    "Oh screw off!" Zhao Kai scoffed, realizing what Xu Feng was implying and faking a nauseous act. "I''m a straight man who loves women, albeit very picky at that."


    "Good, then make sure to keep your distance." Xu Feng fixed his sses and said calmly.


    "Tsk, when did you be so annoying?"


    "Learn it from you."


    As the two banter continued for some time, they finally arrived at the teleportation tform. Unlike the previous section of the area, this ce was heavily guarded.


    It was clear that the area was a restricted kind, almost as if they were trying to prevent any intruders or non-vigers from entering.


    This systematic design was different from the time when they entered through the vige''s gate.


    Hence, the guards by the entrance didn''t bother to hinder them or detain them.


    "Halt, this ce is off-limits." One of the patrolling guards raised their hand and announced after he had spotted Xu Feng and Zhao Kai.


    "Hello, mypanion and I are here to register ourselves." Xu Feng stepped forward, bowed politely, and exined.


    He then retrieved the medal that Fiona gave him and showed it to the guard, "We are vouched for by cksmith Fiona and were assigned to help her gather supplies."


    The guard''s stern expression softened slightly upon seeing the medal. He inspected it closely, nodding in recognition of Fiona''s mark. With a respectful nod, he returned the medal to Xu Feng.


    "Very well," the guard said, lowering his hand. "You may proceed. Ensure you adhere to all regtions within the tform area."


    "We''ll keep that in mind," Xu Feng kindly responded, before signaling for Zhao Kai to follow behind him.


    A few secondster, they began registering themselves with another guard who recorded their data and information.


    "This device here will allow you to teleport to this tform as long as you are within 50 meters of the proximity." The guard exined and handed them a small device simr to a locket.


    As soon as the procedure waspleted, both Xu Feng and Zhao Kai received a system prompt simultaneously.


    System: You have been registered to the teleport tform at Willowbrook Vige! You may teleport back here through any teleportation tform!


    Aside from the system prompt, Xu Feng and Zhao Kai''s map was updated, now revealing theyout of Willowbrook Vige. Previously, their map was cked out, which prompted them to ask vigers for directions.


    However, that problem was now resolved.


    "Holy, is this really a vige? Just how big is this ce?" Zhao Kai swallowed a mouthful of saliva nervously when he saw theyout.


    The vige itself might not be big, but the surrounding terrains were huge, and there were danger signsbeled all across.


    "Not even the Verdant Valley had this much danger sign alert. Just how high are the monsters there?" Zhao Kai turned to Xu Feng and asked, seemingly believing thetter had an answer to this.

 Chapter 90: Guide Creation

    Zhao Kai''s intense stare and his belief that Xu Feng knew the reason was overbearing, to say the least.


    "Come on, Feng. You already revealed a lot, so what''s the harm in telling me the reason?" Zhao Kai pouted, attempting to sh a genuine smile again.


    "..."


    With a soft sigh, Xu Feng knew he had to exin when thetter was ying rogue.


    It was obvious he wouldn''t stop asking until he received an answer.


    Plus, to save himself from the disgusting sight, he decided to exin, hoping that he wouldn''t be scared out of his wits.


    "Any monsters that are 20 levels above us would have danger signs to warn yers off. But it''s just an indication, and not really urate since the system doesn''t take a yer''s skills and other things into ount." Xu Feng exined while carefully examining the expression of Zhao Kai.


    Luckily, it seemed like Zhao Kai was still the same, showing apletely nonchnt behavior.


    "Oh, so it''s just stronger monsters. Phew, I thought it was some big conspiracy or secret with the way you were acting." Zhao Kai shrugged, feeling relieved.


    "Since that''s the case, then it means we might return here sooner orter to tackle the danger zones." He added, grinning wickedly.


    ''Sure enough, he''s a tank despite trying to not act like one.'' Xu Feng concluded inwardly. Only those who choose tanks ss are extremely eager to fight dangerous monsters above their capability to test theirbat skills.


    However, Xu Feng was still surprised to see the changes in Zhao Kai''s behaviorpared to the ones he knew in the past.


    He seemed more carefree and rxed, clearly enjoying the environment of the Divine World. Nevertheless, it wasn''t a bad thing to be free of the pressure.


    At the very least, Xu Feng didn''t n on divulging much of his schemes and things he was plotting to Zhao Kai.


    There was no need to make him feel pressured. Instead, he could just enjoy the Divine World without knowing much.


    "Hey, Kai, if I ask you to do something for me in the Divine World, will you help me?" Xu Feng turned to him and asked solemnly.


    Surprised by the sudden serious talk, Zhao Kai understood it was not a casual question, given he was even calling him by his first name.


    Despite that, it didn''t take a second before Zhao Kai shed a determined expression as he clenched his fist. "Heh, we''re brothers, so what''s the point of asking? Just tell me what to do!"


    "Sure, then kill all those 200 monster parts!" Xu Fengughed heartily and patted his shoulder.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai nearly choked on his own saliva, feeling like he had been deceived and trolled by Xu Feng.


    "How can you expect me to kill them all by myself?" He shouted in agony, chasing after Xu Feng, who had already activated the teleportation.


    With a swoosh, the two vanished from the vige and appeared at the entrance of the Verdant Valley.


    "Phew, thank the lord that they didn''t teleport us in the middle of a minefield." Zhao Kai wiped off the non-existent sweat from his forehead as he breathed a sigh of relief.


    The horror of being sent into the center of a sea of monsters while being unprepared was unimaginable.


    "The game isn''t that harsh," Xu Feng twitched his brows, wondering just what kind of nonsense he was thinking. If the game really made such a design, then who would dare to take a teleporter?


    "Well, what are we going to do? Start hunting for monsters?" Zhao Kai questioned, seemingly itching to test his new equipment.


    However, Xu Feng shook his head and said, "No, you should return to Oakwood Town and stock up on food. We''re going to need to utilize your Gluttony Skill toplete this mission."


    "Oho, are you paying for the food?" Zhao Kai rubbed his hands together and smiled maliciously, creating a somewhat creepy appearance.


    "You are even more greedy than me." Xu Feng rolled his eyes but still threw a sack of pouches filled with money toward him.


    As Zhao Kai grabbed the pouch, he subtly recognized it. "Wait, isn''t this the pouch we snatched from those ambushers?"


    "Correction, they were given to us by them for their wrongdoings. We arew-abiding citizens after all."


    "Yes, it was a gift. My mistake. How can we be robbers?"


    "Mhmm, so what are you waiting here for? A cookie?" Xu Feng red fiercely.


    "Hahaha, I''ll be right back~" Zhao Kaiughed merrily as he quickly dashed off.


    While he was at a far distance, Xu Feng made sure to tell him to message back once he returned.


    With a simple wave in response from Zhao Kai, he slowly disappeared from the vicinity, and Xu Feng promptly took a seat on a nearby rock.


    "Alright, time to write a guide." Xu Feng stretched his arms as he began writing two different sets of guides.


    One guide was basic with not much detail but just enough for them to get through. The other guide was a more extensive one, along with the boss'' pattern and strategy to tackle.


    These two guides were naturally the ones Xu Feng nned on selling for a fortune, given the hotmodity the Scorched Caverns were currently being discussed.


    Time slowly passed by, and Xu Feng finished the creation of the basic guide, namely: Introduction of the Scorched Caverns dungeon guide.


    ''Now how much should I charge?'' Xu Feng rubbed his chin and pondered.


    It can''t be sold for too cheap, lest others might suspect it to be a garbage guide, but it also cannot be too expensive either.


    After all, this basic guide was meant to be the real hot seller to average yerspared to the other extensive guide that he had yet to create.


    Fixing his sses, Xu Feng decided to wait a while on the price tag and resumed working on the extensive guide.


    "It''s time to get even more rich and influential." He eximed, feeling more motivated than ever.

 Chapter 91: Fat Sheep

    As Xu Feng leisurely wrote his guides, elsewhere, the atmosphere was filled with intensity and anticipation.


    SLAM!


    "Can someone exin to me how did that Gentle Windpleted the Hell Mode difficulty?" A ferocious roar echoed throughout a private inn room as his palm mmed on the wooden table.


    Standing in the middle of the room was Herald Fist, a towering figure with a muscr build that seemed almost toorge for the confines of the inn. His eyes zed with fury beneath a furrowed brow, and his clenched fists trembled with barely restrained rage.


    The inn was filled with four other people aside from him, and they were all supposedly his trusted and capable subordinates.


    Yet at the current moment, Herald Fist felt like these subordinates were a bunch of different people.


    Just how ipetent could they be?


    "Ardent Lance, how about you?" Herald Fist turned to the man who clearly wished to hide himself at the moment. "Have you increased the pressure and gathered public support in pressuring Gentle Wind to reveal her method?"


    Smiling bitterly, Ardent Lance responded, "Reporting to the guild leader, the matter has already been done, but Gentle Wind seemed to turn a blind eye to it. Also, the public doesn''t really seem to care much about our post."


    "What?" Herald Fist raised his eyebrow as he red at Ardent Lance. "Did you even do your job properly?"


    Almost having his ears bud erupted from the shouting, Ardent Lance wanted to curse Herald Fist silently in his mind. He was already doing his very best to rile the crowd up, but never did he expect Gentle Wind to be even more decisive and cruel.


    ''That Gentle Wind¡­ to increase her recruitment process, she even offered up items from the Scorched Caverns to even the new people who enter the guild afterpleting a certain amount of merits. Just how am I supposed topete with that?'' Ardent Lance eximed inwardly, wanting to shout back at Herald Fist with those reasonings.


    However, he knew better than to keep his mouth shut and lower his head.


    After all, Herald Fist wasn''t an idiot either. He merely called for such a meeting to vent his frustration since he was clearly scolded by his father and probably the board directors for his ipetence this time.


    It wasn''t just Ardent Lance that understood this point, but the other three fellow guild members in the inn also understood this.


    Hence, none of them dared to utter much sound.


    This was the reality and sad life for those who needed to rely on this kind of paycheck to survive.


    "Bunch of useless people!" Herald Fist scoffed as he knew not a single one of them was going to fall for his scheme of letting him vent further.


    As his anger peaked to a new height, he suddenly received a message notification.


    ''Huh? Lotus Lime? What does this bitch want?'' Confused by the sender, Herald Fist opened the message with a skeptical mindset.


    Lotus Lime: Heard you are in quite the dilemma. Without the Fire Resistance Potions, do you even have a chance to continue an attempt at an alreadypleted raid?


    "..."


    Originally, Herald Fist was furious and was just trying to vent some anger, but this message from Lotus Lime was like poking at an already provoked ho''s nest.


    Steams seemed to be rising up from his head as Herald Fist ordered the rest to leave the inn at this instant. He was afraid of losing his temperpletely and bashing them.


    "Out! All of you get out!" He roared in a thunderous voice.


    Ardent Lance and the other three guild members felt as if they had been pardoned. Not even hesitating a bit, they swiftly left the inn, leaving Herald Fist alone.


    As the private inn only remained Herald Fist, a surprising turn of events took ce. The previous infuriated Herald Fist seemed to have vanished, reced with a more calm and collected version.


    Taking a seat down, Herald Fist breathed naturally as he began responding.


    Herald Fist: Let me guess, you want to resell those potions to me?


    Lotus Lime: You got it! These potions are useless to me since Gentle Wind already snagged the glory and achievement. But I suppose you still need it for future endeavors, right? I don''t mind selling it to you at 10 times the price.


    Herald Fist snickered coldly when he deduced the intention of Lotus Lime.


    s, she failed to realize one thing.


    ''If you had sent this earlier and didn''t wait until now, then maybe I would have fallen into your trap.'' He eximed inwardly.


    Herald Fist: You looked for the wrong person, Lotus Lime. Go find another buyer.


    After sending that message, Herald Fist closed the message as he opened a new contact.


    Herald Fist: Give me a copy of the basic guide first. I''ll purchase half the deposit and if the guide is indeed effective, then I pay you extra for the remaining half.


    Anonymous User: Happy to do business with you. I sent an attachment of the contract and you can read it over before signing.


    On the other side, Xu Feng snickered evilly when he managed to attract a fat sheep into buying his basic guide.


    "Heh, with the way he''s acting, he''s definitely trying to prove himself. Can he even resist my offer when I practically extend a saving grace hand?" He smirked coldly.


    As for ethics and doing a favor for Gentle Wind''s rival, that was not his problem. He merely had a business rtionship with her, so what was wrong in doing business with other paying customers.


    Money doesn''t recognize people, but people definitely recognize money. And it would be a sin to lose money for a dumb reason like loyalty.


    Wasn''t he kicked out like an abandoned dog for believing in something like loyalty?


    "Loyalty is only reserved for those deserving, and even then, it''s a bare minimum." He mumbled, having received the contract signed by Herald Fist.


    ''The fat sheep has been hooked!''

 Chapter 92: Strikes Again

    Others might think Xu Feng was blinded by greed for selling his basic guide to Herald Fist, especially the likes of Gentle Wind and Autumn Breeze if they got wind of this matter.


    However, what they didn''t know was that Xu Feng not only nned to get money from Herald Fist, but he was also using thetter to advertise for him.


    What better way to advertise the guide as credible and amazing than if the known irrational and furious Herald Fist approved of it?


    Such people like him are usually convincing, especially when they know about his fiery temper.


    ''It took me a while to finally recall the name, Herald Fist. He''s Zhang Tie Quan, heir of the Zhang''s Group. There''s no way such a person is really irrational and prone to anger.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    The Zhang''s Group was a multi-international technologypany, with many subsidiaries under them. If such a person was able to remain as heir despite their anger issues, then that was the real suspicious matter.


    After all, Zhang''s Group was a public tradingpany, meaning even the President and CEO would have to answer to the shareholders and public regarding their business and sales.


    It was a stark contrast to a privatepany, in which one family couldpletely dominate the decision of thepany regardless of public opinion.


    ''But why does the family name Zhang sound familiar?'' Xu Feng suddenly pondered. He felt that he had heard of this name just recently, but couldn''t recall it.


    And since he couldn''t recall the matter, then it meant one thing. It wasn''t an important matter.


    Sometimeter, Herald Fist deposited half the payment to his bank ount.


    Xu Feng curled his lips upward at the stinginess and cautiousness of Herald Fist to make such a bargain. One might think Herald Fist would spendrecklessly as shown in public, but that was merely a facade to deceive others.


    ''Thank you for making me feel even less guilty about using you as an advertisement without paying you a single cent.'' He chuckled and proceeded to send the basic guide to him.


    Once that was done, Xu Feng opened his other message contact, namely, Gentle Wind and OneManMedia.


    To spread this news, it naturally needed a middleman and someone who was known to post information already to do the deed.


    As for Gentle Wind, he did promise to let her be the first customer in the extensive guide version, of course, with a big price tag added along for such a privilege.


    "How much should I charge her?" Xu Feng muttered.


    For Herald Fist''s basic guide, he asked for 100 Silver Coins, equivalent to around 100,000 dors. And Herald Fist already coughed up 50,000 dors, given he was short on silver coins.


    After all, the person with the most in-game currency was him. No one else could possibly have more than him when he was the one manipting and controlling the market.


    Whenever he sold the silver coins for dors, he would receive the silver coins in return when these lovely yers purchased his items. In other words, the cirction of in-game currency always goes back to his pocket to be sold again.


    Rinse and repeat, how could he not be the wealthiest yer?


    ''The extensive guide is at least 10 times better than the basic and used up most of my effort. It''ll be a shame if I don''t charge 200,000 dors.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    Although he couldn''t recall the name Gentle Wind, he recalled Herald Fist.


    For Gentle Wind to be capable of rivaling Herald Fist meant that her flow of cash was high, especially with how easy-going and straightforward she was when raising the offer.


    Sending a message to her while attaching the contract, Xu Feng patiently waited for this cash cow to pay up.


    Anonymous User: I have the extensive guide ready. You are the first to receive such a benefit and as your privilege, I will dy the sale of this for 12 hours, albeit with an extra fee. You can pay 200 Silver Coins or 250,000 dors.


    Gentle Wind: I signed the contract and sent the payment already.


    Anonymous User: Happy to do business with such a straightforward person. As a bonus, I''ll let you know that Herald Fist has purchased the basic guide from me already but fret not. The basic guide is far inferior to the ones you just purchased.


    Xu Feng was quite pleased with her decisiveness that he decided to give her some inside information.


    Of course, that kind of information was going to be revealed anyway, but by wording it this way. He was essentially making Gentle Wind owe him a favor.


    It was killing two birds with one stone, so how could he possibly not capitalize on it?


    Meanwhile, in another private inn located at Riverwood Town, Autumn Breeze was baffled by Gentle Wind''s decisiveness.


    "You do know he just strikes again, right?" Autumn Breeze said, feeling somewhat exasperated. "He''s just treating you like a cash cow, and you just easily gave in like that?"


    "What can I do then?" Gentle Wind kept a calm expression on the surface as she responded.


    "Who else but him has such an extensive guide? I bet it was thanks to Lin Feng''s assistance that this person can create such an extensive guide."


    "Then you should have just let me contact Lin Feng and ask him secretly?"


    "I would have done that if it was possible. From our two attempts previously, it''s clear that Lin Feng doesn''t want to interact with us much aside from business talk." Gentle Wind sighed softly.


    Truth be told, she was feeling very envious of Xu Feng for having such a loyal subordinate, without knowing it was the same person all along.


    Autumn Breeze also sighed as well as she had never met such a difficult individual to deal with.


    "Both this person and Lin Feng seemed to have popped out of nowhere. Both are so mysterious yet so informative and have everything under their control. Sometimes I wonder if they are the creator of the Divine World and are just toying with us." She took a seat and smiled bitterly.

 Chapter 93: Stepbrother

    Gentle Wind was silent when she heard Autumn Breeze mention the possibility of Lin Feng and his boss being the creator of the Divine World.


    After all, this was possibly the only usible exnation as to why they were so knowledgeable and controlled the momentum from start to finish.


    "As much as I want to believe that''s the case, it''s most likely because they have put in more effort behind the scenes that we don''t know of." Gentle Wind bit her lips softly and said.


    By saying this, it was equivalent to admitting that she was inferior to someone and was being led on by the nose.


    Autumn Breeze nodded her head. Throughout the years, it had always been her controlling others andmanding them what to do.


    "How long has it been since I felt like I was being controlled by others?" Autumn Breeze chuckled softly and asked.


    "Although it''s not a good feeling, I have to say it''s a fresh experience. This Lin Feng and his mysterious boss¡­ the more I interact with them, the more I want to pry into their secrets." She added, herpetitive nature rising up.


    "Oh, you''re not nning on ying a naive and impulsive character anymore?" Gentle Wind curled her lips upward in amusement.


    "Only for them," Autumn Breeze quickly corrected. "I don''t want to think too much when ying a game when my real life is already giving me enough pressure."


    "Speaking of that, don''t you have a meeting soon?" Gentle Wind inquired.


    "Ah right, time went by so quick." Autumn Breeze sped her hands, having realized that she was about to miss the meeting. She merely used her break to log in for a while to assist Gentle Wind.


    "Are you fine by yourself?" She asked in concern.


    "I''m fine. I don''t wish to hinder your work, Xin." Gentle Wind shed a warm smile. "The extensive guide would require me to brood over and I still have 12 hours before he proceeds to release it."


    Nodding, Autumn Breeze subsequently logged out, her character turning into tiny particles as she returned to the real world.


    Zhao Xin''s eyes fluttered open as the gaming capsule smoothly opened with a soft hiss. She sat up, adjusting to the ambient lighting of her sleek, modern CEO office.


    The office was a blend of cutting-edge technology and elegant design, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city skyline.


    She stretched briefly, her tailored business suit impably unwrinkled despite the hours spent in virtual reality. The digital interfaces on her desk came to life as she stepped out of the capsule and walked to her desk.


    "The stocks are looking good and it seems like the other business deals are going smoothly." Zhao Xin muttered, her eyes staring at multiple data simultaneously effortlessly.


    While browsing through the data and getting ready for a shareholder meeting, she received a notification from her father.


    ''What does he want?'' Confused, Zhao Xin opened up the message by tapping on the hologram screen and opening it.


    Zhao Liang: My dear daughter, can you contact your stepbrother? He hasn''t been answering my call, and he only listens to you.


    "What kind of nonsensical y is father up to now?" Zhao Xin rolled her eyes.


    For him to suddenly be concerned for her step-brother was a hrious moment. Had it not been for her vouching for him to grandfather, then Zhao Liang would have given zero damn about him.


    Or maybe it was because of her vouch that her step-brother now held some value since her grandfather was looking to give some opportunity to him.


    Finding it a nuisance to even entertain her scheme-driven father, Zhao Xin trashed the message and pretended that it had never been sent to her.


    She vouched for her stepbrother not because she wanted to use him, but because he was still running the blood of the Zhao Family.


    To allow him to be left outside without any support¡ª she couldn''t do it, especially when he was not a threat at all. His interest in business was nonexistent and only wanted to live a carefree life.


    Nevertheless, Zhao Xin was somewhat concerned about how her father was unable to contact him.


    Thus, she proceeded to open her contact list with the namebeled, Zhao Kai.


    She decided to check up on him for a while and wondered if he still needed some allowance. Dialing his number, she patiently waited for thetter to pick up.


    However, a few minutes went by and the call soon went to voicemail.


    ''Huh? He''s not picking up my phone either?'' Zhao Xin was surprised, wondering if he was truly busy with something.


    Thest time he failed to pick up her phone call was because he was overwhelmed with tasks or was helping his so-called brother.


    "He''s probably busy helping that so-called Xu Feng again. Just how much of a busybody do you want to be when you can barely help yourself, Little Kai?" Zhao Xin knitted her brows and wondered if he had been led astray.


    Just when Zhao Xin was wondering if she should deal with Xu Feng, she received a call from her personal assistant, Anna Liu.


    "Miss Xin, the shareholders are starting soon and most of the people have already." Anna Liu''s voice resounded, her tone somewhat anxious.


    "Oh, who else besides me hasn''t arrived yet?" Amused, she wondered who was trying to show off by beingte.


    As the CEO, it was natural for her to be thest one to arrive. So for someone to attempt to arriveter than her was clearly a challenge to her authority.


    However, even after a few seconds, her assistant still hasn''t responded to her.


    This mere reaction alone was enough for Zhao Xin to understand just who thete arrivals were.


    "Okay, no need to answer me, Anna. It''s probably my two dearest eldest brothers, Zhao Ming and Zhao Heng putting on a show again." Zhao Xin said in a stoic tone.


    She was used to them acting in such a manner and wondered if she had been too lenient with them. ''If they dare to bring up some nonsense, then I don''t mind sending them to be a delivery man.''

 Chapter 94: Shareholders Meeting

    After getting her materials ready, Zhao Xin walked toward the exit door of her office.


    As she neared the exit door, it scanned her swiftly and automatically opened for her.


    A creaking sound was made as the door slowly opened, and Anna Liu bowed her head slightly as a greeting.


    She wore a crisp white blouse tucked into a sleek ck short skirt,plemented by sheer pantyhose that highlighted her toned legs.


    Her dark hair was neatly styled into a bob, and shepleted the look with ck heels and minimalist jewelry, exuding bothpetence and elegance.


    "Any news of their time of arrival?" Zhao Xin walked past her and asked, exuding a domineering aura.


    Anna Liu followed slightly behind her and answered, "ording to their secretaries, they should arrive around 10 minutes or so."


    "Heh, so in other words, if I don''t show up, they won''t show up. How childish of them." Zhao Xin snorted coldly.


    "Miss Xin, I''ve heard some rumors that your two eldest brothers are trying toin about you in this meeting." Anna Liu revealed, unsure if the rumors were true.


    Despite this, she decided it was best to inform Zhao Xin of the matter. If the rumors were false, then nothing bad would happen.


    However, if the rumors were indeed true, then at least she had given Zhao Xin a heads-up on what to expect.


    Yet much to Anna Liu''s astonishment, Zhao Xin seemed to have anticipated this already.


    "It indeed seems like my eldest brothers are quite free. Since that''s the case, then I don''t mind giving them some heavy-duty tasks." Zhao Xin''s expression darkened. She had purposely set up this trap for them when she decided to assist Feng Qing Rou.


    Nevertheless, she never actually nned to utilize the traps if her eldest brothers knew better than to pick up a fight with her.


    s, it was just a shame that she understood their mindset very clearly, and knew they were definitely not going to miss a chance to damage her reputation and honor in front of all the shareholders.


    ''My two petty eldest brothers¡­ Why can''t you all just stay put and be docile like Little Kai? Why must you force my hand?'' Zhao Xin smiled bitterly.


    Sometimeter, Anna Liu opened the meeting door and stepped aside, letting Zhao Xin enter first.


    With an air of confidence and dominance, Zhao Xin''s footsteps echoed throughout the meeting room.


    The room featured arge, interactive digital table surrounded by sleek, ergonomic chairs.


    High-definition screens on the walls disyed real-time data, and a holographic projector hung from the ceiling, ready for presentations.


    Seated around the table were five key shareholders. Mr. Li, a seasoned investor, reviewed his portfolio on a tablet. Ms. Chen, a venture capitalist, adjusted her sses as she scanned the meeting agenda.


    Dr. Wang, a biotech magnate, quietly observed with his hands folded. Mr. Zhou, an influential tech entrepreneur, checked emails on his phone, and Mrs. Hu, a prominent real estate mogul, took notes on herptop.


    As Zhao Xin took the center seat, there were noticeably two empty seats, but she ignored it temporarily.


    "Good evening, shareholders of the Zhang Enterprise." She promptly greeted them with an authoritative tone.


    They may be shareholders and have a say in thepany, but ultimately, the decision maker was hers, so she needed to ensure everyone knew their ce.


    "Yes, CEO Xin, I want to hear about your thoughts regarding the current hype of the virtual game, Divine World." Mr. Li was the first to speak out as he inquired about her for the details.


    "As you know, virtual reality is already like another part of our life, and as these games be more and more realistic, the market value is unimaginable. I dare say its value surpasses the cryptocurrency era." He added, giving his input on the overview.


    The other shareholders nodded their heads, clearly in agreement with Mr. Li''s analysis.


    As the shareholders started to discuss among themselves, Zhao Xin smiled softly at the direction of the conversation.


    "What Mr. Li just said, is exactly why I ordered this meeting in the first ce." She suddenly announced.


    "Nowadays, businesses do not just revolve around the real world, but the virtual world. And the Divine World¡ª I have personally tested myself and it''s at a whole new level."


    "A whole new level?" Mrs. Hu was astonished as she raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued by her meaning.


    "Does CEO Xin mean to say that the virtual world is akin to the real world?"


    "Yes, and the benefits and synchronization of the Divine World have never been seen before. Thus, I want to hear your thoughts on beginning a multi-billion project, namely, Project Genesis. The main focus of it is to establish a foothold in the Divine World." Zhao Xin revealed, sending a cold shiver down everyone''s spine as they felt a wave of suffocation.


    Clearly, they were not expecting to receive such a nuclear bomb revtion in this meeting.


    Hesitation shed across their faces upon hearing the idea of Project Genesis.


    On one hand, they knew the value of the virtual world, but on the other hand, they were unsure if it was worth risking billions of dors on the project.


    As everyone was hesitating on such a big decision, Mr. Zhou suddenly mustered up his courage, gazed at Zhao Xin, and asked, "If we invest in this project, what is the expected return value?"


    Zhao Xin remained silent for a second before shing five of her slender fingers, "At least 5 times the return value is guaranteed."


    "Gasp!"


    "5 times the return value?"


    "Doesn''t that mean this project can turn into a trillionaire sess?"


    "This is unbelievable!"


    Despite their wealth, for an investment that could result in a trillion return value, who could stay calm and collected? Not to mention, they didn''t doubt Zhao Xin''s words since she had stated them herself.


    Her trust was built and gained upon effort and results, not some flowery words or promises.


    Right at the peak of the excitement, the meeting door was suddenly barged open, followed by a snarky tone.


    "Haha, little sister really knows how to boast. Are you sure it''s a 5 times return and not a 5 times loss for the Zhang Enterprise?"

 Chapter 95: Trapped

    Zhao Xin''s smile remained unchanged as she turned to face the intruders.


    Her two eldest brothers, Zhao Ming, and Zhao Heng, walked into the meeting room with smug expressions.


    Zhao Ming, the older of the two, wore a sharp gray suit and carried an air of arrogance, his eyes gleaming with the anticipation of undermining his sister.


    Zhao Heng, slightly more reserved but equally ambitious, followed closely, his gaze fixed on Zhao Xin with a mixture of rivalry and disdain.


    "Little sister, it''s not that this elder brother wants to demean you, but aren''t you being quite dishonest with our shareholders?" Zhao Ming said with a tone of sympathy, almost as if he felt bad for lecturing her.


    "Elder Brother is right. You should be honest with the shareholders and how your actions are harming our Zhang Enterprise instead." Zhao Heng fanned the me from the sides.


    The two of them were clearly in a cahoot, acting and supporting each other''s im to demoralize Zhao Xin, as well as her leadership ability.


    "This¡ª" The shareholders nced at each other, seemingly confused by the two brothers'' statement.


    "Shareholders, you might not know this, but our dear CEO is trying to cause a war with the Feng Enterprise." Zhao Ming turned to the shareholders, and with a cold smirk, revealed the issues.


    It was a good thing he nted some spies in thepany to oversee any movement or suspicious activities.


    Had he not nted them, he would have missed out that her dear sister had secretly sent a few core employees to assist her friend, Feng Qing Rou.


    ''You really know how to dig a hole to trap yourself, Zhao Xin.'' Zhao Ming sneered inwardly, clearly in anticipation of how her downfall would be.


    Meanwhile, the shareholders were somewhat in shambles, clearly not expecting Zhao Xin to jeopardize thepany.


    "Is this true, CEO Xin?" Ms. Chen held a doubtful look as she stared at Zhao Xin, hoping it was just a false usation.


    However, to her disappointment, Zhao Xin nodded her head.


    "T-This¡ª how could you do this?" Ms. Chen was dumbfounded and frowned deeply.


    As a capitalist, her main objective was to earn money, but if the Zhao Enterprise was really starting a war with the Feng Enterprise, then how was she supposed to earn any money?


    No, she would lose arge amount of money!


    "CEO Xin¡ª"


    Before Ms. Chen could startining, Zhao Xin interrupted her and smiled brightly at everyone.


    "Everyone seemed to have a misconception of something." Zhao Xin chuckled softly.


    "Dear sister, what misconception are you talking about? I''ve heard that some of the people in the Feng Enterprise were displeased with your actions in assisting Feng Qing Rou already." Zhao Heng snickered coldly, pouring more oil into the fire, hoping the situation would fester more and explode into chaos.


    "Displeased?" Zhao Xin raised an eyebrow, turned to Zhao Heng, and mocked, "Are you talking about those useless people who are barely hanging on?"


    Just when Zhao Heng wanted to retort, Zhao Ming suddenly extended his hand, stopping him from speaking further. For some reason, he felt something was amiss here.


    Zhao Xin was too calm, almost like she expected them to barge here and bring up this matter.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Xin ignored her two brothers and turned to the agitated Ms. Chen. "Ms. Chen, I hope you can take a few minutes to listen to me first before deciding your next action."


    Although agitated, her rationality soon returned as she took a deep breath and nodded. As much as she was disappointed, she hoped that her eyesight wasn''t wrong when she chose to trust Zhao Xin.


    Having gained the approval of Ms. Chen, Zhao Xin gazed at the remaining shareholders, who all nodded their heads, giving their silent approval to listen to her exnation.


    "Anna, open up the file G-69." Zhao Xin snapped her fingers and instructed.


    Anna Liu, who was standing quietly in the back, quickly went to work and opened up the file.


    "Heh, what can she even do?" Zhao Heng snickered coldly. He believed Zhao Xin was merely making a final struggle and dying the inevitable.


    However, when he noticed his elder brother had a gloomy expression on his face, he was confused.


    "What''s the matter, elder brother?" He asked.


    Zhao Ming remained silent, his lips twitching uncontrobly, his hands closing and opening, almost as if he was having a seizure.


    Stunned, Zhao Heng decided to turn to the projector screen, and as his eyesid on the images, he nearly lost his footing.


    ''T-This is¡­'' he quickly turned to Zhao Xin, only to realize thetter was smiling menacingly.


    "Everyone, these images were taken and sent by an anonymous person and after some investigation. I discovered my two brothers were actually dabbling into the internal affair of the Feng Enterprise while causing harm to our business." Zhao Xin exined the images in which her two brothers were drinking merrily in a club with a few people along with many women to apany them.


    "So yes, I''m going to war with the Feng Enterprise, but not quite. I''m only after these people who have harmed our roots, so I decided to give some funds and manpower to my friend, Feng Qing Rou. She''s my good friend, so when she gets control of the Feng Enterprise, our two enterprises could ally, making us stronger than ever."


    Shocked, amazement, disbelief, and all kinds of expressions were shown across the meeting room.


    The shareholders'' initial disappointment turned to amazement at Zhao Xin''s n and strategy, as well as her decisiveness to retaliate against those who harmed their profit.


    As for the two eldest brothers, they plopped to the floor, their eyes losing colors as they wished to disappear from the scene.


    They could feel and sense that the shareholders had lost all shreds of hope for them. In other words, their time in thepany might be over.


    "What a marvelous n, CEO Xin." Ms. Chen suddenly pped, her expression brightening up. "I support Project Genesis."


    "I also support Project Genesis."


    "Count me in as well."


    Soon, every shareholder was in agreement with Zhao Xin''s big project. They were shrewd and naturally understood what Zhao Xin truly meant in herst sentence.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Xin smiled brightly as she satfortably in her seat while ncing at her two lifeless brothers. ''Me trapped? How humorous!''

 Chapter 96: Be a Coolie

    As Zhao Xin managed to win the shareholders'' trust and funds, she bid them farewell, saving the next discussion of Project Genesis for another time.


    After all, it was a multi-billion project, so much nning was needed now that they agreed to it.


    Not to mention, they needed time toprehend what just happened, especially how there were two traitorous bastards in thepany.


    What shareholders despised the most was people harming their profits!


    They invested to earn money, and not to lose money. And those who deliberately caused them to lose money were essentially their enemy.


    However, since the two traitors were family of the Zhao, it would be an overreach for them to teach them a lesson.


    Additionally, it could be considered a favor to Zhao Xin, allowing her to clean up this mess internally.


    Sometimeter, the meeting room was left with Zhao Xin, her assistant, and two brothers.


    "My two dearest eldest brothers, the shareholders have left. You can drop the act now," Zhao Xin said, her voice a blend of steel and disdain.


    Zhao Heng''s finger trembled uncontrobly as he pointed at her, his voice filled with a raw mix of fury and disbelief.


    "Y-You set this trap for us!"


    Meanwhile, Zhao Ming remained silent, his head lowered, and deep in thought. His eyes flickered with realization and a hint of fear as he looked up at Zhao Xin, searching for answers in herposed demeanor.


    He lifted his head up, gazed at Zhao Xin, and asked nervously, "Does grandfather know about this?"


    "Grandfather?" Fear instantly erupted in Zhao Heng''s expression at the mere mention of his grandfather.


    "Where do you think I obtained the footage and images from?" Zhao Xin responded to them with a question of her own.


    It was as if a truck had crashed into them, or a boulder crushed every bone of them, or possibly even struck by lightning, the two brothers were frozen on the spot.


    "N-No... how can that be possible?"


    "Yeah, grandfather wouldn''t be that ruthless to his own blood."


    Sighing softly at their pathetic reaction, Zhao Xin stood up and said, "I''ve given the two of you many chances. Before this meeting happened, I had repeatedly told your secretary to ry my warning, but I guess they didn''t care."


    "My secretary?" Zhao Heng''s mouth twitched as he clenched his fist.


    "That damn slut didn''t ry shit to me!" He roared angrily, stood up, and dashed away from the meeting.


    Without even needing an expert to exin, it was quite evident that Zhao Heng was going after his secretary.


    "Sigh, get the security team ready, Anna, lest this brother of mine might beat the secretary to death." Zhao Xin sighed exhaustively.


    Despite the fact that she could just let it happen and send her brother to jail, she could only put a close lid on this matter and resolve it internally.


    Besides their family blood, exposing this matter would cause a sharp drop in their stock, and might even lose the trust of others in theirpany. This was also another reason why the other shareholders decided to let her handle this matter internally.


    "Elder brother, you should return to grandfather and seek forgiveness now. Otherwise, it''s hard to tell if you would be a coolie." Zhao Xin patted his shoulder and said.


    A coolie was essentially a low-wage worker, and with his huge mistake this time, it wouldn''t be surprising if he got kicked out of the Zhao Family and forced to work in a low-end job.


    After all, his temper was not the greatest, and having offended many people, without the backing and support of the Zhao Family, his life would be miserable.


    "You really are a good little sister!" Zhao Mingughed hysterically, stood up, and exited the meeting room, his footsteps uneven.


    As his silhouette slowly disappeared from the scene, Anna Liu stepped forward andforted, "There''s nothing else you could do, CEO Xin. They chose this path and you only did what''s good for thepany."


    Smiling bitterly, Zhao Xin shook her head. "Why must all rich families always fight to the bitter end for some more wealth? Could they even bring it to their grave? If we just worked together, then we could rise even further as a family."


    "It''s human greed. Just look at me, I''m only working as your personal assistant because of the sry." Anna Liu suddenly said.


    Zhao Xin rolled her eyes at Anna. Her attempt in trying to lighten the atmosphere and mood was evident.


    "Right, those secretaries that didn''t warn my eldest brothers. Although I don''t want them to be beaten to death, I also don''t want to see them in thepany anymore." She said coldly, her expression turned fierce.


    Anna Liu nodded her head. "Rest assured, CEO Xin. I have already sent a termination notice to them all and informed all amicablepanies of them being cklisted. I doubt they would be able to get another job in this industry."


    "Not enough, these secretaries failed their job miserably and forced my hands to choose this route. I''m sure they helped my brothers in embezzlement..." She trailed off near the end, but it was enough for Anna Liu toprehend her intention.


    "Understood," Anna Liu tly responded as she made a few texts on her mini-tablet. She was going to inform someone to do the dirty work in sending these secretaries to their new life in prison.


    "How many years?" She subsequently asked.


    "How many years have my brothers colluded with those in the Feng Enterprise?" Instead of giving a direct response, Zhao Xin brought up another question.


    Anna Liu pondered for a moment and calcted silently before answering, "5 years."


    "Then 5 years it is." Zhao Xin waved her hand, dismissing Anna Liu as she got an iing phone call.


    Her fierce expression swiftly softened up as she connected the call.


    "Little Kai, what were you doing earlier huh? You don''t want this elder sister anymore and want to ignore her now?" She said somewhat teasingly.


    "Haha, I was just busy ying a game." Zhao Kai''s voice resounded through the phone as heughed heartily. "Earlier I was stocking on some food, so I missed your phone call. What did you call me for?"

 Chapter 97: Respect Card

    Having heard his little brother''s voice, albeit not born from the same mother, Zhao Xin was relieved to know at least there was one sibling of hers who wasn''t out to get her.


    "Nothing, just checking on you and seeing if you''re in any trouble," she said sweetly, her fierce and ruthless demeanor from moments agopletely gone.


    "Heh, with elder sister supporting me, what trouble can I be in? If there''s nothing else, then I''ll disconnect. I''m still somewhat busy." Zhao Kaiughed.


    "Let elder sister see your face first." Zhao Xin suddenly requested, most likely to check on his appearance and condition to ensure nothing was wrong.


    "Alright then, but don''t be mesmerized by my handsomeness." Zhao Kai responded, having understood her thought process as he turned on the video feature.


    Soon, the two met face to face and Zhao Kai proceeded to perform a 360-degree turn to let her see he was energetic and healthy.


    "Grandfather''s birthday ising up soon in 3 days, so have you thought of a gift?" Zhao Xin smiled and inquired.


    "Huh?" Stunned, Zhao Kai nearly tripped and fell.


    "Grandfather''s birthday? Why would I bring him a gift?" He questioned back. His identity as an illegitimate child was known to them all, so he never had the privilege to dine with them.


    Though he couldn''t be bothered with that so-called privilege either since the only person he respected was Zhao Xin-- someone who didn''t care for his status and treated him like a real little brother.


    "Shush, I have talked with Grandfather and he has permitted you to join us for his uing 65th birthday party. So you better think deeply about what kind of gift to bring." Zhao Xin reprimanded him and demanded.


    Her firm attitude and expression on her face made it clear that she did not want to hear any refusal.


    "But elder sister--"


    "No but! Unless you no longer respect me, otherwise you must show up."


    Having brought up the "respect card", Zhao Kai was left speechless.


    How was he supposed to refuse if she decided to use that card?


    It was a card that she rarely used, so it was immensely effective against him.


    "Ugh, fine, it''s in 5 days, right?" Zhao Kai scratched his head and said reluctantly.


    "It''s 3 days!" Zhao Xin quickly corrected. "I''ll have my personal assistant reminding you constantly, so don''t you dare make any excuse or make any appointments on that date."


    "You''re the boss, elder sister." Sighing exhaustedly, Zhao Kai soon bid farewell and disconnected the call. As he ced the phone down, he began cursing at Xu Feng for telling him to log out temporarily.


    "It''s all Feng''s fault. If I just continued to hide, then elder sister wouldn''t have been able to trap me!" He clicked his tongue, putting back his virtual helmet as he logged into the Divine World.


    Sometimeter, Zhao Kai reappeared in the Verdant Valley, followed by a casual remark from Xu Feng.


    "Wee back." Xu Feng waved, remaining ignorant of the phone call conversation that Zhao Kai just had.


    However, his keen perspective was able toe into y as he noticed something was amiss with him.


    "What''s the matter?" He asked cautiously, getting ready to be prepared for any sudden movement from him.


    "What''s the matter, you asked?" Zhao Kaiughed maniacally as he raised his finger, and pointed at him.


    "Why did you tell me to log out in the first ce? If I hadn''t logged out and answered my elder sister''s call, then I wouldn''t be in such deep shit."


    Zhao Kai felt as if Xu Feng had purposely dug this hole for him personally to fall into as some petty revenge.


    Xu Feng shrugged his shoulders in response, feigning innocence.


    As if he would reveal the fact that Anna Liu paid him quite a hefty price in exchange for Zhao Kai''s whereabouts. It was easy money that required no hard work, so why would he refuse such an offer?


    Not to mention, he was somewhat familiar with Zhao Kai''s half-elder sister, Zhao Xin. They were quite close, so he didn''t feel bad about connecting these two.


    "Ugh, you''ve really screwed me over this time, Feng!" Zhao Kai shouted in frustration, feeling fatigued just by thinking about what kind of gift he should bring to his supposed grandfather.


    He wasn''t afraid of his opinion, but he knew fairly well that his elder sister would haunt him dearly if the gift was unsuitable.


    "I can sense you are frustrated, so why don''t you activate the Gluttony skill and binge eat? It''s a good method to vent." Xu Feng suddenly suggested like a devil''s whisper to the current downcast Zhao Kai.


    Sure enough, Zhao Kai was too overwhelmed to think properly and simply did as told, turning on his Gluttony skill.


    Soon, he began to retrieve the food that he had just brought from Oakwood Town as he began a feast all by himself. As his tongue tasted the umami and enhanced vor of the food, he shortly forgot everything.


    Food was the supremacy and all matters could be put aside for now!


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng smiled wickedly by the side, his sses made a sharp glint as he gazed at the food indulging Zhao Kai.


    ''Very good, Kai. You save me so much effort in convincing yourself to binge eat to buff your stats.'' He eximed inwardly, calcting the time that the monsters would arrive.


    Previously, when hepleted another business deal with Gentle Wind yet again, he received a message from Zhao Xin''s personal assistant, Anna Liu.


    That was when he deduced something was uing and as he pondered over and over again, he recalled Zhao Kai''s grandfather''s 65th birthday should being soon.


    In the past timeline, they were supposed to hang out briefly before he officiallymenced his role in the newly established Reaver Guild, but that didn''t go as nned due to Zhao Kai suddenly bailing out, citing attending his grandfather''s birthday.


    Back then, Zhao Kai was gloomy and unenthusiastic, so he predicted a simr situation might ur. Hence, he used the time that Zhao Kai had logged out to brew a monster lure for him to hunt ferociously to let off some steam.


    ''I am indeed a great friend.'' Xu Fengplemented himself, feeling proud of his deed.

 Chapter 98: Opened Up

    As Xu Feng felt proud for utilizing Zhao Kai to his utmost ability, he almost wanted to give himself a pat on the back.


    Just how great of a friend was he?


    Anyone would be envious and jealous of Zhao Kai!


    ''Ahh, either way, I still need to give some warning to him without being too obvious.'' After much joking aside, Xu Feng needed to ensure that his disappearance wouldn''t happen in this timeline.


    Because he didn''t attend his grandfather''s birthday, given it was somewhat impolite and out of line, he failed to understand what had undergone in the party.


    Hence, he wouldn''t make the same mistake!


    "Kai, have you ever introduced me to your family?" Xu Feng walked toward him and suddenly asked.


    "Huh? No, I don''t think so." Still stuffing his mouth with food, Zhao Kai responded in a somewhat muffled tone. "You''ve only known about my elder sister and her personal assistant, and that''s about it. I don''t talk to my family much after my mother died."


    "Hmm, is that so? Then shouldn''t you think it''s time that I meet with your family since we''ve been friends for a long time?"


    "You want to meet them? Are you sure?"


    "What do you mean by, am I sure?"


    Pausing his eating temporarily, Zhao Kai ced his food down and gazed at him with a solemn expression.


    "Aside from my elder sister, most of my family members are snobby as fuck. You might vomit at the mere sight of their appearance." He warned sternly.


    "So are you sure you still want to meet with them?"


    "Naturally," Xu Feng chuckled softly. "You should know I am an orphan, so I don''t even have a snobby family, to begin with. At the very least, you have your mother and elder sister''s love. I don''t even know my parents'' face."


    With Xu Feng revealing his past, Zhao Kai suddenly remained silent.


    A few secondster, he lowered his head and apologized, "My bad, I didn''t mean to have you bring that up again."


    "No worries, I gave up trying to care about them and wonder why they abandoned me. They might have given birth to me, but they don''t control my life." Xu Feng took a seat, grabbed one of the untouched foods, and ate as he reassured him.


    Maybe he was still somewhat resentful and sentimental in the past, but he no longer cared about those anymore.


    So what if they abandoned him?


    This was his life and he would live as he pleased with or without them. They could be rotting in some prison or the usual cliche of pressure from opposing families to separate them-- he doesn''t care!


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai felt somewhat bad for almost carving another wound in his past, so he nodded.


    "My elder sister wants me to attend my grandfather''s 65th birthday party. I can bring you along as an opportunity to meet with my family and you can help me choose a gift in the meantime." He said lighthearted, seemingly trying to lighten the atmosphere.


    "Sure, then it''s decided." Xu Feng quickly sped his hands and agreed, concealing his true motive.


    As if he truly wanted to meet with his family. What he wanted to do by attending was to see who attempted or wanted to harm him!


    Although Zhao Kai was not an orphan like him, ever since he lost his mother, the two could be said to be in a simr situation. Thus, they clicked and vibed well together, and they remained great friends for a long time.


    It was only a shame that the friendship began to shatter when Xu Feng took on another path and Zhao Kai''s subsequent disappearance.


    This had been one of his greatest regrets in the past.


    To lose a long-time friend was not an easy phase, especially when you don''t know how and when they vanished from your life.


    As the two continued to eat merrily, Zhao Kai smiled mncholy.


    "You know, Feng. As an illegitimate child, my mother always wanted me to be a part of the Zhao Family even till her death. But not once had they ever shown a sh of sympathy except for my elder sister." He clenched his fist and said with a hoarse tone.


    "If you hadn''t been by my side and elder sister, I''m afraid I might storm into the Zhao Mansion and make a scene. Asking them why they are so cruel to my mother and what makes them think they are superior?"


    The more he opened up, the more agitated he was bing.


    Zhao Kai''s carefree and easygoing nature was all a facade he put on the surface to conceal his anger. A deep anger that was always on the verge of exploding.


    His eyes started to turn red from the fury he was trying to retain. His hands clenched into fists, knuckles whitening as his voice grew louder and more strained with each word.


    Noticing his anger seemed to begin to spiral out of control, Xu Feng quickly ced his palm on his shoulder, clenching it somewhat tightly.


    No words needed to be said.


    Once he sensed Zhao Kai was returning to normal, he consoled, "The hard times are over, and I''m sure your mother would hate to see you fall into anger and lose yourself."


    "Yeah, you''re probably right. My mother always told me to not hate them, even on her deathbed. She said it was a choice she made, but I just couldn''t let it go."


    "Then don''t let go."


    "Huh? But didn''t you just say my mother would hate to see me fall into anger?" Startled and baffled, Zhao Kai gazed at Xu Feng, seemingly wondering if he was being a hypocrite.


    Xu Feng flicked his fingers on Zhao Kai''s forehead as he subtly understood the meaning behind his gaze.


    "I only said your mother hates to see it, but that doesn''t mean you can''t do it. Besides, who said anger could not turn into motivation and dedication?" He rolled his eyes at Zhao Kai and snorted coldly.


    "Since the Zhao Family refused you, then all you need to do is gain control of their very lifeline, the Zhao Enterprise. At that time, who dares to deny you or disrespect your mother?"

 Chapter 99: Lure

    Xu Feng''s seemingly outrageous proposal struck Zhao Kai like a thunderbolt.


    To take control of the Zhao Enterprise?


    It was easier said than done when he had practically zero shares of thepany, much less any money to even afford 1% of it.


    "Stop joking with me, Feng." Zhao Kai waved his hand and brushed aside the outrageous proposal.


    "You don''t believe me?" Xu Feng smirked in response when he saw theckluster reaction.


    However, deep down, Xu Feng knew his outrageous proposal was actually something he had been trying to do. He just never had the opportunity or the capital to actualize the n.


    "Do you know the Divine World is not as simple as you look, Kai?" Xu Feng suddenly said.


    Confused as expected, Zhao Kai tilted his head, seemingly unsure of what he was trying to highlight.


    "I''ve made the sry of someone working in a bigpany in one day through the Divine World." He subsequently revealed, dropping a few more hints to him.


    Such revtions were something Xu Feng would most likely never do, but Zhao Kai was someone he trusted.


    After all, when he was down and nearly starving to death, it was him who showed up and helped him through those difficult times.


    Hence, it was a risk he was willing to take, and if Zhao Kai really betrayed this trust, then Xu Feng could only ept it as another lesson. At the very least, he realized it early on and prevented more damage in the future.


    However, if he didn''t, then Xu Feng would want Zhao Kai by his side and assist him in the grand n he had for the Divine World.


    Being alone was naturally not wrong, but once he expanded further, Xu Feng would require more trusted aides to assist him.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai''s mouth hung open in disbelief, his eyes wide and his brow furrowed.


    "I''m sorry, what?" He gasped, trying to confirm that he merely listened wrong.


    "You didn''t hear wrong, Kai. My earnings in one day of the Divine World surpassed multiple corporate office workers'' sries." Xu Feng calmly said it again.


    "That''s exactly why I''m confused!" Zhao Kai stood up and shouted, his eyes staring at him deeply. "You said you earned so much, but your tone and expression are calm. It''s like the money you earned isn''t something to celebrate, which makes it hard to believe your nonsense."


    "I sent a bank statement of my ount bnce to you. So why don''t you log out and see if I''m lying?"


    "Hmph, you think I won''t?"


    In the very next seconds, Zhao Kai logged out, only to log back in a few minutester with a stunned expression.


    He swallowed a mouthful of saliva, retreated a few steps, and looked at Xu Feng with an unfamiliar gaze.


    "Are you still the same Feng I know?" He asked in a disbelief tone. "How did you earn that much money in a game that just published--"


    Suddenly, Zhao Kai paused his sentence mid-way as he subtly recalled the current hype that had been happening everywhere in the town.


    "It can''t be?" He lowered his head and mumbled, seemingly unable toprehend that Xu Feng was the man behind the hotmodity that nearly caused a war between multiple renowned guilds.


    "You were that mysterious seller of the Fire Resistance Potion?" Zhao Kai pointed at him and said in shock, his fingers trembling rapidly.


    Never once did he expect his great friend to be the man causing such a storm!


    When did he be such a shrewd and capable man?


    Well, it was not meant as an insult, but what Xu Feng did with his antics was definitely not something he should have been able to do unless one had numerous years of experience.


    Xu Feng smiled briefly, stood up, and said, "Now you''ve seen my capabilities, but make sure to not tell a single soul about this."


    "Of course, I''m not stupid enough to tell this to anyone." Zhao Kai rolled his eyes and snorted. Such confidential information was meant to be hidden, and he understood just how much trust Xu Feng ced in him by revealing this secret to him.


    "Anyway, what are you going to do with all that money?" He subsequently asked, seemingly intrigued with his n. At the same time, he could also give his own input to help thetter out a bit.


    "To invest further," Xu Feng tly replied. "The money might seem abundant to a normal family, but it''s far from enough for my goal and your goal."


    Nodding his head in agreement, Zhao Kai knew that Xu Feng''s wealth of close to half a million dors could barely affect anyone at the top hierarchy.


    "Whatever then, just let me know what to do by that time." Zhao Kai suddenly flexed his muscles and said, "I''ve nothing to do anyway since my elder sister usually sends me money, so I''m always free."


    Smiling, Xu Feng fixed his sses as he took a few steps back. "There is something that you can do for me now."


    "What is it?"


    "By killing the monsters who have been attracted by my lure."


    By the time, Xu Feng finished speaking, numerous silhouettes from afar started to appear. Growling noises echoed through the Verdant Valley, and the ground seemed to be shaking from the fervor of the approaching monsters.


    As the growling grew louder, the first of the Stonehide Boars came into view.


    These hulking creatures were covered in thick, stone-like tes that glinted dully in the faint light.


    Their small, bloodshot eyes were filled with fury, and their tusks, jagged and sharp, jutted menacingly from their mouths. Muscles rippled beneath their armored hides as they charged forward, snorting and pawing at the ground with their powerful hooves.


    Zhao Kai twitched his brows at the sight of these agitated Stonehide Boars.


    "Aren''t your lures a bit too strong, Feng?" He asked in a nervous tone.


    "Feng?"


    "Where did you go, Feng?"


    "Fuck, you actually ditch me here alone?"

 Chapter 100: Where Are You Aiming

    As Zhao Kai remained in his original position, the Stonehide Boars all had their eyes locked on him. Any sudden movement from Zhao Kai would most likely trigger a violent reaction from them.


    Thus, Zhao Kai didn''t dare to make any movement that might provoke them.


    At the same time, he was silently cursing at Xu Feng.


    ''This damn Feng really ditched me without even giving me any warnings. To think I even opened up to him earlier and treated him like a real brother.''


    Zhao Kai gritted his teeth, realizing how insidious Xu Feng was being.


    Using his eyes to wander around to inspect the surroundings, Zhao Kai finally took notice of the seating that Xu Feng was on earlier.


    In there, it had a small note that stated: The Stonehide Boars'' armors are tough to destroy, so aim for their tiny legs to immobilize them. But make sure to keep your distance and continue to run around in a randomized manner to avoid being surrounded and pounced on.


    ''How generous of you, Feng.'' His fingers trembled uncontrobly from disbelief. He swore that he would definitely make Xu Feng pay dearly for using him as bait once again.


    "Stop standing there in a daze. The Stonehide Boars are merely pondering what to do with you currently, so if you let them finish thinking, you''re dead meat." A voice suddenly echoed from above, snapping him out of his daze.


    Startled, Zhao Kai finally looked up and realized Xu Feng had actually climbed up a tree branch and was overseeing the situation from there.


    "You-- how could you just climb up there and leave me here?" Zhao Kai raised his finger and pointed at him somewhat agitatedly.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng shrugged his shoulders in response. He would be a fool to redo the previous embarrassing situation in which he needed to run away like a rat from the enemy.


    By positioning him in the tree branch, Xu Feng ensured his safety and minimized the chances of the Stonehide Boars going after him.


    Naturally, Zhao Kai also understood this point, but understanding and epting were two different matters.


    How could Xu Feng be so wickedly evil and do exactly what he was going to do if their situation were swapped!


    "Ugh, at least tell me how to fight them?" Zhao Kai pulled up the Ironbolt Rifle that had been hanging on his back and said. "They have too many and look at their bloodshot eyes. Those lures of yours are too strong!"


    Right after he said that, Xu Feng was going to instruct him on how to fight, but Zhao Kai curled his lips upward, shing a menacing grin.


    With swift action, Zhao Kai raised his Ironbolt Rifle, angled his gun, and fired precisely at the tree branch that Xu Feng was taking cover.


    BANG!


    The Ironbolt Rifle bullet prated the tree branch fiercely, and it cracked and splintered under the impact. The once-sturdy branch groaned under Xu Feng''s weight before snapping entirely, no longer capable of supporting him.


    And as if he was attempting a freefalling style that people usually do when jumping out of a helicopter to parachute around, Xu Feng was out of luck to have fallen straight down without any supporting gears.


    After all, he didn''t expect the tree branch to be shot by this devious Zhao Kai.


    Xu Feng crashed on the ground, creating a loud thump sound as he took some fall damage, causing his health to drop as he slowly attempted to get up.


    "What are you doing, Shadow de?" Xu Feng questioned in disbelief.


    "Are you trying tomit a team kill?"


    "No, I''m just preventing someone from baiting his teammate while he camps in a corner and waits until the coast is clear."


    "Damn it, do you think this is some First-Person Shooter 5v5 game? I''m providing you great support and vision coverage by being above!"


    Despite Xu Feng''s exnation, Zhao Kai faked a shiver as he shook his head repeatedly.


    "No, I''m a timid person, so I''m scared of being alone with all these boars wanting to pound me to death with their strong paws. With you by my side now, I can be reassured." Zhao Kai chuckled softly.


    He then wrapped his arm around his shoulder and grinned, "Besides, we''re brothers, so although we aren''t born at the same time. We can die at the same time."


    "..."


    At this point, Xu Feng regretted trying to warn and assist him from above, exposing his location.


    Who said he was shameless?


    Clearly, it was Zhao Kai who was the real shameless to even utter such words without any hesitation.


    "Thanks a lot, Shadow de." Xu Feng shed a difficult smile and pointed at the boars. "That shot you wasted on my tree branch has ruined my n. What you just did was provoke them to the maximum!"


    "Huh?" Confused, Zhao Kai hurriedly turned around and nced at the situation.


    The Stonehide Boars, massive and bristling with rocky armor ting, began to paw the ground aggressively. Their tiny, red-rimmed eyes glinted with rage as they fixed on Zhao Kai. Steam puffed from their snouts with each agitated breath, and their powerful legs dug into the earth, ready to charge.


    In the next moment, numerous Stonehide Boars started to rush forward aggressively, leaving a pile of dust behind them.


    Finally frightened, Zhao Kai retreated slightly and asked Xu Feng, "What do we do now?"


    He raised his Ironbolt Rifle, seemingly trying to shoot at one of them in a futile attempt. No matter who he shot, the end result was going to be trampled to death. At least that was what Zhao Kai had in mind.


    With a calm reaction, Xu Feng fixed his sses and pushed Zhao Kai aside.


    He then took another step forward and cast Sacred Fire.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai watched in confusion as he couldn''tprehend how that powerless fire was going to help. Nevertheless, he kept silent, putting his trust in Xu Feng.


    Soon, the boars'' distance on reaching them was no less than 3 meters, and it was at this time that Xu Feng threw his Sacred Fire.


    However, Zhao Kai nearly fainted on the spot at his horrendous aim.


    "Where are you aiming?"


    His eyes widened in shock as the Sacred Firepletely missed any of the boars and fell on some ground.

 Chapter 101: Stonehide Boars

    Zhao Kai thought Xu Feng had cold feet like him as well and missedpletely.


    After all, the Sacred Firended nowhere close to the boars.


    Even the worst baseball pitcher would still hit one of the boars with the sheer number of them!


    He couldn''t watch further and close his eyes with his palm, seemingly epting their fate of death. It was not like he hadn''t experienced death before.


    The worst that could happen was losing some experience, or items, or possibly being locked out of the game for some time.


    With his eyes shut, Zhao Kai''s ears remained open as he suddenly heard numerous loud explosions, followed by multiple system prompts popping out sound.


    ''Huh? Are we not dead?'' Baffled by the unexpected scenario he had in mind, he slowly opened one of his eyes, trying to see the situation.


    To his astonishment, the field ahead of him was filled with injured Stonehide Boars, with most of them having their armors sted and burned to smithereens.


    "What the?" He gasped in disbelief.


    "Oh, you''ve finally opened your cowardly eyes?" Xu Feng''s teasing voice echoed as he continued tounch numerous Sacred Fire at random areas.


    Each Sacred Fire lit up the dusk like a small sun beforending with a resounding thud.


    The moment the Sacred Firended, it was like a trigger had been activated and an explosion soon urred, sending fiery shockwaves and debris in all directions. The ground trembled with each st, and the Stonehide Boars, caught in the fiery onught, squealed in pain and fury.


    Simultaneously, Zhao Kai realized his experience points were rising at a fast rate, meaning quite a lot of Stonehide Boars had fallen to their death from the st impact.


    Zhao Kai stood frozen, his mouth agape in amazement.


    "How... how are you doing this?" he stammered, watching Xu Feng''s relentless assault in awe. His disbelief quickly turned to admiration as he realized the extent of Xu Feng''s power and tactical prowess.


    "Stop admiring my coolness and start shooting at the injured ones." Xu Feng''s instruction soon snapped him back to reality.


    "R-Right away." He responded like some military soldier as he began aiming his Ironbolt Rifle at those injured who wanted to flee.


    BANG!


    With each precise shot thanks to the decayed movement of the Stonehide Boars, Zhao Kai easily finished them off one by one.


    "There''s about 10-15 more Stonehide Boars, and they are just slightly injured. I''ll leave them up to you now." After firing an unknown number of Sacred Fire, Xu Feng finally took a backseat


    "Wait, what?" Startled, Zhao Kai didn''t expect him to be swapped to do the assault.


    "You were doing amazing though. Why are we swapping?" He asked, seemingly dumbfounded.


    "I''ve run out of those explosives." Xu Feng responded tly.


    Without those explosives, his Sacred Fire was practically useless. It was merely used as an active fuse to trigger the explosive.


    "Damn, why didn''t you put more then?" Zhao Kai grumbled, feeling like it was a waste to not ce more on the ground as traps.


    However, what he got in return was a smack in the head.


    "Did you think I don''t want to put more? They are expensive to make!" Xu Feng snorted coldly.


    And he continued, "If you didn''t decide to disrupt my initial n and provoke them to the maximum, then I could save some of those explosives as well."


    Knowing that he was in trouble, Zhao Kai coughed repeatedly as he took the mantle.


    "Ahh, these boars are ruining my digestive system. Look at how much I''m coughing. I must exterminate them fast." He said, aiming his rifle at them and shooting.


    "..."


    Xu Feng was speechless at his quick excuse, given the digestive system could indeed cause coughing.


    This phenomenon was often rted to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), where stomach acid flowed back into the esophagus, leading to irritation and a reflex cough.


    However, Xu Feng was positive that he was just faking his cough to avoid being reprimanded, a typical defense response from those who know they are wrong.


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng buffed Zhao Kai with his remaining spells and proceeded to collect the loot. With the Gluttony skill, he was positive that Zhao Kai could handle the remaining Stonehide Boars, albeit for a longer time.


    He wanted to hone his fighting experience, so he won''t offer any assistance aside from buff.


    ''If you want to survive in the Divine World, then it''s a must to improve your overall skills.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, picking up the hides required for Fiona''s Mission.


    System: You have collected one Stonehide Boar Hide!


    A system prompt appeared as he collected one of the required materials.


    It served as a reminder and notification to amateur yers that they were on the right track.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng quickly turned off this kind of system notification as he knew what he was doing. Not to mention, having a system prompt popping out every time he collected one would be beyond annoying.


    Time slowly passed by, and Xu Feng managed to collect around 23 Stonehide Boar hides. And counting the remaining monsters that Zhao Kai was hunting, they should be quite close topleting it.


    ''The Shadow Wolves pelt needed is 46, which is quite a hassle.'' Xu Feng scratched his head lightly.


    Previously, they had fought against 4 of them and came out on top, but that was mainly because they were most likely the scouts. If they were to encounter the real fighting squad of the Shadow Wolves, then chances are, they would probably die.


    "Do I even have enough time to finish gathering?" Xu Feng mumbled softly.


    After all, he still had the insurgency mission that was given to him by Receptionist Sandy from Riverwood Town.


    ''Hopefully, OneManMedia did not disappoint me and will give me some good news soon.'' He prayed silently.


    Sometimeter, Zhao Kai returned with 13 Boars hide with a prideful smile.


    "Haha, these boars really tried to confront me directly. My defense is still rather strong." Heughed heartily, boasting about his defense as a Gun Knight.

 Chapter 102: Silent Protest

    With the lure used up, there were no more Stonehide Boars attracted to their area.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng was quite satisfied with earning 36 Stonehide Boar hides from this one hunt already. Their skills alone could barely handle 10-20 and would have probably sacrificed quite a bit to obtain a decent result.


    Thus, Xu Feng took matters into his own hands and wasted some of the precious herbs he had generously epted from the Holy Sanctuary to synthesize some explosive powder.


    These explosive powders are specialized and only some herbs could be extracted into such powder. The explosive power when triggered was immense, but that was only viable for monsters.


    If it was used to apply on yers, the most he could obtain was around 20-40 percent of their health.


    "For the remaining 14 Stonehide Boar hides, we''ll need to search for them ourselves." Xu Fengmented.


    "Huh? Are we not even going to rest a bit?" Zhao Kai frowned deeply upon hearing that there might not be any break. Given Xu Feng''s tone of speech, it was quite evident that he was going to rush them to continue the hunt.


    "I''m exhausted from overusing the Gluttony skill, Feng." Heined and protested by sitting down without any intention of moving.


    "Are you a child or what? Let''s not waste any time idling here."


    "No, I need to regenerate my stamina and hunger."


    "You can regenerate them while walking. You''ve bought a lot of skewers so you can easily walk and eat at the same time."


    "..."


    Unable to rebuke him, Zhao Kai decided to close his eyes and crossed his arms, doing a silent protest.


    Can''t win with words, then he might as well not speak and stay silent.


    Yes, this was called ying rogue, but most importantly, Zhao Kai believed taking ample rest after a long and tedious task was necessary.


    After all, the synchronization of the Divine World was too amazing, making them feel as if they were actually the ones experiencing and doing all the actions.


    It was not the same as if one decided to sit on aputer chair and y on theputer with the keyboard and mouse. The experiences were just too vastly different.


    One could really feel their own body''s limitation in the Divine World, proving that it was not just a simple game.


    Stamina, satiety, pain, etc, a yer could feel and connect with them all as if they were living in another life.


    Opening one of his eyes slowly, Zhao Kai said, "If we keep overworking ourselves, then we might faint from fatigue itself. Our brain and body need to rest properly."


    "I don''t have much time to waste, Kai." Xu Feng responded, referring to his real name and not his character name.


    "I still have another ongoing mission and time is limited if I want to get the best reward." He added, revealing the reason for his urgency.


    Dumbfounded, Zhao Kai didn''t expect Xu Feng to have another mission in hand.


    "Wait, then why did youe all the way here if you have a time-limited mission?" He asked in confusion.


    Xu Feng didn''t answer, but his gazes alone were enough for him to understand something.


    With a bitter smile, Zhao Kai slowly pointed at himself, "You came here to help me out, right?"


    Given how much of a noob he was, Xu Feng probably thought he needed to meet up with him personally and guide him slowly, especially in letting him know the realism of the Divine World was far different than the previous games.


    "You could have just waited until you finished your mission!" He stood up and eximed in anger. Despite the angered tone, Zhao Kai was actually despising himself for hindering his mission.


    Had he not disyed such a carefree attitude and seemingly clueless behavior, then Xu Feng might not have made the decision to assist him personally.


    And now that he reconsidered everything properly, he noticed just how subtly Xu Feng had been when dropping advice and suggestions on how to improve.


    It was never done excessively and was always done at the correct time, preventing him from suspecting anything.


    "You really are painting me as a bad friend now, Feng." Zhao Kaiined, quickly packing up and stuffing himself with skewers.


    "Tell me where we headed to farm for the remaining Stonehide Boars. I''ll shoot all of them down!" He held his Ironbolt Rifle and patted on his Irond Marksman Armor, clearly ready for another brawl.


    "We can reverse trace the track from the Stonehide Boar. Their trails are easy to detect based on their powerful paw, so we just need to follow it and locate their habitat." Xu Feng informed him.


    "Leave it up to me then."


    Without needing to be instructed, Zhao Kai started tracing the trail, his enthusiasm skyrocketing at a rapid rate.


    Now that he realized Xu Feng was actually short on time yet never actuallyined despite his wilful acts, he felt even more guilty and ashamed about it.


    Not once had Xu Feng stopped him, albeit with some reluctance, but stillplied with him.


    What could he say when Xu Feng was willing to go that far for him?


    It was hard to make friends like these, and once missed, it would be nearly impossible to get back.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was somewhat d that Zhao Kai was at least taking things seriously.


    ''If you want to be respected, then make a name for yourself here. Sooner orter, only those at the top in the Divine World would be respected.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    As much as Xu Feng wanted to tell him this, he knew it would bebeled as nonsense or joking.


    The potential of the Divine World was still not well-known to most, which was a blessing in disguise. He could not afford to have any big corporation to jump into this hidden wealth.


    "Feng, stopgging behind. We need to advance faster." Zhao Kai shouted from afar.


    "Yes, I want to know who was the onegging earlier." Xu Feng shook his head and teased, increasing his pace to follow closely behind.

 Chapter 103: Apologize

    While Zhao Kai and Xu Feng upied themselves with reverse tracking, back at the outskirts of Riverwood Town, a new crowd formed by the entrance of the Scorched Caverns.


    "Damn it, we''re so close again!" A member wearing a Fist emblem on his chest shouted in regret.


    "I know right. That Inferno Tyrant boss'' attack pattern is no joke."


    "How are we supposed to counter thoseva golems?"


    These yers were members of the Tyrant Fist Guild, led by none other than Herald Fist, who was currently standing by the side.


    He was in deep thought as he couldn''tprehend why they couldn''tplete the Hell Mode difficulty.


    ''The guide is real and we did reach the boss room, but it''s not detailed enough.'' Herald Fist cursed silently. During the first attempt, Herald Fist had already concluded the guide to be real as they reached the boss''s room.


    However, they were still wiped out in the end, given theycked the necessary information on how to counter and retaliate against its attacks.


    The Burning ze, Inferno Pressure, Incinerate, and numerous more attacks were a pain for him and his subordinates to deal with.


    Thus, he decided to pay the remaining half, obliging the contract, and proceeded to ask if there was a more detailed guide. Yet all he got was a cold shoulder, with the opposing person not bothering to respond.


    "Was it because I didn''t pay upfront and caused them to be displeased with me?" Herald Fist muttered, feeling quite the headache. As much as he wanted to threaten the opposing party to cough it up, he could not afford to do that.


    Just when Herald Fist was wondering how he could make amends, the entrance of the Scorched Caverns had some activity again.


    "Look, it''s Guild Leader Gentle Wind again!"


    "Ahh, Silver Wind Guild is really built differently. They were already doing the Hell Mode difficulty as if it was a walk in the park!"


    "Indeed, just look at the equipment from her guild. I''m so envious of them!"


    Nearby yers began cheering, with some evenmenting and expressing their envy of Gentle Wind and her guild members.


    Meanwhile, Gentle Wind kept her usual appearance and simply gave a nod to them, but spotted Herald Fist by the side.


    ''Oh, he''s wearing some drops from the Searing Specters.'' Gentle Wind recognized one of the items and realized he must have figured something out.


    Either that or he bought a guide from somewhere, just like her. Though it was quite evident that his guide was far inferior to hers, considering she had nearly fully equipped her members with the equipment from the Inferno Tyrant boss.


    Taking a step forward and advancing toward Herald Fist, some of his subordinates attempted to block her path.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Herald Fist quickly snorted and reprimanded his subordinates for attempting to block Gentle Wind.


    This was a matter of discipline and how a subordinate should act when a person of simr or equal status appeared. Gentle Wind could be said to be in the same status as him, so to have his subordinates act so rudely toward her was equivalent to pping him on the face.


    With a wave of his hand, those subordinates lowered their heads and retreated. "My subordinates were rude, so don''t mind them."


    "Heh, I thought I was not wee here with how aggressive your subordinates were acting." Gentle Wind chuckled softly, taking a jab at him for his clear failure to teach his subordinates.


    Herald Fist twitched his brows, clearly understanding her taunt. He forcefully suppressed his emotions and kept a calm smile.


    "I''m sure you are enjoying life. Your guild members'' equipment isn''t bad." He responded, taking a nce at her subordinates.


    Whenpared, Herald Fist already knew he had lost this round, and miserably at that. It was no longer even a fight, but aplete beatdown.


    At first, he thought Gentle Wind had hired a helper to assist her since he didn''t recognize one of the names in the achievement list.


    However, the thoughts became invalid now that she waspleting the Hell Mode difficulty repeatedly with different types of people.


    Who dared to question any foul y or cheat when everyone had attempted the dungeon and failed miserably?


    "Hehe, thanks for thepliment, Herald Fist." Gentle Wind smiled amicably, but it was hard to mask the gloating feeling she was disying.


    "I still have a few elites of mine that need equipment upgrades, so we''ll be doing the raid again in a few minutes. You can just continue to uhh-- camp here?" She added, preparing to turn around and leave him alone now that shepleted her gloat.


    "Wait a minute, Gentle Wind." Herald Fist suddenly called out and stood in front of her.


    "You''repleting these easily because you have an extensive guide on how to fight the boss, right?" He lowered his voice and proceeded to ask.


    Gentle Wind didn''t respond to him and merely kept a smile on her face, smoothly walking around him to return to her guild.


    Nevertheless, the silence of her was enough for Herald Fist to know the answer to his question.


    She didn''t deny it, which meant the possibility of her having an extensive guide was high.


    ''So this person is the one that provided her with an extensive guide? Why not me?'' Herald Fist''s thoughts spiraled into frustration as he opened up his messages.


    His face twisted in anger, veins bulging on his forehead. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white as his brows furrowed deeply.


    Was it because he was too skeptical and unwilling to pay upfront?


    "Uh- Guild Leader, that Gentle Wind is entering the dungeon again with a new batch of people." Ardent Lance nervously stepped forward and reported.


    "I got it!" Herald Fist shouted, gritted his teeth, and decided to throw away his pride temporarily as he proceeded to send a message.


    Herald Fist: Hello, Sir, I was somewhat rude earlier to you in the business negotiation so I beg for your pardon. Hopefully, we can continue to coborate further.


    With the message sent, Herald Fist patiently waited for a response.


    Meanwhile, back in the Verdant Valley, Xu Feng told Zhao Kai to continue the hunt while he took a mini break to rest.


    ''Taking the initiative to apologize huh. It''s faster than I thought.'' Amused, Xu Feng began thinking just how much of an apology fee he should request.

 Chapter 104: Hunting Spree

    Herald Fist''s attitude earlier was indeed somewhat displeasing to him, but he was a future fat sheep as well.


    Thus, Xu Feng couldn''t go too overboard and needed to know his limit.


    ''I can''t just scare away my fat sheep and lose such a valuable customer.'' Xu Feng fixed his sses as he pondered the price he needed to request.


    It definitely must not be cheaper than Gentle Wind, but must be more expensive as well. Otherwise, it might send a wrong misconception to others.


    You want to obtain benefits from him? Then you must treat him with respect and the proper behavior.


    He was not a masochist, so he would not be appreciative if one thought that beating him down would make him submit. In fact, it would only increase his ire and dislike toward you.


    As he was silently pondering, Xu Feng heard the gunshot sound stopped.


    "You''ve finished killing them already?" Xu Feng turned to Zhao Kai and asked in surprise.


    The time that it took him to hunt was getting shorter and shorter as they continued on. Their hunting spree was even bing easier by the second with the rapid improvement of Zhao Kai.


    Not only was he aiming at the critical flesh wound of the monster, but he was also using his tank-like attribute to bully others, courtesy of his Iron Marksman Armor.


    Whenever the Boars were attempting to pounce on him and using their powerful paw to crush him, Zhao Kai would purposely ensure their hit wouldnd on his armor, deflecting most of the damage he would take.


    By being so meticulous in reducing damage, he was alleviating the burden that Xu Feng would need to do in healing him.


    "Just what happened to you? You are like a reborn pro yer." Xu Feng raised his hand and gave him a thumbs up, praising him.


    "Hehe, it''s okay," Zhao Kai rubbed his nose repeatedly, seemingly bashful of his achievement.


    However, his next words made it pretty obvious he enjoyed suchpliments.


    "Praise me more!"


    "..."


    A few secondster, Zhao Kai handed over the remaining material for the Stonehide Boars hide,pleting their first requirement.


    "Anyway, what were you doing earlier?" He subsequently asked in concern.


    Although Xu Feng said he wanted to take a small break, Zhao Kai wasn''t that foolish to believe he was actually taking a break. Something must havee up to take away his time slowly.


    "Do you know of a person called Zhang Tie Quan?" Xu Feng responded with a question of his own.


    "Zhang Tie Quan? That name rings a bell." Zhao Kai furrowed his brows, pondering for a few moments. "Zhang Tie Quan¡ª the heir of the Zhang''s Group. Yes, I''ve heard of him from my elder sister before."


    "Good, then do you know how much wealth he has?" Xu Feng inquired, and continued, "I mean his secret wealth as well, not just the ones reported on the surface."


    "His secret wealth huh?" Zhao Kai bit his lips, finding his question a bit difficult.


    "I don''t know about his secret wealth, but if I have to give an estimate, Zhang Tie Quan should have a wealth of around 1-3 million dors."


    "Is that so?" Xu Feng mumbled, wondering if he should charge 300,000 for the guide.


    As outrageous as it might sound, for rich people like them, especially when they want to prove themselves to their families, such a sum was considered nothing.


    ''Alright, 350k it shall be.'' Xu Feng sped his hands and responded, realizing the time he gave Gentle Wind as privilege was up anyway.


    Anonymous User: You are too polite, Guild Leader Herald Fist. I have an extensive guide that could help you clear the Scorched Caverns, but the price is a bit pricey. I''m not sure if you could afford it.


    Having understood the mindset of Herald Fist, Xu Feng was essentially tempting and daring him to buy it no matter the cost.


    ''Gentle Wind''s probably getting quite a lot of sessful raids, so if this Herald Fist is desperate then he should know time is running out.'' He thought to himself, believing in the psychological aspect of people not wanting to lose to their rival.


    Sure enough, Herald Fist''s response was lightning-fast.


    Herald Fist: Speak no more. I know you probably sold the extensive guide to Gentle Wind, and I want it. 500,000 dors is my offer.


    "Hot damn!" Xu Feng suddenly shouted in joy, shocking the nearby Zhao Kai for his outburst.


    "What the hell, man?" Zhao Kai panted heavily as he patted his chest.


    "I almost choke on my food for your outburst." He added, clearly not expecting Xu Feng to lose his cool.


    Throughout their entire interaction, Xu Feng had been calm and collected, even in the face of danger. Yet now he lost his cool when the coast was clear.


    How could he not be astonished?


    Knowing he had overreacted, Xu Feng faked a cough and exined, "The digestive system causes me to yell."


    "Bruh!" Zhao Kai twitched his mouth and looked at him with a disbelief expression.


    His excuse earlier of the digestive system was logical, at least that was what he thought.


    Nevertheless, he decided to not pursue the matter, lest the tables might turn on himter on.


    "I see, the digestive system is really one damnable system in our body." He proimed, agreeing with Xu Feng, and resumed eating due to the side effect of using the Gluttony skill.


    Xu Feng shed a smile and replied back to Herald Fist.


    Anonymous User: I just knew Guild Leader Herald Fist is one straightforward and decisive man. The contract use has been sent and once signed, I wish you immense sess in catching up.


    Herald Fist: Signed, and money has been deposited.


    "Did someone provoke him?" Xu Feng was dumbfounded by how fast and efficient Herald Fist was whenpared to their first conversation.


    Despite being surprised, he must thank the person who provoked this dear fat sheep of his to cough up money so readily this time.


    Anonymous User: Enjoy the extensive guide: Scorched Caverns is a child''s y.


    Once he sent the guide, Xu Feng checked on his bank statement through the Divine World''s feature and smiled blissfully.


    And just like that, he became a millionaire!

 Chapter 105: Millionaire

    Xu Feng found out how surreal it was to be able to be a millionaire within a few days after theunch of the Divine World.


    It was just like yesterday he was still a poor man, who had exhausted his life savings of 5,700 dors.


    And now he transformed into a wealthy man who could treat 5,700 dors as some small chunk.


    ''Hah, the Divine World really is the ce to get rich.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly.


    Compared to those white cors office workers, making a measly sry of 200-350k annually, Xu Feng could literally make those in one business deal.


    Naturally, it was not an easy feat to get this far either. It required meticulous nning and targeting the correct people to do business.


    "Look at you being smug. Something good happened, right?" Zhao Kai suddenly teased Xu Feng.


    Although nothing was visible, he had a feeling that something good must have happened that caused his previous outburst.


    "Maybe it is or maybe it isn''t," Xu Feng responded with a shrug. There was no need to reveal his new wealth status as a millionaire.


    After all, being rich was a sin if one could not protect their wealth or their safety. Additionally, he received an email from the bank in charge of his statement that they required his presence for some documentation.


    It made sense since a penniless person suddenly became a millionaire in such a short period was suspicious.


    However, since the sender of this money was from influential people, these bankers didn''t dare to lock his ount, lest they might offend someone who was actually a secret boss.


    Thus, they wanted his presence to confirm things.


    ''As usual, these bankers only know how to act properly when the customers are rich or influential.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    Sometimeter, the two rested enough as they were ready to obtain the other three remaining materials: Shadow Wolf Pelts, Pyrite Drake Scales, and Ironwood Treant Bark.


    "Should we search for the Shadow Wolves first, Feng?" Zhao Kai suggested.


    "We fought them before, so we have experience on how to counter and attack them." He added, seemingly eager to kill some more wolves.


    However, Xu Feng shook his head and rejected the idea.


    "No, those Shadow Wolves we encounter are merely the scout. With our current level and skill set, it''s going to be difficult to fight them, especially if we encounter the true attack squad." He exined, warning him of the danger.


    At the same time, Xu Feng wanted to ensure Zhao Kai wouldn''t becent and believed he was powerful after handling a few monsters with ease. While they were busy improving, the other yers weren''t idling around either.


    With the rush and urgency that he sensed from Herald Fist''s message, Xu Feng feared that Gentle Wind might have gotten a huge head start¡ª something he did not anticipate to happen.


    His extensive guide was indeed nice, but it was not meant to be 100% sessful.


    Yet it seemed like that didn''t matter much, given Gentle Wind must be gaining tons of experience while leading her members in upgrading their gears.


    The Scorched Caverns equipment couldst yers till level 15, so it was very viable and profitable for Gentle Wind to farm the dungeon to the maximum limit.


    By checking on the level leaderboard, Xu Feng could see the current highest yer level was 8, which was quite impressive, considering the experience points required for each level were multiplied by a lot.


    Even now, Zhao Kai was still stuck at level 5 with barely 5% of the experience points barpleted.


    Of course, the level leaderboard only showcased yers who wished to reveal themselves, so it was merely a reference. Some could actually be above level 8 already but decided to go lowkey.


    As for Xu Feng, he could only smile bitterly at the insane debuff implemented by the system. ''I truly underestimated the punishment from the system. This debuff is really not good.''


    Initially, Xu Feng scoffed at the pathetic punishment, but now he realized how erroneous his judgment was.


    His only hope in leveling up was toplete the mission from Fiona. After all, these monsters'' experience points were practically nonexistent for him.


    "Hey, Feng, I know you have a lot in mind, but can you stop ignoring me?" Zhao Kai suddenly popped up in front of him and spoke with an annoyed tone.


    "You can''t just treat me as empty air right after using me to do the most damage, okay?"


    "Aren''t I thinking about which monsters to focus first?" Xu Feng rolled his eyes.


    "Don''t you have any patience?" He added, clearly unwilling to admit the fact that he was merely pondering over his situation instead.


    Since Zhao Kai didn''t know the actual truth, he scratched his head andughed awkwardly.


    "Haha, is that so? Then I''ll just resume eating." He quickly returned to stuffing himself and patiently waited.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng decided to ponder the monsters they should go after.


    The Pyrite Drakes were extremely tough¡ª even more durable than the Stonehide Boars. It would be extremely time-consuming to spend their effort trying to kill 50 of them at their current level.


    Hence, the only viable option left was the Ironwood Treant.


    However, there were two problems regarding the Ironwood Treant.


    One, they looked no different than any ordinary trees, and the worst part was that the game design ensured you would never be able to guess randomly.


    To summarize, no matter which ordinary trees you hit, there won''t be any health bar indicating, even if one of them was actually an Ironwood Treant in disguise.


    This problem could be resolved though through some clever tricks in checking the defenses of the tree itself when attacking. Although there were only some brief distinctive changes, a yer could detect it if they were truly focused on it.


    The second problem was the real concern. The Ironwood Treant had no offensive ability whatsoever, but their defensive ability was over the top.


    Turning around and looking at the rxed Zhao Kai, he suddenly fixed his sses and held a wide grin.


    ''I''ll just make it seem like a training aim exercise and have him waste his time killing them.''

 Chapter 106: Swindled

    Having decided to scam Zhao Kai into doing the manualbor work while he rxed on the sideline, Xu Feng was ready to implement it.


    ''Don''t me me, Kai. I''m just a healer at the moment, but I''ll make sure to show you why I''m going to be the strongest in the future aspensation.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly.


    As he carefully approached the unaware Zhao Kai, who was still busy enjoying his food blissfully, he asked, "How''s the food?"


    "The food''s amazing!" Zhao Kai responded joyfully. The food in the Divine World was just far too great. Their culinary skills are definitely more advanced than the real world.


    "Heh, then do you want to know how to enhance the vor even more?" Xu Feng suddenly inquired like a devil would do when wanting to tempt someone.


    "We have a lot of monster corpses aside from the required material left. We could sell them for money, or we could cook them and enjoy another form of delicacy." He whispered very softly while revealing that monster corpses could be cooked.


    Thump!


    Zhao Kai subsequently dropped his utensil when hearing that they could cook the monsters they had killed.


    "You mean the monsters are edible?" He asked in a hoarse tone, seemingly finding it very difficult to believe.


    "Of course, they are edible!" Xu Feng rolled his eyes.


    "Where do you think these people get their ingredients from in the first ce? Naturally, it''s from these monsters that we kill, albeit not the exact type but a simr kind."


    Agitated, Zhao Kai felt like he had just explored another new content that he hadn''t. His mouth trembled uncontrobly as his mind began to wonder about all the delicacies that they could cook from the monsters they killed.


    Drools started appearing in his mouth as he shed a silly expression.


    Normally, Xu Feng would smack him for such an unsightly appearance, but not this time. This was precisely the reaction he was looking for.


    "And do you know what could enhance the vor further when cooking them?" Xu Feng questioned in a very mild tone.


    However, to Zhao Kai, each and every word of his was like a thunderous storm, striking him at every inch.


    His eyes lit up as he gazed at Xu Feng as if he was a deity and he was a follower, listening to whatever words he would say.


    "Go on, Feng. Tell me what could enhance the vor?" Zhao Kai pleaded, urging him to reveal the answer.


    "Are you sure you want to hear it?" Xu Feng suddenly held a skeptical expression and asked in confirmation.


    "Yes, absolutely!" With a firm and determined expression, Zhao Kai nodded his head.


    "Hmm, but I don''t want to. You''re definitely going to be farming them repeatedly without a rest. It''ll be bad for your health in that way." He refused adamantly, iming it was for his well-being.


    "Feng, that''s not right of you." Zhao Kai stood up and continued, "How can you think that way when you are beside me. Just tell me what to do and remind me when it''s time to rest. I''ll listen to yourmand."


    ''Gotcha!!!'' Within his mind, Xu Feng was alreadyughing like a devil in hell as he could have said to have captured Zhao Kai sessfully into his cage.


    Meanwhile, on the surface, he kept a reluctant expression on his face as he nodded, seemingly agreeing to his promation.


    "The Ironwood Treant, which is one of our required materials, is a great source of creating a charcoal vor in enhancing the food. You know about how wood-fired oven pizza is superior to gas oven pizza, right? It''s a simr concept, but even greater." He exined gently.


    As Xu Feng finished exining, he realized Zhao Kai was already on cloud nine.


    "Wood-fired oven pizza? Ahh, those pizzas are next level." Zhao Kai eximed, lost in his own imaginary world.


    In the next seconds though, he snapped out of it and stared at Xu Feng with an enthusiastic look. "We need to find those Ironwood Treants now, Feng!"


    "No problem, and it can be considered a training exercise for you as well in searching the enemy''s critical flesh."


    "Training exercise?"


    "Mhmm, the Ironwood Treants are a stationary enemy with no offensive ability, but their defense is very high. It''ll take a long time to even kill one of them."


    "Hmph, then it''s just doing DPS!" Zhao Kai sneered coldly. "And here I thought it was some difficult or ferocious monsters. I''ll just shoot them till they die."


    Smiling, Xu Feng nodded his head and pped his hands. "As expected of our mighty Shadow de. Nothing can be challenging for him!"


    "Of course," Zhao Kai flicked his hair and made a cool pose, having zero shame of being praised.


    s, if he knew he was being treated like a fool, who knows what kind of reaction he would have?


    It was just a shame that Xu Feng was simply too meticulous and devious to make any slip-up in swindling Zhao Kai.


    Zhao Kai could only me himself and forever remain ignorant for having been yed for a fool.


    Sometimeter, they arrived at the region filled with numerous trees within the Verdant Valley.


    The Ironwood Treant looked no different than an ordinary tree, blending seamlessly into the forest.


    Its bark was rough and dark, with ironwood veins subtly woven through its trunk. The branches and leaves swayed gently with the wind, making it almost indistinguishable from the surrounding trees.


    Zhao Kai was rendered speechless when all he saw were trees.


    "Just which one of them is the Ironwood Treant?" He turned to Xu Feng and asked, clearly unable to differentiate them.


    "You can''t differentiate them with just appearance alone. You''re going to need to damage them and see the ripple effect." Xu Feng calmly exined, pointing at one of the trees.


    "Shoot that one and you''ll see what I mean."


    Zhao Kai aimed and fired at the indicated tree.


    The bullet struck the bark with a solid thunk, and instead of splintering like a normal tree, the surface rippled as if the tree itself shuddered in response.


    Subtle cracks formed around the impact point, and a low, almost imperceptible groan emanated from within.


    "Woo, look at this disguising tree pretending to be a regr tree!" Zhao Kaiughed heartily andmented.

 Chapter 107: Training Exercise

    Zhao Kai was exhrated to find the very Ironwood Treant in disguise on their first attempt, unaware that it wasn''t by luck or anything.


    With his long experience, how could Xu Feng fail to spot one of the Ironwood Treants?


    Even if it was incorrect at times, the chances of him getting correct were definitely higher than most new yers.


    "Don''t be so happy just yet, Shadow de." Xu Feng subsequently warned, having witnessed Zhao Kai jumping and running around in joy.


    "The Ironwood Treant recovery ability is not to be underestimated. Look at the shot you did earlier."


    "What''s wrong with my shot¡ª"


    Before Zhao Kai could finish his sentence, he noticed the shot he made earlier was gone.


    The Ironwood Treant itself was intact, almost as if it had never been shot at all. The bark had seamlessly knitted back together, erasing any trace of damage.


    Zhao Kai rubbed his eyes repeatedly to ensure it was the correct tree that he had just shot and wasn''t some other tree. After all, the fields ahead were just trees, so mistaking them identally was understandable.


    "Damn, you didn''t tell me they can recover, Feng!" He turned around andined, clearly not expecting such an oue.


    "I''ve already said it, but you just didn''t listen." Xu Feng shrugged his shoulders, denying any sort of responsibility.


    "Y-You did?" Still skeptical, Zhao Kai was unable to recall as his mind was upied previously with the realization that monsters could be cooked and the vor of it could be enhanced further.


    Thus, he indeed could not remember if Xu Feng did reveal the matter to him or not.


    The truth was that Xu Feng purposely neglected such information, afraid that Zhao Kai''s motivation might be quenched.


    However, there was no need to be honest, especially when all that mattered was Zhao Kai''s Gluttony skill had affected him quite a bit. Food had nearly be his highest priority now, so it would be rude to conceal such information on how to eat better food.


    "Anyway, you should keep shooting at the Ironwood Treant, lest we will never kill one." Xu Feng warned kindly.


    "I''ll be searching for more Ironwood Treant in disguise in the meantime." He added, passing on the responsibility to him seamlessly.


    Although Zhao Kai felt like something was wrong, he couldn''t pinpoint exactly what it was. After all, Xu Feng''s words made logical sense and didn''t have any ws in it.


    Feeling like his brain was about to be overwhelmed, he scratched his head and responded, "Alright then, leave this monster to me."


    He decided not to overthink like Xu Feng and focused on the important task.


    With his rifle angled at the Ironwood Treant, he began to fire without any scrupulousness.


    "Don''t just shoot randomly, Shadow de! You want to aim at their critical flesh points as well!" Shouted Xu Feng, hinting to him that every monster had critical flesh points that would maximize their damage.


    "Hah? Even this ordinary bark tree has critical flesh points to hit?" Zhao Kai was astounded by the news. From top to bottom, he couldn''t spot any area that might injure the Ironwood Treant dearly.


    It was not like it had some actual fleshpared to the Stonehide Boars or the Shadow Wolves they fought earlier. There were only identical barks spread all across.


    Zhao Kai squinted his eyes, trying to spot any critical flesh to target, but s, he was unable to. "Are you trying to make fun of me, Feng? There is clearly no critical flesh point in this monster!"


    What he received in response was a smack in the back of his head.


    "Stupid, if it''s that easy, then can this still be considered a training exercise?" Xu Feng scolded harshly.


    Although he was swindling him into doing manualbor, he wasn''t kidding when he truly nned on making this a training exercise for Zhao Kai.


    The area here only had trees that didn''t pose any danger to yers. Thus, this was the ideal training exercise in his past timeline in which multiple guilds and teams sent their members here to train.


    Not only could doing the same repeated attack on a defenseless target could improve their aim, stamina, and mentality, but it could also help them improve one critical aspect.


    And it was the ability to locate a monster''s critical flesh point. Most of the time, simr to monsters like the Ironwood Treant, critical flesh points are not visible and straightforward.


    Hence, one must train oneself to determine where the critical flesh points are, and the Divine World System isn''t generous enough to teach yers these mechanics.


    Aside from the skills granted by the system itself, yers must also learn and adapt to the world themselves and explore things to improve. This was also what separated the pros and the noobs.


    "If you don''t want to be stuck here all day and night long trying to kill the Ironwood Treants slowly, then you must find their critical flesh points." Xu Feng warned sternly.


    "I understand¡­" Gripping tightly on his Ironbolt Rifle, Zhao Kai took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly.


    By the time he reopened them, a firm and determined expression appeared on his face.


    "Isn''t it just about spotting them? How hard could it be if I shoot each part and analyze the specific pattern of their location?" He murmured, angling his aim to shoot at the previous shot.


    With a loud bang, the same effect appeared, and Zhao Kai could subtly sense there was no damage multiplier urring.


    Now that he confirmed it, Zhao Kai walked forward and drew an X on the spot he shot. The Ironwood Treant could regenerate themselves, but they couldn''t possibly remove a marking he drew.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng watched on the side with a satisfied smile.


    ''At least he knows to mark the location he tested already. It seems like I don''t have to give him more advice on how to spot them.'' He was joyful at Zhao Kai''s thoughtfulness and solution to tackling a seemingly difficult problem with ease.

 Chapter 108: Good Tenant

    BANG!


    SCRITCH!


    BANG!


    SCRITCH!


    Two different sounds continued to repeat in the area filled with Ironwood Treants and regr trees.


    Zhao Kai waspletely immersed in his training exercise¡ª to the point that he had forgotten about his entire surroundings except for his target.


    On the Ironwood Treant, there were already numerous markings on its barkbeled with an X sign, an indication that he had shot that ce. Every time he made a shot, he would start to mark it if he didn''t notice any damage multiplier.


    Additionally, to prevent any mistakes, Zhao Kai would purposely let the Ironwood Treant recoverpletely, without any scratch on its bark before shooting.


    It was time-consuming, but this method guaranteed that sooner orter, he would locate the critical flesh points without fail.


    And seeing his dedication and concentration in the training exercise, Xu Feng realized he had underestimated Zhao Kai''s determination.


    "Originally, I nned to throw some bait to motivate him, but I guessed it''s no longer necessary now." He mumbled softly, his expression shing a rare genuine smile.


    The smile was different from his usual fake gentle smile that he put up as a facade or out of politeness.


    He was genuinely d that Zhao Kai was improving at a fast rate, almost to the point that his guidance was no longer necessary, albeit minus the crucial information that is still hidden from the current yers.


    Unwilling to disturb or unintentionally ruin Zhao Kai''s immersive training, Xu Feng promptly logged out of the game, leaving zero messages of his departure.


    Who knows if his sudden message might notify Zhao Kai and create the exact result that he wanted to prevent?


    Thus, he would rather exit the game quietly. If Zhao Kai was done with his training, then he would be the one to send a message to him.


    As for him, Xu Feng knew this training exercise was going to take a while, and since he nned on assisting him till the end of the mission, he was going to see the end of it.


    The insurgence mission could wait, given its importance was not as important as the growth of Zhao Kai, who would be one of his key yers in the future.


    However, that didn''t mean he was going to idle around.


    Xu Feng hopped off his gaming capsule and stretched his body for a moment, still feelingpletely refreshed.


    The gaming capsule was simply amazing in its features. Despite remaining motionless for so long, his body still feltpletely energized and healthy.


    The virtual helmet just couldn''t hold a candle whenpared to the gaming capsule.


    As he nced at the skyscraper view through the windows silently, many thoughts were popping up in his mind. From someone who was broke as hell to suddenly be a millionaire, he found itughable and mncholy.


    ''If the past Xu Feng knew it was that easy to earn a living, would he have chosen to work for that ungrateful and vile Reaver Guild?'' He wondered silently, before bursting out inughter.


    Just what kind of nonsense was he thinking now?


    The past was merely a shadow and the current him was what the brightness would soon shine morously.


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng realized he hadn''t moved his things to the apartment from his dorm room. He was so upied that he came to the apartment without any of his belongings.


    Luckily, most of his belongings were just some old ragged clothes that he wore consistently throughout the year, so there weren''t many regrets.


    "I might as well purchase new clothes and a car." He mumbled softly, ncing down at his clothes.


    Living in this district required a car to prove one''s status. This was the reality of the world. If you don''t present or decorate yourself nicely, then you will be looked down upon.


    The previous incident in Zhang''s Electronics was one prime example of why he was being used by others. If he were to dress nicely, then he doubted the employees there would even attempt to use him for their schemes.


    Sometimeter, he walked toward the living room and searched the fridge.


    "Nice, she actually got Life Water stored in here." He eximed in amazement. Right as he was about to extend his hand and grab one, Xu Feng''s smartwatch made a notification.


    [You have received a text message from yourndlord, Erica.]


    The smartwatch''s automatic voice echoed, and Xu Feng was having a bad feeling about it. Temporarily closing the fridge, he retrieved his phone with a somewhat nervous behavior.


    As he opened his message and read it, his facial muscles rxed and he was somewhat feeling a little bit guilty now.


    Erica: The Life Water on the fridge is free, but don''t drink too much of it. It''s not good to consume too much Life Water despite its beneficial effects. Overly beneficial could inadvertently harm a person instead.


    ''It was not a warning, but a gentle reminder huh.'' Xu Feng smiled bitterly as he retrieved the Life Water.


    The message made him feel guilty because all along, he had nefarious intentions in trying to swindle the apartment from her. Yet thendlord was acting magnanimously, making it hard for him to proceed with such a n.


    How was he supposed to act maliciously when someone was giving him kindness?


    Shouldn''t she have reacted fiercely and warned him of the consequences of taking her things?


    ''Damn, did she secretly know my n and so she made such a move to ruin me?'' Xu Feng wondered silently, drinking a few sips of Life Water.


    A few secondster, hepletely finished the Life Water and felt refreshed.


    It was of great quality, meaning there wasn''t any foul y involved.


    With no foul y involved, Xu Feng could only bite his lips softly and change his n.


    He was a simple person.


    Those who wronged him, he would kindly repay the favor tenfold. But for those who didn''t wrong him, he could only resign his fate and notmit malicious and outrageous acts toward them.


    ''Fine, I''ll just be a good tenant for now, but if she really does do something against me, then I''ll resume the n.'' He fixed his sses and made up his mind.

 Chapter 109: Apex Tower

    Due to Erica''s unexpected generosity, Xu Feng reluctantly exited the apartment as he made his way toward the elevator.


    As he waited for the elevator to ascend to his floor, Xu Feng read an email from the school regarding his absence from the schoolpetition.


    Apparently, multiple students had filed aint officially against him for not showing up and directly causing them to lose miserably.


    ''This school is indeed one shameless piece of crap!'' He scoffed inwardly.


    As if his absence was the actual cause of their losses. In fact, even if he showed up and gathered as many points as possible, their school would still lose.


    Why was that?


    The answer was quite simple. His fellow teammates were all a bunch of spoiled rich brats who only got in because of their connection and not because of their skills.


    Hence, no matter how hard he tried, the me would be ced upon him regardless of when they lost.


    And of course, the glory of victory would naturally belong to their contribution, excluding him¡ª the poor student with no background whatsoever.


    ''This Dean Qiao loves to kiss the spoiled brat''s shoes and me me. Then I shall kindly ept his generosity and repay this favor tenfold.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly, fixed his sses, and entered the elevator.


    As the elevator closed upon pressing the lobby button, a malicious smile could be seen hanging on his face.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng arrived at the lobby, and he was astonished by the sight of the scene.


    "Hey, I want to rent an office. Money is not a problem, okay?"


    "Do you even know what corporation is behind my back? How could you say there''s no vacant space left?"


    "This is outrageous! Don''t you have many upper floors avable? Just use them to let us rent. Our corporation isn''tcking anything!"


    Numerous shouting andints were being echoed through the lobby.


    What made it astonishing was that these people were trying to spend money but were unable to, which was their main reason for distress.


    The poor employees here could only smile bitterly and try their best to exin that there was nothing else they could do.


    From afar, Xu Feng saw an employee was literally being chided to no end, but could only nod their head repeatedly while apologizing.


    ''It seems like these corporations are finally realizing the charm of the skyscraper.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    The skyscraper''s actual name was Apex Tower¡ªrenowned for its unparalleled technological infrastructure and luxurious amenities, making it the prime location for corporations aiming to establish a strong presence in the booming VR market.


    However, the most important factor was that the tower boasted cutting-edge facilities, such as state-of-the-art VR immersionbs, equipped with proprietary technology for the most realistic and immersive virtual experiences.


    If a corporation wished to quickly catch up with others in the shortest amount of time possible, then they would require technologies and equipment offered only to those located in the Apex Tower.


    After all, the Apex Tower had been developing in the VR Market since the start of its construction and could be said to be the pioneer of ushering in a new era.


    As Xu Feng continued to walk around the lobby, he finally realized something was amiss. He forgot that such a scene shouldn''t be happening.


    ''Why do these corporations suddenly want to rent an office here?'' He furrowed his brows, having a bad feeling about this.


    Fixing his sses, Xu Feng walked to a nearby employee.


    "Please, sir, our Apex Tower is currently full, and can''t afford to rent out any office spaces." The distressed employee quickly said in a hurry, mistaking Xu Feng for another representative from a corporation.


    "Uhh, apologies Miss, but I''m a tenant here." Xu Feng smiled awkwardly. He then took out his phone and opened up his credentials to prove his words.


    When the employee saw the credentials, she realized her mistake. She quickly bowed and apologized, "Sorry, Sir, how can I assist you?"


    Seeing her rigid behavior, it was quite evident that she was nervous and afraid of offending a tenant.


    With the current circumstances, anyone capable of being a tenant only meant one thing¡ª they had a high status.


    Of course, Xu Feng was merely a pretender and got lucky in his timing to be a tenant before this mess.


    ncing at her name tag that said Giselle, Xu Feng nodded his head.


    "Giselle, what''s with themotion in the lobby?" He asked confusingly.


    "Ahh, it''s like this. Rumors started to spread that the Zhao Enterprise was beginning to tackle this new VRMMORPG¡­ Divine World. These corporations got wind of it and wanted to rent our office space which was the ideal choice for those who want to venture into the VR world." Giselle quickly exined the cause.


    "The Zhao Enterprise?" Xu Feng was taken aback.


    If he recalled properly, the Zhao Enterprise didn''t enter this early.


    So what caused it to happen?


    ''Was it some bastard that''s too free in their own time and pushed this decision forward? Just why would they want to enter the Divine World with so many resources as a gamble? What made them so confident?'' Xu Feng couldn''tprehend the reason.


    But he couldprehend how much of his ns needed to be pushed forward now that so many corporations were hopping on this bandwagon.


    "Is there anything else you need, Sir?" Giselle asked once she noticed Xu Feng was keeping silent.


    "Nothing, thanks for the heads up." Xu Feng smiled and gave her a 100-dor tip. The information she gave him was worth at least that much.


    Meanwhile, Giselle''s face lit up upon receiving such a big tip for such an insignificant help. She bowed in 90 degrees and thanked him while Xu Feng exited the lobby.


    Once he exited the Apex Tower, Xu Feng was stunned by the sheer number of people waiting outside and talking on their phones, most likely to their superiors about the result.


    ''Fuck that decision maker in the Zhao Enterprise.'' Xu Feng cursed vulgarly in his mind, wanting nothing more than to strangle them.

 Chapter 110: Rumors

    While Xu Feng was feeling perplexed and angered by the sudden development of multiple corporations, an emergency meeting wasmencing at the Zhao Enterprise.


    Zhao Xin sat in the center of the meeting table with a solemn expression.


    It was no exaggeration to say that her face, while glistening on the surface, was expressing a darkened gloomy look.


    With a heavy heart, Zhao Xin tapped her fingers repeatedly on the table and said, "My two eldest brothers are really great. They''ve spread the news of our n, so now multiplepetitors of ours have gotten wind of it and are now making an effort to join in the Divine World en masses as well."


    "Hmph, those two really know how to make a mess!" One of the shareholders, Mr. Li mmed his palm at the desk, infuriated by the actions of those two.


    The other shareholders nodded their heads in agreement. This was no longer a family problem, but one that threatened¡ª no, it had already harmed their wealth tremendously.


    By releasing such confidential information to the public, it had ruptured their n.


    "My informant told me that many corporations are preparing for the Divine World, with many other slightly below corporations seeking an office in the Apex Tower." Ms. Chen adjusted her sses and informed them.


    "This might be an overreach from me, but as a shareholder, I can no longer continue if those two brothers of yours remain in thepany." Mrs. Hu suddenly said.


    As a prominent real estate mogul, such actions were considered the biggest taboo in the industry, and she could not tolerate it.


    This was no different than the situation of someone revealing the true values of multiple buildings that she nned on buying for cheap from the owners.


    "I petition the immediate removal of them from anything rted to thepany." Mrs. Hu voiced her proposal.


    Such a petition to remove a board director was usually long and tedious, given it would result in manyplicated aftermaths.


    However, the petition did not meet any objection, and all the shareholders raised their hands up and agreed with Mrs. Hu''s proposal.


    Since every shareholder agreed to the petition, the decision nownded in Zhao Xin, who will be the ultimate decision decider.


    "CEO Xin, we trust you, but we can''t deal with your eldest brothers anymore. If you refuse to remove them, then I''m afraid I would have to back out." Ms. Chen said, letting Zhao Xin know of her decision.


    "If you''re selling your shares, Ms. Chen, then I will also do the same." Mr. Zhou chimed in.


    "Thispany is doomed to fall anyway if we continue to let two traitors remain. Not even an emperor would forgive those who rebelled andmitted treason."


    He was an influential tech entrepreneur, and he would be foolish to continue to be a shareholder with a time bomb right next to him. It doesn''t even take a genius to know that traitors must be cleansed, lest the damages would only fester further.


    With everyone giving their honest opinion, Zhao Xin interlocked her fingers.


    And in a heavy tone, she responded, "Very well, then as of now, my two eldest brothers¡ª no, Mr. Zhao Ming and Mr. Zhao Heng are officially revoked of their duties and are no longer associated with the Zhao Enterprise."


    "Great!"


    "CEO Xin indeed did not disappoint us."


    The shareholders'' greatest doubt had now been resolved, so they all began to talk about the next bigger problem: how to resolve the current situation.


    However, to their surprise, Zhao Xin already had things nned up.


    "The shareholders can rx that our Project Genesis will continue as usual." Zhao Xin announced.


    "Even if thosepetitors of ours want topete, they''ll need to know if they have the capability. I''ve already gained a foothold and gathered quite the influence within the Divine World." She revealed, giving the shareholders reassurance.


    Based on her credentials and capability, the shareholders didn''t question her and listened. After all, they could do their investigation privatelyter, but they doubted Zhao Xin was foolish like her eldest brothers.


    Thus, the emergency meeting concluded with the removal of Zhao Ming and Zhao Heng due to the unexpected rumors leaked.


    As every shareholder promptly exited the meeting room, Zhao Xin turned to Anna Liu and praised, "Not bad, Anna. It''s only been a few days and the rumors already circted so much, especially with the culprit leading to my brothers."


    "Hehe, do I get a raise then?" Anna Liu asked cheekily in response.


    "You can have a raise and a week''s break." Zhao Xin smirked. "I''ll be unavable this week since I need to finish some things in the Divine World and prepare for my grandfather''s birthday."


    "And you also need to meet up with your youngest stepbrother." Anna Liu interjected.


    "You''re right¡­ I wonder what he''s doing right now." As Zhao Xin sat quietly on her chair, she couldn''t help but think about her youngest stepbrother, unaware that he was making strides of his own in the Divine World


    "Damn, this monster is really one tough foe." Zhao Kai panted heavily as he plopped to the ground, exhausted from firing so many times.


    To add salt to injury, the experience point he gained was only 1, which meant all that hard work was for naught. At least that was what it seemed at first.


    The true value lies in the material dropped from the Ironwood Treant: Ironwood Treant Bark, Treant Sap, Ironwood Core, and Luminous Moss.


    Wiping off the sweat from his forehead, Zhao Kai shouted in joy, "Feng, I''ve killed one."


    As he turned around, he finally realized Xu Feng was nowhere to be found.


    "What the?" Confused, Zhao Kai rushed forward to the original ce where Xu Feng was standing. Once he arrived, Zhao Kai soon noticed a note that stated he had something to do offline and to message him if he needed something.


    "What did he have to do?" He scratched his head, seemingly perplexed by his action. "Whatever, I''ll just look for more Ironwood Treants. He can''t even help as a Healer anyway!"


    While Zhao Kai resumed his training, back in the real world. Xu Feng arrived at the bank''s entrance with confidence.


    ''Time to get those VIP treatments!'' Xu Feng adjusted his sses and eximed inwardly.

 Chapter 111: Global Trust Bank

    The bank Xu Feng entered was a modern marvel, with a sleek exterior of reflective ss and steel beams, and an entrance nked by marble columns.


    Inside, the spacious lobby featured polished granite floors, digital screens disying financial information, and discreet security.


    As he stood still, Xu Feng nced at the section he was supposed to go to.


    After all, it had been a while since he came to the bank personally to verify some information.


    His actions, however, raised some suspicions from the security guards.


    A person ncing around, looking lost, dressed somewhat shabby, might easily be mistaken as someone with bad intentions.


    Luckily, one of the employees who had been waiting for Xu Feng''s arrival spotted him from afar.


    "Hello, Sir Xu Feng, wee to our Global Trust Bank aka GTB." The employee greeted him with a polite smile.


    This action caused the security guards to promptly return to their position as they realized it was not a threat.


    "Hmm, you are¡ª Chris." Xu Feng nodded his head as he responded after seeing the nametag on his uniform.


    "Yes, right this way, Sir Xu Feng." Chris extended his hand as a gesture to indicate to him to follow.


    A person who was now a millionaire naturally had to have some privilege.


    Otherwise, who knows if they would suddenly transfer to another bank because of mistreatment or displeasure.


    Sometimeter, Chris guided him back to his office as he exined the circumstances.


    "Sir Xu Feng has recently receivedrge deposits from multiple people such as Zhang Tie Quan and Feng Qing Rou. These two people are also VIPs of our GTB, so we wanted to confirm it with you in person."


    To summarize, the GTB merely wanted an exnation of their rtionship and why he received arge amount of deposit from these two supposed influential figures.


    Additionally, they wanted to understand who Xu Feng was, and if it was another unknown rich personing out into the spotlight.


    Knowing their usual scheme and tactics, Xu Feng kept a calm expression.


    He adjusted his sses and crossed his legs, making himself ratherfortable.


    "Have you seen my previous bank statement?" Xu Feng suddenly questioned in an authoritative tone.


    Dumbfounded, Chris was taken aback and took a few seconds before nodding his head.


    "Y-Yes, your previous bank statement showed a savings of around 5000 dors and was nearly all spent within a day." He responded after double-checking the statement on hisputer.


    "Then I bet you''re quite shocked when you notice how a person with only 5k in their bank suddenly bes a millionaire overnight, right?" Xu Feng asked, his expression and tone remaining tranquil.


    "It''s not hard to guess, but since the people who deposit the money are the likes of Zhang Tie Quan and Feng Qing Rou, then it''s not hard to guess what type of person I am. I mean like¡ª they aren''t idiots who would just hand money out without care, right?"


    At this point, Chris was already dropping beads of sweat from his forehead.


    Before he went to greet Xu Feng, he had already been warned by his superior to not make any mistakes. Worse, he could not afford to offend either one of them, lest he could kiss his great sry job goodbye.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng noticed the anxiety from Chris and decided to capitalize upon it.


    "Me and those two people are busy, but most importantly we don''t like to be high-key." Xu Feng tapped his fingers on the desk.


    "So how about we just have the new status of mine updated with the VIP and not have it exposed. Additionally, make sure my information remains private and without my permission, no one else is allowed to see it. That includes everyone!" As he finished hisst remark, his expression had turned solemn and quite frightening.


    "R-Rest assured, information regarding our customers is absolutely confidential." Chris quickly responded and typed something on his keyboard.


    "Please put your finger on that machine there."


    Xu Feng did as told and had his fingerprint stamped.


    This was the usual protocol in which his information is now locked and no one else is eligible to look him up unless they have his permission. The only exception to this was if the government wanted to see, but even so, they needed a legitimate excuse with evidence provided to the court.


    After all, this was the Global Trust Bank, and if they lost their customers'' trust, then it could mean the end of the bank.


    "Here''s your new card that has no limit on it, Sir Xu Feng." Chris then handed over a ck tinum card.


    Xu Feng merely held the ck tinum card with an expressionless face as he stored it in his pocket.


    Chris took notice of this subtle action but kept quiet.


    "Is there anything else you need, Sir Xu Feng?" He instead asked if there was any other thing he could assist.


    Xu Feng paused for a moment before rubbing his chin.


    "I''ll get you some tea," Chris took it upon himself to get him some drink without needing him to ask.


    Before long, Chris exited the office, leaving him alone.


    "Phew, it''s quite exhausting these days. Those friends of mine really know how to cause trouble and send their money to me in this ount." Xu Feng yawned and stretched.


    In a somewhat aerobic movement as well, Xu Feng "identally" bumped into something that covered the view of the small webcam in the office.


    Right at this moment, Xu Feng went to Chris''puter and began typing something on the keyboard.


    Time slowly passed by, and Chris returned to the office, "Sir Xu Feng, here''s your tea¡ª"


    Baffled, Chris nearly tripped when he saw the condition of his office.


    Previously when he left the office, it was clean and organized, but now it was aplete mess.


    "Ah, you''re back huh." Xu Fengughed awkwardly and pointed at the tall shelf, "I was stretching earlier because my body felt sore, and identally went overboard, thus knocking it out."


    Trying his best to maintain calm despite his hands starting to twitch, Chris shook his head and promptly ced the tea by the desk. "No worries, Sir Xu Feng. idents can happen."

 Chapter 112: Physically Fit

    Despite the anger boiling up in his emotions, Chris ensured that only an amicable smile could be seen on his face.


    The person in front of him was a millionaire, whereas he was just an office worker. Not to mention, that person was a customer.


    If news got out that Chris scolded or yelled at a rich customer, then he could pack his bag and get the hell out of the Global Trust Bank because he would be fired.


    His concealment of emotion was rather good, but it wasn''t good enough to deceive Xu Feng.


    How could he not know the feelings Chris was having when he had been in his shoes multiple times in the past timeline?


    Nevertheless, that didn''t mean Xu Feng would sympathize with him because that was just the harsh reality of the world.


    His status was no longer that of a person being ordered around. He was now someone who would order others around.


    Grabbing the teacup and giving a few sips, Xu Feng patted Chris on the shoulder, "Thanks for the help. I''ll leave you to it."


    After putting the teacup down, Xu Feng promptly exited the office, leaving a bittersweet taste of Chris alone in the office along with the mess.


    "Ugh, rich people are really scum!" Chris scratched his hair a few times in annoyance once he was sure Xu Feng had left.


    Frustrated and annoyed, Chris went to hisputer, and without checking the screen, he closed the file of Xu Feng, marking it as VIP. At the end of the day, the person was a VIP with his new wealth, so he could only swallow his annoyance.


    As he plopped to his chair, Chris wondered if he should resign. ''My son kept rambling about some new VR game that''s akin to another world. Maybe I should give it a try to escape this reality.''


    While Chris pondered his life choices, Xu Feng had already started walking to a mall.


    "I should really change my clothes." Xu Feng muttered, ncing at the reflection mirror that was attached to a nearby wall.


    People often say don''t judge a book by its cover, but everyone knows that they always judge.


    Hence, Xu Feng needed to change his appearance to match the wealthy kind, otherwise, he would constantly be looked down upon. Since he was rich, then he might as well do an upgrade and save himself some stupid cliche scene of people mocking him for being poor.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng entered a luxury store and he began to browse through the suits section.


    "Hello, how may I assist you?" A female employee shed a smile and inquired.


    She exuded elegance, with her impably tailored uniform and sleek, polished appearance. Her demeanor was warm yet professional and gave a weing kind of vibe to Xu Feng.


    "Catherine huh?" Xu Feng nced at her nametag and responded, "I want a few suits of my size."


    "A few suits?" Catherine raised an eyebrow, "Give me one moment."


    She then promptly retreated, grabbing a measuring tape.


    While she was prepared to return to Xu Feng, her colleague suddenly dragged her by the arm and said, "You can''t be serious, right, Catherine?"


    Confused, Catherine nced at her colleague. "What do you mean, Wei Wei?"


    "You''re new, so you don''t know, but poor people like him can''t possibly afford it. You''re just wasting your time." Wei Wei exined, trying to save her colleague from wasting her effort.


    However, Catherine shook her head and smiled, "Even if that''s the case, any person who enters our store is a customer. Also, we shouldn''t judge them by their outer appearance."


    "Fine, if you want to waste your time, then go ahead."


    "Thanks for the advice though, Wei Wei. I know you experienced some terrible customers previously, but we can''t judge them all the same. After all, some could dress real fancy on the surface but are actually scum on the inside."


    Wei Wei twitched her mouth and waved her hand, seemingly telling her to go away. She had given her piece of advice, and it was her choice to continue to serve a possible fake customer.


    Catherine merely nodded her head in response. She knew Wei Wei meant well and did not mean to judge the customers.


    Sometimeter, Catherine returned and asked Xu Feng to extend his arms so she could measure his size.


    Xu Feng did as instructed andplied with her. Just when she was nearly done with the measurement, another voice echoed by the entrance.


    "Where''s Catherine? I want her to measure my size again." A snarky and arrogant tone resounded through the store.


    And Xu Feng only had one thing to say. ''Are you fucking kidding me?''


    He turned to Catherine who was taken aback by the voice and asked, "Please tell me that person isn''t someone who is pursuing you?"


    This kind of cliche and timing scene was old. Not only old but very cringe and annoying at the same time.


    Thankfully, Catherine shook her head and exined, "No, he''s just a narcissistic person who wants me to measure his body size and tell him he''s fit."


    "Huh?" Baffled, Xu Feng turned around and finally realized her meaning.


    No offense to appearance, but Xu Feng nearly screamed the word "PIG" aloud when he saw the fat person rushing in their direction.


    As that fat person arrived, he eximed, "Catherine, look at me. I''m physically fit now that I lost some pounds."


    "Yes, you are fit, Mister Ning." Catherine kept her professional smile and responded.


    Ning Yi was satisfied with thepliment, "Heh, at least you are still perfect in your vision. Quick, find me a new suit that matches my new fit body."


    "Apologies, Mister Ning, but I''m helping another customer at the moment."


    "Another customer?" Ning Yi raised an eyebrow, and turned to Xu Feng, finally giving some attention to him.


    Unfazed, Xu Feng gazed at him without moving an inch.


    After a few moments of silence, Ning Yi suddenlyughed and pointed at Xu Feng, "Look at your size, fat man. How can you possibly have your size measured? Do you have any shame?"

 Chapter 113: Ning Yi

    The moment Ning Yi finished his remarks, Catherine dropped her measuring tape, unable to get a grip after hearing what he said.


    As for Xu Feng, he was perplexed and baffled by the remark.


    Was this Ning Yi for real?


    Fat man?


    He, a physically fit person was actually being called by someone whose size could possibly match the size of a battle tank?


    What kind of joke was this?


    "Ahem, you are quite the joker, Mister Ning." Xu Feng faked a cough andmented.


    "What joke? Your fat size is the joke, mister. Why are you torturing poor Catherine by measuring your size? Do you know how difficult it is to measure your kind of size?" Ning Yi rebuked, shocked that his statement was not taken seriously.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was utterly speechless by this shameless fat pig. He turned to Catherine, who seemingly held a helpless expression as well.


    ''So it''s not the typical arrogant young master, but it''s someone who doesn''t have any shame and is very narcissistic.'' Xu Feng concluded silently.


    It was no wonder why Catherine''s face turned pale earlier. After all, who could interact and deal with such a customer without losing their cool?


    Taking a closer look at this supposed Ning Yi, he had to admire one thing: his confident demeanor.


    Ning Yi had an imposing figure, and his overly obese frame immediately drew attention.


    Despite his size, he carried himself with remarkable confidence, his posture straight and his head held high. His round face was framed by neatly trimmed hair, and his sharp, intelligent eyes sparkled with determination and self-assuredness.


    However, he needed some reality check to believe he was the physically fit one.


    "There''s a mirror over there, so why don''t we have aparison to see who''s the fat one?" Xu Feng pointed at the center wall and suggested.


    "There''s no need topare. One nce at you is enough to determine you''re the fat one. So why don''t you let me talk with Catherine first while you wait at the side." Ning Yi quickly said in response, clearly avoiding going toward the mirror.


    Instantaneously, Xu Feng seemed to deduce that this Ning Yi was just acting hooligan. It wasn''t that his brain was going crazy, but he was using this kind of tactic to drive him away.


    ''Heh, want to y hooligan? The two can y the same game.'' Xu Feng snickered inwardly.


    Normally, he wouldn''t care, but to be judged so erroneously wrong by someone, he was very displeased.


    If he was considered fat, then there are no fit or skinny people in this world.


    "Sorry, but you''ll need to wait. I was here first and Catherine is still assisting me." Xu Feng waved his hand, returning the favor of shooing him away instead.


    "You are so selfish. I''ll be fast with my size, unlike you." Baffled, Ning Yi could not believe Xu Feng to be so unreasonable.


    "Yes, I''m fat, so respect me. Unless you hate fat people!" Xu Feng retorted.


    Instantly, Ning Yi was stunned and swallowed whatever words he was about to spout.


    ''This person is not easy. How am I supposed to rebuke him?'' Ning Yi cursed silently. If he said he hates fat people, then wouldn''t he be talking about himself?


    But if he doesn''t say that, then he would have to wait longer.


    "What is your name?" Ning Yi tried to maintain hisposure and asked.


    "Shouldn''t you introduce yourself first?" Xu Feng responded swiftly.


    "Fine, I''m Ning Yi, and an amazingly fit person."


    "I''m Xu Feng and an amazingly fat person."


    Suddenly, the two remained silent for a brief seconds before bursting out inughter.


    "Ahh, you are good!" Ning Yi pped his hands. "Normally, people would be disgusted and even start cursing me vulgarly, but you actually y along."


    Xu Feng shrugged his shoulders in response.


    Having interacted with so many different types of people, he could easily discern that Ning Yi meant no harm and was joking.


    It was most likely his style to try to irritate or provoke others by constantly saying such nonsensical stuff.


    Thus, he was provoked originally butposed himself once he realized something was wrong.


    "Um, so should I resume the measuring?" Catherine, who had been sidelined for a while, asked in a daze, clearly confused by the ordeal that had taken ce.


    "Oh, of course," Xu Feng extended his arms.


    As for Ning Yi, he merely took a step back, indicating his intention.


    With that said, Catherine resumed measuring Xu Feng''s size while Ning Yi began asking questions.


    "Anyway, Xu Feng, you don''t look too old, so how could you afford these luxury suits? Do you have a rich dad like me who can squander his wealth like it''s nothing?"


    "..."


    Xu Feng nearly dropped his sses when he realized just how casual this Ning Yi person could be. As for Catherine, she pretended to be deaf and continued with her work.


    "I might be young, but I''ve got some money." Xu Feng responded when he saw the eager look from him.


    "Ahh, so you''re self-made. Impressive. But not as impressive as me who was born with a golden¡ª no, diamond spoon." Ning Yi chuckled heartedly.


    "You are quite the honest, fe."


    "Of course, I am. I hate dishonest folks the most, so why should I lie?"


    "Then what about your actual physiques?"


    "Cough, I don''t know what you''re talking about." Ning Yi coughed and redirected the conversation.


    "Wait, so you''re probably a student, right. Howe you''re not at school? I doubt you can be like me and cut sses without a care."


    "Can''t you be quiet for a minute?" Xu Feng rolled his eyes, finding this Ning Yi very talkative. He was here to buy a suit, and not here to be questioned by someone he had just met.


    Additionally, Xu Feng only entertained him mainly because he subtly recalled a person named Ning Yi. And no, it was not because this person had a good reputation, but because this person was quite notorious.


    "Is your so-called rich dad, Ning Huo?"

 Chapter 114: Good Brother

    Xu Feng''s question stunned Ning Yi temporarily.


    Clearly, he did not expect others to actually know about his dad, especially with his unsightly appearance and lowkey behavior.


    "Not bad, you guessed my dad''s name. I supposed you know my greatness then." Ning Yi crossed his arms and said proudly.


    "Greatness? More like your infamy and embarrassing moment." Xu Feng twitched his mouth and continued, "One time, you went to a bar to drink, but got so drunk that you peed in public, causing your father to have security guards to drag you back home. The rest¡­ I''m sure you can remember it."


    Startled, Ning Yi nearly plopped to the ground. ''H-How did he know about that incident? Dad already suppressed everyone from spreading it, and he wasn''t even there!''


    The incident that Xu Feng mentioned happened a while ago, and it was thoroughly suppressed. It was hard to believe this news would circte further, given his father''s strict control and monitoring.


    "Um, I''ve got your measurements, so I''ll get you some suits to try that match your size, dear customer." Catherine suddenly said, clearly trying to retreat from the scene.


    What Xu Feng just revealed was definitely not something she should listen to.


    However, Xu Feng gazed at her with a smile, "Are you sure you finished measuring, Catherine? I''m sure Ning Yi over here is waiting for you."


    Upon being mentioned, Ning Yi stepped forward and fixed his cor, albeit with much difficulty as he stood tall and proudly.


    "Haha, Mister Ning is amicable and understands my job. He won''t make things difficult for me." Catherine slyly said and promptly retreated from the scene.


    She was not a fool and understood the magnitude of the conversation.


    It was definitely not something she could afford to listen to, lest who knows if her life might be in danger.


    To the wealthy, nothing was more important than their face and fame.


    Once Catherine slipped away, Ning Yi''s smile faded as he stared at Xu Feng intensely. "How did you know about that incident? I don''t recall seeing you in that bar, especially when you need a certain requirement to enter."


    "You can rest assured that I have no interest in exposing you." Xu Feng chuckled softly. "Otherwise, you wouldn''t have been able to act so confidently till now, right? Not to mention, your father would have silenced me already if that was the case."


    "Huh? Then why did you expose it in front of Catherine." Agitated, Ning Yi stomped on the floor repeatedly, clearly annoyed by his actions.


    "If you want to pursue her, then be honest and open. Also, you should really try to lose a bit of weight. It''s not meant as an insult, but as an advice to be healthy. You need to be healthy to enjoy life, right?"


    "..."


    Speechless, Ning Yi lowered his head as he smiled bitterly, "So what if I like her? I know my limit and could only act in such a way to get her attention briefly."


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng stepped forward and patted his shoulders.


    "If women only look at you by appearance, then it means they are fickle people. But I can sense Catherine didn''t mind your somewhat unsightly appearance, so don''t give up hope." He consoled him softly.


    As if a glimmer ray of light had shone upon him, Ning Yi held an anticipated look and asked, "Really?"


    "Of course, but that''s under the premise that you would stop acting like a confident fool. If you want, I can train you to be physically fit¡ª for real actually."


    "You are my big brother from now on if you can do it!" Ning Yi was wholly convinced by Xu Feng''s persuasive speech.


    ''Heh, who would have thought this was what Ning Yi''s appearance was like at this time? I nearlymitted a mistake and left a bad impression, but seriously, why was he so physically fit in the past?'' Xu Feng smiled amicably on the surface, while secretly relieved at his clever approach.


    There was a specific reason why he chose this luxury store in the first ce to buy some suits. It was all to encounter this rich young master, Ning Yi.


    However, his recollection of Ning Yi was quite the handsome fe, and not this obese person.


    Luckily, he remainedposed and managed to gather much data before continuing the conversation.


    "Do you know about Apex Tower, Ning Yi?" Xu Feng subsequently asked.


    "Heh, just call me Yi." Ning Yi quickly corrected.


    "If you can really assist me, then you''re a good brother of mine. And yes, I''ve heard about Apex Tower before from my father. I have some shares in it but I could care less about the actual process." He added, clearly a real spoiled brat.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng exined, "After I finish buying some suits, we''ll do something else first before we go to Apex Tower. I''ll guarantee you will definitely be reborn into a new person."


    "I trust you for now, Brother Feng." Ning Yi said as he used his body to hug him, nearly suffocating him in the process.


    "But I must warn you. If you are conning me, then be prepared to suffer a fate less than death." He suddenly warned fiercely, increasing his grip further.


    Xu Feng kept his calmposure despite having difficulty breathing as heughed. "If I''m conning you, then may my parents suffer an unimaginable number of pain."


    Naturally, Xu Feng didn''t know who his parents were, but for them to abandon him, he could care less if they suffered due to his vow.


    Besides, he was indeed confident that Ning Yi could definitely undergo a new change, especially when he still had the image of him in his mind vividly.


    As for Ning Yi, he respected his father despite his behavior, so he believed no one would be wicked enough to curse their own parents. Thus, he nodded in approval and released his grip.


    "I''m reassured then." Ning Yi said, shing his cheeky and proud smile.

 Chapter 115: Transformation

    A few minutes had gone by since Xu Feng sessfully obtained the trust of Ning Yi, and Catherine returned with a few nice suits.


    "Mister Feng, I hope these suits are to your liking," Catherine said, holding up the suits with her hands to disy them.


    Before Xu Feng could even respond, Ning Yi suddenly extended his hand with a diamond card and said, "Just use my card and pay for it. My brother here likes them all if it''s from your choice, Catherine."


    "..."


    Both Xu Feng and Catherine were speechless by his actions.


    They nced at each other for a moment, and Xu Feng could only shrug his shoulders in response, indicating to her to do whatever he said.


    "V-Very well then," She shed an awkward smile before grabbing his diamond card toplete the transaction. At the same time, she tilted her head slightly, seemingly in confusion.


    ''How did the two be brothers?'' She wondered silently. Just a few minutes ago, the tension was intense and she had to slyly leave the scene to avoid being hit in a coteral.


    Yet now they were apparently so friendly to the point of addressing each other as brothers.


    Men sure are weird!


    That was the verdict she had in mind, but it wasn''t all that bad because she knew deep down that Ning Yi wasn''t those arrogant young masters.


    Sure, he was arrogant and unted his wealth constantly, but never once did he actually use money to force others to do things they were unwilling to do.


    Thus, she had a rather good impression of Ning Yi, unlike others who always believed themselves to be king when all they had to rely on was their parents.


    As Catherine proceeded to do her own things, Ning Yi turned to Xu Feng and asked, "What are you nning to do after shopping?"


    "School." Xu Feng tly responded.


    "Huh?" Baffled, Ning Yi was taken aback. "Why are you going to school when you clearly cut sses? Just look at the time now."


    "Who said I''m going to school to attend sses?" Xu Feng rolled his eyes.


    "I''m being used and framed for causing the school to lose thepetition, so I need to go to the dean''s office to give a statement."


    "WHAT??!"


    Ning Yi''s loud voice startled some of the nearby customers and employees, but he didn''t care about them.


    His gaze remained on Xu Feng and with a solemn expression, he asked, "Which school is it to have such balls to frame a student for their losses?"


    "Kingston."


    "Fuck, Kingston?" Ning Yi was rendered speechless when he realized that was the same school he attended.


    Worse, his father was one of the decision-makers regarding that school. So for such an incident to ur behind their back was challenging their authority.


    "Hmph, you can rest assured, Brother Feng. I''ll go with you and see if they are really trying to put the me on a student." Ning Yi eximed, clearly despising injustice, especially those who abuse their power.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng feigned ignorance and merely nodded his head helplessly while repeatedly warning him to not do anything crazy.


    "The dean always hated me because of my poor background, so please don''t make it worse for me." He said bitterly, purposely painting himself as a pitiful victim.


    Ning Yi was too gullible to understand it was a part of his scheme, so he merely patted Xu Feng''s shoulder to console him.


    Secretly though, Ning Yi was ready to rat on them to his father regarding their misconduct if this news were proven to be true.


    After all, it was a stain on their Kingston school, and his father cared very much about his dignity and reputation.


    Sometimeter, Catherine finished packaging the suits for Xu Feng.


    "Here you go, Mister Feng," Catherine said, ready to hand off the merchandise.


    "Oh, apologies, but can you take one of the suits out for me to wear right now and send the rest to my apartment in Apex Tower, room 360." Xu Feng responded. Having been distracted by Ning Yi, he nearly forgot to say this instruction.


    After all, it would have been really awkward to carry the bags around while returning to school.


    "Very well, which color of the suit do you want?"


    "I''ll choose this ck one."


    "Okay."


    A few minutester, Xu Feng held the suit and went to the dressing room to get changed while Ning Yi took this opportunity to chat with Catherine.


    "Heh, Catherine, my brother is probably going to take a while, so why don''t you help me with the measurement?" Ning Yi said cheekily, bouncing his belly.


    "Are you sure?" Catherine smiled awkwardly. With a single nce, she could see that his weight didn''t change much, so there wouldn''t be any major change in the measurement either.


    "I have never been so sure, Catherine." A solemn expression appeared on his face as Ning Yi responded in a deep and serious tone.


    However, his so-called seriousness seemed to be dampened deeply by his outer appearance, making it somewhatical instead.


    Nevertheless, Catherine sighed softly andplied with his request, given that he was a customer¡ª one that didn''t irritate her.


    A few minutester, Xu Feng came out of the dressing room, d in a whole new look.


    Now dressed in a luxury ck suit, Xu Feng''s transformation was striking.


    The impably tailored suit entuated his lean build, while his neatly styled brown hair added to his polished look.


    However, the rectangr sses, a holdover from his previous appearance, seemed slightly out of ce amidst his otherwise sophisticated and authoritative new image.


    "No offense, Brother Feng, but your sses look out of ce." Ning Yi furrowed his brows and rubbed his chin,menting on the transformation.


    Even Catherine agreed and nodded her head subconsciously.


    Despite theirments though, Xu Feng nced at the reflection in the mirror with a satisfied smile, fixing his cor a bit to the center.


    "The sses look out of ce, but they actually fit me quite well." He calmly said, adjusting his sses.


    These old rectangr sses had been with him for years, and when he changed them to contact lenses in the past timeline, his perspective had undergone a huge change¡ª one that he wasn''t proud of.


    ''If I''m going to change to contact lenses, then it''ll be the time when I can finally make an impact.''

 Chapter 116: Kingston School

    With Xu Feng being adamant and fixated on the old pair of sses, Ning Yi no longer gave hisments.


    He wasn''t that ignorant to not understand that some items are sentimental.


    Just like his precious ne that was already turning somewhat rusty, he still retained it no matter what.


    "I get it, Brother Feng." Ning Yi patted his chest, seemingly giving him a gesture of heartful understanding.


    ''What did you get?'' Xu Feng, however, was perplexed by his sudden statement.


    The reason why he remained wearing these pairs of sses was to remind himself that he was no longer the hateful Xu Feng who goes against his own principles to survive.


    "Alright, I''m ready to go. Are you going to follow me?" Xu Feng subsequently asked, interrupting his conversation with Catherine.


    Although reluctant to leave this early, Ning Yi knew what to prioritize first.


    "Find me a few new clothes for my new measurement size, Catherine. I''ll return soon after this Master finishes with his business." Ning Yi proimed, addressing himself as a master.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was utterly speechless, finding Ning Yi to be reallypatible with Zhao Kai. Their outer appearance might not match, but their personalities and behaviorism definitely match.


    Poor Catherine could only smile helplessly at Ning Yi''s promation as she nodded her head like a professional employee.


    "Wait, Mister Feng, what about your old clothes?" Catherine suddenly asked, realizing there were still his old clothes in the dressing room.


    "Oh, those? You can just throw it away. Some sentimental items will remain while most will be thrown out." Xu Feng waved his hand, giving somewhat of a philosophical response as he exited the store along with Ning Yi.


    Sometimeter, Ning Yi pointed at his car and said, "I doubt you are rich enough to afford a car like this, right? I''ll drive you to Kingston School."


    Unable to refute his statement, Xu Feng merely nodded his head and followed behind.


    The car was spacious, and without a doubt, it was the luxury kind that offered the greatestfort to the driver and passengers.


    After all, even with Ning Yi''s size, he was filled withfort.


    However, to his surprise, this Ning Yi wasn''t driving but actually called out to the AI system.


    "Catherine Dear, please drive us to Kingston School." Ning Yimanded.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was rendered speechless when he named his AI, Catherine.


    Just how obsessed was he with Catherine?


    "Don''t look at me like that, Brother Feng. I call my AI Catherine to feel a connection between us, and I''m not a stalker." Almost as if he understood Xu Feng''s thought process, Ning Yi felt the need to exin his actions.


    Xu Feng raised both his hands up and shook his head, "I didn''t say anything."


    "And neither did my expression show anything." He added, defending himself.


    With his years of expertise in dealing with people, just how could he be amateurish enough to leak any of his reactions out?


    Sure enough, Ning Yi was stunned and realized he had indeed jumped the gun there.


    He scratched his head and smiled bitterly, "Well, usually people were quick to judge me, so it became an instinctive habit of mine to exin myself."


    "Understandable."


    "Anyway, you can leave the rest to me when we arrive at Kingston School. I won''t let anyone be harmed wrongfully, but if you were indeed in the wrong, then I''ll get you for deceiving me."


    As soon as Ning Yi finished his sentence, he clenched his fist tightly and held a threatening gaze at him.


    Nevertheless, his threat was useless to him, but Xu Feng decided to y along and replied, "You can just wait outside the entrance. I''ll head in alone and you can listen in on the conversation through my smartwatch. That way, it can''t be faked and your appearance won''t alter any of the dean''s words."


    Furrowing his brows, Ning Yi rubbed his chin and nodded his head in agreement.


    Indeed, with his figure, it would be a miracle for others to not recognize him, especially those bootlickers.


    "Very well, I''ll listen silently on the side first. But when do you want me to intervene?" He softly asked.


    "You can intervene whenever you feel like the time is right. That judgment is up to you, but keep in mind, whatever you''ll hear is just the norm for people with no diamond spoon background."


    "Tsk, I''m not that ignorant to not know the life of the rich and poor has a massive difference. I still do charity sometimes, albeit reluctantly and under the order of my father."


    Just when Ning Yi was about to continue to ramble on with his life story, they promptly arrived at the entrance, saving Xu Feng the headache of being a listener.


    "Alright, I''ll head out first," Xu Feng said after ensuring their connection was perfect and Ning Yi could listen in.


    As he exited the car, Xu Feng nced at the entrance of the Kingston School.


    The entrance to Kingston Heights School featured grand galvanized steel gates held together with an array of mismatched aunt screws.


    Naturally, that was merely Xu Feng''s perspective and it was not actually held together with aunt screws or anything of the like.


    ''This Kingston School still brings me nightmares whenever I return. Just imagining those disgusting courses and horrendous professors is giving me goosebumps.'' He rubbed his arms softly and hastened his pace.


    By the time Xu Feng entered the school, security guards from the side had already started notifying the dean of his arrival.


    "Dean Qiao, the student Xu Feng has entered the school."


    "I''ve got it," Dean Qiao, seated in his office, had his legs raised up on the desk, snickered coldly in response as he disconnected the call.


    "This damn brat finally returned after disappearing for so long. If I don''t make your life hell, then I won''t be Dean Qiao. How dare you make me be an embarrassment in front of all those rich parents!" He lit a cigarette and puffed up some smoke, eager to demolish Xu Feng into smithereens.

 Chapter 117: You Are Finished

    As Dean Qiao smoked joyfully, excited at the thought of reprimanding the poor background Xu Feng, a knock came from outside the door.


    "Dean Qiao, student Xu Feng has arrived!" his secretary announced.


    "Okay, let him wait a while before I get prepared," Dean Qiao responded, inwardly contemting how he should assert his authority over Xu Feng.


    ''This poor-background bastard! If it weren''t for my help and rmendation, allowing him to join thepetition in return for his financial issues. He would have been kicked out long ago. How dare he make a fool out of me this time!'' Veins pulsed visibly on Dean Qiao''s forehead as his rage peaked.


    Back then, he noticed Xu Feng had potential and decided to use him as a tool.


    Yet this tool had be disobedient and even started cutting sses.


    Added to the fact that the schoolpetition results were met with immense criticism, Dean Qiao decided to cut off Xu Feng, making him pay tenfold.


    ''An expulsion is too nice. I will make sure no schools will ept you and make your life miserable. A poor background nobody dares to trample on me and wish to live freely? Howughable!'' Dean Qiao grinned menacingly as he imagined Xu Feng crawling and begging for mercy.


    He would pretend to give him some mercy, only to thrash him thoroughly in the end. He would not be Dean Qiao if others learned he was trampled over by a nobody in this industry.


    Time slowly passed, and Xu Feng, who had been instructed to wait outside in the hallway, remained expressionless. The dimly lit corridor seemed to echo his years of hardship.


    ''After so many years, this Dean Qiao still loves to put on airs.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    It was just a pity that he didn''te here today to be yed by Dean Qiao, but the other way around.


    Had it not been for Ning Yi''s intention ofing to the school with him, he would have thrown a fit and left swaggering.


    However, Ning Yi was listening, so the more pitiful he appeared, the more painful Dean Qiao''s downfall would be.


    ''I''m not petty, but I''m human, and those who wrong me, naturally need to suffer tremendously,'' Xu Feng thought to himself, finally noticing Dean Qiao''s secretary walking out.


    "Dean Qiao said you may go in now," the secretary said with a tinge of disdain, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at him.


    Ignoring the tone, Xu Feng stood up from his seat and nodded.


    Sometimeter, he was brought to Dean Qiao''s office. The moment he entered, Dean Qiao mmed his palm on the desk and fiercely scolded.


    "Student Xu Feng, cutting sses and skipping the schoolpetition. Do you have any honor and integrity that our Kingston School follows?"


    Right off the bat, Dean Qiao took the momentum with his scolding, justifying his actions and trying to dampen Xu Feng''s emotions.


    By leading the conversation and using morality on his side, Dean Qiao disyed his professional skill in setting traps for others.


    ''As expected of this shrewd Dean.'' Xu Feng was amused, taking a seat without caring about the usation.


    "Speaking of honor and integrity, you''re quite the humorous person, Dean Qiao," he smiled, astonishingly thetter.


    ''Did this Xu Feng go crazy? How dare he ignore my question and tease me?'' Baffled, Dean Qiao wondered if the person in front of him was truly Xu Feng and not an imposter.


    After all, Xu Feng''s response waspletely out of his expectations, causing him to be perplexed about how to respond.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng didn''t n on letting him think properly as he continued his attack. He leaned back in his chair, his demeanor rxed yet his eyes sharp.


    "The schoolpetition was supposed to offer students incentives such as cutting sses and earning extra money for their contribution to the school. Yet ever since I''ve participated, I have been denied the extra money and was even forced to attend sses that are not required, stating it''s a good thing to learn more while having to pay extra for it."


    Dean Qiao''s face turned slightly red, but heposed himself and rebuked Xu Feng''s statement. "That''s because the school wants to educate you further, and what do you mean by denying? It''s just on dy because of some issues. Student Xu Feng, how could you be so inconsiderate of the school?"


    "Is that so, Dean Qiao? Then why is it that other students receive those incentives and are even allowed to participate in the schoolpetition despite not meeting the requirements? They didn''t even need to take any tests either." Xu Feng''s voice was calm, but his words were sharp.


    "That''s sphemy. Those students are naturally qualified and are thereby allowed to participate," Dean Qiao said, adjusting his tie to mask his growing difort.


    "Qualified? Do you mean as in their background is qualified and meets your expectation?" Xu Feng pressed, his gaze unwavering.


    "Enough! This discussion is about you disrespecting Kingston School, not about others. If you have no exnation for your actions today, then you will be expelled." Unwilling to argue further, Dean Qiao decided to end it swiftly.


    ''Why am I even arguing with you? Since you don''t want to listen and ramble on about your stupid ideology, then you can do it in the streets with no one caring about you.'' He sneered inwardly.


    Xu Feng simply stood up from his seat, tapping his fingers repeatedly on the desk, and smiled amicably. His mouth continued to move, but no sound came out. Nevertheless, Dean Qiao could subtly understand what he was trying to say.


    [You are finished!]


    Agitated, Dean Qiao stood up, clenched his fist as he mmed it on the desk, and shouted furiously, "Get out of the office! From now on, you are expelled, and any of your academic records are nullified."


    "Dean Qiao sure is ruthless to poor students but amicable to rich students," Xu Feng turned around,mented, and waved his hand as he exited the office.


    Outside, he heard the door m shut behind him. He walked away, knowing that Ning Yi had heard everything and that Dean Qiao''s days of unchecked power were numbered.

 Chapter 118: I’m very amicable

    When Xu Feng exited the office, Dean Qiao plopped to his chair, wondering what was wrong with Xu Feng.


    "This bastard is usually coy and submissive. What gave him the courage to confront me like he was an equal?" He snorted coldly, unaware of his demise approaching rapidly.


    "Dean Qiao, there''s a school board meeting in 2 days, so please be sure to get ready." Dean Qiao''s secretary informed him, warning him of the importance.


    "Right, the school board meeting. I''ve heard Mister Ning Huo will attend, so I can''t let that bastard affect me." Dean Qiao fixed his uniform and breathed softly, hoping to calm his emotions.


    "Contact the other parents that this situation is resolved and the student responsible for the result has been expelled. Let them know that this would not ur again." He then instructed.


    "Understood."


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng had already exited the school with next to zero lingering feelings.


    Other than a few friends he had made in the school, there truly was nothing here that made him feel regret or pity.


    ''This time, Dean Qiao really didn''t disappoint me.'' Xu Feng adjusted his sses and grinned menacingly. The show he did earlier was all transmitted to Ning Yi, and based on his knowledge of him, Dean Qiao''s ending would not be nice.


    However, Xu Feng knew it wasn''t enough to simply have thetter fired.


    Such a person should be sent to prison for his crimes, and even then, Xu Feng still won''t be satisfied until his life in prison is worse than hell.


    ''Coercing students into doing his bidding, and sexually assaulting those students with poor backgrounds while using his position to suppress them. I''ll be damned if I let you go easy.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly, returning to Ning Yi''s car.


    "Hmph, that Dean Qiao sure knows how to act in front of those in power." The moment he entered, Ning Yi started cursing Dean Qiao and his conduct.


    "That''s not the only thing he did, Yi."


    "Huh? What else did he do?"


    A few secondster, Xu Feng proceeded to reveal most of his crimes, as well as the victim''s name and how he could gather evidence to prove it.


    "Fuck! This bastard is a damn parasite to Kingston School!" Ning Yi was filled with rage as he was about to exit the car to thrash thetter up.


    However, Xu Feng held him back in time, albeit with much struggle.


    "Rx yourself, Yi. Now''s not the time to expose him because he can still deny it. You''ll need to gather the evidence using your people and then inform your father before the uing school board."Xu Feng exined calmly.


    There was always the ideal time needed when exposing anyone''s crime.


    If Ning Yi had gone to thrash thetter and exposed it, then with Dean Qiao''s personality, he would definitely clean up the evidence before the school board meeting.


    By then, no matter what Ning Yi said, there would be no evidence to prove the crime.


    After all, only a fool would go and alert the enemy about their n.


    "Huff, you''re right, Brother Feng. I was too impulsive." Panting heavily, Ning Yi continued to breathe rapidly as he attempted to calm down.


    Although Xu Feng''s exnation was straightforward and somewhat brief, he understood most of it and what to do. It was especially true that he needed to consider his father''s position when exposing such a vile criminal.


    ''Father loves his reputation and dignity the most. If I fail to exin to him before the school board meeting, then he will most likely ignore it.'' Ning Yi thought to himself.


    This was just how harsh the reality was.


    And Ning Yi fully understood this manner, given the victims affected by Dean Qiao were of no significant importance to the higher society.


    "Rest assured, Brother Feng, I''ll make sure this matter won''t get buried." Ning Yi said with a determined expression.


    "But I''m afraid I won''t follow you to the Apex Tower afterward. I can''t be distracted while handling this matter." He added, not feeling a bit regretful.


    To him, his weight loss was not as important as the victims.


    Not to mention, if Catherine learned he chose his weight loss appearance over helping out the victims, then he would be too ashamed to get close to her.


    Smiling briefly, Xu Feng patted Ning Yi''s shoulders and said, "Don''t worry, I can call a driver myself. Just do what you need to do. I''m sure Catherine would be eager to listen to your story of demolishing a vile criminal."


    "What are you talking about, Brother Feng?" Ning Yi feigned ignorance and scratched his head. Though, his silly smile was hard to escape from forming as he imagined Catherine praising him in his imaginary world.


    As Ning Yi immersed himself in being on a date with Catherine after revealing his meritorious deed, Xu Feng was too nauseous to continue watching on.


    Without telling thetter, he directly got out of the car and began walking away.


    While he walked, Xu Feng decided to buy a car as his transportation for convenience. At the same time, he was d that the timeline he was living now might be different from his past, but some things remained unchanged.


    Ning Yi''s appearance was indeed a bit surprising, but his righteous and clear-headed mindset hasn''t changed one bit.


    Back then, it was also he who exposed Dean Qiao, albeit a littlete because he was not informed of the incident untilter on.


    ''Since events can be pushed further because of my actions, then we might as well push it further a little bit.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    Dean Qiao was like a cockroach, having managed to escape prison and continued to do a few more bad deeds for a while until someone from the victim''s family got revenge.


    ''I''m a very amicable person, so why don''t I let that victim''s family know about Dean Qiao and inform them of his schedule.'' He adjusted his sses as he eagerly anticipated hearing about the death of Dean Qiao after the school board meeting.

 Chapter 119: Zhao Xin

    Sometime after leaving the school, Xu Feng began making his way to a store that sold cars while finishing a text that would be sent after 2 days to certain people.


    Once that was done, he began pondering which car to get.


    ''My budget isn''t too high, and I still have to use my money on so many other things.'' He sighed softly.


    Although he preferred to be frugal and avoid overly expensive purchases, he knew that an expensive car was necessary to earn respect. If he didn''t want to be disrespected, he needed to buy a car that matched his status.


    However, reliability andfort were still his highest priority. A car simr to Ning Yi was one of his objectives when choosing one.


    Who cares if the car is expensive?


    If the interior was notfortable or filled with problems, then that was not a good car, but a trash car.


    Just as he was waiting for the red light to turn green, a car suddenly zoomed out of nowhere and stopped just a few meters from him.


    Xu Feng remained stoic and calm, barely reacting to the suddenmotion, his expression unchanged andposed. Others might be shocked or frightened by it, but not him.


    If the car had intended to crash or kill him, then it would have done so already.


    As he calmly waited for the person in the car to give a response, the window rolled down a bit, and a voice echoed.


    "Get in."


    "And who might you be?"


    "Zhao Kai''s eldest sister."


    "Oh, Zhao Kai''s sister?" A bit intrigued, Xu Feng didn''t expect to meet Zhao Xin in such a manner.


    "How am I supposed to know you''re really his sister when I can''t even see your face?" He asked, using his pointy finger and tapping lightly on the brief window that was opened.


    A moment of silence urred as the window slowly rolled down dramatically.


    "Happy now?" Zhao Xin held an unamused expression as she questioned him.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng smiled in satisfaction.


    "Ah, so it''s indeed Zhao Kai''s sister, Zhao Xin. Phew, you really can''t trust anyone these days by their voice alone. AI has gotten quite frightening and can mimic anyone''s voice." Xu Feng responded, entering the car and making himselffortable.


    "Anyway, how did you know I was here?" he asked, seemingly surprised by her appearance.


    However, based on the clues so far, along with the known information, he could subtly guess why she was here.


    Given Zhao Kai''s personality, it was hard to imagine him arriving at his grandfather''s birthday party grandly. So even if she tried to convince or persuade thetter, it most likely wouldn''t work.


    Therefore, she must havee all the way here to find him to make him do the convincing.


    After all, he was the closest with Zhao Kai other than her.


    "Let''s not act ignorant," Zhao Xin coolly said. "You should know my little brother''s personality well, so I want you to make sure he is dressed nicely at the party."


    Amused, Xu Feng pointed at himself and asked, "And why do you think I would do that?"


    "Because he mentioned you would go with him to the party. And with your savings, I doubt you have any nice clothes either."


    "He mentioned that I would go with him? When was that?"


    "When I told him about the party, he said he would have you join him."


    ''Damn, so I was actually the one fooled.'' Xu Feng was stunned briefly. He had initially thought it was he who had fooled Zhao Kai by subtly inviting himself personally, but that wasn''t the case.


    Zhao Kai had nned all along to bring him alone, so whatever he did was pointless¡ª a waste of effort to be precise.


    As Xu Feng realized he was the one being yed, Zhao Xin took the chance to inspect his clothes, astonished by the former.


    ''A luxury suit huh. This Xu Feng really went all out.'' She thought to herself, having believed Xu Feng blew his savings to buy the suit.


    Seatedfortably in the back, Zhao Xin leaned forward slightly, her gaze unwavering and voice firm. "If you assist me in making my little brother dress appropriately, then I don''t mind reimbursing you for the suit. Also, I know you don''t have a car, so I''ll send you one as a favor."


    Intrigued, Xu Feng slowly adjusted his sses, crossed his legs, and smiled, "What type of car are you nning to send me? It''s not going to be a second-hand or a rusted one, right?"


    "How impudent of you, Xu Feng! You should watch your tone of speech when talking to Miss Xin." A voice echoed from the front, and without even needing them to turn toward him, Xu Feng could tell who it was.


    "Anna Liu, as usual, you seemed to dislike me." Xu Feng teased.


    "I don''t dislike people. I just dislike those who don''t work hard and try to leech." Anna Liu rebuked.


    "That''s enough, Anna!" Zhao Xin suddenly intervened, her gaze locked on to her.


    When Anna Liu saw those gazes, she knew she had overstepped her boundaries slightly.


    Thus, she kept quiet, nodded her head, and focused on the front.


    "Ignore her, Xu Feng. She''s just like that toward those supposed bootlickers and leechers." Zhao Xin exined frankly.


    ''Wow, the two of you should get an acting award.'' Xu Feng was exasperated silently by the mini-show these two had disyed.


    Although it seemed like Anna Liu was reprimanded on the surface, Zhao Xin merely told him to ignore her but never denied her statement.


    Added to the fact of her exnation, it was quite obvious that she was using Anna Liu as a third party to condemn him for being useless.


    It was just a pity for them that Xu Feng was no longer that naive and dense fellow.


    With a calm expression, he pped his hands. "Indeed, bootlickers and leechers are hateful, but it takes skill to know which target totch on. Just take Anna for example. Only a fool wouldtch onto her, expecting some good things in return."

 Chapter 120: Revelation

    Zhao Xin was rendered speechless by Xu Feng''s retort, clearly not expecting him to be so eloquent.


    Anna Liu, on the other hand, red daggers at him, her hands clenching the steering wheel.


    Xu Feng''s words had hit a nerve, and he could sense the tension rising in the car. "It''s just a joke, Anna. Please don''t take any offense and make sure your emotions are alright to be the driver."


    "Y-You!" Exasperated, Anna Liu was in disbelief at Xu Feng.


    ''When did he be so annoying yet confident and fluent?'' From the record of information they gathered, Xu Feng was described as a useless student, who got ordered around.


    There were numerous times hended himself in some messy situation and required their subtle intervention to help him out.


    After all, the only positive thing out of him was his genuine friendship with Zhao Kai. Without that, he would be nothing more than a poor country bumpkin.


    By this time, even Zhao Xin was starting to take notice that there was something different about Xu Feng.


    ''He seemed more confident and he wasn''t even afraid of our suddenappearance.'' She knitted her brows, finding the changes to be astounding.


    She was so distracted earlier worrying about her little brother that she even forgot about his earlier teasing to prove she was the real Zhao Xin.


    s, now was not the time to think about this matter.


    "Alright, you can rest assured the car is not going to be beneath this one. You have a driver''s license, right?" Zhao Xin inquired, despite knowing the answer already.


    "Unfortunately, I don''t." Xu Feng faked a difficult expression and sighed.


    "But having Anna be the driver for my new gifted car would be nice." He added, smiling gracefully.


    "You really love to joke, Mister Feng." Anna Liu responded, twitching her brows. "You have a driver''s license, so you can drive Miss Xin''s little brother."


    "Oh wow, Anna sure knows me well. I didn''t even remember having one at all. Don''t tell me, you''re interested in me." Xu Feng chuckled heartily and teased.


    He then ced his palm under his chin and turned to Zhao Xin, "Or maybe Miss Xin here has me investigated from the start and is just trying to be polite."


    "..."


    Startled, Anna Liu couldn''t believe what she had just heard from him.


    ''He was provoking me earlier.'' She realized her slip of a sentence had caused a disaster.


    A few beads of sweat started to form on her forehead. Each one of his sentences was sharp and witty, but it always had an objective underlying them.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Xin''s expression darkened slightly as she realized Xu Feng was not as simple as he seemed on the surface.


    ''What were those people investigating? Simpleton and gets trampled on easily? They must be living too nicely.'' She was displeased by those in the investigation department.


    This was no longer just a simple mistake as the information waspletely false and outrageous.


    As the tension nearly reached its peak, Xu Feng suddenlyughed merrily and leaned backward. "Ahh, why are we so tense? You want me to help Kai in dressing properly, and you can rest assured that I will do that even without you asking."


    "You couldn''t have just said that from the start?" Anna Liu puffed out a breath sharply, tilting her head back to blow a stray strand of hair off her forehead.


    "Hey, you girls wanted to act like some mafia type of y from the beginning, so I merelyplied with it." Xu Feng shrugged his shoulders, brushing off the me.


    "Y-You are unbelievable."


    "Thank you for thepliment, Miss Anna."


    "Ahem, since you''ve agreed then get off the vehicle." Zhao Xin faked a cough and pointed at the door.


    She realized how pointless it was to find and meet him personally. Instead of getting her motive down, she was yed by him. Such a feeling was quite bitter and somewhat reminded her of someone in the Divine World.


    ''Is it because both their first names are called Feng?'' She wondered silently, feeling that only those with thest name Feng, are better. After all, her bestie, Feng Qing Rou''sst name was Feng, unlike the other two that she knew: Lin Feng and Xu Feng.


    Both are annoying, except Lin Feng was someone who could act in such a way, unlike Xu Feng, who merelytched on to her little brother and their subtle protection.


    A few secondster, Zhao Xin was dumbfounded to see Xu Feng was still in her vehicle, being overlyfortable in his seat.


    "Didn''t I tell you to get off?" She asked in a confused tone.


    "Oh,e on, you can''t give me a lift as a kind gesture?" Xu Feng smiled briefly. "I''m sure a person of your status isn''t someone stingy or petty to kick me off, right?"


    "Miss Xin isn''t such a person, but I am." Anna Liu suddenly said and unlocked the door that was right by Xu Feng. "Please make your exit."


    "Your PA is heartless, but will you let her act in such a way?" Ignoring her, Xu Feng''s gaze remained fixated on Zhao Xin.


    "I don''t usually ride with people that aren''t of use to me." Zhao Xin crossed her legs and continued, "Have you heard of the game, Divine World? If you can be useful there, then I don''t mind inviting you to a guild managed by a dear friend of mine."


    "A guild?"


    "Yes, the Silver Wind Guild."


    "KAFF!" Xu Feng coughed and nearly choked on his own saliva when he heard the guild''s name.


    ''Wait a minute, Zhao Xin''s dear friend should be someone named Feng Qing Rou. Then doesn''t that mean Feng Qing Rou is Gentle Wind and Zhao Xin is Autumn Breeze?'' He deduced silently, baffled by the coincidence.


    "What''s the matter with you?" Meanwhile, Zhao Xin was somewhat annoyed by his reaction.


    "This isn''t an invitation, but a rmendation. The Silver Wind Guild is currently making waves in the Divine World, so if you want to rise up, then you should try to join the recruitment process." She advised kindly.

 Chapter 121: Vera

    Xu Feng managed to remain calm on the surface despite receiving a great shock.


    Such a coincidence was truly unheard of.


    To be fair, he honestly never expected Zhao Xin to be ying Divine World when she was overwhelmed with her real-life work. And even if she did, he would never expect her to be in the Silver Wind Guild.


    After all, it was an upstart guild that started off strong but slowly disappeared like most new guilds.


    However, the difference was that Gentle Wind, now revealed as Feng Qing Rou had exited the Divine World.


    ''It seems like something big did happen and I''m now being embroiled in it.'' Xu Feng rubbed his chin and pondered.


    The mysterious disappearance of Feng Qing Rou, otherwise known as Gentle Wind from the scene, as well as Zhao Kai, screamed conspiracy to his ears.


    He was not one to believe something urred without a reason.


    And by changing his trajectory of life in this timeline, he was now being exposed to something he was never able to in the past timeline.


    "So what do you think, Xu Feng?" Zhao Xin pressed, unaware that his pondering waspletely unrted to her kind advice.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng snapped out of his thoughts and smiled in response.


    "I''ll try and see. Kai himself is also immersed in the Divine World and has asked me repeatedly to join him, but you know how expensive virtual helmets are nowadays." He exined softly, giving an excuse he hade up with on the spot.


    Nodding her head in understanding, Zhao Xin knew the budget of a virtual helmet should be out of his limit. She proceeded to grab her phone and made a few clicks.


    "There, I''ve sent you some money, so you can purchase a virtual helmet and join my little brother. He''s always been somewhat of an introvert, and only you get along well with him."


    "Thanks for the sponsor, Miss Xin." Xu Feng chuckled but was stunned when she suddenly leaned forward.


    Her face was getting quite close to him, but he wasn''t stunned by her beauty.


    Instead, he heard a "clicked" sound and he could feel some wind blowing his back.


    She did in fact lean closer to him, but it wasn''t to seduce or attract him. It was to open the door behind him, and her intention made it quite clear that she wanted him out now.


    "Sigh, like brother like sister. Both are heartless beings." Xu Feng shook his head and sighed, hopping out of the vehicle.


    Although he must admit he was quite the shameless man, he wasn''t shameless enough to continue to remain seated after two times of being asked to get out.


    It was not as if their vehicle was filled with a pot of gold anyway.


    The moment he exited the vehicle, the door closed automatically, and with a swooshing sound, the vehicle zoomed away.


    "..."


    Speechless, Xu Feng gave a few sniffles at his suit, wondering if he was smelly or something. Otherwise, why would they want to get away from him as fast as possible?


    ''Tsk, I don''t even smell. My handsome look is also quite impressive. They definitely need to get their eyes treated.'' Xu Feng adjusted his sses and eximed inwardly.


    He was confident of his look which attracted many women in his past timeline.


    Despite being ordered around, he was still someone influential, so naturally, many women looked at him in great view.


    Just as Xu Feng turned around and prepared to walk back to his apartment, another car arrived in front of him, albeit less shy than what Anna Liu did.


    ''Who is it this time?'' Unamused, Xu Feng was ready to give the driver a piece of him for stopping his path.


    However, his expression quickly changed when the driver got out of the vehicle.


    "You must be Mister Feng. Our Miss Xin has ordered that this car belongs to you from now on." The driver said politely and extended the car key to him.


    "I see," Xu Feng dly epted the car key and thanked the driver for his help. It was a free car delivery, so why should he be mad?


    In fact, people should stop him more often if they are trying to give him free stuff.


    Only an idiot would refuse free things that are beneficial and do not require to return the favor.


    Sometimeter, the driver dashed off, leaving him alone with a brand-new fancy car.


    "My wallet is safe." Xu Feng was proud as he hopped onto the driver''s seat.


    The smooth leather seats were not only supple and perfectly contoured forfort but also featured adaptive temperature control that adjusted to his preferences.


    The sleek, polished dashboard housed a high-end AI system, with a holographic touchscreen disy that responded instantly to gestures and voicemands, seamlessly integrating with the advanced climate control and entertainment systems.


    [Good evening, Owner. I''m your personal AI assistant.]


    The voice echoed from the vehicle itself as it greeted Xu Feng in a feminine tone.


    Pleased, Xu Feng was amazed by the generosity of Zhao Xin in giving him such a car.


    ''Fine, since you are a part of the Silver Wind Guild, then I''ll give you a bit more benefits.'' He was not an ungrateful person after all. The equipment he nned to rent to them shall be voided, and it would be lent to them for free.


    "Very well, your name is Vera from now on. Register the Apex Tower as our destination and bring me there." Xu Fengmanded.


    [Command received. Vera shall now drive to the Apex Tower ording to the data.]


    He could drive manually, but since there was such an advanced AI system, it would be a shame to not let them take over while he continued to n his next scheme.


    The matter with Dean Qiao could be considered resolved after 2 days.


    However, the matter regarding the sudden rush of enterprise joining the Divine World was still an impending danger.


    ''Originally I nned on having Ning Yi secure an office in the Apex Tower for me, but now it looks like that will be dyed.'' Hemented silently.

 Chapter 122: Alexandra

    A few hourster, Vera¡ª the AI system of his new vehicle, parked in the parking lot of the Apex Tower.


    Given Xu Feng had already registered the relevant information, the systems in the Apex Tower were able to swiftly identify and confirm his identity, allowing him to park in the exclusive parking lot.


    The parking lot was massive, but despite its size, nearly every slot was filled with cars.


    And they weren''t ordinary cars either. Most of the cars parked here were even more advanced than the one he currently owned.


    It goes to show that the people who could afford to live in the Apex Tower or own a parking lot are people with status.


    As he exited the vehicle, another person also got out of their car right across him.


    It was a woman d in a fancy dress and she had a mature appearance and aura around her. She smiled lightly and nodded her head when she noticed Xu Feng.


    As for Xu Feng, he was surprised on the inside but managed to remain calm on the surface.


    ''This woman is Alexandra, one of the wealthiest people.'' He furrowed his brows, and promptly stepped forward, taking the opportunity to greet her.


    "Hello, I''m new here and just moved into the Apex Tower. I didn''t expect to meet someone in the parking lot at this time." Xu Feng smoothly greeted her, extending his hand for a handshake.


    "Oh, I didn''t expect to see a new tenant." Surprised, the woman subtly nced at his hand before returning the gesture, shaking his.


    After shaking his hand, shemented, "I don''t recall remembering we have a tenant moving out."


    Her question looked simple on the surface but was actually filled with lots of hidden meaning.


    By implying she didn''t recall anyone moving out, she was suspicious of Xu Feng''s appearance here. She could even begin to suspect it was just another person trying their luck to encounter her for some benefit.


    More importantly, her impression of him would decrease tremendously if Xu Feng answered incorrectly or in a way that did not satisfy her.


    "Haha, it''s not unusual that you haven''t heard or seen me before. I''ve just moved into room 360, but unlike other tenants, I''m just renting a room from Miss Erica." Xu Feng scratched his head andughed somewhat embarrassingly.


    "Oh, Miss Erica." A bit perplexed, the woman found it odd that Erica would rent a room out, much less to a male.


    "I haven''t seen Miss Erica for a while and forgot her number since I changed my phone. Do you happen to have her contact?" The woman subsequently asked, clearly testing him further.


    As if expecting such a response, Xu Feng was rather quick in taking his phone out and showing it to her.


    "This is her number." He revealed and continued, "By the way, I''m Xu Feng and you are?"


    The woman only needed a few nces to identify the number to be correct and it was her personal number, providing more credibility.


    After all, a work number and a personal number have two drastically different meanings.


    "Xu Feng? You can just call me Alexandra." The woman finally introduced herself as Alexandra as she concluded temporarily that he wasn''t those people seeking for business opportunity or some other intent.


    "It''s nice to meet you, Alexandra." Xu Feng smiled and nced at his smartwatch.


    "Apologies, but I''m running a littlete now. It was good to talk with a fellow tenant, even though I''m just a room owner." He added, giving a humorous remark.


    The humor wascking a lot, but it managed to make Alexandra chuckle a bit.


    While she chuckled at his broken humor, Xu Feng took his leave without bothering to ask for any contact details whatsoever.


    To be acquainted with such a stature, one must not rush anything and be patient.


    Not to mention, for someone like Alexandra to verify his information based on their conversation was rather easy. Thus, he wouldn''t be worried about not having another opportunity to interact with her again.


    Sometimeter, after Xu Feng had exited the parking lot, Alexandra began making a phone call.


    "Help me investigate if Erica Winston rented one of her rooms out to a person called Xu Feng." She instructed before disconnecting the call, her gaze stern and firm.


    For someone of her stature, she doesn''t believe much in things like coincidence. But asionally, such a thing does ur and she wanted to make sure that it was indeed one of those rare instances.


    ''My movements are hidden, so if it''s not a coincidence, then how did he know I''d be here?'' Alexandra furrowed her brows, hoping that it was merely a coincidence. Otherwise, she would need to clean up quite a few people as suspects of betraying her.


    While she was determined to get to the bottom of this, Xu Feng remained unaware that his intention had caused a huge domino effect.


    It was merely an unexpected surprise that Xu Feng had met with her, given his main objective was meeting Ning Yi.


    As Xu Feng patiently waited in the elevator as it ascended further, he was satisfied with this venture.


    ''I saved quite a bit of money thanks to Zhao Xin, and even have Ning Yi to handle the despicable Dean Qiao. Finally, to encounter Alexandra, my luck is really turning for the better.''


    Everything so far was going great in his direction, minus the part that his n was somewhat ruptured because of Zhao Xin.


    The rumors spread from the Zhao Enterprise, and having realized Zhao Xin was Autumn Breeze, he wanted to give himself a smack.


    Never once did he think he was the cause of the advancement of many corporations hopping into the Divine World. Had it not been for his assistance to the Silver Wind Guild, he doubted they would have gained the leverage to propose such a n.


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng entered his room and got on the gaming capsule.


    "I can''t take too many detours now. I need to quickly grind and get into the city." He murmured, returning to the Divine World.

 Chapter 123: Demonstration

    Xu Feng''s vision blurred for a few moments before it cleared up, having returned to his original ce in the Verdant Valley.


    ''I''m surprised Kai didn''t message me at all.'' He nced around his surroundings and realized Zhao Kai was no longer nearby.


    However, he did detect that the Ironwood Treant he found earlier had been killed already.


    The area of that spot was vacant now, and it would take some time before it would regrow into an ordinary tree or another Ironwood Treant.


    "Where did this Shadow de go?" Xu Feng mumbled softly, checking for footsteps or traces that could lead him to Zhao Kai.


    Now that he realized just how close proximity he was to Zhao Kai''s eldest sister, he needed to be careful of how to address Zhao Kai in the open.


    Thus, he decided to call for Shadow de, and not Kai aloud.


    Who knows if there might be some hidden lurkers spying on him?


    Paranoid or not, it was best to y it safe and ensure nothing could go wrong.


    A few secondster, Xu Feng straightened up, his eyes following the trail of disturbed foliage and subtle footprints as he moved cautiously.


    Although the Ironwood Treant monster did not attack yers, it was hard to say that there weren''t going to be some random monsters that had ventured here identally.


    After all, not all monsters were zone-restricted, meaning some monsters could legitimately chase you to the end of the world until you escaped from them or killed them.


    Following the trails cautiously, Xu Feng finally heard some gunshots from afar, followed by a maniacalughter.


    ''That should be Kai, alright.'' Xu Feng smiled helplessly at how enthusiastic Zhao Kai could be from hunting these Ironwood Treants.


    In his memories, most yers dreaded when tasked to fight these lifeless monsters because the experience points were trash and all you did was constantly attack and attack without break.


    It was no exaggeration topare these Ironwood Treants to the training dummies that one used to practice their skills.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng arrived deeper into the trees-filled zone and spotted Zhao Kai from afar.


    He was kneeling down on one knee, sweat trickling down his forehead as he angled his Ironbolt Rifle.


    As his finger pulled on the trigger, a loud bang echoed through and the bullet quickly prated the body of the Ironwood Treant. It was a hit on its critical flesh point, amplifying the damage of the bullet.


    Just when Xu Feng was about to call for him, he suddenly made a pause.


    ''This Kai¡­ he figured this out without needing my reminder.'' Xu Feng curled his mouth slightly upward, making a brief grin. He leaned his back on the tree and watched Zhao Kai changing his aim angle to another spot.


    With another shot fired, Zhao Kainded on the critical flesh point again.


    His eyes were firm and determined, clearly focused on the Ironwood Treant.


    There was literally no distraction and Zhao Kai''s gaze was fully locked on the monster.


    He kept firing in different spots after the first shot, but by the fifth time, Zhao Kai smiled bitterly once he realized his damage hadn''t been amplified.


    "Sigh, I failed at the 5th mark again." Zhao Kai shook his head and stopped his shooting, allowing the Ironwood Treant to slowly recover its health points.


    While he patiently waited, he began murmuring to himself about his failure.


    "The critical flesh point constantly changed after it was hit, but there are still noticeable transitions to let you spot it. Ugh, but these damn transitions get harder to spot as you continuously hit them consecutively. How am I supposed to deal with that?" Frustrated, Zhao Kai scratched his head, seemingly helpless by the situation.


    "Heh, I didn''t expect you to overthink that much. What happened to the person who brute-forced everything?"


    "WHO?"


    Alerted, Zhao Kai held his Ironbolt Rifle, ready to attack, but halted himself when he noticed who it was.


    "Feng, can you not scare me like that?" Relieved, Zhao Kai ced his gun down and patted his chest.


    "Haha, I didn''t mean to spook you." Xu Feng chuckled lightly in response.


    He then nced at the recovering Ironwood Treant, and with a smile, "Your eyesight is quite keen to detect that critical flesh points are interchangeable."


    "That''s a given, of course." Zhao Kai rubbed his nose and said quite pridefully.


    "After I killed a few more Ironwood Treants, I realized that even though I shot at the same spot where the critical flesh points were originally, I didn''t receive any damage amplifier. That was when I realized they changed after being hit." He added, raising his chin up.


    "Not bad indeed. And here I thought you would waste more time making an Xbel mark continuously." Xu Feng nodded.


    "Hmph, you knew I was heading in the wrong direction but still didn''t warn me about it. How generous of you!" Zhao Kai clicked his tongue and pouted, seemingly ming Xu Feng for hisck of advice.


    However, Xu Feng knew that he was just fooling around and was actually grateful that he had concealed such a matter.


    To be babysit constantly and be told what to do.


    What fun could there be?


    Part of the fun in ying games is the joy of discovering something new and adapting it to further improve their gamey.


    "Haha, I guess I''ll need topensate you a little for having you suffer." Xu Feng suddenly eximed, shocking Zhao Kai.


    "What? You, a cheapskate will actuallypensate me?" Zhao Kai tilted his head and nearly had his eyes popping out as he stared at Xu Feng in disbelief.


    "What do you mean by cheapskate?" Xu Feng rolled his eyes, raised his leg, and gave Zhao Kai a kick.


    "Anyway, take a closer look at this small demonstration. Watch carefully because I''m only doing it once." He then said, taking his staff out.


    Confused, Zhao Kai watched silently, unsure of what he was nning.


    Xu Feng paced himself steadily as he walked close to the Ironwood Treant, and under the scrutiny of Zhao Kai, he began to swing his staff.


    THUMP!


    A critical flesh point was hit and triggered the damage multiplier.


    However, Xu Feng was not done as he gracefully moved a few meters to the right and swung his staff again.


    "A-Another critical flesh point hit instantly?!" Zhao Kai''s mouth was left open as he witnessed something that could be said to be a miracle.

 Chapter 124: Embercliff Caverns

    A few more minutes had gone by, and Zhao Kai''s eyes were essentially glued to the fluid and smooth movement of Xu Feng.


    Every time he swung his staff and hit the Ironwood Treant, a critical flesh point was hit.


    There was not a single miss, and Zhao Kai was left baffled by how such a scene was even possible to achieve.


    "98¡­99¡­100¡­Feng hit a total of 100 times but can still keep going." Zhao Kai swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Unconsciously, his hands were starting to tremble, not from nervousness, but from excitement.


    If someone had told him earlier that you could reach 100 times consecutive hits on the critical flesh points, then Zhao Kai would haveughed at them.


    However, witnessing it with his very own eyes changed his perspective.


    Nothing was more believable than seeing it with your own eyes than listening to it from another party.


    As Zhao Kai remained amazed by Xu Feng''s miraculous disy of demonstration, he suddenly stood up, ced both his hands behind his ears, and shouted.


    "Hot damn, the Ironwood Treant got destroyed already!!"


    The time it took him to kill was actually shortened tremendously because of Xu Feng, despite their attributes beingpletely different.


    Although Xu Feng had never revealed his actual level to him, he was positive that the staff in Xu Feng''s hand was beginner equipment.


    "How did Feng defeat the Ironwood Treant already?" He questioned himself, rubbing his eyes to check if he was in a dream or an illusion.


    He even made sure to take another proper look at Xu Feng''s staff, and was sure that it wasn''t the ones he found from Fiona''s Storage Room.


    Since it was confirmed twice, Zhao Kai stepped forward and stared at him with a dazed expression.


    "H-How did you do that, Feng?" He asked in a barely audible tone. This shock he received was even worse than the shock he got when he was told to join his grandfather''s uing birthday party from Zhao Xin.


    "Do what?" Xu Feng teased, feigning ignorance.


    "Stop ying with me." Zhao Kai stomped his foot on the ground, frustrated by his tease.


    "Tell me how did you consistently spot those interchangeable critical flesh points so quickly? Even I need to wait a while to determine the 2nd change location." He added.


    His eyes were practically glowing as he wanted to know the method of how Xu Feng did it.


    "It''s fairly simple," Xu Feng smiled and pointed at another tree.


    "As long as you train your perception, you can spot the differences, no matter how trivial they are. Since you are a Gun Knight and one that focuses solely on offense, you need to train it even more." He advised.


    "I did, but it''s just not good enough." Zhao Kai lowered his head and sighed.


    "That''s where you''re wrong." Xu Feng suddenly raised his tone and poked at him with his staff. "Weren''t you unable to detect any critical flesh point in the early stages? Yet look at you now. You were able to hit four consecutive times, before failing the fifth time."


    Having been reminded of the sess, Zhao Kai was left to ponder and recall his early stages.


    "Right¡­ I was struggling in the beginning but as I fought more. I slowly got the hang of it and grasped the concept somewhat." He mumbled, nodding his head in agreement with Xu Feng''s words.


    A few secondster, he clenched his fist tightly with a refreshed mindset and shouted, "Alright, I''ll just need to train more then!"


    "I''ll leave the Ironwood Treants material to you then." Xu Feng patted his shoulders and continued, "I''ll look for the Pyrite Drakes."


    Startled, Zhao Kai nced at him, "Are you sure about that, Feng? How are you going to fight the Pyrite Drakes?"


    "You don''t need to worry about that. Just focus on farming the Ironwood Treants, and if you''re done, then you can begin on the Shadow Wolves." Xu Feng calmly responded.


    Previously, he was merely worried about his skills not being adequate so he decided to babysit him for a while.


    However, now that it became quite clear that Zhao Kai could y independently, he could hasten the mission alone.


    Although quite reluctant about it, Zhao Kai''s urge to train more after being enlightened was overwhelming.


    "Fine, have it your way, but don''t die like an idiot." Zhao Kai said cheekily.


    Given Xu Feng''s capability, he was foolish to have worried for him anyway.


    Just his previous demonstration showed him how far theirbat experience was.


    "Haha, anyway, if you can hit 25 consecutive critical flesh points, then I''ll treat you to a feast. Otherwise, I''ll thank you in advance." Xu Feng waved his hands, bidding him farewell while giving Zhao Kai a challenge.


    Though, it was more of a motivation boost rather than a challenge.


    "Hmph, want me to treat you? Dream on!" Shouted Zhao Kai, who promptly got ready to search for another disguise tree that was secretly the Ironwood Treant among the numerous trees.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng left him alone as he ventured deeper into the Verdant Valley.


    Nestled within the heart of the Verdant Valley, Embercliff Caverns was abyrinth of glowing, molten rock formations and glittering mineral deposits.


    The caverns were bathed in a perpetual twilight of shimmering light from the pyriteden walls, with streams ofva snaking through the rocky terrain, creating an intense and vtile atmosphere that perfectly suited the Pyrite Drake''s fiery nature.


    Upon entering the vicinity of the Embercliff Caverns, Xu Feng was instantly inflicted by the hostile environment, causing his attributes and health points to decrease.


    "It''s a good thing I have these saved up," He smiled bitterly, retrieved a Fire Resistance Potion, and consumed it.


    Shortly after, his attributes returned to normal, having resisted the hostile environment temporarily.


    Healing himself to the max, Xu Feng began to inspect the terrain.


    After walking past the caverns, there were numerous cliffs, some high and some low, but Xu Feng knew those Pyrite Drakes preferred high-altitude ground.


    As he raised his head up and nced at the high cliff, he sighed. ''Luckily I''m a baptized yer, so it''s doable.''

 Chapter 125: Climbing

    Stretching his body, Xu Feng made sure he was prepared to climb on those high cliffs.


    Although he wouldn''t actually die, the fall damage and feeling of free-falling was definitely not something he wanted to enjoy.


    "It''s times like this when I miss the flying mounts." Xu Feng sighed deeply, feeling very regrettable that the flying mounts wouldn''t be avable yet.


    Flying mounts are so rare and worse of all, they are incredibly hard to tame.


    Without even advancing into Tier 4 or above, it was a pipe dream to think about getting close to them.


    Instead of thinking about the near future, Xu Feng rubbed his hands and breathed deeply.


    He approached the cliff, scanning the jagged rocks and ledges for a good starting point. The sheer face of the cliff towered above him, its surface dotted with patches of moss and small outcroppings.


    ''How long has it been since I''ve done some climbing?'' Xu Feng wondered silently.


    With one final, calming breath, he grasped the first handhold and began his ascent, muscles tensing as he pulled himself upwards. As he ascended further, Xu Feng was d that there weren''t any windsing in his direction.


    If winds were toe in his direction, then it would have been troublesome for him to continue climbing.


    Ignoring all other distractions, he continued to grip the cracks and stepped on small ledges, moving slowly and steadily. He could feel the strain in his muscles, but it was a familiar and almostforting sensation.


    As he ascended higher, the valley floor beneath him seemed like it was shrinking. Of course, it wasn''t actually shrinking, but it was a perception change due to his new height angle.


    Time slowly passed by, and asionally, Xu Feng would pause to assess his progress and choose the next segment of his path. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand while tightening his grip with his other hand,


    Finally, after careful maneuvering, Xu Feng managed to reach the top of the cliff, feeling overly exhausted.


    Without hesitation, he opened his inventory and started to open some liquid drinks to hydrate himself.


    A few gulped off the drink, and Xu Feng felt reinvigorated. "Haa, the game''s realistic element is really a pain sometimes."


    It wasn''t a lie when people imed Virtual Reality games are very immersive. Imagine getting thirsty after a strenuous action in a game.


    Taking a little while to cool down, Xu Feng nced left and right, trying to spot the habitat of the Pyrite Drakes.


    He walked forward, squinted his eyes, and finally spotted some nest-like structures ahead. The nests were nestled among jagged rocks, glinting with the pyrite that made them almost blend into the surrounding cliffs.


    The air was warmer here, tinged with the faint scent of sulfur and the distant glow of molten streams indicating the proximity of Embercliff Caverns.


    "Found ''em," Xu Feng grinned maliciously once he noticed the nests were empty. "It seems like I didn''t miscalcte the time."


    The time it took him to climb was a bit scary, but at the very least, he made it here before their return.


    Although the nests were empty, it didn''t mean the Pyrite Drakes were gone. In fact, it merely meant that they had all gone out to hunt for food.


    And this was precisely the interval of time that Xu Feng sought for. After all, it allowed him toy traps in advance and not have to confront them directly without any preparations.


    As skilled as he may be, it was a ridiculous dream to think he could fight multiple Pyrite Drakes at once with his current level and attributes.


    Rubbing his hands together, Xu Feng walked closer to one of the nests as he began to inspect the materials.


    Without hesitation, he swiftly and smoothly stored all the pyrites on the nest itself. Once he was finished with one, he would proceed to move onward.


    ''Jackpot!'' he eximed inwardly in joy when the pyrites were way more than he had anticipated.


    Indeed, to be the first person to arrive on the cliff naturally had its benefits. All the pyrite here was untouched by others, and its purity is extremely high.


    ''I''ll keep all the high-purity ones for myself, and save some for Fiona. As for the rest of the trash purity ones, I can sell them all at an expensive price. Fat sheep are ready to be butchered again.'' Xu Feng began to calcte his business n yet again.


    This time, the return value would be even higher than the Fire Resistance Potions.


    After all, potions are consumable, but crafting or forging materials?


    That was a whole different story!


    To get quality weapons, aside from needing tremendous luck when killing a boss for the drop, the only other method was to gather good materials and request a cksmith to forge them for you, albeit at a high cost.


    Sometimeter, the harvesting of the pyrite material wasplete, and Xu Feng was more energized than ever.


    It was a good thing he didn''t bring Zhao Kai here, given that the Pyrite Drake monster was merely a mascot. To summarize, the pyrite materials required from Fiona could be found in the nest, so they could totally avoid the monster, but that was not enough for him.


    Since he was going to be tasked toe here to gather materials, then he shall maximize the profit. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself, especially with how much effort he exuded in climbing.


    As Xu Feng raised his chin up, and nced at the sky, his eyes narrowed.


    ''I should have about 2-3 hours left before these Pyrite Drakes return to the nest.''


    Despite having the time frame in mind, Xu Feng decided to limit it to an hour and a half, forcing himself toplete the task ahead of schedule.


    Smiling sadistically, Xu Feng retrieved four types of herbs obtained from the Miracle Herb Garden, Drakebane Root, Frostpetal Blossom, Aetherleaf, and Sulfurvine.


    "It''s time for these herbs to be put into use."

 Chapter 126: Synthesize

    Havingid out the four types of herbs, Xu Feng subsequently retrieved the necessary equipment for the synthesis.


    "Once again, I thank Herbalist Elias for the equipment." Xu Feng sped his hands and thanked him silently.


    It was definitely not equipment he had taken without permission or anything.


    He merely borrowed it temporarily and would return it sooner orter.


    Hence, he was not a thief, but merely someone who knew how to put things to good use instead of letting them rust or rot in ce.


    Sometimeter, once the arrangement of equipment waspleted, Xu Feng picked up the Drakebane Root.


    This was a rare herb with potent corrosive properties, and based on the herb name itself, it was quite obvious that its effectiveness against Pyrite Drake was great.


    Holding the Drakebane Root, Xu Feng pulled one of the equipment closer: Arcane Pulverization Matrix.


    The Arcane Pulverization Matrix was an advanced magical device thatbined ancient runes and modern enchantment techniques to pulverize even the toughest materials into an ultra-fine powder.


    It was designed specifically for herbologists and alchemists.


    To be more specific, this device harnessed the power of arcane formations to achieve precise and efficient grinding.


    Such equipment would cost yers a fortune to purchase, but Xu Feng got it for cheap, albeit through some crook manner.


    However, everything was worth it, given its main features were Runic Grinding Circle and Adjustable Formation Array


    Runic Grinding Circle was a series of intricately carved runes that created a powerful grinding force when activated, capable of pulverizing any material ced within its boundary.


    As for the Adjustable Formation Array, it allowed the user to configure the formation for varying levels of fineness, ensuring precise control over the resulting powder consistency.


    Xu Feng carefully adjusted the formation array to his desired result and ced the Drakebone Root in the center of the Runic Grinding Circle.


    With a simple click on the button to start the process, a series of slicing and crushing sounds were made.


    Sometimeter, the Drakebone Root waspletely crushed into fine powder.


    ''As expected of the Arcane Pulverization Matrix. I will treasure it dearly.'' Satisfied, Xu Feng ced the freshly grinded powder aside and began working on the other three herbs.


    For the Frostpetal Blossom, Xu Feng made sure to buff himself first before extracting the petals and grinding them to release the cooling essence.


    Despite the buffing, Xu Feng asionally took damage from the intense chill that nearly gave him a frostbite effect.


    The herb itself when left alone was safe to hold, but once you attempt to extract its essence, that was when the true danger revealed itself. If it were any inexperienced herbalists working on this, then they might have already killed themselves without realizing it.


    "Looks like I''m still rusty." He mumbled softly, grabbing the Aetherleaf herb, collecting its leaves, and proceeding to use the equipment once again to crush them after some adjustment.


    Unlike the Drakebone Root herb, Xu Feng merely wanted to extract its binding sap and not crush it into powder.


    Once the extraction waspleted, Xu Feng began to harvest the vines and extract the sulfuric sap from the Sulfurvine herb. This herb was quite tricky, given its shape and form.


    Nevertheless, it was still an easy task for him as he slowly got used to it and extracted quite a bit. "I really miss those old games where you can just click a few buttons and the synthesize would be processed automatically." Taking a mini-break, Xu Feng stretched his hands as he finally advanced to the synthesis process now that the preparation of ingredients was done.


    A few secondster, Xu Feng closed his eyes and sped his hands together, interlocking his fingers as he prayed softly.


    "I don''t believe in god or anything, but please letdy luck be on my side. Have the synthesis process at least be sessful at 80%. These herbs are he expensive."


    His prayers were filled with sincerity, given the failure would dampen his wallet and potential ie.


    Once the praying was done, Xu Feng took a deep breath andbined the crushed Drakeboont Root powder with the sulfuric sap extracted from the Sulfurvine in a mortar, mixing them thoroughly to form a corrosive paste.


    As the corrosive paste began to take shape, Xu Feng slowly added the Frostpetal Blossom essence to the paste, ensuring it was evenly distributed to create a bnced mixture of corrosive and cooling properties.


    "The final step¡­" Beads of sweat trickled down Xu Feng''s forehead as he introduced the Aetherleaf sap into the mixture, stirring continuously to bind allponents together into a cohesive, potent serum.


    Just when the stirring was about to bepleted, the mixture suddenly exploded, and Xu Feng''s face was instantly covered with ck smoke.


    "Cough Cough Cough¡­"


    Having breathed in the ck smoke, Xu Feng coughed multiple times as he waved his hands, trying to dissipate the smoke.


    However, he wasn''t saddened by the explosion or having received a lot of damage.


    Instead, he was saddened by the mixture explosion which emphasized the synthesis was a failure.


    ncing at his hard work turning into a pile of smoke that slowly scattered in the air, Xu Feng sighed softly.


    Since the recipe was a new one, which essentially meant he was a Novice level in terms of Mastery Level.


    In other words, the chance of sess was 50%, but never did Xu Feng expect his luck to be so terrible to lose at his 50/50.


    "Why are others always lucky and winning their 50/50, but I always lose them?" Xu Feng cried aloud, feeling like the world was being unfair and harsh to him.


    What had he done wrong to lose every 50/50?


    Naturally, his earlier sess when creating the Fire Resistance Potions hadpletely crossed his thoughts, given he was just ranting like any normal person would be when losing 50/50.


    "Whatever, I don''t believe I will lose in every 50/50." Determined, Xu Feng retrieved another batch of processed herbs and began anew.

 Chapter 127: Elemental Disruption Elixir

    Boom!


    Kaboom!


    Kapow!


    Mini mixture explosions one after another, Xu Feng continuously failed on the final step of the synthesis.


    His face¡ª waspletely ck from being exposed to the ck smoke numerous times.


    Nevertheless, he didn''t care about his current appearance as Xu Feng refused to believe that not one of them would be sessful after numerous attempts.


    "Hmph, I want to see just how much more it can fail!" He snorted coldly, starting another round of synthesis.


    s, what followed after was another explosive, but this time, Xu Feng seemed to be ready and was able to throw the mixture away in time, saving him from another mini st to the face.


    As he threw away another failure batch, Xu Feng startedughing in a maniacally manner.


    "Fuck you and yourdy luck! This is why I refuse to rely on luck and work hard on everything with full preparation!" He cursed loudly, losing hisposure.


    No matter how calm and collected a person was, there would always be a limit to how much they could endure.


    And failing at least 20 times was nearing his limit!


    50% chance of sess yet all 20 attempts ended up in a puff of smoke, ruining all of his efforts and the process herbs being wasted.


    How could one not be frustrated by such a result?


    Thankfully, the ranting onlysted for a few minutes before Xu Feng returned to his usualposure.


    He retrieved some water and sshed it on his face, cleaning every nook and cranny thoroughly.


    Refreshened, Xu Feng clenched his fist and adjusted his sses, creating a sharp glint.


    "You would have thought if you believe I am just going to give up like this." He sneered coldly, mocking at the empty atmosphere around him.


    After mocking the empty atmosphere, Xu Feng quickly got to work and began the synthesis process again.


    Time slowly passed by, and he was at the stirring process again. Unlike previous times, Xu Feng didn''t recognize any rming signs.


    Despite this, he maintained a calmposure, his eyes staring intensely as theponents bound together into the cohesive and potent serum he was looking for.


    ''Onest stir¡­'' Xu Feng thought to himself, stirring it onest time before pouring the final mixture into a sturdy container, ensuring it was sealed properly to prevent leakage and to preserve its potency.


    "Sess!"


    He was instantly relieved once he sealed the container andpleted the synthesis.


    It was at this time that a system prompt appeared, simr to the previous time when hepleted the synthesis of the Fire Resistance Potion, albeit with some minor difference.


    System: Congrattions to Baron Lin Feng for being the first yer to synthesize an Elemental Disruption Elixir. Do you wish to announce your achievement in the local region?


    Just likest time, Xu Feng instantly rejected the suggestion in announcing his achievement to the local region.


    He had enough trouble at hand already, and announcing it would only bring more troubles.


    Only a fool would say yes to it!


    However, he was astonished by another prompt right after refusing to announce his achievement.


    System: Congrattions to Baron Lin Feng for his exceptional skills in herbology and setting a new standard in the realm of magical synthesis for other adventurers. You shall be rewarded with the Title: Master Alchemist!


    ''A title from the system?'' Xu Feng raised an eyebrow. ''When did the ckhearted system be so generous?''


    Dumbfounded, Xu Feng checked on the title that was awarded to him.


    Master Alchemist¨C grants a 10% increase in the effectiveness of all alchemical or synthesis creations. Increases reputation with NPC herbalists and alchemists across the Divine World.


    Dazed, Xu Feng waspletely stunned in ce when he read the ability of the title.


    What made it better was the fact that he could conceal having such a title from yers, and only the NPCs would recognize it.


    Additionally, titles are permanent and once obtained, it would be nigh impossible to have it removed.


    However, the most beneficial thing about titles was that it would be active no matter how many titles one yer had, and they could always deactivate it whenever they wanted to.


    Just when Xu Feng thought things couldn''t get any better after his terrible luck, the system prompt appeared again.


    System: Tomemorate Baron Lin Feng''s achievement and expanding the herbology influences, he shall be granted an Alchemist''s Gauntlets of Precision!


    "Hot damn!"


    Xu Feng stood up and eximed in shock, wondering if the system had gone insane. Taking a few quick breaths, Xu Feng began to inspect the gauntlet''s stats and attributes.


    ¡ª


    Alchemist''s Gauntlets of Precision


    Type: Equipment


    Level Requirement: 1


    Attributes:


    -Sess Rate Boost: Increases the sess rate ofplex syntheses by 15%.


    -Resource Efficiency: Reduces the amount of rare herbs required by 10%.


    -Durability: High durability, ensuring long-term use without degradation.


    Special Abilities:


    -Precision Crafting: Enhances the uracy of ingredient measurements, ensuring optimal oues.


    -Energy Conduction: Channels ambient magical energy to stabilize vtile reactions during synthesis.


    Description: These intricately crafted gauntlets are imbued with enchantments that enhance the wearer''s precision and efficiency in alchemical practices. Made from rare materials and enchanted by master alchemists, they are a symbol of excellence in the field of synthesis.


    Binding: Bound to Lin Feng. Unable to be dropped upon death.


    ¡ª


    Speechless, Xu Feng really didn''t know what else to say when he read the item''s description.


    No doubt about it, this gauntlet was the ideal equipment for anyone dabbling in alchemist or synthesis. Not only that, but the fact that the item was bound to him and unable to be dropped was the most insane aspect.


    Such godly equipment was permanently for him and even if he somehow died, no one else could get it because it was unable to be dropped.


    However, that wasn''t even the main aspect of the equipment.


    Others might miss it, but not for him.


    Adjusting his sses, Xu Feng started grinning in a menacing manner.


    "Unable to be dropped, but it never said it''s unable to be traded or rented. Hehehe, system, you might have tortured me with the RNG earlier, but you made it all up with this reward."

 Chapter 128: Gauntlets of Precision

    Afterughing tyrannically for some moments, Xu Feng quickly calmed himself as he still needed to synthesize even more Elemental Disruption Elixir.


    "Phew, let''s not lose our main objective now." He reminded himself, raised his head, and nced at the sky.


    With his eyes squinted, he determined that there was still some time left until the Pyrite Drakes would return to the nest.


    Thus, he needed to make use of these times and not be lost in the sudden reward granted by the system.


    Although this could be somewhat described as him being fed with a silver spoon, only Xu Feng knew it happened mainly because of his achievement.


    Had he remainedzy and given up early, then the achievement wouldn''t have been obtained, prompting him to lose not only the gauntlet but the title as well.


    Hence, at the end of the day, it was due to his dedication and relentless attempts to advance forward that got him here.


    The system was getting unpredictable, and Xu Feng felt like he was being treated like ab rat in the typical carrot and stick method.


    ''Whatever the system is trying to do, I will dly tackle any challenges. As if I will let my goal be hindered by some system.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng wore the Alchemist''s Gauntlets of Precision and proceeded to synthesize more Elemental Disruption Elixir.


    Thanks to the equipment, Xu Feng realized his previous herbs distribution was somewhat incorrect by a small margin.


    Although it was only a small margin, such an error could easily result in failure, with the previous result as a clear demonstration.


    Despite knowing his mistake, Xu Feng wasn''t disheartened by it since making such small errors was understandable and it was hard to spot or notice them most of the time.


    Without the gauntlets boosting his expertise, what he did could be considered the best possible oue.


    "If I had this item earlier, then I wouldn''t have failed 20 consecutive times. But oh well, it was well worth the price in the end." Xu Feng mumbled, not a bit grudgeful about receiving the equipment now.


    Others might have begun toin and remain ungrateful for the reward after pondering why the system couldn''t reward them earlier, but Xu Feng was quite the optimistic type.


    Even if he knew there would be no title or gauntlet in return for his efforts and failures, he would still continue his attempts. After all, nothing could be better than practical hard work.


    ''People alwaysin about their tough life, but never actually do anything to improve, especially those rich 3rd generation young masters. A bunch of wastrels who only rely on their father or grandfather or great grandfather.'' Xu Feng scoffed silently.


    He despised these types of people the most.


    What gave them the right to act so haughtily when the only great thing they had was being born into a good family?


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng realized he was once again being distracted by those vile people. The time was not ripe yet, and there were still many things he needed to prepare before he could go against those top conglomerates.


    With that in mind, Xu Feng resumed his synthesis and found immense sess thanks to the Gauntlets effect.


    In less than 30 minutes, he already managed to gain 58 Elemental Disruption Elixir, with only 13 failures. Not only that, his Mastery Level had increased from Novice to Apprentice, increasing his sess rate further to 75%.


    After all, an Apprentice sess rate was 60%, but due to the Gauntlets'' attributes, it increased by an additional 15%, totaling 75%.


    Satisfied, Xu Feng truly loved this new equipment, but he didn''t allow it to cloud his judgment and priority.


    ''Time is running out,'' he thought to himself, noticing the sky was turning dim.


    Holding the Elemental Disruption Elixir, Xu Feng proceeded to apply them to three different categories: Coated Weapon, Aerosol Dispersal, and Explosive Pods.


    Naturally, the coated weapon was for his beginner staff weapon, in which he would coat them with the elixir.


    This was the easy category, but the Aerosol Dispersal required a few more technical stuff. Thankfully, one of the equipment Xu Feng had borrowed from Herbalist Elias was an aerosol sprayer, which allowed him to use it to disperse the concoction in a fine mist.


    cing the elixir on the sprayer, Xu Feng shook it a bit before spraying them everywhere, covering the nests and ground to ensure the Pyrite Drakes would inhale ande into contact with the serum upon their return.


    Time slowly passed by, and Xu Feng finished making a round trip on the cliff.


    "That should be enough to cover." He mumbled, leaving out only a few spots that most likely won''t have any Pyrite Drakes going there.


    With the fine mist now shrouding the entire cliff, these Pyrite Drakes were definitely done for.


    However, Xu Feng knew it would be too easy if that was the case.


    As if one simple elixir was going to be enough to take any of them down.


    These elixirs were only meant to weaken them severely, incapacitating them from being able to produce most of their abilities or perform greatbat skills.


    "Phew, now I just need to make a few explosive pods as a throwable item." Xu Feng wiped the sweat off his forehead as he began to fill the small, throwable pods with the concoction.


    At the same time, he engraved a simple rune on it.


    The rune was fairly simple as it only served to act as the activation process. Think of a grenade and having its safety pin pulled out. That was how the rune was designed to be.


    Only 16 explosive pods were made, given the sprayer took most of the elixir in creating an advantageous environment for him to battle.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng was satisfied with the amount as he hid himself using the nest material in a corner.


    Right as he concealed himself, multiple shrieks of cries echoed through the sky.


    ''They''re finally here!'' Xu Feng clenched his fist, ready to confront them.

 Chapter 129: Pyrite Drakes

    From the sky, a group of Pyrite Drakes descended, theirrge, metallic wings catching the dim sunlight and casting shimmering reflections across the valley.


    The drakes glided down with remarkable grace, their bodies covered in glistening, pyrite-like scales that sparkled like gold.


    Each wing movement created a soft, metallic hum, adding to their imposing presence.


    As they approached the nest, the drakes spread their wings wide to slow their descent,nding with a heavy thud that shook the ground slightly. Their sharp, piercing eyes scanned the surroundings, ever vignt for any sign of threat.


    Hidden in the corner, and covered by some twigs, Xu Feng spied on them.


    ''Good thing I hid fast and sprayed myself some elixir as well.'' he thought to himself.


    Aside from the Pyrite Drakes'' perceptions, their nose of sniffing intruders was high as well.


    Without the elixir masking his presence, he would have been discovered by these ferocious drakes already.


    The elixir was effective against these drakes because they were unable to detect its presence, meaning these drakes were unaware of the danger they had been exposed to.


    As they remained ignorant of Xu Feng''s devious tactic, the drakes began to settle into their nest, making themselvesfortable after a long day out from hunting.


    They preened their scales, using their ws to remove debris and dirt, ensuring their natural armor remained in pristine condition.


    asionally, they snapped at each other, establishing their pecking order with swift bites and intimidating growls.


    It was clear that these were the younglings of the drakes, enjoying their ytime.


    ''Yes, keep fooling around and absorb more of the elixirs.'' Xu Feng waited in anticipation. He was perfectly still, bing one with nature to avoid being found.


    The effect of the elixir would take a while before these drakes realized what was going on. Thus, all Xu Feng needed to do now was wait until he saw the signs of them weakening and acting wildly.


    Minutes passed as the drakes continued their routines, oblivious to the unseen threat. Xu Feng''s eyes remained fixed on the creatures, noting every detail.


    He watched as one of the drakes, slightlyrger than the rest, seemed to take on a leading role, directing the others with authoritative gestures and asional roars.


    ''This drake should be the alpha of the pack. If I take him down first, then disrupting the morale and teamwork of these drakes would be an easy cake.'' He deduced silently.


    As always, in any type of battle, if one took down the opposing team leader ormander, the rest of the people''s morale would decrease tremendously.


    Those who disagree with such statements are probably the people who constantly lose their battles or just straight up don''t use their brain cells.


    Sometimeter, the alpha drake suddenly began to show signs of difort.


    It shook its head and pped its wings erratically, almost as if trying to shake off an invisible irritant.


    ''Heh, serve you right for being the biggest.'' Xu Feng snickered inwardly the moment he witnessed the scene. Given the alpha drake was the biggest, its capability to absorb the elixir was naturally faster than any other drake in the area.


    Thus, this alpha drake would be the first to notice any signs of difort surrounding its body.


    Gradually, the other drakes also started to exhibit unusual behaviors. They were stumbling as they walked, their movements bing sluggish, and asionally letting out confused, pained cries.


    ''As expected of me, the elixir is working,'' Xu Feng thought, suppressing a grin. He tightened his grip on the staff, readying himself for the right moment to strike.


    Most of the drakes now were visibly weakened. Their once majestic and fluid motions were now awkward and clumsy. The alpha drake, in particr, seemed to be struggling the most, its powerful body betraying signs of internal turmoil.


    As the drakes'' distress grew, they began to turn on each other, snapping and wing in confusion. The once peaceful nest turned into a scene of chaos.


    Waiting patiently in his hiding spot, Xu Feng held the explosive pods with his other hand, his gaze locking on the most distressed ones, the alpha drake.


    The alpha drake continued to stumble, and right when its wings were unproportional, he took this opportunity.


    Without even speaking a word, Xu Feng hurled the explosive pods directly at its leg.


    Startled, the alpha drake couldn''t evenprehend the situation yet as its gaze locked onto the explosive pods. It was confused by this tiny object, but in the very next seconds, an explosion urred.


    The Drakebone Root and Sulfurivineponents in the explosion reacted intensely with the touch, scale-like surfaces of the Pyrite Drake, corroding and weakening its structural integrity.


    Additionally, the thermal disruption from the Frostpetal Blossom created an intense coldness, destabilizing the drake''s thermal regtion and reducing itsbat effectiveness.


    The alpha drake shrieked in agony as it crashed on the ground, unable to move its legs that were corroded intensively by the explosive pods.


    Other drakes finally took notice of their alpha being targeted and tried to assist him.


    However, it was still a little bit toote, given Xu Feng had already arrived in front of the alpha drake, and with a cold expression, he stabbed its eye with his staff, coated with the elixir.


    "RAWRRRRRRRR!" The alpha drake roared in agony while it attempted to p its wings fiercely to blow Xu Feng away.


    The force of the wingbeats buffeted Xu Feng, but he held his ground, gripping the staff tightly that was still attached to its eye. The drake''s iling only caused more damage to its already weakened body.


    Not to mention, the corrosive and freezing effects of the elixir were rapidly taking their toll, rendering the drake''s attempts to defend itself futile.


    Seeing their alpha drake''s in such distress, the other drakes were infuriated but also frightened by the scene. They were unsure of what to do, given that everything happened too fast.


    And it was precisely this moment of their daze that Xu Feng took advantage of.


    "Apologies, but this is nothing personal." Xu Feng muttered, hurling multiple more explosive pods at the other drakes and the alpha drake itself.

 Chapter 130: Hunted

    When Xu Feng took the opportunity to hurl multiple explosive pods at the confused and enraged drakes. The pods exploded on impact, spreading more of the corrosive mixture across their already corroded scales.


    If words could describe the current situation of the Pyrite Drakes, it would be no different than having an open wound sprinkled with numerous salts.


    The drakes could only shriek and stumble as they attempted to get rid of the pain, forgetting about their alpha drake.


    The scene on the cliff was chaotic, with numerous drakes ascending to the sky, hoping to shake off whatever it was harming them.


    Some younger drakes were incapacitated, unable to move a muscle as the pain was too intense for them to endure.


    The alpha drake, still with his eye being pierced by Xu Feng''s staff, watched in sorrow regarding his younglings'' suffering. It tried to roar as a way tomunicate to them that everything was going to be fine, but its current appearance betrayed him.


    The bleeding of his eye, followed by Xu Feng''s merciless barrage of attack and explosive pods on its critical flesh points was too much for him.


    In a moment of desperation, the alpha drake attempted to rise, its massive wings pping weakly as it struggled to stand.


    "Not a chance!" Xu Feng sneered as he cast Sacred Fire on its wings. The fire was like an amplifier on its corroded wings, forcing the alpha drake to whimper and crash down.


    Following that was another round of harsh beating, with its critical flesh points repeatedly being struck by Xu Feng.


    The damage was minimal at first, but with Xu Feng''s precision in not missing a critical flesh point, the damage amplified to an innumerable degree.


    The once proud and fierce creature now looked broken, its strength waning with each passing second. As it watched the younger drakes suffer, the alpha drake let out a mournful, guttural cry.


    It wasn''t just a roar of pain, but one of deep sorrow and regret.


    The drake''s eyes, though blinded and bloodied, seemed to be pleading for mercy, not for itself, but for the others.


    It lowered its head, a gesture of submission and despair as if epting its fate and hoping that its sacrifice would spare the rest.


    Seeing its actions, Xu Feng paused for a bit. He could see the raw emotion in the drake''s action, the desperate attempts to shield its kin, and the sorrowful cries for their safety.


    Unfortunately, Xu Feng knew fairly well that being hesitant now was aughable matter. "You can hate me, but this is just a life cycle. You hunt to feed your kin, and now you are merely the one being hunted."


    With a final resolute breath, Xu Feng tightened the grip on his staff and delivered the finishing blow.


    The alpha drake''s body went limp, copsing with a heavy thud.


    Its wings, once symbols of its might,y sprawled and lifeless on the ground.


    The remaining drakes, watching their leader''s demise, let out heart-wrenching cries, a mournful chorus echoing through the valley.


    Some of the adult drakes were more understanding and were decisive in trying to fly up to the sky to flee along with some younger drakes.


    s, their actions couldn''t escape the keen perspective of Xu Feng.


    "Not so fast!" He scoffed and cast Sacred Fire on the wings of those attempting to flee.


    "I didn''t waste that much time in synthesizing just for you all to escape."


    mes erupted in the sky, engulfing the drakes'' wings and rendering their flight impossible. The sacred fire consumed their ability to flee, forcing them back to the ground in a desperate struggle.


    The smell of burnt scales and the sight of the drakes writhing in pain only fueled Xu Feng''s determination.


    Sometimeter, the drakes finally understood one thing. Escape was an impossible task. The only way to survive was to kill the intruder.


    Thus, despite the excruciating pain of their scales from being corroded bit by bit, they began to sh their ws, mustering their every strength as they red fiercely at Xu Feng.


    Their eyes, filled with a mix of rage and desperation, locked onto him, the single source of their agony and the demise of their leader.


    "Yes, now you are showing me the proper reaction of a predator." Xu Feng adjusted his sses and stood his ground, unwavering as the drakes closed in.


    He could see their resolve from the fierce determination in their eyes. These were creatures fighting for their survival, driven by a primal instinct to protect their kind.


    An eerie silence urred in this inevitable sh. With both sides ready to fight, the drakes made their first move.


    Enduring and withstanding the pain of the corrosion eating them alive, they lunged forward, their ws extended and jaws snapping.


    ''Predictable!'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly as he smoothly took a few steps, avoided the assault, and readied his staff.


    With a hard swing, Xu Feng struck at the chin of the drake and used it to propel himself backward, creating a good distance between them.


    However, the distance was quickly closed by the drakes, who seemed to be in aplete frenzy. With a p of their wings, some forced themselves to take the aerial sky for the high ground.


    When Xu Feng attempted to cast Sacred Fire to shoot them down from the sky, another drake lunged itself forward, forcing him to use his staff to defend against the frontal sh.


    The disparity between their strengths was evident, given Xu Feng had to retreat 5 steps before stabilizing himself.


    "Tsk, as expected. This isn''t going to be easy." He clicked his tongue but was not frustrated by the oue. If it had been easy to exterminate these drakes on the cliff, then he wouldn''t have made so many preparations beforehand.


    "I supposed this can be considered round 2, right?" Xu Feng murmured, casting Blessing Valor and Blessed Protection on himself.


    Who said a healer can''t do closebat?


    Today, he would let these drakes know that getting close to him was a mistake!

 Chapter 131: Close Combat

    Xu Feng remained unwavering by the group of ferocious, weakened drakes before him. Rather than scared, he was quite excited and eager to test his limit in fighting these drakes.


    Since the start of logging in, he was mostly scheming behind the scenes, manipting the market, andmanding in the backline. There were rarely any chances for him to actually showcase hisbat experience.


    And situated at the top of this cliff, only he and the drakes were present. Xu Feng could go all-out without having to worry about exposing his capability.


    Even if some drakes were to escape, could they possibly ry the information to other yers?


    Not to mention, Xu Feng didn''t n on letting any one of the drakes present here escape.


    Stretching his neck, he gazed at the now alerted drakes, who were previously ferocious and wanted to attack him without regard to their injuries.


    The protective aura of Blessed Protection shimmered around him, enhancing his defenses. Added with the Blessing Valor, his strikes would carry greater power and precision.


    Hence, the predator drakes instantaneously sensed the change in his demeanor and the sudden surge of aura. They hesitated for a brief moment, their primal instincts warning them of the danger ahead.


    "What a pity!" Xu Feng smiled bitterly at the behavior of these drakes.


    "Since you won''te and attack me, then allow me to make the first move again." He added, seizing the initiative.


    With a swift and fluid motion, he advanced towards the nearest drake.


    He gripped his staff tightly as he struck with a series of precise blows that targeted the critical flesh points. Each hit was apanied by a burst of holy light, further amplifying the damage.


    The drake roared in pain, its eyes shing with a mix of fury and fear. In retaliation and a desperate attempt to defend itself, the drake swung its tail, hoping to knock Xu Feng off bnce.


    s, the drake was too severely weakened. Added to the fact that Xu Feng had anticipated the move, he was able to duck under the sweeping appendage in time to dodge the tail.


    Following that, Xu Feng delivered a powerful thrust to its underbelly.


    "RAWRRR!" The drake shrieked in agony and copsed to the ground, wrapping its legs tightly in the hope of lessening the pain.


    ''Seems like my damage is still not enough.'' Xu Feng knitted his brows, a bit dissatisfied with his damage output. If it weren''t for the debuff preventing him from getting stronger, the drake should have died after that powerful thrust.


    "Whatever, I just treat it as a prolonged exercise then." He murmured, taking a few steps back. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to continue to strike at the near-death drake. He simply couldn''t, given its reinforcement was ready to deflect him.


    After all, the previous sh might have seemed long, but it actually happened in a short 5 seconds.


    ''Those drakes in the sky are really quite troublesome.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    Above, the drakes in the sky circled around, seeking an opportunity to try and initiate a dive-bomb on him without hitting their kin. Their flying were somewhat rigid, but they were able to remain afloat, posing quite the danger.


    Thus, due to their presence in the sky, Xu Feng needed to keep a wary eye on them, forcing him to be slightly distracted from the drakes at ground level.


    Those in the sky would ready their aerial assault the moment he slipped up, so Xu Feng needed to maintain hisposure and distance at every second.


    Just when he was pondering on the next steps, one of therger drakes, more aggressive than the others, dove straight at him, its jaws wide open to snap him in half.


    Xu Feng narrowed his eyes, and waited until thest possible second moment before sidestepping and mming his staff into its nk, sending it crashing into the ground.


    However, he still received significant damage from the crash impact and was slightly unbnced due to the weight of therger drake.


    The remaining drakes took notice of Xu Feng''s unbnce as an opportunity.


    Without bothering to coordinate, they all dashed forward, seemingly believing this was their only chance to get rid of the intruder.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng''s mouth slowly curled upward, creating a grin.


    "How gullible are these drakes to fall for it?" He muttered, his gazes locking on the aggressive bunch of drakes.


    As all the drakes closed in on their distance, Xu Feng extended his hand and cast Blinding Strike.


    A radiant sh of light erupted from his palm, engulfing the area in a blinding brilliance.


    The drakes screeched in confusion, their vision overwhelmed by the sudden burst of light. As they faltered and closed their eyes from the radiant sh, Xu Feng seized their moment of disarray.


    He advanced with lightning speed, striking at the critical flesh points of the nearest drakes, before moving on to the next drake. Each blownded with precision.


    Exploiting their temporary blindness and inability to differentiate between ally and enemy, Xu Feng danced between them, his staff a blur of motion as he swung them with full force.


    The drakes, disorientated, and unable to see, iled wildly in an attempt to hit Xu Feng, their ws shed through the empty air and their fellow drakes.


    Amidst the chaos, he remained focused and vicious in his attack.


    One by one, the weaker drakes sumb to their demise.


    ''Sigh, if only Kai is here to shoot them down.'' Xu Feng was dissatisfied with his speed at killing. Although he was in the upper hand currently, there were still too many drakes alive, and his utilities were running out.


    As much as Xu Feng wished to brag that the drakes had been outwitted by him, they weren''t that foolish to fall for the same trick twice.


    Hence, they would be prepared for him if he were to cast Blinding Strike or throw another explosive pod.


    The Blinding Strike effect soon began to fade, and Xu Feng promptly retreated to a safe spot before they regained their sights. "That''s enough closebat for today."

 Chapter 132: Bountiful Return

    Knowing that if the battle were to be prolonged any further, Xu Feng managed to snatch the corpses of the drakes into his inventory before the blinding duration faded.


    By the time the drakes regained their vision, he had already glided down from the cliff, using one of the wings of the drake''s corpse.


    He exited in a swagger manner after the chaos he had caused.


    ''It''s a pity, but having killed quite a few was enough.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.


    Although it was a shame to leave without killing more after using so many resources, he was content with the bountiful return.


    The habitat of the drakes on this cliff could be considered crippled already. Not to mention, their pyrites and alpha drake were in by him.


    "They are no longer a threat." He turned around, nced at the high cliff, and muttered softly.


    Meanwhile, on the cliff, the drakes who finally regained their vision roared in agony and fury when they realized the intruder had escaped.


    Their cries echoed through the valley, a chorus of pain and frustration.


    They circled the area, searching for any sign of the intruder who had wrought such devastation but found nothing. The alpha drake''s body was gone, along with other dead drakes.


    Their leader was dead, their numbers decimated, and their once-imprable home was now vulnerable. The younglings, confused and frightened, huddled together, their usual yfulness reced by anxiety and uncertainty.


    As for the remaining adult drakes, they were driven by a mix of rage and grief. Some of them attempted to organize themselves, but the loss of their alpha had thrown them into disarray.


    During the disarray, one drake, slightly in better condition than the rest, pped its wings and roared loudly, causing the rest of the drakes to stay silent.


    What followed was another series of roars, and the drakes lowered their legs, seemingly kneeling to the new alpha leader of the pack.


    While the drakes slowly reorganized themselves and started to tend to their wounds and weakened scales from the corrosiveness, Xu Feng was dashing out of the Embercliff Caverns.


    He wasn''t afraid of the drakes chasing after him, given the damage he had dealt to them. Instead, he was afraid of other nearby drakes on other cliffs.


    After all, there were numerous cliffs in the area, and most of them naturally had multiple drakes habituating. With themotion they created, there was definitely going to be an in-fighting among the drakes to consume another pack.


    Therefore, Xu Feng needed to exit the area before he got embroiled in arge internal fight.


    It was only when he had officially left the Embercliff Caverns region did Xu Feng rxed a bit.


    "Haaa, that was definitely the most action I have done in a while." Xu Feng panted heavily and retrieved a few liquid drinks to consume and rehydrate himself.


    His actions today might be deemed immoral or dishonorable by some who might feel pity and sympathy for the drakes. After all, the drakes didn''t offend or provoke him in any way, but that was just incorrect thinking.


    Just like how the drakes went hunting for food, Xu Feng was merely doing the same thing, albeit with a different cause. Nevertheless, the food that the drakes hunt was innocent as well, but didn''t they sumb to their death?


    At the end of the day, this was just how the vicious cycle was in the wild. Not to mention, many yers were here as well, actively seeking and killing monsters to level up.


    The only difference was that the ones Xu Feng attacked had some form of intelligence and emotional aspect.


    ''Time to return.'' He nced at the sky and thought. This one adventure was a bountiful return and he managed to gain a lot of valuable drake corpses, especially the alpha leader.


    Pity, regret, and sympathy were feelings for the weak. If you weren''t weak, then how could you feel those emotions?


    His naivety in the past had caused him to feel many of those emotions, but since life decided to give him a second chance. Xu Feng would condemn himself personally if he allowed himself to be in that kind of situation again.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng returned to the Ironwood Treant area, searching for Zhao Kai.


    To his amazement, he still heard multiple shootings, and unlike previous, the shots were consistent and in 3 seconds of interval.


    He walked a bit forward and saw Zhao Kai shooting at an Ironwood Treant.


    Shot after shot, Zhao Kai managed to hit a consecutive 12 critical flesh points before failing on the 13th. Arge improvement from his previous time.


    CLAP!


    CLAP!


    Xu Feng pped his hands softly upon seeing his drastic improvement and praised, "You really do have a talent for spotting those critical flesh points, Shadow de!"


    Even back in the past timeline, Xu Feng was amazed by Zhao Kai''s rapid improvement in the game as a Gunner. Hence, it was still a mystery for him to ponder why Zhao Kai would suddenly choose the Gun Knight ss in this timeline.


    "Tsk, are you reallyplimenting me?" Zhao Kai clicked his tongue, ced his Ironbolt Rifle on his back, and turned to him. "I can onlynd 12 hits before failing, but you managed to get to the 3 digits."


    "That''s impressive already." Xu Feng chuckled and shook his head.


    "You need to stopparing yourself to me. It''ll probably be impossible for you to ever catch up to my skills." He added, bragging quite a bit in front of him.


    Of course, he only bragged because it was Zhao Kai.


    Had it been any other folks, then Xu Feng would merely keep silent and conceal his ability.


    Naturally, Zhao Kai also understood this concept and knew that Xu Feng bragged on purpose to tilt him.


    "Hmph, just you wait, Feng! The day I surpass you is the day you will cower in front of me. You hear me?" Zhao Kai crossed his arms and sneered.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng smiled gently, "I shall await that impossible day then."

 Chapter 133: Perception Increased

    After some banter back and forth, Xu Feng recounted the events to Zhao Kai, albeit with a shorter version and detail.


    Instead of revealing the fact that he had in multiple drakes, Xu Feng merely revealed that he got lucky when he climbed up a cliff and gathered the necessary pyrite materials.


    During the ry of the event, Zhao Kai''s reaction was a mixture of shock and awe.


    "What the hell? You can climb in this world?" Zhao Kai eximed in astonishment.


    "Do you need like an actual climbing experience to do that? Fuck, should I sign up for a rock-climbing lesson to practice in advance then?" He asked, having multiple questions when he learned of Xu Feng''s deed.


    "You don''t really need to sign up for a lesson, but I suppose it''s not bad to do so." Xu Feng knitted his brows and responded.


    A few secondster though, Xu Feng shook his head and rejected the idea.


    "Actually¡ª there''s no need to sign up for those lessons because they wouldn''t know how to teach you properly."


    "Oh, and you know how to teach me~" Zhao Kai shed a smug smile and stared at Xu Feng.


    "Free of charge, right?"


    A deadpan expression instantly appeared on Xu Feng''s face, and without even needing an answer, Zhao Kai knew it by heart.


    "You are really one stingy man, Feng." Zhao Kai scoffed, finding him to be very unbelievable.


    However, Xu Feng shrugged his shoulders. "It''s not called being stingy, but being frugal and wise. Money doesn''t grow on trees, so I need to work very hard to make a living, especially for someone all alone."


    Speechless, Zhao Kai was unable to rebuke his statement, otherwise it would be seen as him being inconsiderate.


    Frustrated, he scratched his head and red at Xu Feng, "You always use that trick to retaliate when you''re in a tough spot. Can''t you use other tricks?"


    "A trick might be old, but as long as it''s effective, then that''s all it matters." Xu Feng grinned, not feeling any shame in using his pitiful background as leverage against Zhao Kai.


    Sure, his illegitimate status was pitiful, but at the very least, he got a great eldest sister to support him as opposed to his condition.


    "Anyway, we should head to the Shadow Wolves area and gather the final material." Xu Feng suddenly said.


    "You''ve been practicing a standstill monster all along, and now it''s time to upgrade it to live¡ªmoving monsters." He added, increasing the difficulty of his training.


    It was just a shame that Zhao Kai''s next words nearly caused Xu Feng to strangle him.


    "Um, Feng, about that. We still need to gather more Ironwood Treant Barks." Zhao Kai smiled sheepishly and exined, taking a few steps back.


    Stunned on the spot, Xu Feng took a deep breath and massaged his neck softly. "Speak, did you only focus on that Ironwood Treant to practice and not bothered in killing any others?"


    "Well, they''re tough to find and I didn''t feel like searching for a new one." Zhao Kai replied, retreating a few more steps.


    And he continued, "So instead of wasting time to search for another disguised monster, I just waited for one to slowly recover while using that time to ponder my mistake."


    Zhao Kai believed he was going to get scolded or bashed, but Xu Feng merely sighed and rubbed his temples.


    With an exhausted tone, Xu Feng subsequently questioned, "So how many Ironwood Treant Barks are we missing in total?"


    There wasn''t an immediate response, given Zhao Kai began counting with his fingers silently.


    When Xu Feng saw his counting reach five fingers before he restarted again, he was already ready for the bad news. At the same time, he realized it was a mistake to teach Zhao Kai early on.


    ''I should have told him about the critical flesh points after he gathered all the Ironwood Treant Barks.'' He med himself silently.


    Had he done this instead, then Zhao Kai would be the only one suffering, but the mission would have beenpleted.


    ''But if I think that way, then did I just curse myself for being weak?'' Stunned, Xu Feng decided to let it go and forgive Zhao Kai.


    Just earlier, he had thought that anyone who would feel pity, regret, and sympathy were weak people. Thus, how could he feel regretful about this matter?


    He facepalmed and eximed, "Alright, stop finger counting and just tell me how much we are missing. I''m not angry, okay."


    "A-Are you sure?"


    "Yes, but I will be angry if you continue to stall for time."


    Right as soon as Xu Feng said that, Zhao Kai stood up straight, fixed his posture, and revealed, "We are missing 23 Ironwood Treant Barks."


    "So you did finish counting a while ago." Xu Feng rolled his eyes, and raised his leg, seemingly trying to give him a kick.


    However, Zhao Kai was rather slick and had distanced himself already.


    "Ahem, you said you won''t be angry." He then shouted, warning Xu Feng to not go back on his word.


    "Yes, I said I won''t be angry. But I never said I wouldn''t kick you now, did I?" Xu Feng smiled gently.


    Upon seeing that disgusting friendly smile, Zhao Kai flinched for a bit, his spine felt a cold chill.


    ''Why am I even more afraid here than in real life?'' He wondered silently, unsure of why he felt so threatened by Xu Feng. It was just a great pity that his perception increased due to the training Xu Feng had given him which resulted in such a change.


    Previously, Zhao Kai was no different than the average yer in the Divine World, but with his perception heightened, he could now subtly detect Xu Feng was concealing a fearsome presence.


    After all, Xu Feng had been baptized in the Holy Sanctuary, and a baptized yer was naturally more dangerous than the average norms.


    ''At least this Kai didn''t waste my effort in the demonstration.'' Pleased, Xu Feng was satisfied that Zhao Kai could subtly sense his looming dangerpared to before.

 Chapter 134: Trainee Soldier

    Some time had passed by, and Zhao Kai was currently living a quite miserable life. Despite spending so many hours shooting earlier, he now had to shoot even harder than ever.


    "Feng, are you not even going to help me out a little bit?" Cried Zhao Kai, feeling numb on his fingers.


    Unlike the time when he was immersed in his training, Zhao Kai was now feeling the strain after taking a little mini break.


    His fingers were hurting every time he pulled the trigger, but what made it worse was that Xu Feng was inspecting him closely.


    "Have you ever seen a military trainer assist their trainee inbat?" Xu Feng snorted coldly in response. "Now hurry it up and kill the Ironwood Treant. If you dilly-dally any longer, then you can forget about eating any good food."


    "What? That''s not fair!" Zhao Kai nearly slumped to the ground, heartbroken by the cruelty.


    "Not fair eh? Shall I increase the objective or difficulty then?" Xu Feng questioned.


    Instantaneously, Zhao Kai resumed his focus and proceeded to shoot the Ironwood Treant.


    "No need, Feng. This is very fair and absolutely just!" He added, clearly very afraid Xu Feng would increase the difficulty as it was.


    Just a few minutes ago, they had a small battle to determine who would be in charge of gathering the Ironwood Treant Barks.


    And Zhao Kai, being as prideful and confident of his increased experience and aim, believed he had the upper hand. Additionally, they were going to distance themselves by 20 meters, giving him an even greater advantage.


    s, never once did Zhao Kai expect the result would be hisplete defeat.


    ''Just what kind of steroids did Feng take? How did he dodge all my shots and close the distance so fast?'' He cried inwardly, dumbfounded by the insane damage that Xu Feng had dealt to him.


    How could a Gun Knight ss possibly lose to a Cleric ss?


    "Are you being distracted again?" Xu Feng''s voice suddenly echoed, prompting Zhao Kai to flinch.


    "No, Sir!" He quickly shouted in response, immersing his role as a trainee soldier.


    "Then why am I not hearing much shooting!"


    "Sorry, Sir. Yes, Sir!"


    Soon after, Zhao Kai resumed his shooting, ignoring his numb fingers and disbelief of their battle oue.


    As he continued to fire, Xu Feng shook his head, finding his stance and absorbing the recoil dreadful.


    He facepalmed and realized why his fingers were numb so quickly or even sweat so much. ''I overestimated his ability in being able to adapt and figure out his mistake.''


    To be honest, Xu Feng doesn''t want to guide him too much, which could be detrimentalter on, given it might cause Zhao Kai to overly rely on him.


    Thus, he preferred to give brief minimalistic tips, and let Zhao Kai figure everything out on his own.


    That way, it would boost his confidence, and even allow him to think critically on his own without anyone''s assistance.


    However, it seemed like it was still rather early and Xu Feng still needed to guide him a bit more to fix his mistake. Otherwise, he feared that Zhao Kai might continue this mistake and make it a habit afterward.


    "Lend me the Ironbolt Rifle," Xu Feng suddenly said, extending his hand out.


    "Huh?" Confused, Zhao Kai paused his shooting momentarily, turned around, and nced at Xu Feng. "What do you need it for? No¡ª can you even equip it?"


    "..."


    Speechless, Xu Feng breathed softly and kindly reminded him, "Did you forget about the time you held some of the staff on my behalf in the storage room at Forgefire cksmith?"


    Zhao Kai''s mouth made a big "O" shape as he subtly recalled that time. As the realization hit him, Zhao Kai subsequently smiled somewhat embarrassingly and handed the Ironbolt Rifle to him.


    "But can you even use the gun though?" Zhao Kai questioned.


    He found it hard to believe a non-specific ss could equip and use weapons that are not specialized for them. After all, most video games have restrictions on weapons and what you can equip.


    Take a swordsman ss for example.


    Their weapon of avability should be catered around swords, and not guns or bows or even staff.


    However, to Zhao Kai''s astonishment, Xu Feng''s exnation nearly caused him to believe that game logic and mechanics are in a new era.


    "Any ss yer could use any weapon they want. The only difference is that theirpatibility with the weapon has decreased tremendously and they don''t receive any of the stats, attributes, or any type of buff the weapon supposedly offers."


    "I understand thest part, but thepatibility? Are you saying it''s going to be extremely difficult for them to even use weapons from other sses?"


    "That''s exactly my point." Xu Feng nodded. "Those without experience will be no different than a toddler trying to hold their utensil properly."


    "Wow, that''s quite a nice analogy." Impressed, Zhao Kai had topliment him for exining it really well.


    "Anyway, stop getting distracted and watch my stance." Xu Feng said, adjusted the rifle''s setting, and bent his right knee.


    "The stance is a crucial part. You have to keep your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend your knee to absorb the recoil." He instructed.


    Zhao Kai stared intensely at him, analyzing his stance and attempting to mimic it. "Is this correct, Feng?"


    "Bend your knee a little more back and keep your back straight."


    "Like this?"


    "Yes, now watch how I use the scope." Xu Feng said and began aiming at the Ironwood Treant.


    "Make sure to line up your shot with the crosshair and take a deep breath. Remember to hold it for a moment before you pull the trigger. This will help steady your aim and reduce any shaking."


    Right after Xu Feng exined the theory, he pulled the trigger and fired a shot.


    The bullet hit the Ironwood Treant with a loud thud, a clear indication that the damage was amplified, meaning it was shot at the critical flesh point.

 Chapter 135: Sponge

    Xu Feng''s uracy in the weapon that was not specialized for his ss astounded Zhao Kai.


    The reason was that not only did Xu Feng urately shoot at the critical flesh points, but he continuously did it repeatedly without pause.


    To top it off, Zhao Kai noticed the recoil was lessened tremendously, and Xu Feng barely moved much in between each interval of shots.


    ''W-Why did he choose a Cleric ss then?'' Zhao Kai was stunned on the spot,pletely speechless at Xu Feng''s capability and somewhat odd decision.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng effectively killed the Ironwood Treant after much effort.


    "Did you observe everything?" Xu Feng stood up, turned to him, and asked.


    "Uhh¨Cyes," Zhao Kai responded, albeitcking some confidence. If he were suddenly tasked to repeat his actions, then it would be over for him.


    Thankfully though, Xu Feng merely nodded his head, returned the Ironbolt Rifle to him and instructed, "Now go and practice a bit more on other Ironwood Treants."


    "Roger that!" Not even bothering toin or anything, Zhao Kai readily epted the job without hesitation.


    As Zhao Kai began his search for those monsters in disguise, Xu Feng discreetly shook his hand repeatedly. It was filled with redness, and he was forced to cast heal on himself to treat his numb hand.


    To use other weapons not specialized to his ss at his current stage was indeed too much.


    However, he wasn''t going toin since a live demonstration was way better than just instructing with verbal speech.


    ''Hopefully, you really learned something and don''t waste my effort, Kai.'' He eximed inwardly, gazing at Zhao Kai who was excited at finding a disguised monster.


    Exhausted, Xu Feng found a cozy spot to take a rest.


    He was definitely going to kick the heck out of Zhao Kai if he learned nothing and continued his terrible stance.


    Suddenly, Xu Feng recalled something and shouted loudly, "Remember to kill the Ironwood Treant this time! Don''t you dare let it recover slowly and not attempt to search for more!"


    "I got it, Feng!" Zhao Kai responded loudly in return, afraid that he wouldn''t be able to hear him from afar.


    Though the truth was, he was somewhat afraid of pissing him off when it was quite clear that Xu Feng''s expertise in the Divine World was extraordinary.


    ''I better not mess up.'' Zhao Kai hoped silently, mimicking Xu Feng''s stance from the earlier demonstration. Now that he was given a clear direction on how to properly shoot with the Ironbolt Rifle, it was actually getting difficult.


    Compared to when he wantonly shot in whatever stance he wanted, he now had to perfect his stance and correctly adjust his aiming angle as well. Thus, the process was naturally going to be harder than before.


    "Just how did Feng manage to do it if hispatibility with the weapon is trash?" Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as he wondered how Xu Feng aplished such a feat.


    Since Xu Feng was able to aplish such a feat, then it would have been an embarrassment for him to fail.


    ''My stance should be fine now.'' Zhao Kai thought to himself, keeping his back straight and leaning slightly forward. By doing this, his weight would be evenly distributed on both feet.


    As his stance remained steady after some time, Zhao Kai took deep breaths and focused on his aim. He aligned the front and rear sights of the rifle with the target, keeping both his eyes open to maintain peripheral awareness.


    Slowly, he ced the pad of his index finger on the trigger and applied steady pressure on the trigger. The key was to squeeze the trigger gently, not pull it abruptly, to avoid jerking and prevent misalignment.


    With all the preparation done, Zhao Kai''s eyes began analyzing the structure of the Ironwood Treant, searching for the critical flesh points.


    A few momentster, he found it and squeezed the trigger gently, firing a shot.


    BANG!


    A loud thudnded on the Ironwood Treant, and Zhao Kai made sure to lean slightly into the shot to allow his body to absorb the rifle''s recoil.


    ''It really worked!'' Surprised, Zhao Kai found himself more steady than previously when shooting consecutively.


    There were next to zero changes in his aim and position after following Xu Feng''s instructions.


    Unknowingly, he was able to remain focused on the change of the critical flesh points thanks to his new steady movement.


    Without hesitation, he began to fire at the new critical flesh points location, consistently shooting in between an interval of 7-9 seconds.


    ''This Kai is really like a sponge.'' Xu Feng chuckled from the sideline.


    Just by giving one demonstration, Zhao Kai was able to pick himself up and absorb all of his instructions in one go. To be able to disy results quite immediately, he could be considered quite a genius in terms of shooting.


    As Zhao Kai immersed himself in his newfound capability, Xu Feng began reading a new message from OneManMedia.


    OneManMedia: Lin Feng''s boss¡­ are you sure you won''t restrict my freedom if I join your uing guild?


    Anonymous User: Indeed, I don''t like to restrict the freedom of my subordinates. Additionally, you are free to continue your work whatsoever, under the condition that it does not harm the guild.


    OneManMedia: I still have to think about it, but can you allow me to interview the process of Guild Leader Gentle Wind recruitment?


    "..."


    Xu Feng twitched his brows a few times when he finished reading it. ''This OneManMedia sure has guts. He clearly is still unwilling but decided to message me for a favor.''


    As speechless as he was initially, Xu Feng had to give props to the man for being very gutsy. If one isn''t gutsy, then how could they aplish something big?


    Anonymous User: I take it as you owe me a favor if I assist you.


    OneManMedia: I-I understand¡­ as long as it''s not about me joining any organization or against my principles.


    Anonymous User: That''s quite ambitious of you. If I ask you to find some information for meter on or something else, but you say it''s against your principles. Then isn''t it a loss for me?


    "It''s fine to take advantage of me, but there''s a price to pay, little man." Xu Feng smirked, eager for thetter response.

 Chapter 136: Favor

    Going back 10 minutes ago, outside Riverwood Town, in a densely crowded forest. At a nearby corner, OneManMedia held a bittersweet smile as he nced at the agitated crowd a few distance away from him.


    There were multiple people crowding together, hoping to get the opportunity to join Gentle Wind''s Silver Wind Guild.


    Since the current hot trend was about Silver Wind Guild, everyone wanted to get a piece of this and broadcast it.


    Not only was Gentle Wind a beauty that even with a 10% maximum adjustment to appearance, could not mask her aura, but she was also the leader of a frightening guild.


    To be able to achieve the first-clear achievement in Hell Mode difficulty already, was the most shocking aspect.


    Thus, everyone now wanted an exclusive interview with Gentle Wind.


    However, wanting it and getting it were two different things. Such a simple logic was not hard to understand, and as a loner without much of a tform or background to support him, OneManMedia found it difficult tond an interview with such a figure.


    ''Wait a minute¡­ didn''t Lin Feng''s boss want to recruit me previously?'' OneManMedia suddenly thought of this mysterious person who subsequently faded from the limelight.


    His hands were trembling as he wondered if it was possible to ask thetter for a favor.


    "I don''t want to join his guild or organization, but if they speak a few nice words for me on behalf, then I can get this exclusive interview." He muttered, opening up his conversation list.


    Right at this moment when he was debating whether to contact the person or not, his eardrums nearly burst from the frantic crowd''s noise.


    "Wooo, I''m over here Guild Leader Gentle Wind!"


    "Please recruit me to your guild. I''m a strong Assassin and can help you eliminate all the pests!"


    "Hmph, what can an Assassin like you do? Obviously, Guild Leader Gentle Wind needs a tanker like me. I''m a Knight Lancer and can easily repel any pests approaching her!"


    As the crowd hype reached its peak due to Gentle Wind stepping on the stage, OneManMedia''s dilemma heightened further. As a solo reporter, he knew very well that once the golden timing was missed, it would be over.


    ''Ah, screw it. I''ll just be shameless and ask for a favor.'' OneManMedia screamed internally, scratched his hair into a mess, and sent a message.


    Finally, back in the present, OneManMedia was once again stunned on the spot after reading the message.


    "Sigh, as expected. The person isn''t an idiot or anything." He purposely gave himself leeway by stating that he wouldn''t do anything against his principles, but it was easily noticed by the other party.


    Time was ticking down, and OneManMedia knew if it dyed any longer, his career would be in danger, especially when he spotted familiar people in the same field having a great angle of Gentle Wind.


    He gritted his teeth and decided to take a gamble.


    ''It''s all or nothing then.'' he eximed, typing rapidly on the hologram keyboard and sending the message.


    OneManMedia: I understand your worries, but as long as it''s not too overboard, I will help you three times in exchange for this favor.


    Anonymous User: Alright, I''ll cut you some ck for now. Since my subordinate, Lin Feng rarely requests me to recruit someone, I shall do him a favor and help you this time.


    "Great, the gamble works." OneManMedia sped his hands, wanting to jump up in joy.


    Although he didn''t really understand the rtionship between this mysterious person and Gentle Wind, he knew it was definitely not something simple.


    Hence, with such a promise, it was indeed a guarantee that he would get this exclusive interview.


    Sure enough, a few minutester, someone from the Silver Wind Guild started telling people to move aside and create a path for him.


    "Everyone move out of the way for me! Otherwise, you can forget about trying out for the recruiting process." After seeing the guild emblem on the person''s chest and his fierce tone, the rest of the crowd subsequently created a mini passage for him to navigate.


    As the person walked past them, some of them began gossiping among themselves.


    "Hey, who''s that person? Why is he so arrogant?" One of the people asked, clearly ignorant of their identity.


    "Shush, are you tired of living? You don''t even know who that person is and want to join the Silver Wind Guild?" Another more logical person suddenly warned sternly.


    "Is he someone very high up?"


    "Very high up? That person is from the elite team and is on the name listed in the First-Clear Achievement, Steelshot!"


    "S-So he''s Steelshot?"


    Once someone revealed that yer''s identity, everyone was thankful to themselves for not giving off a bad impression.


    As for the ignorant person, his face turned ashen gray rather quickly, almost as if he wanted to dig a hole and hide. "I-It''s over¡­ I hope Steelshot didn''t hear my question earlier."


    Others only took a few nces at this ignorant person before ignoring him, with most distancing from him.


    Meanwhile, Steelshot continued to frantically advance forward and yelled, "Where''s OneManMedia? Come over to me!"


    When OneManMedia heard his name being called, he shuddered briefly before raising his hand once he noticed the shouter was Steelshot.


    As a reporter, it would be a failure for him to not recognize any important figures.


    "I''m here," OneManMedia responded.


    "It''s you?" Steelshot was taken aback by his appearance.


    "Anyway, what''s the code?" Nevertheless, he shook his head and proceeded to ask for the crucial information.


    "A code?" Dumbfounded, OneManMedia tilted his head, clearly unable toprehend the code.


    Meanwhile, Steelshot eyed him suspiciously, wondering if he was just pretending to be the person he was looking for.


    "Are you sure you''re OneManMedia? I''m looking for him urgently because of the guild leader, so if you''re fooling me. Then you''re going to get it." Steelshot threatened.


    There were only two people he was afraid of. One of them was naturally his guild leader, and the other one was Lin Feng.


    Having offended Lin Feng previously, he had already received the type of punishment you would get from him. You won''t die, but your mentality would definitely be screwed.

 Chapter 137: Code

    "The code," Steelshot demanded once again, his eyes narrowed.


    If the person in front of him was an imposter and wasted his time, then he shall make the person pay dearly.


    ''The guild leader said Lin Feng specifically sent a person to them for an interview and tasked me to greet them. If I can''t do this wlessly, then I''ll be damned.'' Steelshot red at OneManMedia, his hand ready to retrieve his gun to shoot him.


    As OneManMedia was stupefied by some code authentication, he suddenly received a message and nearly choked on his saliva.


    ''Ha¡­ is this a punishment for asking a favor despite not wanting to join your uing guild?'' He wondered silently, positive that the code word he must say was meant to humiliate him.


    A few seconds went by, and Steelshot''s patience was wearing thin.


    "Hey, are you OneManMedia or not? If you can''t give me the code, then I''ll kill you right here and now!" He threatened.


    However, the truth was that Steelshot was sure of thetter being OneManMedia. It was just that the other party requested that he must speak the code out, otherwise, the order would be messed up.


    And who was he to decline that when he realized what the code word was.


    ''Heh, this OneManMedia definitely offended Lin Feng. Serves you right.'' Steelshot snickered inwardly, eagerly waiting for thetter to make a fool of himself.


    Feeling the pressure, OneManMedia could confirm that he was indeed being yed.


    Taking a deep breath, he mumbled, "I''m a clown."


    The clown was a ng term usually meant for stupid, rude, or insignificant people, especially toward a man, and not the upational clown in a circus.


    Meanwhile, Steelshot feigned deafness by cupping his hand to his ear, as if he were trying to hear something through a shell.


    "What did you just say? I couldn''t hear you from all the noise that the crowd was making." He then asked, wanting OneManMedia to repeat the code.


    "..."


    How could a refined and perceptive reporter like him fail to perceive that he was lying?


    Despite knowing so, OneManMedia decided to close his eyes, took a deep breath, and shouted, "I''M A BOZO!"


    His shout was so loud that even some of the people in the crowd were shocked by it.


    "What the hell?"


    "That person is indeed a bozo to shout that kind of statement."


    "What a crazy person! If someone like him gets recruited to the guild, then it would be a downgrade for Guild Leader Silver Wind."


    yers started discussing and pointing their fingers at OneManMedia for his sudden outburst of calling himself a clown. Hearing their gossip that had zero intention of hiding, OneManMedia also feigned deaf, ignoring their remarks.


    To aplish big things, sacrifice was a must. Not to mention a small sacrifice like having to proim himself as a clown.


    Enduring the humiliation, OneManMedia asked, "The code is correct, right?"


    Baffled, Steelshot took a few seconds before nodding his head. With a fake cough, he continued, "Indeed, that''s the correct code. Now follow me."


    Sometimeter, under the watchful eyes of many, Steelshot guided OneManMedia to the stage.


    "Guild leader, I''ve brought him over." Steelshot quickly reported to Gentle Wind.


    Gentle Wind nodded and nced at OneManMedia. ''Lin Feng asked me to let him get an interview, but what''s so special about him?''


    Based on the sword attached to his waist, Gentle Wind easily determined thetter to be the specialist ss, Swordsman. Other than the time when he asked some good questions, there were no more other recollections of him.


    "Lin Feng asked me to give you a chance to interview, so what questions do you have?" Gentle Wind questioned, getting straight to the point.


    If the person asking wasn''t Lin Feng, then she would have ignored them and proceeded with her recruitment.


    After all, there were many other reputable yers from their respective media backgrounds here far superior to a lone person like OneManMedia.


    "Right, I want to know about your uing n after the recruiting is done. Are you going to expand your influence to other towns or are you nning on doing another dungeon in Hell Mode difficulty?" OneManMedia wasted no time in inquiring.


    Naturally, there were even more sensitive questions he wished to ask, but he would need to be a little more patient. Asking someone sensitive questions on the get-go was a big taboo in the industry.


    Who would want to reveal sensitive information to you right away?


    Are they dumb and foolish to simply give them out for free?


    Hell, even if they became acquainted with you for a few weeks, months, or years, they might still conceal things. Only a top-tier fool would spout everything out to every single person they meet or interact with.


    A few seconds passed by, and Gentle Wind gave a brief response. "For now, I n on extending my guild members and the Riverwood Town."


    "What about conquering another dungeon?"


    "Hmm, not sure, but I''ll probably announce it if I decide on it." As she made such a response, Gentle Wind was looking forward to cooperating with Lin Feng again in another dungeon.


    Since she agreed to let OneManMedia interrupt her in the middle of recruiting to give him an interview, she would definitely make sure Lin Feng would repay the favor.


    ''If only Lin Feng would join my guild. How nice would it be?'' She smiled regretfully, ncing at the sea of people.


    Many want to join her guild, but how many of them are actually useful?


    Additionally, thanks to a subtle hint drop from Xu Feng, Gentle Wind knew recruiting en masse would be a terrible mistake.


    "You can stand near the rear and record whatever you want. Steelshot will be guiding you." Gentle Wind instructed and went on to send a message in reply to the other party''s advice.


    Anonymous User: Congrats on the start of your recruiting, but I wonder how many of them are loyal and capable. It would be messy if there were some unknown backgrounds, spies, and ckers in the guild.


    Gentle Wind: Thank you for your advice. I''ll bear that in mind.

 Chapter 138: Recruitment Process

    Back at the Verdant Valley, Xu Feng was amused as Gentle Wind quickly caught on to his advice.


    ''Well, it would have been weird if she couldn''tprehend my meaning.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, closing the conversation.


    The recruitment process from Gentle Wind didn''t really interest him much.


    In the near future, when most guilds began to make a name for themselves or had sponsors from big corporations, there would be numerous recruiting.


    During all these recruiting, there was always one main goal, and that was to recruit capable yers.


    Although these types of yers mighte in 1 in 1000 or even 1 in 10,000. As long as they scored one amazing yer, the guild would be satisfied.


    "What are you smiling at, Feng?" Zhao Kai suddenly asked, walking toward him.


    "Nothing, just an acquaintance of mine is recruiting yers to her guild." Xu Feng casually responded.


    "A guild?" Surprised, Zhao Kai sat across from him and inquired, "What guild is it and how are they recruiting?"


    "You''ve heard of the guild already, and evenined many times."


    "The Silver Wind guild?"


    There was only one guild so far that Zhao Kai had been constantly hearing since he started ying in the Divine World.


    "Mhmm, and now they are recruiting en masse in the forest outside of Riverwood Town."


    "Oh, then what are we doing here? Shouldn''t we start heading there?" Zhao Kai turned anxious and was about to get ready to pack.


    However, Xu Feng was confused, tilted his head slightly, and questioned, "Did you want to join the Silver Wind guild?"


    Zhao Kai paused for a moment when he heard that. His gaze locked onto Xu Feng and in a baffled tone, "You said it was an acquaintance of yours, so I thought you wanted to join the guild."


    "I''m so done with you¡­" Xu Feng facepalmed, wondering if he should just kick him in the head. Why was his deduction sometimes on the mark and sometimes very off the mark?


    If he wanted to join the guild, then with his time management skills, would he still bete for it?


    Not to mention, he had rejected them twice for their attempted poaching.


    "Anyway, what are you doing here?'' Xu Feng suddenly questioned. "Have you finished gathering enough Barks?"


    Stunned, Zhao Kai swallowed a mouthful of saliva before subtly distancing himself from Xu Feng. He merely came over here to take a little break and was curious as to why Xu Feng was smiling earlier.


    Now that he got his answer and was about to be punished for cking, Zhao Kai ran away like a mouse had seen a cat. At ultra-fast speed, he returned to his training and began adjusting his stance.


    ''This Kai¡­'' Speechless by thetter''s actions, Xu Feng doesn''t even know if he should cry orugh at him.


    While Xu Feng decided to continue nning for his scheme as Zhao Kai resumed training, back at the forest outside of Riverwood Town, the hype reached its new peak.


    After all, they waited for so long and it was officially time for the recruitment to begin, with many yers lining up coordinately to register.


    "Y-You only need to tell me your username and game ss. After that you will be assigned a number slot, so remember to not forget it." One of Gentle Wind''s members, SilentWhisper announced somewhat timidly.


    Previously, she was falsely used by Lin Feng of being a traitor because of her horrendous ability despite being an elite member.


    She merely was overwhelmed and failed to perform adequately, but was still sacrificed in the end as a safety measure.


    Ever since then, she was afraid yet angry with him, vowing to improve herself tremendously to prove him wrong.


    It was also a good thing that Gentle Wind decided to give her another chance to remain in the elite reserve team and was also assigned to be in charge of overseeing the recruitment process.


    ''I must perform well this time, and make Lin Feng apologize to me.'' SilentWhisper vowed silently, taking her seat as she began scrutinizing every yer.


    Her duty was not only to check the yers registering and maintaining orders but also to spot any nefarious yers, especially spies. She could not afford to disappoint Gentle Wind''s expectations of her again.


    "Do I just tell you my name and ss only?" One of the yers scratched their head and asked nervously. It was clear that he didn''t expect the procedure to be that simple.


    "Yes, we will log you down and you will receive a number. That number will then be required when essing our guild''s official site in the forum. Through that forum, there are additional questionnaires that you will be asked." SilentWhisper exined.


    "I-Is that so?"


    "Yep, once youplete the questionnaire, you''ll just need to wait 2-5 days for a response from our official guild. If there isn''t a response, then apologies, but you don''t fit our guild."


    With that exnation said, every yer''s nervousness increased twice fold.


    The process was rather simple, but also very nerve-wracking when one thinks about it. To simplify the meaning, the questionnaires were the true test of their qualification whereas today was just a simple registration and a show of influence.


    After all, with such a huge crowd patiently waiting in line to register, it demonstrated Gentle Wind''s influence in the Divine World.


    It was a simple and straightforward strategy, but also an extremely devious one.


    Who could dare to say they would achieve the same sess as Gentle Wind if they openly recruited yers in such a grand manner?


    Not even Herald Fist would dare to say he could follow the same feat.


    "As expected of Guild Leader Gentle Wind. Such a ruthless method could only be done by her."


    "Agreed, with this arrangement, the Riverwood Town could be considered a part of the Silver Wind guild from now on."


    "Yeah, Guild Leader Herald Fist lost his big lead this time. I wonder if he''s in a corner crying, especially when he spent so much money."

 Chapter 139: Expelled

    Just when the yers still in the line began gossiping of Herald Fist''s failure and loss of influence to Gentle Wind, an unexpected news suddenly surfaced on the game forum.


    "Wait, everyone, check the game forum post!" One of the yers within the line suddenly shouted in shock and surprise.


    Due to the person''s shouting, some curious folk among them began checking the forum post.


    Shortly, their expression went from confusion to astonishment.


    "Holy crap! Is this post for real?"


    "It''s real¡­ there''s even a screenshot of the Inferno Tyrant being defeated!"


    "Haha, I knew Guild Leader Herald Fist has some skills."


    "As expected of the Tyrant Fist guild!"


    At thest statement made by a yer, everyone else turned to him with a perplexed expression.


    The forum post was about Herald Fistpleting the Hell Mode difficulty Scorched Caverns as well, but never did they expect someone to change their mindset so quickly.


    They were here in an attempt to be recruited for the Silver Wind Guild, but wereplimenting a rival guild.


    Just what was wrong with them?


    "Huh? What''s the matter?" The yer who made thatst statement found himself somewhat ostracized, with many distancing themselves from him.


    "Bro, I don''t know you." One of the people that distanced said decisively.


    Despite that, there was one kind fellow among the group and merely made an eye-signal for the confused yer.


    When the confused yer followed that signal, he turned around and his face ashen immediately.


    After all, there was one woman standing with a bright and gentle smile, but anyone with discerning eyes could tell the smile was filled with murderous intent.


    And that woman was none other than SilentWhisper, who had just vowed to make sure the recruitment process would run smoothly.


    ''This bastard is a spy from the Tyrant Fist guild, right?'' SilentWhisper cursed silently, ready to kill the yer at any moment.


    "T-That was not my intention, organizer!" The yer hurriedly raised his hand in an attempt to defend his words.


    s, it was a little toote and SilentWhisper extended her hand out as a gesture, an indication to get the hell out.


    No words were required to be said by her for others to understand the meaning.


    Thus, the yer gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.


    With a brave and attempted upfront behavior, he snorted, "Hmph, whatever! I, Storm Rider, am not someone who needs the Silver Wind guild. It is the Silver Wind guild who needs me."


    As the proimed Storm Rider made his exit statement, he left the line in a puff, most likely because he was too ashamed to remain in the scene.


    Storm Rider''s exit from the scene didn''t garner any sympathy from the rest.


    In fact, it made others wary and excited about the Silver Wind guild further.


    Only a true guild would be decisive in their actions without any regret.


    To tantly talk about the greatness of a rival guild in front of the recruitment process, and not receive any punishment.


    Who would want to join such a spineless guild then?


    Meanwhile, SilentWhisper faked a cough and turned to the crowd.


    "What you do is your freedom, but I hope that you can keep things to yourself or at least try to be discreet. A guild is different from an adventurer team and has more regtions and rules." She kindly exined, her expression cold and solemn.


    After the exnation, she returned to her spot, and pretended that the earlier farce didn''t happen.


    When those yers in the sea of crowd saw her demeanor, they were stunned speechless.


    "S-S-So damn cool!" One of the yers muttered aloud, his eyes looked smitten.


    "That Storm Rider should be called Regret Rider for missing this out!"


    "I must join the Silver Wind guild at all costs!"


    "Step on me, SilentWhisper~"


    "..."


    SilentWhisper was rendered speechless by the overreaction from the crowd, especially when some people utter such degenerate statements.


    ''Keep myposure.'' She reminded herself and opened the game forum.


    As soon as the game forum opened up, the new hot trending post was from the Tyrant Fist guild. Within the post were screenshots and video recording of Herald Fist and his members conquering the Scorched Caverns.


    "Not good," SilentWhisper furrowed her brows in worry. She clicked on a few screenshots and watched a few seconds of the video. The evidence was legitimate and such an incident spelled disaster for their recruitment process.


    "You guys oversee the recruitment process for now." SilentWhisper turned to her fellowrades and instructed. "I''ll need to meet with Guild Leader Gentle Wind."


    Not even waiting for their response, SilentWhisper dashed out and went to look for Gentle Wind, who was currently doing an interview with OneManMedia in a discreet ce.


    "What are you doing here, SilentWhisper?" Steelshot quickly questioned in surprise when he noticed her appearance here.


    "Shouldn''t you be overseeing the recruitment process? Or were there some troublemakers making a mess?" He continued, rubbing his fist, seemingly ready to teach some people a lesson.


    "Where''s the guild leader?" SilentWhisper ignored his question and inquired about Gentle Wind whereabouts.


    Steelshot pointed at the back and said, "The guild leader is having an interview¡ª"


    Before he could even finish his words, SilentWhisper ran ahead and shouted, "Guild Leader, there''s trouble!"


    Gentle Wind, who was answering some questions from OneManMedia, was stunned by the interruption.


    She turned to SilentWhisper and with a stern tone, she asked, "What is with your manner?"


    "A-Apologies, guild leader." SilentWhisper quickly bowed and exined, "You need to check the game forum."


    A few minutester, Gentle Wind finished checking on the game forum and chuckled. "You came all the way here because of Herald Fist''s post?"


    "Yes, wouldn''t the post affect our recruitment process?" SilentWhisper eximed and continued, "A few yers earlier were making a scene and even praised the Tyrant Fist guild, so I expelled them."


    "Alright, you did good." Gentle Wind nodded.


    "There''s no need to recruit yers like them who clearly can''t remain loyal to our guild."


    "Then are we¡ª"


    "Just continue the recruitment as usual and don''t worry about the post. I have my own n." Gentle Wind smiled amusingly, clearly not bothered by Herald Fist''s achievement.

 Chapter 140: Deal

    Due to Gentle Wind''s confidence and calm demeanor, SilentWhisper was taken aback.


    Initially, she thought her guild leader would do something regarding the post, but it seemed like she overthink too much.


    ''Did the guild leader anticipate Herald Fist would purposely make that post at this time?'' She wondered silently, clearly at a loss for words.


    Seeing SilentWhisper seemingly in a daze, Gentle Wind shook her head.


    She stood up and patted her shoulder, "There''s no need to worry too much about Herald Fist. In fact, we''ll need to thank him for making such a post at this time."


    "T-Thank him?" SilentWhisper twitched her mouth and tilted her head slightly.


    "Of course, we need to thank him. Didn''t you just expel someone praising the Tyrant Fist guild?"


    Instantly, SilentWhisper understood her meaning. She nodded her head and dismissed herself.


    As she retreated from the scene, SilentWhisperughed inwardly. ''Right, because of that post, I can see which yers have no loyalty or are unworthy.''


    "Huh, you''re leaving already?" Steelshot raised an eyebrow when he saw SilentWhisper emerge again rather quickly.


    After all, she seemed to be in a rush early, seeking the guild leader.


    However, not even 10 minutester, she came back out, so he was surprised.


    To act in such a manner, Steelshot thought something big had happened.


    It was just a shame that SilentWhisper was too immersed in her thoughts to hear his question.


    He was directly ignored on the scene as she ran past him yet again, causing him to be speechless.


    ''Did my reputation drop that much ever since Lin Feng toyed with me?'' Steelshot smiled bitterly. He stood in ce, seemingly contemting his standing and reputation in the guild with a disbelief expression.


    While Steelshot remained in a stun position, further ahead, OneManMedia was dumbfounded by another guild leaderpleting the Hell Mode difficulty.


    His eyes were focused on the game forum post. ''How did Herald Fist aplish the feat?''


    Gentle Wind noticed his daze but kept quiet. Naturally, she understood why and how Herald Fist suddenly did it.


    After all, she had received the extensive guide from Xu Feng, so it would be weird if Herald Fist didn''t purchase the extensive guide as well.


    Nevertheless, she was not disheartened by it¡ª at least not anymore when she agreed to do an interview with OneManMedia.


    "Do you have any more questions for me?" Gentle Wind suddenly asked OneManMedia.


    "Ah, I think I have enough materials now." OneManMedia snapped out of his daze and bowed politely.


    "Thank you for taking your time out in this interview, Guild Leader Gentle Wind." He thanked her sincerely afterward.


    "No worries," Gentle Wind smiled and shook her head.


    "Lin Feng asked for this favor, so I couldn''t possibly refuse him." She added, delivering subtle and hidden meaning in this statement.


    He was clever and understood the underlying meaning rather quickly.


    With just a brief smile, OneManMedia subsequently dismissed himself from the scene, leaving her alone.


    Meanwhile, Gentle Wind began messaging Lin Feng''s boss.


    Gentle Wind: I have done the interview and OneManMedia seemed satisfied with the materials he got.


    Anonymous User: Thanks for helping him.


    Gentle Wind: Just a thank you?


    Anonymous User: Haha, you sure are very direct. I''ll have Lin Feng deliver the staff to you for use in a while. I suppose I''ll have to congratte you in advance once you receive the staff temporarily.


    Gentle Wind: Just temporarily huh? You wouldn''t sell the staff to me directly?


    Anonymous User: Haha, I might sell it in an auction if I no longer need it.


    Reading that ambiguous message, Gentle Wind smiled bitterly. ''As expected of a shrewd businessman who kept his identity concealed till now.''


    She wasn''t surprised by the response, but it still left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. If possible, she wanted to be like them as well, staying anonymous and using a skilled subordinate to do the bidding.


    "Too bad that I must remain high profile to win." She murmured, her expression gradually turning into a fierce and determined one.


    While Gentle Wind was gued with her own set of problems, back at the Verdant Valley, Xu Feng pped his hands to praise Zhao Kai.


    "Not bad," Xu Fengmented. "You seeded quicker than I thought you would take."


    Zhao Kai smiled pridefully and handed over the Ironwood Treant Barks to him. "Heh, if I pour my heart into doing something, then I can get it done right away."


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng didn''t doubt his words, despite sounding quite boastful.


    "Anyway, since we''re done with the Ironwood Treants, let''s start heading over to the Shadow Wolves habitat." He nced at the sky, noticing that it was getting dark.


    "Shouldn''t we wait till morning, Feng?" Zhao Kai suggested. "Our vision is going to decrease by nighttime and the monsters are going to be difficult to kill by then."


    "So are you telling me that you will nevere out at night and only use morning time to train or grind?"


    "Uhh¡­ yes and no?"


    Displeased, Xu Feng stepped forward and flickered Zhao Kai''s forehead.


    "You''ll need to get used to adapting to nighttime, otherwise, you''re going to be a below-average yer." He calmly exined.


    Since the Divine World was not some single-yer game in that one could manipte the time of day whenever they wanted, yers needed to adapt to every time, including the uncontroble weather.


    asionally, the sky might rain heavily, prompting yers'' movement to decrease tremendously. There could even be other natural disasters that would ur in the Divine World, just like in the real world.


    Zhao Kai could only sigh softly and lowered his head, obliging to Xu Feng''smand. He also realized one thing; Xu Feng was not the type to rest and would always assign him new tasks once he was done with one.


    ''Damn, I feel like a subordinate more than a friend now.'' He thought to himself.


    "Stop sulking and get ready already." Xu Feng reprimanded him coldly. "The more you dy, the harder it''ll get for you when confronting the Shadow Wolves."

 Chapter 141: Nighttime

    As the sun gradually descended from the sky, both Xu Feng and Zhao Kai''s vision became limited.


    The soft hues of twilight faded, and the shadows lengthened, casting an eerie darkness over thendscape. The once-clear path was now a maze of obscured obstacles and shifting silhouettes.


    Xu Feng''s keen senses allowed him to adapt quickly to the dim light, his eyes scanning the terrain with ease.


    The faint rustle of leaves and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures served as his guide. He moved with quiet confidence, his footsteps barely making a sound as he navigated the rocky path.


    In contrast, Zhao Kai struggled with the encroaching darkness. His breaths came in quick, shallow puffs as he tried to keep pace with Xu Feng.


    Each step felt precarious, his feet asionally slipping on loose gravel or catching on hidden roots.


    The night sounds, once aforting background, now felt like a disorienting cacophony. It was the same spooky and eerie feeling Zhao Kai felt when they were inside the eerie fog previously.


    "Feng, it''s getting difficult to even see the path," Zhao Kaimented, nearly stumbling over some rocks. His voice held a note of frustration and anxiety.


    Xu Feng nced back, his eyes briefly meeting Zhao Kai''s in the dim light.


    "Control your breathing and stop imagining things in your head. The more fictional or dangerous thing you''re thinking, the more anxiety you will feel." He warned softly.


    Despite the gloomy atmosphere he believed they were in, the fact was, the atmosphere and environment remained unchanged.


    The only thing that changed was Zhao Kai''s mood and emotion.


    Given his unfamiliarity with nighttime and the terrain, he imagined the worst in every second, thus resulting in his rigid movement.


    As long as he couldpose himself and remain calm, then he would easily return to his normal state.


    "Close your eyes and just imagine that it was daytime. You are now surrounded by bright lights and the sound you''re hearing is oddly familiar to the time when you were training. Do you still think there is any danger left?" Xu Feng suggested.


    With his eyes still closed, Zhao Kai began implementing the suggestion that Xu Feng had made, and sure enough, he realized that he had just been scaring himself all along.


    "But why do I feel like I''m being eyed by many?" Zhao Kai questioned, knitting his brows and keeping his eyes closed.


    Xu Feng paused for a second before chuckling, "Well, that''s because we''re indeed being preyed on at the moment. Your perception and senses are telling you we''re in danger."


    "WHAT??!" Astounded, Zhao Kai hurriedly opened his eyes and retrieved his Ironbolt Rifle from his back, ready to fire.


    He then red at Xu Feng, "Why didn''t you tell me earlier? We could have died if we were to be ambushed by them without being prepared."


    "Rx yourself," Xu Feng smiled calmly. "The monsters preying on us aren''t dangerous, and they''re in fact wary of us. Why else do you think I would take my time and help regte your emotions?"


    "But still, you could have warned me earlier." Zhao Kai pouted and approached Xu Feng, clearly rmed and anxious.


    "What are you sulking like a little girl for?" Xu Feng rolled his eyes and pushed him away.


    "Keep this in mind. Monsters in the Divine World are different from the monsters in a typical game. Some are naturally aggressive and would attack on site whereas there would be monsters leering at you. Unless provoked, they would usually leave you alone."


    After that, Xu Feng cast Sacred Fire to illuminate their surroundings and reveal the monsters lurking in the bushes. Their eyes glowed in redness, but their position remained still.


    He then pointed at those monsters and exined, "Right now, those monsters are wary of us and if we did anything aggressive, they would take it as if we''re an enemy."


    "Are you serious?" Zhao Kai twitched his lips and nced at Xu Feng with a disbelief expression.


    "You just cast Sacred Fire, so aren''t they going to attack us now?" He pointed it out.


    "You''re right." Xu Feng chuckled softly and discreetly moved behind.


    With one of his legs raised up, he grinned menacingly. "Therefore, I shall cheer you up from behind to kill them."


    "Wha¡ª"


    Before Zhao Kai could evenprehend his meaning, Xu Feng kicked him in the butt, sending him flying straight to the monsters'' hiding spot.


    His mouth was wide open as horror shed across Zhao Kai''s eyes. "I''ll fucking kill you, Feng!!!"


    Despite his exmation, Zhao Kai wasn''t going to sit still and let the monsters swarm at him. After a few rolls, he quickly made his stance, retrieved his Ironbolt Rifle, and activated Gluttony''s skill.


    Meanwhile, the monsters were infuriated at the audacious behavior of Zhao Kai as they swarmed at him.


    Determined, Zhao Kai''s previous fear seemed to have dissipated.


    ''Hmph, the more the merrier.'' He sneered inwardly, squeezing the trigger and firing multiple shots.


    To his astonishment, his fire rate seemed to have improved.


    Even better, he realized his bullet shed a holy light upon impact on the monster.


    Confused, he turned around and stared at Xu Feng in a daze.


    "What are you looking at me for?" Xu Feng chuckled softly, continuing his buffing on Zhao Kai. "The monsters are stilling at you, so is it really the time to be distracted?"


    "Tsk, you owe me a meal after this." Zhao Kai snickered and resumed his shooting.


    Although his fire rate improved drastically, it still wasn''t enough to deflect multiple monsters swarming at him. Some of them managed to get close to him and deal quite a bit of damage to him.


    Not even Xu Feng''s healing was enough to recover him fully, but Zhao Kai ignored it.


    He was like a madman, ignoring all the pain and simply wishing to eradicate these monsters.


    "Come at me!" he shouted, his fervor rising with every second.


    ''This crazy madman.'' Speechless, Xu Feng never expected there was this sadistic side of Zhao Kai when pushed into a corner.

 Chapter 142: Habitat

    The night descended within the Verdant Valley, but in a certain area, numerous firing sounds echoed throughout. Monsters fell with each passing sound, and a crazed person was nearly covered in blood from top to bottom.


    That crazed person was none other than Zhao Kai, who seemed to have lost his sanity as he killed whoever dared to leap or pounce at him.


    Time slowly passed by, and the remaining monsters were frightened deeply by Zhao Kai''s fervor. Instead of fighting any further and losing more of their kin, they made a sound to signal a retreat.


    "Not so fast!" Zhao Kai snorted coldly, seemingly ready to chase after them.


    However, his head was suddenly bonked, and Zhao Kai turned around with a fierce expression, only to quickly be drenched when he saw who it was.


    "Do you want another bonk?" Xu Feng asked in a deadpan tone.


    "No¡­" Zhao Kai rubbed his head like a child who got caught doing something bad.


    Xu Feng kept a stern expression as he warned solemnly. "Pay attention to the usage of your Gluttony skill. It might not seem like it, but your emotion is being affected if you let it control you."


    "Huh?" Confused, he tilted his head sideways. "How can a skill affect my emotions?"


    Xu Feng shook his head and directly sent a video to him.


    He was recording his fight earlier to show his improvement afterward, but who would have thought it helped him spot a troublesome ticking bomb.


    ''It seems like I need to research more regarding Kai''s Gluttony skill.'' He knitted his brows.


    Initially, he thought Zhao Kai had a sadistic hidden side to him, but as time passed by, he realized it wasn''t that. Instead, he was being affected by the Gluttony skill, and the more blood he saw, the more excited he would be.


    "T-This was me?" Zhao Kai eximed in disbelief, clearly shocked that the person in the video was him.


    "How was I so bloodthirsty?" He questioned. Now that the Gluttony skill was worn off, especially thanks to the bonk Xu Feng gave him, he regained his normalposure.


    Hence, he was utterly astonished that he had turned into some crazed viin, seeking blood and relishing in it.


    "Refrain from using your Gluttony skill too much. Only use it for emergencies and make sure you learn how to regte your emotions." Xu Feng warned sternly, unwilling to let him descend into madness.


    Others might have thought he was overreacting, but only he knew just how much Divine World skills would affect a yer within the game and in the real world.


    As if he would let this problem fester now that he discovered it.


    ''Was this also why those yers with the Gluttony skills in the past were always so crazy and bloodthirsty?'' Xu Feng knitted his brows, seemingly trying to find the connection and how to resolve the matter.


    Truth be told, he only heard of yers with the EX Gluttony skill and information based on multiple sources which hepiled together.


    Thus, he didn''t have exact and precise information regarding it.


    And with Zhao Kai showing such symptoms already, Xu Feng needed to tread with it more cautiously.


    It was a good thing that Zhao Kai didn''t seem to care much and simply gave him a thumbs up. "Alright, I''ll stop using the Gluttony skill unless it is an emergency."


    As for the reason?


    He didn''t need to know, given Xu Feng wouldn''t have requested such a thing if it was beneficial to him.


    "Alright, collect the monster corpse first and we shall move along. The Shadow Wolves'' habitat shouldn''t be far from here, given those monsters earlier should have been the weaker ones." Xu Feng nced at the dark path ahead and said.


    Just like how humans are defensive toward their own ce, monsters react in simr ways.


    The stronger monsters would naturally have their own habitat, and weaker ones would be kicked out or forced away unless they wished to seek their own demise.


    Sometimeter, Zhao Kai finished collecting the corpses and handed them over to Xu Feng.


    "You are really making me work as a coolie, Feng." Zhao Kaiined subtly. He might not be well off, but never did he need to work as some low-wage worker. Yet Xu Feng was very unscrupulous in overworking him.


    The monsters were killed by him, and it was also collected by him.


    Meanwhile, all Xu Feng did was stand in the back and watch as if he were some wise sage or master who was training their disciples.


    Sure enough, Xu Feng merely responded with a sharp glint, reflective of his sses, instantly prompting Zhao Kai to turn around and whistle away.


    "I''m just training you into making this a habit." Xu Feng exined after a few seconds. "Remember, resources in the Divine World are very scarce and not many could get what they wanted. So you must always loot the things you work hard for properly and never let anyone snatch it."


    "I understand¡­"


    Whether Zhao Kai truly understood or was just saying it, Xu Feng no longer intended to force-feed more information and advice than necessary.


    As the two resumed their journey, they soon spotted a few Shadow Wolves patrolling within a specific range.


    Instantly, Xu Feng pulled Zhao Kai and signaled him to stay quiet in a nearby bush. His eyes narrowed as he inspected the path movement of the Shadow Wolves.


    Aside from some glimpse of the patrolling Shadow wolves, its habitat was shrouded in darkness, with the moonlight barely piercing through the dense canopy of twisted trees.


    The ground was uneven and covered in a thickyer of fallen leaves and moss, which muffled the sound of the wolves'' footsteps but made it difficult for the untrained eye to spot them.


    The asional rustle of leaves and distant howls of the wolves was like a ticking bomb, ready to explode at any moment.


    As Xu Feng nced at Zhao Kai''s condition, he sighed softly. ''Kai is still not experienced in fighting at nighttime, so I can only resort to the other tactic.''

 Chapter 143: Bait

    "Let''s move back a few more meters," Xu Feng whispered to Zhao Kai, who was clearly frightened.


    The adrenaline rush from earlier had dissipated. Thus, he was now filled with fear when required to confront the Shadow Wolves at nighttime.


    Others might not know, but Zhao Kai had recalled his previous battle and counted he had missed a lot of shots.


    If it hadn''t been for Xu Feng''s subtle assistance, then he would have turned into mincemeat already before even having the chance toe to the Shadow Wolves'' habitat.


    Sometimeter, the two distanced quite a bit and Zhao Kai began muttering, "We should just wait till the sun rises, Feng. My aim is really not that good. The pressure is too much."


    He finally relented and revealed his inner thoughts. The fact that Xu Feng ced such high hopes on him was actually giving him a lot of pressure.


    As much as he wanted to believe himself as a sharpshooter, he knew the truth was far from it.


    Xu Feng paused for a moment before chuckling and patting Zhao Kai''s shoulder. "I don''t expect you to be an amazing shooter. Just listen to me and you''ll be fine."


    "Are you sure you''re not trying to get me killed?" Zhao Kai doubtfully said in a joking manner, seemingly trying to brush off his anxiety through some crack joke.


    s, the joke was quite off and it only made him look like a clown.


    "Did you remember the monster corpse I told you to collect?" Xu Feng kindly reminded him.


    "Those patrolling Shadow Wolves are doing their duty to detect intruders lurking around their habitat. But what if they suddenly smell the delicious raw meat from a distance?"


    "I don''t get it¡­" Perplexed, Zhao Kai scratched his head, clearly requiring a few more hints.


    Sometimes, Xu Feng''s words are just too deep and require much analysis and thought process toprehend. And since he was not in the mood for such, he directly asked for the answer.


    Xu Feng smiled bitterly at hisziness. Nevertheless, he still took the time to exin more clearly.


    "Let''s say I bought you delicious food but you were trying to study. Would you be able to resist the aroma of the food and continue your studies?"


    Before Xu Feng could even continue further, drool had already begun appearing in the corner of Zhao Kai''s mouth.


    "..."


    "Ah, so you told me to collect these monster corpses to bait those patrolling Shadow Wolves out of their duty?" As if he had hit the jackpot, Zhao Kai responded enthusiastically.


    Although his interpretation was right, Xu Feng hated how he needed to use food to let him understand.


    ''It has to be all that Gluttony skill''s fault!'' He deduced, ming it on the gluttony for affecting Zhao Kai so much.


    Zhao Kai was never a foodie much, but now it appeared like he was someone who loved and enjoyed delicious food.


    "Anyway, start scattering some of the monster corpses around that area." Xu Feng pointed at a somewhat dark space.


    "It''s this spot, right?"


    Their visions were still limited, so Zhao Kai had to ask twice if he was standing at the correct spot before he began to scatter a few corpses as instructed.


    As for Xu Feng, he artificially created some traps using the nearby branches and leaves. The traps aren''t meant to damage the monsters but to temporarily hinder their movement.


    After all, Zhao Kai''s aim was indeed not that great, so he needed to ensure the Shadow Wolves'' agility would decrease somewhat to allow him tond a shot.


    ''Sigh, at this rate, is my role still a cleric?'' Xu Feng wondered silently, feeling more and more like a babysitter than a healer.


    To ensure everything was safe for them, he had to prepare so many things, and it was honestly exhausting.


    Exhausting as in his resources were being exhausted rapidly. There were only so many resources he had before he would run out of them and require to gather more whether it would be in the wild or NPC stores.


    "Feng, I''ve scattered them!" Zhao Kai suddenly announced, causing Xu Feng to nearly throw his staff at him for his loud mouth.


    "Shh, the Shadow Wolves aren''t that far from us. Do you want to alert them so badly?" Xu Feng hastily ran over to him and scolded him in a low tone. "The bait isid out, but if they heard or detected us, then what was the point of putting out such a bait? You might as well go loud and proud then."


    "S-Sorry," Embarrassed, Zhao Kai could only apologize.


    It was hard to not be excited when he treated the Divine World as a simple video game whereas Xu Feng treated it very seriously.


    Rarely was there a moment he had seen Xu Feng being overly excited about something in the Divine World. Everything just seemed natural or as expected in his eyes.


    Sometimeter, the two retreated further away and Xu Feng directed Zhao Kai on where to take his stance.


    "You don''t have to worry about missing and just fire when I said so, okay?" Xu Feng said, asking him for confirmation.


    Nodding his head, Zhao Kai held a solemn expression.


    "I''ll only fire if you tell me to." He responded.


    "Good, don''t fire if I nevermand for it, even if you think you have a clear shot." Xu Feng further emphasized the point.


    What he wanted to do was to integrate the meaning of trigger discipline into Zhao Kai''s mind. Additionally, he didn''t want Zhao Kai to be over-pressured into believing that he could not afford to miss his shots.


    If a person got overly anxious regarding their aim, then the chances of them missing were as high as 90 percent. Only by remainingpletely calm despite the tense situation could one actually shoot and aim properly.


    Right at this time, numerous howling echoed and light footsteps sounded.


    "They''re here." Xu Feng mumbled, giving a light pat on Zhao Kai''s shoulder.

 Chapter 144: Feast

    The howls pierced the night, a chilling reminder of the predators closing in.


    The sound reverberated through the dense forest, creating an eerie, disorienting chorus that made it hard to pinpoint the wolves'' exact locations.


    As the footsteps grew closer, Xu Feng and Zhao Kai could hear the faint rustling of leaves and the soft crunching of twigs underfoot.


    The wolves moved with predatory grace, their light steps barely disturbing the forest floor. The darkness was their ally, concealing their approach until they were almost upon their prey.


    In the dim light, Xu Feng could barely make out the shadows of the approaching wolves.


    Their eyes glowed with spectral light, reflecting the minimal moonlight that managed to pierce the canopy. The wolves'' fur, dark and matted, blended seamlessly with the surrounding shadows, making them appear as living extensions of the forest.


    The air grew colder as the wolves drew near, the temperature seemingly dropping with their presence.


    Zhao Kai could feel the intensity of the moment, but Xu Feng lightly grasped his shoulder. Zhao Kai nced up, only to see Xu Feng shaking his head.


    "There''s no need to be nervous," Xu Feng whispered softly. "Did you forget we killed a few of them when we had trash equipment?"


    With that reminder, Zhao Kai rxed his tensed muscles.


    ''Right, they''re not that much of a big deal when we already killed four of them.'' He thought to himself, recalling the previous incident. They were ambushed previously and even without any preparation, they managed to swiftly and smoothly deal with them.


    And now that they were the ones taking the initiative this time, what was there to be nervous of?


    As Zhao Kai regted his emotions, Xu Feng''s eyes remained focused on the Shadow Wolves.


    ''These wolves are really not easy to bait.'' He thought, inspecting their cautious behavior.


    The Shadow Wolves'' noses were constantly sniffing, clearly smelling the aroma of the raw meat. Their glowing eyes scanned the area, reflecting the faint moonlight and giving them an otherworldly appearance.


    Right at this moment, one of the wolves suddenly howled in a different volume. The rest of the wolves soon stopped their surveince and turned their attention to the direction of the wolf howling.


    "Feng, they noticed the bait," Zhao Kai murmured, his finger fidgeting somewhat around the trigger of his rifle. It was quite evident that he was ready to fire at any given moment.


    However, Zhao Kai could only be left disappointed when Xu Feng intervened.


    "No need to rush," Xu Feng said and shook his head. "The wolves aren''t going to simply dash ahead at the sight of food. As tempted as the food in front of them was, they were still an alert monster. Only a fool would jump right without thinking properly."


    A few secondster, just as Xu Feng had predicted, the shadow wolves, though enticed by the smell of the raw monster corpses, approached it warily.


    Their noses twitched as they sniffed the air, their bodies low to the ground, ready to spring away at the slightest sign of danger.


    As one of the wolves took a tentative step closer to the bait, its muscles tensed and ready to retreat. It sniffed the meat, then nced around suspiciously, clearly wary of a potential trap.


    Meanwhile, the other wolves circled the bait from a distance, their movements slow and deliberate, ensuring no detail was overlooked.


    The tension in the atmosphere was palpable.


    As the Shadow Wolves were ready to follow and join in after their scout had already tested for safety. One of the wolves suddenly stumbled upon the trap that Xu Feng hadid earlier.


    Its leg was trapped by the tree branch, rming the other wolves as they howled in response, clearly surprised by the unexpected situation.


    ''Hehe, it''s finally my turn to shine.'' Zhao Kaiughed inwardly and angled his Ironbolt Rifle at the trapped wolf.


    Zhao Kai thought it was his turn to fire, but Xu Feng suddenly ced his hand above the Ironbolt Rifle, signaling that it was not time yet.


    "Are we not shooting the trapped wolf?" Zhao Kai asked in a barely audible tone, clearly bewildered.


    Wasn''t the main point of a trap to give them an early advantage?


    s, Xu Feng didn''t bother to exin anything at all this time. He simply kept silent and watched the trapped wolf with an expressionless face.


    Speechless, Zhao Kai could only suppress the urge to fire.


    Through the scope of his lens, Zhao Kai watched the wolf get out of the trap safely with the help of other wolves.


    Exasperated and bittered by the development, Zhao Kai wondered if Xu Feng had lost his mind.


    ''That was an easy shot to take, but we are just going to let the wolf go just like that?'' he ranted silently, not daring to voice hisint aloud.


    As frustrated as he might be, he still chose to believe Xu Feng and that he had another n in mind. There was just no way Xu Feng would suddenly turn into some saint or nature-loving person.


    Sometimeter, the wolves began feasting on the raw monster corpses theyid out, filling their bellies with joy.


    asionally, there were times when some of the wolves werecent and had their guardspletely down. And it was honestly difficult for Zhao Kai to resist the urge to shoot at them.


    In the end, Zhao Kai decided to stop scoping in and ced his Ironbolt Rifle on the ground, his eyes staring intensely at Xu Feng.


    Although no words were said, Xu Feng could easily tell he had a bunch of questions in mind.


    Questions such as...


    Why are we not shooting them?


    Are we really just going to let them feast on the bait?


    What are we trying to achieve?


    s, Xu Feng feigned ignorance of his stare and continued checking on the belly-filled gleeful shadow wolves.


    ''Hope you enjoy that feast, my dear prey,'' he thought, watching them eat every bit of the corpses and wobbly return to their patrol area.

 Chapter 145: Subtle Intention

    A few minutester, once the coast was clear as the shadow wolves returned to their original position, Zhao Kai could no longer hold back his questions.


    "Feng, did we reallye all the way over here just to feed them?" Zhao Kai turned to Xu Feng and asked, his expression clearly indicating that he wanted an answer.


    "You still don''t get it huh?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow.


    "Try to think a bit harder and deduce my action." He added, seemingly wanting Zhao Kai toe up with an answer himself.


    Bewildered, Zhao Kai knitted his brows and closed his eyes, trying to think of the possibility and reasons for such an action.


    ''The bait wasid out to lure them out. It was achieved, but we didn''t do anything?'' Zhao Kaipiled these thoughts, but still can''t find the connection.


    Thus, he decided to think further, and analyzed more deeply, taking in all the tiny details.


    The trap that Xu Feng made earlier in a rush was sessful.


    The wolf was trapped and rmed the rest, but they didn''t take advantage of the situation. Hence, rendering the trap useless in an overall sense.


    However, Zhao Kai knew he wasn''t the type to do pointless things. ''If Fengid the trap was not intended to make it easier for me to shoot, then what could it be?''


    As Zhao Kai continued to wrack his brain in thinking of the intention, Xu Feng merely watched in amusement.


    Given the current circumstances, Xu Feng believed Zhao Kai might not be able toprehend much of his intention with just these details alone.


    The reason being?


    He was a slow person who clearly didn''t understand strategy.


    ''Let me give him another big hint.'' Xu Feng thought, walking back to the previous area where they had ced the monster corpses.


    The area was now left with only a pile of skeletons and nothing else. There wasn''t even any red meat flesh on site, proving that these Shadow Wolves are indeed an expert predator.


    "They sure enjoyed the meal." He mumbled, storing the skeletons and recing them with another fresh batch of the monster corpse.


    However, unlike before, Xu Feng scattered some fine dust particle-like things on the corpse.


    And this action of his didn''t escape the eyes of Zhao Kai, who was just pondering what he was doing.


    His previous confusion seemed to have been resolved the moment he witnessed Xu Feng''s actions.


    "S-So that''s how it is." Zhao Kai had an "O" shape in his mouth as he finally realized andprehended Xu Feng''s true intention.


    He walked forward and gazed at Xu Feng.


    "The bait earlier and the trap was to make the Shadow Wolves wary at first. But after stepping on the trap, nothing happened to them, including the fact that the feast went smoothly." Hemented softly.


    Xu Feng smirked slightly and nodded. "Anything else?"


    As if he anticipated it, Zhao Kai continued the answer he came up with. "Yes, they will soon dispel their wariness, and once the second bait was ced the next time. There will be more wolves and none of them will be on high alert."


    Amused, Xu Feng was satisfied that he had managed to find an answer after his big hint.


    However, it wasn''tpletely on the mark, so Xu Feng flickered his forehead.


    "Your answer isn''t wrong, but also not perfect." Xu Feng said, ignoring his pain.


    "Even if that was indeed my intention. If we can''t kill all the wolves that will arrive, then it''s just a pointless waste of bait. You saw me scattering something on the corpse, right?"


    "Yes, but I don''t know what they are." Zhao Kai responded honestly, rubbing his forehead.


    How many times has it been since he got flickered on the forehead repeatedly by Xu Feng?


    It was a question that Zhao Kai didn''t wish to know, otherwise, he might really have wondered if he was just a little kid being lectured by an adult.


    "Those are some herbs that I have finely turned into powder. It doesn''t have a distinct smell, but if the wolves consume it. Hehe." Xu Feng adjusted his sses and held a grin.


    Without even needing a clear exnation, Zhao Kai could tell the scattered powder was definitely something detrimental to the wolves.


    Added to the fact that they had already enjoyed the feast without any problems, Zhao Kai was positive about one thing.


    The wolves would definitely return once they smelled the same aromatic corpse.


    Thoroughly impressed by how meticulous Xu Feng''s tactic was, he finally understood why Xu Feng repeatedly told him to hold his fire. It wasn''t that he was not supposed to shoot, but it truly wasn''t the ripe time yet.


    Had he fired earlier, then one or two wolves would definitely fall, but that was about it.


    After all, the wolves would subsequently be rmed and ready for an attack. At that time, it was hard to say if they could even gather the necessary materials required for their mission.


    "Sorry, Feng." Zhao Kai suddenly apologized and bowed his head. "It was wrong of me to repeatedly question you and doubt your actions."


    "You better stand up straight in 3 seconds or I''m flicking your forehead again." Xu Feng warned sternly.


    Baffled and stunned, Zhao Kai hurriedly raised his chin up and stood up.


    "Questioning and doubting is a necessity to survive." Xu Feng calmly said, and continued, "But you must also discern when to doubt and raise your questions. Instead of just doubting and questioning my actions, you should also use that brain of yours and wonder why I''m doing this."


    "Yes, Feng, I understand now." Zhao Kai responded, feeling grateful to him.


    He wasn''t a dork and was able to understand the whole meaning of the nighttime hunt.


    Other than doing this for the mission from Fiona, there was actually a subtle intention hidden. It was an intention that one could never be able to get for free, and that was a lesson in interlock schemes and tricks from people.

 Chapter 146: Analogy

    Zhao Kai was immensely grateful for the lesson that Xu Feng had taught him in practicality.


    "Are you secretly the son from a rich background, Feng?" Zhao Kai asked in a joking tone. "This subtle intention of yours is really deep and without years of experience, it''s hard to impart them."


    Just when Zhao Kai wanted to continue his joke, he suddenly saw Xu Feng raising his finger in a flicking manner.


    Realizing that, he quickly shut his mouth and retreated a few distance.


    "Oh, you flee quite quickly this time." Xu Feng mused.


    "Hehe, I will not speak nonsense anymore." Zhao Kaiughed awkwardly, clearly unwilling to let his forehead receive any more pain.


    Additionally, he also understood it was Xu Feng''s method of wanting to change the topic and not divulge further.


    Despite this, Zhao Kai was really grateful to him, given it was in preparation for him to be ready to face the uing birthday party of his grandfather.


    In this seemingly brief lesson, there were actually a lot of hidden meanings.


    The nighttime in the sky referred to the people hiding behind the dark, always concealing their true thoughts while putting up a facade on the surface.


    The monster corpse that was used as bait to lure was equivalent to the benefit, money, or anything of value that people always sought.


    As for the Shadow Wolves, they are the people in the open who are being used as tools for those in the dark.


    They will be the scout or vanguard, always treading the danger ahead and testing them firsthand. If it was safe, then they would be rewarded subtly, otherwise, they would face certain death.


    This was highlighted and demonstrated quite vividly, with Zhao Kai being the prime person who was always waiting to shoot to kill.


    Finally, the trap that Xu Fengid was ultimately a resemnce to those who fell from the top.


    Just like the wolf earlier who got caught and was immobilized. It required the help of its fellow wolves to get out of the trap.


    However, not all people who fell from the top would receive a lending hand in times of crisis. Most of the time, those who fell would only fall deeper into the endless pit, forever abandoned and discarded.


    And all of these always happened to people with wealthy backgrounds, rounding it up to the uing birthday party of Zhao Kai''s grandfather.


    There were definitely going to be different types of people attending, given Zhao Kai''s grandfather''s status in the business world, so Zhao Kai must prepare himself and be on guard at all times.


    Although a bitte, Zhao Kai managed to absorb the information as he smiled bitterly.


    Not knowing such information was a curse, but knowing such information was also a curse as well. After all, it meant he now had to dabble with the rtionship of people very carefully from now on.


    "So am I resembling nighttime?" Zhao Kai bit his lips and asked.


    Xu Feng didn''t answer and merely waved his hands to tell him toe closer.


    "..."


    Speechless, Zhao Kai instantly knew his question was wrong and attempted to correct himself.


    "Am I the trap then?" Zhao Kai asked again.


    Since his identity as the illegitimate status was quite well known in the inner circle of the wealthy, he could be considered as someone who fell from the top.


    s, he was also incorrect again, prompting his forehead to turn even more red after a flick from Xu Feng.


    "You were never at the top to begin with. So how could you be a trap?" Xu Feng rolled his eyes, clearly exhausted at his repeated wrong deductions.


    Suddenly, Zhao Kai plopped to the ground and pointed at himself. With an aggrieved expression, he said, "So I resembled those Shadow Wolves earlier? I''m the one being used as a tool from those in the dark and testing the danger for them."


    Exasperated beyond the limit, Xu Feng lowered his face and covered it with his hand, facepalming at his ridiculous choice.


    If this was a multiple-choice question and there was only one correct answer out of the four. Zhao Kai managed to win the biggest lottery by choosing all the incorrect ones, leaving the final correct answer alone.


    "I''m so done with you." Xu Feng said in a disappointed tone. "Since your eldest sister suddenly wants you to join your grandfather''s birthday despite his many past years'' birthdays, doesn''t that sound fishy to you? Right now, you are that monster corpse¡ª a bait to be precise."


    "Huh? But what value do I even have?" Zhao Kai twitched his mouth, clearly unable toprehend how he was a bait at all.


    He was just an illegitimate son, with no right to any of the Zhao''s Family inheritance. Even his money came from his eldest sister''s generosity.


    At this point, Xu Feng felt a huge migraine.


    He already exined it quite explicitly, but Zhao Kai just doesn''t seem to get it. Or maybe he just simply refused to ept such facts and was subconsciously denying all of it.


    Thankfully for Xu Feng''s sanity, some howling was heard from afar, prompting him to end the discussion early on.


    "Whatever, let''s return to our position and get ready." Xu Feng said, walking ahead without caring if Zhao Kai was following closely or not.


    Silently, Zhao Kai scratched his head and nced over the monster corpses that were scattered across. ''I''m a juicy bait huh. What kind of value do I even have?''


    As much as he trusted Xu Feng''s words, he couldn''tprehend what type of values others would drool over him for.


    "Shadow de, are you going to stay there in a daze and ruin the operation?" Xu Feng suddenly said and pointed at the dark narrow passage.


    "The Shadow Wolves are going to return soon with a squad. So unless you want to be overrun by them, you should start moving."


    "I-I''ming." Zhao Kai quickly responded, putting the matter aside for now and running toward him.

 Chapter 147: Whiffed

    Right after Zhao Kai and Xu Feng returned to their original position, numerous Shadow Wolves began emerging from their habitat.


    The wolves'' howling reverberated throughout the area, clearly excited about the raw meat aroma. Given the fact that the early patrol wolves had already enjoyed a feast without any problems, their guards were lowered.


    Unlike previous where they would sniff around and continuously circling around to check for dangers, the wolves this time only gave a swift sniff before running toward the monster corpses.


    "Feng, they are really eating without a care." Zhao Kai muttered, looking at them through the lens of his scope.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng made a small calction in his mind. "The effect of those powders would take around 1-5 minutes depending on the consumption."


    "Do I hold off on shooting like before?" Zhao Kai questioned. He didn''t want to make another mistake such as being unable to suppress his urge to fire and ruin the operation.


    Earlier, he had disyed quite shameful behavior, and even ced his Ironbolt Rifle down. Luckily, Xu Feng didn''t seem to care about his attitude and continued to remain calm.


    It was also because Xu Feng hadn''t reprimanded or scolded him for such behavior that made his guilt amplified.


    There was a statement: Be not afraid of toxic people, but those with sincerity who didn''t me you.


    "Hey, Feng, are you not going to answer me?" Zhao Kai grumbled softly when he was ignored by him. "Do I shoot as soon as symptoms start appearing or hold off until more are affected?"


    "You''re the one with the gun." Xu Feng turned to him and smiled, "I''m not your nanny or babysitter. You decide when it''s the appropriate time to shoot."


    Havinge up to this point, Xu Feng wanted him to start making independent choices without his influence or advice.


    Sure, they are currently ying together, but who knows if there was going to be time that they needed to be separate.


    By that time, who would guide Zhao Kai?


    Instead of wondering if he could manage things himself, Xu Feng might as well put it to the test.


    With that being said, Zhao Kai was rendered speechless. Clearly, he did not expect to be handed over such a big responsibility.


    ''Damn, then when should I fire?'' He wondered, zooming in on the scope to check up the condition of the Shadow Wolves.


    All the wolves were currently riled up, with most of them chomping down and ripping apart the flesh meat off the bones. They were gnawing over it in joy, and more Shadow Wolves continued to show up.


    They were joining in on the feast, each one of them reveling and filling their empty, starving belly to the brim.


    As time passed by, some wolves started to wobble unnaturally.


    asionally, two or three wolves would bump into each other, faltering in their steps. They shook their heads repeatedly, seemingly trying to shake off the daze effect.


    ''Is it time now?'' Zhao Kai thought to himself. In an attempt to confirm it, he raised his chin up, taking a nce at Xu Feng''s expression.


    s, nothing could be spotted in his expression. Xu Feng had a stoic expression, seemingly detached from the world''s affairs.


    Of course, it was just an exaggerated analogy and Zhao Kai understood that Xu Feng was nning on having him make the judgment this time.


    All along, it had always been Xu Feng leading, deciding this and that whereas he simply followed behind, albeit with someints.


    With a deep breath, Zhao Kai returned his focus to the lens, searching for the toughest andrgest wolves among the group.


    Take down the leader of the pack, and it was a surefire victory.


    That was his mindset.


    ''Come out,e out, where are you?'' Zhao Kai thought, searching and locating the leader.


    A few secondster, the supposed leader emerged in his sight.


    What made Zhao Kai believe it to be the leader was thanks to its hulk figure, with fur as dark as midnight and eyes glowing an eerie yellow. Wherever it walked, other wolves seemed frightened and moved slightly out of the way.


    Despite the wolf''s dominating presence, it couldn''t escape Zhao Kai''s eyes.


    He noticed that its original fluid grace of movements was marred by a subtle unsteadiness. It became quite apparent that the drug was taking effect.


    The wolf''s limbs trembled as if they were struggling to obey itsmands, and its ears flicked back and forth in confusion.


    ''Bingo!'' Zhao Kai smirked and squeezed the trigger softly, firing at the wolf''s leg.


    BANG!


    As the loud sound of the bullet echoed through the darkness of the forest, something unexpected urred.


    "What the¡ª" Zhao Kai twitched his mouth, speechless by the oue. The trajectory that he aimed earlier seemed to have whiffed, and the supposed leader was still unscathed.


    "I-I actually whiffed that shot?" Startled, Zhao Kai refused to believe he was unable to aim properly after all those training sessions.


    He scoped in with his lens once again you confirm, only to realize the target was now ring straight at him.


    Although the distance between them wasrge, Zhao Kai was intimidated by the frightening gaze.


    Panicked, Zhao Kai gritted his teeth, angled his Ironbolt Rifle and fired again.


    Another loud bang echoed, and with this second shot, all the Shadow Wolves promptly stopped their feast. The first bang could have been a false rm, and they were all too distracted in trying to fill their bellies.


    However, with the second shot, it was no longer a false rm, but a fact that they were being ambushed.


    Alerted, they all tracked down the noise that it came from, and numerous gazes started locking on Zhao Kai.


    ''F-Feng, I''ve messed up." Ashamed, Zhao Kai slowly turned to Xu Feng.


    "The shot whiffed and I tried again, but it didn''tnd. Now they''re all alerted to our position." He added, feeling a sense of overwhelming guilt. He believed it was all his fault that the operation became a failure.

 Chapter 148: Live Targets

    As the situation turned grim by the seconds, with all the Shadow Wolves preparing to retaliate, Xu Feng''s expression remained unchanged.


    Instead of scolding or even ming Zhao Kai, he smiled and patted his shoulder.


    "You must be wondering how you whiffed when your scope was on it, right?" Xu Feng questioned.


    Silent, Zhao Kai avoided eye contact briefly and slowly nodded his head.


    He had ensured everything was spot on before squeezing the trigger to fire. Yet the oue turned outpletely away from his expectations.


    Seeing his distressed state which looked no different than a person who was abandoned, Xu Feng didn''t know whether tough or cry.


    "Your aim was right on point, but the reason why you missed it is because you failed to calcte one factor." Xu Fengmented.


    "One factor?"


    Zhao Kai raised an eyebrow, his expression a mixture of doubt and confusion.


    "Yes, the most crucial factor to be precise." Xu Feng shook his head and continued, "A live target is different from an immobile target. An immobile target would remain still no matter what, whereas a live target is movable."


    As if a thunderbolt had struck upon him, Zhao Kai finally realized where it had gone wrong.


    It wasn''t the fact that he failed to aim and angle his gun properly, but it was the fact that he didn''t calcte the supposed leader might dodge from instinct.


    Thus, the first shot missed narrowly, and the second shot was aplete miss because the enemy had already been alerted and ready for it.


    Instead of thinking about adjusting it, he pathetically and foolishly continued to fire, triggering every aggro on him.


    "What should we do now, Feng?" Zhao Kai smiled bitterly.


    He turned and pointed at the wolves making their way toward their uphill position. "They''re all rushing over here and the drugs are in effect, but it''s not enough to stop them."


    However, Xu Feng remained still, almost as if he had no intention of doing anything.


    "Feng, the wolves are rushing in like some gangs or mafia. Shouldn''t we start running?" Zhao Kai eximed, feeling the tense situation. He wasn''t afraid of dying, but if they died because of his mistakes, then he would feel guilty.


    They were able to respawn if they got killed, but the problem was that everything Xu Feng did would be wasted.


    At that time, they would have to redo the whole process, and who knows if the Shadow Wolves were going to fall for the same trick again?


    As time was ticking down, Zhao Kai hurriedly took his stance and shot at the very front wolf.


    Despite aiming for its critical flesh points, the wolf narrowly avoided the bullet on its critical flesh point but still got shot in its other part.


    "Tsk, live targets are really annoying." Zhao Kai clicked his tongue, finally realizing how massive the difference was between firing a stationary monster and a moving monster.


    Frustrated as he may be, Zhao Kai refused to give up and continued to fire.


    However, unlike previously where he would aim the bullet right at the wolf, he attempted to predict its actions when trying to dodge.


    BANG!


    Zhao Kai fired a shot, but unfortunately, the wolf didn''t even attempt any dodging as they dashed ahead.


    ''Damn, so if Ipletely shoot at the outeryer, they won''t even react to it.'' He cursed silently. If he attempted to shoot wide in the hope that they would dodge there, the wolf was more intelligent and simply ignored the bullet.


    Very soon, the wolves were climbing up the hill at a rapid rate, ignoring the drug effect.


    These wolves knew the danger was just right ahead of them, so as long as they eliminated the danger, they could just slowly return to their habitat to rest.


    "I''m sorry, Feng." Zhao Kai bit his lips when he missed another shot, incapable of deterring or even stopping the rush.


    "It''s not bad for your first experience already." Right at this time, Xu Feng suddenly said and grabbed Zhao Kai''s clothes as he pulled him behind.


    With Zhao Kai now pulled behind him, Xu Feng was now facing the aggro.


    Unlike the anxiety-filled Zhao Kai, who had never dealt with such a situation, Xu Feng remained calm. He adjusted his sses, creating a sharp glint as the light caught the lenses.


    "Watch carefully how a Healer can also fight," Xu Feng advised, his tone steady andposed.


    Taking a step forward, he proceeded to buff himself with a swift incantation.


    With the incantation, a faint glow enveloped his body as he dashed forward. His target: the supposed leader of the pack.


    Meanwhile, the leader, though disoriented by the drugs, howled ferociously at Xu Feng, baring his fangs and bracing himself for a sh. Its eyes were somewhat unfocused, but it was still burned with a primal rage and determination.


    "Keep in mind that most monster attacks have a pattern, and if you can determine them early. You can easily dodge their attack, even if they look threatening." Xu Fengmented, giving more hints to Zhao Kai.


    At the same time, he moved with precision and timely dodged an awkward swipe from the leader''s massive paw.


    Normally, such an attack would be difficult to avoid, but thanks to the drug, its bnce waspromised, allowing him a much easier time to calcte.


    However, there was no time to rx, given the other wolves joined in with their aggressive attack, pouncing toward Xu Feng without care.


    "FENG!"


    Zhao Kai called out in panic, trying to fix his gun position to assist in the background. s, it was just a pity that some wolves managed to sneak up on him when he was distracted by Xu Feng''s actions.


    "Get off me!" Zhao Kai clenched his fist and tanked the strike before retaliating. His health points subsequently decreased and he could feel some pain in his lower chest.


    The pain tolerance in the Divine World was set on a scale that would not really cause yers to feel like they''re dying. But it was set enough to make the yers feel a small percentage of the actual sensation of the pain if it actually happened in real life.

 Chapter 149: Divine Wrath

    Overwhelmed by the ferocious wolves'' offense, Zhao Kai gritted his teeth and decided to confront them head-on.


    He was still a Gun Knight at the end of the day, so his defense was fairly high.


    Not to mention, he had many health potions that he bought from the NPC market.


    "Let''s see who will die first." Zhao Kai sneered, retrieving a small pistol, and began shooting at the wolf, ignoring their swipe and bite.


    As much as he wanted to pay attention to Xu Feng''s situation, he could not afford to continuously be a burden.


    While Zhao Kai was still feeling guilty about the situation, Xu Feng was currently being attacked in all directions. The moment he dodged or retaliated against one, his other sides would be exposed.


    ''Their agility is definitely quicker than those drakes. Even being drugged didn''t dampen much of their agility.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, taking a bit of damage from the younger wolves.


    There was only so much space left for him to dodge. Additionally, the wolves were all agitated, with none of them caring much for their lives.


    "It seems like I might really have my first death here." Xu Feng smiled bitterly, healing himself while swinging his staff to knock back another wolf.


    In the meantime, his other hand was bitten by another wolf, its teeth gnawing deeply into his flesh.


    Blood seeped from the wound, but Xu Feng endured the pain and remainedposed. He quickly swung his arm left and right, hoping to throw the wolf off.


    Given that the wolf was still under the drug effect, Xu Feng was able to throw them off after another few seconds.


    Once that was done, he quickly cast Heal, feeling the warmth of the spell knitting his torn flesh together.


    By using heal immediately, Xu Feng essentially was putting it on cooldown while maintaining his health point at a certain range.


    After all, the lower his health points became, the more fervor the wolves were going to be. Hence, he could not afford to let the situation fester into that possibility.


    ''How unfortunate that I have to clean up the mess in the end.'' Xu Feng sighed inwardly, gripping his staff tightly and activating one of the hidden effects of the Baptism.


    A surge of energy coursed through his body as one of the hidden Baptism effects, Divine Wrath, activated.


    For a brief moment, a radiant light enveloped Xu Feng, and his eyes glowed with an intense, otherworldly power. This effect could enhance a yer''sbat prowess tremendously, albeit for a limited time.


    ¡ª


    Divine Wrath


    Duration: 2 minutes


    Effects:


    -Strength Boost: Increases physical and magical attack power by 200%.


    -Speed Enhancement: Doubles movement and attack speed.


    -Invulnerability: Reduces all iing damage by 90%.


    -Aura of Fear: Emits a fearsome aura that intimidates enemies within a 10-meter radius, causing them to hesitate and their attack uracy to drop significantly.


    Cooldown: 24 hours


    ¡ª


    The wolves around Xu Feng faltered, their instincts screaming at them to flee from the sudden manifestation of power. The supposed leader was practically trembling in their limbs, given that it was facing the full pressure from Xu Feng.


    "Don''t falter now that you made use of one of these." Xu Feng eyed the leader fiercely. "Because of you all, I''m going to receive an intense bacsh after 2 minutes."


    As he finished the statement, Xu Feng, now a beacon of divine energy, moved with blinding speed. His staff was infused with newfound strength and became a blur as he struck down the wolves with precise, devastating blows.


    Xu Feng''s attacks were now obliterating the wolves, their ferocity no match for the divine onught. Each swing of his staff sent multiple wolves flying, their yelps of pain echoing in the chaos.


    "Howl!!" The supposed leader howled in a sign of distress, seemingly signaling for a retreat. Their will to fight had beenpletely quenched by the Divine Wrath''s effect.


    The Aura of Fear, added to their being drugged, overwhelmed thempletely to the point of giving up and trying to run for their lives.


    "Heh, did you think I''ll let you all run?" Xu Feng sneered. With his increased speed, Xu Feng danced around the battlefield, catching those who attempted to run and evading their pitiful attacks that served none other than distractions.


    As the situation quickly turned around with the wolves now in peril, the leader of the pack, still groggy from the drugs and intimidated, mustered up their courage.


    Its fierce determinationpelled it to protect its pack, prompting it to do a desperate lunge at Xu Feng, hoping to buy time for the others to escape.


    Xu Feng swiftly understood the leader''s intention and respected its choice.


    However, respecting and allowing it to seed were two different matters.


    He sidestepped with ease, evading the lunge and delivering a crushing blow to the leader''s side.


    The powerful strike sent the leader crashing to the ground, unable to rise. Not only was the strike powerful, but Xu Feng''s precisionnded directly on the critical flesh points.


    Sometimeter, as the timer for the Divine Wrath ticked down, Xu Feng continued his relentless assault, his divine-enhanced strikes decimating the remaining wolves.


    "Is this really the Feng I know?" Zhao Kai, who was finally freed from his predicament, noticed the tremendous change from Xu Feng.


    He was leftpletely aghast when he saw the fluid movement and attacks from Xu Feng. Each one of the strikes outright killed a wolf or sent them into a disabled state.


    What astounded him dearly was that he felt his body turning heavy.


    It was as if he couldn''t move as soon as his eyes looked at the current Xu Feng. There was an indescribable feeling of fear he got.


    ''Why do I feel afraid of Feng?'' Zhao Kai wondered silently. For Xu Feng who had assisted him throughout this time, he found it baffling that he would be afraid of him.


    Thankfully, his feeling of fear seemed tost a few secondster as it swiftly vanished into thin air.


    "Feng!" Zhao Kai quickly called out in panic when he saw Xu Feng copsing to the ground after catching thest wolf in the pack.

 Chapter 150: Side Effect

    As the final wolf of the pack perished under the staff of Xu Feng, his body seemed to have lost all form of energy.


    Every pore of his body felt weakened, and Xu Feng''s vision was turning blurry.


    Unable to even stand properly, Xu Feng copsed to the ground, his breathing bing difficult.


    ''Ugh, the side effect is really not aughing matter.'' Xu Feng had only heard of the rumor from other yers who had utilized the hidden effect of baptism.


    He thought those yers were exaggerating and merely boasting around.


    Who would have thought it was true and the side effects could possibly traumatize one to never use the skill again?


    His mentality might have been fortified quite heavily, but even now, Xu Feng was somewhat regretful in using it. The current him felt no different than a paralyzed patient who could only use his eyes to gaze at the ceiling.


    Just at this moment, Xu Feng heard a panicked tone from a distance, calling out for him.


    "Feng, are you okay?" Zhao Kai continued to ask as he dashed toward him and checked on his condition.


    "Your face is pale. How did this happen?" Upon noticing Xu Feng''splexion, Zhao Kai was shocked by his state.


    Just earlier, Xu Feng was still lively and fierce, dominating the battlefield.


    However, in less than a few seconds, he now looked no different than a corpse.


    "You''ve got any health potions?" Xu Feng asked weakly. His Heal was in cooldown, and he could barely move a muscle to consume them.


    "Yeah, I have them. Just give me a second." Zhao Kai responded, retrieving multiple health potions from his inventory.


    After that, he lifted Xu Feng up slightly and helped him consume the health potion.


    One bottle after another, Xu Feng''splexion slowly turned for the better by the time he consumed the fifth health potion.


    "Alright, that''s enough." Xu Feng quickly said when he noticed Zhao Kai was going to open another health potion.


    "If I drink anymore, then I might vomit it all out."


    "A-Are you sure?"


    "Yeah, just ce me down by the tree and kill the remaining wolves." Xu Feng said and pointed at the leader, along with some other wolves whoy motionless on the ground.


    "I''m in a bit of a predicament, so I won''t gain much experience points. But it''s not the same for you, so you''re definitely going to gain a ton if you get the final hit on them." He exined, his tone still somewhat weak.


    Nodding his head, Zhao Kai didn''t even bother asking why he did such a thing.


    He simply lifted Xu Feng up and carried him over to a nearby tree to rest while he went ahead and dealt the killing blow to the remaining wolves.


    Although he gained quite an abundant amount of experience points, his level remained the same. The experience points required to level up to 6 was insane, and he was barely around the 34% mark.


    "Feng, I''m going to gather the corpse and materials now." Zhao Kai said, getting to work as a harvester.


    Though the truth was, even if Xu Feng wasn''t in such a weakened state, Zhao Kai would still want to gather the materials himself.


    Had it not been his mistake which resulted in such an oue, then maybe the operation would have been more ideal. Additionally, Xu Feng wouldn''t have needed to overwork himself and take on the mantle to do everything.


    ''Feng is a cleric while I''m a gun knight. So why am I unable to help much?'' Zhao Kai med himself while gathering the necessary materials.


    Time slowly passed by, and Zhao Kai finished calcting the total loot.


    Without a doubt, they managed to gather more than 50 Shadow Wolves Pelt,pleting their mission.


    Of course, they still needed to turn over the material to Fiona to truly call it an officialpletion.


    Heading back to the tree where Xu Feng was lying to rest, Zhao Kai reported, "Feng, we finished gathering the materials required by Fiona."


    Zhao Kai expected a quick response, but Xu Feng merely kept silent and gazed at him.


    Using a little bit of his strength, Xu Feng patted his palm on the ground next to him.


    This kind of indication didn''t need much exnation, given it was evident that Xu Feng was telling him to take a seat.


    With a somewhat nervous and bitter smile, Zhao Kai took his seat without question. His hands began sweating and he was feeling anxious.


    "Kai, don''t dwell too much on your mistake and me yourself. We''re humans after all, and which humans don''t make mistakes?" Xu Fengmented weakly.


    And he continued, "Instead of constantly ming yourself silently. How about using that energy to improve yourself and learn how to prevent such a situation again?"


    "Huh?" Stunned, Zhao Kai turned to him with a dazed look.


    "Don''t huh me." Xu Feng rolled his eyes and weakly lifted his finger to give him a flick on the forehead.


    The action was slow, but Zhao Kai didn''t bother dodging despite being able to evade it easily.


    The flick this time wasn''t even hard and he barely felt the flick. Nevertheless, for some reason, he felt this flick hurt even harder than previous times.


    The reason was that Xu Feng''s words were nothing short of constion. He didn''t me him at all and was instead hoping that he would get over this hurdle already.


    "Feng, are you really not mad?" Zhao Kai bit his lips softly and mustered his courage to ask such a question.


    "Oh please. Stop acting like some sentimental fool and return to your normalposure already." Xu Feng rolled his eyes and shed a disgusted expression.


    "You look really disgusting right now, and if you continue, I''ll expose your misdeeds to your eldest sister. Let''s see if she will buy your sadness."


    "What? How could you even think of snitching on me, Feng?" Zhao Kai eximed in disbelief.


    "If you dare snitch on me or if my eldest sister suddenly questions me. Then I''m going to thrash you!"


    "Yeah, right. As if you could thrash me, to begin with." Xu Feng chuckled softly.


    "Who said I can''t thrash you? Look at your current pathetic state!" Zhao Kai grinned and flexed his fist.

 Chapter 151: Return to Willowbrook Village

    Thanks to the threat Xu Feng made, the previous sullen mood of Zhao Kai disappeared in an instant.


    He was no longer ming himself and was even now casually threatening to beat up Xu Feng, who was still in a weakened state.


    "Ahh, you truly are one cold-hearted bastard. To think you would even attempt toy a hand on a weakened person." Xu Feng shook his head, seemingly disappointed in him.


    "Tsk, a weakened person but still capable of threatening others, isn''t weakened at all." Zhao Kai rolled his eyes.


    Despite the bantering, Zhao Kai still made sure to pay attention to Xu Feng''s state.


    As if he was really such a fool to not understand Xu Feng''s motive.


    His method was not only effective in snapping him out of his previous mood, but it also helped alleviate the atmosphere to how it used to be.


    Xu Feng''sst remark especially was a warning and a piece of advice to him.


    Mistakes are made not because you want them to be, but because they happened due to circumstances. Hence, people called them mistakes and not intentional.


    To sulk in your mistakes and not attempt to improve yourself to lessen the possibility of errors was the most foolish decision a person could make.


    "Anyway, I think we rested enough." Xu Feng nced at the sky which seemed to be gradually turning brighter.


    Very soon, the sun should rise up, meaning there was going to be less time for him to act.


    Aside from Fiona''s quest, there was one other quest that Xu Feng had, and it was the insurgence.


    As he attempted to get up, Xu Feng''s bnce was shaky, stumbling.


    "Ugh, why are you even moving when you''re still weakened?" Zhao Kai scolded and lent a hand to help bnce him.


    In the next instance, he crouched and ordered, "Just climb on my back and I''ll carry you."


    "..."


    After debating whether or not to climb on top of him, Xu Feng relented in the end.


    "If you drop me or make me bump into something, then you''re going to get it." Xu Feng warned sternly, wrapping his arms around his shoulders.


    "Heh, rest assured. I did weight training, so even if you weigh a ton, I can still easily carry you." Zhao Kai attempted to boast, only to end up getting smack at the back of his head.


    "Are you implying I''m fat?" Xu Feng scolded, ready to give him another smack if he said one more wrong sentence.


    "No, I meant I''m strong only. I didn''t imply anything." Defend Zhao Kai, clearly afraid of receiving another smack.


    Of course, if it was someone else threatening other than Xu Feng, he would have thrown a fit and let thetter know how strong he truly was.


    Besides some traces of guilt that still remained, only Xu Feng was a friend that he could truly be at ease with, unlike the bunch of hypocrites who leeched on him once they realized his eldest sister''s identity.


    Sometimeter, Zhao Kai shifted Xu Feng''s weight onto his back, feeling the strain but maintaining a steady grip. Each step was careful but firm, his feet crunching softly against the forest floor.


    As he walked, Zhao Kai inquired, "Are you leaving once weplete the mission?"


    "Yeah, I''m only assisting you with this mission. After that, you''re on your own to learn and adapt." Xu Feng responded casually.


    "Heh, got it. I learned enough so I should try to do my own mission."


    "Indeed, your mission isn''t easy, so don''t lower your guard."


    With that warning from Xu Feng, it reassured Zhao Kai and also helped him understand that nothing could escape his eyes.


    After all, the original delivery mission was a chain quest, and he hadn''t had the opportunity to tell Xu Feng.


    Yet it was quite clear that Xu Feng had long known about it but kept silent.


    Having been carried for the first mission, Zhao Kai was grateful already.


    Time slowly passed by, and they arrived at the eerie fog once again.


    "How do we exactly teleport there, Feng?" Zhao Kai turned his head and asked.


    "Put me down first."


    "Okay¡­"


    A few secondster, Xu Feng retrieved the locket that the registration guards had given to them previously.


    "Upon meeting the condition, a system prompt would appear and inquire if we wish to teleport to the destination." Xu Feng calmly exined and epted the "yes" button.


    Soon, his body was shrouded by a bright light and he subsequently vanished from the scene.


    Shortly after, Zhao Kai followed the procedure and noticed the system prompt. He clicked "yes", and a simr event urred as he vanished from the eerie fog.


    By the time he reopened his eyes, he noticed he wasn''t teleported to the outskirts likest time. Instead, they were teleported directly to the location where they did their registration.


    "Oh, you two have returned." One of the registration guards on duty said.


    "Yes, we havepleted the mission entrusted to us by cksmith Fiona." Xu Feng greeted him politely and responded.


    Nodding his head, the guard looked at Xu Feng in a new light.


    "Haha, cksmith Fiona''s mission is never easy, so to think youpleted this fast means you are capable people." The guardplimented genuinely.


    Respect was given to those with strength and ability. Now that Xu Feng and Zhao Kai both proved themselves worthy, their impression of them was naturally improving.


    After some more small talks to continue the amicable rtionship, Xu Feng bid farewell as he used Fiona''s grumpiness as an excuse.


    As they began walking toward the Forgefire cksmith, Xu Feng reminded him, "Kai, you must never slight the NPCs unless you want to have a difficult life in the Divine World. NPCs are simr to humans in a way and if you leave a negative impression, it could spread all across. By then, you''ll be lucky to even find a mission unless they''re evil or insidious NPCs."


    "I understand, Feng." Zhao Kai clenched his fist and nodded.

 Chapter 152: Credit

    After walking for a while, the two finally returned to the Forgefire cksmith.


    Just likest time, the heat emitting from the cksmith and hammering sound remained.


    Zhao Kai took a deep breath before gently opening the door. He knew better than to behave likest time, especially with the reminder from Xu Feng.


    As he entered, Zhao Kai found a corner to stand in and patiently waited until he was called upon, believing it was the best course of action.


    Seeing his action, Xu Feng nearly wanted tough at his ridiculous behavior.


    Did he seriously believe everything would remain the same?


    ''This Kai still has a long way to go when interacting with NPCs.'' Xu Feng thought, ignoring him and walking toward Fiona.


    "Hello, cksmith Fiona, I have returned to inform you of good news." He calmly said, shocking Zhao Kai who was standing by the corner.


    ''Is Feng crazy?'' Zhao Kai eximed inwardly, his eye sockets nearly popping out.


    Thest time he did that, a hammer was swung toward him at an insane speed, narrowly missing him.


    It wasn''t an exaggeration to say he would be killed on the spot if Fiona was truly intending to kill him.


    However, what astonished him further was that Fiona actually gently ced down her hammer.


    Afterward, she turned around and smiled brightly at Xu Feng in amazement.


    "You''vepleted gathering my materials already?" Fiona said in shock, clearly joyful of such news.


    "Of course, those are materials that cksmith Fiona required. How could I dare take it easy?" Xu Feng remained humble and bowed his head slightly.


    "Oh dear, look at you." Fionaughed merrily and waved her hand. "Just call me Fiona and let me see those materials."


    A few secondster, Xu Feng neatly ced all the materials on the table, allowing Fiona to inspect them.


    While Fiona was distracted in inspecting the qualities of the material, Zhao Kai discreetly dragged Xu Feng by the side.


    "How did you do it, Feng?" Zhao Kai whispered softly, afraid of alerting Fiona. "Not only was she not mad at you for interrupting her forging, but she even let you call her first name? What sorcery is this?"


    "Didn''t I tell you earlier about the NPC''s behavior?" Xu Feng smiled briefly and continued, "Fiona is clearly in need of the materials, so her mood was foul. But since I came over and informed her that the materials she was missing were here, it''s obvious that she would be delighted."


    s, the exnation didn''t seem to make sense to Zhao Kai. Given that he had already a predetermined mindset in believing Fiona''s forging must not be interrupted, he was unable toprehend Xu Feng''s in-depth actions.


    "Her mood was foul, so shouldn''t the interruption enrage her further and not delight her instead?"


    "Sigh, let me exin in another way. Kai, if you''re starving and grumpy because of it. Suddenly, someone came over with good food and asked if you wanted some. Would you be mad at that person offering you food?"


    As if a lightbulb had been brightened up, Zhao Kai finally understood the meaning.


    Since Fiona''s father was missing, she was forced to be in charge of the cksmith. Thus, she was unable to exit and gather materials herself.


    Additionally, her forging was stagnant because of insufficient materials, which resulted in her foul mood, especially when Zhao Kai gave a terrible first impression.


    However, everything changed as soon as Xu Feng helped resolve the conflict for her, and in return, received her approval.


    "Damn, so wouldn''t I be the one receiving the approval if I went ahead to do the informing instead?" Zhao Kai twitched his lips and red at Xu Feng.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng patted his shoulder and grinned, "And this is why I warn you time and time again. But you just never listen. Now the credit is mine."


    "You are very cruel."


    "Cruel? More like a clever person."


    Speechless, Zhao Kai realized he could only me himself, especially when Xu Feng had practically given him the chance earlier.


    It was just that he failed to capitalize on it and foolishly believed waiting was the correct choice.


    "Ugh, I thought you were my brother." Cried Zhao Kai, clearly unable to believe he was yed by Xu Feng so hard.


    "If I treated you as an enemy, then I wouldn''t have bothered clearing your doubt. What I did is to show you that people must not be trusted blindly, and that includes me and your eldest sister." Xu Feng''s expression suddenly turned cold and solemn.


    Zhao Kai could indistinctly feel there was something weird about his expression, but couldn''t pinpoint where exactly.


    Naturally, he would never be able to understand the betrayal and pain that Xu Feng had to go through in his past timeline. A timeline that was merely filled with nothing but terrible memories.


    "Anyway, I won''t steal your credit this time but remember to not act socent. Even if the mission was entrusted to you initially, it can easily be stolen by others if you''re not careful." Xu Feng patted his shoulder and proceeded to return to Fiona''s side.


    "Fiona, this time, it was thanks to Shadow de''s immacte firepower that we managed to collect most of the materials in time."


    "Oh? This timid person did most of the work?" Dumbfounded, Fiona held a doubtful expression as she nced at Zhao Kai.


    Upon being nced at, Zhao Kai quickly stood still, nearly as straight as those soldiers in the military training camp.


    "Are you deceiving me?" Fiona raised an eyebrow, seemingly suspicious of the im.


    Luckily, Xu Feng was prepared for it and pointed at a few corpses. "See those corpses, Fiona. They are riddled with bullet wounds but I''m just a Cleric and incapable of making such wounds."


    Finally convinced after checking the wounds, Fiona decided to be lenient but her leniency was no different than emotional damage to Zhao Kai.


    "Hmm, I suppose this timid person sure kept his ability well, albeit his personality and behavior need work." Shemented frankly.

 Chapter 153: Rewards

    Zhao Kai felt like his mouth was coughing up blood because of Fiona''sment.


    How could one even call that apliment?


    Saying that he kept his ability well, but his overall behaviorism needed work was akin to saying he was not good enough.


    ''Is Feng trying to help me or put more salt in my wounds?'' Zhao Kai wondered silently, feeling like he was still getting toyed.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng merely faked a cough, clearly not expecting such a frankment from Fiona either. ''Though she''s not wrong and is quite on point. As expected of an experienced cksmith.''


    Despite having such a thought, Xu Feng still acted humble and defended Zhao Kai.


    "Shadow de rarely interacts much with people of your prowess. So he tends to be nervous, Fiona. Please forgive mypanion''s unsightly disy of behavior in your presence," he apologized on behalf of Zhao Kai.


    "Hmm, indeed, not many can even talk to me face to face." Extremely proud, Fiona nodded her head in agreement.


    She then raised her chin up and continued, "Aii, it''s truly hard for me to conceal my presence either. Your timid friend could only try to train harder to resist my dominating presence."


    Thankfully, it was a good thing that she couldn''t manipte any of her body parts. Otherwise, Xu Feng was positive that her nose would start to grow long from ego alone.


    As for Zhao Kai, he felt as if someone had just shot him multiple times repeatedly, and even in death, he was still getting shot. That was how much thebined statement from Xu Feng and Fiona had hurt him emotionally.


    ''Why am I being talked down to help the two of you have such a friendly conversation? I was just being respectful and frightful of your hammer swinging at me.'' Zhao Kai screamed loudly in his mind, wanting to say those aloud.


    However, he painfully knew if he uttered such words aloud, then a hammer would really be flying his way, and it wouldn''t miss him.


    To have such an unfortunate death added to his count was definitely not something he wished for.


    Thus, he could only keep a bitter smile on his expression, keeping silent and enduring their conversation.


    ''Is this what Feng wants to teach me as well? That people can change in a heartbeat depending on the person, value, or anything in general.'' Zhao Kai thought to himself.


    Sometimeter, Fiona finished inspecting the materials, and a satisfied smile was shown on her expression.


    "Haha, the two of you have done a good job." Fiona praised, storing all the materials in a heartbeat.


    "It is our pleasure to be able to assist you," Xu Feng ced one hand by his chest and bowed slightly, whereas his other hand signaled for Zhao Kai to mimic his action.


    "Yes, it was our pleasure to be of help," Zhao Kai quickly followed up, albeit with some change of words.


    Pleased, Fionaughed heartily as a systempletion prompt soon appeared in front of Xu Feng and Zhao Kai.


    Given Xu Feng''s shrewdness, he was able totch onto Zhao Kai and receive the same mission reward, especially when he didn''t ck on the contribution factors.


    ''Sigh¡­ only level 4 after all this effort.'' Xu Feng smiled bitterly.


    Never once did he think that reaching level 5 would be such a difficult task.


    ¡ª


    yer Name: Lin Feng


    ss: Cleric


    Level: 4


    Experience Points: 1,840/1,000,000


    Attributes: Strength 12, Agility 15, Endurance 14, Intelligence 25, Vitality 18


    Free Attribute Points: 10


    ¡ª


    Ignoring the snail-pace leveling speed and new character status, he took a nce at the reward and most of them were already fulfilled.


    -Increased Reputation within Willowbrook Vige


    -Gain ess to the Willowbrook Vige through any teleportation tform.


    -15,000 Experience Points


    -40 Copper Coins


    -Possibility to Trigger (Rare Custom Weapon or Armor crafted by Fiona Forgefire)


    Their reputation so far had already been spread everywhere within the Willowbrook Vige. From now on, even the original wary NPCs would still take a little bit of their time to greet them.


    As for the second reward part, they were now eligible to teleport to the Willowbrook Vige on any tform. They were no longer restricted to the eerie fog location, saving them time and trouble.


    The 40 copper coins were negligible with Xu Feng''s current wealth, but he wouldn''t mind extra money.


    Only a fool wouldin about having more money.


    Finally, the most important two rewards were the 15,000 experience points which greatly helped Xu Feng close the gap in reaching level 5, as well as the possibility to trigger the rare custom weapon or armor.


    ''Since Fiona didn''t say anything, it seems like I need to give a final push.'' Xu Feng knitted his brows and thought.


    Others might have a misconception of thinking the NPCs would take the initiative in case of a trigger possibility oue, but not him.


    In most cases, these types of additional rewards require the yers to work extra hard and explore more hidden features themselves.


    "Fiona, aside from the material you requested, I also have something else that you might like to see." Xu Feng stepped forward and said in a friendly tone, dropping the honorific and extreme politeness.


    "Oh, you have something interesting for me to see?" Surprised, Fiona was truly taken aback by Xu Feng this time.


    She was already satisfied with their swiftpletion, but to think there was more to it, it was hard for her to conceal her amusement.


    Her anticipation was reaching its peak as she nodded, "Very well, show it to me."


    "No offense, Fiona, but I don''t think the space here is enough for my surprises." Xu Feng nced around the interior and determined the space was inadequate.


    "Hmm, now you''re making it mysterious, Lin Feng." Fiona furrowed her brows and continued, "I shall bring you to a more spacious environment, but I''ll warn you in advance. If it''s not satisfactory, then you''re in big trouble."


    "Of course, I deserve it in that case for troubling you if the items are unsatisfactory." Xu Feng smiled, confidently adjusting his sses.

 Chapter 154: Negotiation

    With Xu Feng exuding confidence despite her warning, Fiona''s anticipation officially climaxed to the max.


    Only when a person waspletely sure of their items would they dare to proceed forward without hesitation. It was the same concept of a certified cksmith and a greenhorn cksmith.


    Greenhorn cksmiths are always so indecisive, resulting in their craft being no different than scraps.


    However, certified cksmiths are experienced and know what to do, often resulting in their craft being of the finest quality yet.


    "I am really looking forward to the items you are presenting me, Lin Feng," Fiona said amusingly, heading toward the upper floor.


    Xu Feng followed closely behind and when Zhao Kai wanted to follow as well, Fiona promptly stopped him.


    "Not you, timid boy. You are not yet qualified to enter the upper floor, and I''m only making an exception for Lin Feng this time." Fiona exined frankly.


    Zhao Kai twitched his mouth, seemingly in disbelief that he would be barred from heading upstairs. He turned slightly and gazed at Xu Feng, almost as if he wanted thetter to speak up for him.


    However, Xu Feng could only shake his head in response.


    Just like Fiona stated earlier, the upper floor had restrictions and she was only making an exception because of his words.


    If he dared to overreach his boundary and limit, then everything would crumble instantaneously.


    After all, Xu Feng knew about the restrictions in certain areas when in NPC territory. One must gain enough clearance or trust to simplify things to ess them.


    Right now, he was merely using a loophole and the overly joyful mood of Fiona to orchestrate a situation in which the required clearance would be bypassed.


    "Just wait around and think of how to progress in your next mission." Xu Feng calmly said, telling him to be patient.


    "Ugh, looks like there''s no hope for me." Zhao Kai sighed and gently walked back down.


    Although a bit disappointed, it wasn''t enough to dampen his mood.


    ''Since Feng knew I had another mission to report back to Gorrick as soon as I delivered the letter personally to Fiona''s father. I guess he really didn''t intend to assist me any longer.'' Zhao Kai thought to himself.


    Gorrick was the NPC who assigned him this mission, and ording to Fiona, he was addressed as uncle to her. Hence, Zhao Kai needed to mark this note down and pay attention to the details.


    Originally, he wouldn''t bother reading much into the dialogue, emotion, and actions of the NPC. He believed it to be a simple mission and done, then moved on to the next NPC''s mission type of game.


    However, that all changed when Xu Feng repeatedly emphasized the NPC''s characteristics, albeit discreetly and subtly to him.


    Instead of force-feeding all the information at once, Xu Feng was shrewd and clever enough to do it bit by bit, allowing him to slowly digest the information and understand it more thoroughly.


    As Zhao Kai began brainstorming, taking a more cautious approach toward the Divine World structure and NPC, Xu Feng was guided to arge spacious room.


    "This room is normally stored with the highest quality materials, but it''s empty at the moment because my father is out to gather them," Fiona exined casually.


    Despite the casualness, Xu Feng was able to pick up on the highlights.


    Her father, Thorin, was unavable at the moment because of materials gathering, and it wasn''t any simple materials.


    If Xu Feng had to take a guess, especially with the current stages and Fiona''sbat prowess, he deduced it should be monsters around the level 50-70s.


    ''Looks like Kai''s adventure is going to be a tedious one.'' Xu Feng smiled, took a step forward, and unwrapped the items that he wanted to show Fiona.


    Any more ttery words or dys were just going to irritate the frank and straightforward Fiona.


    A loud thud echoed throughout the room as a pile of corpsesy neatly in the spacious room that was quickly filled up in an instant.


    "T-These are¡­ Pyrite Drake corpses?" Astonished, Fiona gazed at Xu Feng and muttered in a disbelief tone.


    "I thought you merely gathered their pyrite drake scale in the nest when they were away. I didn''t expect you to be ying them as well¡ª at least not with your pitiful level." She added, clearly amazed by his feat.


    "Oh, there''s still onest corpse that I believe you would be even more interested in." Xu Feng chuckled softly and retrieved the final corpse.


    Soon, arge Pyrite Drake corpse appeared and its frightening aura still retained its presence.


    "A Pyrite Drake leader," Fiona eximed, clearly recognizing a monster leader with her discerning eyes.


    She took a deep breath before asking for Xu Feng''s weapon. "Can I see your staff for a few moments?"


    Xu Feng dly handed his staff over with no hesitation.


    His staff was rubbish anyway, and it wasn''t as if he didn''t know what she was nning to do with the staff.


    By taking his weapon, she was investigating the condition of the staff, as well as the wounds of the corpse''s injuries. If everything matched, then she could no longer deny that they were indeed killed by him.


    Of course, if everything didn''t match, then Fiona woulde to the conclusion that Xu Feng brought the corpses from a market.


    Depending on the conclusion she came up with, her impression of Xu Feng would either increase or decrease tremendously.


    "While you''re investigating, I hope to negotiate a deal with you, Fiona." Xu Feng walked to a nearby chair and sat, his demeanor smooth and confident.


    "I can continuously provide you with sources of materials, and in return, I hope you can give me some discount when crafting or forging for me. As well as being able to customize per my order, with an extra charging fee of course." He added, revealing his true motive.


    Meanwhile, Fiona stopped investigating and threw the staff back to Xu Feng.


    Her mouth involuntarily formed a grin as shemented, "Ahh, what a misjudgment I have for you? You''re one sly person."

 Chapter 155: Future Supplier

    Fiona was truly astounded initially to hear Xu Feng''s impromptu negotiation when she was expecting to see something interesting, and not hear something interesting.


    After all, Xu Feng had been quite to her liking very well during their interaction.


    Not once did she think he would suddenly pull a fast one on her.


    What made it more frustrating was that she couldn''t find herself disgusted or hatred toward him.


    "Aren''t you afraid that I might just kick you out for suddenly bringing up such a topic?" Fiona questioned, keeping her grin hanging on her expression.


    She found it hard to control her expression when such an amusing and confident person appeared in front of her from out of nowhere.


    Normally, when people interacted with her, there was only a tone of politeness and cautiousness.


    They dared not offend her in any way, lest their request would be denied.


    Yet not only did Xu Feng prattle around her emotions, effectively bringing her joy, but he also knew when to strike while the iron was hot.


    "Fiona is a frank person, so I''m being frank as well now that I have aplished the criteria to be eligible for the negotiation, to begin with." Xu Feng responded and smiled amicably.


    "Looks like I need to teach you a lesson some other day." Amused, Fiona didn''t find any ws in his reasoning.


    She had finished checking the wounds of the Pyrite Drakes and obtained an estimated calction on the cause of their death.


    Given Xu Feng''s profession, she could confirm that he dabbled in herbology as well and utilized them effectively to his advantage. Otherwise, there was no way he was able to kill so many Pyrite Drakes with his mediocre ability.


    Nevertheless, to confirm her suspicion, she made sure to walk closer to him and gave a few sniffles, confirming the existence of herbs lingering in his clothes.


    "What kind of synthesis did you make to cause the Pyrite Drakes to be severely weakened in such a state?" Fiona questioned casually.


    Smiling, Xu Feng retrieved an explosive pod that he kept and gave it to Fiona.


    "Elemental Disruption Elixir, utilizing four different types of herb to synthesize." He exined.


    Fiona gave another few sniffles on the explosive pod and continued her questioning, "Which four herbs are used?"


    "They are Drakebane Root, Frostpetal Blossom, Aetherleaf, and Sulfurvine."


    "I might not be an herbalist or someone dabbling in herbology, but those herbs are extremely rare and should not be in the Verdant Valley."


    "Naturally, these herbs wouldn''t be found in the Verdant Valley, or even within the surrounding regions."


    "Then where did you obtain these herbs?" Fiona narrowed her eyes. "Even if you go to a ck market, they might not necessarily have these types of herbs either."


    "Apologies, but that''s my trade secret." Xu Feng lightly smiled, unwilling to answer thest question.


    As if he would be foolish enough to outright say those herbs were obtained from Miracle Herb Garden. The amount of trouble that it would bring was impossible to calcte, and he had no n to shoot himself in the foot.


    Of course, with that answer as a response, most might think he would dissatisfy Fiona, but they would be wrong to think that.


    "Heh, if you answered such a sensitive question to me as well, then I will really boot you out." Fiona snickered coldly, returning the explosive pod to him.


    "I''m d I didn''t disappoint you then." Xu Feng said and adjusted his sses.


    "Anyway, your staff was also coated with the Elixir, and your response seemed coherent to the circumstances as well. So I shall temporarily believe you are the killer of these Pyrite Drakes." She eximed, unwilling to let him off easily for deceiving her.


    "Haha, only temporaril¡ª"


    Before Xu Feng could continue his words, he coughed repeatedly and nearly fell from his chair.


    Startled, Fiona hurriedly rushed to Xu Feng''s side and helped him regain his bnce.


    Her expression gradually turned solemn once she finally took notice of his paleplexion.


    Earlier, she was distracted by their swift return, followed by Xu Feng''s enticing and mysterious items that would interest her. Thus, she didn''t pay much attention to Xu Feng.


    Now that she had the opportunity to do so, she finally realized he was in a terrible condition.


    "How are you still trying toe up with a negotiation deal when you''re abnormally fatigued?" She questioned, albeit in a scolding manner.


    "I-It''s fine," Xu Feng attempted to put up a strong front, but the side effect was taking a toll on his body.


    ''Looks like my mana is dried uppletely.'' Hemented silently.


    Had his mana not dried up, he would have been able to buff himself continuously to endure the conversation.


    s, his pitiful level 4 only had so much mana before it would run out.


    Not even consuming mana potions could restore therge consumption of mana needed to maintain the buff.


    "You better rest properly, otherwise, your body might not be able to endure any longer," Fiona warned sternly.


    Her expertise might be in forging, but she had witnessed many beginner cksmiths who overworked themselves too much.


    It was to the point where they even walked to their demise of never being able to hold a hammer again. They destroyed their body so much and didn''t rest properly, which resulted in the ending of their career as a cksmith. "But the deal¡­" Xu Feng persisted, unwilling to give up this golden opportunity.


    "As long as you can continue to provide me with good materials, I don''t mind giving you some discount. As for the customization, we''ll talk further once you are in good condition." Fiona responded coolly.


    "I''ll just need a few minutes to rest." Xu Feng continued but still decided to take it easy now that Fiona had given her words.


    A reputed cksmith''s words are credible after all.


    "Hmm, you can head down while I dismantle these goodies." Fiona subsequently said, waving her hand. Her initial concern seemed to have vanished from thin air as well.


    "..."


    Speechless, Xu Feng realized why she was overly concerned about his well-being. ''So she treats me as her future materials supplier.''

 Chapter 156: Customization

    "What are you still doing here?" Fiona raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised that Xu Feng was still idling here.


    "Didn''t you tell me to rest properly?" Xu Feng twitched his brows.


    "Yes, you can do so on the first floor." Fiona frankly said and continued, "I still need to do some dismantling here, so it''ll take a while."


    Baffled, Xu Feng seemed to realize Fiona was more entric than he had initially thought.


    Nevertheless, he used a bit of mana that had been recovered somewhat and buffed himself, giving him enough strength to exit the room.


    As he descended the stairs, Zhao Kai quickly spotted him.


    "So what was the secrecy?" Zhao Kai dashed toward him and asked, offering a hand to assist Xu Feng. He might have been curious, but that didn''t mean he had forgotten about Xu Feng, who was currently suffering from the side effects.


    "Nothing much," Xu Feng exined, taking a seat. "It''s just that I''m going to be making a deal with Fiona regarding our future equipment."


    "I see¡­ I thought as much." Nodding his head, Zhao Kai didn''t find it much surprising that Xu Feng wanted Fiona to craft items or forge weapons for them.


    "You were using me to leverage for your benefit." He added, albeit in a humorous tone, almost as if he wasn''t even mad about being used.


    "Hmm, good reaction, but bad decision." Xu Fengmented and crossed his legs. "Since you knew I was using you, you should have kept silent about it. After all, you benefited as well, but exposing it now made things very awkward."


    "But you aren''t going to be awkward." Zhao Kai scratched his head and rified.


    "That''s because it''s me." Xu Feng mmed his palm on the table and raised his tone.


    "If you want a good simtion, then you should treat me as some stranger. That way you can prevent yourself from being at a disadvantage."


    "Ugh, it''s too much, Feng. Why can''t we just y this game for fun and not implement any shrewd teaching?"


    "I wouldn''t have bothered either if time wasn''t so tight for you. Your grandfather''s birthday party is going to be a bloodbath between people your age who are filled with nefarious thoughts. Just one mistake of yours could spell disaster." Xu Feng warned sternly.


    In the past timeline, things started to derail between them ever since Zhao Kai attended the birthday party alone while he went to the trial recruitment for the Reaver Guild.


    And speaking of the trial recruitment, Xu Feng already heard some rumors of the Reaver Guild trying to establish their branch in the Apex Tower, as well as other districts nearby.


    Even though in this timeline, Xu Feng would attend the birthday party, he would rather impart as much defensive knowledge as possible to Zhao Kai.


    That way, he could at the very least deflect and defend against many people with hidden intentions.


    "I got it, Feng." Zhao Kai suddenly changed his tone and smiled softly. "My mother didn''t have a good ending because she was too kind, so I knew better than to show people kindness."


    Silent, Xu Feng realized Zhao Kai was more prepared than he thought.


    However, that didn''t reassure him much.


    In fact, it made Xu Feng even more wary than ever.


    ''If Kai is prepared, but still fallen deep into some traps. The opponent must not be simple.'' He furrowed his brows, trying to figure out who had the capability to topple someone from the Zhao Family.


    After all, it was still one of the top families with sufficient power and influence.


    Sometimeter, Fiona descended the stairs, her expression filled with a vibrant color.


    "Oh, have you recovered well," Fiona turned her attention to Xu Feng and inquired.


    Xu Feng stood up from the chair, smiled slightly, and responded, "Yes, I''m well enough for now."


    Fiona didn''t respond right away. Instead, she gave a quick scan of Xu Feng''s condition.


    Although she could still tell Xu Feng was suffering from some bacsh, she had tomend him for being able to withstand the pain and actpletely normal.


    Such actions didn''t just require strong determination but also control over one''s body to remain standing proud.


    As she inspected closer, Fiona was suddenly astonished.


    She paused for a moment and said slyly, "Now I can subtly guess how you obtain those herbs."


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng merely kept his smile up, unwilling to respond to thatment.


    However, he guessed that she had already figured out some of his secrets, such as his body being baptized. Given that there was only one ce that allowed baptism, Fiona was able to piece the puzzles together.


    "What kind of customization do you want?" Fiona subsequently brought up that topic. "But remember, I charge very high, and depending on theplexity, it might bankrupt you."


    To bring up the topic after shooting it down just a moment ago, Xu Feng added another trait to Fiona, slyness.


    "You''re going to get a customized weapon?" Zhao Kai eximed in shock and turned to him.


    "What? Do you want one as well?" Xu Feng chuckled.


    "Hmm, as tempting as it sounds, I''m content with the Ironbolt Rifle for now." Unlike Xu Feng who was still using the beginner staff, Zhao Kai was familiarized with the Ironbolt Rifle.


    Its attribute was pretty decent, and he could subtly tell Fiona was going to charge an expensive fee. Since he wasn''t in a rush to get an upgrade, he didn''t want to impose on Xu Feng.


    There was amon statement: biting more than you can chew.


    Why bother suffocating himself if he was doing well at the moment?


    "I see¡­" Xu Feng shrugged and turned to Fiona.


    "I want a growth-type staff weapon that could adapt to mybat style." He requested, finally confessing his true goal for this entire ordeal.


    Fiona''s expression gradually turned to a solemn one as she gazed at him intensely. "Growth-type weapon huh? Aren''t you one greedy, sly, and cunning four-eyes person?"

 Chapter 157: Growth-Type Weapon

    A growth-type weapon could either be a familiar or unfamiliar term depending on the person. But the general gist of the term was that it was a weapon that would grow along with the yer.


    Naturally, such weapons are in high demand as they are very rare and limited. It was to the point that even when someone offered more than a few billion dors to purchase one and still couldn''t buy it.


    In his previous timeline, because of such high demands but no seller, yers with growth-type weapons are constantly being hunted, albeit only the lower rankers or levels.


    Those who are at the top remained safe, given no one was dumb enough to provoke the high rankers or great backings.


    "Feng, I changed my mind. I also want a growth-type weapon." Zhao Kai swooped in close to him and said.


    s, what he received in return was a smack at the back of his head.


    "Scram to the side," Xu Feng scolded.


    "Tsk, stingy Feng!" Zhao Kai pouted and sulked like a little kid.


    Even with his insignificant game knowledge, the term growth-type sounded amazing so he wanted one as well.


    However, if Zhao Kai truly understood the danger that came along with it, he might run away from the spot.


    "So, can the almighty Fiona forge me one?" Xu Feng ignored the sulking Zhao Kai and turned to Fiona, seemingly eager for her response.


    Fiona was silent, her expression turning pale rather quick. The confidence and frankness that she constantly exuded seemed to have dissipated.


    "Why? Is our dear almighty Fiona not confident in her ability?" Xu Feng nudged further, clearly wanting her to agree to his request.


    Hearing that provocation, Fiona clenched her fist, and snorted, "Hmph, do you think I''m not confident in my forging ability? I''m just curious if you could even afford such a weapon."


    "How much is the cost?"


    "Hmph, at the very least, you need to bring me at least 50 gold coins."


    At the mention of 50 gold coins, Zhao Kai who was still pretending to sulk on the corner nearly stumbled to the ground.


    His jaws nearly dropped at the insane charging fee that she was asking.


    "50 gold coins¡­ with 100 copper coins equal to 1 silver coin and 100 silver coins equal 1 gold coin. Just how much money is that in real life?" Zhao Kai muttered, counting with his fingers as he couldn''t fathom the precise value.


    yers from the outside world were constantly pouring their money to purchase some in-game currency.


    Just previously, there was even the exchange currency of 1 silver coin selling for 15,500 dors and a batch of 5 silver coins for 75,000 dors,


    Zhao Kai turned to look at Xu Feng, seemingly wondering if he knew the approximate value.


    "Going by the current record of sales and not counting if it sold in batches, the total value should be 77 million and 500 thousand dors." Xu Feng calmly revealed his calction.


    THUD!


    Zhao Kai plopped to the ground after hearing the outrageous amount. "This is a scam!" He uttered in a cry.


    Meanwhile, Fiona was instantly displeased by his outcry, given he wasbeling her as a scammer.


    ''Not good,'' Sensing the situation, Xu Feng quickly positioned himself in front of Zhao Kai.


    "This is quite cheap in my opinion. Fiona is a generous cksmith and 50 gold coins are a bargain." He exined truthfully.


    Compared to Zhao Kai who didn''t understand the value, Xu Feng knew very well that 77 million dors was indeed dirt cheap. Many had offered billions but still can''t get their hands on a growth-type weapon.


    Thus, Xu Feng was already leaping in joy to spend only this little.


    Thanks to the timely defense of Xu Feng, the anger from Fiona seemed to lower down gradually.


    At the same time, Xu Feng gave a fierce re at Zhao Kai, clearly telling him to watch his mouth.


    Realizing he had misspoken, Zhao Kai dared not make any more as he apologized repeatedly to Fiona.


    "Fiona, I was just overwhelmed by the money. I''m just a poor little kid who has never seen so much money before. Please forgive me and my ignorance." Zhao Kai cried aloud, going as far as hugging her thigh like some dog.


    He was such a pest that wouldn''t give up until Fiona finally relented.


    "Alright, alright, just get off my thigh," Fionained, swinging her leg back and forth in annoyance.


    As for Xu Feng, he was rendered speechless and facepalmed. Such shameless behavior was unreal.


    After the smallmotion passed by, Fiona shrugged and said, "Anyway, I doubt you have the money as well, so let''s put aside the growth-type weapon for now."


    Right as soon as she finished, Xu Feng ced a small pouch by the table and smiled lightly.


    "You were saying?" He teasingly asked.


    Astonished, Fiona grabbed the small pouch and began counting the coins inside it.


    A few secondster, an ashen face expression appeared on her face. It was as if she had just seen a ghost.


    "H-H-How did you even have this much money?" Fiona swallowed a mouthful of saliva nervously and asked stutteringly.


    "Trade secret." Xu Feng tly replied.


    ''This Feng is actually this rich?'' Zhao Kai was dazedpletely at such a revtion of his wealth.


    Another few minutester, Fiona finally gritted her teeth and epted the money.


    "You are really one cunning four-eyes." She red angrily at Xu Feng, having realized she had been trapped in his scheme all along.


    "Happy to ept that as my nickname as long as I can get my growth-type staff." Xu Feng smiled brightly.


    Normally, spending such money in one go was something Xu Feng absolutely refused to do.


    However, it was a different story this time and those 50 gold coins were a worthy investment in the long run.


    To summarize, it was no different than someone purchasing a whole apartment and gaining triple the return a few yearster.


    Not to mention, money earned was meant to be spent on essential things anyway.


    ''I can always get back the 50 gold coins from those little fat sheep anyway.'' Xu Feng thought to himself.

 Chapter 158: Pinnacle Blacksmith

    Fiona never expected to be yed so thoroughly by Xu Fg.


    As someone who never had much experice in forging a growth-type weapon, she was definitely in a predicamt.


    It was just a shame that she had already giv her words out and charged 50 gold coins, believing that thetter could not have so much giv his pathetic equipmt.


    Who would have thought it was a wolf in sheep''s clothing?


    With a deep breath, Fiona exined, "I epted yourmission, but I don''t know wh I canplete it, Lin Fg. Aside from the necessary materials, growth-type weapons are hard to be birthed and the possibilities are very low."


    Giv the nature of a growth-type weapon and its amazing features, not many cksmiths could forge one in their lifetime.


    In fact, a cksmith being able to produce any growth-type equipmt was the main separation and differce betwe a pinnacle cksmith and a great cksmith.


    Anyone could be a great cksmith after years of honing and forging.


    However, to be a pinnacle cksmith, one must be able to create one growth-type item in their life.


    This was also something Xu Fg understood very well but was still willing to risk it. In life, if you never risk anything, th you will never achieve anything big.


    "You can rest assured that I can wait however long you can seed, Fiona." Xu Fg replied confidtly.


    "The day you seed is the day I''ll need to congratte you on your new cksmith status." He added, clearly having full trust in her ability.


    Though the truth was that he already knew Fiona was going to be a pinnacle cksmith in the future anyway thanks to his cheat knowledge.


    So to be precise, he wasn''t really risking it, but cing a guaranteed bet that would give him great return value.


    Naturally, Fiona was kept in the dark from his inner thought process and merely thought he was just an optimistic fellow regarding her ability.


    "Although I can''t guarantee wh I can forge one, I''ll try my best," Fiona said and took out 5 gold coins from the pouch. "And until th, I''ll only take half of the money as a deposit and you can give me the other half once Iplete themission."


    "Oh, Fiona is truly an honest cksmith." Xu Fg retrieved the 5 gold coins andmted. He wasn''t going to be a hypocrite and reject her goodwill.


    Not to mtion, having 5 gold coins now was better than having itter.


    After all, with the return of 5 gold coins, there would be more things he could implemt and increase its value further. By th, wh Fiona finally seeded, 5 gold coins would be nothing more than a droplet in an ocean.


    Sometimeter, Xu Fg finally decided to bid his farewell.


    "Our time might be short, but it was truly a fortunate evt. My frid here will continue to wait for your father''s return, but there''s something else I need to do." Xu Fg calmly said.


    "You''re leaving already?" Zhao Kai was stunned, clearly not ready for his departure despite knowing it wasing.


    Truth be told, he had a lot of fun ying with him and not having to worry about real-life matters. They used to y a lot in the past as well, but their game time was shorted as they grew older.


    How rare was it that the two of them got to game together?


    "Stop acting like I''m going somewhere far away," Xu Fg rolled his eyes. "You can still message me, and I''m just going to be busy with other tasks."


    "Right¡­ but it still leaves a bitter taste."


    While Zhao Kai sighed at their short gaming time, Fiona kept her gaze on Xu Fg, looking him up and down.


    "Are you seriously leaving with those shabby gears of yours?" Fiona questioned solemnly.


    "I mean¡ª this is a cksmith store and if others see you leaving in such gears. My reputation would take a massive hit." She added, giving her reasoning.


    However, Xu Fg was able to discern her true motive. Reputation was never something of her concern. It was clear that she wanted to offer him some upgrade gears in return for his great trust in her.


    "The staff and some equipmt that you lt us earlier¡­ I supposed it could be a gift, right?" Xu Fg quickly said, revealing his inttion to keep the equipmt.


    Previously, Fiona had permitted them to be in the Storage Room to gather some equipmt to borrow as assistance in their mission.


    And now that the mission waspleted, they were supposed to return them, but how could Xu Fg be willing to?


    "I knew you were one sly cunning four-eyes, but to think you ev have your eyes on them." Unamused, Fiona gave him a very unfridly gaze.


    "Haha, those equipmt are just going to turn rusty and dusty in the Storage Room anyway." Xu Fg chuckled softly, walked behind her, and massaged her shoulders.


    "I''m just doing justice to the equipmt that you forged and showed them the daylight."


    ''S-So shameless!'' Zhao Kai, who witnessed the currt sce, waspletely baffled by Xu Fg''s action. He was ev more shameless than the time wh he wt to hug the thighs of Fiona.


    However, what made him more aggrieved was the fact that Fiona seemed to buy Xu Fg''s curry favor tactic over his.


    "Hmph, at least you know what to say properly, Lin Fg." Fiona snickered and pointed at her right shoulder. "Massage here harder. It''s kinda sore from hammering all day long."


    "My pleasure," Xu Fg smiled and increased his right-hand strgth, satisfying Fiona.


    "You have a knack for soothing that aching spot of mine." Fionaplimted.


    As the sce continued further, Zhao Kai was stunned on the spot, seemingly in disbelief at what the hell was going on.


    ''Wer''t you suffering from some bacsh? And wer''t you two discussing somemission? How did it suddly turn into a massage session?'' Zhao Kai eximed inwardly, wondering if he was dreaming.

 Chapter 159: Trade Secret

    A few minutes had gone by, and thanks to Xu Fg''s amazing massaging skills, he managed to convince Fiona to give out the borrowed weapons for free.


    At the same time, he ev got a bargain to purchase some more in the Storage Room with a 30 perct discount.


    Although the equipmt was stashed in the Storage Room, that didn''t mean the equipmt wasn''t useful or anything.


    It was just that there wer''t many people who required them, plus, the materials used to craft them wer''t cheap either.


    Thus, it was only natural that Xu Fg needed to pay ough money to cover the material and time losses in forging them.


    "It seems like the 5 gold coins you returned to me might be going back to your wallet sooner orter, Fiona." Xu Fg teasingly jokes, dropping the politesspletely now that they are on fridly terms.


    He nced at the new try of the rapport status and was satisfied.


    Rapport Status with NPC: Fiona Forgefire (cksmith)


    Currt Rapport Level: Fridly


    Rect Interactions:


    -Completed the materials gathering in a swift time.


    -Improved satisfaction by providing her Pyrite Drake corpses.


    -An ongoingmission for a Growth-Type weapon.


    Notes:


    -cksmith Fiona seemed to have tak a liking to you despite your cunningness.


    -Wh requesting Fiona to forge something for you, the chances of her epting it are high, as well as discounts being applied.


    Who would have thought Fiona would be the first NPC to be the fridly level in the rapport status?


    He had interacted with Receptionist Sandy and Herbalist Elias as well, but still, their rapport level remained Amicable.


    ''As expected of frank people like Fiona. So honest and straightforward.'' Xu Fg thought.


    People like Fiona are to be respected and admired. After all, it saved him tons of effort in trying to gain their trust.


    Not to mtion, they are rarely the type that would backstab you, making them the ideal type to be frids with.


    "Anyway, the price tag of the Storage Room equipmt isbeled on the shelves. So if you do decide to get them, just do the discount calction yourself and ce the money on the table." Fiona said and promptly picked up her hammer, seemingly ready to resume her forge.


    "Huh? She''s just going to let us pay without inspecting it?" Zhao Kai whispered to Xu Fg, dumbfounded by her arrangemt.


    Without personally checking if the price was correct, they could easily get away scot-free. Not to mtion, they could store more equipmt behind her back and feign ignorance afterward.


    "Hahaha," Xu Fg suddlyughed before wrapping his arm a Zhao Kai''s neck and bringing him to the Storage Room.


    Once they were further in the room, he warned sternly, "Control your mouth, and don''t ev think about cheating her."


    "I wasn''t thinking about cheating on her." Feeling wronged, Zhao Kai was just trying to warn Fiona that other bad people might cheat her.


    As if he was going to do something sneaky like this and get into her bad mood. The hammer nearly killing him was still vivid in his memory.


    "She''s not that naive," Xu Fg rolled his eyes.


    "It''s because she trusts me that she allowed me to do it personally. Otherwise, you think she would just let random people check in and check out themselves?"


    Due to their currt rapport level rtionship as fridly, Fiona was cing her trust in him.


    However, that didn''t mean he could rx because one wrong move and the rapport level could easily decrease tremdously.


    Rapport-level rtionships are never static but dynamic. Each and every one of your actions could easily alter the rtionship.


    "Anyway, just pick some more equipmt that is to your liking. I bet you have a lot that you wanted to choose but couldn''tst time." Xu Fg adjusted his sses and said, picking up a few armor pieces to inspect.


    "Are you paying for me?" Zhao Kai asked cheekily, his hands rubbing together somewhat sinisterly.


    "Consider it as my departure gift to you. So pick wisely on what can help you in your advture and mission alone."


    "Alright th."


    Without ev speaking any further, Zhao Kai already dashed away to other shelves, finding his precious equipmt that he couldn''t choosest time. "Haha, this boot is mine." Zhao Kai held the boot in joy and hurriedly changed into it. "Oh, and these armor sleeves could protect me as well."


    Helpless, Xu Fg shook his head and allowed him to do as he pleased.


    ''Sigh, I knew that Kai had a lot of things he wanted.'' He waited nearly half an hourst time wh Zhao Kai was fully immersed in the Storage Room.


    So how could he not know that he was struggling and debating which one to choose?


    Moving on, Xu Fg decided to choose a dect staff for once. After the brawl with the Pyrite Drakes, it was a wake-up call for him to choose a greater attribute staff.


    ''The beginner staff isn''t bad, but the attack power is just too low.'' Xu Fg furrowed his brow, wanting to find a staff that had higher attack power.


    Aside from weapons, he also needed new armor to increase his defses.


    That way, he wouldn''t run out of mana quickly from healing himself too much.


    "By the way, Fg. Wh did you have 50 gold coins?" Zhao Kai suddly asked.


    Ever since he heard the conversion rate of the gold coins to real-life currcy, he was astounded by his wealth.


    He couldn''t ask earlier because of Fiona''s presce, but now that they were alone here, he found the opportunity to inquire.


    Zhao Kai thought he would get an answer, but to his dismay, Xu Fg remained tight-lipped and cheeky.


    "It''s a trade secret," Xu Fg responded, not disclosing the information.


    "Huh, what kind of trade secret made you rich by 50 gold coins higher?" Zhao Kai eximed in shock. To his knowledge, the currt wealthy yer in the ranking only had  gold coins, and that person was Gtle Wind.

 Chapter 160: Departure

    It was understandable why Zhao Kai would overreact about his wealth, but Xu Fg didn''t n on disclosing it.


    After all, the wealth can''t be considered his, giv it was obtained through a loan.


    ''This isn''t something Kai should know since the risk of failing to repay the loan is massive.'' Xu Fg thought to himself, thinking back to his earlier synthesis achievemt.


    After his achievemt in obtaining the Master Alchemist title, he was congratted by Elias, and from there, he requested a loan of 50 gold coins.


    Of course, Elias initiallyughed it off as a joke, giv their Amicable rtionship wasn''t warranted ough for such a big loan. Thus, to proceed further and smoothly with the loan, he ev sacrificed quite a bit of rare herbs.


    Although Elias was still reluctant, his achievemt could not be died, and giv his impressive mannerisms, he finally managed to convince Elias, albeit with extra conditions wh failing to return the loan.


    Failure to return would esstially spell the d of his game character, giv the price to pay was not something anyone could imagine.


    However, Xu Fg wasn''t afraid of being unable to repay the loan.


    ''Once the insurgce mission ispleted and I get recognition from the Town Mayor, things will be easier.'' He thought, siltly nning with the time limit he had.


    Ofttimes, yers who took loans without a n were destined to delete their game character and start over, but he was not those yers.


    He knew exactly what to do to gain back those 50 gold coins and more in return. By th, Elias'' impression of him being a credible person would be highlighted as well.


    Sometimeter, Zhao Kai gave up on asking giv Xu Fg''s unwillingness to share the information, and returned to choosing his equipmt, unaware of the loan.


    As time flew by, Xu Fg finished choosing his new upgrade equipmt, albeit the level requiremt still prevted him from actually equipping it.


    ''All the minimum level requiremt is 5, and I''m just level 4. What a discrimination.'' Xu Fg sighed inwardly.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to equip them, but  of this equipmt was eligible for him at the momt.


    Nevertheless, that didn''t prevt him from continuing to buy them, giv their rarity and great attributes.


    Fiona was truly one amazing cksmith and this kind of equipmt in the Storage Room might be considered below-average quality in her eyes, but for other yers.


    This was a treasure trove¡ª one that many would drool over to have in their vault!


    "Alright, I''m done choosing." Xu Fg announced.


    "I''m also done as well." Zhao Kai grinned from ear to ear as he revealed himself donning a new set of equipmt. Clearly, he was filled with satisfaction and the increase of his attributes gained from the equipmt set.


    "I can''t believe Fiona would have set equipmt just stashed in here. Luckily I spotted them and now I have a set effect from wearing them." Zhao Kai ced his hands on his hips andughed merrily.


    Meanwhile, Xu Fg gazed at the color emitting from his set with a baffled expression.


    "You really knew how to not be polite with me," hemted, staring at the glowing blue color.


    Equipmt rarity was distinguished by color, aside from the level and attributes. The rankings were as follows: Common (White), Umon (Gre), Rare (Blue), Epic (Purple), Legdary (Orange), Mythic (Red), and Artifact (Gold).


    Each level was further subdivided into two categories: the standard rank and the Superior rank, such as Common and Superior Common, etc.


    The Superior rank was indicated by a darker shade of the base color.


    Naturally, the better the rarity the equipmt was, the better the attributes were.


    And to think Zhao Kai managed to scavge aplete Rare equipmt set that matched his ss was unbelievable. The Storage Room had a bunch of equipmt simply tossed aside without much categorization aside from the pricing tag on the shelves.


    "Hehe, it took me a while to search for them again sincest time." Zhao Kai smiled sheepishly, clearly not ashamed of choosing aplete set.


    "You have 5 gold coins anyway, and this set should be a  gold coins. You could totally afford it." He added, waving his hand and brushing it off as a trivial matter.


    "..."


    It was times like this that Xu Fg wanted to inform him that the money came from a loan, but still, he refrained from exposing it.


    "Fine, consider it a paymt for that gift." He muttered, agreeing to pay for Zhao Kai in exchange for the car that was gifted to him by Zhao Xin.


    Sometimeter, onceXu Fg finished calcting everything, the total cost came to a 8 gold coins.


    "Wow, you chose a lot of Rare equipmt as well." Zhao Kai eximed, recognizing the glowing vibrant blue color on some pieces.


    The highest rarity equipmt in the Storage Room was Rare, so he would be dumb to not buy some of them giv the discounts and limited quantity.


    So far, the highest equipmt shown so far was an Umon weapon from Gtle Wind''s staff.


    Thus, he naturally needed a higher rarity to ld her the weapon from the deal they made.


    "Anyway, I''m done here, so the rest is up to you." Xu Fg ced the money on the table as Fiona instructed and turned to Zhao Kai, bidding his farewell.


    The time of departure hade and he could not afford to idle any longer than necessary in Willowbrook Vige.


    His main and sub-objectives werepleted, with the main being to assist Zhao Kai and impart his crucial knowledge. The sub-objective was to be acquainted with the cksmith, albeit with some minor changes.


    He originally wanted to be acquainted with Thorin, but he was unavable. However, being acquainted with Fiona wasn''t bad either.


    "Don''t disappoint me too much," Xu Fg smiled and patted his shoulders, leaving the cksmith store.


    As his silhouette nearly disappeared from the sce, Zhao Kai finally shouted, "Don''t you worry, Fg! I''m definitely going to be stronger the next time we meet up."


    Hearing that, Xu Fg nearly stumbled from the cringe dialogue. ''What''s wrong with him? Is he trying to raise the death g on me?''

 Chapter 161: Traffic

    After walking to the teleport tform in Willowbrook Vige, there were many things in Xu Fg''s mind.


    Time was against him, and he needed to act quickly.


    ''Less than  days before the Town Mayor returns from his journey.'' Xu Fg furrowed his brows.


    Riverwood Town''s Mayor was out at the momt¡ª a clue that Receptionist Sandy had hinted to him earlier.


    Additionally, the insurgce was like the calm before the storm. Once they are ready, a massive coup would begin, affecting numerous beginner towns.


    If he recalled correctly, the mission was a shared one among yers, banding them together to defd multiple towns collectively. And the ding was the Town Mayor personally making a move, unleashing his true strgth to quch the insurgcy.


    However, that was the normal oue if the yers failed to seed in their defse. Not to mtion, he was the currt one with this mission avable due to the high trust of Elias and Sandy in him.


    ''This scario is legit telling me to aplish the impossible.'' Xu Fg adjusted his sses.


    Most might think he would give up at this point, but who was he?


    Was he some random yer?


    ''The mission itself never said I can''t manipte others into doing my bidding.'' A macing grin appeared on his face, shocking the nearby guards a the teleport tform.


    They were astounded by the creepy grin, with one brave guard stepping forward and inquiring, "Are you okay?"


    "Oh, I''ve just be praised by cksmith Fiona so I can hardly control my smile." Xu Fg, being rather swift ining up with excuses, defded his expression.


    "cksmith Fiona praised you?" The guard was somewhat tak aback initially before shing a big smile andughed, "Haha, cksmith Fiona is a frank person. To be praised by her is no differt than having earned a fortune."


    Soon, the nearby guards also stepped forward and gave theirplimts to Xu Fg, clearly using this chance to be familiar with him.


    And giv Xu Fg''s shrewd nature, he dly epted each and every one of their thanks. They were all important pawns after all.


    "Haha, it''s just some luck, and I can''t bepared to you hard-working guards." Xu Fg remained humble and instead praised the guards in return.


    Time slowly passed by, and the guards dly waived the charging fee of the teleportation usage for Xu Fg, going as far as letting him choose a destination.


    "So you want to be teleported to Riverwood Town?" One of the guards asked again for confirmation.


    "Yes, I have some important duty to do there and it would save me a lot of time if you can teleport me there."


    "Haha, no worries. It''s just a little bit far and that''s it."


    "I''m reassured that the vige has people like you." Xu Fg gave a thumbs up,plimting them to no d.


    The guards, although attempting to remain nonchnt, could not hide their glisting proud smiles from appearing on their faces.


    Who wouldn''t want to beplimted for their hard work?


    Ev back wh Xu Fg was kind of at the top in the Reaver Guild, doing his work amazingly. No oneplimted him or anything. They simply expected him to do the task wonderfully as if it was something natural.


    As time-constrained, he became lost and wondered if aplimt was something that existed or not.


    Although he wasn''t exactly in the guards'' shoes in terms of upation, he knew fairly well what theycked and what would please them. Therefore, he was able to subtly manipte their emotions in granting him freerge-distance teleportation.


    "Farewell, Advturer Lin Fg, ande back soon!" The guard shouted and activated the teleportation.


    Giv the Willowbrook Vige was a separate dimsion of their own, his title as Baron was non-existt here.


    Nevertheless, that didn''t damp their fridliness toward him.


    After all, his reputation in the vige increased due to Fiona''s mission.


    While Xu Fg waved his hand to bid farewell to the guard, his body was soon shrouded with the familiar light and particles, forcing him to close his eyes to avoid being blinded.


    By the time he reoped them, Xu Fg nearly got squished to death by the number of yers appearing on the teleportation tform.


    "Oh my god, move your fatass people!"


    "If you''re in the front, th move! Stop blocking the way!"


    "I swear if someone in the front is dying, I will rip you to shreds with my sword!"


    A bunch of vulgar threats echoed through the tform, with numerous yers in the back screaming at those in the front to make room.


    However, those in the front were equally irritated as well, with some of them firing back.


    "Shut your trap, people in the back! Do you think I don''t want to move?"


    "This is just a small town and everyone is literally crowding this ce because of the recruitmt process from Silver Wind guild!"


    "I''ve be stuck here for hours and if I try to use my skills, the NPC guard will detain me on the spot."


    Chaos erupted in the tform, with many yers'' irritation reaching its peak.


    After all, there was nothing else they could do until the traffic in the very front lessed.


    Aside from that, some who didn''t heed the warning attempted to use their skills to hover above the air and free themselves from the crowd.


    "Fuck this, I''m outta here." The yer shouted.


    However, what happed afterward was a bunch of chains smacking the said yer down as they were forcefully detained on the g by the NPC guards.


    "How dare you usebat skills in the town!" One of the guards shouted in fury, dragging the foolish yer away from the sce. The pathway for the NPC guards was specifically for them, and any yers who tried to use their pathway were detained as well.


    Thus, resulted in the currt chaotic hot traffic mess, with many just trying to squirm their way to the front through brute force without anybat skills active.


    As for Xu Fg, he had ough of being squished and pushed a. ''This is insanity!''

 Chapter 162: Emerging Again

    Just like many yers stuck in the hot traffic, Xu Feng was equally displeased at having to wait.


    Time was already ticking down, and if he were to be dyed any further because of this madness, then he might really go insane.


    ''These yers are really a bunch of nuisance.'' Xu Feng cursed silently, partially ming the Silver Wind Guild for their inefficient recruitment process.


    They could have literally done it on their official guild website, but to prove a point and exert their influence and dominance. They purposely made their initial recruitment process in the Divine World, resulting in this hot mess.


    Despite being somewhat frustrated, Xu Feng also came up with a n to utilize this wave of crowd.


    As he retrieved a mask and struggled to put it on due to all the pushing, he took a deep breath before leaping to the sky andnding at the pathway reserved for the NPC guards.


    "Oh, look, another foolish yer testing their luck!"


    "Heh, I''ll thank them for being stupid. Now we get to have some breathing space at least."


    "I hope more can be like this yer."


    The nearby yers who spotted Xu Feng''s action were thankful for his foolishness.


    Even after the prime example a few seconds ago of a yer being detained instantaneously, he still decided to test his luck and believed he could avoid the detainment.


    How hrious was that?


    Did he think the NPC guards were blind?


    "Shush, nobody should tell them that many tried to do the same thing at the same time, but all got caught. Let those ignorantmit the dumb act further!"


    "Brother, you just fucking said it yourself. Are you dumb?"


    The yer who tried to have others keep their mouth shut from the previous incident backfiredpletely.


    After all, he revealed it himself, and now the newly arrived yers who thought it was possible to sneak away, tucked themselves back in the line.


    Subsequently, the yer who uttered that lowered himself, wanting to avoid the spotlight. Luckily for him, it wasn''t hard to remain discreet now that everyone''s attention was on Xu Feng, who was standing on the pathway calmly.


    "You, how dare you tread on this pathway!" One of the guards shouted, raising their weapon as they pointed at him.


    Keeping a calm and collectedposure amidst the anticipation of the other yers regarding his eventual demise, he turned to guards, "I wonder if that''s the correct tone usage to me."


    "Hmph, a mere adventurer¡ª" Before the guard could continue his word, his other colleague''s expression turned pale.


    One of his colleagues grabbed the guard''s arm to make him lower his weapon.


    At this point, the guard realized something was amiss, so he decided to scrutinize thewbreaker again.


    And it was at that moment, the guard knew he fucked up.


    "I''m sorr¡ª"


    "Shh, it''s hectic out here, so no need for that." Xu Feng quickly cut him off before the guard could apologize.


    He stepped forward and patted the guard''s shoulder lightly, "You''re doing well in keeping them in line. I still have some important things to do."


    "O-Of course," the guard nodded his head and moved to the side, giving a clear passage for Xu Feng to walk through.


    As this scene urred, all the nearby yers were astonished by the scene. Some even had to rub their eyes repeatedly to wonder if their eyes were seeing something wrong.


    "What the heck? That yer didn''t get detained by the guard?"


    "It''s not just that. Look at how respectful the guards are being to him. They''re even moving aside to give him a clear passage."


    "Fuck, are there some weird tricks involved?"


    Confusion erupted among the crowd. They couldn''tprehend how and what Xu Feng did to make the guards suddenly so obedient.


    Suddenly, one keen yer uttered, "Wait, that silhouette looks simr to the previous news from that one mysterious yer in the Town Hall. Don''t you think so?"


    If no one mentioned it, then everyone would have missed the connection.


    However, thanks to someone recalling the previous trending post, everyone soon began to realize that the same mysterious person was emerging again.


    "Fuck, that yer is definitely onto something big."


    "Last time, that yer got the privilege to ascend higher in the Town Hall, and now he even got the NPC guards to be respectful to him."


    The crowd was going crazy at the revtion of Xu Feng''s mysterious identity, with some even wanting totch onto him.


    "How envious¡­ I wonder if he''s single." A female yer cupped her face and asked in a coy tone.


    "Don''t even try, slut! Do you think you qualify for a mysterious yer like him?" A male yer standing next to her sneered coldly.


    "As if you''re any better. You probably have a small thing underneath your pants for being so rude. Why don''t you hop over to the pathway and prove me wrong?"


    Instantly, the male yer kept his mouth shut, unable to rebuke her statement.


    Prove her wrong?


    You mean going to prison, right. He knew his limit as he would definitely be captured and detained on the spot without a doubt. This was a devious trap that he could not escape despite the remark of his lower part being small.


    The female yer merely gave a cold snort and shed a contemptuous look at the quiet male yer before returning her gaze to Xu Feng.


    "Ahh, why can''t this mysterious yer be interested in me?" She mumbled, her eyes full of love and admiration.


    Right at this moment, Xu Feng, who was about to exit the town, felt a sudden chill running down his spine.


    ''Jeez, someone is definitely talking behind my back.'' He concluded, increasing his pace to leave the town.


    He had no interest in being in the spotlight any further when he barely concealed the fact that he was of noble status.


    Luckily, he cut off the guard in time, and with some subtle warning, they didn''t expose him. Otherwise, there were going to be troublesome days ahead of him.


    ''Let''s see¡­ this should be the spot for waiting.'' Xu Feng opened his map and checked on the coordinates, confirming he was at the correct spot for the meeting ce.

 Chapter 163: Repay The Favor

    While Xu Feng waited patiently, he began checking on the Game Forum posts.


    Sure enough, posts regarding the "mysterious yer" reappearing once again after the incident in the Town Hall were being spread among them.


    The first time, he had the privilege to ascend upstairs, and now, he got even more attention with how the guards acted with him.


    Clicking on the post, Xu Feng decided to read some of thements as passing time.


    HotShot321: This yer is my idol now. Look at how timid the guards are!


    Jokeraze: Shut up, that yer is my idol, not yours. One day, I''ll make those guards cower as well with my presence alone.


    Lightningde: Hey, does anyone know who the mysterious yer''s identity is? I''m detained in the Riverwood Town prison at the moment, so can someone connect me to them. I want to ask them if they can get me out of prison?


    Hotshot321: Save it, Lightningde! Just your game name alone deserved to be detained for an extra week.


    Jokeraze: Agreed with you there, Hotshot321. Looks like we might have something inmon for being a fan of the mysterious yer.


    Hotshot321: Indeed, let''s add each other.


    Thements were still jumping up, but Xu Feng decided to end it there for now. Both Hotshot321 and Jokeraze were full of cringements, and he had no intention of knowing what their conversation would be any further.


    ''What a wasted post.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, feeling pity for the poster.


    It was originally meant to be about his mysteriousness, but it ended up being a fan club forum, as well as a person crying about being detained.


    Although it was true that his authority allowed him to assist someone out of prison, that didn''t mean he was going to do it.


    Lightningde?


    What a cringe name indeed when his buddy was called Shadow de already! The difference between the two was that one was someone he cared about and the other was someone he could care less about.


    Time slowly passed by, and a figure from afar could be seen running toward him.


    A sword was d on his waist as he shouted once he arrived in front of Xu Feng. "Sorry for beingte, Lin Feng. I was too upied earlier with the Silver Wind Guild recruitment process."


    This person was naturally OneManMedia, a person that Xu Feng had somewhat taken an interest in.


    "My boss asked me if you remember the favor you owe him." Xu Feng didn''t beat around the bush and used his fake boss to question thetter.


    Startled, OneManMedia knew it was going to be about the favor he had taken, but didn''t expect him to discuss it right away.


    Nevertheless, he held a solemn expression and nodded, "Yes, I said I would help your boss three times in exchange for the favor."


    He was someone who kept his word, especially when his main upation was being a media broadcaster. If he couldn''t keep his word, then who would want to let him do an interview in the future?


    Pleased, Xu Feng was d that OneManMedia became straightforward and didn''t attempt to stall or divert the topic.


    "You don''t have to be so nervous," Xu Feng chuckled softly. "What I want you to do is fairly simple."


    Despite Xu Feng saying the task was going to be simple, OneManMedia would be damned if he believed it to be true. If it was so simple, then why would he want him to do it?


    ''As expected¡­ repaying favor is really a hard thing to do.'' OneManMediamented. He definitely gained a lot of information from the favor, so it wasn''t like he truly regretted asking for the favor either. Now, he could only grit his teeth and prepare himself for what the task might be.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng suddenly took out a piece of Rare equipment at this moment, astonishing thetter.


    ''A-A rare equipment?'' OneManMedia was stupefied. He was able to recognize the equipment right away because, in the past games, the blue color was synonymous with the rarity, Rare.


    ''This Lin Feng is indeed not your average Joe.'' He thought, recalling the weapon that Gentle Wind had was only that of an Umon rarity.


    "I supposed you recognized the rarity of this weapon based on your reaction." Xu Fengmented, noticing his unease behavior.


    OneManMedia swallowed a mouthful of saliva, hoping topose himself, saying, "You jest, Mister Lin Feng. Anyone would be astonished when seeing a yer had already obtained Rare equipment in this early stage."


    Rumors were already spread that higher rarity equipment could only be obtained once yers earned the right to go to a city.


    The beginner town clearly didn''t have any rarity higher than Umon, with many yers checking every NPC store to confirm the matter.


    Not even the Hell Mode difficult dungeon was able to have any Rare equipment drop.


    And thanks to the opportunity of interviewing with Gentle Wind, the information he got was that the highest rarity was that of Superior Umon.


    It was the first time he heard of Superior Umon, but ording to Gentle Wind, it was a rank higher than Umon but lower than Rare. Its color was also a darker kindpared to the base Umon color.


    Who would have thought he had the opportunity to witness Rare equipment as soon as he finished talking about it with Gentle Wind?


    A few secondster, OneManMedia clenched his fist and mustered up his courage, "What do you suppose I do with this information?"


    Xu Feng waved around the piece of equipment for a second before saying, "Nothing much, I just want you to write an article, post, or anything that could gain attention from yers that an anonymous yer obtained a drop of Rare equipment in specific locations."


    "May I ask if those locations really drop that kind of rarity?"


    "Nope, those locations don''t drop anything."


    As if a bolt of lightning had struck OneManMedia, he instantly realized what Xu Feng wanted him to do.


    ''He wants me to release fake news??!'' He eximed inwardly, feeling stunned and baffled.

 Chapter 164: Fake News

    What was the biggest taboo in an industry revolving around media?


    It was spreading misinformation and misleading the audiences.


    After all, a news outlet would suffer tremendously once the information they broadcast was debunked and proven wrong.


    They would not only lose their audiences but also their credibility as trustworthy news outlets.


    By that time, it would be a surprise if such news outlets didn''t file for bankruptcy or go out of businesspletely.


    Thus, one must be able to understand the current dilemma and predicament that OneManMedia was going through internally when he realized the opposing party was asking him to deliberately release fake news to the public.


    Not only was he just a one-man media outlet, but he would be doomed for eternity once news of him spreading misinformation was exposed. There was no chance of him ever making aeback, especially when he had no background and money.


    "This is outrageous, Mister Lin Feng!" OneManMedia quickly said, his tone a mix of fury and astonishment.


    "I''ve already said before that I won''t do things that go against my principles. I''m afraid you looked for the wrong person."


    His expression was firm and adamant, clearly refusing to do something as insidious as deliberately spreading fake news to mislead others.


    Never once did he believe the person in front of him to be so malicious and want to corrupt his integrity.


    ''I was truly wrong about him.'' OneManMedia thought, feeling disgusted and nauseous.


    s, his expression was depicted quite vividly on his face, unable to hide his resentment and anger.


    Xu Feng merely watched in amusement calmly before continuing his words, "I only said those locations don''t drop anything, but never once did I mention they don''t drop clues that might lead to another location."


    "W-What?" Startled, OneManMedia wondered if he had jumped the gun earlier. "Are you implying those locations might drop maps that guide the yers to hidden treasures?"


    Xu Feng merely shrugged his shoulders in response.


    Feeling something was amiss, OneManMedia narrowed his eyes and continued, "If you can''t confirm them, then I won''t release any news. Everything must be fact-checked and verified before I can post any news."


    "Fact checked and verified?" Xu Feng suddenlyughed. "That''s quite the joke you have there, OneManMedia. You said it like you''re someone full of integrity, but wasn''t your very first post filled with imagination and inference."


    "What do you mean?"


    "My boss¡ª the one you screenshot at the Town Hall. To gain fame for yourself early on, you didn''t try to rify or exin the screenshot to others, allowing them to make guesses themselves. If you''re so full of integrity, then why didn''t youe clean and exin the meaning behind the screenshot you took?"


    "T-That''s because I¡ª"


    "That''s because you have no information and just wanted people to take notice of you. You even went as far as using 20 copper coins to snap the screenshot to have your post be the trending one among others." Xu Feng fiercely reprimanded.


    Speechless, OneManMedia was unable to defend his actions. After all, it was indeed a fact that he risked his entire in-game currency to make a bet back then when he saw a yer eligible to head upstairs.


    His mindset back then was only about making a name for himself and seeding as a yer who always had first-hand information to post for others. He was blinded by greed and sess.


    OneManMedia clenched his fist tightly, cursing himself for polluting the integrity of a media person.


    "You''re right¡­ I''m not that clean, but that doesn''t mean I want to continue such a path." He uttered coolly.


    "Let''s not kid ourselves now, shall we?" Xu Feng stepped forward and patted his shoulder.


    "I am already being quite generous with you, but time and time again, you make things difficult for my boss. Do you know I''m beingughed at by my otherrades? They said I have the eyes of a retard."


    Silent, OneManMedia seemed to have turned into a stone, unable to talk and move.


    "My boss merely wants you to release some news, and you could easily drop subtle hints like you didst time in your first post. What''s so difficult about it that you have to make such a scene? Are you feeling very proud now that you achieved something?" Xu Feng continued, knocking some truth to his mind.


    There was a limit to his patience, and to be directly confronted repeatedly by someone who wasn''t that clean either, it was about time that he kicked thetter down a notch.


    Honor?


    Integrity?


    Such things never existed for the weak. Only children who are still reading fairy tales believed only goodwill people could achieve big things and be full of honor.


    Life was unpredictable, but one thing was for certain. No one was truly clean in their entire life.


    A small example such as if you see a random trash in the street, would you pick it up and throw it in the trash can?


    Let''s be real: the truth would be that 99 percent of people ignore such trash and walk around it. The 1 percent remaining was those assigned to clean the street in exchange for a sry.


    A few minutes had gone by, and OneManMedia''s expression was constantly altering, almost as if he was fighting an intense battle internally.


    Xu Feng merely crossed his arms and patiently waited for his response.


    If his response was still the same old bullshit he heard, then Xu Feng wouldn''t mind putting the nail in the coffin for him.


    He did not need a morally right person to assist him, but someone who was morally gray, such as knowing that a certain situation required a certain solution to resolve.


    To defeat a mammoth like the Reaver Guild, Xu Feng would be foolish to think justice or friendship was enough to bring them down.


    ''Don''t disappoint me, OneManMedia. I really don''t want to be the person responsible for your disappearance.'' Xu Feng gazed at him calmly.

 Chapter 165: OneManMedia’s Decision

    A few minutes passed by, and OneManMedia''splexion was not looking good. The more he pondered and struggled, the paler hisplexion.


    It wasn''t a surprise for Xu Feng to see such a reaction though.


    After all, he struggled even harder in the past when debating what was truly right and what was truly wrong.


    In the end, right and wrong were just a perception decided by those at the top.


    Of course, that didn''t mean arson, murder, or even ruthless crime was right.


    In Xu Feng''s world, it was no longer white and ck, only gray. He can''t depict what others should see, but it also means others can''t depict him on what to see.


    He would do what was best for him, and anyone that obstructed him was an enemy.


    And enemies are meant to be eliminated.


    "I''ve given you enough time to think, so what is your decision?" Xu Feng finally opened his mouth and asked. His tone was calm and collected, almost as if he didn''t mind whatever responses he had.


    However, only he truly knew that depending on his choices, Xu Feng might have to paint thetter as an enemy or friend.


    Thankfully, OneManMedia finally came to a consensus regarding his so-called integrity.


    "I don''t know what you said, but I merely spotted a yer somehow gaining a Rare equipment drop in a location," OneManMedia said, clearly revealing his decision, albeit subtly.


    Pleased, Xu Feng patted his shoulder once again.


    At the very least, it proved that his eyesight wasn''t wrong and that OneManMedia hade to a decision that he could not proceed with his ploy any longer unless he made a change.


    "My boss is very pleased with you, but not so much regarding my otherrades." Xu Feng calmly said. "They don''t like paparazzi like you but fret not. As long as you can assist the boss, thoserades of mine will keep their mouths shut."


    Naturally, everything he just said was a lie and there was no boss orrades. It was all fictional made up, but how would others know?


    Since they loved to believe him as mysterious with a powerful organization or background, then he shall dly let them continue such belief. It was to his benefit anyway, given it would save him a lot of trouble from other malicious folks.


    With OneManMedia being clueless and truly believing there was a huge organization behind Xu Feng, he could onlyply for the time being.


    "If we''re going to fake it, then we have to make it believable." OneManMedia informed him.


    "Oh, it seems like you have a lot of experience in ''faking'' things."


    "Let''s focus on the main point."


    "Very well, the boss is waiting for our good news, so let''s not dy any longer."


    Sometimeter, the two headed toward a location that Xu Feng knew was a hideout for the insurgent people.


    It was only a small hideout and could barely hold around 10-15 people max.


    Nevertheless, it was enough to make it believable, especially when he had drawn a map in advance that highlighted multiple locations.


    Given the sheer size of the insurgency, toplete the mission in a day or so, Xu Feng would need to utilize every manpower he could get.


    And the best way to do that?


    It would be enticing to these greedy bunch of yers that Rare equipment would be dropped on chance when clearing these hideout locations.


    "Since you''re a swordsman ss, my boss said you can borrow this sword temporarily. It will be your reward for doing this and you can increase your reputation in the meantime." Xu Feng said, handing over a sword to OneManMedia.


    Astonished, OneManMedia held the sword, his eyes widening as he inspected the de sword. The de shimmered with a faint blue glow, and he could feel a slight hum of energy coursing through the weapon, sending a thrill up his arm.


    He swallowed a mouthful of saliva nervously as he began to check the status of the de.


    ¡ª


    Stormfang de


    Type: Sword


    Rarity: Rare (Blue)


    Level Requirement: 5


    Attack Power: 20-30


    Range: Melee


    uracy: +3%


    Durability: 120/120


    Special Ability: Thunder Strike (Has a 10% chance to deal an additional 15 lightning damage and a 5% chance to immobilize the enemy for 2 seconds)


    Description: A finely crafted rare sword imbued with the power of the storm, known for its sharpness and ability to summon lightning. Crafted by the renowned cksmith Fiona Forgefire.


    ¡ª


    After browsing through the stats, OneManMedia found himself struggling to breathe properly. Such a weapon was actually being held in his hand at the moment. It was so surreal that he thought he was dreaming.


    As he held the hilt of the de, he turned his attention to Xu Feng and asked, "Your boss really said I can borrow this temporarily?"


    "Yes, and if you do well, then that temporarily could turn into permanent." Xu Feng chuckled softly and continued, "My boss is never stingy with his subordinates. Otherwise, do you think I will work for my boss?"


    His words rendered OneManMedia speechless. If it was said before he had received such a weapon, then he would merely disregard it while putting up a facade smile.


    However, it was a different story now that he was physically holding a weapon that could sell for an unimaginable amount of money.


    Let''s not even mention thousands of dors, OneManMedia was afraid that even a million dors might not be eligible for others to get their hands on such a weapon in this current moment.


    The spection value of Gentle Wind''s weapon was already in the hundreds of thousands, so it was hard to fathom how much this Stormfang de would go for, especially with its special ability.


    ''No wonder they are so confident and wanted me to release some fake news. Even if it''s fake, just the mere possibility of it being true was enough to entice and tempt many yers to search for it.'' OneManMedia thought, ridiculing himself as he wondered if he could resist such temptation.

 Chapter 166: Good Show

    After the adrenaline rush of satisfaction faded, OneManMedia quickly came back to his senses.


    He knew there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.


    That was especially true when it was describing the person opposite of him.


    He took a deep breath, gazed at Xu Feng, and asked coolly, "I''m sure your boss didn''t just want to hand me this kind of weapon for some carrot and stick method."


    Amused, Xu Feng knew thetter was a clever man.


    Instead of indulging himself in a great weapon and bing lost, he managed to remain clear-headed and realized something was amiss.


    What Xu Feng feared the most was not his enemy, but people that would be on his side to have a pig-like brain.


    After all, every organization, team, or any group-rted activity failed most of the time not because of external factors, but because of internal factors.


    The mostmon internal factors are usually from the members.


    So many leaders of such type were wary of enemies from the outside that they put most of their focus there whilst forgetting about the people within their group.


    "You''re clever," Xu Feng sped his hands and praised. "The weapon was never meant to be the carrot but to assist you in your journey. Of course, it would be after you have finished this task and how effective you are."


    "So in other words, if I don''t attract enough fools to those locations. I be useless in your boss'' eyes, right?" OneManMedia snickered, being extremely frank with his words.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng didn''t n on concealing it. "That''s right. I''m d you understand the gist of it. Save me the trouble of warning you about the consequences of failure."


    "Heh, what a maniptive and malicious your boss is."


    "Indeed, he''s one bastard."


    "You''re not mad that I dissed him?" Confused, OneManMedia didn''t expect Xu Feng to take hisment lightly.


    "Why would I be mad?" Xu Feng shrugged his shoulders.


    He then pointed at himself and bragged, "If you talk big like that, I expect good results. Only those who bring good results can act in such a way. I''m one of the good examples that dissed my boss 24/7."


    Speechless, OneManMedia seemed to realize just what kind of hot mess he hadnded himself in.


    Nevertheless, knowing that the subordinates can act unruly in such a manner was somewhat reassuring to him.


    He feared not a wicked boss, but one that thoroughly restricted its subordinates'' freedom and wanted them to act like some sort of robot, only obeyingmands and zero questioning.


    How could one possibly produce any great content or results in that kind of work environment?


    Sighing softly as it brought back painful memories, OneManMedia opened his map and pointed at the location mentioned by Xu Feng.


    "I doubt this location is something random, right?" He questioned.


    "Oh, it seems like you picked up on something." Xu Feng mused, wanting to hear his opinion or thought process.


    Since he wanted to rope OneManMedia into his side, he wanted to know what sort of mindset he had. As for the earlier subtle threats and maniption he made, he could easily mend those in the future.


    Meanwhile, OneManMedia didn''t respond right away, seemingly taking his time to collect his thought processes andpile them.


    His brows furrowed, hoping to connect the clues together. ?¦É%§á??#-$§Þ?&§ñ@?-#?@§ä-§à&§ñ¦É?@?-?§Ú%-?!?¨N¦Å??!?§ñ?


    Based on his experience with thetter so far, he noticed there was always a motive behind their actions, even if it wasn''t their original intention.


    They were like masterminds behind the scenes, effectively adapting to any ever-changing situation and turning it to their advantage.


    ''Wait a minute, Lin Feng is a Cleric¡­'' Suddenly, OneManMedia recalled that the person in front of him was a cleric. Due to his imposing demeanor, he had forgotten about such critical detail.


    Now that the final missing piece was resolved, he finally understood something in regard to this favor.


    To make fake news, one must first create a believable video to deceive the audience. What better way to do that other than creating a scenario of them killing the target and falsifying the dropped loot?


    "I''m going to be the one killing huh?" OneManMedia smiled bitterly, holding the Stormfang de up and ncing at it.


    CLAP!


    CLAP!


    "That''s right, there''ll be enemies in those locations, and as you know. I''m just a healer." Xu Feng pped his hands, praising him for his fine conclusion.


    "..."


    After a moment of silence, OneManMedia timidly asked, "The enemies aren''t high-level, right?"


    "Hahaha!" Xu Fengughed heartily before continuing in a deadpan tone. "Of course, they are! Did you think we''ll just give you a rare sword for no reason?"


    "Will I die?"


    "If your skills suck, then yeah."


    If it weren''t for the mask on Xu Feng''s face, OneManMedia could still feel the contemptuous look he was being given.


    Smiling bitterly, he knew the enemies were definitely going to be tough as hell, especially when the person in front of him was no ordinary yer.


    The possibility of dying was high, but what else could he do?


    "Their hideout is just right ahead of us, so ensure you don''t make any careless mistakes, Little Man." Xu Feng calmly said.


    "L-Little Man?" Dumbfounded, OneManMedia stared at him, almost as if he was questioning the nickname.


    "What? Did you expect to be called a big man?" Xu Feng snorted. "I''m being generous enough to call you a little man and not a little boy. Now stop stalling."


    With that, Xu Feng gave him a kick in the butt, propelling OneManMedia forward. He stumbled and tripped over a thin wire, causing numerous bells to start nking loudly around him.


    "Who goes by there!"


    "Intruder!"


    "How dare you intrude on our territory!"


    Instantaneously, numerous shouting could be heard and OneManMedia only had one thing on his mind.


    ''This damn bastard is using me as bait!'' He cursed silently, realizing the deep shit he was in.


    ''Ahh, let''s see a good show now,'' Xu Feng thought, silently watching from behind.

 Chapter 167 Stormfang Blade Debut

    Chapter 167 Stormfang de Debut


    By kicking OneManMedia to the front, it helped save Xu Feng a lot of trouble from the former attempting any stealth y. Additionally, he could use this as an opportunity to assess OneManMedia''sbat skills and adaptability in unexpected situations. Combat skill would be how his swordsman style ys out when being cornered by multiple enemies. As for the unexpected situation, it was naturally Xu Feng throwing him under the bus unannounced. Time and time again, Xu Feng had trained himself repeatedly when being involved in unexpected situations. Every time, he emerged victorious, albeit with many mistakes and sacrifices. However, it was those mistakes and sacrifices that honed him to be who he is now. It was an experience that one could never pay for unless they physically undergo such training. As Xu Feng crossed his arms, eagerly anticipating the show, OneManMedia quickly went on a defensive stance, his eyes ncing left and right at the enemies appearing.


    ''N-NPC?'' Startled, OneManMedia never thought the enemies mentioned were human NPC. He thought it was some high-level monsters inhabiting some sort of location as their base.


    Confused, he turned around, only to realize Xu Feng''s presence was no longer there. Nevertheless, his instincts reminded him that Xu Feng had to be nearby. Otherwise, how was Xu Feng supposed to confirm that he had aplished the task? "Lin Feng, you didn''t tell me I have to fight against NPCs!" OneManMedia shouted in disbelief. Who didn''t know fighting against an NPC was equivalent to a free death sentence? Some yers who were unruly thought they were kings and tried to mass murder NPCs for fun. However, the result was theirplete defeat, with a punishment worse than a typical death penalty. Not only was the typical death penalty applied, but they were also debuffed for a week. To put the cherry on the topping, they received a decrease in experience points, followed by a terrible reputation that prevented them from receiving any missions for a long time. Ever since then, no sane yers would dare to treat an NPC as a robot, but a taboo existence. One that you should never trifle around with. You may dislike them, but never ever do anything about it and just walk around or pass them. While OneManMedia thought he had been yed terribly, Xu Feng''s voice echoed from somewhere.


    "They''re not your typical NPCs, Little Man. Look at the top of their head. Do you see their bold red names and HP Bar?" Stunned, OneManMedia quickly turned around and checked on the NPCs. Sure enough, just like Xu Feng had said, these NPC had bold red names and an HP bar above them, a far cry from the typical NPC he encountered in the towns. "The Divine World system is generous in its ways. They highlight them to ensure yers would know these NPCs are no different than viins and should be eliminated if you want the good side''s reward." ''Good side''s reward?'' OneManMedia was baffled. It was times like this that he wished his brain wasn''t functioning properly. After all, that tiny hint was enough to indicate to him that if there were viinous yers, they would go and assist these NPCs with red names. "Oh man, this is juicy news, but can I even live to enjoy it." Beads of sweat started trickling down his forehead as OneManMedia felt the intense pressure directed at him from the viin NPCs.


    Each one of them had a ferocious expression on their faces, and their clothes were haggard but their weapons were sharp and shiny. It was clear that these people were battle-ready and experienced inbat, with most of them suffering from a few scars on their faces, arms, legs, and chests. As he took a deep breath, his grip tightening on his sword, he prepared himself for a difficult battle. "Come at me," he coldly shouted, his expression firm and determined. "Arrogant intruder! As expected of the Town Mayors'' Dog!" A few secondster, the NPC lunged at him with hisnce, a malicious grin hanging on his face. Poised, OneManMedia narrowed his eyes and parried the attack with his sword, the sh of metal ringing in his ears. The sh made it clear that the difference between their strengths was high. ''A frontal sh is not good.'' OneManMedia deduced, quickly sidestepping to avoid being pushed back. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, the moment he sidestepped, another NPC was waiting for him, forcing him to attempt another sh. s, the sh was weak and futile, with the NPC easily deflecting it, causing him to stagger backward. It took him around 3-5 steps to finally regain his bnce, but there was no time to rest.


    Two more NPCs proceeded to charge at him simultaneously from different angles, forcing him to a dead-end. ''These viin NPCs are way too damn coordinated¡­'' OneManMedia gnashed his teeth. Looking at the assault from two angles, he decided to advance forward rather than retreat and lose more ground control. As he advanced toward the closer NPC, he ducked under the swinging axe and used the momentum to do a spin and strike at the other NPC''s leg, hoping to imbnce them. "Am I supposed to trip over?" The NPC snickered coldly at OneManMedia''s shy but no-substance attack.


    Ignoring the remark, OneManMedia raised his left hand and covered four of his fingers, revealing only the middle finger. "Yeah, I wonder if your mouth is as tough and foul as your skin," OneManMedia sneered, his eyes narrowing as he activated the Stormfang de''s special ability: Thunder Strike.


    Initially confused by his sneering, the NPC thought the enemy was making a fool of themselves. However, he soon realized a surge of electricity coursing through his skin. He felt an intense vibration shooting through his body, especially his leg that was inflicted by OneManMedia. The searing pain made it impossible for him to remain standing for long. Soon, he was forced to kneel down with one leg supporting him from falling downpletely. "Die!" OneManMedia seized the chance, raising his sword and hoping to chop his head off.


    Unfortunately for him, the injured NPC''spanion came to assist and blocked the strike, deflecting OneManMedia to the side.


    Shortly after, the same NPC who deflected him shouted in dismay after checking hispanion''s injury, "A magic weapon!" "The intruder has a magic weapon. Everyone stay alert!" Another one quickly followed up, warning hispanions of the intruder''s weapon.


    ''Ugh, I hate this game.'' OneManMedia smiled bitterly.

 Chapter 168 Rolph

    Chapter 168 Rolph


    The Thunder Strike was originally intended to create a golden opportunity for him to efficiently kill one of the NPC, but he severely underestimated their strength.


    They were not some ordinary mobs that would just allow him to butcher as he pleased. Not to mention, the difference between their attributes was high, so to even think one Thunder Strike was enough to take one of them down was the most retarded thinking he had in mind.


    What made it worse now was that the enemy NPCs realized he had a Rare sword in hand, which they called a Magic Weapon. ''Great, they''re all alerted and even more coordinated than ever. I''m not some swordsman god that can solo everything.'' OneManMedia cried inwardly, feeling the intense pressure in his current predicament.


    How was he supposed to turn the table around when his trump card was as effective as an egg being thrown at a rock? As OneManMedia was once again surrounded on all sides, he wondered if this was the end of him. His right hand was still numb from the sensation earlier when one of them blocked his strike. "Attack the intruder from long-range. He''s a swordsman with a magic weapon, so don''t let him have an advantage in melee range." One of the NPC with the red name was highlighted as Rolph instructed.


    ''Fuck you, Rolph. May your entire generation rot in hell!'' OneManMedia cursed Rolph repeatedly in his mind. The situation was grim already for him, but Rolph just had to increase the difficulty even further.


    Originally, these brash NPCs were still attacking him in melee range, but thanks to Rolph, they all kept a certain distance. From afar, he even noticed their Gunners were taking their stance, ready to fire at him. "Wait, I''m not an intruder." OneManMedia suddenly thought of a tactic and raised his hands up. "I don''t even know who you people are nor the so-called Town Mayors'' Dog you said earlier." Going by the norm, they should soon lower their guard slightly and ask for his identity. And at that moment, he will seize the chance to break through and escape from the scene. Just when he saw Rolph opening his mouth, OneManMedia was also getting ready to flee. However, the words that came out of his mouth caused OneManMedia''s face to turn so pale that he looked no different than a ghost.


    "Screw this bastard''s words! Intruder or not, he deserved to die for being at the wrong location at the wrong time. Gunners, shower him with bullets." Rolph shouted loudly. ''I fucking fuck you and your mother, Rolph!!!'' OneManMedia screamed internally, swiftly activating his movement skill, Shadowstep. Shortly after, he blended into the darkness, narrowly avoiding the bullets and the Gunners'' field of vision. It was just a pity that he was doomed to eternity when an Arcane Mage NPC cast a detection skill, revealing his position. The Gunners might not be able to physically see him, but with the detection skill highlighting him as some red dot, the Gunners now had a target. "Let''s see if this bastard wants to continue hiding." Rolphughed menacingly. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''Hide? Can I even hide when you''re using detection skills? Goddamn cheaters!'' OneManMedia felt humiliated time and time again.


    Too bad, his agony was met with a rain of bullets, prating his skin and receiving a ton of damage. The pain tolerance could only resist so much before OneManMedia truly felt like he had been riddled with bullets. Injured, OneManMedia''s Shadowstep was also deactivated, revealing his pitiful state.


    As the Gunners prepared to shoot their final round to end his misery, Rolph suddenly raised his hands up, signaling them to hold their fire. However, he wasn''t going to speak some cringe line right afterward to let their enemy get some opportunity to escape. Instead, he nced at the Arcane Mage ss NPC, who subsequently detained OneManMedia, restricting his movementpletely. "Ugh," OneManMedia shrieked in pain, and the grip on his sword loosened as it plopped to the ground. Now the threat for them could have been considered neutralized.


    ''What''s Lin Feng doing? Is he literally dumping me here? I''m about to get screwed here.'' OneManMedia cursed inwardly, wondering where the hell did Xu Feng go.


    As the footsteps crept closer, OneManMedia grew more anxious. He closed his eyes, epting his fate on what lies ahead. At the same time, he decided that this incident would be considered 2 times in repaying his debt. "A mere swordsman dared to intrude on our hideout. I don''t know if I should call you courageous or just a rich fool." Rolph smirked, his eyes gazing at the Stormfang de. The only reason why he didn''t outright kill OneManMedia was because the Stormfang de caught his eye. If possible, he wanted to extract even more information from OneManMedia, hoping to upgrade his men''s weaponry with magic weapons. As long as his men had a magic weapon in hand, their sess in overthrowing the town mayors would increase tremendously. Just thinking about being able to sit in the office at the Town Hall and be the new town''s ruler, filled Rolph''s expression with intoxicated happiness.


    "It''s fine if you don''t talk now, but I''m positive you will soon," Rolph grinned widely, leaning down to pick up the Stormfang de. His fingers brushed against the hilt, feeling the cold metal pulse withtent power.


    At that moment, a loud explosion erupted from behind, the shockwave knocking Rolph to the side. He hit the ground hard, his vision blurring as the world tilted around him. Debris rained down, and a cloud of dust enveloped the area, making it difficult to see.


    Struggling to his feet, Rolph''s ears rang with the aftershock. He scanned the surroundings, his heart pounding heavily, unsure of the situation. "What''s going on?" Amidst his confusion, a figure appeared from the smoke, his demeanor calm and collected. "What''s going on is that you shouldn''t touch something that doesn''t belong to you. Didn''t your mama ever teach you that?" Xu Feng chuckled, grabbing the Stormfang de that was dropped on the ground.

 Chapter 169 Mana Pillar

    Chapter 169 Mana Pir


    "W-Who are you?" Rolph asked with much difficulty, his ears still ringing from the previous explosion shockwave. It was clear that he didn''t expect there to be another intruder aside from OneManMedia. "Oh, you can''t hear me, right?" Realizing his cool entrance was somewhat ruined because thetter was nearly deaf by the explosion, he felt a bit bitter. "Maybe this will help you out." Xu Feng suddenly thought of a great n.


    And under the watchful eyes of the other NPCs who were temporarily immobilized due to the shockwave, Xu Feng touched Rolph''s leg with the sword and activated the special ability: Thunder Strike.


    Instantaneously, a surge of electricity vibrated throughout his body, causing Rolph to scream in agony. The scream was even louder than the previous NPC that OneManMedia had struck. Reason being?


    Unlike the greenhorn OneManMedia which only randomly strikes, Xu Feng made sure to strike exactly where it hurt the most, aka the critical flesh point.


    Therefore, the pain sensation that Rolph received was many times more ruthless than what OneManMedia did. Simultaneously, OneManMedia was finally free from the detainment due to the Arcane Mage NPCs being disabled at the moment, allowing him to break free. His eyes widened in shock at that very moment when he saw Xu Feng using the sword and its special ability.


    ''W-Wasn''t he a Cleric?'' OneManMedia eximed inwardly with a dazed expression. How was it possible for a Cleric ss to use a weapon for a Swordsman ss? That was something unheard of, and OneManMedia was filled withplete disbelief, wondering if he was merely dreaming while in reality, he was being dragged to some sort of prison. "Yes, this is a dream. I need to wake up so I can escape." OneManMedia muttered, giving himself a p across the face in an attempt to wake up.


    However, instead of waking up, he received damage from self-infliction. With his health lowered because of his p, OneManMedia finally epted the reality and that everything happening in front of him was real. And it was because it was real that made him even more lost by the scene.


    While OneManMedia was trying to figure things out, Rolph was currently being detained by Xu Feng. Using some tight ropes, Xu Feng swiftly and smoothly tied thetter uppletely. "Do you even know what you''re doing?" Rolph shouted, struggling in an attempt to get free. s, his strength from earlier seemed to have vanished. "How did he suddenly be weakened?" OneManMedia inquired once he managed to get up from the ground. s, Xu Feng ignored him and merely threw some ropes toward him before pointing at the other NPCs nearby. The other NPCs were equally disying a sign of weakness, almost as if they had just undergone an intensive battle. Aghast, OneManMedia nced at Xu Feng as if he were a monster. If it was just Rolph weakened, he could still ept it, but for all the enemies to be weakened as well. He would be damned if the culprit wasn''t Xu Feng.


    ''I really cannot trifle with such a person.'' OneManMedia made a mental note to himself. Thankfully, he only cursed thetter silently and didn''t scream it aloud, otherwise, he feared that he might be toyed to death.


    Wiping off the sweat, OneManMedia proceeded to tie up all the weakened NPC, who seemed no different than the chicken on a farm. They might have tried to resist, but it was all a futile effort in the end.


    In less than 5 minutes, all of the NPCs were tied up, and their eyes red fiercely at Xu Feng and OneManMedia.


    "What a miscalction. I never expected there to be two intruders and knew exactly where the mana pir was hidden." Rolphughed hysterically, gazing at Xu Feng as if he was a lifelong enemy. By this time, he had regained much of his consciousness, so he was able to think clearly about what happened, including the earlier explosive shockwave.


    The explosive shockwave didn''te from the enemy, but their very own Mana Pir. Therefore, the shockwave along with the fact that they had imprinted their own mana in it, resulted in a severe bacsh in their strength.


    Mana Pir was like an external source of power in which they could draw in the environment''s mana to their body en masse. Though the Mana Pir was a miniature version of the actual Mana Tower, the usage was the same, albeit with the frequency and range being minimized by arge margin.


    "Well, you were overconfident and the traps you set up in the hideout were indeed amazing, but it''s just not good enough." Xu Fengmented. Those traps were indeed a difficult obstacle to bypass, but that didn''t mean he would be hindered for long. All he needed to do was find the correct path and where he thought the Mana Pir''s location would be. Merely analyzing the hideout structure and the optimization of the Mana Pir was enough for him toe to a conclusion. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Hmph, save your crap and kill me already." Rolph sneered coldly. "Winners are king and losers are bandits. I have nothing more to say to you." And with that, Rolph closed his eyes, ready to ept his demise. Nodding his head, Xu Feng agreed with Rolph''s words and that any more words were meaningless. He turned around and nced at OneManMedia, "Alright, let''s get to working on the video."


    "Huh?" Baffled, OneManMedia was seriously wondering if Xu Feng was of a sadist nature. "I haven''t even recovered yet." He imed, pointing at his disheveled self.


    "That''s exactly why I said we should work on the video." Xu Fengmented, throwing the Stormfang de over to him. "I''m not making some idol videos. I want one that showcases a great battle and your current hideous appearance is exactly what I need. How else am I supposed to fool the viewers?"


    Speechless, OneManMedia nced at the sword next to his feet and realized everything that urred had been orchestrated by Xu Feng from the very start.

 Chapter 170 Law of Nature

    170 Law of Nature


    Starting from the very beginning when he was thrown under the bus, OneManMedia had been a distraction and bait all along to divert the NPCs away from their hideout. Although OneManMedia didn''t know what happened while Xu Feng snuck into their hideout, he knew something must have urred for them to change the tide of the battle.


    Originally, the NPCs were fierce and frighteningly powerful¡ª to the point that all his damages were pitifully low. However, the explosive shockwave changed everything, causing all the NPCs to be no different than low-level mobs. As for him, his life and death were literally moments away. If Xu Feng was any bitter, or if Rolph didn''t have any intention of keeping him alive to extract information, then he would have received his first death. An unjustified one at that, given he was never willing to be here from the start. "Not only did you use me as a pawn, but you even want me to use my current appearance to create a fake video to deceive others. Just how much more cunning can you be?" OneManMedia eximed, feeling like he was prey trapped in the same cage with a tiger. "Pawn?" Xu Feng chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You think too much of yourself, Little Man. You''re not even worthy to be a pawn yet. At most, you''re just some bait that most fishermen use to hook a big fish." "..."


    Clenching his fist tightly, OneManMedia didn''t even know how to respond to such a statement.


    Should he be happy that he wasn''t a pawn or furious that he wasn''t one? To be happy he wasn''t one was natural, but if he were to be happy, then didn''t that mean he indirectly agreed he was worse than a pawn. Such devious statements ensured that no matter what he chose, it would have made no difference aside from his value being degraded further.


    "If you have no more things to say, then get to work." Xu Feng''s voice snapped OneManMedia out of his daze. Unlike the time with Zhao Kai, his patience for OneManMedia was thin and he could care less about whether he understood something or not. He didn''t deserve this kind of privilege anyway. Just because he took somewhat of a liking and appreciation of him, didn''t mean he would be lenient. Coming back to his senses, OneManMedia took a deep breath and asked, "How do you want the video to be?" "Simple, you see those NPCs I told you to tie up earlier? I''ll release them one at a time while shouting from behind the camera. You will fight and a few minutester, you will deliver the final blow, killing them on the spot." Xu Feng exined calmly.


    "K-Kill them?" Startled, OneManMedia didn''t think they were going to kill since they were all tied up now. After all, they were still NPCs, and in a sense, they were human, given the realistic environment of the Divine World. "Stop trying to act like a good person all of a sudden, Little Man!" Xu Feng snorted and untied one of the NPC. "You have a chance to live and save your fellowpanion. So long as you can kill that swordsman right there, I''ll let you all go." He told the NPC. The NPC was dazed for a moment, but soon, its expression turned fierce and cold. It attempted tounch a sneak attack on Xu Feng, only to end up in aplete failure. Almost as if he expected the NPC to refuse toply, Xu Feng cast Sacred Fire and burned thetter to a crisp. System: You have killed a member of the insurgent group!


    The moment the NPC was killed, Xu Feng received a system prompt for his merits. However, he ignored the prompt and moved on to another NPC. With a cold tone, he continued, "If you want you and yourpanion to live, let''s not do something stupid like him. Because now I have to kill one more of you to let you understand the consequences." "W-Wait a moment," Some of the tied-up NPC tried to reason, but it was toote.


    An unlucky one was chosen as Xu Feng killed them cold-blooded, causing another system prompt to appear. Annoyed by the system, Xu Feng turned off notifications for simr prompts. Meanwhile, the insurgent NPCs were frightened by the ruthless demeanor of Xu Feng.


    As for OneManMedia, he felt a cold chill running down his spine, realizing just how much he had underestimated Xu Feng. "You''re next," Xu Feng pointed at the NPC who tried to reason with him early as he loosened the rope. These ropes were all brought from their own hideout, so they knew very well these ropes restricted their abilities severely.


    Even if it was loosened, it would still take a few minutes for them to slowly regain their abilities. But with Xu Feng''s demeanor, they knew that those golden minutes would probably never happen. Nevertheless, they still needed to clench tightly on this opportunity to survive. Since Xu Feng was full of mystery and his strength unknown to them, only OneManMedia who they had fought earlier gave them a glimpse of hope for survival.


    "Alright, the video is starting, so Little Man, use your previous sword. Don''t use the Stormfang de, lest these NPCs might call it unfair." Xu Feng announced, seemingly trying to sound fair and just.


    ''Yeah, right. You just didn''t want the video of me using the Stormfang de since it needs to look like an item drop.'' OneManMedia cursed silently, swapping his weapon for his original sword. This sword was of Common rarity, a far cry from the Stormfang de. Despite that, he felt morefortable wielding hismon sword than the rare de, which filled him with deceit and anxiety.


    Sometimeter, Xu Fengmenced the battle, and the two started shing. Both sides had their own opinion on why they could not afford to lose, with Xu Feng enjoying from the sideline.


    ''Some call this evil, but I call it thew of nature.'' Xu Feng thought.


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

 Chapter 171 Video

    171 Video


    As the battlefield was filled with the sound of metal shing between two melee people, Xu Feng was calmly recording the video. While doing so, he altered his voice and took on the role of an emcee, making the video more lively and vibrant. "As you can see people, my teammate is currently contesting with another NPC. Although I don''t know what''s going on exactly, everyone should be able to see the bold red names in the NPC, right." "My teammate and I stumbled across this random hideout, thinking it was one of those hidden dungeons, but we were wrong. It was a ce filled with these red names NPC." Right after thatmentary, OneManMedia suddenly got the advantage, shing in an aerial diagonal against the red name NPC. "Sheesh, my teammate just got the upper hand. Look at that NPC struggling for its life right now." ''Is this Lin Feng for real right now?'' OneManMedia was agitated by hismentary. Was this some kind of show and he was just an actor for his deceiving video? Okay, it was true that was exactly what they were doing, but to seriously makementary like that without any shame was unreal. To make things worse, he was purposely altering his voice, making others unable to discern who thementator was. However, his face was being recorded and everyone knew exactly who he was. Once the video was published, the only one to be med if it were to be exposed was him. Xu Feng himself would remain scot-free because he never revealed his presence. As for the voice?


    Anyone could easily debunk that by saying it was maliciously done by others trying to pin the me on him. Additionally, he was positive Gentle Wind would be the first toe up and proim Xu Feng''s innocence on the matter, given their somewhat ambitious rtionship.


    ''I''ve really been trapped thoroughly!'' OneManMedia cried inwardly in agony, attempting tond the final blow on the weakened and defeated NPC.


    However, a staff suddenly appeared, blocking his sh.


    To his astonishment, it was Xu Feng blocking him. "What are you doing?" OneManMedia asked in confusion. "Nothing much," Xu Feng casually responded, snatching his sword andnding the killing blow himself. As the NPC plopped to the ground, dead from the attack, Xu Feng returned the sword to him. Ignoring the confused OneManMedia, Xu Feng spent a few more times on the corpse before running back to his original position.


    Still looking in a daze, OneManMedia held the sword silently.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng continued hismentary. "Victory, my teammate killed the NPC! I wonder what kind of drop reward we will see!" As he panned the camera further and zoomed close to the corpse of the NPC, a shy glowing blue light emitted. It was at that moment OneManMedia realized what the heck he was doing earlier. He was nting the Stormfang de next to the corpse, faking it as if a rare piece of equipment was dropped by them.


    However, he could only keep silent about the matter andughed heartily after seeing Xu Feng signaling it behind the camera.


    "Why don''t we check what kind of item is that, OneManMedia!" Xu Feng, in his altered voice, urged excitedly. "Yes, we should see what it is." Keeping a naturalposure, OneManMedia sheathed his sword and knelt down on one knee. "Holy smoke!" he suddenly shouted in astonishment. "Huh? What is it?" "I-It''s a rare piece of equipment."


    "Wait what?" Acting surprised, Xu Feng hurriedly zoomed the camera in on the sword and inquired, "What''s the attributes of it?" A few secondster, OneManMedia disyed the attributes of the sword, listing out the details of the Stormfang de. He held it tightly in amazement whilementing, "I didn''t expect the red name NPC would have such a drop loot." After saying that, Xu Feng suddenly paused the video and went back to another NPC. "You''re next and make sure to shout in agony at who goes by there, okay." Filled with disbelief, the NPC red fiercely at Xu Feng who had just mercilessly killed off hispanion while making a joke out of it.


    "Oh, you''re ring at me?" Xu Fengughed, taking out his staff and pointing it at his other tied-uppanion. "Do you want me to enact the scene again on what happens if you don''t listen?" He asked coolly. Frightened, the NPC swallowed a mouthful of saliva, clearly afraid of being the culprit of his fellowpanion''s death. "M-Monster," the NPC muttered. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Monster? Stop trying to act humane now when we both know what you did as an excuse for your so-called use for insurgency. Or should I bring along the women that are trapped in the cage inside the hideout over here and ask them how they feel about you all?" Xu Feng suddenly asked and gave the NPC a pat on the shoulder. "Since you don''t treat yourself as human, then don''t expect me to treat you as human." The NPC''s face turned ashen gray at the sudden revtion. He lifted his chin up, trying to look at Xu Feng, but all he saw was a mask that concealed thetter expression. Despite not seeing the face, the NPC could sense a cruel smile and menacing expression directed at him.


    "Either you do as I say, or I can send you to your misery. Of course, it wouldn''t be something swift, but tools that are in your hideout." Knowing that the threat wasn''t empty, the NPC nodded his head. "Good," Xu Feng loosened the ropes, and unlike the previous incident, the NPC didn''t attempt any funny business. He did as instructed and shouted at OneManMedia with an extremely aggrieved and agitated tone. "Who goes by there?" The NPC then paused for a moment, looking at hispanion''s dead body as grief appeared on his expression. "How dare you, an intruder, kill mypanion! Prepare to die!" At this moment, Xu Feng signaled for OneManMedia once again to say his dialogue. Suppressing his true emotion, OneManMediaughed heartily, "Sweet, more enemies! I wonder if I can get another rare piece of equipment!"

 Chapter 172 Hideout

    172 Hideout


    Shortly after the next scene orchestrated by Xu Feng finished, OneManMedia felt overwhelmed emotionally. Physically, he was still fine, given the weakened NPC was no threat to him. However, emotionally, he wondered if he was still humane. These red-named NPC act and behave very much like normal yers, making it suffocating for them to fight. What was worse was that the killing blow was promptly done by Xu Feng, saving him from being the actual person who had killed them. ''I''m never asking for a favor.'' OneManMedia thought. He plopped to the ground, unable to move his body any longer. The video waspleted and in each scene, he had to act aggrieved and angry that there were no rare pieces of equipment dropped. Additionally, he even had to give false information such as the possibility of rare equipment drop was low, but it was not an impossibility. Maybe if they searched for a more simr hideout, they would get lucky again.


    These kinds ofments were obviouslyplete bait to entice others to hop in on the actions to search for more hideouts to clear. "We''re done here, right?" OneManMedia asked, a contemptuous look shown on his expression. Although there was still Rolph being alive, just the fact that Xu Feng hadn''t paid much attention to him meant he was going to be kept alive, unlike the other NPCs. And he wasn''t going to ask about Rolph''s fate either. The less he knew, the better it was for him. "Not quite," Xu Feng shook his head. "Watch over Rolph for now and tighten up the ropes on him." He ordered, and turned around, heading toward the hideout. Baffled, OneManMedia didn''t know what else was there to do inside the hideout, and neither did he want to know either. Instead of questioning his actions, OneManMediaplied with the order and began tightening the ropes on Rolph.


    As if he would allow some cliche scenario where the ropes are suddenly loosened, allowing Rolph to escape. That kind of scenario only happened when the person watching over them was retarded or the authors who wrote such a script believed their audiences were 5 years old. "I don''t care about the grudge you have for me, but move a bit and I''ll cut a piece of your skin off." OneManMedia threatened Rolph coldly. ''Never again will I ask this sadistic yer for a favor.'' OneManMedia thought, his eyes staring at the Stormfang de he was holding. The temptation of such a weapon was indeed hard to resist, but after that ordeal, he wanted nothing more than to return it. While OneManMedia made up his mind, back at the hideout, Xu Feng was patiently maneuvering the area once again.


    Previously, he was in a rush for time to destroy the Mana Pir, so he couldn''t search for other information. ''Let''s see where those documentations are in.'' Xu Feng wondered, hoping to look for an office or area that Rolph worked at. Capturing Rolph was one of the objectives, but he needed more than just the rebel. He required concrete evidence, along with multiple personnel involved in the insurgency. Since he epted the mission, then there was no way he was going to half-heart it. Either put in your full effort in the mission you ept or simply don''t ept it to begin with.


    What the average yers didn''t know was that their sess rate and how they achieved the missionpletion would affect their reputation and overall trust level from the NPCs.


    This was a hidden and cruel punishment that the Divine World set up to ruin speedrunners who didn''t care about anything aside frompleting the mission at the fastest speed possible. As Xu Feng walked through the hideout, the cave walls seemed to close in around him. They were covered in jagged rocks and damp moss that glistened under the dim, flickering torches.


    "I seriously don''t understand how those people can live in such an environment." Xu Fengmented, removing his mask temporarily. He had to remove it given the air was thick with the scent of earth and decay, making his breath feel heavy. As he continued to walk further, glimpses of shadows danced on the walls caused by the erratic mes, creating an eerie and oppressive atmosphere. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The floor was uneven, littered with loose stones and the asional bone fragment, remnants of past adventurers who had met their demise here. These bone fragments were part of the reason why Xu Feng showed no mercy to those rebels. He was not some sympathetic folk or a justice hero kind of person, but that didn''t mean he would simply turn a blind eye once he saw something.


    Since his objective was to either kill or detain the rebels, he might as well kill all those cannon fodders and capture only the leader. ''Just where are those documentations hidden?'' He furrowed his brows, scanning the dimly lit cavern for any sign of a secret cache.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng finally struck gold and found a hiddenpartment.


    "That Rolph sure is a sneaky fellow." He muttered, cing his hand and sensing the dense mana behind the cave wall.


    Due to the explosion of the Mana Pir, the mana density was going crazy in the hideout, making it very difficult to spot the hiddenpartment. Nevertheless, Xu Feng found it and promptly infused some of his mana to activate it. Once the mana was infused on the cave wall. A sudden thud echoed, followed by a creaking noise as the wall turned slightly around, opening thepartment inside.


    "Bingo," Xu Feng smiled and entered thepartment. As his eyes nced around, thepartment was neatly organized, with an office table at the center.


    ''Heh, this Rolph surely believes he can be a town mayor.'' He sneered inwardly, recognizing the design and structure of thepartment to be that of the Town Mayor''s office.

 Chapter 173 Rescued

    173 Rescued


    Taking a seat by the office table, Xu Feng sneered at Rolph''s objective. Others might not have recognized much of the significance of thepartment''s design, but not him.


    With just a single nce, he could tell Rolph wanted to be a town mayor, but given his credibility and reputation, it would be impossible for him to ever be voted for one. Therefore, the only way was to overthrow the current town mayor and establish dominance to rule with an iron fist.


    However, such a dream was never going to seed. Did Rolph really think the Aetheria Empire would turn a blind eye to such a major incident? Even if he somehow seeded and became the town mayor. It was achieved illegitimately, and would definitely result in a severe bacsh, with the empire mobilizing their strongest army to eliminate them. ''Dreams¡­ Only fools have dreams.'' Xu Feng thought to himself. In his mind, if you want something, you can''t just dream about it. You have to n and consider every possibility to reach that goal.


    Aside from that, one must ponder over the consequences and bacshes that you might have from trying to achieve it. Once the repercussions and bacshes overwhelmed the fruit of sess, it meant that it was a fictional dream. Shaking his head, Xu Feng began reading the documents. As he read further, his smile grew wider. "Rolph really didn''t disappoint me." He mumbled, reading the documents written by Rolph personally. For someone as pragmatic and psychopathic as Rolph, he needed to give him some credit. Tobel all important personnel of the insurgents, along with their hideout and gathering ces within the towns, Rolph was determined to eliminate them once he assumed the town mayor''s position.


    After all, Rolph knew he would definitely be a target to be eliminated by the Aetheria Empire, so by offering this kind of information, he could negotiate a deal. Most likely, the deal was going to be allowing him to remain as town mayor with a clean te under the condition he would remainwful from now on. "What a shame that this type of person cannot be used for long." Xu Feng tapped his fingers repeatedly on the table, feeling pity about Rolph''s personality.


    Such an insidious person could not be used, given they are the type to backstab or betray you as soon as some negative sign appears. Sometimeter, Xu Feng stored all the documents in his inventory. Aside from the papers, he also snatched and looted everything valuable in the hideout.


    Since the rebels were defeated by him, the loot naturally belonged to him. He spent a few more moments scavenging, ensuring he left nothing of value behind, before moving on to a deeper passage. As he did so, he put on his mask once again.


    With each step forward, the sounds of cries and anxious whispers echoed through the cave walls, adding to the oppressive atmosphere. The further he ventured, the more the air seemed to thicken with a mix of fear and desperation. The dim light from his torch flickered, casting long shadows that danced ominously on the rough-hewn walls.


    By the time he reached near the end, there were only metal cages, and within it were women, whose clothes seemed disheveled and bruises could be seen on their arms, legs, hands, and face. As these women noticed Xu Feng''s presence, they all shrieked and screamed in agony. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "N-No, please don''t hurt me anymore."


    "I don''t want to be chosen again. Please, I beg you." "I''ll do anything but that."


    Seeing their weak-willed scream showing they had been treated harshly with barely any food fed to them, Xu Feng was silent. "Rx, I''m not part of the rebels." Xu Feng calmly knelt on one knee and exined, taking off his mask. With the mask taken off, he shed a warm and gentle smile, "You''re safe now. I''m part of the team that has been assigned to eradicate these rebels. Those rebels can no longer harm you anymore." Startled, bewildered, anxious, all types of different expressions shed across these women''s faces. They couldn''t believe what they heard, and one brave woman stepped up, "A-Are you really not part of the rebel? Or is this another one of your sick role-ys to toy with us?" Hearing that kind of question, Xu Feng had a glimpse of what these women went through before his arrival here. To gain their trust was probably nigh impossible, given their suspiciousness and wariness toward strangers like him.


    Luckily, there was something that he could still prove his credentials. "I''m a Baron ranked under the Aetheria Empire." Xu Feng calmly responded. "And news of the insurgency undergoing by these rebels have rmed the empire. Hence, they''ve sent me over to investigate. I apologize for beingte to your rescue, and you might still be suspicious. But as of now, you''re free."


    He then stood up and unlocked the metal cage, opening the door widely for them. Although the women remained dazed for a few seconds, clearly unsure if anything of it was true. Finally, the brave woman from earlier scrutinized Xu Feng and was able to detect his nobility status was true. "H-He does have a noble rank." She muttered weakly to her fellow inmates. If it were yers trying to detect his noble status, it would be hard for them to do so, but NPCs of the Divine World had no trouble in doing so to confirm a yer''s status and identity.


    It was also why most NPCs referred to yers as adventurers, given that it was their default rank and status. With the brave woman somewhat confirming his statement as true, she decided to take a step forward, exiting the metal cage. She had already gone through the worst scenarios possible, so even if it was another sick y, she decided to just die along with the man. Xu Feng also didn''t bother saying another word. Any constion words now were pointless. ''They will know the truth once we leave the hideout.'' He thought, guiding them the way out slowly.

 Chapter 174 Clara

    174 ra


    As Xu Feng slowly guided the previously captive women out, they began to notice that the hideout was really quiet. The previous chattering of those vile men could no longer be heard. "Where are all those people?" The same brave woman took a deep breath and inquired. "I''m called Lin Feng, and you don''t have to worry about those people anymore." Xu Feng introduced himself and exined the situation. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And in an attempt to lessen their tensed emotions, he continued with a more subtle description, "They have all be one with nature, never capable of harming you women anymore." Despite saying so, there was no longer a response from the brave woman, almost as if she was still suspicious of him. Not surprised by theck of response, Xu Feng kept advancing at a steady pace, ensuring that these women could keep up with him and wouldn''t fall behind. They were malnourished after all, so it was evident that their stamina would be inadequate. "Right, you should be thirsty for being the solemunicator." Xu Feng suddenly said, retrieved a water bottle, and handed it to the brave woman.


    Baffled, the brave woman nced at the glistening blue liquid silently. Her mouth may have kept quiet, but her tiny actions betrayed her. Her mouth twitched a bit, and her eyes clearly held a longing for a refreshing drink. "I''m not thirsty," The brave woman finally responded after a long internal struggle in her mind. As thirsty as he might be, her trust in men had long dropped to the negative. She refused to take anything for free without believing it wasn''t done with a nefarious motive. Despite the rejection, Xu Feng remained calm and smiled, "If you tell me your name, then this water bottle is yours. Consider it a transaction." Startled by thement, the brave woman was once again dazed. "Just my name is enough payment for the water bottle?" She asked in a tense tone. "Not just this water bottle, but enough water bottles for your fellow inmates as well. I''m sure they have been dehydrated long enough." Xu Feng threw out the final temptation offer. "ra¡­" The brave woman muttered. "Huh? What was that again?" Xu Feng didn''t manage to catch her name in time.


    "ra, now give me the water bottles." The brave woman, identified as ra, demanded fiercely. "Very well, ra, right." Nodding, Xu Feng handed the water bottle to her as well as retrieving more from his inventory to share among the other women. Luckily, he had stocked up enough water bottles. Otherwise, it would have been really awkward if he couldn''t rehydrate them all after giving his words. As the women rapidly drank the water, Xu Feng decided to pause for a bit. "If you''re still thirsty, there''s more water here that you can take for yourself." He calmly said, putting more water bottles out.


    He had some food in his inventory as well, but it wasn''t enough to feed them all. Thus, he refrained from taking it out to prevent an awkward situation between them or a situation where they must fight one over another to eat.


    A few secondster, ra walked forward, grabbed a water bottle, and asked, "Did you kill all the rebels?" Smiling, Xu Feng shook his head and put one finger up. "There''s still one rebel left, and I''m sure it''s someone that you all want to end personally." "Rolph!" Instantly, ra uttered that name with a fierce gaze on her face.


    Nodding, Xu Feng turned his attention to the other women, "Indeed, it''s Rolph. So unless you want to stay weak in front of that man, then you might want to drink to your fill to have enough strength once we''re out of here." As soon as he finished his statement, the women who didn''t have the courage to take another water bottle initially, rushed forward and grabbed another to quench their thirst.


    While doing so, they would asionally sneak a nce at Xu Feng, seemingly questioning his intention. It appeared as if they didn''t quite understand his meaning of letting them have enough strength. "By the way, which town are you from?" Xu Feng carefully approached ra and asked, taking this opportunity to inspect her closely.


    She looked frail and emaciated, her skin clinging to her bones, revealing every rib and joint. Her eyes, sunken and hollow, held a haunted look, and her once lustrous hair hung in thin and lifeless strands. Despite her weakened state, there was a strong resilience in her gaze, hinting at the strength that had kept her alive. Additionally, her braveness didn''t dampen slightly despite what she had undergone. For this aspect, she had earned Xu Feng''s respect for her resilience to survive. "I don''t have a town¡­" ra softly muttered after she finished chugging arge amount of water.


    "You don''t have a town?" Confused, Xu Feng knitted his brows. "Is your town an abandoned one?" ra shook her head. "I don''te from a town, but a small vige in the middle of a forest." ''So it''s a camp of those with no identity.'' Xu Feng quickly deduced. Everything began to make sense now on how these women were captured, but he received zero information regarding these missing people from Receptionist Sandy.


    Since they aren''t a citizen of any town, then there are naturally no records of them, which made these women the perfect prey for the rebels to target. Not only do they need to be wary of the town''s guards chasing after them, but they can also do as they please without any repercussions. Such was the life of those without any citizenship status. They are no different than refugees who have been abandoned. "Apologies for asking such a sensitive question." Xu Feng promptly apologized and put his mask back on, realizing his question was somewhat overboard.


    "It''s fine," ra smiled bitterly and shook her head. "Sensitive or not, people like me are bound to be discarded and mistreated anyway without anyone caring."

 Chapter 175 Revenge

    175 Revenge


    The tense conversation was promptly cut short once Xu Feng realized the woman finished drinking all the water bottles he had ced out. Cleverly avoiding this topic, Xu Feng exined, "Alright, let''s continue to move forward."


    A few secondster, he began walking ahead while ra and the other women followed, albeit at a fixed distance. It was clear that they were still afraid and wary of Xu Feng. To gain their trust was definitely not something you could do in a matter of seconds. Sometimeter, they exited the hideout, and OneManMedia''s voice quickly echoed, "You''re finally out. I was wondering when you¡ª" Before OneManMedia could continue his words, he noticed multiple frail-looking women behind Xu Feng, causing him to be stumped. His eyes widened in shock and surprise, clearly not expecting these women to be in the hideout. He took another quick look at the frail women before turning his attention to Rolph, a disgusted expression appeared on his face.


    ''No wonder Lin Feng butcher them all like they were some chicken on a farm.'' OneManMedia finally realized the actions behind Xu Feng. Given that he didn''t have information earlier regarding these women, he couldn''tprehend the brutality. However, that changedpletely now that he had obtained this information. He might not have truly understood what he had undergone in the hideout, but any sane and those withmon sense could tell these women were not treated right. And thinking further ahead, one could imagine what these women were used for when the rebels were a bunch of men.


    "Where''s Rolph?" Xu Feng promptly asked, ignoring the realization OneManMedia had. "Rolph¡­" Dazed for a moment, OneManMedia quickly snapped out of it and pointed in a direction. "Rolph is over there, Mister Lin Feng." He then said, referring him to Mister once again.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng patted his shoulder and said, "You can work on the video I just sent. I prefer it to be done within an hour, and you can leave now." Stunned briefly, OneManMedia snuck a nce at the women behind Xu Feng and realized they were all somewhat terrified of his presence. Understanding that his presence was causing them anxiety, OneManMedia nodded. "The video will be done in 30 minutes, Mister Lin Feng." He said with a determined expression. The mere possibility of other hideouts location might have a simr situation, he would be damned if he didn''t hasten the pace in urging yers to raid them. Pleased, Xu Feng also informed OneManMedia of the other location that he found out from the documents drafted by Rolph. "Just say that it''s a continuation clue in the video to exin the origin of how you know the other locations." Xu Feng said, giving him context to make an excuse.


    Not even bothering to ask the details, OneManMedia patted his chest and vowed toplete the video as soon as possible. Once he finished his vow, he swiftly exited the scene, unwilling to be the cause of the women''s difort. However, he would be mistaken if he thought he was the cause of their difort. Their main cause of difort was the tied-up person behind him all along, Rolph. Looking at the pathetic sight of Rolph with a stoic expression, Xu Feng turned around and nced at ra. "My duty was to bring him back dead or alive. So whatever his state would be, I''ll let you all decide. It''s your rights after all." He said calmly, and stepped aside, letting them have a full view of Rolph.


    As if that wasn''t enough, Xu Feng ced multiple weapons on the floor that he had purchased from Fiona. All different types of weapons for all sorts of sses and one of them was guaranteed to be a fit for them. ''Is this why he wants us to have strength?'' ra gazed at the weapons with a solemn expression. If it had been before they regained some of their strength from the refreshing water, it would be hard to say they could even lift the weapon up. Sometimeter, ra took a deep breath and picked up a few daggers. Reflected by the sunlight, the daggers shed a sharp glint, aligning with ra''s firm and fierce expression as she gazed at the tied-up Rolph. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rolph, upon sensing an intense killing intent directed at him, began to wiggle around, trying to loosen the ropes. "Don''t you dare! I''m the future town mayor!" Rolph started shouting in anger. "If you kill me, then you will never gain citizenship status. Only with me can you all be human." Despite his threat and exmation, it fell onpletely deaf ears. None of his shouting affected her determination as she started stabbing his limbs. Blood sprayed across, with some of themnding on ra''s face. "You really stab me you damn slut!" Rolph shrieked in agony and cursed vulgarly. "I should have roughed you up more back then if I had known you were such a ruthless whore!" Ignoring the remark, she remained unaffected and continued to stab him a few times. Her eyes remained wide open despite the bloody scene. Suddenly, ra paused her stabbing. She bit her lips softly and turned to Xu Feng. Surprised, Xu Feng questioned, "Are you not going to kill him?" ra shook her head in response, nearly stunning Xu Feng in the process until her next statement.


    "I can''t be greedy and end his life by myself when many others suffer at his hands." ra exined and with much difficulty, she requested, "Is there a way to heal him?"


    Amused, Xu Feng didn''t expect her first request to him would be about healing her enemy, so that she could torture him longer without killing thetter.


    Revenge was indeed a powerful motive that could bring the best of a person. "I''m a healer, ra." Xu Fengmented, casting heal on Rolph. As Rolph''s injuries recovered swiftly, the bloody mess remained stuck on his skin. "Feel free to vent to your desire. I can ensure he won''t die unless you order it." Like a gentleman, Xu Feng offered his service.

 Chapter 176 Impressed

    176 Impressed


    With Xu Feng''s guarantee that Rolph would remain alive as long as they wanted, a cold shiver ran down his spine.


    "N-No, you cannot do this to me." Rolph roared, hoping to break free from the ropes. s, the ropes remained tight and continued to squeeze him harder the more he struggled. "Oh, the irony of you struggling." Xu Feng snickered coldly. The ropes were obtained by them, so it was clear that they were used to tying their enemies up with these ropes. Now that karma had hit them back, and it was his turn to be on the receiving end, it was quite amusing.


    "Why are you doing this to me?" Rolph questioned in a disbelieving tone. "These women are non-citizens anyway, so why are you letting them torture me, a citizen of BrownBird Town?" He added, bringing up his social status. However, what he received in response was a hard smash to the face by Xu Feng''s staff.


    "Speak one more nonsense of citizenship this or that, and I''ll make sure that death is what you will be pleading me for." Xu Feng warned sternly. With his face bruised terribly by Xu Feng''s strike, Rolph couldn''t speak even if he wanted to. The strike nearly deformed his mouth, causing him to feel an excruciating pain on his cheek. Ignoring his pathetic state, Xu Feng turned around and stared at the women who were still hesitating.


    "Please, feel free to vent all your frustration. Keeping it inside you would only make you go crazy sooner orter. Just vent them all out." He said in a tranquil tone, trying to ease their nervousness. "He''s right¡­" ra interjected, her hands holding tightly on the daggers. "It feels so damn great stabbing this scum." She urged her fellow inmates to join her in the activity.


    Shortly after, the women bit their lips, clenched their fists, and grabbed a weapon of their choice. "You won''t let him die, right?" ra turned to Xu Feng and asked once again for confirmation.


    Xu Feng simply nodded and held his staff, a clear indication that he was going to honor his words.


    Satisfied, ra told the women to avoid the mark that she had carved on Rolph''s body. "Those are fatal wounds, so avoid hitting there. We can''t let him have an easy death." She smiled sadistically. Meanwhile, Rolph''s face turned ashen gray as he could feel the tremendous pressure upon him. He was like a worm, surrounded by a bunch of pigeons from all sides. There was no escape, and there was no way to die either. "N-No¡­ I apologize, please don''t¡ª"


    Before Rolph could proceed any further with his mercy, the women were now overwhelmed by their desire for revenge, with every attack causing blood to be scattered across thend.


    The screaming started very loud, and then gradually dimmed down with his vitality diminishing at a rapid rate. To make his tragic fate even worse, Xu Feng would be like the devil disguised as an angel, healing him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Don''t die, Rolph. You still have a lot of people waiting for their turn." Xu Feng said sweetly. One by one, the women took their turn in satisfying their revenge. Some of them who were done with the torture, had returned to line up once again whenever they recalled their painful experience.


    Rolph could only me himself and only himself for receiving such treatment.


    There was not an ounce of pity and sympathy from anyone, as each one of them was d and joyful of his ongoing demise.


    As for Xu Feng, he could have ended Rolph''s life from the start, but he didn''t do that. Instead, he strived for the hidden oue. By allowing these captive women to obtain their revenge and be free of their trauma, he would receive even more benefits. Although it could be considered somewhat immoral to use these women, it was technically a win-win situation for both parties. Time slowly passed by, and the women were finally exhausted from overusing their strength in torturing Rolph. They all sat down in a group, panting heavily as they attempted to recover their stamina.


    Meanwhile, Rolph remained lifeless on the ground, not moving an inch. He had been healed already, but he would rather die than stay alive.


    His so-called pleas and shouting stopped altogether after "X" amount of torture rounds. "Are you going to end his life now?" Xu Feng stepped forward and asked ra.


    Much to his surprise though, ra shook her head and gazed at him. "I appreciate your actions, but I know you want him alive for your mission. He''s a scumbag, but he''s much more useful alive than dead. I''m already satisfied with being able to torture him for what he had done to me." She said solemnly. "What do you mean by that?" Feigning ignorance, Xu Feng inquired further. "Just like the scumbag said. We don''t have any citizenship, so if we did kill them, it would be problematic for you." ra smiled bitterly. She understood her status was just a bit better than ves, but that was about it.


    Right at this moment, Xu Feng suddenly received a system prompt.


    System: You have triggered a Hidden Quest: Citizenship Status!


    ¡ª


    Mission Quest: Citizenship Status


    Description: ra and the other captive women are lost on where to go from now on. Objective: It appeared they had a bit of reliance toward you, and wanted you to help them choose a path. First Path: Let them be and fend for themselves in the wild.


    Second Path: Take them with you in the town and attempt asylum for them. Third Path: Use your Baron rank authority and grant them citizenship status. Rewards: Depending on the user''s choice, the reward varies. ept Mission? [Yes] / [No]


    ¡ª


    Dumbfounded, Xu Feng didn''t expect the rewards to be so vague. It mentioned the rewards would vary depending on his choices, but it didn''t state what kind of reward.


    ''Is this hinting to a bigger backstory?'' Xu Feng wondered silently. He was unsure of it, but he had to admit one thing. He had been impressed by ra, and granting her citizenship status with his Baron rank was a piece of cake. He chose the third path without much hesitation.

 Chapter 177 Gullible

    177 Gullible


    After making up his mind, Xu Feng suggested, "You''re not wrong about Rolph being a citizen. But what if I can grant you citizenship status?"


    Astonished, ra looked at Xu Feng in a dazed expression, almost as if she couldn''t believe what she just heard. Taking off his mask, Xu Feng shed a warm smile. "Would your concern of the situation be problematic to me any longer if a citizen killed a criminal who had a citizenship status?" He asked calmly.


    "I-I don''t think there would be a problem if that was the case," ra said after much difficulty. Her breathing became uneven, almost as if she was having an asthma attack from that sudden question.


    "It''s decided then." Xu Feng sped his hands and put his mask back on his face. "I shall grant you all citizenship with my noble rank, and in return, you are free to kill Rolph. He no longer has any use for me." Truth be told, he kept Rolph alive as insurance just in case there was no documentation or concrete evidence in the hideout.


    However, thanks to Rolph''s nefarious intention, it backfired hard on him as Xu Feng obtained everything he needed. Therefore, keeping Rolph alive was just going to be a pain in the butt. ra trembled in excitement briefly, suppressing her joy as she raised her chin up and looked at Xu Feng. "A-Are you sure I can kill him?" Xu Feng didn''t bother answering her and instead used his actions to demonstrate his standing. By moving aside and dropping the daggers she used earlier next to her, it became crystal clear.


    ra narrowed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she slowly knelt on the ground, and picked up the daggers. Her previous timidness vanished in a puff as she held the daggers tightly. Looking at the sharp glint reflection of the dagger, ra slowly advanced forward, approaching the lifeless Rolph.


    Although lifeless, Rolph held a brief smile on his face, almost as if he wanted ra to end his life already to free him from the world. To be constantly tortured and healed repeatedly, there was a limit to how much one could handle such a situation. "Die!" ra muttered that one word as she lifted her dagger and delivered a killing blow. However, it wasn''t a one-and-done deal, given Rolph''s strength was still superior. Nevertheless, less than 5 minutester, Rolph''s vitality had seemingly lost any sign of life.


    What followed was a notification prompt about Xu Feng killing a rebel leader. He might not have been the one who delivered the killing blow, but the weapon was lent by him and the one who killed was ra, an NPC. Therefore, ra''s situation was a bit different from OneManMedia''s as it would affect the reward order. OneManMedia was a yer, so if he delivered the killing blow, then Xu Feng would have received very little reward. "Congrats on ending Rolph''s life." Xu Feng subsequentlymented in a deadpan tone. "I won''t say any cringe line about moving on and forgetting about the past, but I will say one thing as a reminder. Don''t rely on others and ensure destiny is in your hand." He added, sounding very cool. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Stunned, ra returned the daggers to Xu Feng and inquired, "Does that mean I can''t rely on you to get citizenship status?" "..."


    Faking a cough, Xu Feng had to correct his speech, "I mean after you be a citizen. Life doesn''t get easier, so don''t becent." "I see¡­"


    "Anyway, I believe everyone rested enough, so let''s quickly return to Riverwood Town to get you all registered." Xu Feng announced. ra and the other women didn''t have any problem with the arrangement. They were already d that they had somewhere to go and see the daylight, as well as getting revenge with their own hands. Seeing that there was no objection, Xu Feng nodded his head and began guiding them back. Although he could use a Return Scroll to bring them all back to Riverwood Town, he decided against it. After all, the town itself was still overcrowded thanks to Gentle Wind''s guild recruitment. Not to mention, with these women looking very frail, it would attract a lot of attention. ''ra and the rest have enough troubles already.'' Xu Feng thought. He was pragmatic, ruthless, maniptive, and many more, but there was a borderline that he would not cross. The moment that borderline was crossed, then he could no longer consider himself as human. With that in mind, they began traveling. Time passed by swiftly, and soon, they arrived at the entrance of the Riverwood Town.


    However, just like Xu Feng had predicted, the crowd was overwhelming, frightening the other women aside from ra. "Wait here for a while." Xu Feng instructed, running ahead toward an NPC guard.


    "What is it?" The NPC guard asked doubtfully.


    "I''m a Baron." Xu Feng calmly responded. A few secondster, the NPC guard recognized his status and saluted, "What can I do for you, Baron¡ª"


    Before the guard could shout his name out, Xu Feng halted him and whispered, "I have a group of people that are with me. I need a secure path for us to get to the Town Hall. Is that possible?" "Uhh¡­" The NPC guard was in a dilemma. For such an action, it would involve a lot of problems, especially when there were an overwhelming number of adventurers trying to enter and leave the town. A strict protocol had been implemented to prevent the possibility of crimes. "Sigh, those people are in assistance with the ongoing insurgency." Xu Fengmented softly. "If we were to dy any further and the situation festered harder, then it would be a headache." Instantaneously, the NPC guard smiled brightly and responded solemnly, "Please wait for a moment. I''ll ask my supervisor to prepare a secure pathway for you." Watching the NPC guard turn around and leave in haste, Xu Feng almost felt bad for him.


    ''Ahh, these NPC guards are way too gullible.''

 Chapter 178 Citizenship

    178 Citizenship


    Despitementing that the NPC guards are gullible, the truth was quite far from it. If it wasn''t for his blessing in having the Baron rank status, then these NPC guards would probably give zero care about him and his problem.


    Of course, the situation would change once he brought up Receptionist Sandy''s name, but the process would be tedious and take way longer. As Xu Feng patiently waited by the entrance, he heard numerous chattering on the passerby yers.


    "Hey, did you see the video that OneManMedia posted?" "Are you serious? Where else do you think I''m heading over to now?"


    "Heh, it''s a good thing I came to this town for recruitment. Otherwise, I would have beente to the party." "Indeed, I''ve heard the Silver Wind guild even temporarily stop their recruitment process to search for those hideouts. Even the Tyrant Fist guild is jumping in already." ''It seems like OneManMedia is quite efficient in his work.'' Xu Feng was surprised that the video had been posted already.


    Originally, OneManMedia mentioned it would take around 30 minutes or so, but it appeared as if he had mistaken the former''s intention.


    OneManMedia didn''t mean the video itself would take 30 minutes, but the effect and spread of influence would take around 30 minutes. Needless to say, Xu Feng didn''t mind such a surprise once in a while. At the very least, it proved his eyesight wasn''t wrong and that OneManMedia could indeed help lessen his workload.


    ''I need to find more valuable ves¡ª I mean subordinates.'' Xu Feng thought, pondering who he should rope over to his side. There were a ton of well-known experts in his past timeline, but it was hard to decide on who could truly be a trustworthy subordinate. Unfortunately for him, he couldn''t ponder much, given the NPC guard from earlier had returned with another guard. "Good evening, Baron. I''m Scott, a submander of the Riverwood Town''s guards." Scott introduced himself promptly. "Good evening, submander Scott." Xu Feng greeted, shaking thetter''s hand. "I''ve heard from my guard, so please follow me along with those with you." Scott swiftly said after the handshake. It became quite clear that Scott was the type of man who talked little and did more actions. Shortly after, Xu Feng brought along ra and the other women, astonishing Scott briefly. Despite his initial astonishment, Scott didn''t bother asking many questions and guided Xu Feng to a secure path.


    To simplify, the secure path was merely one designed for the guards or higher ranks. It was strictly off-limits to those with citizen status and for yers, it would be their adventurer title. While they were following Scott, Xu Feng noticed ra''s hands trembling slightly, her eyes darting around anxiously as she clutched her tattered cloak tighter around her thin frame. Her braveness had seemingly vanished now that the adrenaline rush of anger and resentment went away. It was especially true the moment she entered a town¡ª one that was under heavy security, she became even more terrified. After all, a town was something that even Rolph had to n meticulously before thinking of attacking. Additionally, for someone with no citizenship status and always lived in the wilderness, a town could be considered a mammoth-like being to ra. "Don''t be afraid," Xu Feng whispered, reassuring her. "T-Thank you¡­" ra muttered, feeling somewhat safe with Xu Feng''s reassurance. Sometimeter, they entered the Town Hall through another passage. It was the same passage that Xu Feng used previously when avoiding the yers who were camping on him in the lobby. "I''ll be heading back to my work now, Baron." Scott saluted and said respectfully.


    "Thanks for your hard work, Scott." Xu Feng nodded his head and gave his appreciation. As Scott promptly departed, leaving them alone, Xu Feng proceeded ahead with an optimistic smile. "Alright, just act natural, and no need to be afraid. With my presence here, no one is going to detain you or anything." A few minutester, they arrived at a discreet Town Hall lobby, something that Xu Feng didn''t expect. Usually, the lobby would be bustling with yers and numerous chattering, but now, it was unusually quiet and deste.


    He nced around, and a familiar voice suddenly echoed. "Wee back, Baron Lin Feng." Sandy, the receptionist magically appeared from behind him and greeted him merrily. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "What happened here?" Xu Feng turned around and inquired. "I almost mistaken this ce as something else and not the Town Hall." He joked teasingly. "What a teaser you are." Sandy giggled and exined, "Earlier, it was indeed filled with adventurers, but I have them all evicted temporarily. Their priority isn''t as important as yours."


    When she said that, her eyes trailed toward ra and the other women, who were still dressed in somewhat ragged and shabby clothes. With a single nce, it was clear that these women were held captive. Thus, she had been notified beforehand by Scott and made such an arrangement in advance. Realizing the matter, Xu Feng took this time to exin their origin, along with his intention of utilizing his Baron rank to grant them citizenship.


    "I suppose that''s not a problem, right?" Xu Feng asked. "Of course, not." Sandy smiled and brought him some certification. "These are the papers that will grant them citizenship status for Riverwood Town. As long as you agree to the use and content of it, the certification will be established and effective immediately." Taking a few nces at the content, Xu Feng didn''t find anything wrong with it. The content was quite simple, with the overall concept being that he would be responsible for them if they were to vite anyws of the town.


    To summarize, they were now citizens of Riverwood Town, but their jurisdiction was under him.


    Taking off his mask, Xu Feng smiled at Sandy before turning around to look at ra.


    "Well, consider this your new chapter of life." He calmly said and agreed with the use and content of the certification.


    System: Citizenship granted! Using your authority as Baron, you have officially conferred citizenship upon ra and the women with her. You are now responsible for their well-being and legal conduct within Riverwood Town.

 Chapter 179 Relaying The Events

    179 Rying The Events


    The moment Xu Feng granted citizenship to ra and the rest, he received a system prompt, along with the missionpletion.


    However, what baffled him was that the reward remained unknown, almost as if the system couldn''t decide on a reward yet.


    ''The third path is done, but the reward is pending¡­ This is quite new.'' Xu Feng wondered silently, seemingly unsure of the situation.


    It was the first time he had seen or heard of a system having the reward in pending mode when a yerpleted their mission. Thinking back, Xu Feng also realized the vague reward system when receiving the mission. It was just a pity that he didn''t think much of it and brushed past the matter. Meanwhile, Sandy thought he got distracted by something and inquired, "Is there something wrong with the conferral of citizenship?" "Oh, no," Xu Feng shook his head and then pointed at ra. "This woman here is ra and aside from her, you can see the rest are still somewhat traumatized by the event they experienced. I hope you can make adequate arrangements for them to slowly adapt to their new life." He requested. "That''s not a problem," Sandy smiled and pped her hands. A few secondster, three women d in a simr uniform as Sandy appeared as they warmly received ra, asking them to follow. Unsure of what to do, ra made a nce at Xu Feng, seemingly asking for his opinion. In response, Xu Feng merely smiled and nodded his head. With that signal, ra and the rest promptly followed the three women as they exited the lobby through another passage, leaving him and Sandy alone.


    Once the coast was clear, Sandy finally inquired, "Regarding the insurgency hideout, did you find out anything, Baron Lin Feng?" "Yes, the hideout that I discovered was led by a man called Rolph. ording to the data, he should be a citizen of BrownBird Town." Xu Feng reported, thanking the foolish Rolph for revealing that information. "A citizen of BrownBird Town huh." Sandy knitted her brows. "I will have someone check on thatter." She muttered before asking, "So did you capture that Rolph alive?" There was a glimpse of hope shing in her eyes, almost as if she expected a live person to extract more information.


    However, her glimmer seemed to die down once she heard Xu Feng''s response.


    "Is that so?" Sandy smiled bitterly, lowering her head. With her expectation of Xu Feng, she thought he would have captured at least one live person for them to interrogate, so it was hard to say that she wasn''t disappointed by the response.


    Seeing her obvious expression, Xu Feng chuckled and retrieved the documentation. "I didn''t keep them alive because there was no need to." He said, handing the documentation to her.


    Sandy held the documentation with a dazed look. "What''s this?" "Information of the insurgency hideout locations, along with their secret ce within the town, as well as each sub-leader identity." "I-Information about what?" "The insurgency and their nning." Astounded, Sandy looked at Xu Feng as if he were some sort of golden treasure. If it wasn''t for her great suppression, she was afraid she might have lunged forward and given him a big hug.


    How could he be so despicable in withholding such information?


    She was nearly disappointed by his result, but now, she was exhrated by his achievement.


    "Oh, right, I didn''t know if it was the correct thing to do, but I made some arrangements in advance without permission." Xu Feng suddenly said. "Arrangement?" Confused, Sandy raised an eyebrow. "What did you do, Baron Lin Feng?" "Nothing much, I just thought the town''s guards might be overwhelmed at the moment to quench all these hideouts at once, so I arranged many adventurers to raid those hideouts." Xu Feng revealed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And he continued, "If we just rely on the town''s guards to raid them, our numbers might not be enough and it would rm the other insurgency people to change their hideout. So I decided to have those hideouts raided simultaneously to prevent any slip-up or escape." Sandy''s eyes widened, and for a moment, she stood still, processing his words. The realization of his strategic foresight sent a thrill through her. Overwhelmed with excitement, she felt her heart race and her breath quicken. Without thinking any further, she rushed forward and hugged Xu Feng tightly, her arms wrapping around him with a mix of gratitude and admiration.


    "Baron Lin Feng, that''s brilliant!" she eximed, her voice trembling with excitement. "You''ve outdone yourself! This saves us a lot of manpower and trouble from the insurgent people escaping our clutches!"


    She didn''t n on hugging him, but who would have thought Xu Feng to be such an overachiever.


    Not only did heplete this tedious and troublesome mission wlessly, but he even went above and beyond. Just how could one resist giving such a person a big, warm hug? "You''re overpraising me too much, Sandy." Xu Feng chuckled lightly and stayed humble. At times like this, one needed to remain humble to gain even more favoritism. Only a fool would startughing and praise themselves. "Oh, look at you trying to stay humble." Sandyughed heartily, releasing her arms around him. "I will definitely ry your contribution to the Town Mayor once he returns. You should just prepare yourself in the meantime to receive a big reward." "I shall await for the big reward then." Xu Feng smiled amicably. To stay humble and when to not stay humble was something one should learn if they wished to survive in society. And right now, it was not the time to remain humble.


    Being overly humble would just result in you being fake and disgusted by others. Although the mission hadn''t been listed aspleted yet, Xu Feng was satisfied with the rapport of Sandy. It was no longer listed as Amicable, but Friendly, which meant that she was extremely grateful and exhrated of his aplishment.

 Chapter 180 Mercenary Association

    180 Mercenary Association


    Xu Feng believed everything was done now and could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Truth be told, he was somewhat nervous about not meeting the deadline when assisting Zhao Kai. After all, the time was really going against him and he didn''t know if he had enough time to do so.


    Despite the gamble paid off well, even if it didn''t, Xu Feng wouldn''t have any regret either. It was his decision and choice to assist Zhao Kai over one mission. Whenparing the two, Xu Feng didn''t even need to hesitate or think of which choice to choose from.


    ''The past timeline''s memory is really like a constant nightmare haunting me.'' Xu Feng sighed inwardly. Had he not chosen the Reaver Guild back then, he wouldn''t have been so lost as to what happened to Zhao Kai.


    Thankfully, Xu Feng didn''t dwell on it much longer, especially when Sandy asked him an unexpected question.


    "By the way, Baron Lin Feng, I''ve heard you borrowed a loan from Herbalist Elias."


    "Eh? How did you know about that?"


    "He mentioned it to me when we were having a discussion." Sandy responded, and with a tinge of worry, she continued, "If you are short of money, I can ask the Town Mayor to help you out."


    "There''s no need for you to trouble yourself in this matter, Sandy." To her surprise, Xu Feng shook his head and rejected her kind offer. However, it wasn''t done because of his conscience, but because he knew it was another form of test. A test of his character to be precise. Sure enough, the worrisome look vanished from Sandy''s face as she smiled cheekily. "Hmm, I really wasn''t wrong about you. Herbalist Elias said you will definitely ept my offer to relieve your debt, but I said you wouldn''t." She said approvingly. Faking a bitter smile, Xu Feng facepalmed, "I didn''t expect you would be using me as a bet. How disheartening is that?" "Ah, don''t be mad, Baron Lin Feng. I will definitely tell Herbalist Elias to be lenient since he''s not short of money and he would much rather have those valuable herbs on you than gold coins." "I see¡­"


    "Anyway, I have to go and do some reporting. I can''t rx even though you made arrangements already." Sandy hurriedly said, dashing away. Meanwhile, Xu Feng stood in ce for a few seconds. ''Phew, as expected of a Friendly rapport rtionship.'' He thought to himself. If it wasn''t for the improvement from Amicable to Friendly, he doubted Sandy would reveal this piece of information, and even go as far as helping him in changing the loan aspect. Though to be fair, even if that didn''t happen, Xu Feng wasn''t worried about repaying back in gold coins. All he needed was some time and a little bit of luck regarding the damnable sess percentage. ''Anyway, ra and the rest are settled, so that''s done.'' Xu Feng stretched his arms and began moving to a ce that he had been nning for a while. It was just a pity that the n had to be dyed because of Zhao Kai.


    Previously, he nned on hiring some NPC in the Mercenary Association, but because of Zhao Kai and his antics, he had to rush over to Oakwood Town.


    Finally, he could now focus on the things he wanted without any distractions, except for some minor problems. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Move out of the way, loser!" "Save it. We can''t afford to waste time arguing with him!"


    "Yeah, those hideouts are about to be all taken by the guilds and teams!" As soon as Xu Feng went out to the street, he was pushed by numerous yers trying to rush out of the town to get to the other hideout location. If that wasn''t enough, he even got insulted because of his idleness and non-rushing behavior. ''A bunch of greenhorn yers.'' Xu Feng merely thought to himself. To call him a loser when in reality, the real losers were them, who got manipted and deceived by his scheme.


    Not to mention, he wasn''t going to get angry for something as trivial as this. Ignoring them, Xu Feng calmly and patiently walked toward the Mercenary Association using the path exclusive to the NPC guards and higher-ranking NPCs. When the yers rushing past him noticed his passage, they were stupefied. "Damn, is that the mysterious yer in the forum post?"


    "It probably is, but we have no time to worry about that now. I heard the Silver Wind guild already raided two hideouts and although they didn''t get any rare equipment, they got something useful." "Damn, Guild Leader Gentle Wind is really taking over the Divine World by the storm."


    With that being said, no one else paid attention to Xu Feng any longer. Sure, his so-called privilege remained a huge question, but it was no longer the main priority for these yers. That was just how trending goes. One moment, you''re the most viral person in the world, and the next moment, you''re not even worth a grain of sand in their eyes. Either way, Xu Feng didn''t mind theirments as he finally arrived at the Mercenary Association.


    Contrary to most people''s expectation of a mercenary being a loose organization and somewhat in shabby condition, the ce was far from that. The Mercenary Association was housed in a sturdy, well-maintained building, its exterior boasting clean lines and a formidable presence. The entrance was nked by banners disying the association''s insignia, fluttering gently in the breeze. Heading inside, Xu Feng instantly noticed the space was immactely clean and neatly organized. Polished wooden floors gleamed under the soft light of chandeliers, and the walls were lined with racks of weapons and armor, each piece meticulously maintained. Arge bulletin board dominated one wall, covered with neatly posted job requests and announcements. Comfortable seating areas were arranged throughout, allowing mercenaries to gather and discuss strategies or rx between missions.


    ''This is what I call a proper association.'' Xu Feng praised, giving his approval for the exterior and interior design that offered the greatestfort to their mercenary.

 Chapter 181 Mercenary Tiers

    181 Mercenary Tiers


    As Xu Feng briefly admired the working process of the association, he began inspecting the mercenary individually. Since he wanted to hire some of them to work for him, then naturally he had to pick the best. Otherwise, what was the point of hiring a cker or inadequate mercenary? ''Hmm, based on their ranking, these few should be in the Tier 1 category.'' Xu Feng analyzed. The tier rankings are numbered from 1 to 9, with 9 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. Of course, in a beginner town like this, it would be a miracle to even find a mercenary in the Tier 3 category. After all, such a tier mercenary would usually reside in a city or bigger location, and not some beginner town.


    Taking a few more nces around, Xu Feng was ready to go to the registrar for help, until he heard amotion.


    "Woman, are you joking with me? You expect to hire me, a Tier 1 Mercenary for just 10 copper coins? Do you take me for a fool?" One of the Tier 1 Mercenaries shouted loudly in a displeased tone. "N-No, that''s not it." The woman in question timidly shook her head and responded. "It''s just that I only have 10 copper coins with me." Seeing the timid reaction, the displeased Tier 1 Mercenary was utterly speechless. Clearly, it didn''t expect someone toe in here with 10 copper coins and expect to hire a Tier 1 mercenary. Sure, Tier 1 was the lowest ranking, but that didn''t mean they were weak by any means. The mercenary''s ranking was not just based on the skills of the individual, but also on the number of missionspleted and sess rate. Additionally, they also needed to pass a ranking test assessment to rank up. And if they were to fail the assessment, they would need to wait half a year before they could retake the test. It was especially difficult to pass the assessment, given each one of them was different to prevent any mercenary from being prepared and cheating. "Ah, forget it." Finally, the Tier 1 Mercenary waved his hand to dismiss her. "It''s just my luck that I expect a greenhorn like you will have any money. Don''t bother me any longer, otherwise, don''t me me for being impolite." With that said, the Tier 1 Mercenary promptly went upstairs, clearly trying to get some booze to calm his emotions.


    The second floor of the association could be said to be a bar, simr to a tavern-type style that offered booze and food. In a way, it was the association''s devious style to keep the mercenaries longer and have them spend their money back on the association. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for the woman who was reprimanded earlier, no other mercenaries paid attention to her. She had already admitted to only having a wealth of 10 copper coins, which was equivalent to trash in their eyes. Just one simple or easymission job posted on the bulletin board here would get them at least 1 silver coin. Who would care about 10 copper coins? Curiosity aroused in Xu Feng''s mind as he wondered who this courageous woman yer was. To hire someone with a wealth of only 10 copper coins, only amateur and noob yers would do that. After all, these NPCs have long been used to their life, so not a single one of them would be retarded enough to hire a Tier 1 Mercenary with 10 copper coins.


    Taking a step forward, Xu Feng asked, "Hi, why are you trying to hire a mercenary?"


    Startled, the woman took a few steps away before ncing at Xu Feng, "A-Are you a mercenary?" Xu Feng shook his head. "A yer?"


    He nodded his head in response.


    "O-Oh, nice to meet you." The woman suddenly bowed slightly and introduced herself, "I''m Carmen, a Summoner ss."


    "..."


    Silent, Xu Feng was unable to respond right away. Never once had he seen such a naive yer before, but that wasn''t the main reason why he was speechless. Instead, it was the fact that he didn''t recognize her name, Carmen. ''Ahh, what bad luck I have.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, feeling like he had wasted his time. Normally, in such a scenario, he would encounter a bona fide expert in the future when they were still in their naive or weak state.


    However, the name Carmen never rang a bell in his mind, which meant she wasn''t good enough for him to remember or recognize. Not trying to go to the conclusion right off the bat, Xu Feng decided to inspect and analyze her more thoroughly this time.


    Carmen wore simple robes, her colors still bright and unmarked by battle. A modest wooden staff, freshly carved with minimal adornment, was clutched nervously in her hand. Her facial appearance wasn''t that special, but she wasn''t ugly either. It was just that he had a high standard, but still, there was nothing helpful in his recollection.


    Meanwhile, his eyes darting at her left and right made her nervous and suspicious of his actions.


    "I-I might be timid, but don''t think I''m easy to target." Carmen suddenly warned, pointing her staff at him. "You misunderstood my intention." Xu Feng exined softly. "It''s just that no yer gives out their username in the first interaction to strangers right away without any guards up." "Oh, I know which is why I gave my real name and not my username," Carmen said, lowering her staff slightly.


    Baffled, Xu Feng didn''t know what to say. Her so-called defense was even worse. Who would give out their real name? Isn''t she afraid of being traced or tracked based on her real name? "If that was the case, then one should give their game username instead of their real name. The world is not some colorful life, but one filled with many nefarious people." He kindly gave her some advice.


    As if realization struck upon her, Carmen nodded and said, "Ah, is that how it works? Then, in that case, I''m Lunar Wraith."

 Chapter 182 Lunar Wraith

    182 Lunar Wraith


    When Xu Feng saw that Carmen seemed to have been enlightened, he was relieved slightly as he nned on leaving.


    However, life always takes an unexpected turn when you least expect them toe. "So now you just gave me both your game username and real name. That''s not how it works." Xu Feng smiled bitterly.


    Suddenly, he paused for a moment and turned to Carmen. "What did you say your in-game username was, Carmen?" "But you just said that''s not how it works," Carmen responded, feeling confused by the yer in front of her. Was he trying to help her or trick her?


    It was hard for her to determine the situation, given that she felt no malicious intent from him. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have even bothered interacting with him any longer. "You already said it once to me, so it''s toote for that anyway." Xu Feng hurriedly brushed the matter off and asked her to repeat her username again.


    "A-Alright then." Carmen muttered softly before repeating her username, "It''s Lunar Wraith." THUD!


    Xu Feng remained still, almost as if he was paralyzed from a thunderstrike or something simr. ''Lunar Wraith¡ª that demoness summoner expert that struck fear in multiple Super Guilds. She''s that Lunar Wraith?'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly in shock.


    It was the first time he had been so thoroughly shocked and stunned. What made it more astonishing was the fact that he met Lunar Wraith in Riverwood Town.


    ording to an interview that she had done in his past timeline, she started off in another ce far from his region. Yet here she was in the flesh, in front of him, but not as the demoness that frightened everyone, but as a timid woman who got scared easily.


    This kind of contrast was too huge.


    ''Right, the interview did mention Lunar Wraith''s real name as Carmen, but who would care about that when she was talking about how she fought many experts in detail?'' "Is there something wrong with my username?" Carmen asked nervously, her hands fidgeting a bit. "Oh no, there''s nothing wrong." Xu Feng chuckled softly and waved his hands, "I''m Lin Feng, and most of my friends just call me Feng."


    "So Lin Feng?"


    "Just Feng is enough." "F-Feng¡­" Carmen nodded her head.


    "Anyway, let''s head upstairs to continue our talk, Carmen." Xu Feng suggested. "In the meantime, we can add each other as friends and see if I can help you with your matters. Not to brag, but I''m quite the expert." Although he didn''t want to sound desperate, it was difficult to conceal his excitement.


    Just the mere possibility of roping in a bona fide expert into his side was exhrating, to say the least.


    Who doesn''t want an expert in their guild?


    Only an idiot or a big buffoon would kick out a future expert that could overturn the sky and sea for them! Poor Carmen didn''t suspect anything and agreed after a few seconds. As they ascended the stairs and took their seat at a table, Xu Feng asked softly, "Is there any food you like to eat? I doubt you have any proper rest since you were busy trying to hire a mercenary." Carmen, however, shook her head in response. Xu Feng raised an eyebrow in surprise. He then questioned, "You''re not hungry?"


    "I-It''s not that¡­ I just don''t have enough money to buy the food." Carmen smiled embarrassingly, clearly remembering the earlier scolding she got from the mercenary. Since she had just started the Divine World, the only money she had was the initial 10 copper coins. She didn''t even know how to earn money, given most of the NPC she interacted with refused or didn''t have any quests for her to do. As for hunting monsters in the wild, she had an even worse fate. She was inexperienced and was not used to the monster being very clever and aggressive when provoked. In the end, she died 3 times trying to kill a lower monster before giving up.


    "I''m a summoner but I don''t know how to use the skills properly. Originally, I got some invitations to teams and guilds, but most of them weren''t filled with good intentions so I rejected a lot. As for the few that I didn''t¡­ they kicked me out after learning of my terrible game sense and coordination." Carmen softly exined her predicament, not knowing why she even did it in the first ce. Normally, she was conserved and somewhat wary, especially those she could sense had bad intentions toward her.


    One could call it a woman''s intuition or sixth sense. "It''s indeed difficult to find a suitable team or guild here." Xu Feng smiled amicably and continued, "Either way, I''m the one who said toe here, so it''s a given that it would be my treat. Feel free to order whichever food is to your liking." Instead of feeling excited, Carmen held a wary expression. "Why are you treating me so nice when we just met?" She asked suspiciously. "Let''s just say you reminded me of a little sister I once had in the orphanage." Xu Feng responded, t out lying with a straight face. Little sister?


    Oh please, when he was at the orphanage, he was a loner with no one to interact with. Hell, he had to work everything for himself to get to where he was. "You won''t ask me to repay you back?" Carmen asked warily, but her drool already betrayed her true thought. "Do you want me to draft a contract?" Xu Feng teased and was ready to draft one for her. "N-No need," Carmen hurriedly shook her head and proceeded to choose the food that she wanted to eat. Unsurprisingly, she chose some dessert and light meal on the menu, costing no less than 7 copper coins. This kind of price was naturally nothing to Xu Feng, but for someone with only a total savings of 10 copper coins, it was a lot.


    ''Oh dearest Carmen, how could I make you repay me for the meal. You are my greatest treasure currently.'' Xu Feng smiled and proceeded to order the food on their behalf.


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

 Chapter 183 Assistance

    183 Assistance


    While they waited for their food to arrive, Xu Feng sessfully befriended Carmen, having added her to his friend list.


    Now, aside from Zhao Kai, Xu Feng also had a future expert in his friend list.


    He felt gleeful already knowing that he managed to encounter the "Lunar Wraith" here.


    ''Oh, Kai, it''s a good thing you dyed me previously. Otherwise, I would have missed this golden goose.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, his expression remaining amicable on the surface. Sometimeter, Xu Feng finally went to the topic after some small talk here and there.


    "Anyway, why were you trying to hire a mercenary?" He asked calmly.


    Silent, Carmen held a doubtful look as she stared at Xu Feng. "Should I answer your question, Feng?" "Eh¡­ why do you ask that?"


    "Well, you told me earlier to not reveal much information because yers are rivals to us." "Y-Yes, that''s true, but I''m not your rival," Xu Feng coughed and corrected. "We are sitting here because I saw you were troubled and decided to help you out a little bit. Of course, you will help me back when I need you in return."


    To be honest, Xu Feng didn''t want anything in return for helping her as long as he could get close to her.


    However, not saying so would make him look suspicious, which was something he did not want to happen. Realization dawned upon Carmen when she heard Xu Feng''s response. Indeed, it would be extremely weird if Xu Feng didn''t want anything in return for helping her.


    "As long as it''s within my ability and not overboard, I''ll try my best to return the favor," Carmen said, a firm and determined expression shed on her face.


    A secondter, she began exining her situation. "Earlier I mentioned how no one wanted to party up with me after they learned about myck of skills. So I decided to head to the library in the town to educate myself." Carmen bit her lips softly. Meanwhile, Xu Feng merely nodded, keeping silent and being a good listener. "While I was there, I met a librarian and she guided me that I can advance my ss further as long as I can provide her with some rare ingredients." "And I suppose those rare ingredients are dropped by powerful monsters¡ª or monsters that you can''t handle in general." Xu Feng helped finish her wording, seeing that she was taking a while. As for Carmen, she held an amazed expression. "How did you know about that?" ''That''s because librarians in the Divine World are half scam and half real.'' Xu Feng wanted to say that aloud but refrained from doing so. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    On numerous asions, yers usually encountered the scamming librarians and ended up with nothing.


    However, those with great luck encountered the librarians who honored their words and ended up gaining a fruitful benefit. To differentiate between the good and bad? Unfortunately, even he was helpless in this matter because these librarians are so hard to identify. Nevertheless, that didn''t mean he had no idea of who the good ones were, given he was privy to some confidential information back then on the names. "Did that librarian ever tell you her name?" Xu Feng inquired.


    "She didn''t, but the system prompt showed me her name listed as Griselda," Carmen responded. ''Librarian Griselda¡­'' Xu Feng failed to recall it, but that didn''t mean she wasn''t a good one. After all, quite a lot of selfish yers are in the Divine World, and not many of them are foolish enough to reveal or brag about their achievements.


    Just look at the previous idiot who bragged about the loophole method in the log-in phase. Hadn''t Xu Feng taken advantage of it and obtained the benefit for himself because of that idiot bragging? "What kind of powerful monster that Librarian Griselda requested you to take down?" Xu Feng asked in a somewhat rxing tone. Based on the way Carmen behaved, he doubted she was even level 3 yet. So what kind of powerful monster could it be?


    Could they be fiercer than the Pyrite Drakes he fought?


    "Librarian Griselda requested me to take down a monster called Ironhide Behemoth," Carmen responded frankly.


    "Pfft," Xu Feng nearly choked on his own saliva when he heard the type of monster she was requested to take down.


    Ironhide Behemoth was a level 13 monster that resided in the danger zone. To give a clearer demonstration, the Pyrite Drakes that Xu Feng fought were only around levels 4-7, with the leader being the highest level.


    However, keep in mind that it required a ton of preparation for him to weaken the level 7 leader to be no different than a level 3 monster.


    Yet the monster that a beginner like Carmen now was required to take down a level 13 monster when most yers hadn''t even crossed level 10. Just what kind of sick person was Librarian Griselda? No wonder Carmen resorted toing to the Mercenary Association in hopes of recruiting some strong mercenaries to assist her in the mission.


    There were no other options! At least, that was in her case, and not him. Although it seemed impossible at first nce, Xu Feng would still be able to manage it. Of course, that was on the premise that he would allow himself to be in such a sticky situation, to begin with.


    Meanwhile, Carmen mistook Xu Feng''s silence and earlier disy of behavior as natural. She thought he was helpless as well, but she expected such a response already. After all, the party she was in legit dismissed her and even some called her a crazy bitch. "It''s alright, Feng." Carmen smiled gently. "I can manage it myself somehow, so there''s no need for you to be troubled by it." "Who do you take me for?" Unfazed, Xu Feng tapped his fingers repeatedly on the table before shing a solemn expression.


    "I''ve said I will help you, then I will do it. It''s just a level 13 Ironhide Behemoth. Didn''t I tell you earlier, I''m quite the expert myself." He added, adjusting his sses.

 Chapter 184 Fortuitous Encounter

    184 Fortuitous Encounter


    Astonished, Carmen widened her eyes as she gazed at Xu Feng. "You aren''t going to back down?" She asked in surprise. "The party I was with earlier dismissed me quite harshly, so I was sure no other sane yers would assist me." "Ahem, are you implying I''m insane?" Xu Feng faked a cough.


    "T-That''s not what I mean." Carmen quickly raised her hands, shaking left and right to deny that was her meaning.


    "I''m just teasing you," he chuckled after seeing her flustered look. "Also, don''t lump me in with those previous party members of yours. Only those with no skills would dismiss you." Unsure of what to say, Carmen kept quiet. After all, even she doubted she couldplete the mission, much less someone she just met. However, she didn''t want to be rude, considering how Xu Feng was trying his best to help her.


    ''Thisss really thinks I''m boasting huh¡­'' Speechless, Xu Feng realized she was indeed not a simple woman. On the surface, she looked timid and fragile, easy to target. But looking more in-depth, she was actually quite thoughtful and filled with insight. Four times, she managed to stump him a total of four times, and that was not an easy thing to do. That was especially true when she used his own advice against him when he was inquiring about her earlier. Sometimeter, the food arrived and Xu Feng decided to pause the conversation temporarily. "Let''s eat first before we head down to the registrar." He suggested and began eating without waiting for her response. To make a person feel appreciative of you immensely, it was best to not talk too much. Instead, one should use actions to showcase your prowess. By then, the effect and admiration would increase tremendously. ''You ain''t escaping from my clutches, future expert.'' He thought to himself, enjoying the food to his content. He was too happy at the moment to even bother about the taste of the food, not that it was disgusting anyway.


    "Is this really a game''s food?" Carmen was startled, her eyes staring intensely at the food on her te. "How can it be so tasty? It''s even better than those high-ss restaurants." "I''m d you''re enjoying the food." Xu Feng lightly smiled. It was so hard to believe that such a woman would turn out to be the fearsome demoness in the near future that struck fear in every guild, team, and yer. Though he can''tment much on her transformation, given he was the same as well.


    He changed so much to the point where he would only do things with value in return. Charity and generosity? Those two words are not in his dictionary¡ª no longer. The cost of doing that was too high and not worth the effort spent on it.


    ''Survival of the strongest, they say. This statement stands true no matter where.'' Xu Feng smiled, taking onest bite of his food and patiently waited for Carmen to be done.


    Sometimeter, Carmen finally reluctantly finished herst bite of her food, feeling regretful at her speed. "We can have some more once I help you finish killing the Ironhide Behemoth." Xu Feng suddenly said.


    "Really?" Her eyes quickly sparkled like glitter as she leaned close to him, her face very near his. "Yes," Xu Feng replied somewhat awkwardly, leaning backward a bit to avoid being too close to her face. Other men might erupt to cheer for such a development, but not for him. He had too many things to focus on. Not to mention, his mentality was different from his current age in this timeline. He was not some buffoon that could only think with their lower part and nothing else. Meanwhile, Carmen remained oblivious to her actions and subsequently retracted back to her seat. "By the way, what is your current level?" Xu Feng promptly asked, needing to know her level and skill usage. Though, if he had to make a deduction, she should be either level 2 or 3. "Oh, my level?" Carmen tilted her head slightly before opening her status screen to check it, clearly forgetting her level.


    ''Heh, what an amateur.'' Xu Feng thought, finding her behavior to be quite hriouspared to her future persona. "I''m level 6," Carmen suddenly revealed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    nk!


    Upon hearing that, Xu Feng nearly fell down from his chair, mainly from shock and disbelief.


    "L-Level 6?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow. "You''re level 6?" He said once again, trying to confirm his hearing was incorrect. s, Carmen nodded her head and shared her status screen with him, allowing him to see her attributes. Naturally, this was another noob mistake, given a yer status screen was equivalent to a person''s ID card or credit card information. Nevertheless, Xu Feng had no time to question as his eyes locked on her level which had the number 6 next to it.


    ''She''s really level 6?'' He was baffled and wondered what was going on. How was that possible?


    She was clearly a beginner, given her equipment and her wealth of the measly 10 copper coins. Hell, he wondered if she could even grind that many monsters in such a short amount of time to reach that level. Even Gentle Wind needed to spend a lot of time to meet his so-called level requirement previously when they were raiding the Scorched Caverns. "Are you not a beginner who just created your character?" Xu Feng asked in a baffled tone. "I''m a beginner." Carmen nodded and exined, "I got to level 6 because Librarian Griselda gave me a potion to drink for helping on her behalf to gather the rare ingredient." "A potion?"


    "Mhm, the potion made me rise to level 6 instantly from level 2." She said in the most natural tone.


    ''She''s the main character. She is definitely a main character to receive such a fortuitous encounter.'' Xu Feng thought, feeling envious and jealous of Carmen''s opportunity.

 Chapter 185 EXP Potion

    185 EXP Potion


    Had it been some other yers listening to Carmen''s exnation, they would havebeled her as a liar or scammer. After all, they could hardly believe a potion would raise a yer''s level by 4, going from 2 to 6.


    However, that was only for the ignorant yers and does not apply to Xu Feng.


    He knew very well what type of potion Carmen drank to have her level boosted so much.


    ''She had the rare EXP Potion and one with at least over a million exp points.'' Xu Feng cried inwardly.


    It was the first time since his reincarnation that he felt so envious and jealous of someone.


    EXP Potion was the short-terminology for experience points potion, and it was a highly demanded item that every yer wished to have to increase their level. Not only would it save them many times from grinding monsters or doing missions, but it also had the chance of granting extra free attribute points when leveled up. Why couldn''t that person receiving the EXP Potion be him? Keeping a friendly smile on the surface while overwhelmingly frustrated on the inside, Xu Feng gave her a thumbs up.


    "I see what happened, Carmen. You drank an EXP Potion, but don''t reveal it to anyone else anymore. Otherwise, trouble wille to find you, especially to Librarian Griselda." He warned kindly. As regretful as it may be, Xu Feng knew it was toote to try to make acquaintance with Librarian Griselda. However, that didn''t mean he couldn''t reap some benefit from her through Carmen.


    Of course, he remained ethical in this particr aspect. Had it been someone else and not the Lunar Wraith, Xu Feng would dly snatch the opportunity away from them in a heartbeat.


    s, he didn''t want to make an enemy out of a future expert. Not to mention, his main goal was to get her to be on his side. Therefore, he could only take the loss this time and find something else.


    "I understand now," Unaware of his true thoughts, Carmen took his kind advice and noted to herself. "So in the Divine World, we must conceal most information from others. Is that correct?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Yes, that is correct."


    "Then I should distance myself from you, right?"


    "..."


    Why was this woman even more difficult to deal with than Zhao Kai?


    "I won''t say I''m trustworthy since we just met, but you can decide that when I help you with your mission." Xu Feng adjusted his sses and calmly said. "Got it." Sometimeter, the two headed downstairs to the registrars, and unexpectedly encountered the previous Tier 1 Mercenary who was reprimanding Carmen earlier.


    "Hoh, so you went to grab food instead." Seeing Carmen walking downstairs from the 2nd floor, the Tier 1 Mercenary made ament. "At least it''s better than dreaming about hiring a mercenary with 10 copper coins." Feeling embarrassed, Carmen hid behind Xu Feng, unable to respond to the remark.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng held a deadpan expression, clearly unamused by this so-called unexpected encounter. Previously, he had seen this same mercenary ncing at a mission in the bulletin board when he was conversing with Carmen, so why would he still be here? Although he didn''t know thetter''s motive, it was definitely not something pleasing to Xu Feng.


    "Yes, 10 copper coins being wasted on food is better than being wasted on a mere Tier 1 Mercenary." Xu Feng raised his voice and purposely provoked him and the rest of the mercenaries nearby. "What did you just say?" Instantly, the same Tier 1 Mercenary held a fiery expression, clearly infuriated by Xu Feng''s provocation.


    "Aish, the quality is terrible here. People with hearing problems can actually be promoted to Tier 1?" Xu Feng uttered in disbelief, shaking his head left and right.


    Meanwhile, Carmen was filled with shock by his sudden change of attitude. She secretly tugged behind his back and whispered, "Why are you provoking him on purpose, Feng?" "He came to provoke you, so am I supposed to stand still and let him trample over you?" Xu Feng calmly responded and patted her hand before taking another step toward the mercenary.


    "You have a lot of guts to utter that statement here, little boy."


    "Oh, so you did hear my statement earlier?" Surprised, Xu Feng questioned, "Then why did you feign deaf? Do you have some sort of deficiency in your body? Jeez, Carmen dodged a bullet this time and didn''t hire you. Otherwise, it would have been disastrous for her." "HOW DARE YOU!" The Tier 1 Mercenary roared loudly and was about to attack Xu Feng.


    However, before he could evennd a finger on Xu Feng, he was halted by the guards overseeing the 1st floor. These guards were no ordinary guards, given they were actually Tier 2 Mercenaries who took the job as guards. "What are you doing?" The Tier 1 Mercenary was confused about why he was detained. "This person just insulted us mercenaries, and you''re just going to let him be?"


    "Shut up!" One of the guards shouted and gave him a fierce p to the face. "Insulting us? Why don''t you take a closer look at who you were trying to pick a fight with?" As the guard said that, he lifted the back of the Tier 1 Mercenary head, ensuring he could get a closer look at Xu Feng.


    Sure enough, after scrutinizing for a few minutes, the Tier 1 Mercenary finally realized something, and his face quickly turned pale, bing ashen gray.


    As for Carmen, she was the most confused, given Xu Feng''s words should have offended the mercenaries thoroughly. Yet not only was he not punished, the guards seemed to be fearful of him.


    At this moment, she finally came to realize that Xu Feng was not some ordinary yer she had met and interacted with before. Nevertheless, her thought process was interrupted when the guards suddenly demanded from the Tier 1 Mercenary. "Stop staring and apologize." "I-I''m sorry, Sir." The Tier 1 Mercenary readily apologized, not even daring to dy. Meanwhile, Xu Feng ignored thetter and turned to Carmen instead. "What do you think, Carmen? Should we ept his apology or not?"

 Chapter 186 Hiring

    186 Hiring


    Once the Tier 1 Mercenary realized the decider of his fate was not Xu Feng, but Carmen¡ª the one he tried to vent his frustration on. He quickly slipped out of the guards and bowed with his forehead kissing the ground.


    "I''m sorry for obstructing you,dy." The Tier 1 Mercenary apologized. "I was venting earlier because you distracted me and made me miss an ideal mission from the bulletin board." "..."


    Speechless, Xu Feng couldn''t believe his reason for obstructing them was because of that. No wonder the demoness unleashed fear among everyone in his past timeline.


    Had it not been for him, she would have been taken advantage of consecutively, given that there was no one to properly guide her in thisplex world. "Uhh, why are you making me decide?" Carmen fidgeted her fingers nervously and questioned. "Well, he''s the one that wants to find trouble for you, so naturally you have to be the one to decide." Xu Feng shrugged. To be fair, he couldn''t be bothered with the Tier 1 Mercenary''s fate. After all, thanks to his deed, he could gain some good points from Carmen.


    "J-Just let him go," Carmen said after much difficulty. "The fault was mine to begin with when I tried to hire him with just 10 copper coins." "How is that wrong?" Xu Feng suddenly raised an eyebrow and turned to the Tier 1 Mercenary. Purposely taking a step forward and ensuring Carmen could not see his facial expression, he shed a menacing grin, "Hey, you tell me. Is it wrong to hire you with just 10 copper coins?" Baffled, the Tier 1 Mercenary was rendered speechless. He attempted to turn to look at the guards, seemingly asking them to help him, but the guards feigned blindness. They avoided being involved in this messy water. After all, it was evident that Xu Feng was picking on him and only him. Not to mention, it was his fault anyway for being petty and it backfired him hard for not knowing who the woman was with. The guards were very unwilling to offend a Baron rank status directly under the jurisdiction of the Aetheria Empire for a Tier 1 Mercenary, especially when it was thetter''s fault.


    Had it been the other way around, they would have stepped in and prevented Xu Feng from throwing his weight around. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Hmm, what''s the matter?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Did you raise your voice too loud earlier and need some water to continue talking?" With a bitter smile, the Tier 1 Mercenary shook his head, "No, it''s not too much." Upon saying that, the guards nearlyughed aloud but suppressed themselves. Mercenaries are known to act arrogantly asionally but to fail so miserably as he did was a first. "Great, what''s your name then." Xu Feng sped his hands joyfully and retracted his fierce expression, returning to the normal and tranquil expression.


    "I-It''s Jeff," the Tier 1 Mercenary responded, revealing his name is Jeff.


    "Jeff huh, I''ll wee you aboard as a hired mercenary for my friend, Carmen here." Xu Feng said, walking back and giving Carmen a little push to be at the front.


    However, Carmen was somewhat hesitant as she could deduce Jeff was not very willing to be hired. It appeared as though he was afraid and had no other choice but to ept the arrangement. "I don''t think we should do this, Feng." She turned to him and shook her head. "I know you want to help me, but I don''t want this kind of help. Coercing others into doing something they''re unwilling to do would only backfire." Almost as if he had been blessed and pardoned, Jeff held a new admiration look toward Carmen. He even felt terrible for trying to vent his frustration on her when the truth was, it was because he was indecisive earlier and missed out on the chance of choosing thatmission. After all, themission rewards were great, but the risk was equally high as well.


    "An Ironhide Behemoth?" Jeff was startled briefly. Although an Ironhide Behemoth was a difficult monster to kill, it wasn''t impossible either. 18:38


    Additionally, the Ironhide Behemoth wasn''t an agile monster, so even if they failed to kill him and got injured in the process, the chance of escaping was high.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng simply nodded and patted her shoulder lightly, indicating to her not to feel bad about rejecting his goodwill.


    "Well, I was going to help you cover the cost anyway." He calmly revealed. "If I really coerce him to be hired for 10 copper coins, then I might never be able to hire another mercenary in my life. I only did it to give him a fright and not to pick on someone in the future so carelessly." "Is that so?" "Mhmm, the moment you let people walk over you, then you best not hope to be respected in the future."


    Shortly after, Xu Feng retrieved 8 silver coins, turned to Jeff, and asked, "8 silver coins and 10 copper coins, are you willing to ept amission to kill an Ironhide Behemoth, Jeff?" "An Ironhide Behemoth?" Jeff was startled briefly. Although an Ironhide Behemoth was a difficult monster to kill, it wasn''t impossible either. Additionally, the Ironhide Behemoth wasn''t an agile monster, so even if they failed to kill him and got injured in the process, the chance of escaping was high.


    ''But 8 silver coins is a little bit too low¡­'' Jeff thought to himself. As a Tier 1 Mercenary, the lowestmission he epted was 10 silver coins. However, seeing the same menacing grin on Xu Feng''s face, Jeff probably understood the 10 copper coins were a joke, but there was still a price for acting out against Carmen. Hence, the deduction of 2 silver coins.


    After all, there was no way a Baron rank noble like Xu Feng wouldn''t know about the market price of hiring a mercenary.


    He tried to sneak a nce to Carmen for help this time, but unfortunately for him, Carmen was equally ignorant of the hiring price. She knew 10 copper coins was impossible after being rejected, but as for 8 silver coins? She didn''t know. Meanwhile, Xu Feng smirked coldly when he noticed the sneaky action of Jeff.


    ''Heh, I''ll be damned if I pay you the full price after what you did, Jeff.'' He eximed inwardly, feeling proud that he didn''t inform Carmen of the pricing.

 Chapter 187 Jeff

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


    After a few more discussions, it was decided that Jeff would be hired for 8 silver coins and 10 copper coins.


    The guards also subsequently asked if there was anything Xu Feng needed. "No need, and thank you for your trouble." Xu Feng shook his head and retrieved 2 silver coins. And in front of everyone''s eyes, he proceeded to give the two guards each 1 silver coin as appreciation for their timely assistance, shocking the nearby mercenaries who were still watching the show in amusement.


    However, the most astonished person was none other than Jeff, who watched the 2 silver coins being given out to the two guards. ''That is my money!!!'' He screamed at the top of his lungs, in his mind of course. He dared not voice anyint. Aside from the fact that Xu Feng was a noble, the guards themselves were Tier 2 mercenaries. Although it was just 1 number higher than him, the difference was massive. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been so easily pinned down by them effortlessly. As for the guards, they were slightly stunned before shing a warm smile. They dly epted the tip and said, "It''s our duty to maintain harmony in the Mercenary Association. We are not like some rogues who don''t have any rules and act arrogantly." ''Rogues! You are definitely a rogue for epting what was supposed to be my money!'' Jeff once again cursed the guards ck-heartedly silently in his mind.


    s, no one could be bothered by Jeff''s thought as Xu Feng merely nodded his head, having achieved his goal. By giving out those 2 silver coins as a tip, he effectively erased the negative impression that the rest of the mercenaries had on him. After seeing how generous he was toward those who acted in good faith for him, these mercenaries would only think Jeff deserved what happened to him.


    Who told him to mess with a noble?


    The noble didn''t even mess with him until he started it up. "This noble is already being generous by being lenient with Jeff."


    "Indeed, if it were any other noble, I would be surprised if they didn''t get sent to prison for at least a week."


    "Agreed, Jeff lucked out big time."


    18:39


    As the mercenaries gossiped among themselves, some of them ended up being heard by Carmen as she gasped in shock.


    "Y-You''re a noble, Feng?" She looked at Xu Feng in surprise. "Yeah," Xu Feng tly responded, not bothering to hide any longer regarding his noble status. Previously, he could still conceal the matter, but now that themotion had attracted quite a bit of attention. Added to the fact that these loudmouth mercenaries could never keep their mouth shut, he could only admit it. "No wonder Jeff and the guards acted respectfully," Carmen muttered, finally understanding the situation fully. As for Jeff, he was feeling the most bitter when he saw Carmen''s astonishment.


    ''So she didn''t know she was acquainted with a noble.'' He cried inwardly. Truly, this was probably what people called karma. While Jeff remained sulking at his terrible luck, Xu Feng turned to Carmen and asked, "Do you still want to hire some more mercenaries?"


    In his opinion, just one Tier 1 Mercenary was not enough to assist her. Of course, that was just him thinking about the overall situation. A Tier 1 Mercenary was technically between the levels 15-30 with numerous skills unlocked. It was more than enough to deal with a level 13 Ironhide Behemoth, but not for Xu Feng who sought perfection. Based on Xu Feng''s deduction of Jeff, he determined thetter should be a level 27 Berserker or at least around there, albeit with poorer gears. Despite this, Jeff felt disrespected when Xu Feng inquired if Carmen still wanted to hire some more mercenaries. Looking more in-depth at his question, Xu Feng was implying that his skill was barely adequate to take down an Ironhide Behemoth.


    Thankfully for Jeff, he felt relieved when he heard Carmen''s response.


    "I think Jeff alone is enough," Carmen said, refusing to hire more.


    ''That''s right. I, alone, is enough to help you.'' Feeling proud, Jeff raised his chin up. However, thatsted only for a brief second as Carmen''s next sentence nearly made him plopped to the ground. "You already covered up the 8 silver coins. I can''t make you pay for more."


    "Since you know I''m a noble, then you should know I have some money. Hiring 2 or 3 more mercenaries is no problem." "Even so, I can''t trouble you anymore, Feng." Carmen shook her head and refused his goodwill. Seeing how adamant she was being, Xu Feng was helpless. "If you don''t want to hire anymore, then can I go with you to assist you?" Although he will once again dy some of the ns in his mind, he wants to increase the rtionship between them. As if he was willing to let a future expert escape his clutches that easily. A future expert versus some of his ns, the decision was rather easy to make. A n that would make things easier for him,ter on, was still not as beneficial as having a guaranteed future expert who would be wholeheartedly assisting him. This kind of investment was worth every ounce of money and trouble to obtain. "Will it be troubling for you?" Carmen subsequently asked. Naturally, she would be d to have more people like Xu Feng assisting her, but having found out he had a noble status already when most yers were still struggling. She didn''t want to hinder him any longer, especially now that she owed him the 8 silver coins he used to cover up the hiring cost. He might not have said anything about repaying, but to take things for granted was not her principle. Meanwhile, Xu Feng faked looking at an imaginary watch on his wrist. "Hmm, the time is still early and I don''t have anything nned. To apany a beauty''s journey was definitely more worth it." Xu Feng rubbed his chin and said. "Unless you don''t want me to apany you then I can only give up and rely on Jeff to hopefully assist you well." "Pfft," Carmen wanted to suppress a giggle from escaping, but it was too funny to notugh. How could she not tell he was teasing her?

 Chapter 188 Make Amends

    188 Make Amends


    With Xu Feng''s clever and slick dialogue, he managed to make Carmenugh, herughter resounding throughout the lobby, wlessly highlighting her natural beauty.


    Jeff was somewhat mesmerized by Carmen''s beauty when sheughed so naturally. As for Xu Feng, he remained unaffected and merely kept a cheeky smile on his face. Her beauty was truly highlighted when she gotfortable and free from the anxiety. Nevertheless, that was about it and Xu Feng had no intention of jeopardizing anything for a moment of lust. What he valued from her was not her appearance, but her guaranteed future of being an expert, capable of toppling numerous guilds and unleashing fear in troublemakers.


    "I take it as you agree to let me join you," he said calmly.


    Meanwhile, Carmen took a few more seconds before calming down and wiping her tears of joy. "Can I even refuse when you act like that?" She questioned, subtly ming him for making her lose herposure. "What act?" Xu Feng feigned surprise, ced his hand by his chest, widened his eyes, and continued, "That was my genuine behavior."


    Carmen might be timid and sometimes slow on things, but she wasn''t foolish as to believe he wasn''t faking it earlier. Her intuition allowed her to easily tell who was attracted to her based on appearance and who was not. Thus, she wasn''t disgusted or rmed when Xu Feng wanted to tag along with her even though she didn''t quite understand his true motive. Other than her beauty, she couldn''t find what other reasons would make him want to get close to her.


    This was especially true when she could detect Jeff and most of the mercenaries earlier were mesmerized by her joyousughter whilst Xu Feng remained the same as usual. ''Just what is he after?'' Carmen pondered silently, feeling perplexed by the situation.


    A few secondster, Carmen decided to put her thoughts behind her for now and asked, "Anyway, shall we start heading to the location of the Ironhide Behemoth?" "Yes, just give me a few minutes." Xu Feng nodded before running to the registrar. Dumbfounded by his action, Carmen furrowed her brows as she realized he indeed came here for some business, and encountering her was just a coincidence. However, she didn''t n on overthinking too much and turned to Jeff.


    "Shall we take a seat over there and wait for him?" She pointed at a vacant spot and asked.


    "You''re my boss currently." Jeff scratched his head and responded somewhat awkwardly. The feeling of guilt was starting to hit him, especially when he reflected on his behavior earlier. Although he despised Xu Feng for short-paying him, he could only me himself for the matter. Not to mention, Carmen was the innocent party here but he still attempted to take his anger out on her. After all, she only asked if she could hire him for 10 copper coins, and he responded with a not-so-friendly attitude. "Sure," Jeff readily agreed, hoping to use this opportunity to make amends. He might have been short-paid, but that didn''t change the current status between them. Carmen was now his employer, and as a mercenary being employed, the employer was king. Of course, that was under the condition that the order was logical and wasn''t unreasonable such as telling them to kill themselves. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As they took their seats, Carmen asked, "What was themission that I made you miss?" "..."


    Jeff didn''t expect Carmen to not mince her words and went straight to the topic. Faking a cough, he casually brushed it off by saying, "It''s nothing that big actually." "If it''s nothing that big, then you wouldn''t have tried to vent your frustration at me. So what was themission?" Carmen was adamant in learning the truth. And she continued, "Also, did you know about Feng beforehand and timed it perfectly to be an obstacle for me?" "Eh?" Dumbfounded, Jeff raised an eyebrow, seemingly speechless by her words. He scratched his head, and with a confused expression, "Miss Lunar Wraith, I don''t know what game you''re trying to y with me, but I apologize for my rude behavior earlier. I really didn''t know you were a friend of the Baron." Carmen knitted her brows, observing Jeff''s movement and behaviorism. ''So he really didn''t know about Lin Feng beforehand?'' She thought to herself, finding it quite perplexing.


    Honestly, she had a suspicion that Jeff was arranged to be the typical viin to obstruct her and Xu Feng swooping in to help her out. That way he could gain a favorable impression in her mind. However, it seemed that she was overthinking, given Jeff didn''t seem to be lying when his expression was pretty easy to read. If not, then Jeff was one great actor and should be one instead of a mercenary. "I''m not a petty person and the fault lies in mine originally." Carmen subsequently said and continued, "So we shall forget about the incident and begin on a clean te."


    "Agreed, that''s the most correct decision." Jeff nodded his head, agreeing with the suggestion.


    It was better to resolve the incident now than to let it fester and ruin their cooperationter on. Not to mention, after the harsh lesson taught by Xu Feng, he already let go of any grudge. A mercenary against a noble?


    What a joke was that?


    Maybe if Xu Feng was just a noble for a town he would still continue to hold a grudge, but a noble for the empire? Unless he had a screw loose in his brain, he would forget about it and be d that there was no actual punishment implemented. Sometimeter, Xu Feng returned to their side once he got everything he needed from the registrar.


    "Looking at the two of you, I suppose you two made amends." Xu Feng quickly said. "It was honestly a small matter, to begin with," Carmen responded lightly, brushing her hair softly. "It''s just that you made it into a big deal and attracted a lot of attention.

 Chapter 189 Potential

    189 Potential


    Xu Feng was rendered speechless yet again by the untimely and cheeky remarks from Carmen.


    He twitched his mouth slightly and gazed at her, "You were quite nervous earlier, but now you are getting more and morefortable." "Mhmm," Carmen nodded her head, not denying that fact. "I tend to get nervous around people I''m unfamiliar with and in a new environment. It''s hard to adjust to new things around me." Hearing that, Xu Feng realized he could only drop the matter and ignored her cheeky remark.


    After all, trying to correct that would mean they were not close, and he knew fairly well she worded as such to checkmate him.


    Even a fool could tell he wanted to get close to her but for reasons unknown to her.


    Nevertheless, her statement made it clear that she understood some of his intentions and was willing to allow it.


    ''What a poor judgment I made.'' Xu Feng med himself for the misjudgment. Carmen was definitely not an innocent and naive type. Instead, she was simply a nervous person in general when it came to new things, but once she got familiar with it, she was just like a bird out of the cage. "Well, I''m d you are familiar with me then." Xu Feng adjusted his sses and said, "To be familiar with an expert like myself is your blessing." What was shameful?


    Could it be considered shameful when what he said was the truth? Seeing how there was no ounce of shame on Xu Feng''s face, Carmen didn''t know how to react to it. In the end, she merely suppressed herughter, controlling her emotions. "Shall we head to the location now?" Carmen then asked, not even attempting to ask what he was doing at the registrar. That was his private matter, so unless he was willing to divulge it, she had no intention of learning about it. Sometimeter, the trio exited the Mercenary Association, with Jeff taking on the mantle as the guide.


    Of course, Xu Feng was willing to take the backseat for once now that there was someone knowledgeable aside from him. To be fair, guiding Zhao Kai and then somewhat manipting OneManMedia was somewhat tiring for him. If he had to continue being the "guide" and teaching Carmen as well, he might just go insane sooner orter. Naturally, it was merely an exaggeration and he was simply toozy to repeat the same advice over and over again.


    "The region that we''re heading to where the Ironhide Behemoth resides can be considered a danger zone," Jeff exined, ncing at Carmen. "With your level, it''s hard for you to survive in the region, but fret not, I''ll do my best as a hired mercenary to protect you." "Or maybe, you can just head there yourself and do the killing." Xu Feng suddenlymented, turning his head left and right, acting like a backseat gamer. "T-That''s¡­" Jeff was stumped, realizing his words made sense. Why should they follow him if they hired him as a mercenary to do the work? Lucky for him, Carmen interjected and shook her head. "I want to witness the process myself personally, otherwise, I''ll feel like I''m cheating." "Is that so?" Xu Feng turned to him, seemingly confused by her thinking. In his mind, if he were to be in his shoes, he would have just ordered Jeff around to do everything himself while he reaped the reward in the end. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Otherwise, what was the point of spending such money to hire one to begin with?


    For protection? Hell, he hadn''t even offended anyone yet to require protection. Sensing the skepticism from Xu Feng, Carmen sighed and decided to be truthful. "I told you previously that I got kicked out for my terrible gamey, right?"


    "Yes, you told me that."


    "Since we now have an expert like Jeff to assist us, I want to use this chance to do it myself while Jeff guides me on the side. If it''s really impossible, then I''ll have Jeff take over from there." To summarize, Carmen wanted to gain actual experience with someone technically forced to provide her adequate advice and guidelines to improve. Nodding his head, Xu Feng understood her feelings. As a beginner and new to the Divine World, one would feel lost and helpless. Suddenly, Xu Feng faked a cough as he was technically categorized in that area, but his motive was different. 19:45


    "Do you need some water?" Unaware of what he was thinking, Carmen asked in concern.


    It was especially true when she had been to numerous parties and was kicked out as a result.


    Maybe some still extended an invitation to her despite knowing her terrible gamey, but it was most definitely not a good gesture. It doesn''t take a genius to know why someone would want to team up with her despite her horrendous ability. Suddenly, Xu Feng faked a cough as he was technically categorized in that area, but his motive was different. "Do you need some water?" Unaware of what he was thinking, Carmen asked in concern.


    "No thanks," Xu Feng shook his head. "If you wanted to improve then there was no point in hiring Jeff. You already have an expert and that is me." ''Huh?'' Jeff felt insulted when he heard Xu Feng''s statement. However, he kept silent once he noticed Xu Feng''s fierce gaze at him. Meanwhile, Carmen stared at Xu Feng with a silent expression briefly. A few secondster, she questioned, "Are you really not mesmerized by my appearance?"


    "..."


    "No, I''m more interested in your potential and I want you to join my guild once I create one in the near future." Xu Feng decided to be honest and get rid of the misconception. He was simply too suspicious and had already noticed signs of her constantly suspecting him of something.


    Instead of letting her overthink ande to a conclusion that was extremely off, he would rathere clean. "My potential?" Dumbfounded and baffled, Carmen found this exnation even harder to believe. She knew her skills fairly well, and it was already generous if others were to call her a beginner. "Like I''ve said, I''m quite the expert, so my eyes for people cannot be wrong." Xu Feng adjusted his sses and confidently proimed.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 190: Clear Path

    As Xu Feng finally came clean and decided to be honest, mainly because he was tired of this detective kind of game, Carmen herself was stunned.


    For some reason, she could sense that his words were genuine, but that was what made it confusing.


    Not once had she truly disyed any potential of being an expert, but Xu Feng seemed confident in her more than she did for herself.


    How was it possible?


    ''Is he a prophet and knows about my future?'' Carmen thought to herself, before quickly brushing the idea off.


    Prophet¡­ yeah, it was mostly a scam to deceive others and let them learn what they wanted to know.


    After taking a few moments topose herself, she shed a solemn expression and questioned, "Are you trying to recruit me in your future guild? And it''s not out of some other nefarious intention?"


    Xu Feng equally showed a solemn expression and nodded his head.


    "That''s right, I know a diamond in the rough at a nce. You just haven''t met me during your earlier interactions so you stumbled quite a bit." He readily said in the most natural manner. If others were to suddenly hear what he just said, they would most definitely call him a boaster or scammer.


    However, contrary to ordinary people''s responses, Carmen simply smiled.


    "Phew, so you are really just interested in my potential." She eximed, sping her hands. "But don''t say I will disappoint you when you see my actualbat style. You can retract your invitation by that time too."


    "We shall see then." Xu Feng smiled, clearly thankful for his honesty, rewarding him dearly this time.


    Had he chosen to continue to lie, then it was most likely over for him, or at the very least, troublesome for him to interact with her.


    Meanwhile, Jeff seemed very annoyed when these two were taking their sweet time conversing regardless of his presence.


    "Are the two of you going to continue to talk and wait until it''s nighttime?" Jeff questioned, seemingly feeling irritated by their attitude.


    "Let''s continue talking while we follow him, Carmen." Xu Feng chuckled softly and suggested.


    "Jeff is getting jealous that you are paying attention to me and not him, but serve him right for rejecting the 10 copper coins payment. If it was me, I''d dly ept it in a heartbeat." He added, taking a jab at Jeff.


    Who told him to be so rude as to interrupt his coercion¡ª convincing and persuading Carmen to sign a contract with him in the future guild he would create when the time was right?


    "Will you really do that though?" Carmen asked, a tinge of anticipation sparkled in her eyes.


    "No," Xu Feng coolly said, and before she became disappointed, he continued, "I will do it for free as long as you agree to be my future guild member."


    "You trust me that much?"


    "Yes, and I want you!"


    Startled, Carmen was speechless by his response. Others might have mistaken him for wanting her in a naughty way, but she knew he meant her as a member of his future guild.


    "I''m starting to believe you are taking in the joy of messing with Jeff." Carmen tlymented, unwilling to give him an edge to continue his tease.


    "Welp, I''ve been exposed." Xu Feng shrugged. Having done so much scheming behind the scenestely, it was indeed somewhat rxing to take a break and just enjoy himself.


    It was especially true when the conversation was with Carmen, someone who looked naive at first nce but was actually quite sharp in nature. She knew when he was joking and serious without needing him to emphasize anything.


    So far, only Zhao Kai had been able to do that with him, but now Carmen was added to the list.


    Sometimeter, the trio walked across the streets and Carmen was astonished by the clear path.


    "Huh?" She raised an eyebrow, ncing left and right in confusion. "Where did all the yers from earlier go?"


    Previously, when she exited the library and attempted to head to the Mercenary Association, the street was overflowed with yers, causing her quite the distress.


    It was only supposed to take her a few minutes to get from the library to the association, but the result was a far cry from it.


    A whopping 34 minutes was how long it took her to navigate from the crowded traffic. To make things worse, she nearly missed her stop with so many yers pushing her from behind.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng merely smiled, keeping silent on the matter. Though it wasn''t much of a secret as long as one opened the game forum and checked on the current news.


    OneManMedia''s video exploded in poprity with nearly a million views already. Many evenmented on the posts, asking for him to reveal more hideout locations.


    After all, the location they went to raid might not have a rare piece of equipment dropped, with many dying in the process from the rebels, they still managed to gain Umon equipment.


    In the current stage, getting Umon equipment was amazing already. Not to mention, the risk was worth it once they realized these rebels killed would gain them a reputation for their respective town they started in.


    Therefore, numerous yers were now turning their attention to raiding the hideout.


    Of course, uninterested yers such as Xu Feng and Carmen were exceptions.


    "Hmm, we''ll need to take the East side exit but remember to stay close to me. There are tricky monsters in that side of the region, so it''s best to remain alert." Jeff suddenly warned, seemingly trying to be relevant.


    "Don''t worry about it and just make the way for us." Xu Feng calmly responded. "Even if we do get injured somehow by them, I can easily heal Carmen to full."


    "You''re a healer?" Carmen eximed in surprise, clearly not expecting Xu Feng to be a Cleric ss.


    After all, Clerics are known to be in the backline, providing support to the tanks and DPS.


    Their roles are important, but they were also the most unrecognizable in regard to achievement. When sessful, it was not the Cleric''s credit, but when it was a failure, it was definitely the Cleric''s fault.


    "That''s right, I''m a one-of-a-kind healer." Xu Feng smiled.

 Chapter 191: Raburle

    Astonished, Carmen was truly taken aback when Xu Feng was a Cleric ss.


    Given his attitude and behavior earlier, she was quite sure that he was a DPS ss.


    "Do you have any discrimination against healers?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow and asked.


    "Ah, no, I don''t." Carmen quickly shook her head and denied the allegation.


    "I just didn''t think you would be a Cleric."


    Seeing her frantic expression, Xu Feng shook his head and brushed the matter aside. When even someone like Carmen had such a view on Cleric, it was legit the perfect situation for him.


    The more people underestimated him, the better it was for him to take them down by surprise.


    ''They''ll be dead wrong if they all think Cleric is still the same type of healer that can only heal bot or buffer in the backline.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    Shortly after, the trio left through the exit of Riverwood Town''s East side as they ventured into the deep greenery forest.


    The forest was no different than the ones on the other exit side, given the forest was a whole circr structure that surrounded Riverwood Town.


    However, passing the forest was what made the difference. The one located on the East Side was the fastest path toward a danger zone where only level 15 and above should enter.


    After all, the monsters that resided in such a zone were level between 15 to 30. If a low-level yer identally ventured here, it would be a miracle if they could even survive three hits from the monster.


    "I''ll say this again, but make sure to stick close to me from here on out once we pass through this forest." Jeff paused for a moment, turned to them, and warned with a stern expression. Based on his wary expression, it was obvious that even he needed to be cautious in the danger zone.


    Of course, he wasn''t afraid of confronting them, but having to protect his client as well, made the difficulty harder.


    Additionally, he could sense Xu Feng was quite low-level, but it was his status that made him worry the most.


    If a noble were to die within his presence, a lot of trouble coulde to him regardless of his defenses and excuses. As much as Jeff wanted to dismiss Xu Feng, it was pretty obvious that it was never going to happen.


    Just from the conversation Carmen and Xu Feng had been having throughout their walk, it was evident enough that the third party was him.


    "Rest assured, Jeff. I will support you from behind¡­ right about now." Xu Feng suddenly said, and without any announcement, he cast Blessed Protection on Jeff.


    As soon as the golden light shrouded Jeff, his expression suddenly changed. Alerted, he pulled out his battle axe and swung in a specific direction.


    A loud nking sound resounded on the field, and a monster, who appeared out of nowhere could be seen.


    Stunned, Carmen didn''t expect an ambush so early the moment they entered the forest. More surprising was the fact that Xu Feng sensed the monster''s presence even earlier than Jeff.


    ''He''s really an expert.'' She snuck a nce at Xu Feng, who was currently focused on the monster.


    The monster was somewhat hideous, and if she had to give a description, it would be like the appearance of a rabbitbined with a turtle.


    The monster had a sturdy shell on its back, but the face was simr to a rabbit with tworge ears. Its size wasparable to a boar though.


    However, the most distinctive feature was the tworge teeth that were capable of shing with the battle axe of Jeff.


    "W-What kind of monster is this?" Carmen asked nervously.


    "It''s a Raburle." Xu Feng responded. "This is a tricky monster to deal with because of its sturdy defensive shell and swift agility."


    "Will Jeff be fine then?"


    "Yes, don''t think that it''s impressive that the Raburle was able to withstand its ground from Jeff''s battle axe. Just look at the Raburle struggling now."


    The moment he finished hisment, Jeff instinctively raised its leg to give a kick to the chest of the Raburle. In response, the Raburle hid in its sturdy shell, taking the blow as it flew away, receiving next to zero damage.


    Meanwhile, Jeff curled his lips, a grin shing on his face as he lightly kicked the ground, propelling himself forward to chase after the flying shell.


    Instantly closing the distance between them, the Raburle, unaware of Jeff''s movement, popped its head out of its shell, thinking the coast was clear.


    However, what it received the moment it came out was a battle axe fiercely swinging in its direction.


    Carmen gasped and closed her eyes unconsciously while blood scattered across the field after Jeffnded a fatal blow on the Raburle.


    As for Xu Feng, he remained unfazed by the expected oue. If Jeff was truly an inexperienced mercenary with no skills, then he wouldn''t have chosen to hire him for Carmen.


    "No need to be scared, Carmen. Even if there are numerous Raburles, Jeff would have no problem killing them." Xu Feng teased, urging Carmen to open her eyes.


    Despite the rude behavior he disyed earlier, he had noticed many calluses in his palm, proving that he was someone who had done lots of battle. It was a mark that no one could fake them.


    Not to mention, the Raburle was merely a level 7 monster. In contrast to Jeff''s level, it wasughable to think the Raburle would pose any danger to Jeff.


    s, Xu Feng spoke a bit too soon.


    Shortly after the Raburle fell to its death by Jeff, arge group of Raburles emerged from the bush, their eyes glowing red, growling ferociously at Jeff.


    "Uhh¡­ are you sure Jeff will be fine?" Carmen turned to Xu Feng and asked in a nervous tone.


    Adjusting his sses, Xu Feng nodded his head. "Should be fine. If not, then we can just flee and walk another path."

 Chapter 192: Elemental Command

    Carmen was utterly speechless at Xu Feng''s response.


    Nevertheless, she knew he was joking, given Xu Feng had been providing ample support to Jeff, helping him ease the burden.


    She might be unskilled, but she had witnessed the team that she had partied up with enough to notice how a coordinated team should be.


    During the time when numerous Raburles suddenly appeared out of the bush, she had seen Xu Feng subtly buffing Jeff even more without hesitation.


    Just based on those actions alone proved to her what kind of person Xu Feng was when the situation was grim and serious.


    ''He''s really one of a kind.'' Carmen noted to herself.


    Sometimeter, Jeff made a war cry, gathering every aggro of the Raburles to focus on him solely.


    "As expected of Jeff," Xu Fengmented, not a bit surprised that Jeff knew what to do as an experienced mercenary.


    "Carmen, try to summon your lesser elementalist to help lessen the pressure that Jeff will face now." He turned to her and suggested.


    "Eh, okay¡­" Carmen muttered, summoning her lesser Elementalist.


    Afterward, she began controlling them, but the Elementalist movement was worse than a toddler attempting to walk on their two feet.


    It was wobbling around, and asionally bumping into a tree.


    "..."


    Seeing her control was worse than most amateurs, he was starting to understand how even her beauty was not enough to keep her in the team she joined.


    "Think of controlling the Elementalist like a car," Xu Feng quickly advised.


    "Your Elementalist is the driving wheel, and your mana maniption is the eleration and brake. As for your concentration, imagine it being the shifter of the PRNDL."


    s, Carmen felt even dizzier when she heard his car analogy.


    "PRNDL¡­ What is that?" She questioned.


    Instantly, Xu Feng realized his mistake. In today''s age and day, who the hell would still drive a manual car? Everyone was using AI to drive them from ce to ce, and he was no different either.


    However, he still learned how to drive a manual car, given it gave a cool feeling when being the driver of a supercar.


    "Here, try to mimic my movement." Xu Feng decided to show a practical example instead.


    He extended his hand, a soft glow enveloping his fingers as he summoned Sacred Fire, a majestic me that danced and swirled with a life of its own.


    The Sacred Fire moved with fluid grace, following Xu Feng''s precise and deliberate gestures.


    ''The control is so smooth¡­'' Carmen watched, mesmerized, as the Sacred Fire dodged and weaved through the Raburles with ease.


    Meanwhile, Jeff, who was busy confronting the many Raburles, was infuriated.


    He was here risking his life, but Xu Feng was taking the situation as some training camp.


    ''If you weren''t a noble, then I would definitely bash that pretty face of yours.'' Jeff begrudgingly cursed silently, heightening his focus on the battle and ignoring Xu Feng''s conduct.


    A few minutester, Xu Feng canceled the Sacred Fire and smiled softly, "Do you understand now?"


    "Yes, I can see what you did." Carmen held her staff tightly, nodding in understanding.


    "Okay, let''s see you try again."


    Without bothering to respond, she closed her eyes and began taking a few deep breaths.


    ''You can do this, Carmen.'' She reminded herself.


    After she opened her eyes, her concentration reached a new peak as she summoned her Elementalist, who responded with greater precision this time.


    Manipting the fire-type Elementalist, she controlled it to form a fireball and shot it toward one of the Raburles, hitting it squarely and causing it to stagger.


    "Nice shot!" Jeff eximed, taking the opportunity to deal a fatal strike at the staggering Raburle.


    "Not bad, Carmen. Now try to control two Elementalists." Xu Feng sped his hands and suggested. He looked tranquil and calm on the surface, but silently, he was astonished by Carmen''s swift learning. With only one demonstration, she was able to grasp the concept and even went above and beyond his expectations.


    To be fair, he simply wanted her to control the Elementalist to create a new distraction for the Raburles, causing them to split their attention. In return, Jeff would have an opening to kill those attracted to the Elementalist.


    However, his expectation was shattered ruthlessly when not only did Carmen control the Elementalist better than previously, she was even able to manipte it to cast a spell of its own to assist Jeff.


    ''I forgot she got to level 6 because of the EXP point.'' Xu Feng smiled bitterly, having blundered on this aspect.


    Elemental Command, a skill that was avable for unlock once a yer reached level 5.


    The skill allowed the summoner to exert precise control over the summoned elemental, enabling them to cast spells independently. Additionally, its effect enhanced the summoner''s ability to effectively control them, granting them the capability to cast supportive and offensive spells.


    Despite the skill description and effect, it was easier said than done. Divine World was not a game where if you unlocked the skill, you would automatically be able to use it as you will.


    Instead, one needed to take the appropriate time to actually learn the skill and perform the necessary steps to unleash it.


    Thus, previously, Carmen who was ignorant of the Elemental Command, fumbled terribly at controlling the Elementalist she summoned.


    Yet thanks to Xu Feng''s guidance, and her quick learning ability, she was able to mimic and perform the required steps.


    Of course, that was Xu Feng''s intention from the start, but he forgot that Carmen could also use the Elementalist to cast her own personal spell to disrupt the enemy.


    This was something Carmen adapted herself without Xu Feng''s subsequent advice.


    "So it''s like this," Carmen mumbled, loving her new improvement as she attempted to reenact the same scenario, except with two Elementalists this time.


    ''Ignorant she may be, but once taught correctly. She was definitely not an easy foe to contest again.'' Xu Fengmented silently, feeling even more reassured and eager to get her to his side.

 Chapter 193: Evaluation

    As the battle progressed, Jeff found his situation to be easier and easier.


    He was surprised by the drastic change once he received assistance from Carmen, feeling quite shocked.


    ''She was struggling to control the Elementalist earlier, but now she''s doing it with ease.'' Jeff thought, swinging his battle axe at another staggered Raburle.


    Normally, it would take him at least 2-5 minutes to kill one of them when being surrounded by so many Raburles. Yet thanks to Carmen, the time was shortened to just 1 minute for each kill.


    After all, Carmen was not only disrupting one of the Raburles for him to kill but also hindering the nearby Raburles with the second Elementalist she had summoned.


    Added to the fact that Xu Feng buffed him repeatedly and healed him in a timely manner, he didn''t have to focus on defense and could ce all his attention on offense.


    "The battle should be over in around 5 minutes." Xu Feng said after a brief calction. Unless there were some more external factors interrupting them, the Raburles should soon resolve.


    Sure enough, there wasn''t some cliche or coincidence of more monstersing from out of thin air to interrupt the battle as the final Raburle died under Jeff''s bloody battle axe.


    "Phew, it''s finally over."


    As soon as the battle ended, Carmen slumped to the ground, exhausted and fatigued, her forehead filled with sweat.


    "Have some water," Xu Feng kindly offered, ncing at her with a warm smile. She might have been exhausted, but Xu Feng was already impressed by her fast improvement.


    Her improvement helped solidify his thinking that she was definitely filled with hidden potential.


    After all, what was said and done, the rumors of Carmen being the infamous demoness that killed numerous experts were only heard through third parties.


    Xu Feng himself had never interacted with the demoness in his past timeline.


    However, seeing Carmen''s fight personally resolved that tiny bit of doubt in his mind. The rumors were definitely not exaggerated in the slightest if Carmen was to continue to improve and rise.


    "Thanks," Carmen dly epted the water and drank a mouthful of it before feeling refreshed. Her mana was practically emptied out when she attempted to utilize Elemental Command numerous times.


    "How was my performance?" She turned to Xu Feng and asked, hoping to hear his evaluation of herbat style.


    "You want the truth or half-true and half-lies?"


    "..."


    Unamused, Carmen held a deadpan expression as she stared at him.


    Hearing such a response normally meant the performance was mediocre, and the other party was just trying to be nice by asking if they wanted to hear the truth or lie to deceive them.


    "No need to look so sulkingly," Xu Feng consoled. "The performance is decent, but it can definitely be better next time."


    Before Carmen could respond, Jeff suddenly interjected, "That''s quite a harsh statement. Without Lunar Wraith''s assistance, I might have a hard time isting the Raburles and dealing with them effectively."


    "Save your ttery for next time," Xu Feng rolled his eyes and pointed at the Raburle corpses. "Go collect those corpses and bring them over here first. Or do I need to remind you how a mercenary should act?"


    Unable to rebuke, Jeff begrudgingly turned around and proceeded to gather the corpses. Even though most of the effort was made by him, he was a hired mercenary at the end of the day. It was his duty and job to do all this menial work.


    While sending Jeff away from interrupting him, Xu Feng resumed his focus on Carmen.


    "You might think I''m being harsh or nitpicking, but think back to the battle earlier. Just how many times did I need to heal Jeff?" He questioned softly.


    Instead of exining to her about the process, he wanted her to think critically about it. Given her potential, Xu Feng was positive she would gain more if she were to figure it out herself.


    Meanwhile, Carmen started to knit her brows, trying to recall the earlier battle.


    ''My control of the two Elementalists wasn''t that great, but it wasn''t bad either. I assisted Jeff in lessening his pressure, but it wasn''t perfect.'' Carmen pondered silently.


    She recalled that there were many asions that she whiffed her skill, allowing a few Raburles to approach Jeff and inflict damage on him.


    Had it not been for Xu Feng constantly supporting from behind, Jeff''s current state would have been terrible. He would win, but it wouldn''t be in his near clean te¡ª to the point that he still had enough stamina to gather the corpses.


    Despite thinking so, Carmen pursed her lips and responded, "I''m just starting to grasp the concept, so isn''t your grading too harsh, Feng? Do I look like some genius that can instantlyprehend and master it?"


    Stunned for a moment, Xu Feng became amused by her response.


    How unexpected was the response she gave?


    If it were Zhao Kai, he would have scratched his head, foolishlyughed, and said he''d do better.


    However, Carmen realized she was inexperienced and argued that her performance could be considered decent already. Not allowing him to take her down a notch.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng didn''t reprimand her and instead approved such a response.


    What he wanted was people with self-confidence and a relentless attitude that prevented others from bringing them down.


    "Alright, your performance was good enough for your current skills." Xu Feng smiled calmly.


    "But I do expect you to continue to improve. After all, you wouldn''t want to be kicked again by me who evaluates you as someone with high potential, right?" He cheekily added, riling her up.


    "You really are a shrewd person, Feng." Carmen tlymented. "You want me to join your future guild, but you are refusing topliment me. Is that how you''re supposed to recruit people?"


    Xu Feng simply shrugged his shoulders in response. To be precise, he didn''t want to recruit people, but talents that he had an eye on.


    What was the point of recruiting tons when they were incapable of matching against one talented individual?

 Chapter 194: Carmen’s Thoughts

    Xu Feng was not a rich person.


    Sure, he might have be a millionaire, but only he knew what the harsh reality was. That kind of money was barely enough to ensure the guild he wanted to create remained alive.


    Hence, he could not afford to spend resources on arge number of people like those big corporations do.


    Instead, he could only allocate the precious resources to talented people whom he had decided upon.


    And so far, he only ns for Zhao Kai and Carmen. As for OneManMedia, he still needed some more time to decide.


    His ethic and moral code was a pain in the butt, to say the least.


    ''Sigh, if only I was born rich. How nice would it be.'' Xu Feng ultimatelymented his trash background silently.


    Sometimeter, Jeff finished gathering the corpses as Xu Feng promptly stored them in his inventory. These corpses were going to be soldter on to make up for the cost of hiring Jeff.


    "The Raburles are only one part of the monster that resides in this forest, so don''t be toocent." Jeff subsequently turned to Carmen and warned.


    Carmen simply nodded her head as she hid the fact that she wanted some monsters to ambush them for her to practice. Honestly, when she was in a team previously, none of them bothered to properly guide her.


    They were either frustrated by herbat or were just trying to get her private information in the real world. Thus, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that she was somewhat skeptical of Xu Feng''s approach and wanted her to join his future guild.


    However, skepticism without evidence could not prove much.


    ''If he really has high hopes for my potential, then he will not waste this chance to guide me properly.'' Carmen thought to herself.


    Previously, she emphasized that she wanted to improve her skills to test Xu Feng''s response. And to her surprise, Xu Feng indeed went on to guide her and taught her sincerely.


    Even his evaluation was critical and harsh, unwilling topliment her in the slightest to get her goodwill toward him.


    Had hepromised even a little bit, Xu Feng could have easily persuaded Carmen more thoroughly to join his future guild. Yet he didn''t do any of that and instead opted to stop her from being egoistic, albeit somewhat unnecessary.


    She wasn''t foolish enough to think she could match against experts after just some tips.


    "Is there something wrong with my face?" Xu Feng''s sudden question snapped her out of her thoughts.


    Unbeknownst to her, while she was analyzing the overall situation, she failed to realize her eyes were glued on him, despite not actually paying attention.


    From an outsider''s perspective, most would mistake her to be staring at something in Xu Feng''s face.


    "Eh, no, nothing." Carmen shook her head and turned around, avoiding his eyesight.


    ''Phew, nearly exposed my inner thoughts.'' She breathed a sigh of relief.


    Unaware of her thoughts, or more like he didn''t care, Xu Feng no longer pried further.


    "Looking at the time, we should be arriving at the danger zone in 10 minutes or so." Jeff suddenly announced.


    "Not really," Xu Feng quickly rejected it. "I supposed our summoner here wants some more experience inbat before tackling the Ironhide Behemoth. And I doubt you want the fight to be easier once we get there too, right Jeff?"


    Silence, Jeff had to agree with Xu Feng''s words. To be honest, one was a Cleric and another one was an inexperienced Summoner.


    Xu Feng''s support was amazing, exceeding his expectations. Originally, he merely thought Xu Feng was a conceited noble who only knew how to toy around with lower-status people, but he was wrong.


    Contrary to his earlier imposing demeanor, Xu Feng was casual and didn''t really care much as long as no one offended or crossed him.


    From that aspect, Jeff once againmented his choice of being overly petty and decided to mend his ways.


    "My client is Lunar Wraith, so if she wants to take some time training in the forest, I shallply with it." Jeff coolly said, before shing a grin.


    "But that was not the originalmission, given my duty is only to escort you all to the Ironhide Behemoth location and y it. Therefore, if you want us to train here for a while, my charging fee needs to be increased."


    Jeff''s eyes were locked on Xu Feng, clearly knowing he was the one with the money.


    He thought he was slick and getting a chance to regain his short pay of 2 silver coins and more.


    However,pared to Xu Feng''s shrewdness, Jeff still came up a bit too short.


    With a calm and collected expression, Xu Feng said, "We''re not staying in the forest to train, Jeff. You are going to continue to escort us and if we encounter monsters on the way, you''ll naturally have to clear the way for us."


    Meanwhile, Carmen seemed to want to say something, but Xu Feng blocked her with his hand and proceeded to send a private message about his n.


    Startled, Carmen checked on the notification she just received and when she finished reading the message content, she nced at Xu Feng with a disbelief expression. Her eyes widened in shock at how mischievous and stingy he could be.


    Despite knowing that, she couldn''t help but reveal a sweet smile, clearly agreeing to stay silent and follow his arrangement.


    Poor Jeff didn''t even know what he was going up against.


    Want to extort Xu Feng for money?


    Jeff might be high and drunk to think that was even a possibility.


    In fact, thanks to his scheme, Xu Feng decided to not be polite and secretly released some lures he had stored. These lures are undetectable to the casual yers and NPC unless they have high mana concentration.


    And given Jeff remained oblivious, Xu Feng was positive of his mana concentration trash, especially with the evaluation he had graded him when he was focused on battling the Raburles.


    ''You are still too green to extort me,'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly, ensuring Jeff would pay a heavy price for such an attempt.

 Chapter 195: Brightstone Ravine

    After Jeff''s initial scheme to get an increase in ie failed miserably, the trio proceeded to tread through the forest.


    Normally, this forest was something Jeff was overly familiar with, knowing just where and when to avoid the monsters.


    The only thing he couldn''t predict was the Raburles, who had unpredictable movement and appeared whenever they wanted to.


    "Just what is going on?" Jeff uttered in dismay as he in another monster that had attacked them. This was the fifth time they were targeted by a monster.


    ''I''m walking on the designated path to encounter the least number of monsters, so why am I this unlucky?'' Jeff was dumbfounded by the situation.


    As he believed the path to be something wrong, he attempted to take a second detour that he marked as an emergency. Yet even after changing paths, more monsters would appear out of nowhere, their ferocious nearing its peak.


    And during all these monster encounters, Carmen would have herbat experience increase.


    "How is this possible?" Jeff eximed in fury, swinging his battle axe and killing another monster. Blood scattered around, and before he noticed, Jeff''s clothes were dyed red from the blood.


    However, he didn''t care about his appearance.


    What bothered him the most was that Carmen was gainingbat experience with him being on the front, bearing all the pressure to assist her¡ª FREE OF CHARGE!


    ''Heh, keep working hard, Jeff. There''s more toe.'' Meanwhile, the true culprit, Xu Feng, watched in amusement in the safe backline.


    Being a Cleric had its perks. You are always going to be protected and remain in the backline, with no one expecting you to confront the monsters head-on.


    As for Carmen, she knew the true culprit was Xu Feng, but remained silent. It would be a lie if she wasn''t enjoying this moment to increase her familiarity with using Elemental Command.


    Time slowly passed by, and a haggard Jeff was finally relieved once they exited the forest that surrounded Riverwood Town.


    "W-We''re finally out¡­" Jeff muttered, feeling weary and nearly slumping to the ground asionally.


    Never once had he needed to fight against so many monsters while trying to pass through the forest.


    If it wasn''t for his expertise and swift reaction, there were numerous times that he would have fallen in battle.


    However, unlike the haggard Jeff, Carmen herself was lively and filled with joy as she chatted happily with Xu Feng.


    "The forest is really a good learning experience, Feng." Carmen smiled sweetly. "I can feel my connection with the Elementalist improving and I rarely whiff my spells now."


    "That''s good," Xu Feng nodded. "With your currentbat experience, you can pose some difficulty to the Ironhide Behemoth."


    Despite saying so, Xu Feng was a bit disappointed that his lure ended rather quickly.


    Although he could use another lure, Jeff would definitely be suspicious if there were more monstersing after them from the forest now that they had exited the zone.


    Thus, he could only refrain from continuing.


    After all, Jeff was still the main tank and damage dealer against the uing Ironhide Behemoth. There was a limit to how much Xu Feng could extort him.


    ''A pity, but we can always redo it once we''re returning.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, feeling that he should increase the lure effect by two times the original dosage.


    That way, he could have Carmen improve better with a free ve like Jeff to assist her.


    "You''ve rested enough yet?" Xu Feng inquired after allowing Jeff to rest for around 5 minutes.


    The sky was already noon, so the time was ticking down before nighttime arrived. By that time, the difficulty would increase tremendously, especially when they are venturing to the danger zone area, Brightstone Ravine.


    Other yers were still unfamiliar with the Brightstone Ravine, but not for Xu Feng. The Brightstone Ravine was an area that is rmended to yers around levels 15-25.


    Aside from the terrain, the monsters were also many times more difficult.


    Take the Inferno Tyrant that Xu Feng had battled back in the Scorched Caverns.


    If it wasn''t a Hell Mode difficulty, but an Easy Mode difficulty, the Inferno Tyrant would be considered a regr monster in the Brightstone Ravine, albeit in terms of attributes. After all, the Inferno Tyrant''s skills were a pain in the butt to deal against.


    If the regr monster in the Brightstone Ravine could use a skill like Incinerate, then the yers might as well throw down the white g and surrender.


    "Yeah, I''m ready now," Jeff said after recovering his stamina.


    His recovery was not something Carmen and Xu Feng could have at the moment, given their pathetic level.


    Shortly after, the trio arrived just outside the danger zone, Brighstone Ravine.


    "Woah, the atmosphere is really different." Carmen widened her eyes in surprise at the scenery in front of her.


    The Brightstone Ravine featured a rugged, unevenndscape dominated by sharp, jagged rocks and steep cliffs. Narrow pathways wound through the ravine, offering little room for maneuvering and posing constant danger of falling.


    Aside from the terrible terrain, there was also a thick, oppressive fog perpetually cloaking the ravine, limiting visibility and creating an eerie ambiance.


    The air was dense with the metallic scent of iron, and the distant sound of rumbling echoed through the chasm like the growl of a hidden beast.


    "Why is it called a danger zone though?" Carmen questioned, turning her head to Xu Feng, clearly confused by the term.


    "It''s a danger zone because you didn''t know about the hostile environment effect yet." Xu Feng calmly answered. "As soon as we step foot within the Brightstone Ravine, we will receive a system prompt warning us of the hostile environment and its effect."


    "Hostile environment?" Clearly baffled, Carmen had never heard of such terminology before.


    "It''s like a status ailment that usually some monsters would inflict on yers, but the hostile environment is an area-of-effect type, affecting every yer that is exposed to it." Xu Feng exined. Explore stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    "I see¡­ this game is really evil to create such an environment."

 Chapter 196: Trade Window

    Carmen pursed her lips slightly as she felt the Divine World was too harsh on the yers.


    The terrain itself looked difficult to travel already, and now they had to deal with a hostile environment effect without a way to negate it, which was unbelievable.


    Just what kind of sick sadistic person had to be to create such a game?


    "Aren''t games supposed to be fun and not difficult like this?" Carmenmented.


    It was quite obvious that she was displeased with how difficult the game mechanics were. Additionally, there were so many things that she needed to learn just to avoid dying.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng remained silent, unable to find a usible exnation.


    Carmen perceived the Divine World as a game, but Xu Feng perceived it as something way bigger.


    "There''s no need to be overly concerned about the hostile environment, Carmen." Finally, Xu Feng attempted to pacify her emotions aftering up with an idea.


    "Didn''t I say I''m an expert? And as a Cleric, it''s my responsibility to keep you alive. Although you might feel some difort once we enter the zone, we can manage it."


    "I guessed so," Carmen nodded her head after giving a few thoughts.


    Suddenly, she recalled something that Librarian Griselda had gifted her earlier. She had said that the item could help relieve some of the pressure she would receive once entering the Brightstone Ravine.


    "Feng, what do you think of these potions?" Carmen retrieved them and asked softly.


    ''Potions?'' Confused, Xu Feng inspected the potion and was instantly stumped.


    ''Stamina Potion? What kind of luck does Carmen have?'' He eximed inwardly, feeling more and more that Carmen was the protagonist and he was just a side character.


    Not only did she get a fortuitous encounter and consume an EXP Potion that greatly boosted her level, but now it was revealed that she also got Stamina Potion.


    Just how could anyone ept such a thing?


    "How many of these potions do you have?" Xu Feng quicklyposed his emotion and inquired.


    "I have like four more including this one in my hand," Carmen responded honestly, not feeling the need to conceal the matter from him. Though it was most probably the fact that she didn''t recognize the value of the Stamina Potion.


    Of course, it wasn''t surprising to not recognize the true value yet considering the Divine World was still in its early stage development.


    yers requiring arge amount of stamina were still rare, given the level of difficulty wasn''t that high yet.


    "These Stamina Potions will make things easier," Xu Fengmented, giving her a brief exnation of how it would effectively save them time and energy to navigate the Brightstone Ravine.


    However, with the revtion of Stamina Potions in her inventory, another concern appeared in Xu Feng''s mind.


    Taking a nce at Jeff being distracted in surveying the situation, Xu Feng whispered to Carmen softly.


    "By any chance, do you happen to have a spare EXP Potion in your inventory as well?"


    Since Librarian Griselda was generous enough to give her five Stamina Potions, he had a reasonable suspicion that Carmen might receive even more than she revealed.


    Meanwhile, Carmen suddenly shed a teasing smile as she tilted her head.


    "Hmm, are you perhaps talking about this one?" She retrieved a clear turquoise liquid color bottle and shook it around. "I drank one already and saved this, unsure if I required it."


    Damn!


    Xu Feng was astonished that she really had another EXP Potion in her hand.


    As much as he didn''t want to admit it, he was really envious of Carmen''s luck.


    Just what kind of Librarian did she encounter to be that generous?


    Others might not know, but he had been deceived and scammed by numerous Librarians in his past timeline. Hence, he harbored a great disgust and grudge against them.


    Taking a deep breath, Xu Feng coyly smiled and nced at Carmen. "Oh my, Carmen, howe I never realized you are such a beauty? We should meet offline soon."


    If it was some other people who made such a statement, Carmen would have been disgusted, buting from Xu Feng, she felt annoyed. Annoyed not because of thepliment, but because she knew how fake he was being.


    In other words, he never once cared about her appearance until now when she had something valuable in her hand.


    How was she supposed to ept such a situation?


    Any woman loved to beplimented or praised for their beauty, and she was not an exception to this. Throughout her lifetime, she didn''t even know how manypliments she received, but this was the first time that she ever felt ashamed and annoyed.


    "Just take it if you want," She pursed her lips and readily opened a trade window to give the EXP Potion to him.


    To be precise, she already nned on giving it to him thanks to his offer to help her. Plus, she was ying casually so she didn''t care about leveling up fast.


    As the trade window opened, Xu Feng was dazed momentarily. Initially, he was nning on buying it at a price, but never once did he think Carmen would outright give it to him without any conditions.


    The trade window was already sent to him with Carmen confirming the transaction. Therefore, as long as he epted the trade, the transaction would bepleted.


    "Are you sure about this?" Xu Feng asked skeptically, feeling somewhat hesitant to ept it for free.


    Normally, in such a scenario, he would have greedily epted it andughed at the opposing party for their naivety, but Carmen was someone he wanted to recruit. There was a big difference between exploiting strangers and his future members.


    And much to his astonishment, Carmen held a calm expression and nodded her head.


    "Yeah, I''m sure. It''s obvious that you desired the potion when I mentioned being level 6 from the beginning." She said, exposing the fact that she had long figured out his inner thoughts despite his ability to conceal his facial expression.

 Chapter 197: Bare Their Fangs

    After Carmen''s determined and decisive decision to give the EXP Potion to him, as well as her exposing his desire, Xu Feng no longer acted humble.


    Without hesitation, he epted the trade and promptly received the EXP Potion. Having received the EXP Potion, Xu Feng was feeling somewhatplicated.


    Such generosity was hard to find in the Divine World, especially when interacting with someone you met briefly.


    His generosity to Zhao Kai could not be counted, given he knew thetter for a long time and trusted him well enough to keep secrets.


    "Now I really want you to join my future guild," Xu Feng calmly said, expressing his intention yet again.


    "I know you see potential in me, but I don''t want to join any guild at the moment, Feng." Carmen revealed a bitter smile and continued, "I don''t like to be restricted by the guild. Many guilds wanted to recruit me, but their restrictions were too much."


    While saying that, she emphasized one of the guilds was the most ruthless one.


    The guild''s restriction was harsh, prompting her to opt for the more casual teams'' invitation. But even then, because of not knowing much about the Divine World, she was eventually kicked out as well.


    Ever since that incident, she had been ying solo, with zero desire to join another party, until she encountered Xu Feng.


    Jeff was not included in her mind since he was an NPC and not a yer.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng''s expression might have remained unchanged, but inwardly, he was celebrating.


    ''So it was the restriction that made her frown and hesitant to join my future guild only?'' At first, Xu Feng thought it was about something major, such as the usual cliche backstory of a greater power threatening her, causing her to refuse his invitation to not cause him any trouble.


    "If it''s the restriction that you are worried about, then that''s easy to resolve." Xu Feng eximed, more than willing toply with Carmen.


    Of course, this only applied to capabilities like Carmen, who was guaranteed to reach the apex power.


    "Huh?" Startled, Carmen looked at Xu Feng in confusion. "Do you even know what the guild restrictions were when I saw them?"


    Xu Feng shook his head. "I might not know what restriction you have seen, but please don''t lump me in with those bunch. It''s an insult to me."


    Unfazed by his quirky remark, Carmen continued, "The restriction is that I cannot do things independently without their permission. I must adhere to allmands that the higher-ups assign to us. Additionally, if we want to leave the guild after joining, we must pay a fee and sign a confidential document."


    Initially, Xu Feng''s expression was somewhatx, not expecting much of the restriction.


    However, after listening to her words, his expression gradually changed to a solemn one.


    After all, he could not be more than familiar with such a restriction that a guild would impose despite the Divine World being in its early stage.


    The Reaver Guild!


    ''This bunch have already bare their fangs huh.'' Xu Feng clenched his fist.


    There was also something else that Carmen didn''t say regarding her exnation.


    "Where did they kill you when you refused to join their guild, Carmen?" He proceeded to ask, stunning thetter.


    "H-How did you know they killed me?" Carmen asked, her eyes widened in surprise and shock.


    It wasn''t a good experience, to say the least, so she didn''t want to reveal it to others. Nevertheless, after that experience, she no longer had any interest or goodwill toward guilds, especially the one that attempted to recruit her.


    Contrary to her shock and disbelief, Xu Feng didn''t find the matter surprising. After listing out such horrible restrictions, it would be a miracle if Carmen got away scot-free without joining them.


    Such was the ruthless method that the Reaver Guild often used to intimidate and warn others of the punishment for going against them.


    Meanwhile, once Carmen noticed Xu Feng''s silence, she smiled bitterly and confessed, "They killed me in my original starting town, RedEagle Town. After I was killed, I decided to leave that town and moved to Riverwood Town since I read about the town in the game forum posts."


    Although Carmen tried to make light of the situation, Xu Feng knew fairly well why she chose Riverwood Town. It was a town he was currently operating in, so the Reaver Guild would be dreaming if they thought they could step foot here.


    Due to his influence and support, Gentle Wind technically got control of Riverwood Town on the surface.


    Thus, the Reaver Guild''s influence and might could not prate Riverwood Town, prompting Carmen to move over here.


    ''Oh, Reaver Guild. You really are predictable as usual, but to think you gave me such a weing gift is amazing.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    Who would have thought he didn''t even make a move against the Reaver Guild, and they had already shot themselves in the foot?


    Killing the future demoness?


    That was akin to asking for annihtion. Even if he didn''t need to make a move, based on the demoness'' personality, she already held a deep grudge against them now, albeit very covertly.


    Carmen didn''t disy any anger, only bitterness, but Xu Feng would be damned if he were to say she didn''t hate the Reaver Guild.


    "You can rest assured, Carmen." Xu Feng suddenly shed a gentle smile and said, "The Reaver Guild touched one of my dear members, so how can I let them off easily?"


    "W-When did I agree to join you?" Baffled, Carmen furrowed her brows and questioned.


    "Heh, not rejecting it means you aren''t in disagreement. Plus, I''m not like those tyrants. I won''t impose such restrictions on you."


    Despite saying so, Carmen''s predicament served as a strong warning to him.


    ''The Reaver Guild is already expanding their influence. The RedEagle Town was a great location to develop, but they''ll be screwed sooner orter.'' He would be smacking himself for allowing the Reaver Guild to develop without any hindrance.

 Chapter 198: Power Up

    Shortly after Xu Feng managed to understand the severity of the circumstances, they were interrupted by Jeff, who had finished analyzing the area.


    "If my deduction is correct, the Ironhide Behemoth should be residing around those caves," Jeff exined, pointing at a certain distance with distinctive jagged rocks around it.


    From the pointing, it seemed as if the distance wasn''t too long, but the truth was, it would take them at least 20 minutes to navigate there.


    "We should start moving then," Carmen subsequently said, clearly trying to change the topic of discussion.


    Recalling her very first death was caused by yers, especially from a certain guild was displeasing.


    Not to mention, she still vividly remembered their haughty tone and statement directed at her when she refused to join under those harsh restrictions.


    Killing her once wasn''t enough, they even forced others to iste her.


    Part of the reason why she was kicked out from the team she joined afterward was due to the Reaver Guild''s threat as well.


    Although her terriblebat yed a factor, the main factor was the threat.


    It was because everyone became afraid of being acquainted with her after learning the news that she decided to move to Riverwood Town¡ª where the Reaver Guild''s presence was non-existent.


    "There''s no need to rush yet." Xu Feng suddenly said, smiling at Carmen without any change of attitude. He could tell Carmen was somewhat worried he might distanced from her, but she couldn''t be any more wrong.


    Contrary to distance himself from her, Xu Feng wanted to get even closer to her. In the past timeline, the Reaver Guild never offended Carmen, so she never once targeted them unless some ignorant fools decided to block her path.


    However, in this timeline, the Reaver Guild freaking offended Carmen¡ª of all the people they could have chosen.


    This solidified his goal of wanting Carmen even more in his future guild.


    Not to mention, thanks to Carmen''s generosity, Xu Feng could finally do something that he had been trying to do the entire time since epting the insurgent mission.


    "Let me consume this EXP Potion first." He exined, reassuring Carmen that it was unrted to their earlier conversation.


    Nodding, Carmen told Jeff to guard the surroundings temporarily.


    ''Ugh, more time wasted.'' As unwilling as he was, Jeff smiled amicably and went to guarding mode.


    ''I guess I will try to improve my Elemental Command.'' Carmen thought to herself, sneaking a nce at Xu Feng, who was now focused in a corner.


    While that was happening, Xu Feng opened up the bottle and began drinking everyst bit of the potion.


    System: You have consumed an EXP Potion!


    As soon as he consumed it, a system prompt appeared, followed by a surge of experience points increasing.


    His experience points that were pathetically low started to rise tremendously, and within a blink of an eye, Xu Feng leveled up to 5.


    However, the experience points didn''t stop rising as he reached level 6, only stopping midway at level 6.


    ¡ª


    yer Name: Lin Feng


    ss: Cleric


    Level: 6


    Experience Points: 2,800,000 / 5,000,000


    Attributes: Strength 18, Agility 20, Endurance 19, Intelligence 35, Vitality 25


    Free Attribute Points: 15


    ¡ª


    Aside from the obvious increase in attributes, Xu Feng felt his body lighter, almost as if an invisible pressure that was imposing on him had lessened.


    Naturally, he understood the reason behind it, but that was a concern for another time.


    Rather, he could now aplish something that had been dyed for a long time. ''I can finally activate these Ragged Scrolls.''


    Taking a nce at his inventory, Xu Feng took out three Ragged Scrolls.


    The Tier 1 Scroll, Scroll of Shadowcraft, and the Tier 2 Scrolls, Scroll of Forbidden Arts and Scroll of Divine Blessing.


    These three Ragged Scrolls that he had taken as his assistance for the insurgent, but he was unable to use them, given the level requirement was 5.


    It was why he was overly frustrated by the debuff at the time. The feeling was the same as seeing a te of delicious food in front of you, but you are forbidden to eat any of them.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng activated all the ragged scrolls at once. As soon as that happened, three system prompts appeared, informing him of the skills learned.


    ¡ª


    Skills Learned:


    Shadowcraft (Tier 1 Scroll):


    Skill Name: Shadow Veil


    Description: Envelops the user in shadows, increasing evasion and movement speed by 20% for 10 seconds. Additionally, the user bes harder to detect by enemies.


    Cooldown: 60 seconds


    Forbidden Arts (Tier 2 Scroll):


    Skill Name: Dark Pact


    Description: Sacrifices 10% of the user''s current health to summon a powerful shadow creature that fights alongside the with the user. The shadow creature has 150% of the user''s attack power and 100% of the user''s health.


    Cooldown: 180 seconds


    Divine Blessing (Tier 2 Scroll):


    Skill Name: Heaven''s Grace


    Description: Calls down a divine light that heals all allies within a 10-meter radius for 30% of their maximum health and increases their defense by 15% for 20 seconds.


    Cooldown: 120 seconds


    ¡ª


    Looking at the three skills, Xu Feng was satisfied with his decent luck in learning some useful and not some terrible.


    After all, the Ragged Scrolls contained random skills of the category, but that wasn''t the reason why Ragged Scrolls are important.


    The system might not have said anything, but Xu Feng had an affinity to learn andprehend simr skills in the same category from now on.


    ''Heh, but this is just the start of my power-up.'' Xu Feng snickered inwardly, opening his skill tree and ncing at the original dark skill slot turning gray, meaning it was eligible to be unlocked.


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    Without hesitation, Xu Feng chose to unlock the [Revive] skill.


    ¡ª


    Skill Name: Revive


    Description: Resurrects an ally with 50% of their maximum health.


    Cooldown: 300 seconds


    ¡ª


    However, that wasn''t the end of it as Xu Feng received another system prompt¡ªsomething he had anticipated.


    System: Your character possesses a Baptism Effect. Would you like to use one of your upgrade slots to enhance [Revive] to its superior version, [Divine Resurrection]?


    Divine Resurrection: Resurrects an ally with 100% of their maximum health or allows self-resurrection with 50% of maximum health.


    Cooldown: 300 seconds

 Chapter 199: Upgrade Slots

    When Xu Feng read the system prompt that asked if he wished to enhance the Revive skill using one of his upgrade slots, he epted it without hesitation.


    The baptism he underwent in the Holy Sanctuary allowed him 3 upgrade slots, so it was very precious. Despite knowing that, Xu Feng had no regret in enhancing it for Divine Resurrection.


    As Xu Feng agreed to enhance it, Xu Feng officially received two different types of skills with simr functions.


    Aside from having the normal Revive, he also had Divine Resurrection, making him a menace to society.


    A healer typically can only revive once every 300 seconds, but Xu Feng could now revive two yers, including himself if he somehow got killed.


    How could one not be drooling over his immense power-up that felt like nothing but cheating?


    ''Ahhh, I can finally show off a bit more.'' Xu Feng was satisfied with the overall result.


    Although he still didn''t have any great offensive spells other than Sacred Fire, it was enough for him temporarily. He wasn''t foolish enough to pick a fight when he was still conserving his ammo.


    Only a fool would choose a losing battle to fight. Until he was ready, he would hide behind the scenes and scheme his ways.


    "Feng, are you still not done yet?" Carmen suddenly inquired, seemingly confused by his actions.


    Originally, she had spent quite a bit of time practicing her Elemental Command, but her mana ran out rather quickly.


    Without a choice, she could only slowly recover her mana but after waiting for more than 15 minutes, Xu Feng still didn''t seem ready.


    Thus, she decided to ask and wonder if he was being troubled by something.


    "My bad, I was upied with choosing some new skills for reaching level 6." Xu Feng said in an apologetic tone, having forgotten about the time.


    "Is that so?" Not prying any further regarding this topic, she continued, "So can we start entering the Brightstone Ravine this time?"


    "Yes, we can," Xu Feng responded.


    Meanwhile, Jeff, who looked like he had been waiting for a century, was instantly revitalized upon hearing that they could finally make a move.


    "Great, the path over there is clear and I have checked it numerous times. We can follow that and pass through the dangerous terrain to the Ironhide Behemoth habitat." Jeff said excitedly.


    Sometimeter, the trio began their journey again, with Jeff being the vanguard, advancing steadily.


    His expression was solemn, and he would asionally pause for a moment to sense the surroundings. After the ordeal in the forest, Jeff was more cautious than ever, clearly unwilling to be surrounded by monsters.


    Compared to the monsters in the forest, the danger here was more severe. Jeff would be retarded if he allowed himself to be cornered or surrounded on all sides by the monsters here.


    "Remember to follow me carefully." Jeff turned to them and warned sternly.


    "The monsters here could easily kill the two of you within 5 moves if you''re not careful."


    "Rest assured, Jeff. We''ll be careful." Carmen responded, albeit in a low tone. Ever since stepping foot inside the Brightstone Ravine, she felt the hostile environment going against her.


    Her movement, reaction, stamina, and mana are all being affected, with the decrease percentage going as high as 15%.


    Thankfully, Xu Feng had told her to consume a Stamina Potion in advance, otherwise, she found it difficult to even continue to walk ahead.


    However, what surprised her the most was that both Xu Feng and Jeff did not consume the potion despite her offering it for free.


    In Jeff''s case, he said he was fine with his skills to resist it.


    As for Xu Feng, he simply said he could manage himself without being a burden.


    ''Just why is he so stubborn?'' Carmen wondered silently, feeling that Xu Feng was just putting on a strong front but was secretly struggling. From time to time, she snuck a nce at him, trying to see if he was fine.


    "You can stop paying attention to me, Carmen." Xu Feng finally said, unable to ignore her constant stare.


    "I leveled up thanks to your EXP Potion so I can handle the pressure. You, on the other hand, are not used to a hostile environment, so it''s better to save the remaining four for yourself." He added.


    "But¡ª"


    Before Carmen could continue her words, Jeff, rmed and alerted, hurriedly sidestepped and swung his axe out toward the direction of Carmen.


    Simultaneously, Xu Feng also grabbed Carmen''s arm and dragged her toward his side.


    He then activated Shadow Veil, bringing the two of them to a faraway distance to evade an iing monster.


    BOOM!


    Right after Xu Feng left the proximity, loud destruction urred in their original standing position, and Jeff could be seen resisting against a monster''srge w.


    "Where did that monstere from?" Carmen, who finally regained herposure, asked in disbelief. Her eyes stared at therge crater where she was standing originally.


    Had it not been for Jeff and Xu Feng''s timely assistance, she was afraid she would have been squashed to a pulp.


    As she nced at the monster, her expression changed slightly. The beast in question was a massive eagle-like creature, its wings spanning over ten meters and covered in metallic feathers that glinted ominously in the dim light.


    Its talons were asrge as a human, capable of crushing bones with ease, and its eyes glowed a menacing red, indicating its relentless aggression.


    The beak, sharp and hooked, seemed capable of tearing through even the toughest armor.


    Shortly after, the creature''s screech echoed through the ravine, a bone-chilling sound that sent shivers down as it attempted to deflect Jeff.


    "Jeff is struggling his ground," Carmen suddenly eximed, astonished that Jeff was actually losing in the confrontation for the first time.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng remained calm, not surprised by the situation.


    "Jeff losing his ground isn''t rming. The monster is a Skyrazor Harbinger after all. Its attributes far exceeded all of oursbined." Hemented, analyzing the battle.

 Chapter 200: Skyrazor Harbinger

    Skyrazor Harbinger was a formidable aerial predator known for its destructive power and ruthless nature.


    Despite their destructive power, they were not known for their aggression, which was the main concern for Xu Feng.


    They had not done anything to provoke the Skyrazor Harbinger, yet it still chose to ambush and attempted to kill them from the first strike.


    To understand the grim situation they were in, the Skyrazor Harbinger was level 29, even more dangerous than the Ironhide Behemoth that they wanted to kill.


    Additionally, this monster was an aerial type, meaning without sufficient preparation and strength, it was nigh impossible to deal with them.


    "My Elementalists can''t get close to assist Jeff," Carmen suddenly said, biting her lips softly.


    Shortly after she regained herposure, she wanted to lessen the pressure Jeff was facing.


    However, the Skyrazor Harbinger merely needed to p its wings, creating fierce turbulence, and knocking out her Elementalists away.


    Only Jeff was able to withstand the pressure, but based on how his foot was stamped heavily on the ground, showed that it required tremendous strength.


    "Hmph, it''s just some bigger Eagle beast." Jeff sneered, gripping his battle axe tightly, and stood his ground against the Skyrazor Harbinger.


    His muscles tensed as the creature''s massive w came crashing down, sending a shockwave through the ground.


    Although Jeff parried the attack with a powerful upward swing, the force of the blow vibrated through his arms. Sparks flew as metal met steel, the sound reverberating through the ravine.


    A few secondster, the Harbinger let out an ear-piercing screech, pping its enormous wings and creating gusts of wind that nearly knocked Jeff off bnce.


    With fierce determination, he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another crushing blow from the creature''s talons.


    "Take this!" Jeff eximed as he retaliated. He swung his axe at its leg, the de ncing off the metallic feathers but leaving a shallow gash.


    The defensive structure of the Harbinger was hard to prate, and Jeff found it difficult to deal a heavy blow. At this moment, he suddenly noticed someone attempting to get close to the battle.


    "Stay back!" Jeff shouted to Carmen, his voice barely audible over the chaos. "This thing is no joke!"


    Hesitation appeared on Carmen''s face as she didn''t know what else to do. Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    She wanted to get close so that her Elementalist when summoned wouldn''t get blown off rapidly. Feeling hopeless, she turned to Xu Feng, who had been quiet during the entire time.


    "Are you not going to support Jeff?" She asked, seemingly confused by his silent response to the situation.


    "It''s not that I don''t want to support him, but there''s really not much we can do." Xu Feng tly responded. He didn''t anticipate going up against a Harbinger, much less preparing any materials that could weaken it.


    Without sufficient preparation, trying to assist Jeff at the moment would instead harm thetter.


    "Is there really nothing we can do then?" Carmen furrowed her brows, returning her attention to the fierce battle between Jeff and Skyrazor Harbinger.


    Although both parties remained uninjured, Carmen could tell Jeff was actually struggling a lot.


    Just by having some basicmon sense, one could tell the difference between how Jeff confronted the Raburles and other monsters in the forest versus the current Harbinger.


    Right at this moment, the Harbinger suddenly flung Jeff away andunched itself into the air, circling above like a vulture eyeing its prey.


    As Jeff raised his chin to nce upward, he suddenly realized its intention. The Harbinger didn''t have its eyes on him, but somewhere else.


    He quickly turned to Carmen and shouted, "Get away from there!"


    s, the warning came a little toote, as the Harbinger swooped down with incredible speed, aiming its razor-sharp beak at Carmen.


    Realizing the danger, Carmen swiftly summoned her Elementalists, hoping to block and brace herself for the attack. With the wind pressure directed at her, Carmen was forced to close her eyes despite trying to resist it.


    CLANK!


    A fierce metal nking sound could be heard, but Carmen, with her eyes still closed, realized she hadn''t received any damage.


    ''Did the Elementalists deflect the attack?'' Confused, she slowly opened her eyes, only to see a person in the front, with their back facing her.


    "F-Feng¡­" She stutteringly said, clearly astonished that it was Xu Feng who had deflected the attack.


    As she knew he was a healer, she was positive that his defense was even lower than her. After all, healers were always protected, given how fragile they were in any battle.


    However, such a concept was shattered once she witnessed an unbelievable event.


    Not only did Xu Feng deflect the Harbiner''s attack, but his health was full.


    While Carmen was amazed by Xu Feng''s actions, Jeff was terrified by his capability instead.


    ''Those consecutive actions¡­ just how did he do that?'' Jeff wondered silently.


    When he noticed the Harbiner''s goal was Carmen, he already thought the worst, given the distance between them.


    Yet in that critical juncture, he witnessed Xu Feng summoned a shadow creature capable of confronting the Harbinger.


    Although the shadow creature was still somewhat overwhelmed after a few seconds. He saw Xu Feng proceed to cast some sort of Divine Light, healing the shadow creature, and enabling it to continuously withstand the Harbinger''s fierce attack until it lost its momentum.


    That was all Jeff noticed, but if he had to make a guess, he was sure that more things had happened in those split seconds from Xu Feng''s action. Otherwise, it would have been extremely difficult to even contest against the Harbinger''s beak attack.


    ''No wonder he''s a noble¡­ such skills cannot be found in the town.'' Jeff concluded.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng didn''t care what thought process Jeff had evaluated on him as hemanded the shadow creature to counterattack.


    He cast numerous buffs on the shadow creature, allowing it to fight head-on with the Harbinger temporarily.


    Shortly after, he turned his attention to Carmen and asked, "Are you alright?"

 Chapter 201: Dominion Rend

    Dazed, baffled, stunned, and numerous mixes of emotions flooded Carmen all at once. She was unable to respond to Xu Feng''s question for a few seconds.


    Carmen swallowed a mouthful of saliva before asking, "H-How did you deflect the attack?"


    "How?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow before pointing at her. "Isn''t it all thanks to you?"


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    "Me?" Carmen pointed at herself, twitching her brows.


    "Yeah, if you didn''t give the EXP Potion to me for free, then how was I supposed to level up and save you?" Xu Feng teased and turned to the Skyrazor Harbinger.


    "Anyway, let''s save the idle talk forter and begin our counterattack."


    "You know how to defeat it?"


    Carmen''s eyes were practically glistening, almost as if she couldn''t wait to hear the n for defeating this despicable beast. After all, it was dishonorable and targeted her despite fighting Jeff earlier.


    Unfortunately though, what she received instead was a light flickered to the forehead as Xu Feng exined, "Not defeat, but drive it away."


    Rubbing her forehead, Carmen was vividly confused by the exnation.


    "Why are we driving it away?" She questioned, her eyes staring at the shadow creature capable of hindering the Harbinger. In her mind, it was clearly possible to defeat and kill the beast.


    ''Ignorance sure is bliss.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, noticing her gaze. On the surface, it seemed like the shadow creature he summoned through the Tier 2 Skill, Dark Pact, was capable of contending with it.


    However, the truth was, the shadow creature''s health was pathetically low whenpared to the Harbinger. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say the shadow creature''s health wasn''t even one-fifth of the Harbinger''s health.


    After all, the shadow creature''s health points took after his, and with his level as 6, he didn''t even want to mention how far it waspared to the beast.


    "Jeff, use the opportunity I created and use your strongest attack." Xu Feng turned to him and instructed. "There''s no need to kill it, but you need to frighten it enough to make the beast flee."


    Had it been a ground-type beast and not an aerial type, they could totally kill it.


    It was a shame to waste many resources just to drive a beast away, but it was definitely better than getting killed or returning empty-handed.


    "I understand," he responded. Jeff was also an experienced mercenary, so he knew fairly well what Xu Feng''s instructions were.


    He derived the same judgment, but to voice it out was kind of difficult.


    Unlike Xu Feng who didn''t have to worry about anything, he had a reputation to uphold, especially when he was being paid for the job.


    Shortly after, Jeff seized the chance that the shadow creature had created for him. With arge kick to the ground, Jeff propelled himself upward.


    As he ascended toward the sky, Jeff raised his arm, swinging his battle axe, aiming and targeting the Harbinger''s underbelly.


    rmed, the Harbinger quickly sensed danger and attempted to fling the shadow creature away from its proximity.


    s, how could Xu Feng allow it to easily get away?


    "Carmen, now!" He instructed.


    "Understood." She responded, followed by throwing numerous spells toward the Harbinger.


    Despite multiple of them whiffing, it was good enough to serve as obstacles for the Harbinger, prompting it to be unable to deflect so many uing attacks at once.


    SCREECH!


    A loud screeching sound was released by the Harbinger, and with increased strength, it managed to fling the shadow creature away momentarily from pestering it.


    Afterward, it twisted itself in mid-air, dodging the attack from Jeff with an agility that belied its massive size.


    "Tsk," Jeff clicked his tongue when he realized the Harbinger managed to defend itself barely in time against his strike. Nevertheless, the Harbinger would be dreaming if that was all he could do.


    Gripping the battle axe tightly, Jeff red up as he roared thunderously. "Take this, Dominion Rend!"


    Startled, the Harbinger quickly realized the immediate danger that strike had on its life.


    In response to the Dominion Rend, it countered with a flurry of talon strikes, each one faster and more precise than thest.


    Both sides caused an unimaginable number of injuries to each other, but Jeff was forced into a defensive stance in the end, having fallen from the sky due to his inability to remain afloat in the air.


    As Jeff fell to the ground, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, clearly injured from the exchange of strikes.


    Meanwhile, the Harbinger pped its wings, remaining in the sky, its eyes ring menacingly at Jeff, seemingly wanting tounch another offensive strike.


    Just at this moment, Xu Feng activated Heaven''s Grace, instantly healing Jeff and increasing thetter''s defense.


    At the same time, he turned to the Harbinger with a sneer on his face.


    He extended his hand, curling it backward a few times as a provocation to dare it to continue forward.


    Infuriated, the Harbinger stretched its talon, ready to exterminate Xu Feng.


    However, it halted its actions once it noticed the shadow creature that had pestered it tremendously returned to Xu Feng''s side. With more scrutiny of the situation, it also noticed Jeff seemed to have recovered, proving that continuing the fight would be disadvantageous.


    "Are you scared now, little eagle?" Xu Feng questioned and proceeded to cast his regr healing spell on Jeff.


    Jeff''s paleplexion quickly turned for the better and he was once again revitalized.


    A stalemate was shortly inmencement with both sides locking eyes at each other, clearly waiting for the opposing to make a move first.


    "Will it retreat now?" Carmen asked from the backline.


    "Originally I nned on letting it retreat, but that was before." Xu Feng suddenly responded, astonishing Carmen and Jeff.


    "Eh?" Surprised, Carmen quickly asked, "Are we going to kill it now?"


    Nodding, Xu Feng pointed at Jeff and said, "You surprised me, Jeff. It appears that you have hidden your ability."


    Initially startled, Jeff subsequently understood his meaning.


    "Sigh, I shouldn''t have used Dominion Rend." He shook his head and smiled bitterly.

 Chapter 202: Tempest Fury

    While Jeffmented for using Dominion Rend, Carmen was confused by the ordeal.


    With herck of knowledge, it was understandable why she remained confused.


    As for Xu Feng, he didn''t n on exining further, but upon noticing Carmen''s gaze at him, he adjusted his sses in response and turned around, seemingly avoiding her eyesight.


    "What''s Dominion Rend and why did it change your original mindset?" Carmen asked sweetly, pretending to be unable toprehend the signal.


    "Just know that it''s a skill that not just any random level 30 can have." Xu Feng briefly exined.


    Although he didn''t want to exin it much, he noticed Jeff perking his ears up. Therefore, he decided to reveal bits of it and warned Jeff that his secret was out of the bag already.


    If he still wanted to pretend to be a pig to eat a tiger, then Xu Feng would dly give him a piece of his mind.


    Originally, he deduced the battle would be impossible to win with their current prowess, but never once did he think that Jeff was not a simple Tier 1 Mercenary.


    A Tier 1 Mercenary usually meant they were under level 30 or close to it, but that was about it.


    Yet based on Jeff''s demonstration of the Dominion Rend skill earlier, Xu Feng was positive he was above level 30 and passed the Tier 1 test.


    The Tier 1 test he referred to was not the test for mercenaries, but a tier for a user''s skill.


    Take a yer for example. Before they reach level 25, they are referred to as Tier 0 yers, meaning their attributes and skills are still limited.


    Only when they reached level 25 and undertook a special test to ascend to Tier 1 could they fully proim themselves as a yer? The difference between Tier 0 and Tier 1 was extremely high.


    To simplify and rify things, just imagine a level 100 battling a level 1.


    Everyone could easily imagine who would win and unless the level 1 had some immense plot armor, it was guaranteed to lose all the time.


    Shortly after, Jeff took on the battle stance as the Harbinger red fiercely at their team.


    Thanks to Xu Feng''s provocation, even if it wanted to flee earlier from the disadvantageous position, its pride refused to ept the oue.


    So what if Jeff was powerful?


    His other twopanions were merely hiding in the back and providing support to Jeff. Continue reading at m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    As long as it managed to avoid Jeff and deflect the annoying shadow creature, he could easily kill Xu Feng and Carmen.


    "Um, Feng, why do I feel like the Harbinger is staring intensely at us?" Carmen mumbled, feeling the intense killing intent directed at her.


    Honestly, it was suffocating to bear such killing intent considering her level and the hostile environment still being in effect.


    Suddenly, she felt the pressure lessened. Turning around, she noticed Xu Feng shing a smile at her.


    "What did you do?" She asked.


    "Nothing much, I merely gave you a Blessing Valor buff to ease the pressure on you." Xu Feng casually said, almost as if it was something natural.


    Startled, she quickly connected some of the dots together. "You mean the killing intent was a status ailment?"


    "Clever girl." He praised lightly in response.


    Killing intent and whatnot was something you usually hear or read from some cultivation novel.


    How could it be possible that she would sense or feel it in the Divine World?


    Thus, the only reasonable logic was that the killing intent was a status ailment type¡ª one that was used to dampen and decrease the attributes of the enemy.


    Hence, the moment Xu Feng cast Blessing Valor to counter it, the pressure that Carmen felt would be lessened.


    Meanwhile, his actions instantly attracted the attention of the Harbinger. It had begun to notice that the real problem was Xu Feng.


    As a beast in its level, it would be ridiculous for it to not realize the cause of its failure was none other than Xu Feng. Not only did he summon a shadow creature, capable of hindering its mobility, but he was also the person healing Jeff and alleviating Carmen of its status ailment.


    With a loud screech, the Harbinger attempted to deafen its enemy''s ears as it pped its majestic wings, creating numerous gusts of wind. A few secondster, these gusts of wind started to resemble more and more like a tornado.


    "How amusing¡­" Xu Feng suddenly muttered, realizing the Harbinger was using a skill called Tempest Fury. The Tempest Fury was an AOE (Area of Effect) skill, meant to disrupt and weaken the enemy''s vision and reaction.


    Aside from that status ailment, the Tempest Fury was also considered an offensive attack. Getting hit by it was going to be a pain in the butt.


    After all, the wind pressure generated by the Tempest Fury was enough to rip and tear apart any metals. Those who are unlucky with their life might even have their armor durability dropped to zero, with the possibility of being destroyed.


    As the Tempest Fury intensified, Carmen and Jeff found it difficult to maintain their foothold on the ground, with the former struggling the most.


    Narrowing his eyes slightly, Xu Feng suddenly curled his lips upward.


    ''So be it then.'' He thought to himself, opting to distance himself from the twopletely without informing them.


    By doing so, hepletely exposed himself, ying right into the Harbinger''s motive.


    Sure enough, the Harbinger was exhrated upon seeing the problematic person isted as it intended, unaware of Xu Feng''s n.


    Keeping the intensity of the Tempest Fury, the Harbinger proceeded to dove straight in, unwilling to let this golden opportunity go.


    rmed, Jeff finally noticed Xu Feng had been distanced from his protection range.


    "Not good," he muttered, trying to run toward Xu Feng and assist him, only to be suddenly hindered by the powerful gusts of wind.


    It was clear that the Harbinger refused to allow anyone to stop its action.


    As for Xu Feng, he quietly and patiently waited for the Harbinger to dive toward him. ''Let''s see who''s dying.''

 Chapter 203: Death

    Upon clearing out all the obstacles, the Harbinger''s killing intent rose increasingly. Its strength reached its peak, clearly wanting to end it at this moment.


    "Watch out!" Jeff hurriedly shouted in a warning, hoping that Xu Feng could promptly defend himself in time, even if the possibility was grim.


    He could sense the surge of power rising up from the Harbinger.


    Meanwhile, Carmen, who had been struggling, gritted her teeth and started to cast spells amidst the turbulence of the wind.


    Resisting the pressure, she managed to activate her spells andunched them toward the Harbinger.


    And as if a miracle happened, the spellnded right at the underbelly of the Harbinger.


    "Sess!" Carmen eximed, thinking that she had halted its advance toward Xu Feng.


    However, her excitement quickly died once Jeff shook his head andmented, "No, it''s too shallow."


    Sure enough, once Carmen nced at the Harbinger''s underbelly again, she realized it waspletely unscathed, almost as if it wasn''t attacked in the first ce.


    "Your level is too low to deal sufficient damage to its high defenses," Jeff exined, knowing that it was toote to save Xu Feng. Thus, he could only remain here and divert the wind turbulence from harming her.


    Since it was clear that Xu Feng''s end was inevitable, he had at the very least, needed to ensure Carmen''s safety who was next to him.


    "No, I refuse to just let it happen." A fierce expression appeared on her face, clearly adamant about saving Xu Feng.


    Ignoring the wind turbulence damaging her by stepping out of Jeff''s protection zone, she proceeded to summon two Elementalists, using them as a medium to cast spells more urately at the Harbinger.


    Although the damage would be reduced by a lot by using the Elementalists, her uracy would increase in return. It was better tond her spells than use a powerful spell, only to end up missing.


    However, the Harbinger would be foolish to not be alerted by Carmen''s actions.


    With a screech, it manipted the Tempest Fury to gather around Carmen.


    The wind turbulence and current caused Carmen''s armor to nearly rip apart as her health points dropped at a rapid rate.


    At the same time, her spells were canceled by the Harbinger''s action, causing her to receive a momentary stun status, unable to move.


    Thankfully, Jeff reacted in time to help deflect the subsequent wind currents from harming Carmen further.


    As for the Harbinger, it resumed its attention on Xu Feng, who was still remaining in the same position.


    Without anyone hindering it this time, the Harbinger proceeded to dove straight toward Xu Feng at an incredible speed. When it noticed Xu Feng merely stood still, thrill and excitement aroused it further, clearly believing thetter had given up on life.


    "Let''s die together!" Xu Feng mumbled, taking the attack head-on, instantly causing his health to plummet below 5%.


    The Harbinger, having believed it had dealt a fatal blow, continued to advance forward, unaware of its current position.


    "Since you love using your beak to attack, then I shall clip your wings in return." Xu Feng snickered, casting Sacred Fire and throwing it beneath his feet.


    Your next read is at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    mes erupted around him, forming a barrier of searing heat. The Harbinger, caught off guard by the sudden burst of fire, screeched in pain as its wings caught fire.


    Xu Feng''s eyes glinted with determination as he watched the mighty creature struggle, its movements bing frantic.


    Shortly after, the Harbinger lost its wings movement from being able to ascend to the sky whereas Xu Feng''s remaining 5% health dropped to 0 from self-infliction of the mes.


    System: You have died!


    That was a prompt that most yers would see upon meeting their first death, but unlike most, there was an additional prompt avable.


    Additionally, he was sent to some sort of realm where his surroundings were inplete darkness.


    ncing around and seeing nothing aside from the dark, Xu Feng suddenlyughed.


    "How long has it been since I came to this realm again?" He questioned, amused by the situation.


    It had been a long time since he was killed once he climbed to the upper echelon of the Reaver Guild. Thus, he nearly forgot the feeling and familiarity of how it felt to die in battle.


    Nevertheless, he obtained something that he never got in his past timeline as his eyes nced at the prompt.


    System: It has been detected that you possess the skill [Divine Resurrection]! Would you like to use it and revive yourself?


    Contrary to most yers, when they die, they go into a cooldown phase and during that cooldown timer, a healer could subsequently resurrect them using the skill [Revive], unlockable at level 5.


    These healers could revive others, but they can never revive themselves.


    Of course, Xu Feng was not your average healer as he readily epted to activate the skill, Divine Resurrection.


    Why else would he attempt to die together with the Harbinger?


    Others might not know, but he won''t receive any death penalty when activating this particr skill.


    Shortly after activating the skill, Xu Feng dissipated into numerous particles, exiting the darkness realm as his vision soon regained rity.


    "You didn''t die?"


    The first thing he heard was a familiar voice, wondering how he didn''t die.


    Adjusting his sses, Xu Feng turned to Carmen and smiled, "Didn''t I tell you from the start? I''m quite the expert myself. Have you seen an expert fall?"


    "Yes," Carmen tly replied, stumping Xu Feng.


    Faking a cough, Xu Feng ignored her and continued, "Anyway, what''s the situation now?"


    "Right¡­ After the two of you were engulfed in mes, the beast''s wings were ruined, it could no longer fly. Jeff is now confronting the beast on ground level and I was supporting from the side." Carmen quickly ryed the event that he had missed.


    At the same time, she felt somewhat relieved that Xu Feng didn''t die and respawn in some other towns.


    "I see¡­" Xu Feng nodded his head, gazing at the battle where the Harbinger was now the one struggling. "At least my fake death didn''t go in vain."

 Chapter 204: Debuff Gone

    Currently watching Jeff having the time of his life battling the Harbinger, who could no longer soar to the sky, Xu Feng was satisfied that his gamble paid off well.


    After all, he spent another handful of valuable herbs to intensify the me to injure the wings of the Harbinger.


    Not to mention, the feeling of being roasted to death was definitely not something enjoyable.


    Although he recovered, there was still a subconscious smell of him emitting some roast BBQ meat.


    ''I don''t know why this Skyrazor Harbinger is so aggressive, but it shall pay with its life to mess with us.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly.


    "Are you not going to help him out?" Carmen suddenly inquired, still controlling her Elementalists to asionally hinder the Harbinger''s movement.


    Pondering for a moment, Xu Feng shook his head in the end.


    "There''s no need to help him any further, Carmen." He calmly said.


    "Without its ability to soar in the sky, the Harbinger lost most of its advantage. Jeff is a Berserker and the field advantage was now his alone. If he can''t even deal with a weakened Harbinger despite knowing Dominion Rend, then he might as well quit his mercenary job."


    "Dominion Rend again?"


    Baffled, Carmen still doesn''t understand the implication behind it.


    Though it wasn''t surprising since Xu Feng doubted anyone would have such information regarding it yet.


    After all, the skills aren''t even shown in the skill tree slot for yers until theyplete their Tier advancement. The current yers are only Tier 0, and the skills they can learn are limited.


    Nevertheless, that doesn''t mean all skills in the Tier 0 skill tree are trash.


    There are no trash skills, to be fair. Only trash yers that can''t utilize the skills to their maximum potential.


    Shortly after, Carmen didn''t have a chance to inquire further as a loudmotion erupted in the battle.


    Jeff roared, his battle axe glowing with an ominous red aura as he unleashed Dominion Rend. The ground beneath the Harbinger cracked and trembled, and the beast screeched in agony as the devastating attack tore through its defenses.


    "Amazing," Carmen muttered, watching the Harbinger falter under Jeff''s relentless assault. With its wings crippled and its strength waning, the once-mighty beast was now at the mercy of the Berserker''s fury.


    "Seems like the battle is over." Xu Fengmented frankly. Unless there were some more unexpected variables or external factors that urred, the Harbinger was doomed to die under the hands of Jeff.


    Sure enough, a few minutester, there were no miracles happening as the Harbinger screeched its one and final breath, its eyes closed for eternity.


    Subsequently, Carmen''s experience points rose tremendously for assisting in the fight.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was taken aback slightly when he noticed his experience points which had always moved at a snail-like pace when killing monsters, going up at a visible rate to the naked eye.


    ''What the¡ª'' Confused, Xu Feng was positive that his debuff still had a day left. Nevertheless, that didn''t stop him from opening his status screen to inspect. Enjoy exclusive chapters from m-v l''e|-NovelBin


    Once he opened it and realized the debuff was gone, Xu Feng was rmed.


    ''How did the debuff disappear?'' Xu Feng wondered silently.


    Suddenly, he had a feeling that it was rted to his death, which wasn''t really a death, considering he had activated Divine Resurrection.


    Although he didn''t receive any death penalty, the system might still register him as dying once, and maybe because of that, the debuff vanished.


    After all, in a sense, his escape from the Holy Sanctuary back then was hical.


    Therefore, the NPCs there might still believe he was trapped in the Miracle Garden, prompting the debuff to remain active as if he was actually captured and detained.


    However, now that he officially "died" once in terms of the system log, the debuff would naturally vanish as it cannot be imposed on a supposed dead person.


    Of course, everything was merely his spection, and Xu Feng indeed had no idea how it happened.


    ''Whatever, it''s not like it''s a terrible thing.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, opting to not overload his brain for something negligible.


    "This beast is really not easy," Carmen said, feeling weary and exhausted now that the battle was over.


    She had been advised by Xu Feng that there was no point in assisting Jeff, but she still wanted to contribute something.


    Unlike Xu Feng who had crippled its wings nearly at the cost of his life, she, on the other hand, did not do anything useful. Or at least that was what she believed in.


    "You should take a rest," Xu Feng calmly advised. "You overuse your mana consumption repeatedly and it''s going to start taking a toll on you for constantly performing so many spells at once."


    "Haa, I don''t get this game," Carmen panted heavily as she slumped to the ground. "Why is it that I feel so weary after performing all these spells? It doesn''t even make sense."


    Because this is not just a simple game.


    Xu Feng wanted to respond to her question with that but decided not to.


    Instead, he chose to give another kind of exnation that would be easier toprehend. "It''s a virtual reality game that connects our mind with the setting of this world. So everything you perform is mimicking your supposed actual real-life performance, hence the immersive feelings you get."


    "Is that so?" Carmen knitted her brows, seemingly in deep thought.


    His words made sense, given she wasn''t that physically fit in the real world. Or more like she rarely moved so much, prompting her to feel quite exhausted after a long battle.


    ''I guess I need to exercise a bit more once I log out.'' She made a mental note of a to-do list.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng took notice of her condition and realized he needed to move fast to prevent such situations from urring frequently.


    ''Looking at the time, Ning Yi should have already got enough dirt on Dean Qiao.'' He thought to himself, eagerly waiting for his phone call so that he could proceed with his next n.

 Chapter 205: Distribution

    After Carmen rested enough, Xu Feng smiled amicably at her and said, "Are you ready to check on our drop loot?"


    "Drop loot?" Carmen raised an eyebrow, clearly forgetting about the reward that monsters often dropped when killed.


    "Yeah, the Skyrazor Harbinger could be considered an overlord here, so its drop loot should be amazing." Xu Feng calmly exined.


    A few secondster, Carmen, who seemed uninterested earlier, suddenly shed a cheerful smile.


    "What are we waiting for then?" She eximed, extending her hand out and holding his arm, dragging him to rush toward the Harbinger''s corpse.


    Speechless, Xu Feng could only increase his pace to match up with her, avoiding the possibility of tripping over the rocky terrain.


    "How''s the loot, Jeff?" Carmen released her grip and asked Jeff, who had been safeguarding the loot and the surroundings.


    As for the intention of taking the loot for himself, it was impossible.


    After all, Jeff was bound by the contract he signed, meaning even if he wanted the loot, it would be impossible for him to get it unless Carmen designated some to him.


    Of course, it had to be done willingly and not through coercion or threat.


    This was the main reason why mercenaries were popr and in high demand.


    Aside from their high sess rate ofpleting amission, their integrity can also be trusted due to the contract effect.


    "There are 5 Common, 3 Superior Common, 6 Umon, and 2 Superior Umon equipment in total," Jeff reported frankly, almost as if he was disinterested in the loot itself.


    "That''s amazing!" Carmen, however, was exhrated to hear the loot drop reward.


    "Huh, after all that work and not a single Rare equipment." Xu Feng twitched his brows, clearly displeased by the loot drop.


    The Harbinger was in at the cost of his "sacrifice," so how could he not be displeased by such mediocre rewards.


    "Hey, can you not act like that?" Unamused, Carmen turned to him with a fierce expression.


    "These are the loot drops that we obtained in our first tough battle. We should be happy about it, especially when these rarities are scarce." She scolded, exasperated by his reaction.


    "..."


    ''Was this really the Lunar Wraith?'' Xu Feng was starting to wonder if he had mistaken her for someone else.


    "Since that''s the case, then you can have all the equipment as a weing gift to my future guild." He eximed, taking this chance to officially sign her in.


    s, Carmen might look easy to deceive on the surface, but her wariness was through the roof.


    She shook her head and refused his offer almost immediately. "These loots are earned by us three, so we need to split them among us equally."


    Carmen then began splitting the loot and continued, "Jeff and Feng did most of the work, so each of you will get 1 Superior Umon equipment. The 6 Umon equipment will be split into 3, with each of us getting 2. As for the Superior Common, we''ll each get one while for the Common, I''ll get 1 and you guys will get 2 each."


    "I also get to have the loot?" Before Xu Feng could respond, Jeff was rmed as he pointed at himself.


    It was clear that he didn''t expect he would have a cut in the loot despite having the most contribution.


    That was his mercenary duty, so ording to the norms, he wouldn''t get anything.


    Meanwhile, Carmen held a solemn expression and tly said, "You did the work, so of course you will get rewarded."


    Hearing that, Jeff unconsciously turned to Xu Feng, clearly recognizing him as the truemander of this team.


    Silent for a brief moment, Xu Feng simply adjusted his sses and said, "Since that''s what she wants, then we shall do it that way."


    "Yahoo!"


    Jeff instantly erupted in cheer and excitement, practically dashing toward the loot, his eyes glistening in joy as he got to have an equal share. At the same time, his admiration for Carmen soared tremendously.


    How could he be so rude to her previously?


    She was practically a goddess.


    Just when he was about to grab some of the equipment, Xu Feng suddenly smacked his hand slightly with his staff.


    Startled, he turned around and held a dazed expression.


    "The loot will be shared but I get to choose who will get what." Xu Feng coolly said.


    "Right, of course." Jeff nodded his head and smiled foolishly, clearly not in disagreement with the arrangement.


    Just being able to get a share of the loot was good enough.


    As Xu Feng waved his hand and told thetter to guard around while he calcted the distribution, Carmen slowly walked toward him.


    "Did you have to smack his hand?" Carmen whispered.


    "This is to warn him who is still in charge of the team." Xu Feng calmly exined. "Distributing the loot is fine, but when you say it like that, you will create a misconception that he can have a voice in the future arrangement."


    "But we''re a team."


    "Yes, a team with Jeff as a hired mercenary. He''s being paid and signed a contract whereas we do not have such a contract."


    When Xu Feng saw the ignorant look of Carmen, he sighed softly.


    "Don''t you know yers are hard to trust?" He questioned, reminding her of their first death.


    Instantly, Carmen''s mood soured, pursed her lips, "Yes, yers are despicable, but you''re not one of them, right?"


    "Oh, trust me, I am beyond despicable." Xu Feng corrected.


    "But that also depends on who the person was. Just know that in such a situation, especially when you''re in the open field, loot such as this can never be distributed equally. There would always be a big fight."


    "Isn''t that hical then?" Carmen was dumbfounded.


    As soon as she finished saying that, Xu Feng flicked on her forehead and sneered.


    "Ethics are pointless in this world. I''ll have you know, that if there''s a world boss event happening, even if you are the person or team that made the killing blow or did all the hard work. It''s not guaranteed that you can even leave the field alive from the rest of the yers."

 Chapter 206: Harbinger’s Drop

    Carmen was startled by the sudden stern and cold tone made by Xu Feng. It was as if he had turned into another person.


    But what baffled her more was that his words seemed to make perfect sense.


    After all, she had recalled the incident on a team that she was kicked out of.


    ''Back then, we struggled to kill a level 5 monster, and it dropped a Superior Common, but they still fought fiercely among each other.'' Carmen smiled bitterly.


    She didn''t have much of an interest in the drop because she felt that it was reasonable to not get any. Her contribution to the battle was very mild.


    Thus, she was momentarily blurred, considering how harmonious they looked on the surface as a team. Since she had done her part correctly, albeit not massive, she felt like equally distributing was the correct option.


    However, Xu Feng''s words and warnings caused her to reconsider her mindset.


    "So are you saying we should not distribute any to Jeff?" Carmen asked, a tinge of bitterness undey in her tone.


    "No, we will distribute it to him because you already said so." Xu Feng answered calmly.


    Biting her lips softly, with her head lowered, she subsequently inquired, "A-Are you mad at me for making the decision without consulting you first?"


    Without bothering to answer her, Xu Feng merely patted her head softly.


    Feeling the warmth of his hand, Carmen equally stayed silent afterward.


    Based on such action, it was evident that Xu Feng wasn''t mad. In fact, when she pondered further, she realized that he was merely trying to advise her properly on what to do next time if she were to ever team up with others.


    Simultaneously, she was starting to notice that Xu Feng had remained indifferent to the loot the entire time.


    Just take a look at Jeff.


    He was strong, but even in the face of these loots, he lost hisposure and even erupted into cheer.


    However, Xu Feng was calm and collected, almost as if the pile of loot was nothing but trash in his eyes. Hell, he even wanted to use these loots as a weing gift to have her agree to join his future guild.


    ''Having such a person as guild leader¡­ isn''t all that bad.'' Carmen thought to herself.


    Unaware of her thought process, Xu Feng truly didn''t n on creating a good reputation. He merely wanted Carmen to remain vignt and not act carelessly in the future if they were to be split off.


    As much as he wanted her to be in his guild, that did not mean he was going to restrict her movement.


    She was free to party up with others, but when doing so, he wanted her to understand humans wereplex, whether in terms of actions or emotions.


    ''If she remains cautious, then maybe the ruthless demoness might not ur in this timeline.'' Xu Feng thought.


    It was definitely a loss to not have such a ruthless demoness, but he didn''t find it a pity.


    Since she could reach the top in his past timeline, then she could definitely do it in this timeline. It was better to interact with the current Carmen than the rumored isted and distanced person.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng began inspecting the items. There were a total of 16 items to inspect, but seeing that it was Carmen''s first tough battle, he decided to go through each one of them.


    With that in mind, he started checking the Superior Umon items, namely: Hurricane Cloak and Skyrazor Talons.


    The Hurricane Cloak helped create a protective barrier of wind around the wearer, reducing the damage taken. To simplify, it was a piece of damage-reducer equipment.


    As for the Skyrazor Talons, it was an enhanced glove that increased attack power and provided a chance to stun enemies on hit.


    "These Skyrazor Talons shall be left for Jeff," Xu Feng readily handed the item over to Carmen. Weighing the two pieces of equipment, it was more beneficial for him to take the cloak than the talons. Not to mention, the talons itself looked quite hideous.


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    Meanwhile, Carmen epted the Talons and read the description of the item. By the time she finished reading, she agreed that this item was more suitable for Jeff.


    "Jeff is a Berserker and our main DPS." Shemented, feeling that these talons would fit just perfectly for Jeff.


    Shortly after equipping the cloak, Xu Feng continued on with the Umon equipment. Instead of pondering over which one to use for him, he first inspected which one would help Jeff.


    A few secondster, Xu Feng picked up two pieces, Windbreaker Armor and Feathered Mantle. The armor offered some good protection while allowing for increased agility and the mantle provided a minor increase in spell resistance.


    "These two shall be for Jeff as well." He then handed them over to Carmen.


    "Okay."


    "This Harbinger''s Helm, Leather Boots, and Talons of the Harbinger will be for Jeff as well." He added, finalizing every piece of equipment allocated to Jeff.


    The Helm was Superior Common whereas the Boots and Talons were Common. Other than the helm, thest two pieces were inferior and somewhat useless in Xu Feng''s mind.


    As Carmen epted them, she said, "I''ll bring this equipment to Jeff first then."


    Nodding, Xu Feng simply waved his hand, his attention focused on the equipment.


    Sometimeter, Carmen happily hopped her legs, dashing toward Jeff, who simrly started cheering inughter and thanking Carmen after receiving the equipment.


    "Are these really allocated to me?" Jeff asked in a disbelieving tone, his hands trembling visibly.


    "Of course, Feng personally chose it," Carmen reassured him.


    "Haha, these pieces of equipment are indeed perfect for me."


    As they chatted happily, they made quite themotion, distracting Xu Feng.


    Turning around, Xu Feng saw the two of them were close to prancing around.


    ''Is it really worth being happy over it?'' He questioned inwardly, finding their actions illogical. ''Sigh, I''ll just let them be.''

 Chapter 207: Generosity

    After prancing around for a brief moment, Carmen dismissed herself, saying how she wanted to check up on Xu Feng.


    "Go ahead, Lady Wraith. I shall guard the surroundings at the cost of my life." Jeff said solemnly, subconsciously shing his new gear. It was clear that he was grateful for Carmen''s generosity and was willing to exert more effort into thismission.


    "Okay, I''ll leave the guarding to you." Carmen smiled lightly and promptly returned to Xu Feng''s side. To her astonishment, most of the initial equipment was gone, leaving precisely 5 pieces left on the ground.


    She counted them silently in her mind. ''1 Superior Common, 2 Umon, and 1 Superior Umon????''


    Instantly, her eyes widened in shock as she turned to Xu Feng.


    "Why is there¡ª"


    Before she could even continue her question, Xu Feng suddenly stood up and "identally" shed his cloak.


    However, the cloak he wore now wasn''t the Hurricane Cloak, but a Feathered Cloak¡ª a Common equipment.


    Both cloaks looked somewhat identical in terms of appearance, but thetter was apletely inferior version.


    She had read the description and knew the Feathered Cloak only offered very minimal protection. It wasn''t wrong to say it was just for visual appeal and nothing else.


    "Hey, don''t you goggled at my Superior Umon equipment?" Xu Feng warned sternly, taking a few steps back, almost as if he was afraid of her snatching it.


    "..."


    Call her naive or something else, but Carmen would be damned if she believed he had mistakenly worn the wrong cloak.


    "I''m still not going to agree to join your guild¡­ at least not with my current circumstances and thoughts regarding it." She announced, putting up her stance.


    "I still won''t give you my cloak even if you agreed to join." Xu Feng rolled his eyes, remaining adamant.


    Although he sounded very serious, Carmen was more certain that he was faking it and allowing her to get the Superior Umon cloak.


    If anyone was going to turn stupid like that, Xu Feng would be thest person popping up in her mind. Throughout their entire interaction, especially during the battle, he was the mostposed one out of them all.


    Heck, they seeded in the end mainly because Xu Feng managed to cripple the Harbinger''s wings, otherwise, Jeff might not be capable of ying it.


    After all, the Harbinger could always soar to the sky and fly away to escape once it realized its defeat was imminent.


    Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    "Yes, I was wrong to stare at your SUPERIOR UNCOMMON equipment." Carmen said, emphasizing the rarity as she grabbed her supposed mon" equipment.


    Shortly after, she equipped the authentic Hurricane Cloak and instantly felt the effect.


    "Eh, howe my equipment is glowing dark green?" She nced at herself and asked in confusion.


    "Turn off the glowing effect¡­" Xu Feng smiled bitterly and exined.


    "Oh¡­" As if she realized what was wrong, she quickly turned off the glowing effect. "Why did it have a glowing effect?"


    "So that people can flex or brag about their equipment."


    "But isn''t it too shy and blinding to the eyes?"


    "It''s a show of power, so naturally, they want to blind the average yer. But then again, I suggest not turning off the glowing effect because it will only bring trouble to you."


    Before Xu Feng could continue his exnation, Carmen interjected, "Trouble from the greedy yers who want to steal your equipment, right?"


    Nodding, Xu Feng praised, "Very good, you''re learning now."


    "Hehe," Smiling sheepishly, she proceeded to equip all the other equipment, instantly increasing her attributes by arge margin.


    Nevertheless, she still gave him a warning, "I appreciate the equipment, but that doesn''t mean I will join your future guild."


    "Well, you can keep pondering. I''m sure you will join sooner orter." Xu Feng adjusted his sses, feeling rather confident. With his generosity and advice, he was positive that she already held a different opinion of him.


    She might still be wary of guilds, but at the very least, she had started to begin to lower her guards toward him.


    That was all that mattered, to say the least. His goal for adventuring with her this time was to build up a rtionship and trust.


    And thanks to the aggressive Skyrazor Harbinger, it helped bring his goal closer to sess.


    "Anyway, we should continue advancing." Xu Feng calmly said. "The Harbinger dyed our time, but it''s not all that bad. We now gained an understanding of everyone''s skills and capability, making it easier for us to confront the Ironhide Behemoth."


    "Un, I feel like it''s easier for me to control two Elementalists now." Carmen clenched her fist and nodded. Ever since equipping the new gears, she felt a surge of mana rising, giving her a sense of familiarity andfortability in utilizing her skills.


    Shortly after, Carmen went toward Jeff and informed him that it was time to leave.


    "Rest assured, Lady Wraith," Jeff smirked coldly, patting his new armor. "With my presence here, that Ironhide Behemoth or any other monsters that we may encounter will not get past me."


    "In that case, I shall take back the equipment if any monsterse to harm us." Xu Feng interrupted.


    "..."


    Speechless, Jeff was left stupefied by Xu Feng''s harsh condition.


    Wasn''t he merely speaking it out as a figure of speech?


    It really wasn''t going to be possible to prevent all monsters from harming them. Additionally, the Ironhide Behemoth could easily do AOE damage, and they will be damaged if within the range of its radius.


    "Ignore him, Jeff." Carmen said, stepping to the front, and continued, "Feng simply likes to tease others, so there''s no need to mind it."


    "Y-Yes," Jeff quickly bowed slightly and thanked her silently in his heart.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was unamused and realized that Carmen was starting to make herself toofortable. She was even starting to talk on his behalf.


    ''Hmm, should I stop this nice treatment and treat her like Kai?'' Xu Feng wondered silently, feeling ratherplicated.

 Chapter 208: Lair

    Shortly after the trio ready their things, with some equipping their new gears, and some not so much.


    Unlike Carmen and Jeff, who were satisfied with the dropped loot of the Skyrazor Harbinger, Xu Feng frowned upon it.


    Though it was mainly because he had better equipment.


    He bought quite a few goodies from cksmith Fiona, but there was no opportunity to equip them due to his low level.


    Now that he reached the level requirement, Xu Feng still hadn''t equipped them yet.


    And no, it wasn''t that he forgot about it, but he felt that it wasn''t needed. If he equipped them now, then with the perception of Jeff and Carmen, they would take notice of his change instantly.


    By that time, it would simply create a troublesome matter with them questioning or looking at him suspiciously.


    ''Those with wealth tend to be judged.'' Xu Feng thought, preferring to stay humble until it was time for him to show off.


    With that in mind, the trio continued to advance steadily, and luckily for them, there was no more random aggression from some monsters.


    "Okay, we''ve arrived at the territory of the Ironhide Behemoth." Jeff paused and exined cautiously.


    The Ironhide Behemoth might be a bit inferior whenpared to the Skyrazor Harbinger, but that didn''t mean it was easier to take down.


    After all, the defense of the Ironhide Behemoth was no joke, and its offensive power was technically more fierce and domineering.


    Just when Jeff was about to exin a battle n, Xu Feng raised his hand.


    Dumbfounded, Jeff turned to him and asked, "Is there something wrong?"


    Carmen was equally confused by his signal, but kept quiet, seemingly waiting for him to talk.


    "I''ll take themand for the battle this time," he revealed, astonishing Jeff and Carmen. Throughout their journey, Xu Feng had only been supporting in the background silently, offering zero advice or strategy.


    It was the same for the Skyrazor Harbinger.


    They didn''t even know what his n was when he isted himself from them and decided to confront the beast head-on.


    And although Carmen didn''t mention it, she was truly infuriated by his risky action. She merely kept it to herself because everything ended well and she couldn''t fault him for the action either.


    Had it not been for Xu Feng''s sacrificial move, along with a method to resurrect himself, they would have lost their healer and the battle would have been devastating.


    Yet now, Xu Feng suddenly wanted to take the lead.


    How could they not be surprised?"


    "Are you sure about that?" Jeff asked cautiously, ensuring his tone didn''t sound too doubtful. As an experienced mercenary, he would naturally want to take the lead andmand of the battle, considering it was the norm in every team''s battle.


    The strongest or more experienced person would usuallymand the others to maintain an efficient battle or raid.


    "Yeah, I''m sure." Xu Feng responded. "I just want to end this battle quickly."


    "..."


    Although not much was said there, his statement was equivalent to saying Jeff was inadequate whenpared to him.


    Subconsciously, Jeff turned to Carmen, seemingly looking at her for her response to this. It was as if he was programmed to know that Carmen''s words had an effect on Xu Feng.


    Sensing Jeff''s gaze at her, Carmen took a deep breath before deciding.


    "If Feng wants to take themand, then he shall be themander. I''m fine with it." She calmly said, choosing to trust Xu Feng. Their interaction might not be long, but throughout their time, she knew he was not the type to speak nonsense. Unless it was necessary, he would usually refrain from talking.


    "I supposed there''s no more problem now, right?" Xu Feng assumed an authoritative tone and nced at Jeff.


    Jeff scratched his head and relented.


    "I have no problem with it." He responded and continued, "But if the battle is deemed a failure, I will take over to avoid casualties."


    If even Carmen agreed, it was two against one, and the worse oue would be having to restart if they were to fail. Thus, he rather gave himself a leeway to regainmand if the battle was going into disarray.


    Not surprised by Jeff''s adamant suggestion to take over, Xu Feng readily agreed.


    Shortly after, the trio entered the territory base of the Ironhide Behemoth, and their hostile environment heightened tremendously.


    "Why do I feel more weary walking here than outside?" Carmen questioned, feeling like a heavy boulder was ced on her back.


    "That''s because the concentration of mana is very restricted, causing you to feel difort." Xu Feng calmly exined.


    "You should consume another Stamina Potion to lessen your weariness. We''re going to have to move a lot once we encounter the Ironhide Behemoth."


    Without hesitation, Carmen quickly retrieved another Stamina Potion and consumed it.


    "Do you want one as well, Feng?"


    "No, you should keep it to yourself."


    "Are you sure? I still have two left if I give you one. We''re going to move a lot, so we can''t have you remain still like a scarecrow."


    Speechless, Xu Feng promptly ignored her and stepped forward. "Jeff, when we begin the battle, do your best to immobilize it rather than deal damage."


    "Rest assured, I''ll try my best." Jeff nodded, his grip tightening on his battle axe along with his new gloves shining brightly. Unlike Carmen who had turned off the glowing effect, Jeff was proud and loved the effect.


    ''He really ignored me¡­'' Carmen twitched her brows, confused by Xu Feng''s refusal to ept her Stamina Potion.


    She merely wanted to repay the favor of him giving her the Superior Umon equipment. Yet it was clear that he wanted her to feel indebted and maliciously doing so.


    "How hateful," she pursed her lips, finding herself not able to hate him to be fair.


    Meanwhile, the trio continued to advance within their of the Ironhide Behemoth.


    A few minutester, they were rather astounded by the sight in front of them.


    "Damn, did these behemoths copte for years?" Xu Feng twitched his brows.

 Chapter 209: Ironhide Behemoths

    The Ironhide Behemoth was a massive, hulking creature covered in imprable, metallic scales. Its eyes glowed with a fierce, vicious light, and its roar could be heard echoing throughout the ravine.


    They are highly territorial as they will aggressively defend theirir against any perceived threat. It would use its massive strength to crush rocks and create barriers, cornering its prey with ease.


    To fight against one of them, one needed to ensure they were well-equipped with high-defense gear. They also needed to scout the area beforehand to identify potential hazards and escape routes.


    Additionally, they should utilize the narrow pathways to their advantage, having ranged attackers on higher ground while tanks or melee ranged fighters engaged the Behemoth directly.


    However, all that information was for one Ironhide Behemoth, and not a group of Behemoths.


    ''Unbelievable¡­'' Xu Feng furrowed his brows, wondering what the hell was wrong with this particrir.


    There were not just one Ironhide Behemoth, not two, and not three, but four massive Ironhide Behemoths at the front.


    How were they supposed to implement that kind of strategy that was meant for a singr Ironhide Behemoth?


    "C-Can we even kill one of them?" Carmen asked, her eyes widened in shock at the sight. Those massive Behemoths were practically teasing and daring her to make a move against them.


    Jeff remained silent, clearly unsure of the matter himself.


    As for Xu Feng, he simply adjusted his sses with a calm expression. After regting his emotions, he already thought of a few solutions.


    Although it was indeed unexpected that there were four Ironhide Behemoths in a singleir, it wasn''t that surprising either.


    The Behemoth are known to be territorial, but there are some instances that monsters could form a family of their own.


    From there, it was easy to detect that the tworger Behemoths were the parents whereas the smaller two were the children.


    "Carmen, what do you think parents will do if one of their kids is taken hostage?" Xu Feng asked calmly.


    "Huh? Of course, they would do whatever it takes to have their kid return to them safe and sound." Carmen answered instinctively.


    However, in the next seconds, her face turned pale as she nced at him. "You''re not nning on kidnapping one of the smaller Behemoths, right?"


    "Of course not," Xu Feng chuckled softly.


    Relieved, Carmen patted her chest, but the very next moment, Xu Feng''s next words nearly caused her to stumble.


    "I n on dividing both the kids from their parents." Xu Feng casually said. "That way, the parents would turn frantic and lose theirposure. At that time, we can easily eradicate both the kids and parents."


    "Agreed." Jeff nodded his head, finding the method to work wonderfully.


    However, Carmen seemed to be hesitant based on her expression alone.


    Luckily, it wasn''t because of her good conscience saying it was immoral, but that she didn''t find the method to be viable.


    "It''s easier said than done to separate them." Shemented, taking a nce at the Behemoths'' behavior. "Therger Behemoth is clearly putting a tight leash on the smaller one. Look at their movement."


    Jeff stood still, silent about it. In contrast, Xu Feng was smiling awkwardly.


    Obviously, he knew about that part from the start when announcing his n, but if he harshly struck her down, then it might affect her confidence.


    What he wanted was members who could critically think for themselves and be independent without his help. Otherwise, the guild he created would be just a one-man show, with only him being an actual threat and the rest are just mediocre.


    Taking a mild approach in his response, Xu Feng nodded his head and continued, "What you said is logical, Carmen. However, I have a method to lure the younglings away from their parents."


    "Really?" Startled, Carmen didn''t expect Xu Feng to be that capable. After all, she had witnessed how the smaller Behemoths were obedient to their parents.


    If they had moved even a little bit away from a certain range, therger Behemoth would growl, prompting them to return to their position.


    "Yes, really." Xu Feng calmly responded.


    "How are you going to achieve it?"


    "By luring it?"


    "Yes, but what kind of method?" Carmen continued, "Don''t get me wrong. I just wanted to learn more about how one can turn a disadvantageous situation into an advantageous one."


    Nodding his head, he agreed with the logic, but agreeing and answering were two different matters.


    "You can simply watch." Xu Feng smirked. "How much you can learn is dependent on you."


    "Eh?" Baffled, Carmen couldn''t understand the meaning. However, a few secondster, she finally realized why Xu Feng refused to tell her.


    She had yet to agree to join his guild, so why should he rify or even answer her question? Pursing her lips, Carmen knew she was overboard with her question.


    Seeing her pouting, Xu Feng remained stoic. If people thought a sad beauty was enough to make him change his mind, then they couldn''t be any more wrong.


    Ignoring her, Xu Feng proceeded to retrieve some of Raburle''s corpses and scattered some particles on them.


    Precisely, these were the same particles that he had used previously when baiting the Shadow Wolves out.


    These particles emitted an aroma that was extremely tempting and hard to resist. The aroma only affected monsters, and it was enough to rile them up.


    Sure enough, the original docile smaller Behemoths suddenly sniffed on their noses repeatedly. Drool began to seep out from the corner of their mouth, clearly smelling the fresh and aromatic fragrance from afar.


    rmed, therger Behemoths growled in an attempt to snap the smaller Behemoths out of their daze, but their resistance was feeble.


    Instead of snapping out of their daze, they started advancing forward, almost as if their body had been taken control of.


    "Jeff, use Dominion Rend on the top of the ceiling once they are distanced for at least 15 yards." Xu Feng quickly instructed Jeff, his expression shing a cold grin.

 Chapter 210: Abyssal Phantom

    As the aroma of the corpses that Xu Feng prepared, the more frantic the smaller Behemoths became. They started increasing their pace, frantically searching for the source of the smell.


    ''Okay, these smaller Behemoths'' resistance is indeed terrible.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly.


    He was sure that these younglings might still seemrge in size, but their attributes and resistances were definitely worse than the adult ones. There was just no way it could resist the temptation of delicious food.


    "Throw the corpses out," Xu Feng instructed.


    Shortly after, Jeff grabbed one of Raburle''s corpses and threw it perfectly beneath them.


    They had already taken the high ground from earlier without distracting them. Hence, they had the advantage of overseeing their in contrast to the Behemoths.


    Their was a massive one, otherwise, it wouldn''t have been able to be the habitat of theserge Behemoths.


    Till now, the adult Behemoths still hadn''t realized it was a trap. They merely thought their younglings became restless and wanted to fool around a little.


    However, once three or more of Raburle''s corpses started to drop from above, the adults became rmed.


    Unlike the terrible awareness of the younglings, their awareness was more experienced.


    They growled in a different tone, clearly a signal to call for their younglings to return.


    s, it was a little toote. The younglings seemed to be cast in an illusion spell, unable to hear their warnings.


    "Now, Jeff!" Xu Feng hurriedly called out once he noticed the adult Behemoths were starting to rush to their younglings.


    Without hesitation, Jeff leaped from his position, gripping his battle axe tightly. He swung with tremendous power, targeting the ceiling of their.


    The impact created a loud and shy strike that echoed through the chamber, causing the rock above to crack and splinter.


    Chunks of debris began to fall, cascading down and creating a barrier between the younglings and the adult Behemoths. Dust filled the air as the ceiling partially copsed, the falling rocks effectively separating the Behemoths.


    The adult Behemoths roared in frustration, unable to reach their young through the newly formed wall of debris.


    "Carmen, it''s your turn now." Xu Feng turned to her and instructed.


    "Yes," Carmen responded, summoning her Elementalists. She began using them as a medium to bombard the younglings with a series of spells.


    The Elementalists conjured fireballs and icy sts, targeting the young Behemoths with precision. Their filled with the sounds of magical explosions and the pained cries of the young Behemoths as Carmen''s spells found their marks.


    Upon hearing their distressed younglings, the adult Behemoth became more fierce and aggressive, hoping to destroy the debris barrier that had separated them.


    It was just a pity that this debris wasn''t something they could easily trample over. After all, thisir was their habitat so if it was fragile, there was no way it would choose such a ce.


    "Jeff, start attacking the joint of the youngling''s legs." Xu Fengmanded, his eyes staring at the younglings muffling in pain. The more they screamed, the more the adult Behemoths would lose theirposure.


    ''As long as those adults lose theirposure, I won''t have to worry about them fighting intelligently.'' Xu Feng thought. His worries were never toward the younglings, but the adults that had the proper skills to pose danger to them.


    Meanwhile, Jeff nodded, and held his battle axe, gleaming as he swung at the youngling''s joint with precise, powerful strikes.


    Each hitnded with a satisfying thud, targeting the weak points in the younglings'' legs. The young Behemoths stumbled and fell, their roars of pain and anger echoing through their.


    While Carmen and Jeff continued their relentless assault, working in tandem to keep the young Behemoths incapacitated, Xu Feng leaped down and began walking toward the debris that currently separated the battlefield.


    The debris was falling rapidly, and he could sense the ground shaking tremendously, mainly from the headbutting that the adult Behemoths were doing on the other side.


    Scanning around the surroundings, Xu Feng noticed a fewrge debris spikes on the ceiling that had yet to fall from Jeff''s strike.


    Although these spikes had yet to fall, it was shaking rapidly, almost as if it was going to fall at any moment.


    With a cold grin, Xu Feng sacrificed 10% of his health to activate Dark Pact, summoning a powerful shadow creature.


    Emerging from the dark void, the creature materialized into a towering figure, shrouded in swirling shadows that seemed to absorb the light around it. Its eyes glowed a sinister red, and its form was amorphous, shifting between solid and ethereal.


    The creature''s limbs were long and tough, ending in razor-sharp ws that sparkled with an unnatural shine. It moved with an eerie grace, its presence exuding an aura of malevolence and dread. As it took shape, the very air around it grew colder, and a faint whispering of dark incantations filled their.


    The shadow creature was a manifestation of pure darkness and power, ready to obey Xu Feng''s everymand. It stood poised, awaiting its master''s orders, its eyes fixed on the Behemoths with a hunger for destruction.


    This was the very same shadow creature that had hindered the Skyrazor Harbinger, Abyssal Phantom.


    ¡ª


    Abyssal Phantom


    Level: 16


    Health: 3500


    Attributes: Strength 36, Agility 40, Endurance 38, Intelligence 70, Vitality 50


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    Special Abilities: Shadow Strike, Shadow Cloak


    ¡ª


    Xu Feng smirked at the attributes of the Abyssal Phantom.


    For a measly 10% of health to sacrifice, he could summon such a powerful creature. Even the average Summoner would rip their hair out from jealousy of his ability.


    After all, the 10% health could easily be recovered with Heal or Heaven''s Grace.


    For a Cleric to worry about their health was a hrious joke.


    The Abyssal Phantom started hovering around him, its eyes ring at the youngling, clearly wanting permission to attack it.


    Despite its eagerness, Xu Feng shook his head.


    ''Carmen and Jeff could easily handle those two younglings that have been affected by the particle''s aroma.'' He deduced silently, taking on the responsibility for the adult Behemoth stuck on the other side.

 Chapter 211: Debris Spikes

    Within their, loud explosions reverberated back and forth, each st echoing off the rocky walls as the battle reached its crescendo.


    The ground trembled under the weight of each behemoth''s charge, creating a cacophony of chaotic sounds that filled their.


    Amidst the turmoil, Jeff''s mighty axe cleaved through the air with relentless force, striking the vulnerable joints of the young behemoths.


    Each blownded with a resounding impact, causing the young creatures to stagger and bellow in pain.


    "Lady Wraith, I''ll keep them at bay, so be at ease when casting your spells," Jeff shouted, taking on the duty of a tank and denying the Behemoth from getting close to her.


    "Rest assured, Jeff. I won''t let them get a chance to harm you either." Carmen responded, her Elementalists conjuring fireballs and icy sts, added to the tumult with bursts of magical energy.


    Her spells found their marks with precision, further exacerbating the young behemoths'' anguish as they struggled against the onught.


    Their painful cries and helplessness were echoed throughout their, clearly anticipating their parents toe to their rescue. Their defenses were tough, and the damage taken wasn''t enough to cause them to feel danger, but it was still painful nheless.


    Never once had they experienced such excruciating pain from others, given their parents were always the ones to venture out to bring food back.


    "Their scales are too hard to prate." Carmen knitted her brows, finding her spells to be a futile effort. She then nced at the attack that Jeff dealt, and theparison nearly made her feel depressed.


    Each strike from Jeff managed to scrape off the tough scales, with some even able to prate through the flesh of the young Behemoth, causing them to trample rapidly everywhere in response to the pain.


    "Don''t worry about prating their scales, Lady Wraith," Jeff shouted, taking anotherrge swing at the young Behemoth that was trampling all over the ce.


    "Leave it to me to cleave their scales off and you can attack their open fleshter on."


    ''Not bad,'' Xu Fengmented silently. Initially, he wondered if he needed to take themand and instruct them in battle as well.


    After all, he did propose to be themander and lead the team.


    However, that could honestly be considered over when he made the separation of the battle.


    Although there wasn''t an officialmand from him, it was quite obvious that he nned on leaving the young Behemoths for them to deal with.


    As for the adults trapped on the other side, just his positioning alone was enough to inform them that he nned on handling it.


    Sometimes, there was just a basic understanding among team members that one didn''t need to be specific.


    ''They should be fine, with Jeff tanking both young Behemoths simultaneously.'' Xu Feng concluded after witnessing their cooperation and how Jeff was handling the situation.


    "Alright, I should focus on these adults rampaging." He muttered, ordering the Abyssal Phantom.


    The Abyssal Phantom, with its dark, amorphous form, silently slithered up the walls and towards the ceiling.


    As the Abyssal Phantom reached the ceiling, it began to dismantle the weakened debris spikes with calcted precision.


    Each movement was deliberate, ensuring that when the spikes fell, they would create an even more formidable barrier against the adult Behemoths.


    Xu Feng watched intently, ready to make any necessary adjustments.


    Meanwhile, the adult Behemoths continued to roar in frustration on the other side, their powerful bodies repeatedly mming into the barrier. The ground beneath Xu Feng''s feet vibrated with each impact, a constant reminder of the impending threat.


    ''Tsk, these massive monsters are really annoying.'' Xu Feng clicked his tongue, feeling quite displeased by the tremor.


    Since he doesn''t have much of an offensive power at the moment, he could only make do with whatever the environment had to offer. Hence, he couldn''t outright sh with the adult Behemoths.


    Taking a deep breath, Xu Feng stopped thinking over his limited offensive power and patiently waited for the adults to shatter the so-called debris wall.


    Shortly after the debris wall started crumbling, two infuriated adult Behemoths emerged from within, ready to demolish anything or anyone in its path.


    With their piercing eyes, the first person they noticed was Xu Feng, who calmly waved his hand as if he was greeting them with a hello.


    GROWL!


    They roared thunderously as they charged toward Xu Feng, clearly wanting to squash thetter into a paste.


    "Damn, how rude are you." Xu Feng adjusted his sses, unafraid of their advancement.


    As Xu Feng remainedposed, the adult Behemoths swiftly closed the distance between them.


    However, right at this moment, the Abyssal Phantom cut off the debris spikes, sending them plummeting down.


    The timing was perfect.


    The falling spikes crashed directly onto the charging Behemoths, piercing their thick hides and causing them to howl in pain. The sudden attack halted their momentum, and the Behemoths staggered, their roars now mixed with pained cries as they struggled to dislodge the sharp debris.


    "Whoops, howe there''s a debris spike falling?" Xu Feng gasped, taking a few steps back. "I better leave you all to it and avoid getting hit."


    Fuming, the adult Behemoths ignored the bleeding wounds as they staggered to chase after Xu Feng.


    They refused to believe random spikes would fall upon them at such a time. Thus, the person in front of them was without a doubt, the culprit of their injuries.


    Suddenly, they heard another painful cry from afar. Turning, they noticed their younglings were beaten down ferociously.


    Angered, they wished for nothing more than to eradicate and stomp these invaders to death.


    s, before they could even unleash a powerful moveset, Xu Feng''s Scared Fire happened to beunched right at their eyes.


    Given they were distracted by their youngling''s cries for help, they couldn''t react in time.


    BAM!


    The firended precisely on their pupil, causing unimaginable pain as they stomped the ground repeatedly, seemingly hoping to minimize the pain.


    "Now, Abyssal Phantom!" Xu Feng subsequentlymanded with a cold expression on his face.

 Chapter 212: Unfortunate Event

    The Abyssal Phantom, cloaked in shadows and exuding a menacing aura,unched forward upon beingmanded by Xu Feng.


    Its dark tendrils wrapped around the Behemoths'' limbs, exploiting the momentary blindness inflicted by the Sacred Fire. The shadow creature''s assault was relentless, striking with precision and ferocity.


    The adult Behemoths, already weakened and disoriented, found themselves overwhelmed by the Abyssal Phantom''s power.


    Their attempts to shake off the shadowy attacker were futile, as the Phantom''s strength seemed to grow with each passing second.


    Xu Feng watched the scene unfold with satisfaction.


    The Abyssal Phantom''s attacks were not only physically damaging but also seemed to drain the Behemoths'' will to fight. Their movements became sluggish, their roars less fierce.


    "As expected of a Tier 2 summoning skill." Xu Feng mumbled, impressed by the devastating offensive power. The Abyssal Phantom might be a summoned creature, but anyone dared to underestimate it would be surely sorry. Thinking about this, Xu Feng realized some might even begin to mistake him for a Summoner.


    ''Hmm, this isn''t bad.'' He thought, grinning briefly as he watched the adult Behemoths continue to struggle under the relentless assault of the Abyssal Phantom.


    Although the Abyssal Phantom received damage from time to time, nearly getting one shot in the process, Xu Feng was quite meticulous in his healing and buff. He ensured the Abyssal Phantom could remain healthy on the battlefield andpletely focus on offense and nothing else.


    The cooldown for the summoning was 180 seconds, so by the time when Xu Feng failed to heal the Abyssal Phantom in time, he could easily resummon it.


    Such a method was only possible because he was a Cleric.


    Who else but him could buff and heal the Abyssal Phantom to remain in the field for such a long duration?


    Though, the reality was Xu Feng remained cautious and wasn''tcent about the strength of the Abyssal Phantom. After all, the Behemoths aren''t simple monsters that would be defeated by a mere summoned creature.


    The only reason why they struggled was due to the psychological impact of their younglings being beaten and the unexpected injuries caused by the falling debris spikes.


    Had they not been distracted heavily by their worry for the younglings, added to the provocation of Xu Feng, these adult Behemoths would have been difficult to deal with.


    Thankfully, the stronger the monsters, the higher their intelligence was, and the easier it was to manipte and provoke.


    Intelligence does not corrte with wisdom.


    Just because one was intelligent, without high wisdom to decide on the choices, it would be equivalent to a dummy prancing around about their little achievement.


    As Xu Feng quietly supported the Abyssal Phantom from afar, the adult Behemoths finally realized they needed to take out Xu Feng and not the shadow creature.


    With that in mind, they released a burst of sharp metal shards, their direction was precisely at Xu Feng''s position.


    ''Metal Burst?'' rmed, Xu Feng quickly recognized the skill and hurriedly activated Shadow Veil, increasing his evasion and dodging the sharp metal shards.


    Nevertheless, his movement was still not fast enough to avoid all the metal shards, with a few managing to injure him, resulting in a decrease in his health.


    Thankfully, the damage wasn''t that high, with each shard dealing only around 150.


    With his health being 3500, a few 150s was truly nothing much, especially when he could simply restore them back to full as a healer.


    Meanwhile, the adult Behemoths grumbled angrily, clearly not pleased with the sudden assault to deal so little damage.


    However, it didn''t have time tounch another sneaky attack, given its actions had provoked the Abyssal Phantom. Considering Xu Feng was its summoner and owner, such an action was disrespectful to it.


    With an outcry, the Abyssal Phantom started dealing with numerous Shadow Strikes without ms. The Shadow Strikes quickly proved fatal as the adult Behemoths started to stagger back and forth from the increased aggression.


    A few secondster, the adult Behemoths started to have a defensive aura shrouding them, reducing the damage taken from all attacks. Following was a series of Roar of Dominances, which emitted a fearsome roar that stunned the nearby enemies and reduced their attack power temporarily.


    Unfortunately for both Xu Feng and the Abyssal Phantom, they were quickly affected by the debuff. It wasn''t that Xu Feng didn''t notice it, but he was merely limited by hisck of resources to counter it.


    Additionally, he could not afford to retreat, otherwise, the adult Behemoths would gain distance to rescue their younglings. Currently, his duty was to stall them for as long as possible, leaving the killing of the younglings part for Carmen and Jeff.


    Thus, he could only remain within a certain range while assisting the Abyssal Phantom.


    s, things turned from bad to worse when the adult Behemoths retaliated with Iron Swipe, a powerful melee attack that dealt significant physical damage and had a chance to inflict a bleeding status effect.


    The Abyssal Phantom received 3300 damage, which would have left it with 200 health for Xu Feng to heal. However, the bleeding effect was immediate, causing the 200 to drop instantaneously.


    ''Damn, they managed tond a critical hit.'' Xu Feng twitched his brows, feeling quite unlucky. The chance of a critical hit urring was less than 10% under their condition, so it was truly an unfortunate event.


    With the Abyssal Phantom vanishing, the two adult Behemoths red at their next target, Xu Feng.


    At the same time, without the Abyssal Phantom dying their regeneration, their wounds began to heal as well.


    "Oh dear, would you look at the time?" Xu Feng pointed at his wrist and chuckled softly.


    "It''s time to dip." He added, throwing the remaining explosive pods he had saved up on the ground and activating them with Sacred Fire.


    With the activation, the explosive pod started to have a chain reaction, causing numerous explosives and dust to pile up, creating an imitation smokescreen.


    Naturally, these explosive pods wouldn''t harm the Behemoth in the slightest since they were synthesized to deal with the Pyrite Drakes specialty and not the Behemoths.

 Chapter 213: Miscalculated

    With the smokescreen active, the vision of the adult Behemoths became limited. They thought the invader was a tricky bastard who used the smokescreen to escape once it realized its situation was in peril. Stay connected via m-v l|e''-NovelBin


    However, they would be terribly mistaken if they thought Xu Feng had retreated from fear.


    Previously, he feigned an act of retreat to cloud their judgment.


    In fact, Xu Feng instantly made use of the smokescreen duration to activate yet another Dark Pact, sacrificing 10% of his health.


    Additionally, he even used Shadow Veil to approach closer to the Behemoths.


    Now that these Behemoths have finally used up all their skills and should be in cooldown, Xu Feng would be a fool to wait any longer.


    ''I let you all feel like a king earlier, so allow me to experience that feeling now.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly, swinging his staff and hitting at the critical flesh points.


    Although the damage wasn''t anything as impressive as the adult Behemoths'' attack, it was still something, to say the least.


    "Damn, my hand hurts just from trying to swing my staff." Xu Feng twitched his brows, feeling a numb sensation in his palm.


    The Behemoths'' defense was truly unbelievable, even higher than the Pyrite Drakes. Hell, the Pyrite Drakes pale inparison when putting the two side by side.


    ''Ugh, this would have been so much easier if there was only one Behemoth.'' He thought, finding the difficulty to be through the roof.


    Had it not been for his appearance here, he doubted Carmen could evenplete her mission, even if she had hired a mercenary.


    It was no wonder why Librarian Grise was generous enough to offer her two EXP Potions and five Stamina Potions.


    All Librarians are indeed nefarious and even their generosity was beyond fake.


    Despite feeling so, Xu Feng was still slightly jealous of Carmen for such an opportunity. After all, he was positive that once she returned with the missionplete, she was going to get rewarded.


    Most great rewards are usually corrted to dangerous missions. In other words, it was the high-risk, high-reward statement.


    Brushing off theseplicated thoughts, Xu Feng continued to strike at the Behemoth, ignoring the numbing sensation.


    Meanwhile, the Behemoth was enraged by the audacity of Xu Feng toe into close contact. Originally, it was still wondering how it could approach him closer to stomp him to death.


    Who would have thought Xu Feng would deliver himself to it?


    As it attempted to raise its leg to make a devastating stomp, clearly trying to turn Xu Feng into a paste, Xu Feng equally sneered at its action.


    ''Do I look like a fool?'' Xu Fengughed inwardly, instantly having the Abyssal Phantom rush to him. With the Abyssal Phantom hovering over him, Xu Feng grabbed one of its arms, having the former lift him up airborne.


    Right at that moment, the stomp urred, causing the ground to tremble rapidly and loud noises reverberated throughout their. It was just a shame that Xu Feng had avoided the damage by being airborne.


    Shortly after, Xu Feng released his grip andnded on the open flesh wound that the spikes had prated on its tough skin.


    With a cold grin, Xu Fengmented, "I''m not a constructor, but I believe in my hammering skill."


    Unaware of what Xu Feng had said, the Behemoth remained ignorant before receiving a sensation that nearly caused it to feel death looming in.


    THUMP!


    Instead of swinging his staff around like earlier, Xu Feng treated his staff as a hammer, banging on the debris spikes, piercing it deeper into its flesh.


    The other adult Behemoth upon noticing Xu Feng''s action, attempted to stop him, only to be hindered by the Abyssal Phantom.


    With the Abyssal Phantom preventing it from advancing, the only option left was to use Metal Burst, but doing so would injure itspanion too. Not to mention, the painful cries that Xu Feng was currently causing, its partner won''t be able to handle the damage.


    "Ahh, how sentimental." Xu Feng smiled lightly at them. The Divine World was truly one sick world that made monsters have simr sentiments as humans, hoping to dampen a yer''s emotion from hunting them.


    A weak-willed individual might fall for it and feelpassionate, stopping their actions of killing. However, these types of individuals would soon realize their stupidity and naivety for stopping.


    The moment they gave a monster an opportunity, no matter how slim that was, they would take that chance to kill you.


    Hence, Xu Feng would be foolish to be affected by the monster''s emotions and reactions.


    He was not cold-blooded, but he also wasn''t going to allow himself to be killed.


    Just earlier, he had to fake death to get the Skyrazor Harbinger wings crippled.


    With a ruthless expression, Xu Feng continued to hammer the debris spikes, ruining the Behemoth''s regeneration ability while casting Sacred Fire to burn its internal flesh.


    The intense heat from the Sacred Fire caused the Behemoths'' internal tissues to sear and rupture. Their once mighty roars of anger turned into pitiful wails of agony. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, mingling with the acrid scent of scorched earth and stone.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng''s eyes remained cold and unyielding. He showed no signs of stopping.


    Soon, the wailing started to turn weaker as their resistance decreased at a rapid rate. The once formidable Behemoth was now reduced to helpless masses of flesh and bone, their life force ebbing away with each passing second.


    Shortly after, Xu Feng''s clothes were drenched in blood from the spraying Behemoth, and to his astonishment, he killed the adult Behemoth already.


    His damage might not be high, but the usage of the environment was to his advantage. Added to the fact that there was the spiketched on its flesh, helped him tremendously.


    ''Damn, I''ve miscalcted.'' Xu Feng thought, realizing that he had messed up.


    After all, with the death of this adult Behemoth, the other adult Behemoth would no longer have anything holding it back from going all-out against him.


    Sure enough, as he turned around, he noticed a raged Behemoth ring at him menacingly. The Abyssal Phantom that had been hindering it was also killed by it with a single strike.


    "Carmen? Jeff? Have the two of you finished killing with the younglings?" Xu Feng called out, clearly feeling the tremendous pressure directed at him.

 Chapter 214: Eradicate

    Xu Feng never expected his damage output to be high, which resulted in the mess now. It would have been fine if he was only causing excruciating pain to the Behemoth, but it was a whole different matter now that he had killed one.


    Sure, the abundance of experience points gained was nice, but the aftermath of such might not be great.


    With his summoned Abyssal Phantom being killed in a single strike earlier than expected, the Dark Pact was still in cooldown.


    Additionally, his stamina was quite spent from the numerous actions. His mana was also running low from the number of heals and buff he cast for the Abyssal Phantom.


    To be precise, Xu Feng was screwed.


    His initial call for Carmen and Jeff was to attempt to get some reinforcement, but as he snuck a nce at their battle, it was almost over but not quite yet.


    In other words, Xu Feng was now left to fend off a rageful Behemoth by himself¡ª all alone with no assistance whatsoever.


    "See youter," Xu Feng kindly waved his hand, hopping off the dead Behemoth. He wanted to flee from the scene, going back to the high ground that he had leaped from.


    However, it was a pipe dream to believe the rageful Behemoth would let it go.


    Without even bothering with whatever nonsense Xu Feng said earlier, it started firing numerous metal shards in Xu Feng''s direction. Following was its rapid increase of pace to close the distance between them.


    ''Damn it,'' Xu Feng cursed silently, deciding to tank most of the metal shards going in its path of retreat. He was sidestepping, which most might think was a dumb decision, but in reality, sidestepping would increase his chance of distancing rather than escaping in a straight line.


    By sidestepping, it prevented the Behemoth from being able to charge straightforwardly at him. It would have to continuously alter its path, which decreased its speed slightly.


    Despite using such a tactic, the agility between them wasughable when beingpared.


    Within a few seconds, the Behemoth caught up to Xu Feng. One might think with its massive size, their agility should be minimal, but that was not the case.


    Its speed was insanely fast, and Xu Feng knew he was going to receive a terrible strike from it. Sure enough, the Behemoth used Iron Swipe on him, inflicting a bleeding status effect.


    Instantly, Xu Feng lost 1700 health along with an extra 200 from the bleeding effect.


    ''Damn, are there chances of inflicting a bleed status 100%?'' Xu Feng wondered silently, hurriedly healing himself.


    "You have a debris spike on your back. Just how does it not immobilize you in any way?" He clicked his tongue while gaining a little distance thanks to receiving the strike, using it to propel him further away.


    Xu Feng''s health was still around the 2000s mark, meaning one more strike and he would have died again.


    Thankfully, Xu Feng was relieved of some of the pressure when he heard Carmen''s loud cheering excitement.


    "Yes, we finally killed these two younglings."


    "Mhmm, Lady Wraith is very impressive in the control of the Elementalists. The improvement is skyrocketing."


    "Thanks for the praise, Jeff."


    Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    Hearing these twoughings and talking in joy while he was nearly in peril, Xu Feng wondered if those two had abandoned him. ''Hello? Your Healer is getting thrashed by a rageful Behemoth?''


    "Oh no, Feng is getting chased." Carmen suddenly noticed the loudmotion from afar, and when her eyes spotted Xu Feng, she couldn''t help but let out a chuckle.


    Throughout their interactions, Xu Feng had always beenposed and honestly, she felt he was somewhat cool.


    However, now Xu Feng was injured, his clothes slightly tattered, most likely due to the durability having been decreased, and fleeing from a raging Behemoth, it wasical. She never expected there would be a day that she would witness him in such a terrible state.


    Of course, the terrible state was an overstatement, but she found it quite perfect for someone of Xu Feng''s caliber.


    "Let''s assist him," Jeff eximed, gripping his battle axe and rushing toward Xu Feng''s side.


    With his keen sense, how could he not see Xu Feng single-handedly battling two adult Behemoths, and even sessfully killing one in the process. If Xu Feng hadn''t disyed such prowess, they would have been troubled in killing the two younglings.


    "Hey, I''m not going to sit by either." Carmen pouted, instantly summoning two Elementalists to join in.


    Shortly after the two joined in, Xu Feng was seemingly relieved of the pressure temporarily as the rageful adult Behemoth turned its attention to Jeff.


    The battle axe that he held had the stench of its younglings'' blood, meaning that he was the culprit of their death.


    It roared in a deafening sound, changing its trajectory from Xu Feng to Jeff.


    "Heh, just perfect," Jeff sneered coldly, dly charging forward to confront the adult Behemoth head-on. Unlike Xu Feng, his defense attribute was high, and he could easily take on a full frontal assault with ease.


    Additionally, Jeff had already noticed therge debris spiketched on its top, along with the somewhat sluggish movement. Such a clear indication showed that Xu Feng had weakened and injured it immensely.


    His respect for Xu Feng at the same time increased gradually as Jeff swung his battle axe, stopping the rush of the adult Behemoth.


    Following was a series of bombardments of spells hindering the adult Behemoth.


    "Nice timing, Lady Wraith," Jeff yelled out, kicked the ground lightly, and used its momentum to leap high. His eyes narrowed at the open flesh wound, and with a tight grip, Jeff used Dominion Rend, sending a devastating strike at the open flesh.


    SCREECH!


    What followed was a loud screeching noise of pain as the adult Behemoth''s rage dissipated, copsing on the ground with barely any energy left.


    At this moment, Xu Feng threw a me that didn''t look a bit intimidating, stealing the final hit.


    "Well done, everyone." He subsequently praised, havingpleted the eradication of four Behemoths.

 Chapter 215: Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road

    The four Behemoths which should have posed some problems were easily resolved, to say the least.


    With Jeff''s experience, he could handle the two younglings with the help of Carmen. However, the adult Behemoths were the troublesome ones.


    Hence, for Xu Feng to take on the task of dying, even injuring, and killing one of them in the process was an unbelievable feat.


    The gaze that Jeff held on Xu Feng had subsequently changed from a mixture of fear and annoyance to reverence. It was no wonder how Xu Feng could be a Baron.


    ''A healer can actually be this frightening.'' Jeff thought to himself, feeling quite lucky to not receive much punishment for his previous deeds at the Mercenary Association.


    As for Carmen, she didn''t care about who got thest hit and was just d that Xu Feng didn''t die.


    At the same time, she noticed a dead adult Behemoth on the far side. "How did you kill one of them all alone in a 2 vs 1 situation?"


    "Didn''t I say I was an expert?" Xu Feng tly responded, unwilling to divulge the details further.


    "Yes, an expert who was forced to flee earlier." Carmen teasingly said.


    However, she quickly rushed toward him and smiled sweetly, "But still an expert nevertheless."


    While saying so, her eyes widened in shock at his staff, which was actually damaged beyond recognition.


    ''So his weapon broke¡­'' She thought to herself, finally realizing why he was forced to flee.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng noticed her change of expression and smiled bitterly.


    The hammering process was effective, to say the least, but in return, his staff was effectively defective.


    The durability didn''t just reach 0 but at a negative value. To have it repaired would require a ton of money. Not to mention, the staff wasn''t anything great either.


    Of course, he still had many great staff stocked in his inventory. It was just that he had noticed Jeff and Carmen were done, so he could leave the fighting to them instead.


    ''If I continued to fight, then I would have to switch to the new staff and cause the durability to decrease. It was better to leave the task to Jeff.'' Xu Feng eximed, feeling proud for being so frugal.


    Shortly after Jeff gathered the corpses together, Carmen suggested splitting the loot.


    However, Xu Feng was quick to refuse, not because he was generous, but because he knew she needed all of it to report back to Librarian Griselda.


    "The Librarian tasked you with such mainly for a test of your capability. So it''s best to have everything here just in case they might ask you for something." Xu Feng warned.


    He had heard numerous yers outcry andin whenpleting a Librarian''s quest in the past timeline. They cried about sharing the loot among those they requested for help or out of generosity, only to end up with a fierce scolding and minimal reward.


    "Is that even alright?" Carmen raised an eyebrow, taking a nce at Jeff.


    Jeff, in response, merely shrugged his shoulders and shed a smile on his face. He wasmissioned for the job anyway, and to get any share of the reward earlier was already enough.


    Nevertheless, the main cause for it might probably be because of Xu Feng.


    Seeing how nobody rejected Xu Feng''s goodwill, and if she were to refuse it, she would be a hypocrite.


    "Fine, I''ll take it," She sighed softly and stored all the corpses and drops in her inventory.


    While doing so, she took another look at their around them.


    Originally, it was quite peaceful and had quite an aesthetic scenic, but after the battle, only debris and traces of a fierce fight remained.


    "No need to feel so mncholy." Xu Feng suddenlymented. "We''re not in some sort of drama or movie. Just appreciate your victory and move on."


    Carmen pursed her lips, baffled by his words. "I wasn''t trying to act mncholy."


    "Okay good," he breathed a sigh of relief and proceeded to turn around to walk back to the exit.


    Speechless, Carmen could only quietly follow behind to the exit. With the Behemoths now in, there was nothing else to do but return.


    As the trio exited out of their and was walking, Xu Feng suddenly sensed danger. Almost instinctively, he held Carmen''s arm and dragged her to his side.


    BANG!


    A brief secondter, Carmen''s original position was shot, with a bullet struck on the concrete.


    "Oho, someone actually dodged your shot, Eagle Snipe."


    "Tsk, she didn''t dodge but got dragged away in the nick of time. Get your facts right, Hundred Ghost!"


    "Haha, whatever you say."


    Added to theughter, two men emerged in the front from the corner, along with eight more behind them.


    Meanwhile, Carmen''s expression quickly turned fierce as she recognized the two people who were chattering.


    "Eagle Snipe and Hundred Ghost¡­" She gnashed her teeth, and anger filled her eyes. She could never forget these two people in her life. And it wasn''t because of anything good, but just for the fact that they had hunted and killed her down.


    "Are these two clowns the ones that you rejected?" Xu Feng suddenly inquired, putting his hand on her shoulder and patting it softly.


    Despite the questions, Xu Feng already knew the answer. It would be more precise to say that he recognized these two individuals way more than Carmen.


    Hundred Ghost and Eagle Snipe were people who used to be hispetitors during the time he joined the Reaver Guild in his past timeline. Not only were these two ruthless with their methods to reach the top, but they were also a bunch of unscrupulous folks.


    ''How hrious to encounter them here.'' He thought. People often say enemies meet on a narrow road, and they would be correct for saying so.


    Although these people most likely tracked Carmen, this problem was going to be his now.


    "Be careful, Feng. They are the branch of the Reaver Guild that operated on RedEagle Town." Carmen exined, once again warning Xu Feng where they originated from.

 Chapter 216: Bend

    The warning from Carmen, along with her concern toward Xu Feng irked Hundred Ghost slightly.


    He was displeased and felt humiliated for being ignored.


    He quickly turned his attention to Xu Feng and warned, "Hey brat. Our matter is with her, so if you don''t want to be implicated, then you should leave now."


    Naturally, Hundred Ghost''s warning was aplete lie. As if he was going to let Xu Feng leave peacefully now that they had revealed themselves.


    He merely wanted to toy with thetter and make Carmen realize how much of a coward she chose herpanion to be.


    Of course, Xu Feng would be a fool to believe any of his wordings, but the same could not be said for Carmen.


    "Feng, you should just leave," Carmen whispered softly, a panicked expression on her face. "That Hundred Ghost is level 8 and his gears are all Umon. He will really kill you back down to level 0 if you mess with him."


    "Oh, are you concerned for me?" Xu Feng mused, feigning ignorance of the situation.


    "Why are you doing this?" Exasperated, Carmen wondered if Xu Feng really thought he could handle the enemy.


    Sure, he was an expert, but it was too much against Hundred Ghost, Eagle Snipe, and his other 8panions.


    She had personally witnessed those who imed to be an expert and tried to help her out, only to end up hating and cursing her.


    Having teamed up with Xu Feng, she didn''t want him to start hating and cursing her.


    "Stop worrying about it and stand behind me." Xu Feng smiled calmly.


    "Let me show you one of the benefits of joining my future guild." He added, taking a step forward and staring into Hundred Ghost''s eyes.


    Instantaneously, Hundred Ghost''s expression turned colder. "So, I guess you really want to y the hero saving the damsel in distress."


    "Pfft," Xu Feng suddenlyughed, nearly dying from Hundred Ghost''s ridiculousment.


    "What''s so funny?"


    On the verge of fuming, Hundred Ghost wanted to know what was so funny to him. At the same time, his mind began simting the torture he would unleash on this bastard.


    "Funny? You should open a circus for the clown jokes, Hundred Ghost." Xu Feng was wheezing and continued, "If she''s the damsel in distress and I''m the hero, then you''re the typical viin that meets their karma."


    "PFFT" Even the initially worried Carmen couldn''t help but giggle at Xu Feng''s remark.


    As for Jeff, heughed the loudest, even pping his hands in amazement.


    After all, he felt zero fear against the 10 unknown people that were ambushing them. In fact, he was quite eager to kill them already, but seeing how Xu Feng hadn''t said anything, he decided to wait and see.


    Sure enough, his decision was great, given how much Xu Feng had just humiliated the enemies.


    Meanwhile, veins started bulging out from Hundred Ghost''s forehead, his blood boiling. "Kill him! I want him to go back to level 0 and restart his damn ount!"


    Shortly after, Hundred Ghost''s subordinates aside from Eagle Snipe started to cast their spells. Some of them even started shouting their spell names.


    ''What a bunch of retards.'' Xu Feng sneered inwardly. Only a retard would announce their spell names loudly when they could have just cast them silently to prevent leaking any information about what they are trying to do.


    "You''re dead meat!" Hundred Ghost grinned menacingly, gleeful at the inactions of Xu Feng. He deduced his inactions for being frightened and was now regretting his stinky mouth of speaking out.


    However, Hundred Ghost couldn''t be more wrong as Xu Feng turned to Jeff and said two simple words."


    "Do it."


    A grin shed on Jeff, and before the enemies could evenprehend, he swung his battle axe so swiftly and fiercely, instantly decimating all the enemies in a single strike.


    "W-What the?" Carmen''s eyes widened inplete shock, clearly startled by Jeff''s prowess. She couldn''t fathom the scene before her that she had to rub her eyes numerous times to confirm that the enemies haunting her had been killed just like that.


    "Jeff is a bona fide expert who could easily kill these dummies in a single strike, Carmen." Xu Feng calmly exined, walked forward, and gave a kick at Hundred Ghost''s corpse.


    "Jeff, when can you use Dominion Rend again?" He asked, his gaze remained on the Hundred Ghost.


    "I can still use it two more times before needing 20 seconds," Jeff exined, revealing that he could use it 3 consecutive times before needing to wait.


    "Oh?" Surprised, Xu Feng didn''t expect he could still use it 2 more times. "That''s perfect then."


    "Why?" Carmen asked, seemingly confused.


    However, the next moment, she realized what Xu Feng meant.


    Without hesitation, Xu Feng cast Revive, resurrecting Hundred Ghost.


    As soon as Hundred Ghost was resurrected, he took a few steps back, his eyes filled with horror as he gazed at Jeff.


    "W-W-Who are you?" He stutteringly said, pointing at Jeff. "How dare you mess with the Reaver Guild? Don''t you know the consequences of such actions?"


    "Wow, this Hundred Ghost is more stupid than I initially thought." Xu Feng murmured, failing toprehend how the current Hundred Ghost was way different than the one in his memory.


    To threaten an NPC, much less one that was under the Mercenary Association was apletely suicidal move.


    Although the Mercenaries under the association arepetitors in a sense, that doesn''t mean they were not united.


    In fact, they were all united if one dared to threaten a mercenary for no apparent reason, especially when they weren''t the ones that provoked others.


    "Reaver Guild?" Jeffughed in amusement.


    "Even if you are part of the Adventure Guild, you will have to bend in front of the Mercenary Association." He sneered and without another word, he swung his battle axe yet again.


    "Wai¡ª"


    Before Hundred Ghost could even finish a word, he was killed, losing a level in the process and more equipment dropped.

 Chapter 217: Terror

    As Hundred Ghost spoke the wrong word and got killed, Xu Feng sighed softly.


    "Come on, Jeff." He smiled bitterly. "You killed him too fast. My revive is still on cooldown. What would you do if he respawned to a town?"


    "S-Sorry¡­" Realizing his mistake, Jeff softly apologized, his earlier fierce demeanor was no longer visible.


    Of course, it was just a joke and Xu Feng wasn''t really mad.


    The respawn time was usually set in 30 minutes unless there were some special circumstances, so it was anything but a farce that Xu Feng made.


    Yet Jeff still yed along and behaved somewhat timidly.


    Toward the rude and disgusting Hundred Ghost, Jeff was not afraid of thetter whatsoever.


    However, toward Xu Feng, he was filled with a tinge of fear and mostly reverence.


    Despite his low level and attributes, he managed to stall two adult Behemoths and even killed one of them without any assistance. Such a feat was unheard of, and in this world, respect was given to the strong.


    Xu Feng had already proven himself to be a strong expert, so respect must be given.


    As for Hundred Ghost and hispanions¡ª who couldn''t even resist a single Dominion Rend from him was worse than trash. They were non-recyble trash that no one wanted.


    While their conversation was ongoing, Carmen was wholly astonished, never expecting such a crisis to be so easily resolved.


    "Shouldn''t we be running after some conversation and Hundred Ghost will be madly chasing after us?" Carmen muttered, her eyes ncing at the corpses. These were all level 7-8 yers that most ordinary yers would be struggling to escape from.


    What astonished her further was that Xu Feng continued to revive Hundred Ghost yet again.


    At this moment, terror finally filled his eyes as he realized Jeff was an invincible existence.


    "Stop it!" Hundred Ghost raised his hand and said, "It was wrong of me to be disrespectful to you, but our goal is simply Lunar Wraith."


    Confused, Jeff turned to Xu Feng, clearly unable to tell if Hundred Ghost was braindead or just in stupid in general.


    Why was he pleading mercy from him?


    "I''m not the person you need to plead." Jeff snorted coldly, cing his battle axe by his shoulder, and continued, "You need to have Mister Feng''s forgiveness if you want to live."


    Originally, Jeff wanted to say Baron Feng, but sensing Xu Feng''s re, he knew he shouldn''t refer to his noble status.


    And he felt it was only right, given these people were worse than the citizens.


    Their status was only adventures, yet they dared to prance around him. Truly, ignorance was bliss, but to be overly ignorant was ridiculous.


    ''I''m a mercenary and even I needed to mind my words toward Baron Feng. How dare these lowly adventurers try to ambush and threaten him!'' Jeff inwardly sneered, finding these people''s behaviorughable.


    Do they think that by being adventurers, they could have the Adventure Guild to support their nonsense?


    The Mercenary Association and Adventure Guild operated independently, with some asions of working together. However, one thing was for certain, neither party would be foolish enough to provoke others to start a war.


    When Hundred Ghost realized that he needed to plead mercy to the person he was just disrespecting and ordered to be killed back to level 0, he was left bbergasted, his mouth hanging open.


    It was as if he wanted to say something but no sound came out.


    He didn''t want to apologize, but as Xu Feng shed a very friendly smile, a chill ran down his spine.


    ''Fuck, this bastard has a strong helper. I''ll just take this humiliation for now and repay it tenfold the next time.'' Hundred Ghost swore inwardly, clenched his fist secretly, and began to apologize.


    "I-I''m sorry, Mister Feng. It was my fault for targeting you and your friend." He said after much difficulty, his nails nearly pierced his flesh skin from clenching so hard.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng seemed distracted, ncing left and right.


    He finally took notice of Hundred Ghost and chuckled, "Oh, you were apologizing to me?"


    "Whoopsie, but you listened to the wrong person. I''m not the person involved, but it''s Lunar Wraith over here."


    As Xu Feng directed the person required to apologize, he made sure to call Carmen by her character name and not her real name. These bunch of clowns did not deserve to know her real name, lest they might find her in the real world.


    Hundred Ghost felt like his blood boiling reached its breaking point.


    At first, he suppressed his anger and apologized, but now he was told that the person he apologized to was incorrect.


    At this moment, he truly wished to retrieve his weapon and attack Xu Feng.


    However, whenever he wanted to attempt such an act, he sensed the frightening killing intent from Jeff.


    It didn''t take a genius to know that the moment he tried such an act, it would be another death iing. He had already died twice, losing a level and numerous pieces of equipment that were scattered on the ground.


    Overwhelmed with the terror of the possibility of losing even more, Hundred Ghost restrained his pride yet again and turned to Carmen.


    With a difficult smile, he sheepishly said, "Sorry Lunar Wraith. It was our fault to target you and I promise it won''t happen again here."


    Carmen was rmed, astonished, and filled with disbelief. All along, Hundred Ghost had been unruly and overbearing arrogant, constantly haunting her like a pest.


    The scenario of him ever cowering and apologizing to her never urred in her mind.


    Yet Xu Feng had done it. Of course, Jeff''s credit can''t be diminished, considering he was the person who managed to kill them with a single attack.


    Taking a deep breath, Carmen mustered her courage and eximed, "I don''t wish to ever see you again."


    Hundred Ghost was delighted, clearly knowing that Carmen was still the naive soft-headed fool.


    "Yes, I will¡ª" Before Hundred Ghost couldplete his sentence by saying he would agree, Xu Feng''s next word dumbfounded him.


    "Since Lunar Wraith doesn''t want to see him ever again, do the job." Xu Feng coolly said.

 Chapter 218: Back to Level 0

    "Wait wait, this isn''t right." Hundred Ghost panickedly shouted as he crawled backward, with one of his hands raised up.


    "Lunar Wraith already forgave me, so what''s with the aggression?" He shouted, gazing at Jeff, who seemed ready to swing his mighty battle axe at him.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng adjusted his sses and calmly said, "Yes, Lunar Wraith said she doesn''t wish to see you ever again. So I naturally have toply with that."


    "Bullshit!" Hundred Ghost roared. "She naturally meant that I should never appear in front of her again with that statement."


    This was amon statement that most used when they refused to see a person anymore. Yet Xu Feng misinterpreted it as killing him.


    At the same time, Hundred Ghost turned his attention to Carmen, seemingly hoping she would rify her meaning for the slow-witted Xu Feng.


    He had already suppressed his rage and endured the humiliation to apologize not once, but twice in a row.


    That was already being overwhelmingly generous for someone of his stature.


    "Um, Feng," Carmen wanted to rify her meaning as well, but Xu Feng cut her off.


    "I don''t know what kind of school you went to, but it was definitely not some bright school." Xu Feng sneered andmanded Jeff. "Kill him already."


    "Understood," Jeff responded and swung his battle axe.


    "YOU BASTARD!"


    That was Hundred Ghost''s words before he was in yet again, losing quite a bit of experience points.


    However, the very next moment, Xu Feng used Divine Resurrection, reviving the dumbfounded Hundred Ghost.


    "You can''t be serious, right?" Hundred Ghost muttered, finally realizing what Xu Feng was nning to do.


    Earlier he hadmanded others to kill Xu Feng back to level 0. Even a fool could determine what Xu Feng was trying to do when he repeatedly resurrected him from being unable to respawn.


    "Are you seriously trying to make an enemy out of the Reaver Guild? Did you think by killing me back to level 0 you will be able to escape scot-free?"


    "Hmm, you''re not wrong about that." Xu Feng nodded, but he continued, "But did you think you haven''t made an enemy of me yet after your actions? I''ll wait for your revenge."


    And with that said, Hundred Ghost saw his life sh by, plopping to the ground as his health points dropped to zero.


    This scene repeated for a while, all the way until his level dropped back to zero, and was stripped of his equipment.


    "Y-You''ve actually done it." Carmen was stunned, clearly not expecting Xu Feng to really follow through.


    "Of course, I''m not the type to joke around." Xu Feng smiled lightly. "Although you haven''t epted to join my guild, I already designated you as one. Hence, those who bullied my member shall receive my wrath."


    Carmen was rendered speechless, baffled by his statement.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng began harvesting all the pieces of equipment dropped into his inventory.


    The truth was, he needed to go against these peopleter on, so what was there to hold back? He might as well have hindered the crap out of them than waiting for them to get stronger.


    Not to mention, it was their fault to deliver themselves to him when he hadn''t sought them out yet.


    ''What a pity that Eagle Snipe and the rest have already respawned.'' Xu Feng sighed softly.


    He had to use revive solely on Hundred Ghost because his method would cause his respawn time to decrease, meaning he needed to act fast, lest thetter could respawn and escape safely.


    As for the option of logging out, he was in abat state, the penalty would be tremendous. Additionally, thetter was simply too astonished by the fact that Xu Feng could revive him way quicker than any Cleric.


    "Anyway, we should leave now." Xu Feng casually said.


    During their return, Carmen constantly tried to warn Xu Feng to be careful from now on.


    "Now that you caused Hundred Ghost such a setback, he will target you indefinitely."


    "So what?" Xu Feng snorted. "Doesn''t that mean he will stop harassing you ande after me now? That''s even better."


    "Ugh, do you really want to recruit me that badly?"


    "Naturally, someone with such potential¡­ it''ll be a waste if I let you escape."


    Although Xu Feng made such a statement that sounded no different than a creep, Carmen was appreciative of him. His behavior and actions contrasted sharply with those who initially said they would safeguard her in their team, only to end up eating their own words.


    He might not have specifically said it, but his actions proved he was a decisive person.


    "Fine, I''ll join your future guild whenever you create it." Carmen finally relented.


    Satisfied, Xu Feng nodded and inwardly thanked Hundred Ghost for the assist. If he knew that his efforts not only benefited him, but even his precious equipment went to him, Xu Feng wondered what kind of rage he would reveal.


    Meanwhile, in the real world, in a somewhat luxurious office, a gaming capsule opened up, and a rageful man got out of the capsule.


    "LIN FENG! That motherfucking piece of shit!" The man was none other than Hundred Ghost, whose veins felt like they could pop out at any moment.


    When he was resurrected for the Nth time, he used an identification skill and detected that the despicable bastard''s username was Lin Feng, he wanted nothing more than to rip him to shreds.


    He thrashed his office around, rming the person who had just entered the room.


    "What''s with you, Gui Sha?" The person asked teasingly.


    "What''s with me?" Hundred Ghost, otherwise known as Gui Sha in the real world, was infuriated by the person.


    "How dare you ask such a question, Eagle Snipe!" He yelled, feeling even more frustrated at the sight of Eagle Snipe.


    Of all the people that went to ambush Lin Feng, only he received the treatment of dying back to level 0 whereas Eagle Snipe respawned safety shortly after.


    How could he not be infuriated at the gloating Eagle Snipe?


    Naturally, Eagle Snipe could somewhat predict what urred when he noticed Hundred Ghost level went from 8 to 0 all of a sudden, especially when he didn''t respawn.

 Chapter 219: Bounty

    Eagle Snipe indeed came over to Hundred Ghost''s office to gloat at his misery.


    Why wouldn''t he?


    They might be from the same branch, but they were alsopetitors.


    Since either one of them could have been the one to receive such a tragic fate, Eagle Snipe was pleased that the unlucky one wasn''t him.


    Nevertheless, his satisfaction was fleeting as his expression gradually turned cold.


    "Although I''m happy about your misery, that yer disrespected the Reaver Guild." Eagle Snipe said coldly. "Anyone that disrespected us should be dreaming if they think they can survive in the Divine World."


    Suppressing his emotion, Hundred Ghost also nodded his head in agreement.


    They werepetitors, but that didn''t mean some Tom, Dick, and Harry could mess around with them.


    "I lost all my equipment, but this debt, I''ll repay it back tenfold," Hundred Ghost dered, mes flickering in his eyes. "Set a bounty of 10 silver coins for Lin Feng''s death. And if anyone can offer any information of his whereabouts, they can receive 50 copper coins."


    Silver coins were still immensely scarce and valuable, so to offer a value of 10 silver coins, goes to show how infuriated Hundred Ghost was.


    Meanwhile, Eagle Snipe didn''t bother teasing thetter and nodded in agreement.


    ¡ª


    Riverwood Town


    "Alright, I guess this is where we split off." Xu Feng calmly said once they arrived at the town.


    "You''re not going to follow me?" Carmen inquired.


    Given that her mission waspleted mainly because of Xu Feng''s contribution, she felt a bit guilty to hog all the rewards for herself. Not to mention, she got his Superior Umon cloak and all the rewards dropped by the Ironhide Behemoths.


    "I still have something to do, plus I already gained a lot." Xu Feng calmly responded, feeling gleeful that his stagnated level had risen tremendously. He was now level 10 after the repeated death of Hundred Ghost.


    Although the killer was Jeff, he assisted by reviving thetter and since Jeff was an NPC, most of the experience points were delegated to him. As for Carmen, she didn''t receive anything because she didn''t assist in the fight.


    "I guessed we split off here then," Carmen nodded.


    "I''ll take my leave as well," Jeff announced. Hismission waspleted, so it was time to split off from the team. After all, he was just a hired mercenary.


    Just like that, the trio who had been partying went their separate ways, with Xu Feng heading to the Town Hall.


    ''It''s really surprising.'' He thought, ncing at his mission beingpleted and needing to head to Receptionist Sandy to confirm it.


    During the time he spent with Carmen, the other yers weren''t idle.


    In fact, they were extremely active in raiding all the Hideout locations, with some even managing to kill the ringleader.


    Unfortunately for them, none of them are getting the real benefits aside from him.


    Sure, they might have some amazing equipment, with the ringleader actually dropping a rare piece of equipment, but it was still not worth the time and effort.


    As Xu Feng arrived at the Town Hall, Sandy''s face lit up.


    However, she seemed to have realized Xu Feng preferred to stay lowkey so she simply pointed at the upper floor.


    Nodding his head, Xu Feng began walking upstairs, astonishing the other yers in the lobby.


    "Look, he can actually head upstairs."


    "Could he be that mysterious yer?"


    "Hmm, that''s hard to say¡­ his appearance doesn''t match. Not to mention, we are almost qualified to be citizens in the town anyway. So it''s not rare to see anyone heading upstairs."


    "You''re right. It''s been said that Guild Leader Gentle Wind already became a town noble and received the privilege."


    While Xu Feng was minding his business, he was surprised by the conversation. ''Gentle Wind is a noble huh. It seems like I really need to act fast.''


    Shortly after, Xu Feng arrived at the corridor of the 2nd floor, patiently waiting for Sandy.


    While waiting, Xu Feng was browsing the forum page, and as expected, someone had ced a bounty on him.


    10 Silver Coins for whoever kills Lin Feng with proof, and 50 copper coins for whoever has information regarding Lin Feng''s whereabouts!


    The bounty post garnered quite the attention, especially with the juicy payment for the current streams of yers. 1 silver coin to them was considered a luxury, not to mention 10 silver coins.


    Of course, whenpared to him, that kind of money was pathetically low.


    "Well, two can y at that game." Xu Feng mused, reading through thement section.


    Wow, Hundred Ghost is actually posting a bounty on a yer!


    Heh, that''s the Reaver Guild for you. They are overbearing, but they have the capability to back it up!


    Indeed, Reaver Guild is a First Rate Guild, close to reaching the status of Super Guild. Their financial assets are unreal, and their members are all experts.


    Reading them, Xu Feng silently posted a video, along with the caption "Reaver Guild? Are they strong?" in the forum.


    The moment his post went public, the yers who were camping on the forum, clearly taking a rest after their grind, were shocked.


    "What the heck? yer Lin Feng actually responded to the bounty." One of the yers sitting by the bar, spat their drinks out upon noticing a new post.


    After all, Hundred Ghost had just posted a bounty on Lin Feng in the forum, and Lin Feng instantly hit back, along with a video.


    However, what astonished the yer more was the video required a fee of 1 silver coin, and if yers who bought the video wanted to share it must pay a fee of 50 copper coins.


    "This is a scam!" The yer stood up and shouted.


    "What''s the matter with you?"


    "Look at the forum and see the post that yer Lin Feng posted."


    At first, the people in the bar were confused, however, when they checked on the post and saw the exorbitant price of the viewing fee, they were astonished.


    "What''s wrong with this Lin Feng?"


    Despite saying so, one person gritted their teeth and decided to pay the viewing fee.


    A few minutester, his face turned ashen gray, "No wonder Hundred Ghost was so adamant in wanting Lin Feng''s head."

 Chapter 220: Public Humiliation

    When the yer who spent a whopping 1 silver coin to purchase the video finished watching it, his expression shifted from curious to pale. It got everyone in the bar curious.


    "So? What was the video about?" One yer couldn''t handle the suspense and asked.


    "Give me 60 copper coins."


    "Bruh¡­"


    "Don''t bruh me. I need to pay an additional 50 copper coins if I want to share the video, so asking for 10 isn''t much."


    "But you can just tell us the details."


    "Nah, you need to watch it yourself to experience why Hundred Ghost and the Reaver Guild wanted nothing more than the death of Lin Feng."


    Since he spent 1 silver coin, which put a dent in his assets, he wanted to earn a little bit more from sharing. If someone thought he was easy to scam, then they could dream on.


    Sure enough, the fee of 60 copper coins was still more eptable than paying 1 silver coin. Thus, the yer who spent 1 silver coin instantly regained his asset and earned even more.


    A few minutester, everyone saw the video that was shared with them and they couldn''t help but sneer andugh at Hundred Ghost''s pathetic sight.


    "Hahaha, he pleaded for mercy but still got killed back to level 0."


    "No wonder Hundred Ghost and Reaver Guild are posting the bounty."


    "This is so worth the 60 copper coins."


    While the bar was filled withughter, in RedEagle Town, the atmosphere was grim and intense.


    The regr yers all kept their heads lowered as they passed through some of the Reaver Guild''s members.


    "That bastard Lin Feng fucking posted the video of my death!" Hundred Ghost, who had logged back in, roared in fury.


    This was no longer a small issue, but a public humiliation to him and the Reaver Guild.


    Meanwhile, Eagle Snipe wasn''t having a good time either as he just finishedmunicating with one of the higher-ups.


    "Hundred Ghost¡­" He called out, turning to him.


    "What?" Unaware of the matter, Hundred Ghost asked angrily.


    Eagle Snipe didn''t mind the attitude, given he would have reacted way worse if the position was swapped. "Elder Dark Bane said if you can''t resolve this issue, then you will be called back to the headquarters and someone else will rece you for the development of RedEagle Town."


    "Damn it!" Hundred Ghost narrowed his eyes, feeling a stream of anger pumping up. Never once did he think Lin Feng to be so gutsy enough to retaliate almost immediately and post the video.


    ''Just why was he even recording that?'' He inwardly cursed, finding thetter unbelievable.


    Despite his frustration, what was done was done. There was nothing he could do to stop the public from talking about it behind his back.


    Not to mention, his reputation wasn''t the best either, with many probably enjoying his demise silently.


    Sure enough, it didn''t take long for Lin Feng''s post to reach the top trending page in the forum, with many anonymous users gloating and praising him to the top.


    ¡ª


    Hmph, Hundred Ghost and the Reaver Guild are just a bunch of bullies. I''m so d Lin Feng taught them a severe lesson.


    Yeah, dying back to level 0. That''s what I call karma has found its target at longst.


    All hail Lin Feng and I wish someone could snap a picture of the current Hundred Ghost. His facial expression would be a great meme or emoji.


    ¡ª


    Reading thesements that got more and more unruly, Hundred Ghost mmed his palm and ordered his men to ughter those who even dared to discuss this matter.


    At the same time, he shouted, "Increase the bounty from 10 silver coins to 30 silver coins. No, make it 50 silver coins. If they can kill him back to level 0, then reward them 1 gold coin."


    rmed, Eagle Snipe didn''t expect him to be so crazy. Nevertheless, he kept quiet and didn''t bother convincing him to stop.


    While Hundred Ghost went into a frenzy, Xu Feng on the other hand was quite rxed.


    In fact, after making such a post, he received multiple messages, specifically from Gentle Wind and Autumn Breeze.


    Gentle Wind: Are you alright, Lin Feng? The Reaver Guild is a First-Rate guild, and they are not easy to avoid.


    Autumn Breeze: You sure are a courageous man. I approve of the retaliation, but you should be wary. The Reaver Guild is backed by the Reaver Corporation, with many other subsidiaries under them.


    Toward these two messages, Xu Feng merely replied with a simple message.


    Lin Feng: Let theme if they dare.


    Shortly after, OneManMedia even messaged him, much to his surprise.


    And to his surprise, OneManMedia was praising him and said he was willing to spill dirt regarding the Reaver Guild. All Xu Feng needed to do was give the word.


    ''Hmm, it seems like his impression of me has changed quite a bit.'' Xu Feng thought, finding it quiteical.


    From an outsider''s perspective, what Xu Feng did was satisfying, but also suicidal.


    After all, that was the Reaver Guild they were talking about. They were tyrannical, even worse than Tyrant Fist Guild by at least 100 times. Yet none dared to speak up or fight against them.


    The reason wasn''t that there was no oneing up, but those who tried had all vanished. The Reaver Guild was well-known in the virtual gamemunity.


    However, these people still haven''t noticed that Divine World was not the same type of virtual game in the past.


    ''If I can''t even make the Reaver Guild suffer, then I might as well delete my game ount.'' Xu Feng inwardly sneered, not a bit afraid of the retaliation.


    This was merely the start of his n, and their gap would only continue to grow wider.


    Reaver Guild?


    That was just a stepping stone for him to achieve fame and set up a foundation for himself.


    "Sorry for making you wait, Baron Lin Feng." While Xu Feng was thinking, Sandy arrived and smiled lightly.


    "The Town Mayor is waiting for you in the office and I must say, he''s very pleased."

 Chapter 221: Town Mayor

    Upon hearing that the Town Mayor was very pleased and waiting for him, Xu Feng smiled briefly in response.


    "It must be thanks to you that spoke greatly of me, Sandy." Xu Fengmented, giving most of the credit to Sandy.


    She was the person connecting the two throughout the mission, so it was natural he needed to acknowledge her.


    Sure enough, Sandy was pleased by his statement as she lightly brushed it off.


    "Anyway, follow me. The Town Mayor has been urging me to bring the person responsible for resolving the crisis for him."


    Shortly after, the two arrived at the usually restricted area, reserved only for authorized personnel approved by the Town Mayor.


    Even the guards standing by were Tier 1, level 100. Just one of them was enough to annihte the likes of Jeff repeatedly with ease.


    Luckily, Xu Feng was apanied by Sandy, otherwise, he might suffer a fate worse than death. Getting killed by NPCs was anything but great.


    In fact, the punishment implemented by NPCs was far more severe than being killed by monsters or yers.


    With Sandy as the guide, the guards gradually stood aside, allowing them to enter the office.


    The Town Mayor''s office in Riverwood was an impressive chamber that reflected both authority and elegance.


    The room was spacious, with high ceilings adorned with intricate wooden beams and chandeliers casting a warm, golden glow. Rich tapestries depicting the town''s history and notable achievements hung on the walls, adding a touch of grandeur.


    Arge, ornately carved oak desk dominated the center of the room, behind which sat the Town Mayor''s high-backed leather chair. The desk was meticulously organized, with neatly stacked documents, an ink set, and a few personal trinkets that hinted at the mayor''s interests and hobbies.


    "Mayor Adam, I have brought Baron Lin Feng over here." Sandy bowed and said respectfully, reverence could be seen in her eyes.


    "So it''s the famous Baron that Herbalist Elias has been vouching for." Adam fixed his gaze on Xu Feng andughed heartily. "Indeed, such a young man but capable of resolving the insurgent that has been troubling me and other mayors."


    "You over-praise me too much, Mayor Adam." Xu Feng remained humble and shook his head. "It''s all thanks to the collective effort of everyone that the crisis was resolved."


    There was an oppressive aura emitted from Adam, and it wasn''t done on purpose. It was just his passive aura that naturally suppressed others, but Xu Feng was able to remainposed.


    Seeing howposed and humbled Xu Feng remained despite making such an achievement, Adam became more pleased.


    He nodded his head repeatedly. "Even if you say that, I''ve discussed with the other mayors regarding what type of reward should be granted to you."


    Xu Feng inwardly shuddered in excitement upon hearing the type of reward.


    In his recollection of memory, he recalled that the yer whopleted the insurgent mission received an early advantage when entering a city.


    The advantage was enough to make many guilds offer many high prices to pouch them in.


    ''Could it be an item that improves a yer''s overall attribute such as the Advanced Training Voucher or is it a discount on all city store''s price, City Merchant Pass?'' Xu Feng pondered silently, not minding either one.


    The atmosphere became somewhat tense, with Adam keeping quiet for a good few seconds, almost as if he wanted to make the reward a suspenseful event.


    Thankfully, Adam stopped stalling and retrieved a charter, cing it on the desk. "I believe a young man like you won''t be restricted to just the town. This charter is suitable to someone of your caliber who is destined for greatness."


    System: As a reward for your exemry service in resolving the insurgent crisis, the Mayor of Riverwood has granted you a Guild Hall Charter and the honorary title, Protector of Riverwood.


    Astonished, Xu Feng was truly taken aback this time. Not only did he receive an honorary title that came with the benefit of being able to ept exclusive questions, but he also got a Guild Hall Charter.


    Others might not know how valuable the guild hall charter was, but he did.


    To construct any guild hall for their guild, one could easily consult it with the Adventure Association.


    However, the twist was that it cost a lot of gold coins to construct even a basic one.


    Meanwhile, the charter in his hand effectively nullified the cost. Mayor Adam and the other mayors had clearly paid for the bill, giving him free rein to choose whichever plot ofnd avable in the city to construct his guild.


    "Right, with the insurgent resolved, the cities no longer ced any restrictions for people in the town to teleport there. But the fee is still quite astronomical, requiring at least 5 gold coins and a minimum level of 15." Adam calmly exined the situation.


    "The minimum level is in ce to prevent any unnecessary death since monsters near the city are quite dangerous. However, Herbalist Elias and Receptionist Sandy constantly vouched for you. Hence, you will not be restricted, and the fee is waived in regards to your achievement."


    At this moment, Xu Feng felt like he was on cloud nine. Such bountiful rewards were definitely more than he could bargain for. He didn''t expect the insurgent mission to be involved in so manyplicated things.


    This kind of reward was definitely way better than the yer in his past timeline had received. Maybe the reward was different because the yer back then didn''tplete it wlessly.


    After all, Xu Feng managed to quench the insurgency before they could even cause any damage whereas in the past timeline, quite a few towns had been devastated.


    ''No wonder Sandy repeatedly hinted to me about the Town Mayor''s return. If the yerpletes the mission before his return, the mayor would be overwhelmingly pleased with the result.'' Xu Feng deduced.


    Had he failed toplete the hidden criteria, Mayor Adam would have to personally make a move, diminishing the reward for the said yer.


    He promptly stepped forward, epted the charter, and nced at Adam.


    "Thank you, Mayor Adam." Xu Feng bowed slightly and continued, "I won''t put your goodwill to waste."

 Chapter 222: Mirage Pendant

    After speaking for some more with the mayor, mainly about the town''s current situation, he was promptly dismissed.


    The mayor was a busy man and they are the sole authoritative in their respective town.


    For Mayor Adam to spend so much time conversing with Xu Feng was already a blessing.


    As he exited the office, Sandy followed behind and smiled lightly.


    "You''ve made quite the achievement, Baron Lin Feng," Sandymented.


    "It''s still thanks to your rmendation and Herbalist Elias'' trust in me." Xu Feng shook his head and denied taking all the credit.


    He doubted the reward would actually be that amazing had it not been for their involvement. After all, the mayor never saw him personally.


    Additionally, the insurgent wasn''t done by him alone, but many more involved. Yet even so, those who quenched the other insurgent hideout didn''t receive any recognition or reward, which had raised his suspicions.


    His method could be considered employing others to do the task on his behalf, yet Mayor Adam only praised him, neglecting everyone else.


    He would truly be ignorant if he were to believe the mayor was someone naive or foolish to not understand this matter.


    "You don''t have to thank me too much." Sandy calmly replied. "I suppose you are going to depart for the city soon, and I must warn you. The city is far moreplicated and dangerous than the town."


    "Indeed, I have a lot of things to do." Xu Feng didn''t have much to do in the town since the scope and field were very limited. This was the reason why he didn''t pay much attention to the dungeon raiding or anything else.


    As for bing a noble in the town, the benefit might be nice, but it just wasn''t great. Not to mention, he got the Baron status handed over to him for free, saving him the decision to take on town reputation quests.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng followed Sandy, who proceeded to bring him to the vault.


    "What are we doing here?" Confused, Xu Feng inquired about her intention.


    "Mayor Adam might have rewarded you, but I haven''t yet." Sandy coolly exined, opening the vault door.


    "Eh?" Dumbfounded, Xu Feng was clearly lost by her exnation.


    Despite the confusion, he still entered the vault, seemingly curious about Sandy''s intention.


    As they entered, Sandy began browsing through before picking a pendant-like essory. It was somewhat rusty, a clear definition that it had been sitting in the dust for a while.


    Sandy blew off some of the dust on the pendant. "Don''t look at this pendant as outdated. This is just a sealed item, but once unsealed, I bet you would treasure this to no end."


    "Sealed?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow.


    The word sealed was not an umon term in the Divine World. To be more precise, any godly items are usually sealed and require some unsealing method to bring out their true potential.


    The only problem?


    These types of unsealing are usually a pain in the butt to aplish.


    "I''d rather pass, Sandy." Xu Feng raised his hand and wanted to refuse her goodwill. "I don''t have the time to unseal the item."


    If the rusty pendant was able to make its way to the vault that contained numerous great items, yet left unattended for so long. It meant that the unsealing method was so tedious and difficult.


    He had enough tasks to do than to add more. Biting more than you can chew was the worst decision one could make. Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    "Don''t be so quick to reject," Sandy giggled and handed the pendant to him.


    "The unsealing method is fairly simple, but those people with their clever minds would never be able toe up with the method. They are too smart for their own good, after all."


    "You mean I can unseal it right now?"


    "Well, not quite¡­ the sun is still up."


    As soon as she finished saying that, Xu Feng received a system prompt.


    ¡ª


    System: You have received a sealed Pendant!


    Sealed Item: Mirage Pendant


    Description: The Mirage Pendant is a mystical artifact that grants its wearer the ability to change their identification and appearance at will. The pendant appears as a simple, unassuming piece of jewelry with a dull, silver luster and an intricate, yet faded, engraving of a shiftingndscape.


    Unsealing Method: To unseal the Mirage Pendant, the user must simply whisper their name into the pendant three times in session while standing under the light of the full moon.


    Effects:


    -Change Appearance: The wearer can alter their physical appearance, including facial features, hair color, and body shape. This change is temporary and can be reversed at will.


    -Change Identification: The pendant allows the user to alter their documented identity, including name, background information, and any official records.


    Note: The pendant''s power can only be used once every 24 hours, and the changesst until the user decides to revert to their original form or use the pendant again.


    ¡ª


    Astonished, Xu Feng''s eyes were glued to the unsealing method and wondered if the system got it wrong.


    He turned to Sandy and asked, "Is it really that simple?"


    "Of course," Sandy shrugged andughed. "The irony here lies in the simplicity of this method, as many seekers of the pendant''s power overlook it, believing a moreplex ritual is required."


    "B-But how did you know about this?"


    "Ahem, let''s not ask something we should not ask, okay?"


    With that being said, Xu Feng realized he needed to re-evaluate what he knew about Sandy.


    It appeared that she was more than just your typical receptionist.


    ''No wonder she had a rapport status. As expected¡­ nothing could ever be that coincidental.'' Xu Feng thought, feeling a sense of danger emitted from her when she warned him not to pry further.


    "Anyway, do you enjoy my reward more than Mayor Adam?" Sandy subsequently asked, her smile carrying a hint of malice.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng adjusted his sses and chuckled softly. He was never one to give in to threats, especially when they shed a malicious smile.


    "Naturally, I love your reward more than Mayor Adam. No, this reward of yours can''t even bepared to his, Sandy." Xu Feng responded, not an ounce of shame could be detected.

 Chapter 223: Found Their Way Home

    Some might call Xu Feng shameless for giving in to the subtle threat, but only he knew that this Mirage Pendant was far more worth it than the rewards from Mayor Adam.


    The capability to alter one''s identity was something that only someone with his poor background required when treading on the muddy water of the Divine World.


    However, his satisfaction was quickly quenched when Sandy sped her hands and exined more thoroughly.


    "By the way, even if you unsealed it, the pendant has been in the dust for a while. Hence the mana contained within it is quite low and somewhat contaminated. You''ll need to use 1 silver coin for every use."


    "..."


    It was as if someone was enjoying their greatest moment in life, only to be informed of terrible news, instantly causing them to go from joyous to gloomy.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng readilyposed himself and epted the fact.


    Such items capable of altering a yer''s identity were not really that rare, but for an item that was capable of avoiding detection¡ª that was what made the Mirage Pendant awesome.


    With the Mirage Pendant, even if he truly went on to disguise as another person, a yer would be dreaming if they thought they could identify his disguise.


    Hence, for a mere 1 silver coin in exchange for absolute security, Xu Feng felt he made a bargain.


    Wearing the Mirage Pendant for now, Xu Feng was about to thank her but was halted.


    "No need to thank me," Sandy smiled and continued, "To get the unseal done, I technically am forcing you to head to Star Falls City since only there can you get the full moon."


    Sandy didn''t want to deceive Xu Feng so she revealed her true motive in granting such a reward.


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    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was somewhat speechless by her confession. Although he somewhat guessed her agenda for gifting him an item that required unsealing specifically at Star Falls City, he didn''t mind it.


    The current state of Star Falls City was less than ideal, but that didn''t mean it wasn''t filled with potential.


    Nevertheless, since she went ahead to confess, it would be rude of Xu Feng to not gain any extra benefit.


    "Ahh, Star Falls City?" Xu Feng feigned surprise, putting up a frown expression. His acting was truly amazing, enough to fool Sandy.


    "I know the city isn''t that good with the constant monster wave being a problem, but I can alleviate your problem a little bit."


    "Oh, how so?"


    "Those Ragged Scrolls. I''ve noticed you took an interest in them back then. To save you some hassle, I can allow you to choose two Tier 2 Scrolls or five Tier 1 Scrolls."


    "Is that for real?" Astonished, Xu Feng was seriously starting to suspect Sandy to have another identity. "Or is this Mayor Adam''s arrangement?"


    "No, this is my arrangement," Sandy responded coolly, almost as if she was displeased he was trying to give credit to the mayor and not her.


    Xu Feng swallowed a mouthful of saliva, clearly unable to fathom the authority that Sandy held. At the same time, he was inwardly d that he established a good rtionship with her.


    "I will take the Tier 1 Scroll of Healing Remedies, Scroll of Earthquake, Scroll of Poison Cloud, Scroll of Meteor Shower, and Scroll of Arcane Explosion." Xu Feng quickly responded.


    Apart from the Healing Remedies which could increase his familiarity with herbology, the other four scrolls were offensive scrolls.


    The Cleric path, in the beginning, was arduous and tedious to advance, having legitimately next to zero offensive power. Thus, to save himself from the trouble and the incident of having to fake death again, he decided it was best to keep some offensive scrolls.


    Meanwhile, Sandy was slightly rmed that Xu Feng was able to make a quick decision, unlike the previous time. However, this just meant that he was indeed taking his sweet time to choose what was best for him. Otherwise, there was no way he could possibly memorize the scrolls avable here.


    "Very well, those scrolls are yours now." Sandy swiftly retrieved the respective scrolls without any trouble, handing them over to him.


    After receiving the scrolls, a satisfied smile appeared on his face. ''I thought I had to give up these scrolls, but it seems like they finally found their way home.''


    Without hesitation, Xu Feng learned the materials in the Scroll of Healing Remedies, storing the remaining four scrolls in his inventory. The other scrolls were used for battle, and not like the Healing Remedies and the previous scrolls he had used to learn a new skill.


    Different categories of scrolls had their own type of usage.


    The previous scrolls he used gave him new skills such as the Dark Pact and Heaven''s Grace, whereas the Healing Remedies simply increased his knowledge, having gained a wave of new information.


    There was a slight headache he felt when gaining this new information, which was themon norm.


    His mental concentration needed to increase higher if he wanted to learn higher Tier information scrolls. Otherwise, he might cause some damage to his brain from the abundant knowledge injected into him.


    Shortly after the duo exited the vault, Sandy gave him a city token.


    "This token is the one that allows you to enter a city of your choice. The fee has been waived already." She exined.


    "I''ll dly ept it." Instead of saying thanks, Xu Feng merely gave his gratitude at a bare minimum.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng bid his farewell to Sandy, who promptly returned to her receptionist desk.


    As he exited the Town Hall, he began messaging Zhao Kai, wanting to know about his progress with the mission. At the same time, he wanted to inquire about Fiona''s forging.


    A few secondster, Zhao Kai video called, which he epted.


    "Fiona''s father Thorin has returned, but after handing the letter, I received a subsequent quest. So now I''m kinda swamped with the workload." Zhao Kai hurriedly said.


    "I see¡­" Xu Feng nodded his head, not a bit surprised by the development. "Just try to finish the quest soon and reach level 15. I''ll be heading toward Star Falls City now."


    "Huh? You can enter the city already?" Astonished, Zhao Kai stared at Xu Feng as if he was a monster in disguise.

 Chapter 224: Teleportation Hall

    Thest time Zhao Kai remembered, Xu Feng didn''t even qualify to equip a level 5 weapon.


    Yet in the blink of an eye, Xu Feng announced that he was going to enter a city.


    How could he not be rmed?


    ''I''m only at level 9 afterpleting the mission, so how did Feng level up?'' Zhao Kai eximed inwardly, feeling overwhelmed and shocked.


    Although he didn''t pay much attention in the forum, having immersed himself in the mission and training, he was sure the mainstream yers were only a little bit over 10 or 11.


    And to enter a city, one must be level 15 at the very minimum. Otherwise, they won''t be qualified to teleport to the city, even if they have the funding to pay for the cost.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng didn''t bother exining the details. There was no need for him to know about his methods either.


    "Anyway, just help me inform Fiona that I''ll be in the city and might not be going to her cksmith soon." Xu Feng calmly said.


    "Heh, I doubt she would even bother." Zhao Kai scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "Ever since she epted your request, she had been hammering constantly. Not even her father was given much attention when he had returned."


    "Eh? How perceptive of you?"


    "Perceptive my ass. I nearly got killed by her father, who believed I was the cause of Fiona''sck of affection toward him."


    "Hahaha, I see¡­ Well, good luck gaining favorability with them. They are going to be valuable. Oh, I might create a guild soon."


    "What kind of guild¡ª" Before Zhao Kai could even finish his sentence, Xu Feng had already disconnected the video call.


    With his brows furrowed, Zhao Kai took a deep breath before clenching his fist.


    "MOTHERFUCKER!!!!" He roared in fury, unable to believe that Xu Feng had really just said his piece and gave him zero response.


    However, that was only the beginning of his plight when he felt a sense of danger looming from behind.


    "Who did you just call a motherfucker, Adventurer Shadow de?"


    ''Shit¡­'' Zhao Kai swallowed a mouthful of saliva nervously as he slowly turned around, only to see a menacing smile on their face. The person was none other than Fiona''s father, Thorin.


    Currently, he was tasked with dismantling the Pyrite Drake corpses in a spacious room by Thorin, he wanted to lessen the workload of his daughter.


    Naturally, he was displeased in the beginning since he had no experience, but Thorin still gave him a small lecture and demonstration on how to do it.


    Afterward, he was left all along with a pile of Pyrite Drake corpses, but never did he imagine the small video call he had with Xu Feng would result in such a coincidence.


    "N-No Sir, I was not cursing at you." Zhao Kai stutteringly said, feeling suffocated by the intense pressure emitted by Thorin.


    "Oh really?" Unamused, Thorin nced around the spacious room, finding no one else but him alone. "There''s no one else here, but I kept hearing you call my name, especially that part regarding how my daughter was giving me the cold shoulder."


    "..."


    At this moment, Zhao Kai wanted nothing more than to punch Xu Feng in the face for the predicament hended in.


    "S-Sir, I can exin¡ª"


    Unfortunately for Zhao Kai, his luck seemingly ran out as Thorin gave him a round of beating. There was only the asional sound of painful cries, whereas, in the lobby, Fiona continued to hum in joy, hammering on the anvil.


    While Zhao Kai was suffering, Xu Feng arrived at the Teleportation Hall near the tform.


    Most yers were using the tform to teleport back and forth whereas the Teleportation Hall was the building where people were in charge of the teleportation''s functionality.


    To simplify, they are the administrators and the people responsible for the process.


    "Halt, this is a restricted area." One of the guards by the entrance of the administrator''s office warned.


    With a simple detection, the guard could tell Xu Feng was level 10,pletely unqualified to enter. The only reason why people woulde here was to get permission to teleport to cities, so the guards were rather swift in denying him.


    As for his noble status rank, it won''t help, considering the restriction was in ce to ensure unqualified people wouldn''t die by heading to higher areas.


    In fact, his noble status served as a detrimental factor, given that the guards would be foolish to allow a noble to enter an area that was out of their league.


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    However, Xu Feng had no intention of using his Baron status either as he retrieved the city token that Sandy had given to him previously.


    "Am I not allowed with this token?" Xu Feng calmly replied, showing the city token to the guards.


    When the guards noticed the token, they promptly took it and gave a thorough inspection.


    "This is an authentic city token," the guard mumbled before waving his hands, signaling for hispanion to move aside, essentially granting entry to Xu Feng.


    Shortly after returning the city token to Xu Feng, he entered the office, where the administrator was busy with documentation.


    Before Xu Feng could even announce his arrival, the administrator softly said, "You must have been the youth that the mayors are talking about. Just put your city token down and tell me the city that you wish to teleport to. The map is over there on the right side, so take your time to choose wisely."


    The administrator went straight to business, clearly unwilling to waste his time idle chatting.


    Naturally, Xu Feng was equally pleased with the behavior as he swiftly replied, "I have decided on the city to teleport to, administrator. It''s Star Falls City."


    The pen in the administrator paused, his chin lifting up as the administrator finally took a nce at Xu Feng.


    "Are you sure you want to choose Star Falls City? That city''s poption hasn''t been greattely because of the natural disaster." He questioned, almost astonished by his choice of city.

 Chapter 225: Frantic Crowd

    The administrator thought someone like Xu Feng would choose a prosperous city to develop in.


    After all, his progress and achievements were quite known to most of the town mayors, with many praising him for his efficiency in dealing with the insurgents.


    "Yes, I''m sure about my decision, administrator." Xu Feng responded respectfully. "The city right now might not be ideal, but that is only temporary."


    When he heard the city''s name for the first time from Sandy, he was initially confused, but his memories in the past timeline regarding the city started to resurface.


    Yes, the current state of the city was below average if one was to be honest.


    However, what others didn''t know was that after a certain period, or event, the city started to return to its glory. Its prosperity even soared and surpassed multiple other top-rated cities within the Aetheria Empire.


    Silent for a moment, the administrator sighed and shook his head, unable to ponder over his decision.


    He merely expressed his concern, but since Xu Feng was adamant about his decision, then so be it. He was an administrator and not a nanny.


    "Very well, this is the pass and you can instruct the guards outside to change the teleportation for you." The administrator said, taking the city token. He then promptly returned to his documents, not even giving a nce at Xu Feng anymore.


    Knowing that the administrator was done speaking, Xu Feng silently retrieved the pass and exited the office.


    Shortly after exiting the office, Xu Feng handed the pass to the guards, who verified the details.


    "Please follow me." One of the guards said.


    Amidst themotion in the teleportation tform, Xu Feng promptly put on his mask to avoid being identified.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Why are they suddenly restricting the teleportation tform?"


    "Wait, that''s a yer. Is this some sort of event?"


    The nearby yers were stunned when the guards restricted them from going to the teleport tform.


    Elsewhere, those who finished their quests and wanted to teleport back to the town for their reward in the Adventure Association, realized they were unable to.


    "Huh? What does it mean that teleportation is temporarily closed?" One yer from an adventure team was astounded to see the system prompt.


    With just a small ripple of effect, the forum was suddenly filled with posts of their teleportation suddenly being down¡ª something that no one had expected.


    Meanwhile, those who are on the scene began spending a bit of money to take a screenshot of a masked yer standing behind the guard.


    BREAKING NEWS! A yer is being guided by the guard and doing something at the Teleportation tform!!!


    Despite themotion, with many even wanting to ask about Xu Feng, he ignored every one of them.


    However, he suddenly recalled the system was going to expose his achievement anyway for being the first yer to teleport to the city.


    ''Hmm, it seems like I need to make some announcements.'' Xu Feng thought, having decided to do some advertising. His name might be exposed, but his appearance was hidden by the mask.


    As the guard began changing the destination for the faraway city, Xu Feng turned to the frantic crowd, waving his hands.


    "Look, the masked yer is looking at us."


    "Could it be that they are going to reveal their appearance?"


    Many questions quickly surfaced in their mind, but as the masked yer made a "shh" signal, everyone promptly quieted down.


    Clearly, none of them wanted to be the cause of changing the masked yer''s intention.


    After all, some of the yers here were from an adventure team and guilds.


    They naturally want first-hand information to report back to their superiors, so if any individual decided to spoil their achievement, they were not going to be kind to them.


    With the crowd quieted down, Xu Feng found itical at their behavior.


    "I''m sure you''re all wondering why the teleportation is down at the moment, and some of you might have a guess already." Xu Feng spoke calmly, his eyes behind the mask scanning everyone.


    "And yes, you would be right if your guess was about me being eligible to teleport to a city."


    As soon as Xu Feng confirmed the suspicions, everyone went mad.


    "Holy crap, someone can teleport to a city?"


    "This is unfair. I''m only level 7. How is this masked yer level 15 already?"


    "Damn, I need to inform my superiors quickly."


    "Who are you?"


    While some went mad, some of the clever ones began asking who Xu Feng was, even if the chance of him answering was slim. Many also refused to believe Xu Feng would announce his identity, especially when he was donning a mask to hide his appearance.


    However, contrary to everyone''s opinion, Xu Fengughed heartily.


    "Who am I?" He pointed at himself. "Haven''t you seen the post that Hundred Ghost is ranting and going mad like some lunatic?"


    THUD!


    Some of the yers were so shocked beyond disbelief that they identally dropped their weapons to the ground.


    "L-Lin Feng! You''re the yer, Lin Feng."


    No one knew who shouted that name, but as soon as they did, the crowd went nuts, especially those who were into gossip.


    "Ahahahaa, Hundred Ghost is definitely feeling like he had swallowed a mouthful of maggots."


    "I know right, he had to go and provoke such an expert."


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    "But still, the Reaver Guild is still not a simple guild that you can provoke. Isn''t yer Lin Feng being way too arrogant?"


    "Arrogant my ass. The Reaver Guild are more arrogant and it''s about time they got some karma."


    Seeing the crowd divided by the discovery of his identity, with some cheering for him while some calling him arrogant, Xu Feng didn''t mind their reactions.


    Indeed, he was still a solo yer at the end of the day in the minds of these yers. Compared to a behemoth like the Reaver Guild, he was indeed going against the sky.


    However, that was precisely the message that Xu Feng wanted to spread.


    ''This is no longer an era that powerful established guilds could dominate anymore.'' Xu Feng inwardly sneered.

 Chapter 226: Star Falls City

    The crowd''s opinions were divided and their deductions were somewhat logical ording to the information in their mind.


    Although the Reaver Guild might not be a Super Guild, their status as a First-Rate Guild remained.


    And considering the Reaver Guild''s reputation in previous virtual reality games, everyone knew its prowess.


    Hence, most believed Xu Feng was just a lunatic trying to go against the sky.


    Except, none of them truly knew how deep and different the Divine World was.


    To prove his point further, Xu Feng had no ms in stepping the branch Reaver Guild situated at RedEagle Town further to boast himself.


    "If some of you are acquainted with that Loser Ghost¡ª oops, I meant Hundred Ghost, tell him that I''ll be waiting in the city." Xu Feng teased and continued, "But don''t take too long because if you do, you might not even exist in my eyes."


    Hearing that statement, some felt their blood boiling because of how gutsy Xu Feng was.


    However, none dared to voice their opinions to cheer Xu Feng, having detected some people were starting to act weird, almost as if they were enemies with Xu Feng.


    They merely kept quiet of their amazement for Xu Feng while remaining stoic.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng sneered inwardly when he detected some of the yers within the crowd to be from the Reaver Guild.


    ''As expected of the intelligencework of the Reaver Guild. They managed to locate me rather quickly, but what a shame. I''m no longer on the same ying field.''


    "The teleportation has been set," the guard who had been adjusting the teleportation suddenly informed Xu Feng.


    Nodding, Xu Feng thanked the guard and discreetly slipped in 1 gold coin to him, whispering, "I happen to have apanion called Lunar Wraith. This is a bit troublesome, but can you be lenient and let her teleport to the city I''m in using this pass."


    Stunned, the guard was speechless at Xu Feng''s intention. He began to hesitate, given the allure of 1 gold coin was simply too much. It was practically his sry for 4 months, having been paid 25 silver coins monthly.


    Not to mention, the favor wasn''t anything too difficult, since he could simply give the pass to the person Xu Feng asked.


    Additionally, Xu Feng casually shed his Baron status, and upon inspecting it, the Baron status was under the jurisdiction of Aetheria Empire, and not Riverwood Town.


    Finally, the guard made his decision and epted the pass. "I don''t know what you''re talking about, but this pass is designated for Lunar Wraith."


    "Thank you," Xu Feng softly said, knowing the guard had epted his bribery.


    Of course, his Baron status was the key factor in this bribe. Without the noble status, the guard wouldn''t dare to pull such a stunt. Not to mention, the 1 gold coin bribery was more than enough to cover the cost of another teleportation by arge margin.


    Sometimeter, the guard activated the function of the teleport, sending Xu Feng away.


    As soon as Xu Feng vanished from the tform, a regional system announcement was broadcast to all yers.


    System: Congrattions to yer Lin Feng for being the first person to enter a city.


    Following that was another private prompt that showed what Xu Feng had earned: Rewarding the title, Pioneer of Star Falls City, 100 Reputation Points, and 3 gold coins.


    "Lin Feng is really not a simple person," Gentle Wind furrowed her brows upon reading the system notification. Till now, she had barely reached level 12, nowhere close to the minimum requirement of 15.


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    While Gentle Wind was feeling a sense of pressure, Herald Fist, who was grinding in a good spot, clenched his fist tightly. "Damn it, someone else got the first spot in entering the city. I need to speed up."


    It wasn''t just Gentle Wind and Herald Fist that felt the pressure, but nearly every yer that read the system notification realized they needed to start pulling their weight. Otherwise, the gap between them would only grow bigger.


    Meanwhile, the most annoyed and infuriated person was none other than Hundred Ghost.


    To secure a foothold and attempt to dominate the town, Hundred Ghost wanted others to know of the Reaver Guild''s might. Yet not only did his first recruitment process get rejected harshly by an ignorant woman, but that woman was quite popr among teams, causing him to resort to threat.


    However, team after team, that woman seemed to be blessed with luck.


    Every team she went to made the Reaver Guild''s reputation and prestige worse, eventually making him decide to erase the woman unless she agreed to join the Reaver Guild and apologized.


    Who would have thought that also went horribly wrong?


    "That Lunar Wraith is no longer our concern, but that damn yer Lin Feng is." Hundred Ghost gnashed his teeth, his eyes ring at the system notification.


    With Xu Feng now being in the city, his previous bounty was nothing more than a joke.


    Kill Xu Feng?


    What a joke that was when Xu Feng wasn''t even in towns anymore but a city¡ª a ce that every yer was currently trying to head to.


    Without a doubt, Xu Feng was definitely going to be a popr individual, considering how a simple investigation would show that he was not a part of any team or guild.


    As Hundred Ghost felt a sense of helplessness, Xu Feng himself remained oblivious to the trouble he had caused many.


    Instead, he appeared at the teleportation tform of Star Falls City, ncing at his surroundings that were in a whole different scenery.


    He took a breath and felt the control of his body had increased dramatically.


    "A city is really different from a town. The mana density here is way better." Xu Feng muttered, clenching his hands back and forth.


    With high mana density, the better the control a yer could maneuver. It also helped increase their concentration, allowing them to be stronger in terms ofbat and reaction skills.


    Just when Xu Feng was about to explore around Star Falls City, his notification inbox was nearly bombarded by a bunch of yers.

 Chapter 227: Unsealing

    "Are these people so free?" Xu Feng eximed in astonishment when his notification inbox had 99 plus messages.


    If the number wasn''t capped at 99, Xu Feng was positive that the messages were about to reach four digits.


    So many of the messages were representatives of the guild, with most of them asking if he wanted to join their guild.


    As long as he agreed, the position of an outer elder and a high sry was guaranteed.


    ''Do I look like a naive person to them?'' Xu Feng nearly wanted tough at these so-called generous offers.


    An outer elder position and high sry might sound attractive to the unaware folks, but he knew very well this was nothing but an offer to be a ve of their guild.


    Without any hesitation, Xu Feng directly filtered out the guild invitation. He would be a legit retard to join another guild and work his ass, only to end up being a disposal tool.


    Sure enough, after filtering such an invitation, the message inbox cleared up tremendously, with only around 30-something left.


    Upon the sender, there were some familiar usernames that he hadn''t seen in a while during the first post that OneManMedia had posted about him.


    Names such as Lotus Lime, and Crimson Rose, with the former even having sent him a private message before. It was just a pity that their message was so ambiguous that he decided to ignore it in the end.


    Additionally, he was surprised to see Herald Fist sending him a message as well.


    "Even my dearest fat sheep wants tomunicate with me. How nice." Xu Feng mumbled, clearly remembering the fool who paid him an astronomical value for some of his potions. Toward such a wealthy customer, he was more than ready to entertain them a little bit.


    However, it still wasn''t the time yet for him to respond to them.


    He had just arrived in the city, so how could he spend his time responding to their messages?


    Merely, he simply highlighted the ones that he would focus on and turned off notification sounds in his inbox.


    With that done, Xu Feng felt as if the world had be a bit clearer.


    As he nced around the scenery, he noticed that the bustling liveliness seemed to be absent. It was a sharp contrast of scenery ording to his memory of the past timeline.


    The Star Falls City was supposedly not just a visual and cultural marvel but also a hub of resources and opportunities, making it a prime destination for yers seeking to enhance their gear and skills.


    ''It seems like the city hasn''t been able to discover those rich ores.'' Xu Feng deduced.


    The lore behind the city was that a meteorite had unseemingly crashed here, supposedly promptly and of richness, and resulted in this city being constructed.


    However, after years of zero luck in finding valuable ores, with the meteorite itself having been taken by the higher nobles already, the city''s management became lukewarm. Even the traffic of regr NPC was somewhat rare.


    It was a pity that Xu Feng hadn''t paid much attention to Star Falls City in his past timeline, resulting in him only having superficial information and knowledge.


    If he knew the sources of the ores that subsequently appeared, bolstering the city to a new height, Xu Feng would have been exhrated by now.


    Unfortunately, he wasn''t someone with a super brain that could memorize every tiny little detail, even if it was like 10 years ago.


    "After I unseal this pendant, I should make my way to the library and research the history." He mumbled, ncing at the sky that was starting to have the moon appear.


    Maybe the only reason why the city hadn''t been abandoned was because of the beautiful night scenery of the moon glistening at the city.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng quickly found the highest standing point which had the moonlight shining brightly.


    Shortly after, Xu Feng arrived at the prime location and held the Mirage Pendant, allowing the moon to bask in it.


    He then proceeded to call out his in-game name, Lin Feng three times. The system doesn''t know his real name, Xu Feng, so it would have been incorrect to call this name out.


    A few secondster, the pendant began to glow softly under the moonlight, its magical energy pulsating. A warm light enveloped Xu Feng, and he felt a subtle shift in his appearance and identity, albeit it reverted back to his original aura almost instantaneously.


    System: The Mirage Pendant has been sessfully unsealed. You can now use its power to change your identification and appearance at will!


    ''Sess.'' Xu Feng thought, truly taken aback by the simplicity.


    Even with the system and Sandy''s reassurance of the unsealing, Xu Feng still found it somewhat baffling. He had thought there would be some obstacles during the process, or some random troublemakers interrupting.


    However, that was truly him overthinking stuff.


    Only a person with terrible luck would constantly encounter troubles.


    ¡ª


    Item Name: Mirage Pendant


    Type: essory


    Rarity: Legendary


    Lore: The Mirage Pendant is a relic of ancient magic, said to have been crafted by a master illusionist who wished to remain forever elusive. It holds the power to alter reality itself, reflecting the ever-changing nature of the world.


    Item Abilities:


    Mirage Transformation


    Effect: Allows the user to alter their identification and appearance at will.


    Cooldown: 24 hours


    Description: When activated, the Mirage Pendant bathes the user in a soft, glowing light, enveloping them in a transformative aura. The user''s features shift seamlessly, allowing them to assume apletely new identity and appearance.


    Aura of Deception


    Effect: Upon activation, it provides a boost to stealth and evasion, making it harder for enemies to detect or target the user.


    Description: While activated, the user''s presence bes subtly obscured, blending more effectively into their surroundings. This aura of deception makes it significantly more challenging for opponents to lock onto the user duringbat or while exploring.


    Unable to be traded.


    Unable to be dropped upon death.


    ¡ª


    "I''ve truly struck gold this time." Xu Feng mumbled, his eyes widened in surprise, stunned by the rarity of the item.

 Chapter 228: Adventure Association

    Upon the unsealing waspleted, Xu Feng was beyond speechless at the rarity of the item.


    Who would have thought the Mirage Pendant was of Legendary rarity?


    At this stage of the game, where even Rare equipment was scarce, he had managed to obtain a Legendary item.


    Although the item itself wasn''t an offensive type, its utility usage allowed him to do much more. The fact that it was a Legendary rarity meant that even the most powerful identification skills would have a hard time detecting his disguise.


    "Just what is Sandy''s origin?" Xu Feng furrowed his brows, finding Sandy to be even more mysterious with the discovery of such an item rarity.


    s, no matter how hard he tried to recall, there was no information regarding Sandy in his memory.


    If Sandy was truly someone special and held prominence, he should have at least recalled some information, just like how he was able to remember Herbalist Elias.


    Yet Sandy remained aplete mystery to him.


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng decided to stop his brain from overclocking in trying to recall any sort of information regarding her.


    Since Sandy had subtly revealed her ability, then he was positive that she was going to continue to reveal more. By that time, he could just try to piece the clues together.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng began making his way to the Adventure Association.


    Previously, Sandy had emphasized that he needed to get registered at the Adventure Association for the Guild Hall Charter to work, as well as some sort of assignment she had informed them about.


    To remain secretive, she even told him that he would know by the time he got there.


    Walking through the quiet streets, Xu Feng sighed softly. ''A city poption greatly affects the city''s development. I''ll need to find a way to attract people here fast.''


    Had it not been for the Mirage Pendant, Xu Feng wouldn''t have chosen Star Falls City to develop. It was just too tedious, but the temptation was hard to resist either.


    After strolling the deste streets, Xu Feng arrived at the Adventure Association.


    Usually, the Adventure Association was the most crowded ce, with peopleing in and out constantly like the stream of a river, never stopping. Continue reading at m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    However, the truth was, there were barely any NPC adventurers around, with the lobby looking quite gloomy. The guild quest board looked so rusty, with even some cobwebs on the top corner, a clear definition that no one bothered cleaning it.


    At this point, the Adventure Association here was even inferior to some of the underdeveloped beginner towns.


    ''Oh boy, this does not look good.'' Xu Feng smiled bitterly, heading toward the guild receptionist''s desk.


    Walking toward the receptionist desk, Xu Feng saw a female NPC in the usual adventure association attire, taking a nap without a care.


    "Ahem," Xu Feng faked a cough, hoping to wake thetter up from her nap.


    s, the receptionist seemed to be in a deep slumber, prompting him to resort to another method.


    Forming a fist, Xu Feng began banging loudly on the desk repeatedly.


    THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!


    rmed, the receptionist quickly woke up, confusion shed in her eyes as she wiped the drool off her mouth.


    "Are we being invaded?" The receptionist eximed, ncing left and right, only to realize the lobby was still the same old except for an unknown person standing in front of her.


    Annoyed, she red at Xu Feng and scolded, "Why did you bang so loudly on my desk? I thought we were under attack or something."


    "Are you mad at me?" Xu Feng remained calm and smiled lightly. In fact, he was so amused that he patiently banged the desk again.


    Fuming, the receptionist was about tosh out until she finally noticed something. Instantly, her rage was quenched, reced with an ashen facial expression.


    "I-I''m sorry for not recognizing you, Baron." The receptionist quickly apologized.


    Although the Adventure Association could be considered an independent organization, that didn''t mean they could outright ignore or be rude toward a noble, especially toward the location they are situated in.


    The Adventure Association was situated in Star Falls City which was under the jurisdiction of the Aetheria Empire, and Xu Feng was a Baron from there.


    A noble might not be able tomand the Adventure Association to do whatever they wanted, but that didn''t mean they couldn''t throw a fuss andin, especially when it was the employees at fault and not the noble.


    If Xu Feng decided toin and expose her work antics to her superior or the higher-ups, she could kiss her job goodbye. In fact, she might even be barred from working in simr positions.


    "Forget it, I have no intention of pursuing this matter further." Xu Feng waved his hand.


    A sigh of relief instantly came out from the receptionist as she quickly tidied up herself.


    "How may the Adventure Association assist you, Baron?" The receptionist calmly asked, her tone filled with politeness.


    "Well, I came here to construct a guild residence." Xu Feng exined, taking out the Guild Hall Charter.


    "Additionally, Receptionist Sandy from Riverwood Town sent me here to do something." He added.


    Meanwhile, the receptionist went into a daze. Her eyes stared at Xu Feng for a good few seconds before snapping out of it.


    "Receptionist Sandy sent you here?" She asked, seemingly trying to confirm it.


    "Yes, she has sent me here to do something on her behalf."


    "Give me a moment." The receptionist quickly said, taking a nce at the Guild Hall Charter.


    Within a few seconds, her expression changed, and a hint of reverence began shing in her eyes as she nced at Xu Feng.


    "It''s my honor to meet you, Baron Lin Feng. I''m Jessica and I''ll have to bring you to the VIP room to discuss the details with you further." The receptionist introduced herself as Jessica and suggested going to the VIP Room to continue the discussion.


    ''The VIP Room?'' Astonished, Xu Feng realized the task Sandy asked him to do was far from simple.

 Chapter 229: Condition

    Being guided to the VIP Room, Xu Feng knew the mission was anything but simple.


    Only the most difficult type of mission would require a yer to go to the VIP Room. Find more to read at mvl


    After all, not only was the room soundproof, but it was also an indication of the severity of the matter, as well as proof of one''s status.


    Not just any random yers were eligible to be in the VIP Room, especially at this stage of the game.


    It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that even with his Baron status, he still wasn''t eligible to be here.


    And yet here he was, sitting by the couch as Jessica offered while she went to get the manager.


    As Xu Feng nced around his surroundings, memories of him having to go through a tough time surfaced. ''Ugh, thest time I was here was when I epted a worldwide quest on behalf of the Reaver Guild. I lost so much at the time while undergoing the quest.''


    Had he known this was going to happen, then he would have dyed his arrival at the Adventure Association.


    s, it was a little toote for regret and Xu Feng could only pray the mission Sandy gave him wasn''t anything too absurd. He was just a level 10 Tier 0 yer.


    ''No wonder Sandy was so willing to offer me five Tier 1 Scrolls or two Tier 2 Scrolls. I''ve truly been yed by that friendliness of her.'' Xu Fengughed silently, realizing that the usual scheme he used on others hade back biting him hard.


    Life was unpredictable and the Divine World was a ce that he shouldn''t have expected to be given a godly item for free.


    Time slowly passed by, and Jessica returned to the VIP Room along with a bearded old man. Despite the old man''s stature, Xu Feng could sense the underlying danger that emitted from the former.


    Upon closer inspection, Xu Feng realized the old man was a Tier 4 warrior, almost on par with the City Magistrate''s level.


    After the initial surprise, Xu Fengposed himself rather quickly. There was no need to be afraid of the old man, given he had done nothing wrong.


    So what if it was a Tier 4 warrior?


    They wouldn''t attack without any reason, especially when they are in the city''s adventure association.


    Meanwhile, the old man scrutinized Xu Feng a bit and was slightly stunned by thetter rxedposure.


    ''Oh, as expected of the one rmended to help us. A tier 0 adventurer but can remain soposed when exposed to my aura. Not bad.''


    Nodding, the old man nced at Jessica, who quickly introduced him to Xu Feng.


    "This person here is our Adventure Association''s Manager, Howard." Jessica introduced, keeping a respectful tone.


    "Nice to meet you, Manager Howard." Xu Feng unhurriedly greeted, giving his due respect. His noble status might be somewhat useful, but in front of an actual powerhouse, it was nothing.


    Howard smiled briefly, "I''ve heard quite a lot about you. They said you can help us overturn the current situation in the city."


    "Heard about me from?"


    "That''s not important. What''s important is that the Guild Hall Charter in your hand does allow you to construct a guild residence anywhere you want but with a condition."


    "..."


    As expected, there was definitely no way the guild residence would be free.


    In the end, he still had to do something in exchange for it. Worse, the task could be even more dreadful than actually paying upfront.


    With Xu Feng remaining silent, Howard continued, "There''s no need to be overly concerned. All we want is the liveliness of Star Falls City to return, and have at least a city poption of 1,000,000 people."


    "And what is the current city poption?" Xu Feng inquired, knitting his brows.


    Toward that question, Howard casually sipped some tea and didn''t bother to answer. Instead, Jessica took a step forward and reported the numbers.


    "The Star Falls City currently only has a poption of around 50,000, with a traffic of less than 3,000 daily. The people who came here simply used the teleportation tform as a short transit to teleport elsewhere."


    Having expected the number to be low, Xu Feng brushed aside the poption of the city and inquired about another important aspect, "How many merchants do we have, and how many shops are set up in the city?"


    Shops and merchants could be considered the lifeline of any city to be prosperous. After all, with goods exclusively avable in a certain city, people would naturally flock over to purchase them.


    Meanwhile, Jessica''s expression slowly turned from solemn to somewhat depressed.


    With a slight frown on her face, she exined, "Our city doesn''t have much appeal, so only a few merchants havee over to rent the shops for their business. And that is because they had signed a contract long ago when Star Falls City was still at its peak."


    "Okay, I''ve heard enough." Xu Feng raised his hand and stopped Jessica from continuing. More or less, he understood the situation was precisely the thing he had predicted it to be.


    Without any appeal or uniqueness, who would want toe to Star Falls City to develop?


    There were many better cities, with some even prospering further due to their unique location.


    Only those who hate money woulde to Star Falls City to develop.


    As for the merchants who had signed the contract, believing it to be a worthy investment, Xu Feng could tell how much they regretted it.


    Before rushing to the adventure association, he had surveyed the deste streets, and the shops'' items were hot garbage. Even the beginner town''s shops had better quality and quantity.


    With all these negative things, with zero positive things regarding Star Falls City, Xu Feng finally realized why he was given so much freebie.


    ''These bunch ofzy folks just want a ve to do all the tedious work with some benefits in return.'' Xu Feng twitched his brows.

 Chapter 230: City Populations

    The tension and atmosphere within the VIP Room were palpable, with everyone taking a moment of silence.


    Well, silent it was, Howard merely continued to sip on his tea, seemingly unfazed by the decision that Xu Feng would make.


    Since Xu Feng was rmended by that person, Howard was confident that he would ept the mission no matter what.


    Naturally, he also expected Xu Feng would bring up some of his own conditions to aplish the mission.


    If Xu Feng didn''t even have the intention of asking for some condition to achieve the city poption of reaching 1,000,000, then Howard was seriously wondering if it was a fake.


    Sure enough, once Xu Feng opened his mouth, he began requesting some conditions.


    "To increase the city''s poption is a difficult task, but it''s not impossible. As long as you allocate a few shops to me in some location and give me full authority, I will do my best to increase the poption." Xu Feng requested, outright demanding a ton of shops to be his.


    "That''s not a problem." Howard smiled lightly, but before Xu Feng could be happy, he continued, "The shops can at half their original price and you can pay in installments if your funds are not enough. In return, you mustplete the mission within two months at the very least."


    Two months might seem very short at a nce. However, considering the rapid change and development of the Divine World, two months were equivalent to 2-3 years in the real world.


    Hence, the time was not his concern, but the so-called pricing of the shops.


    "How much do you charge for a shop currently in Star Falls City?" Xu Feng asked, feeling slightly bitter about being forced to still pay for the shops to assist their predicament.


    Hence he asked for the price, given he would be a fool to agree to pay without knowing the price.


    Once again, upon hearing another sensitive or uneasy question, Howard simply sipped his tea, the corner of his eyes signaling for Jessica to speak on his behalf.


    Jessica twitched her brows, wondering if the manager was trying to get her to face all the scoldings.


    ''This is the worst.'' Jessica thought, ncing back and forth in between Xu Feng and Howard.


    Both are entities that she could not afford to offend and offending either one would result in her disastrous end.


    Howard, for one, was her direct superior, meaning he could easily make her suffer.


    As for Xu Feng, he was a noble despite being the lowest rank. Just a word for him could be the end for a meremoner like her, even if she had the Adventure Association background.


    With Howard casually sipping his tea which seemed to have an infinite amount, Xu Feng''s gazes were locked on Jessica, clearly waiting for her reply.


    Without a doubt, Jessica could only resign to her pitiful fate, "T-The shops in the central area cost 500 gold coins, whereas those in the inner area cost 300 gold coins. As for the outer area, it cost 150 gold coins."


    By the time she finished announcing the price, she noticed Xu Feng putting up a frown, clearly displeased with the pricing.


    Those rent prices might be fine or eptable if the city was boisterous with at least 3,000,000 people.


    However, what was Star Falls City?


    Not only was the poption at a pathetic number of 50,000 when it could cover up to at least 7,000,000 people, but the traffic here wasplete trash as well.


    Other than the time people asionally came here to use the teleportation tform as transit to another ce, there was practically zero venue in the city.


    In fact, it was already a miracle that the city hadn''t fallen into ruin.


    "You''re kidding me, right?" Xu Feng''s gaze remained fixated on Jessica as he asked, "Even with half price, you want me to fork out 250 gold coins to rent the shop in the central area with this kind of traffic?" Enjoy more content from mvl


    As Xu Feng wanted to continue, the initially timid Jessica, who had her head lowered and long prepared for a scolding, suddenly lifted her chin up.


    She held a confused expression as she hurriedly exined, "Y-You''ve mistaken me, Baron Lin Feng. Those price values are for the sale of the shop, and not for rent."


    "Wait a minute. You''re saying those shop prices are for purchases and not for rent?"


    "Yes, that is correct."


    Suddenly, Xu Feng''s initial displeasure vanished, reced with a happy smile.


    "Well, why didn''t you say so earlier." He chuckled softly, feeling like she had been teasing him.


    Normally, a city would only ever put a prime location for rent, and never for sale. After all, selling it meant the profit would decrease tremendously, with the revenue only leaving to taxes.


    It was not as profitable as renting the location out and still collecting the same taxes.


    Additionally, he recalled thends back then in Star Falls City when it returned to its prosperous form cost around the same price for rent--- if not more than what Jessica stated.


    The only reason he was displeased was due to the drastic change between the one he remembered and the current state of the city. You can''t expect to charge someone such a high price if your city isn''t ideal.


    However, everything changed once he realized he was eligible to purchase thend and own itpletely.


    "This mission, I shall ept because the one who rmended me must have great trust in my ability." Xu Feng shed a solemn expression.


    "I can''t possibly disappoint them, especially when I''m going to have to develop in this city from now on. Your burden is also my burden." He added, not an ounce of shame could be detected in his tone or expression.


    "With your promise, I''m reassured then," Howard smiled, clearly satisfied that this tedious assignment was finally passed on to another person.


    "Jessica here will be in charge of assisting you. Do let me know if she fails to assist you properly."


    Once that was said, Howard legitimately stood up and exited the room in the blink of an eye.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 231: Shameless

    When Howard used his Tier 4 strength to leave the room, Xu Feng was stunned on the spot.


    It was so obvious that Howard was exhrated to having passed the task to him that he dashed away, preventing him from going back on his words.


    ''As expected of all old men. So shrewd andzy.'' Xu Feng thought.


    These old men only wanted to enjoy their life once they reached a high position after much difficulty. He can''t even get mad at them because that was what he wanted as well in the past.


    Without the need to worry about going broke, a bunch of women usually flock to him, giving him many options to choose from. After all, being an upper echelon of the Reaver Guild came with that kind of benefit.


    The problem was¡ª at what cost?


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng decided not to think of that past as he turned to Jessica. "Do you have a map of Star Falls City and its location for sale?"


    "Ah, yes, give me a moment." Astonished, Jessica never expected her manager to outright leave her alone with him. Still, she quickly went to find thend deed for Xu Feng to see.


    Normally, such a dutynded on the City Magistrate''s administrator, but because of the current grim outlook of the city, the City Magistrate had practically dumped all the work to Howard.


    And now, Howard had passed the task to Xu Feng, prompting her to have another superior.


    After all, Howard''sst word emphasized her role in assisting Xu Feng, clearly afraid thetter might run away. If necessary, she was required to seduce Xu Feng to ensure he would stay.


    That was the real intention of Howard and his confidence as to why Xu Feng wouldn''t leave after seeing all the problems.


    It was just a pity Xu Feng didn''t think through that much as his mind was upied by the number of valuablends avable for sale.


    ''Even if I can''t use all of it, once I resell or rent them out, I''ll earn a lot.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly. The best part about this was the fact that those who were going to be his biggestpetitors might not even get to have a fat piece ofnd.


    Without a doubt, Xu Feng had already decided to monopolize everything in Star Falls City.


    Sometimeter, Jessica returned with arge map. She ced therge map neatly on the desk, showing Xu Feng the overview of the city.


    Truth be told, the city was really deste, but one really can''t underestimate the size of the city.


    The size of the city wasrger than 10 beginner townsbined, and that was just a simple estimation.


    If it hadn''t been for the Adventure Association to be quite close to the teleportation tform, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration for him to take another half an hour to travel.


    Yet despite therge size of the city, it was lifeless and filled with emptiness.


    As Xu Feng began scrutinizing the map, especially thosends for sale, he nearly cried in disbelief. Nearly all the avablends were ces that had been the most popr from his memory.


    ''They are all for sale? I have to get them all.'' Xu Feng adjusted his sses, keeping a calm expression on the surface.


    Overall, there were at least 6 prime locations in the central area, 3 in the inner area, and regarding the outer area, there are none.


    It wasn''t that there weren''t any, but whenpared to the central and inner areas, the outer area was just not good enough. Even if others were to rent or buynds there, the traffic received would be pitifully low.


    ''Since the prices are fixed at 500 gold coins for the central area and 300 gold coins for the inner area¡­ calcting the half price, the total would be 1,950 gold coins.'' Xu Feng nearly choked when he finished his calction.


    Such an astronomical value in this early stage of the Divine World was disgustingly impossible to gather.


    However, his mind might be telling him no, his body just refused to listen to hismand.


    "Jessica, I want these sixnds in the central area and threends in the inner area." Xu Feng said decisively, pointing at the ones near the Adventure Association, Teleportation tform, Banks, and many optimal ces.


    Stunned briefly, Jessica only came back to her senses when Xu Feng continued to call for her name.


    She quickly nced at thends chosen by him and calcted.


    "Are you sure, Baron Lin Feng?" She swallowed a mouthful nervously. The total cost came to 1,950 gold coins after calcting the discount. Even so, this was not a wealth that any Baron should have.


    "Yes, but since I''m doing your manager a huge favor, I expect some more discounts for my bulk purchases." Xu Feng said adamantly, clearly refusing any denial when wanting even more discount.


    Meanwhile, Jessica''s mouth twitched uncontrobly, clearly speechless at Xu Feng''s ruthlessness. He was already granted such a generous discount, but that still wasn''t enough for his big appetite.


    "I-I can''t make that decision," Jessica responded, shaking her head. As if she was going to agree to the request with her pitiful authority.


    "Then contact Manager Howard." Xu Feng shrugged.


    "Also, do remind him that if it''s not possible, then I might feel disheartened. Once disheartened, my progress will be hindered, and I might lose all motivation in the process as well."


    RUTHLESS!


    SHAMELESS!


    These were the only two words that came out of Jessica''s mind. Ruthless as in being outright ckmailing them toply with his request and shameless for speaking such things with a straight face.


    While Jessica''s opinion of him decreased tremendously, Xu Feng feigned ignorance.


    They wanted to use him to lessen their burden, so why should he be polite with them as well?


    ''Do I look like some fat sheep that could be scammed easily?'' Xu Feng inwardly sneered, patiently watching Jessica exiting the room to contact her manager regarding his request.

 Chapter 232: Heavily In Debt

    Alone in the VIP room, Xu Feng was rather rxed, making himself overlyfortable as if he owned the ce.


    Previously, he didn''t know anything so he was rather respectful and polite.


    However, now that he got the general gist of the situation regarding Star Falls City, he was like a wolf that had entered amb house.


    He would be a fool to not ughter thesembs and maximize his profits.


    As for the worry that they might send him away and deny his request, Xu Feng was sure they wouldn''t.


    Although he wasn''t absolutely sure, he was positive that Sandy was the person who rmended him.


    Even if that wasn''t the case, based on Howard''s identity, the person who rmended him must be of fairly high status. Otherwise, with someone of Howard''s stature, there was no way he would go out of his way to meet him.


    A few minutes went by, and Jessica returned to the room, agreeing with his request.


    "After much consideration and for your uing effort, the price can be cut down to 1,560 gold coins." She revealed.


    ''A 20% discount huh.'' Composed on the surface, Xu Feng was even more reassured that whoever rmended him should be someone even higher than Howard.


    "Alright, 1,560 gold coins it is, but as discussed before, it''ll be paid through installment. I currently don''t have many gold coins on me, but I do wish to operate thosends as soon as possible." Xu Feng said, nearly frustrating Jessica to death.


    After all that ordeal, he just revealed hecked the funds, but still wanted to use thends right away.


    ''Are all nobles such bullies like him??! Or is this revenge for my rude remarks earlier?'' Jessica screamed internally, wanting nothing more than to strangle Xu Feng.


    Thankfully, she resisted her urge, mainly because she feared for her life.


    "Very well, but you need to pay 195 gold coins each week. This is the bottom line." Jessica stated resolutely. While saying that, she retrieved thend deeds as well as the contract and ced them on the table.


    Taking a nce at the contract, Xu Feng didn''t find any fishy things, considering how simple the uses were.


    It was just as they discussed, and he would need to pay 195 gold coins each week during the installment. Failure to do so would mean they shall repossess thends regardless of his plea. At the same time, any installment payment made would not be refunded to him.


    Despite such conditions being simple, Xu Feng shook his head and didn''t sign the contract.


    "What''s wrong?" Jessica raised an eyebrow and asked. This kind of contract was one of a kind. Thesends were practically handed to him for free, given these were all prime locations.


    Yet he still refused to sign it?


    Was he toying with her the entire time?


    "You know¡ª thends are certainly cheap, but what about the construction fee?" Xu Feng suddenly brought this topic up, taking Jessica by surprise.


    "You see, whennds are cheap and the city wants to make their money back, they usually do it through the so-called construction fees, such as materials,bor, management, etc."


    ''This person is as sly as a snake just like the manager.'' Jessica cursed silently, wondering if Xu Feng was an old man in disguise as a young man.


    However, she was already told specifically that Xu Feng must remain in Star Falls City and not leave for another. Additionally, the money wasn''t going to be hers but the City Magistrate.


    ''Hmph, they make me handle this task, then let them bleed.'' Jessica inwardly sneered and began modifying the contract.


    The new uses stated that whatever building Xu Feng wanted to construct on thends, 75% of the bill would be covered by the City Magistrate, with the remaining 25% for Xu Feng. To protect his interest further, the 25% must not be over 30 gold coins, essentially meaning it was a fixed payment fee, albeit subtle.


    "Do you have any more concerns, Baron Lin Feng?" Jessica smiled awkwardly and asked.


    "No more," Xu Feng mused, readily signing the contract, effectively bing a wealthyndowner. At the same time, he became heavily in debt and was probably the only yer at the moment to owe over 1500 gold coins.


    Despite being heavily in debt, Xu Feng was rather satisfied, given the return value was definitely going to be the biggest one yet.


    Shortly after the contract was signed, Xu Feng was "kindly" requested to leave while they would handle the subsequent procedure.


    Leaving the Adventure Association, he stretched his arms and began browsing through his inbox.


    ''Huh, Kai sent me a message?'' Surprised, Xu Feng opened the message and was in deep thought.


    [Feng, someone posted that you are hiding a big secret and you be the center of attention now. Some of the guilds are now demanding you to hand over the secret, otherwise, the consequences would be big once they are eligible to enter the city.]


    A cold expression shed on his face as he finished reading it.


    "These guilds must be tired of living to threaten me." He muttered, being 90 percent sure that the anonymous user making such a post was rted to the Reaver Guild.


    Such tactics were verymon for them. s, they underestimated him severely if he thought he would be frightened by these superficial guilds.


    Maybe if they were still ying those old virtual reality games, they might be able to harm him.


    But in the Divine World?


    They should just forget about their past glory and rethink themselves.


    While keeping this in mind, Xu Feng went on to check the money he earned from the video fee he charged.


    "Oh my¡­ no wonder the Reaver Guild wanted to rope in other guilds to target me." Instantaneously, Xu Fengughed in amusement at the money he earned.


    A whopping total of 50 gold coins and some silver, which meant at least 5,000 yers had purchased his video at the cost of 1 silver coin.

 Chapter 233: Guild Representatives

    Aside from the earning Xu Feng achieved, what mattered more was the fact that most yers from the region knew about his tant provocation toward the Reaver Guild.


    To top things off, Hundred Ghost had officially be the number oneughing stock among the other rival guilds.


    Anyone would be fuming hard if they got provoked by someone they believed to be nothing more than an ant.


    However, Xu Feng must still praise Hundred Ghost''s quick thinking in somewhat overturning the situation.


    Since he actively and tantly provoked them, Hundred Ghost made use of this point that he could potentially be hiding some big secret that gave him such courage.


    With that being said, those rival guilds and neutral ones would be interested.


    And when these bloodthirsty guilds be interested in something, they would do a lot of things to obtain it.


    "Not a bad n," Xu Feng smiled, given that he might do the same as well to cause trouble.


    Unfortunately, it was just a futile trick in the end. Other than verbal threats, these guilds can''t do anything to it.


    Right at this moment, Xu Feng suddenly received a message from Carmen.


    Lunar Wraith: Are you alright, Feng? I''ve browsed through the forum, and Hundred Ghost is now targeting you. He''s even spreading rumors that you have a big secret. I''m sorry for causing you trouble¡­


    Smiling, Xu Feng wondered if this was still the same demoness he knew.


    Apologizing?


    There was no such thing as an apology in her dictionary.


    Brushing the matter aside, Xu Feng instead instructed her to head to the Teleportation Hall once she was done with her current mission.


    Shortly after Xu Feng began walking to the library, searching for the history and lore of Star Falls City. To revitalize the city, he needed to educate himself and find the clues to increase the city poption.


    Although he knew what happenedter on in the future, he didn''t know the process. Hence, to increase the chance of him recalling some crucial parts, he might as well use this time to study more about the surroundings and terrain.


    Taking around 10 minutes or so, Xu Feng arrived at the library. Unlike most guarded libraries, this one seemed to be abandoned, with zero people working.


    Hell, even the shelves are dusty and books in tattered shape.


    ''Let''s see¡­ the geography section is by the east.'' Xu Feng narrowed his eyes to partially read the word on the signboard.


    While Xu Feng immersed himself in the library, back in Riverwood Town, the tension had escted beyond control.


    "Guild Leader Gentle Wind, I suggest you stop covering for Lin Feng and tell us what you know."


    "Yeah, it''s not good if you hog all the secrets to yourself."


    "Agreed. One should be magnanimous and share the wealth with others. Don''t be greedy."


    Within the 2nd floor of a tavern, numerous guild representatives started demanding Gentle Wind to reveal all sorts of information regarding Lin Feng.


    After all, these guild representatives had done some research of Lin Feng ever since the anonymous post went viral.


    And when they realized Lin Feng''s name appeared on Hell Mode''s first clear as guild member of Silver Wind, they all flocked over to Riverwood Town, which was their current base.


    Seated opposite of these guild representatives, Gentle Wind kept a calmposure, almost as if she couldn''t hear their yapping.


    "Have you all said enough?" She suddenly asked, her gaze rather cold.


    "My guild might not be powerful, but do you all take me, a guild leader, as someone you can easily trample over? You came all over here and demanded me as if you''re the boss of me. Do you think I''ll just say yes and share everything with you?"


    The more she said, the fiercer her aura was.


    Additionally, the subordinates behind her, especially Steelshot, were already eyeing these representatives with bloodlust.


    Stunned by the reaction of Gentle Wind, the various guild representatives nced at each other, clearly not expecting her to outright reject them.


    It wasn''t as if they were trying to do anything against her guild, but rather, they just wanted information regarding Lin Feng.


    Not to mention, they already found out Lin Feng was no longer a member of her guild, proving that he was just a temporary helper she found.


    Was there really a need for her to jeopardize the rtionship of all the guilds here to protect a one-time helper?


    s, these guild representatives would never know that recently Xu Feng had just lent her a batch of equipment at a cost.


    Of course, she managed to get him to sell her some of the weapons in the end when she realized the severity of the matter.


    ''If these representativese to know Lin Feng has so much rare equipment, they will definitely migrate here.'' Gentle Wind thought, refusing to let anyone hinder her development.


    She had taken much effort to widen the gap between her and the Tyrant Fist guild. There was no way she would ruin herself by allowing more guilds to migrate over here topete with her.


    However, there was one more thing that Gentle Wind was wary about. The so-called mysterious boss of Lin Feng.


    For him to let his subordinate take the first achievement of going to a city, she was positive that there were more hidden secrets that she had yet to know.


    Sighing softly, Gentle Wind proceeded to stand up from her chair and gave a final nce at the representatives. "You can return and tell your guild leaders that they can just give up trying to get information from me. If they want to know, then investigate themselves. I''ve entertained you long enough."


    After giving her final piece, she turned around and left, leaving the rest fuming at her attitude.


    "Hmph, how bold of the Gentle Wind."


    "She really thinks she''s something else just because of some minor achievement."


    The representatives were clearly displeased at the treatment they received, and started disrespecting Gentle Wind outright.


    "Heh, disrespecting my guild leader." Steelshot, who had been quiet for a long time, chuckled softly. "Leave none of them alive and let their guild know we''re not easy to mess with either."

 Chapter 234: Brazen

    "You dare?!"


    "Aren''t you afraid of our guild''s revenge?"


    The moment Steelshot announced the order to kill them, the bunch of representatives were livid and confused.


    At the end of the day, representatives were equivalent to a messenger, and killing the messenger was equivalent to wanting war. Hence, they were rather bold and brazen enough to disrespect Gentle Wind publicly.


    s, no matter their argument and defense, Steelshot and his fellowrades easily ughtered these representatives.


    After all, they were geared up with the equipment that their guild leader had managed to obtain from somewhere.


    Once the killing was done, Steelshot red at the other parties who were frightened deeply.


    "If you want to discuss, then our guild is happy to discuss. But if you think that means you''re allowed to disrespect us in our territory, then this is the oue." Steelshot snorted, giving one final re at them before leaving in style.


    It was only after a few minutes that they confirmed the members of the Silver Wind guild were gone, did the rest start to breathe easy.


    "This is unbelievable."


    "Just how powerful is the Silver Wind guild?"


    "In just a few minutes, they easily ughtered the representatives from Hell Night, Anguish Light, Forsaken, and World Embers. They were all level 11."


    Shortly after, news of Gentle Wind''s subordinates ughtering the representative of first-rate guilds spread all across.


    However, what attracted the most attention was not the courage to kill the representatives, but how fast it was done.


    Videos showing Steelshot and other members killing the representatives were posted by the spectators at the tavern.


    Meanwhile, the culprits of such an incident were ratherid back as they chatted merrily.


    "Guild leader is really amazing. She managed to get this equipment for us, boosting our overall attributes." Steelshotughed heartily, treasuring his guns as if they were his most dearest.


    "Indeed, this will serve as a warning to those first-rate guilds that times have changed. They''ll be dreaming if they think they can walk over our heads and get away with it." A Berserker interjected, clearly proud of his action.


    "But don''t you all find it weird?" One female suddenly asked. "Guild leader is never the type to risk much, but for Lin Feng, she was extremely protective of him."


    "What do you want to say, SilentWhisper?" Unamused, Steelshot turned to her. "Are you saying our guild leader is interested in Lin Feng?"


    SilentWhisper was someone who should hold the most grudge against Lin Feng. After all, she was sacrificed by him without any warning during the raid of the Scorched Caverns.


    "That''s not what I meant," SilentWhisper responded calmly. "What I mean is, the equipment that the guild leader gave to us. Aren''t you curious about their origin? The guild leader has been busy with the recruitment process and other than the Scorched Caverns raid, we haven''t done other dungeons."


    At this moment, it wasn''t just Steelshot being silent, but the others were also silent as well, clearly having realized something.


    "Are you saying that the equipment was purchased from Lin Feng?" Steelshot questioned in disbelief, his tone barely audible.


    Despite asking that question, everyone here seemed to havee to the same conclusion. Otherwise, there was just no way their guild leader would allow them to kill the representatives no matter how displeased she was.


    "Haah, I''m really thankful that I stopped provoking that demon," Steelshot said, wiping off some sweat on his forehead.


    If others were to see the current Steelshot, they might have mistaken him to be another person. He was so mighty previously, but now he was so cowardly.


    However, no one at present med Steelshot for his reaction. Xu Feng''s disy andmand in the Scorched Caverns were still very vivid in their memory. Find more chapters on mvl


    "Anyway, let''s return and not discuss this further. The less we know, the better we can survive." SilentWhisper said, unwilling to dabble any further on the topic.


    Steelshot and the rest nodded their heads in agreement.


    As peace seemed to return to Riverwood Town, everyone knew it was merely the calm before the storm.


    The real battle between guilds wouldmence once they entered the city and started fighting for resources.


    However, despite all these undercurrents, Xu Feng remained oblivious, or more precisely, he didn''t care.


    He was no longer on the same ying grounds as those guilds that were using verbal threats.


    "Phew, if schools would just use game lore to teach, then there''ll be a lot of schrs." Xu Feng stretched his arms and yawned, having finished reading all the necessary information.


    Since he already had a concept of the terrain, he only needed some brief information to connect the dots. Thus, hepleted very quickly as opposed to those who would need to learn from scratch.


    As Xu Feng returned the books to their original position, he received a call.


    "Huh? Is it time already?" He muttered. The call was not from the Divine World but from the real world.


    Finding a safe spot before logging out, Xu Feng soon hopped out of the gaming capsule and epted the call through his smartwatch.


    Connected, Zhao Xin''s face appeared on a holographic screen. The moment she saw Xu Feng''s attire, she was displeased.


    "Why haven''t you dressed up yet?" She asked irritatingly, clearly annoyed.


    "Isn''t it still quite early?" Xu Feng responded, checking the time and that there was still a lot of time left before the birthday party would start.


    "Early?" Zhao Xin scoffed and red fiercely at him. "Those who arrive now are people that grandfather values. As for theter guests, they aren''t that important."


    Once she was done exining, she red up even further when she sensed he was somewhat reluctant to hurry up.


    Xu Feng''s expression remained the same, but having dealt with so many different people daily, she could somewhat sense their inner thoughts, albeit not always correct.


    "I don''t care whether you''re willing or not, but you have already agreed. I will only give you 45 minutes to arrive here with Kai. That''s an order."

 Chapter 235: Elysian Heights

    After Zhao Xin gave him a time limit, she ended the call without waiting for Xu Feng to reply.


    "This woman¡­" Speechless, Xu Feng didn''t know if she was bipr or not.


    When he was Lin Feng, she was so respectful and patient, wanting to poach him to her side. But when he was Xu Feng, she was so annoyed and irritated, wanting nothing more than for him to disappear.


    Toward these personalities, Xu Feng was even more positive that she was the eldest sister of Zhao Kai, albeit notpletely blood-rted. After all, they only had the same father and not the same mother.


    ''It''s a good thing that Kai wasn''t born from the same mother.'' Xu Feng was d silently. Had Zhao Kai been born from the same mother and father as Zhao Xin, he doubted the two could ever be friends.


    Although there were still quite a lot of things to do in the Divine World, Xu Feng knew he needed to take a break.


    His mental concentration wasn''t that great, so if he continued to linger in the Divine World, it might affect him.


    ''Whatever, let''s just contact Kai to get ready.'' Xu Feng began messaging Zhao Kai as he picked a good suit to dress.


    Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he realized that his sses were truly out of style with the suit.


    Nevertheless, he didn''t want to switch to contact lenses. It wasn''t so bad having blurry vision asionally. At the very least, some filth wouldn''t stain his eyes if they weren''t extremely clear.


    Giving a final check, Xu Feng nodded his head in approval.


    Shortly after, he arrived at the parking lot andmanded Vera¡ª the AI system of the car.


    Soon, a fancy car arrived in front of Xu Feng, with the door opening, seemingly weing him.


    Satisfied, Xu Feng sat on the back and quickly made himselffortable.


    "Good Evening, Master Xu Feng. Where is the destination?" The AI, Vera, voice resounded as the door closed automatically and Xu Feng was buckled safely.


    "To my friend, Kai''s ce." Xu Feng responded.


    "Understood, the time of arrival would be 23 minutes." Vera quickly reported after a swift calction of the route.


    Once the route was calcted, the car began driving while Xu Feng rxed himself and continued to browse through the current news. Sure enough, Divine World had been garnering a lot of attention.


    This was also highly contributed because of the Zhao Enterprise''s n to invest in the Divine World, which caused a domino effect. Now, even morepanies are joining the bandwagon of the Divine World.


    "Although it''s a bit earlier than expected, thesepany people are helping me anyway." Xu Feng muttered, having already put some of the equipment to be borrowed for a certain period.


    In total, he earned almost close to 5 gold coins with the lending of the equipment, and he wasn''t afraid of them trying to renege on the deal.


    If they fail to return the borrowed weapon in time, then they must pay 10 times the original value of the weapon back to him. And in the current stage of the Divine World, no one had that many coins in hand.


    The exchange center allowed yers to sell their coins for dors. As for trying to buy coins in bulk using dors, that was only possible if there were yers putting up such an offer to trade.


    Since the system won''t offer any coins, keeping the currency and economy at a standstill, coins became highly valued.


    To date, Xu Feng still received many messages from representatives, hoping to purchase the coins he had.


    After all, he was listed as anonymous when selling the coins previously. The name was hidden, but that didn''t stop them from being able to contact him.


    Too bad for them, Xu Feng was no longer short of dors, but coins¡ª gold coins to be precise.


    ''I''ve already begun hoarding the materials and items that will soar in the future, but it''s still not enough. I need to do much more.'' He smiled bitterly.


    Sometimeter, Vera parked the car around Zayn Avenue, the ce where Zhao Kai currently resided. The ce was purchased by his wealthy sister, so he didn''t even need to worry about rent or utilities.


    Through the window, Xu Feng saw Zhao Kai d in a suit, a style that he had never worn before.


    ''So he was caught in the end¡­'' Xu Feng thought, clearly knowing the culprit was none other than Zhao Xin. Otherwise, there was no way Zhao Kai would dress up so fancily.


    As the door opened up, Zhao Kai''s eyes widened in surprise at Xu Feng''s attire.


    "My eldest sister got you too huh." Hemented, sharing the same sentiment.


    "She didn''t get me," Xu Feng responded. He didn''t get this suit because of Zhao Xin, but he needed it for future asions.


    Find more adventures on mvl


    "Yeah yeah, whatever you say." Zhao Kai waved his hand nonchntly and took an empty seat to sit.


    "I suppose you agreed to join the party because she bribed you with this car." He quickly added, noticing the interior was overly high-tech.


    Nodding, Xu Feng didn''t bother to refute his im. He merely found it exhausting to try to defend himself when it was quite obvious Zhao Kai wouldn''t believe a word of his.


    "Where''s the next destination, Master Lin Feng?" Vera, the AI system inquired.


    Xu Feng didn''t answer and merely gave a side eye to Zhao Kai.


    "The Elysian Heights," Zhao Kai answered after much difficulty.


    Elysian Heights was an exclusive, luxurious enve nestled atop a verdant hill, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the city below. It was also the best ce for the wealthy, of which the Zhao Family was naturally included.


    "Route located, estimated time of arrival is 20 minutes," Vera responded as the car began to advance.


    "Sigh, I really don''t want to go to that ce." Zhao Kai suddenlymented and leaned back, "It''s just a gathering of the filthy rich and scum of society."


    "I see¡­ I''ll ry that word for word to Zhao Xin."

 Chapter 236: Dean Qiao’s End

    When Xu Feng subtly threatened to expose Zhao Kai, he nearly went into panic mode.


    "Feng, you can''t do that to me." He shouted with a pale expression. "If my eldest sister hears that, then she will definitely make my life hell."


    "Heh, and here I thought you were going to continue to act haughty." Xu Feng snickered coldly.


    Although it was very subtle, he could easily sense his displeasure at him after seeing the suit and car. Anyone would naturally think the reason he agreed to apany him to the birthday party was because of these benefits.


    Thus, Xu Feng didn''t me him for the misunderstanding, but that didn''t mean he wouldn''t get some petty revenge.


    Giving Zhao Kai a fright was merely a harmless little n. After all, if he really sought revenge, then it wouldn''t be something this simple.


    "Alright, it was my fault for putting up some air." Zhao Kai relented and hurriedly pleaded for mercy.


    "But still, I never expected you to ept any of her gifts." He added, clearly astonished by his action.


    Ever since they became buddies, Zhao Xin had constantly talked down on Xu Feng, stating that he was just a leech andtching on to him for his benefit.


    Due to that, Xu Feng had always adamantly refused anything rted to Zhao Xin, including gifts and money in special holidays.


    "Well, I didn''t want to ept them, but since I was going to join the party with you anyway. I''ll be foolish to not ept it." Xu Feng smiled, his eyes remained glued to his phone on the current news.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai pursed his lips, seemingly baffled by his nonchnt behavior.


    "Hey, Feng, just what are you looking at the phone so intensively for?" He finally said after puffing up, fuming at him for being distracted when he was discussing something very important.


    Seeing that Xu Feng didn''t answer him, Zhao Kai outright snatched the phone from his hand.


    Speechless by his rash behavior, Xu Feng merely shook his head.


    "It''s a good thing you''re only acting like this in private. If you act like that at the birthday party, you''re going to get an earful from your sister." Xu Feng kindly warned.


    "Tsk, I''m not dumb enough to provoke her." Zhao Kai snorted, scrolling down the phone. As he read closer, his eyes widened in surprise.


    "Kingston school? Isn''t that the school we''re attending?" rmed, Zhao Kai swiped faster to scroll down on the news. The more he read, the more infuriated he was.


    "That bastard dean is actually this vile? There are so many victims. Fuck, what were the school administrators thinking to let someone like him remain in his position for so long?"


    Through the news, the crimes of Dean Qiao were exposed, and he was already being detained in prison, awaiting trials.


    However, with the abundant amount of evidence and victimsing forward, along with a public outcry, the chance of Dean Qiao getting away was legit zero.


    Additionally, some of the victims had also ended their lives, prompting so many of the victims'' families toe forward and call for the death penalty.


    "The public is outraged, so even if Dean Qiao has someone that supports him, they would still discard him without a doubt." Xu Feng calmly exined.


    Since he was the person who caused this news, he already ensured Dean Qiao would have no path of retreats.


    And for the police to act so swiftly and for many news media to discuss it almost simultaneously, Xu Feng was sure that Ning Yi''s father, Ning Huo was the one that greenlit the operation.


    Although Ning Huo couldn''t directly manipte the media ormand the police force, he was powerful enough to mobilize it with the evidence he held.


    To make things even more perfect, Dean Qiao was only a mere dean for a school. Whenpared to someone of Ning Huo''s status, these police chiefs would be more than d to help Ning Huo out, especially when Dean Qiao''s vile crimes were too many to count.


    Not only could they earn Ning Huo''s favor, but it was also good publicity for the police in how efficient and righteous they looked on the surface.


    "Hmph, I knew Dean Qiao was not a good person but to think he was actually this vicious." Zhao Kai sneered coldly, returning the phone to Xu Feng, clearly disgusted to even nce at the photo of Dean Qiao being uploaded.


    At present, everyone was bashing Dean Qiao, with Kingston School being implicated heavily as well.


    What was the Kingston school thinking?


    They actually employed such scum in the education field?


    The school might as well shut down!


    All sorts of negativements regarding Kingston School flooded the school''s official forum and every social media outlet.


    Suddenly, Zhao Kai noticed something suspicious.


    "Wait a minute, why don''t you look surprised or rmed?" He turned to Xu Feng and asked. "You even skipped out on the important schoolpetition which was arranged by this scumbag dean as well. Did you know about this beforehand?" Your journey continues on mvl


    Sure enough, this Zhao Kai who looked impulsive and rash on the surface was just a tiger in sheep''s clothes. Without much context, only a brief hint, he was able to catch on to most of the situation.


    Yet it was because of this that Xu Feng became even more worried about the uing party. For Zhao Kai to subsequently disappear from the scene, who could possibly do such a thing?


    ''I wonder if they can even attempt such a thing with me in their presence.'' Xu Feng thought, ready for a fierce confrontation with the unknown enemy.


    While Xu Feng was thinking, Zhao Kai was rather impatient as he ced his hand in front and waved it around. "Hello, Feng, don''t you pretend to be deaf and ignore me."


    "I''ve heard you for the first time."


    "Tsk, if you did, then answer it. Did you or did you not know about this scumbag''s crimes in advance?"


    Tilting his head slightly to the side, Xu Feng gazed at him and with a serious expression, he replied, "Who?"

 Chapter 237: Gold Invitation Card

    Zhao Kai was livid when Xu Feng yed innocent and toyed with him.


    "Ugh, Dean Qiao! We''ve been talking about him all along." He roared loudly, ensuring that Xu Feng heard him loud and clear.


    "Jeez, it''s that scum huh?" Xu Feng rubbed one of his ears, nearly having ears ruptured because of the shouting.


    "I got some information just recently, so I refuse to join the schoolpetition. With Dean Qiao''s detainment, all records and whatever things he did would be investigated." He revealed, albeit partially.


    The truth was, Dean Qiao was someone who would soon poach and threaten many students with talents and potential to work for multiple guilds within the Divine World.


    Essentially, Dean Qiao would be somewhat of a pimp, but instead of selling women to offer sexual services, he would be selling talented but poor students to numerous guilds for money.


    Since Xu Feng was going to create a guild, hecked a lot of manpower. Thus, he would be a fool to allow Dean Qiao to continue the path of his past timeline unhindered.


    Those people that Dean Qiao threatened or coerced became some of the top yers in the Divine World. Because of that, naturally, those who reached near the top and harbored grudges against Dean Qiao would target him, resulting in his eventual end.


    "Hmm, it''s a good thing I left the schoolpetition early then." Nodding, Zhao Kai was relieved that he had listened to Xu Feng.


    Had he continued with thepetition, then news of him participating on behalf of Dean Qiao would spread across.


    Continue reading on mvl


    To be associated with such scum was a stain on his name.


    Not to mention, his sister was definitely going to him an earful regarding the incident. Things such as why didn''t he have better eyesight for people or something else. Either way, it was just going to be very troublesome for him.


    "Alright, let''s not talk about Dean Qiao anymore." Xu Feng lightly said, no longer interested in such a person.


    "Agreed, this scum is going to rot in prison for the rest of his life anyway." Zhao Kaimented, leaning back once again.


    Suddenly, his expression changed as he realized what it meant for such a scandal toe up.


    "Damn it." He gnashed his teeth and turned to Xu Feng.


    "Are we going to get taunted by some third-rate viin at the party? I mean like¡ª my status is low and now even my school has such a scandal. Those who want to curry those bastard half-brothers of mine are going to target me. If that happens, my sister is going to punish me for being so weak."


    "..."


    After all those bbering, in the end, Zhao Kai was merely afraid of being scolded and reprimanded by Zhao Xin.


    "Imagine being scared of your sister¡­ can''t be me." Xu Feng shook his head.


    "Hmph, I want to see you get a girlfriend soon, and let''s see if you will cower in fear." Zhao Kai rolled his eyes. "I''ll beughing on the side when you go on your knees toward your girlfriend."


    "Sorry, but please don''tpare your insignificant skills to mine."


    "Go ahead and brag all you want, virgin Feng!"


    "As if you''re not a virgin." Xu Feng chuckled, opting to not reveal that he was definitely not a virgin, at least not in his past timeline.


    There were just so many top-notch beauties waiting for him in bed as long as he wanted to. And although a bit shameful, he did enjoy quite a lot¡ª to the point that his standard toward women became insanely high.


    Having enjoyed so many beauties, he long became numb and immune to low-ss seduction and sub-standard beauty.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai was oblivious to his experience, only believing thetter was just trying to brag and lie about his insecurity.


    "Heh, my sister might be tough, but she does send me money weekly. Why don''t we head to a clubter on to release some stress?" Zhao Kai suggested sneakily.


    However, those with a keen sense could tell Zhao Kai was nervous secretly, a clear definition of being a virgin who wanted to get some excitement for their very first time.


    "You?" Xu Feng scrutinized Zhao Kai a bit before shaking his head. "Let''s forget it. Those club women are out of your league, and those that you can bag in, who knows if they are carrying some sort of virus?"


    "Hmph, you dare underestimate me?" Zhao Kai snorted and rubbed his hair, trying to act stylish and cool. "With my looks, I will definitely seduce a high-quality woman to be my girlfriend."


    "Whatever you say."


    Shortly after, Vera stopped the car in front of the entrance of the Elysian Heights.


    The reason for the stop was that there was a need for an identification check on anyone trying to pass through this area.


    "Hello, do you have an invitation?" One security guard walked up to their car and asked politely.


    "Vera." Instead of answering the security guard, Xu Feng instructed the AI system.


    In the next moment, a holographic screen was revealed, showing their gold invitation card.


    Since Zhao Xin wanted them to join, how could she forget to give an invitation?


    Only an idiot or someone who wanted to cause trouble would neglect such simple details and create a misunderstanding.


    A few secondster, the security guard confirmed the invitation and granted ess to them.


    However, the ess wasn''t the regr route, but an exclusive route that only the influential and wealthiest people could ess. Thus, it attracted the crowd instantly.


    Noticing the numerous eyes despite having tinted windows, Zhao Kai shrunk back. "Damn, is my sister trying to sabotage me so early on? Why did she give you a gold invitation?"


    The invitees for the party are separated into three simple ranks, bronze, silver, and gold.


    The bronze invitation was given to those wealthy but with minimal influence whereas the silver was given to those wealthy and with a good amount of influence. As for the gold invitation, it was given to those who held noticeable power in society.


    "A gold invitation is just suited for us, Kai." Xu Feng smiled calmly. "You are still surnamed Zhao at the end of the day. Why shouldn''t you get one when it''s your grandfather''s birthday party?"

 Chapter 238: Venue

    Zhao Kai waspletely baffled by the nonchnt and casual attitude of Xu Feng.


    He even began to wonder if his friend had been reced by someone else.


    So what if he was surnamed Zhao at the end of the day?


    He held no power or any shares within the Zhao Enterprise. This was equivalent to announcing that aside from his surname, he was nothing.


    "Feng, we''re definitely going to be targeted the moment we get out of the car." Zhao Kai smiled bitterly, clearly believing Xu Feng did not understand the severity of the matter.


    Toward this kind of event, he had experienced thrice in his lifetime.


    And each one of them ended on a terrible note. To be more precise, those who wanted to curry favor with his half-brothers were targeting him nonstop.


    To make things worse, no one else assisted him until Zhao Xin intervened.


    "You worry too much, Kai." Xu Feng kept a calmposure, naturally understanding Zhao Kai''s worries.


    Nevertheless, understanding and epting it were two different things. Maybe if he hadn''t joined him in the party, then fate might have continued the same, with Zhao Kai meeting some sort of bad ending.


    However, with his presence, those who tried so would get face-pped very hard to the point that they wished they were back in their mother''s womb.


    "When we hop off, just follow my back." Xu Feng instructed. "You should also stop paying attention to how others look at you. They are nothing but a bunch of clowns."


    bbergasted, Zhao Kai now believed he had truly lost his buddy. The Xu Feng he knew wouldn''t behave as such, especially with such a calmposure. ''Just what kind of drug did Feng take to increase his courage? I want one as well.''


    As Vera promptly found a vacant parking spot, Xu Feng and Zhao Kai''s safety belt was unlocked automatically.


    "We have arrived at the destination, Master Xu Feng," Vera reported.


    "Thanks, keep an eye out and update me with anything through the smartwatch." Xu Feng instructed. Ever since obtaining Vera, he had connected the AI system to his smartwatch and phone, making it very convenient for him.


    After all, aside from the automated driving, Vera was equivalent to a supeputer who could always absorb all types of information that he asked for and ryed them back to him. Find your next adventure on mvl


    Of course, this was only possible because of the advanced AI system implemented on the car that cost a fortune. Not to mention, the cost wasn''t the problem but the identity of the buyer as well, given this kind of car was not sold to just anyone.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai shed an envious look at Xu Feng for having such an advanced AI assistant.


    "Sister is really stingy and biased." Zhao Kai pursed his lips, his gaze locking on Xu Feng. "She gifted you this to apany me to the party, but where''s my gift for arriving here? She knows how much I hate this type of event."


    "Are you seriously being jealous? The birthday is your grandfather, so why should you get a gift for attending your grandfather''s party?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow.


    With that said, Xu Feng got out of the car, instantly attracting attention from other guests.


    They garnered attraction not because of their appearance, but because no one else in the venue knew who they were.


    "Hmm, just who could they be? Another hidden family heir?"


    "That''s a good joke you got there, Hans Zhou. Don''t you think we wouldn''t know if they''re hidden family heirs at a nce or not?"


    Hans Zhou nodded his head upon hearing hispanion''s words. Indeed, they would have detected some hints if it was true. "I suppose we''ll figure it outter on anyway, Lang Shan."


    Shortly after Hans Zhou and Lang Shan ignored them, resuming their interactions with other well-known people.


    Naturally, everyone was around the same age, with their parents being on nearly equal standings in terms of wealth and status. They were here to socialize and get to know each other well, given that they were the future heirs who would take over their parents'' businesses.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng paid no heed to those who were outside the venue. He had heard their discussion and merelyughed at their mindset.


    Unlike them, Xu Feng knew why they were outside and weren''t allowed inside the venue yet. They might be heirs, but their achievements are disappointing to the adults, prompting them to be forced to socialize outside.


    "Let''s head inside." Xu Feng turned to Zhao Kai and said, who was clearly hesitating to enter the venue.


    His usualposure could not be found at all. "L-Let me notify my sister first."


    "No need, your sister already told me to bring you inside the venue. She''s dealing with others so she won''t have time to contact you."


    "B-But¡ª"


    Before Zhao Kai couldin further, Xu Feng directly grabbed his arm and dragged him into the venue.


    Sometimeter, they arrived at the entrance where numerous guards were standing by.


    "The party has not yet started, so please wait outside temporarily." One of the guards exined in a tone that was not reverent or overly rude.


    Anyone who could attend today''s Zhao Gaofu party was people with a huge background. Hence, the guards would be foolish enough to offend any of them identally.


    "I see¡­ in that case, then we''ll just wait." Zhao Kai readily answered, clearly exhrated to be barred from entering.


    s, Xu Feng had no intention of trying to catch a cold outside and tapped on his smartwatch, revealing the gold invitation card.


    Astounded, the guard''s stoic expression finally revealed some emotion as he nced at Xu Feng in a new light.


    "Apologies, I didn''t know you were a gold invitation holder." The guard said respectfully and signaled for the rest to allow them to go through.


    Nodding, Xu Feng thanked the guard before dragging the very reluctant Zhao Kai inside.


    "Damn, Lang Shan, I want a refund of my investment." Seeing the scene, Hans Zhou quickly demanded a refund.


    "Your poor eyesight nearly got me ruined. I don''t dare to ce my money in your investment."

 Chapter 239: Star-Studded Guests

    "Are you seriously asking for a refund at this stage?" Baffled, Lang Shan nearly wanted to strangle Hans Zhou for such a terrible joke.


    If he were to truly refund the investment, then the project would be halted, equivalent to costing him a lot of money in the process.


    How could Lang Shan beughing at such a joke?


    "I don''t care," Hans Zhou rolled his eyes.


    "It''s a good thing those two people didn''t bother with us, otherwise, my father was definitely going to punish me further. I''m already in some deep mess, so I dare not involve myself with you any further."


    With that said, Hans Zhou was immensely quick in switching his face, having distanced himself from Lang Shan, who he treated as a close brother earlier.


    "You little sly bastard!" Infuriated, Lang Shan''s veins nearly bulged out as he cursed, "Stop acting like you are some good son either. Without me providing you with some investment n, do you think you can even attend today''s event?"


    Shortly after arge fight broke out between the two supposedly good friends, prompting the nearby security guards to be stunned and baffled.


    "Contact some of the people regarding Young Master Hans Zhou and Lang Shan having a brawl outside the venue." One of the guards in chargemanded, unwilling to intervene personally.


    While the brawl intensified outside, Xu Feng and Zhao Kai entered the morous venue.


    The opulence of the venue immediately enveloped them as they stepped inside.


    The grand hall was bathed in the warm, golden glow of crystal chandeliers hanging from high, vaulted ceilings. The marble floors beneath their feet were polished to a mirror-like finish, reflecting the dazzling lights above.


    The walls were adorned with ssic artwork and ornate mirrors, adding to the sense of timeless elegance. Antique furnishings, each piece a testament to exquisite craftsmanship, were strategically ced to create intimate seating areas.


    Admiring these pieces of artwork, Xu Feng really had to say Zhao Gaofu had some exquisite taste in art. He was positive that each of these artworks surpassed his current wealth.


    However, unlike Xu Feng who was admiring the area, Zhao Kai himself felt suffocating the more they walked.


    "Feng, this ce is no good." Zhao Kai uttered, wanting nothing more than escape. He thought he had prepared himself already, but only after experiencing it personally, did he realize just how weak-willed he was.


    "If you keep acting like that, then I don''t mind you leaving. I''ll just ry it to your sister how you got cold feet and ran away." Xu Feng calmly exined.


    Dumbfounded, Zhao Kai''s face turned pale.


    "This isn''t how the script should go. You should be pacifying me and not letting me act willfully." He eximed, clearly unwilling to face his sister''s wrath.


    "I''ve already dragged you inside like I was instructed. My job is done, so whether you want to escape or not. I don''t care." Xu Feng chuckled softly, ignoring the dazed Zhao Kai as he continued to walk forward.


    Seeing how Xu Feng truly had no intention of stopping him, he could only grit his teeth and rush ahead, opting to continue with the event.


    Sometimeter, they were greeted by a more blinding light, with the lobby being extremely spacious. It was evenrger than what you would expect in typical parking lots that could amodate hundreds of cars. Stay updated via §Þ??


    One would feel like a tiny ant upon entering such space.


    While Zhao Kai was stunned by the decoration, Xu Feng''s eyes remained fixated on a person.


    ''Why is she here?'' He wondered silently, having recognized a woman dressed morously. She was none other than the person he had encountered at the Azure District, Zhang Jingyi.


    Suddenly, a thought popped up and he couldn''t help bute to the conclusion that she came here because of the surname Zhao.


    ''It can''t be right? She has that much free time?'' Xu Feng refused to believe that this woman was actually trying to track him down after such a long time.


    However, he would be incredibly wrong to think so when Zhang Jingyi noticed someone was staring at her. As she turned around to check the source, her eyes lit up before a smirk appeared on her face.


    "Haha, I''ve found you at longst Zhao Kai!" She shouted, rming the other star-studded guests who held lots of power and status.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Zhao Kai? Isn''t that the illegitimate son of Zhao Liang?"


    "It seems like this is interesting. An illegitimate son got the attention of Zhang Tian''s precious daughter, Zhang Jingyi."


    The matter of an illegitimate son might be kept well away from the public, but the people here are all influential and powerful enough to know this secret.


    Not to mention, they could be considered equal to the Zhao Family, so they aren''t even afraid to openly gossip.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai was the most confused person as he had never interacted with the jewel of Zhang Tian''s daughter at all.


    ''Why did she shout for my name?'' He cried inwardly, feeling like this must have been a prank by someone.


    As he watched Zhang Jingyi approach him, Zhao Kai hurriedly raised his hand and shook his head. "N-No, you got the wrong person. I don''t know you well, Miss Zhang."


    Just when the crowd was somewhat confused by Zhao Kai''s behavior, Zhang Jingyi''s eyebrows twitched.


    "Who are you?" She asked coldly, unamused that someone was trying to block her path. "I wasn''t even calling for you."


    "Eh?" Stunned, Zhao Kai looked at her in disbelief.


    Was there any other Zhao Kai here besides him?


    Given themotion made, the Zhao Family members were also alerted and arrived just in time for the scene.


    "What are you doing, little brother?" Zhao Xin suddenly called out, unable to fathom how he managed to earn the irk of the usually gentle Zhang Jingyi.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Ming and Zhao Heng in the back, were eager to see the situation unfold. They were Zhao Kai''s half-eldest brothers, and knowing that he was invited by their little sister, how could they not know what she was trying to do.


    However, with Zhao Kai being idiotic enough to provoke Zhang Jingyi, they were more than satisfied with the situation, saving them the trouble of targeting him.

 Chapter 240: Misunderstandings

    As the tension rose, everyone''s eyes were on Zhang Jingyi, who held an annoyed expression at Zhao Kai.


    Despite her annoyance, Zhao Kai felt even more wronged by the situation, especially now that Zhao Xin had arrived to see him in such a mess.


    ''Just who is messing with me? I don''t even know who Zhang Jingyi is.'' Zhao Kai wanted to cry but knew he couldn''t do so at such an event. Otherwise, he would really be getting a thorough bashing from Zhao Xin for embarrassing her.


    Thankfully, as if there was a blessing guiding him, Xu Feng lightly patted his shoulder and pulled him back.


    "I''ll exin itter, but let me deal with this first." Xu Feng said, unaware that one of the main culprits of Zhao Kai''s demise happened to be him in this timeline.


    Never once did he think the event that happened back then woulde into y in today''s event.


    Since this mess was started by him, then it was only right that he would resolve it.


    "Feng?" Confused, Zhao Kai didn''t expect Xu Feng to go on the frontline.


    ''Truly my best brother!'' He cried inwardly, unaware that the whole mess was done by him.


    However, it didn''t take long for him to notice it when Xu Feng waved his hand and greeted Zhang Jingyi warmly.


    "Oh, it''s you. I didn''t expect us to meet on such an asion." Xu Feng chuckled, feigning ignorance of the current tense atmosphere.


    The moment Xu Feng greeted and the look of astonishment on Zhao Kai''s face, Zhang Jingyi would have been a fool if she hadn''t noticed something was amiss.


    ''That person responded when I called out for Zhao Kai, and even Miss Xin here was referring to that timid man as little brother. Damn, I got fooled by him.'' Zhang Jingyi swiftly pieced the clues together and realized she had been deceived. Find more to read at §Þ??


    "So are you not called Zhao Kai?" Zhang Jingyi asked, her expression solemn.


    "Nope," Xu Feng shook his head and replied, "I''m Xu Feng."


    At this moment, even a fool was able to tell Xu Feng had somewhat deceived Zhang Jingyi into believing he was Zhao Kai, prompting the earlier misunderstandings.


    As for Zhao Kai, he took back the statement he made for him almost instantaneously. ''You got me smacked hard by Thorin in the Divine World and now you even caused me such a big trouble here. I hate you, Feng!''


    Naturally, Zhao Kai didn''t dare to voice his frustration and merely smiled sheepishly, wanting to integrate himself as some side character.


    "Seems like it''s just a small misunderstanding." Acting as the host, Zhao Xin was quick in her actions to defuse the situation.


    Xu Feng nodded his head. "Indeed, everyone here is friends of friends, so there''s no need to mind it."


    With that said, the crowd lost interest immediately, returning to their own discussion. After all, aside froming here to congratte Zhao Gaofu''s birthday, they were also here to utilize the opportunity to strike a business connection with others.


    Most of the time, these people here are busy and it would have been embarrassing if they had to go to each other individually to discuss business.


    Thus, this party was the golden bridge opportunity that gave them an excuse to all meet up for a lengthy discussion.


    Naturally, the Zhao Family also understood this aspect, which was the main reason why the venue was opened early in advance for certain types of people.


    Meanwhile, with the misunderstanding resolved, Zhao Ming and Zhao Heng were displeased with the situation. They nced at each other before promptly receiving a notice from the security guard.


    "Oh, two young masters are having a brawl eh?" Zhao Ming, the eldest son of the family, was surprised by the news. He held a menacing gaze at Zhao Xin, who was trying to offer a private room for Xu Feng, Zhao Kai, and Zhang Jingyi to talk further.


    "Since it''s the two young masters from the Hans and Lang family, we naturally can''t do anything. I''ll tell my little sister how to resolve the matter." Zhao Ming responded, grinning.


    ''Hmph, kick us out from the board meetings. Let''s see how you can resolve this issue once it esctes, Dear Xin.''


    On the side, Zhao Heng, who was the second eldest, heard Zhao Ming''s instruction and couldn''t help himself but smirked coldly.


    "You are really a great elder brother."


    "What? Are you trying to inform her then?" Zhao Ming raised an eyebrow and questioned, clearly not a bit afraid that his little brother would expose him.


    "Of course, not. I heard nothing." Zhao Hengughed heartily. "I only saw a few beautifuldies outside, and they seemed quite lonely. It would be a shame if I didn''t apany them. How would I have the time to manage others?"


    "Hmph, you better be careful who you sleep with. Thest time, you caused a big scandal, prompting your father to give you a severe beating."


    "Rest assured, I''m not dumb enough to choose women like Zhang Jingyi''s status. I''m only going to choose those inferior ones that can''t influence much and are just gold diggers."


    As Zhao Heng licked his lips, he quickly exited the venue, clearly wanting to search for his prey.


    "What a perverted bastard." Zhao Ming rolled his eyes. He was married and was faithful to his wife, unlike Zhao Heng. Sooner orter, Zhao Heng was definitely going to pay the price for fooling around so many times.


    While the undercurrent was beingid, in a private room, Zhang Jingyi was ring at Xu Feng.


    "Tell me. Was I really so terrifying that you needed to give me a fake name?" Zhang Jingyi questioned.


    Both Zhao Xin and Zhao Kai turned to Xu Feng, seemingly perplexed at how he managed toe into contact with her.


    Seeing their eyesight locked on him, Xu Feng adjusted his sses and nodded his head.


    "Yes, a woman of your stature is enough to bring a lot of problems to me. Hence, I used my buddy, Zhao Kai''s name as a smokescreen. Also, I''m sure you didn''t attend this birthday party for me anyway, so what''s with the anger?"

 Chapter 241: Frankness

    As Xu Feng questioned her source of fury, Zhang Jingyi was surprised herself.


    ''Right, why was I so angry at him lying to me?'' She wondered silently.


    Throughout her life, she had been spoiled heavily by her parents and brother. No one would dare lie to her and would always attempt to ensure she wouldn''t be unhappy. Your next journey awaits at §Þ??


    Naturally, they were also very protective of her, constantly having bodyguards around her.


    Even at this party, she was assigned a ton of bodyguards, who were simply being kept around the vicinity.


    After all, the Zhao Family had their own security. It would have been rude for the others to bring their own bodyguards, given it would create a statement that the Zhao Family can''t protect its guests.


    Maybe it was because of how no one had ever dared to deceive her that she got somewhat angry at Xu Feng.


    Of course, there were also some who tried Xu Feng''s method of acting cold to get her attention, but she could easily sense they were full of insidious thoughts regarding her.


    Yet she can''t sense the same feelings when ites to Xu Feng. In fact, she could even sense he was somewhat annoyed that she had appeared in front of him.


    "So you''re Xu Feng and you really didn''t know who I was from the start?" Zhang Jingyi squinted her eyes and asked.


    "Yes," Xu Feng responded coolly.


    "If it weren''t for the money that you promised, I wouldn''t have even bothered helping you in the first ce. I''m just not interested in you or your family background." He added, being immensely direct and straightforward.


    His frankness shocked even the usuallyposed Zhao Xin, seemingly unable to believe what she heard.


    ''The Zhang Family''s standing could be considered more or less the same as the Zhao. Is this courage or foolishness?'' Zhao Xin wondered, feeling that Xu Feng had truly changed.


    In the past, he had said simr stuff to her, but in recent events, he seemed to have changed so much that she was no longer able to predict him.


    When she went to give him a car, she merely believed thetter would refuse, but he didn''t. And since she was truly ready to give, she didn''t put much thought into it and gifted him right away.


    However, now that she thinks back about it, the Xu Feng she knew would have talked a bunch of gibberish to her before refusing it.


    "Very well, I got your message loud and clear." Frustrated, Zhang Jingyi stood up and exited the private room.


    As the door mmed shut, Xu Feng breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Phew, a troublemaker has finally gone." He patted his chest before turning to Zhao Kai. "My bad for using your name. I didn''t expect she would be at this party and nearly cause you trouble."


    "Eh?" Twitching his lips, Zhao Kai was dazed and motionless.


    Zhang Jingyi was not only a beautiful woman, but also one with a strong background. From a nce, it was clear that she had taken somewhat of an interest in Xu Feng, but his cold tone and frankness destroyed all kinds of possibilities.


    Instead of being mad at Xu Feng for using his name, he was more impressed and could no longer look at him the same way.


    "I was wrong, Brother Feng. No wonder why you said the clubs are no good." He gave him a thumbs up, referring to their previous conversation in the car.


    s, Zhao Kai''s slip of the tongue happened in the worst moment. Because of how shocked he was, he had forgotten that someone else was still in the private room.


    "A club huh?" Zhao Xin smiled amicably.


    "What type of club were you talking about? Care to share it with this dear sister of yours?"


    "Uh oh¡­" Panic immediately surfaced on his expression, and like a cat got its tail stepped on, he hid behind Xu Feng, seemingly taking cover.


    Unamused, Zhao Xin turned her attention to Xu Feng, clearly looking for an answer.


    Normally, men in this kind of situation would act scared and only talk further into their doom, but not Xu Feng.


    As an experienced person, how could hemit such an amateur mistake?


    "Kai, what''s wrong with you?" Xu Fengughed amusingly. "It''s just book clubs, what is there to be afraid of? Could your sister be angry at you for being at the book clubs and meeting some nicedies?"


    Enlightened, Zhao Kai hurriedly mored. "Yeah, what''s wrong with book clubs?"


    Meanwhile, Zhao Xin didn''t buy their exnation as she recalled Zhao Kai''s words. "Didn''t you mention Feng said those clubs are no good for you? In other words, he disapproved of the book clubs."


    ''Fuck, is she a supeputer?'' Zhao Kai cursed silently, wondering just how she could possibly remember his words so vividly.


    Thankfully, Xu Feng was ready for a response. "Indeed, book clubs are not good for Kai since his brain is below average. Those women in book clubs are all sophisticated, and with Kai''s insufficient knowledge, he''s just going to get rejected hard. And even by miracle, he got close to a woman, their ipatibility would appear sooner orter, resulting in a bad ending."


    "..."


    Both Zhao Kai and Zhao Xin were rendered speechless by the exnation.


    However, the reasons for their speechlessness were totally different.


    Zhao Xin understood her little brother wasn''t that bright, so she was unable to refute the im. ''Ugh, Kai really needs to study a bit more, otherwise, it''s going to be hard to convince Grandfather to let him into thepany.''


    As for Zhao Kai, he would be damned to admit to such an insult, but he also can''t refute it unless he wanted a thorough beating from Zhao Xin. ''This is so unfair. I can''t agree or refuse it. Feng is just enjoying my plight.''


    Seeing both sister and brother remained silent as they got checkmated by him, Xu Feng casually took a seat and poured himself some expensive wine, savoring the taste.


    ''Once you know your opponent, it''s not hard to defeat them.'' He eximed inwardly.

 Chapter 242: Advice

    Shortly after both brother and sisterposed themselves, Zhao Xin decided to brush aside this matter, albeit knowing something was still amiss.


    "Anyway, I didn''t bring you two here to the private room to merely resolve the misunderstandings with Zhang Jingyi." Zhao Xin revealed. She would truly be wasting a lot of time if she needed to constantly bring guests to a private room to resolve conflict.


    Naturally, Zhao Kai was shocked that there were more matters aside from the misunderstanding to be discussed here.


    As for Xu Feng, he was rather calm, having expected that there must be something else she wished to discuss. Using Zhang Jingyi was just a smokescreen, given that she didn''t even intervene when his frankness clearly humiliated Zhang Jingyi.


    "You don''t seem surprised, Feng." Zhao Xin curled her lips up, her gaze fixated on him.


    "Why should I be surprised?" Xu Feng mused.


    "Your good friend, Feng Qing Rou, isn''t here, which means she must be busy in the Divine World. As for Zhang Jingyi''s brother, he should be doting on her a lot, but to not even attend this party with her meant that he was also busy, most likely in the Divine World too."


    Hearing thements, Zhao Xin didn''t get mad or surprised. Instead, she nodded and realized Xu Feng was indeed hiding quite a bit, especially his knowledge regarding the Divine World.


    Previously, she had mentioned that he should join Divine World and her friend''s guild, but Xu Feng didn''t even faze a bit. This clearly meant that he understood the Divine World was not just a regr virtual reality game.


    "Not bad," Zhao Xin simrly took a seat and smiled. "Zhang Jingyi''s brother is Zhang Tie Quan, otherwise known as Herald Fist in the Divine World."


    "Wait a minute? Herald Fist? That tyrannical person?" Zhao Kai suddenly eximed in shock, clearly having just figured this out.


    At the same time, he pieced the words that Xu Feng mentioned and his face twitched.


    "Sister''s friend is Feng Qing Rou, and I know Herald Fist is contesting against the Silver Wind guild. It can''t be a coincidence, right?" He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and asked, his gaze ncing between Xu Feng and Zhao Xin.


    However, this wasn''t the reason for his nervousness, but the fact that he also knew one thing.


    yer Lin Feng.


    The fact that Lin Feng was the cause of Silver Wind guild''s sudden rise wasn''t unknown to the yers in Riverwood Town, but none of them knew aside from him that Lin Feng was actually Xu Feng.


    ''Holy shit, Feng is actually manipting and deceiving these people.'' Zhao Kai finally realized the severity of this matter and the courage of Xu Feng.


    However, he kept quiet about this information to himself. Since had promised Xu Feng not to reveal it, then he wouldn''t, even if his sistermanded him.


    Not to mention, as long as he didn''t reveal any hints, she wouldn''t ask him either, saving him quite the trouble.


    "This isn''t some secret to the people here. Hence, I want to ask if the two of you are currently ying Divine World." Zhao Xin said, her intention being quite clear.


    Since she had already announced her intention of wanting to mass invest in the Divine World, she naturally wanted more people to join her n. Even better would be the people being someone she trusted.


    Zhao Kai scratched his head, unsure of how to answer her. He did indeed y the Divine World, but he knew his sister wouldn''t ask such a question casually.


    However, based on his minuscule movement, it was easily detected by Zhao Xin.


    "It seems like you do y, but I suppose you want to be independent." Zhao Xin sighed softly.


    "I¡ª uhh¡­" Speechless, Zhao Kai couldn''te up with an excuse.


    As for Xu Feng, he smiled briefly and nodded his head. "Yeah, your friend''s guild is too big for people like us. We just like to y casually without being involved in many conflicts." Discover more content at §Þ??


    ''Liar!!!'' Zhao Kai shouted inwardly, clearly knowing he was spouting nonsense.


    Nevertheless, it was also true that he didn''t want to join his sister''s friend''s guild. It was already difficult for him to survive in the real world, so he didn''t want the same to happen in the Divine World either.


    Nodding, Zhao Xin no longer pursued the matter. "Well, just know that it''s fine being independent, but don''t involve yourself with Zhang Jingyi or the Tyrant Fist guild further."


    After giving her final piece of advice, she stood up and left the private room.


    Once the coast was clear, Zhao Kai quickly locked the door and stared at Xu Feng, almost as if he had something to say.


    "Stop staring at me like that. I wouldn''t mind a hottie staring, but you?" Xu Feng eximed.


    "Hmph, who is staring at you?" Zhao Kai snorted and rolled his eyes.


    He proceeded to cross his arms and said, "You have really changed, Feng. Now you are even fooling my sister, her friend, and even that Zhang Jingyi woman."


    "How can it be called fooling? It''s merely a coincidence that I managed to meet Zhang Jingyi by chance. As for your sister and her friend, it''s a coincidence too."


    "Then I suppose your luck must be insane to have such coincidences."


    Clearly, Zhao Kai was not believing Xu Feng''s words whatsoever. The number of coincidences was simply too much.


    One or two times, he could let it go, but three plus?


    Nah, no way!


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng could only shrug his shoulders in response.


    What he said was the truth, and there wasn''t any evidence he could use to prove himself.


    "Anyway, we should still subtly help my sister out. She''s my closest kin so that Tyrant Fist guild can scram." Zhao Kai puffed up and demanded.


    "Not doing it." Xu Feng calmly adjusted his sses. "So far, the Tyrant Fist guild has not done anything to me. In fact, he''s one of my wealthy customers, so why would I cut off a fat sheep?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 243: Accused

    A few minutes had gone by, and the private room waspletely silent.


    While one person was sipping some wine in a rxed manner, the other person was filled with anxiety and nervousness.


    Zhao Kai was rendered speechless by the swift rejection from him. He even began to wonder if Xu Feng didn''t care about the possibility of him exposing his identity.


    At the very least, he should try to mince the word and not be so direct.


    "If my sister ever finds out your identity and role, then it''s going to be disastrous for you and me." Zhao Kai exined, trying his best to not make it seem like a threat.


    To him, he was legitimately stuck in the middle of two of his closest people.


    One was his buddy and another was his step-sister. Both are people that he cherished, and it was suffocating to be squeezed by these two.


    "You don''t need to worry too much." Xu Feng chuckled softly, having understood his predicament.


    "You can just continue to y the Divine World and asionally train in the guide I sent you. You just need to grow stronger and that''s all."


    Annoyed and irritated, Zhao Kai scratched his hair, nearly ruining its style in the process.


    "Ugh, forget it. I don''t even want to care about thisplicated crap." He said after taking a deep breath. "But still, why are we still staying in the private room?"


    "Would you have preferred us to go outside and meet with other people?" Xu Feng responded with a question of his own.


    Sure enough, Zhao Kai shook his head repeatedly and began pouring himself a cup of wine as well.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng seemed to be chilling on the surface, but he secretly determined the potentially dangerous people to avoid.


    During themotion caused by Zhang Jingyi, Xu Feng was more focused on the reactions of the crowd.


    ''There''s quite a few that have been rmed by the name Zhao Kai, but none of them actually acted up. What a pain.'' There were just too many at the party despite the fact that it was early ess.


    However, it was precisely that fact which prompted Xu Feng to be vignt. He was not wary of those barred outside, but toward those who can be in the party at this early time.


    Only people of their caliber could potentially harm Zhao Kai.


    While he was analyzing deeply, Zhao Kai suddenly stood up, rmed by the news. "Damn, this is crazy. Feng, two young masters are fighting outside and they are saying we are the cause."


    "Huh?" Confused, Xu Feng seemed to be lost.


    How were they the cause of a brawl between two young masters?


    "I don''t know either, but my sister is urging us to get over there as soon as possible." Zhao Kai shrugged his shoulders, rying his sister''s words.


    It was at this moment that Xu Feng narrowed his eyes, a cold aura emitted from him.


    The change was very sudden, prompting Zhao Kai to shudder briefly.


    "W-What''s wrong, Feng?" He asked nervously, seemingly confused by his change.


    "Nothing, but we should probably be prepared for a show." Xu Feng ced his winecup on the table, stood up, and fixed his suit.


    "Prepared for a show?" Unaware of the severity, Zhao Kai merely thought they simply needed to exin the situation.


    Xu Feng didn''t bother exining it to him and exited the private room, heading outside as instructed.


    Shortly after he arrived outside, numerous parties were staring at him, with Zhang Jingyi putting up somewhat of a pouting attitude.


    ''Okay, so it''s not her.'' Xu Feng deduced right away, eliminating her as a suspect.


    After all, her attitude was the typical spoiled miss who always got what they wanted and then got irritated when they received the cold treatment.


    "You''re here," Zhao Xin called out and signaled him to the side.


    Once he went to the side, Xu Feng still sensed the numerous gazes on him, almost as if he was prey being eyed by predators.


    "What''s the problem?" Xu Feng asked softly, ignoring the pressure directed at him.


    "Did you rile those two young masters, Hans Zhou and Lang Shan?"


    "Who?"


    "Those two!" Zhao Xin rolled her eyes and pointed at the two people currently being held back by the security guards.


    Following her pointing, Xu Feng recognized those two were the ones gossiping about them earlier.


    However, that was about it. They were two clowns after all.


    Why would he pay attention to clowns?


    "Let me guess. They used me of being the cause of their brawl and now their parents and other influential people believe I''m the culprit." Xu Feng smiled.


    "You still have the courage to smile?" Zhao Xin twitched her mouth. "The security guards said they fought because you taunted them with the gold invitation card."


    Amused, Xu Feng nced at the guards who testified against him. They were solemn and seemed to have some sort of hatred toward him.


    Smirking, Xu Feng pointed at the CCTV and asked, "And it just so happened the camera stopped working so now it''s their words against mine."


    Dumbfounded, Zhao Xin didn''t expect Xu Feng to know about it.


    She pursed her lips and walked closer to him, "Since you know this is most likely a trap, you need to defuse it. Just say that it was a misunderstanding and I can step in to resolve it."


    Naturally, Zhao Xin was no fool either to believe Xu Feng and Zhao Kai to be flexing their status and taunted these two young masters to start a brawl.


    They imed that whoever won the brawl would be granted entry early to prove their status was superior to the other.


    However, anyone with a few brain cells would know how illogical that was.


    Yet these wealthy folks acted dumb, which meant one thing. They knew the truth, but this was a matter of their reputation.


    And nothing was more important than their reputation.


    ''Reputation huh. These people really need to get a p of reality.'' Xu Feng inwardly sneered, taking a step forward to face the crowd.

 Chapter 244: Slap of Reality

    As Xu Feng arrived at the crowd, almost everyone was ring coldly at him, having already investigated the background of Xu Feng.


    As an orphan, he had no background. Additionally, the school he attended was currently embroiled in a massive scandal regarding the dean.


    Not to mention, his grades were mediocre, so Xu Feng was a bona fide leech and garbage in their eyes.


    How could someone like him receive a gold invitation card, much less dare to mess with Hans Zhou and Lang Shan?


    "Youngsters like you¡ª I have seen many in my lifetime. They are nothing but troubles." One elderly man snorted in disdain, clearly feeling the party had downgraded because of his appearance.


    Xu Feng turned to the elderly man and noticed he was somewhat shielding Hans Zhou, a clear sign that the man was helping him.


    Instead of getting angry, Xu Feng nodded his head and agreed. "Indeed, youngsters like me are throughout the streets, but the same can be said to an old fogey like you who thinks their money meant they could throw usations without evidence."


    Suddenly, the atmosphere dropped to pin silence, with their eyes wide open.


    Clearly, they had never expected Xu Feng to be so bold. Even Zhao Xin was stunned by Xu Feng''s statement.


    ''What is he trying to achieve?'' Zhao Xin was dumbfounded. She had clearly warned him to defuse the situation, especially when he knew it was a trap as well.


    Just why did he intensify the situation instead?


    Shortly after the initial shock, the elderly man raised his tone and sneered, "Hmph, as expected of a rash youngster. Don''t even know the society other than shooting their mouths without thinking."


    "Just like the old fogey as well."


    "You¡ª"


    Infuriated, the elderly man could not fathom where Xu Feng got the courage from.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Jingyi was starting to believe Xu Feng was definitely an entric person who thinks they are the main character. ''Why did he infuriate Elder Hans Pang so much?''


    Everyone here knew Hans Pang was a veteran who had helped stabilize the Hans Corporation through its tough time.


    His status was extremely high within the Hans Family, and he spoke up today not because of his care for Hans Zhou, but because of his reputation.


    If others were to learn that members of the Hans Family embarrassed themselves in today''s event, Hans Pang would be humiliated.


    Thus, the matter would easily be resolved as long as Xu Feng apologized and after some talk, Hans Pang would also let the matter go with respect to the Zhao Family.


    However, that was no longer a viable option with how domineering and stubborn Xu Feng was.


    "Alright, we''re all here instead of inside because of these two young masters, right?" Xu Fengughed and walked toward Hans Zhou.


    But before he could get close, he was blocked by some security guards.


    "Rx, you don''t think I can try to harm him with such a public, right?" Xu Fengmented.


    "Just speak from that distance." Hans Pangmanded. Although he was displeased with Xu Feng, he very much wanted to see what he was trying to do in such a situation.


    "Alright, then, Mister Hans Zhou. Can you tell me how I taunted you with the gold invitation card and coerced you to fight with Mister Lang Shan for me to bring you inside the venue?"


    Hans Zhou''s eyes avoided his stare, keeping his attention to Hans Pang.


    Hans Pang nodded his head, implying that he should answer the question.


    Biting his lips, Hans Zhou began rying the event. The event pretty much happened exactly what Xu Feng did with Zhao Kai when entering the venue, albeit with a bit of addition that he had turned to them and said he could bring one of them along, but only the best fighter could get it.


    Ignoring his event, Xu Feng then turned to the security guards. "And you two can confirm what Mister Hans Zhou said was the truth?"


    His expression was calm and collected, but the guards felt a sense of overwhelming pressure hitting them.


    Nevertheless, one of the guards stood still and replied, "Yes, that is the truth."


    "Look at this person still trying to ask what we know already."


    "As expected of a poor bumpkin that leeches on the rich. They don''t know anything."


    "Heh, I bet Elder Hans Pang is eager to teach this kid a lesson."


    Shortly after the numerous adults started gossiping among themselves.


    Xu Feng expected them to be rotten anyway, so he wasn''t surprised, but one person''s words nearly dumbfounded him.


    "Hmph, what''s with all you people gossiping without having theplete evidence yet? If witnesses are so concrete, then there wouldn''t be many innocent people put into jail."


    ''Zhang Jingyi?'' Turning around, Xu Feng didn''t expect her to speak up on his behalf.


    Not to mention his astonishment, even the others were stupefied to see Zhang Jingyi speaking up for Xu Feng. After all, they had all witnessed her puffed up and somewhat irritated when she came back outside from the private room.


    It was obvious that she was displeased with the discussion.


    "What? Why are you all looking at me?" Zhang Jingyi coldly snorted once she realized they were all gazing at her.


    "I''m merely speaking the truth and not helping anyone. If these people can tantly use him without sufficient evidence, then I might as well say those two young masters molested me." She announced, pointing at Hans Zhou and Lang Shan.


    "What nonsense are you spouting?" Astounded, Hans Zhou and Lang Shan were quick to argue back almost instantaneously at such an usation.


    They were already in deep shit, so if the crime of molesting Zhang Jingyi was spread, then they were doomed.


    Aside from the fact that their family would disown thempletely, just Zhang Jingyi''s brother''s wrath alone was enough to end them. As for his father, he could easily sabotage their family businesses, albeit wouldn''t harm them entirely, it was not easy to deal with it either.


    "Hmph, afraid now?" Zhang Jingyi coolly eximed.


    "If that''s the case, then you best be wary of what you said. Otherwise, thisdy here won''t mind giving you a p of reality and a taste of your own medicine."

 Chapter 245: Escalation

    With Zhang Jingyi unexpectedly speaking up for Xu Feng despite Hans Pang''s clear indication of wanting to punish thetter, everyone was shocked.


    Hans Pang himself was even more speechless.


    As an elder, it was already humiliating enough that a brat like Xu Feng had verbally contested him, but now even Zhang Jingyi joined the fray.


    To make things worse, it was beneath him to reprimand Zhang Jingyi''s action, especially when she had two doting supporters, namely her father and brother.


    Although he was not afraid of the Zhang Group, he was also not willing to offend them for a useless bastard like Hans Zhou. Other than his surname, there was nothing noteworthy about Hans Zhou.


    Hans Zhou himself also understood this point. His status whenpared to Zhang Jingyi was overwhelmingly huge.


    "M-Miss Zhang, let''s just forget about this incident. We''re all here to celebrate Elder Zhao Gaofu''s birthday after all." Hans Zhou said, wanting to defuse the situation.


    Never did he expect the situation would escte to such height when he was merely trying to push the me on Xu Feng. At the same time, he can''t help but despise the person who told him this was their way out.


    Although he didn''t know who it was, to instruct the Zhao Family security guards to heed their story meant that their identity was definitely not simple.


    This was also why he and Lang Shan dared to continue with the false usation to get away from the punishment from their family for brawling at the venue.


    However, if they knew the situation would deteriorate to this oue, then they would have chosen to be punished from the start.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Jingyi didn''t bother entertaining Hans Zhou. Instead, she turned her attention to Xu Feng, clearly letting him decide.


    As for Hans Pang, he remained silent, mainly because he was starting to find the situation amiss.


    A person with no background like Xu Feng, yet somehow got a gold invitation card. It was suspicious to not believe this situation was more than the eyes meet. In fact, he even began to suspect his dumb descendant was being used as a pawn.


    "I can naturally let the two young masters go." Xu Feng smiled, but before anyone could rx, he pointed at the security guards.


    "But definitely not these guards." He added.


    "What?"


    Almost everyone was left aghast by Xu Feng''s statement. He was letting go of the user, but not the eyewitnesses?


    Contrary to their belief that Xu Feng was afraid of offending the rich and went to the guards who had low status to vent, he continued with a fierce remark.


    "Now tell me, who instructed you to give false usations to support the two young masters'' im? This is my first time here, but somehow you can pinpoint me directly?"


    "Only a few people have gold invitation cards. How could I not recognize you?"


    "That is indeed true, but then again, why would I taunt them if that was the case?" Xu Feng pressed further.


    The guard who responded earlier merely smirked. "A lowly person like you got the prestigious invitation card, so of course, you feel the need to boast around."


    ''Gotcha.'' Xu Feng inwardly sneered. The guard thought his answer was great, but he made one big mistake.


    How did he know he wasn''t of great status if that was their first encounter?


    Previously, even Hans Zhou and Lang Shan gossiped about him being some hidden family heir.


    It was clear that they had no clue about his identity, but after a while, they started pointing their fingers at him, seemingly certain he had no background whatsoever.


    Sure, they could easily investigate him with their power, but why would they do that?


    At this point, it was obvious that someone was fanning the me and orchestrating this y. They also wanted to use this incident to cause trouble for Zhao Kai, but their n was foiled because he had taken up the stand, gathering all the aggro to him.


    Now, not a single person even mentioned Zhao Kai, who was currently being held back by Zhao Xin on the side from his instruction.


    "Everyone heard this guard say my status is inferior, right?" Xu Feng turned his attention to the crowd, ignoring the guard. "Then let me ask you this one question. Would you know about it just based on my appearance alone?"


    The moment he asked that question, he flexed his suit, and these wealthy people with their high standards instantly knew the suit was a luxury kind.


    As they scrutinized Xu Feng further, they realized his demeanor and aura were not a bitcking at all.


    They didn''t admit it outright, but their expressions already said it all. They would definitely believe Xu Feng was someone of their stature and not some poor bumpkin. Even Hans Pang kept quiet, his eyes darting back and forth between Xu Feng and Hans Zhou.


    When he realized Xu Feng looked more noble than Hans Zhou, he merely snorted lightly.


    However, the show didn''t end just there as Xu Feng continued with his statement, not caring whether anyone answered his question or not.


    "Now I don''t want to waste anyone''s time anymore. These guards are clearly instructed by someone¡ª someone who has enough status tomand them and also know about my identity." Xu Feng dropped the bomb, instantly causing the crowd to turn silent.


    What he stated meant that this mess was orchestrated by someone from the Zhao Family, supposedly one with a high status.


    Shock filled among the guests, including Hans Pang, who didn''t expect thetter to have such courage. Now he didn''t feel that humiliated, considering how Xu Feng didn''t even n on giving face to the Zhao Family.


    The same goes for Zhang Jingyi, who finally realized Xu Feng''s personality was just like that, blunt and straightforward. He didn''t mince his words and would speak whatever was on his mind.


    "This Feng is really causing a mess for me." Zhao Xin rubbed her temples, feeling a headache.


    "How is he causing a mess?" Zhao Kai interjected, feeling Xu Feng was amazing. "He''s just trying to catch the piece of shit that was framing us!"

 Chapter 246: Ruined

    Zhao Xin was speechless at Zhao Kai, who could only see things on the surface, and not the future.


    It would have been fine if Xu Feng just epted the solution after Hans Zhou said to leave the matter. Afterward, she could secretly investigate which party was behind this.


    However, now it was all ruined because Xu Feng decided to bring the matter to light, and not use a lid to cover the incident.


    To simplify, Xu Feng was creating a path of no return in which only he or the culprit behind this would be put to justice.


    He was ying with fire, and with one wrong move, Xu Feng would burn himselfpletely.


    Nevertheless, she still found it baffling at the immense change that he had undergone.


    ''Back then, he was just impulsive and rash, never thinking about the consequences. But now he''s gotten even more unruly.'' Zhao Xin sighed softly.


    There was one more thing she hadn''t mentioned to Zhao Kai, and it was the fact that he was directing everyone''s attention toward him.


    Others might not be able to detect it, but once they give the matter a few thoughts.


    They would realize the supposed used was both Zhao Kai and Xu Feng, but they were only focusing on thetter.


    "Sigh, I should defuse this before it continues to escte." Zhao Xin mumbled. As much as she wanted to know who the culprit was, it was not the right time.


    Since she was ced as the host and in charge of this birthday party, she couldn''t afford to spoil her grandfather''s mood.


    Walking forward, Zhao Xin pped her hands to get the crowd''s attention.


    "Alright, I suppose this is enough." She announced softly, before turning her attention to the guards.


    "The problems here are caused by these guards, so I shall have someone detain them and give an answer to everyone else tomorrow. Let''s not spoil the main event as my grandfather should be almost finished discussing with everyone else elders."


    Without further ado, the nearby guards quickly detained them, not giving them a chance to defend or struggle. They were swiftly brought away, their fate unknown.


    Meanwhile, Hans Pang and the crowd went silent after Zhao Xin brought up one topic.


    Hans Pang was a veteran elder, but he still wasn''t the highest authority person.


    Instead, it was technically their ancestor, Hans Ruoyan, who was currently discussing things with Zhao Gaofu and many others of the same seniority.


    "Since Miss Xin has said so, then let the matter rest." Hans Pang softly said.


    "In the end, it''s just a bunch of youngsters making a mess and spoiling the mood." While saying that, his eyes were unexpectedly not ring at Xu Feng, but at Hans Zhou.


    Hans Zhou shuddered in fear, knowing that he was definitely going to be grounded and punished severely once they returned.


    Lang Shan was more or less the same, having seen his elders'' not-so-friendly look at him. He thought he had escaped safely by being quiet and discreet, but it was clear that was just a fool''s dream.


    As for Xu Feng, he knew pursuing the matter was no longer viable.


    ''It''s a pity, but at least, these people should know Kai and I are not easy to handle.'' He thought, nodding his head and agreeing with Zhao Xin''s arrangement, knowing fully well she was giving him a way out.


    Subsequently, everyone began returning to the venue, waiting for the party to officially begin.


    "Let''s go, Feng." Zhao Kai waved his hand, clearly wanting Xu Feng to hurry to his rescue.


    However, Xu Feng shook his head and signaled for Zhao Kai to be alone with his sister for now.


    After all, he was sure Zhao Xin would remind and warn Zhao Kai of the hidden danger. Not to mention, Xu Feng needed to thank someone for their help, even though he really didn''t require it.


    "Miss Zhang, thanks for speaking up for me earlier." He turned to her and gave his sincere appreciation.


    "Hmph, this is just a small matter. I merely found it hateful that people are prone to conclusions without sufficient evidence." Zhang Jingyi shrugged her shoulders, but inwardly, she wasughing in joy.


    ''Heh, now you''re thanking me? But toote, I''m not interested in you either.'' She thought, ignoring Xu Feng and entering the venue, clearly satisfied.


    It was just a shame that she was overthinking things.


    Xu Feng was merely appreciative of her action, but not overly grateful. Grateful was a term that could only be used if he was in a predicament without a solution.


    With him being the only one left outside, Xu Feng hovered his smartwatch close to him. "Vera, analyze all the videos you saved in the recording andpile them."


    "Understood, Master Lin Feng. The videoption will be done in around 20 minutes."


    Once he received a notice of the time, Xu Feng narrowed his eyes. ''Since I unexpectedly joined Kai, I became a target too. Let''s see who ends up being preyter on.''


    Shortly after Xu Feng returned to the venue inside, Zhao Gaofu came downstairs merrily along with many other people simr to his age.


    "Grandfather," Zhao Xin smiled happily as she greeted him.


    "Hehe, my granddaughter is looking more beautiful than ever." Zhao Gaofu''s initial stoic expression instantly turned to a bright smile upon seeing her.


    "Tsk, what a bootlicker." Zhao Heng, the second eldest brother of Zhao Xin snickered coldly. His neck still had a little mark simr to a lipstick and it emitted a perfume fragrance.


    "A bootlicker is better than having a woman giving you some pleasure with no substance." Zhao Mingmented, clearly noticing the lipstick mark.


    He disappeared throughout the duration of themotion outside, and only barely returned to the venue in time for their grandfather''s arrival.


    Also, from afar, he also noticed a somewhat beautiful woman walking in a limpy manner, her face flushed with redness. Additionally, her lipstick was somewhat stained. Even a fool could tell what these two were doing.


    "I know bootlicking grandfather is helpless so I might as well enjoy a good pleasure." Zhao Heng chuckled.


    He then subtly walked close to him and asked in a barely audible tone, "Also, did you tell the guards to frame that illegitimate brother of ours and his friend?"

 Chapter 247: Party Commence

    Zhao Ming was rmed and nearly spilled his wine in the process.


    "As if I would do something that risky in telling the guards to frame them?" Zhao Ming rolled his eyes.


    He merely wanted to disrupt the party to lessen Zhao Xin¡¯s dominance. Never once did he expect it to actually hinder Zhao Xin¡¯s position or importance in Zhao Gaofu¡¯s mind.


    "Huh? You didn¡¯t instruct them?" Confused, Zhao Heng found it surprising.


    Other than him, who else could instruct the guards and make them take such a risk.


    "I thought it was you who used the woman as your witness to cover your actions." Zhao Ming returned the usation back to him.


    "Hah, that¡¯s funny. I¡¯m busy thrusting them, and you overestimate if you think I canmand the guards."


    "If it¡¯s not you and not me, then who else?"


    When Zhao Ming brought this point up, both of them suddenly realized there was a hidden person who was aligned with their objective. And this hidden person was also someone of a high status within the Zhao Family.


    The further they attempted to ponder, the more frightened and cautious they became. In the end, both decided to keep the matter silent without actually saying it aloud.


    As the two brothers realized the severity of this matter, Xu Feng was visibly seen grabbing a te and taking multiple foods to therge table. The party was like a giant buffet, with many different types of delicacies¡ª some even costing 1000 dors a piece to eat.


    "How are you still in the mood to eat, Feng?" Zhao Kai, who was normally the foodie, gazed at Xu Feng in shock. Just earlier, he was lectured harshly by Zhao Xin, prompting his appetite to decrease tremendously.


    "You got lectured, but I didn¡¯t." Xu Feng replied, taking another bite of juicy tenderized meat. "And I had to deal with an old fogey, so I¡¯m starving."


    Zhao Kai couldn¡¯t even respond properly because the timing was insane.


    After all, as soon as Xu Feng said hisst sentence, a person was walking toward them.


    "Are you going to keep calling me an old fogey?" Hans Pang, who had unintentionally heard Xu Feng¡¯s remark toward him.


    "Wow, eavesdropping is very elderly of you." Unfazed, Xu Feng turned around and smiled at him.


    "You spoke loudly so how can it be considered eavesdropping, young man?"


    "Right, but I was conversing with my friend, so why did you interrupt?"


    "..."


    Zhao Kai felt the tense atmosphere as he continued to listen to their conversation. He even began to wonder if Xu Feng ate the wrong medicine and nned on offending everyone tonight.


    "Hahaha, we¡¯re all here to enjoy the party, so why don¡¯t we¡ª"


    "Be quiet," Both Xu Feng and Hans Pang said simultaneously, forcing Zhao Kai to shut his mouth.


    Once Zhao Kai was silent, Xu Feng¡¯s gaze remained on Hans Pang, "Anyway, what did you want to talk about? I doubt you came over here just for a verbal fight."


    "I just want to ask if you happen to know who the mastermind behind it was." Hans Pang asked coolly. At the end of the day, the youngster from his family was used as a pawn. It was a difficult pill to swallow, given that their family would be aughing matter once it spread around.


    "You¡¯ve asked the wrong person then." Xu Feng sighed and shook his head.


    "I can only tell you that we¡¯re both victims of this y and to be honest, they probably did it knowing your temper well."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Oh, please, don¡¯t feign ignorance. We both know very well that you would push the me on me if I hadn¡¯t retaliated fiercely. Thus, I ignite the me harder to make it a big mess. That way, you can¡¯t just pinpoint me alone and resolve the matter."


    By the time Xu Feng finished his statement, a grin could be seen on his face.


    As for Hans Pang, he was silent, but inwardly, he was baffled.


    Indeed, just like Xu Feng had said. He didn¡¯t care about anything else aside from their reputation, so what was wrong in ming an innocent bystander without any background?


    s, that was his mistake, considering this no-background kid was actually an iron spike.


    "I¡¯m a man of my word, so I won¡¯t pursue this matter any longer now that Miss Xin has detained the guards." Hans Pang said after much difficulty.


    Likewise, Xu Feng nodded in agreement. The situation was no longer ideal to continue to delve into, and they would be foolish to resume the fight for no reason.


    Hans Pang merely wanted to give a warning to Xu Feng to not make another mess, but he realized it was pointless of him to do so.


    After all, it was clear that Xu Feng already knew what to do.


    Shortly after Hans Pang left them alone, Zhao Kai walked to Xu Feng and said, "Feng, you must apany me to all events. Your aggro is very big."


    "Scram," Xu Feng rolled his eyes and pushed him away.


    What an ungrateful person he was?


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    He had helped him alleviate most of the problems, yet Zhao Kai was still unsatisfied.


    "Heh, don¡¯t be like that, Feng." Zhao Kai smiled sheepishly and grabbed a delicious piece of fried cmari. "Here, have some of this."


    Meanwhile, the party officiallymenced, with many beginning to sing Happy Birthday and wishing Zhao Gaofu a blissful year. At the same time, numerous guests started to walk forward with huge presents of their own.


    When Zhao Gaofu opened some of the presents, most of them were like ancient relics or extremely valuable items costing at least 300 thousand dors.


    "Hahaha, you are all too much for gifting this old man this kind of valuable gift." Zhao Gaofuughed merrily, clearly pleased with the gifts.


    "Grandfather, you should be careful of your health." Zhao Xin warned gently from the side. "Little Kai has also arrived, so why don¡¯t I bring him over to greet you."


    "Little Kai?" Zhao Gaofu raised an eyebrow, his expression changing slightly before shaking his head. "You naughty little girl."

 Chapter 248: Zhao Liang

    Zhao Xin was truly meticulous and knew exactly the ripe time to reveal Zhao Kai¡¯s presence to him.


    With many guests sending many precious gifts to him, his mood peaked high.


    He was clearly blissful, so when Zhao Xin brought up this ufortable topic, what more could Zhao Gaofu do in response?


    Reprimand her?


    That he could not bear to do, considering she had been managing thepany and the party well.


    Reject her?


    That was also impossible, given the guests lining up to give him a birthday present could hear Zhao Xin¡¯s words.


    She did not lower her tone but spoke in a normal tone. The further people in the line might not be able to hear it well, but it was definitely not true for those in front of the lines.


    Unless they were deaf, it was impossible for them to not hear it.


    Thus, Zhao Gaofu called Zhao Xin a naughty girl because she cornered him on his birthday.


    "Sigh, do whatever you want." Zhao Gaofu relented and decided to agree to her arrangement. Rarely had she ever asked for anything, so it would be rude of him to not indulge her a little.


    "Hehe, thank you, grandfather." Zhao Xin smiled brightly, clearly pleased with the response.


    Shortly after Zhao Xin left to call for Zhao Kai over, Zhao Ming and Zhao Heng took this chance to present their gifts to their grandfather.


    "Grandfather, I wish you to continue to be healthy and lead the Zhao Family to prosperity." Zhao Ming said, opening a valuable jade pendant.


    Upon seeing the jade pendant, Zhao Gaofu merely nodded without giving ament. His previous smile also vanished.


    Zhao Ming was inwardly displeased, but he also knew there was nothing he could do about it. Their grandfather had always been partial toward Zhao Xin whereas, for them, they were practically non-existent.


    On the other hand, Zhao Heng didn¡¯t bother with the flowery blessing and revealed an ancient painting. "Grandfather is always working hard for the Zhao Family, so may this painting of a dragon coil in front of you."


    "..."


    Silence, the atmosphere turnedpletely silent because of Zhao Heng¡¯s statement.


    Dragon coiling in front of Zhao Gaofu?


    The statement might be fine if used by regr people, but for people of their stature, Zhao Heng¡¯s statement was no different than saying Zhao Gaofu suppressed everyone here.


    So what if you¡¯re a dragon?


    In front of Zhao Gaofu, you better kneel and coil before him.


    That was Zhao Heng¡¯s deration to the rest of the guests!


    "Get out!" Zhao Gaofu roared, mming his palm on the armrest of his chair. Stay connected with NovelBin.C?m


    "Sigh, grandfather is displeased with my gift. What a shame." Zhao Heng seemed nonchnt by the furious response.


    Instead, he rolled the painting back up and tossed it aside. "I wonder if my dear little half-brother could provide a gift suitable for grandfather. We legitimate grandchildren are just not good enough."


    After giving his final statement, Zhao Heng exited the venue, prompting the other guests to be surprised by his audacity.


    Not to mention the guests, even Zhao Ming was dumbfounded by his little brother¡¯s deration.


    ¡¯Did he fuck a woman so hard that his brain fried up?¡¯ He thought, feeling that Zhao Heng had just destroyed his future.


    Sure, they might have been removed from the shareholders meeting by Zhao Xin, but they were still in thepany. So long as they got their grandfather¡¯s approval, they could easily return to the shareholders meeting.


    However, Zhao Heng had effectively thrown away that glimpse of opportunity as well.


    And all that for what?


    To irk their grandfather into being even more displeased with Zhao Kai?


    While this was happening, Xu Feng, who had been paying attention in their direction all along, squinted his eyes slightly.


    ¡¯Zhao Heng, second son of Zhao Liang. A womanizer and yboy, but somehow managed to be the guild leader of Heretics. This person is not simple.¡¯ Xu Feng thought, taking a sip of his wine.


    Heretics had not appeared in the Divine World yet, but during its appearance, its rise was tremendously fast. Within a few weeks after its establishment, it was already capable of rivaling multiple veteran first-rate guilds.


    Such a feat was not possible unless it was backed by manyrge corporations.


    What was surprising was that the guild leader was Zhao Heng, someone who had been disowned by the Zhao Family. Nobody had expected Zhao Heng to be able to make aeback.


    That was the memory he recalled, considering Zhao Heng was someone from the Zhao Family and he was still in the dark regarding Zhao Kai¡¯s fate.


    While Xu Feng was wondering what was going on, Zhao Xin and Zhao Kai frowned slightly upon seeing a neer.


    The neer seemed like a middle-aged man, dressed quite luxuriously with a bearded chin on his face. However, the most surprising part was that the outrageous Zhao Heng from earlier started to tremble slightly as he bowed toward that man.


    "F-Father," Zhao Heng greeted.


    Zhao Heng¡¯s father, Zhao Liang who happened to arrive at the party at this time, held a solemn expression at his second son.


    "Was this how you interact with your grandfather huh?" Zhao Liang questioned, his tone fierce.


    Zhao Heng sweated nervously and shook his head. "N-No, father¡­"


    "Hmph, I¡¯ll reprimand youter." Zhao Liang said, clearly unwilling to lecture his son in public.


    After dismissing his second son, he turned his attention to Zhao Xin and Zhao Kai.


    "Ahh, my dearest daughter. You wouldn¡¯t be mad that I arrivedte, right?" Zhao Liang walked toward her and asked, his smile brightened as he extended his arms, seemingly trying to hug her.


    "You should greet grandfather first." Zhao Xin subtly took a step back and suggested.


    Unfazed by the action, Zhao Liang retracted his arms and nodded.


    "You¡¯re right. I should greet Father first." He responded, not even paying attention to Zhao Kai whatsoever.


    His action might be straightforward and trivial, but it depicted a great picture to the guests overall. He did not acknowledge Zhao Kai at all.


    As for Xu Feng, his lips slowly curled upward, smirking. ¡¯So it¡¯s him huh.¡¯

 Chapter 249: Xu Feng’s Move

    Zhao Liang''s appearance was not toote or too early. In fact, it was just perfect.


    Not to mention, the moment he arrived, Zhao Heng became a coward and was reprimanded harshly by Zhao Liang, effectively disying a show of his authority.


    Followed after that was him warmly greeting his daughter while ignoring his illegitimate son.


    These consecutive actions seemed logical with the information the guests knew on the surface, but not for Xu Feng.


    For someone who had been scheming for a while, Xu Feng would be ridiculed if he couldn''t see the amount of fake acts that Zhao Liang had pulled off.


    Loving father?


    What aughable statement.


    While Zhao Liang hurriedly went to the front to greet his father, Xu Feng turned to Zhao Kai. "We should greet your grandfather properly now. Otherwise, people will really take you as invisible."


    "Uhh¡­" Zhao Kai nced at the front and back to Xu Feng, clearly hesitant about greeting his grandfather.


    s, he had no other choice, given Zhao Xin also chimed in and said, "Yes, listen to your friend and hurriedly greet your grandfather."


    Now that both his friend and sister suggested this to him, Zhao Kai could only grit his teeth and mustered up his courage.


    "Alright then." He said begrudgingly, making his way toward his grandfather.


    However, to his surprise, Xu Feng was right behind him.


    "You''re following me?" Zhao Kai raised an eyebrow and asked in shock.


    "Of course," Xu Feng chuckled softly. "I ate so much of the food here. It would be impolite of me to not even send a blessing."


    Finding his exnation logical, Zhao Kai was more than happy to have him in the back. Otherwise, he might really faint from the pressure and tension.


    A few secondster, Zhao Liang had already greeted the much displeased Zhao Gaofu, who was clearly reprimanding the former for hisck of discipline in his sons.


    "You can''t even teach them proper etiquette. What kind of father are you?" Zhao Gaofu reprimanded, ignoring the guests'' presence.


    His attitude toward him waspletely different whenpared to Zhao Xin. He was cautious in lecturing Zhao Xin, even giving in to her scheme, but for Zhao Liang, he had no qualms in making him lose face.


    Amidst the tension, Zhao Kai got pushed forward by Xu Feng, instantly attracting everyone''s attention.


    By now, the guests had long known about Zhao Kai''s presence at this party. They were all eager to see what this illegitimate son nned on doing here.


    "H-Happy birthday¡­ grandfather." Zhao Kai stutteringly said, clearly nervous upon facing his supposed grandfather''s gaze.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Xin facepalmed on the side, visibly disappointed at Zhao Kai''s performance.


    She had specifically warned him time and time again to be confident. Their grandfather was a prideful man, so what he hated the most was timid people or people who boasted big without substance to back them up.


    Naturally, a few of the more knowledgeable guests suppressed theirughter at Zhao Kai''s behavior.


    In fact, some even wondered if Zhao Heng was correct in his judgment when talking about Zhao Kai.


    Zhao Kai trembled slightly, his hands fidgeting. The anxiety was too much for him to handle, and Xu Feng sighed softly.


    Indeed, it was a bit too much to expect Zhao Kai to ovee this hurdle. Chapter Continue:


    Others might be judging him orughing at his foolishness, but this was a traumatic experience for him.


    Toward a grandfather that he had rarely met, especially with the cold treatment he received and constant harassment within the Zhao Family. It would be surprising if Zhao Kai could stand up proudly.


    Patting him on the back, Xu Feng smoothly pulled him away, taking the front and gazing at Zhao Gaofu.


    "Greetings to you, Kai''s grandfather. I''m Xu Feng and a friend of Kai." Xu Feng cupped his fist and confidently greeted.


    "I won''t say much since it''s just a superficial verbal blessing anyway. Instead, I''ll give you a hint to retain your health and possibly regain your vigorous youth."


    As soon as Xu Feng finished his statement, the guests started gasping in shock.


    Even Zhao Gaofu scrutinized Xu Feng, seemingly wondering if thetter was making a fool out of him.


    If that was the case, then Zhao Gaofu truly didn''t mind teaching him a lesson. After all, he was just enraged horribly by one of his grandsons.


    Do people take him for an old tiger that could no longer bite?


    "Is what you said the truth?" Zhao Gaofu asked calmly.


    However, anyone familiar with him would know it was the calm before the storm. One wrong response and an unleashed beast woulde out from within him.


    "Of course," Xu Feng smirked and adjusted his sses. "Do you really take me for a fool like Zhao Heng? This is your birthday party and not a raging party."


    "How dare you!" Zhao Liang roared and red at Xu Feng for his audacity remark.


    "Can you just shut your mouth when adults are talking?'' In response, Xu Feng scolded Zhao Liang. "Or do you want your father to die early so you can regain the Zhao Enterprise?"


    "W-What nonsense are you saying?" Baffled, Zhao Liang was dumbfounded by the venomous tongue of Xu Feng.


    "Nonsense eh? So you really want to prevent your grandfather from regaining his youth."


    "That''s not what I meant!"


    "Oh, then what do you mean by interrupting me?" Xu Feng crossed his arms and asked.


    Infuriated, Zhao Liang didn''t know what was wrong with Xu Feng for using him repeatedly.


    As for the guests, they were astonished, with a few being amused. The longer they watched the show, the more they realized how disoriented the Zhao Family was as a whole. It was truly a spectacle, to say the least.


    "You are just¡ª"


    "Enough!" Zhao Gaofu, who had been silent for a while, shouted fiercely.


    Veins seemed to be bulging out of his forehead as he red angrily at Zhao Liang.


    First, it was his grandson that embarrassed him, and now it was his son making a scene.


    This was truly one heck of a birthday party he had in years.

 Chapter 250: Physically Impossible

    After Zhao Gaofu suppressed Zhao Liang from speaking further, he turned his attention to Xu Feng.


    With a deep breath, he asked, "Young man, are you sure about your words?"


    "Naturally." Xu Feng nodded.


    "If I was just spouting nonsense, then with Zhao Liang''s petty mind, I''ll definitely have a hard time leaving this venue." He added, taking another jab at Zhao Liang.


    Toward someone like him who ruthlessly discarded the woman he had an affair with, Xu Feng would be damned if he gave thetter any face.


    "Pfft," Among the guests, one of them could no longer hold it back anymore from suppressing theirugh.


    And when the guests, as well as Zhao Gaofu, wondered whoughed, they were baffled.


    It was none other than the Zhang''s Group, Zhang Tian''s precious jewel, Zhang Jingyi.


    Realizing it was her, Zhao Gaofu decided to ignore it.


    After all, he doubted the guests were going to stopughing once the party was over anyway. Their Zhao Family had truly lost all reputation in today''s party.


    As for Zhao Liang, his fist was clenched tightly, clearly fuming at Xu Feng''s repeated aggression. He had never interacted with the youngster, yet the youngster was extremely antagonized toward him.


    The only thing he could deduce was that Xu Feng should most likely be taking revenge on behalf of Zhao Kai¡ª someone he never cared about.


    Chapter Read:


    Meanwhile, Zhao Gaofu decided to instruct Zhao Liang to receive the gifts on his behalf as he suggested Xu Feng to talk in a private room.


    "Make sure to treat the guests with respect. I better not see a mess when I''m done." Zhao Gaofu warned sternly.


    "Yes, father¡­" Zhao Liang could only obey and watched as Zhao Gaofu was assisted by Zhao Xin to another room.


    As for Xu Feng, he cleverly dragged Zhao Kai with him, ensuring Zhao Liang could not confront them while he was away.


    Forced to be the host of a fragmented party already, Zhao Liang could only sh a difficult smile as he greeted each guest.


    Meanwhile, in a private room, Zhao Gaofu took a seat with the assistance of Zhao Xin.


    Xu Feng also made himselffortable, taking a seat without permission. As an orphan, it was only natural that he didn''t know any etiquette, much less give respect to the elderly.


    Seeing his action, Zhao Gaofu didn''t mind and instead patiently waited for Xu Feng to talk.


    Now that they were at this stage, he highly doubted the youngster in front of him was spouting nonsense.


    After all, the severity of making a fool of him was noughing matter. Not even the others would casually provoke a person of his stature.


    With all eyes on him, Xu Feng raised his hand and pointed at Zhao Xin.


    "Your granddaughter is the key to your youthful revival." Xu Feng revealed, astonishing everyone.


    "My granddaughter?" Confused, Zhao Gaofu turned to Zhao Xin, seemingly wanting her to exin.


    However, Zhao Xin was the most confused one. If she knew such a method, would she have concealed it?


    "Grandfather, I don''t know anything." Zhao Xin hurriedly exined before ring at Xu Feng. "Exin clearly. Or are you trying to alienate me from grandfather as well?"


    Thankfully, Zhao Gaofu trusted Zhao Xin enough, otherwise, the consequences of his words were going to span hard and long.


    "I''m being serious though, but seeing your reaction. I guess you didn''t notice it." Xu Feng chuckled softly.


    "You announced your n to invest in the Divine World, but it appears you haven''t noticed some of its secrets. It really gets me intrigued as to why you were confident in investing without knowing it."


    His words remained confusing, and Xu Feng could only shake his head. He extended his hand, reaching for a small grape.


    Once he got the small grape, in an abrupt manner, he suddenly threw it afar and shouted, "Kai, catch the grape before itnds."


    Shocked, Zhao Kai who was staring at the nk ceiling became rmed. He quickly searched for the grape, and once he spotted it, he started dashing for it out of instinct.


    Due to Xu Feng''s demonic training during their time in the Divine World, Zhao Kai had a reflective reaction whenever Xu Feng used amanding tone.


    Thus, he reacted swiftly without thinking much as he grabbed the grape.


    "Phew, you should have warned me earlier if you were going to do this, Feng?" Zhao Kaiined annoyingly, unaware of the atmosphere.


    When Zhao Kai sensed something was amiss, he slowly turned around, only to notice his sister and grandfather had an aghast expression.


    "W-What''s wrong?" Anxious, Zhao Kai didn''t know why they were staring at him like that. It was as if they had just seen a ghost of some sort.


    "Y-Y-You¡­ How did you just do that?" Zhao Gaofu lost hisposure, his mouth twitching and stuttering.


    "How did I do what?" Confused, Zhao Kai raised an eyebrow, clearly at a loss.


    "Kai, you just went from there to your position in a split second." Finally, it was Zhao Xin who spoke up, pointing out what Zhao Kai had just done.


    Startled, Zhao Kai decided to scan his surroundings, and to his astonishment, Xu Feng was so far away from him. Previously, he was behind Xu Feng by only a little bit, but now he was so far apart from thetter.


    "I''m sure you all just witnessed the movement Kai did." Meanwhile, Xu Feng was the most calm person in the room as he exined, "This is what I mean when I said your grandfather can regain his youth, Miss Xin. You know Kai''s physical ability very well. So to perform what he just did, I doubt those special forces are capable of it either."


    At this moment, Zhao Xin and Zhao Gaofu werepletely bbergasted and overwhelmed to even hear his words properly.


    After all, they had just witnessed something physically impossible. Zhao Kai seemed to have teleported from one dimension to another in their eyes.


    If they hadn''t witnessed it with their own eyes, there was no way they would believe it.


    ''Now they should no longer underestimate Kai.'' Xu Feng thought, having revealed only a little bit of the secret.

 Chapter 251: Grandson

    A few minutes had gone by before Zhao Xin and Zhao Gaofu regained theirposure.


    The eyesight they used to nce at Zhao Kai had changed immensely.


    Naturally, the most obvious was Zhao Gaofu, who no longer held somewhat of a contempt or disgusted expression at Zhao Kai.


    As for Zhao Xin, she was rather pleased to see her little brother had such an ability that she had never known.


    After all, things had just be easier for her to convince Zhao Gaofu to let Zhao Kai enter thepany.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Kai was ufortable to see his grandfather''s intense gaze at him.


    In response, he went back to Xu Feng, hiding from them. Although he had questions in mind, especially about the performance he had just done, he knew now was not the time to ask.


    "So Mister Feng, can you exin how my grandson just performed a supposed miracle?" Zhao Gaofu asked, changing his address from young man to mister, as well as acknowledging Zhao Kai as his grandson.


    ''What a sly old fox.'' Xu Feng inwardly sneered.


    Nevertheless, that was precisely the result that Xu Feng wanted.


    "Your mind must be trying to tell you that what you just saw was an illusion or special effect of some sort. But I can tell you that it''s real and the reason why he can perform such a miracle is because of the Divine World." Xu Feng smiled.


    "The Divine World?" Startled, Zhao Xin questioned, "But how is that possible? I don''t see my speed increase like Little Kai did."


    "That''s because you don''t have the correct technique." Xu Fengughed, not a bit surprised by her doubts.


    Zhao Xin was speechless, but she still refused to believe his words. She turned her attention to the hiding Zhao Kai, clearly wanting him to exin.


    Sensing her sister''s gaze, Zhao Kai pointed at Xu Feng and said, "It''s true, eldest sis. I have been trained by Feng for a while in the Divine World. The training was weird and difficult, but very effective."


    With Zhao Kai''s im, Zhao Xin had no other choice but to believe Xu Feng.


    After all, she knew her little brother quite well, and he wouldn''t dare to deceive her.


    But then the question came?


    How did Xu Feng know such training?


    "Are you saying you can pass the training method to grandfather?" Zhao Xin inquired.


    "The training isn''t all that special, and I''m just saying that Elder Gaofu here should join the Divine World and experience the new world." Xu Fengmented.


    He was not a bit afraid of having Zhao Gaofu enter the Divine World. In his past timeline, Zhao Gaofu had also entered the Divine World once he realized his lifespan was shortening fast.


    Hence, he was merely elerating the timeline a little bit, as well as selling a favor to Zhao Gaofu.


    A few secondster, Zhao Gaofu stood up and took up a small grape as well.


    "Since my grandson can achieve such a feat, can you do the same, Mister Feng?" He toyed around with the grape in his fingers, smiling at Xu Feng.


    Right as he tossed the grape up in amusement, his vision blurred for a moment.


    "Why the need to catch a grape, Elder Gaofu?"


    In the blink of an eye, Xu Feng had appeared behind Zhao Gaofu.


    However, what was more astonishing was that his previous location still contained his appearance, only dissipating once Xu Feng finished his statement.


    ''An afterimage?'' rmed, Zhao Gaofu was inwardly dumbfounded by the situation. Initially, he thought only his grandson had aplished this feat and that Xu Feng was merely riding on the wave to reap the benefit.


    Yet reality had pped him quite hard.


    Just with this small disy of movement, Zhao Gaofu could confirm that his grandson was inferior to Xu Feng.


    At the same time, Zhao Xin was starting to look at Xu Feng in a new light, seemingly unable to fathom his capability.


    "This has got to be the second time I was shocked to the core." She mumbled, recalling how Lin Feng had opened her eyes to strategy andbat style.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng returned to his seat and crossed his legs. "So how about it? Do you like this kind of birthday gift?"


    Zhao Gaofu was silent briefly beforeughing merrily, even forgetting about hisposure.


    "Hahaha, youngsters are truly surpassing the old." He pped his hands and continued, "This kind of birthday gift is really extravagant and more amazing than those ancient relics or pendants."


    Pleased, Xu Feng snapped his finger, grabbing Zhao Kai''s attention.


    Chapter Stay:


    "What are you still standing there in a daze for, Kai?" Xu Feng reprimanded.


    "Your grandfather wants to listen to the training method, so why don''t you exin it to him thoroughly?"


    "R¨CRight away," Baffled, Zhao Kai took a few seconds before walking toward Zhao Gaofu. He found the situation reallyughable and unbelievable.


    Just a few minutes ago, he was still neglected and merely an illegitimate son. Now, he was acknowledged, with Zhao Gaofu even smiling at him and calling him his grandson.


    Zhao Gaofu even went as far as patting the empty seat next to him, clearly wanting Zhao Kai to sit there and exin the situation to him.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng merely smiled, stood up, and took his leave without announcing it.


    His main objective waspleted, with him determining the most suspicious person being Zhao Liang. However, because of this maneuver, Zhao Kai''s status in the family had risen tremendously.


    "So grandson, what was that training you were doing? Was it difficult?" Zhao Gaofu held an amiable expression on his face, his eyes looking lovingly at Zhao Kai.


    "Ah yes, so the training begins with¡­" As Zhao Kai readily exined the story of how it began from the start, Zhao Xin silently left them alone as well, a smile appearing on her face.


    Shortly after, Zhao Xin called out to Xu Feng.


    "Feng, wait a minute." She caught up to him and grabbed his arm.


    With a solemn expression, she asked, "Are you rted to Lin Feng in any way?

 Chapter 252: Cool Wind

    Upon being held by Zhao Xin, added to her question, Xu Feng was amused.


    It would be a surprise if she didn''t ask him such a question after he had revealed this astounding news.


    After all, he was just an orphan without any background. Yet in the blink of an eye, he disyed movement that should have only been possible in movies and dramas.


    Not to mention, his courage and boldness in the party today hadpletely shattered her perspective of him.


    Anyone would have been astonished when the supposed person you knew had changed so much instantaneously. Had it been a gradual change, it would have been eptable, but that was not the case.


    "Can you release your grip first, Miss Xin?" Xu Feng asked, ncing at her hand that was tightening his arm. It was as if she was afraid he might escape the moment she released her hand.


    "Oh¡­ apologies," Slightly embarrassed, Zhao Xin quickly released her grip.


    As she released the grip, it became evident that Xu Feng''s suit had been wrinkled as a result.


    ''What did she even eat?'' Xu Feng was speechless at her strength. Thankfully, he was strong, otherwise, his arm might as well have been squeezed to death.


    Upon seeing how Xu Feng was staring at the wrinkles of his suit, Zhao Xin coughed softly and said, "I''ll repay you with three new suits."


    "No need, just a bit of wrinkles only." Xu Feng shook his head, unwilling to receive more free stuff from her.


    Chapter Find:


    Previously, he was only a poor orphan on the surface, so receiving them without any concerns was natural. However, now that he revealed some skills in front of her, he needed to maintain a proper distance.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Xin easily understood his mindset. Thus, she could only sigh softly and nod.


    "Very well, but can you tell me if you''re rted to Lin Feng?" She questioned. Both were named Feng and they appeared out of nowhere, just like how Xu Feng had disyed his boldness and skills.


    And having witnessed his ridiculous movement, she realized why he was unafraid.


    "If you mean the Lin Feng that assisted the Silver Wind guild, then yes, I have heard of him." Xu Feng calmly said.


    "As for whether I''m rted to him, that''s a bit far-fetched."


    "Far-fetched?" Confused, Zhao Xin tilted her head slightly to the side, clearly not following his meaning.


    Xu Feng nced left and right, before walking closer to her and whispered softly, "I mean, we have the same boss, but we operate in two different departments."


    A look of astonishment appeared on her expression. Never once did she think that Xu Feng would be working for the same boss as Lin Feng.


    "What is your in-game name then?" Zhao Xin asked, clearly wanting to investigate him deeper.


    "Uhh¡­ I''m currently undergoing a secret mission from my boss, so I''m not allowed to disclose my in-game name." Xu Feng responded.


    "Is that so?" Narrowing her eyes, she obviously found him suspicious.


    "Ugh, this is just an exception, okay. You''re not allowed to disclose it to anyone." Knowing that he wouldn''t be able to brush her off, he decided toe up with a random name. "My in-game name is Cool Wind."


    "Cool Wind?" Stunned and baffled, Zhao Xin had to take a step back and give a quick scan of him.


    "You are cool?" She questioned, trying to suppress augh in the process, but failed miserably.


    Sure, he wasn''t ugly, but to describe himself as cool was truly far-fetched.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng merely adjusted his sses and called for Vera to pick him up.


    "Kai is probably going to spend a long time with your grandfather, so I''m leaving first."


    "Understood, and thanks for your assistance." Zhao Xin stopped herughter and held a solemn expression. She wasn''t stupid and knew everything that Xu Feng did from the very start was paving the road for Zhao Kai.


    Aside from taking the burden of the usation, he even went as far as to humiliate Zhao Kai''s stepbrother and father, drawing a clear line between him and them.


    At the same time, he managed to change her grandfather''s perspective¡ª something that she had been trying for a long time.


    "No need to look at me with a grateful expression." Xu Feng chuckled, "If Kai gets to return to the Zhao Family, it means I can officially leech him hard."


    "You damn scoundrel¡­"


    Despite saying that, she still held a smile on her face as she watched Xu Feng hop into his vehicle.


    No one else knew better than herself how much effort she used to gain her grandfather''s approval for Zhao Kai.


    As she stood in ce, watching Xu Feng''s car leave the venue, her expression gradually turned cold.


    "It''s time for those guards that used Kai and Feng to pay up." She mumbled, retrieving her phone and dialing a number.


    The moment the call connected, a respectful voice echoed, "Is there any problem, Miss Xin?"


    "Did the guards confess who they were under the orders of?"


    "A-Apologies Miss, but during the torture, the guards killed themselves and we were unable to extract any useful information.


    "Useless." Zhao Xin coldly snorted. "Check the guards'' families, friends, or even rtives. I don''t care about the process, but I want to see what kind of benefit they gain as a result of their actions."


    After she finished hermand, she disconnected her call. Since these guards dared to betray her and work for someone else, then they should have been prepared that she was not going to let this matter rest.


    Xu Feng might have resolved the situation, but what if he didn''t?


    Then wouldn''t her little brother be ruined by the mastermind hiding behind the shadow?


    ''Want to target my close ones? Then suffer from my wrath.'' She sneered inwardly, turning around and heading back to the venue. Simultaneously, her previous murderous and cold aura vanished, reced with a joyous and blissful expression.


    While Zhao Xin was ready to take back the host position, Xu Feng on the other hand was receiving a video call.


    "Feng, thanks to you, my father praised me repeatedly. He even let me handle the floor in the Apex Tower."


    "I see¡­" Xu Feng smiled and suggested, "Let''s meet at the Apex Tower then, Yi."

 Chapter 253: Life Water

    The reason why Xu Feng decided to leave early was not just because Zhao Kai was going to take a long time with his grandfather, but also the text from Ning Yi.


    After making the foundation, he finally received some results.


    In regards to his merits in putting a vile person like Dean Qiao down, Ning Yi was praised by his father and even gained more freedom.


    Since he had specifically asked about the Apex Tower previously, Ning Yi indeed did not disappoint him.


    Upon being asked what kind of reward he wanted, Ning Yi wanted the control development of the Apex Tower¡¯s floor.


    "Brother Feng, you can rest assured. I¡¯ll be there immediately." Ning Yiughed merrily, clearly exhrated by beingplemented by his father.


    How hard was it to earn the approval of Ning Huo?


    It was extremely difficult, but he had done it. When his father called for him, his expression was full of satisfaction, even saying he had finally grown up.


    Therefore, Ning Yi no longer cared whether Xu Feng could truly help him be a fit person. He had already regarded Xu Feng as a brother.


    "Alright, we¡¯ll talk in personter." Xu Feng said, disconnecting the video call. Once the call was disconnected, he quickly asked Vera to turn the air conditioner into cool mode.


    Afterward, he took off the outeryer of his suit, and upon closer inspection, one would notice it was stained wet.


    "To impress that old man, I went overboard with the movement." Xu Feng sighed, feeling the pang of exhaustion taking a toll on his body now.


    He rubbed his temples softly and proceeded to lie down.


    "Mister Feng, your body temperature is at an abnormal rate. Should I change the destination to a nearby hospital instead?" Vera suddenly suggested, having detected the internal temperature of Xu Feng through the equipped system within the car.


    "No need for a change of destination." Xu Feng responded and continued, "Are there some Life Waters stored here?"


    Shortly after, the car interior moved briefly and a cold storage cab appeared in front of Xu Feng. It opened a few secondster, and within the cab, there were four Life Waters stored.


    "The previous owner of the car had stocked up some Life Water in the cab," Vera reported, with the previous owner being Zhao Xin.


    As expected, she was generous enough to give him these but refrain from saying so. It was totally the style of Zhao Xin¡¯s personality.


    If he happened to ask or find it by chance, then these four Life Waters are his to use. Otherwise, they are just going to continue to be stored in the cab.


    Life Water doesn¡¯t have any expiration date, only less effective as days go by. ¡¯This Xin is really simr to her grandfather in this case.¡¯


    Zhao Gaofu was also someone who would discreetly do things without mentioning them to anyone, essentially putting things by luck or chance if others were to discover his actions. Explore stories on NovelBin.C?m


    Despite knowing so, Xu Feng still took one of the Life Water and drank it, hisplexion instantly took a turn for the better.


    "She¡¯s really one generous woman," Xu Feng muttered softly.


    There were different rankings of Life Water, and the one he bought previously was the lowest of the lowest rankings possible. Otherwise, with his pitiful savings, there was just no way he could afford to buy one.


    The Life Water he had just drank was at least three ranks better than the one he had. As for the specifics, even he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell without a properbel.


    Zhao Xin was quite meticulous in her gift. Not only did she conceal the matter, but she had got rid of any evidence that would allow him to determine the quality of the Life Water.


    Of course, if Xu Feng was adamant in wanting to know about the rank, he could still do so, but what was the point?


    His time was precious and doing this kind of detective work was just not worth the effort.


    Closing the cab with three Life Water contained in it, Xu Feng proceeded to lie at rest as Vera continued to drive him to his destination.


    Time slowly passed by, and Vera finished parking the car, unbeknownst to Xu Feng, who had fallen asleep during the journey.


    "Master Feng," Vera called out numerous times.


    "Have we arrived?" Still somewhat tired, Xu Feng rubbed his eyes and asked.


    "Yes, Master Feng."


    "I see¡­"


    Shortly after, Xu Feng got out of the car and nced at the time. It had been about 30 minutes or so since he had taken a short nap.


    ¡¯It¡¯s really not good to perform such a movement.¡¯ He made a mental note to himself. He might have known the movement and could even perform it, but his physical body was not adequate enough.


    Had he continued performing such a movement, he would have exhausted himself to death. If it weren¡¯t for the Life Water¡¯s effect, Xu Feng was sure he would have dozed offpletely throughout the night.


    As he stretched his body, Xu Feng proceeded to walk to the elevator and go to the lobby of the Apex Tower.


    The moment he arrived, Ning Yi, who had been sitting impatiently by a couch, stood up and shouted in joy. "Brother Feng, you have finally arrived."


    If it was just a shout, Xu Feng would have been fine, but Ning Yi was practically like a bull, rushing toward him.


    Without hesitation, he quickly sidestepped and avoided him, preventing Ning Yi from hugging him. In normal times, he wouldn¡¯t have minded, but with his current state, the consequence was unreal if the hug went through.


    Meanwhile, upon grabbing the thin air, Ning Yi was confused.


    "Is there something wrong, Brother Feng?" He turned around and asked, seemingly confused by his dodge.


    "Nothing, it¡¯s just that I had an exhausting night at a party and needed to keep some distance to get some cool air." Xu Feng casually exined.

 Chapter 254: Martial Technique

    Ning Yi was still a bit perplexed by why Xu Feng wanted to avoid his hug.


    His hug was extremely special, and not just anyone could receive it. Only those he approved could receive his hug, much less his presence.


    Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t dumb, and scrutinizing him a bit, Ning Yi indeed realized Xu Feng¡¯splexion was somewhat pale.


    "Do you need to go to the hospital for a check-up?" Ning Yi asked in concern. "We can just dy this to some other day."


    "Sure, we can dy it. It¡¯s not like Catherine can¡¯t wait another day for your transformation." Xu Feng adjusted his sses and agreed.


    Instantly, Ning Yi¡¯s face turned solemn, and ced his hands at his hip. "Brother Feng, I thought about it. Your health is important, but this matter is even more important. We can not dy it to some other day."


    His stance changed faster than a lightbulb being switched off.


    One moment, he suggested that Xu Feng rest, but the very next second, he urged Xu Feng to continue their n.


    Unamused, Xu Feng simply nodded his head. "Alright, lead the way to the vacant office."


    "Right away."


    Shortly after, Ning Yi went to the elevator and shed his identity toward a security guard. "I¡¯m Ning Yi, here to inspect the office dedicated to my father, Ning Huo."


    "So it¡¯s Young Master Ning Yi." The guard was rather quick in recognizing his identity and exined, "I have been informed already. Please, feel free to tour around."


    While saying that, the elevator arrived and the guard promptly pressed the elevator for him.


    Such treatment was naturally only possible because Ning Yi¡¯s father had shares in the Apex Tower. Otherwise, the guard wouldn¡¯t have cared at all.


    Of course, some guests are an exception as well if their identity and status are equivalent to the shareholders.


    Once he was done, the guard finally took notice of Xu Feng, who had been covered by Ning Yi¡¯s figure.


    ¡¯Why is it him?¡¯ The guard eximed inwardly in shock. He recognized Xu Feng mainly because thest time, he had stopped him, only to end up realizing he was a resident.


    Now that he also realized thetter was familiar with Ning Yi, he became even more afraid. After all, he didn¡¯t know if Xu Feng was offended by his actions previously, even if it was just a regtion check and part of his duty.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng didn¡¯t pay the guard in mind as he entered the elevator.


    ¡¯Phew, he didn¡¯t remember me.¡¯ As the elevator closed, the guard noticed Xu Feng didn¡¯t even take a nce at him, which meant that he was overthinking.


    Within the elevator though, Ning Yi was more perceptive than one could have imagined.


    "Brother Feng, did you have a quarrel with that guard earlier?" Ning Yi asked curiously. "That guard¡¯s expression and behavior changed a bit after seeing your face."


    Unfazed, Xu Feng responded, "It was just a regtion check he did to confirm my residency at the Apex Tower. Nothing much."


    Naturally, he recognized the guard, but there was just no reason for him to go after him.


    The guard didn¡¯t pick on him to antagonize him, but merely because of his job. Since that was the case, petty would be an understatement if he were to make things difficult for the guard in response.


    "Oh, I see¡­" Visibly disappointed, Ning Yi thought he had some juicy drama awaiting, but it was nothing serious.


    Sometimeter, they arrived at the 24th floor.


    "Hehe, this whole 24th floor is our Ning Family." Ning Yi walked out of the elevator, excited as he began introducing their reputation.


    However, no matter how much he tried to describe it, the 24th floor was no different than an empty ce.


    "You can stop introducing the empty walls, Yi." Xu Feng mused.


    "Empty walls?" Ning Yi was rmed, cing a hand on his fat chest.


    "Brother Feng, that¡¯s a horrible misjudgment from you." He added, walking to a nearby wall and touching it. If it was just touching, then alright, but he was feeling it out as if the wall was a woman.


    "Feel this smooth texture? Every wall here costs at least the average person their entire annual sry to afford."


    "..."


    Xu Feng truly regrettedmenting on it, given Ning Yi continued to bber on and on about the wall.


    Finally, he ran out of breath and needed to take a breather, giving him an opportunity to change the topic.


    "Anyway, I want to transform this office into a physical fitness area, as well as a room for gaming capsules." Xu Feng informed him.


    "A physical fitness area?" Ning Yi twitched his mouth. "Brother Feng, you mean that I can lose this fat by exercising? But I have tried them already. It¡¯s just not working."


    "Rx, my physical fitness area is different from those you have visited in the past." Xu Feng smirked. Most Divine World guilds would soone to realize that their strength is not just hindered by their levels and skills, but also their physical capacity.


    And the best way to increase them?


    Using Martial Techniques could enhance not only a person¡¯s reaction time but also their attack power.


    Naturally, these Martial Techniques are not the typical ones circted around the world, but techniques that originated from the Divine World itself.


    The movement he had disyed earlier was called Phantom Step.


    Phantom Step allowed the user to move at such incredible speeds that they appeared to vanish and reappear instantaneously, creating the illusion of teleportation.


    This technique exploited extreme eleration and agility, enabling the user to dodge attacks, reposition strategically, orunch surprise assaults with unparalleled swiftness.


    Additionally, the blinding speed left afterimages, further confusing and disorienting opponents.


    However, the prerequisite to use such a technique was a durable and strong body, otherwise, one would expend their entire stamina and probably go into aa in the process.


    "You can just trust me on this matter, Yi. All you need to know is how fast can you get it done ording to my arrangement?" Xu Feng smiled, not the least worried that he would disregard his idea. Discover exclusive content at NovelBin.C?m

 Chapter 255: Stylish Shooter

    After a long duration, Ning Yi, who had been staring at Xu Feng, finally relented and agreed to his arrangement.


    "Fine, so be it." Ning Yi scoffed and decided to let Xu Feng do whatever he pleased with the office.


    Either way, his father didn''t care much about the Apex Tower like most ordinary people do. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been put in charge of everything here.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng also knew Ning Yi was still skeptical of his decision but didn''t bother to exin further.


    What could be better aside from letting Ning Yi experience the changes himself?


    Once Ning Yi realized the benefits of it, Xu Feng was positive that he would go to his knees and beg him for more advice.


    "By the way, let''s set up a contract for this." Xu Feng suddenly suggested.


    "This is just a formality but having a contract signed, guarantees both parties." He added, giving his exnation.


    Pondering for a few seconds, Ning Yi readily nodded his head and agreed with a contract being in ce.


    As the son of a hegemony businessman, he knew that everything should be finalized with a contract signing to prevent both parties from being cheated.


    "Okay, what will the contract use be?" Ning Yi asked.


    "Simple, you will fund the entire production, but in return, I can guarantee a return value and the profit we get shall be split 70-30. Me 70 and you 30." Xu Feng adjusted his sses and said calmly.


    Such terrible conditions and uses would naturally garner disdain and hatred, but for Ning Yi¡ª he didn''t really care about the profit split.


    With his wealthy father, Ning Yi never cared about money, especially when he could have as much as he wanted.


    Nevertheless, there was still one problem with the contract use that Ning Yi refused toply with.


    "Brother Feng, it''s not that I don''t believe you, but we need a use that you are going to guarantee that this belly fat will disappear." He eximed, rubbing and squeezing his fat belly. It was so plump and round, almost as if he was impregnated with triplets.


    Xu Feng nced at his fat belly and nodded his head. "Very well, but then I must add another use in response. You are not allowed to go against any of my orders regarding this part. If so, then you will be responsible for it and not me."


    "Heh, so be it."


    With that said, they quickly drafted a contract using Ning Yi''s advanced phone. With how advanced technology has be, even creating a contract could be done in a heartbeat.


    A few minutester, a holographic contract appeared and all it required was two signatures.


    Both Xu Feng and Ning Yi quickly wrote their signature and a copy was sent to Xu Feng''s smartwatch.


    Now that it was done, Xu Feng asked, "How long will it take to renovate this office?"


    Ning Yi didn''t answer right away. Instead, he began finger counting. ''Hmm, if I hire a lot, it should be done in a few months. But if I yoink my father''s employees, it can be done in a few weeks.''


    As he knitted his brows, seemingly in deep thought, Xu Feng decided to inspect the area more.


    There was arge window that disyed marvelous scenery beneath him, but instead of being amazed by the sight, he felt a pang of mncholy.


    How hrious life could be?


    ''Now that Dean Qiao is gone, no one is pressuring me anymore. As for the other students, I should start to find some talented individuals to rope in.'' Xu Feng inwardly thought, feeling slightly overwhelmed. There were just too many things that required him to do.


    While he was nning, Ning Yi finally made up his mind.


    "Brother Feng, in about 2 weeks. This office can transform into the physical fitness room you want, as well as a minimum of 4 gaming capsules." Ning Yi said, exining that gaming capsules are somehow in demand.


    Money was no longer the problem, but it was the supplies of it.


    Nodding in response, Xu Feng proceeded to ask, "Have you started ying the Divine World?"


    "Yes, I have." Feeling proud, Ning Yi grinned. "As of now, I''m a level 7 Gunner."


    "I see¡­" Xu Feng smiled bitterly, not knowing what to say about his level.


    He was even lower level than him¡ª someone who had been hit with a harsh debuff that prevented him from gaining massive experience points.


    "Do you want my in-game name as well?" Ning Yi asked calmly.


    "No need for that." Xu Feng hurriedly shook his head, clearly knowing what his in-game name was already.


    s, it was as if his words had gone to deaf ears.


    Ning Yi clearly didn''t ask that question for a response but was making a statement.


    "Listen well, Brother Feng. My in-game name is Stylish Shooter." Without any shame, Ning Yi proudly dered his in-game name.


    Feeling the urge to vomit, Xu Feng was thankful that he couldpose himself rather quickly.


    Ning Yi was everything but the in-game name he used.


    Stylish?


    Maybe when he had undergone the transformation, but the current him was anywhere but stylish.


    Shooter?


    Toward those who didn''t know him well, they wouldn''t think much about the name.


    However, Xu Feng knew how much of a trashy aimer he was. In fact, Ning Yi would be the type that people called wood division to be too nice for him.


    His aim was so horrendously trash that even having the lowest ranking possible for him was a difficult cement.


    "Anyway, now that you know my awesome name, what is yours?" Ning Yi grinned, clearly extremely proud of himself.


    "It''s Lin Feng." Xu Feng said, toozy to give a fake name.


    Meanwhile, Ning Yi''s expression changed drastically as he widened his eyes in surprise and shock.


    "W-Wait a minute¡­ you''re that Lin Feng that openly and publicly thrashed that Hundred Ghost?"


    "Yep, that''s me."


    rmed, Ning Yi quickly went to his knees and stared at Xu Feng as if he were a god.


    "You are my idol, Brother Feng." He raised his hand and gave him a thumbs up. "Your forum post and the public humiliation of those tyrants are second to none!"

 Chapter 256: More Contract

    Xu Feng was stunned when Ning Yi suddenly went to his knees, gazing at him with sparkly eyes.


    If it was some hot woman gazing at him with such sparkly eyes, then he would have enjoyed it a bit.


    However, it was not and it was Ning Yi with his plump body. The floor nearly trembled in response to his sudden kneeling as well, giving him quite the fright.


    And to frighten him slightly¡ª that was a major achievement, considering how many things he had been through in the past timeline.


    "Get up first, Yi." Xu Feng said, clearly afraid of him cracking the floor tile.


    "Yes sir," Ning Yi eximed, trying to get up but failed.


    As he struggled to get up, he turned to Xu Feng, looking at him with puppy eyes. Even a fool could tell he needed assistance to get up from his position.


    What made it worse was that Xu Feng understood that Ning Yi had never gone on his knees before¡ª not even his father.


    Thus, he never experienced the problem of needing help to get up from the kneeling position. With his status and wealth, only others would be cowering before him, and never the other way around.


    "You''re lucky I''m not weak." Xu Feng reprimanded, giving him a lift. His veins even began to show, given how much strength he was using to lift Ning Yi up.


    It was no different than trying to lift a 500-pound barbell on each side.


    Luckily, Xu Feng managed to pull through and finally lifted Ning Yi up.


    Once he got up, Xu Feng sternly warned, "Never get on your knees again unless you get rid of that belly fat."


    Sweat began dripping down on his forehead while warning him sternly. He was already exhausted from using Phantom Step, and now his condition has be worse.


    Ignorant of the matter, Ning Yi merely scratched his head and nonchntly agreed to his warning.


    "Alright, I won''t get on my knees again. It hurts my kneecap anyway." He said, before continuing, "But I didn''t expect you to be the famous Lin Feng. Almost everyone is talking about your deed and how you humiliated Hundred Ghost by going to the city after he posted a bounty against you."


    "Keep my in-game name a secret, Yi." Xu Feng said with a solemn expression. "For now, only a few selective people that I trust know about my in-game name."


    By emphasizing only a few selective people, Ning Yi was quick to understand his importance in Xu Feng''s mind.


    "Rest assured, Brother Feng." Ning Yi patted his chest heavily and coldly announced, "If anyone asks me what your in-game name is, I''ll tell them it''s their mother''s name."


    Hearing that, Xu Feng didn''t know if he shouldugh or cry.


    That was equivalent to offending them regardless if their intention was meant to be goodwill or bad.


    Who would be pleased about others talking about their mother, especially in such a disrespectful tone?


    "Alright, just notify me when everything''s ready." Xu Feng said, preparing to leave.


    "Huh? You''re leaving just like that, Brother Feng?" Ning Yi was dumbfounded. "We should at least get something to eat first and discuss how I should prepare myself before the physical fitness room ispleted."


    Looking at Ning Yi''s figure and his eagerness, Xu Feng realized if he wanted some proper rest, he needed to satisfy him a bit.


    "Letting you know what to do in advance is fine, but this must be kept a secret." Xu Feng said solemnly. With his figure and no proper equipment in ce, he could only use a few Training Techniques in his memory.


    However, those Training Techniques are extremely valuable and scarce. If even one of them gets leaked at this stage, many troubles woulde to him.


    Realizing the severity, Ning Yi was rather slick as he hurriedly drafted a new contract, using a pre-designed one. "I got the contract here to sign."


    "Do you always have them ready?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow, seemingly baffled by his efficiency. It took him less than 3 seconds to bring forth another contract, almost as if he was totally ready for this development.


    "Of course, don''t think I''m just a spoiled young master. Many business expenditures must be organized and inspected by me."


    "And I bet those business expenditures are non-important ones that could affect your overallpany."


    "Cough, you don''t have to expose me like that, Brother Feng." Ning Yi pouted, seemingly ashamed.


    Despite looking ashamed on the surface, Xu Feng could sense he was more proud than ashamed. The only reason why he didn''t want to act proudly was to prevent him from changing his mind and withholding the information.


    Speechless, Xu Feng glimpsed at the contract, finding it overly simple.


    There was only one use that stated whatever information Party A gave, without permission from Party A, Party B was not allowed to disclose the information to anyone.


    If Party B was to vite this use, then it shall pay an amount that Party A demanded without limit. In other words, Party B would suffer bankruptcy or even go into debt if Party A were to be ruthless.


    Naturally, Party A was Xu Feng whereas Party B was Ning Yi.


    For Ning Yi to bring out such a contract that would put him in imminent danger if he vited the use was unbelievable.


    Of course, the premise was that Ning Yi must have a loose tongue.


    "Are you sure about signing it?" Xu Feng questioned, putting his signature on Party A.


    "Why would I be unsure?" Ning Yi smirked, signing his signature. "I''m just doing this as a formality, but I''m good at keeping secrets. If I wasn''t, my father would have long imprisoned me in the house."


    Nodding, Xu Feng found his exnation logical.


    On the surface, Ning Yi seemed like a bbermouth who would reveal a lot of secrets, but other than his bragging regarding his appearance, there was nothing usefuling out of his mouth.


    "Since the contract is signed, then let''s begin." Xu Feng adjusted his sses and pointed in a direction.


    "Strip your clothes and begin doing some jumping jacks."

 Chapter 257: Precision Flow

    "S-Strip my clothes?" Ning Yi''s mouth was left hanging as he gazed at Xu Feng.


    "And doing jumping jacks? This is a joke, right?"


    Initially, he thought the preparation was going to revolve around some secret technique or method that was unknown to the public.


    However, his expectation was shattered thoroughly when Xu Feng wanted him to do some jumping jacks.


    Who doesn''t know jumping jacks if they were to exercise or go to any gyms?


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng kept a solemn expression, ignoring hisint and reluctant expression.


    "Didn''t we agree that you won''t disobey my words regarding the training? Although this is for preparation, you must listen to my instructions." He reminded Ning Yi sternly.


    "..."


    Feeling bitter, Ning Yi gritted his teeth while ring at Xu Feng as he walked to his spot and proceeded to take off his upper clothes.


    As he struggled to finally remove his upper clothes, he was about to remove his pants as well, only to be stopped by Xu Feng.


    "No need for the lower part." Xu Feng said. "Now start doing some jumping jacks."


    Full of reluctance, Ning Yi still proceeded to do some jumping jacks, albeit very minimal. By the second jump, he was already panting heavily, clearly exhausted.


    Even Xu Feng could not help but facepalm at his ridiculous low endurance and stamina.


    "I merely ate something wrong, Brother Feng." Ning Yi breathed heavily as he struggled to exin his exhausted state.


    "There''s no need to put up a strong front." Xu Fengmented, before taking off his suit.


    "The jumping jacks were just to see where your limit is. Although not great, you should be able to follow my movement."


    With that said, Xu Feng instructed Ning Yi to watch his movements carefully.


    At first, Ning Yi thought the movement was going to be fast and difficult, but it was theplete opposite.


    Not only was Xu Feng''s movement resembling a snail movement, but he could easily see each of his limbs moving in a certain direction, albeit very slowly.


    Even an old man with difficulty moving could still follow Xu Feng''s movement set without fail.


    However, what astonished Ning Yi more was the droplets of sweat on Xu Feng''s forehead.


    ''How is he sweating?'' Ning Yi eximed inwardly. He had to rub his eyes multiple times to ensure the scene in front of him wasn''t a dream.


    Finally, a good 10 minutes had gone by, and Xu Feng was nearly drenched in sweat.


    ''Indeed, using Phantom Step and then doing this movement set is really draining my physical body.'' Xu Feng smiled bitterly, having exerted his body to the extreme.


    Although he could simply instruct Ning Yi word for word on how to follow, the difficulty for him toprehend it was iparable to actually seeing him doing the movement.


    After all, his movement set looked simple and even snail-pace in terms of actions on the surface, but that was a huge misconception.


    This movement set required the practitioner to move every fiber of their body with extreme precision. Each motion, though appearing slow and deliberate, was meticulously calcted.


    The practitioner had to channel their energy wlessly, maintaining perfect bnce and control. A single misstep, an incorrect angle of a limb, or a slight deviation in timing would result in failure and necessitate aplete reset from the very beginning.


    The set began with a deep, controlled breath, centering the practitioner. From there, they transitioned into a series of fluid, sweeping movements, their body flowing like water.


    Each step was ced with the utmost care, and every motion was a harmonious blend of grace and power.


    The practitioner had to be acutely aware of their surroundings and their own body, adjusting minutely to maintain the delicate equilibrium required.


    As the sequence progressed, the movements became more intricate, demanding an extraordinary level of concentration and physical endurance.


    Despite the apparent slow pace, the internal exertion was immense, pushing the practitioner''s physical limits.


    However, the biggest secret of the movement set was that it was a foundation and slight deviation from the Phantom Step. The slight deviation was that only a partial of the actual Phantom Step technique was taken to construct this movement set.


    Hence, Xu Feng was overly expended for practicing this movement set right after using Phantom Step to show off back at the party.


    "I''ve shown you the movement set, so how much you can absorb is up to you." Xu Feng informed him, grabbing his suit and ready to take his exit, his steps somewhat weak.


    While he was leaving, Ning Yi asked, "What''s the name of this movement set?"


    "There''s no specific name for it, but if you want to, just call it Precision Flow. Since you need to be extremely precise to even practice it."


    After saying that, Xu Feng already left the empty office, leaving Ning Yi alone.


    "Heh, Brother Feng is underestimating too much." Ning Yi snickered as he took out his phone that had recorded Xu Feng''s earlier movement.


    The more he rewatched the recording, the more Ning Yi wondered if Xu Feng was toying with him.


    "How can this be called Precision Flow? It''s more like the Slow Movement Flow." Hemented, transmitting the video to arge holographic screen as he began to mimic Xu Feng''s movement.


    Although he was fat, that didn''t mean he couldn''t follow such simple movements. Sure enough, within a few seconds into the video, Ning Yi was at extreme ease when copying.


    ''Heh, this is nothing¡ª'' Before Ning Yi could think further, he felt a sudden pang in his legs and arms, prompting him to copse to the floor, and his breathing became difficult.


    His condition became even worse than the time he was doing the jumping jacks.


    "W-W-What just happened?" Astonished, Ning Yi was filled with disbelief by his sudden copse and out-of-breath state.


    Thinking that it was just the side effect of his earlier jumping jacks, Ning Yi calmed down and resumed his copying of the Precision Flow.


    However, the same thing happened at around the same time slot within the video.


    Unlike the first time, Ning Yi started to realize his arms were trembling heavily, almost as if he had undergone an intensive exercise.


    It was only now he realized just how terrifying the "simple" movement set appeared on the surface.


    He swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his gaze looking at the exit door. "Just who are you really, Brother Feng?"

 Chapter 258: Changes in Star Falls City

    Unbeknownst to the amount of fear and respect Ning Yi suddenly had for Xu Feng, he himself had returned to the apartment.


    However, upon returning, he was surprised to see Erica in the living room.


    She was currently in her pajamas, her eyes watching some sort of drama on the television. Next to her was a bundle of snacks, clearly for her to eat while enjoying the drama.


    Naturally, once Xu Feng noticed her, Erica equally noticed his arrival.


    To her surprise though, she saw Xu Feng''splexion was quite horrible and he was seemingly struggling to even walk properly.


    "Did something happen?" Concerned, Erica was wondering if he got beaten up or something, her hand holding a piece of chip.


    "Nothing much," Xu Feng shed a slight smile. "I merely exerted myself too much for today."


    Nodding, Erica ate the chip on her hand and no longer bothered asking.


    Since Xu Feng clearly didn''t wish to divulge much, it would be impolite of her to pry further.


    Nevertheless, she still gave a kind warning. "I suggest you don''t enter the gaming capsule with your condition. Although the gaming capsule has healing ability, I doubt you want to risk your body further."


    "Thanks," Xu Feng weakly replied, heading to his room. Even without her warning, he nned on hopping into the gaming capsule to rest.


    Without logging in, his body would be in optimal condition with the healing system built into the gaming capsule.


    What Erica meant was that he should enter the gaming capsule, but not y.


    After all, nothing was more important than one''s health. Once your health was ruined, it would be hard to recover. Thus, it was better to take the necessary rest.


    Initially, Xu Feng would have been fine after drinking Life Water, but because of his demonstration for Ning Yi, his condition merely stagnated.


    It would have been disastrous if he did the demonstration without consuming a Life Water such as fainting on the spot, or worse, going into aa for a few days.


    At the same time, he began to regret using Phantom Step and not the inferior version he had taught Zhao Kai.


    Given that Zhao Kai learned the inferior version, it didn''t have any side effects, but Xu Feng wanted Zhao Gaofu to understand the importance of his grandson.


    ''This Kai better not mess this up after I set the foundation for him,'' Xu Feng thought, opening the gaming capsule and lying inside. Shortly after his eyes closed, he went into a deep slumber.


    Tonight had been truly exhausting.


    As Xu Feng slept throughout the night, within Divine World, yers who would pull all-nighters continuously grind for their levels.


    This was especially true for one certain guild.


    "Guild Leader, I just received news from our spy that Herald Fist somehow managed to gain a batch of new equipment and has been grinding the Hard Mode Dungeon, Jagged Rock." A level 12 Assassin reported.


    "A batch of new equipment huh." Gentle Wind knitted her brows when she received this information. She was almost certain that Herald Fist managed to gain these new batches of equipment from a familiar person.


    And it should be none other than Lin Feng.


    "What should we do now, Guild Leader?" Steelshot asked softly, who was currently at level 13.


    "Forget it," Gentle Wind took a deep breath and said, "We should focus on leveling up and getting the requirement to enter a city. Herald Fist is trying to boost his guild''s strength, but the experience points gained from dungeons are not as viable as field monsters."


    After seeing Lin Feng entering the city, Gentle Wind knew that she needed to enter the city as soon as possible, otherwise, the gap between them was going to widen.


    Although she didn''t know why Lin Feng''s boss stayed hidden, she had a feeling that they were scheming something. So far, she had been forced to pay a lot of money to them, and it might hurt a bit, but everything was worth it.


    To prevent herself from being in such a disadvantageous position, she decided to close the gap between them and increase her power in the bargaining.


    "Anyway, tanks, go and gather 3 more monsters here. We need to get to level 15 tonight." Gentle Wind announced loudly.


    "Yes, Guild Leader!"


    With this amazing field where monsters spawned extremely fast, Gentle Wind must maximize the benefits.


    After all, it was information purchased from Lin Feng at an exorbitant price.


    ''If only I have their vast knowledge regarding the Divine World.'' Gentle Windmented herck of information, realizing that she must set up an intelligence team to gather information for the guild solely.


    Soon, the grinding between most yers was at its peak, and time also went by very quickly.


    At this moment, Xu Feng was finally freshened up after being healed by the healing system in the gaming capsule.


    "Sigh, I''m not attending those damn parties again." He mumbled, quickly logging into the Divine World.


    The most valuable thing in this world was not money, but time. And with his deep slumber, Xu Feng can''t even imagine how much of a gap the other yers had closed between them.


    Star Falls City


    Within the open area of the street, a streak of light urred, and Xu Feng promptly appeared.


    "What just happened?" Xu Feng was dazed upon seeing the street which was usually deste to be somewhat lively.


    Naturally, these people were all NPCs and they were chattering about something.


    "The Paradise ins is opening soon, and I can''t wait to grab a slot for myself."


    "Dream on about it, would you? I''m just going there to spectate and hopefully meet those strong contestants."


    "Tsk, can''t you just let me dream a bit?"


    As these NPCs walked by Xu Feng, he was stunned by the news.


    Paradise ins?


    ''Wasn''t that ce an area filled with those different kinds of Profession?'' Memories of that ce began surfacing in Xu Feng''s mind as he recalled the ce was dubbed as heaven for those with side Profession.


    "No wonder Star Falls City became crowded. This is the only city with the fastest teleportation point to get there." He muttered, realizing this was a golden chance.

 Chapter 259: Profession

    Given the strict restriction to enter the Paradise ins, both NPCs and yers would be dreaming if they could simply enter there.


    Every half a year, the Paradise ins would open the city up for spectators to witness a fierce contest between numerous Professions in their respective fields.


    Those who won would gain a ton of benefits, and the top 100 contestants would be granted an entry slot that allowed them to enter.


    However, the first event of the Paradise ins had been missed by most yers because they weren''t able to get a Profession or the required level to be in the city.


    Profession was the term for yers who had another specialty aside from their character ss.


    Herbalists, cksmiths, engineers, merchants, and runesmiths were some of the mostmon knowledge Professions.


    However, the truth was, there could be a ton more professions. And anyone capable of achieving something in a certain profession was something a guild would value highly.


    ''I should join this contest as well.'' Xu Feng decided, knowing that gaining the entry slot for the Paradise ins could be a good chip to rope some of the famous Profession yers.


    He was not a greedy person, but gaining at least 10 yers that he knew were going to be a figure that everyone looked up to would be ideal.


    While he was nning on doing these, Xu Feng decided to head to thend location that was now his.


    As he headed to his destination, Xu Feng could see the construction of the building. It wasn''t that tall, only three floors avable, but that was enough for now.


    Based on his deduction and the speed of these constructor NPCs, they would be done in a few hours.


    After all, the building was not constructed by just hands, but through the usage of mana. Additionally, these NPCs might be constructors, but to the current yers, they were extremely fearsome opponents.


    Any of these NPCs could easily kill a yer.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration that if a yer disgusted a certain NPC, they might end up getting killed, even if they were inside the city.


    Naturally, that was just an extreme case and it rarely happened.


    The only time Xu Feng had witnessed such an incident was when a male yer was constantly harassing a beautiful NPC woman, only to end up being killed and jailed for the crime of harassing a noblewoman.


    Yup, the male yer was just very horny and brain-dead, to say the least.


    Giving one final nce at the building, Xu Feng promptly turned around and walked toward the Teleportation tform.


    Originally, he nned on inspecting the othernd deeds, but that could be put aside. Either way, the system would notify him the moment he could use thosends for business.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng arrived at the Teleportation tform and was about to use his authority to gain usage to get a participation slot for the Paradise inspetition, only to end up being halted.


    One of the guards recognized him almost instantaneously as he hurried over to him and smiled, "Hello, Baron Lin Feng. May I ask if you are here for a participation slot for the Paradise ins?"


    Nodding, Xu Feng had no intention of concealing his motive. After all, this specific teleportation tform was now designated to the Paradise ins.


    Other than that, why else would he be here?


    "I see¡­ in that case, Receptionist Jessica had already registered for you." The guard said politely and proceeded to hand him in the participation slot.


    Initially, Xu Feng didn''t pay much attention, but when his eyes nced at the profession that he was participating in, he was stunned on the spot.


    "B-cksmith?" Xu Feng eximed in rm and stared at the guards. He was sure that either the guards gave him the wrong one or Jessica registered incorrectly.


    Although he rarely shed his title to brag, these NPCs could easily see his title, Master Alchemist.


    Just this title alone should be enough to tell what kind of Profession he was proficient in such as alchemical or synthesis.


    So what does that have anything to do with cksmithing?


    Meanwhile, the guard smiled bitterly and looked helpless on the surface.


    "This is what Receptionist Jessica said and if you have any inquiries, you can meet her at the Adventure Association." The guard exined, pushing the matter to Jessica instead. He could also see Xu Feng''s Profession, so he was technically more confused than thetter.


    "Jessica huh¡­" Xu Feng muttered the name, wondering if she was trying to toy with him.


    "Alright then, I''ll meet with her and I shall be back soon." He stored the participation slot and gave one final nce at the guard before leaving.


    ''Why me?'' The guard cried inwardly when he saw the not-so-friendly nce.


    As the lowest ranking guard, he was pushed to the front to greet Xu Feng whereas his other colleagues hid from the shadows.


    It was truly a very unfair world where the lowest ranking got bullied to death.


    While the guard gloomed over his fate, Xu Feng swiftly made his way to the Adventure Association.


    The moment he arrived, his eyes red intensely at Jessica, who quickly swallowed a mouthful of saliva, clearly feeling guilty.


    "Haha, it''s good to see you again, Baron Lin Feng." Jessica tried topose herself and greeted him normally.


    s, Xu Feng would be damned if he believed she was calm.


    Without hesitation, he ced the participation slot and pointed at the Professionpetition, "What''s with this so-called cksmithpetition?"


    "Oh, about that," Jessicaughed awkwardly, her eyes avoiding his gaze.


    "You see¡ª our Star Falls City only attracts those people because of the transit point, but what if news of a famous cksmith appeared in the city? Our city is supposedly famous for the ores produced, but we merely failed to find the source. Once we locate the source, our city will experience a new wave of poprity."


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was speechless at her statement.


    As confusing as it might sound, the overall goal was to deceive people that Star Falls City had finally found the long-lost ores and they managed to produce a cksmith capable of sweeping through everyone else.

 Chapter 260: Annexation

    Xu Feng thought he was insidious enough, but the Adventure Association was even a tier higher than him.


    Naturally, to lure these yers over was an amazing thing to boost the overall city poption.


    But had they ever thought about the consequences?


    Once news of the city was exposed for deceiving its people, the reputation would be ruined. Worse, it might even cause a riot to effectively have the city brought down, with the exception of the Teleportation tform.


    "This is just ying with fire." Xu Feng eximed, feeling that the Adventure Association was going too far.


    Not only would it bring the city''s reputation down, but even the branch of this Adventure Association would be questioned for their credibility.


    "Manager Howard also knows it''s a bit extreme, but he also had no other choice." Jessica smiled bitterly. "We have received news that many other cities are hoping to annex us, given our low return value. A city that can barely sustain itself shouldn''t exist. Hence, we must gamble this time."


    ''Annexation?'' rmed, Xu Feng furrowed his brows, seemingly confused by the situation. There was never any news of Star Falls City being under pressure of annexation.


    So how could there possibly be a sudden event of the city being annexed?


    It can''t be the butterfly effect, right?


    At this point, Xu Feng more than realized that the impact he tried to make to a bare minimum was utterly pointless.


    By entering a city far earlier than expected, he had triggered an unexpected event. Worse, he was now the center of it and had no other choice but to advance forward.


    An annexation of Star Falls City meantplete disaster to him. After all, thend deeds that he had purchased to obtain full ownership would now be in liquidation the moment the city got annexed.


    ''No wonder that Howard sold thend deeds dirt cheap for me, and even at half-discount.'' Xu Feng clicked his tongue, realizing that Howard was an extremely sly fox.


    The Divine World was a fair and just world, especially with the system in ce.


    There was no way it would ever allow a yer to gain such a big advantage without any price to pay.


    Despite knowing that very simple concept, to experience it personally was two different things.


    "Good, good, good." Xu Feng said it three times and stared at Jessica. "You and Manager Howard really know how to y with people."


    "Please don''t word it like that, Baron Lin Feng." Jessica hurriedly shook her head. "You are our only hope left, given you are rmended by that entity. In return for your hard work, Manager Howard has already brought many ores from other cities here for you to practice cksmithing. In addition, there are some Equipment Designs for you to choose from to learn."


    "Equipment Designs?" Upon hearing this term, Xu Feng was stumped.


    "Yes, Equipment Designs that have been found in some dungeons. Manager Howard used his authority to let you choose two designs for free to assist you in thepetition. He also expressed his apologies for the sudden n."


    "..."


    Truly the carrot and the stick method.


    On one hand, Howard had forced him to a path of no retreat, but on the other hand, he managed to deliver enough temptation to keep him satisfied.


    "I''ll see what the Equipment Designs are first." Xu Feng said calmly, remainingposed by the temptations.


    Visibly, Jessica was somewhat surprised by hisposure, having believed Xu Feng would readily agree and forget about the impromptu arrangement.


    ''He didn''t fall for it.'' Jessica cried inwardly. ''That''s not what the manager had said would happen.''


    Previously, she had been brought to a meeting and Howard had instructed her how to ry the situation to Xu Feng word for word. Once she revealed the matter of free Equipment Designs, it should have been an easy process to bind Xu Feng with another contract.


    However, not only did Xu Feng remain clear-headed, but he even demanded to see the Equipment Designs first.


    What was she supposed to answer now?


    If Xu Feng saw the Equipment Designs and was dissatisfied with it, he might just get up and leave, or even sell thend deeds to another person to salvage his loss.


    After all, thend deeds were still considered valuable to the wealthy people who could afford to withstand the annexation process.


    "You seemed quite reluctant to satisfy my simple condition, Miss Jessica." Xu Feng smiled and gazed at her. His gaze seemed to have a piercing effect, given that Jessica felt as if she had been seen throughpletely.


    "Sigh, fine, it''s over in the restricted area." Jessica stood up and began guiding him to the area that stored the Equipment Designs.


    Shortly after being guided, Jessica brought him to a highly secured room that had many runes and formations iid.


    As Jessica maneuvered some of the runes and formations, the door started making creaking sounds as it opened up.


    The mechanism behind the runes and formations was overlyplicated, so Jessica didn''t believe Xu Feng would be able to analyze what she had done.


    However, that was a wrong misconception, given Xu Feng recorded everything. Of course, he wasn''t trying to steal what was inside the secured room but to study the runes and formations.


    Sometimeter, the duo entered and Jessica made sure to warn Xu Feng sternly to not deviate from their path.


    "Every item here is considered confidential, so don''t look at what you''re not supposed to."


    "Rest assured, I treasure my life very well." Xu Feng coolly responded.


    And he continued, "Which is why if the Equipment Designs arecking, then I need to take a step back."


    Hearing that, Jessica nearly stumbled from her movement.


    Taking a deep breath, Jessica finally arrived at a shelf. Subsequently, she revealed 10 Equipment Designs, with 7 of them being somewhat tattered, a clear definition that they are quite old.


    "Don''t underestimate these tattered ones," Jessica said solemnly. "It''s just a bit hard to identify them and we didn''t want our city to be a target so we can''t afford to have it leak to the outside."


    While saying that, she failed to realize Xu Feng''s eyes were glued to one of the Equipment Designs.


    ''They actually have this design here?'' Xu Feng was rmed by the discovery.

 Chapter 261: Equipment Designs

    When Xu Feng''s eyesid upon one of the designs, he was utterly astonished.


    ''The Elemental Warrior Set.'' He inwardly eximed, grabbing the Equipment Design and reading it.


    This could be considered a universal equipment set that everyone wanted.


    After all, it offered a well-roundedbination of offense and defense.


    Having this equipment set was equivalent to saving many expenses. For yers who need to constantly purchase different items or gears tobat a certain environment, the Elemental Warrior Set was a blessing to their plight.


    The reason why Jessica didn''t pay much attention to this set was because it was only viable for people level 15 and up to 30.


    Hence, the NPCs naturally frown upon this, but for the yers, especially at the current time, this set was perfect for them once they reached level 15 and qualified to enter the city.


    Despite his excitement, Xu Feng held a stoic expression on the surface.


    "I can see that the association doesn''t have many equipment designs, and I don''t want to make things difficult." Xu Feng sighed softly and said, "I''ll take this Elemental Warrior Set design."


    Surprised, Jessica didn''t expect Xu Feng to choose the design. Just like Xu Feng had thought, the design was not worth much in her eyes.


    Hence, she was rather slick and nodded her head. "Very well, that design is yours from now on."


    Xu Feng ignored her clear blissful expression that seemed to look at him as if he was an idiot for choosing such a design. Instead, he had inspected the other designs and knew they were not viable for him.


    "Alright, what is the other design that you actually wanted me to study?" He inquired softly.


    Most of them were for a singr item or items that required a ton of rare materials.


    And these types of rare materials were not avable in the city or anywhere nearby, and Xu Feng doubted Howard was capable enough to have them either.


    Not to mention, the designs were not useful or valuable in any way. It provided zero benefits even if a yer managed to craft them.


    Meanwhile, Jessica smiled bitterly and realized Xu Feng was more than the eyes meet.


    "You''re right, these designs won''t be helpful for you in thepetition. Everyone that participates more or less are people who studied for many years. Of course, to make things fair, only amateurs couldpete, otherwise, there would be no hope for neers." She exined softly.


    Nodding, Xu Feng didn''t find this requirement to be surprising.


    If Paradise ins allowed veterans or masters in their Professions to thepetition, then there wouldn''t have been much of a crowd within Star Falls City.


    Who would want topete knowing there are many masters superior to them in thepetition?


    "The actual design that the manager wanted you to use to win is this," Jessica formally said and retrieved a hidden design from the shelf.


    Upon receiving the design, Xu Feng''s eyes widened in shock. "A tier 1 stamina gemstone?"


    Others might not know, but gemstones are like an enhancement to certain equipment that allows gem slots to further improve their attributes and stats.


    Stamina gemstone for one was an extremely rare gemstone, given that once equipped with the equipment, it would boost the yer''s stamina and even their stamina recovery.


    At the current stage, yers had still not realized the durability of their equipment and stamina was a major problem.


    But once they entered the city and attempted to grind further, they would soon realize their durability would decrease tremendously and their stamina could no longer keep up with the demand.


    "Indeed, Manager Howard is really desperate and does not wish to see the city stagnate further. Hence, the tier 1 stamina gemstone design was decided to give to you to bring glory to Star Falls City." Jessica exined, her expression solemn.


    Xu Feng was silent for a few seconds before epting the design. "Since Manager Howard gave this much sincerity, it would be rude of me to reject him."


    "I''m d about your determination. There''s a crafting workstation avable for you at your new hotel." Jessica smiled, putting the other designs back on their respective shelves.


    "The hotel has beenpleted?" rmed, Xu Feng didn''t expect the hotel he wanted on a specifd to bepleted already.


    Just previously, he was inspecting one of thends he owned and deduced it would still be a while before it was done.


    Yet now he was told one of the other areas was done with the construction.


    "The constructors work fast when required." Jessica giggled and informed him that he should hurry over there toplete his registration for the opening.


    Hearing her, Xu Feng finally realized why the building he inspected would take so long toplete. It appeared that the othernd deed of his had taken most of the great constructors'' time.


    Despite that, Xu Feng was more than grateful for Jessica''s arrangement and kind advice.


    Since the hotel waspleted and with the current crowd of people waiting for the teleportation tform to transport them to Paradise ins, they must be searching for a ce to stay.


    And his hotel was exactly at the prime location.


    This was literally money waiting to be poured into him.


    As the owner, he must now head over there toplete the registration and personally authorize the opening of the hotel. Otherwise, no one else was allowed into the hotel.


    Just when Xu Feng was about to bid his farewell, Jessica said, "By the way, I''ve already hired some people who used to work in hotels for you. Of course, if you don''t want them, you can dismiss them."


    "Heh, I see you are really trying to make it up for this impromptupetition signed up for me." Xu Feng chuckled softly, waving his hand and hastened his pace.


    At the same time, he couldn''t help but realize he had fallen deep into this carrot-and-stick method.


    ''They really know what I need the most.'' He smiled bitterly.

 Chapter 262: Probing

    Shortly after leaving the Adventure Association, Xu Feng rushed toward the central area, which had his hotel and the Teleportation tform nearby.


    As he dashed ahead, Xu Feng noticed the crowd was not only getting smaller but actually bigger and bigger.


    asionally, he would even hear some grumbling from the NPCs.


    "Just what is the hotel owner doing?"


    "Do they think we''re poor people and can''t afford to rent a room in their hotel?"


    "I don''t know, but if the hotel owner refuses to open the hotel for us¡­ I''m going to file aint at the City Hall."


    When Xu Feng heard some of them threatening to file aint against him through the City Hall, he was speechless.


    ''Jessica definitely waited until the crowd became so agitated before informing me of this matter.'' Xu Feng thought, feeling that she was ying him.


    Nevertheless, Xu Feng still decided to inquire with some of the NPCs to gather some information.


    "Excuse me, but how long did you wait?" Xu Feng asked a man who looked no older than 24.


    The man, upon being asked how long he had waited for, was infuriated. "I''ve been waiting for almost half an hour already. I just don''t understand what the hotel owner was thinking? We''re all wealthy customers."


    It was clear the man was enraged by the hotel owner for making him stay outside for so long and wasn''t at Xu Feng.


    Putting up a constion expression, Xu Feng grumbled, "I can''t believe the owner is toying with us. I n on renting their room with 10 silver coins. Now I''m thinking about returning to my city first."


    "10 silver coins? You must be kidding, right?" The manughed as he nced at Xu Feng with a sympathetic expression.


    "Earlier, a person had shouted they would rent it for 30 silver coins per night. Since everyone came from afar, the traveling fee would be expensive if they were to return to their location."


    "30 silver coins? How am I supposed to get a room then?" Xu Feng eximed in shock. At the same time, he recalled his hotel only had four floors, with each floor housing only 30 rooms.


    This was equivalent to only having 120 rooms avable for rent, but based on the crowd of people, he doubted it was even enough to see half of them renting one.


    Yet each of them seemed willing to pay up to 30 silver coins. With that in mind, Xu Feng made a quick calction if all 120 rooms were rented out for 30 silver coins.


    That would total up to 3600 silver coins or 36 gold coins.


    Additionally, that was only for one night, so if they rented for more than a night, he could easily rake in more than 100 gold coins after a few days.


    However, Xu Feng''s astonishment had yet to dissipate when the man continued.


    "I can see you''ve just recently arrived here thinking 10 silver coins are enough."


    "Yeah, I have just arrived from Heartveil City."


    "Heartveil City? That''s like at least 5 teleportations you need from here."


    Xu Feng smiled bitterly on the surface butughed inwardly.


    Heartveil City was a city that was more vibrant than Star Falls City, but its location was quite far.


    He merely bbered a random city to probe for more information.


    By proiming to be somewhere far away, he wanted to gauge how much further these NPCs hade from.


    Meanwhile, the man sighed and shook his head.


    "Even though Heartveil City is quite far from here, there are many others further. I''ll be honest with you. I doubt 30 silver coins are enough, given some of them are from wealthy families. I believe only those offering gold coins could get a room in the hotel." The man exined helplessly.


    "What? Is this hotel even worth a gold coin to rent a room?" rmed, Xu Feng was in disbelief. "Does the hotel owner take us for a fat sheep to ughter? If he dares to take a gold coin for the renting fee, then I will thrash them personally."


    "You don''t understand, little brother. This is about having afortable sleep and a calm mindset. The hotel is the best ce for rest and helps us retain our concentration at its peak."


    "But that''s a gold coin we''re talking about!"


    "Yeah, but so what? Most of them traveled here and paid way more than 1 gold coin in traveling fees. There''s no way they would return to their city. As for finding another ce to rest here? There are no other hotels, and the taverns are horseshitpared to this brand-new hotel."


    Nodding, Xu Feng agreed with the man''s talk.


    At the same time, he was inwardly gleeful about how much information he had probed.


    Right at this moment, someone in the front started shouting in fury.


    "Hotel Owner inside! Listen up, I''m willing to pay 3 gold coins for a room, so open it for me. I need to rest so that I can concentrate fully on thepetition."


    "Insane, that person is insane!"


    The man eximed in horror upon hearing the price. As he turned around, trying to see Xu Feng''s reaction, he was dazed. "Eh, where did the little brother go? It can''t be that he really returned to his city¡­?"


    Contrary to the man''s belief, Xu Feng had already left the scene after themotion.


    He donned a mask and secretly headed to the backdoor of the hotel.


    ''Someone wants to offer 3 gold coins eh. I''ll be a fool to set a fixed price for rent.'' Xu Feng inwardly sneered, having decided to do the best thing possible was to ughter these fat sheeps altogether.


    How was he going to ughter them?


    The answer was quite simple, and it was none other than auctioning the room!


    By auctioning the room out, only the highest bidder could rent a room, and to be the highest bidder, one must be prepared to cough up a ton of money.

 Chapter 263: Vanguard Hotel

    As Xu Feng arrived at the backdoor, it was locked tightly.


    Not even a Tier 3 NPC could possibly break through the door and forcefully enter with the runes and formations iid.


    With such high defense, it exined why the crowd was so agitated, but none actually dared to forcefully enter through brute strength.


    Naturally, Xu Feng didn''t have to brute force anything as the system recognized him as the owner already.


    Shortly after entering the backdoor, some of the workers there were stunned by his sudden appearance.


    "Boss, you''re here atst." One of the female workers eximed in joy. "I''m the newly hired hotel manager, Tracy. Outside is filled with people wanting us to open the hotel, but without your authorization, we are unable to do anything."


    Nodding, Xu Feng smiled, "I''ve already understood the gist of the situation. How many workers do we currently have, Tracy?"


    "Reporting, we have 7 workers, including me," Tracy responded swiftly. "Please rest assured that we are all experienced hotel workers and can manage the situation."


    Toward her reassurance, Xu Feng didn''t doubt her words. After all, employees within an establishment, especially the owner, hadplete control of the building.


    If there was anyone who dared to make a move against the employees or the owner, it would be foolish for them to think it would work.


    Hence, the crowd outside was merely ranting their anger, but can''t actually act upon it.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng got the overall understanding as hemanded, "We can open the hotel, but given the limited rooms avable. Tell them that we are auctioning them for 1 gold coin per night with a minimum increase bid of 10 silver coins. The highest bidders would win, and they get to decide how much night they want to stay with the price based on their winning bid value."


    Although Xu Feng said in a heartbeat, Tracy smiled and nodded her head.


    "Right, we still need a name for the hotel." She gently reminded him. A hotel needed a name, but only Xu Feng had the authority to choose the name for it.


    Xu Feng furrowed his brows slightly before speaking, "In that case, the hotel shall be named Vanguard Hotel."


    The Vanguard was the name he decided to make for his guild. The formal definition of a Vanguard was the forefront of an action or movement.


    However, what Xu Feng desired by naming his guild Vanguard was that they would always be the first to do anything, and other guilds could only look up to them.


    The guild he created would not be mediocre or cowardly. The moment they decide on something, they shallplete it without any regard.


    Sometimeter, the registration had beenpleted and from now on, the hotel would be known as the Vanguard Hotel.


    Instantly, the mana within the hotel started to surge around, giving a refreshing feeling to Xu Feng. It could be said that the hotel was fully functional with the namingpleted.


    After feeling a wave of rity, Xu Feng instructed, "Alright, you can begin the auctioning. As for the room with the crafting workstation, it shall be off-limit to others. I''ll need that for my practice."


    "Understood, I shall make the announcement." Tracy nodded and was ready to go over to the counter to post the news.


    However, Xu Feng held her back and reminded, "Don''t let the others know I''m the owner."


    A bit startled, Tracy seemingly realized why Xu Feng wanted to keep his identity a secret. With a somewhat mysterious smile, she obeyed hismand, "Yes, Boss!"


    Shortly after, Tracy began giving a few instructions to the other workers while Xu Feng promptly exited through the backdoor and smoothly integrated himself into the crowd.


    By the time he blended in with the crowd, the hotel''s announcement of its n was revealed to the crowd.


    "This damn hotel owner really knows how to milk our money!"


    "Tsk, if it weren''t for the Paradise ins, I wouldn''t have even bothereding to this trash city."


    "Screw it, it''s still better than taking a trip back to my city or going to some dirt taverns for the night. I''d rather pay a bit more to ensure my chance of winning thepetition."


    "Hmph, we should just boycott and not fall for their tricks."


    As the crowds'' opinions were divided among themselves, with some deciding to bleed their wallet, and others deciding to withhold their money. Tracy subsequently opened the door and revealed herself to the sea of people.


    "Good day everyone." Tracy smiled brightly, ignoring the unfriendly gazes.


    "I''m sure you have already been informed of the owner''s arrangement. So without further ado, the first room auction begins now."


    Those who were unwilling to bid believed others should follow their heed to destroy the hotel owner''s n.


    However, they were truly dreaming if they thought a few words could convince them otherwise.


    "I bid 1 gold and 10 silver coins!"


    "Dream on. This first room is mine. I bid 1 gold and 40 silver coins."


    "Hmph, you bunch of people dared to steal my room? I bid 2 gold coins. I dare you to steal from this master here."


    "Master? More like donkey shit you are. 2 gold coins are nothing but short changes in my eyes. I''m bidding for 4 gold coins. Now you all can get out of my way!"


    The intensity of the bidding skyrocketed to unimaginable value, and even Xu Feng was struck dumbfounded.


    ''Damn, these NPCs are wealthy as fuck.'' Xu Feng eximed inwardly.


    Initially, he nned on jacking up the bidding price on purpose by blending in with the crowd, but seeing how heated the bidding war was, he realized it was not needed at all.


    The wealth of these NPCs could truly not bepared to the poor yers who could only have some small changes such as 1-3 silver coins.


    A few secondster, the one who was moring the most won the first room for a whopping 4 gold and 30 silver coins.


    "Hahaha, the first room is mine!" The person shouted in joy, exhrated for winning the room.

 Chapter 264: Fierce Bidding War

    While the person who won the first room with a sky-high price of 4 gold and 30 silver coins, Tracy promptly congratted him.


    "Congrattions to the young sir for earning the room. May I know how long you wish to rent the night for?" Tracy asked.


    "Hmm, I want 3 nights." The person answered after deducing the time it would take for the Paradise ins to officially open up for thepetitors.


    "Very well, the total would be 12 gold and 90 silver coins." Tracy calcted for him and revealed, "Our Vanguard Hotel is newly open, but the mana concentration here has a 50% increase, meaning you will feel freshened up."


    "A 50% mana concentration increase?" Astonished, the person who won the room hadn''t expected the mana concentration to have such a dramatic increase.


    Not to mention, he knew Tracy wouldn''t be lying since she said it in front of the whole crowd, and it could easily be detected once they went inside.


    "Yes, a 50% increase," Tracy repeated, clearly doing this on purpose to let the crowd know how much they missed out for refusing to bid higher.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was amused by her shrewdness. A mana concentration of 50% increase might sound like much, but in reality, it truly wasn''t.


    After all, other cities'' constructions would have an increase of probably 70-80, with some even going up to 90 due to their environment.


    However, Star Falls City''s environment had been going downhill since its construction, with barely any buildings that helped increase the surrounding mana.


    It would be a miracle if one could even find a building with a 10% mana concentration increase here. Thus, his Vanguard Hotel naturally became the number one ce to stay with the 50% mana concentration increase.


    These NPCs also knew that this was already a big bargain, and considering how much time they needed to focus on thepetition, they would be more than willing to spend a bit more for the amodation.


    Very soon, the person who hurriedly paid the price in full to Tracy went inside the hotel for his room, and the crowd went into frenzy mode.


    "Damn it, this hotel really knows how to toy with our feelings."


    "If I knew about the mana concentration percentage increase this much, then I would have spent way more than just 4 gold and 30 silver coins."


    Not to mention this person who said it aloud, the others also knew that the rooms must be rented by them.


    Based on their deduction, the hotel only had 4 floors, so the rooms were very limited.


    For a moment, the crowd seemed to be high on drugs as they frantically bid fiercely for the next room.


    "4 gold and 60 silver coins!"


    "Save your gold coins to a tavern instead. I''m bidding for 5 gold coins."


    "5 gold coins and you want it? Get the hell out of my face! I bid 5 gold and 80 silver coins."


    At this moment, Xu Feng also quietly slipped out of the crowd, knowing that his presence was no longer needed to ensure he reaped the maximum profit.


    Tracy''s shrewd tactic alone had saved him all the effort and necessary ns to rile the crowd up.


    ''It seems like Jessica really knows how to hire people.'' Satisfied, Xu Feng was pleased with the result. He once again snuck in through the backdoor and went to his designated room on the 4th floor.


    His room was the only one with a ton of restrictions, given that a crafting workstation was built in it.


    As for the other rooms, the people could only mentally study their Profession without any external help.


    Of course, they could also bring in their own tools to help, but how could it bepared to a properly built crafting workstation?


    By the time Xu Feng entered his room, he ced the Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone design on the workstation.


    "It''s a shame that this is a one-time use design." Xu Feng sighed softly. Some designs could be used multiple times for people to learn before their effects and writing disappeared.


    However, the one that Xu Feng had could only be used one time before bing ineffective. Despite this, he wasn''t going toin because it was already a blessing that he had the opportunity to craft this so early on.


    System: Do you wish to learn the Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone Design?


    With the system interface asking him, Xu Feng clicked the "yes" button without hesitation.


    Shortly after, a wave of information and knowledge seemed to be forcefully injected into his mind, causing a slight pain sensation.


    "Being overloaded with information is never a fun thing to experience." He muttered bitterly, having recalled the sensation of a mind being overwhelmed.


    What he had just experienced was no different than a person suddenly receiving all the information from a thick textbook in a matter of seconds.


    If his concentration were any lower, then it wouldn''t be surprising if he went into aa because of the overwhelming information.


    "Now that''s done, let''s get the required material and begin forging." Xu Feng opened a cab, and sure enough, there were a ton of materials avable for him. By counting them, he could make an initial calction of being able to craft at least 25-30 Stamina Gemstones.


    Of course, that was not counting the chance of failure.


    With zero experience in forging, Xu Feng was truly stumped with a big challenge.


    Putting the materials on the workstation, Xu Feng recognized them all, with one of them being the hardest to obtain, Astral Shard. The Astral Shard could only be found in special treasure chests, high-difficulty quests, or rare drops from mid-level bosses such as level 30-50.


    Thankfully, aside from the Astral Shard, the other four materials were quitemon, namely, Vital Crystal, Endurance Shard, Mystic Dust, and Durable Gemstone.


    Although they weremon, it was still difficult for the current stream of yers to grind for them.


    "Whatever, I''ll grind for those materialster on when finding the ore source to revitalize Star Falls City." Xu Feng mumbled softly, putting aside the n of mass-producing the Stamina Gemstone to sell.

 Chapter 265: Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone

    While Xu Feng focused on mentally memorizing the crafting procedure, outside of the Vanguard Hotel, the crowd had long since gone crazy.


    "Alright, people, there are only around 5 rooms left for rental, so please make use of this time wisely to think whether you want to enjoy a 50% mana concentration increase or nothing at all." Tracy sweetly announced, making the crowd understand the pressure they were now in.


    Those who had sessfully bid for their respective rooms had already paid in full and were now enjoying the benefit.


    Meanwhile, those who hadn''t could only watch in envy outside, knowing their chances of winning in the uingpetition had decreased dramatically.


    Naturally, there were some who began to regret why they arrived so early.


    However, once they pondered the situation over, they knew that if they were to arrivete, they might not even get a participation slot, much less an entry to Paradise ins as a spectator.


    Thus, these people all decided to arrive early, only to end up being scammed hard.


    "Star Falls City had really fallen very low. If it''s not for the teleportation tform here, it would have ended up in demise a long time ago."


    "Well, what can the other cities do? When this city was constructed, people believed it was the next big city, but reality always failed to meet up with expectations."


    "Sigh, I already know I can''t outbid those wealthy heirs, so I''m just going to find a somewhat decent tavern to rent."


    Shortly after, the people who didn''t have much wealth topete slowly departed from the Vanguard Hotel.


    What the eyes can''t see, the heart doesn''t bleed.


    So long as they can no longer witness the scene of another room being slipped out of their hands, they shall feel no pain.


    With the crowd finally decreasing, the auction only turned more intense.


    After all, the remaining people here had enough wealth to continue to bid at a high price for the room.


    Seeing the enthusiasm from the crowd, Tracy was satisfied as shemenced another bidding war.


    As time went by, the remaining rooms were all rented out, with the lowest price being 7 gold and 40 silver coins. The final room was the highest, going as far as 8 gold and 80 silver coins.


    Others might be wondering why didn''t the final room bidder go for a higher value than the 7 gold and 40 silver coins initially. After all, they wouldn''t have to overpay by this much.


    However, the reason behind it was fairly simple. The person didn''t have that many funds and resorted to borrowing it from the others at thest minute.


    Although it would be better to reside in the room alone, they could only share the winning room with those they borrowed from. In the end, it was still better than having no room at all.


    Nevertheless, the ultimate winner was never these wealthy customers, to begin with, but Xu Feng.


    Within his workstation, he received a system notification regarding the renting room money.


    Overall, the rooms that had been rented out brought him a whopping wealth of 1,572 gold coins.


    For the current stage, that was a lot of wealth, and deducting some of it for the hiring fee for the employees and his debt to Herbalist Elias, he still had 1,507 gold coins left.


    Aside from Tracy whose monthly wage was 3 gold coins, the other 6 employees are only 2 gold coins. With that in mind, the calction was 15 gold coins, plus the 50 gold coins he borrowed from Herbalist Elias.


    "Sure enough, NPCs are way better sheep to ughter than yers." Xu Feng smiled.


    He then quickly allocated the 50 gold coins he owed to be returned to Elias, as well as giving an advance payment to Tracy and the others. They had worked wonderfully, so this would boost their morale.


    Once that was done, he was finally relieved somewhat, and as for the other instation fees regarding hisnd deeds, he would be retarded to repay them back now.


    As he continued to focus mentally on the design to craft the Stamina Gemstone, Xu Feng called up for the system interface and instructed Tracy to begin hiring some experienced cksmiths and merchants.


    Now that he had the cash flow, it was time tomence his monopolization n in Star Falls City. The other yers could only take the crumbs that he left over.


    "I just want to see who will dare make a ruckus in my city now." Xu Feng sneered coldly and adjusted his sses as he began the crafting.


    The forging process was rather simple after his studious time. To start with, he grabbed a Durable Gemstone and ensured it was clean and free from impurities.


    To do so, he used the workstation formation to thoroughly cleanse the gemstone. The process took around 10 seconds before the gemstone looked sparkly clean, almost as if it could blind one''s eyes.


    Shortly after, Xu Fengbined the Vital Crystal and Endurance Shard to create the base infusion mixture.


    This was required to enhance the core''s stamina properties.


    A few minutester, Xu Feng gently applied the mixture to the Durable Gemstone, followed by sprinkling some of the Mystic Dust over the now-infused gemstone.


    "Phew, so far so good¡­" A bead of droplets of sweat trickled down his forehead, as Xu Feng slowly controlled the formation of the workstation to apply heat and pressure, ensuring the dust integrated fully into the gemstone.


    After waiting patiently, the dust finally integrated with the gemstone, and it was time to ce the Astral Shard in the small infusion chamber.


    The infusion chamber was designed to blend the Astral Shard''s energy with the gemstone, imbuing it with powerful stamina-enhancing qualities. It was also the most important process of the forge.


    As Xu Fengpleted the procedure, all he could do now was wait for the gemstone to cool down gradually.


    Shortly after the infusion chamber opened itself, signaling itspletion, Xu Feng''s expression was solemn.


    "Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone obtained!"

 Chapter 266: Rising EXP

    Xu Feng eximed as he retrieved the Stamina Gemstone, feeling its morous sight.


    However, his expression quickly changed upon reading the description of the gemstone.


    ¡ª


    Name: Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone (Inferior Quality)


    Type: essory Enhancement


    Description: The Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone was an enhancement designed to improve a yer''s stamina. It provides modest enhancements to stamina and energy regeneration.


    Effects:


    Stamina Boost: Increases maximum stamina by a small amount.


    Energy Regeneration: elerates stamina recovery slightly.


    Level Requirement: Suitable for yers from Level 15 to 20.


    ¡ª


    Although the forging was a sess and Xu Feng was granted some experience points uponpletion, it was an inferior quality.


    Hence, the effect wasn''t that ideal, as well as the description being described as modestly improving. Not to mention, this inferior quality could only be used up to level 20.


    In other words, the value of this Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone was far worse than thebined value of the materials used.


    "Where did it go wrong?" Xu Feng rubbed his head, unsure of which process had gone wrong.


    He didn''t rush the processes nor did he attempt to deviate from the design procedures. Yet the oue was an inferior quality¡ª one that he wouldn''t even bother giving a nce at if found in a store.


    "Whatever, I''ll just sell this to dumb rich yers sometimeter." Xu Feng didn''t brood over the matter much and stored it in his inventory.


    Instead, he began watching the recording that he had paid a fee to watch the entire forging process.


    Maybe he didn''t see it because he was concentrating too hard, but using a different perspective, he might spot some of the mistakes.


    Sure enough, once the video was nearly halfway through, Xu Feng noticed the sprinkling of the Mystic Dust had indeed integrated itself into the gemstone, but it didn''t cover the entirety.


    Additionally, the Astral Shard''s energy didn''t truly blend in with the gemstone as he could still notice a few remnants of the energy remaining.


    "Hmm, seems like I need to make proper adjustments to the infusion chamber depending on each Astral Shard." Xu Feng mumbled, realizing there were actually numerous technicalities at fault.


    With the harsh reality, Xu Feng could only smile bitterly as he grabbed another Astral Shard. This time, he paid closer attention to the size and structure of the Astral Shard.


    The size of the Astral Shard this time was a bit smaller than the previous one.


    "I should adjust the duration and degree of the infusion chamber." Xu Feng muttered, making some minor adjustments in the chamber to cater to the Astral Shard.


    Afterward, he grabbed another Durable Gemstone and analyzed how much it required for the Mystic Dust.


    Once Xu Feng made a preliminary calction, he repeated the forging process.


    Sometimeter, another Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone had been sessfully crafted, and Xu Feng was pleased by the Normal Quality it was given.


    "Phew, at least the result is better than the previous one." He was pleased with the result.


    After all, his Mastery Level for the equipment design was still a Novice, so to seed back-to-back was already an amazing feat.


    Thus, Xu Feng spent the next few hours forging, but as expected, the failures started to appear, with many gemstones losing their glow and turning into worthless pieces of stone.


    Nevertheless, the gains far surpassed the losses, given Xu Feng''s experience points were rising high for the number of the sessful forge.


    In the end, the experience points gained were enough for him to level up once, bing level 11.


    ¡ª


    yer Name: Lin Feng


    ss: Cleric


    Level: 11


    Experience Points: 1,203,000 / 10,000,000


    Attributes: Strength 70, Agility 65, Endurance 80, Intelligence 100, Vitality 85


    Free Attribute Points: 20


    ¡ª


    Seeing his new status screen and the avable attribute points, Xu Feng allocated them all to agility.


    Others might be questioning if his brain was functioning well for focusing on agility, but Xu Feng would only snort at their mindset.


    The number one weakness for any Cleric was their slow movement speed, resulting in them being easy prey for Assassins or other DPS sses to kill.


    However, that was not the sole reason for his actions, given that he didn''t n on being those healers who could only sit in the back and provide some support to the team.


    Instead, he wanted to be one unorthodox and annoying healer that none had ever witnessed.


    ''Heh, I can already sense a lot of cursesing to me.'' He inwardly sneered, stretched his arms, and stored the sessful Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone in his inventory.


    Overall, there were 3 superior-quality stamina Gemstones, which was considered ideal already. The quality ranks are followed by from lowest to highest: Inferior, Normal, and Superior.


    Naturally, there were qualities higher than Superior, but with his current skills, he refused to think too far ahead. There was no benefit in looking up to the impossible quality for now, aside from wanting to give yourself pain.


    "Ugh, I don''t get how cksmiths can have fun." Xu Feng shook his head.


    Although what he crafted was considered a type of forging, it was technically different. After all, he didn''t need to have a hammer and physically hammer them down to make the shape of a weapon or armor.


    All he did was use the workstation as his main tool and blend in some materials to craft a gemstone. Even so, his mistakes were numerous, and honestly, he preferred synthesis more.


    "No point crying over spilled milk." He mumbled, exiting his room and heading to the lobby.


    By now, the crowd outside had long dissipated, with a few people still hanging around the lobby.


    They might not be able to rent a room, but that doesn''t mean they aren''t allowed to be in the lobby. Not to mention, the rules stated that they must purchase something to remain in the lobby for at least 30 minutes.


    His hotel had built-in restaurants and some bars in the lobby, ensuring that all their funds would be ced in his pocket.


    Naturally, such an arrangement had cost him an extra fee when constructing, but it was all worth it once Xu Feng saw numerous NPCs chattering and rxing.

 Chapter 267: Blacksmith Level

    While Xu Feng walked around the hotel lobby to give a quick inspection, he was subtly interrupted by one of the employees.


    "Sir, would you like a coupon that gives you an offer to buy two get one free." The employee asked.


    Amused, Xu Feng shook his head. "No thanks, I''m only staying here for a few nights and that''s it. I have no need for coupons."


    After saying that, he turned around and left, whereas the crowd went back to their own business once they saw this scene.


    It wasn''t the first time they witnessed an employee trying to offer up some coupons to random passersby in hopes of getting them to spend more money.


    However, what they didn''t know was that this was precisely Xu Feng''s arrangement to be informed that Tracy wanted to see him to report back.


    By doing so, the NPCs won''t suspect him of being an owner, and it would also boost sales by giving them coupons to continuously spend their money on the hotel.


    Shortly after leaving the lobby, Xu Feng donned a mask and swapped to an employee uniform discreetly before making his way to the employee lounge.


    He was even more wary than before, given some of these NPCs were extremely perceptive. Just one small hint would expose his identity.


    As for the reason why he didn''t simply have Tracy go to his room, it was even more obvious.


    With Tracy''s high profile as the auctioneer, her every movement would be heavily scrutinized.


    If news of her entering his room went out, it would be a miracle if no one deduced the person who rented that room was someone unique.


    As for having the other employees ry the news on her behalf, it was even more inapplicable, given they had been recognized and marked for being the ones to guide them to their new rooms.


    Additionally, the system interface was limited when giving instructions to Tracy, resulting in him having no other choice but to speak with her directly in a safe spot.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng arrived at the employee''s lounge and noticed Tracy jotting down a lot of notes.


    Upon seeing Xu Feng''s arrival, she quickly got up and smiled, "Boss, we made a lot of money this time. Aside from the rental room money, we also earned a lot from the customers ordering food from the built-in restaurant and bar."


    Nodding, Xu Feng already knew about this detail.


    After all, the overall ie was listed in a new system interface specifically for owners. Thus, he didn''t need to hear his employees reporting him the overall ie constantly.


    "Alright, let''s put that matter aside." Xu Fengmented and calmly took a seat. "What was the reason that you needed to see me?"


    "Ah, right, reporting to my boss, I''ve found a few cksmiths willing to be hired by you. However, the merchants seemed disinterested." Tracy reported, handing him a list of documents.


    The merchants being disinterested was not much of a surprise to Xu Feng.


    After all, the city''s condition was truly terrible. Only a foolish merchant would want to settle here.


    Hence, he wasn''t disappointed and instead had his eyes on the cksmiths willing to be hired by him.


    Simr to the Mastery Level ranking, cksmiths were also ranked ordingly, with only one additional rank. They are ranked from lowest to highest: Novice, Apprentice, Adept, Expert, Master, and Pinnacle.


    Fiona Forgefire was an Expert cksmith, and being an expert already allowed them to receive a simr status to a Duke in terms of noble.


    The ranking might not seemrge, but just trying to increase one rank to another was extremely difficult.


    Just to rank up from Novice to Apprentice, the person must be capable of knowing at least 50 items, and they must sessfully craft at least 3 items on the level of an Apprentice to be promoted.


    The first requirement itself was already a daunting task, given not many are resourceful or wealthy enough to get their hands on many designs.


    As for the second requirement, it was even more difficult, given the materials required to forge one on that level were rare.


    This was because they couldn''t possibly cut any corner like Expert cksmith, who could outright ignore some of the materials.


    "It''s already not bad that I have at least 3 Apprentice level cksmiths willing to be hired, but their asking price is quite expensive." Xu Feng furrowed his brows and said coolly.


    They all wanted a monthly fee of 3 gold coins, as well as a fixed amount of supplies of materials delivered to them.


    The gold coin itself wasn''t a problem considering his current wealth, but their asking price of the fixed amount of supplies was exorbitant.


    They wanted at least 200 monthly supplies, enough for them to continuously study their respective craft. That was equivalent to a price of 100 gold coins and above, depending on the market price for them.


    As for the Novice level cksmiths, their monthly asking fee was 1 gold coin, but they still wanted around 50 monthly supplies.


    "Inform them that the hiring fee is fine, but if they want that many monthly supplies, then they must produce results and deliver the items I want." Xu Feng returned the documents to Tracy and said sternly.


    He didn''t mind being extorted if the people he hired were extremely useful and productive.


    However, if they weren''t and just wanted to leech him, then they can all fuck off to the other side.


    Just when Xu Feng thought the matter was done, Tracy suddenly handed him new documents.


    "The Apprentice cksmiths seemed to know their conditions were too much, so they have already listed their specialty as well as their production rate," Tracy exined softly.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was slightly taken aback by this second phase.


    ''No wonder Tracy asked for my presence.'' Xu Feng thought to himself, taking a look at these specialties that the cksmiths were so confident of.


    Upon giving one nce, his eyebrows twitched as he stood up. "If this is true, then so be it. They must be hired!"

 Chapter 268: Eclipse Nova

    Originally, Xu Feng didn''t think much of these Apprentice level cksmiths.


    After all, just what kind of specialty could these cksmiths offer that would change his mind?


    The apprentice level was a bit higher than Novice, but in reality, there really isn''t much of a difference except the former was somewhat more experienced and knowledgeable.


    One could be a newly promoted Apprentice, and they would be no different than an almost ready-to-be promoted from Novice level.


    However, his overview and skepticism were shattered when he realized what these 3 Apprentice level cksmiths were capable of.


    ''These 3 Apprentice level cksmiths must be mine.'' Xu Feng inwardly dered. They knew not only Resonance Enchantment but also Durability Augmentation.


    Resonance Enchantment was a unique crafting technique involving embedding resonant stones into weapons and armor to enhance their effectiveness against specific enemy types.


    Mastery of Resonance Enchantment required a deep understanding of resonance properties and the acquisition of rare stones, making it a rare skill among apprentice cksmiths.


    As for Durability Augmentation, it focused on improving the longevity of weapons and armor by adding a special durability-enhancingyer. This process utilized rare materials and advanced crafting methods, distinguishing it from moremon cksmithing techniques.


    Just these two specialty factors alone made it impossible for Xu Feng to let them go away to another ce.


    "Tracy, draft a contract and tell them their condition can be met, but they must sign a long-term contract, as well as prevent them from leaving earlier than expected." Xu Fengmanded.


    And to his astonishment, Tracy revealed a third documentation, except this time, it was a contract form.


    "I''ve prepared them beforehand, boss," Tracy said, handing it for him to inspect.


    When Xu Feng browsed through the contract and its uses, his eyes widened in shock.


    He lifted his chin slightly up and gazed at Tracy with a disbelief expression, "Why did youe to work for my hotel?"


    What he meant wasn''t anything offensive, but out of respect and apliment to her ability. She was literally the type that would ease a lot of worries for their boss.


    So how could someone like her possiblye over here to work for his newly built hotel?


    It made zero sense!


    "Boss must have neglected to read my work portfolio." Tracy smiled softly. "My birth city is precisely at Star Falls City."


    Realization dawned upon Xu Feng once he heard that her birth city was precisely the city they were in.


    Others might not know, but toward your birth city, there would always be that special kind of feeling that no one else would know unless you were born in the same ce.


    Considered it to be their root or forever their home no matter how far they had ventured away.


    "But why my hotel of all ces?" Xu Feng inquired further. Even if this city was her birthce, she had many better options aside from him.


    Take the Adventure Association for example.


    They might be just a branch here, but their prestige and work environment were technically the best in Star Falls City.


    "My initial choice was to work at the Adventure Association." Tracy was brutally honest. "But then Receptionist Jessica mentioned about you and that you are now their hope in revitalizing Star Falls City. Hence, I decided to apply to work for you."


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng was rendered speechless.


    Their hope?


    Just who was it that made him undertake such a huge responsibility.


    At this point, Xu Feng even began to doubt it was Sandy who rmended him, but someone even more mysterious and powerful.


    But the question came?


    How did he be noticed by them?


    ''Could it be the time when I was at the Holy Sanctuary?'' Xu Feng knitted his brows. Throughout the events that had urred, the only thing he miscalcted terribly was his arrival at the Holy Sanctuary.


    "Anyway, just make sure to hire those 3 Apprentice cksmiths and around 10 Novice cksmiths. The contract remained the same, with only the apprentice receiving a bit more. They can get to work as soon as the Vanguard cksmith construction is done." Xu Feng instructed.


    "Understood, boss." Tracy nodded her head.


    "Alright, I''m going to leave the city for a few days."


    "Eh, but what about the Paradise ins?"


    "Rx, you can just notify me if it happens." Xu Feng smiled, reminding her that she now had a function to signal an emergency.


    Although he won''t know the context, just receiving the signal would be enough to remind him the time was up.


    As the owner of the hotel and havingpleted the tedious process, he could now teleport back to the hotel whenever he wanted, albeit with a cost depending on the distance.


    Shortly after the instruction, Xu Feng began using his Mirage Pendant for the first time.


    And under the eyes of Tracy, he changed his appearance to a somewhat middle-aged man, as well as his name, Eclipse Nova.


    Astonished, Tracy took a second topose herself from the dramatic change. At the same time, she was confused by his name change as well.


    Since she was an employee under him, she naturally knew his name was Lin Feng, but now the data was showing Eclipse Nova to her from the inspection skills she had.


    "Eclipse Nova?" She mumbled confusingly.


    "Ahem, the name is just to make it sound mysterious and cool." Xu Feng faked a cough and exined softly.


    He was not good with naming things, but the name does have a backstory behind it. Eclipse Novabined the mysterious and powerful imagery of an eclipse with the explosive connotations of a nova. This fusion suggested a force that was both overwhelming and enigmatic.


    What he wanted was to portray himself as the enigmatic and overwhelming mastermind that was behind Lin Feng''s persona.


    To simplify things, it was just to make others fear and respect him who never truly existed in the first ce.


    "Okay, if Jessica or anyone from the Adventure Association looks for me. You can just tell them I''m going to search for the ores." Xu Feng swiftly said and exited the lounge, feeling quite embarrassed.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 269: Frontier Fields

    The speed at which Xu Feng exited stunned Tracy on the spot.


    For some reason, she sensed that he wasn''tfortable with the name he altered.


    "As expected of all entric bosses." Tracy sped her hands, concluding that it was just the typical trait of most bosses.


    Without further ado, she resumed her work and prepared to contact the cksmiths regarding the subsequent contract and when they should get to work.


    Xu Feng was quite meticulous and had already informed them beforehand on what to forge.


    Most of them weremon items that are required by newbies, but Tracy didn''t dare to question his motive.


    She was just an employee, and a great employee should simply do as told without questioning why.


    If there was something she should know, then Xu Feng would have told her already.


    And this was precisely why Xu Feng came to appreciate Tracy.


    She was clever enough to know when or when not to ask questions. Sure, she might know something after some pondering, but she kept silent about it.


    Feeling reassured to leave the remaining tasks to Tracy, Xu Feng already boldly walked out of the hotel as he prepared to take the North exit.


    ''The ores source should be in a separate dimension.'' As he exited through the North''s gate, Xu Feng opened his map and checked the terrain.


    Most of the terrains had already been explored, with some even digging manyyers underground to search for ores, only to end up with naught.


    Thus, the only possibility was that these ores weren''t located underground or elsewhere, but in another dimension.


    From his recollection, the richness of the ores was in the north side area, so Xu Feng needed to start his search from the very beginning.


    "Time to do this like an expedition." Xu Feng dered, heading deep into the open field that had level 17 plus monsters roaming around.


    System: You have entered Frontier Fields!


    Frontier Fieldsy in the quiet stretch just outside the deste Star Falls City.


    Thendscape was marked by expansive, t terrain with sparse vegetation.


    The ground had been a mix of hardy grasses and low shrubs, punctuated by patches of rocky outcrops and scattered boulders.


    A few stunted trees and thorny bushes had added some variety to the otherwise open expanse. The sky overhead had often been clear, providing unobstructed views of the distant horizon, which contributed to the feeling of istion.


    The air was thick with dust, and the asional gust of wind carried a faint metallic scent. Xu Feng could feel the gritty texture of the ground beneath his boots, each step sending up small clouds of debris.


    Despite its proximity to the city, Frontier Fields possessed a stark, rugged beauty, reflecting the harsh, unweing environment of its surroundings.


    Clearly, it had been a ce that was left untouched and remote.


    "This is so far off from the Frontier Fields I recalled." Smiling bitterly, Xu Feng finally realized what it meant to be a pioneer of a deste city before its ushering prosperity.


    The so-called lushful greenery and vibrant environment were nowhere to be found here.


    One might even mistake the fields had undergone a fierce battle among cities, given how terrible the condition was.


    As Xu Feng treaded further, he could feel his body movement being affected slightly.


    ''A hostile environment?''


    Dumbfounded, Xu Feng checked his stats, but there was no status ailment being listed. In other words, his sluggish movement wasn''t affected by the hostile environment, but by the atmosphere itself.


    To summarize, this was a natural suppression area and was not considered an ailment or hostile environment.


    With this revtion, Xu Feng''s expression turned solemn. The difficulty was far worse than he had anticipated.


    "It seems like I need to speedrun this even faster." He mumbled, activating Dark Pact and summoning the Abyssal Phantom.


    Due to his increased level and attributes, the Abyssal Phantom became even stronger.


    As the Abyssal Phantom hovered around in the air, Xu Fengmanded it to be the vanguard. "Advance forward and kill anyone that is near the vicinity of us."


    The only reason why he didn''t attempt to hire mercenaries to assist him was solely because of the Abyssal Phantom. With this creature alone, it was more than enough to tackle the monsters in this area, albeit somewhat slower.


    Shortly after receiving themand, a murderous aura erupted from the Abyssal Phantom. It stretched its ws out and began scrutinizing the surroundings.


    A few secondster, it detected some monsters. With a zooming speed, the Abyssal Phantom went ahead and attacked the monsters.


    Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz


    Buzzing-type of noises echoed from afar, and Xu Feng was surprised to see this type of monster here, Gargantuan Beetles. They were massive armored beetles with thick, almost imprable exoskeletons.


    Their powerful mandibles could crush anything in their path and exuded a faint, acidic mist that corroded equipment over time upon contact.


    Thankfully, Xu Feng was a ranged-type ss, and with the Abyssal Phantommencing the assault, he was relieved of the consequences of having his equipment corroded.


    However, he didn''t dare to rx at all and quickly buffed the Abyssal Phantom, providing it ample support.


    The Gargantuan Beetles might work alone, but upon contact with enemies, they would instantly send distress signals, essentially calling for reinforcement.


    Normally, Xu Feng would disrupt the distress signal, but his current skills were limited. Not to mention, he didn''t mind free experience points rushing their way toward him.


    With swift action, Xu Feng leaped on top of a tree branch and calmly watched the battle from atop.


    The Gargantuan Beetles'' attacks were indeed powerful, but toward the Abyssal Phantom''s elusive movement, it waspletely ineffective and useless.


    In the blink of an eye, the first Beetles had fallen prey to the mighty Abyssal Phantom, creating zero suspense.


    "This is how one should grind monsters." Xu Feng smiled, his eyes ncing at the reinforcement, who clearly had no idea what they were going up against.


    The Abyssal Phantom was blood-thirsty, and within a few seconds, it had already rushed ahead andunched another offensive strike at the reinforcement called by the deceased beetle.


    While this happened, Xu Feng calmly made a few markings on his map, extremely rxed.

 Chapter 270: Markings

    The experience points bar from his status screen continuously rose, satisfying Xu Feng greatly.


    How long had it been since hest witnessed arge increase in experience points?


    Although it wasn''t really that long, just the pain of knowing that you got a 99% debuff in experience points hurts deeply.


    Some minutester, the Abyssal Phantom effectively wiped out all the remaining Gargantuan Beetles, prompting a 10% increase in experience points in the bar.


    "Sure enough, it''s already getting harder to level up." Xu Feng jumped down from the tree branch and began collecting the loots that were dropped by the beetles.


    None of them were rare drops, but they were still somewhat useful. As for thepletely useless ones, Xu Feng didn''t even bother to pick them up.


    After all, the system would automatically "clean" them up after a certain time limit.


    By cleaning, it simply meant they would just glitch a while before disappearing from the scene.


    Thus, Xu Feng continued on with his journey, as well as making a mark on this location for being a potential habitat for the Beetles.


    Sometimeter, numerous monsters continuously emerge from out of nowhere.


    From small to big monsters, each one of them was quite cunning. However, under the surveince of the Abyssal Phantom, they were all promptly taken care of.


    At the same time, Xu Feng''s map began to look cramped, having been forced to zoom in to mark them more precisely. When the map was zoomed out, it was merely a bunch of marks ovepping each other.


    Naturally, Xu Feng wasn''t randomly marking, but the potentiality of the location of the dimension being located.


    A separate dimension was usually the core and the centric position of where these monsters could possiblye from. And to pinpoint the location, these monsters'' appearance would give him the answer.


    Just like that, Xu Feng spent numerous hours marking the map and gaining tons of experience points in the process.


    His level had increased by 1, bing level 12.


    After allocating his free attribute points, Xu Feng took a seat, with the Abyssal Phantom hovering around in the sky like some protective drone.


    As Xu Feng analyzed his map, he noted the various markings he had made throughout his expedition.


    Multiple symbols and notations converged towards a specific area, indicating a focal point of interest.


    The map depicted a series of scattered markers, each representing encounters with different monsters.


    These markers were interconnected by lines and arrows, illustrating the paths Xu Feng had taken and the patterns he had observed. The concentration of these markers created a distinct cluster, pinpointing a central region that seemed to draw the monsters to it.


    ''Hmm, how confusing.'' Xu Feng''s finger zoomed out the holographic map, finding the supposed central region location to be abnormal.


    He recalled reading the data of the location, and it had been explored thoroughly by the adventures and mercenaries. Even some Tier 4 warriors and mages had gone there to double-check, only to end up with the same conclusion as the rest.


    There was nothing but an empty cave.


    "As expected, one can never rely on the data found by others." Xu Feng marked the location as the designation for a navigation guide and stood up.


    This was a method often used by explorers, by having a specific coordinate as a navigation guide to prevent them from deviating from the path.


    Of course, this was only possible for those who could use the map function.


    After all, some locations restricted the usage of maps, such as the Eerie Fog at the Verdant Valley.


    Just when Xu Feng was ready to head toward the empty cave, he received a message.


    "Eh, didn''t I set it to only friends?" Surprised, Xu Feng opened his messages and realized it was Carmen, or Lunar Wraith to be precise, who had messaged him.


    Lunar Wraith: Feng, I just reached level 15 after sessfullypleting my mission with the librarian and was about to head to a city. But then a guard secretly gave me some token and said it''s from you.


    ''She''s level 15 already?'' Startled, Xu Feng wondered if she was the real protagonist. Her luck was just out of this world.


    Suddenly, Xu Feng had a wicked idea.


    Since her luck was out of this way, then maybe¡­ just maybe the empty cave might be the key to his discovery.


    Without hesitation, Xu Feng quickly sent her a message, instructing her to use the token toe to Star Falls City and he shall wait for her at the Vanguard Hotel.


    Once the message was sent, Xu Feng was no longer idle at the Frontier Fields and opted to teleport back to the Vanguard Hotel.


    ¡­


    Riverwood Town


    Carmen, who was preparing to log out after sending a message to Xu Feng, was dumbfounded on the spot.


    ''Feng wants me to meet him now?'' Confused, Carmen didn''t know if she should refuse him.


    However, when she recalled how he had assisted her in the previous mission, she would be rude to reject his request.


    Not to mention, she merely wanted to log out simply because she didn''t want to game too much and get addicted to the Divine World.


    After all, she was an employee working for a somewhat big marketingpany. Although she worked remotely andpleted her assigned tasks, she received an email that wanted her to head to the main office.


    Looking at the time right now, Carmen knew she still had a little bit over ten hours left. She rested her hand softly on her chin before deciding to break her routine this time.


    Once that was decided, Carmen went to the Teleportation tform and searched for the guard.


    Upon being spotted by the guard, he was startled. "Miss Lunar Wraith, why have you returned? Is there something wrong?"


    Just earlier, he had given her the token requested by Xu Feng after confirming her identity. He even went as far as asking if she wished to teleport right away, only for her to reject it. Hence, he was startled to see her return so soon.


    An awkward expression appeared on Carmen''s face, seemingly embarrassed.


    "Yeah¡­ about that, may I be teleported now. I have a change of heart."

 Chapter 271: Bribe

    When the guard in charge of the teleportation heard Carmen suddenly had a change of heart, he was stunned on the spot.


    ''That''s exactly what my wife is like. One moment she''s happy with me, and the next moment she''s furious at me. Ugh, women¡­'' The guard screamed inwardly, but on the surface, he kept a calm smile.


    After all, Xu Feng had paid him quite the hefty sum of a bribe, and making a scene would simply cause him more trouble.


    "Very well, Miss Lunar Wraith. But you''ll need to wait a bit longer since I''ll need to make the adjustment." The guard exined.


    "Yes, sorry for the trouble." Carmen bowed slightly and thanked him.


    She wasn''t that foolish to not sense the slight displeasure from the guard. It was only for a split second, but she had been paying attention, so she caught wind of it.


    As she patiently waited for the guard to make the adjustment, other yers continuously returned from their adventure through the teleportation tform.


    "This is really some annoying crap! Those guilds just don''t want us normal yers to grind at all."


    "I know right. Aside from the Silver Wind Guild, every other guild is hogging the ideal grinding field and killing anyone that is not a part of them. How tyrannical of them!"


    "Hmph, guilds are really garbage. I would rather join an adventure team than mingle with those bunch of greedy folks."


    "Agreed, I heard some adventurer teams are hiring near the Mercenary Association. Let''s head over there and see the situation."


    Shortly after their loud chattering and leaving the teleportation tform in a fit of rage, Carmen was silent.


    Ever since the matter of Lin Feng entering a city spread across, almost all guilds went into a frenzy.


    Thus, the average yers and regr adventure teams had been suffering terribly from the guilds who practically went frantic in hopes of catching up.


    After all, they all knew a city''s resources were far superior to any beginner''s town. That was especially true even if theybined all beginner towns'' resources.


    ''Guilds are really greedy and domineering.'' Carmen thought to herself.


    While distracted, the guard promptly returned to her and ryed, "Miss Lunar Wraith, you may use the teleportation tform now."


    "Oh¡­ yes, thank you." She snapped out of her daze and quickly bowed for troubling the guard.


    "No worries, and do you want me to wipe out the data of your entry as well?"


    "Wipe out the data?"


    "Ah, it''s to erase your traces so others won''t know where you teleported to."


    Realization dawned upon Carmen and she subtly recalled the messages Xu Feng sent. In the message, he mentioned there was no need to hide her traces.


    Sure enough, once she opened up the message to double-check, she noticed he had specifically mentioned it.


    Therefore, it was safe to say that Xu Feng wanted others to know where her destination was. Otherwise, Xu Feng wouldn''t have told her in advance considering his actions.


    "No need to erase the data," Carmen smiled lightly.


    "If anyone wants to know my destination, then you are free to tell them, albeit with a charging fee since it''s valuable information." She added, hinting at the guard that he could earn another hefty sum by selling out her information.


    This was considered her returning the favor for troubling the guard.


    Meanwhile, the guard''splexion gradually softened even better as he responded with a bright smile.


    "Understood, Miss Lunar Wraith." He replied and activated the teleportation, teleporting her away.


    Sure enough, once Carmen vanished from the scenes, numerous people who had been hiding in the shadows beganing up to him and asking for her whereabouts.


    "Hello, sir, may I know where she went?"


    "Did she teleport to another town?"


    Although slightly surprised by these people for inquiring information, the guard squinted his eyes to identify them.


    Soon, he realized they were equipped with a guild emblem. As he scrutinized the guild emblem on their clothes, he noticed they had the same symbol of a grim reaper holding a scythe-like weapon.


    Without a doubt, these people were from the same group, and the guard yawned slightly, his hand slightly extended, hovering up and down.


    The yers upon seeing this action were not stupid. They nced at each other with a disbelief expression.


    "Even a guard is a money grubber." One of them muttered in a baffled tone.


    Nevertheless, they still took out 1 silver coin and ced it on the guard''s hand.


    They were the scouts assigned by Hundred Ghost to track down Lunar Wraith.


    After all, she was the key to finding out where Lin Feng went. Hence, they must aplish this mission, otherwise, they could kiss their sry and job goodbye.


    Meanwhile, the guard nced at the 1 silver coin with a cold expression.


    Who the hell did these people take him for?


    Just the bribe alone that Xu Feng had given him was 1 gold coin.


    Yet these people think 1 silver coin was going to make him talk?


    Are these people taking him for a fool?


    As for the yers from the Reaver Guild, they noticed the displeasure from the guard, clearly meaning their so-called bribing fee was not enough.


    ''Damn, just how much did this guard want?'' One of them cursed silently. He was also the person who had used his own silver coin to pay up.


    s, no matter how resentful he was, he could only grit his teeth and continue to pay another silver coin.


    Start a fight with the guard?


    There were better ways tomit suicide than offending an NPC.


    Some dumbass who thought they were the bomb attempted to mess with an NPC, only to end up getting killed and receiving many penalties.


    Not to mention, the NPCs were far stronger than them, and the further they leveled up, the more they realized how deadly these NPCs were.


    Just like that, the guard''s hand continued to receive a pile of silver coins, and only when it reached 50 silver coins did the guard nod his head in slight approval.


    In response, the yers who practically emptied their entire wealth felt like crying.


    "Miss Lunar Wraith teleported to Star Falls City. Now kindly do me a favor and fuck off!" The guard snorted coldly, unleashing his aura and sending shockwaves to the yers.

 Chapter 272: Enchantments

    The guard was already somewhat displeased by these poor people, yet they dared to be displeased with him.


    Naturally, he was going to teach these people a small lesson.


    Did they really think he cared much about their 50 silver coins?


    Just Xu Feng alone in his generosity and behavior was superior to this bunch.


    Not only was the former polite and extremely wealthy, but he was also a noble. His one word could cause immense trouble for him, but he didn''t do any of that.


    Hence, he didn''t dare to slight Carmen in any way even though it was about time for him to get off the job.


    With that in mind, the guard subsequently went to the Teleportation Hall, clearly ready to change shifts with another guard.


    As for the yers who had received the shockwaves, they were stupefied on the scene.


    "Fuck, I got a debuff status." One of them cursed aloud when he checked his status.


    "That guard is a lunatic!" Another one eximed.


    "Shush, do you want to get killed?"


    They were still in the town, and these guards had every right to kill any troublemakers without consequences.


    Thus, these yers could only begrudgingly ept their fate and report the information they obtained to the guild. At the same time, they hoped to be remunerated for the price of the bribing fee.


    While this incident urred, Carmen remained oblivious to the situation as she promptly arrived at the Vanguard Hotel.


    Seeing the magnificent hotel, Carmen was dazzled on the spot.


    "What a beautiful hotel." She mumbled, noticing the exterior design to be extremely fancy. asionally, she would also see numerous NPCs walking in and out of the hotel.


    However, these NPCs seemed weird as they looked a bit frantic, almost as if they were going against time. Their movements were fast, with a few of them even creating a blurred image.


    "Just what are they in a rush for?" Confused, Carmen was unable toprehend their actions. Had it not been for her swift decision to move to the side, she would have been bumped at least 7 times by these NPCs.


    At this point, everyone knows that NPCs are not to be messed with, and they must tread carefully when encountering them. This was especially true when the NPCs had a noble ranking.


    Sometimeter, amidst her confusion, Xu Feng questioned, "Why didn''t youe inside if you had arrived already?"


    "Huh?" Startled, Carmen didn''t realize when he appeared in front of her. "My bad, I was too distracted by the NPCs."


    "Ah, you mean them." Xu Feng chuckled softly and proceeded to exin the situation. "These NPCs are all preparing themselves for thepetition being held in Paradise ins soon. Hence, they are leaving to gather materials."


    "Gather materials?"


    Carmen didn''t quite understand, given gathering materials were going to the outskirts of the city. Or at least that was her thought process.


    Seeing her somewhat dazed and confused expression, Xu Feng merely chuckled, not bothering to exin. After all, these NPCs were now rushing to a newly opened cksmith shop by him, and receiving the items crafted by them.


    As for why these cksmiths didn''t attempt to join thepetition for the Paradise ins. The answer was fairly simple.


    They were poor and broke as hell. Additionally, they didn''t have the connection to receive any rmendation to receive a participation slot.


    The only reason why he was able to get one was due to three factors: wealth, status, and vouches by the Adventure Association.


    Sometimeter, Xu Feng brought Carmen to his cksmith shop.


    Upon arriving, the cksmiths who were hammering on an anvil, stopped their work temporarily, stood up, and greeted Xu Feng. At the end of the day, they were hired by Xu Feng, so respect must be given.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng merely waved his hand and took out a Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone.


    "Help me equip this for mypanion here." Xu Feng instructed. "And give her additional enchantment on the equipment she''s wearing."


    "Wait a minute," Carmen finally snapped out of her daze and nced at Xu Feng. "Enchantments are expensive and it''s not worth the trouble."


    "Listen, Carmen, when I say something that is beneficial to you. Just calmly ept it with a silent gratitude and no more rejection." Xu Feng adjusted his sses and warned kindly.


    "But¡ª"


    "Ahem, we can argue all day and waste more time."


    "..."


    With a deep sigh, Carmen finally gave in and no longer rejected his goodwill.


    One thing she knew about him: he was not one to talk big without any confidence.


    Since he said it, then surely they would be wasting a lot of time arguing here back and forth.


    "Um boss, so do we begin the enchantment now?" One of the Apprentice level cksmiths asked, seemingly unsure of what to do. With a single nce, anyone could tell their rtionship was quite amiable and intimate.


    Xu Feng nodded his head and turned to Carmen.


    As all eyes were on her, Carmen was having mixed feelings. In a sense, she was being forced to do something, but it was beneficial to her.


    She didn''t even know what to feel. Nevertheless, she still handed the items over to the cksmith, who promptly went to work.


    The sooner he finished, the faster he could resume his own forge and study.


    After all, Xu Feng as a boss was rather generous. Aside from the required crafting item quota, they were free to use the resources and improve their Profession.


    "By the way Feng, I didn''t know if it''s the correct thing to do but I told the guard at Riverwood Town to not erase my data." Carmen suddenly recalled something and exined her actions.


    "Oh?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow, clearly curious to hear her thoughts further.


    A bittersweet smile appeared on her face. "You probably wanted to advertise the city so that others would join here. It would be even better if the Reaver Guild came here because curious and intrigued yers would follow up to watch the show."

 Chapter 273: Vanguard Blacksmith

    When Xu Feng heard her exnation, he was somewhat satisfied.


    However, he still wanted to tease and test her further.


    "Hmm, but why would I want others toe over here and fight the resources?" Xu Feng questioned, his gaze locking onto hers.


    "I did some basic investigation, but after arriving here, I got my answer." Carmen sighed softly, having realized just how cunning the person in front of her was.


    When she arrived in the city, she was startled by the bustling hotel. Yet other than the hotel, nothing else seemed lively. It was as if the city was an abandoned one with only one active ce.


    Following that was the time when she followed Xu Feng to the cksmith shop, her suspicions became higher when there were practically little to zero NPCs roaming the empty streets.


    With that in mind, she went on to check the city poption and was dumbfounded to see the pathetic low numbers that were even worse than the beginner towns.


    "This city is in a downward trend and it''s probably going to be demolished soon," Carmen revealed her thoughts. As an employee in a marketingpany, she knew this type of business was close to bankruptcy.


    Zero traffic and attractions spelled doom to any business.


    Thus, Xu Feng needed to attract yers to choose this city once they reached the requirement to liven up the city and ensure its survival.


    As for why Xu Feng chose such a terrible city to develop, Carmen had no idea.


    Silence filled the atmosphere for a moment, only broken after Xu Feng started pping his hands andughing.


    "You are really perceptive." Xu Feng praised.


    Indeed, he purposely allowed the Reaver Guild to track his whereabouts, as well as exposed his location to others for the bounty that was still active.


    Now that he had most of the vital shops set up. Who was the real prey and who was the real predator, it had yet to be decided.


    "No, I''m not perceptive." Carmen hurriedly shook her head and denied the praise. "It''s more like you wanted me to guess it by bringing me here personally and even showing the reverential look these cksmiths held for you."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "I meant that you are most likely the boss of this cksmith shop. With that knowledge, yers whoe to develop here would need to patronize this shop unless they want their equipment broken."


    "Clever." Xu Feng waspletely satisfied.


    It was not hard to recruit a yer to one''s guild, but it was definitely a difficult matter to recruit a clever and knowledgeable person to the guild.


    This was especially true when they were going to be a future expert that everyone feared and respected.


    "Alright, tell me what''s the goal of having my equipment enchanted?" Carmen rolled her eyes and asked softly.


    "We''re going to be heading to an empty cave, but the possibility of it existing in a separate dimension was high. Thus, we need to be extremely prepared for such a case." Xu Feng exined swiftly and proceeded to share the map that he painfully marked with her.


    After receiving the map, Carmen''s eyes widened in surprise at the extreme detail in the map. If he hadn''t proimed to be the one doing the marking, then she would have thought it was a map marked by NPCs.


    ''This is too detailed. Just how did he manage to do it?'' Carmen wondered silently. The amount of effort and time required for it was definitely not something an average yer could do.


    "Oh, by the way, I''ve created a guild already." Xu Feng suddenly revealed. "Are you willing to join my guild now?"


    His revtion timing was truly impable, and Carmen realized she had been trapped in his scheme all along.


    "You won''t give up until I agree, right?" She smiled bitterly.


    "Well, I won''t force you, but I will definitely convince you to join. I would be a fool to let such a talented individual go."


    "If you weren''t somewhat decently handsome, then people would have mistaken you as a creeper stalker. They might even call the police on you."


    "Then thank the lord for my great genes." Xu Feng shed a cheeky smile, not a bit ashamed.


    He might be an orphan and never met his biological parents, but one thing he was somewhat grateful for was the great genes he received.


    Meanwhile, Carmen could no longer deal with this shameless individual.


    "Just give me the invite. I''d rather save myself some headache from your countless pestering." She said, practically urging him to send the invitation.


    "Hmm, you''re getting desperate eh." Xu Feng rubbed his chin. "But you need to pass a certain test to join my guild."


    "You¡ª"


    Before Carmen could re up at him, Xu Feng continued, "However that test is voided because you are handpicked by me. See how nice I am? I vouched for you and saved you the trouble."


    "..."


    ''Seriously¡­'' She was rendered speechless.


    Simultaneously, she startedughing as she couldn''t fathom who the real Xu Feng was.


    Once she received a guild invitation, Carmen noticed the guild name to be very familiar.


    "Vanguard¡­ where did I see this name before?" She mumbled, clearly having some familiarity with it.


    "Well, of course. Didn''t you just go to the Vanguard Hotel?" Xu Feng teased.


    Astonished, Carmen''s mouth was left hanging as she looked at him in disbelief. Suddenly, she dashed out of the cksmith shop and nced at the name.


    Vanguard cksmith


    "H-How much wealth does Feng have?" Stunned, Carmen was truly unable toprehend his capability.


    Although she wasn''t extremely familiar, she knew all shops operated through coins from the Divine World. And with how scarce coins were, not even the exchange center had much to be exchanged through dors.


    ''Not only did he have a hotel, but he also owns a cksmith? Did he rob an NPC or some bank here?'' Carmen slowly walked back to the shop, her expression alternating in between surprise and disbelief.


    "Feng, tell me the truth. Are you the developer of Divine World or some kind of admin?"

 Chapter 274: Guild Emblem

    Initially, Xu Feng thought his subtle revtion of ability would impress Carmen, but never once did he expect thetter to mistake him for a developer or an admin.


    Honestly, he wished that were true, but that was not the case.


    "No, but if I was the developer, do you think the Reaver Guild could continue to exist?" Xu Feng shook his head andughed.


    "True¡­ if you were, then the Reaver Guild would have been disbanded." Carmen nodded, finding her previous question to be illogical.


    No one knew who the developer or admin of the Divine World was.


    However, that didn¡¯t dampen the poprity of the game whatsoever.


    In fact, the Divine World was already the most talked about in almost every ce.


    This was due to its frightening immersion and the feeling of being able to live in another world¡ª a second chance was what most dubbed the experience to be.


    "Anyway, are you going to ept the guild invitation? It¡¯s getting somewhat cold now." Xu Feng calmly reminded her.


    "Are you not going to request me to sign any contract before joining officially?" Carmen asked, recalling her previous experience when dealing with guilds¡¯ invitations.


    "Do you want to sign one?" Xu Feng responded with a question of his own.


    Without hesitation, she shook her head, clearly unwilling to be bound by any contract or restriction when ying the Divine World.


    She came here to have fun and enjoy, not work like a corporate ve.


    "Then there¡¯s your answer." Xu Feng smiled, not nning on forcing her to sign any contract or restrictions.


    The game was still in its early stages, and he trusted her enough to not implement a contract. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have spent so much effort to finally have her epted to join his guild.


    Shortly after epting the guild invitation sent by Xu Feng, Carmen received a notification.


    System: You have joined the Vanguard guild! Guild features and functions are now unlocked! Good luck with your new adventure with the guild!


    The moment Carmen became a guild member of Vanguard, she unlocked numerous features and functions that were previously hidden.


    After all, these were the so-called perks and benefits of joining a guild.


    Apart from a 5% increase in stats when they are near guild members, there were things that one could exchange for using their Guild Merit Points, GMP.


    GMP could be earned through missions assigned by the guild, exchanged with some coins, or rewarded by the guild leader.


    Of course, there would be more methodster on in the future, but this was about it for a newly established guild.


    Ignoring thisplicated process for now, Carmen went to her inventory and checked on the guild emblem.


    The Vanguard guild emblem featured a modern crest shape with a stylized cyclone spiraling inward, symbolizing dynamic force and leadership.


    Oveying the cyclone was a prominent staff, adorned with some runes to represent authority and wisdom. The emblem had a clean, bold border to emphasize strength and authority.


    The primary color was deep navy blue, while vibrant turquoise and electric blue highlighted the cyclone and staff. Additional details included stylized waves within the cyclone to convey motion and depth, and a subtle pattern in the background to enhance the central elements.


    "This is quite the detailed emblem," Carmenmented, equipping the emblem near her top left chest.


    All guild emblems varied in terms of design, such as how the Reaver Guild used a scythe-like symbol to represent themselves.


    "But why is there a staff in the middle of the cyclone?" She questioned.


    In her mind, there could be many other weapons that were avable to choose from. Yet Xu Feng chose a staff.


    Was it because his ss used a staff?


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng calmly smiled and said, "A staff is chosen because it reminds me of the famous Monkey King. Starting out with nothing since he was born out of a rock, the Monkey King became famous everywhere with his unique staff, Ruyi Jingu Bang."


    Startled, Carmen began to understand his underlying meaning.


    After all, when she checked the list of guild members. Other than Xu Feng as the guild leader, there was only her.


    In other words, they were legit starting with nothing, and the staff could be a representation that they would clear through all obstacles in its path.


    "I didn¡¯t expect you to put so much thought on a guild emblem." She smiled lightly.


    "A guild emblem is going to be the symbol for everyone to remember in the future. Of course, I can¡¯t be half-hearted about it." Xu Feng chuckled.


    "Then why aren¡¯t you wearing your emblem?"


    "Ah, that¡¯s because I want to remain incognito for a while."


    "..."


    Subconsciously, Carmen lowered her head slightly, her eyes gazing at the emblem she equipped. Now she was wondering if she should hide it instead of wearing one.


    Since she was still green in the world of virtual reality games, she thought all guild members wore their guild emblem.


    s, it was just a shame that she couldn¡¯t even continue her thought process due to the Apprentice cksmith finishing the enchantments.


    "Boss, the enchantment has beenpleted." The cksmith reported to Xu Feng while returning the equipment to Carmen.


    "Nice, you may do your own work then," Xu Feng sped his hands, praising the cksmith.


    "Yes, boss, I will not disappoint your expectations." Gleeful, the cksmith promptly returned to his station and began studying his own thing.


    Meanwhile, Carmen waspletely stunned on the spot. Her eyes were glued to the enchanted equipment and the Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone.


    Previously, she had been too distracted to attempt to reject his goodwill, so she failed to understand what the enchantment and gemstone were going to be.


    However, now that she got a clear look at the attributes and effects, she was stupefied.


    ¡¯Isn¡¯t this like a mega power-up?¡¯ She inwardly eximed, wondering just how much the fee was going to be.


    She turned around and looked at Xu Feng, "How much do I have to pay?"


    "You¡¯re asking about the price and not truly wanting to pay, right?" Xu Feng mused, exposing her inner thoughts.


    "Yes¡­"

 Chapter 275: Empty Cave

    The extreme honesty of Carmen was unreal.


    Clearly, she knew the astonishing cost of having a piece of equipment enchanted, much less her entire kit.


    Additionally, there was also the valuable Tier 1 Stamina Gemstone.


    Without a doubt, she could easily tell how valuable such an item was.


    Just the mere effect of stamina recovery would easily send many guilds into a frenzy. After all, their intense grinding was now affected by the durability of equipment and stamina.


    However, these yers had no way to resolve the issues other than sending nearly half their money to expensive cksmiths to repair and taverns to rest.


    "So, how much does it cost to have all this arranged, Guild Leader?" Carmen asked fawningly, even referring to him as a guild leader and not Feng.


    "I see what you¡¯re trying to do." Xu Feng smiled bitterly and shook his head.


    Now that she had joined his guild, she might as well be shameless like her guild leader.


    "It¡¯s effective, but don¡¯t do it again. Just be the normal you." Xu Feng faked a cough and said softly.


    Truth be told, he nearly got goosebumps from her fawning tone. It simply didn¡¯t fit her style or personality whatsoever.


    "Was the impersonation not good enough?" Curious, Carmen ced her hand under her chin as she didn¡¯t think it was that bad.


    "No, it was terrible." Xu Feng responded ruthlessly. The demoness in his mind was beginning to crack, and if she continued to mimic his behavior, then it would shatterpletely.


    A glimpse of gloominess shed over her expression before sheposed herself.


    "Got it." Carmen took a mental note of it and decided it was better to not copy his method. Some methods were only suitable for certain people.


    Nevertheless, she wasn¡¯t disheartened much by it as the duo promptly exited the cksmith shop and began making their way to the empty cave.


    Along the way, Xu Feng exined briefly the situation to her.


    "The empty cave has been explored by numerous people, but the clues linked up to it. Hence, we¡¯re going to make a personal investigation ourselves"


    "Hmm, I understand where you¡¯reing from." Carmen knitted her brows but felt uncertain about her presence.


    "I don¡¯t know much about the Divine World yet, so I might not be of any help."


    "No worries." Xu Feng shrugged.


    He was merely banking on her being a lucky charm, given her leveling speed was truly frightening. Not even Gentle Wind, Herald Fist, and other mainstream yers had reached level 15 that quickly.


    Shortly after, the duo arrived at the empty cave, and Carmen seemed to be intrigued.


    "Hmm, the structure and the area are really different." Carmen gave her opinion.


    "The area is not lively like the ones near the town and I can feel my movement somewhat sluggish. But this isn¡¯t the usual status ailment or the hostile environment effect."


    "Oh, you can tell the difference?" Amused, Xu Feng hadn¡¯t expected her to be this perceptive.


    Normally, it would take others a while to deduce the difference. After all, the effect wasn¡¯t that different, albeit with only some alteration.


    However, these slight alterations were the crucial points that determine an expert and an average yer.


    "I know how the hostile environment felt during the time we went to fight the Ironhide Behemoth. It was something that made it difficult for one to move, but here, I feel like it¡¯s a natural rejection from the world." Carmen tried her best to describe the feeling she was receiving.


    Nodding in appreciation of her senses, Xu Feng began to exin what she was really feeling.


    A few minutester, Carmen eximed in shock, "Natural suppression? Such a thing actually exists?"


    "Of course, it does. There are still a lot of things ready for you to discover slowly." Xu Feng smiled.


    "But how do you know all of this? Are you sure you¡¯re not the developer or the son of one?"


    "No, I¡¯m a reincarnated person, so I have knowledge regarding all of this."


    "Tsk, can¡¯t you even lie better?" Carmen rolled her eyes, clearly dismissing his im.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng felt wronged. ¡¯So if I lie, people believe me. But when I tell the truth, they call me a liar?¡¯


    That was a bruh moment!


    Shaking his head, Xu Feng proceeded to summon the Abyssal Phantom after sacrificing 10% of his health. He thenmanded it to scout ahead toward the empty cave.


    After all, who knows if some kind of random crap would ur at that moment? If that truly happened, then there would be the Abyssal Phantom tanking it for the two of them.


    Carmen also had the same mindset as she summoned her own Elementalists to tag alongside the Abyssal Phantom.


    As for her curiosity regarding Xu Feng¡¯s skills, she didn¡¯t n on asking about it. Each person had their own respective secret, and she wasn¡¯t interested enough to ask about it.


    Shortly after the duo entered the cave, they inspected their surroundings.


    Inside, the cave was dimly lit, with only a faint glow from glowing fungi on the walls. The walls were rough and uneven, showingyers of dirt and some shiny mineral patches. Stctites hung from the ceiling, creating an eerie atmosphere.


    The air was cool and damp, with a musty smell. It was hushed, except for the asional sound of dripping water from somewhere. The cave had winding tunnels and narrow paths that seemed to go deeper into the earth, making it feel like a maze.


    "How cliche of a cave¡­" Carmen suddenlymented, clearly unfazed by the atmosphere and environment.


    "Indeed, but hearing the dripping water is somewhat suspicious." Xu Feng nodded, walking toward the walls and ncing at the shiny mineral patches.


    "With the appearance of these, I can deduce why the others were convinced some ores were here." He added, feeling the rough surface of the mineral.


    While he said that, Carmen was more bothered by the dripping water being suspicious.


    "What¡¯s wrong with hearing water dripping, Guild Leader?" She questioned.


    "Think about it carefully. We¡¯re at a supposed empty cave and no water source is nearby. So where are these water-dripping soundsing from?"


    When one worded as such, they would usually feel creeped out or even scared, but Carmen, on the other hand, had her expression brightened up.


    "It seems like we¡¯re getting some action, Guild Leader." She clenched her fist, clearly ready for a brawl.

 Chapter 276: Lucky Charm

    As Carmen''s excitement red up upon being notified of something suspicious, Xu Feng was rather speechless.


    No wonder why she was called the demoness.


    Hidden deep inside her emotions¡­ was a boiling mix of emotions that sought thrills and actions.


    "I guess life has not been kind to you." Xu Feng murmured, having understood such emotion could only ur when life had been harsh to one''s person.


    After all, he was once a thrill-seeking person who feared no death.


    It was only after the countless achievements he had made and slowly rose to the top did he learned to control his emotions and mend his ways. The resentment he held for his so-called parents also diluted with the passing of time.


    Meanwhile, Carmen subtly heard him talking but couldn''t quite catch it. Thus, she asked softly, "Eh, what did you just say?"


    "Nothing, I just said we should advance forward to search for the source." Xu Feng smiled, opting to lie.


    Sure enough, when he lied, people really did believe him without any questioning.


    "Ah, then let''s hurry up, Guild Leader," Carmen eximed, seemingly in a rush for time.


    Shortly after, the duo went ahead, and through the numerous walking, they finally arrived at the end of the cave.


    However, to their dismay, the dripping sound of water seemed to have stopped and there were nothing else but some cave walls at the front.


    "It''s really an empty cave huh." Xu Feng scratched his head, hoping to find some clues. He hoped there would be some sort of hidden mechanism and runes that were discreetly concealed.


    s, no matter how much he searched, even going as far as using some skills in an attempt to trigger something unexpected.


    It all ended up with one result: nothing.


    Despite the result, Xu Feng refused to believe there was truly nothing. After all, the dripping water sound had been resounding throughout the cave walls.


    How could it suddenly disappear the moment they arrived here?


    Something was not adding up.


    At this moment, the Elementalists and the Abyssal Phantom had long been unsummoned. Both of them found it pointless to resummon them when there was no danger around.


    "Should we return now, Guild Leader?" Carmen asked, finding it to be pointless to continue to remain here.


    Xu Feng pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.


    Although it was already expected they might not find anything, anticipating it and experiencing it were two different things.


    ''What did I miss?'' Xu Feng wondered silently, starting to think that he might have missed something.


    Just as Xu Feng was ready to turn around and leave, Carmen suddenly stepped on a floor and an intense vibration reverberated throughout their environment.


    "What the¡ª" Startled, Xu Feng turned to her, but before he could continue, the two of them seemed to have fallen into the depth of an abyss.


    They were free-falling, and a wave of shockwaves hit him and Carmen as well, knocking the two out.


    Unconscious, the two fell for an unimaginable amount of time.


    By the time Xu Feng regained consciousness, he felt a pang of paining from his head, causing him to clench it tightly.


    "Ugh," he grunted in grimace. "What the hell happened?"


    As he attempted to gain rity of the situation, he noticed Carmen lying on the ground, her eyes shut tightly.


    Without hesitation, Xu Feng ignored the pain in his head and rushed toward her.


    He proceeded to open his guild function and checked on Carmen''s status.


    Incapacitated!


    rmed, Xu Feng never expected to see the word incapacitated. This meant that Carmen was in an unconscious state by a mysterious force, unable to be awakened.


    The worst part of this was that even killing her and reviving her would not change her condition. She could only wake up through her own sheer will.


    Finding the problem very tricky, Xu Feng tried to rack his brain toe up with a solution. He believed he had the incapacitated status too, but was able to awaken quite early due to the baptism effect.


    However, Carmen never received any baptism, so the chance of her waking up soon was very unlikely.


    Yet right when he came to this thought process, he suddenly heard a muffled sound.


    Startled, Xu Feng returned his attention to Carmen, who had subtly woken up, seemingly normal.


    "Do you feel any abnormality or pain anywhere?" Xu Feng asked in a worrisome tone.


    "Pain? Abnormality?" Carmen raised an eyebrow, clearly confused by his question.


    "I feel normal." She continued, her innocent eyes staring at him.


    "You feel normal?" This time, Xu Feng was truly at a loss. He received a pang of headache, but she waspletely fine.


    Who was the actual person that got baptized?


    "Anyway, where are we?" Carmen slowly got up and nced at her surroundings.


    To her surprise, she felt as if she was in a gxy, being surrounded by many glittering stars. As she looked down at her feet, there was a purplish transparent surface, and she was somehow standing on top of it.


    She was slowly mesmerized by the design of this new ce.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng finally stopped his worries once he saw she was still the same old Carmen. Upon hearing her question, he took a nce at the surroundings that he had neglected earlier because of her condition.


    "If I''m not wrong, then we should be on a separate dimension ne." Xu Feng knitted his brows andmented. "But there should be a portal somewhere that would bring us to a specific location."


    "Eh, this is the so-called separate dimension ne?" Carmen gasped in shock. "How did we end up here from the empty cave?"


    "That was going to be my question for you." Xu Feng twitched his mouth. "How did you manage to trigger something and bring us here?"


    Silently pondering, Carmen suddenly recalled something and retrieved a small card from her inventory.


    "Maybe it''s because of this card that Librarian Griselda gave me."


    Xu Feng''s eyes were glued on the card and stared at Carmen with a dazed expression. ''A dimension card¡­ she''s truly my lucky charm.''

 Chapter 277: Dimension Card

    A dimension card was as the item name listed.


    It had the capability of triggering an unknown substance that no other methods were capable of triggering or detecting.


    Needless to say, such an item was extremely valuable and on par with a Legendary item.


    After all, with the dimension card, one could explore the seemingly vast world of the Divine World and if their luck were amazing, they could stumble upon an unknownnd.


    However, there was a limit to how much a dimension card could be utilized.


    "How many opportunities are listed on the card?" Xu Feng inquired.


    "On the card?" Carmen remained oblivious to the importance of the dimension card, given its rarity was listed as Common. Yet that kind of rarity was merely a deception.


    The only reason why the dimension card was listed as Common was because it was hard to decipher its actual rank. Hence, it was defaulted tomon in general.


    A few secondster, Carmen shed three of her slender fingers. "It said 3 out of 4 opportunities left, but I don''t know what that means."


    ''So one opportunity had indeed been used.'' Xu Feng found the situation logical. It wasn''t that Carmen had stepped onto a secret mechanism, but the dimension card had finally been activated given how long they were idle at the empty cave.


    Since Carmen was oblivious to the usage of the dimension card, the system mistakenly believed she nned on using it and activated one of the opportunities.


    "Can you trade me the dimension card first?" Xu Feng asked calmly.


    "Okay," Carmen responded right away, instantly opening a trade window and giving the dimension card to him.


    Naturally, she could somewhat tell it was a valuable item, but she didn''t care.


    Compared to what Xu Feng had given to her so far, she would be a stingy person to care about a dimension card. Not to mention, she didn''t even know how to properly use it or even understand its capability one bit.


    However, Carmen would be wrong if she thought Xu Feng coveted her dimension card.


    After receiving the dimension card, Xu Feng subtly turned off the automatic activation and opened a trade window, returning the card to her.


    At the same time, he reminded her of the usage of the dimension and how to activate it when she wants to use it.


    "Remember, the dimension card is very important, so for the Librarian to give you this item. She must have believed you would require the dimension card toplete something."


    Hearing his reminder, Carmen nodded her head in response.


    ''Librarian Griselda did mention that I need to find her once I reach Tier 1, so I guess I need to be careful in using it.'' With that in mind, Carmen was once again astonished that Xu Feng was merely assisting her, and not wanting to keep the dimension card for himself.


    After all, she had long witnessed the greed of upper echelons in guilds. Any great items must be all hoarded by them, leaving only bits for the regr members.


    "I will keep that in mind." She smiled softly, putting the dimension card back into her inventory.


    Meanwhile, Xu Feng had long begun to scrutinize the surroundings, trying his best to locate a dense mana area.


    To exit this special dimension ne, the key was to search for the dense mana that would port them to another location.


    However, it was easier said than done, given he had no way to know howrge the dimension ne stretched.


    The map provided by the system had also been disabled, leaving them somewhat stranded.


    Right at this moment, Carmen suddenly realized her mana seemed to be dissipating.


    "Guild Leader, my mana is being drained." She eximed, unsure why her mana was decreasing when she didn''t use any skills.


    "Your mana is drained?" Startled, Xu Feng nced at his mana bar, only to notice it was still the same.


    "It''s decreasing by 5 each second, so in about 3-5 minutes, I will run out of mana," Carmen exined.


    "3-5 minutes? If it''s 3 minutes, then that means your mana is 900 and if it''s 5 minutes, then it''s 1500 mana. So how much mana do you have?" Xu Feng questioned, having made a quick calction.


    Meanwhile, Carmen was stupefied by his math skills.


    She gave a quick check at her numerical mana bar and revealed. "Ehh, I have around 1700 mana."


    "..."


    Going by that ratio, they would have a little bit over 5 minutes and 40 seconds before her mana drained to 0. However, they had wasted a bit of time already discussing it.


    "Anyway, try to spread your mana perception to sense for any fluctuating mana in this space." Xu Feng hurriedly instructed.


    Although his mana wasn''t draining, he feared that it might start at any moment. Thus, time was of the essence.


    Shortly after, the two went in separate directions to sense any mana fluctuation.


    As Carmen and Xu Feng busied themselves, outside the dimension ne, things were getting livelier.


    "Guild leader, our elite members have reached level 15," Steelshot reported gleefully.


    "Great, we shall head to the Teleportation Hall and begin moving to the city." Gentle Wind eximed excitedly.


    "Yes, Guild Leader!" Steelshot was simrly excited, as well as praising Gentle Wind''s foresight.


    While Herald Fist wasted arge amount of time grinding for some dungeons, they had spent their entire time to reach level 15. Now, it wasn''t a mistake to say they were going to be the first guild entering the city.


    The gap between them and the other guilds was only going to continuously widen.


    "By the way, Guild Leader¡­ Where will we be headed to?" SilentWhisper timidly asked, clearly curious as to which city they would develop.


    Gentle Wind knitted her brows slightly before shing a smile. "Autumn Breeze already reminded me that she could join us soon and that we should join a city that we can have some advantage in."


    "Advantage?"


    "That''s right¡­ Dawnshire City shall be the city we develop in. Autumn Breeze managed to make contact with Lin Feng and bought an extensive city guide from him."

 Chapter 278: City Era

    When Gentle Wind revealed the destination of the city to develop, both SilentWhisper and Steelshot were astonished.


    "Are we not going to head over to Star Falls City?" Steelshot raised his hand up and asked softly. Ever since he had been traumatized by Lin Feng deeply, he began to pay attention to every detail of him.


    Thus, he knew that the branch of the Reaver Guild was actively chasing and trying to hunt thetter down.


    Thetest information was that Lin Feng had entered Star Falls City, and many yers who were attracted by the bounty, as well as the mysteriousness of Lin Feng, nned to head over there to develop.


    After all, if the city wasn''t extremely full of resources, why would a personnel like Lin Feng choose to go over there?


    Yet above all the information, he heard his guild leader talking about another city. It truly didn''t make any sense to him.


    In response, Gentle Wind merely kept a smile on her face, not answering Steelshot''s question.


    ''Autumn Breeze said it''s confidential, so it''s better not to reveal the information.'' She thought to herself. Previously, Autumn Breeze had contacted her and emphasized the message she sent was strictly confidential.


    At first, she merely thought she was back to her gaming persona, actively trolling her. However, the more she read the message, the more stupefied she had be.


    Who would have thought Star Falls City was merely a deste city?


    Moreover, there were not many resources avable. Additionally, the teleportation function there was going to be unavable to yers for a long time.


    In other words, anyone who traveled to Star Falls City would be trapped.


    Thankfully, Autumn Breeze managed to get somewhat close to Xu Feng for thetter to reveal this information, going as far as selling them an extensive city guide elsewhere for them to rapidly develop.


    Naturally, Gentle Wind refused to believe the information was found by Lin Feng, but by the boss behind him.


    ''Lin Feng''s boss is really a cunning schemer. By making Lin Feng attract animosity and arousing the yers'' curiosity and greed, they managed to safely develop in other cities without hindrance.'' Gentle Wind inwardly sighed, feeling thankful for her foresight and persistence.


    Had it not been for her persistence to coborate with them and form a friendly rtionship, then she and her guild would have been trapped in the deste city like everyone else.


    "Alright, no need to question it." Gentle Wind waved her hand, putting the matter to rest.


    Hearing her resolute tone, Steelshot could only swallow the words he wanted to say back inside his mouth. He might still have some doubts, but in the end, he chose to trust his guild leader''s decision.


    With no more questions or objections, Gentle Wind was pleased.


    "Okay, gather everyone and have them finish up whatever they have left in the town. We''ll meet up at the Teleportation Hall in 10 minutes." Shemanded, giving her subordinates ample time to prepare.


    "Yes, Guild Leader!"


    While Gentle Wind set her destination at Dawnshire City, elsewhere, numerous guild yers who had reached level 15 after forcefully taking a bountiful grinding field for themselves had their goal set somewhere.


    One of them was the LoneNight Guild, a second-rate guild, who wereughing merrily at their progress.


    Its guild leader, Lone Sword, eyed his subordinates. "Haha, we finally reached level 15. Now we''re heading off to Star Falls City!"


    "Eh, but isn''t that where the mysterious yer Lin Feng went, Guild Leader?" One of the LoneNight guild members said in confusion.


    "Most of the good resources are probably taken by him already." Another one added, feeling it was not worth their effort.


    "Heh, I know what you''re all thinking, but the corporation, GRIM, who stood behind the Reaver Guild had offered a bounty not just in the Divine World, but also in the real world." Lone Sword smirked coldly.


    "A real-world bounty?"


    Upon hearing that, the rest of the members finally understood their guild leader''s n. After all, with the bounty extended to the real world, their financial status would be in the green.


    Not to mention, the other shareholders in their guild could finally shut their damn filthy mouths about themcking behind.


    Such an incident was not just happening in the LoneNight guild alone, but other second and third-rate guilds also had such thoughts.


    Only some first-rate guilds that had somewhat of a friendly rtionship with the Reaver Guild intended to develop in Star Falls City.


    yer Lin Feng had thoroughly enraged the Reaver Guild, going as far as humiliating them time and time again. Thus, the GRIM corporation decided to offer some of the money to eradicate this specific yer.


    Not only would they regain their reputation by doing so, but it would also serve as a steep warning to those who dared to provoke them in the future.


    This was killing three birds with one stone, given the resources in Star Falls City would end up in their hands as well.


    "Heh, this yer Lin Feng is gutsy, but too bad he had to provoke a behemoth."


    "Indeed, but thanks to him, we can also earn a big buck."


    "Yeah, Lin Feng is just an individual yer at the end of the day. How could it go against a behemoth like the Reaver Guild who had long dominated the virtual reality games industry."


    Numerous yers in the game forum continued to talk about Lin Feng''s uing fate. The previousments that praised his peerlessness also subsided. After all, the Divine World was now changing into a new era.


    The era of the city has begun and guilds are finally getting their hands on the abundant city''s resources.


    Previously, Lin Feng could still swagger around since he was the first person to enter a city.


    But now, the question came.


    Could he survive against so many guilds and individual yers after his head?


    As the Teleportation Hall became crowded with numerous people, Gentle Wind and her elite members discreetly teleported to Dawnshire City, going as far away as possible from the current perilous Star Falls City.

 Chapter 279: Mana Deficiency

    Dawnshire City


    Numerous streaks of light appeared at a Teleportation tform, gracing their presence in the city.


    Stepping out of the tform, Gentle Wind subsequently took a deep breath in.


    "The mana density here is superior to Riverwood Town." She eximed, feeling the changes right away. She felt her mind had been cleared and the control of her body increased by at least 10 percent.


    Steelshot, SilentWhisper, and the other elite members nodded in agreement.


    "This is indeed a new era," SilentWhisper muttered, realizing the game had finally undergone a new phase.


    "The city of era." Steelshot chimed in. "I''m sure other guilds are catching up to us as well, so we need to hurry up. We can''t give them any opening to surpass us."


    The rest agreed with Steelshot''s words.


    They worked so hard and grinded day and night to widen the gap between the other guilds. There was no way they would attempt to enjoy the city scenery and rx.


    "Alright, let''s grind quickly at the Dawnery Wine field. The monsters there drop abundant EXP, as well as critical materials for us." Gentle Wind instructed, following the extensive city guide.


    Others might be lost by the majestic sight and vast expanse of Dawnshire City, but not for her. She didn''t doubt the authenticity of the guide either, considering the hefty price they paid for it.


    Unless Lin Feng''s boss''s vision had turned to trash, there was no way they would destroy their reputation for some petty money.


    Thus, she was going to maximize the guide to her guild''s advantage.


    And while Gentle Wind began the new era in Dawnshire City, back at the dimension ne, Xu Feng and Carmen remained trapped.


    "Not here either, Guild Leader." Carmen panted heavily and smiled bitterly. By now, her mana had already been drained to zero, and never once did she think it would affect her movements and actions.


    At most, she merely thought having zero mana meant that she could no longer use skills, but that was a pipe dream.


    "This is quite troublesome." Xu Feng knitted his brows, not realizing it was going to be this difficult. To make things worse, they were unable to contact anyone, much less ess to the game forum.


    In other words, they could only forcefully log out, but doing so must be ast resort. Anyone who forcefully logged out in such an environment would receive a severe penalty¡ª no less than being killed by an NPC.


    "Are you feeling unwell?" He turned his attention to Carmen, who had a somewhat paleplexion. She was probably experiencing mana deficiency.


    Mana deficiency was a term referring to those who were losing mana at a negative value.


    It was a condition that most yers wouldn''t figure out at this stage of the game, given their mana bar would only indicate 0.


    However, the truth was, that they could go to negative value, but it won''t show up for the yers.


    All they saw was the numerical 0, and nothing else.


    Hence, when the first yer experienced the mana deficiency condition, they were thoroughly confused despite consuming multiple mana potions, yet the mana bar remained at 0.


    It caused quite themotion in his past timeline, with the affected yer slowly realizing his mana had gone to an invisible negative value.


    They needed topensate for the amount of lost mana through a ton of Mana Recovery Potions or wait for a long time till their mana recovered enough naturally.


    At this point, Xu Feng was subtly regretting bringing her over here. After all, he hadn''t stocked up much on Mana Recovery Potions.


    "Carmen, drink these up," He said solemnly, handing her all his Mana Recovery Potions.


    "No need," Carmen shook her head.


    "This is not the time to act humble and reject my goodwill."


    "No¡­ I mean I can sense some strong mana fluctuation now that my mana has been drainedpletely."


    "You can sense them now?" Astonished, Xu Feng didn''t expect her to suddenly drop a mega bomb on him. He had tried his best and every method he knew, only to end up with naught.


    Yet Carmen somehow sensed the mana fluctuation?


    ''Could it be one needed to have their mana drainedpletely? No, that wouldn''t make sense.'' As Xu Feng pondered over this, he suddenly thought of another possibility.


    The port could possibly require a substantial amount of mana to activate. Hence, there was no fluctuation previously whatsoever.


    Without the required mana, it would naturally remain dormant, unable to be detected.


    And since Carmen''s mana was the highest among the two, the port automatically chose Carmen to extract.


    Now Xu Feng felt even somewhat pitiful for her. Because she was high level and had an abundant amount of mana, she was drainedpletely to such a state.


    "Ahem, I know it''s not right to ask you to move when you''re in such a state, but we should locate the port to get out of here quickly." Xu Feng faked a cough and urged her to hurry up in a roundabout manner.


    Although it was true they needed to hurry, Carmen gritted her teeth at his heartlessness.


    ''What happened to the earlier concern?'' She shouted internally, seemingly believing he was faking it.


    Nevertheless, she still ced her hand around Xu Feng''s shoulder, using his strength to begin walking as she guided them to a specific coordinate.


    Shortly after arriving at an unseemly location, Carmen said, "The mana fluctuation is the densest here."


    "Here huh?" Xu Feng raised an eyebrow, clearly not seeing anything special.


    However, he didn''t find it surprising, given the contributor might be the only one to see the uniqueness.


    "Eh¡­ So how do I activate the port?" Carmen turned her head to him, seemingly asking for advice.


    "Right, can you point at the origin of the fluctuation?" Xu Feng smiled awkwardly. "I''ll need to inject mana there, but it''s probably impossible for you."


    Instantaneously, Carmen red at him, clearly faulting him for having lower mana than her despite being the guild leader. ''A guild leader is lower level than the only member of the guild. Just what kind of guild did I join? A scamming guild?''


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 Chapter 280 Arcane Vein

    While Carmen wondered if she had truly been swindled to join the Vanguard guild, she still pointed out the position for Xu Feng to inject his mana.


    And no, it was not out of goodwill.


    But it was because she was truly starting to feel nauseous by theck of mana.


    For some reason, she still couldn''t recover her mana whatsoever, and she even sensed her condition was actually deteriorating further.


    Hence, she wanted to get out of this ridiculous dimension ne as soon as possible. No matter how pretty and morous the scenery was, everything was nd if she was feeling unwell.


    Thankfully for her, Xu Feng was a man that wasted no time. The moment he was informed of where to inject his mana, he unleashed them all.


    Sure enough, the dimension ne started to crumble in the blink of an eye.


    "Hold tightly to me." Xu Feng warned sternly.


    As if acting on instinct, Carmen clenched tightly, wrapping her arms and legs around Xu Feng.


    What Xu Feng was afraid of the most was the port sending them to different ces, creating more obstacles.


    Thus, the safer option was to have Carmen glued to him, so even if some cliche crap wanted to split them off, they should only dream about it.


    Luckily, his strategy seemed to work wondrously as they were sucked into a seemingly dark hole.


    They drifted through the space filled with nothing but darkness.


    Normally, Carmen would be excited by the unexpected scenario, but right now, she was practically covering her mouth, on the verge of vomiting from the drifting motion.


    "Guild Leader, can you vomit in a game?" She asked nervously.


    ''Shit¡­ I''m carrying a time bomb.'' Upon hearing her question, even a fool would realize what she meant.


    If he wasn''t knowledgeable, then he might have been happy or nonchnt.


    However, that was not the case. Due to the high immersion rate, yers would feel hunger, thirst¡­ so naturally, if they felt nauseous, then they could legit vomit.


    "Hang on a bit, Carmen!" For the first time ever, Xu Feng felt anxious since reincarnating. The imagery of being vomited all over was anything but blissful. In fact, it was a nightmare and traumatic event.


    As time went by, the drifting finally ended as they were tossed to another new area.


    And instantly, Xu Feng flung Carmen off to the side without hesitation.


    Carmen rolled around for a few moments, beforeing to a halt, her expression full of grief and anger. Her very own guild leader had just tossed her aside the moment she had some nauseous feeling.


    Where was thepassion?


    Where was the so-called protective nature?


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    It was all a scam!


    Feeling her intense re, Xu Feng feigned ignorance as he slowly scrutinized the new ce they were tossed into.


    At the same time, a system prompt appeared, and Xu Feng couldn''t help but curl his lips upward a little, making a small grin.


    System: You have discovered an Arcane Vein!


    "Arcane Vein huh." Mesmerized by the scenery, Xu Feng finally realized how Star Falls City became prosperous.


    The sight of the numerous ores in front of him was immense and there seemed to be no end to it.


    With this many ores, it could supply numerous cities, or even better, create its own legion of higher-level cksmiths.


    Just when he attempted to take a step forward to inspect, he realized there was an invisible wall, and he crashed right into it.


    "..."


    Not expecting there to be the infamous invisible wall that usually blocked yers'' adventures, Xu Feng managed to make a fool of himself.


    Thankfully, Carmen was too busy trying to regte her emotions and consuming mana potions to get rid of the mana deficiency condition to notice it. Otherwise, Xu Feng was sure that this would be going down in history, with him being the butt of a joke constantly.


    ''For there to be an invisible wall, it means I need to do something first to be granted ess.'' Xu Feng quickly thought to himself, looking for a guide or something.


    Sure enough, after retracing his steps and waiting for Carmen to finally regain her mana, another system prompt appeared.


    System: Arcane Vein had been hidden since ancient times during the meteorite fall. The vast energy and environment here became the ideal birthce of many ores. However, to possess and gain ess to the vein, one needs to be capable enough to withstand the pressure. Are you willing to undergo a trial to test? You have 1 minute to decide!


    Reading the prompt, Xu Feng asked, "You receive the same system prompt, right?"


    Nodding, Carmen was perplexed by the prompt regarding the trial. Other than the request, there was no information on what the trial would be whatsoever.


    Hell, there wasn''t even a reward or failure list if they did take the trial.


    "Isn''t this quitezy of the system?" Carmen questioned, wanting to click no.


    "Lazy?" Xu Feng nearlyughed when he heard what shemented on the system''s "supposed mysterious design" to pose a difficulty to yers.


    By not announcing the trial, the system wanted the yers to have zero preparation. Thus, increasing the difficulty.


    But in Carmen''s mind, it was justziness.


    However, what surprised Xu Feng the most was the fact that Carmen clicked the "No" button, officially refusing to undergo any trial whatsoever.


    "I don''t care for an unknown trial, so I ain''t doing it." She eximed.


    "But weren''t you seeking thrill and excitement previously?"


    "That''s different. I know what I was getting into back then, but this trial is unknown. I don''t want to randomly die after going through so many troubles."


    At this point, Xu Feng was rendered speechless by her logic. To be fair, he wanted to click no as well, but unlike her, he had a mission to undergo.


    "Alright, then just wait out here." He said bitterly, choosing to ept the system trial.


    System: It has been detected that there is one brave fool adventurer who dares to undergo the trial. Very well, may the brave fool seed!


    "Brave fool?" Twitching his mouth, Xu Feng was about to curse at the system, only to be shrouded in a shimmering light.

 Chapter 281 Arcane Trial

    As he was shrouded in a shimmering light, blinding his sight, and forcing him to close them shut. Xu Feng could sense he was being transferred somewhere else.


    ''How many times are we going to transfer from one area to another?'' Xu Feng wondered silently, feeling annoyed by the systematic design.


    From the empty cave, they are transported to a special dimension ne.


    Following afterward was to the Arcane Vein, but before he could even reap the rewards, he was forced to undergo a trial to be granted ess.


    What made it worse was that the system was practically teasing and taunting him,beling him as a brave fool.


    If possible, Xu Feng also didn''t want to undergo the trial, but he needed to upon the contract agreement established with Manager Howard, who acted on behalf of the City Magistrate.


    s, by the time the shimmering light disappeared, Xu Feng slowly opened his eyelid, only to realize he ended up in a somewhat dark and gloomy environment.


    System: You have entered the Arcane Trial. The first trial is a survival undead horde mode. The longer you survive, the higher the rewards. However, surviving for less than 5 minutes shall result in failure and a penalty will be imposed. You have 3 chances!


    As Xu Feng read the Arcane Trial, he was astonished. ''So this is the infamous Arcane Trial that was spread across back then. It actually originated from Star Falls City.''


    In his past timeline, he had heard about the Arcane Trial, and it was a ce where yers could hone their skills. However, the difficulty of it was magnificent and was dubbed as the hellish training mode.


    Some yers got post-traumatic stress disorder uponpleting the Arcane Trial, while some were hospitalized from the event. Of course, there were more yers that had seeded and had theirbat capability improved tremendously.


    The problem was that the Arcane Trial''s location was kept secret by a collective bunch of First-rate guilds, monopolizing it for their own use.


    Back then, he was still a lowly member of the Reaver Guild, so he never got a chance to enter it.


    By the time he rose in position, the Arcane Trial''s effectiveness had also subsided, bing an old tale.


    After all, unlike most games where the trial would remain effective no matter how many entries, the trial in Divine World continuously weakened with each attempt.


    Looking at the trial field, Xu Feng didn''t hurry himself to start the trial.


    Instead, he began scouting around and determining where the undead horde woulde out from.


    A few minutester, he finished calcting and realized why the trial had sent so many into a traumatic disorder.


    "A total of 12 openings and who knows how many of them are going toe out each time." He furrowed his brows, his expression somewhatplicated.


    As a healer, he could naturally survive an enemy wave easily. However, whether or not there would be a status ailment in position was hard to say.


    Additionally, the trial was situated on a t surface. In other words, there was no ce to hide or use furniture as cover. Stay updated via empire


    "It seems like I must really try hard." Xu Feng adjusted his sses, creating a sharp glint as he was ready to start the trial. To his surprise though, there were three different categories of difficulty.


    The category was separated into Easy, Normal, and Hard Mode.


    He paused for a moment and smirked coldly.


    "Heh, I love a challenge." He eximed, choosing the Easy Mode without hesitation.


    s, the system seemed to be teasing him as a new prompt appeared.


    System: Due to yer Lin Feng being the first challenger, the mode has been altered. Commencing Hell Mode difficulty!


    "Fuck, you might as well do that from the start!!" Xu Feng lost his cool and cursed vulgarly.


    What was the point of letting him know there were three other difficulty modes in the first ce?


    Was the system prone to teasing him?


    At the same time, Xu Feng felt the agony of regr yers who constantly wanted toin about the game system. This was totally unfair and bullshit!


    However, no matter how frustrated he was, the system prompt already went into effect,mencing the Hell Mode difficulty trial.


    System: The first trial, hell mode survival of the undead horde hasmenced! All health and mana recovery is decreased by 50%.


    Instantaneously, numerous growlings began to echo throughout the trial field.


    Soon, the undead horde emerged from the openings, their rotting bodies and skeletal frames barely visible in the dim light. Their eyes glowed eerily, cutting through the darkness.


    Additionally, the ground was suddenly littered with skeletons and broken weapons, and the soft, shuffling steps of the undead made chilling sounds as they moved.


    "What an immersion," Xu Feng mumbled, having understood the system''s devious n for creating such a realistic and grim situation. Those who are afraid of ying zombie or horror games would definitely faint at the mere sight of this.


    It was no wonder why so many were hospitalized.


    Nevertheless, he inspected their levels and breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡ª


    Monster: Grave Fiend (Undying Legion)


    Level: 15


    Health: 2,000/2,000


    Description: The Undying Legion was a formidable force of undead creatures with high health and powerful attacks. They could inflict continuous damage, boost their strength when critically injured, and summon additional minions to aid them in battle. Their eerie presence and relentless assault made them a significant threat.


    ¡ª


    ''These Grave Fiend are ssified as undying legion. As expected of a hell-mode difficulty.'' Xu Feng had a solemn expression on his face, having realized the severity of the situation.


    The only blessing part was their health point being only at 2,000 and not the actual health point of 15,000. However, this was most likely done to bnce the numerous Grave Fiends currently advancing at him.


    Their movements weren''t fast, but if Xu Feng allowed them to continuously spawn, he was going to be swarmed sooner orter.


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