The solitary shop stood starkly on the open ground, its desolation amplified by the night. Eerie, dimly lit, and swept by a cold wind, it was the perfect setting for an ancient, haunted tomb.
Looking at the shop, which seed to be in the middle of nowhere, Dragon Breath felt a chill. He swallowed hard. "Is this the shop you chose?"
"Yes!" Lin Bai said, nodding and borrowing the sales pitch of a young Tooth Line clerk. "There’s no competition around, it’s easily accessible, and there’s ample parking for custors. A superbly pri location, number one under heaven!"
Dragon Breath eyed Lin Bai with pity. With an IQ like that, it’d be a cri against my own conscience not to scam you!
Lin Bai nonchalantly passed the lantern in his hand to Dragon Breath and sighed, "Bro, my life and fortune are in your hands now."
The ga had just begun.
No one knew what they might encounter; everyone was still exploring how the ga worked. Of course, many still unconsciously applied their past gaming experiences.
The thought that he might be the first Player to encounter a story mode invigorated Dragon Breath. Any unease he felt towards the Dreadful Mansion vanished. He stretched his limbs and walked towards the shop. "Wait for my good news."
As soon as the Player stepped inside the shop, Lin Bai’s smile vanished. He stared at the pitch-dark doorway, ears pricked, listening for any sound from within.
The caliber of the Ah Piao inside the shop would be determined by this.
"Get out! Don’t disturb our lives!" a woman’s scolding voice ca from within.
The mont her voice faded, it was as if a strong gale swept through the room, followed by a series of CRASHES and BANGS.
Dragon Breath’s lantern flickered once and went out.
"So, it’s a female Ah Piao! Stop hiding in the dark and trying to scare people! Co out and let this brother get a good look at you," Dragon Breath taunted nonchalantly.
If he were a higher Level, he might have been more cautious. But a new Player had nothing but their life, making them naturally brave and fearless. Besides, he didn’t really believe that a minion from a Novice Village could be that powerful. The server had just opened; there had to be a place for Players to farm experience, right?
"Get out!" a gruff male voice followed.
Such good tempers! Lin Bai, standing outside, was deeply impressed. The Player had just flirted with his wife, yet this male Ah Piao hadn’t slapped him to death...
"The ones who should get out are you!" With the appearance of a male Ah Piao, Dragon Breath instantly transford into a champion of justice. "You vile spirits shouldn’t exist in the mortal realm! I advise you to dissipate at once. Otherwise, if we really fight, be careful you don’t lose even the chance to reincarnate..."
THUD!
Lin Bai’s vision blurred, and a dark figure flew out of the shop, landing at his feet and kicking up a cloud of dust.
He’s not dead?
Waving away the dust near his nose, Lin Bai looked at Dragon Breath at his feet with a concerned expression. "Bro, are you okay?"
"I’m fine." Dragon Breath scrambled up, staring at the dark doorway, thinking, MBD, this isn’t a minion; it’s a Boss. I need to level up before I can handle it!
While observing the Ah Piao, Lin Bai was also observing the Player. Dragon Breath had been thrown seven or eight ters, yet he hadn’t even frowned. This was proof that Players didn’t feel pain!
So envious!
Pah!
They don’t even feel pain, yet they call this 100% realism? Shaless!
Lin Bai quickly adjusted his mindset. As if not noticing Dragon Breath’s pathetic state, he generously laid on the flattery, "To retreat unscathed from the Ah Piao, bro, you truly are The Chosen One! Such skill truly makes envious. Please, bro, you must rid the world of this scourge..."
As he spoke, Lin Bai bowed deeply, his posture perfectly respectful.
At this mont, Dragon Breath was, in Lin Bai’s eyes, the light, the hope, an Ultraman...
He had no choice. The guy had co out too quickly. The "tool" hadn’t served its purpose at all. Lin Bai knew it was asking a lot for a new Player to fight a Boss. But he should at least find out the Ah Piao’s details, their attack thods, or how they killed people, right?
"I..." Dragon Breath glanced again at the doorway and said regretfully, "I can’t do it today. I don’t have a suitable weapon on . Once I find one, I’ll co back and deal with them."
It’s clearly a mini-Boss in there. At my current Level, going in would be suicide. Now that I know the location, I can co back when I’m a higher Level.
"Bro, I have a kitchen knife here. Think it’ll work?" Lin Bai pulled a kitchen knife from behind his back. He knew what the Player needed. When he was at the night market, he had casually bought the tool. On the way, he had even taken the ti to chip its blade on a stone.
One must be obsessed to survive. Lin Bai constantly reminded himself to make a habit of treating quests as life itself, as natural as eating and drinking.
A damaged white-grade weapon?
Dragon Breath was montarily stunned when he saw the chipped cleaver, but he still took it. "Okay, I’ll try again."
"Get out of my house!"
A furious roar.
Dragon Breath was thrown out even faster this ti, without uttering a single word.
Lin Bai stood. Dragon Breath lay on the ground. The two stared at each other, Lin Bai looking down at Dragon Breath.
Lin Bai coughed lightly, trying to give him an out. "Young Hero, you must have been ambushed by the Ah Piao, right?"
"That’s right. I was careless." Dragon Breath nonchalantly got up and patted the dust off his clothes. "And this cleaver isn’t very handy. It would be best if you could find a Longsword."
As a dignified Player, how could I lose face in front of an NPC? Besides, this NPC in front of doesn’t seem very bright. Even if I can’t beat the Boss, getting a few more pieces of equipnt from him would be good.
"Bro, I’m a cook," Lin Bai said, spreading his hands helplessly as a reminder.
"Then let’s do it another day. Once I get a Longsword, I’ll co back and fight these Ah Piao. Rest assured, I’ll definitely help you get rid of them." Dragon Breath glanced at Lin Bai, then turned to leave, not even ntioning returning the cleaver.
Only I scam others; who would dare scam ? Lin Bai snorted inwardly and asked resentfully, "Bro, are you really one of The Chosen Ones?"
"Of course." Dragon Breath stopped, showing a modicum of respect for the quest-giving NPC.
"The Chosen Ones are supposed to be helpful and courageous, but I don’t see that in you," Lin Bai said, looking at Dragon Breath desolately. "If you’re not, I won’t make things difficult. Just tell , and I can find soone else. I heard Ah Piao can exist in the mortal world because they hide treasures on them..."
Treasure? I triggered this quest, so I have to be the one to get the first kill! Everyone knows the first kill rewards are the best. Besides, I heard most Bosses in this ga are one-ti encounters. Miss this chance, and it’s gone forever. So many experts on the forums haven’t even encountered a quest NPC yet!
Dragon Breath quickly turned back, his face wreathed in smiles. "Shopkeeper, please! It’s just that I wasn’t prepared! Two days! Just give two days, and I’ll definitely help you get rid of them."
"For us business people, ti is money." NPCs could be willful. Lin Bai sighed, saying mournfully, "Bro, stop trying to brush off. I know you look down on . The old Immortals were all liars, and there are irresponsible ones among The Chosen Ones too..."
"How am I looking down on you?" Dragon Breath looked at Lin Bai helplessly; he was really fed up with this NPC who acted like a deeply wronged victim at the slightest provocation.
However, he didn’t dare speak too harshly, afraid the quest would slip through his fingers.
This damn ga’s realism is too much sotis; the NPCs are one harder to please than the next, getting upset for no reason. It’s infuriating.
"You promised you’d exorcise the evil spirits, but you went in twice and ca out imdiately each ti. It seems you didn’t even see the Ah Piao’s face. Although it looked like you were thrown out by the Ah Piao, I saw clearly that the Ah Piao didn’t even graze your skin. You are one of The Chosen Ones, a person of great skill. You were thrown more than ten ters from inside the house. Anyone else would have broken bones, but you didn’t even frown, let alone cry out in pain. You clearly weren’t using your full strength. If that’s not brushing off, what is? I know, once you leave, you won’t co back..."
What’s with this deeply resentful, nagging tone? I didn’t cry out in pain because there’s no pain sensation! I don’t have broken bones because the Ah Piao inside went easy on ... Dragon Breath fud internally, but he couldn’t explain this to such a single-minded NPC. He took a deep breath. "Shopkeeper, I really don’t have a handy weapon."
"You don’t even know what the Ah Piao inside look like. You clearly weren’t dedicated," Lin Bai said, accurately hitting his sore spot.
"I..." Dragon Breath was speechless.
"If I had your skills, even if I planned to co back next ti, I would first try to figure out the situation inside. How many enemies are there, what are their injurious thods—I’d find out as much as possible. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. You’ve done nothing and just say you’ll co next ti. Not even a fool would believe that," Lin Bai continued.
Dragon Breath was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Lin Bai. You have such sharp logic; how on earth did they manage to sell this shop to you?
Lin Bai’s eyes seed to see through everything. "I hit the mark, didn’t I?"
Damn it! Dragon Breath cursed silently. He wanted to turn and leave but was reluctant to give up this instance dungeon that only he knew about. He gritted his teeth. "Fine, have it your way. I’ll go figure out the situation inside then."
He took a deep breath and steeled himself. So what? At worst, I’ll just die a few more tis. This NPC’s suggestion wasn’t entirely without rit. Anyway, I’m a newbie with nothing to lose. Maybe I can really find the Ah Piao’s weakness in there!
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