The consecutive notifications of reduced favorability left the players who had just acted in a state of confusion.
Plundering? The rchant Guild?
Although they hadn’t yet encountered the rchant Guild as a faction, everyone knew how difficult it was to gain faction reputation. Losing 50 reputation points with the lo City rchant Guild—was this for real?!
A sense of foreboding suddenly enveloped the group. However, the deed was already done, and there was no turning back now. At this point, any further discussion was futile.
What these players didn’t know was that plundering wasn’t entirely without its benefits.
For solo adventurer players, having negative reputation with the rchant Guild would generally have so impact. But if the plundering was successful, the gains could offset the losses. Since the rchant Guild was a faction, it naturally had opposing factions.
The [Thieves Guild], or factions with nas like [Bandit Group] or [Brotherhood], were all part of its opposing forces. If a player participated in enough successful plunders, they could build a reputation in the "greenwood" and gain favor with these factions, eventually joining them and opening up a new path of "zero-cost shopping."
For lord-type players, actively engaging in plundering was also an option. During a state of war between territories, any plundering of enemy lands would be considered part of the conflict and wouldn’t affect faction reputation. Additionally, the rchant Guild’s moral standards weren’t particularly high. While plundering could drop their reputation into the negatives, as long as you had money, you could trade with special NPCs in the guild to buy your way back into their good graces.
However, the most basic requirent for both paths to be profitable was that the plundering had to be successful.
"Whoosh!" The leading player deftly rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding an axe swing from a rcenary. The faint scent of alcohol still lingered in the air.
This gave them a glimr of hope. It didn’t matter—the opponents were drunk, suffering from a significant combat debuff. The sll of alcohol on them couldn’t be faked!
But as ten battle-hardened rcenaries rushed forward, the situation quickly turned dire.
Rapid thrusts, sliding shots, shield-breaking strikes—one after another, the rcenaries unleashed their advanced lee skills. These weren’t mindless monsters outside the city with obvious weaknesses. Even if they had vulnerabilities, they were well-hidden, unlike creatures with lower intelligence.
The battle erupted in full force. Despite the players’ exceptional combat skills—honed as agents of various interstellar civilizations—they had little room to maneuver in the face of overwhelming power.
This wasn’t a boss fight. They were up against equally well-trained rcenaries, and these were seasoned professionals who had undergone advanced training.
‘-475’, ‘-512’, ‘-426’…
Wherever the rcenaries’ skills landed, red critical damage numbers flashed. Combined with the [Physical Penetration] attribute gained after their advanced training, the players’ armor was rendered useless. A single skill hit dealt damage nearly equal to the health pool of these level 13 to 15 players.
Before turning into streaks of white light and disappearing, the players were left baffled. Why were these rcenaries so powerful? Weren’t they supposed to be debuffed from being drunk? Why did their combat effectiveness seem unaffected?
The battle, caught off guard, lasted less than three minutes. Ye Bai, who had been watching from the sidelines, didn’t even have ti to intervene before it was over.
"Hahaha, what a bunch of overconfident little rats. Consider this a warm-up after a good al."
"Employer, do we get more drinks after winning?"
"Heh, I was about to ask the sa thing. I only had a taste earlier—I’m not satisfied yet…"
The rcenaries laughed and joked as they sheathed their weapons. They hadn’t even needed to use the standard-issue crossbows Ye Bai had temporarily provided for the fight.
"Of course, there’s more." Ye Bai generously pulled out five barrels of refined ale from her inventory.
[Refined Ale]
Grade: Fine
Effect - Blood Circulation: Increases critical hit chance by 50% and critical hit damage by 70%. Duration: 30 minutes.
Alcohol Content: 20
Description: Exclusively crafted by the Toliver Tavern, this ale guarantees a water content of less than 30% per barrel!
Why weren’t the rcenaries drunk? Why was their damage so high during the fight?
The answer lay in the players’ lack of understanding of the NPCs in the world of "Boundless." Even for players, there was a hidden "alcohol resistance" stat.
The drunk debuff only affects characters who have never been exposed to alcohol, such as newly "arrived" players with zero alcohol resistance. As they drink more, their resistance increases. If their alcohol resistance exceeds the alcohol content of the drink, they won’t suffer from the drunk debuff.
For these rcenaries, who drank alcohol like water, their alcohol resistance was at least 50. A single bowl of ale did nothing to them. It would take a much larger quantity to trigger any negative effects, but the buffs from drinking were very real.
You get what you pay for. The refined ale was far more potent than the ordinary ale players encountered in the outer city.
In fact, it wasn’t just these rcenaries. Most NPCs in "Boundless" loved to drink.
In the next phase of Baiye Village’s developnt, the villagers’ entertainnt needs would start to beco more prominent. Compared to higher-tier buildings like [Theater Squares], the most cost-effective way for a lord to et these needs was to build a tavern first…
The alcohol produced by the brewery could not only supply the tavern to maintain the villagers’ entertainnt value but was also a highly versatile interdiate product. It could be used to make [dicinal Wine] and [dical Alcohol], which would boost the territory’s health value.
—Though it was hard to say whether this improvent was due to the products or the fact that the villagers’ veins were now flowing with alcohol.
While the rcenaries enjoyed their drinks, Ye Bai wandered around, picking up the spoils of battle.
She had been observing earlier and noticed that, perhaps due to so system restriction, the rcenaries ignored the players’ dropped items. Whether they couldn’t see them or were subconsciously blocking them out was unclear.
While the items dropped by the players were nothing special in Ye Bai’s eyes, every little bit helped.
…
The lively night passed, and the next day the group set off again, continuing their journey toward Baiye Village in a straight line.
Thanks to the territory’s directional sense, Ye Bai’s journey was much more efficient than if she had tried to carve out a trade route through the wilderness.
Starting from the territory, one would have to explore step by step to find the location of other towns. Not only was this ti-consuming, but there was also the risk of veering off course. Even if a route was eventually established, if the detour was too large, it would inadvertently increase the transportation costs of the trade route.
Along the way, they encountered traces of monsters, but since they were only two days out from lo City, the creatures they faced were low-level threats like wolf packs and brown bears, which the escort team easily dispatched.
As they ventured deeper into the wilderness, the terrain beca increasingly rugged, with rolling hills beginning to appear.
By the third day, a towering mountain blocked their path.
"I knew we’d run into sothing like this…"
Ye Bai had a premonition when the gently rolling hills first appeared. Now, staring at the sudden rise of the mountain, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. The steep incline would be difficult for even the sturdy packhorses to navigate, let alone ordinary carriages. To establish a trade route, it needed to be accessible to as many rchants as possible, so they had to prioritize ease of travel.
Unfortunately, their technological level wasn’t advanced enough. If they had unlocked the [Tunnel] technology later on, they could have dug straight through the mountain.
But for now, it seed their only option was to take a detour.
Ye Bai could sense that they were close to Baiye Village. Taking this detour would undoubtedly extend their journey.
Not long after, the archer who had been scouting ahead as the temporary 'sentry' for the group returned on her antlered horse. She reported to Ye Bai, "I found two paths ahead. One is a gentle slope that goes around the side of the mountain. The distance is uncertain, but it should be quite long. The other is a canyon that might allow us to pass through the mountain, but..."
"What is it? Are there powerful creatures?" Ye Bai guessed from her expression.
The archer nodded solemnly. "There's a wetland lake at the bottom of the canyon, and I spotted traces of a group of striped crocodiles."
"Striped crocodiles..."
The other rcenaries also tensed up at the ntion.
Striped crocodiles were level 20 to 22 monsters. An adult striped crocodile was typically over 3 ters long, covered in thick, scaly armor, making them incredibly tough. Their sharp teeth could deal significant damage, though their only weakness was their slow movent. However, if they were in a group, their numbers could easily compensate for their sluggishness.
In short, they were a formidable foe.
"Everyone, equip your standard crossbows. The transport team will stay at the rear. Let's go and assess the situation first," Ye Bai said after a mont of consideration.
The rcenaries responded in unison, showing no objections.
Firstly, Ye Bai was the employer, and the rcenaries were paid to handle dangers along the journey. If they were to suggest changing routes at the first sign of risk, they might as well not be rcenaries at all.
Secondly, Ye Bai had generously shared good wine with them, earning their goodwill. As the saying goes, "Don't hit soone who gives you gifts," so the rcenaries were inclined to show respect to their generous employer.
Lastly, over the past three days, whenever they encountered combat, Ye Bai had taken charge of the battle strategy, quietly establishing her authority. The rcenaries had grown accustod to following her orders.
Following the archer's guidance, the group made their way to the canyon.
The important antlered horse transport team stayed far behind, with one sentry left behind to guard against any unexpected incidents. After all, if they got too close to the striped crocodiles, the horses might panic and scatter.
Ye Bai had assud Dilina would stay at the rear, but to her surprise, Dilina volunteered to co along. Naturally, Ye Bai agreed—she didn’t want to risk losing Dilina's favor. Besides, even if she had refused, Dilina would have co anyway.
"It's just ahead," the archer said, and soon the canyon ca into view.
A narrow beam of light shone down from above, illuminating the wetland at the bottom of the canyon.
The center of the wetland was a pond covered in algae, giving it a dark green hue. Its depth was unclear. On either side were shallow banks wide enough to allow passage for carts and horses.
The only problem was the occasional large shadow that rippled through the pond, accompanied by subtle waves.
"Employer?"
Blaze, the leader of the rcenaries, glanced at Ye Bai for confirmation. After a nod from her, he and two other rcenaries cautiously stepped into the canyon, crossbows in hand.
"Crunch, crunch..."
Blaze and the two warriors slowly made their way across the shallow bank, their eyes fixed on the pond. After walking about ten ters, the pond remained calm, showing no signs of disturbance.
If they could pass through the shallow banks without alerting the striped crocodiles, it would be a great outco.
However, Ye Bai wasn’t optimistic. In her experience, whenever a trade route was being established, encountering a creature colony would inevitably provoke a reaction. This was the system's way of setting a 'minimum difficulty' for the route. If they took shortcuts now, a less cautious rchant caravan might end up as crocodile food in the future.
Of course, from the monsters' perspective, the logic was simpler: "Ah, the scent of a lord~"
Sure enough, in the next mont, the water in the pond erupted as a massive striped crocodile burst forth.
Its massive jaws, filled with sharp teeth, exuded the aura of a powerful creature, along with a heavy, fishy stench.
[Bloody Bite]
Monsters above level 20, like job-changers, also underwent transformations that manifested in their skills. Even non-boss and non-elite monsters had their own abilities.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
The vigilant rcenaries reacted imdiately, firing their crossbows without hesitation.
Against large, slow-moving creatures, the crossbows were particularly effective, which was why the group had dared to investigate in the first place.
'-345', '411', '-368'...
A series of three-digit damage numbers appeared, including a critical hit from an arrow that struck the crocodile’s open mouth.
"Roar!"
The first striped crocodile let out a pained cry. Not only had its skill failed to land, but it had also taken a heavy blow, wiping out more than half of its 3000 HP.
However, with that cry, the pond began to churn violently. Shadows moved beneath the surface, and over a dozen striped crocodiles of various sizes erged, their cold eyes locking onto the intruders in the canyon.
A battle was imminent.
"Prepare for combat," Blaze said as he stepped back, drawing his sword. "Protect the employer!"
...
The sounds of clashing weapons and crocodile roars echoed through the canyon.
"Bart! Shield bash its head... Beck, use Blade Storm!"
"Hayden, fall back to the left!"
As Ye Bai's familiar voice rang out, the chaotic battle began to take on a rhythm.
This was a habit Ye Bai had intentionally cultivated among the rcenaries over the past two days of combat.
The rcenaries were a loosely assembled group, familiar with each other but lacking any real hierarchy. Even Blaze, as their leader, didn’t have the authority to command them all.
On the other hand, Ye Bai, the employer who paid them and treated them to drinks, had earned their respect.
At first, the rcenaries had dismissed her commands as the ddling of a noble, tolerating it only for the sake of their pay and the wine. But they soon realized that her directions were far from arbitrary—she knew exactly when and where to act, and she had a deep understanding of each rcenary's class and skills.
After unconsciously following her orders once, the rcenaries discovered that under Ye Bai's command, their classes could synergize in ways they hadn’t imagined. It was as if every move in the battle was under her control.
If there was a word to describe it, it would be "rhythm."
In battles led by Ye Bai, the participants could feel an invisible rhythm guiding them.
After a few fights, this originally disjointed group of rcenaries had developed the coordination of a well-trained unit.
This ti was no different. When Blaze instinctively said, "Protect the employer," it wasn’t just out of duty—it was a tactical decision to protect their commander.
The air was thick with the sll of blood as the rcenaries, under Ye Bai's guidance, gradually took control of the battle.
One by one, the striped crocodiles fell, their HP bars emptying as they collapsed on the shallow banks. Blood flowed into the pond, dyeing half of it red.
Only five injured crocodiles remained, struggling to stay alive. The rcenaries began to relax, so even smiling, feeling that the dangerous battle was finally coming to an end.
However, Ye Bai and Dilina, who were being protected at the rear, remained on edge.
Suddenly, Dilina's expression changed as she looked toward the center of the pond.
"Gurgle... gurgle..."
A series of bubbles rose from the center of the pond, and the water began to churn. The pond's color deepened, and from above, a massive shadow could be seen rising from the depths.
"Splash..."
"ROAR!!!"
Water splashed violently, accompanied by a terrifying roar, as a pair of blood-red eyes erged from the pond. A massive crocodile, over ten ters long, revealed itself.
Ye Bai quickly scanned it, and the distinctive thick health bar and so attributes of a BOSS appeared in her vision.
**[Striped Crocodile King]**
Level: 2?
Health: ?????/?????
Skills: Bloody Pounce, Hardened Skin, ???
Weaknesses: Belly, Throat, ???, ???
It was no surprise that such a large ecosystem would produce a BOSS-level monster.
This wasn’t just any BOSS—it was a level 20 BOSS, even more formidable than the Ragehorn Beast Ye Bai had fought for over twelve hours in the Nightmare-level City-building Dungeon.
The mont it appeared, the rcenaries on-site paled.
The sheer size of the Striped Crocodile King was enough to instill imnse pressure.
This behemoth was far beyond what their nine-mber team could handle, especially after just enduring a fierce battle.
Blaze took a deep breath, watching the giant crocodile swiftly swim toward the shore. He stepped back and instinctively shouted, “Protect the employer! Let’s retreat…”
But the next mont, as the rcenaries prepared to follow Blaze’s orders and cover their ‘commander’ and ‘tactician’ employer’s retreat—
The employer, the employer was warming up!
The employer, holding her snow-white sword that seed more decorative than functional… charged forward!
Why was the employer charging ahead instead of retreating?!
...
“Huh?!”
Blaze heard the incredulous exclamations from the rcenaries behind him and felt a wave of confusion.
What was happening?
But he didn’t dare turn his head, keeping his gaze fixed on the pond.
However, he didn’t need to look back. Soon, he saw a familiar figure dart past him, leaping like a nimble bird, her white cape fluttering in the wind. She rushed toward the Striped Crocodile King, which had just erged from the water.
“Keep killing the remaining crocodiles,” Ye Bai said, leaving this instruction before charging at the Crocodile King, eting the BOSS head-on.
Among the group, only Dilina showed a look of intrigue, while the others were too stunned to focus, barely managing to deal with the remaining injured ordinary crocodiles.
What gave the employer the confidence to charge like that?!
During a drinking session, soone had asked about the attack power of her sword, and she had said it was comparable to a wooden sword. Could she really take on the Crocodile King with that?
Soon, Ye Bai answered their doubts with her actions.
Stopping at a distance of twenty-one ters, Ye Bai flicked her hand.
**[Ice Bolt]**
A frosty projectile materialized out of thin air, striking the Crocodile King’s massive red eye.
The normal effective range of Ice Bolt was thirty ters, but due to her class traits, Ye Bai’s spell range was reduced by 30%, limiting her maximum casting distance to twenty-one ters.
‘-153’
A modest damage number appeared. Ice Bolt was, after all, a basic spell, and this move was rely to draw aggro.
“Roar!”
The giant crocodile bellowed in pain, then kicked its hind legs in the water, suddenly accelerating as it lunged at Ye Bai.
Ye Bai was prepared. She rolled backward, dodging the Crocodile King’s attack and luring it away from the group toward a shallow area.
Seeing this, the rcenaries finally realized—their employer was actually a mage!
No wonder they had been caught off guard. Who would have thought a mage would wield a sword? Moreover, Ye Bai had an intimate understanding of all physical class skills, making her seem like a physically-oriented commander.
Mages held a special status in lo City, and the rcenaries’ impression of them was one of mystery and power.
This revelation was a morale boost for the group.
They quickly followed Ye Bai’s earlier instructions, finishing off the remaining crocodiles so they could assist her.
anwhile, Ye Bai had already begun the classic dance of dodging, rolling, and chipping away at the Crocodile King’s health.
As a ga developer, if she couldn’t handle a BOSS of the sa level, she might as well hang herself with a noodle.
Especially now that she had transitioned to the hidden class ‘Whisperer,’ which allowed her to use all elental spells, her capabilities were worlds apart from before.
‘-6’
Swoosh!
The snow-white sword grazed the Crocodile King’s scales, leaving a damage number that was humorously low.
But the next mont, her attack triggered a 100% spellcasting speed boost, allowing her to skip the usual casting ti and instantly unleash a spell.
**[Lightning Strike]**
“Crackle…”
A bolt of lightning enveloped the Crocodile King’s body, amplified by the ‘Wet’ debuff it had from just erging from the water—reducing blunt damage by 10%, with a 5% chance to disarm, and increasing lightning damage by 20%.
‘-545’, ‘-571’, ‘-546’, ‘-572’
The four consecutive lightning strikes, each enhanced by the Wet debuff, along with the Crocodile King’s hidden weakness—negative lightning resistance—ant Ye Bai’s Lightning Strike was more than enough to dominate the fight.
Not to ntion, Ye Bai also had a 40% Featherweight Movent bonus, the mana regeneration effect from her class skill [Mana Siphon], and the flexibility of her all-elental spell arsenal…
About ten minutes later, the rcenaries finished off the remaining Striped Crocodiles and rushed to assist Ye Bai.
From their vantage point, the Crocodile King’s massive fra completely obscured Ye Bai. If not for the occasional roars of the BOSS, they wouldn’t have been sure if their employer was safe.
In their minds, mages were long-range classes that needed lee protection to shine. Even if their employer was agile and mysterious, facing such a terrifying enemy like the Crocodile King must have been a struggle.
But as they arrived, they saw sharp stone spikes suddenly erupt from the ground, impaling the Crocodile King’s feet and eliciting a pained howl.
Their employer popped up from the other side, greeting them casually:
“You’re here?”
...If they had arrived any later, would they even have been needed?
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