I didn't answer.
This couldn't just be let go. If they came out looking for trouble, they had to pay the price. Otherwise, the people from Ragnarok would keep treating me like a soft target they could squeeze whenever they wanted. I couldn't let this go easily!
So I said nothing and simply kept firing single shots!
Whoosh~~~
Suddenly, a rocket streaked out of the forest, trailing a fiery red tail!
"Watch out, RPG!"
Ruolin shouted, while I swiftly ducked. The RPG exploded not far away, and the earthy scent of dirt quickly filled my nostrils.
When I looked up again, I found that group of people had already crossed a hill and fled.
"Damn it, they ran fast!" I frowned.
"Let's see if the BOSS left behind any useful materials?"
"Mm!"
Ruolin nodded. "Of course we should take a look."
As it turned out, most of the Armored Ground Worm's body had been blown to pieces by the Explosive Grenades. Even the hard shell on its back had shattered into countless fragments. It must have been unable to withstand the force of the grenades exploding inside it.
"This shell..."
Xiao Bai frowned. "We couldn't penetrate it with our Submachine Guns earlier. That means the material is pretty good. It could be used for bulletproof materials and should be worth quite a bit. Should we take it back?"
"Sure!"
Ruolin and I nodded together.
But the shells were too large. Our Dimensional Storage Spaces were only one-meter cubes, so they simply wouldn't fit. Thus, beneath the starlight, the three of us each carried away a massive chunk of shell.
Nothing happened along the way, and we finally returned to the Crimson Dragon Country border squad's base.
At this point, all three of us had a golden "Carrying Supply Crate" icon over our heads. After speaking with He Xiangyang, he said excitedly, "Thank you! These supplies returned at exactly the right time! Don't worry, the people of Crimson Dragon Country will never forget the help you gave us!"
A ding-dong sound rang in my ear.
[Congratulations, you completed the Reclaim Supplies quest (Grade B). Rewards: Experience Points +200,000, Star Coins +2,500, Crimson Dragon Country faction reputation +1,000!] [Congratulations, your Crimson Dragon Country faction Reputation Level has reached: Friendly!]
I was slightly delighted. The rewards were substantial!
I had received a full 200,000 Experience Points, along with 2,500 Star Coins. With a plop, a stack of cash dropped into my Dimensional Storage Space. The joy of this haul even surpassed getting paid!
On top of that, this quest had unlocked the faction relationship system.
For players in Creek City, the ultimate destination would inevitably be Crimson Dragon Country. After all, Crimson Dragon Country was a giant force in Star Abyss capable of rivaling the Star Maple Federation, and it would serve as a background faction offering protection to Chinese players born into this world!
Perfect. It took 1,000 reputation points to go from Neutral to Friendly, and we had accomplished that with a single quest!
After saying goodbye to He Xiangyang, we returned the way we came and used the Teleportation Array for free once more, arriving at the Player Black Market in Creek City.
First, we went to the trading market to sell the heavy materials we were carrying.
"Ruolin."
In the distance, a middle-aged player with a horse-like face greeted us with a smile. "You guys are back from the Morning Glow Plains?"
"Mm."
Zhang Ruolin said, "Old Ma, you're at the black market too? Are you still going to the bar tonight?"
"Damn it, my surname is Liu, not Ma..."
"Sorry, sorry, it just slipped out."
Zhang Ruolin smiled. "This is Shadow Chaser, and this is Xiao Bai. Get acquainted. This is Old Ma, one of the black market staff."
"Fuck, my surname is Liu..."
"Hello, Old Ma."
Xiao Bai and I called out together.
Old Ma looked pained before finally giving in despair. "Forget it. What the hell are you three carrying? It looks pitch-black and smells a little rotten."
"BOSS materials. See if they're worth anything."
"Sure, I'll find a professional to appraise them."
"Okay, thanks for the trouble~~"
Not long after, a middle-aged man in a long robe appeared in the back hall, holding a magnifying glass. He carefully examined the shells and said, "If I'm not mistaken, these are Armored Ground Worm shells, right?"
"Impressive, you could tell that much." Ruolin played along.
"Hmph..."
The middle-aged man smiled. "If nothing unexpected happened, this Armored Ground Worm was a blue-quality BOSS. These shell pieces are quite valuable. They can be made into shields or used as interior material for bulletproof vests. And you brought quite a lot. Since you're Old Ma's friends, I won't play games with you. Sixty thousand Star Coins, fixed price. If you accept, we have a deal. If not, go sell them elsewhere."
Ruolin looked at Xiao Bai and me, asking for our opinions with her eyes.
I had no objections. We had picked them up for free anyway.
So the three of us quickly reached an agreement. Too lazy to look for another buyer, we sold them on the spot and split twenty thousand each.
"I want to buy a batch of 9mm Roarer rounds."
"Perfect, I need to resupply too."
Xiao Bai and I immediately agreed and went to buy ammunition together. Ruolin needed to purchase large-caliber rounds for her sniper rifle, so the three of us went together.
I bought 5,000 rounds in one go, gave 1,000 to Ruolin, and kept 4,000 for myself. That should last quite a while.
After leaving the black market, Xiao Bai and Ruolin arranged to go eat dry pot and invited me as well. Unfortunately, I reeked of the Devourer's rot. All I wanted was to return home, take a hot shower, and get some proper sleep. So I politely declined, parted ways with them, and headed down another alley in the Old City District.
It was the off-season for tourism, and the alley was empty.
"Friend."
Suddenly, a figure appeared ahead. He revealed his health bar and ID first, then sneered. "You sent all five of my brothers to Creek City First People's Hospital. Don't you think you owe us an explanation?"
Under the dim streetlight, his ID was especially eye-catching.
[One Blade Into Soul] (Starry Sky Super Weapon · Sword Specialization · First Rank) Level: 20 Guild: None ...
It was One Blade Into Soul, that ruthless guy from the regional rankings!
His level had now been caught up by mine, and he was still a first-rank player, not having advanced either. He had probably been in a hurry to get revenge. In his hand was a Monomolecular Sword wreathed in blue light!
The moment my gaze fell upon that sword, I felt a chill. Its attack power was definitely far higher than my Vanguard Bee Sting's. After all, Vanguard Bee Sting was merely a weapon carried by every Vanguard captain on the outskirts of Dark Tide. Even as a green weapon, it was common goods.
"Did your brothers leave a lot of things unclear?"
I remained in my normal state and said, "On the Morning Glow Plains, your brothers fired first and injured my teammate. That was why we were forced to fight back."
"Even so, you shouldn't have beaten all five of them Severely Injured, should you? On their way back, they ran into two Devourers and nearly didn't make it back alive. Did you know that?"
The veins on One Blade Into Soul's face bulged as he flew into a rage.
"One Blade Into Soul."
My gaze turned cold. "So what you mean is, your brothers started the conflict, got injured by me, and then I was supposed to escort them back to the teleportation point?"
"Cut the crap."
One Blade Into Soul lightly raised his Monomolecular Sword and pointed it at me. "If you can beat me, this ends today. If you don't have the skill, then you should pay the price. I'll cut you into a Severe Injury, one slash at a time, and make you lie in the hospital for ten days or half a month!"
"That works too."
I smiled faintly and finally stopped holding back. My body sank slightly as I entered Combat Form. I revealed my health bar as well, raised my hand, and switched my main-hand weapon to Vanguard Bee Sting!
"You actually dare reveal your health bar to me? You're asking to die!"
One Blade Into Soul charged at me with his sword raised, Origin Energy surging around him. Amid the sound of slicing wind, he thrust his sword straight at me!
My Agility should have been much higher than his. I suddenly sidestepped, and the tip of the blue Monomolecular Sword swept past the tip of my nose. At the same time, my Knee Strike landed on One Blade Into Soul's abdomen, followed by a three-hit combo of normal attack + Dragon Blade + normal attack!
Whoosh!
One Blade Into Soul twisted his body, his speed barely slowing. He only took the Knee Strike and lost over 100 health before unleashing Step Slash in a flash of lightning, darting toward my rear flank while turning and thrusting his sword at me.
I had to admit, for someone who held a steady top-three spot among Creek City players, his reaction speed and tactical responses were truly impressive!
Clang~~~
Sparks scattered as I blocked his strike from behind with a backhanded sword block without even looking back. I then spun around, used Step Slash at an angle to close the distance, and, before his Step Slash cooldown had finished, instantly unleashed normal attack + Ground Spike Slash!
256!
702!
"Damn..."
One Blade Into Soul's expression changed drastically. That Ground Spike Slash had hurt him badly!
Before you continue