Second-Tier Breakthrough!

At four in the afternoon, after handing the internet café management machine over to Sakura, I picked up my coat and got ready to leave work.

Lu Xiaobei was still clattering away at the keyboard, apparently dueling someone in the arena. Her expression was extremely solemn.

"Lu Xiaobei, I'm off work."

"Oh."

She replied absentmindedly, "Be careful on the way."

I could not be bothered to say anything else, so I threw on my coat and headed out.

Just then, a call came in. I glanced at it and saw that it was Milo's number.

"I'm awake."

"Fuck your uncle. So you're awake—what, are you my girlfriend? Do you need to report in to me?" I was speechless.

Milo laughed. "I mean, pick up some groceries when you pass the market and bring them back to cook. I'll go downstairs and buy a few beers. Want to have a drink together?"

"Sounds good. I'm only having one bottle, so don't buy too many."

So I took a detour to the market and bought some pre-prepared ingredients: diced chicken, peppers, and the like. Even the oil and salt had already been portioned out. All I had to do was stir-fry them when I got home.

After returning to the apartment, I turned on the gas stove and started cooking.

Milo sat in the living room with his guitar, playing and singing, radiating the air of an artsy young man.

Once the food was ready, Milo set down his guitar and opened two bottles of beer, pouring us each a glass. "It's been a long time since we last ate together. Come on, the first glass has to go down in one."

"Sure!"

After we drained our glasses, the atmosphere became somewhat silent. Milo probably had something to say.

I looked at him. "Luo?"

"Mm, Han."

Our forms of address sounded affectionate, but in truth, we both wanted to be the other's father.

"After a while, I'm planning to head north and drift in the capital..."

Milo looked a little downcast. "When the time comes, I'll leave this guitar at home and give it to you. I've got another one in a cabinet at the bar. This one's a little old and goes out of tune easily."

"When exactly are you leaving?"

"Ten days, maybe half a month..."

Milo sounded irritated. "I've already contacted a few musician friends in Beihai. Food and lodging won't be a problem once I get there. After that, we'll form a band, practice for a while, and start trying out different performances."

I nodded. "Then let's go over the lyrics and melodies again today. Is there anything else you want to work on?"

"Zhou Chuanxiong's 'Blue and White Porcelain,' Pu Shu's 'Those Flowers,' and 'The Ordinary Road.' See how much you still remember. We'll go through them together. Whatever doesn't match, we'll make up on the spot. I feel like you're a little more literary than I am, so you really have to help me out with this."

"You're right. I do have a bit of literary talent."

"Damn... Say you're fat and you start panting."

I laughed, then turned serious again. "Luo, are you planning to make 'The Ordinary Road' your first album?"

"Mm..."

Milo said, "An artsy guy like me naturally leans more toward the style of 'The Ordinary Road.' So after performing in BH City for a while, I plan to get a car and head northwest, check out the desert, and shoot a road-trip MV for that song. Do you think it'll work?"

"It'll probably be an explosive hit!"

I nodded. "The musical standards in Star Abyss World are honestly hard to compliment. With the style of 'The Ordinary Road,' plus the feeling of breaking free from restraints and yearning for distant places, it'll resonate with a lot of people trapped by life. But you need to pay attention to promotion too. Without capital backing you, even gold has a hard time shining."

"I know."

Milo said, "I'll first release a few songs on the fairly popular Nine Heavens Music Network and build up some popularity. Once I become one of those so-called popular online singers, I'll start planning my first album."

"Then there's no problem. I wish you success!"

"Thanks, brother!"

After finishing a bottle of beer, I was slightly tipsy, though my head was still fairly clear.

Milo went to work at the bar. Apparently, he was singing a new song today and needed to rehearse in advance. The bar owner thought highly of him and had specifically told him to get there early.

So I sat alone in the empty living room for half an hour. Once I had sobered up for the most part, I decided I could not waste any more time. It was time to complete my breakthrough quest!

Activated. Quest initiated!

[You have officially initiated the quest Proof of Courage (second-tier breakthrough quest)! Quest content: Enter the breakthrough quest map and complete the non-player character's request. Quest reward: Advance your class to the second tier!]

The moment the quest activated, a golden teleportation point appeared on the world map with a flash. This kind of triggered quest map was essentially the same as an instance dungeon, even requiring the same method of travel.

The Teleportation Gate was only a few streets away, not too far.

Soon, I appeared in the night streets of Creek City. After turning through several streets, I arrived in front of a public restroom and could not help frowning. What a place to choose. Suppressing the foul stench rushing toward me, I stepped into the radiant Teleportation Gate.

"Whoosh~~~"

Light flickered before my eyes; night had already turned into day, and a ding sounded by my ear.

[You have entered the quest-specific map: Bloody Slaughterhouse!]

Before me lay a map suffused with blood. It looked like a rundown factory, and a foul stench hit me in the face. At the entrance, a soldier fully covered in Power Armor turned to look at me.

"Young man, this slaughterhouse has been occupied by those damned bugs. As long as you clear out every last one, you'll get what you desire. Are you ready?"

A golden exclamation mark hovered above his head. He was clearly the one issuing the quest.

"Mm, I'm ready."

I nodded, entered Combat Form, and held my Submachine Gun against my chest.

"Go!"

He planted a Chainsaw Sword, its serrated gaps filled with blood and minced flesh, into the ground and nodded and smiled at me. "Good luck!"

Time to kill bugs.

As I followed the bloodstained steel stairs down to the first floor, the sound of bugs cackling immediately reached my ears. Then, at least several dozen Nest Bugs drilled out from the underground cracks of the slaughterhouse and charged at me without hesitation!

"Bang bang bang~~~"

The Roarer began continuously spewing fire. I held down the trigger and swept the bug swarm with sustained fire while slowly backing away, doing my best to avoid being surrounded. Fortunately, although there were many of these bugs, they were only level 15, with merely 750 HP each. They kept falling beneath the Roarer's barrage!

"Whoosh—"

In an instant, my body shifted as I activated Step Slash. A strand of protective energy appeared around me as I switched my main-hand weapon, then slashed into the bug swarm with Ground Spike Slash. The densely packed bugs immediately shrieked as countless damage numbers rose into the air!

"873!"

"844!"

"802!"

Every single one was an instant kill. Ground Spike Slash truly deserved its reputation. Its 250% damage was indeed an overpowered early-game skill, and as an AOE, it nearly instantly killed more than a dozen Nest Bugs while giving me the chance to switch magazines.

"Click!"

After loading a fresh magazine, I continued firing, keeping the bug swarm from approaching. Whenever I showed signs of being surrounded, I immediately used Explosive Charge or Step Slash to break free, always maintaining my HP above a healthy 80%.

Several minutes later, a heap of Nest Bug corpses lay before me. After reaping a large amount of experience, I began reloading, filling each empty magazine one by one. Too bad there was no automatic magazine-loading item. That would have been amazing—my monster-killing efficiency would have at least doubled!

Of course, the most important thing was still the weapon issue.

The Roarer Submachine Gun in my hands was only a first-tier green weapon, with a pitiful firepower rating of 55–70. That damage value was fixed. But if I could replace it with a better weapon—for example, a second-tier purple Roarer—its firepower would increase drastically, allowing the same bullets to deal far more terrifying damage!

However, Submachine Guns, being the primary weapons of combat, were extremely rare and precious. They were also a source of anguish for all players. Most players were currently carrying white or even gray Submachine Guns. Someone like me, wielding a Green Submachine Gun, was already among the very few.

Otherwise, the average level of the top ten players on the regional ranking would not be so low. Someone would probably have already rushed to level 30 to challenge the third-tier class advancement.

Eight-thirty in the evening.

"Beep!"

A WeChat message arrived from Lu Xiaobei: "Ding Han, I'm thinking of going to the night market for barbecue. Want to come?"

She sent a pitiful-looking emoji.

Feeling a little helpless, I replied, "Although I really want to come mooch food and drinks off you, I seriously don't have time. I'm busy right now."

"Fine..."

Lu Xiaobei sent a kitchen knife emoji and said, "What could you possibly be busy with so late at night? Don't tell me you're out partying?"

"What do you think? With the salary you pay me, can I afford to party? With my alcohol tolerance, can I even party? I picked up another night job to make a living, understand?"

Lu Xiaobei was silent for a long time before finally replying, "When the internet café grows a little bigger, I'll raise your salary. Then you won't need to work two jobs."

I saw the message, but I was busy killing bugs, so I did not reply.

Around eleven at night.

After a long and grueling slaughter, I finally killed every bug in the slaughterhouse. The quest progress bar filled completely. Unfortunately, the consumption had been enormous. In a single night, I had used up nearly all of the four thousand bullets I had just acquired!

"Not bad!"

The unfamiliar soldier, clad in Power Armor and holding a Chainsaw Sword, with his level displayed as "???", smiled. "Young man, you did not disappoint me. Not bad, very good indeed. Come, this is your reward!"

[Congratulations, you have completed the quest: Proof of Courage (second-tier breakthrough quest). Your class has successfully advanced to the second tier. Your level cap has increased to: Level 30!]

I did it!

I felt deeply gratified. A night of hard work had finally brought the reward it deserved.

At that moment, the wording on my character panel had changed.

[Shadow Chaser] (Starry Sky Super Weapon · Sword Specialization · Second Tier)

I had finally become a second-tier player!

My heart stirred slightly, and I immediately opened the skill list. I saw that the icons of quite a few skills were flashing with golden upward arrows. After confirming, I could advance those skills!

The skills that could advance were all basic skills that had reached level 10. After looking through them, the skills I currently possessed that could be advanced were: Basic Repair, Throwing Skill, Basic Shooting, Basic Swordsmanship, and Basic Programming. A total of five skills could break through their tier limits and increase in level.

As for Dragon Blade, Explosive Charge, Ground Spike Slash, and the like, they were fixed skills that would never advance.

The next moment, I began clicking to advance them. Ding Dong Ringtones immediately rang out in succession beside my ear.

[Congratulations, your skill Basic Repair lv10 (first tier) has successfully advanced to Advanced Repair lv1 (second tier)!]

[Congratulations, your skill Throwing Skill lv10 (first tier) has successfully advanced to Advanced Throwing lv1 (second tier)!]

[Congratulations, your skill Basic Shooting lv10 (first tier) has successfully advanced to Advanced Shooting lv1 (second tier)!]

[Congratulations, your skill Basic Swordsmanship lv10 (first tier) has successfully advanced to Advanced Swordsmanship lv1 (second tier)!]

[Congratulations, your skill Basic Programming lv10 (first tier) has successfully advanced to Advanced Programming lv1 (second tier)!]

The instant those five major skills advanced into second-tier skills, an immense flood of knowledge poured into my mind. In that brief moment, I gained countless new "poses" in all kinds of skill knowledge!