Numbered 9999090919 Reserve Dimension Apostle begins trial Yangxian County Trial Briefing: Yangxian County had welcomed auspicious snow, yet none knew when the bountiful year would come. Trial Mission: Within three days, join one of the following: the government, the Lu clan of the aristocratic families, or the Way of Peace. Trial Difficulty: E-rank (Easy) Trial Reward: Paradise Points ×500 Trial Failure: Paradise Points -1000 This is a chain-type mission. Subsequent missions will unlock in sequence. If one cannot be completed, all subsequent missions will be deemed failures. Reminder: Do not leave the Trial Mission area at will, or unforeseen circumstances such as an increase in trial difficulty may occur. You alone will bear the consequences of this action. Warning: Mentioning or revealing anything related to Dimension Paradise during the trial is forbidden. Otherwise, your trial qualification will be stripped, all missions will be judged failed, and you will be forcibly returned to Paradise.
Chu Danqing opened his eyes. Da Bao was beside him.
Besides the two of them, more than a dozen Dimension Apostles were likewise shrouded in a transparent protective barrier, keeping the wind and snow from seeping in.
Still, the temperature inevitably plunged in an instant.
Chu Danqing pulled his White Wool Robe tighter around himself. With Silver Scale Cloud Brocade lining it, the cold could not affect him for the moment.
You have activated: Combat Log, Equipment Rationalization Authority. Paradise Points consumed ×1000. You have consumed Paradise Points ×200 and mastered the Languages and Scripts of This World.
A vast amount of knowledge surfaced in his mind, rapidly digested and absorbed until it became an instinct as natural as his mother tongue.
You have consumed Paradise Points ×500 and rented Detection Art LV1. Temporary · Detection Art LV.1 (Active): Obtain digitized information on a target based on the difference between both parties' attributes. Consumes 1 Energy Point. Cooldown: 1 minute. (Note: Temporary skills will disappear after leaving.) (Note: When used, the one being inspected may experience abnormalities or notice it, depending on the attribute difference.)
Because the skill was temporary, no knowledge surfaced in his mind. Chu Danqing could only use it stiffly.
Begin identity selection. Identity: None. Cost: None. Identity: Refugee. Cost: Paradise Points ×10. .
Chu Danqing directly scrolled down to the highest tier, the identity costing 500 Paradise Points.
Identity: Wandering Taoist. Cost: Paradise Points ×500.
He took a liking to this identity at a glance. The other identities were not bad either, but they did not suit him very well.
Once the identity selection was complete, a small amount of information related to Wandering Taoists poured into his mind as well.
It was nowhere near as thorough or solid as the Languages and Scripts of This World, merely an introduction to the identity.
In short, he was a Taoist with only a smattering of skill who had come to Yangxian County to make a living.
The entire process took nearly a minute. Chu Danqing turned his gaze toward the Dimension Apostles present.
Including himself, there were fifteen people in total.
His gaze swept around, and two of them caught his attention.
One was a crew-cut young man in a short shirt and long trousers, his face cold and stern, golden silk dragon-patterned gloves covering his hands.
The key was the hair-raising aura surrounding him, making him look like someone no stranger should approach.
He did not look like an assassin. For some reason, the words "black-market boxing" came to Chu Danqing's mind.
The other drew attention not because of his temperament, but because of his equipment.
He wore airtight heavy armor and carried a thick shield-axe on his back.
Three relatively ordinary Dimension Apostles stood by his side. The four of them had probably formed a party through some item, or belonged to the same faction.
"Reserve Grade member of the Dragon-Tiger Alliance, Tie Yan." The armored man first announced his faction and codename.
"Starting with an E-rank mission, while missions for Return Qualification are at least D-rank. I imagine everyone understands that completing this will not be easy..."
"This is my seventh Trial Mission. I have received a C-rank evaluation at best, and I am confident I can lead everyone back together," Tie Yan said sincerely.
The other two standing beside Tie Yan echoed him. The remaining ten Apostles were tempted and expressed their willingness to follow Tie Yan's lead.
The crew-cut young man showed no reaction at all, merely silently watching the countdown on the protective barrier steadily decrease.
There were five minutes left before the mission officially began.
"Friend, why not come with us?" Tie Yan set his sights on the more approachable-looking Chu Danqing.
"I'm used to being alone," Chu Danqing refused.
Even D-rank missions were difficult. Was he supposed to join them and be their nanny?
But it also proved once again that the information was correct. The normal level of Dimension Apostles lay between C and D, while those with high evaluations were in the minority.
After speaking, Chu Danqing turned his gaze back beyond the protective barrier. They seemed to be on an official road. The wind and snow were not too heavy, but they still obstructed visibility.
The reason he was looking outside was that something was moving amid the wind and snow.
Chu Danqing's attributes were too low for him to make out any useful information, so he looked at Da Bao. "What did you hear?"
"Bad people. Robbery. Killing," Da Bao said haltingly.
The moment Da Bao said that, even the crew-cut young man's gaze was drawn over.
They had only sensed some movement and did not know what was actually happening, yet Da Bao could state it outright. That alone made them look at him differently.
"He... looking at me." Fierce light glinted in Da Bao's eyes as he stretched out a claw and pointed at another Dragon-Tiger Alliance member beside Tie Yan.
"Give me an explanation, Tie Yan," Chu Danqing asked, his face darkening.
"A misunderstanding. This is a misunderstanding. Han Ying didn't do it on purpose. Hurry and apologize to them," Tie Yan hurriedly shielded the person Da Bao had pointed at behind him.
It looked like an explanation, but in truth, he was taking sides.
Using the Scrutiny Technique on a Dimension Apostle represented hostility. Otherwise, why would you inspect someone's digitized information for no reason?
"An apology has no sincerity. Compensation does," Chu Danqing made it clear that he wanted something.
"Friend, we are members of the Dragon-Tiger Alliance. Even if you won't give us face, you should at least give the Dragon-Tiger Alliance face, right?" Han Ying invoked the faction behind him, hoping to protect himself.
For no other reason than that when he had inspected Da Bao just now, the gap in their attributes had been too great. He had not obtained even a shred of useful data.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Tie Yan barked. "We have no intention of using our power to bully others."
"A small token of compensation. Don't take offense, don't take offense." As he spoke, Tie Yan took out a recovery item and handed it to Chu Danqing.
Yet Chu Danqing shook his head. "Not enough."
"Don't push your luck—" Han Ying continued.
Before he could finish, Chu Danqing gave Da Bao a look. Da Bao understood through instinct and immediately made his move.
A Life Link appeared, linking Tie Yan and Han Ying with lightning speed.
Da Bao's attack followed close behind, and the Combat Log appeared as well.
Brutal Beast, Child of the Cave dealt 5 physical damage to the target, and dealt 5 shared damage to the Life Link target.
The two were injured at the same time, and both of their health values dropped by different amounts.
Chu Danqing had not intended to kill them. He merely wanted money and to teach them a lesson, then kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, so that no other Apostle would fail to recognize what was good for them and provoke him.
As for Da Bao's digitized information? The gap in attributes was far too great. They could not obtain any useful information at all.
Otherwise, how could Chu Danqing have let the matter rest so easily?
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