Woma Forest

Baqi City was exceptionally large, bustling with people coming and going, trading and hawking incessantly, without any sense of urgency from an impending siege.

Just as Chen Feng reached the palace, a Reincarnator in cloth armor was beaten bloody and thrown out.

"Brat, keep spreading false rumors about orcs attacking the city, and you'll lose your life!" With that, the guard turned and left.

"Idiot, with zero reputation, you think anyone will believe such important news?"

"How many is this? The fifth or sixth? Do they really think Side Quests are that easy to get?"

Nearby, a few Reincarnators pointed at the beaten man, clearly not the first time they'd seen someone report the Orc Army's invasion to the palace and get thrown out.

The Baqi Imperial Palace likely hadn't received news of orc movements yet. These Reincarnators were dreaming if they thought they could profit from this information—why would anyone believe them?

Just then, a soldier rushed into the palace. Soon, commotion stirred inside, and the Reincarnator who couldn't even get up was carried back in.

Before long, a notice written in large red characters was posted on the bulletin board in central Baqi City.

It stated that orcs in Woma Forest had begun to gather and might march south to attack the city. It called on warriors to clear the orcs near Baqi City before the enemy army advanced south.

Orc fangs could be exchanged for merit, and merit could be traded for equipment, weapons, skill books, and more.

Since many scattered orcs lurked near Baqi City, they would surely join the Orc Army if left unchecked. Better to eliminate them now.

One long orc fang was worth one merit point. Each orc had two long fangs, meaning two merit points. Twenty merit points could be exchanged for a low-level Skill Scroll like Basic Swordsmanship or Fireball Technique.

In other words, killing ten orcs earned a Skill Scroll—far better than mining in the Mine Cave for zombies that might drop nothing.

Moreover, viewing this notice activated the Side Quest: Clear Orcs.

"Side Quest: Clear Orcs."

"Quest Description: The Baqi Imperial Palace hopes to clear the orcs near Baqi City before the Orc Army arrives."

"Quest Requirements: Kill orcs. Each orc killed grants 10 Reincarnation Points. Each Orc Warrior killed grants 100 Reincarnation Points. Each Orc Hero killed grants 1,000 Reincarnation Points. Each Orc Commander killed grants 10,000 Reincarnation Points (for cooperative kills, damage must exceed 20% to earn corresponding points)."

"Quest Time: None."

"Tip: Completing the Side Quest increases your rating. The higher the completion, the greater the rating boost."

Instantly, every Reincarnator in Baqi City was thrilled. After witnessing the city's grandeur, they had strong confidence in defending it.

Now, with a Side Quest offering points, how could they not be excited? As for the heroes and commanders, they had no illusions.

The Side Quest lasted until the Main Quest ended, but hunting orcs for merit might change once the army besieged the city.

After all, once the siege began, fangs could no longer track merit, and the method might shift.

According to the system, the Orc Army would finish gathering in two days and might take another four or five to march south to Baqi City. That was enough time.

Chen Feng had no intention of wandering the forest to compete with other Reincarnators for orcs. His target was directly Woma Forest.

First, he sold the necklace at the jewelry shop, then used the money to commission a large backpack from the tailor. He spent the rest on a night at the inn and some dried rations, exhausting his funds.

The next morning, refreshed, Chen Feng shouldered his large backpack and left Baqi City.

As for Woma Forest's location, it was easy to find. Baqi Province was split by a great river, and Baqi City's moat drew water from it.

Following the river north all the way to the sea, then along the coast, led to Woma Forest.

Since Baqi City was already fairly north on the map, and Chen Feng pushed himself hard, he reached the river mouth in half a day. Just as he arrived at the seaside, he spotted a dozen orcs spearing fish in the shallows with wooden javelins.

When one orc spotted Chen Feng, it roared excitedly, and the group charged at him.

To them, killing Chen Feng was far easier than catching fish. His meat alone outweighed plenty of fish, completing their day's task.

Since this was an expedition, supplies were essential. The Orc Commander, already possessing intelligence rivaling humans, had ordered his troops to gather various foods. This orc squad, made up of the old and weak, had been sent far to the coast to fish.

Facing the dozen charging orcs, Chen Feng showed no mercy. One palm strike each, and soon they were all dead, each contributing 10 Reincarnation Points.

Done, Chen Feng didn't let his guard down. He knew he'd entered Woma Forest's territory, where orcs had massed in large numbers. One misstep could mean being surrounded by hundreds or even thousands.

He found a secluded spot, ate some dried rations to recover his strength, and gathered the fruits the orcs had collected. As for the dried meat, he wouldn't eat it without knowing what animal it came from.

After waiting a while with no sign of other orcs, Chen Feng prepared to push deeper into Woma Forest. As for the orc fangs, he figured collecting them was a waste of space—unless he had a storage item.

Continuing along the coast, a vast, dense forest appeared before him. A dozen orcs were fishing by the sea, supervised by an Orc Warrior to prevent theft.

After observing carefully and confirming only these orcs were nearby, Chen Feng charged straight at the supervising Orc Warrior.

This Orc Warrior wasn't like the elderly one Chen Feng had killed earlier. It was ready for battle as Chen Feng rushed in, swinging its bone club down at him.

Chen Feng excelled against straightforward foes. With Lingbo Weibu's unpredictable steps, they couldn't keep up. As the club came down, he sidestepped behind the Orc Warrior and struck its back with a palm.

"Bang!" Chen Feng felt like he'd hit a thick tire.

The struck Orc Warrior stumbled forward a few steps, then turned around as if unharmed, roaring and charging again.