The Human Heart Is Hard to Predict

Ultimately, this guy was just a player. And after all, this was a real world. In the game, taking only 1 point of fire damage with no special effects would be like, "Oh, took 1 fire damage," a completely nonchalant feeling.

However, it was regrettable that this was the real world. 1 point of damage, if you really think about it, was akin to splashing lamp oil on your face and then setting yourself on fire. Though lamp oil didn't burn as intensely, so if you had to say, it would just hurt quite a bit.

Precisely because of this, even though it cost a hefty 15 gold coins – considering a regular dagger was only 2 gold, and even a fancy longsword was just 8 gold – <Lin Yun> spent 15 gold coins to buy this <Lantern Staff>, all for this very difference.

And now, the effect was showing.

Next, what needed to be said was... In the world of <Dungeons & Dragons>, the base life points for a commoner were 6. With Constitution modifiers, this could increase by a few points. If one had poor Constitution, well, think of a sickly person.

These so-called life points didn't mean you died when they reached zero. No, it was subtly different from typical games. When these life points were depleted, you would only enter a near-death state. In real-world terms, it was more like collapsing on the ground from excessive blood loss.

Of course, if no one rescued them, they would eventually die. If someone could save them, they could naturally be revived, or even woken up directly.

And speaking of which, because <Priests> had a base of 8 life points, and <Lin Yun>'s Constitution was 18, granting him a +4 Constitution modifier, <Lin Yun>'s life points were 12. This was something to be thankful for; at least he was more durable.

"What are you doing? We're saving you, and you're attacking us." Meanwhile, watching the player writhing on the ground in pain from the lamp oil flames on <Lin Yun>'s <Lantern Staff>, the <Female Fighter>, who should have been following <Lin Yun>, frowned and declared righteously.

But just then, <Lin Yun>'s brow furrowed behind his helmet. He suddenly strode forward and stomped his foot.

The player, who should have been screaming on the ground, screamed even louder. His foot landed on the player's sword-wielding wrist, accompanied by the sound of metal hitting the ground.

"Mr. <Silent>?" As the <Female Fighter> looked on in confusion.

<Lin Yun> spoke in a low, grim voice, "Stop the nonsense and prepare for battle." With that, he forcefully kicked the player's head with his booted foot and quickly turned around.

"D20+2+2+4=26, Hit." Attacking a downed creature grants an additional 4 to hit.

"1+2=3." He wasn't a monk, so normally, attacks made solely with his body would deal 1 damage, plus Strength at most.

Turning his head, he was met by a horde of charging <Goblins>.

<Lin Yun> raised his shield. Peering over the edge of the shield, he saw the <Goblins>, armed with small knives, stone axes, and small stone spears, rushing towards <Lin Yun> and the others with chattering noises.

Because of the <Lantern Staff>, its illumination range was similar to a regular oil lamp, reaching its limit at about 4.5 meters. The light would gradually diminish with distance, becoming invisible around 9 meters. However, due to the reflections and obstructions throughout the cave, by the time <Lin Yun> could see the <Goblins>, they were already within three meters of him. In game terms, they had closed the distance for a charge.

<Lin Yun> braced his shield, and his <Lantern Staff> extended like a spear from the edge of his heavy wooden shield. He thrust it towards the <Goblin> at the very front, who was wielding what, for a <Goblin>, was a stone spear.

Reality was not a turn-based game; both sides' actions were almost simultaneous.

The <Goblin> on the opposite side thrust its spear in the direction of <Lin Yun>'s shield.

"D20+4=13, Hit."

Perhaps because <Goblins> were more adept at combat than "adventurers" like <Lin Yun>, the <Goblin>'s spear strike landed before <Lin Yun>'s staff. It seemed to have pierced through his shield when <Lin Yun> extended his hand, hitting the unprotected part of his hand.

This was quite mysterious. Although <Lin Yun> was wearing steel gauntlets that came with the <Scale Armor>, he only had gloves, not vambraces. Thus, the spear had indeed struck his arm.

<Lin Yun>'s hand trembled, almost dropping the <Lantern Staff>. Fortunately, he managed to thrust it forward, intentionally aiming for the <Goblin>'s head. Well, since <Goblins> were short, it was conveniently at a height <Lin Yun> could easily reach.

Originally, upon seeing <Lin Yun>'s attack, the <Goblin> would have dodged its head. But it seemed that upon feeling its spear hit <Lin Yun>, a sinister grin flickered across the <Goblin>'s face. Its dodging motion faltered for a moment, and it was precisely at that moment that <Lin Yun>'s <Lantern Staff> struck its head.

"D6+2+1=7"

As the <Lantern Staff> hit the <Goblin>'s head, the lamp oil on it splashed onto the <Goblin>, causing it to frantically cover its head and shriek. It then instantly slumped, falling to the ground.

<Lin Yun>'s brow rose behind his helmet. He hadn't expected a one-hit kill. Although he remembered <Goblins> didn't have high HP, this was the real world, and under certain special circumstances, this <Goblin> might have been tougher. He hadn't expected it to be dealt with so quickly.

Seeing its companion suddenly fall to the ground, seemingly with only a breath left, the charging <Goblins> began to hesitate. However, it was only for a moment before they continued their charge towards <Lin Yun>. But clearly, their initial ferocity had waned.

Seeing the somewhat diminished momentum of the <Goblins>, <Lin Yun> breathed a slight sigh of relief. If he remembered correctly, charging also came with a +2 bonus to hit.

But before <Lin Yun> could fully relax, he felt a tingling in his hand, followed by numbness, which startled him. However, it was brief.

"D20+4+2+1=19, Save successful." Having learned about poisons and resistance from a <Thief> master, <Lin Yun> possessed a certain resistance to less potent toxins. Besides his own Constitution modifier, he could add his proficiency bonus to poison resistance. And not only that, as a sub-domain of the Protection Domain, <Lin Yun> could also gain the power granted by the Protection Domain, providing a +1 resistance bonus to all saving throws.

However, this made <Lin Yun> even more cautious. The damage from that previous <Goblin>, though it dealt a surprisingly minimal 1 point, had taken a toll. <Lin Yun> only had 12 life points in total, and there was more than one <Goblin> here.

"Mr. <Silent>, are you alright?" The <Priestess>, seeing <Lin Yun> seemingly injured, instinctively asked.

At this moment, compared to the <Priestess>, who could only show concern for now.

The <Magician> reacted. Although a bit nervous, causing her to be a beat slow, especially after the player who attacked <Lin Yun> was knocked down by <Lin Yun>'s staff, she finally snapped out of it. After <Lin Yun> was hit, she held her <Wand>.

It was a <Wand> with a brightly colored ruby as its tip. She placed one hand on the <Wand>, closed her eyes nervously, trying to concentrate, and muttered, "Cast... Cast arrow, ignite arrow, Flame Arrow." Ah, it seemed she almost forgot the incantation due to nervousness.

But she managed to cast it. A burst of flames erupted from the <Wand>, transforming into a ball of fire that shot towards a <Goblin> wielding a stone axe, which was preparing to attack <Lin Yun>.

"Waaah." Completely caught off guard, its attention solely on <Lin Yun>, the <Goblin>... didn't get hit by the <Flame Arrow>. However, it seemed startled by the <Flame Arrow>, and in its carelessness, its stone axe struck <Lin Yun>'s <Scale Armor> beneath his cloak, producing a metallic clang. Well, our side failed to penetrate the enemy's armor. JPG.