Return, Naval Combat Elite (Part 2 of 2)

"You have obtained 4 Superior Psionic Crystal."

"You have obtained Refined Samurai Katana."

The remaining two draws didn't yield anything good. Although an equipment item appeared, the "Refined Samurai Katana" was only a Blue Quality weapon.

In terms of attack power, the base attack power of the Refined Samurai Katana and Li Shuyi's off-hand weapon, the "Refined Thrust Sword," is about the same. Therefore, Li Shuyi does not need to change her off-hand weapon, since the Refined Thrust Sword's +4 enhancement effect is to add bleeding on Critical Hit, which is a relatively rare and good special effect.

The other four Superior Psionic Crystal, which appeared once before, can be placed in the enhancement slot when enhancing equipment for auxiliary enhancement, with a success rate bonus equivalent to that of a matching blue equipment.

No one can ever have too much of this.

"It's a bit of a pity. If we hadn't stolen Matsuura Shin Kuro's katana, we might have been able to get his treasured sword, which would definitely be a Gold Equipment," Bai Xiaowen said.

Li Shuyi laughed and said, "Don't be so greedy... Even without this method, Matsuura Shin Kuro wouldn't leave the island. Besides, if we fight underwater with his treasured sword, it's uncertain whether I could defeat him."

Bai Xiaowen nodded. Killing Matsuura Shin Kuro and stealing his treasured sword in advance should be considered a deduction from the Spirit Realm Rules, so the final spoils were slightly reduced, and the golden samurai sword became a blue samurai sword.

However, having completed the Search for the Sword quest and obtained the Cloud-Cluster Sword, Bai Xiaowen had already achieved his biggest goal. With less than a day left, it wasn't enough time to discover and complete any additional side quests. After discussing it with Li Shuyi, Bai Xiaowen decided to return home.

Of course, before returning, Bai Xiaowen waited for a while and met the legendary Hero Tier, Qi Jiguang.

Qi Jiguang had already bound all the demoralized Wokou Pirates and put them in the hold for safekeeping. After finishing all this, Qi Jiguang came over to meet Bai Xiaowen and praised Bai Xiaowen for his meritorious service in this battle.

Bai Xiaowen had already obtained everything he asked for, so what use was there for these merits? He cupped his hands and said, "This is all thanks to the wise command of the adjutant general, as well as the bravery of the three captains Zhang Ting and the two hundred soldiers. How could I dare to take credit?"

Qi Jiguang was somewhat surprised. After probing a few more times and seeing Bai Xiaowen's resolute attitude and unwillingness to accept credit, he was quite impressed.

"Master Bai is a true Daoist Gate master; I admire him."

Bai Xiaowen received a notification from the Spirit Realm Rules that his Affection Level with Qi Jiguang had reached the level of acquaintances.

"General Qi, the main credit for killing True Wokou Shin Kuro is naturally yours. However, the three captains, Zhang Ting and the other two, as well as the two hundred personal guards who supported me from the governor, also contributed. I hope that when you submit your report, General Qi, you will not forget to include them in your report."

Qi Jiguang nodded and smiled, "That's only right. Even if Master Bai hadn't said so, I would have done the same."

Bai Xiaowen was relatively at ease. The two hundred personal guards were Hu Zongxian's men, and Qi Jiguang was one of Hu Zongxian's deputies. When he reported his achievements, out of respect for Hu Zongxian, he wouldn't embezzle the credit of his superior's personal guards.

As for Zhang Ting and the other two, they were Yu Dayou's personal guards. Bai Xiaowen had also learned that Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang often sparred in martial arts in their spare time and had a very good relationship, so there was no need to worry about that.

"What does General Qi intend to do with these True Wokou?" Bai Xiaowen asked again.

Qi Jiguang laughed and said, "Of course we should capture them and report to the capital, asking His Majesty and the court officials to make a decision."

"How would the imperial court usually handle that?"

Qi Jiguang thought for a moment and said, "Although I dare not make a rash judgment, there have been precedents. The captured True Wokou leaders and chiefs were all executed in accordance with the law, while the True Wokou servants who surrendered were tortured and exiled."

Bai Xiaowen laughed and said, "Don't the officials of the court know anything about military matters? Even if they are True Wokou traitors, they should be exterminated to at least prevent them from committing evil again. Tattooing is merely leaving a mark on the Wokou Pirates; it doesn't prevent them from returning to their old ways."

Qi Jiguang shook his head and said, "This time we captured nearly two thousand True Wokou. If we kill them all, it would be too Brutality and might invite impeachment from the Censorate."

Bai Xiaowen, however, understood Qi Jiguang's thoughts.

On the one hand, Qi Jiguang did not want to massacre surrendered soldiers on a large scale, causing unnecessary trouble. On the other hand, capturing two thousand people was far more valuable than Decapitation two thousand.

There are also specific rules for the report of merit by border generals.

The phrase "defeated two thousand True Wokou" carries the least weight in a report of merit. It merely states that a group of Wokou Pirates was defeated. Whether they were True Wokou or actually numbered two thousand is hard to say, as it cannot be verified.

"Two thousand True Wokou soldiers were killed." The word "killed" carries more weight. Since the border general dared to write such a sentence, no matter how much shady the actual battle results may be, at least two thousand heads cannot be missing. This is called having solid evidence.

However, there may be something fishy about the word beheading. For example, among the beheaded heads, did they use fake Japanese heads and shaved off a bald bun to pretend to be real Japanese? What's more, were there any who killed good people and took credit for their merits?

"Two thousand True Wokou prisoners captured"—the word "captured" carries the highest weight, and in the eyes of the emperor and the Grand Secretariat, it carries the highest credibility and the least exaggeration. Two thousand living, True Wokou prisoners are tied up in the camp. Don't believe it? Come and see for yourself. Find a few interpreters who understand the foreign language, and you'll know the truth in no time.

Therefore, when the imperial court commended military achievements, the third type of memorial would naturally be highly praised, while the first two types would be discounted according to their degree.

After understanding Qi Jiguang's thoughts, Bai Xiaowen did not continue to persuade them to kill the True Wokou, but instead offered a suggestion:

"General Qi, these True Wokou pirates have ravaged the people of Jiangnan with their heinous crimes. If the court does not punish them severely, wouldn't it discourage our meritorious soldiers? Of course, General Qi, there is no need for you to risk killing those who surrender..."

Qi Jiguang breathed a slight sigh of relief. As long as he wasn't forced to kill surrendered soldiers, everything was fine. He quickly asked, "What good plan does Master Bai have?"

Bai Xiaowen laughed and said, "The imperial court needs to conscript laborers in many places, such as managing the Yellow River and dredging the Great Ming to serve, it would be better to let these Wokou Pirates prisoners do it. It can be considered that they use the rest of their lives to cleanse themselves of the sins of the first half of their lives."

After a pause, Bai Xiaowen continued, "Even if we don't use them to manage the river, we can still enlist these Wokou Pirates in the army. The external threat from the Tatar Horde in the north has not yet been quelled. We can incorporate True Wokou prisoners into the suicide squads and drive them to fight the Tatars to the death, which will save the bloodshed of our Great Ming soldiers."

Qi Jiguang thought for a moment and said, "Master Bai's method is indeed very good, but I am not sure whether the court will agree to it."

"It would be enough if General Qi mentioned a suggestion or two in his memorial. We will do our best and leave the rest to fate. If the Grand Secretariat ministers are ashamed to speak of profit and reject this suggestion, then so be it." Bai Xiaowen talked about the resettlement of the Wokou Pirates prisoners. He was not seeking any benefit for himself, but simply wanted to do his part for the Ming Dynasty in this world.

Qi Jiguang nodded in agreement.

"Alright, the matter of the Wokou Pirates can be considered settled. General Qi, I'll take my leave," Bai Xiaowen said.

Qi Jiguang was slightly taken aback. "Why did Master Bai leave in such a hurry? At least let the warships take you ashore. You've given me such a great achievement, so I should at least host a banquet to show my hospitality."

"No need. As a cultivator, fame and fortune are all fleeting. Home is where the heart finds peace." Bai Xiaowen smiled and waved goodbye to Zhang Ting and the others, then walked back to the cabin with Li Shuyi.

Qi Jiguang didn't understand what he meant. After a moment of surprise, he followed and pushed open the cabin door.

The cabin was completely empty; there wasn't a soul in sight.

Qi Jiguang asked in confusion, "Strange, where did Master Bai go?" He looked thoughtfully at the hatch. He clearly saw Bai Xiaowen and the other person push open the hatch and go inside, but how did they disappear without a trace after he followed them? It was as if the hatch was connected to another unseen world.

With the starlight twinkling and a slight feeling of weightlessness, Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi arrived at the level completion screen.

Scenes flashed by like a movie against the backdrop of the starry sky.

Upon first Jiajing Plane World, he killed Chen One-Eye, the second-in-command of the Wokou Pirates under Ye Mazi.

White Ghost Queen setting sail and defeating the Black Zombie King and the White Demon at Wusha Reef, [the game continues].

The Battle of Kinmen resulted in the annihilation of two major Wokou Pirates bosses.

The Penghu Islands were designed to lure and kill Shin Kuro, the True Wokou Boss Tier the Japanese pirates.

The final scene freezes on Li Shuyi thrusting her sword forward, taking away the last bit of Life Value from Matsuura Shin Kuro.

"Thank you for your hard work." Bai Xiaowen looked at Li Shuyi with some emotion.

Li Shuyi did indeed put in a lot of effort. During the few days she spent at sea in Ningbo, she was almost always in the sea, constantly practicing fighting in the underwater environment.

That's why Li Shuyi was able to defeat the level 7 Boss Tier Matsuura Shin Kuro with a level 5 Rare Elite template. Giving her the final frame on the completion screen is well-deserved.

"I'm not tired. You're the one who's been working so hard, thinking so much and planning so much." Li Shuyi held Bai Xiaowen's hand in return and gave her a sweet smile.

Spirit Realm Rules Message:

"Exploring Dimensions: The Jiajing Plane World"

Time taken: 9 days, 11 hours, 33 minutes, and 46 seconds.

"Scope: Fujian and Zhejiang Ming Dynasty Fujian."

"Based on the tasks you discovered and completed, and the evaluations you received, you have been awarded 13,085 Psionic Points. Your current total Psionic Points are 220,496."

"You have accumulated 2198 points of fame in the Jiajing Plane World. Your fame level in the Jiajing Plane World is B-Tier (Far-Famed)."

"You have earned a B-Tier title: Naval Combat Elite"

[Naval Combat Elite: In naval combat, all your attributes increase by 3. Your swimming speed increases by 10%.]

Li Shuyi's World Fame is over a thousand points, which just meets the threshold for B-Tier, and she also received the title of Naval Combat Elite.

This title is even more useful than the A-Tier title Bai Xiaowen obtained in the previous world. Before engaging in water battles, equipping this title in advance will grant a +3 to all attributes, which is almost equivalent to two pieces of Gold Equipment!

Of course, for many Awakened Ones, the real benefit of +3 to all attributes is only +3 to Constitution and +3 to one main combat attribute. For example, for Awakened Ones with a Strength-type specialization, the real benefit is +3 to Strength and +3 to Constitution; for Awakened Ones with Mental Specialty, the real benefit is +3 to Spirit and +3 to Constitution.

Therefore, in practical terms, this title is equivalent to increasing the effective attribute by 6 points in a naval battle environment.

But this is still better than a Gold Equipment. B-Tier title is still pretty powerful.

Bai Xiaowen pondered for a moment and realized that once his skills reached level 4 or higher and he could retain the level 4 effect without the Ultimate Academic Ace" title, the boost from the Ultimate Academic Ace" title wouldn't be as significant. In a water combat environment, he could consider switching to the "Naval Combat Elite" title.

It should be noted that there is a cooldown period for switching titles. After equipping a new title, you must wait a certain amount of time before you can change to another title. The higher the tier of the equipped title, the longer the cooldown period.

The two of them had a total of 220,000 Psionic Points points. These were not acquired in the Jiajing Plane World, but rather a huge sum of money they carried with them before entering the Jiajing Plane World. It was the profit that Bai Xiaowen earned from opening a shop in the Earth Virtual Hall. In essence, it was still considered a subsequent income from the Kane Plane.

With so many Psionic Points, the two of them naturally need to upgrade their equipment.

However, their trip to the Jiajing Plane World was relatively short, so the two of them didn't actually wear much of the equipment they acquired. Bai Xiaowen only gained a pair of Golden Tier Sharkskin Boots, while Li Shuyi only acquired a Void Ring.

As for the Cloud-Cluster Sword, it has already been devoured by the Kusanagi Sword Soul within Bai Xiaowen's body and is currently undergoing upgrades, so naturally it does not require further enhancement.

"Although we have plenty of Psionic Points, there's no need to upgrade recklessly. Before we have a 100% success rate, it's absolutely not allowed to upgrade our current equipment to +7," Bai Xiaowen said after thinking for a moment. "However, we can settle for second best and upgrade our weapons and clothes to +6 first. As for the two new Gold Equipment, we only need to upgrade them to +4."

If you fail to upgrade to +6, the maximum enhancement level of your equipment will be reset, but the equipment itself will remain, and your overall strength will not be significantly affected.

If you fail to upgrade to +7, your equipment will be completely destroyed, and your strength will be diminished.

Weapon and armor enhancements offer the greatest benefits. For Golden Tier weapons, each enhancement level increases attack power by 10%. And for Golden Tier armor, each enhancement level provides a 3% damage reduction!

Blue Gear requires fewer Psionic Points to enhance each time, but the enhancement effect is also slightly inferior. Blue weapons increase attack power by 6.7% per level of enhancement, while blue clothing only reduces damage by 2% per level of enhancement.

Li Shuyi nodded in agreement.

The two then began to enhance their weapons. After some tinkering, Bai Xiaowen's Desert Eagle pistol and Warlock's Robe, as well as Li Shuyi's secondary weapon, the Refined Thrust Sword and the Kendo Master's Robe, were all enhanced to +6.

The two of them spent a total of 60,000 Psionic Points to achieve this.

As the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and the upgrades to weapons and armor are definitely worthwhile. The Desert Eagle's bonus attack power has increased from the initial 6-14 points to 10-22. Considering Bai Xiaowen's current 22 points of strength, each shot theoretically deals 21-55 points of damage, which is quite high.

The Warlock's Robe's +6 enhancement brings the damage reduction effect to 18%. This is a pure damage reduction percentage after armor and magic resistance reduction, which is also very impressive.