The Third Batch of Newbies

"Is the cost of robbery this high in this world?"

Lin Qi couldn't help but gasp after hearing Xia Ling's quote.

He had known that shielding equipment was expensive, but he hadn't expected it to be this expensive.

The most basic shielding equipment cost two hundred thousand Bits. If he were to grow Blood Essence Rice, he wouldn't be able to afford it in less than half a year. A kilometer of shielding equipment was practically useless; ordinary people could run out of the range in minutes. He needed at least three kilometers.

Five hundred thousand Bits!

This price was something ordinary people could never even dream of in their lifetime.

That's right, ordinary people, no matter how hard they worked their entire lives, wouldn't even qualify to become robbers…

"Give me three kilometers of shielding equipment. Oh, and a used simple copier."

"A copier? Alright, I'll have someone prepare it. The simple copier is free. Do you need anything else? We at the Phosphor Fire Trading Market, I dare say, have more goods in the suburbs than most other trading markets."

"Nothing for now. If I need anything next time, I'll come back."

"In that case, will the thirty-six thousand Bits be settled in cash?"

"Yes, all cash. It feels more secure this way."

Seeing that Lin Qi really didn't need anything else, Xia Ling could only helplessly clap her hands, signaling the Half-Scale Race guard at the door to prepare the shielding equipment and the cash.

Before long, the Half-Scale Race guard, clad in A6 Battle Armor, arrived carrying two metal boxes, one large and one small. Lin Qi had Fang Zhen and the others move these boxes onto the Big Three-Wheeler, showing no intention of lingering at the trading market.

As Lin Qi drove the Big Three-Wheeler away from the Phosphor Fire Trading Market, Xia Ling, standing at the market entrance, watched Lin Qi and his companions depart. A sleek black tail tapped the ground.

"Miss, these people are quite weak. The strongest among them is still several years away from being a Quasi-Martial Artist," a very old Half-Scale Race guard reported in a low voice, holding a testing device. "I've also never seen their attire before. They are likely a newly formed gang in the wilderness."

"Interesting, a small gang from the wilderness?" Xia Ling glanced at the large metal box behind her and sighed, "What a shame. It seems this is all their Crocodile Fang Rhinoceros meat."

"Miss, should I follow them? Since they're a small gang, they probably found the Crocodile Fang Rhinoceros carcass. They might still have some Crocodile Fang Rhinoceros meat to train their subordinates," the Half-Scale Race guard said respectfully.

"No need. There's no point offending a group of lunatics who have been living in the wild for a living for a bit of Crocodile Fang Rhinoceros meat," Xia Ling shook her head. "Besides, with this much Crocodile Fang Rhinoceros meat, it should be enough for me to break through and become a Quasi-Martial Artist."

"Congratulations, Miss! With this, you'll be able to dominate the entire third year of City of Light Chasing next semester!" The Half-Scale Race guard became even more respectful upon hearing this.

Xia Ling nodded, happily walking towards the large metal box.

"What flavor should I have today?"

Obsidian Martial Arts Hall. Night had fully fallen.

However, the underground basement of the martial arts hall was buzzing with excitement.

"Fang Zhen, you said the suburbs were like a futuristic city before, and I didn't quite believe you. Now I truly do," Fang Zhen said, excitedly recalling the scenes at the Phosphor Fire Market. "Those weapons! Those equipments! They were so cool! I wonder when we'll be able to buy them."

"Brother Zhen, that's not the main point, is it?" the Outlander Gunslinger said speechlessly. "Didn't I tell you before that we triggered a combat instance in the suburbs? A combat instance! And today, when we went to the trading market, you saw it yourself. The Dojo Master is clearly planning to make a move against the White Feather Gang."

"I really didn't expect the combat instance to come so soon. It seems the game's development progress really depends on the Dojo Master," Twilight of the Gods said with some regret. "I didn't prepare much this time. I've been digging tunnels like crazy and haven't been focusing on improving my breathing technique. My physical fitness is only just at the Quasi-Apprentice level. I don't know if I'll be able to take on the mission."

"You probably can. Judging by this mission, the enemy should have quite a few people. They won't just send a few individuals," Fang Zhen analyzed. "Besides, didn't they specifically add twenty slots for this mission? These slots are likely meant to test the upcoming team instance battles. Otherwise, there's no need to create so many at once."

"I think so too," Peerless One Shot agreed, smiling. "Finally, some new players are coming. I won't be the weakest one anymore."

Currently, among the ten players, the first tier was undoubtedly occupied by Luo Wu Shang, Zhang Qingwei, and One Leaf Floating Cloud, all of whom had reached the Quasi-Martial Artist physical fitness level and had created martial arts techniques of four stages or higher.

The second tier consisted of Fang Zhen, who had begun the Star Explosion Meditation Technique, coupled with Quasi-Martial Artist physical fitness, making him far superior to players who hadn't even started the Star Explosion Meditation Technique.

The third tier included those like them, whose physical fitness had reached the Quasi-Martial Artist level but hadn't created any formidable martial arts techniques or started any meditation techniques.

The three people following One Leaf Floating Cloud were clearly casual players. While their strength wasn't weak, their reaction and combat abilities were noticeably inferior compared to professional players like them, but fundamentally, they were all in the third tier.

"I wonder if there are any promising newcomers this time," Fang Zhen said, looking expectantly towards the underground confinement room. "If our team could recruit a few promising newcomers, we might be able to catch up to Luo Wu Shang's team."

Currently, Luo Wu Shang's team was the strongest among the three teams, with two top-tier experts. Other teams couldn't compete with them.

As Fang Zhen and the other veterans were chatting, an official announcement from High Martial Descent was broadcasted to the outside world.

"The slots for this time have been distributed. The next distribution of slots will be announced immediately through a notification."

"That's it? Where's my slot? Why can't I find it?"

"All gone? What's going on? I just got off work, what did I miss?"

"Does anyone have a slot they're willing to share? I'm willing to pay a hundred thousand. Leveling up for 24 hours will definitely put me ahead of others!"

"This guy is amazing, grinding for 24 hours on one account. Too bad the game developers anticipated this. It seems that because the account is bound by brainwaves, others can't log in."

"Hahaha! I got it! I got it! Just envy me!"

"Damn! Another one's gone crazy."

The official comment section was once again ignited by the system announcement, filled with resentment from players who hadn't received a slot.

Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, underground confinement room.

"Roar! This technology! How did they achieve this virtual engine!"

"Holy crap! Is this game real? Am I dreaming?"

"This wall is really sturdy! It can withstand twenty years of my internal energy with this punch!"

"The texture of this metal feels just like what I touched in reality. And the dust on the ground, each grain is so clear. What kind of resolution did they use?"

The newly awakened players, one after another, were filled with curiosity about everything in the confinement room. Some of them did foolish things, making the older players standing outside feel embarrassed.

"This batch of newcomers doesn't seem too promising," Twilight of the Gods murmured, looking at the seemingly abnormal rookies. He worried about whether they could recruit enough people later.

"Fang Zhen!"

As a shout came from the confinement room, Fang Zhen immediately looked at the man who had exclaimed.

"Captain Li? Why are you here?" Fang Zhen asked, his surprise evident as he saw the familiar figure.

He recalled that almost 100,000 people had purchased High Martial Descent, yet not a single one had passed the test. This meant that anyone who got in had been chosen purely by luck.

A two-in-ten-thousand chance!

What kind of luck was that!

Just as Fang Zhen was marveling at Li Ranxing's luck, a figure walked out from the staircase. Clad in a black martial robe with a resolute gaze, he entered casually, yet all the elders present spontaneously made way for him.

The other rookies, seeing this, also stopped their strange activities and all turned to look at the approaching man.

Although the new rookies didn't know much about High Martial Descent, they had learned from Fang Zhen's livestream that the man before them was Lin Qi, the Dojo Master of the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall.

He was an NPC who could control player permissions. If they managed to displease this NPC, they could be expelled from the martial arts hall in minutes. Then they wouldn't be able to play anymore, and would have to watch others happily dig holes like before, which would be agonizing.

"It's finally time for the test. It was worth buying a shovel online and practicing at home every day."

"You newbies are all going to lose. I'll definitely be the first among the newcomers this time. To learn digging better, I've studied a lot of materials online, and even went to the park to try it out."

"What's that compared to me? When I saw that the first stage of this game was digging, I dug a two-story basement in my own home."

Looking at Lin Qi, many of the new rookies were filled with confidence about the test Lin Qi was about to announce.

"Newcomers! Welcome to the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall. I am your Dojo Master, Lin Qi. According to the rules, if you wish to become glorious disciples of the martial arts hall, you must prove yourselves."

Lin Qi looked at the restless newcomers with great satisfaction. This batch of newcomers were all young and full of fighting spirit, clearly prepared to be qualified leeks.

"On the table, there is a registration book. Write down your names and ages, then go over there to pick out a beloved little shovel. Turn right out the door and go upstairs to the training grounds. The treasure of our hall, the Soul Shocking Breathing Technique, has already been prepared for you. You need to achieve basic proficiency within twelve hours."

"The person with the highest proficiency within twelve hours will receive another treasure of our hall, the Star Explosion Meditation Technique. I hope you won't disappoint me. You may begin now!"

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