First arrival

[Character generation complete...]

[Loading game...]

[Welcome to "Great Rivers and Lakes"...]

A mechanical electronic voice sounded in his ears.

Cao Jinxing brimmed with anticipation.

Great Rivers and Lakes was the latest full-immersion online game from Deep Blue Games. Ten years in development, it aimed to create the most realistic, most dazzling martial arts game ever.

Its setting was the Jiajing era of the Great Ming.

At the time, the Yan faction and the reformists fought for dominance at court, foreign tribes invaded the northwestern borders, and Japanese pirates wreaked havoc in the southeast. Beyond the court, the major martial sects battled openly and in secret, while the Demon Cult seized the chance to rise.

Players enjoyed immense freedom. They could join all sorts of factions and experience different stories in the martial world.

When the game launched, fifty million gaming helmets sold out within half an hour.

The latest preorders would not be filled for another three months-a testament to its overwhelming popularity.

Cao Jinxing had been lucky enough to snag a helmet. Luckier still, he had rolled an outstanding character template.

Starting characters in Great Rivers and Lakes had six attributes: strength, comprehension, agility, constitution, appearance, and fortune.

Each attribute had a maximum of 50 points, allocated randomly by the system.

Cao Jinxing's character had maxed-out comprehension, agility, and constitution. His strength and appearance were both above 45. Only his fortune was abysmally low, at less than 10.

But fortune merely affected the chances of encountering reclusive NPCs and rare treasures, helping players acquire hidden martial arts. It did not interfere with joining a master and learning normally.

"Even if I can't learn hidden martial arts or find rare treasures, this one-in-ten-thousand genius template will let me stand above the competition, no matter which sect I join!"

Cao Jinxing was raring to go.

He could hardly wait!

Soon, his awareness returned.

Cao Jinxing heard a hubbub of voices. He guessed he had spawned in a beginner town. Next came finding a master, learning martial arts, and becoming an unrivaled hero!

Crack!

Suddenly, a whip lashed viciously across his body, shattering his beautiful dream.

The excruciating pain made Cao Jinxing open his eyes and yell, "Fuck! This pain feels way too real! I clearly turned it down-"

The rest of his words died in his throat.

He discovered that he was tied to a pillar. A lackey who looked like a mountain bandit stood before him, swinging a whip viciously and cursing:

"Imperial lapdog! You've still got the nerve to curse!"

As he spoke, another lash struck Cao Jinxing's chest, tearing his skin and leaving a bloody welt.

He sucked in a sharp breath!

Cao Jinxing went deathly pale with pain, cold sweat pouring down his body. Something was wrong! This was no beginner town-it looked more like a bandit den!

Was this really a possible starting scenario?

The game had to be bugged!

"Exit game!"

The system did not respond.

Panic surged through Cao Jinxing. Just then, a terrible pain exploded in his head, and another person's memories flooded his mind.

"Cao Jinxing... General Banner in the Embroidered Uniform Guard... bandit suppression mission..."

Once he had processed those memories, his jaw dropped. He was so utterly stunned that he no longer even felt the whip striking him.

I... transmigrated?

I ended up inside the game, as a cannon-fodder NPC?!

This body's owner was also named Cao Jinxing, a twenty-year-old General Banner in the Northern Pacification Office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Positions in the Ming dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard were hereditary. Though he held the rank of General Banner, he had merely inherited the office from his father. Neither his martial skills nor his influence merited the position.

Half a month earlier, his superiors had assigned him a bandit suppression mission: find a way to infiltrate the Crouching Tiger Gang on Crouching Tiger Mountain in Binzhou and gather intelligence.

Crouching Tiger Mountain was extraordinarily precipitous. Its eastern, western, and southern sides bordered sheer cliffs thousands of feet high, impassable even to winged creatures.

The only path up lay to the north, but it was riddled with traps and heavily guarded.

One man could hold it against ten thousand!

The terrain was as easy to defend and difficult to assault as it could possibly be. Several punitive expeditions by government troops had ended in ambushes, grievous casualties, and crushing retreats.

The prefect of Binzhou had submitted a memorial requesting aid from the Pacification Commission.

Yet even the experts of the Northern Pacification Office found this situation a severe headache.

Not only did the Crouching Tiger Gang possess every geographical advantage, but its three chiefs were also renowned outlaw martial artists. All three stood at the peak of Houtian, just one step away from Xiantian!

Five hundred underlings guarded the stronghold as well. Inside and out, it was practically impregnable!

Someone had to infiltrate it and draw a map of its traps and defenses. Only then could experts bypass the traps, sneak up the mountain, and assassinate the three bandit chiefs, dismantling the Crouching Tiger Gang with minimal losses!

Unfortunately.

"Cao Jinxing" was that "minimal loss."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard generally assigned missions by drawing lots. Everyone knew this assignment offered almost no chance of survival. The others had paid off everyone they could to avoid it. Only this idiot had foolishly drawn the lot and thought himself incredibly lucky, determined to distinguish himself, earn glory, and protect the people from tyranny...

His stupidity nearly brought Cao Jinxing to tears.

Did you have no fucking idea how little you were worth?

The original owner's father had died young. He had no money, no influence, and no cultivation resources. His martial skills were mediocre.

Houtian had ten levels in total, and he was only at the fifth. He was barely stronger than the underlings. Compared with those three chiefs at the peak of the tenth level, he was utterly pathetic!

Any one of them could leave him half dead with a casual palm strike, yet he had still foolishly walked straight into their hands!

There were better ways to get yourself killed!

Cao Jinxing wanted to cry, but no tears came.

Great. Not only did the defense map never get delivered, but I got captured, and now I'm about to die... Why did I have to end up in this reckless idiot's body?

Fuck!

Despair consumed him.

"Chief! Let's cut out his heart to go with our wine!"

Suddenly, a cold, vicious voice rang out.

Cao Jinxing jolted.

After several more lashes, the lackey finally stopped to catch his breath. Cao Jinxing memorized his face, then looked toward the speaker.

He stood on a platform three feet high, bound to a stout pillar with iron chains, unable to move.

Below the platform was a sea of dark heads-all mountain bandits of the Crouching Tiger Gang, their eyes gleaming with menace.

Behind the bandits stood a thatched hall bearing a plaque that read "White Tiger Hall." Inside were three tiger-skin armchairs, occupied by three burly men.

The speaker was the first man from the right: the Crouching Tiger Gang's third chief, Wang Xuanying, known as the "Blade Demon."

According to the information he had, Wang Xuanying was a disciple of the Luoyang Golden Blade Gate, an exceptional saber fighter with a savage temperament.

"Chief, let's cut out his heart to go with our wine!"

Wang Xuanying slammed the table, his face vicious. "We need to show them what happens when they cross us! So what if he's from the Embroidered Uniform Guard? He'll die just the same!"

"No hurry."

In the middle sat the head chief, Yan Baihu. His powerful physique and bulging muscles made him look like a small mountain.

He was an expelled Shaolin disciple whose [Golden Bell Shield] had reached the ninth level. His body was like iron and steel, impervious to blades and spears.

He held a piece of white cloth and examined it closely. Drawn upon it was none other than a densely detailed map of Crouching Tiger Mountain's traps and defenses.

Ground spikes, animal traps, poisonous smoke, pits, mechanical crossbows, even small cannons and disorienting formations-all were marked.

"In just half a month, he uncovered almost all the traps and ambushes around our stronghold. The Embroidered Uniform Guard certainly has no shortage of talent. If our second chief hadn't been so observant, this really could have been troublesome."

Yan Baihu studied the map with interest.

In the chair on the left sat the second chief, Han Dang, a tall, thin man with sinister eyes. He possessed the Thieves' Gate's secret technique, Lightning Movement Step, and had exceptional lightness skills. He said:

"It was just a coincidence. I didn't pay him much attention at first, since his internal energy was so weak. I never expected the Embroidered Uniform Guard to actually send a youngster here to die... Still, this map has given us an opportunity."

"Exactly."

Yan Baihu laughed, a gleam flashing through his eyes. "The Embroidered Uniform Guard wants to take us by surprise, so we'll turn their own plan against them! Second Brother, I'll leave it to you."

"Understood."

Han Dang rose with a faint smile. A flash of lightning later, he had already passed through the crowd and reached the platform. Standing before Cao Jinxing, he seized him by the throat and said amiably, "Young fellow, I'd like to discuss something with you..."

Cao Jinxing turned deathly pale, as though terrified by his ghostlike speed.

Han Dang felt pleased with himself. Lightning Movement Step was a secret art of the Thieves' Gate, unmatched in the martial world.

In truth, however, that was not what had shocked Cao Jinxing at all. His expression had changed because of something bizarre-

The moment Han Dang used his lightness skill, Cao Jinxing suddenly discovered that he could actually see that lightning-fast instant clearly!

His eyes were like camera lenses, capturing every one of Han Dang's movements with perfect clarity, frame by frame!

Instinctively, he repeatedly reviewed and analyzed the details of Han Dang's lightness skill in his mind, including his breathing, minute movements, and footwork. Combining those observations with his own foundation in martial arts, he reverse-engineered the essentials of the technique...

The entire process came as naturally as eating and drinking.

With a single glance, he had seen through Lightning Movement Step and learned it effortlessly!

This... this...!

What terrifying powers of observation! What terrifying comprehension!

Even Cao Jinxing himself was stunned!

That brief instant of mental overexertion was what had drained his face of color and left him dizzy.

That reckless idiot never had this ability! It must be because of my character. Did it come here with me...? Cao Jinxing slowly recovered, a flicker of hope rising in his heart. At least there's still a way out...

Han Dang was still rambling in his ear.

Cao Jinxing took a deep breath, suppressed his delight, and forced a smile onto his face. Looking utterly sycophantic, he said, "I'm sorry. Your peerless lightness skill stunned me, and I didn't catch what you said. Could you repeat it?"

"..."

Han Dang's expression darkened. He exhaled heavily and repeated, "I said! I'd like to discuss something with you. Do us a small favor, and we'll give you a chance to live. How about it?"

"Deal."

"You'd better not fail to appreciate... huh?" Han Dang froze. "What did you say?"

"I said deal," Cao Jinxing replied. "I'm more afraid of dying than anything else, and I'm afraid of pain too. As long as you don't kill me or beat me, I'll do anything you want!"

"Uh..."

Han Dang was bewildered.

He had been ready to use the Tendon-Splitting Bone-Crushing Hand to force Cao Jinxing to comply. He had never expected this hard nut to suddenly go soft... What was going on? Hadn't he been ready to die rather than submit just a moment ago?

The bandits below were dumbfounded too.

Yan Baihu and Wang Xuanying wore amused expressions.

Cao Jinxing sighed. "I've just suddenly realized a few things, and it doesn't seem worth it... The three of you possess unrivaled martial skills. With my meager abilities, snooping around right under your noses was practically suicide! Yet they still sent me here to die... Even if I somehow succeeded, a lowly General Banner like me wouldn't get the credit. So why should I risk my life to help them get rich and promoted?"

Han Dang raised an eyebrow. The explanation made sense.

In fact, his current behavior was only natural. Anyone who accepted such a mission gladly was showing utter contempt for the three of them.

The problem was that he had been stubbornly resisting just moments before. The change was too abrupt. Something had to be behind it.

Could he be stalling for time...?

Han Dang's thoughts raced.

Even if he was, it did not matter. A fifth-level Houtian weakling could never escape his grasp!

"A wise man knows when to yield."

Han Dang smiled and patted his shoulder. "It's only a small favor. We want you to redraw the map, alter a few trap markers, and deliver it to the Embroidered Uniform Guard..."

They were going to set a trap.

Cao Jinxing had already expected this. He nodded. "All right, I can draw it. But I hope the three chiefs will keep their promise afterward."

"A man's word cannot be taken back! However..." Han Dang changed tack, his expression growing even gentler. "Just to be safe, you'll have to endure a little discomfort, young fellow... Third Brother."

Wang Xuanying smiled sinisterly. With a slight curl of his fingers, he flicked something over. Han Dang caught it and held it before Cao Jinxing's eyes.

Once Cao Jinxing saw it clearly, his hair stood on end. It was a golden, silkworm-shaped poisonous insect curled into a ball-and it was still wriggling!

"This is a Heart-Piercing Poison Insect from the Five Poisons Cult."

Han Dang's face was gentle, but his words were horrifying. "Don't take offense, young fellow. As long as you obey, we'll certainly kill the insect for you. For now, you'll have to endure it." Without allowing any argument, he stuffed the insect into Cao Jinxing's mouth and forced him to swallow.

Fuck!

With the poisonous insect in his stomach, Cao Jinxing tried to vomit but could not. Sick with disgust, he cursed eighteen generations of Han Dang's ancestors in his mind!

Just you wait!

You fucking wait!!!

Fury blazed in his heart. He wanted to chop Han Dang into pieces and feed him to the dogs, but outwardly he remained obedient.

Han Dang was very satisfied with his compliance.

"Someone, untie him and fetch a brush and ink..."

He extended a hand, his expression hovering between a smile and a sneer. "After you, General Banner."