A Big Gamble

[Fate seems to favor you, but in truth, its trials are outrageously numerous. Even with a decent store of knowledge, you would struggle to handle all the changes.]

[Fate gives you a hint.]

[Fate Hint 1: The Longevity Family's reserves are beyond your reckoning. Just now, the Longevity Family player you killed received aid from her family and is about to soar. You have only six hours left! Once she finishes using her new resources, you will struggle to kill her even with a two-star rare class. So perhaps you could consider taking a big gamble: charge into Little Bird Town and kill her again before the town guards can react.]

[Fate Hint 2: If you lack mental fortitude, you could consider buying a dog leash, slipping it around your neck, and kneeling before that girl to beg for forgiveness. Given her twisted nature, cold to the bone, you are guaranteed to become a domesticated dog.]

Night had only just fallen when Zhou Heng received the Fate Hints.

"She's only getting her resources now?"

Zhou Heng's gaze sharpened slightly in puzzlement.

According to what he had learned in school, the Longevity Family's resource deliveries would all be completed between the second and third days. They should never have been delayed until now.

He had thought the ultra-long-range archer class was the resource her family had given her. Now it seemed he had gotten lucky, killing her before she received her family's resources.

"But why was it delayed until today?" Zhou Heng murmured to himself.

This was already the fourth night since their batch of players had logged into the world of Boundless Endless. With the Longevity Family's reserves, there should have been no reason for the resources to arrive in Little Bird Town so late, even if this was a frontier region.

Suddenly, Zhou Heng recalled the exchange price that had skyrocketed to a hundred thousand copper coins, and a vague suspicion formed.

According to the expansion's progress, Gilded Years was currently at 100%.

As the saying went, prosperity gave way to decline. After Gilded Years came the empire's decline.

So had a major problem arisen in the Sakas Empire, affecting even a force like the Longevity Family, which had existed for ten thousand years?

At that possibility, a sharp gleam flashed through Zhou Heng's eyes.

The most dangerous era was the best era.

This meant that the opportunity for ordinary people like them to rise had come.

Especially for him, with his Unique-Level Talent, "Fate Hint." As long as he handled things properly, he could absolutely develop rapidly under the Longevity Family's oppression.

"Looks like I'll have to kill you again!"

Recalling the girl from the Longevity Family looking down her nose at him with her head held high, Zhou Heng could not help curling his lips into a cold smile.

He very much looked forward to seeing her expression when they met again.

After a whole day of grinding monsters, Zhou Heng had reached level 10, with 50/100,000 EXP.

All his randomly assigned attribute points had gone into attack. He did not know whether this counted as an extreme form of luck.

From level 4 to level 10, six full levels had given him a total of 6 base attack.

Including the class's additional 150% attribute bonus, Zhou Heng had gained a total of 15 attack over those six levels.

In other words, with the Great Sun Divine Bow equipped, Zhou Heng's physical attack reached 68.5-137.

Meanwhile, his haul from killing Wind Sheep was also considerable, mainly because he ground monsters at lightning speed.

One skill book.

Copper coins: 1,000

Bronze leather armor ×3

Bronze bracers ×6

Bronze trousers ×1

Bronze shoes ×7

Bronze leather armor

Level: 5

Quality: Common

Armor +2

Movement speed -0.1 m/s

Durability: 100/100

Bronze bracers

Level: 5

Quality: Common

Armor +1

Durability: 100/100

Bronze trousers

Level: 5

Quality: Common

Armor +2

Movement speed -0.1 m/s

Durability: 100/100

Bronze shoes

Level: 5

Quality: Common

Armor +1

Movement speed -0.1 m/s

Durability: 100/100

Bronze armor really was made of bronze.

Wearing the four-piece set reduced Zhou Heng's movement speed by a full 0.3 m/s, but the upside was a greater increase in armor, giving him a full 6 points.

With that much armor, those with poor equipment would not even be able to break through his defense.

After packing up his resources, Zhou Heng got up and returned to town.

"Buddy, take a look at this bronze longsword. Attack +6, absolutely god-tier gear for the early game. Make me an offer."

"Buying small healing potions. I'll take as many as you've got."

"Buddy, need someone to help you level? I'm already level 7. I can definitely carry you."

Players had already set up stalls along both sides of Little Bird Town's streets and begun doing business to earn money.

Zhou Heng stopped before one stall and crouched down to examine its wares.

A flute and a statue.

Elegant Ancient Flute

Quality: Common

This is an elegant ancient flute that seems to hold an unknown secret.

Deepwater Flood Dragon

Quality: Common

This is a statue carved in the likeness of a Deepwater Flood Dragon. It seems to hold an unknown secret.

At first glance, they seemed like quite decent items, perhaps even hiding certain secrets.

But anyone who had paid attention in school knew that the information obtained from appraising an item was not necessarily true.

Because if an item had been deliberately manufactured by someone, these descriptions could be edited at will.

The textbook had given an example: a wealthy, high-level player had taken a fancy to a giant statue radiating golden light. According to its appraisal information, it concerned a secret of the expansion "The Ancient Years," so he had bought it without hesitation. Three years later, it turned out that the statue was a fake made by a professional "Forgery Master," and for a time, he had become a laughingstock to countless people.

"Well, young fellow? Want to buy them?"

"These are rare treasures. Who knows, you might even uncover the secrets they hold."

The stall owner was a middle-aged man whose body gave off a faint glow. Clearly, his real body was not here.

Zhou Heng remembered that Forgery Masters all had certain special skills, such as creating clones and treasure hunting.

The one before him was probably a Forgery Master sent to Little Bird Town by a Forgery Master to rake in money.

"Sir, I..."

Zhou Heng was just about to ask about the Longevity Family and see whether he could obtain any news about the girl, but before he could get the words out, Fate Hints suddenly appeared on his retinas.

[You have encountered an incomparably powerful Forgery Master. He is about to complete his advancement from level 100 to Legendary. Unfortunately, he has met you.]

[Fate gives you a hint.]

[Fate Hint 1: As a powerful Forgery Master, his advancement achievement is to swindle 10,000 new players. This should have been a time-consuming trial, but you keenly notice that the "Elegant Ancient Flute," which looks as fake as fake can be, is genuine. Buy it and change your fate.]

[Fate Hint 2: Ignore this matter and play the nice guy for once, helping him complete his advancement achievement from level 100 to level 101.]

Zhou Heng raised his eyebrows and looked at the middle-aged stall owner in some surprise.

He had not expected this Forgery Master to have already reached the threshold of Legendary.

Legendary was the rank that required a breakthrough after reaching level 100 and maxing out EXP.

Before level 100, players all had roughly similar lifespans, with little difference between them: around 120-180 years.

But if they broke through to Legendary, their lifespans would increase dramatically. Rumor had it that even the weakest Legendary had a lifespan of 400 years.