Reached S Rank
Su Mu said, "There's only a week left until the college entrance exam, and my core card is only F-rank. If I don't hurry and build up my level and combat experience, it'll be hard to get a good ranking on the exam. I've already cleared three trial dungeons today, and I'd have nothing to do if I stayed in the city."
His aunt looked at him for a while.
There was worry in her eyes, along with something else.
She knew that Su Mu was far less indifferent about his "F-rank core card" than he appeared.
The boy had been calm since the moment he came through the door, but the calmer he was, the more clearly she saw just how much determination he was holding inside.
"All right."
His aunt lowered her head and picked up her needle and thread again. Her voice was soft. "Be careful. Remember, I'll be waiting for you at home."
"Don't worry." Su Mu smiled at her, then turned and left.
The bus ride from Peaceful Residence Garden to the West City Gate took nearly forty minutes.
Su Mu sat by the window, watching the city scenery rush past.
The farther west they went, the lower the buildings became, the wider the streets grew, and the fewer pedestrians there were.
Residential neighborhoods gradually disappeared, replaced by rows of massive fortifications and gray-green military buildings.
They reached the West City Gate.
As soon as Su Mu got off the bus, he was awestruck by the wall.
The city wall rose from the ground, over a hundred meters high, stretching out to either side as far as the eye could see.
Runes covered the wall in dense ranks. Pale blue light flowed slowly through their lines, like countless glowing blood vessels embedded in the gray-black stone.
Su Mu had only ever seen the city wall in textbooks and videos before.
Only when he stood beneath it did he truly feel its oppressive presence.
The wall towered above him as though half the heavens had collapsed, forcibly cutting the world inside the city off from the world beyond.
His gaze followed the runes.
He had read about the way they were arranged... city defense formations, repulsion barriers, a large-scale spatial distortion field, and, at their heart, the "dungeon anchoring domain."
The dungeon anchoring coordinates of numerous city defenders and dungeon masters were inscribed on the wall.
The moment a monster tried to approach the wall, it would be dragged into a defender's Dungeon Space.
And the wall's "guardians" were all professional dungeon masters of at least level thirty.
Su Mu tilted his head back slightly. As he watched the light flow through the runes, an indescribable feeling welled up in his heart.
This was the world of professionals.
People came and went across the square beneath the West City Gate.
Unlike the greenhorns at school, everyone here carried the air of someone who licked blood from the edge of a blade.
Dungeon masters of all kinds moved through the square. Some hurried along, while others gathered in groups and spoke in low voices.
Temporary stalls lined both sides of the square, their owners calling out loudly.
"Fresh F-rank goblin core materials! Just back from outside the city, selling cheap!"
"D-rank trap cards! Essential in the wilds, and the price is negotiable!"
"Buying all kinds of monster materials! Better prices for large quantities!"
"Forming a party for a wild nest! One support slot open, C-rank or above!"
Su Mu didn't stop.
He knew he lacked the judgment to assess the cards and materials traded outside the city. If he went bargain hunting here without knowing what he was doing, he'd most likely get fleeced.
And every cent he had was needed for something more important.
He crossed the square and entered the West City Gate Professional Service Hall.
The hall was even larger than he had imagined, with a soaring dome overhead and smooth gray-white stone tiles underfoot.
Several massive pillars supported the entire space, their surfaces likewise covered in glowing runes.
There weren't many people in the hall. Following the directions on the app, Su Mu found the self-service pickup area.
He scanned his face, verified his identity, and confirmed his order. In less than two minutes, a sealed box bearing the official store's logo slid out of the pickup slot.
He opened the box. Inside lay a pale yellow equipment card.
The card face was plain, depicting a small triangular yellow flag. Its field was blank, and its edges were slightly worn.
Its pole was made of dark wood and looked unremarkable.
Su Mu put the card into his Soul Space.
He didn't leave the city right away.
There were still a few things to do before heading into the wilds.
First, meditate. Finding a safe place to meditate outside the city would be almost impossible, so he had to restore his Soul Power for the day now. Missing it would be a waste, since the first recovery each day was the most effective.
Second, embed the equipment card in the dungeon.
Third, stock up on wilderness survival supplies.
Fourth, get a detailed map.
He looked around the general service area on the hall's second floor and first bought a terrain map of the area outside the West City Gate.
It was a digital copy, marked with the general terrain, monster activity zones, and recommended routes within fifty kilometers of the city wall.
Next, he went to the nearby supply counter and bought two fast-acting recovery potions, a pack of compressed rations, a wilderness light stick, and a small can of scent-masking spray.
Potions and rations were basic supplies, while scent-masking spray could save a life in the wilds, especially for low-level dungeon masters.
After finishing his shopping, Su Mu rented a meditation room in the hall.
Meditation rooms like this were standard facilities in professional service halls, provided for dungeon masters returning from outside the city to quickly recover their Soul Power.
The room was small, only five or six square meters. Talisman boards covered all four walls and the ceiling, blocking sound and souls to shield the room from outside interference as much as possible.
Su Mu closed the door and sat down cross-legged.
He didn't rush to meditate. Instead, he first opened his Soul Space and took out the Mountain Patrol Command Flag Card he had just bought.
His consciousness sank into the dungeon.
Cold winds still swept through Lion Camel Ridge. The gray-brown mountains looked particularly still beneath the gloomy sky.
Little Drill Wind was dozing against the stone stele by the mountain pass. Sensing Su Mu's consciousness descend, he half-opened one eye and yawned lazily.
Su Mu ignored his lazy manner. With a thought, he flicked the Mountain Patrol Command Flag Card into the dungeon.
Where the streak of light landed, a triangular command flag with a blank yellow field appeared at Little Drill Wind's waist. It was tucked in crookedly, its fabric fluttering without wind.
Embedding cost: 10 Soul Power.
Su Mu didn't stop. He gathered his Soul Power, reached out, and pointed at the command flag from afar.
"This flag is Little Drill Wind's command flag on Lion Camel Ridge, used to patrol the mountains. It gathers demonic energy and displays its divine might."
[Soul Power -10]
This time, the command flag changed completely.
Its field turned from pale yellow to deep yellow, and a dark red character for "Drill" faintly appeared on it. A ring of intricate demonic markings appeared at each end of the pole, slowly flowing like living things.
The flag snapped in the windless mountain pass, entering into a strange resonance with the demonic energy of all Lion Camel Ridge.
Su Mu glanced at Little Drill Wind's attributes.
Name: Little Drill Wind Rank: S Level: 6 HP: 27000/27000 Attack: 2260 Defense: 1334 Speed: 2040 Combat index: 28582
He had broken through.
The command flag continued to change.
Its fabric grew more substantial, and the demonic energy around it seemed to take on physical form. Whenever the flag was waved, a faint black mist billowed in its wake.
At last, Su Mu checked his remaining Soul Power and stopped, satisfied.
"S-rank," Su Mu murmured.