Volume One, Chapter 16: The Rank 10 Hunter!
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[Deadly Strike—999!]
[Ding! Killed Level 10 Thorny Tumbleweed (Elite) ×1. Experience +20.]
[Ding! Player “Li Chuan” has reached the experience limit. Level +1. Free Attribute Points ×5.]
[Player has reached Level 10 and comprehended the Jungle Hunter class skills: Jungle Camouflage, Lock-On Strike.]
“Can you drop me a green weapon? Come on, just give me one.”
Li Chuan jogged over to the tumbleweed in quick, mincing steps.
Disappointment.
There was nothing but ten copper coins and a green Evolution Core.
“What the hell is this game’s drop rate?”
Li Chuan had killed more than a dozen Plant Spirits today and received only one cyan piece of equipment. The drop rate was so low it was downright outrageous.
Whatever. Getting angry would not help, and there was not even a complaint interface to be found.
He put on all the high-grade equipment he had prepared in his inventory long ago.
“Display the player’s personal attributes.”
[Li Chuan: Human]
[Level: 10/70]
[Experience: 0/1,000]
[Class: Jungle Hunter]
[Sub-Class: None]
[Strength: 24 + 19]
[Agility: 32 + 16]
[Intelligence: 7 + 1]
[Mana: 10 + 6]
[Armor: 600]
[Free Attribute Points: 0]
[Active Skills: Side Roll (Blue), Proficiency: Minor Mastery 29/100; Stunning Arrow (White), Proficiency: Minor Mastery 11/100; Weak-Point Strike (White), Proficiency: Minor Mastery 7/100; Lock-On Strike (White); Jungle Camouflage (White), Proficiency: 0/10; Trap-Making (White); Arrow-Making (White)]
[Passive Skills: Melee Weapon Basics (White); Ranged Weapon Basics (White)]
[Equipment: Probability Glasses of the God of Truthpiercing (???); Advanced Combat Trousers (Blue); Bracers of the Brave (Cyan); Critical Hit Ring (Green); Pure Cotton Coat (Green); Lion’s War Boots (Green); Standard Hand Crossbow (White)]
What the hell was going on with the experience requirement? It had taken ninety experience to go from Level 9 to Level 10, but now it required a thousand to reach Level 11? Had the damn system made a mistake?
This cursed life of being worked like an ox—he was exploited everywhere he went!
[Jungle Camouflage: White]
[After remaining still for two minutes while using this skill, the color of the user’s body will gradually blend with the surrounding environment. (Only the surface color changes.)]
[Skill Cost: None]
[Cooldown: None]
[Evaluation: A hunter belongs in the shadows, delivering a fatal strike to the beast!]
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[Lock-On Strike: White]
[Proficiency: Novice 0/10]
[Can be triggered by ranged weapons. Increases damage by 10% upon use, and grants arrows a tracking effect. Within the same space, the arrows cannot be evaded.]
[Skill Cost: 1 Mana]
[Cooldown: Three minutes]
[Evaluation: It will follow you forever!]
Both skills were quite useful. One granted the camouflage abilities of a chameleon, while the other locked onto a target, meaning that at long range he would no longer have to worry about his accuracy.
His original two basic skills had improved as well, with their proficiency rising from novice to minor mastery.
The damage increase of Weak-Point Strike had risen from twenty percent to twenty-five percent.
The stun duration of Stunning Arrow had increased by 0.2 seconds.
How should he put it? Better than nothing.
Feeling the unprecedented strength surging through his body, Li Chuan crouched and sprinted toward the white area marked on the map.
He wanted to hunt a few more Plant Spirits, but less than an hour remained on Novice Quest Four. He had to leave himself some margin for error.
Besides, he still had no idea what awaited him inside the white area. If there was danger within, he needed to leave himself enough time to respond.
Li Chuan was already moving far faster than Bolt. A distance of several hundred meters vanished in the blink of an eye.
At the edge of the forest, a misty barrier halted the spreading greenery. It stretched endlessly from side to side and rose all the way into the sky.
Li Chuan slowly came to a stop.
It was not the sheer magnificence of the barrier that had startled him. Standing directly in front of him, at the edge of the barrier, were three or four people blocking his way.
No—not merely three or four. Looking along both sides of the barrier, he saw several more people hurrying toward him.
What was going on?
Were they trying to rob people in front of the barrier?
Even in a doomsday game this terrifying, there were still people willing to take advantage of others in their darkest hour?
A flash of light glinted across his glasses as the appraisal ability activated.
[Tan Ming (Kang Shuaifu): Human]
[Level 4, Archer. Weaknesses marked.]
[Teng Lili (Unrelated to Romance): Human]
[Level 4. Weaknesses marked.]
…
Li Chuan examined them one by one and was astonished to discover that not a single one was above Level 8. No—not even one was above Level 6.
The lowest-level among them, Teng Lili, had not even changed class yet.
Most of them were still wearing novice cloth clothes and carrying novice wooden swords.
Just as he was wondering what they were up to, the archer Tan Ming suddenly dropped to his knees.
“Brother! Please, have mercy and help me gain a few levels. Once we get in there, I’ll work like an ox for you!”
With someone taking the lead, several more players fell to their knees.
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Their words differed, but their request was the same. Seeing Li Chuan’s fine equipment, they assumed he was powerful and wanted him to carry them through the leveling process.
Li Chuan frowned.
“Setting aside whether I can or want to, there are so many of you. How could I possibly take care of all of you?”
Tan Ming hurriedly rose to his feet.
“We’ve already discussed it. One expert takes two people. Once a few more experts come over, we can all complete the quest.”
“Expert, please. We’re all suffering in the same boat. Just choose two people to take with you. We’ve already marked the locations of the giant beasts.”
Li Chuan frowned again. He noticed a player hiding behind the others, a Cold-Blooded One title floating above his head just like Li Chuan’s own.
Seeing that Li Chuan remained silent, Teng Lili, who was dressed in cloth and rather attractive, suddenly pushed through the crowd.
“Expert! Choose me. As long as you take me inside, I’ll do whatever you want.”
Another woman stepped forward.
“And me. I’ve only ever been with one man—I’m clean. If you want, you can have me right now.”
Li Chuan’s brow furrowed even more deeply.
When he still did not choose anyone, a handsome young man stepped forward as well.
“I can do it too…”
“Expert, I’m built strong. I just never managed to get a decent weapon. Take me with you and I’ll charge into battle for you.”
“Expert.”
…
Li Chuan shook his head.
“There isn’t much time left on the quest. I can’t save you. Since you already know where the giant beasts are, form a party and go fight them yourselves.”
The faces of every player on the other side immediately turned ugly.
Tan Ming’s shoulders began to tremble.
“You’re so strong. You could clearly help us—so why won’t you? Can you really sleep soundly while watching your fellow humans die?”
“That’s right! You can’t be so heartless!”
“He’s a Cold-Blooded One. It’s written right above his head!”
…
Heh. When begging did not work, this crowd had decided to resort to moral coercion.
Li Chuan drew his standard hand crossbow and said coldly, “I refuse to be blackmailed by morality! Anyone who doesn’t want to die, get the hell out of my way!”
Teng Lili covered her pale, bare shoulder and screamed hysterically, “We won’t move! If you refuse to save us, we won’t let you through! So what if you’re strong? Every one of us has a Plant Spirit! Do you really think you can defeat one?”
“That’s right! Since you’re going to stand by and watch us die, then die with us!”