Chapter Forty-Five: Loneliness or Betrayal
On the way back, there were hardly any monsters; we had slain them so quickly earlier that none had respawned yet. With two additional pieces of high-level equipment, my defense had soared to 212, and my attack reached 200–245. Even without landing a critical blow, I could deal over 300 damage to a skeleton of the same level.
Altogether, my gear gave me seventy-one points of agility, enough to rival a rogue of equal level. Unfortunately, the rogue class gains a 200% bonus from agility, so outpacing a rogue in attack speed or running speed was nearly impossible—unless that rogue was decked out in all-white gear.
I glanced back at Murong Shanshan. Her snowy, delicate face showed traces of fatigue; clearly, after a night of fighting, she was exhausted as well. The quest required no special items. When we defeated the undead mage, the system notified us our mission was complete. Our only task now was to visit the lumberjack for our reward.
The cabin was unchanged. The lumberjacks waited eagerly for our arrival. As we stepped inside, the quest was officially completed.
“Ding~!”
System prompt: You have completed the quest—The Evil Undead Mage. You gain 84,000 experience, 8 gold coins, 620 reputation, and receive a skill book: Axe Strike!
Axe Strike: Axe Warrior exclusive skill—throw a phantom axe to deal massive damage to the target and reduce accuracy. Level 1 skill deals normal damage plus 15%. Damage increases with skill level. Required level: 14.
I stared at Murong Shanshan in surprise; she was equally astonished, clearly having received a skill book as well.
I spoke first: “I got the Axe Warrior skill. What about you?”
Murong Shanshan hesitated and replied, “I got the Rogue skill—Dash. For thirty seconds, the rogue’s movement speed increases by 100%. Cooldown: five minutes.”
“Damn, that’s a great item!” I lamented. If I had chosen the rogue profession, learning this skill would have let me come and go without a trace. With my sharp gameplay, I could have perfected the rogue’s elegant, control-based combat style.
Now… I’ll just focus on mastering the high-attack swordsman’s instant-kill style!
No one could imagine then that, in the future, I would perfectly embody the rogue’s traits as a swordsman…
…
“Ah~” Murong Shanshan sighed softly. “I’ll just sell this book to Xu Xing for fifty thousand RMB…”
“What? Fifty thousand? If it sells for ten thousand, that’s already impressive. You want fifty thousand?”
Murong Shanshan beamed. “He’ll definitely buy it. Besides, I need funds for activities, and I can repay your two thousand!”
I was speechless. She didn’t even like him, yet wanted him to buy her things—I couldn’t fathom her reasoning.
---
“Shanshan, don’t you have classes today? It’s about time for lessons, isn’t it?”
“Class? Oh, I forgot. I haven’t been to the classroom in nearly a week. I’ll show up for a bit and then come back to sleep. When are you logging in again?”
“I’ll probably sleep until dinner, so around six o’clock.”
“Alright, I’ll contact you then.”
“OK8~!”
Murong Shanshan logged off in the cabin, while I headed straight back to the city. I’ll consign the book for sale; with so many level 14 Axe Warriors around, especially in Suzhou and Shanghai, where wealthy players abound, there must be plenty in Hurricane City willing to pay a high price.
I listed Axe Strike at a starting price of 5,000 RMB, no maximum limit, to be sold to the highest bidder after six hours. The money would be automatically deducted from the buyer’s bank account, with a 2% system fee.
It was already nine in the morning. I felt utterly exhausted. Others in the studio had finished breakfast and logged in; a table of soy milk and breakfast sat waiting.
I ate a little, feeling eighty percent full, then returned to my room.
“Whew~!”
As I turned the door, a soft figure crashed into my arms. Looking down, I saw Lu Xuehan’s face, blushing like a ripe apple. She wore only a thin nightgown; her fair skin shimmered beneath the silk, and her black underwear was enticing.
Lu Xuehan carried a basin with shower gel and water—clearly preparing to bathe.
“Xuehan, bathing so early?”
She lowered her head shyly. “I played too late last night, so I’m bathing in the morning. Lin Fan, did you just log off?”
“Yes. Xuehan, what level are you now?”
“Almost twenty-one.”
“Oh, a bit slow. Murong Shanshan is right above you—already level twenty-five. You need to work harder~”
“Mm.” Lu Xuehan agreed obediently and slipped into the bathroom under my fiery gaze.
---
“Tsk, tsk… How did I never notice this girl’s figure was so stunning?” I mused, then collapsed onto the bed and drifted into deep sleep.
The early winter sunlight was exceptionally warm; the white quilt was sun-drenched and cozy. A gentle breeze carried the scent of plants from downstairs through the window—a rare environment for rest!
After long hours of leveling, I was utterly exhausted and soon slipped into dreams.
…
Vaguely, I found myself at the entrance of the TOT team’s clubhouse again. Everything was so familiar; the glass door still bore AR3 Princess Ning Xin’er’s photo, unchanged. The computers inside were untouched—my favorite LCD monitor sat by the door, beside two seats: one for me, one for her. I saw my focused self, and the beautiful girl beside me cheering.
“Lin Fan, Ye Qiu just got crushed—hurry and help win back the points!”
A tall student spoke; he was TOT’s main player, Fine, who had never left the team since its founding and was still devoted when I left.
Beside Fine, Ye Qiu grinned at me; that must have been the camaraderie of brothers…
I rushed in, but it seemed no one could see me. Xiaoyu’s clear features grew sharper, yet so distant. Their laughter and joy made me ache for those days—a nostalgia so deep it hurt.
“Whew~”
The scene blurred as I found myself alone in a deserted wilderness, beneath a gloomy sky, feeling utterly lonely…
It was all in the past. Did I want to cry?
…
A few cold raindrops fell on my face. Damn! It was raining before dinner!