Chapter 7: Preparing to Collaborate, Just You Wait

After yesterday’s experience in Hancheng, Hua Tian woke up early in the morning in excellent spirits. If only she could work a little harder and get her salary raised by another ten thousand, everything would be perfect.

Han Qianyun had already organized the maps and materials yesterday and, albeit reluctantly, sent them to Wild Slayer’s Cute Elf.

As it neared eight o’clock, Hua Tian, still in the game interface, finally finished perusing the materials that had been sent. She realized: 1. In free mode, wild monsters won’t attack players unless they are provoked and the player ignores the warnings, in which case they will retaliate fiercely. Wild monsters are stronger than players of the same level, and it’s advised to provoke them only in groups, but their experience (slaughter value) remains unchanged; 2. Zombie-type creatures will attack players on sight, and the only way is to fight them head-on; 3. When a player dies or is imprisoned in the main city for crimes, any saved equipment proficiency or levels are not lost, unless forcibly dropped, in which case the player must die (personal information such as attributes, skills, techniques, and highest-level equipment are never affected); 4. In the main city, it is possible to attack other players, but after more than two malicious attacks or causing damage, battles must be resolved within one second or the prison will be closed for a day—other regions are not policed by the main city; 5. Leveling up does not allow for changing or switching professions; 6. Before level 20, experience points can be leeched, but after level 21 (intermediate), experience ceases to exist and is replaced by slaughter value—if leeching is forced, no one present will receive rewards and must brace for the ensuing fury; 7. In free mode, after killing a wild monster or zombie, players must leave the area immediately, or they’ll be visited by a horde of elders eager to “lecture” them… (the rest omitted).

After logging in, since Hua Tian hadn’t left Hancheng, there was no need to return to the main city by teleportation. She could head straight to the training room.

Seeing her arrival, Han Qianyun was puzzled. “Didn’t you arrive early yesterday? But today you’re right on time!”

“Oh, I was reading the materials you sent both last night and this morning. By the time I finished, it was just about now.”

Han Qianyun nodded; the materials were extensive and would take three or four hours to read thoroughly. On their way to the “usual place,” Hua Tian noticed that the mountain of corpses and blood from the female zombies, previously abused by players, had vanished without a trace. She couldn’t help glancing at Captain Han—how efficient they were!

Inside the training hall, everyone was already present; there was no need to wait.

Han Qianyun addressed Wild Slayer, “In a moment, you and Xiao Yu will go hunt zombies together; don’t team up with us for now. Also, I’ll add your ID to my squad group, so if you need anything, just message us there.”

Hua Tian replied, “Got it!”

With that, Han Qianyun added Wild Slayer’s ID, then sent the squad members’ profiles to the hidden group for her own review, to see if anyone had made significant progress.

Name: Han Qianyun [Female]
Level: 21 [Intermediate]
Profession: Mage
Attributes: 166.44.04
Skills: Gift [Weapon Skill], Infinite Firepower [Weapon Skill], Fire Lady [Red Lv3]
Techniques: Master Staffsmanship [Level 4]
Equipment: Fixed-point Staff [Purple Weapon], Illusion Belt [Green Belt]
Squad: Han Crown Squad [Captain]
Squad Coins: 999,999,999
Gold: 1,314

Name: Liu Wei
Level: 20 [Beginner]
Profession: Gunner
Attributes: 93.13.04
Skills: Fire Support [Blue Lv1], Stationary Sniper [Orange Passive Lv3]
Techniques: Advanced Firearms [Level 3]
Equipment: Frenzy Fang [Yellow Weapon], Sniper Coat [White Garment]
Squad: Han Crown Squad [Member]
Squad Coins: 98
Gold: 1

Name: Liu Xin [Female]
Level: 20 [Beginner]
Profession: Assassin
Attributes: 65.46.04
Skills: Invisibility [Purple Passive Lv2]
Techniques: Master Instant-kill [Level 4]
Equipment: Venom Fang [Green Weapon], Orange Heart [Green Pants], Wolf Fang [White Belt]
Squad: Han Crown Squad [Member]
Squad Coins: 73
Gold: 2

Name: Xiao Yu [Female]
Level: 20 [Beginner]
Profession: Paladin
Attributes: 00.30.70
Skills: Blessing [Purple Lv1], Healing Tree [Orange Lv2]
Techniques: None
Equipment: Holy Staff [Green Weapon]
Squad: Han Crown Squad [Member]
Squad Coins: 55
Gold: 1

Name: Hao Tian
Level: 19 [Beginner]
Profession: Warrior
Attributes: 83.23.03
Skills: Invincible Slash [Purple Lv0], Rock Solid [Purple Lv3]
Techniques: None
Equipment: Wolf Fang Club [Yellow Weapon], Wolf Fang Set [Yellow Set]
Squad: Han Crown Squad [Member]
Squad Coins: 0 (574)
Gold: 0

Name: Wild Slayer
Level: 10 [Beginner]
Profession: Berserk Shieldbearer
Attributes: 63.63.63
Skills: Earth-shaking Might [Void Lv2], Heaven-swallowing Divine Fist [Void Lv1]
Techniques: Master Fist Technique [Level 3]
Equipment: None
Squad: Han Crown Squad [Member]
Squad Coins: 50,000
Gold: 10

“All right, once you’re done reading, start your training!” With that, Han Qianyun wanted to try out her newly acquired equipment and skills in solo mode.

“Wait a moment, Captain Han! I have a question for you.” Hua Tian suddenly interrupted.

Han Qianyun was startled, thinking he might bring up yesterday’s matter, and felt a twinge of guilt. After all, two ordinary purple-grade items cost two million squad coins, and her own purple weapon was worth at least 1.5 million. She’d calculated it herself, only giving him 1.05 million squad coins. Money-wise, ten thousand gold was equivalent to a million squad coins, though it couldn’t be exchanged for squad coins. Maybe if she gave him an extra ten thousand gold each month, he wouldn’t be upset—but apparently, it was something else…

“Go ahead,” she said.

“Why do others say solo mode is really hard, but mine is so easy?” Hua Tian had noticed last night that, contrary to the materials’ warnings about solo mode’s difficulty, her own experience had been a breeze. Were they really the same mode? Now was a good time to ask.

Hao Tian, already disgruntled over Wild Slayer’s luck yesterday—after all, it had cost him another 1 million squad coins for a purple skill—snorted, “Of course it’s easy the first time, they’re dumb as rocks, slow to react, like dogs—”

But before he could finish, Han Qianyun hurriedly pulled Wild Slayer aside. The two entered Han Qianyun’s newly renovated studio. Compared to the outside, the interior’s quality left Hua Tian dumbfounded.

“When you first entered solo mode, what level were you?” Han Qianyun asked, sitting on the sofa while Wild Slayer remained standing.

“Level one.”

“No wonder. I’ve heard two theories: one, entering at level one is the best way to obtain blue-grade or higher equipment. Later, the zombies won’t just stand there staring; as your level rises, they’ll swarm you before you even get close. At level one, they’re apparently incredibly dumb—even if you kill one, its companions won’t notice unless you make a huge racket or suddenly level up. Then they’ll detect you and attack. The second theory is that the developers don’t want to drive players away, so they set the first run’s difficulty very low. I used to believe the second, but since you got two purple items yesterday, the first theory seems pretty effective as well.”

“I see! No wonder. When I reached that castle, I was already level two, and only a few zombies noticed me. They started piling up and fighting right in front of me, so I kept ‘breaking up’ their fights until I was overwhelmed. Oh! So if I’d been level one, they wouldn’t have noticed me at all?”

Han Qianyun was left speechless, her mind blank.

...

At the teleportation array in Hancheng, a man and a woman appeared—the man tall and sturdy, the woman elegant and naturally beautiful.

“By the way, newbie, what is that ‘Void’ grade of yours?” the woman asked curiously.

“Oh, that? It seems to be a skill grade,” Hua Tian replied, puzzled.

“Well, obviously! But is Void grade the highest, or the lowest…?”

“I’m not sure. It seems to be stronger than white grade, but mine doesn’t have a color, nor does it feel like a white grade, so I really can’t say.”

With that, Xiao Yu led Wild Slayer onto what must have been the “slowest, cheapest, and most outdated” teleportation array in history, clicking for the main city.

...

“So… where exactly are we going to hunt zombies? Brr, this wind’s biting!”

“Let’s go to the Forest of Death!” Xiao Yu shouted, drawing out the last syllable as a sudden gust—prompted by the teleportation array’s ‘senior citizen’ acceleration—blew against her lips, causing her to turn her head away before she could finish the final word.

Hua Tian, walking ahead and admiring the scenery, couldn’t hear what she said. Suddenly, he caught a phrase behind him—not quite human, but almost—two syllables that sounded like “Daddy.” Ah, beautiful lady behind me, there’s really no need to be so formal! So he simply replied with three words: “Good girl.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yu, aided by the following wind, caught every word and was instantly fuming.

She clenched her fists and bit her lip—You’re dead!

I swear, when we get there, I’ll make you pay!