Lin Tianhao stood at the edge of the Novice Village, his eyes scanning the dense, foreboding Twisted Jungle that lay just beyond the village's protective walls. The air was thick with tension, and the distant howls of monsters echoed through the trees, a constant reminder of the dangers that lurked just out of sight. He knew that the path ahead was fraught with challenges, but he was determined to forge ahead, driven by a sense of purpose and a burning curiosity.
He had two quest scrolls in his possession, each one more outrageous than the last. The first required him to destroy the entire Novice Village, a task that seemed almost impossible given the village's defenses and the sheer number of NPCs and monsters that called it home. The second quest scroll was no less daunting; it tasked him with releasing the sealed Mummy, a powerful and malevolent entity that had been imprisoned beneath the village for centuries. Both quests were high-stakes gambles, with potentially catastrophic consequences if he failed.
But Lin Tianhao was no ordinary adventurer. He had a deep understanding of the game's mechanics and lore, and he knew that there was likely a third quest scroll waiting to be discovered. Based on his experience and the clues he had gathered, he suspected that the third quest would involve killing the Mummy. If he was right, it would mean that he could potentially complete all three quests simultaneously: destroy the Novice Village, release the Mummy, and then kill it before it could wreak havoc on the world.
The plan was ambitious, to say the least. But Lin Tianhao was confident in his abilities and his strategic thinking. He knew that he couldn't tackle any of these quests just yet; he needed to level up and gather more resources first. So, for now, he decided to focus on completing the village elder's leveling quest. He had already hunted down three of the ten bosses in the Novice Village: the Nine-headed Snake Bai, the Twisted Treant King, and the Yellow-skinned Imp. Each victory had brought him closer to his goal, but there were still seven more bosses to defeat.
He decided to target the higher-level bosses, knowing that they would yield more experience points and better loot. He had heard rumors of other hidden bosses in the Novice Village, powerful entities that few players had ever encountered. These would be his next targets, but he knew that his current stats were still lacking. He needed to level up to ten and upgrade his talent, "Punishment Hand," to three stars. Only then would he have a fighting chance against the tougher bosses.
Lin Tianhao made his way to the respawn point of the level ten Twisted Treants. The area was deserted; most level nine players had moved on to other leveling spots, and those who had reached level ten were already attempting dungeon runs. He took a deep breath, feeling the familiar thrill of anticipation as he nocked an arrow and let it fly.
"Whoosh!" The arrow pierced the air, striking a nearby Twisted Treant with a critical hit.
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A massive damage number appeared above the monster's head, and it crumpled to the ground without even a chance to retaliate. The attack triggered his "Lightning Leap" skill, pulling over a dozen more Twisted Treants into the fray. But Lin Tianhao was ready. With swift, precise movements, he took them down one by one, his arrows finding their marks with deadly accuracy.
The high-frequency spawning of the monsters was impressive, but it wasn't ideal for Lin Tianhao. He needed to stack his health cap with regular attacks, and these enemies were being killed too quickly for him to get in multiple hits. After grinding at the Twisted Treants for over ten minutes, he had gained very little in terms of health, but his experience points had finally reached the threshold for leveling up.
"Ding, you have reached level 10, +5 free attribute points."
"Ding, you have met the level requirement to leave the Novice Village. You can now accept the exit quest from the village elder."
Lin Tianhao ignored the exit quest for now. He allocated all five free attribute points to his movement speed. Mobility was key, especially if he was going to be kiting monsters and potentially hunting down NPCs later on. The additional points gave him a slight boost in speed, but it was still not enough to make a significant difference.
With his new level and improved movement speed, he turned his attention to the next boss. He had a plan, one that involved leveraging the internal strife within the Novice Village. He had learned that Blacksmith Wang had long coveted the village head's position and had been secretly recruiting players to his cause. Lin Tianhao had sent his friend Zhou Xiaopang to complete quests at the blacksmith's shop, effectively aligning himself with Wang's faction.
The final quest for the blacksmith's shop involved helping Wang defeat the village elder and install a new village head. The reward for this quest was rumored to be substantial, and it was precisely because of this quest that Lin Tianhao saw an opportunity to complete the quest to destroy the Novice Village. Whether he helped the elder wipe out Wang's faction or helped Wang eliminate the elder's faction, the village would be thrown into chaos, reducing the number of NPCs and potentially weakening its defenses.
Lin Tianhao made his way back to the village, stopping first at the tavern to purchase two bottles of the most expensive liquor. He then headed straight for the blacksmith's shop. Blacksmith Wang looked up as he entered, a curious smile playing on his lips.
"Adventurer, what brings you here?" Wang asked, eyeing the bottles of liquor in Lin Tianhao's hands.
Lin Tianhao placed the bottles on the counter, his expression earnest. "I've heard that you, Blacksmith Wang, are the finest blacksmith in all the land. I seek your expertise to forge the strongest weapon I've ever wielded."
Wang's eyes lit up with pride, and he couldn't help but preen a little under the praise. "Hehe, let's keep that between us, shall we? Knowing is half the battle." With a sly grin, he pocketed the bottles of liquor. "Forging a weapon of such caliber won't come cheap. Do you have the gold to back up your request?"
Lin Tianhao reached into his pouch and pulled out all the gold coins he had, piling them on the counter. "Is this enough?"
Wang's eyes widened in astonishment. It had been years since he had seen such a sum in the Novice Village. "Yes, yes, this will do. But gold alone won't suffice. I'll also need ten bronze-level equipment, fifty black iron-level equipment, and two hundred elite-level equipment as raw materials."
"Ding, Blacksmith Wang has issued a quest to you."
"Quest requirements: Ten bronze-level equipment, fifty black iron-level equipment, and two hundred elite-level equipment."
"Quest penalty: The gold coins and liquor you paid will not be refunded."
"Quest reward: You will receive a gold-level longbow with no wearing requirements."
Lin Tianhao's eyes sparkled with excitement. He had expected a silver-level weapon at best, but a gold-level longbow was beyond his wildest dreams. "I'll gather these items as quickly as I can," he promised.
For most players, collecting such a vast amount of equipment would be an insurmountable task. But Lin Tianhao had a plan. He had already scouted the Twisted Jungle and knew where to find the toughest monsters. With his improved movement speed and the experience he had gained from battling the Twisted Treants, he felt confident that he could clear the area and gather the required items.
He set off once more for the Twisted Jungle, this time choosing the hell-level difficulty without hesitation. The battle was fierce, but he was relentless, his arrows finding their marks with deadly precision. Two and a half hours later, he stood victorious, his backpack filled with the equipment he needed.
He returned to the blacksmith's shop, a satisfied smile on his face. "Blacksmith Wang, I have collected all the items you requested."
Wang looked at the pile of equipment, his eyes widening in disbelief. "You... you actually did it. I must say, I'm impressed. Very well, let's get to work on that longbow."
As Wang began to forge the weapon, Lin Tianhao couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. He had come a long way since he first set foot in the Novice Village, and he knew that this was just the beginning. With the gold-level longbow and his "Punishment Hand" talent, he was ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.