CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 27: GAO WU’S FIRST BATTLE

"Compound Bow and Arrow?"

Luo Wushang glanced at the arrow piercing through the thick iron plate of the tricycle and swept her gaze toward where the arrow came from, a hint of excitement in her eyes.

"Did we trigger a storyline?"

"Seems so, with a new map unlocked, there will naturally be a new storyline. I wonder what this one will be about."

Zhang Qingwei pulled out the more than a meter-long alloy arrow and couldn’t help but observe it carefully, waving it a few times, amazement in his voice.

"It seems like we can use this arrow too. The weight and feel are pretty good."

"True, grind it a bit and it could be used as a thrusting sword."

Luo Wushang also took the alloy arrow, waved it a couple of times, her eyes filled with joy.

She had been in this Descent of High Martial world for so many days, and not to mention learning a martial art she liked, she didn’t even have a practice weapon, just an alloy shovel that she swung about when idle, feeling her swordsmanship rusty.

If she could get a thrusting sword, even though it wasn’t her usual sword, it was far better than having nothing.

"Southeast direction, 137 meters, six people, four of them with bows and arrows." Fang Zhen looked toward the direction the arrow shot from, stating calmly and precisely about the situation, "However, these six don’t seem to be of the Human Race, each has wings, all hiding in a ruined building."

"Everyone, hide behind the vehicle!" Lin Qi, seeing Fang Zhen and the others’ utterly calm demeanor, was speechless. He quickly instructed while grabbing a weapon from the driver’s seat.

The dangers outdoors often come not so much from monsters but from vagabonds.

Under normal circumstances, undocumented vagabonds wouldn’t attack others without reason, especially not a five-person team driving a tricycle like theirs, which typically represents some gang power in the wild. Vagabonds would hide from sight, let alone initiate an attack.

Under Lin Qi’s instructions, the group unhurriedly hid behind the tricycle, as if the matter had nothing to do with them.

As everyone hid behind the tricycle, a loud voice of warning came from afar.

"Hand over the Crocodile-toothed Rhinoceros, and our White Feather Gang will let you leave safely."

"Don’t think you can escape with that broken tricycle; its speed is no match for our gliders!"

With the warning from afar, Lin Qi was still processing the situation, while Fang Zhen, Luo Wushang, Twilight of the Gods, and Zhang Qingwei were filled with excitement.

"I knew it, this must have triggered a special event."

"I think I heard about this White Feather Gang in the last storyline. They have some influence in the wild."

"Is it possible the game is unlocking a new gameplay mode, like outdoor dungeon confrontation?"

"It’s very possible; I’ve always found this game a bit odd. Why create such a vast, empty map with such detailed crafting, where every scene is a piece of art, unless they’re waiting for something here."

The four chatted while occasionally peeking, curiously looking toward the abandoned building as if eyeing a gourmet meal.

Beside them, Lin Qi, who had taken out an A5-grade composite longbow and black steel arrows, was speechless.

At such a critical time, these four still had a spectator’s mentality of watching a show.

Indeed, the joys and sorrows of people are not the same.

"White Feather Gang?" Lin Qi’s expression turned slightly somber upon thinking of the White Feather Gang.

The White Feather Gang might not be a suburban faction, but it’s a decently strong gang among the vagabonds in the wild, ranking about in the top hundred wild gangs.

In the wilderness, with millions of undocumented vagabonds, to rank in the top hundred means the gang has at least several hundred members.

"Hall Master, what should we do now?" Luo Wushang, seeing Lin Qi armed, couldn’t help but curiously wonder about the development of this storyline.

"What to do?" Lin Qi also fell silent; the current situation was indeed unfavorable for them.

The White Feather Gang had six regular people, with four holding compound bows in the most advantageous position, while on their side, three regular people and two who hadn’t fully developed. How could they fight?

However, the six of the White Feather Gang seemed impatient with Lin Qi’s silence, as another arrow was shot, piercing right through the tricycle’s battery.

"Damn! My car! My fifty thousand Bit!" Watching the battery-damaged tricycle, Lin Qi was also angry, commanding, "Take them out!"

Though they only had three regular people, and two underdeveloped.

Yet all five of them had studied martial arts; the short-time burst of strength reached near-apprentice levels, and he personally could reach apprentice level. Surely, they could take on six vagabonds.

The four’s smiles grew wider on hearing this.

This was finally unlocking new gameplay!

"Hall Master, our weapons?" Fang Zhen asked somewhat tentatively.

Now that a new gameplay or rather a large dungeon gameplay was starting, it was indeed exciting, but having some weapons would be even better.

"Weapons?" Lin Qi looked over at the four.

Among the four, only Luo Wushang held an alloy arrow, while the others had alloy shovels. Asking them to fight the White Feather Gang was indeed a bit much.

"Take a look at what’s available for you." Lin Qi didn’t hesitate further, pointing to the two more composite longbows and black steel arrows on the vehicle, "These things I’ll lend to you for now."

Back then, to ensure a certain degree of safety when going outdoors, he specifically asked Luo Qi to craft three A5-grade composite longbows. It’s something quasi-martial artists would use for practice, though a bit taxing for martial artist apprentices, its power surely exceeds the White Feather Gang’s compound bows.

"Great! They’ve even opened up the weapon trial feature."

"But why are there only composite longbows and arrows?"

"Having them is already good enough; don’t you see that it’s a long-range sniping battle now? Of course, we’re using bows."

Fang Zhen looked at the slightly complaining group of Luo Wushang’s three, feeling extremely excited inside. Without further ado, he picked up an A5-grade composite longbow and black steel arrows.

"Finally! Finally, it’s my strong suit!" Fang Zhen picked up the composite longbow, weighing over thirty kilograms, full of joy, and said, "This feels really nice; it’s even better than practicing archery in reality. Is this the power of 100% virtual reality technology?"

"This bow, I don’t know how to use it either." Twilight of the Gods looked at the composite longbow a bit dumbfounded.

"If you can’t use it, then just take the arrows as weapons. This weight is much better than the alloy shovel and is well-suited for our current strength." Luo Wushang put away the arrows from the White Feather Gang and picked up the black steel arrows, quite satisfied, "They can barely be used as a longsword."

"Then I’ll use this bow." Zhang Qingwei picked up the composite longbow, over thirty kilograms and 1.5 meters long, swinging it a couple of times, "Though it’s not as good as a long saber, it’s better than nothing."

Seeing the four finish choosing their weapons, Lin Qi suddenly felt a bit regretful.

Among the four, only Fang Zhen used the weapon correctly, while the others didn’t intend to use the composite longbow as a bow at all.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three arrows shot directly toward Lin Qi and the others, but because of the dark night, the aim was quite off, all hitting the body of the large tricycle.

"Looks like they’re getting serious now." Lin Qi looked at the arrows already aimed at them and couldn’t help but command, "Fang Zhen and I provide long-range cover, while you three find a chance to get closer."

Lin Qi was somewhat confident in archery, having played numerous virtual archery games being in this virtual era.

Considering his own physical condition, the longbow was the best choice, which was why he initially had Luo Qi craft three composite longbows.

But before Lin Qi and Fang Zhen could launch a cover attack, Luo Wushang and Zhang Qingwei exchanged a glance, one holding a black steel long arrow, the other wielding a composite longbow, directly rushing towards the White Feather Gang.

"Are they insane?" Seeing this, Lin Qi almost lost his mind.

Do these two even understand teamwork?

As Luo Wushang and Zhang Qingwei charged head-on, the six members of the White Feather Gang situated hundreds of meters away on the building were dumbfounded.

"Which gang are these people from? Are they all this brave?"

"Dark gray long-sleeved T-shirts, previously holding shovels, I’ve never heard of this gang, but judging by their demeanor, their gang seems to have a pretty high treatment."

"No matter how well they’re treated, the two of them, we four will take them down!"

The four young Feather Race members, wings on their backs, looked at Luo Wushang and Zhang Qingwei rapidly approaching, their eyes filled with disdain, their bowstrings fully drawn.

"The previous shots missed due to the dark sky being a bit dim, the distance too far, they really think we’re newbies who can’t do anything?"

"Fire within fifty meters, take down the one with the composite bow first!"

A young Feather Race member with a twin-wing emblem on his collar looked at the closing pair and began to command.

Fifty meters!

Even in the dim night, this distance ensured their shots would hit every time, and judging from the scenario, Zhang Qingwei on the opposite side must be thinking the same, hence why they were approaching.

For a moment, Luo Wushang and Zhang Qingwei drew closer and closer.

One hundred meters... eighty meters... sixty meters...

"Now’s the time!" The Feather Race’s leading youth shouted.

Four fine steel arrows, with sounds cutting through the air, precisely targeted Zhang Qingwei, who was holding the composite longbow, their speed making them undetectable in the darkness.

Seeing the arrows about to hit Zhang Qingwei, she neither dodged nor hesitated, continuing her charge towards the building.

"Is she mad?" The Feather Race’s leading youth, watching Zhang Qingwei not even attempting to evade, thought she must be out of her mind.

Though dodging the arrows from the four of them was impossible, any human being should at least try to struggle.

Just as the arrows were within ten meters of Zhang Qingwei, Luo Wushang stepped in front of her, wielding the black steel arrow fiercely.

Swiping out one, two, three, and four streaks of black light, each flash resembling a burst of stars.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

All four fine steel arrows were deflected to the side, heavily embedding into the ground while Luo Wushang took two steps back, regaining balance, then immediately continued forward.

"What the hell!"

"Is she human or a ghost!"

The leading Feather Race youth, witnessing this scene, was left speechless, mouth agape.