CHAPTER 47: CHAPTER 44: THE THIRD BATCH OF NEWBIES

"Is the cost of a heist in this world really that high?"

Lin Qi couldn’t help but be astonished when he heard Xia Ling’s offer.

Although he knew the shielding equipment was expensive, he didn’t expect it to be this costly.

Even the most basic shielding equipment costs two hundred thousand bits. If you’re cultivating blood essence rice, it would take at least half a year to afford it, and a one-kilometer shielding device is useless; ordinary people can easily run out of its range in minutes. You need at least a three-kilometer range for it to be effective.

Five hundred thousand bits!

This price is something an ordinary person couldn’t dream of affording in a lifetime.

Indeed, even if an ordinary person worked hard their whole life, they wouldn’t qualify to be a robber...

"A three-kilometer shielding device, please. Oh, and a second-hand simple copier."

"A copier? Okay, I’ll have someone get it. The simple copier is free. Do you need anything else? At the Phosphorus Fire Trading Market, if nothing else, we’re the most complete this side of the suburban market."

"Not for now. If I need anything next time, I’ll come back."

"Then, shall we settle the thirty-six thousand bits with cash?"

"Yes, all cash. That feels reassuring."

Seeing that Lin Qi didn’t have anything else to buy, Xia Ling reluctantly clapped her hands, instructing the Half-Scale Race guard at the door to prepare the shielding equipment and cash.

In no time, a Half-Scale Race guard wearing A6-grade battle armor carried over two metal boxes, one large and one small. Lin Qi had Fang Zhen and the others move these two metal boxes onto the tricycle, with no intention of lingering in the trading market.

As Lin Qi rode the tricycle out of the Phosphorus Fire Trading Market, Xia Ling at the market entrance glanced again at the departing Lin Qi and his group, her black tail tapping the ground unconsciously.

"Miss, these people are very weak. Even the strongest among them are still years away from being apprentices," an elder Half-Scale Race guard reported quietly, holding a testing device. "I’ve never seen their clothing before. They might be a newly formed gang in the wild."

"How interesting. A small wild gang?" Xia Ling glanced at the large metal box behind her, sighed, and said, "What a pity, it looks like that’s all the Crocodile Rhino Beef they have."

"Miss, shall I keep an eye on them? Since they’re a small gang, they probably scavenged the Crocodile Rhino carcass. They might still have some Crocodile Rhino Beef to train their underlings," the Half-Scale Race guard suggested respectfully.

"No need, there’s no point in offending a bunch of lunatics who survive in the wild over a little Crocodile Rhino Beef." Xia Ling shook her head. "Besides, with so much Crocodile Rhino Beef this time, it should be enough for me to break through and become a quasi-martial artist."

"Congratulations, Miss. Now Miss can dominate the entire third year of the Chasing Light City next semester!" The Half-Scale Race guard’s tone became even more respectful after hearing this.

Xia Ling nodded and happily walked toward the large metal box.

"What flavor should I try today?"

...

It was completely night at the Black Obsidian Martial Arts Hall.

However, the basement of the martial arts hall was abuzz with activity.

"Outer Gunman, when you said the suburbs were like a futuristic city, I didn’t believe it, but now I truly do." Fang Zhen, excited, recalled scenes from the Phosphorus Fire Market. "Those weapons! That equipment! Absolutely amazing! But do we know when we can buy them?"

"Brother Zhen, that’s not the main point, is it?" Outer Gunman responded helplessly. "Didn’t I say before? We triggered a battle scenario in the suburbs. That’s a battle scenario! When we went to the trading market today, you saw that Hall Master clearly intends to deal with the White Feather Gang."

"I really didn’t expect the battle scenario to come so quickly. It seems the game’s progression really depends on the Hall Master," Twilight of the Gods remarked a bit regretfully. "I wasn’t very prepared this time. I spent all this time frantically digging and didn’t improve my Breathing Technique much. My physical fitness has just reached a quasi-apprentice level, so I don’t know if I can take on a mission."

"Probably," Fang Zhen analyzed. "Looking at this scenario, the other side’s numbers shouldn’t be small, so it’s not likely just a few people will go. And didn’t they add twenty slots specifically for this mission? Those slots are likely to test the upcoming team battle scenario. Otherwise, there’s no need to suddenly add so many slots."

"I think so too." A Single Leaf Floating Cloud nodded in agreement, smiling. "At last, there will be new people. I won’t be the weakest batch anymore."

Currently, among the ten players, the first tier undoubtedly consists of Luo Wushang, Zhang Qingwei, and One Leaf Floating Cloud, who have reached quasi-apprentice physical fitness while creating fourth-rank or higher Martial Arts.

The second tier includes Fang Zhen, who has entered the Fixed Star Explosion Visualization Technique, plus quasi-apprentice physical fitness, making him incomparable to players who haven’t even started the Fixed Star Explosion Visualization Technique.

The third tier comprises those who have reached quasi-apprentice physical fitness but haven’t created any impressive Martial Arts, nor have they entered any Contemplation Technique.

Meanwhile, the three following One Leaf Floating Cloud are clearly casual players. Although their strength isn’t weak, compared to those of professional level players, their reactions and combat skills are noticeably lacking, but essentially remain part of the third tier.

"I wonder if there are any good potentials among the newcomers this time," Fang Zhen said, looking expectantly towards the underground confinement room. "If our team can recruit a few promising ones, we might catch up with Luo Wushang’s team."

Among the three teams currently, Luo Wushang’s team is the most formidable, with two first-tier experts, leaving other teams unable to compete.

Just as Fang Zhen and the others were chatting, an official announcement from the Descent of High Martial was released to the outside world.

"The slots for this event have been fully distributed. The next distribution will be announced in the notice as soon as possible."

"Is that it? Where’s my slot? How come I didn’t find anything?"

"All distributed? What’s going on? I just got off work, what did I miss?"

"Anyone willing to share their slot? I’m willing to pay 100,000, and grind for 24 hours, surely I’ll be ahead of everyone else!"

"This guy’s insane, grinding an account for 24 hours straight, but unfortunately, the game makers thought of this early on. Apparently, accounts are brainwave-bound; switching to someone else, you simply can’t get in."

"Hahaha, I got it! I got it! You guys can just envy me!"

"Damn! Another one gone crazy."

In the official forum, due to the system announcement, it was once again blown up, and those who didn’t get a slot were all filled with resentment.

Black Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, underground confinement room.

"Whoa! This technology! How did they achieve this virtual engine!"

"Damn! This game is actually real! I’m not dreaming, right?"

"This wall is really solid, it can withstand the power of my punch accumulated over twenty years!"

"The texture of this metal, it feels just like I’m touching it in real life, and the dust on the floor, each particle is so clear, what kind of resolution are they using here."

...

Each awakening new player was filled with curiosity about everything in the confinement room, and some players even did silly things, making the elders standing outside the confinement room feel a bit embarrassed.

"This year’s newcomers, they don’t seem too promising." Twilight of the Gods, observing the quirky newbies, couldn’t help but worry whether they would be able to recruit enough personnel by then.

"Fang Zhen!"

Just as a surprised shout came from within the confinement room, Fang Zhen immediately looked towards the man who cried out.

"Captain Li? How come you’re here?" Fang Zhen, seeing the familiar figure, couldn’t help but show a look of surprise.

He remembered that the purchase count for Descent of High Martial had almost reached 100,000, and no one had yet passed the test assessment, meaning those who managed to get in were purely selected by luck.

A two in ten thousand chance!

What kind of luck is that!

While Fang Zhen was still surprised by Li Ranxing’s luck, a figure emerged from the staircase entrance, wearing a pitch-black martial robe, with resolute eyes. Although he entered quite casually, all the elders present instinctively made way for him.

The other newbies seeing this scene also stopped their strange actions, all turning their attention to the approaching man.

Even though the newbies didn’t know much about Descent of High Martial, they had learned from Fang Zhen’s livestream that the man before them, Lin Qi, was the master of the Black Obsidian Martial Arts Hall.

He was an NPC who could govern players’ permissions; if you annoyed this NPC, you’d be expelled from the martial hall in no time. Trying to play then would be impossible, leaving them to watch others gleefully dig holes, which would be torturous.

"The test is finally coming, it wasn’t in vain that I bought a shovel online and practiced every day at home."

"You newcomers are doomed to lose. This time, I’ll be the number one newbie. I even learned from various tutorials online and even went to a park to give it a try."

"That’s nothing. When I saw that the game’s first level is about digging, I dug out a two-story basement at my place."

The excited newbies, seeing Lin Qi walk in, were all confident about the upcoming test he was going to announce.

"Newcomers! Welcome to Black Obsidian Martial Arts Hall. I am your master, Lin Qi. According to the rules, if you wish to become an honored disciple of the martial hall, you must prove yourselves."

Lin Qi looked at these eager newbies, feeling quite satisfied. This batch was not only young but also full of fighting spirit, clearly prepared to become qualified talents.

"On the table is a registration book. Write down your name and age, then pick a small shovel you fancy and head upstairs on the right. In the training ground, our hall’s prized technique, the Shocking God Breathing Technique, awaits you, and you need to reach proficiency within twelve hours."

"The person with the highest proficiency in twelve hours will receive another of our hall’s prized techniques, the Fixed Star Explosion Visualization Technique. I hope you won’t disappoint me. Now you may begin!"