Chapter 18 - 18 16 Swordsman Walking in the Forest

18: Chapter 16: Swordsman Walking in the Forest 18: Chapter 16: Swordsman Walking in the Forest “The kid Wang Kai mentioned is naturally ‘I Want to Be Immortal.'” Xiao Jie was a bit surprised; he thought Wang Kai was the type who only recognized money and not people. But from his tone, it seemed like he was quite worried. “Didn’t you say everyone has their fate? Since the kid chose this path, why bother worrying about him?” Wang Kai explained, “I’m mainly afraid he will die too soon, and then I’ll lose business. It’s hard to find a generous customer. It’s better for him not to die, if possible.” Xiao Jie asked curiously, “So what are you planning to do? Go out of the village to find him?” This guy has been skulking around the village for three years; even if he didn’t level up, he must have improved somewhat. Xiao Jie didn’t believe that Wang Kai had no skills at all. Listening to the mention of leaving the village, Wang Kai hurriedly denied it, “That’s not possible. Although making money is important, life is more important. Since the day I entered the game, I swore never to leave the village.” However, he suddenly turned to look at Xiao Jie. “Hidden Moon, my brother, I can tell you’re definitely an expert. Why don’t you go and look for him? You don’t have to go too far. I guess he couldn’t have gone far from the village. Just check the nearby woods to see if he’s still alive. If he’s alive, quickly call him back. It’s about to get dark. I forgot to remind him about that earlier.” Xiao Jie wondered, “What happens when it gets dark?” “When it gets dark, Night Ghosts appear. They’re immune to physical attacks; newcomers can’t fight them at all.” Night Ghost? Xiao Jie thought to himself, so there really are ghost-like creatures in this game? He had seen this option while praying at the temple before. He naturally wouldn’t agree to Wang Kai’s request. “Haha, are you kidding me? You’re afraid to die and think I’m not? Besides, I’m not close to him.” (Not that I’m close to you either.) “Don’t say that, man. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Good deeds bring good rewards.” “Give me a break. You yourself said everyone has their fate, and I think that makes sense. If you want to save him, go save him yourself.” “How about this? You bring him back, and I’ll give you 500 cents.” Xiao Jie pondered for a moment, 500 cents was not a small amount. He had been working all day chopping down trees and only earned a little over 200 cents. 500 cents converted to RMB is about five thousand yuan. The studio hadn’t been doing well recently, and five thousand yuan was nearly a month’s salary for him. Xiao Jie was indeed somewhat tempted. He had been outside the village yesterday, and there were no monsters nearby—it wasn’t too dangerous. The key was that he had just learned a powerful combat skill and felt a boost in confidence—he even wanted to find a monster to try out his new skills. If he could make a small profit and complete a person-finding quest in the process, it wouldn’t be too bad. However, Xiao Jie naturally wouldn’t show his hand too soon, especially since he didn’t even have a suitable weapon. It would be too dangerous if he encountered a monster. He deliberately shifted the topic, “Why are you so concerned anyway?” “Ah, his older brother, ‘Cheng Xian’, used to have a good relationship with me. He’s an old friend and has helped me out before. If I can take care of his brother, I should.” “How about this, I’ll add another one hundred cents, 600 cents is quite a lot.” “1,000 coins, and you also need to lend me a set of equipment. Going out like this is just feeding the wild beasts. The key is a good blade—I need the Yanling Saber from the blacksmith shop. If you can lend me that saber, I’ll take the job.” Wang Kai’s face twisted up in struggle at that. But pressed for time, he didn’t dare hesitate any longer and gritted his teeth, “Alright, 1,000 coins then, and I’ll sort out the equipment. But make sure you don’t take the money and run. Maybe we should sign a contract?” Xiao Jie was speechless, “I’m really lost for words. If you’re not worried about that kid dying, we can slowly discuss the contract thing.” “Alright, alright. Forget about the contract. You wait here; I’ll get the equipment for you right now.” Wang Kai turned and ran into the blacksmith shop, and in less than a minute, he ran out again. He opened the trade, and a Yanling Saber, a set of leather armor, and five golden sore medicines, along with one Power Pill, appeared one by one in the trade column. Xiao Jie was astonished, “Damn, did you really borrow them? Your master trusts you that much?” “I am Ironsmith Zhou’s closed-door disciple, and my favorability is maxed out. Stop talking and get going. It’s already five o’clock, and it’s going to be dark in an hour. If we don’t leave now, it will be too late.” After saying that, Wang Kai immediately clicked on the trade. Xiao Jie clicked to accept the trade, looking quite pleased with the set of equipment that appeared in his bag and immediately equipped them all. Wolf Skin Gloves, leather armor chest piece, leather leg guards, Light Leather Boots. Of course, the most eye-catching item was the Yanling Saber in his hand; holding this green weapon, even as a Level 1, the shiny blade in his hand made him the prettiest boy in Ginkgo Village. Xiao Jie thought that this equipment might be worth almost five thousand copper coins; Wang Kai had really invested a lot. With this equipment and his newly comprehended combat skills, there was nothing to be afraid of. It’s a pity it’s only a loan. He wouldn’t go as far as to cheat someone out of their equipment. Without further ado, he directly ran towards the outside of the village. It was already five o’clock at this time, the sun was setting, and the sunset’s afterglow spilled along the edge of the valley onto the woods. Although it was still bright, it imposed a solemn and desolate mood. Plus, the desolate and gloomy scenery in the woods made Xiao Jie dare not stay any second longer. Ginkgo Village was located at the southernmost end of Ginkgo Valley; to the north, there was only one path, so there was no fear of losing the way. Moreover, what Wang Kai said was right — that I Want to Be Immortal shouldn’t have gone far. He didn’t plan to go all out; just a search around the village would suffice. If he really couldn’t find anyone, then so be it; he couldn’t risk his own life. However, since he’s taken money to solve problems for others, he couldn’t be too perfunctory either. As soon as he entered the forest, he saw a stray dog scavenging at the edge of the woods; Xiao Jie did not avoid it and charged directly at it, a perfect opportunity to test his blade. Sensing footsteps, the stray dog abruptly turned its head toward him and issued a threatening roar. The stark white fangs were notably ferocious. Xiao Jie didn’t attack immediately; after assuming the starting stance, he slowly stepped closer one step, two, three. Feeling the threat, the dog growled lowly and suddenly sprang into the air. Now! Xiao Jie swiftly moved, his Yanling Saber describing a deadly arc in his hands, meeting the dog’s leap head-on with a chop. One Cut, Two Pieces! Swipe! -63 (Deadly Strike)! The blade flashed past, and this strike actually split the dog’s head into two, leaving its body blurred with blood and gore on the ground. The sound of the blade slicing through flesh was utterly satisfying to Xiao Jie’s heart. Instant kill—cool! His heart now void of fear, he continued searching along the sparse paths through the woods toward the valley.