Adam returned to the workshop.
Before logging back in, he thought of a way to make the task that Vetius gave him be completed faster and easier.
[Blacksmithing Chain Quest: Chop 10,000 Woods]
[Blacksmithing Chain Quest: Mine 10,000 Ores]
So for now, he instead focused on crafting more potions- both for his use and for selling.
Without wasting a moment, he immediately started working.
As for acquiring the Rune Tracer class, he has decided to postpone it until he can level up a few more times; after the 3rd class, there will be a slight increase in the Essence required for leveling up so he judged it to be more efficient to just keep not add Rune Tracing for now until he is ready to craft weapons and armor.
Since Rune Tracing has a nice synergy in crafting equipment, it would be the best time for him to activate the tome only when he actively needs to use the skill set it provides.
For the entire day, Adam has done nothing but brew potions until he has created several hundred flasks of the basic potions. The majority of them are only of notable grade as he had to use the lesser ingredient he managed to secure from items put up for sale in the auction house but it would still net him quite a profit. As for the superb ones crafted using better ingredients, he decided to keep it for himself.
On the second day, he also had several alchemical grenades and poisonous concoctions for his personal use.
Thanks to his continuous hard work for the past several days, he had accumulated a considerable Essence. At the moment, he has more than enough to level up at least five times but he decided to postpone using it as he now has the Spatial Ring and his mount that needs Essence to be activated.
And just like that, two days passed, and was time to meet with Hao Jun.
Adam approached his teacher.
"Teacher, I need to head out to meet someone."
Vetius turned to look at him but said nothing.
Instead, he pulled out an emblem from his robes and gave it to Adam.
"Take... this..."
"You... can... open... the... walls... of... the... workshop... with... it..."
Ding!
[You have received the Emblem of Vetius' Workshop.]
Emblem of Vetius's Workshop (Unique)
Description: A special item created by Vetius to allow the user to open or close pathways on the maze-like structure of his workshop. Allows the user to view a projected map that shows the entire workshop, its surrounding area, as well as any living or undead being within.
Details: Using the key function requires Essence. The map and surveillance function uses MP.
Restriction: Vetius' Apprentice
'What an amazing device!' thought Adam.
It would allow Adam to come and go as he pleased. But aside from that, the emblem is a very powerful tool as it essentially allows him to monitor the entire structure and ensures they will not be taken by surprise by any potential threat.
He now realized that the only reason invaders could even reach Vetius was that he allowed them to. Based on what Adam observed of The Revenant's actions so far, he deduced that his teacher had been thinking about selling his wares to potential customers. The only problem so far was that, except himself, the majority of his visitors have hostile intent.
To anyone else, this would just be a pleasant gift that players would happily accept. But Adam's knowledge of Pangea let him gain a piece of valuable new information.
Just from this single item, he learned several things about his teacher.
The first thing is that Vetius has a very high proficiency as a Rune Tracer. The effect of being able to open or close the pathway that the emblem has can be attributed to rune encryption. It falls under the same umbrella as the teleportation array or catacomb seal that he had encountered so far. The only difference is that the portals are meant to seal an area while the key is obviously to open an area.
Secondly, his teacher is also an Enchanter. The effect of projecting a map and detection feature is very similar to the many security systems that Mage Towers and other important building has- and these are magical. Adam does not doubt that Sanctus Lux has something similar that helps the soldiers protect the fortress. The main difference between a spell and an enchanting one is that a spell has to be cast while an enchanting effect is ever present and can be activated by supplying it with mana.
And finally, combining the two factors with the fact that Vetius is a grandmaster blacksmith, means that he is capable of crafting magical items.
Adam initially assumed that Vetius simply mastered smithing ordinary equipment as he had never seen any enchanted items. Just as a warrior can either focus on a single path like becoming a Knight or becoming a Magic Swordsman, so too can a blacksmith decide to specialize in non-magical equipment or branch out and learn how to implement magical effects in his crafts.
From what he had learned just now, Vetius is clearly in the latter category.
As for the reason why it never crossed his mind, it is because Adam has so far only seen ordinary- albeit well-crafted, items out in the open. But in hindsight, wouldn't a blacksmith hide the most precious items he made over the more mundane ones? After all, Adam himself chose to keep the top-quality potions for himself and sell the ones he deemed less valuable.
Further proof of this is when he activated the map function of the emblem, certain sections of the area were blacked out as he did not have full access to every area of the workshop of his teacher. And rightfully so, after all, he is just at an apprentice rank.
Adam's desire to master blacksmithing has increased tenfold with this discovery. But for now, he has to complete two very time-consuming tasks.
And for that, he needs to meet with Hao Jun.
"Thank you, teacher!" said Adam. "I will return shortly."
He used the emblem to open the wall that paved the path to the caverns.
Ding!
[You have lost -1000 Essence.]
"Huh. So a thousand Essence for each use?"
Adam took note of the cost. For someone like him with relatively easy access to gaining Essence, this isn't too bad. But it also means that for every time he wants to open a path, it would cost a thousand. It wouldn't hurt to make sure he only opens pathways when he needs them and it would be in his best interest to manage the pathway so he doesn't open it any more than he has to.
Next, he summoned his mount. Incidentally, the cost is also the same.
[You have lost -1000 Essence.]
[You have summoned Karva, the Undead Steed.]
Before departing, Adam updated his equipment to be suited for combat than crafting and equipped his mask once more.
"Let's go meet Hao Jun, Karva," said Adam to his steed. "Let's get back to the cavern."
Karva obediently followed his instructions and started galloping.
***
All of Hao Wei guild personnel are currently in the cavern. They have been told to be vigilant of any potential ambush.
Hao Jun, the leader of the Hao Wei Guild has told the top members of the guild that they are to expect a visitor. For the sake of insurance, he ordered the guild's top combatants to stand guard in case the meeting did not end on a good note. Or, if there was no meeting but an ambush instead.
Although his condition of being in a coma has been kept off the media, the fact that most of the Hao Wei Guild are aware of it means that anyone who wishes harm upon him would have probably already known about it.
In other words, those who are a legitimate threat to his well-being are well and capable of acquiring this piece of information. There is little point in not entertaining the possibility that rival businesses are out for his head.
After all, despite being in a coma, he is still conscious and fully of sound mind thanks to the technological marvel that is the gaming capsule. This means that for all intents and purposes, he can run his company from Pangea and his orders will be relayed back to the real world.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
While he was initially dismissive of being in a virtual world, after spending a few days in it, he has come to realize that it is nearly indistinguishable from the real world. And what's more, with the passage of time being longer in Pangea, he can accomplish more than he could in the real world while he's in the game.
Of course, if he were to be killed in-game, he would simply go back to unconsciousness.
But a few days of unconsciousness would be highly detrimental for someone running a global company.
He simply cannot afford to be killed in-game.
But on the other hand, there are still things he needs to do himself.
One of them is securing a powerful base of operations in Pangea. Since he will be here for more than half a decade, it is only natural that there is a need for him to solidify his position here.
In the world of Pangea, power matters- perhaps even more so than in the real world. This is why he immediately understood that he needed to develop Hao Wei in every aspect measurable.
Combat, Hunting, Arcane, and Creation. These are the four paradigms that players can choose from upon starting the game.
But from the unique perspective of a man like Hao Jun, the paradigm represents something else.
The Combat Paradigm refers to his fighting force. Be it to fight or defend something, warriors are crucial in ensuring the safety of their territory from various threats.
The Hunting Paradigm are his explorers and hunters. Their role is to fulfill specialized tasks that require gathering information, identifying valuable territories, finding treasures and resources, and eliminating important targets. After all, what is assassination if not hunting a target?
As for the Arcane Paradigm, or magic, Hao Jun admittedly does not fully understand it yet. But from what he learned so far, magicians are known for being able to inflict great damage in a fight and can provide various utilities that can improve the quality of life in Pangea.
And finally, the Creation Paradigm, or the crafters. As the head of a global company, no one needs to tell him of the importance of laborers. After all, he chose this paradigm for himself. The capability of the guild to produce their goods will determine how powerful they can get.
Once they can produce their weapon, armor, potions, and other items that will be necessary in Pangea, only then can Hao Jun say that he has secured his power base.
It is not too different from how his own country produces nearly everything that the world relies on for their daily lives.
But for now, never mind a country or even a power base, the small guild he runs can't even craft their items yet. For lack of a better word, the Hao Wei Guild is currently not deserving of the name Hao.
Despite being one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the world, just like every other player in Pangea, Hao Jun has to start from the bottom of the food chain in the World of Pangea.
And now, he is waiting for a potential step that can help him get to the top.
1 Hour. 2 Hours. 3 Hours.
Time passed by simultaneously quickly yet slowly. But eventually, the expected announcement came.
One of the assigned guards in the outer section of the cavern came rushing towards where he was.
"Mr. Hao Jun, the man you're waiting for is here."
"Very good," said Hao Jun. "Return to your post."
But the guard hesitated, there was something else he had to say.
"What is it?" asked Hao Jun directly.
"Sir, I think he's Chinese. Also, he told me to show you this."
It was a potion with a powerful effect that nobody had ever seen yet.
***
After about an hour, Adam reached the cavern. However, he did not head straight to the area.
"Over a hundred players to protect you? Cautious as ever, Mr. Hao."
With his heightened perception, he can detect a high number of players in the area where he needs to go for the meeting.
As long as he does not do anything that would suggest he came with ill intent, Adam is confident that he can have a productive conversation with Hao Jun. Nevertheless, he made sure to prepare every scroll, potion, and other usable items in case he ever needed to fight and flee from the entire Hao Wei Guild. After all, even with his level, it would still be a bad idea to engage over a hundred players all by himself.
As for his weapon, he chose to wear a highly visible longsword on his waist. He decided to place his two precious daggers in his Spatial Ring so he can retrieve it at a moment's notice.
"Thank you, Kaarva. That will do."
He dismissed his mount and decided to head to the cavern on foot; he'd rather not make it known that a player has managed to secure a unique mount so early on in the game.
Aside from his countermeasure against a skirmish, Adam summoned one of his bags of holding from his Spatial Ring and placed a few hundred of his basic potions as well as some of the superb-grade health and stamina potions. Once again, he did not want it known that something like the Spatial Ring was in his possession.
He continued the rest of the journey on foot, and after one hour, he encountered a small squad of Hao Wei.
"Halt! Identify yourself!"
Normally, Hao Wei would have attacked on sight due to their supposed declaration that the Forgotten Temple was their territory. The fact that they demanded an identification is proof that his visit is expected.
Not bothering to give his name, Adam simply recited the phrase that Hao Jun sent him.
"It is a general truism of this world that anything long divided will surely unite. And anything long united will surely divide."
Silence.
It is the phrase that Hao Jun has told them would be the password. But what caused the guards to be surprised was not because he recited it, but rather, the language that Adam used.
He spoke in fluent Mandarin.
While in Pangea, the Rosetta Protocol automatically translates languages for the player to ensure communication is not an issue. There are certain restrictions to this, typically tied to quest-related matters, but for the most part, the translation works seamlessly nearly every time.
Of course, this also applies when a player using a different language is speaking to another who is not familiar with the language being used. This is why the guards, and even Hao Jun, were expecting a translation will be provided by the Rosetta Protocol of the system when they heard the password.
But the fact that there was no system notification that the Rosetta Protocol was in effect meant that the man before them spoke in perfect Mandarin.
The guards' surprise was clear.
"You... you're Chinese?" said the guard who demanded Adam to identify himself. His tone is noticeably softer now that it appears the man before him is a fellow countryman.
Adam's not-Chinese feature is concealed by his mask and armor so the guard can only understandably rely on his fluent command of Mandarin to assume he's also Chinese.
But Adam didn't care to elaborate.
"I have a meeting with Mr. Hao Jun of the Hao Wei Guild. Can you tell him that I am here?"
"Oh, and can you present this to him as well?"
And as a deliberate move, he handed the guard one of the superb-grade potions.
The attitude of the guards had changed since he confirmed his identity. And so one of the guards rushed ahead to the cavern while holding the bottle of potion in his hands.
Not long after, Adam was given the cue that he could proceed. He wordlessly walked ahead.
As he headed towards the cavern, where he crafted his first potions a few weeks earlier, he could sense that the various players were closely observing him.
Nobody greeted him or approached him, but it was clear that they were ready to react should he show any sign of hostility.
Furthermore, some of the players were openly tearing scrolls and casting spells at him. But he paid them no mind.
They are harmless. And more importantly, completely useless- at least when applied to him.
They were using scanning-type scrolls and spells to determine his identity- a predictable reaction.
Nevertheless, it would not work on Adam for two reasons.
First, his level is higher than anyone right now. Not just in Hao Wei but he is confident he currently is the highest level player worldwide. Second, he is wearing the Lorik Ranger's Stealth Cloak which provides a concealing effect on one's identity.
Lorik Ranger’s Stealth Cloak (Uncommon)
Type: Cloak
Armor: 0
Weight: 1
Durability: 10/10
Requirements: END 14
Description: A cloak enchanted to make the user make 50% less noise. It protects the user from basic identification or scouting skills. It is an ancient equipment but magically preserved.
No scroll of spell powerful enough can penetrate through two layers of defense that protect's Adam identity.
And so he continued walking while he could hear grunts of confusion and frustration from the players who tried to scan him. Eventually, he reached the center of the cavern where a makeshift tent was built.
Outside the tent are several guards surrounding the structure. It is clear that the man he wants to meet is waiting for him inside.
As he got near the tent, one of the guards held his hand to stop him.
Adam recognized the player. It was Chang Yichen, the cleric, and one of the players he fought and defeated a few days ago.
"Halt! Mr. Mianju, you must surrender your weapon before entering the meeting with the Guild Leader," demanded Chang Yichen.
The cleric made no mention of their previous encounter. Either he did not hold a grudge against him, or the instructions he received from Hao Jun is more important. It is the latter if Adam was to go by the furious expression on the cleric's face.
"Mr. Mianju?" asked Adam in Mandarin in mild amusement.
Mianju is the Mandarin word for mask- clearly a reference to the mask he wears. In response, Adam switched to English.
"I must say, it has a nice ring to it. Sure, let's go with Mianju from now on."
The earlier assumption that the is Chinese was dispelled immediately.
Of course, the team that Adam fought reported that the Rosetta Protocol was in effect during the brief conversation he had before the fight.
But when a man in a white mask appeared and provided the password, some of the Hao Wei players considered the possibility that the white mask was a common item that two different people acquired. But now, that thought is gone.
The man is not one of them. Not as a guild, and not as a fellow countryman. Their alertness went back up.
Adam decided that masquerading as Chinese would be seen through sooner or later so he decided to subtly declare to everyone that he isn't one. This is in the interest of building trust to get what he wants. After all, he wouldn't have come here if all he wanted to do was to engage in PVP.
"Surrender your weapon," commanded Chang Yichen, unperturbed by Adam's switching to English. He is not surprised in the slightest.
"Chang Yichen, right?" asked Adam in a friendly tone, once again in Mandarin. "Sure. Here you go."
He handed him the longsword he was wearing on his waist. It was a cheap and weak longsword that any player of a decent level would not even bother to carry with them at this point.
The cleric paused. He remembered that Adam used two daggers in his fight. Plus, the sword is obviously of poor quality- there is no way someone capable of defeating 10 professional players would be using trash as his weapon.
He let the sword drop onto the ground.
"I know this isn't your weapon. Give me the daggers."
Adam sighed. In hindsight, he should have at least worn a weapon with better quality.
He can't surrender his daggers. Even if they do return it, the descriptions on both daggers contain details that Adam would not want Hao Wei to know.
Vetius' Dagger would reveal the name of his teacher. Though it would be a fairly long shot before they can identify who Vetius is, Adam wouldn't want to give them a clue until there is benefit in doing so. And as for the Sacrificial Dagger, he wouldn't want to tempt fate by showing the Hao Wei guild such a high-quality weapon with a powerful effect.
"I can't do that." refused Adam firmly. "Besides, you do remember that I'm a spellcaster as well, right?"
The cleric did not relent.
"Then I can't let you enter."
Then, the stalemate was broken by a voice coming from the tent.
"Enough! Let him in. Now."
Chang Yichen turned towards the door and respectfully bowed.
"Yes, sir. At once, sir."
He then gestured for Adam to proceed. His earlier defiant demeanor disappeared upon receiving Hao Jun's instruction. However, he still said his piece before Adam continued walking.
"Remember, there's over a hundred of us here. There is enough of us to overwhelm you and hunt you back to Level 1."
But Adam paid him no mind. He just continued walking and entered the tent.
There, he saw the man who was once his teacher in his first life.
Not only did he teach him Alchemy, but Adam eventually learned to speak Mandarin thanks to all the time he spent under the guidance of the future Saint Alchemist.
"Greetings, Mr. Hao Jun. What do you think of the potion?"