"You... are you serious?" Violet, who had already been resigned to defeat, suddenly focused her gaze on Guan Ren.
"Naturally. However, I need your people at Clear Rain Pavilion to cooperate with me."
"Rest assured, if you help us secure this Boss, I am willing to offer 500 gold coins!" Violet stated. "Additionally, our Clear Rain Pavilion members will do their utmost to support you!"
"We have half an hour before the monster besieges the town. I hope to get some materials in this time." Guan Ren shared the list of materials with Violet that he needed to complete Mayor Fang's task.
Violet, true to her guild’s prestige, quickly gathered the materials Guan Ren required.
Afterwards, Guan Ren received 500 gold coins from her, told the crowd to wait at the town entrance, and then dashed deeper into the town.
"Elder sister, do you think he can really do it? A monster is about to besiege the city, and the Boss’s health is sure to be greatly enhanced. We don’t have enough quality gear, and snatching the Boss from the Slaughterworld Syndicate seems rather far-fetched, doesn’t it?"
"Let's see. I sensed a strong confidence from him. Plus, you saw how he wiped out Slaughter Charge’s squad by himself in the Boar Forest. I think he won't disappoint us." Violet watched Guan Ren's retreating back and analyzed.
While all of Sunward Town's players were busy preparing for the monster siege, Guan Ren hurriedly arrived at Mayor Fang’s residence.
Due to the impending monster siege, Mayor Fang had gone into hiding at home. Only Guan Ren, familiar with the Sunward Town's layout, could locate the mayor.
"Good day, Mr. Mayor, I have brought the materials you need!" Guan Ren burst into the house and, before the mayor could say anything, he threw the materials on the floor of the room.
"This... young man! You are truly unbelievable! Bringing so much material... Take this as your reward!" Ding, the task was completed, and a reward claimed!
A system notification sounded, and Guan Ren glowed with golden light, rising to level 4!
"Could it be that completing tasks also allows me to avoid the effects of The Heart of Heaven's Punishment?"
This revelation brought a fleeting joy to Guan Ren, who then turned his attention to the black sword in his hand.
[Black Iron Longsword]
Quality: Black Iron
Attack +20, Strength +5, Agility +5, Attack Speed increased by 10%
Level Required: 4
A Black Iron quality weapon and the first of its kind in Sunward Town now belonged to Guan Ren.
"Mayor Fang, your illness seems rather serious...Isn't there a complete cure?"
Knowing the hidden plot from his past life, Guan Ren pocketed the sword and got straight to the point.
"Ah, there is a way… It's just that the prescription for the cure is torn and tattered, I fear there’s no hope…"
"In that case, may I see the prescription? Perhaps I can be of some help!" Guan Ren quickly steered the conversation towards the direction he knew from his previous experience.
"Ah, well, go ahead and take a look then!" Mayor Fang sighed, retrieved a worn little wooden box from under the bed, and opened it to reveal an ancient, torn prescription.
"The other materials have been prepared; it's just that a few key ingredients are missing from the prescription, and I have no idea what they might be."
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
[Torn Prescription: A formula crafted by the Mystical Spirit Medicine King, intended to treat Mayor Fang's illness. The prescription is now damaged.]
This was it!
His face lit with excitement, Guan Ren gazed intently at the torn prescription. In his past life, someone decrypted this recipe, earned Mayor Fang's gratitude, and was taken as a disciple by the Mystical Spirit Medicine King, becoming a powerful being!
This hidden quest, with a unique nature, could be triggered by any player in Sunward Town but would disappear once the prescription was deciphered.
It was just over three hours since the server launched; no one else could've come so far so fast — except Guan Ren, who had dissected the mission blueprint. This time, the mystical healer was destined to be his!
The prescription was missing two ingredients.
One was with the potion shop owner in Sunward Town, and the other was with the Boar King, soon to attack the city!
"I already have a lead; Mayor Fang, I’ll bring the rest of the materials right away!" Leaving behind a statement, Guan Ren didn't linger but turned and left.
In the potion shop, Owner Wang was bustling with business thanks to the upcoming attack.
The monster siege had players flocking to his shop to buy potions, keeping him grinning from ear to ear.
"Owner Wang, I need something."
Guan Ren pushed through the crowd to reach the counter.
"No matter what you want, get in line!" Owner Wang waved his hand impatiently. If it weren't for Guan Ren's one charm point, he would've already chased him away.
Thud!
Guan Ren's gaze darkened, and he slammed a bag of gold coins onto the counter.
Inside the bag were a thousand gold coins!
"Hahaha, my friend, please come to my private room for a discussion!" Owner Wang's eyes widened with delight, and he pulled Guan Ren into a small room behind the potion shop.
This was a thousand gold coins!
Compared to such a sum, the business outside measured in copper coins was negligible.
"Tell me, what do you want to buy?" Owner Wang inquired, certain the buyer knew his business well, to lay down such an amount.
"Fire Spirit Fruit." Guan Ren cut to the chase. "A thousand gold coins; if it's a deal, let's trade."
"Fire Spirit Fruit? This is a fine item, though for a thousand gold coins, it's a bit..."
"Goodbye then."
Without wasting another word, Guan Ren stood up to leave.
In his past life, Owner Wang had priced the Fire Spirit Fruit plainly at a thousand gold coins. Now trying to raise the price, Guan Ren was not going to be taken for a fool.
"Wait! One thousand gold coins! Done!" Owner Wang hurriedly got up and held onto Guan Ren, his face filled with urgency.
After obtaining the Fire Spirit Fruit, Guan Ren left the shop through the back door. Checking the gold coins he had left, he went to the ancient well near the town entrance. He kept a few gold coins for himself and threw the remaining three hundred into the well.
This action stupefied all the players preparing for battle at the town's entrance.
"Damn, what's gotten into this guy? Just throwing away so many gold coins like that? I would have taken them!"
"Elder sister, look, it's that kid!"
A member of Violet's group pointed out Guan Ren from a distance.
Violet turned her eyes to him and, seeing his actions, couldn't help frowning slightly.
What in the world... is he doing?
"Heh, interesting fellow." A man shrouded in a black robe, leaning by a tree near the well, glanced at Guan Ren momentarily before withdrawing his gaze with the hint of a smile.
As for Guan Ren, he paid no mind to the other players, who looked at him as if he were a fool. He simply folded his hands, closed his eyes, and devoutly made a wish at the well.
Sunward Town was an intriguing starter village. In his previous life, Guan Ren learned of many extraordinary stories associated with Sunward Town. This well was among them.
It was a Well of Hope, supposedly crafted by the Goddess of Hope, its origins lost to time.
But one fact was firmly established: currency wished into the well could grant a reward with a certain chance of success!
The more gold coins offered, the richer the reward.
However, the chance of success was slim.
Unless you are the first to make a wish!
The first person to make a wish at the well... was guaranteed to receive a reward.
So, while the surrounding crowd settled in to enjoy a spectacle they expected to end in disappointment, a light enveloped Guan Ren, followed by a series of deafening system notifications for all players in attendance.
[Ding, player 'Name Hidden' has successfully triggered the well's reward and received the Swift Wolf Armor Set!]
[Ding, player 'Name Hidden' has successfully triggered the well's reward and received the passive skill 'Seasoned'!]
[Ding, player...]
...
"Damn, get out of my way! I want to make a wish too!"