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Versatile Martial Master
Chapter 10 - Cuiwei Mountain

Chapter 10 - Cuiwei Mountain

In "The Grand Martial World," the currency exchange rate is set at 1 tael of silver equaling 1000 wen, and 1 tael of gold equaling 10 taels of silver.

In comparison to real-world currency, 1 wen of copper coin is equivalent to 10 yuan, as many players find themselves short on money within the game.

Items can be brought out of the game, but real-world items cannot be brought in, keeping the exchange rate consistently high.

Lin Feng didn't return to Seven Heroes Town, as the only inn there surely wouldn't do business with him.

Sleeping on the streets isn't suitable either, and he might get caught by Bai Zhantang and the others, which would blow his cover.

Since he has money now, he decided to stay at Zuo Family Village, and perhaps find some tasks to take on.

Unfortunately, Zuo Family Village is much poorer than Seven Heroes Town. After searching for a while, Lin Feng found only a delivery task to Seven Heroes Town from a local courier station.

After accepting the task, it was getting late, so he decided to stay overnight at the inn in Zuo Family Village before setting off.

That evening, he ordered a few dishes and a pot of wine at the inn, enjoying his meal.

The game experience is quite immersive, even allowing for a clear sense of taste.

Although these ancient dishes can't compare to modern ones in flavor, they boast authentic, toxin-free, pollution-free ingredients, fresh and purely organic without any technological additives.

Moreover, you can indulge in exotic delicacies here without concerns about protected species—tigers, pandas, pangolins, you can try them all if you have the money.

Many players regret not tasting these protected animals after dying and quitting the game.

Lin Feng has a keen interest in food, so he's quite willing to try various delicacies in this game.

After eating his fill, he rested at the inn for the night, spending less than 100 wen in total, which was quite cheap.

***

The next day, Lin Feng left Zuo Family Village early, as there was a bandit extermination mission he couldn't miss.

Within half an hour, he returned to Seven Heroes Town.

It was still early before noon, so Lin Feng decided to purchase some supplies.

He completed the courier task first, then headed to the tailor shop in town to buy a backpack. This game doesn't have fantastical items like storage rings; everything is carried in bags and backpacks.

Of course, some bags, like the Cloth Sack Monk's Qiankun Bag in "Heavenly Sword," are somewhat similar to storage rings, capable of holding objects several times their size, but such treasures are certainly not found in small places like this.

Lin Feng glanced around and saw the shop sold only three types of cloth bags.

[Ordinary Cloth Bag: Common Grade, Lower]

[Capacity: 30 jin]

[Price: 150 wen]

[Exquisite Cloth Bag: Common Grade, Medium]

[Capacity: 50 jin]

[Price: 300 wen]

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[Brocade Pouch: Common Grade, Upper]

[Capacity: 100 jin]

[Price: 500 wen]

Lin Feng casually chose an Exquisite Cloth Bag; the Brocade Pouch was too expensive and unnecessary. Who knows, there might be Yellow Grade bags in the bandit camp, and fifty jin capacity was sufficient.

After buying the bag, Lin Feng went to the blacksmith shop to select a common weapon; having a weapon is better than none.

But after seeing the weapon prices at the blacksmith shop, he reconsidered.

[Ordinary Long Knife: Common Grade, Lower, Force +8, 1 tael of silver]

[Ordinary Long Sword: Common Grade, Lower, Force +5, 850 wen]

[Ordinary Long Spear: Common Grade, Lower, Force +6, Attack Range +2, 1.4 taels of silver]

These prices were surprisingly high, and Lin Feng only had over 400 wen left, making it unaffordable.

As he was about to leave, he noticed a basket on the ground filled with incomplete ironware.

Curious, he asked about these iron items.

"They're all defective weapons. If you want one, I'll sell it to you for 200 wen."

Lin Feng was intrigued. He didn't have any martial arts skills related to weapons, so he was just buying one for better combat. Punching with bare hands is definitely slower than using a weapon.

So even a defective one would do, and this broken knife added 3 points to Force, which was better than nothing.

He immediately picked a broken knife, paid for it, and then went to a dry rations shop to buy some food and water.

With everything ready, Lin Feng patiently waited at the yamen entrance.

A large crowd of players gathered at the yamen entrance, all waiting to join the bandit extermination, and the numbers kept growing. People were talking loudly, and some even started fighting.

By noon, a group of soldiers emerged from the yamen.

Leading them were Constable Xing and his apprentice, Yan Xiaoliu.

Lin Feng was relieved that Bai Zhantang and the others weren't there; otherwise, it would have been awkward if he was recognized.

Constable Xing, leading a team for the first time, was imposing and authoritative as he shouted at the players below, "Quiet down!"

Seeing little effect, he shouted again, "Anyone who keeps making noise will be disqualified!"

This time, the crowd fell silent.

Constable Xing was pleased with the result and began a brief motivational speech in an official tone. Then, with a command, all the soldiers set off in unison, heading towards Cuiwei Mountain.

Thousands of players also surged forward, following the soldiers to eliminate the mountain bandits.

Although normally few players dared to participate in such dangerous activities as bandit extermination, fearing accidental death, this time, with the yamen's backing, everyone felt it was quite safe, so all who could come did.

Lin Feng also followed the main group, but he stayed at the back, neither hurried nor slow.

While others were eager to rush ahead, fearing they wouldn't get a chance to kill bandits, he deliberately slowed his pace. Even though he could easily overtake everyone in a few steps, he chose not to.

Moreover, he kept observing the surroundings of the road ahead, ready to escape at the first sign of trouble.

The martial world is dangerous, and constant vigilance is crucial. As a former mercenary, he knew this better than anyone.

However, as they proceeded, everyone remained safe, and no danger occurred.

This made many players even more eager to eliminate the bandits and claim rewards. Some even ran ahead of the soldiers, claiming to scout the path, but in reality, they just wanted to grab the kills early.

After more than an hour of trekking, they finally reached the foot of Cuiwei Mountain.

Cuiwei Mountain is located forty li north of Seven Heroes Town. Its proximity to the official road and its accessibility make it a frequent hideout for bandits who rob passing merchants and travelers.

This bandit extermination wasn't just initiated by Seven Heroes Town alone. Magistrate Lou had coordinated with the yamen from nearby towns and villages, dispatching troops to join forces in the operation.

Otherwise, the limited manpower of Seven Heroes Town wouldn't suffice.

"Constable Xing, we've been traveling for a long time. Let's rest a bit before heading up the mountain," a constable suggested to Constable Xing.

However, Constable Xing dismissed the idea, his eyes filled with a desire for merit.

"No! The art of war emphasizes swift and decisive action. Magistrate Lou is waiting for our good news. We must not disappoint him. Keep moving!"

With that, Constable Xing waved his hand, and the group continued their relentless march up Cuiwei Mountain.

Cuiwei Mountain is lush with trees, steep rocks, and surrounded by poisonous snakes and fierce beasts. Only a few narrow paths, trampled by generations of herbalists, are passable.

Fortunately, Constable Xing wasn't unreasonable enough to make everyone take the same path. Instead, he divided the forces to ascend the mountain, planning to encircle and annihilate the bandits.

The players also split into several groups, heading up the mountain from different directions. Lin Feng chose a path with the fewest people and the most difficult terrain, but he still stayed at the back.

It was the height of summer, and the scorching sun made the mountain unbearably hot.

The higher they climbed, the hotter it got. Even on the mountain path, snakes, insects, rats, and ants frequently appeared, and stepping on one was like hitting the jackpot for the unlucky.

Despite the challenging conditions, the players' desire for mission rewards was unstoppable.

Each bandit was worth a tael of silver, and with the soldiers leading the charge, where else could you find such an opportunity on a novice map?

Lin Feng was drenched in sweat, taking the steepest and narrowest rocky path. Only about thirty people chose this route.

Although Lin Feng had high agility, he didn't want to be the vanguard and maintained a steady pace at the back.

Alongside him was a chubby guy, seemingly a newcomer, panting heavily after every few steps.

"Wow! I think I've seen you online. Are you from the Elite Center?"

"You've got sharp eyes, my friend. Yes, I'm indeed a member of the Elite Center."

"Awesome! Lucky day, running into a pro team, hahaha."

"Got someone to rely on! We're set!"

"Oh my gosh, isn't this Sister Yu of North City? Kuai Xiaoyu, right? I've watched her stream before. She soloed a dozen wolves on a novice map. So impressive."

"I heard that was staged, though. Apparently, there were teammates nearby throwing hidden weapons to help her (whispering)."