"No problem!"
"If worst comes to worst, we'll just die once!"
"Eldest senior brother, since you made your request, we'll definitely help you!"
Whirlwind Young Li's friends seemed to be unexpectedly forthright and hot-blooded. All of them agreed to help without exception. They did not treat their lives as anything important.
Regardless of whether they knew that the loss for a new player's death was insignificant, Happy was still very touched when they agreed to this matter without any hesitation even after he told them of the dangers.
"I won't say anything else, but regardless of whether we succeed in this mission or not, I will throw a feast in Jade Gate Restaurant. We'll not leave until we're drunk!"
"Jade Gate Restaurant, the place where wine is super-duper expensive, and there are beautiful waitresses who will drink with us?" Whirlwind Young Li's eyes shone with a light that only men would understand.
'Hang on… I know it's super-duper expensive, but what's with having beautiful waitresses drink with us?'
Happy was taken aback for a moment.
But the other people had already responded at that moment.
"Alright, awesome!"
"Eldest senior brother!"
"Just tell us what you need us to do."
Aside from Eastern Green Gate, the other people had abnormally excited faces. Happy had no idea whether it was because of him or because of Jade Gate Restaurant.
'Oh, well. Who cares?'
When he saw how excited they were, Happy did not have the heart to ruin their mood. He brought the group to Water Revival Village.
"This is Water Revival Village.
"Black Wind Mountain is the mountain over there. There are only two paths from this place to there. I reckon that Black Wind Mountain's forces are already heading over, but I don't know the exact route they're taking. That's why I need you to help me confirm this matter."
"This is easy, let me do it." Whirlwind Young Li patted his c.h.e.s.t and said, "My martial arts might not be able to compare to all of yours, but my body movements aren't anything to be looked down upon. Scouting out information is as easy as pie."
"Alright." Happy nodded, then gave him a reminder. "Go to the mountainside to the north and find a place to hide yourself. If you see any activity, send a message through the messenger pigeon immediately! We'll arrive as soon as possible! If they come from the south…" He turned his head around and looked at the tall young man. "Azure Wolf, please send me a messenger pigeon as well."
Azure Wolf nodded without hesitation.
At that moment, Eastern Green Gate suddenly spoke. "What if Black Wind Mountain moves in two groups? What should we do then?"
"That'll be even better." Happy put on a smile that said he had been prepared for this since a long time ago. "I'd much rather that they split up and move in two groups! After all, there's only one second bandit chief, and he can only stay in one group.
"Help me keep a lookout and see whether there is someone who stands out. If there isn't anyone among them who is especially powerful, please lure them away. Try to stall for as long as possible. The longer you can stall, the better."
"Got it."
Whirlwind Young Li and Azure Wolf nodded in excitement and nervousness.
Who would have thought that half an hour ago they were still waiting for a local rascal who had yet to reach Gate Realm with another group of players in a tavern, while now they had to face off against a huge group of fearsome Black Wind Mountain Bandits…
Chapter 29 - Money-consuming Hidden Weapons
"Senior Brother Happy!"
"It's kind of embarrassing if you call me that way, why don't you just call me Happy?"
"Heh heh, you're Whirlwind Young Li's senior brother, so you're our senior brother as well. I can get in the right mood when I do this."
"That's right, it's just like in the movies. I feel like you really have the air of a wandering martial artist, Senior Brother Happy."
"By the way, now that we've met him, don't you think that Senior Brother Happy resembles someone?"
"Who is it?"
"Hu Ge[1]!"
"Hey, aren't your attempts to suck up to him getting too obvious?'
Happy was completely speechless.
After Whirlwind Young Li and Azure Wolf left, he waited quietly outside Water Revival Village with Eastern Green Gate, Qian Kunzi, Xuan Kun, and Xuan Zhong. He had never expected that the four would use that time to tease him.
"Haha…"
When they saw how red Happy was due to embarrassment and noticed the look of resignation on his face, the four laughed, and their relationship became closer.
"By the way, why do you need so many throwing knives?" Eastern Green Gate suddenly drew the topic away from all the teasing. "I heard that hidden weapons are very difficult to train, and their accuracy is very low, and they're very costly as well.
"The disciples from Tang Sect on the official website's forum are almost driven mad, and they're cursing every single day…"
"Why?" Before Happy could reply, Xuan Kun and Xuan Zhong spoke up with curiosity.
"No money, I guess." Eastern Green Gate spread his arms and shrugged. "The people from Tang Sect are pouring out their woes every single day. Forging a set of hidden weapons means throwing away a bunch of money, and when you throw it out, you won't be able to get it back.
"If you hit wild beasts, their pelts will be damaged, and you won't be able to sell it for much. If you look for higher-level brigands, you will either not be able to hit them, or before you even have a chance to hit them, you'll die.
"The people on the official website are saying that if you don't have the money to practice higher-level martial arts, it's best for you to not learn how to use hidden weapons in the beginning."
Happy might have told him that he had killed the third bandit chief earlier, but he did not tell them what skill he used. Naturally, they did not know that his Lancet Knife Throwing Technique had already reached the middle of the ninth realm.
When he heard this, Happy nodded, because he had prior experience of it.
"Hidden weapons are indeed very difficult to train…" Happy then changed his tone. "But it's not as bad as they say."
He remembered that in his previous life, all the Tang Sect disciples who wandered the lands were powerful martial artists, especially during the first few months. Once they mastered the hidden weapons, all the Tang Sect disciples walked with their heads held high. Even though they faced powerful martial artists who were in the same realm as they were, they could easily fight against two or three of them by themselves. They could drive other people mad from the distance!
There was no other reason behind this. The long-range damage, speed, and ability to stay hidden was something that other martial arts found difficult to compare to.
Before their qi increased to Blessed Realm, players' ability to determine where something came from based on sound was very low. It was very difficult for them to avoid hidden weapons, and once they had their vitals hit in an ambush, they would face grave danger. If they came off with light injuries, fighting ability would only be slightly affected, but if they came off with heavy injuries, they might die straight away!
There was a reason why hidden weapons were difficult to train and reach a breakthrough.
Once Happy provided the others a general description of the hidden weapons, Eastern Green Gate and the others had shocked and enlightened expressions. Then, they did not forget to ask him about the realm of his Lancet Knife Throwing Technique.
"I just reached the ninth realm for that technique."
Happy found that there was no reason for him to hide things from his friends.
When the four people heard it, they were in high spirits.
"How's the power?"
Happy thought about it for a while before he said in a reserved manner, "If I'm up against normal mountain bandits, I now have a 50% chance to kill them in one shot."
The four's eyes instantly went wide.
Happy could oneshot a Gate Realm mountain bandit they needed to work together to kill?!
When he saw their surprised expressions, Happy smiled coyly. "I was lucky. I managed to kill a tomb robber a few days ago, and when I completed the quest, I got around two thousand taels of silver crumbs and this Universe Bag from him. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had the money to support my practice of Lancet Knife Throwing Technique. I was actually thinking about farming some money today, but I ran into this quest instead."
Happy's honesty made the four feel touched.
As they spoke, the topics they discussed became even more packed with information.
Rustle!
Happy turned his head around and gingerly caught a messenger pigeon that flew right in front of him.
Once he spread out the letter, a solemn expression appeared on his face.
"They're coming from the south!"
The four became excited.
"Then what should we do?"
"Send a message to Young Li. Tell him to hurry up and rendezvous with us in the south. We'll have to move now. We absolutely must not let the Black Wind Mountain Bandits take even half a step near Water Revival Village!" Happy's tone turned cold.
As the messenger pigeon flew out again, the five nodded at the same time and swiftly left for the south of the mountain through the main road.
Soon, they ran into Azure Wolf as he rushed down the mountain.
"They're behind me!"
"Search for a few different places and hide separately." Happy quickly stopped and turned his head around to everyone again. "Be careful. If you catch the attention of the mountain bandits, think only about making them run in circles. You must be careful."
"We get it. Don't worry."
The five quickly ducked into the bushes by the road.
Happy stood where he was for a while. Soon, he saw an abnormally dazzling firelight move down the mountain.
Under it were around fifty black-robed mountain bandits. They had torches lifted high and were heading down the mountain rather quickly. There were shining swords and sabers held in their hands, and they looked murderous.
'Very good.'
When he saw the forces dispatched from Black Wind Mountain, Happy was not alarmed, but was instead happy.
'All of them have torches…'
Mountain bandits with torches in their hands were like walking targets that were very distinct to the eye. The enemy was out in the open, and Happy was hidden in the dark. It was exactly what he had hoped for.
He moved dozens of feet forward and quietly hid himself in a bush next to the road!
The fifty Black Wind Mountain Bandits were like a fire dragon. When he drew closer, Happy could vaguely see that they had their faces covered in black facemasks, which was quite noticeable among the crackling of the fire. Only a pair of ruthless eyes could be seen. A fierce presence radiated off them as they headed for Water Revival Village with white strips bound around their arms.
When the mountain bandits draw near, Happy narrowed his eyes slightly. He swept his gaze across the group and swiftly found the person who was dressed in a more unique attire!
That man was in the middle of the group, and he had a shiny black leather armor. He held a ringed broadsword in his hand, and his footsteps were steady. He swept his gaze past the bushes by the side with a somber gaze, looking quite wary of his surroundings.
It was the second bandit chief of Black Wind Mountain!
Happy was slightly startled.
The second bandit chief's wariness and the leather armor gave him a headache. By the looks of it, the leather armor was inlaid with soft metal pieces that connected together.
There was no need to describe just how well it could protect the body! It would definitely be very difficult for the lancet knives to hurt him.
Happy did not even need to think to know that the man had to have learned from the third bandit chief's death and had intentionally changed his equipment into leather armor to defend against the throwing knives.
However, there was still hope. At least he had not gotten himself a full set of leather armor. He only protected his torso, which meant that his neck, head, and his limbs were still exposed. He did not reach Class S danger—Determined to Die.
While Happy thought about this, the Black Wind Mountain Bandits entered the range of his lancet knives. Happy silently narrowed his eyes and quickly brought out two of them. A faint ruthless presence turned into two rays of cold light under the cover provided by the rather dark sky, and they sliced through the air without a sound.
Chapter 30 - Kiting
"How dare you?!"
Almost the moment the lancet knives left Happy's hand, the second bandit chief roared, and he jumped into the air from the group of Black Wind Mountain Bandits! He bent his knees and looked like an eagle that dove from high above toward the place where Happy had hid himself!
It seemed like all the people in the world of martial arts loved doing this—oppressing others by force!
Happy's Lancet Knife Throwing Technique had reached the ninth realm. His skill and speed was much more accurate and faster than before. When he saw the bandit's actions, he was neither happy nor alarmed. The moment two short grunts rose into the air, two other throwing knives left his hands at the same time. One of them was above the other, and they shot straight toward the second bandit chief's head and lower body.
Their speed was incredibly fast, and when they attacked, their strikes were fatal…
The second bandit chief roared in anger in the air. He spun viciously and miraculously avoided the two fatal throwing knives.
Thud! Thud!
The lancet knives grazed past the second bandit chief's body and stabbed into the tree bark. The sounds that rose when they sank into the tree were heavy and dull.
'As expected, he's much more difficult to deal with compared to the third bandit chief…'
"Kill them!"
Happy did not panic. He suddenly shouted, and another two throwing knives charged swiftly toward the second bandit chief.
At the same time, the six other people hidden by the roadside revealed themselves.
Qian Kunzi, Eastern Green Gate, Whirlwind Young Li, Azure Wolf, Xuan Kun, and Xuan Zhong all rushed forward. Their shining weapons worked together with Happy's dull throwing knives, and they finally made a surprised look appear on the second bandit chief's face, even though the man had kept his cool all this while.
The youth had actually called for reinforcements!
From what he knew, when Happy killed the third bandit chief, he had come alone. The only helpers he had were the three villagers who were called to divert the attention of the other mountain bandits…
Alarm appeared on the second bandit chief's face!
The brief loss of composure was exploited by Happy. His lancet knife made use of the opportunity and went straight into the second bandit chief's shoulder. The sharp pain shocked and enraged the second bandit chief, but his level-headedness made him press his hand against his shoulder and move back. With an even faster speed, he returned to the Black Wind Mountain Bandits and shouted at his brothers, "Attack them together!"
Happy retreated into the bushes calmly and reminded the other six loudly. "Act based on the plan!"
Whirlwind Young Li and the others did not leave immediately. Instead, they quickly spread out and ran off into different directions!
The second bandit chief remained at the back of the group. He could not see the situation in the forest clearly, and because of it, he did not know that his forty or so brothers had instantly been divided into smaller groups and led into different directions.
When the second bandit chief noticed that there was a prolonged absence of any sound of activity in the forest and that his brothers were going further and further into the distance, he finally realized that there was something off about the situation, and a hint of uneasiness appeared on his face!
&
nbsp; "Come back!"
But unfortunately for him, when he gave the order, the mountain bandits could no longer hear him.
'This is bad.'
The second bandit chief gritted his teeth and pulled out the throwing knife in his shoulder. He stopped the blood before he viciously lifted his broadsword and ran into the forest in hot pursuit.
Happy had left the earliest. Hence, practically all the Black Wind Mountain Bandits' attention was focused on Whirlwind Young Li and the other five. When those extremely violent and wicked people chased them into the depths of the forest, they noticed that the brothers around them had started dwindling in number, and they finally realized that something was off.
"Urk!"
Two extremely faint grunts came from the back. Some of the mountain bandits turned their heads around to look, and they were just in time to see two of their brothers at the very end of the group roll over and fall to the ground.
Shick! Shick!
The throwing knives came nonstop. They brought with them a faint sound of air being sliced apart, and they swiftly claimed the lives of two more mountain bandits.
"Get the money."
The remaining six mountain bandits were no longer a threat to Happy. While he spoke, he drew his sword. In the dim firelight, a cold glare shone, and two torches fell to the dust on the ground along with their owners.
It became darker in the forest.
The remaining Black Wind Mountain Bandits simply could not tell where the hidden weapons came from. Fear blossomed in their hearts, but at that moment, Happy swiftly charged out from the bush behind them…
"It's him!"
"Kill him!"
But Happy did not intend to waste time with them!
Whoosh!
"Ah!"
"Urgh!"
Before the two by his side could get closer, they flipped over and fell. The spot where they were struck by Happy's throwing knives were swiftly dyed dark red.
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