The Legendary Mechanic c1-1385

by Chocolion, 齐佩甲

“We’d better not provoke him,” Balsas replied.

  Xiao Rui was undecided as he knitted his brows together in a deep frown. He turned and saw Liu Cheng, his expressionless personal bodyguard who was right behind him. This eased his nervous mood.

  Liu Cheng sensed Xiao Rui’s gaze and reassured him indifferently. “Don’t worry. Even if we face Black Phantom, I can still protect your life. He can’t do anything to me.”

  …

  The sun was setting.

  Ever since the off-road vehicles entered the town, Han Xiao had felt a change in Green Valley Ville. The town’s look-out had kept a close watch on him, as if they were worried about his activities. From this small detail, Han Xiao was fairly confident that the person on the vehicle that had entered the town was an important character.

  “I don’t have a deep impression of Alumera’s family. It seems like they were not a special group in the original quest… Oh, I’ve recalled. I think in the secondary quest of ‘The Power Struggle of Vagrant Warlords’, this family was the one of the strongest powers. Yes, this secondary quest and Bennett’s refugee quest had a partial conflict. The vagrants and I did not have a lot of interactions, don’t think it will affect this quest.”

  Han Xiao had been eyeing Bennett’s quest for a long time. He did not know when it started, but with his good relationship with Bennett, coupled with the positive notes from the Dark Net Organization, as well as his Universal Reputation, there was a high chance that he would be invited by Bennett to participate in the refugee plan, and that would be Aquamarine’s second main quest.

  Chapter 155 - Fruit of Face

  Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  As a participant in the main quest mission, the mission Han Xiao would receive should be quite different from the other players’, and he was very excited.

  Alumera seemed like an indirect enemy. Han Xiao rubbed his chin and muttered to himself, “We’ll see when the time comes. There isn’t any cause for concern now. This is just a small territory.”

  The interface showed that he had accumulated more than one million EXP. Aquamarine had nineteen novice villages. Excluding the six on Andrea Mainland and not counting Big Horn Village and Green Valley Ville, this meant that Han Xiao still had eleven chances of earning from teaching mechanic skills to those who switched to the mechanics class. This was more than enough for him to rise till LV 60, after which he could then go to some dangerous places, collecting rare abilities, skills, and machinery. Hence, it was rumored that ‘max level is the beginning’. Although he did not have a rank limit imposed by the version, the quality-price ratio to continuously increase his rank was not the highest.

  Since Han Xiao possessed a huge channel of EXP, he used it extravagantly to improve his skills.

  Talent points could not be used carelessly, but EXP did not really matter.

  He straight away upgraded three skills to the highest level; [Flaming Will], [Overload], and [Moving Snipe]. These three combat skills were all important, and the explosive power was upgraded once again. If [Flaming Will] and [Overload] were to start at the same time, it was even possible for the Ghost sniper rifle to take over two thousand HP. The three skills were fully upgraded, and they brought along three talent points. His accumulated talent points were 24 now, and he saved them so as to not use them unnecessarily.

  With the remaining EXP, Han Xiao fused his knowledge together and randomly obtained new blueprints. Fortunately, the fusion this time around was quite good.

  [Sunworm Portable Flamethrower], the flame had continuous damage. The important point was that it had a small volume but a large range of impact. It could be carried with you or loaded as a small component on a vehicle or robot.

  A player who took the role of patrolling in the town suddenly dashed over and shouted in fear, “I found an army. They are approaching, and they have triggered a mission!”

  The players of Green Town Ville became restless and all went to check out their interface.

  Han Xiao’s brow jumped momentarily. He actually received a mission too!

  _____________________

  You have triggered a random mission, [Invasion of Green Valley Ville].

  Mission summary: Green Valley Ville, which is controlled by the Alumera family, is very close to the inhabited land, Black Pine, Lu Cheng’s territory. There has been continuous friction between them. Now, Lu Cheng’s troops are once again invading Green Valley Ville. You can choose to help the Alumera family protect Green Valley Ville or help Lu Cheng attack. Please choose your position.

  Mission requirements: Tip off Balsas and protect Green Valley Ville. Otherwise, you can choose to join Lu Cheng’s troops and attack Green Valley Ville.

  Note: Once you have picked a side, you are not allowed to switch.

  Mission rewards:

  1. By protecting Green Valley Ville, you will receive 12,000 EXP and 3,000 Aquamarine Dollars.

  2. By helping Lu Cheng compete the attack, you will receive 10,000 EXP.

  _____________________

  I actually received the novice mission as well?

  Han Xiao broke into laughter. He did not care about this small reward, but Lu Cheng, who was mentioned in the mission, caught his attention. If he remembered correctly, Lu Cheng was Old Man Lu’s son, a South Continent vagrant who was a big warlord.

  Old Man Lu’s four blueprints could only be obtained from Lu Cheng. An idea came to Han Xiao’s head, and he immediately made a decision. As long as he got to interact with Lu Cheng, he would then be able to know when the secret quest would begin.

  As for those four uncommon blueprints, he had been eyeing them for a long time.

  I will observe for a while, see if the leader is Lu Cheng himself or his subordinate.Han Xiao took out his sniper rifle and oiled it. He idled around and appeared as a sharp contrast to the busy players around him.

  This urgent mission resulted in the players taking action, some of them immediately chose to protect Green Valley Ville, which offered a higher reward, and went to tip off the guard. There were still some players surveying the situation first.

  Balsas received the information and jumped out of his lover’s bed in shock. He hurriedly threw on his clothes and arrived at the town’s lookout tower with quick steps. The observatory was built with stones and bricks, and the top was spread with weeds as a ceiling.

  “Damn it, the bastard of Black Pine came again!” Balsas cursed with a pair of gloomy triangular eyes.

  Green Valley Ville was just one part of Alumera, and Lu Cheng was actually a local vagrant warlord from the South Continent. His power was even more tremendous. Lu Cheng’s headquarters were in Black Pine, and Green Valley Ville was located just dozens of miles away. Lu Cheng had eyed this strategic location for a long time and tried to invade several times. No one had expected him to launch an attack today.

  Xiao Rui arrived beside Balsas and pointed at the dense mess of surrounding players and assured him, “Don’t worry, don’t we have cannon fodder?”

  Balsas’ eyes lit up. With this bunch of unbeatable eccentric refugees, they were able to counteract Lu Cheng’s military advantage!

  Balsas called the assistant and ordered, “Go tell that bunch of refugees outside that I need them to ward off Lu Cheng’s army. As long as they completed my mission, everyone will receive money.”

  “Don’t give too much,” Xiao Rui added on. “Their lives are worthless.”

  “I understand.” This bunch of refuges were the best cannon fodder; they were the trump card to defeating Lu Cheng. Balsas let out a sinister smile.

  Luck is on our side!

  …

  Lu Cheng sat in the middle of a war chariot and looked serious. This unit had more than sixty off-road armored vehicles equipped with machine guns and rockets, followed by hundreds of fully-equipped elite soldiers. They were all trained and qualified soldiers; one soldier could fight at least three enemies, and the soldiers knew how to work together in different formations. They were n
ot a common vagrant of the mob.

  Lu Cheng had been coveting Green Valley Ville for a long time. There was a strategic mountain pass between this town and his land, Black Pine. Once he seized the town, there would be no worries in the future.

  “We must capture Green Valley Ville this time round.”

  The troops were getting closer to Green Valley Ville. Lu Cheng soon noticed the crowd surrounding the town; they wore ragged garments, like a group of refugees, guarding the town.

  Lu Cheng’s face immediately darkened, and there was a trace of anger in his eyes. “What a despicable bastard to use refugees as cannon fodder!”

  He ordered the military fleet to park a distance away from the town, just outside of the firing range of the machine guns. The smoke and dust quickly dissipated. The ruts left on the muddy road exuded a burning smell, and the heat from the friction somewhat contorted the air.

  The players who chose to protect the town all held onto their weapons tightly and waited on high alert. The cold armored vehicles and the compressed gun barrels made many people nervous. They swallowed their saliva with unease. Beads of sweat on their foreheads were reflecting light under the sun.

  Many observing players had some doubts. Were they not allowed to choose their camp? It seemed like that they would begin fighting any minute now, and they might have no time to choose a side.

  “Balsas, are you thinking of blocking my gunfire with these pathetic fellows?” Lu Cheng took out a megaphone, and his voice travelled out. Everyone in the town could hear his voice clearly. “My men are able to tear them to shreds easily, do you want me to paint your territory with fresh blood?”

  Balsas emerged above the wall and smiled coldly.

  Lu Cheng frowned and looked at the group of shabbily dressed refugees. He calmly offered, “I’ll give you the opportunity to leave now. There is no need to die here.”

  The refugees were restless for a while, but he realized that they did not waver despite that.

  “Are these people unafraid of death?”

  Lu Cheng was astonished. He realized that there was not the slightest bit of fear on this bunch of refugees’ faces. He hesitated to give the command of attack.

  Balsas faintly guessed the values of this group of refugees; what they cared about the most was profit instead of their lives. Seeing Lu Cheng hesitation, Balsas was very proud of himself and was rather scornful of Lu Cheng’s indecisiveness. He ridiculed lowly, “What an excessive tendency to clemency.”

  To be apprehensive toward endangering the refugees’ lives would only hinder his battle; Lu Cheng’s choice appeared awfully stupid in Balsas’ eyes.

  Balsas grinned evilly and was about to order the refugees to counterattack when he suddenly realized that there was movement from the side-lines.

  Black Phantom!

  Han Xiao stretched his back and strode unhurriedly to the center of the confrontation. He instantly caught the attention of both sides and the players. He crossed his arms and called loudly, “Give me some face. If you all want to go to war, do it tomorrow!”

  His voice was as good as a loudspeaker. Everyone was taken aback.

  “Why is he intervening‽” Balsas immediately swallowed back his almost released order.

  Lu Cheng froze, sizing Han Xiao up, before exclaiming hoarsely, “Black Phantom‽ Why is this fellow here?”

  The commanders of both sides were afraid of the consequences, so they ordered the troops to lay down their weapons. The tense atmosphere of confrontation dissipated immediately.

  The players were bewildered. They were not very familiar with Aquamarine’s background. From the mission brief, it was known that Balsas and Lu Cheng were warlords of influence. Black Phantom gave out an order on his own, and the two warlords with armed forces immediately feared the consequences. This roused the players’ curiosity.

  With one sentence from Black Phantom, he was able to halt the war. He was able to make the two warlords overlook their feud, who exactly was he?

  Just how high was his status to dare say the phrase ‘give me some face’? The most terrifying thing was that the two warlords halted immediately; how much weight does he carry‽

  Then the players noticed something else. These NPCs all recognized Black Phantom. Exactly how big was his reputation on the planet? Could it already be to the point where he was able to cut in anywhere he went‽

  Is this Red-Hair Shanks’ legendary ability, Fruit of Face 1 ?

  Bun-hit-dog, who was secretly videoing the scene, was thrilled. This kind of news material was exactly what he wanted.

  Chapter 156 - One More in the Support Team

  Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  “Retreat, set up the camp!” Lu Cheng took a deep look at Han Xiao and swept his eyes across the refugees. He let his troops pitch a camp in the distance and eyed covetously.

  The players became restless. Some players who had yet to choose their side were surveying the situation. It seemed like the Green Valley Ville’s side had a higher possibility of winning.

  The sky became dark.

  Han Xiao walked over to Lu Cheng’s camp, and the guards hastily raised their guns when they saw him approaching.

  “Relax, I just want to have a short discussion with your leader,” Han Xiao assured them.

  The guards continued to hold on to their guns and did not allow Han Xiao to enter the camp.

  At this moment, Lu Cheng heard the commotion and walked over. “Let him in.”

  If Black Phantom wanted to kill him, there was no need to inform him. It seemed like he had other intentions. He permitted the guards to make way and lead Han Xiao into the newly built tent. Frenzied Sword followed after Han Xiao.

  Lu Cheng sat down casually, not worried that Han Xiao might threaten his life. With his hands clasped under his chin, he remarked, “The famous Black Phantom actually appeared in this small place. I don’t know the reason of your intervention—I don’t think Balsas is qualified to hire a killer of your status—so what is you purpose of visiting me?”

  Han Xiao got straight to the point. “I’m here to help you.”

  “Help me?” Lu Cheng became suspicious. “We have not met before.”

  Han Xiao casually made up a reason. “You are more likeable than Balsas.”

  Lu Cheng felt strange and paused before commenting, “Balsas … He’s a despicable fellow. He actually let the refugees act as cannon fodder. I really don’t understand, why did this bunch of refugees disregard their lives? What benefits did Balsas give them exactly? Could it be that he detained their family to threaten them? I gave them an opportunity to live, yet they don’t want to leave.”

  “They don’t have much combat strength, why don’t you just crush them? With your armed forces’ strength, it would be a completely one-sided massacre.” Han Xiao half-smiled.

  Lu Cheng’s face was blank. He declined to comment and changed the topic. “Black Phantom, I don’t know you, and I don’t know why you want to help me. What do you plan to do, kill Balsas? I believe this is an easy task for you.”

  “No, I don’t want to kill people,” Han Xiao said perfunctory.

  Lu Cheng’s lips twisted. A killer said he did not wish to kill people? This is more ridiculous than saying a navy can’t swim!

  “Then how do you plan to help me?”

  “You are concerned about the refugees. I can help you resolve that.”

  Lu Cheng raised his eyebrows. “You can convince them?”

  “Perhaps.”

  “… Then what do you want from me?”

  Lu Cheng did not believe that a legendary killer, who was a stranger, would help for free. He was certain that the Black Phantom had a motive, but he did not understand what the Black Phantom fancied from him.

  “I don’t need a reward.”

  Lu Cheng’s eyes darkened, and he stared at Han Xiao’s eyes. What he saw was a dense fog, and he was unable to penetrate Han Xiao’s thoughts. Generally speaking, if one did not want a
reward, it meant that the person harbored other intentions and bigger ambitions.

  Silence.

  Frenzied Sword felt lost as he was listening to their conversation, but that did not hinder him from sensing that the atmosphere had become rigid, and his nape somewhat tightened.

  After two minutes of deadlock, Lu Cheng did not say anything at the end. He nodded and said slowly, “Then I’ll count on you.”

  …

  Han Xiao petted Frenzied Sword’s shoulder while walking out of Lu Cheng’s camp, saying, “I’ve things for you to do.”

  _____________________

  You triggered the mission [Disseminating of Information].

  _____________________

  The mission was to disseminate the information of Black Phantom joining Lu Cheng’s camp, using reputation as a form of reward. The greater the number of people who came to know this information, the higher the reward would be, and players were surprisingly counted in as the head count. Frenzied Sword did not doubt him and diligently went to disseminate this piece of information in Green Valley Ville.

  Perhaps the ordinary players would be amazed to encounter this type of real-life interaction mission, but Frenzied Sword had gone through Han Xiao’s baptism of love, and hence was not shocked at any kind of mission anymore.

  “Next up will be to see how much influence I have,” Han Xiao said.

  Frenzied Sword was really efficient, and perhaps because he had a bit of a fame now, the news spread through words of mouth quickly. Very soon, it had spread throughout Green Valley Ville. Then there was a huge commotion among the community of players.

  “If we choose Green Valley Ville, does it mean we’ll become enemies with Black Phantom?”

  “How is it possible to beat him!”

  “Is this a mission guide?”

  The players were panicking. The image of Han Xiao ferociously killing the beasts was still deeply etched in their minds. Becoming enemies with Black Phantom would be equivalent to courting death. The situation of the mission was immediately turned upside down. The chances of Green Valley Ville winning had become an all-time low.