Chapter Nineteen: Returning to Horse Town

A bloody battle finally ended in the midst of fierce slaughter. While cleaning up the battlefield, Zhang He made an unexpected discovery: he picked up an extraordinary-grade red necklace and an extraordinary-grade pauldron. He had no idea which unlucky hall master from the Spark Gate had dropped them.

Naturally, Lei Tingfeng and the others had no interest in such low-level goods. Moreover, since Zhang He was the hero of this battle, no one contested him for the loot, and they graciously handed it over to him:

Amber Necklace (Extraordinary Grade), requirement: Level 25, Courage +2, bonus: Internal Power +2;
Black Iron Pauldron (Extraordinary Grade), requirement: Level 20, Defense +5; bonus: Strength +3.
Thus, Zhang He's level 25 attributes were further enhanced:

Constitution: 140 points, Bone: 40 points, Strength: 46 points, Internal Power: 22 points, Agility: 21 points, Heart Technique: 0 points, Courage: 12 points, Fortune: 0 points, Defense: 46 points, Chivalry Value: 1 point, Evil Value: 0...

Internal Power finally had a foundation, making it possible to cultivate basic internal skills. Of course, such strength still wasn’t enough for solo combat.

The gold from the fifteen wheelbarrows was also tallied by Lei Tingfeng and his team, reaching a staggering total of 50,000 taels. If this gold was transported to the Yizhou City government office, the local magistrate would allocate a reward of twenty percent, that is, 10,000 taels, along with corresponding chivalry value rewards for each participant.

Chivalry tasks are the opposite of evil tasks; even the deceased members of the Shadow Fragrance team would receive this reward.

“We can’t deliver it to Yizhou!” Zhang He voiced his opposition.

“Why not?” Lei Tingfeng now essentially followed Zhang He's advice.

Zhang He explained, “Spark Gate is a major sect in Yizhou, and Ghost Rain Maple and his men won’t let this go. They’ll surely act quickly. Transporting so much gold to Yizhou would take at least two days. If their protectors gather, it would be easy to ambush us on the road and retake the gold. We can’t take that risk.”

Lei Tingfeng asked, “So what are you suggesting?”

Zhang He replied, “Let’s deliver it to Huima Town nearby. We can reach it before dawn, and let the town’s government office take over. That way, we’ll still get a ten percent bonus.”

Lei Tingfeng hesitated. Losing 5,000 taels was no small matter, and nobody would want to give that up.

Zhang He insisted, “It’s the safest option. Better than ending up with nothing. Besides, we don’t have enough manpower for the transport. I can call friends from Yuhua Village to help. They’re all new players and won’t share the bonus, only receiving a token transport fee. Captain, this is already a good deal. Don’t hesitate any longer.”

Lei Tingfeng sighed, “Alright, let’s do as you say.”

When Duck Neck and a group of small merchants received the summons and arrived at Motian Road, the new players were so excited they rubbed their hands together, volunteering eagerly to serve as laborers escorting the convoy. Lei Tingfeng promised that if they reached Huima Town by dawn, each would receive ten taels of gold. For these players, who spent their days haggling fiercely over a few copper coins, this was like a windfall from heaven.

Watching the grand procession set forth again, everyone was in high spirits. Only Zhong Shuman approached Zhang He at a leisurely pace. “The sword technique you used to assassinate Ghost Rain Maple—what was it?”

Zhang He was bemused by this cold and elegant ranger earnestly seeking guidance, sighing inwardly at the allure of “Dynasty,” or rather, the profound appeal of martial arts, which captivated countless men and women.

Seeing Zhang He’s impassive expression, Zhong Shuman turned away coldly. “If it’s inconvenient, forget it.”

Zhang He laughed, “Actually, it wasn’t any special sword technique.”

“Oh?” Zhong Shuman was surprised.

Zhang He frowned, “I simply observed the few strikes Ghost Rain Maple used to kill Aspirin earlier.”

Zhong Shuman asked, “Was there something unusual about those strikes? What did you notice?”

Zhang He explained, “They were extremely fast and fluid. You know, a sword is double-edged, and he used both edges in those strikes, which shows he’s skilled. It also suggests that Spark Gate’s main weapon is the sword, not some evil skills like those of the Spark Hand. Ghost Rain Maple’s swordplay is solid, but no matter who it is, long-standing habits don’t change overnight. When I offered the sword hilt, only someone with either very poor or extremely advanced sword skills wouldn’t fall for it.”

Zhong Shuman was quick to understand. “I see. You handed him the hilt, and his first reaction was to take it, a habit from long-term sword practice. A novice wouldn’t grasp your intention, while a sword expert would immediately see through the trick.”

Zhang He smiled, “Exactly.”

Zhong Shuman breathed out. She had learned something new today, gaining fresh insights into martial arts cultivation.

“So how did you make your sword spin so suddenly?” Zhong Shuman pressed further.

Zhang He certainly wouldn’t reveal that his “Basic Weapon Technique” had reached the master level; he would never disclose his true strength so easily. “It was just exploiting his psychological inertia.”

Seeing he wouldn’t say more, Zhong Shuman didn’t press the issue. The two of them silently followed the convoy through the woods, the crisp sound of wind rustling the leaves making the air feel refreshing.

After a long while, Zhong Shuman finally said, “You’re probably not a novice, are you?”

Zhang He could only smile wryly, “Many people have asked me that.”

Zhong Shuman sighed, “But you really are an unranked level 25.”

Zhang He replied, “Level doesn’t mean everything.”

“That’s true,” Zhong Shuman agreed. “Let’s add each other as friends?”

“Sure,” Zhang He readily accepted. He certainly wouldn’t object to befriending a beautiful woman, especially one who was a capable free knight.

When the name “Strength Conquers All” appeared in her control panel’s friend list, Zhong Shuman nodded with satisfaction. She wouldn’t reveal her real intentions to Zhang He, but she believed this little brother had learned many practical techniques from the forums. With his insight and courage, he would soon rise to prominence.

Dawn gradually broke, and Huima Town’s silhouette slowly appeared before them.

The “Dynasty” game background records that many years ago, this small town was ravaged by war and bandits, with the people suffering greatly. The local constable was dispatched here, and he swiftly suppressed evil and upheld justice, winning the people’s hearts. Because he was recognized by the prefecture chief for his service, he was promoted to Yizhou. When departing, the townsfolk escorted him for ten miles, but the constable, deeply attached, returned after twenty miles and spent his life in the town, ensuring the people’s peace. Thus, the town was named Huima, meaning “Returning Horse Town.”

Though a remote settlement in the Yizhou region, Huima Town’s prosperity far surpassed Yuhua Village. Its streets were well laid out, featuring not only essential shops but also inns, taverns, and escort agencies, all run by players. Walking along the broad avenue, seeing the bustling crowds and ancient architecture, one couldn’t help but feel a sense of expansiveness.

After delivering the official silver to the government office, every participant received 800 experience points and 3 chivalry points. Zhang He directly leveled up from 25 to 28. The office distributed a ten percent bonus, allocated by Lei Tingfeng. First, Duck Neck’s group received 150 taels, followed by merit-based rewards.

The deceased Shadow Fragrance team members each received 700 taels, Zhong Shuman, who slew Ghost Rain Maple, received 1,000 taels, and the others got 210 taels each.

With heavy gold in his pocket, Zhang He was in a great mood. He didn’t yet know the black market rates in Huima Town, but at least his living expenses and rent for the month were covered. However, Huima Town was not a place to linger. Zhang He could already imagine high-level Spark Gate players from Yizhou swarming this way. They wouldn’t bother with the official silver, but who could guarantee they wouldn’t kill out of spite? Zhang He had no desire to be trapped in town for days, unable to leave. If a bold expert openly killed in town, it wouldn’t be surprising. If he were blocked at the Stone of Three Lives, he’d never be able to log in again.

The night passed, and it was time to log off. The effort and risk of this night had been worth it, yielding rich rewards. Now, it was time to head to the office for a nap and seek the dreams of the ancients.

Everyone, please vote in support! Urgently seeking all kinds of support.