“How long until Ralerna respawns?”
Although this world was as real as it got, it wasn’t quite the real deal. Those monsters and Ralerna he just kill didn’t stay dead. They would soon be up and about, given time.
“Three days.
“After thinking about it, I see that Zheng Lin had picked the best time to hunt her. Or he wouldn’t have been in such a rush along the way. That is why we should get out of here as soon as possible.”
Li Mo nodded. Then the two disappeared among the trees.
It wasn’t long before an adventurer party came along.
They weren’t human at all. Each had bull horns on their heads and red hair on their bodies. They were Tauren.
“Who killed our boss?”
“Who?”
“Who dares steal our boss?”
“Ralerna hadn’t died for long. Her killers must be nearby. Find them!
“Find them!”
“And kill them!”
“Kill! Kill!”
Dozens of Tauren howled as they charged out of the eastern camp.
“Isn’t this dangerous?”
Ye Li ducked behind a bush as she whispered.
“I’m very strong. I am not only good at gaming but also have a powerful gift. My Recovery can heal one’s health to full.
“Vice-chief Li, take me with you. You have nothing to lose, only to gain.”
“Ho~.”
“Really, I’m speaking the truth.”
“En.”
“Sigh… one mistake, and it haunts me forever. I promised Zheng Lin because of the gear, not at all intending to give myself to him completely. Don’t you know these aren’t our real bodies?”
“When I played other games, I enjoyed getting married. But that was just it, a game. You may use it to hold it over my head and I won’t hold it against you.”
“That may not be the case.”
“It is!”
“Really isn’t.”
“It absolutely and unequivocally is!”
Li Mo fell silent.
A Tauren was strong but quite dim in the noggin. Their ‘search’ was glancing about for something, a bit of rampaging too, and that was it. It never occurred to them to ruffle some bushes.
Li Mo and Ye Li ducked inside a thick bush for an hour before coming out.
Those Taurens were level 35-40 wearing blue and golden gear. Li Mo had no problem with two of them, but faced with overwhelming odds, he was sensible to see where that would lead.
Li Mo walked through the Forest of Ruin with Ye Li behind him. The orcs they encountered were easily disposed of, even the reinforcements. And each encounter helped Li Mo gain 5 or 6 stat points.
Ding!
Ding!
As he mowed down through the wave of orc warriors, he was bound to be lucky sometimes, earning him two blue gears.
One was a plate of armor for warriors and knights. Li Mo threw it over to Ye Li. In her joy she jumped to kiss him, but was dodged.
The other were shoes, increasing all defense by 2 and movement speed by 5. It wasn’t much, but it beat going around in straw sandals.
And so, the couple went on their merry way through the forest, killing and looting. Oh, and they got a level each.
“We can’t go any further!”
Ye Li shouted.
Any further and they’d be leaving the Forest of Ruin.
“Beyond are the Viper Mountains. In that place vipers are everywhere that makes even a level 40 golden geared player think hard before approaching.”
Viper Mountains was an area in the 15-30 level range. But because of the highly toxic poisons and the rarity of antidotes, this area was one of the worst hunting grounds.
Even a level 50 player armored to the teeth in epic gear wouldn’t want to go. Because the poisons didn’t discriminate by level. And when hundreds of vipers attacked, they would kill him in seconds.
Ye Li explained the details to Li Mo, who gave up going further.
Li Mo was in no rush to leave Forest of Ruin, rather returned to killing and wandering about as he increased his level and stats.
Ten days later, Li Mo and Ye Li came back to the camp. He was level 20 and she was 17.
The players in the camp were still the same, still toiling every day in the mine.
Ten days were enough to strap the couple in full blues, with no few extra to spare.
When Li Mo presented the dozens of blue gears, he shocked them all.
Bi Yunxian was ecstatic, “Great, with these items we can form a small elite team to grind levels. It won’t be long before we break out of Clauder’s control!”
“What of Zheng Lin? Did he return?” Ye Li asked.
“No, he hasn’t come back since. What’s wrong, didn’t you guys go together?”
Li Mo shook his head, “How’s the situation in Holy City?”
Rather than Zheng Lin, Li Mo was more concerned about Du Fei and the others.
“The same, but over the last few days, Clauder had found himself in trouble. He called for all his Milky Way Guards preparing for something.”
Ye Li said, “I told you. It made no sense for the Forest of Ruin to have no wandering patrols!”
Li Mo asked, “Where can a player learn skills?”
He had been grinding for ten days, got countless items, but not one of them was a skillbook.
Level 20 and still chopping…
Bi Yunxian said, “On Holy City’s Center Street there are many class trainers. Anyone needs but pay one gold coin to learn their skills.“
Bi Yunxian gave Li Mo two gold coins.
This was the amount they earned from all the mining. They intended to use it to buy gear, but now with so many he brought back, they could do without this money.
“A gold coin can only buy you one blue item. Vice-chief Li, you brought so many blue items, they must be worth twenty gold coins!”
Li Mo accepted the money.
“Vice-chief Li, be extra careful in there. Our boss of the Milky Way Galaxy, Clauder, isn’t the worse. The most dangerous are the five factions controlling the Holy City. Although it is a safe zone, it is only an illusion where the five factions are at the helm.”
Li Mo nodded.
Ye Li ran next to him.
“I’m coming with you!”
