Under the starry sky, by the tide pool at low tide, Da Fei's flying spear moved like a dragon as he sweat profusely, slaughtering these defenseless anemones!
Plant monsters are actually not weak, it's just that their inability to move is a deadly disadvantage. But the advantages of plant monsters are bizarrely heaven-defying. Currently, the most ferocious plant monster released on the official website is the Cannibal Tree, located in the border areas between the Elf Kingdom of Farolan and the human Griffin Empire, where the entire forest teems with them. Unwitting outsiders get snared by ground vines and swallowed by tree trunks in no time – no matter their rank or size; small ones are instantly annihilated, bigger ones might struggle for a few seconds. Even if an army marched into that forest, they would be instantly annihilated! Moreover, the Cannibal Tree also harbors symbiotic Forest Demons and Tree Snakes, making the Cannibal Tree woods an unsolvable deadly territory. After all, the combination of troop types is most crucial.
Of course, there are very few types of plant monsters, and the environments in which they survive are also very bizarre. Currently, the official website has revealed plant monsters like Cannibal Tree, Poisonous Dandelion, Hallucinogenic Poppy, Exploding Sweet Potato, etc., all of which possess the heaven-defying ability to destroy entire legions!
How lucky is Da Fei to encounter a new type of plant monster in the sea? No, this isn't luck! This is strength! There's a reason why the NPC assigned me, this trashy gunner, to be here! This is the discovery reward I deserve! After all, I am still an expert with years of experience! Wahaha!
Finally, when the 100th anemone burst and died, a golden light descended from the sky!
— System Prompt: Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 2! You have gained 1 strategic attribute point, 1 skill point, Life +2, Command Power +1.
— Newbie Hint: Players can independently distribute their strategic attribute points across Attack, Defense, Magic Power, and Knowledge. During the newbie phase before job-change, each level up grants only one strategic attribute point, so players must distribute them carefully. If unsure about which direction to develop in the future, you can accumulate attribute points without distributing them right away. Strategic attribute points can also be acquired through methods like arena training and schooling.
— Newbie Hint: You have gained 1 skill point. You can purchase a Skill Book from schools, barracks, or town skill tutors to learn a new main skill, enhance your existing main skill level, or learn branch skills from the Skill Books you already own. Skill points can also be obtained through mission rewards.
— Newbie Hint: Your Command Power has increased by 1 point. Now you can lead 1 soldier in battle. The more powerful the soldier, the more Command Power is required; the Command Value on the soldier's attributes indicates the required Command Power to lead that soldier. Command Power is mainly acquired through completing missions and obtaining official titles from the country.
Da Fei wiped his sweat and let out a long sigh.
For an unclassed newbie, leveling up wasn't much of a boost, and the key issue was that the Killing Value was still pitifully weak at 1-3. If only I had learned the Attack Skill—it's probably the first skill chosen by most players who begin as battle heroes, as it's essential. The problem is, I only have a Sailing Skill book on me! There's not even a Skill Tutor in this godforsaken place! If I knew I would be stranded here, I wouldn't have chosen Sailing to start with. Plus, what's the use of having Sailing now when there's no ship? Although my Command Power did increase a bit, where can I recruit soldiers here?
This is so frustrating! The system and the players are conspiring to screw me over!
I bet those normal players who started out, whether they chose gunner or archer specialties or the Attack Skill, are happily collecting missions and rewards from the barracks instructors, probably already leading a few minor soldiers into instances by now, right? As the Goddess says, not supporting player lotteries is a wise choice, getting a crappy talent and being dispatched to a crappy place really affects development. Luckily I'm an expert and can still find a glimmer of hope, otherwise, a noob might just die from being isolated on this desert island!
Die from isolation? Wait! Surely I can't swim back from this deserted island? There must be a ship, right? Could it be that the ship stranded on the shore is actually functional? Is the player's task to drive that ship back?
Da Fei's heart skipped a beat! That's a big ship! If I really could sail that ship away, I could save a huge amount of money and time spent on building reputation! But before talking about the ship, that guy definitely won't hand the ship over willingly! As for him having a change of heart to bring me back on his route? I guess with his black heart, it's unlikely!
Da Fei's brows furrowed! At the end of the day, I must take on Blood Sea Wave! Even if I can't beat him, I must at least pose a threat to him, otherwise, I wouldn't even qualify to negotiate!
No more talking, time to level up! Da Fei allocated the strategic attribute point he received to Attack; 1 point in Attack could increase the hero's and troops' Damage Value by 5%. After all, adding to Attack is never wrong! I don't believe I can't catch up with him killing skeletons if I continue to kill these defenseless monsters!
Da Fei continued moving from one tide pool of anemones to another. Unknowingly, dawn was approaching, and the rumbling sound of the tide carried from the horizon, the edge of the sea and sky turned into a strip of silver ribbon, the tide was rising!
Da Fei suddenly realized he was very far from the island, he couldn't even see the ship on the island clearly! Damn! Not like this! Am I going to drown in the sea? When I wasn't leveled up, dying didn't matter, but now if I die and lose experience, that would really hurt!
What to do? Da Fei looked around and suddenly saw a small protruding islet in the sea not far away. Since there's no time to run back to the island, that place probably won't get submerged by the rising tide!
Da Fei immediately rushed into the sea and started swimming vigorously, racing against the tide!
As the tide rolled in, Da Fei clearly felt the sea level rising rapidly, and he was running out of stamina halfway through! Damn! Hurriedly, he pulled out a coconut, smashed it open, and drank it all – Stamina +100! Oh yeah!
It's getting close! The sound of the tide was like thunder, the waves like walls! Almost there! All out! Da Fei clenched his teeth for the last sprint! Although no matter how he clenched his teeth in the game, it didn't help!
— Boom!!! The tide hit the shore and the waves reached the heavens! In that instant, even as Da Fei clung to the rocks with his back against the massive waves, he could still feel the shocking vibrations coming from the rock!
"Finally…" Da Fei let out a long sigh of relief, slowly climbed up the rocks, and suddenly shuddered!
There was someone on the rocks! A rotting skeleton of a dead person!
Da Fei immediately raised his gun, fully alert!
The standoff lasted for quite a while, but these dry bones eventually did not turn into a skeleton rising up. It seems they're not monsters! If they're not monsters, what does that imply? It means there's a chance!
Excited, Da Fei began searching through the pile of ragged armored bones.
— System Prompt: You search the remains of the deceased and find an old travel bag and a tattered Sailor Battle Armor!
— Tattered Sailor Battle Armor: Increases personal defense by 3 points, durability 22/100. (Note: Personal defense only affects the hero himself, not the troops)
Hahaha! Finally got something to wear! Da Fei laughed heartily towards the sky! It's not necessarily about getting something good, but getting something at all in this desperate situation is immensely thrilling! Now Da Fei could finally understand how Robinson Crusoe felt when he found a small knife after being stranded on a deserted island in "Robinson Crusoe"!
But, the real excitement is still to come! Da Fei immediately put on the tattered leather armor, then couldn't wait to open the travel bag, and a golden glow shone out, stopping Da Fei's breath!
It was a book with a golden cover! Exactly like the book he had!
— System Prompt: You have obtained a Reconnaissance Skill Book, use 1 Skill Point and you will learn Basic Reconnaissance Skill!
— System Prompt: You have obtained a C-grade strategic treasure telescope!
— System Prompt: You have obtained an old Sailing Captain's log (quest item).
Ha ha! Hahaha! Just when I was worried about not having a place to learn skills, the Skill Book appeared right at my door!
I get it! I get it now! Although this Newbie Village appears deserted, it has a Skill Book! How could the system actually dispatch new players to a place where they can't even learn skills? It means, the specialty of this uninhabited Newbie Village is for players to explore and discover by themselves! And undoubtedly, the sunken ship must be the jackpot!
Thinking of the sunken ship, Da Fei felt a sense of urgency and quickly checked the remaining items.
— Telescope: Increases hero's vision by 50%, a C-grade strategic treasure.
Strategic treasure! Hahaha! Hahaha! It's only the first day and I've found a strategic treasure! Strategic treasures are not like ordinary weapons and equipment; they are crucial in determining the outcome of a war! What does a 50% increase in vision mean? It means seeing things half as far away as normal! I can see him, but he can't see me! This is a must-have divine artifact for sailing and guarding against pirates!
Elated, Da Fei casually looked through the telescope towards the deserted island, where the previously blurred sunken ship was now clearly visible, and the figure of Blood Sea Wave still fervently battling on the deck! Damn!
Then he opened the page kept with a bookmark in the Sailing Captain's log.
— To the fortunate adventurer who finds this:
I am Juan Sebastian, the Imperial Navy Sergeant and the Sailing Captain of the Saint Anthony Expedition Ship. I must record the truth to inform the public, for the scholar and astrologer Sir Markar is the main culprit behind the tragedy! On the night of April 21, 156, during our return voyage, we encountered a storm and got stranded on a deserted island. When everyone was exhausted, Markar took the opportunity to use Black Magic to murder everyone on the ship, intending to claim our astonishing discoveries for himself!
Ever since we discovered the underground sea and Mithril Island in the New World, I sensed something was off with Sir Markar. I expressed my doubts to the Captain, but no one would suspect Sir Markar, the Great Mage of the Empire, and for this, Captain Renior scolded me. However, I remained wary of Markar, which allowed me to escape the massacre that night, but trapped on this rock, I won't live much longer! This log of mine records the entire process of our great adventures, especially our astonishing secret discovery, the underground sea's Mithril Island! To the adventurer who finds this, please ensure my journal reaches His Majesty to stop Markar's ambitions!
— System Prompt: You have obtained the Sea Chart for the New World's Mithril Island!
— System Prompt: You have triggered the Epic Mission "Conspirator on the Great Sea Route"!
— Newbie Hint: Epic Missions can change the world's balance and are extremely difficult. The Great Sea Route was a massive naval expedition organized by the kingdoms of Hero Continent in Genesis 145th Year to find the passage to the Otherworld's New World, sacrificing countless sailors. Markar is now the Chief Court Grand Mage of the Empire, a Great Duke, and the Governor General of the New World colonies.
— Task Hint: You can directly present the journal to the Emperor. You might receive a generous reward from the Emperor and rise to success overnight, or you might be overlooked by the Emperor due to certain concerns, or potentially be harmed by the high-ranking Great Duke Markar. You can also keep the Sea Chart for yourself or auction it off at a high price on the black market. Any decision you make will change the world.
Da Fei, stunned and jaw-dropping, exclaims, "Holy crap! Picking up a corpse and it leads to an epic mission!"