Da Fei had an epiphany! As a navigator, he must be an all-around jack-of-all-trades, so of course, he had to learn all the common combat and adventure skill books he found in the room! Otherwise, why would he wholesale so many skills?
Da Fei, at level 18, gained 17 skill points upon leveling up. And for Advanced Reconnaissance Skill with sub-skill Intelligence Collection and Stealth, a total of 5 points were spent; 6 points for Master War Machine Science with sub-skill Crossbow Master; 1 point mistakenly allocated to Leadership Skill and 1 point to Luck Skill. That left 4 skill points.
And Da Fei happens to have exactly 4 unlearned skill books left, tailor-made for him!
Isn't this a clear sign for me to change profession! Anyway, I'm already a BOSS-killing assassin with Crossbow Master now, so even if I have to do quests in the future, I won't have to worry about combat. Might as well learn all the remaining skills! Although this is a big no-no for newbies, being a jack-of-all-trades means master of none, just a waste of skill points, especially when leveling up becomes increasingly difficult later on. But for hidden professions, none of this is a problem!
Da Fei was no longer confused. He took out the skill books, and the golden lights flashed continuously!
——System Prompt: You have spent 1 skill point to learn Basic Attack Skill!
——Basic Attack Skill: Increases the melee damage of the hero and hero's troops by 10%.
——System Prompt: You have spent 1 skill point to learn Basic Defense Skill!
——Basic Defense Skill: Reduces the damage received by the hero and hero's troops by 10%.
——System Prompt: You have spent 1 skill point to learn Basic Arrow Skill!
——Basic Arrow Skill: Increases the damage of the hero and hero's ranged troops by 10%.
——System Prompt: You have spent 1 skill point to learn Basic Logistics Skill!
——Basic Logistics Skill: Increases the marching speed of the hero's troops on land by 20%.
All the accumulated skill points were spent, and learning was completed. But then — the imagined golden light did not fall from the sky, nor was there any system prompt. And then, there was no 'then'.
Was it not the system acting out a scene?
The ship was sailing smoothly, the waves rhythmically lapping against the hull, the fresh sea breeze blowing into the cabin, rustling Da Fei's messy hair, his heart feeling an ethereal emptiness...
After an indeterminate amount of time,
——China Region System Announcement: Warm congratulations! China Region player Lady Fleeting Blossom has become the first player in the world to successfully hire an Epic Hero!
In that very moment, the World Channel burst into an uproar!
—— World Channel [Eternal Star]: Star Guild warmly congratulates Lady Fleeting Blossom for achieving the world's first! Star Guild welcomes you!
—— World Channel [Dragon Scale]: Dragon Slayer Guild warmly congratulates Lady Fleeting Blossom for bringing glory to the China Region! Dragon Slayer Guild welcomes you to join us!
—— World Channel [Divine Emperor]: Ninth Heaven is willing to hire Lady Fleeting Blossom with an annual salary of one million dollars to join our guild!
—— World Channel [Dragon Scale]: Our guild offers an annual salary of 2 million.
—— World Channel [Divine Emperor]: I'm talking in US Dollars!
—— World Channel [Dragon Scale]: I'm talking in British Pounds!
—— World Channel [Hero News Reporter 043]: Ms. Lady Fleeting Blossom, hello, I'm a reporter from the Hero News program, hoping you can temporarily add me as a friend and accept my online interview...
—— World Channel [Divine Emperor]: Also, Ms. Lady Fleeting Blossom, please add me as a temporary friend, I am the president of Ninth Heaven, China's largest professional gaming club, Divine Emperor.
—— World Channel [Dragon Scale]: Little Huang, just forget it, you guys are ranked ninth!
......
Only then did Da Fei snap back to reality. Speaking on the World Channel costs 100 bucks a pop! Are they treating it like a chat room? The server has only been up for a few days and someone has already hired an Epic Hero! That's too awesome, right? Wait a second, the name Lady Fleeting Blossom sounds familiar. Isn't she the farm girl from yesterday who was amazing at mental calculations? Holy shit, that's right, I'm not envious of anyone else, but I have to admit envy for this kind of person with real talent. It's not impossible to land an Epic Hero in just a day or two. After all, as badass as I am, I've only reserved an Epic Hero.
Wait, this Dragon Scale, this Dragon Slayer Guild also sounds familiar. Could it be?
Suddenly, Da Fei was flooded with old memories. Back then, it was also during the New Year, Da Fei was heartbroken and made a major mistake at work, which led to him being fired without even receiving his year-end bonus. Then, not wanting to see anyone, he just holed up at home playing games, venting his frustrations in the game, and on the first day of the server, he encountered this Dragon Scale, who made him get killed by a BOSS, and then stole his pet tiger.
And then the story gets long. The Dragon Slayer Guild started to send people after Da Fei every day. One day, while their guild was besieging a BOSS and both sides were at their wit's end, Da Fei suddenly burst in, stole the kill and the BOSS, and looted a guild token.
There's nothing much to say. You, Dragon Slayer Guild, are so righteous and badass, right? I'll take over as guild leader! Da Fei registered the name Dragon Slayer Guild for himself and then declared to the entire server: "Recruiting a 'Black Wood Ear' as the guild leader's wife, the blacker, the better. Whatever you want, I'll give you." Soon, all sorts of small-time crooks gathered...
And then the situation escalated further. The Dragon Slayer Guild contacted Da Fei: "We offer 100,000 to buy back the guild."
100,000? Kidding me? At that time, Da Fei's impression was that gaming was all about hacking accounts, scamming money, scamming equipment, right? Ignoring them, the chaos continued.
Then they offered 200,000! Wahaha! Raising the price was easier than eating, truly scammers! You are all seriously sick, good for you to get treated. And just like that, the entire Dragon Slayer Guild was cured out of the game; the game was also shut down, saving countless internet-addicted youth. Those were truly passion-filled days.
Years later, when Da Fei finally learned about the real-life background of the Dragon Slayer Guild, he was full of regrets. This was truly damaging to both others and oneself! Had he known, he would have asked for 1 million! If he had 1 million, wouldn't his dreams of owning a house and a car be within reach? But on second thought, had he really taken their money back then, it would've burned his hands - sums above 100,000 could be prosecuted for blackmail, and cyber police could be dispatched.
Nevertheless, it was precisely because of that crazy time in the game that Da Fei's family grew increasingly dissatisfied with him, especially his high school-age younger sister. The little brat, not even fully grown, had the audacity to scold and instruct her elder brother! How infuriating!
In short, after Da Fei quit gaming, he started taking temporary jobs everywhere and never played games again. Even so, Da Fei still yearned for that extraordinary gaming life; whenever he had time, he would still follow various new game releases online.
Now looking at people like Dragon Scale arguing over a hundred bucks per post in the World Channel, Da Fei let out a soft sigh, "Why give up on treatment?"
Anyway, with such a big incident in the China Region, online news interviews should be all over it. Since he's idle anyway, why not find out what this Epic Hero is all about.
Da Fei logged into the game's built-in forum. Then, a prominent hot post pinned to the top caught his eye! "Trash Player of China Region, Da Fei!" posted and pinned by Blood Sea Wave!
—Ahem! Da Fei sprayed out a snot bubble! Do you freaking know how much it costs to pin a post for an hour?
...
At this time, reporters from the Hero News column were broadcasting a live interview recording with Lady Fleeting Blossom.
Reporter: "Sorry to disturb you, thank you Lady Fleeting Blossom for accepting our column's interview."
A very strange electronic voice replied: "No problem, I hope my success can also be an inspiration to other players."
The reporter surprisedly asked: "This voice is?"
"It's Luo Tianyi, my favorite virtual idol."
Reporter in surprise: "The domestic Miku."
"Please don't include Miku, I am Luo Tianyi, thank you!"
The reporter laughingly said: "Ah, sorry, what the vast number of players are most concerned about now is your Epic Hero. May I ask if you could reveal some of their attributes? Of course, feel free to skip the question."
"No problem, I'll send you a video clip to see."
Host: "Hello viewers, let's now watch the video footage sent by our front-line reporter. Let's await the world's First Epic Hero."
The screen changed to show pastoral scenery, windmills turning, hundreds of Human Race level 0 reserve Soldier Farmers busily working in the fields, a golden-haired Female Knight dressed in silver armor, waving to the farmers on a steel-armored horse, as the farmers cheered and saluted in response.
Then, a Vice Hero attribute box appeared on the screen, revealing the full details of the world's First Epic Hero to hero players all over the world.
—Knight Lord: Elanee, Level 30, Attack 20, Defense 20, Magic Power 5, Knowledge 5, Command Power 1000.
Hero Special Ability: Beloved by Farmers.
Elanee, a lordly landowner who is noble, righteous, charitable, and deeply loved by her farmers. The farmers under her command voluntarily pay an extra Gold Coin in taxes each month.
—Soldier Farmer: Holy Hall level 0 reserve soldier, Attack 0, Defense 0, Damage 0-1, Life 3, Attack Speed 8, Move Speed 8, Command Value 0. Special Skill: Production, Taxpayer, Unable to go to war.
—Taxpayer: Pays 1 Gold Coin in taxes each month.
...
At this moment, the reporter exclaimed in surprise: "This is quite an unexpected Epic Hero, so how did Miss Fleeting Blossom manage to acquire her?"
"Luo Tianyi" laughed and said: "At the start, I was assigned to work here by the examiner and then I met Elanee. She had always been concerned about the losses of the farm, so I managed to turn the farm profitable within 15 days of game-time, and that's why she gifted the farm to me. After that, she joined me as my Vice Hero."
The reporter surprisedly asked: "Just like that? She actually gave you the farm?"
"Yes, the reason for her losses was because she had been giving money to help the poor too much, a true Angel. She gave the farm away because she said she doesn't understand how to run it, and by giving it to me, she believed more people could be helped. There's nothing more than that."
The reporter asked again: "Now all the large guilds want to invite you to join them, do you have any intentions of doing so?"
"I appreciate everyone's recognition, but my Vice Hero is still subject to the laws of the Kingdom and cannot be deployed for combat, and all I want is to farm leisurely in the game, I have no intention of joining any guild. Is it okay if we end the interview now?"
"Thank you, Miss Fleeting Blossom, for the interview, it was a pleasure working with you, goodbye!"
For a moment, players from all over the world watching the live broadcast were sighing in amazement. An obviously non-combat hero and not a very high-level Epic Hero, her value couldn't be judged at first glance. But at least one thing's for sure, the emergence of the Epic Deputy Hero hastened the pace of professional gaming teams in various countries.
(Please vote for all kinds of tickets, thank you!)