In the vast Black Forest, silence prevailed as if there was only one living creature.
Kuang Xin caressed the branch in front of him, thick enough to require two people to wrap their arms around it, and as his knife punctured the bark, the corresponding information popped up before his eyes.
[Spruce (Plant): Can be gathered for wood.]
At last, a tree that could be gathered for wood had appeared…
Kuang Xin turned his head to look back; the clearing outside the forest was far beyond the murky mists.
The saplings near the edge were either too thin or too soft, entirely unsuitable for gathering "wood," only yielding "kindling" once he chopped at them.
Thus, he had to venture deeper into the jungle, probing each tree with his rusty knife.
This was the first one.
To get rich, you must first chop trees.
Regarding the task issued by Sergeant, as a seasoned online gamer, Kuang Xin had his own opinion.
Follow the task description, kill the pack of wolves to intimidate them, and then chop trees in the open?
No, no, no!
That's not cool at all.
Classic designers teaching players how to play the game.
High-end players must learn the skill of skipping class.
Kill the wolf pack first?
With what? Strangle them to death?
Stealing resources under the watchful eyes of guard monsters is the essence of being a game master.
Clearly, the sequence of this linked task should be to steal the trees first, use the rewarded bullets to kill the wolf pack, and then use the wolf meat to fulfill Hans's task without having to fuss over finding some other small wild beast.
That would be like Qin Shi Huang eating Sichuan peppercorns—numbingly victorious!
Next, he would transform into a bald man, becoming enemies with the forest!
"tui!"
"tui!"
Spitting twice into the air with each hand, Kuang Xin gripped the axe tightly and swung it fiercely at the base of the tree.
"Heave-ho!"
"Duang!"
The axe blade, driven by Kuang Xin's brute strength, plunged deeply into the trunk, the brown bark shattering, splintering into chips as the axe got slightly stuck.
The dull sound wasn't very loud, it likely wouldn't attract the attention of the beasts in the distance.
"Good."
Kuang Xin let go and vigorously rubbed his hands together.
The chilly, damp mist of the night made his hands feel stiff with cold.
Warming his hands a bit, Kuang Xin once again grabbed the handle and yanked the blade out, swinging it in a wide arc before chopping down fiercely once more.
"80!"
"80!"
"80!"
...
After every few chops, Kuang Xin would halt and scan his surroundings with vigilant eyes, only continuing his resource-stealing endeavor once he was sure his noise hadn't drawn the predators lurking in the dark.
[You are using your Perception ability to observe environmental threats…]
Nothing, continue!
"80!"
"80!"
Having never done such a thing in reality, Kuang Xin was falling in love with the invigorating sweat he poured out.
Every chop, the rebound transmitted through the axe handle to his hands felt so real; he could sense the plaintive groans of the trunk under his onslaught.
The occasional appearance of experience gain prompts only added meaning to his actions—
[Using a heavy weapon to hit a target, Heavy Weapon Mastery experience +12, Undiscovered Talent (Unlocked) progress 6%.](Stacked)
[Current Heavy Weapon Mastery experience 12/100, reach 100 points to master "Level 1 Heavy Weapon Specialization".]
Chopping trees not only granted experience but also helped unlock latent talents.
And after all that, he could still turn in the task and get paid by others; where else could you find such a deal?
I'm head over heels in love with this game!
"Duang!"
With the final hefty chop, the already tottering trunk lost its last connection to the roots.
After emitting a series of harsh raspy sounds, the not-too-old spruce collapsed completely under the thief's axe.
The fall of the not-so-tall tree brushed past the branches of others, so when it finally hit the ground, it didn't make too much noise.
Kuang Xin leaned on his knees with both hands, panting, as the hot breath he exhaled from his lungs condensed into a cloud of white mist in the air.
Tired.
But it felt incredibly exhilarating.
The experience of the game was unbelievably good; Kuang Xin could feel a tenderness from every cell after pushing his body to its limits, yet it wasn't the same kind of soreness experienced after excessive physical labor in real life.
Or rather, the same soreness in this world was incomparably alluring, making one long for the next time to come.
There was a sense of additional pleasure bestowed upon it.
What a magical experience…
The spruce that lay beside him told the tale of his "great achievements."
[Using a heavy weapon to hit a target, Heavy Weapon Specialization experience +14, Unruly Physique (unlocked) unlock progress 7%] (stacked)
[Current Heavy Weapon Specialization experience 26/100, at 100 points you can master "Level 1 Heavy Weapon Specialization."]
[Your abilities have been trained during a long time of lumbering, physical endurance +0.1.]
Compared to the feeling of +0.1 Insight, the feeling of +0.1 Physical Endurance was quite significant.
Kuang Xin could clearly feel that his body, which had been almost as depleted as a dried-up riverbed, suddenly seemed to spring forth with a bit more strength from nowhere.
That "sense of joy" from pushing his own limits surged again, urging him to spend the newly emerged stamina.
Under this primal impulse, Kuang Xin stood up, picked up the axe beside him, and headed toward the front of the spruce.
There were some messy branches there that undoubtedly would make transportation easier once cut.
Ah… transportation was another hassle.
Kuang Xin pulled up the map on the panel, looked at the specified delivery location for the task in relation to his current position, and couldn't help but sigh.
Too far... another physical task.
But no matter! Effort always pays off!
He absolutely loved the feedback mechanism in this game!
Charge!
"Heave-ho!"
"Heave-ho!"
With several swings of his axe, those disorderly branches were cleanly separated from the trunk.
The advancement in weapon mastery allowed him to freely control the landing point of his axe blade, hitting the key spots he aimed for with precision.
The improvement was subtle, but looking back, it was obvious.
Compared to the tree stump that looked as if it had been gnawed by a dog, the cuts made on the branches were much cleaner.
Simultaneously, his control over his body had also improved.
[Your abilities have been trained during a long time of lumbering, reflexes +0.1.]
[Axe overly fatigued, handle connection damaged, durability -1.]
Hmm?
Glancing at the axe, Kuang Xin didn't make much of it—when the durability ran out, the task would likely be completed.
Rubbing his palms, Kuang Xin embraced one end of the spruce and exerted his strength with a mighty heave!
"Hei~"
It didn't budge…
Would he have to split it into sections?
That seemed fine; at the moment, the information displayed for the spruce in his arms was "Log" rather than "Timber."
[Log: Can be collected for Timber*4~6 (depending on the "Lumbering Skill" level). Trait: Hard texture.]
Then he'll just have to cut it up.
Picking up his axe, Kuang Xin began his struggle anew…
[You have completed a round of lumbering, obtained Timber*4, Lumbering Skill experience +9.]
[Current Lumbering Skill experience 9/100, at 100 points you can master "Level 1 Lumbering Skill."]
[Using a heavy weapon to hit a target, Heavy Weapon Specialization experience +7, Unruly Physique (unlocked) unlock progress 8%] (stacked)
[Current Heavy Weapon Specialization experience 33/100, at 100 points you can master "Level 1 Heavy Weapon Specialization."]
He split it into four sections, roughly equal in size.
Dusting off his hands, Kuang Xin looked satisfied at the fruits of his labor from the night.
Due to the limits of his stamina, he had also taken a break in between.
He had the timber, but there was still that distant transportation distance…
Looking at the increasingly deep night and the thick fog spreading through the forest, Kuang Xin took a few deep breaths.
It was still early, time to continue!
Gamers are all about grinding! Not grinding is not to be from Yan Kingdom!