Chu You accepted the friend request sent by Lin Luoer.
The clock had already struck 11 pm. Chu You wondered why she wasn't getting some rest. He glanced at the real-time clock, confirming it was quite late.
As he was lost in his thoughts, Chu You suddenly remembered something from the past. And he willed his system menu to appear.
"I want to enter sleep mode."
"Sleep mode is activated, deep sympathetic connection of brain nerves..."
In reality, even top-level game cabins couldn't use sleep mode frequently because this technology was currently considered taboo. It was emphasized that players who owned game cabins didn't need natural rest either.
"Alright, take your time chatting. I'm going offline to get some sleep," the female classmate said.
"Sure, go ahead. I'm going to sleep too."
Female classmate: ...
Chu You continued to slay monsters and level up. He had almost cleared the level 5 area but found it odd that there were no elite leaders here.
Something seemed off.
Chu You's communication panel blinked, and he opened the incoming call to hear a voice.
"Chu You?" A voice suddenly came from the other side, causing Chu You to pause in the woods.
Listening to this strange yet slightly familiar voice, Chu You fell silent for a moment, remembering his past life and mourning for Lin Luoer of his previous life.
After a brief pause, Chu You finally replied, "It's been a while since we last spoke. I haven't seen you in quite some time." He took a moment to survey his surroundings, and he made up his mind to explore the hillside area. It was the only level 5 location he hadn't conquered yet.
The voice on the other end responded, "Indeed, we haven't had a chance to meet in person."
Chu You scanned the area, hearing Lin Luoer's voice. Curiosity piqued, he raised an eyebrow and inquired, "Is everything going well for you?"
Lin Luoer, sitting by the edge of the lake, was a novice priest with only one early-stage healing skill and a wooden staff for battling monsters. The beginning was a challenging phase for leveling up. Priests who didn't join teams usually had to complete quests gradually.
Players passed by Lin Luoer from time to time, but most of them hurriedly continued their journey, not noticing the beauty of the young woman.
Glancing at Chu You's character, Lin Luoer noticed that he was already at level 4, while she remained at level 0. She sighed and looked at the serene lake in front of her.
During Lin Luoer's sophomore year of college, there was a moment when she contemplated calling Chu You for help. However, a sense of hesitation overcame her as she remembered the rumors about him being a playboy and the substantial financial assistance she required. Despite Chu You's status as a super-rich second-generation, Lin Luoer held the belief that his parents had strict rules, and she feared he might not be in a position to assist her.
Furthermore, during their freshman year, she hardly knew most of her high school classmates. In fact, neither Lin Luoer nor her classmate were aware that Chu You's parents had faced a tragic accident during that same period.
For these reasons, Lin Luoer had refrained from contacting him. Their relationship had never been particularly friendly, and during high school, she had even given him the cold shoulder due to the rumors.
Lin Luoer noticed a plant ready for collection nearby, prompting her to stand up and start gathering it. She knew that collecting provided only a small amount of experience, and trying to level up through it was an unrealistic goal. Nonetheless, any experience gained was better than none. Maybe, just maybe, it could set her on a path to a new job, Lin Luoer thought optimistically.
In the meantime, Chu You spotted a cave hidden within the dense jungle at the mountain's peak and quickly activated his running mode to reach it.
"Since your level is quite low, why don't you come over and join me? I'll help you level up," Chu You communicated with Lin Luoer as he continued running.
After a short while, Chu You reached a cave that was partially hidden by overgrown weeds. As he brushed the plants aside, an eerie, dark cave entrance was revealed, from which a chilling breeze emanated. The cave wasn't notably spacious; in fact, it was quite short, necessitating individuals to bend down to enter.
The cave's appearance would make not only many female players hesitate to enter, but it might also give the average male player pause before venturing inside.
Chu You wore a delighted expression on his face. It appeared to be a cave, and there was a strong possibility of encountering an elite-level entity inside. Perhaps even a level 5 wild boss might lurk within its depths.
Wild bosses were often more formidable and fearsome than their counterparts in dungeons. The equipment they dropped was generally superior to the same-level equipment found in dungeons, and the experience they yielded was rich and rewarding.
Chu You surveyed his surroundings, then cautiously ventured into the inky abyss.
Meanwhile, Lin Luoer, feeling a bit uneasy, continued to explore the new game for several hours. She soon realized that "Tian Shi's" leveling system was drastically distinct from computer games; it was far more immersive and harsh. Starting as a solo priest made it particularly challenging to progress.
"Where are you?" Lin Luoer inquired.
Shortly afterward, a voice responded, "I'm in Xinshou Village in Wangshan city." The voice seemed to echo, indicating that Chu You might be deep within a certain cave.
Lin Luoer located the place name "Xinshou Village" on her map and found that it was quite a distance away. Fortunately, both of them were within the Dayan Kingdom's territory, and they hadn't crossed any national borders.
After selecting her destination and initiating the journey, the result was clear: she would need to run for 7 hours to reach her goal.
Lin Luoer couldn't help but furrow her brow, a slight crease forming between her eyebrows.
As a bat swiftly flew over Chu You and exited the cave, the surroundings remained shrouded in darkness. Chu You sensed that the terrain sloped downward and decided to open his inventory bag, retrieving a candle.
Upon taking out the candle, it automatically lit up. Holding the candle in one hand and his training sword in the other, Chu You cautiously descended step by step. No concerns lingered about the candle extinguishing suddenly; it was a mystical fire that couldn't be snuffed out by the natural environment.
Before long, the candle's light revealed a figure in front of him—a massive serpentine body, slowly slithering in his direction.
Chu You came to a halt, immediately locking onto the creature.
Reticulated Flower Python, level 5, one-star elite, species: boss level.
Chu You couldn't believe it. The first adversary he encountered in this cave was a boss-level entity.
Examining the narrow and cramped surroundings, Chu You realized that this cave was far from ideal. It was not only incredibly short but also exceptionally narrow.
At that moment, Chu You noticed the python beginning to crawl slowly in his direction, as if it had detected the scent of an intruder. Snakes rely on their perception rather than sight to navigate their environment.
"Do I come over?" Lin Luoer's voice came through the communication device.
Chu You hunched down, his feet bent and squatting as he responded, "Come on, I'm here waiting for you." He fixed his gaze on the approaching python.
The boss-level creature's perception range was significantly wider than that of the typical elite. When the reticulated python truly sensed Chu You, it immediately halted and then sprang into action, hurtling towards him with incredible speed.
Witnessing the python's aggressive approach, Chu You began to involuntarily step back. The reticulated python opened its menacing jaws and quickly closed the distance to Chu You.
Chu You swiftly drew his sword, and the damage indicator displayed: -32.
The enormous snake body seemed impervious to the attack, promptly coiling itself around Chu You's body. The snake's powerful muscles contracted violently, initiating the dreaded Death Twine technique.
-20, -20. Every two seconds, an additional -20 damage was inflicted.
Chu You was completely immobilized, entangled by the snake. The game's realism made the situation particularly daunting.
"Chu You, should I really come to you? Don't lie to me," Lin Luoer's tone grew more serious.
As Chu You's face turned flushed while continuously taking -20 damage, he struggled to speak, "I... I really... not lying to you!"
-20, -20.
"What's happening to you?"
-20.
"It's okay; come on, be my full-time priest."After enduring five consecutive unmovable injuries, the python finally released Chu You. However, during this release, the snake attempted to bite him with its malodorous mouth.
Chu You hastily stepped aside, delivering a swift sword strike before making a quick about-face to retreat.
The python followed closely behind, the faint rustling of its scales and the sound of its movement in the cave resonating through the otherwise silent surroundings.Chu You activated his running mode but deliberately controlled his speed. As he entered the range of the python's attack, the serpent's head lunged to bite. Chu You maintained a steady pace and deftly sidestepped the attack, ensuring he wasn't caught by the snake.
In this moment, Chu You prepared to counterattack.
Leaping out of the cave, Chu You glanced over his shoulder and noticed the python hadn't relinquished its pursuit. The massive snake body was swiftly closing in.
With a quick motion, Chu You stashed the candle back into his inventory bag.
The terrain suddenly opened up, and Chu You's combat experience came into play.
When the boss-level python was left with only half of its health, it unleashed another Death Coil, its large maw snapping shut as it attempted to coil its serpentine body around Chu You.
Once more, Chu You evaded the attack with determination.
At that moment, the python's tail swept dangerously close to Chu You's feet. A direct hit would likely send him tumbling, potentially leading to another encounter with the deadly Death Twine. Nevertheless, Chu You skillfully evaded the snake's attack.
With a quick and nimble jump, Chu You leaped into the air. As he landed, one of his feet came down on the snake, and he swiftly delivered another sword strike.
-48, a critical hit.
Blood began to flow from the python's mouth, a clear sign of its impending demise. Chu You wasted no time and delivered another powerful strike.
Before long, the head of the python slumped, and its life was extinguished by Chu You.
An item dropped from the serpent's remains and landed on the ground, emitting a shimmer of radiant light. Chu You identified it as a pair of gauntlets crafted from elegant snakeskin, a green-tier item. These gauntlets provided an attack power boost of +5, defense +3, HP +50, critical strike damage +6%, and a +2% increase in attack speed. They could only be equipped by characters who reached level 5.
Chu You couldn't help but feel elated. The equipment dropped by the wild elite was truly exceptional.
After securing the valuable find, Chu You applied a bandage, taking a moment to recover his health while seated on the ground.
Soon after, Chu You rose to his feet and ventured deeper into the cave. He eventually reached an area where the terrain expanded, and the height of the space increased significantly, allowing him to finally stand upright.
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"Hello everyone, I kindly request your support by giving power stones, voting for this novel, commenting on chapters, recommending it to your friends, and adding it to your collection. I'll strive to bring you more chapters like this. Or are you, like me, experiencing a friendless, eternal single life?"
"Anyway, please vote and show me that I'm not alone on this journey. While I can manage 2-3 chapters in a day if I didn't have work to do, my work commitments sometimes mean that a single chapter can take anywhere from 1 to 2 days to complete. Any support during this journey would be greatly appreciated."