# Chapter 10 [The Tears of Goddess Sawi]
On the small square in front of the warehouse, a vibrant crowd of players gathered, each eagerly setting up stalls to sell their various items. The air was thick with the buzz of excitement, as the newly launched server created a flurry of trading activity.
"Take a look and take a look! Level 2 material [Goblin Leather], only 1 psionic coin! Perfect for players learning tailoring—don't miss out!" a merchant shouted, his voice rising above the chatter.
"Get your hands on the limited stock of Level 3 material [Wild Boar], hurry before it's gone!" another seller urged, clutching a crude signboard that swayed in the wind.
"Freshly gathered Level 1 Normal Leather Shoulders for sale here!" came yet another call, each pitch blending into the cacophony of eager voices.
While the warehouse offered a platform for selling items, it charged a service fee of at least 1 psionic coin to place goods on its shelves. Many players, reluctant to part with their hard-earned currency, opted instead to set up makeshift stalls, hoping to entice others with items they no longer needed.
As Su Yu strolled through the bustling square, he pondered the possibility of finding some hidden gems among the offerings. The game was still in its early days, and many players had yet to uncover anything particularly valuable. After searching the stalls and coming up empty-handed, he decided to step into the warehouse.
Inside, Su Yu busily organized all the equipment, materials, and skill scrolls he had collected from the two bosses he had defeated. Among the items he displayed for sale were skill scrolls such as [Lethal Strike (Excellent)], [Rock Slashing Sword (Excellent) lv4], and [Dark Iron Boots (Excellent) lv3]. He also had two [Wild Boar Leader's Fangs (Excellent)] and a set of [Hillside Sheep Leader's Horns (Excellent)].
Setting the auction mode for these prized possessions, he set the lowest price at 1 psionic coin, leaving the upper limit uncapped, with a time limit of 24 hours for bids. With the transactions out of the way, Su Yu turned his focus to a more pressing matter: a hidden quest that could help him gather more blue-quality jewelry.
After a brief trek, he arrived at the entrance of Wolf King Valley, located just west of Nolan Village. Here, memories of his previous adventures flooded back as he recalled the woodcutter he needed to find for his quest.
The woodcutter, a burly middle-aged man with a striking red beard, struggled to carry two large bundles of firewood toward the village. His brow furrowed with effort, he paused to catch his breath.
Seeing the woodcutter, Su Yu's spirits lifted. He approached with a friendly greeting, "Excuse me, sir! I heard that you listened to Goddess Sawi's enchanting song the day before yesterday?"
This hidden quest, consisting of a total of 20 rings, was notorious for its difficulty, especially in the later stages. The last two rings were particularly challenging: the penultimate ring involved battling a formidable boss, while the final ring required solving a complex decryption puzzle.
By completing the decryption task, players would learn that the woodcutter, named Sam, had indeed heard the mystical melody of Goddess Sawi. Armed with this knowledge, players could then proceed to the next task, the 11th ring, by conversing with Sam.
However, as an experienced player of "Evolution," Su Yu knew that hidden quests didn't always require starting from the very beginning. If a player possessed the necessary plot items or knew specific voice commands to initiate part of the quest, they could bypass the initial steps and dive directly into the latter stages.
Just as Su Yu had hoped, he wasn't mistaken in his expectations. Upon hearing Su Yu's inquiry, Sam let out a sigh of relief, setting down his heavy loads and smiling broadly.
"Ah, I take it that little Annie shared my tale with you!" he said, his expression brightening.
"Of course!" Su Yu replied, maintaining a calm demeanor.
"Excellent! I'm eager to return home and start cooking, but I could use a hand. If you're willing to help me carry these bundles of firewood home, I'll gladly share the details of what I heard from the Goddess," Sam offered, his eyes twinkling with gratitude.
"Ding! Triggered the Excellent Hidden Quest [Tears of Goddess Sawi (11/20)]. Do you accept it?"
"Accept!"
With enthusiasm, Su Yu accepted the quest and eagerly took hold of the woodcutter's burdens, feeling a rush of purpose.
"Let's get moving, uncle! I'll make sure to protect you from any bandits looking to steal your firewood along the way!" Su Yu declared confidently, striding toward the village with the heavy bundles in hand.
The 11th ring of [Tears of Goddess Sawi] presented players with an unexpected challenge. As they transported the firewood back to the village, they would soon face ambushes from two groups of bandits, each consisting of six rough-looking men intent on snatching the wood from their hands.
A player who had previously completed this hidden task took to the forums, venting their frustration about the absurdity of the quest. "What kind of bandits rob firewood? The designers must have lost their minds!" they complained.
Although their grievances struck a chord with many, the response was swift and severe: the next day, that very player found their account permanently banned without explanation. The incident stirred up heated discussions within the community, earning a place in the annals of "Remarkable Events of the Year in Evolution."
Such tales lingered in Su Yu's mind as he undertook this hidden mission, recalling how players could be swept up in the chaos of the game's design.
As they walked, Sam's brow furrowed with confusion. "Adventurer, why would bandits target our firewood? It's hardly worth the trouble," he pondered aloud.
Su Yu halted briefly, casting an incredulous glance back at Sam. "You ask me? I have no idea! Hurry! When night falls, Jenny—the widow of old William in the village—might pay a visit to someone else's house!"
At the mention of Jenny's name, Sam's expression shifted. His heart quickened, and he quickened his pace, eager to follow Su Yu as they headed toward the village.
Unbeknownst to Su Yu, the items he had put up for sale in the warehouse had created a significant stir across all novice villages on the national server. News of his skill scrolls and equipment had spread like wildfire, drawing attention from players eager to obtain rare and powerful gear.
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**002 Novice Village - Fengquan Village.**
In stark contrast to other novice villages, the second-level monster area in Fengquan Village had been claimed by a powerful guild known as Emperor Blood Killing Heaven.
While the guild dominated half of the leveling area, the remaining half was open to ordinary players, who huddled in small groups, fighting goblins while casting wary glances toward the members of the Emperor Blood Killing Heaven.
Despite their grievances, they had refrained from uniting against the guild. After all, a previous group of spirited players had attempted to challenge the Emperor Blood Killing Heaven but had quickly found themselves disconnected from the game for "reflection," as the guild's members had put it.
The remaining players, disheartened, resolved to endure the oppression silently, all while continuing their grind.
In the private quarters of the Emperor Blood Killing Heaven, their leader, known only as Emperor Blood Slaughter Tian, reveled in his newfound power, showcasing a level 2 long sword of excellent quality surrounded by a bevy of admirers.
As his followers felled goblins, they directed the weakened creatures toward him, allowing Emperor Blood Killing Heaven to finish them off. With each successful kill, golden light shone around him as he ascended to level 3.
The gang members erupted in cheers, surrounding their leader and shouting, "Congratulations to the boss for the upgrade!"
"The boss is surely the first level 3 player in the game!"
"Our Emperor Blood Slaughter Heaven will dominate as the most powerful guild!"
The chorus of adoration filled the air, echoing off the walls of their lair, as they praised their leader's strength.
With a satisfied smirk, Emperor Blood Killing Heaven brandished a newly acquired level 3 ordinary quality long sword, showcasing it like a trophy.
The fervent compliments from his underlings only fueled his ego further.
Yet, in the midst of their celebration, a figure emerged from the level 2 leveling area: a young man, an assassin with sharp, piercing eyes akin to an eagle's gaze.
"Emperor Blood, something big has happened!" he announced, urgency evident in his tone.
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**(End of this chapter)**