Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
The enormous dragon beast stumbled forward a few steps before splitting in two under the horrified gazes of the players. The dragon corpse’s cut was smooth, and its organs were still visibly pulsating.
Seeing the dead dragon beast, the players finally reacted and let out excited cheers. “We won! That was so cool! Such a wide and long sword energy!” “It’s dead already?” “It still had three-quarters of its health… and it was instantly killed by one sword. Is this the damage a berserker can do?” “From today onwards, I’m Lord of Eagle Territory’s dog. Don’t try to steal the number one dog spot from me!”
Xi Wei stood beside the players, his expression calm. The ultimate move he had just unleashed was not only flashy but also immensely powerful. However, it was not something he could use often, as it required too long a charge-up time for anyone to stand still and let him attack. Therefore, the players’ actions were excellent, providing effective supportive effects. Xi Wei was not a stingy person either. As the saying goes, if you want the horse to run, you have to feed it. He would give the rewards that were due. Thus, all players’ vision popped up with a new system notification:
[Ding! World BOSS Kalam has been killed] [Victor: Lord of Eagle Territory] [All participating players will receive rewards based on their contribution] [In this battle, you restricted Kalam’s movement, creating an opportunity for Lord of Eagle Territory. You have obtained 15000 Experience Points] [Congratulations on obtaining the title: Master Foot Scratcher] [Congratulations on obtaining the chance to bathe in Sub-dragon blood. After the battle, you can now apply to Lord of Eagle Territory to bathe in Sub-dragon blood.]
Some players, slower to react, were still overjoyed by the system rewards and their level advancements. The smarter players had already begun searching the monster corpses for Magic Cores. The beast tide had dispersed. No one bothered with the fleeing magical beasts; that would be like losing the watermelon to pick up the sesame seed. Besides the battlefield led by Lord of Eagle Territory, the entire vicinity of the city walls was also piled high with magical beast corpses. These were immense fortunes for the players.
“System, can I craft equipment for players if they provide materials?” Xi Wei asked the system in his heart as he watched the players enthusiastically searching the corpses.
[Ding! After obtaining the mysterious crystal shard, through #￥@%#, the shard has been analyzed and perfected, and a large number of player-related functions have been unlocked.] [Materials obtained by players can be converted into Villain Points. Players can craft equipment using materials, but it will consume the Host’s Villain Points.]
“Materials can be converted into Villain Points?” Xi Wei’s eyes lit up, and he continued to ask, “Can the materials I obtain be converted into Villain Points?”
[Ding! No!]
“Then if I give the materials to the players, and they submit them?”
[Ding… sfx… Analyzing…] [sfx… Ding! Please do not exploit system loopholes. Converting materials into Villain Points earns significantly less than the materials’ actual value. The higher the grade of the material, the greater the loss.]
“I see, then forget it…” Xi Wei understood now. While low-grade materials could be converted into Villain Points through players, it was only a small amount, a drop in the bucket for him. High-grade materials had a high loss rate, making it uneconomical. As for players spending his Villain Points? That was not happening. When crafting equipment, failing once or twice is reasonable, right? If five portions of materials are consumed and only one succeeds, the other four can be swallowed and converted into Villain Points, so there would be no loss. As for high-grade materials, how many high-grade materials could players obtain in the future? By the time players could slaughter a dragon alone, he would have almost conquered the continent. Spending a few Villain Points to craft one or two pieces of equipment for players wouldn’t hurt. Thinking this, Xi Wei couldn’t help but scan the players who were voluntarily cleaning up the battlefield and let out a meaningful smile. What excellent leeks!
“System, also arrange the function to strengthen equipment using materials. The success rate can be temporarily set to 20%.”
[Ding! Equipment strengthening module has been loaded.]
Xi Wei returned to Winter Fort. With the system’s help, he had already distributed the rewards for the two missions to the players. Many players had now reached level ten and could change their professions. But who was Xi Wei? It would be demeaning for him, a Lord, to personally help players change their professions. So, he decided to arrange some NPCs. These NPCs were naturally created by the system. If it could create Crusaders and Priests, creating a few NPCs was not difficult. They would load the player profession-changing function to help players change their professions. In addition, Xi Wei also had the system create a blacksmith with the equipment crafting function, with a provisional success rate of 20%.
Xi Wei stopped at the entrance of the barracks, looking at the six NPCs standing before him, newly created by the system and looking like robots. He couldn’t help but ask the system in his heart: “System, I have a question. Since you can create so many professions, why didn’t you create a Mage? Do you know how short Winter City is on Mages?”
[Ding! #@￥? The authority to create Mages has been revoked. New professions can only be analyzed from other rules. Please be patient, Host. As the analysis progresses, Winter City will have more magic-type professions.]
“It has been revoked…” Xi Wei stroked his chin and nodded. This aligned with his long-held suspicion. He knew that the entity behind him was already at war with the entity behind Ye Hao. He was just puzzled why his backer, with such powerful analytical abilities that could even materialize things from the two-dimensional world, could only fight Ye Hao’s backer to a stalemate. Was it because of a higher rank but weaker strength? What would that be? Better performance, but low battery? However, it was just a casual question. After all, Priests, strictly speaking, were also a type of magic profession.
After creating the six NPCs, Xi Wei assigned five of them to the entrance of Winter City’s Inner City. Although they currently resembled robots, the longer they stayed in front of players, the smarter they would become. Xi Wei looked forward to the day when these NPCs would argue with the players. Especially Enzo, the bald strong man he assigned to the Inner City’s blacksmith shop.
Next was the strengthening module. Xi Wei decided to load this function onto Connie’s egg. To make it convenient for players to submit Magic Cores, Xi Wei had already placed Connie in a plaza in Winter Fort’s backyard. This area had a back door open for players to enter and exit. The players’ general resurrection point was also usually located here.
“Connie, I have a mission for you,” Xi Wei said, standing beside the half-human-height giant egg, stroking its shell. Connie’s side was already piled high with ice and fire attribute Magic Cores submitted by players; she was happily absorbing energy every day.
Hearing Xi Wei’s words, Connie tilted slightly to the left, as if tilting her egg in question. “It’s like this. I want to ask for your help in strengthening equipment for these Foreigners. The relevant function has already been given to you.”
Connie swayed back and forth, nodding. She had already felt the extra authority she had gained. Although she didn’t fully understand this authority, the method of using it had already appeared in her mind. It was like the inherited memories of the Dragon race; if she could use it, it didn’t matter if she didn’t understand it. Essentially, when a Foreigner came to her with equipment and materials, begging her to strengthen their equipment, she could use that authority to consume a special energy within the system to strengthen the equipment. Of course, there was a fee: one ice and fire attribute Magic Core, or two Magic Cores of other attributes.
Connie spun around, indicating she understood Xi Wei’s meaning. Then she hopped twice and leaned against Xi Wei’s shoulder, nuzzling him. Xi Wei knew Connie was asking for benefits. He couldn’t help but say with a wry smile, “If you’re upgrading their equipment, do you think you’ll lack benefits? Although the rule is to charge one Magic Core, you can also ask for more if they offer it. In the end, whether anyone’s equipment is successfully strengthened will be up to you.”
Hearing this, Connie tilted her egg and thought for a moment, then happily spun twice and nodded her egg head back and forth, indicating to Xi Wei that she understood. Xi Wei smiled slightly, patted Connie’s eggshell again, marveling at the wonders of the world. At the same time, he sent a system notification to the players through the system:
[Ding! Profession changing function is now open. Equipment crafting system is now open. Equipment strengthening system is now open.] [You can now see the profession changing NPCs in the plaza of Winter City’s Inner City. Those who reach level ten can apply to change profession.] [You can now craft equipment at Enzo’s place in the Inner City blacksmith shop.] [You can now strengthen equipment at the mysterious giant egg near the resurrection point in the Castle’s backyard.] [Reminder: All NPCs have a favorability system loaded. Polite communication will ensure your requests are smoothly fulfilled.]
