37: You have to help me!

"Ding, congratulations on completing Limping Liu's quest 'Feigned Death Escape'. You have obtained: [Alchemy Recipe: Primary Feigned Death Potion] +1, Novice Village Reputation +500, Silver Coin +3."

"Ding, your talent 'Social Butterfly Syndrome' has triggered. Reputation +250."

(Writing this, I remembered that the previous world announcements also seemed to have reputation rewards, and I forgot to write about the talent bonus. I'll go back and add it later!)

After turning in the quest, Xu Shian watched Limping Liu fiddling with something on a large boulder.

Before long, a bottle of potion appeared in his hand.

"Are you an alchemist?"

"Not at all! It's a type of potion Lu Shan taught me before, he said it's very useful!"

"Oh..."

It seems this is a typical quest item, but this Lu Shan, his appearance rate is a bit high, isn't it?

Feigned Death Potion... Could it be that Lu Shan isn't dead either?

Sigh, my head is so itchy, I feel like I'm growing a brain!

Just as he was thinking this, Limping Liu shoved the potion into Xu Shian's hand.

"In a moment, you'll force-feed me this potion. After the quest shows as completed, don't worry about anything else, just go back and turn in the quest, understand?"

"Understood. Any other instructions?"

"After you get the Corrupted Branch, if you need to find me, just go to my house and wait..."

"You still dare to return to the village?"

"Lu Ming wouldn't dare wander out anyway. If I really get the chance, I'll just splash a bottle of potion on him from the outside..."

Understood!

If it really comes to that, Lu Shan wouldn't even need to show up, and the problem would be solved!

Without further ado, Xu Shian picked up the potion, grabbed the chattering Limping Liu, and forced it down his throat.

Caught off guard, Limping Liu choked and coughed repeatedly. He looked at Xu Shian in disbelief, then clutched his chest and collapsed...

Opening the quest list, the quest to kill Limping Liu had actually been completed!

He kicked Limping Liu, but the man didn't react.

Thinking about what the other had said earlier, he decided not to complicate things further.

He needed to hurry and find Lu Ming to complete the quest!

Knock, knock, knock!

"Lu Ming, open the door, it's me!"

The door to Lu Ming's house opened a crack, and an eye peered through the gap at Xu Shian.

After verifying his status, he finally opened the door.

"Big Brother, you're here..."

Looking at him now, Xu Shian felt something was off, no matter how he looked at it. He gave a perfunctory reply and submitted the quest.

"Ding, congratulations on completing the quest 'Kill Limping Liu'. Reward obtained: EXP +50, Gold Coin +1."

Have to say, sometimes villains are really generous... starting off with a gold coin.

After all, their wealth mostly comes from ill-gotten gains!

Look at Limping Liu, Jia Hu, and the village chief; they are all so stingy, not refreshing at all...

"Big Brother, thank you for helping me take revenge. Can you do me one more favor?"

"My strength is limited, tell me what you need help with first!"

"I once heard my father say that a patrolman from the Militia Team named Wu Lun had a very good relationship with Limping Liu. I suspect he is also related to my father's disappearance. Can you help me kill him and avenge my father?"

"Ding, Lu Ming has issued a quest to you: Bloody Pledge of Allegiance." Quest Content:

Lu Ming suspects that Militia Team patrolman Wu Lun is related to his father's disappearance and hopes you will kill him to avenge his father!

Quest Reward: EXP +200, Gold Coin +2, Skill Book: Lifesteal Aura.

Do you want to accept the quest?

Holy crap...

Xu Shian rubbed his eyes.

Small workshop... they are really going all out!

He didn't even have time to care if this Wu Lun was some big shot; just looking at that Lifesteal Aura skill book left Xu Shian too shocked to speak...

I really want it, what should I do?

Should I just defect and join Lu Ming's side...

No, no. Looking at the diary, although Hu Zhihao couldn't remember clearly, the East Dragon Empire should still be stable for at least another half year. Going against the Militia Team now is just asking for death!

What should I do for the coming period? Hide and seek?

Accept it first. As long as he doesn't actually kill Wu Lun, accepting the quest won't have much of an impact on him.

...

Coming out of Lu Ming's house in Stealth, Xu Shian suddenly thought of something while looking at the closed door.

If this Lu Ming really counts as a hostile unit, couldn't I steal from him?

If I could really steal the [Lifesteal Aura] skill book, then I wouldn't need to struggle anymore...

Since I'm going to steal...

"Ding, do you wish to spend 5 years of extra lifespan to upgrade the skill 'Search' to Black Iron Tier?"

"Confirm!"

"Ding, you have successfully upgraded the skill 'Search' to Black Iron Tier. 5 years of extra lifespan deducted, remaining 17 years and 268 days."

[Search: Level 1 Black Iron Skill]

[Black Iron Effect: Your success rate for Search is significantly increased, and failed searches are unlikely to alert the enemy! Note: Judged based on the strength, rank, and skill level of both parties!]

...

A woman with a numb expression pushed open the door to Lu Ming's house.

Xu Shian, who had been waiting for a long time, followed behind her into the courtyard of the Lu residence.

'Damn... it really is eerie!'

After entering, the 'mother and son' maintained a relative distance and went about their own business. There was absolutely no intention of communication; they didn't even glance at each other.

Although he really wanted to test the skill on Lu's mother, to prevent any accidents, he'd better go straight for the main course!

[Search] activated!

"Congratulations, you obtained: Gold Coin +3."

Damn... so rich?

Again!

"Congratulations, you obtained: deception ring."

Huh? Did I hit the jackpot?

Looking down at the little kid Lu Ming again, the other party could no longer maintain a human form; his face was withered, resembling dead wood...

Yet the other party himself didn't feel a thing!

Can't delay any longer!

He used [Search] once more.

"Congratulations, you obtained: Skill: Resistance Aura."

"Ding, you have searched this target three times. You cannot Search them again for a short period!"

Xu Shian didn't have time to feel regret and quickly retreated.

If Lu's mother turned around to look at her 'son' right now, something would immediately go wrong!

Slipping out of the room, Xu Shian tiptoed over, opened the courtyard gate, and slipped out!

He found a corner where he wouldn't be bumped into, crouched down, and began to check his gains from just now.

The three gold coins were nothing to talk about; he just hoped Lu Ming would still be able to pay his quest rewards later.

[deception ring]

[Bronze Level]

[Ring]

[Equipment Requirement: None]

[All Attributes +1]

[After equipping, you can modify your own ID, faction, attribute panel, talent details, etc.!]

[Note: The modification effect cannot deceive units above Bronze Rank!]

...

[Skill Book: Resistance Aura] (Passive)

A passive skill? Learn it directly. Xu Shian has eight passive skill slots and has only learned one!

Especially aura-type skills; for Xu Shian, they are all bonuses...

[Resistance Aura: Level 1] Normal Skill

[Upgrade Condition: Resist 10,000 points of physical damage, 5,000 points of magical damage]

Skill Effect: After activation, provides a Resistance Aura to your surrounding team members, increasing physical defense by 15 points and magical defense by 10 points.

Equipping the deception ring, Xu Shian felt that he was terrifyingly strong now!

However, he would have to go back and study how to modify the data.

After learning Resistance Aura, he thought about learning Limping Liu's [Alchemy Recipe: Primary Feigned Death Potion] as well.

[Alchemy Recipe: Primary Feigned Death Potion]: Causes you to enter a state of feigned death, clearing aggro and exiting combat. There is a certain chance that the feigned death state will be resisted.

Note: This potion shares a cooldown with other potions.

Let's look at its materials: Underworld Emperor Grass *2, Higanbana *1, Emperor Blood Grass *1, Crystal Vial *1.

Xu Shian slapped his thigh. "I'm really breaking down; I don't have a single one of these herbs..."

Looking at it, there aren't any particularly expensive materials, but none of them are in the Novice Village!

It seems he only fished up three 'Underworld Emperor Grass' while fishing.

He had no choice but to go find Limping Liu...

"Why are you here again?"

"You have to help me..."

"I already helped you kill myself..."

"Then you still have to help me..."

"I'm already dead, how can I still help you! Instead of wasting time here, why don't you go level up faster and find the Corrupted Branch?"

"You wouldn't want something to happen to your good friend Wu Lun, would you?"

"Hey, are you threatening me?"

"If Lu Ming knew you weren't dead..."

Limping Liu stood up abruptly and grabbed Xu Shian's hand.

"Let's make a plan..."

"I still need a bottle of Feigned Death Potion to force-feed Wu Lun..."

"Are you crazy? Where am I supposed to get another bottle of potion for you?"

"If Lu Ming knew that Lu Shan was also with you..."

"I'll think of a way..."

Xu Shian was satisfied and patted Limping Liu on the shoulder.

"I'll wait for your good news!"