Newbie Tasks

Zhao Dongchuan guessed that based on the hierarchy, the most common bronze chests should be the lowest level of treasure chests, with bronze, silver, obsidian, gold, and purple gold ranking from low to high.

Of course, the exact classification would depend on the items dropped; these were just his own conjectures.

He hadn't noticed any other changes yet, and the system hadn't made any other moves.

The random task assignments were a bit baffling, so it seemed he would need to interact more with the plot characters and the story's development to trigger system tasks, Zhao Dongchuan thought.

Thinking of this, Zhao Dongchuan couldn't rest any longer.

He decided to go out for a walk; it was still early, and he had rested for a while, so he might as well go for a stroll.

What if he triggered a task?

Zhao Dongchuan thought happily as he stepped out.

Only after going out did he realize that everyone was still working and hadn't returned yet.

There weren't many people in the village, so Zhao Dongchuan just walked.

After the Waking of Insects, the Loess Plateau still looked like winter, with withered, black vegetation in the mountains and fields, a desolate sight that gave a sense of bleakness.

As he walked, a blurry figure appeared in front of him, wearing a loose, tattered cotton coat with a large pocket sewn on the front with white thread, and a worn felt hat on his head.

He was looking around, mumbling to himself, but it was impossible to hear what he was saying.

As he got closer, he realized it was a disheveled old man with a strange smell about him, a peculiar smile on his lips, and he was muttering, “Things are going to change! Things are going to change!”

Zhao Dongchuan seemed to have an impression of this person; this was Tian Er, the simple-minded old man from Shuangshui Village, who had some mental issues.

“Ding, a novice task has been triggered.

Task content: Help Tian Er find 10 exquisite porcelain fragments.

Task deadline: 48 hours.

Task reward: 10 lottery chances.

Task failure: No penalty.

Completion progress: 0/10.” A crisp system sound rang in his mind.

Zhao Dongchuan was a bit stunned, dazed by this sudden task.

He hadn't expected the system's first triggered task to fall upon Tian Er.

It was hard to say whether it was good luck or bad luck.

Good luck because a task was triggered, and the “Novice Gift Pack” would soon be his; Zhao Dongchuan urgently needed to understand the system's rules and abilities.

Bad luck because the simple-minded old man's clothes, unwashed for many years, reeked of sweat, grass, dirt, cow dung, and his own urine.

This wasn't the main issue, as he wasn't a squeamish person; for the sake of completing the task, it was nothing.

The problem was that he had already taken a day off from work, and if he didn't go tomorrow, the little positive image he had painstakingly salvaged would be ruined again.

At this moment, Zhao Dongchuan thought of several methods and their feasibility, finally deciding to do his best to complete the task today.

He had already taken a day off today, and he wasn't hungry now, so he planned to follow Tian Er to “scavenge.” If it didn't work today, he would have to take another day off tomorrow; his image could be restored later, but the task absolutely could not fail.

Zhao Dongchuan thought to himself.

He then said to Tian Er, “Second Master, did you find any treasures today?”

“Things are going to change! Things are going to change!” Tian Er mumbled to himself, completely ignoring Zhao Dongchuan.

Zhao Dongchuan also looked dejected.

He had originally thought this task would be simple, but he hadn't expected to be stuck at the very first step.

What could he do?

Zhao Dongchuan was at a loss, fumbling beside him.

At this moment, he deeply felt the system's malice.

What to do?

Zhao Dongchuan followed Tian Er while thinking of a solution.

Suddenly, he saw that the task progress in his mind had changed to “1/10.” He immediately moved closer to Tian Er, watching him take a dust-covered porcelain fragment and stuff it into the large pocket of his coat.

Zhao Dongchuan had a flash of inspiration: this counted?

Then he would follow Tian Er, and each piece Tian Er found would count towards his task progress.

He would also actively look for porcelain fragments, and once found, he would give them to Tian Er to put into his large pocket.

This should work, as the task was to help Tian Er.

At this moment, Zhao Dongchuan saw the light, and his thoughts became clear.

So Zhao Dongchuan immediately put his plan into action, and while the sky hadn't completely darkened, he followed Tian Er, walking and scanning the ground around them, not missing a single corner.

He even picked up a branch to occasionally rummage through the grass, finally finding another porcelain fragment.

He handed it to Tian Er, who, seeing someone hand him something, took it without a second glance and put it into his large pocket, regardless of what it was.

And so, until the sun set, with the evening glow illuminating the Loess Plateau, this peculiar “scavenging duo” of an old man and a young man, like diligent little bees, tirelessly sifted through the ground, as if to put every little thing into their pockets.

Their shadows were stretched long, like two acrobats on stilts, swaying.

“Ding, task progress: 8/10.”

Unconsciously, and he didn't know how much time had passed, he only saw that the sun had set and the sky had darkened, making it impossible to see the ground.

After their relentless efforts, they had found about twenty or so porcelain fragments in total, and the progress bar was finally nearing completion.

Not every porcelain fragment was recognized by the system; only those with exquisite patterns counted.

But with the fragments covered in mud and dust, Zhao Dongchuan couldn't distinguish good from bad.

Adhering to the principle of rather killing by mistake than letting go, he stuffed whatever he found into Tian Er's hands.

At some point, Tian Er had gotten up, no longer looking around, but instead, hunched over, slowly walking in one direction.

Zhao Dongchuan now roughly understood that Tian Er was probably going home.

He had a son at home who was also a bit simple-minded like him.

Having walked bent over, squatting and searching all the way, Zhao Dongchuan was also a bit tired.

There were only two pieces left.

He would get up a bit early tomorrow, search again, and find Tian Er to give them to him before the task deadline.

Then the task could be completed.

He was very much looking forward to what treasures the system's treasure chest would open.

Zhao Dongchuan also had to go home.

By now, he was starving and planned to go home for an extra meal, to boil some corn on the cob to eat.

On the way home, Zhao Dongchuan met many villagers returning from work to eat, greeting them politely whether he knew them or not.

During this time, he also met Sun Shaoan, and Zhao Dongchuan greeted him, saying, “Shaoan, finished work?”

“Yes, I tilled the fields on the mountain today.

Right, you must come to work tomorrow.

You can't take any more days off, or the team will have opinions.”

“Okay, I know.

I've already finished my business today, so I'll go to work tomorrow,” Zhao Dongchuan said with a smile.

“Mm, that's right.

I'm going home now, let's go.” Sun Shaoan said, his long legs like a whirlwind, walking with a gust of wind.

No wonder He Xiulian was so fond of him.

Zhao Dongchuan didn't say anything more, following behind him, walking home, and eventually arrived home.

Upon arriving home, Zhao Dongchuan immediately started a fire to cook, took out a few corn cobs from his stash, and began to boil them.