8: Chapter 8: A Single Thought Summons a Beast, Favorability Soars to the Top

The Elite Boar King was still circling three meters away from Lin Zhe.

Snort! Snort!

Its tusks plowed the earth, sending dirt flying.

But it simply didn't dare to take another step forward.

Standing behind Lin Zhe, Xing Jianwan downed several health potions in succession, and her health bar finally began to crawl back up.

230.

390.

560.

It was full.

Her breathing also stabilized.

But she didn't move.

She gripped her staff, her knuckles turning slightly white.

She knew very well that as soon as she left Lin Zhe's side, the Elite Boar King would immediately lock onto her again.

Level 5 Elite BOSS.

5,000 HP.

With her current level and gear, she stood no chance.

Even with perfect mechanics, she would only last a few dozen seconds more at most.

She only survived just now because this Refugee NPC had blocked the Boar King's aggro path.

The surrounding players saw it too.

"The goddess doesn't dare to leave."

"No kidding. If she takes one step, the Boar King will charge."

"This Boar King has too much health. At this stage, anyone who fights it dies."

"Unless she hides behind that big shot the whole time."

"That's not a solution either, right? Xing Jianwan can't just stand there forever."

Wild Wolf clutched his chest, watching the scene with a gloomy expression.

He had just been sent flying by Lin Zhe and was seething with rage.

Seeing Xing Jianwan trapped, a hint of schadenfreude flashed in his eyes.

"Hmph, what's so impressive about using an NPC to kite a mob?"

"If she dares to step out, she's dead meat."

His voice wasn't loud, but many nearby heard him.

Someone wanted to scold him, but after glancing at the frenzied Boar King, they kept their mouth shut.

It was the truth.

Xing Jianwan really couldn't get away right now.

In the center of the mound, Lin Zhe slowly raised his eyes and looked at the Elite Boar King ahead.

The Boar King's aggro was still locked on Xing Jianwan.

But because he, a non-aggro NPC, was standing in the middle, the monster's pathing was blocked by the game rules.

He was all too familiar with this underlying rule.

Ordinary NPCs have a higher default priority than monster pathing logic.

Monsters will not actively attack NPCs they have no aggro towards.

As long as he moved, the monster's movement path would be recalculated.

Lin Zhe shifted his gaze and glanced at Xing Jianwan.

Xing Jianwan was also looking at him.

Her gaze was still cold, but it lacked the initial aloofness, replaced by obvious tension and inquiry.

"You..."

She had just started to speak when she stopped.

She didn't know how to ask an NPC for help.

Even less did she know if this NPC could actually understand her.

Lin Zhe didn't say a word.

He simply withdrew his gaze, stepped forward, and walked toward the woods on the right side of the mound.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

The surrounding players were all stunned.

"He's moving!"

"Where is the big shot going?"

"Wait, the Boar King is moving too!"

As expected.

As soon as Lin Zhe left his spot, the Elite Boar King immediately changed direction.

Its crimson eyes still glared at Xing Jianwan from time to time, but its body was pulled by the pathing rules, forcing it to circle around her and move three meters ahead and to the side of Lin Zhe.

Snort!

Snort!

It didn't dare get close to Lin Zhe.

Nor did it charge at Xing Jianwan anymore.

It was led away bit by bit by Lin Zhe, heading deep into the nearby woods.

The entire field went silent for a second.

The next second, the place exploded with noise.

"Holy crap!"

"The Boar King is being lured away!"

"Wait, NPCs can be used like this?"

"This is too ridiculous!"

"I've played games for so many years, and this is the first time I've seen an ordinary NPC lead a BOSS away!"

"Ordinary? You call this an ordinary NPC?"

Xing Jianwan stood there, completely dazed.

She watched Lin Zhe's back and saw the Elite Boar King—which had just chased her to the brink of death—actually being lured away by him bit by bit.

Many thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.

Was it a coincidence?

Impossible.

Lin Zhe had looked at her just now.

And only then did he set off.

The direction wasn't chosen randomly either; he was walking away from the crowd and her position.

He was helping her.

A Refugee NPC was actively helping her lure away an Elite BOSS.

Xing Jianwan had played too many games and seen too many hidden quests, special mechanics, and intelligent NPCs.

But she had never seen anything like this.

Normal NPCs only stand in place and talk.

Low-level Refugees are even slower in their basic reactions.

But Lin Zhe was different.

It was as if he could judge the situation.

And as if he could understand her predicament.

He had even made the most correct decision.

Xing Jianwan's gaze, which had been guarded, changed completely.

In her cool eyes, there was now an irrepressible trace of shock.

At the edge of the woods.

Lin Zhe's pace wasn't fast.

He didn't run, nor did he look back.

The Elite Boar King, restricted by the rules, could only circle around him at a distance of three meters.

The more irritable it became, the more comical it looked.

Boom! Boom!

Its hooves crushed dry branches.

Bushes were knocked askew by its tusks.

But it could never reach Lin Zhe.

Lin Zhe walked deep into the woods, rounded several thick old trees, and led it further in.

He only stopped for a moment once Xing Jianwan's figure was no longer visible from the mound.

The Boar King plowed the ground back and forth nearby, growling incessantly.

Lin Zhe gave it a flat look, then turned and looped back via another path.

The Boar King's pathing logic became confused once again.

It spun in circles a few times before finally getting stuck by the forest terrain and aggro distance, forced to pace irritably in place.

Lin Zhe ignored it.

Since he didn't attack, he wouldn't trigger any penalties.

A few minutes later.

He returned to the mound.

The surrounding players were still craning their necks, waiting.

As soon as they saw Lin Zhe return, there was another stir.

"He's back!"

"The big shot really came back!"

"Where's the Boar King?"

"It didn't follow him back! He really ditched it in the woods!"

"Incredible! You can even play the mechanics like this?"

Wild Wolf, who had been gloating just now, looked like he had swallowed a fly.

He had hoped Xing Jianwan would be dragged to her death by the Boar King.

Instead, Lin Zhe just took a walk and led the BOSS away.

This was even more ridiculous than him attacking directly.

Seeing Lin Zhe return, Xing Jianwan immediately stepped forward.

She no longer kept her aloof distance but stood before Lin Zhe, looking at him earnestly.

"Thank you."

Two words, very succinct.

But her tone was completely different from before.

The surrounding players all widened their eyes.

"Xing Jianwan thanked an NPC?"

"Did I hear that right?"

"This is the server's number one goddess!"

"Of course. If not for the big shot, she really would have been sent back to town."

Xing Jianwan ignored the chatter around her.

She continued to look at Lin Zhe, her voice softening slightly.

"You helped me on purpose just now, didn't you?"

Lin Zhe glanced at her.

He didn't explain.

He simply gave a faint nod.

The movement was slight.

But in Xing Jianwan's eyes, it was clearer than any verbal answer.

He understood.

And he really was helping her.

Xing Jianwan's heart trembled slightly.

She had seen too many players trying to curry favor and too many NPCs mechanically handing out quests.

But someone like Lin Zhe, who didn't say a word yet could lead her out of a dead end at the most critical moment—this was a first for her.

Looking at Lin Zhe's tattered hemp clothes, she suddenly felt that this Refugee NPC hid secrets far greater than any hidden quest.

Just then.

A golden system panel suddenly popped up before Lin Zhe's eyes.

[Ding! Top-tier female character detected nearby.]

[Target: Xing Jianwan]

[Identity: Top-tier goddess player, Honorary President of Lingxiao Pavilion]

[Comprehensive Evaluation: Extremely High]

[Current Favorability: 80]

[Bond trigger criteria met.]

[Meets the initial bond conditions for the 'Many Children, Many Blessings' NPC System.]

[Do you wish to form a bond with Xing Jianwan?]

Lin Zhe's gaze narrowed slightly.

It was here.

The first bond target.

Faster than he had expected.