Even a single Blue-quality Intel reward could fetch 100,000 yuan; the Purple-quality Intel Ethan had just earned would be worth even more!
Especially once most players reached Level 10 and needed to change classes, this Purple-quality Intel would trigger a massive uproar, with countless players scrambling to claim it!
If this were any ordinary person, they'd already be shouting and jumping for joy like a madman. But Ethan quickly regained his composure and carefully surveyed his surroundings.
That glance made his brow furrow instantly.
In a shadowed corner not far away, two figures were slowly making their way toward him.
Ethan saw the greed writ large on their faces—they had clearly spotted the Purple-quality Intel reward he'd just acquired.
Sure enough, the two approached him. One, a shorter player, licked his lips and said,
"Friend, I'm with Coffin Guild—my player ID is [Bigwave]. That purple orb you just got must be one of those ultra-rare Intel rewards, right?"
Ethan met his gaze coolly and replied,
"I have nothing to share."
Bigwave's smile twisted with ill intent. He carried on,
"We Coffin Guild are the strongest guild in Safe Zone 9527—over three hundred members strong."
"Rest assured, hand over that treasure to me, and you'll gain plenty in return!"
The other player remained silent, brandishing his Rusty Cleaver and making a throat-slitting gesture—clearly implying: give up the Intel or die.
Surrender his Purple-quality Intel? Ethan never even considered it!
To him, that Intel was invaluable—not only would it help erase his debts, it would let him live far better than he did now.
And worse than anything, Ethan hated being threatened.
Under the watchful eyes of the two players, Ethan slowly lifted the Rusty Cleaver stained with the monster's blue blood.
His recent rewards weren't limited to just the Purple-quality Intel—his Ten-Thousandfold Intelligence Reward also granted him detailed data on every slain monster.
For example, the creature he'd just killed was called a Cryotoxin Tumor Beast—not especially powerful on its own, but they usually traveled in packs, rarely appearing alone.
The Cryotoxin Tumor Beast, upon dying, releases an information hormone to warn its kin of danger.
Because Ethan had just slain this Cryotoxin Tumor Beast, his level rose and his character data updated.
[Name]: Windchaser
[Talents]: Pain Resistance (Blue), Ten-Thousandfold Intelligence Reward (Unknown)
[Level]: lv1
[Class]: None
[Status]: Bleeding
[Equipment]: Cotton Underwear (Gray), Rusty Cleaver (Gray), Tattered Down Jacket (Gray)
[HP]: 79%
[Strength]: 7
[Speed]: 9
[Defense]: 4
[Energy]: 9
[Charisma]: 10
[Luck]: 1
[Attribute Points]: 1
...
Ethan assigned his newly gained attribute point to Strength, instantly raising it to 8.
At that moment, the two Coffin Guild players saw that Ethan wasn't interested in cooperating.
The one who had spoken earlier immediately wiped the smirk from his face. His gaze turned glacial as he said,
"Refuse the wine, and you get the penalty drink! Last chance—hand over the Intel reward you just got!"
Ethan replied calmly,
"What I earn by slaying monsters is mine. Give it to you? You must still be half-asleep."
Bigwave sneered viciously.
"You're naive! This isn't the real world. Here, whoever's stronger, whoever's higher level, takes everything!"
"Including whether you live or die!"
The other player, who'd remained silent, grew impatient. He took two deliberate steps toward Ethan, clutching his Rusty Cleaver, and muttered,
"Why all the talk? Make this kid die a few times and he'll be crying on his knees, begging us for mercy!"
"If he doesn't hand over that Intel, we'll hunt him till he quits the game—and make him fear Dawnfall Online forever!"
Faced with the threat from these two players, the now Level 1 Ethan remained utterly unperturbed. He simply looked at them and said,
"You two must be new players too—your levels aren't high. You were leveling elsewhere before."
Bigwave froze and instinctively asked,
"How do you know?"
Ethan offered a slight smile. The information hormone released by the slain Cryotoxin Tumor Beast had already taken effect—inexperienced players would have noticed if any new beasts appeared nearby.
At that moment, behind the two Coffin Guild players, four or five figures silently emerged: more Cryotoxin Tumor Beasts!
Having obtained all the data on Cryotoxin Tumor Beasts by killing the first, Ethan had been waiting.
The next moment, under Ethan's gaze, the Cryotoxin Tumor Beasts lunged at the two Coffin Guild players.
The two players, their attention fixed entirely on Ethan, hadn't noticed what was happening behind them—they didn't know that a Cryotoxin Tumor Beast releases its warning hormone just before dying, calling its kin.
By the time they sensed something was wrong, it was already too late.
Thankfully, at Level 3 their strength surpassed that of the Tumor Beasts, and in their panic they managed to defend themselves.
Bigwave bobbed and weaved to avoid the beasts' strikes while shouting to his companion,
"Damn it! Keep your eyes on that guy—don't let him get away!"
Before his partner could even turn back toward Ethan, Ethan appeared like a wraith behind Bigwave.
Ethan murmured, "Run? You two losers?"
With that, he drove the Rusty Cleaver hard into Bigwave's neck.
But once again the blunt blade got stuck. This time, Ethan didn't smash it with his fist—instead he yanked it free and retreated at speed.
He'd barely backed up ten feet when Bigwave, clutching his throat, lunged to strike back with his own cleaver.
What followed was almost effortless. Ethan stood like a supreme, calculating wolf-king, watching the two players battle the Tumor Beasts.
Whenever a Beast was grievously wounded and near death, Ethan moved in for the killing blow, effectively making the two players do his work for him.
Injured and gasping, Bigwave could only watch as Ethan claimed the kill.
Each time the players tried to flee the fray, Ethan would intervene—"saving" the Tumor Beasts and forcing his would-be attackers to remain.
Bigwave snapped. He never imagined he'd be toyed with by a Level 1 player, while he and his companion were only Level 3.
Perhaps as his blood loss mounted, the once-threatening Bigwave felt death's breath close in.
Death in Dawnfall Online was brutally real—his own threat against Ethan backfired, and now he faced his own end!
Soon, Bigwave's body began to shake. Struggling to speak, he blurted out,
"Look, brother—we've all made a mistake! We're players together and should be fighting monsters side by side!"
"If we die, Coffin Guild will hunt you down. No one will save you then!"
"You'll never set foot outside the Safe Zone again!"
Faced with these threats, Ethan only smiled and replied coolly,
"Pretend none of this happened and let you go? I'm not that stupid."
Bigwave froze for a moment, then roared in anger,
"Kid, you'll regret this decision!"
Ethan directly retorted, "No—it's your Coffin Guild who will regret crossing me!"