Chapter 34: Upgrade
Wake University was the oldest and most prestigious university in the Kingdom of Braxton, and arguably the entire world. Its history could be traced back to the age of the Four Heroes. Only a true madman would attempt a bombing here.
If those lunatics actually pulled it off, the act would undoubtedly send shockwaves through the entire Kingdom of Braxton—and not the good kind.
Zhou Ning's expression grew solemn. Although he still struggled to feel fully immersed in this world, he was a student at Wake University. Moreover, if he recalled correctly, he was scheduled to supervise the new student orientation in three days.
Wow, what a coincidence.
This is something I have to deal with.
Sherlock, his face pale, took a deep breath. "This is an urgent matter. I have to report this to Lord Qien West immediately. The police will be here later to handle the scene." He looked at Zhou Ning. "By the way, you're the one who killed him. Once I file my report, there will be a generous reward for you."
As Sherlock finished, Zhou Ning shook his head and said seriously, "I didn't kill this murderer. It was you, the brave and fearless... no, it was Agent Sherlock who killed him personally."
Sherlock nodded in understanding. If he were in Zhou Ning's position, he wouldn't want to reveal his identity and be targeted by the lunatics from the Life Alchemy Society either.
Sherlock pointed to Holweg's diary in Zhou Ning's hand. "Can I take that back as evidence?"
"Of course." Zhou Ning had no reason to refuse such a reasonable request and handed the diary over.
"Thank you," Sherlock said, formally putting the diary away. "One more thing. We've tested that batch of firearms you provided. They work well. Do you have any new stock?"
All thoughts of sleep vanished from Zhou Ning's mind. "Yes. You can have someone pick them up anytime." He still had five revolvers and two rifles in his inventory that he was eager to sell.
"Okay, I'll arrange for someone to come tomorrow afternoon." Sherlock nodded. "The price is the same: 15 Victories for a pistol, 18 for a rifle. By the way, are your bullets for sale?"
He had witnessed the battle firsthand, and the flaming bullets had left the deepest impression. If they could be replicated, the combat effectiveness of their agents would be greatly improved.
"I only have eight of those left, and the production process is extremely complicated. Each bullet is the fruit of my labor."
"I can offer a high price," Sherlock said anxiously, emphasizing the words.
Zhou Ning shook his head. "What I mean is, you can buy them, but you have to pay extra."
Sherlock was speechless.
After some negotiation, they reached a purchase agreement for a batch of special bullets. The crafting cost was only 2 Roshen per bullet, and with higher proficiency, it could be even lower. Zhou Ning sold them for 10 Roshen each.
To show his sincerity, Sherlock even paid a deposit of 10 Victories in advance, adding a welcome sum to Zhou Ning's meager wallet.
"Remember to keep this confidential. Don't mention it to anyone, or it could cause trouble for you," Sherlock reminded him, feeling much better now that a deal was struck.
"I understand," Zhou Ning replied solemnly, knowing exactly what he meant.
Sherlock nodded, tipped his hat in farewell, and climbed into his carriage, which hurried away into the darkness.
Zhou Ning watched the carriage disappear, then took out his pocket watch and clicked it open. It was only 4:20 in the morning.
He took a deep breath, picked up his umbrella from the ground, and opened it, a feeling of satisfaction washing over him. Tonight's harvest was undoubtedly his richest since entering the game, but the treacherous world and the imminent crisis also filled him with an unprecedented urgency to improve.
Back in the dormitory, John and his dog were still huddled together on the sofa, sleeping soundly.
"Ignorance truly is bliss," Zhou Ning sighed.
After closing the door, he began to take stock of his gains.
Completing the hidden mission [Literary Life] had earned him 30,000 experience points, and the B-level mission [Alchemy Ghost] had granted him a full 50,000. Factoring in his previous balance and the experience from killing Holweg, Zhou Ning now had nearly 90,000 experience points.
With more experience than ever before, there was no need to hold back. Zhou Ning immediately began investing it all into his secondary profession, [Alchemist Apprentice].
[[Alchemist Apprentice] has been upgraded to Level 2! Willpower +1 (+0.35 from Superb Physique), Spirit +1 (+0.35 from Superb Physique). You have gained 1 Free Attribute Point.]
…
[[Alchemist Apprentice] has been upgraded to Level 10 (MAX)! Willpower +1 (+0.35 from Superb Physique), Spirit +1 (+0.35 from Superb Physique). You have gained 1 Free Attribute Point.]
The level cap for each profession was ten; further advancement required a class change.
In total, he spent 80,000 experience points to raise [Alchemist Apprentice] from level 1 to its cap at level 10. Including the bonus from his Superb Physique feat, this provided him with 12 points in Will, 12 in Spirit, and 9 free attribute points. His total level was now 13.
Generally, players prioritized their main profession—Magician, Warrior, Knight, and so on—because it increased their health, a vital stat. Unfortunately, Zhou Ning was an anomaly who still lacked a combat-oriented main profession, leaving him to upgrade his alchemist subclass first.
To advance beyond [Alchemist Apprentice], he would need to reach a high level of alchemy skill, which would take time.
And what about using Goethe's Alchemy Manual to speed things up?
The cost-benefit just wasn't worth it. Better to save it for a higher alchemy level.
After maxing out his subclass, Zhou Ning had less than 10,000 experience points left. He spent it all to upgrade [Rapid Pursuit] to the intermediate level. He had discovered during his last fight that the skill was surprisingly effective. Activating it had sharpened his combat awareness to a degree that had even surprised him. Holweg had been much stronger, but Zhou Ning had killed him through extraordinary calmness and tactical thinking, a feat in which the skill had played an indispensable role.
Just like that, 90,000 experience points were gone in less than half a minute, and Zhou Ning's status panel had a fresh new look.
---
Name: Zhou Ning / Wayne Stewell
Race: Human
Template: Elite NPC [Countdown to Internal Beta: 43 days, 12 hours, 22 minutes]
Level: 13
Occupation: Student/Teaching Assistant [1/10]
Secondary Occupation: Linguist [2/10] / Alchemist Apprentice [10/10]
Personal Attributes:
Strength: 20
Agility: 23
Stamina: 18
Will: 21
Spirit: 27
Charm: 99
Health: 180/180
Stamina: 196/196
Willpower: 18/21
Free Points: 9
Combat Power Rating: 399
(Additional stats omitted)
---
In a single night, Zhou Ning's combat effectiveness had soared to a new level.
He decided to save the 9 free attribute points for emergencies.
After allocating his points, Zhou Ning checked the time again. It was 4:50 AM. Feeling content, he decided to get some sleep. This time, he had no strange dreams and fell into a deep, sound slumber.
[Important Notice: The second episode of the "Apocalypse" series has been released simultaneously on the official forum and all major platforms. This series is automatically generated by the optical computer. Players interested in learning more about the game's background are welcome to watch.]
At seven o'clock, he was awakened by a series of panel prompts.
Zhou Ning's eyes snapped open. A mechanical female voice was suddenly speaking inside his head while he was fast asleep. It was a testament to his composure that he didn't fall out of bed in shock.
---
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