"What, still thinking about Murong Shanshan just now?"
Walking on the road, Xin Yu said with a cheerful smile, not looking unhappy at all.
I shook my head and said, "I'm not thinking about her. I'm just wondering when I'll be able to get a piece of blue equipment. The difference in attributes between blue equipment and green equipment is too great; the bonus attributes even reach double digits."
"Actually, it's nothing. You'll get equipment eventually. You can't rush it."
I looked at Xin Yu's graceful figure and said with a smile, "You don't seem anxious at all. What is Sister Lin raising a group of us for? It's to earn money, not to take us to play. If we can't get equipment, how can we repay her?"
"I was just saying. Don't be so serious. Let's go, time to level up and get some equipment!"
Xin Yu led the way, her small leather shoes clattering on the tactile paving.
After returning to the room, I immediately turned on the computer and logged in. Donning my helmet, I reappeared outside the small house next to the graveyard. The two patches of monsters I had killed this morning had already respawned. Looking from a distance, I could even see that the qing you flower in the center of the monster group had also respawned.
Continuing with the morning's method, the Skeleton Warriors turned into experience in droves before me. Watching the experience bar slowly rise gave me a great sense of accomplishment.
"Ding~!"
System message: Player Murong Shanshan requests a voice chat with you.
Huh? Why is this fellow opening the communicator?
"Hmm? Shanshan, is something wrong?"
"Of course, there is. Did you go out just now, Qing Cai?"
My heart immediately skipped a beat, and I nervously said, "Yes, I went out with a colleague."
Murong Shanshan smiled somewhat mischievously: "Not a colleague, a girlfriend, right?"
I couldn't hold back: "Shanshan, I know that girl just now was you! Also, the MM I was with really is my colleague, don't overthink it!"
Murong Shanshan burst out laughing, "Lin Fan, you seem very concerned about what I think of you?"
"Uh..." She already knew my real name... I was sweating profusely. Dealing with these women made my scalp tingle. After thinking for a moment, I continued, "Shanshan, I'm just stating a fact. It's you who's overthinking it!"
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about that beauty. What are you doing now?"
"Killing monsters, doing quests."
Murong Shanshan chided, "You sly dog, you're still killing monsters while chatting with me? You're really something, aren't you? Oh, I didn't even notice, when did you become the top expert in our city?"
"If I'm not strong enough, I won't get equipment. If I don't get equipment, I'll starve."
"Lin Fan, are you a professional gamer?"
"Of course. Are you a student?"
"That's right."
I swallowed and said, "You must be very rich. You've spent several thousand on the game this month alone."
"Rich?" Murong Shanshan's tone was strange. She continued, "If I were rich, I'd buy all your equipment. And don't laugh at me, but after buying so much equipment, my living expenses for this month are now a problem."
"Then why did you go to KFC? A family bucket costs almost 80 yuan, right?"
"That's normal spending. You're too serious..."
...Just like that, I chatted idly with Murong Shanshan while killing monsters. Through repeated practice, I became increasingly proficient. Whether it was luring monsters or killing them, I became extremely skilled. The monster-luring distance that seemed uncontrollable to ordinary people was now effortless for me. Even my movement and weaving among monsters had become so practiced that I was amazed myself. With my not-so-high agility, I could run out of a group of monsters completely unharmed, so strangely that it almost scared me.
Through our chitchat, I learned that Murong Shanshan was a sophomore student who had just celebrated her 21st birthday less than three days ago. Her family seemed quite wealthy; the birthday meal alone cost nearly a thousand yuan, which explained her generous spending.
"Lin Fan, my birthday was less than three days ago, wasn't it?"
"So what? You're not hinting at something, are you?"
"What do you think?"
"Well, I have a level 3 white warrior's belt here. I'll reluctantly give it to you. Want it?" I was unusually calm.
"Damn, so stingy!"
"Uh... girls should be reserved..."
"Ugh... I just woke up... I forgot everything I just said..."
...5555, so shameless~!
By nearly seven in the evening, I had finally collected all 20 qing you flowers, and my level had jumped two levels, directly from 18 to 20. I reached level 19 after clearing four patches of monsters, but it took me a full 15 patches of monsters to reach level 20, showing how difficult leveling up was.
After gathering the quest items, I rushed to the Gravekeeper's room and placed the qing you flowers directly on his chest.
"Ding~!".
System message: You have completed the Gravekeeper's Trust quest, gaining 55000 experience, 5 gold coins, +250 reputation, and the item "Gravekeeper's Ring."
My heart skipped a beat. Another ring? I quickly opened my inventory to check.
[Gravekeeper's Ring] (Blue Equipment)
Strength +15
Stamina +12
Agility +16
Special Effect: When equipped, attacking an opponent absorbs 3% of the damage dealt to their health.
Required Level: 20
...I rubbed my eyes and looked again to confirm. This was indeed a blue ring!
Both Strength and Stamina increased significantly, and even Agility increased by a high 16 points. Most importantly, it had a special lifesteal effect. With my current attack, I could deal around 180 damage per hit to Skeleton Warriors. This meant I could recover about 6 health per attack. Coupled with the effect of tomato, I could almost forgo using health potions when fighting Skeleton Warriors.
I allocated all the points gained from leveling up to Strength. This had almost become a habit for me. Among all physical damage professions, Swordsmen had the highest attack output. Since I wanted to be a high-attack output profession, I might as well become a full-Strength Swordsman. Health and defense could be compensated for with equipment. Anyway, with my current status and luck, top-tier equipment would definitely not be an issue.
The Gravekeeper NPC had disappeared, and the Skeleton Warriors had returned to their original disorganized state, no longer having anything to guard. I couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. This situation meant that no one else would be able to receive this quest, and thus wouldn't be able to obtain the same blue ring—at least not easily!
Equipping the ring, I immediately checked my attributes and equipment:
Qing Cai Bai Yu Tang (Apprentice Swordsman)
Level: 20
Health: 624
Attack: 95-132 (x110%)
Defense: 75 (x110%)
Reputation: 660
Luck: 0
Equipment:
Two-Handed — [pine forest greatsword] (green equipment)
Attack: 24-45
Strength: +8
Stamina: +7
Required Level: 12
Chest — [Soldier's Armor] (green equipment)
Defense: 22
Stamina: +4
Strength: +3
Required Level: 8
Legs — [Wild Wolf Leggings] (green equipment)
Defense: +8
Stamina: +3
Strength: +2
Required Level: 4
[Gravekeeper's Ring] (Blue Equipment)
Strength +15
Stamina +12
Agility +16
Special Effect: When equipped, attacking an opponent absorbs 3% of the damage dealt to their health.
Required Level: 20