"Okay," Zhou Ning nodded, but still felt something was off.
That Ruins envoy seemed a bit too weak, completely unworthy of being a member of the Life Alchemy Society's Council.
Moreover, the entire Life Alchemy Society only had 10 Council members, so there was no need for him to specifically come here to perform a sacrifice, right?
At this moment, several people in black robes rushed over and began to wipe away the bloodstains on the ground and drag away the bodies. These were special professions in the game: Corpse Collectors. He didn't expect them to be so accurately recreated in reality.
Some Sun Keepers also cautiously began to retrieve the book-shaped unknown strange objects and the bodies of Blood Worms from the ground.
Remembering Keen's heavy taste for adding aphid juice to his wine, he wondered if he would use these to brew wine.
Zhou Ning shook his head and smiled, just about to leave when he caught sight of XB standing nearby, looking at him expectantly.
He actually forgot about him. After some thought, Zhou Ning edited the quest text, selected the reward settlement for him, and uploaded a few new skills as well.
On the other side, XB also received a notification:
[You have completed D-rank quest: Clean Up the Mess. You have gained 2000 experience points and 15 currency.]
[Wayne Strowell's favorability towards you has increased by 7 points. Current: Acquaintance.] (Note: Personal favorability and faction favorability are calculated differently)
[More items in Wayne Strowell's personal shop are now available to you.]
[Due to your successful assistance to the protagonist Wayne Strowell in resolving the conspiracies of the Curse God Cult and the Life Alchemy Society, you have gained an opportunity to learn a Wandering Gunner universal skill, limited to 15 minutes.]
[14:59]
[14:58]
..."Holy crap? There's such a good thing?!"
After returning the revolver, XB became incredibly excited upon seeing this notification and quickly clicked into Zhou Ning's personal shop.
Switching to the skill shop, after some browsing, several new skills were indeed listed.
Each one was more powerful than the last.
What made XB most excited were the newly appeared Observation Haki and Conqueror's Haki.
Especially Conqueror's Haki, its initial effect was incredibly powerful, leaving him dumbfounded.
Conqueror's Haki: A qualification only kings can possess. Mental power +1. Can cause damage and deterrence to surrounding enemies by releasing aura. Effect judgment is based on the mental difference between you and the enemy. Base duration is 0.16 seconds. If the mental difference is too large, it can also cause a daze effect.
A qualification only kings can possess!!!
Coach, I just want to learn this!
Looking at the learning requirements: 266,000 experience, 50 vikta, and also 40 favorability. How long would that take?
XB looked at his panel. He originally had a little experience left. After killing some bugs and adding the quest rewards, he had a total of 9520 experience remaining. After searching through the skill list, he finally found a skill he could learn.
C.A.R Shooting Method: A set of Gunfight Technique combining both melee and ranged combat, integrating shooting stances, gun-holding techniques, reloading skills, and close-quarters combat. Can improve combat ability.
It looked impressive at first glance.
The price was 9500 experience and 15 currency.
What a coincidence, it was almost as if it had been calculated. It was practically tailor-made for him. He had spent all his money, and the quest rewarded him with 15 currency, just enough to buy this skill.
XB didn't think too much and excitedly bought the skill. This was all his capital for becoming a professional player in the future.
[Your skill [C.A.R Shooting Method] has been learned. You have gained 9500 experience and 15 currency.]
"Then, farewell."
After successfully harvesting all of XB's 'chives,' Zhou Ning finally felt satisfied, waved his hand, and turned to leave without a trace of reluctance, leaving behind only a mysterious and unfathomable silhouette.
This patch of chives was temporarily harvested. He would wait for it to grow back before harvesting again.
The penniless XB was also content at this moment, looking at the two new skills he had acquired today, occasionally letting out chuckles... Meanwhile, in a carriage speeding towards Daklan Fortress.
Charles VI sat comfortably in his seat, completely devoid of the panic he had shown earlier. Opposite him was Crown Prince William, who was accompanying him on this state visit.
William was thirty-five this year, with a steady character and brilliant talent. Unfortunately, his personality was too soft. As the Crown Prince of the Charles Dynasty, dignity was paramount, and Charles VI decided to use this opportunity to teach his son a lesson.
"William, what do you think of the Sun Keepers' handling of the situation just now?" Charles VI asked.
..."Keen West handled it very well. After all, it was a supernatural event, and they don't have much experience dealing with them."
Charles VI nodded: "Indeed, I think so too. However, when I return, I will still order a 10% reduction in the Sun Keepers' funding."
"Why?"
"Because the fact is he didn't do well enough, even having to rely on external help to stabilize the situation. In fact, you don't need to care whether he did well or not. You must remember: to be a good King, you must first establish your dignity. If your dignity is insufficient, your subjects will defy you, and if punishments are not strictly enforced, prohibitions cannot be implemented."
"The Vester Family is indeed trustworthy, but for trusted subjects, you must both heavily use them and be careful to suppress and guard against them, because you never know what a person is thinking in their heart."
William nodded silently.
Not far ahead was a clock tower, about 55 meters high, driven by an Alchemy array. According to Blystone time, it automatically chimed every hour. In the past, the clock tower was the Daklan Fortress where the royal family resided and worked.
Due to too many Sun Keepers being drawn away by this incident, the defensive strength was a bit insufficient, with even the guards on the road being sparse.
"I must arrange for more guards to be transferred here later," Charles VI thought.
The carriage stopped in front of Daklan Fortress, and Crown Prince William and Charles VI disembarked one after another.
But at this moment, from the clock tower not far away, a crossbow bolt silently shot over, precisely piercing through Charles VI's chest, bringing out a large spray of blood and flesh.
Immediately after, the crossbow bolt dissipated into a beam of light.
Bang!
Under everyone's gaze, Charles VI fell to the ground with a thud, without even leaving any last words, motionless and completely devoid of signs of life.
The scene was silent.
It was a while before someone reacted and exclaimed: "His Majesty the King has been assassinated!!"
The guards present then awoke as if from a dream, greatly alarmed, and quickly drew their guns. Some ran towards the opposite clock tower, while others aimed their guns at the top of the clock tower.
At this time, on the top of the clock tower, a man in a black Alchemist's robe and a white mask looked down, put away a crossbow, and shook a small bottle in his hand. Inside the bottle, Charles VI could be seen pressing his hands against the bottle wall, screaming and shouting.
The man gestured a thank you downwards, then leaped off the clock tower, landing agilely on a rooftop like an acrobat, and ran into the distance.
After a while, the entire Daklan was shaken. Countless police appeared on the streets, searching everywhere for suspicious individuals.
Zhou Ning naturally also learned of this, but he saw it on the game panel.
[Charles VI, faction leader of the Blystone Kingdom, has died.]
[The social stability of the Blystone Kingdom has decreased, and the economy has entered a depression.]
[Due to your indirect significant impact on the game's progress, you have received a reward of 12 transmigration coin (currency)s.]
Zhou Ning:?????
What does that have to do with me?
But then again, the game's progress was indeed completely messed up. In his previous life, Charles VI was still alive and well until the third version of the game, but now he had died so quickly.
Zhou Ning couldn't help but be curious about how he actually died.