novelraw Chapter 117: One of Our Own?
Chapter 117: One of Our Own?
"Ask away, I will try my best to answer. In addition, hurry up. The optimal effective stage of a One-Star Conspiracy Card is only three minutes, after which there will be a probability of our conversation being eavesdropped on by a One-Star Eavesdropping Card."
"Eavesdropping Card? How are there so many tricks!"
Li Wei was extremely shocked, acting exactly like Grandpa Li entering the Grand View Garden.
"There's a massive amount of item cards over at the Headquarters. As long as you have Standard Gold Coins, they are extravagantly varied, tremendously colorful, and incomparably miraculous! What does a mere Eavesdropping Card count as? Let's talk serious business. Penny definitely already knew when I came out, and so does Fila. It's highly possible that at this very moment, there are at least three Eavesdropping Cards activated nearby!"
"Fuck, then why did you still come find me?" Li Wei felt this was simply absurd!
"Otherwise there wouldn't be a better opportunity. Alright, stop spouting nonsense. The reason I sought you out at this moment is because prior to this, I didn't think highly of you. As an elementary schooler who had just graduated from the Rookie Mission, the endings are usually flying off at the end of the month. Yet you actually managed to complete that task without getting infected with the Plague. This made me see your potential. You possess the qualifications to cooperate with me."
"Now, tell me your views. I'm not knocking on your door to beg you, rather I'm giving you a chance to cooperate. If you perform poorly, I will send you a 'flying off at the end of the month' at any time."
Sophie spoke extremely fast, while Li Wei was simultaneously thinking rapidly. When dealing with this sort of Senior Player, one had to be prepared with three hundred mental ploys at any time.
"Alright. Even though what you said seems very much like the real deal, and even though I do indeed trust Lord Night Owl, it's very regrettable, I can only trust you 10%. Meaning, unless your proposal is helpful to me, then I will help you within a scope I find acceptable. Of course, if I need your help, I will definitely try my best to provide you with equivalent remuneration. I wonder if you agree with this point?"
"Agreed. If you truly trusted me a hundred percent, I would only be disappointed.""Now, let us officially begin our cooperation. You ask me a question, and after I answer, you must answer one of my questions. How about it?"
Eh?
Upon hearing these words, the very first thought that flashed through Li Wei's mind was: This bitch is not a good person.
What the hell could a newbie player like him, who hadn't even been to the Headquarters, possibly know!
And at this current stage, what exclusive intelligence did he possess that others didn't know?
Of course, it was what he saw and heard during his trip to Kakh City.
Good heavens, he had risked his life, even gotten infected with the Plague once, had his maximum Life value shaved down to 140 points, and almost lost his little life just to get this intelligence.
And as a result, you were thinking of swapping for it using conventional intelligence!
What are you thinking?
No wonder you put on a front of wanting to seduce me just now. It seems this is the legendary 'charging meat prices for vegetable dishes'!
"Alright. I want to know how to most effectively synthesize the One-Star Life Card, One-Star Strength Card, One-Star Agility Card, and One-Star Defense Card?" Li Wei asked unceremoniously.
"That's five questions. Do you take me for an idiot? A cooperation must possess the appearance of a cooperation. I will only state one answer. One-Star Chef Card + One-Star Scholar Card, or One-Star Pharmacist Card + Scholar Card, both can synthesize a One-Star Life Card with 100% certainty. However, if you combine the One-Star Chef Card with other Profession Cards, as long as you're willing to invest experience points into them, it can likewise synthesize a One-Star Life Card."
"Now it's my turn. I want to know, up until now, who has sought you out to inquire about intelligence on Kakh City?"
"None. You are the first. Now it's my turn. How should the One-Star Defense Card be synthesized?"
"There is no perfect synthesis recipe for this. But currently, the synthesis recipe with the highest cost-effectiveness is One-Star Farmer Card + One-Star Hunter Card + One-Star Woodcutter Card, which can net you a 99% synthesis probability all at once. By the way, if you don't use these three cards and instead use any two cards, you can only obtain a probability of roughly 60%. The One-Star Defense Card is universally acknowledged as very difficult to synthesize."
"Alright, it's my turn. Did you hide one kilogram of Table Salt this month, wanting to pull off a tactical deception?"
Yikes!
Holy shit, this bitch could even guess this?
I'm still underestimating these Senior Players a bit too much. But this could also be a bluff!
With his thoughts spinning like lightning, Li Wei immediately answered: "You guessed right. I indeed hid one kilogram, no more than that. I never expected that you could even guess this; you Senior Players are truly difficult to deal with. It's my turn. Is your current task a Title Task?"
"Hehe! It's merely that you're too stupid. Did you think others couldn't guess? Still, I do admire that you could think of this method; ordinary newcomers couldn't think of it. Hm, as for my task, of course not. I am a Freelance Player. This time around, I wanted to farm two two-star weapons and equipment, and conveniently farm a Damaged Bronze Token. My second profession is only short one Damaged Bronze Token from being able to upgrade to three stars."
"Now it's my turn. Your trip to Kakh City this time made the task feel very relaxing. How did you enter Kakh City?"
Ohoho, here it comes, here it comes.
Li Wei immediately began to hesitate. "I feel this intelligence is very valuable. Giving it to you for free just like that wouldn't be appropriate, right?"
Hearing these words, Sophie sneered coldly. "Therefore, this is precisely what reflects the sincerity of our cooperation. Of course, I won't let you suffer a loss. Take these two Standard Gold Coins!"
My, quite generous. Li Wei pondered for a moment before saying, "Entering Kakh City isn't that easy. I went and ambushed nine Bandits, using their heads as a bounty to obtain the qualifications to enter Kakh City. Missing a single one wouldn't do, because you need to activate Kakh City Reputation. My turn. Why do you have to come to the Task World to farm equipment? Is it because the weapons and equipment outside are too expensive?"
"Hehe! You aren't considered too stupid if you could think of this point. Correct. Just the two-star Leather Armor you are wearing, if you purchase it at the Headquarters, the average starting price is 50 gold. If it possesses traits, it'll effortlessly be 80 gold. Those with even more incredible traits all start at 100 gold."
"Therefore, unless compelled by necessity, the majority of players will try their best to purchase supplies within Task Worlds, or manufacture equipment and have everyone bid against each other. However, even if bidding against each other—if they encounter a group of newcomers it's fine, but if they encounter veterans, every piece of equipment still has to start at twenty or thirty gold."
"Additionally, here's another free piece of intelligence for you. If you go to a Chaotic Killing World, you won't have too much time or the abundant conditions to farm and develop. Thus, all clear water, food, weapons, and ammunition, including feather arrows, must be brought by yourself. The concept of infinite ammunition does not exist. This is also why all Freelance Players and Professional Players have no choice but to farm tasks during their six-month resting periods. Over at the Headquarters, Standard Gold Coins suffer fierce inflation; as long as you understand, that's enough."
"Now it's my turn. How is the Plague situation over in Kakh City?"
"Plague? What Plague? But it's true that the place is genuinely poor and genuinely filthy. Can you believe those people defecate and urinate right on the streets? Furthermore, their production methods are truly primitive; they're practically drinking blood and eating raw meat. Of course, it's also possible that the Plague has already passed its peak. Those who were going to die have all died, while those alive simply continue living in that half-dead state."
"My turn. I want to know, among your batch of players, who might have come for a Title Task?"
"A Title Task? There's a high probability it's Old John or Pete. The former placed fifth among the newcomers of the previous session, while the latter placed fourth among the newcomers two sessions ago. Neither can be underestimated. Basically, meeting them is a stroke of bad luck for a recently graduated elementary schooler like you. Being able to stubbornly endure for a few months is already quite good."
"Then what should I do?" Li Wei asked very anxiously, truly clinging onto Sophie's thigh like it was a golden goose.
"Don't hug me so tightly! Have a little gentlemanly demeanor, alright!" Sophie was quite angry, yet still answered patiently.
"Keep a low profile and develop. Don't stir up trouble, don't provoke things, and don't prance around. Don't you have two mu of winter wheat next month? That will be enough for you to hold out for a while. After suffering through the six months and we've all withdrawn, perhaps newcomers will join, and maybe the plot will undergo new changes—"
"How does the plot undergo changes? Aren't they all NPCs?" Li Wei clamored to ask, uncontrollably hugging Sophie's thigh tightly again. This was his guiding beacon! This was his lifesaver! She was his female Bodhisattva!
In the darkness, a sharp glint flashed past Sophie's eyes. Unfortunately, it was too dark; nothing could be seen.
"What NPCs, what are you thinking? This isn't a real game! This is the real world. Since it's the real world, then of course there are many uncontrollable variables. In addition—fuck, how many questions have you asked me? Tell me quickly, did you see the Lord on this trip to Kakh City? Did you see any important members of the Kakh Family?"
Right after Sophie finished speaking, Li Wei suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Eh, someone's coming!"
In the next moment, not waiting for Sophie to say anything, Li Wei directly tossed the Cloak aside and jumped up, while that Conspiracy state likewise vanished.
Sophie stood up somewhat wretchedly, stared silently at Li Wei for a moment, and departed without uttering a single word.
Li Wei chuckled. These Senior Players were truly fun to play with!
Next, he didn't doze off anymore either. He just dead-stared at his own Wheat Field until daybreak, until Fila got up to cook meals and the other family members headed out to labor.
Because this brought it to a relatively safe time.
During this stage, if wild boars or other wild beasts came to ruin the crops, as long as the others saw it, they had to help drive them away. Otherwise, it wouldn't conform to plot logic. Of course, the other party would also definitely obtain Family Contribution Points for this.
In short, Li Wei could finally rest.
Speedily turning back, after eating breakfast, Li Wei headed to Clyde's original room and fell into a deep, snoring sleep. As such, sleeping in one breath straight until lunchtime, he finally got out of bed, bursting with energy. His Stamina was maxed out, absolutely solid.
After eating lunch, he headed straight to the Wheat Field. He couldn't see clearly last night; seeing it again right now, it truly was a beautiful vista. The two mu of winter wheat were growing exceptionally well. The wheat ears were large and long, the grains plump, and exceedingly gratifying. It was already a bit yellow-green now.
Merely standing amidst the Wheat Field, he could clearly feel the fresh fragrance of the wheat. The Three-Star Farmer Card began stirring restlessly; there seemingly was an invisible forcefield enveloping it. Boosting the yield by 50% was not a joke.
He felt these two mu of winter wheat could at least yield seven hundred catties per mu!
One-Star Quality seeds, coupled with such fertile black soil, and further capable of being irrigated with spring water—it could be said that he simultaneously possessed advantageous timing, favorable geography, and harmonious human relations.
Seven hundred catties absolutely wouldn't be a problem, maybe even more.
Then, each mu of land could roughly sift out over two hundred catties of one-star wheat. Summing it up would be over five hundred catties. Calculated by one Contribution point per ten catties, this was 50+ points.
Not to mention there was also the potential for two-star quality wheat to appear.
Absolutely awesome!
What a pity that the farmlands here could only be harvested twice a year, and the best harvest was the winter wheat. The wheat or other crops planted in early summer would never be able to compare.
Haha, can't be too greedy.
At this time, Li Wei also noticed that the Scarecrows he had forged half a month ago had all been replaced. He didn't know who forged the new, larger Scarecrows; he estimated it was Fila. After all, apart from Li Wei the Farmer, only the Three-Star Chef cared about the Wheat Field the most. Without sufficient wheat, the Chef wouldn't be able to craft better foods either.
Following this, Li Wei carefully patrolled the fences and stone walls again; everything was excellent. He estimated these were also supplements Fila made previously. Then his mind was at ease. Right now, his sole concern was gale-force winds and hail!
Of course, that sort of thing relied entirely on luck. A natural disaster, man could not alter it.