Chapter 41: Exchange

“Eye of the Thunder!” Skynet could not help but exclaim. “That’s a Rare-grade sniper rifle that costs 3,000 medal points! Damn, Brother Feng! You’re not really that much of an anomaly, are you? Even though I worked my ass off all night, my medal point count did not even reach 300.”

As a Sniper, Skynet had, of course, also checked out the sniper rifle option in the exchange list. But the “Eye of the Thunder” listed on top was something he could only stare and drool at. That was because, even ignoring the Honorary First-Class Citizen requirement, the 3,000 medal points cost was not something a Sniper could easily achieve.

Skynet had spent the entire night defending the city with his four other teammates, and, in the end, he did not even earn 300 points. Even the one who had earned the most points among them all, the Fire Manipulator named Ion Flame, had only earned around 650 medal points. As such, for Feng Luo, a Sniper, to have enough points to buy the entire set of blueprints of the Eye of the Thunder worth 3,000 medal points, it definitely shocked everyone.

“I also don’t have over 3,000 medal points,” Feng Luo explained. “Only 2,000-something. But because I completed a mission previously and obtained the gun barrel blueprint, so I only need 2,500 points to buy the remaining four parts.”

“That’s still 2,500 points,” said Skynet. “That’s eight times mine! Brother Feng, don’t tell me you killed a Boss. Otherwise, how could you have so many medal points?”

Skynet was actually making a joke. After all, every player knew that it was not that easy to kill a Boss.

“Well, I really did kill a Boss,” said Feng Luo, “and I was very lucky to have gotten the last hit.” Feng Luo laughed. This was a situation where he was going to be sincere whether he liked it or not.

“No way… I was joking…” Skynet looked at Feng Luo, almost speechless.

“We were defending the East Gate and heard that the players at the West Gate eliminated a Level-45 Boss,” said Ion Flame. “Initially, we thought it was just an exaggeration and thought that it was, at most, a Quasi-Boss. I never would have thought that it was true. Brother Feng is strong!”

Ion Flame was thin and looked weak. He wore a light-colored Energy Manipulator robe, and he had a gentle disposition. He extended his hands and gave Feng Luo a thumbs up.

“I only relied on the help of the NPCs and was lucky to have defeated it,” Feng Luo said. “Truth be told, if the energy cannon and the NPC electromagnetic machine gun of the city defense hadn’t been there, I’m guessing everyone on the square would have lost a level’s worth of experience. Moreover, that Boss did not have any subordinates, so it could be said to have been a weakened version.”

Ultimate Heavy Armor nodded in agreement and said, “That’s true. The Bosses in this game are way too overpowered. Players can’t take their damage down at all. Our guild tried fighting a Level-40 Bloodthirsty Wolf King once. The end result was that we threw away a level’s worth of experience for several hundred players. And, in the end, we even let it get away.” Boss monsters had frightening attacks, and as a Heavy Armor Warrior, he understood that more than anyone.

“I’m guessing only after players go over Level 50 will we be able to kill Boss monsters with fewer sacrifices,” Feng Luo said after thinking about it a while. “After all, the game officials said that after players go over Level 50, their strength would increase substantially.”

“Oh, that’s right,” said Skynet. “Didn’t Big Boss Dan Hen mention that your mission target last night was a Level-55 rebel army commander? How was his strength? Was he strong?”

“Amazingly strong,” said Feng Luo. “He far exceeded the strength of current players. Moreover, he actually had a flying skill. He almost escaped in the end!”

Feng Luo remembered the Tornado and the Rotating Wind Blade of the rebel army commander, as well as the scene filled with dark clouds and lightning. One couldn’t help but say that it was far from what current players could currently achieve. If it weren’t for the fact that they’d had sufficient numbers—and, furthermore, all of them were elites—the players would never have been able to take out the rebel army commander.

“Flying skill! Can anyone over Level 50 have that?” asked the female Doctor who had remained quiet until then, Jie Bian Xiao Cao. Her tone was gentle with a tinge of curiosity and yearning.

“Probably only Wind Manipulators can do it,” Dan Hen answered. “After all, that guy seemed to be using Wind Energy to fly.” Then he looked to the side to look at Ion Flame, whose face showed a disappointed expression. “See? I told you in the beginning to choose Wind. You were stubborn and chose Fire. Aren’t you regretting it a bit now?”

“Yeah, I’m feeling a bit of regret,” Ion Flame said after some thought. “After all, it’s flight! The allure is definitely strong. However, I think that since Wind Manipulators can fly after Level 50, then Fire Manipulators will definitely get some abilities that aren’t inferior to flight. So there’s no need to be too envious.”

“That’s a good point,” said Dan Hen. “All professions will definitely get some strengthened skills after Level 50. It’s like a second advancement in normal games.” Dan Hen nodded and looked toward Feng Luo. “Oh, yeah, Brother Feng. You’ve just reached Level 40 today, so you haven’t learned any Level 40 skills yet, right?”

“Not yet,” Feng Luo said.

In War, after every five levels, a player could learn one skill tied to their profession or an all-compatible skill. And when learning skills, the first agenda was to obtain the skill chip.

Skill chips could be bought in system stores. However, system stores only sold normal skills. If one wanted to obtain unique, rare skills, one would have to head to the players’ exchange to “treasure hunt” or to complete hidden missions. Feng Luo’s “Death Sense” skill had been obtained through a hidden mission. Apart from this skill, the other skills he had learned were normal skills purchased from stores.

“I have a friend,” said Dan Hen. “Not long ago, he obtained a Level-40 Rare skill chip for Snipers called ‘Maximum Shooting.’ When the bullet reaches its maximum range limit, it still maintains 80 percent of its power. So, if you think that it is suitable, I’ll help you ask him about it.”

Feng Luo was moved the moment he heard those words. Due to the effects of the “half-range reduction” setting, bullets fired from sniper rifles would only have 50 percent of their original power when fired at the maximum distance. And if he were to learn this “Maximum Shooting” skill, there was no doubt it was the equivalent of raising the power of the bullet at the maximum distance to increase by 60 percent. The improvement for long-range sniping would be substantial.

“Then I’ll have to trouble Older Brother!” Feng Luo said.

“Sure. I’ll contact him now.” Dan Hen nodded and switched on his communicator. “Hey, Monkey. Is that Maximum Shooting skill chip still in your hands? I have a friend who needs it… What? It was sold this morning…? Forget it then. Remember to reserve any Rare-grade chips for me, yeah?”

After hanging up the communicator, Dan Hen looked at Feng Luo a little awkwardly. “Brother Feng, I’m really sorry. The kid just sold the chip on the exchange this morning.”

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“It’s all right,” said Feng Luo. “I’ll check out the exchange after I get back to the city. Perhaps I can still buy it.”

Feng Luo also thought that it was a pity, since Rare-grade skills were always in short supply. Missing this village might also mean missing this shop. It seemed he would have to go on a shopping spree when he returned to Silvermoon City. He hoped he would be able to buy one.

The lot of them continued chatting as they queued. After an entire half an hour, it was finally Feng Luo’s turn.

He handed over the temporary Certificate of Conscription. Beneath the stunned gaze of the beautiful female NPC receptionist, Feng Luo spent all of his 2,700 temporary medal points and exchanged them for the items he’d long had his eye on.

Eye of the Thunder Gun Stock. Reduces recoil by 25%. There is a 1 percent chance for the bullets shot out of the gun to have an electricity effect. Usage Count: (0/20).

Eye of the Thunder Magazine. Increases reload speed by 30%. There is a 1 percent chance for the bullets shot out of the gun to have an electricity effect. Usage Count: (0/20).

Eye of the Thunder Main Body. Strength +10; Agility +25. There is a 2 percent chance for the bullets shot out of the gun to have an electricity effect. Usage Count: (0/20).

Eye of the Thunder Sniping Scope. Increases field of vision distance by 300 meters. Possesses automatic recognition and calculation functions. There is a 1 percent chance for the bullets shot out of the gun to have an electricity effect. Usage Count: (0/20).

Having spent a total of 2,500 medal points, Feng Luo purchased the four Eye of the Thunder parts. For the remaining 200 medal points, Feng Luo purchased ten C-grade military blood tonics, which could instantly recover 500 HP and, in the following 20 seconds, recover 100 HP per second, healing a total of 2,500 HP. The item was currently not sold in stores. Adding in the supplies claimed before the mission the day before, which included the remaining half a magazine of C-grade Unique Armor-Piercing Bullets and five Stamina Recovery Potions, one could say that this trip to the Red City had been very lucrative.

By the time Feng Luo finished his exchange and got out, he found Dan Hen and his group of six already waiting for him outside the resources center. After all, they did not purchase many items, so they did not spend a lot of time like Feng Luo.

“Brother Feng, are you heading back to Silvermoon City next, or are you staying here to complete missions?” Dan Hen asked.

“Returning to Silvermoon City,” Feng Luo said.

“Quite right,” said Dan Hen. “We’ve also cleared our red names and are headed back. You should join us.”

It was because, in the medal point exchange list, there was an option to directly clear red names, so the people of the Veterans Tribe had all returned to yellow-name status.

“Okay!” Feng Luo agreed.

He knew that Dan Hen was worried he would be ambushed by red-name players who remembered the money promised by the Roaring Dragon Mercenary Group. That was why he invited him to join them. After all, the war status was now over. Even if he were to stay in town, there wasn’t any insurance. Feng Luo would remember this favor deep in his heart.

Feng Luo and the group exited through the main entrance of the Town of Exiles in an AH-40 Energy SUV that Ion Flame had taken out.

In a location near the town entrance, in a position near the window of a luxurious cafe located on the tenth floor of a business building, a middle-aged man held a cup of coffee and turned his gaze downward.

“Tell them to abandon the ambush,” he told the Light Armor Warrior who was an associate of Yellow-tooth standing beside him.

The Light Armor Warrior was confused. “Boss… Can I ask why?”

“Those people. They are elite players of the Veterans Tribe. They’re not weak, and they might not be able to handle them. Moreover, there is no need to offend the Veterans Tribe based on some trivial issues. You have to understand that the things we want to do require secrecy. There’s no need for us to be dragged into the conflict in Silvermoon City right now. This time, the issue will be handled like this—temporarily. He’s a lone player. There’s no need to waste time on him. However, you can pass this information on to Roaring Dragon Ruinous Star. Tell him that Feng Zhi Luoye has become friendly with people from the Veterans Tribe.”

The middle-aged man turned the coffee cup in his hand, and a sharp light flashed in his eye.

“These people, Roaring Dragon Mercenary Group and the Veterans Tribe, are currently fighting for the advantage in Silvermoon City. They are already at a point where they can’t tolerate one another. Anyone associated with the Veterans Tribe will be a target for Roaring Dragon Mercenary Group.”

As he finished speaking, his tone changed.

“Also, the thing yesterday with Yellow-tooth was too great a failure…”

As he heard this, cold sweat suddenly appeared on the forehead of the Light Armor Warrior. His eyes filled with hidden fear.

“Forget it this time,” the middle-aged man said quietly. “Take away one month’s worth of reward money from him. This should also help improve his memory.”

“Yes!”

The Light Armor Warrior felt as though a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders, and he quickly bowed to convey his gratitude.