Chapter 163 - 124: Crude Words, Sound Logic

After finishing, he began to ponder the information about these items and the text he had seen earlier.

’...So the Island Vengeful Soul was killed by these Ghosts?’

’Did this severed index finger bring me here to get revenge for it?’

Li Miao was quick on the uptake. Combining the text he’d seen with the item information, he soon deduced the uncomplicated truth.

But why was the Island Vengeful Soul brutally killed by this group?

Could it be because of that Advisory Note?

Thinking of this, Li Miao took out the pieces of the Advisory Note again, fit them together, and read through it carefully. As expected, he found something new.

’..."Symbolizing that the divergence has reached an extreme"... Could this be referring to the conflict between the Vengeful Soul and these Ghosts?’

Li Miao was puzzled.

He still had too little information. The only thing he could infer for now was that there must have been a major conflict between the Vengeful Soul and the Ghosts.

After putting away the Advisory Note, Li Miao searched the shallows again. However, aside from some tattered clothes and miscellaneous items on the beached ship, he found nothing of use.

The other parts of the shallows were completely shrouded by the Dark Boundary.

So, after recovering some of his Physical Strength, Li Miao set out once more, continuing along the channel...

...

After another long and lonely voyage.

Having killed a large number of attacking monsters, Li Miao finally saw land ahead, and his view opened up.

As expected, it was a peninsula.

To the far left was the rolling sea, and to the right was the coast of an island, stretching off to an unknown destination.

Directly ahead of Li Miao was a simple dock. He could faintly make out some seaside houses built from a mixture of earth, stone, and thatch.

But none of this was what caught his eye.

In his line of sight, he discovered that the entire peninsula seemed to be emanating a strange and cold aura, one that was clearly visible.

Though he had his doubts, Li Miao could only file this oddity away for now and quickly head toward the coastal dock.

Before long, he landed successfully. Following the Spirit Candle’s guidance, he reached the shore and lit the Milestone Spirit Candle.

After touching the fire next to the Milestone Spirit Candle, Li Miao immediately logged off and notified the other players in the group chat about his NPC encounter.

Storyteller: "...The Island Vengeful Soul was probably done in by that group of Ghosts on the ship."

I do Bull’s Push-ups: "A Molten Slag Tier monster... seems like a great way to cheese the game."

I do Bull’s Push-ups: "If you can get a Molten Slag Level monster like that in the early game, wouldn’t leveling be twice as easy? The monsters in the first half of the peninsula map aren’t even that strong. You could just play it safe and coast through!"

I do Bull’s Push-ups: "I’m gonna have to try that later."

Hearing Niuniu say this, Li Miao paused, then scratched his head. He realized it was true.

A brand-new player just had to get their hands on that finger. With a free workhorse to help them, wouldn’t they just skyrocket?

My hamster’s name is Guagua: "Damn, that’s awesome. I’m heading out now, gonna get that workhorse for myself."

Storyteller: "...Brother Niu, you’re one of a kind."

Pai Daxun: "The newbies are so lucky! Now I finally get why my mom always says, ’We never had it this good back in my day...’"

They could already picture hordes of newbies saving up for a boat right at the start, heading straight for the peninsula instance, and then taking off...

Storyteller: "This guy, Le Ti, probably isn’t a Firewood Gatherer. He might be an imposter."

My hamster’s name is Guagua: "He actually made you go in front. Just from that, you can tell this NPC is bad news."

Li Miao strongly agreed. "That guy is definitely full of bad intentions. Everything he said was a test. But he knew about the Fire Element Divine Hall. As for whether he’s a Firewood Gatherer... I can’t tell. The stuff he dropped after killing monsters looked a lot like what happened with Klemo on the forums."

I do Bull’s Push-ups: "Tsk. Come on, if you’d just stabbed him with your lance, he would’ve behaved, right? What’s that Frost Riding Spear in your hands for, just for show?"

Niuniu seemed to be at work today, so he could only chat in the group. After seeing Li Miao’s message, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated with him.

This was the second time that kid Li Miao had run into an NPC, while he hadn’t even seen one.

Why couldn’t the game throw him a bone just once?

"..." Li Miao was also a bit regretful. "I actually had that thought, but the guy was rowing like crazy on the water. I couldn’t keep up, so he got away."

I do Bull’s Push-ups: "Get back online, quick! Don’t let that NPC steal all the good stuff in your instance. You can’t get the rewards when an NPC kills a monster, so steal his kills whenever you get the chance!"

I do Bull’s Push-ups: "Listen to me. Next time you see him, if there’s no kill to steal, just stab him and beat him up a bit. See if that doesn’t make him behave. Just an NPC, who does he think he is? Acting all high and mighty."

Storyteller: "...Crude, but not wrong."

My hamster’s name is Guagua: "The reasoning is crude too."

My Son Failed, But I’m On Shore: "If the reasoning isn’t crude, I am."

Storyteller: "?"

My hamster’s name is Guagua: "..."

Storyteller: "Something’s off about you."

The others’ comments started to derail the conversation.

Meanwhile, Niuniu was giving Li Miao a plan: "Listen to me, first you do this..."

A while later, Li Miao left the chat and returned to the Spirit Candle’s login screen.

After a short wait, he reappeared next to the Milestone Spirit Candle.

’The Advisory Note mentioned something about a well, didn’t it? Maybe I should go look for it?’

Li Miao recalled the well mentioned in the Advisory Note, pondering.

Then, he carefully observed his surroundings and found that the peninsula was indeed exceptionally large, much bigger than Seaside Town.

But in terms of both construction quality and aesthetics, it was a far cry from Seaside Town.

After recovering his Physical Strength, Li Miao was about to follow the road from the dock into the peninsula’s interior.

But he stopped in his tracks.

His gaze fell upon the boats at the dock and the nearby houses.

’Should I search them before I go?’

Li Miao hesitated. He was a completionist—the type of gamer who had to clear every side quest, explore every corner, and resolve every question mark.

But... if he wasted time in these houses now, that NPC named Le Ti might beat him to the punch.

After all, the guy seemed quite familiar with the Casa Peninsula.

Having just arrived, Li Miao had to abandon his initial impulse.

’Can’t throw away a watermelon for a sesame seed. The chances of finding anything good in these houses are slim. I’ll just skip them.’

Li Miao continued forward, carrying his Frost Riding Spear.

However, not long after he left, Le Ti, his face half-hidden, slowly emerged from the shadows of an alley. He then walked over to the Milestone Spirit Candle where Li Miao had just been.

He mimicked Li Miao, reaching out and feeling the air, but nothing happened.

He then withdrew his hand, his brow furrowed. His expression was stern and cold, radiating a sense of danger.

Although his face and clothes were the same, the sly, shifty feeling he gave off before was completely gone, as if he had become a different person.

Suddenly, he tilted his head slightly, as if he sensed something. In a flash, he vanished again.

Li Miao returned to the Spirit Candle, cautiously scanning his surroundings. He found nothing.

’...Looks like that guy Niuniu wasn’t entirely right. Who was it that said Le Ti might be watching me from the shadows?’

After grumbling to himself, Li Miao shook his head and left.

A moment later.

"Ahem." Li Miao returned to the spot again. He coughed, then shouted with a hint of embarrassment, "No need to hide! I’ve already found you!"

"..."

The air was filled with silence.

When no one emerged, Li Miao covered his face. ’What a terrible idea...’

Niuniu’s suggestion had sounded reasonable, but it didn’t seem to be working.

Even if Le Ti really was watching from nearby, if he didn’t want to come out, there was no way Li Miao could find him.

So, Li Miao could only sigh and continue along the main road.

After he had gone.

Le Ti’s figure appeared again. He took off his hood, and his demeanor changed once more. He clicked his tongue in wonder, "This kid... he’s not simple. To think he could sense we were nearby..."

He paused, as if listening to someone’s reply, then spoke again.

"What do you mean, he didn’t notice? He’s clearly been suspicious of us the whole time. This kid’s pretty strong. It’ll be too difficult to just bundle him up and sell him to that group."

After another moment, Le Ti shook his head.

"No way. The entry point here is so small, and it cost me a piece of Blood Charcoal just to get in. How can I make my investment back if I don’t get my hands on him and the good stuff in this world?"

After listening for another moment, Le Ti gave a sly laugh.

"Of course I’m not going to fight him head-on. Just you wait. For a guy as clumsy as an anvil, all I need is a little trick, and then..."

"Winner take all!"

Le Ti clenched his fist, a treacherous smile spreading across his face...

...

’Blood Charcoal? Sell?’

’What’s this all about? He doesn’t seem to be part of the Firewood Gatherers or the Firewood Thieves... But it looks like they all covet the Candle Spirit Body?’

’What do they want a Candle Spirit Body for?’

Luo Ge frowned in thought.

The feedback from the Spirit Candle had long since made him aware of Le Ti’s unusual presence.

But he hadn’t made a move. This place was a solo instance with an absurdly strong rejection effect. If he were to act, it would be best to choose the right moment.

Besides, he couldn’t be sure who or what was backing Le Ti, so it was best not to act rashly.

Fortunately, Li Miao was a hardened player this time, with some experience in handling these matters, so he didn’t need to worry too much.

So, for now, the main plan was to observe. Everything else could be dealt with later.

Naturally, Luo Ge had also asked Noxia about this matter.

But Noxia clearly didn’t know either.

And, compared to her other "forgotten" memories, the ones related to these matters seemed to have been "severed"—they simply didn’t exist.

No matter how hard she tried to recall them, she couldn’t bring them back.

"BLUB... BLUB..."

Xiaoluo lay on her snail shell, watching Luo Ge. She gently swayed the pink fishtail of her lower body, blowing bubbles.