Chapter 87: Rescuing the girl

Arthur gradually stopped laughing and looked at Jiang Han with a meaningful smile.

He finally understood why Varian had always looked so bitter whenever he recounted this incident. In his previous life, Varian had undoubtedly completed the quest and obtained the Heavenly Mirror of Fate. However, he had probably failed to meet the second condition, missing out on the opportunity to obtain the Jiang Family’s Secret Artifact Refining Method and awaken a second class.

After all, defeating a Level 30 Legendary Boss was an entirely different matter from rescuing a kidnapped NPC’s daughter.

Even a team of powerful players would struggle to accomplish such a task, especially during the early stages of the game.

However, Arthur was different.

He had already established a foundation that surpassed anything ordinary players could imagine. His attributes, abilities, and collection of powerful subordinates gave him an overwhelming advantage over players at the same level.

More importantly, he knew exactly how valuable the rewards were.

The Heavenly Mirror of Fate was already an extraordinary artifact. Its ability to reveal hidden opportunities and uncover rare treasures would be invaluable to his future development.

But the Jiang Family’s Secret Artifact Refining Method was equally important.

In the future, as players explored increasingly dangerous regions and encountered powerful enemies, ordinary equipment would gradually become insufficient. High-grade artifacts would become essential for anyone hoping to stand at the peak of the world.

Unfortunately, artifact refinement was an extremely difficult profession to master. Even talented players who devoted their entire lives to it might never become proficient enough to refine Epic-ranked artifacts.

If Arthur could obtain an ancient refining method from a family that had survived for countless generations, he would possess an advantage that money alone could not easily buy.

And then there was the second class.

Artifact Refiner!

Arthur’s eyes gleamed as he considered the possibilities.

In his previous life, players had been limited to a single class. Although some exceptionally talented individuals had discovered ways to acquire special secondary professions, those professions were fundamentally different from a genuine class awakening.

If this opportunity allowed him to awaken a second class while retaining his Necromancer class, the implications would be enormous.

He could continue developing his shadow army while simultaneously gaining the abilities of an Artifact Refiner.

With his Infinite Multiplication talent, the resources he invested in developing that profession could potentially produce returns that ordinary players would never be able to achieve.

However, Arthur did not immediately accept the quest.

Instead, he looked at Jiang Han and activated his Divine Eyes, hoping to uncover more information about the injured man.

As expected, additional information appeared before him.

[Name: Jiang Han]

[Level: 96]

[Race: Human]

[Class: Epic Artifact Refiner]

[Status: Severely Injured]

[Bloodline: Ancient Jiang Bloodline.]

[Special Information: The Jiang Family once possessed the inheritance of an ancient Artifact Refining God. However, after a devastating conflict, the inheritance was divided into several parts. Jiang Han possesses one of the remaining fragments.]

Arthur’s expression changed slightly.

An Artifact Refining God?

He had initially assumed that the Jiang Family’s Secret Artifact Refining Method was merely an ancient technique capable of producing high-grade equipment. He had never expected it to be connected to a divine inheritance.

If the information was accurate, the method he could obtain might be far more valuable than he had imagined.

Perhaps the opportunity to awaken a second class was only the beginning.

Arthur concealed his excitement and examined Jiang Han again.

"Senior, I am willing to rescue your daughter and bring back the monster’s core. However, I have a question. Why would a Level 96 expert such as yourself entrust such an important task to someone you have never met before?"

Jiang Han’s eyes narrowed.

For a moment, he remained silent, carefully examining the young man before him.

"You possess an unusual aura, young man. Although your level is low, there is something about you that I cannot see through." He coughed weakly before continuing. "Besides, I have no other choice. My enemies are searching for me, and I cannot leave this place in my current condition."

His expression grew sorrowful as he recalled his daughter.

"That monster took her away while I was fighting against my enemies. I managed to escape, but my injuries are too severe for me to pursue it. If I leave this place, I might not even survive the journey."

Jiang Han clenched his fists.

"I don’t care what happens to me anymore. As long as my daughter survives, I am willing to give away everything I possess."

Arthur nodded slowly.

He could understand the man’s desperation, although he had no intention of wasting time discussing the matter further.

"Don’t worry, Senior. I will bring your daughter back safely."

A notification immediately appeared before him.

[Ding! You have accepted the Epic-ranked quest: Rescue Jiang Han’s Daughter.]

[Objective 1: Locate and rescue Jiang Han’s daughter.]

[Objective 2: Kill the monster responsible for her abduction and obtain its core.]

[Quest Failure: Jiang Han’s daughter dies.]

Arthur studied the notification before turning toward the forest.

"Before I leave, I need some information about the monster. Can you tell me where it took your daughter and what abilities it possesses?"

Jiang Han nodded.

"The monster lives inside a cavern several dozen kilometers from here. It is a powerful creature that commands numerous lesser monsters. I managed to injure it during our confrontation, but I couldn’t kill it before my enemies forced me to retreat."

He paused before adding, "Be careful. That creature is much stronger than ordinary monsters of its level. Even if you manage to find its lair, don’t underestimate it. It has basic intelligence and it is a Goblon Overlord."

Arthur smiled faintly.

"Understood."

He had already obtained the information he needed.

After bidding farewell to Jiang Han, Arthur mounted his Shadow Panther and headed toward the deeper regions of the forest.

The Shadow Panther moved like a streak of darkness between the towering trees. Its powerful paws barely made a sound as it traversed the uneven ground, while its dark eyes scanned the surroundings for potential threats.

Arthur continued toward the cavern, his mind already forming a preliminary plan.

Soon, the trees began to thin, revealing a rocky landscape covered in dark vegetation. The air grew colder as he approached a towering mountain whose surface was riddled with cracks and enormous openings.

At the foot of the mountain stood a cavern entrance nearly twenty meters tall.

Arthur dismounted and studied the entrance.

Arthur slowly approached the Goblin Overlord’s lair, carefully observing his surroundings. Several goblin guards stood at the entrance, carrying crude weapons while keeping watch over the passage.

Arthur raised his hand, gathering mana at his fingertip.

Compact Mana Shot!

A tiny projectile shot through the air, striking the nearest goblin’s forehead. Before the others could react, Arthur fired several more shots, killing every guard without making much noise.

He cautiously entered the cave, determined not to alert the goblins. If they realized someone had invaded their territory, they might kill their captive out of desperation.

Moving deeper into the cavern, Arthur encountered numerous common goblins and several stronger monsters. He eliminated them with precise mana shots, patiently waiting for opportunities to attack isolated enemies.

Whenever he encountered an elite goblin, he used additional shots to finish it off before it could raise an alarm.

After silently eliminating dozens of monsters, Arthur finally reached the central chamber.

What he witnessed immediately darkened his expression.

A young woman was tied to a wooden pole while numerous goblins danced around her. Her clothes had been badly torn, leaving her frightened and barely covered. She desperately struggled against her restraints, pleading for someone to save her.

Nearby, the enormous Goblin Overlord approached her, apparently intending to tear away what remained of her clothing.

"Please! Somebody, help me!"

Hearing her desperate cries, Arthur’s eyes turned cold.

He knew how cruel goblins could be. During his previous life, he had heard numerous accounts of players being captured and humiliated by these monsters. Some had escaped by logging out and requesting assistance, while others had suffered traumatic experiences.

Arthur had no intention of allowing that to happen here.

Two daggers appeared in his hands.

Atomic Body Control!

His body suddenly surged with concentrated power, and his figure disappeared from the entrance.

The Goblin Overlord immediately sensed danger. A chilling sensation crawled up its spine as it began turning toward the approaching threat.

However, it was already too late.

Arthur crossed the distance in an instant, his daggers flashing through the air.

Before the Goblin Overlord could even understand what had happened, its head separated from its body and rolled across the stone floor.

Its enormous body collapsed with a heavy thud.

For a brief moment, the entire chamber fell silent.

Then the goblins finally realized their leader had been killed.

Before they could react, Arthur moved again.

His figure blurred through the crowd, and his daggers flashed repeatedly. Goblins fell one after another, unable to follow his movements or organize a proper defense.

Some desperately attempted to flee, while others raised their weapons to fight back.

Their efforts were completely futile.

Arthur swiftly intercepted the fleeing goblins and eliminated those attempting to attack him. Within moments, the entire chamber was silent once more.

He sheathed his daggers and immediately approached the captive.

"You’re safe now."