11. The Brewing Conflict
“Ling Feng? What happened?”
Emperor Blood Skybreaker waved his hand, and his subordinates immediately quieted down.
One of the gang members was still under attack by goblins but stopped all movements, allowing the goblins to strike him down without making a single sound.
The young man called “Ling Feng” glanced around expressionlessly before replying,
“Emperor Blood, our people found a level 4 green-quality one-handed sword in the warehouse.”
“Level 4? Green?! Are you sure?” Emperor Blood Skybreaker’s pupils contracted sharply.
“Absolutely sure!” Ling Feng nodded, his face as calm as a still pond.
“Alongside the level 4 one-handed sword, there was also a level 4 boss material—the Horn of the Hill Ram Leader. Someone must have taken down the level 4 boss and put these items up for auction.”
“Took down a level 4 boss... Could it be the Slash Heaven group?” Emperor Blood Skybreaker frowned. “But that doesn’t make sense! Why would they auction off such good equipment instead of using it themselves? Slash Heaven’s swordsman is a warrior!”
“No, no, it wasn’t the Slash Heaven guild that defeated the boss,” Ling Feng explained with a serious expression.
“I suspect it was a solo player who challenged and killed the level 4 boss, acquiring these items and materials. Since they couldn’t use them, they put them up for auction.”
“A solo player?!”
Emperor Blood Skybreaker found it hard to believe.
He himself wore half-body level 3 gear and wielded a level 3 one-handed sword, and even then, he couldn’t solo a level 2 boss—the Goblin Chief.
Soloing a level 4 boss?
How was that possible?
Ling Feng said earnestly, “My deduction shouldn’t be wrong, because this solo player also listed a green-quality excellent skill scroll—‘Deadly Strike’...”
Ling Feng detailed the attributes of the Deadly Strike scroll and added,
“This skill is the ultimate skill for warriors breaking new ground. No guild would release such a high-tier skill scroll to the public.”
“So, the only one who could have killed the level 4 boss is a solo player, and that player is not even a warrior.”
After hearing Ling Feng’s description of Deadly Strike, Emperor Blood Skybreaker glanced at his own skill bar.
His sole offensive skill, Heavy Blow, only dealt 120% physical damage, whereas Deadly Strike ranged from 170% to 340%!
With the same 3-second cooldown, his skill was practically garbage.
“What’s the name of the player who listed these items?” Emperor Blood Skybreaker’s expression grew grim.
“He goes by Nemesis,” Ling Feng answered seriously.
...
Five minutes later, at the warehouse in Novice Village 002.
Emperor Blood Skybreaker and his men rushed there in a flurry.
The square outside the warehouse was already crowded with players.
“Oh my god! There really are level 4 boss materials in the warehouse!”
“I haven’t even reached level 2, and others are already taking down level 4 bosses!”
“Which major guild has the guts to take on a level 4 boss?”
“The seller’s name is ‘Nemesis’? Which guild is he from?”
“Usually, such excellent equipment and skills are consumed within the major guilds. Why are they up for sale?”
Players gathered in the warehouse square, buzzing with speculation.
...
But right at the warehouse entrance, Emperor Blood Skybreaker encountered an uninvited guest blocking the door.
This guest had a group of people with him and was smiling as he looked at Emperor Blood Skybreaker.
Emperor Blood Skybreaker waved his hand, signaling his men to stop.
Then he coldly stared at the visitor:
“Slash Heaven Swordsman? It’s you! Why aren’t you staying put in Novice Village 001 and instead come here to Novice Village 002 to stir trouble?”
The man facing him was a middle-aged man with a square face, weathered by life.
Leaning on his sword, he looked at Emperor Blood Skybreaker with amusement and said,
“The game has only been online for a few hours, and I’ve already heard about someone monopolizing leveling spots, disrupting the game’s ecosystem. As the biggest guild in the game, we naturally have to intervene!”
“You’re really overstepping!” Emperor Blood Skybreaker retorted with displeasure.
But he knew well that with the current number of people in the game, they were no match for the Slash Heaven guild.
So he changed the subject:
“I came here to check out that green-quality skill scroll. Guild leader Slash Heaven Swordsman, are you blocking the door because you don’t want us to enter?”
“Of course not,” Slash Heaven Swordsman smiled.
“The warehouse is a public place. I would never infringe on your right to use it.”
“However, we won’t tolerate anyone disturbing others’ use of public spaces, like the leveling monster zones. Please, go ahead.”
With a polite gesture, Slash Heaven Swordsman stepped inside the warehouse first.
Emperor Blood Skybreaker glared fiercely at him, waved his hand, and led his men inside as well.
...
The warehouse, like the Mage’s Hut, exists in an independent dimension. Once inside, Emperor Blood Skybreaker could no longer see Slash Heaven Swordsman—only the NPCs and his own teammates.
His men didn’t spot any Slash Heaven guild members inside and immediately relaxed, then started cursing:
“What’s with that arrogant Slash Heaven Swordsman just now? Who does he think he is?”
“Once our people are fully in the game, he’ll be in for a rude awakening...”
“Shut up!” Emperor Blood Skybreaker snapped coldly.
His men quickly fell silent, holding their breath and not daring to make a sound.
Emperor Blood Skybreaker shot them a cold glance and began checking the details of the skill scroll in the warehouse’s auction interface.
Seeing that the Deadly Strike skill scroll’s attributes matched Ling Feng’s description exactly and that it had already soared to a high price of 500 Spirit Coins, Emperor Blood Skybreaker sighed in relief.
“Ling Feng, we must get this skill scroll!”
“But Emperor Blood, we don’t have enough money,” Ling Feng said reluctantly. “It’s not just Slash Heaven Swordsman bidding against us; there’s also someone called Snow Leopard from Novice Village 001 competing for this scroll.”
“Snow Leopard?” Emperor Blood Skybreaker frowned. He hadn’t heard of this person.
Ling Feng explained, “Snow Leopard is the leader of a recently emerged guild in Novice Village 001, called ‘Relevant Department.’”
“‘Relevant Department’? Strange name,” Emperor Blood Skybreaker mused, stroking his chin. “But we must get this skill scroll at all costs!”
“But...”
“I know we don’t have enough money yet, but I have a plan. You’ll lead some men to Novice Villages 3 through 7 and charge every player entering those villages an ‘entry fee’ of at least 1 Spirit Coin each time!”
“One Spirit Coin per player, and each village has tens of thousands of players. We’ll earn tens of thousands of Spirit Coins! That way, we’ll have the money.”
Emperor Blood Skybreaker was brimming with confidence.
Ling Feng was stunned by the plan. “Emperor Blood! Although our guild follows a chaotic and evil path, this will provoke the wrath of all players! We might be driven out of the game by a player alliance soon!”
“How can you be so simple-minded!”
Emperor Blood Skybreaker couldn’t help but tap Ling Feng lightly with the hilt of his sword.
“When we carry out this operation, you all have to pretend to be members of Slash Heaven.”
“The ‘Slash Heaven Guild’ is the one forcibly collecting entry fees from all players. It has nothing to do with Emperor Blood Skybreaker! Understood?”