Chapter 16

Fang Yi sat at a table by the window in the Green Vine Inn. The drizzling rain outside draped a thin veil over Yuanwang Town, adding a hazy beauty to the quiet town. Listening to the noisy chatter of the players in the hall, Fang Yi smiled with satisfaction.

When everyone came out of the dungeon, they found it had started raining at some point. However, this did not dampen their fiery enthusiasm. After meeting up with Brick in Yuanwang Town, Immortal Foot treated everyone to a hearty drink at the inn. Even Fang Yi, who usually abstained from alcohol, was infected by the mood and had a few more drinks.

Shaking his still slightly dizzy head, Fang Yi couldn't help but laugh. It had been a long time since he felt this way. Meeting such interesting people in the newbie village was truly worth celebrating. However, after the lively celebration, the fatigue of the morning seemed to hit them all at once, and they all went to their rooms to sleep.

The dungeon run was a complete success. The six of them almost gained another level from the quest (the first run of the dungeon provided an additional 35% experience bonus). Moreover, the loot was plentiful, and Fang Yi patted the curved dagger at his waist, thinking to himself.

*Gift of the Dark Night (Fine Curved Dagger)*

*One-handed*

*Equipment Requirement: Dexterity 18*

*Durability: 31*

*Weight: 12*

*Damage: 18-26 + 2 Shadow Damage*

*+1 Hide (becomes ineffective when actual Hide level is above 4)*

*Gloom Vine: On hit, may poison the target, causing 1 point of Gloom Vine toxin damage every 3 seconds for 15 seconds. If the poison takes effect when you hit a critical point, there is a 10% chance of deep infection, causing 16 points of toxin damage.*

*"It's clear that this dagger is often coated with potent poison."*

The curve of the Gift of the Dark Night was slightly larger than that of a regular curved dagger. The dark red blade was clearly specially treated, with a faint red glow. At the end, two lifelike spiders were carved, one in front of the other. The spider silk spewed from their mouths formed the handle of the dagger, providing an exceptionally stable grip. The entire weapon was a masterpiece, exuding a sharp and fierce aura at first glance.

Looking at the curved dagger in his hand, Fang Yi once again marveled at the skill of the elf ranger Dove Hand, who had effortlessly taken the weapon from the opponent.

The special effects of the curved dagger were excellent. Due to its lower item level, the poison damage was somewhat lacking, but Fang Yi knew that the "Fine" quality of the weapon wasn't just about the special effects. The +2 Shadow Damage was the most practical attribute.

Currently, both players and monsters were mostly in the "resistance-free" era. The Gift of the Dark Night would significantly boost his damage output, and now a single hit from this dagger would truly hurt.

Fang Yi originally wanted to sign a "Gold Agreement" with Immortal Foot (the game provided detailed contracts for players to use), but the others firmly refused, saying that Fang Yi's contribution was the greatest, and there was no need to argue over who gained or lost. Fang Yi just patted his head and laughed off his rigid thoughts.

With the curved dagger equipped, Fang Yi's attributes were now:

*Name: Fang Yi*

*Race: Human*

*Class: Rogue*

*Level: 8*

*Strength: 13*

*Constitution: 15*

*Dexterity: 21*

*Intelligence: 14*

*Perception: 16*

*Charisma: 8*

*Health: 111 Mana: 62*

*Damage: Right hand - Gift of the Dark Night (20-26 + 2 Shadow Damage)*

*Left hand - Sharp Dagger (2-3, Unfamiliar left hand, -70% damage)*

*Armor: 3 (Coarse Cloth Shirt +1, Coarse Cloth Shorts +1, Cloth Shoes +1)*

*Defense: 0 Resistance: 0*

*Movement Speed: 42.5*

*Skill Levels:*

*Stealth: Level 1 31% Dual Weapon Defense: Level 1 14%*

*Perception: Level 1 7%*

*Silent Movement: Level 1 12%*

*Hide: Level 2 22%*

*Trap Setting: Level 1 1%*

*Lockpicking: Level 1 1%*

*Listening: Level 1 32%*

*Investigation: Level 1 27%*

*Trap Detection: Level 1 2%*

*Identification: Level 1 0%*

*Gathering: Level 1 0%*

*Escape: Level 1 1%*

*Available Skill Points: 47*

The system notification for "New Short Message" kept flashing, and Fang Yi realized he had been careless. After defeating the boss, they were so excited that they forgot the system announcement of the successful dungeon run was broadcast to the entire world. Within ten minutes of finishing the dungeon, a flurry of messages from strangers started pouring in.

Although their ranking was beyond the top thousand, the first kill of the dungeon did significantly demonstrate the team's strength, especially for players like Immortal Foot and Brick, who were popular targets for recruitment by guilds and studios. Unfortunately, the other five were all sleeping, and their information panels were set to auto-hide, so all the messages were directed to Fang Yi, including many offers to buy the team's loot.

The weapon ranking list in the system was automatically updated, regardless of the owner's wishes. The Gift of the Dark Night was currently ranked seventh, with the top spot held by a rare mace requiring level 11, dropped by some unknown player!

Envy aside, Fang Yi thought for a moment. Since he didn't have many acquaintances in the game, he decided to delete all the messages from strangers, turn off the notifications for new messages and friend requests, and hide his profile on the level and equipment quality rankings. Fang Yi put on the raincoat he had just bought and walked out of the inn, heading towards the western edge of Yuanwang Town to the Thieves' Guild of Astorian.

Fang Yi looked at the cute NPC in front of him, who had a few freckles and large eyes, and repeated, "I choose Captain Hope." The other thieves nearby looked at Fang Yi with surprise, thinking he was another overconfident player.

The NPC named Lea confirmed Fang Yi's choice and said with a smile, "Alright, please go to the arena." Fang Yi thanked Lea and turned to walk towards the arena, followed by a group of curious fellow thieves.

This was the Thieves' Guild of Astorian in Yuanwang Town. Fang Yi came here to take on his first class quest. At level 8, players could take on their first class quest and learn their first passive skill, as well as receive their first pin equipment.

A group of player thieves gathered around the arena, watching Fang Yi with amusement.

"Another fool, how many today?" "Not a few, sigh~ If it weren't for the limit on attempts, I'd definitely try the highest difficulty. The forums say a studio's rogue has already completed the challenge, and the rewards must be great!" "These NPCs are too skilled, how do we beat them?"

The slender Hope soon walked into the arena from the hall. Hope was the chief expert of the town's Thieves' Guild, with an ordinary appearance and build. The first time someone saw him, they wouldn't think this laid-back middle-aged man was a skilled assassin.

As the crowd watched, their interest in the spectacle waned a bit, and they began to genuinely hope that the rogue in front of them could provide some guidance and complete the seemingly impossible task.

The system announcement for the start of the battle sounded, and the two figures instantly crossed paths. The crowd heard a "ding" from the metal clash, followed by a continuous series of clear sounds from the center of the arena. Fang Yi, with the curved dagger in his right hand and a sharp dagger in his left, held back no effort in rapidly depleting his stamina, pushing his speed to the limit. Each time they engaged, he closed the distance to almost face-to-face, preventing the two daggers from getting a chance to thrust.

(Note 1: Here, the guild refers to the general term for NPC groups in the game, such as the Harpers or the Zhentarim, which are different from player-established guilds.)

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(Note 1: Here, the guild refers to the general term for NPC groups in the game, such as the Harpers or the Zhentarim, which are different from player-established guilds.)