Chapter 46

After meeting with Old Walker, Luo De did not leave the Mercenary Association right away. After all, the current mercenary group still lacked a main tank and damage dealer. If he could find a shield warrior or a similar defensive class, the upcoming missions would be much easier for Luo De. Unfortunately, he was unable to find the mercenary he desired this time. Mercenaries of this type usually stood on the front lines in battles, facing far more danger and pressure than other mercenaries. Generally, only soldiers chose such professions, but these people were either uninterested in the mercenary lifestyle or had already been recruited by major mercenary groups, making it difficult to encounter them. Luo De and Lijie toured the hall, meeting several swordsmen, but none of them met Luo De's requirements, so they were all eliminated.

In the end, Luo De had no choice but to abandon his original idea and focus on improving the strength of the two of them. At this time, Deepstone City did not have much potential to tap into. Although a few mercenary squads were quite capable, Luo De could not afford to hire them, and he also worried that they might take advantage of their numbers and have ulterior motives. So, he decided to put this matter aside for now, as there were more pressing issues to address.

That was the mercenary group's points.

Lijie was right; the most urgent need was to increase the points to avoid being forcibly disbanded during the winter recess. This was the top priority and the most pressing concern for Luo De. At the very least, they could not remain at zero points.

The mercenary group's points came from missions, which were divided into two types. One type was when the client posted the mission to the Mercenary Association, and the mercenary group took it on themselves. After completing the mission, they received the reward the client had deposited with the association. The other type was when the client directly commissioned the mercenary group, and both parties signed a commission agreement at the association before executing the mission.

The points were determined by the mission's level. In the Mercenary Association, missions were divided into six levels: ordinary missions, and then one to five-star missions. The points for these missions varied and had strict limits.

Mercenary squads were only allowed to take ordinary, one-star, and two-star missions. Completing an ordinary mission earned one point, a one-star mission earned two points, and a two-star mission earned three points. Mercenary groups could only earn points from two-star, three-star, and four-star missions. Although they could also take ordinary and one-star missions, the association would not award them points for these missions. The top-tier mercenary guilds could only earn points from three-star, four-star, and five-star missions; anything below these levels would not earn points.

These rules were set by the Mercenary Association and strictly enforced. Even if a mercenary squad or group completed a five-star mission, the association would not award them any points. However, the possibility of this happening was extremely low, as five-star missions were extremely dangerous, often resulting in near-certain death for even large mercenary guilds. For smaller groups, it was almost a death sentence.

Under these constraints, each mercenary group had its own methods. Some groups, like blue-collar workers, diligently took on the lowest and safest missions, accumulating points one by one to ensure their survival. Others followed the principle of "if you don't do it, you won't be famous; if you do it, you'll make a big splash," either not doing anything or taking on a major mission for a big reward.

Luo De chose the latter approach. With the current small number of members, diligently taking on the lowest-level missions, though safe, would not increase points quickly. As the saying goes, "two fists can't match four hands." The disadvantage in numbers could not be eliminated. Since there was no way to proceed steadily, the only option was to complete high-level missions to earn a large number of points.

However, when Luo De placed the mission called "Pavel's Cemetery" in front of Uncle Hank, the old man stared at the young man as if he had seen a ghost, as if he had seen a walking dinosaur fossil.

"Are you really sure you want to take this mission, young man?"

Old Hank wiped his glasses and then looked at Luo De with a serious expression.

"This is a four-star mission. Even a fully staffed mercenary group would find it difficult to succeed."

As he spoke, the old man frowned and tapped the table.

"I'm not trying to scare you, but the Blue Valley Mercenary Group and the Black Lion Mercenary Group have both taken this mission. They had some capable members, but the results were disastrous. Many of them were severely injured, and even the leaders almost lost their lives. They sent over a dozen people and still couldn't complete it. You... a few people... want to handle it? Young people having enthusiasm is good, but..."

"I don't think there's anything to hesitate about."

Luo De paid no attention to Old Hank's words. The standards for "capable members" in this world were vastly different from those of players, making such comparisons meaningless. Luo De chose this mission not only for its high points but also for its content and rewards.

Pavel's Cemetery was located in the mountains north of Deepstone City. It was an abandoned cemetery where a necromancer named Pavel resided. The mission's objective was to eliminate the necromancer and his minions. Bringing back Pavel's head would complete the mission.

Luo De had his reasons for choosing this mission. Besides the high points, he had a card to play. Frankly, with the current combat capabilities of his group, they were particularly effective against undead creatures. Sending them to fight bandits would be more troublesome. Another target was the skill book held by the necromancer Pavel.

Rumor had it that Pavel was once a respected bishop who fell into darkness due to some popular events and became a necromancer. He possessed a holy book called "The Book of Holiness," which was Luo De's target. The book contained the skills of a spirit master.

Here, it's important to explain the differences in leveling up between players and NPCs in the Dragon Soul Continent.

Players had a clear advantage in various aspects. With skill points, they could freely enhance their skill levels, like Luo De, who could have the skill level of a level 30-40 NPC at level 10. However, most NPCs, except for a few geniuses and kings, had skill levels that matched their character levels. Comparing the two, it was clear who was stronger.

On the other hand, NPCs had an advantage in their talents, which were not as categorized as those of players. Many NPC professions had combined talents, and they could choose freely, which many players envied. Players' talents were separated, and due to skill point limitations, they could not freely enhance their skills like NPCs. Additionally, many talents were exclusive to NPCs, making players envious.

In terms of leveling up, there was also a significant difference. Players gained levels by consuming experience. However, NPCs' leveling was more like a sudden burst of energy. They did not consume experience or level up regularly. To level up an NPC, there were two ways: one was to increase the player's favor with the NPC, who would then propose a mission. Completing the mission would instantly level up the NPC. The other was to use a skill book, which allowed NPCs to learn skills without level or special restrictions. For example, a level 5 NPC could instantly level up to level 10 by learning a level 10 skill.

Of course, this required time.

If Luo De could obtain this book, Lijie would not need to worry about anything until she reached level 40. "The Book of Holiness" contained many genuine holy spells, which would enhance her currently mediocre offensive capabilities, making her a truly qualified and capable holy profession member who could fight on the front lines. Considering the inevitable battle with the Night Kingdom, it was also important for his companions to familiarize themselves with fighting undead creatures.

If not for these reasons, Luo De would not be willing to spend his days in graveyards. After all, he was still a living person and had little interest in the undead... In fact, if possible, he would prefer to hire a mage, even a mage apprentice... Unfortunately, mages were rarer than spirit masters, mostly staying indoors and rarely visiting the Mercenary Association...

"I've made my decision, Uncle Hank. Please rest assured, we will complete the mission."

"I hope so."

Seeing that his words had no effect, Uncle Hank sighed and shook his head. He then bent down, wrote something on a piece of paper, and nodded at Luo De.

"Alright, Mr. Luo De, the registration is complete. When you complete the mission, just bring back the token as required. Once it is verified, we will issue the reward."

"I understand."

Luo De nodded, said nothing more, and quickly left. Uncle Hank watched the slightly thin figure disappear into the crowd and then shook his head helplessly.

"Young people are rash, daring to take on such a dangerous mission... I don't know what to say... How pitiful, he looks so young... yet..."

Muttering to himself, Uncle Hank picked up the wine bottle beside him, not noticing the figure that had appeared behind him.

A clear, bright voice then sounded.

"What is so foolish, Mr. Hank?"

"Ah, Miss!"

Hearing the voice, Uncle Hank jumped up in fright. He awkwardly put down the wine bottle, turned around, and looked at the figure behind him with a bitter smile.

"Miss, what brings you here... I thought..."

"I'm here to ask about the commission I gave you. How is it going?"

"This..."

Hearing the question, Old Hank's forehead broke out in a fine sweat. He took out a handkerchief, wiped his face, and then continued with a stiff smile.

"I'm doing my best, Miss. As you can see, these recent candidates are not very good. I haven't found a suitable one yet, so..."

"I see."

The beautiful voice, like the chirping of a bird at dawn, paused.

"Then, what was the matter with the young man who just came to see you?"

"Oh, that kid."

Hearing this, Old Hank's face immediately changed, and he began to sigh.

"Ah, that guy is really overconfident, Miss. Let me tell you..."

Perhaps finding someone to vent to, Old Hank quickly recounted how Luo De had taken on the four-star mission, along with complaints about the young man's arrogance and lack of practicality. However, as a member of the Mercenary Association, he would not curse Luo De to die, as mercenaries were very sensitive about such things. It would be too heartless to curse someone to death when they were already living a dangerous life.

"I see."

After listening to Old Hank's complaints, the figure smiled lightly.

"How interesting, a mercenary group with only two people daring to take on a four-star mission. That's quite a rarity, isn't it?"

"Yes, and I heard that the young man is highly regarded by Serrek. I wonder what Serrek sees in this arrogant little guy..."

"Uncle Hank."

Before Old Hank could finish, the figure interrupted him.

"I have a favor to ask. Are you willing to help?"

"Willing, as long as I can do it, there's no problem."

"Very well, then..."

The hall became noisier, and after hearing the figure's request, Old Hank's face turned ashen.

PS: This chapter finally introduces the basic framework of the game system. Although some might find it a bit verbose... I won't go into this in the future.

c

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