Chapter 53

Hastily returning to the rented room, Xu Dong couldn't wait to start examining the information that had surfaced in his mind.

Main Quest: The Prosperity of Beijiao Village

Quest Description: Due to its unique geography and production, Beijiao Village was once one of the most prosperous villages under the jurisdiction of Blood Helmet City. Unfortunately, all of this has become a thing of the past. Please restore the prosperity of Beijiao Village.

Quest Hint: Prepare enough money, prepare enough people!

Note: Quest hints are only given for the first three main quests.

Quest Deadline: 30 days

Quest Completion Reward: Unknown

You have completed the main quest. The quest reward will be given after the task evaluation is calculated...

Calculating evaluation, please wait...

During the calculation process, scenes began to flash before Xu Dong's eyes, like a rapid succession of images. He suddenly realized that these were fragments of memories from the time he completed the task!

The constant ambush and killing of the mountain guard dogs in the dark house...

The bloody massacre on the harvest day...

The calm negotiation on the mountain...

The clash with the bayonets...

Finally, the scene before his eyes froze at the moment when the cold dagger, drenched in blood, fell backward. Suddenly, a piece of information appeared.

Calculation complete, task evaluation: A

You have obtained a storage space, with a volume of 4x2x2 cubic meters (the volume formula is evaluation x2x2).

If Xu Dong's task evaluation was D, then the volume of this space would be 1x2x2, and so on.

At the moment of receiving the reward, Xu Dong felt a sudden surge of intense emptiness deep in his mind, as if a black hole had suddenly appeared there, swallowing everything, including his memories. This empty feeling lasted for about three seconds and then quickly disappeared. Only then did Xu Dong finally regain his composure.

Storage space?!

Xu Dong's eyes lit up, and he couldn't resist trying it out. He casually picked up a cup from the table, and with a thought, the cup disappeared. With another thought, the cup reappeared in his hand. "Truly amazing!" Xu Dong marveled to himself.

To ensure the correct use of the storage space, Xu Dong began to try putting different things into it. In the end, he finally figured out the general usage principles.

First, you must have absolute control over the item;

Second, the item cannot have life, or it must be recognized by the system (such as a siphon worm);

Third, the volume cannot exceed the storage space volume.

With the storage space, Xu Dong directly put all the items on him, including the remaining eighty gold coins and the siphon worm, into it. Feeling much lighter, he suddenly remembered the suggestion made by Cheng Jianbang when they parted ways. He slapped his head, "Now that I have a large sum of money, why don't I go and get a set of suitable equipment? Besides, a man is judged by his clothes, and a Buddha by his gold. It will also save me some unnecessary trouble."

He still remembered the nasty attitude of the fat landlady when he rented the room, before she saw the silver coins. If his appearance wasn't so shabby, although he wouldn't be handsome enough to stay for free, at least he wouldn't be treated with cold eyes.

Now, with the completion of the first main quest, Xu Dong felt a great sense of relief, as if the bone spurs in his knees had suddenly disappeared, or the bone stuck in his throat had vanished. The vague, prickling sensation in his heart finally disappeared, making his mood gradually cheerful.

Pushing the door open, he saw a straight and wide cobblestone road. The road was broad enough for ten people to walk side by side. There was no sign of the chaotic street vendors he often saw in his previous life, and everything looked clean and tidy, making his eyes feel comfortable.

Most of the buildings on both sides were two to three-story brick and stone structures, with similar designs that made them look particularly neat and proper. Some of the ground floors were converted into shops, selling vegetables, fruits, or meat. The loud calls of the shopkeepers, the haggling of the customers, and various other sounds mixed together, making the area incredibly lively.

Seeing this, Xu Dong didn't rush to find a place to buy equipment but walked along the road leisurely.

Passing by a fruit vendor, Xu Dong tried some fruits. Passing by a vendor selling cooked food and pastries, he bought some. Along the way, he also practiced his devouring skill. Speaking of which, the prices in Blood Helmet City were really much higher. For example, the yellow millet cakes he was familiar with, if you wanted to buy three, one copper coin would suffice, and if you haggled, you might even get a bit of oil brushed on each one.

However, in Blood Helmet City, one yellow millet cake cost two copper coins, and the cost of brushing oil, adding coriander, and dipping in sauce was extra, making it six to seven times more expensive than in the countryside. But thinking about it, it made sense. After all, Blood Helmet City didn't produce grain, and the grain had to be transported from the countryside, with transportation costs, preservation costs, entry fees, and shelf fees all adding up, making the cost much higher.

As he walked and enjoyed himself, Xu Dong also asked where the most comprehensive and diverse equipment shop in Blood Helmet City was. After getting directions, he turned left and right and arrived at Dong Street. The most prominent storefront on Dong Street was a three-story building with a vast area. A huge sign hung from the top of the third floor, visible from a distance.

The sign read in bold, flowing characters: "The Incomplete Hand." Surrounding the text was a vivid image of a hand missing its thumb, giving the impression that the lack of weapons and armor led to such a tragic outcome.

Xu Dong was almost in awe. A mere sign could so vividly capture the psychology of someone seeking suitable weapons and armor. Such a copywriter, if transported back to the 21st century, would surely be a successful advertiser.

Just as Xu Dong was about to enter "The Incomplete Hand," a small girl suddenly darted past him, almost colliding with his waist if he hadn't moved aside in time. The girl seemed to be in a hurry and quickly ran into "The Incomplete Hand."

Two young men stood at the entrance, one of whom kept glancing at the girl. About half a second later, he smiled and gave a nod to the man in "The Incomplete Hand" employee uniform. Since Xu Dong was nearby, he vaguely heard the man say, "Hey, isn't that the girl from just now? Why don't you go and serve her? Be more alert."

The girl appeared and disappeared in just six or seven seconds, and Xu Dong didn't even get a good look at her face, so he didn't pay much attention.

When Xu Dong entered "The Incomplete Hand," he was like Liu Laolao entering the Grand View Garden, dazzled by the array of equipment. It was clear that this shop was doing brisk business. As soon as he entered, a wave of heat and the cacophony of voices hit him, making him think of the lively bargaining scenes in a market.

There were numerous display counters, each with a salesperson trying to attract customers. Some counters sold light weapons like swords and daggers, while others sold heavy weapons like war hammers and large knives. Seeing such a familiar scene in a different world, Xu Dong felt quite moved.

There were guards at the entrance, all one-star Awakened. It was rumored that "The Incomplete Hand" was backed by the Ma family, a prominent family in Blood Helmet City. This seemed to be true, as using Awakened as guards indicated that the Ma family's strength was on par with the Yang family.

The guards didn't pay much attention to those entering but were very attentive to those leaving. Clearly, one of their roles was to ensure the safety of the shop's assets.

"Sir, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here? What kind of equipment are you looking for? Swords, knives, staffs, armor, or protective gear? As long as you can name it, we at 'The Incomplete Hand' must have it," a salesperson greeted him warmly. His attire was slightly less impressive than those at the counters, but the young man, who looked about fifteen or sixteen, was quite sharp and didn't treat Xu Dong with disdain.

"The Incomplete Hand" had a vast area and multiple counters, so for newcomers who were unfamiliar with the layout, it was like a blind fly bumping around. Therefore, there were employees who acted as guides.

Xu Dong himself had a very suitable triangular bayonet, so he didn't need much in terms of weapons. However, he was quite short on surface protective gear. Without being pretentious, he went straight to the point, "I need to choose a set of practical and... well, relatively low-key protective gear. Do you have any good suggestions?"

The young guide seemed experienced and immediately understood Xu Dong's meaning. However, he still politely bowed and asked, "Sir, what are your strengths? Are you a strength-type or an agility-type?"

Xu Dong pursed his lips and said, "Agility-type."

The young guide bowed again, his manners making Xu Dong feel quite comfortable. He said, "Sir, please follow me. If you are an agility-type warrior, I recommend two sets: the Whirlwind and the Agile."

As he guided Xu Dong forward, he continued to explain, "The main material of the Whirlwind set is the fur of a rare beast called the Red-Eyed Wind Wolf, not ordinary fur, but the fur from its back. This rare beast has fur that is soft yet tough, even a strong military bow cannot penetrate it, allowing you to charge like a whirlwind without any worries."

Xu Dong listened with great interest and couldn't help but ask, "What about the Agile set?"

The young guide became even more enthusiastic, "The main material of the Agile set is the same level as the Red-Eyed Wind Wolf, the Mountain Penelope. This rare beast has a special ability to enhance jumping. Therefore, when you wear the Agile set, your jumping ability will be enhanced."