Chapter Six: The Master of Business

Zhang He didn’t run, not because he was calm, but because he was self-aware—he knew that no matter how he tried, escape was impossible.

He had just witnessed how the Red-Named Player handled matters. With only five points in Agility, Zhang He realized that even if he got a five-minute head start, Red-Name could easily catch up and finish him off without mercy.

As Red-Name approached, Zhang He suddenly said, “You’re accumulating Evil Points.”

His tone was certain. Red-Name paused, his gaze growing cold; he hadn’t expected this novice to see through him so accurately.

In fact, from the moment the two groups began fighting and Shui Yiren was the first to fall, Zhang He had already noticed something. Even if Red-Name and Gou Bu Li joined forces, they might not have been able to defeat the group led by Living Dead.

Since the Living Dead had already made enemies with the Qingcheng Sect, and yet the five of them still managed to reach Qingluan Peak, they must have faced repeated ambushes by Qingcheng disciples along the way. If they survived unscathed, it meant they were no ordinary players.

The Living Dead group’s “skills” lay in their unity and cooperation. However, Mutou Xiang’s impulsiveness had shattered their advantage. It was clear that Red-Name and Gou Bu Li had prepared their tactics in advance.

In just a few minutes and with a handful of moves, they’d knocked out three or four opponents—there was plenty of skill involved, though unfortunately, Living Dead himself never realized it. An outsider like Zhang He, however, could analyze it all with clarity.

When Liangyigan was killed, Red-Name knew the Living Dead was no match for him. He deliberately diverted Gou Bu Li’s attention and then took the opportunity to kill him with a sneak attack, clearing the way to deal with Living Dead without any further concerns.

Other than for the purpose of cultivating “Evil Points,” Zhang He couldn’t think of any other motive for Red-Name’s actions.

Zhang He spoke: “I’m worth far more than two taels of silver.”

Not only did this statement surprise Living Dead’s group, but even Red-Name halted in his tracks, genuinely intrigued. “Oh?”

Zhang He continued, “You’re out of healing items.”

He wasn’t just guessing. In fights, anyone who’s taken significant damage will immediately use a healing item. It’s not just habit, but game sense. If you think you’re invincible and just wait for your health to regenerate, you’re a fool—because if an expert with concealed weapons should appear and attack, you’ll be left with nothing but regret.

Given Red-Name’s style, he would never overlook such basic, essential experience.

Yet after taking a heavy hit from Living Dead, Red-Name hadn’t used any healing, a detail that didn’t escape Zhang He’s sharp eyes.

Red-Name’s expression darkened, his gaze growing icier. “Go on.”

Zhang He tossed him a Garlic Fierce pill. As Red-Name caught it, he received a “trade request” message. Without hesitation, he slapped the pill onto his thigh and his health began to recover rapidly.

Zhang He said coolly, “This one’s free. But the next one won’t be. You can either choose to send me back to town now—I’m only level 12, so dying costs me nothing—or you can trade with me. It’s your choice; weigh the pros and cons.”

Living Dead and Gou Bu Li exchanged incredulous glances. This emotionless, cold-blooded killer had actually been talked down by a level 10 novice, and even seemed to be considering the offer.

They had never seen, nor imagined, anything like this.

Red-Name himself was surprised. This novice’s insight was unnervingly sharp; he’d noticed every detail. Truthfully, Red-Name was short on both money and healing items. He’d long since given up hope of returning to town, and reinforcements with supplies and cash wouldn’t arrive anytime soon. If Gou Bu Li went back and rallied a group of Qingcheng disciples, things could get dangerous for him.

Killing this novice would be unwise—he’d only gain more Evil Points, while the novice would lose nothing.

The game’s AI system had many rules to protect novices: for instance, players below level 20 wouldn't lose levels, gear, or items upon death, and could even move freely while overloaded up to 200% capacity.

After thinking it through, Red-Name asked, “How many more of those pills do you have?”

Zhang He replied cautiously, “How many do you want?”

Red-Name considered it. “Twenty.”

“Seventy copper coins each. Not a single coin less. I won’t sell even if you escort me to town!” Zhang He’s uncompromising tone earned Living Dead’s admiration. Damn, in the village the highest price was forty coins per pill, but out here in the wilderness, he’d nearly doubled it. This kid had the makings of a black marketeer—Living Dead was impressed.

Surprisingly, Red-Name agreed outright. He opened the trade window and put up one tael of silver and four hundred copper coins.

This left Living Dead and his group utterly stunned. Genius—doing business with a murderer!

But they had no idea what Red-Name was thinking. At this point, having someone willing to sell him healing items was already a stroke of luck, and these were quality pills. Prices in the wild were always higher—it was like buying instant noodles in a supermarket for three and a half yuan, but try buying them on a long-distance train from Shenyang to Kunming; you’d be lucky just to get a bottle of water for three yuan.

After placing the pills in the trade window, Zhang He said, “I have a bit over 150 more left. If you want them, I have a condition.”

This was a complete lie, but a convincing one. A level 12 novice could barely manage to carry that many pills; Red-Name would know if the number was exaggerated. If Zhang He had claimed to have three or five hundred, Red-Name would have instantly spotted the lie.

But in truth, Zhang He didn’t have nearly 150—he only had sixty left. If he handed them all over, he’d be killed to silence him. It was simple: once you lose your value, you’re disposed of—whether in “Dynasty” or in real life, that’s how things often go.

Red-Name asked coldly, “What condition?”

Zhang He replied, “You have to take me with you for a while.”

Without another word, Red-Name sent him a party invitation. Zhang He looked: Red-Name’s name was “Sword Unspoken”—a name as pretentious as could be. Still, the man had the skills to back it up; the party info displayed as follows:

Sword Unspoken, second rebirth, level 46.

No wonder Living Dead’s group had been wiped out so quickly. They were all first-rebirth, around level twenty, trying to take on someone who was second rebirth, level forty-six. It was like Iraqi guerrillas with a few old rifles going up against an American Hornet fighter jet—pure suicide.

As Sword Unspoken led Zhang He out of the woods, Living Dead’s group was left utterly speechless. Times had changed so fast—even in games, not everything had to be settled with violence. Bluffing had become a powerful tool.

Following Sword Unspoken toward Pig King Stream deep in the forest, Zhang He felt a distinct sense of joy. Ordinary wild boars were no threat—when one charged, Sword Unspoken would simply repel it with a single Red Aura Palm. Even if they came in groups, he could instantly stab twice, taking only a little damage but easily dispatching them all.

Deeper in the secret woods, the ground was littered with boar corpses. Zhang He’s experience points soared; in just an hour, he rocketed up to level 18 and 21%. But for Sword Unspoken, an hour of slaughtering low-level monsters was enough—he grew impatient and asked, “Any bosses nearby?”

Zhang He had been waiting for this. “Yes!” he replied without hesitation.

Sword Unspoken was a man of action. “Lead the way!”

The nearby boss was a level 10 Fierce Wild Boar King—the lowest boss in “Dynasty,” an insurmountable obstacle for novices, but for an advanced player like Sword Unspoken, it was child’s play.

However, everyone knew that the first time a boss was killed, its loot was best; the Wild Boar Kings of Qingluan Peak had been farmed countless times, and now dropped almost nothing.

Still, Zhang He was happy to lead the way—he had his own plans brewing.

Bosses in “Dynasty” came in five tiers: Fierce, Brutal, Terrifying, Destructive, and Legendary. Even bosses of the same type differed vastly by tier. A level 10 Fierce Wild Boar King was nothing, but a level 10 Brutal boss would pose a challenge for Sword Unspoken, and a level 10 Terrifying boss wouldn’t be possible to solo.

Only the lowest Fierce tier spawned regularly; the others required special conditions and player ingenuity to summon.

At the end of Pig King Stream, in the heart of the forest, was a patch of bare earth, and ahead, a shadowy cave in the hillside—a terrain that any experienced player would know was a trap.

“Here?” Sword Unspoken asked.

Zhang He didn’t answer, but stood at the forest’s edge, refusing to enter the clearing—making it clear he had no intention of entering the battle zone and attracting aggro.

Seeing his stance, Sword Unspoken didn’t press. He picked up a square stone and tossed it into the cave. Zhang He watched intently as Sword Unspoken baited the monster out.

After six heavy throws, a tearing squeal erupted from the cave, louder than any ordinary wild boar—a shrill sound that made one’s ears ache.

Moments later, a boar the size of an ox appeared at the cave mouth. Unlike the usual black wild boar, this king’s bristly fur was all brown. If not for its massive, barrel-shaped body, one might have mistaken its head for a starving wolf’s.

“This time, if you don’t show off your real skills, that would truly be strange,” Zhang He thought to himself.

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