Chapter Four: Dialogue
The two exchanged a few glances before Chen Qi broke the silence first.
“I should thank you for the healing salve you gave me. I feel almost fully recovered now.”
He added, “And if you feel uneasy about your grandfather’s knife, I can return it to you.”
Having completed his side quest and upgraded his basic swordsmanship, Chen Qi didn’t want his newfound friend to feel any discomfort.
Sun Ruohai’s hearty laughter echoed through the air, so loud and unrestrained that he couldn’t stop for a while. After laughing, Sun Ruohai said, “Whatever Sun Ruohai gives, he never takes back. The old man isn’t going to smack me for it, anyway.”
He then produced a small jar of wine, grinning mischievously, “I snuck another jar of my grandfather’s prized brew. Since we’ve made a new friend, let’s drink to it!”
Chen Qi took the cup and poured a small drink for them both.
They raised their cups and drank in one go.
Unlike the liquor back on Earth, this wine had a peculiar fragrance as it went down, and the lingering warmth surged through him, making for a satisfying experience. With his constitution score of 15, he could feel the strength of the brew—it was no ordinary drink.
“Heh heh,” Sun Ruohai continued, “My grandfather always roams the mountains, partly to find ingredients for brewing. Since it’s already stolen, we might as well finish it off.”
Chen Qi felt the heat of the wine didn’t fade after swallowing, but instead flowed in tendrils through his meridians and bones, as if he’d just undergone a session of acupuncture.
Hearing this, he naturally didn’t refuse, and the two drank heartily once more.
With a flush of alcohol, Sun Ruohai said, “We have good wine, but no good meat. I hear the striped wild boars on Crimson Rock Mountain have the finest meat. One day, I’ll take you up there for a meal.”
Chen Qi sipped his wine and replied, “No need for you to bother, brother Sun. I go to that mountain often enough. Next time, I’ll hunt a striped wild boar for you.”
Sun Ruohai burst into laughter again, calling out, “Come on, drink, drink!”
Chen Qi suddenly regretted not buying some cigarettes in the ‘Sprout Space’. At that moment, he had nothing impressive to offer.
Fortunately, Sun Ruohai didn’t mind. He said, “I can see your fighting ability is already at the level of an outer sect disciple. Are you waiting for the laborer’s disciple tournament?”
Seeing the topic return to his main objective, Chen Qi gathered himself and responded, “Is it possible to become an outer sect disciple without participating in the laborer’s disciple tournament?”
Sun Ruohai’s face was flushed from the drink, and he slurred, “I seem to recall you can use 100 contribution points to apply for a special assessment or something. If you pass, you become an outer sect disciple directly, with some kind of reward too.”
Chen Qi watched Sun Ruohai raise his brow and drink, struggling for a long while before continuing, “But getting those 100 contribution points isn’t easy. You could hunt some fierce beasts and trade their materials for contribution points.”
With his rosy face and arched brows, if Sun Ruohai were a woman, Chen Qi would’ve said he was smitten.
Noticing Chen Qi staring at his brows, Sun Ruohai scolded, “Stop staring, stop staring!”
“Special assessment, 100 contribution points, hunting fierce beasts.” Chen Qi noted these three keywords and continued to drink.
Moonlight shone on their faces, coloring their cheeks with the glow of wine. Their thin garments soaked with drink, the two youths secretly imbibed, free from worry.
As the saying goes: “Standing tall like orchid and jade trees, smiling like moonlight entering one’s arms.”
...
“Who am I, where am I, what am I supposed to do?” The next morning, Chen Qi rubbed his head and stood up.
Struggling to recall the events of the previous night, he realized that his first experience of drunkenness had just occurred.
Sun Ruohai lay sprawled on the ground nearby, still snoring. Chen Qi smiled at him, then rose and headed toward the Mission Hall—he needed to report in, and then head up the mountain.
On the way, Chen Qi overheard several laborer disciples, also contract holders in the ‘Sprout Space’, chatting together. They looked like an adventurer team.
A slightly plump man said, “This world is great! Do a bit of work every day, earn a few contribution points, and after a dozen days, finish the main quest and trade those points for a green-quality item.”
Another man chimed in, “Exactly! No danger, and you can get equipment, maybe even learn a skill or two. This world is so comfortable!”
A woman added, “It’s busy here, but I feel myself improving in this world. This sense of fulfilling, busy days is wonderful.”
Hearing this, Chen Qi unconsciously shook his head.
He was set on a riskier path. High risk brings high reward—it means breaking free from mediocrity.
Soon, Chen Qi entered the Mission Hall.
The steward glanced at him and issued his usual weak, lifeless greeting, “Laborer disciple, which task do you want to claim?”
Chen Qi shook his head and replied, “I’m here to report in, preparing to go up the mountain to hunt fierce beasts and trade their materials for contribution points.”
The steward looked up at Chen Qi for a moment, then said, “Hey! I always think laborer disciples should get up the mountain early. As long as you don’t die, you’ll become an outer sect disciple soon enough. I’ll register you now.”
After registering, the steward handed Chen Qi a jade slip and a beast compendium, instructing, “This jade slip senses the rank of fierce beasts. White means ninth-rank beasts—you should be able to kill them. Yellow means eighth-rank beasts—if you fight them, the outcome is uncertain.”
He paused, then continued, “Red means seventh-rank beasts—only outer sect disciples can contend with those. If you see one, avoid it immediately.”
Finally, the steward spoke gravely, “If the sensing jade turns black, you’ve encountered a sixth-rank or higher beast. Don’t hesitate—run for your life, though I doubt you’ll manage to escape.”
Seeing Chen Qi’s serious expression, the steward smiled and explained, “No need to be so tense. Beasts above sixth rank usually only appear deep in the mountains. You might never encounter one in your lifetime.”
Chen Qi thanked the steward for his advice and left after saluting.
As he exited, the steward’s final words reached his ears, “Take care, come back alive!”
Chen Qi walked out, breathing deeply as he went. Seeking danger was exhilarating, and for someone chosen by ‘Sprout Space’, it was unavoidable. He needed to familiarize himself with this feeling as quickly as possible.
Notably, the side quest reward was 2000 universal points and two green consumables: [Cloud Mushroom Powder]. It was indeed worthy of a side quest that carried a penalty of halved main quest rewards.
Two bottles of green-glowing medicine lay in his storage space.
[Cloud Mushroom Powder]
Origin: Cangxing Continent
Quality: Green
Type: Consumable
Effect: Instantly restores 12% of maximum health upon use, and slightly enhances recovery for fifteen minutes afterward. Provides moderate support for healing external injuries.
Rating: 64
Description: A famous internal medicine of Cloud Sea Sect, made from mountain-grown cloud mushrooms with a secret recipe. Highly effective for stopping external bleeding. Its effects are long-lasting and reliable for all ages.
Price: 740 universal points
After careful consideration, Chen Qi felt he was truly ready, fully prepared for a grand battle.
Without further hesitation, he dashed toward the front mountain!