Chapter 1: Conflict Before the Trial Begins
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[Trial begins for Reserve Dimension Apostle No. 9999090919]
[Yangxian Commandery]
[Trial Overview: Yangxian Commandery has welcomed auspicious snowfall, but who knows when this harvest year will...]
[Trial Objective: Join one of the following within three days: the government, the Lu clan, or the Way of Great Peace]
[Trial Difficulty: E Rank (Easy)]
[Trial Reward: 500 Paradise Points]
[Trial Failure: -1,000 Paradise Points]
[This is a chain quest. Subsequent quests will be unlocked and completed in sequence. Failure to complete any quest will count all subsequent quests as failed.]
[Reminder: Do not leave the trial area without authorization. Doing so may result in unknown consequences, such as an increase in trial difficulty. You will bear full responsibility for the consequences.]
[Warning: Mentioning or revealing anything related to the Dimension Paradise during the trial is strictly prohibited. Your trial eligibility will be revoked, all quests will be deemed failed, and you will be forcibly returned to the Paradise.]
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Chu Danqing opened his eyes. Dabao was beside him.
Apart from the two of them, more than a dozen other Dimension Apostles were also enveloped within a transparent protective barrier, preventing the snow and wind from penetrating it.
Even so, the temperature inevitably plummeted in an instant.
Chu Danqing tightened the white-fur robe around himself. Lined with silver-scaled cloud brocade, it kept the cold from affecting him for the time being.
[You have unlocked: Combat Records and Equipment Rationalization Authority. Cost: 1,000 Paradise Points]
[You spent 200 Paradise Points and mastered the language and written script of this world.]
A vast amount of knowledge surfaced in his mind before being rapidly digested and absorbed, becoming instinctive to him, as familiar as his mother tongue.
[You spent 500 Paradise Points to rent Appraisal Lv. 1.]
[Temporary Appraisal Lv. 1 (Active): Generates the target's data based on the difference between the attributes of both parties. Costs 1 Energy Point. Cooldown: 1 minute.]
(Note: Temporary skills will disappear upon departure.)
(Note: Depending on the attribute disparity, the target may experience abnormalities or become aware when this skill is used.)
Because the skill was temporary, no knowledge accompanied it. Chu Danqing could only use it mechanically.
[Opening identity selection...]
[Identity: None. Cost: None]
[Identity: Refugee. Cost: 10 Paradise Points]
[...]
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Chu Danqing immediately scrolled down to the identity tier costing the full 500 Paradise Points.
[Identity: Wandering Occultist. Cost: 500 Paradise Points]
He took to this identity at a glance. The others were not bad either, but they did not suit him nearly as well.
Once the identity selection was complete, a small amount of information related to a wandering occultist flooded into his mind.
It was nowhere near as profound or firmly rooted as the knowledge of the language and script; it was merely a brief identity profile.
In short, he was an occultist who knew only the rudiments, traveling to Yangxian Commandery to make a living.
The entire process took nearly a minute. Chu Danqing turned his gaze toward the Dimension Apostles present.
Including him, there were fifteen in total.
As his gaze swept across the group, two people caught his attention.
One was a flat-headed young man with a stern expression, dressed in a short shirt and long trousers. He wore gloves embroidered with golden dragons.
More importantly, an unsettling aura surrounded him, giving him the air of someone who wanted no strangers near him.
He did not look like an assassin. For some inexplicable reason, the words underground boxing came to Chu Danqing's mind.
The other drew his attention not because of his bearing, but because of his equipment.
He was clad in airtight heavy armor, with a massive shield-axe strapped to his back.
Three comparatively ordinary Dimension Apostles accompanied him. The four of them had probably formed a party through some kind of item, or else belonged to the same faction.
"Ironrock, provisional member of the Dragon-Tiger Alliance." The armored man first announced his faction and code name.
"Starting with an E-rank mission means the mission for return eligibility is at least D-rank. Everyone should understand that this difficulty will not be easy to overcome."
"This is my seventh trial mission. I have received a C-rank rating at best, and I am confident I can lead everyone back together," Ironrock said sincerely.
The other two standing beside Ironrock voiced their agreement. The remaining ten Apostles were visibly tempted and declared one after another that they were willing to follow Ironrock's lead.
The flat-headed young man, however, showed no reaction. He merely watched the countdown steadily decreasing on the protective barrier.
Five minutes remained before the mission would officially begin.
"Friend, why not join us?" Ironrock set his sights on the comparatively approachable Chu Danqing.
"I am accustomed to working alone." Chu Danqing declined.
Even D-rank missions were difficult. Was he supposed to join them and play nursemaid?
At the same time, this once again proved that the information was accurate: the ordinary level of Dimension Apostles lay somewhere between C and D rank. Those who received high ratings were few and far between.
After speaking, Chu Danqing turned his gaze back beyond the protective barrier. They appeared to be on an official road. The snowfall was not especially heavy, but it still impaired visibility.
He was looking outside because there was some kind of movement amid the snowstorm.
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Chu Danqing's attributes were too low for him to make out any useful information, so he looked at Dabao.
"What do you hear?"
"There are bad people... robbing... and killing," Dabao said haltingly.
At those words, even the flat-headed young man's attention was drawn over.
They had merely sensed some movement and did not know what was actually happening, whereas Dabao had been able to describe it. That alone was enough to make them look at him differently.
"He was looking at me." A murderous glint appeared in Dabao's eyes as he extended a claw toward another member of the Dragon-Tiger Alliance standing beside Ironrock.
"Give me an explanation, Ironrock," Chu Danqing said, his expression dark.
"Misunderstanding. This is a misunderstanding. Coldshadow did not do it intentionally. Hurry and apologize." Ironrock hurriedly stepped in front of the person Dabao had pointed at, shielding him.
It appeared to be an explanation, but was actually favoritism.
Using Appraisal on another Dimension Apostle represented hostility. Otherwise, why would you casually inspect someone else's data?
"An apology without sincerity is worthless. Compensation is what matters." Chu Danqing made it clear that he wanted something in return.
"Friend, we are members of the Dragon-Tiger Alliance. Even if you refuse to show us consideration, you should at least show some respect to the Alliance." Coldshadow invoked the power behind him in an attempt to protect himself.
There was no other reason for it. When he had appraised Dabao moments earlier, the attribute gap had been so vast that he had failed to obtain even the slightest useful information.
"Don't talk nonsense." Ironrock reprimanded him. "We have no intention of throwing our weight around."
"A little compensation. Please accept it as an apology." As he spoke, Ironrock took out a restorative item and handed it to Chu Danqing.
Chu Danqing shook his head.
"Not enough."
"Don't push your luck..." Coldshadow began.
Before he could finish, Chu Danqing gave Dabao a look. Dabao understood the intention instinctively and immediately attacked.
A lifelink appeared, connecting Ironrock and Coldshadow with lightning speed.
Dabao's attack followed close behind, and the combat record materialized.
[Brutal Beast: Child of the Cavern dealt 5 physical damage to the target and 5 shared damage to the lifelinked target.]
Both men suffered damage, and their health values fell by different amounts.
Chu Danqing had never intended to kill them. He only wanted money and to teach them a lesson—to make an example of them so that no other Apostle would be foolish enough to provoke him.
As for Dabao's data?
The attribute gap was simply too great. The other side could not obtain any useful information at all.
Otherwise, Chu Danqing would never have let the matter end so easily.
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