12. Annie and Tibbers the Giant Bear
Upon hearing the plan of Emperor’s Blood to slay the heavens, the underlings’ eyes lit up:
“Brilliant, Boss!”
“Only the Boss could come up with such a perfect strategy!”
“Heh, the Heaven-Slaying Guild? They think having more people means they can do whatever they want? They’ll still be drinking from our Boss’s feet!”
“We must ruin their reputation!”
The underlings enthusiastically praised Emperor’s Blood to the skies, rolling up their sleeves and preparing to join the operation.
Ling Feng wasn’t one for flattery, but he nodded: “Got it. I’ll inform Zhen Hong to lead the team.”
Emperor’s Blood patted Ling Feng on the shoulder:
“Go. This time, don’t leave any traces. All top players are concentrated in the newbie villages numbered one through five. Villages six to eight have no experts; you can test the waters there first.”
“Understood,” Ling Feng replied.
Emperor’s Blood cast a sharp glance over all the underlings: “Besides this operation, keep an eye out for someone called ‘Nemesis.’ If there’s any news, report it to me immediately!”
“Understood, Boss!” the underlings all promised.
...
Meanwhile, inside the same warehouse.
Heaven-Slaying Sword stared silently at the auction interface showing the detailed info of the “Mountain Goat Leader’s Horn.”
During his time in the game, he had believed he could completely control it, relying on his past gaming experience and his team.
But with this level-4 boss material appearing, he suddenly felt his grip slip away.
Heaven-Slaying Sword turned to his deputy:
“Qing Li, still no news on ‘Nemesis’?”
Qing Li was a young woman of striking beauty.
She shook her head with a cold expression: “I’ve privately messaged most mid-level guild members; none know... Wait, there’s a message from Dong Shan Sword. He knows about ‘Nemesis’!”
She immediately copied and forwarded the private message to Guild Leader Heaven-Slaying Sword.
“Dong Shan Sword? Isn’t that kid in newbie village six?”
Heaven-Slaying Sword furrowed his brow and quickly read the message.
It described how Dong Shan Sword had encountered “Nemesis” in the level-3 monster zone and invited him to join the guild but was refused, followed by a series of events.
Heaven-Slaying Sword read the message three times over.
After closing the message interface, he said gravely to Qing Li: “Our original plan was to prevent Emperor’s Blood from monopolizing the field, but plans have changed. We’re heading to newbie village six immediately!”
“Understood, Boss.”
...
As the newbie villages were in chaos over the equipment and skill scrolls listed by Su Yu, Su Yu’s hidden quest had also reached its final phase.
---
Elite Hidden Quest: "Tears of the Goddess Savi (20/20)"
Deep in the western mountains’ ancient forest.
Su Yu was slowly walking along with a little girl NPC, about seven or eight years old, wearing a small red hood and bearing an adorable face.
The forest’s towering canopy blocked out the sky, plunging the woods into gloom.
Dusk was approaching, and visibility was very poor.
From afar came faint howls of ghosts and roars of wild beasts—eerily frightening.
The little girl NPC was named Annie.
She was terrified, looking around anxiously, her small hands cold.
“Uncle, is my teddy bear 'Tibbers' really here?”
“Of course. Aunt Margaret told us, so it must be true!” Su Yu comfortingly ruffled Annie’s hair.
Meanwhile, he silently counted: “We’ve walked 3,500 steps so far; only 100 steps short of the 3,600 steps described in the quest.”
Su Yu nodded, marked the spot with a tap of his foot, then pulled Annie to turn 90 degrees—heading from due north to due east.
Finally, at the 3,600-step mark, Su Yu and Annie arrived at the entrance of a pitch-black cave.
Seeing the cave, Annie grabbed Su Yu’s sleeve, trembling with fear.
“Uncle, do we really have to go inside? It’s so dark!”
“Of course not. Why would we go in if we didn’t have to?” Su Yu smiled.
Then he bent down, parted a nondescript bush by his feet, and pulled out a teddy bear about the length of an adult’s forearm, handing it to Annie.
[Teddy Bear Tibbers (Elite)]
Note: Annie’s favorite toy.
The final phase of this quest was truly a trap!
The trap lay in the fact that a player arriving after walking 3,600 steps to a cave’s mouth would naturally want to enter and explore.
Annie even hinted that they should both go in.
But Su Yu knew the cave was filled with instant-death traps; the real quest item was hidden in the bush at the cave’s entrance.
This was a cleverly designed challenge exploiting human nature’s weaknesses.
...
Annie happily took the Teddy Bear Tibbers, bouncing with joy, her face radiant with smiles.
“Thank you, Uncle! Thank you for bringing me here, or I would never see Tibbers again in my life!”
“You’re welcome.” Su Yu ruffled Annie’s hair again. “It’s getting late; let’s head back to the village before your father worries.”
“No way, Uncle,” Annie said, clutching Tibbers tightly, her smile still bright. “I’m so grateful you rescued Tibbers from the bush. But if we just leave now, won’t the bush feel sad?”
Su Yu: “......”
---
He glanced back at the bush by his feet.
A bush could feel sadness?
Annie went on: “So, Uncle, you have to stay and keep the bush company, okay?”
“I suppose...” Su Yu started to reply, but Annie cut him off.
“No, it’s not up to you, Uncle.”
With that, Annie tossed the teddy bear forward.
The bear expanded with the wind, quickly transforming into a towering four-meter-tall standing brown bear!
[Gigantic Bear Tibbers (Level 6)]
Health: 800
Tibbers’ health was exactly the same as the mountain goat boss Su Yu had just slain.
“Tibbers! Take him down!” Annie shouted.
At her command, the giant bear roared and charged wildly at Su Yu.
Yet Su Yu showed no panic.
He drank a bottle of [Basic Wisdom Potion], raising his intelligence by 10.
Then, with a wave of his left hand, he tore open a [Frostbolt Scroll], launching a fierce frostbolt at the giant Tibbers.
Simultaneously, his right hand’s magic staff crackled with dazzling electricity.
Crack!
A [Lightning Bolt] shot from his staff, striking the giant Tibbers’ forehead and leaving a burnt mark.
-55 (Frostbolt Scroll)
-101
The combined damage cut 20% of Tibbers’ health in one blow!
At that moment, Annie also launched an attack at Su Yu.
She waved her small hand gently; a massive fireball of magic, [Fragmented Flame], surged toward Su Yu.
Su Yu smiled faintly.
He didn’t even activate [Frost Shield].
With a flash, he dodged as the fireball grazed his side, causing no harm.
Without pause, he struck again twice, forcing Tibbers’ health below 60%.
---