Chapter 22 : Chapter 22
Chapter 22: Deathbestowing Sword Qi
“One-tenth? That’s far too little,” Liao Chen muttered.
“That fellow Meng Zhan must be grinning from ear to ear.”
Shen Zhong’s efficiency was astonishingly swift. In less than ten minutes, a bright red certificate was delivered into Lin Yuan’s hands.
Lin Yuan flipped through the certificate in his hand. “Only one-tenth?”
“One-tenth is already quite a lot.” Liao Chen curled his lip. “Even our Enforcement Squad only got one-tenth.”
“Brat, don’t be dissatisfied.”
At the side, Tian Ye patiently explained the reason for the allocation to Lin Yuan.
“The mine has reserves of two hundred million tons. Whether it’s mining or transportation, all of that requires manpower and cost.”
“The Demon Suppression Army gets the largest share because they’re fighting the Insectoids on the front lines. Once this iron ore is mined out, it can be forged into weapons. Every additional good weapon means a little less loss of life.”
“The Class-Holder Association needs this ore to forge enough equipment to strengthen class-holders, so they can deal with dungeons that may descend at any moment.”
“Although this derivative dungeon appeared because of you, if not for the Demon Suppression Army and the Class-Holder Association, I doubt you would even have had the chance to stand here today.”
What Tian Ye said was the truth.
Lin Yuan’s parents had died in the Insectoid Fortress riot fifteen years ago.
Up until yesterday, Lin Yuan had still been living on social welfare.
None of that had fallen from the sky for free.
Had he not been born in Xia Country, Lin Yuan might long ago have been abandoned in some deserted corner and left to fend for himself.
Lin Yuan was not an ungrateful man. He would not haggle bitterly over a mere bit of iron ore.
“Captain Tian, can this thing be converted into cash?” Lin Yuan raised the certificate in his hand.
“You said it yourself just now—ore has to be mined. I’ve got neither people nor money, so keeping it won’t do me much good.”
“I’d rather sell it and exchange it for something more useful to myself.”
After smelting and forging, iron ore could at most be turned into Silver equipment below Level 25.
Lin Yuan was only Level 9 now, but he was already wearing mostly Gold equipment. By the time he reached Level 25—
to put it bluntly, even if Silver equipment fell at his feet, he would not be bothered to pick it up. It would not even be worth the effort.
But not everyone in this world was a cheat like Lin Yuan.
Ordinary class-holders still made up the overwhelming majority.
So the one-tenth mining right in Lin Yuan’s hand was actually worth quite a lot.
“You want to sell it?” Tian Ye froze for a moment. “I suggest you sell it to the Class-Holder Association.”
“Sell it to the Class-Holder Association? No need. Our Demon Suppression Army will take the share in your hands.”
A burly man nearly two meters tall strode over in great steps, wearing dark glasses.
Behind him followed dozens of warriors clad in iron armor.
When he arrived before Lin Yuan, the man removed his glasses and broke into a smile that was, at the very least, fairly amiable.
“My name is Meng Zhan, Legion Commander of the 27th Legion of the Demon Suppression Army.”
“I can exchange an S-Rank skill for the share in your hands.”
The moment he heard “S-Rank skill,” Liao Chen was stunned.
“I say, Meng Zhan, since when did a miser like you become so generous?”
“You want to trade an S-Rank skill for one-tenth of the share? Give me an S-Rank skill, and I’ll sell you our Enforcement Squad’s share too.”
Tian Ye panicked and tugged at Liao Chen repeatedly, nearly clapping a hand over his mouth.
Lin Yuan was also surprised.
An S-Rank skill.
That was an exceedingly rare thing.
Liao Chen was already Level 48, yet even he only had a single S-Rank skill.
That was the sort of trump card one kept hidden until the most critical moment.
At certain times, an S-Rank skill could absolutely turn the tide.
“Don’t be in such a hurry to agree.” Meng Zhan took out a skill book and placed it before Lin Yuan.
“Although this book is an S-Rank skill, only Summoned Beasts can learn it.”
【Deathbestowing Sword Qi】(S-Rank) Summoned Beast Exclusive
Skill Description: Consumes 500 Mana, deals magic damage equal to 10% of the target’s maximum HP, and restores HP equal to 50% of the actual damage dealt. Cooldown: 1 minute. Killing an enemy that grants EXP reduces the cooldown by 2 seconds.
“The skill is good, but only Summoned Beasts can use it. That makes it a little awkward.” Liao Chen stroked his chin and shook his head.
“I think you ought to exchange it for one you can use yourself. Even an A-Rank one would do.”
“I’ll take it.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Yuan tossed the certificate in his hand to Meng Zhan.
The moment he saw this skill book, Lin Yuan’s eyes were unable to move away from it.
Deathbestowing Sword Qi had damage when he needed damage, and sustain when he needed sustain.
And in the future, this skill could advance further as well.
It was practically tailor-made for Ali.
“Good. Decisive.” Meng Zhan laughed heartily and immediately began arranging for his men to start the mining operation.
Principal Chen Qingshan came hurrying back from outside.
He had just gone to the Class-Holder Association and, after no small amount of effort, managed to secure a B-Rank Summoner skill.
The moment he returned and saw Liao Chen and Meng Zhan, he was completely dumbstruck.
One was the Commander of the Tianfeng City Enforcement Squad.
The other was the Legion Commander of the 27th Legion of the Demon Suppression Army.
Why would these two come to No. 1 High School?
“You’re the principal, yes? Let me inform you—this dungeon has been requisitioned by the Demon Suppression Army.”
Meng Zhan informed Chen Qingshan of the matter.
“Requisitioned?” Chen Qingshan hesitated. “Then can the newly awakened class-holders of No. 1 High School still enter Golden Fang Ruins?”
“This has nothing to do with Golden Fang Ruins. They can keep entering it as they please.” Meng Zhan waved a hand. “We’re only responsible for mining the ore inside Plain Mine.”
“Oh. Ah?” Chen Qingshan stood there woodenly and indicated that he understood.
When he learned that the dungeon before him contained reserves of two hundred million tons of iron ore, Chen Qingshan felt as though his whole person had gone numb.
Then he touched the B-Rank skill book in his robe and revealed a brilliant smile.
“Student Lin Yuan, look at my memory. This B-Rank skill book has been in the school warehouse all along. We just couldn’t find it earlier, so now I’m making it up to you.”
“You cleared the Nightmare difficulty dungeon and brought honor to No. 1 High School. The school has decided to reward you with one million in cash.”
Originally, Chen Qingshan had prepared a reward of 500,000 in cash. But the moment he saw the situation before him, he realized that would not do.
A Perfect Clear of a Nightmare difficulty dungeon, and on top of that, the appearance of a resource-type derivative dungeon—enough to alarm even Meng Zhan and Liao Chen.
So Chen Qingshan decisively doubled the reward, raising it to 1,000,000.
One million in cash was enough to buy a Level 10 Gold-grade piece of equipment.
Originally, Chen Qingshan had prepared a reward of five hundred thousand in cash. But now, after seeing what had happened, that clearly would not do.
A Perfect Clear of a Nightmare difficulty dungeon, plus the appearance of a resource-type derivative dungeon—
even Meng Zhan and Liao Chen had been alarmed.
So Chen Qingshan decisively doubled the reward and turned it into one million.
One million in cash was enough to buy a Level 10 Gold piece of equipment.
Lin Yuan took the skill book.
【Summon Wood Sprite】(B-Rank)
Learning Requirement: Level 20
Skill Description: Consumes 200 Mana to summon a Wood Sprite of the same level as yourself. The Wood Sprite’s bloodline rank is Third Rank and may be raised as high as Fifth Rank.
A Wood Sprite.
It should probably be a support-type summon.
Not bad.
Ali specialized in melee combat.
His second Summoned Beast, the Skeleton Warrior, was also melee.
If he got another support-type summon on top of that, it would absolutely improve his overall strength.
The Demon Suppression Army worked with remarkable efficiency. Before long, the area around the dungeon had been arranged into something resembling a military fortress.
When quite a few students came out of the dungeon, they were all dumbfounded.
What was going on?
How had this place ended up surrounded by the military?
Chen Qingshan led the teachers in patiently explaining the matter, and once again, every student’s gaze converged upon Lin Yuan.
To say they were staring eagerly would not even come close.