Chapter 180
“Hahaha! We’ve finally arrived in White River City!”
“This place looks spectacular!”
“Such amazing NPCs!”
The moment Blackie and the others arrived in White River City, the amazing sight stunned them all. Their feelings alternated between joy, excitement, and an indescribable sense of pride.
Everyone had suddenly arrived in White River City. Aside from Blackie and Lonely Snow, who both remained relatively calm, Cola and the others were in a daze. They thought that they were in a dream.
When Fire Dance and Cola regrouped with Blackie, they discovered that Blackie and Lonely Snow had actually brought them to deal with a group of Level 20 monsters. At that time, they nearly had heart attacks from the shock.
God’s Domain was unlike any other virtual reality game, and killing monsters of a higher level in God’s Domain was an extremely difficult task. Moreover, their average levels did not even reach Level 8. It was simply suicidal for them to challenge a Level 20 Swamp Rhino.
Yet, Blackie and Lonely Snow immediately dragged their group and charged towards the Swamp Rhinos. The two acted as if the Swamp Rhinos were not Level 20 monsters, but Level 0 Green Gnomes awaiting death.
However, Fire Dance and Cola could not have imagined what had actually occurred. Blackie instantly roasted the Level 20 Rhinos Lonely Snow had lured with a single Hell Flame. It was like the Rhinos suffered from some weakening aura. At that time, their experience bars instantly increased by a huge chunk.
Looking at this scene, Cola and the others’ eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in surprise.
There was a saying; after three days had passed, one could no longer use one’s old perspective to judge others[1]. However, that involved the prerequisite of three days passing!
It had only been several hours since separated from each other, but the growth rate of Blackie and Lonely Snow had switched from ascending by climbing a ladder to ascending by using an elevator. It was as if their growth rates had received hormone injections, increasing by tens of times.
Within half an hour, they had all collectively gained a level. When they asked about Blackie and Lonely Snow’s levels, Cola and Fire Dance were both utterly shocked; they were both already Level 13. This gap made a world of difference.
How did Blackie and Lonely Snow suddenly become so powerful? The only possibility they could think of was that their team leader, Shi Feng, had power-leveled the two. It was also the only logical explanation for Blackie and Lonely Snow’s achievements.
Meanwhile, Fire Dance and Water Buffalo were both utterly shocked by Shi Feng. It would be fine if Shi Feng were the only one so powerful. However, their team even had two other Level 13 powerhouses. Just how powerful was this team?
If others’ discovered this, they might be less shocked by the sky falling.
After several hours, Cola and the others reached Level 10, one after another. Meanwhile, Blackie and Lonely Snow had both risen to Level 14. They acted in accordance with Shi Feng’s request, entering White River City and familiarizing themselves with the city. They would then receive some of the rare and daily quests, obtaining some rare items in exchange for the quests’ completion.
However, shortly after they entered White River City, a system announcement entered their ears.
White River City Region System Announcement: 5 players have entered White River City. Activating White River City’s Ranking List.
White River City Region System Announcement: 5 players have entered White River City. Activating White River City’s Ranking List.
White River City Region System Announcement: 5 players have entered White River City. Activating White River City’s Ranking List.
—
After the announcement repeated thrice, all the players within the White River City region were sent into a daze.
What sort of situation was this? More than five players have already entered White River City? How long had it been since Shi Feng accomplished that feat?
“Crap! What did these people eat when they grew up? I’ve only reached Level 8, yet there is already a bunch of Level 10s! Can’t they play normally?!”
“It can’t be, right? None of these people are Guild players! How could they all be independent players?!”
“Hahaha! Too awesome! Didn’t those Guilds think they were very amazing? This will teach them that independent players like us are still the strongest!”
“Why haven’t I heard of these people before? Just who are these people? Moreover, they even entered White River City together. They can’t be players of the same party, right…?”
Players throughout the White River City region discussed Blackie and the others’ entrance to White River City and the activation of the regional Ranking List. The players on the Ranking List were, without a doubt, everyone’s focus right now.
“Investigate! I want to know just who these people are immediately!”
“They are all independent players! Immediately contact them! Even if we have to give them official positions, we must recruit them into our Guild!”
The various large Guilds all felt a heavy pressure weighing down on them.
The Ranking List should have been a competition between the various large Guilds, yet, it now belonged to a group of independent players. Moreover, they had taken hold of the top six positions. This utterly embarrassed these large Guilds. Right now, these Guilds needed to recruit these independent players into their Guilds. That way, these Guilds’ names would also appear on the Ranking List.
—
Meanwhile, Blackie and Lonely Snow obeyed Shi Feng’s previous request; the moment they entered White River City, the system asked if they wanted to place their names on the Ranking List. They both immediately rejected the offer. However, it was not a big deal for Cola and the other five members of the team. It was a good chance to cause panic in those large Guilds, and they could increase their fame while doing so.
After all, Cola and the others were still Level 10. It was an expected level. However, if Blackie and Lonely Snow add their names to the Ranking List…
It would be a double-edged sword; bringing them fame while also poisoning their lives.
Right now, these large Guilds could understand Cola and the others reaching Level 10. However, if two Level 14 players suddenly appeared on the Ranking List, no amount of brainpower could allow these Guilds to make sense of things. Just leveling up from Level 9 to Level 10 would require more than an entire day’s grinding. It was understandable if Blackie and Lonely Snow had powerful techniques and found a good leveling spot.
However, a gap of 4 Levels would simply provoke these Guilds. They would create unscrupulous ways to obtain this leveling secret. Right now, if Blackie and Lonely Snow displayed their names on the Ranking List, they would gain the enmity of every single player in the White River City region.
“Why isn’t Ye Feng’s name there? Moreover, why do these names seem so familiar?” Gentle Snow opened the Ranking List, discovering that the top six players were all uniformly Level 10. However, the number one position did not belong to Shi Feng, but a player named Fire Dance. Moreover, Shi Feng’s name was not among the top six Level 10 players at all. This situation confused Gentle Snow greatly.
“Snow, aren’t Cola, Drowsy Sloth, and Gluttonous Mouse Ye Feng’s teammates? They even left their names with ours at the Dark Moon Graveyard. I never thought that their leveling speed would be so fast.” Zhao Yueru quickly recognized the names on the Ranking List. This scene had shocked her. After all, she had a clear understanding of the background of these players. They were definitely noobs of God’s Domain, and they were not even close to being experts.
The first time they met was at the Deathly Forest, and at that time, they were simply noobs that Shi Feng had randomly chosen to party with. The second time they met, though their levels had not equaled hers, the gap between them had somewhat shrunk. Now, however, they had surpassed her. It was unbelievable.
After receiving Zhao Yueru’s reminder, sudden realization struck Gentle Snow. As a result, the usually calm and confident Gentle Snow, at this moment, revealed a look of surprise and bewilderment.
_Ye Feng, just who are you?_ Gentle Snow could not help but inwardly wonder.
Leading a group of noobs into becoming the focal point of the entire White River City just how did Shi Feng do it?
Also, Shi Feng, his good friend Blackie, and Lonely Snow had actually refrained from displaying their names on the Ranking List. Gentle Snow could not understand this action. After all, the noobs that Shi Feng had personally led had all risen to Level 10. She did not believe that his good friend, Blackie, and Lonely Snow had not become Level 10. The only possibility was that they hid their levels. But why would they want to hide their levels?
Wasn’t this a good chance to increase their reputation?
Why would they hide them? What was there to gain?
Suddenly, Gentle Snow thought of a possibility, or better yet, the only possibility.
After she thought of this possibility…
Gentle Snow involuntarily shuddered.
* * *
TL Notes:
[1]after three days had passed, one could no longer use one’s old foresight to judge others (士别三日，当刮目相待 ): This is a Chinese idiom that tells one not to view others with an old perspective, as after three days of not meeting, others would already have some improvements.