The quest was completed.
Upon finally hearing the system prompt, the team looked at one another in relief. They could not help but smile from the bottom of their hearts. Even Liu Wudai, who was always expressionless, gave everyone a small smile.
This was a scripted quest with a five-person difficulty. Being able to finish it was very good, and the fact that all the team members had survived was an accomplishment.
“Finally survived again.” Xing Hechou smiled bitterly and then said, “It is all thanks to everyone.”
Hanging Sword for Ten Thousand Miles shook his head and replied, “Don’t be so courteous. If you had not been so decisive or taken action immediately, I might have made a grave mistake.”
Hanging Sword for Ten Thousand Miles was referring to Xing Hechou saving Hong Niang at the banquet previously. The quest had only required the team to survive 7 days and had mentioned nothing about killing the mandrill.
If Xing Hechou had not saved Hong Niang, Hanging Sword for Ten Thousand Miles might have hesitated because he would wish to preserve his own life. As a result, he would have had to watch as an innocent died.
Everything had led up to this moment, which was the time to shine. After going through all this trouble to be chosen by the Killing Field game, he had finally managed to escape his desperate and boring life and get a second chance to live. If he had remained so cowardly, then he would have been unfit to become a swordsman and chivalry would have died.
“I wasn’t really thinking at the time. It was more like an occupational habit.” Xing Hechou saw Hanging Sword for Ten Thousand Miles’ sincerity and fell silent for a short while before replying honestly, “According to your assumptions, I’m part of the Special Affairs Bureau and the state. Since the Killing Field game started again seven months ago, the state has already invested large amounts of manpower, funds, and resources into analyzing, deciphering, and utilizing this game. This is one of the most important jobs of the State Apparatus in the unforeseeable future.
“As the frontline department of this game, the Special Affairs Bureau has many responsibilities. Our job includes ensuring the people’s life and safety, the country’s rise and fall, the Earth’s power, and the survival of its living organisms.
“As a fellow player, I can understand the joy and fear that comes along with the supernatural ability we possess. It brings us joy when our mundane life changes and fear when we face the unforeseeable future. However, I was hoping that all of you could trust the state a little more.”
Upon saying that, Xing Hechou sent a friend request to the rest of the team, took out a few mini steel name cards, and handed them out.
The name cards were empty save for a telephone number and a website.
“This is the contact information of the Special Affairs Bureau. You can contact us anytime, regardless of whether you wish to join the bureau, to get more insider information on the game itself or some information on calamities.”
Xing Hechou pleaded sincerely. “Everyone, please believe that our country will always be our strongest support and shield.”
Hanging Sword for Ten Thousand Miles solemnly put the steel card away. Then, his gaze scanned the area and he asked with a frown, “Eh? Where is Little Li?”
“Here!”
Li Ang squeezed his way out of Wang Guan’s sedan chair and said regretfully, “Didn’t Wang Guan obtain the elixir-refining method and the Daoist inheritance from Red Belly? I wanted to search for the secret manual but I returned empty-handed.”
This was regretful but understandable. Wang Guan was not a demon who would carry such treasures around. The system would also not allow too many loopholes to exist. High profit and high risk came hand-in-hand.
Li Ang was displeased that he had failed to obtain them. He ran and climbed on top of the mandrill’s corpse, waved his ax around, and hollered, “The teleportation waits for no one. Let us quickly split the corpse. We can sell the parts!”
Li Ang, who possessed strict scientific literacy, had already tested out the shop system in the game. Supernatural corpses had to be contained inside the inventory first before they could be sold to the shop system for Game Credits.
However, if the corpse was too big, it could not be placed inside the backpack as a whole. Therefore, it had to first be cut into pieces.
Li Ang was covered in blood as he was excitedly using his spider claws to cut the corpse in a practiced manner. In Xing Hechou and company’s eyes, Li Ang looked just like a crazed serial killer depicted in a movie or a TV show.
Xing Hechou coughed. “Brother Li… is indeed unrestrained and frank. If you don’t mind, allow me to do it. I can finish the job faster.”
“Sure.”
Li Ang nodded and took a few steps back. Xing Hechou took out a pruinosus-resembling, balloon-like object, placed it against his mouth, and blew a few mouthfuls of air into it. Then, he threw it toward the corpse.
Bang!
The balloon exploded and a thin pruinosus layer tightly enveloped the corpse. It shrank continuously before finally squeezing the hill-sized mandrill into the size of a small car.
Unfortunately, the mandrill’s legs had been blown off by the flying cannon. The bone and flesh had been separated and no longer had any value. Therefore, they were not taken away by Xing Hechou using the pruinosus layer. The bones of the two legs were placed and left behind in the corner of the courtyard.
“The parts of supernatural corpses are sold for a very low price in the shop system. If you believe in me, I will give each of you the reward in Game Credits or real money according to the scientific valuation of the mandrill’s corpse when the quest ends.”
Xing Hechou looked at each teammate, smiled, and said, “According to the usual rates, a demon corpse like this would get one 300 Game Credits, or 3,000,000 RMB, when divided by five.
“Game Credits can be transferred between accounts of friends in the game. Paying in cash is more troublesome on the other hand. The workers of the Special Affairs Bureau will place the package containing the cash into a designated spot for you to collect. I promise that there will be no surveillance or capture involved in the process. The Special Affairs Bureau treats lawful, kind players well.”
How… How much?
Li Ang, who was used to being poor, gasped, not hearing what Xing Hechou said after that.
He had already guessed that the state valuation of a supernatural corpse would be very high. After all, cash could be printed anytime, but such a corpse could not be easily obtained.
Upon hearing the amount of cash, however, Li Ang was still excited.
3 million. It was 3 million. How many lessons did he need to give the kid living next door to be able to earn this amount of money?
With so much money, he could buy two bowls of cold noodles for his next meal…
Li Ang, who had become a millionaire overnight, could not calm down. He suddenly remembered that all the demons in the courtyard had been eaten by Chai Cuiqiao.
How much could he sell so many corpses for? Forget it, he should stop thinking about that.
His heart dripping blood, Li Ang held in his tears and watched as the rest of the team discussed how to divide the violet-gold alms bowl and the incomplete Vajrasaki the mandrill had left behind.
The violet-gold alms bowl that could condense Spirit Qi for cultivation was definitely the more valuable of the two pieces of equipment. After discussing this, Xing Hechou represented the Special Affairs Bureau and paid each person 400 and 200 Game Credits for the violet-gold alms bowl and the Vajrasaki respectively.