NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18: Chapter 17: Tao Wood - Firearm Skin.
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Chen Miao also bid farewell to Yuan Buping and the others, and left.
Before he left,
According to Yuan Buping, he had been determined since childhood to right all the wrongs in the world. Hence, he renamed himself Yuan Buping and, as a kid, gathered a group of friends to become the king of the children, beginning to learn how to manage a gang.
When he grew up, he ventured alone into a secret realm.
By luck, he survived and emerged with some treasures, then he assembled this team to collect protection fees and right the world's wrongs.
The protection fee was only 1 credit point per month.
It wasn't about the money, but he simply enjoyed the feeling of collecting protection fees, as it made him feel prestigious.
"Mm."
Chen Miao silently nodded and gave a thumbs-up in admiration, but the corners of his mouth twitched subtly as he left. Here was another abnormal person. It seemed to him that ever since he arrived in this world, including the Hungry Monkey, he had not met a single normal person.
...
Back in the tomb chamber in the graveyard, Chen Miao began to take stock of all his gains for the day.
200 Star Coins, three F-grade materials, and a time-limited E-grade prop—that was for the perfect completion of an F-level secret realm.
3000 Star Coins, four F-grade materials, an E-grade weapon for the Gunman Profession, and three Free Attribute Exchange Coupons—that was what Doctor Gou had given him.
"Hmm..."
Chen Miao looked at the pile of items before him with a complex expression. As he sorted through them... why did it seem like the rewards from struggling to pioneer an F-level secret realm were in fact less than what Doctor Gou had given him?
Indeed.
He finally understood why the adventures in novels always involved meeting masters rather than the protagonist venturing into some minor map on their own.
The benefits of meeting a master were indeed much greater.
Though Doctor Gou might appear down on his luck now, as the saying goes, a thin camel is bigger than a horse. The items he casually produced were not only suitable for Chen Miao but also precisely what he needed at this stage.
First was the remaining 3200 Star Coins in his personal panel account.
Without the slightest hesitation, he reached for the Jade Talisman of Safety he had always carried close to his chest.
"Level Up!"
Soon after, a panel popped up in front of him.
'Ding, congratulations on successfully upgrading the Nothingness Space to level 2.'
'The Nothingness Space is now level 2, with a size of 7 meters in length, width, and height.'
'And you have obtained an exclusive Firearm Skin 'Tao Wood', as well as production lines for two calibers of ammunition, please select two calibers.'
"11.43mm and 9mm."
Chen Miao quickly made his choice. The former was the caliber for the Thompson Submachine Gun's bullets, while the latter was for the 'Python R6 Revolver'. These two weapons were also the main ones he had been using recently.
From what Doctor Gou had just mentioned,
occupational weapons for those of the Gunman Profession, such as the 'Python R6 Revolver', could be bought directly through the personal panel with Star Coins, though at a pricey rate, the convenience was worthwhile.
However, for non-occupational weapons of the Gunman Profession, acquiring bullets became more troublesome. One either had to set up a production line in the outskirts by collecting materials themselves to produce their own bullets or buy from other players who had production lines.
Back when the Gunman Profession was popular, this was a minor issue since there were plenty of corresponding service facilities. But ever since the profession fell out of favor and those workshops closed down, getting bullets for a Gunman's weapon had become difficult. Renowned Gunman players typically had their own production lines, while newcomers to the Gunman Profession could only... fumble through on their own.
Yet, what Chen Miao cared most about was that Tao Wood Firearm Skin!
'Prop Name': Tao Wood·Firearm Skin.
'Prop Level': Classless (unique).
'Prop Effect': Can designate any firearm to activate this prop, which will transform into a skin that permanently accompanies the firearm, significantly enhancing its abilities, and randomly adding some exclusive effects.
'Prop Restriction': Limited to use on firearm weapons only, and once applied, it cannot be removed.
'Prop Description': "Naturally brutal and stubbornly obstinate."
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"..."
Chen Miao looked at the mahjong-like prop in his hand with attachment; it truly was a fine item. The small square was engraved with the image of the Tao Wu Beast, which is a mythical creature from the Classic of Mountains and Seas.
If he remembered correctly, the Classic of Mountains and Seas also features the mythical Qilin.
If there indeed existed a Qilin firearm skin, he would definitely save it for an AK, not for anything else but for the obsession of ninety million CFers!
He planned to save this Tao Wu firearm skin for the Thomson. In the following period, this Thomson submachine gun would likely be his main weapon.
Only...
He couldn't use it at the moment.
The requirements for wielding the weapon were for the player level to be at least 2, with Strength attribute above 12.
He was only at level 1 now and still needed 200 experience points to reach level 2.
His Strength attribute was only at 8 points, lacking 4 points. Doctor Gou had given him 3 Free Attribute Exchange Coupons, and with the addition of the free attribute point he'd receive upon leveling up to 2, he could just make his Strength reach 12 points.
Which means.
He just needed to level up to 2 to use the Thomson submachine gun.
And with the Tao Wu skin, no less.
"Phew!"
The anxiety he had felt for so many days finally began to dissipate a little. Although he wasn't sure what effects the Tao Wu skin would bring, it was after all a unique skin, so it shouldn't be too bad. At the very least, it should help him survive the forced battle event a few days from now.
He finally felt a slight confidence.
Chen Miao nodded with satisfaction and turned to the Hungry Monkey who was washing up beside him, "Tomorrow, I'll take you to buy the Occupation Inheritance Book for martial artists, then we'll head to the secret realm and try to level up to 2 as soon as possible."
He had some credit points left from the day that he hadn't spent, and today Doctor Gou had given him the last payment of 1.8w credit points.
Add to that the extra materials he now had.
Plus selling the prop which only the Magician could use, which Hungry Monkey had rewarded from a perfect run in the secret realm, and exchanging Star Coins for credit points, they would just about have enough to buy an Occupation Inheritance Book for martial artists.
An Occupation Inheritance Book for martial artists cost 50k credit points, which was exorbitantly expensive!
Although pricey, it was still best to buy it sooner rather than later.
Lest Hungry Monkey keep following him into the secret realm and have all the experience points added to his Lifestyle Occupation as a porter, utterly wasting experience—it was quite literally life-exchanging, and such wastefulness was simply unthinkable!
"Alright!"
Hungry Monkey nodded vigorously, his eyes full of excitement as he lay on his makeshift bed, imagining what he would be like as a martial artist. After turning off the lights, he kept tossing and turning, clearly not falling asleep as quickly as he usually did.
The lights were out, it was time to sleep.
Several hours later.
The lights came on, it was time to wake up.
"..."
Chen Miao silently looked up at the light bulb above him, easily 2000 lumens, and sighed, reluctantly waking up as he started to dress and prepare to leave.
What is 2000 lumens exactly?
Ordinary household light bulbs are 100-300 lumens.
More than 1000 lumens is enough for construction site lighting, and at 2000 lumens, the moment you turn on the light, you'll know what's meant by 'daybreak.'
Especially when it illuminates right before your eyes.
It felt like a nuclear bomb exploding overhead. Who knew what was going through Hungry Monkey's head to install a 2000-lumen light cannon in his cramped crypt of a room.
It was bright, alright.
Quite good, indeed.