Chapter 1

Only the most basic buildings existed in the small town: a pharmacy, a low-grade equipment store, personal warehouses, and a few NPCs. The tasks these NPCs issued were mostly low-level, involving collecting various items, hunting certain animals, and gathering animal furs, herbs, and ores. The rewards were experience or gold.

Nie Yan went to the pharmacy and bought three low-grade instant health potions, each restoring thirty health points for one copper coin. The stores only sold beginner-level health potions. Intermediate-level and above could only be made by pharmacists.

After buying the three low-grade health potions, he had one copper coin left.

Nie Yan walked outside, leaving the small town and sprinting towards the treasure chest's spawn point, bypassing monsters from a distance.

He was heading to an area with Level 5 monsters, which was extremely dangerous for his current level. However, his current experience was Level 0, 0%, so even if he died, he wouldn't lose any experience.

After passing two Level 1 monster areas, a Level 3 monster area, and a Level 4 monster area, it took Nie Yan more than ten minutes to finally reach the Level 5 Wildcat spawn area.

Observing the surroundings, it was a dense meadow with lush green grass reaching waist height. Looking towards the distance, there was a tall willow tree in the center, standing out starkly in the open meadow.

He wasn't far from the silver treasure chest. Nie Yan's heart began to race.

The area spawned Level 5 Wildcats, which Nie Yan couldn't handle at his current level.

Occasionally, one or two Wildcats would pass by, and Nie Yan would quickly hide.

Thieves had a class talent that passively increased their stealth, making it harder for other creatures to detect them.

He could also use Stealth.

Nie Yan used the Stealth level difference formula and calculated that his safe distance from the Wildcats after using Stealth was two yards. That meant if he approached a Wildcat within two yards while stealthed, he would be discovered. Between two and three yards was a buffer zone, where discovery was possible, but beyond three yards was absolutely safe.

Nie Yan had played a Thief for ten years in his previous life and was already proficient in the Thief's skills. Estimating distances with his eyes was no problem.

The bushes in the distance rustled. Nie Yan's expression changed, and he entered Stealth.

A wolfhound-sized Wildcat emerged from the bushes, its keen eyes scanning the surroundings. Finding nothing unusual, it crossed the open space and disappeared into another thicket.

After confirming the Wildcat was gone, Nie Yan cautiously moved forward.

Under the willow tree was a clearing about ten yards in diameter. A silver treasure chest sat quietly beneath the tree, surrounded by six or seven Wildcats.

These Level 5 Wildcats would require at least a team of twenty Level 3 players to clear.

Getting the treasure chest wouldn't be easy.

Nie Yan observed the Wildcats' movements from the bushes, trying to find a safe path to the willow tree.

The Wildcats' movements followed a certain pattern.

After observing for a while, Nie Yan put all his equipment into his backpack and put on his novice gear, which was worth zero copper coins in the NPC store and wouldn't be picked up even if dropped on the ground.

The penalty for dying in Faith was losing one level and a random piece of equipment. It wouldn't be worth it to lose his newly bought equipment. As for the novice gear, he wouldn't mind losing it; he was only wearing it for the sake of covering his body.

Nie Yan stealthily made his way towards the willow tree. After about ten seconds, he stopped and held his breath. A Wildcat passed him from the front, another from the left, and another from the rear, each within about two yards.

After staying still for six seconds, Nie Yan continued to move forward, carefully maintaining his distance from each Wildcat.

Little by little, he got closer to the treasure chest.

Nie Yan's heart rate slightly increased. He knew that if he could get that skill book at Level 0, it would be crucial for his future development.

Two more Wildcats walked towards Nie Yan's location.

Nie Yan quickly stopped. The two Wildcats passed nearby, brushing past him at a distance of about two yards, giving Nie Yan a cold sweat.

The Stealth skill lasted a total of two minutes. As time ticked by, with only thirty-two seconds left, Nie Yan started to feel agitated.

No time left. Nie Yan slightly increased his pace.

A Wildcat not far from Nie Yan moved, sensing Nie Yan's presence. It fixed its gaze on Nie Yan, baring its sharp teeth and letting out a hoarse growl.

Not good, he's been discovered!

The Wildcat leaped into the air, pouncing towards Nie Yan.

The Wildcat's attack was fast, and Nie Yan's movement speed couldn't keep up. But relying on the reflexes he had honed in his previous life, he sidestepped.

Basic character actions included sidestepping, rolling, and jumping. Players could use these actions within the system's framework to dodge attacks.

The Wildcat's sharp claws brushed past Nie Yan's throat, missing by less than an inch.

Just as Nie Yan dodged, two more Wildcats pounced from the side. One clawed at Nie Yan's back, while the other bit Nie Yan's arm.

It was over.

Using a health potion wouldn't help in this situation.

-68, -32. Two damage numbers floated above Nie Yan's head. His health reached zero, and he fell to the ground.

The scene changed, and Nie Yan resurrected in the Trake Town cemetery.

He had used Stealth too early, and he became impatient when the Stealth skill was about to end, leaving himself vulnerable. That was one reason for his failure.

Nie Yan summarized his mistakes and looked at his equipment. His bracers had been dropped, but they were only novice gear, so it wasn't a big deal. As for experience, it was still Level 0, 0%.

He had gone to the Level 5 monster area fully prepared to die.

Nie Yan set off again, leaving Trake Town and heading towards the Wildcat spawn point.

Reaching the edge of the clearing, Nie Yan discovered that the Wildcats' movements had changed. They had been drawn to the treasure chest earlier and were gathered where he had died, making it harder for him to get the silver treasure chest.

The Wildcats' active areas were constantly shifting. Nie Yan had an idea. He could risk his life to lure the Wildcats away first, then resurrect and sneak over to open the treasure chest.

About three yards away from the Wildcats, he deactivated Stealth, slowly revealing his figure.

Five Wildcats simultaneously noticed Nie Yan and chased after him.

Nie Yan ran away as fast as he could, but his movement speed was much slower than the Wildcats'. They quickly caught up. A Wildcat leaped into the air, knocking him to the ground, and the other Wildcats surrounded him, killing Nie Yan.

A flash of white light, and Nie Yan was back in the Trake Town cemetery, having dropped his leggings.

After resurrecting, he left the town again and hurried towards the clearing. After another ten minutes, he reached the outer edge of the clearing.

The Wildcats were a little further away from the treasure chest. After calculating the route, Nie Yan's eyes lit up. This time, it should be no problem.

He activated Stealth and approached the silver treasure chest. After moving for more than twenty seconds, he stopped. Two Wildcats passed behind him, gradually moving away.

All the Wildcats were relatively far away from Nie Yan, about five yards. Finally safe, he quickened his pace and reached the silver treasure chest. He had thirty-six seconds of Stealth remaining, six seconds more than expected.

Nie Yan crouched down and opened the treasure chest, maintaining Stealth.

System: Treasure chest opening, completion 20%... 50%...

A Wildcat passed nearby, stopping about two yards away from Nie Yan.

Nie Yan's heart rate involuntarily increased. Calm down, he told himself, he must remain calm. He kept reassuring himself, and his heart rate slowly returned to normal.

The Wildcat looked around, noticed nothing, and turned to leave.

Nie Yan sighed in relief.

System: Treasure chest opened, time elapsed: twenty-seven seconds.

Nie Yan opened the treasure chest and reached inside, feeling a paper book. His heart skipped a beat. This was it!

He took it out and looked at it.

Skill Book: Vital Strike

Skill Description: The thief inflicts additional damage by attacking the enemy's vitals.

Activation Requirement: Action (Weapon Required)

Skill Attribute: Gains an additional +5 bonus to attack check when hitting vitals. Damage is reduced when there is a deviation.

Skill Cooldown Time: Thirty seconds

User Restriction: Thief, Warrior, Paladin, can be used by any alignment.

It was indeed Vital Strike, a top-tier skill that could be learned at Level 0! That was his goal for this trip. Nie Yan crushed the skill book into a white light.

He looked at the skill bar. A new skill had been added: Vital Strike!

After Nie Yan took out the Vital Strike skill book, the silver treasure chest gradually faded and disappeared.

"Done. Time to use the free return to town," Nie Yan thought.

Stealth ended, and Nie Yan's figure slowly reappeared. The Wildcats discovered Nie Yan and pounced on him.

Since he wouldn't lose experience anyway, being killed was a convenient way to return to town. Nie Yan calmly awaited his fate.

Nie Yan died and returned to the Trake Town cemetery again. His novice cloth armor had also been dropped, but compared to the Vital Strike skill book, that was nothing. With Vital Strike, his leveling speed would be much faster.