Chapter 1 See How I Avenge You

"I'll head to the Spirit Illusion Pool and check it out. There are a few treasure chests there with some decent stuff. I wonder if anyone's gotten to them yet." As Nie Yan pondered this, a system notification suddenly popped up.

System: Player Yaozi has added you as a friend.

"Nie Yan, it's me, Tang Yao," Tang Yao said anxiously.

"What happened?" Nie Yan frowned, hearing the agitation in Tang Yao's voice.

"I'm being cornered in the Rein Hills," Tang Yao said gloomily. At this moment, Nie Yan was the only person he could think of to call.

"Who's cornering you?"

"People from the Radiant Sacred Flame guild. There are over twenty of them. My five teammates were all killed. I was the only one who escaped. If it weren't for Lei Zi covering me, I would've been done for too. Now they've blocked both exits of the Rein Hills," Tang Yao said. Lei Zi was a classmate of Nie Yan and Tang Yao's from junior high. Nie Yan only contacted Lei Zi occasionally.

Radiant Sacred Flame. Nie Yan had heard of them before. They were a large guild. When everyone was Level 60, the main system had a guild ranking. Radiant Sacred Flame was in the top sixty. Even later, their ranking never fell below one hundred.

"Stay hidden. I'll be there soon," Nie Yan said. If he was too late, Tang Yao might die, and dying meant losing a level. That would be extremely depressing.

Nie Yan entered the scroll shop and bought five Return Scrolls, five Beginner Acceleration Scrolls, and five Beginner Strength Scrolls. As long as he got a Return Scroll to Tang Yao, Tang Yao would be safe. As for the Beginner Acceleration and Strength Scrolls, he would keep them in case of emergency.

A single Return Scroll cost as much as 30 copper coins. The Beginner Acceleration and Strength Scrolls were a bit cheaper, at 20 copper coins each. Beginner Acceleration Scrolls could increase movement speed by 20%, and Beginner Strength Scrolls could increase Strength by 5 points, lasting for thirty seconds.

Scrolls were not something the average player could afford. No one dared to buy this many at once like Nie Yan.

Nie Yan also bought some low-level Instant Health Potions, just in case.

With the scrolls stashed away, Nie Yan sprinted toward the teleportation point. His set of bronze equipment, plus 5 points of Agility and 2 points of Speed, made his movement speed far surpass that of ordinary players.

He reached the teleportation point at top speed, teleported to Link Town, and then headed north after leaving Link Town.

"How did you guys get into a fight with them?"

"We ran into a Level 3 Elite monster while grinding. We attacked it first, but those guys tried to snatch it, relying on their numbers. In the end, a Thief in our party snatched a piece of bronze equipment. They weren't happy about it, so a fight broke out. Three of them are red names now," Tang Yao said, slightly out of breath, as he was still evading his pursuers.

"How long can you hold out?"

"Luckily, Rein Hills is big enough. I'm just running them in circles. Plus, there are fewer of them. They won't catch me in an hour, unless they call for reinforcements."

"An hour is more than enough time. I'll have some fun with them," Nie Yan said, feeling eager for action. He had changed into a set of bronze equipment and learned so many skills, but he hadn't had the chance to test them out on anyone yet.

"What do you want to do?"

"I'll get some payback for you, bro," Nie Yan said confidently.

"How many people do you have?" Tang Yao asked doubtfully. Had Nie Yan found a lot of people to come help?

"Just me."

"Are you kidding me?" Tang Yao found it hard to believe.

"What do you think?" Nie Yan chuckled. Right now, most players weren't that strong. It had only been a little over a week since the game launched, so everyone was still a newbie. Even a large guild like Radiant Sacred Flame wouldn't have many players who could match him, let alone the average players. "I might not be able to wipe them all out, but taking down a few shouldn't be a problem."

Nie Yan had played a Thief for a full ten years (previously modified), so he knew the skills, PK techniques, and strategies of every class like the back of his hand. What did it matter if they had more people?

"Don't get yourself caught up in this. If it's too much, just forget about it. I'll only lose a level if I die."

"Don't worry. Just stay hidden and watch," Nie Yan said.

At the entrance to Rein Hills was a narrow valley that only allowed three or four people to pass at a time, with steep cliffs on either side.

Three players guarded the entrance to Rein Hills: a Level 3 Berserker, a Level 3 Elemental Mage, and a Level 2 Holy Priest.

The Elemental Mage was a red name.

Everyone else had gone into the valley to hunt down Tang Yao, leaving these three to guard the exit.

The tragic Tang Yao was trapped like a turtle in a jar.

"Damn it, that guy's as slippery as an eel. We still haven't caught up with him. I wonder when my red name will disappear. I can't return to town until it's gone," the Elemental Mage said, looking at the party chat and cursing.

"Don Cang, don't get angry. As long as you don't get killed before your red name disappears, you'll be fine. Besides, we earned a lot. We killed five of them and got five pieces of equipment," the Berserker consoled him.

"Those five pieces of garbage are worth nothing. If those kids hadn't dared to steal our equipment, which really pissed me off, I wouldn't have bothered messing with them," the Elemental Mage called Don Cang said dismissively.

"Don Cang is simply brave and invincible. He killed three of them on his own. That Scorching Fire Blast he used just now was brilliant," the Holy Priest said, brown-nosing.

"Those three noobs are weak. One Scorching Fire Blast took away most of their health. With that little magic resistance, they dare to come out and play," Don Cang said smugly.

The Berserker and Holy Priest beside him were subservient to the hot-tempered Elemental Mage, indicating that he held a significant position in the Radiant Sacred Flame guild.

The three of them chatted idly.

"Red name, huh? Looks like I'll have a good meal today." Nie Yan smiled strangely from afar. If a big red name like that Elemental Mage got killed, he'd lose every piece of equipment he had equipped.

Moreover, the red-named Elemental Mage's equipment looked pretty good. He was wearing a set of fiery red robes that shimmered like flowing flames, and he was holding a dark-red catalpa staff with flames swirling around it. It looked like the Fire Chaser set, but Nie Yan wasn't entirely sure.

This Elemental Mage was following a high-attack Fire-type build. The high magic damage of Fire-type spells could indeed be troublesome. The Berserker beside him was also relatively difficult to deal with. As for the Holy Priest, he could basically be ignored. Early on, Holy Priests didn't even learn healing spells. They were basically just following the team to leech experience.

Scanning the surrounding environment, the slopes of the nearby mountains had a somewhat complex color palette. However, Nie Yan had learned the Passive Skill Stealth Enhancement, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Nie Yan entered Stealth and crept toward the three players.

His right-hand dagger was in a reverse grip. As he got closer and closer to the three players, about five yards away, he could see every detail of their expressions.

The Elemental Mage, Don Cang, felt a strange sensation and warily scanned his surroundings. Nie Yan quickly stopped, concealing his presence. That Elemental Mage had very high perception.

"Don Cang, what's wrong?" the Berserker asked, puzzled. He looked around, but saw nothing.

Don Cang scanned his surroundings intently, but found nothing. He shook his head and said, "Maybe I was just seeing things."

Nie Yan frowned slightly. This Don Cang was clearly an experienced PK player. He had sensed his presence from that far away.

The stronger a player's perception, the easier it was to detect Thieves in Stealth.

"I can't underestimate him," Nie Yan warned himself inwardly. Countless painful experiences in his past life had taught him that underestimation was often the beginning of failure.

Nie Yan lightened his footsteps, changed his gait, and once his mind calmed down, he gradually entered the state of a Thief in Stealth, completely blending into the background.

"Don Cang, that arcane mage hid somewhere in the hills. Bai Mao and the others lost track of him," the Berserker said, glancing at Don Cang's expression.

"Oh," Don Cang answered casually.

"That guy's pretty clever. He almost killed Dong Zi just now," the Holy Priest said, looking at the party chat.

"Yeah, Dong Zi's defense is too low," Don Cang replied, sounding somewhat distracted.

The Berserker and Holy Priest were both puzzled. What was wrong with Don Cang? He seemed so absent-minded.

Nie Yan was behind Don Cang, so he couldn't see his expression.

He was only two yards away from Don Cang, staring at his back. He estimated that the Berserker and Holy Priest were both about three yards away. That was close enough. He was like a leopard that had been waiting for a long time, suddenly pouncing on Don Cang.

"Kid, I've been waiting for you," Don Cang said with a sinister smile, retreating backward. He waved his staff and cast Explosive Fire Ring! (Bao Lie Huo Huan)

He had already discovered Nie Yan! His 8 points of Perception weren't for show.

It was very difficult for a Thief in Stealth to be completely undetectable to a skilled player.

He wanted to lure Nie Yan closer and then work with the Berserker and Holy Priest to capture and kill him in one fell swoop!

"You're eyeing my equipment, huh? Do you have the life to take it?" Don Cang sneered. He thought Nie Yan was just a Thief passing by who had taken a fancy to his equipment. Plus, he was a red name, so he had aroused the Thief's greed. He didn't connect Nie Yan to Tang Yao at all.

Don Cang finished casting his spell, and a ring of fire spread out.

After casting Explosive Fire Ring, he quickly retreated.

Flames rushed toward Nie Yan!

Nie Yan's heart jumped. This Don Cang was reacting too quickly.

"It's a Thief!" The Berserker and Holy Priest beside him reacted and immediately took action.

Turning around and running away now would be very dangerous. The Berserker would charge over, and with the Elemental Mage, Don Cang, and the Holy Priest behind him providing ranged damage, Nie Yan would definitely die!

"Kill him!" Don Cang wanted to use Explosive Fire Ring to force Nie Yan back, while the Berserker took the opportunity to hold Nie Yan back, allowing him to create distance and cast spells at his leisure.

How could Nie Yan not know Don Cang's intention? Retreating now would be the same as putting himself in Don Cang's line of fire.

Nie Yan flicked his left hand, producing a Speed Scroll. Although he felt a bit of a pang, he didn't hesitate to crush it.

Movement speed +20%!

Nie Yan's movement speed was already high. With a 20% bonus, he was even faster, charging through the sweeping flames.

With a loud bang, Explosive Fire Ring struck Nie Yan, dealing 35 points of damage.

System: Don Cang's party attacked you first. You may exercise self-defense against them for half an hour.

The duration for self-defense in a party battle was half an hour. When encountering a large team or guild, the duration for self-defense was even longer.

Don Cang had very high magic damage. If Nie Yan hadn't just changed into a set of bronze equipment, that Explosive Fire Ring would have taken away at least half of his health!

Sparks flew as Nie Yan burst through the flames of Explosive Fire Ring, rapidly closing the distance to Don Cang. The dagger in his hand thrust straight at Don Cang's chest.

Don Cang had fought Thieves up close before, but this was the first time he felt such immense pressure. Nie Yan's attacks were powerful, and his movements were incredibly fast.

"He used a scroll!"

Don Cang quickly retreated, tearing off a magic rune and preparing to chant Scorching Fire Blast.

Scorching Fire Blast required five syllables, two gestures, and a magic rune. Fortunately, magic runes were sold in shops and weren't expensive.

The Berserker flanked him, leaping up and unleashing a Flame Slash to cover Don Cang while he cast Scorching Fire Blast.

Their coordination was excellent, and the timing was perfect.

Crimson fire elements rapidly gathered. Scorching Fire Blast was Don Cang's highest-damage fire spell. If the opponent's magic resistance was low, it could even kill them in one hit.

The magic resistance of the Thief class was only average. Their magic resistance was equal to their defense multiplied by a 0.6 modifier.

Scorching Fire Blast took five seconds to cast.

Seeing the Berserker pouncing from the side, the sharp blade close at hand, Nie Yan's dagger flashed like lightning, parrying the blow.

The roughly three-inch long dagger collided with the Berserker's greatsword with a crisp clang. Both of them shuddered, and the Berserker's greatsword could not advance even an inch.

Don Cang retreated, uttering a series of obscure syllables, his voice filled with a deep, explosive force.

It was the sound of summoning elemental magic.

Bang, a ray of holy light exploded on Nie Yan, dealing 13 points of damage. The Holy Priest's attacks were quite limited, but he was still constantly dealing damage to Nie Yan.

The instant Nie Yan blocked the Berserker, he pounced on Don Cang again at top speed.

Despite being subjected to such fierce attacks, Nie Yan continued to advance fearlessly, which shocked Don Cang. What a valiant Thief!

Nie Yan understood that he had no time to hesitate. The slightest hesitation could cost him his life. He had to fight to the death.

When two warriors meet on a narrow road, the brave one wins.

Countless PK experiences in his past life had given Nie Yan an extremely keen instinct for battle. He would not lose!

Three seconds, four seconds. A scorching flame rapidly coalesced on Don Cang's staff, and the scorching fire elements were about to transform into a violent destructive force.

Nie Yan rushed in front of Don Cang at his fastest speed.

"Stun!"

Don Cang was still a step too slow. Nie Yan's dagger plunged into Don Cang's head, and the fiery light of Scorching Fire Blast rapidly dissipated, disintegrating in the air.

Stun had an attack-interrupting effect. When Nie Yan struck Don Cang, Don Cang's Scorching Fire Blast was interrupted.

The tense string in Nie Yan's heart relaxed slightly. It was just a little bit. If Don Cang had released Scorching Fire Blast, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The Berserker's Flame Slash was parried, and Nie Yan had already broken free from his attack range and controlled Don Cang.

So fast! The Berserker's heart shuddered. Nie Yan's speed was faster than any Thief he had ever seen. But he didn't have much time to be stunned. He raised his greatsword and charged forward like a tank, crushing toward Nie Yan.

"Vital Strike!" Nie Yan completely ignored the Berserker. Taking advantage of Don Cang's stunned state, he unleashed a Vital Strike with the dagger in his hand, piercing Don Cang's heart.

System: Vital Strike executed. Attack position deviated by 5%, resulting in an additional attack check damage bonus.

Don Cang's remaining sixty-odd health points were instantly depleted, and he fell to the ground. With a loud bang, his entire body, from his headwear and robes to his gauntlets, and from his leggings to his boots, all the equipment he was wearing dropped to the ground, scattered all over the place.

System: You have killed a red name. You have gained 1 point of Prestige.

In the game, players received one point of Prestige for killing a red name. After killing the same red name more than three times, they would no longer receive Prestige. Prestige could be obtained by killing red names and completing missions. The higher the Prestige, the easier it was to receive missions, and one could also receive certain discounts in cities.

After Nie Yan killed Don Cang, the Berserker charged over, his greatsword falling. He dodged to the side, evading the Berserker's charge and brushing past him.

The Berserker was about to attack Nie Yan, but he suddenly flashed away, causing him to lunge into empty air and charge far away.

"All of Don Cang's equipment dropped. Quick, get it back!" the Berserker said anxiously. Don Cang was an important figure in the Radiant Sacred Flame guild and frequently participated in the guild's dungeon missions. His equipment was exceptionally good, ranking high in the entire guild. That set of equipment was worth at least ten silver coins!

But he was far away from the equipment on the ground. By the time he turned around, Nie Yan had already started picking up the equipment.

The Holy Priest ran toward the place where Don Cang had fallen. He had been releasing attack spells from a distance to avoid Nie Yan, so how could he possibly be in time to grab the equipment!

Nie Yan bent down, picked up two pieces of equipment, and threw them into his bag. A ray of holy light fell on Nie Yan.

-17. A damage value floated above Nie Yan's head.

A Single Slash!

The Berserker pounced forward, slashing at Nie Yan.

Nie Yan ignored the Berserker's attack and continued to throw the equipment into his bag.

"Done." Nie Yan thought to himself. Picking up equipment was really a pleasant thing. When he looked up, the Berserker was already in front of him.

Bang, the Berserker's sword energy struck Nie Yan, dealing 22 points of damage.

With only 23 health points left, Nie Yan remained calm and quickly retreated, gulping down a Beginner Instant Health Potion.

"Bastard, I'll hack you to death!" Don Cang had been killed. If he didn't kill Nie Yan, it would be difficult to explain to Don Cang. The Berserker's eyes turned red as he frantically pursued Nie Yan.