Chapter 42: First Death (2)
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The NPCs who taught Life Skills were all situated on the outskirts of towns or deep in the mountains and forests, somewhat giving off an impression that they were skillful hermits. Shen Jingbin summoned her mount and headed straight for the Apothecary instructor after obtaining his location.
After she left, an ordinary looking male player also walked out from the tavern. He looked at Shen Jingbin’s silhouette as she left before lowering his head to write a few letters and sending them out.
Nine Ballads walked behind Crying Fish as they prepared to discuss the details of their alliance with the people from Sovereign’s Descent. Suddenly, a carrier pigeon landed on her shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Crying Fish couldn’t help but ask after seeing the abrupt change in Nine Ballad’s expression once she finished reading the letter.
Nine Ballads destroyed the letter in her hands before replying, “Nothing… I need to leave for a moment. I’ll trust you to make the decisions regarding the guild, I have no opinion about it.”
Once she finished speaking, she turned and left without giving the other party time to respond.
“What a horrible temperament.” Crying Fish couldn’t suppress the resentment she had towards Nine Ballads and cursed her inwardly as she watched her leave.
It wasn’t all that difficult to find an Apothecary instructor. Shen Jingbin caught sight of their small wooden hut shortly after leaving the city on her old horse.
Her heart leaped in joy, but just as she was about to speed up, a huge net suddenly fell from the sky and enveloped her. Four men leaped up from the corners of the net and grabbed ahold of it. Then, with a pull of the net, they tightened it around Shen Jingbin.
The system range out the moment the net wrapped around her, “You’ve been attacked by a player. Your mount has been automatically recalled.”
What the hell is going on?!
With the disappearance of her mount, Shen Jingbin abruptly landed on the ground. She struggled in an attempt to break free, but it was to no avail due to the sturdy nature of the net. Seeing this, she raised her head and looked at the men who surrounded her as she asked, “Who are you people?”
Song And Laughter laughed coldly at her and replied, “It’s no use to you even if we told you who we are. Do you think that you’ll be able to avenge yourself?”
“At least let me know why I’m going to die.”
Red Mustard said, “Stop spouting so much nonsense at her. The boss will settle the score with you when she arrives in a moment.”
“Anyway, she’ll know once the boss arrives. It doesn’t make a difference whether I tell her or not.” Luxuriant Sky tugged at the edge of the net, further tightening it around her, “Nine Ballads is our boss. You actually dared to strut around by yourself even after offending her. You’ve got guts.”
Glorious Independence Day mocked her as well, “Aren’t you very close to Quiet And Steadfast and those other great gods? Why don’t you ask them to come save you?”
“Did Nine Ballads ask you guys to capture me?”
Song And Laughter was just about to answer her, when Nine Ballads suddenly interjected, “I’m the one who allowed them to watch you. What’s wrong? Do you think other people won’t be able to recognise you just by wearing a veil? I’ve already told you that I was going to properly repay this debt.”
“So you’re willing to resort to overwhelming me with numbers? Let’s just fight it out one-on-one.” Shen Jingbin raised her eyes and looked straight at Nine Ballads.
Nine Ballads’ thin lips twitched as she gave a contemptuous smile, “Did you think that I wouldn’t be able to tell that you’re also a martial artist? On top of that, you’re the one who captured the Divine Beast, right? I’m here to get my revenge, not to have a fair fight with you.”
Once she finished speaking, she unsheathed the long sword by her waist and stabbed Shen Jingbin in the chest.
Shen Jingbin let out a stifled groan as a sharp wave of pain ran through her.
“What? You can’t even endure something like this? Let me tell you something, I’m not done with you yet!”
Nine Ballads exerted more force on the long sword in her hand, pushing it deeper into Shen Jingbin’s body. She then slowly twisted its handle, causing the blade that was embedded in her chest to turn, bit by bit. Large amounts of bright red blood surged out of Shen Jingbin’s chest, thoroughly staining her green Daoist robe.
Shen Jingbin paled even further in accordance with Nine Ballads’ movements. Song And Laughter’s bunch who were watching off to the side felt their scalps turn numb at the sight of this scene.
F*ck, it really hurts!
Shen Jingbin gritted her teeth as prepared to forcibly log off.
“You are now in battle mode. 100 taels of silver and 100 Chivalry points will be deducted if you forcibly log off.”
“Sorry, you don’t have 100 taels of silver in your backpack. You are unable to forcibly log off.”
What the f*ck! System, are you mental?!
“Didn’t I drag you down just once? Do you really need to go this far?” Since she couldn’t forcibly log off, Shen Jingbin could only think of another way to divert Nine Ballads’ attention.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I go this far?” Nine Ballads’ delicate face distorted a little as she said, “This can be regarded as the first stain in my gaming career. It’s only natural for me to get my revenge. Besides, I’ve always been the type of person who haggles over every penny.”
The sword in her chest sank deeper inside of her. Shen Jingbin was in so much pain that she was starting to black out. Only then did she realize that she hadn’t adjusted the pain receptors in the game since she started playing.
The default setting for pain receptors in the game was 80%!
“Oh dear, looking at you now, it seems like you didn’t adjust the pain receptors, did you?” Nine Ballads suddenly thought of this possibility when she saw that Shen Jingbin’s reaction was even greater than she’d imagined it to be. At that moment, the smile on her face immediately became even more smug, “I originally wanted to torment you a little longer and let you have a taste of how it feels like to be humiliated. But, since you didn’t adjust your pain receptors, then I’ll have mercy on you and spare you from such misery.”
Shen Jingbin had an ominous premonition of what was to come.
“The game developers really did a good job in designing the sensation of dying in this game. You should experience it for yourself!”
As those words fell on her ears, Nine Ballads stuck the remaining half of the sword into Shen Jingbin’s body.
Shen Jingbin felt a searing pain tear through her chest and make its way up towards her forehead, before she immediately blacked out. Her whole body suddenly felt incomparably heavy, causing her to sink to the ground without the slightest bit of control over her own bodily functions. A strange sense of despair attacked her heart.
Was this what dying felt like?
“Cherish your life, for life is precious. As this is your first death, the pain receptors implemented have been forcibly adjusted to 85% to teach you a lesson on the fragility of life. Notification: For your own safety, please remember to lower your pain receptors after you revive =D”
The f*ck. Nine Ballads, this isn’t over!
The gloomy look in Nine Ballads’ eyes lightened a little when she saw Shen Jingbin turn into a ray of white light, disappearing before her eyes. She turned around and looked at her four lackeys, “You guys did very well this time. I’ll help you guys get some benefits in the guild. In the future when you come across this woman, you must inform me at the first possible moment.”
“Yes, Boss.”
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