The old man had always been indifferent to Nie Yan. In his previous life, Nie Yan discovered that encountering him had merely been a coincidence. At that time, Nie Yan was already over level 30, and the items sold here were all low-level goods, expensive and not worth buying, so Nie Yan had only purchased a few things and didn’t have a deep impression of the place.
Due to its remote location, few players were willing to come here, so not many players even knew of this old man—perhaps none at all. Later, this slum was developed into a commercial area, yet for unknown reasons, Sosomiro’s Shop remained intact and continued selling items. By that time, only wealthy low-level players were willing to visit.
Nie Yan glanced at the trading interface. Currently, there was one special item and two types of scrolls suitable for his use: Flash Powder, Web Spell Scroll, and Polymorph Sheep Scroll.
Nie Yan purchased ten doses of Flash Powder, each costing fifty copper coins, along with three Web Spell Scrolls and two Polymorph Sheep Scrolls.
This old man might be a mage, often inscribing basic spells onto scrolls for sale. Web Spell was a decent low-level skill for mages, normally usable at level 10, but these scrolls could be used as early as level 5 and weren’t restricted by class. As for Polymorph Sheep, mages could learn it at level 20, but the scroll version could still be used at level 5. However, both scrolls were quite expensive—each Web Spell Scroll cost two silver coins, and each Polymorph Sheep Scroll cost three silver coins.
The more powerful something was, the more expensive it tended to be.
Such expensive items forced Nie Yan to use them sparingly, or else he’d spend money faster than he could earn it. Aside from large guilds, few people could afford these things.
Thinking back to his previous life at this level, Nie Yan had been dirt poor, stretching every copper coin as if it were two. He certainly wouldn’t have splurged on such things. Now, however, the situation was completely different. Nie Yan could now be described as wealthy and bold.
After finishing his purchases, Nie Yan exited Sosomiro’s Shop and headed toward the teleportation array.
“The items are all gathered. We can head out now. We’ve got two hours, so we need to hurry,” Ban Xing De Hu Li sent a message.
“I’ll be right there.”
Nie Yan quickly arrived at the teleportation array.
“You’re here? Did you get everything?” Ban Xing De Hu Li asked curiously, wondering what Nie Yan had bought that took so long.
“I got it.”
Seeing that Nie Yan offered no further explanation, Ban Xing De Hu Li didn’t press further.
The group activated the teleportation array, each paying ten copper coins, and teleported to Nate Village, the farthest settlement under Karol City. In ancient common tongue, “Nate” meant a town in the swamps.
This village lay in the center of a swamp, frequently plagued by toxic creatures. The villagers were tough and resilient. It was common to see hunters with crossbows and strong builds bringing in their prey. Animal pelts were often sold here, occasionally yielding high-quality goods, making it a paradise for tailors.
After arriving in Nate Village, Nie Yan and his team headed toward the swamp’s center.
Players active on the streets showed little surprise at Nie Yan’s group, as large guild teams often came here to tackle the Ogmat Mire, so they had grown accustomed to it.
Nie Yan and his companions arrived at a grand building in the center of Nate Village. It was the best residence in the village, built in the style typical of swamp settlements. It stood on higher ground, with slopes covered in plants and a path leading to the iron-clad entrance.
Everyone stopped and looked at Nie Yan.
“I’m going to take the quest,” Nie Yan told his teammates and walked forward.
Nie Yan pushed the door open, walked through the luxurious living room, and entered the dim bedroom at the back. An old man lay on the bed, his face pale and lifeless. Several villagers stood around him, looking worried.
“‘Chief Monta has been poisoned by a Manticore, and if we don’t get the antidote soon, Chief…”Roth, what nonsense are you talking about?”Sorry. ”Only the eye of the Manticore King can save Chief Monta.'”
System: “You have arrived at Chief Monta’s home and learned that Chief Monta has been poisoned by a Manticore. ‘Damn those Manticores, how many innocent lives have they destroyed?”
System: “Will you seek the eye of the Manticore King to save Chief Monta?”
Yes!
“Moved by compassion, you decide to find the eye of the Manticore King to cure Chief Monta. The villagers look at you with gratitude and respect. Nate Village Respect +3.”
Completing the Ogmat Mire quest for the first time grants 3 points of respect. However, subsequent completions do not yield additional respect.
System: “You have accepted the instance quest, Explore Ogmat Mire, to find the eye of the Manticore King. Please choose the quest difficulty: Easy, Normal, Hard, Expert, Master?”
Expert!
“You have chosen Expert difficulty. All party members gain a 10% attribute boost during the quest, which will be invalid upon exiting the instance.”
According to system rules, after a 10% attribute boost, players cannot engage in conflicts with others. If provoked, they will be protected by guards.
After accepting the quest, Nie Yan exited Chief Monta’s house. Upon completing the quest, Nie Yan and his team could return here with the eye of the Manticore King to claim a reward.
Seeing Nie Yan come out, Ban Xing De Hu Li approached and asked, “Expert difficulty? Are you confident?”
“Not bad,” Nie Yan replied. In fact, as long as nothing unexpected happened, it should be manageable.
Nie Yan’s reluctance to elaborate left Ban Xing De Hu Li feeling frustrated. He couldn’t figure out Nie Yan’s thoughts. In contrast, Huanghun was far more confident. Although Ogmat Mire was several tiers above the Treant Forest, Huanghun still had great faith in Nie Yan.
The other team members were also surprised. Choosing Expert difficulty was unexpected. They had attempted Ogmat Mire three times already, never succeeding. Once, they had even reached the Manticore King, but its attack was terrifying, instantly defeating their shield warrior and leaving them hopeless. Their shield warrior had 130 defense and 360 HP, which, at the current stage, was considered top-tier. It wasn’t until their priests learned Divine Shield and could provide protective barriers that they dared to try again.
Nie Yan daring to attempt Expert difficulty in Ogmat Mire—wasn’t that suicide?
Regardless, the quest had already been accepted, and there was no turning back. Although surprised, the team remained silent, waiting to see what would happen since Ban Xing De Hu Li hadn’t spoken up either.
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