Walking too slowly, when can I get a horse for riding? That would be much faster, thought Nie Yan. However, horses wouldn’t become common for at least another two months. They were too expensive right now—one of the worst horses cost more than ten gold coins, which wasn’t worth it.
Nie Yan used an acceleration scroll and sprinted toward the city of Sogot.
Like a rainbow streaking across the plains, he quickly vanished at the horizon.
Half an hour later, Nie Yan gradually entered a dark swamp. Due to its distance from the town, fewer players were farming monsters here. Currently, few players ventured this far out, although there were exceptions—quite a few high-level players who enjoyed adventure still roamed here. Along the way, Nie Yan encountered several player parties.
Short shrubs scattered everywhere, fog obscured the sunlight, and the occasional cold breeze made the surroundings eerie.
The ground was full of puddles and occasionally one or two decaying animal skeletons. From time to time, snake-like creatures slithered through the bushes. The dark swamp was filled with unknown dangers lurking everywhere.
System: You discovered the Natlan Swamp.
“We’ve arrived,” Nie Yan thought, gazing at the misty Natlan Swamp. Getting through this area would take some effort.
Nie Yan carefully maneuvered between the bushes, trying to avoid any possible creatures. As he passed through a dense patch of grass, his exceptional perception alerted him to danger.
With a “swoosh,” a bulky figure burst from the grass and lunged toward Nie Yan.
Instinctively, Nie Yan rolled aside to evade. As he got a clear look at the creature, he realized it was a Swamp Monitor. This enormous lizard was over two meters long, with dark-spotted emerald skin. Its head, claws, and tail were covered in spikes coated with greenish venomous mucus. This toxin could cause full-body paralysis, leaving its victims immobilized for two or three seconds, making the Swamp Monitor extremely dangerous.
“It’s one of these,” Nie Yan’s heart tightened. These Swamp Monitors didn’t have much health and were quite fragile. However, if they managed to land an attack, it could be deadly.
In his past life, experts often said: never underestimate any monster—even the weakest Swamp Monitor could paralyze you.
At lower levels, these monitors were almost the bane of spellcasters and rogues. Once hit by their venom, one might become immobilized and then torn apart. Even heavily armored tank warriors could fall victim if they were careless.
Swamp Monitor: Level 6, HP 360/360.
Missing its initial lunge, the Swamp Monitor landed heavily on the ground with a loud crash, sending dust flying.
After rolling aside, Nie Yan struck the monitor’s head with the hilt of his dagger, stunning it. He followed up with backstabs, precise cuts, and critical strikes. Damage numbers—-79, -83, -97—popped up above the monitor’s head. The Swamp Monitor twitched and collapsed to the ground.
These monitors were extremely fragile, and as long as they couldn’t land a hit, they were very easy to kill.
Under Nie Yan’s assault, the Swamp Monitor had no chance to retaliate.
After equipping a full set of level-five gear, Nie Yan’s attack power had already reached over 60 points. Such high damage was unimaginable for most players at this stage. Combined with a rogue’s naturally fast attack speed, his damage output was extremely high. Except for some guild leaders, very few players could match Nie Yan’s equipment. Not to mention Nie Yan also possessed a divine item like the Chapter of Courage.
With powerful will, sharp perception, excellent athletic ability, sharp attacks, and extremely fast attack speed, Nie Yan could easily handle monsters beyond his level like the Swamp Monitor without feeling any strain.
As Nie Yan slashed his way through the Swamp Monitors, his agile movements ensured none of them could even touch him.
Venturing deeper into the swamp, the fog grew thicker, reducing visibility. Nie Yan had to proceed cautiously with every step. Although he could easily defeat the Swamp Monitors, their venom was still deadly.
The drifting fog created vague illusions.
It was like a distant battlefield, where the warriors’ roars and horses’ neighs faintly echoed in his ears. A gentle breeze blew, and these desolate, distant scenes vanished into the wind.
Heavy footsteps mixed with hallucinations, giving an unreal sensation.
At first, Nie Yan didn’t notice anything unusual, until he felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. Then he realized something was wrong. Scanning his surroundings, he spotted a monitor slowly crawling out from nearby grass. Its red tongue flickered, and a foul stench wafted toward him.
This monitor was five yards long, covered in gray-black scales. Its strong limbs pressed against the ground, and its long tail was lined with spikes. Strange white patterns adorned its neck.
To the original inhabitants of the Natlan Swamp, monitors with white scale patterns were terrifying beings. These white patterns symbolized mystery and death.
This monitor was clearly different from the ordinary ones.
Spotting Nie Yan, the monitor quickly darted forward, lunging at him. As they ran, their bodies and tails twisted back and forth, achieving surprisingly high speed. This strange crawling posture allowed them to move faster. In an instant, it reached Nie Yan.
Nie Yan quickly retreated while casting Detect on the creature.
Serpent Lizard: Level 7 Sub-Elite, HP 1200/1200.
Recognizing it as a Serpent Lizard, Nie Yan’s heart sank. How had he encountered this creature!
Serpent Lizards only appeared in the Natlan Swamp. They were sub-elite creatures. At Nie Yan’s current level, even facing regular same-level leaders meant only running away. Facing a level-seven elite was even worse. Previously, he had defeated a level-seven elite lion and an eight-level sub-elite ogre devourer only because the terrain was unique and offered strategic advantages. Here, fighting a Serpent Lizard was practically impossible. They were the true rulers of this swamp.
Although the Serpent Lizard didn’t have much more health than other same-level elite creatures, its attacks were deadly. It could spit venom, create mud, and generate fog. Players under level ten couldn’t solo a Serpent Lizard. Only parties of five or more level-ten players dared to challenge it. It was known as the swamp killer, and many players who farmed in the swamp had died to it.
The Serpent Lizard lunged at Nie Yan like lightning, spitting out a cloud of poison. The greenish toxin rapidly spread.
The green poison emitted a foul stench. Even a slight whiff caused dizziness and disorientation.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage