Chapter 17: The Grand Hidden Quest — The Bandits’ Revenge

Although "I Love a Stick" could not learn the Heaven-Shattering Palm, the moment he touched the manual, an image flashed through his mind.

He was intimately familiar with that figure. It was none other than Old Lu’s son, the Chief Constable of Wangyou County, Lu Yuan.

"Heaven-Shattering Palm, First Form: Mountain-Toppling Sea."

In the vision, Lu Yuan swung his palm. In an instant, the earth shook and the mountains swayed; the entire world trembled incessantly. Where the palm print passed, space shattered and all things ceased to exist, as if the apocalypse had arrived.

A Heaven-Defying grade martial art—truly terrifying. And a Heaven-Defying grade expert—even more so.

Watching Lu Yuan’s figure, "I Love a Stick" felt an excitement that refused to subside for a long time. Ever since Lu Yuan’s video went viral, the game forums had been filled with speculation about his level. Some guessed he was First Rank, others suggested Second Rank, and some even went so far as to claim he was a character from a future update, likely exceeding level one hundred—a rank beyond the First Rank.

"I Love a Stick" had been curious too. He had even asked Old Lu, but every time, Old Lu would simply say that Lu Yuan knew no martial arts and was merely born with divine strength.

"I Love a Stick" was speechless. "Divine strength my foot! Lu Yuan isn't Chang Wei."

But now, he finally knew Lu Yuan’s true level: Heaven-Defying. A level far above the First Rank.

"Holy crap, that’s overpowered."

It seemed he had latched onto a golden thigh—an incredibly formidable one. Was his luck finally turning?

"Ahem, apprentice," Old Lu nudged "I Love a Stick’s" leg with his cane and gave him a meaningful look.

Though "I Love a Stick" didn't understand what his master meant, he handed the manual back to Chen Yiyi.

"Yiyi, there are candied haws in the kitchen; go have some."

Old Lu used a ruse to send Chen Yiyi away, then explained the origin of the martial arts manual to "I Love a Stick." He repeatedly instructed him not to expose Lu Yuan’s lie.

"A lie?"
"Huh?"
"This is a fake manual?"

"I Love a Stick" was stunned, his eyes filled with bewilderment as he looked at Old Lu. A fake manual? He was well-read; he couldn't be fooled. This couldn't be a fake. It had to be authentic because it had been verified by the system. Players were not NPCs; it was simple for a player to distinguish the authenticity of a manual—they only needed to hold it, and the system would identify it. You could fool the natives, but you couldn't fool the players.

Even though Old Lu kept insisting that the Heaven-Shattering Palm was a fake manual, "I Love a Stick" remained convinced it was real. He just couldn't learn it yet. The requirements for learning it remained unknown, perhaps waiting for a future game update to be revealed.

...

"Master, my lips are sealed. I won't tell her."
"Good. Continue your training."
"Remember to eat plenty of meat, or your body will wither from the strain of the practice."
"Yes, Master, this disciple understands."

...

At the Wangyou County Yamen, in a shaded spot, Lu Yuan was taking a leisurely afternoon nap with his arms pillowed under his head and a cloth covering his face to block the dazzling light.

Suddenly, several people burst into the yamen, shouting.

"It’s bad! It’s bad!"
"Bandits are coming!"
"Magistrate, bandits are coming to raid our Wangyou County!"

These individuals were dressed somewhat strangely, but by their speech and demeanor, they were clearly players. Lu Yuan didn't wake up, but Secretary Su was startled from his rest.

"Who? Who is making a racket in the yamen?"

Dressed in simple robes, Secretary Su stormed into the hall, but his anger dissipated when he saw they were "Outsiders."

"Outsiders? Why are you causing a disturbance? If you don't give me a good reason, don't blame me for punishing you."

"Secretary? Where is the Magistrate?" The players felt it was inappropriate to speak to the secretary, so they asked for the Magistrate.

"His Excellency is resting. He is advanced in age and finally fell asleep. You Outsiders shouldn't wake him over trivial matters. Speak your piece. If it is something I cannot decide, I will go call the Chief Constable."

Secretary Su handled the county’s administrative affairs, and he could make decisions on most matters. If he encountered a major issue he couldn't resolve, he would seek out Lu Yuan or the Magistrate.

"Alright then. Secretary, we discovered some bandits. We even obtained a letter from one of them. Please take a look, Secretary."

The players explained their reason and pulled a letter from their robes. The envelope was stained with blood, fresh and still damp. Secretary Su took the letter, touched some of the wet blood, and sniffed it. It was a strong, metallic scent. It was blood.

"Is this your blood?"

"No, no, it’s the bandit’s. We were robbing people outside the city when we happened to encounter bandits attacking villagers. We acted out of justice and subdued them. During the fight, we didn't gauge our strength well and accidentally killed him. This shouldn't be a problem, right?"

The players looked at Secretary Su cautiously.

"It's fine, it's fine. Killing bandits is no issue; they are not protected by the laws of the Great Yong. You have no need to worry."

"That’s a relief. We found this letter on the bandit. We read the contents and saw they intended to raid Wangyou County, so we brought it to the yamen."

The players explained. In truth, they had found many valuables on the bandits—silver and martial arts manuals—but they hadn't turned those over. After all, those were their spoils of war; the laws of Great Yong didn't mandate that bandit loot be turned in.

"I see."

After understanding the situation, Secretary Su opened the letter. A moment later, his expression turned grave.

"Gentlemen, thank you. Would you mind leaving your names? The authorities will not forget your contribution," Secretary Su said earnestly.

"Is there a reward?"
"Yes."
"What kind of reward?"
"Silver."
"How much?"
"That is not yet clear; the specific reward must be determined by His Excellency himself. However, I can tell you that the amount will not be less than ten taels. His Excellency has always been generous to those who perform meritorious deeds."

"Hahaha! Each?"
"Yes, each."
"Hahaha! We’re rich!"

"Would you mind leaving your names?"
"I am 'Rain-Soaked Faction'."
"'Rain-Soaked Sweaty Feet'."
"'Rain-Soaked Old Lady'."
"'Succubus Rain'."

"Hmm? Is there a particular meaning behind these names? Never mind, I won't ask."

...

[Ding! The 'Succubus Rain' player squad has triggered a large-scale hidden quest: The Bandit's Revenge.]

[The Bandit's Revenge: The Liu family has been raided, and the Ninth Leader of the Black Mountain Stronghold was killed by the Chief Constable of Wangyou County. The Black Mountain Stronghold is furious and is gathering a large number of bandits to raid Wangyou County in revenge. This is a large-scale hidden quest; all players within a hundred miles of Wangyou County may participate. Defend Wangyou County, kill bandits, and earn points to exchange for rewards, with the potential to obtain Mysterious-grade martial arts manuals.]