Chapter 4: Exploiting a Bug
"Did I overdo it?"
Fang Zhen looked down at the shovel on the ground, first feeling a bit bewildered, then a wave of regret.
"Damn my mouth!"
Even after the previous two thousand squats, he had already developed some intuition, completely unaware that the NPCs were so intelligent and didn't follow the usual script. Now he had to start accumulating experience all over again.
However, Lin Qi didn't consider what Fang Zhen was thinking at all; his gaze swept directly towards the man and woman beside him.
"Your names and ages?"
"Twilight of the Gods, 19,000 years old this year."
"Wu Chang, 18 years old."
"Mhm, I like your honesty. Welcome to Obsidian Martial Hall. I am your Hall Master, Lord Lin Qi. According to the rules, if you wish to become glorious Martial Hall disciples, you must prove yourselves. Now you can go over there, pick a shovel you like, turn right out the door to the small warehouse, and within a time limit of two hours and twenty minutes, dig a 10-cubic-meter space five meters underground."
Lin Qi nodded and jotted down their information in a small notebook.
While Lin Qi was recording, Fang Zhen, who was about to leave the room, suddenly stopped, looking at Twilight of the Gods and Wu Chang with a stunned expression, his mouth wide open, as if he had discovered a new continent.
"You can play like this?" Fang Zhen looked at the seriously recording Lin Qi, feeling his intelligence was being challenged.
Whether it was Twilight of the Gods or Wu Chang, their ages were clearly nonsensical, yet the intelligent NPC not only believed them but even rewarded them by allowing them to choose their preferred small shovels for digging. This was a significant boost to digging efficiency.
"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you something." Lin Qi looked at the three heading towards the small warehouse and paused before saying, "As the first batch of disciples recruited by Obsidian Martial Hall, and the future inheritors who will restore Black Obsidian's glory, the first person to complete the proof will receive this Martial Hall's treasure, the Soul Shocking Breathing Method, which can help you achieve greater accomplishments on the path of martial arts!"
Like I can't lie too!
And as Lin Qi finished speaking, the already quiet corridor became even more silent.
"Treasure of the Martial Hall? Did we trigger some special event?" After hearing this, Fang Zhen's breathing quickened slightly.
Treasure of the Martial Hall!
Hearing this, it was clear it wasn't simple. If he could get it, he would definitely be a step ahead in High Martial Descent later.
"According to my years of gaming experience, we should have triggered a special event." Twilight of the Gods adjusted his non-existent glasses and calmly analyzed, "However, the possibility of us completing it is very low."
"What does 'very low possibility of completing it' mean?" Wu Chang, who was beside him, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Isn't it just the three of us competing?"
"This is something you wouldn't know. The reason I said it's impossible to complete is entirely because this game is too realistic. Ever since I entered the game, I've been observing it. Whether it's the physical sensations or the dust on the ground that's clearly visible to the naked eye, there are absolutely no flaws or bugs. If it weren't for the two of you being here, I would have almost suspected I had transmigrated." Twilight of the Gods explained without holding back, "Given that our physical condition is that of ordinary people, let alone digging a ten-cubic-meter space underground in two hours and twenty minutes, even if we were given five or six hours, it would still be impossible."
"Doesn't that mean we have no chance of getting that Soul Shocking Breathing Method?" Wu Chang said with some regret.
"No! We have a chance!" Twilight of the Gods said very confidently.
"What chance?" Fang Zhen couldn't help but prick up his ears.
Digging a ten-cubic-meter space underground in two hours and twenty minutes was clearly unreliable, unless he could be given double the time, or his physical fitness dramatically increased.
But whether it was the first or second scenario, both were clearly impossible, especially the second one. So far, there wasn't even a method to improve physical fitness, and the only way required completing the task first, which was simply unsolvable.
"Let's team up!" Twilight of the Gods glanced at Lin Qi behind him and smiled faintly, "This NPC is quite foolish; he only acts according to established procedures. He even believed me when I said I was 19,000 years old, without the slightest suspicion or questioning. This proves what I said."
"Team up? How do we team up?" Fang Zhen asked curiously, "This NPC told each of us to dig a ten-cubic-meter space."
After hearing this, Twilight of the Gods shook his index finger and adjusted his non-existent glasses again, saying, "He said each of us should dig a ten-cubic-meter space, but how is 'each person' determined? I just said this game is very realistic. What if the three of us team up and dig in one place, one shovel at a time?"
"With the efficiency of the three of us teaming up, we can definitely dig out ten cubic meters in two hours and twenty minutes. As for the Soul Shocking Breathing Method we get, that's even simpler. I've already said this game is very realistic. No matter who gets it, once he masters it, he can teach it to others. This way, all of us can learn the Soul Shocking Breathing Method."
"Holy crap! I've never been impressed by anyone in my life, but you, brother, are the first!" Fang Zhen was also greatly shocked after hearing this, as if a door to a new world had opened. He never expected a 100% virtual reality game could be played like this.
"Okay! Let's team up!" Wu Chang, who was beside him, also nodded and couldn't help but look at Twilight of the Gods again. "Oh right, let's introduce ourselves. I'm Wu Chang, the vice-president of the Heaven's Might Guild in the martial arts game 'Holy Land'. If you're interested in guilds, you can come to our Heaven's Might. I guarantee I can get you at least core member treatment."
"'Holy Land''s Heaven's Might Guild?" Fang Zhen was also startled when he heard Wu Chang's self-introduction, his gaze towards Wu Chang filled with disbelief.
In this era where virtual games were prevalent, the martial arts masterpiece Holy Land was a divine work with daily global online users reaching one billion. Any second or third-rate guild in Holy Land had a market value exceeding one billion, with over fifty thousand members.
As for those guilds that could rank among the first-tier, their market values were in the hundreds of billions, with over a million members, not much inferior to some world-class companies. And in Holy Land, there were five giant-level guilds, and Heaven's Might was one of them.
The treatment for a Heaven's Might core member could be said to be completely on par with the top professional players in Mech Continent.
"So it's Wu Jie, a pleasure to meet you. If I ever want to join a guild in the future, Heaven's Might will definitely be my first consideration." Twilight of the Gods also looked at Wu Chang with considerable surprise, and at the same time, formed a new evaluation of the game High Martial Descent in his heart.
The virtual game Holy Land was considered an emperor-like existence in the virtual gaming world. The vice-president of Heaven's Might, instead of focusing on managing the guild, came to this new game, High Martial Descent, and even planned to recruit people within High Martial Descent. This was enough to show how much Heaven's Might favored the future of High Martial Descent.
Just as Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wu Chang were talking back and forth, everyone in the live stream room was also dumbfounded.
"Combined bug exploitation! They're going to fleece the NPC together!"
"Brother Twilight of the Gods! I bow down to you."
"Awesome! I've lived until now and only just realized this is how games are played!"
"Quick! Who can let me in? I'm going to fleece that NPC."
While everyone was caught up in frantic admiration and discussion, Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wu Chang also arrived at the small warehouse. The three of them shoveled, one after another, enjoying life immensely, growing stronger the more they worked.