Chapter 49: The Price of Power

The old man hadn’t even reacted.

The Stars’ Flame directly splattered across his face, instantly depleting his health bar to zero before he could make a move.

Casually, Zhang Luan discarded the old man’s lifeless body. He then gazed at the colossal magical energy device before him, falling into a brief contemplation.

This device was the very core of the entire bandit stronghold. All the energy flowed outwards from this point.

If he were to detonate it, the resulting explosion would be powerful enough to collapse this hollow mountain.

Its destructive power was well-attested by players. In the past, to destroy this camp, they had employed suicidal tactics, rushing in with a multitude of self-destructing items.

The bandits eventually grew terrified of these lunatics, their defenses faltering. They were then swarmed by a large group of players who forced a catastrophic, all-consuming explosion.

Zhang Luan had initially entertained a similar idea. However, upon observing the dense magical energy within, he found himself feeling a strange reluctance.

If there were a way to claim all of it, what an immense fortune it would be! Despite being merely a bandit camp, its energy reserves were by no means less than those of some smaller towns; in fact, they might even be greater.

This device originated from the Central World. If towns like Akamana City were considered starter villages, then the Central World was where the true game began.

Its vastness was unimaginable, and the resources it contained were incomparable to this place. This alone spoke volumes about the preciousness of this energy device.

Yikeduo had paid an exorbitant price to acquire it from a traveling merchant in the Central World, all to better facilitate the bandits’ raids. Even after players destroyed it in his previous life, the shattered fragments fetched a considerable sum.

“Should I destroy it? What a pity. Ah, right, I still have Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon.”

He decided to make one last attempt. Wasn’t one of [Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon]’s effects to absorb all types of energy?

Given that, absorbing the magical power from this magical energy device shouldn’t pose a problem.

Drawing forth the massive spear, [Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon], he roughly plunged it into the magical energy device. With a sharp crack, the transparent cylinder, brimming with magic, split open.

Immediately, piercing alarms blared, accompanied by dangerous red lights that pulsed throughout the mountain fortress. Zhang Luan ignored them, focusing on activating Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon’s effect.

Watching the overflowing magical energy continuously surge into Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon’s energy slot, a joyous smile spread across Zhang Luan’s face. It seemed he would never lack mana again.

The blaring alarms plunged the entire bandit camp into chaos. The elites who had left the mountain fortress due to the self-ignition incident suddenly realized they had been lured away. They rushed back at their fastest speeds.

They swiftly arrived at the staircase leading to the basement, where they saw two guards, completely drunk. Each elite delivered a kick before descending.

The secret chamber’s door stood wide open. The old man’s corpse lay on the ground, his head already ash-grey, threatening to completely dissipate with the slightest touch.

“Damn it! How are we going to explain the old man’s death to the City Lord! Blast it, that person must still be in the secret chamber. Let’s go, kill him, or the City Lord will surely kill us!”

The elites brandished their sharp weapons and leaped into the secret chamber. But the moment the first one landed on the ground, a surge of spatial fluctuation cleanly severed one of his arms.

“Ah!!!”

Witnessing his plight, the other elites felt their scalps tingle. The enemy hadn’t even appeared, yet one of their own had already lost an arm. A terrible start indeed.

But there was no alternative. Even if some knew the person they faced might be formidable, they had to give their all to kill them. Otherwise, Yikeduo would undoubtedly execute them in the most horrifying manner.

Before killing them, he would torment them just as they tormented the slaves they captured daily—a suffering no human could endure.

The others leaped down. One of them helped the armless man, extending a hand. A viscous substance shot from his palm, grasping the severed arm, intending to reattach it.

The rest looked towards the magical energy device. It was empty, yet a peculiar weapon impaled within clearly indicated the enemy’s presence.

“Damn it, can’t you search? Hurry and find him! Find that accursed bastard! Kill him! I’ll skin him, gut him, and throw him into a boiling oil pot!”

The armless man furiously swung his axe, repeatedly using charge skills within the secret chamber, hoping to force Zhang Luan out.

The others also employed their abilities, relentlessly sweeping through the massive secret chamber. In their eyes, that person absolutely hadn’t left; they must have used some means to hide within.

They even closed the secret chamber door, preparing to catch a turtle in a jar. However, no matter where they searched, they found no trace of Zhang Luan.

The armless man roared in fury. He had just tried to reattach his arm, but it was impossible. This meant that unless he used a prosthetic, he would live with one arm from now on. How could he not be enraged?

“Damn it! That guy must have run off before we arrived! Ah!! Damn, damn, damn! The City Lord will definitely kill us!!!”

They screamed in a mix of anger and fear. If they couldn’t capture Zhang Luan this time, their only fate was death.

“Alright, stop yelling, what’s all the fuss about? Didn’t you see that thing?”

At this, the only bespectacled man among the four adjusted his glasses, drawing all eyes to himself.

“What can save our lives now? Hurry up and speak, you idiot!”

The bespectacled man remained silent for a moment, then, under the others’ impatient gazes, he pointed a finger at Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon, which was still absorbing magical energy, and declared:

“My sub-profession is an appraiser. I’m certain that’s a legendary item. Do you understand what that means?”

At his words, silence fell upon the chamber.

Everyone’s gaze instantly shifted to the long spear-cannon. Their eyes first showed shock, then greed, and finally, unwillingness.

“Legendary… damn it. If the City Lord finds out about this equipment, there’ll be nothing in it for us!”

The armless man gritted his teeth, standing below Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon with unconcealed greed and profound reluctance.

The others felt the same way. Only the bespectacled man remained calm, even retreating a few steps as the others approached Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon.

Meanwhile, Zhang Luan, standing on the broken Azure Righteous Sword using Swordsmanship, quietly watched the spectacle from the ceiling. He had known these fools would turn their attention to [Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon] once they couldn’t find him.

What he hadn’t expected was that there would be a clever one among them. But it didn’t matter.

The gift he had left on Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon would still be received, even if the man retreated a few steps~~

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