Chapter 48: Humanoid Discount Card

Chen Xiaolian finally let go of his suspicions towards this person called Xia Xiaolei.

It had to be said, this kid was a real simpleton and somewhat honest. A good way of putting it would be to say that he was an honest person. A more straightforward way of putting it would be to say that he was a stupid person.

If Chen Xiaolian was in his shoes and he sensed that there were Awakened ones engaged in a battle, he would not have taken such a risk to come over – especially when considering the fact that his strength was still at the level of a rookie.

Instead, this fellow actually came over happily in order to find a Great God to carry him to the lofty skies?

At any rate… all Chen Xiaolian had to say was that this fellow was of the idiotically adorable type!

Besides, Chen Xiaolian felt no small amount of goodwill towards this Xia Xiaolei fellow.

He was a really warm-hearted person.

Despite being told by Chen Xiaolian that he was injured and weak, Xia Xiaolei did not have any malicious thoughts. Seeing there were 4 person on Chen Xiaolian’s side, he suggested that Chen Xiaolian continued staying there for a moment while he went looking for a means of transportation.

After over an hour, Chen Xiaolian saw a farm vehicle chugging out black smoke as it moved towards them from the plains. In the driver’s seat, Xia Xiaolei was happily waving at them happily.

This boy then took the initiative to help carry Han Bi into the vehicle. He also helped to support Qiao Qiao who was having mobility problems and the unconscious Soo Soo up the vehicle.

When he saw that Chen Xiaolian was also having problems moving, he broke a tree branch for Chen Xiaolian to serve as a walking stick.

This fellow did not bear any ill intent towards them at all. This caused Chen Xiaolian to feel shameful of himself for his suspicious mind-set earlier.

After that… on their way, Chen Xiaolian realized that this fellow has a tendency to chat incessantly.

He was an orphan. He grew up following his master who was an old Chinese physician and would come harvest herbs in the mountains all year round.

According to him, the reason he was named Xia Xiaolei was because he was born in summer (xià) when thunders (léi) were still rumbling. Thus, his master casually picked that name for him.

According to him, his master liked to drink and was an old drunkard. From a very young age, Xia Xiaolei had started running amok around the mountains. All the herbs that he picked up would be exchanged for money where most of it would be given to his master to buy alcohol.

However, his master died a year ago due to excessive drinking which resulted in damaged livers.

As for how he entered the system, Xia Xiaolei showed no reservation as he spoke about it.

A few months ago, he had occasionally chosen to go to a very famous old town to peddle the herbs that he had picked up from the mountains.

That highly famed old town was the capital of several dynasties throughout history and has many fabled ancient architectural monuments.

In particular, there was a very famous mountain range there said to house the tombs of many ancient emperors.

According to Xia Xiaolei, after he went to peddle his herbs in the old town, he followed a group of people into the mountains to pick some more herbs. In the end, he fell sick and lost consciousness. When he woke up, he found that he had acquired a metallic sphere and thus entered the system.

After hearing that part, Chen Xiaolian was able to finally confirm that Xia Xiaolei must have become an Awakened one.

Moreover, the instance dungeon that Xia Xiaolei encountered piqued Chen Xiaolian’s interest – the 72 Demons instance dungeon that he had participated in was a new instance dungeon, consisting purely of Players. There were no Awakened Guild members within that instance, only the newly Awakened Han Bi.

However, the instance dungeon that Xia Xiaolei participated in… based on his description, it appeared to be one where Player Guilds and Awakened Guilds chaotically battled against one another!

In other words, with the exception of Xia Xiaolei who was a newly Awakened one, there were other veteran Awakened ones who participated inside…

One could assume that the Players gained information regarding the instance dungeon as they played the game… However, how would the veteran Awakened ones and the Guilds prepare themselves for an instance dungeon?

Could it be… GM secretly spread the information to them?

Unfortunately, this question was one that Xia Xiaolei was unable to answer. He was after all, a newbie Awakened. Not to mention, he had never even met the GM before.

This fellow did not put himself on guard at all. He showed no reservation as he poured out everything regarding his situation.

It had to be said, Xia Xiaolei’s way of conduct moved Chen Xiaolian – In this current day and age, such a kind of people had gone extinct in the city.

Using Xia Xiaolei’s farming vehicle, they arrived at his residence. It was a village situated at the foot of a mountain.

Xia Xiaolei’s house was a tile-roofed house. According to him, there were only a few old people left in this village who keeps watch over the place. The younger generations have all left to make a living away from home.

As they were in Xia Xiaolei’s house, he brought out some food to serve the guests and even brought out his own home brewed herbal wine.

After drinking two cups of wine, Chen Xiaolian openly asked Xia Xiaolei for his help.

“Can you help me exchange antidote out from the Exchange System?” Chen Xiaolian looked at Xia Xiaolei and did his best to project a tone of sincerity. “I can send you the points so that you can exchange it out. Then, you can give me the antidote.”

“Eh?” Xia Xiaolei was stunned. “You… cannot exchange it yourself?”

Chen Xiaolian gave a bitter smile. “Due to some special reason, I am currently unable to exchange… en, I am sorry but I cannot tell you the specifics. However, I can give you double the amount of points.”

“No, there is no need,” Xia Xiaolei waved his hands. “There is no need for you to be so modest. This is just a small matter. Wait a little, let me take a look at the Exchange System.”

Xia Xiaolei became silent for a moment as he searched through the Exchange System. After that, he said to Chen Xiaolian. “There is an all curing antidote, divided into three types: [Beginner] class, [Mid] class and [High] class. However, the difference in price is relatively large. [Beginner] class requires 30 points, [Mid] class requires 150 points, [High] class requires… 500 points.”

Chen Xiaolian considered for a moment. The poison that he and Qiao Qiao were suffering from was not the fatal type. Surely, the [Beginner] class alone would suffice. In addition… the [Mid] class Antidote was too expensive. He only has a total of 456 points, enough only for three of the [Mid] class Antidotes.

“Help me exchange out 5 [Beginner] class Antidotes,” Chen Xiaolian made his decision. In addition to the current necessity for the antidotes, he decided it would be best for him to procure more while he was at it. After all, he might end up meeting another enemy who uses poison. It would be best to make preparations for it.

Then, something surprising happened.

5 [Beginner] class Antidotes. Chen Xiaolian utilized the Gift feature to give Xia Xiaolei 150 points. However, after Xia Xiaolei made his purchase, Chen Xiaolian found through the system prompt that Xia Xiaolei had gifted to him 5 [Beginner] class All Curing Antidote… and 30 points!

“What does these 30 points mean?”

Xia Xiaolei’s face blushed a little. “Brother Wu, this is my Exclusive Skill.”

“What?”

“After I became a newbie, the personal skill I selected is ‘Haggling’. This skill is too humiliating for me to even talk about. It cannot be used to fight or kill… it can only be used to get discounts when exchanging for items through the Exchange System. My ‘Haggling’ skill is only at the beginner level, so getting a 20% discount during purchase is the only thing it can do. Even though the 5 antidotes cost a total of 150 points, it becomes 120 points after the discount. So, I returned you the 30 points.

If this skill is upgraded in the future, perhaps it could get a higher amount of discount. Sigh… at any rate, this skill is just too humiliating. It is of no help at all in a fight… I am truly a piece of trash.”

Xia Xiaolei’s face was as red as a tomato. However… Chen Xiaolian was utterly shocked!

Trash?!

Are you kidding me?

This is simply the best skill ever!

The Exchange System is undoubtedly the core component of this whole system! The exchange points are something that all Players and Awakened ones could only acquire by taking a huge risk: participating in instance dungeons!

A beginner level skill that gives 20% discount?

Are you kidding me?

That is simply a Godly skill!

Just think about it. For any teams, a large number of medical supplies and equipment had to be accumulated and prepared before entering an instance dungeon!

The cost for these supplies would be absolutely massive!

This Xia Xiaolei is quite simply a humanoid discount card!

Although his skill may be of no use in the frontlines, the presence of such a member in any team would allow that team to greatly increase their comprehensive strength!

If a team were to have such a humanoid discount card in their ranks… every time they needed to do battle in the instance dungeon, they would be able to save up a huge number of points. A large number of points can be saved when purchasing the consumption type of medicines and materials! Those points can then be used to purchase even more weapons and equipment of a higher quality…

Who would dare call this skill trash?

Moreover… the Exchange System must certainly have some of those highly expensive, high levelled items or others of the like!

When dealing with such high prices, the ability to gain a 20% discount for each purchase…. Just how many points can be saved?!

Also… this skill can still be upgraded! After the upgrade, the amount of discount would be even higher!

This skill cannot be used to fight?

What nonsense! With this skill, there would be no need to fight!

A Team Leader that would send a person with such a kind of skill to the front lines to fight must have a problem with his brain!

They must mobilize all their powers to protect this valuable team member!

Chen Xiaolian’s eyes turned red yet again. “Admit it! You… there is a main character’s brilliant aura above your head!”

Xia Xiaolei just gave a simple laugh.

…

Chen Xiaolian also tried asking Xia Xiaolei some other questions.

The thing that Chen Xiaolian was most concerned about… involves skill classifications!

The [S] class that Xia Xiaolei mentioned earlier had Chen Xiaolian very concerned.

Skill classification? He did not know anything about this at all – the damned GM did not even bother explaining it to him. As for his own system, it was clearly missing some parts.

“You do not know about skill classes?” Xia Xiaolei stared with wide-open eyes at Chen Xiaolian.

However, Xia Xiaolei was indeed a simple-minded person. Despite Chen Xiaolian not giving too much of an explanation, he had answered Chen Xiaolian’s questions.

“The specifics for the skill classifications are something that I too do not know of in detail. The criteria set by the system are not displayed out. Generally speaking, though, they are separated from [E] class to [S] class.

"However, a skill’s class is not set in stone as those skills can grow. In other words, some skills may have a lower class in the beginning. However, as the skill levels up, the skill’s class could be enhanced.

"But, the standard specifics are not displayed out in the system. I guess this part is a hidden part of the system.

"However, I did manage to hear something regarding this matter from an elder member of the Awakened Guild that took me in during my first day. There is a widely accepted thought amongst the Awakened ones and Players: Although the specifics and standard of the skill classification is unclear, one thing has been proven true. That is… it is possible to identify certain properties from the name of the skills.”

“Name? Properties?” Chen Xiaolian curiously asked.

Xia Xiaolei nodded his head and answered honestly. “According to that elder, fighting type skills that has the word ‘God’ is without a doubt an [S] class skill.

"This may be due to the preference and tendency of the Development Team. At any rate, if the name of the skill has words like ‘God’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Emperor’ or ‘Devil’, they are basically [S] class skills. Skills that possess names that are overbearingly domineering must certainly be a very powerful godlike skill. It could only be [S] class.

"However… each newbie would only have one chance to select their skill. Each would be assigned three random skills where they must choose one. However, most people would not have the opportunity to select a skill with the word ‘God’ or the others that I mentioned.

"These [S] class skills are exceedingly rare. It is said that amongst the Players and Awakened ones that possess these [S] class skills, anyone of them would be a powerful character with great fame.”

Hearing those words, Chen Xiaolian lost his composure!

“You… are you certain? As long as there is the word ‘God’ in it, that skill must certainly be [S] class?”

“I am certain.”

“Are you certain… that most people would not be able to select a skill with the word ‘God’?”

“Of course they would not be able to… if the word ‘God’ is so prevalent, then would [S] class still be [S] class?”

Chen Xiaolian exhaled with great difficulty, his heart pounding in a frenzy!

He could clearly recall that when he was selecting his Exclusive Skill, the three choices for him were…

Fire God’s Howl, Darkness Descent, Goddess of Dawn… he was to choose one of these three!

Damn it… and they say skills with the name ‘God’ in it are exceptionally rare, of the [S] class…

When this brother was making his selection, two out of three options have the word ‘God’ in it!

He needed to choose one out of the three, but two of them turned out to be [S] class?

This brother’s main character aura is also a very radiant one!

But…

Chen Xiaolian suddenly frowned…

That son of a bitch Goddess of Dawn’s Overwhelming Sunlight Purification is considered [S] class?

It is the Great Art of Demonic Dissolution! Each time I use it, I will become a crippled waste!

[S] class my ass!

…

Chen Xiaolian suddenly thought of something. He turned to Xia Xiaolei and asked. “Skills… how does one go about upgrading it?”

“By using points to purchase materials from the Exchange System,” Xia Xiaolei gave Chen Xiaolian a puzzled look. “The materials necessary to upgrade the various different skills can be purchased from the Exchange System. However, the materials required for upgrade would differ depending on the level of the skill. For a higher levelled skill, the amount of materials needed to upgrade the skill will be either higher in quantity or higher in price. In conclusion, it is not easy.”

Exchange System?

Chen Xiaolian nearly puked out blood.

This brother casually got two [S] class skills to pick from during the selection process! To be given a skill with such a great property, only to not have the Exchange System required to upgrade it!

What kind of a sick joke is this?

“Brother Wu… are you all right? You do not seem to be all right,” Xia Xiaolei saw that Chen Xiaolian’s face was twitching.

“Leave me alone, I need serenity,” Chen Xiaolian’s facial expression was a confusing contortion of laughter and grief. “And do not ask me who Serenity is.”

[1. This is a common Chinese joke these days; the term for peace/quiet, 静静, is also a fairly common name.  It is a common joke for one person to say, 'I need some peace/quiet/serenity', and someone else ends up saying, 'Whose Serenity'?]