Chapter 12: The Advanced Quest Begins

Lu Kuan nodded. “Don’t worry, I’m confident.”

The girl in blue exchanged glances with her two companions, then quickly agreed. They all added each other as friends.

“Let’s hope for a pleasant cooperation,” Lu Kuan said, extending his hand toward the girl in blue and black hat.

However, she hesitated, didn’t shake his hand, and instead took a step back, putting more distance between them. At that moment, A Kui stepped forward, shook Lu Kuan’s hand with a smile, and said, “Looking forward to working together~”

Lu Kuan raised his eyebrows slightly and glanced at her, but appeared unaffected, smiling as he said, “By the way, you’d better stick to leveling up around the edge of the Red Mist Forest. Ogres spawn here from time to time.”

The three girls all nodded, recalling the savage ogre from earlier. They were still shaken. A Kui couldn’t help saying, “We had no idea there’d be such terrifying monsters here. We just wanted to gather some herbs for Qingyi to practice her skills…”

Hearing this, Lu Kuan’s heart stirred. He looked at Qingyi, who had barely spoken, and asked, “What level is your alchemy?”

“Almost level 4,” Qingyi replied softly.

Lu Kuan was overjoyed. Not long ago, he’d posted missions at the Adventurers’ Hall, offering high pay to hire alchemists, but few had applied, and the highest level he’d seen was just over level 3!

For a player at this stage to have advanced alchemy to the intermediate level was truly rare.

With this in mind, Lu Kuan said directly, “That’s fantastic. Tomorrow, I might need some potions crafted on the spot. Would you be able to help? I have the materials, and I’ll pay the going rate.”

Qingyi clearly hesitated, glanced at her two friends, then nodded. “Alright.”

“I’ll contact you then~” Lu Kuan waved to them and turned to leave.

As his figure disappeared into the forest, the three girls immediately huddled together.

“Hey, did you notice? He looks about our age, but he talks like an old man,” Bai Keke was the first to comment.

A Kui nodded in agreement. “Yeah, and the way he fought those monsters—he’s clearly an old hand! Just compare him with our classmates…”

“It’s not that they’re bad at the game, it’s that this guy is just too good,” Bai Keke shook her head, then looked at Qingyi, concern in her eyes. “But Xiaoxiao, sorry to trouble you this time. I know you don’t like dealing with strangers. If it’s too uncomfortable, we can just drop him…”

Qingyi, who had been silent, lowered her head, crinkled her nose adorably, and gave a light laugh. “It’s fine. B+ tasks are rare. It’s only this once, anyway.”

“Yeah, let’s hope he’s as reliable with tasks as he is with fighting monsters.”

“He should be, right…” The three girls continued discussing in low voices as they made their way out of the forest. Meanwhile, on the other side, Lu Kuan had already reached the outskirts of the ogre lair, waiting for an opportunity to hunt a lone ogre.

The Red Mist Forest was full of herbs. Lu Kuan picked them while slaying monsters. By the time the sun set, his pack held over twenty ogre teeth and two bundles of herbs.

He made it back to Lava Fortress before nightfall, scoured the auction house as usual, then headed to the Alchemy Hall to practice his skills. Only when the system’s “beep-beep” sounded did he realize it was already midnight.

Exiting the game, Lu Kuan stood and stretched deeply. The internet café’s gaming equipment only allowed him to sit, a far cry from the comfort of the platinum helmet that let you play lying in bed. The difference in comfort was worlds apart.

Lu Kuan could hardly wait to get his hands on Liu Xueliang’s platinum helmet.

He left the internet café. Outside, the silver moonlight bathed the world. Compared to the crescent moon, the Milky Way stretching across the sky looked even more magnificent. Walking home at a relaxed pace, he could see the light still shining from his parents’ room, and hear their low voices.

“If you’re tired, take a break…”

“Just two more months, let’s try to earn Kuan’s tuition ahead of time. Maybe he’ll want to go to grad school one day…”

“Yes, as long as Kuan tries his best, we can’t be the ones holding him back.”

“Mmm…”

Lu Kuan was overcome with emotion. He knew that no matter how much he urged them, his parents wouldn’t rest. Only when he achieved real success could he ease their burden.

…

The next morning, as soon as dawn broke, Lu Kuan got up for a run, then went to the morning market to buy groceries, and started preparing lunch early in the kitchen.

“Well, what’s this? Did the sun rise in the west today?” His father, seeing Lu Kuan busy, wore a look of astonishment. His mother, hearing the commotion, came out too. The two of them crowded into the kitchen, looking at their son as if he were an alien.

Rolling up his sleeves while washing celery, Lu Kuan grinned from the doorway. “Today I’ll treat you both to my cooking. I guarantee you’ll never forget it—so delicious it’ll leave you speechless, floating on air…”

“Smack!”

His mother tapped him on the head with a slipper, laughing and scolding, “You rascal, when did you get so cheeky?”

His parents thought he was just putting on a show, but to their surprise, Lu Kuan insisted they go back to their room, and in just over half an hour, a sumptuous meal was set out on the table.

His father’s favorite: fried chili peppers, cooked to perfection. His mother’s favorite: bitter melon with shredded pork, fragrant and appetizing. Plus sautéed cabbage, tomato and egg…

Seeing his father’s satisfied smile and his mother’s teary-eyed laughter, Lu Kuan felt a deep sense of contentment. From now on, he thought, every day should be filled with such happiness.

That evening.

Because of a game update, the opening time was an hour later than usual. When Lu Kuan entered as usual, the sun was just rising in the game. The ancient Lava Fortress was bathed in orange light, exuding a unique beauty.

At the same time, a bold line of text appeared in his field of view, accompanied by the system’s sonorous announcement.

“A brand new advancement quest has begun. All players who have reached level 10 may receive the quest at 8 o’clock sharp from their respective class trainers. Complete it to transfer classes and earn new specialization rewards, with relic-level prizes…”

Reading the familiar lines, Lu Kuan couldn’t help but smile. The new journey was about to begin!

He wasted no time and headed straight for the Ranger’s Hall.

It was a grand stone building, the front hall supported by eight massive pillars, their surfaces covered in vines and moss. In the morning light, they cast long, narrow shadows. The breeze carried the damp scent of the forest outside, filling the hall with a refreshing air.

Before he even entered, Lu Kuan could see the hall packed with people, especially outside the office of Lore, the chief ranger instructor—crowded to the point of being impassable.

The official forums had already announced: anyone who completed the advancement quest within 48 hours would receive a piece of purple gear! The temptation was huge, so everyone wanted to grab the quest as soon as possible and get a head start.