Chapter 76: The Struggle of Stuffed Bun
Bato City Central Plaza buzzed with players coming and going, a vibrant sea of activity.
"Buying a set of Standard Iron Gear!"
"Looking for a Wizard Dad—twenty people to raid the mountains for Snowmen, no Wild Wizards!"
"Need an Instrument!"
"Market-rate buy on all Potions—especially Healing Potions. Bring as many as you can!"
Once again, the quartet known among players as the "Black Slave Four" gathered. Still clad in their unchanging Novice Sets, they hadn’t so much as upgraded a single piece of gear—after all, every last coin earned from grinding had been funneled into repaying their Loans.
Singo perked up with infectious enthusiasm: "How’s your Faction Contribution now? I’m at 7,985."
Xia Ye Qiu Yu adjusted his dirt-streaked hair: "I’m at 6,389."
Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang rubbed his bald head, his expression solemn: "7,071."
Stuffed Bun’s face had long since shifted from despair to a vacant, hollow stare. "I only have 5,789..."
"Hardcore Player," Stuffed Bun groaned, "we’ve been grinding like slaves for eighteen days straight. This 'Black Slave Four' nickname is already legendary on the Player Forum. When the hell is this nightmare going to end?"
He ran a hand over his rough, threadbare tunic—his only clothing—and sighed longingly for his old Leather Armor. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t even particularly strong. But it had offered a fragile sense of security, something he now deeply missed.
Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang clapped him on the shoulder, voice heavy with wisdom: "As the ancient saying goes: When heaven is about to bestow a great responsibility upon a man, it first tests his spirit, exhausts his body, and starves his flesh. The path to becoming a professional player is never easy."
Stuffed Bun stared at Singo, still buzzing with energy after eighteen days of backbreaking labor. What a complete monster, he thought. And yet, even Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang—ever the cheerful, grinning veteran—was no less formidable.
Xia Ye Qiu Yu smoothed his messy hair, still disheveled from mining: "Any progress on the Tiefling quest?"
Stuffed Bun shook his head: "All I’ve done is sleep, grind, and dream of a decent set of armor. I don’t have the energy to care."
Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang rubbed his scalp until it gleamed like polished stone: "I tried asking some Tieflings. They shut me down cold. One even attacked me! Lucky I’m a Barbarian—thick skin saved me from dying in one hit."
Singo, however, grinned mysteriously. "I’ve already completed the quest."
"Earlier, I bribed a desperate, broke Tiefling with a few gold coins. Got the intel out of him after some serious persuasion. It wasn’t easy—they all seemed reluctant to talk about the past. But eventually, I figured it out."
"The Tieflings originally came from a city called Northwind Keep, ruled by Duke Brad Lakanman of the Lakanman Family."
As Singo finished recounting the grim, bloody history, each player’s Character Sheet flashed with a bright [Quest Complete] notification. Their Faction Contribution accounts swelled by 500 points.
After nearly a month of relentless gameplay, most players had grown attached to Bato City. The Player Forum even hosted a fan club for Meizhuolashi.
Xia Ye Qiu Yu sighed: "Meizhuolashi really did go through hell."
Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang growled: "Damn those bloodsucking vampires!"
But Stuffed Bun suddenly blinked, eyes widening in suspicion. "Wait—where’d you get the money? You spent all your gold on invitation tickets!"
Singo remained perfectly calm, his tone casual as ever: "When I went to take out a Loan, I noticed some of my gear still had equity left. So I pledged mine, Qiu Yu’s, and Warman’s—just enough to cover the loan. Your gear? I sold it. The money’s on my account. I’ll reimburse you next time."
"You bastard, Hardcore Player!" Stuffed Bun roared, his suppressed rage finally erupting. "You’d rather sell your gear than return it to me?!"
He lunged at Singo, fists clenched, determined to strip him of his Novice Set—just like the infamous "Holy Light Guy"—and reduce him to a laughingstock.
But Singo was swift, dodging with dancer-like agility. Stuffed Bun nearly crashed into the central Dragon statue.
"Stay calm," Singo called, still grinning. "Even if you strip me naked—you still can’t get your gear back."
As he spoke, Stuffed Bun lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes suddenly catching something on the statue’s base—a tiny inscription, nearly invisible unless you were looking closely.
[Dedicated to the Master of Ashen Hollow—Powerful and Most Noble Red Dragon, Eternal Sovereign of Bato City—Lord Kai Xiusu Claudew Noirikexius.]
"Holy crap—y’all come see this! I found something huge!"
The four rushed over. Singo, utterly unbothered by dignity, dropped to his hands and knees, buttocks in the air, squinting at the text.
"Kai Xiusu..."
"That name sounds familiar." Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang rubbed his gleaming bald head, his mind still foggy after eighteen days of slave labor.
Xia Ye Qiu Yu facepalmed. "Remember that super cool NPC? The one with the Mysterious Dragonblood Sorcerer—Kai Xiusu title above his head?"
Singo added: "And he’s got clear Red Dragon traits—scales, horns, golden eyes."
Stuffed Bun’s eyes widened in sudden realization. "Wait… so that mysterious NPC—the one we’ve been told is our faction’s Chieftain, the never-seen boss of the Red Dragon… he’s actually the human form of the Red Dragon himself?!"
Singo nodded. "Looks like it."
Stuffed Bun exhaled, stunned. "We’ve struck gold here… wait—no! I already have -10 favor with the boss! Hardcore Player, give me back my Favor Level!"
Singo ignored him, turning to the others. "You guys notice anything strange lately? Royal Power’s leader, 'The Overlord,' has been sending agents to seize Wall Construction quests. He even lured the Construction Guy, 'Bucket Runaway,' away with a massive paycheck. That whole sector’s already under their control."
"And Sword Pavilion? They’re actually going into the mines themselves now. That’s not just ambition—it’s a signal."
Stuffed Bun froze. "You’re saying…"
"They’ve figured out the value of Faction Contribution?"
"Likely," Singo said, arms crossed, eyes sharp. "But now we can go public with the quest info. Right now, everyone’s sitting at over 7,000 Contribution. We’ve already pre-purchased our Mysterious Invitation Letters. Even the big guilds can’t catch up."
"Now’s the time to push every player to farm Faction Contribution. Grab their quests, slow their progress, and we’ll cash in. We’ll finally get to take on those high-tier, high-reward jobs we’ve been missing."
"Stuffed Bun," Singo said, grinning, "finish your grind tonight, then jump straight into making your video. I’ll post the guide on the forum. Tonight—we go All In."
"Got it," Stuffed Bun replied, his voice suddenly brimming with fire. "Hmph. Thirty years east, thirty years west—don’t underestimate the young! I’ll show every one of those mocking me as a 'Black Slave' just what it means to always be ahead!"
But as he sat down to edit his video later that night, brushing a hand over his increasingly thinning hairline, a cold thought struck him.
"Wait… I’ve been in-game all this time… and I’m still working for Hardcore Player?!"
(End of Chapter)
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