Chapter 7: The small fry who can’t play assassin

Before they left, Ming Die called out, 

“Oh, wait! Here are two Appraisal skill books. Take them.”

[Skill Name: Appraisal]  

[Quality: Common]  

[Cost: 10 Mana Points]  

[Learning Condition: A hint of curiosity]  

[Attribute Scaling: None]  

[Description: Reveals basic information about a target. The target may sense the appraisal.]  

[Note: Legend has it, at Legendary quality, Appraisal can see through clothing to the essence beneath. Sadly, no one’s ever confirmed this rumor.]

***

After accepting the quest, the two girls headed deep into the forest. 

The swift Ying Ye led the way, with Bai Yue Ling following obediently.

Killing 10 players wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t impossible. 

The server had just launched, so everyone was low-level, with minimal gear, skills, and skill ceilings.

But Bai Yue Ling (a Priest) and Ying Ye (an Assassin) made a poor PvP duo, far less effective than standard combos like Warrior+Archer.

How to complete this quest? 

Rely on Holy Light Orb for surprise wins? 

Bai Yue Ling fretted, glancing up.

Ahead was Ying Ye’s agile figure, her snowy legs wrapped in black boots, tight shorts hugging her swaying hips—perfect for, well, face-planting into.

Bai Yue Ling’s mood lifted.

Despite vowing revenge on older sisters, she couldn’t deny her fondness for them.

As long as those curvy older sisters didn’t get her killed.

Suddenly, Ying Ye stopped, and Bai Yue Ling, caught off guard, crashed into her back with her ample chest.

“W-What’s wrong?”

“Monsters.”

Bai Yue Ling peeked around, spotting two wolves blocking their path, eyes fierce, teeth dripping with saliva.

Cautiously, she cast Appraisal.

[Name: Wild Wolf]  

[Race: Wolf]  

[Level: 2]  

[Description: Low-level beast. You’re not scared, are you?]  

[Note: Woof!]

The wolves crouched, lunging from both sides.

“Leave it to me,” 

Ying Ye said confidently, darting forward like an arrow. 

“I’ll protect you.”

The left wolf roared, pouncing. 

Ying Ye leapt, her dagger tracing a perfect arc, plunging into its skull.

Crack!

The wolf collapsed, whimpering, dead.

Ying Ye tried pulling her dagger to chase the second wolf, but it was stuck in the bone, refusing to budge.

The other wolf, cunning, ignored Ying Ye and charged at the frail Priest.

“Little White, dodge!” 

Ying Ye shouted, heart racing.

But Bai Yue Ling calmly raised her staff, hurling it like a javelin into the wolf’s open maw—

Splurch!

[Killed Wild Wolf ×2. Team experience gained.]

Staring at the wolf impaled by the staff, Ying Ye’s lips twitched, speechless.

Bai Yue Ling retrieved her staff, wiping blood on nearby leaves, and said to Ying Ye, 

“Starter daggers are low-quality, not very sharp, and easily get stuck in bone.”

She twisted Ying Ye’s dagger free with finesse. 

“You had a better option: slide under it mid-jump and slash its belly.”

“Oh… right,” 

Ying Ye nodded, dazed. 

“In other MMOs, headshots always deal big damage, so I aimed there…”

“But World of Fate has a hyper-realistic physics system. Treat it like a real world, not another MMO. Don’t bring bad habits here.”

“A real world… got it,” 

Ying Ye said, enlightened.

Why does a Priest know more about playing Assassin than me?

Little White… she’s amazing!

[Ying Ye’s Dark Fall progress increased by 1%.]

Bai Yue Ling kept a poker face, but inside, she was smug. 

A ten-loop veteran mentoring a newbie Assassin? 

Piece of cake.

Still, the Dark Fall quest didn’t complete—just a 1% bump.

How do I make Ying Ye feel awe?

“Those wolves got me to Level 2. You, Little White?”

“I’m Level 4 already.”

In World of Fate, team experience is split based on contribution. 

They each killed one wolf, so their shares were equal, but Bai Yue Ling’s earlier Level 5 Tree demon kill gave her a lead.

Each level granted 2 free attribute points for players to allocate.

“Don’t spend points randomly. Listen to me: pump Health to 20,” 

Bai Yue Ling said firmly. 

“Early-game gear and skills have low scaling, so stacking Health is the safest bet.”

This was wisdom from ten loops.

Ying Ye nodded.

After that fight, she was fully convinced of Bai Yue Ling’s expertise.

“Oh, strip the wolves’ teeth and pelts. They’re materials you can sell.”

“I’ll try… oops, tore it.”

“Pfft, can’t even use a dagger. What a noob…”

“What’d you say? I didn’t hear.”

“Uh, nothing. Give me the dagger—I’ll do it.”

***

Players in World of Fate start with a 10-slot inventory, enough for materials, items, and gear.

The girls pressed on, slaying more monsters. 

Ying Ye hit Level 3, while Bai Yue Ling’s Level 4 bar nearly filled.

“Hold up.”

Bai Yue Ling grabbed Ying Ye, pointing. 

“Something’s over there.”

Ying Ye looked, seeing a forest temple wreathed in vines and trees, its moss-covered walls exuding ancient mystery.

The temple’s gates were ajar, stone bricks marked with muddy footprints—other players’ tracks.

To kill 10 Light Faction players…

They exchanged a glance, slowed their steps, and slipped inside.

The temple’s interior was empty, save for a central statue of a mysterious woman clad in leaves and vines, holding a flower, gazing east.

“Probably the Nature Goddess, one of the five Light Gods,” 

Bai Yue Ling mused. 

“Her sect preaches intimacy with nature, embracing its essence.”

Ying Ye asked, 

“Intimacy with nature?”

“They like going commando.”

“…That’s weird.”

Behind the statue, they found stairs descending, littered with footprints, leading to a mist-shrouded gate.

“A fog gate means Light players are fighting a boss,” 

Bai Yue Ling analyzed.

“Boss? Like, a tough monster?”

“Yup. It’s day one, so the first team to kill a boss gets a world announcement, broadcasting their names globally.”

Bai Yue Ling descended the stairs. 

“These Light players are busy with the first kill. They won’t notice us.”

Ying Ye’s eyes lit up. 

“So, we sneak in, let the boss weaken them, and finish them off!”

No need for a head-on fight, lowering the quest’s difficulty.

They approached the dense mist, hands outstretched, and stepped through the fog gate.

A soft hum rang out, revealing a vast circular arena.

A massive pale-blue jelly dominated the center, with dozens of players attacking it.

[Name: Slime Queen’s Avatar]  

[Race: Slime]  

[Level: 10]  

[Description: One of ten avatars split from the Slime Queen, linked to her in some way.]  

[Note: The slime’s pale-blue mucus can dissolve regular clothing, leading some slimes to develop… peculiar tastes.]