Chapter 8: The Detestable Members of the Chu Family
The radiant afternoon sunlight spilled across the street. At the far end, several dozen dark, deep oval-shaped portals hovered quietly above the road. On either side, shops hawked healing potions and other supporting equipment. This was the Dungeon Zone for Professionals in the Seventh District.
Here, professionals could choose which dungeon they wished to challenge, gaining experience to level up and collecting materials from magical creatures. All professionals who had successfully changed careers could enter these dungeons through their attribute panels. The dungeons were divided into three areas according to applicable levels: the beginner zone for levels 1 to 20, the intermediate zone for levels 21 to 40, and the advanced zone for levels 41 to 60. Only professionals of the corresponding level were permitted in each zone.
Those above level 60 were known as advanced professionals. Advanced professionals could no longer benefit from dungeon rewards. Except for a few special dungeons, if they wished to level up further, they had to venture into the wild to hunt extra-dimensional magical creatures.
Song Qi followed the signs and made his way to the beginner zone. As soon as he entered...
[Ding! Host has arrived at the dungeon area. Optional tasks activated...]
[Optional Task 1: Clear the dungeon and achieve an S rank or higher.]
[Reward: Three chances at the lottery.]
[Optional Task 2: Reach level ten.]
[Reward: Three chances at the lottery.]
[Optional Task 3: Eliminate fifty thousand magical creatures.]
[Reward: Five chances at the lottery.]
“Three tasks at once?”
The long-missed system notification delighted Song Qi. He had just been worrying about how to earn lottery chances, and now the tasks appeared unexpectedly.
“The first two tasks shouldn’t be too difficult, but the third one is troublesome.”
“Fifty thousand magical creatures? How long would that take?”
He pondered for a moment, then quickly settled on a course of action. Most low-level dungeons had only a few dozen magical creatures in total. But there was one dungeon where the number was astonishingly high...
...
“Song Qi?!”
As Song Qi walked and mused, a familiar voice called out from a distance. He looked up to see Wang Zihao, who had arrived earlier than him, surrounded by a group of people—likely students who had just completed their career changes.
“Is the career change ceremony over?” Song Qi asked in surprise. In the past, the ceremony lasted a full day. How had it ended by midday?
“No, I awakened an A-rank talent, so the teachers let me go early,” Wang Zihao explained with a smile.
“A-rank talent? Not bad!”
Song Qi laughed and gently punched him.
“What’s your profession? Does the talent match?”
“Mage,” Wang Zihao replied proudly, his muscular build at odds with his profession. “You know my goal has always been mage. As for the talent, it matches about half.”
He displayed his attribute panel:
[Crimson Flame Body: Reduces physical damage received by 30%, increases affinity with fire magic, lowers proficiency required to upgrade fire spells by 10%, increases casting speed by 10%.]
Song Qi immediately understood what Wang Zihao meant by “matches about half.”
“This talent is actually more suited to a magic swordsman—someone who cultivates both magic and martial arts.”
“Yeah, but humans don’t have a way to check their talents ahead of time. I’ll just make do.” Wang Zihao shrugged, unconcerned.
“By the way, Song Qi, you’re here to level up, right? Want to team up?”
“If we team up, I have to be the leader,” Song Qi replied.
To encourage professionals to cooperate and assist each other, dungeon monster strength and experience rewards scaled with the number of entrants. The more people, the stronger the monsters, and the more experience distributed among the team. Each dungeon allowed up to eight people. The leader received an exclusive 5% experience bonus. Compared to solo runs, Song Qi would benefit more from teaming up.
“Of course you’ll be the leader! You’re the genius with the super S-rank talent—who else...” Wang Zihao laughed, about to agree, when a discordant voice interrupted.
“Why should you be the leader? Did you get my consent?” A tall, sullen-faced man stepped forward, looking down with contempt.
“You have a super S-rank talent, sure, but if I recall correctly, your profession is summoner, right?”
“A level one summoner wants to lead?”
Song Qi raised an eyebrow, recalling he hadn’t offended this person. He glanced at Wang Zihao.
Wang Zihao scratched his head awkwardly. “That’s Chu Shaojiang, a distant nephew of the principal from First High. After you left, he awakened an S-rank talent too. His profession is the same as the principal’s—an assassin.”
The principal from First High? Wasn’t that the old man who had berated him during the ceremony? Was this family determined to oppose him?
Song Qi felt helpless.
“Fine, you team up then. I’ll run solo.”
“Solo? Ha!” Chu Shaojiang acted as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world. “A level one summoner wants to solo a dungeon? Are you tired of living?”
“Maybe he thinks he’s not worthy, wasted humanity’s luck, and plans to seek his own doom.”
Wang Zihao hurriedly stopped Song Qi, his expression serious.
“Solo? No way!”
“You’re a summoner—how can you solo? Don’t be rash, Song Qi. No need to get upset over this.”
Summoners were notorious for weak combat abilities early on. Their power ranked only one above priests. Soloing a dungeon as a summoner?
To everyone, it was no different from courting death—a decision only a fool would make.
“How about this—let’s team up, Song Qi.” Wang Zihao gritted his teeth. “Just the two of us. The monsters won’t be too strong, and we should be able to clear a dungeon if we’re careful.”
Seeing Wang Zihao’s heroic resolve, Song Qi chuckled.
“Aren’t you afraid? A mage and a summoner teaming up? Two fragile classes—if monsters get close, it’s over.”
“Not afraid!” Wang Zihao’s gaze was resolute. “I’m a mage, but my constitution and strength are pretty high. With my talent, I’m half a warrior at this level.”
“And you, Song Qi, with your super S-rank talent, you can’t be weak.”
Song Qi nodded, not bothering to explain, and sent Wang Zihao a team invitation.
Chu Shaojiang, standing nearby, snorted in displeasure.
“Wang Zihao, you really are the son of a nouveau riche—no vision at all.”
“Song Qi may have a super S-rank talent, but the path of a professional isn’t built on talent alone.”
“Think it over: if you side with Song Qi, you’re opposing the Chu family.”
At that, the other professionals who had been hesitating fell silent. The principal of First High was the Chu family patriarch, which gave Chu family considerable influence in the Seventh District. Clearly, Chu Shaojiang intended to use family power to isolate Song Qi.
But Wang Zihao couldn’t help laughing.
“Pfft!”
“Oppose the Chu family? Who’s qualified to represent them—you?”
“Chu Shaojiang, do you really think awakening an S-rank talent makes you the family spokesman?”
“Before today, you hadn’t even spoken to your patriarch. Three years of high school spent groveling, and now you’re triumphant. Anyone would think you were the one with the super S-rank talent.”
He turned and accepted Song Qi’s invitation.
Wang Zihao’s words made Chu Shaojiang’s face flush, clearly hitting a nerve.
“You’re ruthless,” Song Qi said with a smile. Only someone like Wang Zihao, the school’s “know-it-all,” could pinpoint such a weakness.
“Let’s go, Song Qi. Hope stupidity isn’t contagious.”
“You, you, you...” Chu Shaojiang trembled with rage, but couldn’t utter a coherent response.
Beep!
Song Qi opened the dungeon list and casually selected one to enter.
As their figures faded away, Wang Zihao turned back and flashed Chu Shaojiang a middle finger.
“I am the son of a nouveau riche, but don’t forget, I’m my father’s only child.”
“If you dare, try doing something to me.”
That final gesture was like tossing a match into a powder keg. Chu Shaojiang could no longer contain himself and howled,
“Ah! I’ll kill you both!”
“Song Qi! Wang Zihao! Just you wait!”