Chapter 130: Ran Into a Scammer
Chapter 130: Ran Into a Scammer
Chen Mo crouched low, cautiously peeping downward. Beneath the high cliff was a ring-shaped valley. The valley walls were hollowed out, constructed into row upon row of steel prison cells. Each cell held an NPC prisoner inside.
“Locked up NPC heavy criminals, huh? What’s the secret here? Could they give special quests?”
Chen Mo pulled his head back, asking Xue Ye Hua beside him.
“You’re actually right. You really can get quests from them… Mmh, great timing. Someone’s coming. Be careful not to get spotted.”
As Xue Ye Hua spoke, she quickly ducked her head even lower.
“Is that… people from the Six Paths Guild and the Seven Heavens Guild?” Chen Mo squinted, recognizing the large group entering the valley.
It’s a big crowd, mixed with members from both the Six Paths Guild and the Seven Heavens Guild. Six Paths Maniac and Qi Se Yu Yi were among them, leading their respective guilds peacefully side by side into the valley.
Chen Mo felt surprised. Weren’t these two guilds fierce rivals in the Land of Exile? So why did they seem so friendly now?
“Full of questions?” Xue Ye Hua chuckled with a sly smile.
“Yup. Spit out everything you know. Crystals won’t be a problem for you.” Chen Mo nodded. He really had his curiosity roused.
“You know well how tough it is to clear Crime Value in the Land of Exile. With so many members from two big guilds, they’d rather spend ages washing Crime Value here than just suicide at their low Levels and quickly grind back up. Know why?”
“After arriving, they got special quests from those jailed NPCs?” Chen Mo had thought these Players gained some truly rare perks they wouldn’t delete. But now, his guess seemed wrong.
“Nope.” Xue Ye Hua shook her head. “Not after they got here. They already had the quest before entering the Land of Exile. The real inner circle of the Six Paths Guild and the Seven Heavens Guild—they actually know each other. From the same place. They purposely racked up Black Names together, came to Land of Exile purely to finish their quest!”
It was like that?
Chen Mo was genuinely stunned. What kind of insanely rich rewards must this quest offer, to tempt dozens into mass Blacklisting?!
“That quest couldn’t be finished quickly. Blacklisted Players kept dying and respawning in Land of Exile. To ensure smooth completion, the two guilds deliberately acted as enemies, trying to scare off newcomers. Those who didn’t flee? They’d pull them into their own guilds, keeping new Blacklisted Players under tight control. Back when you arrived, if you’d joined either guild? You’d have become their pawn. Grinding Beast Cores day and night. Coming here to Hunting Grounds? They’d order you to gather under core members’ watch for monster hunts—zero chance of discovering this place.”
Holy! These guild dudes were way too sketchy! If Xue Ye Hua hadn’t said anything, he’d still have no clue they were one big crew!
Chen Mo thought about all those Blacklisted Players who arrived lately and quickly suicided. Xue Ye Hua was spot on.
“Then why did your little Qing Tian sister run over asking me to join a guild?” Chen Mo recalled something odd.
“That girl’s too naive. I never told her about the two guilds. She just wanted to invite you into my guild to wash Crime Value quicker.” Xue Ye Hua sighed.
“And how’d you know all this?” Chen Mo asked, intrigued.
“Hunting Grounds ain’t huge. Not too small either. Bumping into shady guild business wasn’t hard. That’s exactly why the guilds wanted to scare off or control newcomers—more people knowing their quest meant higher risk of sabotage.” Xue Ye Hua explained.
Not stopping there, Xue Ye Hua also spilled how lone Players like her dealt with the two guilds.
For Players who found out the quest? They made a deal—the Players wouldn’t interfere or leak the quest. The guilds couldn’t wipe them off the map either.
Hearing Xue Ye Hua’s words, Chen Mo instantly realized those two guilds would probably target him next!
Still, Chen Mo felt zero fear. Ignorant before? Now he was prepared. Even if both guilds came with armies, Sesshylow’s Hurricane Skill could sweep them away.
“Better watch yourself. You entered Hunting Grounds without needing Beast Cores. That’s what they fear most. They won’t let you off easy.” Xue Ye Hua smiled teasingly.
This Hunter Player felt mysterious. What would happen now that he knew the guilds were onto him?
“Waste no worry. Not me running from them—if they dare cause trouble, I’ll make sure none crawl back alive.” Chen Mo kept calm.
“Keep bragging!” Xue Ye Hua clearly doubted him. Hunters had limits, and his damage wasn’t even higher than hers. No way one guy could fight both Six Paths and Seven Heavens guild alone.
“Don’t believe me?” Chen Mo shot her a challenging glance.
“Duh. What proof could convince me?” Xue Ye Hua rolled her eyes.
“What if I pull it off? Call me ‘big bro’ every time we meet? That work?” Chen Mo grinned, goading her with a ‘doubt you’d dare’ smirk.
“Hmph! Forget ‘big bro’! Didn’t you dream of ‘having close intimate connections’? Pull this off? I’d even…give in…once…”
Xue Ye Hua brimmed with confidence too. After thinking hard, she couldn’t imagine how Chen Mo could solo two big guilds. So she snorted her reply.
“Heheh~ Gorgeous! Clean up that hot bod, and wait for big bro!” Chen Mo paused briefly, chuckling low.
He held no grudge against those guilds…but now? Destroying them at least once became non-negotiable!
“It must happen right in front of me! Just you—no help! And over seventy percent of both guilds must be there!”
Chen Mo’s intense stare sent a prickle down her spine. She quickly added conditions to block loopholes. Once the bet happened, backing out wouldn’t work.
“Rest easy. Big bro always delivers truths, not fakes!” Chen Mo waved dismissively.
“ROAR!!!”
RUMBLE—!!
Just then, a furious bellow erupted from the valley below. The earth beneath Chen Mo shuddered violently as if mountains were crashing!
Shock exploded through Chen Mo. If this quake tossed him off that cliff? At that height? He’d be a goner!
He wasn’t like those Blacklisted Players! With his Heinous Crime Title? Dying meant dropping five Levels! Die again now? He’d crash below Level ten!
Wildly scrambling, he grabbed objects near him to steady his balance. Then—the quake vanished as fast as it came. He breathed relief.
Seriously?! Danger lurked everywhere! Never climb high places again with a Black Name! Could die without a clue.
“So wild…didn’t know games had earthquakes…” Chen Mo mumbled, only to sense his arm wrapped around something incredibly soft. Glancing back? Xue Ye Hua pierced him with murderous eyes.
Only now he grasped it. Amid the tremors, blindly flailing for stability? He’d grabbed Xue Ye Hua beside him. Now their bodies pressed inseparably close, wrapped together!
“Cough! Swear it wasn’t deliberate!” Chen Mo blurted at her death-glare.
“Huh?! Silver-tier monster!” Then Chen Mo shouted, gaping wide just behind them.
“Hmph! Don’t try redirecting—GIVE THAT TO ME!” Xue Ye Hua figured he lied. But Chen Mo already leaped up, dashing toward it. When she whipped around? A Silver-tier monster truly respawned nearby! She sped after him, yelling.
“I saw it first!” Chen Mo wouldn’t surrender Silver-tier prey that easily. Ten percent Experience! With that? He’d only need about twenty percent to hit Level 15.
“Without me guiding here? You’d find it?” Xue Ye Hua argued fiercely.
“Had I not followed? You wouldn’t be here! Bottom line? Found it cause of me!” Chen Mo held his ground.
“Here—catch! Then refund me three Iron Crystals!”
Xue Ye Hua glared: refuse? And I’ll battle you to death. Chen Mo sighed inwardly. Pretty girls charm from afar. Get close—they’re just…themselves.
“Fine.” After pondering, Chen Mo agreed. Trading three percent Experience for favor? Useful later.
“That tremor, just now—what caused it? Common here?”
Chen Mo shifted topic to the earlier shake.
“Not quake! That came from an enraged Giant Race NPC imprisoned in cells deep below us! He seems dead set against the quest NPCs gave those guilds! Each visit by the guilds sets him raging.” Grateful for his bargain, Xue Ye Hua patiently explained.
Complex relationships down there too, huh? Chen Mo thought silently.
Right—the mystery client’s second commission: familiarize himself with the Land of Exile. He’d checked Layers Three and Four. Higher layers? Unreachable and pointless. Did the client mean…Hunting Grounds?
Likely! Hunting Grounds belonged to Land of Exile!
Gotta find a way into that valley below!
“Xue Ye Hua…is that valley below…open to anyone?” Pondering, Chen Mo inquired.
“Probably. But I never entered. Every Hunting Grounds opening? Both guilds permanently guard the entrance. Nobody gets through.”
Meaning to enter required killing the guardians from those guilds?
Killing them proved simple. The issue? Once full war erupted? It might ruin his upcoming commission.
With that thought, Chen Mo decided to log out temporarily. First secure that second commission!
Hunting Grounds opened just once per five days! Better grasp its requirements early!
“Got urgent business. Logging out a moment.”
Right after slaying the Silver-tier beast, Chen Mo swiftly claimed its Silver Crystal and announced before vanishing offline.
Xue Ye Hua froze on the spot.
Over. Ran into a scammer!
That guy—still owed her thirteen Iron Crystals!