Chapter 9, The Wandering Sorcerer of the Goblins

What are we waiting for? Qin Min, who has a lively personality, immediately said, "Let's go!"

Zhang Mu was enveloped in a faint golden light, emerging unscathed from the flames. Gripping the short sword in his right hand, he struck fiercely, inflicting 12 points of damage. The goblin wandering sorcerer shrieked, raising its staff to strike, but the invincibility state did not dissipate, resulting in no damage dealt. Zhang Mu activated his assassination skill, landing two consecutive strikes that totaled 20 points of damage. At this point, the sorcerer had 60% of its health remaining. Zhang Mu activated his assassination skill again, landing two more strikes that totaled 20 points of damage. At this point, the sorcerer had 60% of its health remaining.

Have you not noticed that there is a goblin that is different from the ones you usually encounter

The spell of the wandering goblin sorcerer was once again completed, and flames erupted from the staff, condensing into a fireball slightly larger than a fist. This was a fire missile, and if it hit Zhang Mu directly, there was an eighty to ninety percent chance he would be instantly killed. "Gugugu—!" it emitted a harsh, strange cry, pointing the staff at Zhang Mu, and with a shrill whistle, the fireball shot towards him at an astonishing speed

At that moment, a sparrow flew into the pavilion and landed in Qin Min's palm

The goblin warlock turned and ran away, being a mage-type monster, it was at a disadvantage in close combat. As long as it could create a bit of distance, it would have the opportunity to complete its spell, and a single strike could take down Zhang Mu. However, Zhang Mu, as a ranger, was not slow to begin with, and with the enhancement from the blessing of the gods, he would not easily let the goblin warlock escape. Before Zhang Mu could make a move, the fat man and Sun Bing rushed in from both sides. Sun Bing used a taunt on the goblin warlock, holding it in place and forcing it to stop, glaring angrily at him. The flames danced around the staff, and a fireball quickly took shape.

Ling Yun observed Zhang Muzhen's calm demeanor and, for reasons unknown, suddenly felt a surge of confidence. Although Ling Yun's exterior appeared delicate and gentle, her tumultuous experiences and childhood had forged a strong-willed and competitive character. No man had ever made her feel a sense of peace and completeness—perhaps he was an exception.

West Lake Park is located in the western suburbs of Jiangcheng, primarily consisting of an artificial lake. When a gentle breeze passes, the surface of the lake shimmers with light, and along the shore, the lush grass is delicate, and the willows sway gracefully. It is indeed a beautiful scene; however, the atmosphere is marred by a strong stench of blood and decay.

The black iron treasure chest is a type of chest that only spawns in areas below level 10. Inside the chest, one can typically find black iron grade equipment, and with a bit of luck, it is also possible to obtain special items. Encountering a treasure chest can be considered a form of fortuitous event.

The fat man shouted: "Look, equipment has fallen!"

Coo! Coo!

This type of unarmed firearm that kills monsters does not yield experience, making it of little use; it is better to derive some value from it here. When there were about one hundred meters left, Zhang Mu suddenly accelerated and activated the skill "Speed Skating," his feet glued to the ground as he glided at high speed towards the goblin.

Zhang Mu pulled the trigger, firing the last bullet. The blue shield shattered, and a blood flower erupted from the goblin's chest, only reducing its health by 8 points. The elite monster's defense is significantly higher than that of ordinary monsters.

Qin Min communicated with the sparrow for a moment, saying: "There is no obvious danger. Ahead, there are twelve goblins, of which five are in the square, four are around the square, and three are in the small forest on the left"

Zhang Mu, accompanied by Fatty and Sun Bing, entered the small forest and found traces of three goblins. Goblins are not particularly strong monsters; with their close-combat skills, Fatty and Sun Bing should be capable of handling one or two, provided they employ good techniques. Zhang Mu's combat skills are sufficient to deal with five, six, or even more.

The stout man excitedly raised his axe: "Great, let's go."

Sun Bing said: "I know there is a small department store in front of the park, where you can find some tools and food."

The fat one finally noticed the goblin standing in the middle. It was somewhat different from ordinary goblins; instead of a short bow, it wielded a wooden staff. Upon closer inspection, one could see that this goblin had a beard, suggesting it was older than the other goblins.

Just as Leng Yun was about to speak, she was momentarily taken aback by the fleeting look of disdain from the other party. Zhang Mu had already drawn his pistol and quickly dashed forward, crouching low.

Magic is not unavoidable. With Zhang Mu's reflexes and combat awareness, he could discern the trajectory of the fireball the moment it was cast, and as long as the distance was not too close, he had the ability to evade it completely. However, Zhang Mu was eager to engage his opponent in close combat and rushed forward without dodging or evading. With a loud bang, the fireball exploded at his chest, and flames instantly engulfed Zhang Mu.

Ling Yun covered her mouth and chuckled softly, the fleeting charm leaving one dazzled. However, Zhang Mu did not notice this; after surveying the surrounding environment, he raised his right hand and gently waved it, signaling the commencement of action

This is merely the weakest black iron elite among the elite monsters, yet for low-level players who are unarmed and lack skills, it is virtually unbeatable, especially considering that the opponent is a high-damage magic type.

Monsters are categorized into eight levels: Ordinary, Elite, Boss, Lord, Earth Spirit, Heaven Spirit, Holy Spirit, and Immortal Spirit. The higher the level of the monster, the rarer its quantity and the stronger its power. Starting from the Elite level, each level is further divided into four tiers: Black Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold.

Elites? They are merely elites!

Zhang Mu reviewed the experience section and said: "The experience required to level up from level 4 to level 5 is several times that of leveling up from level 3 to level 4. Furthermore, the experience gained from defeating monsters below level 3 is already very minimal. If I continue to stay in the city to level up, it will be impossible to level up again in less than five days."

Sun Bing said with a smile, "It only took two days and the library time to reach Level 4, this upgrade speed is quite fast"

After several attacks by Zhang Mu and the胖子, the goblin sorcerer finally fell down

Zhang Mu revealed a slight smile: "This is a black iron treasure chest; we are truly fortunate."

[Goblin Wandering Sorcerer], Level 4 Black Iron Elite, Health 100, Magic 200, Attributes: ? ? ? ? Skills: ? ?

Under the leadership of Zhang Mu, the five-member team managed to reach level 3 after only two days of battling monsters, which is quite an achievement. However, the experience required for the initial levels is relatively low, and as the levels increase, the demand for experience grows exponentially, making it increasingly difficult to level up.

This was the first time several people had eliminated an elite, and as they looked at the remnants of the flames on the ground, they could hardly believe that it was all real

A few people followed the direction indicated, and behind the goblin, there was indeed a large chest. This chest was made of pure metal, shining black, square in shape, and lacked any distinctive features. It was uncertain what might be contained within the chest.

Only 3 bullets remain, and at this moment, the two sides are less than fifty meters apart. Zhang Mu aims at a regular goblin beside him, "Bang!" The bullet hits the goblin's head, inflicting 32 points of damage, and the goblin is instantly killed. Another goblin, who had just drawn his bow to shoot an arrow, is also shot in a vital spot and killed instantly.

Zhang Mu raised his head; the sky appeared somewhat dim. It was approximately around 4 PM. "No rush, let's rest for the night first and prepare some supplies during the extra time."

Leng Yun furrowed her brows and asked, "How should we fight?"

Half an hour later, all the monsters were defeated, and the five individuals leveled up in succession

Zhang Mu tilted his head slightly as a wooden arrow flew past, grazing his cheek. He raised his hand and fired two shots in quick succession, "Bang! Bang!" Zhang Mu is a Level 4 Ranger, with physical attributes far exceeding those of ordinary people and exceptional balance, allowing him to aim even while moving at high speed. Unfortunately, the shield deflected the bullets, only reducing his shield value by 1 point.

Given your current combat awareness, there is an eighty to ninety percent chance of total annihilation. So stay put this time; let me handle it.

Zhang Mu shrugged and replied ambiguously: "This... based on my experience with games, treasure chests will usually spawn in the wild, and they often contain surprises"

Can you manage on your own? It is an elite!

Zhang Mu pondered for a moment and said: "I have checked the information on the gnome sorcerer. It has two skills. The first is Firebolt, which is fast and deals high damage; only Uncle Sun can withstand a hit, while others are basically guaranteed to be killed instantly. The second skill is Magic Shield, which is relatively slow and can create a shield with approximately 25 defense points, equivalent to an additional 25 points of health"

Others were also taken aback

The five individuals slowly left the park. The supermarket mentioned by Sun Bing was right at the main entrance, but from a distance, it appeared that there were shadows moving in the middle of the road. Zhang Mu saw clearly that there were three goblins. Within Jiang City, there were no formidable monsters; goblins had low blood and defense, yet they were ranged attackers, making them relatively more difficult to deal with

Qin Min exclaimed: "Ah!"

Qin Min couldn't help but say: "Big Fatty, could you please stop flattering so much?"

Five individuals cautiously entered a red, exquisite pavilion, their backs turned to the artificial lake. Approximately one hundred meters ahead lay a small square. The cement ground was covered with a layer of dark red, which was the congealed blood of humans. Several corpses were gnawed to pieces, abandoned in the center of the square, surrounded by swarming flies, with goblins faintly wandering nearby.

Qin Min curiously asked: "What is a black iron treasure chest?"

How should it be done

The fat man charged like a frenzied wild boar, crashing into the goblin sorcerer. With a powerful swing of his axe, he dealt 28 points of damage in two strikes. The fireball was also deflected by the impact, only hitting Sun Bing on the right shoulder. Flames quickly engulfed the cover of the book in his right hand, causing Sun Bing to scream in pain, while Leng Yun and Qin Min hurried over to extinguish the fire.

The fat man immediately said: "This is all because of the leader's guidance; otherwise, as a few insignificant ones, how would we dare to run around killing monsters?"

This is an elite monster. Zhang Mu paused for a moment and added: The thickness of its blood is not the main point; it is a magic-type monster with considerable damage. Without equipment, we would almost be killed instantly.

Zhang Mu nodded in satisfaction: "This will be easy. After we eliminate this batch of monsters, everyone will be able to level up."

The chubby man said in a loud voice: "Let's set off to the Dawn Camp."

A strange brilliance flashed in Leng Yun's bright eyes, "Everyone look, there is a box over there"

Barbaric Collision

Zhang Mu is the backbone of the team; if any unforeseen circumstances arise, the situation for the others will become perilous

Zhang Mu inquired: "How is the situation?"

Boss, I do not understand

One hundred points of health? Damn, that's so thick!

Zhang Mu pulled him back, "When will you start using your brain?"

However, in order to allow everyone to gain experience and enhance their coordination and combat awareness, Zhang Mu employed an old method. He first attracted the attention of the monsters, leading them in circles, while Sun Bing seized the opportunity to continuously taunt one of them. As the monster was taunted, it inevitably broke away, and the group worked together to defeat it. Only in the case where Sun Bing accidentally drew too many monsters would Zhang Mu intervene.

The sound of firearms is too loud to be used in the blood-soaked jungle where monsters roam

Sun Bing chuckled innocently and said, "That is indeed true"

The goblins discovered Zhang Mu and immediately emitted a harsh cry. Two ordinary goblins drew their bows and shot, while the goblin wandering sorcerer began to cast a spell. A blue light appeared on the staff, gradually coalescing into a shield. Mage-type monsters with shield skills will cast their shields at the first opportunity; due to the distance being too far, there was no chance to interrupt.