freeallnovels Chapter 76 The Crisis of Archer Village
Chapter 76 The Crisis of Archer Village
The speaker was none other than Dakru, the mentor of the Flying Hero. He summarized the agent's job change trial in two sentences and had nothing more to say.
The dark stone slab engraved with totems was pressed directly onto the agent's chest, like a branding iron sinking into the skin, giving the impression of a forced connection to the nerves.
The agent gritted his teeth, feeling the soreness of his muscle fibers being reorganized. The techniques of stealth and the logic of optical deception were transformed into muscle memory, deeply ingrained in his bones.
At that moment, three objects flew out of the shadows and crashed onto the worktable with a clang.
A pair of beginner boxing gloves, a stack of starfish darts with scratched surfaces, and a short knife with its center of gravity tilted towards the tip.
"In this ruined city, the incompetent die from greed, and the capable die from carrying a heavy burden." Dakru's voice faded into the distance amidst the echoes of the sewage pipes. "Take them and get out of here."
As soon as he finished speaking, the iron gate of the workshop was pushed open.
Jim strode into the backstreet, his face covered by a gas mask, the filter emitting a heavy hissing sound.
The prop maker, who also worked part-time as an intelligence broker, glanced at the mud on the agent's body and made no attempt to hide his disgust.
"I've already heard from Dakru that Dol is dead. You've got some skills. I can make sure you get that batch of geared scrap metal you wanted."
Jim held up two fingers, his voice deep and resonant. "Two things. The purest life-purifying potion from the Magic Forest, and two tons of clean rations from Archer Village."
The agent didn't respond, trying to maintain an indifferent demeanor.
"If you can't do it, don't even think about getting that batch of industrial waste in the future." With that final ultimatum, Jim turned and left.
Faced with this exorbitant replacement bill, the agent remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was somewhat excited.
If there are requirements, it means this is a task that can be accomplished!
He walked to a relatively dry corner, rolled up his sleeves, revealing the emblem on his left arm.
After looking around, he decided to send the message in Morse code.
"Target locked, production line bottleneck. We urgently need Forest Potion and Archer Village food; if we can't handle this, everything will collapse."
After typing out the Morse code, the agent retreated into the shadows of the sewage pipe.
The signal radiated outwards across a vast distance in a peculiar way.
About a hundred kilometers away, on the outskirts of Archer Village.
As he was trudging through the half-dry muddy road, a rhythmic stinging pain suddenly shot through his left arm. He stopped, closed his eyes, and carefully sensed the frequency of the muscle fiber tremors.
Chicken... empty... two... meals... two... change... work... also... zero... see.
"What the hell?" Seeing that no one was around, the roasted whole lamb grumbled, "Couldn't this idiot just send a message?"
As the whole roasted lamb walked, it silently recited this Morse code, trying to decipher it.
"We urgently need two tons of grain in exchange for industrial parts...?"
After deciphering the message, he couldn't help but laugh. This agent was probably too immersed in his role, really thinking he was 007.
However, this task was practically tailor-made for him. In his memory, Archer Village should be a beginner's paradise with gentle breezes, mushroom houses everywhere, and long-eared elves roaming around.
This place has a huge hunting ground, which can be considered the granary of the entire Treasure Island.
However, when the whole roasted lamb finally rolled over the last mound and saw the view ahead, the smile on his face gradually faded.
There are no fairy tales, only suffocating desolation.
Vast fields that should have been covered in wheat are now cracked and blackened.
Dozens of massive, heavily armored boars were brazenly rooting up the last remaining rotten cabbage roots in the field.
In the distance, one can occasionally see green succulents, as large as millstones, swimming about, spewing corrosive acid that has eroded the surrounding soil beyond recognition.
The defensive barricades at the village entrance were smashed to pieces. Several emaciated militiamen, holding rusty iron spears, leaned against sandbags, their eyes unfocused, too exhausted to even drive away wild animals.
On the dilapidated thatched roof, several unidentified scavenging birds were emitting hoarse cries.
This is practically a refugee camp on the verge of bankruptcy.
The whole roasted lamb traversed the desolate streets. Along the way, the local inhabitants looked at his worn but sturdy leather armor with numb envy in their eyes. He ignored their gazes and walked straight towards the command post built of massive logs in the center of the village.
There, he met his archery instructor, Helena.
This once high and mighty elf ranger from the MapleStory lore is now standing wearily in front of the tactical sandbox.
Her fine leather armor was stained with dried blood, and she held an empty roll of bandages in her hand, bandaging a young militiaman whose thigh had been pierced by a wild boar tusk. The air was thick with the unpleasant stench of herbs and festering wounds.
After hearing the whole roasted lamb's request for a job change, Herina didn't even look up.
"Archers Village can't even afford to eat right now, they don't have time to play archery with outsiders." She sprinkled the last bit of powder on her wound, her tone as cold as ice, her words carrying a hint of dismissal. "Want to prove yourself? Go kill ten armored boars in the wilderness outside the village and bring back their tusks. Just don't die out there causing me trouble."
Well, isn't this a typical mission opening scene that discourages players from even starting?
The whole roasted lamb looked around the dilapidated command post, its gaze landing on the large expanse of withered farmland marked on the tactical sand table, and suddenly let out a soft laugh.
"There's something I've never understood." Roasted Whole Lamb pulled over a wooden bench with a missing leg and sat down casually. "Archery Village is located on a plain, with plenty of sunshine and water. As the granary of the entire island, even after several attacks by wild animals, it shouldn't have fallen to the point where it can't even provide rations for a few militiamen. Where did your resources go?"
Upon hearing this, Herina stopped bandaging her hands.
She slowly raised her head, her sharp eyes bloodshot, and her gaze toward the roasted whole lamb held a hint of anger and self-mockery.
"A granary? That's a fairy tale in your eyes."
Herina tossed the blood-stained bandage into the barrel, her voice trembling slightly. "Wheat is the cheapest thing on this island. Do you know how much a single iron spear from the Warrior's Tribe costs? Do you know how many tons of wheat a bottle of hemostatic potion from the Magic Forest can be exchanged for?"
As the roasted whole lamb listened to Helina's words, his smile gradually faded; her words clearly contained a lot of useful information.
As a knowledgeable player, he immediately sensed something familiar.
"The price scissors between industry and agriculture..." he murmured.
"In recent months, the wild boars in the wilderness have grown armor, and their green, succulent bodies have doubled in size. Ordinary wooden arrows simply cannot pierce their hides."
Helena gritted her teeth, pointing at the emaciated soldiers outside the door, "To defend the outer farmland, the village treasury spent its last Maple Leaf Coin to buy ironware and herbs. Our finances have been completely crippled by the exorbitant security costs!"
Goodness, now I know, this whole roasted lamb is my job change trial mission.