Chapter Fifty-Two: All Among Friends

Swinging my sword in retaliation—175! That number startled me. My attack power is 245, yet I only dealt 175 damage? This knight’s defense is simply too high.

Time for a combo attack!

125! 132!

The strengthened combo is truly extraordinary. At level four, the combo skill has a chance to hit three times in succession, and the additional damage from the upgrade must exceed 30%. With this, it’s become even more formidable!

After several attacks, once I had worn down a Silver Emblem Knight’s health to 1200, he finally collapsed with a thunderous crash, his robust warhorse falling beside him. I was stunned by the 4200 experience points I received—level 28 skeletons give me at most 2100 experience, but these Silver Emblem Knights, only level 32, already offer such an absurd amount!

While fighting, I glanced at the combat log. Each attack from a Silver Emblem Knight only chipped away a little over ten health from me, which was quite surprising. It seemed their attacks could barely pierce my defense. Still, their own defense was formidable as well—without my monstrous attack power, I wouldn’t be able to harm them much either.

A chime sounded. Loot!

A piece of green armor greaves! I didn’t take time to examine it, simply tossed it into my pack—I had to finish off this group of monsters first.

Ten minutes later, all twelve Silver Emblem Knights had fallen, worn down by my combination of healing potions and kiting. In total, they dropped two pieces of green equipment and less than four gold coins! Humanoid monsters really are rich—neither equipment nor gold is in short supply. Eagerly, I checked the two green items:

[Warrior Greaves] (Green Equipment, Plate Armor)
Defense: +34
Stamina: +12
Strength: +9
Required Level: 26

[Priest Cloak] (Green Equipment, Cloth Armor)
Defense: +21
Stamina: +12
Intelligence: +7
Required Level: 25

My old Wolf Greaves only had a measly eight defense and were just level four gear. I immediately swapped to the new equipment, and my legs were instantly covered in silvery gleaming armor. Though it contrasted sharply with the color of my chestplate, it was a top-tier, ragtag combination for the poor. The cloak, requiring level 25, was still out of reach for Xue Han. Checking her status in my friends list, I saw she was only level 23. Thanks to new skills, she and Xin Yu had both been leveling faster, now holding the fourth and fifth spots in the city rankings. Berserker and Little Ant on Leaf had also caught up, both at level 24 and close behind Murong Shanshan.

After checking the gear, I searched my inventory for the quest item—no Golden Emblem! What was going on? Could it be that these knights didn’t drop the quest item?

Frustrated, I wandered outside the barracks and soon spotted another group of mounted scouts in the distance. As I approached, I noticed something different: there were still twelve knights, but leading them was one clad in golden armor. Checking his information revealed no visible level—he was a Golden Knight. Even his spear and shield were golden. The wealth of such a humanoid monster was easy to imagine.

My eyes saw nothing but flying dollar signs. Gripping my longsword, I charged forward. After their initial group assault, the knights lost their edge, and the only one who could genuinely threaten me was the Golden Knight himself. His level was clearly much higher, and a few attacks from him left me battered. Nevertheless, I locked my attacks onto him and, whenever in danger, gulped a healing potion. After a dozen hits, I brought him down. With a clatter, he dropped not only silver coins and a medium health potion but also a Golden Emblem!

So, only Golden Knights can drop the Golden Emblem. At least now I had a clear goal. Even if I could only take down four groups of scouts per hour, and only half of them had a Golden Knight, it was still progress. In fifty hours, I’d have all the emblems I needed!

The experience gain was substantial as well. At level 27, progress was naturally slow, but after just four groups of scouts, I’d already gained 10% of my level. That meant in another two hours, when I logged off for the winter hotpot feast, I could reach level 28—a truly exhilarating thought!

Two hours later, Murong Shanshan sent me a message, complaining that leveling was too slow. It seemed that, at level 25, even she was struggling to gain experience. For me at level 27 to still be advancing quickly was more than enough.

Midnight arrived—it was time to log off. Xu Lin had strictly ordered everyone to rest before midnight, a rule that was clearly good for all of us.

The hall was already bustling, the steam from the hotpot shrouding the room in mist. Condensation thickened on the windows, and the faint, scattered city lights outside cast a cold glow. Watching the shadows of people moving along the street, I truly felt the warmth within our room.

“Lin Fan, come eat with us!” Xin Yu, dressed in a pink sweater, came over and linked her arm through mine. Beneath the soft wool of her undergarment, a tantalizing hint of cleavage showed, her fair skin glowing enchantingly in the light. Even someone like me, who hadn’t been near a woman in ages, couldn’t keep my heart from pounding. Xin Yu’s charming presence seemed to bring a warmth to this cold night.

She pulled me to a seat and, almost unconsciously, placed her hand on my thigh. The intimacy of her gesture made us look like a couple in love. The table wasn’t large, but eight of us squeezed in together. The vegetables for the hotpot were already set on a side table. Xue Han sat on my other side, and I could faintly catch her delicate fragrance.

“Do you know what day it is?” Xin Yu asked with a playful smile.

I looked around at the others, who seemed just as surprised. “December 23rd,” I replied. “What about it? Nothing special, is there?”

She shot me a coquettish glance. “Isn’t that special enough? Tomorrow is Christmas Eve—I never thought I’d spend this year’s Christmas with so many people.”

Xu Lin giggled. “Of course! The few of us together are like a family. Naturally, we should celebrate together.”

Whether Xu Lin meant those words from the heart or not, I couldn’t help but feel warmth inside. It had been so long since I’d felt this kind of comfort…

Overcome by impulse, I reached out and pulled Xin Yu and Xue Han into a hug, saying gratefully, “That’s right—we’re all in this together. We’re family now.”

Xin Yu was surprised for a moment, but then her bashfulness turned to delighted shyness. Xue Han struggled slightly, but soon relaxed. Glancing at her, I saw her snowy cheeks had turned a rosy red.