Chapter 33：Strategy for the Epic Mission

—As an excellent voyager, mastering the battle and adventure skills are never enough. The ocean is unknown territory to humans. We are so tiny and insignificant in front of the ocean. Our knowledge and skills will never be enough.

—It's boring to face the same view every day and every second as a sailor. However, only the most excellent voyagers can make the biggest discoveries in these seemingly familiar environments. The truth is often hidden in familiarity.

Da Fei flipped through this Nautical Skill Book from Renoir. Apart from the seemingly inspirational quotes on the first and last pages of the book, there were no other annotations. It was the same as the one Da Fei was carrying.

This made Da Fei very puzzled. Could it be that Renoir's two sentences made the book a special edition one? Like how an elementary school child would mark out his own textbook? This is a little unreliable, right? The items have strict settings in this game. Is there something more to this?

Da Fei pulled out Markal's Skill Book to compare the two. They are both books labeled by name. However, look at how many annotations there are in Markal's book! Look at that, here's one:

—The closer I get to God, the smaller I feel.

What the heck! He's close to God? I guess that makes sense. He can chase away a Level 8 Leviathan with one fireball, and he's the most powerful one in the Undead realm apart from the Death God. He has great political power, unbelievable special abilities, a great reputation, God-level strength, and is also a cunning conspirator. Am I really going against him for my Epic-level mission? I'm not worried about prideful opponents. The humble ones are the scary ones! I have no chance at this?

Da Fei continued to flip through the book and encountered some incomprehensible magic symbols. The System did not indicate any God-level Skills even after he flipped through the entire book.

Something is obviously wrong!

Juan's journal containing information about the God-level skill might not be discoverable by the normal player. However, the Artillery Chief was a BOSS guarding a door on the ship. Even his journal contained information about the godly ballista. How could amazing people like Renoir and Markal not give any information in their books? Didn't this Markal mention that he was going to mass-produce BOSSes artificially?

Da Fei was even more confused.

Wait! Normal people could not discover Juan's corpse, right? In other words, normal players would not discover that this Markal was a huge conspirator after completing this Trial, right? How will this mission continue under normal circumstances?

Of course, you must finish the Artillery Chief's unrealized dreams of finding Markal for the Phantom Ballista, right? This Black Magic Skill Book belonged to Markal too. After obtaining it, players should naturally return it to Markal in exchange for a reward, right? Oh right, what's that final unknown item Soul Crystal you obtain from defeating the Ghost of Doom used for? It must be related to Markal too, right? You should hand it over to him for some kind of reward?

In other words, regardless of whether he's friend or foe, Markal is someone you have to face.

Da Fei was suddenly enlightened! I understand now!

This Markal is an unbeatable character for players, in terms of his political rank, power, intelligence, and personality. There was a reminder in the Epic-mission's Mission Guide, "You can directly offer the journal to the Emperor, but you may be ignored by the Emperor because of his certain concerns." This shows that even the Emperor of the Lion Heart Empire fears Markal. In other words, even the NPC forces might not be a match for him. In reality, who would dare to touch him based on his reputation alone?

Hence, Markal was designed to be an unbeatable existence?

There was only one way to defeat someone like that. Gain his trust, then find the opportunity to screw him over! How many heroes and good men have died in the hands of their most trusted person? Usually, upon completion of this Trial, players would definitely search for him to join and follow, right?

Hence, there was only one way to complete the Epic Mission, a curved approach to save the country!

Therefore, I have to return the Artillery Chief's journal, filled with flattery and passion, as well as the Black Magic Book and the Soul Crystal, all to Markal. I can then raise the affinity with the NPC and gain his trust. Then, I'll slowly work into his confidential core circle. Perhaps I might even get a shot at the Mithril Island?

By then, I'll be powerful with my own forces. I'll offer the seafarer's journal to the Emperor as a show of my loyalty. The Emperor will definitely think that I'm his most loyal servant. By then, I'll have a foot in both camps and benefit from both sides at the same time!

Haha! Wahahaha! I'm so insidious! This isn't my fault. I was a kind person. This game messed me up. Games are bad for teenagers! Wahahah!

Of course, games are still games, after all. These plans are all based on assumptions. I already accepted the Epic Mission to fight against Markal. How will the plot progress from here? What will happen once I meet him? Will he kill me instantly? Or will it be like a spy movie, where he doesn't know anything?

What the heck. I already accepted the mission to face him as an enemy. I don't care if he kills me instantly. Anyways, I have to try something. Otherwise, I won't be able to complete the mission. Once I get to a city, the first thing I'll do is look for Markal. If I can lie and cheat my way to some reward, I'll have the first sum of capital needed to fix my ship for my merchant business.

Da Fei suddenly made sense of everything and was very relieved. He had a direction to go now in his future.

However, he understood the deal with Markal, but not with the Captain. Must he wait to ask about it only when the Captain's soul in the sword awakened? What the heck. When would that be?

Da Fei flipped through the other books on the Captain's bookshelf. They were mostly poems and maps. The Voyage Journal only contained normal safety sailing records.

Da Fei did not find anything after a long search. In real life, he had been staying awake the whole night until noon now. He soon got sleepy and decided to log off for a nap.

—System Message: Attention! You are in the Open Sea. Once you log off, your ship might encounter unknown threats. In order to avoid unnecessary losses, it is recommended to purchase the Mall Item, Sanctuary of God (Note: Player cannot log off in enemy territory.)

—Sanctuary of God: When a player's hero logs off in the wild, the Sanctuary of God protects the player's troops from being attacked. During this protection period, game time is stopped. Item Price: 20 credits. (Note: The larger the hero's troops, the more expensive this item becomes.)

What?! Logging off costs 20 dollars?! Why are you so f**king greedy?! Is my ship worth so much?

Logging off was a huge inconvenience in Hero Genesis. Solo players could log off freely. However, those players with troops had serious issues. To summarize, troops would not log off together with players. Otherwise, logging off could become a tool used during ambushes. Hence, players with troops could only house their troops at different towns' army camps. If they were in the wild with no towns around, they had to either assign a sub-hero to lead the troops or purchase this Mall Item, Sanctuary of God. The longer the duration and the more number of troops protected, the more expensive this item would be. In other words, only the rich could afford leading troops into battles.

Chey, I'm a professional player here to earn money, not to donate to you. I won't accept this. I'll sleep while logged in! I'll turn alarms and sirens on in the System Message and let the ship drift! It'll be best if I wake up and find my ship drifted to the mainland. I don't believe that some Leviathan will just pop up from this huge world and eat my ship. Furthermore, my ship is already in a horrible state. No matter what happens, I'm only a lone Captain. Anyways, I'll let the heavens decide my fate.

Then, Da Fei fell asleep with the helmet on.