Chapter 16. A Little Incident at the Victory Banquet...
At 5 p.m., the awakening ceremony at the First High School ended.
All students majoring in combat, support, and some with the potential to become powerful life skills will receive an invitation to a victory celebration banquet, a tradition that has been passed down for many years at First High School.
It is intended to strengthen the connection between the school and the students, and to ensure that they do not forget the school after they become successful.
It was also a stage set up to attract talent for various powerful families, military units, and guilds.
After all, powerful professions/hidden professions should be cultivated immediately after awakening.
When they are sophomores, they will definitely have a huge advantage in dungeons and secret realms, and they can snowball their development.
By the time they graduate from university, some students will become well-known professionals due to these advantages, thus surpassing ordinary professionals by a large margin (for example, Xiao Weizhi, who was already a relatively well-known legal professional in the capital right after graduating from university).
The banquet was held in the school's gymnasium.
All the sports equipment in the stadium has been removed, and various ribbons and balloons have been hung inside as decorations. Long tables are neatly arranged around the stadium.
The table was covered with a red tablecloth and laden with delicious food and drinks; it was a self-sufficient celebration banquet.
But the people inside weren't really interested in the food. Adult professionals in suits and elegant dresses kept moving around the students who looked young in school uniforms.
Their goal is to recruit these young talents into their own teams or organizations...
Five of the students were surrounded by a lot of people because their professions were all hidden professions: three were combat-oriented, one was support-oriented, and one was life-oriented.
The hidden classes in the main combat system are: Phoenix Flame Mage, Lionheart Berserker, and Earth Rock Shield Warrior.
The hidden profession of the auxiliary system is: Status Enhancer.
The hidden profession in the Life Skills category is: Brick Heart Tailor.
Most of them surrounded the female classmate who had awakened a hidden support class, and in a bidding-style manner, they all talked at once about their conditions for being recruited.
After all, a powerful buff master, once they find the right skills, can double the strength of a thousand-man army, making it as effective as a ten-thousand-man army.
Xiao Weizhi had no interest in recruiting talent this time. Instead, he chatted with Lin Xiaoxiao and other acquaintances in a corner.
Besides Gu Qingqi, whom we met at the entrance to the secret realm, there were three other young men dressed in bespoke suits: Shen Bi'an from the Shen family, Lu Xumo from the Lu family, and Pei Shuyan from the Pei family.
These people are childhood friends of Xiao Weizhi, from similar family backgrounds, and have played together since they were little.
Gu Qingqi, dressed in a brightly colored suit and holding a glass of red wine, winked at Lin Xiaoxiao, who was holding Xiao Weizhi's arm, and teased loudly, "Xiaoxiao, look, besides Xiao Weizhi, there are several others here. Which one do you like?"
"The cynical type? The charming and handsome type? The composed and measured type? Or the cool type? If you get tired of Wei Zhi, you can change your taste. We are no worse than him."
Gu Qingqi pointed at each of the men present:
Lu Xumo had short blond hair shaved into an American-style fringe, wore a black suit with a black vest underneath, and was constantly chewing gum. His face was expressionless.
With long, straight hair reaching his waist, styled into a slightly wavy half-up hairstyle, and wearing a violet suit, Shen Bi'an possessed delicate features and a charming smile.
Pei Shuyan, with his short hair neatly combed back with hair gel, wore a dark gray suit with a white shirt and tie, exuding a calm and reliable temperament.
And Gu Qingqi himself.
Lin Xiaoxiao, arm in arm with Xiao Weizhi, greeted them with an awkward laugh: "Hello, my name is Lin Xiaoxiao, and I'm a new member of the Dragon Fang Squad."
Several of them looked at each other with a tacit understanding.
New team member? It was rare to find a 'new team member' brought to such an occasion.
Shen Bi'an smiled and raised his glass to her: "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lin. If you're tired of the Dragon Fang Squad, you can consider switching to my Nuclear Star Squad. The benefits here are no worse than those in Dragon Fang."
"The Mad Peak Squad isn't bad either," Cool Guy Lu Xumo added.
Pei Shuyan smiled and raised his glass: "Our Eternal Night Squad is no less capable than Dragon Fang."
Although they knew that the Miss Lin in front of them was a businesswoman.
But for Xiao Weizhi, that sharp-eyed kid, to be so possessive of his food! He even takes it everywhere he goes, so he's definitely no ordinary person. Regardless of whether we can actually dig it up, let's try digging a couple of times first, just to test the waters.
Gu Qingqi watched the spectacle with amusement, laughing heartily from the sidelines.
Xiao Weizhi glanced at them and coldly said, "Get lost!"
The group joked familiarly, talking about things only they knew, and Lin Xiaoxiao, who was among them, chuckled along.
Just as the group was having a pleasant conversation...
Suddenly, a timid voice came from beside me: "Hello, Captain Xiao, my name is Liu Peian. My awakened profession today is: Status Enhancer. I would like to recommend myself to become a member of the Dragon Fang Squad."
Turning my head, I saw a pretty girl with her hair tied in a low ponytail, wearing the blue-gray school uniform of the First High School.
Liu Pei'an looked very nervous, but her gaze towards Xiao Weizhi was filled with a mixture of shyness and expectation; anyone with eyes could see where her ambition lay.
Xiao Weizhi's eyes were calm as he looked at her and refused without hesitation: "Sorry, the Dragon Fang team is currently very well staffed, and we have no intention of adding more members."
Upon being rejected, Liu Pei'an suddenly turned pale and looked at Xiao Weizhi in disbelief.
Then his gaze swept over Lin Xiaoxiao beside him, as if to say: Then why was she allowed to join?
She clenched her fists tightly, unwilling to accept the situation and demanding an answer: "Why? My profession is clearly better than this woman's, who has no skills whatsoever. Why can she join the Dragon Fang Squad, but I can't?"
Information about Lin Xiaoxiao's profession and abilities had been circulating in the capital since the day she joined the Dragon Fang Squad.
Many people placed bets, hoping to see this disabled woman, who only possessed a super-large spatial ability, would be kicked out of the Dragon Fang Squad.
Lin Xiaoxiao pouted helplessly. She was just eating some melon seeds, how did it all get dragged into her?
Xiao Weizhi's eyes were cold, and her voice was icy: "Just because she doesn't have any ulterior motives, she's more suitable for Dragon Fang than you."
It's as if to say, I can tolerate an incompetent person staying in Dragon Fang, but I cannot tolerate someone with ulterior motives joining Dragon Fang.
Each word shattered Liu Pei'an's unrealistic delusions, causing her to run away from the venue, crying and covering her face.
Gu Qingqi complained helplessly: "Weizhi, your words are too harsh. After all, I am a hidden profession."
Xiao Weizhi scoffed: "You can go after him."
Gu Qingqi shrugged, picked up his wine glass, and gently touched it to Xiao Weizhi's glass.
Chase him? He's not crazy, and he already has a fiancée. If he chases after a young girl and rumors spread, he'll be in deep trouble when he gets back.
Moreover, that girl is the cousin of Liu Duoxin, the former fiancée of Young Master Xiao.
Anyone with eyes can see what the Liu family is up to this time. They're just trying to use their younger sister to take over after the older sister broke up with Xiao Weizhi.
Lin Xiaoxiao looked at the group of grown men in confusion, wondering what was with their knowing smiles.
Shen Bi'an then placed his wine glass on the table beside him and said seriously, "Weizhi, I've received news that the entrance to the B-level secret realm, Ghost Stone Fortress, which mysteriously disappeared three years ago, has reappeared in a valley near G City. Are you interested?"
Xiao Weizhi frowned: "Isn't that instance developed by the G City government itself?"
Shen Bi'an extended his index finger, which was adorned with an extravagantly designed ring, and gently shook it: "No, I received news that G City recently discovered the entrance to an A-level secret realm in the wild. Currently, G City's focus has shifted to that newly discovered secret realm, and they plan to release the exploration rights for Ghost Stone Fortress."
Xiao Weizhi lowered his eyes and pondered, quickly recalling information about Ghost Stone Fortress in his mind, considering whether the resources inside were worth exploring.
When Lin Xiaoxiao heard the familiar dungeon name, Ghost Castle, her expression instantly froze.
In the original novel, Xiao Weizhi led a team into the Ghost Stone Fortress, a B-level secret realm, and got into an accident. He was trapped underground for 7 days, his legs were broken and he was invaded by ghost energy. Even though he was later rescued, he was left with a lifelong disability and could only get around in a wheelchair.
This was Xiao Weizhi's first major tribulation, and the beginning of his and the Xiao family's tragic fate.
While Lin Xiaoxiao was still in a daze, Xiao Weizhi had already accepted the invitation from several childhood friends and agreed to go to G City together in a few days.
On the return journey in the flying car, Lin Xiaoxiao sat in her seat and cautiously asked, "Do we really have to go to this secret realm?"
Xiao Weizhi's fingers nimbly swiped across the screen, quickly reviewing the three-year-long pioneering data for Ghost Stone Castle. He understood her unspoken meaning, and without looking up, asked in a low voice, "What? Don't you want to go? Why?"
Why? You'll become disabled and confined to a wheelchair for life. Is that a strong enough reason?
Whenever Lin Xiaoxiao tries to say something about the future, she falls silent, as if an invisible hand is preventing her from speaking.
A moment later, she slumped into her chair, muttering a casual reply: "That secret realm is full of strange things."
From the moment she opened her mouth, Xiao Weizhi considered many possible reasons why she might not want to go, but he never expected the reason to be so simple.
He continued sliding his fingers across the light screen, and in a deep voice, he offered a suitable solution: "If you're truly afraid, don't go to this secret realm. Stay home, and I'll send someone to guard you."
Lin Xiaoxiao, as if in a fit of pique, crossed her arms and said irritably, "Who's afraid? Who do you look down on?"
Xiao Weizhi glanced at the sulking person next to her, then turned back to look at the documents, a slight smile curving her lips.
It was past 2 a.m.
Lin Xiaoxiao lay on the bed, her brows furrowed into a distinct "川" shape. Her small face, buried in the soft pillow, was covered in cold sweat. Her mouth opened and closed silently, and her head kept turning back and forth with very slight movements, as if trying to get rid of everything terrible in her dream.
As her body twisted more and more violently, she suddenly opened her eyes, sprang to her feet, panting and trembling all over. Her hands, gripping the cup, shook uncontrollably, and cold sweat dripped from her face onto the blanket.
The warm yellow nightlight illuminated Lin Xiaoxiao's still-shaken eyes and her dry, chapped lips.
A moment later, after her violent heartbeat subsided, she reached for a sheet of paper from the bedside table and wiped the cold sweat from her face.
She had a terrible nightmare, but she couldn't remember the details. She only remembered someone constantly whispering in her ear: "You can't say it, you absolutely can't say it, but you can say it..."
What can't I say? What exactly happened in my dream?
Because of this dream, when Lin Xiaoxiao woke up the next day, it was already noon, and she felt extremely tired, with faint dark circles under her eyes.
She sat at the dining table, yawning, holding her chopsticks for a long time without moving.
Sister Luo stood aside and asked worriedly, "Is the food not to your liking? Miss Lin, what would you like to eat? I'll have the kitchen make another serving."
Lin Xiaoxiao shook her head and explained softly, "The food is delicious, but I had a nightmare last night and didn't sleep well, so I don't have much of an appetite."
The table was set with her favorite dishes, all of which looked and smelled delicious, and even the plating showed that a lot of thought had been put into it.
Sister Luo nodded: "Then I'll ask Old Tang from the kitchen to make you a soup to nourish you. You had a nightmare and didn't sleep well, so drinking some warm soup is good for your health."
Before Lin Xiaoxiao could refuse, Sister Luo had already picked up her walkie-talkie and asked the kitchen to add an extra serving of soup.
Just then, Xiao Weizhi appeared in a hurry, his gaze falling on the food that had barely been eaten: "Not to your liking?"
She usually has a good appetite, so why did she eat so little today?
Lin Xiaoxiao shook her head: "It's delicious, but I didn't sleep well and didn't have much of an appetite."
Xiao Weizhi pulled out a chair next to him and sat down. He turned to Luo Jie and instructed, "Sister Luo, bring up a table of light dishes. She doesn't have an appetite, so she shouldn't eat anything too spicy."
The dishes on the table in front of me were: Maoxuewang (a spicy Sichuan dish), spicy chicken, stir-fried pork with chili peppers... At a glance, they were all spicy dishes with a strong flavor, with only two non-spicy vegetarian dishes placed far away.
Lin Xiaoxiao has a strong palate and prefers spicy dishes, but she also enjoys well-cooked mild dishes.
Ten minutes later, the dishes on the table changed to steamed shrimp, baby bok choy in broth, crystal chicken, Peking duck...
Lin Xiaoxiao ate only half a bowl of rice with Xiao Weizhi before putting it down. She hadn't slept well and really didn't have much of an appetite.
She had originally planned to go back to her room to rest after finishing her meal, but Xiao Weizhi asked her to stay, saying he needed to talk to her later. Helpless, she could only obediently sit aside and wait for him to finish his meal.
After the meal, Xiao Weizhi placed a light-colored wooden box, slightly larger than a basketball, in front of Lin Xiaoxiao.
He held his glasses, which he had just taken off, and said while wiping them, "There are 300 experience coins worth 50,000 each and a savings card worth 10 million gold coins in here. This is the reward for taking the fire-type forbidden spell skill book and the compass item from the Tree Demon dungeon."
He paused for a few seconds, then put on his glasses and looked at her: "Are you sure you want these? You can change them."
Xiao Weizhi had asked her before what kind of reward she wanted, and whether she had any skill books or items she wanted.
Lin Xiaoxiao felt that she could open the boxes herself to get all these things; it was just a matter of time and luck. So she only took the money and experience coins.
The mainstream method of transaction in this world is money.
Money is further divided into: copper coins, silver coins, gold coins, and purple gold coins.
[Conversion method: 1 copper coin = 1 yuan, 1 silver coin = 10 yuan, 1 gold coin = 100 yuan, 1 purple gold coin = 10,000 yuan]
Experience coins are a special currency, and they are further divided into: 50,000, 100,000, 200,000, and 500,000.
Among them: one 50,000 experience coin is worth 10 purple gold coins; one 100,000 experience coin is worth 35 purple gold coins; one 200,000 experience coin is worth 80 purple gold coins; and one 500,000 experience coin is worth 220 purple gold coins.
As for why it is so expensive, it is because experience coins are the experience extracted from professionals, and are made into coins through special means. With each increase in the face value, the difficulty of production becomes higher, so the larger the face value of the experience coin, the higher the price.
It can even be used for absorption and upgrading, and is a special resource. Some precious items can only be purchased with experience coins.
Therefore, experience coins rarely circulate among ordinary people; they mostly circulate only among high-level professionals.
Lin Xiaoxiao opened the box and saw 300 dark blue experience coins, each about the size of a beer bottle cap, with "50,000" engraved with flowers written on the front, neatly arranged inside.
You can also hear a notification sound when you swipe your finger across it.
[50,000 experience coins detected. Absorb?]
She chuckled and nodded, "Yes, these are enough."
Xiao Weizhi nodded, not saying much about Lin Xiaoxiao's choice. After all, her lucky treasure chest always yielded some strange and unusual items, and she was willing to accept experience coins.
After delivering the items, Xiao Weizhi got up to leave and attend to other work.
Just as he was about to leave, he turned around and asked, "Are you really going to Ghost Stone Castle with me?"
The implication is that if you're really scared, you can stay home and wait for them to come back.
Lin Xiaoxiao gave him a disgruntled look and said, "Go away."
Xiao Weizhi nodded, then turned and strode away, leaving Lin Xiaoxiao sitting at the dining table, racking her brains to recall the part in the original novel that described Xiao Weizhi's misfortune.
However, since Xiao Weizhi is the villain in the story, there is not much description of him to begin with.
A large portion of the descriptions focus on the moments when the characters clash with the male and female protagonists, are humiliated, or fall into misfortune.
Over the next week, a large amount of supplies were delivered to the building where Xiao Weizhi and Lin Xiaoxiao lived.
Lin Xiaoxiao has once again become a human warehouse that only knows how to collect and store supplies, and this time the supplies are much more streamlined than before.
Since Ghost Stone Fortress is a secret realm that has been explored several times, there is a lot of written information available, which allows you to purchase supplies accordingly.
On a bright sunny day, a speeding car sped out of Xiao Jiachao's capital city.
The entire Dragon Fang Squad was sitting in the car.
"Ptooey, ptooey, what is this taste? It's disgusting." Wang Hao held a pink, ball-shaped lollipop in his hand, his face scrunched up.
God knows why candy that looks delicious tastes like a combination of smelly socks, soy milk, and a lethal amount of sugar.
Jiang Tao laughed loudly, holding a star-shaped candy in his hand. Although his candy tasted strange, it didn't stop him from mocking Wang Hao: "Serves you right, hahahaha."
With a lemon-flavored lollipop dangling from his lips, Cheng Cheng clapped his hands and egged them on, "Haozi, have another one! The next one will definitely taste better."
Chen Feng held three opened, oddly-flavored lollipops in his hand, one of which he had already licked. He looked at Cheng Cheng, who was making a fuss, with a doting expression. He had tasted all the other candies before giving them to Cheng Cheng, making sure they were normal-tasting.
Except for Liu Huihui, who was driving, each member of the Dragon Tooth Squad held one or two candies.
Chen Yijin was lucky; he drew a buff candy on his first try: [Congratulations on obtaining the temporary status: 5% immunity to poison per second].
Everyone else had either weird-flavored candies or normal-flavored candies; not a single one had a buff.
It was for this reason that the Dragon Tooth Squad was filled with competitive spirit, and everyone vowed to draw a candy that could give them a buff.
Lin Xiaoxiao held a star-shaped candy box in her arms, smiling sweetly, her eyes mischievous. Fun things are meant to be shared!
A note from the author:
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