Chapter 19 - 16: Learning War Machine Science
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The player hero used a Crossbow Cannon, and if there were soldiers at hand, he could assign a soldier to help fire it, with the damage still credited to the hero. If there were no soldiers, he had to operate it himself. The feeling was akin to driving a tank, which was quite thrilling. Especially when you mastered the Crossbow Cannon at the master level, with 30 defenses, 600 health, it truly felt like an invincible tank!
But unfortunately, Da Fei's "tank" was far from this level, with less than half its health left and on the verge of collapse! Without the crossbow, Da Fei would undoubtedly be doomed.
So Da Fei didn't have time to think; while the zombie was knocked back, he quickly loaded the third crossbow arrow!
At this moment, the zombie, knocked back ten meters, shakily stood up and bent its body once more!
Damn! It could still jump! What kind of zombie was this? Just like that Jumping Demon! Watching the airborne meat bullet soar through the air, Da Fei's mind went blank!
—Boom! The crossbow was jolted again! -37!!!
It didn't destroy the crossbow! The damage wasn't as high as last time! The crossbow still had 5 health left!
The sudden turn of events sent a wave of joy through Da Fei as he finished loading, without hesitation—fire!
—Kaboom!!! The crossbow arrow pierced through! -55!!! But it didn't knock it back again!
Da Fei's eyes narrowed in shock; the crossbow's damage had doubled! Could it be that the zombie's attack was actually the Jumping Demon's signature skill, Bounce Attack—further it jumped, greater the damage; the more jumps, the more it got hurt?
The battle situation flashed like lightning, leaving Da Fei no room to gather information. In this strange place, even the Anemone King could use Bounce Attack, so why couldn't zombies?
With his mind racing, Da Fei decisively stopped loading the crossbow arrow, immediately stood up, and aimed his gun at the zombie in front of him! Because the crossbow's attack speed was 5, and the zombie's was 6, in the next round, regardless, it wouldn't be faster than the zombie! So it was going to be a melee battle!
One stab and blood spurted—"－16!"
Looking at his basic damage of 4-7, with poison enchantment ineffective against the undead, he actually managed to deal 16 damage! Da Fei was completely shocked! Yes, it was indeed the aftermath of a Bounce Attack.
Without hesitation, Da Fei struck again! Meanwhile, the zombie started to swing its claws! Although Da Fei's speed of 10 was much faster than the zombie's 6, it was not double the speed—only slightly ahead.
But it didn't matter; the gunner's advantage was the long weapon, so Da Fei could stab it while it couldn't reach him. The zombie would certainly target the hate-laden crossbow with its swipe!
—Boom!!!－5! The crossbow collapsed with a crash! Da Fei once again dealt another 16 points of life from the zombie!
Now, without the tank, the decisive duel between the leaders began!
Once more, Da Fei stabbed the zombie, while it began moving toward Da Fei. Since the zombie could not yet reach Da Fei's long weapon, it wasn't going to swing aimlessly, but leap forward!
"－16!" Da Fei's final profitable strike!
Now, Da Fei had dealt a total of 155 points of life from the BOSS! All his cards were played; all that was left was a mutual clash!
Judging from the damage when the BOSS hit Blood Sea Wave for 15 points last night, with only 32 points of life, he could withstand at most two hits. While his attack speed of 10 allowed him three stabs before the zombie with a speed of 6 could strike the second time! This was the difference in attack speed; in one attack, it was a matter of turns, while in multiple attacks, the gap was very evident! This was Da Fei's last advantage!
If three stabs couldn't kill it, Da Fei had nothing more to say about the BOSS having too much health. Three stabs to decide the outcome!
"－16!" Da Fei stabbed the first time!
"－20," the zombie countered! Da Fei was left with only 12 health points.
"－16!" Receiving the zombie's attack, Da Fei immediately stabbed a second time!
Then, the outcome of the decisive final stab—Da Fei nervously closed his eyes!
—"－13!" A golden light soared into the sky!
Hearing the system prompt sound, Da Fei opened his eyes excitedly!
—System Prompt: You have killed the Rapid Zombie, gaining 6,000 experience! Obtained item "War Machine Study Skill Book," obtained item "War Machine Parts Storage Space Bag," obtained item "Artillery Captain Grunt's Nautical Diary (Quest Item)," obtained item "Cargo Bay Door Key."
—System Prompt: Congratulations! You have leveled up to level 8! You gained 1 free strategic attribute point, 1 skill point, life +2, Command Power +1.
—System Prompt: You have further collected and completed information on the Rapid Zombie!
—System Prompt: You have completed the achievement "Lonely Hero 10 Consecutive Victories" progress 2/10.
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Ha! Wahahaha! Da Fei laughed joyfully towards the sky! I won! I won! So the Skill Book was on him! He even generously included the Space Bag! He indeed had the key to passing! I held it in for so long, let's see what this so-called Artillery Captain's attributes truly are!
—Rapid Zombie: Small Undead Leader unit; Attack 10, Defense 2, basic damage 10-20, health 200, attack speed 6, move speed 4, Command Value ?, experience 6000, special skill: Bounce Attack.
Indeed, it was Bounce Attack! I knew I could foresee things like a master! Wahahaha, I always knew I was a master, there's a reason for my success! I'm just too damn awesome!
But what a weird kind of soldier with such a huge attack and defense disparity! Doesn't even have the defensive technique or plague special skill of ordinary zombies? With damage fluctuations so large, ranging between fourth and sixth level soldiers, isn't this too inconsistent?!
Never mind, BOSS units are unpredictable, anyway winning is all that matters! Selling this information should be kinda worth it.
Da Fei exhaled deeply in relief! In life, when you're down, it's like sailing against the wind in a leaky house during a storm. When you're lucky, it's one good thing leading to another, from one victory to the next, it seemed my luck was finally turning!
After contemplating life, Da Fei calmed his excited heart and began to inspect the spoils of war.
First, of course, was this golden War Machine Study Skill Book. I can be sure this is the hardest Skill Book to acquire in the entire world! See how ordinary players learn skills so easily? Just go to the machinery workshop in a big city, chat, pay some money, done! Unlike me, risking my life to solo a BOSS?
That's why, to be worthy of my hard work, I must learn it! Just happened to have two skill points from the level-up, one to learn the main War Machine Skill and one for the sub-skill Crossbow Master.
Da Fei opened the book, and a flash of golden light appeared!
—System Prompt: You have learned Basic War Machine Science, enhancing the durability and effectiveness of Crossbow Cannon, Siege Machine, and Medical Tent. You can repair damaged war machines.
Basic War Machine Science crossbow attributes: Attack 10, Defense 10, Basic Damage 2-3 (total damage = Basic Damage x total attribute points), Health 200, Attack Speed 5, Move Speed 1, special skill: Knockback, Pierce.
—Crossbow Master: Crossbow can fire two arrows consecutively.
Double fire on the crossbow! From now on, I'm considered to have stepped into the halls of the mechanical flow! With the crossbow, what's the "Lonely Hero 10 Consecutive Victories" but a piece of cake! Wahahaha!
Then let's check out the acquired equipment.
—War Machine Parts Storage Space Bag: A space bag allowing players to carry war machine parts.
Nothing much to say about this, a necessity for mechanical flow players, the system machinery workshop gives it upon graduation, much like how a bowl is related to chopsticks.
War machines move extremely slowly, and their size makes it impossible to march on some rugged terrains. The solution is to dismantle the war machines into parts and store them, then assemble when fighting. Means every battle takes ten minutes to set up and ten minutes to dismantle, taking at least twenty minutes, while a day in the game equates to 2.4 hours! How many battles can you fight in a day?
Painful, isn't it? Painful! But strength comes at a price. Just think of how actual wars in ancient times transported supplies, it won't feel as painful anymore! Even ancient Osman navy disassembled ships, transporting them across the desert from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea without space bags back then.
Yet, books, packages, and crossbows, are things ordinary mechanical flow players can obtain in due course, so is that all there is to show for my effort in killing a BOSS? Doesn't that unfairly short-change me? Could the secret be in this key? A treasure key? Or in this nautical diary?
Let's check the diary first. Perhaps leading to another epic quest? Or unlocking a God-level skill? God-level skill would be best, but as for epic quests, forget it, I just wish to peacefully make money through trading, truly don't want to mess with those troublesome epic missions. However, if a mission arrives at my doorstep, what can I do? Am I worried about my wife and daughter at home? Ha ha!
With experience from the previous sailing captain's log, Da Fei carefully opened the first page of the diary.
—January 1, Year 150, this is a sacred and glorious day; this is the sacred moment of our Saint Anthony's official departure! Appointed by His Majesty, I, with outstanding performance, was gloriously named the Artillery Captain of the Saint Anthony. The entire ship's safety rests upon me, and I must live up to His Majesty's great trust! From today, I will meticulously record every single day of this great voyage!
—January 2, Year 150, clear, our ship sailed on the safe Shadow Sea; yesterday, His Majesty's motivational speech during the send-off left me boiling with zeal, so I won't slack off even in safe waters. I began gathering the gunners under my command for the first round of training!
—January 3, Year 150, clear, training!
—January 4, Year 150, overcast, training!
—January 5, Year 150, overcast, training!
—January 6, Year 150, clear, no enemy situation today.
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Uh? No more training?
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—February 1, Year 150, overcast, nothing happened.
—February 2, Year 150, overcast, nothing happened.
—February 3, Year 150, overcast, nothing happened.
—February 6, Year 150, clear, bored.
Damn! What about your promise to record every day? You know it's boring too! Can't you record something interesting? What about the God-level skill? Keep flipping!
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