Chapter 156 Unbridled Willow (1/2)

Chapter 156 Unbridled Willow

Hot Spring Valley

The Armored Giant Turtle was currently resting at the shallows of the river bank, with a Warrior fully outfitted in plate armor sitting nearby. At a glance, the plate armor that he wore seemed to be of decent quality, but judging from the difference in the decorative patterns, it was evident that he was not wearing a complete set of equipment. Furthermore, his plate armor currently seemed to be tattered, with smoke still emanating from numerous places. It was clear that he had just been through a tough battle.

At this very moment, the moon was bright and the stars were dim.

It was currently midnight in the real world, where everything was silent.

This made Hot Spring Valley, which was not often frequented by players, seem even more desolate and quiet.

The Warrior was currently seated at a beachhead not too far away from the Giant Armored Turtle, with a bonfire in front of him which added a degree of warmth to the frigid night on the Eastern Continent. The Warrior took off his helmet and tossed it aside with a single hand before releasing a deep sigh.

The helmet was simply too stifling. Although its defences were high and he looked extremely domineering when he wore it, it was simply suffocating when the helmet encased his entire head. Only his eyes were exposed for him to look at his surroundings. If not, he would really be akin to an iron wall with all the steel armor wrapping tightly around his body.

The night air was cold to the point that it prickled, yet this Warrior didn’t seem to be afraid. Taking a deep breath, he actually grabbed a handful of snow and leisurely shoved it in his mouth. The loose, cold ball of snow entered his mouth, seemingly chilling his teeth in the process.

“It’s best if one drinks wine on a cold day instead of eating snow,” A calm voice called out of the blue. The Warrior immediately stood up and pulled out the long sword that was stabbed into the ground. He surveyed his surroundings in alertness, paying special attention to the direction where the voice had come from.

“Who is it?”

“Relax, I’m just a stranger,” The tone in that calm voice now contained a hint of amusement. With the sound of rustling leaves, a sharp figure lept off from a nearby tree, landing right beside the Warrior.

With the illumination of the bonfire, the warrior was able to see that his guest was a female Elf. Judging from the crossbow on her back, she seemed to be a Hunter. However, this game had much in common with the real world; who knew if this stranger came with ulterior motives? He felt that it was best if he was wary of others.

The female Huntress saw that his face was full of wariness and wasn’t fazed in the slightest. Smiling in response, she seated herself by the fire’s side and gazed at the Giant Armored Turtle that was lying prone in the middle of the hot springs. “Are you here for the shield drop?”

The Warrior warily glanced around and relaxed slightly when he realized that there was no one tailing them and there was nothing out of the ordinary in the surroundings. Observing that the Huntress didn’t seem to have the intention of kill stealing, he too sat down and the corners of his mouth twitched. “Are you here for the shield as well?”

“I’m a Huntress, that thing is of no use to me.” The Huntress turned her head and smiled, and with the warm firelight shining on her elegant face, it added warmth to her facial expressions. She raised her hand and pointed to the distance before replying, “I’m here for the herbs, since there’s no one here at night.”

The Warrior didn’t question her further upon hearing her reply. The reason for that was because guilds would frequently hunt the Giant Armored Turtle in turns, and he had waited many hours before he could have this opportunity to hunt the turtle alone. The guilds farming mobs meant a proportional increase in the players who came here to hunt mobs as well, and amongst these players, there were definitely some who were Apothecaries. That’s why the herbs here might even be fought for as well. If he considered it from this point of view, this Huntress could be said to be telling the truth.

“What’s the matter? Didn’t you bring anything to eat?” The Huntress noticed that the Warrior was still shivering even though he was next to the fire; one could only imagine the cold he must be feeling. Hot Spring Valley had always been enveloped by snow, so potions that provided cold resistance should always be carried when clearing mobs in this area. Alternatively, one should be carrying items that provided warmth or wine. If not, they would be afflicted with a debuff called ‘Frozen’ which caused the limbs of players to become dull. Along with a decrease in movement speed, even certain attributes would decrease as well.

However, as the recent dungeons pioneered by the guilds of the Eastern Continent were mainly of the ice type, the prices for potions that provided cold resistance were driven up. This was why the players that usually visited this place would either bring food or wine instead.