Chapter 117: Chapter117-Attacked in the Streets
"Mac, what's the point of this auction anyway?"
Adventurers Guild!
When Qing arrived, he happened to catch old Mac sitting down with two large mugs of beer.
Qing joined him, picked up one of the mugs, and drank it clean before recounting the entire incident.
Seeing this, old Mac chuckled and didn't seem to mind.
"Feeling stingy now? Why pretend to be a big spender if you don't have the money? It's pointless!"
"Barry is just like that. He's a businessman, after all, always penny-pinching. Don't take it personally. But, what about the items you bid on? John trusted you to attend the auction."
"What's there to worry about? The auction won't end until the afternoon. I'll get back before it's over. I just couldn't stand it anymore, couldn't take that crap!"
"If you can't take it, why are you drinking my beer? Go buy your own!"
Hearing this, Qing scratched his head with a goofy smile and said, "Well, you see, I don't have any money. If I had money, I wouldn't be mooching off your drinks."
"Figures. Speaking of which, John mentioned that you guys aren't from this world, right?"
Old Mac took a big gulp of beer and, lost in thought, finally spoke after a long silence. "Can you tell me about your world?"
"Tell... I'm not good with words. I don't know how to explain it."
"Just chat casually. What did you do before?"
At this, Qing perked up, grinning. "I've got plenty to say about that. Before the apocalypse, I was a soldier."
"A soldier? Like those patrol guards on the street?"
"Hey, don't compare us to them! They're just loafers. I was a soldier, a sacred profession! Protecting the country, you know?"
"I know, I know. So, you were quite ambitious?"
"Of course! It was my childhood dream!"
Qing laughed heartily, but then his smile faded, replaced by a bitter expression.
"But then, a disaster struck."
"What kind of disaster?"
"A disaster like the end of the world. The ground cracked open, earthquakes and storms raged for seven days straight. As a soldier, I couldn't do anything in the face of it...
I felt unworthy of my uniform."
Qing sighed deeply, downing drink after drink, making old Mac feel a pang of sympathy.
It wasn't so much that old Mac felt sorry for Qing as it was for the beer.
Each mug cost 200 silver coins, and in such a short time, Qing had downed more than a dozen!
"And then what happened?"
"What else? Out of the over four hundred in our unit, all died during rescue and relief efforts. I got injured and thought that was the end for me. But the disaster ended, and I survived.
I ate tree bark, chewed on grass roots, swallowed bugs—anything that could be eaten, anything that could keep me alive, I consumed. Bit by bit, I held on and made it to today.
Thinking back, I even admire myself. What exactly kept me going? I still can't figure it out."
"You've had it rough."
Old Mac sighed, finished his last drink, and patted Qing on the shoulder. "Alright, you should get back now. Take care of those items; they're very important to John."
"Don't worry, John saved my life. Even if he wants to take it back someday, I'd accept it. I won't neglect anything he asks."
Qing hiccuped, struggled to his feet, and although he could have taken an antidote to clear his head, he enjoyed this floating feeling. He staggered away.
Making his way back to the auction house, Qing pushed open the door to Hall 001, only to find it empty.
"Huh? That's strange. Did I come back late? It was supposed to end at five."
Qing scratched his head, intending to find a staff member or NPC to ask, but after wandering around, he saw no one. The alcohol began to wear off, and Qing's mind cleared.
"Damn, if I don't get the items, John will be pissed! I better head back and check."
Qing drank an antidote to clear the alcohol from his system, his mind becoming sharper, and hurried out of the auction house.
But just then, he felt a chill from behind. Almost instinctively, he dodged, narrowly avoiding what could have been a fatal blow!
"Quick reflexes, I must say. As expected from the player ranked fourth on the power list, Qing, you did not disappoint me."
Seeing the figure gradually emerging from the shadows, Qing narrowed his eyes, his battle spirit igniting.
"You know who I am and still tried to ambush me. You've got some nerve!"
With a thought, a long halberd appeared in Qing's hand. He slung it over his shoulder and sneered, "Who sent you? Or are you just here for a simple robbery?"
"A dead man doesn't need to know so much."
"Brother, do you really think you can kill me? Just you?"
Qing suddenly laughed.
John trusted Qing to attend the auction not only because he had clearly marked the items to bid on but also because he knew that even alone, no one could take anything from Qing.
Because Qing was strong enough!
"Alone, I may not be able to handle you, but a group of us might. Hmm... what's the best way to deal with a berserker class? Oh right, a war of attrition."
The man in the white robe sneered, and suddenly dozens of men in white robes of varying heights emerged from all directions, surrounding Qing!
Seeing this, Qing's heart tightened, feeling a sense of crisis for the first time.
Judging by their attire and weapons, it was clear they belonged to the same organization and came prepared!
After all, the thief class is arguably the best counter to the berserker class.
Their elusive movements were what troubled Qing the most!
"Bringing over forty people, you really went all out."
"Of course! To deal with a player bearing the will of the war god Ares, we have to be on high alert. We won't leave you a single chance to survive! Enough talk, kill him!"
With that, the surrounding figures almost simultaneously vanished from their spots!
Seeing this, Qing's expression changed drastically.
He swung his halberd heavily to the ground, shattering it with a powerful impact.
The residual force rippled out, repelling the approaching thieves.
"War god? I don't know any war god! But judging by your look, you're not here for the treasures, so I don't need to hold back."
"You may be misunderstanding something. Right now, you are the prey!"
With that, the leading white-robed man swiftly appeared in front of Qing in the blink of an eye, thrusting a dagger straight at Qing's face!
Seeing this, Qing grunted, lifting his halberd from below to meet the dagger in a clash!
The next moment, Qing gasped in surprise.
This guy is strong!
As a berserker, equipped with numerous Attack-boosting items, Qing's attributes had long surpassed 600 points.
Even against monsters, Qing could hold his own!
But this man could contend with him, even without losing ground!
[Class Skill: Battle Roar!]
Activating the skill, Qing let out a thunderous roar, the sound shattering the air in front of the white-robed man.
At that moment, Qing realized he was in an entirely unfamiliar location.
The original street scene had been replaced by a light curtain.
He was trapped here!
The situation was almost hopeless!
Just as the white-robed man said, Qing's weakest point was a war of attrition.
Once dragged into their rhythm, without any way to contact John or others, the only thing awaiting him was death!
"Then let's end this quickly and take out you scum as fast as possible!"