Chapter 30: The Gloomy Forest

This Apostle was unexpectedly weak. No, that’s not quite right—calling him weak isn't entirely accurate.

Li Xia began to review the events of his first battle against an Apostle. It would be more accurate to say that he had improved too rapidly. Even though the Transcendence Temple had fallen into decline, the assistance it provided him remained astonishingly great.

Take the duration of stay, for instance. A newly certified Contractor could only remain in the real world for a maximum of seven days. They couldn't pull the trick he had managed—avoiding advancement to focus entirely on physical training in reality, effectively "leeching" attribute points. On this point alone, he had already opened up a gap of at least five attribute points between himself and other Apostles. Combined with his Level 5 "Sun Breathing" mastery, he was operating at a level far beyond his peers.

However, he could not afford to let his guard down. The Temple was a place of such miracles that Li Xia did not believe he was the only one with unique opportunities. What if someone had cleared the trial with an S-rank rating? The settlement chest alone would certainly be a magnificent one. And if they happened to have a stroke of "lucky charm" and learned a high-level skill during the trial... Li Xia wore a solemn expression; one must never underestimate the heroes of this world.

Stowing his spear into his inventory, Li Xia crouched down to examine the corpse. He wondered if he could... loot it? He picked up the dagger lying on the ground, but just as he prepared to inspect it, the weapon rapidly dissolved into motes of light and vanished.

Was it reclaimed by the Temple of Light? Li Xia recalled the Transcendence Temple mentioning that the weapons granted to Apostles were essentially reclaimed items, accumulating over time into a massive armory. Unfortunately, that entire stockpile had been plundered during the Great War. However, the Transcendence Temple still held a very small portion of inventory—equipment that had been listed on the auction house but remained unsold. Because the consignors had died, the items had become locked.

Soon, aside from the sniper rifle on the ground, the rest of the corpse's equipment dissolved into particles of light. Li Xia rummaged through the body once more. To his surprise, he found a pack of cigarettes, a Dupont lighter, some chocolate, a few compressed food rations, and even an emergency kit strapped to the waist.

"Well, they're mine now," he muttered, tucking the items away.

Li Xia found a comfortable spot to sit and, amidst the curling smoke, examined his spoils.

【Tac-50】
【Grade: Green】
【Origin: Delta Operation - McMillan Factory, USA】
【Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds】
【Damage Intensity: 5 (Tier 1)】
【Attack: 20-25】
【Void Magazine: Points can be spent to refill the magazine; prices increase with each use.】
【Rating: A sniper rifle with immense power and high precision.】
【Recycle Price: 800 points】

"Oh?" Li Xia’s eyes brightened. It was a decent sniper rifle with high damage intensity and solid output. As for the "Void Magazine" special effect, no one would bother with it if they had enough bullets. But if they ran dry, it would be a god-tier skill.

Stowing the sniper rifle, Li Xia stood up to survey his surroundings. He was surrounded by an endless expanse of mountain forest, the trees remarkably tall and upright. It resembled the spruce forests he had visited in the past; the towering trees were spaced widely apart, and fallen trunks served as breeding grounds for other plants. Thick vines, dark green moss, and mushrooms of various colors covered the area.

There were few signs of animal life here. Apart from the thick layer of fallen leaves, only a few hardy shrubs survived on the ground. A thin mist hung in the air, but whenever Li Xia looked closely, it seemed to mysteriously vanish. A moment later, the ethereal fog would quietly swirl back into his vision, like a thin veil obscuring his sight.

It was only then that Li Xia opened his mission panel:

【Current Mission: Cross the Mirkwood and arrive at Lake-town within 48 hours.】
【Mission Reward: Attribute Point *1, 1000 Points】
【Failure Penalty: Random attribute point reduced by 1, 1000 Points】

Lake-town? Mirkwood?

Li Xia immediately recalled the vast forests and distant mountain lakes he had seen during his descent. While it seemed like no information had been provided, the very fact that the Temple of Light had chosen this method of arrival was a hint in itself. He looked up at the sky, obscured by branches and leaves. If he couldn't confirm his direction, he could climb a treetop to scout the distant mountains.

However... Li Xia glanced at the upper right corner of his field of vision, where a mini-map identical to a game interface appeared. With a thought, the map expanded before him. According to the markers, he was currently at the outermost edge of Mirkwood. To cross the forest quickly, the best path was undoubtedly the Old Forest Road.

Li Xia’s eyes were filled with contemplation. Because he was a "stowaway," he hadn't received the ten-minute advance notice that other Contractors had. He had to rely on his memory to piece together everything about the Battle of the Five Armies. The Foggy Forest was dangerous; not only did Wood Elves live there, but because it was shrouded in dark power, it was also home to many monsters. The best way to pass safely was the Elf path—the Old Forest Road indicated on his map.

Li Xia pondered for a moment, identified his direction using the mini-map, and turned to walk into the woods. Going the long way around to reach the start of the Old Forest Road wasn't impossible, but it would waste at least several hours. If he cut across the hypotenuse of a triangle, his speed would undoubtedly be much faster. He remembered the hint the Transcendence Temple had given him: "Do your utmost to gain the gaze of the Temple of Light." This was the final step of his disguise. He wanted to reach Lake-town as soon as possible, and if his guess was correct, the earlier he arrived, the greater his advantage would be in the next stage.

...

The further he went, the more pronounced the mist in Mirkwood became. The sunlight he had caught glimpses of on the outskirts was reduced to dim, flickering shadows. The spruce-like trees were gradually replaced by strange, twisted specimens that grew in grotesque shapes, like gnarled, clawing tree monsters. The ground was covered in brown, decaying leaves that felt strangely soft and sinking underfoot. White spiderwebs, tangled with leaf litter and insect remains, clung to the gaps between the trees. The forest felt as if it were dead.

Li Xia took a deep breath. The air carried an indescribable, faint stench that choked him, prompting him to immediately utilize his breathing technique to slow his respiratory rate. Not only that, but as he ventured further, a notification from the Temple of Light suddenly popped up in his vision.

【You have been encroached upon by Shadow Power. With 8 Spirit, you will be subject to intermittent hallucinations.】
【End of Technique: Endless Vitality has been triggered; calculating relevant resistances.】
【You will fall into a trance-like state at irregular intervals.】

Just then, a prompt with a font style distinct from the Temple of Light appeared. It was a notification from the Transcendence Temple.

【High-value item detected; highlighted on the mini-map.】

Li Xia immediately opened the mini-map and saw a small treasure chest icon flashing continuously less than 300 meters away from his position.