Chapter 19: Poisoning the Dog King, Racing for the Sacred Relic

Jumping out the window is the only way to run!

I must take the diary and the medicine box; they are vital clues and might even be evidence of the Count’s crimes. And I’ll wear the dancer’s outfit too! It’s a top-tier item that grants a massive +5 bonus to speed—with this, my chances of escaping increase significantly.

—System Notification: Warning! Your profession and gender do not match the gear. The aesthetic score of your current attire has dropped to -100! Low aesthetics will cause a severely negative impression on nearby residents, potentially leading to mocking attacks and a decrease in reputation.

Attributes can actually be negative!

Dachun frantically glanced into a mirror. He looked like someone who had eaten a bizarre, pungent snack while galloping across a beach, his sheer veils fluttering—it was truly an eyesore.

Without time to dwell on it, he leapt out the window. Immediately, he heard a cacophony of barking from below.

Dachun looked down in alarm. The estate’s guard dogs weren't there; instead, a massive pack of stray dogs had gathered outside the wall, all craning their heads toward him and barking furiously.

Targeting me again? The moment he remembered the dog that wouldn't let go earlier, it hit him: his body must still reek of the toxin, and the dog had tracked his scent to call for reinforcements! If that was the case, the law of stray dogs—that they bite once and move on—might not apply. If he dared to step onto the street, he’d surely die!

Dachun turned his gaze to the sewer entrance, where the stray dogs had pried open the cover. It was his only path out. He would dash into the sewers; there were water channels inside where he could hide. And he still had the pills. Since they shared the same components as the toxin on him...

As his thoughts raced, he heard the door to his room being kicked open upstairs. Several barking dog heads and two human heads poked out from the window.

A red light flashed before Dachun’s eyes—Warning! Your illegal trespassing has been identified on the spot. You are now a "Red-Named" player wanted by the Count’s estate! Your reputation has decreased by 10,000 points. You may choose to find a patrol officer to surrender. Once killed, your illicit goods will be confiscated, your equipped items have a high probability of dropping, and you will be resurrected in prison.

Dachun’s heart sank. Red-named again! Both his main account and his alt were red-named—there was definitely something wrong here!

The two guards pointed at Dachun, who was climbing down the wall, and roared, "Catch the thief! The master will reward anyone who catches him!"

The guards at the main gate turned to look, and the thousands of players milling about the street heard and saw it too. At this moment, humans, dogs, and players were all his enemies!

Dachun’s scalp tingled as he jumped onto the wall. The stray dogs below were surging with agitation! He immediately pulled a few pills from the box and waved them in front of the pack. The dogs in the street instantly went wild.

So that was it—the pills were the key.

Dachun scattered the pills toward the sewer. The pack of dogs swarmed to fight over them! This was his chance! He leaped to the ground and sprinted toward the sewer behind the dogs; the players definitely wouldn't be able to stop him.

But even so, a large dog whipped its head around and took a bite out of him!

—System Notification: Warning! Your left foot has been attacked by a stray dog elite, resulting in a "Crippled" status!

Dachun collapsed to the ground!

***

Damn, it was an elite! Screw it, I have to crawl into the sewer even if I have to roll!

Amid the shouts of the players on the street, Dachun managed to kick off the elite dog and rolled into the sewer. *Splash!* He crashed hard onto the ground.

—System Notification: Warning! You have suffered fall damage. Your body is sluggish and temporarily unable to move. You urgently need to rest in place to recover.

Damn this game... If mining weren't actually profitable, I’d never put up with such disgusting mechanics.

Dachun looked around. He was in a pitch-black sewer network that felt like an underground labyrinth. Designed to handle flood drainage and prevent seawater backflow, it was quite magnificent. The drainage channel was a deep, small river where one could swim.

So the next step was to follow the flow of the water to leave the city and then find a gate guard to surrender? No, that wouldn't work either; the area outside the city was crawling with PK squads from the corporations.

The bigger problem was his crippled foot. Should he grind levels in the sewers? The sewers were home to many urban legends, but most of the time, he’d only find rats, bats, and cockroaches with no experience points. It really wasn't suited for leveling. And what would he eat? Right, he still had a bit of the dry rations from prison...

As he was feeling lost, a sky-piercing howl erupted from the street, and players outside the manhole exclaimed, "The Dog King is here! It's so fast!" "Is that even a dog? It looks more like a bear!"

Dachun was stunned. Had the Dog King picked up the scent too?

He didn't doubt for a second that the Dog King was here to finish him off. Whether he was crippled, sluggish, or unable to swim, a newbie’s chance of escaping a Boss-level creature was nearly zero!

There was no time to think. A thunderous roar arrived instantly. The light at the manhole dimmed as a basin-sized, smog-shrouded beast head poked in. Dachun’s heart nearly stopped.

—System Notification: Warning! Your "Purification" skill has detected the presence of toxic filth!
—System Notification: Your wisdom seems to grasp the Dog King’s desperate craving for the medicine!

It wants to eat the pills? Please, let me go!

Dachun immediately pulled out the box and threw all the remaining pills into its massive maw. The Dog King didn't hesitate, swallowing them all in one gulp, before trembling all over and blocking the manhole, motionless.

Time seemed to freeze.

I’ll gamble on this. It’s a box full of lethal poison. If the toxicity is high enough to kill it, great. If I can feed my way into a friendship, there’s a chance it might spare me. Either way, it’s better than dying while red-named and losing everything.

Finally, the Dog King’s body bloated, smoke erupted from its orifices like a steam boiler, and it let out a deafening, earth-shattering roar. A series of triple-digit damage red numbers exploded from the collar around its neck!

Seeing his chance, Dachun fought through the sluggishness and rolled into the water channel!

—System Notification: Your muscle memory is recalling the essentials of swimming. Your wounds are immune to the erosion of the sewage...

The Dog King went berserk and lunged downward!

The last move of the "Scavenger," a charged "Purification"—I’m going all in!

***

—System Notification: You have exhausted all your stamina...

*BOOM!!* In the water, Dachun unleashed a punch that turned the surrounding water into a high-pressure jet, blasting the dog’s head straight into the sewer ceiling. -1240!!

Dachun was stunned! For a newbie with only 11 points of attack, this damage was absurd! But this skill relied entirely on stamina; truly, the rougher the waves, the more precious the fish...

A moment later, the Dog King crashed onto the water like a mountain of flesh. Experience lights flashed over Dachun’s head, and simultaneously, a silver glow flew from the Dog King toward him!

—System Notification: Congratulations! You have solo-killed the "Stray Dog King." Speed-kill record: 5 minutes and 32 seconds. Kill rating: SSS! You have obtained the relic-grade gear "Dog King’s Spiked Collar." You have earned the achievement "Iron-Forged Heroic Citizen VIP 1." You may go to the City Lord’s Mansion to claim a reward of 1,000 Mining Coins.

Relic: Dog King’s Spiked Collar: Neck defense +300. Reflects a percentage of melee damage dealt to the neck and causes bleeding on melee hits. Durability 500, Weight 10. Relic Trait: "Intimidation Aura." Attacks from lower-level targets have a chance to miss or be negated. Monsters have a chance to not attack you proactively or prioritize other targets. Doubled effect against canine creatures. Can be upgraded.

Iron-Forged Honorable Citizen VIP 1: Reputation +1,000. Grants priority when handling business in Iron-Forged City. Complete more honorary tasks to upgrade VIP level.

—System Notification: Warning! You have killed the Stray Dog King. The attitude of the Animal Protection Society toward you has changed to "Angry."

—System Notification: Congratulations! You have reached Level 4. Attack +6, Health +6, Stamina +6, Carrying Capacity +6.

—System Notification: You have obtained high-value gear. To ensure it does not drop upon death, you may go to the main city’s insurance company to pay for binding services.

—Iron-Forged City Announcement: Congratulations! Level 1 player "Dachun" has solo-killed the special siege event Boss "Stray Dog King." Speed-kill record: 5 minutes and 32 seconds. Kill rating: SSS! He has obtained the relic-grade gear reward "Dog King’s Spiked Collar" and earned the achievement "Iron-Forged Royal City Honorable Citizen VIP 1!"

...

What... what... what...

Before Dachun could recover from the ecstasy of his desperate counter-kill, he was stunned by the city-wide announcement! He could even faintly hear gasps of shock coming from the first floor outside his room...

What is this mess!? The corporate bigwigs were already hunting me across the city; this just put me in the spotlight! And what’s this Animal Protection Society business?

Even though this VIP status added 1,000 reputation, he was still red-named. The corporate bigwigs in the city would definitely send people down to hunt him and loot his red-named gear, and he had exhausted all his stamina on that ultimate move; he could only drift along the water.

The critical issue was this relic—the 300 defense was shockingly high, but it only protected his neck. Others could hit his head or torso! Should he gamble on the fact that they wouldn't swim?

Regardless, as long as he had time to recover his stamina, even if he had to crawl—

As his thoughts raced, the light at the manhole was blocked again. Players were descending into the sewer one after another.

Dachun’s scalp went numb! It wouldn't even take the corporations to act; the ordinary players nearby, having the home-field advantage, would never let him go!