Chapter 28: These Waters Run Too Deep for You to Navigate

Dachun did not know the principle behind the Purification spell. He assumed it required contact with water, and a layer of glass would likely impede it. Therefore, he filled the bottle to the brim, left it uncapped, and covered the opening with his palm. This way, his hand remained in contact with the water, and his throwing posture was standard—much like holding down the pin of a hand grenade—ensuring he wouldn't compromise his form just to strike the water.

Dachun raised the water bottle and activated Purification. In that instant, he was startled to see the water in the bottle swirl under the vortex created by his palm, emitting a faint, soft glow. This light! He had seen it before while purifying the toxic dust from the bat swarm in the water dungeon, but he hadn't paid it any mind!

Dachun stared blankly for a moment, forgetting to throw. As the vortex weakened, a system notification appeared: "You have activated Purification and cleansed the filth from the water."

Damn!

So that was it! Dachun realized his mistake in using dead fish and dead mice; those objects were filth themselves, and the Purification spell had simply cleaned them first, wasting his energy.

So, what about this water now that it was clean?

Dachun activated Purification again. The vortex reappeared in the bottle—this must be the energy of the spell—hurry and throw!

He threw it with a perfect, standard posture, landing it right on the Rat King—*Smack!* An explosion rang out, and water splashed inside the Rat King’s protective barrier!

—System Notification: Congratulations! Your Throwing skill has successfully upgraded to Intermediate Level 1. You have gained: Weight Capacity +1, Stamina +1, Accuracy +1%.

—System Notification: Congratulations! With exceptional wisdom, you have mastered the effective transmission of power between modular components and the synergy between skills. You have successfully grasped the Primary "Modular Combination" skill Level 1. Achievement Reward: Stamina +1, Weight Capacity +1, Health +1, Leadership +1, Accuracy +1%.

Modular Combination: Can improve the overall effectiveness of mechanical components, skill combinations, and team skills to a certain degree.

...

Damn!

Breaking through to Intermediate! And it even came with the "Modular Combination" skill!

So this was Modular Combination, covering every aspect of mechanics, skills, and teams—usable by players of all professions! And it was clearly a support skill for grinding other skills; it meant his skill-leveling speed would now be lightning-fast. And to level up skills, of course, he should throw potion bottles!

Wait, what if he tried throwing a red potion directly? Red potions were not filth; they contained rich energy. What kind of reaction would occur when combined with his Purification spell?

He had 110 bottles anyway!

Dachun immediately pulled out a red potion, removed the cap, covered it with his palm, aimed, and activated Purification!

The next moment, a vortex surged within the red bottle, erupting with a bright, crimson light! It looked incredibly powerful. He threw it!

*Boom!* The red light exploded like a gasoline bomb. Although it still didn't break the Rat King’s shield, the chaos it caused was on a completely different level than before. More importantly, the proficiency of his Throwing and Modular Combination skills was skyrocketing!

Hahaha, awesome! He’d treat this as using red potions to grind skills! Once his skills were high enough, he wouldn't have to worry about not breaking through!

Dachun quickly grasped the correct way to use the Purification spell. It wasn't just aimlessly splashing water, but a process of charging up to create a vortex. His ultimate move, "Charged Purification," which drained all his stamina, had actually provided the answer.

Once he understood this, Dachun learned to maintain the maximum vortex effect, and the results were significant!

—System Notification: Congratulations! Your Intermediate Throwing skill has upgraded to Level 2...

—System Notification: Congratulations! Your Primary Modular Combination skill has upgraded to Level 2...

The two skills were fueling each other! This was exactly the feeling he wanted!

Dachun finished throwing 50 red potion bottles, drank 5 stamina potions, and kept the mountain of rats wobbling, never allowing them to reach the top. Both his Intermediate Throwing and Primary Modular Combination skills reached Level 10!

This speed of leveling was outrageous—it even surpassed the gains from fishing when a whale took the bait. Once his Throwing skill reached Advanced, he would receive the "Three-Day Newcomer Benefit" wisdom reward!

Just then, Ellen spoke in a weary tone: "You seem to be doing well! Can you hit the cave entrance?"

***

With the 30% accuracy bonus from his two skills, Dachun was confident: "I can! Do you want to hit the cockroach?"

Ellen said in a low voice: "Yes, while I still have the strength, we must settle this! I will push the cockroach to the entrance with all my might. It doesn't have the Rat King’s protective barrier!"

Dachun felt both nervous and excited: "Understood!"

The next moment, a piercing shriek erupted from the cave entrance, and a mass emitting a sickly, yellowish light appeared!

Dachun went all out and hurled a red bottle—*Smack!!* -241!!

Damn, that power! It was far better than hitting foam without even a bubble appearing. But surprisingly, it didn't add any proficiency; this target was clearly lower-tier than the Rat King.

At that same instant, a streak of blood-red light swooped down, pinning the cockroach: "Don't stop!"

Dachun threw another bottle. As the red potion splashed, "-161" and "-221" appeared above the heads of both the bat and the cockroach!

Damn, friendly fire!

But the next moment, a line of "Health Recovery +41" appeared over the bat!

Dachun was astonished: "This potion is healing you?"

Ellen said irritably: "I'm a vampire bat, after all. Keep going!"

Dachun threw three more bottles in succession, then heard a *crack* as one of the cockroach's wings was bitten off—he had it!

However, Ellen said in a low voice: "If I tell you I don't have the strength left to deal with that rat down there, what will you do?"

Ah, this?

Looking at the surging mountain of rats, Dachun immediately had a plan: "Push this cockroach onto the rat pile and let them fight each other! Then we'll find an opening."

Ellen laughed: "If the cockroach is killed by the rats, you won't be able to prove that you eliminated it. Don't expect any major credit then!"

Damn, that's true. Then there would be no "VIP 3 Honorary Citizen" title! But at this point...

Dachun sighed: "The City Lord wants the rats and cockroaches eliminated; it doesn't really matter who does it. The important thing is that you're okay."

Ellen gave a strange laugh: "As long as I'm okay? You care that much about me?"

Dachun felt a chill: "Are you touched?"

Ellen laughed out loud: "I'm so touched. Since that's the case, don't bother with the credit for killing the rats. Let me eliminate the rat as well; that way I'll grow stronger and compensate for my losses in this battle. What do you think?"

Dachun was stunned: "Fine, sure! Can you eliminate it?"

Ellen laughed heartily: "You hesitated! If you have no credit at all, the Count will sue you into a lifetime in prison during the trial tomorrow morning!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the bat flashed in a blood-red light, another *crack* sounded as it clipped the cockroach's other wing, and then, with a shove, the cockroach tumbled into the Rat King’s protective barrier. The cockroach struggled and tore at it, instantly shredding the barrier to pieces, but it was immediately surrounded by countless rats.

Ellen chuckled: "That's a good opening!"

Indeed!

Dachun immediately swung his bottles and threw them. Without the stable protection of the barrier, each throw acted like a gasoline bomb, filling the screen with red damage numbers. Hundreds of rats must have died!

—System Notification: Congratulations! Your Throwing skill has successfully upgraded to Advanced Level 1. You have gained: Weight Capacity +1, Stamina +1, Accuracy +1%. You have received the "Three-Day Newcomer Benefit" reward: Wisdom +1.

***

—System Notification: Congratulations! Your Modular Combination skill has successfully upgraded to Intermediate Level 1...

...

They upgraded at the same time!

Sure enough, to level up, you need these high-impact effects in actual combat!

Ellen said solemnly: "Without the rats to carry it, the Rat King can't get far with its tail tangled up. You actually have a great chance to kill the Plague King—but have you ever thought about who would be most upset if everyone were healthy and free of disease?"

The medicine sellers, of course?

Dachun realized with a shock: "Are you implying that this has something to do with the stray dogs as well?"

Ellen said seriously: "I move in noble circles; I know the water here is too deep. You and that little mage would never be able to handle it! Even that celebrity girl might not truly support you; she’s just worried that if the City Lord actually seals the city, it will affect her profits!"

Dachun was stunned: "You know this celebrity mage well?"

Ellen chuckled: "She is the idol of all dancers, the role model for all mages, and the cultural ambassador of the Golden Empire. I’ve worshipped her enough. Besides, you've been infected by the plague. It's potent and currently incurable. Even if you respawn, it won't go away, and you'll infect the entire prison. So, under normal circumstances, you should be exiled to a deserted island. It's best if you're sensible and suggest it yourself to save everyone the trouble. Perhaps she might even compensate you with some credit, and you'll avoid being framed by the Count and rotting in jail."

Dachun was deeply shocked. He never imagined the situation was this deep! More shocking was that this was a conclusion deduced by AI agents.

Fine, he understood it completely now. If he were to hit the world announcements again as a VIP 3 or 4, not only would the various pharmaceutical nobles and animal protection organizations in the game not let him go, but the financial conglomerates in reality would definitely target this internet cafe! Exiling to an island might be for the best—to get out of this mess. He was just thinking about meeting up with the whale again to create more glory.

As he was calculating, Ellen warned: "Hide in the water, the cockroach is about to self-destruct!"

It had that move too!

Dachun immediately dove into the water, though his shared vision with the bat remained unaffected. Sure enough, he saw a massive mass swelling within the rat pile—*Boom!*

An explosion like a burst tire shook the sewers, and countless rat slime and flesh splattered everywhere!

Among the debris, a bright, shimmering object flew out, looking exceptionally dazzling!

Ellen was excited: "Sometimes, even in the filthiest things, something quite clean can unexpectedly grow—I'll take it!"

As she spoke, the bat swooped down and swallowed it in one gulp. The entire bat glowed, then flew back and sprayed a mist of blood directly onto the pile of rats...

—Iron Pioneer City Announcement: Sewer Variant Super Boss Plague King has killed the Variant Cockroach King!

—Iron Pioneer City Announcement: Sewer Variant Super Boss Demonized Bat King has killed the Plague King!

—System Notification: You have completed the Evil Spirit Contract quest "Eliminate the Threat of the Plague King and Cockroach King."

...

Well, accepting this kind of arrangement actually felt quite satisfying.

But Dachun suddenly remembered something: "Your bat is wanted by the city's Adventurers' Guild. Now that the plague threat is gone, won't they come for you?"

Ellen gave a scoff: "If the plague and the cockroaches are both gone, wouldn't some people be even less inclined to see the bat disappear? I will hide in the cave to recuperate. Your items fell deep underground; you can't get them back for now, so I'll keep an eye on them for you. You should contact that little mage and prepare for the mage lady to arrange your exile."