By the time Li Miao finished exploring the outskirts of Exile Island, Faraway had just about finished collecting the loot from the Pillaging Ship.
Aside from the Banner he had acquired at the very beginning, the only other noteworthy items were two pieces of equipment and a Prayer Fragment.
[Storm Finger Tiger (Excellent)]
[Type: Weapon]
[Special Effect: Enhances the power of storm-type Prayers. Grants +1 Power when attacking.]
[Explanation: The weapon worn by the Pirate Captain. It is engraved with Spells that activate Faith Power. The hurricane and lightning emblems form the "storm."]
Excellent was clearly a higher tier than Fine. It was apparent that the Special Effects of weapons at this Quality were much stronger.
However, the Attribute requirements were quite high. Faraway’s Faith Attribute wasn’t high enough to use it, not that he planned to anyway.
A close-combat fighting style was certainly effective, but for him, it was just one of many tools in his arsenal. It wasn’t worth specifically raising his Faith stat for it.
[Bloodstained Great Axe (Ordinary)]
[Type: Weapon]
[Explanation: A Great Axe stained with blood. It is very heavy and requires immense Power to wield.]
Although the Bloodstained Great Axe was an Ordinary-Quality weapon, its immense weight required a staggering 12 points in Power to use!
And Faraway estimated that was for a two-handed grip.
With such an extreme requirement, Faraway couldn’t use it either.
But that didn’t mean it was useless.
Players could trade or gift items to each other. If he couldn’t use it, someone else could.
Like Brother Mangzi, for example.
Then there was a Prayer Fragment that, while not particularly useful, revealed quite a bit of information.
[Captain’s Prayer (Fragment)]
[Content: ...Gulard’s cruel and tyrannical Emperor is so unjust... The storm will bring hurricane and lightning to destroy the cage he has built... Great and noble Master of Storms, Your believers will faithfully carry out Your Will...]
[Explanation: A Prayer Fragment covered in stains and tears. The Master of Storms? It seems he was not purely a pirate captain.]
This item was clearly related to the game’s plot or backstory.
Aside from these three items,
while killing the Living Corpses on the Pillaging Ship, Faraway had also acquired some "Crude" and "Ordinary" equipment. Most of it was ugly, tattered, and useless.
Faraway placed the fragment into the Spirit Candle.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested; he had simply absorbed all the information it contained.
What he needed to do next was meticulously explore the island before him.
After glancing at the three paths ahead of him,
Faraway thought for a moment, then headed into the mine in the center.
He guessed that Li Miao would most likely explore the tunnel on the right first, as he preferred to start with the side paths.
Having made his decision, Faraway didn’t linger. He lit his illuminating Candlefire and entered the mine.
...
"ROAR—"
THWIP!
With a thud, a patrolling Soldier’s roar was cut short by an Arrow to the throat. It collapsed limply, dissolving into Ashes.
Faraway’s gaze was serious as he meticulously explored the entire mine, yet his pace remained swift.
’It’s mostly Exiled Prisoners and Gulard Soldier overseers. The mine’s layout isn’t complex, either. Criminal labor on Exile Island... The disregard for safety issues fits the backstory perfectly...’
’The drops are mostly repetitive, and there are basically no special collectibles or puzzle Elements... It seems they sacrificed fun for the sake of realism...’
Faraway thought and observed as he moved through the dark mine, and his surroundings grew quiet.
However, just as he was passing a corner,
he noticed a small, shimmering object on the ground ahead.
Faraway was puzzled. He was just about to step forward and check it out.
"Hnngh!"
The instant he bent down, an Exiled Prisoner let out a hoarse cry and swung a Mining Pickaxe from high above its head, bringing it down on Faraway with startling speed!
Faraway’s brow furrowed. In that split second, all he could do was execute a forward Roll.
CLANG!
The Mining Pickaxe seemed to have struck the ground, letting out a heavy sound.
"Hnngh!"
Seeing that its enemy was still alive, the Exiled Prisoner shrieked and charged again.
Faraway stood up, his face expressionless. He sidestepped and swung his Dagger, killing it in a single blow.
[You have slain an Exiled Prisoner]
After killing the creature, Faraway picked up the object from the ground.
It was a smooth ore fragment.
It didn’t even have an item description.
Faraway fell silent for a moment, then glanced at the corpse of the Exiled Prisoner, which had not yet completely dissipated.
After staring at it for a few seconds, he moved to the side to observe quietly.
Before long, the ground at the corner stirred. Ashes coalesced, and the Exiled Prisoner respawned. It threw a smooth ore fragment onto the ground, raised its Mining Pickaxe, and stared intently at the entrance.
A moment later, the patrolling Soldier that Faraway had killed also respawned. It walked over nonchalantly, saw the ore fragment on the ground, and bent down...
"...This game’s design has a bit of a malicious sense of humor."
Only after witnessing the Exiled Prisoner beat the Soldier to death did he turn and continue onward, popping a Recovery Wax Block into his mouth as he walked.
A deep gash ran down his back, stretching from the nape of his neck to just above his tailbone. Wax Oil from his Candle Spirit Body was trickling out...
’Just now, the Dodge Effect didn’t seem to activate...’
...
Guagua’s exploration efficiency was a bit slower than the others.
However, the reason she was slower, aside from her combat skills not being as strong as the others, was for one other reason...
"Mmmph (chew, chew, chew)..."
"These Recovery Wax Blocks are really good. So tasty."
In the mine, Guagua kept moving forward, popping Recovery Wax Blocks into her mouth as if they were candy.
Before long, she arrived at the corner in the mine.
An ore fragment was also on the ground ahead of her.
However, Guagua, who was in the middle of grabbing another Recovery Wax Block, didn’t notice the object at all...
「A moment later.」
"Ah!"
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
[DEATH]
Along with a scream, the ambushed Guagua was instantly taken out by the Exiled Prisoner’s wild flurry of blows, leaving behind a pile of Wax Ash as she ascended into the heavens as a Wandering Soul.
The Recovery Wax Block she hadn’t yet put in her mouth fell to the ground and gradually melted away...
"..." Guagua’s face was white with fright. She remained quiet for a good while before she could process what had happened.
"Hnngh..."
Watching the Exiled Prisoner shamble back to the corner, Guagua gritted her teeth in anger.
"Hiding here to ambush me! You’re the worst!"
"I’m so pissed! Just you wait!"
Guagua was hopping mad. She hadn’t even gotten to eat her Recovery Wax Block!
Revenge! I must have my revenge!
She zipped back toward the Spirit Candle and, after a swift Resurrection, returned.
Arriving at the corner once more, Guagua gritted her teeth and activated [Stealth].
She had put points into Power, Constitution, Agility, and Spirit. Warfire was a "Close Combat Mage," so she could also use a Wooden Staff and some Magic.
After her form vanished, she quickly circled around behind the Exiled Prisoner, which remained completely unaware.
Guagua slowly raised the Long Spear in her hands, her eyes burning with furious rage.
"You ambushed me..."
"I’ll stab you to death!!!"
Illusory Warfire ignited on her hands as she unleashed an unprecedented amount of Power, violently thrusting her spear at the weak point on the Exiled Prisoner’s back!
"Hnngh... Urk..."
The Exiled Prisoner, its Mining Pickaxe still raised high, shuddered violently.
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