Chapter 26: The Wager, A Manual of External Martial Arts

"Newbie, Feng Wo Wudi, step out!" someone shouted angrily. "Old Fourth Gu, if you keep insulting us, I swear I’ll quit the militia!"

"Quit your grandmother’s legs!" Old Fourth Gu looked vicious. "You signed the contract; you belong to Gutan Village. If you really dare to quit, I’ll beat you every time I see you until I kill you."

Old Fourth Gu’s threats were no empty words; many veteran players present had heard stories of him hunting down "Born-Ones" who tried to leave the village. Seeing the heavy atmosphere, Dugu Feng from the team quickly stepped forward and pulled Feng Wo Wudi back.

"Forget it. This isn't an ordinary game. If an NPC really wants to hunt us down, there’s nowhere to report it. Just wait until you’re at a higher level, then you can go back and take your revenge..."

Feng Wo Wudi regained his composure, his face flushing as he muttered, "Fine, I’ll let him off this time."

Seeing that Feng Wo Wudi dared not argue further, Old Fourth Gu cursed, "Coward!"

Just then, Gu Chenghu emerged from the bushes ahead, accompanied by Lin Yi.

"Old Fourth Gu, I could hear your insults from a distance. I see you haven't managed to lure the Corpse Monsters out of the valley, but you’ve certainly managed to bring the monsters outside in."

Discovering it was Gu Chenghu, Old Fourth Gu stood up with a sour expression. "Gu Chenghu, why aren't you guarding the village? What are you doing here?"

"Nothing better to do. I brought my team members out to hunt some monsters."

Old Fourth Gu glanced at Lin Yi beside Gu Chenghu. "Bringing a Born-One to hunt monsters? Since when have you, Gu Chenghu, been so kind to them? Have you already forgotten the lesson from that last one?"

Gu Chenghu retorted mockingly, "Mind your own business. It’s enough of a struggle for you to lead the Fifth Militia Team; don't wait until they grow strong only to find that their first target isn't a monster or a spirit, but you."

"That’s none of your concern. If they have the ability to do that, I’d actually be happy for them."

After a pause, Old Fourth Gu flicked a glance at Lin Yi. "Born-One, what’s your name?"

Lin Yi looked at Gu Chenghu first before replying, "My name is Qingshan Bulao."

"Another damn weird name. Are you here to kill Corpse Monsters in the valley too?"

"Yes."

"Good, you've got guts. Do you dare to compete with a member of the Fifth Militia Team? If you win, this manual is yours."

Old Fourth Gu took out a martial arts manual—the very same [High-Speed Footwork] that Dugu Feng had once dropped, a white-quality technique.

Lin Yi was about to speak, but Gu Chenghu stopped him.

"Old Fourth Gu, what kind of game are you playing?"

"No games. I just want to test the courage and skill of your Second Team's Born-One. Gu Chenghu, one word: do you dare to compete?"

"Tell me what the contest is first."

Old Fourth Gu said, "Naturally, it’s a test of who can kill a Corpse Monster solo. Since you, Gu Chenghu, are personally helping a Born-One level up, he must have some skill. I won't make it too difficult. Dugu Feng, come out here."

Dugu Feng, caught in the crowd, looked flustered and pointed at himself. "Uh, me?"

Old Fourth Gu barked, "Yes, you! Stop dragging your feet. I’ve fed you enough experience; it’s time to see if you’re a mule or a horse."

Dugu Feng understood the situation well. He was originally a reserve member of the Second Team, and now that Old Fourth Gu was forcing him into a competition, it was clearly meant to humiliate Gu Chenghu.

He quickly said, "Captain Old Fourth, I don't think I can. I just reached level six; handling a level-five Corpse Monster is already a stretch."

"What are you afraid of? The Born-One competing against you probably isn't even level five. Besides, if you win, this manual is yours as a reward."

Hearing this, Dugu Feng’s eyes widened. Although he already possessed [High-Speed Footwork], he had spent a small fortune buying it from his friend, Changkong Kuo. Everyone knew that in the Apocalypse World, any martial arts manual was currently worth millions.

Hearing that Old Fourth Gu was using the [High-Speed Footwork] they had worked days to loot as a reward, Dugu Feng couldn't resist. If he sold it, he would instantly make back his investment.

Dugu Feng looked at Gu Chenghu, then at Lin Yi, whispered a silent apology, and said, "Captain Old Fourth, I’m willing to give it a try."

"Good."

Old Fourth Gu looked at Gu Chenghu with a grin. "Gu Chenghu, how about that? Your former teammate has agreed. Are you too afraid to accept the challenge?"

Gu Chenghu didn't answer immediately, instead whispering to Lin Yi, "Qingshan, are you confident?"

Lin Yi was silent. He hadn't seen a level-five Corpse Monster yet, but logically, it shouldn't be much different from a level-five Razor Pig. Could he handle it with his current level-three stats? He figured... it shouldn't be a problem.

Currently, Lin Yi’s health exceeded 1,000 points, and his bladework was refined. With the bonus from [Natural Swordsman], his close-combat ability had increased significantly. Regardless of whether he could handle the Corpse Monster, he was certain he could guarantee his combat effectiveness was superior to Dugu Feng's.

Gu Chenghu laughed. "Alright, since you think it’s fine, I accept. But the stakes are a bit low. I’ll add something."

He turned his head. "Old Fourth, I’ve heard you have plenty of good things. Let’s keep the competition, but let’s place a bet. I’ll wager two pieces of green-quality monster materials. If I lose, they’re yours—maybe you can scrape together enough to craft a Spirit Weapon. But if I win, you hand over that Divine Water."

Old Fourth Gu raised an eyebrow. "Divine Water? So that’s what you’ve been eyeing."

In Gutan Village, Divine Water was a true treasure. Whether for ordinary people or Born-Ones, consuming it improved one's base attributes. However, the supply was extremely scarce, provided primarily to the Village Chief and the three Elders. The portion in his hands had been a gift from the Chief.

Old Fourth Gu hesitated, then beckoned Dugu Feng over. "Dugu Feng, are you sure you can win?"

Dugu Feng pulled a bitter face. "Captain, if I say I’m not sure, will you cancel the bet?"

To be honest, while Dugu Feng knew his level was higher than Lin Yi’s, Lin Yi had previously obtained a green-quality archery manual. He didn't know how much damage a green-quality technique could deal, but it certainly wasn't to be underestimated. He really didn't have much confidence.

Old Fourth Gu couldn't be bothered to listen further and cursed, "Get lost! You have to win this fight. If you lose my Divine Water, you’ll be working for me to pay off the debt for the rest of your life!"

Old Fourth Gu stepped forward. "Fine, Gu Chenghu. You have confidence in your man, and I’m the same. Let’s bet."

As the wager began, Old Fourth Gu ordered his militiamen to lure two Corpse Monsters out. Qian Duoduo, Wang Zilong, and several other Born-Ones crowded around out of curiosity.

The chubby Qian Duoduo said, "Brother, I saw you last time. You’re pretty cocky, huh? What gives you the guts to challenge Brother Dugu? His archery is top-tier in our team—he never misses."

It was that fat guy again. Lin Yi glanced at him and ignored him.

Wang Zilong also walked over and whispered, "Brother Qingshan, good luck. Actually, we all want to see Old Fourth Gu get humbled. Also, Corpse Monsters are formed when militiamen’s corpses are tainted by a certain sinister energy; their weak spot is the neck. And, uh, they run very fast..."

"Thanks, brother."

Lin Yi nodded. He had never dealt with a Corpse Monster, so this information was quite useful.

Soon, the first Corpse Monster was lured over. Its body consisted of shattered limbs and incomplete skeletons, covered in rotting flesh and wriggling maggots. Logically, the flesh should have been decomposed by microorganisms, but this specimen was still covered in gore—it looked incredibly disgusting and terrifying.

As it approached, a violent stench spread. It was a smell comparable to a mix of thousand-year-old excrement and dead rats. Lin Yi’s face turned pale. He looked at Dugu Feng, Wang Zilong, and the others. Although they had been fighting these monsters for days, they didn't look much better than him; they were all pinching their noses and backing away.

Old Fourth Gu said, "Alright, who’s first?"

Gu Chenghu seemed full of confidence. "Let Dugu Feng go first. If Qingshan makes a move, I’m afraid you’ll just concede immediately."

Old Fourth Gu retorted, "Ridiculous! I, concede? Since your man hasn't seen a Corpse Monster before, let’s start. Dugu Feng, you go first. Show your old captain what you’ve got. Oh, and no charms or potions allowed for either of you."

"Yes."

Dugu Feng stepped forward, and with a flick of his wrist, a set of bow and arrows appeared in his hands.

Old Fourth Gu commanded, "Release the monster!"

The two lured Corpse Monsters had been chained by the militia, but as one was released, it immediately charged toward Dugu Feng. Tempted by human flesh, it moved like a zombie in a disaster movie, sprinting over ten meters in the blink of an eye.

Dugu Feng held his breath, his expression grave, as he drew his bow and fired repeatedly.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Arrows flew, many striking the monster, but they didn't slow it down in the slightest. Dugu Feng wasn't surprised. Seeing the monster closing in, he quickly stowed his bow, pulled out a shield and a long saber from his pack, and braced for impact.

*BOOM!*

Mud splashed beneath their feet!

The Corpse Monster slammed into him, knocking Dugu Feng back three meters despite his shield.

"Such immense strength!" Lin Yi, watching from a distance, couldn't help but remark.

He didn't know how Dugu Feng had allocated his stats, but a level-five Corpse Monster nearly sent him flying after a charge, showing that the monster’s strength exceeded his. If he couldn't beat it in strength, he was going to take a beating once it got into melee range.

Sure enough, as the battle continued, it played out exactly as Lin Yi had expected. The monster hammered the shield relentlessly, driving Dugu Feng backward. Of course, the shield’s defense was limited; in less than a minute, Dugu Feng already had several claw marks on his body.

However, Dugu Feng’s agility was high, allowing him to dodge quickly despite the monster’s frenzied attacks. Occasionally, spotting an opening, he managed to slash at the monster’s neck. If things continued this way, the mindless monster would eventually lose—provided Dugu Feng’s stamina held out long enough.