Although it was daytime, the path to the Plague Graveyard was gloomy, and infected residents often lay by the roadside, their eyes vacant, emitting weak moans.
The grass along the road was mostly piled with black skeletons; the plague's damage to the people was truly profound.
As I marveled at the game's realism, I cautiously observed the gradually disappearing main road.
There was no longer a main road ahead, only a forest contaminated with the plague virus.
The dark earth was covered with small, almost black grass, and in the distance, several Level 18 Forest Spiders lay hidden in the grass, watching me, the uninvited guest.
I looked at my level, almost 17, and decided to use these spiders as my final sacrifice!
"Pfft~!"
System notification: You have been infected with the Forest Spider's plague virus.
For 10 minutes, HP recovery speed is reduced by 50%, and no beneficial potions can be used.
I couldn't help but click my tongue; this plague virus was a bit too overpowered.
Without a Priest, anyone here would probably die, as even potions were forbidden.
However, few people could afford the potions sold in stores now; Murong Shanshan, that free-spending Little beauty, should be an exception.
Quickly cutting down the third spider, I had less than half my HP left.
Fortunately, I successfully leveled up to 17 at this point, and to my pleasant surprise, the plague virus was also dispelled by the leveling light.
I immediately pulled out a bottle of tomato paste and chugged it down; now, encountering spiders again wouldn't be too passive.
Picking up a small blue bottle dropped by the spider, although there was no clear price now, on the black market, such small blue bottles were already selling for 5 RMB each.
They were expensive, but there were many rich people, and buyers were everywhere.
Further ahead, there were no more spiders, not even any living creatures.
The atmosphere became increasingly oppressive, and occasionally, the wind would carry chilling, mournful screams.
I'm not a particularly brave person, so I shivered and immediately connected to Xin Yu's communicator: "Little beauty, what are you doing?"
Xin Yu's tone was still ambiguous: "What, do you miss me?"
"No, I'm just a bit bored right now.
How about you sing a song to lighten the mood?"
"Come on, I can't sing anything but the 'Eighteen Touches.' Do you want to hear it?" Xin Yu said with a mischievous laugh.
"Forget it!
Remember to call me for lunch."
"No need, Xue Han, the Little beauty, will call you.
How could such a task fall to me~"
"..."
Turning off the communicator, although I didn't get to hear a song, my mood did improve considerably.
For a moment, I felt that Xin Yu was sometimes quite cute.
After walking west for nearly half an hour through the desolate forest, the eerie Plague Graveyard finally appeared before my eyes.
The trees gradually thinned, replaced by groves of tombstones, and in the distance, I could see pale-boned Undead Skeleton Warriors patrolling the graveyard.
A dilapidated old house stood on the highest hill of the graveyard, surrounded by open graves, some even revealing the skeletons of the deceased.
A faint smell of decay wafted over, and I desperately suppressed the nausea in my stomach, observing the distribution of the Skeleton Warriors from a distance.
These Level 22 monsters were not something I could easily solo in a group.
Slowly approaching, as I drew my sword, a Skeleton Warrior spotted me!
The Skeleton Warrior moved incredibly fast! So fast that it was in front of me before I could even react.
As I raised my sword, its sword had already heavily struck me.
"55!"
I was greatly surprised; this monster's attack was a bit exaggerated.
Even a Level 21 BOSS couldn't deal that much damage to me in one hit, could it?
My sword also swung down... "184!"
That's right, I didn't misread it; it could deal so much damage even without a critical hit!
The Level 22 Skeleton's HP suddenly dropped by almost half, followed by another sword strike.
"196!"
The Level 22 Skeleton Warrior was instantly killed by my two strikes!
I immediately understood: although these Undead monsters had very high attack, their physical defense and HP were pitifully low.
The experience I just gained was three times that of killing a Level 18 monster.
Wasn't this perfect for a high-attack, high-defense Swordsman like me?
Ordinary Mages simply couldn't withstand such abnormal attacks, and Warriors with low attack lacked the powerful damage output to quickly deal with the monsters, instead easily being ravaged to death by them.
With the boost from the tomato paste, my reaction speed allowed me to strike a blow before the Skeleton Warrior could act.
This way, each Skeleton Warrior could only attack me once, and I could barely keep fighting like this.
Soon, I cleared out a section of the graveyard monsters; my Level 17 experience actually increased by 30% within an hour!
At this rate, I could reach Level 18 before lunch!
The Plague Graveyard was divided into nine major sections, forming a huge circular array with the central old house as its center.
Such vast leveling resources almost made my mouth water.
Checking the level rankings, I had already surpassed Kuang Zhan and jumped to first place in this city.
Immediately, I happily scurried to an adjacent section of the graveyard.
The monsters I just cleared dropped four medium health potions, each restoring 500 HP.
The current market price was 1 gold coin each; they were all money, to be saved for selling later!
Just as I was planning how to lure monsters, I suddenly noticed a small, dilapidated hut on the nearby hillside, and vaguely, I could see figures inside.
Slowly pushing open the door, I found an old man lying on the bed, barely clinging to life.
His chest was festering and rotting from the plague virus, with only faint breaths proving he was still alive.
This must be a quest!
I immediately walked over to talk to him.
He glanced at me and recounted what had happened here: "I am the guardian of this graveyard, but unfortunately, three years ago, a group of Undead Mages arrived.
They brought death and a terrible plague.
Since then, no living person has dared to come here.
The dead in the graveyard have been summoned as mindless Skeletons.
Half a year ago, I also contracted a plague.
Although a wandering traveler told me that a qing you flower growing in the graveyard could cure this plague, I no longer have the strength to get out of bed.
Young man, can you help me find the qing you flower?"