Chapter 59 - Planning Mandarins Floating Cannon!

“Fucking hell, another expert!”

Xu Shu logged out of the expedition and, while rubbing his somewhat phantom pain-numbed thigh, he reminisced about the electrifying sensation as he went over the last encounter in the journey.

Just now, he was two seconds shy of witnessing a different ending to the journey, but at the crucial moment, he was one-hit killed.

It was misleading to say it wasn’t infuriating.

But getting angry was useless.

Faced with such a situation, one could only treat it with calmness and caution.

Xu Shu knew that the guy who sneak attacked him was definitely strong, probably even capable of going fifty-fifty with the Second Rank Sentinel Lu Bingwei.

Because this time, his death was also in a split second, quite similar to the experience of being assassinated by Lu Bingwei’s Floating Cannon.

No pain was felt in the moment, which made for a swift death, but it sure was irritating.

“The Wasteland is indeed dangerous.

I, a Warrior, got one-hit killed; wouldn’t those professions not focused on defense be wiped out in droves?”

Xu Shu furrowed his brows.

Judging from the position where he encountered the alluring flower puppet just now, and the range of monsters cleared around the prison, it shouldn’t exceed 20 kilometers.

Perhaps it’s only 10 kilometers, maybe even 5 kilometers.

It may have been that from this small range, he could preliminarily deduce that they were either all wiped out or had fled the area.

After contemplating for a moment, Xu Shu felt that the choices laid out in front of him really only went in two directions.

The first option was to ignore the little puppet to the south and go straight to the shelter in the north, using it as a new temporary base to explore the outskirts and strive to level up.

This approach had its pros and cons.

The advantage was avoiding the unknown creature that killed him, but the downside was wasting the monster location obtained from the simulation opportunity.

The other choice was to simulate once more, seeking to plunder the Erosion Crystal from the puppet to increase his strength, and meanwhile, figure out a safe return route.

What should he choose?

Xu Shu hesitated.

“There are level 13 Erosion Crystals inside the puppet, and they’re the Fine grade that glows greenish.

They could at least raise me one or even two levels.

It’s too much of a pity to just give up on them.”

“I need to upgrade now, to enhance my strength.

It’s frustrating that all the dense minor monsters around have been killed.

If I waste this chance, who knows how many opportunities I’ll need before encountering the next one.”

“Running aimlessly on the Wasteland, it’s hard to ensure that I’ll definitely encounter monsters.

I might use up all three chances of the day and still not find a route that guarantees encounters, completes the hunts, and ensures safety; the nights are not guaranteed to be absolutely safe either.”

“In that case, I might as well go straight back to the safe zone, sell off Lu Bingwei’s inheritance, and use the money to buy Erosion Crystals more economically!”

“After all, the reason I stayed in the prison before was that I couldn’t leave; I was trapped.

Now that the outside has been cleared of monsters, it’s a pity, but for me, one could say that it’s cleared the path back to the city.

I’ve temporarily escaped the predicament!”

A glint of unusual brilliance flashed in Xu Shu’s eyes.

But on second thought, it was not that feasible.

Because without enough strength, even if he returned to the city, there was a hidden risk—his Transcendent identity, obtained by stealing from Gu Pan, could not be exposed.

Otherwise, the authorities would surely be a hassle, especially since his means of obtaining the Promotion Drive were questionable!

Xu Shu had noticed from the first time he loaded the Promotion Drive that the authorities seemed to place significant importance on the loss or theft of such items.

If it’s lost by a Grantee, the first time is a warning, the second time they’re listed as a risk, and the third time, it’s straight to the Judgement Court!

These matters aren’t a joke; the authorities’ determination to keep the ways for commoners to become Transcendents a secret is resolute.

“Hmm, if I let Gu Pan enter the city to help keep my secret, to hide it for me, would she agree?

I could threaten her, right?

She wouldn’t want this matter to be exposed either, would she?

“But what if she agrees on the surface and secretly sabotages me?

Things like that are unpredictable.

She probably has a significant background, and while under my control, she has no choice but to obey, but once back in the city, it’s not so certain.

I need to be vigilant.”

“Jeez, from what I see in the world chat, as a rising star on the Qingyun List at rank 438, the authorities would probably not trouble me, even if they knew I wasn’t a legitimate contender.

They should even reward me since I’m a pillar of humanity!”

“But, in my past life and this one, I lack experience dealing with these noble and powerful classes.

It’s hard to discern their true attitude towards people like me through mere surface communication.

Instead, I’ve read plenty of stories about the dead hare and the cooked dog.”

“Gu Pan also said that the story of a Scavenger picking up trash to become a City Lord is something they made up to dupe people.

Their class-consciousness is deeply ingrained!”

“When my strength isn’t strong enough, it’s easy for me to be walked over…”

“The Tai Chu Scroll allows me to foresee the future, but it can only foresee a sunrise and sunset.

What if they flatter me by day and come to ambush and arrest me at night to prosecute me?

Wouldn’t I be unable to escape?”

“So, absolutely not expose my Transcendent identity!

But going back to the city is definitely on the agenda; my family is all there, and my foster father is waiting for my money to be treated!”

“What to do…

It seems that I must continue to guard against Gu Pan.

Before I am strong enough, I cannot let her go freely, lest she find a way to report me and harm me, or maybe, find a way to gain her trust even more?

That, I can at least try…”