Chapter 143: Preparations Before Going into Battle

The turbulence outside the Third High School of Yangcheng City had nothing to do with Liu Zong, and the internal affairs of the school had little impact on him either. Unable to access the game, he followed Principal Wang’s advice and devoted himself to studying a wide range of knowledge.

This year of study was significantly more efficient than Liu Zong’s previous years. Previously, his instructors and teaching assistants were ordinary people teaching in a one-to-many format, whereas now, he was being tutored one-on-one by elite teachers who had plenty of time on their hands. Furthermore, the lack of gaming—which previously consumed his time as he sought to earn resources—meant he had no distractions. Because Liu Zong now understood exactly what knowledge he lacked, his studies were highly targeted. Even when it came to career-specific matters, he could consult various experts, eliminating the risk of heading down the wrong path.

After a year, Liu Zong had met the standard requirements for his profession; all he lacked were the advancement items and a Level 0, 12-star rating. The star rating was manageable; by his estimation, if he went all-out on various tasks, he could reach the required level within five months. However, the advancement items were a source of frustration. Over the past year, he had significantly revised his plan for processing the Mosasaur corpse three times.

These revisions were no longer focused solely on the Mosasaur itself, but on all the resources and items currently in his possession. Since he could not enter the game, nor even the Yin-attribute space he had rented, Liu Zong had to use mathematical modeling and carving techniques to simulate the assembly of the Mosasaur with his available materials.

Through this process, he discovered many issues. First, with the acquisition of the Mirage Pearl, the importance of utilizing the space on the Mosasaur’s back had decreased; he calculated that the internal space of the Mosasaur combined with the Mirage Pearl’s space would be sufficient. Consequently, aside from the herbal platform that could not be relocated, the rest of the back could be converted into combat stations, necessitating a total recalculation of the creature’s energy and defensive systems.

Then there were the resources sent by Ye Chenxi. Whether out of genuine goodwill from the Ye family or a desire to court favor with Liu Zong, most of the resources provided were of green quality, far superior to the common-grade materials he had originally sought. Among these were even blue and purple items, seemingly included by chance. Liu Zong suspected these had been gathered by Yin-attribute players at the Ye family's behest; to them, such high-quality goods were trivial, so there was no need to filter them out.

This presented Liu Zong with a new choice: without changing the Mosasaur’s primary function, he could increase its potential, giving it the chance to grow to Level 3 or even Level 4. This meant he could no longer settle for just any equipment for the tail and waist sections. Originally, he had planned to just swap in two Level 2 purple items and upgrade them later if necessary. Now, that was no longer viable. Given that the other components were already Level 2 gold-tier or higher with growth potential, using anything less than the best would be a waste, especially with the purple Level 4 Ancient Soul-Calling Tower already in his possession.

The teachers who knew the situation advised him not to be impatient. They suggested he aim for at least Level 3 purple equipment for those two slots to avoid squandering the Mosasaur's potential. They reminded him that he was only twenty-five and had plenty of time before he reached sixty. If necessary, the school could even help him apply for equipment; if he were willing to stay at the school for another ten years, they would even find him light-gold tier gear.

But Liu Zong was unwilling. He had already set his sights higher and further; he believed he shouldn't be held back for a decade. He needed to venture out into the vast world beyond. There, he would meet stronger individuals and realize that Level 4 was merely a beginning, not the end.

When his one-year suspension ended, Liu Zong did not immediately enter the battlefield map to complete the return mission for the Amber Light, nor did he rush to his rented Yin-attribute space to work on the Mosasaur. Instead, he found Principal Wang and secured a three-month leave of absence in exchange for committing to completing the Amber Light mission over the following nine months. With that, he left the Third High School of Yangcheng City and headed to a bar frequented only by players Level 3 and above.

After ordering a drink, he found a booth and sat down. Moments later, a man appeared before him. This was the purpose of his visit: the man was the largest and most reputable mercenary broker in Yangcheng. Although he was only Level 3, he was capable of handling contracts for Level 4 players.

The man sat down and asked, "Are you Mr. Zhu Liu-Giant?"

"Yes, you can call me Liu Zong," he replied, sliding a box across the table. The man opened it to find it empty. He didn't question why; instead, he carefully felt the surface of the box. Finally, he asked with a puzzled expression, "What is this map on the box?"

"It’s a mission map. I obtained it from Liu Gu. I never imagined Liu Hanfeng had done so much for his son—he had a map that could potentially lead to Titan artifacts carved directly onto his son’s personal box. No matter how hard others looked, they would never have found it. If this box hadn't been delivered along with the three cards and left behind, I would have missed it entirely," Liu Zong explained.

The man nodded in understanding and asked, "So, Mr. Liu, what is it that you need?"

"A player with sufficient strength to ensure I can safely traverse a map. I must clarify: this is a Yin-attribute fairy-tale style map, which is quite bizarre. I need someone with significant power," Liu Zong stated his requirements.

"A Yin-attribute fairy-tale map?" The man was startled.

"Yes. It’s a micro-map, and the method of entry was discovered by accident. Anyone at Level 0 who goes is certain to die, and Level 3s are ineffective. I need someone to protect me. I will be in command; they just need to ensure my safety at the critical moment."