Chapter 21: Exterminate Evil Completely

Su Sheng, sword and shield in hand, fights two bandit lackeys single‑handed — it's absurdly easy.

These bandits are essentially humanoid monsters, but Su Sheng still has plenty of combat experience fighting humans.

After easily felling the two humanoid bandits, Su Sheng felt a bit surprised.

The bandits yield plenty of experience, but after level 10 the XP required for each level grows, so only a level‑15 elite boss grants Su Sheng a level‑up — showing just how steep the curve is.

Most notably, one bandit dropped a white leather armor with 18 Defense — a bit better than the shop's ordinary 15‑Def leather armor, though still worse than what Su Sheng already wears.

As a dungeon, the drop rate is fine — though it's junk, it's still a lucky opening.

In-game armor comes in three varieties.

Plate, leather, and cloth armors exist, with no class limits — knights can wear cloth, mages can wear plate, though few actually do.

Plate offers the highest defense, followed by leather, then cloth.

Knights and warriors usually wear plate, since both classes gain a hidden constitution bonus and plate's extra stats lean toward constitution and survival; other classes can equip it, but it hurts agility.

Assassins, archers and the like mostly wear leather, since its bonuses tilt toward agility.

Leather armor that boosts max HP, like the one Su Sheng has, is a rare find.

Mages and priests, of course, normally wear cloth, since its bonuses favor intellect and spirit and also grant some magical defense.

He could sell it later for cash, so Su Sheng just shoved the white leather armor into his bag.

After slaying the two gate‑guarding bandit lackeys, Su Sheng officially entered the bandits' interior and promptly resumed monster‑killing.

The bandit stronghold teems with bandits, showing up in packs of two or three.

Still, the XP is quite generous.

But there's a minor nuisance: every now and then one or two elite bandits show up among the lackeys.

Elite Bandit

Level: 13

Attack: 180

Defense: 170

HP: 2500

Skills: Tetanus Blade, Shouting Loudly.

Description: omitted.

Its stats exceed the lackeys' by more than a margin, yet Su Sheng can still barely cope.

The most baffling part is the Shouting Loudly skill: at 50% HP it summons two or three lackeys.

That aside, the real problem is that the summoned lackeys yield no XP when slain.

But Su Sheng later discovered that if he endures the lackeys' attacks and kills the elite bandit, the summoned lackeys will all scatter.

The only minor trouble is the bandits' Tetanus Blade: even with Su Sheng's 181 ATK/DEF, their damage is low and often doesn't pierce his guard.

But if he fails to shield‑block, there's a chance to be inflicted with Tetanus, a stacking damage‑up debuff.

Each stack adds 5% damage taken; Su Sheng has seen it reach 10 stacks, turning a normally non‑piercing hit from a bandit lackey into a painful blow.

Fortunately, when departing the town, Su Sheng had picked up a few routine quests and gathered some materials.

He also grabbed some potions at the alchemist, since he's playing solo.

Thanks to those potions, Su Sheng can avoid sitting to heal; otherwise he might not clear the quest in an hour.

The bandit stronghold is no small place, yet Su Sheng's killing speed is swift.

Indeed, Su Sheng's attacks almost always hit weak points, and his balanced offense‑defense gives him a high attack value.

Swap in a regular knight and you could probably hold out, but trying to solo it would be a slog — each foe would take forever to wear down.

Half an hour later.

Swish~

A golden flare — Su Sheng hit level 12.

After dumping the points, his ATK and DEF are 185 and his HP is 930.

Ding~

System Notification: Mission Branch.

Decision Point: after a hard fight, you've reached the bandit stronghold's depths.

Rescue Priority: head straight to the bandit warehouse and locate the merchant's daughter hidden in the cargo.

Exterminate Evil Completely: these bandits have wrought havoc; press on to kill the bandit chief and wipe out Hui Long Stronghold.

Since it's a solo mission, most players would likely just aim to finish the quest — by now the hour‑long timer is almost expired.

But Su Sheng is a "declared" type — clearing the stronghold's exterior lackeys took only about half an hour, leaving 32 minutes on the clock.

The bandit chief is probably the dungeon's final boss — I'm not sure I can pull it off.

Besides, this dungeon is unique — upon entry it warned that whether you succeed or fail, it will vanish.

Faced with this final boss, not fighting it would be letting myself down.

Let's do it!

The timid starve, the bold burst.

Su Sheng at once made for the stronghold's main hall — half an hour should be enough.

With Su Sheng's decision, the quest shifted to Exterminate Evil Completely.

As Su Sheng arrived at the main hall, a hulking near‑two‑meter‑tall fat man strode out, shouldering a massive greataxe.

"Who dares to raise a ruckus in my Hui Long Stronghold? I'll tear you limb from limb!"

This must be the main boss.

Su Sheng grinned: "Your lackeys are all dead — that's why you've shown up."

Heroic Strike!

-21

-17

Tentative strike, did not attack the weak point.

Seeing the damage, Su Sheng raised his eyebrows.

Mountain bandit chieftain. Hui Long Zhai (Normal BOSS)

Level: 15

Attack: 230

Defense: 250

HP: 80000

Skills: Furious Slash, Forceful Heavy Pressure, Roar.

Description: omitted.

It's a Normal BOSS, but Su Sheng feels it's a bit harder to deal with than a level 15 Elite Wolf King; the Newbie Village BOSS really has a lot of water content!

"It's you, you bastard, daring to come to my Hui Long Zhai to cause trouble."

They swung the big blade.

Su Sheng raised his eyebrows, the speed was very slow.

After all, it's such a big blade.

The speed was slow, so blocking was naturally easy.

Clang!

Su Sheng only felt a huge force transmitted; the shield in his hand shook violently.

Block judgment!

Forceful Heavy Pressure took effect, block failed.

-173

The block had no effect, the damage value after defense and talent reduction.

Feeling depressed, this Forceful Heavy Pressure is not an active skill but a passive skill.

Every attack of this mountain bandit chieftain carries the effect of Forceful Heavy Pressure.

Looking at this mountain bandit chieftain's bulky figure, it's practically the nemesis of a knight's block.

"Cut you into ten thousand pieces!"

The mountain bandit chieftain let out an angry roar, swung his big blade again, and the blade was covered with radiant light.

This is exactly the warrior's basic skill, Furious Slash! This chieftain also knows this move.