Reincarnation Of The Strongest Sword God Chapter 3 - Lonely Snow

Chapter 3 - Lonely Snow

Shi Feng navigated the path toward the town hall, which was teeming with people.

Crowds of players packed the narrow road, all attempting to converse with NPCs in hopes of securing a Quest. The entire area felt more like a chaotic marketplace than a town square.

Securing a Quest in God’s Domain was no simple feat, however. The NPCs possessed advanced intelligence, allowing them to engage in genuine one-on-one dialogue. Players had to be extremely careful with their words, as a single slip-up could result in being ignored. With a sea of competitors vying for every opportunity, even finding a Normal Quest was an uphill battle.

Despite ten minutes having passed since the official launch of God’s Domain, not a single person in Red Leaf Town had managed to land a Normal Quest yet.

In this environment, Shi Feng’s status as a reincarnated soul provided a massive edge. He hadn't just secured a Quest; he had obtained a Unique Quest—even if its requirements were somewhat cursed. The rewards, however, were staggering. Even elite players with a month of experience in God’s Domain would be envious of the prizes this Unique Quest offered.

Having returned from the future, Shi Feng possessed the experience of managing thousands of members during his time at Shadow Workshop. They had even established ten City States. His understanding of God’s Domain far exceeded that of any regular player, particularly regarding efficient leveling and gold-making strategies—the vital lifeblood for any large-scale Workshop.

Now that he was starting over, Shi Feng planned to leverage this knowledge to build a massive lead. He had no intention of following the crowd, wasting hours in the streets fighting over a single Normal Quest. Nor would he follow the "experts" out into the wilderness to hunt, as there were currently more players than monsters in the fields.

Shi Feng’s strategy was to bypass the masses entirely, which is why he had accepted a Unique Quest of absurd difficulty.

The only problem was that completing it required capital, and Shi Feng was currently broke.

Every new player started with 10 Copper Coins. While this wasn't enough to buy gear or a Weapon, it could cover basic HP or MP recovery items.

Arriving at the two-story Town Hall, Shi Feng found hundreds of players organized into a massive queue.

In any game, the Village Head or Town Mayor is a prime source for Quests, and no one wanted to miss out on that opportunity.

“Hey, new guy! Get in line if you don’t want to start a riot,” a sturdy-looking male Warrior shouted from the queue, pointing Shi Feng toward the very end of the long line.

“I’m not here to pick up a Quest,” Shi Feng replied calmly, glancing at the line stretching out from the Town Hall.

Compared to other areas, this group was surprisingly orderly. While waiting was slow, it was still more productive than wandering aimlessly without any Quest at all.

The Warrior eyed Shi Feng with suspicion. Everyone was desperate for a Quest right now... yet this guy claimed he wasn't? Even a ghost wouldn't believe that lie.

“I’m serious, I’m not here for a Quest,” Shi Feng said, noticing the man's defensive posture. Realizing the Warrior thought he was trying to cut, Shi Feng smiled and added, “But if I were you, I’d look elsewhere. You’re just wasting your time waiting here.”

“How is it a waste? A few people have already come out after getting theirs.” Once he was sure Shi Feng wasn't jumping the line, the Warrior relaxed slightly. He’d been standing there for ten minutes and wasn't about to let anyone sneak in. Still, Shi Feng’s confidence made him curious.

Shi Feng just smiled without explaining further. Instead, he shifted the conversation. “Since you seem like a decent guy, I’ll give you some advice. Go kill monsters in the fields. You’ll have a better future than you will standing here.”

“No way. The fields are packed and I can't compete with those crowds. I'll stick to this,” the Warrior said, shaking his head. He wasn't stupid; the Field Areas were likely a bloodbath of players. With his skills, he probably wouldn't even get a tag on a monster, so waiting his turn seemed safer.

“That’s because you’re looking in the wrong spots. If you find a place with fewer monsters, you won't have to compete. Leveling there is several times faster than in the crowded zones. Plus, if the respawns are slow, a solo player can handle it easily,” Shi Feng explained.

“Does a place like 그곳 actually exist?”

The Warrior grew excited. A hidden spot like that was exactly what he needed. Waiting another hour for a Quest would only yield some EXP and a few coins. If he could grind uninterrupted for an hour, he’d earn way more than any Quest reward.

“It certainly does. I’ll sell you the location for a discounted price of 20 Coppers. Forget the EXP; after a day of grinding, the materials alone will net you over 40 Coppers. If you’re lucky enough to get an equipment drop, you’ll be rich,” Shi Feng whispered, leaning closer.

“You aren't trying to scam me, are you?” the Warrior asked hesitantly. Such a location would put him ahead of everyone, but 20 Coppers was a fortune. Money and gear were rare drops in God’s Domain, making every coin precious.

“If you’re unsure, just pay 10 Coppers as a deposit. You’ll see I’m telling the truth once you get there. You can pay the remaining 10 afterward. I’m only offering this because you seem like a good person. If you don’t want it, forget I said anything.” Shi Feng turned to walk away.

He only resorted to this because he was desperate for funds. If this failed, he’d just find another way to make money.

He had only taken a few steps when the Warrior called out to him.

“Expert, wait! Let's talk. It’s just a 10 Copper deposit, right? Here, take it. I trust an expert like you wouldn't bother tricking me.” The Warrior gave an honest grin and initiated a trade, handing over 10 Coppers.

“For that, I’ll give you an even better spot. It’s a bit out of the way, but there’s a single Level 0 Green Gnome there—a mage type. It has low defense and respawns quickly. The money drop rate is also higher there. A Berserker like you will tear through it.” Shi Feng shared the location details after pocketing the coins.

The Warrior felt a surge of relief seeing how much Shi Feng knew about the monsters, right down to their drop rates. He realized he might have just met a top-tier expert, or perhaps even a Beta Tester. The thought made him even more enthusiastic.

“Brother Expert, do you know where I can find skill books for Berserkers? Fighting with only one skill is a pain.” The Warrior was now looking at Shi Feng with genuine respect.

“I can tell you, but that information will cost you 2 Silvers,” Shi Feng said with a smirk. Information that valuable wasn't free. Even a large Guild would struggle to scrape together 2 Silvers—200 Coppers—this early.

The Warrior’s face went pale at the price.

“Expert, let’s add each other. I’m Lonely Snow. I’ll message you once I’ve saved up enough for that info.” Lonely Snow sent over a friend request.

“Sure.” Shi Feng accepted.

“I’m heading out to grind then, Brother Expert! I’ll mail you those other 10 Coppers as soon as I have them!” Lonely Snow waved goodbye, ditched the line, and sprinted toward the grinding spot.

With money finally in hand, Shi Feng headed to the fruit stall near the Town Hall.

“Boss, how much for a Tomato?” Shi Feng asked, picking up a bright red fruit.

Fruits and Vegetables could restore a player’s HP and MP and tasted great, but their recovery rate was terrible. Usually, players ignored them, especially since money was so tight. Buying food at this stage was considered a total waste.

“2 Coppers each.”

“I’ll take ten.”

Shi Feng handed over the 20 Coppers. Clutching his bag of Tomatoes, he walked straight into the Town Hall.

“Hey, kid, get in line! Don't you see the rest of us waiting?”

“Look at that Swordsman! What do you think you're doing? There's a line for a reason!”

The players in the queue were furious, shouting insults as Shi Feng ignored the line and walked directly toward the Town Mayor. They would have attacked him if not for the fact that player-killing inside the town resulted in immediate jail time.

“Relax, I’m not here for a Quest. Just looking around,” Shi Feng said to the crowd with a smile. He then turned his attention to the portly Town Mayor, Cross.

[Cross] (Elite, Friendly) Level 15 HP 2400/2400 MP 1500/1500

At this stage, no player or even a full team could hope to defeat him.

Shi Feng then reached into his bag, pulled out a ripe Tomato, and took a big bite.

“What is he doing?”

“Damn! He’s eating a Tomato! Those are 2 Coppers each! What a waste!”

The onlookers were baffled. Was he really coming to the Town Hall just to show off his wealth by eating expensive fruit?

Halfway through the snack, Shi Feng suddenly wound up and hurled the Tomato right at Mayor Cross’s face.

The fruit struck with perfect accuracy, splattering red juice all over the NPC’s face.

System: Cross’s favorability toward you has decreased by 100 points.

Without a second thought, Shi Feng grabbed another Tomato and threw it.

“You hypocrite! You fat bloodsucker! You don't deserve to be the Mayor!”

Shi Feng continued to shout insults as he pelted the man with fruit, causing Cross’s favorability to plummet further. The Mayor was soon covered in dripping red juice. Combined with his purple face of rage, he looked ridiculous.

But no one in the Town Hall was laughing. The room had gone dead silent. The players watched with dropped jaws, completely stunned by Shi Feng’s behavior.

The game had only been open for twenty minutes, and someone was already attacking an NPC—and not just any NPC, but the leader of the town and the Boss of the starter area!

This guy was crazy! Didn't he care about being thrown in jail forever?

Did he plan on being banned from Red Leaf Town for life?

Even if you hated the world, this was an insane way to show it!

The crowd waited for the Guards to swarm in or for the Mayor to strike Shi Feng down, but nothing happened.

The players didn't realize that insulting an NPC isn't flagged as a physical "attack." Therefore, the Guards and Cross couldn't retaliate. The only consequence was that the NPC would despise Shi Feng forever, ensuring he could never receive a Quest from him again.

As the final Tomato smashed into Cross’s face, the Mayor’s favorability dropped to "Hostile." His Level display turned into question marks, and the yellow name tag above his head flashed a menacing crimson red.

“You miserable insect! I’ll send you straight to hell!”

Stained bright red and roaring with fury, Cross charged at Shi Feng.