(Extra chapter for crossing 300k words published milestone. Enjoy!!)
"So this is your office?" Liu Ping asked.
There wasn't anything out of the ordinary in this spacious room.
The only difference was that there were numerous metal pipes embedded into the walls, each of them silently moving as if they were waiting for orders.
"This place has already been modified by the War Sequence, each metal pipe has its own unique function, capable of responding to our orders at any time" Hua Qing Kong replied.
She spoke to the wall: "We have someone here who wants to advance his strength"
A metal pipe slowly extended from the wall, hovering in front of the two of them.
A cold mechanical voice resounded:
[Please take out your Advanceme Card]
Liu Ping took out his card and placed it in front of the metal pipe.
Clack!
The metal pipe took the advancement card and spoke again:
[Your Contribution Points have reached the standard, following the exchange rules, your advancement will be completed]
The 8 metal pipes on the wall began to move.
At the same time, a faint square frame appeared around Liu Ping, a number appeared at the top left corner of his body:
"2."
— — -He was a level 2 knight.
All the metal pipes instantly flew out.
They circled around Liu Ping, injecting various things that Liu Ping couldn't understand into the illusory square frame.
Lines of blazing words quickly appeared:
[Attention!]
[You've obtained the support of various Mystic-type powers]
[You're about to advance into a level 3 Card]
[This is the final powerful advancement in the early stages of your Profession]
[You may choose to head to the Divine Pillar of Eternal Night to improve your Halo abilities at the place where you've contracted heroic spirits, or obtain new abilities according to your new Profession]
[The above advancement will only occur once every 10 levels]
[Please choose carefully]
— — -Once every 10 levels?
Liu Ping couldn't help but seriously think about it.
Based on his instincts, he could already vaguely predict that going to the 40m area would probably upgrade my Halo.
But in reality, I only know a single spell at the moment:
[Sacred Chant].
This is the most basic healing spell.
In the upcoming battle, I need to find a few ways to attack as a knight!
With that in mind, Liu Ping silently said: "I won't go to the 40m area for now, I need to obtain new abilities according to my Profession."
All the burning text flashed and turned into a new notification:
[Since you've officially become a 'Warden Knight' and a 'Holy Knight' subclass, you're no longer a normal knight.]
[The skill you will receive is a combination of the above two knight skills.]
[— — This is to conceal the existence of the 'Warden Knight', as well as to make you stronger based on the 'Holy Knight']
[Congratulations.]
[You've obtained a dual-class variant skill: Life-Saving Art.]
[Skill description: Absorb the target's MF, magic power, spirit power, physical strength, mental strength, physical strength, bone strength … … all types of power to heal the target on the surface, while their power will be converted into Soul Points for you to absorb]
[The degree of soul power absorption is determined by the degree of injury of the target. Corresponding as follows:]
[Minor injury: 20% of target's soul power absorbed]
[Medium damage: Absorb 50% of Soul Power. Target enters a state of exhaustion.]
[Secondary Heavy Injury: 70% of Soul Power absorbed, target enters a weakened state]
[Heavy Injury: Absorb all of the target's Soul Power. Target has fallen unconscious (dying)]
[Special instructions:]
[The attribute of Life-Saving Art is Divine; the effect belongs to the healing category, so generally speaking, this skill cannot be dispelled]
[— — -However, if saved, the target will either die or be heavily injured]
Liu Ping finished reading line by line and couldn't help but blurt out: "Damn!"
(TN: you can say that again!)
"What's wrong?" Hua Qingkong asked.
"Ah, nothing, I just haven't leveled up for too long, so I'm a bit excited." Liu Ping hurriedly said.
No wonder that old man hates Holy Knights so much.
No wonder the Gods of Purgatory hate the Warden Knight so much.
If these two professions were to be released individually, they would be able to kill anyone at any time!
But now …
They've combined and colluded with each other!
As the metal pipes around him retracted, a number appeared on the top left of Liu Ping: 3.
From now on, he was a level 3 Professionist.
The cold metallic voice chanted:
[Congratulations.]
[You've become a level 3 Professionist.]
[Your character attributes are as follows:]
[Profession: Holy Knight.]
[Name: Liu Ping.]
[Level 3.]
[HP: 15."
[Attack power: 20.]
[Soul Points: 0/12.]
[Your personal file has been treated confidentially.]
[Based on the commander-in-chief's request, this sequence has listed you as a key training target.]
[You've received a full set of equipment at your current level.]
A metal pipe reached over and placed a set of cards in front of Liu Ping.
Liu Ping calmed himself down and took a look at the cards, only to see that they were all equipment and supplies suitable for a Knight.
"The old man is so generous?" He said in disbelief.
"Of course, the premise is that you're worth it," Hua Qingkong smiled.
"Then I'll thank him after we return from the ruins of the Ceylon Kingdom, I'll hold a banquet and treat him to a drink."
Liu Ping also felt the changes in his body.
Strength — —
There was indeed an improvement.
Whether it was reaction speed, pure strength, or even speed and mental strength, there was a certain increase compared to level 2.
This was the value of the War Sequence.
It could help human Professionists to become stronger!
The Empire was built because of this and gradually became stronger in just a few hundred years.
Liu Ping took out a card from the set and placed it in front of him.
On this card, there was a scale.
— — Advance Card.
It was another blank Advance Card, the scale on it was 20.
As long as he filled it with 20 Soul Points, he could summon the War Machine Sequence again and increase his level to level 4.
Next, he had to focus on increasing his level!
Hua Qingkong took out a soft robe and handed it over: "Our new identities are trainee members of the Empire's Energy Exploration Team. This time, we were sent to the ruins of the Ceylon Kingdom to record the underground energy reserves found there."
"But why are we wearing robes?" Liu Ping asked.
"This is the Winter Robe — — it can maintain our body temperature to a certain extent." Hua Qingkong said.
"Oh right, it's very cold there" Liu Ping recalled the knowledge in the books and said.
Hua Qingkong took out two documents and handed one to Liu Ping.
This was their work permit.
Everything was real.
If someone were to investigate further, they would find that the information on the two of them was genuine. There were also the corresponding transfer documents for the two of them in the Imperial Energy Exploration Center, and even all the information about them since their school days. Everything had been arranged properly.
"In 30 minutes, there will be a train to the border of the Empire, the airship will have to wait until tomorrow night, they can't just send an airship for us, that would attract too much attention."
Liu Ping asked: "How long will the train take?"
"It will arrive tomorrow noon" Hua Qingkong said.
"Then we'll take the train and leave immediately, we can't wait any longer — — maybe the evidence in the ruins will be destroyed by then," Liu Ping said.
"Okay, then we have to leave immediately." Hua Qingkong said.
"Let's go!"
…
The train started moving slowly.
Hua Qingkong held her chin with one hand and sat by the window, carefully flipping through a book about the Ceylon Kingdom.
Liu Ping sat opposite her, closing his eyes to rest.
"There's a map of the Ceylon Kingdom here, don't you want to take a look?" Hua Qingkong asked.
"I've read your book, there are a few mistakes on the map." Liu Ping said without looking up.
"There are mistakes?" Hua Qingkong did not believe him.
"Yes, on page 367, on the top left of the map, there are 11 wrong place names printed, their order should be changed from left to right — — the corrected version was just released, only the Royal Academy library has it, I just finished reading it," Liu Ping said.
Hua Qingkong kept the book and sighed: "I almost forgot, you're a human-shaped answering machine — — I have a question to ask."
"Go ahead." Liu Ping said indifferently.
"In this land, why can we find about 3,000 years of human history, but not before that?" Hua Qingkong asked.
"It's very simple, 3,000 years ago, this place belonged to a Hibernator[1], then it disappeared, the human souls came here after entering the Eternal Night, and had a chance to survive" Liu Ping said.
Hua Qingkong hesitated: "You mean — —"
"That's right, when the Hibernator was here, the human souls were eaten as soon as they came here," Liu Ping said.
"Where did the Hibernator go?" Hua Qingkong asked.
"Who knows, some human countries in history have done research on this, there are too many guesses, the one that interests me the most is that the Hibernator thought of a way to leave the Eternal Night and return to the Purgatory."
Liu Ping said, then asked: "— — Right, do you want to return to the Purgatory?"
"I think the Purgatory has a strict hierarchy, all kinds of wars are cruel and bloody, but compared to the Eternal Night, it's not that scary." Hua Qingkong replied.
"Yes, in the Eternal Night, you never know what kind of existence you will awaken, and how it will treat your soul." Liu Ping nodded in agreement.
Hua Qingkong was silent for a few moments, then turned to look out of the window.
The bustling streets of the city quickly retreated.
The train began to accelerate.
It gradually drove out of the Imperial City and ran at full speed across the vast and barren plains.
[1] sleeper or slumberer