[Quest Interface unlocking... Quest Interface unlocked successfully.]
[You have triggered the quest: Alleyway Crisis.]
[Quest: Alleyway Crisis]
[Quest Details:
Some time ago, you borrowed a hefty sum of fifty Copper Marks from the Viper Gang.
After a period of accumulating interest, this amount has ballooned to two hundred Copper Marks.
And now, unfortunately, you find yourself cornered in an alley by Lin Long, Lin Hu, and Lin Bao, members of the Viper Gang.
What will happen next? It's hard to predict...
Find a way to deal with the current situation, no matter what method you use.
But if you end up getting beaten up badly, it won't count as a successful quest.]
[Quest Reward: Basic Force Essence*10, Random Common Chest*1.]
[Note: The Random Chest is not a common resource and is considered your first-day login newbie reward.]
[Do you accept the quest?]
Yes!
There was absolutely no reason to refuse.
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Looking at the two hundred Copper Marks on the Quest Interface, Cao Yi's mouth twitched.
Damn it, it would take over half a year of stealing without eating or drinking to pay this off?
This is really beastly.
"Brother Long, Brother Long..."
"I didn't mean to run, I have money, I'll pay."
Facing them head-on was definitely not an option.
Cao Yi had to think of another way.
Pay back the money?
Cao Yi didn't have a single coin on him right now.
If caught by the Three Beasts of the Lin Family, he would surely get a severe beating.
This was a hundred percent real physical sensation, and Cao Yi didn't want to suffer that.
Besides, only an idiot would pay back a high-interest loan.
Lin Long sneered, perhaps feeling that just holding a wooden stick wasn't intimidating enough. He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, placing it in his mouth.
Lin Long patted his pockets and realized he didn't have a lighter.
Cao Yi had a sudden idea and ran towards Lin Long with a fawning smile.
"Brother Long, I've got a lighter, I've got a lighter..."
Behind Cao Yi, Lin Hu and Lin Bao were still walking leisurely.
None of the three brothers thought Cao Yi had the courage to resist.
As he approached Lin Long, Cao Yi pretended to reach into his pocket for matches.
But where would Cao Yi have matches?
All he had was a surprise move — a monkey steals the peach!
Say goodbye to your junk!
Lin Long's eyes widened, and the wooden stick in his hand fell to the ground with a clang.
Immediately, Lin Long opened his mouth wide in pain, clutching his groin and curling up on the ground.
"Fuck!"
Lin Hu and Lin Bao cursed loudly from behind.
"Son of a bitch!"
However, Lin Hu and Lin Bao were quite a distance from Cao Yi.
Cao Yi bent down to grab the wooden stick and swung it at Lin Long's head, causing blood to gush out, leaving him in agony.
Quickly reaching into Lin Long's pocket, Cao Yi pulled out an old wallet.
Stuffing the wallet into his pocket, Cao Yi leaped over Lin Long and sprinted away.
Only then did Lin Hu and Lin Bao catch up.
They looked at their big brother, who was bleeding from both heads, then at Cao Yi sprinting ahead, unsure of what to do.
"Forget about me!"
"Chase that bastard Cao Yi!"
Lin Long lay on the ground, wailing in pain.
Whether Cao Yi paid back the money or not today, Lin Long was determined to make him say goodbye to his junk.
This area, known as "Sick Locust Hutong," was a maze of twists and turns.
Cao Yi had lived here for five or six years, and his muscle memory alone told him the way.
The two beasts of the Lin Family were clearly not as familiar with Sick Locust Hutong as Cao Yi.
For a thief, the most important thing isn't the skill of stealing, but the ability to run fast.
Whether you manage to steal or not doesn't matter; the main thing is not to get caught and beaten to death.
"Hahaha."
"Three idiots!"
"Pay back your damn money!"
Cao Yi stretched his legs, feeling that his body was much lighter than in reality.
If this were the real world, Cao Yi would have been out of breath long ago.
And he wouldn't have been able to run this fast.
The curses behind him grew fainter and fainter.
After dozens of turns, the two beasts of the Lin Family were long lost.
Cao Yi didn't care about the dirt, leaning against the wall and sitting on the ground, gasping for breath.
After running for over twenty minutes, Cao Yi felt like his heart was about to jump out of his throat.
His throat was burning dry.
"Damn..."
Now he had thoroughly offended the Three Beasts of the Lin Family.
But there was no other choice.
Leaving the quest aside, Cao Yi couldn't just let the Three Beasts of the Lin Family beat him up.
Cao Yi was here to play the game, not to suffer.
[Quest: Alleyway Crisis completed, Rating: Excellent.]
[You have received a 40% extra quest reward. It is recommended to claim the quest reward in a safe, private space.]
Cao Yi's eyes lit up.
He didn't expect the quest to have a rating.
But what is this Force Essence thing?
As for the chest, no need to say more — everyone knows it's good stuff.
"Three idiots, just wait for me..."
Cao Yi was a noble "Player," capable of completing quests and claiming rewards.
With a bit of cautious development, why would he fear the Three Beasts of the Lin Family?
Cao Yi touched his pocket and pulled out Lin Long's old wallet.
Inside were three Copper Notes with a face value of five each.
Copper Notes are the paper version of Copper Marks, more convenient to carry.
They come in denominations of one, two, and five.
In addition to fifteen Copper Notes, there were three Copper Marks with a face value of one, and one with a face value of fifty, along with two with a face value of twenty-five Lifen.
Lifen is a subunit of currency under Copper Marks and is the most basic currency unit in Tiannan Great State.
It only exists as coins, with no paper equivalent.
It comes in denominations of one, two, five, ten, twenty-five, and fifty.
One Copper Mark is worth one hundred Lifen.
This bastard Lin Long was quite wealthy, carrying nearly twenty Copper Marks with him.
The next period of game life was finally secured.
"Thank you."
Cao Yi chuckled, leaning against the wall, and wobbled to his feet, heading towards his rented apartment.
The most dangerous place is the safest place.
With the intelligence of the Three Beasts of the Lin Family, they would never think that Cao Yi would dare to go home now.
Sure enough, there were no signs of the Three Beasts of the Lin Family or any of Lin Long's other lackeys near the rented apartment.
Cao Yi walked into the courtyard, intending to get some water from the communal tap.
But then he remembered that even fetching water cost money.
One Lifen for ten liters of water, and the quality was poor, with a strong rust taste.
"Knock knock knock..."
On the first floor of the courtyard-style apartment was a standalone small courtyard.
This was the residence of the landlord, Liu Guifen.
The house had a private bathroom, flush toilet, shower, running water, and gas pipeline.
It was the dream house of every tenant in the courtyard-style apartment.
However, a house with such complete living facilities and a private courtyard, even in a slum within a slum like Sick Locust Hutong, cost over fifteen Copper Marks per month in rent.
An astronomical figure that most families couldn't afford.
Liu Guifen's courtyard wasn't locked, and Cao Yi walked right in, knocking on the door.
"Aunt Liu, are you there?"
"I'd like to buy a bucket of water."
Liu Guifen sold cleaner, drinkable boiled water.
The price was one Lifen for every two liters.
A full five times more than municipal water.